Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Photography: It Doesn't End Once You Have it Uploaded



Dear Fellow Photo Enthusiasts,

Photography today seems to be just data. You shoot or capture a scene, the camera captures light with its sensor, camera writes an image file on your SD/CF card, then file gets transferred from camera to computer.  If an image is good enough to be shared, via email/social media posts, web gallery or compiled in a video that may or may not be uploaded to the Internet.  After that where does your images or files end up?

Photography doesn't end once you have an image uploaded in the Internet or saved on your hard drive.  I really think it is our responsibility to have our images printed out, as this is where the final output for an image should go.  Back in the days of film, people had to bring their film rolls to developing houses/studio to get their prints and get a visual of what they have taken.  I really think that it would justify the image if it is print worthy then it must be a sight to be hold.  Hang it in a frame or put it in an album or better yet have a compilation of images in one photo/picture book.  I highly recommend PictureBooks.  I had a few photo books done by them and I quite happy with their work. Recently, I encountered Wonder Photo Shop. and this has been the my go to place when it comes to prints. Their prints are very good and thick

I make it a point to give a print to one of my clients even if they only asked for raw files.  It gives my clients something tangible, to view without using any device, and they can prop it up a table or hang it on a wall.  Either way, it makes me and my client happy.

Prints or real photographs and photo books are my main output.  To date I have printed out 2 photo books, printed out numerous rolls of film(in the days of the old), printed out lots of digital images, given away most of my clients a print in a frame.

When are you going to have yours printed out?




MOVIES: “LEGO BATMAN'S” WILL ARNETT SAYS `KUMUSTA, PHILIPPINES'



Comedian Will Arnett who voices The Dark Knight in Warner Animation Group's The LEGO Batman Movie took time to greet Filipino fans as he invited them to watch the new comedy adventure.

“Kumusta, Philippines!,” says Arnett at the start of the video, and after introducing himself, deadpans “I have to say that never in my life that I'd ever dreamed I'd be starring in my own Batman film.”

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/1cSGW_mtuX4 and watch the film when it opens in Philippine cinemas on Thursday, February 9, 2017.

In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The LEGO® Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

Will Arnett reprises his starring role from The LEGO Movie as the voice of LEGO Batman, aka Bruce Wayne. Zach Galifianakis (the Hangover films) stars as The Joker; Michael Cera (Superbad) as the orphan Dick Grayson; Rosario Dawson (TV’s Daredevil) as Barbara Gordon; and Ralph Fiennes (the Harry Potter films) as Alfred.

The LEGO® Batman Movie is directed by Chris McKay, and produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Roy Lee, who worked together on The LEGO Movie.


The LEGO Batman Movie is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

MOVIE: THE VENGEFUL GHOST COMES AT YOU IN “RINGS” PAYOFF POSTER



The main poster for Paramount Pictures' suspense thriller Rings, has just been released – showing the malevolent female ghost emerging from the haunted TV set. The ominous tagline “Evil is Reborn” hints at a new beginning.

Rings is a new chapter in the beloved RING horror franchise. A young woman (Matilda Lutz) becomes worried about her boyfriend (Alex Roe) when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before…

Directed by F. Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall), Rings stars Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden and Bonnie Morgan.

Opening across the Philippines on February 22, Rings is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Movie Review: The Great Wall


There are many stories and legends surrounding "The Great Wall of China" and it has often been the subject of many films. It was only a matter of time before critically acclaimed director Zhang Yimou, takes it on, while putting his own unique flare for colors and breath taking sequences. 

Adding monster mythology amidst a historical backdrop, "The Great Wall" becomes humanity's last hope, protecting the world from the "Tao Tei" -a horde of ravenous green monsters which attach every sixty years. Devouring and destroying everything in its path. 

The Nameless Order is a secret society whose members have dedicated their lives in fighting the "Tao Tei". Zhang Yimou transfers his signature love and use of colors on the armor and weapons of the "The Nameless Order". I personally enjoyed the different military techniques used in the movie (being a bit of a History / war geek myself). 


Much of the controversy surrounding the film comes at the casting of Matt Damon in the film, with accusations of white-washing. Damon was cast as William Garin a mercenary in search of black powder (gun powder) alongside Pedro Pascal who plays-Pero Tovar. Critics of the film have said that Damon's casting follows the 'white savior complex' -when in fact there are also a number of different characters in the film. Such as Jing Tian (Commander Lin), Andy Lau (Strategist Wang) and Lu Han (Peng Yong) and Damon's character is not necessarily the 'hero' of the movie but rather helps in the plot. He is also 'schooled' on some ancient Chinese principles by the feisty Lin. 

