FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
RHIAN RAMOS was the final guest in "Showbiz Central" last Sunday and she clarifies that she's not on with DJ Mo and she wasn't with him in Paris. "I did go to Europe but it's in Amsterdam to meet with my dad (a British man)," she says. "I was out of the country for three, but different countries. My last trip was in San Diego with Mark Herras and Jay-R for GMA Pinoy TV."
Is she mad at Ruffa for saying she was with Mo in Paris? "No. Right after that she texted me saying sorry. Joke lang daw yun. Niloloko ko lang kayo, she said, so okay, biro lang. E, ganun naman talaga ang mag-friends, nag-aasaran. I'm not affected kasi wala naman talaga kaming relasyon ni Mo and I don't see myself being in that situation with him. He also tweeted me saying sorry for what happened"
She's now busy doing her debut album and is excited to start her new series with Aljur Abrenica. "At least, bago naman ang leading man ko this time."
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RUFFA GUTIERREZ is glad Rhian is not "pikon" and took her joke good naturedly. Her "asaran" moments with Mo in "Paparazzi" is something viewers now look forward to. She's also happy that her stint in "5 Star Drama Specials" is extended this week. "Bale inabot ako ng six episodes," she says. "Last ko na tonight at 8:30, Wednesday, then susunod sa'kin si JC De Vera."
For her final episode, Joey Reyes directs her in a comedy with her Mareng Aiko Melendez, "Ang Best Friend Kong Kabit". They play neighbors who become mortal enemies as they fight over one man Jon Avila. Their feud reaches their barangay and they were featured in Amy Perez' hit reality show, "Face to Face". If you've seen "Face to Face" on TV5, Ruffa and Aiko act like those irate women in the show who nearly come to blows as they argue on the air. Amy plays herself in this episode and it's said she can't help but laugh with the comic antics of Ruffa and Aiko while they were taping the show right on the set of her much talked about talakserye.
**********
INA FELEO now has her own identity as a fine character actress, no longer just the daughter of formidable thespians Laurice Guillen and the late Johnny Delgado. After winning Cinemalaya best actress awards for "Endo" and "Sanglaan", she impressed viewers with her good performances in "Working Girls" as a dying wife and in various ABS-CBN teleseryes. Now, she's with GMA-7 as Lailani, the adoptive mother of Barbie Forteza as Charity. "Bale nagbalik lang ako sa GMA as I was also in 'Kahit Kailan' in 2002 where I played a deaf mute," she says. "Challenging ang role ko in 'Pilyang Kerubin' kasi I'm only in my 20's kaya kailangang maging credible akong anak-anakan ko si Barbie, who's 12. Maganda ang role ko as it becomes very complex as the story unfolds."
How does she find Barbie? " Mahusay siya, para ng matanda kung umarte ganong bago pa rin lang naman daw siya sa showbiz. It's like she's been acting all her life kaya hindi ako nahirapan sa kanya kasi nakukuha niya agad kung ano ang dapat naming gawin sa eksena. Talagang focused siya sa ginagawa niya."
**********
THE MUSICAL is not a favorite film genre of local audiences. In the 70s, the musicals they know were the films of Ate Guy who has 10 to 12 song numbers spliced together and it's already one movie. The best original musical we remember is Mike de Leon's "Kakabakaba Ka Ba" (1980.) Now comes Chito Rono's "Emir".
There have been many films that pay tribute to OFW's, from Nora Aunor's "Flor Contemplacion" and Vilma Santos' "Anak" to Sharon Cuneta's "Caregiver". How will they make this one different? By making it a musical.
"Emir" is not "Moulin Rouge" or "Evita" but it's good solid entertainment with well thought of and rousing production numbers. It's definitely the best of its kind in local cinema. The high energy opening number is staged on the sand dunes of Vigan, in the tobacco field of Ilocos, culminating in a dancing in the street finale that pays tribute to all kinds of OFW's from domestic helpers to medical practitioners. The story follows Amelia (Frencheska Farr), an Ilocana who works as a yaya for the son of the sheik in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. Most of the film happens inside the palace where she works and interacts with the other Pinay helpers employed by the sheik.
