The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2022 is now open for submission of entries for its Short Film Category. The deadline for submission is on April 8, 2022 (Friday), 6pm.
The Short Film Category is open to Filipino filmmakers only. Entries must have been produced within the period of March 5, 2021 to April 8, 2022.
Interested participants can submit their entries via online or offline channels. For submission through online portal, follow the link (bit.ly/Cinemalaya2022ShortsEntryForm), fill out the entry form and upload your film and filmmaker’s profile.
For offline submissions, film entry must be submitted in a USB. Entries must be submitted in a long brown envelope properly labeled with the proponent’s name, title of film, and contact details.
The USB must be:
The final work in MP4 format, with violator/watermark, properly labeled with title, production company, address and contact numbers, production date, director’s name, and running time (which should not exceed 20 minutes inclusive of credit titles). It must be accompanied with the duly completed entry form, synopsis in English, a brief resume and two (2) recent 2×2 photos of the filmmaker/s.
Entries, with complete requirements, must be submitted to the Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division (FBNMD), 4F Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.
The ten (10) short feature finalists will be screened during the 2022 Cinemalaya Film Festival from August 5-14, 2022.
For the complete mechanics, visit the CCP and Cinemalaya websites (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and www.cinemalaya.org). For more updates, follow the CCP and Cinemalaya official Facebook social media accounts.
I never got to see the first movie so I came into the movie without any attachments or expectations from the movie. I’m guessing most of the character work for these characters was done in the first installment but ‘Sing 2’ doesn’t do much with the characters they already have. While the film feels designed to just entertain and give its audience a good time, I find myself questioning a lot of the messages that are found in this movie for kids.
The film begins with a musical that our characters are performing in – success that they have found obviously after the challenges they must’ve faced in the previous film – and they are quite victorious. They sing a very modern take on Prince’s ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ in a nod to Alice in Wonderland. Even with their sold-out performances, the show’s manager, Buster Moon, is hoping they’d catch the interest of the talent scout Suki, who is looking for new talent to bring to a Las Vegas composite called Red Shore.
But to their dismay, Suki says that their show is entertaining but not quite what Red Shore is looking for. “You won’t cut it in Red Shore,” she says (and I’m paraphrasing) and she delivers the killing blow: “You’re just not good enough.”
Motivated by the wise words of their rich patroness, Nana Noodleman, to work hard and prove everyone wrong, Buster takes his crew and goes to Red Shore anyway to audition anyway even if they weren’t invited to go.
It’s this premise that gets me nervous. Instead of working hard to make a better show that would impress talent scouts, Buster Moon sneaks into an audition they were not invited to go and then proceeds to make a promise to give a show that includes a reclusive superstar, Clay Calloway, whom they have never met before.
Buster Moon and his company get the gig despite not having an invite, not having a script, nor having a superstar that they promised to deliver. All his crew’s hopes and dreams are resting on a lie, aside from the fact that everyone seems to be unprepared for the big-time like Suki had said.
And then things get worse – for the crew, yes, that’s the heart of the story – but also for the questionable messages within the film.
Mina, the sweet elephant with the amazing voice, is nervous about kissing her co-star, whom she’s never met. Buster Moon tells her, in a passive-aggressive way, to suck it up. There’s something wrong here. Rosita, a pig who is juggling her performing career and motherhood, is forced to do a dive from a great height when she has had no training or preparation. She’s just expected to do this because it’s the act that they wrote on the fly with no concerns about whether she could do it or if she was okay with it.
And then there’s the gorilla Johnny, who has to do a dance battle and it appears that he has no classical training and is constantly harassed by the master choreographer Klaus Kickenklober, who is mean and ruthless in his training. This bothers me a lot because, while Klaus is unnecessarily mean, it positions him and classical dance training as a bad thing. Later, the proposed solution to this is “going with the flow.” It undermines formal education in the arts. I have nothing against self-trained individuals but to demonize classical training seems very wrong.
The film is filled with problematic storylines like this and handled in such a quick and dismissive way – some successfully while others not quite – which can exacerbate the misconceptions about what it takes to truly make it.
