FREEHAND by Mario E. Bautista
ALBERT MARTINEZ is directing a film for the first time, "Rosario", an entry in the December filmfest. A period story set from 1917 to 1938, it's an ambitious project about infidelity and redemption. Jennylyn Mercado is Rosario, a young woman in the province who falls in love with an older man, Vicente (Yul Servo) in old Manila. She later cheats him. The boyfriend, Alberto (Dennis Trillo) of her best friend Carmen (Isabel Oli) becomes her lover. For this, she was censured by society and banished to Hongkong as punishment.
"The story is from PLDT and TV5 boss Manny Pangilinan," says Albert. "In 2004, I met with him to help fund the FAP Awards Night and he told me the story of Rosario, who's his maternal grandmother. I told him it's good material for a film. A month later, he called me and said he wants me to meet the surviving relatives of Rosario. Doon ko naisip na gawin ang movie. We'll start with her son, Jesus, now 82 years old, to be played by Dolphy, and the story will be told from his viewpoint. Jennylyn will be 17 when the story opens and she'll be 38 when she dies. We simplified the story for the film. In real life, Rosario had 6 kids with Vicente and 5 with Alberto. Dito, ginawa ko na lang one kid for each man. I'm thankful for the support of my friends who agreed to do cameo roles, like Aga Muhlach will play a doctor with two scenes. Other stars who'll guest are Ruffa Gutierrez, Cherry Pie Picache, Carmen Soo, Liza Lorena, with Phillip Salvador and Eula Valdes playing the role of Rosario's parents. I'm very particular with the film's look so I got the award-winning Joey Luna as production designer and Carlo Mendoza as cinematographer using the advanced high definition camera Alexa. We're re-creating old Binondo through CGI but we'll also shoot on location in the reconstructed vintage of Jerry Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, then in Isabela, Laguna and Batangas."
Jennylyn is, of course, honored to be chosen to play the title role. "This is such a big movie and a great role so I promise to give my best to make the film really worthwhile." Of course, she's also inspired that her leading man is her rumored beau, Dennis, with whom she'll be doing torrid love scenes.
**********
AFTER PLAYING Angelina and Yaya in the first season of "Hole in Da Wall", Ogie Alcasid now becomes Korean pop star Kim Min Yung while Michael V becomes his avid K pop fan who stalks him, Bianca, in the new season of the hit game show that starts airing on Monday, 5:30 PM, before "Langit sa Piling Mo". "But this is only for one week," says Michael. "Each week, we will play different characters na tiyak na magpapasaya sa viewers. Also, we have a fabulous new set and for our first week of telecast, we have celebrity contestants. On Monday, Kris Bernal, Daniel Matsunaga and Bearwin Meily will compete with Sheena Halili, Antonio Aquitania and Fabio Ide. Riot yun."
In the last election, Michael endorsed Manny Villar while Ogie, Noynoy. Did they have any conflict over that? "None," says Michael. "Our political beliefs do not affect our friendship and working relationship."
"We always respect each other's differences in opinion," adds Ogie.
What can he say about his GF Regine Velasquez making it as one of the top 10 in FHM 100 Sexiest Women. "Hindi naman nakakataka kasi sexy naman talaga siya. At pang-no. 7 pa, talagang Kapuso, ano? Pero siya mismo, di makapaniwala. Paano raw nangyari yun, di naman siya nagpo-pose ng sexy? Doon naman siya hinahanap sa list of 100 Most Beautiful Stars ng Yes pero wala siya. Akong nakapasok doon kasi nga beautiful naman talaga ako, inside and out. He-he. Yun pala, sa sexiest list siya makakapasok."
Will he allow Regine to pose for FHM? "Matagal ng may offer sa kanya. Sa'kin, okay lang, Pero yung may katawan mismo ang ayaw. Kami na lang ni Bitoy (Michael V) ang offeran nila, payag kami."
**********
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? we ask Judy Ann Santos pointing to her visible tummy as we visit the set of "Hating Kapatid". "Ewan ko nga, bigla na lang lumaki ito," she laughs.
