From New Line Cinema comes “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!,” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” stars returning cast members Zachary Levi (“Thor: Ragnarok”) as Shazam; Asher Angel (“Andi Mack”) as Billy Batson; Jack Dylan Grazer (“It Chapter Two”) as Freddy Freeman; Adam Brody (“Promising Young Woman”) as Super Hero Freddy; Ross Butler (“Raya and the Last Dragon”) as Super Hero Eugene; Meagan Good (“Day Shift”) as Super Hero Darla; D.J. Cotrona (“G.I. Joe: Retaliation”) as Super Hero Pedro; Grace Caroline Currey (“Annabelle: Creation”) as Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary; Faithe Herman (“This Is Us”) as Darla Dudley; Ian Chen (“A Dog’s Journey”) as Eugene Choi; Jovan Armand (“Second Chances”) as Pedro Pena; Marta Milans (“White Lines”) as Rosa Vasquez; Cooper Andrews (“The Walking Dead”) as Victor Vasquez; with Djimon Hounsou (“A Quiet Place Part II”) as Wizard.
Joining the cast are Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”), with Lucy Liu (“Kung Fu Panda” franchise) and Helen Mirren (“F9: The Fast Saga”).
The film is directed by David F. Sandberg (“Shazam!,” “Annabelle: Creation”) and produced by Peter Safran (“Aquaman,” “The Suicide Squad”). It is written by Henry Gayden (“Shazam!,” “There’s Someone Inside Your House”) and Chris Morgan (“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” “The Fate of the Furious”), based on characters from DC; Shazam! was created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. Executive producers are Walter Hamada, Adam Schlagman, Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Marcus Viscidi and Geoff Johns.
New Line Cinema presents A Peter Safran Production of A David F. Sandberg Film, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #ShazamMovie
As we unravel 2023, businesses are now getting back on track in terms of maintaining and growing their ventures while adapting to the necessary changes brought about by years of unprecedented circumstances and the transition toward the digital age.
Business owners from various sectors continue to strategize in today’s times to see which methods can deem fit for achieving their target goals of brand presence, work productivity, and organizational longevity. With these re-calibrations in place, entrepreneurs and corporate institutions keep a keen eye on yearly trends that would help boost their businesses, in terms of sales and customer feedback, among others.
SKYBIZ, the business solutions arm of SKY Cable Corporation, can help keep track of the hottest trends this 2023 for its partners to grow their ventures, as aligned to its ongoing “Grow Together” campaign.
Here are SKYBIZ’s five picks for this year’s trends worth considering to help boost your business to greater heights:
1) Utilizing hybrid working arrangements
As community restrictions caused by the pandemic continue to loosen, various business activities slowly return to their usual state. Despite this, people still find hybrid working arrangements favorable to their overall productivity, which is why the set-up is still a trend across many ventures and companies.
Apart from businesses saving costs when it comes to utilities and employees not having to spend much on their day-to-day expenses, another advantage of the hybrid set-up is that real-time collaboration has not been hampered—given a multitude of productivity apps still helpful in getting the job done and communicating with workmates seamlessly. This then leads to better work-life balance, boosting employees’ morale and productivity in the process.
2) Artificial intelligence (AI) as a reliable partner for efficiency
Today’s digital times have indeed changed the way we do business. One of which is integrating artificial intelligence into our day-to-day activities of communicating with our clientele, organizing various data, business monitoring, etc., with the help of reliable AI software—a testament to improved work efficiency.
Conversing with customers and clientele has been more efficient with the introduction of automated chats that not only serve their purpose of communication but also help further promote other services via call-to-action prompts. AI can also help monitor, organize, and interpret vital data, which business owners can easily translate to actual solutions for achieving their goals.
3) Utilizing the biggest digital social platforms
Social media continues to be on the rise in the digital age. Apart from its use for communication and entertainment, social platforms online serve as an ingenious marketing tool, whether for advertising, transacting, or customer feedback—all of which can be achieved without breaking the bank.
Recently, many social media platforms have also provided advertising solutions to further one’s product or service globally through a single post.
Although social media can be a breeze to use, reaching more audiences/users can be quite tricky to analyze. Fortunately, employees and owners can consult with digital media experts to fully utilize its potential as an all-in-one business tool.
4) Collaborating with other businesses
As they say, “Teamwork does the dream work!” And this is where collaboration enters the picture, especially for businesses that are looking to maximize brand presence through beneficial partnerships.