And then, there’s the whole concept of making it. Red Shore looks and feels a lot like Las Vegas. It’s excessive and loud and bright. There’s no subtlety or class to all of this and it really equates success to money and bringing in the audience and it doesn’t quite anchor what it is they are doing – putting on a good show – to anything personal or meaningful.
If anything, the film really pushes a capitalist agenda by equating success to big and loud and bright and by any means necessary.
The animation is amazing, though. The textures of the different fur and scales of the various animals are wonderfully executed. And you can’t go wrong with the songs of U2 (Bono does the voice of Clay Calloway). Even with the new arrangements, the songs are stunning. There are even some very spirited numbers like Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ and Ariana Grande’s ‘Break Free’ in a spectacular visual feast.
But at the heart of it all, it’s empty and shallow. The emotional beats are not fully pushed to their most satisfying end. It’s all visual gags – some quite good – and easy wins that don’t really stick because they came without any real deep struggle.
Columbia Pictures is happy to announce that two Filipino artists are among the five winners of the just-concluded Morbius – Talenthouse Fan Art Global Competition.
The winning Pinoy artists are Adriann Delmo and Jireh Villafuerte (aka Kyouzins) whose entries captured the essence of the Marvel legend, Morbius. Lead actor Jared Leto himself selected the winners. Delmo and Villafuerte will each receive $2,000 and their works will potentially be featured on physical posters or used as digital art to promote the film.
Check out the winning fan art below and watch the action-thriller Morbius, exclusively in Philippine cinemas March 30:
Jireh Villafuerte
Adriann Delmo
One of Marvel’s most compelling and conflicted characters comes to the big screen as Oscar® winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?
Morbius is directed by Daniel Espinosa, story by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless, screenplay by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, based on the Marvel Comics. Produced by Matt Tolmach, Avi Arad and Lucas Foster. The executive producers are Louise Rosner and Emma Ludbrook.
The film stars Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal with Tyrese Gibson.
Morbius is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #Morbius
We’ve got a solid lineup of films hitting the big screen soon! From Robert Pattinson suiting up as the Batman to Jared Leto’s Marvel superhero pic, there are many films to enjoy in the theaters for the month of March.
Here’s a list of movies in Philippine cinemas this March 2022:
When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld.
Mei Lee is a confident dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming is never far from her daughter. As if changes to her interests, relationships, and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited she “poofs” into a giant red panda!
Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder, and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. What at first appears to be a radical success soon reveals itself to be a remedy potentially worse than the disease.
Sonic is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles. Sonic teams up with Tails in a journey to find a powerful emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
[Note: release dates subject to change without prior notice.]
First responders and working-class heroes band together to save the citizens of Adventure City in Paramount Pictures’ gripping, inspiring animated thriller PAW Patrol: The Movie.
Check out the new trailer of PAW Patrol: The Movie below and watch the film in Philippine cinemas March 16.
About Paw Patrol: The Movie
The PAW Patrol is on a roll! When their biggest rival, Humdinger, becomes Mayor of nearby Adventure City and starts wreaking havoc, Ryder and everyone’s favorite heroic pups kick into high gear to face the challenge head on. While one pup must face his past in Adventure City, the team finds help from a new ally, the savvy dachshund Liberty. Together, armed with exciting new gadgets and gear, the PAW Patrol fights to save the citizens of Adventure City!
Joining the PAW Patrol in their thrilling first big screen adventure are members from the original series’ cast along with Iain Armitage, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Kim Kardashian West, Randall Park, Dax Shepard, with Tyler Perry and Jimmy Kimmel and introducing Will Brisbin.
Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies and Spin Master Entertainment Present A Spin Master Entertainment Production.
Directed by Cal Brunker, screenplay by Billy Frolick and Cal Brunker & Bob Barlen, story by Billy Frolick, based on the television series created by Keith Chapman
Produced by Jennifer Dodge, p.g.a. Paw Patrol: The Movie is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. Connect with #PAWPatrolMovie and tag paramountpicsph
I’ve played the video games ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ and ‘Uncharted: The Lost Legacy’ so I am quite familiar with some of the characters and the general vibe of ‘Uncharted.’ A quick look online reveals that the film version directed by Ruben Fleischer and starring Tom Holland will serve as an origin story for the games (as mentioned in several articles from Collider and Movie Web and imdb), though heavily borrows quite a bit of elements from ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ and, as some critics have stated, from many other adventure movies with similar themes like the Indiana Jones franchise.
