More Stars Than There are in Heaven

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - Movie Review and Free SHowing

2012-01-23T05:02:00.000-08:00

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005) stars Julianne Moore as the indefatigable mother of 10 and witty writer Evelyn Ryan.

I got to learn about the PrizeWinner of Defiance Ohio (2002)on one of my frequent trips to the second-hand bookstore. Ilove reading about women who made it through the odds and survived aswinners. And Evelyn Ryan was such a compelling character—humorousand practical, tough but smiling, gentle but with a steelydetermination to keep ends meeting despite the struggles of raising10 kids, living with an alcoholic husband, and bouts with poverty anddespair. Yes, she was a real life wonder woman who met adversitieswith her pen, notebook, boxes upon boxes of product wrappers, and thegift of crafting humorous and witty lines in “25 words or less.”

Synopsis

Hers was a story of a mother lookingfor ways to augment her husband's already insufficient income byjoining the jingle-writing craze, that hit America after World War IIand went through until the early 1960s, when games of luck, orsweepstakes, took the place of this unique competition. What a writerEvelyn was because her winnings, ranging from $1 cash prize she wonfrom poetry writing contests to thousand-dollar cash prize, groceryshopping sprees, and free travel, all did well for her family andcame just in time to save them from impending trouble.

Free Film Showing. Enjoy Watching Here!

Movie Review

The film adaptation was equally touching, as was the memoir of Ryan's daughter, Teri. The film stars on of the best actresses of her generation, four-time Oscar nominee Julianne Moore, with a strong supporting characters led by Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern.

Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times, said that Moore's role “is like the small-town cousin of Cathy, the Connecticut housewife she played in Far from Heaven (2003). Cathy was trapped in a sterile marriage, and a world where men made all the decisions and women were locked in supporting roles. Judging by the body count around her dinner table in Ohio, Evelyn Ryan's marriage is not sterile, but it is a trap.”

Furthermore, Egbert applauded the film for avoiding “obvious sentiment and predictable emotion and shows this woman somehow holding it together year after year, entering goofy contests that for her family mean life and death.”

Meanwhile, Chris Kaltenbach of Baltimore Sun was not as enthusiastic as Egbert, commenting that “Anderson sees her subject as little more than a game-show contestant. One suspects the real Evelyn Ryan deserved far better.”

Bill Muller of Arizona Republic however was ecstatic when he said that the film showcased both Moore's and Harrelson's acting best, saying, “Rarely do you have a movie in which both lead actors give Oscar-worthy performances, but Defiance, Ohio is one.”

Carrey Rickey of Philadelphia Inquirer noted that one thing that “distinguishes Anderson's work is her obvious empathy with all of her characters, including Kelly Ryan, whom she does not demonize,” while Wesley Morris of Boston Globe critiqued that the film's story has nothing that much, “it the characterization of a family's life is vivid and rich.”

All in all, movie aggregator Rotten Tomato rated The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio with 57% approval rating.

George Clooney's Compelling Performance in The Descendants Honored at 69th Golden Globes

2012-01-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

George Clooneyscoops his second Golden Globe Award this year for his role as theHonolulu-based lawyer who is confronted with the challenge of herwife who fell for comatose in the comedy-drama, TheDescendants.

Clooney won BestActor in Drama.

Clooney'sperformance was praised by critics and the film itself receivedexcellent reviews. Clooney has earlier won Best Supporting Actorfor Syriana.

Meryl Streep Wins the Golden Globe for Iron Lady

2012-01-15T23:37:00.000-08:00

For the 26th time, Golden Globe perennial favorite Meryl Streep has scooped the trophy. This year, she was honored for her role as Britain's first and only female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher in the biopic, Iron Lady.

During it's release, critics were all-praises for Streep's compelling performance. Early reviews have praised Streep's portrayal.

Meryl Streep, 69th Golden Globe Awards Best Actress for
Drama, The Iron Lady.

The Times Kevin Maher said: "Streep has found the woman within the caricature." David Gritten at The Telegraph wrote; "Awards should be coming Streep's way; yet her brilliance rather overshadows the film itself." Meanwhile, Xan Brooks of The Guardian praised Streep's performance as "astonishing and all but flawless".Critic Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail wrote: "Only an actress of Streep's stature could possibly capture Thatcher's essence and bring it to the screen. It's a performance of towering proportions that sets a new benchmark for acting," while Richard Corliss of Time wrote that Meryl Streep's performance one of the Top 10 Movie Performances of 2011.

Streep holds the record of being the actor with the most Golden Globe wins.

My House in Umbria (2003) tells us that every person we meet leaves a lasting imprint in our lives.

2012-01-14T03:24:00.000-08:00

Luise Rainer, Biography: Awards

2012-01-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

Luise Rainer wasthe first actress to win back-to-back Academy Awards.

Luise Rainer, photographed her with her Oscar.
Notice that she wore no make-up, her hair isn't
coiffured, and she was wearing a rather shabby
dress. VERY RAINER!

Luise Rainer madea record-setting win after scooping the Academy Award for BestActress twice in a row. An article in Internet Movie Database bestdepicts Rainer's performance as well as her successive wins for twoof the best films of the 1930's, The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and TheGood Earth (1937).

“As Anna Held, Ziegfeld's common-law wife, Rainer excelled in the musical numbers, but it is for her telephone scene that she is most remembered for. The Great Ziegfeld was a big hit and went on to win the Academy Award as Best Picture of 1936. Rainer received her first of two successive Best Actress Oscars for playing Held.

Luise Rainer as Anna Held in The Great Ziegfeld (1936).

The Great Ziegfeld movie poster.

Anna Held opposite the love of her love, the great Florenz
Ziegfeld (played by William Powell).

The award washighly controversial at the time as she was a relative unknown and itwas only her first nomination, but also because her role was so shortand relatively minor that it better qualified for a supportingnomination. (While 1936 was the first year that the Academy of MotionPicture Arts & Sciences honored supporting players, her studio,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, listed her as a lead player, then got out itsblock vote for her.) Compounding the controversy was the fact thatRainer beat out such better known and more respected actresses asCarole Lombard (her sole Oscar nomination) in My Man Godfrey (1936),previous Best Actress winner Norma Shearer (her fifth nomination) inRomeo and Juliet (1936), and Irene Dunne (her second of fiveunsuccessful nominations) in Theodora Goes Wild (1936).

Some of thebitchery was directed towards Louis B. Mayer, whom non-M.G.M. Academymembers resented for his ability to manipulate Academy votes. Othercritics of her first Oscar win claimed it was the result of votersbeing unduly impressed with the great budget ($2 million) of "TheGreat Ziegfeld" rather than great acting.

Mostobservers agree that Rainer won her Oscar as the result of her movingand poignant performance in just one, single scene in the picture,the famous telephone scene in which the broken-hearted Heldcongratulates Ziegfeld over the telephone on his upcoming marriage toBillie Burke while trying to retain her composure and her dignity.During the scene, the camera is entirely focused on Rainer, and shedelivers a tour-de-force performance. Seventy years later, it remainsone of the most famous scenes in movie history. With another actressplaying Held, the scene could have been mawkish, but Rainer broughtthe pathos of the scene out and onto film.

She based herinterpretation of the scene on Jean Cocteau's play "La VoixHumaine." "Cocteau's play is just a telephone conversationabout a woman who has lost her beloved to another woman," Rainerremembered.

'That is thecomparison. As it fit into the Ziegfeld story, that's how I wrote it.It's a daily happening, not just in Cocteau.'”

Luise Rainer as the illiterate Chinese farmer O-Lan in
The Good Earth (1937) another Oscar winning role.

Of herperformance, she said in an interview 60 years after the film'srelease, Rainer was dismissive of performance. “I was never proudof anything," she said. "I just did it like everythingelse. To do a film - let me explain to you - it's like having a baby.You labor, you labor, you labor, and then you have it. And then itgrows up and it grows away from you. But to be proud of giving birthto a baby? Proud? No, every cow can do that."

Come the awardsnight, Luise Rainer did not attend the ceremony, so once Mayerlearned that she had won best actress, he immediately summoned MGMpublicist Howard Strickling to fetch her. She made a commotion whenshe arrived so master of ceremonies George Jessel mistakenlyannounced her win, which should have been done by Bette Davis.

Of her secondOscar-winning role, Rainer described the performance as somethingthat she worked “inside out.”

“It's not forme, putting on a face, or putting on makeup, or making masquerade. Ithas to come from inside out. I knew what I wanted to do and he let medo it," she said. The win made Rainer the first two-time Oscarwinner in an acting category and the first to win consecutive actingawards.

Rainer summed upher Oscar wins as the “worst” possible thing to happen on hercareer. In a 1938 interview, Rainer exclaimed that being awardedtwice made her "work all the harder now to prove the Academy wasright." The critic James Agate admired Rainer's performance inThe Good Earth and described it as "an exquisite rendering",however she was criticised in reviews by Picturegoer. Max Breen wasamong those critics indignant that Greta Garbo's performance inCamille had been overlooked in favor of Rainer.

After 1938, Rainerhad totally totally shown no interest for Hollywood. Her 1943performance in Hostages was her last, until she made a littlecomeback in 1997.

But despite theshort span of her career, Rainer made an imprint in the cinematichistory of Hollywood. In the league of Garbo and Deana Durbin, shewas one of the very few people to turn its back to an industry that alot of people turn their whole life to. She was iconic forportraying—and fighting to play—unglamorous but meaty roles, andher achievement as a back-to-back Oscar winner is something not everyactress is given the honor to savor.

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) teaches us to embrace every blessing that life may give.

2012-01-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

Luise Rainer, Biography: Hollywood Filmography

2012-01-11T17:33:00.000-08:00

Throughout Rainer's career as aHollywood leading leading, she only appeared in 9 films, 8 of whichshe played as a contract star in MGM. In 1997, she made a short-livedcomeback via The Gambler.

Petrang Kabayo - Movie Review and Free Movie Watch

2012-01-10T15:44:00.000-08:00

Vice Ganda stars in the box-office remake Petrang Kabayo (2010).

Get ready for another hilarious, wacky ride with Petra, the human cursed to become a horse to learn a lifelong lesson that she will never forget. Vice Ganda, in his first starring role, will never fail to make you laugh and rolling as you enjoy a one unforgettable, laugh ride with this super-comedy flick.

Check out the trailer

Synopsis

Peter (Vice Ganda) leaves their home after his father (John Arcilla) maltreats him because of his homosexuality. A wealthy lady, Dona Biday (Eugene Domingo) finds him unconscious in front of her gate, so she decides to let him in. Later, she adopts him and treats him her own. However, Peter becomes abusive of his new-found wealth, even more after Dona Biday dies. Because of that, he was cursed to turn into a horse every time be becomes angry or says something bad.

Get yourself ready for an unstoppable adventure with Petrang Kabayo.

Enjoy the full movie showing here!

Cast

Vice Ganda as Peter/Pedro/Voice ofPetra

Abby Bautista as Pauline

Luis Manzano as Erickson

Gloria Romero as Lola Idang

Sam Pinto as Samantha

Candy Pangilinan as Maita

Eagle Riggs as Diobayo

DJ Durano as Dickson

Joy Viado as Lina

Tom Rodriguez as Chito

John Arcilla as Poldo

Ricky Rivero as Geronino

Atak Arana as Dalvie

Nadine Lustre as Dina

With the Special Participation of:

Anne Curtis as Kalesa Passenger

Eugene Domingo as Doña Biday

Gladys Reyes as Pregnant KalesaPassenger

John Lapus as Filipino/Chinese Matron

Dennis Padilla as Marjoroi

Makisig Morales as Young Peter

Jason Francisco as Waiter

Movie Review

Vice Ganda's miracle presence is a surefire guarantee of box-office success. The laughing, cheering,rolling, and giggling is unstoppable the moment the film begins untilits end. ReelAdvice.net says, the film was "straight-to-the-pointand rhetoric humor works and works brilliantly," with all theone-liner punchlines making up for the bad story--if ever you get tonotice it. Nevertheless, the film was all-in-all coherent,believable, and even impresses a lesson to young and adult audiencesalike.

As for the post-production, it seemsthe film was rushed. Cinematography came with differing qualities andthere were even scenes that were shot so "badly to the pointthat scenes were super blurry, kind of like shot using a cellphone."

But all in all, Petrang Kabayo is onecomedy film you shouldn't miss watching. It's your unlimited way ofgetting laughter in 110 minutes, plus the substance that makes thefilm even better.

Box-Office Performance

The film grossed grossed P115 million,making it the fifth highest grossing Filipino movie in 2010.

