Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston’s quirky couple-turned-detectives are back in Netflix’s Murder Mystery 2! The first trailer for the film has been released, teasing a new mystery set on a private island. Watch the trailer for Murder Mystery 2 below:
Set four years after the events of their first murder mystery, the sequel follows Nick and Audrey Spitz who are now full-time detectives struggling to kick off their private eye agency. A new case unravels when the couple gets invited to the wedding of their friend the Maharaja on his private island, who soon after gets kidnapped. With his guests, family, and even the bride becoming suspects, it’s up to the Spitzes to rescue the Maharaja and unmask the real mastermind behind his kidnapping in a mission that would take them to Paris.
The film is directed by Jeremy Garelick. Joining Anniston and Sandler are Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith, Kuhoo Verma, John Kani, and Dany Boon. Murder Mystery 2 starts streaming on Netflix this March 31.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming and feel-good K-drama story, Soundtrack #1 is a must-watch. Soundtrack #1 is a story about two childhood friends temporarily moving in together to write a song. As they spend more time together and learn about each other, a romance slowly develops between them.
For families
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. Familial love is just as important as romantic love so why not spend some quality time with your family by holding a movie session with these shows.
Enjoy the wonderful songs and music of Disney film Encanto performed live by the original cast themselves alongside special guests at the legendary Hollywood Bowl. Sing-along to the likes of “We don’t talk about Bruno” and “Family Madrigal” with your family to this show.
Experience an out-of-this-world adventure with the Clade family in Strange World. As they embark on a journey to a mysterious land, Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal) must settle his differences with his father Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) in order to complete a mission to save their world.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The long-awaited sequel to the Academy Award-nominated Black Panther,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees Wakanda reeling from the loss of T’Challa, their great protector. When an outside threat in the form of Namor looks to invade Wakanda, Shuri, Nakia, M’Baku, and the Dora Milaje have to put aside their grief to protect their nation.
For singles
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about celebrating with a partner or your family, it can also mean giving yourself some much-needed TLC. Here are some great shows about singlehood and self-love that you can watch on Disney+.
A coming-of-age teen drama, Love, Victor is set in the same world as the 2018 film, Love, Simon. The story revolves around Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino), a teenager struggling with his identity and sexual orientation. Victor goes on a journey of self-discovery while adjusting to a new city and being the new kid in school.
A docu-series created by Brie Larson and Culture House, Growing Up is a set of ten coming-of-age stories about the trials and tribulations of adolescence. Each story features a “hero” talking about their experiences growing up and is told through a unique and experimental form of documentary filmmaking.
It can be difficult enough to find love, add a whole lot of lies to the mix and you’ve got a roller coaster of emotions and drama. Pink Lie depicts this with a group of young men and women entering the Pink House to find love with each of them hiding a truth about themselves. As they form relationships with one another, the truth behind their lies may make or break their relationships.
Watch all of these lovely offerings and much more on Disney+ and have a Valentine’s Day that warms your heart. Get your Disney+ subscriptions via GCash on DisneyPlus.com and enjoy even more content you’ll surely love from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star!
Argentina, 1985 is inspired by the true story of Julio Strassera, Luis Moreno Ocampo and their young legal team of unlikely heroes in their David-vs-Goliath battle in which, under constant threat, they dared to prosecute Argentina’s bloodiest military dictatorship against all odds and in a race against time to bring justice to the victims of the Military Junta.
Argentina, 1985 has received a nomination in the 95th Academy Awards, International Feature Film category.
Decoy Now Streaming on Prime Video
All evidence in a murder case points to a notorious con artist as the suspect. The only problem? He died 8 years ago. Lawyer-turned-detective Gu Do-han (Jang Keun-suk) investigates the mysterious homicide and its connection to No Sang-cheon (Heo Sung-tae) and his high-profile scam that resulted in tens of thousands of victims. Reporter Cheon Na-yeon (Lee Elijah) helps Gu Do-han uncover the truth as shocking twists and revelations unfold.
