PATRIOTIC FILM ON MOST LETHAL “SNIPER” IN U.S. HISTORY

Press release

Chris Kyle might have been just one of the millions of veterans who have served were it not for a statistic. He emerged from the war in Iraq as the most lethal sniper in the history of the U.S. military, but the filmmakers of Warner Bros. Pictures' “American Sniper” knew it was equally if not more important to explore the man behind the numbers.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Director/producer Clint Eastwood offers, “I have done war stories before, but this was exciting to me because it was a cross between Chris’s exploits in combat and the personal aspects of his life, which made him even more interesting. It shows the toll war takes on a person but also the pressure it puts on the whole family. It’s good to be reminded of what’s at stake when people are sent into war and to acknowledge the sacrifices they make, so I thought that made it an especially significant story to tell.”

The screenplay for “American Sniper” is based on the book of the same name, co-written by Kyle (with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice). However, screenwriter and executive producer Jason Hall first spoke to Kyle about bringing his story to the big screen before the book was even written. He recalls, “I was interested in the journey of a warrior of his caliber…what compelled him to fight and what it cost him. We know that war is hell, but in this film I wanted to show that war is human.”

Kyle’s reputation had preceded him home and first caught the attention of producers Peter Morgan and Andrew Lazar, as well as Hall. Morgan notes, “We heard about all his accolades as a Navy SEAL and obviously knew what a great patriot he was, but the more we delved, what kept coming across was what a genuinely good person he was…how loved and admired he was by his family, friends and those who served alongside him. We wanted to form a story around the emotional themes of his life, the different things that drove him.”

Prior to starting work on the script, Hall traveled to Texas to meet with Kyle. “He wasn’t very talkative at first,” the writer says, “but by the time I left I felt like I’d worked out a way to tell the story and earned his trust. Then, as I was walking out the door, he said, ‘Oh, by the way, we’re writing a book.’ The book seemed like it could be an obstacle at first, but it ended up being a fantastic resource.”

Producer Andrew Lazar confirms, “We were committed to telling this story long before there was a best-selling book. But because of the book, we had the benefit of Chris’s point of view, which, of course, really informed what we did in developing the film and in imparting his story to the best of our ability.”

On February 2, 2013, an unimaginable tragedy turned the filmmakers’ sense of responsibility into a promise. Chris Kyle—who had survived four dangerous tours of duty in Iraq and had devoted his post-war life to helping his fellow veterans—was murdered not far from his home on a shooting range in Texas, allegedly by a veteran he was trying to help. “I had never met him at that point; I had only talked to him on the phone,” says Bradley Cooper, “and then, like that, he was gone.”

Following the funeral, Hall reached out to Chris Kyle's wife, Taya, and they spent many hours on the phone as she recounted her life with Chris. “The film suddenly became one of the ways her children would remember their father and she wanted to get it right,” says Hall. “It was not only therapeutic for her, it also allowed me to capture her voice in her own words. She painted a picture of who he was before the war, the unspoken toll it took on him, and all the healing it took him to get back.”

Almost exactly one year later, Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper traveled to Texas to meet with Chris’s family, including Taya; his parents, Wayne and Debbie; and his brother, Jeff. The director recalls, “It was vital for me to spend that time with them because we got a much better idea of who Chris was from his family, who are wonderful. We came away with a combination of sadness over the loss of this remarkable man but even more enthusiasm about making this film.”

“We gave them our word that we were going to do right by Chris,” Cooper adds. “And the truth is I really did feel like he was there.”

Taya Kyle confirms that the promise was fulfilled, noting, “I give all the credit to Jason for spending so much time digging deep and learning about all the layers of Chris, and to Clint and Bradley and everyone involved in the movie for so fully embracing that. It is an added bonus for me to know that people will get a glimpse into the man that I loved and will always love, and to have that preserved on film. This movie is a piece of Chris. It is an accurate depiction of the man as a whole—not just the warrior, but the man—and I can’t ask for better than that.”

