Movies: Grammy®Award-Winning Musician Jack Antonoff Behind the Music of “Love, Simon”

Jorge Lendeborg Jr, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Nick Robinson Love, Simon

This year’s most talked about and conversation-starter YA movie “Love, Simon” stars this generation’s coolest actors with Nick Robinson in the title role.  Robinson’s recent films include “Jurassic World,” “Everything, Everything” and “The 5th Wave.”  Along with Robinson, Katherine Langford also stars as Robinson’s best friend, she is best known for her role as Hannah Baker from the phenomenal Netflix show “13 Reasons Why”.  Completing the impressive young cast are Keiynan Lonsdale (CW’s “The Flash”), Miles Heizer (“13 Reasons Why”), Alexandra Shipp (“X-Men: Apocalypse”), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (“Spiderman: Homecoming”), Logan Miller (“Before I Fall”), Talitha Bateman (“Annabelle: Creation”) with Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel.

Based from the globally-loved book by Becky Albertalli, “Love, Simon” revolves around sixteen-year-old and not openly gay Simon Spier who starts a secret email flirtation with another closeted schoolmate. But when one of his emails falls into the wrong hands, Simon’s secret is at risk of going public. He finds himself being blackmailed by a socially awkward, yet overtly confident classmate.  Worse, the privacy of ‘Blue’, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be public too.

“The film is definitely centered around the character,” acknowledges Robinson. “His voice and his point of view.  His comic sensibilities.  I think that is what makes it unique for this genre. I also think that is where a lot of the comedy comes from because he can turn situations that might seem bleak to some and find the humor in them.  That was something I found very appealing.”

Movies + Music: CELINE DION TO PERFORM ORIGINAL SONG “HOW DOES A MOMENT LAST FOREVER” FOR DISNEY’S “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"

BURBANK, Calif. (Jan. 19, 2017) – Five-time GRAMMY® winning and best-selling recording artist Celine Dion will perform an all-new original song, “How Does A Moment Last Forever,” for Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast.” The song will also be included on the film’s soundtrack.

Written by eight-time Oscar®-winning composer Alan Menken (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin”) and veteran lyricist and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (“The Lion King,” “Evita”), “How Does A Moment Last Forever” is an emotional ballad about holding onto life’s precious moments. Portions of the song are performed throughout the film and interpolated into the underscore before Dion’s full-length version debuts in the film’s custom main-on-end title design.

Says Dion, “Being a part of the original ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was such a magical experience in my life, and I'm truly honored to be a part of this film again.”  

President of Music for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Production, Mitchell Leib, approached the artist on behalf of the project with the idea of recording one of the three new songs written for the film. “Celine was the unanimous choice of the filmmakers and studio to perform this song,” says Leib, “And everyone involved with the film is thrilled she agreed to be part of this new live-action adaptation.”

Dion originally performed the duet “Beauty and the Beast” – featuring Menken’s haunting melody and two-time Oscar-winner Howard Ashman’s unforgettable lyrics – with Peabo Bryson for the animated film. The song became an instant classic and went on to receive an Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and three GRAMMY Awards.

Menken also provides the film score along with new recordings of the classic songs from the animated film written by himself and Ashman. The original motion picture soundtrack will be released by Walt Disney Records on March 10, 2017. 

About the film:

The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic “Beauty and the Beast,” a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. “Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s father; Josh Gad as LeFou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra; Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, the wardrobe; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; Hattie Morahan as the enchantress; and Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup; with Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

Directed by Bill Condon based on the 1991 animated film “Beauty and the Beast,” the screenplay is written by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos and produced by Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman, p.g.a. and Todd Lieberman, p.g.a. with Jeffrey Silver, Thomas Schumacher and Don Hahn serving as executive producers. “Beauty and the Beast” will be released in Philippine cinemas on March 16, 2017.

For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic and Instagram.com/disneymusic/.

Movies + Music: WATCH P!NK'S “JUST LIKE FIRE” MUSIC VIDEO FOR “ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Just like magic, P!nk’s music video for her hit new single “Just Like Fire” from Disney Studios’ “Alice Through The Looking Glass” may be viewed at http://youtu.be/5Nrv5teMc9Y.

You can also stream and/or download the song on Spotify! Just like I did! 

The video was directed by Dave Meyers and features special guest appearances by members of P!nk’s family!

Walt Disney Studios has partnered with three-time GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter P!nk on the studio’s upcoming release “Alice Through the Looking Glass.”

P!nk wrote and recorded “Just Like Fire,” an original song which will appear in the film and on the motion picture soundtrack from Walt Disney Records featuring four-time Academy Award® nominee Danny Elfman’s score. She has also recorded a cover version of the iconic song “White Rabbit” for the film’s marketing campaign.

