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‘Escape Room’ review: Puzzling, formidable survival flick
Adam Robitel’s Escape Room is an extremely fun psychological thriller that redesigns the modern escape game. Kicking off with a bloody bang, Escape Room opens with a tense and well-executed death trap sequence gone wrong. From there, we meet a struggling stockboy Ben (Logan Miller), physics student Zoey (Taylor Russell), and young trader Jason (Jay Ellis), each of whom receives a…
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#LizQuen’s ‘Alone/Together’ earns P265-M in two weeks
Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil’s movie “Alone/Together” has locally earned over P265,228,810.89, two weeks since it opened in cinemas. READ MORE: “Alone/Together” review: #LizQuen plays idealiasts in an imperfect world Black Sheep under ABS-CBN Films announced the new milestone via its Twitter on Wednesday: “Thank you for giving us the BEST reason to celebrate our…
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Magic realism, romance in Nadine Lustre-starrer ‘Ulan’
After VIVA Films released the official trailer of Ulan on Friday, 8th of February, the outpouring of support from netizens was instantaneous. #UlanTrailer hit the no.1 spot in the country’s trending topics, followed closely by Maya, Nadine Lustre, Carlo Aquino, and Direk Ayrin – all major players in what already appears to be a much-awaited…
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Play for your life in the suspense thriller ‘Escape Room’
In Columbia Pictures’ new suspense thriller Escape Room, directed by Insidious: The Last Key’s Adam Robitel, six strangers (Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine, and Nik Dodani) who have chosen to be part of an escape room experience find themselves in a room — no windows, only one door — and it’s locked. The…
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Taron Egerton as Elton John, photographed by David Lachapelle for the ‘Rocketman’ poster
Photographer David LaChapelle has photographed Taron Egerton as Elton John for the first official poster for “Rocketman.” Visionary David LaChapelle has created some of the most iconic imagery in Elton John’s career, and now turns his lens on the “Rocketman” film poster, with Taron Egerton as Elton John. This image captures the originality and cinematic…
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Brie Larson embodies the humanity of Carol Danvers in Marvel studios ‘Captain Marvel’
Academy Award winner Brie Larson steps into role of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most powerful force, Carol Danvers aka “Captain Marvel.” “When we found out that Brie Larson might be interested in joining the MCU, we had numerous meetings and pitched her the idea for the film,” recalls producer Kevin Feige. “She was a huge fan of the character…
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‘How to Train Your Dragon 3’ opens at #1 with P91.5-M, franchise’s biggest opening ever
MANILA, Feb. 25, 2019 — Filipino fans bade a heartfelt farewell to the “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise as its last chapter “The Hidden World” opened at No.1 at the Philippine box-office with a soaring P91.5-million in a five-day opening weekend (Feb. 20-24). “The Hidden World” bested the P85-million bow of 2014’s “How to…
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‘Happy Death Day 2U’ review: A risky genre-bending exercise
Happy Death Day 2U as a go-for-broke sequel has a bunch of hit or miss ideas under its belt. The following review contains major spoilers from Happy Death Day and minor spoilers from Happy Death Day 2U. One of Blumhouse’s low-budget breakout films in 2017, Happy Death Day, is a high-concept, black-comedy slasher flick that…
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Oscars 2019: List of Academy Award Winners
The winners of Oscars 2019 were announced at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony as presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on February 24, 2019 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It was the first time in three decades (since Oscars 1989) that no host conducted the ceremony. Here is…
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Jay Baruchel lends voice to Hiccup one last time in ‘How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’
Jay Baruchel, who voices Hiccup in the beloved How to Train Your Dragon series, is feeling nostalgic. “I’ve played this character through hundreds of hours and over 10 years,” says Baruchel about voicing the young Viking Hiccup in the How to Train Your Dragon film trilogy and TV series. “Most people work their whole lives and are never lucky…
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X-Men’s Nicholas Hoult in the midst of royal rumble in ‘The Favourite’
Nicholas Hoult dons outlandish outfits and puts on heavy wig in this year’s frontrunner Oscar contender and entertaining royal rumble movie “The Favourite” as Robert Harvey, chief minister to Queen Anne played by Best Actress nominee, Olivia Colman. Apart from the top nominations at the Oscars this year, “The Favourite” has so far opened…
