Category: Movies

20 Movies You Can Watch at The Japanese Film Festival Online This Year

Films have intangible impacts on our society. A certain film may call for action, move people in ways that may be unexpected, inspire individually and even collectively, and at times, leaves a legacy. People watch films to be entertained, to be educated, to escape from the humdrums of daily life, and to travel beyond space and time. This is at the heart of the Japanese Film Festival – to share glimpses of Japanese culture to the world, one cinematic experience at a time.

Coming from the successes of the Japanese Film Festival Online in 2020, the Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) is bringing back our beloved film festival right at the comfort of our homes through another virtual edition this year, happening from February 14 to 27, 2022.

“The Japanese Film Festival Online 2022 gives viewers the chance to experience and learn Japanese ways and culture, as the featured films mirror our contemporary society and document people’s lives at certain periods in time. Films are indeed powerful vehicles for cultural exchange and bilateral relations” shares JFM Director SUZUKI Ben.

Take a look at these 20 impressive titles, from bittersweet coming-of-age stories to thriller, sci-fi, comedy, documentaries, animation, and heartbreaking ones, these films promise to leave viewers something memorable.

ReLIFE

This refreshing and touching love story suggests that perhaps living out one’s youth to the fullest can affect the direction that one’s life can take. This one’s a live-action feature film adaptation of “ReLIFE,” which was serialized on the manga app comico and adapted for anime and stage performance.

Time of EVE the Movie

A moving animation consisting of a string of episodes told by the customers about their sorrows of being discriminated against. The social settings of the film and issues surrounding old robots getting dumped as garbage provide realistic details to the world depicted. Originally a six episode online sci-fi animation, now re-edited and brought to the big screen with all-new additional scenes.

Aristocrats

This is an award-winning drama that questions the state of contemporary life through the perspectives of two female protagonists of different backgrounds.

Until the Break of Dawn

A heartwarming fantasy adapted from the eponymous novel by Naoki Prize-winning author Tsujimura Mizuki, this spiritual and humanistic drama that depicts the inner conflicts of those who, for various reasons, seek contact with the dead.

The Chef of South Polar

A classic Japanese comedy film with a mix of pathos and humor follows the bittersweet and charmed daily lives of a group of men living in the Antarctic, where their only joy is to eat.

Ito

A fresh and moving tale about a young woman growing out of her shell as well as the preciousness of familial bonds. The contemporary and specific “maid café” culture from Tokyo is juxtaposed with the traditional shamisen music of Aomori giving insight into the uniqueness and breadth of Japanese culture.

The God of Ramen

A moving documentary about the man who started a legendary ramen shop in Tokyo. This uniquely moving film is a record of a man’s uncompromising attitude expressed to its fullest.

Masked Ward

A tense mystery film set in the eerie confines of a hospital, where a chilling psychological battle unfolds and eventually leads into a chain of surprising twists. The film is an adaptation of a bestselling book written by a real-life doctor, and features two of Japan’s leading young actors, Kentaro Sakaguchi and Mei Nagano.

OZLAND

With a humorous and light-hearted touch, the film conveys the joy of working at an amusement park—a place of dreams—and draws the audience into the happiness experienced by the protagonist.

Her Love Boils Bathwater

A tear-inducing humanistic drama, that has won several awards, about the bonds between a strong-willed and deeply loving mother and her family.

RASHOMON

In this film that has garnered several awards, a group of murder witnesses all give completely different testimonies. One of the most celebrated films in Japanese history that questions whether there is such a thing as truth in this world.

Mio’s Cookbook

Set in Japan about 200 years ago, this entertaining period drama refreshingly portrays the bond between Miho, who stakes her life on cooking, and Noe, who has become a courtesan (high-class geisha) in Yoshiwara, Japan’s largest red-light district.

Happy Flight

This is an ensemble film depicting on-the-ground staff, cabin attendants and pilots in action. Through episodes related to the work involved in operating large commercial passenger flights, the film spins an entertaining tale that shows the growth of new staff members with both humor and suspense.

Under the Open Sky

This award-winning film tells the story of a former yakuza’s struggles to be accepted by society, even as he tries to live an earnest life. Naoki Prize-winning author Saki Ryuzo’s ‘Mibuncho’ serves as the basis for this drama.

