JAY CHOU IS KATO IN “THE GREEN HORNET”

In the 3D action comedy “The Green Hornet,” Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of LA’s most prominent and respected media magnate and perfectly happy to maintain a directionless existence on the party scene – until his father mysteriously dies, leaving Britt his vast media empire. Striking an unlikely friendship with one of his father’s more industrious and inventive employees, Kato, they see their chance to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. But in order to do this, they decide to become criminals themselves. Protecting the law by breaking it, Britt becomes the vigilante The Green Hornet as he and Kato hit the streets.

For the pivotal role of Kato, the technical whiz kid and sidekick to The Green Hornet, the filmmakers turned to Asian pop star Jay Chou (“Curse of the Golden Flower”). Chou is one of Asia’s biggest stars – the King of Asian Pop, according to Time Magazine. He’s sold over 32 million albums and has had Asia’s top-selling album for 10 years running. Some Americans may not know his name yet, but they will – to Asian-Americans, he is an enormous star, capable of selling out a 100,000-seat venue like the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. After an initial audition over Skype, the studio flew Chou in from Taiwan and were immediately struck. “There was something about the chemistry between Seth and Jay that reminded me of the classic buddy movie pairings,” says producer Neal H. Moritz. “He has a star quality when he’s on screen that makes you think, ‘I want to watch this guy.’”

 “It was immediately clear that he was super cool,” says co-star Rogen. “He’s really charismatic, he’s handsome, he has that cool hair. He’d never take orders from a guy like Britt Reid.” That made him perfect for the part. Of course, Chou was intrigued by playing a role that not only Bruce Lee made famous, but was the role that made Lee a star. In Lee’s performance, Chou says, Lee “filled the little gaps with coolness, which was exactly what the character needed. His performance was about attitude.” But Gondry says that while Chou may have been inspired to bring his own attitude to the role, Chou also makes the part his own. “I’m sure it was difficult for him; the legacy and aura of Bruce Lee is gigantic. So his approach was not to do any imitation of Bruce Lee at all. It became pretty clear that he was very, very cool in a very different way. He had Kato’s confidence, every step of the way.” “He completely pulled off everything that we thought he could do, but more so, because he was even cooler than we thought he could be,” says Rogen. “We’re not cool, so we weren’t prepared for how cool he could be.”

The Green Hornet” opens across the Philippines Jan. 19, and is available on IMAX 3D in SM North EDSA and SM City Cebu, and in Digital 3D and regular format. The film is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Sucker Punch

“Sucker Punch” is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what’s real and what is imaginary.

 Born from the creative vision of filmmaker Zack Snyder (“Watchmen,” “300”), “Sucker Punch” features an ensemble cast of young stars, including Emily Browning (“The Uninvited”), Abbie Cornish (“Bright Star”), Jena Malone (“Into the Wild”), Vanessa Hudgens (the “High School Musical” films) and Jamie Chung (“Sorority Row”). 

The film’s main cast also includes Oscar Isaac (“Robin Hood”) and Carla Gugino (“Watchmen”), with Jon Hamm (“The Town,” TV’s “Mad Men”) and Scott Glenn (“The Bourne Ultimatum”). Zack Snyder directed “Sucker Punch” from a screenplay he wrote with Steve Shibuya, based on Snyder’s story. Snyder and Deborah Snyder produced, with Thomas Tull, Wesley Coller, Jon Jashni, Chris deFaria, Jim Rowe and William Fay serving as executive producers. 

Opening across the Philippines in March 2011,” Sucker Punch” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Of Bridesmaid and Wedding Gown

After church Mom and I went to Divisoria to look for my gown. I am going to be a bridesmaid this sunday for my cousin's wedding and we have to provide our own gown, we just have to follow the theme. Mom and I went on from one store to another to check if there any Choco Brown gown that would fit me. It was near closing time and some stores where already close, so there was limited places to visit. Mom and I finally gave up on the ready made gown, because it was either too small or none at all because they say Choco Brown is not "mabenta". We finally came to the last store and mom instantly like a blue gown and asked Ate if there's another color. Unfortunately, there is none so we ended up ordering a gown, good thing i have a picture of the gown that i tried a few days ago at Landmark, too bad it costs 5k so i opted to look for alternatives. And so i tried the blue gown and it fits, mom and I agreed to order a gown with the design i have in the picture. While fitting:

Mom: Dati gown pang debut lang sinusukat mo, ngayon bridesmaid gown na.. bukas makalawa wedding gown na yan.


Me: Owver mom.

* and it got me into thinking, how many more bridesmaid gowns, before the wedding gown?

