Star Powerhouse

There's a reason why ORO is considered part of the pool of competing movie entries for the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was as gritting as it gets, from the effectiveness of their character actors to the story that is more of a realistic battle of compromises for the common welfare such as seasonal livelihood, environmental issues, and corrupting politics.  ORO isn't just another screened tale of accounts of a crime incident and its background. Moreover, it was an imagery of what is happening here in the country – past and present.

As someone relatively unfamiliar and/or indifferent with the complex Star Wars mythology, this supposed standalone movie didn't do me any favors, especially since it was obviously made to satisfy fanboys. At the very least, The Force Awakens was completely accessible to non-fans that simply wanted an enjoyable popcorn flick (with the feeling of nostalgia as a bonus).

The group recently launched their debut Christmas album “Dakilang Hiwaga,” which includes a wide variety of songs. Also included in the album are some songs from their European Concert and Competition tour repertoire. The group aims to further cement the Filipino’s reputation of having some of the world’s most formidable musicians through this trip. The group is set to compete in the most prestigious choral singing festivals and

More than 6,700 runners participated in the second year of the Gatorade Run 11-22. The titular run, fueled by the world’s number one sports drink and organized by Runrio, aimed to promote proper hydration in the country’s fast-growing and active running communities. 

The last quarter of 2016 was a very busy but extremely exciting and fulfilling time at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET) which marked its 40th year.  A series of anniversary exhibitions and public programs celebrated the museum’s steadfast partners and new collaborators. MET’s series of anniversary exhibitions began on September with the  Brillante Mendoza: A Contemporary Filipino Filmmaker . As the museum’s first major show on the moving image, it showcased the varied video productions that have made Mendoza the award-winning filmmaker that he is today, and gave a perspective on where Philippine cinema is heading. In November, a three-part exhibition collectively called  FORTY  was launched.  These look back at the MET’s history, proudly shows off its Philippine art collection, and echoes its complementary relationship with its long-time partner, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Get ready for more heart-pounding action as the hit police procedural action drama, Hawaii Five-0, returns for an all new season on AXN this January. After a near-death experience, Steve (Alex O’Loughlin) and his investigative team face a new round of criminals out to sow mayhem in the island paradise – a mysterious vigilante who murders serial killers, a vengeful father out to avenge the death of his son, an assassin that targets environmentalists, a terror group that holds high school students hostage, and even a ragtag death cult, and more!

A short film which tackles brotherhood, parenthood and belongingness recently bagged the   Audience Choice Award   in the   Active Vista International Human Rights Film Festival   short film competition. Seymour Sanchez ‘s   Caretaker   tells the story of a new caretaker ( Rolando Inocencio ) who comes in to replace the previous keeper of a vacation house of a wealthy family. He is a single parent trying to make ends meet while taking care of his two sons ( Jomari Angeles   and   Luis Ruiz ). He meets his boss ( Raymond Riñoza ), the owner of the house, and is informed the family will be using it for the holiday. He starts cleaning the house in preparation for the family’s arrival. Meanwhile, the owner’s son ( John Paul Duray ) has other plans. The caretaker is caught off-guard when the owner’s son comes home one night, with his fraternity brothers. Moreover, the caretaker is unaware that he is in for a ...

Pinoy power reigned supreme last night as AXN crowned Filipino beauty queens Maggie Wilson-Consunji and Parul Shah winners of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5. In the gripping finale episode, Maggie and Parul arrived first at the pit stop in Bali with just minutes to spare havingsurvived challenges insix countries, 12 cities and over 12,000 kilometres, beating 10 other teams to claim the ultimate USD100,000 cash prize.

This December, Crime + Investigation Network (CI)brings the disturbing true story of Colleen Stan, the Oregon native who was abducted in 1977 and was held captive and imprisoned for up to 23 hours a day in a coffin-sized box for seven years in a documentary special.

This December, fill your weeknights with nonstop fun and laughter when the new season of World’s Funniest Videos: Top 10 Countdown premieres on Sony Channel.

The battle continues when BattleBots, the extraordinary competitive reality series that has garnered a huge following in the sport of robot combat, returns on AXN this December. This year’s playing field boasts of contestants representing four continents from around the world. From NASA engineers to expert roboticists, from garage builders to teenage students, and even past competitors, this group of hardcore robot builders will design and build robots that will face off against each other in combat in the elimination rounds until one is crowned champion.

