The sports scene, both local and
international, has been slowly but surely getting back on its feet to begin
playing games again while the COVID-19 pandemic is still around. Steps to
prevent sporting events from being potential spreaders of the coronavirus have
ranged from extremely limited spectator admission to barring them from the
stands entirely, while some leagues have sequestered their teams and players in
“bubble environments” to practice and play in. In the Philippines the most that
pro leagues like the PBA have been allowed is practicing with health protocols
implemented. During this time, these already-professional circuits have been
joined with a newly-professionalized league.
Thursday, July 30, 2020
SMART Officially Launches COMMERCIAL 5G SERVICES
Technology marches on. It is why
computer storage went from floppy disks and diskettes, to internal hard disks, writable
discs, USB drives and so on. It is why TVs went from bulky to flat and slim.
The onward progress of technological advancement explains why mobile phones
went from having physical keyboards to touchscreens, and the networks powering
them have evolved. Once, years ago, 3G was hot stuff. Then it was surpassed by
4G until 5G became the bar to measure against. Philippine telecom services have
been racing to get their 5G networks ready after its introduction, and one of
them has crossed that finish line.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY to Get CARD GAME After Successful KICKSTARTER
It began with a limited-issue
series created by Gerard Way and drawn by Gabriel Ba for comic book publisher
Dark Horse Comics that first came out in 2007. Since then, “The Umbrella
Academy” has accrued three volumes, a spinoff anthology title and even a TV
series adaptation streaming on Netflix that has a second season arriving at the
end of the month. That is not half bad for a superhero team story that
initially sounds like “X-Men” but stands out for how dysfunctional the members
can get. Now it looks like the umbrella-carrying “heroes” are about to
transition to a new media: trading card games.
RYAN REYNOLDS’ Reward TWEET for FIL-CANADIAN’S Missing TEDDY BEAR Leads to Toy’s Recovery and REUNION
There are not a lot of
heartwarming moments that can compare to the time when who or what that was once
lost is finally found. That positive outcome to searches for missing persons or
things does not always happen, and over the past weekend a Filipina-Canadian
residing in Vancouver was worried that she might never see her most prized
possession, a Build-a-Bear teddy bear that plays a recording of her late mother’s
voice. Thankfully a social media buzz started by Canadian Hollywood star and
fellow Vancouverite Ryan Reynolds brought her story plenty of attention, and
that made a big difference.
PRIMETIME EMMYS to be VIRTUALLY Held in Light of PANDEMIC
It is a brave production that
forges ahead with its work while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hang over
the world, particularly if said production is in the hard-hit US. What keeps
these brave productions from epic failure is if they subscribe to following the
long-advised health and safety protocols to help prevent the spread of the
ubiquitous novel coronavirus. Then there are those live productions that would
err on the side of caution by forgoing the live component of their event and
just take the virtual route. The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards for 2020
is one such careful production.
Videogame Company KONAMI Enters GAMING PC Market with “ARESPEAR” Series
There was a time when Japanese
company Konami was one of the most recognizable developers and publishers of
videogames in the industry. Their creative teams have churned out some game
titles that are remembered as some of the biggest franchises in electronic
entertainment. Sadly, over the past several years the company has since shifted
away from console gaming to mobile apps and arcades, particularly dance-rhythm
and pachinko gambling machines for the latter, while the developers of their
franchise titles have since departed for other pastures. But as if to remind
the public that they were there for home gaming, Konami has begun hyping their
new series of desktop PC units.
MISS SUPRANATIONAL PH Representation Title TRANSFERS OUT from BINIBINING PILIPINAS to MISS WORLD PH Pageant
It is quite something to know
that traditionally a Philippine national beauty pageant, which would select
representatives for the international pageant competition scene, actually tends
to have more than one title representation on the line. Some might still recall
how Binibining Pilipinas once decided among its contestants who would go to the
original “Big Three” events of Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss
International. That is no longer the case as Miss World and Miss Universe now
have their own local contests for Filipina representatives. Binibining
Pilipinas has since filled in the gaps with franchises for other minor world
pageants, but even then some of these have jumped ship elsewhere.
