October 27, 2010

THE SOCIAL NETWORK movie review

the origins of Facebook is traced in Columbia Pictures' highly-acclaimed movie of today's generation, THE SOCIAL NETWORK. starring Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg; Justin Timberlake as Napster founder-turned-president, Sean Parker. the film is directed by David Fincher and is now showing in theaters nationwide.

the film is really interesting in this time today. you will be amazed on how it all started as a joke and great opportunity came. having a brain like Mark Zuckerberg's is a gold mine. not only hailed from Harvard, he just did what he likes -- up to the extent that he has to diss his ex-girlfriend. imagine blogging for longer hours which only took him to earn thousands of hits in just 4 hours! that's a very hard achievement for a site owner.

i admire the way that Mark Zuckerberg speaks. it may seem a little nerdy but we have to admit. we take a look at other people's social network profiles to sometimes take the negative out of them for us to throw something back at them when things don't go our way.


know how to speak like a Harvard student. it's kind of inspiring to go back to school again, minus the algorithmic language that Zuckerberg speaks. and from there, his friend Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) saw the opportunities in business.

we always see movies of law students in Harvard. here, we saw the application of law and how people can use their power, greed and even greater potentials. it served that we should be grateful of the education we are getting and should strive for it.

Justin Timberlake's breakthrough performance as Sean Parker is amazing. you will like him for his radical and creative business ideas but hate him for a being a user. but i would like to commend Mark Zuckerberg for making a good business decision of choosing Sean Parker as a partner-consultant. if it wouldn't for Parker, we will have a corny social network name and an ugly Facebook. these two have the violating ideas but they converted these ideas to money.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK is really a must-see. this is a mirror of our generation and makes an individual stronger. in ways that you cannot imagine, you can start kicking someone's a** and laugh at how they treated you. we can attest that karma is a b*tch.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

EMMA STONE is dangerous beauty

With her striking beauty and sincere talent, Emma Stone (“Superbad,” “Zombieland”) is claiming her role as one of Hollywood’s most sought out actresses. She has just been cast as Gwen Stacy in the “Spider-Man” reboot in 2012. And now, she’s starring in one of the year’s smartest and coolest teen comedies – Columbia Pictures’ “Easy A.”

In the film, clean-cut high schooler Olive (Stone) finds that her new-found bad-girl rap – courtesy of a little white lie about losing her virginity – has an upside: she is finally getting noticed. Olive decides to exploit her "easy" reputation and use the school rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. But life starts to spin hilariously out of control, and there is only one boy, Todd (Penn Badgley), who sees through her vixen veneer to the heart of it.

On paper, Olive was a dynamite part: intelligent, funny, observant, surprisingly tough and heartbreakingly vulnerable. The big question for the filmmakers, then, was who could make this vital role come alive on screen. The success of the project depended on the perfect casting for Olive.

“Olive is an extremely smart girl,” explains director Will Gluck, “but she doesn’t annoy you with her smartness. A lot of people and characters that are really smart who know everything and talk like adults are so annoying that you want to punch them in the face. This is a girl who is smart like a whip, but doesn’t know she’s smart, and if anything, she’s embarrassed by the fact that she’s smart. You feel for this girl so much, because she’s trying to figure out who she is.”

Naturally, Gluck and the producers had no shortage of actresses who were eager to take on such a well-written role. “Everyone wanted to play the part,” the director recalls. “I got calls from what seemed like every actress between the ages of 16 and 28. As soon as I heard that Emma Stone wanted to do it, I was very excited. We met really quickly, and she had no problem auditioning for me. A lot of this movie takes place with Olive speaking into her computer’s web cam. After her audition, Emma went home, did a scene into her webcam and emailed it to me. I took the disc with that scene to the head of the studio and said ‘This is the girl.’ She was by far, always my first choice.”

Stone says she had been sent the script by a friend before it had been bought by anyone, and when she read it, she knew she had to do it.

