Headlines and photos loudly described the cinemas this holiday season. No longer lanes and no more laughing audiences. Away from the typical ideology and expectations, Filipino movie goers did not choose to watch some of the Metro Manila Film Festival movies this year. Rather they took the initiative to reserve and buy tickets for Spiderman: No Way Home which is showing on January 8, 2021.

The big question is WHY?

Let’s sit down and talk about it objectively. Filipino movies are well known in the following scenes and storylines:

1. A girl who will go abroad to find herself but will soon be stopped by the guy who truly loves her in the airport.
2. Any story under the sun that talks about “kabit”
3. The “tampuhan ng mag-ina o mag-ama”
4. Love story where the other half is from a well-known and rich clan while the other half is from a poor family.
5. Local superheroes that will save the day. Most of the time, the main actor is “sadboi” or “sadghorl”.
6. Or maybe one of the most anticipated storyline ever since: “Naipalit iyong anak sa karibal habang nasa nursery room at matatagpuan ang tunay na anak kapag lumaki na.”

And the list goes on. Talking about figures, the Hello, Love, Goodbye is the highest grossing Filipino film so far (880 Million Pesos). We all know that cinematography wise and storyline is quite admirable and that film deserve the spot. Now looking on the list of the MMFF 2021 films, the cinemas were left no longer lanes anymore.

Filipino movie goers are quite sophisticated and more intelligent now. They want something new. They want a better cinematography and a storyline that they wouldn’t expect. Somewhat realistic and beyond their imagination. Remember the MMFF line up in 2016?  Seklusyon, Ang Babae sa Septik Tank 2, Sunday Beauty Queen, Saving Sally, Die Beautiful, Vince, Kath and James, Oro and Kabisera. This line up is gold. Maybe it’s a brilliant idea to bring back that kind of taste in Filipino movies.

Wonder why more Filipinos are into Kdrama series? It is because most of the diverge and realistic stories that Koreans are telling. Summoning their culture and history as part of it makes the recipe complete.

Let’s not forget Heneral Luna and Goyo that even went up to Netflix. Why? Simply because Filipinos want to know something new or should we say truth-to-tell. Filipinos by nature are people who demands for truth and real service and surely, it does affect how they choose the films they are watching.

There is a lot more interesting story to film and to watch. Something that will not just make the Filipinos laugh but will leave them astounded. It is definitely why Spiderman: No Way Home seems to be more exciting in their eyes than some of the movies on-screen today. Not just because of its storyline and cinematography. But definitely because of most of the film goers now? Grew up with Marvel Universe.

Sharing with you Nena, a Filipino made masterpiece that won “Best Short Film” in Japan Indie Film Festival (JIFF). You should not miss it out!

For those who watch the Spiderman: No Way Home already, no spoilers please!