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For the past 20 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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TWO weeks after my article about “The Da Vinci Code” and the overreacting Philippine Church and government, I have been pelted by emails telling how irresponsible my stand on the issue is. Most emails ‘sarcastically’ stated that most people doesn’t have the same ‘solid’ faith that I have, and not as secured as I am.
Again, in response to all the disappointed readers, I am in no way in support of Dan Brown’s fiction or any Gnostic view of Christ or Christianity. I am merely aware of the inaccuracies of the book’s/film’s claims therefore, unshaken by them. From the opening pages to the back cover blurbs, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code is pure fiction.
Consider Silas, the Opus Dei Monk, who is the main executioner in the story.
If you know Opus Dei, you know that there is no such thing as Opus Dei Monks. Opus Dei is not even a religious order. Their priests are secular priests and not religious ones like the Dominicans or the Franciscans and Benedictines. To have Silas wear a brown habit like the Monks of the Order of St. Francis is Dan Brown’s way of saying, ‘Hey readers, this is fiction’.
And about the Gnostic gospels claiming Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a daughter and thus, the divine bloodline, is an argument founded on matchsticks.
True, there is evidence of written gospels describing an alternative view of the early Christian Church. But the alternate view is not always the real view. In fact, the existence of alternative gospels like the recently discovered Gospel of Judas, only strengthens the fact that the early believers of Christ were no different from today’s faithful.
In the modern Church, there are more than 2,000 denominations; all of them have different views of Christianity. Some think The Virgin Mary is not the mother of God. While others say Jesus was a mere mortal.
What’s may be blasphemous to the Born Again Christians is Gospel Truth to Catholics. And what could be sacred truth to Jehovah’s Witnesses is just plain nonsense to Baptists.
So really, there is nothing alarming about ancient alternate views on Christianity like the ‘Jesus is married’ thing. We have them today too. Gnostic gospels are more intriguing only because of its antiquity. Remember, even the late David Koresh said he was the messiah and that was in 1992!
To have the Philippine Church and government panic over this movie is a surprise to me. I was born and raised and educated a Catholic, and I am confident about my faith. Why can’t they?
To have such a work of fiction shake your faith on a 2,000-year old institution is like allowing Superman to lecture you on the wonders and benefits of Kryptonite. To be able for “The Da Vinci Code” to shake your faith, your faith should be a trillion times smaller than a mustard seed.
Is this how bad Christian education is in Manila now, that a mere movie would make them question the very core of their faith, while around them there are cults, Agnostics and Atheists, and not to mention X-rated movies that are being sold or rented to youngsters on the streets like cotton candy? I certainly hope not.
Perhaps, the Philippine Church and the government are like everybody else in this Da Vinci thing – caught in the relentless marketing assault of Sony Pictures.
So who’s laughing now? Certainly not Opus Dei. Certainly not the movie-goers, who placed the movie down in the bottom with Chuck Norris’ ‘Invasion USA’.
Certainly not the people who were disappointed to see their favorite book become another Hollywood throw-away, And certainly not the Church, who exposed its insecurities over rolls of celluloid. Certainly not the people involved in the film; they are not laughing because their movie stunk.
But I know who’s laughing. It’s Mr. Brown. And he’s laughing all the way to the bank!
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Ted Reyes is a musician, composer, record producer and journalist based in NYC. If you have any comments you can visit his website at www.tedreyes.com or email him at tedreyes@mac.com
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MY friend Eric recently gave me a copy of the movie Close to You. This movie was released in Manila in February and had two related storylines, “What if you fall in love with your best friend? “What if your best friend falls for someone else”?
The movie featured one of the Philippines’ most popular love team, John Lloyd Cruz as Manuel, and Bea Alonzo as Marianne. In the movie, these two grew up as best friends, but John Lloyd’s character is secretly in love with Bea’s. Complications arise when Sam Milby’s character Lance, a member of a popular band came to the scene, and Marianne is enamored with Lance.
This situation was difficult for Manuel because he cannot openly express his feelings for Marianne and seeing her fall for another guy only made matters worse. Would he admit his feelings to her and risk losing the friendship that they have? Or, keep his feelings to himself, let her be happy with someone else and have their friendship stay just the way it has always been?
It is ironic how sometimes movies are a reflection of our lives. One of my girlfriends called me up recently and told me that she thinks she might be falling for her best friend.
She asked me whether it is best to let her friend know what she feels for him. I told her that if there is a person that knows this guy well, it is actually her. I suggested that it’s alright to be upfront with her feelings.
However, I cautioned her that she has to be prepared for the consequences as their friendship might change. It can go to moving the relationship to the next level if her friend feels the same way but if her friend does not return the same affection she feels for him, the friendship might become awkward.
