Category: Movies

‘Forgotten Island’ Makes History With P97.2 Million Opening Weekend in the Philippines

Filipino moviegoers have found their way to Forgotten Island.

DreamWorks Animation’s Filipino-inspired adventure debuted at No. 1 at the Philippine box office, earning P97,236,533 during its opening weekend. The impressive haul marks Universal Pictures’ biggest opening weekend in the country for 2026 and the biggest opening for a non-franchise animated film in the Philippines.

For a story rooted in friendship, Filipino culture, and the creatures many Filipinos grew up hearing about, the milestone makes its arrival on the big screen even sweeter.

And there is plenty of Pinoy talent helping bring the island of Nakali to life.

Filipino Stories Take Center Stage

Forgotten Island follows lifelong best friends Raissa and Jo, voiced by Liza Soberano and H.E.R., as they reach a turning point in their friendship.

Having been inseparable since grade school, the two are preparing to head down different paths after high school graduation. But before they can say goodbye to this chapter of their lives, one final night together takes an unexpected turn.

They stumble upon a mysterious portal and are transported to Nakali, a fantastical island filled with magical beings and creatures inspired by the stories they heard growing up in Filipino families.

Some of the island’s inhabitants are friendly. Others definitely are not.

Among the dangers waiting for them is the fearsome Dreaded Manananggal, voiced by Tony Award-winning Filipino icon Lea Salonga.

As if being stranded on a mysterious island were not enough, Raissa and Jo soon discover that their memories are disappearing.

Suddenly, their adventure becomes something much more personal.

If they cannot find their way home, they risk losing the memories of the friendship that has defined much of their lives. Worse, escaping Nakali may come with a price neither of them is ready to pay.

A Pinoy-Powered Cast and Soundtrack

Adding to the film’s distinctly Filipino spirit is a stacked voice cast featuring Filipino and Filipino-American stars.

Alongside Soberano, H.E.R., and Salonga are Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, and Jo Koy.

The larger ensemble includes Dave Franco as the well-meaning but hapless weredog Raww, Emmy nominee Jenny Slate, and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng.

The Filipino representation does not stop with the cast.

Homegrown music acts BINI and SB19 are also among the artists featured on the film’s soundtrack, adding another Pinoy connection to the DreamWorks Animation original.

Critics and Audiences Are Feeling the Magic

The movie’s strong Philippine debut arrives alongside an enthusiastic response from moviegoers and critics.

Forgotten Island received a 95% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience score stands at 97%.

Behind the film is the creative team responsible for one of DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed recent adventures.

Forgotten Island is written and directed by Academy Award nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and produced by Academy Award nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

DreamWorks Animation is, of course, no stranger to stories about unforgettable friendships. The studio has given audiences the unlikely partnership of Shrek and Donkey in Shrek, the bond between Hiccup and Toothless in How to Train Your Dragon, and the touching relationship at the center of The Wild Robot.

This time, the friendship worth fighting for belongs to two young women standing at the uncertain point between growing up together and growing apart.

Watch the trailer here:

Welcome to Nakali

Fantasy may send Raissa and Jo into another world, but there is something wonderfully familiar at the heart of Forgotten Island.

It is about reaching that moment when life begins pulling two friends in different directions. It is about the memories that turn a friendship into something irreplaceable. And, wrapped around that emotional story, it is a colorful adventure filled with creatures inspired by Filipino mythology.

Now, with P97.2 million at the Philippine box office during its opening weekend, audiences have given the film another milestone to celebrate.

So, ready to take a trip to Nakali?

Forgotten Island is now showing in Philippine cinemas.

For more updates, follow Universal Pictures PH on Facebook, UniversalPicturesPH on Instagram, and UniversalPicsPH on TikTok.

DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island is distributed by Universal Pictures.

September 28, 2026
Disney+ Korean Medical Thriller “Hyper Knife” Nominated at the 2026 International Emmy® Awards

The scalpel-sharp tension of Hyper Knife is getting international recognition.

The Korean medical thriller has been nominated in the TV Movie/Mini-Series category at the 2026 International Emmy® Awards, marking a major international nod for the Disney+ Korea Original.

Premiering in March 2025, Hyper Knife drew audiences into a dangerous world of medical obsession, fractured mentorship, revenge, and morally questionable surgeries. Led by Park Eun-bin and Sul Kyung-gu, the eight-episode series turns the familiar medical drama into something darker and far more unpredictable.

“Hyper Knife” Joins Disney+’s International Emmy® Nominees

Hyper Knife is among several international Disney+ titles recognized at the 2026 International Emmy® Awards.

The United Kingdom series A Thousand Blows is nominated in the Drama Series category, while Mexico’s La Peor Vuelta Al Mundo (The Worst Trip Around The World) received a nomination for Non-Scripted Entertainment.

