COMIC-CON talks about THE GREEN HORNET

Seth Rogen is a superhero who wields a blowtorch and has a Chrysler equipped with hood-mounted machine guns in Columbia Pictures’ upcoming action adventure The Green Hornet.

The film doesn't open until next year, but Rogen showed a brief clip recently to about 6,000 fans at Comic-Con.

The writer-actor said it was important to debut the footage at San Diego 's annual pop culture convention because "the people who are in this room are probably the biggest movie and comic book fans on the planet."

"We are excited for you specifically to like this movie," he said.

The clip showed Rogen as Britt Reid — who becomes the Green Hornet — out for an adventure with his sidekick Kato, a masterful fighter and mechanic played by Jay Chou. It also offered viewers a look at the Black Beauty, their 1965 Chrysler Imperial armed with guns, rockets and other secret weapons. Kato himself is also a weapon: When a street fight erupts, he defends his pal in a scene that plays with timing and perspective, revealing director Michel Gondry's experimental touch.

The director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind said he was excited to take on a superhero story — especially in 3-D.

"I have developed some techniques that I never had the opportunity to use in a big scale movie," Gondry said, adding that he found the relationship between Britt and Kato particularly alluring.

Both director and star said they always hoped to do their film in 3-D and designed its visual concepts with dimension in mind, but they still had to persuade the studio to spend the time and money to convert it. That process delayed its release until January 2010, producer Neal Moritz said.
Rogen and co-writer Evan Goldberg said they drew from The Green Hornet's radio, television and comic-book histories to create their modern-day version of the vigilante superhero. Their story focuses on the hero-sidekick relationship between Britt and Kato.

"Me and Evan, we're lifelong comic book fans. We've always wanted to make a movie like this," Rogen said. "Specifically as writers, what attracts us is movies that explore relationships, usually between two dudes, as lame as that sounds."

Opening soon across the Philippines , The Green Hornet is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to get the latest movie news, video clips, games and free downloads. Find us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

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PIERCE BROSNAN interview for THE GHOST WRITER

Pierce Brosnan (Mamma Mia!) stars as a former British Prime Minister in Roman Polanski’s critically acclaimed thriller The Ghost Writer. The film will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4 & Greenbelt 3) starting Wednesday, August 4.

In the film, when a successful British ghostwriter known only as The Ghost, (Ewan McGregor) agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Brosnan), his agent assures him it's the opportunity of a lifetime. But the project seems doomed from the start-not least because his predecessor on the project, Lang's long-term aide, died in an unfortunate accident.

Question: Tell us about your character in The Ghost Writer.

Pierce Brosnan: I play an ex-British prime minister who finds himself, at this time in his life, being held accountable for war crimes. In fact, before that, he’s sequestered away on Cape Cod writing his memoirs. His ghost writer shows up dead on the beach and he employs another ghost writer, and at the same time they do that, the breaking news comes that he is being held accountable for war crimes in the Hague .

Q: What drew you to this project? Was it the screenplay, the director, or the story?

Brosnan: It was Polanski. And the book “The Ghost” by Robert Harris, which is a great page-turner. Roman is one of cinema’s finest directors and a director of great thrillers, but he’s never done a political thriller. It was the combination of Polanski, the political aspect of this story, the character that I play, this man who finds himself kind of emotionally, politically, spiritually adrift and hunted.

Q: A lot of the film seems very relevant, very current, and there are some political themes embedded within the film. What’s the film trying to say specifically?

Brosnan: That our leaders should be accountable for their actions in life, and the pitfalls and the dangers of politics. Someone like my character, who’s very much a populist, is this man who you begin to feel is just a puppet of a prime minister. As sincere as he was when he started his career, he now finds himself to be maligned every which turn. Robert Harris has presented this on the pages of his book and then in the hand of someone like Roman Polanski, who’s the grand master of claustrophobic drama and malevolence of characters, it makes for quite a good brew of drama.

