Talk of the town

People are talking about

Maria Mercedes

The local version of Thalia’s popular soap is definitely on fire scoring impressive ratings on its first week. The pilot episode won on its timeslot with ratings more than double compared to its rival. Consider this, the lead star (Jessy Mendiola) hasn’t showed up yet as a grown up Maria Mercedes. While it excites the viewers, the winning streak continues everyday on Twitter and other social networking sites.

Robin-Mariel movie stumbles at the box-office

by Nickie Wang

It was a decent week for Star Cinema’s Catch Me…I’m in Love. Amid drop in ticket sales, the film managed to breach the elusive P100-million-mark, the first local movie to do so in 2011.

Meanwhile, Tum: My Pledge of Love was a tragedy at the tills.

What are the brightest local celebs up to?

by Nickie Wang

Who are making waves in local tinseltown these days and what are brewing it the country’s big media networks?

Kristine Hermosa’s “I do” response to the question “Will you marry Oyo Boy Sotto” is to date her best gift to Dina Bonnevie and Vic Sotto’s unico hijo. The 26-year-old Oyo Boy, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, exchanged vows with Kristine in a very simple and private ceremony. This celebrity event is the first to add sparkle to other showbiz happenings that will take place in the coming days and weeks.

Kapuso nominees in Asian TV awards

by Nickie Wang

Kapuso network may have been outnumbered by the Kapamilya station in the recently-concluded PMPC Star Awards, but this time it has something to be proud of. Out of seven nominations received by the Philippines in the upcoming 15th Asian Television Awards, GMA-7 leads the pack with six nominations and its closest rival ABS-CBN with just only one.

Party from dusk till dawn

by Nickie Wang

Around two thousand years ago, beer was not a popular drink because of its bitter taste. As we all know, beer tastes even awkward when not chilled so it’s understandable why our ancestors didn’t like it that much.

Fast-forward to the present time, beer is already a part of almost every kind of occasion. Naturally, beer  should only be consumed in moderation, however the reason beer has been so popular today is because manufacturers have found ways to reintroduce the product to the consumers by establishing it as the main party drink.

This month, a new kind of party will be introduced to keep up with party animals’ insatiable appetite to have fun. Apart from drinking spree, there are several popular ways to set up a great party like  incorporating fashion and music and inviting well-known personalities. And that’s what exactly San Mig Light Party All Night is all about.

The week that was

Carla Abellana

Everybody was surprised when at the final part of GMA’s trade show at the A. Venue Mall, a 20-year-old lass was introduced. What was interesting about this beautiful young model,who graduated from De La Salle University, is that she’s going to do the remake of Mexican telenovela, Rosalinda. Another fascinating fact: She is the daughter of 80’s heartthrob Rey ‘PJ’ Abellana.

Reports last year said that the project is specially prepared for Marian Rivera so the announcement came to be a big surprise. It actually made good impressions because it implies that GMA is keen to discovering new artists and eager to give equal opportunities to its stars. We hope it was the same thing they did with Zorro. They conducted an audition attended by newbies just to get known artist to play the lead roles.

TNS

Taylor Nelson Sofres is one of the world’s biggest market research and market information group. Like AGB Neilsen, TNS also specializes in broadcast media by providing ratings for television. As AGB being marred with controversies, more people, and media outfits are beginning to take notice of the service TNS provides.

If you are going to check television ratings in the internet, the source used to indicate AGB Neilsen, now, another table is being shown taken from a different source, which is the TNS.

What’s interesting about TNS is that it reflects the ratings provided by AGB Neilsen’s Nationwide Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) that covers 95% of urban areas in the country. Meaning, broadcast giant ABSCBN leads the ratings game among urban cities. There is only one question that we would like to raise: Do we now have more credible ratings or we are just given another chart that would later be questioned?

May Bukas Pa

The title itself simply entails hope and faith: hope that ABSCBN shows could still post higher ratings and faith for the audience that they could still watch wholesome programs on primetime TV.

May Bukas Pa debuts with an outstanding 26.4 percent viewership in Mega Manila. In a survey conducted by TNS, it leads the primetime raise with 36.9 percent rating.

