Farewell Mario O'Hara

Sad news for the Filipino Film Community. Mario O'Hara, one of the country's most respected award-winning Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter passed away at the age of 68, yesterday June 26, 2012.

O'Hara who had been receiving chemotherapy due to cancer, was rushed to the hospital on June 20. On Tuesday, his sister-in-law, Peewee O'Hara, said Mario died at San Juan de Dios hospital due to complications from acute leukemia.O'Hara is known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages. A native of Zamboanga, he collaborated frequently with Lino Brocka during the 1970s.

Chuckie is back with Child's Play 6; which is direct-to-DVD

Chucky is back! The talking, living, killing doll is once again full of life to spread death around with a new Child's Play movie to add to this almost-20-year old series. Child's Play 6 entitled Curse of Chucky is a direct-to-DVD sequel though. Meaning, it will not have a cinematic release. But then again, in the past, there are several direct-to-DVD movies that have had cinematic release in other countries like here in the Philippines. But in this torrent age, I'm not so sure they will bother with a full cinematic release here.[READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP]

Kick-Ass 2 to start shooting this year

Kick-Ass Isn't Done Kicking Ass Yet
by Reymundo Salao

The sequel to the 2010 black comedy superhero movie Kick-Ass is now well into production and will start shooting September this year. Aaron Johnson confirmed that he would reprise his titular role in the sequel. Chloë Grace Moretz who plays Hit-Girl and Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse who plays the Red Mist are expected to reprise their roles as well. On the other hand, director Matthew Vaughn (who still acts as producer for the sequel) will be having his hands full on the sequel to the successful X-Men: First Class but he has chosen Jeff Wadlow, who also co-wrote the script along with Vaughn, to direct Kick-Ass 2. The sequel will maintain that Hard R rating.

Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater working on "The 12 Year Project" and the third installment to the "Before Sunrise" series

Despite admitting that he had “gotten into trouble” and was now “sworn to secrecy,” Ethan Hawke confirmed that he and his longtime collaborator Richard Linklater would be shooting a follow-up to their critically acclaimed films Before Sunrise and Before Sunset this summer.

Almost ten years passed between the first two films, and we are quickly approaching almost a decade since the last. Though not much else is known about the next installment to this now-trilogy, Linklater and Hawke’s interest in the passage of time is without question.  The two have also been working on The 12-Year Project, literally filming a mere one vignette a year. For more on that project, the Sunset sequel and Hawke’s other recent projects, hit the jump.

PROMETHEUS opens today

Fans have been waiting patiently for a mere 30 years now for director Ridley Scott to return to the sci-fi genre, and the wait will finally be over with the release of PROMETHEUS which opens today.

Also opening today are Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Boy Pick-Up the movie!
Check out the Screening skeds found here in the left sidebar of this site to see what else is showing, extended, and screening skeds...

CAPTIVE brings the Dos Palmas Kidnapping Story to the Silver Screen

CAPTIVE BRINGS THE DOS PALMAS KIDNAPPING STORY TO THE SILVER SCREEN
by Reymundo Salao

One of the grim (and embarrassing) episodes of our nation's recent history is when in May 2001, the terrorist bandit group the Abu Sayyaf abducted several hostages from the upscale Dos Palmas resort on Palawan island, and taken by speedboat to southern Basilan island. Among the kidnapped group were American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, which prompted the rescue missions to be aided by American forces. That story is now being brought to the silver screen by director Brillante Mendoza in a movie entitled "Captive"

The movie has altered the names of the actual persons involved in the real life event, and possibly altered the story itself. Its cast includes French actress Isabelle Huppert as  the main character Thérèse Bourgoine (which is probably the character that represents Gracia Burnham), Angel Aquino, Mercedes Cabral, Joel Torre, Maria Isabel Lopez, Sid Lucero, Raymond Bagatsing, Mon Confiado, Baron Geisler, and Ronnie Lazaro which is cast as a character that obviously represents Abu Sabaya (leader of the kidnappers).