There are many show stoppers, like the "Sandosenang Pasko" in the kitchen, Frencheska and Kalila Aguilos' heartbroken paean to the moon, Jhong Hilario's Gary Granada solo about his secret love for Amelia, and the farewell song of Dulce which is a duet with Frencheska. The songs that have the makings of a classic are Frencheska's "Bakit Ako Naririto" (which can easily be the new anthem of OFW's the way "Dito Ba" in "Miss X" hit it big in the 80s) and the love song which is a duet with Sid Lucero, a half Arab-half Ilocano guy she falls in love with.
Chito Rono's work is an unqualified success. The challenge to a director of this film genre is to spend his budget wisely and pace his film well. The film is obviously expensive and this is immediately apparent in the scenes alone that were shot on location in Morocco, particularly after the war scene when Frencheska and her ward are chased by brigands in the desert. Even those who are not fond of musical will not be bored by this quickly paced film.
The ending shot in front of the historic Paoay Church is very touching. We just hope and pray that local viewers will pay it the attention it surely deserves. A local film like this only comes once in a blue moon. It has drama, romance, humor, action. Most local producers are not as fearless (or foolish?) as the Film Development Council so, by all means, don't miss it. We bet you, it will stand the test of time.
Chito is well served by the impressive cast of excellent singing actors he has assembled. This early, we'd say Dulce is a shoo-in for the best supporting actress award. She was born to play the role of the strict but kind-hearted mayordoma. Giving her superb support are Kalila Aguilos, Julia Clarete and Melanie Dujungco who never go overboard. Frencheska's singing is flawless but there are scenes where her emoting could have been stronger. Well, after all, this is just her very first movie so whatever lacks she have maybe forgivable. Still, imagine what a more seasoned singer-actress could have done with this role.
RHIAN RAMOS was the final guest in "Showbiz Central" last Sunday and she clarifies that she's not on with DJ Mo and she wasn't with him in Paris. "I did go to Europe but it's in Amsterdam to meet with my dad (a British man)," she says. "I was out of the country for three, but different countries. My last trip was in San Diego with Mark Herras and Jay-R for GMA Pinoy TV."
Is she mad at Ruffa for saying she was with Mo in Paris? "No. Right after that she texted me saying sorry. Joke lang daw yun. Niloloko ko lang kayo, she said, so okay, biro lang. E, ganun naman talaga ang mag-friends, nag-aasaran. I'm not affected kasi wala naman talaga kaming relasyon ni Mo and I don't see myself being in that situation with him. He also tweeted me saying sorry for what happened"
She's now busy doing her debut album and is excited to start her new series with Aljur Abrenica. "At least, bago naman ang leading man ko this time."
**********
RUFFA GUTIERREZ is glad Rhian is not "pikon" and took her joke good naturedly. Her "asaran" moments with Mo in "Paparazzi" is something viewers now look forward to. She's also happy that her stint in "5 Star Drama Specials" is extended this week. "Bale inabot ako ng six episodes," she says. "Last ko na tonight at 8:30, Wednesday, then susunod sa'kin si JC De Vera."
For her final episode, Joey Reyes directs her in a comedy with her Mareng Aiko Melendez, "Ang Best Friend Kong Kabit". They play neighbors who become mortal enemies as they fight over one man Jon Avila. Their feud reaches their barangay and they were featured in Amy Perez' hit reality show, "Face to Face". If you've seen "Face to Face" on TV5, Ruffa and Aiko act like those irate women in the show who nearly come to blows as they argue on the air. Amy plays herself in this episode and it's said she can't help but laugh with the comic antics of Ruffa and Aiko while they were taping the show right on the set of her much talked about talakserye.
