MANILA, Philippines – Adam McKay’s The Big Short operates exactly like a disaster film, the one where the biggest spectacle is a predictable cataclysmic event that has buildings being reduced to rubble, families being torn apart, and random nobodies being turned into feted heroes.
The only difference here is that the catastrophe that McKay readies his audience for is one that does not require special effects. It is one that is even more familiar, involving people losing jobs, careers, homes, and futures in a sweep of an invisible force that is as mighty as anything Mother Nature can dish up.
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The Big Short is about the 2009 financial meltdown, which saw most of the capitalist world succumb to the repercussions of its unguarded greed. Its heroes, connected only by their shared intuition and how they were able to make use of that intuition, also wallow in the sins of Wall Street, except most of them still have consciences that allow them the feeling of guilt, a rare emotion within the financial community.
McKay’s great disaster movie is as predictable as the ones that exploit exploding volcanoes, gargantuan floods, and impending meteors. What is unpredictable is how cynically funny it is, even amidst the fact that it is all based on reality.
Serious comedy
McKay, however, isn’t a stranger to utilizing comedy to echo heavier sentiments.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and its less renowned 2013 sequel would not have been utterly hilarious if it wasn’t based on an exaggerated version of what really transpires in news agencies when the cameras stop rolling. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) hides its droll impression of George W Bush-era America within a satire about dumb racers. Step Brothers (2008) and The Other Guys (2010) similarly have more things in mind than just barraging moviegoers with gags and jokes.
The Big Short, on the other hand, is grounded not on explicit hilarity but on more serious matters. Based on Michael Lewis’ book of the same title, the film is subtle on the comedy, relying mostly on the overt ridiculousness of everything that has happened that caused the financial crisis. Sure, it is all very tragic, yet McKay acknowledges that the entire scam’s a boisterous folly that is unabashedly comical if presented from a perspective that isn’t too involved.
Steered by sketches
McKay approaches the subject matter through people whose backgrounds are provided by just enough glimpses to rationalize motives without turning them into sympathetic figures. They are all human abominations, disfigured in one way or another by their being part and parcel of a community that reduces human beings into opportunities for profiteering.
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If the film feels like it is steered by sketches instead of three-dimensional characters, it is because it's funnier that way. That Michael Burry (Christian Bale), the glass-eyed genius who predicts the bursting of the bubble from within his own bubble of an office, is depicted as a pathetic recluse whose life’s affirmation hinges on a risky gamble is a genius move.
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Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), who turns the second-hand information of Burry’s gamble into a business proposition, looks reptilian with his cold stare, sleek hair and calculated gestures.
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Mark Baum (Steve Carell) accepts Jared’s proposition while nursing the trauma of losing his brother to the evils of Wall Street. He's a nervous wreck, whose constant gasps of disbelief as to how corrupt everything has become provide the film its semblance of a moral center, even though the character itself surrenders to the whims of capitalism by virtue of being in too deep to be able to get out.
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Elsewhere, two upstarts (John Magaro and Finn Wittrock) recruit Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt), a Wall Street trader who quit his job out of disgust, to fulfil their dreams of becoming wealthy.
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Scamming lessons
The Big Short does not relish in the dilemmas of its characters. McKay only uses them to navigate his way around the meeting rooms and conversation spaces, where ruthless negotiations and explanations ensue. The film is wholly interested in the screwball world that is governed by a reprehensible ideology that birthed complex and dangerous schemes and instruments that are sold as golden but are utterly worthless.
McKay explains the complications of Wall Street by the two things Hollywood is brimming with – celebrities and sarcasm. When the film requires a quick lesson on all the things that caused the crash, McKay recruits familiar faces, from renowned chef Anthony Bourdain to teenage sensation Selena Gomez, to do the explaining. He does so with fuming cynicism that only adds fuel to the absurdity of the large scale scamming that has happened. It just feels like everyone is involved.
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This is the reason why the film succeeds. It functions not with an air of superiority that most holier-than-thou cinema is grounded on but with a fervent admission that everyone is in it, that we are all aware and complicit to the crime of omission. We are all afflicted with greed, or at the very least, the ability to exploit others for our personal benefit.
It shouldn’t be funny, but it is. That is the grand tragedy of McKay’s The Big Short.– Rappler.com
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ Tirad Pass. Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema. Profile photo by Fatcat Studios
MANILA, Philippines – Did you ever go to a concert that you just didn’t want to end? Well this was one of those, a thrilling experience for the entire crowd, myself included. (WATCH: One OK Rock thrills Manila fans)
This band was unknown to me before their Philippine gig announcement so I didn’t know what to expect. Hence, from my point of view, which is maybe closer to that of an innocent bystander, I can assuredly say that I was super impressed with this relatively young band, count me in as a fan.
One OK Rock is a 4-member rock group, hailing from Japan with Takahiro "Taka" Moriuchi on vocal duties, Toru Yamashita on guitar, Ryota Kohama on bass and Tomoya Kanki on drums. With a huge following in Japan, most music fans in that country will recognize the name immediately, now just beginning to hit the international spotlight, and well-deserved. In many interviews, the band has said the name is derived from when they would rehearse, at one o’clock in the morning, which was when it was less expensive to rent the studio. (READ: One OK Rock: Their time has come)
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The setlist flowed with a natural ease and they hit the stage guns blazing. Taka, didn’t stop moving for the first 5 songs. He bounded from one side of the stage to the other, at times catching air off a small platform placed in the center, constantly on the move.
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Listen to part of "Mighty Long Fall" here:
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Taka sounded AMAZING! My fave number of the night. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mightylongfall?src=hash">#mightylongfall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ONEOKROCK_japan">@ONEOKROCK_japan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rapplerdotcom">@rapplerdotcom</a> <a href="https://t.co/x51SP52saO">pic.twitter.com/x51SP52saO</a></p>— Wyatt Ong (@wyattcaraway) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyattcaraway/status/689472621864353792">January 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
Some of Taka’s mannerisms, especially when he would lean forward and belt out the high notes, reminded me of Chino Moreno, lead vocalist of the Deftones. To which, these guys have a similar rock sensability, think Linkin Park with a blend of pop rock, something you might hear from Good Charlotte or Simple Plan. They’ve change their sound a bit as they have developed their own style.
