Olivia Lamasan's "Starting Over Again" - Delightful Grieving

Ginny’s (Toni Gonzaga) school girl crush on History professor Marco (Piolo Pascual) has turned relentless that she’s brazenly proposed to him at every opportunity she gets. But on the most unexpected time, when she’s been rejected to play the Virgin Mary for a school play, Marco finally accepts. Thus starts their unlikely love story. 

While Ginny dreams of bigger things, like taking her Master's degree in Barcelona (where her mother works and raises a new family), Marco seems content with his culinary hobby, refusing to even finish his special course. And like most romantic relationships, lovers start noticing the chipping off of gloss. Marco in fact reflects Ginny’s father’s passivity and lack of ambition, a few of the reasons that lead to the eventual separation of Ginny’s parents (Lito Pimentel and Yayo Aguila). When some ideals are tainted by brash realities, admiration quickly dissipates. Ginny learns to “unlove” Marco. So she flies to Barcelona effectively cutting off her relationship with Marco who's devastated by the absence of an acceptable explanation. How does one move on without much closure?

A few years later, Ginny unexpectedly receives a “letterlater” (a web-based mail pre-sent on a later date) from Marco three years from the past, fortuitously rekindling her affection to the heartbroken ex boyfriend. 

What’s more serendipitous? Ginny, now a successful architect specializing in restoration, gets an invitation to propose a design for a new restaurant owned by Marco, now a prosperous chef. Wasn't this the same ancestral house where their dreams of putting up a restaurant first started? What’s the catch? Is Marco the same guy who has hopelessly written the “letterlater” three years ago? Is Ginny really handed a second chance? Or was this a retaliatory ploy to get back at her? But life isn't a walk in the park. Marco, it turns out, has a new girl friend, the gorgeous pastry chef Patty (Iza Calzado) who “looks like the Virgin Mary” – a role that Ginny was once rejected for. And she is getting mixed signals from Marco. His longing is palpable when he gazes at her. What’s a girl to do? Should she pursue him again, like she once did? Has he moved on? Or was it time to start anew?

Director Olivia Lamasan presents a legitimate narrative dilemma that takes his audience on a compelling journey along with Ginny, Marco and Patty. It’s easy to get devoured by Lamasan's romantic maelstrom. While the film follows a template familiar in romantic comedies, the characters are deftly written. Moreover, each narrative element is masterfully pieced together.

Some narrative issues are in fact worth exploring and discussing, as when Ginny recognizes some of her father's loathsome traits in Marco. Once romance scratches the surface of reality, human frailties are revealed, exposing Marco's decrepitude. If a relationship is worth keeping, we eventually learn to accept the flaws. Otherwise, we leave.

The movie is told from the point of view of Ginny Tolentino that necessarily makes this vehicle Toni Ganzaga's who takes full advantage of the character's broad and livid gestures. In fact, some of the most delightful and slap-happy scenes involve her, i.e. Ginny and Marco's first concupiscent moment, a rollicking scene that shall be remembered with hilarity long after the movie has stopped screening in cinemas. Or when Marco gives her the run around from Taft to Alabang to San Juan to Tagaytay, braving through taxis, trains and traffic- on six-inch heels! Then there's the silly seduction scene by the ladder, and her falling into Marco's arms.

Unlike many Star Cinema romcoms, the quirky, albeit annoying extended families of our protagonists are featured minimally. There’s little exposition on Ginny’s separated parents or Marco’s folks and Lola (Liza Lorena). This allows the narrative to focus on its three central characters, allowing more flesh on their motivations and intentions. Let’s take the case of Ginny who possesses a consistent characterization. She’s the loud, unyielding, aggressive soul who finds ambition and talent sexy. When she detects a flicker of passivity in Marco, she loses interest. That, to me, is human nature. And what is cinema if not a character study blown up on celluloid. Even Marco and Patty are well sketched. This refulgent delineation of characters is tangible enough that when Patty refuses to be brazenfaced when verbally confronted by Ginny (the uncomfortable and climactic kitchen scene: "Palayain mo na si Marco"), we realized quite well that indeed some people carry such enviable dignity despite aggression - or grace under pressure.

