"Pisay" by Auraeus Solito – A thoroughly engaging account of
life inside the Philippine Science High School from the assassination of Ninoy
Aquino to the fall of the Marcos regime, very crucial years in contemporary
Philippine history, as told through the personal lives of eight students who
lived through it.
"Tribu" – A searing portrait of life in the slums where young
people vent their anger and desperation on killing each other as members of
rival gangs.
"Confessional" – An experimental film with an innovative
narrative technique about a documentarist who makes a film on the Sinulog
Festival in Cebu and ends up with the confession of a corrupt politician who
gets assassinated right in front of his camera.
"Endo" – A proletarian romance about two poor
"end-of-contract" workers and how the temporary nature of their jobs affects
their romance and their respective lives.
"Foster Child" – A day in the life of a professional foster
mom who takes care of orphaned kids later adopted by foreigners.
"Still Life" – A film that contains valid discussions about
art and life. It’s about an artist who’s about to lose his ability to paint and
the young woman who he mysteriously crosses paths with in a deserted vacation
house. The twist in the end will astound you.
"Kadin" – About a young boy’s touching search for his missing
goat filmed amidst the beauty of Sabtang Island in Batanes.
"Katas ng Saudi" – This is a mainstream movie that is
presented more as a comedy but tackles some very serious problems about the
lamentable effects of working abroad and missing on the growing up years of your
own children.
"Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo" – Sequel to last year’s very popular
"Kasal, Kasal, Kasali" that shows the continuing story of a young married couple
and the travails they go through in life.
In the acting categories, here are the top choices in the
best supporting actor category:
Publio Briones as the corrupt mayor who makes a clean breast
of all his sins in "Confessional," Ricky Davao as the weakling father in "Endo,"
Justin de Leon as the broken-hearted gay executive from Manila who falls in love
with the keeper of a lighthouse in "Ang Lalaki sa Parola," Zanjoe Marudo as the
zany small time crook who falls in love with a female cop in "You Got Me,"
Emilio Garcia as the silent prisoner who gets into a relationship with a younger
man and Allan Paule as the pervert who preys on new jailbirds in "Selda," and
Nash Aguas as the product of a rape who tries his best to gain the sympathy of
the man he thinks is his father in "Angels."
The following are our bets in the best supporting actress
category:
Eugene Domingo as the dedicated science teacher who speaks
with a pronounced Southern accent in "Pisay," Dimples Romana as the oppressed
wife who rebels against her chauvinist husband in "Chopsuey," Barbara Perez as
the lonely spinster in "Gulong," Irma Adlawan as the ill-fated mother who loses
her two sons and also loses her sanity on cam in "Ataul for Rent," Shamaine
Buencamino as the very caring sister of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in "Prinsesa,"
Francine Prieto as the mysterious woman who turns out to be a mere figment of a
mad woman’s imagination in "Silip," Gina Pareno as the flamboyant mother-in-law
in "Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo," and Anita Linda as the termagant neighbor who meets
a fate she doesn’t really deserve in the hands of a neighborhood thug in "Tambolista."
For best actor:
Jason Abalos as the caring son and brother whose love affairs
are as transitory as his temporary jobs in "Endo," Ron Capinding as the painter
about to lose his art due to a disease that maims his hands in "Still Life,"
Mark Cardona as the boy looking for his lost goat in "Kadin," John Lloyd Cruz as
the engineer who has a hard time coping with a lost love in "One More Chance,"
Jinggoy Estrada as the OFW from Saudi who returns home after 10 years to find
himself alienated from his own kids in "Katas ng Saudi," Romnick Sarmenta as
another OFW from Saudi who chooses not to leave anymore for the sake of his only
daughter in "Prinsesa," Ryan Agoncillo who gives a very relaxed portrayal of a
harrassed husband and young dad in "Sakal," Joel Torre as the wily funeral
parlor owner in "Ataul for Rent," Noni Buen-camino as the aging closeted gay in
"Hang-gang Dito na Lamang," Cesar Mon-tano as the Pinoy New Yorker grieving over
the death of his American wife in the final episode of "Paraiso: Tatlong Kuwento
ng Pangarap," Sid Lucero as the young prisoner who figures in an affair with the
man who takes the blame for a crime he commits in "Selda," and Jiro Manio, Coco
Martin, and Sid Lucero as the three partners in crime who commit a dastard deed
and pay dearly for it in "Tambolista."