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After 5 upbeat songs, they toned it down, with couple of slower tempo numbers, even busting out the acoustic guitar. They also included a short instrumental piece while Taka took a break, leaving the stage for a few minutes, letting his bandmates spotlight their skills. Then they followed with a couple of slower songs and began to ramp it up again about two thirds of the way through and finished with a high-energy encore.
What was notable, even with such dynamic physical activity, the quality of the singer's vocal performance was right on the money, he didn’t miss a beat. At times, he would dash from one side of the stage to the other, or up and down the catwalk set-up. Showing no signs of being winded while singing full out – this is not a straightforward task, although he made it appear second nature.
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That’s all well and good, except photographically, this creates a challenge with such an active subject and relatively low-light but if you catch them at the right moments, it makes for a sensational image.
On top of all the activity from the lead vocalist, the guitarists also held up their end of the bargain. On a few occasions, the boys were more like a whirling dervishes, spinning frantically in tight circles, playing guitar in perfect time. Most bass players don’t even move much, usually just swaying with the beat, but not so with the shirtless Ryota. He was constantly on the go, as he rocked out.
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All this backed up by Tomoya on drums, also playing double duty on backing vocals, he was tearing it up.
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As usual, the Filipino audience did not disappoint, lighting up their cell phone lights at the appropriate time without even being prompted to do so and singing along in perfect tune for most of the night.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/MOAArena">@MOAArena</a> lights up for <a href="https://twitter.com/ONEOKROCK_japan">@ONEOKROCK_japan</a> as fans sing along to 'Heartache,' featured in <a href="https://twitter.com/ruroken_movie">@ruroken_movie</a> <a href="https://t.co/pFKuqRlDB4">pic.twitter.com/pFKuqRlDB4</a></p>— Wyatt Ong (@wyattcaraway) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyattcaraway/status/689474625865027584">January 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
Much of their catalog of music is in English, but they did sing in Japanese, and astonishingly most of the crowd knew the words, too.
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Taka was initially taken aback and gestured to his bandmates, you could tell they were all impressed, there were smiles all around, they were enjoying themselves as much as the fans and it showed.
Yes, there was plenty of energy, competent young musicians, solid lighting arrangements and fantastic quality of the sound, things you’d expect from a worthwhile concert, but what made an impact on me was Taka’s command of the stage.
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He's got stage presence beyond his years, attentive to the energy the band was exuding and managing the energy that was coming back.
Watch him talking to the crowd at the beginning of the concert:
{source}<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/wyattcarawayong/videos/10153588103909821/"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/wyattcarawayong/videos/10153588103909821/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wyattcarawayong/videos/10153588103909821/"></a><p>One OK Rock!!!</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wyattcarawayong">Wyatt Ong</a> on Tuesday, January 19, 2016</blockquote></div></div>{/source}
He wasn’t just going through the motions.
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Dynamically paying attention to everything going on around him, instinctively knowing just when to coax the crowd into a frenzy or to tone it down a bit with a personal touch. Controlling the arena with a master's touch – many performers work on this skill for a lifetime, superb stuff.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
This band was a blast to photograph and with such rip-roaring energy, there was never a dull moment. A band on the cusp of a different level of stardom, one hit song should send them on their way, so keep and eye out for this name. They might just be back, which I think is a safe bet, so if you missed them this time – next time, don’t.
MANILA, Philippines – He's played lots of characters on-screen, but actor Jamie Foxx became a real life hero on Monday, January 18 when he rescued a man from a burning truck near his home in California.
According to a report from the New York Daily News, Jamie, who won an Oscar for his role as Ray Charles in Ray, immediately pulled the man (identified as Brett Kyle) out before the car caught fire.
In a TV interview, Jamie said that tried cutting the seat belt with scissors. After cutting the seat belt, he was then able to grab the passenger.
“As we pull him out, within 5 seconds later, the truck goes up,” Jamie said.
In another interview with CBS, Jamie said: "I don't look at it as heroic. I just look at it as, you know, you just had to do something. And it all worked out," Jamie said as Brett's father stood next to him.
"I told him as we were talking, as I'm getting him out, I said 'you've got to help me get you out because I don't want to have to leave you.'
"And I said 'You've got angels around you,'"Jamie said.
{source}<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="/CBSNews/videos/vb.131459315949/10153347123775950/?type=3"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/videos/10153347123775950/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/videos/10153347123775950/">Heroic Jamie Foxx pulls man from burning car, saves his life</a><p>WATCH: When Jamie Foxx heard a car crash outside of his house, he rushed to help. He heard a man screaming for help from a burning truck. So, Foxx got scissors, cut the driver out of his tight seatbelt and got him out in time. While he was pulling him out, he was also comforting him — "you've got angels around you" http://cbsn.ws/1UatMws</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CBSNews/">CBS News</a> on Tuesday, January 19, 2016</blockquote></div></div>{/source}
Meanwhile Brett's father thanked Jamie for rescuing his son.
On Tuesday, January 19, Jamie posted a photo of him and Brett's father hugging.
"Met the father of the young man from last night today. This is all that matters. That a man, a son, a brother's life was spared last night. God had his arms wrapped around all of us...No heroes...Just happy fathers," Jamie wrote.
{source}
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAvxBA7qE9i/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Met the father of the young man from last night today. This is all that matters. That a man, a son, a brother's life was spared last night. God had his arms wrapped around all of us...No heroes...Just happy fathers.</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-01-20T03:48:51+00:00">Jan 19, 2016 at 7:48pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
The New York Daily News reported that Brett was immediately taken to a hospital, but was arrested for driving under the influence. – Rappler.com
WASHINGTON, USA – Filmmaker Spike Lee said Wednesday, January 20 that while he and his wife are staying away from this year's Oscar's ceremony, he has not called for a boycott over the all-white lineup of nominees in the actor categories. (READ: Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith to boycott Oscars over all-white nominees)
"I have never used the word boycott," he said in an interview on ABC's Good Morning America show.
Watch what he had to say in the video below at the 3:15 mark.