Strong performances define this movie. Toni Gonzaga appears in her career’s best performance, thanks to a script that utilizes her thespic vulnerability, exquisitely infusing it with the flick’s comedic inclinations. Romantic comedies are her forte, and this is evident as she masterfully glides through with self deprecating charm. Piolo Pascual returns to form. He revives an easy deportment not seen in a while, but when it was time to pull out all the stops – as when Marco tries to stop Ginny’s taxi from taking her to the airport, he was brimming with empathy. When did we last see him this fetching? Eight long years ago in Joyce Bernal’s 2006 romcom, “Don’t Give Up On Us” (with Judy Anne Santos). Iza Calzado imbues Patty with adequate charisma that, at some point, we wished she would “get the boy”. Thanks mostly to a classy character excursion.

It is a curiosity though how Olivia Lamasan has outdone Cathy Garcia-Molina in the romcom genre. After all, Lamasan does dramas, not romcoms. If this were Molina’s film, there’s be sing-alongs at airports involving every living beings (including the ceiling repairmen); there'd be sun dances in the middle of a park or during a blustering rain; there'd be terpsichorean extravaganzas in gyms filled with fawning spectators, and all those cheesy, peanut-gallery tricks that may be amusing, but ultimately unrealistic. How did Lamasan outdo Molina? In what could be the decade’s most captivating epilogue, the film follows our crestfallen heroine as she rushes to a meeting: hailing a taxi, climbing a stair, meeting a new colleague, and shaking the hand of someone who could be her ticket to moving on! Genius!

Now tell me you're not inspired.

Piolo Pascual turns on the megawatt charm.

Toni Gonzaga: career best

When McDreamy becomes a local affair.

Iza Calzado as Patty: Killing with kindness.

Smiling their way to the bank.

Wenn Deramas' This Guy's in Love With U Mare - Gender Bending Triangle

On their third anniversary, Lester Reyes (Vice Ganda) plans a scheme that would have boyfriend Mike (Luis Manzano) pop the big question. The ambiance has been fashioned for a romantic night - with the help of Lester’s gay posse’ (Ricky Rivero, Ricci Chan, Lassi and IC Mendoza). But while Lester has compiled his anniversary gifts (wrist watch, a pair of shoes, a new cellphone) for his lover, Mike is empty handed. What’s worse, the latter breaks up with Lester. He says he’s turned “born-again Christian”. Their relationship doesn't quite make the equation with regards to his religious belief. Lester is nonplussed and hurt, even mildly suicidal. He may not take Mike's excuse hook, line and sinker, but what can he do?

One day, he learns that Mike is actually engaged to toothsome bank clerk Gemma (Toni Gonzaga). So Lester devices a ruse to make Gemma fall in love with him. He conceives a staged mauling that would have him defend Gemma against some assailants. In this incident, Lester valiantly wins against the masked marauders (played by Lester’s gay friends). He adheres to the unwritten rule book on diligent courtship and showers Gemma with time, attention, and gifts. He deposits P5 million at Gemma’s bank. He ups the charm offensive. After all, he knows what girls want – and he’s pulling all the stops to break Gemma and Mike. Lester even successfully insinuates his presence on Gemma’s fractious parents (Buboy Garovillo and Carla Martinez). Gemma relishes Lester’s seemingly boundless devotion. After all, which girl isn’t flattered by such generous display of affection? Mike isn’t pleased. Why is his girlfriend even entertaining a suitor? They are engaged. Or is she falling for him?

When Lester invites Gemma for the “back to back to back” show of her favorite performers, Aegis and April Boy Regino (a show that Mike dismisses rabidly), she accepts the invitation which Mike eventually learns. Jealous and infuriated, Mike vows to meet this mysterious guy; only to learn that it’s his ex-lover Lester. How can she tell Gemma about his past and warn her about Lester’s real intention? He could lose her for this. What to do?

Director Wenn V. Deramas uncharacteristically delivers an ouvre with substantial cinematic flesh. The narrative is focused, and seems to adhere to a written script, thus Vice Ganda’s improvisational proclivity is less exploited here than his previous starrers. This is good news. The end-product is an engaging story that could be an authentic human experience which can’t be said about “Praybeyt Benjamin” or “Petrang Kabayo”.      

Of course there are jokes that didn’t quite work: like when Vice suddenly referenced Madam Auring and Zenaida Seva, the punch line wallowed in decumbency. His impression of Gollum was similarly flat. His constant reference to Lassy’s “repugnant” features eventually gets overbearing – and churlishness is never funny. In fact, in time it seems analogous to the humor that bullies get whenever they intimidate others. But I am nitpicking.

