"Thy Womb" to be shown this week

As far as international awards go, and international reputation, Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza stands as the current reigning master auteur. Among many other awards and achievements, he won the award for Best Director for his film “Kinatay” at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. One of his multi-awarded films "Thy Womb" is set to be screened this coming week (only from May 13, 2014 to May 18, 2014), at the FDCP Cinematheque, B & C Building, Solis Street, Iloilo City. [hit the jump to continue]

Writer Leigh Whannell will direct Insidious 3

Sony Pictures and Blumhouse Productions has announced that Leigh Whannell will direct the third chapter of the INSIDIOUS film franchise which he will also write.  Focus Features, which acquired the rights to release INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3 from FilmDistrict, plans to release it on April 3, 2015. Blumhouse Productions, which produced both INSIDIOUS and INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, is producing the next installment along with Oren Peli and James Wan. Whannell has written both INSIDIOUS and INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 which earned more than $40 million at the box office in its opening weekend making it one of the largest horror genre openings ever and one of the biggest openings for a film released in the month of September. Whannell most recently wrote and starred in the Sundance hit COOTIES, the SXSW darling THE MULE, and, along with Wan, co-created the hit SAW franchise. Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Peter Schlessel, Lia Buman, and Xavier Marchand are executive producing. Principal photography of the movie is scheduled to start this summer on July 7th. [hit the jump to continue]

Disney plans to make three more Star Wars spin-off movies

Once the Star Wars property fell into the hands of Disney, we can be sure to assume that Disney would be driving this big potential franchise machine into maximum capacity. They suddenly have this flood of ideas for the Star Wars property. Aside from the upcoming Star Wars: Episode 7, there's the planned TV series, one of them is the animated TV series Star Wars Rebels which is already set to be launched. But Disney has revealed that they are planning full-length spin-off movies for Star Wars as well, expanding the Star Wars universe into its literal definition. [hit the jump to continue]

Lionsgate and Saban are developing a new Power Rangers movie

Super Sentai had already been "a thing" not only in Japan, but also in the Philippines since the 70's and 80's (what with Star Rangers, Mask Rider Black, and Bioman), but it wasn't till America and Australia took notice of it and introduced the Western world to The Power Rangers in the early 90's. It was then when it had become this children's show phenomenon in the 90's. Now, Saban Entertainment is joining forces with Lionsgate films to make a new live-action Power Rangers movie. [hit the jump to continue]

STAR WARS 7 Principal Photography Starts May 14, and they're looking for Extras

a scene during the 1977 Star Wars, which had lots of extras

After waiting for the entire day for Star Wars news on May 4 (which has been referred to as "Star Wars" day - May the Fourth... be with you - get it?), the only news that came out of it was that shooting for the Episode 7 begins May 14, and that production is looking for extras. Well, that news is only good if you  live in England and are legally eligible to work in London and the UK. [hit the jump for details]

The Philippines on the spotlight at The Terracotta Far East Film Festival in London

The Terracotta Far East Film Festival (TFEFF) is the biggest annual event for Asian cinema in London, and its spotlight will be on the Philippines, hailing it as ‘the next big thing’. Seven Filipino feature films will be featured in the upcoming event which will be held at The Prince Charles Cinema and The Institute of Contemporary Art, London between May 23 to June 1, 2014. The films to be screened are Siege Ledesma’s “Shift,” Veronica Velasco’s “Tuhog,” Raya Martin’s “How to Disappear Completely,” Andrew Leavold’s “The Search for Weng-Weng,” Nathan Adolfson’s “A Thief, A Kid & A Killer,” Erik Matti’s “On the Job,” and also his “Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles” which is included in the horror features.
[hit the jump to check out the screening skeds]

Cathy Garcia Molina helms screen adaptation of "She's Dating the Gangster"

Cathy Garcia Molina's next film is "She’s Dating the Gangster" which is based on the book, written by Bianca Bernardino, of the same title. The film stars the hot young onscreen couple, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. "She’s Dating the Gangster" tells the heart-wrenching tale of 17-year-old Athena Dizon and campus bad boy Kenji de los Reyes, two teenagers who begin a pretend relationship that ultimately transforms into something deeper. This is the kind of film that is a perfect vehicle for teen pulp romance, the kind that Kathryn and Daniel star in. Despite the fact that this seems like another cheesy mainstream cinema bubble love story, this is directed by Cathy Garcia Molina; the director who manages to make mainstream love story flicks which are seriously much better and much higher quality than the average mainstream tagalog movie. She has directed such films as "One More Chance", "A Very Special Love", and "My Amnesia Girl". "She’s Dating the Gangster" is currently in production. Its target playdate will be during the third quarter of 2014.