Child actor Zaijan Jaranilla is definitely a treat to everyone for he doesn’t just get the attention of very young age group, grownups also take notice of this boy. Truly, hope and faith also come in small packages, literally.

Ang Babaeng Hinugot sa Aking Tadyang (ABHSAT)

Gone are the days when Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes tandem sees a 40 or 50 plus ratings in Greater Metro Manila area. Their first television appearance as onscreen couple was in phenomenal series Marimar, it generated a milestone rating for GMA network with 52.6 percent. Meanwhile, their second outing as a love team was seen on Dyesebel. The fantasy series premiered with 44.6 percent viewership.

As  Marian and Dingdong mark their third team-up, ABHSAT got a disappointing rating of 32.9 percent for its pilot episode and we can see a trend as their newest series showcases more intimate scenes which are not advised to be viewed by young audiences.

Queeriosity International Film Festival (QIFF)

Queer plus curiosity and you get queeriosity. But mind these people who are behind the first ever QIFF that their bold move to push sleazy gay films to a higher ground is such an absurd idea. It is a milestone for a very small market to come up with a festival if the films they have to offer are worth watching for, but looking at the lineup of films to be screened (aside from Jay and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros), we can’t help but just sigh while scratching our heads.

Instead of staging this festival, which is not really of international standard, why don’t they just channel their energies and money in creating sensible and exceptional gay films? Do we still have to say that these independent filmmakers have to learn from Gus Vant Sant who directed the gay milk Milk that is up for eight Oscar nods?

KC Concepcion

The country’s flag bearer on the campaign against hunger is usually absent whenever there’s an important event concerning the program. KC was appointed to be the face of UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in the country, but during the recent turnover of donation from a popular restaurant chain, the young actress was a no show. It was not the only time that Sharon Cuneta’s daughter didn’t appear on the event organized by the WFP.

It’s so funny that during the photo shoot of the promotional ads in Mindanao and another international event like the one held in Hong Kong , KC was able to show off her presence. She snubs small occasions and simply reasons out that she is confronted by tight schedule as if she’s the only person in the world who is busy.

Karylle finally finds her love

By NICKIE WANG/ Manila Standard Today

Last year, in the last three months particularly, Karylle was confronted with issues that put her at the center of attention. Who can forget the controversial smile that generated a lot of reactions from people who tried to ride on the bandwagon of her bittersweet moment?

Months after the much publicized breakup with longtime boyfriend Dingdong Dantes, Karylle revives and reinvents herself as an independent single lady. Well, she should thank Beyoncé’s song “Single Ladies” because it has been the mantra of her newfound image.

Endorsements, television series, movies, concerts, and albums, name it; she is becoming busier than ever. Indeed, she gets the sympathy of not just the public but of the entertainment industry as well. It’s just the upshot of what people see on her —a more determined artist.

Wearing a sangria colored dress, Karylle welcomed the press in an intimate launch at the Edsa Shangri-La on Jan. 28.

Looking stunning, she greeted everyone with a vibrant smile. Before the open forum started, she rendered a song entitled “Touch Me in the Morning” in a very engaging way, and just like what the song says, “We don’t have tomorrow but we had yesterday,” the 27-year-old singer-actress can now openly discuss her failed relationship without her going into a teary-eyed moment.

Karylle’s answers to the questions sounded more positive as if she has fully recovered from the heartbreaking experience. Although she claims that love is still there, and admits that Dingdong served as an inspiration to improve her craft, she could only hope that one day she could just brush it aside and laugh about the love affair she had with the actor.

“People have to hear it from your mouth, but it doesn’t stop there. Time will come that I could just talk about it, laugh about it, and there are no more tears,” Karylle said.

On Valentine’s Day, at the Lobby Lounge of the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Karylle will pour her heart out and express deep emotions singing songs that will make people fall in love in a concert entitled The Magic of Love. She will be backed up by the band Reasons that has been working with her for more than a year now.

“I always feel that I have so much love to give, there’s a lot of love inside of me and I think it’s inherent among people. Instead of giving it to just one person, as an artist it’s good that you can share your love with your audience. That’s what I love about music, it’s one way to release all these love,” she explains on how to reconcile the title of her concert and her status as a single.