ZACHARY LEVI PROVIDES VOICE OF DASHING BANDIT IN “TANGLED”ZACHARY LEVI PROVIDES VOICE OF DASHING BANDIT IN “TANGLED”

The ultra-confident bandit Flynn Rider is his own biggest fan, and he has long relied on his wit, charm and good looks to get out of even the stickiest situation. Zachary Levi (TV's “Chuck,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”) provides the voice of Flynn in Walt Disney Animation Studios' enchanting comedy adventure “Tangled.” 

Flynn is a thief looking for the one last, big score that will allow him to finally live the life he’s always dreamed of. He's never been closer to having it all when he meets Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), an odd girl with ridiculously long hair. An unlikely alliance with this girl from the tower sends Flynn on the adventure of a lifetime. “He’s a dashing bandit,” says Levi, “but I like how they turned it on its head—he’s a selfish thief while at the same time being a very charming dude. Comedy plays a huge part in this film, which is so much fun.” 

  Levi says, “I have always been a huge fan of animation and have genuinely wanted to do a voice for Disney my whole life. Donald Duck was my favorite and I was convinced at one point in my life that I would try and get a job talking like him. There’s a level of energy that you have to bring to the recording process, and you really have to just let loose and put a lot of emotion into what you’re doing. I love that this film is such a great comedy adventure that takes you through a whole world with all kinds of different landscapes and characters. There are chases and fights and a little bit of magic. Mostly, there’s a real connection between Rapunzel and Flynn, some great one-liners and lots of heart, which makes the movie so real and memorable.”

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 2 in Digital 3D and regular cinemas, “Tangled” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

MEET THE GUYS OF “BURLESQUE”

Joining Cher and Christina Aguilera in Columbia Pictures' finger-snapping, eye-popping and atmospheric musical “Burlesque” are three of the most talented actors working in Hollywood today: Cam Gigandet (“Twilight,” “Never Back Down”), Stanley Tucci (“Easy A,” “Julie & Julia”) and Eric Dane (“Valentine's Day,” TV's “Grey's Anatomy”).

 Cam Gigandet, who also stars in Columbia's upcoming “Priest” and “The Roommate,” portrays Jack, the confidante and fellow musician of Ali, played by Aguilera. Gigandet took breaks from “Priest,” which also shot on the Sony lot, to see the progress of the building of the set and to observe rehearsals for Burlesque’s many musical numbers. 

Stanley Tucci portrays the Burlesque Lounge’s stage manager Sean. Says Tucci, “Sean is Tess’s (Cher) right-hand man, confidante, ex-lover, and best friend, who will do anything for her and for this art form that they both love.”

 

            

The ensemble has its share of characters that stand in the way of the success of Ali and Tess. For Eric Dane, his character wasn't a villain, just a survivalist coping with complicated circumstances. Dane plays the wealthy developer Marcus who plans to buy the Burlesque Lounge. “He’s described at the end as not the bad guy, just the wrong guy,” says Dane. “You walk a fine line. You can end up being that villainous sort of antagonist. This character in particular, in this movie, could be that guy. I don’t want him to be that guy.”

 

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 2, “Burlesque” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

TOM CAVANAGH IS RANGER SMITH IN “YOGI BEAR”

If Yogi is the unstoppable force, Ranger Smith played by Tom Cavanagh (TV’s “Ed”) is the immovable object in his path, in Warner Bros.’ new 3D comedy adventure “Yogi Bear.” 

Yogi -- Jellystone Park’s notorious troublemaker  -- has always relied on his quick wit and fast feet to stay one step ahead of irate campers while dodging his long-suffering nemesis, Ranger Smith.  With all his rules and regulations—plus a never-ending supply of signs advising PLEASE DON’T FEED THE BEARS—Smith is the law in Jellystone Park.  Which means, in addition to devising ever-more-ingenious ways of helping himself to forbidden food, Yogi must always think of ways to evade this protector of park patrons—a man he respectfully addresses as “Mr. Ranger, Sir,” when he’s caught red-handed…red, as in cherry pie.  

            “Yogi is the bane of the ranger’s existence.  Smith is trying to entice visitors to the park, where Yogi does his best to steal their food.  It’s a constant battle,” director Eric Brevig states.

            Tom Cavanagh sees Smith as “a man who loves the great outdoors, all its flora and fauna, and lives for his park.  He was raised by his father to be a park ranger, and comes from a long succession of Rangers Smith, so he’s committed.”