The scenes where Vice mimics Vilma Santos’ scenes from “Darna and the Planet Women” are almost a stroke of genius. Reference to Darna in relation to character definition for homosexuals isn’t lost in us.

This is clearly Vice Ganda’s vehicle. He moves with effulgent rhythm and motivation, almost never missing a beat. His effortless comic delivery is unmatched, and he’s a joy to behold when he drips with sarcasm. Toni Gonzaga, on the other hand, is enthusiastic. Like most of her romcoms (where she reigns supreme), Toni is a magnetic presence. Her self-deprecating ability successfully figures in most of her scenes. She doesn’t mind looking silly, making her comic scenes funnier than they should be.

Meanwhile, Luis Manzano’s efforts are a hit-and-miss. It’s obvious though that Luis has developed a degree of comfort and camaraderie with Vice Ganda (they’ve worked together five times in the past). However, Luis sometimes dives into obsequious territory, making his punch lines more academic than visceral. This tendency deflects humor.

There’s much to relish in “This Guy’s In Love With You, Mare”. I like that Lester is surrounded by a bevy of supportive friends – though they could only be servile since they all work for him. But the message of friendship is strong. The film also cursorily underlines the existence and/or validity of a male-male relationship. Unfortunately, this is comedy and there are limitations of genre, thus getting into the nitty gritty of things goes beyond its nature. But it could be interesting. After all, Mike was a guy who took advantage of Lester’s bounties in exchange of sleeping with him. Who’s prey and who’s predator?

Sam Milby is a delightful presence. He cameos as the anonymous soul who saves a character in the story, one who nearly drowned.

“This Guy…” boasts of a compact narrative, brisk pacing, hilarious situations and inspired performances. It’s easy to see why people flock to see it. This is evident even on its first day of commercial release. This boundless energy is virulent. It electrifies all the way down my seat. So darn funny.

Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi - Left Over Ideas and Annoying Turns

There are two dissonant stories in Jose Javier Reyes’ “Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi”. But we feel that the film was originally meant to focus on one. Then Eugene Domingo became too big to take on menial side stories, thus the project evolved into two equal parts.

When Music teacher Maribel (Toni Gonzaga) finds greener pastures in Japan, her co-teacher Oca (Zanjoe Marudo) suddenly proposes: “Pakakasalan kita pagbalik mo.” And three years isn’t that long a wait. The catch is, Maribel and Oca weren’t even a couple to begin with. Meanwhile, Belay’s cousin Precy (Eugene Domingo) has had it with husband Benito (Wendell Ramos) when the latter fails to recover P250,000 from a business deal gone sour. The money was Precy’s savings meant to finance their very own house and lot. Moreover, she didn’t even know he took it.

Three years later, the meek and unassuming Belay comes home a changed woman. She is loud, impulsive and uncouth; she wears sparse garments and streaks her hair. Oca, on the other hand, remains reserved and indulgent. Bel is expectedly thrilled and raring for the pre-nuptial jitter.

But Maribel and Oca’s road to matrimony hits a snag when their parents don’t agree on a sundry of details: She wants a Boracay wedding; he can’t afford it (he’s an ignoble Social Studies teacher); she insists on purple as motif, but her mother-in-law finds it tacky. He wants a cousin as ring bearer; she prefers a different boy! The list of disagreements piles up like a bomb waiting to explode. And when it does, Bel is slapped with a rude realization that Oca’s proposal could have been a knee jerk proposal offered out of haste than affection. What’s a girl to do?

Precy, on the other hand, walks out of her family. She wants an annulment and his sincere apology. But egos are soaring high. Benito pleads for her return saying he’s forgiven Precy, all the while failing to own up to his mistakes. So Precy keeps her resolve, but barely so. Her hubby’s a hunky catch and his allure provides too much of a temptation for the homely wife. Will she eventually take him back?

Once again, Eugene Domingo displays the enviable antithesis of comedic flourish and thespic restraint that has made her an unseemly Philippine Sweetheart, appearing in half a dozen TV shows from 3 warring stations; fielding blockbuster flicks one after the next. Her hole-plugging role becomes a more engaging, better threshed out performance when we expected another variety of “Mamarazzi”. As the months lay on, Domingo becomes a living testament that talent alone can summon success. You don’t need youth, beauty or a well-oiled machinery to make it big.

