SB19 Press Con Confirms CONCERT POSTPONEMENT; Laughs Over COVID19 Name SIMILARITY

How would somebody cope when their name is rather similar to the name of something that is currently both feared and disliked in the world? In a way, the Korean-styled Filipino boy band SB19 have an idea of how that feels, and they managed to deal with it in their own awesome way. The quintet of Josh, Justin, Ken, Sejun and Stell were supposed to hold a concert next week that has also been postponed in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the rise of confirmed cases in the country. SB19 also responded to comments regarding the similarity between their name and the COVID-19.

Read More

REBOOT of 1996 Horror Classic “SCREAM” Gets “READY OR NOT” Directors

There was a time when horror movies, particularly “slasher” films, followed a rote storytelling convention. Take a group of people, usually reckless air-headed teenagers, then set a killer loose at them and watch as their numbers get whittled down with death after death until a final survivor (likely a girl) either escapes or puts the murderous force down. The year 1996 saw Dimension Films release “Scream” directed by Wes Craven, which revisits spree killer films while featuring characters that are aware of the genre’s various conventions. “Scream” would receive three sequels and a TV spinoff. Meanwhile plans for a remake of the original have finally come to the development table.

Read More

RICHARD GUTIERREZ, SARAH LAHBATI WEDDING POSTPONED for OBVIOUS Reason (COVID-19)

It stands to reason that the Filipino people, and perhaps people around the world, could really use a little bright spot in their lives right about now. And what can really brighten up Filipino showbiz fans more than a celebrity wedding? Surely we have not forgotten that major showbiz personalities Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati are getting married. They have been planning it since they announced the fact in October of last year. Their nuptials are so significant that the President and two of his predecessors are principal sponsors. It will be happening this Saturday. Or it would have if not for the dreaded COVID-19.

Read More

“JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION” Channels Original “PARK” Films with TEASER Poster

Production started last month on the third installment of Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World,” the lear-distant sequel to the original 1990s “Jurassic Park” trilogy which was started by Steven Spielberg. When director Colin Trevorrow teased the start of photography for the movie in February with a photo of a clapper with the film title (and subtitle, in full “Jurassic World: Dominion”), sharp eyes might have noticed that the logo font did not use the “World” style from 2015, but the font of the “Park” movies from decades ago. That throwaway detail was significant after all, following the release of the first teaser poster for “Jurassic World: Dominion.”

Read More

PHILIPPINE Team for 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS Gets Two QUALIFIED BOXERS

The rise of the 2019 novel coronavirus has put a damper on this year where amateur and professional sports are concerned. Seasons of sports that should have started have either been delayed several months or, if they managed to start earlier this year, have been put on hiatus instead. All these were deemed necessary to avoid the generation of crowds that would be a ripe target for COVID-19 to spread. Even the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics hangs in the balance on whether it will happen this July. But until a final decision is made, the organizers are encouraging athletes to train and win qualifiers, to prepare for traveling to Japan.

Read More

TOM HANKS and Wife TEST POSITIVE for COVID-19 Amid PANDEMIC

With the declaration from the World Health Organization that the 2019 novel coronavirus has become a global pandemic, swift and sweeping action has been undertaken and currently being executed in the hope that the viral disease can be arrested before more patients test positive and, in the worst case, join the increasing death toll. From Italy imposing a nationwide lockdown, to aggressive testing and contact tracing, to the implementation of new social norms such as physical distancing, people strive to prevent one new addition to the infected. But some still are, and more heartbreakingly, the positive cases are well-known names.

Read More

PH SHOWBIZ Stars Play EXEMPLARS to FILIPINOS on Avoiding COVID-19

Much as we would really like not to dwell any further on the 2019 novel coronavirus, which has just been declared a global pandemic, there really is no way around mentioning it and how it has become a central concern to many at this point. Following the sudden surge of confirmed cases in the Philippines, plus possible infection of government officials that has spurred those involved to self-quarantine and be tested, several TV programs of the major networks have closed doors to live audiences this week. As the fear of panic buying threatens to break in several communities, celebrities are doing their part to help limit further infections of COVID-19.

