September 22, 2018
Voyager Delivers a One-of-a-Kind Digital Concert Experience to Filipinos with “Freeniversaya: A FREEnet Concert”
TVplus Asianovela Channel Releases Hit K-Series “Legend of the Blue Sea,” “Warm and Cozy,” and “The K2” this September
September 19, 2018
KathNiel's "The Hows of Us" Earns P600-M, Beats Vice Ganda's Record as Topgrossing Pinoy Movie of All Time
As of 5 p.m. on September 17, “The Hows of Us” earned P601,152,867.12 in domestic ticket sales overtaking the P571-million domestic gross of Vice Ganda’s “Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad” (2017), previously the highest grossing Filipino film of all time.
The box office tally of “The Hows of Us” so far is all the more impressive as the Cathy Garcia-Molina film is yet to enter its fourth weekend. Unlike “The Revenger Squad,” it is also not an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival, the Christmastime annual event that traditionally sees a boom of moviegoers.
Previously, another Star Cinema film, “The Super Parental Guardians” (2017) nearly breached the P600-million mark in earnings, with P598 million - and that was a worldwide tally. Domestically, it concluded its theatrical run with P550 million.
The P601-million figure of “The Hows of Us” does not include yet its earnings from international screenings, which started September 7. The romance drama was also shown in UAE, Papua New Guinea, Brunei, Malaysia, Saipan, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
September 18, 2018
Captain Barbell, Darna, and Lastikman Organic Burgers Now Available in "Heroes Burger" Trinoma
Pinoy Komiks-themed organic burgers await diners at Heroes Burger, the newly opened food stop at the country’s first studio city, the ABS-CBN Studio Experience, located at Ayala Malls Trinoma.
Everyone is sure to have lip-smacking meal times at Studio XP, with the coolest Pinoy superheroes exclusively featured on Heroes Burger’s mouth-watering fare - the courageous Captain Barbell, the iconic Darna, and the flexible Lastikman.
Heroes Burger’s staples are budget-friendly, starting at only P55 for the Kaboom burger. Combo meals are plentiful, with Darna burger meal at P89, Lastikman cheeseburger meal at P99, and Captain Barbell double cheeseburger meal at P129, all served with crispy french fries and drinks.
No need to get a Studio XP pass to taste all these goodies as Heroes Burger has a takeout counter accessible outside the studio city.
Chomp on these great eats available at the new Heroes Burger, located at the ABS-CBN Studio Experience, 4F of Ayala Malls TriNoma. Follow the ABS-CBN Studio Experience on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@abscbnstudioxp) or visit studioexperience.abs-cbn.com for more details.
Cate Blanchett Plays a Powerful Witch in "The House with a Clock in its Walls"
Two-time Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett stars as Florence Zimmerman, one of the most powerful witches on Earth, in Universal Pictures’ fantasy adventure The House with a Clock in Its Walls where fantastical events occur in the most unexpected places.
The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle, Jonathan (Jack Black) in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.
Known for a body of dramatic work, Blanchett has also stunned audiences with her darkly comedic chops in films such as Thor: Ragnarok. Shares director Eli Roth: “When you ask, ‘Who’s the greatest actress in the world? People say, ‘Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench.’ That’s it. I’m so excited because I haven’t seen Cate do a role like this. I feel like she’s had fun in classic roles like the wicked stepmother in Cinderella. She’s so thoughtful, careful and meticulous, and she was excited to create this incredible role.”
The performer appreciates Roth’s eclectic aesthetic, and offers that the director was one of the primary reasons she decided to join the production. “What I love about Eli is that he didn’t just come at the story from one perspective,” says Blanchett. “He has incredibly electric tastes, and I felt like he didn’t shy away from the danger and excitement. But he was also able to bring such heart to the film.”
Blanchett agrees with her collaborators when she discusses her appreciation of the themes and humor in Clock, ones that speak to the entire family. “In the best possible way, it’s a family film,” she gives. “It is genuinely scary. It’s a privilege to sit there as a parent and hold your child’s hand and say, ‘We’re going on this rollercoaster together.’ I’m always disappointed when I go and see a children’s film and feel the jokes are for me. This film is a sophisticated, dark, heart-rending, hilarious, surprising journey, and that goes back to the heart of the novel.”
While the audience grows to learn more about the reasons for Mrs. Zimmerman’s “stuck magic,” when Lewis meets the character, all he understands is that she has somehow broken her magical abilities. Blanchett comments on where we find her: “She’s encouraging Lewis and Jonathan to step up to the plate, to embrace who they really are. Still, she needs their encouragement to do that herself. The beautiful thing about this film is that not one of these characters can tackle this problem by themselves. They need each other to do it.”
