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‘The Divergent Series: Allegiant’ opens in PH one week ahead of US release

The Shailene Woodley starrer “Divergent” series based on the books by author Veronica Roth has recently revealed “Allegiant – Part 1” and “Allegiant – Part 2” have been modified for the big screen.

In the news that have circulated recently, it was revealed that the upcoming two film will no longer be called “Allegiant – Part 1” and “Allegiant – Part 2.” The two would now be titled “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” and “The Divergent Series: Ascendant.”

The first two “Divergent” films have grossed more than $550 million at the global box office and are Lionsgate’s highest-grossing films outside “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight” franchises.

The third installment of the blockbuster Divergent series franchise, “Allegiant” takes Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) into a new world, far more dangerous than ever before. Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton venture into the world outside of the fence and are taken into protective custody by a mysterious agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. The film is being directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay by Noah Oppenheim, Adam Cooper, Bill Collage and Stephen Chbosky.

The story background discusses how a future, ruined Chicago becomes a society that defines its citizens by strict conformity to their social and personality-related affiliations with five different factions. This removes the threat of anyone exercising independent will and re-threatening the population’s safety through war or another human-created catastrophe. The factions are Abnegation to uphold selflessness, Amity to uphold peacefulness, Candor to uphold honesty, Dauntless to uphold bravery, and Erudite, to uphold knowledge. Tris tests out for equal aptitude with three different factions: Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. This classifies her as “Divergent” and capable of independent thought beyond the restrictive nature of the factions. She is warned never to share this information with anyone for fear of her life. Divergent are a threat to the stable society, hunted and killed by the ruthless leader of Erudite, in order to eliminate the “threat” of independent thinking. Those who fail the initiation of their particular faction are deemed factionless, who are treated as a lower class and a drain on society. Tris Prior is shocked by the video released to the public at the end of the Erudite headquarters raid. The video revealed the truth about the faction system and announced that Divergent are needed outside the borders of the city.

“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” will open in the Philippines on March 9, 2016 from Pioneer Films, one week ahead of its US release.

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Jennifer Lawrence reunites with Bradley Cooper in ‘Joy’

Based loosely on the life and rise of inventor and home shopping star Joy Mangano, starring Jennifer Lawrence in the titular role for which she is nominated in the Best Actress category in this year’s Academy Awards, the genre-blurring story of “Joy” follows the wild path of a hard-working but half-broken family and the young girl who ultimately becomes its shining matriarch and leader in her own right. Driven to create and take care of those around her, Joy experiences betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocenv[/embed]ce and the scars of love. Ultimately, she finds the steel and the belief to follow her once-suppressed dreams. The result is an emotional and human comedy about a woman’s rise – navigating the unforgiving world of commerce, the chaos of family and the mysteries of inspiration while finding an unyielding source of happiness.

Joining Lawrence is a typically wide-ranging Russell ensemble including Robert De Niro as Joy’s hot-tempered yet hopelessly romantic father; Edgar Ramirez as Joy’s ex-husband, a struggling musician living in the basement … with her father; Diane Ladd as Joy’s insightful and influential grandmother; Virginia Madsen as Joy’s soap-opera addicted mother; Isabella Rossellini as her father’s well-off Italian lover; Dascha Polanco as Joy’s life-long friend and confidante; Elisabeth Rohm as Joy’s rivalrous sister and Bradley Cooper as the mogul-style home shopping executive who becomes both Joy’s ally and adversary.

JOY

Outside of Joy’s family, her biggest ally – and later her greatest business rival – is QVC executive Neil Walker, portrayed by long-lived David O. Russell collaborator Bradley Cooper, an Oscar® nominee for Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle as well as Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper. Cooper and Russell talked about bringing a dash of early Hollywood mogul to the character, having Cooper explore an easy flair and optimism new to their work together.

The character both soothes Joy with his exuberant love of invention and fires her up to outdo his expectations. Cooper explains: “Neil’s a fictional composite of several people at QVC who worked with Joy. What’s so interesting about him is that he’s a guy who becomes more relaxed the more the pressure increases. I liken him to certain coaches I had growing up who were always on an even keel amidst utter chaos – and in that way I think he has a kinship with Joy. At the same time, he takes his business very seriously. He sees himself as a Jack Warner or Daryl Zanuck, building an empire of dreams. He’s not messing around and there’s no irony to him. He believes everything he says.”

edgzr ramirez, jlaw, robert de niro, dianne ladd JOY

Rather than a typically malevolent corporate presence, Cooper approached Neil as someone who is exhilarated by giving people that one-in-a-million shot. “Neil is someone who doesn’t look like other television executives, just as Joy doesn’t look like an inventor,” Cooper observes. “And he’s very aware that he was given a chance by Barry Diller to make QVC work. So he loves that he’s now in a position to give others who might be iconoclasts the chance to realize their biggest ideas. When he meets Joy, she’s on the precipice of changing her life and he gives her that opportunity.”