Read More

DISNEY PARKS Preview Inside Details of “AVENGERS CAMPUS” Area on DISNEYLAND RESORT, Opening this JULY

Ever since Disney acquired Marvel, just as its Cinematic Universe of superhero films was gaining plenty of traction and giving more brand recognition among fans, it was only a matter of time before Marvel characters would be integrated into the ultimate Disney entertainment experience: its theme parks. No less than three parks around the world are due to get their own Marvel-themed expansion area, primarily focusing on the top Marvel superheroes around (MCU-wise, of course), the Avengers. The one for Disney California Adventure in Disneyland Resort is opening in the middle of this year, and this week Disney Parks has graciously revealed what to expect.

Read More

NETFLIX Introducing CHEAPEST P149 Monthly MOBILE PLAN for PHILIPPINE Subscribers

There was a time perhaps, when it was still a new and foreign thing, that the idea of a digital media streaming platform sounded too expensive for a Filipino subscriber, if it was even available in that region then. With the rise of Netflix, for a time the streaming service with the easiest recognition, Filipino subscribers were soon able to avail themselves of content from that platform, priced accordingly to the Philippine market thanks to telecom companies and such. But Netflix is always looking for avenues to expand their user base. One idea is to implement a mobile streaming subscription plan. And the Philippines is one of these lucky markets.

Read More

WHO Finally Declares PANDEMIC of 2019 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS or COVID-19

It started late last year when residents of Wuhan in China were swept with a rash of what initially seemed to be a local outbreak of pneumonia. It was not until December 2019 that local health authorities realized that a new type of coronavirus was discovered among new patients in the area, and not until the last day of the year was it declared an outbreak. By the start of 2020 new confirmed cases outside China began appearing, with the World Health Organization (WHO) initially declaring it a global health emergency. By March however, with the sudden surge of cases, they finally called the situation what it is: a pandemic.

Read More

UNIVERSAL Gets “JENNIFER’S BODY,” “DESTROYER” Director for “DRACULA” Film Remake

Years ago, Universal Pictures looked at the emerging movie series franchises being built up by other studios, and thought they could do the same. The subject of their own franchise would be the rebooting of their many classic monster films made from the 1930s to 50s. Unfortunately the debut movie of their “Dark Universe” shared timeline franchise, 2017’s “The Mummy” starring Tom Cruise, was a big bust. As a result, the next film, “The Invisible Man” which premiered late last month, did away with the planned shared universe convention. Following its modest success, Universal is moving on to “Dracula” next.

Read More

ABS-CBN’s “IT’S SHOWTIME” Also Temporarily Bars STUDIO AUDIENCES, with UNCANNY Results

With the sudden uptick in new confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus cases here in the Philippines, various sectors of the nation have been forced to take drastic steps. The core guiding principle in these measures is to minimize risk in contracting COVID-19 by socially distancing individuals and doing away with mass gatherings: concerts, classes, spectators in sports, and even live studio audiences for television programs. The noontime variety shows of the major networks have announced their barring of audiences for taping this week, first with GMA7’s “Eat Bulaga” and then with ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime.” The effects of having no audience crowd particularly for the latter program, was very startling in practice.

Read More

DISNEY Casts LEAD Couple for In-Development “PETER PAN AND WENDY”

The eras that Disney has revisited with its series of live-action remakes for their classic Animated Canon of films have varied over the years. But since 2017 the focus of their studio productions in that vein has been of several key movies that comprised the early part of the 1990s “Disney Renaissance” period, namely “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” with “Mulan” premiering later this month. But classics from other decades than the Renaissance have been getting their dues, like the Disney+ exclusive “Lady and the Tramp.” There is also development ongoing for a “Peter Pan” remake called “Peter Pan and Wendy,” which just cast its leads.