Black was duly excited about Blanchett’s casting, and he remains appreciative of their time on set together. “The idea of working with Cate was exciting and daunting,” he states. “I told everyone I knew I was working on a Cate Blanchett movie; I think she’s the best actor in the world. Blue Jasmine is one of the best performances of all time.”
“Jonathan and Florence have been long connected through their love of magic,” adds Blanchett, “but also a mutual respect. They bicker and fight like George and Martha from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. But they have a deep love of one another, and they understand each other’s foibles—as well as the pain that they’ve both experienced. There’s a great love between them, as much as they tussle with one another.”
In Philippine cinemas September 19, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.
Kapuso Powerhouse Diva Maricris Garcia Holds First Major Solo Concert at Teatrino in Greenhills on September 28
‘MARICRIS’ promises a grand ensemble of music, entertainment and nostalgia as the Kapuso diva looks back on her journey in the industry. Maricris personally conceptualized the concert, which was brought to life by director Marc Lopez.
“The show is going to be more of a storytelling type. I want to share my journey since I started my career up to the present, as well as my personal life, my music influences, and more,” Maricris added.
She will be joined by the industry’s best singers, including Nar Cabico, Mark Bautista, and Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid.
She is also celebrating her birthday this month, and the concert is both a treat to herself and to her fans. She excitedly shared her process in producing her own concert, “During the first few months of planning, everything was easy. But as the days go by, I started to feel the pressure and the stress. Good thing I have the support of GMA Artist Center and a few people who offered their help in making this concert possible.”
The Kapuso star feels grateful that she has the opportunity to live out her passion. “I want to let them know that I’m still here and I always be her, singing.” She also sets to release her new music early next year in time for the Valentine season.
Tickets for ‘MARICRIS’ concert are priced at Php 1,800 for VIP, Php 1,300 for Orchestra, and Php 800 for Balcony.
"The Nun" Amasses $200 Million Worldwide, P239 Million in Philippine Theaters
New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “The Nun” crossed $200 million at the global box office Sept. 15, in only its second weekend in release. The latest hit in the studio’s hugely successful “Conjuring” universe, “The Nun” has pushed the already highest-grossing horror franchise to more than $1.4 billion…and counting.
In the Philippines, “The Nun” has become the All-Time Biggest Grossing Horror Movie Industry-Wide, as its cumulative gross has reached a staggering P239.8-M, after only nine days. The announcement was made by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines which distributed the film.
The film was No.1 at the PH box-office for the Sept 12 – 16 frame, haunting an additional P76.8-M to its coffers.
Tom Molter, Head of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, stated, “‘The Nun’ continues to scare up audiences around the world, and records are being broken in every region - particularly in Latin America and Mexico, where the popularity of star Demian Bichir has drawn fans to the cinema in big numbers. We applaud the whole cast, as well as all of the filmmakers behind ‘The Nun,’ on this tremendous success.”
Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, said, “This is another great milestone for New Line Cinema’s horror-verse, which continues to set new standards for the genre. We congratulate them and everyone involved in creating another terrifying time at the movies, including director Corin Hardy, producers James Wan and Peter Safran, and the cast, led by Demian Bichir and Taissa Farmiga.”
Now playing in Philippine cinemas, “The Nun” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
Angelica-Zanjoe Team-up in "Playhouse" Instantly Loved by Viewers, Tops Trending List
More viewers tuned in to the playful and kilig-filled premiere of the newest Kapamilya series “PlayHouse” as its pilot episode ruled in national TV ratings and led the list of trending topics last Monday (September 17).
The series starring the team-up of Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo recorded a national TV rating of 13.6%, compared to “Kapag Nahati ang Puso” that only got 9.5%, according to data from Kantar Media.
In the pilot episode, viewers witnessed the unexpected reunion of estrange couple Patty (Angelica) and Marlon (Zanjoe) after years of having no contact with each other. It also showed the beginning of their whirlwind love story that brought kilig to viewers nationwide.
“It’s like watching a movie. Angelica is so funny and natural,” iWant TV user Helen Arcega commented.
“Zanjoe is so good. He has chemistry with whomever he partners with. He seems very kind and gives his all in love,” YouTube user Rio said.
@joycearvhbautista also lauded the series, “It’s so funny. Zanjoe and Angelica are so cute. ‘PlayHouse’ brings good vibes. Excited to watch all the episodes.”
Meanwhile, though their character have not formally met yet, the tandem of Kisses Delavin and Donny Pangilinan already topped the trending list as their fans shared their excitement and showed their support through posts and tweets.
Don’t miss the morning fun and kilig in “PlayHouse” on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).
For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.
Marcelo Santos' Bestselling Novel "Para sa Broken Hearted" Now a Major Motion Film
Yassi Pressman, Shy Carlos, Louise Delos Reyes, Sam Concepcion and Marco Gumabao give life to the characters of Shalee, Jackie, Kath, Dan, Alex and RJ.
