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For the past 21 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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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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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)
SO Rock in the Box 2 Weekend proved to be the historic event that it should be.
I am ecstatic and at the same time, plucking my hair in despair with the thought that it is all over. I feel the adrenalin crash and it is depressing the hell out of me. It is the law of equilibrium: Adrenalin rush =adrenalin crash.
What is left to be done after putting up such an historic moment for local Filipino-American artists? The fact is, there’s a lot. I checked my calendar and got reminded that theirs is still more work to be done to keep the adrenalin pumping. Our label, Soulworks has still a few tricks in the bag before we all say goodbye to 2008.
First is the Kuwagos double-sided single release followed by their first ever music video. I cannot wait for this band to release their new songs. It has been one year and six months since they released anything. Hence, I am one of their many fans that will surely grab a copy of their single when it comes out with the October issue of Poptimes Magazine print.
Also in the Soulworks calendar is the release of Sodapop Suicide’s debut album. True, they have released a double-sided single a few months back, but most of their fans are begging for a full-length since 2006! Two years is too long, so 2008 won’t end without an SS album.
Another thing in line is the Happy Analogues’ second album, School Tales. Tentatively, my calendar is showing a November release. It should be out by then for sure.
On October, some Soulworks artists are scheduled to tour Boston and Chicago. The Kuwagos, The Happy Analogues and Sodapop Suicide are confirmed to play Beantown on October 11, while an October 18 gig in Chicago is scheduled for the Kuwagos, the Analogues and possibly Qwadra.
Although it is not in the calendar yet, I am seriously considering releasing another all-original Fil-Am Christmas compilation album in December. We did in 2005 with Rocky Yuletide 1, and 2006 with Rocky Yuletide 2. Christmas albums are so fun to produce. The atmosphere has a lot to do with it, I guess.
I remember recording all the tracks for Rocky Yuletide 2 in my tiny apartment in downtown Jersey City. It was one of the best Christmases ever. You can actually hear it in the album– how happy we the artists all were. I suppose if there is a single bonding moment among local Jersey and New York artists, it has got to be the Rocky Yuletide projects more than the summer Rock in the Box series.
Rock in the Box is national in scope, however, Rocky Yuletide is local hence, more intimate. With this thought of releasing another Rocky Yuletide volume, some of my peers are considering going national with it like its summer cousin. Though plausible, I am not that keen in taking it outside the NY/NJ scene for the reason that it is not actually its purpose. The national scene has Rock in the Box, the intimacy of Rocky Yuletide is what makes it unique from RITB. Well, since it is not in the calendar, yet anything is possible, I suppose.
Now, with all these great things lined up, I am certain that the adrenalin crash won’t stay long. However, I could only imagine myself when 2008 ends, and all the fun stuff are over. I guess it will be another time for pistachio ice cream and hair pulling.
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MANILA -- IN their first movie together, "Aishite Imasu 1941" for Regal, Judy Ann Santos and Dennis Trillo were not a love team. Juday had Raymart Santiago for her leading man. Dennis, on the other hand, played a gay.
But in their second, the soon-to-be released "Mag-ingat Ka sa Kulam," they are paired together. And what a credible team-up they are in this horror movie, Mother Lily Monteverde, producer of "Mag-ingat," gushed.
"With just the two of them as stars of ‘Mag-ingat,’ feeling ko, I already have a winner," Mother Lily stated. "E, nagkataon pang well-thought and well-executed ang bawat horror scene sa pelikula.
"I bet you, Jun Lana, whom I tapped to direct ‘Magingat,’ after the release of this movie will earn the title ‘Horror Director.’ Talagang nakakatakot ang movie, from beginning to end."
Direk Jun, a Palanca winner, wrote the story and script of "Mag-ingat Ka sa Kulam." Months before he started working on the movie, he made a thorough research on witchcraft.
"But I told him (Direk Jun) to add something modern to the witchcraft. And there should be a lesson on how to deal with it.
"I’ve seen the movie. And I assure moviegoers, they will be scared from beginning to end, which is the purpose of every horror movie, ‘di ba?" Mother Lily said.
The 48th anniversary offering of Regal Films, "Magingat Ka sa Kulam" is set to open on October 1 in theaters nationwide. Also in the movie are TJ Trinidad, Mart Escudero, Kris Bernal and Sharlene San Pedro.
Since they are in every scene together, Juday said that she and Dennis have developed a friendship. While waiting for their cue, they while away their time talking. Guess what they keep talking about? Parenthood.
Juday and Dennis are both young parents. Juday has her three-year-old adopted daughter Yohan. And Dennis has a son, Calyx (mom: Carlene Aguilar), who will turn one in October.
"I told Dennis to find time to really be with his son. ‘Di ba ang bibilis lumaki ng mga bata ngayon? Halikan niya kako ng halikan kapag kasama niya kasi, before he knows it, ‘di na amoy baby ang bata. (MNS)
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MANILA -- Singer and actress Manilyn Reynes is now in stable condition after she suffered a miscarriage last Tuesday, September 2nd.
Reynes is now reportedly recuperating in her home after being discharged from Manila Sanitarium hospital.
Reynes who has two sons named Kyle and Kirk was on her fourth month of pregnancy when the unfortunate accident happened.
In a previous interview she said that she was hoping that God will give them a baby girl.