Read More

DISNEY Gets MOIRA DELA TORRE to Sing REFLECTION for Live-Action “MULAN” Remake PH PREMIERE Promotion

Disney has quite the region and national-based promotional machine in place when it comes to their movies both animated and live-action. For instance, in the Philippines where their animated films are not officially dubbed as with many other countries, the House of Mouse might still engage a local recording artist to sing a rendition of the movie’s theme. This happened with 2016’s “Moana” where Janella Salvador performed a Philippine-exclusive pop version of “How Far I’ll Go” (sung in-movie by Moana VA Auli’I Cravalho and original pop-wise by Canadian Alessia Cara) that played during the credits. This year they are repeating the promotion for “Mulan.”

Read More

AIRBNB Considers COVID19 Cancellations Between GUESTS AND HOSTS with FLEXIBLE RESERVATION Policies Until JUNE 1

As the year 2020 goes on, the one common concern that has been steadily creeping into all possible events, subjects and topics of discussion is the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which originated in China and has spread alarmingly throughout the world. Its exponential infection rate has all but paralyzed several national economies, with travel bans and lockdowns being implemented. A multitude of concerts, conventions and movie premieres have either been pushed back or put off indefinitely because of the outbreak. Even the world hospitality sector has taken hits with the increasing reluctance to travel, particularly online hospitality market platform Airbnb.

Read More

VICE GANDA Bid FAREWELL to GANDANG GABI VICE Last Sunday

Some things are created to last only for a short time, only for its positive and popular reception to change some plans and let those things carry on for longer than they were originally conceptualized for. This can hold true for electronic gadgets as well as TV programs. ABS-CBN’s Sunday night comedy talk show “Gandang Gabi, Vice” with host Vice Ganda counts for this descriptor, having been made to last only a single season upon premiering in 2011, only for fan demand to keep it going for close to a decade. But nothing really lasts forever; so too with this.

The Philippine Star has it that Vice Ganda’s late-night Sunday show “Gandang Gabi, Vice”  aired its swan song episode this past Sunday, March 8, or close to nine years since its debut for a supposedly one-season run on ABS-CBN. And as a farewell special to the program, many major celebrity guests went on to reminisce about their time on “GGV” and paid tribute to both show and host for being one of the best Sunday-night diversions on Philippine TV, as well as being a constant trending topic on the country’s social media corner on platforms like Twitter, for so long.

Vice Ganda also made his own farewell to the show that he had headlined for the better part of the 2010s, along with its steady fan base, in a series of tweets on his personal Twitter page. Alongside giving a shout-out to the viewers, Vice assured them that there is always a possibility that “GGV” might eventually come back for a repeat engagement, and that its ending last Sunday was merely the beginning of a “longcommercial break” for the show. On the show proper he also gave apologies to critics of the program that may have felt some offense owing to “GGV’s” risqué nature.

Mahal na mahal ko kayo!!!! Maraming salamat!!! #GandangGabiVice pic.twitter.com/39XfQMRyrx

— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) March 8, 2020

As for the commercial break Vice alluded to, he means the late Sunday night game show that will be taking the timeslot of “Gandang Gabi, Vice” called “Everybody, Sing.” Even better, he will be hosting that show as well so Vice himself is not exactly disappearing from Sunday evenings in the Kapamilya Network. The personalities that graced “GGV” on its last hurrah this March 8 included Angelica Panganiban, Daniel Padilla, Kim Chiu, Morisette Amon, and Moira dela Torre. The night was capped off by the surprise appearance of veteran broadcast journalist Raffy Tulfo from TV5.

Image from Philippine Entertainment Portal

Read More

MARVEL Releases LAST TRAILER for “BLACK WIDOW”

The first installment of Phase 4 in the over-a-decade-old Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise of superhero films has made a tough call. Even as the summer premieres of some blockbuster movies like the 25^th James Bond film “No Time to Die” have been pushed back out of concerns for the 2019 novel coronavirus, the MCU’s latest adventure is stick by to its May 1 release date. As if to further reinforce the fact that its premiere will not change, Marvel Studios has released its final trailer for “Black Widow” starring Scarlett Johansson. And the details showcased here only serve to intensify the need to see it.