“I instantly related to the character,” recalls Stone. “Olive uses all these big words and makes silly puns, and she’s well aware that what she’s doing is kind of dumb, but she can’t stop herself from doing it. I do the same thing. There were so many things that made me feel a kinship with the character, that I felt that whether or not it was me, she deserved whoever it was that played her be willing to understand her. I think it would be easy to go very goofy with her, or read her the wrong way, and I was afraid that if it was the wrong actor, they wouldn’t be true to this amazing character.”

In her first meeting with Will Gluck, Stone found that the two of them were very much in synch about the character. “Will told me he wasn’t looking for someone to become Olive,” explains Stone. “He was looking for someone that was Olive, because Olive becomes whoever is playing her. I understood that there was no becoming this girl. You either were or weren’t Olive. I’m so thankful that they gave me the chance.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Easy A” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 25, 2010

ANDREW GARFIELD interview for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Before he conquers the big screen as the new Spider-Man in 2012, young actor Andrew Garfield can be seen in Columbia Pictures' acclaimed drama “The Social Network,” the controversial film detailing the Harvard dorm room origins of social media megasite Facebook.

Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook with fellow Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg. The two were former best friends but deviated as Facebook became immensely successful and eventually parted ways.

The actor-on-the-rise talks about “The Social Network” in the following interview:

Q: How tricky was it to portray Eduardo Saverin with the story of Facebook still being written?

Andrew Garfield: It's rare that a subject is tackled immediately after its conception, but we had a script and Aaron Sorkin [the screenwriter] researched the story very well. I find it very interesting that it was told from multiple perspectives and no one was portrayed right or wrong.

Q: Given director David Fincher’s exacting reputation, what was your experience of working on “The Social Network?”

Garfield: It was just the greatest, really. The amount of trust that you feel for him, that you can place all of your trust in him if you’re a fan of his work. Which I am, I’m a fan of all of his movies so I love his taste and I love the performances that he gets from people. You can let go in a scene, and you don’t have to worry about doing what you want to do because you know that whatever he’s got in mind is going to be better than what you want to do. He does do a lot of takes.

Q: The lore is that he often gets up in the 70s.

Garfield: Oh, yeah. Every time. But it’s the best, the most freeing filming experience I’ve had, and the most enjoyable filming experience I’ve ever had just because of the sheer freedom. And you leave everything there. You do the scene every single different way you could have ever done the scene. He just wants you to fuck up so that you become more alive in the moment. And we’re working on the Red cameras, it was digital, so he’ll just delete things if it doesn’t work.

It’s boring sometimes and it’s painful, but then what’s the point otherwise? I’m a total advocate of that. For young actors especially who are hungry to explore the craft of acting, and working with Aaron Sorkin’s words, and then having Fincher steering you and guiding the ship, we all kind of wanted to savor every moment.

Q: Did you get to spend much time with [co-star] Justin Timberlake?

Garfield: Yeah, such a good guy. At first I was very intimated because he has this iconic status. Which is such a weird thing for a human being to have. He’s just a good person, genuinely funny, engaging, warm, supportive. Very generous. That was one of the other great things, there was no competitiveness between any of the actors on the set.

Q: Really? I’m surprised. I would think that because of the nature of the story that that would actually help the dynamic onscreen.

Garfield: Yeah, David Fincher was pitting us against each other in the scenes. But outside of that, he cast a group of people that got on very well. Everyone felt very lucky to be there, so that permeated the feeling on set. But Justin was amazing, and great to work with, and I love Jesse Eisenberg so much.

Q: Did you guys get any time together off set? Go to ball games or anything?

Garfield: Yeah. We did. Me and Jesse, after Boston we were shooting in Baltimore for four days, and we spent Halloween in Baltimore on our own hanging around this awful shopping mall with a Hard Rock Café and a Cheesecake Factory and a Borders. And then we saw a Ravens game. We saw a Celtics game when we were in Boston, which was amazing. And Jesse got the green clover drawn on his face. He has all these different personality facets. He’s so smart and so funny and so cerebral and neurotic and vulnerable. But then very defensive and then kind of stupid and irreverent. But mostly funny, and can turn any situation into something Seinfeldian. He may differ with this because he’s a contrarian, but I feel like our relationship reflected the best friends thing during shooting. For me, anyway.
(Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 27, “The Social Network” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.)

