Surprising breakups

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

ASIDE from Jolina Magdangal-Bebong Muñoz and Beth Tamayo-Johnny Wong, two more couples are said to have broken up at the start of 2009. These are Aleck Bovick and Carlo Maceda and Assunta de Rossi and husband Jules Ledesma.

Friends of Aleck and Carlo, who have a son, were surprised about their breakup since they were together at the preview of "Sisa," which Carlo co-produced and where Aleck Bovick appears as Donya Consolacion. Is it true Carlo, a former Mossimo bikini winner, got tired of Aleck's Donya Buding figure? Aleck got fat when she was pregnant and was never able to shed off the excess pounds she got since then. "E, ano naman ang ipagrereklamo ni Carlo doon?" says one Aleck defender. "Tumaba rin naman siya at hindi na hunky, a. "

As for Assunta and Jules, is it true Assunta got tired of her hubby's controlling and domineering ways as he treats her like a child? One party who can shed light on this is Assunta's sister, Alessandra. But Alex is currently vacationing with their parents in Italy so no one can interview her yet. But knowing her, we won't be surprised if her first reaction would be: "I've always known it would happen. "

Like what we've said, the Dr. Vicki-Hayden imbroglio has not really ended. The newest development is that Hayden also had an affair with one of Dr. Vicki's employees named Princess and the crime happened right at the Belo Medical Office in Medical Plaza Bldg. , Makati. It's said that Princess is one of the girls seen by Dr. Vicki on the video in the laptop of Hayden who admits someone entered his condo unit and stole all his journals and hard drives.

What's worse is that it was Dr. Vicki herself who gave the key to the unit and Hayden feels the one who did it is no less than a good friend of his at that. Well, Hayden must really be irresistible since girls like Princess and Katrina Halili went on to have an affair with him even if it's already public knowledge that he is owned by Dr. Vicki, who just happens to be their employer. Moral of the story: don't leave any evidence of your indiscretions lying around. Hayden must admit that his undoing is the fact that that he's not only unfaithful but was also so careless.

TRUTH AND LIES

THE five hosts of "Showbiz Central" took the digital lie detector test in the Don't Lie to Me segment of and the answers of the three male hosts (Raymond Gutierrez, John Lapus, DJ Mo) were all truths while those of female hosts (Pia Guanio, Rufa Mae Quinto) were both lies. The question to John Lapus (a Calayan endorser for two years now): May kinalaman ba si Boy Abunda kaya hindi ka nakasama sa bagong billboard ng Calayan endorsers? He said yes, and it's because the company handling the ads is owned by Boy and Kris Aquino, both with ABS-CBN. "Feeling ko, baka kapag isinama pa si John Lapus, dalawa na kaming bakla dun," he adds, since Boy is also in the ad.

The question to Raymond is: Is he jealous with the success of twin brother Richard? (There are so many more controversial questions they can ask to Raymond and this is what they asked?) Of course Raymond says no and it's true, which is easy to guess since they have different careers. Richard being an actor and he being a host.

The question to Pia is: Will she consider doing a nude pictorial for Vic Sotto? She said no and it's a lie.

For Rufa Mae, the question is: Were you ever on with Billy Crawford? She said no and it's also a lie.

For DJ Mo, the question is: Does Hayden Kho really have a video? He said yes and it's true. But the question is vague since it's not specific that what they're asking is about a sex video. They just said video and Mo could claim later that the video he's referring to just shows Hayden in any of his travels abroad.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GMA AND ABS-CBN

WHEN it comes to the boob tube, GMA-7 seems to know more about the right formula in enticing masa viewers so they lord it in the ratings. But when it comes to the big screen, ABS-CBN's Star Cinema is obviously more astute in choosing the right projects that will hit it big at the box office. This is evident in the box-office chart of top earning films in 2008 as registered in Box Office Mojo.

The number one post is held by Star Cinema's "A Very Special Love" starring John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo, earning P180 million. Next is Star Cinema's "Caregiver" with Sharon Cuneta earning P140 million, followed by Star Cinema's "For the First Time" starring Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion earning P133 million. In the fourth slot, GMA Films finally makes its presence felt with "My Best Friend's Girlfriend" starring Richard and Marian Rivera earning P101 million. No. 5 is the Dolphy-Vic Sotto starrer, "Dobol Trobol" earning P90 million. Then it goes back to Star Cinema with "When Love Begins" starring Aga Muhlach and Anne Curtis earning P89. 5 million.

Regal Entertainment gets the 7th slot with the horror flick "Maingat Ka sa Kulam" starring Judy Ann Santos earning P85. 5. million. No. 8, 9 and 10 go to Star Cinema again with "My Only U" starring Vhong Navarro and Toni Gonzaga earning P78 million, "My Big Love" starring Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby with P70 million, and Vhong Navarro's "Supahpapalicious" earning P67 million. "

As you can see, seven movies in the top 10 are all produced by Star Cinema: "Very Special Love," "Caregiver," "For the First Time," "When Love Begins," "My Only U," "My Big Love" and "Supahpapalicious".

Only four films went beyond P100 million: "Very Special Love," "Caregiver," "For the First Time" and "My Best Friend's Girlfriend. " The last two films star Richard Gutierrez. It's also obvious that the favorite film genre of local moviegoers is the romantic comedy. Only one serious drama made it to the list, "Caregiver. "

On the 11th position is GMA Films-Regal co-production, "One True Love," starring Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera earning P62. 5 million. Take note that Marian's movie with Richard Gutierrez earned so much more than her movie with her perennial TV partner, Dingdong. The next two slots belong to Regal, with two comedies: "Manay Po 2: Overload" at no. 12 earning P30 million and "My Monster Mom," at 12 earning P29. 2 million.