For Hyper Knife, the TV Movie/Mini-Series nomination puts the spotlight on a Korean thriller that pairs the precision of neurosurgery with an increasingly dangerous battle between two gifted doctors.

A Brilliant Surgeon With Everything to Lose

At the center of Hyper Knife is Jeong Seok, a visionary neurosurgeon with exceptional surgical skills and an intense obsession with becoming even better at her craft.

Her promising career takes a devastating turn when she uncovers a shocking truth and clashes with her mentor, Choi Deokhe. Soon, Seok finds herself cast out of the medical profession and stripped of her license.

But losing her credentials does not stop her from operating.

Determined to continue the work that consumes her, Seok enters the shadows of the medical world, secretly performing illegal surgeries for people who have nowhere else to turn.

Then, the man connected to the destruction of her career comes back into her life.

Her former mentor needs her help.

Suddenly, Seok is faced with an irresistible opportunity: attempt an operation few surgeons could hope to perform or seize the chance to settle the score with the man who took away the future she had worked for.

That volatile reunion becomes the beating heart of Hyper Knife, where every decision can carry consequences far beyond the operating room.

Park Eunbin and Sul Kyunggu Face Off

Bringing Jeong Seok to life is Park Eun-bin, whose acclaimed credits include Extraordinary Attorney Woo and The King’s Affection.

She stars opposite veteran actor Sul Kyung-gu, known for films including Memoir of a Murderer and Oasis. He plays Choi Deokhe, Seok’s former mentor and a formidable neurosurgeon in his own right.

Rather than relying solely on life-or-death medical emergencies, Hyper Knife builds much of its suspense around the complicated relationship between Seok and Deokhe. Their shared brilliance is accompanied by resentment, ambition, betrayal, and a history neither can easily leave behind.

As their paths collide once again, the question is not simply whether they can pull off the impossible. It is whether either of them can trust the other long enough to do it.

The Creative Team Behind “Hyper Knife”

Behind the intense medical thriller is writer Kim Sunhee, whose previous work includes Quiz From God: Reboot.

The series is directed by Kim Junghyun, known for After the Rain and My Fellow Citizens!

Together, the creative team combines intricate medical scenarios with psychological tension, turning Seok and Deokhe’s complicated relationship into a high-stakes story about talent, obsession, revenge, and the price of pursuing greatness.

Now, with its 2026 International Emmy® Awards nomination, Hyper Knife has another reason for viewers to put the Korean thriller on their watchlist.

All eight episodes of Hyper Knife are streaming exclusively on Disney+.

September 28, 2026
My Favorite Works from the CinePanalo Student Short Films

With 19 entries in a competition alone, a huge number of short films in any festival plus a separate Panoramal section, CinePanalo Film Festival is making a big move to champion new voices in Philippine filmmaking landscape. The lineup was selected by a committee reviewing the screenplays before selecting the entries who would receive sizable production grants to their works. While a few films fell short of their scripts’ full potential, many were able to bring their visions to life.

But even if some of the films didn’t fully achieve the vision laid out during conceptualization, the mere fact that they finished and premiered their works in a major festival like CinePanalo is a wonderful opportunity for them to grow as filmmakers and do even better in their next outing.

While some films are still figuring out their voices, certain talents shine through instantly, like Jonalyn Mateo’s lead turn in “Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan,” Kaleb Ong’s supporting role in “When Heaven Inched Towards the Earth,” or the VFX team of “Teks Battle: Shoot Pati Pato!”

Of the 19 entries, these are the ones that stood out to me:

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

The Sound of K

Directed by Jay Gabriel Canada (Visayas State University)

Raw in its execution, there is poetry in the script that plays out while the actor (who is also the director) showcases a wonderfully nuanced performance that truly captures the anxieties and fears of someone with a speech impediment. There is a strong indie feel to the whole production that amplifies the sincerity of the piece, making it stand out to me.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Alumahan

Directed by Christian Melvin Arejola (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)

A dark, very quiet coming-of-age story about a young boy searching for belonging in a seaside town. There is a constant state of danger that lies just underneath as the young boy joins a gang. It is a tight narrative that packs a punch and features some strong performances from its cast.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Pulis Dunggab

Directed by Maxine Dela Bajan (iAcademy – Cebu)

I was so involved with the direction, editing, and writing of this story about a kid’s game that turns frighteningly real. There is genuine love and respect for the locale and the milieu, and the characters really shine with strong performances by the two leads, Van Jordan Gacayan and Elj Seth Tababa. There is such good control here of the film elements that the whole movie felt truly polished.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Limlim

Directed by Samantha Beatriz Acoja Palaje (St. Dominic College of Asia)

