REEL DEAL: “STAR WARS 7” Villain Adam Driver Shines In “THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

Before donning the villain's cloak in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” promising actor Adam Driver (HBO's “Girls”) appears in Warner Bros. Pictures’ new heart-warming dramedy, “This is Where I Leave You” as Phillip, the youngest brother in an eccentric, dysfunction family.

When their father passes away, four grown siblings (Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver), bruised and banged up by their respective adult lives, are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. Let the madness begin.

More than Sneakers Converse holds two workshops as a support to Pinoy Street Culture

Fuelling up the creative juices of people who are into fashion, sports and the art, Converse Philippines conducted the first ever “Cons Project Manila,” a one-day event that highlights street art and Do-It-Yourself skateboard ramp workshops, at the Pelota Court, BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City last November 22.

Aiming to create a stamp in the modern Filipino street culture, the event was inspired by the new CONS Fall 2014 Sneaker Collection which debuted last August.

REEL DEAL: “SPECTRE,” 24th James Bond Adventure To Begin Production

James Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today announced the title of the 24th James Bond adventure, “Spectre.” 

The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fourth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.

“Spectre” begins principal photography on Monday, December 8, and is set for global release on November 6, 2015. Along with Daniel Craig, Mendes presented the returning cast, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear as well as introducing Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci and Andrew Scott. 

Mendes also revealed Bond’s sleek new Aston Martin, the DB10, created exclusively for “Spectre.”

REEL DEAL: Gandalf, Galadriel Allies To The End In “THE HOBBIT: BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES”

“The Hobbit” Trilogy’s expansive ensemble cast includes a core of artists reprising their now-iconic roles from “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. “Now that a decade has passed since we made the first films, the iconography of the characters is everywhere,” director Peter Jackson notes. “When Ian McKellen walked out on set, it felt like you were seeing Gandalf again—the line between actor and character has become so thin.”

Holding a consistent place as a driving force and vital constant throughout both trilogies is the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, as embodied by Ian McKellen. From the moment McKellen first donned Gandalf’s Wizard’s hat, the acclaimed stage and screen star has become the face of the Grey Wizard for generations of fans.

Pancake House is coming home!

One of the country's proudest dining traditions moves forward by going back

What makes a good restaurant? For pancake House, the answer is simple; a taste and feel of home.

The popular pancacke chain recently debuted a new look for its next generation for Filipino diners in Lipa City, Batangas. Now part of the Max's family of brands, Pancakes House refurbished theme is inspired by its beloved heritage.

"Pancake House remains a household name with a loyal following," say Jim Fuentebella, Branding Director of Max's Group Inc. "But with the highly competitive market it is facing, we decided we needed to do something to bring back to the forefront of its dining category."

REEL DEAL: Step Into The Teaser of "THE WALK"

The exhilarating first trailer of director Robert Zemeckis' new thriller “The Walk,” a true story based on French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's book "To Reach the Clouds," has just been released and may be viewed here at http://youtu.be/zzHVqFk01eA.

“The Walk” stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the young dreamer who dared the impossible: an illegal wire walk between the World Trade Center towers. Last August 7, 2014 is the 40th anniversary of the astounding event, now being brought back to vivid life in the third act climax of the film.

REEL DEAL: Benedict Cumberbatch To Play Doctor Strange

The celebrated actor to become the Sorcerer Supreme!

Benedict Cumberbatch has entered the world of the mystic arts.

The actor will star in Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” scheduled to hit theaters November 4, 2016 (including the Philippines). The film, directed by Scott Derrickson with Jon Spaihts writing the screenplay, will follow the story of neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a horrific car accident, discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions.

Hoolala Korean Chicken House: Straight From The Heart of Seoul

When it comes to Korean food, nothing can be more authentic than homegrown recipes straight from the heart of Seoul.

Despite the rash of Korean-inspired restaurants mushrooming all over the metropolis, very few actually come close to the unique flavors of the genuine, traditional Korean dishes that have earned the nod of the world’s most discriminating chefs and food critics.

In the same way that not everything slathered in chili sauce or paired with kimchi can pass off for Gangnam-style cooking, neither should any of it be priced way beyond the reach of the average Pinoy foodie on the lookout for new culinary adventures.

KakaoTalk's New Emotion Pack To Raise Funds For Hope Campaign Share The Love This Season With KakoTalk's Frodo and Neo

Brace yourself as the latest Kakao Friends emoticons are here, just in time for the holiday season when spreading love is on everyone’s mind. The new “Love Story” set includes 24 moving stickers featuring everyone’s favorite dynamic duo, Frodo and Neo, and cover the full spectrum of situations and emotions they go through as a couple. Whether madly in love or going through a rough patch, there’s a perfect emoticon to let your special someone know exactly how you feel. Even if you don’t have your very own Frodo or Neo, the “Love Story” set is also ideal for letting your friends and family know that you’re thinking about them.

However, sending emoticons isn’t the only way to spread your love through the Kakao Friends this season. The “Love Story” set can also be purchased as part of the Hope Pack, which includes three other sets of emoticons, with all proceeds going to Daum Kakao Hope Campaign http://hope.daum.net/campaign/list.daum (site in Korean). For every Hope Pack sold from December 2 to 15, Daum Kakao, KakaoTalk’s parent company, will donate 1,000 Korean won (approximately 90 US cents) to the Hope Campaign with the goal of helping ten different people (including a set of twins) fulfill their wishes. 

REEL DEAL: "WOLVES" Director David Hayter Mentored By Bryan Singer

Lucas Till, who starred as Alex Summers aka Havoc in “X-Men: First Class” plays lead role in the upcoming horror thriller “Wolves” directed by David Hayter (who also wrote the script for “X-Men,” “X-Men 2” and “Watchmne”) - “Wolves” is Hayter’s directorial debut that had tinseltown abuzz when he announced of his first directorial job.

“Wolves” centers on a young man (Till), who transforms into a werewolf and finds himself falsely accused of murdering his parents. Escaping from the town’s authorities, and eventually arriving at a small town named Lupine Ridge that has a history of supernatural happenings and the truth to his curse is finally revealed.

Director Hayter, in recent interviews notes that in making the film, he was grateful for being able to undergo Bryan Singer’s training.  “I was lucky enough to be sort of trained and mentored by Bryan Singer, and he gave me such an insight on what it takes to make a film. Like, what you need to do to a screenplay to make it “shootable.” So I understood those things, but I didn’t always agree with what the studio were doing to the material. So while there things I had to change in my script to accommodate the rigors of production, I was able to make those decision in ways that I felt good about and wasn’t forced too many times—I mean, you’re always going to make compromises—but for the most part, I was able to come up with I thought was the coolest solution to the problem.”