Our Blooming Youth February 6, 2023
Upon becoming the new crown prince, Lee Hwan (Park Hyung-sik) encounters a mysterious curse. Min Jae-yi (Jeon So-nee) suddenly becomes a suspect when her family is murdered. Lee Hwan silently suffers from the curse while Min Jae-yi seeks to clear her name. The pair end up working together to protect each other and find the truth behind the curse and the murders. In the process, a special love blooms between them.
Ten Little Mistresses February 15, 2023
When billionaire Valentin Esposo is widowed and expressed his desire to remarry, his 10 mistresses fight it out tooth and nail to become his legal wife. But when Valentin turns up dead, all 10 women end up as prime suspects! Now they must race to prove their innocence and unmask the real killer before the police find out!
Carnival Row S2 February 17, 2023
In a fantasy world where humans and creatures clash, Season Two ofCarnival Row picks up with former inspector Rycroft Philostrate a.k.a. Philo (Orlando Bloom) investigating a series of gruesome murders stoking social tension. Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne) and the Black Raven plot payback for the unjust oppression inflicted by The Burgue’s human leaders, Jonah Breakspear (Arty Froushan) and Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford). Tourmaline (Karla Crome) inherits supernatural powers that threaten her fate and the future of The Row. And, after escaping The Burgue and her vengeful brother Ezra (Andrew Gower), Imogen Spurnrose (Tamzin Merchant) and her partner Agreus Astrayon (David Gyasi) encounter a radical new society which upends their plans. With humans and fae folk divided and freedom on the line, each hero will face impossible dilemmas and soul-defining tests in the epic conclusion of Carnival Row.
Triangle of Sadness February 23, 2023
Triangle of Sadness revolves around the guests and crew of a doomed cruise ship whose social roles are turned upside down after a sea mishap.
The Consultant February 24, 2023
The Consultant is a twisted, comedic-thriller series that explores the sinister relationship between boss and employee. When a new consultant, Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz), is hired to improve the business at the App-based gaming company CompWare, employees experience new demands and challenges that put everything into question… including their lives.
Creator, showrunner, and executive producer Tony Basgallop, is joined by executive producer and pilot director Matt Shakman, and executive producers Christoph Waltz, Steve Stark, and Andrew Mittman, alongside producer Kai Dolbashian.
Island Part 2 February 24, 2023
The captivating, action-packed fantasy story continues. Half-human and half-monster Van (Kim Nam-gil), heiress Won Mi-ho (Lee Da-hee), and priest Johan (Cha Eun-woo) face forces of evil determined to take over the world. Van deals with a deep inner battle with his human and monster sides of himself. Meanwhile, Mi-ho struggles to find the power within herself that is the key to overcoming evil. Join the trio as they fight to save the world and defy fate.Island is based on the hit comic/webtoon first published 25 years ago by legendary comic artists Yoon In-wan and Yang Kyung-il. The immense popularity of the story continued when Island was uploaded to Naver Webtoon in 2016. The enthralling adventure reached audiences all over the world through the live-action series premiere via Prime Video in December 2022 with Part 2 carrying on the magic.
This week, Babylon is coming to the big screen, telling a story of the decadence, depravity, and outrageous excesses of Hollywood at a time when silent movies are being taken over by the “talkies” or films with sound, following individuals who are affected by this huge shift in the entertainment landscape. Check out the trailer for Babylon below:
Before Babylon hits theaters this week, we’ve rounded up a few facts about the movie that you might want to know. Check them out below:
1. It stars Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, & more.
Babylon creates a picture of Hollywood through the rise and fall of several characters during its transition from the silent film era to the talkies. These characters include Brad Pitt’s Jack Conrad, an experienced silent film actor; Margot Robbie’s Nellie LaRoy, a self-proclaimed star; Diego Calva’s Mexican film assistant Manny; Tobey Maguire’s drug-addled James McKay; Jean Smart’s Elinor St. John, an established gossip columnist; Jovan Adepo’s jazz trumpet player Sydney, and Li Jun Li’s Lady Fay Zhu, a Chinese American title card writer and cabaret singer.
