TRAILER Shows PRINCESS DIANA Threatening ERUPTION in "THE CROWN" SEASON 5

In 2016, streaming giant Netflix threw its hat into the historical drama ring with an epically sweeping biopic. The subject: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, aka Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, starting from her marriage to Philip Mountbatten and later coronation. While positively received at first, later seasons brough ever-increasing scrutiny and pushback, especially from the real-life Royal Family, as the storyline began delving into more recent elements like Princess Diana. Criticism of the series’ portrayal of Her Majesty intensified this year with Elizabeth’s death last month. Even so, Netflix is all in with promoting the fifth season of their show, with its initial trailer.

Entertainment Weekly tells us that the official trailer for Netflix’s “The Crown” season 5 hit the internet this past Thursday, October 20. This preview picks up from the tense conclusion of season 4 last 2020 and ratchets up the tension into what trailer dialogue describes as an “eruption”. And indeed, viewers will get a tease of what the now controversy-ridden show as it depicts the final disintegration of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s “fairytale” marriage, just one of many appalling events that would bring the House of Windsor to its lowest in the public eye.

The trailer also serves to ease the new casting choices into the roles of the older principal characters of “The Crown”. Imelda Staunton (Umbridge of “Harry Potter”) and Jonathan Pryce (“Evita”) take over from Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Elizabeth Debicki replaces Emma Corrin as Princess Diana and so intensely takes up the role in what scenes featured her. Dominic West and Olivia Williams are the new Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, whose star-crossed love becomes the catalyst for Diana’s growing refusal to toe the Royal line of family loyalty and dignified silence.

Other key events in the reign of QEII also feature in brief flashes during the fifth season trailer. It actually starts with the aftermath of the 1992 Windsor Castle fire. That part of the decade also saw the secret interviews with Diana that led to the publishing of a tell-all book which caused the aforementioned (media eruption). Also caught is a scene from what appears to be the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China. That year also happens to be when Diana had her fatal accident, although producers note that the Princess’ actual death might be put off until the sixth and final season.

“The Crown” season 5, blessed with media awards even as it is savaged by critics in the wave of the passing of its principal subject, is due to premiere on Netflix streaming come November 9.

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“THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE” Reveals Its First Full TRAILER

 

Over a year ago, Japanese videogame giant Nintendo announced a cinematic project based on one of their most celebrated electronic franchises. “Super Mario Bros.” has seen its fair share of adaptations in past decades, from an animated series in the late 1980s to a lackluster 1993 live-action movie. The new project would be an animated film, which put fans who remember the previous outing at ease, at least until they learned of the voice cast. Chris Pratt has built up a good voiceover resume since “The LEGO Movie”, but to voice Mario? The apprehension last until this week when Nintendo and Universal Pictures finally released its first “Super Mario” trailer.

Indeed, the first good peek into the visuals of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”, co-produced by Nintendo and Illumination for Universal Pictures. The trailer was simulcast Thursday, October 6, from a Nintendo event along with the 2022 New York Comic Con (NYCC). It gave fans waiting for more than a year their first experience of the animated treatment of the “Super Mario” universe, as well as how the cast of primarily live-action stars sound as their characters. Thus far, the reaction has been very good, and the reception also positive.

The “Super Mario” movie trailer begins with a cold open action sequence, depicting franchise bad guy King Bowser of the Koopas attacking a castle in a snowy field from his fire-spewing floating fortress. With his army and fire-breathing abilities, Bowser defeats the castle’s penguin denizens and claims a Star of Power, gloating how there is nobody who can stop him. Jack Black also got some derision when announced as the voice of Bowser back in 2021, but now his menacing growl has gotten franchise fans excited. And of course, the hero of the story will be popping up soon enough.

Enter Mario (Chris Pratt), a plumber who somehow gets transported to the Mushroom King via a telltale green sewer pipe. He meets a mushroom retainer named Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) who bids him go to the castle to help the kingdom defend itself against Bowser and his Koopa Army. Key’s Toad voice also go nods, but Pratt’s reception as the main character remains iffy in social media reactions, due to his more subdued accent compared to the game-version Mario’s prominent Italian tone provided by Charles Martinet. Martinet himself is part of the cast, although his role has yet to be revealed.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” also stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Mushroom Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Mario’s brother Luigi, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. Produced by Nintendo bigwig Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination’s Chris Meledandri, and co-directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic from a screenplay by Matthew Fogel, the film is expected to premiere next year on April 7.

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Rapper COOLIO, Singer of “GANGSTA’S PARADISE”, PASSES AWAY at 59

 

Perhaps, if the heyday of your life was in the 1990s, you might have encountered a drama film in 1995 produced by now-dormant Disney label Hollywood Pictures. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, “Dangerous Minds” is a loose adaptation of the memoirs of ex-Marine-turned-high school teacher LouAnne Johnson, and her experiences teaching in a low-income and racially-tense setting. If you know nothing else about this movie, you probably at least heard its theme song “Gangsta’s Paradise”. This rap anthem, vibrant in spite of its bleak subject, was performed by rapper Artis Leon Arvey Jr., better known as Coolio. He has just passed away.

Entertainment Weekly reports to us that recording artist Coolio has died Wednesday, September 28. He was 59 years old. The news was broken by his manager Jarez Posey, who related that Coolio was found unresponsive by responding paramedics at the bathroom of a friend’s house in Los Angeles. Although an official cause of death has yet to be revealed, Posey opines that it may have been a cardiac arrest and that no foul play was suspected. Another manager of Coolio’s for Trinity Artists International released a statement confirming the death.

"We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon,” Sheila Finegan of TAI announced. “He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly. Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolio's loved ones in your thoughts and prayers."

Born 1963, Coolio joined the rap scene in the 1980s, eventually becoming a prominent voice in the gangsta rap subgenre. He first drew the spotlight in 1994 with the album “It Takes a Thief”, headlined by the single “Fantastic Voyage”. Only a year later, his song “Gangsta’s Paradise” spent three weeks atop the Billboard Top 100, eventually eclipsing the movie it served as theme to. Other notable soundtrack contributions during 1996 were “Aw, Here It Goes” for Nickelodeon sitcom “Kenan and Kel” and “Hit ‘Em High” (alongside B-Real, Busta Rhymes, Method Man and LL Cool J) for Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam” starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny.

Coolio also became a reality TV regular. His participation in “Celebrity Big Brother 6” (UK, 2009) revived popularity for “Gangsta’s Paradise” there, like its global peak in the US, Europe and Australia/New Zealand. He is survived by six children from a 1996 marriage, which ended 2000 in divorce.

