Gabby Concepcion: Would like to trim his jaw

Funny but not hilarious. That best describes My Monster Mom, the much-awaited team-up of Ruffa Gutierrez and real-life mother Annabelle Rama.

The film has some really funny moments, but the overall hilarity just isn’t there.

I was expecting a lot more bombast or taray from Annabelle, but she somehow lacked the energy to make her character stand out. The fire was not going full blast.

Ruffa was in her comfort zone, and didn’t feel the need to raise her acting level even by a notch or two.

My Monster Mom is a family affair of sorts. Richard Gutierrez put in a cameo role as the young Annabelle’s lover. Big Daddy Eddie Gutierrez joined in as the lover 27 years later.

The story had a promising premise. Could Ruffa, who was raised in the US, come to terms with Annabelle, her biological mom, the reigning bully of the neighborhood?

The plot rolls along, but just hardly. It all comes down to the hospital scene between the mom and daughter. And sadly that scene didn’t have the intensity that would have redeemed the movie.

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Director Gilbert Perez might have to miss the rest of the taping of the landmark teleseries ABS-CBN is co-producing with a Malaysian TV network. That’s because he might require an angioplasty following a stroke he suffered right on the set last week.

Direk Gilbert was rushed to St. Luke’s Medical Center by Jericho Rosales, the series’ male lead. It was his second stroke.

The taping of the series has been shelved indefinitely as producers search for Gilbert’s replacement. One name that was being bandied about was that of Jerry Sineneng.

What I find laughable is that word spread that Jericho and co-star Malaysian Carmen Soo had triggered the stroke. The two were said to be difficult on the set. Jericho is supposed to be either still depressed over his break with Heart Evangelista or is chasing Carmen around.

ABS-CBN has gone to great lengths explaining that Gilbert, Echo and Carmen were getting along beautifully. Their bond developed when they were taping several segments in Malaysia. They remained close when the taping moved to Manila.

Echo was never a problem because he has put the split with Heart behind. Carmen, meanwhile, is on her best behavior, knowing all too well she’s working outside her country.

The series has no title yet. It’s scheduled for showing in the last quarter of this year.

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If there’s one thing Gabby Concepcion would like to change through cosmetic surgery, it’s his jaw.

The comebacking matinee idol says his jaw makes his face look too big on screen. So he’d want to trim his jaw’s sides. The problem is he doesn’t know which cosmetic surgeon to go to.

My unsolicited advice to Gabby: There is nothing wrong with your jawline. You’re handsome enough as you are!

Remember the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Gabby tried hard to hold back the tears when asked about his dad, Rolly Concepcion. “I get very emotional because he’s really sick. He’s got three blocked arteries but they couldn’t operate because he’s already 72. So he has to rely on medication.”

Gabby says his dad is the reason why he returned to the Philippines.

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Supercelebrity mom Angelina Jolie is awaiting the birth of twins in a hospital in Nice, France.

Jolie was admitted to the Lenval Hospital last week, “as part of a pre-planned rest period, before she gives birth,” a spokeswoman for the hospital said.

The 33-year-old Oscar winner is living with actor Brad Pitt. They went public with their relationship after they co-starred in the 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Later in the week Pitt visited his wife.

The couple have one biological daughter, Shiloh, who was delivered by Caesarean section two years ago in Namibia. They have three adopted children — daughter Zahara from Ethiopia, son Pax from Vietnam and son Maddox from Cambodia.