“I went back and studied [silent films],” Brad Pitt shared in a featurette for the film, talking about how he prepared for the role. “I watched a lot of Gilbert, Fairbanks, and Valentino. There’s a real charm in those performances,” says Pitt. “Silent films didn’t have dialogue to rely on, they only had the occasional title card, so the performances have a style to them that’s different than what we have now.”
2. It comes from the director of ‘La La Land’, Damien Chazelle.
Babylon comes from French-American filmmaker Damien Chazelle who directed the musical movie La La Land, which won multiple Academy Awards in 2017 including Best Director. While La La Land follows the people who are trying to make it big in Hollywood, Babylon depicts the opulence and debauchery of Hollywood and the madness that comes along with it.
3. There are some pretty shocking scenes that might surprise you.
Babylon didn’t hold back in depicting an era of excesses in Hollywood with certain scenes that would shock moviegoers. One of these scenes include a party-turned-orgy, which Margot Robbie described as “mad” in an interview with The Independent.
“When I read the script, I was like, this is like La Dolce Vita and Wolf of Wall Street had a baby – and I love it. But I was like, are we allowed to show that? Are we allowed to show that? There were so many scenes where I was like, a) I have no idea how I’m going to do that, and b) are we going to get away with this?” Robbie explained.
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
4. Margot Robbie improvised a kiss in the film.
In an interview with E! News, Margot Robbie reveals that the scene where Nellie kisses Brad Pitt’s Jack Conrad was not in the script, and that she was the one who suggested it.
“”I said, ‘Damien, I think Nellie would just go up and kiss Jack,’” Robbie explained. “And Damien was like, ‘Well, she could—wait, hold on. You just wanna kiss Brad Pitt.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, so sue me. This opportunity might never come up again.’ And he was like, ‘It does work for the character,’ and I was like, ‘I think so.’”
Photo: Babylon trailer
5. The film’s characters were inspired by real-life people.
While the film is fictional, the characters were inspired by real people that also made their mark in Hollywood. Jack Conrad was inspired by John Gilbert, one of the silent movie era’s biggest actors whose career suffered after the talkies boomed; Nellie was originally inspired by Clara Bow, who was also starred a big name silent films and transitioned to the talkies; and Lady Fay Zhu pulls inspiration from the legendary Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong. Other characters are also inspired by real-life celebrities that the Hollywood history-savvy might recognize.
Photo: Babylon trailer
Babylon opens in cinemas nationwide this Wednesday, February 1. Book your seats in advance and buy your ticketshere.
Highly acclaimed trot singer and Korean superstar Young Tak is coming to the Philippines, as announced by global concert promoter Live Nation Philippines. The South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and television personality’s first Manila visit is happening on February 6 and 7, 2023, for a series of shows and promo appearances.
Debuted in 2007 as a ballad singer with his first album ‘Young Tak Disid,’ Young Tak started his career by releasing the trot album ‘Nuna You’re Perfect’ in 2016. In 2020, he became well-known by placing second in the TV Chosun and South Korean reality TV audition show for a singer who performed trot music out of 17,000 participants. The trot is a popular genre of Korean music characterized by its repetitive rhythms and vocal inflections.
In the same year, Young Tak received accolades as the Newcomer CF Star Award at the 2020 MTN Broadcast Advertising Festival; Rising Star Award at the 2020 Trot Awards; nominated as Best Trot Song for “Jjiniya,” won the Hot Trend Award and Best Songwriter Award at the 2020 Melon Music Awards.
His 2020 hit single, “Jjiniya,” has reached 4.5 million views on YouTube and serves as a sneak peek at the excitement his 2023 shows will bring. Young Tak’s latest album MMM released in 2022, was his first full record in over 17 years.
For more updates, you may log in to www.livenation.ph.