Luise Rainer, Biography: She Turns 102 and Still a Sprite, Grand Dame

2012-01-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Luise Rainer, who turns 102 this Jan. 2, remains the oldest living Oscar winner and one of the last surviving Hollywood greats of the 1930s.

Luise Rainer, Hollywood's one and only Viennese Teardrop.

This coming Jan. 12, Luise Rainer willcelebrate her 102nd birthday. She reaches anothermilestone in her life as the oldest surviving Academy Award winnerand one of the last surviving actress from Hollywood's golden age.

In what was considered as the most popular
telephone scene in the world, Rainer delivers
a tour de force performance as stage star Anna
Held, in The Great Ziegfeld (1936), a role that
earned her her first Oscar for best actress.

Although she is mostly unknown todayamong movie watchers, she will be forever remembered as the firstactress ever to win back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actress.Dubbed as the Viennese Teardrop, Rainer's Hollywood career was shortand she only made eight films along the duration. Nevertheless, sheleft an image of a headstrong woman who refused to kneel on thestudio system. She turned her back on a promising career but thatvery act made her legendary and unforgotten to this day.

When she signed a contract with MGM,she was poised to become the next queen of the lot, at par with thestudio's leading ladies, Greta Garbo and Norma Shearer. But thatdidn't work out well with her. Instead of choosing predictablevehicles that could have cast her on glamorous roles, she pickedcharacters of deeper personality that made impact with the audience.

Solidifying her stature as one of Hollywood's more
critically acclaimed actresses of her era, she played
as the peasant O-Lan in another Oscar-worthy
performance in The Good Earth (1937).

Rainer was not the usual actress of herera. She was in league with Hepburn and Garbo, who both displayedpersonalities that defied Hollywood convention. While Garbo shunnedpublicity and Hepburn hated convention, Rainer displayed both, whichis one reason why she punctually exited Hollywood even before it gotrid of her.

At the start of her career, Rainer madeit known that she never liked stardom or facing the press people forinterview.

"Stars are not important, onlywhat they do as a part of their work is important. Artists need quietin which to grow. It seems Hollywood does not like to give them thisquiet. Stardom is bad because Hollywood makes too much of it, thereis too much 'bowing down' before stars. Stardom is weight pressingdown over the head — and one must grow upward or not at all,” shesaid.

Learn more about Luise Ranier,Hollywood's Viennese Teardrop and The Elisabeth Bergner of LightComedy, in a biography I wrote for her two years ago.

Or, enjoy her interview with Scotsman in time forher 100th birthday.

A tribute to Ms. Rainer

2011 MMFF Box-Office Results (2 Weeks)

2012-01-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

Enteng ng Ina Mo, run-away hit.

Hereis the accumulated gross earnings of MMFF entries from Dec. 25, 2011until Jan. 7, 2012, with the Vic Sotto-Ai-Ai delas Alas starrerEnteng ng Ina Mo as the run-away winner, passing the elusiveP200-million mark at P237.88 million. Kris Aquino's prayer wasgranted as Segunda Mano grabbed the number 2 spot, with P126.63million in box-office earnings. The third slot was occupied by BongRevilla-Marian Rivera starrer Ang Panday 2, P105.6 million.

1.Enteng ng Ina Mo - P237.88 million

2.Segunda Mano - P126.63 million

3.Panday 2 - P105.6 million

4.My Househusband, Ikaw Na! - P62.1 million

5.Shake, Rattle & Roll 13 - P55.48 million

6.Manila Kingpin: The Untold Story of Asiong Salonga - P38.44 million

7.Yesterday Today Tomorrow - P10.68 million

Sukob - Movie Review and Free Showing

2012-01-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

Sukob, the highest-grossing horror movie of the Philippine cinema, stars Horror Queen Kris Aquino and Optimum Star Claudine Barretto.

Sukob is another Kris Aquino vehicle that made her stood out in a genre where she gives her best. Meanwhile, this is Claudine Barretto's first- and so far her only- foray in horror. When both stars met on screen, what came out as a horrific horror movie, considered by many as one of the best horror films to grace the cinema. Add the directing prowess of seasoned and award winning Chito Rono and you'll have a movie that's worth watching again and again.

The film showcases the Filipino belief that no siblings should get married on the same year.

Synopsis

Sandy (Kris Aquino), an overseas worker, comes home to wed Dale (Wendell Ramos). Unexpected things happen prior and after her wedding. Her secondary sponsors, and later on, her friends and relatives disappear one by one. More mysterious things happen when Sandy sees her wedding photos. The people who disappeared were headless on the photos. Joya (Maja Salvador), Sandy's psychic cousin, tells her she is cursed by the Sukob. Sandy is puzzled because no one in the family died or married, until she finds out that she has a half-sister, Diana (Claudine Barretto). They seek the help of a shaman, who tells them that one must sacrifice to put the curse to a stop.

Stay put and get yourself ready for a horror-rific movie adventure with Sukob! Enjoy the free showing!

Movie Review

"Unlike most local pictures of the same genre Sukob succeeds as a horror, suspense thriller," praised the CBCP World. "Right from the beginning, ambience starts to build up with the extensive panning of old abandoned houses.

"Visuals with well chosen details, some flashed quickly on screen, as well as effective sound effects including sudden jolts and booms, keep the viewers on edge. The ingenious interweaving of the stories of two women in similar circumstances keeps the moviegoers' interest. "

Nevertheless, "the sudden switching from one locale to another" at the start of the film was "confusing to the spectator who has not gotten a 'handle' to the story."

The use of symbols and other devices in the film was exquisitely done, while the cast, did their best performances.

"Editing is tight," continued CBCP Words, with all-praises given to "Chito Roño for his creativity as director and writer."

Foreign viewers also lauded sukob.

One vacationer from New York said Sukob interests him a lot because it has "those sudden scary moments that make you jump out of your seat.

"I am not Filipino but that plays no role in being able to like this movie. I watched this with my girlfriend (who is Filipina) and we both loved it. Both Kris Aquino & Claudine Barretto did a nice job. A must see movie for any Horror fan," he continues.

Another foreign viewer noted: "Most of the horror is atmospheric--the director gets a lot of mileage out of a creepy little flower girl and some swirling leaves--and overall the story is more poignant than gory. There's a set of dichotomies at play throughout the movie, which I thought was interesting: it's a palimpsest of urbanity and wealth on top of a humbler, darker existence."

Cast

Kris Aquino as Sandy

Claudine Barretto as Diana

Wendell Ramos as Dale

Boots Anson-Roa as Tessie

Ronaldo Valdez as Fred

Bernard Palanca as Brian

Liza Lorena as Gilda

Maja Salvador as Joya

Raquel Villavicencio as Belen

Jhong Hilario as Erning

Maureen Mauricio as Paula

Glaiza de Castro as Grace

Cris Daluz as Dante

Neil Ryan Sese as Michael

Ku Aquino as Mang Cesar

Box-Office Performance

Sukob grossed a whooping P186 million, making it the highest-grossing Filipino film until the John Lloyd Cruz-Sarah Geronimo-starrer You Changed My Life (2009). It remains the highest-grossing Filipino horror film.

Catch Me I'm In Love - Movie Review and Free Showing

2012-01-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

Catch Me, I'm In Love stars Gerald Anderson and Sarah Geronimo.

Catch me I'm in Love is the first team up of Pop Princess and Box-Office Queen Sarah Geronimo and heartthrob Gerald Anderson. It was the first movie release of Star Cinema for the year 2011. A smash box-office hit, it grossed more than P120 million.

Movie Trailer

Plot

Roan (Sarah Geronimo), a vibrant lady with high hopes for love is tasked to accompany the Erick (Gerald Anderson), the son of the president on an immersion trip to the countryside. Both came from two different worlds, both having two different way of thinking, and both personalities came to fight with one another, only to find attraction and fall in love in the end.

Free Showing Here:

Movie Review

Movie was critically positive for most of the reviews. Philippine Entertainment Portal writer Rica Tomines critiqued that the plot was predictable, fast-paced, and lacks the heavy drama and complicated twists, something unusually for a Tagalog film. But she was all praises for the characters. "Sarah effortlessly conveys the emotions of a girl who falls in love for the first time, and she falls real hard," she said. "Gerald, on the other hand, was convincing as the guy who falls for the girl way out of his league, and stays true to his feelings."

Meanwhile, Relnard Raquedan critiqued: :"Sarah Geronimo has definitely mastered the art of the Filipina romantic. In Catch Me... I'm In Love, she effortlessly pulls off the 'I've never had a boyfriend ever, but I'm willing to wait it out' schtick."

Of the plot and storyline, he said, "There's really nothing in the story that most viewers have not seen before in a rom-com-- except that there's a sever lack of humor in this movie. Also, romantic sparks are thinly spread in the movie that will disappoint a lot of the viewers."

Nevertheless, the cheesy lines are enough to keep you giggling and swooning while enjoying this rom-com offering.

Tyron Perez - Movies

2012-01-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Throughout his career, Tyron Perez appeared in three films, mostly indies, where he was cast in bold and daring roles.

Malikmata (2003)

Twilight Dancers (2006)

Pipo: Ang Batang Pro (2009)

Tyron Perez - TV Shows

2012-01-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

Before joing Starstruck, Tyron Perez's first TV appearance was at German Moreno's Master Showman: Walang Tulugan. His last was in Maalaala Mo Kaya.

Perez' first TV appearance was in Master Showman's Walang Tulugan.

Starstruck (2003)

Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako (2005)

Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap (2005)

Bakekang (2006)

Lupin (2007)

Midnight DJ (2008)

Momay (2010)

Perez appeared in three MMK episodes: Larawan and Marriage
Contract (both 2010) and Baunan, shortly before his death (2011).

Your Song Presents: Andi (2010)

Imortal (2010-2011)

Mula sa Puso (2011)

Tyron Perez - Biography

2012-01-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

Tyron, who died Dec. 29, 2011, isanother tragic show business figure.

Tyron Perez may have dreamed ofheading the news line. Throughout his career, he never received muchpress coverage more than he did on his grim death December 29, 2011.Yesterday, Jan. 5, he was finally laid to rest, with the thought thatthe promising actor must have finally achieved eternal peace.

Early Life

Born Sept. 14, 1985 in Concepcion,Tarlac, Tyron was born Jojo Perez to a family that subsists infarming. He grew up a farmer's son and spent his childhood in thefields with his six siblings. At the start of his career, Tyron would recall that he and his father rose with the sun.

In one of the stories wrote about him,There, on top of the carabao, he dreams to be in showbiz. He imaginedhimself acting with Kris Aquino, his crush and idol. Until hewas in high school (at the Benigno Aquino National High School), heand his dad would milk their carabaos early mornings and sell themilk. Sometimes, they would sleep in the middle of the rice fieldswhen we had to water the seedlings (nagpapatubig ng palay)."

Showbiz Career

Tyron was initially enrolled at theBulacan State University, where he was a freshman in his Fine Artsstudies before he quit to join show business. Before joining GMA-7'sreality star search, Starstruck, Perez was a mainstay in GermanMoreno's late-night show, Master Showman Presents Walang Tulugan,where he was a member of MSP Teenstars, a teen group with a regularweekly performance.

In 2003, he joined the pilot season ofStarstruck, an all-talent competition where the winners were givenshowbiz breakthrough. Aside from Perez, other contenders who are nowpopular celebrities include Cristine Reyes, Jennelyn Mercado, MarkHerras, and Katrina Halili.

Perez was eliminated on the sixth ofthe competition, but under the management of Douglas Quijano, he wasgiven several television projects by GMA-7. He was cast mostly insupporting roles on several television series, including Carlo J.Caparas' Bakekang (2006) and Lupin (2007).

Meanwhile, he made three filmsthroughout his career, although independent movies, where he was castin bold and daring roles. They were Malikmata (2003), TwilightDancers (2006), his most controversial, and Pipo (2009).

On the death of Quijano, Perez'salready stand-still career dipped until he transferred to ABS-CBN in2010, where he emerged as one of the promising actors of the station.With the help of director Jerry Lopez-Sineneng, Perez signed with thestation's talent arm, Star Magic.

His first assignment as a Kapamilya wasto portray the role of Gary, Glydel Mercado's spoiled son in ElenaPatron's Momay (2010). He was later cast in Imortal (2010) and Mulasa Puso (2011), and became a regular performer in the long-runninganthology Maalaala Mo Kaya.

Death

Perez was found dead inside his car inValenzuela City, on Dec. 29, 2011 and investigations revealed that hecommitted suicide. His remains were buried at Jaica Cemetery inConcepcion, Tarlac on Jan. 5, 2012. Tyron was married to LivEspino,a flight attendant.

Most Awarded Actors and Actress of 2011

2012-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

Coco Martin is the most awarded actor for 2011.