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 23, 2010

THE WEDDING SINGER MANILA review

after a long wait, 9 Works Theatrical has finally nailed THE WEDDING SINGER The Musical! the hit movie from 1998 starring Adam Sandler which got to Broadway is now in Philippine theater! it runs today October 23 until November 14 so you don't have to miss it.

starring Gian Magdangal who plays Robbie Hart very effectively. with his preppy look, the 80s isn't so far from his character. Iya Villaña playing Julia is as sweet as Drew Barrymore. Robbie Guevarra and Santi Santamaria knew it right that Iya is perfect for the role. even Nikki Valdez has done well as Holly. i never knew that she could move and sing like that. these three has done excellent in their own fields on television but you have to take a look at what they do in the theater! especially Iya, with her sweet image on TV, being in the musical is somewhat effortless.

get back into the 80's with the colors and the choreography. have a rock musical experience with the songs that can get easily in your head. the moves will really take you to memory lane with 80s icons Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper. this musical will also surprise Filipinos. with just around 2 months preparation of the choreography, they have done it really well.

i also loved the stage and how it transitions from scene to scene. the abstract squares and rectangles are used very well. though it is different from one scene, it always look like another wallpaper.

the only thing that i wished to be improved is the sound system in Meralco Theater. the echoes fill the auditorium so you may not catch clearly the songs.

THE WEDDING SINGER opens today, October 23 at the Meralco Theater. see ticket information here.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 22, 2010

HARRY POTTER 7 banners revealed!

Warner Bros. recently revealed seven new character banners to promote the upcoming fantasy adventure “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1”


The individual banners feature the characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Lord Voldemort, Severus Snape, Bellatrix Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback.

In the film, as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.



Meanwhile, the following is Warner Bros.' official statement regarding the format of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1”:

Warner Bros. Pictures has made the decision to release “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” in 2D, in both conventional and IMAX theaters, as we will not have a completed 3D version of the film within our release date window. Despite everyone’s best efforts, we were unable to convert the film in its entirety and meet the highest standards of quality. We do not want to disappoint fans who have long anticipated the conclusion of this extraordinary journey, and to that end, we are releasing our film day-and-date on November 18, 2010, as planned. We, in alignment with our filmmakers, believe this is the best course to take in order to ensure that our audiences enjoy the consummate “Harry Potter” experience.

Producer David Heyman said, “For 10 years, we have worked alongside Alan Horn and the studio, whose priority has always been to preserve the integrity of Jo Rowling’s books as we have adapted them to the screen, and this decision reflects that commitment.”

Director David Yates added, “This decision, which we completely support, underscores the fact that Warner Bros. has always put quality first.”

As scheduled, on July 15, 2011, we will deliver to conventional and IMAX theaters our final installment of the film franchise, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” in both 2D and 3D formats.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 21, 2010

TAKERS sneak peek: photos, trailer

A group of high-living young criminals bankroll their extravagant lifestyle with a series of painstakingly planned bank robberies while a dedicated police officer makes it his personal mission to stop them in Columbia Pictures' taut, edge-of your seat crime thriller “Takers.” After years of meticulously planned heists, the crew is convinced by one of their own to risk it all for one last big score, but pulling off the job of a lifetime with a dogged detective and a vicious rival gang on their tail is a tall order, even for these seasoned pros.

A recent No. 1 box-office hit in the U.S., “Takers” stars Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, Tip “T.I.” Harris, with Chris Brown and Hayden Christensen.

In the film, longtime friends Gordon Betts (Elba), John Rahway (Walker), A.J. (Christensen), and the Attica brothers, Jake (Ealy) and Jesse (Brown) finance an extravagant lifestyle filled with hot cars, hotter women and unlimited cash by staging high stakes bank robberies. They avoid being caught by planning to the tiniest detail, leaving no clues and pulling off one—and only one—job per year.

Their latest successful caper, a $2 million heist, attracts the attention of LAPD Detective Jack Welles (Dillon), an old-school cop who has sacrificed his marriage, his child and any semblance of a personal life for the job. Despite a lack of support from the department, Welles is determined to track down the elusive gang before they strike again.

