ERICH GONZALES as CORAZON: Ang Unang Aswang

fans of Erich Gonzales and Derek Ramsay are in for a scare in the upcoming movie, Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang. the movie is set to give way to Filipino fiction and will open on March 14 2012 in theaters nationwide.

the movie is about a couple who lives in a very simple area far from modernization and other signs of civilization. in a very desperate time, Corazon (Erich Gonzales) had turned back from God and sold herself to evil. thus, making all the horrors of revenge to people around them. Daniel (Derek Ramsay) makes his way to protect his feelings to Corazon despite what had happened to her. this will also expose viewers of what Filipinos believe in older times -- tiyanak, tikbalangs and the like.

Erich Gonzales and Derek Ramsay

shot in Baras, Rizal, director Richard Somes also narrated that Corazon and Daniel's home were just made from scratch and the story was inspired by different folklores in the Philippines. he himself almost believed in the existence of such creatures which were not really believed today.

the movie is intentionally dark. as what the director has said but to give justice in the despair of our lead characters. he even regarded the good acting skills by his stars, Erich and Derek, being professional and executes their roles well.

a tale of contrasting feelings and beliefs await audiences and fans of Erich Gonzales and Derek Ramsay in the premiere of their latest movie, Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang. filmed by Skylight Films, a new movie arm of ABS-CBN, coming March 14, 2012 in theaters nationwide.

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Ateneo BlueRep's BARE: A POP OPERA review

Ateneo Blue Repertory makes their debut show outside of the campus with the 2012 rendition of Bare: A Pop Opera at Teatrino in Greenhills, San Juan City. the show runs from March 1 - 10, 2012 with 3PM and 7PM shows. this is directed by Ana Abad Santos based on the book by Jon Hartmere, Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo.

this is a story of 2 students, Jason and Peter, who are closet lovers inside a Catholic school. Peter (Bibo Reyes) may have wanted to get out of the open but Jason (Jaime Barcelon) stops him from doing so. alone, they do what they have to do -- express their love to each other. Jason really loves Peter but he struggles to protect his manly image. he is chased by girls and he doesn't want to disappoint his parents.

Bibo Reyes (Peter) and Jaime Barcelon(Jason)

to cut the story short, everything will be out in the open. with proper timing and acceptance of themselves, things will eventually work out right.

if you're going to watch the musical, the ensemble is good and there's a quite good set-up on the stage. cathedral-like, giving you the idea of Catholicism and being dogmatic of these types of schools. quite contrary to what's happening on our characters, where this kind of relationships happen. Ateneo, a known Catholic school in the Philippines, had embraced on this reality and i think it's a good decision to give BlueRep the liberty in choosing their productions and their students as well. substance comes first, if i may put it that way.

the songs are also nice. and you have to watch our for Sr. Chantelle and the Virgin Mary. Rem Zamora is powerful! his characters burst out the best lines i heard in the musical. praise be to him!

our main characters, Bibo and Jaime also did well. though i cannot find much of that chemistry portraying the lovers Peter and Jason. they can sing and act all right, however i think passion and engagement between them should be improved. Ivy (Maronne Cruz) and Fat Nadia (Cassie Manalastas) are also two ladies that can give out their character well.

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I'm a LORAX buddy

i was straddling along Promenade in Greenhills. wasting time waiting for a show to start. it seemed like i was looking for something until i found myself in Powerbooks. entering the bookstore was a showcase of good reads. atlases, novels, story books and even journals. there are also quite of colorful comics and books for the children.

but still i didn't know what i was searching for. i got out of Powerbooks, a little walk and i found a fluffy orange creature sending the cheers to everyone passing by it.

me and THE LORAX!

i found the Lorax and i got more intrigued to see it on the screens. other than that cute, fluffy, orange creature, it was also developed by Dr. Seuss -- the sensible author that gives life advises through a subliminal approach on children stories, teaching very important lessons in life.

the Lorax is about the story of a lovable protector of the environment. maintaining its job, he should stop the Once-ler chopping down a Truffula tree for some urban progress. this tree is also searched by Ted to give to his love of his life, Audrey.

Danny Devito lends his voice as the Lorax. joining him are Zac Efron (Ted) and Taylor Swift (Audrey) to share the story that will open our eyes on the bigger important of nature to human and other nature existence.

Danny Devito as the Lorax

catch The Lorax on theaters starting March 14, 2012. it is also available in 3D format brought to us by Universal Pictures and distributed in the Philippines by Solar Entertainment.

