Get ready for a breathtaking cinematic journey! The highly anticipated ‘Avatar: The Way of Water‘, James Cameron’s illustrious sequel to the global phenomenon ‘Avatar’, is finally set to make its Disney+ debut on June 7.
Fresh from its monumental theatrical run where it grossed nearly $2.32 billion worldwide, becoming the third highest-grossing film of all time, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is ready to enthral home audiences. Garnering critical acclaim and numerous Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, the movie has set a new standard for visual effects in cinema.
The 20th Century Studios-Lightstorm Entertainment production reunites us with the iconic stars of the first movie – Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, and Kate Winslet. The rich tapestry of characters also expands with the addition of promising talents Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, and Jack Champion.
The story, written by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, takes us a decade forward from where we last left off. We plunge into the intriguing adventures of the Sully family – Jake, Neytiri, and their children. It’s an emotionally charged narrative that revolves around the challenges they face, the lengths they go to protect each other, and the heart-wrenching adversities they endure.
Prepare to explore the undiscovered depths of Pandora’s awe-inspiring seascapes, where we meet new Na’vi cultures and marvel at a host of exotic sea creatures. ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ presents a captivating exploration of family bonds, resilience, and the mystical wonders of Pandora.
Ready to return to Pandora? Set your calendars for June 7, and experience the magic of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water‘ exclusively on Disney+.
Featuring an upgraded AI 2.0 that sets a series of increasingly difficult challenges, THE ZONE: Survival Mission 2 will see Jaeseok, Kwangsoo and Yuri travel to some of Korea’s most unique destinations as they fight to survive.
Spread across eight episodes, season two will throw the hosts into a variety of hilarious situations as they search for life-saving water in a haunted hospital; desperately play golf in an attempt to escape a rapidly sinking island in the middle of the ocean; recreate a series of childhood games on a shaking suspension bridge; try to escape a waterpark full of zombies; and attempt to survive on a traveling bed that’s been hijacked by a rogue AI, that drives the trio through a university campus, venturing into classrooms, crashing them through walls, driving them into a lake, and more.
Slated to launch with a three episode premiere on June 14, followed by a new episode released every week, THE ZONE: Survival Mission 2 is produced by Studio Gaon, directed by Cho Hyojin and Kim Dongjin, and is created by the original team behind the wildly popular Running Man franchise.
Stream THE ZONE: Survival Mission 2 from June 14, only on Disney+.
Hemsworth reunites with director Sam Hargrave, with Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO producing and Joe Russo writing. Golshifteh Farahani reprises her role from the first film, with Adam Bessa, Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili also co-starring.
This is a sequel to the first film that was based on the graphic novel ‘Ciudad’ by Ande Parks, from a story by Ande Parks, Joe Russo & Anthony Russo, with illustrations by Fernando León González. EXTRACTION 2 is produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Chris Hemsworth, Patrick Newall and Sam Hargrave, with Jake Aust, Benjamin Grayson, Steven Scavelli, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely as executive producers.
About Netflix:
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services with 233 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
While I am more familiar with the music of BTS, I know just enough about each members personalities and the stories about who they are to know that the documentary ‘SUGA: Road to D-Day’ is a rare treat: a peek into the mind and heart of Suga, one of the more low-key members of the Korean supergroup. It’s an intimate and personal look into his process in the making of his album called D-Day through his alias Agust D.
While the documentary is really focused on the poetics: the work the artist has to go through in order to create – and in this case, it’s the time off from BTS that Suga got to do to work on finding inspiration to finish the songs on his album – and follows him through his travels to the US, Japan and back home in South Korea; there’s a whole lot more subtle textures that comes out from this movie.
For sure, we can be amazed by the sheer variety and star power of the people that Suga calls his friends – from Halsey, to DJ Steve Aoki, to Korean pop superstar IU, and even legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto – but it’s good to also focus on how warm and friendly they are to each other and despite Suga’s fame as a member of BTS, there’s no posturing on his part nor does he ever carry himself in an arrogant manner. There’s a groundedness in him that carries through and is even subverted into that of a fanboy when he comes to meet Sakamoto, whom he considers one of his idols and was instrumental into becoming a songwriter.