Another example of a strong short film where the director had full control of the film elements, “Limlim” is a haunting story of a young girl with a dark history. The film tackles a challenging and very relevant issue with quiet grace and careful restraint.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Miss Intrams

Directed by Henri Marie Belimac (University of the Philippines – Mindanao)

Though a bit overwritten, Belimac’s “Miss Intrams” is an insightful exploration of a queer trans man’s understanding of hisself through joining a pageant. Belimac’s direction shows a good grasp of mainstream aesthetics and filmmaking, with strong performances from its cast and a great use of music.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Nang Matakasan Ang Tagay

Directed by Giancarlo Santiago (University of the Philippines – Diliman)

Santiago’s film navigates the inner struggles of a marino who is about to leave for another deployment while he spends time with his son and attends drinking sessions with his friends. The film explores toxic masculinity and the layers underneath. It is another entry where the rawness of the filmmaking amplifies the sincerity of the piece, and its almost-cliched ending brought me to tears with just the right amount of heart.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026

Kun Hain, Bisan Diin

Directed by Jomarie Reyes (University of the Philippines – Diliman)

A very polished work about a woman who embarks on a journey to find her activist mother in Samar before her wedding, the film makes excellent use of editing to convey the intense history of the complex relationship between mother and daughter. It is a smart film that shows great restraint from Reyes, who pulls back from the drama to let the story speak for itself.

September 28, 2026
She Looks Like Mom, But She Isn’t: James Wan and Rob Savage Unleash a New Nightmare in ‘Other Mommy,’ in Cinemas October 7

Horror has been on a thrilling run in 2026, ushering in a fresh era of scares and introducing audiences to bold new nightmares. For producer James Wan, the genre’s evolution is something worth celebrating, especially as a new generation of filmmakers finds inventive ways to frighten moviegoers.

We’re at a very exciting inflection point in the horror genre, but also in cinema in general,” Wan says. “With successes like Obsession and Backrooms you are seeing the next wave of filmmaking—and the next wave of filmmakers—who are making movies and telling stories that are connecting to a whole new generation. I am so excited about where we are going because horror is such a great commentary on societal fears and societal anxieties that we can do a lot of fun things that most other genres cannot.

Meet the Terrifying Other Mommy

Enter Other Mommy, an adaptation of Josh Malerman’s bestselling horror novel, Incidents Around the House. At the center of the chilling story is Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), a young girl who befriends a sinister entity capable of taking on the appearance of Bela’s mother, played by Jessica Chastain.

For Wan, the unsettling relationship between the mysterious presence and the child it seeks to manipulate made the story particularly compelling.

I was interested in the concept of an entity that mimics someone and uses that ability to get into a child’s heart, get into her mindset, and take over,” Wan says. “I thought it was an interesting way to portray what a demonic presence wants by appealing to a child’s innermost love, innocence and emotion.

Watch the first trailer of Other Mommy:

Rob Savage Embraces the Story’s Darkness

Director Rob Savage was equally determined to explore the unsettling material without stripping away the qualities that made Malerman’s novel so disturbing.

It was non-negotiable for me to preserve the darkness, contradictions, and emotional complexity of the novel,” Savage says. “I did not want to make a softened or sanitized version of this story. When I first came in with my take, I wanted to make sure we were really making the book, and Blumhouse Atomic Monster were completely aligned with that.

And Savage had another ambitious goal. He wanted to turn Other Mommy into the kind of unforgettable horror villain audiences could instantly recognize.

He describes the entity as “something in the tradition of Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers, and there are not many of those in modern horror cinema.”

A Nightmare That Keeps Changing

Rather than simply showing audiences what Other Mommy is capable of, Savage wanted viewers to experience the same uncertainty, fear, and mounting dread that Bela encounters throughout the film.

Whenever she appears, or whenever her presence is felt, you learn something new about what she can do, how she can manipulate Bela, and how she can manipulate the audience, Savage says. The goal was to make sure viewers never felt they had seen the entirety of her.

That unpredictable nature gave Wan and Savage plenty of room to transform the entity into something especially unnerving for the big screen.

The sweetness of Other Mommy is almost too sweet, but underneath it, you feel something coiled and furious,” Savage says. “As she becomes more monstrous, that control starts to slip and the thing underneath begins to come through.

Sweet, familiar, and hiding something horrifying beneath the surface, Other Mommy may look like someone Bela can trust. But appearances can be terrifyingly deceiving.

Other Mommy haunts Philippine cinemas starting October 7.

Follow Universal Pictures PH on Facebook, UniversalPicturesPH on Instagram, and UniversalPicsPH on TikTok for the latest news and updates.