If you’ve been watching Toni Gonzaga’s spiels in the Sunday gossip show, “The Buzz”, you would agree with me that she has been such a delight. She has developed an affectation that’s gratifyingly felicitous as she faces her guests or when she delivers cheerful quips as she opinionates. This particular boobtube persona is being taken on screen, personified in Toni’s Japayuki Bel. Would this translate satisfactorily on celluloid?

Unfortunately, it was a failed experiment. Toni inconsistently vacillates, if a tad too annoyingly, in her characterization. Her performance straddles between demonic possession and constipation. Yes, we know that living in Japan has toughened her up, but did she really have to be that loud and eccentric? Has she transmogrified into a transvestite or evolved into a sexy Martian? She desperately wanted to offset Domingo’s scene-stealing knack as though amplifying her voice was the ticket to succeed in this endeavor. She was schizopheric at best. This development disappoints because we see her as the ultimate romantic-comedy heroine of this generation.

As for Zanjoe Marudo, he could have nailed his Oca had it not been for that scene where he enlists the intercession of Precy at a restaurant. We’ve always found him a comfortable actor: as besotted Caloy in Cathy Garcia-Molina’s “You Got Me!” (also with Toni Gonzaga); as former boxer Anton in Rico Maria Ilorde’s spine-tingling indie,“Altar”. But when tasked to deliver a dramatically emphatic spiel opposite Domingo, he seizures like fish out of water. It was an awkward moment that highlighted Marudo’s weakness – truly among the year’s worst performances.

Wendell Ramos delivers a winsome turn as lazy, albeit attractive husband Benito. Wendy Valdez, Regine Angeles, Teddy Corpuz, Miriam Quiambao, and Ramon Christopher provide short but adorable supporting performances, while Irma Adlawan (playing Zanjoe’s mother) fails to believably capture the frustrations of a mother who’s not quite pleased with her son’s choice for a wife. Adlawan mostly frets and appear stolid, a thoroughly guileless interpretation of her character, while Odette Khan (as Wendell’s mother) joyfully cavorts into her spiteful character with such unabashed glee. Adlawan should take pointers from Ms. Khan.

“Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi” represents the leftover ideas that didn’t quite make it in the final cuts of Jose Javier Reyes’ successful “Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo” and its sequel “Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo”. Way until the rolling of credits, we were waiting for the rousing cinematic payoff that made wedding romcoms mostly irresistible, but this one failed to deliver. It ended as blandly as its mediocre script. Reyes’ creative juices suffer from having to deal with discordant stories and forcibly piecing them together into an uneven fit. Domingo’s character could have provided the foil to subvert the trite comic formula, but her story only highlighted the sheer disparity of the stories.

Ultimately, it was one narrative that went to town wearing a pair of dissimilar shoes. And Toni Gonzaga limped all the way through.

Winsome, loathesome...

Perhaps a bad performance wouldn't matter in the long run because the theater had an impressive crowd when I watched. To some, making dough is the sole essence of the film making business. It is an enterprise after all. And Toni Gonzaga has proven her mettle as a reliable crowd drawer. A better project next time, Toni?

Zanjoe Marudo: from modelling to acting.

Wendell Ramos: Delightful as a cad.

Say "Taj", Say "Raj" - And 2010's Most Wince-some & Winsome Moments - Part 1

Last year, part of our New Year’s Resolution for 2010 was to write our thoughts on every Tagalog film that would come out in commercial theaters within the year. This was our testament to “Tangkilikin ang Pelikulang Pilipino”. But “praising” them is another matter. We vowed to watch them, but also vowed to speak our mind about their merits (and demerits). After all, patronage should be deserved.

For the most part, I was successful with this resolution since, heck, I watch every ”gold and garbage” anyway. But sometime mid-November, we lost steam. The thought of writing reviews for “East of Paradise” and “Ika-Sampu” made us physically sick, so we decided to steer clear from writing about Tagalog movies until the end of the year, which was too bad since there were several flicks worthy of being read by some 600 page-reads that surprisingly visit this blogsite every single day (I dunno why)! Within a week, I shall come out with 2010’s best and worst performances. But for this post, we shall concentrate on the things that made us smile and those that made us wince uncomfortably on our seats.