Lee wrote an open letter to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president and board of governors posted on Instagram on Monday decrying the "lily white" actors nominations for a second consecutive year, and said he and his wife would not attend.
"I'm going to a Knicks game," he said on ABC, referring to the NBA basketball team from New York.
Lee joined other Hollywood A-listers like actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, wife of actor Will Smith, in expressing outrage over the absence of minority nominees.
Even Academy president, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, said she was "both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion."
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney said the movie industry was moving backward, saying the problem was with the options available to minorities in quality films. (READ:George Clooney says Oscars moving backwards on diversity)
As he did in his letter, Lee said the fault for the absence of minority nominees lay with the studio executives who decide what films are made rather than the academy and its voting membership.
He suggested the only way things would change is if the studios adopt a system akin to that used by the National Football League, which requires that minorities be interviewed when coach or executive positions open up.
"I mean, we can't say hocus-pocus, presto chango," he said.
"Got to be in the room. We're not in the room. We are not in the room...
"When they have these green light meetings quarterly where they look at the scripts and look at who is in it and decide what we're making, what we're not making." – Rappler.com
LOS ANGELES, USA – Adele's blockbuster new album missed the deadline for this year's Grammys – but she will still be at the ceremony to sing.
Organizers of the music industry's biggest night announced Wednesday, January 20 that Adele would perform a track off her album 25 at the February 15 award ceremony in Los Angeles.
As is customary, the Grammys will also feature performances by leading nominees.
This year's appearances will include rapper Kendrick Lamar, who received a near-record 11 Grammy nominations amid acclaim for his latest album To Pimp a Butterfly, and Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd, a contender for awards in seven categories.
The Grammys will also feature a tribute to veteran pop and R&B chart-topper Lionel Richie, who is being honored for his career's work.
Adele, who has won 10 Grammys and last performed at the ceremony in 2012, in November released her long-awaited third album 25 which broke the record for first-week sales both in the United States and her native Britain. (READ: Adele's '25' album sales smashes record)
The album came out too late to be eligible for the Grammys but will be an early favorite for next year's edition.
Rapper LL Cool J, known for his calm poise at the microphone, will host the Grammys for the 5th straight year.
In a first, the Grammys will air live throughout the United States; West Coast viewers will no longer have to wait to see the broadcast only during East Coast primetime hours.
The delay had become increasingly antiquated in the age of social media, with viewers in the very city where the Grammys are taking place hearing about the winners online before they could watch on television. – Rappler.com
LOS ANGELES, USA – The next and 8th episode in the Star Wars saga will premiere in December 2017, 7 months later than originally planned, Disney and Lucasfilm announced Wednesday, January 20.
The 7th episode in the series, The Force Awakens, quickly surpassed the $760.5 million record set in 2009 by Avatar to become the top-grossing film ever in the North American market. (READ: New 'Star Wars' smashes box-office record)
The film has now grossed $858.9 million in North America and $1.865 billion worldwide.
The next episode will be directed by Rian Johnson, who helmed the 2012 sci-fi thriller Looper, starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt.
The movie is in pre-production, with filming set to begin next month in London, the studios said.
Disney and Lucasfilm plan to release a further installment, Episode 9 of the saga, on May 24, 2019.
A spin-off, titled Rogue One, which will be set shortly before the events portrayed in the original 1977 Star Wars film, is set to reach screens on December 16. – Rappler.com
STOCKHOLM,Sweden – "Mamma mia"! The four members of Swedish 1970s pop phenomenon ABBA were reunited in Stockholm on Wednesday, January 20 but sadly for fans only for the opening of a restaurant.
"We are here to party," said his co-composer Bjorn Ulvaeus, the one on the guitar.
Together with singers Agnetha Fältskog, the one with the long blond hair, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, the brunette, they formed Abba, the pop group which took the world by storm in the 1970s and early 1980s with hits such as "Waterloo" and "Dancing Queen".
The famous quartet who were once married to each other hadn't been seen out together since 2008. On Friday they arrived and left separately and wouldn't be photographed together.
Abba have sold more than 380 million album worldwide since their breakthrough at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – Seventeen years since her last album, '90s singer Donna Cruz is back in the music scene – she's announced she will launch a new album.
During the contract signing with Star Music Tuesday, January 19, Donna, known for her classic pop song "Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso," shared that she's very happy to back doing what she loves to do – music.
"Sobrang happy and excited. I’m looking forward to promoting my album and my songs. And yung sa mga TV guestings, sa pagkanta, excited na rin ako marinig sa radio ulit na may bagong kanta, and sobrang thankful and grateful," she said.
(I so happy and excited. I'm looking forward to promoting my album and my songs. And the TV guestings, singing, I'm so excited to hear the new songs again on the radio. I'm just thankful and grateful.)
Now based in Cebu with her husband Yong Larrazabal, a doctor, and her 3 children Belle, Cian, and Gio, Donna said that her family was very supportive of her comeback and that they were the ones who even pushed her to perform again.
"Actually, excited sila for me and ramdam na ramdam ko na yung mga kids ko proud sa akin. So nakakatuwa and happy ako na nakikita ko yung support and yung happiness nila for me and sila yung actually excited talaga for me," she said.
(Actually, all of them are excited for me and I really feel that my kids are proud of me. So I feel so happy that I see their support and their happiness for me, and they are the ones who are really excited.)
Donna also shared that it helped that her eldest child Belle, 16, is ready to help take care of her siblings.
"Yun din actually mismo. Alam ko na build up na, na establish na yung samahan namin na hindi ko na kailangan yung – ayaw ko kasi iasa sa yayas so baka mas maging close pa yung mga kids ko na mas bata pa sila, maliliit pa sila. Mahuhurt ako, magseselos ako sa ganun. Ngayon hindi, mas confident din ako. Sila din gusto nila ako kumanta and ini-explain ko din naman sa kanila na yung singing hindi naman kailangan ko sa Manila ng matagal na matagal," she said.
(That actually also was the reason. I know I was able to build up, establish the bond that I don't need to you know – leave with the nannies because they'll be close to my kids when they're young and small. I'd get hurt, I'd be jealous for sure. Now, I'm more confident about it. They're the ones who also want me to sing again and I explained to them that I won't be in Manila very often for it.)
