"How To Be Single" and loving it

Single in New York City?  Or London, L.A., Munich, Miami, or anywhere in between?  These days, in cities big and small, there’s a nightlife rife with girls’ nights out, singles’ bars, online dating and one-night stands arranged on apps—no romance required.  Today’s singles aren’t necessarily looking for Ms. or Mr. Right, or drowning their sorrows in their lonely bachelor/ette pads.  “How to Be Single” is an all-out comedy that shows how they’re all out there making the most of the single lifestyle, in the most outrageous ways imaginable.

The film’s director, Christian Ditter, states, “I wanted to make a really modern and fresh take on the comedy genre as it deals with partying, having fun, dating—a snapshot of what it really means to be single today.  A lot of movies that deal with men and women and dating are about finding the right one, but this is not that; it’s about embracing the most fun and free time of life while you’re also finding your place in the world, finding friends, finding out what you want to do with your life.”

Led by an ensemble cast that includes some of today’s hottest comedic actresses, including Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie and Leslie Mann, and such rising comedy stars as Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas and Colin Jost, the film follows a host of singles at various stages of—and with varying opinions on—the single state.

Producer John Rickard notes, “It’s a universal experience, being young, right out of college and discovering a whole big world.  Or a few years later, hitting another one of those crossroads: what do I care about, what do I want to spend my life doing, does another person even figure into the picture?  We often think it’s a partner we have to find, but it’s really ourselves, and that can be scary.”

Happily, what’s scary in real life can make us laugh the hardest when it’s played out on film. Screenwriter/producer Dana Fox, a comedy veteran, offers, “Romantic comedies are always centered on the romance, but this is a comedy about the time in between the relationships, when you’re out there to have a good time in this crazy age of staring at your cell phone, having entire conversations in 140 characters or less and ‘swiping right’ to meet people.  There are so many advantages to a film with so many funny stories to tell.

“In any movie,” she continues, “you want audiences to feel like they’re along on the journey.  We have Dakota Johnson’s character, Alice, to provide the heart and soul of the story, and we have all these other great women and men to follow along and laugh with.”

Or laugh at.  Returning to her comedy roots, Johnson deftly handles Alice’s fumbling attempts to meet men upon finding herself newly single, especially when paired with Rebel Wilson’s extreme party girl, Robin, the perfect tour guide through the world of free drinks, hook-ups and text message protocol.  Alison Brie’s Lucy is a girl on an online dating mission, and Leslie Mann’s Meg has been on the career track and sort of forgotten to have a personal life.  Along with the guys they all meet along the way, they exemplify the wide range of what it’s like out there.

Ditter says, “I loved the script, I thought it was hilariously funny but also true to life, and it continued to evolve once we got on set with Dana and all these amazing comedic talents and their incredible improv skills.  So what we ended up with in the film are characters and stories I see a lot of my own experiences in, and friends’ experiences, too.  I think that anyone who’s been single—and that’s, well, everybody—will have a lot of fun and find a lot to laugh about when they relate it to their own life.”

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present, in association with Flower Films, a Wrigley Pictures Production, “How to Be Single.”  The film will be released theatrically worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company on Feb 11, 2016.

*Photo images courtesy of "Warner Bros. Pictures".

Dakota Johnson is back in "How to Be Single"

To those who have seen "Fifty Shades of Grey", Dakota Harrison has become one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars after landing the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in the box office record for which she received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination.

Now, Dakota Johnson headlines New Line Cinema's romantic comedy “How to Be Single,” based on the book by Liz Tucillo (TV’s “Sex & the City”). Also starring Rebel Wilson and Leslie Mann, the film follows a host of singles at various stages of—and with varying opinions on—the single state.

Returning to her comedy roots, Johnson deftly handles her character, Alice’s fumbling attempts to meet men upon finding herself newly single, especially when paired with Rebel Wilson’s extreme party girl, Robin, the perfect tour guide through the world of free drinks, hook-ups and text message protocol.

Just out of college, Alice is worried she’s missing out—on what, she’s not quite sure, but taking a “break” from longtime boyfriend Josh in order to make sure he’s the one is the right thing to do…isn’t it?

“How to Be Single” takes us along with Alice as she ventures into a new job, a new city—New York—a newly unattached life, and all that goes along with it. Johnson says, “I loved how believable the story was—we’ve all been that person who is stumbling through, trying to figure things out.”
Screenwriter Dana Fox, who worked with Johnson previously, was happy to see the actress go back to a comedic role after several more dramatic parts. “Dakota is just naturally talented, especially when it comes to comedy, both physical and verbal,” she states. “As a writer, it’s such a pleasure for me to work with her again, because nothing comes out feeling ‘written.’”

When we first meet her character, Johnson observes, “She is sort of this doe-eyed, curious young woman starting college. She meets a boy right away and is quickly in a comfortable and nurturing relationship.”

Fast forward four years. “Like so many of us, Alice has always depended on someone, whether it’s her parents, her sister or her boyfriend. Suddenly, she has this profound moment of realization and forces herself into what she thinks is an awakening, but which is really just a break up,” the actress acknowledges. “But taking a break turns into a total explosion of life as she knows it, and now she has to figure out how to handle it.”

After persuading her very serious boyfriend she needs to experiment with being on her own, Alice heads to Manhattan to start a new job as a paralegal. “Right away, she falls into the hands of Robin, who’s kind of insane,” Johnson laughs. “Alice has been sheltered and established a lot of boundaries for herself; Robin has zero boundaries and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks of her, so long as she’s having fun.”

The role of Alice required a convincing amount of girl-next-door naiveté in order for moviegoers to slip into her shoes, or at least remember a time when they did. Director Christian Ditter found Johnson to be “absolutely gorgeous but at the same time completely relatable. She’s talented and gives a very authentic performance, which makes it easy for the audience to see themselves in her place. She grounds the story for all the other characters, who are much more outrageous.”

Opening across the Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 11, “How to Be Single” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

“FIFTY SHADES OF GREY” UNCOVERED THE SIZZLING TEASER TRAILER, IMAGES

Universal Pictures and Focus Features have just uncovered the sizzling teaser trailer and images of Sam Taylor-Johnson's feature film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The trailer may be viewed at http://youtu.be/bdagP6--_-s.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is the hotly anticipated film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon. Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated into 51 languages worldwide and sold more than 100 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever.

Stepping into the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who have become iconic to millions of readers, are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.

Joining Dornan and Johnson in the cast are Luke Grimes as Elliot, Christian’s brother; Victor Rasuk as José, Anastasia’s close friend; Eloise Mumford as Kate, Anastasia’s best friend and roommate; Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, Christian’s mother; Rita Ora as Mia, Christian’s sister; Max Martini as Taylor, Christian’s bodyguard; Callum Keith Rennie as Ray, Anastasia’s stepfather; Jennifer Ehle as Carla, Anastasia’s mother; and Dylan Neal as Bob, Carla’s husband.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay for the film is by Kelly Marcel.

Opening across the Philippines on February 11, 2015, “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Fifty Shades of Christian Grey

TAKE YOUR FIRST LOOK AT JAMIE DORNAN AS CHRISTIAN GREY

We've seen his back in the first teaser poster, and to celebrate the fictional character's birthday, Focus Features has revealed the first good look at Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey in Sam Taylor-Johnson's feature film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is the hotly anticipated film adaptation of the bestselling book that has become a global phenomenon. Since its release, the “Fifty Shades” trilogy has been translated into 51 languages worldwide and sold more than 100 million copies in e-book and print—making it one of the biggest and fastest-selling book series ever.

Stepping into the roles of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, who have become iconic to millions of readers, are Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson.

Joining Dornan and Johnson in the cast are Luke Grimes as Elliot, Christian’s brother; Victor Rasuk as José, Anastasia’s close friend; Eloise Mumford as Kate, Anastasia’s best friend and roommate; Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, Christian’s mother; Rita Ora as Mia, Christian’s sister; Max Martini as Taylor, Christian’s bodyguard; Callum Keith Rennie as Ray, Anastasia’s stepfather; Jennifer Ehle as Carla, Anastasia’s mother; and Dylan Neal as Bob, Carla’s husband.

“Fifty Shades of Grey” is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti alongside E L James, the creator of the series. The screenplay for the film is by Kelly Marcel.

Opening across the Philippines on February 2015, “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Melanie Griffith's Daughter Dakota Johnson Stars for "Need for Speed"

BEFORE “50 SHADES OF GREY,” SEE DAKOTA JOHNSON IN “NEED FOR SPEED”

Scott Waugh, the director of DreamWorks Pictures' new action-adventure “Need for Speed” was looking for someone special for the role of Anita, the girl the film's hero let get away. Waugh found her in Dakota Johnson, the daughter of actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and one of the hottest, new stars in Hollywood, having taken on the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in the upcoming “50 Shades of Grey.”

“Need for Speed” centers around Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), a blue-collar mechanic who races muscle cars on the side in an unsanctioned street-racing circuit. He and Anita have a long history, but he lost her to the big city and arrogant, rich rival, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper).

Waugh says, “Dakota is the siren we have in this movie. You can’t take your eyes off of her when she’s on screen. You just get totally sucked into her world and she’s incredible.”
Following her motion picture debut in “Crazy in Alabama,” Dakota Johnson went on to give critically acclaimed performances in “The Social Network” and “21 Jump Street,” among others. She will soon be seen in the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in “50 Shades of Grey.”

Johnson says that working with Aaron Paul and Dominic Cooper was a very fulfilling experience. “Aaron is so gifted and so accessible. Dominic is the same. It’s so nice to work with actors who accept what you’re giving them and they give it back to you. It’s so much fun to watch them work.”

“Need for Speed” marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when the authenticity of the world brought a new level of intensity to the action on-screen. Tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing, the story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes — one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption.
Struggling to keep his family-owned garage afloat, Tobey reluctantly partners with the wealthy, ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster. But just as a major sale to car broker Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save Tobey's shop, a disastrous race allows Dino to frame Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit, and sending Tobey to prison while Dino expands his business out West.

Two years later, Tobey is released and set on revenge — but he knows his only chance to take down his rival Dino is to defeat him in the high-stakes race known as De Leon — the Super Bowl of underground racing. However to get there in time, Tobey will have to run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet that includes dodging pursuing cops coast-to-coast as well as contending with a dangerous bounty Dino has put out on his car. With the help of his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.
Based on the car racing video game of the same name, “Need for Speed” captures the freedom and excitement of the game, while bringing to life the passion for the road that has made our love of cars so timeless.

Opening across the Philippines on March 12,“Need for Speed” is distributed in the Philippines by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.