First of all, let me ask this: Is it just me or is Safeguard’s new TV commercial for their promo raffle a little off? It’s starting to make my head itch. I mean, come on, we’re in the middle of El Nino and their commercial seems to be encouraging people to waste water!

I’m trying to find the video on YouTube so I can post the TV ad here. Does anyone have a link to that video?

Anyway, this is the time of the year when I am usually irritated by insensitive TV ads hooked to reality shows. Allow me to talk about them.

AMERICAN IDOL Season 9

Almost every year I hear my friends say “this is the worst season ever.” They said that about Carrie Underwood’s season, also Chris Daughtry’s, and Jordin Sparks’, and David Cook’s. And I was always like, “That’s so not true.” My favorite so far is still Season 5 (Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry) and Season 7 (David Archuleta, David Cook).

What can I say about this year’s American Idol? I have three words: WORST. SEASON. EVER.

Especially after this week’s elimination? Gooosh. If it weren’t for Didi Benami, I’d stop watching this show. I mean, Alex Lambert and Lily Scott got eliminated!!? What’s wrong, America?

<insert frustrated sigh here>

Darn. But my love for Didi Benami is greater than my hatred towards the entire season. So I’m still in.

THE AMAZING RACE Season 16

The latest season of my most-loved reality show has been airing for a month already and I am sooo enjoying it. I honestly am surprised why I still love the show when my favorite team never wins (except for Tyler Denk and James Branaman, they’re so hot, I was rooting for them since Day 1 and I almost threw an Amazing Race party when they won).

Last season, I was so in love with Maria and Tiffany but they quit. Season 10 (All Stars), beauty queens Dustin and Kandice got all my loving but they lost. Season 4, Colin and Christie failed to win the race, either. Still love the show, though.

This season, all my cheers and prayers go to the cowboys Jet and Cord. Smart, smart players, I love it. Here’s hoping they win.

And I’m loving Caite. Her boyfriend Brent is a piece of wood but I love her. Hope they make it to the final 3.

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Me with my cousins. Second pic: Yep, that’s me, leftmost. Gawd, I’ve just noticed that I was holding a green sausage-shaped balloon. Was that a sign? A foreshadowing? Haha.

Exactly a year ago, Shy Guy took me to Tagaytay. There was dinner by the cliff, a lot of long conversations. a lot of romantic walks, and more. The night before that, my friends threw a marshmallow party for me.

Two years ago, my family had a little dinner party. We invited some relatives and friends and had some fun. But that’s about it. Nothing really special.

Four years ago, I was so sick. But I was able to travel from Batangas to Manila, and meet some of my friends at the university. I planned to watch Pride and Prejudice with Josh, but I backed out the last minute because my body couldn’t withstand my aching joints and terrible fever. When I felt a little better hours later, I decided to just push through with the movie thing but because Josh couldn’t make it that night, Andre joined me instead. We spent the rest of the night at Figaro.

Five years ago, Josh gave me a Kitchie Nadal album, and we had lunch at Oz Cafe — my treat. We stayed there longer than we intended to. That night, I had dinner with Ayn. I can’t remember where, but I know I gave her a treat.

Eight years ago, I saw a movie in a theatre in Lemery with my girlfriend back then, Michi, and some of my friends. Again, I can’t remember what movie we watched that day. But I know I was really, really happy. (It was Pearl Harbor pala.)

Fourteen years ago, my mum threw a very lavish party for me at our place in Batangas. Most of my classmates and teachers were present. It was one of the most expensive parties my mum had ever thrown.

Twenty-four years ago, a midwife was pulling me out of my mother’s womb as my Daddy watched. It was a very bloody day.

Yep! Today I turned 24! Happy Birthday to ME!

Genre: Romance, Drama
Director: Cathy Garcia-Molina
Stars: John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo

When I first heard that John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo would be doing a movie together after three years, my first reaction was “How in the world are they gonna top One More Chance?!” Not that One More Chance is a perfect film. But it was perfect for John Lloyd and Bea. It was one of the best mainstream Pinoy romantic drama movies I’d seen in recent times — well-acted, well-directed, well-shot, mature and surprisingly solid.

That said, Miss You Like Crazy is bound to be compared to its predecessor. But looking at the new movie as is, this has a lot of refreshing things to offer.