Read More

Kapamilyas JM DE GUZMAN and KIKO ESTRADA Sign Up for PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE RESERVE Training

For many actors in the Philippine showbiz industry, becoming a military reservist is both an honored duty and the newest constructive “in thing” for celebrities to engage in. The Philippine Army, particularly its elite Scout Ranger unit, already has the likes of recently-married actor Matteo Guidicelli to speak for them while the Navy is proud to have among their own Kapuso actor Dingdong Dantes, who is a reservist Lieutenant Commander. But one should not think the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is not an attractive option for reserve training by showbiz personalities, as no less than two have started their training.

Read More

“MULAN” REMAKE Includes Vocalized “REFLECTION” Songs from AGUILERA and Lead Star

The live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1998 animated film “Mulan” is premiering later this month. While interested fans are excited to see the new elements to this remake, particularly the more legend-accurate plot and the wirework Wuxia fight choreography, they are somewhat disappointed at the lack of musical numbers, with the familiar 1998 songs being converted into orchestrated background scoring. But the new “Mulan” does still have vocalized songs in its soundtrack. That includes the famous number “Reflection,” originally sung by the title character with voice provided by Lea Salonga. Apparently two vocal versions of “Reflection” are in the film, one sung by the lead herself.

Read More

STAR CINEMA’s 2020 MMSFF Entry Starring COCO MARTIN and ANGELICA PANGANIBAN Films Scenes in DUBAI

With the announcement last year that there will be a summer edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival starting this year, major movie studios and independent filmmakers in the country have been working through 2019 to produce their entries for exhibition during the film fest period next month. And while the official list of entries was revealed this early March, some of the movies listed are still in the last stages of filming or other. That includes the Star Cinema entry “Love or Money,” which stars Coco Martin and Angelica Panganiban. Quite recently the cast and crew have been filming scenes in the Middle East.

Read More

Legendary Swedish Actor MAX VON SYDOW Dead at Age 90

There are not a lot of actors who not only live long lives but also remain active in their careers right up until the end. One of these decades-long luminaries is Max von Sydow. Born in Sweden in 1929, he built a solid foundation for a lifelong career in acting, first on the stage and then in film and television. Even better, while already made legendary by roles in his early career, von Sydow was able to keep himself relevant by portraying key roles in more recent productions. Thus, when he passed away this past Sunday, a decade short of a full century, the Swedish acting star was greatly mourned.

Read More

“EAT BULAGA” to SHUT STUDIO to LIVE AUDIENCES Due to COVID-19

The 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak has without a doubt already, and significantly, changed the way of life for many people around the world this year 2020. Spikes in the numbers of reportedly infected people in various countries have led to the postponement or cancellation of events, up to imposing community lockdowns and travel restrictions. The Philippines has its own COVID-19 patients, leading to concerns that have put off several local events like concerts and sports seasons. In the wake of a sudden rise in new cases, a major noontime variety show on TV has been forced to take drastic measures.

Read More

DISNEY+ Developing “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” SPINOFF Starring Villain GASTON

“No one memes like Gaston; steals a scene like Gaston. No one gets his own Disney+ show like Gaston!” If you are a fan of Disney’s modern classic 1991 animated film “Beauty and the Beast,” which itself was remade into live-action back in 2017, then you can tell that the above is a paraphrase for several lines in the character song of the main antagonist Gaston. Altering the lyrics of the titular “Gaston” song became briefly popular in 2016 when an Atlantic tropical storm was given that name. Anyway, the paraphrased line is apparently true: Gaston is going to Disney+.

Read More

Injured JUNE MAR FAJARDO Still 6-TIME MVP for 2019 as 2020 PBA SEASON Kicks Off

This past Sunday, after a brief postponement to avoid the then-serious ravages of the 2019 novel coronavirus/COVID-19, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) finally started their 2020 season. But before the first game of the first conference would be kicked off, the league first has to look back to the season that came before, and honor the achievers who have proven themselves the best of the best. These accolades are encapsulated in the Leo Awards, with the “Best Picture” Leo trophy being awarded to the previous season’s Most Valuable Player. And even though he is currently sidelined, June Mar Fajardo will not go absent for this.