             “Tom is so good at portraying the long-suffering good guy you root for,” the director continues.  “He’s funny, but at the same time you have to take him seriously. Ranger Smith is a touchstone for the audience.  He’s the only person in the story you can relate to as almost a normal guy, dealing with all the crazy characters around him. And, like Smith, Cavanagh has a wonderful way of being consistently enthusiastic, warm and charming, while reacting to things like Yogi accidentally dropping a rock on his head.”

            The actor compares Smith’s relationship with Yogi to “having a brother or a friend who always gets into trouble and makes a mess, but you still like him.  For all his bluster, Ranger Smith doesn’t have the heart to stay mad at Yogi.  The truth is, Yogi does entertain him, though he’d never admit it.”

                “They’re kind of harmoniously interconnected; each one justifies the other’s existence,” says Dan Aykroyd who provides the voice of Yogi.  Perhaps the funniest thing about the ranger is his touching belief that, one day, Yogi might actually heed his advice, stop raiding campsites and start acting like, well, a regular bear.  

Tom Cavanagh is perhaps best known for his television work, including his starring role on the comedy series “Ed,” for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination and won the 2001 TV Guide Award for Actor of the Year.  He more recently played a recurring part in the critically acclaimed sitcom “Scrubs,” and starred in the series “Eli Stone.”

Opening soon across the Philippines in Digital 3D and regular format, “Yogi Bear” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. 

SNEEK PEAK "UNKNOWN"

Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson (“Schindler’s List,” “Taken”), Diane Kruger (“Inglorious Basterds,” “Troy”) and January Jones (TV’s “Mad Men”) star in the contemporary thriller “Unknown.” 

In the film, Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run. Aided by an unlikely ally (Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

The film also stars Aidan Quinn (TV’s “The Book of Daniel”), Bruno Ganz (“The Reader”) and Oscar® nominee Frank Langella (“Frost/Nixon”).



The film was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (“Orphan”), from a screenplay by Oliver Butcher & Steve Cornwell, based on the novel Out of My Head by Didier van Cauwelaert.

                     

“Unknown” is produced by Joel Silver, Leonard Goldberg and Andrew Rona. Susan Downey, Steve Richards, Sarah Meyer and Peter McAleese served as executive producers, with Richard Mirisch, Adam Kuhn, Charlie Woebcken, Christoph Fisser and Henning Molfenter co-producing.



The film was shot entirely in Germany, using Studio Babelsberg, the oldest large-scale studio complex in the world. Studio Babelsberg is also a co-producer on the film, under an agreement with Silver’s Dark Castle Entertainment. Locations also included Berlin and Leipzig.


Opening soon across the Philippines, “Unknown” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.



WARNER BROS. PICTURES EARNS TRIPLE CROWN FOR 2010

The Studio takes this year’s top spots in US market share with $1.884 billion. International market share with $2.930 billion; and Worldwide market share for the second consecutive year with $4.814 billion.


The Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with a 2010 gross of $4.814 billion, which surpasses the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by Warner Bros. in 2009). The announcement was made January 4 by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. Setting new benchmarks for both the international and global box office grosses in 2010 and retaining the domestic box office number one ranking (after achieving a record gross in 2009), the Studio now holds the industry record in all three categories. Additionally, Warner Bros. surpassed its own worldwide gross from the previous year by $800 million to earn the number one position in worldwide market share for the second consecutive year and for the sixth time in the past 10 years, also an industry record.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ domestic gross is estimated at $1.884 billion, making it number one in domestic market share for 2010. This is the third year in a row the Studio has held that crown and is the only studio to exceed the $1 billion threshold domestically for 10 consecutive years. Warner Bros. has been ranked either one or two domestically for seven of the last 10 years. The Studio had five films gross over $100 million domestically in 2010 – “Inception,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “Due Date.”  Warner Bros. Pictures International set a new industry record in overseas box office with an estimated $2.930 billion year-end gross, breaking the previous industry record of $2.450 billion in 2009. This is the tenth consecutive year the Studio has exceeded $1 billion and third time it has surpassed $2 billion in international box office receipts. The Studio has had seven films gross more than $100 million internationally in 2010 – “Sherlock Holmes” ($264 million, for a total of $315 million, including 2009’s take); “Valentine’s Day” ($106 million); “Clash of the Titans” ($330 million); “Sex and the City 2” ($193 million); “Inception” ($531 million); “Due Date” ($100 million); and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ($611 million, and still in release).

 [In the Philippines, Warner Bros.-Twentieth Century Fox has posted sales of PhP1.354-billion gross for 2010 which is the all-time biggest industry record for any distributor, according to General Manager Francis Soliven.]

