unSAULicited

From Steven Soderbergh, director of highly-successful heist trilogy “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ocean’s Twelve” and “Ocean’s 13” comes his latest horror thriller “Unsane” starring Claire Foy (Netflix’s The Crown) about a woman who was involuntarily confined to a mental institution after failing to prove to the authorities that she is being followed by a digital stalker. Within the asylum, she gets to confront her greatest fear – is it real or is it a delusion? Director Soderbergh shot “Unsane” entirely using an iPhone. It was reported that Soderbergh was greatly impressed with the quality of iPhone, “I think this is the future,” he said in recent interviews. “Anybody going to see this movie who has no idea of the backstory to the production will have no idea this was shot on the phone. That’s not part of the conceit.” “Unsane” will open in cinemas on March 21 from 20th Century Fox. Check out the film’s trailer:

One of this year’s highly-acclaimed film “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” will finally open in the Philippines on February 14 in select cinemas – Eastwood, Shangri-La Mall, Century Mall, Commerce Mall, Festival Mall, Fisher Mall and Fora in Tagaytay. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” is a darkly comedic drama from Academy Award® winner Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award® winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, commissioning three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated. Mildred marks the first time McDonagh has written a femal...

From blockbuster filmmakers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen ("Fault In Our Stars", "Maze Runner" and "Twilight") comes another highly-anticipated YA movie "Love, Simon" - about a boy's coming out and finally facing his anonymous correspondent online whom he's fallen in love with. Everyone deserves a great love story. In "Love, Simon", seventeen-year old Simon Spier's (Nick Robinson) situation is a little more complicated: he’s yet to tell his family or friends he’s gay and he doesn’t actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing. Directed by Greg Berlanti (Dawson’s Creek, Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl ), written by Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger (This is Us), and based on Becky Albertalli’s acclaimed novel, "Love, Simon" is a funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about the thrilling ride of finding yourse...

Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical will be directed by Joel Lamangan, is written by Ricky Lee, with music by Von de Guzman. Choreography by Douglas Nierras. Details below: CHARACTER SKETCHES: LILY (25/40) -Filipina, hopeless romantic, laking Chinatown dahil sa factory ng mga Chinese nagtrabaho ang mga magulang niya noon kaya sanay na siya sa kulturang Tsino, hindi nakatapos sa college dahil namatay ang ama sa barilan sa loob ng isang club at kinailangan niyang tumulong sa ina na kumita ng pera, namasukan bilang kahera sa Divisoria bago natanggap bilang isang singer sa The Lotus Club sa Binondo, halos araw-araw bumibisita sa altar ni Ge Lao (ang Diyos ng Pag-ibig, o ang matandang nananahan sa mukha ng buwan) para humiling na makita na niya ang lalaking nakatadhana para sa kanya AH TIONG (27/42) -mainland Chinese, iskolar ng Beijing University na katatapos lang ng PhD sa Amerika, pragmatic kaya hindi naniniwala sa great love o destiny kundi ang pag-ibig ay isang duty na kailangang b...

Ending the season with a flourish, Ballet Philippines stages the lively classic Don Quixote on February 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater. Taken from an episode of Miguel de Cervantes’ tale, the ballet follows the lofty adventures of Don Quixote into Barcelona. Here, he meets Kitri, an innkeeper’s daughter whom he thinks is his ladylove Dulcinea. Kitri, in turn, is enamored by Basilio, the poor local barber of whom her father doesn’t approve. Mayhem ensues as the gentleman from La Mancha unwittingly helps the two lovers have their happy ending. Don Quixote is the perfect show for those watching ballet for the first time. A light and fun story, it is ballet’s rom-com. But it is also perfect for die-hard balletomanes, who will surely look out for Don Q’s signature leaps, dizzying turns and death-defying lifts. Joseph Gatti in Le Corsaire Joseph Gatti Candice Adea as Kitri Photo by Jojo Mamangun A special treat that audiences will delight in is international Guest Arti...