Is she having a difficult pregnancy? "Not at all. Suwerte ko nga, ni hindi ako naglihi. Si Ryan (Agoncillo) ang naglihi. Nagke-crave ng siomai, masungit, ayaw sa pabango ko. Malakas ang baby boy namin kaya nakapag-travel pa ako with Ryan sa States. Six months na siya so I can now feel him move. At di pa lumalabas, may offers na for endorsements na magkasama kaming dalawa."
How's their U.S. trip? "Bakasyon yun, so we went to Disneyland and Universal Studios with our daghter Yohan. Masaya."
How's it working with Sarah Geronimo in "Hating Kapatid"? "Napakabait na bata. I see myself in her when I was younger, pero mas grabe siya, puro trabaho talaga. I told her nga to enjoy her youth kasi hindi mo na puede i-rewind yan once its lost."
It's said she's the cause of delay of the shooting of "Hating Kapatid". "Totoo. Kasi nga nag-abroad ako then I can shoot only up to 9 PM, may cut off for the sake of my baby para hindi stressful."
In the story, she's Sarah's elder sister. Their parents, Tonton Gutierrez and Cherry Pie Picache, left them with their lola, Gina Pareno, and worked abroad for 18 years. Juday becomes very protective of Sarah. When their parents returned with a son born abroad, Juday, gets alienated from them while Sarah easily warms up to their mom and dad. "Even if the story sounds serious, comedy ito," says Juday. "I'm paired with JC De Vera na nakasama ko noon sa 'Ouija' ng GMA Films at si Sarah, with Luis Manzano."
**********
THE LOCAL MUSIC scene has a new artist out to dazzle everyone and she's simply called Drizzle. Viva Records has just released her new album, "Personal", that has ten well recorded tunes. The carrier single, "Tensionado", is now getting good airplay in various FM stations in Metro-Manila. It sings about two people on the brink of a breakup, with one partner desperately hoping that the relationship will still be saved. "Tensionado" has now become the anthem of people who are tense and uptight while in similar situations.
Drizzle won't reveal her real name yet. She wants to be a bit more enigmatic and mysterious. All she'd reveal is that she grew up listening to her mom's collection of great songs and dreamt that she'd one day be able to record her own album. "All the songs in my album are personal choices kaya I choice the title 'Personal' for it," she says. "They reflect my own emotional journeys in life, from experiencing the pain and joys loves, various challenges, successes, failures and various other colorful feelings."
The other songs in her album are "Running Away", "D2 Na Lang", "Someone New", "Secret Lovers", "Why", "Will You Be Mine", "Mr. Deadma", and "Never Too Easy". Drizzle has her own band, DNA, and their busy in the live entertainment circuit. Catch Drizzle perform her songs live at Hard Rock Cafe, Spicy Fingers, Strumms, and other venues. "Personal" is now available in all record bars nationwide.
**********
BASED ON THE 2001 chick flick about pink girl power that made Reese Witherspoon a box office star, "Legally Blonde" is a rousing musical featuring a bravura lead star performance from Nikki Gil as Elle Woods, the ditzy California sorority queen dumped by her boyfriend for not being serious enough who then proves she can excel on her own by going to Harvard law school in the name of love. Nikki acts, sings and dances so well like she's really born to perform in musical theater. Reese may have popularized the role in Hollywood but the smart Nikki makes it her own in a production that shows local theater at its best. She doesn't even look ridiculous as a blonde Asian. Nikki shines in so many numbers, including "Omigod" (the opening number), the show stopping "What You Want" when she gets to Harvard, and "So Much Better". We'd really love to see her doing Kim in "Miss Saigon".
Giving her superb support are the scene-stealing Jinky Llamanzares as Paulette her beautician friend, Guji Lorenzana as Warner her condescending boyfriend, Jett Pangan as the law professor who has his own designs for Elle (his "Blood in the Water" number is a high point of the show), Cris Villonco as Vivienne her rival who becomes an ally, and Geneva Cruz who does marvelous singing while dancing and doing workouts on stage as the murder suspect in her exuberant production number that opens the play's second act. We just wish she has more chemistry with Nyoy Volante who plays her leading man. Kudos to Director Chari Arespacochaga ("Footloose", "Spring Awakening") for the excellent staging of all the well choreographed musical numbers.
