Who were with you on your first heartbreak? They were with Q in "Paper Towns"

              How many miles would you go for a friend? In the very endearing coming of age movie, “Paper Towns” based on bestselling tome by John Green, high school friends drove and rode more than a thousand miles for a friend to find the girl he’s smitten with since he was nine.


              From the same team that produced “Fault In Our Stars,” “Paper Towns” tells the story of Quentin (Nat Wolff), a romantic and studious teenager, who is in love with Margo (Cara Delevingne), his beautiful and enigmatic next-door neighbor.  Good friends as children, they have since grown apart. But one night, towards the end of high school, Margo persuades Quentin to join her on a wild, night long adventure, which involves a series of outrageous pranks.  But the next day, Margo disappears, leaving behind a trail of clues. Q and his friends set off on a road trip to track her down.

              Directed by Jake Schreier, Q’s story began when he was nine when the lovely Margo moved into the house next door. A studious boy who has his life mapped out, Q is close to his similarly clever and slightly nerdy classmates, Ben (Austin Abrams) and Radar (Justice Smith).  In finding Margo, the group bonds along their journey and what begins as a mission to find the missing girl turns into a fun-filled, transformational journey of discovery, as they head for a ‘paper town’, called Agloe in New York.

              While the story centers on the relationship between Q and Margo, the supporting cast have their own interesting trajectories. “Everybody is at the center of their own story and I wanted them all to have arcs,” says Green. Justice Smith plays Q’s friend Radar who is on the road trip with his girlfriend Angela. “He’s nicknamed Radar because he looks like Radar from M*A*S*H, but the only similarity is that they both have glasses and they're both very intelligent,” says Smith. “Radar is obsessed with looking up facts and solving puzzles and mysteries. He is obsessively organized.

              Smith and Jaz Sinclair who plays Angela, were actually friends before landing the roles in “Paper Towns.” “It was a huge coincidence that we ended up playing boyfriend and girlfriend. We have lots of chemistry and a solid connection; it’s awesome,” Sinclair shares. Also on the road trip is Q’s friend Ben (Abrams), who is obsessed with Lacey (Halston Sage) but considers her to be way out of his league. “Lacey is known as the pretty blonde girl in high school but you find out that she is actually very smart and she has a brain, there’s a lot more to her than her looks,” says Sage of her role.

              Director Schreier brings an inimitable style and enthusiasm to the film, but it’s the author’s original story that gives “Paper Towns” its heart.  “John really admires teens and sees them as thoughtful and emotionally questing human beings,” adds Isaac Klausner. “He identifies high school years as a time when your intellect is fully formed and you're deeply curious. His characters don’t feel like the generalized whitewashed teenagers you often read, they feel like real people.   It is the sort of coming of age story that we haven't seen in a very long time,” concludes Isaac Klausner. “It has adventure, comedy and mystery and it explores big ideas. I think the film is going to be really great fun and incredibly touching.”

              It’s a date with friends when “Paper Towns” opens July 22 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

“THE MAZE RUNNER: SCORCH TRIALS” – FIRST LOOK DELIVERY

The gang’s back in a series of first-look photos hot-off the set of the upcoming second instalment of the “The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials” young adult book phenomenon following the blockbuster first movie release “The Maze Runner.”

In this next chapter of the epic “Maze Runner” saga, “The Scorch Trials” now sees Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers face their greatest challenge yet: searching for clues about the mysterious and powerful organization known as WCKD.  Their journey takes them to the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles. Teaming up with resistance fighters, the Gladers take on WCKD’s vastly superior forces and uncover its shocking plans for them all.

In the latest movie “The Scorch Trials,” director Wes Ball who delivered the first movie with such strong palpable kinetic force, he describes the second chapter of the saga - “For me, the story becomes: they’re out of the maze, but they’re still lost. It’s a cool concept to play with. They don’t know what they’re supposed to do now. It’s not about saving the world, it’s about finding their way through it and what their existence means to the world.”

“The coolest thing about this franchise is it’s a constant mystery,” added producer Wyck Godfrey. “These characters have no memory of who they are or where they came from. You’re constantly unravelling that for the audience.”

Dylan O’Brien who plays “Thomas” noted, “The challenge is that it’s a whole new world now. It’s not just the Maze and the Grievers, and solving one mystery or overcoming one challenge. The group is lost, but they’re not confined to the same space as they were in first one. But they still stick together, because they believe they have to in order to survive.  You get to see what’s happened to this world and why they’re put into that maze, and what it is about them that people are after.”

