Till My Heartaches End - Now Showing

The last movie of Kimerald (for this year) is finally out. They've had a very successful premiere last night. It looked fun and exciting, but I also heard about the bashings that Gerald Anderson had to bear throughout the run of the film. It is only understandable that even Kim Chiu was very emotional. ABS-CBN seems to be enjoying this roller coaster of emotions, because why would they name the third party on the movie, Lea, which sounds a lot like the third party that most people believe to be in real life, if not to fuse more bashings from those who painfully attended the premiere night even though they are only supporting Kim now.

I haven't watched the film yet. I am only getting these details from various discussion forums. The film was said to be a mirror of what has actually happened with the love story of the two leads. It was very brave of them to do the film and even braver to watch their own story with many of those who have been witnesses of it all.

I was surprised at the numerous comments that my previous post about this whole brouhaha has gotten. These comments only prove that there are indeed so many people who are interested to know the truth and defend their idols. I expected the hurtful comments in the beginning, but as months passed by, I can no longer relate with the kinds of comments that appear to be unforgiving and very brutal.

At the end of it all, we have to understand that Kim and Gerald are only human beings who are bound to commit mistakes. They are free to choose whoever they will love, no matter how they want to do such. Gerald may have hurt Kim a lot on how he has dropped the bomb or how the bomb was eventually discovered, about his new love. If Kim had chosen to forgive, forget and move on, her fans should definitely follow the lead.

If you have noticed, I have not mentioned the name of the other girl involved in this issue. I have moved on, and to avoid blurting out unnecessary things, I have chosen to ignore and just simply forget that she exists.

I will watch Till My Heartaches End this Saturday. I just hope that after this film, bigger breaks will be given to Kim Chiu with other partners. She deserves the blessings and good karma for how she carried herself throughout the ordeal.

As for Gerald, I'm sure that ABS-CBN has plans for him because he's a natural charmer. May this film open new and brighter doors for these two and I really hope that this is going to be a big hit.

I Do – Defining Feel Good at Its Best

In Fairness!

That would sum up my experience watching the latest Star Cinema flick, I Do. I did not expect anything (good) from the movie because I didn’t have plans to watch it either. My 5-year-old niece wouldn't let me go about my every day life without seeing this film. Nope, she is not a fan of the love team that was featured on I Do. We watched it because of my niece’s highest level admiration for Melai, yes, The Melissa Cantiveros of the PBB Double Up fame.

Overall, the movie was effortless. It wasn’t trying too hard to make the viewers laugh or cry, but there lies its magic. I was laughing most of the time, and sobbing a bit, especially at scenes that involved how the parents dealt with the problem that the characters of Erich Gonzales and Enchong Dee brought about.

The first time that Pokwang cried on the phone, while she was telling someone that the wedding won’t push through was sad, but very real. Dennis Padilla’s character was also very real and it is something that most dads can relate to, especially those who have experienced the same fate.

The bad side of the film though was the Chinese family of Enchong. I am not Chinese, so I wouldn’t know if it was portrayed right. The family was stiff. It is as if they are very serious about everything. All they think about is money. Most of their scenes were serious. They were having a party, but you won’t find anyone who seems to be having a grand time. The Chinese girls that some of the characters, including Enchong’s, dated, were also portrayed as boring and very straight individuals.

I have a Chinese friend and she’s the most fun person I’ve met. She’s very far from the Chinese characters on this film.

Despite the flaws, this movie clearly defines what feel good is all about. It was fun. The bloopers in the end made it more enjoyable. I am a sucker for bloopers, hehe!

This is worth the price that you will pay for, but don’t expect too much and just enjoy the ride.

Why Eat Bulaga is a Tough Show to Beat?

Willie Revillame may be rejoicing these days because after Wowowee was axed, ABS-CBN continues to juggle and haggle on its afternoon programming. For me as a viewer, I don’t think that this has something to do with Willie’s absence. He has gone overboard when he was at the top that most viewers wouldn’t want to see him at the same timeslot or on any Kapamilya shows ever again. There may those die hard fans and people whom he was able to help in the past, but who will ever forget the painful marks that so many hopeful lives were killed in the tragedy that happened on the first anniversary of Willie’s defunct show. Wowowee will always be remembered for that tragedy no matter how they try to cover it up.

Robin Padilla emerged as a star and brought the ratings of Wowowee to its peak when he was tapped as guest host. This may be because nobody expected him to be good or many people were interested to find out how he would fit in to this kind of show where he had to do things that he has never done on TV before. It was an added treat that as he continues to do his hosting stint, his off screen romance with co-host Mariel Rodriguez starts to develop on screen.

