JASON BATEMAN IN “OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY”

JASON BATEMAN, THE DESIGNATED ADULT IN ROWDY “OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY”

Attaining leading-man status in Hollywood in front of and behind the camera through such films as Zootopia, Identity Thief, The Switch and Horrible Bosses, Jason Bateman now stars in Paramount Pictures' holiday comedy Office Christmas Party.

Photo credit: UIP/Columbia Pictures

Morale is at an all-time low at Zenotek’s Chicago office after their pragmatic Interim CEO, Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) announces plans to shut down their underperforming branch days before Christmas. Realizing no mere Holiday party can lift the spirits of his employees, eccentric branch president (and Carol’s kid brother) Clay Vanstone (T.J. Miller) enlists the help of Chief Technical Officer Josh (Bateman), and Lead Systems Engineer Tracey (Olivia Munn) to make their own Christmas miracle by throwing an epic, unforgettably over-the-top Christmas party to win over a high profile client (Courtney B. Vance) and save everyone’s jobs.

When assembling the all-star cast of disgruntled office workers, Jason Bateman provided the first piece of the puzzle in the role of Josh, the office’s designated adult.

“Jason’s at his best when he’s at the center of outrageousness and he can react to what’s going on. It’s a skill very few actors have,” says director Will Speck. “Jason hits that sweet spot of having a grounded sense of comedy but isn’t afraid to look ridiculous,” adds director Josh Gordon.

Bateman and Aniston were Speck and Gordon’s first choice for their respective roles, having worked with both previously on 2010’s The Switch. Office Christmas Party marks Aniston’s fifth collaboration with Bateman and second with Speck and Gordon.

“Jen and Jason are very close friends,” says producer Scott Stuber. “They spend a lot of time together on and off camera, which results in their great chemistry. The relaxed, fluidity of their performance style really sets the tone for the whole cast.”

Opening across the Philippines on Dec. 07, Office Christmas Party is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

MTRCB TO CONDUCT ITS 4th FAMILY AND CHILD SUMMIT

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) will conduct its 4^thFamily and Child Summit on 03 December 2016 at 9:00 A.M., at the Siena Hall, Siena College-Quezon City.

The theme of this year’s summit is “Matalinong Panonood Tungo sa Pagsulong ng Kamalayan Para sa Katutubo.” This occasion aims to address issues on the cultural sensitivity on Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) in particular, and center on their active role and positive portrayal of IPs in media.

More particularly, the Family and Child Summit also seeks to strengthen the Filipino family by encouraging support for programs and films that espouse and cultivate cultural sensitivity of the society on IPs and ICCs.

Michael Bay Announces The Release of The new Transformers trailer

Press release

Director Michael Bay has announced that the first trailer for Paramount Pictures' Transformers: The Last Knight, will premiere in theaters on December 16 in front of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Bay took to social media to respond to fans’ questions about when they could expect the first good look at the fifth Transformers film.

Transformers: The Last Knight stars Mark Wahlberg, Laura Haddock, Anthony Hopkins, Isabela Moner, Stanley Tucci, John Goodman, John Turturro, and Josh Duhamel.

The most recent film in the franchise, 2014's “Transformers: Age of Extinction” grossed $1.1 billion worldwide.

Opening across the Philippines in June 21, 2017, “Transformers: The Last Knight” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Read my reaction blog post about it.

“FANTASTIC BEASTS” FINDS P126.42-M IN JUST 4 DAYS

Press release

MANILA, Nov. 22, 2016 – Magical creatures, new heroes to root for and a jaw-dropping big reveal lured audiences back  to a new era of magic.

 

"Fantastic Beasts" cast

The wizarding world of Harry Potter triumphantly returned to Philippine cinemas as Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (view review here)” opened at No.1 with a spellbinding P126.42-million in only four days for the Nov. 17-20 frame.  This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

The Harry Potter spinoff posted the Biggest November Opening Weekend for a Warner Bros. Film All-Time surpassing            2005’s “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’s” P105-million bow. 