As the crew celebrates their latest daring robbery in a chic downtown cocktail lounge, Ghost (T.I.), a former comrade-in-arms recently released from prison, drops in with an irresistible proposal. The only member of the crew arrested for an earlier job, Ghost says he has a plan that will net each of them enough money to hang up their ski masks forever: the robbery of an armored car carrying over $12 million. But it has to happen in five days or the opportunity will evaporate.

Although doing another job right away goes against the crew’s strict rules of conduct, the lure of all that money proves too great and they decide to risk a daring daylight hold-up on a crowded downtown Los Angeles street. With just a few days to prepare, the crew sets in motion an intricate scheme that unknowingly puts them on a collision course with a group of ruthless Russian mobsters.

In the meantime, Welles is unraveling a complex web of evidence that takes him from a small time arms dealer to the Russians and finally… crew leader Gordon Betts. With the clock ticking down, ancient rivalries, unexpected double-crosses, unknown enemies and just plain bad luck complicate the plan, resulting in a deadly showdown no one saw coming.


Opening soon across the Philippines, “Takers” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

follow JESSE EISENBERG in Facebook

Jesse Eisenberg has de-friended his inner Mr. Nice Guy.

After years playing sweet, earnest and awkward in movies such as “Adventureland” and “Zombieland,” the actor has shown a more sinister side with his ruthless portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the critically acclaimed “The Social Network” from Columbia Pictures.

Critical hosannas for the role may lead to an Oscar nomination, and the high-profile part is helping the boyish 27-year-old transition from "Hey, it's that guy" to a household name. But some signature halting nervousness comes into Eisenberg's voice when he talks about reactions he has gotten after screenings of the film.

"We do these question-and-answer sessions, and some people say, 'Why ... wha ... I was so turned off by your character. He was such a jerk. Why — why would you want to play this character?' " he says, repeating the stammering indignation. "There are these almost aggressive condemnations."

"The real other extreme is, 'I just wanted to give him a hug through the whole movie. I just felt so bad for him' — this is my mother talking," Eisenberg jokes. "But other people, too. 'The kid was so desperate to connect and just doesn't know how to. He's so lonely.' "

Even the visuals in the film try to underline that. Director "David Fincher practically composed the movie that way, with him behind panes of glass, in corners of rooms, framing him in a way that makes him look more isolated," Eisenberg says.

One personal reaction the actor hasn't received is from Zuckerberg himself, who did not cooperate with the filmmakers or meet Eisenberg prior to the shooting.

The script, by “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin, explores the fractured friendships and allegiances between Zuckerberg and a handful of fellow Harvard students who in 2004 helped create Facebook, now estimated to be worth $33 billion.

On “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Zuckerberg dismissed the film with a smile: "The last six years have been a lot of coding and focus and hard work, but you know, maybe it would be fun to remember it as partying and all this crazy drama." Zuckerberg was on the show to discuss a $100 million donation to Newark's troubled school system, which took place on the day of the movie's premiere — something widely regarded as an effort to burnish the back-stabbing image depicted in the film.

Eisenberg is inclined to go easier on Zuckerberg. "What he did was so incredibly generous," the actor says. "To attribute it to anything else seems mean-spirited and cynical."

It may be the only time he goes easy on Zuckerberg. Though Eisenberg didn't set out to attack, he plays the young CEO-to-be as brilliant but revoltingly condescending and lacking even a modicum of tact.

That's before the story even gets rolling.

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 27, “The Social Network” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads and at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH to join fan contests.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 20, 2010

TRON Night: an IMAX 3D experience

The Philippines will take part in Walt Disney Pictures' global event “TRON Night: An IMAX 3D Experience” on Thursday, Oct. 28 at the IMAX Theaters of SM North EDSA and SM Cebu.

Simultaneously scheduled in IMAX cinemas worldwide, “TRON Night” will gives audiences the chance to see more than 20 minutes of never-before-seen 3D footage from Disney's upcoming film, “TRON: Legacy,” a 3D high-tech action-adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen.

