TV REVIEW: AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL: Cycle 14: America’s Next Top Vampire

Currently watching ANTM Cycle 14 entitled “America’s Next Top Vampire”.


Pretty interesting concept but I can’t help but feel that the series is riding on the vampire craze. First, we have Twilight, then True Blood and Vampire Diaries and now, we have America’s Next Top Vampire.


Literally bloody set and a sexy male prop with great editing makes for interesting pictures.


And I’m beginning to HATE Alasia Ballard. She had no right to question and she had no right to imply that there was something wrong Anslee’s motherhood. That was really RUDE.


I actually shared Anslee’s dismay when we all found out that Alasia’s picture was voted best picture.


And I love Raina. :)


Picture from buddytv.com

MOVIE REVIEW: Working Girls 2010

Saw Working Girls 2010 with my mom last Saturday night and we were laughing hard…only in the parts where Eugene Domingo was in.
Suffice to say that while I personally enjoyed the whole movie, Eugene Domingo was the star of this Working Girls sequel. Mind you, it’s a sequel and not a remake. The original Working Girls are also cast in this movie and that makes it NOT a remake. Carmi Martin, Rio Locsin and Maria Isabel Lopez all have their moments here, both comedic and dramatic.
The sequel has the following characters:

• RUFFA GUTIERREZ plays Marilou Cobarubias, the “impoverished” widow of a billionaire geriatric husband. She’s a beauty queen and is constantly trying to win a battle of wits with the character played by Cherie Gil, one of the country’s best contravida ever. She’s best friends with Betchay Magbutay-Cavendish, played by the ever youthful CARMI MARTIN.
• BIANCA KING plays Dara dela Vega, the proud graduate of University of Berkley who gets a taste of tough treatment from co-workers who perceive her to be bratty and spoiled. Her mom is the character played by Cherie Gil. Oh and Bianca is utterly pretty in this movie.
• IZA CALZADO plays Teresa Villanueva, a nurse who wants to get out of the country and is stuck taking care of the sick wife of a former flame. She outshines BIANCA KING in terms of beauty here.
• JENNYLYN MERCADO is Ada, a call center agent and a single mom struggling to balance her family life, her work life and her romantic life. RIO LOCSIN who plays her mom was also in the original Working Girls movie. I suspect that Ada might have been the product of her affair with the character of TOMMY ABUEL in the original movie.
• CRISTINE REYES is Wendy Casuga, a model/promo-girl and a social networking site addict. Her sub-story can be summed up in five words – a hooker looking for love.
• EULA VALDES is Dr. Cleo Carillo, a cosmetic surgeon and the subject of ire of many feminists, including the character being played by the original Working Girl, MARIA ISABEL LOPEZ.

and finally, but certainly not the least,

• EUGENE DOMINGO is Paula Cabigting, the owner of the online store, Paula’s Treasures. She is stuck with a jobless, cheating husband but finds a sympathetic mother-in-law in GINA PARENO, another original Working Girl. In my opinion, her sub-story is funniest. In one of the scenes, I swear Antonio Aquitania who plays her husband is trying hard not to crack up in one of the supposedly dramatic scenes in her sub-story.

RECOMMENDATION: Be corny and watch it with your mom or sisters or best friends. 

TV REVIEW: GLEE: The Power of Madonna

I have a confession to make. 
 
I AM A GLEEK. 
 
I must admit I jumped in on the bandwagon later than when it first came out. I was like, “Glee? Like a High School Musical Series?” I mean, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the High School Musical series. Troy and Gabriella are so cute together and it really helps when you know that the actors playing these characters are together in real life too. 
Probably everyone was 6 episodes in whereas I was just starting with episode 1, finally deciding to give in to peer pressure. 
 
Good thing I did. And I never looked back since. 
 
And since this is my first review ever of any GLEE episodes, I must ask for a little leeway here in case some die-hard fans (sort of like myself) disagree and think I’m being way too hateful. 
 
WARNING: This blog post may contain spoilers for those who haven’t heard of GLEE or are still stuck in the first 13 episodes. 
 
EPISODE TITLE: The Power of Madonna
US Air Date: April 20, 2010
Philippine Air Date: April 21, 2010 
 
THE GIST: Well, it’s basically a tribute to Madonna songs. Some songs were played in the background while some songs were sung by the Glee cast. It was a pretty good episode, singing-wise. In terms of choreography, the most technical and difficult part to rehearse/perform might have been the Cheerios scene while they were practicing with Sue Sylvester at the helm. Performing on stilts is hard enough but performing with twirling another person is really difficult. 
 
The episode peaks (no pun intended) on the sexual (mis)adventures of the cast – Rachel and Jessie, Santana and Finn for the students and Emma and William for the adults. They were singing Madonna’s Like A Virgin since half of the aforementioned partners are, well, virgins. Oh, Santana gets a solo line in the song and she has some singing chops! Kudos to Naya! 
 
Just a comment though. While I really liked the episode, I can’t help but hope that the show won’t sell out and just base storylines on tributes/songs. I think it should be the other way around with the songs based on storylines. Storylines come first, songs later. 
 
And rumor is, they’re doing a sequel of the Madonna tribute with the success of this episode. I personally am against that. 
 
But that’s just me. 


Download the Director's Cut of the Pilot Episode of Glee.


Order the first 13 episodes called GLEE: The Road to Sectionals


Check out GLEE music here, Volume 1 and Volume 2

TV REVIEW: GOSSIP GIRL: The UnBlairable Lightness of Being

I’ve decided to do reviews on my favorite TV Shows or TV shows that I really like or really hate. And now, I’ll be reviewing GOSSIP GIRL.

I’ve seen ALL episodes of the show GOSSIP GIRL ever since it became available on Cable. I was excited when I went to the States because I would be able to get fresh Gossip Girl episodes even before Filipino fans can see them. And so now, I get to review the show for my own writing exercise basically and my entertainment next.

EPISODE TITLE: The Unblairable Lightness of Being

WARNING: Possible spoilers!

THE GIST: Blair refuses Chuck’s advances for reconciliation. Carter is back. Jenny sabotages Serena and Nate. Serena finally goes to the house where her dad is staying and is surprised to find Lily…in a robe! Oh and Dorota and Vanja get married.

FEATURED MUSIC: Your Love’s A Drug – Leighton Meester

Blair and Chuck finally get some spice in their relationship after becoming a bit boring. Blake Lively’s character Serena’s behavior comes expectedly. For the past three years, she does have trust issues whether it’s with her mom Lily, ex-boyfriend Dan, best friend Blair and boyfriend Chuck. She doesn’t trust anyone who doesn’t already know. Case in point: Carter. The only reason Carter knows about Serena’s search for her dad is because she might’ve accidentally confided in him and probably got too scared or ashamed to confide in anyone else. Serena probably takes after her mom Lily with the latter having secrets on her own. Rumor is she has a secret that is a matter of life and death. Wink, wink.

Jenny’s behavior seems to be getting worse. She’s still sabotaging Nate and Serena in her attempt to steal Nate away. I wonder if she’ll succeed. I can’t wait to see the next episode.

Till then.

In the meantime, I think I'll do a Gossip Girl Season 1 and Season 2 marathon this weekend.

XOXO.