PETA closes its 47th season with Cherry Orchard remake, Arbol de Fuego

Capping  the  Philippine  Educational  Theater  Association’s  47th season is Arbol de Fuego, Rody Vera and Loy Arcenas’ reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s classic Cherry Orchard. After three successful Rak of Aegis runs, and original Filipino production, FnL, PETA simmers down from the fitful comedy-musical first half of the season with a grounding of a world classic this February 2015.

Arbol  de  Fuego is  a  tragicomedy  about middle-aged  matriarch  Enriquetta  Jardeleza-Sofronio, played by  veteran actress  Cherie  Gil,  who comes  home after  having  squandered  the  family fortune on a long stay in Madrid. Buried in debt, she and younger brother Adjie (essayed by Jake Macapagal) is  advised  to  sell  the  estate  to  avoid  bankruptcy,  but  refuses, insisting  on  keeping their ancestral house and the flourishing rows of fire trees that frame the estate. The Jardelezas instead, throw party after lavish party, reminiscing their opulent past in an effort to forget their depleting wealth. 

REEL DEAL: “AMERICAN SNIPER” Gets 6 Oscar Nominations Set For IMAX Theaters January 21

IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have just announced that “American Sniper,” the newest film from legendary director Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX® format and released into all IMAX® theatres in the Philippines on Wednesday, Jan.21, 2015.

“American Sniper” has just earned six major Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing. It also got Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing nods.

REEL DEAL: Emma Stone Nominated For Best Supporting Actress At The Oscars For Her Role In "BIRDMAN"

This year’s frontrunner at the Oscars, “Birdman” will open exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas on January 28 and has thus far dominated the Academy Award with nine nominations in major categories including Best Picture.  Other notable nominations for “Birdman” includes Best Director (Alejandro González Iñárritu), Best Actor (Michael Keaton), Best Supporting Actor (Edward Norton),  Best Supporting Actress (Emma Stone), Best Cinematography, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

In “Birdman,” Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s black comedy, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) hopes that by spearheading an ambitious new Broadway play he will, among other things, revive his moribund career. In many ways, it is a deeply foolhardy move – but the former cinema superhero has high hopes that this creative gambit will legitimize him as an artist and prove to everyone – and himself – that he is not just a Hollywood has-been.

One of the Six Million Reasons to Love Pope Francis

my best shot so far, nevertheless it is priceless.

January 18 would be another day in history to be remembered by many as the day where an estimated 6 million people, including myself, went to Luneta and the surrounding roads to celebrate the biggest mass in history. It has been scheduled for me to attend this grand mass in Rizal Park and have at least a glimpse of the Holy Father as he goes around and blesses the Filipino people.

Upon his arrival, I did not have enough time to go to the streets he will be passing by as I have work schedules but I made a point to prioritize the Grand Eucharistic Celebration at Luneta on January 18 as it is my rest day. The holiday did however served as a blessing for us as it reduced traffic and also provided additional pay for us still working at the BPO industry. However, I suddenly realized that I should have chosen to take these days as a vacation leave after reflecting on the homilies of the Pope. 

REEL DEAL: Cameron Diaz Plays Mean Miss Hannigan In "ANNIE"

Most foster moms are kind and devoted people working hard to help a kid who needs a hand. And then there's Miss Hannigan, whom Cameron Diaz plays in Columbia Pictures' new, energetic comedy “Annie” based on the beloved Broadway musical.

For this onetime woulda-coulda-shoulda-been pop star, being a foster mom isn't about giving back - it's about taking all you can get (like a stipend from the state for the kids' care). With five kids sharing one room, Hannigan will do anything to keep that gravy train going.

In creating a new version of Miss Hannigan, Diaz welcomed the opportunity to portray a classic character while also breaking new ground. "I grew up with Annie, and I love Carol Burnett's performance as Miss Hannigan," she says. "When it was announced that I was playing the character, I got people of all ages, all walks of life, coming up to me, 'I hear you're playing Hannigan - I love Hannigan, she's my favorite character!' Everybody knows this character. In this movie, I had a chance to play a role that people are familiar with, but she's been brought into present day in such a fun and contemporary way. So I jumped right on board - it was an amazing opportunity to sing and dance in a film."

