HOOQ Hangouts: Mano Po 7 Chinoy

Spent the night of February 4 with a few friends which I haven't seen in a long time. I can again feel that I am back to the blogging world and happy to be with missed friends.

And we went to the Globe Iconic Store at Bonifacio Global City where there is a huge screen playing videos. I was in HOOQ Hangouts which they've done more than three times now. And for that night, they are playing Mano Po 7: Chinoy for free at the big screen for everyone to see. It was just after Chinese New Year so the place is adorned with Chinese lanterns, blossoms and ang paos, and serving Chinese delicacies for us to feast in.

Later on, Jean Garcia and Richard Yap graced the event before we started the screening. The movie came back to theaters on February 8.

But the movie is already available at the HOOQ app for streaming. HOOQ lets you watch more than 10,000 TV series and movies online. All you need is a laptop, tablet or even your smart phone and you can watch anywhere, anytime. Here are available HOOQ plans from Globe:

HOOQ is also ad-free, features both local and international productions, and you can opt to cancel your membership with no hidden charges. I'm starting to download HOOQ so I can enjoy movies and TV shows while offline. I hope you can try it too.

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Choosing a home not far from home

I've come to visit another Ayala property at the outskirts of Manila. Bella Vita Alaminos is just an hour away from busy Makati and just a few minutes from the Batangas-SLEX exit that also caught my attention and got me thinking of where to invest money in the future.

So this Bella Vita Alaminos is next in Ayala properties' socialized housing projects along with Bella Vita Lipa which I've visited before. For Bella Vita Alaminos, while it sits at the foot of Mt. Makiling, you'll feel the cool breeze during North-Eastern winds season. Which I love, because when you live here during that season, it is very peaceful and calming. The area is also accessible to

There are 3 types of accommodation at Bella Vita Alaminos:

Poli Inner and Poli End Units

1. Poli Inner - with a Lot Area of 36sqm and a Floor Area of 22sqm.
2. Poli End - with a Lot Area of 56sqm and a Floor of 23sqm
3. Gemelli - Lot Area of 69sqm and 24 sqm of Floor Area.

To optimize maximum space, my favorite is the Gemelli unit which has provision for a loft which is good for bachelors or a small family. Two Gemelli units are built back to back so you can extend to the other unit if you plan for more space. Plus there is also a provision for parking for your vehicles.

Gemelli - to the Loft

You can reserve a unit already and check out the place for yourself. They accept payment easy payment terms and the price is very affordable for minimum wage earners. You can apply loan from PAG-IBIG fund or reserve a unit for as low as PHP 3,000! Other terms can be discussed by the Bella Vita representative by calling Within Metro Manila (+632) 908-1500. Prices already include the house and lot and you'll be in-charge of how you will customize the interiors by yourself.

You can already find new neighbors in the area and there is also a good playground which you can find safe for your children. In fact, they already had Christmas activities last year which has empowered the community with livelihood programs.

Playground

Residents of Bella Vita Alaminos

Wouldn't it be nice that even the developers of the community uplift the morale and encourage bayanihan among the residents? Making the area sustainable for them and helping them raise their income aside from the employment that they have.

Think how you will spend your earnings. Bella Vita has you covered. They also have other properties in General Trias (Cavite), Lipa City (Batangas), Cabanatuan City (Nueva Ecija), Capas (Tarlac), Cagayan De Oro City, Alaminos (Laguna) and in San Miguel (Iloilo City).

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RINGS poster brings back Samara's ghost

Samara Morgan (Sadako's American counterpart) emerges again from the TV set and set to kill viewers in terror in the released poster of RINGS. I've tweaked it a little bit in Photoshop so that the TV really glows.

In this continuation of the Rings franchise, a young woman (Matilda Lutz) becomes worried about her boyfriend (Alex Roe) when he explores a dark subculture surrounding a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after he has viewed it. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before…

Directed by F. Javier Gutierrez (Before the Fall), Rings stars Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki, Aimee Teegarden and Bonnie Morgan.

