unSAULicited

Ready to be a man? Learn it from the pro, in this case, from grandpa in the ultimate comedy buddy trip “Dirty Grandpa” starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron. Jason Kelly [Zac Efron] is one week away from marrying his boss’s uber-controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at the law firm. However, when the straight-laced Jason is tricked into driving his foul-mouthed grandfather, Dick [Robert De Niro], to Daytona for spring break, his pending nuptials are suddenly in jeopardy. Between riotous frat parties, bar fights and an epic night of karaoke, Dick is on a quest to live his life to the fullest and bring Jason along for the ride. Ultimately, on the wildest journey of their lives, “dirty” grandpa and his uptight grandson discover they can learn from one another and form the bond they never had. This outlandish comedy also stars Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch, Julianne Hough, Adam Pally, and Dermot Mulroney. As Dick and Jason embark on their seemingly innoc...

Having read the synopsis, I knew that I was not going to be a fan of the synopsis. Rave reviews and multiple nominations pushed me to still see the movie. The first thing that I noticed about Brooklyn was how well-written the screenplay is. Even if I was uninterested about the themes of the movie, it easily hooked me in with how the characters are presented. I have not read the novel but transitions between scenes were natural and it was nice to see even minor characters develop. You get to know them almost as well as Eilis Lacey. Brooklyn unravels beautifully as you begin to relate to the decisions Eilis had to make. Themes on family, career, love, and the things that make them intertwined are things that every human would also need to make critical decisions in in real life. It also presents just the right amount of life’s struggles and triumphs to make you reassess your own decisions. It is a very easy movie to watch that has storytelling as its greatest strength. I highly...

In a word, The Revenant is gruesome. Set in the 1800s, it is a story of survival and personal agendas in the midst of fur trapping and culture clashes. I am not the biggest fan of revenge but the way The Revenant is made, its camera angles and fair portrayal of the characters, drew me in until the last second of the film. Emmanuel Lubezki, also the cinematographer of Birdman, continues to prove how his choices in framing and camera movements give that defining edge in the films that he co-create. For a while, I thought that it felt like watching a Virtual Reality experience of the woods. I imagine that the awe that I experienced cannot be recreated by any television set. The film will definitely not leave you wanting in the acting department. Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy prove in every scene that they are worthy of the nominations that they have received. Arguably, the weakest part of the film is the story. It is quite predictable and may come across as exaggerated fo...

Ever since I've seen signs of the place last year, I've been on the lookout on when Wasabi Warriors would open. It was only last week that I was able to visit it and I wasn't disappointed. Entering their store at Gramercy Residences, you'll be greeted with a display case full of uncut maki rolls. Pieces of nigiri were also on display. It was Seared Salmon Nigiri that I was told to definitely try. Their varieites were simple with tastes that are easy to imagine. They had different packs that would cater to different craving sizes. The menu had a lot of items but they were very friendly and easy to understand. What I had for that day was an Ocean Warrior Pack. It had Tuna Mayo and Avocado, Fresh Salmon and Avocado, Seared Salmon Nigiri pieces, one of which was spicy. It tasted as expected. Nothing too fancy but very satisfying for its price of P350. The cuts were a bit too thick, though. The place is very spacious and had seating for parties of different sizes. At...

Surviving the wild by pure instinct prior the advent of emergency call buttons such as 911 and high-tech gadgets is what makes the latest Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio film, “The Revenant” this year’s highly-thrilling cinematic experience – directed, produced and co-written by Academy Award winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Inspired by true events from the sparse accounts of the legendary fur trapper and trader Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Glass became a revenant, someone believed to be dead who has returned to life after going through a harrowing series of events fighting for his life when left to survive in the wild set during the 19th century American Frontier. Immersing audiences in the unparalleled beauty, mystery and dangers of life in 1823 America, the film explores one man’s transformation in a quest for survival. “The Revenant” explores primal drives not only for life itself but for dignity, justice, faith, family and home.  The film’s wi...

The quote on family that says “No family is perfect. We argue, we fight. We even stop talking to each other at times, but in the end, family is family, the love will always be there” is all true in the upcoming modern-day true-to-life telenovela movie “Joy” starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence directed by acclaimed filmmaker David O. Russell that also stars Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Virginia Madsen, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rosselini, Diane Ladd and Dascha Polanco. “Joy” joins a long legacy of films about chasing dreams of success in business and family -- but it does so in its own comedic, emotional and inventive ways.  The story began with the unlikely but real-life narrative of Joy Mangano, who in the 1990s became a new kind of television star and entrepreneurial powerhouse with a series of household inventions, including the famed, “self-wringing” Miracle Mop, which kicked-off the Long Island single mother’s ongoing business empire.       ...