With the last award handed out at theconclusion of the MMFF awards night, I have also ended my tabulation,so now, I have the honor to present 2011's most awarded actors andactresses (in alphabetical order), whose performances ruledshowbusiness and wowed the critics.

Joem Bascon

Joem Bascon shines in 2011 for his compelling role as Coco Martin'scrippled brother in the indie movie, Noy. He won the Gawad Urian BestSupporting Actor, Gawad Pasado Award Best Supporting Actor, GawadTanglaw Award, Best Supporting Actor, Noy (tied with RockySalumbides, Muli), and ENPRESS Golden Screen Award for Movies BestSupporting for the said performance.

John Lloyd Cruz

Three-time Box-Office King of thePhilippine Cinema John Lloyd Cruz scooped several awards in 2011 for his 2009 and2010 performances. He was awarded Best Actor during the Gawad GenioAward for his role as Luis Manzano's gay lover in In My Life (2009).He was awarded Movie Actor of the Year by the Guillermo MendozaScholarship Foundation Award and Best Actor during the Famas Awardsfor his role in the romantic-drama Miss You Like Crazy. He was also hailed as SM Cinema's Box-OfficeKing.

Ai-Ai delas Alas

2011 is Ai-ai's banner year for awards. Among the feats she coveted included the Famas and StarAward for Movies for her role as the indefatigable singlemom-turned-president-turned-celebrity in Ang Tanging Ina Mo, thethird installment of the much-successful Tanging Ina film franchise.She also enjoyed a rear a feat as back-to-back winner at the StarAwards for TV after bagging the Best Actress Award for Comedy forM3: Malay Mo Madevelop, and Best Actress for Single Performance forher stint in Maalaala Mo Kaya. Her most glittering moment came, when she was crowned Box-Office Queen during the Guillermo MendozaScholarship Foundation Award.

Eugene Domingo

Eugene Domingo, ever the loyal bestfriend of Ai-Ai's in many of her films, including Tanging Ina, alsocalls 2011 the best year of her career. Why not? Aside from starringin nine films for seven film outfits (a record unmatched by anyone), the Comedy Diva was also hailed one of the most awarded actresses of2011. She won the Famas for best supporting actress for Here Comesthe Bride, the Star Award for Movies for Ang Tanging Ina Mo, and best supporting actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival for MyHouse Husband. She also won Best Actress at the Cinemanila FilmFestival for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, the Philippine's officialentry to the 2012 Academy Awards.

Coco Martin

Prince of Indie Films Coco Martindominated 2011's award ceremonies, winning the most award for anyactor. She scooped the Best Actor Award for movies from Star Award,Gawad Pasado, and Gawad Tanglaw for his performance in the indiflick, Noy. Meanwhile, he was hailed Prince of the Philippine Moviesby the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation Award for his role inthe family drama Sa 'Yo Lamang, while he was hailed as the Actor ofthe Decade by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino during the GawadUrian Awards night. Coco Martin extended his winning streak ontelevision after winning the KBP Golden Dove Awards and Star Awardsfor TV as Best actor for Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin. He also won theGolden Screen Awards Best Actor for Single Performance for his stintin Maalaala Mo Kaya. He was likewise honored with the Anak TV SealAward as Most Admirable TV Personality.

Angelica Panganiban

Dubbed as the most versatile andmost-awarded actress of her generation, Angelica Panganiban keeps herwinner streak this year with her best actress wins. She bagged theUSTv award for Best Actress in a Daily Soap Opera for her eponymous role in Rubi, ENPRESSGolden Screen Awards for Movies Best Comedy Actress for the boxoffice comedy flick Here Comes the Bride, and a special citation asComedy Actress of the Year during the Guillermo Mendoza ScholarshipFoundation Award.

Lorna Tolentino

The Grand Slam Actress continues toscoop more laurels on her already well-feathered cap with her severalbest actress wins in 2011. She won the Best Actress award at the FAPLuna Awards and Gawad Pasado Award for her role in the family dramaSa 'Yo Lamang. She was meanwhile honored Best Actress in A DramaSeries during at ENPRESS Golden Screen Awards for TV.

10 Highest Grossing Pre-MMFF Films

2012-01-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin is the highest grossing film in the Philippines.

Here is a list of the 10 highestgrossing films of the Philippines prior to the Metro Manila FilmFestival. This list will change once the MMFF closes and the boxoffice grosses of the festival entries are calculated.

The top five slots are occupied by StarCinema productions with The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin leading the roster atP331.6 million, followed by No Other Woman at P276.8 million. NoOther Woman, starring Anne Curtis, Derek Ramsay, and Cristine Reyes,earlier broke the record of the 2009 romantic-comedy You Changed MyLife as the country's top grossing movie. A few weeks later,Benjamin, starring Vice Ganda, stole the crown and was hailed as theall-time box-office winner.

The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin, P 331.6 million

No Other Woman, P278.39 million

Catch Me, I'm in Love, P120.21 million

In the Name of Love, P117.23 million

Won't Last a Day Without You, P78.97 million

Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak!, P77.15 million

Bolong, P67.27 million

Temptation Island, P58.01 million

Who's That Girl? P58.31 million

Forever and a Day, P44.73 million

MMFF January 1 Box-Office Tally

2012-01-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

Enteng Ng Ina Mo remains at No. 1, Segunda Mano steal Top 2 Spot; Ang Panday Drops to third spot.

As of Jan. 1, 2012 presstime, Enteng ng Ina Mo remains solid at number 1 with an accumulated box office gross of P183.2 million. The film stars box-office king and queen, Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai delas Alas. Meanwhile, the Kris Aquino-Dingdong Dantes horror-suspense flick Segunda Mano rose to number 2, with P94.6 million. At P86.3 million, Panday 2, starring Bong Revilla and Marian Rivera dropped to third place. Family comedy-drama My Househusband starring real-life couple Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo, raked in P42.5 million, stealing the fourth spot from Shake, Rattle & Roll 13, which now rests at the 5th spot. Manila Kingpin placed 6th, with P31.7 million, while tail-ending the list is the family drama Yesterday Today Tomorrow with P7.3 million.

Here is the complete list of MMFF entries with their box-office earnings as of Jan. 1, 2012.

Enteng ng Ina Mo, P183,213,717.35

Segunda Mano, P94,629,812.45

Ang Panday 2, P86,316,624.55

My House Husband, P42,587,787.58

Shake Rattle & Roll 13, P41,935,473.35

Manila Kingpin, P31,781,973.55

Yesterday Today Tomorrow, P7,359,070.85

MMFF Year-End Box-Office Result

2011-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

Enteng ng Ina Mo leads the race in wide margin.

As of Dec. 31 press time, Enteng ng InaMo continues the lead the MMFF box office tally. At P91 million, TheVic Sotto-Aiai delas Alas starrer trails competition, with thenearest box office contender, Ang Panday 2 grossing P51 million, amassive P40-million gap.

Here is a complete list of MMFF entriesranked according to their box office earnings.

Enteng ng Ina Mo, P91,892,977.10 M

Ang Panday 2, P51,527,616.00 M

Segunda Mano, P46,931,780.05 M

Shake Rattle & Roll, P22,756,512.30 M

My House Husband, P20,839,817.10 M

Manila Kingpin, P7,957,716.50 M

Yesterday Today Tomorrow, P4,089,922.10 M

2011 MMFF - List of Awardees

2011-12-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

Manila Kingpin bags Best Picture; Maricel and Dingdong snag top acting feats.

The Metro Manila Film Festival Awards night took place Dec. 28 at the Resorts World Performing Arts Theater. Here is the complete list of winners.

Best Picture:
Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story

2nd Best Picture:
Enteng ng Ina Mo

3rd Best Picture:
Shake, Rattle and Roll 13

Best Director:
Gary dela Cruz (Asiong Salonga)

Best Actress:
Maricel Soriano (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow)

Best Actor:
Dingdong Dantes (Segunda Mano)

Best Supporting Actor:
John Regala (Asiong Salonga)

Best Supporting Actress:
Eugene Domingo (My Househusband)

Best Child Performer:
Bugoy Cariño (Shake, Rattle & Roll 13)

Best Original Story:
Shake, Rattle & Roll 13: Lunod

Best Screenplay:
Roi Iglesias and Rey Ventura (Asiong Salonga)

Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award:
Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story

Best Production Design:
Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story

Best Editing:
Jason Cahapay and Ryan Orduna (Asiong Salonga)

Best Musical Score:
Nonong Buencamino (Asiong Salonga)

Best Sound Recording:
Mike Idioma (Asiong Salonga)

Best Visual Effects:
Riot, Inc. (Ang Panday 2)

Best Make-Up:
Enteng ng Ina Mo

Best Original Theme Song:
“La Paloma” by Ely Buendia (Asiong Salonga)

Best Cinematography:
Carlo Mendoza (Asiong Salonga)

Gender Sensitivity Award:
My Househusband, Ikaw Na!

Best Float:
Panday 2

NEW WAVE – INDEPENDENT SECTION
(Date of Screening: December 17 to 21, 2011 at the Robinson’s Galleria)

Special Jury Prize:
Biyahe Ni Barbie (Kookai Labayen, De La Salle College of St. Benilde)

Best New Wave Student Film:
Payaso

Gender Sensitivity Award (Student Category):
Speechless by Miriam College

Gender Sensitivity Award (Full-Length Category):
HIV by Neil Tan

Best New Wave Actor:
JM de Guzman (Pintakasi)

Best New Wave Actress:
Iza Calzado (HIV)

Best New Wave Full-Length Indie Film:
Pintakasi

Best New Wave Student Short Film:
Mate

SPECIAL AWARDS

Lifetime Achievement Award:
Eddie Garcia

Posthumous Award:
Lito Calzado

SPONSOR AWARDS

Male Kutis Ganda Celebrity Award:
Ryan Agoncillo

Female Kutis Ganda Celebrity Award:
Ai Ai de las Alas

Male Celebrity Sexiest Appeal of the Night:
ER Ejercito

Female Celebrity Sexiest Appeal of the Night:
Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo

Male Face of the Night:
Richard Gomez

Female Face of the Night:
Iza Calzado

SMDC Most Glamorous Stars:
Ryan Agoncillo and Iza Calzado

Segunda Mano - Movie Review

2011-12-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

More surprises, thicker plots, stellar cast- These await viewers in Segunda Mano.

I have nothing but pure praises forSegunda Mano. From start until the end, I fell in love with it. Thisis the only horror film that made me laugh, teary-eyed, shocked,stunned, and horrified, so I bet it's worth watching for all! StarCinema, Agostodos Pictures, and MJM Productions grabbed stars thatexcelled in their respective genres. The result? A collage of castthat brought out the best in their talents. No one outshone theother, but each gave a tour de force performance that made SegundaMano perhaps one of the most intriguing movies. Intriguing notbecause of sensual scenes or anything we used to tagged the wordalong. Intriguing in the sense that you'll be intrigued to know who'sthe good and who's the bad, who's the guardian that looks after theprotagonist and her loved ones, and who's the killer, the culprit thatdoes the killing.

Two thumbs up for Kris Aquino's role asMabel, the long-suffering daughter who lives with her mom (HelenGamboa) and is haunted by a heart breaking past that she hasn't letgo for 20 years. Single and simple, she runs an antique shop and finds acomic friend in Anna (Bangs Garcia).

One rainy evening, as the evenings inthe movie were set in downpour scenes, he meets Ivan (DingdongDantes), an architect and a single father, whom he falls in lovewith. Then the haunting comes when Ivan's wife, Mariela (AngelicaPanganiban), begins to show up. Mariela's possessions begin to maketheir way to Mabel's hands. First the red bag, then her red dress,and later her black car. Then came of the death of Mariela's bestfriend who flirts with Ivan, and of Dindo (Jhong Hilario), Anna'sboyfriend. Anna believes it was Mariela who did it, so she brings upthe case to Ivan but he shrugs off the claim. She seeks help of apsychic but it was to no avail. Then in a sweep of events, everythingis revealed about the ghost and the killings. This is where the twistof the film takes place.

Kris Aquino shines once more in thehorror-suspense flicks. The facial expression, the scream, they areall superb. If you fell in love with Feng Shui, Sukob, andDalaw, bet your money with Segunda Mano and you'll have one greattime! The film is no second banana. The plot isn't predictable assome would say upon seeing the teasers. The scripts are excellentlywritten, and the characters did justice to their role.

Dingdong Dantes' performance is superb.As Ivan the father, he is loving and caring, as Ivan the lover, he issincere and romantic. But there's more to find out! His is complex,unpredictable. If you watch him portray his role in this film, you'relike watching a calm lake on a sunny day and a restless sea on a stormynight at the same time.