TESLA Sees REVENUE in CHINA RISE OVER 100% to Near-QUARTER Global TOTAL
A lot has been said over the past
several years regarding the immense size of China as a market for products and services.
For instance, the country has the largest global market share in terms of
cinema, and is actively courted by Hollywood films because any movie that fared
poorly stateside could still hope to break even if Chinese audiences happen to
love it. The same thing goes, as it seems, for electrical vehicles, particularly
of a certain manufacturer with a factory on their soil. Tesla Inc., the company
in question, confirmed just how big China’s market has been for them in a
recent statement.
METRO MANILA Welcomes MORE JEEPNEYS on the ROAD this WEDNESDAY
One of the most heartbreaking
side effects of the many health concerns, protocols and movement restrictions
that were implemented nationwide in the advent of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic
was the loss of jobs in lines of work that posed too much risk of infection and
spread. This is the sad story of the drivers and operators of the Philippines’
iconic public transport, the jeepney. Particularly in Metro Manila, despondent
and desperate drivers have petitioned government regulators to let them operate
before they and their families starve. Only in recent days have limited
jeepneys been allowed to ply their set routes. Now more of them will be rotated
into Manila’s streets.
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
RYAN REYNOLDS Offers CASH REWARD for Info on RECOVERING Lost TEDDY BEAR Memento of FIL-CANADIAN
Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds has
portrayed two types of superheroes in film, one that plays the super-heroic
story conventions straight and another that is violently perfect in all his
R-rated glory. It is the latter type that he gravitates to, and the one his
fans prefer. And twice already has Reynolds portrayed Marvel’s
fourth-wall-breaking antihero Deadpool for 20th Century Fox before
it was acquired by Disney. But the film star is also a hero of sorts in real life,
one with generous pockets to boot. Over the weekend he has taken the cause of a
Filipina Canadian resident who lost a very precious teddy bear.
ALESSANDRA DE ROSSI Talks Genesis of “THROUGH NIGHT AND DAY” and Opportunity to Go BALD
By this point in time a number of
movie studios in the Philippines are taking a new lesson to heart: if their
film did not make a splash in the theaters when they premiered, have it put on
Netflix and there is a chance it could become a streaming blockbuster. This
line of thought could be gleaned from the new lease on viewing life that was
experienced by “Through Night and Day,” a Viva Films and Octo Arts Films
co-production that starred Alessandra de Rossi and Paolo Contis. Said film was
actually a personal project for de Rossi, who conceptualized the original
story, but also had a random creative reason.
2020 PRIMETIME EMMY NOMINATIONS Extend HBO-NETFLIX Feud; Adds FIRST-TIME NOMINEES
The sentiment that “the show must
go on” has been tested greatly this year, about half of which has been spent
trying to contain the spread of the COVID-19 infection. That necessitated
community quarantines and work stoppages at all but the most essential
businesses and services. Filming and photography of movies and TV series have
been pushed back or postponed. Still, enough content for programming on
television and online streaming have been made since last year so that the 2020
Emmy Awards could push through. And from the look of things, in this edition of
the Primetime Emmys, streaming prevails.
DOH: PH in TALKS with CHINA, TAIWAN COVID VACCINE Manufacturers, But NO Prospects Until 2021
It has been said that about the
only time the “new normal” global socio-economic situation that resulted from
the COVID-19 pandemic would only return to a “normal” normal at the time that a
vaccine for the China-originating novel coronavirus can be developed and
distributed worldwide. Until then, the best one can hope for is to keep clean
and distant, or if infected but recovered then for his antibody count not to
diminish. The Philippine government has talked to other countries undertaking
COVID vaccine development, but despite the most optimistic estimates it seems
clear that no relief is coming this year.