Read More

“THE SIMPSONS” Short “PLAYDATE WITH DESTINY” Precedes DISNEY-PIXAR Animated Film “ONWARD”

When Disney finalized its acquisition of 20^th Century Fox and other related assets in March of last year, some measure of celebration was done by Fox Animation with a short clip of “The Simpsons” hailing their new Disney overlords. It is not difficult to recall how a throwaway gag in an episode of the long-running animated sitcom “predicted” Fox as a subsidiary of the House of Mouse. And it looks like Disney has reciprocated this warm reception by now-20^th Century Animation in giving them a welcome spot to show an animated short ahead of the latest Disney-Pixar feature film, “Onward.”

Read More

Videogame “THE LAST OF US” to be MADE into HBO Series

Some people once said that there is a curse lying in the adaptation of videogames to audiovisual media, particularly Hollywood movies. But for every naysayer from at least the 1990s who would point out the examples of “Super Mario Bros.” (1993) or the videogame films directed by Uwe Boll, there are those who would counter with “Mortal Kombat” (1995) and “Tomb Raider” (2001 and the 2018 reboot). Lately however, some observers would opine that the movie videogame curse has ended, at least with last years “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu” and the newly-released “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Now, American-produced game adaptation is headed to the small screen too.

Read More

“NO TIME TO DIE” Moves PREMIERE to NOVEMBER While “BLACK WIDOW” Stays On for MAY Release

While it may be tiring now that every other news article on Morgan Magazine cannot seem to avoid mentioning the dreaded outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, it cannot be helped due to the fact that its seemingly unstoppable spread – over 80 countries around the world at last count – has escalated concerns both in the social and economic spheres of mankind. Sporting events have been either postponed or cancelled, which bodes ill for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. And then there are the movie premieres that have been pushed back to later this year, though there are other movie releases that have resolved to stand fast.

Read More

SECOND Music Video for BTS’ “BLACK SWAN” Released this Wednesday

In the age of MTV, or at least during the decades when said network still devoted the lion’s share of its airtime to music videos of recording artists, one sure indicator that a singer, group or band’s song – likely a single from an album – was a major deal, was if it had more than one version of music video being played. South Korean K-Pop boy band BTS had already released a music video last January for “Black Swan,” a single off their fourth and latest Korean-language album “Map of the Soul: 7.” Imagine the fans’ surprise this week when another video came out for “Black Swan.”

Read More

“DUCKTALES” Reboot SEASON 3 Returning to DISNEY XD this APRIL

Nostalgia can be a powerful tool when planning to revive an old pop entertainment franchise. Disney’s 1987-90 animated series “DuckTales” received a reboot that started in 2017, and can serve as a textbook example of doing a series revival right. Not only did it capture the spirit of the original cartoons, the modernizations and additions to the mythos improved the viewing experience and helped catch more numbers of old and new fans. Season 2 of the revival ended on Disney Channel back in September of last year, with a third season confirmed even before that finale. But only this week was the return premiere confirmed.

Read More

FIRST PEEKS at FIRST BABY of ANNE CURTIS and ERWAN HEUSSAFF Posted on SOCIAL MEDIA

Just over two years ago, on November 2017, the “Anne-bitious” ABS-CBN personality Anne Curtis Smith was married to her non-showbiz boyfriend, food blogger and restaurateur Erwan Heussaff. It took them quite a while, but through the latter part of 2019 they were getting ready to welcome their first bundle of joy to complete their family. That precious gift arrived earlier this week, on March 2, when Anne and Erwan were blessed with a daughter, their firstborn child. While the following days after the birth had the new parents keep things intimately private, by Friday they were ready to share photos of their adorable baby online.