Wowowee should have ended after Robin bid farewell to his hosting stint that lasted for two weeks. Now the public knows that ABS-CBN tried to woo Willie to come back, and this is a major turn off to their loyal viewers because this is a strong sign that they don’t really care what most of their consumers think and feel. It is a good thing that fate had it that Willie and the network did not come into any kind of agreement, which paved the way for the instant creation of Pilipinas, Win na Win and for Willie to do the rounds of interviews to lambast the station that made him who he is today.

So what is wrong with PWNW that despite the team-up of Robin Padilla and Kris Aquino as main hosts, the show was not able to deliver as expected? First off, this is not Kris Aquino’s forte. She can stand on her own and do the whole show even without Robin and the other co-hosts. By placing her amidst talents who are not as good as her and as not as spontaneous as her, her co-hosts, including Robin, were left with nothing more to say but raise their hands to act the PWNW hand signal to cue in for commercials.

Eat Bulaga is tough to beat. The show has remained at the top even though they don’t have big stars as co-hosts, aside from the trio of Tito, Vic and Joey. Most TV viewers look at this show as family. I have grown up watching this show. The only thing that will make me stop watching Eat Bulaga is the retirement of its three main hosts because it would no longer be the same. There may be times that I’d try watching other shows, like what I’ve done when Robin Padilla was a guest host at Wowowee or during the opening of PWNW. But if I’m not satisfied with the other choices, I’d rather stick it out with Eat Bulaga.

Creating a show that would match Eat Bulaga is something that must be done, researched and evaluated for months or years, and not for some weeks after the negotiations with the original host of Wowowee has failed.

Kris Aquino is undergoing some marital blues, and this is not the perfect time to see her doing a very happy show for the family. The Robin-Mariel love angle is no longer interesting. So what if they are lovers now? They are no longer teenagers who can make gazillion of fans scream whenever one is holding the hands of the other, not even when Robin professes his love for Mariel on national TV. We have seen Robin act this way before. He should be given a new partner, so that people will tune in to find out if he’s going to fall anew or if he has indeed found his true love with Mariel.

Kris and Robin should have been given different shows. Everything that may remind people about Wowowee, from the stage, to games, look of the dancers and ways how the show is executed, should have been all scrapped. PWNW looked like a rehashed Wowowee without anything new but the two main hosts.

Now that Edu Manzano is set to do a comeback at the timeslot where he started to get endeared to many local viewers’ hearts at the other channel, ABS-CBN is scrambling its lineup as if this is an easy game of mix and match. They have promoted Showtime to fill in the noontime block, but I don’t think that this is a wise move because in reality, this is a weak show that gained great ratings in the past because GMA 7 cannot create a good show that would match such. They were able to tap into the goldmine when they placed movies to be pitted against Showtime. If Showtime couldn’t win the ratings game against the most crappy of GMA films or the oldest Michael V movie, how else can it fare when pitted against the longest running noontime show on TV?

As for now, I will continue watching Eat Bulaga whenever I have time, but peek into Showtime every once in a while because they got Ryan Bang as guest-judge. ABS-CBN needs all the luck in the world to be able to come up with a show that can really topple or just make the rival show a little nervous.

Bea Alonzo Succeeds in Breaking Up KimErald

Final Edit: September 9, 2010

Here's the link guys to the story of these two lovebirds. The site is owned by ABS-CBN, so I guess that soon enough, they will also let the public know of the truth. I am no longer bothered with this fact because I don't care about any of them. They must be given a chance to admit their lies and truths, of course. This way, they can allow their former fans to let go of what's left of their illusions and let Kim Chiu shine on her own.

Kim is the runaway winner at this story. She may have a thin frame, but that's all her detractors can say about her. Whereas for Bea, not only she has a big frame, which makes her look older than Gretchen Baretto, Angel Aquino and even Lorna Tolentino, this is also a clear indication of her lack of morals. As for Gerald, well, he got what he deserved, and I'm sure he will soon find out that even though words cannot hurt him, lack of quality fans would. That's it. End of story. With or without admission.

--

I ought to be doing tons of work to meet my deadlines, but the fan in me cannot help but to refresh all discussion pages on different online forums about Kimerald or the loveteam of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. This team-up has been a hobby for me since they entered the PBB house, and that was more than four years ago.

The first time that I heard about the Gerald Anderson-Bea Alonzo issue, I couldn't believe it or I was just in denial. As days or hours go by, it seems as if all roads and clues are leading towards that path, which will eventually point to the fact that Kimerald has only been for reel all along.

Thursday, when one of the founding members of Kimerald BAOs shared that she believes that the issue about Gerald and Bea was true, ABS-CBN immediately announced via one of Star Cinema's bosses, Roxy Liquigan, that the two, Kim and Gerald, will soon have a movie. This may only be mere coincidence, but no one can tell until somebody who really knows about the issue comes out in the open.

