It Takes a Man and a Woman - It Should Have Ended with a Real Kiss

I just watched the third installment to the Miggy and Laida love story, It Takes a Man and a Woman, and I must say that my money was well-spent, just like with the first two parts of the film. It has been quite a while since I enjoyed a local rom-com film and as I expected, there was never a dull moment with this film. John Lloyd Cruz looked quite handsome and more macho than the other ABS-CBN leading men with defined abs, simply because he already has captured the hearts of his market, despite the negative publicity that continues to hound his career.

It was Sarah Geronimo who surprised me because she was able to act out her dramatic scenes in the film in a very effective manner. This will prove her detractors that given the right project and director, she can do so much more beyond being pa-tweetums.

What I did not like about the film:

• Isabelle Daza’s performance, especially during her breakdown scene when John Lloyd broke up with her. Her approach to her role was like “napadaan lang”. She’s very pretty though. She needs to learn how to come up with different expressions on her pretty face.

• There were a lot of scenes that could have been more meaningful had John Lloyd kissed Sarah on her lips for real. For one, on the elevator, after Laida has tendered her resignation, the proposal scene and, of course, the wedding scene. For the love of the character of Laida and to make the story more genuine and felt, Mommy Divine should have allowed Sarah to let the viewers see how much Laida loves Miggy with one meaningful kiss on their wedding.

• Sarah’s hair. There were lots of stylists who do better wigs that look more real.

• Laida’s dialogues during the wedding. Ang habaaaaaaaa…

What I liked most about the film:

• John Lloyd.

• The extended bloopers, of course.

• The proposal scene was something that only Cathy Garcia Molina could handle and deliver effectively.

• When Laida was walking down the aisle on their wedding and Miggy was narrating how this girl came into his life when he needed her the most.

It is only expected that this film is going to be a blockbuster. My most favorite though remains to be the first part of the Miggy and Laida love story, A Very Special Love. It had more humor and maybe I can totally relate to the Laida Version 1 more than the Version 2.0.

Sarah Geronimo and Kim Chiu - Girl Power

Aaaww... This is the kind of sentiment that one would feel when they hear the winning song of the recently concluded Himig Handog PPop Love Songs Finals Night, "Ano'ng Nangyari sa Ating Dalawa." The song itself was quite simple, but it became very sentimental and tagos sa puso when it was sung by Aiza Seguerra.

There was another Aaaww... moment that happened behind the scenes of the show as seen in the pictures below.

CTO: Gerrome Esguerra

Sarah Geronimo and Kim Chiu looked very happy. They are both winners in life and they will continue to get people's adoration and love, just because they have both chosen to be real in this showbiz world that is full of make-believe. Kudos to you, girls.

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?

In line with the latest happenings in the local showbiz scene, an interesting topic is now the talk-of-the-town at schools, in the offices, segments at shows like Umagang Kay Ganda, social networking sites and so many more.

Is it okay to date the ex of your best friend? 

When the news about the Kim Chiu-Maja Salvador rift broke out, I can totally relate with Kim. No one needs to ask, I just thought that I don’t think that any girl would want to be in the position of Kim. It may be okay if the Maja in the story is a mere acquaintance or a classmate or a former colleague, but if this was done by the person whom you consider the best among your friends, it can really get confusing and unfathomable on how could they do this to you.

I have read some articles, which commented that this only happened because Kim still has feelings for Gerald. Most of these articles were written by gays. I still have to see a woman write that this scenario is okay or a straight man. This draws me into the conclusion that for gays, they would be fine with it. Is it?

The scenario here is this. Gerald was Kim’s first love. She has suffered lots of heartaches, and even Gerald admitted that he has hurt Kim’s feelings over and over again. Kim used to be meek. She even defended this guy amid the Pauleen Luna issue even when Pauleen herself was posting pictures of Gerald and her together, along with the same friends (cohorts) whom he would always be seen whenever Gerald would have controversial pictures out with different girls, both from showbiz and out of the industry.

Kim was able to keep her silence. To get past the broken-hearted stage, she turned to Maja and told her everything about this person who has given her biggest heart break. As a best friend, you would think that Maja would always keep a safe distance from Gerald for hurting her best friend (the best friend who has showered her with material gifts and helped her to be noticed in the business where Maja has been stuck as a starlet for a long time).

Maja may be a friendly person and she extended the attitude towards Gerald, the one person who made her best friend feel like a trash at one point in her life. I don’t know what’s the real score between them. With Gerald’s history and reputation, he would not tell the truth even if he is already caught red-handed. He was seen with Pauleen at the time that he was still in a relationship with Kim.

Gerald said. Not true. He doesn't even know the girl

He was seen going out with Bea Alonzo, while his relationship with Kim was said to be on the rocks.

Gerald said. Not true. Bea was only his crush. (Yeah, I know, he was forced to admit the truth after Bea turned her back on him for not having enough balls to defend her against the detractors that were throwing the stones at the wrong person.)

He was seen being intimate with a non-showbiz girl while he was professing on screen his admiration for Sarah Geronimo.