Zhang Yimou had said that, "for the first time a film deeply rooted in Chinese culture, with one of the largest Chinese casts ever assembled is being made at tentpole scale for a worldwide audience. I believe that this is a trend that should be embraced in the industry." He was also quoted at saying how amazed he was at the scale of people of different races (with so many translators), were working together. How I wish that people could see that in the film. Instead of just blindly accusing it as being "white washed". (God knows we need broader minds, these days). 

"The Great Wall" is an honest to goodness epic historical fiction action-adventure film, kudos to Legendary for the awesome job on those "Tao Tei" -those are some frightening monsters indeed. It is a thrilling action-adventure that will have you at the edge of your seat. I will have to agree on some critics on the cardboard characters in the film. Jing Tian was a bit awkward to watch as Commander Lin (but still beautiful) - especially her scenes with Matt Damon. Was not really a fan of Damon in this one, I enjoyed Pedro Pascal's performance more. Even if he was the comic relief in the film, he did so well that the audiences just loved him. Shout out to fans of K-Pop, Lu Han is a former member of the of the South Korean-Chinese boy group EXO. He plays an underappreciated (yet brave) soldier in the Nameless Order. If you are a fan, you wouldn't want to miss his Hollywood debut on the big screen.  

7.5 out of 10. "The Great Wall" delivers as promised. I love that Zhang Yimou tried a new formula, which is very different from his past works. He did not repeat any of his past tricks or techniques, even using new ones to keep you at the edge of your seat. 


MOVIES: LUCAS TILL BEFRIENDS MYSTERIOUS CREATURE IN “MONSTER TRUCKS”


Known wordwide as Havok in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse, Lucas Till now headlines Paramount Pictures' new family adventure Monster Trucks.

Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp (Till), a high school senior, builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste and a talent for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town and a most unlikely friend.

At the start of the film, Till's character, Tripp, is trying to get away from, in his mind, a crappy life. “He wants to go find his dad and get away from his mom, his step-dad really, and then he goes to find out that what he’s searching for isn’t what he really thought it was going to be. But the whole time he’s trying to get from point A to point B, he really just wants an engine for his truck, then he finally gets one and it doesn’t work out and then the monster turns out to be exactly what he needs. His intention with the monster starts out a little selfish, and then it gets to the point that it’s all about saving the monster.”

Asked what makes Tripp the right person to save Creech, the monster, Till replies “I think it’s because he’s definitely not the quintessence of a caring person in the beginning, and then he transforms, and I think that’s why it works.

MOVIES: “RESIDENT EVIL” FINALE BRINGS BACK ALI LARTER, WELCOMES WILLIAM LEVY


A returning ally and a new comrade. Joining Milla Jovovich in Columbia Pictures' action-thriller Resident Evil: The Final Chapter are Ali Larter and William Levy who play survivors of the zombie apocalypse. They reinforce Alice (Jovovich) where the nightmare began – The Hive in Raccoon City, where the Umbrella Corporation is gathering its forces for a final strike.

Larter is back as Claire Redfield who “had a crash and now she’s become part of this last group of survivors. That’s when Alice comes in and she cannot believe that’s she been reunited with her”, says Larter, adding that her character has been fighting for her life since the third film in the franchise, Resident Evil: Extinction.



“My character has undergone a lot of personal development over the course of the series, and that was really interesting for me. She really wants to believe, she wants to connect, she wants to be able to feel something but there's never time because she is always being hunted.”

Sunday, January 29, 2017

MUSIC: Loop Talks About Their "Reality And Dreams" (Album)


Last 2014, Paul and I were on a "Loop" craze, we were just mad for the four-piece Iligan based band. We loved their sophomore album "Flirting with the Universe" -with such a passion that its still one of our favorite go-to CDs to play, whether in the car or at home. 

So just imagine our excitement that the band is coming out with their third album "Reality and Dreams" (?!) -we were able to catch the band when they were in Manila last December. We saw (and enjoyed their set) for Paramore Night 23 and got to talk about the upcoming album. I promised to send a set a questions for them to answer and here it is! 

Sorry it took some time, you know it is. Holidays, baby news. Lazy preggy hormones. Hahaha -but not too lazy to show our continuing love and support for this awesome band! 


*Photos taken during Paramore Night 23*




Do you remember your first recording experience? How has your recording process changed in the years? How has the creative process been since then?

  • We remember it as if it was yesterday! Hahaha. We were just starting out (2013) and we thought it would be awesome to record some demos with no plans of release. Good thing, Kim’s dad was out of town so we took it as an opportunity to record at her house. We didn’t even have interfaces back then. Just a mixer and an electronic kit. Halfway thru recording, we received an invite to play in Davao. That’s when we decided to use the demos and make it an EP.
  • I’m also used to working alone on the mixing/mastering process.
  • The creative process was raw and exciting. Kim had a number of acoustic demos and we just jam thru all of em in the studio that we rented. Took a while to cook up the songs to what it is right now.




