Defining Moments

I confess, I like Sharon Cuneta.

So if I have a huge collection of Chinese and Korean DVDs, why the heck shouldn't I have copies of my favorite Filipino movies? (And that's what I did on this recent trip home, hoarded on Filipino DVDs, yet realising upon arriving here I didn't have everything.)

There are three movies that for me define Sharon's place as an actress in recent movie history: Madrasta; Minsan, Minahal Kita and Crying Ladies.



It always strikes me as funny and strange to be watching a movie that looks dated already even if it has just been shown a mere few years ago. But that was how I felt while watching Madrasta. Claudine's brows were still untamed, her hair still curled. But Rico Yan, I sat up on the couch, and admitted was really handsome. Pity that he had to go soon and the only time one gets to appreciate the eye candy was at the wedding scene towards the end of the movie.

I could relate more with Christopher de Leon's character, wherein he had kept everything inside and blocked himself from feeling any emotion so he appeared cold-hearted. There are times that you just want to be alone with your emotions.

I loved Koko Trinidad's grandfather character. I'm sure he would remind everyone of our Lolos that even in old-age was still very loving and funny. I laughed at the chaotic conversation at the dinner table when he was trying to get a word in on who among his grandchildren was pregnant. And cried when he died.

And then, who would forget Sharon (as Mariel)'s immortal lines (altogether now): "You are absolutely right. Tagahanda ng damit mo, tagaluto ng kakainin mo. Yan lang ang tingin mo sa akin kaya hindi mo ako nirerespeto. I was never your partner. I'm just your wife!"

In contrast, Minsan, Minahal Kita still looks relatively current. And it is one movie wherein I liked Richard Gomez. If I forget that he was once a classmate in Espagnol at the state university, his brushes with people due to his temper, his braggadocio, I actually would fall in love with his character here. In as much as I wanted to get married to Christopher de Leon in Madrasta, I wouldn't have minded cheating on my husband (except that I don't have one yet) in this movie.



My only complaint is, no matter where you put Kristine Hermosa, she always manages to annoy the hell out of me. And she had to be at the first frame as the movie opens. Good thing that Olive Lamasan (who also directed Madrasta) sewed together a cohesive, very absorbing story about an illicit love affair that spans years. And Edu Manzano, you'd just love to hate him.

I also found the progress in Sharon's weight (very real until now) as the movie went along as adding a different dimension to the film. Although Richard is not given much to do here, at least I didn't end up hating him all the more.

It's just my fear that you meet your soulmate late in your life and you can't do anything about it. Or meet your soulmate and let him go. I wanted to get inside the screen as Diane (Sharon's character) stopped her car on the way to the Naia and drove (not that I know how to drive) her until she gets to the airport. As a friend recently told me, pag makasaysayan ang pag-ibig, dapat ipaglaban (if a love is historic, you should fight for it). In real life, I did not fight for that so-called historic love. But in that film, I would have dragged Diane until she was face-to-face with Albert (Richard's character).

The song (Somewhere Down the Road) truly and literally defines the love story of Diane and Albert. And I was crying and sighing in relief when years later, they met again, literally at the crossroads somewhere in Metro Manila. And by the time I woke up the following morning, I was still suffering from last song syndrome and singing the song.

Sometimes goodbyes are not forever, we've only just begun. Maybe the best is yet to come.