CTO: Google and all original owners of the pictures above 

Gerald said. She was just a fan.

I already saw the teaser for tomorrow's The Buzz episode (January 13), so I'll add it here. Regarding Maja...

Gerald said. I would love to (court her) if she will give me the chance.

Court talaga? Based on the pictures and recent twits of sighting of these two, parang di na kailangan ng ligawan e =)

All these images can be found in Google. And I did not search for anything that relates to Gerald being linked with gay benefactors. I am not sure that I am ready with what I’ll find and a part of me still believes that he would not do that. Don’t tell me Maja was not aware of these brouhahas because all you need is to type Gerald’s name and name of the person whom you think he is dating or used to date, on Google, and you will see trails of this playboy’s favorite game – girls.

In my opinion, if Maja was a real friend of Kim, she would not dare date or even think of getting close to Gerald.

If the Gerald in the story was part of a girl-boy romance that ended because they realized that they did not click, but parted as friends and the girl still regards the boy highly, then I don’t see anything wrong if the best friend would later on enter the scene. The former girlfriend would even try pairing up the two if she believes that they are more right for each other.

Well, as we all know and also Mr. Google, the Kim-Gerald romance did not end the typical way. One was left badly hurting, while the other just went on doing what he does best – girl hunting.

To make the story more complicated, Maja was a good friend of Sarah as well. They may not be the best of friends, but they would always have good words towards one another and Maja even showed her support by watching Sarah’s shows.

If this happened to commoners like me, I would even be fiercer than Kim. After asking Maja to help me get through my trust issues, she would be the last person I’d think of who will break that trust. If I were Kim, I would not plead to the bashers to stop hating on the two. I will cheer them on. Haha!

On the part of Gerald, knowing that her ex girlfriend is the best friend of his current eye candy, he would have the decency not to make the latter fall for him, if he was sincere in saying that he was sorry for hurting Kim in the past. Well, I guess that decency is not part of Gerald's vocabulary.

I have read somewhere that Sam Milby asked John Pratts’ permission before he started dating or asked Shaina Magdayao out. The case here is that Shaina gave John a bad heartbreak for dumping him to be with John Lloyd Cruz. It is just that John also has the image of being a playboy, so I guess, he would not really mind this development.

Oh well, papel, is it really okay to date your best friend’s ex?

See related articles here:

Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

And just like that, the truth is out. Kim Chiu stood and braved all questions thrown at her during the Ina, Kapatid, Anak presscon held Tuesday night. This is quite far from the broken person she was once back in 2010 when the news broke out on the truth about the Gerald-Bea Alonzo romance.

Here's a summary of what transpired at this very intense press conference:

The issue here is not about Gerald Anderson at all. Kim has trusted Maja with all her heartaches from this one person whom Maja is now singing romantic tunes with. Para lang syang humanap ng pagkakataon para sya naman ang maging “It” girl sa buhay ni Gerald. Maja had chosen to stand by this man who once treated her best friend like trash. That speaks volume of the real Maja Salvador.

I don't want to badmouth anyone, but with how things turned out, it was like Maja had chosen to take a stand. And between Kim and Gerald, she had chosen the latter, a lover over a friend, wow!

Uh-oh, Gerald, I don’t think that an ambulance would suffice when you try to emotionally explain your side to the public this time. You must rent a hospital for a more dramatic effect.

CTO: Sarah Anderson and Fashion Pulis

Looking into the positive side, at least Kim has found Xian Lim amid all the troubles that she has encountered with her past love and scheming best friend. 

Okay, kalma haha! Here are some of the statements from the fiercer and fearless Kim Chiu at tonight's presscon:

CTO: abs-cbnnews

From this piece, these are the statements that I liked the most:

"Nakakapagod na din po kasi yung tanong kayo ng tanong sa akin tungkol kay Gerald eh ang dami niya na pong dinaanang babae, hindi ba? Hindi lang naman ako. Bakit hindi niyo po hingin ang opinyon ng ibang babae since marami naman po sila"

"We are good, we are OK. I don't care, I don't care, bahala na siya. She knows Gerald, who Gerald is." 

"...I'm happy for them, pero parang nalungkot lang ako na yung taong sinabihan ko noong time na down ako eh parang kinain niya lang yung sinabi niya."

I can totally relate with Kim and I think that every girl who have experienced being involved with a jerk who unabashedly turned to the best friend of his ex, would feel the same way like how Kim reacted. She is concerned with Maja, above everything else. 

This whole story also vindicated Mommy Divine of Sarah Geronimo (take note, Ogie Diaz). Ogie is one of those who keeps on insisting that there is something wrong with how Mommy D has handled the Sarah-Gerald interrupted romance. She may be strict with her girl, but young girls would realize when they have become adults that no mother would want any harm for their kids. It is a good thing that Sarah G stuck to her parents' side and defended them, especially Mommy D., when the criticisms won't stop even after Gerald stopped from pursuing Sarah.

These are some of the tweets that really made my night and made me a proud fan of Kim Chiu.

This one also made my night because as I have said in my previous post - 
Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis, I have developed total respect for Sarah G.

