Related Celebrities

Sunshine rumesbak kay Angelu

Column: Freehand
Author: Mario E. Bautista

SUNSHINE Dizon shrugs off the rumor that she's now managed by Becky Aguila of Angel Locsin and is also moving to ABS-CBN. “I don't know kung saan galing 'yan when I just signed up a two-year exclusive contract with GMA-7,” she says. “My manager remains to be my mom (Dorothy Laforteza. ) Bakit naman ako aalis pa sa GMA when I'm happy with the shows they're giving me?”

The GMA management is also happy with Sunshine as her two title-rolers, “Bakekang” and “Impostora,” are both topraters on primetime. This early, a new solo drama series is being prepared for her and taping starts in mid-October. But first, she'll have a much-deserved vacation in Boracay.

What can she say about Angelu de Leon's revelation that she's the girlfriend of Jojo Manlongat? “I'm not affected kasi hindi naman kami close. Kung gusto niyang mambuking, 'di mambuking siya nang mambuking. We're not friends, so walang isyu dun. Basta as of now, I'm happy with my life. ”

WHY STILL WORK, AYEN?
AYEN Munji just signed up a management contract under GMA Artist Center. Everyone knows she's rich and doesn't have to work anymore. So how come she's now like some newcomer who's starting with GMA-7?

“That's true, a lot of friends ask me: Do you still need to work?” she says. “But you know, that's a misconception. Even if you have the means, that doesn't mean you can just remain idle. In my case, I'm an artist, I have this passion for music and acting na kailangang mabigyan ko ng outlet. Isa pa, my kids are bigger now. My eldest is 16 and the youngest is 5. But even if I'd be busy with work, my family remains to be my priority. It's GMA's SVP Wilma Galvante who asked me if I'd like to sign up with them. Nagkita kasi kami when I was a juror sa 'Pop Star Kids'. Ako naman, I welcome the opportunity of working with them. I'm really excited kasi ang babait nila sa GMA, both the staffers and the artists. ”

If she'd be given a choice, what kind of show would she like to do? “I'm hoping masali sana ko sa 'SOP' kasi nandoon ang lahat ng singers. Also, I've worked with Ogie Alcasid, Regine and Jaya before kaya kilala na nila ako. I'm also open to hosting a lifestyle show or a 'Wish Ko Lang' kind of show where I can help people. As of now, they've not given me a regular show yet. I'm doing the rounds of guestings in their various shows. I guested in 'Moms' and in 'All Star K', na ninerbiyos ako nang husto. I'm also open to acting. They asked me if I could do character roles and I said I'm really more of a character actress kasi that's how I was trained in the theatre. Okay sa'kin ang mother roles kasi may anak na naman akong teenager. Puwede rin akong magkontrabida at ready ako sa magdamagang taping. ”

Ayen is the daughter of noted musical director Emy Munji and wife of singer Franco Laurel. She has released two albums. The first one, “Ayen,” in 2002, with the song “Bawat Gabi” winning for her the Outstanding Performer for Music Video in the 16th Awit Awards. She was also nominated as Best New Favorite Artist in MTV Pilipinas Awards and Best Solo Performance in Bars and Restaurants in the Aliw Awards. Her next album, “Thankful,” was released in 2004 and spawned the hit tune “Kailan Nga Ba. ” She also produced the acclaimed musical, “Rama at Sita”, and acted in various musicals like “Florante at Laura”, “Grease” and “Once on This Island. ”

PUBLIC INTEREST IN KC HEIGHTENS
KC CONCEPCION was introduced in “The Buzz” as “ang bagong prinsesa” ng Kapamilya Station. Just a few weeks ago, it was Angel on whom so much attention was lavished. Now, the spotlight was suddenly transferred to KC when Angel has yet to have her own regular show in her new home.

