Star Powerhouse

In the world of Philippine cinema, few performances have left as indelible a mark as Nora Aunor’s portrayal of Elsa in the iconic film “Himala.” The character, born from a rich narrative of faith and struggle, has become synonymous with Aunor’s talent and emotional depth. With the upcoming film “Isang Himala,” Aicelle Santos steps into the shoes of Elsa, bringing her unique interpretation while paying homage to the legendary performance that came before her. Aicelle understands the emotional connection many audiences have with Aunor’s portrayal. “I know how deeply people feel about Nora’s Elsa,” she shares. “She is a monumental figure in our industry, and her performance set a high standard.” However, Aicelle believes that her approach can offer something new and refreshing. “While I respect and admire what she has done, I also recognize that I cannot simply mimic her performance. That would not be authentic to me as an actor.” To resonate with both longtime fans and new audiences, Aic...

On November 27, 2024, MY FUTURE YOU made its grand media conference at the Valencia Event Place, setting the stage for one of the most talked-about entries in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. This official Regal Entertainment Inc. entry, directed and written by Crisanto B. Aquino, stars Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin in a story that defies time, exploring themes of love, fate, and the ripple effect of choices. The film co-stars a talented ensemble cast, including Almira Muhlach, Christian Vasquez, Peewee O’Hara, Bodjie Pascua, Mosang, and Izzy Canillo, adding depth and nuance to the narrative. The movie revolves around two strangers who find each other through a mysterious dating app, only to discover they are living in different timelines. It’s a story that is as thought-provoking as it is heartwarming, delving into the fragility and beauty of human connections. During the press conference, Crisanto B. Aquino shared his inspiration behind the film, emphasizing its message abou...

On November 20, 2024, I had the privilege of attending the grand launch of Uninvited , one of this year’s official Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries. Featuring a powerhouse cast led by Vilma Santos-Recto, Aga Muhlach, and Nadine Lustr together with Tirso Cruz III, Mylene Dizon, Lotlot de Leon, Elijah Canlas, Gabby Padilla, RK Bagatsing, Ketchup Eusebio, Gio Alvarez, Cholo Barretto, and Ron Angeles. The event was nothing short of spectacular—arguably one of the most vibrant and well-organized media launches I've experienced. The room was abuzz with energy, and the enthusiasm from both the cast and the media was palpable. What added to the excitement was the much-anticipated Q&A session where Vilma Santos addressed one of the most intriguing questions of the night. When asked why she chose Uninvited over her other three movie projects, Vilma candidly shared: “There were some issues with the character I was supposed to portray in the other film. While it was being sorted ...

A story of an ordinary lady who will fall in love with a celebrity and the whole story will revolve on how they met one night and the scandal that surrounds it.

Loy Arcenas, Broadway production designer-turned-director, is having a film retrospective at the University of the Philippines (Diliman) Film Center Cine Adarna on February 20, 21 and 22.

“Hindi Simple ang Buhay katulad ng Sining. May Puwersang humuhubog sa ating landasin. Hindi Tayo ang May hawak sa ating kinabukasan. Nagmimiron ka lamang sa iyong kapalaran. “

The Surfing Capital of the Philippines finally takes front and center in acclaimed director-producer Paul Soriano’s first Metro Manila Film Festival entry Siargao, starring Asia’s Drama Prince Jericho Rosales and celebrated actresses Erich Gonzales and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

With a grade of A from the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) and over four million views of its trailer in just three days, the feel-good comedy “Deadma Walking” is quickly becoming one of the much-talked-about and most awaited entries of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival!

Cris Martinez the director of Meant To Beh during the blogcon Does true love stand the test of time?  This is explored in “Meant To Beh” the latest blockbuster film starring Vic Sotto and Dawn Zulueta.

Ang Larawan cast, seated from left to right: Sandino Martin, Joanna Ampil, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Celeste Legaspi. Standing, left to right: Jojit Lorenzo, Ogie Alcasid, Cris Villonco, Aicelle Santos, Rayver Cruz, Cara Manglapus The producers, filmmakers and supporters of “Ang Larawan,” the musical based on Nick Joaquin’s play A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, are getting their Christmas wish: for the film to be included in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2017.