20th Century Fox fills the silver screen this 2016 with Award-winning and , inspiring and adventure-packed films featuring larger-than-life stories and characters best seen on the big screen. Big hopes, big dreams and big heart are central to the most unforgettable cartoon characters known in adventure family movies “Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts Movie,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip,” “Kung Fu Panda 3” and “Ice Age 5: Collision Course.” One of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest comedy adventure yet, “Kung Fu Panda 3.” When Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters.  But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the Kung Fu masters, Po must do the impossible—learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas! From ...

Iflix logo from https://www.iflix.com/images/iflix.png With the recent invasion of Netflix came also came news of regional availability of films and episodes. I haven't tried it yet but I remember seeing a tweet saying that Dagitab and other rare Indies are available on Iflix. This led me to reopening my old account to see which ones are available. These are the ones that I would recommend checking out (Summaries from Iflix): 1. Mariquina Imelda Guevarra, a successful businesswoman, who grew up with an emotionally distant father, Romeo, a once recognized shoemaker who lost both his shoe factory and his beloved wife. When Imelda was informed about her father’s death, she tentatively proceeds with the funeral preparations. Her search for the last perfect pair of shoes serves as the catalyst that opens up old wounds. It also unlocks memories of growing up in awe at how her father could transform a sheet of leather into something perfect to wear on her feet, igniting recollec...

Ayala Malls Cinemas brings “Brooklyn” this January 27 - a very poignant story of a young woman who dreams of a better life abroad, leaves her mother and sister to a foreign land very different from the culture she grew up in and eventually finds herself torn between two men from her hometown and new town. Saoirse Ronan has been reaping awards left and right for her role in “Brooklyn.”  Born in New York to Irish parents and raised outside Dublin, Ronan first found acclaim in Joe Wright’s “Atonement,” garnering a Best Supporting Actress Oscar® nomination for her performance as Briony. She went on to starring roles in “The Lovely Bones,” “Hanna” and most recently Wes Anderson’s Oscar winning “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” all by age 20.   Now entering her prime, she was ready to take on a complicated, emotionally demanding lead. “Brooklyn” has opened in Ireland to become the highest-opening Irish film since “Michael Collins” in 1996 that starred Liam Neeson tells of a beautiful...

The profoundly moving story of Brooklyn about a young Irish immigrant played by Saoirse Ronan who has already won her Best Actress awards for her deeply moving performance in the movie in recently concluded British Independent Film Awards, Boston Online Film Critics Association, Detroit Film Critics Society, Hollywood Film Awards, New York Film Critics Circle, Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association will soon open exclusively in Ayala Malls Cinemas starting January 27. Brooklyn, a frontrunner at the upcoming major film awards such as the Golden Globes and Oscars follows the love and coming-of-age story of story of Eilis Lacey (Ronan), An Irish immigrant must choose between two men, two countries and two destinies in a story of departures, longing and slow-simmering romance, tracing the unexpected journey of a young girl becoming a woman in America.  Through the film’s contemporary lens, the story reels back to the refined r...

Yes, you should have been there. [ View the story "#MMOinCommune" on Storify ]

The festive celebration continues this January 8 (Friday) when “Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie” opens in Philippine cinemas nationwide.     At its core, “Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie”  is about everyday anxieties we encounter while growing up, going to school, and dealing with the perceptions people have about one another.  “We took that theme and changed the overall tone of the movie, which resulted in a stronger message, one that both adults and children can relate to,” says Craig Schulz, son of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz.  The universal appeal of all Peanuts characters—encompassing Charlie Brown’s eternal underdog status, Linus’ heart, Franklin’s philosophy, Marcie’s introspection, Lucy’s crabbiness, Sally’s unrequited affection for her Sweet Babboo Linus, and Snoopy’s many personas— is the reason the strip and its characters have remained relevant as Peanuts celebrates its 65th year.    The story’s ...

William Shakespeare’s most popular play “Macbeth” is adapted anew with powerful performances by ace actors – Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender in the title role and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard as Macbeth’s wife. One of the greatest tragedies ever created, the latest “Macbeth” movie is directed by highly-acclaimed director Justin Kurzel.  From the producers of “The King’s Speech” comes the story of a fearless Scottish General, Macbeth (Fassbender), whose ambitious wife (Cotillard) urges him to use wicked means to gain power of the throne.   As relevant as today’s world issues on politics and abuse of power, “Macbeth” is a thrilling interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters,  a reimagining of the realities of war-torn times and a tale of all-consuming passion and ambition.   Teeming with blockbuster battle scenes and superbly powerful performances by the lead and supporting cast, “Macbeth” is produced by ...