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EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE review

reading some online reviews agree to my sentiments on the movie Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. starring Thomas Horn (Oskar Schell), Sandra Bullock (Linda Schell) and Tom Hanks (Thomas Schell) who are based in New York in the time of a terrorist attack.

the movie is adapted from a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer of the same title about a kid who is in search of reconnection to his deceased father. the idea was to solve the mystery of a key he found in the closet of his father. this took his time to search for clues that will make sense of the key. i've noticed that rather than he goes to school everyday, he had developed his ability to lie to the adults around him. parents, don't tolerate this attitude from your kids. in fact, at the time he was really really mad at his mother, i was waiting for Sandra Bullock to give him 2 slaps in the face. the very annoying character failed to get the sympathy from the audience but increased my hate for Oskar. his name is perfect for him -- Oskar the grouch.

what to like in this movie? you have Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, two Academy Award-winning actors who played the parents of Oskar who were very supportive to their kid. you will also be travelling across New York with clues also rising your interest on how he will be able to solve the mystery of the key. well, Oskar may be very diligent and intelligent at the same time, but i just can't stand how he'd speak to adults like that.

catch Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, an Oscar-nominated movie that will be screened in the Philippines starting February 29 2012. brought to us by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Entertainment company.

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OSCARS 2012 complete list of winners

congratulations to the winners of the 84th Academy Awards! here is the complete list of winners:

Best Picture - The Artist
Actor in a Leading Role - Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Actress in a Leading Role - Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Actor in a Supporting Role - Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Actress in a Supporting Role - Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Animated Feature Film - Rango
Cinematography - Hugo
Art Direction - Hugo (Dante Ferreti - Production Design / Francesca Lo Schiavo - Set Decoration
Costume Design - Mark Bridges (The Artist)
Directing - Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Documentary Feature - Undefeated
Documentary Short - Saving Face
Film Editing - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Foreign Language Film - A Separation (Iran)
Make Up - Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland (The Iron Lady)
Music (Original Score) - Ludovic Bource (The Artist)
Original Song - "Man or Muppet" by Bren McKenzie (The Muppets)
Animated Short Film - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Live Action Short Film - The Shore
Sound Editing - Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty (Hugo)
Sound Mixing - Tom Fleischman and John Midgley (Hugo)
Visual Effects - Rob Legato, Josh Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning (Hugo)
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (The Descendants)
Writing (Original Screenplay) - Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)

The Artist bagged 5 awards in total tied with Hugo. The Iron Lady with 2 awards. Christopher Plummer received his first Oscar at the age of 82 making him the oldest person to receive the golden statue.

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Lent in the Philippines 2012

the Philippines is known for being the country with the most Catholics in South East Asia. aside from celebrating the world's longest Christmas, devotees of the Catholic church display the gesture of remembering the Passion of the Christ in the 40 days of lent. an obvious example is the array of images portraying the scenes of the Passion and the key characters that lived in the Gospel days.

in an exhibit at Sta. Lucia East Mall in Cainta, Rizal, life-size images are displayed in this fashion:

Scenes from The Way of the Cross

Christ

Mary

these wooden or ivory images are adorned with elegant clothes and accessories made of brass which are included in processions during the Holy Week.

you can find the other photos in my Facebook page but you can check them out for yourself at the exhibit at Sta. Lucia East Mall. the exhibit runs whole lent before Holy Week (April 1-8, 2012). you can write your petitions at the papers beside every image and donations are also accepted.

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3RD PYROMUSICAL COMPETITION: Great Britain - Spain

it's the greatest show in the skies of Manila every year. and i was thankful to my friend Ana who treated me to see 2 of the participants in this year's 3rd Pyromusical Competition happening every Saturday from February 11 to March 17, 2012. as 13 countries including the Philippines. and i got to see Great Britain and Spain compete for the championship title.

Great Britain entry

there were a lot of expectators, of course, that mobbed the SM Mall of Asia grounds. though there is an entrance fee, that didn't stop the people from coming in.

next is the entry from Spain which awed me a lot. the synchronization of the lights to the music accompaniment delighted everyone.