First, there was a deliberate effort to deviate from conventional Star Cinema movies and it was pretty apparent. The treatment is way different from other Cathy Garcia Molina films. For instance, there was an attempt to play with the timeline. We all know how formulaic studio romantic movies are and they seldom mess up the narrative flow. Also, how they “sectionalized” the film was not something that usual mainstream romance does. Each section is set in a different time and has its own premise, conflict and closure (but not really a resolution). These sections feel like incomplete short films but weaved together make up a good, insightful movie.

Second, the narrative veers away from the explain-it-all/show-it-all school of storytelling. When one section ends and another starts, the audience is left in a vacuum. A long time has been skipped and the audience is left wondering how much time has passed and what happened in between. It doesn’t assume that you are too stupid to assume or to discover for yourself what you missed. There’s a downside, though. It has a happy ending, yes, but that’s not the problem. The issue is how it gets there comes out of nowhere. It’s not established enough; it felt forced. It felt thought out in the last minute just so they could give the audience a happy ending. That’s the problem.

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image courtesy of Wired.com

Impress him. Surprise him. Cheat not. Hit not. In simpler terms, these are the most important pieces of advice on keeping a relationship. But sometimes, no matter how strictly you follow these commandments, relationships still die. Some of natural death. Why? Because we tend to overlook simpler but not any less significant things we have to remember when we are the other half of a couple.

10. When you make mistakes, say sorry.

Your heart should be bigger than your ego. Pride will get your relationship nowhere. When you suddenly threw tantrums in the middle of your seventh monthsary dinner (ulimately ruining the night), say sorry. It’s your fault, take the blame. It’s simple, really: When you make a mistake, apologize.

9. When your partner makes mistakes, say sorry.

Shit happens. Everybody makes mistakes. Your partner is not an exception. When your partner does and he or she apologizes, don’t pin all the blame on him/her. Analyze the situation. I mean, REALLY analyze it and you’ll find you have shortcomings, too. Example:

He’s late. It’s his fault, yes. But did you remind him?
He called you a bitch. It’s his fault, yes. But are you really not?
He’s out with friends yet again. It’s not really a fault but let’s say it is. Was it clear you didn’t want him to go out with friends four times a week?

Point is, it wouldn’t hurt to get your share of the blame sometimes. After all,  you’re partners.

8. Don’t self-pity.

If you think you’re so ugly or so stupid or so whatever and you think you’re not good at anything, stop it. Self-pitying will only make you feel bad. And if you feel bad about yourself, imagine how it makes your partner feel. Has it ever occurred to you that the more you tarnish your confidence, the worse your partner is hurt?

Think about this: He loves you. If you think you’re worthless, you are insulting your partner in a way.

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Note: I’m a cheesy person alright? But since it’s Valentine’s Day and I wish everyone is in love this season, let me share some more cheese. The kind that is, well, cheesy.

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”

That’s from romantic musical film Moulin Rouge. Cheesy line alright but yes, there is nothing in this world that feels better than being in love. It is the most amazing feeling that you will ever have. (Orgasm, an exception.) If what this quote says is not enough reason for you, here’s ten more.

10. It makes you better-looking.

This is not a joke. Believe it or not, falling in love can really make you look a lot better. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t care about your physical appearance, fall in love and see how you would change. When you’re in love, you will always try to look your very best not just to impress the one you love but also to feel good about yourself. You feel conscious about your outfit, your hair and your movements.

Even when you don’t exert any effort on improving your appearance, love really brings something magical to its victims. When people are in love, they smile a lot. There is a certain glowing aura that people in love emit that radiates happiness.

9. It makes you nicer.

How can you be mean to people around you when there is someone who makes every minute of your life wonderful? When people are in love, we tend to focus on our feelings for that lucky person and pay not much attention to other things, much less to the things that make our blood reach the boiling point. And because there is someone who makes us smile every time, it is hard to frown and make other people’s lives miserable. We tend to forget our bitter past and our plans of revenge in the future because what matters is the present.

