REEL DEAL: The Counselor REVIEW

Dirty business is indeed very dirty and bloody at the same time. But it can also be luxurious and philosophical. This is what I realized when I saw "The Counselor" starring Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, and Penelope Cruz.

The movie is a very complicated web of characters ranging from the innocent girl, drug cartels, crazy sex freaks, and many other links that one would never imagine being part of an illegal trade.

The Counselor reminds me of Vanilla Sky with Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz, and the one thing missing is Tom Cruise, which is filled  by Michael Fassbender. The  best thing about the Counselor is its eye for detail, which is best seen with Cameron Diaz's character. Sophisticated, complex yet close to reality which gives that chill and sometimes pity to  innocent characters involved in the mess.

REEL DEAL: 47 Ronin

"47 Ronin" is helmed by visionary director Carl Erik Rinsch ("The Gift"). Inspired by styles as diverse as Miyazaki and Hokusai, Rinsch will bring to life the stunning landscapes and enormous battles that will display the timeless Ronin story to global audiences in a way that's never been seen before.

From ancient Japan's most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy-adventure "47 Ronin" is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of the 47 Ronin. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honor to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors.

“47 Ronin” is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp.

National Geographic Channel Turns Spotlight On "Comet of teh Century"

In anticipation of what could be one of the biggest astronomical events in our lifetime, National Geographic Channel will be broadcasting Comet Of The Century, a show that will introduce the world to Comet ISON as it passes near Earth by the end of the month of November this year. The special will combine CGI and breathtaking images captured by cutting-edge technology to show why the coming of Comet ISON is considered by many astronomers to be a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event.

REEL DEAL: "Afternoon Delight" SPOTLIGHT

Sundance Film Festival Winner "Afternoon Delight" Follows a Woman's Sexual Awakening

Fresh from her remarkable hilarious role in the movie “We’re The Millers” with Jennifer Aniston, Katherine Hahn’s  talent shines through in her first starring role in “Afternoon Delight” about a stay at home mom whose sexual awakening came in her 30s when everything looks just perfect.  

The Adventurer : The Curse of Midas Box

Ancient mysteries. Powerful evil. And a fearless hero's quest through a fantastical realm of steam-powered wonders and sinister magic. In The Adventurer : The Curse of the Midas Box, seventeen-year-old Mariah Mundi's life is turned upside down when his parents vanish and his younger brother is kidnapped. Following a trail of clues to the darkly majestic Prince Regent Hotel, Mariah discovers a hidden realm of child-stealing monsters, deadly secrets and a long-lost artifact that grants limitless wealth - but also devastating supernatural power. With the fate of his world, and his family at stake, Mariah will risk everything to unravel the Curse of the Midas Box!

‘The Adventurer: The Curse of Midas Box’ released and distributed by Captive Cinema showing soon!

REEL DEAL: Director Neil Jordan on Byzantium and Vampire Movies

Neil Jordan’s body of work is an odd, fascinating beast. On one level, the Irish director’s fablelike films — with their often mystical elements, their vivid photography, and their tormented, passionate characters — are remarkably consistent in tone, style, and themes. On another level, though, the films are a diverse lot, ranging from moody dramas like Mona Lisa and The End of the Affair, to thrillers like The Crying Game and The Good Thief, to big-budget, star-studded epics like Interview With a Vampire and Michael Collins, to fairy tales like The Company of Wolves. He’s even made a couple of exuberant comedies along the way (including High Spirits, which is better than you remember). Now, with his latest, Byzantium, a tale of mother-and-daughter vampires (played by Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan) hiding out in a British seaside town, Jordan has returned to the vampire genre, and the result is one of his strongest, most ambitious and romantic works in years. Jordan talked to us about his new movie, fairy tales, and vampires.

Social Revolutionists conquered Laguna at the Laguna Blogging Summit

Santa Cruz, Laguna--November 14 & 15, 2013 are the dates that Social Revolutionists conquered the hearts of Laguenos. The 2nd Laguna Social Media and Blogging Summit (#2LaBS) was held at the Cultural Center of Laguna from 8am to 5pm with powerful speakers who were armed with their strong & revolutionary topics to share, empower & teach the participants about Online Marketing, Social Media Ethics, Passion, Responsibilities and on how to become a catalyst for change. 

For this year, the event became bigger and louder. The participating students are from Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU), STI, AMA, University of the Philippines and De La Salle Zobel Ayala Alabang. 

REEL DEAL: “THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY” AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE PHOTOS

In attendance at the recently concluded Australian (Sydney) premiere of the upcoming adventure comedy “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig.

Ben Stiller produces and stars in the movie where no one really knows the power of the private dreams inside our heads  . . . until they inspire our reality.  That’s what happens in Ben Stiller’s contemporary rethink of one of the most influential fantasy stories of all time – indeed the quintessential tale about the irresistible allure of fantasizing: James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”  Stiller has taken that two-and-a-half page 1939 classic and opened it up into a 21st Century comic epic about a man who finds that his real life is about toblow his wildly over-active imagination out of the water.

Check some of the photos here.

“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” opens January 22 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Prizes Won on "Bet On Your Baby" Getting Bigger By The Week

Grand prize of P1 million, still up for grabs

After having opened its Baby Dome doors to regular contestants, “Bet On Your Baby” has helped in creating a more secure tomorrow for a number of families, especially with their winnings not going below P100,000 in the show’s jackpot round.

Last Saturday (November 16), the country witnessed how lucky Baby Wafat Garcia, the son of a worker in the rice plantation industry, was as his family took home P300,000.

This Saturday (November 23), will another family win big to finally reach the grand prize of P1 million in the jackpot round?

MUSIC LYF: Regine Velasquez-Alcasid provides inspiration in Hulog Ka Ng Langit

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez has recently launched a number of special projects for the benefit of the Typhoon Yolanda victims like the auction of her personal items. Aside from this, Universal Records and the Songbird recently released the album Hulog Ka Ng Langit, part of its proceed goes to Philippine Red Cross. 

The album, composed of songs that give inspiration to wives and mothers, has the beautifully-penned Hulog Ka Ng Langit as debut single and title track of the album. The song truly embodies what the album is all about – unconditional love between husbands and wives, and mothers to children.