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.