It is a no brainer that some common folks and the not so ordinary ones have the time and resources to join the Avengers End Game bandwagon. The much-anticipated film is currently slaying the Philippine box-office.
Most of the fanatics are ecstatic. If they finish their first viewing, all they need to do is move from cinemas 1 to 8, to the IMAX theatre and even to the more expensive and exclusive Director’s Club hub and they get their fix of the larger than life Marvel universe.
With the rate things are going, factor in the positive-no-spoiler-reviews and the strength of the word-of-mouth campaigns, there is a chance that the final saga of the Avengers may stay in theaters, for six months I guess, especially here in Metro Manila.
What I do not understand, most especially to those who are pretending to be dye-in-the-wool Marvel supporters, their threats to spoilers, as if these are “fatal” and “blow them to smithereens!”
For crying out loud, the majority of us grew up with Darna, Dyesebel, Captain Barbel, Lastikman or Flavio from Ang Panday. Please stop pretending that you grew up knowing the origins and legends behind the heroes in Avengers.
What makes me wonder now, will forthcoming Filipino films get the same manner of support from the paying audience? If these soon to be shown Filipino films play poorly at the box office, who do we blame?
Some of the movies that will be in cinemas soon are Maledicto, “its main story arc, about demonic possession with the best-looking priest in the world, which Tom Rodriguez portrays. Jasmine Curtis-Smith is the prettiest looking nun. Basing it on the trailer, she may be called as the Millennial Linda Blair, Miles Ocampo.
The question now is, the PR team of Maledicto, what kind of blitzkrieg are they using to make sure that moviegoers will invest their time and money in their movie which is coming on Labor Day? Will the average Juan, with their hard earned money, be willing to give part of their earnings to Maledictico? What about the new moneyed and the old rich? With the movie’s Fox presence and stamp of approval, will this titillate their cinematic taste?
The movie Kuwaresma by Sharon Cuneta and Between Maybes by Gerald Anderson and Julia Baretto, will be pitted against John Wick 3 by Keanu Reeves at the box office in mid-May. The question is, how many movie houses will be accorded to the motion picture that stars Lord Reeves and how many will be given to the two Pinoy films?
What’s the advantage of the Megastar-led horror movie? It’s her first team up with John Arcilla, who happens to be one of our finest actors nowadays. It’s her first artistic collaboration with the director Erik Matti. And there’s a great newbie in the person of Kent Gonzales.
The question of course: Are the PR specialists moving heaven and earth to make the populace believe Kuwaresma is a YOLO happening and it is an unpardonable sin if you miss it?
What are the plus points of Between Maybes? Of course, the pair is fresh and there is a curiosity factor in the combination of Gerald Anderson and Julia Baretto. Word of mouth will definitely be encouraging if Mr. Anderson will have shower scene half naked.
With Julia, if their pairing seems “odd” at first, the moment audiences feel that the sexual chemistry she shares with Gerald is palpable, and that her being the best young actress amongst her batch because she gives a heartfelt performance, it is safe to say that these facts will do wonder for the film, most especially its killing the box office potential.
However, what we cannot deny, just like the Matrix trilogies where he is Neo, the hero, Keanu Reeves as John Wick, has become iconic, with a worldwide cult following. Its action sequences, are not just of epic proportions, are legendary executed. It also helps a lot that Reeves, remains eye candy and a heartthrob in his golden age.
What happens now to the Filipino movies in our midst? Let us give it a fighting chance. Not just lip service but real warm bodies going to the cinemas and telling others to go out of their cocoons and watch them. Laban natin ito! Panoorin natin ang sariling atin!