Opening across the Philippines on February 22, Rings is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

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WHY HIM? movie review

Could have been the best holiday for the whole family, Ned Fleming (Bryan Cranston) was served by an unexpected Christmas present by meeting his daughter's fiance, Laird Mayhew (James Franco), a young billionaire and owner of a multi-million company. The whole holiday season was transformed into a hilarious and challenging moment for all of them. A nerve-wracking Christmas treat, WHY HIM? opens in theaters February 1 from 20th Century Fox.

As Laird (Franco) tries to win his fiancee's parents, the Flemings were having double thoughts on their daughter's choice for a future husband. The comfort and fortune could win them but his uncontrollable demeanor might not be really appropriate to the family's orderly and cultured image. Plus, an almost-too-private habitat that is too high-tech for the Flemings would take them time to adjust.

As for a father-son-in-law relationship, you can predict that it will not be a very good one. But in the end, despite all the contradictions of "values" between both of them, you will learn how to accept people beyond what they barely show you. The almost-sexual moments between Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullaly can take you leap out of your seats. The special appearance of Kiss is surreal. They totally blended in with the other casts, the wonder of having old rock metal artists in family films.

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Crimson Hotel Filinvest City Manila celebrations for Chinese New Year

5-star Crimson Hotel Filinvest City Manila hosts the Chinese New Year celebration with grand welcome to the Fire Rooster this weekend.

The lobby is decorated with trees made of upcycled materials made by artist Jevie Pagpaguitan, whom started it with 2 of his friends and later on building his own empire of upcycled materials turning them into good aesthetic use. There are also merchants that are selling Chinese goods and charms that can bring luck, fortune or anything that you want good to come in your life.

Spring Village at Crimson Hotel

Charms and crystals for good fortune

Delectable buchi

Crimson Hotel's CNY-themed cake

This Sunday, January 29, they are having a Chinese New Year Sunday Brunch Buffet at the Grand Ballroom featuring Feng Shui expert Joseph Chau. He will give tips and forecast for this new lunar year for every one that will attend this grand feast.

I was lucky to hear a few forecasts and tips for this year and I am thankful that the Year of the Rat is one of the lucky signs. There is also good fortune as the eldest son in the family and I can't wait what this year will bring.

Suckling Pig served during the CNY Sunday Brunch Buffet

If you want to know Mr. Chau's forecasts and fortunes, you may avail Crimson Hotel's Chinese New Year Sunday Brunch Buffet this Sunday for only PHP 1,588++ per person. There are many courses that you will enjoy like the suckling pig. You will also get the chance to win a staycation at the hotel's Presidential Suite for 4. Call 863-2222 local 1612 for reservations.

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Check out Beauty and the Beast character posters

Fresh off the press are Disney's Beauty and the Beast character posters. I am really excited when March comes as this is one of the movies I am really waiting for.

Here's Belle (Emma Watson) and the Beast (Dan Stevens)
Here are the other cast of the magical musical:


Relive the magic of this timeless tale with a new song from Celine Dion entitled "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and the new rendition of theme song by Ariana Grande and John Legend. Here it from the video below:

Beauty and the Beast opens March 15, 2017 and the first of seven films of Walt Disney Pictures. And will be distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. Like it on Facebook, WaltDisneyStudiosPH; follow on Twitter, @disney_phil; and on Instagram, @disney.ph and use the hashtag #BeOurGuestPH.

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THE GREAT WALL movie review

One of the legends about the Great Wall of China is it served as protection of the Chinese from conquering tribes and nations. Little we know that there are a lot of legends about the Great Wall and Matt Damon presented one of the epics that is believed to have spared the Chinese nation from alien creatures. Now showing in cinemas.

You will be delighted with the production value on creating a large Chinese equipped with impressive warfare and amazing tactical moves. In this case, there is equality among the citizens. Men and women fight against enemies alike using their acquired skills in training. Even the next general was a woman when no man questioned her capabilities. However, I think a dialogue speaking about honor or pledging over their lives is a very Japanese thing.