Why "Reality and Dreams" ? And how much of the title influenced the record?

  • Reality and Dreams is part of the song “31”’s lyrics. After listening to all of our songs, we just thought that it’s definitely what this is all about. The title came after the recording. We had a number of titles but RnD is just too perfect for it. The record influenced the title hahaha. The songs deal with our realities as well as our dreams.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

MOVIES: BEHOLD CREECH, THE LOVABLE “MONSTER” INSIDE THE “TRUCK”


Paramount Pictures' new family adventure Monster Trucks centers on young, smalltown hero, Tripp (Lucas Till) and a strange, `monster' appropriately named Creech, one of an undiscovered species of oil-consuming underground sea creatures.

The film presented several challenges in bringing Creech to life, with the use of computer-generated imagery.

Director Chris Wedge shares, “The concept of our movie, in case it hasn’t occurred to you, is really silly. It’s just big and fun, and I wanted to make the contrast between reality and our monster as crisp as I could. I wanted to ground the live-action, I wanted to ground the movie. So I set it in this North Dakota boom town, and I put a kid that was down on his luck in a gritty junkyard, and I wanted the creature to seem as real as I could, but as impossible as I could. So we used reference from everything—from an octopus to a walrus to a seal and a beluga whale.

“And I wanted it to emote like an animal, not like a character,” continues the director. “It has the range of expression that maybe your dog does. I knew it was all going to be in the eyes. I wanted the limbs to all feel heavy and labored under gravity in the world, so everything that he did when he was out of the water was difficult and I wanted to convey that. You got most of it from his attitude, from his head poses, and the expression you get from his eyes.

On top of that, a lot of emotion comes from the truck itself, which Creech has took possession of.

#ReadySetGO! Run Wild with Ekobuds GO




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Battery: 80 mAh
Water resistance level: IPX4

SRP: 1470

Available starting February 1 at Ekotek kiosks (SM Megamall and SM
North EDSA), Office Warehouse, Anson’s, and more stores nationwide!


Friday, January 27, 2017

MOVIE: MILLA PLAYS ALICE ONE LAST TIME IN “RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER”


Without contest, one of the strongest assets in the Resident Evil film series is its principal actor, Milla Jovovich, now reprising her role as Alice for the sixth and final time in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.

Over the course of the series Alice has faced impossible odds and survived the evil forces of the Umbrella Corporation as the last savior of mankind.

Jovovich and her character have become icons of the action/sci-fi genre. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter bids this character farewell in the most ambitious and spectacular impression yet. Through the film’s twists and turns fans will find closure as the narrative returns to the source of the T-virus.

“This has been a really incredible experience filming the last chapter because we get to go back to the beginning, to The Hive, where everything began and see it in a completely different way,” says Jovovich adding, “I know for Paul it’s been really exciting, because you get to delve much more into the original locations and the original story and go behind all of that. I think it will be really exciting for the fans as well, because they really get to see all the stories, all the questions that the first movie presented we’re answering in this one.”

Movie Review: xXx: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE



I'm probably not the best person to be doing a review on xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, for one I don't really follow the franchise, and two I'm not really a big fan of Vin Diesel, but if you are  looking for high octane - action packed film, then "The Return of Xander Cage" delivers.

Mixing extreme sports with stop-the-bad guys, save-the-world missions. Xander Cage is back in the game after a rogue team of incredibly skilled individuals led by the (very) awesome Donnie Yen, steal "Pandora's Box" a device which can control satellites orbiting the Earth and turning them into instant bombs (you know when they crash into Earth & explode and everything).

Enter Xander Cage to save the day! - With his very own super team of xXx agents.

MOVIES: “LEGO BATMAN” SENDS HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR GREETINGS


LEGO Batman joins in the celebration of Chinese New Year in the new video that's just been released by Warner Animation Group to promote The LEGO Batman Movie.

Check out the featurette at https://youtu.be/iItqkBnwg-Y and watch the film when it opens in Philippine cinemas on Thursday, February 9, 2017.
In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The LEGO® Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

Will Arnett reprises his starring role from The LEGO Movie as the voice of LEGO Batman, aka Bruce Wayne. Zach Galifianakis (the Hangover films) stars as The Joker; Michael Cera (Superbad) as the orphan Dick Grayson; Rosario Dawson (TV’s Daredevil) as Barbara Gordon; and Ralph Fiennes (the Harry Potter films) as Alfred.

The LEGO® Batman Movie is directed by Chris McKay, and produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Roy Lee, who worked together on The LEGO Movie. The screenplay is by Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Jared Stern & John Whittington, story by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on LEGO Construction Toys and based on characters from DC Entertainment. Batman was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger; Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton, Will Allegra and Brad Lewis serve as executive producers.



