unSAULicited

James Franco stars as Silicon Valley billionaire Laird Mayhew, a self-made young man whose life was spent writing codes and designing apps, leaving him clueless about how to read a room and appropriately modulate his behavior in the uproarious R-rated family comedy “Why Him?” Laird’s social skills are completely acceptable to his girlfriend Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) and to the millennial circle he belongs, but does not sit well with Stephanie’s dad, Ned (Bryan Cranston). Ned, a small-town father, owner of a struggling mid-sized printing business in Michigan, is complete opposites with Laird who is making billions in the digital realm. During Ned’s 55th birthday party, Stephanie joins the event via Skype to send well wishes to her dad from her Stanford dorm room. The Flemings and their party guests are surprised by an unexpected (and naked) introduction to her new boyfriend Laird…or at least a part of him. Distraught over the fact that Stephanie has uncharacteristically been hidin...

Chris Evans plays another kind of hero in the upcoming deeply touching family drama “Gifted” as a doting uncle to McKenna Grace. “Gifted” trails the joyous journey of Frank Adler (Evans) and Mary Adler living peacefully on their own but is interrupted when Frank’s mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), discovers that Mary is a prodigy like her mother. Fighting against his mother for the custody of Mary, Frank is determined to give the child a normal upbringing as opposed to the plans of Evelyn. Supported with an impressive cast, “Gifted” also includes Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer and Critics’ Choice Best Actress (Comedy) Jenny Slate directed by Marc Webb who also helmed blockbuster favourites such as “500 Days of Summer,” “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” “Gifted” opens May 3 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Kristen Stewart stars in the hair-raising horror drama “Personal Shopper” as an American in Paris working as a model’s assistant while trying to contact the spirit of her dead twin brother. The film’s director, Oliver Assayas won as Best Director for his work in the film in last year’s Cannes Film Festival. From the same festival within the same year that Philippine’s Jaclyn Jose also won as Best Actress for her role in “Ma’Rosa.” From the acclaimed movie “Clouds of Sils Maria,” director Assayas and Stewart are reunited in “Personal Shopper” where Stewart displays a mysterious and darker character who struggles to repress grief while trying to move on after her brother’s death. From his recent win at the film festival, Assayas shared his award with all of his crew, “To say that I’m moved is putting it mildly. Cannes has given me so much, and has rewarded me this year with a prize that I'm sharing with a filmmaker I admire: Cristian Mungiu. Directing a film is a collective...

For its first offering as the newest theater company in town, SUGID Productions Incorporated, in collaboration with the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, is all set to present the restaging of Chris Millado’s “Buwan at Baril sa E♭ Major” on January 26, 2017 at the Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco Auditorium of Bantayog ng mga Bayani Center located in Quezon Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. To be directed by Andoy Ranay, “Buwan at Baril sa E♭ Major” collects the stories of various characters whose lives, seemingly separate, intersect at a crucial juncture in Philippine contemporary history – the height of the anti-dictatorship struggle. The schedule of performances are as follows: January 26, 27, 28, 29 (3pm and 8 pm), February 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12 (3 pm and 8 pm). A special Gala will be held on February 3 at 8 pm. “Buwan at Baril sa E♭ Major” was written by Chris Millado in 1985 and originally directed and designed by Apo Chua, with the Philippine Educational Theater Associat...

Two of the fastest rising stars in the millennial era, Britt Robertson and Asa Butterfield who starred in blockbuster movies “Tomorrowland” and “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” respectively, team up for the latest out-of-this-world adventure in “The Space Between Us.” “The Space Between Us” is an interplanetary adventure that on man's first mission to colonize Mars, off when a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet – never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot (Butterfield) – an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendshi...

Artist Playground proudly presents the Asian premiere of James Chalmers’ “Prelude to Macbeth” as its third season opener starting February 23, 2017. Directed by Roeder Camanag, Artistic Director of Artist Playground, “Prelude to Macbeth” is an epic tale set in the middle ages. This one act play is the prequel to Shakespeare’s Macbeth of how he becomes Thane of Glamis and how he meets Lorna Stewart who becomes his wife – Lady Macbeth. The play is written in blank verse - the style fashionable with playwrights of Shakespeare’s era. “Prelude to Macbeth” was written by James Chalmers in 2009 and performed by his own drama company Shoreline at the Leverhulme Drama Festival and the Wilmslow Festival of One Act Plays. “Prelude to Macbeth” won the 2010 Seahorse Award for Best Stage Play at the Moondance Film Festival in America. At the Wilmslow Guild Drama Festival 2010, it received the Adjudicators Award for the most original piece of theatre. It was also awarded the trophies for highe...

