Showbiznest: January 2012

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Oka2kat - Full Trailer

Oka2kat is back!

ABS-CBN's hit weekly paranormal drama from 1997 to 2002 is coming back on primetime TV starting February 4, 2012.

It stars Kapamilya's new breed of future stars like Makisig Morales, Paul Salas, Sue Ann Ramirez, Jane Oineza and Joshua Colet.

Watch the trailer below:

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Ellen Adarna and Sam Pinto, Who Copied Who?

It seems like Kapuso sexy star Ellen Adarna is keen on following the footsteps of another Kapuso sexy star Sam Pinto - from gracing the cover of local sexy magazines to product endorsement. Or should I say the other way around?

Sam had 2 FHM covers, Ellen now has 2. And both of them also graced the cover of Total Fitness magazine.

Sam endorses San Mig Light and Ellen is the sexy calendar girl of Tanduay Ice.

Though Ellen had Uno magazine, Sam, on the other hand, named as the sexiest women in the world for 2011. Will Ellen follows suit?

Ellen Adarna - FHM Philippines January 2012

Sam Pinto - FHM Philippines December 2011

Ellen Adarna - FHM Philippines December 2010

Sam Pinto - FHM Philippines July 2010

Ellen Adarna - Total Fitness January 2012

Sam Pinto - Total Fitness October 2010

KC Concepcion on Rogue Magazine Cover: "That's feelings. Emotions."

KC Concepcion on Rogue Magazine Cover: "That's feelings. Emotions."

KC Concepcion again made headlines. Surely not because of her failed relationship but because people are praising her for her fierce-sexy cover shoot for Rogue magazine January - February issue.

Asked about her inspiration for the cover shoot, KC revealed, "Feelings. Emotions."

Did her mom - the Megastar Sharon Cuneta - approved of the new KC? "She's nervous but she thought it's beautiful." says KC.

=====

Sya na talaga!

After her much-publicized break-up with Piolo Pascual, what's KC Concepcion up to these days? Mmmm...maybe revenge?

She started it with a well-deserved vacation, a shorter hairdo, a hosting stint for a local TV franchise of internationally well-known talent reality show, and now a "to-die-for" brand new sexy image?

KC proves that she has it and therefore she all-out flaunt it! And so, she is now the sexy cover star of Rogue Magazine January - February 2012 issue.

I like the cover shoot concept which could be of a "if it is a butt that her ex wanted, then it is her butt she will use to get back at him" peg.

And btw, was it her ex's head she's holding? Just asking.

�Legacy� Defeated Rival Network�s Programs in Mega Manila

GMA-7�s glossy-drama masterpiece �Legacy� continues to score higher ratings against its contending programs.

With its remarkable scenes and captivating �LEGACY lines�, the series captures the hearts of televiewers and gets them hooked on every episode.

Based on the Mega Manila overnight ratings gathered by the more widely and recognized TV rating supplier, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, LEGACY ruled over its counterpart programs.

LEGACY marked a household audience share of 37.7% beating the programs of other channels in its timeslot.

Witness the outpouring of beauty, love, drama and how LEGACY raises the bar of primetime series from Monday to Friday only on GMA Telebabad .

Joey Marquez Walks Out as Judge of �My Girl� Pageant on Happy Yipee Yehey

There are only a few weeks left before the much-awaited grand finals of the �My Girl� pageant on �Happy Yipee Yehey.�

The competition among its beautiful and lovely contenders gets fiercer and more intense. The pageant�s judges modeling and beauty expert Jonas Gaffud, Joey Marquez and 2005 Miss International are also having a hard time in evaluating the contestants. In one incident during the pre-finals, Joey and Jonas� opinions clashed and debated with regards to make-up. This prompted Joey to jokingly walk out from the HYY set. However, at the end of the pre-finals segment, the judges hugged. HYY hosts Randy Santiago, John Estrada and Rico J Puno said that judging a contest like �My Girl� is very critical.

That�s why it�s normal for the judges to have colliding views, especially now that the pageant is getting more intense. For more updates, follow HYY on Twitter, http://twitter.com/#!/hyyofficial.

Spy Against Spy in �This Means War�

A certified ensemble of hit filmmakers takes the romantic-action genre a notch higher in �This Means War� starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy where best friends CIA agents and best friends discover that they are dating the same woman which ultimately affects both their professional and personal lives.

Filmmakers director McG whose worldwide hits include �Charlie�s Angels,� �Charlie�s Angels: Full Throttle� and �Terminator Salvation,� screen scribe Simon Kinberg who penned the incredibly thrilling films �Mr. and Mrs. Smith,� ��X-Men: The Last Stand,� �Jumper� and �Sherlock Holmes,� and Will Smith as the film�s producer lock forces to create another unprecedented romantic-action-comedy movie in �This Means War.�

In �This Means War,� Reese Witherspoon plays Lauren, a very decisive woman, but in her romantic life she's just a disaster. The man she moved from Atlanta with ended up leaving her, shattering her heart and crushing her spirits. Having been unable to date, her best friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) finally decides to help her to enter the dating world again.