The documentary is also sectioned off with song numbers. Suga sings songs from the new album with a live band (and some from his previous mixtapes), as well as candid interviews (the idol is actually “barefaced” or isn’t wearing makeup for half the documentary and it really shows us a totally different side of him), and while all of this is really there to help promote the release of the album and the upcoming tour, it is also one of the many pre-recorded content made to keep fans hooked in while BTS is in hiatus.
But despite its very commercial agenda, there is a sincerity that surrounds Suga in the way with which he ruminates over such topics as success and where one takes their creativity when they’ve reached the heights of where a person like Suga has gone. This is not a relatable subject. After all, how many people can compare themselves with the sort of success the young rapper has achieved over the past years? But there’s an earnestness in the way Suga presents himself and in the way the documentary unfolds that dismantles the myth and presents to us an artist trying to put together an album at an interesting crossroad in his life.
At this point in their career, BTS has broken records and captured the hearts of millions and millions of people around the world. They have nothing that they need to prove to anyone at this point but it is so encouraging to see in this documentary how hard Suga works in crafting this album and how tied this project is to his identity outside of the superstar idol group that has made him famous. It is so heartening to know that even successful people feel lost and that, as seen in one scene in the documentary, that it’s okay to just let loose and let go and have fun with it.
As a documentary, it is what we expect from a Disney+ produced and released documentary about a member of BTS, who is working on an album. It’s light. The stakes aren’t that high. It makes you feel good after watching it and if you’re a fan of the group, it’ll just endear them to you more and if you’re just curious about them, then it will help sink the hooks deeper in. But looking deeper, it’s really just an artist allowing himself to be vulnerable for an hour and twenty minutes while he’s at the height of his career and is trying to do something new and different and that’s what art is about.
The Righteous Gemstones tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work. When the spoiled Gemstone children finally get their wish to take control of the Church, they discover leadership is harder than they imagined and that their extravagant lifestyle comes with a heavy price.
The Righteous Gemstones is created and written by Danny McBride; directed and executive produced by Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green; executive produced by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley and Brandon James; co-executive produced by Jonathan Watson; produced by David Brightbill; consulting produced by Kevin Barnett, Edi Patterson and Chris Pappas.
Stream or download The Righteous Gemstones Season 1 and 2 on HBO GO and catch Season 3 from June 19. Subscribe to HBO GO online at https://www.hbogoasia.ph/ or the mobile app via the App Store or Play Store for only ₱1,190 on the 12-month plan. Or access HBO GO via Cignal, Globe and Skycable. HBO GO is also available on Android TV, Apple TV, LG TV and Samsung Smart TV – and comes with AirPlay and Google Cast functionality.
I was extremely excited when I read the press release about the new spy show ‘Citadel’ over at Prime Video. Produced by the Russo Brothers (who helmed ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and ‘Avengers: End Game’), it’s a spy show with a complicated backstory that will unfold in two timelines and starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The press release talked about how the show will spin off to different shows about the same world of spies but set in different countries like India, Spain, and Mexico. On paper, it looked amazing but the first three episodes of the six episode first season left me a little concerned.
Without a doubt, ‘Citadel’ is expensive. There is a glossiness to the camerawork and the special effects used to enhance the explosive action sequence shows you they mean to create a spectacle. In each of the first three episodes, there are huge set pieces and fight scenes and a lot of CGI work that shows you that they had no limit to how much they can spend (it is reported that they spent 300 million on this show alone). So it looks great.
It also helps that Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas look amazing. From his work in the limited series ‘Bodyguard’ and ‘Game of Thrones,’ we know Madden can do action and he can exude an aura of a leading man. I’m not familiar with Chopra Jonas’ work but she looks great and believable going toe to toe with all the bad guys. There’s the usual banter and cheesy one-liners that comes with all these espionage shows and it feels more like James Bond than it does Jason Bourne. It’s more campy than it is serious about what it’s about.
It looks great but it goes so quickly into the plot that it leaves very little time for actual world building and making this story come alive. ‘Citadel’ is marketed as science fiction, set in a world where the spy organization Citadel was founded outside of any government to stop “evil” without care of government jurisdiction. It is an organization with unlimited funds and state-of-the-art technology, and it has been keeping the world in check for almost a hundred years but at the beginning of the first episode, we discover that Citadel has been attacked and wiped out by an evil organization called Manticore.