SAY TAJ, SAY RAJ

We love Venus Raj and the way her lips stretch literally from “ear to ear” when she smiles. There is obviously nothing plasticine with the beauty queen. She is all wrapped in sincere victory. But way before she won her crown, she was introduced to us in TV shows as “Miss Venus Raj” pronounced the way “Raj” should be pronounced – with a “dz” (ra-dz) instead of the bothersome “silent j” (rah). But a few days before flying to Vegas for the Universe pageant, things changed. Raj became “Rah” – from TV Patrol monkeys all the way down to Boy Abunda, enunciating the “Raj” like they were gonna whoop out a cup of phlegm after saying “Raj”.

My reference here would be the more obvious origin – India!

India is home to the Taj Mahal and a popular actor Raj Kumar. Raj, the deceased veteran actor of some 70 films, is pronounced the way “J” should be – like “badge” and “fudge”. And try doing a silent “j” to the Taj Mahal. Pumunta kami ng “Tah-Mahal”. Pauso!

DUBIOUS LIST-MAKING

We like Ms. Joan Maglipon, head honcho of “Yes Magazine” and PEP entertainment website, because she is smart, mild mannered and respectable. She almost never resorts to mud slinging and muck wracking. However, her “Yes Magazine” has been coming out with dubious list-making. For Showbusiness’ “Most Beautiful Personalities”, who should emerge with the crown? Not the lovely Bea Alonzo, the smoldering Angel Locsin, the effervescent beauty of Maja Salvador, the angelic face of Marian Rivera – but the homely and pretty Primetime Princess, Kim Chiu!

This surprised us. Our friends chuckled. Kim is a pretty girl, and she has excessively rabid fans to boot, willing to throw acid at anyone who would stand in Ms. Chiu’s way, but “pretty” doesn’t necessarily cut “most beautiful”. No amount of success could circumvent physical beauty!

Unless their panel of “jurors” is a bunch of Glaucoma patients, I think it’s clear as the blue sky that the weepy girl-next-door Miss Chiu cannot hold a candle even to Kristine Hermosa or Cristine Reyes who should look like goddesses beside the wholesome Primetime Star. A popular TV series or a hit movie should never be a criteria for “beauty” when you’re saying “most beautiful” because, if that’s the case, why shouldn’t Vice Ganda win the plum? He has the “name” (Ganda) for it - and he is obviously the year’s break away star, isn’t he? And are you saying that Kim Chiu is more beautiful than Anne Curtis? Ah, Erwan ko sa inyo!

Kim Chiu as "most beautiful".

The less beautiful stars: Kristine Hermosa, Angel Locsin, Maja Salvador, Anne Curtis, Mariane Rivera, and the much-abused Bea Alonzo.

Within the same year, Yes also came out with their traffic-stopping “Power List” which listed Sharon Cuneta somewhere at the bottom of the Top 10 (#8, I think) while Claudine Barretto was at number 4. What gives? This was during a year when Barretto couldn’t even get a teleserye in her then-home studio. Her only claim to fame that time was a tv commercial, peddling “milk” and its food-pyramid. Thus her exodus to GMA 7! Of course, this eventually gave way to a vacuous flick, “In Your Eyes” that’s way inferior from her masterpieces in ABS-CBN.

But really now, Sharon Cuneta is a lesser star than Claudine? Do we live in an alternate universe? Some brains over at Yes need electro-convulsive therapy! Sharon Cuneta may look like a beached whale these days, eternally spouting “I lost 3 ½ pounds this week” – but this never dimmed her stature as The Megastar! And Ms. Cuneta is certainly not inferior to the spiteful and litigious Claudine Barretto, is she?

Sharon Cuneta and Claudine Barretto: At no decade is Barretto bigger than the Megastar!

QUEEN OF WHAT?

Kris Aquino should carefully consider doing away with titles and concentrate instead on her craft. She obviously doesn’t deserve the “Queen of All Media” tag when she can’t even make a new noontime show fly! And what kind of star are you (really!) when a few weeks after it opens, you are unceremoniously kicked out from the show?

Then there’s another tag – the “Horror Queen”! I am prone to agreeing with the latter. After all, watching Kris Aquino in “Dalaw” was horrifying! In the film, she has this constant look of dread way before things really start happening. She “indicates” more than “internalizes”. And newbies like the fantabulous Carla Abellana (of "Shake, Rattle & Roll 12's Punerarya") could teach our "queen" a thing or two about acting! Lest we forget, didn't she own "Massacre Queen" sometime in the past?