                “The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials” will opens across Philippine cinemas on September 16 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Liam Neeson is back for the action packed "Taken 3"

BARRELS OF NO-HOLDS-BARRED ACTION SEQUENCE IN “TAKEN 3”

Everyone is clamoring for the 3rd installment of Taken, after watching 1 and 2. The movie has made Liam Neeson the action star that he is right now. The plot and twists of Taken has made me more excited to watch for the 3rd installment.

                Like a big typhoon, the action never stops in the third installment of the blockbuster franchise “Taken” that cemented Liam Neeson as cinema’s newest and most unexpected action hero.  “Taken 3” brings Liam Neeson’s character Bryan Mills to the extreme as his particular set of skills is pushed to the edge when his reconciliation with his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered.  Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to evade the relentless pursuit of the CIA, FBI and the police. For one last time, Mills must use his “particular set of skills,” to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace).

             
                The world will once again cheer and root for the overprotective father, Mills, whose skills, forged through years of covert ops – continue to be put to the test long after his retirement from the CIA.  TAKEN 3 sees Bryan facing his biggest challenge ever, as he deals with the aftershocks of his ex-wife’s murder, while evading pursuit from several law enforcement agencies, hunting down the real killers, and most of all, protecting his daughter Kim.

                “What makes TAKEN 3 a quintessential Taken movie is that, at its heart, it’s still about Bryan Mills doing everything in his power to save his family,” says Neeson.  “That’s why these films resonate with a global audience, because at their core, they are about the love and sanctity of family and the lengths we’ll go to protect that.”

                Neeson elaborates on the films’ careful mix of action and drama: “Even though Bryan Mills is a guy with a ‘particular set of skills,’ he’s also a kind of everyman. People identify with his love of family. Parents will do anything for their kids and they see that in Bryan. For all his faults, he still is a very devoted father who’ll do anything for his child. But I think audiences also enjoy the fact that he bucks the system and doesn’t trust anyone in authority. And if he has to break the law, then he does.
                “The underlying stories in the Taken films are solid,” Neeson continues.  “We’ve tried to avoid doing anything in excess just to excite an audience. The triggers for that action have always been very strong. And it’s, of course, about Bryan Mills defending his family and protecting them, against all odds. You have that bedrock of a very stable relationship that’s being tested all the time. So once you have that base in place and audiences believe in that charge of love – especially between Bryan and his daughter Kim – you can take the action anywhere you want.”

That being said, Neeson notes that he enjoys the films’ non-stop action and the physicality of the role of Bryan Mills.  In terms of thrills, TAKEN 3 is the biggest Taken yet.  Highlights include lightning-fast fight sequences, an incredible freeway chase – and the film’s overall relentless pacing.

                “Making a movie is like solving a puzzle, like a Rubik’s cube,” adds director Olivier Megaton.  “At first, you have no idea how to attack these things. You have to figure out every element on almost every shot. If you try to be too clever, it’s too complex. So you look for simpler solutions. But in the end, everything clicks.”

                “Taken 3” opens Jauary 14 nationwide in cinemas across the Philippines from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Owen Wilson is back as the miniature cowboy in "Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb"

OWEN WILSON: MINIATURE-SIZED HERO IN “NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB”




                In “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” Ben Stiller returns as security guard Larry Daley, together with a highly impressive group of comic actors.  Owen Wilson is back as the irrepressible miniature cowboy Jedediah, along with his equally small buddy, the Roman general, Octavius, (Steve Coogan). Both are embroiled in the latest adventure, directed by Shawn Levy. As always, the legendary artifacts at New York’s Museum of Natural History come to life, but this time, problems arise when they start malfunctioning.  The magic that keeps them alive is waning and Larry’s friends are in danger. Saving them involves an urgent trip to the British Museum in London.

                While the first two films were set in the U.S., the new adventure takes the team to the United Kingdom.  Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan, reprise their roles as the duo of American cowboy Jedediah and Roman Centurion Octavius, both miniatures from historic dioramas.  They’re the smallest characters with the biggest friendship.  Wilson says, “There has been an arc to our relationship.  We started off sort of as adversaries, and now it’s evolved into more of a team.  We’re practically a buddy comedy within a funny family movie.”

                The friendship is all the more unexpected because the characters come from very different cultural backgrounds and eras.  “There’s a brashness to Jedediah,” says Wilson, “that sort of runs up against and chafes the gentility of what Octavius represents.”  The picture of civility, Octavius is a military leader from ancient Rome.  He and Jedediah face their greatest peril yet when they fly through a museum air duct and find themselves in a Pompeii diorama where Mount Vesuvius is about to erupt.