She said that she is ready for whatever is in store for the future. She promised to update me with what happens next. I cannot wait to find out the next time she calls. She is one of my girlfriends that truly deserve to be happy.
I realized that as I was talking back to my girlfriend that these were the same bits and pieces of advice that I would like for someone to tell me as well. I have a guy friend I have known for quite some time now. We would usually hang out with each other and neither one of us would consider it as dating. We would constantly try to bug and tease each other with jokes via phone calls, texts and email messages. We would often ramble on to one another about things that interest both of us such as sports, movies, music and food.
He spent most of his life here in US but still goes for anything Pinoy. In fact, he knows what the latest craze in Manila is even before I would know. He is the one that I can ask to buy me the most mundane of stuff (hangers, doorknobs, imagine?) without so much of a fuss. He is the only one who dares give me a half-eaten bag of biscocho for a present and calls me in the middle of my sleep at 5:00 am just to say hi. He even serenades me with Tagalog songs(actually yells)while he is driving , drives approximately 120 miles just to bring me DVD’s, and claims to have not browsed through my articles ( reason why I am brave enough to write about this for I know that he’s really telling the truth.). This is the kind of friendship that I have always longed for with a male friend... wholesome and just plain fun.
We dealt with some rough patches before but always, always we find a way to save our friendship. We always make it a point to be visible in every happening in both our lives...moving to a new place, a new career, dealing with families, other friends and even exes!
One day, after dropping me off at my place and as I watched his car drove away, the thought that we would not be seeing each other for weeks suddenly made me miss him. I actually felt strange feeling that way, even scared a little bit. The situation that I find myself in is unexpected and uncalled for.
I always told myself that I am not supposed to have romantic feelings for someone that I consider a friend.There are just too many complications involved. I felt that whatever decision I come up with is influenced by a “habit and a dream” that I find in being friends with him. Maybe, I have seen and been into so many friendships gone sour when one of the either parties fall for the other. Why rock the boat of something that is actually good?
This is what I have decided. I chose us. I chose our friendship. I know we would never be together in romantic terms but the thought that I have someone in my life that I can always count on is what truly matters... If he finds himself involved with someone else and I have realized by then that my feelings are more than platonic, I will still be happy for him. His happiness equals my bliss; his sadness is my heartache as well.
Do I love him? Absolutely. Am I in love with him? A question that is better left unanswered. Or even best, need not be asked anymore.
As the movie Close to You neared its end, and Bea and John Lloyd’s character kissed, finally realizing that they were meant to be together...theirs was a happy conclusion.
Movies are like that, oftentimes scripts are written just the way the moviegoers would want it to be. Real life is different, maybe my girlfriend will ultimately have her happy story and although mine did not end up the way I would want it to, I still believe that I had my share of a happy ending, but only on a different kind.
Meanwhile, the search continues.
Thess Bacsal is a writer and lives in California. For your life’s concerns, comments and suggestions, email her at july19rn@yahoo.com.
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MANILA -- DOES Bernard Palanca think that the rumored love affair between his ex, Rica Peralejo, and his co-Hunk member, Piolo Pascual, is a serious one?
“Honestly, I don’t know if it’s serious,” he says. “And I don’t care. When PJ (Piolo) told me he likes her and is it okay with me for him to be friends with her, I said I have no control over that. I even told him, ‘If it makes you happy, go for it.’ I really hope it’s real. Kasi I’ve worked with PJ for several years now and I haven’t really seen him with anybody, so I hope it works for them. Matagal na naman kaming break ni Rica and I’m now happy with Meryll (Soriano).”
What was their reaction when Meryll was reported to be pregnant? “We just laughed about it. If it were true, my mom would be so happy kasi nagpaparinig na ngang gusto na niya ng apo after my cousins Bianca and Lexi gave birth to baby girls.”
What endears her to him? “Five months na kami and she provides balance in my life. I’m serious, she’s kalog. I’m 29, she’s 23, and the age gap is just perfect for us.”
What does Meryll’s aunt, Maricel, say about it? “We get along fine, including Mama Becbec, Meryll’s mom. We were together with my own mom on Mother’s Day and we had a nice time making kuwentuhan. We’ve been on for five months now at kahit minsan, we haven’t fought at all.”
Bernard is now doing “Rounin,” an action-fantasy for ABS-CBN, and is starting a new show on Studio 23, “It’s a Guy Thing,” to be seen every Wednesday at 9:10 p.m.