It is thus instructive to say that Ms. Aquino should just go back to her talk shows because people love her there. In fact I am such a “fan” – I love watching her make a fool of herself on national television, implying the possibilities of any romantic liaisons with Ted Failon and Mayor Junjun Binay – and even Diether Ocampo - as they fall under her spell! Just makes your skin crawl – with giddy delight, doesn’t it?

Romantic liaisons?

The face of fear? Constant anticipation of dread.

ROM-COM QUEEN

Toni Gonzaga deserves a title – “Rom-Com Queen”! I have always enjoyed her movies (except the despicable “My Only U”). She is a fun, frothy, compelling lead that makes romantic comedies such convivial vehicles. That Robin Padilla eventually decided to do away with a Toni movie is to his disadvantage because, let’s face it, what was Mr. Padilla's last blockbuster? Must have been a decade ago, right?

In Cathy Garcia-Molina's “My Amnesia Girl”, Toni was such an endearing presence (as events photographer Irene) and despite her scant chemistry with John Lloyd Cruz (as the runaway groom Pol), the audience rooted for the couple’s relationship to work. It was a heart-warming movie. If only they did away with about 50% of those cheesy lines that seemed fetching at first, but ultimately drowned you away into nausea! Next rom-com please!

Cute - and then the cheezy lines came flooding by!

THE NEWS THAT MATTERS

Noli de Castro’s return to television ("TV Patrol") heralds the return of a bygone era where watching news was imperative – believable, concise. Seeing Korina Sanchez beside him was like icing on the cake. Let’s just hope Ms. Sanchez does away with her over-the-top vendettas (remember when she was after doctors? That sent waves across the whole community of physicians all over the country!) because when Korina does news, people sit up and listen. She’s one of the voices that people believe when they hear. And doesn’t she look absolutely stunning these days?

Ted Failon completes this powerhouse trio, and I am tickled pink with Failon’s relaxed, albeit playful demeanor these days. When De Castro finally mouthed his signature, “Magandang Gabi, Bayan” – I had goosebumps! I dearly miss Karen Davila from primetime news though.

SINGING SWEETHEART

Shalani Soledad finally finds a voice! I am not a fan of Willie Revillame. For me, he is just one arrogant twat who found a pot of gold at the end of the ABS CBN rainbow, then wanted to pompously move his gold elsewhere. When Revillame eventually recruited Ms. Soledad for his TV show at ABC-5, I was one of the many who would sneak away (momentarily) from my news to watch how Shalani would fare. Let me just say, it wasn’t flattering, but people forgive her mostly because we somehow knew how she was treated by an ex-boyfriend who seemed not too proud of her presence.

We recently heard Shalani’s duet with Revillame – she was surprisingly “on the note” and her vocal calisthenics blended melodiously with Revillame’s digitized hoarseness. Revillame’s “Ikaw Na Nga” suddenly becomes a serviceable ballad! Atta girl, Miss Soledad. You deserve a good looking prince!

Shalani Soledad's melodic singing.

UNEVEN PORTRAYAL

One of the last indies shown last year was Adolf Alix’s “Karera” which follows LV (or Elvie), a woman who operates an illegal betting station from Sta. Ana’s horse races. Laurice Guillen plays a mother of 3 wayward souls: Daisy (Rosanna Roces) is on the run from her gangster boss; Ace (Jay Manalo) takes measures to sabotage the performance of his horses to rig the race; and Dindo (Joem Bascon) couldn’t keep his dick off somebody else’s daughter (Mercedes Cabral).

Like most “serious” Alix flicks, the camera would laboriously follow his characters in real time, reminiscent of “Adela”. Unfortunately, the story is never compelling. You just didn't care about them, which goes to show that not all stories are worth telling. What ultimately fails the movie is the choice of the actress playing Elvie – Laurice Guillen!

There were moments of pure genius: the opening scene where Elvie attends an El Shaddai prayer rally then on her way home, she gets mugged – and possibly raped (it was too dark to be sure) – then she comes home in the morning with mud on her clothes, as she visits her son at the horse’s stable. Her face is an avalanche of expression. Unfortunately, when the scenes show her manning her betting station, she appeared “too refined” to be believable, and you’re suddenly made acutely aware that Guillen is just going through the motions because this, after all, is new territory! You just knew this part could be portrayed better by the likes of Gina Pareno or Cherry Pie Picache! A patchy, uneven performance doesn't deserve a "best of the year" citation.