Your Name (Japanese: 君の名は。 Hepburn: Kimi no Na wa) is a 2016 Japanese anime fantasy film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, animated by CoMix Wave Films, and distributed by Toho. It is based on Shinkai's novel of the same name, released on June 18, 2016. The characters were designed by Masayoshi Tanaka and the J-rock band Radwimps composed the music.

Mano Po 7: Chinoy (華菲人) is a Filipino film starring Richard Yap, Jean Garcia, Enchong Dee and Janella Salvador. This is the 7th offering of the Mano Po franchise from Regal Entertainment. The movie is set to center on relationship issues among the modern generation Tsinoys.

For someone who has seen #MabiningMandirigma on its gala show on its first run, to the second set a few months after...and even on its third run, it's quite inevitable not to have some memorable moments with this much acclaimed (and loved) steam punk musicale.

TOP FIVE REASONS TO WATCH THE DIGITALLY REMASTERED EDITION OF MAGIC TEMPLE ON THEATERS “Buto, kalansay, tabi-tabi po sa bangkay. Lulubog, lilitaw sasaradong hukay”  For those who grew up in 90s who are not familiar with these witty lyrics, I really do not know what kind of childhood you had but kidding aside, Magic Temple is truly an iconic film of 1996 which dominated the Metro Manila Film Festival bagging all the major awards including the Best Film, Best Cinematography and more.

It wasn't as good as The Little Mermaid, but it was fine enough to keep the little kids in their cinema seats. There were just so many long stretches where I felt like nothing much was really happening. I really liked the gorgeous animation and it also had a good Disney princess "I Want" song (albeit that sounded vaguely familiar). I didn't feel the need to buy a stuffed toy of any of the characters after watching, though.

The Super Parental Guardians is a 2016 Philippine action comedy film starring Vice Ganda and Coco Martin. The film is directed by Joyce Bernal and is under the production of Star Cinema. The film marks the second film of Coco with Vice after their blockbuster tandem in the 2015 movie Beauty and the Bestie.

Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers is a 2016 Filipino fantasy-comedy film starring Vic Sotto. The film is the tenth movie installment based on the television sitcom Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!. The film was announced on August 2016 with Marlon N. Rivera and Tony Y. Reyes attached as directors

Asian entertainment channel GEM is holding an online call to search for talented individuals in Asia who can sing in Japanese.  The winner of the search will represent GEM in Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV)’s singing competition show I Can Sing in Japanese!in Tokyo next year.

The Ballet Manila's Cinderella lead cast Whenever the Holiday season arrives, the most common show that comes to mind is “The Nutcracker”. This time around, Ballet Manila has challenged itself by presenting a not-so-traditional Christmas treat that surely delights both the kids and the once-kids. They surely proved it was worth the try.

Sky Cable has become the biggest and most leading cable television provider in the Philippines since 1992. With over two decades in the industry, they continuously improving their service for their customer’s own delight.

“Enteng Kabisote” will always be associated with Vic Sotto. Definitely, it’s one of the ace comedian’s most-loved characters on screen. Over the years, it has successfully built a cult following among a diverse range of viewers especially children. The material’s box-office appeal is like vintage wine which gets even better in the passing of times.

“Tribute to the Philippines is a present I want to offer to the Filipino people after spending 3 years as a diplomat and artist in this country”. This is how Raoul Imbach, Deputy head of Mission at the Swiss Embassy in Manila as well as Composer / Performer with his group Raoul & the Wild tortillas describes the album launched on November 24th 2016 at the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila.

Season 3 of the hit survival series, Alone, premieres on December 14, every Wednesday at 9:00 pm on HISTORY. The new season takes the series to the next level as the most qualified group of hardcore survivalists face new challenges unlike those seen in the past seasons as they put to the test their capability and ingenuity to survive in a remote South American region with one mission - to stay alive. There are no camera crews, no teams, and no gimmicks. At stake is a $500,000 cash prize awarded to the person who can last the longest. Equipped only with limited gear, their wilderness experience, and cameras to self-document their journeys, these brave and self-confident 7 men and 3 women are completely separated from one another. To survive, they must hunt for food, find water, build shelters, and fend off deadlier predators, from wild boars to vicious rodents, while experiencing unpredictable weather conditions in a new and remote location. The harsh conditions of the cold and...

Armand Ferrer as Emilio Aguinaldo | (c) Kurt Copon Tanghalang Pilipino is on its 30th theatrical season and for its mid – season offering is the acclaimed and multi – awarded Mabining Mandirigma a steampunk musical from Dr. Nicanor Tiongson’s narrative entitled “Mabining Mandirigma (The Gentle Warrior)”.

