unSAULicited

Renaissance Art Gallery, a leading purveyor of non-representational art in the country, celebrates its fourteenth anniversary with a show titled “XIV.” Founded in 2003 by Noli and Agnes Romero, the gallery has spearheaded the discovery and support of young abstractionists, giving them the opportunity of being launched in their own first solo exhibition. On occasion, however, Renaissance Art Gallery has also exhibited classic and conservative contemporary masterworks. Curated by noted art critic, writer and visual artist Cid Reyes, the participating artists in “XIV” are: Allain Hablo, Sio Montera, Josef Laureano, Pao de Guzaman, Arley Carig, Jay Ragma, Art Bermido, Aner Sebastian, Resty Tica, Rick Hernandez, and Sam Penaso. A man of many talents, Allain Hablo is, first and foremost, a thinking artist. Sio Montera’s works are distinguished by an ambitiousness of scale and a mania for surprising materials. In a transitional stage, Josef Laureano’s works are more audacious in the ...

Known for the iconic classic blockbuster “Back to the Future” franchise, Michael J. Fox is back in the modern-day comedy adventure movie “A.R.C.H.I.E. (Artificial Robotronic Canine Hyper-Intelligence Experiment).” Directed by Robin Dunne and inspired by classic endearing movies such as “Iron Giant,” “Short Circuit” and “Air Bud,” “Archie” is an enchanting tale about a young girl named Isabel (Sarah Desjardins) who makes friends with a robotic dog that possesses many special abilities. Archie is initially owned and created by world-renowned roboticist Brooke Benton (Katharine Isabelle) to help those in need. Though he looks like a normal dog, he is anything but. He can talk. He can run at blinding speed. He’s got super strength and x-ray vision. On the news of her research program being shut down by the military, Brooke helps Archie escape in the hopes of finding a family to care for him. As Isabel and Archie’s paths connect, they find a bond and become fast friends helping o...

The greatest war will be fought in the upcoming highly-anticipated action event of the year in “War for the Planet of the Apes”. In the latest trailer reveal of the movie, tension between man and ape has reached boiling point that brings both in extreme warfare battle. Directed by Matt Reeves, “War for the Planet of the Apes” gathers an extremely impressive cast that includes Woody Harrelson,Amiah Miller, Andy Serkis, Judy Greer, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Devyn Dalton, Terry Notary and Ty Olson. In “War for the Planet of the Apes,” the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the...

Looking for this to do around the Metro this weekend? I recommend these events: Introduction to Roasting Hosted by Philippine Coffee Board and Commune Commune 36 Polaris St., Poblacion, 1210 Makati I'm sure you've always been curious of how the beans get to your brewing paraphernalia of your choice and here's a nice and rare way to know about an intimate part of the process. Learn how to sort green beans, roasting, and cupping coffee with the Philippine Coffee Board and Commune. For further inquiries, send Commune a message on Facebook or email havecoffee@commune.ph. RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1935124683373250 Escolta Block Party presents MNL Urban Design Festival Hosted by Escolta Block Party 11AM Escolta! Escolta St. Binondo Manila, Manila, Philippines It's that time of the year again! Escolta Block Party is back! This one's in partnership with Viva Manila. RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/2092056544354533 Writing Sp...

Five short films from the "Guimaras: Short Films from the Oil Spill" anthology make their official return to the province when they screen on May 16, 1 p.m., at the Guimaras Trade and Information Center (GTIC) Function Hall as part of the first CineMangga: The Guimaras Film Festival. The oil spill films to be shown are "Bunker 0: Sumirib Plus" by JP Carpio, "Ang Hele ni Guima" (The Lullaby of Guima) by Drei Boquiren, "Oil Spill on Canvas" by Rox Lee, "Toxic Mango" by Khavn Dela Cruz and "Pagbugtaw" (Waking Up) by Seymour Sanchez. They form part of the 16-film project of ABC5 Public Affairs and the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative of the Philippines in 2006. Apart from Carpio, Boquiren, Lee, Dela Cruz and Sanchez, filmmakers Emman dela Cruz, Jeck Cogama, Kidlat De Guia, Wilfred Allen Galila, Raya Martin, Oscar Nava, Milo Paz, Ann Angala-Shy, Kidlat Tahimik, Paolo Villaluna and Victor Villanueva also contributed their wo...

