You must have heard of Wolfgang’s December 10 Black Christmas Project concert at Eastwood by now. It’s true—the iconic, hard-hitting, powerhouse band of the 90s is making a comeback. To attest to that, they’ve actually released two new singles to date: Ibrahim and Soap. Come this Friday, a third one, John of the Cross, will be played for the first time in RJ Underground Radio, and we’re feeling there are more to follow as the concert day draws nearer. Meanwhile, the band’s asking for some help with their setlist. The following songs are currently the most requested. And you, what do you want to hear from them?

Halik ni Hudas

Mata ng Diyos

Anino

Arise

Roadworthy Man

After the local premiere of the new Bond installment November 5 last week, we Pinoys just can’t help but spoof it. We don’t really dig what the title Quantum of Solace means but, like our friend Ico, we do watch our Sunday gossip show. We loved our Dolphy, Tony Ferrer, and Vhong Navarro too! Also, Weng Weng!

Pinoy Comedy King Dolphy as Agent Dolpinger (1965)

Tony Ferrer as Tony Falcon in Sabotage 2 (late 70’s)

Vhong Navarro as Agent X44 performing Chickboy (2007).

And the best ever: Weng Weng as Agent 00 in For Y’ur Height Only (1981)

While Rico Blanco has released the official music video for his new single “Yugto” post-Rivermaya and post-Human designer gig, director Quark Henares leaked an earlier version of the music video which Blanco supposedly didn’t like. Made by Quark’s former students, the official video isn’t bad either, but fans are disappointed that Blanco rejected the awesometastic Quark cut. Then what’s wrong? Quark is quoted as saying:

This is my third [music video] with him after ‘Balisong’ and ‘A Love to Share’, and even in those, lagi siyang may reklamo. I never had a problem with other artists I’ve directed.  I just did a music video with Ely Buendia and there’s no complain[t] at all. I really didn’t want to do ‘Yugto’ and I told him baka magkaproblema na naman, but he even told me ‘Bahala ka na’.

You know, directing music videos now is something you do just for the love of it kasi madalas, abonado ka pa dahil paliit nang paliit ang budgets. So after this one with him, ayoko na munang gumawa ng music video. It’s not worth it.

The music actually sounds great, but one can’t help wondering why Blanco didn’t like the initial version of the video which is more stylized and looks quite attuned with the track—the strings and horns aren’t left to the imagination, the eastern sounds are accompanied with ancient folk images. Whatever happened?

When Yoyoy Villame, the king of Pinoy novelty songs, died May last year, his daughter wasn’t even sure if she could take her father’s remains back to his hometown in Bohol due to money problem. After recording more than 40 albums, engraving the date of Magellan’s discovery of the Philippines on everyone’s forehead, waking up a generation of radio listeners with Mag-exercise Tayo Tuwing Umaga, penning the gibberish but unforgettable Butsekik, he died not so different from during his early days as the Visayan troubadour. He may not have been recognized as a National Artist (yet?), but you can pay tribute to him by seeing his last movie at the UP Film Center this November. He acts as a one-man Greek chorus in Mario O’Hara’s Babae sa Breakwater which, in the rank of Lino Brocka, was exhibited in Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight in 2004. As lawyer-critic Francis Cruz puts it,

This tragic tale is alleviated by the ditties of Villame, providing a biting sense of irony to the plot and an accurate summary of the unpredictability, the chaotic colors, and the dizzying bevy of emotions that surround Manila life.

Sounds great, huh? No need for a Hayop na Combo to promote that.

Screening schedule:
November 17 (2PM, 5PM, 7PM)
November 18 (2PM, 5PM)
November 19 (2PM, 5PM)

]]> http://philippineentertainmentnews.com/2008/11/yoyoy-villames-last-performance-in-babae-sa-breakwater-at-up-film-center/feed/ http://philippineentertainmentnews.com/2008/11/dr-vicki-belo-thinks-sexy-sells/ http://philippineentertainmentnews.com/2008/11/dr-vicki-belo-thinks-sexy-sells/#comments Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:03:04 +0000 PEN.com http://philippineentertainmentnews.com/?p=267

What can you do when you’re the most popular cosmetic surgeon around, but you still want more clients aside from your long list of celebrities? Dr. Vicki Belo put a naked pic of her boyfriend and Katrina Halili in the new Belo Med website. Earlier, we thought putting up the Ike and Nena Belo Foundation was hot. Now, we think this marketing stunt is just as sizzling: getting one hunk of a doctor/singer/actor and FHM Philippines’ two-time Sexiest Woman to strip. How can the Calayans top that?