Helen Gamboa also lent her actingprowess. I made the wrong impression that she's just another vase atthe unnoticed, corner table. She she's not. There were scenes whenshe shone and in it she glittered in her dramatic best. The breakdownscene when she made Mabel felt loved and her near-death moment whensomeone unexpected came to save her. These are her moments in thefilm that made her stand out.

Bangs Garcia is not to be left out. AsKris Aquino's best friend Anna, she is talkative, tactless, kikay,frank, stylish, and of course, concerned. She steals the scene andstops the show. I rolled out laughing when she ran across the otherside of the highway to throw the bag and the dress all whilescreaming to her lungs in a hilarious manner.

Mosangalso lent her comic timing in the film. As the psychic, Kris andHelen frequents her in the hopes of communicating with a dead lovedone. Later, Kris sought her help to rid off the ghost.

Andthere's Angelica Panganiban who plays Dingdong's wife. The restlessghost, the victim denied from justice. Dingdong thinks she ran awayand went with his lover, but her hauntings proved she is dead. She isa surprise, a twist, and the key to solving the mystery of why thefilm is titled Segunda Mano!

I think Segunda Mano fared well and better ahead a pack of mediocre movies had they made the film either 100 percent horror, or 100 percent comedy. I bet it'll break records in the festival had this been made a comedy. Or so I think. Anyway, I had a great time watching. Yes, it's a cross between horror, comedy, drama, and thriller, but if you stand in between that cross, you will come to appreciate that in some ways, Segunda Mano is worth buying a ticket to the movie house.

MMFF Showdown - Yesterday Today Tomorrow

2011-12-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

Diamond Star Maricel Soriano comes back in Yesterday Today Tomorrow.

Yesterday Today Tomorrow tells the interconnected saga of love, loss anddeception.

It’s about whathappens to a family when faced with a tragedy and how it changes eachand every member and how they deal with that tragedy that befallsthem,” explains the film's director Jun Lana in his first foray todirecting an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival.

“I never thinkof it as a Metro Manila Film Festival movie kasi it’s still thesame effort. Kahit naman pang-regular playdate, sineseryoso namannamin at binibigay namin lahat.

“Even if theypressure me, I won’t allow them to pressure me. I’ll just do mybest.”

Aside from beingthe only heavy drama entry to the festival, there is more withYesterday Today Tomorrow that the audience will fall in lovewith.

“For one, ‘yongcasting alone makes it a movie event,” boasts Direk Jun.

“And then wemade sure that the story is very entertaining. I mean it’s for thefilm fest. Christmas siya lalabas, so dapat entertaining talagasiya.”

The film starsDiamond Star Maricel Soriano in her comeback roll since 2009,together with Gabby Concepcion, Jericho Rosales, Dennis Trillo, PauloAvelino, Lovi Poe, Carla Abellana, Solenn Heussaff, Ronaldo Valdez,Agot Isidro and introducing Eula Caballero

MMFF Showdown - Shake Rattle & Roll 13

2011-12-24T17:26:00.000-08:00

Shake, Rattle, & Roll 13 is touted as the final installment of thelong-running horror franchise.

Rain, Rain GoAway episode

Director ChrisMartinez describes the first episode as being “the fear ng bawatFilipino. ‘Di ba takot na takot tayo sa baha, sa sakuna, sadisaster? Parang everytime na uulan, o may malakas na bagyo, lahattayo napapraning kasi baka mamatay ang mga tao, malunod.

“It’s arevenge story; it’s about guilt. Hindi mo matatakasan ang kasalananmo.”

This is DirekChris’s first foray into directing a horror film and he is veryhappy to have this experience. “E, siyempre, Diyos ko ‘no, I grewup watching Shake, Rattle & Roll. Dream ko na makagawa ng isangShake, Rattle & Roll episode kahit man lang isang beses.”

Tamawo episode

The Tamawoepisode is the come backing film of Richard Somes who returns to SRRafter six years of absence.

"Actually, angtamawo is very much close din sa maligno,” he explains. “Tamawois an Ilonggo word."

The episode isall about a man named Alan who brings his wife and stepson to aprovincial ranch. The ranch was previously looked after by his unclewhose death remained mysterious. It’s there where the familyexperiences various encounters with supernatural creatures.

Direk Richardalso injects a serious message in his film: “Actually ‘yong themeko ng Tamawo is ‘yong tayo as human beings, kaya nating mang-invadeng territory na kung minsan, e, hindi na sa atin.

“Hindi natinnirerespeto ang boundaries. Napaka-greedy talaga ng tao. So, angganda ng lesson.”

Parola episode

The Parolaepisode is Director Jerrold Tarog second directorial stint with theSRR franchise. The filmmaker admits that this film came all alongafter making Aswang, starring Lovi Poe and Paulo Avelino.

“It’s prettytiring,” Direk Jerrold bluntly admits. “But the good thing isthat Parola is a totally different concept from Aswang, which makesvisualizing the project easy.”

The director isvery happy to be included in this year’s entry to the filmfestival. “The other episodes are going to be helmed by twodirectors whom I have great respect for. I’m not so much pressuredas I am in awe.

“With [Chris]Martinez and [Richard] Somes in the line-up, I’m prepared to lielow in this installment. Those two are awesome. I look forward toseeing their episodes.”

Written by GerryIgnacio, the film stars Eugene Domingo, in her first attempt to do ahorror flick, Jay Manalo, Edgar Allan Guzman, Boots Anson Roa, ZanjoeMarudo, Maricar Reyes, Bugoy Cariño, Celia Rodriguez and introducingErvic Vijandre, Kathryn Bernardo, Louise de los Reyes, SamConcepcion, Hiro Magalona, Dimples Romana, Ina Raymundo, and AraMina.

MMFF Showdown - My Househusband

2011-12-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo team up for the third time in My Househusband.

Real and reellife couple, Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo, comes back to MMFFwith this year's entry My House Husband, this time forming a lovetriangle with versatile actress Eugene Domingo, is a hilarious andwacky family comedy that is set to leave audience laughing androlling.

The film tellsthe story of a man “who is forcedby circumstances to take care of his family and do house chores whilehis wife “has to be the one to take on a job,” describes thefilm's writer and director Jose Javier Reyes. The move is producedby OctoArts Films.

“This is a phenomenon na very current right now,” he adds. The plotfollows the househusband’s journey toward enlightenment.

“Inthe end,” Direk Joey says, “he learns that it is hard to be ahousewife and more important, he learns to respect his wife not onlyas a mother, somebody to take care of the house, but as an individualwho is capable of being a professional.”

Thisis the third collaboration of Direk Joey Reyes with real-life marriedcouple Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Ann Santos. Their earlier made MMFFbox-office front runners, Kasal Kasali, Kasalo in 2007 and Sakal,Sakali, Saklolo in 2008.

JoiningJudai and Ryan are Mirriam Quiambao and Agot Isidro.

MMFF Showdown - Segunda Mano

2011-12-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

Starring Queen of All Media Kris Aquino and Heartthrob Dingdong Dantes, Segunda Mano promises a worthy scream that's worth watching again and again.

SegundaMano offers moviegoers a double treat, as they get to see two of thecountry's biggest stars from two of opposing TV stations join forcesfor one film that is set to terrify and leave audience screaming fromstart to finish. For the first time, ABS-CBN's Kris Aquino and GMA'sDingdong Dantes team up for Segunda Mano.

Thisis also the first time that Bb. Joyce Bernal will direct a horrorfilm. Of Segunda Mano (which means second hand or pre-owned),she said in an interview with PEP that, "May istorya bawatbagay, lalo na ‘pag pre-owned, ‘di ba?

“Sometimesmay mga naiiwang energy, kahit na bagay ‘yan. May unfinishedbusiness. So, kapag sobrang tindi no’ng mga pangyayaring ‘yon,you get the feeling, the vibes, kung anuman ‘yong naiwan doon nanapakalakas. Kung sensitive ka or kung ikaw mismo mayroong unfinishedbusiness, makukuha mo ang vibes.”

JoiningAquino and Dantes is a powerhouse cast that includes versatileactress Angelica Panganiban, Jong Hilario, Bangs Garcia, and veteranactress Helen Gamboa.

The film iswritten by Joel Mercado.

Watch the trailer here.

MMFF Showdown – Manila Kingpin

2011-12-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

Manila Kingpin: The Untold Story of Asiong Salonga is the only action movie in this year's MMFF.

Manila Kingpin: The Untold Story of Asiong Salonga sets itself apart from other MMFF entries for two reasons. First, it is the only action movie to join this year's film festival. Second, it is the only entry to be in black and white.

Storyline

The film biopic is based on the life of Nicasio Rodriguez Salonga, a heinous public enemy who was better known as Asiong Salonga. The film stars Laguna governor ER Ejercito, who uses his screen name Jeorge Estregan in the movie. The celebrity-politician said in an interview with PEP that the film was set in black and white to make it resemble the gangster films shown during Asiong's heydays than span after World War II and the early years of the 1950s.

Joining Estregan are Carla Abellana, Valerie Concepcion, Baron Geisler, Ping Medina, Dennis Padilla, and Philip Salvador.

The film is directed by Tikoy Cruz and written by Roy Iglesias and Roy Ventura.

Enjoy the full trailer here:

Ten Best Female Screen Legends Who Never Won the Oscar

2011-12-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

Who said an actress’ greatness is measured by the number of Oscar trophies she brings home? Minus the infamous curse, winning an Oscar really doesn’t matter nor it help boost a star’s wattage. As a matter of fact, some of the greatest actresses in history are not Oscar winners, as proven by these 10 screen thespians who ruled Hollywood’s Golden Years.

1. Deborrah Kerr

Best Film: From Here to Eternity(1953)

Perhaps Hollywood’s greatest actress never to scoop an Oscar, Kerr’s genteel, ladylike performances were notable in From Here to Eternity (1953), The King and I (1956), Heaven Knows Mrs. Allison (1957), Separate Tables (1958), and The Sundowners (1960). To this day, she holds the record of being the actress with the most Best Actress nominations, at six– with no wins. However she was given an honorary Academy Award in 1994 for her “impeccable grace and beauty,” and for being “a dedicated actress whose motion picture career has always stood for perfection, discipline and elegance.”

2. Greta Garbo

Best Film: Camille (1932)

The Guinness Word Record named the Swedish legend as the most beautiful woman in the world. Her sphinx-like allure, inscrutable dramatic performances in Anna Christie (1930), Grand Hotel (1932), Camille (1936), and Ninotchka (1939), and hatred for publicity solidified her goddess-like persona that went on to this day. She scooped four Oscar nominations and received an honorary award in 1954 for “her unforgettable screen performances.” In 1999, the American Film Institute placed Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female screen legends of all time.

3. Barbara Stanwyck

Best Film: Double Indemnity (1941)

Well-loved by directors and crews for her professionalism at work, “Director’s Actress” Barbara Stanwyck was equally popular among audiences for her versatility on screen, as shown in her memorable roles as a longsuffering mother (Stella Dallas, 1937), burlesque queen (Ball of Fire, 1941), femme fatale (Double Indemnity, 1944), and screaming invalid (Sorry, Wrong Number, 1947). She won four Oscar nominations and was given an honorary award by the Academy for her “superlative creativity and unique contribution to the art of screen acting.”

4. Irene Dunne

Best Film: Love Affair (1939)

From musicals to heavy dramas, Irenne Dunne was a star. She began her career on stage and parlayed her acting prowess in such heavy-weight, Oscar nominated roles in Cimarron (1931), Theodora Goes Wild (1936), The Awful Truth (1937), Love Affair (1939), and I Remember Mama (1948), all unforgotten to this day by movie buffs and critics alike. She was inducted to the Kennedy Center Honors in 1985.

5. Rosalind Russell

Best Film: Auntie Mamie (1958)

Rosalind RUssell was perhaps one of a handful of actresses who can give justice to dramas, thrillers, and comedies. She won Golden Globes (and Oscar nominations) for her performances in My Sister Eileen (1942), Sister Kenny (1946), Mourning Becomes Electra (1947), and Auntie Mame (1958). After her film career began to wane, she shifted focus on charity and humanitarian causes. Her efforts proved fruitful; in 1972, the Academy honored her with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

6. Lillian Gish

Oscar-worthy performance: Night of the Hunter (1955)

Considered as the greatest actress of the silent screen, Lillian Gish did not have to speak to convey her message– her eyes, face, and movement spoke for her. When talkies came, she was relegated to character roles, but lead or not, she was an acting powerhouse. She was most memorable for her roles in the seminal Birth of a Nation (1915), controversial western Duel in the Sun (1946), terrifying thriller Night of the Hunter (1955), and as an elderly sister in The Whales of August (1987. She received an Honorary Academy Award in 1971 “For superlative artistry and for distinguished contribution to the progress of motion pictures.”