This image is really inspiring. This signifies that although these showbiz sweethearts have been hurt and bruised, they have found their voices and are ready to face the future with a fiercer and fearless attitude.

CTO: Pam Nicole

And to cap off this very intense and intriguing night for all Kim Chiu fans, here's a funny but very meaningful tweet that made my night.

I don't really know how to end this post because the story is only beginning. For sure, there will be more developments as days (or hours) go by. I'll just end this with a retweeted quote of Kim's make-up artist, Haidz Fernandez:

Here's the full video interview of Kim Chiu, along with Xian Lim. Aside from the issue upfront, what caught my KimXi heart at this interview was the slip of the tongue of Xian that they were together in Hong Kong last Christmas (or I only misheard this part) and that he also celebrated New Year's with Kim. (Ayiiiie, another round of press con, please, for these two. And if this is going to happen, kindly eradicate Maja from the scene and avoid asking Kim about Gerald like a plague =)

video credits to: Chikkaness Ave

PS:

For all those who can't understand why Kim reacted this way, either you are a man who does not have much contact with women, you don't have a best friend or you are MAJA SALVADOR, here's the most important rule according to the Girls "Secret" Code.

CTO: Ms. Lean via Twitter

See related articles here:


Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?

Fiercer Kim Chiu and Sarah Geronimo, Lovebirds Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson, and Other Local Tsismis

Move over, Sarah Labati, because a more interesting showbiz happening is starting to unfold.

If you were able to watch ASAP even on your TV screens, there were lots of interesting and awkward moments that happened on its January 6, 2013 episode. I waited for the production number of Ina, Kapatid, Anak to catch Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. To add to its production value, it started with the trio of Kim, Maja Salvador and Enchong Dee. There came a point when Enchong left so that Xian could take his place. Wow, when the two girls were left on stage on their own even for a short time, you can sense that there was a certain level of discomfort with the two who used to be the best of friends. Maja's eyes would skip Kim and looked around as if she was eager for Xian to come out on stage. Kim looked like she was finally able to breathe when Xian was already by her side.

KimXi did not fail to deliver at that production number. It was super kilig even though they only looked at each other's eyes and held one another. There was what seemed like a pilit effort for the other pair to appear that they were sweeter than KimXi. They even shared one mic, which failed to get any responses.

And then there was the spiel where Kim and Xian were together with Enchong Dee, Cristine Reyes, Vina Morales and I am not sure if he was part of it, but Gerald Anderson also joined the group. It became rowdy, with Enchong, Cristine and Gerald at the helm of being childish on national TV, not minding that there were other people in the group who felt like the teasing and jokes were just too much.

Many fans felt the same way, too, and some of them blurted their reactions at a photo that was posted on Instagram by Kim's make-up artist, Haidee Fernandez. To which Kim replied:

At the time, Kim has already unfollowed Gerald on Instagram. What's more mind-boggling is that Maja also unfollowed not only Kim but Xian on this popular and now controversial photo sharing app. Kim followed suit and unfollowed Maja as well the day after.

So what's the big deal with this follow-unfollow thingy? Before this happened, it was evident that fewer pictures of Kim and Maja together were being posted even though they were both in the same places or events. Maja had more pictures with Gerald circulating over the internet, including their vacation pictures in Misibis Bay with other friends during the holidays.

Before this whole brouhaha, the local entertainment news was filled with Sarah Geronimo's fierce statements in defense of her parents and strong words about what happened or what she has learned with her life's episode with Gerald.

And now, the latest gossips are about Maja and Gerald being together for over a year now. It may be okay for them to become a couple, but this is quite complicated.

Maja was Kim's best friend and Kim is Gerald's ex-girlfriend. Kim is a good friend of Matteo Guidicelli who is Maja's ex. Maja is or was a good friend of Sarah G or that she claimed to be. If this has been going on for a year, it happened while Gerald was still pursuing Sarah and Kim was still helping Maja and Matteo to patch things up.

Wow, talk about being complicated. Let us just see where this story leads. For this blogger, I never liked Maja, and this gives me more reasons to continue doing so. The story made me a bigger fan of Kim though and I have developed total respect for Sarah G.

As for Sarah Labati, you have placed yourself in a position where you will never win because you are fighting with your boss. If you will keep on saying things against them, they will just use these to ruin you even more. The best thing to do is to finish the contract and do your work obediently and leave immediately after it expires.

And 2013 is only beginning, hmmm, this is shaping up to be a more controversial year to the local entertainment industry.

Related Articles:


Kim Chiu on Maja Salvador and Gerald Anderson - And So the Story Goes

In Line with the Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador Rift over Gerald Anderson - Is It Okay to Date Your Best Friend's Ex?

Expecting a Pinkish White Glow Results for 24 7 In Love

I ought to write something about having a pinkish white glow skin, but first off, I want to share my thoughts about 24/7 In Love and Suddenly It’s Magic, which seem to be trekking the same path. Here it goes…

--

I am wondering whether or not the latest offering from Star Cinema, which was co-produced by Star Magic, 24/7 In Love, was a hit or tragic like the last film that aired before its run – Suddenly It’s Magic.