September 25, 2026
“Heart of the Beast” Turns a Dreamlike Wilderness Into a Survival Nightmare, Now Showing Nationwide

What begins as a peaceful escape into the wilderness slowly becomes something far more terrifying in Heart of the Beast, the emotional survival adventure thriller starring Brad Pitt.

Now showing in cinemas nationwide, the film follows retired Special Forces soldier James Belmont, played by Pitt, and his combat dog Odin, portrayed by real German Shepherd Uber. The pair travel to the Alaskan wilderness in search of peace and quiet, only for their journey to take a devastating turn when their plane crashes.

Suddenly stranded in an unforgiving landscape, James must rely on years of military experience and the unwavering loyalty of Odin to survive.

When the Wilderness Becomes the Enemy

The environment becomes the antagonist,” says director David Ayer. “It’s still stunning, but now the glaciers and the ice fields and the trees make it difficult to navigate. But James is an experienced Special Forces operator, so he knows how to move through rough terrain with only a map, a compass and a pencil to guide him.

Filmed both on location and in studio in New Zealand, Heart of the Beast transforms the country’s soaring mountains and deep valleys into an almost otherworldly setting.

Ayer and Academy Award-winning director of photography Mauro Fiore approached the landscapes with a visual style filled with beauty, mystery and hints of magical realism.

Mauro has old-school craftsmanship, artistry and a creative soul,” says Ayer. “His work here is all the more impressive because conditions were physically arduous. We were wet, cold, tired and miserable most of the time. There was something about being embedded in that way that comes across in the photography and brings truth to it.

From an Impressionist Dream to an Expressionist Nightmare

For Fiore and Ayer, creating the film’s visual language meant finding a balance between reality and James’ increasingly uncertain perception of the world around him.

We spoke a bit about the beginning of the film being like an impressionist dream that gradually transforms into an expressionist nightmare,” explains Fiore. “By the end of the film, they are in purgatory. David wants the audience to be unsure of how much of what they’re watching is James’ subjective perception, almost dream imagery, and how much is reality.

That evolving visual atmosphere gives Heart of the Beast more than the thrills of a traditional survival story. As the journey grows increasingly dangerous, the wilderness takes on an emotional and psychological weight of its own.

Brad Pitt, Four Dogs and an Intense Filmmaking Challenge

After a career filled with ambitious action projects, Ayer considers Heart of the Beast one of his most demanding films yet.

I’ve done a lot of action movies with big casts and witty dialogue, but I’ve never felt more exposed as a director,” he admits. “It’s just Brad Pitt and four incredibly talented dogs. The focus and intensity were unparalleled. Every camera choice, every shot, the flow, the visuals, it was all critical.

With much of the film resting on James and Odin, their bond becomes the emotional center of the story.

Ayer points to an early scene in which Watkins, played by J. K. Simmons, describes the region as “the heart of the beast.”

And that’s part of where the title comes from,” the director says. But it also refers to Odin. He has an incredibly powerful heart. And so does James. For 30 years, all he’s known is war. War isn’t always military action. Everybody in their own life has their own struggles. So it’s about Odin’s heart and James’ heart and the beating heart of the environment they’re trying to survive in.

A Story About Taking One More Step

Beyond its action and breathtaking scenery, Ayer hopes audiences connect with the film’s message of perseverance.

It’s about always being able to take one more step and never feeling sorry for yourself,” says Ayer. “There’s something aspirational in that. It’ll take audiences to a place they’ve only imagined and make them feel things they haven’t felt before.

He adds: It hits hard. It shakes you up emotionally and within that emotional journey there’s action, there’s adventure, and there’s fun. At a certain point it grabs you and the next thing you know, it’s over and the credits are rolling, and you have tears in your eyes.

The film has also earned a positive response from critics, with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing.

Deadline Hollywood praised its emotional core, writing:

As pretty as the natural landscape is to watch, it is still the gut-wrenching emotional reach of this simple story of humanity at its finest, loyalty and friendship at its most meaningful, and above all the heart of a ‘beast’ and the man standing at his side. There will not be a dry eye in the house. If this one doesn’t move you, there is no hope, wrote Deadline Hollywood in their review.

Part survival adventure, part emotional character study, Heart of the Beast puts loyalty, resilience and the bond between a man and his dog against one of nature’s most punishing backdrops.

Heart of the Beast is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Distributed locally by Paramount Pictures PH.

#HeartOfTheBeast

_{Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures”}

September 24, 2026
Aaron Sorkin’s ‘The Social Reckoning’ Returns to Facebook, Opens in PH Cinemas October 7

Facebook has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a university dorm room. Today, it is a global corporate titan whose influence reaches into personal lives, public conversations, and international affairs.

That transformation becomes the heart of writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning, a high-stakes biographical thriller that revisits the world explored in The Social Network, this time from a dramatically different point in Facebook’s history.