7. Thelma Ritter

Best Film: All About Eve (1950)

Considered as the most critically acclaimed character actresses of her time, she appeared as support to some of Hollywood’s most revered leading ladies, including Bette Davis and Doris Day. She earned six Oscar nominations for best supporting actress for All About Eve (1950), The Mating Season (1951), With a Song in My Heart (1952),Pickup on South Street (1953), Pillow Talk (1959), and Birdman of Alcatraz (1962).

8. Eleanor Parker

Best Film: Interrupted Melody (1955)

Dubbed as the “Woman with a Thousand Faces” for her versatility, Eleanor Parker came in and out of various film genres with ease and confidence. She played a prison inmate in Caged (1950), a detective’s wife in Detective Story (1951), and Marjorie Lawrence in the biopic Interrupted Melody (1955), although she is best remembered today as the baroness in the Sound of Music (1965). For her compelling role in Caged, she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress in the Venice Film Festival.

9. Marlene Dietrich

Best Film: Morocco (1930)

Marlene Dietrich was the quintessential embodiment of cool, elegant, ambiguously erotic glamour. She constantly reinvented herself through time, although she was at her best in her roles in Blue Angel, Morocco (both 1930), Shanghai Express (1932), and Destry Rides Again (1939). “Dietrich was not just one of the most extraordinary women the movies created; she was also a personality who has exercised her spell as powerfully off screen as on.”

10. Judy Garland

Best Film: A Star is Born (1956)

Judy Garland was one of a handful of child actresses who succeeded as mature stars. She was a singer, dancer, actress, and performer rolled into one, although her personal struggles for most of her career eclipsed her popularity as an actress. Nevertheless, Garland was at her best in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), while her compelling performance in A Star in Born (1956) nearly earned her an Oscar. Earlier in 1940, she was awarded the Juvenile Performer Academy Award.

MMFF Showdown – Enteng ng Ina Mo

2011-12-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

This year, two of MMFF's biggest moneymaker, Comedy Prince Vic Sotto and Comedy Queen Ai-ai delas Alas join forces in Enteng ng Ina Mo.

Vic topbilled the long-running Enteng Kabisote film franchise while Ai-Ai leads the cast of the box-office heavyweight Ang Tanging Ina Mo series.

Storyline

This year, Enteng Kabisote meets Ina Monticello. Enteng grows tired of his action packed “fairy” tale life, so he yearns to live as a normal person. Meanwhile, Ina begins to feel the empty-nest syndrome when her kids decide to live lives of their own, so she goes for a quest to look for her fifth husband.

The film's director, Tony Y. Reyes, reveals in an interview with PEP how Enteng and Ina meet up. “Nagkataong masama ang loob ni Enteng at naglalasing. Nilagyan siya ngayong ng spell ni Santana para masira nang tuluyan ‘yong pamilya niya. Ang spell ay kung sino’ng unang papasok sa pinto na babae, ‘yon ang liligawan at makaka-love-team ni Enteng. Nagkataon, si Ina ang unang pumasok sa bar na ‘yon,” he said.

The film was written by Kriz G. Gazmen, Bibeth Orteza, Tony Reyes, Dano Mariquit. The cast also includes Eugene Domingo, Bing Loyzaga, Aiza Seguerra, Amy Perez, Oyo Sotto, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Marvin Agustin, Nikki Valdez, Xiriel manabat, Carlo Aquino, Alwyn Uytingco, Yuuki Kadooka, and Ruby Rodriguez.

Enjoy watching Enteng ng Ina Mo's trailer.

MMFF Showdown – Ang Panday 2

2011-12-19T00:21:00.000-08:00

Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. topbills this year's entry of Imus Productions and GMA films to the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Ang Panday 2 promises more action, thicker plot, internationally competitive animation, and lavish costumes crowned by a stellar cast that will surely give viewers a worthwhile experience.

Storyline

Ang Panday 2 continues the story of the legendary blacksmith Flavio, who returns to save the love of his life, Maria, from the hands of his perennial nemesis, evil Lizardo. Revilla admits that the second installment aims to top the first Panday movie in terms of special and visual effects.

“It was meant to be bigger and better than the first one,” admits the film's director Mac Alejandre when interviewed by PEP. “It was meant to be a visual spectacle and ‘yon ang direksiyon na pinupuntahan niya. Grabe ang CGI [computer-generated imagery]! More than half of the film mat CGI.”

“Hindi kami gumagawa ng pelikula for the awards. mali namang objective ‘yon. We want to enetertain. We are hoping it will be a bigger hit; ‘yon malinaw sa ‘min ‘yon. That’s why we’re working so hard. Gusto naming ma-maintain ang integrity ng Panday as a franchise.”

Ang Panday, the first installment, was the biggest winner during the 2009 MMFF, including Best Picture and Best Actor of Bong Revilla.

The film written by RJ Nuevas and includes a stellar cast headed by Ramon “Bong” Revilla, with GMA's prime time queen Marian Rivera, Iza Calzado, Alix Dixson, Rhian Ramos, Eddie Garcia, and Philip Salvador as Lizardo.

Ang Panday 2 Trailer

Metro Manila Film Festival Heats Up!

2011-12-19T00:14:00.000-08:00

Six days before the Metro Manila FilmFestival opens, the competition among the entries heats up, with sideby side publicities dotting the internet, newspapers, and magazines,while at the same time dotting airtime slots in TV commercial breaks.

Who will will big time this year? Thatis yet to be known. But if you are still thinking which film towatch, check out this year's official entries to the most glitteringmoment of filmdom.

Ang Panday 2

Enteng ng Ina Mo

Manila Kingpin: The Untold Story of Asiong Salonga

My House Husband

Segunda Mano

Shake, Rattle, & Roll XIII

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Eugene Domingo, MMFF Queen of Philippine Cinema

2011-12-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Eugene stars in three MMFF entries this year.

Nothing does like it than Comedy DivaEugene Domingo. The past Metro Manila Film Festivals, she appeared ina number of films, and she did it again this year, as she lends herpresence and talent to three entries: Enteng ng Ina Mo, My Houseband,and Shake, Rattle and Role XIII.

Indeed, it has been a long ride forEugene Domingo, from her humble beginnings as a bit player in the1990s, she has emerged as one of the country's most versatileactresses both on screen and on television.

However, she got frustrated withininitial foray in showbusiness that she stopped acting and went backto school and attended college. “When I started as a bit player,talagang maghihintay ka kung kelan ka kukunan, unlike intheater where there is a schedule to follow, and walang pa-star,”she said in an interview with Philippine Daily Inquirer.

But, there was a time, when, out ofsheer frustration, she stopped acting for the TV-film cameras. “WhenI started as a bit player, talagang maghihintay ka kung kelan kakukunan, unlike in theater where there is a schedule to follow,and walang pa-star.”

After college, Eugene decided to actexclusively on stage, until lured by friend, TV director Andoy Ranay,give acting a second chance. She was cast by Wenn Derramas to appearas Claudine Barretto's protective friend Simang in the primetimeseries, Hanggang sa Dulo ng Wala Hanggan, which ran from 2001 until2003.

“Acting for TV was really sweeter thesecond time around, kasi natagpuan ko ang grupo na may respetosa craft, kasi they also came from theater,” she recalled. Whilestill on her role as Simang, she was cast in Ai-Ai delas Alasbreakthrough movie, Ang Tanging Ina, in 2003, where she appeared asRowena, Ai-Ai's best friend. More film and TV appearances followed.She played as the eccentric mermaid Lorelie in Marina (2004), hosted acooking Show, Makuha Ka sa Tikim (2005-2006), starred as a witch on the guise ofa nun in Kampanerang Kuba (2006), a nanny in Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang (2008),the main host in the comedy show Comedy Bar, and as the youngersister in the Nora Aunor comeback starrer Sa Ngalan ng Ina (2011).

In films, she continued appearing asAi-Ai delas Alas' best friend in hit comedy blockbusters, includingVolta (2004), Ang Cute ng Ina Mo (2007), and Ang Tanging Ina Niyong Lahat (2008).

Her biggest break came when she wascast as the two opposing twins in the Kimi Dora (2009), directed by JoyceBernal. The movie was critically acclaimed box office success thatearned Eugene Best Actress Awards from the PMPC and Golden ScreenAwards.

Her success with the box officecontinued in 2010 with Here Comes the Bride, Petrang Kabayo, and Ang TangingIna Mo. She also starred in Mamarrazi, Working Girls (both 2010), Wedding Tayo,Wedding Hindi, and Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank, the country's officialentry to the 2011 Academy Awards.

Way back 50s and 60s, when thePhilippine Cinema was at its brightest, it is normal for the likes ofGloria Romero, Nida Blanca, and Susan Roces to appear in 5, 6 or 7films in a year. Nora and Vilma did the same at the peak of theircareers, but no star dared to repeat the same in the succeedingdecades. Except for Eugene Domingo. From her stint in Tanging Ina,Uge has appeared in no less then three films a year, and her screenappearance reached its peak in 2011, when she appeared in six films;not to mention 3 more films set for this years Metro Manila FilmFestival.

Of her success, Boots Anson-Roa, herco-star in Shake, Rattle and Roll said: “I’m happy for you.You’re no Anne Curtis, but you made it!”

Eugene is happy and thankful for thesuccess that she enjoys, ”Natuwa ako kasi tama ‘yung timing.Handa na yung utak at katawan ko. Mature na ako nung na-launch ako.Hindi ako nasisilaw sa kasikatan.”

But she also keeps in mind thateverything is temporarily and ends in time. “After doing your job,you have to save, you have to invest, because yung mga award,wala nang makakaalala niyan. Naalala mo ba kung sinong nanalo lastyear? Baka ako na lang nakaalala na nanalo ako. And, when thathappens, sana ‘di ka mapi-feature sa “Wish Ko Lang,” kasi walaka nang pera! ”

Domingo's acting efforts both in comedy and in drama proved worthy of emulation. Among the awards she received include: best supporting actress at the MMFF for Bahay Kubo; Gawad Tanglaw Award for best supporting actress, Foster Child (2008); Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival best supporting actress, 100 (2008); best actress at the Golden Screen Awards for Kimmy Dora; Famas Award for best supporting actress, Here Comes the Bride; MMFF and Star awards for best supporting actress, Ang Tanging Ina Mo; and best actress for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.

18th Screen Actors Guild Award Nominees Unveiled

2011-12-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

Holywood's Screen Actors Guild unveiled Wednesday its list of nominees for the 18th SAG Awards. Here is a complete list of nominees.

The Screen Actors Guild on Wednesday picked nominees for best performances of 2011 in movies and television. While the group that represents actors honors TV performances, the SAG Awards are more closely watched for their impact in the race for Oscars.
Mary Tyler Moore will be given a lifetime achievement honor, and below is a full list of nominees in both film and TV categories, respectively:

FILM

Best Ensemble Cast
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"The Descendants"
"The Help"
"Midnight in Paris"

Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar Hoover"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton, "We Need To Talk About Kevin"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Armie Hammer, "J. Edgar"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Stunt Performances in a Film
"The Adjustment Bureau"
"Cowboys & Aliens"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
"X-Men: First Class"

TELEVISION

Best Ensemble Cast - Drama
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Breaking Bad"
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"The Good Wife"

Actor - Drama
Patrick J. Adams, "Suits"
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"

Actress - Drama
Kathy Bates, "Harry's Law"
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Best Ensemble Cast - Comedy
"30 Rock"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"
"The Office"

Actor - Comedy
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Jon Cryer, "Two And A Half Men"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"

Actress - Comedy
Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Betty White, "Hot In Cleveland"

Actor - TV Movie or Miniseries
Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood"
Paul Giamatti, "Too Big To Fail"
Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys"
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
James Woods, "Too Big To Fail"

Actress - TV Movie or Miniseries
Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult"
Betty White, "Hallmark Hall Of Fame: The Lost Valentine"
Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"

Stunt Performances in a TV Series
"Dexter"
"Game of Thrones"
"Southland"
"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena"
"True Blood"

69th Golden Globe Award Nominees Announced

2011-12-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

The Hollywood Foreign Press Club announced Thursday morning the finalist for the 69th Golden Globe Awards. Here is a complete list of nominees.

Picture, Drama: “The Descendants,” “The Help,” “Hugo,” “The Ides of March,” “Moneyball,” “War Horse.”

Picture, Musical or Comedy: “50/50,” “The Artist,” “Bridesmaids,” “Midnight in Paris,” “My Week with Marilyn.”