NIANTIC’s ONLINE-Only “POKEMON GO FEST” Anniversary Event Still Draws GLOBAL Participation
It may already be largely
forgotten at this point in time, but four years ago in this same month of 2016,
the world for a time was briefly changed by the release of a mobile game. “Pokémon
Go,” based on the long-running Nintendo videogame franchise, encouraged players
not only to walk around their neighborhoods to catch the titular Pokémon
rendered on their GPS data, but also interact with fellow gamers. Such mass-gathering
social behavior is a sin in the year of COVID-19, but it did not stop Niantic
from celebrating four years of “Pokémon Go” with a virtual event that had
participants reaching a milestone.
Monday, July 27, 2020
MAKOTO SHINKAI Anime Film “WEATHERING WITH YOU” Coming to NETFLIX PHILIPPINES JULY 31
Observers of the past few months
would say that the enforced isolation of people inside their residences during
the heyday of the heaviest COVID-19 community quarantine period led to a spike
in viewership of online streaming services, for those who could afford subscribing
to such platforms. And while the world has been taking steps towards getting
the economy moving again through work, there are still those to have stuck with
streaming content as their viewing fare of choice. This necessity-driven focus
online has led to some anticipation on when a long-premiered movie or “old” TV
series gets added to, say, Netflix; consider this, for example.
JOE JONAS and SOPHIE TURNER Now PROUD PARENTS of BABY GIRL
So, a noble lady from the North and a Southron bard, who is part of a
pop rock band with his brothers, met and fell in love, then ultimately were wed…Such
has been the story of British actress Sophie Turner, best known as Sansa Stark
from HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” and Joe of the Jonas Brothers. They were dating
since 2016, got engaged/“betrothed” the following year, and got wed last year
in 2019, just as Turner’s near-decade-long involvement in “Thrones” concluded
in its final season at the same time. Married life for the two has been
awesome, as confirmed with news that the two became first-time parents this
last week.
CIGNAL, SMART Team with NBA to Return GAMES to PHILIPPINE TV/Streaming
Even a highly contagious viral
infection like COVID-19 cannot keep a long-established professional sports
league with an international fandom down. Throughout this month the National
Basketball Association (NBA) has undertaken epic-level preparations for
salvaging the 2020 season with what little time remains this year. In the “NBA
Bubble” isolation zone in Walt Disney World, 22 of the league’s teams have been
practicing under strict health and safety protocols looking ahead to the resumption
of a shortened season in July 31. And thanks to a double-team effort by a local
satellite TV provider and one of the “mobile-com pillars” of the Philippines, NBA-starved
Filipinos will be able to watch the action.
HAILEE STEINFELD May Be CONFIRMED Again for MCU Series “HAWKEYE”
Following the swan song of Earth’s
Mightiest Heroes in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Marvel Studios geared up to
continue the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond its flagship team and
superheroes. MCU Phase 4 takes the original concept of superhero films and
series set in the same universe (but by separate movie and TV outfits) post-2012
“Avengers” and unified all production under Marvel Studios. Among the series being
developed in this phase – for streaming online on Disney+ – is “Hawkeye”
starring Jeremy Renner on his character’s post-“Endgame” adventures. A
persistent rumor since 2019 was that he will be accompanied by a sidekick to be
played by Hailee Steinfeld. That speculation may have been finalized.
“TRAIN TO BUSAN” SEQUEL “PENINSULA” Leading COVID-Ridden Asian BOX OFFICE
While much has been made of how
China’s massive cinema market finally restarted operations the previous week
after being closed by the COVID-19 outbreak, they were not actually the first
country in Asia to let movie-houses run once more. South Korea had its
reopening earlier, which explains the July 15 premier of “Peninsula,” a loose
sequel of sorts to the country’s 2016 zombie apocalypse blockbuster “Train to
Busan.” As the month comes down to its final week, the producers of “Peninsula”
can be proud that their film, despite being released amidst a pandemic with a
skittish movie-going audience, is now the highest-grossing 2020 Asian movie.
