A Series of Unfortunate Events returns today!

Netflix's Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events returns to a new season, sadly. The series chronicles the life of the Baudelaire children and how Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) tries to get their great inheritance.

Guardian after guardian, the Baudelaires were fortunate enough, sort of, to escape Count Olaf and his devious ways to get their fortune. What more could possibly go wrong this season? Here's the trailer if you don't dare look away:
Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events is a good mixture of comedy and adventure that you Neflix fans are looking for. Below are 7 reasons why we should stream today.

The return of Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) as a master of disguise and there will be more this season.

The children can still manage themselves from Count Olaf and his minions.

The missing Quagmire orphan and the connecting spyglass has got us very curious and why do they have the same fate as the Baudelaires.

The humor. It is intentional to have over-the-top humor since it's based on reality. There’s plenty of silliness and sarcasm to go around in this darkly comedic mystery that almost everyone gets to be funny -- yes, even the (not so) little (anymore) Sunny Baudelaire.

New sets. The Baudelaires could be in more places than usual. They may be finding new clues solving the mystery of their deceased parents.

The guests artists. This season includes (but are not limited to) Lucy Punch, Sara Rue, Tony Hale, Robbie Amell, David Alan Grier, and Nathan Fillion.

New adventures. Now that the Baudelaires are smarter and more experienced in Count Olaf’s ways, the action is more suspenseful and intense. The new season is based on books five through nine of the novel series: The Austere Academy, The Ersatz Elevator, The Vile Village, The Hostile Hospital, and The Carnivorous Carnival.

Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, Presley Smith, Patrick Warburton and K. Todd Freeman (among others) return for season two. New additions to the cast include (but are not limited to) Lucy Punch, Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Robbie Amell, Sara Rue, Roger Bart and David Alan Grier. Featuring ten cinematic one-hour episodes, season two of A Series of Unfortunate Events launches globally Friday, March 30, on Netflix.

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A visit at the Bl. Ivan Merz Reliquarium

Today is Holy Monday and a blessed day to visit the Bl. Ivan Merz Reliquarium Home of Sacred Relics in Marikina City. A small home turned into a mini-museum of sacred relics from all over the world.

You will be required to take off your foot wear when entering the Reliquarium to maintain the cleanliness and sanctity of the place. Take a glimpse of the relics or say a little prayer of your special intentions.

There are more than 1,000 relics found inside the Reliquarium, the third most in the Philippines. And the relics are coming from the bodies, vestments, place of birth, missions and my favorite section, from the Holy Land. It also includes relics from the apostles, and early Christians recognized for their holiness.

Relics are arranged according to the date of saints' feast days from January 1 to December 31. I learned that St. Rita of Cascia's feast day is also my birthday.

Relics of St. Rita of Cascia - Feast Day - May 22

You can also recognize some relics coming from famous saints like these from St. Pio de Pietrelcina, St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Valentine, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Faustina Kowalska.

Relics of St. Pio de Pietrelcina and St. John Paul II

Relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

  
But the center of the Reliquarium is the relics from the cross of the Crucifixion and there are secondary relics on the nails and thorns used in the passion of Christ.

Relic of the Holy Cross

Bl. Ivan Merz

Bl. Ivan Merz is of Bosnian descent, born December 16, 1896. He fought during World War 1 and decided to be a layman. He took the perpetual vow of chastity and devoted his free time to the Church. A young missionary and taught about Christianity to young Croatians until he died on May 10, 1928 (feast day).

He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 22 2003 and declared him as Apostle of the Youth. He was then recognized by Pope Benedict XVI for his holiness by mentioning his name in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation: "Sacramentum Caritatis."

Bl. Ivan Merz is the perfect patron saint for young people, youth ministers, military personnel, philosophers, philologists, students, educators, liturgists, theologians, devotees of the Holy Eucharist, and lay faithful engaged in Christian apostolate.

He is also a powerful and compassionate intercessor when it comes to academic or professional examinations, dental and lung illnesses, couples who seek for a child and HIV/AIDS victims.

Bl. Ivan Merz Center and Reliquarium is open every Tuesday to Sunday, 10am - 7pm. There is also no entrance fee. They've open it for Holy Week 2018 that's why we are lucky to visit it today. Here is the schedule for this week:

Holy Tuesday - Pabasa, 7am onwards
Maundy Thursday - 7am - 11pm
Good Friday and Black Saturday - 7am to 7pm
Easter Sunday (April 1 and 2) - CLOSED

* Office and Reliquarium resumes operation on Tuesday, April 3.

A visitor gets a certificate, a scapular and a stampita with the prayer to Bl. Ivan Merz. You can leave a letter where your prayer intentions will be included in every day masses for the whole year.

Visit the Bl. Ivan Merz Center and Reliquarium at SE Narra cor Champagnat St, Marikina Heights, Marikina City. Near St. Scholastica's Academy and C&B Mall.

For more information about the Reliquarium, prayer requests, religious items and souvenirs, you can contact them via:
Phone: +63 2 6212230, +63 956-1253804
Emal: vp.ivanmerz@gmail.com
Facebook Page: ivanmerzcenter

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PACIFIC RIM UPRISING movie review

From 2015's blockbuster Pacific Rim, comes a sequel that I am not sure that we really needed it or not.