                On being funny, Wilson relates that “My dad had a great sense of humor and on both sides of my family, humor was the way that the family related to each other. My mom had a good sense of humor, but my dad was hilarious. My dad was the head of the public television station in Dallas and that was the first station to carry MONTY PYTHON. He really loved MONTY PYTHON. So I think that being around him and his friends growing up was very helpful for me. And  though I didn't have a background as a stand up comedian and as a child I didn't ever think about becoming a comedian. In school I wasn't really a class clown, but I would get into trouble and sometimes give colorful answers to what I perceived to be banal questions from teachers, and that would make the other kids laugh and sometimes I’d get the teachers laughing a little bit. So maybe there’s a little bit of that in my background.”

                Returning to “Night at the Museum,” Wilson believes that like the movie, there is an underlying magical charm in the movie, “Apart from its great adventure, what's also nice is that it’s led to an upswing in kids' interest in museums - and the Natural History Museum. So that's a great thing that's happened and I think that is really because of Ben and Shawn and the way Shawn's able to mix the laughs with something that can be very touching. He just seems to have that touch.”

                One of the most gifted and versatile actors of his generation, Owen Wilson has starred in a slew of hit films. His early credits include “The Cable Guy,” “Armageddon” and “Permanent Midnight.” He further starred “Bottle Rocket,” “Rushmore,” “Zoolander,” “Marley & ME,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Meet The Parents,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “The Internship,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” (for which Wilson and Anderson received a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination), “The Darjeeling Limited,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and most recently, the highly praised film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
             
                “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” opens January 8 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

"The Book of Life" composed of a voice cast led by Channing Tatum

           Director Jorge R. Gutierrez's love for family, tradition and storytelling created a truly singular, a first of its kind animation in "The Book of Life" where it will reveal never-before-seen characters and will take the audience in three fantastical worlds - the town of  San Angel, The Land of the Remembered and The Land of the Forgotten.

        "The Book of Life" is also about remembrance and cherishing memories composed of a voice cast led by Channing Tatum, Diego Luna and Zoe Saldana, along with multi-talented actors Christina Applegate, Kate Del Castillo, Ice Cube and Ron Perlman. In the movie, following Maria’s (Saldana) return to San Angel, she is reunited with her best friends Manolo (Luna) and Joaquin (Tatum) at the bullfighting arena, where Manolo is preparing for his first match.  Manolo, like all the Sanchez men who preceded him, battles bravely and skillfully.  But unlike his forebears, when the moment comes for Manolo to finish the bull, he refuses.  The whole town turns on Manolo, including his father who feels terribly let down.  Moreover, Manolo fears he may have thrown away his chance to woo Maria.

              As if bucking family tradition wasn’t enough of a barrier to Manolo’s romantic pursuits, two other principals have thrown themselves into the romantic triangle, and they’re betting it all on who ends up with Maria’s hand.  The battling husband-and-wife deities La Muerte (Del Castillo) and Xibalba (Perlman) have made a wager, and the stakes for all of them couldn’t be higher.  Resolute in her belief in the fundamental goodness of mortals, La Muerte puts her faith in Manolo.  If he succeeds in winning Maria’s hand, then La Muerte will remain the beloved ancient god who oversees a wondrous world called The Land of the Remembered, and Xibalba must stop his meddlesome ways with humans.

           
            When La Muerte and Xibalba's wager started, Manolo gets swept up in the parade of his ancestors, who to Manolo are superheroes he’s been hearing about his entire life. But his joy is tempered when he discovers that Maria is not there – and indeed never made the journey to The Land of the Remembered.  With the support of his ancestors, Manolo embarks on an extraordinary mission to find La Muerte, who is the only one who can help him return to San Angel.
                But first, he must travel to a portal, the Cave of Souls, between all the magical lands. There, Manolo meets another spirit, the Candle Maker.   With a body made of wax and a beard made of clouds, the Candle Maker is a larger than life – and kind of nutty – ancient god.  He makes billions of candles, with each candle representing a life.   “The Candle Maker looks over – and geeks out over – humanity,” says lead animator Eric Dobrile.

                Though he’s supposed to be hands-off with mortals, the Candle Maker bends the rules a little to help Manolo.  “He sees something special in Manolo,” says Ice Cube, who makes his animated feature debut voicing the Candle Maker. “The Candle Maker has never seen blank pages in The Book of Life, so this is an exciting thing for him.  Also, it’s The Day of the Dead, which provides some license for him to break a few rules.”

                Manolo’s feisty and quick-witted great-grandmother, known simply as Grandma (voiced by Grey Griffin), is sure to become another audience favorite. Short in stature but long of whisker and tough to boot, Grandma is more than a match for the men in her family – past, present and future.  “Grandma’s kind of seen it all and been through it all, and she’s kind of our Peanut Gallery,” says producer Brad Booker, who adds that she’s his favorite character in the film.