The solid opening of “Fantastic Beasts” has launched a new franchise for Warner, justifying an expansion of the series into five films.  Reviews are generally positive.

In the U.S., “Fantastic Beasts” debuted to a boisterous $75 million, and likewise got off to a roaring start at the international box office, taking in $143.3 million for a global total of $218.3 million.

Next weekend will see big launches in the key markets of China and Japan. A projection towards the $800M mark seems possible if it holds up moderately well in coming weeks.

Back in the Philippines, top-grossing cinemas are led by SM Megamall (P5.56-M), SM Mall of Asia (P5.28-M) and SM North EDSA (P4.99-M).

They are followed by Trinoma (P4.22-M), Power Plant (P3.34-M), Greenbelt 3 (P3.17-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.44-M), SM Cebu (P2.33-M), Alabang Town Center (P2.23-M) and Shang Cineplex (P2.20-M).

Performing significantly well are Ayala Cebu (P2.13-M), Greenhills Theatremall (P2.08-M), SM Ilo-ilo (P2.06-M), SM Aura (P2.04-M), Gateway (P1.96-M), U.P. Town Center (P1.94-M), Uptown (P1.91-M), Bonifacio High Street (P1.87-M), Eastwood (P1.79-M) and SM Bacolod (P1.59-M) .

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything,” “The Danish Girl”) stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

 

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

           

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Press release: Enteng Kabisote and The Abangers

In the tradition of offering family-friendly fare, Vic Sotto and his Dabarkads are back for another blockbuster fantasy-adventure movie based on the well-loved Pinoy pop culture icon! Kids are in for a treat as Bossing reprises his beloved role as Enteng Kabisote in the latest instalment of the movie series titled:  Enteng Kabisote 10 and The Abangers.

The comedy-adventure movie follows the reluctant hero in his latest fantastical escapade.  Through hard work and determination, Enteng Kabisote has used his talent to “butingting everything” to become an ironworks and robotics magnate. Since his last adventure in Engkantasya, he has settled down to becoming a successful businessman, community leader, and a doting grandfather to his cute and bubbly grandchild Benokis, as his son Benok (Oyo Boy Sotto) tackles fatherhood and his duty as a law enforcer.  Little does he know that trouble is brewing and he will be called on once again to save the world.

Enteng’s nemesis is Kwak-kwak (played by Epi Quizon), a power-obsessed villain who was booted out from Engkantasya. He has the capability to control minds who has launched a virtual reality game that transmits his mind control to anyone who plays it. The villainous plot is helped along by Bibi, Kwak-kwak’s devoted second-in-command and Bibe, his moronic but useful sibling, along with A1/ALLAN & A2/ALLAINE, the two creators of the viral game app which Kwak-Kwak uses as a channel to spread his psychic powers to control humankind.

To defeat Kwak-kwak and restore order in the real world, Enteng calls upon a team of misfits, who form his Abangers team. They are individuals who have unusual special powers and have been waiting for a long time to put these powers into good use.  The Abangers are actually OEWs (overseas engkantasya workers), whose powers Kwak-kwak needs to harness in order to fulfill his nefarious mission.

On his team, Enteng has three inimitable sisters: Nidora (Wally Bayola), a fierce but values-centric granny who possesses an equally fierce loud voice called "The Incredible Voice"; Tinidora (Jose Manalo), who has very quick reflexes and engaging dance moves called "The Flash Dance", and Tidora (Paolo Ballesteros), a flirtatious hot granny who channels her hot flashes to other persons through her stare. They are joined by Remy or “The Mister Iron", a tour guide and family guy who can seemingly flatten any tangible materials, Oring, a spunky female fortune teller in Quiapo who can perfectly predict anyone’s future but only for a span of two minutes, Lucas, a muscled handsome guy from Tondo who possesses incredible strength and a high pitched voice, and Bistika, a standup gay comedian who can perfectly blend himself with his surroundings -- while doing some pakganern splits!

