IMAX at SM Cinema Rocks your World in Bohemian Rhapsody

Press release

IMAX at SM Cinema will rock your world as it takes you to the life of one of the world’s most beloved musicians and entertainers of all time in upcoming film Bohemian Rhapsody!

Considered as one of the legends of the musical world, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek), the lead singer and front man of British rock band, Queen, was once just an aspiring singer. In his quest to stardom, he went through countless rejections and disappointments. But against all odds, together with his bandmates, Brian May (Gwilym Lee), Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), and John Deacon (Joseph Mazzello), we see the meteoric rise of the now legendary band that changed the musical landscape forever.

Get ready for an unforgettable cinematic and musical experience as Bohemian Rhapsody has been digitally remastered for The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. With topnotch equipment and high-quality audiovisuals, you can feel the rush and excitement of being in a live Queen concert.

Catch Bohemian Rhapsody starting October 31 at any SM Cinema branch near you. Book your tickets through the website, www.smcinema.com or download the SM Cinema mobile app.  You may also follow /SMCinema on Facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram for updates!

Concert Organizers WillBros Produced Their First Movie

Concert events organizer WillBros produced their first movie production “Nakalimutan Ko Nang Kalimutan Ka” starring Alex Gonzaga, Vin Abrenica, Jerald Napoles and Candy Pangilinan. This happens to be the first film directed by Fifth Solomon. You may remember him as a Pinoy Big Brother housemate.

For the WillBros, taking on the movie business is something new and they plan to show rom-com movies because rom-com is the most watched genre in Philippine cinema especially in mainstream. Unlike any mainstream movie, it also elevates independent movie actor and thespian Jerald Napoles to a supporting character in the story.

For first time director Fifth Solomon, he already eyed Alex as the main character of the movie when he first wrote it and he was glad that she agreed. The WillBros also plan to join any movie festival when they got a material.

WHY WE FILIPINOS FIND PINOY ROM-COMs MEMORABLE

Romantic Comedy flicks or Rom-Com is the usual movie genre we see in our local movie industry. What draws us to watch Rom-Com flicks and what compels the movie makers to make more? Here are the reasons why we love Pinoy Rom-Com flicks:

Starting Over Again BlogCon

The tandem / love team: Everyone has a favorite movie pair or what we locally call love team. It makes the movie marketable because they have the fans’ support. It takes more than looking good to entice the fans. It also needs onscreen chemistry to make sure the audience will feel the romance among the pair. The fans are not easily fooled. So if they can’t feel the romance, the movie’s an epic fail. Some of memorable examples of a good tandem were Claudine Barretto and the late Rico Yan in the movie “Got To Believe”; Marvin Agustin and Jolina Magdangal in “Hey, Babe”; and the Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz tandem in their Rom-Com trilogy (A Very Special Love, You Change My Life, It Takes A Man And AWoman)

Quotable lines: A good Pinoy Rom-Com flick has the unforgettable lines that will be memorable for weeks to come. It all depends on the mind of the screenwriter or screenwriters to immortalize his or her script make a Rom-Com memorable. It took a lot of research or writing skills to gather all these pick-up lines. One memorable Rom-Com flick that has lots of quotable lines is from the movie, “My Amnesia Girl”. It has a list of pick-up lines that is so cheesy but you can’t help but laugh every time.

Scenic locations: Rom-Coms are also memorable because of locations that make the audience want to go to these travel destinations like the movie, “That Thing Called Tadhana”. It features the travel destinations in Northern Luzon. Recently, I watched “A Day Before Valentines” that shows different locations in the island of Lanai, one of the Hawaiian Islands.

Pinoy Rom-Coms are good to watch all year round: During the season of Lent or Holy Week, local broadcast channels on free TV is either showing programs relating to Holy Week or they showing wholesome movies and some of these movies are Pinoy Rom-Com flicks. A friend told me that she watched “My Bestfriend’s Girlfriend” many times on a Holy Week.

The most memorable moment of all in a Pinoy Rom-Com flic is how the captive audience can relate to the movie: Movies like “That Thing Called Tadhana” and “Starting Over Again” are one of the memorable movies that made their audience cry because most recall the pain of breaking up and moving on.

Our Pinoy Romantic comedy flicks can be compared to its Hollywood counterparts. It’s just as intelligent and entertaining to watch and both have the same standard and level of creativity. Maybe, one day, Hollywood will start adapting our Rom-Com to their audience. This is written by someone who used to think that romantic comedies are too girly and guys should only watch action flicks.