FOX SPORTS Adds VIRTUAL FANS to MLB Games; MIXED RESULTS
With the years 2020 halfway done and starting to wind down on its seventh month, professional sports leagues around the world are clamoring to get their current seasons postponed by the advent of COVID-19 going again, even if there are fewer games to play because of it. Some of these associations like Major League Baseball (MLB) in the US have already started, with the condition that their games cannot have fans on the stands due to health and safety regulations. Fox Sports has decided to touch upon the idea of blending cutouts of spectators on the seats plus computer-generated “virtual fans.” Almost nobody seems impressed.
INOPERATIVE Travel Agencies Beg Off on GOV PERMITS, TAXES During PANDEMIC
One of the biggest blows that the
novel coronavirus struck on businesses in the country and around the world was
done by virtue of its timing. When the rise in positive cases caused the
beginning of lengthy travel bans and community lockdowns the travel and tourism
industry was savaged earnings-wise. Not only have travel plans been cancelled and
reserved tickets refunded, travel agencies find themselves in dire straits to
pay employees and staff, plus cover operational expenses. Said expenses also
include paying permits and taxes to the government. With the agencies unable to
do business, they are asking for a stay in their governmental obligations.
Sunday, July 26, 2020
NATALIE PORTMAN Reveals “THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER” May Start FILMING 2021
11:25 PM
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With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing
San Diego Comic-Con to go with virtual streaming for most of its events through
Comic-Con@Home, it feels like a whole different time from the same occasion in
2019. That live iteration of SDCC, which would have been unthinkable these
days, had as one of its highlights the announcement of an upcoming movie for
the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase 4: “Thor: Love and Thunder.” The film
would star Natalie Portman as Avenger Asgardian (ex-) girlfriend Jane Foster,
making up for her post (Dark World) absence by gaining the power of Thor. But
with COVID around, the question becomes when the movie could even start
production.
PBA Waiting for OFFICIAL LETTER to RESTART Practice in Hope of One CONFERENCE for 2020
Even as health experts are
insisting that realistic estimates of getting a novel coronavirus vaccine put
it well into 2021, that is not stopping professional sporting leagues all over
the world from trying to restart their team practices if only to get a truncated
season going before this year ends. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
is no exception, the country’s premier pro-basketball league having wheeled and
dealt with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Games and Amusement Board
(GAB) to get their practice sessions resumed even as the COVID-19 pandemic
drives confirmed cases way up. The date has been pushed to sometime next month.
“MEGA MAN” Movie Still IN-DEV According to DIRECTORS at COMIC-CON@HOME Panel
7:29 PM
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There was a time when the notion
of producing a live-action adaptation of a videogame was automatically a bad
idea. Now, gaming fans know that if a movie studio does its homework with the
source material, is willing to give it a budget, and will actually listen to community
input, the results could be, if not a critic-winner then a sure-fire
blockbuster. Recent examples are not hard to find with last year’s “Pokémon:
Detective Pikachu” from Warner Bros. and Nintendo, and the pre-COVID smash hit “Sonic
the Hedgehog” from Paramount and Sega. Encouraged by these results, it is now
Capcom’s turn to (finally) get cinematic.
Friday, July 24, 2020
JOLLIBEE FOODS Confident in 2021 PROFIT Recovery from Foreign Acquisitions COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF, SMASHBURGER
It was in 2019 when Jollibee
Foods Corporation (JFC), the company that runs the same-named fast-food chain that
is the first name in the game for Filipinos around the world, took some giant
steps to establish itself as a multinational contender in fast food. This was
embodied in two key American franchise acquisitions, that of The Coffee Bean
& Tea Leaf from California and Smashburger from Colorado. Plans to have the
two new subsidiary chains (the former already having branches in the
Philippines) begin adding their weight to JFC’s franchise output by 2020 were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic again messing things up. But Jollibee bosses remain
confident about things.
“BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC” Second TRAILER Reveals PREMIERE Date for CINEMA, HOME RELEASE
Even as cinemas in North America
mull over the question of whether to reopen now or later, film studios are
repeatedly rescheduling the releases of their respective movies, many of which
had original premiere dates during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
United Artists and Orion Pictures are doing likewise for their long-awaited
sequel “Bill & Ted Face the Music” with Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves. Originally
(and symbolically) set for August 21, 2020, the ravages of the outbreak caused
the release to be pushed forward, then back. The new premiere date was revealed
with the release of a new trailer just this Thursday.
RURU MADRID Repays FAN Commentary on His RESEMBLANCE to TAE-HYUNG of BTS with “SWEET NIGHT” COVER
Celebrity resemblances can be a
dime a dozen. But not too often is the case where the one who looks like a
certain celebrity is himself a celebrity in his own right. Add in factors like:
the two celebs hailing from different countries for example, then the original
celebrity reacting positively to the resemblance with his lookalike, and
finally the lookalike celeb not only being grateful to fans but also humoring
them by channeling the original for a short while. That must sound as cheesy as
it could be heartwarming, but it recently happened between Ruru Madrid and a
member of global K-Pop phenomenon BTS.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
ANDROID 11 Does Have a DESSERT Name: "RED VELVET CAKE"
Last year, Google decided that a
traditional convention of their open-source mobile operating system, Android,
has finally worn out its welcome. The year 2019 would see the tenth major
release (out of seventeen versions) of the Android MOS, and it was simply
branded Android 10. Its predecessor releases, major or otherwise, had almost
all been labeled during internal development with a name taken from a variety
of dessert items. Having Android 10 come after 2018’s Android Pie (ninth major
release/16th version) came across as a break from the past towards a
bigger future. And then as it turns out the 11th major release will
have a dessert nickname after all.
COVID Lockdown Costs PAL LOSSES of P9-B for JAN-MAR 2020
Businesses were among the worst
hit sectors of society when the COVID-19 pandemic became as big as it did. In nowhere
else perhaps is the monetary damage more easily discerned, than in the business
of transportation. Normally buses and ships and airliners carrying passengers
from point A to B are collectively considered an “essential” commodity in the
present day. But in the interest of preventing the spread of the highly
infectious novel coronavirus the shutdown of transport operations save for a
limited capacity has crippled those in the business. Just ask the national flag
carrier.
“MULAN” Premiere Being POSTPONED INDEFINITELY by DISNEY Due to COVID-19 Concerns
Remember how the summer of 2020
was supposed to be chock-full of some highly-anticipated blockbuster films from
some of the biggest studios around? The scheduling of those movies was pretty
ironclad as early as the year before. Then the novel coronavirus outbreak
became a pandemic and, as cinemas tended to gather lots of people, they were
closed worldwide alongside so many other businesses. With the year on its
second half, but with movie-houses still hesitant to reopen even with protocols
for limited capacity, some studios are reconsidering their late-year film premiere
reshuffles. Disney, for example, has decided on taking drastic steps with one
of theirs.
2021 SEA GAMES Sticking Mostly to OLYMPIC and ASIAN Games Events
It can be quite surprising to
realize that about half a year has passed since the Southeast Asian Games were
held in the Philippines in late 2019. Perhaps it felt like time flew so fast
because of the confinement of people during the COVID-19 quarantines. Filipino
sports fans would remember the SEA Games fondly due to the hometown athletes
winning the most medals, as well as the large number of specific events
competed for. Hopes that the next host – Hanoi, Vietnam – would carry over the
events bonanza seem squashed due to the organizers’ announcement that they
would cut some events due to a smaller budget.
