But in the Philippines, Star Cinema bucked Hollywood by doing exactly the opposite – providing as much traditional values and family relevance as it could give in 2000. And the Filipino audience rewarded the major film company year-round success.
Five of last year’s big moneymakers were from Star Cinema, namely:
• Tunay na Tunay, Gets Mo, Gets Ko, topbilled by Robin Padilla and Jolina Magdangal, directed by Joyce Bernal. The movie, shown in the first quarter of 2000, was a feel-good action-romance-comedy-drama where Robin and Jolina were cast as unlikely lovers who started in a cat-and-mouse game and ended up a most romantic pair.
• Minsan Minahal Kita
The long-awaited revival of the Sharon-Richard loveteam proved that the clamor for it is very much alive. The film was a brave step for Sharon Cuneta who agreed to perform the controversial role of a wife struggling with the temptation of adultery, with all the implications to the wounded families, friends, and society.
Minsan Minahal Kita also tacked the subject of the double standard of fidelity for women.
Filipinos trooped to the box office to make the film one of the industry’s top five earners, pushing Star Records’ soundtrack album to double platinum, ABC CBN Publishing’s Minsan Minahal Kita novelization to local bestseller and the Minsan Minahal Kita Website to one of the top hits of the season.
• Anak
The film is Star Cinema’s tribute to Overseas Filipino Workers who face not only alienation from their homeland but from their families as well. The film depicts the sacrifices OFWs have to make for their families, and the inevitable crises in a home crippled by the loss of a mother figure.
Anak also set the standard in quality Filipino films with its superb acting and breakthrough story. It has been submitted as possible contender in the Best Foreign Film category of the 73rd Oscar Awards.
Now, Anak is acknowledged as the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time, beating Jose Rizal and Isusumbong Kita sa Tatay Ko. Anak then spawned a series of hit products as well: Anak phonecards, Anak Pocketbooks of OFW experiences from ABS CBN Publishing, a still-running Anak.com OFW full-service website from ABS CBN Interactive, and the platinum Anak Soundtrack album.
• Tanging Yaman
Director Laurice Guillen’s comeback film has been the crown jewel of Star Cinema to cap 2000. Not only did it extend for three weeks, it also made a sweep in the Metro Manila Film Festival awards, including Best Festival Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and the Gatpuno Villegas Award. The film also merited three major Young Critics’ Circle Awards: Best Movie, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Performance by a Cast.
• Kahit Isang Saglit
The year 2000 has seen the likes of Judy Ann Santos showing exemplary maturity in Kahit Isang Saglit. With Piolo Pascual and Leandro Muñoz, she plays a passionate young woman confronting her dilemma between being wed to the man she is engaged to and the man she is in love with. Kahit Isang Saglit was the surprise box-office hit for Star Cinema, a major triumph for first-time director Gilbert Perez.
Another unprecedented box-office hit was Star Cinema’s only action movie for 2000, Ex-Con. This was to become Victor Neri’s ticket as the next Ultimate Action Star.
To cap the year’s achievements, Star Cinema pioneers the first teleserye in Philippine television, Pangako Sa Iyo. It stars the loveteam of Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa.
Star Cinema also launched its First Annual Script-writing Contest. The prestigious contest produced three promising scriptwriters: Edward Trespeces (Jologs), Rogelio Ramos (Kutos) and Paolo Herras (Piso/Minute).