"It's exciting to offer fans an early, exclusive 3D preview of `TRON: Legacy' in the ultimate of formats. We can't wait for audiences around the world to experience the visually stunning and cutting-edge world that director Joe Kosinski has created," said Sean Bailey, President of Production, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, is equally enthusiastic. "We are ecstatic that the Disney team and the `TRON: Legacy' filmmakers elected to debut this amazing footage exclusively in our network of theaters," said Foster. "This first-look in IMAX 3D is the most immersive way to bring audiences into the world of `TRON: Legacy' and kick-off the countdown to the film's highly-anticipated launch."

If you're from Metro Manila or Cebu and you have a Facebook account, find out how you can win tickets to “TRON Night” by visiting the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/waltdisneystudiosph. Promo period is until Oct. 22 only.

In “TRON: Legacy,” Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years.

Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Qora (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, “TRON: Legacy” will open across the country in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular formats.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

MILLA JOVOVICH goes drama in STONE

As Milla Jovovich is best known for her starring role in the futuristic action franchise “Resident Evil,” audiences are in for a huge surprise with her latest project – the provocative drama, “Stone” which will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Trinoma, Glorietta 4 & Greenbelt 3) starting Oct. 27.

In the film, convicted arsonist Gera'd `Stone' Creeson (Edward Norton) looks to manipulate correctional officer Jack Mabry (Robert De Niro) into a plan to secure his parole by placing his beautiful wife Lucetta (Jovovich) in the lawman's path.

Producer Jordan Schur says, “This is a real star turn for Milla. The character has edge. She is compromised in multiple ways. It's a real departure. It took real courage and tremendous talent to approach the role the way she has, and I think she is going to enjoy accolades within the film community.”


After headlining three installments in the futuristic action franchise “Resident Evil,” Jovovich was eager to take on a role that would allow audiences to see her in a different light. Lucetta's complexities and contradictions provided exactly the sort of challenge the actress was looking for. “On the one hand, she's an innocent,” says Jovovich. “On the other, she's very sexual. Put these two elements together and you get a really wild character who's living life every day to its fullest. In contrast to these two men who are always thinking, she doesn't think, she just does.

“Lucetta's relationship with Stone is very passionate,” continues Jovovich. “He's in control, but at the same time he's been in prison for eight years, so she's had to make her own way. She's trying to get her husband out of prison, but once he goes through his spiritual experience, she doesn't recognize the man that she fell in love with. The man she worked so hard to get out is not the man that comes out in the end.

Jovovich's unique blend of innocence and sophistication captivated the filmmakers at her first audition for the role, says producer Holly Wiersma. “She can be as playful and fun as any teenager one moment, and then, in a flash, demonstrate the maturity of a grown woman.”

Director John Curran was impressed by the supermodel-turned-actress' nonchalant attitude about her looks. “Milla made me laugh in her audition,” he says. “More than anyone we saw, she understood the contradictions in Lucetta and had the most fun teasing out every side of her.”

Her character's easy sexuality did not come easily to Jovovich. “I have some crazy scenes in this movie, she reveals. “As an actor, you often walk in shoes that you would never wear otherwise, and it can be difficult, especially in a movie like this where I had multiple sex scenes with different men. At times, I found myself really upset by the end of the day. John gave me so much support and that was very important to me. When you're putting yourself out there as a woman, in the way that I do in this movie, it's so important to trust that the director really knows what he wants and knows how he's going to cut it together in the end so it's never gratuitous and the nuances remain intact.”

Her dedication did not go unnoticed by her co-workers. “Milla had a very difficult task in creating this character,” says De Niro. “And she really did a great job. She totally committed.”

The caliber of her co-stars also saw her through some of her more difficult moments. “Working with Edward Norton and Robert De Niro was just one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had,” she says. “They put so much passion into their work. Edward is a highly intelligent, highly articulate, and very generous person. Robert is an icon and an amazing actor, but he's also a very sweet family-oriented guy.”

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 19, 2010

Kristen Bell before YOU AGAIN

Fresh from the hit romantic comedy “When in Rome,” endearing actress Kristen Bell now stars in Touchstone Pictures' new outrageous comedy “You Again.” She plays successful PR girl Marni who heads home for her older brother’s wedding and discovers that he’s marrying her high school arch nemesis.