Before I start ranting about my reasons why I won’t watch 24/7 In Love and why I am writing this instead of a piece about having a pinkish white glow skin, this is my take why Suddenly It’s Magic turned tragic. Oh boy, the movie poster was a disaster. It is as if they have spent all their resources on the leading man’s talent fee, whom most Pinoys know as the guy in the Thai movie, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, than his real or screen name. He may be cute and charming. The movie could have done better if it was given a leading lady with a solid following, like Kim Chiu or Sarah Geronimo.

Instead of choosing a leading lady (who has a pinkish white glow – maisingit lang) who looks good with just about anyone paired to them, they have tapped someone who looks better in grim roles, like Aswang, than in any stories that are light and aimed to make people feel in love and kilig. Some of Erich Gonzales fans, at the time of the movie’s promo, would argue that she was the first choice, so opinion-givers can no longer do anything about it. Now it was proven that we can do something and that is to decide not to watch this flop film. I know what they will say now – that the movie is still being shown in other countries or that Star Cinema already regained its money because it has sold the movie rights to its Thailand counterpart, and so on. Whatever they say, nothing can change the latest figures that this movie has created at BOM – it flopped and the magic really turned tragic.

Now on to 24/7 In Love – I have a feeling that this is headed the tragic route as well. It features the biggest artists of Star Magic, such as John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo and Piolo Pascual. It has the hottest loveteam that caters to teens and pre-teens, KathNiel and it was promoted as the comeback film of KathNiel predecessor, KimErald.

Its selling point, aside from the artists, was the compilation of seven love stories in one film. The downside to this is that, based on the teasers and trailers, all these stories are sort of “gasgas.” I no longer need to pay for it just to prove that I won’t enjoy the film. Oh well, I really won’t enjoy it because I am craving for Kim Chiu’s other loveteam, which is KimXi (Kim Chiu and Xian Lim), than the one that was featured in this movie. Of all the artists and their fan bases, I think that only the fans of KathNiel (Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla) would seriously plan on checking this out, simply because most of them are young, but I don’t think that this will be enough to turn this film into a hit.

This is only my hunch though, that this is going to flop and will show box office results that is only a little higher than Suddenly It’s Tragic, er Magic. I’ll be very surprised, but happy, if I turned out to be wrong. Piolo needs a hit movie and the story of Sam Milby and Pokwang seems cute, but it is still not enough for me to brave the cinemas and watch Kim with Gerald Anderson, haha! Bitter! I know, right?

The good thing about this movie though is it’s movie poster. It was far beyond my expectations after the Tragic’s poster, but the two layouts for the 24/7 In Love film looked awesome. Kudos to whoever made these.

Back to my pinkish white glow article, but hoping that the next movie from Star Cinema would be better than these two. Is it going to be the MMFF entry, Sisterakas? Oh good Lord, not again hehe!

---

Edit: December 10, 2012

Based on the figures at BOM, the gross of 24/7 In Love did not turn out to be as bright and shimmering as the number of stars that were part of its cliche stories.

Another Uh Oh Moment for Gerald Anderson

I don't want to post the photos here, but for those who have Instagram, you can check Fashion Pulis' account - micsylim, to see the clear versions of the photos that have been posted on this popular blog. While at it, you may also want to read the blind item that the blogger wrote about the subject of the leaked pictures.

Just to warn you though, the blind item is definitely not for those who are die-hard AshRalds. In summation, this has vindicated Mommy Divine from all the harsh words that she has been getting on how overprotective she is of Sarah Geronimo.

Here's the link to the blind item, with supporting clearer photos at the author's IG account - Did Mom Know Best?

Oh well, Gerald is still a boy. I just hope that he does not use his charms to make vulnerable women fall for him, especially if he is still not serious about getting involved in a commitment.

As for Sarah, for sure you have been told many times that good things come to those who wait and yeah, good men, too.

Kris Aquino VS Sarah Geronimo

Will this tweet lead to a bigger issue between Ms. Kris Aquino and Sarah Geronimo?

This all started with the persistent requests of the fans of Sarah for Kris to guest her on the show, Kris TV. For the longest time, the staff of the show has been trying to ask Viva, Sarah's handler, to give them a chance to be able to give in to the fans' requests. It did not happen even at the height of the promo of Sarah's concert last July, and it seems to be getting bleaker now that the pop princess is still being hounded by the sudden decision of Gerald Anderson to stop courting her.

We all know Kris to be frank and candid with the way she throws questions to her guests. She's unstoppable  and most people actually love her for it. With this tweet from Ms. Kris stating that she's getting irritated already by the accusations that she does not like Sarah, is this going to start a rift between the two or will this finally convince Viva to allow Sarah to guest on Kris' show?

Let's all wait and see... 

What Could Have Been for Sarah Geronimo and Gerald Anderson

Is the Sarah Geronimo-Gerald Anderson romance headed to the drain? It was only blooming, but a local showbiz reporter has hinted on his Twitter account through a series of posts masquerade as a blind item (but you would not think of any other team-up with the given clues) that Gerald has finally given up on courting the young super star.