Hi. The recent happenings have been alarming and I stand with fellow bloggers to uphold the freedom that allows us to write. If you agree with our statement, you may sign it with us by going to  http://bit.ly/bloggersforfreedom . You are also invited to join the Black Friday action tonight, 6:00 pm, at the Boy Scouts Circle at Timog cor. Morato, Quezon City. Let us defend press freedom. Saul de Jesus, Blogger For Freedom Statement below: We concerned Filipino bloggers stand for the rights to free expression and to free speech. And our first responsibility is to protect these rights. We thus stand with Rappler, its right to exist, the rights of its working journalists and contributors, and the rights of its community of readers. We stand against moves to silence and scare journalists, bloggers and media practitioners just because the President and his ardent supporters dislike their news and views. Now is a time for making choices amid battles between truth an...

Shaping to be this year’s major award frontrunners, 20th Century Fox’s / Fox Searchlight’s highly-acclaimed films “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” have already bagged major awards from the 75th Golden Globe Awards and the 23rd Critics’ Choice Awards. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” is a darkly comedic drama from Academy Award® winner Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award® winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, commissioning three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson), the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing's law enforcement is only exacerbated. A last stand erupts in as a mother...

Bangers I've heard of LUMU from a friend who knows the owners. At first I could not figure out the location because I haven't been there for a long time. Just yesterday, we were talking about Chef Luigi Muhlach's over lunch and in the evening I found myself dining there for dinner. For a restaurant that was newly-opened, I've already heard so many good things about LUMU that I had to try it immediately! Tortang Talong To get to the Beerhouse and Filipino Kitchen, just turn where Teddy's Bigger Burgers and and go past Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken. A refined kalye interior will welcome you to order familiar dishes with unique twists. I immediately searched for the bangers and ordered Bicol Express. The rest of our orders were Chicken & Pork Adobo bangers, Oyster Sisig, Chicken Dinakdakan, and Tortang Talong. A cup of rice was also ordered, along with tinapa rice, and 2 bottles of beer. For a big feast where we were not be able to order dessert anymore, havi...

The short of it: The Greatest Showman leaves you wanting to understand the presented supporting characters more but the performances will be enough reason to catch it in cinemas! La La Land lyrcists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have made yet another beautiful soundtrack that may actually stand on its own. Being available prior to the screening, I was able to listen on Spotify and each track presents its own charm. Seeing the scenes unravel on the big screen just gives each song another dimension to get lost in. You definitely should come for the music but forgive the light story. It is inspired by the true P.T. Barnum but it is apparent that a lot of things have been "cleaned" to push the glamor of production design. It feels better to view the work as fiction rather than being based on historical events. My frustration in the screenplay is that you are given numerous characters that you wish were developed further to understand the depth of their emotions in the best par...

Funko! Pop Rocks 66 is now available at Hot Topic through this link:  http://www.hottopic.com/product/funko-kurt-cobain-pop-rocks-vinyl-figure-hot-topic-exclusive/11133107.html Here's how it looks like: The Pop is availble for $12.50.

On its 42nd Theatre Season, Dulaang UP brings to the Philippine stage Eimear McBride’s haunting novel A Girl is a Half-formed Thing (Goldsmith Prize Award 2013) billed as Ang Dalagita’y ‘sang Bagay Na Di-Buo in Filipino. Translated by Rody Vera’s, the play is based on Annie Ryan’s stage adaptation of the critically-acclaimed novel, originally staged by The Corn Exchange Theatre Company in 2014. Ang Dalagita’y ‘sang Bagay Na Di-buo tells in fragmented, poetic, and partly ambiguous language, the tragic life of a Girl, who has been repeatedly abused by her uncle, who loses her beloved brother, grapples with the wicked religiosity of her mother, and increasingly finds herself in that corner of her life where no option is left. Ang Dalgita’y ‘sang Bagay na Di-buo is a harrowing piece that lays bare in no delicate terms, the appalling iniquity of sexual abuse and power. Skyzx Labastilla, Missy Maramara, and Opaline Santos alternate as the Girl in this Philippine premiere of the product...