From the trailer alone you can see that the film makes full use of Holland’s incredible physicality and gymnastic skills to a great degree for some pretty hair-raising stunts. It promises all the thrills and spills of an adventure movie. The laws of physics and biology really don’t exist in this film – and so what? It’s a video game movie. There’s no way a person can do some of the things you will see here, especially after suffering so much damage from punches and slamming into walls. But Holland has stated that it was the most demanding work he’s ever had to do for any movie and you can really see him doing his stunts. For that alone, the movie delivers on its promises of thrilling action sequences.
And while the film tries to bring the action from the game into the movie, what it fails to do is to really take its time to invest you in the characters. In a video game, whether you like the character or not, you are controlling the protagonist. Every time he does something amazing or cool, you feel connected to it because you’re holding the controller. The act of actually controlling the character endears the character to you. In a film, we are mere spectators so that investment has to come from a human element that is highlighted in the film.
For this film to truly work on all levels, it has to take time to develop some very important characters and their relationships with each other. The film presents us with Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, a young man who grew up in an orphanage with his brother, who both have the propensity for history, geography, and exploration. After they were separated after getting caught trying to steal a 500-year old map that details Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world, Nathan ended up growing up alone as bartender who engages in petty thievery until he meets Sully (Mark Wahlberg) who invites him to join in a hunt for Magellan’s lost gold. When Nathan finds out that his brother, who he hasn’t heard from in a long time, was Sully’s partner, he joins in on the hunt for the hidden treasure.
The relationship between Nathan and Sam is vital to the film’s narrative. It is the prime motivating factor for Nathan to embark into this story but the film never takes time to truly show us what the relationship of the two was like. We just get the first scene when they were separated and are left to assume that they were close. This is a film. It’s more important to show and not to tell. The film lacks that connection we have to Nathan’s choice of joining the quest. Oftentimes, Sam is brought up to remind us why Nathan’s along for the ride but it doesn’t stick. It’s like the filmmakers just assumed we will want to see our hero risk his life in death-defying stunts that it isn’t important to emphasize on the why.
Similarly, Sully naturally is poised to become a surrogate brother to Nathan (though Sully is never trustworthy) but that relationship isn’t developed either. Instead, we get banter and funny one-liners that hinge entirely on their age gap.
So while we go on this exciting adventure, we are in it just for the ride. We don’t actually get to feel the emotional beats. And while a lot of the action sequences are amazing to watch, there are quite a number of moments that lack clarity. Sometimes the camera is too close or the cut is too quick that we don’t see the full movement of how Nathan gets out of trouble. It’s not often but when it happens, it gets annoying.
Because of the script’s lack of heart and emotion, the film is truly benefitting from Tom Holland’s charm and innocence. He is instantly likable and even if his character is a thief, you’re just naturally drawn to him. His physicality is amazing but he cannot carry the film through his charm and gymnastic skills alone. The script has to help.
Sophia Ali, who plays Chloe Frazer, gives Holland someone to bounce off with and it is their chemistry that grounds the piece but they’re not the centerpiece of this film. Antonio Banderas and Tati Gabrielle are so much fun to watch as the antagonists who will do anything to beat Sully and Nathan from getting the gold. Banderas is going for camp and looks like he’s having fun and Gabrielle just looks amazing in every scene.
The last bit that bothered me is the way the film discusses history and lost treasure. While the whole scenario is similar to Indiana Jones, at least Indiana Jones was an archeologist who wanted to put things in a museum (still imperialistic and West-centric but his goals were for the preservation of culture and heritage, at the least). Nathan and Sully are after the gold for their own self-interest. It doesn’t matter that the gold was taken from the Philippines with the intent of bringing our riches to Spain.