The LEGO Batman Movie is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

THE ROOSTER CHILD AT SM AND TOY KINGDOM


As Chinese New Year approaches, SM and Toy Kingdom celebrate the festivities with plush toys with the Rooster Child in mind.

The Rooster child is a self-starter, self-disciplined, and not shy about expressing his opinions.  An optimistic dreamer, he hatches big plans and sets into motion a precise and meticulous plan to realize them.

Rooster kids possess many fine talents, and are often focused students and fast learners with a natural industry and regimentation that will outfit them well for academic pursuits. They genuinely enjoy learning and will approach his studies with zest and alertness.

The Rooster loves basking in the spotlight and is gifted at self- expression. Dauntless and chivalrous, he conceives of himself as a latter day knit with noble ideals and a shining purpose.  With his boundless energy, unsinkable optimism, and healthy self-regard, he is capable of reaching for the stars. The late astronaut and former Senator John Glenn is just an example of hos Rooster focus and self-discipline can take them – to the moon!

For kids and kids at heart, SM ACCESSORIES KIDS has a collection of cute, lovable, and huggable rooster plush toys and novelty that will make playtime lots of fun. These are available at the SM Accessories Kids - department of all SM Stores.

Toy Kingdom, on the other hand, has amazing rooster toys to bring lots of good luck. There are cuddly plush roosters in playful colors and fun sizes that kids and even adults would love to hug, play and have a good night sleep with.

These Year of the Rooster inspired collectibles are available at Toy Kingdom Express outlets in the SM Stores and Toy Kingdom Stores in most SM Supermalls. Say Kung Hei Fat Choi! Also visit www.toykingdom.ph; ToyKingdomPH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


MOVIES: NEW “POWER RANGERS” MOVIE OPENS MARCH 22 IN PHIL. CINEMAS



From the team of  filmmakers who introduced cool young adult blockbuster franchises such as “The Twilight Saga,” “The Fault in Our Stars” and “The Maze Runner,”  producers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen along with Haim Saban and Brian Casentini bring the latest young adult movie franchise to watch out for – the new “Power Rangers” movie.

The latest “Power Rangers” movie follows five ordinary teens who must become something extraordinary when they learn that their small town of Angel Grove — and the world — is on the verge of being obliterated by an alien threat. Chosen by destiny, our heroes quickly discover they are the only ones who can save the planet. But to do so, they will have to overcome their real-life issues and before it’s too late, band together as the Power Rangers.

Directed by Dean Israelite (“Project Almanac”), Saban’s Power Rangers stars Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, featuring Bill Hader, with Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Banks. The screenplay is by John Gatins (“Kong: Skull Island,” “Real Steel”) from a story by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless (“Dracula Untold”) and Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney.

MOVIES: KEANU REEVES RELOADS GUNS AND AMMO IN “JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2”


Keanu Reeves suits up and reloads as the legendary and untouchable assassin in “John Wick: Chapter 2” following the 2014 hit of the same title.

Guns and ammos are relit in the high-octane action “John Wick: Chapter 2” where John Wick is brought back from retirement the second time.  After unleashing mayhem on the criminals who killed his dog, retired super assassin John Wick retrieves his beloved 1969 Mustang from the Russian mobsters who stole it, only to be pursued in a spectacular high-speed car chase through crowded New York City streets. Returning home, John’s plans to resume a quiet civilian life are cut short when Italian gangster Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio)  shows up on his doorstep with a gold “marker” compelling him to repay past favors. Ordered by Winston (Ian McShane), kingpin of secret assassin society The Continental, to respect the organization’s ancient code, John reluctantly accepts the assignment to take out Santino’s own sister, Gianna (Claudia Gerini), the ruthless capo atop the Italian Camorra crime syndicate.

Reeves says creating the sequel was a deeply collaborative effort. “John Wick: Chapter 2 started from a script by Derek Kolstad, the writer of the first and second films. Producer Basil Iwanyk, Chad and myself had conversations about what direction we would like the story to go, both before Derek started to write and after he came in with the draft.”

MOVIES: DISCOVER WHAT AILS YOU IN THE R-RATED HORROR THRILLER “A CURE FOR WELLNESS”


Gore Verbinski, known for helming the global hit remake of “The Ring” is back in the horror genre in “A Cure For Wellness” where he introduces an enticing yet very unsettling spa that promises a cure for what ails man in today’s fast and highly-wired landscape.

