A change of heart for Dino and Kim?

Last year was a lean year for local films. Only 32 films were screened for grading by the Cinema Evaluation Board. Twenty were given tax rebates.

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Kim delos Santos and Dino Guevarra have long agreed to dissolve their marriage, but none of them has filed for divorce or annulment. Am I sensing a change of heart?

Dino says he's still waiting for the divorce papers Kim will be sending from the US. "It's cheaper if you file for divorce there," he explains. "You spend only from P30,000 to P50,000. If I file for annulment here it will cost me about P200,000. And the process takes longer."

Just the same, Dino plans to file for annulment once he signs the divorce papers. He and Kim have been out of touch for almost two years. He says she has a new boyfriend, a six-footer! But Dino doesn't care. He doesn't feel anything for Kim anymore, he says. Last Christmas and New Year he never even thought of her. It was different during their first three months of separation. "I missed her then."

He lives with their two kids, Miguel, 5, and Ethan, 6. "They're fast growing up so really need to work."

Dino plays a heavy in the new season of "Now and Forever."

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The trailer of Judy Ann Santos and Piolo Pascual's new movie, "Don't Give Up On Us," was enticing enough to make me want to see the film.

I expect to find a different Juday in the movie. And Piolo? He will be playing a totally different character. Perhaps director Joyce Bernal has a big hand in these transformations. Direct Joyce has a reputation for kilig movies that make it big in the box office.

It's been quite a spell since Juday and Piolo have teamed up for a movie. They've each been paired with different screen partners. It will be interesting to find out if the old chemistry is still there.

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Ella V.'s face still bears the traces of her accident while competing in "Extra Challenge."

"It's not so obvious now," Ella told me during the editorial party of Pilipino Star Ngayon and PM, sister publications of The FREEMAN. Ella fell face first during the reality show. Despite a bleeding face, she carried on. Like a real trouper. Paolo Bediones can't help but be impressed.

Ella V. is busy taping her teleseries with Juday and Piolo. In it she plays Juday's best friend.

"I'm excited. Imagine being in the same show with Judy Ann and Piolo," she gushed.

Ella is one of the most active members of the Hot Babes.

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The music for the play based on the life of Senator Nene Pimentel, Pag-ibig sa Bayan (A Musicale), was written by the senator's wife, Bing. It's about Pimentel's struggle as a prisoner and street parliamentarian during martial law.

Marco Sison plays the senator, while Jane Diaz, accomplished stage actress and member of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, plays his wife.Marco and Jane are the personal choices of entertainment journalist Nestor U. Torre, who directed the play and wrote the script.

The opposition senator denies that the play is politically motivated. He says he just wants to remind the youth about the times when freedoms were taken away and the crusade to reclaim them.

It turns out that Senator Pimentel is a music lover. Jazz great Louis Armstrong is one of his favorites. And Bing Pimentel has already launched her own album! The songs in the play can give Vehnee Saturno a run for her money, claims showbiz editor Isah Red. Also in the musicale are five songs Senator Pimentel wrote while in prison during the Marcos years (He was jailed at least four times). Nestor Torre based the script on a book the senator has written and which will be launched next month.

"Pag-ibig sa Bayan" will have its premier on January 21 at the Meralco Theater.

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I was completely enchanted by Spellbound, the magic show that had runs until January 8 at the Araneta Coliseum. I can never figure out how two dancers "swapped" bodies after they were sliced in half. The acrobatic prowess of the group called Human Design was spectacular. Human Design is made by Miguel Soler, Slawek Kielbasinski and Krystof Suszek. Lucas Gachos was also outstanding.

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I've been hearing a lot of good things about "MMS," the new show on the new channel, QTV 11. It's a music video program aired daily from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and hosted by Raymund Gutierrez.

Because of the positive feedback, MMS has added new segments:

My Music Story presents videographies of featured artists. It's a visual trip, according to producer, Chi de Jesus.

My Music Scene. Mainly gossip about the idiosyncracies of an artist or singer. The audience reacts on a certain topic.

Sing It. A videoke-type portion where everyone can participate. Guest VJs take over every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Raymund rules Monday and Friday.