Justin Kurzel in talks to direct the Assassin's Creed movie

Though the project has been in slow development, despite its August 7, 2015 release date, the Assassin’s Creed movie had thus far been moving ahead without a director.  Now things are moving up, as Justin Kurzel is in talks to helm the video game adaptation.  Michael Fassbender is producing and attached to star in the pic, and Kurzel last helmed the upcoming Macbeth feature film adaptation in which Fassbender is also the star.

Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) and Gareth Evans (The Raid) had been rumored to direct Assassin’s Creed a few months ago, but Fassbender has lobbied hard for Kurzel to land the job.  Screenwriter Michael Lesslie, who also wrote Macbeth, performed the most recent rewrite on the script.  Kurzel is currently in post-production on the Shakespeare adaptation, but he’ll likely move right into Assassin’s Creed once he’s finished.

[source: Collider]

Chito Roño's next movie; legal drama entitled The Trial

Chito Roño, director of Badil, Private Show, and Emir, is currently prepping his next movie, which is a legal drama entitled "The Trial". It stars John Lloyd Cruz, Gretchen Barretto, Jessy Mendiola and Richard Gomez. Richard plays a lawyer and Gretchen plays a doctor, both are married but are on the verge of a break-up. A love triangle ensues when John Lloyd's character steps into their lives. "The Trial" is a legal drama "based on the way justice is misused". No specific release date has been announced as of yet.

Bob Hoskins passes away

Actor Bob Hoskins has passed away at the age of 71.  According to his agent (via Empire), Hoskins died of pneumonia in hospital on Tuesday. He had retired from acting in 2012 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  Hoskins had over 100 acting credits to his name, and his final on-screen performance was playing “Muir” in Snow White and the Huntsman. Hoskins career contained a diverse and rich collection of roles.  After starring in various TV series, Hoskins breakthrough role came in the 1980 crime drama The Long Good Friday. 

From there, he took on a diverse array of characters including turns in Brazil, The Cotton Club, Nixon, and Hook.  He actually ended up playing Captain Hook’s sidekick Smee not only in Hook but again in the unrelated Peter Pan adaptation, the TV miniseries Neverland. [Hit the jump to continue]

Star Wars: Episode 7 Cast Announced

After months of waiting for reliable Star Wars Episode 7 news and looking past JJ Abrams' brand of deceitful (in a somewhat positive manner) style of publicity and keeping secrets and surprises, finally get a fresh news story. The Star Wars Episode 7 main cast has been announced. [hit the jump to continue]

“Ilo-ilo” to be screened in Iloilo this week

The highly acclaimed and multi-awarded Singaporean drama film entitled "Ilo-ilo" will be shown in Iloilo City this week (only from April 29, 2014 to May 4, 2014), at the FDCP Cinematheque, B & C Building, Solis Street, Iloilo City. [hit the jump to continue]

Zack Snyder will direct the Justice League movie

Days ago, we reported that the yet-untitled Zack Snyder Superman/Batman movie has added the character known as Cyborg as another one of the superheroes making an appearance in the movie (the other is Wonder Woman). Many have also noted that this upcoming movie is starting to look like a Justice League movie. Well, we knew that it would eventually come, but it's actually too soon for that. Now, it has been announced that there is indeed going to be a Justice League movie, and Zack Snyder will be the director. Justice League will shoot back-to-back with Superman/Batman, according to Borys Kit, reporter for the Wal Street Journal. Superman/Batman is set for a May 6, 2016 release, while the Justice League movie is set for 2017.
[check out our article here to check out our brief opinion about DC's rush to Justice League]

The Superhero Character named Cyborg to join the Untitled Superman/Batman Movie

Oh dont look now, coz theyre also adding the superhero CYBORG as one of the characters for the upcoming yet-untitled Superman/Batman movie. The sequel for MAN OF STEEL looks like it does not want to focus merely on Superman (played by Henry Cavill), but seems to be aimed at introducing a whole lot of characters. Of course, we already have Batman to be played by Ben Affleck, Wonder Woman who will be played by Gal Gadot. And now we're having Cyborg, and he will be played by Ray Fisher. Just like me, almost all of you may not know who Ray Fisher is. It's because he's not really an actor; Ray Fisher is an American football player.

In the comics, CYBORG is Victor Stone, while visiting his parents (who are scientists), a freak laboratory incident occurs and a monster severely mutilates him. In order to save his life, his father outfits him with experimental prosthetics of his own design.
[hit the jump to continue]

Poster for Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno has been released

The poster for the highly anticipated sequel to the adaptation of the Japanese Manga/Anime series "Rurouni Kenshin" has now been unveiled. "Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno" which is the second part of a planned-trilogy, is set to be released in Japan August 1, 2014. No press releases have yet been made about when the film is set to be released in the Philippines. But it should be noted that Rurouni Kenshin a.k.a. Samurai X has a massive fanbase in the Philippines.[hit the jump to check out the trailer...]