Who is Christian Bautista the Asia's Pop Idol

From your average guy to one of Asia’s hottest singing sensations today—this is what has now become of Asia’s Pop Idol and Romantic Balladeer, Christian Bautista.

The start of Christian’s career goes way back to ABS-CBN’s reality singing contest, Star in a Million, where he placed 4th among 10 finalists. In the end, however, he need not win the coveted title to become a famous singer, catapulting himself to certified stardom with hit albums, TV series, and a movie up his sleeve.
Upon ending his Star in a Million stint, Christian signed a contract under Warner Records Philippines where it all began. Upon releasing his self-titled debut album, Christian created a phenomenal hit in Andrew Fromm and Keith Follese’s “The Way You Look at Me,” bringing his album to triple platinum status in no time.

The same song crossed borders and reached international airwaves. Christian became an instant star in Indonesia, so popular that Warner Music Indonesia brought him to their local music scene where he was instantly accepted by his growing number of fans. But his international popularity did not just end there. His music pierced through other Asian countries and invaded the radio charts of Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

In the Philippines, Christian’s instant success led him to become part of a group called the “Champions,” talented singers who have gained their break in showbiz by joining various reality singing contests on television. Christian, along with his co-champions, are mainstays of the hit Sunday variety show of ABS-CBN entitled ASAP. He was also one of the hosts of the Search for the Star in a Million (Season 1) with Sarah Geronimo, Erik Santos, and Mark Bautista.
Soon after, Christian launched his second album entitled “Completely,” with different packages for the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore respectively. The album attained platinum status in the Philippines and Indonesia.

With Christian’s multitude of fans in Indonesia, he was given his first-ever Indonesian TV special by RCTI, the country’s largest broadcasting station based in Jakarta. The show, entitled “Completely: Christian Bautista,” allowed the young balladeer the opportunity to perform with such big names in the Indonesian music scene as the famous 40-piece Magenta Orchestra, songwriter Andi Rianto, and two of the country’s divas, Krisdayanti and Titi DJ.

Aside from his singing career, Christian has also delved into acting when he bagged the role of Lorenzo in ABS-CBN’s recreation of Pablo S. Gomez’s “Kampanerang Kuba” starring Anne Curtis. Christian also appeared in the silver screen when he was chosen to star as Timothy (a.k.a. Felix Yan) in Regal Films’ Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, “Mano Po 5: Gua Ai Di.” Christian is also a celebrity endorser for Bench, Smart Telecommunications, Skechers, and Swatch, among others.
Apart from Christian’s success in showbiz, he was able to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of the Philippines (U.P.) in Diliman. He was also a member of the table tennis varsity team while in college.
Christian recently launched his newest album entitled “Captured,” and is looking forward to his upcoming role as Tony in STAGES’ production of the Broadway musical, West Side Story.

The Billboard 100 All-Time Top Artists

Simon & Garfunkel 100
Herman's Hermits 99
Neil Sedaka 98
Toni Braxton 97
Styx 96
Michael Bolton 95
Brook Benton 94
Earth, Wind & Fire 93
Tommy James 92
Billy Ocean 91
Aerosmith 90
Dion 89
50 Cent 88
Queen 87
The Spinners 86
Roy Orbison 85
Nelly 84
Air Supply 83
Andy Gibb 82
Captain & Tennille 81

Alicia Keys 80
The 5th Dimension 79
Tony Orlando & Dawn 78
Four Tops 77
John Denver 76
The Pointer Sisters 75
Bruce Springsteen 74
Fleetwood Mac 73
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band 72
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 71
Celine Dion 70
Linda Ronstadt 69
Destiny's Child 68
Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship 67
Richard Marx 66
Paula Abdul 65
James Brown 64
Bobby Darin 63
R. Kelly 62
The Everly Brothers 61

Heart 60
Gladys Knight & The Pips 59
Dionne Warwick 58
Barry Manilow 57
TLC 56
Paul Anka 55
Eagles 54
Commodores 53
Duran Duran 52
Ricky Nelson 51
Kool & The Gang 50
Foreigner 49
Chubby Checker 48
Ray Charles 47
Bon Jovi 46
Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine 45
Huey Lewis & The News 44
Three Dog Night 43
John Mellencamp 42
Bobby Vinton 41

George Michael 40
Cher 39
Bryan Adams 38
Kenny Rogers 37
Barbra Streisand 36
Brenda Lee 35
Connie Francis 34
The Jackson 5/The Jacksons 33
Boyz II Men 32
Carpenters 31
Neil Diamond 30
Lionel Richie 29
The Beach Boys 28
The Temptations 27
Frankie Valli & The 4 Seasons 26
Diana Ross 25
Donna Summer 24
Billy Joel 23
Phil Collins 22
Usher 21

Marvin Gaye 20
Aretha Franklin 19
Olivia Newton-John 18
Rod Stewart 17
Prince 16
Daryl Hall & John Oates 15
The Supremes 14
Chicago 13
Bee Gees 12
Paul McCartney/Wings 11
The Rolling Stones 10
Whitney Houston 9
Michael Jackson 8
Janet Jackson 7
Mariah Carey6
Stevie Wonder 5
Elvis Presley 4
Elton John 3
Madonna 2
The Beatles 1

The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs

Billboard Hot 100 the most influencial and trusted music company recently reveal there Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs, This is part of there 50th annivesary. Now let's find out, what song will top the chart from the past decades and today.


10. UN-BREAK MY HEART
Toni Braxton
Label: LaFace/AristaPeak Date: 12/7/1996Peak Position: 1 (11 wks)

Three years after winning the 1993 best new artist Grammy Award, Toni Braxton released her second consecutive multiplatinum album, "Secrets." The follow-up to her self-titled LaFace Records debut spun off the preacher's daughter's first Hot 100 No. 1 ("You're Makin' Me High") and this, the biggest hit of her career. The song - written by Diane Warren, produced by David Foster and rendered in Braxton's distinctive, husky alto - spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100. A "Diva Mix" of the track, inspired by her show-opening performance at the 1996 Billboard Music Awards, spread "Heart" to overseas success as well.