“Alice Through the Looking Glass” is an all-new spectacular adventure featuring the unforgettable characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved stories which stars Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, with Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen.

In Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” Alice returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. Directed by James Bobin, who brings his own unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen with “Alice in Wonderland,” the film is written by Linda Woolverton based on characters created by Lewis Carroll.

Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” opens across the Philippines on July 06, 2016.

“Alice Through the Looking Glass” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures. Follow the official social media accounts of Disney in the Philippines, namely, (FB) WaltDisneyStudiosPH, (Twitter) @disneystudiosph and (Instagram) @waltdisneystudiosph.

Movies + Music: Updates on the "Me Before You" Soundtrack

One of the things that makes me so happy is when a movie has a kick-ass Original Soundtrack that comes along with it, one that makes you dance in your seat in the cinema (one of my favorite things is when I see a kid literally getting up from their chair in the cinema and dancing to a music playing in the film-that just makes my 'pusong mamon' flutter) and makes you cry buckets of tears. 

If you've been following the blog then you probably know that I have been looking forward to the soundtrack of the upcoming movie "Me Before You" as much as the film itself.  

And now I have MORE DETAILS! -> 

ME BEFORE YOU Original Motion Picture Soundtrack  TRACKLISTING

1. Max Jury "Numb"

2. HOLYCHILD "Happy With Me"

3. X Ambassadors "Unsteady" (Erich Lee Gravity Remix)

4. Jessie Ware "Till The End"

5. The 1975 "The Sound"

6. Jack Garratt "Surprise Yourself"

7. Cloves "Don't Forget About Me"

8. Ed Sheeran "Photograph"

9. Imagine Dragons "Not Today"

I mean look at that tracklisting! It's so beautiful I can just cry! 

I wrote about X-Ambassador's "Unsteady" -you can read more on that here. 

The 1975's "The Sound" is my favorite track from their new album "I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it." (video above) and in case you have been hiding under a rock, the boys are coming back to Manila to perform for "In The Mix" - I really hope I get to see them perform, I already missed their two earlier concerts and Panic! At the Disco is in the line up so please, please concert gods be good to me. :) 

The music in New Line Cinema's sentimental romance “Me Before You” was carefully interspersed with the film’s score, created by composer Craig Armstrong, to evoke the romantic and provocative sensibilities of the story.

“Craig’s music and the songs we were able to find have a huge impact in the film,” director Thea Sharrock says. “They really resonate with what’s happening between [the lead characters] Louisa and Will at every turn and every stage of their relationship.”

The film's Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be available to download/stream via digital stores starting June 3. Get the CD for only Php 459.00 at Astroplus/Astrovision stores starting June 10. -Don't forget to mark that on your calendars! I know I will :) 

Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, “Me Before You” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Movie News: SIA and Composer Thomas Newman PROVIDE `UNFORGETTABLE' MUSIC FOR “FINDING DORY"

I love Sia! And "Unforgettable" is such an iconic song! Looking forward to this! 

The "Sia" wig on Dory is a nice touch don't you think? :) 

Disney-Pixar's “Finding Dory” welcomes back to the big screen Dory, friends Marlin and Nemo—and composer Thomas Newman. “To me, he was one of the cast members of ‘Finding Nemo,’” says director Andrew Stanton. “We formed a close relationship ever since, and now that he is behind the score for ‘Finding Dory,’ it fees like the last member of the family has arrived at the reunion.”

According to Stanton, scoring a film like “Finding Dory” with a composer like Newman takes the films to places he has yet to imagine. “It forces me to have to really explain out loud what my intentions are. It can lead to very intense conversation between the two of us. But I get so much out of it. I end up understanding my movie ten times better—it’s almost therapy for me. We just click.”

“There was no way I could not do “Finding Dory,” says Newman, who was nominated for an Oscar® for his work on “Finding Nemo” and won a Grammy® (best song written for motion picture, television or other visual media) on Stanton’s “WALL•E.” “It’s ironic that a movie about fish—some in aquariums, some in open water—has such a huge range of emotive possibilities—from the hysterical to the deeply profound and primally frightening. That’s exciting to ponder musically.”

According to Newman, the score is designed to support the film’s big themes of loss and the characters’ efforts to conquer their individual shortcomings. It also showcases the deeper, less sunny side of Dory’s personality. “Dory’s theme has a certain amount of quirkiness and a certain amount of sadness built in,” says the composer.

The goal, says Newman, is to complement the story. “If there’s humor or pathos, I want to bring it out, but I don’t want to re-describe it. I just want to underline it. I want to make it more of what it already is.