Moving on

As a woman and a determined artist who hurdles such tough moment in her life, she finds refuge in the people surrounding her. Her passion in music, meanwhile, serves as another outlet in which she can unleash all the emotions that she has been suppressing of late.

“There’s a certain connection that I feel now with my audience. People give me smiles or words of assurance or support. I see it in their eyes. They actually say certain things to me that help me at this time in my life,” Karylle related.

She reveals that Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret has helped her in realizing things that are happening in her life right now. The book gave her certain amount of optimism and taught her how to tap positive energies that could help keep her composure in the middle of difficult situations now that she is in the moving-on phase.

Finding another love is currently not her priority, “Besides nobody is courting me right now,” she says. There are men who flank her but most of them have stated their intentions and according to Karylle these are clear.

“A lot of people are befriending me. These people have clear intentions even the ones who are being linked to me right now,” she reveals pertaining to Jericho Rosales and Christian Bautista.

Karylle doesn’t mind being loveless. She mentions that she feels good that there are women and other friends who call her and send her text messages saying that they are singles, too.

“These are people who are not really close to me but we find time to bond with each other. I think somehow, it’s a good time to be single now that it is no longer a taboo word, not like, ‘Ay ang kawawa mo naman.’ I think we try to look at it on the positive side,” she says while throwing a beautiful smile.

Karylle’s Feb. 14 concert at the Edsa Shangri-La begins with a dinner at 7 p.m., the performance is at 8 p.m. For reservations to the romantic evening concert, call Edsa Shangri-La Hotel at 633-8888 local 2777.

The year that was

By Billy Bong

We posted this entry with the knowledge that 2008 is really over and that 2009 will be another year of ups and downs in the world of showbiz.

There are guaranteed facts in showbiz. People will rise, get famous and fade. Some of them might stay on top for a longer time but the cycle is irreversible. Top rating television series will become the past, box office records will be wiped out by a much better movie that will make cinematic history, stars will get married (Raymond Bagatsing married a sexagenarian), some will get pregnant (Angelika dela Cruz) but will not tie the knot (Vina Morales and Nancy Jane), more actors will undress for a magazine and for an indie flick (too many to mention), take drugs and go to the rehab (hard to mention), and some will breakthrough and glint in the limelight for a short moment.

The year 2008 was truly a cacophony of smiles and teardrops, and of victories and defeats. The ugly distortion of imitation of life in the world of entertainment however, defines what had happened in the year of hypes and intrigues.

Television

People witnessed sad goodbyes from Rudy Fernandez and Marky Cielo, but there were more intriguing and groundbreaking news that stirred local showbiz.

Marian Rivera

Angel Locsin already had her years as the primetime queen but O-eight was definitely the year of Marian Rivera. Before the meaningful smile of Karylle, who made a controversial station loyalty shift, Marian made waves (literally) by wearing the mythical tale of Dyesebel. It’s not just the most watched series, it’s even one of the shows on TV that resonated with great audience recall, and we are giving the consolation to Dyosa.

The hype of Marian even forced GMA Network and ABS CBN to saturate their programs with fantasy series. This could probably the reason why many Filipinos are contented with just dreaming in the broad day light because they are being bombarded by fictional images that did not even mobilize them to combat mediocrity.

As 2009 is being ushered by new a bevy of programs from the country’s giant television networks, the clamor for intelligent, appealing, and quality programs rises. They should do away with fantasy series, they must also stop reviving old movies and creating serialized versions, and most of all, as we draw 2009 with a safe knowledge that Kapuso and Kapamilya networks will showcase more localized versions of foreign television dramas, they should also think that network war also means battle for excellence and not just with who-makes-a-crappy program thing.

There are more competitions outside the country just like the Asian Television Awards. Rival networks must contemplate why they don’t get more awards from foreign award giving bodies. It’s obvious and we don’t have to rub it on the faces of the head honchos of these television networks; they are more consumed with raking huge profits rather than providing their viewers with top quality programs.