Most of the BAOs members have given up on the two and they are now more endeared towards Kim. The biggest and strongest fan group of the two, the Kimerald World, it seems, has also recently changed its name to Kim World. This is a very strong statement and the group must have vital reasons why they opted to do so.

With all the confusion and madness that is happening at the cyber tambayans of these fan groups, there seems to be a news black out about the issue. First off, E-Live, which showed teasers that it will feature Bea and the new man in her life, did not push through with the story. According to some sources (from the mentioned fan groups), the relationship was known to Talent Center. Kim was used to be silent about everything and to continue the act that she's still happy with Gerald. This is yet to be confirmed or denied, but as long as nobody's talking about the issue, the public is free to speculate.

The confusion started after Kim guested on The Buzz and she was asked by Boy Abunda if she loves Gerald. The usual bubbly actress smiled her best and said yes because she considers him special. Boy Abunda immediately followed the question with, "Sa tingin mo, mahal ka ba ni Gerald?" Kim almost choked at the question and from then on, couldn't stop her tears. She tried to stay true with her script and that was to act as if nothing was wrong. Her eyes though, revealed that she was hurt and that she was undergoing something that the public must not know (or else she will lose her job?).

The story will continue and maybe ABS-CBN will try to keep mum about it or link Kim to other artists so that she will also get some hatred that is expected to be thrown at Bea and Gerald. Whatever the truth is, Kim Chiu will get the sympathy of most people.

Bea will get tagged as "Mang-aagaw." Anybody in her position will get the same treatment and that is only expected as the loveteam of Kim and Gerald is still at its peak. Her fans must stay away from reading online discussions (and blogs like this) about their favorite actress at the moment. Kimerald fans are still hurting and they can say anything and everything, especially on unmediated public forums. If ever this is true though, I don't think that she can be happy with where she's at knowing that someone has been badly hurt and is still hurting.

Gerald needs to face the public and say the truth from his heart and not from the script that will be handed to him by ABS CBN. He must stop his pretensions pronto. He has used Kim for so long already. He must come out as he is, a player, and see if the public is still willing to take him in despite such flaw. He must learn something from John Lloyd Cruz and Jericho Rosales. The latter apologized to Kristine Hermosa after admitting the truth about his relationship with Cindy Kurleto at the height of loveteam's success. John Lloyd risked telling the truth about Shaina Magdayao, hoping that his girl would be spared from the public's anger.

It will take time before Gerald can recover from this blunder, but this is the hard truth that he has to accept for hurting one, if not the most loved, bubbly Chinita young sweetheart that has ever graced local showbiz, and that is Kim Chiu.

--

Edit: July 29, 2010

Hurting is a process and even though I was affected by this news (kaloka!), I am starting to move on or I already have. First, I no longer watch Magkaribal or anything that has Bea on it nor I can take buying any products that she's endorsing. Bitter much? Well, this is part of the process hehe!

Second, I seldom visit the online discussions about the Kimerald because I can't take how they are bashing Gerald now. Most fans are saying things that they surely won't divulge if none of these issues ever happened. No matter who Gerald is off cam, the more important thing is that he is able to deliver on cam. What I want from him is to be truthful, especially to his fans. He must not act sweet and lovey dovey to Kim or keep his silence about the issue just to save his ass. He must quit using very sweet words towards Kim on cam, especially if he doesn't really mean it. Through this, he will be able to help his fans and also Kim to move on.

Somebody must still speak up about the issue and they must not let only one person suffer from all these. As of the moment, Kim Chiu seems to be getting all the negative publicity. Aside from being linked with just about anyone, like Enchong Dee, Robi Domingo and Coco Martin, she was also being intrigued that she tried to commit suicide. Here's PEP's full story about the made-up intrigue (I don't think Kim is capable of doing that).

These issues can be denied or confirmed very quick rather than opting to spread lies and related intrigues. Earlier on, after a website claimed that Kris Aquino is pregnant, TV Patrol has done the necessary interviews from the people involved or those who are close to them to dispute such false claim. If this can be done to Kris, why can't they do it to Kim as well? Even if she doesn't have the Republic's President as a brother, she still is a Kapamilya. Is ABS-CBN protecting Bea Alonzo, especially because she has an upcoming movie? Just asking...

Why Babe I Love You Got the PG-13 Rating

I did not intend to watch Anne Curtis and Sam Milby's Babe I Love You, but I was able to catch it, no thanks to my super makulit niece who has this biggest crush on its male lead. My niece asked me why the movie was rated PG-13. I told her that there may be some scenes like extreme kissing parts or the two leads trying to conceive a baby (believe me, this is the simplest form of explanation that you can give a child instead of saying that the actors are making out).

