Stephen Baldwin (left) and Cesar Montano
What a blast I had at the intimate birthday bash of my BFF Buboy (Cesar Montano). He said that it was his happiest birthday ever, because it was the first time a surprise party was thrown for him.
Buboy had no plans of hosting a party since he was tired from shooting his movie “Kaibigan,” with Hollywood actor Stephen Baldwin, the Perkins Twins and our “bro,” Alvin Anson. It was heartwarming to see Buboy bond with his “Sta. Ana group.” These are his friends even before he joined show biz. Fame has not changed him at all. Buboy never loses sight of his humble beginnings.
I asked him what Stephen thought of his “son-in-law-to-be,” Justin Bieber. “Stephen told me in jest that it’s his biggest trial,” Buboy said chuckling. “According to Stephen, out of all the guys in the world, imagine it’s Justin Bieber who’s my daughter’s fiancé,”
Kidding aside, Buboy told me that it was Stephen’s daughter, Hailey, who influenced Justin to be more religious and spiritual. That’s taking this “Belieber” to a higher level.
Birthday cheers, BFF, to our rock-solid friendship—through thick and thin!
Top picks for Pista
We, at the Cinema Evaluation Board, already screened seven of the movies that will be shown at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, from Aug. 15 to 21 in theaters nationwide. So far, I have three favorites, which all got a grade of A. Allow me to share my thoughts on each of them:
“The Day After Valentine’s.” The film is too beautiful for words. People whose hearts are in limbo or under renovation can totally relate to it. The use of Baybayin (the ancient Filipino alphabet) as a device in the movie is such an unusual yet effective twist. Bela Padilla ought to win an award for her brilliant portrayal. The film reminds us to honor the space between “what was” and “what could be.”
“Paki.” Seasoned actors Ricky Davao, Noel Trinidad, Dexter Doria, Shamaine Buencamino and Eula Valdes make the movie worth watching. Even the supporting cast members jibe in their scenes. It’s about a dysfunctional family whose members are fighting their own demons. The film delves into the inner workings of various relationships. It tells us that even if we love our family, there are moments when we don’t exactly like each other. But when all else fails, family prevails.
“High Tide.” Since I’m an Ilongga at heart, and I speak Hiligaynon fluently, I was deeply moved by this well-crafted Ilonggo film (with English subtitles). The three kids in the movie (who are nonactors) endear themselves to the audience instantly. The movie hit me in all the right spots. It reminds us that, sometimes, poor people are better off than the rich ones. Even if they have no money to count, they know they can count on each other.