Ricky Lee on ‘Triangle of Sadness’

Dolly de Leon (left) and National Artist Ricky Lee

It was such a thrill to meet my namesake/woman of the hour, Dolly de Leon, at the premiere of her movie, “Triangle of Sadness” (TOS). The dark comedy satire directed by Ruben Östlund bagged the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.

It will make you realize that material things can turn out to be immaterial, après tout. What a thought-provoking film about inequality and powerplay. Dolly’s superb portrayal of a toilet manager in a luxury cruise ship got rave reviews from the foreign press.

The buzz du jour is that Dolly might be nominated as best actress at the Oscars. She kind of reminds me of Nora Aunor. That’s because they both let their eyes do the talking. As Abigail, Dolly shows us what survival of the shrewdest is all about.

Bravo, Dolly. “Na-Dali mo!”

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee was also at the premiere, so I asked him to share his thoughts about TOS. His glowing review of the film should be more than enough to entice you to catch it in cinemas on Nov. 30.

We were given barf bags upon entering the theater during the premiere. Quite intriguing, huh? Watch TOS and find out why luxury and a sense of entitlement can become nauseating.

Here are Ricky’s thoughts on TOS :

I like the film very much. I like that it isn’t afraid to be blunt and in-your-face in saying what it wants to say, because it does so in a way that’s so cinematically delicious and compelling. Nag-ooperate ang pelikula all throughout sa idea level, yet it is very visceral and kinetic.

The most powerful scenes and images for me are of course in the finale. Sobrang saklut-saklot ng mga eksena ang puso mo at ‘di ka makahinga. Dolly gives a very powerful performance. For me, she is the protagonist of the film. The entire film, even the first half or more where we hardly see her, is all about her. If she acts badly, the film crumbles. But she is astonishingly brilliant in it.

The film speaks to the marginalized and the dispossessed. It speaks to us. We all should watch it.

Aiko Melendez

Aiko’s lessons from ‘Mano Po’

Regal Entertainment’s “Mano Po Legacy” continues via “The Flower Sisters” on GMA 7 (airs weeknights after “Start-Up PH”). The well-loved “Tsinoy” drama is topbilled by Aiko Melendez, Thea Tolentino, Angel Guardian and Beauty Gonzalez. It’s the third installment of the successful series after “The Family Fortune” and “Her Big Boss.”

Follow the intriguing story of four daughters of a Taipan from different mothers and watch how the “flower sisters” endure the thorns in order to smell the roses.

Here’s my chat with Aiko:

What are you learning from your character, Lily?

No matter how powerful and rich you become, it’s family that really matters, so you should look out for them.

After five years of being with Jay (Khonghun), how have you both redefined love?

We have reached a point where we are so comfy but not complacent. We know our place in each other’s lives. We plan for the future as one. Since we’re now both public servants, our love is not just for each other, but also for our constituents.

How are things now between your son, Andre, and his dad, Jomari (Yllana)?

I’m glad that after a long time, they were able to bond. Both of them have a passion for cars. I just hope Jom will be consistent in spending quality time with our son.

Will you convince your daughter, Marthena, about your plan to freeze your eggs or give in to her wish to be the “bunso” forever?

I am still considering to freeze my eggs. So if Marthena changes her mind, naka-ready na. But as of now, it’s not my priority. I will play it by ear.

Rep. Geraldine Roman

Getting to know Geraldine

Since I have a gay son, IC, I admire Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman. She’s the first transgender person to be elected to the Philippine House of Representatives, where she has been designated as chairperson of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality.

It was such a delight to meet her. “I’m a fan of your mom,” she told me. “Just like her, I supported the Guy and Pip love team back in the day. But I also love Ate Vi. We used to be seatmates in Congress.” We hit it off from the moment we met.”

Geraldine’s warmth and refreshing candor are plus factors for her as she forays into the world of vlogging. Her YouTube (YT) Channel, Geraldine Romantik (GR), will be launched on Nov 30. (new episodes are uploaded every Wednesday).

The first episode is built around the theme, “Let’s get to know Geraldine.” She says there’s more to the new channel than being just a play of words. Not too many people know that the charming solon is fluent in Spanish, and she worked as a journalist in Madrid for many years.

“I got to interview Pierce Brosnan, Alanis Morissette, Drew Barrymore and other Hollywood celebs,” she shared. “For my YT channel, some of my dream interviewees are Bb Gandanghari, Chiz Escudero and Heart Evangelista together, the Marcos siblings and Kris Aquino.”

Her fave interviewer is Karen Davila. She made me and my media colleagues watch a teaser of GR. It got us glued to the screen. The incredible Roman Woman is out to show that one love fits all.