When I Met U

Will this be the biggest Valentine movie ever? Check out the poster and full trailer after the jump.


Here are the characters of the movie:

Benjie (Richard Gutierrez) - a struggling cargo pilot trapped in relationship with his fiancée Tracy and falls for another woman while on a trip to Palawan.

Jenny (KC Concepcion) - a mall promodizer whose fascination with romance and true love engulfs her in a quandary when she falls in love with Benjie.

Tracy (Iya Villania) - a rich and beautiful pastry chef who uses her beauty and her wealth to manipulate her boyfriend Benjie.

Albert (Alfred Vargas) - a stoic veterinarian who is a control freak; loves Jenny but controls everything about her.

Conching (Cherry Pie Picache) - Jenny’s mother, an elementary teacher who has to earn her keep as the husband is handicapped.

Kardo (Tirso Cruz III) - Jenny’s blind father, who stays home because of his handicap but is privy to Jenny’s feelings for Benjie.

Manny (Chinggoy Alonzo) - Benjie’s father, a compulsive gambler who makes his way into heavy debts and asks Tracy’s help.

Sylvia (Chanda Romero) - Jenny’s favorite aunt, a woman who moves from man to man in her relationships.

Kim (Chariz Solomon) - Jenny’s best friend, another promodizer who becomes Jenny’s confidante.

Tato (Bearwin Meily) - Benjie’s friend and colleague in the office whom Benjie hooks up with Kim.

Cynthia - Manny’s young and sexy lover.

Stella - Albert’s grandmother, his only family left.

Marcus (Mavi Lozano) - Jenny’s younger brother who is in college.

Bernice (Bubbles Paraiso) -Tracy and Albert’s friend who weds in Palawan.

Teddy (Paolo Paraiso) - another friend of Tracy and Albert.

Beatrice - Tracy’s mother who lives in Canada.

When I Met You is directed by Joel Lamangan and will open in cinemas nationwide starting February 11, 2009.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/29/when-i-met-u-full-trailer-poster/

‘Love Me Again’ 2 Weeks Gross is P53.2 Million

The Star Cinema movie Love Me Again (Land Down Under) starring Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual has grossed P53.2 million on its 2nd week, similar to the 2-weeks gross of the GMA/Regal movie One True Love.

Last week, Love Me Again topped Philippine Box-Office by raking in P29.48 million beating Hollywood films debuting at the same period like Bride Wars, Changeling and the Haunting of Molly Hartley.

Love Me Again is at the same pace as the movie One True Love last year. The Marian Rivera-Dingdong Dantes movie also registered P53.2 Million on its 2nd week of screening.

For further comparison, let’s check the Hollywood movies that Love Me Again and One True Love have pitted during their screenings.

One True Love succumbed to the Hollywood monster hit movie Twilight which premiered on its second week of running. Twilight hit a whopping P84.6 million at the Philippine Box-Office on the weekend of Nov. 26-30, 2008, the same period One True Love is running on its second week. Quantum of Solace was also running at that time. Please take note that Twilight became the top-grossing Hollywood movie in the Philippines for the whole year of 2008 and the latest James Bond film was one of the Top 10.

Love Me Again, on the other hand, succumbed to another vampire movie Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. It was also pitted against Jim Carrey’s Yes Man, Adam Sandler’s Bedtime Stories and Brad Pitt’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. But the box-office gross of these films, even combined, cannot match the one-week gross of Twilight.

This analysis is for the sake of argument as the two romantic films One True Love and Love Me Again both hit the two-weeks gross P53.2 million using the conversion rate on the time these movies were shown.

Philippine Box Office
(January 21 to 25, 2009)

1. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans - P19.58 M
2. Love Me Again - P11.71 M
3. Yes Man - P7.01 M
4. Bedtime Stories - P4.64 M
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - P4.11 M
6. Bride Wars - P3.15 M
7. Transporter 3 - P2.21 M
8. The Abandoned - P1.23 M
9. The Haunting of Molly Hartley - P1.19 M
10. Changeling - P0.27 M

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/28/love-me-again-2-weeks-gross-is-p532-million/

Joem Bascon & Lovi Poe Star in ‘Walang Hanggang Paalam’

From the makers of critically-acclaimed indie films Selda and Ilusyon comes a poignant love story starring Joem Bascon and Lovi Poe.