Read More

TCL Shares Images of In-Development SMARTPHONE-TABLETS with 3 FOLDS, “ROLLUP” SCREEN

Despite the rather buggy and non-rugged durability of the first practical commercial folding-screen smartphones introduced by various manufacturers to the world mobile market, their advent has been construed as the beginning of an era for mobile R&D in the development of foldable touchscreens. The next element of progression in this field would be to improve on anything from folding-screen materials, to better design of the hinged shells of the phone-tablet, and more. Chinese electronics firm TCL however, is already looking beyond a phone screen that folds; they are working on a device prototype with a screen and a shell frame that can functionally “roll up.”

Read More

MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES Contestants Speak in MOTHER DIALECTS for INTRODUCTORY Video

When the Miss Universe beauty pageant franchise broke away from longtime local partner Binibining Pilipinas to launch its own selection pageant competition, it was expected that they would begin establishing their own conventions to make itself distinct from its former pageant home. And under the guidance of Miss Universe Philippines national director Shamcey Supsup they look to be doing just that, by making the inaugural Miss Universe PH beauty pageant a miniature of the main international competition that it is sending the winner as a representative to. For one thing, the contestants will not all be using a common language.

Read More

First Images Shown of BATMOBILE for Matt Reeves’ “THE BATMAN”

This month, the director of “The Batman,” an upcoming new Warner Bros. Pictures film about DC Comic’s most popular superhero character, began sharing on his personal social media channels some sneak peeks into the development going into the movie. First it was the tease of a screen test by lead star Robert Pattinson, trying out the new Batman costume under atmospheric red lighting. The footage earned both excitement and criticism from fans. Now, filmmaker Matt Reeves has released the next preview on how “The Batman” will look on cinema screens, with the first images of Batman’s signature ride, the Batmobile.

Read More

ANIME Film "Forecasting" Calls for TOKYO OLYMPICS CANCELLATION Going VIRAL

The status of the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has become something of a “one step forward, two steps back” trend when it comes to the scheduling of big events around the world. Many concert tour stops by prominent artists have been postponed or outright cancelled where said performances might be in a country with confirmed COVID-19 cases; Senegal was forced to call off its launch of the NBA-supported Basketball Africa League (BAL) games after it announced their first confirmed case. Not even the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo looks to be a sure go, as organizers wait until May to commit to schedule or cancel entirely.

Read More

TWITTER Tests a New NON-PERMANENT Posting Feature Called “FLEETS” in BRAZIL

It is one of the darker thoughts and feelings one might have in this day and age of prevalent social media platforms: what if there are some social media posts I made in the past that I regret and want gone, but I can’t find them from the clutter of my online activity and – well, somebody found it first? The desire to want online posts gone after a period of time is the driving force of “ephemerality” in some social media services. Snapchat and Instagram made this prominent with their 24-hour-only “Stories” posting feature, something that Twitter is imitating now.

Read More

Once More, Unto LONDON’s WEST END for RACHELLE ANN GO

There are some who might say that Rachelle Ann Go is the Lea Salonga of a later generation: establishing herself as a singer and recording artist, with some acting on the side, then getting to go abroad to perform as a stage thespian on the major theatrical hotspots on both sides of the Atlantic – West End of London and Broadway of New York. And Go has done great in representing Philippine talent from her great performances at some of the biggest titles in theatre, from “Miss Saigon” to “Hamilton.” Now she is back in the saddle at the UK, reprising her part in “Les Miz.”

Read More

“WALKER, TEXAS RANGER” REBOOT on THE CW Casts JEFF PIERRE from “ONCE UPON A TIME”

From 1993 to 2001, CBS has been the home of an action TV series that has become an epic fountain of memes. How could it not when it starred legendary action star Chuck Norris? “Walker, Texas Ranger” gave audiences eight seasons of awesome law enforcement highlighted by fight scenes ranging from cool to ridiculous; the roundhouse kicks of Norris’ Cordell Walker character would in hindsight elicit just as much laughs as excited whoops. Now, close to two decades after “Walker, Texas Ranger” ended, The CW is trying its hand at a Norris-less reboot of it. And they have gotten an alumnus from ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” in their cast.

