Top 9 Best Filipino Movies Shown during Christmas Season 2016

Number 9 on our list is Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers which was released last November 30. Vic Sotto returns to the big screen to play Enteng Kabisote, who is now co-owner of a robotics company. This time, he faces off with the evil Doctor Kwak Kwak (Epy Quizon), who develops a mind-controlling gaming app which makes players go on a real-life killing spree. To stop the mayhem, Enteng teams up with The Abangers, a group of Outcast Engkantasya Owners (OEWs) with mystical powers. He gets a new iron suit to boot, with the title alluding to the 10th improved version of his character.

The movie features an ensemble cast including Wally Bayola, Jose Manalo, Paolo Ballesteros, Alden Richards, and Maine Mendoza.

At No. 8 in our poll is Kabisera (The Seat), a socio-political drama based on a true story which happened in Batangas. The story revolves around how the life of one family is upended when their patriarch Tonying (Ricky Davao) is gunned to death by masked assailants. Soon media reports come out exposing Tonying and his eldest son Andy (JC De Vera) as suspects in a bank heist. With the head of the family gone, it is now up to Mercy (Nora Aunor) to bring the family together, as well as seek justice for her slain husband.

Coco Martin and Vice Ganda reunite to play the part of unlikely parents to orphaned kids in Joyce Bernal’s The Super Parental Guardians, which claims spot No. 7 in our survey.

After the death of Sarah (Matet de Leon), her best friend Arci (Vice Ganda) gains custody of Sarah’s children. This forces their uncle Paco (Coco Martin) to move in with Arci as they become Momshie and Popshie to Megan (Mcneal “Awra” Briguela) and Ernie (Simon “Onyok” Pineda).

Though not included as an entry to the MMFF, the film is breaking records at the box office. It earned PhP75 million on opening day, the biggest for a Filipino film. Earning PhP590.1 million in ticket sales worldwide^[*], the movie is poised to reach the PhP600 million mark, an achievement that a Filipino film has yet to surpass.

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“May katwiran si Mercedes Cabral sa pagsasabi nyang may karapatan ang indie films sa MMFF.” - Kiarra

Oro is inspired by the true-to-life story of small-scale miners who were murdered in Barangay Gata, Caramoan, Camarines Sur in March 2014. Their once-peaceful island is disturbed when a group of bandits posing as Patrol Kalikasan (Environmental Patrol) seize control over the production of gold, which is the only means of livelihood for the community. Kapitana (Irma Adlawan) settles the dispute by securing a permit, while her right-hand man Elmer (Joem Bascon) pacifies his fellow townspeople. However, it is the greed for gold—not environmental concerns—that serves as motivation for these bandits. As they are driven away from the island, violence breaks out.

Oro won the Best Ensemble Cast award and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Irma Adlawan. They also won the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award, but the MMFF executive committee recalled the honor after the production team drew flak over the alleged killing of a dog in one of the scenes.

Half-way through our poll is Seklusyon (Seclusion). Set in 1947, this period horror film helmed by Erik Matti delves into the practice of seclusion, where deacons aspiring for priesthood live in isolation in the last week of their training. They are warned that the forces of evil are stronger within this seven-day period.

Miguel (Ronnie Alonte) arrives in the retreat house with other deacons Fabian, Marco, and Carlo. Soon after, they welcome into their doors Madre Cecilia (Phoebe Walker) and Anghela Sta. Ana (Rhed Bustamante), a girl who has become known for performing miracles. Strange things happen when the child and nun stay the night. Following their trail is Padre Ricardo (Neil Ryan Sese), a priest who is investigating the miracles of Anghela who also uncovers a few secrets about Madre Cecilia along the way.

Seklusyon was a big winner at the MMFF 2016 Gabi ng Parangal, bagging Best Director for Erik Matti, Special Jury Prize for Rhed Bustamante, Best Screenplay, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Phoebe Walker, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Theme Song, and Best Production Design.

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On its website, the movie is described as “a typical teen film about love, monsters and gadgets.” But the journey to make the film possible was anything but typical. According to director Avid Liongoren, it took them 10 years to produce Saving Sally, the first Filipino film that combines 2D animation with live actors.