9. WE BELONG TOGETHER
Mariah Carey
Label: Island/IDJMGPeak Date: 6/4/2005Peak Position: 1 (14)

After 15 No. 1 songs, Mariah Carey signed an $80 million contract with Virgin and then proceeded to infamously lose her cool during a bizarre 2001 taping of MTV's "TRL" and star in flop film "Glitter." But Carey managed to regroup after her early-'00s rough patch. In 2005, the songstress released comeback album "The Emancipation of Mimi" via her new label, Island Records. The Jermaine Dupri-produced "We Belong Together" was a monster single that sat at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for 14 weeks and helped "Mimi" go on to sell 5.9 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Since "Together," Carey has returned to No. 1 two additional times for a total of 18 No. 1 Hot 100 singles. Her sum is second only to the Beatles' 20 No. 1 hits.

8. HEY JUDE
The Beatles
Label: ApplePeak Date: 9/28/1968Peak Position: 1 (9)

The first single released by the Beatles on their own Apple Records label, "Hey Jude" was written in 1968 by Paul McCartney to comfort John Lennon's son Julian on the divorce of his parents, John and Cynthia Lennon. "I started with the idea, 'Hey Jules,' which was Julian, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better," McCartney told biographer Barry Miles. "Hey Jude" entered the Hot 100 Sept. 14, 1968, at No. 10 and rose to No. 1 two weeks later. It held the top spot for nine weeks, making it the longest-reigning hit in the band's career.

7. YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE
Debby Boone
Label: Warner Bros./CurbPeak Date: 10/15/1977Peak Position: 1 (10)

Pat Boone's four daughters tried for years to forge a music career as the Boone Sisters with no luck. Label honcho Mike Curb was determined to launch lead Debby as a solo artist and found the ideal song at a screening of the movie "You Light Up My Life." Curb borrowed the instrumental track and had Boone's vocal recorded over it. His instincts were right on: "Light" remained at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for 10 weeks beginning in October 1977, a record at the time for a female artist, and won an Academy Award for best original song and a Grammy Award for Boone as best new artist.

6. PHYSICAL
Olivia Newton-John
Label: MCAPeak Date: 11/21/1981Peak Position: 1 (10)

Life imitates art. After Olivia Newton-John took the character Sandy from virginal to vamp in the 1978 film "Grease," the longtime girl-next-door singer rattled pop culture with her 1982 single "Physical"-which was loaded with sexual innuendo (sample lyric: "There's nothing left to talk about unless it's horizontally." Oh, my!) On a more innocent front, the song also became a staple of the ubiquitous aerobics movement of the day. In all, the song spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, following previous chart-toppers "I Honestly Love You," "Have You Never Been Mellow," "You're the One That I Want" and "Magic," amid a top 40 run that garnered 27 hits from 1971 to 1985. Grammy voters awarded "Physical" video of the year.

5. MACARENA (BAYSIDE BOYS MIX)
Los Del Rio
Label: RCAPeak Date: 8/3/1996Peak Position: 1 (14)

The bilingual Bayside Boys Mix of Los del Rio's "Macarena" spent 14 weeks at No. 1 in 1996, gaining the top position several weeks before it was used to introduce-and provide a punch line for-Al Gore's speech at that year's Democratic National Convention. The song spent 23 weeks in the top 10. The flamenco-flavored party track and accompanying dance by two middle-aged men named Antonio Romero and Rafael Ruiz was already a hit in Spain in 1993, and "Macarena" was a favorite on cruise ships before docking in Miami's South Beach clubs by mid-decade. It first appeared on the Hot 100 in 1995. After the success of the Bayside Boys Mix in 1996, an early version by Los del Rio spent 21 weeks on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 23.

4. HOW DO I LIVE
LeAnn Rimes
Label: CurbPeak Date: 12/13/1997Peak Position: 2

LeAnn Rimes' second Hot 100 entry, after the 1996 No. 26-peaking "Blue," stands as the longest-running Hot 100 title of all-time, charting for 69 weeks total between June 1997 and October 1998. The song, recorded when Rimes was only 14, even outlasted two of her follow-up releases on the chart. It also led Adult Contemporary for 11 weeks and has gone on to sell 3.5 million physical singles. On the digital front, it routinely shifts more than 1,000 units per week, for a to-date total in excess of 203,000. "It's just one of those songs that lives on in everyone's life," Rimes says today.For the full story behind "How Do I Live" straight from LeAnn Rimes, Mike Curb and Diane Warren, click here.

3. MACK THE KNIFE
Bobby Darin
Label: AtcoPeak Date: 10/5/1959Peak Position: 1 (9)

In 1958, "Splish Splash" put then-22-year-old Bobby Darin on the map, and three more hits in quick succession cemented his teen appeal. But the furiously ambitious Darin wanted the longevity promised by singing in supper clubs, appealing to Frank Sinatra's audience. "In night clubs I lean to other things. I even do 'Mack the Knife' from 'The Threepenny Opera,' " Darin told Billboard at the time. He recorded "Mack" for his standards album "That's All," produced by Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler for Atlantic's Atco imprint. After reaching No. 1 in late 1959, it went on to win the Grammy Award for record of the year as well as a slightly belated nod for Darin as best new artist.

2. SMOOTH
Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Label: AristaPeak Date: 10/23/1999Peak Position: 1 (12)

Exactly 30 years before Santana reached No. 1 in October 1999 with "Smooth," his eponymous band made its first appearance on the Hot 100 with a single titled "Jingo." It wasn't an auspicious debut, as it only peaked at No. 56. But if you had told Carlos Santana back then that he would have the biggest hit of his career 30 years later to the week, do you think he would have believed you? Probably not. Co-written by Itaal Shur and matchbox twenty's Rob Thomas, "Smooth" introduced Santana's smash album "Supernatural" and became one the biggest radio monsters of the decade, spending 12 weeks at No. 1.For the full story behind "Smooth" straight from Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas and Clive Davis, click here.

