Indie movie ni Pepe Smith pinupuri sa ibang bansa!

Muli na namang pinahanga ng indie film director na si Pepe Diokno ang ilang foreign cri­tics dahil sa bago niyang pelikula na Above The Clouds na isang joint production ng Pilipinas at bansang France.

Nakatanggap ng “thumbs-up” review mula sa The Hollywood Reporter ang Above The Clouds na pinagbibidahan nila Joey “Pepe” Smith at Ruru Madrid.

Sa lumabas na review sa naturang publication last February 3, tinawag na “ethereal as a familial drama could get” ng writer na si Clarence Tsui ang obra ni Diokno na isa sa kasama sa European Film Market ng Berlinale International Film Festival.

“Diokno never stoops to caricature or cliché as he highlights the differences between young and old, city and country, modernity and tradition. Instead, he unceasingly celebrates the ravishing beauty of the rural Philippines.

   “Shot at Mount Pulag National Park on the island of Luzon, ‘Above the Clouds’ provides stunning settings for both Andy (16-year old Ruru Madrid) and the grandfather (Smith) to release and resolve their internal turmoil.

“Carlo Mendoza’s camerawork provides a stirring survey of the landscape, while deftly highlighting the characters’ relationship to all this nature, while Johann Mendoza’s music also helps heighten the drama within.”

Pinuri nga rin ni Tsui ang performance nina Pepe Smith at Ruru Madrid.

“Surprisingly, chemistry abounds between the upstart Madrid and local showbiz legend Smith, whose four-decade career in Filipino rock has earned him a reputation as something like his country’s answer to Mick Jagger.

“To those who know and love his work, Smith’s haggard, grandfatherly turn in ‘Above the Clouds’ is sure to come as a compelling surprise.”

Ang Above The Clouds ang ikalawang full-length feature ni Diokno pagkatapos ng kanyang critically-acclaimed debut na Engkuwentro in 2009.

Nagwagi ng Luigi de Laurentiis and Venice Horizons awards at the Venice International Film Festival in 2009 at ng NETPAC award at the Jeonju Film Festival in 2010 ang Engkuwentro.

Nag-world premiere na ang Above The Clouds (Alapaap) noong 2014 sa Tokyo International Film Festival at nag-compete pa ito sa Singapore International Film Festival.

Ang pag-cast ni Diokno sa 67-year-old rock legend na si Pepe Smith ay isang bagay na gusto niyang mangyari para sa kanyang pelikula.

Noong 2011 pa raw niya inalok kay Smith ang role ng lolo sa Above the Clouds. At naghintay nga raw si Smith na matapos ang buong script para makapag-shooting na sila.

Sey pa ni Diokno: “It took me a year and a half to finish the script, and he waited. As his first lead role and his first drama, Pepe is a revelation in this film.”

Chynna, Ervic, at LJ ayaw iwanan ang ikalawang tahanan

Nag-renew ng kanilang mga kontrata sa GMA-7 sina Chynna Ortaleza, Ervic Vijandre, at LJ Reyes.

Present sa contract-signing ay sina GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara and GMA Artist Center Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun Ferrer.

Para kay Chynna, ang kanyang pagiging loyal sa GMA-7 for 14 years ay hindi nauuwi sa wala dahil magkakasunod ang mga magagandang projects na ginagawa niya. Nagsimula nga siya bilang child talent sa 5 & Up.

“Mahirap iwanan ‘yung kung saan ka nagsimula nung bata ka pa. ‘Yung ganong klaseng bonding, ganung klaseng pamilya,” sey ni Chynna.

Pumirma rin ng management contract sa GMA Artist Center si Ervic na unang napanood sa Kapuso network bilang contestant sa Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Showdown.

Produkto naman ng artista search na Starstruck 2 si LJ kung saan naging First Princess siya. Tinuring na nga niyang ikawalang tahanan ang GMA.

“Ang sarap kasi siyempre, parang pamilya ko talaga ‘tong GMA. Feeling ko rito na ‘ko tatanda. Parang yung signing, ce­lebration lang ng new chapter ulit ng career ko, ng relationship ko with the network,” ngiti pa ni LJ.

Bruce Jenner magsasalita na kung bakit piniling maging babae!

Sa broadcast journalist na si Diane Sawyer magsasalita ang former Olympian at reality star na si Bruce Jenner tungkol sa kanyang pag-transition sa pagiging isang babae.

Nakipag-ayos na ang 65-year-old former athlete sa ABC kung saan sasabihin na niya ang lahat tungkol sa kanyang desisyon na maging isang babae.

Sa May 2015 ito eere.

Marami ang nagulat dahil unang tinanguan ni Jenner ang isang TV interview na ipapalabas sa E! channel kung saan umeere ang reality show na Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Kaya laking gulat ng bosses ng NBC Universal, na siyang may-ari ng E!, noong malaman nilang nakipag-negotiate si Jenner sa rival station na ABC.

Una na ngang nagsalita ang stepdaughter ni Bruce na si Kim Kardashian-West tungkol sa bagong papasukin na buhay nito.

“I think everyone goes through things in life and I think that story and what Bruce is going through, I think he’ll share whenever the time is right. I feel like that’s his journey to talk about.”

Nag-divorce last year sina Bruce at asawa nitong si Kris Jenner kung kanino may dalawa siyang anak na sina Kendall and Kylie Jenner.