Tenement 2 (T2) Earns P84.1 Million at the Box-office

On its fifth week just before Best Friends Forever (BFF) hits the silverscreen, Tenement 2 starring Maricel Soriano ended its run with a box-office haul of P84,171,901.32.

The Star Cinema horror movie easily grabbed the 2nd spot for this year’s Top local films at the box-office so far.

Top Pinoy Movies for 2009
(as of May 12, 2009)

1. You Changed My Life - P230.44 million
(Star Cinema/Viva Films)

2. Tenement 2 - P84.1 million
(Star Cinema)

3. Love Me Again: Land Down Under - P67.07 million
(Star Cinema)

4. When I Met U - P64.29 million
(GMA Films/Regal Films)

5. Sundo - P50.08 million
(GMA Films)

6. Status Single - P11.47 million
(VIVA Films)

Note: Ai Ai’s Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat which raked a whopping P197 million was considered a 2008 release. Therefore, it’s the top-grossing Pinoy film of 2008 outgrossing A Very Special Love.

TOP 10 MOVIES in Philippine Box Office
(Weekend of May 6 to 10, 2009)

1. X-men Origins: Wolverine - P16.8 M
2. Star Trek - P13.7 M *
3. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - P3.65 M *
4. Fast and Furious - P1.94 M
5. Tenement 2 - P1.74
6. The Haunting in Connecticut - P1.22 M
7. Amusement - P1.07 M *
8. 17 Again - P0.46 M
9. Dragonball Evolution - P0.21 M
10. Super Typhoon - P0.11 M

* Debuting movies last weekend

X-Men Origins: Wolverine has now earned P76.36 million on its 2nd week topping Philippine box-office for the 2nd week in a row.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/05/16/tenement-2-t2-earns-p841-million-at-the-box-office/

Maricel Soriano Stars in T2 (Tenement 2)

The Diamond Star Maricel Soriano topbills Star Cinema’s 3rd offering for 2009 - a horror movie entitled “T2.”

In the tradition of horror films such as Feng Shui and Sukob, Star Cinema finally brings back the box-office director of horror movies, Mr. Chito Roño in his next horror movie project in the said film outfit.

The story is about a young girl (played by Mika dela Cruz, younger sister of actress Angelika dela Cruz) who lost her parents and then meets Claire (Maricel Soriano), a volunteer worker in an NGO for orphans. She is assigned to take Mica to some living relatives. She’s married to Derek Ramsay.

Also starring in Tenement 2 are Tetchie Agbayani, Camille Prats, Kai Brosas (as their neighbors in the tenement) and Eric Fructuoso (as Maricel’s driver).

According to Chito Roño, T2 is his most expensive horror film yet because of special effects. The last 11 minutes are all CGI set in the other world.

According to reports, John Lloyd Cruz and Malaysian actress Carmen Soo will have cameo roles in the movie.

Tenement 2 is Maricel Soriano’s fifth film with director Chito Roño and will hit theaters nationwide on April 11, 2009.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/03/06/maricel-soriano-stars-in-t2-tenement-2/

‘A Love Story’ Tops 26th Luna Awards

The “local academy awards”, Luna of the Film Academy of the Philippines, released their winners for movies shown in 2007.

Here is the complete list of winners in the 26th Luna Awards:

Best Picture:
A Love Story (Star Cinema)

Best Director:
Maryo J. de los Reyes (A Love Story)

Best Actor:
Paolo Contis (Banal)

Best Actress:
Maricel Soriano (Bahay Kubo)

Best Supporting Actor:
Dante Rivero (A Love Story)

Best Supporting Actress:
Angelica Panganiban (A Love Story)

Best Screenplay:
Vanessa R. Valdez (A Love Story)

Best Cinematography:
Renato de Vera (Ataul for Rent)

Best Editing:
Jess Navarro (Silip)

Best Production Design:
Rodell Cruz (Resiklo)

Best Sound:
Ditoy Aguila (Ouija)

Best Musical Score:
Carmina Reyes Cuya (Ouija)

Golden Reel Award:
Former President Joseph Estrada

The Manuel de Leon Award:
Cirio Santiago (producer-director)

FPJ Lifetime Achievement Award:
Ms. Boots Anson-Roa (actress)

Lamberto Avellana Award (posthumous):
Juanito Clemente (sound engineer)

The Film Academy of the Philippines will hand out the awards on January 26, 2009.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/11/a-love-story-tops-26th-luna-awards/

Star Cinema’s 2009 Line-Up

ABS-CBN’s film outfit, Star Cinema, has released their movie line-up for 2009.

Apparently, this line-up was shown during the premiere screening of Land Down Under in the US. Please take note that titles, cast and schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

JANUARY

Love Me Again (Love Down Under)
Starring Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual

FEBRUARY

You Changed My Life
(A Very Special Love Part 2)
Starring John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo

MARCH

Estrella
(teen horror movie)
Starring Shaina Magdayao, Maja Salvador, Jake Cuenca, Geoff Eigenmann

APRIL

And I Love You So
Starring Sam Milby, Bea Alonzo and Derek Ramsay

MAY

Amnesia
Starring Bong Revilla and Toni Gonzaga

JUNE

The Man I Loved
Starring KC Concepcion and Piolo Pascual

AUGUST

T2
Starring Maricel Soriano and Mika dela Cruz

SEPTEMBER

A Mother's Story
Starring Vilma Santos, Luis Manzano and John Lloyd Cruz

OCTOBER

Priest
Starring Angel Locsin and Aga Muhlach

NOVEMBER

A Love Affair
Kristine Hermosa, Jericho Rosales and Carmen Soo

The following projects have no tentative date and/or working title yet:

1. RPG - first 3-D animated movie
2. Claudine Barretto movie
3. Judy Ann Santos romantic drama movie
4. Angelica Panganiban/Gabby Concepcion movie

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2008/12/27/star-cinemas-2009-line-up/

A Love Story

As you already know by now, A Love Story is about successful but emotionally scarred businessman Ian Montes (Aga Muhlach) who is torn between two women: Joanna (Maricel Soriano), a doctor, and Karyn (Angelica Panganiban) a flight attendant. Who is the wife and who is the mistress? I watched the film without knowing who’s who and that definitely helped me appreciate the unfolding of this mystery in the film. In spite of all speculations, you wouldn’t know until the middle of the film when one of the women refers to Ian as her husband.

The film begins with immediate tension in medias res when the two women agree to meet up. Karyn wants to know why Ian can’t seem to leave Joanna. Joanna wants to know how Ian met Karyn. After this exchange of flashbacks reality catches up with the trio: Karyn is pregnant. It is only then when the audience finds out who exactly is the wife. But that’s not important now, what’s more important is the question, “how is this going to end?” The three are broken, and they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.

The plot from the official site states “Ian faces a difficult choice.” but it is not just Ian who is forced to choose. The women choose as well. As a teaser, I’ll give you a peek: Karyn tells Ian to let go– they both have to grow up. The next scenes are framed by these words onscreen:

FIVE YEARS AFTER

Then Joanna and Karyn accidentally meet, but you wouldn’t know exactly what the ending is until the final scene. At that point knowing how the film ends is only secondary to the question of why the film ends that way. I believe “five years after” has a lot to do with this story that explores unconditional love and forgiveness.