                "The Book of Life" (2D and 3D) opens nationwide in cinemas on October 16 (Thursday) from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS ON FINDING AMY IN “GONE GIRL”

                Gillian Flynn’s massively popular, nail-biting bestseller “Gone Girl” adapted to screen by director David Fincher and produced by blockbuster filmmakers Arnon Milchan, Joshua Donen with Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon (also  as producer) takes  Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike at the center of a couple’s marriage that has gone from bliss to national issue when the Mrs. vanished on the day of their fifth year wedding anniversary.

Nick Dunne arrives home on his fifth wedding anniversary to find the front door ajar, furniture strewn in the living room and not a single trace of his beautiful, semi-famous wife.  Thus begins his instant public transformation from fortunate husband to man flailing in the media spotlight.  Tagged as the proverbial suspect No. 1, the former town golden boy erupts in a series of lies, deceits and inappropriateness that does him no favors.  His media persona is not pretty:  he has disappointments; he has resentments; he has the kinds of secrets that feed imaginations.  But is Nick a killer?

The entire cast, each of whom puts Nick under a different microscope – investigating Nick, defending Nick, suspecting Nick -- impressed Affleck.  He says:  “There are a lot of interesting choices.  Tyler Perry has never done this sort of character, Carrie Coon is so unexpected as Go, and Neil is a brilliant choice because he’s so fearless and you have no idea what’s really going on inside him.  This casting is the sign of a director whose interest is in always surprising the audience.”

Among the possible suspects in Amy’s disappearance are former boyfriends, including Desi Collings, Amy’s long-suffering ex from prep school who, though breathtakingly wealthy, has continued to write her lovelorn letters.  Taking the role is stage, screen and television star Neil Patrick Harris.

Harris gained notoriety on the small screen as the much-adored title character in “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” a role which also garnered him a Golden Globe nomination.  Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, the television comedy-drama ran for four seasons and told the story of a brilliant, young doctor who faced the problems of being a normal teenager.

 Like so many, Harris was stunned by the novel.  “It was one of my favorite books of all time,” he says.  “I loved that Gillian was able to write so perceptively from the point of view of both sexes.  It was also among the most unsettling books I’ve read.  I felt it really broke down the myths of what relationships are and this whole fairy tale ideal that partners can always share everything.”
             
Desi, Harris notes, has his own fairytale ideas of who Amy is and how they might end up together.  “He’s somewhat delusional,” observes Harris.  “But your first lover never really leaves you and Amy was certainly that for Desi.  So he’s blinded by this undying idea that they’re meant to be.”
             
Harris notes that Desi is not alone in his reaction to Amy, though he has his own reasons.  “Amy seems to have a strong power over everyone in her life but especially men who desire her,” he says.  “She kind of sucks you into her vacuum.  I think Desi is a little socially off, so he likes the idea of that.  He’s rich but he’s the recipient of family money that was never earned so he doesn’t have a strong sense of himself.  I see him as weirdly fragile in his own right.  There’s something heightened about him, but I felt I really needed to understand why he behaves the way he does.”
             


                Working with Fincher for the first time was also a revelation.  “I’ve been a big fan of what he has created on screen but watching him create in person made me even more so,” he says.  “He has such deep passion for the entirety of the filmmaking process -- from light refractions and dolly moves to pacing and the written word.  He is a true director in the most dynamic sense.”

Harris especially enjoyed Fincher’s way of peering into the infinitesimal details of performance.  “It felt like we were all in a kind of meditation together,” he says, “and you knew by the time David was happy, a scene had been distilled to its essence.  I think he’s a visual poet, nay, a sculptor.  He takes a moment and chips away until he gets at something true.”

Neil Patrick Harris  recently concluded his run as the womanizing Barney Stinson in the hit CBS comedy series, “How I Met Your Mother,” a role which has garnered him multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations, as well as two People’s Choice Awards for Favorite TV Comedy Actor, and a Critics’ Choice Award for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.  Harris is a five-time Emmy Award winner for his guest-starring role on "Glee," and his role as host of the 63rd, 65th, 66th and 67th Annual Tony Awards. He also served as host and producer of the 61st and 65th Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as the 67th Annual Tony Awards.  Named one of the “2008 Entertainers of the Year” by Entertainment Weekly, Neil was included on Time Magazine's 2010 Time 100 List, an annual list of the world's leading thinkers, leaders, artists, and heroes.