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‘Abominable,’ ‘Ma,’ ‘Yesterday’ launch new posters
Universal Pictures has just unveiled the new one-sheet artworks for three of its highly anticipated films of the year — the suspense thriller Ma starring Octavia Spencer, the rock-and-roll comedy Yesterday and the animated comedy adventure Abominable. Check the posters below and watch Ma in Philippine cinemas on June 19, followed by Yesterday on June…
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America Ferrera inspires in ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ finale, ‘The Hidden World’
America Ferrera is proud to lend her voice to Astrid, one of the most popular characters in the How To Train Your Dragon film series, one last time. Ferrera returns on the big screen as the voice of Astrid in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the final film in the celebrated Dragon franchise. While Hiccup (Jay Baruchel)…
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Solve the puzzle and survive ‘Escape Room’ at SM Cinema
Get ready for a mind-blowing psycho thriller as the latest SM Cinema offering, Escape Room, showcases puzzles, screams, and deaths. Everyone definitely loves to join a game with a huge cash prize, but what if in the middle of the game, you discover that your life is at stake, and there is no way out?…
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WATCH: New ‘Rocketman’ trailer teases cinematic spectacle
The only way to tell Elton John’s story is to live his fantasy. Paramount Pictures has just launched the new trailer of “Rocketman” which gives fans a real taste of the cinematic spectacle that they can anticipate. Check out the trailer below and watch “Rocketman” in Philippine cinemas June 19. “Rocketman” is distributed in the…
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‘Insidious: The Last Key’ director elevates horror genre in ‘Escape Room’
Adam Robitel, the director of Columbia Pictures’ new suspense thriller Escape Room, sure knows a thing or two about creating horror hits for the big screen. After all, Robitel directed the record-breaking Insidious: The Last Key, which has grossed a whopping $167 million worldwide. Escape Room began when producer Ori Marmur first tried out an escape room with his family and saw a potential for…
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Emma Stone amidst royal love triangle in award-winning ‘The Favourite’
Reimagining period films for today’s audience, the multi-awarded “The Favourite” directed by Yorgos Lanthimos breaks the tropes in the genre as it introduces the audience into Queen Anne’s (Olivia Colman) unusual reign, England’s least known ruler who has suffered from health problems throughout her life. By the time she became Queen in 1702, she was…
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‘The Favourite’ review: Elegant spoof on period piece
‘The Favourite’ director Yorgos Lanthimos beautifully crafted a film that shows three remarkable women twisted in different ways. The Favourite is set in the early 18th century where England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) occupies the throne and her close…
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‘Aquaman’ hits $800-M worldwide, P582-M in PH box office
Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Aquaman” has hit new heights at the international box office, with tickets pushing the DC Super Hero past the $800 million mark. The announcement was made February 19 by the head of Warner Bros. Pictures International Distribution, Tom Molter. The impressive box office run overseas has propelled the film to become the highest…
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‘To All The Boys’ star steps into another love triangle in ‘Happy Death Day 2U’
Hot-off the smash success of Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before where he played the boy-next-door Josh, Israel Broussard now reprises the role of Carter in Universal Pictures’ new suspense thriller Happy Death Day 2U, the sequel to the 2017 acclaimed box-office hit Happy Death Day. In the film, no sooner has Tree (Jessica Rothe) said goodbye…
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Toothless finds love in the final ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
When director-writer Dean DeBlois considered the engine of change for DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, he began to wonder what coming-of-age would look like for the Night Fury aka Toothless…as the dragon grows to yearn for a life beyond humans. “For so long, he has been Hiccup’s constant companion,” says the director. “But he has begun to stray from that…
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‘Alone/Together’ review: #LizQuen play idealists in an imperfect world
Despite being built around the confines of a romance story, Antoinette Jadaone’s ‘Alone/Together‘ works best as a tale of self-actualization. I couldn’t blame Black Sheep for choosing to market this film as a romance drama. After all, the so-called formula for box-office success includes having a ‘bankable cast’—and by local industry standards, that often translates…
