First Blog of 2015!

Another year has arrived! But first let me greet all of you HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015 from the Philippines to the world and to the entire universe! Yes, Manual to Lyf is happy to reach the new year. There has been a lot that have happened in 2014 both bitter and sweet. Also it is another year that I am back in the corporate world after being school. Yet, I still have time to blog and attend events. 

REEL DEAL: Youngest Oscar Best Actress Nominee Plays "ANNIE"

Who's that girl who moves with the rhythm of a busy NYC? Who's the foster kid who sees the good in everybody - even her foster mom, the queen of mean, Miss Hannigan? Who Hearts New York - and finds out that New York Hearts her right back? Just one kid - it's “Annie!”

The youngest person ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, Quvenzhané Wallis (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) stars as Annie, a young, happy foster kid who's also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise that they'd be back for her someday, it's been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mom Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). But everything's about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) - advised by his brilliant VP, Grace (Rose Byrne) and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy (Bobby Cannavale) - makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. Stacks believes he's her guardian angel, but Annie's self-assured nature and bright, sun-will-come-out-tomorrow outlook on life just might mean it's the other way around.

REEL DEAL: “AVENGERS” Sequel, “CINDERELLA” Lead Disney's 2015 Line-Up

Walt Disney Studios Philippines will release nine movies in 2015, led by Marvel's “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the live-action “Cinderella” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the first Star Wars installment since 2005.

Disney's opening film for the new year will be Rob Marshall's “Into the Woods,” already a December blockbuster in the U.S. and stars Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Chris Pine and Emily Blunt. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel — all tied together by an original story.

In March, “Cinderella” will get the live-action treatment, the way Disney brought fantasy characters like “Maleficent” and “Alice in Wonderland” to the bigscreen. “Cinderella” is directed by Kenneth Branagh and features Lily James (“Downton Abbey”) and Cate Blanchett.

REEL DEAL: Full-On Adventure At The Movie With 20th Century Fox's 2015 Line Up

20th Century Fox, avant-garde studio behind  breakthrough concepts in filmmaking such as the immersive 3D technology in “Avatar,” the better-than-ever sequels of franchise films such as “Ice Age” and superheroes such as “X-Men” films, non-stop heart-pounding action flicks and phenomenal book-to-film adaptations of “The Fault In Our Stars,”   “Life of Pi” and “Maze Runner” welcomes 2015 with unforgettable and highly-entertaining movies poised to set new box-office records.  

What Are The Filipino Values That We Should Practice More?

Filipinos in general has a lot of diversity in terms of cultural and geographical things that have shaped the meaning of the word 'Filipino' or basically to be 'Pinoy'. But we have to admit that there are also the negativeness that has caused  values demoralization and inferior mentality. But why linger on things that are negative and choose to "Change For The Better" and come out on the positive side of life.

With some of the great values that we show but not usually highlighted transitions into forgotten values, it would be great to be reminded of the things that we are doing right and should always do that will not only bring us harmonious relationships but can also change for a better living and a better country. 

Krem-Top leads the Change for the Better campaign 

“The year 2015 is harvest time - harvesting all what is good about the Filipino to transform our country into a great nation,” said Dr. Mina Ramirez, phenomenological sociologist and president of Asian Social Institute. 

REEL DEAL: “INTO THE WOODS” Gets Bext Picture, Acting Noms From Golden Globes

Walt Disney Pictures' “Into the Woods,” the contemporary retelling of the classic fairy tales, has been nominated for major Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Actress for Emily Blunt who plays the Baker's Wife, and Best Supporting Actress for Meryl Streep for playing the Witch.

Rob Marshall, producer and director of “Into the Woods,” reacted to the nominations thus, "On behalf of my fellow producers, John DeLuca and Marc Platt, I want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press for this wonderful honor. I am so proud to have been a part of bringing Stpehen Sondheim and James Lapine’s beloved and profound work to the screen, and equally proud of the extraordinary cast who brought it to life with such passion and heart."

REEL DEAL: Jeff Bridges, Master Demon-Slayer In “SEVENTH SON”

Academy Award-winner Jeff Bridges stars as grizzled demon-slayer Master Gregory in Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures' fantasy adventure “Seventh Son.”

For Master Gregory, explains producer Basil Iwanyk, the filmmakers needed an actor who “could play grumpy and taciturn and irascible, aged but still lively and youthful, charming when he wants to be and has a great physicality.” They felt that Jeff Bridges fit that bill. “He’s always been one of the best American actors, and he’s a true box-office draw, having established those credentials with films like `TRON: Legacy' and `True Grit.' There are a lot of actors who feel very familiar in movies in this genre and we knew Jeff would bring his own spin to this, which he has. He created this incredible character.”
“Master Gregory is somebody who has got a lot of miles on him and is very weary,” elaborates producer Jillian Share. “He has the burden of keeping the forces of evil at bay, yet without the appreciation of those he helps. They want him around when there’s trouble, but they don’t want his friendship. Jeff does an amazing job of capturing that pain, and there’s great character work here.”

Bet Ng Bayan Grand Finals this Sunday on GMA

After months of searching and showcasing Filipino homegrown talents all over the country, it’s going to be the battle of the best this Sunday (December 28) on the Grand Finals Showdown of GMA Network’s widest reality talents search Bet ng Bayan hosted by Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and Kapuso prime leading man Alden Richards.

Happening at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, viewers will definitely witness spectacu-lar performances from the contestants representing Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and Mega Manila.

SYKES Celebrates a POPTASTIC 2014!

Year End Celebrations are one of the most anticipated events of the year, and for the pioneer in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines, SKYES never fails to make employees feel that their hardwork throughout the year gives them the Christmas/New year treat they desreve. And for years, SYKES has celebrated its Year-End Celebration (YEC) held last December 14 at the SMX Convention Center with theme "POPTASTIC". 

Last year, we were also at the same venue for their SKYES Music festival which featured Up Dharma Down and Parokya Ni Edgar. It was one big party that night, and for this year, they made sure it will par of do better for this year as they also expanded new businesses this year and prepared more prizes and performances that made the event even more bigger. 

Kubot The Aswang Chronicles 2 REVIEW

This upcoming MMFF season, I am happy to see that GMA Films and Reality Entertainment has an entry for the Film Festival which gives another flavor among the recurring films which has left it saturated. Kubot The Aswang Chronicles 2 is a follow up to TikTik which was shown back in 2012. Starring Dingdong Dantes as Makoy, he ventures first to Pulapandan to get her pregnant girlfriend back which eventually led them into a big fight with the Tiktiks. And the conflict continues with another group of aswangs called the Kubot, aswangs who have very long hair which they use to envelop their prey and eat their insides.

We have always seen aswang in many ways in Philippine Cinema but we have yet to discover the diversity and the various aspects that they add to the Filipino society. And direk Erik Matti's concept of having a trilogy about them would help us know more about our own monsters which is not limited to tyanaks and Mananangals.