On October 3, 1976, forty years ago, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET) opened its doors to the public for the first time. The inaugural show featured an impressive exhibition of paintings and sculptures from Europe and the US. Since then, the MET has mounted more than 400 exhibitions, showcasing the art of the Philippines and other cultures around the world, in various forms and contexts.

Get ready for the ride of your life as Ryan Agoncillo gets back on the road in Season 2 of Cash Cab Philippines premiering November 17, Thursday at 8.30pm. Cash Cab Season 2 takes you on a wild and exciting journey with celebrity guests including Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez, Epy and Ronnie Quizon, Iza Calzado and Ben Wintle and the Philippine teams from The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 – beauty queens Maggie Wilson-Consunhi and Parul Shah, and married couple Eric and Rona Samson-Tai.

This holiday season, experience the joy and the true meaning of Christmas as 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live join forces again presenting the long-running acclaimed show A Christmas Carol: The Musical from the award winning team of Lynn Ahrens and Alan Menken.

ASOP Interpreters The fifth season of the much awaited ASOP (A Song of Praise) Music Festival concluded remarkably last November 7 at the Big Dome Araneta. The entire coliseum was jam packed by thousands of audiences from different parts of the country who went there just to witness their personal bets and to give their all-out support for their idols. ASOP Music Festival is the only song writing festival in the Philippine television where participants are encouraged to write song of praises.

For someone like me who grew up in the 90s and If I will be asked to rank my favorite movies or tv shows when I was kid, The Addams Family is definitely one of the shows that I wouldn’t mind putting on top of my chart. The impact of either the film or the animated series is truly overwhelming that I still recall their iconic theme song (and that includes the funny finger snapping introduction and witty gestures). Addams Family has been adapted in different form of media.

Mulat is Dianne Ventura's first full-length feature film that was seemingly as mind-blowing as its short counterpart, TheRapist. I mean, both flicks exhibited such themes that every movie-goer will be up for a psychological ride of their respective lives.

Expect November to be a love month (well, way ahead of February; or is because of the Valentine's Day babies? LOL) as Dalanghita Productions proudly presents their offering of the year 2016 titled Tatlong Linggong Pag-Ibig starting at November 11, 2016 at the Power Mac Spotlight in Circuit, Makati City.

I understand now why Filipinos are always craving for that big change in our country. It’s because the history keeps on repeating and we are so tired of dealing with the same corrupted government. Yes, corruption and the greediness over the power and authority has been the country’s biggest dilemma even before the very first Philippine government was established! Flying voters?  Bribery?  Treason?

Sitti Navarro, singer songwriter and known as a bossa nova artist celebrates her 10th year in the music industry and her birthday as well with a concert and a single launch. The concert billed ElectroSITTI and also the name of her new album.

The country’s premier classical dance company, Ballet Manila, marks another milestone this season as it debuts another original production—Cinderella. A production that combines theatrical comedic elements, modern live special effects, and romantic classical scores, Ballet Manila’s version of Cinderella puts a lightercomical spin on the well-loved classic, whilst keeping intact all the elements that make it so magical.

About a boy that occasionally lived in a fantasy world to escape the harsh realities of his sad life that included a sick mother, a loathing grandmother, and an absentee father. The transitions between the actual world and the glorious animated landscapes were superb. I was easily drawn to the fairy tales that may or may not have been manifestations of the boy's depression.

Are you a fan of Broadway musicales ? Well, a new theater company will bring to Manila a different concept of a Christmas concert this coming holiday season. So, come and join us as we welcome ANDREW KEENAN-BOLGER in “A VERY BROADWAY CHRISTMAS IN MANILA” on December 11 – 7 pm at the newly opened BGC Arts Center located in Taguig City. For those living in the South, you can also catch this concert in Iloilo City on December 17 at the Central Philippine University’s Rose Memorial Hall.

Entries are now being accepted for the third season of Sinag Maynila Film Festival! Sinag Maynila and its featured local indie films have been gaining traction in various international film festivals—Vesoul International Asian Movies Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival among others. Under the supervision of Sinag Maynila CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng, and world-renowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Ma Mendoza, the diverse and captivating stories of the produced films garnered attention overseas.

Charlie Puth released today a brand new music video for the fan-favorite track “Dangerously,” from his 2x Platinum (Philippines) debut album NINE TRACK MIND. This release comes on the heels of Charlie’s latest summer smash “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” feat. Selena Gomez, which marked his first Top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, following hit singles, “One Call Away” and “Marvin Gaye,” feat. Meghan Trainor.