ERIK MATTI’S BUYBUST TO OPEN THE 14TH CINEMALAYA

Press release

ACTION Thriller “BuyBust” will open the 14th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival on August 3, at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater). The opening film will be screened at 7 p.m., following the opening program at 6 p.m.

Directed by Erik Matti, the film follows rookie police officer Nina Manigan who joins the anti-narcotic elite squad. Soon, two teams are deployed to conduct a buy-bust operation in the slums of Manila. Realizing that the mission is poorly executed, the anti-narcotic squad finds themselves trapped by a gang of slum settlers and needs to fight their way out to escape.

Co-produced by Reality Entertainment and Viva Films, "BuyBust" is deemed as one of the most ambitious first full-on action films in recent local cinema history. With a budget of over ₱80 million, the film employed more than 300 stuntmen and utilized over 250,000 grams of gunpowder.

Production began in 2016, with the filming lasting 56 days starting in March 2017. The film premiered on June 29, 2018 at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) and was the festival's closing feature film.

The film is topbilled by actress Anne Curtis who played the lead role, and MMA fighter Brandon Vera. Completing the cast are Victor Neri, Arjo Atayde, Nonie Buencamino, Lao Rodriguez, Alex Calleja, Levi Ignacio, Ricky Pascua, Joross Gamboa, Sheenly Gener, Mara Lopez, AJ Muhlach, Tarek El Tayech, Maddie Martinez, Nafa Hilario, Ian Ignacio, and Mikey Alcaraz.

The screening of “BuyBust” will be invitational, with limited tickets available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. The tickets will be distributed on August 3, starting at 2 pm, at the CCP Little Theater Lobby.

Cinemalaya, the country's biggest indie film festival in the Philippines, will run from August 3 to 12, at various venues of the CCP and selected Ayala Mall Cinemas. It is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc., the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Ayala Malls Cinemas. Established in 2005, the film festival aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.

Following the theme "Wings of Vision," this year's Cinemalaya features 10 full-length films and 10 short films in the Main Competition section, vying for the major awards.

There are also the festival's mainstays: Dokyu, the documentary section; Best of the Festivals, which showcases the best films from local festivals; Indie Nation, a special section featuring independent films; Visions of Asia, featuring award-winning Asian and NETPAC films. There will also be a showcase of the final projects of the Directing and Production Management workshops under the 4th Cinemalaya Institute.

Cinemalaya and Nespresso also partnered to bring the Nespresso Vertical Short Competition. Following the theme “Pagmamalasakit (Empathy),” the vertical shorts competition seeks to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.

There will also be a tribute to Maryo J. Delos Reyes through a special screening of his best films “Bagets” and “Magnifico”; and to Bernardo Bernardo by showing “Manila by Night” by Ishmael Bernal. Retrospective section will feature the 2017 Cinemalaya Best Film “Respeto” by Treb Monteras, and “Baconaua” by Joseph Israel Laban who won Best Director.

On its 30th edition, the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, considered the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in the ASEAN region, will once again harvest the best of the best, with films competing in various categories such as Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary and Animation. Pre-selected entries will be screened on August 4-6 at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater).

The Cinemalaya Campus, a major component of Cinemalaya, is slated on August 7 & 8 at the Silangan Hall. The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be held on August 12, 2018 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

For more information, visit www.cinemalaya.org, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph, or Cinemalaya Facebook page. You may also call CCP Media Arts at 832-1125 local 1704 to 1705. For ticket inquiries, call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704.

CCP PRESENTS THE 14TH CINEMALAYA THIS AUGUST

Press release

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation are set to roll out the red carpet for the 14th edition of the country's biggest independent film festival, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, on August 3 to 12, 2018, at various venues of the CCP and selected Ayala Cinemas.

The 2018 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival promises to deliver the best visual storytelling to every film enthusiast. Judging by this year's line-up of full-length films and short features, there is something that will surely capture the audience's imagination.

Following the theme “Wings of Vision,” this year's Cinemalaya will screen 10 full-length films, all competing for the grand awards. The competing full-length entries are: “Distance” by Percival Intalan; “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon (Waiting for Sunset)” by Carlo Enciso Catu; “Kuya Wes” by James Robin Mayo; “Liway” by Kip Oebanda; “Mamang” by Denise O'Hara; “ML” by Benedicto Mique Jr.; “Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma (Unless the Water is Safer than the Land)” by Iar Lionel Arondaing; “Pan De Salawal (The Sweet taste of Salter Bread and Undies)” by Che Espiritu; “School Service” by Luisito Lagdameo Ignacio; and, “The Lookout” by Afi Africa.