1. THE TWIST
Chubby Checker
Label: ParkwayPeak Date: 09/19/60 & 01/13/62Peak Position: 1 (1 wk) & 1 (2wks)

"I resurrected a corpse" is how Chubby Checker feels about recording "The Twist" in the early summer of 1960. And Frankenstein's monster had nothing on his achievement."The Twist" is the only song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to enjoy two separate chart runs to No. 1: Sept. 19, 1960 (one week), and, following an October 1961 appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," Jan. 13, 1962 (two weeks). It also set a record for the most weeks (39) on the Hot 100 by a No. 1 song that held until UB40's "Red Red Wine" lasted 40 weeks in 1988. Others have since surpassed the mark."'The Twist' brought the world dancing apart to the beat," says Checker, now 66, who was born Ernest Evans in South Carolina before moving to Philadelphia. "Then came all our dances-the Pony, the Mashed Potato, the Fly, the Hucklebuck-all dancing apart to the beat. Chubby gave us that. How did he do it? With 'The Twist.'"The song was the gift that kept on giving for Checker, as five more of his 32 Hot 100 entries mined the dance. He even joined the Fat Boys for "The Twist (Yo, Twist)," which hit No. 16 in 1988.Checker's recent single, "Knock Down the Walls," reached No. 1 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart. Click here to listen to the song.

To find out the complete list visit there website at www.billboard.com

Who's Nina "The Philippine Soul Siren"

Marifil Niña Girado or more popularly known as Nina, is a pop singer from the Philippines. She is dubbed as the country’s “Soul Siren”. Has released Multi-platinum Record Sales and Seven number 1 Singles in the Philippines with some singles topping the Charts. She has released four albums and performs regularly at different Bars such as Bagaberde Grill, Hard Rock Cafe, 19 East, Club-O and on television through ASAP 08 and other shows. She is also known for her vocal belting and her ability to sing in whistle register and do coloratura passage.

BeginningsNina was 17 when she became one of the vocalists for the X’s, a show band working the club circuit. She honed her skills in clubs such as Strumm’s, Limits, Ratsky and Fashion Café, doing old rhythm and blues hits and Sergio Mendes numbers. Shortly after, she was hired by Big Thing, Randy Santiago’s band. This was followed by a six-month stint in Silk. She also become one of the members of the MYMP group, and finally, the Essence.
Although she was already a fulltime working professional, Nina continued her studies, taking up and finishing accounting at Miriam College. At one time, she had thought of taking up law, but by the time she graduated, this had been replaced by another dream: to become a solo recording artist.

She put together a three-song demo which included her cover of “Foolish Heart” and sent it to Warner Music Philippines. The label recognized the potential. It wasn’t long before Marifil Niña Girado was transformed into Nina.

Heaven (2002)In 2002, Heaven was released accompanied by Nina’s debut single with the same name. “Heaven” became a modest hit, peaking within the Top 10 for weeks. Though it failed to top the Philippines Singles Chart, it paved the way for Nina’s breakthrough as an OPM artist. “2nd Floor” was sent as a radio single to boost album sales and increase popularity. Though the song was not commercially released, it was hailed as the Best R&B Song in the 2003 Awit Awards and allowed Nina to bag the Best New Artist Award as well. “Jealous” was released as the next single from the album and it became Nina’s first single to top the charts. Due to its extreme reception, Nina became a radio favorite as her songs gained more airplay. Also, she won the Best New Artist Award in the 2003 MTV Pilipinas Awards due to the single’s breakthrough. In mid-2003, she released “Foolish Heart,” which became her second chart-topper. The song became one of the most-played singles of that year, and was considered to be one of the main reasons why the acoustic phenomenon became very much popular. “Loving You” became the fourth and last single off the album and also reached the Top 10. A re-release of the album was issued enabling Heaven its double platinum status. Included in this release were “Talk To Me,” the acoustic version of “Jealous,” and the Nescafé promo single, “Simula.”

Smile (2003)During the last quarter of 2003, Nina released Smile alongside the first single “Make You Mine.” It became Nina’s third number one single, allowing Nina to be the first (and only) female artist to have three number one singles in a year. In 2004, “A Girl Can Dream” was released as the second single and featured labelmate Christian Bautista as her love interest in the video. The song peaked in the Top 5, thoguh proved to be less successful than other Nina singles. “Sayang Naman” was the first Tagalog single Nina released and became the last release from the album. It reached the Top 10 and is considered to be the least successful Nina single to date. A radio-only single was released in the form of the Madonna original “Shoo-Be-Doo” allowing Smile to reach Gold status.
Nina sings Dianne WarrenIn 2004, Girado recorded “I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend,” written by award-winning composer Diane Warren (it had previously been recorded by Cyndi Lauper on her album A Night to Remember.) The song was number one in the Philippines for eight weeks. Girado’s version of the song was included on the compilation Love Songs: Dianne Warren, which was certified gold in the Philippines.

Nina Live! (2005)Though Smile proved to be less successful than her debut album, Nina Live! proved to be both critically and commercially successful, earning platinum status in only its first three week of release. “Love Moves In Mysterious Ways” was solicited to radio in February and became a monster hit by the summer of 2005. Peaking at the number one spot for twelve weeks, it became the most successful Nina single to date, also becoming the longest number one OPM single not only in 2005, but in the 2000’s era. A second single was released in “Through The Fire,” a Chaka Khan original, which also peaked at number one for a week. “Constantly” was issued as the third single which peaked within the Top 3, and a recorded version of “I Love You Goodbye” was released as the fourth and final single of the live album. As of 2006, Nina Live! is certified 8x Platinum. Also in 2005, Nina embarked on her sold-out major concert entitled Nina Live! at the Araneta Coliseum. A Nina Live! DVD was released by the end of 2005 which included the live recordings at the PHI Bar, both Nina biography and discography, as well the video for the number one single, “I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend.”
At the height of Nina’s success, Goldilock’s Bakeshop lauched its 40th Anniversary in 2006. In its anniversary, the company decided to tie-in with Warner Music Philippines in releasing a CD single enttled Araw Mo from which the jingle would be sung by the Soul Siren herself. “Araw Mo” was released in time of the 40th Anniversary and became a very popular jingle solicited for radio promo. Also, a commercial was released in lieu of the CD single.

