My Metro Manila Filmfest Forecast

The Metro Manila Film Festival is not exactly a film festival to gauge the finest in Philippine Cinema. And many of you know that I have often expressed my disgust over it. But I do acknowledge the fact that this festival allows the local studios to showcase their films without the interfering competition with Hollywood films for a week or so.

The MMFF may not exactly be a source for great movies. But now and then there are indeed gems worth seeing. Many of them, you can already crap just by seeing the trailer. But others may look like they just have lousy marketing trailers that defy the filmmaker's intention.

I believe that sometimes we do need a gauge or a forecast to tell which movies do deserve some level of trust. I made my own forecast of films for this coming MMFF, in order to share it with others who may appreciate it as well... [hit the jump to continue]

JM De Guzman backs out of San Pedro Calungsod movie

JM De Guzman as
Pedro Calungsod in an
early publicity photo

One of the entries for this December's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the highly anticipated movie based on the life of the young Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod, entitled "San Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir" But that film is currently facing a setback because its leading man JM De Guzman, who will be playing the titular character, is backing out from the project.

Ronnie De Guzman, JM's father confirmed that the actor will be withdrawing from his role citing health reasons, revealing that his son is "going through something" and he does not want him to suffer tedious production and hours required to film the movie. [full article after the jump]