The Philippines is featured but they don’t really delve into our culture or history. It’s not important except where the gold is from – the film feels imperialistic all over again. For all of Nathan’s genius when it comes to history and the stories about explorers, he’s really just a treasure hunter. Without taking the time or the effort to contextualize the adventure, it seems that the film is saying it’s okay to take the riches of another country. It’s all fair game.
So while I enjoyed the film for its inventive action sequences and death-defying stunts, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth and left me wishing they gave Tom Holland more to do as an actor. Because ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ left me in tears at the end of it. I didn’t have any of that in this film.
My Rating:
––
Unchartedopens this Wednesday, February 23 in cinemas nationwide.Find a cinema near you.
Find your rhythm this February 23 when Sing 2, sequel to the blockbuster animated musical movie event opens in cinemas nationwide. The highly successful movie Sing that gave rise to unforgettable competing characters in a talent show brings the vibrant characters to life on the big screen with new members who eventually put their acts together to help each other reach for their dreams.
Sing 2 comes at an opportune time to return to the cinema experience to hum, sing and stomp to the movie’s beat as the nation (in recent weeks and days) sees increased numbers of those who had been vaccinated so far.
Quoting from an article in Deadline from Illumination’s founder (who also produced the highly successful franchise Despicable Me and gave rise to Minion’s dominion around the globe) Chris Meledandri, from his opening remarks from last year’s CinemaCon event stated the unparalleled experience of going to the movies, “THERE IS SIMPLY NO OTHER EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD LIKE GOING TO THE MOVIES!… But I am here to tell you that a vibrant theatrical business is not only critical for the filmmaking community, for exhibition, for our global cultural heritage and certainly for our audiences. A vibrant theatrical business is important for the streamers as well! For without it, the very notion of a movie may begin to slip away. In this moment of change, our industry cannot rest. All of us—from content creators to exhibition—must challenge ourselves to reach higher, to be better than we ever thought we could be. We must write the next act of our story. And when we truly meet this moment, I am confident that: Just as we have, for more than a century—through good times and bad, peace and war, prosperity AND pandemics…People all over the world will come together…Join with family and friends…And GO TO THE MOVIES.”
Sing 2 follows the talented group on aiming for bigger dreams heading to Redshore City where all promising and successful artists start and conquer, Buster Moon and his crew dodge all odds trying to make a mark in the entertainment capital of the world. Forever the showman with the hustle to match, Buster, voiced by Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey, has now set his sights on making it big with a new show. “I am inspired by Buster and his eternal, and often delusional, optimism,” McConaughey says. “He’s a dreamer who will do the work to make his dreams come true, even if they don’t. In preparing to be Buster, I got inspiration from my own children, and the boundless energy of their youth and imagination.
Rocker porcupine Ash is voiced by Scarlett Johansson, who was thrilled to return to the franchise after seeing audiences connect so well with the first film. “I think audiences loved Sing because the characters and story have an explosive amount of heart,” Johansson says. “Ash is an artist and so she understands firsthand that an artist needs to heal thru their gift,” Johansson says. “That’s what she inspires Clay (voiced by Bono) to do; to find his voice again and use his music to move beyond his trauma to a place of acceptance and healing.”
A Universal Pictures International release, Sing 2 opens on February 23 in cinemas nationwide.
Fresh from garnering six major Academy Awards nominations including Best Picture, Warner Bros. Pictures’ moving drama King Richard will be shown exclusively at select Ayala Malls Cinemas starting February 23.
Watch the film’s trailer below:
Based on the true story that will inspire the world, “King Richard” follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (“Ali,” “The Pursuit of Happyness”) stars as Richard, under the direction of Reinaldo Marcus Green (“Monsters and Men”).
Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons. The profoundly moving film shows the power of family, perseverance and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible and impact the world.
For his portrayal of the legendary Williams patriarch, Will Smith has received his third Oscar Best Actor nomination. “King Richard” is also vying in the following Oscar categories: Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis), Best Film Editing, and Best Original Song.
For Will Smith, the story of “King Richard” is a story of “The impossible dream. For the most part, we all have impossible dreams. We have things that we would do if we felt that they were possible, things we would do if we believed. The story of Richard and this family is largely the American dream. There are very few places on earth where Venus and Serena could happen. At the core, this is about wanting to be the best versions of ourselves and sometimes, our circumstances may not line up with that, and it’s up to the strength of the human spirit to overpower circumstances. It’s wish-fulfillment for all of us.”