The film centers on the unprecedented Facebook leak by whistleblower Frances Haugen, which exposed internal evidence about the social media platform’s algorithms and their potential effects on mental health, perceptions of reality, and democratic discourse.

The story was investigated by The Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz and became widely known as The Facebook Files.

The Social Network was about how Facebook was invented. The Social Reckoning is about what social media has become, Sorkin says

Rather than serving as a direct sequel, The Social Reckoning works as a companion piece and a stand-alone story. This time, Facebook is no longer an ambitious startup finding its footing. It is a massive corporate institution making decisions capable of affecting millions of people.

Watch the trailer:

The real-life investigation behind “The Social Reckoning”

Sorkin found the inspiration for his new film after reading Frances Haugen’s The Power of One and Jeff Horwitz’s Broken Code, two books that examine the events surrounding one of Facebook’s biggest controversies.

The work of Haugen and Horwitz brought the company’s internal practices into public view, fueling investigations and conversations whose effects continue to be felt today.

When I came across those two books, suddenly there was a very dramatic story, says Sorkin.

I spent hours with Jeff and Frances, at first unsure of exactly what I was looking for. But as the script’s focus began to take shape, I was able to use my time with them more and more productively, looking for very specific answers to how they took on this investigation.

Their experiences gave Sorkin the foundation for a thriller built around information, risk, power, and two people willing to challenge one of the world’s most influential technology companies.

Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White take on Facebook

At the center of The Social Reckoning is the relationship between Haugen, played by Mikey Madison, and Horwitz, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White.

Together, the two find themselves confronting a corporation with extraordinary resources and global reach.

What interested me most about Frances is that so many people like her found a new lease on life from social media, a place where they could fully be who they are. She knows its potential first-hand, says Sorkin.

And then I saw Jeff as a stand-in for the audience, this guy who doesn’t get this world or its language and is learning what is happening inside it as he goes along.

That contrast gives audiences two different perspectives on an increasingly complicated digital world: one from someone who understands social media’s possibilities from within, and another from someone gradually discovering how the machinery works.

David Fincher remains connected to the story

While The Social Network director David Fincher is not behind the camera for The Social Reckoning, Sorkin says his former collaborator remained involved and supportive.

David read it right away and a couple of hours later, sent me an email that said, ‘This is nitroglycerin.’ He has been very supportive throughout and a real cheerleader of the movie, says Sorkin.

The new film therefore carries a connection to its acclaimed predecessor while allowing Sorkin to approach the material through his own directorial perspective.

A puzzle built across different timelines

For Sorkin, part of the excitement comes from gradually allowing audiences to understand how each piece of the story connects.

The movie has what I hope is a fun structure for the audience,” reflects Sorkin.

The different timelines put you on the edge of your seat and become a puzzle until you see all the connections. Then, in the third act you see Facebook with its hands on the levers and dials of public conversation at a crucial moment.

With its combination of corporate intrigue, journalism, technology, and real-world consequences, The Social Reckoningexplores how dramatically the social media landscape has changed since audiences first watched Facebook take shape in The Social Network.

This time, the question is no longer simply how Facebook began, but what happened after it became powerful enough to reshape the way the world communicates.

The Social Reckoning arrives in Philippine cinemas on October 7. Distributed locally by Columbia Pictures PH.

September 24, 2026
NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK: Avengers: Endgame Encore, Forgotten Island, Heart of the Beast, and More!

Ready for your weekly big screen fix? This week, theaters are serving up an exciting lineup that swings from superhero blockbusters and magical animated journeys to wilderness survival thrillers and palace romances. Whether you are looking for new Marvel footage in Avengers: Endgame Encore, local mythical adventures in Forgotten Island, rugged outdoor survival in Heart of the Beast, or sweet ancient court drama in Plump Blossom, this week’s lineup offers a fantastic mix for every moviegoer.

Here are the new movies opening in cinemas this week to add to your cinema plans:

Avengers: Endgame Encore

2026 • PG • 3h 5m
ACTION, ADVENTURE, SCIENCE FICTION
GET SHOWTIMES

Marvel Studios brings the massive crossover event back to theaters for a special theatrical engagement. Set five years after Thanos wiped out half of all life, the remaining heroes pull off a risky time-travel mission to restore the universe. This special re-release features exclusive extra footage and an exciting new teaser connecting directly to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, making it a must-watch for dedicated MCU fans.

