CHRISTINE REYES:  GIRL  ON  TOP

MANILA, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 (MALAYA) DREAM FACTORY by MARIO BAUTISTA (‘Lahat ng hinintay kong mangyari sa career ko, eto na yun. It’s finally happening. – Cristine Reyes’ )

CRISTINE Reyes’ career is on a roll. After being tapped by Richard Gutierrez to be his leading lady in "Patient X" that is a Halloween presentation, no less than Vic Sotto got her to play the title role with him in his Metro filmfest and Christmas presentation, "Ang Darling Kong Aswang."

"Lahat ng hinintay kong mangyari sa career ko, eto na yun. It’s finally happening," she says.

Cristine is a discovery of "Starstruck" and, in that batch, she was the first one to be eliminated. Her career really had a slow burn. It took about three years before it really bloomed. Now, she has eclipsed those who were given earlier breaks in their batch, including Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi and Katrina Halili who had all played lead roles ahead of her. On TV, Cristine has just renewed her contract with ABS-CBN and her first solo drama show with them, "Eva Fonda," won a special award at the recent Seoul International Drama Awards which Cristine herself attended to personally accept the honor. She’s now also seen in "Babalik Kang Muli" of "Your Song" every Sunday afternoon with Jaclyn Jose.

What can she say about the accident that her ex-boyfriend Dennis Trillo met in Boracay last weekend?

"Siempre, I feel sad about it, lalo na’t kilala yung kasama niya roon who died, si JB Bordajo. It’s good he himself survived. He should be more careful next time."

***

Folks were surprised to see how sculptured the body Aljur Abrenica is when he stripped in the Cosmo Bash. It’s really tight and chiseled. "I really worked hard for this, lifting weights three to four times a week," he says. "After I won in ‘Starstruck’ as ‘Ultimate Hunk,’ I was told I should prepare to project a sexier image so nag-gym na ako. A lot of people like my hard abs. I do the Manny Pacquiao training of situps and crunches for this. I’m also careful with my diet and eat mostly vegetables."

Aljur turned 19 on March 24. He finished grade and high school at Don Bosco Pampanga. "My dream then was to be a pilot. If I didn’t click in showbiz, I would be studying Aeronautics. Now, what I take are acting workshops to help me improve my craft as an actor. Nandito na ko, so gusto kong pagbutihin ito. Those who want to get a better look of my physique should watch our launching movie ni Kris Bernal, ‘Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa’Yo’ kasi I have several scenes there na shirtless ako and one in trunks sa beach."

How does he feel being pitted against Gerald Anderson of ABS-CBN?

"We met sa Cosmo bash and he’s friendly. We even talked about playing basketball together if we’d find the time. The fans might be making us compete with each other but kami mismo, hindi pinepersonal yung rivalry raw namin."

He’s sad that his TV show with Kris, "All My Life," is ending this week. "We don’t know yet what’s next for us. Our fans say mami-miss nila watching us every night. Habang wala pa kaming bagong show, watch muna sila ng ‘Nandito Ako, Nagmamahal Sa’Yo’ na opening on September 30."

In its final week, "All My Life," it seems all is lost between Aljur as Jules and Kris as Romina and Romina has accepted the marriage proposal of Perry (Paulo Avelino). Romina’s dream wedding is in a yacht. Jules talks to the yacht’s captain to give him time to talk to Romina privately. Romina is resistant at first but when Jules accidentally falls into the sea, she also jumps to save him with a life vest. Jules kisses her to remind her of his undying love for her but Romina remains defiant. Meantime, their parents also reconcile with each other.

***

Her fans are asking: Where’s Angel Locsin? After "Only You," she seems to be missing in action. The only news about her is her recent breakup with Luis Manzano. Whatever happened to the movie she’s supposed to do with Aga Muhlach?