Partnering with other businesses can deem helpful for the parties involved, including sharing resources to ensure the overall quality of a collaborative product/service and sharing a customer base to amplify all brands.
5) Investing in digital security
Lastly, as the digital age continues to trailblaze the way we do business, it is also important to invest in cybersecurity measures to avoid compromising vital information, funds, and other resources from all types of digital perpetrators.
The last thing any business owner wants is to lose all of these with just a click of a button from hackers and phishers alike. But investing in cybersecurity tools can go a long way to maintaining the trust of clientele and securing valuable assets.
These are among the trends to consider this year. And to fully maximize its benefits, SKYBIZ is there to help with its array of reliable internet service plans, including its BizBB Pro and BIZTastic BunDeals offerings, that can help actualize these trends seamlessly in one’s business.
With its BizBB Pro Double Up promo, subscribers can experience SKYBIZ’s business-grade internet with boosted speeds from 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps, plus personalized account management and 24/7 technical support for the same price of only P2,299.
Meanwhile, businesses can also opt for its BIZTastic BunDeals promo to enjoy additional perks along their high-speed internet plans, featuring a Microsoft 365 subscription plus vouchers from Grab.
To know more about SKYBIZ’s internet plans and promo updates, visit www.skybiz.com.ph.
Have ‘A Taste of Japan’ as The Manila Hotel’s Champagne Room invites you to an evening of epicurean journey with its exclusive Saga-gyu dinner paired with bespoke wine.
The most discerning meat fans and wine enthusiasts will be treated to a 7-course dinner featuring dishes curated by our special guest chef from Japan, Hiroki Samata—a classically-trained chef and master butcher whose impeccable knife skills are admired by many.
Chef Samata will exhibit his culinary creativity with a menu that puts the spotlight on Saga-gyu beef which is one of the world’s most revered delicacies. But what makes this illustrious meat stand out among the rest? Saga beef cows live a life of comfort and luxury, nurtured using expert breeding techniques, and are free to relish the infinite beauty of Saga’s natural surroundings. As a result, the cows produce a perfect balance of fat marbled in lean meat, known in Japanese as tsuya-sashi or “glossy marbling” which is the key to its melt-in-your- mouth texture and unparalleled flavor.
To make the dining experience more enjoyable, our partner Titania Wine Cellar will guide our diners with wine pairing nuances using their extensive range of quality wines such as Piccini Memoro Italia Bianco and Chateau Loyasson Bordeaux AOC, to name a few.
This elegant night of fine dining and wine pairing will be held exclusively on March 15, 2023 at 7PM at the Champagne Room. Seats are limited to 40 persons and are priced at Php 10,000 nett per person.
For inquiries and reservations, call (63 2) 8-527-0011 or (63 2) 5-301-5500 locals 1262-1266, 1300. You may also send an email to restaurantrsvn@themanilahotel.com or r.champagneroom@themanilahotel.com
When the going gets tough, the tough get clever with their groceries. Here are some resourceful advice to optimize your budget on your next digital grocery session with MetroMart – the #1 online grocery delivery service in the Philippines.
Go creatively green. Vegetables are not just for salads or side dishes, they can be the savory main dish. You can make falafel with chickpeas, lentil burgers, mushroom burgers, or use tofu that make great savory substitutes to meat. Start with Meatless Mondays and get creative with your produce.
Can, can! Stocking up on all kinds of canned vegetables and meat products are ideal, and this can include pickled or preserved items in jars too. Most canned vegetables are preserved at the peak of their freshness, and can be bought in bulk and stored for a couple of years. Stock up on canned corn, mushrooms, baby corn, plus sardines, corned beef, tuna, canned chicken and alternate or combine with fresh ingredients.
Bulk up. Buy your vegetables and fruits in bulk and uncut or not yet chopped. For example, a head of lettuce and other salad greens, garlic still in cloves, unpeeled potatoes and carrots. Speaking of bulk buy, stock up on pasta, rice and dried beans, that last long when stored well.
Best batched. Invest a little bit of time to batch prep meals or food prep on the weekends. Dice up garlic, onion and ginger and just take some as you cook. Make different dishes, portion them up, and freeze. This will be a big timesaver, just heat and eat!
Sale-searching. Organize a routine around your grocery runs, and consider doing your groceries online regularly. Maximize promos from apps like MetroMart, that offer FREE Delivery and discounts on products or via bank and ewallet payments. Plus, you can eliminate other expenses such as transportation, parking and time spent when going to the store, when you order online instead.