Forgotten Island

2026 • PG • 1h 48m
ADVENTURE, ANIMATION, COMEDY, FAMILY, FANTASY
GET SHOWTIMES

Liza Soberano, H.E.R., and Dave Franco star in this vibrant animated feature celebrating Filipino folklore. During a farewell celebration, best friends Jo and Raissa step through a hidden portal onto Nakali, a realm filled with legendary creatures. To return home, they must defeat the fearsome Manananggal, voiced by Broadway legend Lea Salonga. However, escaping requires sacrificing their shared memories, pushing the pair into a race to save their home without forgetting each other.

(from left) Bungi (Manny Jacinto), Raww (Dave Franco), Raissa (Liza Soberano), Jo (H.E.R.) and Prince Mermahn (Kevin McCann) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

Heart of the Beast

2026 • R-13 • 1h 41m
ADVENTURE, THRILLER
GET SHOWTIMES

Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons lead this intense survival thriller set against a punishing wilderness. After a sudden plane crash leaves Special Forces officer James Belmont stranded in the frozen Alaskan backcountry, he must rely on his tactical training and his loyal combat dog, Odin. Together, the pair battle extreme weather and dangerous predators in a unrelenting fight to reach civilization.

Plump Blossom

2026 • G • 1h 25m
ADVENTURE, ANIMATION, MUSIC
GET SHOWTIMES

This charming animated feature blends culinary arts, hidden romance, and ancient royal traditions. Princess Ruo Hua dreams of a life beyond rigid court rules, secretly sneaking into the palace kitchens every night to master traditional cooking techniques. Her quiet life changes dramatically when she shelters a wounded general hiding within the complex. Through late-night meals and shared secrets, a powerful bond develops between the gentle princess and the brave warrior.

Puregold CinePanalo Brings Homegrown Stories to the Big Screen

There’s another reason to make a cinema trip this week, especially if you want to catch more local stories.

Image Source: Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026 FB Page

The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival runs from September 23 to October 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and Market! Market!

The festival is making homegrown Pinoy cinema more accessible, with regular tickets priced at only P250.

That makes this a good time to add a local film or two to your movie plans while discovering stories from Filipino filmmakers and creators.

What’s On Your Movie List This Week?

From Marvel superheroes and magical creatures to an Alaskan survival story and an animated royal adventure, this week’s new releases cover quite a range. Whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s a new movie ready for your next cinema run. Grab your favorite snacks, round up your barkadas, and secure your tickets for your next big-screen fix.

Stay tuned for next week’s fresh batch of releases and updates. Keep ClickTheCity bookmarked for the latest showtimes, your next movie is a click away!

September 23, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: A Friendship That Feels Filipino: A Review of Forgotten Island

There are some animated features nowadays that seem tailor-made for the idea that younger audiences have shorter attention spans, so the film is directed loud and frenetic. Something is always happening, a gag or an action sequence, anything to grab the focus of an audience that might get bored if things slow down even a little bit. Maybe it’s my age, but I find it exhausting. Forgotten Island, the new animated feature from DreamWorks Animation directed and written by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, fits that exact mold. Centered around two teenage Filipina girls who find a portal to a mystical island inhabited by engkantos, all that energy and fast-paced storytelling can sometimes overshadow the film’s biggest asset: the friendship story of the two leads.

Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (voiced by Liza Soberano) live in an island province in the Philippines during the ’90s. They become instant best friends over a shared love of Philippine lower mythology, especially the manananggal.

(from left) Little Jo (Kailey Crawford), Lola (Dolly De Leon) and Little Raissa (Kayla Teruel) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

They grow up inseparable, finding themselves a bit like outcasts in the typical Filipino world they have known all their lives. But as graduation approaches, Raissa gets an offer to study abroad, putting their friendship to the ultimate test. When they discover a portal to bring them to Nakali, the mythical island of the engkantos, they jump in for one last adventure.

(from center left) Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

There, they encounter all kinds of supernatural creatures and find themselves running from a manananggal whose wings they accidentally stole during a night of drinking. Through all the chaos, will Jo and Raissa be able to save their friendship when they get back home… and if they can even get back at all?

Manang (Lea Salonga) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

The best parts of the film really revolve around the relationship between Jo and Raissa. The two characters could not be any more opposite. Jo is literally incendiary, with a love for firecrackers and explosives, and she has a strong tendency to act spontaneously and recklessly. Raissa, on the other hand, is more cautious and book- smart, with little doubt that she will make her dreams come true with an American education.

Forgotten Island | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

Yet there is something in the way they are written that makes you truly believe these two girls are best of friends. A wonderful first-act setup cements that friendship, and H.E.R. and Soberano do an excellent job bringing these two characters to life with their voice acting.

Forgotten Island | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

We see how their friendship gets tested as Nakali becomes an unexpected place for them to finally tell each other things they have kept hidden, whether out of fear of hurting each other or looking and acting foolish. It is the core of a great coming-of-age story, and against the backdrop of a fantastical land, the potential is endless.