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MISS UNIVERSE 2022 Pageant Night Set for NEXT YEAR JANUARY 2023

 

When an annual institution has been going on long enough, not even crises like a worldwide pandemic could keep it down permanently. This includes even events such as beauty pageants, in particular any one of the current “Big Four” competitions. For Miss Universe, the worst it did was push the pageant date, usually held around December of its year, to January instead; and that was for the 69th edition in 2020: pandemic year 1. Miss Universe 2021 returned to December of its year, but for 2022 no word on the date came up as the year begins winding down. Finally, the organization announced when it will happen, with some extras.

According to the Philippine Star, the 71^st Miss Universe pageant will go a bit over the usual period again with the announcement of coronation night next year. Miss Universe 2021, India’s Harnaaz Sandhu, will crown the winner this coming January 15, 2023 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana USA. It would have to be one of the most vibrant locations for a Miss Universe pageant yet. Not even Hurricane Katrina in 2005 has completely destroyed the city’s image as the unique blending of French trappings and the American South, with the Mississippi River, Creole cuisine, Cajun culture and Mardi Gras among its most iconic imagery.

In addition to the official venue confirmation, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has also laid down some new rules on eligibility for contestants in future pageants. Rest assured: the new changes call for more expanded criteria with entries. Yes, they must still fall within the age bracket of 18 to 28 years old. But starting from pageant 72 (2023), a hopeful Miss Universe need no longer strictly be a “Miss” (single). Are you married or a single mother? You can be the next Miss U, if you work for it.

Miss Universe 2022 will be fielding around 75 beauties, all either winners of local pageants with the MUO franchise, or chosen by their organizations to represent. At the latest 67 contestants have been confirmed. Notable is the debut of a Miss Bhutan, model Tashi Choden who is among the first Bhutanese to openly profess being LGBT following the relaxation of the country’s homosexual crime laws.

As for the Philippines, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi, who won the title last April, is already busy undergoing beauty camp training for next January. That may mean going light on the usual Christmas Holiday feasting by December. Interestingly, Miss Cambodia Manita Hang is apparently holding her own beauty camp in this country, having been spotted in Quezon City.

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WB PICTURES Reveal “CONSTANTINE” SEQUEL with KEANU REEVES to Reprise

 

Before going all-in with expansive shared cinematic universes, major movie studios approached superhero filmmaking with the idea of following just one hero (or one team) across several sequels or one-off productions, depending on their box office clout. Popular superhero characters can see multi-picture deals like “Spider-Man” or “X-Men” for Marvel, and “Batman” for DC. Others might get only a one-and-done like 2005’s “Constantine”, based on DC’s “Hellblazer”. The movie starred Keanu Reeves as the titular cynical bounty hunter treading the living world between Heaven and Hell. After several animated appearances and even a one-season live-action series, John Constantine is coming back to the big screen, with Reeves in tow too.

Deadline tells us that Warner Bros. Pictures are looking to develop a sequel to their 2005 supernatural superhero film “Constantine”. To do so, they are reuniting original director Francis Lawrence and star Keanu Reeves, to work on a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, who is co-producing with J.J. Abrams via their respective labels Weed Road Pictures and Bad Robot Productions. Announcement of “Constantine 2” comes about 17 years following the premiere of the original, which made some $200 million in the global box office well before emerging superhero cinematic universes began routinely breaking the billion-dollar mark.

The return of John Constantine to live-action has been a dream for many comic-book fans of “Hellblazer”, given that the character has risen to become one of the pillars of the supernatural side of the DC superhero multiverse. Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairpersons Michael de Luca and Pam Abdy look to finally help Constantine fans scratch that silver-screen itch, particularly as interpreted by Reeves. A Goldsman screenplay is also a matter of interest, given that he is a DC superhero veteran with credits for the Joel Schumacher “Batman” movies among others. He also co-developed the “Titans” streaming series on HBO Max.

“Constantine” and its source comic “Hellblazer” follows John Constantine, an occult detective and exorcist. In the first movie, Constantine is a cynic driven by how his ability to see supernatural phenomenon and beings led him to commit suicide in his teenage years. Although miraculously resurrected at the time, the fact that he killed himself meant he was doomed to go to Hell if he should die again. Nevertheless, he strives to do the right thing even if his methods are questionable. There is no further information yet on the sequel, and when it might release.

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Weekend EARTHQUAKES Hit TAIWAN Causing DAMAGE, INJURIES and One DEATH

 

Spanning most if not all of the coastal regions in the Pacific Ocean is a region famously known as the Ring of Fire. Heavy plate tectonic activity within this zone has been the perennial cause of various natural disasters in the nations that fall within the ring. As the name implies, the primary natural disaster wrought by the Ring of Fire are volcanic eruptions; it does contain about two-thirds of the world’s total number of volcanoes, after all. But aside from that, the ring also triggers powerful earthquakes sometimes accompanied by tsunamis. The former actually visited Taiwan this past weekend.

Reuters has it that a series of earthquakes struck southeastern Taiwan last September 17 and 18, 2022. The first occurred Saturday and measured 6.4 in magnitude, followed by a stronger 6.8 magnitude tremor on Sunday. The epicenter according to the Taiwanese central weather bureau was in Taitung County. The tectonic activity most likely responsible is the convergence of the Eurasian Plate and Philippine Plate, with Taiwan lying near its boundary just northwest. While no casualties were reported in the first quake, the second racked up several injuries, one death, hundreds stranded and various infrastructural damages.

In nearby Yuli township, a three-story building housing a convenience store collapsed, with four people evacuated from the ruins. Yuli also reported the first fatality of the earthquakes, a cement factory worker. At Dongli train station in eastern Taiwan, the platform canopy partially collapsed, causing six railway carriages to derail. Furthermore, road damage led to around 600 tourists and locals being trapped on the scenic Liushshi and Chike mountainous areas. Tremors also led to electricity and telecommunications being knocked out in Taitung and neighboring places. Miraculously the toll in casualties has been remarkably low. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued warnings, but it has since been rescinded. The Japan Meteorological Agency also gave (and repealed) similar warnings to Okinawa.

Central Weather Bureau noted that the earthquakes were felt further inland, with tremors being recorded in Taipei. West of Taipei, in Taoyuan, a sports venue shuddered significantly enough to send athletes inside scrambling when part of the ceiling collapsed, causing one injury. Still, science facilities in Kaohsiung and Tainan, both in southern Taiwan, reported that the quakes did not hamper their semiconductor factory operations. At latest report, aftershocks continue to be felt across Taiwan, but for the most part the worst seems to be over.