Patema Inverted

This award-winning film is a truly unique sci-fi fantasy that almost numbs our own senses of up and down. A touching animation that creatively depicts the beauty of love, friendship, and courage.

The Floating Castle

A riveting historical spectacle about those who stand up for their dignity as samurai, armed with their wisdom, courage, and love for their people. Shot on a massive set, it presents an epic portrayal of Sengoku (Warring States) Period warlord Narita Nagachika, who fought back against a 20,000-strong enemy force with an army of 500 in the late 16th century.

It’s a Summer Film!

A girl passionate about samurai films convinces a boy full of mystery to make a film together that transcends time and space. This coming-of-age masterpiece incorporates elements of science fiction while providing a fresh look at young people who are serious about filmmaking.

SUMODO-The Successors

A documentary with rare access into sumo, Japan’s national sport and the behind-the-scenes lives of famous sumo wrestlers.

AWAKE

The year 2015 marked the first time that a shogi game software played against a professional human player. Inspired by a true story, this moving coming-of-age film is about a game between an AI and a human also about a fateful battle between two rivals, as well as the hard work that each of them had gone through to get there.

Bread of Happiness

This humanistic drama brims with kindness and is set in the backdrop of the beautiful and harsh four seasons of Hokkaido. The film is adorned with a variety of breads and dishes made with seasonal ingredients that heal the hearts of the wounded souls.

In addition to online film screenings, the Japan Foundation, Manila prepared “Let’s Talk about Japanese Films!” a 2-part free online talk event and will be available to interested participants even outside the Philippines. The first session, entitled Your Guide to Japanese Films, will be moderated by Mr. Tito Valiente, and will be joined by panelists Prof. Daisuke Miyao, Prof. Nick Deocampo, and film director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo. The second event entitled Inside the World of JFF 2022 Films will feature five young film critics namely Mr. Skilty Labastilla, Ms. Princess Kinoc, Mr. Janus Nolasco, and Ms. Stepanie Mayo; to be moderated by Mr. Richard Bolisay.

Join in the discussion with prominent and young up-and-coming film professionals as they casually talk about the influences of Japanese cinema in the Philippines and the world and tips to watch Japanese films. Additionally, there will be online campaigns throughout the festival where viewers will get the chance to win exclusive JFF freebies!To watch and view the full list of featured films, visit https://jff.jpf.go.jp/watch/jffonline2022/philippines/. Viewers can watch the films through their smart TV, computer, mobile phone or similar gadgets with access to the Internet. Follow the official JFM and JFF Philippines Facebook pages and social media accounts for more information.

February 8, 2022
10 of the Best Shows & Movies Based on Video Games

Aside from superhero films and movie reboots, pop culture fans might also notice the current trend of turning more video games into films and shows. With upcoming titles such as Uncharted starring Tom Holland, the Super Mario film with Chris Pratt, and The Last of Us TV series, we can’t help but be excited to see how our favorite video games will expand into our screens. But if you’re a bit late on checking out such titles based on video games, this list could be your starting point!

Movies

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

Watch it on Netflix

Based on the popular Nintendo game franchise, this Hollywood film follows Tim who searches for his missing father with the help of a talking Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds. As they try to uncover the truth, they get dragged into a conspiracy surrounding the powerful Mewtwo.

Sonic The Hedgehog Movie

Watch it on Netflix

Sonic The Hedgehog is another video game icon that got a big-screen treatment. The film centers on Sonic who got stuck in the human world and must defeat the mad scientist Dr. Robotnik who plans to use his power of speed for world domination.

Mortal Kombat

Watch it on HBO GO

Mortal Kombat just got a new film adaptation last year. It tells the story of MMA fighter Cole Young who finds himself being hunted by the vicious Sub-Zero. He then finds sanctuary in the temple of Lord Raiden where he must train with other great champions to take on the enemies of the Outworld.

Tomb Raider

The famous Tomb Raider franchise also received a recent film revamp in 2018. In this film, the fierce Lara Croft must embark on a journey to a mythical island and find the fabled tomb that his father was trying to uncover before he vanished.