On its 14th run, there will be 10 short films, including: “Babylon” by Keith Deligero; “Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month” by Carlo Francisco Manatad; “Kiko” by Jojo Driz; “Logro” Kani Villaflor; “Nangungupahan (Who Rents There Now?)” by Glenn Barit; “Sa Saiyang Isla (In His Island)” by Christian Candelaria; “Si Astri maka Si Tambulah (Astri and Tambulah)” by Xeph Suarez; “Siyudad sa Bulawan (City of Gold)” by Jarell Serencio; “Yakap” by Mika Fabella and Rafael Froilan Jr.; and, “You, Me and Mr. Wiggles” by Jav Velasco.

Audiences will continue to enjoy the festival's mainstays: Dokyu, the documentary section; Best of the Festivals, which showcases the best films from local festivals; Indie Nation, a special section featuring independent films; Visions of Asia, featuring award-winning Asian and Netpac films. There will also be a showcase of the final projects of the Directing and Production Management workshops under the 4^thCinemalaya Institute.

Cinemalaya will pay tribute to Maryo J. Delos Reyes through a special screening of his best films “Bagets” and “Magnifico”; and to Bernardo Bernardo by showing “Manila by Night” by Ishmael Bernal. Retrospective section will feature the 2017 Cinemalaya Best Film “Respeto” by Treb Monteras, and “Baconaua” by Joseph Israel Laban who won Best Director.

On its 30th edition, the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, considered the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in the ASEAN region, will once again harvest the best of the best, with films competing in various categories such as Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary and Animation. Pre-selected entries will be screened on August 4-6 at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater).

The Cinemalaya Campus, a major component of Cinemalaya, is slated on August 7 & 8 at the Silangan Hall. The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be held on August 12, 2018 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

Since 2005, Cinemalaya has continued to discover, encourage and support the cinematic works of upcoming and veteran Filipino filmmakers who boldly articulate and freely interpret the Philippine experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.

To date, Cinemalaya has supported and promoted the production of Filipino full feature independent films and short films. Many of these films have won awards in local and international competitions and festivals. Through the annual festival, Cinemalaya has showcased over 1,000 works by independent filmmakers including full feature films, shorts, documentaries, Filipino film classics, and art films.

For more information about Cinemalaya, visit www.cinemalaya.org, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and the Cinemalaya Facebook page or CCP Media Arts at telephone number 832-1125 local 1704 & 1712 and the CCP Box Office at 832-3704.

Cinemalaya 2018

Last year's Cinemalaya was my first. I only saw CCP very crowded during Pasinaya and Virgin Labfest. It can be compared to the first week of MMFF but the only difference here is the gala screening when you can meet the cast and directors of the featured movie.

Cinemalaya is the pioneer in independent movie festival that gave birth to more. What's good about it that it compliments and honors other indie movie festivals that followed. Last year's Cinemalaya also gave me access to the awards night which I am really honored to bear witness. My mother told me that her's batchmate from high school and family are coming to town just because of Cinemalaya.

Cinemalaya brings a different experience to movie goers. It helps the viewers think. Because the mainstream movie productions are too restrained and commercialized. The independent movies are waking the audience's minds. During a Cinemalaya, audiences react at the movies and they learn to discuss with the cast and directors critically.

The full length Cinemalaya entries are the following: Distance, Kung Paano Hinihintay

ang Dapithapon, Kuya Wes, Liway, Mamang, ML, Musmos na Sumibol Sa Gubat Digma, Pan De Salawal, School Service, and The Lookout. I am lloking forward to ML, Pan de Salawal, School Service and The Lookout. Look at my Youtube upload for the trailers.

When I uploaded the trailers on Youtube, I had wonderful responses. Among the comments, ML is the what they are looking forward to. As last year's winning entry, Cinemalaya brings back Respeto. Aside from the short features, Cinemalaya honors Bernardo Bernardo(+) and director Maryo J. de los Reyes with the screening of Bagets, Magnifico and Manila By Night.