I think that it's better to watch this on 3D when the graphics are really okay and for you to appreciate the details on each of the cut. Costumes, props and even the sets are very detailed. There are just some things that you might not imagine if the movie is set more than thousands of years ago and for a war setting that uses modern technology to fight.

Anyway, it not a waste of time to watch The Great Wall. In fact, it's very amusing to see. You will be amazed with the Chinese, really, with all the fighting stuff going on. Some of the things are discoveries and expedition-related - by the way, Matt Damon is a Western soldier who continued the search for black powder and ended up in the monster-threatened China.

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A peep in FIFTY SHADES DARKER character posters

Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey shows more openly in these Fifty Shades Darker posters:
Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan relive the sensual relationship of Anastasia and Christian where they continue to discover new things about them and try to revolve issues of Christian's past.

Fifty Shades Darker opens in cinemas February 8 and distributed by Columbia Pictures Philippines.

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xXx: The Return of Xander Cage movie review

Vin Diesel comes back as Xander Cage in the latest installment of xXx entitled "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" now showing in cinemas. Thank you Jam 88.3 and Columbia Pictures for the special movie screening invite at IMAX theater.

When the world knows he is already dead, Xander Cage surfaces and takes on a mission with a new team that will save everyone from control of greed and terror. On assignment, he meets another members of the xXx program and teaming up with them would be a tough job -- as what his handles, Augustus Gibbons (Samuel L. Jackson), wants them to do.

The movie is still as action-packed from the previous installments with elements that seem very familiar to everyone. Some stunts are a surprise and never before seen I think. However, I got some issues on some continuity in scenes so I find it odd that they have passed it to the last edit. I guess Vin Diesel has enjoyed doing this a lot and trying to squeeze in some jokes but I think he is better with the serious tone. Ruby Rose and Deepika Padukone are really serious bad-ass ladies and ready to pull the trigger on anyone.

If this movie could have been more hi-tech in surveillance equipment and all, Nina Dobrev would be another serious genius in the movie. Making her a sweet looking nerd.

There is a very special appearance of Miss Universe 2015 first runner-up, Miss Colombia herself at the beginning of the movie. The role might have been more interesting when they got her as the leading lady and they come to the Philippines (oops spoiler!) to shoot the movie.

xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is also available in 3D while I suggest you can be all right to watch it in 2D. Directed by DJ Caruso. Also starring Donnie Yen, Kris Wu, Tony Jaa, Toni Collette, Rory McCann and a special comeback by Ice Cube.

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LA LA LAND movie review

Bringing in the the classic feels in this movie, La La Land takes you to the nostalgic era with the likes of West Side Story, Grease, Breakfast at Tiffany's and more. It gives that old, romantic feeling but the story is very familiar -- chasing dreams. That's how Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) wants us to pursue.

On the third time teaming up with Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone proved that she can be very versatile in trying a musical which did not disappoint. Same goes with Ryan Gosling. Their chemistry is perfect and they make you feel in love in a very light way. Mia and Sebastian tell you a great love story that will keep you hooked on every scene.

La La Land is sort of a very familiar movie to you as it provides scenes that may be reproduced from other great older movies. Each musical sequence is a treasure that came from famous musicals. When you talk about scoring, the opening song is a breath of fresh air. Although in a stressful traffic setting, seeing a beautiful day in front of you and our characters is a cool start. Hear more of La La Land OST here.

Opening scene (Another Day of Sun)

I don't want to spoil the last part for those who haven't seen it yet but it was a quick punch for me. It will leave you exclaiming why such thing happened when all is going perfectly. But one thing I learned is that life still goes on and you'll make regrets but you will be able to remember every bit of your life happily.

La La Land is winner of 7 Golden Globe awards including Best Actor (Ryan Gosling), Best Actress (Emma Stone) and Best Picture and nominated for 14 Academy Awards. Still showing in cinemas.

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