Reynes started her showbiz career at the early age of 10. She was a former member of "That's Entertainment." She turned 36 last April.
Reynes was also popular for doing horror movies especially "Shake, Rattle & Roll" films. She met her husband Jimenez while doing the film "Aswang" from 1990’s "Shake 2."(MNS)
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MANILA – ANGELICA Panganiban is glad that her relationship with boyfriend Derek Ramsay remains intact after they encountered some problems a few months ago.
“I admit naging mailap ako sa press kasi ang feeling ko, parang pinaglalaruan ang relationship namin,” she says.
“But now that everything’s going on well, lesser na ang mga tampuhan and we realized na kapag may problema, dapat pala, pinag-uusapang mabuti ‘yun. As of now, I’m also glad na hindi ako pinababayaan ng ABS at ng Star Magic. I’m happy over the positive reviews I’m getting for my role as Scarlet in ‘Iisa Pa Lamang’ and I’m also elated that I got nominated as best actress sa FAP Luna Awards for ‘A Love Story.’ Ang maganda rito, pareho kaming nominated ni Mama Mary ko (Maricel Soriano) for the same movie. Imagine, dati, anak niya lang ako in ‘Separada’ and ‘Ama Ina Anak,’ ngayon, sabay na kaming nominees. It’s really an honor.”
She was only six years old when she started acting and as an adolescent, she went on making movies and TV shows like ‘Ang TV’ and ‘Gmik.’ She did major films like “Santa Santita,” “Mano Po 3” as the young Vilma Santos and “All About Love,” plus toprated teleseryes like “Mangarap Ka’ and “Vietnam Rose.”
Now, she’s really making a mark in her anti-heroine role as Scarlet de la Rhea, the woman everyone loves to hate in “Iisa Pa Lamang”.
“When I was given the role, I didn’t know how people will accept my character, but I’m lucky people tell me natutuwa sila. It’s a good role kasi hindi siya basta inaapi lang po pa-sweet. Lumalaban siya kapag nasasaktan. I think it’s clear naman to the viewers kung ano ang pinanggagalingan ng character kaya minahal din nila. ‘Iisa Pa Lamang’ is one program na iiyakan ko talaga kapag natapos kasi ang saya-saya namin lagi sa set ng buong cast and crew. Never akong nagkaproblema sa taping so I’ll really miss everyone.”
An endorser of Bench and Mario D’Boro, she’ll next be seen in the all-female gag show, “Banana Split.” She’s also supposed to do a movie with Star Cinema.
Was she really pulled out from OctoArts Films’ “One Night Only” because of Katrina Halili?
It’s Star Magic’s Rikka Dylim who answered: “There can never be a pullout because there was never a formal commitment with them. Yes, there was an offer but it was not accepted.” (MNS)
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MANILA – Ricardo Cepeda plays the father of Maxene Magalona and LJ Reyes in "Una Kang Naging Akin." In real life, he plays dad to his and Snooky Serna’s two daughters, Samantha and Satchi, who are in their early teens.
"Our children now stay with me," he says. "I’m the one sending them to school and they prefer to just stay in one home at hindi na ‘yung palipatlipat lagi sila sa akin at sa mom nila. But Snooky can visit them anytime. She comes to see them regularly and they go out on weekends."
Is it true he’s engaged to be married soon?
"I have a non-showbiz girlfriend, pero wala pa kaming napag-uusapang kasalan."
What can she say about Snooky’s reported breakup with her latest boyfriend?
"I’d rather not comment at all. Basta I’m glad we get along fine for the sake of our children." (MNS)
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Director Lav Diaz added another feather to his cap after his latest film Melancholia won the Best Film Award in the Orizzonti Section of the 65th Venice International Film Festival.
According to a report from Venice, the decision of the Orizzonti Jury (composed of Chantal, president; Nicole Brenez, Barbara Cupisti, Jose Luis Guerin, and Veiko Ounpuu) was unanimous.
The three runners-up are: Below Sea Level by Gianfranco Rosi (Italy/USA), Doc Prize; Un Lac by Philippe Grandrieux (France), Special Mention; and Wo Men (We) by Huang Wenhai (China/Switzerland), also Special Mention.
No Filipino film competed for the Golden Lion, the top prize in the Main Section which was won by The Wrestler (USA), directed by Darren Aronofsky; and Russia’s Paper Soldier, directed by Aleksey German Jr., placing second (Silver Lion).
Chosen as closing film of the filmfest, Melancholia, which runs for almost eight hours and shot in various places in the Philippines, tries to explore the question of why there’s “so much sadness and so much madness” in this world, in the end finding no answer at all. It stars Angeli Bayani, Perry Dizon, Roeder Camanag, Raul Arellano, Dante Perez, Malaya and Soliman Cruz.
It’s the second time for Diaz to have won an award at the VIFF. Last year, he won a Special Mention award for his nine-hour film Kagadanan Sa Banwaan Ning Mga Engkanto (Death in the Land of Enkantos) which depicts the death and desolation of the Bicol region after a killer typhoon.
The Venice International Film Festival was initially known as D Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica di Venezia.
Born in 1958 in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, an island in Mindanao, Diaz is recognized as “the ideological father of the New Philippine Film Movement,” noted for making films that run for hours, also including Batang West Side (2002), Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino (2005) and Heremias subtitled Ikalawang Aklat: Ang Alamat ng Prinsesa
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