“King Richard” also stars Aunjanue Ellis (“If Beale Street Could Talk,” TV’s “Quantico”) who plays the girls’ mom, Oracene “Brandi” Williams, Saniyya Sidney (“Hidden Figures,” “Fences”) stars as Venus Williams, Demi Singleton (TV’s “Godfather of Harlem”) stars as Serena Williams, with Tony Goldwyn (the “Divergent” series, TV’s “Scandal”) as coach Paul Cohen and Jon Bernthal (“Ford v Ferrari”) as coach Rick Macci.
Watch “King Richard” exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas – Glorietta, Bonifacio High Street, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls The 30th, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, and Centrio.
Welcome “2” the next level as Paramount Pictures launches the payoff poster for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Check out the one-sheet art below and see the comedy-adventure only in Philippine cinemas this March 30.
The world’s favorite blue hedgehog is back for a next-level adventure in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2. After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.
From the filmmakers behind The Fast and the Furious and Deadpool, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 stars James Marsden, Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, and Jim Carrey returning, alongside new additions Shemar Moore, with Idris Elba as the voice of Knuckles, and Colleen O’Shaughnessey as the voice of Tails.
Directed by Jeff Fowler. Screenplay by Pat Casey & Josh Miller and John Whittington. Story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller, based on the SEGA Video Game.
Warner Bros. Pictures has just unveiled the first trailer of Elvis, the new movie event from visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. Check out the trailer below and watch the film only in Philippine cinemas this June 22.
From Oscar-nominated visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks.
The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).
Starring alongside Hanks and Butler, award-winning theatre actress Helen Thomson (“Top of the Lake: China Girl,” “Rake”) plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys; Richard Roxburgh (“Moulin Rouge!” “Breath,” “Hacksaw Ridge”) portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon, and DeJonge (“The Visit,” “Stray Dolls”) plays Priscilla. Luke Bracey (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Point Break”) plays Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”) plays Dixie Locke, David Wenham (“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, “Lion,” “300”) plays Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “The High Note”) plays B.B. King, Xavier Samuel (“Adore,” “Love & Friendship,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) plays Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”) plays Jimmie Rodgers Snow.
Also in the cast, Dacre Montgomery (“Stranger Things,” “The Broken Heart Gallery”) plays TV director Steve Binder, alongside Australian actors Leon Ford (“Gallipoli,” “The Pacific”) as Tom Diskin, Kate Mulvany (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hunters”) as Marion Keisker, Gareth Davies (“Peter Rabbit,” “Hunters”) as Bones Howe, Charles Grounds (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Camp”) as Billy Smith, Josh McConville (“Fantasy Island”) as Sam Phillips, and Adam Dunn (“Home and Away”) as Bill Black.
To play additional iconic musical artists in the film, Luhrmann cast singer/songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard; Austin, Texas native Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.
Oscar nominee Luhrmann (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”) directed from a screenplay by Baz Luhrmann & Sam Bromell and Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, story by Baz Luhrmann and Jeremy Doner. The film’s producers are Luhrmann, Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss. Courtenay Valenti and Kevin McCormick executive produced.
The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Mandy Walker (“Mulan,” “Australia”), Oscar-winning production designer and costume designer Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby,” “Moulin Rouge!”), production designer Karen Murphy (“A Star Is Born”), editors Matt Villa (“The Great Gatsby,” “Australia”) and Jonathan Redmond (“The Great Gatsby”), Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Thomas Wood (“Mad Max: Fury Road”), music supervisor Anton Monsted (“Australia,” “Moulin Rouge!”) and composer Elliott Wheeler (“The Get Down”).
Principal photography on “Elvis” took place in Queensland, Australia with the support of the Queensland Government, Screen Queensland and the Australian Government’s Producer Offset program.
A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, A Bazmark Production, A Jackal Group Production, A Baz Luhrmann Film, “Elvis” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #ElvisMovie