In the story is Sally (Rhian Ramos), a girl with a knack for inventing gadgets, who lives in a huge house on a hill with her abusive adoptive parents. She navigates the growing pains of high school together with her best friend Marty (Enzo Marcos), an aspiring comic book artist who is secretly in love with her. One day, Marty’s world turns upside down when Sally reveals that she has a boyfriend, Nick (TJ Trinidad). By accident, Sally discovers how Marty feels about her. While they decide to remain friends as they go to college, they eventually begin to re-evaluate their relationship, as well as confront Sally’s childhood monsters together.

Saving Sally took home the Best Musical Score for MMFF 2016, as well as the Children’s Choice Award.

“Vince Kath & James offers light romance which anyone can relate (to), pure kilig! Love it!” - Evangeline Loyola

On the third spot is teen romantic flick Vince and Kath and James. Based on the online-series-turned-book by Jenny Ruth Almocera, Vince and Kath and James tells the story of teens caught in an unlikely love triangle. After Kath (Julia Barretto) wins the Miss Engineering beauty pageant, she starts receiving sweet messages from a secret admirer named Var. Unknown to her, Var is actually Vince (Joshua Garcia), her nerdy friend who runs the blog DaVinci Quote, where he writes romantic one-liners because of his inability to express his feelings for Kath face-to-face. Things get more complicated when Vince agrees to help his cousin James (Ronnie Alonte) court Kath and claim that he is Var.

Vince and Kath and James won the Children’s Choice Award.

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Two movies are tied on the 2nd spot on our poll: Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2 and Sunday Beauty Queen.

Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2, a satire comedy on making mainstream movies, is the sequel to the 2011 movie of the same title. Direk Rainer (Kean Cipriano) wants to make “The Itinerary,” a romantic movie inspired by his real-life experience of his marriage, which is slowly falling apart. Together with producer Jocelyn (Cai Cortez) and production assistant Khalil Ramos (Lennon), they head to a posh resort to meet Eugene Domingo, who they are set to cast as Romina, the lead character in the said movie. To Rainer’s dismay, Eugene pitches in a lot of ideas to make the movie a box office hit, contrary to the indie version Rainer had in mind. In a time when the indie-versus-mainstream debate has been rekindled, director Marlon Rivera delivers a witty and navel-gazing movie which pokes fun at the various forces at play in the Philippine movie industry.

“Sunday Beauty Queen is funny, real, and moving all at the same time. I salute all OFWs out there. They are the real most valuable players (MVPs).” – Karen Grace

Also at No. 2 is Sunday Beauty Queen, a documentary film which exposes the plight of Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong. The helpers work 24 hours for six days a week, but on Sunday, they find respite from the grueling hours to hold a beauty pageant. All the pomp and pageantry is an escape from harsh realities: one worker is faced with the threat of deportation after being terminated by an employer, while another longs to go home to see her daughter’s graduation, but is unable to do so.

Sunday Beauty Queen is the first documentary to be shown in the MMFF since it was first established in 1975. It has won Best Picture, Best Editing, the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, and Children’s Choice alongside other two nominees.

“Beautiful movie because it shows here (that) despite being a transgender, he will not give up on life's challenge until he got his dreams.” - Ma. Irish Francisco

Garnering the most number of votes from our readers is Die Beautiful. Trisha Echevarria (Paolo Ballesteros) takes center stage in this comedy/drama film about a transgender woman’s journey through life and love. Known as Patrick to his family, he struggles for acceptance among his kin, while experiencing the blush of first love. After a personal tragedy creates more strife within the family, his father sends Patrick away. Changing her name to Trisha, she embarks on life on her own with the friends she has made joining beauty pageant rounds, even adopting a baby girl along the way.

Unfortunately, Trisha dies unexpectedly right after winning her coveted pageant crown. Despite objections from Trisha’s family, her best friends Barbs (Christian Bables) decides to honor her wish by dressing her up as a different celebrity every night of the wake.

Die Beautiful is the winner of the 2016 MMFF My Most Favorite Film, as well as Best Actor award for Paolo Ballesteros and Best Supporting Actor award for Christian Bables. It has also earned praises abroad, winning the Audience Award and Best Actor award at the 29th Tokyo Film Festival; and Special Jury Award for Outstanding Performance for Paolo Ballesteros at the International Film Festival of Kerala in India.

[*] http://goo.gl/kIl6wW