“This is a story about people who find their way to a place of forgiveness and acceptance,” says Bell. “There’s a sweetness and heart to this movie that will appeal to many different demographics, and it’s an escapist kind of comedy with some really funny things happening based in reality.”

Bell and “You Again” director Andy Fickman have had a long-standing friendship since 2001. He is the one responsible for nicknaming her K-Bell, a moniker that she happily responds to.

Fickman reveals, “I first met K-Bell when she was a student at NYU, and I cast her as the lead in ‘Reefer Madness: The Musical.’ We went through the highs and lows of rehearsing and opening during the tragic events of 9/11, since our theater, Variety Arts, was located behind the red zone. Because we were in the heart of the incident, it bonded all of us further.”

Reflecting on their friendship that has inspired both of their creative sides, he continues, “When K-Bell moved to Los Angeles, we did a very successful musical called ‘Sneaux,’ and then for Showtime, we filmed ‘Reefer Madness: The Musical Movie’ which premiered at Sundance as well as winning an Emmy® and the Premiere Jury Award at the Deauville Film Festival. We reunited again for a wonderful Breast Cancer Benefit called ‘Les Girls,’ and then she has been tremendously supportive of ‘Heathers: The Musical,’ a project I’ve been developing, by playing the lead in multiple readings.”

Why so much work together?

Director Fickman smiles, “K-Bell and I just simply click when it comes to our sense of humor; she is a wonderful muse for me.”

As for teaming on “You Again,” Fickman admits, “K-Bell and I had been looking for something to work on, so when this script came to me, I saw K-Bell in the lead. That was a major enticement.”

Regarding her relationship with Andy Fickman, Kristen Bell, whose popularity is rising thanks to her roles in such comedies as “Couples Retreat” and “When in Rome,” acknowledges, “Andy was the one who convinced me to move to Los Angeles. I don’t think I would’ve done it if I had not known him.”

As for collaborating on this comedy, Bell confesses, “I owe Andy, but man, he put me through the ringer on this movie! Marni had a variety of injuries—ant bites, falls, trips, you name it!”

With a hint of a smile, Bell wonders, “It seems like Andy enjoyed every single minute of it!”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “You Again” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

a cinematic challenge for PENN BADGLEY in EASY A

Best known for his role of Dan Humphrey in the hit series “Gossip Girl,” Penn Badgley was more than happy to take on a new character challenge with his role in Columbia Pictures' new, edgy comedy, “Easy A.” Playing the part of ‘Woodchuck Todd’ was so tempting, he arranged to fly between the west and east coasts of America to accommodate the shooting schedules for both the film and his series.

In “Easy A,” clean-cut high schooler Olive (Emma Stone) finds that her new-found bad-girl rap – courtesy of a little white lie about losing her virginity – has an upside: she is finally getting noticed. Olive decides to exploit her "easy" reputation and use the school rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing. But life starts to spin hilariously out of control, and there is only one boy, Todd (Badgley), who sees through her vixen veneer to the heart of it.

Laying out the role’s particular appeal to Badgley, director Will Gluck explains, “The first time we meet Penn, his face and body are all painted blue. The second and third time you meet him, he’s in a woodchuck costume. The sixth time you meet him, he’s wearing a lobster hat. It’s not what you expect from Penn Badgley.”

“It really does run the gamut,” agrees Badgley, “and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to play the part. Ideally, for most of the film, you don’t really know what my character is doing in the movie, but it all makes perfect sense at the end. I had a lot of fun being the strange, irreverent guy who does these seemingly inconsequential things throughout the movie, but what made me really want to play the role, was the substance and importance of the character. It’s not necessarily a complicated role, but it’s one that could be easily misconstrued and played inappropriately if taken in the wrong direction.”

Adds Gluck, “There are certain guys in high school that can be the mascot, can hang out with the athletes, can hang out with the nerds. Todd is the kind of guy who straddles all those different subsets of high school and kind of skates through.”

