The best movies of the past decade
BY MARIO BAUTISTA
The best movies of the past decade
MARIO BAUTISTA
‘If we’d be made to choose the best among them, we’d pick “Kubrador,” “Mga Munting Tinig,” “Magnifico,” “Jay” and “Kinatay.”’
SOLENN Heusaff feels lucky that Richard Gutierrez is her leading man in her debut movie, "My Valentine Girls." "We’ve been friends for the longest time so I’m relaxed in his company," she says. "If it were another actor, I won’t feel as comfortable. And he’s very helpful with how I pronounce my Tagalog lines correctly."
She plays the role of a Subic dolphin and whale trainer in their episode, directed by Dominic Zapata. She and Richard are good friends in the story whose relationship will develop into something more romantic. But their episode is a love triangle story with Lovi Poe. Is it true she and Lovi are feuding because they both want to be the one to get Richard in the end?
"Where did that come from? Lovi and I are not feuding simply because we’re sisters. We have the same manager, Leo Dominguez. It’s up to the writer and director who’d they choose between us to get Richard in the story. If Lovi would get her, just fine with me."
Do they have kissing scenes together?
"I was told yes, meron, okay lang. But siempre, I’m nervous kasi first time ko to do it on screen." She’s also shown in a sexy two-piece swimsuit in the movie. "No problem. I play a trainer who’s always in the water kaya dapat lang naka-swimsuit ako. And it’s nothing new to me kasi nag-swimsuit din ako in ‘Survivor Philippines.’ I also did a sexy pictorial with Richard for Metro." She and Richard will go to the Sinulog Festival in Cebu. "We’ll shoot some scenes there and also do an advance promo of ‘My Valentine Girls’ in Cebu."
GMA-7 has already bared its lineup of shows for the first quarter of 2011: "Dwarfina" with Heart Evangelista (now airing after "24 Oras"), "Machete" with Aljur Abrenica and "Alakdana" with Louise de los Reyes (both starting on January 24), "Captain Barbell" with Richard Gutierrez and "I Heart U Pare" with Regine Velasquez and Dingdong Dantes (both starting in February), and "Amaya" with Marian Rivera (starting in March). As for ABS-CBN, their new shows are "Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin" with Coco Martin, Maja Salvador, Andi Eigenmann, Albert Martinez, Lorna Tolentino and Amy Austria; "Green Rose" with Anne Curtis, Jericho Rosales, Alessandra de Rossi and Jake Cuenca; "Buhawi Jack" with Gerald Anderson and Jewel Mische; and "Binondo Girl" with Kim Chiu and Matteo Guidicelli.
Janice de Belen is now a proud grandma to her son Luigi’s 8-month-old baby boy and she doesn’t mind being called Lola. "It’s up to him kapag nagsasalita na siya kung anong itatawag niya sa’kin," she says. "I’m so proud of my son as he’s a very responsible dad. I was shocked when I saw how devoted he is to his son. I’m a single mom and there were moments I was asking kung napalaki ko ba ng tama ang anak ko. Now, when I see him with his own family, masasabi kong okay naman pala the way I brought him up. Sayang nga lang ‘di kami madalas magkita as they live in Parañaque, ako sa Quezon City. But we were together last Christmas. New Year, hindi, kasi may work si Luigi sa restaurant where he’s a chef.."
She’s thankful to GMA-7 since she’s never without an assignment after "Sis" folded up. After doing "Darna" and "Endless Love" with Marian Rivera, she now plays mom to Heart Evangelista in "Dwarfina."
"May nasira akong bahay ng nuno sa punso without knowing nasa ilalim pala noon ang Duwende World so isinumpa ng reyna nila, si Jackielou Blanco, ang bata inside my womb at nang isilang ko, mukhang duwende rin ito, si Ina, na later napunta rin sa Duwende World at naging Dwarfina, to be played by Heart."
Kylie Padilla cried while being interviewed live by Pia Guanio in "Showbiz Central" last Sunday. Robin Padilla’s very pretty second daughter was surprised when her youngest brother, Ali, talked to her live straight from the Gold Coast, Australia, later followed by their sister Zhenshen. Kylie said she misses her siblings so much. She says their mom wants her to finish her 12th year in high school in Australia but she chose to go to Manila as she really wants to be an "artista." She now stays in a condo with older sister Queenie and is glad to be part of "Dwarfina." She plays a Fil-Am balikbayan in the story as they think she’s not that good in Tagalog but Kylie would surprise them as she speaks it without any foreign accent at all.
"Showbiz Central" last Sunday turned out to be a big promo for "Dwarfina," with stars Heart Evangelista and Dennis Trillo also being interviewed live, also Iwa Moto who plays a villain in the show. The attempt of John Lapus to inject some romance between Heart and Dennis proved to be so lame as everyone knows that they’re now on with other partners in real life.
Readers ask us what we consider are the best films of the past decade, which will always be remembered for the rise of independent films in digital format. Here’s a list of our choices, which is broad since it ranges from light-hearted comedies like "Bridal Shower" and "Here Comes the Bride" (that both really made us laugh out loud) to a horror flick like "Feng Shui" (the most effective local scare film for us), digital indie films like "Jay," "Daan Patungong Kalimugtong" and "100" (all impressive directorial debuts) and serious works like "Mga Munting Tinig," "Magnifico" and the very dark "Kinatay."
2001 – "Tuhog" by Jeffrey Jeturian, "Bagong Buwan" by Marilou Abaya, "Minsan May Isang Puso" by Joey Reyes
2002 – "Mga Munting Tinig" by Gil Portes, "Dekada ‘70" by Chito Rono, "Mano Po" by Joel Lamangan.