Damien Chazelle seems to have directed and co-written a companion piece to his highly celebrated and award-winning movie ‘La La Land’ with his latest offering, Babylon. While ‘La La Land’ explores and navigates through the idealism and hopes of a couple trying to make it big in Hollywood and the music industry in Los Angeles as it comes crashing into reality, ‘Babylon’ feels more like a celebration and a condemnation of that same world. While ‘La La Land’ is tempered and controlled, ‘Babylon’ is wild and excessive, given to moments of grand spectacle and reveling in the chaos of its narrative. While ‘La La Land’ is personal and intimate, ‘Babylon’ brushes with big strokes and can feel very cold and uncaring.
Set during the time in Hollywood when the innovation of sound movies (also known as ‘The Talkies’) had come crashing in on the silent film era, ‘Babylon’ is the story of several characters who try to find their footing in the changing landscape of entertainment. They range from the experienced silent film actor Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), to the self-proclaimed star Nellie LaRoy (a bombastic Margot Robbie), a Mexican film assistant with big dreams named Manny (that arresting Diego Calva), the established gossip columnist Elinor St. John (by a riveting Jean Smart), a jazz trumpet player named Sydney (Jovan Adepo), and a Chinese American cabaret singer and title writer for films, Lady Fay Zhu (played wonderfully by Li Jun Li). These six (and a whole lot more) come crashing into each other in what is supposed to be both a fairy tale and a cautionary one at the same time.
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Not only is the cast huge, Chazelle goes on overdrive, trying to out-Baz Lurhmann in grand spectacles by filling his camera frames with a mass of people in the throes of chaotic frenzy. The movie is over three hours long (188 minutes, approximately) and the first act alone is a 40-minute party scene where Chazelle introduces all the characters. There’s a huge orgy – graphic nudity, an overabundance of drug taking, and a lot of dancing – which is to set the tone of the film regarding Hollywood’s excesses. The whole sequence is just an exercise in indulgence (both thematically and filmmaking-wise). But amidst this madness, there is a very interesting, very human moment that occurs: when Manny and Nellie meet and in a cocaine-driven scene end up talking about their hopes and dreams and their love for Hollywood and what the movies mean to people. It’s a very strong scene that manages to nicely contrast the wild debauchery outside their room.
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
From that first meeting, we discover Manny and Nellie’s rising through the ranks, we get a full 360-degree view of the madness of movie-making, from Jack Conrad’s multiple marriages and the inevitable decline of his career, we see Sydney find success, and then face the brutal fact of racism (in the most painful of ways), and Lady Fay, a lesbian, meets the pushback of conservative voices in the latter part of Hollywood’s evolution. And in the center of this is the rise and fall of Manny and Nellie, whose love for this world is not enough to surmount the obstacles ahead.
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Throughout its running time, ‘Babylon’ is excessive and big. It can get exhausting but it is filled with moments of hilarity and large-scale cinematic moments that would wow anybody. It’s so extra in everything that when it does slow down and quiet down, those moments become so golden. These are most noticeable in Manny’s scenes of self-reflection and a brilliantly written and acted scene between Brad Pitt and Jean Smart as the fading actor goes head-to-head with the columnist on the power and price of fame and glory and immortality.
Photo: Paramount Pictures International
Without a doubt, there’s a lot of love about the industry in ‘Babylon’ but there’s also a lot of hate. What the film lacks is some underlying message that can somehow take all this chaos and bring it to a proper catharsis. The ending attempts at a ‘Cinema Paradiso’ sort of poignancy but the madness and the horrible parts of the film tend to float to the surface and overshadow the good. The ending doesn’t feel as cathartic or as powerful as it is intended because, in the process of going hyper-real and crazy throughout the film, the love and the humanity of it are completely stamped out by the finale.
Magnificent performances from the cast and Justin Hurwitz did a brilliant job with the musical score but while Chazelle was filling up his screen with a spectacle, he failed to land the emotional punch. It’s enjoyable but you have to have the stomach for it.
My Rating:
.
— Babylon opens in cinemas nationwide on February 1. Buy your tickets here.