I am not a fan of the two so I ended up fighting sleep all throughout the movie. The storytelling and editing are very flawless. It looked like the director followed a strict storyboard from the first up to the last shot. The story actually tried to veer away from the norm by making Anne's character flawed, but the overall appeal is old. The material has already been used many times before and this film offered nothing new.

The directing was bland. It was uber boring. There were no scenes and shots that will leave you breathless, nor there were lines that you will remember for the longest time. Its only saving grace is Anne's portrayal of her part. She was very convincing and she was really good. You will forget her glamorous side as you watch the film because she was really able to transform into her character.

Ok, the theme may be for adults, hence the PG-13 rating. My niece was asking me from the start when will I cover her eyes for scenes that she was not allowed to see. I told her Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson's Paano na Kaya had more kissing scenes than this one. Maybe it got the PG rating so that parents can translate to the kids what Sam was saying. 90% of his lines were in English.

I am not a fan of John Lloyd Cruz but I get excited whenever I see him onscreen because he always delivers according to the role. And unlike Sam, John Lloyd knows the language of most of his audience. It will take many years before Sam can achieve such status because I don't think he is exerting much effort to be good at it.

Overall, this film is not for those who aren't fans of Sam and Anne. It was okay, so-so and very forgettable.

Gretchen and Claudine Barretto – Drama Queens

With so many brouhahas that have happened before the airing of the 8:30PM timeslot of last night’s local TV, I took the chance of finally being able to sleep way earlier than my usual bedtime. Even if you are not that fond of celebrities or local shows, especially dramas, you may have heard about Claudine Barretto’s agony and pains after finding out that her new show on GMA is going to be pitted against her sister’s MMK episode. Gretchen Barretto, on the other hand, immediately stole the spotlight by resorting to a walkout from her media interview. Both happenings were featured on primetime news, as if these were very important issues and as if these two are still very popular.

Well, they may be popular, but not for good reasons. People only care to listen about them if they are involved in nasty and unpopular situations that they are both so good in meddling with. What’s the whole drama all about? Claudine’s argument is that she pities her parents because they must feel very sad that their daughters are being pitted against each other. For Gretchen, she argues that any parent would be proud that their daughters are dominating a certain timeslot on local TV. For this argument, with or without the walkout, Gretchen clearly gave out the more intelligent response.

As per the teasers that I have watched, I don’t like both. Gretchen’s MMK appears to be too old and very complex. It may appeal to the much older viewers. Claudine’s drama, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything new to offer, except that it’s Claudine on the other channel.

GMA 7 seems to be sticking on a formula drama. If they want to make viewers cry, they will use the story of amnesia or Alzheimer’s, like what was utilized on Claudine’s story. Yeah, it may be heart tugging to see someone you love slowly forgetting about you and even about themselves, but after watching it for the first time and you have already cried, the next time you see the same storyline, you will definitely change channels.

My mother watched both. She said, para walang away (feeling naman nya sya yung nanay ng mga Barretto =). The MMK story started with what seems to be a simple plot. Gretchen’s husband died and so she fell in love with a priest. My mother switched channels to watch Claudine’s. The story basically stuck with what was seen on the teaser. It was not only simple, it was boring. When she tuned in again to MMK, she was surprised when the priest character began abusing Gretchen’s kids because she doesn’t have enough time for him. This is when the real conflict would begin and at this point, the remote control was completely forgotten. My mother said that she even cried while watching MMK. I asked her what she felt while watching Claudine. She said that the story may have been good, but the story telling is bad.

This is a very usual reaction to dramas that are done by GMA 7. Even at the time when they have gotten all good creative people from ABS CBN to create Susan Roces’ drama series during the Christmas season, the end result was not as good as compared with the same genres that are shown on ABS. This may be the reason why GMA sticks with re-hashed and recycled concepts and fantasy series. They still cannot create the kind of drama that can hook the viewers and make them cry.

Oh well, GMA 7 claims that they are still number one, but this must not make them feel secured. There are times when ABS CBN is leading the ratings in Mega and Metro Manila that were supposed to be avid to GMA shows. Or even if this is true, GMA should strive harder to make their stories and storytelling more compelling. They are lucky because it seems like ABS CBN will still be their only stiff competitor for a long time. TV-5 re-launched at the time when they still did not have any good materials for their shows. There are rumors that even Maricel Soriano cannot stand to shoot the crappy scripts being given to her. Maricel needs this to prove that she still is a star, and it won’t help if she’ll be given materials like the ones that Claudine is doing on GMA.