8. It makes you richer.

It doesn’t mean that you should marry Donald Trump or some other billionaire. Even if you fall in love with an average guy, you have more chances of getting rich. This is because you are more inspired to work and you have another reason to work hard. Intentionally or unintentionally, you will find yourself doing your job a little less exhausting because the feeling of going home to someone you love keeps you through the day in a way that you don’t realize how much work you have done. This is true. Studies have shown that individuals in long-term committed relationships earn more than those who stay single. So if you want to get rich, fall in love.

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It’s still so vivid. One evening in 2007, I sent him a text message, inviting him for a meetup at McDo Philcoa. He said, “Sure. What for? What up?”

I replied, “I dunno. I just missed you.”

A few hours later, I arrived at McDo and I saw him inside waiting for me. I had Chicken McNuggets. He had McChicken, large fries and large coke. He asked me how I was. I said I was great. He asked again why we were doing this. I told him I just wanted to bring back the old days — back when we called our group Bioman. I was Blue 3. He was Green 2.

He laughed. Way before we drifted far apart, we were close friends.

And that night, we stayed there at McDo, just talking about that summer — collecting newspapers and PET bottles from subdivisions, killing time at Vinzon’s Hall, playing games at Sunken Garden, pretending to be Bioman, the music we used to listen to back then, shooting an “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin” music video for our film org, and watching “Nasaan Ka Man” with the freshies.

A huge chunk of our time was spent talking about our radio hosting stint at dzUP for Project: Live Sound (Film stuff, Life, and Everything in Between). How they messed up on their first day as DJs. How fun it was. How he would want to do it again.

We even talked about that one time we walked along the Academic Oval while singing M2M’s “The Day You Went Away” out loud.

Yes, it’s so vivid. It was an unforgettable night.

Unforgettable because it was the only night we spent hours alone together. It was the only time I made an effort to revive our lost friendship. It was the last serious conversation we had. The sad fact is, it will never happen again.

So long, my friend. Rest in peace.

One morning in September 2007, I was in the office when boredom got the better of me. And like many bored members of the working class, I logged onto YouTube and looked for the music video of Rihanna’s Umbrella. The search made me stumble upon a band’s acoustic cover of the song. I was blown away. I even loved it better than the original. The band was composed by three brothers — Daniel, Fabian, and Alejandro Manzano. The band’s name was Boyce Avenue.

I became a fan instantaneously. That particularly video had only around 40 views. None of my friends knew them. Somehow I was glad. I thought, “This budding group is going to be my little secret.” I anticipated more “cover videos.” And they never failed to amaze me each time they post a new one. YouTube became my little world and Boyce Avenue was the only thing in it.

It was only a matter of time when those 60 views became hundreds, then thousands, then millions. They became an internet phenomenon with over 75 million total views on YouTube, 143,000 subscribers, and ranked as one of the top musician channels of all-time on YouTube. My little secret became the world’s. My little secret became everything but. And for these men, I’m more than happy.

I blogged about them and their first time in Manila (a mall tour). And now, I’m glad I’m blogging about them again because they’re returning to the Philippines for a major concert. And he’s not alone.

Jabbawockeez arrived in Manila last week and I’m delighted to hear they will be a regular on ASAP XV for a month. I’m not really a dance fan but it doesn’t take a dance diploma to know that they ARE great. Especially after the technical boo-boo on ASAP last Sunday. They were just the most creative-slash-professional group ever. They’re amazing.

Kris Allen will be performing at MusicFest, too. Allow me to die for a moment. (OK, I just died there.) I remember last year when every one of my friends was rooting for that Adam Lambert guy, I think I was the only one in my circle that was jumping out of my seat. Doesn’t matter, though. He’s won. He’s here. And I’m going to see him.

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Well, it’s not really a secret. I’m a big John Lloyd Cruz-Bea Alonzo fan. Not the type who storms to the premiere night armed with a tarpaulin, shouting “We looove you Lloydie! We looove you Bea!” But I have seen all their movies and TV series. Hehe.

What I love about their team-up is that they do not really resort to fooling the public, declaring they love each other or that they are an item. The viewers are well aware that they are not a couple. But whenever they are together on screen, they are able to make scenes natural, believable and effective (in terms of kilig and entertainment value). No gimmicks required.

One More Chance is one of my most-loved local romance dramas and I was sure thrilled when Star Cinema (ABS-CBN Film Production) announced that Bea and John Lloyd is having a reunion movie as the studio’s Valentine offering.

