Back to shooting trim

Clockwise, from top left: Aga Muhlach, Ronaldo Valdez, Ketchup Eusebio, Enrique Gil, Dingdong Dantes and Cristine Reyes

Show biz newsmakers this month are led by the Aga Muhlach: After five years’ hiatus away from the movies, he’s starring in his latest film, “Seven Sundays.”

It’s taken this long for Aga to win his protracted “battle of the bulge,” and sweat and diet himself back to “shooting trim”—but, the long struggle has been worth it, because Aga’s definitely too gifted to be put on the show biz shelf simply due to “excess baggage.”

Truth to tell, the acclaimed veteran actor still looks a bit “jowly,” but the worst is over. He just has to keep losing weight in the weeks to come, to look leaner, meaner and more “close-up ready,” as befits his stellar cred and clout.

Even better, “Seven Sundays” packs a significant wallop in terms of substantial plot, conflict and theme.

It tells the story of a less than harmonious family being “forced” to come together due to the illness of its pater, portrayed by the acclaimed veteran thespian, Ronaldo Valdez.

In our view, the thespic combination alone of Aga and Ronaldo is already cause for major celebration—and anticipation.

But, “Seven Sundays” turns out to have more felicitous attractions on point of inspired casting, because its stellar cast also includes Dingdong Dantes, Enrique Gil and Cristine Reyes.

The full stellar complement of Aga, Ronaldo, Dingdong, Enrique and Cristine is the casting coup of the year, since they “represent” a winning variety of thespic impulses that truly makes acting buffs’ viewing day:

Ronaldo is a prime example of the senior star whose talent has continued to deepen through the decades.

Aga is the maturing comeback star who’s bent on reclaiming his status as local movie’s drama king.

For his part, Dingdong is an established lead in his own right, with “drama-action” as his signature turf, while Enrique “represents” the young-adult generation. No doubt about it, he will be “compelled” to do his utmost to just keep up with his iconic costars.

As for Cristine, being “the only rose among the thorns,” she will be the subject and object of special scrutiny and evaluation, on point of her “deserving” the signal and exclusive “honor” of being the movie’s lone female star.

Another plus for the production is its director, Cathy Garcia-Molina, whose penchant for coming up with hits is well-known. This time around, we hope that her movie will also turn out to be a significant and integral production, like Laurice Guillen’s “Tanging Yaman” was many years ago.

We cite that movie, because it, too, was about an ailing parent (Gloria Romero), whose major affliction made it imperative for her fractured and fractious offspring to heal their hurts and hearts, so that they could focus on her, for a change.