Like what we wrote before, it’s impossible for her to shoot a movie with Aga as he’s still busy shooting a movie with Regine Velasquez for Viva Films. What we heard is that she’ll be paired in her next teleserye with John Lloyd Cruz, who’s still busy with the promo of his movie with Angel’s ex-boyfriend. "Sana umpisahan na nila, naiinip na kaming hindi nakikita si Angel," her fans say.

***

Glaiza de Castro is cast as the villainous Eunice in "Stairway to Heaven" after she got excellent reviews for her contravida role in "Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin." The two shows overlap as "Stairway" started airing this week, while "Aagawin" is on its last few weeks. So after slapping Maxene Magalona in "Aagawin," she now gets to slap Rhian Ramos in "Stairway." Doesn’t she mind playing roles that make viewers mad at her?

"It’s just a role. Isa pa, afternoon soap naman ang ‘Aagawin’ and ‘Stairway’ is on primetime. ‘Stairway’ is a big project and it’s really nice to be a part of it. I cried tears of joy when I learned I’d be playing Eunice at first time ko rin to work with Dingdong Dantes and Rhian. Pero siempre, ayoko rin namang ma-typecast at maging contravida forever. Mahirap kung ganun na lang lagi ang image mo. Hindi rin madali yung nananampal kasi walang daya yun. When I saw the slapping scenes sa preview ng ‘Stairway’ sa SM, I was really cringing dahil ang salbahe talaga ng hitsura ko. I told Rhian while holding her hand, magkatabi kasi kami, ‘Sorry talaga, ha.’ I really expect na magagalit ang viewers sa’kin in my role as Eunice kasi she’s an evil person na sasagasaan pa si Rhian para patayin."

About her lovelife, is it true she and Patrick Garcia became on while doing "Kung Aagawin"?

"We get along fine kasi magkasama kami sa show at nagbo-bonding kami, but not only us kundi pati sina Maxene Magalona and JC Tiuseco who are with us in the cast. At the time the show started kasi, nagkakailangan kami kasi nga naintriga na nga kami before. So at least, ngayong patapos na ang ‘Aagawin,’ nag-uusap na kami uli, but we’re not on. Sobra naman yun."

***

Die-hard Vilmanians won’t be disappointed. Their idol gives another great portrayal as Shirley, a jaded mom who is humanized by her gay son and his lover. The role is apparently tailor-made for her, showing her at the start as a strict librarian difficult to deal with and learning later how to let go of herself in New York where she’s given not only a physical but also an emotional make over.

Our heart went out to Ate Vi in that scene where she repeatedly says "I’m sorry" to her two daughters who she never suspected she wronged. We won’t be ashamed to admit we also cried in that scene. She’s also superb in that scene where she says she had many kids, "pero feeling ko, nag-iisa ako," with tears just quietly streaming down her cheeks.

The entire cast is good. John Lloyd, as expected, delivers another bravura performance. No doubt he’s one of best young actors today, excellent particularly in the wordless scenes where he’s just shown shedding tears silently. Dimples Romana gives splendid support as the daughter who tries to explain to Ate Vi why they have to sell their house and the need for her to move on. But the real surprise is Luis Manzano. He’s always clowning around, so we didn’t expect him to be that effective in that heartrending picnic scene where he tells his mom how she shut him out of her life after she discovered that he is gay.

"In My Life" is different from the usual romantic films made by Star Cinema that have become so annoyingly predictable. It’s still very commercial, but credit director Olivia Lamasan for coming up with something that is not cloyingly sentimental just to manipulate viewers into crying. Even the most familiar spots in New York City are captured without making the film appear as just another travelogue. We really can’t understand why this was just given a B rating when lesser films have been given an A, like "Kimmy Dora," which is funny but nowhere near as emotionally involving and satisfying as "In My Life."

Ate Vi is named Shirley Templo in the movie. Obviously, she was given such a name as, just like Hollywood’s Shirley Temple, she also started as a child actress. The difference, of course, is that Ate Vi became a big, big star as a grownup. Something that Ms. Temple didn’t achieve, although she also became a politician like Ate Vi.