Are you ready for a star-studded adventure that takes you to the wonderful city of Amsterdam? Starting this October 6, join Academy Award® winner Christian Bale (“Burt”), two-time Oscar® nominee Margot Robbie (“Valerie”), and John David Washington (“Harold”) in a story filled with friendship, comedy, and conspiracy with the theatrical release of 20th Century Studios’ “Amsterdam.”
Written and directed by five-time Oscar® nominee David O. Russell, “Amsterdam” is an original crime epic set in the 1930s featuring three close friends who find themselves at the center of one of American history’s most shocking secret plots. A richly intricate tale that weaves historical fact with fiction, “Amsterdam” makes for a timely, cinematic experience.
Also in the all-star cast are Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Taylor Swift, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Timothy Olyphant, Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Chris Rock, Matthias Schoenaerts with Oscar winner Rami Malek and two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro.
“Amsterdam” will be shown in theaters nationwide–showtimes and other information can be found here. Join the conversations online by using #AmsterdamPH and following 20 th Century Studios Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for updates.
‘Ticket to Paradise’ has all the narrative beats, tone, and vibe reminiscent of an early 2000s rom-com, an area with which one of the lead stars, Julia Roberts, is a master of. In fact, if this was made in the 90s, Julia Roberts would have played the daughter and not the mom and it would completely make sense. But it’s now 2022 and Julia Roberts is now playing the mom and there’s a sort of full circle that’s happening here. ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ afterall, is a classic family, generational romantic comedy about divorced parents who fly to Bali to sabotage their daughter’s wedding.
The first thirty or forty minutes of the film was a little difficult for me to get into: we know very little about the characters except that Julia Robert’s Georgia Cotton and George Clooney’s David Cotton are divorced and hate each other. They even choose to live in different parts of America just to ensure they don’t accidentally bump into each other but still do for their daughter Lily, played by Kaitlyn Dever. After her graduation from law school, Lily and her best friend Wren (played by Billie Lourd) take a trip to Bali and 37 days later, Georgia and David are rushing to Bali to stop Lily from marrying a man she met on the island.
Photo: Universal Pictures
Within the first ten minutes, the premise of the story as written above plays out and while Georgia and David’s relationship is firmly established, we know very little about Lily. We are immediately positioned, as the audience, to think that Georgia and David’s calls for a truce just to work together to sabotage their daughter’s wedding is cute or funny. Naturally, my instincts are also against the wedding because my natural inclination is to believe another white, western girl falls in love with a Balinese man (though Maxime Bouttier, who plays Gede, is very charming) and drops her privileged life for an exotic adventure in Asia. It also doesn’t help that the constant bickering of Georgia and David highlights toxic masculine behaviour – interrupting Georgia as she speaks, claiming ownership of ideas that Georgia just mentions, etc – that despite all of Clooney’s charms, it really irks me that his character is the typical toxic man.
Photo: Universal Pictures
Everything about the premise of the first thirty minutes just speaks of Western, imperialist attitudes that had me resisting the movie from the get-go. I didn’t like David nor did I have a good impression of Lily and I was so scared that they were going to make Bali feel exotic and fetishize it; turn the culture and their customs into a joke.
But the moment the movie is in full swing, as Georgia and David begin to put their plans of sabotaging the wedding into action, I started to notice something quite surprising and refreshing. The way ‘Ticket to Paradise’ frames the Balinese culture was done with so much love and respect. Never did they make a joke out of anything that represented Balinese. In fact, as the narrative unfolds, it positions the Balinese culture as sort of superior to western ideals as represented by both Georgia and David. The concept of the tight-knit Asian family is put in full display which perfectly contrasts the lack of communication between David, Georgia, and Lily. Lily’s own decision to live in Bali stems from a need to harmonize with herself and she can do this in the island with Gede and it reflects back on David and Georgia’s own failures in their relationship, which is saddled with the pressures of western ideas of success.
Photo: Universal Pictures
There’s even a subtle touch of the use of the Balinese language. Every time Georgia and David are in a scene and people speak in Indonesian, there are no subtitles. There’s only one scene where this happens but it is used narratively to underline David’s mistake. Another scene involves Gede and his parents having a discussion about the wedding but there are no Americans in the scene and what they talk about, once again, shows off the beautiful family relationship of this Balinese family.
Photo: Universal Pictures
Never in the movie do I feel that there is a joke being made at the expense of the Asians. In fact, the movie subversively puts forward the notion that Georgia and David are the villains of the film despite its tone and genre. The bait and switch occurs because Georgia and David are played by Julia Roberts and George Clooney, both huge global superstars. Of course, coming in you’d think they were the heroes of the story. That mere fact is why I was resisting the film at the start but the moment the true nature of the movie was revealed, I began to enjoy it.
It’s a classic family romantic comedy with a lot of important things to say – about marriage and parenting and life – and it surprised me at how it positions the Balinese culture as something ideal, if not more ideal, than those of western values.
Global video streaming service Prime Video today announced Island, the one of a kind fantasy action Korean TV series coming to Prime Video in Southeast Asia and more than 240 countries and territories outside of South Korea this December. This underlines Prime Video’s continuous effort in building up Korean content offerings for its customers in the region and globally following the launch of romantic comedy Love in Contract in September.
Island is a fantasy action series based on the comic/webtoon of the same name by Yoon In-wan and Yang Kyung-il. Set in Jeju island, it depicts the journey of the characters fighting the evil force that is trying to destroy the world. Produced by YLab Flex, Studio Dragon and Gilstory Ent, Island assembles one of the best on and off screen teams, including director Bae Jong (Welcome to Dongmakgol, Fabricated City), writer Oh Bo-hyin and an A list cast including Kim Nam-gil, Lee Da-hee, Cha Eun-woo, and Sung-joon in lead roles. Set in the most famous and beautiful Korean island of Jeju, Island taps into the legends and folklore of the well known tourist destination through which the audience gets to experience its natural beauty. The show will be available on TVING in South Korea, and on Prime Video globally.
“Southeast Asian audiences love Korean content, and we can’t wait to bring Island and many more Korean series and films to our customers in the region and worldwide,” said David Simonsen, Director Prime Video, Southeast Asia. “Island will complement our growing selection of content tailored to the region, which consists of local series and movies, anime and Korean content, alongside our amazing global content on Prime Video. Stay tuned for more information on Island exclusively on Prime Video in the coming weeks.”
First published 25 years ago in 1997, Island was a collaboration between two legendary Korean comic artists, Yoon In-wan and Yang Kyung-il, and became an immediate smash hit. In 2016, exactly 19 years after its debut, Island was uploaded to Naver Webtoon and gained instant popularity attracting another generation of comic fans. In 2022, the hit comic/webtoon was adapted as a live action TV series so that the fans of all generations can go on this journey with the protagonists.
As a person who grew up in the 80s and 90s watching Hollywood movies, there’s something magical and powerful about watching a film set in Africa, whose lead characters are African women, who command so much respect and admiration. Growing up, my idea of Africa had been shaped by the news and by Hollywood and it wasn’t until ‘Black Panther’ that I began to allow myself to think of Africa in a different light. The fact that it took producers Maria Bello, Cathy Schulman, and Viola Davis five years to get the movie greenlit by a major studio and only after the success of the MCU movie changed the way Hollywood would tell stories about Africa in a mainstream setting.
The story, about a general of an elite army of women warriors, is based on true accounts. The Agojie served as the inspiration for the women warriors the Dora Milaje of ‘Black Panther’ and were the elite forces of the king of the kingdom of Dahomey, which really existed for around 300 years. The fictional general, Nanisca (played by Viola Davis) must train a new generation of Agojie warriors while observing how the war between African kingdoms was fueled by the slave trade brought in by the Europeans. As Nanisca discusses geopolitics with her king, King Ghezo (a real-life figure and played with great charisma by John Boyega), Nawi (a new recruit and played with great depth and power by Thuso Mbedu) learns the ways of the Agojie.