To open its 50th, golden year, Repertory Philippines brings you the Tony-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike! Think of it as mashed-up Chekhov pieces turned into a comedy with a hint of Greek Tragedy and a dash of Millennial. Siblings Vanya and Masha, both in their 50s, have been having uneventful lives until their youngest, Masha, now a very successful actress whose new acting offers suggest that she may just already be beyond her prime, visits them. Along with her is her boytoy Spike. They meet a few Needless to say, all the actors were wonderful and natural in their roles in this dark comedy. During last night's talkbacks, Ms. Cherie Gil shared that her character hits almost too close to home and all she needs in her life right now to be Masha is to have a Spike! Joaquin Valdez shared to the press that every show may have different dynamics since the actors feed on the audience's reactions to get them to the next punchline. With this play, Joaquin...

20th Century Fox has just released Trailer #2 of the most anticipated movie this year “Logan The Wolverine” featuring a thrilling series of action-packed scenes and intense moments introducing a young mutant girl, Laura (played by Dafne Keen), who possesses the same powerful claw and strength like The Wolverine. Laura, as seen in the trailer is being protected by Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart) from groups of armed men wanting to take her. Directed by James Mangold, “Logan The Wolverine” will open in Philippine cinemas nationwide on March 1 (Wednesday) from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

“The Bye Bye Man,” a chilling horror-thriller that exposes the evil behind the most unspeakable acts committed by man. When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession? “The Bye Bye Man” opens January 25 from Pioneer Films.

America’s number one comedy movie for three consecutive weeks, “Why Him?” finally arrives in Philippine theatres on February 1 with an R-13 rating by the local censors board. It’s check-the-boyfriend and impress-the-dad in this endearing family comedy starring James Franco, Bryan Cranston, Megan Mullally, Zoey Deutch and Griffin Gluck. “Why Him?” brings Ned Fleming (Cranston) to the world of millennials when he decides to visit her daughter at her dorm over the holidays. But even before that, life becomes a little more complicated for Ned during his 55th birthday party when Stephanie joins the event via Skype to send well wishes to her dad from her Stanford dorm room. The Flemings and their party guests are surprised by an unexpected (and naked) introduction to her new boyfriend…or at least a part of him. Distraught over the fact that Stephanie has uncharacteristically been hiding something from him, Ned begrudgingly agrees to travel with the family to spend the holidays in Cali...

20th Century Fox welcomes 2017 with a loud crow heralding its thrilling movie line-up set to immerse the audience anew in a series of unprecedented movie viewing experience. From game to movie, “Assassin’s Creed” stars highly-acclaimed Michael Fassbender and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in a visionary new take on the action-adventure genre. “ASSASSIN’S Creed” is a worlds-spanning tale of one man who finds himself at the center of an ancient battle between two powerful sects—only by harnessing the memories of his ancestor, which are contained within his own DNA, can he end the conflict and claim his own redemption. An endearing R-rated hilarious comedy, “Why Him?” sees a billionaire meeting his girlfriend’s family for the first time. Over the holidays, loving but overprotective dad Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) travels to California to visit his daughter at Stanford—where he meets his biggest nightmare: her well-meaning but socially awkward Silicon Valley billionaire boy...

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and J&S Productions Inc. announce the full cast and creative team for the 60th-anniversary production of the Philippines' first full-length opera, Noli Me Tangere, an opera by National Artists Felipe de Leon and Guillermo Tolentino, directed by Jerry Sibal, featuring the the newly formed 53-piece Noli Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera. Renowned tenor Ronan Ferrer in the role of Crisostomo Ibarra will the lead the cast, together with Bianca Camille Lopez (Maria Clara), Stephanie Anne Aguilar (Sisa), John-Andrew Fernandez (Padre Damaso), Greg de Leon (Elias), Mari Yapjoco (Basilio), and Santino Juan Santiago (Crispin). Based on Dr. Jose Rizal's 1887 classic novel of the same name, Noli Me Tangere, The Opera, premiered at the Far Eastern University in 1957 and made its CCP debut in 1974. This production, which recently had critically-acclaimed engagements in New York, Washington D.C., and at t...