Forgotten Island | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

I am not personally a fan of the film’s fast-paced narrative pacing, but that comes down to a matter of taste. Crawford and Mercado do a great job of keeping things moving while directing their animation team through some truly gorgeous set pieces and artistic designs. The manananggal, voiced by Lea Salonga no less, is rendered in a way that is so different and delightfully twisted that it feels refreshing and new. As a viewer and someone who has deeply studied the lore of this specific aswang, seeing such a unique take was genuinely exciting.

Forgotten Island | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

What holds me back is how westernized a lot of the other lore has become, for what maybe accessibility for a western audience or for not scaring little children. The kapres do not smoke, the duendes and the tiyanak are sanitized into cute mascots, and they even introdued a were-dog named Raww (voiced by Dave Franco), a creature I am not familiar with in all my studies of Philippine lower mythology. There are sigbins, sure, but they do not shape-shift into human.

Forgotten Island | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

For a film set in the Philippines in the 1990s, much of the Filipino culture feels more like an aesthetic accessory than something that really pushes the story forward. The culture elements can be interchangeable with any other setting, and core story would still stand. There is no question that the movie is exceptionally well-made, but I am wary of turning our heritage into a surface-level commodity rather than treating it as something integral to the narrative’s themes.

(from left) Bungi (Manny Jacinto), Raww (Dave Franco), Raissa (Liza Soberano), Jo (H.E.R.) and Prince Mermahn (Kevin McCann) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

That is why the story of the two protagonists is the one that truly grounds this film, because that’s truly cultural with us: losing a friend or even a family member due to distance. Whether it is moving from the province to Manila or migrating from the Philippines to another country for education or work, this separation is a genuine concern for many relationships here. That is the part of the culture that feels so powerfully Filipino in this story, whereas everything else could easily be substituted.

(from left) Little Jo (Kailey Crawford) and Little Raissa (Kayla Teruel) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.

Maybe I am just being territorial or possessive. I hope the film does well, but I have my serious reservations for the Filipino-American point-of-view for a story set entirely in the country. The two leads and all the engkantos speak with a westernized English accent, while every other local characters speaks English with a thick Filipino accent. What is with that othering? It is the exact question that kept popping into my head as I watched this work unfold.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Ready to watch Liza Soberano and H.E.R. trigger total mythical chaos while Lea Salonga unleashes her dark side? Round up your best friends, check showtimes, and get your tickets to Forgotten Island today, just try not to lose your wings on the way in!

September 23, 2026
Anne Hathaway Holds the Key to a Dark Mystery in ‘Verity,’ Opens September 30

Anne Hathaway steps into one of her most unsettling roles yet in Verity, the big-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling psychological thriller. The film opens in Philippine cinemas on September 30.

Hathaway plays acclaimed author Verity Crawford, an enigmatic woman whose secrets pull a struggling writer into a dangerous web of ambition, attraction, and deception.

From Romance to Psychological Suspense

Director Michael Showalter previously worked with Hathaway on the film adaptation of The Idea of You. When it was time to cast the mysterious author at the heart of Verity, the Oscar-winning actress immediately came to mind.

Hathaway also serves as a producer on the film. She said she quickly understood the novel’s appeal after experiencing its page-turning momentum herself.

There’s so much propulsive energy to [Hoover’s] books, it’s like eating something really delicious and you can’t quite stop yourself. You just can’t, you want to get to the next page,” she explains. “When I came up for air at the end of it I thought, ‘Oh, I completely understand why people went crazy for this book.’

Watch the official trailer:

A Manuscript Filled With Disturbing Secrets

Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer hired to complete the unfinished books of celebrated author Verity Crawford.

Lowen moves into the Crawford family estate, where she discovers a collection of disturbing autobiographical notes written by Verity. The pages contain troubling claims involving Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett), and raise questions about what truly happened inside their home.

As Lowen searches for answers, the boundaries between truth and fiction begin to disappear. She must determine who is manipulating whom while confronting her growing attraction to Jeremy and the career opportunity that brought her into the Crawfords’ lives.

Anne Hathaway Embraces Verity’s Complexity

Hartnett praised Hathaway’s thoughtful approach to playing his onscreen wife.

Annie is one of the most professional actors I’ve ever worked with, she’s very cerebral,” he says. “I find it comforting to be with someone who has a really clear idea of what they want to create with the character, but then she’s also fun, she wants to play as well.

Johnson was equally enthusiastic about working with Hathaway, both as a co-star and producer.

I’ve always been such a fan of hers and I loved working with her so much,” says Dakota Johnson. “We don’t really say much to each other onscreen, but in between takes we were always laughing and joking and having deep life talks. Or eating hot dogs – she had a hot dog cart brought to set one day, it was great.