Read More

BRITISH ROYAL MINT Releases “JAMES BOND” COMMEMORATIVE COINS for 25th Movie

There are not a lot of movie franchises that are made to last for many sequels. Universal Pictures might be doing its best with the “Fast and Furious” films, but even that racing action IP cannot hold a candle to the staying power of “James Bond” under Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and EON Productions. The upcoming “No Time to Die” is a milestone 25^th film for the British super-spy and the last to feature actor Daniel Craig in the role. Even with so many movies, the UK is not getting any more tired of promoting “James Bond,” if the release of a unique commemorative coin is any indication.

Read More

“THE FLASH” S-6 Guest Star to Become REGULAR on S-7

“Breakout” characters can often come from where viewers of many TV series might least expects them to appear. At first such a character shows up in one episode, with his or her portrayer being credited only as a guest role. Then in a later episode of the season the guest star would return, and his character turns out to be more involved in the arc than initially thought. The payoff comes when in the following season the actor is “promoted” to a regular role. That pretty much describes Chester P. Runk, played by Brandon McKnight, in The CW’s “The Flash.”

Read More

AMIHAN, EASTERLIES Bring Clouds Showers, While LPA to Bring MINDANAO RAIN

At around this time of year in the Philippines, the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan would be starting to de-escalate and fade while the Easterlies, winds from the Pacific Ocean, begin to bring warmth to the country towards the summer months. But it looks like the monsoon winds has not quite decided to quit just yet, so now the interaction with the strengthening Easterlies has made for anything from clouds in the sky, to a little bit of showers, to the formation of a low-pressure area that is being brought to bear towards the Mindanao island group that might bring heavier rains from Thursday to Friday.

Read More

“TOP GUN: MAVERICK” Gets JUNE PREMIERE Date ADVANCED by PARAMOUNT

Sometimes fans may feel that a sudden new installment to a franchise that had not seen any addition to it for years might be superfluous and unnecessary. When Paramount Pictures and Tom Cruise went into high gear to produce a sequel to the 1986 aircraft action film “Top Gun,” those who were not cautiously optimistic for it were instead thinking that the upcoming movie was a waste of time. But several trailers and behind-the-scenes specials have won many of them over to waiting in anticipation. “Top Gun: Maverick” is slated for premiering June 26, but the studio has felt a need: a need for speed.

Read More

KIM CHIU Survives WEDNESDAY Morning SHOOTING ATTEMPT at Her VAN

It can be very surprising, shocking even, when bad things happen to good people. The Philippines has a shameful history of violence on the road with incidents ranging from drive-by shootings to ambush attacks on vehicles negotiating traffic in the streets, usually done by assailants riding in tandem on motorcycles. This Wednesday morning, such a riding-in-tandem attack took place in Quezon City, leaving one private van sporting bullet-hole damage. The big surprise here is who the passenger of the attacked vehicle was; not a prominent figure in politics, police or the military at all, but a big Kapamilya star instead.

Read More

MAXIM BALDRY Latest Confirmed Casting for AMAZON’s “LORD OF THE RINGS”

The Second Age of Middle Earth that J.R.R. Tolkien created will be coming to stream sometime next year in Amazon. That is the projected release of their “Lord of the Rings” spinoff being developed by New Line Television, HarperCollins, and the Tolkien Estate and Trust. And quite the number of actors and actresses has been named in the casting, such as Morfydd Clark (“His Dark Materials” on HBO/BBC One) supposedly taking up the role of a younger Galadriel from Cate Blanchett. Maxim Baldry was also stated to have been in negotiations, though a deal took too long to finalize that he was not definitively named.

Read More

“CHROMATICA” is the Title of LADY GAGA’s Latest ALBUM, APRIL 10

Think of American singer Lady Gaga and the first visual thing to mind will be her penchant for the most out-there performance costumes ever. It is amazing just how intense she could be on stage with her various avant-garde clothing ensembles, such as her Super Bowl LI halftime show in 2017. Of course, when necessary she can still rock out even in fairly normal clothing, such as her lead acting debut in 2018’s “A Star is Born,” along with many of her promotion pieces for that musical drama. But Gaga does not let her fans forget she is the costumed Mother Monster, as with the music video for “Stupid Love.”