Find out what happened to Amy in “Gone Girl” when it opens in cinemas nationwide on October 8 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Watch trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oFpLLB8Vx8&list=PLcZs6n5iZPx8OI4YtHKnzrpzMjPjOH6OR&index=4

CREATING “THE MAZE RUNNER” WORLD

                It will take wit, agility, speed and strength to survive a labyrinth of dangerous walls with predators ready to kill at an instant in the upcoming young adult movie “The Maze Runner.”

                Based on the bestselling YA series of novel of the same title by James Dashner, “The Maze Runner” brings a group of young boys (and a girl) together in a secluded place known as the Glade where they come and stay but does not have any idea of who they really are and what brought them there. Starring, Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee,  Kaya Scodelario, Aml Ameen, Will Poulter and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the movie is directed by Wes Ball who envisioned the Maze walls to be modern and ancient.   The towering structure’s creeping vines and seemingly empty corridors mask a threat that terrifies even the most hardened and veteran Gladers.

 The hidden creatures, which the kids call Grievers – though none has actually seen one, preys on those who stay too long in the Maze. This means the boys must get out of the Maze before its walls close because nobody survives a night there.

Check out the cast and filmmakers video here on the making of the walls:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zAhE67Gyw&feature=youtu.be
“THE MAZE RUNNER” opens September 17 in cinemas from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Ben Affleck plays married Nick Dunne to "Gone Girl" the movie

BEN AFFLECK’S TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET ON BEING MARRIED IN “GONE GIRL”

This is one of the best book that I have read 2 years ago, and I keep re-reading it to relieve the moment and pain of Nick Dunne. I am pro -Nick, find out why.  Just like everyone else who read the book. I am excited to see the movie. 

The page-turner tome “Gone Girl” written by Gillian Flynn about a woman gone missing on the day of their fifth year wedding anniversary and a marriage believed to be on the rocks is brought to life by Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike under the direction of David Fincher.

From the bestsellers’ shelves, “Gone Girl” reveals the real Mr. and Mrs. Dunne as they go through the motion of making their marriage work. Nick (Affleck) decides to move back to his hometown in Missouri from New York after being sacked as a print journalist, bringing his wife Amy (Pike) with him.  Embittered by his current state due to the advent of online publishing, the couple has slowly drifted apart, with Nick spending most of his time at a local bar he bought and manages while Amy is mostly home and explores the community with a few newfound friends.

                Unexpectedly, Nick’s sleepy town has awakened due to Amy’s sudden disappearance, what was left are confusing clues as to why and how his wife had gone missing.  At the scene of the crime within the Dunne’s home are clear signs of struggle – shattered glasses and an overturned coffee table but there were no signs of forced entry, leaving investigators to think that the prime suspect they’re looking for might be Nick.

                In recent interviews, Pike stated that the movie will make people re-examine their thoughts on marriage.  “That aspect of marriage as a con game, or whatever.  The idea that we perform a sort of ideal version of ourselves that the other person wants. We perhaps belie our true nature in order to perform to the ideal. David and I talked a lot about living in an age of rampant narcissism.”

                Likewise, Affleck shared that ““I actually think this is the perfect date movie, not because I think it’ll result in divorce – I think that’s just David’s fantasy – but because it’s the kind of movie that a husband and wife could talk about afterwards. I think a man and a woman would have different takes on what happens. The last time I was in a movie that I thought polarised men and women in an interesting way was ‘Chasing Amy.’ That was quite some time ago.”

                “Gone Girl” opens in cinemas nationwide on October 8 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

FLEEING FROM THE INESCAPABLE IN “THE MAZE RUNNER”

                Filmmaker Wes Ball, acclaimed for his kinetic powerful 8-minute short “Ruin” that had internet audiences blown away brings his dynamic filmmaking flair in the upcoming young adult movie “The Maze Runner.”

                Based on the bestselling book by James Dashner, “The Maze Runner” stars Dylan O’Brien along with a talented young cast – Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie Sangster,  Will Pouter, Ki Hong Lee, Aml Ameen, Alex Flores, Chris Sheffield, Dexter Darden, Jacob Latimore and Blake Cooper who are all trapped in a enclosed space known as The Glade.
“The Maze Runner” is the first book in the bestselling trilogy set in a post-apocalyptic world where a community of young men discover they’re all trapped in a maze.  When Thomas (O’Brien) surfaces from the bottom of The Glade, things have never been the same, especially when the last one and the only girl in the group followed after Thomas.   They all must work together not only to escape the maze, but solve its riddle and reveal the chilling secret of their entrapment.

                In the movie, the boys are surrounded by massive walls – industrial yet ancient in design, these chilling walls seem out of place in the wild forest where the boys are thriving each day.   Thomas, along with Minho (Ki Hong Lee) tries to go through the massive maze walls to try to get through an opening that will lead them out of the Glade.  But the boys who were there first warned them that nobody has ever made it out alive from the maze.  There’s something that preys on the ones that stay out too long in the maze.