We watched “Karera” at SM Megamall at its 3^rd screening hour (between 4-5PM, I think) and I was its one and only audience! I could have done a strip tease there and wasted my sensuality on no one. LOL

Patchy, uneven portrayal in a film with a story that isn't worth telling.

Part 2 of 2010's Most Wince-some & Winsome Moments up next.

gabby's cameo inspires toni gonzaga to enunciate

"cameo"

Overheard several times last week at Entertainment Live.

This was in reference to Gabby Concepcion's swoon-worthy guest appearance in Sharon Cuneta's movie, "BFF". The lovely Toni Gonzaga effusively and repeatedly said:" There is a "ca-me-yo" (accent on the 2nd syllable). Did I really hear her say that in all its trisyllabic glory? Hmmm. Must have misheard it. But I heard it again while she was interviewing KC Concepcion (who vowed how much she "love Toni talaga").

What can you say about your dad's "ca-me-yo"? (mentioned twice during the segment)

...and I fell off my seat as I rolled through my kingdom of hilarity.

Class, all together now - "cah-m'yo"! Again, class, "cah-m'yo". Tintin and Glorybell, the accent is on the 1st syllable.

Asus, and the english proficient Bianca Gonzales can't even correct a dear friend!

my only u is my only vomitus

i asked my uncle who's an internist and he said that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, though not particularly at the top of the health tier, is not EXACTLY a death sentence, so i wonder why all the hulabaloo about dying in the new cathy garcia-molina movie, my only u - starring toni gonzaga and vhong navarro.

i was annoyed the way the script kept slapping the audience's consciousness with death from minute zero til kingdom come of this star cinema movie. it just rubbed me raw the way it stupidly spoonfed its audience ad nauseam. is this the shape of the medical profession in the country? THAT a physician is as stupid and notoriously incompetent as their physician (benjie paras) in this movie? no wonder foreigners perceive our doctors as idiots!

if SLE's complications - the nephropathy - is really bound to kill toni's character, then why is she apparently asymptomatic? she doesn't look "toxic" (ill) and nowhere in the movie is she complaining of anything! sure, it turns out that she had another person's results - but this underlines the idiocy of the medical team who diagnosed this said patient - as well as spotlight the peabrain of the people who wrote the script for this vomitus!

too bad for toni gonzaga who is the sole redeemer of this sourpus movie! vhong isn't bad, but toni is earnest and winsome, despite a moronic story! who ever thought of this story should be burned at the stakes! what a waste of my P150!

On Dating Younger Men

I finally saw Charlie Green on tv. He guested on Entertainment Live and the 11-year old prodigy couldn't get a word in from Mariel Rodriguez and Toni Gonzaga. I would've wanted to hear more from him and his adorable accent. Mariel was flirting with an 11 year old. ("I'll wait for you when you're 20!") But I would be too if I were there. :-> The half-British, half Pinoy tyke is just so adorable.

Listen, I'm not into younger guys. Most of the time, they allow their hormones to dictate their every movement. However, that's what makes them interesting. You get what you see. For the occasional dates, my preference would be guys my age. At least we would have similar temperament and sociability quotient. But hey, I don't mind a single dinner night out with Robi Domingo (of PBB Teen Edition). Blame it on my older-sis' instinct. :-> Really now, when you see them, don't you just wanna cuddle them?

Charlie Green is gonna have a show at the Shangrila Hotel in the coming days. Raise your hand if you'll agree with me that the tickets will cost you half your bike's mortgage. We would do better with a big-venue show like the Big Dome - or just a local CD recording.

Unfortunately, as Charlie said, he is still under contract with AI's resident judge Simon Cowell's management company until September this year. This means, no local recording. Meanwhile, little Charlie will just have to contend with the fact that tents are still being set up infront of his English home. Fans, you know. And he will have to sing a different song other than Sinatra's "Summer Wind" when he sits down with Sharon Cuneta for the latter's show. Now, let's hear Charlie Green sing "My Way" the way barrio and beerhouse Pinoys do in their videoke best. Let's call it his rite of passage - for being a true-blue Pinoy.

As for Robi Domingo, my dinner date invite stands. Don't worry, I'll bring my PSP with me.

Cuddly little boys Robi and Charlie.

P.S. I know Robi's already 18 or 19. He just seems way younger. Hmmm, the sheltered life.