MetroMart is the #1 online grocery delivery service in the Philippines. Our grocery partners include S&R (with or no membership card required), Robinsons Supermarket, Landmark, The Marketplace, Shopwise, All Day Supermarket, Merrymart, Super8 Grocery Warehouse, Ever Supermarket, UltraMega Supermarket, and over 500+ specialty store retailers like Pet Express, No Brand, Baby Company, Toy Kingdom, Toys”R”Us, National Book Store, Office Warehouse, Southstar Drug and AllDay Rx. Customers can order from their favorite stores on the MetroMart app and have it delivered to their door in 2 hours! For more updates on MetroMart, like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at @metromartph. Order groceries online or download the app via https://bit.ly/DownloadNowMM.
The legendary Broadway star Idina Menzel has become an undeniable Disney icon, starring in Enchanted and Disenchanted, and famously voicing Elsa in the Frozen series. On Which Way to the Stage?, we get to see Menzel go on a national tour and achieve her lifelong dream, headlining a concert in New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.
Global sensation BLACKPINK is hands-down one of the biggest girl groups in the world, with chart-topping hits like “Kill This Love,” “How You Like That,” “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” and “Whistle.” BLACKPINK: The Movie celebrates the group’s fifth year together and features exclusive interviews with the extremely talented Jisoo, Jenny, Lisa, and Rosé, along with performances from their highly successful world tours.
Filipino-American actress, singer, and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is one of the brightest young stars in music today, with her debut album “Sour” topping global music charts and earning prestigious Grammy nominations. In driving home 2 u, get an in-depth look at the making of her album, along with special performances of her top hits like “drivers license,” “good 4 u,” and “traitor.”
For headstrong heroines
Heroines are strong and fearless, taking on all challenges and overcoming obstacles along the way. Be inspired by these women on Disney+ and witness their awesome feats of strength and bravery!
Get ready for a super-powered legal comedy featuring lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), aka She-Hulk, as she tackles legal troubles of the superhero kind. Apart from handling superhero legal matters like a boss, she also has to masterfully deal with her new powers and balance her life as a lawyer and superhero on the rise.
From one super-powered series to another, catch Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) in WandaVision where she musters the emotional strength to deal with loss and motherhood while overcoming the threats that look to shatter reality as we know it.
Brave follows the tale of Merida, a princess who wants to defy royal norms, leading to a quest to save her family and kingdom from war. Brave is an inspiring tale of heroism that young girls will surely love.
Throughout history, women have been successful trailblazers and trendsetters, empowering fellow women around the world to take charge. Be inspired to lead like them by watching these amazing women do their thing while breaking norms on Disney+!
In Cruella, we see the titular character, played by Emma Stone, as a young fashion designer looking to make her mark in the industry. With her daring and elaborate designs and a daring group of thieves by her side, little will stand in the way of her success.
Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly over the Atlantic Ocean solo, is a role model for women worldwide. Expedition Amelia, produced by National Geographic, looks to solve the mystery of her fateful final journey and find the much-sought answers to one of history’s biggest mysteries.
Portrait of Allison Fundis, Chief Operating Officer, Ocean Exploration Trust. (photo credit: National Geographic/Stewart Volland)
This upcoming true crime film is based on the true story of a killer who went on a rampage during the 1960s. It stars Keira Knightley as reporter Loretta McLaughlin, the intrepid journalist who broke the story at the time. She challenges the norms and takes risks to let her voice be heard, and uncover the corruption within the case.
Every Friday of March, Marco Polo Ortigas invites you to eat as the royals do in a culinary experience that brings forth the rich succulent taste of premium Kurobuta dishes in Cucina.
Kurobuta, also known as the Wagyu of Pork, is a world-renowned type of meat that’s sought after by chefs and people with sophisticated tastes for its tender, juicy, and flavour-rich profile. Partnering with Esguerra Farms, the Berkshire pigs are raised in a stress-free environment. “The ethical and sustainable farming methods we use are key factors in contributing to the unique marbling of the pork, giving it the distinct pure flavour that only Kurobuta has,” shared Louie Roque, CEO of Esguerra Farms.
A variety of Kurobuta dishes will be featured in Cucina’s Friday lunch and dinner spread for the entire month of March. MPOM’s new Executive Chef, Luca Angioletti, will be offering special dishes that highlight the versatility and flavour of the meat. “I am excited to share my take on the Kurobuta pork and the recipes will surely make it the star of the night,” he shared.