ALBERT MARTINEZ is directing a film for the first time, "Rosario", an entry in the December filmfest. A period story set from 1917 to 1938, it's an ambitious project about infidelity and redemption. Jennylyn Mercado is Rosario, a young woman in the province who falls in love with an older man, Vicente (Yul Servo) in old Manila. She later cheats him. The boyfriend, Alberto (Dennis Trillo) of her best friend Carmen (Isabel Oli) becomes her lover. For this, she was censured by society and banished to Hongkong as punishment.
"The story is from PLDT and TV5 boss Manny Pangilinan," says Albert. "In 2004, I met with him to help fund the FAP Awards Night and he told me the story of Rosario, who's his maternal grandmother. I told him it's good material for a film. A month later, he called me and said he wants me to meet the surviving relatives of Rosario. Doon ko naisip na gawin ang movie. We'll start with her son, Jesus, now 82 years old, to be played by Dolphy, and the story will be told from his viewpoint. Jennylyn will be 17 when the story opens and she'll be 38 when she dies. We simplified the story for the film. In real life, Rosario had 6 kids with Vicente and 5 with Alberto. Dito, ginawa ko na lang one kid for each man. I'm thankful for the support of my friends who agreed to do cameo roles, like Aga Muhlach will play a doctor with two scenes. Other stars who'll guest are Ruffa Gutierrez, Cherry Pie Picache, Carmen Soo, Liza Lorena, with Phillip Salvador and Eula Valdes playing the role of Rosario's parents. I'm very particular with the film's look so I got the award-winning Joey Luna as production designer and Carlo Mendoza as cinematographer using the advanced high definition camera Alexa. We're re-creating old Binondo through CGI but we'll also shoot on location in the reconstructed vintage of Jerry Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, then in Isabela, Laguna and Batangas."
Jennylyn is, of course, honored to be chosen to play the title role. "This is such a big movie and a great role so I promise to give my best to make the film really worthwhile." Of course, she's also inspired that her leading man is her rumored beau, Dennis, with whom she'll be doing torrid love scenes.
**********
AFTER PLAYING Angelina and Yaya in the first season of "Hole in Da Wall", Ogie Alcasid now becomes Korean pop star Kim Min Yung while Michael V becomes his avid K pop fan who stalks him, Bianca, in the new season of the hit game show that starts airing on Monday, 5:30 PM, before "Langit sa Piling Mo". "But this is only for one week," says Michael. "Each week, we will play different characters na tiyak na magpapasaya sa viewers. Also, we have a fabulous new set and for our first week of telecast, we have celebrity contestants. On Monday, Kris Bernal, Daniel Matsunaga and Bearwin Meily will compete with Sheena Halili, Antonio Aquitania and Fabio Ide. Riot yun."
In the last election, Michael endorsed Manny Villar while Ogie, Noynoy. Did they have any conflict over that? "None," says Michael. "Our political beliefs do not affect our friendship and working relationship."
"We always respect each other's differences in opinion," adds Ogie.
What can he say about his GF Regine Velasquez making it as one of the top 10 in FHM 100 Sexiest Women. "Hindi naman nakakataka kasi sexy naman talaga siya. At pang-no. 7 pa, talagang Kapuso, ano? Pero siya mismo, di makapaniwala. Paano raw nangyari yun, di naman siya nagpo-pose ng sexy? Doon naman siya hinahanap sa list of 100 Most Beautiful Stars ng Yes pero wala siya. Akong nakapasok doon kasi nga beautiful naman talaga ako, inside and out. He-he. Yun pala, sa sexiest list siya makakapasok."
Will he allow Regine to pose for FHM? "Matagal ng may offer sa kanya. Sa'kin, okay lang, Pero yung may katawan mismo ang ayaw. Kami na lang ni Bitoy (Michael V) ang offeran nila, payag kami."
**********
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? we ask Judy Ann Santos pointing to her visible tummy as we visit the set of "Hating Kapatid". "Ewan ko nga, bigla na lang lumaki ito," she laughs.