Lauren meets Tuck (Tom Hardy), on a dating website and they have an awkward first date that ends up going really well; then she ends up meeting Chris Pine's character, FDR, in a video store. They're both excited about their new relationships, and there's this great reveal where they show each other a picture of their girl, and it's the same girl bringing up all that territorial male dominance stuff.

Director McG shares on working with his three stars � Reese: �It's never an easy sell to get anybody involved in a movie. Reese is very accomplished, both as an actress - she won an Academy Award - but also as a comedienne. She won the Academy Award for her turn in �Walk The Line� and she's very funny in the Legally Blonde movies. She can do a great many things. The one thing she hadn�t done was be a screen siren and I wanted her to bring that energy to the role. I thought Reese had a certain confidence in me, largely because of what I was able to do with the girls in Charlie's Angels. There was never anything misogynistic or mean spirited in that movie but it was decidedly sexy, with all of the women being very intelligent and powerful. I think everybody knows that Reese is an intelligent, powerful, capable woman. Now let's show the world exactly how sultry she can be when she chooses to be.�

�Chris Pine was very entertaining and engaging in Star Trek; he was great in Smokin� Aces; but it was primarily his turn in the Lieutenant of Inishmore, which is a Martin McDonagh play that played here in Los Angeles that I saw two or three times. He was astounding; his accent was spot on, his physicality, his commitment to the role - he�s infinitely more talented than people could ever imagine, and more clever and considerate. Plus he's different to Tom Hardy, which is what I was looking for: two alpha males who are always interested in finishing first, but who do so in an entirely different way,� director McG says of Pine.

On Tom Hardy: �Tom, and of course he's known for Bronson and his character in Warrior and now he's doing Mad Max. He is so physical and powerful and intense... but he's also got a brilliant mind. Just from speaking to him that he's very kinetic, very clever, that his mind is moving at a thousand miles an hour. There's the broad level the film plays on, but also the more subversive level for those who care to look more closely. I think people need to understand his dimensionalized ability and performance range. He was very game and he's great - I can't imagine anyone other than Tom and Chris for these roles,� concludes the director on working with Reese, Chris and Tom.

Reese, on the other hand sums the director�s works as joyful � �He's wonderful: he's enthusiastic, he's decisive, he knows his shots, he knows what he wants, he knows how to create great action sequences, and he's also hysterically funny� he comes up with witty lines off the top of his head. It was great to work with somebody who's so excited to make a movie instead of hand-wringing and miserable. And it comes out in his movies - they're joyful.�

�This Means War� opens February 22 in theaters from 20th Century Fox.

James de Haan: Teen Superpower Gone Amok in �Chronicle�

Three ordinary teenagers suddenly become powerful after a night in the woods upon close encounter with an unidentified underground phenomenon in �Chronicle.�

�Chronicle� is as real as it gets introducing the audience to Andrew (James Dehaan), Matt (Alex Russell) and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) � recognizable teens, each with a distinctive personality and each facing relatable challenges that come with being in high school, forming new friendships, and exploring new facets of their ever-changing lives. They�re imperfect, awkward, and a little reckless.

Their discovery leads them to acquire powerful telekinetic abilities; in graphic novel parlance, they have superpowers. They�re now capable of, well, almost anything. They can move objects just by thinking about them, crush cars through force of will. They learn to fly�the ultimate wish fulfillment. Then things get dark.

One of these teens could be you or could be amongst those close to us or our acquaintances. James DeHaan unleashes a powerful creeping performance as one of the lead stars in �Chronicle� and explains further his character, Andrew.

Q: Can you tell us about your character?
James de Haan: Andrew is a poor kid who comes from a rough family background. His mom is really sick and his dad is on disability from being a firefighter so for him, things are really tough. But his circumstances extend to other areas of his life as well. He is, by all means, a loser in school and not just a kid who goes under the radar, but the kind of kid that people really go out of their way to make fun of and bully. In that way he�s a victim.

Q: Do you think he struggles with the responsibility of the power?
James: Yes, but it�s not a case of �How responsible am I going to be with this power?� I think he just really enjoys having power, messing around and finally having friends. It does, in the end, overtake him.

Q: Is it more fun to play a character that is conflicted?
James: It�s always fun to play a complicated character, definitely. It�s not always fun to go to dark places, but it�s always fun to play a character who has such an extreme arc, who goes through so much. I don�t think I�ve ever played a character like him.

Q: How was the dynamic with the other actors?
James: It�s good. I always try to form some sort of relationship with the people I work with that mimics the relationship I have with them in the movie. I think we did a pretty good job of that. Michael, Alex and I have all become pretty close and friendly; we all have our inside jokes and we can poke fun at each other. We can hang out and have a good time. Doing that in our personal lives away from work has definitely had a positive influence on the movie.

