ART IS A BANG: Performance Artist Explores Female Power and Beauty Through Poetryand Visual Expression

Performance poetry artist, advocate and educator Kooky Tuason presents a fresh look at female empowerment in her new coffee table book Picket Lines: Dialogues Between Eves, Among Eves and For Eves, which features 100 photos of women with poems written on their bodies. The book juxtaposes poetry on select women’s skin and images to make powerful statements about the lives of women.

Picket Lines is a product of the author’s collaboration with photographers Niccolo Cosme, Tabitha Fernan, Mitch Mauricio, Katrina Pallon, and Nikkorlai Tapan. It features various women, many of whom are leaders in their fields and prominent in the public arena such as Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Fides Cuyugan-Asensio, Miriam Quiambao, Shawn Yao, Andrea del Rosario, Nina Ricci Alagao, Cecile Guidote-Alavarez, Love Anover, Jodi Sta. Maria, Lilia Cuntapay, Cynthia Alexander, Kate Torralba, Michelline Syjuco, Risa Hontiveros, Sonia Roco, Twinkle Ferraren, Abby Asistio, Gaby dela Merced, Giselle Sanchez, Sanya Smith, Mocha, Karen Kunawicz, Gloria Diaz, Aimee Marcos, Anita Linda. The images reflected in the book were intensified by the contributions of highly talented make-up artists and stylists.

MUSIC LYF: McJim Classic Leather proclaims Three Winners in Talent Search

(L-R) Joshua Bulot, Bryan Del Rosario, Kim Ordonio, Neo Domingo,
Daryl Jay Santos, Aldrin Condat, Mark Cordovales, John Peterson Layva,
Eljon Nono
THREE aspiring musical acts were declared grand champions in the maiden edition of “Dreams Get Real: The Search for the Next OPM Star” organized by McJim Classic Leather held on Monday night (June 30) at Teatrino in Promenade, Greenhills, 

Shining on stage with their unique performances and proving that they could be the next big thing in Original Pilipino Music (OPM) were band Fifth Dynamics, vocal trio JBK and solo performer Neo Domingo.


REEL DEAL: First Image of Henry Cavill As Man of Steel In “BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE”

Warner Bros. Pictures has just debuted the first image of Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the highly anticipated action adventure from director Zack Snyder.

Starring Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman, the film also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from “Man of Steel,” Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer.  Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

REEL DEAL: Dawn of an Unlikely Hero In "Dragon Nest: Warriors Dawn"

The phenomenal MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) “Dragon Nest” is now a movie – Axinite Digicinema has recently released its English-dubbed trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEXs-7tS_ng

“Dragon Nest: Warrior’s Dawn” is an upcoming  Chinese-American animated adventure fantasy romance film directed by Song Yuefeng and based on the Dragon Nest video game.  At the center of the movie is a young warrior named Lambert.  His family and home town was destroyed by the Black Dragon when he was younger. He set out to seek revenge and vowed to slay the Black Dragon. 

A sword yielding warrior and unlikely hero, Lambert eventually becomes a student of Barnac, one of the 6 legendary hero who took notice of his skills and talents in warfare.   The movie brings us to the land of Altera that has observed an uneasy peace for years among Humans, Elves and Evil beasts who are loyal to the legendary Black Dragon. But the Black Dragon begins to stir from its hibernation, sending the Beasts marching across Altera. With a beast conquest perilously close, a small group of Humans and Elves unite to try to find a secret hidden road to the Black Dragon's cave and destroy it. But the fate of all of them may be in the hands of the young warrior Lambert, who must summon the confidence and skill to face the Black Dragon himself just when all may be lost.

REEL DEAL: “JERSEY BOYS” Exclusive At Ayala Malls Cinemas Starting July 16

Hailed by The New York Post as “one of the year's best" films, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Jersey Boys” -- director Clint Eastwood’s big-screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical -- will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting July 16.

The film tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic rock group The Four Seasons. The story of their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the songs that influenced a generation, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Dawn,” “Rag Doll,” “Bye Bye Baby,” “Who Loves You,” and many more.