Enough has been said, but going back to the Claudine and Gretchen dominance on Saturday night’s drama block, Gretchen is the clear winner when it comes to the script, acting and overall production. I’m not sure about the ratings though. I am interested to find out who won on this aspect. If ever it would be Claudine, many couch people have surely wasted their time and missed out on their chance to get a good cry or a good night sleep like what I had.

-----

P.S.

It seems like the ratings have sided with Gretchen as well =)

TNS, March 10: National MMK 31.4/Claudine 14.7;
Mega MMK 23.6/Claudine 17.3;
Metro MMK 26.4/Claudine 14.7

GMA 7 on the Losing End According to the Latest AGB Ratings

Heads are surely rolling on Kamuning as GMA 7 continues to lose its grip over Mega Manila with the latest ratings according to AGB. They should consider looking into the quality of their shows this time than on doing the rounds of giving away groceries, like what they were alleged before. But seriously, something has to be done fast before ABC 5 could reign over the number two spot that would leave GMA on number 3.

Here's the March 4 AGB ratings for Mega Manila according to PEP.

Daytime:

Diz Iz It! (GMA-7) 7.6%; Showtime (ABS-CBN) 18%
Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) 16.4%; Daisy Siete: Bebe & Me (GMA-7) 11.3%; Wowowee (ABS-CBN) 18.4%
Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak (GMA-7) 11.8%; Magkano ang Iyong Dangal? (ABS-CBN) 11.4%
Ina, Kasusuklaman Ba Kita? (GMA-7) 13.7%; Maria de Jesus: Anghel Sa Lansangan (ABS-CBN) 9.1%; Banana Split Daily Servings (ABS-CBN) 7.7%
OC To The Max (GMA-7) 6.7%; Pilipinas Got More Talent (ABS-CBN) 8.1%
Family Feud (GMA-7) 7.6%; You're Mine, Only Mine (ABS-CBN) 10.8%

Primetime:

First Time (GMA-7) 15.3%; Tanging Yaman (ABS-CBN) 16.8%
24 Oras (GMA-7) 28.3%; TV Patrol World (ABS-CBN) 24.5%
Panday Kids (GMA-7) 30.4%; Agua Bendita (ABS-CBN) 31.6%
The Last Prince (GMA-7) 29.2%; Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo (ABS-CBN) 31.5%
Diva (GMA-7) 25.6%; Habang May Buhay (ABS-CBN) 28.5%
Queen Seon Deok (GMA-7) 21.7%; Rubi (ABS-CBN) 25.3%
SRO Cinemaserye Presents Meet the Fathers (GMA-7) 11.5%; SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon (ABS-CBN) 13.7%

GMA 7 should really think hard before getting artists from the other network. They should also look into their own artists and make sure that they won't ever let go again of someone like Toni Gonzaga and Angel Locsin. As for their current lineup of artists, the only looker who has what it takes to succeed is Jake Vargas. Forget about the regular lookers that won on the recently concluded Star Struck. They should be able to pull up something as good as Pilipinas Got Talent to draw in real talents to their ward. The formula actually lies on the judges. If ever they will do such, they must make sure that the judges are credible. As for the yet to be shown Party Pilipinas, they must start with something fresh and out of the box in order to shine, even if this would mean that they have to drop the four original has-been hosts of SOP.

Celebrity Tweets

So Twitter is the best source of inside stories about celebs and other network insiders. Here are some of the latest tsismis from the Tweet-landia.

Kris Aquino on Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo & the Kimerald:

Taping KTM- leaving to immigrate. Then time lapse. Then- baby James will be taping na. I'm so excited. 1st scene nya he'll be moonwalking like Michael Jackson- sana NO TOPAK that day. -@itsmekrisaquino, March 3

Sweet talaga si Kim and Gerald! Kim made libre my new favorite siomai and putopao. Then before midnight, Gerald naman treated all of us to Starbucks. I really have so much affection for the 2 of them. So easy to work with. So professional! -@itsmekrisaquino, March 1

(I can't wait to see Baby James on TV. Finally, excitement is on the air for KTM after 10,000 years of dragging back story.)