Starring Dane DeHaan, Mia Goth and Jason Isaacs, “A Cure For Wellness” drives the audience from a city abuzz with an overly competitive workforce to a remote picturesque location in the Swiss Alps where an exclusive wellness spa gives its clients the ultimate cure for their sickness.  DeHaan stars as Lockhart and journeys from the city to the Swiss Alps to retrieve their company’s CEO who mysteriously abandoned his post to find the ultimate cure in the spa which he believes will finally cure him of his disease.

Lockhart soon meets up with Hannah (Goth) at the spa who is an extremely naive innocent young woman.  The longer he stays in the spa, the more he uncovers that the miraculous treatments are not what they seem to be.   When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests longing for the cure.

MOVIES: HISTORY’S GREATEST “HIDDEN FIGURES” BEHIND THE APOLLO MISSIONS



Everyone knows about the Apollo missions.  We can all immediately list the bold male astronauts who took those first giant steps for humankind in space:  John Glenn, Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong.  Yet, remarkably, Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson’s are names not taught in school or even known to most people -- even though their daring, smarts and powerful roles as NASA’s ingenious “human computers” were indispensable to advances that allowed for human space flight.  These women are the unsung and unlikely heroes of the space race –female mathematicians who blazed multiple trails, trails towards greater diversity in science, equality in America, for human mathematical achievement and to launch John Glenn into mesmerizing orbit at more than 17, 000 miles per hour as he circled three times around the globe in space.
             
“Hidden Figures” uncovers the incredible, untold yet true story of a brilliant group of women who changed the foundations of the country for the better -- by aiming for the stars.  The film recounts the vital history of an elite team of black female mathematicians at NASA who helped win the all-out space race against America’s rivals in the Soviet Union and, at the same time, sent the quest for equal rights and opportunity rocketing forwards.

At last, the story of a visionary trio of women who crossed gender, race and professional lines on their way to pioneering cosmic travel comes to the screen starring Oscar®-nominee Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Benjamin Button, Hustle And Flow), Academy Award® winner Octavia Spencer (Allegiant, Fruitvale Station, The Help), singer Janelle Monáe making her motion picture debut and two time Oscar® winner Kevin Costner (Black Or White, Field Of Dreams, Dancing With Wolves).

MOVIES: JAMES FRANCO’S 7 SMART WAYS TO LIVE IN TODAY’S HIGHLY-WIRED LANDSCAPE IN “WHY HIM?”


James Franco stars as Silicon Valley billionaire Laird Mayhew, a self-made young man whose life was spent writing codes and designing apps, leaving him clueless about how to read a room and appropriately modulate his behavior in the uproarious R-rated family comedy “Why Him?”

Laird’s social skills are completely acceptable to his girlfriend Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) and to the millennial circle he belongs, but does not sit well with Stephanie’s dad, Ned (Bryan Cranston).  Ned, a small-town father, owner of a struggling mid-sized printing business in Michigan, is complete opposites with Laird who is making billions in the digital realm.

During Ned’s 55th birthday party, Stephanie joins the event via Skype to send well wishes to her dad from her Stanford dorm room. The Flemings and their party guests are surprised by an unexpected (and naked) introduction to her new boyfriend Laird…or at least a part of him. Distraught over the fact that Stephanie has uncharacteristically been hiding something from him, Ned begrudgingly agrees to travel with the family to spend the holidays in California to meet his daughter's first serious boyfriend.  Ned, along with his wife Barb (Megan Mullally) and son Scotty (Griffin Gluck) experience what it’s like to live in the eco-friendly home of a Silicon Valley billionaire:

1. Laird’s sprawling hipster estate in Palo Alto is as minimalist as it can get for more space to move around.

2. Meals served are from lawn-to-table.  His house is surrounded with hectares of lawns where he keeps an array of animals, trees and vegetables.

3. The expansive “smart house” is completely paperless, bathrooms included.

MOVIES:“HACKSAW RIDGE” RECEIVES SIX OSCAR NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE


Manila, 26th January – Hacksaw Ridge, a true story of a World War II hero – Desmond Doss, a “non-combatant” medic who singlehandedly saved the lives of 75 fellow comrades, has earned its rank with a total of six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), Best Director (Mel Gibson), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

Hacksaw Ridge is cemented as the comeback film for Mel Gibson, whose last Oscar nomination was for Braveheart back in 1996. This is also the first ever Oscar nomination for Andrew Garfield. One of the most critically acclaimed movies of the year, Hacksaw Ridge is a strong contender at the awards season, and was also nominated at the Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award.

The film follows an unwavering soldier who voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army but refused to carry weaponry and firearms to defend himself. His unit was ordered to take part in the near-impossible capture of the massive Maeda Escarpment – aka Hacksaw Ridge.  Atop this steep, looming 400-foot cliff lay heavily fortified machine-gun nests, booby traps and Japanese soldiers in caves who vowed to fight to the end.  It was there that Doss demonstrated that he was made not only of principle but also rare courage.  Facing a desperate assault of heavy fire, Doss refused to seek cover.  When his battalion was ordered to retreat, he alone remained behind and ran repeatedly into the kill zone, with nothing but his convictions, to drag to safety an estimated 75 badly injured men who were destined to die had he not intervened.

