(NI BEN BAÑARES)

PATAPOS na ang taon kaya naglalabasan na ang mga “best of” lists. At hindi lang best of 2019 – pati best of the 2010s decade dahil patapos na rin ang dekada.

‘Yung list na prinesent natin sa last column ko, that was the Top 10 of all time – kahit ang lahat ng pumasok ay galing sa papatapos na dekada.

This time, we’ll concentrate on 2019. Ito po ang biggest movies of the year. Galing ang list sa Facebook post ni katotong Mell T. Navarro who got the list from a movie insider. Anyway, he presented only the movie titles and their respective box-office earnings. The rest of the info here are from yours truly.

By the way, the list does not include the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival entries – dahil sa first week of January 2020 pa malalaman ang earnings na entries doon. Hanggang December 8, 2019 lang daw ang cutoff. And the earnings reflect only estimates of local gross. Hindi po kasama kita from international screenings.

TOP STUDIOS

Note that the top four movies are either produced or released by ABS-CBN Films/Star Cinema. Six out of ten movies are from the said studio. This is followed by Viva Films with three, and GMA Films with one. Obviously, this is the Kapamilya Network’s year, movie-wise that is.

So here goes…

1. Hello, Love, Goodbye (Star Cinema) P700M+. DIRECTOR: Cathy Garcia-Molina. STARS: Kathryn Bernardo, Alden Richards. RELEASE: July 31. About two OFWs in Hong Kong. Kung isasama ang international screenings, lalagpas ng P880M ang kinita ng pelikula. Generally positive ang reviews at malakas ang clamor for a sequel.
2. Alone/Together (Black Sheep released by Star Cinema) P287M. DIRECTOR: Antoinette Jadaone. STARS: Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil. RELEASE: February 13. Love story of two students who met again after eight years. The film grossed P370M worldwide.
3. The Panti Sisters (Black Sheep/ALV Films/The IdeaFirst Company/Quantum Films. Released by ABS-CBN Films) P191M. DIRECTOR: Jun Lana. STARS: Paolo Ballesteros, Martin del Rosario, Christian Bables. RELEASE: September 13. Comedy ito about three gay sons who are summoned by their terminally ill father. May offer siya na P300 million kung mabibigyan nila siya ng apo. Entry ito sa 3rd Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino kung saan nanalo ito ng Audience Choice award, Best Actor (Martin), at Best Production Design.
4. Eerie (ABS-CBN Films/Cre8 Productions/Media East) P171M. DIRECTOR: Mikhail Red. STARS: Bea Alonzo, Charo Santos-Concio, Jake Cuenca, Maxene Magalona. RELEASE: March 27. This thriller is about a guidance counselor who embarks on solving the mysterious death of a student at an all-girls school. It was first premiered at Singapore on December 3, 2018.
5. #Jowable (Viva Films) P130M. DIRECTOR: Darryl Yap. STARS: Kim Molina, Jerald Napoles. RELEASE: September 25. This comedy is about a woman (Kim) who yearns for a mature relationship. It was a sleeper hit, and even Kim herself was surprised that it became a huge hit.
6. Just A Stranger (Viva Films) P120M. DIRECTOR: Jason Paul Laxamana. STARS: Anne Curtis, Marco Gumabao. RELEASE: August 21. A married woman and a young man with a girlfriend fall in love with each other.
7. Unbreakable (ABS-CBN Star Cinema) P101M (until the December 8 cutoff lang). DIRECTOR: Mae Czarina Cruz. STARS: Angelica Panganiban, Bea Alonzo, Richard Gutierrez. RELEASE: November 27. Two women have been best friends since college. Their relationship is challenged as family obligations and a tragedy force them to re-evaluate the meaning of loyalty.

8. Clarita (ABS-CBN Star Cinema) P75M. DIRECTOR: Derick Cabrido. STARS: Jodi Sta. Maria, Arron Villaflor, Ricky Davao. RELEASE: June 12.  Horror film ito tungkol sa isang babae na inaresto ng mga pulis dahil pinaghihinalaang siya na sinapian ng demonyo.
9. Family History (GMA Films/Mic-Test) P55M. DIRECTOR: Michael V. STARS: Michael V., Dawn Zulueta. RELEASE: July 24. Family drama ito tungkol sa isang ama (Michael V.) matapos malamang may cancer ang wife niya (Dawn) at ito’y nagtaksil sa kanya.
10. Unforgettable (Viva Films/The IdeaFirst Company) P50M. DIRECTOR: Jun Lana, Perci Intalan. STAR: Sarah Geronimo, Milo (the dog). RELEASE: October 23. Jasmine (Sarah) goes on a journey home to bring her dog to her sick grandmother.