The book was written three years before any of what’s happening to the life of, say, Mr. Tony Blair right now who is in the spotlight for his term in office, and to the world of Mr. Polanski who is now under house arrest. I think it seems to be a wonderful time for Mr. Robert Harris. I think even he has been blindsided by the compliments of stories and history.

Q: In general do you see movies as an opportunity for actors to make political statements?

Brosnan: No. This is pure entertainment, this is no statement by me. I’m not a politician or political animal. This is just, as I said, one of these huge “what if” stories. I mean, it will certainly be viewed and talked about, I presume, in political terms. But it’s pure theatrical drama.

Q: Can you talk about what it was like for Mr. Polanski to direct you?

Brosnan: Working with Roman is a unique experience. He’s someone whose work I’ve been very enthralled by for many many years. His life is so well documented, and certainly he’s a figure on the cinematic landscape that I was very fascinated by. He creates a world that no other director that I know of, of intrigue and foreboding, claustrophobic characters on a landscape.

Q: How would you compare him to other directors that you’ve worked with?

Brosnan: I think it’s an articulation of the camera, which is uniquely his. The composition of characters. The use of every specific element of cinema. He involves himself with the production design, all the way to having the courage to wait for the weather that he wants on a set. Within the confines of making a movie, which is time and budget, he has the grandiosity to say that we will wait, the cameras won’t roll, and in our particular case we wanted bad weather, and there was one week where we had good weather.

Q: The Ghost Writer recently premiered in Berlin and took the Best Director award. What’s it like to see the reception for this film?

Brosnan: It was a magnificent night at the Berlinale Film Festival, and to present a film like this to an expectant house of Berliners and cinema aficionados at a festival that’s 60 years old. The only sad thing was the absence of Mr. Roman Polanski. The stage, there was an empty space there for him. It was a brilliant night, nevertheless, and it got very well received.

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SURVIVOR PHILIPPINES 3: CELEBRITY SHOWDOWN

Survivor Philippines Season 3 is finally here! and without Paolo Bediones, Richard Gutierrez will be the new host. still an undisclosed location, Survivor Philippines season 3 will feature local celebrities. guess who are in by looking at the video below:


here is the first batch of castaways:

1. Teen Host - probably Mico Aytona from Ka-Blog
2. The Rocker
3. The Princess of Mean
4. The Model-Socialite
5. The Sexy Mama
6. and Hot Ex of #5 -- hmmm, this is intriguing
7. Mr. Lonely

VO has a lot of comments which adds to the controversy of this season. blind items are spilled in!

catch Season 3 of Survivor Philippines this August in GMA 7 Primetime.

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SALT tops RP movie ratings earning Php 58M in 5 days!

Evelyn Salt outguns James Bond, Jason Bourne…even Mr. & Mrs. Smith!

Columbia Pictures’ “Salt,” a heart-stopping action-thriller starring Angelina Jolie as a suspected double spy, opened at No. 1 at the Philippine box-office, amassing a formidable gross of P58.12-million in five days in 132 screens for the July 28 to Aug. 1 weekend. This was revealed today by Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of distributor Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Arriving to tremendous rave reviews for its break-neck pace and hard-hitting action, “Salt” posted the 4th biggest opening of the year, outpacing 5th placer “Shrek Forever After” (P56.9-M) and bested only by “Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (P177.6-M), “Iron Man 2” (P104.9-M) and “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (P60.7-M).

“Salt” maneuvered itself to box-office success despite not having IMAX and digital screens which charge higher admission prices.

The kinetic actioner also gave Jolie her highest opening in the country, exceeding her previous best “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (P51-M), even as it handily shattered the debuts of other franchise spy blockbusters -- James Bond’s “Quantum of Solace” (P53.1-M) and Jason Bourne’s “The Bourne Ultimatum” (P26.6-M).

Providing “Salt” its biggest grosses are the following cinemas: Trinoma (P3.41-M), SM Mall of Asia (P3.07-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.45-M), SM Megamall (P2.22-M), Power Plant (P1.87-M), SM North EDSA (P1.82-M), Greenbelt 3 (P1.81-M), SM Cebu (P1.76-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.70-M) and Gateway (P1.57-M).