Johnson added that Hathaway was committed to finding the strongest version of every scene.

She’s an incredible producer, and she’s always game to make sure we get the best version of the scene possible, she said.

Colleen Hoover Approves of the Casting

For Colleen Hoover, seeing Hathaway transform into Verity was a surreal experience.

She nailed it. Seeing all the different roles she’s playing and her range, I feel like this is a great movie to cap off the year of Anne Hathaway,” she says.

Hoover also revealed a personal connection to the actress.

The Princess Diaries is my husband’s favorite movie. He loves Anne Hathaway. I was so excited to tell him when she signed on, he and I still just feel like we pinch ourselves every day. It still feels surreal.

With Hathaway, Johnson, and Hartnett leading its tangled story of desire and deception, Verity invites audiences to question every confession and suspect every character.

Verity opens in Philippine cinemas on September 30. Distributed locally by Columbia Pictures PH.

September 22, 2026
National Cinema Day 2026 Brings Filipino Moviegoers Back to the Big Screen

September 12, 2026 marked a milestone for Philippine cinema as the country celebrated its first-ever National Cinema Day (NCD), welcoming moviegoers back to theaters and highlighting the enduring appeal of watching films on the big screen.

More than a day of discounted tickets, National Cinema Day was the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines’ (CEAP) way of giving back to the audiences who remain at the heart of the local cinema industry.

These are the moviegoers who continue to support theatrical releases, choose cinemas as a place to experience stories, and keep the shared tradition of moviegoing alive.

At its core, National Cinema Day was a celebration of cinema itself, along with the excitement, connection, and collective emotions that come with seeing a film inside a theater.

More Than 100 Cinemas Join the Nationwide Celebration

Spearheaded by CEAP, National Cinema Day brought together more than 100 participating cinemas across the Philippines.

CEAP also expressed its sincere appreciation to its government and industry partners, including the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) through the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Their support played an important role in making the nationwide initiative possible.

For just ₱100, audiences had the opportunity to watch films on the big screen, including current releases as well as selected previous and re-run titles.

Beyond making moviegoing more affordable, the celebration encouraged Filipinos to return to cinemas, reconnect with family and friends, and rediscover the simple joy of experiencing stories together.

A Strong Turnout Shows That Cinema Lives On

The strong turnout and public engagement throughout National Cinema Day served as an encouraging reminder of the continuing place of cinemas in Filipino entertainment and culture.

From the anticipation before the lights dim to the laughter, excitement, and emotions shared during a film, the celebration showed that audiences still value the communal experience that theaters uniquely provide.

The incredible response to National Cinema Day shows that cinema remains a vital part of Filipino culture. Seeing packed theaters, families and friends enjoying films together, and audiences embracing the big-screen experience reaffirmed the enduring appeal of moviegoing. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event a success, and CEAP remains committed to developing more initiatives that support our industry and enrich the moviegoing experience, said Ms. Irene Jose, President of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP).

The celebration also arrived at an important time for the theatrical industry.

After facing major challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, cinemas have continued to navigate an entertainment landscape reshaped by changing viewing habits and the rapid growth of streaming services.

National Cinema Day offered a powerful reminder that the theatrical experience remains meaningful to Filipino audiences, and that people are still willing to come together to support films, cinemas, and the individuals who bring stories to the screen.

Industry and Artists Rally Behind National Cinema Day

The success of National Cinema Day also highlighted the importance of collaboration across the film and entertainment industry.

Cinema exhibitors, producers, distributors, government agencies, artists, media organizations, content creators, and other industry partners came together to support the celebration.

Among the personalities who showed their support were Anne Curtis, Bela Padilla, Barbie Forteza, Karylle, Sassa Gurl, Michael Sager, Anton Vinzon, and Mon Confiado, alongside other artists and cinema advocates who encouraged Filipinos to take part in National Cinema Day.

On the day of the celebration, Bela Padilla also joined moviegoers at different cinemas to show her support for the nationwide initiative.

More Than a Celebration of Movies

National Cinema Day was more than a celebration of films.

It was also a celebration of the people who make cinema possible, from the audiences who continue to fill theater seats to the many individuals working behind the scenes to keep the industry moving forward.

With the strong response to its inaugural edition, National Cinema Day opens new possibilities for initiatives that can bring audiences back to theaters and create more opportunities to celebrate the country’s love for movies.

And if its first year is any indication, Filipinos still know there is something special about watching a story unfold on a giant screen, surrounded by a community experiencing every laugh, thrill, gasp, and heartfelt moment together.

Here’s to more National Cinema Days and more unforgettable moments at the movies.

As CEAP put it:

Together, we celebrated cinema. Together, we strengthened the future of moviegoing in the Philippines.

September 21, 2026