AGB Ratings Galore from PEP Scoopbox:

March 3 AGB Ratings: Diz 6.5/Showtime 19.3; Bulaga 16.4/Daisy 10.3/Wowowee 17.6; Lusak 10/Dangal 12.2; Ina 11.9/Maria 9.2/Banana 7.6 Ripley 7.1/Talent 8.9; Family 9.6/Only Mine 10.8; First 17.6/Yaman 17.1; Oras 24.5/Patrol 24.4 Panday 26.6/Agua 30.1/Kung 26.5; Prince 24.2/Habang 24.5; Diva 24.1/Rubi 24.8; Queen 22.1/SNN 14.3 -@scoopbox, March 4

March 2 AGB Ratings: Diz Iz It 7/Showtime 19; Bulaga 16.3/Daisy 11.6/Wowowee 20.4; Lusak 13.5/Dangal 12.3; Ina 15.6/Maria 8.7/Banana 7.2 Laf 7/Talent 7.5; Family 11.9/Only Mine 9.6; First 18.1/Yaman 16.5; Oras 28.5/Patrol 25.1; Panday 30.1/Agua 34.2 Prince 30.1/Kung 32.8/Habang 27.5; Diva 24.9/Rubi 24.1; Queen 20/SNN 13.3 -@scoopbox, March 3

(Hmmm, I wonder if GMA 7 is now singing to the tune of Gulong ng Palad)

Claudine Baretto on rumors about the Angelica Panganiban & Derek Ramsay breakup:

all couples go through problems artista man o hindi,dnt knw if nagtampuhan sila but they r together both derekn gel -@Dineybarretto, March 3

(Tuloy ang ligaya ni Rubi. Actually, they look good together, sana sila na =)

Matteo Guidicelli & Andi Eigenmann on their Agua Bendita stint:

malapit na po kami sa Agua.. :) :) -@MFG09, March 3

Not true :) malapit na po ako lumabas :P -@andieigenmann, Mar 1
Malapit na po ako lumabas sa Agua Bendita!! :D -@andieigenmann,Feb 26

(Sighs... why can't I be happy with this news? Give Xyriel Manabat a new show fast please after the transition. Here's a cute fanpic that I got from PEX. Xyriel deserves this because she is the reason why people tune in to the show.)

The Ezra Band Made an Impression on Pilipinas Got Talent Audition

Just when I thought that I could lessen the time that I spend watching TV, I caught this band's performance on their audition for Pilipinas Got Talent. I was already in awe when the pianist began playing, but the awe was even higher when the vocalist, who surprisingly is a girl, began singing. Aaw... These are the kinds of talents that GMA-7 must look for to revive SOP or whatever they wish to replace it with. They are called the Ezra Band, and I have high hopes that we'll see more of them or hear their songs soon.

Random Thoughts about Paano na Kaya

I did not write my review on Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson’s film, Paano na Kaya, after I have seen it on its first day of showing,so as not to burst the bubble of my friends or relatives who were planning to see it. You see, I’m a fan of these two and I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. The trailer was good, but the film was one confused material.

It was evident that the director was nervous that he would make the bosses happy and at the same time, this film would gross well by giving what the fans would like to see. It has all elements that we have seen before. It was very Star Cinema, in a bad light. I was with my 5-year-old niece when I watched it. We both thought that this was going to be fun, sort of Cathy Molina-ish(?). When the story begins to become a drag, my niece asked me, “Bakit parang TV na? Akala ko ba comedy, pero bakit umiiyak na naman si Kim Chiu?”

I wonder how this material was originally written, because it must be a very good piece. There are times when you don’t really have to inject family stories into a romance material just so Mr. Film Critic won’t ask, now where is this character coming from. With so many angles that it tried to explore, the outcome became “sabog” with so many actors left with no speaking lines because they were not that important and in fact, the movie could have been done without them.

Ruel Bayani, the director, must have been given time to relax after Tayong Dalawa, so he could have prepared more for this material. In all fairness, he handled the kilig scenes way better than how Lino Cayetano did on I’ve Fallen for You. There were many good scenes and good lines, but the main problem remains to be the very thin story and confused story telling.

Despite this, I was forced to come back and watch this film for the second time last Valentine’s Day. Since watching it the first time, my niece wanted to go back and watch the Kimerald starrer every single day. We only obliged come happy hearts day and at the time, the cinema was forever SRO, a proof that no matter what the quality of the film is, people are still going to spend to see this very well loved love team on the big screen. And I am also very sure that I’ll be asked to buy the DVD copy of this movie and need to be prepared to deal with hundred rounds of replays, or else my niece won’t give me any peace.

I just hope that Star Cinema will give Kim and Gerald another project soon, and this time, give them a good story, period. We are not really after good and memorable lines and we’re not even asking for numerous kissing scenes. At these hard times and when money is getting so hard to be earned, moviegoers should demand quality above everything else.

Poor Andi

Aww... Poor Andi. I know, I am one of those who do not want the young version of Agua Bendita to end. It is just that the young girl, Xyriel Anne Manabat, who plays both the young Agua and Bendita in the said show is simply charming. Who would have thought that she could beat the ratings of Darna's final week? But the show should have been more about the older Agua and Bendita, who will be played by Andi Eigenmann. The latter did all the promotions and interviews for this as part of her job. She's young, but there's a lot of hope in her eyes that this is her time to shine.

