Movies

The 35th Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines Awards Night was held at the SMX Convention Center, Monday night. Stars, directors and staff of the eight official entries to the said festival attended the said awards night.

Manny Pacquiao, star of the filmfest entry “Wapakman” told the press that he isn’t expecting to bring home any award.

“Ang importante sa akin for this movie ay makapagbigay kami ng kasiyahan sa bawat pamilya,” said Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao.

Dolphy, lead star of “Nobody, Nobody But Juan,” also said: “Ako, hindi na ako umaasa. I will just pray for the best.”

However, Sharon Cuneta, star of the Regal Films entry “Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love” said: “Ang importante lang napansin ang performance ko. Siyempre, sino ba naman ang ayaw manalo ng award?”

The winners for the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival-Philippines Awards Night are:

Best Child Performer: Robert “Buboy” Villar (Ang Panday)
Best Supporting Actor: Phillip Salvador (Ang Panday)
Best Supporting Actress: Heart Evangelista (Mano Po 6)
Best Director: Joel Lamangan (Mano Po 6)
Best Actress: Sharon Cuneta (Mano Po 6)
Best Actor: Bong Revilla (Ang Panday)

4th Best Picture: Mano Po 6 (Regal Films)
3rd Best Picture: Ang Darling Kong Aswang (M-Zet Productions)
2nd Best Picture: I Love You Goodbye (Star Cinema)

Festival Best Picture: Ang Panday (GMA Films)

Gatpuno Villegas Cultural Award: Mano Po 6 (Regal Films)

Best Make-up: Shake, Rattle & Roll 11 (Regal Films)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Dolphy (Nobody, Nobody but… Juan)

The complete list winners will be posted as the story develops.

Brink Notes Entertainment Daily brings to you the list of the film entries to the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival – Philippines 2009. The entries to 35th Metro Manila Film Festival – Philippines 2009 will be showing in Philippine theaters starting December 25, 2009.

Official Entries to the 35th Metro Manila Film festival – Philippines 2009 as announced by the MMFF 2009 Executive Committee last July 3, 2009:

Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love
Regal Films
Starring: Sharon Cuneta, Christopher de Leon
Directed by: Joel Lamangan

Sharon Cuneta stars as Melinda Uy, a billionaire whose life is a rags and riches story. She,as a half-Chinese half-Filipina, had been a victim of discrimination in the local Chinese community. Melinda was only in her late teens when she got married to Alfonso Uy (Christopher de Leon), the scion of the wealthy Uy clan. Heart Evangelista plays Stephanie, the prodigal daughter to Sharon. Zsa Zsa Padilla inherits the role of the antagonist Olive Uy.

Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love Official Trailer

Ang Darling Kong Aswang
M-Zet Productions
Starring: Vic Sotto, Cristine Reyes
Directed by: Toni Reyes

A man meets the girl of his dreams, only to discover that she’s an aswang. It isn’t long before he gets caught in a conflict with an entire gang of aswang, as they fight over the fate of the young maiden.

Ang Darling Kong Asawa Official Trailer

Shake, Rattle & Roll XI
Regal Films
Starring: Ruffa Gutierrez, Iya Villania, Maja Salvador
Directed by: Don Michael Perez, Jessel Monteverde, Rico Gutierrez

Three tales of fear. A wedding is interrupted when a gown bought at an ukay-ukay turns out to be possessed. A group of campers find themselves stalked by strange creatures. A young doctor treats a patient and begins receiving demonic visions.

Shake, Rattle & Roll XI Official Trailer

Juan
RVQ Productions
Starring: Dolphy
Directed by: Eric Quizon

An old man living in a nursing home in the States finds joy in watching a Filipino afternoon variety show on cable. His secret wish is to use the variety show to reconnect with an old love, but his cynical son is standing in his way.

Nobody, nobody but Juan Official Trailer

I Love You, Goodbye
Star Cinema
Starring: Angela Panganiban, Derek Ramsay, Gabby Concepcion, Kim Chiu

A man marries for the second time, and his wife appears to be happy to be part of his family. But her new stepdaughter doesn’t take to her very well, and to make things worse, an old flame returns seeking to rekindle their love.