Among the Studio’s 2011 releases are “Red Riding Hood,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke; the Zack Snyder-directed action fantasy “Sucker Punch”; “The Hangover Part II,” the sequel to the 2009 breakout hit; “Green Lantern,” the highly anticipated adaptation of the popular DC Comics title, starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively; the conclusion of the most successful film franchise of all time, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”; “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling; Steven Soderbergh’s thriller “Contagion,” with an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon; “Happy Feet 2,” the sequel to the 2006 Academy Award®-winning animated musical hit; New Line Cinema’s “New Year’s Eve,” an all-star ensemble romantic comedy from director Garry Marshall; and “Sherlock Holmes II,” Guy Ritchie’s follow up to the 2009 hit, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.



Planetshakers Live in Manila Concert 2011

Come join Australia's Planetshakers in their mission to "empower a generation to win a generation"! This March 2011, the Melbourne-based band is coming to Manila for the third time, following their mall tour in August 2008 and their last concert in December 2009.

A Night of Worship with the PLANETSHAKERS at the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA) packed with people in worship of the ONE TRUE GOD!

Tickets will be available on JANUARY 10, 2011!
Date: March 12, 2011
Time: 7:30PM
Place: Phil. Sports Arena (former Ultra)

VIP Patron:        PHP 1000  (reserved seats)

Courtseat:          PHP   800   (reserved seats)

Ringside/ LL:      PHP   800   (reserved seats)

Ringside II:         PHP   500     (free seating)      

Gen Ad:             PHP    300    (free seating)

Contact me for Ticket Reservation:
Cathie Copaway - 09178662991 / 09227734364
cathie.ganda@gmail.com

Gulliver's Travel Movie Review

Lemuel Gulliver is a mailroom clerk at a New York newspaper. After Gulliver bluffs his way into an assignment writing about the secrets of the Bermuda Triangle, he is hurtled to an undiscovered land, Lilliput. In this fantastical new world, Gulliver is a bigger-than-life figure -- in size and ego -- especially after he starts telling tall tales, taking credit for his world's greatest inventions, and placing himself at the center of its most historic events. Gulliver's position is enhanced even further when he leads his new friends in a daring battle against their longtime enemies. But when Gulliver loses it all and puts the Lilliputians in peril, he must find a way to undo the damage. Gulliver only becomes a true giant among men when he learns that it's how big you are on the inside that counts. - Yahoo! Movies




The movie Gulliver's Travel is an adaptation of the 17th century novel by Jonathan Swift. The book tells of the adventures of Captain Lemuel Gulliver and his travels to different places including Lilliput. The movie gives you a different take on the children's classical adventure, presented as the modernized version. The story is fun and entertaining. I would recommend watching it in 3D to fully appreciate the visual and special effects of the movie. Jack Black is outstandingly hilarious throughout the movie. He never fails to amuse the crowd with his wits and sarcastic tone, even his love for music. There are some scenes though and languages not intended for kids, but tolerable. I love how Lilliput is presented in the movie, from the surrounding to the people, to even the way they talk and act. You will notice the big difference between the society before and now. I enjoyed the movie, its very entertaining for the whole family. 


Now showing in your favorite theaters, Gulliver's Travel is directed by Rob Letterman and is distributed by 20th Century Fox.

TRON: Legacy Movie Review

Sam Flynn, a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn, a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade -- a signal that could only come from his father -- he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe -- a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape. 


I partially watched the TRON 1982 movie and I find it really not a prequel to TRON Legacy, maybe they did not intend it too. There are characters different to the first movie. Okay, I don't want to compare the 1982 movie to the latest. The movie TRON: Legacy is obsessed with the most advanced technology you could ever imagine. The CGI makes it really cool, plus imagining that you can actually go to the GRID is even awesome. Garrett Hedlund being a new comer in the movie world actually made a great job being Sam Flynn. The dual roles of Jeff Bridges is something that viewers should look forward too, specially the ones that watched the 1982 movie. Watching TRON Legacy is almost like being on the GRID already with Daff Punk's music. 





Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, “TRON: Legacy” open across the country on Dec. 17 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular formats.

Ang Tanging Ina Mo (Last na 'to) Movie Review

The third and final installment of the Tanging Ina series is a hit not only in the movie houses but also in the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival.


The story line is simple. Even if you haven't watched the first two movies, you can easily understand the movie because of flashbacks and some lines from the character. The humor is outstanding. Ai-Ai Delas Alas really knows how to make her audience cry and laugh at the same time. Eugene Domingo also is a great character to the story. The concept of the movie is universal because I think everybody can really relate to the story, making it a family movie. Beside from Ai-Ai's humor, I also like here head dresses! It's a must see! Enjoy Ang Tanging Ina Mo (last na 'to) in your favorite theaters.