Photo: Columbia Pictures
If anything, ‘The Woman King’ is a straight-up epic action film, which many critics have likened to films like ‘Gladiator’ or ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ except with black women. There is ample time spent to establish the setting of this story – West Africa in 1823 – and impressing upon us the complex relationships between Nanisca and King Ghezo and Nanisca and the Agojie, most notably her closest friend Amenza (played by Sheila Atim). Nawi befriends her other new recruits as well as the veteran warrior Izogie (played by a scene-stealing Lashana Lynch) as they prepare for war with the Oyo Empire, who has been capturing the Dahomey people to sell as slaves to the Europeans.
Photo: Columbia Pictures
There’s a good mix of story, action sequences, and just a general feast of the visual imagery of a prosperous African kingdom and a band of highly respected and feared warrior women. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it before on the big screen and I was just sitting in my seat in the movie theater transfixed to the screen and enjoying every minute of it.
The film never strays away from the issues of women – sexual assault, oppression, forced marriages – and it’s great to see the women fight back in such a ruthless and brutal manner that was so befitting of its time period. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who had directed ‘Old Guard,’ does an amazing job at balancing both the emotional elements of the story (that Davis, Mbedu, and Lynch have moments that can really pull at the heartstrings even if this is an action film through and through) and does splendid coverage of the battle sequences. You see the power and the speed of the movements. It’s beautiful in its ferocity.
Photo: Columbia Pictures
What it also manages to put into perspective is how the Europeans and the Americans have pit the African nations against each other by trading guns and wealth in exchange for African lives in the form of slaves. While there are historical inaccuracies depicted in the film regarding King Ghezo’s thoughts about slavery, what the film positions is that what has happened in the past was a travesty with unimaginable consequences. It resonates even until the present day as we see the sort of racial discrimination that is still happening in the US and for the mere fact that depictions of Africans like it has in the films ‘Black Panther’ and ‘The Woman King’ are very few and far between (and if there are, not as commercially available).
Photo: Columbia Pictures
Representation matters because what we see in the cinema (or on the news) really becomes our only window to imagine what the rest of the world would look like or feel like. Without films like this, we’d always think of Africa as a struggling continent that needs “the white man’s help” even though history has told us that the west came and turned the continent over its head for its resources. While ‘Black Panther’ can help us imagine what an Africa undisturbed by Western imperialism could look like, ‘The Woman King’ can help us imagine what Africa may have been like before France colonized the Dahomey kingdom in 1863.
There are no white saviours in this story. And while this is a story about slavery, it’s not finding entertainment in the victimization of the African people but celebrating their fight against it. This is Africa – and African women – put front and center and if this is the trend of the kind of movies we will have moving forward then I’m so excited to see what other films we will get to see after this.
With the world evolving into a more digital-first environment, businesses have to step up their connectivity game because of the higher demand for video conferences, online collaborations, and the need to increase online presence–all to consistently cater to the needs of their customers and different stakeholders.
“As businesses pursue growth in today’s hyperconnected world, it is imperative that they have a robust internet connection that they can depend on,” says Angie Po, Product Marketing Head, Globe Business MSME Group. “That’s why Globe Business continues to improve our business-grade broadband plans that can keep up with the needs of micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs, to help them achieve more business breakthroughs para sa tuloy-tuloy na success.”
The latest made-for-business broadband plan of Globe Business is the new GFiber Biz Plus. With GFiber Biz Plus, businesses can enjoy robust connectivity without the high cost. All plans are now fully “symmetric” across speeds of 35Mbps upto 1Gbps. This means users can enjoy equal upload and download speeds, allowing them to accomplish their online tasks much faster, experience seamless streaming, enjoy higher video quality for online conferences, and upload on the cloud with minimal interruption. Plus, they can now enjoy 4x the speed from 50 Mbps to 200Mbps for Plan 2499!