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LONDON BRIDGE is DOWN: QUEEN ELIZABETH II of the UK DEAD; Long Live KING CHARLES III

 

Some world leaders have stood at the heads of their respective nations for so long, that they are identified with their position more likely than their predecessors and even successors. This is especially true for hereditary heads of state who stay that way for life, especially if they become rather long-lived. When John Paul II died in 2005 after serving over 26 years as Pope, many Christians could not quite remember anyone else in the post. But there are other monarchs with longer reigns than that. Look no further than Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Sadly, pop-culture joke assertions of her seeming immortality proved false this past Thursday.

BBC reports that Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, died September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96 years old, just 70 years of which she lived as Monarch of the UK and Head of the Commonwealth of Nations which includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more countries formerly part of the British Empire. An initial update this past Thursday noted the Queen as being put under medical supervision in Balmoral, but that she was in comfortable condition. Only later did the news break out.

Elizabeth survived her husband and Consort, Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, for a year following his death in 2021, but her last days seemed to have been short and abrupt. Only Tuesday, September 6, the Queen appointed Liz Truss, who turned out to be her final Prime Minister. While many of Elizabeth’s family managed to get to Balmoral Castle in time to bid her farewell, her grandson Prince Harry arrived minutes after her passing. Her death triggered the start of an elaborate Royal Funeral plan codenamed Operation London Bridge. At the same time, various world leaders joined the world public in paying her tribute. Even the Presidents of warring Russia and Ukraine found time to pass on their condolences.

Born in 1926, Elizabeth found herself on the path to Queenship upon the accession of her father as George VI following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in December 1936. During World War II, the then-Princess Elizabeth was an inspirational figure. She and Philip Mountbatten, by birth a Prince of Greece and Denmark, married in 1947. They would be blessed with four children. Upon the death of King George in 1952 Elizabeth became Queen.

Following her death, Elizabeth’s firstborn son Charles, Prince of Wales, was proclaimed King of the UK as Charles III just this Saturday, September 10. His own son Prince William along with his wife Catherine, have been elevated as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall. The title of Prince of Wales must be formally invested by Charles to his heir at a later date. The same goes for the Coronation of Charles, which must wait until after the Royal Funeral for Elizabeth II has concluded.

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Comparing “HOUSE OF THE DRAGON” and “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER”

 

This late August and early September saw the return of epic medieval fantasy series to the center stage. Fittingly, both are spinoff prequels to more famous predecessor productions. HBO’s “House of the Dragon” builds in the historical backstory serving as background to their epic 8-season cash cow “Game of Thrones”. Amazon Prime Video in the meantime has fielded “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, itself making a narrative out of the mythical history of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, particularly as seen in the legendary film trilogy from New Line Cinema. Both shows already have two episodes out, and from these some casual impressions on the series can be made.

“House of the Dragon” looks back on the earlier history of Westeros as depicted in George RR Martin’s universe, in turn adapted as “Game of Thrones”. Fittingly, HBO sees fit to bring back many old hands in the production including composer Ramin Djawadi who game us the iconic “GoT” theme. The setting is the Seven Kingdoms during the reign of Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine). After his wife and infant son die in childbirth, he names his sole surviving daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) as heir to the Iron Throne. This upsets Viserys’ brother Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), who has ambitions to inherit. But some more problems complicate this fragile situation.

The Hand of the King, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), sets his daughter Alicent (Emily Carey) to seduce the widowed Viserys. When the King announces his intention to remarry to Alicent, lines are drawn and alliances made. If Alicent could bear Viserys a son in marriage, Rhaenyra’s position as heir would be endangered. To those who have read Martin’s source book “Fire and Blood”, that is exactly what happens, leading to the Targaryen Civil War called the Dance of the Dragons.

“The Rings of Power” on the other hand looks at the story behind some of the more senior supporting characters in base “Lord of the Rings”. Fans of the movie might recall the mighty dignity offered by Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett as Elven monarchs Elrond and Galadriel respectively. “Rings of Power” shows us these two as their younger, less “perfect” selves (Robert Aramayo and Morfydd Clark), as they make their way across Middle-Earth in the centuries after the transition from the First to Second Ages. The original Dark Lord Morgoth has been defeated and banished, but his second-in-command Sauron remains at large and resolved to finish his predecessor’s plans.

But as Sauron hides and bides his time, life on Middle-Earth goes on. Tensions arise between elves and men, as the former sees the latter as tainted due to their ancestors fighting for Sauron. Those humans who did fight for good currently live in their island kingdom of Numenor, ruled by Queen Miriel (Cynthia Adlai-Robinson). In parallel to Aragorn and Arwen, the elf Arondir (Ismael Cruz) is in love with Bronwyn (Nazanin Boniadi), a human healer and single mother. Political games also abound courtesy of Elf High King Gil-Galad (Benjamin Walker) and Dwarf Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) of Khazad-dum.

One notable common production aesthetic between “House of the Dragon” and “The Rings of Power” is how relatively “clean” everything looks. The settings of “Game of Thrones” and “LOTR” looks rather weathered and dusty in comparison. It is understandable seeing as both series are showing their respective settings in arguably their past golden ages, where everything just becomes worse from that point. Visual-wise, both shows can be considered improvements. “HOD” can be said to have made the near-identical dragons from “Thrones” into distinctive individual creatures. “Rings” choosing to shoot in New Zealand like the original films also works wonders for how their locations look onscreen.

That being said, there is still some ways to go in terms of episodes before both series really get into the meat of their stories. The factions that will fight the Dance of the Dragons have yet to form. Sauron has yet to deceive the Elves into helping him forge the titular Rings of Power (even before he makes THE One Ring). Longtime fans for either Martin or Tolkien would have already gone over the details in the original print media, so TV fans will have to wait until the respective shows can catch up.

“House of the Dragon” airs Sundays on HBO. “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will premiere a new episode weekly as well on Prime Video, with the September 1 dual-episode premiere being a special case of sorts.

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HBO MAX Planned to MERGE with DISCOVERY+ Sometime in 2023

 

Late last decade, when it seemed all major media giants were forming their own exclusive streaming services, WarnerMedia announced its own efforts to that end in 2018. The year after that the platform got its name: HBO Max, after WarnerMedia’s iconic cable channel. HBO Max would debut in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic. When various Warner Bros. films could not premiere conventionally in closed cinemas, they went straight to HBO Max. In that way, plus original productions, they built an impressive library of content. But barely three years after launch, the streaming service will undergo significant change.