Studio 23 exec Leo Prieto says the concept is from Ideal Minds. “It’s a lifestyle show that is funny, witty and both for men who want to know the latest in fashion, sports and gadgets, and for women who want to learn more about their dads, brothers and boyfriends, and the male psyche.”
Bernard will be co-hosting it with Borgy Manotoc (son of Imee Marcos), John Joe Joseph (son of Johnny Midnight), Ketchup Eusebio (the young comedian often mistaken for Smokey Manaloto) and the lone female host, Bubbles Paraiso (sister of Paolo Paraiso and former squeeze of Paolo Contis).
“We invited several people for auditions and we think we came up with perfect casting after watching their video tests,” adds Leo. “They jelled right away at maganda agad ang bonding nila, para talagang barkada. For the female host, we auditioned only three girls and when we saw Bubbles, we said agad, siya na.”
Leo adds that Studio 23 will be introducing more new local shows, including a gag show hosted by Epy Quizon and another youth show called “Barkada Log” (“Blog”). (MNS)
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NEW YORK CITY - Depressed after having done three films of little consequence yet costing them of about $60,000 in credit card debt, young Filipino-American filmmakers Ian Gamazon and Neill de la Llana rolled their camera anew and filmed Cavite, an 80-minute thriller.
It had a much-leaner budget of $7,000 that even prompted them to sell their camera so they can start off with the editing phase.
But Cavite, which had Ian Gamazon as actor with him and de la Llana creatively collaborating as producer, cinematographer, director, soundman and editor, gotfinally noticed internationally as an independent film.
Cavite, an 80-minute super low budget yet verycreatively produced film, is about a young Filipino-American who goes back to the Philippines to attend his father’s funeral.
His lingering struggle with his Islamic faith while in the U.S. is suddenly thrust forward when, upon arriving in Manila, he received an anonymous cell phone call from a Muslim extremist group informing him that they kidnapped his mother and sister.
He was asked to go to places and do things as part of the procedure to get his mother and sister released.
What happened was a confusing and breath-taking journey to save their lives and in the process also understand and make sense of the religious and cultural dysfunctions he was presently undergoing.
Cavite was initially shot in California, but most of location shooting took place in Cavite in the Philippines. Due to precise preparation as a result of tight financial constraints, “ the Philippine shoot only took us ten days,” de la Llana said.
In between day jobs in San Diego, California, Gamazon and De la Llana filmed Cavite in 2004.
It world premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2005. It was shown in 18 film festivals elsewhere since then, and recently won the “Someone to Watch” award of the “2006 Independent Spirit” award in New York.
Hailing Cavite on May 17 as “among the recent striking American independent movies of the year,” the New York Times earlier in its March 29 issue said “Mr. De La Llana and Mr. Gamazon get into some locations that haven’t been seen in the West since Lino Brocka’s provocative, politicized Philippine Melodramas of the 70s and 80s.”
Scheduled for commercial release in Manila by June this year, Cavite starts its U.S. run simultaneously on May 26 at the Cinema Village in New York and at Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles, California. On June 16, it will be shown at the Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco, California and at Hillcrest Theatre in San Diego, California. By June 30, Cavite is to be shown at Varsity Theatre in Seattle, WA.
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LOS ANGELES, CA –- Filipino American model and actor Michael Copon comes back to television as he appears in the ‘N’s’ new nighttime drama ‘Beyond the Break’. The show which premieres with an hour-long special on June 2 at 8:30 p.m. (ET), was shot entirely on location in Oahu, Hawaii. It is a story of four young women who are pursuing their dreams of becoming professional surfers while facing life’s challenges like maintaining friendships, balancing work and play and dating.
‘Beyond the Break’ features characters with diverse background who are dealing with different issues that go beyond their surfing abilities.
Michael Copon plays 18-year-old Vin, who starts out dating one of the girls–Lacey. Michael’s character starts off as being that of a ‘player’ but as the show progresses, his heart gets the best of him and he realizes that what he’s looking for has been there by his side all along. “He’s been friends with Kai all his life,” Michael says. “Somewhere in the show they really do fall in love and they have a really sweet romantic relationship. So you get to see a softer side of Vin.”
Conquering Hollywood
Michael Copon who did numerous stints as a model and actor first burst into the hollywood scene in WB’s hit series One TreeHill. He joined the stellar cast of Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton, Bethany Joy Lenz-Galeotti and Sophia Bush in the second season of the show portraying outgoing, humorous, “player” Felix.
Since then he has guested in a variety of TV series, music videos and reality shows.
Born Michael Sowell Copon in November 13, 1982, he was raised by a German mother, Monica Zelasko and Filipino father, Berlin Copon. When his parents separated, his father remarried. Berlin Copon is now married to a Filipina.