Cooper notes that he grew up with QVC. “My mother always ordered from QVC, and it was always on in my parents’ bedroom,” he recalls. “I’d come home from school and the front door would be wedged open with a QVC package waiting. I even had the Miracle Mop in my college dorm.”

joy movie

He had fun exploring the behind-the-scenes life of that world he only saw from the other side. But Cooper’s greatest pleasure was watching Jennifer Lawrence fully embody Joy. “She has become this incredible force. She always was from the start – but now it’s being realized in new ways,” he comments. “She has this grounded, very rooted way of walking through a movie. It’s similar to what I’ve encountered with De Niro; I find them very similar in terms of the way they approach the work. That’s probably why David works with both of them over and over.”

“Joy” opens February 17, 2016 in cinemas from 20th Century Fox and to be distributed by Warner Bros.

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‘Ghostbusters’ teaser poster features iconic logo

The teaser poster for Columbia Pictures’ “Ghostbusters” reboot is now up online, featuring the iconic No Ghosts Allowed logo, coupled with the original’s catch-phrase, “Who You Gonna Call?”

The studio also unveiled an image of the Ecto-2 motorcycle which is rumored to be the ride of Chris Hemsworth’s character, plus the date the teaser trailer officially arrives: March 3, 2016.

Thirty years after the original film took the world by storm, “Ghostbusters” is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!

Kristen Wiig plays Erin Gilbert, a particle physicist, academic firebrand, spectral warrior; Kate McKinnon is Jillian Holtzmann, a nuclear engineer, munitions expert, and proton wrangler; Melissa McCarthy is Abby Yates, a paranormal researcher, supernatural scientist, and entity trapper; and Leslie Jones is Patty Tolan, a ghost tracker, municipal historian, and metaphysical commando.

“Ghostbusters” also stars Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams and Chris Hemsworth.

The film is written by Paul Feig & Katie Dippold, based on the film “Ghostbusters” written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and Directed by Ivan Reitman.

Opening across the Philippines in July 2016, “Ghostbusters” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Room (2015)

Room can be perceived in countless ways. One, it could be anything but a claustrophobic look at the lives of a mother and her five year-old son who has been living in a ten-by-ten feet enclosed, windowless, sound-proof space for several years—a harrowing idea of imprisonment and deprivation liberty and sanity. In another hand, it could be something like a keen observation of human’s stability and the struggle to make a wonderful escape.

There is tightness in how Room comes about as a film that showcases the triumphant acting of Brie Larson in her most passionate and strenuous efforts to date. Much so is Jacob Tremblay’s portrayal as he is able to paint his character with an excellent stroke as if he has mastered the craft long since. Together, they form not only an extraordinary mother-and-son bond but a well-built familial connection that runs over blood and ties.

jacob tremblay and brie larson in ROOM

Nothing is there to complain about the mundane activities they do inside the aptly named Room. Since there is actually not much to do other than Joy teaching Jack and Jack suiting himself into growing up according to his Ma, it is with curious eyes to peek into the life they share. Given the abundance of hope seeping through the tiny holes of what could have been their deficit, it is more than thrilling to witness either the success or the failure of their attempt to face the real world after years of captivity.

And in the event that plans turn out well, victory is inevitable. Nevertheless, Room does not stop where it should. Rightfully, it steers into an eye-opening paradise of high-rise building and modern living, a place where no activity is small, and many, many things are happening all at once. As Jacob perceives the “outside world”—one that is away from a singular wardrobe, table, chair, toilet, sink, tub and skylight—he discovers not just what it is really like to live but also realizes that nothing compares to spending every passing minute with his mother.

jacob tremblay and brie larson in ROOM

Director Lenny Abrahamson did a great job in helming the powerful novel penned by Emma Donoghue. Together, they were able to transform a moving story into a life-affirming piece of work that is equally affecting and memorable. It is not difficult to be glued into Room’s well-paced tale as well as its heart-breaking message. Everything just smoothly comes across by breaking that intimidating wall that separates the film from its audience.

One way or another, we have that little space inside us where we are held captive by our own equal share of misery and optimism. There is joy in looking back at the wonders of Room and recognizing that its story of love and hope is universal. We might still be comfortably residing within it but there is more to life that is meant to be explored and ultimately to be rediscovered.

Room triumphantly tells its touching story without alienating its viewers and that is a simple feat to be remembered in the years to come.