With the recent nostalgia trippings of Pinoy bloggers in Plurk, PEN.com brings you its Where Are They Now? segment. Child actor turned child-looking actor Carlo Aquino wins our premiere spot. While we all remember him most as part of JCS with John Prats and Stefano Mori, we can’t miss his Ang TV days either. Before Kokey became a TV show, it was a movie with Carlo Aquino. Before he spoofed himself in Ang Tanging Ina, he first starred in Bata, Bata…Paano Ka Ginawa? to deliver the classic line: “Akala mo lang wala, pero meron, meron, meron!”

Suddenly, in his recent comeback on TV as Oscar in Sinasamba Kita, he’s a telenovela father. But just like in JCS, he still plays a rockstar as vocalist of his band Kollide and as Caloy in the TV-5 show Rakista. Last week, he was recognised as Best Actor in Dekada Cinemanila for his role in the digital film Carnivore. Seriously, he’s become one meaty actor.

Remember that tearjerking period film in Cinemalaya? The one where Shamaine Buencamino can make you cry just by taking her laundry off the clothesline. The one with where Meryll Soriano broke our hearts as she “played piano” on the ground. The one where we had a crush on Ynna Asistio’s singing. Yes, the one with a Japanese-speaking Jay Aquitania. It’s showing on theaters starting this November 19. While it didn’t nab any major prize in the festival, and some said it was unfairly snobbed, it’s actually kind of good. Some comfort women may cry foul for its reconciliatory stance, but it could make you feel all warm and fuzzy anyway. Is it the kind of indie waiting to be picked up by a major studio? We don’t know, but catch it while the filmmakers haven’t sold their souls out. It will be screened at Robinsons Galleria IndieSine, SM North Edsa, SM South Mall, SM Megamall, and Glorietta 4.

Photos from Andre Cagawas.

The premiere of Ang Manghuhula (The Fortuneteller) at this year’s Dekada Cinemanila packed the movie house not only with an enthusiastic audience but also with popular celebrities. Together with co-writer and director Paolo Herras, actors Chanda Romero, Emilio Garcia, Glaiza De Castro, Pinky Amador, Meryll Soriano, and Mel Soriano greeted the festival crowd, and they received a long and warm applause to the end of credits. Given the film’s star-studded cast—including Eula Valdez and Bella Flores, supported by Meryll Soriano, Harlene Bautista, Candy Pangilinan, John Lapuz, and Angel Aquino—the reception came to no surprise.

In the context of Herras’ two earlier features, it must be noted how consistent he is stylistically and how Manghuhula comes as a culmination of his earlier themes. The film also serves as his ticket to more arthouse billings and marks his name for a more mainstream audience. In his first feature Lambanog, a group of friends ends up telling the truth about their interwoven relationships as they drank bottles of spell-bound coconut wine—in vino veritas as they say. Herras makes another meditation on truth and truthtelling through Messina (Eula Valdez) in Manghuhula. Her departure and homecoming is a Socratic dilemma. If the characters in Lambanog needed a spell to spit it out, Messina needed to run away to keep the truth of her prophecies. Like his three generation of women cooks in Rekados, Herras once again weaves a genealogical narrative, this time of fortunetellers torn in facilitating succession. After the death of her mother Dorothea (Chanda Romero), she comes back to claim her daughter Claire (Glaiza De Castro) from the hands of a syndicate managing the fortunetellers. Little does she know that the syndicate leader Jakob (Emilio Garcia) plotted her return. With her return, Claire could complete Dorothea’s tarot deck not only to predict but also to change the future. This is told in a shrewd fashion that shifts from the real to thrilling visions of slaughter, falling leaves, sickness, sex, and rain of sampaguita. If only for that, the film deserves a special award for its sophisticated digital production.