The 89th Academy Award will be presented on 26th February at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center.


Hacksaw Ridge will be opening in Philippine cinemas on February 22, 2017.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

MOVIES: “BAYWATCH” CHARACTER POSTERS SHOWCASE BUBBLY CAST


“Don't worry. Summer is coming!” Or so herald the character posters of Paramount Pictures' highly awaited raunchy comedy Baywatch, the big-screen adaptation of the iconic beach lifeguard show of the '90s.

Check out the one-sheets below and catch Baywatch when it opens in Philippine cinemas on May 10, 2017.

Directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), Baywatch stars Dwayne Johnson as Mitch Buchannon (played by David Hasselhoff in the original TV series), Zac Efron as Matt, Alexandra Daddario as Summer (originated by Nicole Eggert), Quantico’s Priyanka Chopra as the villain Victoria, Ilfenesh Hadera as Mitch’s love interest Stephanie, Kelly Rohrbach as C.J. Parker (Pamela Anderson’s old role), and Jack Kesy (The Strain) and Amin Joseph (G.I. Joe: Retaliation).

Baywatch follows devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon (Johnson) as he butts heads with a brash new recruit (Efron). Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.

“Baywatch” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

MOVIES: WITH 8 OSCAR NOMS, “ARRIVAL” A RARE SCI-FI BEST PICTURE CONTENDER


Nabbing a best picture nomination January 23, Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival joined the short list of science-fiction films that have been nominated for the film industry’s top prize.

Reports Variety, previous to the Academy’s expansion of the category in 2009, sci-fi nominees were a rarity. The only two that come to mind are E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982 and Star Wars in 1979.

With eight, Arrival earned the second-highest number of nominations, clinching nods for director, adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound editing, sound mixing, production design, and editing — in addition to best picture.

Since 2009, movies such as District 9, Avatar, Inception, and Her have picked up best picture nominations. Gravity and The Martian have joined the fray as well, but purists might not consider their baked-in-reality premises strictly sci-fi.

The point is the Academy’s best picture expansion has been a boon for a genre that was largely ignored by the organization prior to the 21st Century.

In Arrival, when a mysterious spacecraft touches down across the globe, and an elite team - lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) - are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

Also starring Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker, Arrival is based upon the acclaimed short story by Ted Chiang titled Story of Your Life.


Opening across the Philippines on February 15, Arrival is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

MOVIES: THE FAIRY TALE GETS “DARKER” IN NEW SPOTS OF “FIFTY SHADES” SEQUEL


Will their love survive? The fairy tale gets darker as Christian's past won't let go in the new TV spots of Universal Pictures hotly anticipated romantic thriller Fifty Shades Darker.


Check out the spots at http://youtu.be/PWBuc2T8e2Q and http://youtu.be/ly4hWvcY8Io and watch Fifty Shades Darker in Philippine cinemas starting February 08, 2017.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Darker, the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon. Expanding upon events set in motion in 2015’s blockbuster film that grossed more than $560 million globally, the new installment arrives for Valentine’s Day and invites you to slip into something a shade darker.

When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Ana Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance. As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple, determined to destroy their hopes for a future together.

Also returning from Fifty Shades of Grey are Academy Award® winner Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, Victor Rasuk, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini, who are joined for the first time by Oscar® winner Kim Basinger, Hugh Dancy, Bella Heathcote and Eric Johnson.

“Fifty Shades Darker” is directed by James Foley (Fear, House of Cards) and once again produced by Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Marcus Viscidi, alongside E L James, the creator of the culture-spanning blockbuster series. The screenplay is by Niall Leonard, based on the book by James.


“Fifty Shades Darker” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

MOVIES: “RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER” ENDS EXPLOSIVE SAGA IN IMAX PH CINEMAS


Every reign comes to and end, and Alice's journey concludes in IMAX!

Columbia Pictures' action-thriller Resident Evil: The Final Chapter will open in IMAX cinemas across the Philippines on February 1, 2017 simultaneous with the film's debut in regular theaters.

The IMAX release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of an IMAX 3D Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences
feel as if they are in the movie.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, marks the sixth and final installment in the astoundingly successful film franchise adaptation of Capcom’s hugely popular video game series, having grossed over $1billion worldwide to date and being the most successful video game film franchise ever.

Given the franchise's remarkable success, the fimmakers of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter must find a point of difference, create an exceptional and unseen angle to the narrative, and, if even possible, raise the bar and deliver to audiences a spectacular close to the series.

