BL Series LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD Showcases Extreme Love, Relationships, Hope and Sea Monsters

Temporary Insanity Pictures has released the BL series LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD today on the GagaOohLala App. Honestly, I was trying to find the right words to say how fitting this is to end 2021. I wouldn't fit this as just a series, but more of a quality collection of short films that discuss love and all your inner desires in one boat. It basically answers what you would do if you only had 7 days left to live on earth... director and creator Shandii Bacolod's genius lies on that premise and she doesn't disappoint. 

The series is pretty much, WEIRD. I say that with good premise, it's a good kind of weird because you kinda get in the head of the director. The film gets pieced together, individually introducing the characters that tell a tale of their personalities, their past, what they're doing in the moment. She tries to ask you, what would you do if you knew that it’s the end of the world? Now that's going to be a tough cookie to swallow, you dream of this happening one day, but when met with it, you're going to either just close all your doors, dig a hole and pretend you're a carrot, or go out there and live your life, do things that you've never done before. They're all different guys, have different personalities, emotional baggage. Seeing the first episode, Kristof Garcia and Rex Lantano's characters delve into relationships that dwell on the past. It's a piece about mental health, some intimacy, adult desires, fantasies and how it affects their realities. We talked to them after the premiere and I bet, you'll like what you'll see on the first episode.

 

Theirs is an insanely elaborate structure of living and hoping in a love that gives, and how it's become possible to let the other appreciate love he gives without ruling out the man he loved in the past. It's amazing to start this way especially with actors that are experienced and new to this BL genre. You'll see the act of defiance to norms, which Direk Shandii will present in this first salvo. They didn't just leave themselves drown in fear, they did it before the world ends.

 

Markki Stroem and Khalid Ruiz's episode plays on the emotions of sanity, mental health, unending love, ducks, asteroids and death. It borders on the possibilities of relationships and shows at what lengths you can go to show it for a person. We talked to Markki and Khalid after the advanced screening and here's what they think about the series:

I must say, this opens up a lot of talk regarding age, the nature of partnerships and the value of life. What would one want during an end of the world scenario? This will certainly ruffle feathers (there's a duck reference), and make you think about how one should measure happiness when you get to that age (or have disabilities). Markki and Khalid delivered, and passionately have their own set of scenes that either make you yearn for more, or squirm with the situation, something that deserves to be watched and your subscription. 

 

Not to be outdone, Nico Locco and Gold Azeron's episode was my personal favorite. It had proper elements of a good story that discussed mental health, the many ways to die, profanity, comedy, family, commitment, using people, money, depression, hope and unexpected endings. Nico understood who the character was and remains pivotal for the decisions made in the story. Gold's persona was more of a filo guy, who gets to be the one that's needed, definitely unusual... especially when we often see foreigners that look this good be needed rather than the other way around. Needless to say, theirs is the most romantic, showcasing how love can make one vulnerable, and make it hard to decide if you want to share it with the other. Nico also spent days shooting the underwater scenes, you'll love that part certainly not just because of exposures, but how it was done artistically... without a doubt.

This is also Yam Mercado's first inning as a BL actor. The guy has done several projects that are more commercial in nature, including dramatic ones from previous MMFF entry Culion. Man now has acting chops and he's also part of production for this series. Paired with Elijah Filamor of film Best Partee Ever, it was easy for them to do this since they've known each other from previous projects. These two will showcase extremes in their episode - from cheesy romantic small talk to ravaging hormone filled foreplay (then some) and high intensity fights, that's how their dynamics were played. It also talks about confusion, hunger, donuts, getting lost, driving, high blood, tension, caring about each other, fighting multiple times, making up, extremes, getting hurt, apologizing, toning down, crying and its healing effects on people. You'll also love the scenic shots, which I heard was shot in Socorro in Oriental Mindoro. Knowing Yam personally, this was out of the box for him because I've known him as a goody two shoes who always had a smile worn, and throws jokes when we can at each other. He's up there, and I'm quite proud of what he's done in this flick. We talked to him after the screening, sorry it was so noisy since we were at Aurora Boulevard's traffic lanes, and a celebrative mood after the series was shown.