Walang Hanggang Paalam is the third movie of tandem filmmakers Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos.

Lovi plays Maria, a 16-year-old liberated teenager who is torn between love for a boy (Joem) and love for a man who is old enough to be her father (Jacky Woo). Joem portrays the boyfriend named Ryan who is longing to devirginize Maria.

Joem and Lovi will be supported by Jacky Woo (also the movie producer), Jake Roxas, Ricardo Cepeda, Rico Barrera, Ai Ittogi and Tetchi Agbayani.

Synopsis: Maria (Lovi Poe) is a 16-year old girl who elopes with her boyfriend Ryan (Joem Bascon) to Baguio. While they are in a hotel in Baguio, they meet a terminally ill tourist (Jacky Woo) who is in Baguio beause it is where he met his ex-wife who is a Filipina. Maria develops a strange relationship with the tourist and she is later torn between the love of Ryan and the older stranger she has just met.

Meanwhile, Maria’s father (Ricardo Cepeda) hires a private detective named Patrick (Jake Roxas) to look for his daughter. Patrick is a homosexual who is learning to deal with the promiscuity of his lover (Rico Barrera).

Walang Hanggang Paalam is set to premiere on February 8, 2009, 8:00 PM at Robinson’s IndieSine. Regular screening is on February 11-18, 2009.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/27/joem-bascon-lovi-poe-star-in-walang-hanggang-paalam/

2008 Philippine Box-Office According to SM, Robinsons and Box-Office Mojo

Here are the box-office hits in Philippine cinemas for the year 2008 according to SM, Robinsons and Box-Office Mojo:

Top Five Films of SM Cinemas

1. A Very Special Love

2. For the First Time

3. Caregiver

4. My Bestfriend’s Girlfriend

5. Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat

Top 10 Films of Robinsons Movieworld

1. A Very Special Love

2. For the First Time

3. Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat

4. My Bestfriend’s Girlfriend

5. Caregiver

6. My Big Love

7. Desperadas 2

8. When Love Begins

9. My Only U

10. Dobol Trobol

Top Pinoy and Foreign Films According to Box-Office Mojo

TOP 20 PINOY FILMS FOR 2008

1. A VERY SPECIAL LOVE - P179.23 million
(Star Cinema/Viva Films)

2. ANG TANGING INA N’YONG LAHAT - P171 million
(Star Cinema)

3. CAREGIVER - P139.54 million
(Star Cinema)

4. FOR THE FIRST TIME - P134.7 million
(Star Cinema)

5. ISKUL BUKOL…20 YEARS AFTER - P107 million
(MZET/APT)

6. MY BESTFRIEND’S GIRLFRIEND - P101.24 million
(GMA Films/Regal Films)

7. DOBOL TROBOL GET REDI 2 RAMBOL - P90.51 million
(Octoarts Films)

8. WHEN LOVE BEGINS - P89.38 million
(Star Cinema/Viva Films)

9. MAG-INGAT KA SA KULAM - P85.46 million
(Regal Films)

10. MY ONLY U - P79.18 million
(Star Cinema)

11. MY BIG LOVE - P68 million
(Star Cinema)

12. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL X - P68 million
(Regal Films)

13. SUPAHPAPALICIOUS - P66.98 million
(Star Cinema)

14. ONE TRUE LOVE - P62.47 million
(GMA Films/Regal Films)

15. DESPERADAS 2 - P 49.3 million
(Regal Films)

16. BALER - P35.8 million
(Viva Films)

17. MANAY PO 2: OVERLOAD - P30.4 million
(Regal Films)

18. MY MONSTER MOM - P 29.2 million
(Regal Films)

19. SCAREGIVERS - P 26.07 million
(APT Entertainment)

20. IKAW PA RIN, BONGGA KA BOY! - P 24.66 million
(Viva Films)

21 to 30: I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust and Love You), Urduja, Ploning, One Night Only, Dayo, Loving You, Torotot, Magkaibigan, Ate & Ang Lihim ni Antonio.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/20/2008-philippine-box-office-according-to-sm-robinsons-and-box-office-mojo/

‘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/

You Change My Life - A Very Special Love Sequel

Due to the success of the Viva Films and Star Cinema co-production “A Very Special Love” which is the no. 1 movie in the country for 2008, they are filming the sequel entitled “You Change My Life.”