Here are the scaps of the controversial tweets that made Ogie Diaz the sudden object of hatred and bashing from the hurting fans of Sarah and Gerald, collectively known as AshRarld.

 

 As a fan of the former team-up of Gerald with Kim Chiu, I was not ecstatic at all when he began declaring his admiration for Sarah on national TV. Sarah is so much like Kim, naïve, funny, childish and they both seem to fall in love quite easily. Gerald turned his back on Kim abruptly to seek someone whom he was attracted to from the very beginning, Bea Alonzo. Bea, who seems to be Gerald’s ideal girl, is very far from either Kim or Sarah, not only in terms of looks and figure, but also because unlike the two, Bea appears to be more experienced and matured.

After failing to maintain his relationship with Bea when he could not admit her to the public, as an spectator, I was expecting that Gerald’s new girl would now be more like Bea than Kim.

I know, Bea is happy now, so she should no longer be dragged into this. I am just trying to think why Sarah’s mom would hinder the development of romance between Sarah and Gerald. Aside from his tinted past, as luck would have it, Gerald is very vocal that Rayver Cruz is his best friend and he is often seen hanging out with Rayver and his (bad example) girlfriend, Cristine Reyes.

From the looks of it, Sarah is still not comfortable being around with Rayver and Cristine, when poked, would still say negative things against Sarah. If ever Sarah and Gerald would be a pair, Gerald then would have to choose if he’d spend more time with his GF than his BFF. Spell complicated!

The whole romance thing between Sarah and Gerald is very much publicized, making more people doubt Gerald’s intentions. There are now articles that are coming out, which say that Gerald is being used by Viva (Sarah’s management) for Sarah’s shows and concerts to be talked about. For me, it is the other way around. Sarah’s concerts would be jam packed, her projects would be successful (as long as the concept is good, so X mark for Idol and another X for her current show, Sarah G Live), even without linking her to anyone.

It is true though that everybody wants to find out whom she’ll end up with. Most people, including this blogger, want her to be with someone without any hidden agenda. I may be being unfair with Gerald because he may be serious this time and had suddenly forgotten his fascination for meztizas, but I am pretty sure many people would have the same doubts.

In this story, the person who will get the most anger is actually not Gerald but Sarah’s Mommy Divine. She appears to be quite strict even though Sarah is of the right age. The mother needs to learn how to slowly let her child go. Sarah needs to experience life and not just see it pass by her. She needs to be hurt in order to learn. She needs to make her stand and learn how to decide on her own.

As much as I sympathize with the mother, my heart bleeds for Sarah as well. If I were in her position, I’d be very depressed right now. She works very hard for her family. It is high time that she be given the kind of freedom that she needs and deserves. If this won’t happen now, I think that this would lead to a very big gap between the mother and the daughter, something which could be very hard to mend. The mother, while doing her best to protect her child, did not realize that she had also caused and continue to cause her biggest pains.

Before Sarah could find the right man and the right love, she needs to find her voice and learn how to stand on her own. By doing so, she will become a better person and a better performer. The princess has grown and it is high time that she realizes that life is not a fairy tale. And as for her mother, she should allow her child to write her own story before she ruins everything for her and before her child sees her as her biggest antagonist than an ally.

In the end, I just hope that Sarah finds her happiness and Mommy Divine learns how to accept. As for Gerald, he should also try to find himself first, be pretty certain about any of his endeavors before delving into these so that he won’t end up hurting anybody in the process even if he did not intend to.


Edit:
To add fuel to the "fire" that remains to be a blind item until now, Gerald's friend, Young JV, twitted this:

LATEST UPDATES ::: JULY 26, 2012

As per the latest tweets of Ogie Diaz, he said that he had sources who told him that Gerald and Sarah would try to work this out. While this still has to happen, another blind item makes many people conclude that the subject is pertaining to Gerald. This is about an actor still being in love with someone whom he courted before, but it did not work out well when the actress got terrified with threats that she got from the actor’s cohorts. Now the actress is already involved with another actor and the main subject hasn’t moved on yet from his feelings for her.

Oh well, papel, this is another story that still has a long way to go. 

CONCLUSION ::: JULY 30, 2012

After everything that has happened and said about this issue, for me, this has already been concluded with this picture (courtesy of PUSH)

and these words coming from Sarah's mother:

“Actually kami nga ni daddy ang nagbigay ng permiso na ligawan niya sa bahay (si Sarah). Kinausap talaga namin siya nang pormal. Sabi ko sa bahay lang pwedeng ligawan ang anak ko, hindi sa labas, hindi sa text. Sabi ko, ‘Kung mapagpapasensyahan mo ang patakaran namin… ganito kami and nirerespeto namin kayo, sana respetuhin mo rin kami kasi babae ang anak ko.’ Ewan ko kung dapat sabihin pero hindi yata ano. Parang hindi niya mapagtyagaan ‘yung ganon…”

Even though the mom seems to be on the hot seat these days, with people urging her to allow a bit of freedom for her daughter (me, included), the bottom line still remains that we only see what's being in shown in front of the camera.

