Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Kimmy Dora is grabs number one movie of the week


(The Philippine Star) Updated September 10, 2009 04:23 PM
MANILA, Philippines -- Kimmy Dora, landed on the number slot among all the movies that came out last September 2.  The first solo starrer of comedienne Eugene Domingo, lead the pack of 6 releases, which included four Hollywood and one local films.
“We are very happy to be working with Spring Films and with the outstanding box office performance of Kimmy Dora,” said Wilson Tieng, President of Solar Entertainment Corporation.
As the film’s distributor, Solar Entertainment made sure the movie was available on 90 screens in 89 locations nationwide. With heavy exposure on its’ three TV channels, Jack TV, ETC and 2nd Ave, the film was able to penetrate the AB market as evident on the 10 top performing sites for the film: (1) Glorietta 4 (2) SM Megamall (3) Trinoma Cinemas (4) SM North Edsa (5) SM Mall of Asia (6) Robinsons Place Manila (7) Gateway Cineplex (8) Robinsons Galleria (9) SM San Lazaro (10) Market, Market.
Kimmy Dora is produced by Spring Films and distributed by Solar Entertainment Corporation and is now on it’s second week nationwide screening.

Better late. than absent
STAR BYTES By Butch Francisco (The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM
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Urian Best Actor Ronnie Lazaro accepts his first-ever acting trophy
Last Saturday, Sept. 19, wasn’t the most ideal time to hold an awards night at the CCP complex grounds for at least two reasons: 1) There was the Martin Nievera/Gary Valenciano concert at the Aliw Theater and 2) Supposedly there was a midnight madness sale at the SM Mall of Asia also nearby.
Current Manunuri ng Pilipino chairman, the ever-efficient Dr. Roland Tolentino (dean of the UP College of Mass Communication), however, had booked the Little Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines six months ahead and no one among us bothered to check the other events scheduled that evening. (Heck, even I who had handled the Urian presentations from 1990 to 2007 didn’t have the foresight to check and merrily went along with the schedule given to us by CCP.)
It was therefore murder getting to that reclaimed area of Metro Manila since everyone was heading east of the city all at the same time. Adding to the aggravation was the CCP ruling that we start at 7 p.m. sharp or we pay the penalty — something to the tune of P10,000, which could hurt the already depleted Manunuri pocket. (The 32nd Gawad Urian was staged through a grant given by the Film Development Council of the Philippines — approved by Chairman Rolando Atienza and administrative head Lali Suzara — plus sponsorship from Rubby Sy’s Flawless, with the deal coursed through marketing services manager Francis Labora.)
Since the Urian is basically a showbiz affair, everyone thought that the call time was also showbiz — meaning we would start at 9 p.m. Even some of the Manunuri guests — non-stars and just plain spectators — came in at 8:45. The movie people — so used to grand entrances, of course, came in even much later.
As a result, Boots Anson-Roa and I — who were acting as emcees that evening — ended up accepting trophy after trophy because most of the winners were not yet around when their names were called.
Aleera Montalla, the lass who would turn into a monster at night in Yanggaw, was nowhere to be found when it was announced that she had won Best Supporting Actress.
But during the parade of winners at the show’s finale, there she was all dolled up.
In the case of Best Supporting Actor Coco Martin (he won for Jay), he was in the Peñafrancia festival in Naga that evening and there was no way he could be at the Urian since that commitment had already been booked since last July.
As for Brillante Mendoza, who won Best Director (for Serbis), he was in Rio de Janeiro for yet another film festival. His Serbis was also hailed Urian Best Picture last Saturday.
Best Actress Mylene Dizon (who won for 100) almost missed giving her acceptance speech because she arrived practically minutes before the announcement of her name as winner. Bringing son Tomas with her on stage, she exclaimed: “Susmaryosep! Nanalo tayo, anak!” Prior to that, she and last year’s winner Cherry Pie Picache (Mylene’s good friend) both squealed with delight and jumped up and down with joy when they met halfway across the stage — to the amusement of the crowd.
But everyone was happiest for Ronnie Lazaro who — despite the fact that he had long been acclaimed as one of the finest actors in local cinema — had yet to win an award. The Gawad Urian finally gave him his first ever acting trophy — Best Actor for Yanggaw. In his excitement, he forgot that he was addressing a mostly Tagalog-speaking audience and gave the first part of his acceptance speech in Ilonggo, but even that was met with applause. Everyone just cheered for him.
The standing ovation, however, was reserved for the highest honor given that evening — for Peque Gallaga, who was given the Natatanging Gawad Urian. It was but fitting that the presenters in that category were Joel Torre and Cherie Gil, who were his Miguelito and Trining in his classic Oro, Plata, Mata.
Below is the complete list of winners in the Gawad Urian:
• Best Director: Brillante “Dante” Mendoza (Serbis)
• Best Picture: Serbis
• Best Actor: Ronnie Lazaro (Yanggaw)
• Best Actress: Mylene Dizon (100)
• Best Supporting Actor: Coco Martin (Jay)
• Best Supporting Actress: Aleera Montalla (Yanggaw)
• Best Screenplay: Francis Xavier Pasion (Jay)
• Best Production Design: Benjamin Padero and Carlo Tabije (Serbis)
• Best Cinematography: Odyssey Flores (Serbis)
• Best Editing: Francis Xavier Pasion, Kats Serraon and Chuck Gutierrez (Jay)
• Best Music: Popong Landero (Hunghong sa Yuta)
• Best Sound: Joey Santos and Von de Guzman (Yanggaw)
• Best Short Film: Andong by Milo Tolentino
• Natatanging Gawad Urian: Peque Gallaga
Why the APO lasted this long
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo (The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM

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APOs (from left) Boboy Garovillo, Danny Javier and Jim Paredes: Kayang-kaya pa talaga!
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Curtain-raisers:
?  The MTRCB has changed its X-rating to R-18 for Bayaw. Upon the advice of MTRCB reviewers, the film was re-edited by director Monti Parungao so that the integral frontal-nudity scenes may still be seen. Bayaw opens tomorrow, Sept. 23, in the following theaters: Robinsons Galleria, Ruben, Remar, Gotesco Grand, Gotesco Ortigas, Isetann and New Cinema in Cebu; and, soon, Robinsons Ermita, Robinsons Bacolod, Robinsons Iloilo, Robinsons Novaliches and Robinsons Metro East.
? Astig, the award-winning indie film which topped the 2009 Cinemalaya, will compete at the New Currents Section of the 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in South Korea from Oct. 8 to 16. Astig won the following Cinemalaya awards: Best Director for GB Sampedro, Best Supporting Actor for Arnold Reyes, Best Editing for Charliebebs Gohetia and Best Sound for Ditoy Aguila, Juniel Valencia and Mark Locsin.
? Bebe Gandanghari (the late Rustom Padilla) is now in tune with her brother Robin Padilla who gifted her with a brand-new CRV as down payment for a Star Cinema project they’re doing together. Because of her current “status,” Bebe would rather be addressed as “Ate” by Robin and the other Padilla siblings. “Rustom Padilla is dead,” said Bebe, “so why would they call me Kuya?” Oo nga naman, ano!
* * *
This time last year, APOs Jim Paredes, Boboy Garovillo and Danny Javier had a sold-out concert at the Big Dome, called APO of the Philippines, that marked their 40th anniversary as a trio. I was there and I saw how the mixed audience (from two generations) applauded the trio’s every song. It was oh-so-good, ayos na ang kasunod.
So on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26, the APO is taking centerstage at the Sky Dome of SM North EDSA to prove once again (as if it’s necessary) that, as their concert’s title banners, (APO) Kayang-Kaya Pa.
Jim, 58, is married to Lydia Mabanta with whom he has three children (Erica, Ala and Mio); the couple has one grandchild. Boboy, 58, is married to Bong Agcaoili with whom he has two sons, Fonz and Anton. Danny, 62, is “twice married, twice annulled” (as he put it), with four children from his second failed marriage — Justine, Juliene, Jobim and Jamael.
For readers and fans out there who have been wondering what’s making the APO tick and click all these decades, Funfare is reprinting excerpts of last year’s Conversation with Jim, Boboy and Danny.  
Would the APO have lasted this long if you were not good friends?
Jim: I don’t think we would because there are so many areas to fight over...like money, fame, schedule, everything! You have to sacrifice for a bigger goal and you have to like the persons you are sacrificing with.
Boboy: The group has survived because we are barkadas, because we are good friends. We were not one of those groups which, you know, “Let’s get together for music.” Hindi ganoon, eh. We have been really good friends, we hang out together up to now, and the music just came along. We came from the same school, so we have like minds, like philosophies in life. Medyo madali kaming magka-intindihan.
Danny: It’s the friendship that keeps us together. Not the money nor anything. Take away everything else and we would still be friends.
Of the dozens and dozens of songs that you have recorded and composed for other singers (the most popular being Di Na Natuto for Gary Valenciano), which is the most memorable to you?
Jim: My favorite changes all the time. But for me, it has to be Batang-Bata Ka Pa because I wrote that when my eldest child was born. It’s such a direct composition na hindi ko inisip; the lyrics and the melody just came out naturally, spontaneously. I’m happy that the song has a universal appeal, which not only parents but also their children can relate to.
Boboy: It’s hard to choose just one. Outside of APO, I would say Di Na Natuto which we wrote for Gary Valenciano. It was a hit. Among us, I guess it would be Awit ng Barkada which is, up to this day, being played during reunions. It has a very reassuring effect, di ba?
Danny: It’s the song that Gina (Valenciano-Martinez) asked me to write for Gary — Di Na Natuto. It was almost like a commissioned work. It was a hit, played and played on the radio for almost two years; palipat-lipat ka ng estasyon and that was the song being played. At the time, there was only one other song that was a hit, I’ll Never Say Goodbye by Willy Cruz (sung by Nonoy Zuñiga). In all my 61 years, there has never been a song na kasing-hit ng Di Na Natuto.
Aside from love of music, what do you have in common?
Jim: We really just enjoy each other’s company. We enjoy the fact that we did something really special, I think. When we started, there was really no OPM (Original Pilipino Music); it was then known as Manila Sound. When we did something like this, it was some kind of an act of rebellion — you know, when you’re young, you want to resist conformity. Pagkatapos, it bore fruit. We really felt that we did something more important than just build a career. By the way, it was Danny who thought of the term “OPM.” We put it in our records and it caught on with everybody.
Boboy: Hmmmm...Kung tutuusin, not much really. Kami ni Danny, we are into golf. Jim is into scuba-diving and biking. I also play tennis and I’m into a lot of other sports. Jim is a bookworm.
Danny: We are a community of learners. Ang sabi ko nga sa mga ka-klase ko, “The nicest thing that happened to me after college is that I began to enjoy learning.” I never studied as much until after college. There’s so much to learn from life. Study, if not imposed by other people, is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life.
Has the “ego factor” ever reared its ugly head among you?
Jim: At the start, we were always competing with each other...in all aspects, pati sa girls. But after a while, you just realized that, you know, nobody would say, “Ang ganda n’ung song na kinanta ni Boboy, or ni Jim, or ni Danny.” They would just say, “Ang ganda n’ung song ng APO.” Nagkaroon kami ng collective identity. We found our right place as a team.
Boboy: Ang “ego factor” sa amin was always internal, just among the three of us, and never about people outside of the group. Ang “ego” sa amin was...what do I want to do? You know, no contract binds us. We can just stand up and say, “Tomorrow, I’m done!” Like Jim could just say, “I’m moving to Australia!” As simple as that.
Danny: It did. We would not be human if the “ego factor” doesn’t come in the way. But like I said, we are learners. We discovered what the three of us put together are bigger than our sum. Yes, we can stand as individuals but iba ‘yung magkasama kaming tatlo.
How do you maintain and sustain the distinct APO Sound?
Jim: The APO Sound is actually...well, we maintain it by singing and singing and singing all the time. When singers get older, binabaan nila ‘yung key ng song. We are still singing in the same key as when we recorded our songs. So, it’s really, practice, practice, practice.
Boboy: You know, that’s a secret na hindi naman secret. I guess we just have a natural knack for harmonizing with each other. I like to think that songwriting needs a certain intelligence and talent, eh. You know, a lot of songs now that you hear make you wonder, “Saan nanggaling ‘yon?”
Danny: Well, kaya siguro na-maintain namin dahil wala sa amin nagpa-sex-change, kaya wala sa amin nagbago ang voice. Hehehehe!
(Note: The Philippine STAR is among the sponsors of APO Kayang-Kaya Pa, produced by Viva Concerts & Events. Tickets are priced at P2,000 for Gold reserved seats, P1,500 for Silver and P1,000 for Bronze. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or Viva Concerts & Events at 687-6181 local 627 or 620.)
Award-winning films at 2009 Korean Film Festival Sept. 23-29
My friend Raoul Tidalgo and I have fallen in love with Korean films (although not so much with Koreanovelas). When we were in Hong Kong, we took pains in locating the theater in Kowloon showing Frozen Flower (a “must-see”), never mind if we got lost along the way. It was worth it.
That’s why we won’t miss the 2009 Korean Film Festival set for Sept. 23 to 29, hosted by The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in cooperation with the Korea-Philippine Cultural Foundation, Inc. and Shangri-La Plaza (where the screenings will be held).
The seven films and their directors are: Old Boy (Park Chan-wook), Barking Dogs Never Bite (Bong Joon-ho), Sa-Kwa (Kang Yi-kwan), Beyond the Years (Im Kwon-taek), The Show Must Go On (Han Jae-rim), Forbidden Quest (Kim Dae-woo) and Driving with My Wife’s Lover (Kim Tai-sik).
Here’s the full schedule:
• Sept. 23: Old Boy, 8 p.m.;
• Sept. 24: Barking Dogs Never Bite, 2 p.m.; Sa-Kwa, 5 p.m.; and Forbidden Quest, 8 p.m.;
• Sept. 25: Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 2 p.m.; Forbidden Quest, 5 p.m.; and The Show Must Go On, 8 p.m.;
• Sept. 26: Beyond the Years, 2 p.m.; Barking Dogs Never Bite, 5 p.m.; and Old Boy, 8 p.m.;
• Sept. 27: Beyond the Years, 2 p.m.; Barking Dogs Never Bite, 5 p.m.; and Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 8 p.m.;
• Sept. 28: The Show Must Go On, 2 p.m.; Driving with My Wife’s Lover, 5 p.m.; and Sa-Kwa, 8 p.m.; and
• Sept. 29: Forbidden Quest, 2 p.m.; The Show Must Go On, 5 p.m.; and Old Boy, 8 p.m.
Admission is free. By all means, go!