Nina (2006)After the success of Nina Live!, Nina began recording new material for her self-titled fourth album. After critical acclaim and commercial success, Nina decided to release a self-titled album due to the fact that she has already established her name as an artist and would like the public to know her as who she really is. “I Do” was the first single, and was Nina’s first original single after the Nina Live era. The song entered the Top 10 but failed to establish the same impact as her previous hits. It was until “Someday” that Nina would regain her next major hit, a song which was composed by then current-boyfriend Nyoy Volante. The song became Nina’s seventh number one hit, peaking at number one for eight weeks. “I Didn’t Mean To Make You Mine” was released as the third single in 2007. As of April 2007, the album is certified Gold and before the year end the album reached Platinum status and expected to reach double platinum status as 2008 starts.

Album Certifications

Nina Heaven Double Platinum

First Kiss
Heaven
2nd Floor
Jealous
Loving You (Radio Edit)
Foolish Heart
Greatest Gift Of All
Kung Ibibigay Sa’Yo
Heaven (Boywonder Remix)
Foolish Heart (Vibe Mix)

Nina Smile Certified Gold

Make You Mine
A Girl Can Dream
What If
Sayang Naman
Shoo-bee-doo
Goodnite But Not Goodbye
I’ll Always Stay In Love This Way
Still Gonna Be
Di Ba
Can’t Say I Love You
Ring Me
Smile

Nina Live! 8x Platinum

Sweet Thing
Love Moves In Mysterious Ways
Stay (With Me)
Burn (feat. Christian Bautista)
Through The Fire
Fall For You
Coloured Kisses (feat. Trapp Of Dice & K9)
Cool With You
Constantly
At Your Best
Sunlight
The Closer I Get To You (Feat. Thor)
Steep
I Love You Goodbye
I Can’t Tell You Why
Piano In The Dark
Anything For You
Time To Say Goodbye

Nina Certified Platinum

I Do
Ooh Boy
Where Is Love
I Can’t Make You Love Me
I Need Your Love
I Didn’t Mean To Make You Mine
Love Is Contagious
What If
Is It Over
Someday
Araw Mo (Bonus Track)

Nina sings Very Manilow Platinum

"Somewhere Down The Road"
"Even Now"
"One of These Days"
"Weekend in New England"
"If I Should Love Again"
"What If" (Acoustic Version)
"Someday" (Band Version)
"Collide" (Xenoa-OST)
"The Christmas Song"

Nina sings the Hits of Diane Warren (Certified Gold)

"I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing"
"I Turn To You"
"Love Will Lead You Back"
"Because You Loved Me"
"Have You Ever"
"Un-break My Heart"
"There You'll Be"
"I'll Never Get Over You"
"Blue Eyes Blue"
"How Can We Be Lovers"
"When I See You Smile"
"Saving Forever For You"
"How Do I Live"
"I Could Not Ask For More"
"I Don't Want To Be Your Friend" (Bonus track)

Awards
Best Performance by a Female Artist in a concert/ Aliw Awards 2007
People’s Choice Song of The Year- Someday written by Nyoy Volante/ Awit Awards 2007
People’s Choice Favorite Artis/ Awit Awards 2007
People’s Choice Best Female Performance- Someday/ Awit Awards 2007
R&B Artist of the Year / 2007 Philippine Hip-Hop Awards
Best Urban Video-I Do dir. by Treb Montreras/MYX Music Awards 2007
USTv Student Choice of music video (Someday)/2007
OPM Female Artist of the Year/RX 93.1 2006
Best Selling Album of the Year: Nina Live!/Awit Awards 2006
Best Performance By A Duet: Nina And Thor for The Closer I Get To You/Awit Awards 2006
Favorite Collaboration: Burn by Nina with Christian Bautista/MYX Music Awards2006
2005 Best Female Acoustic Artist/National Consumers Quality Awards
Best Female Performer in Hotel, Music Lounges and Bars/Aliw Awards 2004
Favorite New Female Artist/Awit Awards 2003
Best Rnb Song (2nd Floor)/Awit Awards 2003
Favorite New Artist/MTV Pilipinas 2003
Favorite Female Artist/2003 Teens Voice Awards
OPM Female Artist of the Year (2003)/RX 93.1
OPM Artist of the Year (2003)/Magic 89.9
OPM Song of the Year (Jealous)/Magic 89.9
Favorite Female Artist/Candy Rap Awards

Recognitions
Shall We Dance Monthly Champion (November)
ASAP Platinum Circle 2007 (Nina- platinum) and (Nina Live- 8x platinum)
ASAP 24K Awards (Nina- gold)
ASAP Platinum Circle 2006 (Nina Live- 6x platinum)
ASAP Platinum Circle 2005 (Nina Live- 5x platinum)
No. 1 Female R&B Singer in the Philippines/2004 Philippine Business Excellence Award/Awards and Recognition Association of the Philippines
Artist of the Month (January, 2004)/MTV Philippines
Artist of the Month (January, 2004)/97.1 WLS FM
Singing Ambassador of Goodwill 2004/Center for Pop Music Philippines, Inc.
One of Women to Watch in 2004/Mega Magazine

5 Most Controversial Movies of the Decades

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004)Directed by: Mel GibsonA self-financed Biblical epic presented without a word of dialogue in English seemed to be quite a stretch for the guy who imitated the Three Stooges in the Lethal Weapon movies. But what caused an uproar was not the improbability of this movie, but the explicit violence and what some critics felt were anti-Semitic themes. All the talk didn't hurt the film, though, as it went on to became the highest grossing R-rated film of all time.