Resident Evil

Watch it on Netflix

The Resident Evil video games have spawned a popular film franchise starring Milla Jovovich. The movies kicked off with a commando team trying to suppress the Umbrella Corporation’s zombie virus in an underground genetics laboratory.

Series

The Witcher

Watch it on Netflix

The series follows the intertwining stories of the monster hunter Geralt, Princess Ciri, and the sorceress Yennefer, whose fates are bound by destiny. As evil forces pursue Princess Ciri for her mystical powers, Geralt must step up and protect her.

Arcane

Watch it on Netflix

Based on the characters of the hit online game League of Legends, this animated series follows the sisters Vi and Jinx who find themselves on the opposing sides of a brewing war over conflicting ideologies and arcane technology.

Castlevania

Watch it on Netflix

Inspired by the popular video game franchise of the same name, this dark fantasy series follows the vampire hunter Trevor Belmont who must save a city from otherworldly beasts unleashed by Dracula himself.

Pokemon

Pokemon is a long-running anime series based on the iconic video game franchise. The show follows the adventures of Ash Ketchum who, alongside his Pikachu, embarks on a quest to become a Pokemon Master.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness

Watch it on Netflix

This animated adaptation of the Resident Evil video games puts the spotlight on Claire and Leon as they team up to stop a possible zombie outbreak while they uncover a military conspiracy.

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February 8, 2022
Paul Rudd’s Mr. Grooberson Gets the Call in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’

Marvel’s Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd now plays Mr. Grooberson, the endearing slacker summer school teacher in Columbia Pictures’ new action-adventure Ghostbusters: Afterlife, in Philippine cinemas this February 16.

“He’s one of the great comedians of our time,” director Jason Reitman says. “I remember one of my first short films opening for Wet Hot American Summer at Sundance back in 2000 and seeing Paul Rudd in a whole new light, thinking I’d be lucky if I got to work with this guy one day.”

Rudd says he instantly fell in love with his character. “One of the things that I liked about Grooberson is that he has no problem talking about how he doesn’t want to be teaching, doesn’t care about it, and doesn’t really care about what the kids do,” he says. “I thought he was a fun character to play.”

“Paul makes everything look good, I don’t know how he does it,” adds Reitman. “He makes dialogue funnier. He’s a great classically physical comedian.”

In the film, Grooberson, who happens to be a seismologist, is a cool breeze in dreaded summer school, playing vintage horror movies in class. “I can’t imagine how much I would have liked having a teacher that walked into class on the first day and said: ‘You don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here.’ And then showed Cujo,” Rudd says. His Grooberson still manages to connect with fellow science nerds like Phoebe (McKenna Grace), the new kid in town and granddaughter of late Ghostbuster Egon Spengler.

Rudd was swept up with the original 1984 Ghostbusters mania as a teenager. “I saw it a few times. It was such a big thing, everyone was talking about it at school. Ghostbusters had that magical component that just struck a chord with people.”

On the proton-pack-filled Ghostbusters: Afterlife set, Rudd didn’t need to fake the wonder. “I was actually holding a ghost trap in that scene. These are things I have known my whole life.”

From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes Columbia Pictures’ Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe.

In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan. Based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters, an Ivan Reitman film written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.

Starring Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd, Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s executive producers are Dan Aykroyd, Gil Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, Michael Beugg.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Use the hashtag #Ghostbusters

February 8, 2022
‘Marry Me’ Star Jennifer Lopez Shares Personal Parallels to her Superstar Character in the Film

Two total and completely opposite strangers agree to marry and get to know each other in Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. But as forces conspire to separate them, the universal question arises: Can two people from such different worlds bridge the gulf between them and build a place where they both belong?

When we meet global superstar Kat Valdez, played by Jennifer Lopez, she’s about to be married to her fiancé, Bastian (Maluma). Together, they’ve become the hottest celebrity couple on the planet and are about to be wed publicly, live, in front of the whole world. Their smash duet single, “Marry Me” has become the biggest song of the year. Everything in her life seems, on the surface, to be perfection. But the reality of her life is far more complex. “Kat’s a global superstar who is also a strong, confidant businesswoman,” Jennifer Lopez says. “She’s a boss but also a regular person who gets lonely and needs love. She wants to feel like she has a home and isn’t a gypsy traveling the world.”