Actor, Drama: George Clooney, “The Descendants”; Leonardo DiCaprio, “J. Edgar”; Michael Fassbender, “Shame”; Ryan Gosling, “The Ides of March”; Brad Pitt, “Moneyball.”

Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”; Viola Davis, “The Help”; Rooney Mara, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”; Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”; Tilda Swinton, “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”

Director: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”; George Clooney, “The Ides of March”; Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”; Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”; Martin Scorsese, “Hugo.”

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”; Brendan Gleeson, “The Guard”; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “50/50”; Ryan Gosling, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”; Owen Wilson, “Midnight in Paris.”

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Jodie Foster, “Carnage”; Charlize Theron, “Young Adult”; Kristen Wiig, “Bridesmaids”; Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”; Kate Winslet, “Carnage.”

Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh, “My Week with Marilyn”; Albert Brooks, “Drive”; Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”; Viggo Mortensen, “A Dangerous Method”; Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”

Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”; Jessica Chastain, “The Help”; Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”; Octavia Spencer, “The Help”; Shailene Woodley, “The Descendants.”

Foreign Language: “The Flowers of War,” “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” “The Kid with a Bike,” “A Separation,” “The Skin I Live In.”

Animated Film: “The Adventures of Tintin,” “Arthur Christmas,” “Cars 2,” “Puss in Boots,” “Rango.”

Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”; George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, “The Ides of March”; Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”; Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, “The Descendants”; Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, “Moneyball.”

Original Score: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”; Abel Korzeniowski, “W.E.”; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”; Howard Shore, “Hugo”; John Williams, “War Horse.”

Original Song: “Hello Hello” (music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin), “Gnomeo & Juliet”; “The Keeper” (music and lyrics by Chris Cornell), “Machine Gun Preacher”; “Lay Your Head Down” (music by Brian Byrne, lyrics by Glenn Close), “Albert Nobbs”; “The Living Proof” (music by Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr., lyrics by Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas), “The Help”; “Masterpiece” (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), “W.E.”

TELEVISION

Series, Drama: “American Horror Story,” FX; “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO; “Boss,” Starz; “Game of Thrones,” HBO; “Homeland,” Showtime.

Actor, Drama: Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”; Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”; Kelsey Grammer, “Boss”; Jeremy Irons, “The Borgias”; Damian Lewis, “Homeland.”

Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, “Homeland”; Mireille Enos, “The Killing”; Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”; Madeleine Stowe, “Revenge”; Callie Thorne, “Necessary Roughness.”

Series, Musical or Comedy: “Enlightened,” HBO; “Episodes,” Showtime; “Glee,” Fox; “Modern Family,” ABC; “New Girl,” Fox.

Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, “Enlightened”; Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”; Tina Fey, “30 Rock”; Laura Linney, “The Big C”; Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation.”

Actor, Musical or Comedy: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”; David Duchovny, “Californication”; Johnny Galecki, “The Big Bang Theory”; Thomas Jane, “Hung”; Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes.”

Miniseries or Movie: “Cinema Verite,” HBO; “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece),” PBS; “The Hour,” BBC America; “Mildred Pierce,” HBO; “Too Big to Fail,” HBO.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Romola Garai, “The Hour”; Diane Lane, “Cinema Verite”; Elizabeth McGovern, “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece),” Emily Watson, “Appropriate Adult”; Kate Winslet, “Mildred Pierce.”

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Hugh Bonneville, “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”; Idris Elba, “Luther”; William Hurt, “Too Big to Fail”; Bill Nighy, “Page Eight (Masterpiece)”; Dominic West, “The Hour.”

Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”; Kelly Macdonald, “Boardwalk Empire; Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)”; Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”; Evan Rachel Wood, “Mildred Pierce.”

Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”; Paul Giamatti, “Too Big to Fail”; Guy Pierce, “Mildred Pierce”; Tim Robbins, “Cinema Verite”; Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family.

59th FAMAS Award

2011-12-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ang Tanging Ina Mo Wins Best Picture, Albert Martinez Best Director; Ai-Ai delas Alas and John Lloyd Cruz Snag Top Acting Prizes.

The Filipino Academy for Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) goes for comedy this year, with Ang Tanging Ina Mo grabbing the Best Picture honors in the 59th FAMAS Awards. The third series of the Tanging Ina Installment also won the same feat in the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival and Star Awards for Movies. The film was directed by Wenn Derramas and produced by Star Cinema.

Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas became one of the only three actresses to win the most coveted Best Actress trophy for comedy, after her turn in Ang Tanging Ina Mo. The two previous winners for comedy roles were Judy Ann Santos, who won for Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006), and Ms. Gloria Romero, who won for Dalagang Ilokana (1954). She bested out past best actress winners Lorna Tolentino and Dawn Zulueta and fellow nominees Bea Alonzo and Jennylyn Mercado, who earned nods for dramatic performances.

John Lloyd Cruz won his second FAMAS and first Best Actor trophy for Miss You Like Crazy, where he played opposite fellow nominee Bea Alonzo. He had earlier won Best Supporting Actor as Aga Muhlach's younger brother in Dubai (2003).

Meanwhile, Albert Martinez won Best Director for Rosario. This was his first directorial debut and the film competed in last year's MMFF, where he and the film were the leading favorites for the best director and best film awards, although the feat went to Wenn Derramas and Ang Tanging Ina Mo, respectively.

Eugene Domingo and Allen Dizon won the best supporting actor and actress awards, respectively. Domingo earned the trophy for her role as the feisty lawyer whose soul switched with Angelica Panganiban in the summer blockbuster Here Comes the Bride. Meanwhile, Dizon scooped his fourth FAMAS trophy and second award for best supporting actor for his turn in the indi flick, Sigwa. He has won best actor for Paupahan (2008) and Dukot (2009) and best supporting actor for Twilight Dancers (2006).

Meanwhile, child stars Zyriel Manabat and Maliksi Morales were awarded best child performers. Manabat won for her role as Ai-ai delas Alas' grand daughter in Ang Tanging Ina Mo, while Morales won for portraying Kris Aquino's son in the horror flick, Dalaw.

The 59th Annual FAMAS Awards Night was held December 10 at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Theater.

Personal Note:

It's sad to note that Asia's oldest film award giving body has gone to oblivion. In the 50s and 60s, when the FAMAS was the only award giving body in the Orient, the awards night is the most glittering event in the local film industry and all the stars emerged to witness the most memorable moment of the year. Sadly, the same cannot be said these days. Since the FAMAS split into two factions in the recent decade, there's seems to be no stopping from the organizing from plunging into decline, and even the winners has been put to contention of whether or not they are worthy of receiving the prize. Something's ought to be done here. FAMAS is not just your ordinary award giving body. It's a part of the Philippine cinema's history and literally, the local showbusiness grew with FAMAS.

Even an actor proclaimed to be the year's best wouldn't care, because FAMAS has become insignificant these days. Once, a performer's mettle as an effective actor is measured by the award he's won. But today, nobody cares because it's importance as a significant recognition has faltered through the recent years. Even so, a grand slam feat would never be complete with without this golden statuette of prime significance in Philippine movies.

The Battle of Station IDs: ABS-CBN, GMA, and TV5

2011-12-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

This time of the year, a TV station's supremacy is measured it's Christmas station ID that showcases which is home to the country's brightest, hottest, and most glittering stars. This year, the competition among the country's biggest stations beefs up with star-studded station IDs featuring stars on their holiday mood.

The Kapamilya Station features the bond that ties families during Christmas. Reaching out to Filipinos all over the world, this year's station ID warms up the cold Christmas that overseas Filipinos feel with top Kapamilya stars giving them a little glow of hope this season. The station ID features the voice of Fil-Am Youtube sensation Maria Aragon.

Meanwhile, the Kapuso station this year features its stable of talents as they sing carols to audience who are eager to seek merriment at the merriest part of the year. The station ID features show-by-show stars, from Eat Bulaga to prime time soap operas as they sing Jingle Bell-inspired carols to avid Kapuso viewers.

This year saw TV5 expand this talents as the station welcomes the latest Kapatids who transferred to the newest TV station in the country. The TV station this year showcases the fun and excitement that Christmas brings, with Kapatid stars eager to entertain a lonely boy and transform his dull house in a home fit for the holidays. Features latest TV5 talent Sharon Cuneta, who switched network last November.

Kapamilya's The Best ang Pasko, Performed by Maria Aragon

Kapuso's Kapusong Pasko Eat Bulaga Version, Performed by Eat Bulaga Stars

Kapatid's Krismas Mas Masaya, Performed by Sharon Cuneta

Charlie Chaplin: Silent Screen's Greatest Actor

2011-04-23T04:16:00.000-07:00

April 16, 2011 - Today the world celebrates Charlie Chaplin’s 122nd birthday. A watershed figure in the film industry, Chaplin is one of Hollywood’s earliest superstars, alongside Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Chaplin’s career was one of the most colorful and most successful in Hollywood during his time, himself becoming a film director, producer, and composer. His contribution to the history of filmmaking was so profound that today he is considered one of the screen’s most indelible icons.

Birth and Childhood

Born to a relatively comfortable household, Chaplin’s family however lost most of their fortune during his childhood. Her mother and father were both music hall entertainers and his father, who abandoned them, died in 1901 due to alcoholism. His mother continued working as an entertainer and Chaplin himself made his nascent debut at the age of 5. Unluckily, mental illness soon placed her mother under institutional care and Charlie, together with older half-brother Sydney, were forced to live between public charity homes and on the streets.

Continue Reading...

or read one of these books and learn more about Charlie Chaplin's life:

or watched these videos from Amazon:

Greta Garbo: Hollywood's Immortal Goddess

2011-04-10T01:23:00.000-07:00

When talking about Old Hollywood, it would easily pass into your mind the intensity of Bette Davis, the glamour of Audrey Hepburn, the allure of Marlene Dietrich , the notoriety of Lana Turner, the independence of Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, and Luise Rainer, and the whims of other similar, yet less stellar Hollywood icons. But when we talk about Garbo, we can’t say anything but be awed by her presence or, should I say, immortality.

She made a mere 17 films in Hollywood and yet, each of those films assured her stature as Hollywood’s bona fide goddess, looked upon, admired, sometimes mocked by others. But all in all, Garbo became the epitome and probably the most inscrutable star of the Hollywood of the 1930s.

Early Years

Greta Gustafson was born in Stockholm Sweden in 1905 to poor parents. At an early age, when her father became too ill to win bread, Greta worked as a barbershop latherer and sales lady at a department store in Stockholm. There, she sometimes appeared as model or actress during the plays sponsored by the store. At one of those plays, she caught the sight of Sweden’s formidable director, Mauritz B. Stiller. Later, she won a scholarship to the Royal Dramatic Theater.

Welcome to Hollywood

Her first foray into acting took place when Stiller cast her in The Atonement of Gosta Berling (1924), afterwards, she became herself a sensation in Sweden. In 1925, together with Stiller, she sailed to the United States, where she played as a contract player in Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Hollywood’s brightest studio.

The Flesh and the Devil and Gilbert

Her first year in Hollywood became uneventful. Louis B. Mayer had earlier found her stout and stiff when acting, thus, she was cast as a Spanish maiden in some uneventful silents. However, things took their turns in 1926 when she was cast opposite Hollywood’s top leading man, John Gilbert in Flesh and the Devil. After it turned out to be a box office hit, Garbo was propelled to stardom. With her exotic looks and mystifying aura, the audiences cannot help but be lured by the seemingly goddess-like image of Garbo. Other than being her breakthrough film to celebrity status, Flesh and Devil also introduced Garbo into a love affair with Gilbert that lasted until his death in 1934. They ultimately became the hottest loveteam, on and off screen, during the last years of the silent film era.

Garbo was the ultimate run-away bride. Rumors had it that there were wedding bells heard, culminated by their affair. Only it was halted when Garbo felt cold feet in marrying him and decided to run away. She did it twice until Gilbert got tired and married another silent film actress, Ina Claire.

Garbo Becomes a Superstar

Garbo’s stellar rise was further solidified with continual smash hit, one after the other. With Love and The Divine Woman (both in 1927), The Mysterious Lady and A Woman of Affairs (both in 1928), and Wild Orchids (1929), she became silent screen’s last superstar. And she was also the era’s last actress to transition into speaking roles. Ending her silence with The Kiss (1929), Garbo waited until 1930 to make her first speaking part in Anna Christie (1930). She earned two Oscar nominations for her performance in this film and for Romance (1930), only to lose to fellow MGM queen, Norma Shearer.

Indeed, the early part of the 1930s where her most glorious. Her next vehicles, Sussan Lennox (Her Fall and Rise) and Mata Hari in 1931 proved too well at the box office, enough to justify her salary demand of half a million dollars for the two films (she hurdled more than three million dollars by 1941, after she left Hollywood, a very huge fortune at that time).