Read More

After FOX Battle, COMCAST Lets DISNEY+ Stream on SKY UK

As of now, The Walt Disney Company is still busy completing its transitioning of 20^th Century Fox and other media assets acquired since March 2019 from what is now called Fox Corporation. But in the previous year, 2018, what had initially seemed like a surefire deal between Disney and Fox was complicated by a rival bid for the same assets from Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal. Disney secured its original deal with Fox by not including the UK/Europe’s Sky plc pay-TV broadcaster, which Comcast picked up wholly. Now over a year later, Disney and Sky have inked an availability agreement for streaming Disney+ content.

Read More

JACKIE FORSTER Talks SHOWBIZ COMEBACK Prospects; Relationship with Husband, Sons

Philippine showbiz fandom has not heard much from actress Jackie Forster for years. Her last significant development had been marrying Benjie Paras during his active PBA years, from which they were blessed with sons Andrei and Kobe, both basketball mavens themselves, with Andrei having extra chops as an actor. When Benjie and Jackie’s marriage ended, the latter found a new love with which she formed a new family, one that took her abroad living in several countries over the years. When Forster returned to the Philippines last year, she kept quiet at first, but now she is ready to go and answer questions about her life and possible showbiz comeback.

Read More

First “ARTEMIS FOWL” Long Trailer Reveals DISNEY Alterations from Original Books

Disney has long prided itself on its great feature-length adaptations of media, from the classic tradition of fairy tales to the more recent pop culture sources like books and comics. They originally co-produced the first two installments of Walden Media’s “Chronicles of Narnia” film series (20^th Century Fox took over for the third, but as now a Disney subsidiary the “Narnia” movies are all Disney’s). While they may have lost the likes of “Harry Potter” to Warner Bros., there are other book series that the House of Mouse can adapt, such as the “Artemis Fowl” series by Irish author Eoin Colfer, the film of which premieres this year.

Read More

“TABING ILOG” MUSICAL Fires TV REVIVAL Hopes for BARON GEISLER

It can be said that the 1990s was the decade when shows about young people, from teens to those in early years of adulthood, both local TV shows and programming from overseas networks, were prominent. Filipinos would likely recall watching shows like GMA7’s “TGIS” and ABS-CBN’s “Gimik” and “Tabing Ilog,” and from former late-night timeslots or Cable they would know of dramas like “Dawson’s Creek” or sitcoms such as “Friends.” Speaking of which, with the media attention being given to a reunion special of the “Friends” cast on HBO Max, there has been a quiet clamor for either reviving or reuniting casts from these old TV series for the youth.

Read More

APPLE to PAY $500-M Settlement for “BATTERY-GATE” – SLOWING OLDER iPHONE Processors

“Poor communication kills” is the rather extreme conclusion regarding the potential trouble caused by withholding information or phrasing them in a way that can be misled. For the most part, such mishaps could likely lead only to hurt feelings at least and possibly cost the poor communicator money. That has been the case with Apple, which kept mum when users of their older iPhone models (6 or 7) started slowing down in processing speed. This spurred many owners to buy newer, later iPhones. But when Apple brought to light the real reason for the slowdown, it led to a suit that could now cost them a half-billion-dollars’ worth of settlement.

Read More

First METRO MANILA SUMMER FILM FEST Announces PARTICIPATING FILMS List

Every Filipino moviegoer knows about the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). It is that time of year during the Holiday season when all foreign productions are banished from cinemas to exclusively screen a selection of locally-made movies, all vying for awards in filmmaking, acting and even box office returns. The festival organizing committee sees potential in making the event happen twice a year instead. And this April 2020 will be the first edition of a Metro Manila Summer Film Fest, the brainchild of MMFF executive committee chairman Sen. Bong Go. The participating films for this great beginning have been revealed.

Read More