Says Producer Jeremy Bolt, “Fans can expect an Alice who is more vulnerable, more human, and a world that is more desperate, more distraught. The characters are at the end of their tether, giving us a sense that humanity is just about to lose to the T-Virus and to the Umbrella Corporation.

MOVIES: LEGO JOKER CLAIMS HE’S BATMAN’S GREATEST ENEMY


The laughing lunatic. The Clown Prince of Crime. Batman’s greatest enemy. That’s how The Joker sees himself. With his white skin, green hair and constant grin, this unhinged leader of Gotham’s colorful criminal underworld has made it his life’s goal to cure the city of its all-so-serious gloom. He might break the law, but he really just wants to make people smile…and to rule the city…and to get Batman to finally admit that he is his greatest enemy. Is that too much for a Super-Villain to ask for?

Taking a break from terrorizing Gotham City, The Joker begrudgingly sits down for an interview to promote the upcoming adventure comedy The LEGO Batman Movie from Warner Animation Group.

Question: So, you’re one of Batman’s most hated enemies?
The Joker: I’m sorry? ‘One of’?

Q: Yes. You’re one of the many, many Super-Villains Batman fights in Gotham City. Are we missing something here?
The Joker: Yes! Look, Batman may ‘fight around’ with a bunch of Gotham’s B-through-Z list villains, but what we have is special! I’m not just ‘some bad guy.’ I’m his greatest enemy!

Monday, January 23, 2017

MOVIES: HK SUPERSTAR ANDY LAU, A WAR STRATEGIST IN “THE GREAT WALL”


After starring in Zhang Yimou's dazzling, award-winning romantic adventure House of Flying Daggers in 2004, Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau now reunites with the director for Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures' epic fantasy The Great Wall.

Lau is one of Hong Kong’s most commercially successful film actors, performing in more than 140 projects since the 1980s. Voted the No. 1 box-office star of Hong Kong for decades, he truly deserves the moniker of superstar of the Chinese cinema.

In the filml, when a mercenary warrior (Matt Damon) is imprisoned within The Great Wall, he discovers the mystery behind one of the greatest wonders of our world. As wave after wave of marauding beasts, intent on devouring the world, besiege the massive structure, his quest for fortune turns into a journey toward heroism as he joins a huge army of elite warriors to confront this unimaginable and seemingly unstoppable force.

Lau plays Strategist Wang, perhaps the smartest guy in the movie. “He’s got these incredible inventions and is the brains behind The Nameless Order,” remarks co-star Matt Damon. “He’s somebody that my character, William, cottons to, and has a great deal of respect for.”

MUSIC: DEBBY BOONE SINGS KAREN CARPENTER AT BIG DOME ON MARCH 8



The singer behind one of the top-selling pop hits of the 1970s pays tribute to an iconic singer and her music when Debby Boone performs the greatest hits of Karen Carpenter during a major concert on March 8 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

The presentation from Ovation Productions will kick off the three-night, three-city local tour of the acclaimed American singer, actress and author that also includes shows on March 10 at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City and on March 11 at the SMX Convention Center in Lanang, Davao City.

Dubbed “Debby Boone Sings Karen Carpenter,” the concert series marks the local debut of Debby as she extols the musical achievements and legacy of the late Karen Carpenter, one-half of the ‘70s pop duo, The Carpenters, who, with her brother Richard, made up one of the era’s biggest and most successful soft rock groups.

Touted as the ultimate Karen Carpenters tribute act, the show is expected to evoke happy and  wonderful memories of the magical sound and spectacle of a Carpenters live performance featuring Karen on the drums and lead vocals in her typical contralto vocal range and Richard on the piano with back-up vocals.

Debby brings with her on her first foray in singing Karen Carpenter the superb vocal quality and style that have produced numerous hit records and sold-out tours during a brilliant and successful musical and entertainment career spanning nearly 50 years.

While there were past tributes to Karen Carpenter by other artists, they were less than impressive and didn’t have the kind of skills, style and appeal in coming out with the familiar soft rock sound and carefully crafted songs associated with The Carpenters and that have captivated millions worldwide.

Among the Carpenters hits Debby is expected to sing are “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Top Of The World,” “Superstar,” “:Hurting Each Other,” “I Need To Be In Love,” “For All We Know” and many more.

She will also perform her best-selling song the mega-hit “You Light Up My Life”.
Debby’s career as a singer, artist and actress  traces its roots to a life full of music as she was growing up in New Jersey with her family led by her father, Pat Boone, the popular singer of the 1950s.

At the age of 14, she began touring with her three sisters and her father, with whom she  earlier recorded as the Pat Boone Family and later as The Boones or The Boone Girls.