According to Donna, she has two original songs in the album and the rest are revivals of her favorite Filipino songs, which includes a version of "Hanggang" by Wency Cornejo, whose song "Habang May Buhay" was revived by Donna in one of her previous albums.
Aside from "Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso" and "Habang May Buhay," her other singles include "Wish" with Jason Everly, and "Isang Tanong, Isang Sagot." She also appeared in flims such as Kadenang Bulaklak (1994), Campus Girls (1995), Muling Umawit Ang Puso (1995), and DoReMi (1996).
Asked how she felt about recording again, Donna said: "Grabe. Nanumbalik lahat nung nasa showbiz pa ako, pero positive na pakiradam kasi na miss ko. First love ko ang pagkanta." (Grabe. It all came back to me when I was still active in showbiz, but in a positive way that I felt I miss it. Singing is really my first love)
Donna's fans are also excited for her comeback. Donna said that she has been giving updates through Facebook and Instagram.
"Super excited sila. Kahit yung pagpost sa Instagram, very active ako sa Instagram and sa fanpage ko sa Facebook, grabe, nakakatuwa. Nakakataba ng puso na sobrang damingnag-lolook forward sa album and madaming nagpapasalamat sa Star Music kasi pinakinggan nila yung request nila," she said.
(They're very excited. Even when I post on Instagram because I'm very active posting, and also on my fanpage on Facebook, it's very heartwarming. I'm touched that many are looking forward to the album and many of them are actually thanking Star Music because they listened to their request.)
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While she laid low from showbiz, Donna said that being a mother took all of her time. She also does running, and graduated with a degree in Computer Science in Cebu.
"Ang nagpapabusy sa akin doon is pagiging tutor mom ko. Ako talaga ang tututor sa mga kids. And yon, ako rin nag build ng website para sa husband ko. Nakatapos ako ng Bachelor of Science Computers Science sa Cebu Doctors University. So iyon sa Internet, sa paggawa ng website, yon naging busy din ako. And siguro yung running talaga. Kumbaga, kung meron akong ginagawa yung me time ko na outside showbiz, and hindi lang yung sa family lang, yung running," she said.
(What realy kept me busy was being a 'tutor mom' to my kids. I was really hands on on tutoring my kids. And I also build a website for my husband. I was able to finish a bachelors of Science, Computer Science in Cebu Doctors University. So the Internet, making websites, that really kept me busy. And of course running. In other words if I had time for myself outside of showbiz and aside from my fmaily, it was for running.)
Meanwhile, Donna said that she's very flattered that a number of songs have been recorded by today's young artists. She even heard from her cousin Sunshine Cruz about Janella Salvador's version of "Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso."
"Kinanta nila sa teleserye. Nakakatawa pa kasi si Sunshine yung cousin ko kasama nila. Nahirapan siya kantahin yung 'Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso' – ang taas pala noon. Nakakatuwa naman kasi napipili nila yung mga kanta include sa album," she said.
(The sang it in the teleserye. It's funny because Sunshine, my cousin, was with them. She had a hard time singing "Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso" – because it was very high. It's very flattering because they choose the song to be part of the album.)
Now that's she's back in the music scene, Donna thanked her fans and supporters for the warm welcome.
" Thank you. Maraming maraming salamat sa pagkamiss nyo sa akin at hindi nyo ako nakalimutan. Sana asahan ko uli ang inyong suporta para sa darating na bagong album para meron ulit kasunod Thank and abangan n'yo po under Star Music," she said.
(Thank you. Thank you so much for missing me and that you've never forgotten me. I hope to have your support for the upcoming album so there will be a nother one. Thank you and watch out for it under Star Music.) – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – In honor of Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, TV host Paolo Ballesteros transformed himself into the beauty queen/actress through makeup.
This is not the first time Paolo transformed himself into beauty queens. Last year, he transformed as Miss Philippines Universe 2014 Mary Jean Lastimosa, Miss Jamaica Kaci Fennell, Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez, and Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega. (See the Paolo Ballesteros makeup transformation to Miss PH, Miss Jamaica)
Paolo Ballesteros is well known for his detailed and intricate makeup transformations, which have earned him quite a social media following. He has previously applied his considerable skills to transforming into Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Angelina Jolie, among others. (Paolo Ballesteros: 12 wild makeup transformation moments)
These days, Paolo applies his makeup transformation skills to become Lola Tidora and various characters on Eat Bulaga's kalyeserye. – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – It's been years since Derek Ramsay and Angelica Panganiban broke up in 2012, but the actor says that it was only recently that the two spoke again as friends. (READ: Derek Ramsay: 'Minahal ko si Angelica, I'll never forget that')
At a January 21 interview before a press conference for his new movie, Love Is Blind, Derek told reporters that Angelica reached out to him in December, greeting him a belated happy birthday.
"I mean we all have our own time to heal you know, and it was nice for her to reach out and greet me for my birthday," said Derek on the situation.
"It's good, kasi (because) it's something in my life na (that) I've been hoping and praying for, na magkaayos kami, na magkaibigan ulit kami, kasi (that we're all right again, that we're friends again, because) 6 years is 6 years," Derek continued, referring to how long he and Angelica dated. He added that he was thankful that she reached out.
Derek has tried to talk to Angelica before, he said, but she wasn't ready. "Yeah, I tried before, a couple years back, and she wasn't ready, and I respect that. And now that she's ready, she realized na it's great na nag-effort siya para mag-communicate sa akin (that she made the effor tot talk to me). And I was really touched by her reaching out, especially on my birthday pa naman, she remembered."
Derek shared that he didn't know who had greeted him at first, because Angelica had changed her number since they broke up. But when he realized that it was her, he called her up and the two caught up.
According to Derek, this is the first time that the two have communicated, aside from when Derek's estranged wife Mary Christine Jolly filed a concubinage complaint against him and Angelica in 2014. (READ: Derek Ramsay confirms 2002 marriage)
When reporters asked Derek about the rumors that Angelica had broken up with her current boyfriend, John Lloyd Cruz, Derek adamantly denied it, saying: "Hindi totoo 'yan, hindi totoo 'yan. Patay na yung issue na 'yan, hindi totoo 'yan. (That's not true, that's not true. That issue is dead already, it's not true.) She told me about her plans that they did over the holidays.