 “American Sniper” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

TEEN ROM-COM “LOVE, ROSIE” IN LOCAL CINEMAS

Movie release

today’s most loved young actors Lily Collins and Sam Claflin star as Rosie and Alex who have been best friends since they were five. When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies.  But one awkward turn at 18, one missed opportunity...and life sends them hurling in different directions. Could they be the one true love for each other after all?

                Based on Cecelia Ahern’s bestselling novel “Where Rainbows End”, LOVE, ROSIE is a sassy, heart-warming, and utterly modern comedy-of-errors tale posing the ultimate question: Do we really only get one shot at true love?  “How do you adapt a book that’s all texts and emails,” says producer Simon Brooks of one of the

project’s biggest challenges – the novel’s epistolary structure, composed around the emails, letters and text messages which Alex and Rosie exchange. “How do you make that into a movie?”

                In director Christian Ditter’s new film Love, Rosie, Lily Collins and Sam Claflin  star as Rosie and Alex, childhood friends seemingly destined to be together, yet a couple which fate itself seems determined to keep apart. The film paints a rich and textured canvas of a complicated yet lifelong bond between Rosie and Alex, beginning in their childhood, spanning a trans-Atlantic separation, and enduring ups and downs of romantic liaisons with everyone but each other resulting in some bittersweet consequences.

                To adapt Ahern’s novel to the screen, Kulzer and Brooks turned to the British screenwriter Juliette Towhidi, whose credits include the 2003 award-winning hit comedy, Calendar Girls, with Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

“She was like a detective,” also says producer RobertKulzer of Towhidi’s process of adapting Ahern’s unconventional novel. “She was extracting plot and story points, creating her own world around these episodes that Cecilia had created in her novel.” 

                “It was clear to everyone that how Cecilia had written ‘Where Rainbows End’ wouldn’t translate verbatim to the screen,” explains Towhidi, who also reset the story in England. “What the filmmakers wanted me to do was to keep the spirit of what Cecilia had written.”  “Cecelia has a delightful love of her characters which makes it easy to bring them to life, and I wanted Rosie and Alex’s relationship to be real,” Towhidi continues.

                “Indeed, I loved writing for all the characters, even the minor ones. You want to give them all killer lines so that every appearance on screen counts, no matter how small the role.” “I think what Juliette did with the book is fantastic,” says Ahern, who phoned the filmmakers directly to congratulate them once she’d read the final draft of  Towhidi’s screenplay. “She brought out the humor – it was both funny and edgy – and it also had a lot of heart,” says Ahern. “What was important to me was that the essence of the novel was brought out in the film and I was really proud of the script Juliette had delivered.”

From Pioneer Films

JEFF BRIDGES, MASTER DEMON-SLAYER IN “SEVENTH SON”

Press release

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.”

The actor agreed to the role of the last surviving member of an ancient order of elite warriors, and now shares the reasons that inspired him to get involved with `Seventh Son': “One of them was the wonderful book that Joe Delaney wrote. The story is just a bit darker, a bit edgier than the classic fight between good and evil; things are not so black and white. The other was the chance to work with director Sergei Bodrov. I saw his film `Prisoner of the Mountains' —a wonderful film—and also `Mongol,' and I knew that if he were in charge, we’d be in good hands.”

Bridges discusses that his director’s style was very needed in a physically challenging role: “Sergei is now one of my favorites. His type of direction, which is very inclusive, encourages you to give all you’ve got. He’s not afraid to change things at the last minute. He’s assembled these artists, these magicians, together and he trusts them. He creates the space for all of this to happen. It’s almost just as important what you don’t say as what you do say. Sergei has a very light touch with his direction, and he was wonderful to work with.”

In a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide, the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order (Jeff Bridges) travels to find a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son (Ben Barnes). Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish a dark queen (Julianne Moore) and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.

“Seventh Son” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

20TH CENTURY FOX’S 2015 LINEUP

Press release

 20^th 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.   

                Michael Keaton puts on his winning cape in the highly-acclaimed “Birdman” (or “The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance”)along with an ensemble of an impressive cast including Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough and Emma Stone.  Keaton plays Riggan Thomas, a washed up actor who refused an offer to play the fourth time to reprise his role in the highly successful “Birdman” movies.  Instead, he tries to reinvent himself by writing and directing a stage play that would push him further as an actor.   