“Yeah, he just does it,” agrees Badgley. “But I think it’s more than just being an agreeable sort of character. He’s like ‘I’m a teenager, I’m living in Ojai, I’m just waiting to go to college and for my life to begin.’ I think that’s the way he feels, and he’s having fun while he does it. If everyone else thinks he looks like an idiot for doing what he does, it doesn’t matter. Even though everything I’m doing as the character is theoretically really dumb and humiliating, hopefully I’m doing it with enough dignity that makes it sort of cool.”

Speaking of humiliation, in the pivotal finale scene, Badgley found himself back in blue paint, and in the woodchuck costume at the same time, and eventually, shirtless. “It’s already sort of a miserable feeling having the body paint on that’s clogging your pores and feels claustrophobic, and then to have the woodchuck costume on top of that,” says the actor. “I was shirtless in the scene, so the seams were rubbing against the skin. It was really hot in the costume, and production had to turn the air conditioning off for the scene. There was a lot of sweating, and in each take I’d have to run around, throw things into the crowd, yell and scream, have the costume ripped off, and then pick Emma up and join in the dance. It was a long, arduous process.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Easy A” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 18, 2010

ROBERT DOWNEY JR almost lost his mind in DUE DATE



In Warner Bros.’ new comedy “Due Date,” Robert Downey Jr. is Peter Highman, an architect on his way back to L.A. from a business trip in Atlanta. He’s on a tight schedule because his wife is expecting their first child and the date is all set. Everything is fine until he gets tangled up at the airport with a wannabe actor named Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) who somehow gets the both of them booted off the plane and grounded for the foreseeable future.

Stranded without cash, credit, ID or time, Peter finds himself in the galling position of having to hitch a ride home with a guy he’d rather take a swing at—Ethan. The person he holds responsible for his predicament in the first place is now behind the wheel of a rental car and offering him the passenger seat.

Though clearly not his best option, it’s Peter’s only option.

At first grateful for the company, Ethan soon learns that his tightly wound traveling companion is not going to be any fun at 20 Questions, nor generally receptive to the concept of going with the flow. Meanwhile, Peter realizes he’s just joined forces with a guy who can casually ruin his life in more ways than he could ever imagine.

“If there really was somebody like Ethan around, he’d have been strangled in his sleep long ago,” Downey attests. “He’s like a laser beam that focuses on the one thing that will drive you crazy the most, the kind of guy who will eat a whole plate of waffles before mentioning he’s allergic to waffles. I’m sure a lot of people know someone like this, someone who is perfectly wired to activate all of their irritation buttons.”

Granted, Peter has a short fuse to begin with. “He’s kind of an edgy, controlling, judgmental guy with some anger-management issues. And who better to help him explore those issues than Ethan Tremblay? High-strung as he is normally, Peter is now facing the birth of his first child and is thrown into this nightmare, so it’s all amped up,” Downey adds.

Peter may come across like a self-assured, aggressive control freak but, says co-screenwriter Adam Sztykiel, “You sense that his behavior comes from an emotional place and from issues he has yet to work out, that are revealed in the story. Not far beneath the alpha male posture is his own vulnerability and how terrified he is to be responsible for a child.”

“As a parent,” Downey offers, “I know the big question is how are you going to manage and protect something that you have no experience with?”

Playing on that theme were co-screenwriters Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland. “Peter’s comfort zone is when he’s in control. And everything that happens in this movie is about losing control; from his inability to get back home to the larger issue of his impending fatherhood—and whether or not he’s ready for it,” Cohen says.

“We wanted to put him into a situation where he had to travel across the country with someone who was effectively a child,” adds Freedland.

Not that it would lessen Peter’s pain, stress and frustration if he knew it might be pain, stress and frustration with a purpose. Still…

“When I read the script, I was moved,” recalls executive producer Susan Downey. “It’s so funny and yet so human. You want a comedy to have that grounding, in the way that you want a drama to have some humor. In ‘Due Date,’ though his experience with Ethan, Peter finds his human side and gets ready for the birth of his own child. It’s about him becoming a man before becoming a father.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Due Date” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

Enchanted Kingdom opens EKstreme Tower Ride!

to mark the Crystal Anniversary of the world-class Philippine theme park, Enchanted Kingdom has finally opened the EK EKstreme Tower Ride! a 150-feet tall attraction located in Midway Boardwalk.