Cinemalaya also features a new entry. A short length features done in mobile devices format. This is entirely new because almost all have at least one owned mobile device. Cinemalaya begins August 3 and will close the festival on August 12.

For more updates about Cinemalaya and CCP, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

"Johnny English Strikes Again" Official First Trailer

Press release

UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES

“JOHNNY ENGLISH STRIKES AGAIN” IN HILARIOUS FIRST TRAILER

British intelligence has changed. But Johnny English plays by his own rules. Watch the first trailer of the spy comedy Johnny English Strikes Again which has just been released Universal Pictures.

Official Poster

YouTube: https://youtu.be/axwia-tUGrU

Johnny English Strikes Again is the third installment of the Johnny English comedy series, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the much loved accidental secret agent. The new adventure begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, leaving Johnny English as the secret service’s last hope. Called out of retirement, English dives head first into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker. As a man with few skills and analog methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.

Johnny English Strikes Again stars Rowan Atkinson, Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Emma Thompson and Jake Lacy. Directed by David Kerr, the frilm is written by William Davies and produced by

Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Chris Clark.

In Philippine cinemas soon, Johnny English Strikes Again is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

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HIT COMEDY “PATAY NA SI HESUS” SHOWN IN US AND CANADA

Press release

MANILA, April 5, 2017 – The mad, family roadtrip from Cebu is driving all the way to North America!

The most critically acclaimed Filipino comedy film of 2017, T-Rex Entertainment's “Patay Na Si Hesus” marks its foreign exhibition as it arrives in US and Canada theaters starting Friday, April 6.

Fans and moviegoers in North America may refer to the infographic below for the list of participating cinemas. Please check out the venues' official websites for screening details.

The sleeper hit of last year's Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino where it won the Jury Prize, “Patay Na Si Hesus” is a quirky, Cebuano-language satirical comedy that chronicles a family's memorable roadtrip en route to a funeral they cannot afford to miss.

In the film, when Iyay (Jaclyn Jose, 69th Cannes Film Festival Best Actress) learns that Hesus, her ex-husband, has died, she gathers her children and tells them they are going on a road trip from Cebu City to Dumaguete. No ifs or buts about it: they are attending their father's funeral. Her children – Hubert (Vincent Viado), who has Down Syndrome; Jude (Chai Fonacier), a lovesick trans man; and Jay (Melde Montanez), who is living the bum life - join her with varying degrees of reluctance as she drives them in her extra-mini mini-van. One unplanned detour comes after another, each pushing this family closer to confronting the past and figuring out how to enjoy the ride to an uncertain future.

Directed by Victor Villanueva, “Patay Na Si Hesus” is written by Fatrick Tabada and Moira Lang, and produced by Lang and Bianca Balbuena.

The film premiered as an entry to 2016’s QCinema Film Festival and went on to win the festival's Audience Choice Award.

Witness the power of faith in “Paul, Apostle of Christ” Exclusively in SM Cinema

Press release

This Lenten season, witness the all-too-real story of “Paul, Apostle of Christ,” at SM Cinema.

Purveyed in the perspective of the Apostle Luke, the film depicts Paul in the midst of a brutal Roman campaign against religion, persecuting all those who share the faith and preach the word of the Lord through the most gruesome methods ever devised.

Paul, is held prisoner and sentenced to death by Roman Emperor Nero. Luke, risks his life to visit him and there decides to write another text containing the beginnings of “The Way” and the start of what will later be known as the Church.

Chained and confined in the infamous Mamertine Prison, under the command of the hateful Prefect Mauritius Gallas, Paul introspects, realizing the tribulations he underwent: countless floggings, starvation, stoning, hunger and thirst. Now, as he waits for certain death alone in the dark, shadows of his past misdeeds haunt him and he wonders if he will be able to finish the race well.

The two Apostles struggle against the weakness of humanity and one of Christianity’s grueling oppressions in order to spread the Gospel of Jesus and keep the faith as a beacon of hope to all the believers across the land.

“When I think of God's grace and mercy and who's the one embodiment of that, it's always Paul to me. Somebody who goes from basically the greatest persecutor of early Christians into the greatest evangelist in all of church history,” Writer and Director Andrew Hyatt shared.

Starring Jim Caviezel as Luke, French actor Olivier Martinez as Mauritius Gallas and Game of Thrones Alumnus James Faulkner in the titular role, “Paul, Apostle of Christ” will be exclusively screened at SM Cinema theatres nationwide starting March 23.