Alex is also into arts, but his favorite subject to draw is that of monsters. Everybody treats him like he’s invisible, but Shalee’s attention and affection changes his view about life.
RJ is a varsity player and a smooth-talker which is a solid combo to attract girls. He is used to girls falling for him, but promises Jackie that he would never do anything to hurt her.
Kath (Louise Delos Reyes) is an adventurous gal who is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She meets Dan during a time when she’s mending a broken heart.
As their stories unfold, see how the characters go from being blissfully in love to failing miserably in keeping their happiness last. Discover the connection of their lives through their broken hearts, and how it will pave the way to acceptance and moving on.
Marcelo Santos III expressed his approval on the actors’ portrayal of their characters. He was present during the film’s shooting, and he’s happy that the vision of director Digo Ricio coincided with how he saw his book to be interpreted on screen.
Giving more feels to the movie is the theme song entitled “Ang Awit Natin”, sung by Janine Teñoso, composed by Jazz Nicolas and Wally Acolola, the winning tandem behind the hit song “Di Na Muli”.
Xian Lim Bares His Basketball Journey as "U-Town" Goes to UE
This Saturday (September 23) on “University Town” (U-Town), Xian shares how his athletic career actually began more than a decade ago as a varsity player for the University of the East (UE).
In the newest episode of “U-Town,” hosted by Gretchen Ho, Robi Domingo, and Alyssa Valdez, Xian reveals how basketball was the reason he left America, and how he is overjoyed now to finally play the sport competitively.
Also featured in this jam-packed episode is another famous UE alumnus, Allan Caidic, who has won numerous championships in the pro league and played for flag as the country’s top-gunner, earning him the moniker “Triggerman.” Allan shares how it is like to play for the UE Red Warriors, which owns the record for most consecutive titles in UAAP Men’s basketball with seven straight championships.
Volleyball star Alyssa then picks up a tennis racket to learn to hit and volley from members of the back-to-back champion in UAAP Men’s Tennis.
For more information and stories, visit ABS-CBN’s sports hub sports.abs-cbn.com and follow @ABSCBNSports on Facebook and Twitter.
September 16, 2018
Gerald Anderson and Pia Wurtzabch Blockbuster Movie “My Perfect You” Enchants CinemaOne this Sunday
Relentless Action Amps Thrilling Hunt in “The Predator,” Now Showing in Philippine Cinemas
From veteran action director Shane Black and producer John Davis (who also produced the original and subsequent Predator films), man's most formidable adversary once again reaches Earth in "The Predator".
In the latest movie, Predators have been coming to Earth and hunting humans for some time now, and it's no longer quite the secret it was. The government has established a defense agency dedicated solely to protecting humans from a Predator incursion. Project Stargazer was initially conceived of as a high-tech, top-secret government lab in which captured Predators could be studied. Scribe Fred Dekker says, "But in the back-story, the government needed some kind of plausible deniability, so they put it in the hands of the CIA." But when Traeger, played by Sterling K. Brown, takes over operations, he privatizes Stargazer to profit from Predator technology.
Davis recalls what first drew him to the Predator, more than 30 years ago: "It was the idea of the hunter. It was the idea of this creature from another planet that hunted the greatest game and would go from planet-to-planet for that sport, and the American Commando and group of guys in the jungle that represented that. And in the end, he was outsmarted and defeated, so even though the Predator had great brawn and weaponry, there was an ingenuity and a desire to survive in man that made it a fair fight."
In addition to writing a slate of sensational movies, including Lethal Weapon, and directing films such as Iron Man 3, The Nice Guys and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, director Shane Black is also an actor, perhaps best known for the role of Hawkins in Predator, the 1987 classic directed by John McTiernan. But, says Black, "The Predator in this film is the deadliest and scariest one yet."
The director brings forth Boyd Holbrook as Quinn McKenna, a retired Special Forces army ranger turned mercenary in the thick of relentless thrilling action. He says, "The original Predator was legendary, so it's an honor and a privilege to get to come back with Shane after 30 years and reinvent this thing."
Because of the training he'd begun to shoot his previous film, Holbrook was in great shape. He recalls that while working on "Logan," he met a stunt man. "He was an ex-sniper out of SEALs. McKenna is Special Forces Army Ranger, but you're splitting hairs at that point. I was fortunate enough to hang out with the guy and he got me on the beach at 5 AM, in the water, running, and training. I did that for a couple months. What I truly believe is that the preparation is all about the conditioning of that person. There's a gauntlet of things that make up these people. I thought it was really important to get that sensibility of how these guys have this morbid sense of humor. These guys are really a fascinating group of men."
"The Predator" is now showing in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox.