Next Attraction Mah A**!

Before I could actually write a decent review for Next Attraction, I had to calm down and relax myself. I already wrote a first draft and I didn't like it just because it was getting long and my thoughts (or rather rants) were here and there. Naisip ko na hindi ko man nagustuhan 'yung pelikula, at least it deserves a fair write-up (kahit papa'no).

Next Attraction is my first Raya Martin experience. I had heard so many great things about him and I feel that it's high time to know what the fuss over him was about.

Ay! The experience was a huge disappointment for me and for Nori whom I dragged along to see the film. Not only that we left the theater wondering what transpired within the hours we spent there, we were dumbfounded. Kulang na lang ay sabihin namin, "P*tangna! Ano ang nangyari?!" (Sorry, di ko talaga mapigilan ang expletives.)

The so-called movie is a behind-the-scenes look on the making of a short film. Those very words sum-up exactly what the so-called film is all about. It's only a supposedly DVD special feature turned into a main film! O, sa'n ka pa! (So 'pag naglabas ng special edition DVD, 'yung behind-the-scenes look ay mayro'n pang behind-the-scenes uli. Kung may tipo ng pelikula na movie within a movie, ang magiging special feature ay behind-the-scenes within a behind-the-scenes!)

I didn't have a problem with the concept though. What's troubling is what the film offers after seeing it -- nothing! Did we learn something new? Wala. Is there a scene that excited us? Wala. Ni walang isang eksenang masasabi naming may ingenuity or brilliance. It was even a badly done behind-the-scenes featurette. Mas mukha pa ngang raw footages ang mga eksena na pinutol-putol upang tawaging isang pelikula. Bukod pa r'un, pagkadilim-dilim niya!

The crowd was awfully quiet during the screening. Kami nga lang 'ata ni Nori ang nagkukwentuhan just to pass the time while waiting for the film's redeeming value. Baka nga naman isalba niya ang sarili niya sa huli. Pero naipakita na ang short film na kinunan at lumabas na ang closing credits, wala pa rin kaming nahita! Wala kaming napulot na kahit na katiting na insight man lang.

Even the supposedly short film that they were shooting wasn't so great to begin with. Luma na ang kwento. Luma na ang execution. (It's about a young man who, after an argument with his mother, goes to the city and had sexual relations, only to return with an apologetic mother.) Naisip ko nga, tahimik ba ang audience dahil mangha-mangha sila sa kanilang pinanonood o dahil iniiwasan lang nilang mapamura once they open their mouths? Mayro'n ngang hindi na nakatiis at talagang go na sa exit an hour or so later! Pero nang matapos ang pelikula, mayro'n pang nakuhang pumalakpak! Huh? Bakit?! Not because it won the "Digital Grand Jury Prize" (in Cinemanila 2008) means it was that great. Hindi naman lahat ng nananalo ay deserving manalo. (Case in point: Rafael Rossell sa Urian! Hello?!) Isipin mo rin, kung 'yun na ang best sa lahat ng entries, so basura nang maituturing ang iba? (Although I haven't seen the rest except Confessional which I saw last year in UP. Ayun pa! Deserving talaga ng award na nakuha niya. No questions asked. No eyebrows raised.)

Pasensya na sa mga gumawa ng pelikula pero naman! Naaksaya ang PhP150 namin, maging ang aming oras. There's so much that you can do with such a concept at nasayang lang. Kung sana man lang mayro'n siyang contrast. Tahimik man at naging maayos ang paggawa ng pelikula, masalimuot naman ang naging takbo ng short film. O hindi man kabigatan ang kwento ng short film pero mas di hamak na mas madrama naman ang nangyayari sa likod ng camera. But no. You just let your cameras roll and film whatever is there and showed it to us. Para saan? Para kanino?

Para que pa na gumawa ka ng isang pelikulang hindi naman kapupulutan ng kung ano ng iyong audience lalo pa't documentary ang genre na ginamit n'yo? Docus are supposed to be insightful and eye-opener.

Para que pa na gumawa ka ng pelikula na para sa iyong self-satisfaction lamang? Movies are meant to be shared and enjoyed by the public and not just its makers. Kung ganu'n din lang ay mabuti pang 'wag mo nang ipakita sa 'min at sarilinin mo na lang. Or at least, show it for free! (Oras nga lang ang lugi sa audience [saka snacks]. Pero at least libre pa rin!)

Isa pang hindi na-utilized ng husto ay ang paggamit sa dalawang lead stars n'yo, sina Coco Martin at Paolo Rivero. I believe that you have banked on their team-up because of their success via Daybreak. Icon nang maituturing ang tambalang 'yan pagdating sa Philippine gay film community and I felt that you use it as bait to lure gays in and have abused it. Wala rin naman palang kahahantungan ang kanilang excitement. (I must admit that I am one of them. Sila ang dahilan kung bakit ako na-excite panoorin ang pelikula.)

In the words of an utterly disgruntled filmgoer outside the theater, the film is "kasumpa-sumpa!" Although I wouldn't use such words to describe the film, I wouldn't disagree on that either.