"Anyway, that's not for me to get into, that's their relationship. But ang alam ko lang is that hindi sila [hiwalay] (What I know is that they aren't [broken up])."
Like many other fans of showbiz couples, Derek and Angelica's fans have been expressing hope that they would get back together when rumors about John Lloyd and Angelica started flying. On that, Derek said that he was happy that people still support his and Angelica's relationship, both onscreen and off. The two starred in the 2010 movie I Love You, Goodbye.
"It's nice to know that after how many years, they're still there. Pero (But) I'm sure these people want each party to be happy. And from what I gather from Angel, kahit sandali lang kami nag-usap (even though we only spoke for a short time), she's very happy, I'm very happy, and we're both happy.
On his non-showbiz girlfriend
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Derek himself is currently in a relationship with someone who isn't in showbiz – Joanne Villablanca.
When Angelica reached out to Derek, Derek said he told Joanne about it. "She was happy for me. Because I've been very vocal na sana maging okay kami ni Angelica, kasi (that I hope Angelica and I will be okay again, because) again, 6 years is 6 years. I got to know her, I got to know her family."
Derek has kept his current relationship private, but answered questions from the press during the same interview.
He said that this relationship is different from his previous ones because Joanne has an 8-year-old daughter: "I respect how she's a wonderful mom, how much she loves her daughter. So it's definitely a different relationship kasi she doensn't just focus on me, she's focused on somebody else as well. I like that, I like that she has a sense of responsibility, and maybe one day she'll be the mother of my children, I don't know, we'll see."
When pushed about whether marriage was a possibility for the future, Derek answered, "We've (Joanne and I) mentioned how this relationship is blooming, how it's getting deeper and deeper and how it's growing. So one day, sana, umabot don sa level na 'yon (hopefully, it reaches that level)."
"Isa siyang blessing (She's a blessing)," Derek said, describing Joanne. "She's motivated me to work, she's motivated me about my life. Yung gustong-gusto ko talaga is paano niyang tinatanggap yung anak ko, na parang inaalagaan din yung anak ko (what I really like is how she accepted my son, that it's like she's taking care of him too), it's –she's a blessing."
Derek has a 12-year-old son named Austin with Mary Christine. – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines - Kean Cipriano and Chynna Ortaleza surprised fans on New Year's Day when they posted photos of their hands wearing wedding rings on Instagram – the two had reportedly gotten married a few weeks before January 1. (READ: Kean Cipriano and Chynna Ortaleza get married)
At a press conference for his upcoming movie Love Is Blind, reporters asked Kean about details of his wedding and how he's dealing with married life.
"Love is intense... life is short," started Kean, when asked to comment on the quick progression of his and Chynna's relationship. In an October 2015 interview on Tonight with Boy Abunda, Kean admitted that he was in a relationship with Chynna.
"Kungbaga, we're all born to love and to be happy and to die one day, pero kungbaga there's one perfect thing na mararanasan mo sa buhay mo ay yung magmahal ng sobra-sobra diba, yun lang siguro," Kean continued.
(It's like, we're all born to love, and to be happy, and to die one day, but there's one perfect thing that we can experience in life, and that's to love unconditionally, right? I guess that's what it is.)
Since Kean and Chynna reportedly had a civil ceremony, Kean was asked if the couple was planning a church wedding. Kean thanked the reporter for asking, but refused to give further comment.
"The thing is, me and my wife talked about it and discussed it na parang (and it's like) all the details about our lives, and our marriage, and our family, we'd really like to keep it to ourselves. All the details, I mean. Thank you for respecting that."
Kean did speak to reporters a bit after the conference, about how he's been finding married life.
"It's indescribable, honestly, because it's everyone's dream. It's everyone's dream to find peace deep within with someone right? So it's really a dream come true," Kean said, adding later that a baby would be welcome too.
"Miracle lahat ng nangyayari sa mundo, lahat tayo kaya tayo nabuhay sa mundo na 'to, miracle lahat 'to (Everything that happens in the world, the reason all of us are born into the world, it's all a miracle.). So with your question, with that, having a baby, yeah, that'd be another dream come true."
Kean also said that he's been very inspired to create ever since he got married.
On comments that he didn't seem like the marrying type before the news broke out, Kean replied, "Marumi man akong tingnan, malinis ako magmahal." (I might look dirty, but I love clean.)
Baby on the way?
Questions about a possible baby on the way were also asked during the conference, spurred by a photo Chynna posted on Instagram, where fans commented that she looked like she might have a baby bump.
On the topic of Chynna possibly being pregnant, Kean refused to comment as well: "Dahil (Because) I respect her decision that much, and our decision as a family, and our family's decision as well, I don't really want to give out any details regarding us. But we are living a good life, with a happy family, na pag nagsalita ako ng detalye baka matulog ako sa baba ng kama (and if I give any details, I might sleep at the bottom of the bed)," he ended with a laugh.
After the conference, Kean explained to reporters his and Chynna's decision to keep things private. "Me and Chynna, we've talked about it na anything regarding our personal lives and or family, we want to keep the details to ourselves. It's that sacred for us na (that) we wanna keep it to ourselves."
"We believe in individuality, because at the end of the day, it's still gonna be Kean Cipriano of Callalily and Chynna Ortaleza, who is a brilliant actress, and we are very much inspired by each other."
Kean is the frontman of the band Callalily, which Chynna is an actress known for playing antagonist roles on TV. Kean said that Love Is Blind is his and Chynna's first project together, though they don't have scenes together in the movie.
Kean has always been quiet about his love life. When reporters pointed it out, he explained that it was because he respects the people in his life: "Kaya ako pag napansin niyo kapag tinatanong ako about my past relationships or whatever parang I really can't dish out anything kasi it's something really ano eh, private yun eh.Kungbaga parallel universe yung career ko as a public individual and yung personal na buhay, so yun yung sinasabi ko na yeah it's really hard to be private in the public arena, pero it's pretty amazing how you keep it kasi it becomes more special."