Garbo, alongside Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, and Mae West, was already Hollywood’s leading lady and one of the industry’s highest paid and legendary stars of the era. But it was her performance in the Oscar-winning, all star Grand Hotel (1932) that made her an immortal. In this film, she uttered her legendary line “I vant to be alone,” all in her thick, husky Swedish accent.

After Grand Hotel, Garbo sailed back to Sweden after MGM failed to meet her salary demands. She returned in 1933 after the studio offered the unheard-of quarter a million dollars and more clout to appear as the eponymous lead in Queen Christina. She exercised her control over the film when she had Laurence Olivier replaced by her former lover and then- already tarnished John Gilbert. It was a box office hit and her last time to pair with Gilbert. When news of Gilbert’s death reached her while on the set of The Painted Veil (1934), Garbo collapsed.

Garbo continued to her success with Anna Karenina (1935) and Camille (1936), costume dramas which made more money abroad than it did in the US. Both were critically acclaimed and won her back to back best actress awards during the New York Film Critics Award, the latter earning her her third Oscar nomination. This time, she lost to fellow MGM star Luise Rainer. Rainer herself was already dubbed “new Garbo” because of her refusal to bow to convention.

Box Office Poison

Garbo’s next film, Conquest, became a flop. Until 1949, it was the biggest money loser of MGM. And though it fared well at the box office, it failed to coup its staggering expenses. By 1938, together with Katharine Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Joan Crawford, Dolores del Rio, Marlene Dietrich, and May West, she was dubbed box office poison.

Garbo Laughs

However, she quickly rebounded in her first comedy film Ninotchka (1939), one of the most memorable films during Hollywood’s Golden Year, 1939. It was a box office and earned Garbo her fourth and final Oscar nomination. She lost to Vivien Leigh.

Garbo Runs Away

Garbo did not make another film until Two Faced Woman, her last. It was both panned by critics and audience and Garbo planned a what should have been temporary retirement. However, it became permanent.

In 1951, she became a naturalized American citizen. In 1953, she transferred to New York and bought a seven-room flat where she lived for the rest of her life. In 1954, she received in absentia an Honorary Academy Award for her contribution to the motion picture industry.

Death

Garbo died a very wealthy woman in 1990. She frugally spent her money and wisely invested her million-dollar income in real estate. Her beauty and image was so haunting that to this day, one would still count her not just any other actress. She was a goddess and only very few of her colleagues can equal her. None of today’s star can ever surpass her. She was very much a star; a legendary superstar, that is.

(reposted from my Friendster blog)

Read Garbo's biographies and be enchanted by her life:

Elizabeth: Golden Hollywood's Last Greatest Star

2011-04-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Taylor is the violet-eyed, raven-haired beauty whose colorful personal life has for most of the time eclipsed her career. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t be the iconic legend that she will be today without the scandals, intrigues, marital storms, charitable endeavors, and unforgettable screen performances that graced her life.

Early Years

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born at Heathwood near London on February 27, 1932 to Francis Lenn Taylor and Sarah Viola Warmbrodt. She held a dual citizenship, coming from American-born parents who reside in London and, herself, being born in British soil. Her family moved to Los Angeles when Great Britain was on the brinks of World War II, where his father opened an art gallery, which displayed the numerous paintings he brought from England.

Child Actress

Taylor’s career began in 1941, after Universal Studio signed her up for a seven-year contract. She appeared in her first picture in 1942, There’s One Born Every Minute, though she never made another film with Universal.

Taylor while shooting National Velvet (1944).

In 1943, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer offered the lead role in a Lassie Come Home. After its success, she was offered a seven-year contract, at $100 a week. Breakthrough came sooner after she was cast as a young girl who trained her beloved horse to win the Grand National in National Velvet (1944).

National Velvet Makes Her a Star

National Velvet was a colossal box office hit, grossing more than $4 million. Critics fell in love with her and Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that her “face is alive with youthful spirit, her voice has the softness of sweet song, and her whole manner in this picture is one of her refreshing face.” However, a fall while riding the horse while shooting the film triggered her back problem that worsened in her later years.

Velvet’s success was followed by Courage of Lassie (1946), which saw her popularly increase and her paycheck raise to $750 a week. Throughout the rest of the 1940s, Taylor’s success as an adolescent star was solidified in Life with Father (1947), A Date with Judy (1948), and Little Women (1948).

Taylor Becomes a Superstar

As Taylor transitioned to more mature roles, her popularity, unlike other child stars, continued to soar. In 1950, her salary was raised to $2,000 per week, with her box office potency continued, with the most notable films made opposite Spencer Tracy, Father of the Bride (1950) and its sequel Father’s Little Dividend (1951).

For her role as the spoiled socialite who stood between Montgomery Clift and Shelley Winters in George Stevens’A Place in the Sun (1951), Taylor image as a dramatic actress was shaped.

However, the next films she was cast in, including Callaway Went Away (1951), Ivanhoe (1952), The Girl Who Had Everything (1953), and Beau Brummel (1954) dissatisfied her as she longed for meatier roles.

Giant and Critical Successes

Taylor opposite Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).

Taylor’s interest with her career was revived when she was cast to play a meaty performance in Giant (1956), opposite James Dean and Rock Hudson. More critically acclaimed roles followed, as well as Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her compelling performances in Raintree County (1957), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Suddenly Last Summer (1959).

In 1960, Taylor filmed Butterfield 8, which depicted the story of a Manhattan prostitute. In 1961, at the height of the award season, she nearly died of pneumonia but a successful tracheotomy stabilized her condition as well as earned her a “sympathy vote” for Best Actress in the Academy Award. Her success with the Oscars became controversial at that the time and fellow nominee, Shirley Maclaine was said to have exclaimed, “I lost to tracheotomy!”

Cleopatra

Taylor as Cleopatra (1963).

After winning the Academy Award, Taylor started filming Cleopatra, perhaps the most expensive film ever produced and the most controversial motion picture that she ever starred in. Taylor herself made history when she was paid $1 million, the first person to receive such a hefty paycheck; she eventually pocketed $7, being the owner of part of the film’s profits.

Cleopatra was originally geared as a $2-million mega-epic extravaganza, showcasing the life and love affairs of the notorious Serpent of the Nile. But as delays went on, the cost of production eventually spiraled to $44 million. The film topped 1963’s box office list, earning more than $26 million but the studio, 20th Century Fox still lost substantially because of its excessive cost.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Taylor gives a tour de force, Oscar-winning performance opposite
Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

In 1966, Taylor appeared in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, considered as her most critically acclaimed performance. She intentionally gained weight and appeared unglamorous for this part, whose alcoholic, obnoxious role as Richard Burton’s wife deservedly won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Virginia Woolf also marked the peak of Taylor’s artistic excellence, which she followed, though not as a acclaimed as Virginia Woolf, with Reflections of a Golden Eye (1967) opposite Marlon Brando, and Secret Ceremony (1968) opposite Mia Farrow. At the onset of the 1970’s Taylor made fewer film appearances, with the live-action, big-screen version of The Flintstones (1994) as her last feature film.

Taylor Appears on TV

Taylor became more and more active in television as her film career waned. She made her foray in daytime soap operas, with her appearances in General Hospital and All My Children. Her last TV appearance was in These Old Broads, opposite Shirley Maclaine, Joan Collins, and former reel and real life rival Debbie Reynolds in 2001.

Taylor’s Marriages

Taylor married eight times, twice to actor and onscreen partner Richard Burton.

Her first marriage was with hotel heir Conrad Hilton, Jr. She married him in 1950 and divorced in 1951, less than eight months later.In 1952, she married Michael Wilding, an actor, to whom she had two children: Michael Jr and Edward. They divorced in 1957.

Taylor was twice married to Richard Burton.

A few days after divorcing Wilding, she married film and theater producer Michael Todd. They had a daughter Elizabeth. Their marriage ended after Todd died in a plane crash in 1958, less than one year after they were married.

Taylor’s fourth husband was Eddie Fisher, whom she married in 1959. Taylor’s marriage to Fisher, who was Todd’s best friend, stained Taylor’s image and reputation for ruining Fisher’s marriage with actress Debbie Reynolds.

While still married to Fisher, Taylor starred in Cleopatra, appearing opposite Richard Burton. The two fell in love while on the set and their torrid love affair was the subject of much publicity during their days. Taylor divorced Fisher while Burton, who himself was married, divorced his wife. They married in 1964 and appeared in many films following Cleopatra. They divorced 10 years later and remarried the following year only to be divorced again 10 months later. Their marriage was highlighted by their extravagant lifestyle, making headlines after Burton bought Taylor a diamond from Cartier that weighed almost 70 carats.

Taylor’s seventh husband was John Warner, a Republican senator from Virginia. They wedded in 1976 and divorced in 1982.

In 1991, married his eighth and final husband, construction worker Larry Fortensky, who was 20 years her junior. The marriage gained publicity after Michael Jackson gave her away. They divorced in 1996.

AIDS Activism

The death of Taylor’s close friend Rock Hudson in 1985 spurred her to be an active AIDS advocate. Hudson became one of the first high-profile personalities to die from this dreaded disease.

Taylor is an active advocate of AIDS research.

Taylor dedicated much of her time and attention to raising funds and spreading awareness for this cause. Raising more than $250 million dollars, Taylor was one of the founders of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, she herself founding the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Already a well-awarded actress, her humanitarian, fun-raising, and charitable efforts earned her numerous honors and acclamations, too.

Later Honors and Recognitions

In 1992, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored Taylor’s indomitable contributions to the battle against AIDS with the Jean Herscholt Humanitarian Award. In 1992, she was given the Life Achievement Award by the Screen Actors Guild. In 1999, the American Film Institute listed Taylor number 7 in its list of 25 Greatest American Female Screen Legends. In 2000, Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame Commander of the British Empire while President George W. Bush awarded her with the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2001 for her humanitarian work.

Entrepreneurship and Wealth

In her later years, Taylor launched successful
jewelry and perfume lines.

Taylor is estimated to be worth as much as $1 billion at the time of her death. Court filings showed that she is worth more $608.4 when she divorced Larry Fortensky in 1996.

Much of her wealth was derived from her lucrative Elizabeth Arden perfume lines which debuted in the 1980s and her famed jewelry collection.

Passion, her first perfume product, was released in 1987, which was followed in 1991 by White Diamond. Elizabeth Arden reported that her perfumes have already sold more than $1 billion.

Her massive jewels meanwhile, which include a ruby and diamond Cartier necklace gifted by Mike Todd and the 33.19-carat Krupp Diamond and 69.74-carat pear-shaped Burton-Diamond bought at $1 million in 1969, were valued at $270 million way back 2002.

Meanwhile, her real estate holdings, which include her ranch-style house in LA, are estimated to be worth over $150 million.

Death

Taylor struggled with poor health in the later years of her life, having been hospitalized more than 70 times and undergoing more than 20 operations. She was admitted into the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in February 2011 to undergo treatment due to symptoms of congestive heart failure. She succumbed on March 23, surrounded by her four children.

Learn more about Elizabeth Taylor with these selected books about her:

LUISE RAINER: Hollywood's Centennarian

2010-01-31T17:18:00.000-08:00

People, given the opportunity of becoming a star, would surely rush in and go get their share of popularity. But not Luise Rainer. Dubbed as the Hollywood’s “new Hepburn and next Garbo,” she was one of the very few people – including Hepburn and Garbo – who shunned stardom and balked at the conventional, even empty life that most of her contemporaries enjoyed, and eventually suffered from.

But despite her seemingly meteoric rise, and sudden disappearance from the limelight, Luise Rainer had her fair share of unforgettable performances and memorable films, which makes her an immortal actress, performer, and screen legend in her own right.

This Viennese import was from the stage. She was cast in a host of MGM extravaganza, gearing her up to become the studio’s next queen of the lot. However, Rainer, from the very start, eschewed Hollywood’s standards. She was born a rebel and she walked on the streets without makeup and wearing dirty, often unfashionable clothes.

But no one can deny her acting prowess. Her years on the stage eventually honed her craft and despite the rarity of good scripts, she was lucky enough to be cast as the long-suffering Anna Held opposite Tyrone Power’s Florence Ziegfeld in The Great Ziegfeld (1936). In the well-remembered telephone scene, where she congratulated Ziegfeld for his success in Broadway, Rainer gave a tour de force performance rich in emotion, despair, and loneliness that earned her her first Academy Award for Best Actress, beating the likes of Irene Dunne and Norma Shearer.