No matter how good of a daughter Sarah is, I don't think that she would allow herself to be manipulated by her parents, especially now that she is 24, if the parents did not give her enough reasons to love them above anyone else.

I can feel her overflowing love for her parents and the latter's fervent wish for their daughter to find a "real man" who can love her even more. If Gerald could not handle the "strict rules" of Sarah's parents now that he is still courting her, how could he last into a relationship with Sarah given the fact that she'll always be her parents' daughter?

Life is not just about kilig. Sarah has still not found her match, a man who will love her (including the parents and siblings) unconditionally. She needs someone who will be there for her and shower her with love more often off cam than when the cameras are there.

While others may say (and I think that I have also voiced out same opinion) that Mommy Divine should allow her child grow and let her experience the pains of love, we should also take into consideration that this kind of family bonding that they have is rare. And the exemplary love of Sarah for her parents is something that they must be proud of.

Sarah is a genuine person who deserves someone who has pure intentions.

Enough said. For those who were not able to watch the Sarah G Live episode where the parents' guested, here's a summary from PUSH of what happened.

My Local Celebrity Pairing Bets for 2012

Obviously, I am a Kim Chiu-Whoever her partner is fan. It only goes that I favor Xian Lim at the moment because they haven’t done solo TV drama and movie yet. After Xian, I hope that Kim gets paired with someone who is older and more mature, like Piolo Pascual. I want to see the contrast and for a change, see a film that tackles age gap in relationships from a different light.

Xian will also look good when paired with older leading ladies, like Judy Ann Santos or Claudine Barretto, if the latter will decide to come back at ABS-CBN or if ABS-CBN would accept her still. If ever Sandara Park would do a movie with Star Cinema, I think that Xian will also create an on-screen stir as her partner.

As per Gerald Anderson, it is only now that I am realizing that it will be quite promising to see him on screen with Bea Alonzo, but I don’t think that this is the right time for this team-up. There are many fans who still haven’t moved on from the controversies that these two have created when they fell for each other at the wrong place and at the wrong time (sounds like a movie premise already). For the meantime, I hope that he gets paired with KC Concepcion. I think that the pairing has the ability to prove that KC is only waiting for the right material and right partner to prove her bankability.

Bea Alonzo, although she’s not visible on TV, is doing a film, but as months go by, it appears as if this film is doomed (hopefully not). I wonder how an artist feels every time they had to re-shoot scenes that they have already done just because their partner had chosen to pursue their Hollywood dream and the replacement had chosen to move to another network. They can break the curse by bringing John Lloyd Cruz in. He is Bea’s reliable partner and the pairing has a huge following.

This is not a new pairing, but the Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla team-up should be given a movie while it is still hot. And oh please, don’t let Kathryn wear her hair with bangs, like how she looks at the soap, Princess and I. She’s more beautiful with how she looked during her Mara Clara days, but her beauty really shone when she played the young Gretchen in Magkaribal.

It is tricky to find the right pair for Julia Montes. I really thought that she would not be able to pull it off with Coco Martin, but she did, with flying colors. I think that she really is the next Bea Alonzo. For these women, great acting, plus good looks are enough even though they don’t have constant partners.

There are two big Kapamilya stars who badly need reinvention, Vice Ganda and Sarah Geronimo. Vice has already proven that he can create blockbuster movies even without the help of other big stars. I wonder how it would look if the idea of pairing Angel Locsin with the man version of Vice Ganda would push through. I don’t think so. A good gay film will do, but no more slapsticks comedy, please.

I want to see a different Sarah Geronimo. Sarah who is acting her age and is experiencing real life and love troubles of women in their mid 20s. Just for a change, I want to see her serious side, yung pang award. It does not matter who her leading man is. Her movies, for as long as these are of good taste and quality, will earn whether she has a big star or a newcomer as a partner.

What about the stars from the other network? I think that at the moment, while GMA-7 has not yet found the formula to develop “big” stars, big in the sense that the viewing public will pay to see them on the big screen and not be contented being part of the percentage of the TV ratings, GMA Films should go back to their old formula. They ought to bring back quality films to the mainstream market. They have specialized on the genre before, giving people the likes of Muro Ami, Deathrow, Jose Rizal and so on.

That’s it. Just sharing some musings while I am working on certain articles that are harder to finish than this kind =)

P.S.

I love the current ad (as of this writing) on my blog's upper banner, kilig!

And I Love You So - Another Flop in the Making?

All those who think that the upcoming Star Cinema flick, And I Love You So, will become a hit, please raise your hands. This film is very important to Bea Alonzo's career. The first time she has tried to veer away with her team-up with John Lloyd, via Dream Boy with Piolo Pascual, it was a flop. This can be attributed to the fact that even they were big TV and film stars at the time, they did not have the magic and chemistry when paired up.

The other half of Bea (in TV and films), John Lloyd Cruz, was able to succeed even without his perennial love team. The John Lloyd and Sarah Geronimo team-up used the old kilig concept of love that opposites attract that made them Box Office King and Queen.