As reported by The Verge, change is coming to HBO Max streaming in the form of a merger. Sometime in the middle of 2023 the SVOD service will combine with another streaming platform, Discovery+ which itself only started services in 2021. This merge came about as a logical next step following the merger of WarnerMedia (after splitting from AT&T) and Discovery Inc. last April, forming Warner Bros. Discovery. In the same manner as their parent companies, HBO Max and Discovery+ will combine, as explained by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav past Thursday, August 4.

During a WBD earnings call, Zaslav noted that the HBO Max-Discovery+ merge will benefit in that the latter’s tech support base would compensate for a rash of streaming performance hiccups on the part of the former. In return, the massive entertainment content of HBO Max would complement Discovery+ and its factual programming library. The move is not all wine and roses however. Preparations for the merger required HBO Max to cancel development of further original content films and series. Furthermore, some existing Max Original content have been pulled from streaming without notice. But that does not quite sting as much as the stoppage of prospective HBO Max-exclusive DC superhero film “Batgirl”, and a prequel to hit 2020 Scooby-Doo film “Scoob!”

These developments have led to entertainment news sources predicting dire straits for HBO Max and Warner Bros. Discovery overall. Zaslav has been playing damage control regarding these fears, saying that WBD is fully supportive of HBO Max, which he describes as becoming a brand of its own. That however does little to assuage expectant fans of “Batgirl”, which was reportedly almost done in production. With the merger not yet due until next year, there are no hints yet as to what the combined HBO Max-Discovery+ platform will ultimately be called.

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Former PH President and Elder Statesman: FIDEL V RAMOS, 94

He has been considered one of the most influential elder statesmen of the Philippines in the 21^st Century. This was born from a lifetime of service, first in the military and then in politics. He became one of the central figures in the upheavals of 1986. Later he would be elected President of the country in 1992, the first of a Protestant faith though, as he himself points out, it mattered not in his administration. Even after his term he continued to have the ear of his successors. To his supporters it felt as if he would always be around.

Reality stepped in this Sunday, July 31 as reported by CNN Philippines. Fidel V. Ramos, General and 12^th President of the Philippines, passed away At Makati Medical Center. He was 94 years old. Although no official cause of death was given by his family, it was believed to have risen from a period of ill health according to Silvester Bello III, who served as acting Justice Secretary during the Ramos Administration. Radio station DZRH posited that the former President was suffering from COVID-19, and succumbed to complications from the disease.

In the wake of his passing Ramos, also known as FVR, is remembered by public supporters and political contemporaries. Among the latter is President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who declared a national period of mourning from July 31 to August 9, with flags to fly at half-mast morning to sunset. Ramos figured prominently in the People Power Revolution that ended the administration of Marcos’ father, Ferdinand Sr. But on social media President Marcos spoke highly of FVR, stating on Facebook, “Our family shares the Filipino people’s grief on this sad day. We did not only lose a good leader but also a member of the family.”

Fidel V. Ramos was born 1928 in Pangasinan, and in his honor a Philippine professional basketball team in the short-lived MBA league called itself the Presidents for one season. A West Point Graduate, Ramos fought in the Korean War, served in Vietnam, and then became head of the Philippine Constabulary (PC). He was Chief of Staff in the Armed Forces of the Philippines when People Power happened in 1986, and was named Defense Secretary in the Corazon Aquino Administration. His record made him a solid candidate in the 1992 Presidential Election, which he won. The Ramos Administration was noted for securing peace with the MNLF and revitalizing the economy through the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Accolades to the late President were also given by his successors: Joseph Estrada, who served as Ramos’ Vice President; Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, current VP Sara Duterte. More honors came from the AFP with he once headed, and even the US Embassy to the Philippines and the European Union.

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VP-Elect SARA DUTERTE INAUGRATED EARLY in DAVAO CITY on SUNDAY

 

The May 2022 Philippine Presidential Elections may well be considered the most era-defining political exercise in the country’s history. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of former President Ferdinand Marcos, was elected to office in the largest victory margin since his father’s own back in 1981. No less formidable is his would-have-been competitor-turned-running mate, and now Vice President-elect: Sara Duterte-Carpio, Mayor of Davao City and daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. Officially, elected officials would take office on June 30 of the election year, when their inaugurations usually take place. VP-elect Duterte however decided to be inaugurated early this past Sunday.

The Philippine Star reports that Sara Duterte went into her early inauguration as 15^th Vice President of the Philippines on June 19. True to form and in honor of her hometown, of which her current Mayoral term is soon to conclude, the VP-elect was inaugurated in San Pedro Square of Davao City, 11 days before the traditional inauguration day and start of term on June 30. In fact, despite the ceremony Duterte will not start work as Vice President until the last day of the month.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando administered the oath of office to “Inday Sara”, while her mother Elizabeth Zimmermann held the Bible she swore on and Presidents Rodrigo Duterte (outgoing) and Bongbong Marcos (incoming) stood as the chief witnesses. In her inauguration speech, Duterte-Carpio explained her decision to be inaugurated early in that it would allow her to do so in Davao City itself, where she served as Mayor for three terms (2010-13 and 2016-2022). She also remarked on what could have been with her life if she did not follow her father’s political footsteps, noting that she initially thought of becoming a doctor. The call to service by the people however, steered her until this important moment.

“I am not the best or the smartest in the Philippine but nobody in the Philippines or even the world has greater heart than I do as a Filipino,” declared Inday Sara in her speech. And voters last May agreed, with Duterte earning more than 32 million votes or 61% of the total. The outgoing Davao City Mayor also has the full confidence of incoming President Bongbong Marcos, who has already appointed her as his Secretary of Education. Among Duterte’s ideas for the future of DepEd include the return of face-to-face classes and ROTC program, and introducing mandatory military service.

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Delayed 2021 SEA GAMES Kick Off THURSDAY in HANOI, VIETNAM; PH Secures 3 GOLD MEDALS

 

The year 2019 was a big moment for the country’s national athletes, thanks to the 30^th Southeast Asian Games being hosted here in the Philippines. Despite misgivings about the cost of providing venues for competitors from 11 participating SEA nations, it became worth it when Team PH scored enough medals to become overall SEA Games champion, a feat only topped by the first Philippine Olympic Gold in Tokyo 2020/21. But when the COVID pandemic struck in 2020, it caused next SEA Games host Vietnam to put off the original 2021 date. After some uncertainty, the games finally opened this past Thursday, with the Philippines off to a good start medal-wise.

According to Inquirer.net, Team Philippines currently stands at fourth place in that overall medal tally for the 31^st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi. Filipino athletes thus far have won 3 gold medals and 9 each from silver and bronze for a total SEA Games take of 21. One gold medal can be attributed to gymnastics prodigy and Tokyo 2021/21 Olympian Carlos Yulo, who wowed during the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics All-Around this Friday, May 13. Another top medalist today was Jack Escarpe. He bagged gold for the Kurash Central-Asian wrestling event, in the 73-kilogram men’s division.