Step into the most thrilling world of showbiz and how it all began in the most anticipated musical “The Greatest Showman” overflowing with a talented cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Keala Settle. Directed by Michael Gracey, who makes his directorial film debut in “The Greatest Showman”, the larger-than-life musical movie also features original songs from Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who composed songs from the highly-acclaimed “La La Land”). “The Greatest Showman”, inspired by the legend and ambitions of America’s original pop-culture impresario, P.T. Barnum, is an inspirational rags-to-riches tale of a brash dreamer who rose from nothing to prove that anything you can envision is possible and that everyone, no matter how invisible, has a stupendous story worthy of a world-class spectacle. Australian filmmaker Gracey bring to life a story that, in the larger-than-life spirit of Barnum that bursts...

Following the highly intriguing teaser of Jennifer Lawrence’s spy thriller “Red Sparrow” comes its latest trailer revealing the most lethal female spy to hit Philippine cinemas soon this February 28. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Dominika Egorova in “Red Sparrow,” who is drafted against her will to become a “sparrow,” a trained seductress in the Russian security service. Dominika learns to use her body as a weapon, but struggles to maintain her sense of self during the dehumanizing training process. Finding her power in an unfair system, she emerges as one of the program’s strongest assets. Her first target is Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton), a CIA officer who handles the agency’s most sensitive infiltration of Russian intelligence. The two young operatives fall into a spiral of attraction and deception, which threatens their careers, allegiances and the security of both countries. Based on the book by former CIA officer Jason Matthews, “Red Sparrow” reunites Jennifer Lawrence with her “...

In the tradition of beloved animals from children’s classic tales comes a gentle giant with a heart of gold in “Ferdinand” – starring the voice of wrestling superstar John Cena along with Gina Rodriguez, Kate McKinnon, Bobby Cannavale and Anthony Anderson. Directed by Carlos Saldanha, who also helmed global blockbuster animation films such as “Rio,” “Ice Age” and “Robots”, “Ferdinand” is a Blue Sky Studios feature that tells the unlikely and delightful story of a bull who prefers flowers to fighting. John Cena stars as the voice of the titular character, a peace-loving animal with no desire to battle matadors, like the rest of the herd, which makes him an outsider. At the ranch where he’s expected to train for the bullring, he meets Lupe, supposedly a calming goat, but in fact she is brash and feisty. The two become fast friends. Action-packed, funny and heartwarming, the film explores resonant themes of authenticity, courage and what home really means. Set in Spain, “Ferdi...

TAP Philippines promises 4 new theater experiences this year: Narito na ang mga aabangan niyo sa TAP ngayong 2018! 💛 pic.twitter.com/s3A0WsqNbC — TAP - Theatre in Alternative Platforms (@TAPPhilippines) January 2, 2018 We're still waiting for details of each but here's what we know so far: Camp Ampalaya - For the third year year of Ampalaya Monologues, will we finally learn the art of letting go? Pine trees? Sa Baguio ba tayo tutungo? Who Killed Pag-ibig? - Mark, patay na nga eh, bakit pa ba bubuhayin? Cheret. But it promises to be a Comedy Mystery Play. Interactive ba ito? Escape room levels na hindi na magkaka-love life ang hindi makaka-solve ng mystery? Abangan. 20Something - Adulting ang topic. Perfect kahit lagpas na ako sa 20 something na category. Bakit hindi ba 20Plus na lang? 100 (Monolog) - Hala, ang dami! Cheret. Kung ilan mang monologo ito eh perfect kasi 100. Pero teka, so hindi na bitter ito? Ah, basta, aabangan natin. Buhay na buhay na nama...