Paying for your ride and food orders will soon be easier and hassle-free as the country’s leading mobile wallet GCash partners with Grab Philippines, the country’s leader in transportation and deliveries.
The landmark partnership will give Grab users access to the easiest, most convenient, and secure cashless transactions when they add GCash as a direct payment method on the Grab app. GCash will be officially available as a mode of payment on the Grab platform by February.
Through this partnership, users can simply choose GCash as their payment method, and pay cashless for GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabMart, GrabExpress and other Grab services with just a few taps on their smartphones. Moreover, this partnership enables users to avoid transfer fees which go as high as Php 50.
“With this partnership, we once again realize our commitment to make the lives of Filipinos better each day by delivering a more convenient, secure, and cost-efficient way to pay for their rides and food and grocery deliveries. We look forward to this partnership and we will continuously innovate and build more partnerships that will improve the lives of the Filipinos”, said GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon.
To make their cashless transactions more convenient and rewarding, customers of Grab also get to avail of GCash exclusive deals, and get special treats when they pay for their transactions using GCash.
Country Head of Grab Philippines Grace Vera Cruz shared, “Grab Philippines is dedicated to empowering our stakeholders in a digital-first economy, and key to this is driving a deeper and wider cashless adoption in the country. With more Filipinos transacting via cashless means, we are accelerating our prospects of digital transformation. We look forward to collaborating with like-minded partners such as GCash on this agenda, and we are optimistic that through this partnership, we can improve the lives and livelihoods of many of our kababayans, while building a cashless, digital-first economy for all Filipinos.”
Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp for ride hailing, food delivery, and on-demand grocery delivery. It touts strong foothold in markets like the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Prior to this development, GCash and Grab have already established a strategic collaboration. Their initial partnership has provided Filipinos safe, seamless, and secure digital experience by allowing users to transfer money from their GCash wallet to their GrabPay wallet, and vice-versa.
Building on GCash and Grab’s shared mission of addressing Filipinos’ daily needs, this partnership also helps in creating a more cash-lite and digitally driven economy.
After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth…65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive.
From the writers of A Quiet Place and producer Sam Raimi comes 65, a sci-fi thriller starring Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, and Chloe Coleman. Written and directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods and produced by Sam Raimi, Deborah Liebling and Zainab Azizi. Also produced by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
65 is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #65movie
Noted for its numerous gated communities, upscale malls, world-class hotels, and bustling central business district, Makati City has a long-held reputation as the place to live and work for society’s rich and famous.
But the city is a hip and happening destination too, and the area that best captures this vibe is the North of Makati—or NOMA to its denizens. A neighborhood teeming with galleries, live music, and one-off dining options, NOMA is also home to The Rise Makati, a 55-story residential condominium that shares the fun and fresh atmosphere of its dynamic location.
Situated along Malugay Street in San Antonio Village, this thoroughly modern development spoils its residents to the hilt with amenities that promise endless hours of leisure and enjoyment: there’s a 28-meter tropical pool, 380-meter private jogging path, a well-being zone called The Nest, lounge space known as The Hangout, a business center called The Workshop, and The Kids Zone, where condo-dwelling children have room to run and play in a 280-sqm space.
For variety, residents head outdoors to the vibrant selection of eateries, art spaces, and entertainment that NOMA is known for.