Brought to you by Star Cinema.




Trailer:

Ben 10 for Christmas

Look who's happy this Christmas!

He wished for nothing this Christmas but BEN 10!

Merry Christmas Nathan!

Sunflower Bouquet and Peach Rose

Everytime Angel and I would go to Tagaytay he always makes sure that he will buy me a bouquet of peach roses. And during our last Tagaytay getaway, I was surprised that when he bought me a bouquet of peach roses with a big sunflower, he also bought 4 peach roses to my friends who's with us. Soo sweet indeed. ♥♥♥

Bouquet of Peach roses with a big Sunflower to fight zombies, from Angel ♥♥♥

Roses names Eve, Kay, Tara and Ever. ♥♥♥

According to Ehow, the color Peach is a symbol of gratitude and thanks in both personal and business worlds. When given in a personal situation the peach rose represents a request for friendship or a get together outside the work environment. It's just fitting that Angel gave those roses to them, it's a symbol of friendship and a meaningful fellowship together now and for more days to come ♥♥♥

The New Philippine Bills 2010

I was about to withdraw when I heard my friend talk about the new bills that BSP will release today, so I checked the web and this I found.

The new Face of the Philippine Peso (photo from WIKI)

According to friend WIKI, The front side of each banknote features prominent people in the country's history while the reverse side depicts landmarks and events in history.

I wanted to see an actual 500p now since it has the new bank notes. The new face of 500p bill bears the images of former President Cory Aquino and the late Senator Benigno Aquino, with President Ninoy Aquino's signature.

As I read in Manila Bulletin, the new redesigned bills, retained the same color to avoid confusion.  The 20 peso bill has the image of former President Manuel Quezon and features Malacañang Palace and Filipino as the National Language in 1935. The reverse side highlights the Banaue Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and animal called “palm civet.” On the right is a weave design from the Cordilleras.


Featured in the P50 bill are former President Sergio S. Osmeña, the Leyte landing, and First National Assembly in 1907. The Taal Lake, the deepest freshwater lake found n the country, as well as the animal Maliputo are showed on the reverse side. On the right is a design highlight from an embroidery handcrafted in Batangas.

The images of former President Manuel Roxas, Central Bank, and the inauguration of the Third Republic last July 4, 1946 are found on the P100 bill. Shown on the reverse side are the majestic Mayon volcano and the whale shark, locally known as butanding. A detail from the design for an indigenous textile crated in Bicol region is also featured on the right side of the bill.

Former President Diosdado P. Macapagal is shown on the P200 bill alongside People Power II in January 2001 particularly the oath-taking of his daughter, former President Gloria Arroyo. Also shown on the front side of the bill are the Barasoain Church and the Independence House. The reverse side features the Bohol Chocolate Hills and the tarsier, one of the world’s smallest primates. On the right is a highlight from a design handcrafted in the Visayas .


An image of the late President Aquino is shown beside her husband, Senator Aquino, on the 500-peso bill. It also features the first EDSA People Power in February 1986 and the Benigno S. Aquino monument. The reverse side features the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the blue-naped parrot. Shown on the right is a design highlight from a woven cloth from Southern Philippines.

The 1,000-peso bill has the faces of Jose B. Abad Santos, who once served as Chief Justice; Vicente P. Lim, the first Filipino graduate of West Point; and Josefa Llanes Escoda, one of the founders of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.


It also features the Centennial of Philippine Independence in 1998 and the Medal of Honor. The reverse features Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the south sea pearl. On the right side is a highlight of design for Tinalak or Ikat-dyed abaca, which is woven in Mindanao.

Lately

I have been busy with work and it consumes most of my time every weekday.

I have been copy-pasting pr's in my blog coz i honestly don't have time to edit them.

I have been watching movies a lot lately to de-stress myself.

I have been eating a lot, resulting to a voluptous body ;p

I have not been updating my food blog and still have a lot of pending items to post.

I lost track of time sometimes coz I almost always let my mind go blank.

I have not been doing quiet time because I'm too tired and to lazy to wake up soo early in the morning.

I have committed a lot of mistakes.

I have not been totally honest with myself.

I fancy scramble and milk teas.

I have an active and inactive running habit.

I have not finished a book since last year.

I have a crazy head and a unclear year to start with.

Lord, help me.