If one wonders at the medals earned by the Philippines when the SEA Games only officially opened the evening of May 12, then that is because some events were already contested as early as Tuesday, May 10. Before the opening ceremony, events such as Kurash, Pencak Silat, Rowing and Beach Handball were already held. For each respective event, Team PH also claimed 3 silver and 3 bronze (Kurash men and women), a gold and bronze (Pencak Silat men and women), a silver and bronze (Rowing men and women), and a silver (Beach Handball). Mary Francine Cezar Padios (Women’s Single Pencak Silat) gained first PH gold this SEA Games, May 11.

In addition to his solo win, Carlos Yulo as part of the Philippine Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Team secured a silver in that event. This makes Yulo a multiple medalist for the Vietnam SEA Games 2021/22, alongside rower CJ Jasmin. More silver and bronze medals were also secured by the nation’s athletes in Men’s Wushu as well as in Men and Women’s Kickboxing, in addition to other aforementioned Kurash and Rowing events that were contested Friday.

While good, the Philippines has a ways to go to catch up with the Top three medal countries: host Vietnam (22G/11S/16B=49), Malaysia (11G/5S/10B=26), and Indonesia (7G/9S/2B=18). The 31^st SEA Games will play out until May 23, two Mondays from now.

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AECC GLOBAL Celebrates NEW GENSAN OFFICE as they Continue Offering Consultancy for GENERALS to STUDY ABROAD

 

While planning to find employment overseas has long been part of the international Filipino experience, the idea of getting an education overseas has, perhaps for some time, be limited in scope. A Filipino going to high school or college studies abroad tends to be perceived as being wealthy enough to do so. Or maybe they have relatives already living and working in the countries they plan to enroll in. More recently however, the idea of studying abroad has become a more tangible reality for many. That does not mean getting into a foreign school is easy now. For many aspiring students, they will need help.

And help they are sure to get – help that many others before have been getting – courtesy of AECC Global. They are a leading overseas education consultancy, helping young and ambitious minds get a shot at international studies since the mid-2010s, in major centers across the Philippines: Metro Manila, the Visayas and even in Mindanao. In fact, AECC Global has already been quite established here in GenSan, only shutting down office operations during the COVID pandemic. Now however, they are back in action, and from a new accessible location to boot. They will not let a pandemic get in the way of Filipinos getting overseas education.

So how does AECC Global help in realizing that Filipino dream of studying internationally? Maybe a prospective student already has an overseas educational institution of choice. Or maybe they just have a country they have in mind to study in but no idea which school to choose from. AECC Global’s consultancy services can give recommendation institutes to the undecided. In any case, they will help the aspirant in their school application, from gathering required personal and financial documents, travel and accommodation arrangements, and even getting student visas if necessary. And they will do this for applicants completely free of charge!

You read that right. True, applicants will still dole out cash expenses for the school application, partial tuition, student visa and medical exam/insurance (if required), airfare and accommodation (if they have no relatives/acquaintances to stay with at their destination countries. But these expenses will go straight to the educational institution/the DFA/airline/et cetera. AECC Global will not charge any fee of their own for their consultancy services. Students can apply for any overseas educational level, from primary school to college, vocational and postgraduate courses. This is made possible by the wide selection of their partner institutes.

To give an idea, AECC Global consultation can help any Filipino apply to study at quality schools in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and UK. And their help does not stop at just getting the student in. Assistance will persist throughout the applicant’s overseas student life. Many AECC Global partner institutions allow their students to pursue part-time employment. That is already a potential avenue to make money while studying. And for students who have no overseas relatives for living arrangements, the consultancy can also point them to local communities of the Filipino diaspora, so that applicants need not be strangers in a strange land.

With the world slowly opening up again as the worst of the pandemic begins to fade away, there is no better time than now for students to contemplate the possibility of getting their diplomas abroad. If they mean to pursue the OFW path then such qualifications can only be a big boon.

If you are in GenSan or from neighboring municipalities and are interested in knowing more about how AECC Global can help you study internationally, visit them at their new office in the second floor of Microtel, along the National Highway. You may also contact them by phone at (083) 823-3977 (landline) or 0917-1437751 (mobile). Or you can reach them via email at info.gensan@aeccglobal.com and visit their official website.

Image from the Writer, official AECC Global Facebook page

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“ONE PIECE” LIVE-ACTION NETFLIX Streaming Series Reveals Its SUPPORTING CAST

 

“Cowboy Bebop,” the live-action adaptation of the legendary 1998 anime series, was quietly cancelled after one cliff-hanging season finale on streaming giant Netflix. This perceived failure, as indicated by mixed and negative reviews despite praise for the cast, was seized by naysayers as vindication, alongside the 2017 “Death Note” movie, of their dislike for Netflix and its experiments in turning already-good anime into shows with live actors. But Netflix is not quite done with this phase yet, having its next project being the adaption of Eiichiro Oda’s manga (and long-running anime series) “One Piece.” Its main stars were announced back in November last year, and now the supporting cast too.

IGN has it that Netflix has revealed more names to the cast of “One Piece,” the fantastical pirate adventure anime that they are adapting for live-action. The main cast was introduced in November 2021, as an international ensemble of TV and film stars including Iñaki Godoy (Mexico), Mackenyu (Japan) and Emily Rudd (US). They play Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates, sailing the world to search for the treasure of Gold Roger, the Pirate King, while encountering monstrous sea-life, other pirates and the World Government’s ruthless Marine fleet.

The supporting cast portrays characters Luffy and his would-be crewmembers meet as they themselves assemble into their own team. Australian Morgan Davies plays Koby, a boy befriended by Luffy who later joins the Marines. Ilia Isorelýs Paulino costars as Alvida, a grotesquely obese female pirate captain and Luffy’s first opponent. Jeff Ward (“Agents of SHIELD”) will be Buggy, another pirate empowered by a Devil Fruit. McKinley Belcher III (“Ozark”) is Arlong, a cruel fishman and pirate warlord. Aidan Scott portrays Helmeppo, son of a Marine officer and eventual companion of Koby’s. Lastly, British actor Vincent Regan (soon on 2022’s “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”) takes the role of Garp, Luffy’s grandfather and a Marine Admiral.