She launched a solo career with the release of her debut solo album, “You Light Up My Light” (1977), which became the biggest hit of the 1970s, spending 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart – longer than any other song in Hot 100 history until that point.

(In 2008, Billboard ranked the song No. 7 among all songs that charted in the 50-year history of the Hot 100.)

“You Light Up My Life” earned Debby a Grammy Award for Best New Artist and an
American Music Award for Favorite Pop Single of 1977.

She also received Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female and Record of the Year.  The song likewise succeeded on Billboard Adult Contemporary (No. 1 for one week) and Country (No. 4) singles charts.  The single and the album of the same title were both certified platinums.

Debby’s overnight success led to a tour with her father and frequent appearances on major television shows.

Other albums that followed include “The Best Of Debby Boone,” “Songs Of Debby Boone” and “Friends For Life.”

In the 1980s, she recorded Christian music which garnered her four Top 10 contemporary Christian albums, as well as  two GMA (Gospel Music Association of the United States) Dove Awards  and two more Grammys, including the winning “With My Song” (1980).

As a musical theatre actress, Debby toured the United States during 1981-82 in a production of the stage adaptation of the film, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” which was a commercial and critical success nationwide before opening on Broadway in July 1982.

She appeared in several musical theatre productions, starring as Maria in the 1990 Lincoln Center production of  “The Sound Of Music” and as Rizzo in the 1990s revival of “Grease.”
She also performed lead roles in stage productions of “Camelot,” “Meet Me In St. Louis,” “Mississippi Love Love,” “South Pacific,” “Human Comedy” and “The King And I.”
She made her television debut in a musical adaptation of O. Henry’s “The Gift Of The Magi” and headlined two of her own NBC TV musical specials: “The Same Old Brand New Me” (1980) and “One Step Closer” (1982)

Aside from a successful music and stage career, Debby is credited with writing children’s books and producing children’s videos.  She has also written her biography in which she shares stories of growing up with Pat Boone, her musical career and her married life. -- #

(Debby Boone Sings Karen Carpenter”is presented by Ovation Productions.  Among the media partners are The Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin and BusinessWorld. Radio partners are Retro 105.9, 96.3 Easy Rock, Wish 1075, 105.1 Crossover, and 104.3 DWBR,  Tickets for the Smart Araneta Center show on March 8 are priced at P4,500, P4,000, P3,500, P2,500, P1,500 and P800 and are available online at www.ticketnet.com.ph and at all Ticketnet outlets.  For tickets and other info on the Waterfront Hotel Cebu concert on March 10, call (032) 232 6888/0971-622-8705.  For tickets and other info on the SMX Convention Center-Davao concert on March 11, call 0932-637-6185/0932-349-4499.)

MOVIES: “MONSTER TRUCKS” DIRECTOR TALKS ABOUT THE FUN, FAMILY ADVENTURE


From the director of Ice Age, Chris Wedge, comes Paramount Pictures' new family adventure Monster Trucks starring Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Apocalypse) and Jane Levy (Don't Breathe).

Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp (Till), a high school senior, builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste and a talent for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town and a most unlikely friend.

Melding cutting edge visual effects and state-of-the-art CGI, Monster Trucks is an action filled adventure for the whole family that will keep you on the edge of your seat and ultimately touch your heart.



Chris Wedge opens up what drew him to Monster Trucks. “What appealed to me about it was that it was just nothing but fun, big, gigantic, silly fun. The intention of the movie was always to make something gigantic and weird and fun. And it was never supposed to be anything but. Well, what the film does, I believe, is for kids just to see something fun, and for adults to remind us of the movies that we liked when we were kids.

Comparisons to iconic family films like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and the live-action Disney films of the ’60s and the ’70s, weren't lost of the director. “Yeah, I get it. I grew up watching Herbie, the Love Bug and E.T. hit me at a formative time. And all of those Amblin movies, like Gremlins. They’re all movies where there are kids at the middle that happen to know more than the adults do, and they’re doing the right thing and the adults are trying to stop them. That’s basically where the fun of this comes. And then, there’s some completely unexpected relationship between a weird creature and a truck, and the kid that wants to help it. What I kept thinking it was, as we were making it, was E.T. meets Fast and Furious with trucks.

In addition to the high fun quotient, Monster Trucks boasts of an environmental subtext that doesn’t feel like heavy-handed. “I wanted just enough to get in the dramatic tension in the story, but not to make it a gigantic message film,” explains Wedge. “I just wanted to setup enough to make the story entertaining, and I happen to think that the guys that frack are the bad guys, and that the people that are trying to stop it are the good guys. And putting a little civilization of creatures under there that we hadn’t discovered, and so, we dug that deep down into shale rock. It seems like an appropriate way to bring some attention to it.”


Opening across the Philippines on February 1, Monster Trucks is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.