Filipino filmmakers are good in making drama films, especially family-related stories. They could probably be one of the best in the world. Love stories and romantic comedy films are also one of their specialisations. Lengthening scenes of heart-wrenching conversations, crying moments and realistic arguments are always effective, making the whole theatre experience a memorable and one-of-a-kind treat.
However, dragging scenes in horror, suspense or thriller films is irritating and totally vexing. They always reflect dumb and senseless Filipinos. I cannot understand why writers or directors need to lengthen scenes in these genres, as opposed to what they really should be to cope up with how the heart should beat in similar situations. Imagine horrifying imageries psychologically enwrapping your existence in a situation that produces faster heartbeats but your mind cannot completely tell your heart to do it because of poor storyline and logical failure.
For instance, near the end of the movie entitled Patient X (directed by Yam Laranas), Lucas has to go away with a young girl from a hospital where they are in because they are being hunted by an aswang. Your heart, as the audience, is also beating fast because your mind virtually put you in the same situation. You want to get in the car and drive away from that place because you still would like to see the sunrise. Then, all of a sudden, Lucas moved out of the car and went back to the hospital. The excitement went on a downfall spree. I do not know what was the writer thinking when he wrote that part. Why did Lucas go back? To tell the aswang that they are going away? Inside, he found a bleeding Dr Jack, who died after walking and falling into his arms. Everything seemed to be frozen; Lucas was given the time to close his eyes and cry. He forgot that the young girl was waiting inside his car. He was reminded when the child screamed because the aswang was there, trying to get her.
Even Star Cinema, known for good drama and tearjerker films, is found guilty of dragging scenes in their horror films. For example, in the episode Braso of the film entitled Cinco, there were three young men put in a morgue for their final initiation in joining a fraternity. While they were in the morgue, they learnt that there was a moving arm. I could not understand why Ivan, who had been scared since the start of the episode, had to move backwards to the darker portion of the room while exclaiming “Braso?!” It could have been better if they let him stood still. And how can he check what is moving behind the stacked bottles when the room is supposed to be dark? On the other hand, in the episode Mukha, does Rizza need to go back inside the building when something strange is happening right before her eyes? The episode Mata is also annoying because Rose was portrayed inconsistently. She was built strong but her characterisation was weak. The premise of the episode is repetition of the scenes until something has been reached. Rose suspected that déjà vu was happening to her at the second repetition, but just let things to happen.
The greatest failure is the series Shake, Rattle & Roll of Regal Films, which has been doing it for many years. Eleven films have been produced so far. In the Diablo episode of the eleventh film in the series, it was not shown in the film that Jake has poor eyesight. When he was investigating what fell in front of his car, he needed to get near the item, close enough for his nose to touch that something. This was similarly done in the Lamang-Lupa episode wherein the policeman had to move closer to find what was coming out of the stomach of Shiela. That thing was big enough not to be seen by the naked eye.
Some horror and suspense-thriller films were excellently written and done. These include Feng Shui, Sukob (this is the current highest-grossing Filipino horror), Signos, Siquijor: Mystic Island, Nasaan Ka Man, Puso episode of Cinco and Lihim ng San Joaquin episode of Shake, Rattle & Roll Y2K.
It’s good when something fresh is taken out of the shelves of writers and turn it into a movie. Paano Ko Sasabihin? is a story about love beyond spoken words. Starring Erich Gonzales as Erhyl and Enchong Dee as Mike, the two characters dwell in the notion that love is all about understanding. As long as two people understands each other, love finds its way.
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