DAFT PUNK PROVIDES ORIGINAL MUSIC FOR “TRON: LEGACY”

Grammy® Award–winning electronic music duo Daft Punk creates the original music score for Walt Disney Pictures' new sci-fi action-adventure “TRON: Legacy.”

 From their first single release in 1993, the combined talents of DJs Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter were hailed as a new breed of house innovators. Daft Punk’s sound is a brazen, dance floor-oriented blend of progressive house, funk, electro and techno. Following their brilliant debut in 1997 (Homework), the duo went on to release two more studio albums (Discovery—2001, Human after All—2005) and two live albums (Alive 1997, Alive 2007).

When director Joseph Kosinski came on board to helm “TRON: Legacy,” he heard that Daft Punk, whose art form and style were influenced by the original 1982 “TRON,” were interested in the project. A pancake breakfast in Hollywood soon followed, where the three talked about Kosinski’s vision for the film. 

The three artists found themselves on the same creative page and began working on the score very early on in the filmmaking process. The score took shape over the course of three years and is a unique combination of orchestra, electronic and granular sounds.

The duo worked closely with the filmmakers not only on the score, but on the sound design too, especially the moments where sound design and room tones bleed into cues. It was a very sophisticated musical approach—a layering blend that occasionally blurs the line between music and sound design in a very interesting way. “We've got over 100 minutes of music in this movie. And it's so tied to the visuals because we had it so early, I just can't imagine this film without it,” says Kosinski.

All the newest technology gives “TRON: Legacy” its cutting-edge look and feel, since the filmmakers had far fewer limitations for what computers can achieve. But even with the obvious visual advantages, the filmmakers have striven to keep the spirit of “TRON” creator Steven Lisberger’s dream intact.

To pull that off, the movie gathers together some of the most sophisticated filmmaking technology available today, including even more advanced cameras than those used on “Avatar,” a blend of computer graphics and practical sets.

With that technology put in the hands of talented, creative designers and visionary filmmakers, above and below the line, “TRON: Legacy” showcases cutting-edge design and astounding visual effects enhanced by the latest stereoscopic (3D) technology. The film blends live action and photorealistic computer animation in ways only dreamed of in the past. As producer Jeffrey Silver says, “It seemed obvious that ‘TRON,’ being the groundbreaking film that it was in the ’80s, had to be followed with a film equally as groundbreaking in the 21st century. If we were going to do ‘TRON: Legacy’ right, we would have to push the envelope. And we did.”

Opening across the country on Friday, Dec. 17, “TRON: Legacy” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines.

JEFF BRIDGES PLAYS DUAL ROLES IN “TRON: LEGACY”

Fresh from winning his first Best Actor Oscar for “Crazy Heart,” Jeff Bridges now returns to the screen in the dual roles of Kevin Flynn and Clu in Walt Disney Pictures' high-tech 3D adventure “TRON: Legacy.”

In the film, brilliant videogame designer Kevin Flynn always wanted the best of both worlds—digital and real. After he became the first human being to enter the astonishing digital world of the Grid, he decided that the best way to achieve that was to combine the two. So, he created the sophisticated CLU 2.0 program and used it in secret to help him design a Utopian existence that combined the highest ideals of the human and digital worlds. The daytime corporate wunderkind became the nighttime builder of the Grid. Then, one day in 1989, Kevin Flynn mysteriously disappeared.

Now, he has discovered first-hand how true the warning ‘be careful what you wish for’ is—trapped in the world of his own creation, all he can do is wait and hope that something will change and he will once again have a chance to return to his home and son.

Q: What's it like to approach a character 27 years later?
Jeff Bridges: I never thought of it in those terms, really. I never thought of it as playing the same guy. He hasn’t changed all that much. Well, maybe some of his enthusiasm for technology has been dampened a little bit. After all, he’s trapped inside a computer, so perhaps some of that fondness he had for his technology…maybe reflecting on it, he might think, “Perhaps there are some other things in life that I should have been paying attention to.”

Q: With all of that technology, what's the human story of “TRON: Legacy”?
Bridges: Well, one of the elements of the story is just what we were talking about, technology. It’s so exciting to come to realize all the things that you can do. And what's happening with technology is that it is developing so fast that we haven’t really developed any ethics to go along with it, or knowledge of what some of the ramifications of this technology will be.

Q: What about this project that attracts such attention from the sci-fi world?
Bridges: The fans have been so wonderful, they've really given birth to the film “TRON: Legacy.” Two years ago we showed a small portion of what this film might be, a test reel, and it got such a great reaction from the fans that Disney got behind the project. One of the things that I know attracted me to the first “TRON” and this one as well is that it’s really creating a myth for modern times. Myths can help us to navigate some of our challenges in our life. And as we were talking before, technology is a tremendous challenge, because we're so attracted to things that give us instant gratification.