“Deadma Walking,” a comedy-drama-musical about two gay best friends staging a fake wake, death, and funeral, has been selected as an entry in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. It will open in Philippine theaters on December 25 together with the seven other entries.

October 29, 2017. This is the new teaser of "Citizen Jake" that was shown last night before the premiere of the restored "Batch 81" at the QCinema International Film Festival.

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.

Nilalang (Creature) , n. An animal or a person. Or in other cases an entity--a creature not classified as an animal nor a person such as fairies, ghouls, dwarves, elves, werewolves, and other fictional entities (or are they really fictional?) Nilalang (The Entity) is a suspense, thriller, horror, action film featured in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). This film features the Zahagur, an entity that originated from Japan. It kills beautiful women to remain the most beautiful entity. Its like a beauty contest where Zahagur wants to keep its crown, only in a brutal way. It was initially set in Japan where Zahagur was introduced. After the prologue, the set was placed in Manila, showing Tony (Cesar Montano) and his team raiding Zahagur's location. Perhaps the entity followed Miyuki (Maria Ozawa), her target, that led it in the Philippines. While in pursuit of its target, it goes on a killing spree of beautiful women. One of these is the ex-girlfriend of Tony and...

Bakit kaya nagtataka 'yung iba kung bakit My Bebe Love at Beauty and the Bestie ang nangunguna sa takilya habang ang Nilalang at Honor Thy Father ay nangungulelat sa kabilang banda? Ilang puntos. Ang MMFF ay isinasagawa tuwing panahon ng Pasko at mahaba ang bakasyon.

The 41st Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) awards night was finally reveal last December 27, 2015 at the KIA Theater, Araneta Center, Quezon City. Here is the full list of winners of MMFF 2015: Mainstream Category      Best Actress: Jennylyn Mercado (#WalangForever)     Best Actor: Jericho Rosales (#WalangForever)     Best Picture:  #WalangForever     2nd Best Picture: Buy Now, Die Later     3rd Best Picture: My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore

Haunted Mansion (formerly Retreat House) is a supernatural horror film. The film was directed and written by Jun Lana, starring Janella Salvador , Marlo Mortel and Jerome Ponce.

Plot: The story follows of estranged best friends Ericka (Vice Ganda) and Emman (Coco Martin) who will be "reunited" when the latter asks for the former's favor in connection to his mission as a spy agent.

Here the another notes of Jason Javier in the controversial Metro Manila Film Festival movie  "Honor Thy Father." My notes on Honor Thy Father: 1. Two of the best films I've seen this year started with a scene involving a stray dog and both ended with a tragedy. These canine metaphors (dog-eat-dog world? Oppression? Survival? Resiliency?) completely served their purpose and were the perfect jumping-off points for these gritty and brutal portraits of evil within our society. 2. I'm not a fan of networking and this made me think thrice on risking any investments involving fast money. For my friends that did get rich through this scheme though, it's never too late to send me a Christmas basket.

Here another notes from Jason Javier regarding on the blockbuster film My Bebe Love #KiligPaMore. My notes on My Bebe Love #KiligPaMore: 1. One of the first few scenes showed Vic Sotto looking at a mirror and combing his eyebrows. This was meant to be funny and it was the type of slapstick comedy that will be used all-throughout the movie. It felt dated (Pinoy comedy has not evolved much?) but still elicited laughs from the audience. A succeeding scene had Joey de Leon referring to Vic's "Sandata ni Hudas". Dated and recycled. 2. Aiai delas Alas, on the other hand, played her character really loud and broad (with matching frilly hair, pastel outfits, and purple & green eyeshadow in case it still wasn't loud enough for the viewers). She kept screaming all of her lines reminding me of my mom whenever I forget to place my clothes in the hamper. I think they would make the perfect BFFs. 3. I was thrown off by the ADHD-style editing with screens flipping a...