Now that Bea is once again trying to prove that she can make it without John Lloyd, I doubt that this film is the material for such goal. It would already be shown some time this month, but until now, I still can't get what the story is all about. What they are trying to market at this point is that Bea was bolder in this film, literally. I don't think that would help much to convince the female moviegoers that they should give this a try.

Sam, Sam, Bea is with Sam Milby in this film. I don't know about his fans, but I don't like his current appearance, especially his hair. He doesn't look tidy anymore. In terms of magic, Star Cinema could have tried to place Anne Curtis instead of Bea. The other leading man, Derek Ramsay, would not help much to the success of this film. The guy is plainly overexposed. He really has a good backer, er, manager, for him to land good roles both in TV and films even though he doesn't have as much following as his other contemporaries.

Star Cinema should really think hard about their lineup. After T2 did not do well in the tills, they've shown another horror flick, Villa Estrella. I suppose that the latter did not do any well in terms of earnings because I've never heard anything after it was shown. This was due to the fact that the actors of the said film are still not capable of making it big in films, because they also haven't proven their worth on TV either.

And now comes Bea's film, And I Love You So. Is this going to break the flop curse for Star Cinema? I think that Bea has enough following for the movie to earn some, but not as big as expected.

I just hope that Star Cinema would soon utilize actors that people want to see in films. Enough of Derek Ramsay and Jake Cuenca, please. And they should also be able to give memorable stories with unique plot points that will make people want to see the films after they have seen some snippets and teasers of these.

I Refuse to Watch Tayong Dalawa

I am no longer watching Tayong Dalawa, sigh. I used to be an avid fan. The story was good, especially whenever Kim Chiu or Gerald Anderson is on screen. But now as the show progresses and it seems like the executives want to highlight Jake Cuenca as its main lead, I refuse to watch it.

I can't really take the sight of this former Kapuso star on screen. It was tolerable at first because the advertisements promised that this would be a Kim-Gerald-Jake soap. Right now, Gerald's character appears to be Jake's support. Kim's character was so stagnant, it is already irritating.

It will be better if Kim and Gerald will be taken out of this soap. Let's see how Jake would turn this to another flop like "Palos." The story is getting bigger and complicated, for Jake and some of the older casts. But Gerald and Kim are not being given what they rightly deserve. There are even days when they would be on screen for some minutes or even seconds, and the rest of the show would be dominated by Jake's over acting.

I think that the team-up of Gerald and Kim should not be treated as if Jake is a bigger star than these two. The publicists of Jake, the tandem of the equally hated tabloid columnists, Cristy Fermin and Alfie Lorenzo, are doing everything to ruin Gerald and Kim while pouring undeserved praises for their boy toy, Jake.

The second reason why I can no longer watch the show is because it is being pre-empted by the show of another former Kapuso actress that I hate seeing on screen, Angel Locsin. For the remake of Only You, ABS CBN management gave the show big budget and they even shot on location in Korea. Now that really makes me feel sad about the fate of Kim and Gerald's My Girl. The show was not as grand as Angel's Only You. But Kim got the attention of the public for being versatile and for being good in any genre given to her. Try to watch Angel's acting. She could be paired with Jake and the show should bear the title, "Over Acting Galore."

The management of ABS CBN should not blame the fans of Kim and Gerald for reacting violently about the news of a possible team-up of Gerald with Sarah Geronimo. They have not given the fans what they want to see from their favorite loveteam yet, a quality show where the two will be the leads and a quality movie far from the crappy launching material given to them.

And if ABS CBN really value their viewers, they will prioritize stars who started with them, whom most Kapamilya viewers would love to see often both on films and TV. If they will insist on bombarding the boob-tube with Jake Cuenca's irritating acting or Angel Locsin's trying hard acting(?), they will continuously lose their loyal viewers. It is not bad to be number 2. But when their morning show like Ruffa and Ai keeps being beaten by TV5's Bratz' reruns, it begins to feel shameful, ain't it?

Sarah Geronimo Must Be Careful in Choosing Her Next Leading Man

With the success of A Very Special Love and its sequel, You Changed My Life, everybody seems to be in high spirits that a new Superstar was born. People are raving about Sarah Geronimo, how great she is and how she was able to achieve so much. Even Inquirer's entertainment columnist, Nestor Torre, weighed in on who is more deserving to sit on Sharon Cuneta's throne, should it be Sarah or KC Concepcion. But is Sarah the real reason why the said movies hit on the Box Office? I doubt it.

Personally, I went to see the first film because of John Lloyd. But I didn't get a chance to see the second one, although it's still on my plans. And yet again, I'll be watching it because of the male lead and the story. And I'll be interested to see the film even if it was Bea Alonzo playing the lead girl, or someone of Sarah's age like Kim Chiu.

I don't really have anything against Sarah. She is bubbly and she always seems to be happy. And that is what people love about her. She's fun to see. But that I think is not enough for people to see a movie just because she's in it.