Right now, Angel is just guesting in various shows, like “ASAP,” “The Buzz” and even the children's show, “Going Bulilit. ” And she's not helping them rate higher, mind you. Seriously, this does not augur well for her, especially now that KC won the admiration of so many jaded press people after her presscon. She really has such a winning personality, after all, what with her being not only extremely pretty but also articulate and sharp. Her mom Sharon Cuneta surely deserves praise for bringing her up so well.

About KC's TV special, “From Paris to Pinas,” we don't know why ABS scheduled this on a Sunday at such late an hour, 10:30 p. m. , when a lot of people would prefer to sleep early after a tiring weekend as they prepare for work the next day. The public interest in KC is at an all time high and if they'd show her special on primetime, we have the feeling it will rate even higher.

A PIONEERING FILM PROJECT
RAHYAN Carlos is an ambitious young writer-director who did the hit horror film, “Pamahiin,” the first episode of “Shake, Rattle & Roll 8,” and the forthcoming “Hide and Seek” for Regal. He now comes up with a unique film, “Pitong Tagpo,” consisting of seven short digital films about 18 to 20 minutes long each, all shot in real time and done in one long take (tuhog) with no cuts at all, photographed by acclaimed cinematographers Romy Vitug and Jun Aves.

“I want to do something totally different, a movie Filipinos can be proud of and gain critical success even in the international market,” he says of his pioneering attempt. “'Pitong Tagpo' is about seven journeys, seven lives, seven struggles, seven decisions, all shown in one long drawn out take. This is something really daring as I have yet to hear of any filmmaker who has done a single take that goes on for 20 minutes. But more than the ground-breaking attempt at technique, the more important aspects here are the values and insights we try to impart to the viewers about the challenges one has to face in life and relationships. For this, I like to thank our producers, Creative Futures Inc. , for their progressive vision in bankrolling this revolutionary film. ”

The first story is “Suka,” about a grandma who tells her granddaughter about what giving yourself to the man you love means. “Wedding Ring” deals with the skeletons in the closet of a married couple. “Dad” is about a family grappling with emotional traumas from the past. “Star City” is the May-December affair of a young man with a woman twice his age. “Ninoy” concerns the relationship of a waiter and a streetkid who mature in life in the school of hard knocks. “Mariel” is about a single mom's personal experiences about life and faith. “Toga” is about a father, an overseas worker, who tries to make amends for his long absence to his daughter who's now about to graduate.

The impressive powerhouse cast combines formidable talents from both film and theatre: Diether Ocampo, Cherry Pie Picache, Bembol Roco, Karylle, Vangie Labalan, LJ Reyes, Robert Sena, Vaness del Moral, Isay Alvarez, Maybelyn de la Cruz, Coco Martin,Sheena Halili, Richie Macapagal, Jake Macapagal, Crispin Pineda, Jenny Jamora and child stars Krystal of “Mga Mata ni Anghelita” and Steven Fermo of “Goin' Bulilit”. “Pitong Tagpo” premieres at the Centerstage of SM Mall of Asia on October 1 and will have screenings on October 12 at SM Megamall and October 27 at SM North Edsa. Don't miss it.

'LASTIKMAN' VS 'ZAIDO'
THIS coming Monday, two new shows, both telefantasyas, are premiering: “Zaido, Pulis Pangkalawakan” on GMA-7 and “Lastikman” on ABS-CBN. We've seen the trailers of both shows and they're similarly impressive. The pilot of “Lastikman” is megged by Chito Roño and it's set in a distant planet. It shows how Lastikman (Vhong Navarro) is born to Dawn Zulueta (a human) and Tonton Gutierrez (an alien from outer space). The lavish production design will remind you of the “Star Wars” flicks.

