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So here we are counting down the days to what will arguably be a local monopoly of the cinema. Without imported films we will have to entertain ourselves with homemade offerings — something that many of us have worked hard to avoid for years.

Why? It isn’t exactly unfair to say the local film scene has been a laughing stock for too long now. Apologists will try to defend it by referring to the laughably rare better-than-average local releases — many of which are, in truth, merely “acceptable” and can be praised only in comparison to their exceptionally unwatchable peers.

Yes, this means the same exhausted circus of cleavage and ghouls. But then again, what cannot be considered “average” in comparison with most of our horror film releases?

The sad truth is, bosoms and Satan are not the only things keeping us away from the cinema.

Apologists tend to defend Indonesian films not infused with horror or sex simply because they bypass those two commercially viable themes.

In a recent review I wrote of a local film about a boy whose dream is to play with the national soccer team, I critiqued (with conscious subtlety) the acting, directing and clumsy editing — among the movie’s other flaws.

The villagers quickly picked up their pitchforks and chased me to the woods with their online comments. Most claimed that since the movie promotes nationalism, has a (horrendous Disney-esque) “moral message,” and contains no glimpses of breasts or bleeding ghosts, it should automatically be praised as if it were the Indonesian “Citizen Kane.”

This is like claiming that a serial killer that murdered seven people is a nice fellow because most of the others roaming around have killed more than 10.

The best way to support the local cinema is to hold our movies to the same standard with which we judge international films.

Yet a glimpse of current local movies and those “coming soon” provides a grim summary of what we are in for should the government policy be implemented.

“Cewek Saweran” loosely translates to “Chip in Girl,” which refers to street entertainers who busk for change in villages, street parties and the like. The rough translation may not do justice to how unbearably corny the title is. While the synopsis sells the story as a village girl’s struggle to become a famous dangdut singer, its buttock-centric poster states, “Low-budget ‘Showgirls.’ ”

Other upcoming and currently-running titles seem even more predictable: “Pocong Ngesot” (“Sliding White Shrouded Corpse”), “Arwah Goyang Karawang” (“Karawang Dancing Ghost”), and “Jenglot Pantai Selatan” (“South Beach Tiny Vampire”).

While previous years have seen local cinemas pushing Oscar contending films to the forefront during the weeks leading up and after the awards ceremony, this year moviegoers will have to settle for either watching a DVD copy of the nominated films at home or give in to watching local films in the theater.

There’s still hope for local films, though it’s hard to be optimistic. The revenge thriller “Tebus” (“Redeem”) seems to promise a thrill in the vein of “The Strangers.” While “Rumah Tanpa Jendela” (“House Without a Window”) might provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of street children. But these are very few and far between and past examples of “better-film-ideas” have not been executed well for the most part.

So here’s a summary of why most people aren’t going to watch commercially released local movies. Until I see proof otherwise, I will say with confidence 90 percent of them are just plain bad.