Although he has not been in the Philippines, he is aware of the Filipino values and tradition. His dad and stepmother were instrumental in instilling these in him. “I’ve learned a lot about Manila so much through my step-mom and I’m just so excited to go next year, nice beaches, pretty girls, and I heard houses there are also cheaper. I want to visit my relatives, too.” Michael continues, “my favorite food is the classic pansit, chicken adobo (I’m not a pork fan), lumpia, and sinigang! I was overweight and fleshy when I was a kid, eating all this rice, you know what I mean? But now, I try to stay away from it. The worst thing my dad made me try is the bagoong and dinuguan. Filipinos are nasty! My dad eats fish heads, and showed me how to suck fish eyeballsand he made me do it.”
Michael moved to Los Angeles from his hometown in Cheasepeake, VA when hewas 18. George Kartis, a local photographer and agent spotted him and alerted folks in the Los Angeles modeling mix about Copon’s husky good looks. Kartis says what others say about Michael. “Mike’s a religious, great-looking kid with a very supportive mother.’’ That would be Monica Zelasko.
He made his televison debut in WVBT’s Power Rangers playing blue Power Ranger Lucas.
Aside from modeling and acting, Michael is also busy with his singing and song-writing career. He has plans of pursuing this in the near future.
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MANILA -- IS Kris Aquino pregnant?
Someone observed that sheís acting like one. Lately, she has been craving for pineapples.
Kris once confessed that her husband James Yap has asked her many times for a baby. After all, Joshua, Krisí son by former lover Phillip Salvador, is almost a teenager.
Since the news about her marriage to James came out in a broadsheet, Kris has become more comfortable. For one who claims that she doesnít tell a lie, keeping a secret seems a tall order. (MNS)
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MANILA -- It was no less than Bryan Revilla who revealed to media that ex-girlfriend Maui Taylor dumped her for a new guy.
Bryan, however, refused to reveal the guy’s name.
Maui has attempted to return the expensive ring which Bryan Revilla gave her when they were still together.
But Bryan, she said, has refused to accept it. Instead, he instructed her to return the ring to him once she decides to marry someone else.
Maui recently admits that newcomer Gabb Drillon and Brad Turvey, who was once linked to Pops Fernandez, are two of her closest male friends.
Are they courting her?
She revealed that since her break-up with Bryan, she attracted more admirers. But she is not about to consider anyone of them seriously. “In time siguro, I will fall in love again,” she related. “‘Yong sinasabi ni Bryan na boyfriend ko is actually just a friend. Hindi naman ako ‘yong tipo ng babae na itatago kung in love ako. I want my boyfriend to feel proud of me. In the same way that I would also want to feel proud of him.”
Maui has not done any movie lately. But this doesn’t mean she’s not busy. Aside from guesting in some TV shows, Maui performs in Boracay and earns enough to keep her going.
She remarked, “I’m one of the lucky few in showbiz who doesn’t have to work dahil breadwinner siya.” (MNS)
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KHAVN’S latest work, “Rugby Boyz,” recently won in the 52nd Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, one of the oldest and most renowned film festivals in the world. The said film received the Special Mention Prize from the Jury of the Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia last May 9.
The Jury gave this statement: “Rugby Boyz is a documentary about boys living in Philippine slums. With a unique color and lighting design and a poetic narrative approach, the filmmaker manages to show the boys’ indomitable will to live and the fragility of their situation in life.”
Aside from the International Competition section of Oberhausen, “Rugby Boyz” was also shown in the Kids and Youth program, the only international Children’s and Youth Films Competition in Germany.
“Rugby Boyz” had its world premiere in Rotterdam International Film Festival early this year. It will also compete in the Busan Asian Short Film Festival (Korea), Hamburg International Short Film Festival (Germany) and Vila Do Conde International Short Film Festival (Portugal). It was also shown locally last March in the Ateneo Video Open and at the Kampo Sining Pambata, a summer camp for children from urban poor communities, held early this month in Antipolo.
Khavn is currently finishing a children’s full-length movie, “Larombata,” the first digital animation feature in the Philippines. Supported by Cinemalaya, “Larombata” is a musical fantasy about Philippine games and toys, featuring Nińo Muhlach s voice and footage from his early films.
Produced by Filmless Films, “Rugby Boyz” is written and directed by Khavn, cinematography by Albert Banzon, assistant direction by Rayg Generoso and editing by Caloy Carlos. English translation is by Merv Espina. Running time is eight minutes. It is included in the first volume DVD of Khavn s short-film collection, exclusively sold in Datelines Bookstore (Cubao Shoe Expo) and Mag:net (Katipunan, ABS-CBN and Paseo).
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