“One Piece” on Netflix was announced back in 2020, after plans for a live-action series were floated in 2017 during the original manga’s 20^th anniversary. Creator Eiichiro Oda joins an executive producer team including Marty Adelstein (“Prison Break,” “Teen Wolf”) and Steven Maeda (“Lost”). Despite the short life of its live-action adaptation predecessor “Cowboy Bebop,” this production looks to be all systems go, although Netflix has yet to give a definite premiere date.” The series also stars Jacob Romero Gibson (Ussop) and Taz Skylar (Sanji).

Other Netflix live-action ideas from existing anime includes “Yu Yu Hakusho” (1992-94 anime) by Japanese production studio Robot Communications, and a take on “Mobile Suit Gundam” with Jordan Vogt-Roberts (2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”) as director.

Image courtesy of Yahoo! News

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LANDBANK and UCPB All Set for MERGER on MARCH 1

 

In the business world, the merger of two companies into a greater whole is often a significant enough occurrence to catch the eye of the news. Contrary to the usual perception, mergers are not always the last desperate measure of one or both of the companies involved in order to survive even as merely part of a new entity. Sometimes, companies merge because they each have strengths or advantages that the other needs, with their union leading to mutual benefits. This is the reason in the official decision from last year to merge government-controlled banking institutions Landbank and United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB), the reality of which will happen tomorrow.

The Manila Bulletin has it that Landbank of the Philippines and United Coconut Planters Bank are both ready to go for their Presidentially-mandated merger effective March 1. This is the fruit of Presidential Executive Order No. 142, which President Rodrigo Duterte signed June 25, 2021, in which UCPB will be absorbed into Landbank. The latter’s President and CEO Cecilia Borromeo gave a statement this Monday, February 28, reiterating the purpose of the merger to more effectively fund agriculture and rural development with strong, unified capital and resources, plus greater resiliency.

And the value involved is no mean amount. The Landbank-UCPB merger will see the former go up to P2.9 trillion worth in terms of total assets. With the conversion of UCPB branches, Landbank will soon have 677 branches nationwide, along with 2,800 ATMs and 228 cash deposit machines. With this significantly increased reach, according to Borromeo, Landbank will be able to service more farmers, fishing industry, and the rest of the agri-business value chain network. In this regard, the unified banking entity can play a greater role in the development and financial inclusion plans being undertaken by the National Government.

Post-merger with UCPB, Landbank will further cement itself as the second-largest lending institution in the Philippines, just behind BDO Unibank, privately held by the SM Group. Even after the two banks become one in March 1, UCPB branches will continue operating under the name to serve UCPB clients, while system integration and accounts migration are ongoing. Until then, UCPB ATM cardholders will still be charged service fees when using their cards on Landbank ATMs. Landbank hopes to make  a further public announcement soon regarding which UCBP branches will finish conversion into Lanbank branches to begin serving customers from the latter.

Image courtesy of BusinessWorld Online

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Winning, Notable Films, Shows at 2022 SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS

 

Just in case you think we may have forgotten: we have not. It is this early part of the year that is famous for being awards season, where media productions of the past year get their deserved accolades: film, television, music and so on. This past Sunday, it was the turn of the Screen Actors Guild to hand out their awards for performances in the big screen and small, for the 2021 films and shows that rose above the rest while the pandemic was still being fought. Some notable awardees include a bloody Korean streaming survival drama on Netflix and a dramatic film with actual non-hearing performers portraying deaf characters.

As we learn from The Hollywood Reporter, the 28^th Screen Actors Guild Awards this February 27 gives props to films and TV shows of the past year, with formidable nominees and properly accorded winners from each category. Cinema-wise, a lot of strong productions got nomination nods from MGM’s “House of Gucci” to Steven Spielberg’s epic adaptation of “West Side Story,” and even two MCU superhero movies. For television, HBO scored plenty of nominees, fighting back against the streaming platform plurality. Even so, Netflix K-Drama “Squid Game” got some big victories.

Veteran actor Will Smith looks to be back in his groove as an actor and performer of father roles, winning Outstanding Performance – Lead Male Actor for Warner Bros. biopic “King Richard,” about the Williams sisters’ dad. For Supporting Roles, Ariana DeBose wins the Female Actor half for portraying the tragic Anita in “West Side Story,” alleviating the movie’s box-office bomb. The Male Supporting Actor Award went to deaf performer Troy Kotsur. He and his cast-mates, some of them also hard of hearing, triumphed in Outstanding Cast Performance for Apple TV+’s “CODA,” about a hearing child in a deaf family. Daniel Craig’s James Bond Swan song “No Time to Die” had its Stunt Ensemble beat “Black Widow,” “Shang-Chi,” “Dune” and even “The Matrix Resurrection” for honors.

Again, Hwang Dong-hyuk’s “Squid Game” on Netflix was near-unbeatable in this year’s SAG Awards thanks to winning Outstanding Male and Female Actors – Drama Series as well as TV Stunt Ensemble. “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+ is the other multi-winner in this segment, with Jason Sudeikis again winning Outstanding Male Actor for Comedy. This time, the “Ted Lasso” cast prevailed in the Comedy Series Ensemble. Michael Keaton (Hulu’s “Dopesick”) and Kate Winslet (HBO’s “Mare of Eastown”) were the Oustanding Performances for TV Movie/Limited Series. Finally, the SAG Life Achievement Award this year went to Helen Mirren.

Some of the film nominees and winners of the Screen Actors Guild Awards this year will soon be going after bigger statuette game, with the 94^th Academy Awards approaching late next month, at March 27.

Image courtesy of LA Times

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STAR MAGIC Talent CHANTAL Continues to Shine in KPOP IDOL Training with MLD ENTERTAINMENT

 

Notable highlights of Philippine entertainment news on a wider scope would often involve Filipino talents wowing international critics and audiences on an international stage. Sometimes it does not even need to be a homegrown personage. Celebrities of Filipino blood doing well in their performances and ventures can also be cheered upon. Then we have those local talent hopefuls that get once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to be refined in their craft by overseas agencies. We have a recent example in SB19, the ShowBT-trained P-Pop boy band. Another young Pinoy star getting the South Korean-style star power development is a Kapamilya, singer-actress Chantal Videla.

The Philippine Star reports that Chantal Videla is well on her way to becoming a K-Pop-style idol. Her development is in the capable hands of MLD Entertainment (Duble Sidekick), which includes among its talents the K-Pop girl group MOMOLAND. In fact, MLD has been giving “Chanty” quite the push since her introduction to South Korean audiences in November of 2021. Already there is speculation that the label is shaping Videla up to become part of a new group in the vein of MOMOLAND. Reinforcing this is Chantal recently being seen with Shana Nonaka, a Japanese contestant of South Korean reality talent competition “Girls Planet 999.”

