HOSE who predicted Toni Gonzaga isn't bound for greatness can eat their hearts out. She proved all them wrong. Nobody can say she lacks in talent. In fact, she's got what it takes to be in the industry. Anything that Toni does these days , the public just laps up with glee.

She's a classic example of talent and charisma combined in one neat package. Definitely, she sparkles on weeknights as the witty host of ABS-CBN's reality show “ Pinoy Dream Academy . Count the success of the teleserye Crazy For You, shot in Barcelona , Spain for 16 days and the big screen attests too that she can pack the box office with Crazy For You. As a host, Studio 23's Wazzup Wazzup is a perfect proof for her versatility.

As a singer, her debut album You Complete Me has made the same kind of impact. Since its release, the album has spawed hits like the radio favorite “We Belong,” the theme song of the ABS-CBN-aired Korean tele-novela, Wonderful Life and the remake of Donna Cruz's original, Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso which was also used as theme song of the recent Bong Revilla-Ai Ai de las Alas comedy flick.

How true that in less than four months in the market, the album has already reached the gold mark. Star Records managing director Annabelle Regalado couldn't be happier about the impressive sales of the album. “It just proved that we were right all along about Toni,” says Regalado.” We knew that she had it in her what it takes to be a recording artist. We also have no doubt that although people know her more as a TV host and actress, that she could also become a certified hit maker because she has an excellent singing voice.”

Refusing to sit on their laurels, Star Records lost no time in coming up with a repackaged version of the album. This time around, aside from the original seven tracks, they decided to add the all time favorite from Madonna, Crazy for You.

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FILIPINOS love to scream on anything scary. These screams easily converts into cash with every horror movie that industry people produce. With the fantastic results at the box-office of Sukob and Feng Shui, Star Cinema went to the bank merrily screaming with joy.

They intend to do exactly that with the post Halloween offering “Wag Kang Lilingon,” a co-production venture between Viva Films and Star Cinema.

The film stars Kristine Hermosa and Anne Curtis in two stories with a jolting twist. Two directors , Quark Henares and Jerry Lopez Sineneng has been commissioned to make the project a real horror treat.

Sineneng is mostly identified with drama series but admits he enjoys watching horror movies. The best or the scariest horror movie for him is The Exorcist (where Linda Blair's head turned and twisted) and he admitted seeing it 100 times. In preparation for the project, he went on to watch more horror movies on his DVD.

“Pero nakapagdirek na din ako ng katatakutan for “Maalaala Mo Kaya”. I also believe in ghost kahit hindi pa ako nakakakita. Puro paramdam. Dito nga sa haunted house na aming pinagsyutingan ay may mga ispirito na feel namin ay nanonood sa aming ginagawa. We just prayed a lot before shooting a scene.”

Sineneng's episode is titled “Salamin”. It stars Kristine Hermosa who discovers an old mirror and makes a wish at the stroke of midnight where her future will be told. Instead, the mirror unleashed diabolical things, a night of nightmares for Kristine.

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FILM DIRECTOR TRICKS YOUNG ACTRESS

IMAGINE yourself inside a cabinet and amidst the darkness, you hear someone whispering your name in agony. Would you not rush out of the cabinet and scream your lungs out? These is just one of the bag of tricks played on Anne Curtis by director Quark to make her project fright in “Wag Kang Lilingon”. “It is such a happy set and projecting fear is almost impossible to achieve. I have to find device and it worked well with Anne. I love this girl because she is so professional,” says Quark who would rather keep his comments on how it is working with Star Cinema or with Mother Lily.

Anne stars in the episode called Uyayi. She is a young nurse who witnesses strange happenings at the hospital she works in. A killer is on the loose and Anne is bound to become a victim.

Wag Kang Lilingon also stars Marvin Agustin and Raymond Bagatsing. Any of them could be the serial killer.

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UNIQUE AND TRULY SCARY

LET'S go to the foreign side. In the horror flick “Grudge,” the mystery of the curse was not explained. With Grudge 2, more backgrounder will be revealed specially on Kayako. We will understand her obsessive nature and how seeds that were planted in her past led her to the fateful events we witnessed in The Grudge.

As viewers of the film already know, a Japanese ghost is always a woman with long black hair who wears a white kimono and this explains the memorable character of Kayako from his Ju-on movies and The Grudge. Kayako's black tresses engulf her victims wherever they may be— in bed, the shower- after which they succumb to the Grudge curse.

The combination of these two elements has resulted in a ghost that is unique and truly scary, not only for Japanese audiences but around the world.

The much-anticipated sequel stars Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia) with Sarah Michelle Gellar as Karen and she serves as a vital link between the two films. The first Grudge (2004) earned over 188 million in worldwide box-office receipts.

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