FAHRENHEIT 9/11 (2004)Directed by: Michael MooreReleased in the midst of the 2004 presidential election, Michael Moore's muckraking look at the lead-up to and aftermath of September 11th drew harsh words from people who saw the movie, people who refused to see it, and even people who were in it. An injured veteran who was interviewed sued Moore, but the case was dismissed. Moore's movie is still has the biggest box-office gross ever for a documentary.

THE BROWN BUNNY (2004)Directed by: Vincent GalloWriter/producer/director/star Vincent Gallo fully expected his indie road movie to get people talking. You have to when you include a graphic sex act in your film. But he wasn't expecting that Roger Ebert would call it the worst premiere in Cannes Film Festival's history. In response, Gallo called Ebert a "fat pig" and put a curse on the critic's colon. Ebert replied getting a colonoscopy would be more enjoyable than the movie.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005)Directed by: Ang LeeA rare gay love story with big name actors, this film sparked debate on both end of the cultural spectrum. Before it was even released, conservative pundits decried the subject matter, and it was pulled from a Utah theater just two hours before its first screening. But some activists also complained that the marketing covered up the gay context, and accused Oscar voters of homophobia when the film lost to Crash.

THE DA VINCI CODE (2006)Directed by: Ron HowardYou wouldn't think re-teaming the star and director of Splash could cause a theological uproar. Vatican officials called for a boycott of the movie, saying it was "full of calumnies, offenses, and historical and theological errors." Protests were staged in Greece, South Korea, the Philippines, India and the U.S. Still, the movie made enough to bring back Hanks and Howard for next summer's sequel, Angels & Demons

New7Wonders: Live Ranking as of Sept. 22, 2008

Puerto Prinsesa Subterranean River National Park is leading as of third quarter of the year and Tubbataha Reef and Chocolate Hills drops to 4th spot and 5th spot respectively; while Mayon Volcano drops to 11th spot from 9th spot.

The tally as of now is still in good, Philippine's delegates are deserving too, though there too many beautiful places in the world but still our very own aces and soon to be famous in the wolrd are dominating the voting tally. We are Hoping that Filipino and people for the rest of the world will appriciates the beauty of our nature. Philippines are rich in Natural Resources so please support our own.

From New7wonders:

Only one national nominee per country, the highest ranked on 31 December 2008, will be eligible to proceed into 2009.

Voting for nominees will continue through July 7, 2009. Then the New7Wonders of Nature Panel of Experts, under the leadership of Prof. Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, will review the top 77 nominees and choose the 21 finalists, to be announced on 21 July 2009. These finalists will then be put to popular vote.

Top 21

Last update 22-SEP-2008 06:25 GMT
1. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
PHILIPPINES - Asia
2.Cox's Bazar, Beach
BANGLADESH - Asia
3.Ha Long Bay
VIET NAM - Asia
4.Tubbataha Reef
PHILIPPINES - Asia
5.Chocolate Hills
PHILIPPINES - Asia
6.Al-hasa Oasis
SAUDI ARABIA - Asia
7.Ganges, River
BANGLADESH/ INDIA - Asia
8.Ali Sadr Cave
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF - Asia
9.Sundarbans, Forest
BANGLADESH/ INDIA - Asia
10.Lake Saiful Maluk
PAKISTAN - Asia
11.Mayon Volcano
PHILIPPINES - Asia
12.Mount Everest, Mountain
CHINA/ NEPAL - Asia
13.Liwa Oasis and Empty Quarter
OMAN/ SAUDI ARABIA/ UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/ YEMEN - Asia
14.Mount Damavand
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF - Asia
15.Phong Nha - Ke Bang, National Park
VIET NAM - Asia
16.Fansipan, Mountain
VIET NAM - Asia
17.Red Sea Reef
EGYPT/ ISRAEL/ JORDAN/ OMAN/ SAUDI ARABIA/ SUDAN/ UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/ YEMEN - Africa
18.Dead Sea, Lake
ISRAEL/ JORDAN/ PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, OCCUPIED - Asia
19.Amazon, River/Forest
BOLIVIA/ BRAZIL/ COLOMBIA/ ECUADOR/ FRENCH GUIANA/ GUYANA/ PERU/ SURINAME/ VENEZUELA - South America
20.Mount Fuji
JAPAN - Asia
21.K2, Mountain
CHINA/ PAKISTAN - Asia

Charice is the "World Most Talented Girl"

Tuesday’s episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show is dedicated to our very own singing sensation, Charice. Charice, dubbed as the World’s Most Talented Girl, shared her life story on the September 9 episode (Wednesday in Manila) of the Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah’s staff followed Charice in San Pedro, Laguna where she chronicled her sad memories and little triumphs as she became the world’s singing sensation.

From Oprah’s website:

Oprah says there’s nothing more fun than helping to make someone’s dreams come true…especially when that someone is a gifted young person who really wants it and really deserves it.
Charice Pempengco’s dream of becoming a singer began halfway around the world in the Philippines. She found a following on the Internet after a stranger posted her jaw-dropping performances on YouTube.
Oprah’s producers were among the 13 million people who logged on to watch this 16-year-old sensation sing songs made famous by artists like Celine Dion and Beyoncé. Then, in May 2008, Charice flew 15 hours to showcase her talent on The Oprah Show. She stole the show with a soul-stirring rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”
Charice said that the very first song that she ever learned was “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion.