Movies

If many people thought that Marian Rivera is currently the hottest item in the world of Philippine entertainment, they should also check the statistics and not just the Neilsen’s ratings. One True Love, the film that also starred E! Entertainment 3rd Sexiest Man Alive Dingdong Dantes, was not able to secure a spot in the 2008 top-grossing local films.

Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd starrers in A Very Special Love under Star Cinema and Viva Films made history by raking P180 million in the box office. It’s only some millions behind all-time top-grosser Sukob.

It is still a year for Star Cinema because it had produced three movies that broke the 100 million peso mark. Sharon Cuneta’s Caregiver earned P139 million while her daughter’s launching film with Richard Gutierrez For the First Time posted P134 million gross at the box office.

While some of the films earned big, there were some that suffered big losses and failed to run for weeks at the movie houses. The country’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film of the 81st Academy Awards Ploning, APT Films’ animated film Urduja, and Viva Film’s sexy flick Torotot, were among the big flops in 2008.

In 2007, fifty movies were exhibited in commercial theaters. Truly, gone are the days when the Philippines was the world’s fourth largest movie producer. The local industry produced almost a hundred films in 1999, but due to crisis and other factors, production has decreased over the years.

Including the eight entries in the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival, Philippine Cinema has produced more or less forty films in 2008, and that also includes digital or independent films.

The number of independent movies has risen due to the advent of easy on the pocket video cameras, and to the eagerness of some novice filmmakers to make it in the mainstream. Whether people would agree or not, indies are not the salvation of deteriorating local movie industry. A total halt of independent film production however is not a suggestion because it’s still a good training ground to other artists, but people behind indies must also consider or should welcome the fact that indies don’t have an audience except some college students and gays who crave for sleazy flicks.

Independent filmmaking however is not the only source of rubbish flicks; we have seen all the film entries at the recently concluded 34th MMFF, and we will say this with conviction: Philippine movie industry is hopeless! Yes, Baler is one of the best local films we’ve seen in years, Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat put the Escalera brothers to their proper place, and Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elemtalia gave us a glimpse of what the future holds for Philippine animation, but the rest of the movies part of the film fest mirror how the quality of our movies has declined dramatically.

Music

Hate us or love us but we’re going to mention Marian Rivera for the nth time. Yes she released a dance album, and mind you people, the CD went platinum. Her compilation of dance remixes can be now part of the league of 2008 multi-platinum achievers like Sarah Geronimo, KC Concepcion, Sitti, Nina, Claire dela Fuente and Sharon Cuneta.

If Dingdong Dantes released an album we’re not sure if the album would fit the line-up that includes Spongecola, Bamboo, Martin Nievera, Jed Madela and Gary Valenciano. Novelties that are created for mass consumption proved that Willie Revillame was successful in his task to glamorize poverty on his show Wowowee because his album also went platinum.

Charice who dropped her surname Pempengco is still has to prove that she is not just an overnight YouTube sensation and a mascot during David Foster’s appearance on American shows. Her popularity must be translated to album sales first before we could adore her big voice that became her ticket to instant popularity.

When we talk about local music, Regine Velasquez must be present because she is the queen of the shouting sirens. Her album Low Key, an apt title because she can no longer belt high notes, turned gold after three days of release (current sales unknown). Her formula of doing covers still works but for the rest, we really don’t know.

As we beg music artists to stop doing revivals because they are just horrible distortion of classic music, we also ask them to produce masterpieces that could be instant classic. What contemporary song has become iconic and anthemic since the release of Pagdating ng Panahon, Noypi, and Hawak Kamay?

Since local artists failed to produce better music in 2008, we have seen foreign acts that answered why they sell better than our homegrown talents. International artists like Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Rihanna, The Click Five, James Blunt, and Avril Lavigne among many others, proved that raw music talent is not enough to make it big, technology is also an essential part of creating music that appeals to this generation of local music aficionados.

Yes, Filipino fans favor foreign acts that don’t do covers during their concerts, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that locals are eager to watch one-hit wonder foreign musicians who became famous decades ago and found their way here in the country to earn money because nobody talks about them in their country of origin.