REEL DEAL Cinemalaya Specials: The Janitor


Chick flicks everywhere for local cinema, I guess people would eventually crave for a different genre for Pinoy movies. Next to love stories, action is a favorite of Pinoy movie goers, but they are rarely seen on mainstream cinema, and finding a good one is more rarer. The Cinemalaya Film Festival will happen on August, and one of the entries for the Director's Showcase is Mike Tuivera's THE JANITOR.

Starring Dennis Trillo, The Janitor may be an odd choice for a title of a action film but pose a different and deeper understanding about its meaning. Is he a crusader to clean up the mess of crime? Is he a punisher  who has an alter ego of a maintenance guy out to seek vengeance?

We talked to Dennis Trillo and Mike Tuviera about the movie and they shared their excitement for the upcoming movie in August. Fresh from "My Husband's Lover" Dennis Trillo became more buffed for the role as it requires a lot of real action and combat. Direk Mike shares that they also made the action scenes they always wanted to do and doing it right. 

#30DaysBlog Challenge: Day 2 Doodle Your Goals

When I heard that day 2 was about doodles, it is something I can do. But given a slight delay with the post, I am happy to share my drawing as a doodle which I made 4 days ago. Drawing is one of things that gives me that artistic release and keeps my hands busy with working with my imagination.

I do have a lot of goals in life which might lead to a novel when written all down. But what the heck, a picture can still mean a thousand words right? So for this 30 Day Challenge, I will share some of my works which reflects my goals for both short and long terms.

REEL DEAL: A Rising Nation United In “DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES”

10 years after the Simian Flu virus almost wiped out man’s kind, a nation of apes is thriving despite the virus – growing stronger and multiplies in director Matt Reeves’ most awaited sci-fi action of the year, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” starring Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman and Andy Serkis.

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” follows what transpired on the previously released film, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” where Caesar, captured by Serkis, his journey took him from orphaned baby, raised in a human household, to abused prisoner in an insalubrious ape sanctuary, to the liberator of a whole army of apes, artificially evolved to super-intelligent levels by a man-made serum. That film concluded with Caesar’s community disappearing into Muir Woods near San Francisco, before the same serum, in viral form, wiped out most of humanity.

LakBayani: Vote NOW for Vigan For The New 7 Wonders Cities!

Yes that is an urgent plea from me and the rest of the supporters of Vigan City as it vies for a slot in the New 7 Wonders of the World Cities where in Vigan is the sole reprensentative of the Philippines as it shares the limelight among with the other 20 finalist.

The past edition of New 7 Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground Caves became one of the seven slots of the prestigious list of the best in the world. Their victory has become a catalyst of improvement of tourism and economy for the city especially the underground caves which have been fully booked as tourists flock to see it.

Now it is time to help another Philippine city to give its deserved slot among the seven. Vigan is a town of heritage and beauty. Being decelared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2 December 1999. Vigan famous heritage houses which are centuries old have been spared from damage from World War II.From the movie "Iliw (Nostalgia)",  it has been said that the love between a ilokana girl and the Japanese commander was the reason Vigan was not burned to the ground like what other towns have experienced. 

ART IS A BANG: Witness The First Ever Staging do Disney's Phenomenal Broadway Musical 'Beauty And The Beast' In The Philippines!

Disney Theatrical Productions, NETworks, Broadway Entertainment Group, and Ovation Productions will present the first International Tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in celebration of the production’s 20th anniversary.

The tour will play in markets to include Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. The musical, which will reunite the original Broadway creative, will be seen for the first time in these territories. For Manila, Beauty and the Beast will be handled by veteran concert promoter Renen de Guia of Ovation Productions which is, coincidentally, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Venue is the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) main theater and dates are in January 2015.

Ron Kollen, senior vice president international for Disney Theatrical Productions, shared in a statement, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with NETWorks and Broadway Entertainment Group, to launch this first-ever international tour. To premiere Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in these cities throughout the Middle East and Asia, is a perfect way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our beloved stage musical.”