If there’s something about Joey Reyes, it is that he makes it a point that his movies often contain snippets of messages that have relevance to our present day society. Take for example his latest movie under Star Cinema entitled "Can This Be Love?" It is still a simple "pa-kilig" movie that stars one of the most popular love teams in our country – Hero Angeles and Sandara Park, but the whole film, he describes tackles though not in so explicit terms Filipino-Korean relationship and our country’s brain drain problem as a lot of our young people still want to leave the Philippines for that proverbial greener pasture.
"Ano ang pinagka-iba nito? It is a love story between a Filipino who wants to get out of the country and a Korean who fell in love with the country the boy wants to leave behind. It is about young people of today and how they fall in love not only with each other but with the country that they’re in. This is a romance that happened in the University Belt," explained Joey.
He added that he is saddened by our country’s plight regarding the increasing numbers of Filipinos still wanting to migrate. And that is one of the reasons he made this film – he wanted to help inculate in the minds of the Filipino youth that there are still aspects of the country they can still fall in love with. This is where Sandara Park’s character Daisy fits in perfectly. She came to the country and like any foreigner has gone through numerous traumatic experiences during her adjustment period but in the end she falls in love with the country!
"This is a love story of people having two different cultures and it also shows the importance of where they both came from and where they wanted to go. It is also a romantic film na may sasabihin sa mga kabataan most especially it being a romantic movie that also makes you love your country along the way," he stressed. "It is a traditional love story but a contemporary one since it happens in 2005 in the Philippines involving a Filipino and a Korean. It is a love story that is not generic."
The main ingredient though of "Can This Be Love" is still the on-screen romantic tandem of Hero and Sandara which their fans are awaiting with great excitement to see on the big screen. In the film, Hero plays Ryan, a Nursing student who is working his way through college as a part-time typist of term papers. One day he was appalled to read a paper he was supposed to type which was full of grammatical errors. Instead of just typing it, he ended up correcting it. But he had ill feelings for the Korean girl who wrote it. With some extra money saved he answered an ad for a cellphone being sold. He befriended the seller through text. After numerous SMS exchanges, he discovered that the term paper writer who irritated him and the cellphone seller are one and the same person!
Also in "Can This Be Love," Joey Reyes also wrote, are the love team of Joross Gamboa and Roxanne Guinoo. Others in the cast are Aaron Villaflor, Paw Diaz, Eugene "Simang" Domingo, Tirso Cruz III and Roderick Paulate.
"Can This Be Love," according to Joey Reyes, is a perfect material for Hero and Sandara. When Star Cinema asked him for any movie ideas for the two, he easily came out with one that would involve their cultural differences and at the same time focus on their escalating "romance."
"If you see Sandy and Hero on the big screen there is something good to see maybe because they are fresh faces which bring back a kind of innocence we wish we can regain but have lost forever," he commented as to why the Hero-Sandara love team is successful.
But when asked what constitute a successful love team, he replied, "I wish I could come out with equations or ingredients to say whether a love team would be successful or not. It is either they have it or not. They don’t even have to be in love to be a great team. Love teams come and go but the perfect combination is hard to find. In the age of pre-fabricated stardom, love teams tend to be recipes but only few really work if the chemistry is really there."
He also went on to compare love teams of today and even actors, to being cellphone models – they could all be popular at one time but after a while a newer model would emerge. His advice to everyone including love teams is to be wise or "wais" in mapping their career paths!
So how was it working with Sandara?
According to him, there were no language problems. He saw Sandara as a very intelligent actress who understood easily what he required of her in every scene. He also described himself as "krung krung" like what Sandara has described of herself in the past.
"Yung iba nga diyan na nakakaintindi ng Tagalog hindi ka naman maintindihan. Kapag smart ang artista mo hindi ka magkakaproblema. And I enjoyed working with all of them kasi I like working with kids," he smiled. He even described working with young actors as better than Botox! "You’ll just be surprised as to what you’ll do with yourself afterwards like dying your hair red!" (Joey is currently sporting red hair!)
If there’s one thing that director Joey Reyes learned about love while filming "Can This Be Love" is that love is a privilege to the person receiving it. For the giver, love should be given without expecting and wanting to be loved the same way!
The theme song of "Can This Be Love?" with the same title is sang by Sarah Geronimo (a revival from Smokey Mountain’s Jeffrey Hidalgo).
The movie is scheduled to open on April 27 and Sandara who’s leaving this week for a much-needed vacation to her country (Korea) promised to come back before April 27 to help promote the movie.