ONE DIRECTION Official Social Media POSTS About 10th ANNIVERSARY ELECTRIFY FANS
It was ten years ago. On a
British reality music competition, five strangers competing solo that were
facing elimination from preliminaries were suggested to band together in order
to compete in the show’s Group category. From that emergency origin was born
one of the biggest boy bands in the history of the phrase, and one of the top
international acts from the UK during the early half of the 2010s: One Direction.
After wowing the world for years (and the 2015 departure of a member), they
went on an indefinite hiatus-turned-breakup in 2016. Their official social
media pages went silent and un-updated from 2016/18…until Wednesday.
“KUNG PAANO SIYA NAWALA” with RHIAN RAMOS from TBA STUDIOS Re-Launching on NETFLIX in AUGUST
Netflix, still somewhat the first
name when it comes to online digital media streaming around the world, is being
seen as a place for second chances where movies are concerned. Even as the
streaming giant is prioritizing the production of original content as major
entertainment labels take their media away to their own exclusive digital
platforms, smaller companies continue to add to the Netflix library where their
films and shows sometimes find enthusiastic audiences. Philippine movie studios
are no exception to seeing their productions getting online revivals in
popularity. Thus, TBA Studios looks to join the action by sending one of its
films to the streamer for premiere next month.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
TESLA Chooses AUSTIN Texas as Site for Next GIGAFACTORY Complex
As Tesla continues to introduce
new models of electrical vehicles, the need to then mass-produce them to meet
ever-increasing consumer demands is a top priority. Elon Musk thus announced
back in March, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, that
it was looking for a new site in the central US to build a new “Gigafactory”
complex upon which to task the production of the Tesla Cybertruck and other
e-cars. Two locales most of all were in a dead heat competition to invite the
e-vehicle manufacturer to set up shop with them. And this Wednesday Tesla
confirmed the future home of this Gigafactory.
NBA STORE Reopening in PH as ONLINE Retailer this AUGUST
A professional sporting league
with a strong international following and as massive in size as the NBA can
most assuredly generate immense amounts of merchandise for the global fandom to
get their hands on. Thus, opening a chain of retail stores offering officially
licensed NBA stuff was the natural course, and they have been at it since the
first NBA Store opened at NYC in 1998. The Philippines too had its own branches
of the NBA Store chain, at least until two years ago when they were shut down.
But the country is famed as one of the world’s most basketball-crazy, so the
league’s retailers cannot stay away for long.
“MS. MARVEL” Series on DISNEY+ Could START FILMING this Coming NOVEMBER
It has been close to seven years
since a creative team in Marvel Comics introduced a new character to bear the
costumed hero identity of Ms. Marvel, after the original one, Carol Danvers,
became Captain Marvel. The replacement seemed originally intended to be a
one-shot, but her character background resonated so much with readers that she
not only became a regular, but a new promotional face for Marvel Comics. It has
also been a year now since it was announced that Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan would
get her own live-action streaming series on Disney+. But no date was given on
when actual production would begin.
First FULL ALBUM of P-POP Group S19 RELEASING JULY 31
It can be amazing how a little
South Korean-style training from one of that country’s major record labels can
turn a quintet of aspiring young Filipino singers into a boy band easily
mistaken for a K-Pop group. But that is exactly the incredible feat ShowBT did
to create SB19, an involved process that began as early as 2016. And now the
SB19 boys – Josh, Sejun, Stell, Ken and Justin – have been at the vanguard of
pushing the OPM sub-genre of P-Pop to newer heights with their well-received
singles. The only thing left now is for them to release an album.
MICROSOFT Shows the FUTURE LOOK for OFFICE 365 User Interface
When Microsoft began releasing
its Windows operating systems, one version after the other over the years, it
has managed to pack as many applications both useful and fun that work
splendidly with its OS platform. Among these apps is the Microsoft Office
suite, their own take on already-existing suite programs for word processing,
spreadsheet and databases. But Microsoft’s bundle would steadily eclipse them
all as the millennium turned, and even in Windows 10 the Office suite is still
an integral component, long updated and fleshed out in functions with every new
edition. The latest changes are being teased by Microsoft.