Some of the dishes that will be on the spread include Kurobuta Loin with Tomato Sauce, Kurobuta Bacon, Slow Braised Pork Collar with Dill and Garlic, Tomahawk Kurobuta, Roasted Jowl, and Filipino favourites made with pork, among others. The spread is available at Php 2,680 net for dinner.
The Kurobuta Nights at Cucina is just one of the few highlights the restaurant will offer for the year. “The Kurobuta Nights is just the beginning. We are going to give our guests more to look forward to with different themed nights and other culinary dining experiences that they can all enjoy here at Cucina,” shared Terence Manalac, Assistant F&B Manager of MPOM.
Cucina is Marco Polo Ortigas’ refined and fashionable all-day restaurant located on the 24th floor of the Hotel, with an open interactive kitchen featuring a spread of the freshest buffet selections and a la carte menus.
Known as “The Philippines’ First Sky Hotel”, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila stands tall at 45 floors and is centrally located in the vibrant Ortigas Commercial Business District. The Hong Kong-originated hotel continues to be recognized in the global hospitality landscape, coveting the Five-Star Award for its seventh consecutive year in 2023 by Forbes Travel Guide.
For more information and updates, visit marcopolohotels.com, like Marco Polo Ortigas Manila on Facebook, and follow @marcopolomanila on Instagram. For reservations, call (+632) 7720 7777.
The pandemic caused a record surge in weddings and one couple’s struggle to reschedule their wedding three times and ultimately have a surprise wedding is now a major feature film titled The Wedding Hustler. Chris and Hillary Soriano featured their actual wedding in the upcoming Romantic Comedy to show the chaos in fighting for love in a post-pandemic world. The movie hits theaters this weekend at select SM Cinemas. Both Chris and Hillary are also starring in the movie to showcase a realness to how difficult it was planning a wedding in a pandemic. The movie is distributed by 1091 Pictures (a Sony company) and Prine and written, directed, produced by Chris and Hillary.
Netflix’s “Bling Empire” Star, Kane Lim Executive Produced and acted in the film alongside Chris and Hillary. Chris said, “They say planning a wedding is one of the most stressful things in someone’s life, and It’s so hard to plan when every venue and caterer is taken, and so I wanted to show that if I could put on a surprise wedding in this pandemic and figure out all the stressful planning on my own, maybe it will inspire other couples to deal with the stress of planning a wedding too.” The movie was filmed throughout San Diego and is now showing internationally.
“The Wedding Hustler” is about a couple who is unable to pursue their wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The groom decides to create a surprise wedding for his fiance with the help of the Wedding Hustler, played by Christine Chang, who is an actual wedding planner. The movie also has international Filipina Actress, Heart Evangelisa as Bling Empire’s Kane Lim’s “bestie” in the movie.
Do you recall the first time you visited Italianni’s, with your family to celebrate a special occasion, with colleagues to mark a corporate milestone, or with someone you love for a special date? Whether you have been an Italianni’s fan years ago, or a recent guest, every visit to the restaurant means one thing: “Eats a celebration!” even after almost 30 years.
Yes, Italiannnis is celebrating its 27th year! It’s the perfect time to reminiscence happy dining moments and delectable American-Italian dishes and look forward to more memorable experiences to come.
Since the restaurant opened its doors at Greenbelt 1 in 1996, it has built a solid following, satisfying the oftentimes fickle palate of the market and securing one of the top spots in the casual dining sector.
It is small wonder then that its signature dishes remain their guests’ all-time favorites – Spinach Artichoke, Spaghetti Meatballs, Chicken Italianni’s, Tartuffo and NY Cheesecake.
To celebrate its 27th year, Italianni’s says “Grazie” through a special three-course menu for only P995 which includes Truffle Fries + Caesar Salad + Seafood Cioppino. Save P670 or 40% off for every order! Add P730 for 2 glasses of house wine. This offer is valid from Feb 27 to March 3, 2023 at Italianni’s branches.
More than two decades later and with 23 branches, Italianni’s appeal endures, making it one of the country’s well-loved dining places. It’s a confluence of factors—the hearty dishes, comfortable old-world ambiance, and topnotch service that is Bistro Group’s trademark- that makes this happen.
In “Empire of Light,” Mendes has created two characters, Hilary and Stephen, played by Academy Award® winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite, The Lost Daughter) and rising star Micheal Ward. Mendes has woven them into a story exploring some of the ties that bring us together – the music, the movies, and the makeshift families that get us through.