Q: What's the biggest difference in filming the original “TRON” and now “TRON: Legacy”?
Bridges: Well, 27 years ago, the original was a very cutting-edge movie. Of course looking back, it looks like an old black-and-white TV show. But at the time we were making the original “TRON,” there was no Internet. Our cell phones were these things we carried around in big suitcases. We shot that movie in 70 millimeter black-and-white, and then it was sent to Korea, where a bunch of technicians hand-tinted all the frames to make the suits glow. Now in “TRON: Legacy,” again it’s cutting-edge technology. We're the next-generation of 3D cinematography after “Avatar.” It takes the technology that Jim Cameron came up with to the next level. Now, our suits actually do glow, and they throw light on the other actors, so they’re practical. I think one of the really great things that director Joseph Kosinski, being an architect, brought with him was the ability to marry actual sets with CGI sets. It’s very hard for the audience to tell where one ends and one begins.

Q: Through film technology, you act opposite your younger self. How did that work? As an actor, is that liberating?
Bridges: I love going to movies myself, and whenever I see a big epic film where the character has aged from being a young boy to an old man, traditionally there are different actors playing him in those stages. That’s always a little bump for me as I’m sitting there, when they change from one actor to the next. But now as an actor myself, it’s very gratifying to know that I can play myself or the character that I'm playing at any age, from an infant to an old man. That’s really exciting, especially to be part of this groundbreaking technology.

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, “TRON: Legacy” will open across the country on Dec. 17 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular formats.

GARRETT HEDLUND DAZZLES IN “TRON: LEGACY”

Young actor Garrett Hedlund stars as Sam Flynn in Walt Disney Pictures' new high-tech 3D adventure “TRON: Legacy.” In the film, Sam – a rebellious 27-year-old – is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world’s leading video-game developer.

When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn’s Arcade—a signal that could only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. Father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe—a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.

At 18, Hedlund made an auspicious motion-picture debut in the pivotal role of Patrocius, the young cousin of Achilles (Brad Pitt) in Wolfgang Petersen’s “Troy.” He talks about “TRON: Legacy” in the following interview:

Q: What is the human story at the center of “TRON: Legacy”?

Garrett Hedlund: At the core of it, it’s a father and son story. My character, Sam, has been without his father for 20 years, and he finally gets to find out where he’s been. Although Alan Bradley, his father’s partner, has been there for Sam, he’s always wanted to know what became of Kevin Flynn. And in “TRON: Legacy,” he finally gets to do that.


Q: How has the overall world changed inside “TRON” ?


Hedlund: The world of the original “TRON” was fascinating, but what they've added to the world in “TRON: Legacy” is a grander sense of geography. There are lightning storms and the weather, and there are also the cliffs and the mountains. Add to that the off-grid terrain where a lot of these vehicles can’t perform, and it’s an incredible sight to fathom.


Q: Talk about the light cycle.


Hedlund: The new bike is incredibly flashy and cool, and it’s much more dangerous. It’s faster and it doesn’t have to move in 90 degree angles. It has a lot more tricks.


Q: What did you do to prepare for the role of Sam?


Hedlund: The benefit I had on this film was going through an intense amount of training, not just for the physical benefits, but overall, for the character. I had training in Capoeira and parkour, and motorcycle training. But basically, when I step into playing that character, all of those skills have to be ‘new,’ from day one. The first moment Sam gets into this world, he doesn’t suddenly know how to do all of this stuff. There have to be the slight mistakes that he overcomes, and learning from that. Like the disk game sequence—there is something very unfamiliar with everything that he has to do, from the rules to the skills. He’s got to observe and the wheels have to be constantly turning in order for him to excel. When he sees another program ‘de-res,’ he thinks, ‘Well, I can’t let that happen.’ He has to find it within himself to become that hero. He has to have the strength and the defensive skills to keep proceeding from one level to the next.

Q: What was the hardest part of shooting?



Hedlund: You know, everybody always likes to talk about how difficult it is working with blue or green screen, dealing with just the imagination. But this film actually, to our benefit, there were a lot of grand sets, so we didn’t have to pretend so much. We had a lot of the physical things, such as the disks and the swords. When it was blue and green screen, we had great direction from Joseph Kosinski, the wonderful director, because he knew exactly what he wanted to do with what we were just approaching. When we were reading it from the text, we may have had a foggy notion, imagining what it could be, but he was always ten steps ahead of us. It was a game of trust, and we were never let down.