After her performance, she was surprised by a live video feed of Celine Dion herself, her idol.
Celine says watching Charice sing left her speechless. “I can tell you that we have lots of things in common. I was very shy too. And I also had a mother—still have a mother—who is my strength,” Celine says. “You have more talent than most people. You can sing. You can speak and sing with your heart. You can play guitar. You can draw. And you can have dreams.”
The diva asked Charice to sing a duet with her at Madison Square Garden next week. Their tentative song is “Because You Loved Me” to be dedicated to Charice’s mom.
This Friday, September 19, Charice is set to sing with Celine Dion, who’s currently on the road with her Taking Chances tour. Another milestone for the young diva that the Philippines won’t surely miss.

Boracay and Palawan are Inlcuded in Asia's Top Vacation

Travelers from all over the region have chosen Boracay Island and Palawan province in the Philippines as two of the best holiday destinations in Asia this year, according to a Web poll by online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia.
The 2008 online poll showed Boracay and Palawan ranking seventh and eighth respectively in the top 10 holiday destinations in Asia. Palawan shared eighth place with Chiang Mai, Thailand. Both Philippine destinations were jointly ranked seventh in the 2007 Smart Travel Asia poll.
Boracay is famous for its white sand beaches, which make it a popular tourist spot in the country. On the other hand, Palawan is rated by National Geographic Traveler magazine as the best island destination in East and Southeast Asia region in 2007, and the 13th best island in the world having “incredibly beautiful natural seascapes and landscapes.” Some of the most famous tourist spots in Palawan are the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, Coron Bay in Busuanga and the El Nido Marine Reserve Park.
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The otherworldy Bali, Indonesia was chosen Asia’s top holiday destination in the Smart Travel Asia poll for the third straight year followed by Phuket, Thailand; Kerala, India; the island republic of Maldives; shopping mecca Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand. Angkor, Cambodia ranked ninth place while Koh Samui, Thailand and Rajasthan, India both shared tenth place.
Smart Travel Asia said the poll results revealed the continued dominance of Thailand as a “holiday brand” with four destinations in the Top Ten, and the strong emergence of India.
The same poll also showed El Nido Resort Lagen Island in Palawan ranking among the top 25 leisure hotels and resorts in Asia this year.
According to Smart Travel Asia, the poll results reflect the online voters’ “substantial hands-on travel experience, word-of-mouth at dinnertime chats, as well as an idea of the brand drawn from advertising and editorial exposure in the media, which is mostly online.” Smart Travel Asia is the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine with over one million readers worldwide.
Vijay Verghese, Smart Travel Asia editor, said voters in the annual travel poll took an average 15.5 annual air trips and earned $175,162 with roughly 60 percent based in Asia, 20 percent in UK/Europe and 20 percent in the United States. - David Dizon, abs-cbnNEWS.com

Himala is one of the "Best Asian Films of all Time"

CNN has compiled a list of the Best Asian Films of All Time and the Nora Aunor starrer “Himala” is included. Since Asia produces half of the world’s movies, with India realeasing 1,000 films a year, CNN recognized the best flicks in the region with their Best Asian Films of All Time list.
In no particular order, the Best Asian Films of All Time are:

‘In the Mood for Love’ (’Fa yeung nin wa’)Hong Kong/China(Wong Kar-Wai, 2000)Wong was heavily influenced by Hitchcock’s psychological thriller “Vertigo” during the making of this poetic, exquisitely shot meditation on love and loss starring Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000.

‘Mother India’ (’Bharat Mata’)India(Mehboob Khan, 1957)One of the sub-continent’s first ever blockbusters, it is also known as India’s “Gone with the Wind.” Acting legend Nargis plays a woman who must raise her children single-handedly after her husband is maimed in an accident, and becomes the catalyst for her fellow villagers to fight for their land. It was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 1957 Academy Awards — India’s first ever Oscar nomination.
‘The Host’ (’Gwoemul’)South Korea(Bong Joon-ho, 2006)Arguably one of the greatest monster films ever made; a staggering 20 percent of the population of South Korea have watched this film. It is based on the true story of a U.S. military employee ordered to dump formaldehyde into the sewer system that leads to Seoul’s Han River. Six years later a giant mutant squid starts attacking people (this part is made up).

‘Syndromes and a Century’ (’Sang sattawat’)Thailand(Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006)One of seven films commissioned by the New Crowned Hope Festival, part of Vienna’s Mozart Year in 2006. Set in two hospitals, Weerasthakul reflects on the lives and memories of his medic parents using an experimental, anti-narrative style (a series of images, soft spoken dialogue and music) which was chosen by the hugely influential French film magazine “Les Cahiers du Cinéma” as one of the 10 best pictures of 2007.

‘Whale Rider’New Zealand(Niki Caro, 2002)At just 12 years-old star, Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her extraordinary performance as “Pai” a first-born female in the patriarchal Whangara tribe who believes she is destined to be the new Chief.

‘Still Life’ (’Sanxia haoren’)China(Zhang Ke Jia, 2006)Awarded a Golden Lion at Venice in 2006, Zhangke’s wide-sweeping film is based on the human tragedy of the Three Gorges Dam (more than one million people have been displaced) which stretches across the Yangtze River. The story focuses on a miner who travels back to his home town looking for his wife only to find that his former home is now submerged. The film illustrates the gulf between China’s new world order and the soon-to-be-forgotten culture of the past.

‘Shower’ (’Xizao’)China(Yang Zhang, 1999)The richly humorous and touching story of Shenzhen businessman, Da Ming who returns home to Beijing where his father runs the local bathhouse, only to caught between two cultures — the decaying district of his childhood and the booming South where he now lives with a wife who has never met his family. When he realizes his father’s health is failing he must take stock.

‘Shall We Dansu?’ Japan(Masayuki Suo, 1998)Successful but unhappy accountant, Shohei Sugiyama spots a beautiful woman in a dance studio window. Despite his wife and child, he secretly signs up for dance lessons hoping to get closer to her. Slowly he begins to fall in love with the art form itself. A 2004 Hollywood remake starred Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere.
‘The Ballad of Narayama’ (’Narayama bushiko’)Japan(Keisuke Kinoshita,1958)In the a remote 19th century village, food is so scarce that when the elderly reach 70 years old they must climb frozen Mount Narayama to die so their families won’t have to feed them. Kinoshita’s film is profane and shocking at times — throughout the film, images of couples having sex are interspersed with scenes of animals and insects mating. The film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1984.