She is not Judy Anne Santos who can afford to wait three years for her soap opera to be aired. Andi is only starting to dream. Now that it seems unsure when Agua and Bendita will grow up, Andi is left with questions from people about when is she going to be seen on her own show. I still don't want Xyriel Anne's stint on the show to end, but at least for her hard work and effort, ABS CBN should give Andi something where she can still shine and make the public eager to see her on Agua Bendita.

Why don't they cut the currently playing PHR with two actors without any chemistry and spark, Paw Diaz and Rafael Rossel and put Andi on the slot with a big time Kapamilya actor like Diether Ocampo? This way, they can compensate for the still unfulfilled promises and at the same time, people will start to appreciate Andi. As of now, the reason why I am not that eager to watch her on primetime is because I don't know anything about her, aside from the fact that she's Jacklyn Jose's daughter.

I'm now torn. I don't want the kids on the show to grow up, but my heart goes out to the supposedly real star of the show. Here's Andi's latest blog post. I am not sure what is this about, but it's still heart breaking in any way, thus the title, Mend My Broken Heart.

Congrats Melay - PBB's Newest Champ!

I was rooting for Paul Jake on this season's PBB. He deserved the top spot among all housemates. But in all fairness to Melay, she may not deserve it because she's not as strong as a contender like Paul Jake, but she was the only reason why I watched it and kept on watching PBB Double Up until its very end.

All the rewards given to Melay may not even be enough as compared to the laughter she has brought to every home that watched her funny antics on TV. She is really good. She will make it far, as long as she will be guided from this point forward. To start with, she should not be that much identified with Jason. More than anything else, Jason made the mark of being very lazy throughout his PBB stint. As for Paul Jake, he must not be too serious with showbiz. He'll be better off as a politician or anything away from the mad world of this business.

Boring Primetime Lineup from ABS CBN

After May Bukas Pa has ended, on a very corny note (hehe!), I did not intend to watch its successor, Agua Bendita. Regarding May Bukas Pa's ending, it has proven that Ryan Agoncillo has honed his talent in acting. He was doing a great job until the very pivotal scene wherein he saw Santino with Bro right in front of him. I did not expect him to go hysterical, but I did not like his reaction either. Yeah, he was shocked, but it really should be more than that. If I were in his position, I don't know, maybe I'd even lose consciousness. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost, that was why he opted to run away from the scene. Oh well, that's not Ryan's fault, but the director who instructed him to act that way. We were prepared to cry that night, but seeing all the ASAP performers crying while they were singing and the appearance of Charo Santos for the Virgin Mary role made my whole family laugh. Kulang na lang si Pokwang!

I did not plan to watch Agua Bendita, but my niece won't turn away from the TV, so we ended up watching its prime telecast and the next day and the next... The young Agua Bendita, Xyriel Anne Manabay, is so fun to watch. She has the potential of making it big like Zaijan Jaranilla who played Santino in MBP. It is so sad that this show is not about the young girl. Soon enough, this cute girl will grow up to become the Eigenmann girl. I just wish that the story of the young Agua Bendita would be stretched into a month or two, or better yet, let her have the whole season.

My favorite, Kimerald, or Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, on the other hand, are stuck in a soap that lacks interesting plots. What could be the big conflict at the end of it all when the main characters are very forgiving? It could not come from Gabby because after he has learned that Albert is alive, he had chosen to give up on Kris and he did not pursue fighting for Kim when he has learned the truth. Gina Pareno keeps on becoming a wallpaper without any interesting scenes. Gerald is now the new Audrey, Kim's character in Tayong Dalawa, the story will move on to its uninteresting direction even if he's not part of it.

It would have been more interesting if Gerald got Coco's part and the story will revolve on how he will fall in love with Kim's character, whom he thought to be his half-sibling all along. This kind of love story will defy all reasons and will give justice to their peg. As of now, the story just keeps on getting boring.

Ooops, I forgot about Tanging Yaman. I was so excited to see Rowell Santiago acting again in the small screen. The roles are good, the acting, especially Erich, Jodi and, of course, Rowell, are very much okay. But the overall appeal is old. It's like bringing back a soap opera from the 80s. I hope they end this soon. Now that Melai will soon be out from the PBB house, ABS-CBN can give her this time slot for something fun, exciting and new.

Is There Still Hope for Filipino Writers?

This article from the website, STIR, is worth re-blogging. If ever this is true, I hope that this is going to be the start for people in the industry to treat Filipino writers with respect, in terms of the conditions they are always faced with at work, compensation and how they are treated by the whole system. If highly respected writers like Ricky Lee and Mitchiko Yamamoto had such bad experiences, what more can the aspiring writers expect from this industry that they look up to. I was part of this industry once, and even though there are many good memories, most of the experiences are better left forgotten. Here's the article from STIR.