When Kat discovers, seconds before her wedding, that Bastian has been unfaithful to her, the façade and the fantasy of what her life can be disintegrates around her. “In one second, everything changes, and it all falls apart,” Lopez says. “Kat blames herself for not seeing the truth, but also makes a spontaneous choice to marry somebody else in the audience. That’s how she meets Charlie. With that, her life completely changes, as it does when you meet someone who sees you for who you are.”

Lopez, of course, knows what it is like to navigate a romantic relationship in the glare of the public eye. “Living a life in the spotlight has its challenges,” Lopez says. “The truth is that nobody wants to hear the ‘woe is me…’ part of that, but it has a scrutiny and a judgment to it that most people don’t ever have to deal with. That can be very lonely.” What the public often forgets, for both Lopez and Kat, is that there’s a real person dealing with real pain and loss behind the clickbait headlines.

The key to surviving it, Lopez says, is to stay focused on who you really are rather than on how the public views you. “Kat never forgets that she was a little girl growing up with a dream,” Lopez says. “It’s the same for me. Remembering where I came from has always kept me grounded. I don’t feel any different, and I think that’s what people forget. That’s why I’ve made songs over the years like ‘Jenny from the Block’ and ‘I’m Real.’ I’m still the same person, but I’m just doing these things with my life and it has expanded and grown. Still, there’s a human being there.”

Playing Kat, Lopez says, allowed her to explore and expose these ideas, both on the screen and within herself. “It was about baring my soul in every moment,” Lopez says. “It was more uncomfortable than playing a character that is nothing like you, because I brought experience into a world in a way that I’ve never had to before. This is also the first time that I’ve been able to make an album with a movie, which has been a dream of mine. It’s the first time I’ve done a movie with music since Selena, and in that film, they used Selena’s voice, so I never got to sing myself.”

From Universal Pictures International, say yes when Marry Me opens in local cinemas on February 9.

February 7, 2022
Finn Wolfhard Shares Love for ‘Ghostbusters’ Before Being Cast in ‘Afterlife’

Finn Wolfhard who is best known for his starring role as Mike Wheeler in the critically acclaimed Netflix Original Series Stranger Things and as Richie Tozier in the blockbuster horror feature IT, now stars in Columbia Pictures’ Ghostbusters: Afterlife, opening exclusively in Philippine cinemas on February 16.

Watch the film’s latest trailer below:

Directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air) and produced by Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In the film, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. The film is written by Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman.

Wolfhard joins Carrie Coon, Mckenna Grace and Paul Rudd in the lead cast.

Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Podcast (Logan Kim) in Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

“My daughter was thrilled when we cast Finn,” Jason says. “He captures a generation in the way he talks, the way he looks. He has an incredible vulnerability for being a teenage boy, and that is a very unusual characteristic. He also happens to be as obsessed with the nuts and bolts of filmmaking as any young man his age.”

Wolfhard says he’s been a Ghostbusters fan since a very young age. “I think they’re timeless movies, because they are characters that everyone can relate to, and they’re such iconic performances so they’re hard to forget,” he explains. “My parents showed me those movies at a really young age, so I was lucky. But, then again, I don’t know a kid that’s my age that doesn’t know what Ghostbusters is. It’s iconic.”

The Ecto-1 and RV-1 in Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

Wolfhard says that his character, Trevor, is “a normal, awkward teenager. He’s a city kid from Chicago who gets evicted and ends up in the middle of nowhere – Summerville, Oklahoma. He’s shell-shocked, there’s no cell service, he’s annoyed about everything – until he finds a girl he falls for, and it all becomes worth it to him.”

Trevor, who is still too young to drive but is obsessed with cars, is the one to discover the iconic but long-abandoned Ecto-1 covered under a sheet in the barn. At first, he is the only one who knows it exists and begins to tinker with it to bring it back to life.

Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), Podcat (Logan Kim) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace) in Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

Though he didn’t get to physically drive the car, Wolfhard says it was an honor to interact with the iconic machine. “In one sequence, Trevor is in the Ecto-1 ripping through this giant wheat field,” he says. “He loses control and flies off and hits the road.”