ILOCOS SUR TRIP and QUARANTINE Refusal by DAGUL, LONG MEJIA and GENE PADILLA Ends with Them Being Declared PERSONA NON GRATA
Just because numerous
restrictions in place throughout the country on account of preventing the
spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus have been gradually relaxing over the past
several weeks, does not mean the overall atmosphere is completely relaxed now. One
needs only look at the constantly updated numbers of confirmed cases of
COVID-19 in the Philippines to understand the gravity of consequences for those
who risk flouting the long-established health and safety protocols. Depending
on where a mistake took place, the perpetrators could see some heavy-handedness
from the local governments if they disregard the global pandemic’s presence in
the nation.
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
NEIL GAIMAN Expresses INTEREST in Writing Possible EPISODE for “DOCTOR WHO” Series Starring JODIE WHITTAKER
Where America has the likes of “Star
Trek,” for British TV audiences the long-running sci-fi franchise of choice
would have to be “Doctor Who.” Chronicling the spacefaring, time-travelling and
dimension-hopping adventures of the alien “time lord” Doctor and his
ever-changing rotation of (mostly) human companions in his police box-looking
TARDIS, the BBC program has been a fixture of TV pop culture in the UK and another
favorite British export. Such has been the footprint of “Doctor Who” in
entertainment media that many writers have taken turns at creating plots for
episodes of the show. Case in point is British author Neil Gaiman, who wants to
pen an episode for the current iteration of the Doctor.
THAI BL TV Phenomenon “2GETHER” STREAMING Soon on NETFLIX JULY 30
It can be said that the time
spent by Filipinos at home for a couple of months at least earlier this year
has helped them find some surprise bits of TV entertainment, especially if they
have access to internet streaming. Quite recently there has been a niche buzz
of excitement from streaming viewers in the country about the “Boys Love”
genre, casting a spotlight on genuine romantic relationships between males. If
the lead same-sex duo is as hot as the “Bright-Win” tandem starring in hit Thai
TV drama “2gether: The Series,” then it becomes all the more an audience
magnet.
FRIENDS REUNION for HBO MAX Could RESTART Production in AUGUST
8:19 PM
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NBC sitcom “Friends,” the one
with the bunch of titular friends living in Manhattan as they live fun and
heartwarming lives over the years, is easily one of the most beloved TV shows
of the turn of the millennium not just in North America but the world. It is
understandable then that a one-shot reunion special, planned to be a launch
title for HBO Max streaming (along with the original sitcom’s 10-season run),
became eagerly anticipated by fans of “Friends.” Producer Warner Bros. TV would
have already started work on the special before HBO Max launched last May. Of
course, COVID-19 ruined those plans…just temporarily.
CHINA Cinemas OPEN Again After HALF-YEAR Shutdown Due to COVID-19
Going into 2020, movie
aficionados have been well assured that the year was going to be filled with
blockbusters. From epic live-action remakes of animated classics to the latest adventures
in the major comic-book superhero cinematic universes, there was something of
every genre to look forward to. All of that was wiped away when the COVID-19
pandemic spurred the world to lock down and quarantine for up to now, the
middle of 2020. Thankfully some restrictions have been gradually relaxing over
time, including the operation of movie-houses. And among the first countries to
reactivate their cinemas world-wide, is the world’s biggest national audience
box office-wise.
CATRIONA GRAY Meets with NBI Regarding FAKE TOPLESS PHOTO Investigation
Not everything in life will be
consistently great, even for a celebrity that has had a string of good luck
from a significant achievement. Former Miss Universe (2018) Catriona Gray has
certainly deserved all the blessings that came her way after becoming the
fourth Miss Philippines to win Miss Universe (only a few years after the
third), such as her inroads into the entertainment industry. Then there is her
relationship with actor-recording artist Sam Milby which has also gotten them
mired in some showbiz controversy. But that pales to the recent scandal of a
manipulated photo distributed online which purportedly showed Catriona topless,
something that she will not stand for.