Book your tickets now through the website, www.smcinema.com or skip the line by downloading the SM Cinema app now through the App Store and Google Play. Stay tuned to SM Cinema on Facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram for more details.  

Jeremy Renner Introduces the First Trailer of New Comedy "Tag"

Press release

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

JEREMY RENNER INTRODUCES THE FIRST TRAILER OF NEW COMEDY “TAG”

Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms and Jon Hamm play an impromptu game of tag as they introduce the outrageous official trailer 1 of New Line Cinema's upcoming comedy “Tag.”

Check out the trailer at the links below and watch “Tag” in Philippine cinemas soon.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warnerbrosphils/videos/2013519342010930/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/x23la8B_9zQ

Based on a true story, the New Line Cinema comedy “Tag” shows how far some guys will go to be the last man standing.

For one month every year, five highly competitive friends hit the ground running in a no-holds-barred game of tag they’ve been playing since the first grade—risking their necks, their jobs and their relationships to take each other down with the battle cry: “You’re It!”

This year, the game coincides with the wedding of their only undefeated player, which should finally make him an easy target. But he knows they’re coming…and he’s ready.

“Tag” is directed by Jeff Tomsic (Comedy Central’s “Broad City”), with a starring ensemble cast led by Ed Helms (The “Hangover” movies), Jake Johnson (TV’s “New Girl”), Annabelle Wallis (“The Mummy”), Rashida Jones (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”), Isla Fisher (“Now You See Me”), Leslie Bibb (“Iron Man 2”), Hannibal Buress (“Neighbors”), with Jon Hamm (“Baby Driver,” TV’s “Mad Men”) and Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker, “The Town”).

The “Tag” screenplay was written by Rob McKittrick (“Waiting”) and Mark Steilen (TV’s “Mozart in the Jungle”), screen story by Mark Steilen, and based on the Wall Street Journal article entitled “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It,” by Russell Adams. The film is produced by Todd Garner and Mark Steilen, with executive producers Hans Ritter, Richard Brener, Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter.

A New Line Cinema presentation, “Tag” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

SM Cinema Hosted The Premiere Screening of “Santa Clarita Diet” Season 2

Press release

Are you ready for seconds? Fans of Netflix’s hit series Santa Clarita Diet are in for a treat as SM Cinema hosts the premiere screening of the second season’s pilot episode.

Held last March 12 at SM Megamall, Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant themselves were walking the red carpet. Booths and activities were available for the fans to enjoy such as a fun 120-degree photo booth.

While shows about the undead are nothing new these days, this Netflix series stands out for its funny spin on the zombie outbreak genre. Starring Golden Globe award winner Drew Barrymore and Primetime Emmy Award winner Timothy Olyphant, Santa Clarita Diet is comedy-horror series that is laugh-out-loud funny as it explores the struggle of living life as a flesh-eating zombie in suburbia.  Season 2 takes us back to the life of Sheila Hammond and her family as she struggles with her now more advanced and more aggressive undead state. With the help of her husband, Joel, and their daughter, Abby, they try to discover the origins of the virus to keep it from spreading and to save humanity – all the while trying to maintain a normal life.

Keeping true to its promise to bring the on-screen to life, SM Cinema welcomes the Netflix series, bringing the big stars closer to the Filipinos.

Book your seat to a movie, or book the theatre for your event. Log on to www.smcinema.com or skip the line and download the SM Cinema app now through the App store or Google Play. For more information follow /SMCinema on facebook and @SM_Cinema on Instagram. The Santa Clarita Diet Season 2 premieres on Netflix this March 23, 2018.

JASON BATEMAN IN "GAME NIGHT"

PRESS RELEASE

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

JASON BATEMAN, THE UNDISPUTED MASTER OF “GAME NIGHT”

Max owns game night. Pick the contest, set the timer and watch him roll. It’s what made him irresistible to Annie the night fate brought them together: two razor-sharp players joining forces to wipe out a bar full of trivia hopefuls who didn’t know the meaning of the word cutthroat. Now married, they host a regular couples’ night to hang with their like-minded friends, break out the scorecards and have some fun.

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

Comedy actor Jason Bateman (Zootopia, Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief) stars as Max in New Line Cinema's Game Night.