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Fly high with ‘How to Train Your Dragon 3’ in IMAX at SM Cinema
IMAX at SM Cinema takes you to greater heights as it brings the immersive movie experience to the audience to witness the epic conclusion of one of the most beloved animated franchises, “How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”. Now the new chief of Berk, Hiccup has created a safe haven for humans and…
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Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks return as Emmet & Lucy in ‘The LEGO Movie 2’
Power couple Emmet and Lucy famously clicked despite vastly different personalities and skill sets in 2014’s “The LEGO Movie.” What keeps them together is that amazing history and their real affection for each other. But, what threatens to separate them now is Lucy’s concern that Emmet isn’t tough enough for this harsh new reality…and…
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‘Station 19’s’ Grey Damon stars in ‘The Possession of Hannah Grace’
Despite the horror Shay Mitchell’s character Megan Reed goes through in Columbia Pictures’ The Possession of Hannah Grace, she has allies who are willing to put themselves in danger to help her. One of the most willing is her cop ex-boyfriend Andrew, played by fast-rising star Grey Damon (Station 19, Friday Night Lights, The Flash). Despite their estrangement, Andrew…
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‘Cold Pursuit’ review: Eccentric examination on revenge cycle
Taking cues from Fargo series and a Quentin Tarantino-inspired direction, ‘Cold Pursuit‘ might be the strangest action film in Liam Neeson’s repertoire. Debuting ten years ago is the vigilante action flick Taken, arguably the first film to discover Liam Neeson’s ‘particular set of skills’ to be the next badass hero. Since then, the actor has…
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Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway are ex-lovers in ‘Serenity’
VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment proudly present “Serenity”, a film filled with thought-provoking scenes that will give its viewers more sense of mystery than serenity. It opened in cinemas last February 13 and is now showing in Philippine cinemas. Matthew McConaughey (Academy Award Best Actor for Dallas Buyers Club) plays Baker Dill, a fishing…
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Liam Neeson takes on a vengeance spree in ‘Cold Pursuit’
Vengeance knows no boundaries, Liam Neeson’s latest action thriller “Cold Pursuit” bleeds the drug cartel dry as the man known with a unique set of skills takes on the role of Nels Coxman, a snowplough driver whose only son was murdered by a powerful drug cartel in their town. This twisted revenge story swirls around…
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‘Dolphin Tale’ director, star reunite for ‘A Dog’s Way Home’
Having appeared in and directed a number of films involving animals — including helming the two hit Dolphin Tale movies — Charles Martin Smith, director of Columbia Pictures’ heartwarming tale A Dog’s Way Home, admits to being enthralled with the genre. “I’m probably the only director in the business that actually prefers working with kids and animals,” says Smith with…
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SM Cinema brings Captain Marvel experience to Singapore
Fly high with SM Cinema this February as the Philippines’ largest film exhibitor brings the Captain Marvel experience straight from Singapore! The highly-anticipated superhero film from Marvel Studios is crash-landing to the Philippines, and SM Cinema is giving Filipino moviegoers another reel-to-real adventure as the country’s largest film exhibitor brings fans the Captain Marvel experience…
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Sidekick becomes main protagonist in ‘Happy Death Day’ sequel
As director-writer Christopher Landon developed the characters in Universal Pictures’ new suspense thriller Happy Death Day 2U — the sequel to the 2017 acclaimed box-office hitHappy Death Day — it was important to give unexpected arcs to supporting players.( A great example is with Ryan (Pitch Perfect’s Phi Vu), Carter’s (Israel Broussard) annoying roommate: “Last time, Ryan was…
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‘Hanggang Kailan’ review: Finding love in goodbyes
Bona Fajardo puts the chemistry of Xian Lim and Louise delos Reyes into something unexpected in the feel good film Hanggang Kailan . Hanggang Kailan opens on the first day trip of Donnie (Xian) and Kath (Louise) in Saga, Japan, the two celebrating their second year anniversary while trying to think of a convenient solution…
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‘The Hidden World’ concludes ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ trilogy