                Director Ball cast a talented group of young boys who are all trapped, most of whom are content in the confines and safety of the glade until Thomas came questioning everything.

                Gally, played by Will Pouter whose film credits include “Son of Rainbow,” “We’re The Millers” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is at odds with Thomas’ charging into the unknown.  His character, Gally is all about keeping things safe and normal so as to keep them alive.

                Aml Ameen, known for his roles in “Red Tails” and TV’s “Harry’s Law” is the father figure of the group.  The very first glader, he was the first one who taught himself everything there is to know to survive the glade.

                Arriving second in the glade, Newt, played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“Game of Thrones,” “Nowhere Boy,” and Ferb’s voice in “Phineas & Ferb) is basically Alby’s right hand.  Newt takes up the reins whenever Alby is not around.

                Chuck – played by Blake Cooper (“Parental Guidance”) “He’s this absolutely adorable kid. Sort of a little brother character,” Ball says. Chuck is younger and smaller than most of the other boys. He tries hard, and nobody expects much out of him, though he gets his hero moments.”

Running through the dangerous maze with Thomas is Minho, played by Ki Hong Lee (TV’s “The Nine Lives of Chloe King”) who doesn’t say much  but  runs fast, making him a very valuable part of the team for solving the riddle of the maze. “He’s the fastest, most bad-ass guy who goes out into the maze every day. He’s kind of a mysterious guy, but will eventually open up, too,” says Ball of Lee’s character.

The only rose among the thorns, Teresa is played by Kaya Scodelario (“Clash of the Titans”) who is probably the harbinger of doom because “all goes bad as soon as she turns up,” director Ball shares of Teresa’s mysterious character.

“The Maze Runner” opens September 17 in theatres nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

APE OF KINGDOM IS BACK IN “DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”

A RISING NATION UNITED IN “DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”

                10 years after the Simian Flu virus almost wiped out man’s kind, a nation of apes is thriving despite the virus – growing stronger and multiplies in director Matt Reeves’ most awaited sci-fi action of the year, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” starring Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman and Andy Serkis.

                “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” follows what transpired on the previously released film, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” where Caesar, captured by Serkis, his journey took him from orphaned baby, raised in a human household, to abused prisoner in an insalubrious ape sanctuary, to the liberator of a whole army of apes, artificially evolved to super-intelligent levels by a man-made serum. That film concluded with Caesar’s community disappearing into Muir Woods near San Francisco, before the same serum, in viral form, wiped out most of humanity.

Now, “Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes” picks up a decade later. The apes live peacefully in their own woodland territory, thinking humanity has gone forever. Then, it turns out there are virus-resistant survivors, struggling to recover in a devastated San Francisco. In this new world, a tense stand-off develops, one which leads to a potentially disastrous ape-versus-human conflict.

                Human and ape have not encountered each other for years. This chapter of the Planet Of The Apes series concerns their ‘first contact’ since the pandemic — and that encounter’s fallout. “There is this question of co-existence,” explains Reeves. “So, this is that one moment when it could have been Planet Of The Humans And Apes. And that’s what we’re exploring in this story: how that fell apart.”  
 

A formidable antagonist for the humans is Koba, played by Toby Kebbell.  The milky-eyed and scar-faced bonobo, introduced in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Koba spent much of his younger life confined in laboratories, where he was subjected to experimentation in the name of science. In the decade following the apes’ liberation, Koba has evolved into a grizzled warrior who harbors a strong hatred of the human race, believing that the only good human is a dead human.

Kebbell, who recently landed the role of the iconic villain Victor Von Doom in The Fantastic Four, says that Koba’s relationship with Caesar is one of “son and father, if not younger brother and older brother.  Caesar is very much in control, and Koba appears to be fine with that.”

A far gentler ape character is Cornelia, the young female chimp who in Rise of the Planet of the Apes was held at the San Bruno Primate Center, and who is played in this film by Judy Greer. Ten years after Caesar’s uprising against humanity, their budding relationship has blossomed. Cornelia is now Caesar’s wife and queen and the mother of his two children: an impatient and sometimes-rebellious adolescent male simian named Blue Eyes, played by Nick Thurston, and a newborn baby chimp.

When Rise of the Planet of the Apes was released, fans immediately recognized that Cornelia was named in tribute to the 1968 film’s lead ape character Cornelius, played by Roddy McDowall.  Given her romantic connection with Caesar, her name is also a historical reference to Cornelia Cinna, the first wife of Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar.