Spirit of '67 rocks Teatrino


(The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - Teatrino in Greenhills comes alive with the spirit of retro as The Spirit of ’67 (photo) takes the stage on Sept. 23 and 30, 8:30 p.m.
The band that started out as a group of former high school batch mates who made music for their Ateneo high school class’ Silver Jubilee celebration is now a group of singers and musicians whose passion is getting people high on retro.
With KooKoo Gonzales, Zoe Zuñiga and Bubut Gomez on vocals; Bobby Gomez and Ronald Vicencio,  keyboards; Al-Kaz Borromeo, lead guitar; Obet Amalia, bass; Ato Cabailo, percussion; and Teng Austria, drums, the Aliw Hall of Fame Awardee band is sure to entertain audiences of different generations with songs from the Swinging ‘60s and ‘70s, disco, pop rock, new wave and some rockin’ ‘50s.
Kapamilya stars in world tours
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM

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Piolo Pascual and John Lloyd Cruz
MANILA, Philippines - In celebration of the 15th year of The Filipino Channel (TFC), Filipino fans worldwide will get the chance to see homegrown talents and entertainment even if they are miles away from the Philippines.
A series of world tours, concerts, and events featuring ABS-CBN’s artists are lined up by ABS-CBN Global.
“Our offices in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, Middle East, and Europe allow us to better understand what our kapamilya are interested to watch. Being overseas Filipino workers ourselves, we know how our kababayan look forward to seeing Filipino artists perform for them,” says Raffy Lopez, ABS-CBN Global COO.
The fun began last Sept. 20, with One Kapamilya, Go! in Great America Theme Park in Sta. Clara, California.  The whole day event featured a star-studded show, film screening, fun games and activities, and an unlimited theme park ride experience. John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo led the Kapamilya stars in bringing fun to Filipinos in the US. They were joined by Kanto Boyz Vhong Navarro and Luis Manzano, Chokoleit and Candy Pangilinan, Billy Joe Crawford, Charice, Laarni Lozada and Bugoy Drilon.
Today, Sam Milby, Randy Santiago, Giselle Sanchez, and Pinoy Dream Academy stars will perform at 2D The Next Level in Nagoya, Japan. In Canada, Vilma Santos together with John Lloyd and Luis will join the screening of In My Life on Oct. 3 and 4.
The Heartthrobs European Tour is scheduled from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8, with Sam Milby, Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd and Pokwang performing for Filipinos in Israel, Barcelona, Dublin, Rome and London.
The World Tours will be capped by a major performance in the Middle East as A.S.A.P. ‘09 goes live in Dubai on Dec. 3 and 4.
“We are overwhelmed every time we see the positive results of the work we put in bringing entertainment to Filipinos abroad. We are inspired all the more to organize shows for our kapamilya, wherever they are,” said Raffy Lopez.

Is Paloma Rosalinda?


(The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM

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MANILA, Philippines - Viewers are now hooked on the heartbreaking story of Rosalinda as she finally shuns her past and vows to take revenge against those who have hurt her using her new identity as the newest singer — Paloma.
Topbilled by Carla Abellana (photo), Geoff Eigenmann and Jomari Yllana, Rosalinda’s story gets more gripping in its upcoming episodes when Rosalinda (Carla) realized it is high time to shun her bitter past after she painfully witnessed the wedding of her husband Fernando Jose (Geoff) and her spiteful sister Fedra (Katrina Halili). The last Thursday episode posted an overnight rating of 33.1 percent which reflects the viewers’ interest on GMA 7’s Rosalinda.
With the help of record producer and talent manager Alex Durantes (Jomari Yllana), Rosalinda recovers from her ill-condition and assumes her new identity as Paloma.
Paloma, whose character is opposite of the naïve Rosalinda, vows to take vengeance against everyone who caused her pain particularly Fedra, mother-in law Valeria (Sheryl Cruz) and husband Fernando. Paloma is also planning ways on how to take her daughter Erica with her.
Rosalinda airs weeknights after Stairway to Heaven on GMA Telebabad.

High five toast


(The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009 12:00 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - TV5’s Shall We Dance host Lucy Torres-Gomez (rightmost) and Everybody Hapi star John Estrada, along with other TV5 stars and advertisers who attended the grand Trade Launch at the Rockwell Tent, joined TV5 SVP and head for brand management Jasper Evangelista and head of sales Dinna Zaratan in toasting TV5’s trade relations in 2009.