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Use the hashtag #Ghostbusters

February 2, 2022
The latest ‘Scream’ movie is a lot of fun but isn’t scary at all

I really enjoyed the first ‘Scream’ movie when it came out in 1996. I remember watching it in the theater and was fascinated by how self-referential the film was (I’m not sure but we didn’t use the word meta back then) and how it criticized and praised slasher films and managed to provide surprises all throughout. I don’t remember much from the second and I never got to see the third and fourth.

Considering that my attachment to the franchise isn’t deep, I was able to follow the story of the latest sequel (the fifth!), Scream, and enjoyed seeing Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette return as their characters. In fact, I enjoyed their return more than I did the new characters and they are not the real protagonists of the story.

In this latest installment, the story follows two sisters, Samantha and Tara, who live in Woodsboro where the events of the very first movie transpired. Tara is attacked at home by Ghostface and Samantha must return to her hometown and face the dark secret that has led her to leave in the first place.

In this reality, the story of the movie had been turned into a movie called Stab and everyone is aware of “the rules of surviving a slasher film,” and what is surprising is the amount of indifference the students of Woodsboro have with the news of another attack. Yes, the circle of friends that we are introduced to is affected by Tara’s attack but they are so desensitized by the idea of Ghostface returning to their town. They talk about it openly and discuss who would probably get attacked next. They walk around carrying tasers and protection. This is a town whose youth population is completely used to violence.

In fact, it feels oddly reminiscent of how present-day Americans are so used to school shootings. They live normal lives and when a school shooting happens, they know exactly what to do. Is this a commentary on the violence happening in America today and it’s no longer a big thing among the youth? I can’t help but point that out.

As Samantha investigates and tries to discover who attacked her sister, we are once again brought into the world of the franchise and people openly talk about their lives as if it were a slasher film because, after all, a killer is on the loose. There is a tongue-in-cheek aspect to this that is taken to its furthest extreme. It makes the film funny, funnier than I expected it to be, and then the film is not only making fun of itself (and slasher movies and franchises) but it started to unravel how films these days are so reactive to the audience.

The relationship of movies and their fans is given center stage in the discussions here and it shows how much of the audience has become savvy of the outer workings of the film industry that some films are more focused on pleasing the fans than they are on committing to a story.

And while this new installment of ‘Scream’ is working hard to hit the right notes balancing fresh scares with old themes, it falls into the trap of not hitting all the story beats. Melissa Barrera, who plays Samantha, doesn’t have the flair of holding your attention. Other characters are more interesting than our lead: Jenna Ortega’s Tara is so promising while Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mikey Madison are so interesting to watch as part of Tara’s group of friends, who are all possible victims or perpetrators. As the film tries to juggle the legacy of the franchise and bring something new to the series, its capacity to make us attached to these new characters doesn’t quite stick.

So when Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and David Arquette arrive to reprise their roles, that’s when the electricity returns for the film. The three have a complete understanding of this world and this particular genre so their presence creates electricity for the film. Unfortunately, it’s not their movie. I wish they had more screen time.

And so while ‘Scream’ is fun because it takes itself lightly, reveling in the meta-discussions of slasher films in a slasher film, it’s never actually quite scary because we don’t really care that much yet about the new characters. There’s an inventive sequence filled with fake jump scares that’s just an absolute hoot to watch but other than these small moments of brilliance, the film doesn’t quite explode as it could.

But considering foreign reviews have called this the best installment out of all the sequels, then I’m glad I didn’t see the third or the fourth. I had fun but it’s not going to stick with me the way the first movie did. Interestingly enough, that’s actually even mentioned in the film.

My Rating:

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Scream is holding sneak previews in select cinemas on February 1 and will release nationwide on February 2, 2022.