Chantal Videla has been a solid presence in many teleseryes produced over the years by ABS-CBN, like “Hiwaga ng Kambat” and “Starla” and other series developed under Dreamscape Entertainment. But Chanty, of Filipino-Argentian stock, is also a singer, and now her performances under MLD are building a grand online following through their YouTube channel. While there is no concrete hint yet that Videla would eventually become part of this new MLD girl group, the feeling is strong where her fans are concerned. MLD and ABS-CBN have been pretty tight ever since they inked a co-management agreement for MOMOLAND in 2019.

Image from MLD Entertainment YouTube channel

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MARVEL-NETFLIX MCU Series Leaving NETFLIX Soon for DISNEY+ by MARCH 1

 

Before there was a Disney+, when Disney and its subsidiary production arms like Marvel needed a platform for their series, they would either go to Disney’s cable channels (mainly for animation) or get on board a streaming service or two (for live-action). The most notable streaming collaboration in this vein was Marvel Television developing several MCU series based on street-level Marvel superheroes that were carried by streaming giant Netflix. This arrangement got us “Daredevil”, “The Punisher,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “Iron Fist,” and “The Defenders.” Said shows remained on Netflix even as Disney eventually consolidated Marvel media with the rest of Disney on Disney+. But even that may be changing.

The Verge tells us that the streaming rights to the Marvel-Netflix MCU series, that ran 2015 to 2019, will soon be reverting to Marvel, and its parent company Disney by extension. They will be removed from Netflix’s digital library effective March 1, and will gradually begin streaming on Disney+ by region. It appears the first area covered by Disney+ to get to watch the adventures of Daredevil and friends will be Canada, with their streaming premiere being on March 16.

Following the cancellation of all Marvel-Netflix productions by 2019 and the folding of Marvel Television into Marvel Studios, said shows fell into a sort of limbo. The lack of mention for the characters and events of said series in the main MCU gave the impression that the productions have fallen out of continuity. This situation only changed in late 2021, when Marvel Studios’ “Spider-Man: Far from Home” saw actor Charlie Cox reprise his role as Matt Murdock/Daredevil in a brief appearance. On Disney+ itself, the MCU miniseries “Hawkeye” heralded the return of “Daredevil” big bad Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, as portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio. These cameos promise possible further integration of the Netflix show plots into the MCU narrative this Phase 4.

Aside from Netflix, Marvel also developed some series with other streaming platforms. The next big digital venue of these pre-Disney+ Marvel series is Hulu, home to “Helstrom” and “Runaways,” both already cancelled. Finally, “Cloak & Dagger” streamed on Freeform (2018-19). All these series also featured Marvel characters beyond the primary stars such as Spider-Man, the Avengers or the X-Men.

There is no word yet on when these shows might be pulled and brought over to Disney+. This platform is also busy churning out more MCU-based series, in synergy with the cinema-released films. The next upcoming MCU series is “Moon Knight,” releasing on March 30; the latest MCU film will be “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” premiering May 6.

Image courtesy of Mashable

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PH COVID Positivity Rate at LOWEST Percent Yet for 2022

 

Ever since the COVID-19 virus swept across the world, people took whatever precautions and followed whatever protocols existed, while looking forward to when the pandemic finally blows over. The wait for such a time has been long and arduous. First the world waited for the vaccines. Then it waited for enough people to be immunized. The latter portion was made complicated by new COVID strains and the resurgence of new cases of infection, every time restrictions were loosened or holidays came and went. The Philippines has endured nearly two years of the above, but brighter days seem to be coming.

According to CNN Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) has recorded the lowest positivity rate in COVID-19 and variant infections yet for this year. Based on results of 25,629 COVID tests reported done this past Valentine’s Day, February 14, the rate has gone down to 9.6%. Of the results, the new COVID cases numbered 2,610 with infection having occurred over the past 14 days (Feb. 3-16). As before, Luzon counted the top three locations with the most new cases, in order, Metro Manila (622), Calabarzon (323) and Central Luzon (287). Still, it must be reiterated that 9.6% is the lowest the positivity rate has decreased for 2022, especially after the Christmas-New Year period of celebration.

Of course, that matters rather little when compared to the current number of actively ill COVID patients across the country: 68.829 when adding the new positives as laid out in the DOH’s Wednesday bulletin. Removed from the last recorded count are 6,130 patients that have recovered from COVID, and 77 that have passed away. Furthermore, while all testing laboratories nationwide were active, six failed to submit data to the COVID-19 Document Repository System, and those would contain more test results over the same 14-day period.

And the lowest positivity rate may not matter soon enough, as the newest period of “necessary” mass public gatherings and close physical contact has already begun with the recent start of the Election campaign period. Despite new ground rules and restrictions laid down by the Commission on Elections regarding close proximity, physical contact and passing of food and drink, campaign activities which began February 8 have been much the same, with some candidates reporting being bruised by rough contact with supporters. Time will tell if the low positivity rate continues its hopeful trend, or if it will rise anew as the year 2022 goes on.

Image courtesy of ABS-CBN News

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More Details Out for “X-MEN ‘97” Animated Series REVIVAL on DISNEY+

 

In the year 1992, Marvel Entertainment Group and Saban Entertainment premiered a new animated series on Fox Kids Network. This was “X-Men,” based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, and at the time the foremost Marvel characters in the brand’s fandom, greater than even the Avengers. The animated “X-Men” series adapted key storylines of the comic book in 76 episodes across five seasons, lasting until 1997. Then last year, Disney+ announced plans to revive the show as “X-Men ’97,” reassembling the original creative team and voice cast. Now, further details of the revival have been revealed.

Comic Book Resources has it that the writing team of the 1992-97 “X-Men” animated series has dropped hints on what to expect from the unexpected revival “X-Men ’97,” coming to Disney+. Eric and Julia Lewald were interviewed on YouTube by Justin Underwood last week, where they added more specifics to the 2023 premiere window announced in late 2021’s Disney+ Day. If things go to schedule, the inaugural season of the revival will arrive in the middle of next year, with 10 episodes expected to run. The Lewalds also reiterated that “X-Men ‘97” will pick up from the finale of their original 1990s series, which offers some storytelling challenges as well.

"There is great love and affection and respect from an entire group of people that are doing this show, starting at the top with Beau DeMayo as the showrunner,” says the writing tandem. News of DeMayo as show-runner of “X-Men ‘97” should also raise heads, being part of the writing team for Netflix’s live-action and animated “The Witcher” streaming series. Equally exciting is the return of the original cast, led by voice actor Cal Dodd, who gave a memorable performance as the mutant Wolverine, before Hugh Jackman and the movies.