For best actress:
Cherry Pie Picache as the devoted foster mom and Eugene
Domingo as the caring social worker in "Foster Child," Glaiza de Castro as the
unwed teenaged mom who will change the most important man in her life forever in
a way she has never imagined in "Still Life," Ina Feleo as the feisty contract
worker who won’t be distracted even by love in her ambition to work abroad in
"Endo," Bea Alonzo as the architect who rebels from her boyfriend and finds her
true self in "One More Chance," Jaclyn Jose as the physically and emotionally
battered wife and make up artist in "Ataul for Rent," Judy Ann Santos as the
struggling wife and young mother in "Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo," Lorna Tolentino as
the understanding and supportive wife of an OFW in "Katas ng Saudi."
We would also like to cite the fine ensemble acting of the
cast members of two movies: The suicidal gang members in "Tribu" and the
teenaged students with their own respective stories in "Pisay."
***
Richard Gutierrez is back from a much deserved
vacation in the US where he met the New Year. "Parang bitin pa nga," he
sighs. "But I really have to come home na as I have to shoot for my
movie, ‘Very Special Love,’ and tape new episodes for ‘Kamandag.’"
A thrilling development happens in "Kamandag" this week. Mike
"Pekto" Nacua as Doro will see the transformation of Mark Anthony Fernandez from
being the handsome Lucero to the scary snake guy who kills people. Doro sees
Lucero talking to his dad, Abdon (Ariel Rivera), and Lucero changes in
appearance while Abdon is giving him order to kill someone. Doro himself
transforms into a wolf and Lucero tries to kill him, leaving him unconscious.
Vergel sees Doro nearly dead and he is mad at the fake Kamandag for
Doro’s fate. Later, Agol (Rainier Castillo) will also witness Lucero transform
into fake Kamandag.
Meantime, Vergel (Richard Gutierrez) defends Don Pepe (Ronaldo
Valdez) from kidnappers, without knowing that the old man is his grandfather,
being the dad of his long lost mom, Alicia (Eula Valdez), who has confirmed that
Vergel is her long lost son after seeing him with the shield of Haring Saban (Gardo
Versoza). Don Pepe offers Vergel a job and asks him to stay with him in his
place. As for Ditas, she becomes a GRO in a bar to help her sick mom (Melissa
Mendez). Lucero goes to the bar and tries to molest Ditas who now uses the alias
Denise, resulting into a bar room brawl.
***
Susan Roces is having a good time working with Kris
Aquino, Jodi Santamaria, and Maja Salvador on the set of "Patayin sa Sindak si
Barbara," ABS-CBN’s newest primetime soap. "They’re all pleasant and nice to
work with. Lahat professional and no primadonnas," Susan quipped. "At
first, I was reluctant to do the show as I know inuumaga ang taping
nila and I might not be able to cope with that kind of schedule. But Kris
requested that we start early and pack up at 12 midnight as she has Baby James
to take care of, so pareho kami ni Kris ng schedule na parang
Cinderella, kapag hatinggabi, kailangang umuwi na. "
Swanie (Tita Susan) played the first Barbara in the original
movie made in 1975 directed by Celso Ad Castillo with Rosanna Ortiz as the
avenging ghost. This was remade 20 years later, in 1995, directed by Chito Rono,
with Lorna Tolentino as Barbara and Dawn Zulueta as the ghost. Now, 13 years
later, it’s Kris who plays Barbara and Jodi is the ghost.
Maja plays a spirit questor who will help solve the mystery
of why Jodi is haunting Kris. Kris and Jodi are paired with Albert Martinez, the
man in love with Kris but who married Jodi. Susan plays Amanda, the stepmother
of Jodi in the series.
"The TV series gets into the background of each character so
this is more exhaustive in exploring the motivations of all the major
characters," Susan said. "The characters here are even shown as children at
doon nag-ugat ang kanilang sibling rivalry."
The original "Patayin Mo sa Sindak si Barbara" won Susan her
first FAMAS best actress award. Take note that the TV remake no longer has the
word "Mo" in the title. Maybe they don’t like DJ Mo. Of course, it’s a joke.
***
The "Philippine Idol" was moved to GMA-7 as "Pinoy
Idol." The original "American Idol," of which the local show was derived, now
goes to channel Q-11 in its seventh season. The world’s most popular talent
search on TV starts this month to find the next hopeful who will follow in the
footsteps of past champs Kelly Clarkson, Reuben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino,
Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, and Jordin Sparks.
Also back in "American Idol" are the equally popular
mainstays, host Ryan Seacrest, and judges, record producer and rock bassist
Randy Jackson, Grammy-award winning singer Paula Abdul, and frank but witty
record and TV producer, Simon Cowell, who will all do the required painstaking
screening.
The upcoming season of "American Idol" truly gets more exciting as early
rumors speculate that the strongest Top 12 of the contenders will emerge from
the current crop of aspirants. Just stay tuned on Q-11 to know those idols in
the making.