                Academy-Award winner Reese Witherspoon stars in “Wild,” an adaptation of the biographical book (of the same title) by Cheryl Strayed that reached number one on the New York Times Best Seller List. The book likewise was the first featured reading material in Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 where Witherspoon plays Cheryl Strayed who decided to take on a journey to self-discovery by trekking a 1,100 mile lone hike to put her life back together again.

                Vince Vaughn, Dave Franco and Tm Wilkinson work hard to play hard in “Unfinished Business,” – where the three travel to Europe for the deal of their lives and keep on getting tangled in a series of unfortunate hilarious events that will make or break their budding business venture.

                2012’s  box-office surprise hit “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’s” sequel “Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is about to charm the second time around where Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy and Dev Patel reprise their  roles.  Joining the sequel is Richard Gere where we see the famed hotel is now expanding into a chain. 

                Based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel, “The Longest Ride” tracks a 91-year-old man trapped in a car crash who reflects on his life with his deceased wife as a young couple fall in love a few miles away. In his first major  leading role, Scott Eastwood will play Luke Collins, whose love affair with college senior Sophia Danko plays out as the youthful half of the romantic saga.

                Based on Thomas Hardy’s 1874 novel of the same title, “Far From the Madding Crowd” stars Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene – an independent, beautiful and single-minded woman who attracts three distinct suitors. This timeless story of Bathsheba’s choices and passions explore the nature of relationships and love in the midst of hardships

                At the heels of the highly successful adaptation of John Green’s “The Fault In Our Stars,”  Green’s “Paper Towns” has also been adapted to film starring Nat Wolff about a geeky high school senior’s search for the most popular girl who disappeared on the eve of their graduation.

NEW “FOCUS” TRAILER, POSTERS STEAL ATTENTION

Warner Bros. Pictures has just revealed the main poster, character banners and the new trailer for Will Smith's con artist movie “Focus.” 

“Focus” also stars Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Rodrigo Santoro (the “300” films) and Gerald McRaney (TV’s “House of Cards”).

Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop…and the consummate con man off his game.

“Focus” is written and directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (“Crazy, Stupid, Love.”).

Opening across the Philippine on February 25, 2015, “Focus” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

FROM PAGE TO SCREEN, “SEVENTH SON” WORKS ITS WONDERS

Press release

Based on author Joseph Delaney’s book series “The Last Apprentice” (aka “The Spook’s Apprentice”) which has become a worldwide phenomenon, Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ fantasy adventure “Seventh Son” tells of a time of enchantments when legends and magic collide.

Movie photo courtesy of Legendary Pictures. Book photo courtesy of Joseph Delaney

In the film, Master Gregory (Jeff Bridges), the sole remaining warrior of a mystical order travels to find Tom Ward (Ben Barnes), a prophesized hero born with incredible powers, the last Seventh Son. Torn from his quiet life as a farmhand, the unlikely young hero of Seventh Son embarks on a daring adventure with his battle-hardened mentor to vanquish dark queen Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), and the army of supernatural assassins she has dispatched against their kingdom.

First released in the U.K. in 2004, “The Spook’s Apprentice” would lead to “The Wardstone Chronicles” series and would eventually be translated into several languages and sold in 24 countries, including the United States as “The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch.”

What intrigued the producers was how to tell the filmic version of a story about ancient magical forces challenged by the knowledge of Master Gregory and the Falcon Knights who served before him. “The reason that ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’ is so fantastic is that it demythologizes magic,” says producer Basil Iwanyk. “It makes fighting these magical creatures more of a craft or a science than something fantastical. A Falcon Knight is not a wizard; he is a knight/soldier who has to study each creature’s strengths and weaknesses, how they can be killed or harnessed. He has to know not only how to defeat them physically but intellectually. Knights do not use magic; they use science. Master Gregory has a big library of books, filled with knowledge from the past, and each knight writes his own books to pass onto the next generation of knights. They use natural weapons: rowan wood, silver, salts and iron…fighting dark magic with knowledge. That idea dovetailed into the movie because we realized that we wanted it to feel as real as possible.”