‘Infernal Affairs’ (’Mou gaan dou’)Hong Kong/China(Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, Alan Mak Siu-Fai, 2002)Hong Kong cop thriller following the parallel lives of an undercover officer who infiltrates a Triad gang and policeman who secretly reports to a ruthless gang boss. “Infernal Affairs” breaks the mould of much of contemporary Hong Kong cinema by steering clear of over-the-top-action in favor of a slow-burning build up of psychological tension. Engrossing.
‘Mandala’South Korea(Kwon-Taek Im, 1981)In the film that is considered to be his breakthrough as a cinematic artist, Im follows the lives and interactions of two Buddhist monks in Korea, and takes a contemplative look at the nature of individualism, religious belief and enlightenment.

‘To Live’ (’Huozhe’)China(Zhang Yimou, 1994)Much lauded but banned in Mainland China because of its satirical portrayal of the Communist government, this epic, sumptuous film traces the personal fortunes of Fugui and Jiazhen as they fall from wealthy landownership to peasantry over 30 turbulent years.

‘When the Tenth Month Comes’ (’Bao gio cho den thang muoi’)Vietnam(Dang Nhat Minh, 1984)A vivid portrayal, from the point of view of a young Vietnamese widow, of the legacy of the Vietnam war. It was released internationally under the name “The Love Doesn’t Come Back.”

‘Himala’Philippines(Ishmael Bernal, 1982)Young Elsa thinks she has seen the Virgin Mary and goes on a healing crusade — just the miracle the nowhere town she lives in is looking for. The film’s austere camera work, haunting score and accomplished performances sensitively portray the harsh social and cultural conditions that people in the third world endure.
‘A Touch of Zen’ (’Xia nu’)Hong Kong/Taiwan(King Hu, 1969)In this kung fu movie with a strong spiritual element a young artist finds himself caught up in the struggle to help a beautiful young woman escape the Imperial agents who murdered her family. A classic of the martial arts fantasy genre, which was the first Chinese film to win an award at Cannes Film Festival. It was also a massive influence on Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.”

‘Ikiru’Japan(Akira Kurosawa, 1952)In this profoundly moralistic fable, longtime salaryman Kanji Watanabe, learns he has terminal cancer and, ultimately, through the experiences he has, the meaning of life. Takashi Shimura who played Watanabe was nominated in the Best Foreign Actor category at the 1960 BAFTA Awards.

‘Utu’New Zealand(Geoff Murphy, 1983)Loosely based on the events of Te Kooti’s War in the 1870s, it tells the tale of Maori tribesman Te Wheke who is serving in the British army. He is prompted to seek vengeance when he returns home to find his village and family destroyed in a senseless raid by the British.

‘Gabbeh’Iran(Mohsen Makhmalbaf, 1996)An elderly nomad couple are cleaning their beautiful carpet or “gabbeh” when a young woman suddenly emerges to tell the history of her clan through the carpet. Beautifully filmed and the winner of numerous awards

Angel Locsin is Most Beautiful Filipina in 3 Consecutive Years

Kapuso-turned-Kapamilya Angel Locsin voted as Most Beautiful Filipina by fearless and exclusive poll of Starmometer.com. Angel Locsin ranked 1st in year 2006, 2007 and 2008. She bested numerous gorgues, talented, politician, artist, celebrity and sopisticated filipina all over the country. She also the star of Lobo teleseries just ended few months ago, but the rumors the she will do a remake of Maria Mercedes an Mexican telanovela, her fans are exited about the news but Angel says " Hindi ko pa po alam, wala pa naman akong natatangap na offer, but incase i'm flattered kung ibibigay sa akin yung role." Angel deserves her blessing after all trials, problems and destractors she have face-off. by the way here are the list of 100 Most Beautiful Filipina of 2008.

Top 10

1.Angel Locsin
2.Marian Rivera
3.Sarah Geronimo
4.Anne Curtis
5.KC Concepcion
6.Kim Chiu
7.Heart Evangelista
8.Maja Salvador
9.Katrina Halili
10.Bea Alonzo

11.Toni Gonzaga 12. Iza Calzado13.Claudine Barretto14. Judy Ann Santos15. Valerie Concepcion16. Nikki Gil17. Roxanne Guinoo18. Jennylyn Mercado19. Iya Villania20. Gaby dela Merced21. Ruffa Guttierez22. Angelica Panganiban23. Shaina Magdayao24. Mariel Rodriguez25. Kristine Hermosa26. Bianca Gonzalez27. Ehra Madrigal28. Nadine Samonte29. Iwa Moto30. Regine Angeles31. Jewel Mische32. Kyla33. Riza Santos34. Lucy Torres-Gomez35. Camille Prats36. Precious Lara Quigaman37. Regine Velasquez38. Diana Zubiri39. Alessandra de Rossi40. Melissa Ricks41. Cristine Reyes42. Rhian Ramos43. Bianca King44. Mirriam Quiambao45. Kris Bernal46. Yasmien Kurdi47. Gretchen Barretto48. Carmina Villaroel49. Glaiza de Castro50. Pauleen Luna51. Sheena Halili52. Michelle Madrigal53. Rufa Mae Quinto54. Jennica Garcia55. Maggie Wilson56. Yeng Constantino57. Angelika dela Cruz58. Dawn Zulueta59. Erich Gonzalez60. Kris Aquino61. Empress Schuck62. Dimples Romana63. Rachelle Ann Go64. Maxene Magalona65. Sunshine Dizon66. Bubbles Paraiso67. Wendy Valdez68. Donita Rose69. Alex Gonzaga70. Georgina Wilson71. Isabel Oli72. Jackie Rice73. Amanda Griffin74. Bangs Garcia75. Beatriz Saw76. Charlene Gonzalez77. Megan Young78. Ryza Cenon79. Kitchie Nadal80. Pia Guanio81. Francine Prieto82. Cindy Kurleto83. Ara Mina84. Jean Garcia85. Bunny Malunda86. Lea Salonga87. Jayann Bautista88. Jodi Sta. Maria89. Tanya Garcia90. Carlene Aguilar91. Nicole Uysiuseng92. Phoemela Barranda93. Janina San Miguel94. Rochelle Panganiban95. Cris Pastro96. Angel Aquino97. Jolina Magdangal98. Precious Adona99. Rica Peralejo100. Krista Ranillo