Another ape introduced in the last film, Rocket, played by Terry Notary, is a skilled combatant and one of Caesar’s closest allies. As in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Notary also served as the ape movement coach and stunt choreographer.

Also returning is Karin Konoval, as Maurice, an ex-circus orangutan who was forced to perform for the entertainment of his human captors.  Now the wise elder, Maurice serves as loyal consigliere and advisor, serving Caesar and educating the youth of his ape kingdom.

                “In this movie,” concludes Reeves, “Caesar goes from being a revolutionary to a leader and a father and someone who has to lead through very difficult times. In that sense, the ambition is for him to be an ape Lawrence Of Arabia. And Andy is someone who has the gravitas and the depth to play that. The fun of the movie is to have the scale of it and never lose sight of the intimacy or the soul of it.” Serkis, he asserts, is the key to its success. “He’s our ace in the hole. He’s just amazing.”

                “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (2D, 3D, 4DX) invades more than 200 theatres nationwide on July 9 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

                Stronger and united apes in this trailer link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN5KJ4x2oO8&list=PLcZs6n5iZPx-m4mEqWPLnh5bpwU-Wm2Ny&index=6

Rurouni Kenshin is back on the screen for the Manga fans

WARNER RELEASES “RUROUNI KENSHIN” SEQUELS IN PH AUG 20 & SEPT 24

Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines will roll-out a back-to-back release platform for the eagerly anticipated sequels of “Rurouni Kenshin.” This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc.

The first sequel, “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” will open here on Aug. 20, 2014, to be followed one month after by “Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends” on Sept. 24, 2014. (The teaser trailer for the two titles can now be viewed at http://youtu.be/MSqj9n0VqIQ.)

The release pattern will allow fans to experience the cathartic conclusion to the celebrated saga with little time in between and honors the filmmakers' wishes as to how the sequels should be viewed. The twin features will have the same opening window in Japan.

With the release of the original “Rorouni Kenshin” last year, Japanese cinema entered a new era. A commercial film combining unparalleled speed and overwhelming action in a moving human drama, it was an explosive blockbuster that was met with riotous enthusiasm by the fans.

This was the first motion picture inspired by Kenshin the Wanderer: The Romance of the Meiji Swordsman (Shueisha Jump Comics), the monumental manga comic by Nobuhiro Watsuki that has sold more than 5.8 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages.
Directed by Keishi Ōtomo, the film told of fictional events that took place during the early Meiji period in Japan, focusing on a wanderer named Himura Kenshin (Takeru Satoh), formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai. After participating in the Bakumatsu war, Kenshin wanders the countryside of Japan offering protection and aid to those in need as atonement for the murders he once committed as an assassin.

The filmmakers faced a serious challenge in meeting the high expectations of the manga fans, a challenge they succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations as the film arrived to a rapturous reception throughout Japan, quickly taking in more than 3 billion yen at the box office. Word-of-mouth spread quickly overseas, and “Rurouni Kenshin” was shown in 31 festivals and received distribution in 64 territories, including the Philippines.

The production team was aware from the start that the “Rurouni Kenshin” story would not be complete without a film version of the “Kyoto Arc,” the highest-rated and best-loved segment that serves as a climax to the manga series. Coincidentally, the resolution and determination with which the main character Kenshin survives through a turbulent age serve as a guidepost to the filmmakers.
And so, in answer to calls from around the world demanding “more Kenshin,” the filmmakers proudly present “Kyoto Inferno” and “The Legend Ends.”

Making Friends with "The Other Woman"

KATE UPTON IN HER FIRST MAJOR FILM ROLE IN “THE OTHER WOMAN”

Kate Upton, one of the world’s most sought supermodel/endorser debuts in her first major film role in the hilarious romantic comedy “The Other Woman” starring alongside Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann.

An unconventional friendship begins between three unsuspecting women as they cross roads when the man of their dreams gets exposed as a three-timing liar.  Carly (Diaz), a stunning lawyer from New York suddenly appears on Mark’s (NIkolaj Coster-Waldau) doorstep to surprise him, but when the door opened and she was greeted by a sweet-suburban woman named Kate (Mann), who is actually Mark’s wife, Carly’s world suddenly turned upside down.  She can’t believe that Mark made her the other woman all along!  The two women don’t appear to have much in common, other than the philandering womanizer who has been tricking both of them. They become great pals, however, and decide to teach the lying Mark a few lessons to prove that cheating will not work. But their journey goes way beyond straightforward revenge. Infidelity may have led to hurt and upset, but they don’t let it destroy their lives. Far from it.