There are talks that Viva and Star Cinema are planning to pair Sarah with Gerald Anderson. Now you don't want to touch something that is not broken, which is the Kimerald love team. How do these two companies think the fans would react? This is not the same case with the John Lloyd-Bea team-up. This pair has done lots of films and has graced many soap operas with the two of them as leads before they were paired off with anybody else.

As for Kim and Gerald fans, it is only normal that they will react violently about the issue of the latter being paired with Sarah. Yes, they have done a movie together, a launching movie that was like a music video stretched for more than an hour. It was a bad story, bad direction and a bad choice of launching material for a team-up that has a solid following. Now they are proving their worth by acting the best that they can give through the soap opera, Tayong Dalawa.

With TD's success, Star Cinema should be given a hint that it is high time to let this love team prove that they can do onscreen what they have achieved on TV. They should be given a good material and not a mediocre one like their first film. Their entry on the Manila Film Fest was also successful. It could have been more successful if only it was not of a horror genre and if Ms. Tadyang of the Kapuso network was not part of the trilogy.

Instead of thinking who should be paired with Sarah next, Star Cinema should focus more on who should they pair up with John Lloyd. Sarah may be popular, but she definitely is still not a Superstar. She has the makings to be one. But she still has a lot to prove and she has to do something with her voice. She no longer sounds as good as she used to when she was only starting (overexposure?).

As for the third installment of her team-up with John Lloyd, the creative team behind it should come up with something really unique but still fun. After that, Sarah should experiment on more serious roles, like how Sharon Cuneta did on Pasan Ko ang Daigdig. And she should be given a chance to shine without a known leading man. If she will be able to pull it off, then by all means, give her the crown and the title of being a genuine Superstar.

Prove Me Wrong, Marian and Dingdong

GMA network is confident about their newest gems, Marian and Dingdong, enough to produce a film for this love team. The two rose into fame when Angel Locsin decided to leave GMA to what she (or her pa-kontrobersiyal manager) thought would be a better choice (but is proving to be disastrous). The team-up was warmly accepted by the public via the TV show "Marimar," despite their lack of good acting abilities.

Through time, the two keep on proving that they really have captivated the hearts of the boob-tube fanatics. They have been trusted with product endorsements as well. Their latter venture hinted that they are not that picky with the projects that they get. Marian looked like a bold star with her last ad for a soap or something. I can't recall because I always change the channel whenever she's on. And they have done ads for liquors and alcoholic beverages. I will not be surprised if they will agree on endorsing condoms in the coming days. But this is just my take on this.

Personally, I don't like Marian. There is something about her that turns me off. I stopped buying the products that she endorses. As for Dingdong, I used to like him way back his TGIS days. But through time, I still haven't seen him grow as an actor. He seems to be following the career path of Piolo Pascual. But one thing that he has to improve on is the reality that Piolo can act while Dingdong still has to do a lot of catching up.

I hope that Dingdong will really take his profession seriously. He will not forever look like a hunk. He has to show some real tears and poignant emotions before he loses the body that he is becoming more known for.

I cannot blame Dingdong though, or Richard Gutierrez for this matter. These two are popular stars of these days that lack the ability to convince people about what real emotions are all about. They are not still being given the right roles to hone their craft. They are continuously pampered with the kind of roles that their network thinks they can handle. Richard's non-acting prowess isn't that much obvious with fantaseryes or action fantasy series. Dingdong can just flaunt his hot bod and no one would mind if he is carrying out a sloppy performance.

GMA still has a lot to learn from ABS CBN in handling talents (but do not follow their lead in freezing their careers), especially those who are on the rise. John Lloyd wouldn't be where he is now had ABS CBN did not plan his career right. This also goes for Lloydie's team-up with Bea.

Unlike the Marian and Dingdong love team, John Lloyd and Bea took calculated steps in order to become successful multimedia artists. ABS planned what roles they must play, when they would be allowed to kiss on TV, then on films, when they would be given more matured roles, etc. This way, the two are becoming prepared and honed for the next roles that come their way.

With the Marimar duo, people have already seen them do everything on TV. They kissed, made love, kissed, shown off some skin, kissed and well, this is where they are good at, kissing.

What more can people expect from their film that they still haven't seen them do on TV? The only thing that is left for them to do is frontal nudity that I don't think they would be willing to do just yet. And knowing GMA Films' track record when it comes to love stories, the soon-to-be-released Marian-Dingdong film will be a familiar one and something that will not prompt the non-fans to pay at the cinemas just so to catch the film.

The non-fans are the people behind the success of films like "A Very Special Love." These are the people who are only waiting for good movies and do not really care about the stars. Yeah, Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz already have a following of their own. But the non-fans helped the movie hit its blockbuster status.

And how is GMA going to promote the film of Marian and Dingdong – Kakaiba? Maraming halikan? May bed scene? GMA may appear to be the number one network in Mega Manila. But Mega Manila is not the whole Philippines. And the sources of ratings are only composed of few households. Are these people who brought the pair to stardom on the little screen will be willing to pay their hard-earned money to see the team-up on the big screen?

I doubt it. But I am very much open to be proven wrong.