As the trilogy based on the world she created comes to an end, no one has deeper feelings about saying goodbye to this chapter of Toothless and Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World than their creator, author Cressida Cowell. “It sounds very unlikely, but it’s based on my own childhood,” reflects Cowell, “and…
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WATCH: New ‘Pet Sematary’ trailer reveals story’s dark themes
They don’t come back the same. Watch the second trailer for Paramount Picures’ Pet Sematary, based on Stephen King’s terrifying novel. The film stars Jason Clarke (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) and John Lithgow (Netflix’s The Crown). Check out the trailer below and watch Pet Sematary in Philippine cinemas soon. Pet Sematary is distributed in the Philippines by…
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WATCH: Nadine Lustre’s ‘Ulan’ full movie trailer
Viva Films has just released the full movie trailer for Nadine Lustre’s first-ever solo movie project, ‘Ulan.’ Watch the trailer for ‘Ulan’ below. Mixing romance and Philippine mythology, ‘Ulan’ is written and directed by Irene Emma Villamor, who also hemmed and penned ‘Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story’ and ‘Meet Me in St. Gallen.’…
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‘Alita: Battle Angel’ review: A cyberpunk visual spectacle
James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez create a groundbreaking live-action manga adaptation of a well known heroine. At a scrapyard in a post-apocalyptic Iron City, a compassionate cyber-doctor Ido (Christoph Waltz), finds Alita (Rosa Salazar) in a disembodied “core” status and gives her a new body. Terror dawns on the poor cyborg once she realizes that…
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WATCH: First trailer for ‘The Sun is Also a Star’ hints at love against all odds
Love is a universe all of its own. Don’t miss Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton in the Official Trailer of the new romantic drama “The Sun Is Also a Star,” which has just been launched by Warner Bros. Pictures. Check out the trailer below and watch “The Sun Is Also a Star” in Philippine cinemas…
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‘Second Act’ stars Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens prove everyone deserves another chance
Jennifer Lopez (Maid in Manhattan, Monster-in-Law) ignites a new fire of girl power and inspires women to dream and believe in themselves and take second chances in her new movie, SECOND ACT. SECOND ACT is the story of Maya (Lopez), a 40-year-old woman struggling with frustrations stemming from her unfulfilled dreams. Until she gets…
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‘Green Book’ review: A roadmap to overcoming racial prejudice
Helmed by a thoughtful direction and supported by masterful performances, ‘Green Book’ is an immensely likable buddy film about self-discovery and enlightenment. It’s quite surprising that one of the high caliber films competing this Oscar season comes from Peter Farelly, a director known for low-brow comedies such as Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About…
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New actor Jonah Hauer-King is Bella’s beloved human in ‘A Dog’s Way Home’
For young British actor Jonah Hauer-King, working with his canine costar in Columbia Pictures’ family adventure A Dog’s Way Home was a rewarding experience — especially given that it was his first time working with animals. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but she’s kind of the dream dog,” Hauer-King says of Shelby, the rescue dog that plays Bella,…
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All the Valentine feels with Japanese romantic film ‘Snow Flower’
Opening on February 6, the super kilig Japanese movie “Snow Flower” is a hit in the making. Loved the movies The Fault In Our Stars, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Kita Kita? Here’s a new Japanese YA film that’s bound to melt your heart this Valentine’s Day. Opening on February 6, Snow Flower is about Miyuki…
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‘Instant Family’ review: Foster parenting on training wheels
‘Instant Family’ shows an up-close and personal depiction of the American foster care system with big laughs and a humongous heart. This film deserves the credit alone for taking a sensitive subject matter without turning it into something offensive, problematic or excessively sentimental. While most films tend to over-simplify the adoption process, director/co-writer Sean Anders…
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‘Dragon Ball Super: Broly’ review: Best legendary showdown
Dragonball Super: Broly shines in colorful, action-packed animation with an overall fun theatrical experience. A planet destroyed, a powerful race reduced to nothing. After the devastation of Planet Vegeta, three Saiyans were scattered among the stars, destined for different fates. While two found a home on Earth, the third is raised with a burning desire…
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