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A harvest of new films

TAKE TWO

Ambet R. Nabus

12/04/2008

Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, our dear friend and great idol, was excited when she faced her media friends when she signed a three-picture deal with Star Cinema. She almost spilled the full plot of the movie, which also stars real-life son Luis Manzano and heartthrob John Lloyd Cruz.

“Ay, hindi ko pala dapat i-detalye (I shouldn’t be telling you the details),” she said, laughing, when Star Cinema executive Chit Guererro came to her and whispered her that she could not yet divulge the synopsis as the movie will start to shoot in January next year.

“Pasensya na, halata bang matindi ang excitement (Pardon me, but can you tell how excited I am)?” she added, requesting us to keep some things off the record, such as the story, dates and places of shoot, possible co-stars and other details.

That’s Vilma Santos for you, folks. When she is eager to do a movie, she tries to make sure the excitement is felt by many.

The working title of the movie is A Mother Story, which will be shot in New York and in Manila and will feature her son, Luis, in a gay role, with John Lloyd as his lover.

“Hindi siya dramang-drama. Light comedy with a little of drama na gustong-gusto kong gawin. I haven’t done a role like this in my entire show biz career kaya nakakadagdag ng excitement, pressure at kaba,” related the Star for All Seasons.

In the movie, which will be directed by comebacking Olive Lamazan, she will play a librarian, who is separated from her husband yet succeeds in bringing up her kids well.

“Nakakatuwa yung role ko dito na masungit, na ultimo pusa, pinag-iinitan. This is really something new for me and I could not really wait to start working lalo pa’t talagang iniisip ko na kung ano ang magiging mga eksena namin ni Luis given the fact that in the story, anak ko siya na parang inagaw sa akin ni John Lloyd, na nang makita ko namang inaalagaan niya at minamahal ay parang may kumpetisyon na kung ano sa amin. Exciting ang plot, di ba?”

Well, as a diehard Vilmanian myself, I can’t wait to see the film. Imagine, it’s only December today and yet we’re talking of a very special movie project that will be shown next year. The excitement indeed is contagious!

Looking at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries, there’s no doubt that this year’s harvest has a common genre: Comedy.

Star Cinema is fielding Ang Tanging Ina Niyong Lahat, a takeoff from Ai-ai de las Alas’s biggest and most successful movie so far, Ang Tanging Ina.

The very emphatic character of Ai-ai as a mother of dozen children is once again given new touches by direk Wenn Deramas.

Then, of course, there is the riot triumvirate of Tito, Vic and Joey, who will bring back the fun and laughter that made Iskul Bukol a big hit some 20 years back. Expect new twists and angles with new cast members that will try to mesh with the trio’s brand of comedy.

Two sex-comedy-dramas will also try their luck to generate wider buzz. Regal’s Desperadas 2 will introduce a new character in Ogie Alcasid in a role similar to those made famous by Hollywood superstars like Eddie Murphy and John Travolta. The songwriter-host will portray a ‘female’ character as the long-lost sister of siblings Ruffa Gutierrez, Rufa Mae Quinto, Iza Calzado and Marian Rivera. Expect heavy comedy turns and laughter as Ogie steals scenes from these beautiful girls. With direk Joel Lamangan at the helm, it will surely be hilarious!

The other sexy-comedy film is written and directed by Joey Reyes, who gave us Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo and its equally awarded sequel Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo. It is called One Night Only and has the alluring and equally adorable ladies in Diana Zubiri, Katrina Halili, Valrie Concepcion, Alessandra de Rossi and Jennylyn Mercado.

The movie’s premise is simple and yet engaging: in one night, several things could happen between and among people. Each onel reacts differently to love, sex, hatred, money and determination to live well and be happy.

We talked about Magkaibigan here last week and this other Joey Reyes opus tries to look deeper at the real meaning of friendship.

Did we say, however, that the annual MMFF will never be complete without the traditional trilogy that is called Shake Rattle and Roll? Yes, the film that most of us have probably seen in various sequels and stories is here for the 10th time. This time, it’s called SRRX, with new stories of horror will try to complete the Christmas season among us, Pinoys!

We were at the book launching of Kuya Ricky Lee’s Para kay B (O kung paano dinevastate ng Pag-ibig ang 4 out of 5 sa Atin), his first ever novel to be made public.

At the Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman, there was a literal downpour of stars and award-winning performers who supported the great writer, now novelist, in his new endeavor.

From movie queens Susan Roces and Gloria Romero to award-winning directors in Joel Lamangan, Gil Portes and several independent filmmakers to great acting thespians like Cherry Pie Picache, Gina Alajar, Chanda Romero and Ms, Lorna Tolentino and Cesar Montano, the venue was filled with words and phrases that were so moving and real. The artists recited some excerpts from the novel and it was a great experience hearing them give life to kuya Ricky’s words in the book. Even Piolo Pascual who did the opening and closing, and Ricky Davao’s brief prayers were made a part of the book.

“I have three novels actually that are already done. Most of you would have thought that a political novel would be my first, pero mas pinili kong unahin itong love story na kamakailan ko lang din natapos. Sa tatlong taon kong pag-hibernate, tatlong nobela nga ang nalikha ko pero itong kay Para kay B... ang napagdesisyunan kong ilimbag for the simple reason na mahalaga pa ring sangkap ng buhay ang mga kuwentong pag-ibig. Sana nga ay mas marami ang maka-relate at makatangkilik,” were some fo the words expressed by Ricky Lee, a proud kababayan of ours from Daet, Camarines Norte.

Thirty-eight indie filmmakers led by Jeffrey Jeturian, Lav Diaz, Raya Martin, Dante Mendoza, Ellen Ongkiko, among others, will do two- to five-minute short films based on segments of the novel to make a Para Kay B... omnibus film — for free. The film is slated to come out next year.

Better grab a copy of the book, which is now available in National Bookstores, for us to have an idea of how those filmmakers would spell difference as they transfer it to the film medium!