(That's why you night have noticed that when I'm asked about my past relationships or whatever, I can't really dish out anything because it's something really private. In a way, my career as a public individual and my personal life are parallel universes, so that's what I mean when I say that yeah, it's really hard to be private in the public arena, but it's pretty amazing how you keep it because it becomes more special.)
On handling fans commenting on photos, the same way that they did when speculation rose about Chynna's alleged pregnancy, Kean said that he doesn't mind. "I mean we all have our freedom of expressing our insights and comments, and the fact that we live in the world of Internet nowadays you know that's... kasi wala naman Internet dati diba, so ngayon lahat ng tao pwede magcomment, pwede magsalita (because we didn't have the Internet before right, so now everyone can comment, they can all speak).
"I respect every single comment... kasi (because) it's their decision to post, and it's their time. And the thing is, we post the same pictures too. And the fact na nagpost ka ng (we posted a) picture on the Internet, it's bound to be judged," he continued.
"At the end of the day, matutulog tayo na alam natin kung ano yung ginagawa natin, alam natin kung sino yung pamilya natin, alam natin kung aling mahalaga sa buhay natin, so that's how I deal with it."
(At the end of the day, we all go to bed knowing what we've done, knowing who our families are, knowing what's important in our lives, so that's how I deal with it.)– Rappler.com
LOS ANGELES, USA – Actor Will Smith said Thursday, January 21 he will not attend next month's Oscars ceremony, joining his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and director Spike Lee to protest the absence of minorities among the acting nominees. (READ: Spike Lee, Jada Pinkett Smith to boycott Oscars over all-white nominees)
For a second year in a row, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated only white actors for the 20 slots, causing an outcry. The issue is likely to be front and center when the Academy's board meets on Tuesday. (READ: FULL LIST: Nominees, Oscars 2016)
Smith, a mega-star whose role in NFL drama Concussion was overlooked this year, said he was out of the country when his wife announced on social media that she would not attend the February 28 awards ceremony in Hollywood.
"She's deeply passionate and when she is moved she has to go," Smith said in an interview on ABC's Good Morning America show. "I heard her words and I was knocked over. I was happy to be married to that woman."
"There is a position that we hold in this community, and if we're not part of the solution, we're part of the problem," said Smith, a two-time Oscar nominee for his roles in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.
"It was her call to action, for herself, and for me and for our family to be a part of the solution."
Smith said America's diversity was one of its strength, and should be reflected in film.
"Everyone is beautiful and deserving and is fantastic, but it feels like it's going the wrong direction," he said of this year's nominations list.
"The nominations reflect the Academy. The Academy reflects the industry and then the industry reflects America," he said.
"There is a regressive slide towards separatism, towards racial and religious disharmony and that's not the Hollywood that I want to leave behind."
Lee, who won an Oscar last year honoring his lifetime achievements as a moviemaker, wrote an open letter to the academy Monday decrying the "lily white" acting nominations.
Lee says the bias lies with the studio executives who decide which movies get made – a point others have made as the #OscarsSoWhite backlash mounts.
Lupita Nyong'o, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for 12 Years A Slave two years ago, said on Instagram: "I stand with my peers who are calling for change in expanding the stories that are told and recognition of the people who tell them."
{source}<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAv26XhnuRZ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin #manystoriesmanyvoices</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-01-20T04:40:23+00:00">Jan 19, 2016 at 8:40pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>{/source}
Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, warning the movie industry is moving backwards, said this week the problem was the lack of options available to minorities in quality films. (READ: George Clooney says Oscars moving backwards on diversity)
Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is black, said she was "both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion."
Industry magazine Varietysuggested a change to the body's membership rules could be on the table when the board meets next week.
The Academy has some 6,000 members, all of whom work in the film industry and are elected by their peers for life. According to a 2012 study by the Los Angeles Times, nearly 94 percent of the Academy voters are white and mostly male.
Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo – up for a golden statuette for his role in Spotlight, about journalists at the Boston Globe who uncovered sexual abuse in the Catholic Church – had hinted at the idea of not attending but tweeted he would.
"I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism," said Ruffalo, who is white.
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To clear up any confusion. I will be going to the Oscars in support of the victims of clergy Sexual Abuse and good journalism. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Spotlight?src=hash">#Spotlight</a></p>— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/690235498573365248">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
"I do support the Oscar Ban movement's position that the nominations do not reflect the diversity of our community."
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I do support the Oscar Ban movement's position that the nominations do not reflect the diversity of our community.</p>— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/690237124289794048">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Oscar Ban movement reflects a larger discussion about racism in the criminal justice system.</p>— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/690237791712620544">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Correction. I hope the Oscar Ban movement opens the way for my peers to open their hearts to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackLivesMatter?src=hash">#BlackLivesMatter</a> movement as well.</p>— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkRuffalo/status/690249974257348608">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
MONTREAL, Canada – Hundreds lined up for hours in frigid weather outside a Montreal church Thursday, January 21 to pay their respects to Rene Angelil, the husband and longtime manager of Canadian singer Celine Dion who died last week. (READ: Celine Dion's husband, manager Rene Angelil dies)
Dressed in a black veil and gown, her hair in a bun, with her eldest son Rene-Charles at her side, Dion received condolences from relatives, senior politicians and others, as fans filed past Angelil's open coffin.
Outside the church, a giant portrait of Angelil greeted mourners.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard ordered provincial flags lowered to half mast and offered a national funeral for the show business impresario, an honor reserved for Quebecers who have made a significant contribution to the arts.
Rene Angelil died of cancer at the couple's home in Las Vegas on January 14. He was 73. – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – It's been 10 years since High School Musical (HSM) hit our screens and as part of their 10th anniversary special, some of the cast took a trip down memory lane and watched their audition videos from 2005. (IN PHOTOS: 'High School' musical cast reunion)
The highlight of the segment was the audition of the two stars, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron, both of whose careers have bloomed since the movie. Vanessa and Zac also became a couple off-screen, to the delight of HSM fans everywhere. Vanessa and Zac broke up in 2010.
