44th METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL

The 44th Annual Metro Manila Film Festival will kick off on Christmas day December 25, 2018. It's been quite a tradition for me to watch at least 3 or 4 films on the first day of the festival, but this year, I'm afraid I might not be able to do this since I will be busy on Christmas day. I think I can only watch one film or may be none at all. 

I don't know but looking at the list of entries this year, only a few films piqued my interest.  Last year I watched four films including Vice Ganda's entry which was the festival's top grosser. I was curious and a bit excited to watch 2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach on screen.  I guess I'll just have to wait for the reviews in a few days and then select which one to watch.

We will see if Vice Ganda can maintain his box-office supremacy this year and if the tandem of Vic Sotto and Coco Martin can beat the "unkabogble star."  

There are two horror flicks in the line up, one is a youth oriented film starring young hardcourt hunk Ricci Rivero and Jerome Ponce and the other one stars Anne Curtis. Another interesting entry is "Rainbow's Sunset" which tackles the LGBT theme and stars octogenarian actors Eddie Garcia, Gloria Romero, and Victor Mabesa. 

Real life sisters Toni and Alex Gonzaga plays estranged sisters in Regal Films entry "Marry Marry Me" opposite Sam Milby.  The synopsis says Alex is engaged to Sam who's her sister's ex.  The trailer looks promising and entertaining enough to pull a surprise at the box-office.  Two other romance genres will give "Marry Marry Me" a competition. These are "A Great Love" starring Kim Chiu, Dennis Trillo and JC de Vera and "The Girl in Orange Dress" starring Jericho Rosales and Jessi Mendiola.  

Here's the full list of 8 entries with different genres ranging from family drama to comedy, action and fantasy.

RAINBOW'S SUNSET
Starring: Eddie Garcia, Tony Mabesa, Gloria Romero, and Sunshine Dizon
Directed, by Joel Lamangan
Produced by: Heaven's Best Entertainment
Genre: Family Drama

ONE GREAT LOVE
Starring: Dennis Trillo, Kim Chiu and JC De Vera
Directed by Eric Quizon
Produced by: Regal Films
Genre: Romance, Drama
MARRY, MARRY ME
Starring: Toni Gonzaga, Alex Gonzaga, and Sam Milby, 

Directed by RC Delos Reyes
Produced by: Ten17 Inc
Genre: Romance, Comedy

OTLUM
Starring: Ricci Rivero, Jerome Ponce,
Directed by Joven Tan
Produced by: Horsehoe Productions
Genre: Horror, Comedy

AURORA
Starring: Anne Curtis,
Directed by Yam Laranas
Produced by: Viva Films
Genre: Thriller, horror, suspense

FANTASTICA: The Princess, The Prince and The Perya
Starring: Vice Ganda, Richard Gutierrez, Dingdong Dantes, Kisses Delavin, Donny Pangilinan, Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte, Maymay Entrata, Edward Barber, and Bela Padilla
Directed by Barry Gonzalez
Produced by: Star Cinema and Viva Films
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

JACK EM POPOY
Starring: Coco Martin, Maine Mendoza and Vic Sotto
Directed by:Mike Tuviera
Produced by: CCM Film Productions, APT Entertainment, M-Zet Productions
Gene: Comedy, Action, Thriller

GIRL IN THE ORANGE DRESS
Starring: Jessy Mendiola, Jericho Rosales, Tom Rodriguez
Directed by Jay Abello
Produced by: Quantum and MJM Films
Genre: Romance, Comedy

CATRIONA GRAY WINS 4TH MISS UNIVERSE CROWN FOR THE PHILIPPINES

The whole nation was ecstatic Monday morning when Catriona Gray was announced the winner in the just concluded 67^th Miss Universe pageant held at the Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi Province, north of Bangkok, Thailand.  Many people stayed at home and shops closed business for a few hours just to watch the live telecast.

Catriona Gray, 24, was born in Queensland, Australia to a Scottish-born Australian father and a Filipina mother from Albay, Bicol Region in the Philippines.   Before joining the national pageant for Miss Universe, Catriona represented the country at Miss World in 2016 and placed 4^th.  She won three special awards including Multi-Media award, 2^nd place in talent competition and a top 5 spot in the Beauty with a Purpose category.   Many believed that she should have placed higher than just being 4^th placer and two years later,  she decided to join Bb. Pilipinas and won the right to represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant.  Catriona was the runaway winner and mind you, she won 7 special awards.  She is a very articulate young woman and a no nonsense beauty queen having involved herself in noteworthy projects and advocacies including HIV/AIDS awareness program and  three years ago, she joined a non-profit organization called “Young Focus” that helps impoverish children in Manila.  She raised funds to buy the building used for the youth organization program and the whole community was jumping with joy when she was proclaimed as the new Miss Universe.

