MANILA, Philippines - One of the more potentially instructive developments on the local show biz scene is the ?unspoken? rivalry between Angel Locsin and Marian Rivera.
Almost everybody knows that Angel threw GMA-7 for a loop when she gave up her flourishing career there for what she perceived were the greener pastures of ABS-CBN.
Stung to the quick, GMA then tapped Marian to be its new TV-film ?princess,? showcasing her in a number of projects, led by the local version of ?Marimar,? which has turned out to be phenomenally successful.
In addition, GMA films has put Marian in its Valentine?s Day movie, ?My Best Friend?s Girlfriend,? co-starring Richard Gutierrez, Angel?s former leading man. The shared link isn?t lost on show biz fans, so the ?secret? competition continues to heat up.
For its part, ABS-CBN hasn?t been remiss in giving Angel the TV showcase she deserves as its new stellar acquisition: She co-stars with Piolo Pascual in its teleserye, ?Lobo.?
Advantage of time
Piolo is an established star, so the fact that he?s been tapped to be Angel?s TV leading man serves notice that ABS-CBN is prepared to give her nothing but the best, to prove that her decision to leave GMA, the network that built her up, was no gaffe.
Trouble is, ?Lobo? debuted much later than ?Marimar,? so Marian has the advantage of time. Their rivalry could even up if ?Lobo? gets good reviews and great ratings, but until then, Marian enjoys the advantage on TV.
Ditto for the movie screen, since Angel has yet to announce her first Star Cinema starrer, while Marian?s Valentine film has already hit the cinemas. The main spoiler here would be if the movie does poorly at the tills, or Marian gets rapped for an inept portrayal?but, until then, Marian has the edge there, as well.
So, as of this week, at least, the tally board reads: Angel, 1; Marian, 2.
But not for long? You bet. In TV-film competitions, placements are constantly in flux. This month?s front-runner could end up an also-ran.
Should-see films
Beatles fans will be delighted to learn that the Fab 5?s songs are being showcased in the much-anticipated film, ?Across the Universe,? which will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls cinemas, Glorietta 4 and Greenbelt 3.
The musical film by Julie Taymor (?The Lion King?) brings together an original story and 33 Beatles songs. The film was nominated for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) at the recent Golden Globe Awards.
A love story set in the ?60s and their anti-war protests, mind exploration and rock ?n? roll, the film moves from the dockyards of Liverpool to Greenwich Village, Detroit and the killing fields of Vietnam. Two star-crossed lovers (Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood) are swept up in the decade?s turbulent movements, with ?Dr. Robert? (Bono) and ?Mr. Kite? (Eddie Izzard) as their guides. Joe Cocker and Salma Hayek play cameo roles.
Another should-see is ?The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.? A fantasy-adventure production, the film tells the imaginative tale of a lovely Scottish boy, Angus, who takes home a magical egg and soon finds himself raising an amazing creature: the mythical ?water horse? of Scottish lore. As he tries to protect his friend, whom he names Crusoe, Angus begins a journey of discovery that aims to enthrall viewers with its exciting incidents and dazzling visuals.
Academy Award nominee Emily Watson plays Angus? mother, Anne, and Ben Chaplin is cast as the secretive and enigmatic Lewis Mowbray.
Feedback
From George R. Marcaida of Pasay City: ?Now that digital movies have brought down the costs of movie production, our best directors should find it easier to get financing to make the films they really want to make.
?They no longer need to make compromises with their producers that affect the quality of their work. Now, they have no more excuses, so we expect better films from them ??