But with the recently concluded Metro Manila filmfest, for sure, the listings will change since "Tanging Ina" has also hit the P100-million mark. Other top earners "Iskul Bukol," "Shake Rattle & Roll X" and "Desperadas 2" have also surpassed the earnings of the movies in the list above. Still, it's Star Cinema again who emerged topgrosser in the filmfest with its entry, "Tanging Ina. "

One showbiz observer says the reason why Star Cinema lords it over the rest is that they get a lot of free trailer plugs on the shows of ABS-CBN. This might be true. But more than that, it's the product that speaks for itself and Star really knows how to whet the local viewers appetite. Now, if they could also transfer that kind of expertise to their TV shows.
'THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON': SPELLBINDING STORY, REMARKABLE TECHNOLOGY

THE story of a man who is born old then ages backwards is more suited for a science fiction movie. But in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Director David Fincher has fashioned a haunting romantic drama inspired by a story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald ("The Great Gatsby") in 1922. Fincher just got the main idea then came out with something totally different with what the original author has in mind.

The film opens in August 2005 just as the disastrous Hurricane Katrina is going on rampage New Orleans, Louisiana. A woman named Daisy (Cate Blanchett), 80 years old, is dying on her hospital bed with her daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond) beside her. She asks Caroline to read to her the diary of one Benjamin Button, whose own life is intertwined with that of Daisy.

Daisy is shown every now and then supplying the missing parts of the story that starts with a blind clockmaker, Monsieur Gateau (Elias Koteas), who makes a huge clock for the New Orleans train station in 1918. The clock runs backward, intentionally made so by Gateau to bring back his son and other soldiers who died in World War I. Benjamin is born on that time. He's only a tiny baby but already looks an old man. His mom dies after giving birth to him while his father, Thomas (Jason Flemyng), leaves him on the steps of a nursing home after seeing his hideous Gollum-like appearance.

He is found by a black girl, Queenie (Taraji Henson), who takes good care of him even if he looks like a freak. By the time he's seven years old, he looks more like a doddering old man of 80. But with each year, he becomes younger and younger. He is 13 when he first meets a young girl named Daisy who is visiting her grandmother in the nursing home. She becomes his one true love. It will take so many years before they will see each other again. As Daisy grows older, he grows younger until their ages meet and their love affair is consummated.

The story can be divided into three parts. The first one shows Benjamin's childhood where an old woman teaches him to play the piano and he hears various stories from the nursing home residents. A friend of Queenie's lover takes him out of the nursing home for the first time then abandons him and he looks for his way to return home.

The next segment revolves around the Second World War when Benjamin serves in the tugboat of Captain Mike (Jared Harris) who teaches him how to drink and introduces him to women through a prostitute. At the brothel, he meets Thomas, now a rich man, who befriends him but doesn't tell him he's his dad. He later has a relationship in Russia with a woman, Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), wife of a British spy. He survives a U-boat attack in the Atlantic and returns home looking younger and more robust than when he left.

The third part shows the hero in his middle age when he realizes that happiness in life involves some sacrifices. He meets Daisy again as a ballet dancer in New York who's already involved with another guy. Daisy has an accident in Paris and becomes unable to dance. When he visits her in the hospital and she sees him as someone of her own age, she blurts out: "You're perfect!" But she drives him away and he returns to New Orleans only to meet again years later when their romance finally blossoms in full.

The film's director, David Fincher, is the same one who gave us such violent outings as "Fight Club" and "Seven" (both also starring Brad Pitt) and "Zodiac. " This dreamy work that offers spellbinding storytelling is definitely different from his past movies. It has a quiet power that absorbs you from the start up to the very moving ending. If you feel that it has a certain Forrest Gumpish quality to it, don't be surprised as it's also written by the Forrest Gump screenwriter, Eric Roth. They did well in setting the story in New Orleans, an old city that has a magical air that has changed after Katrina. The city itself is a good example of what we think is the film's main theme that nothing lasts forever and the only thing constant in life is change whether we like it or not. This is illustrated in that montage of incidents that's like a series of ripples leading to the accident that crushed Daisy's leg.

An awesome thing in the movie is the special make up used on both Brad and Cate to make them age, particularly when Benjamin is still very young, with a boy's body but with a large head that has Brad's face. The makeup looks so real! Also a remarkable achievement is the use of computer technology to make them look so young in the scenes where they're supposed to be in their teens or early 20s, erasing all lines and imperfections on their faces. Brad looks like his first screen appearance in "Thelma & Louise. "

Acting-wise, though, it's Cate's role as Daisy that is more demanding. As Benjamin, nothing much is required from Brad except to look cool, gentle, tolerant and radiant. Daisy is much more volatile and vibrant and Cate gives an utterly believable spirited performance even in the scenes where she dances ballet (the "Carousel" sequence is superb) and in the scenes where she sulks after her injury. The final scenes showing Daisy looking older and older while taking care of Benjamin who gets younger and younger, that deliberatlely avoid mawkish sentimentality, also belong to Cate.

Honestly, though, although they're both individually good, there's not really much passionate chemistry between Brad and Cate on screen. Giving great support is Taraji Henson as the warmhearted Queenie, who's the most lovable character in the movie. The final scene showing the waters of Katrina as it floods the room where the old clock has been stored is quite inspired, also the appearance of a hummingbird in the most unlikely places to symbolize hope, something like the swirling lead in "Forrest Gump. " The splendid cinematography by Claudio Miranda , the lavish production design, plus the magnificent score of Alexandre Desplat all deserve special mention. Benjamin's journey from old age to infancy is movie magic at its best and we'd want to have a second viewing.

Source: People's Journal