For the producers, the film would provide an opportunity to work with Russian director Sergei Bodrov, whom they had been chasing for years. “Sergei is a director that we had always wanted to work with,” recalls producer Erika Lee. “We’d seen `Mongo’l and were very impressed. We had given him a lot of scripts over the years and were looking for the right fit, so when we heard that he was interested, we were very excited. Visually, `Mongol’ was stunning, and we knew that the way Sergei tells a story would translate perfectly to `Seventh Son.’”

Bringing in a foreign director also provided a fascinating perspective. Iwanyk shares: “The challenge of a movie like this is to get a filmmaker with a different point of view so it doesn’t feel similar to all the other movies in this genre. Sergei’s take was so different and so much more interesting than that of the other directors we approached, and we felt he would give `Seventh Son’ an international feel and make it unique. What we also suspected, and which proved true, was that a lot of people both in front of and behind the camera would want to work with Sergei because he is such a beloved and enigmatic figure.”

The filmmakers were confident in Bodrov’s ability to take the source material and make it his own. “‘This book series is beloved by many,” commends producer Jillian Share. “Delaney created a world and characters that are relatable and exciting, and we wanted to be sure that we kept that aspect of the book. With any adaptation, you struggle to remain loyal to the book while at the same time opening up the movie. Sergei did a fantastic job of taking what was there and making the scope much bigger and the action more visceral.

While honored by the kind words, Bodrov is quick to pass the praise onto his cast and crew. He shares: “It’s not only my vision; I had amazing people around me, like Dante Ferretti, Tom Sigel, Jackie West, John Dykstra, a wonderful story based on a great book and a fantastic cast. We took the story to another level, something fresh and original.” He pauses. “It’s a journey you take with others and if you have great people around you, you will be fine.”

“Seventh Son” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Feel the thrill of Star Cinema’s Feng Shui in XD: 4D Cinema

Cinema’s Feng Shui in XD: 4D Cinema

The newest addition to SM Cinema Mall of Asia’s Specialized Theatres – the XD: 4D Cinema is a new 4D experience with enormous in-theatre effects including snow, wind, water, scent, fog and strobe/lightings. It also has seat impactors, motion seats, seat vibrators and even a leg tickler to add a breathtaking fourth dimension experience.

In this year’s upcoming 40^th Metro Manila Film Festival, Star Cinema, in partnership with SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Inc. will feature its official entry and Feng Shui, at the XD: 4D Cinema in Mall of Asia. Feng Shui, to be shown on December 25, 2014, will be the first Filipino movie rendered in 4D.

In this highly anticipated second installment of the multi-million Feng Shui film franchise, everything comes in twos with the return of Feng Shui to the big-screen: it’s double the excitement with the awesome tandem of Kris Aquino and Coco Martin; its double the fright with the terrible return of “Lotus Feet;” and it’s double the heart-stopping horror as double luck and double misfortune will befall anyone who will dare to accept anything from the horrific bagua.

Watch the greatest horror movie in the history of Philippine cinema and engage your senses in complete cinematic experience at Mall of Asia’s XD: 4D Cinema!

“HOBBIT” FINALE CONQUERS GLOBAL BOX OFFICE, CROSSES $350-M MARK

Movie release material

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” charged to the top of the global box office, and has now earned more than $350 million. The film, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), is the conclusion to Peter Jackson’s acclaimed “The Hobbit” Trilogy based on the timeless classic by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The joint announcement was made December 21 by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema; Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Beginning with sold-out preview screenings in the U.S., the film has earned $90.63 million domestically. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” also expanded across the majority of international markets, taking in $105.5 million over the weekend. The international total stands at $265 million and counting.

Internationally, opening day showings for “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” were sold out, some weeks in advance, and thousands of fans waited in line to journey to Middle-earth one last time. In the Philippines, the film has already grossed an amazing P157.51-million after only ten days and is still the No.1 movie in its second week.