At the beginning of the story, Hilary, played by Olivia Colman, has come out of a mental health episode that has put her on medication. Hilary is a woman living with mental illness, and together, Mendes and Colman bring her to life with sensitivity, nuance, gentleness, and complexity. “Sam is so emotionally engaged,” says Colman. “He understands what kindness is and that it is needed and what she’s going through is not her fault.”
Simultaneously, Ward’s character Stephen must walk through a racist world – but keeps true to himself as he finds an unlikely connection with Hilary, and with the cinema itself. “He’s been rejected by universities and he’s at a crossroads and trying to find himself,” says Ward. “When something like that is taken away from you, you have to find something else that fulfills you. He loves people, loves to connect with music and movies, and he refuses to allow an oppressive society to define who he is.”
“Empire of Light” reunites Mendes with one of his most important collaborators: director of photography Roger Deakins (1917, Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, The Shawshank Redemption). Deakins also earned his latest Academy Award nomination for this film, making it his 16th-time Oscar®-nomination and with previous wins in cinematography for his works in (Blade Runner 2049, 1917). A career-long user of ARRI cameras, Deakins again relied on Alexa large format cameras and its Signature Prime lenses, but with a key difference from his experience in filming 1917. “On 1917, we basically used one lens, because that was the whole concept of doing the film from one perspective. On this film, we’ve used a wider range of lenses – 35, 40, 47, in that range,” shared Deakins.
Today, the art of film projection has largely passed to digital, Toby Jones brings to life a character of Norman that represents an important part of film history – a projectionist, a character that is part of a time when films were projected by a skilled professional using two machines, with celluloid passing by an arclight, watching for secret signals to switch reels. Because Norman has been projecting films for decades, it was necessary for Jones to master the art. “There’s an element of timing in it, as you switch between projectors, and of careful manipulation – how you hook up the celluloid as it passes through the projector,” shares Jones.
Continues Mendes, ”People talk a lot about shooting on film dying, but for me, the big loss is film projection. The projectionist gives the movie to the audience, and it’s that sense that even if there’s only one person out there in the dark, they know there’s someone up there showing them the film, giving it to them. You talk to the projectionists and for them, they are part of the filmmaker’s world. They see themselves as the last link in the chain.”
“In the middle of lockdown there was a racial reckoning in the world. We were left alone to contemplate how our own racial politics had been formed, and whether we had fallen down in our attempts to make sure the world was evolving. When I wrote the movie there was also another common obsession: we were all worried whether the cinema was going to die, along with live performances. So, all of those things have gone into this movie, and in that regard, it’s quite raw,” Mendes says.
Watch out for more exciting films to be included in the A-LIST SERIES, follow Ayala Malls Cinemas’ social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
In the film “Creed III”, after dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
Jonathan Majors, who stars as Damian, observes, “As an actor approaching it, I looked at both characters’ journeys and where they were going. Michael was so honest and exciting as a filmmaker about what he wanted to do with the story, that he wanted to do something different from the canonical themes established already. But at the same time, he wanted to honor the legacy of ‘Rocky’ and the previous ‘Creed’ films. Through conversations with Michael, I knew this would be a story about two men and their dreams colliding. In some ways, ‘Creed III’ feels more intimate than others in this franchise, while the saga of it is truly epic.”
“When people see the film, they’ll see that this is actually two people who once loved each other, seemingly trying to reconnect, but one overplays the hand,” adds Majors. Looking back at their history, he notes, “Because of the society they were in, because of the actions that they took, Dame ended up having to deal with the penal system and go to prison. While in there, he held onto the brotherly love between him and Donnie. What had kept them both afloat when they were in the midst of poverty, of foster care, of the streets, was that dream they shared of boxing; that was their ticket.
“Damian, the stronger and older fighter teaching the younger boxer who was like his younger brother how to fight—and ultimately how to survive—never left him,” Majors continues. “In prison, Dame keeps his bond with Adonis by watching him work and watching him win, you know, and essentially living the dream that they both had. But that also leads to an adversarial spirit, which breeds resentment.”
“Talking about Mike as a director, I’ve never felt more taken care of as far as the world-building of the film, the understanding of the character I was playing,” shares Majors. “It’s never been so concrete in the best way. We worked in such a way where it was a real collaboration. He trusted, for whatever reason, that I was going to do the job, and when you feel that trust, you want to deliver. And as an actor, it amazed me how our chemistry worked.”
Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Presents A Chartoff-Winkler Production, “Creed III” is distributed internationally by Warner Bros. Pictures including the Philippines.
Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #Creed3