Spain entry

they also conduct voting for your favorite entry. just key in PYROMOA ILIKE GB (Great Britain) or ES (Spain) and send it to 3474. you might just win a trip to the country of the winning entry in the raffle. awesome right? you can view the other photos in my Facebook account.
Ticket Prices:
Patron (with dinner) - Php 1500
VIP - Php 500
Gold - Php 300
Silver - Php 100

Schedule:
February 11 - South Korea / Malta
February 18 - Great Britain / Spain
February 25 - Finland / Portugal
March 3 - China / The Netherlands
March 10 - Australia / Canada
March 17 - Italy / Philippines

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Repertory Philippines presents JEKYLL & HYDE

i was reading the sypnosis of Repertory Philippines' upcoming musical Jekyll & Hyde and i got to admit i need to see this on stage! and i'm so excited to see it first before it opens on March 16!

i was moving away from the words that i read. scenes are very graphic and violent depicting the 2 personalities that our lead character gives. from the very nice and good Dr. Jekyll, who helps the people, transforms to the evil Mr. Hyde who kills the people is something to anticipate. the love that he expresses to his fiance Emma to the lust as what Hyde reveals to Lucy. a lot of things may happen that will not just tell a story but hit our inner selves. to determine and make judgments of ourselves.

in this production, Michael Stuart Williams (Peter Pan) and Jett Pangan (Atlantis' Next to Normal) alternates as Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde. Emma is played by Cris Villongco (Leading Ladies) and another newcomer to the Repertory Philippines, Kalila Aguilos plays Lucy.

Cris Villongco, Jett Pangan, Michael Williams, Kalila Aguilos

a repertoire of amazing songs in the exchange of feelings of our characters will capture us all listening and looking at ourselves. i really liked the rendition of "Take Me as I Am" performed by Cris Villongco (Emma) and Michael Williams (Jekyll).
and for those who are not theater-goers, "This is the Moment" was part of this production and will be performed by The Dawn member, Jett Pangan, who plays Jekyll / Hyde and a new member of Repertory Philippines as well. he'd really be very thankful for RP for giving him such a beautiful project.
Jekyll & Hyde is one of the big productions of Repertory Philippines this 2012. alongside Next Fall, Leading Ladies, Camp Rock, and Wizard of Oz that would cater to all range of audiences. Jekyll & Hyde opens on March 16, 2012 at Onstage, Greenbelt 1, the official residence of Repetory Philippines. directed by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. featuring veteran Rep actor Junix Inocian as Gabriel John Utterson.

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YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN review

little kids that talk like adults and big adults who act like kids bring the fun in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown happening February 11 to March 3 2012 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City. from 9 Works Theatrical, a musical set into a lighter mood and tone that can be appreciated by the kids.

i haven't read much of the Peanuts comics by Charles Schulz that's why i was very entertained by the lines and songs of our lovable characters Charlie Brown (Robbie Guevarra), Schroeder (Tonipet Gaba), Lucy (Carla Laforteza), Sally (Sweet Plantado), Linus (Franco Laurel) and Snoopy (Lawrence Martinez) who brought back memories of childhood and also helped us realize some facts of life in a very funny way.

the 5 kids are resemblances of people around us. Lucy, for example, uses her loud voice to give orders to have things her way. Carla Laforteza gave it a good shot being Lucy. and Snoopy, though maybe a dog, almost left behind, had some thinking that may be out of this world. and Lawrence Martinez gave it a powerful portrayal. different profiles are shown in this very wonderful musical.

they had a very nice set too. the very colorful and comic-y set transforms our casts into the very characters of the Charles Schultz hit.

indeed, happiness is present in all simple things. just learn to appreciate what you have in instances and live with it. having a pencil or maybe a brother that will take your worries away and bring you comfort.

watch the video below to give you something that you can watch out for:

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what to see at the 17th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta?

seeing it before the big day is a great experience to anticipate on what's happening at the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. this event runs from February 9 - 12 2012 at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles, Pampanga. this is often tagged as the "Weekend of Everything that Flies!" true enough, preparations are coming in one by one and i bet there's a lot to see. below is the schedule of the event:

i didn't see any hot air balloons yet but i had a glimpse of what will be available throughout the 4 fun-filled days. at the hangar, i saw two jets, a wall climbing facility by ROX, a mini-gas station by co-presentor CALTEX, and a lot of bazaars. sorry I have to do my photo-op as early as today.

CALTEX mini-gas stationthere are also some play areas for the kids like this booth from Lil Hands Crayons:

earlier on, we also had the chance to see the skydiving activity from the Philippine Air Force.

now i am excited to go back to Clark to see the new hot air balloons that will make their appearance at the 17th Philippine Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. come early because the balloons go up around 6AM. but you can enjoy the whole day with other activities and wait for the balloons to come back around 5PM. take your family and friends to see the weekend of everything that flies!

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