In their audition video though, the former couple is young and sweet, repeating familiar lines from the movie as Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez.
The audition was also interspersed with reactions from Vanessa herself, along with former castmates Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, and Monique Coleman.
"You were so sweet, and beautiful, and perfect," commented Monique on a young Vanessa.
The auditions of Ashley, Corbin, Lucas, and Monique were played too, sharing a little bit of their experiences during that time.
After watching his and Ashley's audition for the roles of Sharpay and Ryan Evans, Lucas shared, "We ran through the scene, and this girl (Ashley) gave me notes." It was, as Monique pointed out, something Sharpay herself would have done.
After all the videos were played, Corbin commented, "Every single person that was on the cast, everybody brought something so different and so interesting to the table and it was always so genuine."
The HSM 10th anniversary special aired in the US on January 20. Zac wasn't in the special, but he did give a video message on the segment, and shared about his favorite scene from the movie.
MANILA, Philippines – J Blakeson’s The 5th Wave is one pathetic bore.
It is The Hunger Gameswithout the costumes and the histrionics. It is Twilight without the put-on and therefore campy angst. It is Divergentwithout the attempt at a decent allegory. It is Maze Runner without the sometimes exciting action.
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All of its predecessors aren’t exactly great entertainment. That is probably the reason why the film lacks any semblance of ambition. It dully limps towards its unsurprising conclusion, which is essentially a foreshadowing of a barrage of hopeless sequels that only repeat the garish slogan of almost all films of this type – never trust authority.
Scraping the bottom
That it scrapes the utmost bottom of the barrel of a drained genre reflects the desperation of its makers – to turn a quick buck out of another one of those novels that can’t get past the youth’s thirst for independence against authority as their thematic core.
It is everything that is wrong with the Hollywood machine. It is unimaginative, relying mostly on an equally unimaginative source that curiously amassed fans along the way. It is peppered with scenes that exploit grandiose special effects, gravely emphasizing how the rest of the film is brazenly dull and unspectacular.
It is confused with its existence. It cannot decide whether it wants to be a film that can survive on its own or a set-up for a franchise that will predictably fail towards the end like most of the franchises that went before it.
The set-up
Cassie (Chloe Grace Moretz) describes herself as a normal teenager. She goes to school by day. She parties responsibly, always making sure that she gets home right before her curfew. She has a cute family, with a little brother (Zackary Arthur) whom she spoils with nightly lullabies and teddy bears. Everything is perfectly normal until the aliens arrive to invade the Earth in waves of catastrophes.
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We all know this because Cassie narrates it with surprising clarity. After killing an injured man out of paranoia, she is ridden with philosophical musings as to how the alien invasion has resulted in her loss of humanity. See, The 5th Wave’s conceit is that the aliens take the form of other humans by inhabiting them like parasites. This puts everyone in a state of paranoia, with people killing other people.
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Basically, the military recruits all of the kids to battle the invasion. Cassie, however, misses the bus and gets separated from her brother. The film is all about her traveling several miles across lackluster forests to get to the military camp where her little brother is being trained to kill aliens dressed up as humans.
Along the way, she meets up with mysterious Evan Walker (Alex Roe), who forms the final piece in her love triangle-to-be with Ben Parish (Nick Robinson), her crush from her normal days and who is now a squadron leader for the military.
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Tedious adventuring
The 5th Wave is a tedious crawl. Moretz plays her character with tenuous conviction. She is uncomfortably stale in the action scenes and laughably awkward during the romantic interludes. She is only decent when she is contemplating on the shallow philosophies of her miserable lot, the scenes of which are very few and truncated.
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Of course, this is mostly the fault of Blakeson and writers Susannah Grant, Akiva Goldsman, and Jeff Pinkner, whose adaptation of Rick Yancey’s text is stunted in terms of characterization and emotional heft. Case in point is the film’s domineering authority figure, Colonel Vosch (Liev Schreiber), who is depicted in the film with as much personality as an abandoned action figure.
The 5th Wave is an adventure whose beginning is somewhat intriguing, whose middle is a struggle, and whose end is cheap and frustrating. It this is just the start to a franchise that seeks to prolong the public’s infatuation with pseudo-smart dystopian myths about kids saving the world, let us hope that it gets better. It should be easy. There is no way but up with a film as close to torture as this. – Rappler.com
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ Tirad Pass. Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema. Profile photo by Fatcat Studios
MANILA, Philippines – Two weeks after the birth, Judy Ann Santos and husband Ryan Angoncillo posted the first photos of their new daughter Juana Luisa or Luna on Friday, January 22.
"Our moon has arrived," Judy Ann said of the photo Ryan took of Luna.
On January 8, Judy Ann gave birth to Luna, prompting Ryan, who was hosting Eat Bulaga at that time, to leave early to be with her.
Last June, Judy Ann confirmed she was pregnant. In an interview with the press, she said that both Yohan and Lucho are looking forward to being older siblings when Luna arrives.– Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – Young stars Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano defended director Cathy Garcia-Molina, after two talents – Rosellyn Domingo and Alvin Campomanes accused the director of cursing at them on the set of the show Forevermore, which aired its final episode in May 2015.
In an interview with Pep during a Coke event Thursday, January 21 where they were announced as endorsers, both stars sared their views on the incident.
"So, para sa akin, it's more than a year, so para sa akin, hindi ko alam kung anong gusto,” said Enrique. (So for me, it's more than a year, so for me, I really don't know what they want.)
He also said that it was easy for people who weren't present to judge the issue, despite not understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Liza said she believed that Alvin, who wrote the complaint, did not know Direk Cathy well enough.
"Kasi, for me, I worked with her multiple times already so I knew Direk Cathy as a person.
“He [Alvin] didn’t get the whole joke that was going on between our set that Direk Cathy would use,” she said.
Enrique said that incidents like these sometimes make the artists event work harder. He also said that the artists themselves are not exempted from the director's scolding.
"Kami nga, mas grabe pa minsan… mas grabe pa ang ginagawa sa amin, but that’s how she helps you,” he said. (For us, it's even more... it's more intense, but that's how she helps you.)
