Thinking big in ?09

By Isah V. Red

Nearly three years trailing in the ratings race (in the Mega Manila sector), ABS-CBN, the network that tries to work on the Kapamilya (being a part of the family) appeal, may be gearing up for a more aggressive year and put the competitions finally on their toes.

Last Monday, it premiered on its afternoon program block the comical series Parekoy, a breaking through program that might just change the programming trends of daytime TV.

The show features a new comic trio?Zanjoe Marudo, Jayson Gainza, and John Prats?under the direction of Randy Santiago and Quark Henares.

The show is up against a tearjerker on the Kapuso network, yet ABS-CBN may seem unruffled by the fact that maudlin dramas seem to have what the people left at home and are able to watch the tube wants at that particular time.

As Dyosa reaches its climax tonight and proceeds to its denouement on Friday, the final telecast of the series, the Kapamilya network is all set to premiere Tayong Dalawa on Monday, Jan. 12.

The series hinges on the premise of two young men with the same name, treading the same path in life, and falls in love with the same girl.

The network, after the successful run of My Girl (they?re talking of the show?s popularity in other parts of the country outside of Mega Manila, of course) brings back the loveteam of Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu in Tayong Dalawa. To make the series more exciting, Jake Cuenca (originally from the Kapuso network) is thrown in to complete the triangle.

The series is an archetypal love triangle of two men of different economic class pursuing the same girl.

Gerald and Jake have the same name?David Garcia Jr.?and while both assume they have been sired by two different men with the same name, they are actually brothers by the same father.

All-star cast

The series is shot partly at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio where both Gerald and Jake joined the cadets in their daily regimen, including training. Both actors say they had very memorable experiences at the academy during the entire period of the shooting.

In fact, for both actors, being inside the military academy isn?t such a bad idea, and if given the opportunity (which means they have to pass the academic exams plus the physicals) they?d like to be there like regular cadets.

The three lead actors?Gerald, Kim, and Jake?have been given a formidable supporting cast for the series, among whom are Miguel Faustmann (Repertory Philippines regular), Helen Gamboa (who has moved on from her Bang-Shang-a-Lang days and now joins the growing roster of actresses playing grandmother roles), Agot Isidro (now a confirmed dog lover), Cherry Pie Picache (multiple winner of awards here and in small festivals abroad), Gina Pare?o (who also won awards abroad), and theater icon Spanky Manikan.

Younger actors also take important roles like Alessandra De Rossi (formerly Kapuso, like Jake), Mylene Dizon (heavy with child, yet working), Jiro Manio (recipient of Best Child Performance awards), and independent movie directors? favorite Coco Martin who is hoping to land roles in mainstream cinema (if it is finally back on its two feet, and not on its knees begging for support).

Impressive casting, I must say, for a show that is going to be pitted against either Luna Mystika or Gagambino, the Kapuso network?s showcase of special effects on primetime TV.

ABS-CBN seems to be veering away from the fantasy format and putting its money on more realistic drama shows. Tayong Dalawa may seem too melodramatic to many hooked on the idea of television as a substitute to the less accessible movies, more specifically Hollywood movies that are heavy on visual and special effects, yet audiences grow with years and their preferences continually change. Let?s see if this year, they will finally go back to the basics, which mean the more realistic soap operas. And Tayong Dalawa could be it.

Festival?s last day

Today is the last day for all the entries of the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival. Tomorrow, theaters are back to the usual repertory of Hollywood films and once in a while a Tagalog movie, the first of which is Star Cinema?s Love Me Again (Land Down Under) with Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin.

If there?s any movie among the eight exhibited in the festival of (bad) Tagalog movies that can withstand the festival, it is Baler.

Baler, co-produced by Viva Films and Bida Foundation, won 10 awards including Best Picture Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, Best Actress for Anne Curtis, Best Supporting Actor for Phillip Salvador, Best Director for Mark Meily, Best Screenplay for Roy Iglesias, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Gender Sensitivity Award.

Personally, I think Jericho Rosales should have won the Best Actor award, had the jury considered the breadth of the actor?s performance vis a vis Christopher de Leon?s in Magkaibigan.

While De Leon?s performance was kind of expected, Rosales gave audiences a surprising tour de force. The physical degradation inside parish church of Baler reflected on the physical conditions of the soldier among whom is Celso Resureccion (Jericho Rosales who is transformed from a dashing mestizo to a filthy, and nearly gaunt, soldier mentally troubled by the fact that his love Feliza (Anne Curtis) is pregnant and may give birth anytime. And Rosales didn?t have to resort to muscular distortion of his face to show his grief, anguish, and impatience. We see only a face that is painting all of that with a little help from the movie?s makeup department.

It makes me sad that members of the jury had overlooked that aspect of performance.

If you disagree with me, go watch both Baler and Magkaibigan and see the difference in the performances.

Travolta tragedy

We are shocked when we hear of someone in local entertainment dies, like Marky Cielo and Didith Reyes in December last year.

Hollywood has its share of tragedy as well. Last Saturday, we heard of the death of John Travolta and Kelly Preston?s 16-year-old son, Jett.

The couple issued this statement on their Web site:

?We would like to extend our deepest and most heartfelt thanks to everyone who has sent their love and condolences. Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered. We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time that we had with him for the rest of our lives??

Facts of his death have been confusing. Some news organizations say that he had a seizure and fell hitting his head on concrete. News say that he could have been alone in the vacation house owned by the Travoltas during his death, but now, the news say that he could have died in his father?s arms.

In any case, we feel sad of this piece of news, as we did when we heard about Marky?s untimely demise.