Imumulat ko lang ang mga mata ko, kapag ikaw na ang makikita ko. Inihahandog ng Artistang Artlets, ang Opisyal na Samahang Pang-teatro ng Pakultad ng Sining at Panitik ng Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas, para sa kanilang ika-36 na taon at para sa kanilang Major Production.....

Producer Monster Jimenez, Annicka Dolonius, Ana Abad Santos, Gwen Zamora, director Mario Cornejo and Sid Lucero Lovers of cinema and nature turned up at the VIP premiere of “Apocalypse Child” held on October 24 at Robinsons Galleria. The event was supported by Solar Entertainment, Jack TV, Solar Sports, with partners Crossover 105.1 FM, Robinsons Movieworld, and Rogue Magazine. Leading the group of distinguished guests was former Representative of Aurora, now Senator Sonny Angara, who was impressed with the movie. After the premiere he said, “It’s very charming. It’s well put together. The story and the music are very good.”

Last episode’s first team, Yvonne and Chloe kicked off leg three with good news – they are heading back to their homeland in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! But first, teams need to travel from Bandung to Jakarta’s Senayan City Mall to purchase their air tickets. At Garuda Indonesia’s office, the teams realize that the earliest flight to KL is the next day at 8.35am.

MusicArtes' OPERA INTIMA_ a showcase of intimate dramatic performances stages Gian Carlo Menotti's THE MEDIUM, a thriller musical drama on November 11,13,16 & 18 at the Mirror Theatre Studio in Makati.

Veteran screenwriter Ricky Lee was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Scriptwriting by the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) in New York. Lee personally received the plaque of recognition from festival director Luis Pedron last October 20 during the IFFM awards night held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York City.

In the Philippines, we kick off the Yuletide dance holiday season with the Philippine Ballet Theatre's presentation of the world's most popular classic Christmas ballet, "The Nutcracker", at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on November 18-20, 2016.

Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest-running theater company of the Ateneo De Manila University, opened its 38th season: De/Constructing Narratives with a thought-provoking play titled Boy by Anna Ziegler. Cholo Barretto portrayed the title role and he lived up to the challenge very well. There was a clear-cut line between him as the real Adam Turner and what has been an imaginary/pretentious character Samantha.

When it comes to clothing, there are two important things that kids are looking forward to. First is the style that will perfectly match their taste and second is the comfortability. When it comes to matter, Moose Gear never failed to deliver what exactly the kids want! After all, the clothing line company will not stay for almost 3 decades in the industry for no reason! All through the years, Moose Gear has been constantly creating the most innovative, trendiest and coolest shirt designs that kids will surely enjoy.

Who would have thought that a song writer and a cover artist would have her own all original self-titled album?  Sabrina,a 26year old singer- song-writer is known for her acoustic renditions of modern songs on her successful series called “I Love Acoustic” with 8 volumes of the same title and by making her song as the OST of the two Korean Dramas “Oh My Venus” and “Angel’s Revenge” on GMA Network.

Of all the triumphs going for Diane Ventura’s first feature-length film, Mulat (Awaken), its genre-bending narrative style and the ace performances of its actors perhaps take the cake. Chief in this long list are its two lead actors—Jake Cuenca (who plays the morose Jake) and Ryan Eigenmann (who is dynamite as Vince)—both of whom effectively quash any preconceived notions viewers may have of their abilities due to their notoriety in more mass-leaning vehicles.

After a much-needed rest, the teams depart early for their second leg of the race to Taman Mini Indonesia. Although Alphaeus & Brandon are the first to arrive, Taman Mini Indonesia only opens at 6am, giving all the other teams an equal footing at the start of the challenge. Here, the nine remaining teams have to ride on Grab bikes to spot marked letters that spell out the clue to their next destination – BANDUNG. JK & Mike make great progress, finding the clues first while Yvonne & Chloe and Alex & Will misread their clues, putting them behind in the race.

I guess we all grew up embracing the fantasy and mystical story of Ibong Adarna. The tale of this eponymous magical bird has remained alive since the 15th century and we should be grateful enough that this famous epic has become part of our basic curriculum in high school, otherwise, we may not have the chance to explore the wonderful world of Ibong Adarna. Looking back at our old lectures, you might have learned that the author behind this so-called Corrido remains unknown yet others are claiming that it is Jose Dela Cruz or more commonly known as Huseng Sisiw.