2003 – "Magnifico" by Maryo de los Reyes, "Bridal Shower" by Jeffrey Jeturian, "Kung Ako Na Lang Sana" by Joey Reyes.
2004 – "Naglalayag" by Maryo de los Reyes, "Panaghoy sa Suba" by Cesar Montano, "Feng Shui" by Chito Rono.
2005 – "Ang Daan Patungong Kalimugtong" by Mes de Guzman, "Blue Moon" by Joel Lamangan
2006 – "Kubrador" by Jeffrey Jeturian, "Kasal Kasali Kasalo" by Joey Reyes
2007 – "Foster Child" by Dante Mendoza, Pisay by "Aureus Solito," "Endo" by Jade Castro
2008 – "Jay" by Francis Passion, "100" by Chris Martinez, "Boses" by Ellen Ongkeko
2009 – "Kinatay" and "Lola" by Dante Mendoza, "Dukot" by Joel Lamangan, "Last Supper No. 3" by Ellen Villaluna
2010 – "Emir" by Chito Rono, "Here Comes the Bride" by Chris Martinez, "Damgo ni Eleuteria Remton Zasuela," "Sigwa" by Joel Lamangan.
If we’d be made to choose which ones are the best among them, our choices would be "Kubrador," "Mga Munting Tinig," "Magnifico," "Jay" and "Kinatay."
Annabelle Rama is proud of her ward, Carla Humphries, who’s the current cover girl of FHM. "Ang sexy niya!" she says. "Actually, ayaw niyang mag-pose ng sexy. It’s my son Raymond who convinced her to do the pictorial. Noon, kahit bathing suit na one piece lang, ayaw magpa-picture kasi conservative ang family niya. Pero dito, naka-two piece siya. Tinulungan siya ni Raymond who attended all the meetings sa FHM creative staff to make sure lalabas na maganda at in good taste ang pictorial niya na sa Subic kinunan. Lahat ng gusto nila, pinagbigyan ng FHM, pati ‘yung prior approval nila ng kung anong fotos ang ilalabas sa magazine. After this daw, hindi na siya uulit ng ganung pictorial for any magazine."
Carla is a good singer and she’s part of Royale Artists Management’s all girl group, I Candy, along with Bubbes Paraiso, Arci Munoz and Ehra and Michelle Madrigal, who’ll debut as performers in the "I Valentine U" concert of Ogie Alcasid and Pops Fernandez at Crowne Plaza Hotel on February 12. For tickets, call Royale Artists Management at 727-2534, 727-2536.
GMA-7 is introducing a new actor as one of the leading men of Louise de los Reyes in "Alakdana" and the network’s publicists have different spellings of his name. One wrote Allen, another one wrote Aldin. But GMA PR says the real name is Alden. His family name is Richards. He’s just one of Louise’s three leading men. The others are Paulo Avelino and the youngest brother of Richard who’s given a good break here, Richie Paul Gutierrez. Louise feels very fortunate to be given a lead role in this show that will replace "Yaman ni Lola" after "Eat Bulaga." Aside from this, she’ll continue her role in the Sunday teen show "Tween Hearts." But even if she has become very busy as an actress, she won’t neglect her college studies at the Lyceum where she’s a resident sophomore academic scholar. "Promise ko po kasi sa parents kong di ko pababayaan ang pag-aaral ko para magkaroon ako ng college degree," she beams.
Fresh from his success as filmfest best director for "Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To," Wenn Deramas is now busy shooting his new film, "Who’s That Girl?" starring Eugene Domingo, Luis Manzano and Anne Curtis. "Dapat sana, February 2 showing ito but ang hirap ng sked ng mga artista kaya March 2 na release nito. After this, gagawin ko ‘yung follow up film ni Vice Ganda after our ‘Petrang Kabayo’."
Did he expect to win in the filmfest?
"No. After manalo si Xyriel Manabat as best child actress, sabi ko okay na, at least ‘di kami nabokya. But when the trophies came ng sunod-sunod, aba, blessing talaga."
What can he say about the twit of Albert Martinez’ son against him?
"Totoo ba ‘yun? Ayoko maniwalang minura ako kasi I know Albert and his wife Liezl at mabubuti silang tao. I’m sure mababait din mga anak nila at marunong rumespeto."
What if it’s true? "E, ‘di God bless na lang. Pero kami ni Albert, okay kami. I directed him several times sa ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya.’ The day after I won, he even congratulated me, so I don’t think sisirain ang friendship namin ng isang trophy lang. Baka kung mga limang trophy pa," he laughs.
Will he do another sequel for "Tanging Ina" now that it’s a hit?
"No, sinabihan na nga ako ni Mam Charo Santos na ‘You can’t stop the franchise’, but I said, Mam, sinabi na nating last na ito, so tama na, credibility po natin is at stake. Maghanap na lang ng ibang material for Ai Ai."
Wenn himself wrote the script of "Who’s That Girl?" "Anne plays a girl na crush noong college days pa nila si Luis, who comes from a very rich family but who’s not even aware she exists. After graduation, nagtrabaho na siya, pero crush pa rin niya si Luis. One day, nabasa niya ang pangalan nito, nasa obituary, so nagpunta siya sa burol, but it turned out, tatay pala ni Luis na kapangalan nito ang namatay, so bigla siyang umalis. Everyone who saw her was asking ‘Who’s that girl?’ Akala nila, mistress ito ng father ni Luis, played by Miguel Faustmann. So doon nagsimula ang love story nila."