GFiber Biz Plus Plans also come with additional tools important for businesses. For Plans 2499 and up, Globe Business extends help to business owners by giving them the option to choose among these additional support based on their needs: a free one-year license of Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 to improve business productivity; (2) units of WiFi Mesh for a more enhanced WiFi coverage; P5,000 subsidy that can be used for in-house wiring or on barangay permit. All plans also include unlimited calls to all mobile and landline networks for 24 months, making calls to customers and suppliers worry free about extra charges.
“GFiber Biz Plus is the best value-packed connectivity solution for MSMEs that want to be better equipped to respond to the needs of their customers and stakeholders during this time of heightened digital adoption, ” says Po.
Get the GFiber Biz Plus now. Drop by any Globe store, call the hotline at 121, visit the website at https://glbe.co/gfiberbizplans or get in touch with your dedicated account manager to avail.
Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning R&B superstar and iconic songwriter NE-YO is coming to Manila for his ‘Live in Concert’ tour on January 23, 2023 at the Araneta Coliseum, where he will perform classics along with new music. Presented by Wilbros Live. Tickets will go on-sale on October 15 via TicketNet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets nationwide.
NE-YO recently released his long-awaited, eighth studio album, Self Explanatory, which includes collaborations with Yung Bleu, Jeremih, Trippie Redd and Zae France along with standout singles such as “You Got The Body,” “Stay Down,” “Don’t Love Me,” and more.
Over the course of his illustrious career, NE-YO has sold a cumulative 20+ million adjusted albums worldwide. His first single, 2005’s “So Sick,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified quadruple-platinum. Since then, he has racked up a collection of hit singles – including “Sexy Love,” “Closer,” “Because of You,” “Miss Independent” and “Push Back” featuring Bebe Rexha and Stefflon Don.
He has proven to be as powerful with his pen as he is in the recording studio and on stage, penning bangers like Rihanna’s “Unfaithful,” “Russian Roulette,” and “Take a Bow,” along with Beyoncé’s 2006 breakup anthem “Irreplaceable” and songs for such artists as Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Carrie Underwood, & Celine Dion among others. Beyond his artistry, Ne-Yo’s film and television credits include NBC’s World of Dance, Empire, Stomp the Yard, Save the Last Dance, Battle: Los Angeles, George Lucas’ Red Tails, The Wiz Live! and “Step Up: High Water” now in his 3rd season on STARZ.
Follow @WilbrosLive on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Want to get your hands on the latest gadget or must-buy appliances but still be able to manage your expenses and savings? Getting a light and flexible installment plan with zero downpayment offers a way to fulfill your self-care essentials and ‘adulting’ needs without breaking your budget!
To provide more Filipinos with an easy and affordable way of upgrading their lifestyle, GCash, the leading e-wallet app in the country, is introducing installment plan solution called GGives, a payment option that enables users to pay in light and flexible installments, without having to shell out money for downpayment.
Through GGives, eligible GCash users can now borrow up to PHP 125,000 to purchase the latest gadgets or upgrade their appliances, and pay up to 24 gives over 12 months. This convenient and simple installment solution aims to provide Filipinos, even those without a bank account, with an easier and lighter way of paying for their purchases.
Easy access and use
If you are a verified GCash user with a high enough GScore, GGives makes it possible for you to avail an installment plan, even if you don’t have a credit card or an existing bank account. All you need is your GCash account! Activating and using GGives to pay for your purchases needs just a few taps, skipping the need to create new accounts, fill out application forms or go through the tedious task of submitting additional documents.
Affordable and flexible payment terms
With GGives’ zero down payment, zero processing fees and zero waiting time, your dream gadget, appliances and fashion brands are now within reach! You can opt to pay in 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, giving you the flexibility to pay at your own pace within the year. No need to disrupt your regular budget because whether you choose to pay every payday or every month, you can pay your way with GGives.