But for new viewers like me that wasn't able to catch the first movie, I'd say that Pacific Rim Uprising is beginning to be a Michael Bay Transformers franchise in the making. With the high CGI visuals less Michael Bay explosives that Pacific Rim has, in fairness to the latter is that the story picks up from the former movie. A good refresher for everyone who are eager to watch Jaeger robots battling Kaijus. Also the "uprising" was only made by a single person. How can they make Charlie Day into an antagonist?

I am not a fan of epic speeches but I think Scott Eastwood has the most natural acting in the whole movie. Maybe that's why I didn't watch the first part either. For John Boyega and Cailee Spaeny, the partnership may have worked better. I just don't get the connection.

You might be wondering if there will still be Filipino pride inside the movie. Well, Manila has a good airtime long enough to be noticed.

If you really like Pacific Rim and would not agree to this review, you can watch Pacific Rim Uprising starting on March 31.

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READY PLAYER ONE movie review

A total nostalgic experience set in the future is Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, showing in cinemas starting March 31. Childhood video game and pop culture memories come to life but this makes you feel really old.

Timeline is at 2047 when a game called the Oasis was at the peak of its performance and would be an economic foundation for people like Wade Watts. Making the Oasis the definite escape from the real world, Wade and everyone else discovers the goal to a fortune that a required adventure will not be easy for them and may cost them their life.

I say that this movie makes you really old because of the references it has that came from video games that were around 30-40 years ago. Music and movies also played a vital role that shaped the generation that could easily recognize the imagery that Ready Player One has. Steven Spielberg has developed a great adaptation of the book by Ernest Cline and brings so much nostalgia to everyone that are watching it. Spot your favorite thing around 30 years ago and you can easily relate to it.

It also puts you to agree that you should not believe everything you see online. One big example is using an avatar that you might fall prey for when you give so much information to. It kind of slaps you to wake up to a better view of reality that people might also be hiding their own problems in their avatars and try to impress or retaliate to their problems by excelling in the game.

Ready Player One opens in cinemas starting March 31 and best viewed in IMAX.

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Ready your passports, the Avengers will be in SG this April!

How we envy people from Singapore right?

Marina Bay Sands in Singapore will host the Avengers Infinity War Red Carpet event on April 16 and assembling the Avengers Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) and Karen Gillan (Nebula) and director Joe Russo. This event ushers in the much awaited Infinity Wars movie showing worldwide on April 27.

More details of the fan event will be released at noon of April 2 via www.marinabaysands.com/avengers. You still have to book air tickets and plan your trip for this big event. The event will be and is open to the public.

Mr. George Tanasijevich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marina Bay Sands, said: “We are privileged to work with The Walt Disney Company again for their Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War talent tour. This ground-breaking event will showcase our ability to host unique and large scale global events and reaffirm Marina Bay Sands as the world’s entertainment destination.”

“This is the 10th year of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and we are happy to bring our South Asia fans even closer to their heroes. This region has an ever-expanding fan base for Marvel and continues to be a part of everyday lives of people. We thank our Marvel fans and partners like Marina Bay Sands for being a part of this celebration,” Said Mahesh Samat, EVP and Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company (South Asia).

However, Filipino fans need not to wait for April 27 as Avengers Infinity War will be showing in cinemas earlier, April 25.

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PAUL APOSTLE OF CHRIST movie review

30 years following the death and resurrection of Christ, Emperor Nero of Rome has sent off Roman soldiers to capture Christians most especially the apostles to stop the spread of Christianity throughout the land. Saul, now known Paul, was captured and in an attempt to be rescued by Luke, a movie is chronicled on Paul's wisdom and teachings on love and Christianity.

Paul, Apostle of Christ gives us a chapter on the Book of Acts in the New Testament. Under the reign of Emperor Nero of Rome, we see the brutal and heartless treatment of the empire to those who profess their faith in Christ. It is amazing to hear familiar verses like 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as Luke and Paul talk in prison.

The drama might be lengthy but it is full of lessons that you can use in life. Understanding that the path to heaven is a difficult way but we believe that there's light at the end of darkness. Following the ways of Jesus, we will be experiencing suffering before we see His glory.

This film stars Jim Caviezel as Luke, gaining his popularity in faith-based films following The Passion of the Christ, French actor Olivier Martinez as Mauritius Gallas and Game of Thrones, Alumnus James Faulkner in the titular role.

Paul, Apostle of Christ is an SM Cinema exclusive movie. Starting March 23, experience the love of God and learn the Gospel in SM Cinema Director's Club that is equipped with cozy and state-of-the-art La-Z Boy chairs for everyone. Know screening schedules and reserve seats at www.smcinema.com for better cinema experience.

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faith-based films for Lent 2018

Know more about the Christian faith in these Lenten movie offerings that will be in cinemas starting March 21.

Mary Magdalene - March 21
See a sinner converted back to faith in an untold story of the most controversial follower of Jesus. With Rooney Mara as Mary Magdalene and Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus of Nazareth, this follows the story of how Mary Magdalene became an essential member of the disciples of Jesus and witness to the centre of the founding of Christianity.


Paul, Apostle of Christ - March 23
Paul, Apostle of Christ chronicles the life of the Paul, as told by apostle Luke, in the brutal Roman campaign against the spread of Christianity. Starring Jim Caviezel as Luke, French actor Olivier Martinez as Mauritius Gallas and Game of Thrones Alumnus James Faulkner in the titular role, “Paul, Apostle of Christ” will be exclusively screened at SM Cinema theatres nationwide.

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