2006 Ranking
1. Angel Locsin2. Kristine Hermosa3. Sarah Geronimo4. KC Concepcion5. Anne Curtis6. Shaina Magdayao7. Bea Alonzo8. Angelica Panganiban9. Heart Evangelista10. Jennylyn Mercado11. Cindy Kurleto12. Kim Chiu13. Katrina Halili14. Claudine Baretto15. Precious Quigaman16. Nadine Samonte17. Angelika dela Cruz18. Iya Villania19. Rica Peralejo20. Nikki Gil21. Roxanne Guinoo22. Judy Ann Santos23. Diana Zubiri24. Iza Calzado25. Rachelle Ann Go26. Camille Prats27. Toni Gonzaga28. Pauleen Luna29. Kris Aquino30. Bianca King31. Alessandra de Rossi32. Isabel Oli33. Francine Prieto34. Regine Velasquez35. Yasmien Kurdi36. Rufa Mae Quinto37. Tanya Garcia38. Rhian Ramos39. Sunshine Dizon40. Jolina Magdangal41. Kaye Abad42. Valerie Concepcion43. Kyla44. Nancy Castiglione45. Say Alonzo46. Chyna Ortaleza47. Sarah Meier48. Barbie Almalbis49. Kitchie Nadal50. Nina51. Mariel Rodriguez52. Regine Tolentino53. Pia Guanio54. Julia Clarete55. Ara Mina56. Justine Gabionza57. Miriam Quiambao58. Gretchen Baretto59. Angel Aquino60. Iwa Moto61. Ryza Cenon62. Jackie Rice63. LJ Reyes64. Catherine Untalan65. Ruffa Gutierrez66. Aubrey Miles67. Karylle68. Karel Marquez69. Maui Taylor70. Cassandra Ponti71. Maureen Larazabal72. Andrea del Rosario73. Lovie Poe74. Keanna Reeves75. Juliann Savard76. Asia Agcaoili77. Maxene Magalona78. Rochelle Pangilinan79. Dawn Zulueta80. Juliana Palermo81. Vina Morales82. Maja Salvador83. Lia Andrea Ramos84. Ana Maris Igpit85. Irish Fullerton86. Michelle Bond87. Charo Ronquillo88. Gemma Fitzgerald89. Pops Fernandez90. Phoemela Barranda91. Donita Rose92. Carlene Aguilar93. Georgina Wilson94. Zsa Zsa Padilla95. Gaby dela Merced96. Lucy Torres-Gomez97. Maricarl Tolosa98. Alyssa Alano99. Amanda Griffin100. Lougee Grace Basabas
2007 Ranking
1. Angel Locsin2. Sarah Geronimo3. Jewel Mische4. KC Concepcion5. Kim Chiu6. Anne Curtis7. Maja Salvador8. Kristine Hermosa9. Toni Gonzaga10. Roxanne Guinoo11. Jennylyn Mercado12. Bea Alonzo13. Shaina Magdayao14. Katrina Halili15. Angelica Panganiban16. Heart Evangelista17. Iza Calzado18. Claudine Baretto19. Bianca Gonzalez20. Gee-ann Abrahan21. Iya Villania22. Ehra Madrigal23. Mariel Rodriguez24. Nadine Samonte25. Rica Peralejo26. Nikki Gil27. Pauleen Luna28. Maggie Wilson29. Kris Aquino30. Nina31. Marian Rivera32. Diana Zubiri33. Ruffa Gutierrez34. Judy Ann Santos35. Cindy Kurleto36. Gretchen Baretto37.Kris Bernal38. Rhian Ramos39. Precious Lara Quigaman40. Francine Prieto41. Yasmien Kurdi42. Lucy Torres-Gomez43. Miriam Quiambao44. Maxene Magalona45. Dawn Zulueta46. Alessandra de Rosi47. Rufa Mae Quinto48. Rachelle Ann Go49. Regine Velasquez50. Donita Rose51. Valerie Concepcion52. Michelle Madrigal53. Isabel Oli54. Zsa Zsa Padilla55. Camille Prats56. Riza Santos57. Cristine Reyes58. Angel Aquino59. Gaby dela Merced60. Erich Gonzales61. Angelika dela Cruz62. Saicy Aguila63. Wendy Valdez64. Dionne Monsanto65. Kaye Abad66. Pia Guianio67. Kirby Ann Basken68. Sunshine Dizon69. Zara Aldana70. Aubrey Miles71. Asia Agcaoili72. Anna Theresa Licaros73. Megan Young74. Tanya Garcia75. Charo Ronquillo76. Barbie Almalbis77. Karel Marquez78. Rochelle Pangilinan79. Jocelyn Oxlade80. Alyssa Alano81. Pops Fernandez82. Kitchine Nadal83. Amanda Griffin84. Iwa Moto85. Ara Mina86. Ryza Cenon87. Phoemela Barranda88. Joyce Jimenez89. Juliana Palermo90. Glaiza deCastro91. Jolina Magdangal92. Bianca King93. Cassandra Ponti94. Paw Diaz95. Georgina Wilson96. Kyla97. Jeanne Harn98. Rich Asuncion99. Gemma Gatdula100. Stef Prescott