“X-Men” became a hit with 1990s TV audiences of a wide age demographic due to its adaptation of classic comic-book storylines for younger audiences, without talking down to them. Among longtime Marvel fans, this series is considered one of the best adaptations of the original comics. It is yet to be revealed if “X-Men’97” will adapt later storylines like its predecessor, or launch into an all-original narrative. What is known is that it will stream exclusive on Disney+, giving the service yet another hotly-anticipated media to encourage new subscribers worldwide.

Image courtesy of SuperHeroHype

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VIVAMAX Movie “GREED,” Starring NADINE LUSTRE, DIEGO LOYZAGA Gets Teaser

 

With the ongoing epidemic, despite increasing numbers of vaccinated people, and some businesses opening their cinemas to moviegoers, watching films in public remains something of a tough sell. Even then, many of the movies in theater right now hail from overseas, as the local motion picture industry continues to struggle back on its feet. In the meantime, some film productions have decided to forego cinemas for a platform accessible by viewers at home: online digital streaming. Viva Entertainment’s Vivamax has been doing well in this regard, with several new movies premiering there. Another one starring Nadine Lustre and Diego Loyzaga will be joining them soon.

That film, according to Inquirer.net, is “Greed” from Viva Films. A brief teaser to the movie was shared on social media this Wednesday, February 9, by its director Yam Laranas. In “Greed,” Nadine Lustre and Diego Loyzaga play a rural couple, quite loving despite struggling in near squalor at the farm. Their sole luxury spending lies in joining the lottery, which leads to them marking their calendar religiously. Good fortune apparently comes when they seemingly hit the lottery jackpot. But being winners of big money in a poverty-stricken area can lead to potentially dangerous entanglements.

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A post shared by Yam Laranas (@yamlaranas)

“Greed” was first revealed by Laranas back in October of last year. The teaser consisted of a virtual script read featuring Lustre, Loyzaga and their costar Epy Quizon. Although Viva Films has yet to mark a premiere date, “Greed” is a surefire exclusive release on the Vivamax streaming service.

The movie marks the end of a lengthy big-screen hiatus for Nadine, who last graced cinemas in 2019 alongside Sam Concepcion in another Viva production, “Indak.” This also demonstrates the normalization of relationship between Lustre and Viva Artists Agency (VAA), following a legal dispute in 2020. After settlement, the actress now retains the right to “decide her own branding and image.”

Image from The Fanboy SEO

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DISNEY-PIXAR’s “TOY STORY” Spinoff Film “LIGHTYEAR” Releases First Full TRAILER

 

Back in 1995, Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Studios released an animated movie unlike any other. “Toy Story” was a light-hearted romp featuring toys that come alive when their owners are not looking. Still, it made history as the first feature-length film done entirely in 3D computer animation. One of its main characters, action figure Buzz Lightyear, went on to star in his own animated spinoff series; or rather, the fictional character based on the toy. While “Toy Story” went on to have several sequels, “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” remained one-off. Then Disney-Pixar teased a reboot origin story animated film for the Lightyear character last year, followed by a full trailer just this week.

Yahoo! News has it that a trailer for “Lightyear,” about the character that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy from “Toy Story,” dropped on Tuesday, February 8. It shows more scenes regarding the initial adventures of then-rookie Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, as voiced by Chris Evans (MCU Captain America) taking over for Tim Allen (“Toy Story”) and Patrick Warburton (animated series). Where the teaser focused on Buzz going on a space flight to the tune of David Bowie’s “Starman,” the trailer adds context to the scenes.

It would seem that Buzz Lightyear and a large Star Command contingent have been marooned for a year on a desert planet. The world has hostile life forms, from giant insects to long sentient vines that snag people to drag them underground. Buzz is selected to pilot a warp spacecraft to seek help from the rest of Star Command. But space has become a dangerous place. Buzz and his fellow Rangers are pursued by a malevolent masked army, led by a giant robot. “Toy Story” and “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” might recognize the robot as the Evil Emperor Zurg.

Following the earlier reveal of “Lightyear” in 2021, Chris Evans needed to clarify where the film stands in the “Toy Story” franchise. “Just to be clear, this isn’t Buzz Lightyear the toy,” says Evans. “This is the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on.”

Pixar regulars Angus McLane and Pete Docter direct and write the film respectively, with Michael Giacchino (MCU films) composing the score. Joining Evans on the cast are Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., and James Brolin, the very last of which is rumored to be voicing Buzz’s nemesis Emperor Zurg. “Lightyear” will premiere June 17.

Image courtesy of The Wrap

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Women’s National FOOTBALL Team MALDITAS QUALIFIES for FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

 

There was a time when association football, or soccer, was not perceived to be a sport that Filipinos could have a strong competitive standing internationally. Then in the 2010s everything changed. The men’s national football team was bolstered by memorably skilled players and performed surprisingly well in tournaments. Thus was the legend of the “Azkals” born, and suddenly Filipinos were talking about the country getting into the FIFA World Cup. That has not happened yet. Meanwhile, the Azkal success spurred the development of the women’s national team, nicknamed the “Malditas.” Despite trials and lesser exposure, this squad persevered in all international competitions they participated in.

And now, according to The Manila Times, those efforts have finally borne fruit. The Philippine Women’s National Football Team “Malditas” advanced to the semifinals for the Women’s Asian Cup and in doing so secured for itself a slot in the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. This came about January 31 at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, India, when the Malditas won their Women’s Asian Cup quarterfinal match against Chinese Taipei, triumphing 4-3 by shootout following a 1-1 game. It is the greatest feat of the PH women’s soccer team, currently ranked at World number 64.

The Malditas delivered their goal at minute 49 of the match courtesy of Quinley Quindoza with Katrina Gillou assisting. But on minute 82 the World number 39 Chinese Taipei team equalized with a shot from Zhuo Li-Ping. When no further goals were forthcoming for the rest of regulation plus 30-minute overtime, the game went to penalty kicks, where Malditas goalie Olivia McDaniel was instrumental to foiling key kickers from the other squad. She even got her own strike in, evening the shootout score at 3-3 to keep the dream alive following a Chinese Taipei lead. Sarina Bolden would score the 4-3 kick and set the Philippines to the World Cup.

PWNFT head coach Alen Stajcic called the win an unbelievable achievement. "The group is really proud of each other,” he says. “But we are more proud that we can inspire the next generation of players." The Malditas’ journey through the Women’s Asian Cup was a series of ups and downs, beating Thailand in their first game (1-0), then losing to Australia (0-4) and getting to the quarterfinals over Indonesia (6-0). They must face South Korea in the semifinals but they are now sure to go to Australia-New Zealand for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Image from Philippine Star

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