Enter Madden and Chopra Jonas: they are two Citadel operatives whose memories were wiped and were thought dead by Manticore. Before the memory wipe, they worked together and teased at having a sort of relationship but after the wipe, they lead ordinary lives unaware of their past until the last vestiges of Citadel have come back to make a last-ditch attack against their foe.
All of this happens in the first episode that runs less than fifty minutes. Each episode is less than an hour and tries to cover as much of the narrative as it can while serving us big fight scenes and meaningful looks from Madden and Chopra Jonas. There isn’t any real time to really figure out who Kyle Conroy (Madden) really is or who Nadia (Chopra Jonas) is as spies. We know they are tough. We know they can do whatever comes their way. But we don’t actually ever really get to know who they are and the little things that make a character interesting. Even after three episodes, it’s all just in service to the plot, which has to keep going because the first season only has 6 episodes.
I’ve watched all the way until the halfway point and I still don’t feel invested in Kyle or Nadia as characters yet.
It’s such a shame because Madden is such an interesting actor and he has all the charm and physicality for a character like this but he feels completely underutilized. While Stanley Tucci is having fun playing a one-dimensional character who gets to act all tough and say a lot of clever one-liners that don’t really hit their mark because the world isn’t set in stone yet.
It feels so generic to say that Citadel worked to stop evil. What is evil? How is it defined? Is it terrorism? Fascism? Is it corporate in nature? It’s so vague and even childish to just blatantly call it such. And why do they have so much money and power and even after Citadel fell (as you will see in the first 15 minutes of the pilot) how come they still have all the resources available to them? It’s these sorts of details that allows me to not take ‘Citadel’ too seriously and just watch it as a lightweight show.
Hopefully it gets better in the final three episodes. It looks great but all that glossiness and shine won’t amount to much if I don’t believe in this world or in its characters or what it is trying to say.
AIR has been praised by audiences and critics alike, currently boasting a 92% “Certified Fresh” Tomatometer rating and a 98% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and an “A” CinemaScore.
From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division, which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Matt Damon plays maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro and Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, with Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, and Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, among others.
This marks the first time Ben Affleck has directed a feature film starring Matt Damon. With a script penned by Alex Convery, AIR is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Affleck, Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. Executive producers include Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Kevin Halloran, Michael Joe, Drew Vinton, John Graham, Peter E. Strauss, and Jordan Moldo.
The film’s unforgettable soundtrack of ‘80s hits—from Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, REO Speedwagon, The Clash, Night Ranger, Dire Straits, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Squeeze, and many more—is available now digitally by Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.
In Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, Lee Yeon unexpectedly finds himself summoned to the year 1938. He sees some familiar faces including his brother Lee Rang with whom he has a very different relationship in present day. Lee Yeon seeks a way to return to the present but meets some old friends who may turn out to be foes. His efforts to go back to his loved ones in present time proves to be a challenge as he deals with forces determined to take away everyone he loves.
AIR May 12, 2023
From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Ang Mga Kaibigan Ni Mama Susan May 18, 2023
The story revolves around Galo, a college student in an unnamed university in Manila, and his journal entries that he writes for one of his college instructors. In the entries he describes how his everyday situations turn into scary situations, how he uncovers various mysteries and horrors, and how he gets deeply involved in these mysteries and horrors and, in the end, cannot escape them.
Golden Kamuy May 22, 2023
Sugimoto and Asirpa’s new journey begins! The new series opens with a struggle for survival over the stolen gold that was taken from the Ainu. The ‘get rich or die trying’ struggle continues, with the action heating up once more on the northern stage. As the adventure unfolds, we can’t keep our eyes off the prize!
The Legend & The Butterfly May 12, 2023
Oda Nobunaga marries Lady No, who wants him dead. But when her father dies, he gives her a reason to live again, and when in a predicament, she listens to his doubts. Together, they win the Okehazama battle and the unification of Japan becomes their dream. However, he’s turned into a “Demon King” and the Honno-ji Incident is imminent. What did they really dream of during their 30 years together?