 

LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD would definitely be a good thing to watch today. It's out on the Gaga Ooh Lala App which you can download on Google Play and the App Store. Subscribe to the service and watch the rest of the episodes which comes out every Thursday at 12am, it's a little NSFW as there are adult scenes, but sans that, this proved to be so filling with everything you would desire before you get hit by a meteor. I haven't seen the other episodes (only 5 at this point because of the advanced screening) so I'd be glad to watch with you once the others come out. The actors divulged there's a lot more to be seen other than what we saw, and judging from the first ones, it'll be worth every penny.

Congratulations to the men and women of LOVE AT THE END OF THE WORLD, because in my books, you did good!

KEN CHAN Opens CAFE CLAUS in Tandang Sora Quezon City

It looks like a fun, festive day over at Cafe Claus, the first Christmas themed cafe in the heart of Quezon City. This is the brainchild of Kapuso star Ken Chan and his partners. Cafe Claus is located in front of Tandang Sora Bayan Palengke along Tandang Sora Avenue. It also is the space formerly occupied by HBC Tandang Sora (which closed down during the pandemic). Ken wants this to be a home away from home, to make sure you feel the spirit of Christmas. 

 Ken says “The longest Christmas celebration is in the Philippines and honestly, there’s no Christmas themed cafe in the Philippines. Here in Cafe Claus, it’s going to be Christmas all day. When you go here, you forget about your problems, your worries, and you get to have more hope, positivity, and lots of things that remind you of Christmas. This is my first cafe, it’s always been a dream. I told my Dad that I wanted to have one because I love to put up businesses, I also love to eat.” 

 

 The restaurant is also releasing seasonal paper cups (and parts of the proceeds of their sales) aimed to raise money for charitable organizations that they plan to support. Aside from that, they also accept toys for kids and have special boxes for it. They have different items on the menu which are also Christmas themed, I would suggest you try Myrrh (mushroom soup) for your soup, Holy Grail caesar salad, Cinder Klaus Spinach Cheese Dip, Shrimp Poppers, the Signature Lasagna called Nollaig shona duit which is Irish for Merry Christmas, which is part of their 4 pasta dishes, carbonara, pinoy spaghetti and marinara. They also have Ube Champorado (available in hot or cold versions), Chicken Pot Pie which they call Gertrud’s Christmas which is also good to try.

So if you want to have a break, enjoy the Christmas season all year round at Cafe Claus. It's right in front of Tandang Sora Public Market (You can pin HBC Tandang Sora and it should take you there). Congratulations Ken Chan, you're already successful and this venture looks promising!

The Secret to Success of YASMIEN KURDI

Yasmien Kurdi has had a very successful career in showbusiness. After becoming runner up in the 1st edition of reality show Starstruck, she's had successful shows, films and released music. 

She then took a pause to finish her studies (with flying colors in Political Science as a Magna Cum Laude!) and got married to pangga Rey Soldevilla, also had her daughter Ayesha (whome she now appears with in their family vlogs). When she did this, she told GMA Artist Center and the network, understood what she wanted to do. They gave her an open invitation to just come back when she's ready, and now she's one of GMA's prized dramatic actresses. Today, she has decided to continue her journey with GMA Artist Center.

Here's our interview with her:

Her reason for staying is simple, she feels the love of GMA. 18 years with the network is huge, they remember her, give her shows, knows what she needs for her family's welfare. When she started, she received a lot of advice from the managers, but now she's a Mom and knows how important it is to live their life even with all the pressures of work as an artist. She had a small time when she almost gave up because she wasn't getting accepted in shows, this shows her tenacity, she feels it's fate, and when she really needed it, she got where she is today. She attributes it to her joining the show Starstruck til now.

Although they don't see much of each other, they still know they would be there for each other. GMA is taking good care of her, and I'm sure, new shows will come for her after this successful one called LAS HERMANAS in GMA Afternoon prime.

What's Happening to GMA ARTIST CENTER?

I am really really invested in this story, what's happening to GMA Artist Center?... and by the looks of it, people are already asking in the comments section speculating about all of this. 

GMA Artist Center kept mum about this but recently, they changed all the profile photos into black ones. I thought the accounts were all getting hacked!

So please, GMA Artist Center, tell us what's happening... this makes us all worried.

Or maybe, this would turn out to be something MORE EXCITING.... some speculate they're going to announce something big this coming year end show on GMA. Can't wait for that!