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Yul Servo in ‘Martir’
With the start of the awards season this month, Yul Servo who has been steadily garnering awards since 2001 is once again inevitably in the roster of best actor nominations for his work in "Naglalayag." His special appearance as Pontius Pilate in Tanghalang Sta. Ana’s passion play "Martir Sa Golgota" is his way of giving thanks for all his blessings.
"Martir," now on its 17th season, will have performances at Plaza Morga, Tondo on March 21 as sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of District 3810 – Centennial Team; Pagsanjan Town Plaza on March 22; Plaza Hugo, Sta. Ana on March 23; San Juan Plaza on March 24; and Glorietta Activity Center, Makati on March 26 as sponsored by BPI Foundation. (For inquiries, all Lou Veloso 0917–9974788 and Bibsy Carballo at 721-0801).
Yul exudes energy even while simply sitting down to talk: constantly exchanging high–fives with friends who greet and congratulate him for winning Best Actor again and again.
Although already well–acclaimed for his films, winning Best Actor for "Naglalayag," "Batang West Side," and "Laman" in film festivals in the Philippines and abroad, Yul appears in his first senaculo in "Martir." Having graduated from Gantimpala Theater Foundation workshop, however, he has appeared in Gantimpala’s "Florante at Laura," GMCN’s "Caught In The Act," and Tanghalang Pilipino’s Mass where he joined Lou Veloso, Tanghalang Sta. Ana’s founder–director, who encouraged him to sing his lines in "Martir."
In his first appearance with the community–based Tanghalang Sta. Ana, Yul says he welcomes the experience. Yul anticipates all reactions, positive or negative –audiences who may become rowdy or laugh at the wrong moment, or even being associated with such a villainous character as Pilate. It is obvious that nothing could divert him from displaying his acting abilities; that his only reply to any obstacle along the way would be to bring them on.
In "Martir," Yul joins Richard Signey, who portrays Jesus Christ; Alma Concepcion as Mary Magdalene; Ivy Violan as the Virgin Mary; Ricky Davao as his alternate as Pontius Pilate; Allan Mirasol who appears as Judas, and newscaster Candace Giron as Veronica.
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‘Maganda’ on IBC 13
Due to the fast pace of life today most people tend to neglect their own safety, not thinking of what the results might be. Only then when they are struck by the horrifying truth that they are HIV+ would they slow down and ponder what they did wrong. To appear incognito on TV tonight is "Maganda" who will share "her story, her sentiments, and her message" for the youth, and expert Dr. Marcellano Cruz to give his views on AIDS and inform us what we need to know in this week’s episode of "Up Close and Personal with Marissa Del Mar over IBC 13."
"Up Close and Personal with Marissa Del Mar," produced by Millicent Productions, Inc. has been successful in its format as an informative television program that features heart–warming success stories of people and the achievements of many celebrities in all sectors of society. Providing a fresh and positive outlook to the show is the vibrant character of Ms. Marissa Del Mar who is herself a successful businesswoman and socio-civic leader that has experienced trials and tribulations in the past, she can dish out valuable insights on various intriguing issues brought up in the program as she can readily relate to the experiences of her guests and her appealing presence and candid interviews plus the interesting format of the show has earned her recognition and became the People’s Choice Awardee as the Most Promising TV host during the significant 19th Annual National Consumers Awards in 2003 and recently during the 71st Alumni Homecoming Ms. Marissa Del Mar was awarded as one of the 2005 Most Outstanding Alumna of Adamson University. The show is aired every Tuesday, starting at 11 in the evening at IBC 13 and has gained mass acceptance for its engaging presentation.
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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, March 22, go to Anya Katigbak, Beverly T. Alforque, Fr. Elias Tanopo, Mrs. Filomena Batungbacal, Atty. Ed Oliva and Mrs. Lydia Loyola...Happy wedding anniversary to Raymundo and Helen Sampilo of New York City... The Jaguars, a dance group composed of young and exciting talents, will celebrate its 4th anniversary at the Lollipop Bar and Komedis in Makati today at 10 p.m. For their anniversary, D’ Jaguars, who have had stints in "SOP" and "Master Showman," will hold a dance concert and will also challenge Lollipop’s resident stand-up comics in an exciting dance showdown. D’ Jaguars are led by Spike, the group’s choreographer and features as its members Danzan, Jay, Apax, Melvin, Robbie, Ruel, Rizriz, Adrien and Ian. While the Lollipop Café’s resident comedians includes Bazooka, Curly Tops, Petra K, Bullet, Ann Chavie and Tangky Blue with special participation of Jem and the Danz Groove, an all-male dance group. Lollipop Bar and Komedis is located along Dian Street, Brgy. Palanan, Makati City.