Is she having a difficult pregnancy? "Not at all. Suwerte ko nga, ni hindi ako naglihi. Si Ryan (Agoncillo) ang naglihi. Nagke-crave ng siomai, masungit, ayaw sa pabango ko. Malakas ang baby boy namin kaya nakapag-travel pa ako with Ryan sa States. Six months na siya so I can now feel him move. At di pa lumalabas, may offers na for endorsements na magkasama kaming dalawa."
How's their U.S. trip? "Bakasyon yun, so we went to Disneyland and Universal Studios with our daghter Yohan. Masaya."
How's it working with Sarah Geronimo in "Hating Kapatid"? "Napakabait na bata. I see myself in her when I was younger, pero mas grabe siya, puro trabaho talaga. I told her nga to enjoy her youth kasi hindi mo na puede i-rewind yan once its lost."
It's said she's the cause of delay of the shooting of "Hating Kapatid". "Totoo. Kasi nga nag-abroad ako then I can shoot only up to 9 PM, may cut off for the sake of my baby para hindi stressful."
In the story, she's Sarah's elder sister. Their parents, Tonton Gutierrez and Cherry Pie Picache, left them with their lola, Gina Pareno, and worked abroad for 18 years. Juday becomes very protective of Sarah. When their parents returned with a son born abroad, Juday, gets alienated from them while Sarah easily warms up to their mom and dad. "Even if the story sounds serious, comedy ito," says Juday. "I'm paired with JC De Vera na nakasama ko noon sa 'Ouija' ng GMA Films at si Sarah, with Luis Manzano."
**********
THE LOCAL MUSIC scene has a new artist out to dazzle everyone and she's simply called Drizzle. Viva Records has just released her new album, "Personal", that has ten well recorded tunes. The carrier single, "Tensionado", is now getting good airplay in various FM stations in Metro-Manila. It sings about two people on the brink of a breakup, with one partner desperately hoping that the relationship will still be saved. "Tensionado" has now become the anthem of people who are tense and uptight while in similar situations.
Drizzle won't reveal her real name yet. She wants to be a bit more enigmatic and mysterious. All she'd reveal is that she grew up listening to her mom's collection of great songs and dreamt that she'd one day be able to record her own album. "All the songs in my album are personal choices kaya I choice the title 'Personal' for it," she says. "They reflect my own emotional journeys in life, from experiencing the pain and joys loves, various challenges, successes, failures and various other colorful feelings."
The other songs in her album are "Running Away", "D2 Na Lang", "Someone New", "Secret Lovers", "Why", "Will You Be Mine", "Mr. Deadma", and "Never Too Easy". Drizzle has her own band, DNA, and their busy in the live entertainment circuit. Catch Drizzle perform her songs live at Hard Rock Cafe, Spicy Fingers, Strumms, and other venues. "Personal" is now available in all record bars nationwide.
**********
BASED ON THE 2001 chick flick about pink girl power that made Reese Witherspoon a box office star, "Legally Blonde" is a rousing musical featuring a bravura lead star performance from Nikki Gil as Elle Woods, the ditzy California sorority queen dumped by her boyfriend for not being serious enough who then proves she can excel on her own by going to Harvard law school in the name of love. Nikki acts, sings and dances so well like she's really born to perform in musical theater. Reese may have popularized the role in Hollywood but the smart Nikki makes it her own in a production that shows local theater at its best. She doesn't even look ridiculous as a blonde Asian. Nikki shines in so many numbers, including "Omigod" (the opening number), the show stopping "What You Want" when she gets to Harvard, and "So Much Better". We'd really love to see her doing Kim in "Miss Saigon".
Giving her superb support are the scene-stealing Jinky Llamanzares as Paulette her beautician friend, Guji Lorenzana as Warner her condescending boyfriend, Jett Pangan as the law professor who has his own designs for Elle (his "Blood in the Water" number is a high point of the show), Cris Villonco as Vivienne her rival who becomes an ally, and Geneva Cruz who does marvelous singing while dancing and doing workouts on stage as the murder suspect in her exuberant production number that opens the play's second act. We just wish she has more chemistry with Nyoy Volante who plays her leading man. Kudos to Director Chari Arespacochaga ("Footloose", "Spring Awakening") for the excellent staging of all the well choreographed musical numbers.