No wonder it competed with the films of internationally-acclaimed local filmmakers Sherad Sanchez (Ang Huling Balyan ng Buhi, Imburnal) and Raya Martin (Indio Nacional, Autohystoria, Now Showing, Next Attraction). Manghuhula is also a reflection on the third world condition and a refreshing celebration of local color amidst the bleakness in its theme. Come Cinebarangay, when Cinemanila screens select festival films in some Metro Manila areas, there’s at least Manghuhula to greet the local viewers with a film experience they could relate to.

More photos of the premiere night HERE. Ang Manghuhula will be screened again at the Gateway Cinemas on October 22, 8:30 PM.

There’s something about Miriam, and it’s not just her recent stint as cover girl of Playboy Philippines. Not even her recent venture into blogging. She’s like the queen of coming-from-behind. Initially crowned Bb. Pilipinas-World, she moved up to claim the Bb. Pilipinas-Universe title after Janelle Bautista was dethroned due to passport issues. She took some training at Venezuela only some weeks before the Miss Universe 1999 pageant, but it was clear from then on that she was up for something greater.

She was just trailing near the pageant favorites during the preliminaries when she slipped on the floor. On the final pageant night, she said “I believe that I have stood up for the rest of the women who have fallen whether on or off stage.” and took home the closest Miss Universe title win since Margie Moran in 1973.

“Next year, everybody’s gonna be falling!” said one of the pageant commentators, but it didn’t happen. Only in 2007 did Miss USA Rachel Smith fall on stage, but she didn’t make it to the top 3. When another Miss USA Crystle Stewart suffered the same fate this year, the most she got was a place in the top 10. Apparently, Miriam’s win wasn’t a mere consolation after an embarrassment.

Her return to the Philippines marked her entry to the showbiz world. She became a co-host in Unang Hirit then, later on, in Extra! Extra! and Extra Challenge. But she moved to Hong Kong after marrying Italian businessman Claudio Rondinelli in 2004. Two years later, she returned; and now there’s no holding her back.

After her return to TV hosting with Paolo Bediones in Pinoy Meets World and with the feisty Mareng Winnie and Malou Mangahas in Palaban, she’s become as active as before. Last month, she was again a cover girl, this time for Manual, yet another men’s magazine. And she blogs too. You’ll hear her reciting Filipino poetry if you ride the LRT-2 frequently. And if you’re as passionate as Miriam in her Manual cover, you could help her out in helping children through World Vision. Now that’s hot.

It all began with Marcelle dressing up like Kuya Germs when he hosted the Philippine Blog Awards. The next thing Pinoy bloggers knew, it was That’s Entertainment day in the still growing social networking site Plurk, which practically allows any user to display his/her name as anybody else. It’s actually quite telling. The craze revealed the generations that Plurk users belong to and that they actually watched the same TV.

All the celebrity names (Chuckie Dreyfus, Caselyn Francisco, Tina Godinez), image (Assunta de Rossi, Donita Rose), talents (Billy Joe Crawford, Isko Moreno), love partners (Romnick Sarmenta from Sheryl Cruz to Harlene Bautista), songs (Manilyn Reynes’ Sayang na Sayang, Tina Paner’s Tamis ng Unang Halik)–they were all there, plurked about in a sudden frenzy of nostalgia. And as if that wasn’t enough, the midnight marked a shift to the characters of Bomba Years dominated by Seiko flicks and pito-pito serials alike. The Abby Viduya of That’s became the provocative Priscilla Almeda. And while Rita Avila didn’t have to shift career, hotter personalities like once Playboy cover Tetchie Agbayani, the loud Rossana Roces, the forgotten Jordan Herrera, and former porn star George Estregan surfaced.

And there’s more! Remember the next line to “4:30 na…” The Ang TV gang played Esmyuskee all over again. Who were there? Just watch this saved episode:

Maybe it’s time for a Where Are They Now segment here at PEN.com?