JULIA ROBERTS, DENZEL WASHINGTON Teaming Up Anew for AMAZON’s Prime Video Movie “LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND”
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Many moviegoers have already
cottoned out a few years ago that not all films are of the domain of cinemas
anymore. Many a streaming platform not only carries digital formats of past
motion pictures but might also show original (and possibly) feature-length content.
And these online films might even have quality cast and creators, enough to win
a movie award or two. Netflix, still likely the first name in online streaming
and originals, has indeed won serious accolades for their own original
exclusive movies. Their search for new stuff to film is unceasing, as this new streaming
cinematic development shows.
Monday, July 20, 2020
DEPED Gets Presidential APPROVAL for FACETOFACE Classes 1-2 DAYS Weekly
It is the middle of the year 2020
now, and in the Philippines things have been different from every other year
that came before. No thanks to the global COVD-19 pandemic, regular schooling
on all possible tiers of education has been affected. Classes that should have
started last month in June are now tentatively set to begin late in August.
Even then, necessity has mandated that alternative means of learning that would
minimize physical interaction are being prepared, with varying levels of
readiness across the nation. As if understanding the difficulties of
distance/online teaching, the President is now offering a ray of hope for
schools.
NINTENDO Reveals ATLUS’ “SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI V” Coming to SWITCH 2021
For many gamers today who have
heard of Japanese videogame developer Atlus, they might say that their favorite
titles from the company are the “Persona” series. The franchise’s five main
games plus multiple spinoffs in over 20 years have seen players guide
characters supernaturally manifesting various mythological heroes, creatures
and even deities from their souls. Such is the pervading popularity of “Persona”
with the mainstream gamer community that earlier Atlus titles such as “Shin
Megami Tensei” (of which “Persona” itself is a spinoff of) are either forgotten
or relegated to portable gaming platforms instead of consoles. That changes
next year.
PSL Gets OK for PRACTICE Restart Ahead of AFC Conference for OCTOBER
For sports fans, the relaxation
of restrictions and the implementation of reasonable health and safety
protocols to enable the resumption of league-based sporting events cannot come
soon enough. And it is not only professional basketball with the PBA that the
country is waiting for. There is also a significant audience for pro women’s volleyball
as well. It is not a surprise considering many players here would already have
built a following from televised collegiate play. The Philippine Super Liga
(PSL) is just as antsy towards starting play as the basketball aces, so news
that they might restart later this year is welcome news for everybody.
JOHN BOYEGA Says He has MOVED ON from Being FINN of Disney’s “STAR WARS” Films
Some unsubstantiated superstition
would have it that actors and actresses risk something happening to their
careers when they get involved in “Star Wars.” Fans might note that some of the
main cast in the original trilogy, like Mark Hamill (until he voiced the Joker)
and the late Carrie Fisher, did not figure much in movies afterwards. The same
might apply to prequel star Hayden “Anakin” Christensen. The “next-gen” cast of
the Disney-produced “Sequel Trilogy” had had it worse however, no thanks to
rabid “orthodox” fans and dangerous racially-charged detractors. Whatever the
case, it does seem that John Boyega wants nothing more to do with it.
MICHAEL V is Confirmed COVID-19 POSITIVE
The scary thing about the novel
coronavirus that has turned the world upside-down this year in a very negative
way, is that the infection could latch on to just about anybody. There have
been a lot of celebrities at home and abroad who have dropped bombshells in
announcing their COVID-19 infection. Of the latter there is the instance of
actor-director Tom Hanks, while of the former the names can be quite
surprising: from media personalities like Howie Severino to veteran stars like
Christopher de Leon. Now, this Monday, Kapuso stalwart Michael V revealed that
he too has tested COVID positive.
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