2007 — Another Slow Year for Philippine Movies?

Will 2007 be another slow year for Philippine movies?

It’s already almost midyear and only 11 films – repeat, 11 – have so far been produced. Ten of them have been graded by the Cinema Evaluation Board: Agent X-44, Batad: Sa Paang Palay, The Promise, U Got Me, Syquijor, Paraiso, Happy Heart, Monay ni Mr. Sholie, Ang Cute ng Ina Mo and Paano Kita Iibigin. Three of the films are digital– Batad, Syquijor and Paraiso. And only Batad got a grade or a 100% tax rebate. I’m not even sure if it went on commercial exhibition.

The CEB has not reviewed any films lately. The last was Paraiso a month ago, which was shown in the US first. Last Tuesday, the board screened Paano Kita Iibigin starring Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual. It got a B grade.

Four of the 11 films were from Star Cinema, one each from Regal Films and GMA and the rest from independent producers.

If the trend continues, there will be less than 30 films locally produced this year. That’s a very lean crop.

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Speaking of Paano Kita Iibigin, there’s lots of melodramatic moments and, more importantly, kissing scenes and even a love scene, a first for both Piolo and Regine. Regine fits her role of a single mother to a T. She and her boy get stuck in a resort after the kid breaks the side mirror of the motorbike of the resort owner, played by Piolo. He’s decided to live a solitary life in the resort after blaming himself for the death of his sweetheart, cousin and best friend in a car accident.

Not even Regine’s recent admission of her relationship with Ogie Alcasid will steal the thunder from her superb acting in Paano Kita Iibigin. Credit for drawing the best from Regine goes to Director Joyce Bernal.

An insider told me the film grossed P20 million as of last Thursday. Not bad at all. But one observer said it would have fared even better if Regine did not drop the bombshell.

In Startalk, Ogie staunchly defended Regine against the negative talk about her. Ogie taped the interview before flying to Canada for a series of shows there. Asia’s Songbird has been getting flak lately for clamming up about her relationship with Ogie. If she let the cat out of the bag, why is she now reluctant to reveal the details, some showbiz observers noted.

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Sarah Geronimo’s parents have put up a parlor-cum-spa-canteen. They’re starting out with two branches. Sarah adds that the house they built in an executive village in Quezon City is also almost finished.

At the presscon last week for the Sarah Geronimo in Motion concert, the young pop star insisted she doesn’t have a boyfriend yet. She said she is too preoccupied with her career. “Maybe when I’m 23,” she laughed. “Besides, nobody’s courting me yet.” She had a puppy love when she was in high school, and that’s about it.

What she’s praying for is that airconditioning at the Araneta Coliseum doesn’t conk out during her concert on July 14. During her first major show at the Big Dome last year the crowd was sweltering because the aircon gave out. It happened once again but Sarah can’t remember if it was during her show at the Music Museum or the launching of her teleseries Bituing Walang Ningning.

Before her Araneta show, she is going on a concert tour in Europe and will start taping Pangarap na Bituin with Rica Peralejo and Maja Salvador in Boracay.

Gary Valenciano, Ai-Ai de las Alas, John Pratts, Jericho Rosales and other stellar entertainers will make guest appearances in Sarah Geronimo in Motion. Directing the show will be GB San Pedro.

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Our bet Anna Theresa Licaros failed to reach even the semifinals of the 2007 Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City. She did bring home the Miss Photogenic title after garnering the biggest texted votes. I do believe Anna was under too much pressure to win the crown and it cramped her performance. Maybe if she just enjoyed herself and forget about the expectations and the pressure she would’ve had a chance.

The two contestants with Filipino lineage – Miss Canada and Miss Norway – didn’t do well either.

Miss Japan deserved to win. She had that X factor, and it showed in the way she carried herself, in her confident air. The judges must have seen it too, and gave her big points.

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I’m told this female TV host is pregnant so she had to leave her show temporarily. Who knocked her up? Her co-host, my source tells me. I don’t think the viewers will miss her.