“I liken music to makeup on a face,” continues Newman. “At its worst, it’s garish and overdone. At its best, you don’t notice it and it brings out the best qualities.”

Singer-songwriter Sia is on board “Finding Dory,” performing the film’s end-credit song, “Unforgettable.”(Watch Sia sing “Unforgettable” for the first time at http://youtu.be/fMVlYk6uNB0).

American songwriter Irving Gordon wrote the song in 1951, and in 1992 won a Grammy® for it when Natalie Cole included the tribute to her late father on her album of duets. “Unforgettable” remains revered worldwide today.

Five-time Grammy® nominee Sia agreed to sing the song when the voice of Dory herself made the request. “Dory's story makes me teary,” says Sia. “When Ellen asked me, I couldn't refuse!”

Director Andrew Stanton has long been a fan of the native Australian performer. “In the same way Robbie Williams did his own unique twist on a classic song for ‘Finding Nemo,’ Sia captures the soulful truth of the Nat King Cole classic ‘Unforgettable,’ and makes it all her own,” said Stanton. “They are a perfect complement to one another, just like the two films.”

Disney•Pixar's “Finding Dory” finds Dory living happily in the reef with Marlin and Nemo about a year after their life-changing adventure. When Dory suddenly remembers that she has a family out there who may be looking for her, she recruits Marlin and Nemo for a life-changing adventure across the ocean to California’s prestigious Marine Life Institute (MLI), a rehabilitation center and aquarium.

In the effort to find her mom and dad, Dory enlists the help of three of the MLI’s most intriguing residents: Hank, a cantankerous octopus who frequently gives employees the slip; Bailey, a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; and Destiny, a nearsighted whale shark.

Deftly navigating the complex inner workings of the MLI, Dory and her friends discover the magic within their flaws, friendships and family.

“Finding Dory” swims into Philippine theaters on Thursday, June 16. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures. Follow the official social media accounts of Disney in the Philippines, namely, (FB) WaltDisneyStudiosPH, (Twitter) @disneystudiosph and (Instagram) @waltdisneystudiosph and use the hashtag #FindingDoryPH.

Movie News: EMILIA CLARKE FINDS LOVE IN “ME BEFORE YOU”

I love Emilia Clarke and I can't wait to see her in this role, which is so different from Daenerys in "Game of Thrones", she seems to be such a cheery person in interviews and even her Instagram posts are hilarious. Which is why I think she is well suited for the portray Lou in the upcoming, highly anticipated, bring-in-the-waterworks "Me Before You". Book review here. 

British actress Emilia Clarke takes a 360-degree turn from her famous Mother of Dragons character, Daenerys, in “Game of Thrones” to portray the wide-eyed, endearing Louisa, in New Line Cinema’s heart-tugging romance, “Me Before You.”

“What drew me to this movie were the words of Jojo Moyes, the book first and then the script,” explains Clarke. “I was hooked on page one and so excited to play a character with such charm and sincerity, who is so authentically and brilliantly British, and with such a lovely arc in her story.”

With no clear direction in her life, quirky and creative Lou works hard as a waitress in a small café in order to help her family make ends meet. “Louisa is a happy-go-lucky, very content girl,” observes Clarke of her character. “When we first meet her, she is working at The Buttered Bun Café, serving tea and scones. She’s very good at it, she loves the clientele, and we see she’s a sweet kind of caring girl who just wants to do well.”

But times are tough and Lou is let go. Knowing her income is as crucial as her skill set is minimal, she tells her local job placement agent that she’ll happily try anything. Her naturally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge as caregiver and companion to Will Traynor. A once robust young man, he became wholly dependent on others due to an accident two years prior, and his whole world changed dramatically in the blink of an eye.

Director Thea Sharrock says, “Lou lives with her parents, her sister, her grandpa and her nephew in a very small house in a very small town. But her mum doesn’t have a job, Granddad doesn’t have a job, and Dad now doesn’t have a job, so her small income is a very big deal. Yet her outlook remains a sunny one.”

To find an actress who could play positive under pressure, the filmmakers cast a wide net. “We saw hundreds of girls, and I had Skyped with Emilia about the role, but I can honestly say that when she walked in to audition and did her first scene, it was literally like Lou was in the room,” Sharrock recalls. “There was no question. Her energy was exactly right; like Lou, she was just a breath of fresh air.”

Clarke had an easy rapport with the first-time feature director. “Thea is just the greatest, I love her. You’d never, ever, know that this was her first film,” she declares. “It’s a testimony to her intelligence, her integrity and her work ethic that working on this project, with its very tricky subject matter, felt almost effortless. She was so giving and always had a smile and a laugh to put us at ease, and that trickled down to everyone. I never felt like I was working.”