Dennis Trillo and Iwa Moto are both in the cast of “Zaido. ” This is their second show together as they're also in the toprated afternoon Sine Novela, “Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap,” where they play illicit lovers. This means Dennis and Iwa can now be seen twice a day from Monday to Friday. They're in “Kung Mahawi” at 3:30 p. m. in Dramarama sa Hapon and in “Zaido” on primetime in GMA Telebabad.
One of the attractions of “Zaido” is the splendid costumes of many characters. Designers Noel Flores and Bill Gustilo made sure the three Metal Heroes (Dennis Trillo as Gallian the Blue Zaido, Aljur Abrenica as Cervano the Red Zaido, and Marky Cielo as Alexis the Green Zaido) have colorful futuristic costumes that will be attractive to kids and will rival those of the original “Shaider,” “Star Trek,” and “Power Rangers. ” Redgynn Alba, the show's program manager, said they made various modifications from the original “Shaider,” the rights of which they acquired from Toei Company.

“We can't use 'Shaider' but we can allude to it,” she adds. “We used many of the characters in the original but changed their names, to indicate this is the fourth installment in the 'Shaider' series. ”

JOSHUA: SILENTLY SCARY
THOSE who are familiar with the play “The Bad Seed,” turned into a black and white movie in the 50's starring Patty McCormack, will be able to relate with “Joshua,” a thriller about a very intelligent but sociopathic boy who is manipulating his family.

Joshua is a boy genius and piano prodigy. His father, Brad Cairn (Sam Rockwell of “The Green Mile”), tells nine-year old Joshua (Jacob Kogan): “I will always love you, no matter what. ” This love will be tested when Joshua's baby sister is born, Lilly, a good-natured girl. Joshua feels he's being ignored and, soon, Lilly becomes irritable and keeps on crying, no longer the bundle of joy that she is supposed to be. Because of this, their mom, Abby (Vera Farmiga of “The Departed”), feels so harrassed and develops post-partum depression. This does not come as a surprise since Abby also had a serious bout with post-partum depression after Joshua was born.

Brad, a stock analyst, has to be more active at home as Abby becomes more and more useless in raising their kids and life in their upscale Manhattan apartment turns into a nightmare.

You wonder why Brad fails to notice his son's worsening bizarre behavior, like when Joshua throws up in front of some guests when Lilly gets more attention and when he loses consciousness during a piano recital.

Joshua is indeed precociously different from other kids. As a pianist, he prefers atonal music to playing nursery rhyme tunes like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for his adoring grandparents (Celia Weston and Tom Bloom) and his uncle (Dallas Roberts), a gay songwriter.

Joshua is quiet and bookish. Instead of being interested in sports and soccer like his dad, he starts obsessing about death, intrigued by Egyptian mummies and wondering why they are embalmed.

As Joshua acts more creepily and mysteriously, the movie presents some scary possibilities. Is his mom just losing her sanity and imagining things? Could their apartment be haunted by some evil spirits? Or could it be that the seemingly well behaved Joshua is actually a psychopath in the making?

Writer-Director George Ratliff tries to present the situations realistically. It could be that the baby keeps on crying because she's not getting enough milk, or she might be having a bout with colic (kabag) or she's having a negative reaction to her immunization vaccines. Abby, the mom, could also just be suffering from sleep-deprivation and Joshua himself is just experiencing sibling rivalry.

The atmosphere in their apartment becomes increasingly sinister. Ratliff does not cheapen their attempts at frightening viewers since most of the evil instances happen off screen. There's also nothing supernatural, just strange occurrences like the pet dog being a target and a stuffed animal being destroyed. Even some human characters don't fare too well and there's a palpable feeling that something is wrong inside this residence.

Things work in this movie because the acting is well above average. Farmiga gives an engrossing performance in what could have been a one-note character. Rockwell has this menacing look in his eyes that makes you feel that he's also about to lose control. Child actor Jacob Kogan is effective because he doesn't overact and does not project pure evil. For instance, he looks quite innocent as he re-enacts Egyptian burial rites on his toys, which makes him even more scary as you'd never suspect he's a not-too-distant cousin of Damien in “The Omen”, but without the triple 6 engraved on his head.

After watching this movie, we won't be surprised if you'd have second thoughts about having your own kids. What if they turn into a little fiend like Joshua?

Source: People's Journal