I Love You, Goodbye Official Trailer

Ang Panday
GMA Films and IMUS Productions
Starring: Bong Revilla

When a meteor lands in a faraway place, an unassuming blacksmith is told that he has a great destiny in front of him. While the blacksmith only wishes to live a quiet life, he quickly responds to his calling when the woman he loves is taken away by an evil warlord.

Ang Panday Official Trailer

Wapakman
Solar Entertainment
Starring: Manny Pacquiao
Directed by: Topel Lee

A ordinary man miraculously survives what should have been a fatal accident, and emerges with superpowers. He starts using these powers to help other people, in the process becoming a better father to his children. But when his wife comes to take his children away, he finds that his powers do little to change things.

Wapakman Official Trailer

Production of Regal Films’ other film festival entry “Nieves” starring Marian Rivera has been reportedly put on hold.

Those who missed the theatrical release of Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” a few months back should fret no more. The documentary film featuring the final footage of Jackson will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on January 26, 2010 in time for the the Grammy Awards on January 31, Variety.com has reported.

The DVD, which retails for $28.96, will feature an additional hour of footages while the Blu-ray version for $39.95 will have an hour and a half, which include the new “Smooth Criminal” and “Thriller” music videos that were scheduled to be screened at the London concerts.

The “Making of Smooth Criminal” is also included in the DVD and Blu-ray version.

So far “This Is It” has generated $71 million at the box office nationwide and $200 million internationally.

The movie culls footage from Jackson’s rehearsals for the planned 50 concerts. The King of Pop died on June 25, 2009.

Filipino Director Brillante Mendoza was awarded as the best director at the Cannes Film Festival, Sunday for his film “Kinatay,” AFP reports.

The report also said that, “Mendoza in “Kinatay” traces 24 hours in the day of a trainee policeman, happily beginning with his wedding in the morning to close with the young man’s first outing at night with a band of corrupt colleagues. To his surprise, fear and anguish, they pick up a prostitute accused of betrayal and wind up torturing, raping, killing and hacking her before disposing of the body parts across Manila.”

“This is not just entertainment, these kinds of stories are real,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza’s, “Serbis” was also one of the films competing for the top prize at Cannes last year.

With a report from AFP

“BFF: Best Friends Forever” is Star Cinema’s latest movie offering starring the Comedy Box Office Queen Ai-ai de las Alas and Megastar Sharon Cuneta. This would be the first time that the two would be seen in the big screen. The comedy film is due for release in Philippine theaters on May 13.

In an interview, Ai-ai de las Alas shared that she considers the Megastar, as her “BFF (best friends forever)” while Kris Aquino as her “friendship.”

“Kasi hindi ako inaaway ni Senator (Kiko Pangilinan, Sharon’s husband). Charing lang! Si Kris kasi matagal ko na siyang friend since ‘yun nga, ayaw naman sa akin ni James Yap, so dun na ako sa may gusto sa akin.”

James Yap, Kris Aquino’s husband accused de las Alas before of snooping with the couple’s (James and Kris) past affairs.

Although Aquino and de las Alas have already made up, the latter said that her friendship with Sharon Cuneta started way back 2003.

“Siyempre bati na kami ni Friendship (Kris). Pero kasi noon pa kami close ni Mega hindi lang kasi nabigyan ng pagkakataon na ma-telebisyon ‘yung friendship namin. ‘Yung sa amin ni Friendship on national television, nagtatawagan kami ng Friendship,” the comedienne clarified.

The cast of Star Cinema’s Mother’s Day offering also includes John Estrada, Gina Pareño, Chokoleit, Empress Schuck, Enchong Dee and AJ Perez. But there are rumors that Sharon Cuneta’s former husband, Gabby Concepcion will make a cameo appearance on the movie.