The following year, she appeared as the Chinese peasant, O’Lan, in Irving Thalberg’s last super-production before he succumbed to tuberculosis, The Good Earth (1937). She again won the Academy Award, becoming the first actress to win back-to-back Academy Awards, a record that only Katharine Hepburn was able to equal after her double triumph in 1967 and 1968.

But it seemed that Rainer could not hold on the momentum. The backlash after The Good Earth was inevitable. She yearned for meatier performances, which ended her with a clash with MGM’s big boss, Louis B. Mayer. With Thalberg already dead, no one in the studio and in Hollywood knew how to utilize her. Eventually, her bout with Mayer took its toll on her career as she was miscast in a series of lackluster roles that left her disillusioned more than ever. At the height of her discontent and during a heated argument with Mayer, she was able to say “I am 20, you are 60. By the time I am 40, the age of a successful actress, you’ll be dead!” With a crumbling marriage with playwright Clifford Odets, she found no reason to stay in Hollywood any longer. After 1938, she walked out from her contract and from then on, she only appeared in two more films, one in 1943 and another in 1997.

Rainer might have been derided by studio boss and contemporaries for being too stubborn and distant from what was considered convention. But compared to most actresses of here era, Rainer was an intellectual who thought in her own way and yearned for artistic and intellectual freedom, free from the dictation of the studios. And with her compelling performances in The Great Ziegfeld and The Good Earth, Rainer had left a legacy of being a true Hollywood rebel who didn’t bowed towards convention but did what she think was right. Celebrating her first century last month and living at a comfortable apartment in London, Rainer is the oldest competitive winner of an Oscar, the first back-to-back Academy Award winner, and, together with Shirley Temple, Maureen O’Hara, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Fontaine, Gloria Stewart, and Deanna Durbin, one of the last surviving legends of Hollywood’s most golden era.

Photo credits:

commons.wikimedia.org

independent.co.uk

das-kleine-nachtbuechlein.blog.de/2010/01/12/luise-rainer-vergesene-frau-7739234/

Goodbye, Claudine

2009-11-26T21:56:00.000-08:00

I have been a loyal fan of Claudine Barretto ever since her face graced the television in 1997. I watched her fall in love with Gabriel and endure the bitchiness of Selena in Mula sa Puso (1997-1999). I myself had a crush on her when she played Rosario, Rosenda, and Rosemarie in Saan Ka Man Naroroon? (1999-2001). I followed every scene of her immortal love story in Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggang (2001-2003). She thrilled me as she swam for her life and love as Marina (2004). And though my college life never permitted me to completely watch Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin (2005), Walang Kapalit (2006) and Maligno (2008), my flare for Miss Barretto was revitalized when she made her stunning comeback in the rags-to-riches story of Catherine in Iisa Pa Lamang (2008). I was enamored by the wardrobe, the script, the great acting, and best of all, the legendary tapunan ng linya among Miss Barretto, Angelica Panganiban, and Cherry Pie Picache in this drama. I even found myself on the brinks of tear during the finale. Well, it must have been the premonition for Iisa Pa Lamang was her penultimate show in the Kapamilya Network. After her guest appearance in May Bukas Pa this year, which is another of my favorite, Miss Barretto eventually signed a contract just last November 25 with GMA.

It was around 10 pm when I read the news on the net as I am not an avid couch potato. It was a shock for me. My heart thumped and I was dumbfounded when I saw Pinoy Entertainment Portal’s headline saying that Miss Barretto has already transferred to GMA.

I have very little inclination towards GMA when it comes to their shows. Besides from the poor acting of their talents, which I find too obvious in the way they deliver themselves in front of the screen, I also find their scripts so poorly written. I wouldn’t tell names, but GMA’s leading stars, except for a sacred few, are too stiff with using their craft that they simply don't justify their salary and endorsements! As a matter of fact, the channel must have ran out ot creative ideas at all because they keep on adapting foreign dramas or simply reviving past shows with new stars to run the vehicle and keep it upbeat in the "Mega Manila" (not nationwide) ratings.

I do not know if Miss Barretto would be given the same queenly reverence that she received when she was in ABS CBN. I even doubt the kind of scripts that would land on her lap. She may be showered with side by side projects, that there’s no better substitute for the quality vehicles that she used enjoyed as Kapamilya talent.

I am still hopeful that a change of mind takes place. If not, my optimism towards Miss Barretto’s superstardom still reigns, even though it is now clouded by doubts whether or not she could hold on with her momentum after her exodus to GMA.

Rosa Rosal: The Femme Fatale with the heart of Gold

2009-11-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

Hearing the name Rosa Rosal denotes an impassioned public servant who lives her life for the benefit of others. But more than a civic icon, Miss Rosa Rosal is also considered one of Philippine Cinema’s formidable legends whose career never faltered simply because her true luster shines from within.

Born Rose Danon in 1931, her father was of Irish-Egyptian ancestry while her mother was a native of Pampangan Her half-brother, Don Danon, was a double of Rudolf Valentino.

Initially working as a physician’s secretary, Miss Rosal was spotted by Luis Nolasco, who cast her in a minor role in Fort Santiago (1946). It was during that time that she earned her screen name Rosa Rosal – the Filipino for rose and gardenia, respectively.

Her beauty did not go unnotice. With her exotic looks, thanks to her French-Jewish ancestry, she seemed to become a mixture of Hollywood’s Hedy Lamar and Dorothy Lamour, all while displaying Rita Hayworth's "love goddess" presence and Barbara Stanwyck's irrepressible femme fatale performance.

In 1947, she was cast by Nolasco on her breakthrough film, Kamagong. Her performance drew the attention not just of the film studios but also of the crowd. In 1949, LVN, then the country’s top film studio, offered her a long-term contract, and cast her in her first starring performance in the comedy hit Biglang Yaman.

Throughout the 50’s, Miss Rosal's career peaked as alternated between villainous, bitchy roles, and plum leading parts.

Legendary for being the “femme fatale of the Philippine Cinema,” Miss Rosal was the screen's most glamorous contravida who brought hell to the lives of LVN leading leading ladies in such films as Sumpaan, Ang Lumang Simbahan (1949), Prinsesa Basahan (1949), and Ang Babaeng Hampaslupa (1954). She was in every bit the Golden screen's ultimate bitch, but her bitchiness did not go beyond the theaters. As a matter of fact, she was the antithesis of real-life glamor-girls.

Where most stars of her era were seen partying and club-hopping at night, she contented herself in attending night classes at Cosmopolitan College, where the late Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas referred to her as his kamag-aral. Yes, she pursued a college degree in Business Administration, though she was not able to attend her graduation ceremony because she had a commitment that time. And to even make her different from her fellow stars, she seldom attended parties. Instead, she busied her self with her 8-5 daily schedule and her work in the Philippine National Red Cross.

While prim and proper in person, Miss Rosal had no qualms in playing nasty roles and prostitutes, as well as wearing bathing suits and skimpy attires - then considered a suicide to an actress' career. But Miss Rosal did it well and superb! Her excellent acting and ethereal look, plus her growing popularity as a Red Cross volunteer, all built up her image as a popular icon.

She would have remained as the screen's most hated performer until she was cast by LVN as the lead in three of it's spectacular "super productions," Lamberto Avellana's Anak Dalita (1956) and Badjao (1957) and the FAMAS-winning Biyaya ng Lupa (1959), considered by critics as three of the Philippine Cinema's greatest films.

In Anak Dalita (1956), Miss Rosal convincingly played as the prostitute with the heart of gold, opposite Tony Santos. In Badjao (1957), she was superb as the Tausug princess torn between her loyalty her tribe and love for her Badjao husband. And for Biyaya ng Lupa (1959), she was a mater dolorosa who tilled the soil and grew lanzones to raise her family.

For her compelling performance in Sonny Boy (1955), Miss Rosal won the FAMAS Award for Best Actress and for the international success of Anak Dalita, she worthily received a FAMAS Award for International Prestige: she was herself the model of that most coveted trophy, considered to be the country’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Oscar.

By the 60s, it seemed that Miss Rosal’s film career was nearing its off as she devoted more and more of her time volunteering at Red Cross and appearing on the relatively new medium – television. The steady rise of Bomba films also wore here off and she only lent acting ability, though scarcely, to films of worthy choice and juicy roles.

In one of her rare performances in the 1970s and 1980s, she was touching as the embittered tenant in Sakada (1976) and earned her third FAMAS nomination for her compelling, supporting performance in the family drama Ang Lahat ng Ito Pati Langit (1989).

Miss Rosal is considered to be the world's longest serving Red Cross volunteer. She started out serving the organization in 1949 after an eye-opening, near-death situation of a boy she saw at a hospital in Manila. From then on, she alternated between the studio and Red Cross. While earning the reputation of being one of the country's screen queen, Miss Rosal quietly dedicated her life to charity and service to her fellowmen. Lending her legendary and iconic star presence to fund-raising activities and speaking engagements, Miss Rosal pooled millions of pesos for the Red Cross and helped thousands in need.

For her humanitarian works, she was awarded with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1999 - Asia's equivalent of The Nobel. In 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo bestowed on her, for life, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Heart, the highest honor given to a civilian.

These days, Miss Rosal seldom appear on TV or in films. However, her presence, as a star and as a civil servant, is always felt simply because she is a star not just on films, but most of all, in real life.

FILMOGRAPHY:

Since she broke into show business as an extra in 1946, Miss Rosa Rosal has made dozens of film appearances - leading and support, alike. Here is a partial list of some of Miss Rosa Rosal's films, with Biglang Yaman, Prinsipe Amante sa Rubitanya, Dagohoy, Sonny Boy, Anak Dalita, Badjao, Biyaya ng Lupa, Sakada, and Lahat ng Ito Pati na ang Langit considered as the films where she delivered her most powerful acting.

1947 -Kamagong

1947 -Ang Himala ng Birhen sa Antipolo

1947 -Hagibis

1948 -Huling Dalangin

1948 -Apat na Dalangin

1948 -Hampas ng Langit

1948 -Sumpaan

1949 -Ang Lumang Simbahan

1949 -Maria Beles

1949 -Prinsesa Basahan

1949 -Virginia

1949 -Biglang Yaman

1950 -Mahal mo ba ako?

1950 -Sohrab at Rustum

1951 -Reyna Elena

1951 -Bayan O Pag-ibig

1951 -Prinsipe Amante sa Rubitanya

1951 -Amor Mio

1952 -Matador

1952 -Correccional

1952 -Aklat ng Buhay

1952 -Babaeng Hampaslupa

1953 -Kuwintas ng Pasakit

1953 -Mga Pusong May Lason

1953 -Makabuhay

1953 -Dagohoy

1954 -Dakilang Pgpapakasakit

1954 -Donato

1954 -Mabangong Kandungan

1955 -Hagad

1955 -Sonny Boy (FAMAS Award, Best Actress)

1956 -Anak-Dalita (FAMAS Award, International Prestige; Best Film, Asia-Pacific Film Festival)

1956 -May Araw ka Rin

1956 -Medalyong Perlas

1956 -Big Shot

1956 -Higit sa Korona

1957 -Badjao (FAMAS Award, International Prestige; Best Film, Tokyo Film Festival)

1957 -Sanga-Sangang Puso

1958 - Faithful

1959 – Biyaya ng Lupa (FAMAS Award, Best Picture; FAMAS Award Nominee, Best Actress)

1959 – Cry Freedom

1964 – Ethan

1966 – Ako’y Magbabalik

1976 – Sakada

1976 -Wanakosey

1986 – Nakagapos na Puso

1989 – Ang Lahat ng Ito Pati na ang Langit (FAMAS Award Nominee, Best Supporting Actress)

1990 – Pangako ng Puso

1994 – Lagalag: The Eddie Fernandez Story

1999 – Esperanza: The Movie

2006 – Wrinkles

(If you know about any of Miss Rosa Rosal's film that is not included on this list, please feel free to let me know that I may include it on this list.)

Miss Rosa Rosal's breakthrough film, Biglang Yaman (1949)

Sohrab at Rustum (1950)

Miss Rosal plays the prostitute with a noble heart in the touching and critically- and internationally-acclaimed "super-production" Anak Dalita (1956)

In another screen classic, Miss Rosal convincingly played as a Tausug princess in Badjao (1957)

Playing as a long-suffering lanzones farmer's wife in Biyaya ng Lupa (1959), Miss Rosal worthily earned a FAMAS nomination for Best Actress. This super-production was awarded with the year's Best Picture honor.

By the 1970s, Miss Rosal may have appeared less and less in film, but here, as a peasant in Sakada (1976), she has proven that a noteworthy performance is never out of season. Hers, as well as the film, was widely-applauded by critics.

For her turn in Lahat ng Ito Pati na ang Langit (1989), Miss Rosal earned her third FAMAS nomination, this time for Best Supporting Actress.