ABS-CBN caused director’s death!
by: Edgar O. Cruz | STIR Editor In Chief
1 Feb 2010 | 08:56 AM

“There is no truth to that,” ABS-CBN Corporate Communications Head Bong Osorio tells STIR about the mass resignation buzz of ABS-CBN creative writers to GMA-7.

Wrongly termed as it is not a one-time quitting from their work but one after the other, it started with the transfer of Jake Tordesillas. The latest to give notice is award-winning scriptwriter of “Magnifico” and Äng Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” Michiko Yamamoto who followed film and television writer icon Ricky Lee. STIR recently scooped Ricky’s resignation from his corporate work at ABS-CBN to be able to pursue personal projects such as finishing his second novel.

For her part, Michiko allegedly resigned after being mistreated such as receiving low salary for a writer of her caliber. She also got second billing to an unknown writer in “Nagsimula sa Puso.” The buzz is she was told by a wannabee headwriter that she’s too indie-minded and doesn’t know how to write kilig scenes. Michiko sent feelers to GMA which readily and quickly grabbed the opportunity to sign her up in its fold.

If there’s a big transfer of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs personnel such as Luchi Cruz Valdez, Jude Sta. Ana and Cheryl Cosim to Manny Pangilinan’s refocused TV-5, there is a similar transfer of ABS creative consultants and headwriters in GMA like Jake, Agnes Gagelonia, Keiko Aquino, Aloy Adlawan, Senedy Que, & now Michiko. More are expected to follow.

Why such transfer? The buzz is ABS-CBN continues to treat the secret weapons of their drama success shabbily. The shocking revelation is that they were made them go through months of developing shows and/or series without or very minimal pay!

When asked who are involved, STIR’s squealer said, “Di ang mga bosing na slave drivers who put up that system! Sila yumayaman. Writers (are) hungry. Nangungutang pa! This floodgate is bound to happen. With TV5, baka wala nang matira sa kanila!”

When pressed for specific names, the squealer did not budge,

“Lahat ng decisionmakers nila, from business unit heads and up. Dami nila sa hierarchy.”

ABS-CBN it seems is at a lost of what to do! Allegedly, it has gone to the extent of accusing Jake of unethically recruiting ABS-CBN writers. The buzz is they are now signing up writers with P50,000 to P70,000 retainers but the trouble is not all are biting!

It’s clear they are not happy with the treatment and compensation they have been getting from ABS-CBN. If they were, the Law of Demand and Supply will not be operational; they will hold on. But the issue is there’s a problem with the system. While they toil like slaves, only the few gods overlooking the creative pool benefit!

Here’s another revelation from STIR’s squealer. This system allegedly caused directly or indirectly the death director Gilbert Perez due to overfatigue from back-to-back 24-hour tapings. Gilbert passed on at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Sept. 2008 after he suffered heart attack while megging Jericho Rosales and Carmen Soo’s “A Time For Us.”

There’s also Galo Ador who allegedly for seven months of work got only salary for three weeks before his project “Panday” finally went on air. There is also this unidentified writer who was allegedly sent to the set at 2am and died in his way. The list goes on.

Allegedly, the system works this way: Poor writer gets a show. He develops a 13-week storyline termed as “latag.” He goes through as many as 12 drafts (“And that’s the average!”) until headwriter is “hapi.” Then he has to please the egoistic director. There are times the director comments down to a word in the dialogue! They have developed such reputation for unreasonable attention to details! Then, the writer has to present to a panel of eight “heads” who end up having different opinions. And that’s only halfway through.

“Habang May Buhay,” the Judy Ann Santos and Drek Ramsey starrer which pilots tonight, took three years to make! If the people behind the project are asked, they will tell how inhumane the working conditions were. They were able to come up with a good series but the squealer asks, “Makatao ba sila? Kapamilya ba talaga turing nila sa writers?!”
When asked why open the issue to STIR, the squealer explained,

“Para mas umayos na treatment nila sa writers from here on. Can you imagine, THE Ricky Lee? For him to finally resign, ang dami niya munang tiniis dyan.”

When pressed for the mass transfer’s specific cause, the squealer revealed, “Basta higher salary with much better working conditions and atmosphere. Yun naman talaga mas importante. Ang tratuhin ka ng tama at hindi yung by the time you write your 12th draft, feeling mo, ang bobo bobo mo na at sila lang ang magaling!”

When asked to comment regarding Ricky and Michiko, Bong replied, “I am not privy to the Michiko and Ricky actions. Let me check.”

STIR welcomes the side of ABS-CBN regarding this issue.