Enchanted Kingdom Executives Mario and Cynthia Mamon is joined by Laguna bureaucrats Governor George Ejercito and Maita Ejercito, Mayor of Pagsanjan, to formally open the EKstreme Tower Ride.


get the excitement rising as you elevate 150-feet off the ground, seeing a lot of the Sta.Rosa land in Laguna. then as you reach Eldar the Wizard's hat that sits on top of the tower, hold your breath to a sudden fall. watch the video here:


the ride is visible from the South Luzon Expressway as you pass by Sta. Rosa. almost like the Space Needle but Eldar's Wizard hat sits on top of it. 12 people can sit roundabout the tower and are secured with shoulder shields that lock in when pulled down. additional belt strap in front of you so that the shoulder shields are really secured. reach for Eldar's hat high above as the tower glows at night.

i have tried it and it is hair-raising! the speed of the drop down the tower is about 75km/h which is relatively fast. it feels like you are suspended in mid-air with nothing to protect you. you will surely come back for more! the entrance to EKstreme Tower Ride is sold separately at Php 100 from the admission.

also in line with the 15th Anniversary of EK is the display of fireworks for the Asia Sky Wizardry competition. Asian countries compete for the best pyro display in the skies of Enchanted Kingdom. this has started on October 2 2010 and will have the finals next week already on October 23. see this rare attraction at Space Port area. last night, 2 competitors enthralled everyone with the lights and colors of the fireworks synch-ed in the Enchanted Kingdom theme song:


visit Enchanted Kingdom because the magic still continues for more years.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

October 14, 2010

NetSuite localizes program for Philippine users

NetSuite has become the leading software for business solutions and now it has made a localized version of the program for easy usage for all Filipino businesses. A consolidated program for business functions can now be accessed through the internet. All you need is a PC and an internet connection and you can now track records of your business in NetSuite.com/NetSuitePH.

NetSuite simplifies the business data access in one program from a hairball setting. hairballs create errors and delays in transactions. Also, you can track Finance and Accounting management tab of your account to monitor all transaction cycles. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relations Management) data can also be accessed in NetSuite so you don't have to spend a lot of money in hiring consultants and people.

Software issues were raised in the press conference held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel on October 14, 2010. According to NetSuite President and CEO, Zach Nelson, the software is guaranteed safe from hacks and viruses after its long study. the software is customized for Philippine business setting. Multinational companies like Jollibee and ICF@FEU has been using it for years and has minimized expenses and they have set their goals faster than ever. Cost for operations and IT expenses have been minimized by up to 75%. The NetSuite is tested for its efficiency and speed without worrying on the data.

ICF@FEU has used NetSuite in their academic and administrative tasks. People from the administration can look out for the operational tasks and also students can check on their grades wherever they are. The NetSuite program is also mobile and can be accessed even on iPhone browsers, all you need is an internet connection.

Business cloud computing in NetSuite Philippines has no issues with the BIR regulations. all transactions are designed with the BIR transaction assignments that will not confuse with other money cycles and tax management. With a special feature inside the NetSuite, you can process your ITR forms and print it straight from your PC when you need it for BIR requirements.

Aside from the data for your business inside the NetSuite page, you can also insert other RSS feeds so you can get an update in the news, weather conditions, etc. Graphic presentations can also be understood in the NetSuite so you can track the growth of your business from time to time.

Since some Philippines go international, language barriers is not an issue with NetSuite. Like social networking sites, NetSuite has a translation function that changes the language them from international English to the native tongue. So if you have colleagues in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia or China, they can also monitor your business.

Try out NetSuite program. This is also can be used by SMEs. They can have a comprehensive list of data to check on the operations like warehousing, supply management, in-house transactions and deliveries. Customer service is also manageable with the NetSuite program. Globalization is at hand with NetSuite.

Want to receive more stuff from me? Enter your email address and click the button:

Popular Posts