Q: What is your memory of the original TRON?


Hedlund: My memory of the original starts off with a very energetic and youthful Jeff Bridges, smiling and laughing. He had this crazy youthful side to him, in comparison to how we see him now, as the wise, older and incredible actor that he is. In the very first “TRON,” he’s a mad wiz with all this new technology that deals with the creation of video games. He’s also been perfecting a shiva laser, which ultimately ends up sucking him into the computer in the same fashion that Sam is in the beginning of “TRON: Legacy.”


Q: What about the original film inspires such a following?


Hedlund: I think from the original it was Jeff’s character Kevin Flynn getting pulled into the game grid and going on all of these adventures—it was incredible to imagine. Having to fight his way from one level to the next to complete the objective and find his way back out…it really was unlike anything else.


Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, “TRON: Legacy” will open across the country on Dec. 17 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular formats.

FUN FACTS ON THE MAKING OF “TRON: LEGACY”

In line with the upcoming release of “TRON: Legacy” – a 3D high-tech action-adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen – Disney dishes out the interesting fun facts behind the making of this eagerly anticipated film.

In “TRON: Legacy,” Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the digital world of Tron where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant Qora (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey of escape across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

• The 3D technology in “TRON: Legacy” was developed post-“Avatar” and represents the most advanced in the world today.
• It's the first 3D movie to integrate a fully digital head and body upon an existing actor to create a younger version of Jeff Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, using advanced Emotion Capture technology developed by Digital Domain.
• Jeff Bridges is the first actor in cinematic history to play opposite a younger version of himself.
• Grammy®-award winning, French electronic duo Daft Punk scored “TRON: Legacy,” composing 24 tracks in all. They are also seen in a brief cameo.
• The light suits were created using electroluminescent lamps made from a flexible polymer film.
• Lightcycle design was inspired by the original sketches of Syd Mead, who designed them for “TRON” back in 1982. Creating Lightcycles that would form visual units with their riders and still give them room to move was a challenge for “TRON: Legacy” vehicle designer Daniel Simon and the rest of the vehicle design team.
• Both Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde received training in Parkour and martial arts for their roles.
• Because donning the light suits was a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, special inversion boards were provided to allow actors to get off of their feet and recline without endangering the costume.
• The light discs created for the film consist of 134 LED lights, are radio-controlled, and attached to the suits with magnets. In addition, they house the batteries that power the suit lights. They are heavy, so care had to be taken when throwing them on set.
• Several of the vehicles were practically fully built for certain scenes, as opposed to computer-generated, in keeping with director Joseph Kosinski’s vision of blurring the line between CGI and reality.
• Flynn’s Arcade holds a treasure trove of icons for “TRON” fans: the Master Control Program desk caddy from the original film; the tabletop computer interface and a condensed version of the Shiva laser, which takes Sam into the Grid; a map of the Grid embedded in the code of the background image; and Sam’s drawings from childhood on the wall.

Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Philippines, “TRON: Legacy” will open soon across the country in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular formats.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Movie Review

Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace, are swallowed into a painting and transported back to Narnia and the magnificent ship The Dawn Treader. They join King Caspian and a warrior mouse named Reepicheep for a mission which holds the fate of Narnia itself. The courageous voyagers overcome their own greatest temptations, as they travel to mysterious islands; have fateful confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies; and reunite with their friend and protector, the "Great Lion" Aslan.










I highly recommend that you watch this movie in 3D. Seeing a whole new Narnia thru the movie is also like joining the adventure. The setting of the story plus the visual effects that comes with it is an experience not to be missed. Not to be missed also is Eustace, the new and annoying character as Lucy and Edmond’s cousin. I like the character of Eustace because it’s annoying and at the same time soo hilarious, from the facial expression to his accent. I find the story somehow short, but love every detail of the important parts of the story. I havn’t read the book so I don’t have any basis of comparison. Susan and Peter did not appear as main characters, the movie concentrated on Lucy and Edmond, the sometimes unnoticed characters in the previous film. Prince Caspian still looked good as before. There were many characters in this film, but it’s okay, I enjoyed them all. It’s good that Repeechip is still there. I like his character, his virtue and his outlook in life. This third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia is by far the best one for me. Michael Apted created a different approach in making the film. He showed us a different and more grown up journey in Narnia. The movie is for all ages, best to watch if you watched the 1st and 2nd journey to Narnia.






The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is distributed by 20th Century Fox. Now showing in cinemas near you.