Everything becomes more complicated when Carly and Kate find out that the charming cheat has been engaging in yet another affair, with the beautiful Amber (Kate Upton) who is half his age.  Kate Upton plays the naïve Amber, a classic blonde bombshell who innocently believes she has found true love with her handsome and highly successful boyfriend, Mark, until she discovers that he has been deceiving her.

For the role of Amber, the third woman deceived by Mark, producer Julie Yorn considered a number of actresses, but in securing Kate Upton, the producer ended up where she started.  Yorn explains: “Initially, we used Kate as the loose prototype of the character, never thinking we were actually going to get her.  But she came in and she was just so disarming.  The key to that role was that you have to hate her when you first see her, at least a little bit, and then love her when you get to know her.  She fits the bill so well for both of those situations.”   Likewise, screenwriter Melissa Stack marveled at the similarities between the character Amber and Kate Upton the person.  “Kate is such a bombshell but she’s very sweet,” says the screenwriter.“Kate has this lightness and a kind way about her that is perfect for Amber. That was always who we all hoped Amber would be.”

Upton enjoyed her first major acting role under the tutelage of Diaz and Mann.  “I am so lucky to have one of my first movies to be with Leslie and Cameron,” she says.  “They’re so inspiring.”

As the youngest of the trio, fashion designer icon Patricia Field along with her longtime collaborator and protégé Paolo Nieddu says of Kate’s Amber,  “She’s the cool girl,” says Nieddu.  “Amber’s style is a young style. Her most memorable wardrobe moment is when Carly and Kate spot Amber on a sunny Hamptons beach, jogging in a perfect white bikini made by Malia Mills.Amber is your jeans-and-t-shirt, all-American girl-next-door.  She’s kind of a tomboy at times.  Amber shouldn’t be over-styled or overdone.  She’s not out on the prowl.”

Upton, an American actress and supermodel also did cameos in the films “The Three Stooges” and “Tower Heist.”   As one of the most in-demand supermodels, Upton has broken boundaries in the fashion world, gracing the covers of the industry’s leading international publications including VOGUE US, VOGUE UK, VOGUE Italy, VOGUE Brazil, ELLE US, GQ US, as well as being featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition two years in a row. Kate was most recently the cover subject of the 100th Anniversary issue of Vanity Fair.   An avid horseback rider, she showed for the American Paint Horse Association and competed on a national level.

“The Other Woman” opens May 7 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Edge of Tomorrow unveiled Main Poster

“EDGE OF TOMORROW” LAUNCHES INT'L MAIN POSTER


Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow have just unveiled the international main one-sheet art for Doug Liman's futuristic thriller “Edge of Tomorrow” starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

The epic action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.
Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop—forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again…and again.
But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.
The international cast also includes Bill Paxton (“Aliens,” HBO’s “Big Love”), Brendan Gleeson (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”), Noah Taylor (“Lawless”), Kick Gurry (Australian TV’s “Tangle”), Dragomir Mrsic (“Snabba Cash II”), Charlotte Riley (“World Without End”), Jonas Armstrong (BBC TV’s “Robin Hood”), Franz Drameh (“Attack the Block”), Masayoshi Haneda (“Emperor”) and Tony Way (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”).
Liman is directing from a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie and Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth, based on the novel entitled All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.
Opening across the Philippines on June 5, 2014 in 3D, 2D and 35mm formats, “Edge of Tomorrow” is distributed Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

MEET & GREET “MR. PEABODY” THIS WEEKEND – MARCH 8 & 9

MEET & GREET “MR. PEABODY” THIS WEEKEND – MARCH 8 & 9

                Mr. Peabody, the most accomplished dog in the world is in the country’s premiere malls this weekend (March 8 and 9) for a rollercoaster ride through history!

                Treat your family and friends this weekend and catch Mr. Peabody tomorrow (March 8, Saturday) at Robinson’s Manila (2:00pm); SM Manila (4:00pm); SM Manila (5:00pm) and at Lucky Chinatown (7:00pm).  Mr. Peabody will also be seen on Sunday, March 9 at SM Megamall (2:30pm) and at Robinson’s Metro East (6:30pm).

                In the movie, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman”, the father-son tandem use their time machine - the WABAC - to go on the most outrageous adventures known to man or dog. But when Sherman takes the WABAC out for a joyride to impress his friend Penny, they accidentally rip a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc on the most important events in world history.  Before they forever alter the past, present and future, Mr. Peabody must come to their rescue, ultimately facing the most daunting challenge of any era:  figuring out how to be a parent. Together, the time traveling trio will make their mark on history.

                “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” is now showing nationwide in more 120 screens nationwide –  A DreamWorks Animation presentation from 20th Century Fox distributed by Warner Bros.