Wide array of online and in-store merchants
Accepted at over 110,000 stores nationwide, GGives is a widely available Buy Now, Pay Later plan that can be availed both in physical stores and online. Whether you want to buy home appliances, the latest gadgets, skincare and beauty products, groceries and even travel needs, GGives has got you covered.
Here’s how to use GGives:
Getting access to your favorite shops and brands is now made easier when you can shop now, pay later in easy installments. With the light and flexible terms GCash has to offer, you can treat yourself to the things you deserve. To be eligible for GGives, you must be fully verified and have undergone the KYC process and must have enough GScore. TIP: Increasing your GScore can be done by maintaining a healthy account balance through cashing in regularly and using various GCash services such as Pay Bills, Send Money and Pay Online.
Are you G to #PayWithGCash? Access GGives through the GCash dashboard or find it under “Borrow.” Download the GCash app on the App Store or Google Play now and turn your dreams into reality!
Marvel fans, are you ready to journey to Wakanda once again? Fans can now secure their seats and book their tickets in advance to Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Tickets to the much-awaited sequel are now available at Philippine cinemas.
Return to the kingdom of Wakanda where Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.
As Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) to forge a new path for the kingdom. The film will introduce Tenoch Huerta as Namor, the king of a hidden undersea nation, and also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livanalli.
Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. The film opens on November 9, 2022 in cinemas nationwide. Follow Marvel Studios Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for the latest news and promos. Join the conversations online using #WakandaForeverPH.
Filipinos and malls go a long way, with different activities and milestones finding their way to this happy melting pot. As Filipino lives evolve, so do their needs. Being a pillar in the retail industry, Ayala Malls always works to elevate its standard so that mall dwellers may get the best experience they can any day of the week. In the South, you can find this at Ayala Center Cebu.
Are you looking for good quality coffee? How about a haven for all your fitness and sports needs? Plus, don’t forget bonding time with the family! What you’re looking for, you’ll find at Ayala Center Cebu. You can enjoy more amazing experiences at Cebu’s premier lifestyle destination with new store openings.
Immerse Inside this Nespresso Haven For coffee talk, work sessions, and unwinding after a long day working, the upcoming Nespresso café is a beautifully designed haven where people can indulge with luxury coffee and get an immersive coffee experience. The boutique features seagrass wall art, proudly made by ‘Rolyolikha at iba pa Handicrafts’ – a social enterprise that creates a sustainable, feasible, and viable livelihood for communities, crafting creations made from sustainable materials and ethical practices.
Continuing the immersive experience is a window-to-farm feature that gives a virtual view of coffee farms, bringing customers closer to the natural origin of the coffee. There will also be a greenery wall that symbolizes the local coffee plantations where the coffee beans are sustainably sourced.
Customers can explore their favorite coffee at Nespresso’s Atelier table, where a coffee specialist can answer all Nespresso coffee-related questions, including specific recommendations for guests to match each one’s taste and pallet.
Nike Rise is your partner in Leveling-Up Your Game Spanning 697 square meters is a running track-inspired space dedicated to sports and an active lifestyle. This massive store will offer consumers a range of innovative gear, sporting essentials, and seasonal offerings. Some in-store highlights include Stylish Expert Sessions and Bra Fitting, where Store Athletes can assist and advise on what gear suits their activity and form the best. Expect upcoming community events and classes to happen in this place bursting with energy.
Explore, and Learn at the Museum of Emotion Feast your eyes with beautifully curated and colorful art at the fun and interactive Museum of Emotions, in partnership with the Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corporation (PAEC). This experiential museum allows its guests to appreciate and recognize the different emotional states a human can feel. With over 30 plus colorful and eye-catching art installations, this interactive place of emotions offers a one-of-a-kind experience with different activities that highlight various emotions.
More than eight Instagrammable spots were curated to promote the definition of emotions through art. The Museum of Emotions’ mission is to promote the importance of understanding emotions and therefore create a deeper understanding of themselves and others.
Does all these sound exciting? Yes! Because there’s always something for you at Ayala Malls. For updates and announcements, tune in at Ayala Center Cebu social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