“Hindi ko pa alam. Natanong ko na ‘yan . Ang tanong ko na lang ‘Saan isisingit si Gabby?’ Pero if ever ready naman ako, of course. Sino naman ang tatanggi kay Gabby? Hindi ko lang alam saan sa istorya siya ilalagay kasi natapos ko na ‘yung ending. Halos tapos na ‘yung buong pelikula. Ang hindi na lang nakukunan ‘yung mga sundot-sundot na eksena. Hindi pa naman impossible, aaralin ko lang kung paano,” Director Wenn Deramas said.

Star Cinema’s “BFF: Best Friends Forever” is opening in Philippine theaters this May 13.

Rising Sun Pictures, the Australian visual effects company working on “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” issued a statement Thursday denying that it was responsible for leaking the film’s full-length work print online.

The name of the company appeared  on the caption of the leaked copy briefly, which was distributed in different file-sharing websites. 

“From the reports we’ve had, the stolen material is a work in progress version of the film with many incomplete sections. As we worked on individual sequences within the film, neither RSP or its staff members have ever been in possession of a full-length version, so it would have been impossible for the movie to have been leaked from here.

“It’s common practice for work in progress between us and the production to carry vendor watermarks and for these works in progress to be integrated into various edits of the film for screenings which would explain why our name appears,” Rising Sun Pictures Chairman and co-founder Tony Clark said in a statement posted on the company’s official website (www.rsp.com.au).

Rising Sun Pictures is responsible for producing “a number of key effects sequences” in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”

The new X-Men film is not due for release until May 1 in the US (April 29 in the UK) but an almost finished copy of the film started appearing online Tuesday night.

Fox said that the FBI and MPAA are already investigating the crime. The studio also said Wednesday that the leaked version “had missing and unedited scenes and temporary music and sound.”

(UPDATE – 04/02/09; 10:15am) BBC News has reported that an almost finished copy of the film “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” has been leaked online only a month before its theatrical release.

The leaked video is of high quality and has been uploaded to several file sharing websites as well as video sharing sites. BBC also reported that 75, 000 copies of the film were already downloaded. The source of the video is still unknown at the moment.

Despite the high quality of the leaked video, the movie itself is still incomplete as evidenced by the unfinished special effects – green screens and wires attached to actors are still visible.

The said film is set to be released on April 29 in the UK and on May 1 in the US.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is directed by Gavin Hood with Hugh Jackman on the lead role.

But, MTV’s “Splash Page” published an article saying that the leaked copy lacks the scenes that were filmed last specifically those scenes that were re-shot way back January (scenes of Ryan Reynolds’ character, Deadpool). The article also said that “there could be significant differences in plot points between the bootleg film and its theater-ready counterpart.”

Reviews of the bootleg film have already proliferated across the World Wide Web.

20th Century Fox has issued a statement saying: “We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film.

“We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it,” a Fox statement said. “The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. … The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime.”

Fox has also said that the leaked film “is an early rough cut and is missing some scenes.” The bootleg film runs for 106 minutes.

Following the success of “Feng Shui” and “Sukob,” Star Cinema is set to release a new suspense-horror film this summer. “T2 (Tenement 2)” is Star Cinema’s latest offering starring the Diamond Star Maricel Soriano and directed by Chito S. Roño, who has been known for directing box-office hit films. The film would be showing in theaters nationwide starting April 11.

Eric Fructuoso, Derek Ramsay and young star Mica dela Cruz join the diamond star in this suspense-horror film. Mosang, Camille Prats, Mon Confiado, K Brosas, and Tetchie Agbayani complete the cast of the said upcoming film while John Lloyd Cruz and Carmen Soo were given cameo roles.

“T2” is a story of Clair (played by Maricel Soriano), a travel agency owner and volunteer to Buklod-Pamilya Foundation. She brings an orphan home only to find out the orphan is from a family of “engkantos”.

“T2 is a serious horror drama tungkol sa engkwentro ng tao at mga engkanto… Usually, ‘pag sinabi nating engkanto sa mga pelikula kalimitan or almost every movie that I’ve seen is very fantasy. For the first time siguro, Star Cinema brings to the Filipino audience ‘yong actual naming na-research based sa mga interviews, based sa mga nagkaroon ng claims ng engkwentro or experience . Ito ‘yong exciting sa T2 kasi first time ipapakita kung papano ba sila sa totoong buhay, hindi sa fantasy,” said director Chito S. Roño as he shares the difference of T2 with any other horror films.