In Game Night, Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie, whose weekly couples game night gets kicked up a notch when Max’s charismatic brother, Brooks, arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and faux federal agents. So, when Brooks gets kidnapped, it’s all part of the game…right? But as the six uber-competitive gamers set out to solve the case and win, they begin to discover that neither this “game”—nor Brooks—are what they seem to be.

“It’s a real popcorn movie,” states Bateman, who also served as a producer on the film. “There’s a lot of action and nighttime intrigue and, of course, you’ve got the comedy all the way through which makes it fun. There’s even a little romance.”

Addressing the relatability of an evening that starts with promise and then goes horribly, hilariously off the rails, he concedes, “I’m sure I’ve had my fair share of nights that have gone south. And I think all of us have had some experience getting together with friends and playing games. But it’s the escalation that happens here, when it gets out of the house and into the streets, that kicks everything up to another level.”

Bateman’s producing partner, James Garavente, recalls their reaction to the initial pitch. “We loved the cool concept; it really grabbed us. We knew the script was funny, and we felt it should be grounded and not look overtly like a comedy, so the question was only how to get this great mix. What directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein did, which was genius, was take it a step further with all these thriller tropes, and camera movements that heighten a sense of action and danger.”

Game Night is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

LADY BIRD movie review

Reasons why I like Lady Bird:

*Inclusivity. The title character is a young teenage girl. She is spirited and is like she can take on the world. Sometimes, the protagonists are rebels. Coincidently, it opens a week before International Women’s’ Day.

 

Photo credit: Universal Pictures

* It is not your typical teenage movie. It diverts from the usual wholesome, mainstream, teenage movies. It requires a mature audience to appreciate this movie. It also tackles sex issues among teenagers as well as handling relationships within the family.

*Some comedy punch lines may be offensive to conservative Christians. I am glad I am not conservative even though I go to church every Sunday.

*Saoirse Ronan is nominated for best actress. Not all young girls get nominated for the Oscars along with the veteran actresses.

* The characters made a mark in the movie individually. You will be amused with the variety of characteristics and they contribute well in the story.

*It is well cast. Not all are popular like Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf (better known as Sheldon Cooper’s mom in The Big Bang Theory) but the cast performed their roles well.

*It also stars Timothee Chalamet, another Oscar nominee for Best Actor for the movie, Call Me By Your Name.

Lady Bird is an Ayala Cinema exclusive. Released by Universal Pictures and distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures. For more quality movie reviews without copy-paste press materials, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

SAOIRSE RONAN IN “LADY BIRD”

Press release

UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES

 SAOIRSE RONAN, FUNNY AND HEARTBREAKING IN “LADY BIRD” 

She earned Academy Award nominations for her exceptional performances in Atonement and Brooklyn.  Now, Saoirse Ronan is up for another Best Actress Oscar for Universal Pictures' Lady Bird which will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Trinoma, Greenebelt 1) starting February 28.

Photo credit: UIP

Directed by Greta Gerwig (herself nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay), Lady Bird also stars Laurie Metcalf (Best Supporting Actress nominee), Tracy Letts, Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet.

In Lady Bird, Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter.  Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after LadyBird's father (Letts) loses his job.

Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.

Asked how did she come to cast Ronan and what made her so perfect for the role of Lady Bird, Gerwig shares, “I met with Saoirse at the Toronto Film Festival in 2015 when she was there for Brooklyn. I sat in her hotel room and read the entire script out loud with her. As soon as I heard her say the words, I knew beyond a doubt that she was Lady Bird. It was so different and so much better than I had imagined. She was willful and funny and heartbreaking, both universal and specific. She was going into rehearsals for The Crucible on Broadway, so it meant pushing the film for six months, but there was no other person who could have done it, it was hers two minutes into the read.

Gerwig went on to further develop the character with Ronan.  “The process of creating a character is a collage art,” notes the writer-director. “Saoirse was acting on Broadway, and I would feed her little pieces bit by bit. I would give her a novel or a poem or a song or a photograph. As we cast more people, I would gather them for mini-rehearsals. I wanted the actors to start creating a magical bubble of make believe with each other.

“As we got deeper into rehearsal before filming, Saoirse and I spent hours talking together and hanging out so that by the time we were shooting, she would be the person I’d ask about what Lady Bird would wear in a particular scene or how she would walk or sit,” Gerwig concludes.  “Saoirse developed an entire physicality around the character that informed the way I wanted to photograph her, the rhythm of the shooting and the emotion.

Lady Bird is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.  Follow us on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/uipmoviesph/