THE ROW over at the CCP has turned ugly. What used to be the bastion of arts and culture has suddenly become a garrison. Even the usually quiet diplomatic corps has been dragged into this dirty row.

Last Saturday, despite the heavy downpour, artists came to show their support for Baltazar Endriga's group and to denounce the drama which unfurled during a French Embassy-sponsored event at the CCP, where Endriga and the French ambassador were pushed and shoved by guards at the complex.

Songs, dances and skits were presented, and smoldering speeches and sonorous chants were heard as the artists gathered at the right wing of the CCP main entrance to take a stand against Gloria Angara, and to uphold the CCP's charter and the most recent ruling of the courts which reinstated Endriga and company at the CCP.

National Artists Lucrecia Kasilag, Napoleon Abueva and Lucrecia Urtula (who sneaked out of the hospital in a wheelchair) made strong statements by their mere presence, Father Martin of Malate Church and the Benedictine sisters of St. Scholastica's College lent their prayers and support, and Ryan Cayabyab sat with his former UP students on the cold pebble-washed pavement, cheering for the artists who were there: the Bayanihan and Ballet Philippines dancers, soon-to-be-married singers Josephine Roces and Bong Chavez, comedian Gary Lim, opera diva Margarita Yulo-Gomez (who made the rains stopped momentarily with her a capella spot), Bayang Barrios, composers Jesse Lucas and Noel Cabangon, film director Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, stage thespians RJ Leyran, Sherry Lara, Madeleine Nicolas and Roeder, Apa Ongpin and the RagRats band, Manila Councilor Cita Astals, stage director Nonon Padilla, Dindi Gallardo, fashion designers Steve de Leon and Boysie Villavicencio, and the husband and wife tandem of Nonie Buencamino and Shamaine Centenera.

The best intentions are just not enough for "Cruel Intentions."

The film is yet another adaptation of "Les Liaisons Dangereuse," the classic 1782 French novel by Choderlos de Laclos.

This updated 1999 version, which is set in New York City's Upper West Side, takes the tale to heights probably never imagined by its original creator, and fails miserably when compared to its three predecessors: the 1959 French film with the same title directed by Roger Vadim, the critically acclaimed 1987 film "Dangerous Liaisons" starring Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer which took home three Oscar trophies, and "Valmont," the film directed by Milos Forman in 1989 which starred Annette Bening and Colin Firth.

Looker Ryan Phillippe plays Sebastian Valmont, a young man who fancies himself as intelligent and dashing, and fondly enjoys his duplicitous behavior. Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as his cocaine-snorting, bored stepsister Kathryn who likes nothing more than to be seen by society as a decent girl. Along the way, the two meddle up other people's lives, including the object of Valmont's lustful affection, the virginal Annette Hargrove, played by Phillippe's real-life partner, Reese Witherspoon.

Also entangled in Valmont's web of deceit are a sexually naïve teenager (Selma Blair) and a closeted, gay high school football player (Eric Mabius), whom Valmont seduces with audacity and with the evil intention of blackmailing him.

Phillippe's performance may be sexy but it's bland, because he fails to make the clear transformation required of his character, from an uncaring and insensitive playboy to a man overwhelmed by love. Even his love scenes opposite his real-life girlfriend Witherspoon lack fire and chemistry on screen.

Perhaps the best that can be said of him is that he has a great backside, seen in the movie's sole nude scene (which elicited a few squints and squirms from some modest Makati office girls who were in the audience). We hope that Phillippe will do better in his next film, where he'll play Rudolf Nureyev.

On the other hand, Gellar shows her mettle as Kathryn, devious and wicked enough to make screen divas of the past like Bette Davis proud. But the best surprise of the movie is Blair, who adds a goofy and fun spirit to all her scenes. Mabius is convincing and has depth, and he's being envied for getting to romance "Dawson's Creek's" Joshua Jackson on screen.

Perhaps there is truth to the observation in the recording industry that nowadays, there is no such thing as a sure-fire formula that can ensure success when launching an album. On the other hand, they say that you can never argue with a winner.

When BMG Records decided to compile 13 songs for an experimental album for Joe D'Mango of "Love Notes" fame, it certainly was taking a big risk. No question that Joe's portion at dwTM every Friday is widely followed, and it even has a printed version every week in a broadsheet. And the modern-day version of Kuya Eddie and Ate Helen has some magic going for him.

His album, "Love Is All That Matters," has been selling very well, and is in fact, this summer's surprise hit. With its inclusion of several theme songs of hopeless romantic Filipinos, it's easy to know why the album's selling. Take these songs: Barry Manilow's hurting but hopeful "Somewhere Down the Road," Angela Bofill's haunting "You Should Know By Now," Hall & Oates' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," and of course, Eric Carmen's now-classic "Love Is All That Matters."