The film enjoyed the biggest opening day of year in a number of key markets, including Germany, Scandinavia and the director’s home country of New Zealand, where it had the widest release ever in that country. The film also became the biggest Warner Bros. opening in Russia, Serbia and Ukraine, and shot to #1 in Brazil and Mexico, where it went up against the final match of the Mexican Soccer League.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” also broke records for the biggest opening of all time in Sweden, Finland, Croatia and Czech Republic; and the biggest opening of the year in Spain, Germany, Russia, Holland, Switzerland, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The film is yet to open in a number of markets, including China on January 23, as well as Australia, Argentina, Iceland and Uruguay, as well as Poland and other Eastern European territories.

Additionally, the film set records in IMAX®, taking in $13.62 million on 360 domestic screens, marking the biggest December opening and the biggest opening for “The Hobbit” Trilogy. Internationally, the weekend total was $6.5 million on 217 IMAX screens for an international total of more than $15 million to date, including the biggest IMAX opening of all time in the UK, Germany and Austria.

In making the announcement, Emmerich stated, “For Peter Jackson, the adventure that began with his benchmark ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy has reached a high water mark with this incredible response to the epic finale of ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy. Along with our colleagues at Warner Bros. and MGM, we congratulate Peter on this exciting conclusion to his 16-year endeavor to bring this enduring saga to life for millions of moviegoers all over the world.”

Kroll stated, “We are very proud to have accompanied Peter Jackson and his remarkable team of collaborators on his hugely successful cinematic journey. The positive response of both critics and audiences to this final film in ‘The Hobbit’ Trilogy is a tribute to the talents of everyone who dedicated years to bringing these ambitious films to fruition, and we applaud them all on this tremendous success.”

Fellman said, “This is an extraordinary start for our final adventure in Middle-earth. We are excited by the enthusiasm of moviegoers, who have already made ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ a blockbuster, and this is just the beginning. We expect word of mouth to continue to drive the box office through the holiday season and well into the new year.”

Kwan Vandenberg noted, “This is a timeless story that speaks to audiences all over the world, and the anticipation for the Trilogy’s electrifying finale has yielded tremendous results. Everywhere it’s opened, the film has seen huge debuts, strong holds and amazing buzz, and the momentum will only build as we move into 2015.”

In all releasing markets, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” surpassed the #1 openings of the two preceding films in the Trilogy, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” which were released a year apart, starting in December 2012, with the first going on to earn more than a billion dollars worldwide and the second earning upwards of $950 million.

Showing through the holiday season in IMAX and 4DX cinemas, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

BUDDY COMEDY “GET HARD” GETS FIRST TRAILER

Warner Bros. Pictures has just released the first trailer of the Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart comedy “Get Hard”. The movie also stars rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris, Alison Brie, and Craig T. Nelson.

In the film, when millionaire hedge fund manager James King (Ferrell) is nailed for fraud and bound for a stretch in prison, the judge gives him 30 days to get his affairs in order. Desperate, he turns to Darnell Lewis (Hart) to prep him for a life behind bars. But despite James’ one-percenter assumptions, Darnell is a hard-working small business owner who has never received a parking ticket, let alone been to prison.

Together, the two men do whatever it takes for James to “get hard” and, in the process, discover how wrong they were about a lot of things – including each other.

The film is directed by Etan Cohen, making his feature directorial debut following a successful writing career, with credits including “Tropic Thunder.” The screenplay is by Jay Martel & Ian Roberts and Etan Cohen, story by Adam McKay and Jay Martel & Ian Roberts. Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, and Chris Henchy are the producers, with Kevin Messick, Jessica Elbaum and Ravi Mehta serving as executive producers.

The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Tim Suhrstedt (“Little Miss Sunshine”); production designer Maher Ahmad (“The Hangover Part III”); editor Michael Sale (“We’re the Millers”); and costume designer Shay Cunliffe (“The Bourne Legacy”).

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Gary Sanchez Production, “Get Hard” will open across the Philippines in April 2015 and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

AMERICAN SNIPER Main Trailer Aims Online

Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have just released the main trailer of director Clint Eastwood new thriller “American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper. 

        In the film, U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle (Cooper) is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms.  His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and, as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.”  However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines,

putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents.

        Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, becoming emblematic of the SEAL creed to “leave no man behind.”  But upon returning home, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.

        A two-time Oscar® nominee for his work in “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle,” Cooper heads the cast, which also includes Sienna Miller (HBO’s “The Girl”), Jake McDorman, Luke Grimes, Navid Negahban, Keir O’Donnell, Cory Hardrict, and Erik Ladin.

        Oscar®-winning filmmaker Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”) is directing “American Sniper” from a screenplay by Jason Hall, based on the book by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwan.  The autobiography was a runaway bestseller, spending 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 13 of those at number one.

        “American Sniper” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Blogcon Exclusive with Richard Yap about The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin

How was it doing comedy for the first time?

It was fun in the set. I am willing to do it again.

You play Gen. Wilson Chua in the movie. Have you been in military training or enlisted?

I was a Tech Sergeant during my CAT.

How was working with Vice, Alex, Kean, Bimby and Direk Wenn?

It is my first time to work with them. Direk Wenn is face-phased. You need to memorize lots of lines at a very limited time. Bimby is a nice kid and very professional.

How do you feel about the humor of the movie? 

I admit doing comedy is new to me since I used to TV drama and the punchlines can be below the belt but as long as it is relevant. But despite the punchlines, there are still lessons that can be drawn from the movie like family love, love for country, and humility.

Now that you have done comedy, what other types of roles do you like to do? 

I would like to do action. Specifically, like James Bond or Taken spy/thriller stories.

Richard Yap was just recently named Best Foreign Actor in a a Drama Series in Vietnam's Green Star Awards for Please Be Careful With My Heart and Jodie Sta. Maria for Best Actress. He admit he thought it was not true since he just heard it from the social networks.

Watch Richard Yap joins Vice Ganda in The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin. Directed by Wenn Derama. Also stars, Alex Gonzaga, Kean Cipriano, Bimby Aquino-Yap, Tom Rodriguez, Nikki Valdez, Vandolph, Ricky Rivero, Al Tantay, Malou de Guzman and more. Distributed and released by Star Cinema and Viva Films. For blogcon coverage, follow this blog or like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

“THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU” ARRIVES WITH U.S. CRITICAL ACCLAIM

Press release

Variety's resident film reviewer Scott Foundas writes, “`This Is Where I Leave You' is a sprawling ensemble dramedy that starts out like a full-tilt sitcom and gradually migrates to a place of genuine feeling. Repping a concerted effort by `Night at the Museum' and `Cheaper by the Dozen' helmer Shawn Levy to spread his wings beyond the gilded cage of family-friendly tentpoles, this alternately manic and mawkish adaptation of Jonathan Tropper’s 2009 novel aims for `Terms of Endearment' territory and ends up somewhere closer to a Semitic `August: Osage County.' But a tremendous ensemble cast gives the pic a significant boost, especially when they’re allowed to act rather than merely act out.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Continues Foundas, “[A]round the halfway mark, the movie quits trying quite so hard to make you love it and takes on a more nuanced, lifelike countenance. After setting up so many pat, obvious conflicts, Tropper’s screenplay then works through them in a somewhat less obvious fashion. The characters actually end up having to make some hard choices.”

Meanwhile, Betsy Sharkey of Los Angeles Times recommends that she “[C]an't think of a family I'd rather sit shiva with than the Altmans of `This Is Where I Leave You.' They bury their father with the right mix of tears and unearthed resentments, and they take the blows life hands them seriously enough but in stride. As if they are nothing special..This is exactly the charm of Jonathan Tropper's novel on which the comedy/drama is based.”

For his part, Newday's Rafer Guzman applauds, “Shawn Levy's new film, `This Is Where I Leave You,' checks off so many Hollywood boxes that you might suspect it of blatant pandering. Star-studded cast? Check. Based on best-selling novel? Check. Drama, romance, humor and pathos, all set against that instantly identifiable backdrop, the American suburb? Check, check and check.