Meanwhile, young star Mica dela Cruz expressed enthusiasm about working with the diamond star, Maricel Soriano.

“Nu’ng una po sobrang excited. Nu’ng una ko po siyang na-meet nasabi ko, wow! Ang sarap po pala n’yang kasama. Magaling talaga siya. Sobrang galing po n’ya. ‘Pag laki ko gusto ko siyang tularan.”

Mica dela Cruz is an incoming fourth grader at the La Cabisera de Montessori in Malabon. She is also seen regularly at the Sunday kiddie show, “Goin’ Bulilit.”

“Alam mo tuwing nagsho-shooting kami, bago kami mag-take, sandali lang kinikilabutan ako kasi parang may mga umpisang eksena na parang hindi ko pa alam pero ninerbiyos ako, nakakakilabot, kahit sa tototong shooting namin,” said diamond star Maricel Soriano as she shares her experiences in shooting the film.

Star Cinema’s “T2” would be shown in theaters nationwide starting Saturday, April 11, 2009.

Disney’s hit musical film “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” has bagged two awards Saturday at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award 2009 held in University of California Los Angeles’ Pauley Pavilion .

The popular musical was awarded as the favorite movie while actress Vanessa Hudgens was chosen by the voting public as the favorite movie actress.

“Lately, a lot of people have been taking credit for bringing back the musical.

“The truth is we’ve known who’s been responsible for bringing back the musical all along. It was you guys,” said actor Zac Efron as he received the movie’s trophy.

The following are Nickelodeon’s 2009 Kids’ Choice Awards winners:

MOVIES:
Favorite Movie
High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Favorite Animated Movie
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Favorite Movie Actress
Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Favorite Movie Actor
Will Smith (Hancock)

Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie
Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda)

MUSIC:
Favorite Music Group
The Jonas Brothers

Favorite Female Singer
Miley Cyrus

Favorite Male Singer
Jesse McCartney

Favorite Song
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) (Beyoncé)

TELEVISION:
Favorite Reality TV Show
American Idol

Favorite TV Show
iCarly

Favorite TV Actress
Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place)

Favorite TV Actor
Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody)

Favorite Cartoon
SpongeBob SquarePants

BIG GREEN HELP AWARD:
Leonardo DiCaprio

SPORTS:
Favorite Male Athlete
Peyton Manning

Favorite Female Athlete
Candace Parker

OTHER CATEGORIES:
Favorite Video Game
Guitar Hero World Tour

Favorite Book
Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

It was reported earlier this year that singer-songwriter Chris Brown has withdrawn from the awards because of the controversy he got into. His girlfriend Rihanna was nominated twice in different categories but didn’t win any.

Dwayne Johnson hosted the awards night.

Kids honored their favorites by casting over 90 million votes March 2-28 in 18 categories. Votes were cast via http://www.nick.com and via Nick’s new mobile website (wap.nick.com).

High School Musical star Zac Efron has reportedly turned down the offer to be part of Paramount’s remake of “Footloose” that is expected to be released in 2010. The actor is currently eyeing a role in the film adaptation of the novel “The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud.”

Variety reports that production of the said film adaptation would take place in July. Ben Sherwood, former executive producer of “Good Morning America” wrote the book about a cemetery caretaker who communicates with his dead brother, whose death he thinks he had caused. The film adaptation would be directed by “17 Again” director Burr Steers.

Paramount Pictures has released a statement on Monday regarding Efron’s decision to drop out of the film.

“Footloose is a project we’ve longed to see re-booted for a new generation. While Zac is no longer attached, we remain excited and committed to the collective brain trust of Kenny Ortega, Neil Meron and Craig Zaden, who will reinvigorate the franchise,” said a Paramount representative.

“17 Again,” Zac Efron and director Burr Steers’ collaboration would be released by New Line/Warner Bros. on April 17 (in the US). – With reports from Variety, Us Magazine and Entertainment Weekly