Will Enteng and the Abangers be able to save the world? Moviegoers can find out in theaters on November 30, 2016. The movie is directed by Marlon Rivera and Tony Y. Reyes, and produced by OctoArts Films, M-Zet Productions and APT Entertainment.

BRAD PITT IN “ALLIED”

Press release

BRAD PITT PLAYS A HUSBAND LEFT OUT IN THE COLD IN “ALLIED”

Now, in Paramount Pictures' gripping romantic thriller Allied, Pitt plays Max Vatan, a man of action expected to act against his wife, a man caught in a trap between his undying love and his duty to a country fighting for a freer world.

Photo courtesy of UIP

In the film, Max Vatan has been trained by the British SOE to be intrepid, coldly focused and silently deadly. He knows exactly how much to show of himself and what to omit. He can leave behind his Canadian upbringing at a moment’s notice and assume any identity. And yet, nothing in his training prepares him for what he goes through when he meets the woman known as Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) in Casablanca. They are supposed to be a temporary, pretend couple – but even though Max’s cautious head tells him not to get involved, his heart cannot help but be magnetized to Marianne, with her vivacious wit and probing questions. As they turn, against all odds, from make-believe couple to real one, the line between their false identities and the real truth threatens them more than any mission they have yet survived.

Pitt had all the qualities the role demanded, says director Robert Zemeckis, but he also brought unexpected shadings. “Brad is always such a compelling actor to watch with his remarkable screen presence. But here he does something tricky – carving out a portrait of a man who goes from a dashing secret operative to a man experiencing profound confusion and emotional anguish as he faces the first real threat to everything that means something to him. Brad really, really rose to the occasion with his emotional portrayal of Max,” says Zemeckis.

Pitt devoted himself to getting inside Max’s skin, even working with a dialect coach to learn the very specific kind of Quebecois French accent Max has when he arrives in Casablanca. Pitt also asked Robert Zemeckis if the director could shoot the film as much as possible in chronological order. It was important to Pitt to let his character evolve authentically from the cool indifference he displays in the film’s opening scenes to his steamy passion with Marianne to the seeds of paranoia and finally, to his all-out determination to get at the truth. Indeed, Pitt’s performance shifts as Max’s perceptions of his wife also shift from one view to another.

Says producer Graham King: “It was a very smart idea because when the audience sees Max meeting Marianne for the first time in the Casablanca night club, the two actors really were meeting for the first time on screen. Then, you see their relationship building in real time and that adds even greater realism to the suspense.”

Everyone was gratified by the volatile chemical reaction Pitt and Cotillard seemed to have the minute they were put together on the screen – and that became the underpinning to every twist of the mystery between Max and Marianne. “If you’re making a love story, you just pray your two leads will have that incredible chemistry that you can feel coming off the screen,” concludes Zemeckis. “That is what happened on this film: Brad and Marion had that movie star spark. They each gave so much emotionally and it was magnified by the chemistry every time they’re in the frame together.”

Opening across the Philippines on Nov. 23^rd, Allied is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON-LED “GHOST IN THE SHELL” LAUNCHES FIRST TRAILER

Press release

Following a grand launch party in Tokyo in which stars Scarlett Johansson, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, and director Rupert Sanders joined fans and influencers from across the globe, the first trailer of Paramount Pictures' Ghost in the Shell is now online.

Based on the internationally-acclaimed manga by Masamune Shirow, Ghost in the Shell follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind cyborg, who leads the elite task force Section 9 devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists. Directed by Rupert Sanders. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, “Beat” Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, Michael Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, and Kaori Momoi.

Opening across the Philippines on March 29, 2017, Ghost in the Shell is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. For more trailer reactions follow this blog and like https://www.facebook.com/LENSblogs/