James May: Oh Cook Season 2 May 24, 2023
James May is not a chef. But that’s the whole point: you don’t need to be a brilliant cook to make delicious food. Transporting us to the Far East, the Med, and the local pub – all from the comfort of a home economist’s kitchen – he’ll knock up delicious recipes that you can actually make yourself, with ingredients you can actually buy. And all without the usual television cooking format trickery.
Today,Prime Video has announced that the reboot of the iconic Japanese smash hit game show Takeshi’s Castle, launched first in Japan last Friday, April 21, 2023, will again have a special humorous, localized Filipino version that will launch exclusively for Prime Video members in the Philippines at the end of this year.
The new 8-episode reimagined reboot will undergo a localized makeover, meaning that, in lieu of a regular translation, the entire script will be creatively refurbished, adding elements that are locally nuanced to ensure that it resonates deeply with Filipino audiences. On top of the creative-dubbing overlay, the show will be hosted by three Mariteses — to be announced at a later date — to emulate the highly popular, local neighbourhood gossip culture.
To emulate the nostalgic experience that Filipinos enjoyed back in the 80s and 90s, when comedians Anjo Yllana and Smokey Manaloto performed Emporer Takeshi and Iwakura respectively, the Mariteses will meet up at a sari-sari store and this episodic edit will cut to the three hosts in between games to hear their quips on the games and contestants and inject their own comedic twist to the Japanese game show.
“We are thrilled to bring the reboot of the iconic game show Takeshi’s Castle to Prime Video, which fascinated audiences in the Philippines and many other countries in the 90s, transcending languages and culture barriers,” said James Farrell, Head of International Originals at Prime Video. “Takeshi’s Castle made millions laugh, and we can’t wait for our audiences worldwide to relive this new and reimagined comedic gem on Prime Video.”
“Takeshi’s Castle marked a whole generation in the Philippines. We are delighted to have some of the funniest and most iconic talent in Philippine entertainment alongside each other to bring this reboot to life. Their participation on this show will help capture the imagination of a new generation of viewers, and delight original fans of the show,” said Erika North, Head of Originals at Prime Video, Asia-Pacific.
Takeshi’s Castle originally aired in the Philippines on linear TV between 1989 and 1994, becoming a major social phenomenon with millions watching the series weekly, and a huge hit particularly amongst children and young adults. To inaugurate the relaunch of the title — making its comeback for the first time in 34 years — Prime Video Japan, hosted a World Premiere of Takeshi’s Castle at Ebisu Garden Place, right in the heart of vibrant Tokyo. Press from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, the UK, and Spain were treated to an exclusive screening of the first episode of Takeshi’s Castle. This was followed by an official press conference, with the main cast of the show making a special appearance on stage.
Bringing the experience to life, a simulated on-ground activation of the iconic “Dragon God’s Pond” was set up nearby, to emulate the real-life gameshow and give a group of select press a taste of what it is like to be a contestant. At the same venue, journalists were also given exclusive interview access to Attack Captains Hayato Tani and Subaru Kimura as they talked of their excitement about playing an integral part in this show.
To round off this fun-filled, truly immersive event, journalists had the opportunity to interview Bananaman’s Osamu Shitara and Yuki Himura as chief retainer and vassal of Takeshi’s Castle and the title’s showrunners about their experience and excitement in resurrecting a show that once reached the apex of Japan’s cultural zeitgeist.
Takeshi’s Castle will join Prime Video’s growing library, including Southeast Asian titles such as the award-winning Before, Now & Then (Nana), Perfect Strangers, Ten Little Mistresses, and Korean titles such as Island and Love in Contract, anime hits such as Chainsaw Man, on top of award-winning and critically acclaimed Amazon Originals like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and Emmy and Golden Globe winners Argentina 1985, Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Prime Video members in the Philippines will be able to watch Takeshi’s Castle anywhere and anytime on hundreds of compatible devices. Prime Video is available in the Philippines for just 149 Pesos per month, new customers can find out more at primevideo.com and subscribe to a free 7-day trial.
Netflix is bringing a spectacular lineup of shows and films this May 2023 that will keep you glued to your screen. From royal tales to heartwarming stories and thrilling action, there’s something for everyone in this month’s exciting roster.