New Year

Year 2008 was the year of many sorts and we can’t help but think that O-nine will nothing much of a difference. Maybe, many actors will still be haunted by controversies, another name will rise into superstardom, and Manny Pacquiao will have a new show and will be extra richer.

We bet, another actor will show some flesh in an indie movie, and another actress will wear nothing but her skin on a magazine cover, and another musician will bring back the old playlist.

Our energy shows no signs of slowing down and to kickoff 2009 with optimism and a prayer that everything would just turn out right, let’s call this year as the year after the hype of Marian Rivera or “the hype continues.”

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Philippines

By NICKIE WANG/ Manila Standard Today

The first-ever Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards Philippines was definitely a tweens affair.

Thousands of kids flocked to the Aliw Theater on Nov. 29 to see their favorite stars walk on the orange carpet and get slimed on stage in an event made brisker and enjoyable by the quick-witted host Michael V.

The personalities, mostly grownups, thought they were “in,” also somehow “out,” based on the perspective of the younger generation. Kids have their own preferences and it was undeniably evident when the winners at the orange event were announced.

Marimar fever had the kids hooked before the boob tube. It was voted Favorite TV Show with Dingdong Dantes winning over other male stars like John Lloyd Cruz, Gerald Anderson, Piolo Pascual, and Richard Gutierrez as Favorite TV Actor. Other nominees for Favorite TV Show were Bubble Gang, Goin’ Bulilit, The Singing Bee, and Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan.

Kim Chiu probably has the charisma that makes young girls adore her and young boys giggle whenever her face appears on the TV screen. She received the orange blimp for the Favorite Actress category beating other television darlings like Angel Locsin, Iza Calzado, Marian Rivera, and Sarah Geronimo.

Christian Bautista won Favorite Musical Act besting nominees Gary Valenciano, Parokya ni Edgar, Sandwich, and Yeng Constantino.

If the oldies thought Manny Pacquiao was hot among the teens, they’re definitely wrong for Ateneo cager Chris Tiu was favored over the “Pamabansang Kamao” to win Favorite Athlete. Other nominees for the same category were cue master Efren “Bata” Reyes, two-time Olympian Miguel Molina, and taekwondo athlete Japoy Lizardo.

SpongeBob SquarePants remained the most popular cartoon show among kids. It was voted Favorite Cartoon Program. Other nominees were Avatar, The Legend of Aang, Ben 10, Dora The Explorer, and Tom & Jerry.

Just like its original version, the local Nick Awards also gives honor to a celebrity idolized by most kids. The orange blimp for the Pinoy Wannabe went to KC Concepcion. She was voted among nominees like Charice, Lea Salonga, Marc Nelson, and Vhong Navarro.

Chin-Chin Gutierrez, who was featured in 2004 Time Asia as one of the Asian Heroes for her exceptional environmental advocacies, was given the special award The Big Green Help Award.

Who got slimed?

In the US version of the popular orange award show, one or more celebrities get to be slimed on stage or offstage without them knowing it beforehand. It is one of the most anticipated parts of the show. Normally, the host gets to be slimed at the end of the program and another celebrity during the course of the event.

Although it was pretty obvious that Michael V. rehearsed the act of getting slimed, his effort paid off for the kids did enjoy seeing him partly covered with the green glop.

KC Concepcion, who got one of the loudest screams from the tweens, got slimed right at the center of the stage while bidding goodbye at the young audience.

The live show was interesting and the transition of segments was flawlessly delivered that even older folks won’t feel being tricked. It’s also good to mention that celebrity presenters like Miriam Quiambao, Marc Nelson, Rufa Mae Quinto, Paolo Bediones, Regine Velasquez, and director Joey Reyes did outstanding performances making the first-ever Nickelodeon KCA Philippines truly at par with international Nick Awards staged in the US, Australia, and Britain.

Since its inception in the US, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards has been a venue that gives younger television viewers a chance to vote for their favorites in music, movies, sports, television, books, and more. In the Philippines, Nick reaches over 1 million households via cable 24/7. It also has a five-hour terrestrial block on free-to-air channel TV5.