Call me jologs. Call me baduy. Call me whatever. I love them. I love Direk Cathy Garcia-Molina. I am seeing this movie. Opening day.

Sorry, fan lang.

Don’t you just love the full trailer of ABS-CBN’s remake of Mexican telenovela Rubi? Angelica Panganiban is just oh-so-perfect for the role.

It’s not a secret that of all the up and coming Kapamilya shows, I am most excited about Rubi for a number of reasons.

• I religiously watched the Mexican “Rubi” when it was first shown in the Philippines a few years ago. It was refreshing to me, having an ill-mannered character for the lead role. I deliberately avoided enlisting to any 11:30am class just to catch every episode of it. I was in college then.
• I was anticipating who would play this very challenging role long before they announced they were doing a remake of it. I initially picked Kristine Hermosa for the role despite her acting skills (or the lack thereof) because I thought it would be a breath of fresh air. Angelica was just my second choice for the role. But that was before Angel played Scarlet in the hit Claudine Barretto-topbilled drama series Iisa Pa Lamang.
• Angelica Panganiban, after Scarlet and the very funny Crissy (in Banana Split), has become one of my most-loved actresses. She’s just so versatile. She can do drama, horror, and comedy effortlessly. She can also be naive and angelic in one project and then cruel and manipulative in another. Only a few actors can do that.

I really wish this series would perform well in the ratings game. This is Angelica’s first solo project and she has waited for this for so long.

I know I’m gay but she’s sooo hot. *blushes*

God, I’m such a fanboy.

Note: I originally wrote this article for Qool Media in 2007. And since it’s awards season once again, I figured it’s time for me to publish this on this blog. Just edited it a little for updates. Remember that this is a PERSONAL list and that it was written in 2007, three years ago. But feel free to add other actors that you think are underrated.

Life isn’t fair. Some people get too much while others get so much less that what they deserve. Like life, Hollywood is unfair, too. It is home to many celebrities who enjoy fame for absolutely no remarkable work. And then, there are those who have exerted so much effort and unparalleled talent but never really received any significant recognition.

From brilliant actors who are refused to be given a break to those who rock their roles no matter how small they are, you can produce a list of celebrities who are not given what they are due. Here is a list of ten FAMOUS actors and actresses in Hollywood but criminally underrated.

10. Sandra Bullock

Although many people would disagree that Sandra Bullock is overrated for all the fame and glamor she enjoys right now, it has to be noted that she CAN act. All the talk about her in tinsel town was not about how good an actress she was. Aside from her dazzling beauty and head-turning attitude that always make her top every most beautiful celebrities list there is, she is a total scene-stealer when it comes to acting.

Unfortunately, not all people realize that. Her portrayal of a woman in jeopardy in Speed isn’t a performance that Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson or Jennifer Aniston can deliver. She even completely kicked out Matthew McConaughey from the spotlight with her outstanding performance in “A Time to Kill.” Heck, even her very tiny role in “Crash” was well-celebrated.

(Update: Thanks to The Blind Side, Sandra got a challenging, heavy role in a good material and hopefully it pays off this year and be regarded as among her contemporaries such as Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman in the acting department.)

9. Jennifer Jason Leigh

Jennifer Jason Leigh may have lost a number of important roles in huge movies like The Terminator (to Linda Hamilton) and Hannibal (to Julianne Moore) but she’s definitely here to prove her worth as an actress. She has shown her acting prowess in several films, from Mrs. Parker and eXistenZ but she is surprisingly still not well-known in Hollywood and is yet to reach the dizzy heights of Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts. Still, she continues to give us brilliant performances but most of them are barely noticed.

8. Gary Oldman

Another great mystery in Hollywood is why Gary Oldman has never received any nod from either the Golden Globes or the Oscars. He isn’t named “The Chameleon” for no reason. Like Johnny Depp who looks so different in all his movies, Gary has already made a name for portraying a wide range of unusual characters varying international backgrounds. He delivers every performance with unmatched intensity that overpowers those of his co-stars every single time.

He is an incredibly talented actor who is still waiting for that moment when his formidable acting skills be recognized by any major award-giving body. Before that day comes, he will continue giving life to supporting characters and will remain one of the most underrated actors in the history of cinema.

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