ALSO READ:
‘Scream’ Rated R-16 Without Cuts to Hold Sneak Previews at Select PH Cinemas
Meet the Next Generation of ‘Scream’ Stars
WATCH: ‘Scream’ Final Trailer Features Early Rave Reviews

February 1, 2022
The Most Human Spider-Man Story Ever: A Review of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ was a completely unexpected cinematic experience for me. The story picks up just moments after ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’, and what unravels is more centered on the effects of being Spider-Man in Peter Parker’s life than it is a comic book movie. While the film is action-packed and filled with meta commentaries on second chances, it feels more like a coming-of-age teen drama that is set in a comic book world and our protagonist just happens to have superpowers. The first two movies (and Spider-Man’s involvement in other MCU movies) focused on what it meant to be Spider-Man, a friendly neighborhood web-slinger fighting crime and saving the world. And it also plays this off with him just being a high school kid.

In this film, Peter Parker’s life as a teenager takes center stage. At the end of ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’, we see the reporter, J. Jonah Jameson, announcing Spider-Man’s identity and in this film, Peter has to contend with the fallout of this very public revelation.

Yes, there are super villains (we will get to that later) but the whole first act of the film and the crux of the conflict stems from how this revelation has affected Peter Parker (not Spider-Man) and the people around him – the people he loves. More than anything, we see how important MJ, Ned, and Aunt May are to Peter’s life. Yes, he’s a 17-year old kid who fought alongside Iron Man and Captain America and the rest of the Avengers but deep down inside, he’s just a kid. Director Jon Watts never lets us forget that – his youthful antics take on a deeper meaning – and it pushes us towards the incident and the cause of all this chaos.

Because in order to get his life back – because the movie shows us the real-world consequences of living a public life as a superhero and not having the finances that Tony Stark has; if anything the movie shows us how being poor sucks – he visits Dr. Strange and asks him to cast a spell to make everyone forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

But as seen in the trailer, Peter realises the wording has to be exact, messes up Dr. Strange’s spell causing a rift in the multiverse. Enter the villains: Spider-Man’s enemies from different universes come crashing into the MCU and Peter Parker has to clean up his own mess and deal with some very, very difficult grown-up decisions.

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While the story revolves around a second chance – Peter Parker’s attempt at a second chance at anonymity leads to very dangerous consequences as well as a storyline involving the villains – this concept of “second chance” takes on a different meaning when looking at the film as a movie, a real-world product. Because, as the trailer has shown us, Alfred Molina reprises his role as Doctor Octopus and we all know Willem Dafoe returns as Green Goblin. Let me tell you, there’s more. But I’ll leave that to you to experience on your own.

What is amazing about this is that we have actors given a chance to reimagine and play around with roles they played as far back as 17 years ago. The story in itself is compelling but sitting in the theater and watching an actor reprise a role he played in a movie set in a totally different reality and universe is just an incredible feeling. New things are explored with these old characters and there’s a feeling of something very new happening right before your eyes, while certain things remain frightfully the same.

The experience of watching this film brings out so many emotions. There are so many levels and layers to this idea of “second chances” that pervades throughout the movie – not just for Peter Parker – but for so many other characters as well. The human aspect of this film feels heavier and more grounded than any of the other Spider-Man films prior.

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And while there is so much joy in the experience of watching this film, this story is also very heartbreaking as it really gives us an in-depth look of a teenager whose very life has been torn apart by his escapades as a super-powered crime-fighting vigilante. Unlike the older Avengers, Peter Parker is 17, thinking about college, living with his aunt, and not the most financially capable of the other of MCU’s mightiest heroes. His life was just about to start and it was taken away from him and he now has to make some very adult decisions when he still hasn’t even graduated from high school yet. This is the heart of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ that really gives this movie so much depth.

And this is even amplified by Tom Holland’s, Zendaya’s, Jacob Batalon, and Marissa Tomei’s performances as Peter, MJ, Ned, and Aunt May respectively.

The film ends in such a powerful way that can be seen either as a bittersweet conclusion to the MCU Spider-Man trilogy or the beginning of another completely new set of stories in a world full of infinite possibilities. This was such a wild ride and I’m glad I got to see it in the cinema.

My Rating:

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Spider-Man: No Way Home is now showing in cinemas nationwide.

January 28, 2022
WATCH: Tom Holland’s High-Octane Action Film ‘Uncharted’ Drops Final Trailer

In a race for $5 billion, be careful who you trust. Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg star in Columbia Pictures’ new action-adventure Uncharted. Watch the film’s Final Trailer below and experience the movie exclusively in Philippine cinemas on February 23.

Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan and lost 500 years ago by the House of Moncada. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.

Uncharted stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas

Directed by Ruben Fleischer. screenplay by Rafe Judkins and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screen story by Rafe Judkins, based on the PlayStation video game by Naughty Dog.

The film is produced by Charles Roven, Avi Arad, Alex Gartner, Ari Arad; the executive producers are Ruben Fleischer, Robert J. Dohrmann, David Bernad, Tom Holland, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Neil Druckmann, Evan Wells, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.

Uncharted is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Use the hashtag #UnchartedMovie

January 28, 2022
A Music Artist’s Meltdown Leads to True Love in ‘Marry Me’ starring J Lo and Owen Wilson

Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson star in Marry Me, a fresh and relevant romance for this modern age – 21^st century Roman Holiday meets Notting Hill.

In Marry Me, we meet Kat Valdez (Lopez), half of the sexiest celebrity power couple on Earth with hot new music supernova Bastian (Maluma, in his feature-film debut). As Kat and Bastian’s inescapable hit single, “Marry Me,” climbs the charts, they are about to be wed before an audience of their fans in a ceremony that will be streamed across multiple platforms.

Then there’s divorced high-school math teacher Charlie Gilbert (Wilson) who has been dragged to the concert by his daughter Lou (Chloe Coleman, HBO’s Big Little Lies) and his best friend Parker (Sarah Silverman, Hulu’s I Love You, America). When Kat learns, seconds before the ceremony, that Bastian has cheated on her, her life turns left as she has a meltdown on stage, questioning love, truth and loyalty.

Marry Me proposes that if what you know lets you down, then perhaps what you don’t know is the answer, and so, in a moment of inspired insanity, Kat chooses to marry Charlie. What begins as an impulsive reaction evolves into an unexpected romance. But as forces conspire to separate them, the universal question arises: Can two people from such different worlds bridge the gulf between them and build a place where they both belong?

As fantastical as the premise for the film may seem at first, film director Kat Coiro (who also currently serves as executive producer and director for the majority of the series in Marvel’s She Hulk for Disney+) shares that many of the greatest true love stories often started in improbable, or impossible, ways. “When it comes to love, nothing is truly impossible. When you start asking people how they met their partner, you’ll hear these stories that seem like everything had to line up for that relationship to happen,” Coiro says. “Beneath all the wildness of this story, these are just two people meeting and falling in love, which happens every day.”

That perspective on the film was exactly what Lopez and her fellow filmmakers were looking for. “Kat had a real vision for what this movie could be,” Lopez says. “She was also fantastic to work with throughout the development of the film. People are going to love her work in this.”

Lopez, as both the film’s leading lady as well as a producer, brought every aspect of her experience at the height of the entertainment industry to bear on making the film into a true romantic event for audiences.

Jennifer Lopez immediately connected with Kat and the film’s themes on multiple levels. “I understand this life,” Lopez says. “The film is literally going behind the veil of what it’s like to be a celebrity.”

Save-the-date! A Universal Pictures International release, Marry Me will open in Philippine cinemas starting February 9.

January 26, 2022
WATCH: Tom Holland Talks About the Stunts of ‘Uncharted’

Go behind-the-stunts of Columbia Pictures’ Uncharted on the hardest action sequence Tom Holland’s ever made. Watch the Stunts Vignette below and experience the movie exclusively in Philippine cinemas on February 23.

Street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.

Director Ruben Fleischer and Tom Holland on the set of Columbia Pictures UNCHARTED. Photo by: Clay Enos

Uncharted stars Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas

Directed by Ruben Fleischer. screenplay by Rafe Judkins and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screen story by Rafe Judkins, based on the PlayStation video game by Naughty Dog.

The film is produced by Charles Roven, Avi Arad, Alex Gartner, Ari Arad; the executive producers are Ruben Fleischer, Robert J. Dohrmann, David Bernad, Tom Holland, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Neil Druckmann, Evan Wells, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.

In Philippine cinemas February 23, Uncharted is distributed by Columbia Pictures, the local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Use the hashtag #UnchartedMovie

January 25, 2022