Ridley Scott’s original “Alien” remains a standard bearer for the horror genre that morphed into a blockbuster iconic franchise among horror and sci-fi fans. In Scott’s latest “Alien: Covenant” to hit Philippine cinemas this May 10, the Oscar®-nominated filmmaker sought to recapture the same foreboding atmosphere of constant danger and dread while also offering new insights that would add richness and depth to the larger Alien mythology. The film opens with a peaceful mission designed to take humanity beyond the confines of Earth into a settlement among the stars. On the manifest of the spaceship Covenant are couples who will populate the planet Origae-6, along with dozens of embryos to help establish the new colony. Charged with their protection is the ship’s crew: Captain Jacob (James Franco) and his wife, Daniels, head of terraforming operations (Katherine Waterston); second-in-command Christopher Oram (Billy Crudup) and his biologist wife Karine (Carmen Ejogo); boisterous pil...

“Touched with Fire” is a deeply moving love story starring Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby that centers on two poets with bipolar disorder whose art is fueled by their emotional extremes. Their chemistry is instant and intense, driving each other's mania to new heights. Swinging from fantastical highs to tormented lows, they ultimately must choose between sanity and love. Inspired by his own struggles overcoming bipolar disorder, Paul Dalio wrote, directed, edited and scored his feature-film debut, which also includes performances by Griffin Dunne, Christine Lahti and Bruce Altman. Touched with Fire draws its passion and authenticity from the personal experiences of writer and director Paul Dalio. Dalio went through the ecstasy and agony of bipolar disorder for four years before he made it to the other side and began studying film at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. It was there that he met his wife, a fellow film student, and Spike Lee, a film professor there. They ...

An all-new cast is about to experience the road trip of their lives in the family movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul” based on the bestselling young adult book series by Jeff Kinney. In the latest movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul,” Greg Heffley convinced his family to attend their grandmother’s 90th birthday party. Unknown to his parents, Greg just wants to attend a gamers’ convention nearby their grandmother’s house and soon, the trip goes hilariously off-course. The all-new cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Jason Ian Drucker, Charlie Wright, Owen Asztalos and Tom Everett Scott directed by David Bowers. Author Kinney said that the latest movie will take on a very timely theme, one that “every family is talking about” particularly the tension between gadgets time and real family time. “This is a chance for us to tell the contemporary family’s story and to do it in a humorous way,” said Kinney. “When Alicia Silverstone’s name was first floated, it caused ...

With Banaue Miclat-Janssen after the show. Looking for a great play to watch this month? Why not watch one that has been seen by a media colleague several times because of its excellence? The first time I came across Angry Christ, I was intrigued on how a play may be made about a chapel's mural. Honestly, I didn't know much about Alfonso Ossorio. The synopsis promised a good story and seeing that Floy Quintos is the playwright made me confident in it. Upon further reading, I saw the names of great actors such as Nel Gomez, Kalil Almonte, Banaue Miclat-Janssen, a dear friend. Expectations became high. I did go to the theater with much anticipation and those high expectations were surely met! When you enter, you see a stage that has been transformed into the interior of the chapel where most of the story took place. A lecturer breaks your wait as she enters the stage giving you sufficient background on the play. Even if you do not know anything about the story of Ossori...

The father of the iconic franchise “Alien” returns in the latest pulse-pounding instalment “Alien: Covenant” where he will take the audience in the darkest corners of the crew’s psyche in a new planet that stars an impressive cast - Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Guy Pearce and Danny McBride. If anyone knows how to terrify audiences with smart, sophisticated storytelling, it’s Scott. His original Alien remains a standard bearer for the horror genre, a psychologically taut, uncomfortably claustrophobic film, as lean and effective as the sleek, vicious beast that first stalked Ellen Ripley and the crew of the starship Nostromo back in 1979. “In a funny kind of way, I always thought of Alien as a B-movie, really well done,” Scott says. “The subtext was pretty basic—it was seven people locked in the old dark house and who’s going to die first and who’s going to survive.” “Alien: Covenant” finds Walter (Fassbender) tending to the ship Covenant where all of its...