Based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes, New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ “Me Before You” stars Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” movies), under the direction of renowned theatre director Thea Sharrock, making her feature film directorial debut.

Oftentimes you find love where you least expect it. Sometimes it takes you where you never expected to go…

When Louisa Clark—Lou, as she’s known—unexpectedly loses her waitressing job she must scramble to replace the income that her tight-knit family depends upon. Desperation drives her to take a job as a caregiver to Will Traynor, a man who used to be a wealthy banker with an adventurous soul, living life to the very fullest, but for whom those days are in the past. After a tragic accident, Will lost the desire to live and now keeps everyone at a distance with his caustic, overbearing attitude. But unlike his family, Lou refuses to tiptoe around him or cater to his moods. In fact, her sparkling personality and easy nature are hard for even Will to ignore, and soon enough each becomes exactly what the other needs.

Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, “Me Before You” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

The film's Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be available to download/stream via digital stores starting June 3. Get the CD for only Php 459.00 at Astroplus/Astrovision stores starting June 10.

-> Can't wait to get my hands on that OST! Click here for a tracklisting of the soundtrack! 

Movies + Music: X AMBASSADORS SHARES “UNSTEADY” MUSIC VIDEO FOR “ME BEFORE YOU”

American Alternative Rock Band X-Ambassadors

I LOVE Movies and Music and when they marry into a beautiful Original Motion Picture Soundtrack-I couldn't be more happy! It's like you get to enjoy a movie more because of the heart tugging songs or you like a song more because it was in a certain movie. 

We've come to love certain movies more because of the songs that came along with it - so much so that we had to get copies of the soundtrack. Case in point, "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy" whose 70's pop songs in one Awesome Mix (Vol.1) we just had to have on Vinyl! And of course there's the 'The Smiths'' and "Regina Spektor" heavy "500 Days of Summer" Soundtrack, "The Temper Trap's" 'Sweet Disposition' is worth mentioning as a favorite and we have that on original CD. This is where love for music and movies come together and it's just like Christmas Morning.

I feel another Christmas Morning coming with the release of the much anticipated movie adaptation of the novel "Me Before You" and its promising Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Let's talk about one song in particular -'Unsteady' from American Alternative Rock Band "X-Ambassadors".

The music video for the remix of "Unsteady" by the band X Ambassadors, which includes clips from the upcoming romantic film “Me Before You,” has just been unveiled and may be viewed at https://youtu.be/94fJ_Rqpa7w.

The song has been on my Spotify Now Playing Playlist (you can follow me: ica_cheng) and I really love that the music video features a version of the song with more strings and heavier percussions, we can go ahead and say an orchestra version to speak. While the version on Spotify is more radio friendly. Going through YouTube I also a couple of live versions of the song and again, I love that they change it up every time. If you've read some of my music posts you would know that I admire musicians who like to experiment on already finished material. You can watch their live performance of 'Unsteady' at "The Late Late Show" in the video below.

Now I don't know if the song was written for the movie but having read the book (book review here), I know that the lyrics fit the story very well -

Mama, come near. Approach. Appear.

Dad, I'm alone. 'Cause this house don't feel like home.

If you love me, don't let go.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures' “Me Before You” is based on the critically acclaimed, bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes.

The romantic drama stars Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) and Sam Claflin (“The Hunger Games” series), under the direction of Thea Sharrock, making her feature film directorial debut.

Oftentimes you find love where you least expect it. Sometimes it takes you where you never expected to go…

Louisa “Lou” Clark (Clarke) lives in a quaint town in the English countryside. With no clear direction in her life, the quirky and creative 26-year-old goes from one job to the next in order to help her tight-knit family make ends meet. Her normally cheery outlook is put to the test, however, when she faces her newest career challenge.

Taking a job at the local “castle,” she becomes caregiver and companion to Will Traynor (Claflin), a wealthy young banker who became wheelchair bound in an accident two years prior, and whose whole world changed dramatically in the blink of an eye. No longer the adventurous soul he once was, the now cynical Will has all but given up. That is until Lou determines to show him that life is worth living. Embarking together on a series of adventures, both Lou and Will get more than they bargained for, and find their lives—and hearts—changing in ways neither one could have imagined.

Thea Sharrock directs from a screenplay by Jojo Moyes and Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (“The Fault in Our Stars”), based on the book by Moyes.

“Me Before You” is a presentation of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM). Set for release across the Philippines on June 15, 2016, it will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Emilia Clarke (Lou) and Sam Claiflin (Will) in "Me Before You".