If you’re the kind who needs to plot your binge-watching schedules for the month, worry not, because we’re giving you a rundown of the most awaited shows and films on Netflix Philippines this month. So, buckle up and get ready to embark on a cinematic journey with these ten must-watch titles arriving on Netflix this May 2023!
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story May 4 | Watch it here Starring: India Amarteifio, Adjoa Andoh, Michelle Fairley Creators:Shonda Rhimes
Get ready to dive back into the world of Bridgerton with this highly anticipated spin-off! Young Queen Charlotte’s marriage to King George of England sparks an epic love story and transforms high society in this “Bridgerton” universe prequel. Don’t miss out on the drama, romance, and intrigue that await!
Royalteen: Princess Margrethe (2023) May 11 | Watch it here Starring: Elli Müller Osborne, Sammy Germain Wadi, Amalie Sporsheim Directed by Ingvild Søderlind
Experience the fairy tale life of Princess Margrethe in this heartwarming coming-of-age story. As she navigates the challenges of growing up royal, Princess Margrethe discovers the true meaning of friendship, love, and responsibility. Will she find her happily ever after?
Black Knight (Season 1) May 12 | Watch it here Starring: Kim Woo-bin, Song Seung-heon, Kang You-seok Creators: Cho Ui-seok, Shin Yeon-ju, Kim Hyun-deok
In a dystopian 2071 devastated by air pollution, the survival of humanity depends on the Black Knights—and they’re far from your average delivery men.
The Mother May 12 | Watch it here Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Gael García Bernal
A military-trained assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter she’s never met from ruthless criminals gunning for revenge.
Working: What We Do All Day(Documentary) May 17 | Watch it here Executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama and directed by Caroline Suh
What brings you joy in work? What gives you purpose? What makes a good job…good? These are the questions at the center of WORKING: WHAT WE DO ALL DAY, a compelling documentary series that explores the ways in which we find meaning in our work and how our experiences and struggles connect us on a human level. Narrated by President Barack Obama, who makes appearances alongside everyday people in their homes and places of work, the series follows individuals at all levels of the workforce — from service jobs all the way up to the C-suite — across the industries of home care, tech, and hospitality. As a college student, Obama was inspired by Studs Terkel’s 1974 book Working, which revolutionized the conversation around work by asking ordinary people what they did all day. The series brings this idea into the modern world by offering intimate, behind-the-scenes portraits of people’s lives and giving viewers a new understanding of and appreciation for the jobs they do each day.
XO, Kitty (Season 1) May 18 | Watch it here Starring: Anna Cathcart, Minyoung Choi, Gia Kim Creators: Jenny Han
From the creators of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before comes a fresh new series, XO, Kitty. Follow the adventures of Kitty Song Covey as she navigates the trials and tribulations of love, friendship, and self-discovery in high school. Get ready to fall in love with this charming coming-of-age tale.
MerPeople dives into the fascinating world of underwater performers who have turned their love for the mystical sea creatures into real-world careers. From putting on dazzling small-town shows in Florida to the crowning of the King and Queen of the Seas in the Bahamas, this series will take you on a journey of passion and perseverance. Get ready to set sail on an unforgettable voyage and immerse yourself in a world where fantasy becomes reality.
Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer May 23 | Watch it here Starring: Wanda Sykes
Wanda keeps the laughs coming in this razor-sharp follow-up to her Emmy-nominated stand-up special “Not Normal.”
FUBAR May 25 | Watch it here Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Monica Barbaro, Milan Carter Creators: Nick Santora
When a father and daughter learn that they’ve each secretly been working as CIA Operatives for years, they realize their entire relationship has been a lie and they truly don’t know one another at all. Forced to team up as partners, the series tackles universal family dynamics set against a global backdrop of spies, action and humor.
Siren: Survive the Island Coming Soon | Watch it here Creators: Lee Eun-kyung
24 female police officers, firefighters, bodyguards, soldiers, athletes and stuntwomen team up by profession to compete for survival on a remote island.
With this fantastic lineup of new movies and series, Netflix is sure to keep you entertained throughout May 2023. So, grab your popcorn, snuggle up on the couch, and get ready to indulge in these binge-worthy titles. Remember, there’s something for everyone on Netflix, so don’t be afraid to explore beyond this list and find your next favorite film or show. Happy streaming!