Liza agreed, saying the issue was not a big deal and that Direk Cathy would even come up to them after and praise them for a job well done.
Liza and Enrique, who are currently working with Direk Cathy on the upcoming show Dolce Amore, said that she was really affected by the issue.
"She’s really affected because parang the person [bashers] went too low and very personal, idinamay pati yung asawa niya (even involved her husband).”
Enrique echoed Liza's statement, saying the director was worried for her children, and that she's now doing well after being treated for an injury.
Last January 16, Direk Cathy finally spoke up on the incident, saying she did curse at Alvin on the set of the show but aired her side of the matter. She also clarified that she wa merely cursing at his character and not him and that the controversy has affected her children as well.
Alvin meanwhile posted his reaction, saying that the director cannot separate a character in a show from the person acting as that character.
On December 30, Rossellyn posted an open letter to the director, complaining about verbal abuse and disrespect experienced by Alvin on the show. The two played minor roles in Forevermore, which starred Enrique and Liza.
Both ABS-CBN and Cathy said that they did receive the letter, but did not take further action because they were assured by the talent coordinator that the issue had been resolved. – Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – Rumors have been flying that Isabelle Daza is already engaged to her boyfriend of 6 years, Adrien Semblat. But when the press asked the actress on Friday, January 22, how true the rumors were, here's what she had to say:
"Well, I'm forcing him to get engaged – no, I'm kidding, that's what I keep telling them. So hopefully, this year it will happen," the actress told reporters after the press conference for her new show, Tubig At Langis.
When asked if she was ready to have the wedding this year too, Belle said that it was possible. "'Wag naman May, may work pa ako diba? Let's ano, Tubig at Langis muna. Mga end of this year."
(Maybe not May, I still have work right? Let's focus on Tubig at Langis first. Around the end of this year.)
On the details of her possible wedding, Belle says she wants it to be intimate and that she won't necessarily be married out of town: "Kahit saan (Anywhere), I don't have a destination in mind or anything."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Adrien is the country manager of Adidas Philippines, and is Belle's second boyfriend, according to the actress.
Belle will star in Tubig at Langis with Zanjoe Marudo and Cristine Reyes. It's set to air on February 1.
Reports that Solenn got married in December seemed confirmed by Belle's posts on social media, which labeled what appeared to be a celebration with "Rustic-style wedding" and "Mr and Mrs Bolzico." She also posted a photo of the two signing papers at an office, which led people to believe Solenn had a civil wedding. (READ: Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico get married in Argentina)
Solenn has since clarified that she is not yet married, and that the event in Argentina was merely a celebration of her and fiance Nico Bolzico's union. (IN PHOTOS: Solenn Heussaff's stunning gown)
Belle said to the press on January 22, "It's (the signing of papers in Argentina) just a tradition in Argentina naman, and her wedding will be this year, and lahat naman may alam na (and everyone knows that) she has an upcoming wedding."
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
"I think it's just a parang tradition ng family ni Nico na gusto nila magpaparty para sa mga di makapunta doon sa wedding niya sa Argentina kasi siyempre ang laki ng pamilya ni Nico."
(I think it's just like a tradition of Nico's family that they want to have a party for those in Argentina who can't go to the wedding because of course, Nico's family is big.)
Did Solenn get mad after what she did? "I mean, tumawa nalang siya kasi ngayon (she just laughed because now) anything you say on social media, it's taken, I guess, literally 'di ba (right)?" said Belle.
"Gusto nga magprank rin kay Anne (Curtis) and Erwan (Heussaff) pero sabi niya, 'Oh my God, don't do that, baka ma-ano pa,'" she added. (I wanted to prank Anne and Erwan too, but she said 'Oh my God, don't do that, people might take it seriously.')
Solenn's brother Erwan and Anne have been together for more than 5 years.– Rappler.com
SYDNEY, Australia – US pop star Mariah Carey and Australian casino tycoon James Packer are engaged to be married, according to friends who said Friday they were over the moon for the lovebirds.
The couple has been dating for several months and celebrated New Year's Eve at billionaire Packer's Crown Casino in Melbourne, where the singer took to the stage to perform before an intimate audience that included Packer's mother.
"I'm so excited to be in Melbourne with James for New Year's Eve," the husky-voiced songstress reportedly said at the fete.
A close friend of the couple confirmed the upcoming nuptials to Agence France-Presse and saying she was "over the moon that James has found such happiness with Mariah."
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Packer proposed to his girlfriend in New York on Thursday, January 21.
Sources close to the Packer family said "the family is overjoyed that they have found each other," the newspaper reported.
"Mariah has made James a very happy man, she is a very special person and the family wholeheartedly approves," it added.
E! News entertainment website described her engagement ring as "breathtaking" and said the rock weighed in at a whopping 35 carats.
Carey, famous for her 5-octave range, was previously married to rap artist and actor Nick Cannon with whom she had fraternal twins. Her 5-year union to legendary music producer Tony Mottola ended in divorce in 1998.
The singer who is around 45 but whose date of birth is a matter of dispute, is best known for smash pop hits "Hero," "We Belong Together" and "Someday."
Packer, 48, has 3 children from his marriage to his second wife, Erica Baxter.
The tycoon runs a worldwide gambling empire Crown, one of Australia’s largest entertainment groups.– Rappler.com
MANILA, Philippines – Acclaimed group Chicago was in Manila for their concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Wednesday, January 20 and made the show extra special when Journey lead singer Arnel Pineda joined them onstage for a song number. Arnel was the group's special guest at the concert.
Chicago and Arnel peformed one of the group's classic songs "You're The Inspiration," to the crowd's approval.
Arnel posted this photo on Twitter during the concert.
In an interview aired on TV Patrol before the concert, Jason Scheff, Chicago's bassist and vocalist said that he and Arnel have been good friends for quite some time and would love to see him and do a song number.
"Arnel's a good buddy of mine. I would love to see him," he said.
Aside from "You're The Inspiration," Chicago is also known for songs such as "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," "If You Need Me Now," and "Will You Still Love Me." – Rappler.com
Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ Tirad Pass. Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema. Profile photo by Fatcat Studios