Not to be outdone are Shang Cineplex (P1.53-M), Ayala Cebu (P1.45-M), Eastwood (P1.21-M), Robinsons Ermita (P1.202-M), Greenhills (P1.201-M), Robinsons Galleria (P1.16-M), Market! Market! (P1.05-M), Gaisano Davao (P1.04-M), Festival (P1.01-M) and SM San Lazaro (P781,090).

In the film, CIA officer Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?"

Still playing across the Philippines, “Salt” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit www.sonypictures.com.ph to get the latest movie news, video clips, games and free downloads. Find us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

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INCEPTION tops Manila movie sales in just 2 weeks!

Excellent word-of-mouth and multiple viewings have driven Warner Bros.’ sci-fi thriller “Inception” to a remarkable P60.88-million gross nationwide after two weeks of release (July 15 to 28). This was announced today by Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

“Inception” posted a respectable P22-M gross in its first weekend, and in a rare development, earned bigger receipts in its second weekend with P23.32-million. Most titles strike with their biggest hauls during the first weekend, and go steadily down as the weeks pass.

“The film’s exceptional business is being powered by recommendations from those who’ve seen it and curiosity from those who haven’t,” noted Soliven. “Everyone’s talking about it, and in some cases, arguing over certain points about the story! It has clearly transcended the big screen.”

The cinemas that registered the biggest receipts are SM Mall of Asia (P4.25-M), Trinoma (P4.15-M), SM North EDSA (P3.70-M), Power Plant (P3.25-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.90-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.76-M), SM Megamall (P2.40-M) and Gateway (P2.37-M).

Also earning huge grosses are Theatremall (P1.96-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.83-M), Shang Cineplex (P1.82-M), Robinsons Ermita (P1.68-M), SM Cebu (P1.40-M), Robinsons Galleria (P1.18-M), Festival (P1.06-M), Market! Market! (P889,788), SM San Lazaro (P883,250), SM Marikina (P825,854).

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, “Inception” is an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams.

In the film, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the best in the dangerous art of extraction: stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse; their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime.

Still playing across the Philippines in IMAX, Digital 2D and regular format, Inception is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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translation services for global competency

the world today requires fluency in different languages. there are hundreds of languages and dialects and it is has become a trend to adapt to the place where one tongue is acceptable. and so you have to know the dialect of that place in order to blend in. this is also essential in business transactions when you try to venture out of the country so you and your potential market won't get alienated.

reading books is not enough. you have to hear and listen how a language is delivered. you need translation services in order to know the correct pronunciation of a word or a phrase. for one, Translia offers professional translation services for those who seek it. editing, proofreading are additional services when translation is needed.

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lessons in life from MASTER CLASS - review

it's just like being a student again. i remember the terror teachers that whom i am thankful for their existence. without them, i have not learned to what i am today. as MARIA CALLAS would say, one must possess MUT, COURAGIO. posture, breathe, relax and feel what you are doing.

though teachers may be strict. they also got humor to make an attachment with the students. they want you to feel the worth of what you are doing and don't have the attitude of letting it pass. it's good that they deliver humor at times. it's not just that they need it, they love it. and imparting their knowledge and experiences before they become what they are, is one of the great things that they can be proud of.

Philippine Opera Company has staged MASTER CLASS again. i am so happy that i was able to see it featuring Philippines' own La Divina, Cherie Gil as Maria Callas -- the famous soprano and opera star of her time.

Cherie Gil immortalized Maria Callas in our hearts. although contemporary music has overpowered classical and opera, anyone should see it. and i guarantee pure entertainment and lessons in life which you can actually feel Maria Callas talking to you. how she handled it, her despair, her strength, and ambitions. just like any other ordinary person.

i, myself thought that i won't enjoy but i loved it! i hope everybody catches it.

Philippine Opera Company presents MASTER CLASS by Terrence McNally starring Ms. Cherie Gil, directed by Michael Williams running from July 29 to _____ at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

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