MUSIC LYF: Fifth Dynamics releases funny music video for single “Pogi Kame”

MCJIM Classic Leather’s Dreams Get Real talent search champion Fifth Dynamics will release the much-awaited official music video of their chartbreaking single “Pogi Kame” featuring Mich Liggayu of the popular Youtube duo Jamich.

Composed of The Voice of the Philippines contestant Mark Cordovales on vocals, Jhay Santos on bass, Eljon Nono on lead guitars, Peter Leyva on rythmn guitars, and Drin Condat on drums, Fifth Dynamics has gained a strong radio and music channel presence in 2014 after the release of their single “Anyare.”

“We are expecting ‘Pogi Kame’ to sustain our momentum in the music industry, particularly among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) lovers in time for the release of our debut album this year,” says Cordovales.

Globe brings heart-pumping music experience to Sinulog and Dinagyang

Four of the country's best DJs topbill Globe parties in Cebu and Iloilo with their signature beats

Fresh from the launch of its world-renowned GEN3 Stores that brought the Philippine telco experience to global retail standards, Globe Telecom continues the celebration as it treats revellers in Cebu and Iloilo to great music and entertainment with back-to-back parties for two of the country’s biggest festivals: Sinulog and Dinagyang. Taking centerstage in this month’s festivals are four of the country’s best DJs and GEN3 NEXT ACT ambassadors: Mars Miranda, Callum David, Badkiss, and Eric Capili.

We Welcome Pope Francis To The Philippines!

Today marks the first day and arrival of his holiness Pope Francis for his first Papal Visit to the Philippines. This is a monumental event for the nation where the majority are Catholics (including myself). The pontiff who was elected in 2013 became a popular figure as he showed a more charismatic and humble image for the papacy. With his simplicity and a more open heart for both Catholics and non Catholics, he gained the trust and love of the public as well as world leaders.

The 2015 Papal Visit has the theme "Mercy and Compassion" that are the creed of his ministry and a call to be compassionate for the poor and the weak. With many world events that have shocked the world recently, the Pope calls for justice and peace which is one of the factors that he was also chosen as Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

REEL DEAL: Bradley Cooper Hits The Mark In “AMERICAN SNIPER”

Two-time Oscar-nominee Bradley Cooper (“American Hustle,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”) stars in Clint Eastwood's “American Sniper” as real-life Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose skills as a sniper made him a hero on the battlefield. But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter.

“In some ways, it’s a universal story about what most veterans have to go through,” explains the actor, “dealing with the seesaw of being in a war zone and then suddenly coming home to a ‘normal’ life. That was very moving to me. I liked the fact that it wasn’t as much of a war movie as it was a character study. And if you look at Clint Eastwood’s films, like ‘Unforgiven,’ ‘Gran Torino,’ ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’…they are all complex character studies, albeit with very different backdrops. So he was absolutely the right director to tell this story in a very raw, truthful way.”

The actor goes on to observe that “American Sniper” and the human drama at its center fit the Eastwood canon: exploring the nature of men for whom violence and justice become inexorably intertwined. “Chris was not a violent man—in fact, far from it—but when called upon, he did not shrink from his duty because he believed the cause is just. His heroism wasn’t just in the number of ‘kills’ he had in war; it was also in how he was ultimately able to confront the intangible wounds of war, not only within himself but on his family.”

REEL DEAL: Jaime Foxx Says Role In "ANNIE" Captures What's Like To Be A Father

Business tycoon Will Stacks never thought he needed anybody - and if you ask him why, he'll point to his 4.7 billion reasons in the bank. But everybody needs somebody, and when Stacks takes in the adorable foster kid Annie, he'll find out exactly what that means.

Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx stars as Will Stacks in Columbia Pictures' heartwarming musical comedy, “Annie.”

In the film, child wonder Quvenzhané Wallis (“Beasts of the Southern Wild”) plays 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 - 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.