“Despite or perhaps because of all that, `This Is Where I Leave You' works marvelously. Written by Jonathan Tropper from his novel about a dysfunctional Jewish family sitting shiva for its patriarch, [the film] is the year's first real crowd pleaser, a comedy-drama that presses all the right buttons but does so with intelligence and skill. It's not too heavy, not too light -- just right for a grown-up night at the movies.

Finally, Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter praises, “You laugh in spite of yourself in `This Is Where I Leave You,' a potty-mouthed comedy with enough exasperation, aggravations, long-standing grievances and get-me-outta-here moments of family stress to strike a chord with anyone who’s ever had to endure large clan gatherings that might have lasted a bit too long. The fact that many people will find something or someone to identify with here, even if they don’t have a mother with big new boobs prone to talking about sex most of the time the way Jane Fonda does here, should make Shawn’s Levy’s first R-rated comedy a much-needed hit for Warner Bros. Levy’s orchestration of the mayhem is silky smooth.”

The dramatic comedy “This is Where I Leave You” is directed by Shawn Levy, and based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper. It features a starring ensemble cast, including Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and Jane Fonda.

When their father passes away, four grown siblings, 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. Confronting their history and the frayed states of their relationships among the people who know and love them best, they ultimately reconnect in hysterical and emotionally affecting ways amid the chaos, humor, heartache and redemption that only families can provide—driving us insane even as they remind us of our truest, and often best, selves.

“This is Where I Leave You” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

FINAL “HOBBIT” FILM OPENS AT NO. 1, GROSSES P72-M IN JUST 3 DAYS

Movie release material

MANILA, Dec. 16, 2014 – The Philippines bade farewell to Middle-earth with a heartfelt send-off as “The Battle of the Five Armies” – the final film in “The Hobbit” trilogy -- hauled a stunning P72-million opening gross at the nationwide box-office in only three days.

This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines which locally distributed the film.

“Battle” debuted on Friday, Dec. 12 which meant it had only a three-day opening weekend, yet the film managed to overcome this setback and still captured 65 percent of the market for a No.1 bow.

The Peter Jackson-directed saga also established several records, among them the Biggest Opening Day for a Warner Bros. film this year (ahead of “Godzilla”), Biggest Opening Day and Biggest 3-Day-Weekend for a “Hobbit” or “Lord of the Rings” franchise film.

The fantastic opening in the Philippines reflected the film's phenomenal debut at the foreign box office this weekend, picking up a massive $117.6 million in 38 foreign territories, including such major markets as Japan, Russia and Mexico. It opens in the U.S. on Dec. 17 yet.

Among the notable territories, Germany accounted for $19.5 million, the United Kingdom contributed $15.2 million, France added $14.5 million, and Russia amassed $13.4 million, ranking as the biggest Warner Bros. opening ever in the country.

Back in the Philippines, “Battle” reeled off in 296 screens, with SM Mall of Asia garnering for the highest receipts at P3.92-M, followed by SM North EDSA (P3.35-M) and SM Megamall (P3.26-M).

Trinoma clinched the fourth slot with P2.56-M, followed by SM Cebu (P2.21-M), Glorietta 4 (P2-M), SM Aura (P1.75-M), Bonifacio High Street (P1.63-M), Greenbelt 3 (P1.61-M) and Ayala Cebu (P1.59-M).

The 11^th to 20^th places are occupied by Power Plant (P1.49-M), Gateway (P1.45-M), SM Southmall (P1.34-M), Shang Cineplex (P1.30-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.28-M), SM Clark (P1.23-M), Eastwood (P1.06-M), Theatremall (P1.03-M), Gaisano Davao (P1.01-M) and Newport (P 981,180).

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. The Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the vast wealth of their homeland, but now must face the consequences of having unleashed the terrifying Dragon, Smaug, upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

As he succumbs to dragon-sickness, the King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, sacrifices friendship and honor in his search for the legendary Arkenstone. Unable to help Thorin see reason, Bilbo is driven to make a desperate and dangerous choice, not knowing that even greater perils lie ahead. An ancient enemy has returned to Middle-earth. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide—unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends as five great armies go to war.

Now playing across the Philippines in theaters and IMAX®, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.