Are you a foodie? Along Yakal Street, continental fare can be had at Chesa Bianca Swiss Restaurant, I’m Angus Steakhouse, and Santi’s Delicatessen. The Pantry on La Fuerza 1 Building along Chino Roces draws the office crowd with its adobo, salpicao, and other Pinoy comfort food. And speaking of Pinoy comfort food, try the bagnet at Bagnet 8065, along St. Paul Road in San Antonio Village: the Ilocano version of lechon kawali is cooked in several iterations—kare-kare, dinuguan, spicy gata, and curry, to name a few. If you live in The Rise, you can enjoy a careful selection of dining options right outside your doorstep. Visit Assembly Grounds at The Rise, where the roster of restos can satisfy your every food craving, from Filipino (Kuya’s, Zubuchon) to Asian (Yuki, Yi Fang, Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express, Recipes), Western (Casa Mia, Buffalo’s Wings n’ Things), and all-time favorites (Starbucks Reserve, Bread Talk). Start your morning with a caffeine fix at Starbucks Reserve or at PICKUP Coffee, then treat your family and friends for dinner at your choice of Pinoy fare
at Kuya’s, Asian food at Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu Express, or Western bites at Raging Bull Burgers. End your day with some well-deserved pampering at the salon like Sanbry Men’s Grooming House and /Nook/ Salon or have a quick spa sesh at Lomi Imua Hawaiian Relaxation Spa or get other beauty services at Nisce Skin Medispa for skin treatments and at Pink Parlour for hair removal services.What’s for dessert? For something out of the ordinary, Patiserrie Bebe Rouge on Sacred Heart Street, San Antonio Village, indulges your taste buds with its Japanese-and-French-fusion cakes and pastries. Poison Coffee and Doughnuts in Karrivin Plaza, Chino Roces, tempts with its self-described “dangerous” array of hot and cold drinks and rich doughnuts. Order them after a savory lunch of ramen or rice bowls. Mochiko in Malugay Street has a menu of different mochi ice cream flavors. Malugay’s also where you can score desserts you can drink from Raspberry Eats and Tai ho Milk Tea and Deli.
Red or white? Toast to fine wines at Titania Wine Cellar and Cave Werdenberg Wine Bar, both on Yakal Street.
How about some entertainment? Catch live bands and solo acts (and have some drinks and bar chow while you’re at it) at famed watering hole SaGuijo Café and Bar on Guijo Street, San Antonio Village, or witness some serious Pinoy rap battles in Fliptop Battle on Malugay Street. If you and the gang are up for a challenge, sign up at Escape Plan Manila at HPGV Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, or Mystery Manila at Century Mall, along Kalayaan Avenue.
Investing in art? NOMA is the place to be, with its spate of galleries and creative spaces all in La Fuerza Plaza, Chino Roces: there’s Modeka Creative Space on Warehouse 20, White Walls Gallery on Warehouse 12A, Finale Art File on Warehouse 17, and Leon Gallery on Warehouse 14. If it’s wearable art you’re after, drop by Suez & Zapote. The shop on the corners of Suez and Zapote streets in Barangay Sta. Cruz sells clothing by streetwear brand Team Manila and Daily Grind. It also hosts art exhibitions and live gigs, giving you the full-on NOMA experience.
Living in the city doesn’t have to be restricting, especially if you’re living in The Rise Makati that’s situated in the middle of the hip and happening NOMA neighborhood.
Learn more about what makes The Rise Makati your dream home in the city. Visit its website at therisemakati.com and follow @TheRiseMakatiOfficial on Facebook and Instagram.
No one out-pizzas the Hut!It’s official! Pizza Hut has broken the world record for the largest pizza with its mammoth, 13,990-square-foot pizza created with popular YouTuber Airrack at LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, California last January 18.
The Guinness World Records officially recognized the Double Pepperoni Big New Yorker Pizza with its 132-foot diameter as the world’s largest pizza after two days of onsite preparations to create this gigantic treat! To create this world-record-breaking pizza, 6,193 kg of dough was used, and along with it came 2,244 kg of pizza sauce, 3,992 kg of cheese, and around 630,496 pieces of pepperoni.
According to David Graves, CEO of Pizza Hut, the humongous pizza in compliance with L.A. County Department of Public Health, is meant for an incredible cause because 68,000 slices will go to local food banks in the Los Angeles area.
Celebrate this record-breaking feat with your very own Pizza Hut favorites by visiting your nearest Pizza Hut branch for dine-in and take-out. You can also order for delivery via the (02) 8-911-1111 hotline, www.pizzahut.com.ph, or the Pizza Hut mobile app, available for Android and iOS.
