Press Release: TV to Watch this Saturday, February 9

I’m posting earlier than usual just so I can tell you to turn on your television sets for a very yummy morning with Alden Richards, Bela Padilla and Kylie Padilla who are this Saturday’s guests on GMA-7’s cooking show within a talk show–Sarap Diva!

This Saturday (February 9), learn the special Valentine recipes of three of GMA’s hottest properties – Alden Richards, Bela Padilla and Kylie Padilla.

Bela prepares her specialty, Salmon Zuchinni, while Kylie teaches her Halal recipe, Pininyahang Manok. Alden shows off his resourcefulness with his Lechon Paksiw recipe.

Meanwhile, Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid shares the latest trend replacing flowers as a first date gift, the Fruiquet or Fruit bouquet.

The surprises never end as one of Sarap Diva’s twitter followers wins a date with Alden.

Love is truly in the air with another Saturday morning filled with good food, talk and music in Sarap Diva, 9:45am on GMA.

And later today, comedian Wally Bayola shares his life story with host Mel Tiangco on Magpakailanman.

Comedian and Eat Bulaga dabarkads Wally Bayola puts a smile in the faces of millions of noontime TV viewers every single day and he is one of the most sought-after stars in stand-up comedy bars.  But hidden behind the comedy and the punch lines is a humble family man whose life is nothing short of an inspiration.

This Saturday (February 9), GMA’s drama anthology program hosted by veteran journalist Mel Tiangco, Magpakailanman, presents the life story of Wally Bayola in an episode entitled “The Wally Bayola Story.”  Wally himself will play the lead role with actress Ara Mina portraying as his wife.  Young Kapuso stars Sef Cadayona and Yassi Pressman will portray the teenage Wally and wife.

The story begins with Wally’s childhood and shows how and why he grew up away from the care of his parents.  Viewers will also witness how Wally braved the biggest challenges of his life, which made him the tough person that he is now.

Wally’s life story is an example of triumph over adversities.  The young Wally not only struggled in his career but also in his love life.  Although he and his now wife shared an indefatigable love, their families were against their relationship.  Despite the odds, Wally pushed on and proved himself worthy of the fame and acceptance he now enjoys.

Directed by actor-director Ricky Davao, the “The Wally Bayola Story” episode of Magpakailanman airs this Saturday (February 9) after Kap’s Amazing Stories on GMA-7.

Movie: Si Agimat, Si Enteng Kabisote, at si Ako

And once again, the people behind the Enteng Kabisote franchise managed to ruin my childhood.

Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote, at si Ako is the sequel to the 2010 hit Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote. This time, box-office kings Vic Sotto and Bong Revilla, Jr. are joined by box-office queen Judy Ann Santos. The story, what little there is of it, takes place after the events of Enteng ng Ina Mo, Vic Sotto’s collaborative movie from last year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

And just like in last year’s entry, this one ruins the character of Enteng Kabisote–and brings down the characters of Faye/Chlorateam, Samara, and Agimat with it.

This film was completely disappointing, considering how heartfelt the first collaboration was. In my opinion then, Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote worked because it gave focus to what the franchise was supposed to be about: family. This year’s film focused on trust issues–the same issues that were brought up and resolved in last year’s Enteng ng Ina Mo. And to bring out these trust issues that needed to be addressed, the characters of Enteng Kabisote, Faye/Chlorateam, Samara and Agimat were tweaked to devolve into their base emotions–and not the good ones.

Which brings me to the biggest problem, I think, the film has: Judy Ann Santos’s character.

Angelina (or Ako, as she wants to be called) is an extreme environmentalist who gives no thought to the repercussions of her actions. She does things without thinking of the consequences, and thus puts into motion a painful jealousy subplot for the male main characters and their respective loved ones.

She openly flirts with both Agimat and Enteng Kabisote, and yet is only called out on it by the wives and one other character–that of John Lapus’, who is made to look antagonistic even though he is the only one making any sense.

That is, until the end when he refuses to help defeat the monster boss. And when he automatically forgives Agimat and Enteng Kabisote for being absolute douches because Ako tells him to. Then again, that’s pretty much all he does in the whole movie: do what Ako tells him to do and be the emotional punching bag for the main characters.

But at least he gets actual characterization. The rest of the cast don’t even get that: the powerful Ina Magenta is demoted to just being a punchline and a pusher of plots; Enteng’s family and friends only appear to serve as sounding boards and comic relief; Agimat’s world only provides the grunts and minions–cannon fodder, basically; and GMA-7’s once-popular tweens are completely underused.

And that brings me to my biggest pet peeve when it comes to film franchises: continuity. Yassi Pressman, who has played a fairy before, is shown now as part of Ako’s team. Good for the actress, she gets more screen time–but it was something the casting director (or the writer) could’ve fixed. They could’ve cast another actress for a whole new character, or they could’ve written her ousting from Engkantasya into the story, to make more sense of how there is a whole new fairy world that no one knew about!

My next gripe has to do with Barbie Forteza who already appeared in a significantly bigger role in the first collaboration of Agimat and Enteng Kabisote. She played the bratty god-daughter of Enteng in the film from two years ago–and in fact, she is the one who introduces Bogart (Wally Bayola) into the Kabisote household. Again, this is something that the casting director, or the writer, could’ve fixed. But I’m leaning towards blaming the writer with this one–especially because her cameo could’ve actually propelled the story forward without resorting to a sequence of exposition.

Barbie has a connection to Enteng Kabisote. She gets attacked by evil aliens. She can be the one to call Enteng for help, instead of having a totally unnecessary interview scene on television that Enteng will then watch–and not believe! What the hell, right?

I could go on and on about how bad this film is, but you know what? I won’t even bother anymore.

Whatever charm and wit there was in Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote is completely absent in this money-grab masquerading as a film.