**********
INA FELEO now has her own identity as a fine character actress, no longer just the daughter of formidable thespians Laurice Guillen and the late Johnny Delgado. After winning Cinemalaya best actress awards for "Endo" and "Sanglaan", she impressed viewers with her good performances in "Working Girls" as a dying wife and in various ABS-CBN teleseryes. Now, she's with GMA-7 as Lailani, the adoptive mother of Barbie Forteza as Charity. "Bale nagbalik lang ako sa GMA as I was also in 'Kahit Kailan' in 2002 where I played a deaf mute," she says. "Challenging ang role ko in 'Pilyang Kerubin' kasi I'm only in my 20's kaya kailangang maging credible akong anak-anakan ko si Barbie, who's 12. Maganda ang role ko as it becomes very complex as the story unfolds."
How does she find Barbie? " Mahusay siya, para ng matanda kung umarte ganong bago pa rin lang naman daw siya sa showbiz. It's like she's been acting all her life kaya hindi ako nahirapan sa kanya kasi nakukuha niya agad kung ano ang dapat naming gawin sa eksena. Talagang focused siya sa ginagawa niya."
**********
THE MUSICAL is not a favorite film genre of local audiences. In the 70s, the musicals they know were the films of Ate Guy who has 10 to 12 song numbers spliced together and it's already one movie. The best original musical we remember is Mike de Leon's "Kakabakaba Ka Ba" (1980.) Now comes Chito Rono's "Emir".
There have been many films that pay tribute to OFW's, from Nora Aunor's "Flor Contemplacion" and Vilma Santos' "Anak" to Sharon Cuneta's "Caregiver". How will they make this one different? By making it a musical.
"Emir" is not "Moulin Rouge" or "Evita" but it's good solid entertainment with well thought of and rousing production numbers. It's definitely the best of its kind in local cinema. The high energy opening number is staged on the sand dunes of Vigan, in the tobacco field of Ilocos, culminating in a dancing in the street finale that pays tribute to all kinds of OFW's from domestic helpers to medical practitioners. The story follows Amelia (Frencheska Farr), an Ilocana who works as a yaya for the son of the sheik in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. Most of the film happens inside the palace where she works and interacts with the other Pinay helpers employed by the sheik.
There are many show stoppers, like the "Sandosenang Pasko" in the kitchen, Frencheska and Kalila Aguilos' heartbroken paean to the moon, Jhong Hilario's Gary Granada solo about his secret love for Amelia, and the farewell song of Dulce which is a duet with Frencheska. The songs that have the makings of a classic are Frencheska's "Bakit Ako Naririto" (which can easily be the new anthem of OFW's the way "Dito Ba" in "Miss X" hit it big in the 80s) and the love song which is a duet with Sid Lucero, a half Arab-half Ilocano guy she falls in love with.
Chito Rono's work is an unqualified success. The challenge to a director of this film genre is to spend his budget wisely and pace his film well. The film is obviously expensive and this is immediately apparent in the scenes alone that were shot on location in Morocco, particularly after the war scene when Frencheska and her ward are chased by brigands in the desert. Even those who are not fond of musical will not be bored by this quickly paced film.
The ending shot in front of the historic Paoay Church is very touching. We just hope and pray that local viewers will pay it the attention it surely deserves. A local film like this only comes once in a blue moon. It has drama, romance, humor, action. Most local producers are not as fearless (or foolish?) as the Film Development Council so, by all means, don't miss it. We bet you, it will stand the test of time.
Chito is well served by the impressive cast of excellent singing actors he has assembled. This early, we'd say Dulce is a shoo-in for the best supporting actress award. She was born to play the role of the strict but kind-hearted mayordoma. Giving her superb support are Kalila Aguilos, Julia Clarete and Melanie Dujungco who never go overboard. Frencheska's singing is flawless but there are scenes where her emoting could have been stronger. Well, after all, this is just her very first movie so whatever lacks she have maybe forgivable. Still, imagine what a more seasoned singer-actress could have done with this role.