Well-Planned Preparation

Catriona immersed herself  in months of preparation  with the help of her glam team and sponsors and everything paid off.  She’s a media sensation even before she set foot in Bangkok for the finals, enjoying media mileage that no other Filipina beauty queens ever experienced. Wearing a Thai inspired dress, she was mobbed by fans and supporters when she arrived at Bangkok Chang Mai Airport.

The sensational slow motion Lava Walk

Catriona stunned the audience at the preliminary competition during the swimsuit round when she walked down the runway doing a twirl that carried her hair moving in a slow motion.  Her trainers call it the "lava walk" which was coined after the slow moving lava coming out from the world famous and perfect coned Mayon Volcano in Albay where her mother comes from.  Several memes of the "lava walk" surfaced online.  She live up to all the hype about her.

Early Favorite
Catriona easily clinched to the top 20 round and climbed all the way to the top and finally the Miss Universe crown was put on her head by outgoing Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.  As expected it was a fierce battle between Miss Philippines and Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green, who was her closest rival from the beginning.  She nailed the final Q&A with her simple and on point answer to the final question. 

Final Question:
"What was the most important lesson you've learned in your life and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?

She said "I worked a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila, and the life there is very...it's poor and it's very sad.  And I've always taught myself to look for the beauty in it, to look in the beauty in the faces of the children, and to be grateful.  And I would bring this aspect as a Miss Universe to see situations with a silver lining and to assess where I could give something, where I could provide something as a spokesperson, and this, I think, if I could teach also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their faces."

Catriona Gray is the 4^th Filipina to win the Miss Universe crown.  The first one was Gloria Diaz in 1969, followed by Margarita Moran in 1973 and just three years ago Pia Wurtzbach won the third Miss Universe crown for the country.

Rounding the top 5 were Miss South Africa, Miss Venezuela, Miss Vietnam, Miss Puerto Rico and the Philippines.  Other finalists were delegates from Costa Rica, Canada, Nepal, Curacao and Thailand.

Delegates from Indonesia, USA, Brazil, Jamaica, Australia, Ireland, Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Great Britain and Ireland made it to the top 20. The Best National Costume went to Miss Laos.

The presentation this year is fantastic.  Thailand did an excellent job as a host country showing the Thai elements in a modern setting.  Congratulations Thailand,  Sawadee Khap and Kho Phung Ka.

Catriona's gorgeous boyfriend Clint Bondad turn heads at the Arena's lobby and was interviewed by the media.

2015 Miss Universe Pia Wurtzach does a selfie together with former Miss Universe titleholders namely (L-R), Iris Mittenaere (2016 MU - France), Gabriela Isler (2013 MU - Venezuela, Denise Quniones (2001 MU - Puerto Rico), Lupita Jones (MU-1991- Mexico) and Natali Glebova (MU-2015-Canada

BEAUTY UNDER PRESSURE

No doubt The Philippines' Catriona Gray is of one of the front-runners in the ongoing Miss Universe pageant in Thailand, enjoying media mileage probably more than any other candidates. Major international sites such as UK’s The Daily Mirror and Spofsbet put her as the likely girl to take home the Miss Universe crown. Thai fans love her and calls her “Nong Meaow’ (literally the sound of a cat). Many believed that she should have placed higher at 2016 Miss World but she’s back now to prove that she deserves to win a major international beauty title.

Cat has all the qualities to be the next Miss Universe with a notable bio and background to boot. She is an HIV/AIDS advocate at Love Yourself PH, and volunteers as a Teacher’s Assistant to the students of Young Focus NGO. She earned a certificate in Music Theorry from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachussets and in addition to this, she is also a martial arts black belter and yes….Catriona is super ready for Miss Universe. Her glam team is now in Thailand to support her.

Accordingly, this year’s presentation will be similar to last year’s format. There will be top 20 where 5 delegates will be selected from 3 continents and combined regions plus 5 wildcards. Then top 10 will be chosen and compete in both swimsuit and evening gown rounds, then trimmed down to 5 and finally the top 3.

Three time Grammy Award winner Ne-Yo will perform during th coronation night at Impact, Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, Thailand.

Other favorites includes delegates from South Africa, Puerto Rico, Canada, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and Spain's Angela Ponce, the first ever transgender to compete in Miss Universe.  Former Miss USA and 2014 Miss Universe 1st runne-up Nia Sanchez has Catriona Gray on top of her list.   

Please watch her video on YouTube on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG58PlR3_mc (We're In This Together - Music Video by Catriona Gray for Young Focus Philippines.