“You Change My Life” is the title of Miggy’s (John Lloyd Cruz) love song for Laida (Sarah Geronimo) in A Very Special Love. Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, they are now half-way through the filming of “You Change My Life.”

The original movie - A Very Special Love - earned a whopping P179.23 million at the box-office making it the no. 1 film in the Philippines for the whole year of 2008, even trumping Hollywood films like Iron Man and Twilight. Can they do it again this 2009?

“Wish ko lang po na hindi man nito ma-surpass ang A Very Special Love, mapantayan man lang nito ang kinita ng una naming movie ni John Lloyd,” Sarah’s reaction about the pressure of making the sequel.

A different angle is expected in the story of “You Change My Life”. The couple will be facing their individual problems and a third party will challenge their romantic affair. Playing the third wheel is young actor/dancer Rayver Cruz.

It will be recalled that Rayver is currently being linked to the pop princess. Rayver even guested in Sarah’s ‘The Next One’ concert in Araneta Coliseum last November 8, 2008.

In reaction to this news, Rayver simply said, “Di pa ako nag-i-start pero nakakatuwa naman kung kasali nga. Ang tambalan nila [Sarah and John Lloyd], sobrang lupit. Isang malaking karangalan na mapasama ka dun sa mismong movie nila.”

You Change My Life is set to premiere on February 25, 2009 in theaters nationwide.

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/12/you-change-my-life-a-very-special-love-sequel/

‘Serbis’ to be Shown in the US

International award-winning movie “Serbis” (Service) by Brillante Mendoza (Slingshot, The Masseur, Summer Heat, Foster Child) is showing in selected theaters in the US on January 16, 2009. Check out the US poster and trailer of Serbis after the jump.

Rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America, Serbis is being distributed in the US by Regent Releasing.

Synopsis
Filipino director Brillante Mendoza brings a frank, gritty immediacy to SERBIS, a multi-character, day-in-the-life portrait of a family-run movie house in the Philippines. Only this isn’t your… Filipino director Brillante Mendoza brings a frank, gritty immediacy to SERBIS, a multi-character, day-in-the-life portrait of a family-run movie house in the Philippines. Only this isn’t your typical movie house. It’s actually a downtrodden venue that shows graphic double features and allows the clientele to make their own sexual connections in the dark shadows. Today is a very important day, for Nanay Flor, the family matriarch, is going to discover if she won a years-in-the-making bigamy case against her husband. Meanwhile, her children are involved in dramatic situations of their own. Alan has just learned troubling news about his girlfriend, and Nayda is married but attracted to her cousin Ronald. As the day develops and the verdict comes down, the Pinedas struggle to focus on the daily tasks associated with the theater, even as their own personal conflicts threaten to overwhelm them. Shot on video, SERBIS recalls films from the Dogme 95 movement. Mendoza and screenwriter Armando Lao have clearly constructed these dramatic situations, yet they are shot on consumer video with such energy that the film often feels like a documentary. Mendoza pulls no punches, showing multiple scenes of behind-the-scenes sexuality that are even more graphic than the X-rated behavior unfolding on the cavernous theater’s silver screen. SERBIS provides a realistic, unflinching glimpse into this hyper-sexualized world.

Serbis (Service) stars Coco Martin (The Masseur), Jacklyn Jose (Consol), Kristoffer King, Julio Diaz, Dan Alvaro and Gina Pareño (The Collector).

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY ABOUT SERBIS:

“Slightly more evolved from a narrative perspective than his previous feature Tirador (Slingshot), Serbis (Service) is another overwhelmingly tactile experience that should further cement the prolific filmmaker’s reputation.” - John P. McCarthy (Boxoffice Magazine)

“Raw and Uncompromising.” - New York Film Festival

“Bristling Sexuality, both gay and straight.” - The Hollywood Reported

Source: http://www.starmometer.com/2009/01/11/serbis-to-be-shown-in-the-us/