Q: It�s a strange mix of a big action movie with the sensibilities of a character piece. James: Yes, I think the movie does an incredibly good job of taking the concept, somebody getting superpowers, and dealing with that in a very realistic way. If a group of teens in real life actually got superpowers they would mess around with it, see how much fun they could have with it and eventually it would probably all spin out of control because they�ve been given way too much power. I think the reality of it is what truly drew me in.

Q: What�s it been like working with your director, Josh Trank, in his first film?
James: It was my first time working with a first time director. There is definitely an excitement and energy that goes along with that. I think that one of the cool things about the project is that we�re all around the same age in real life. All of us are still beginning our careers in many ways. Even though all of the actors have done other movies and TV shows we still have a youthful, �go get �em,� attitude. Josh matches that. In many ways he�s much more of a peer than any other director. He�s going through it for the first time, like us. There�s definitely an excitement to that.

Q: There�s a really interesting shooting style to the film, with the characters filming all of the scenes � how has that been to work with?
James: It�s great. It�s another reason why the film is so inventive. It�s found a way to do this kind of handheld stuff but used the reality of the circumstances to make it less dizzying and less gritty. It�s really interesting how every camera movement in the movie is really motivated and grounded in reality, as much as the plot and the characters and all the other elements.

Intense till the end, �Chronicle� opens February 2 in theaters (108) nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

'Walang Hanggan' is Now Philippine TV's Primetime Leader

Here are the Top 10 daytime and primetime programs from January 20 to 23, 2012 among Mega Manila households (People Ratings):

January 20, Friday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 11%
2. Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (GMA-7) - 8.8%
3. Chef Boy Lagro: Kusina Master (GMA-7) / Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit (GMA-7) - 7.8%
4. Kokak (GMA-7) - 7.1%
5. Kapuso Movie Festival: Isang Kahig Tatlong Tuka (GMA-7) - 6.2%
6. Angelito Batang Ama (ABS-CBN) - 5%
7. Love You (GMA-7) - 4.4%
8. Knock Out (GMA-7) - 4%
9. Pinoy Big Brother Unliday (ABS-CBN) - 3.9%
10. Hunter X Hunter (GMA-7) / Bleach (GMA-7) - 3.8%

Primetime:
1. Walang Hanggan (ABS-CBN) - 13.7%
2. My Binondo Girl (ABS-CBN) - 13.5%
3. Munting Heredera (GMA-7) - 12.7%
4. Legacy (GMA-7) - 11.8%
5. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles Showdown (GMA-7) - 10.9%
6. Budoy (ABS-CBN) - 10.8%
7. 24 Oras (GMA-7) - 10.5%
8. Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig (ABS-CBN) - 10.3%
9. Bubble Gang (GMA-7) - 9.5%
10. TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) - 7.2%

January 21, Saturday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 13.3%
2. Kapuso Movie Festival: Ano Ba Yan (GMA-7) - 7%
3. Sabado Sineplex: King Kong (TV5) - 5.3%
4. 24 Oras Weekend (GMA-7) - 4.1%
5. Showtime (ABS-CBN) / Wish Ko Lang! (GMA-7) - 4%
6. Maynila (GMA-7) - 3.9%
7. Happy Yipee Yehey! (ABS-CBN) / Startalk TX (GMA-7) - 3.6%
8. Untold Stories Mula Sa Face To Face (TV5) - 3.5%
9. Teen Titans (TV5) - 3.4%
10. Knock Out (GMA-7) / Johnny Bravo (TV5) - 3.2%

Primetime:
1. Kapuso Movie Nights: Pasukob (GMA-7) - 13.7%
2. Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (GMA-7) - 13.2%
3. Imbestigador (GMA-7) - 8.5%
4. MMK 20 Maalaala Mo Kaya (ABS-CBN) - 8.2%
5. Wil Time Bigtime (TV5) - 7.1%
6. Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition (ABS-CBN) - 6%
7. Manny Many Prizes (GMA-7) - 5.5%
8. Toda Max (ABS-CBN) - 5.4%
9. Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited (ABS-CBN) / Just For Laughs Gags (GMA-7) - 4.9%
10. Wansapanataym: Ilog (ABS-CBN) / Real Confessions (TV5) - 4.3%

January 22, Sunday

Daytime:
1. Sunday Sineplex: Iron Man (TV5) - 5.6%
2. Party Pilipinas (GMA-7) - 5.5%
3. The Beginning of A Legacy (GMA-7) / Tween Hearts (GMA-7) - 5.2%
4. ASAP 2012 (ABS-CBN) - 4.8%
5. Detective Conan (GMA-7) - 4.6%
6. Dragon Ball (GMA-7) - 4.4%
7. Tom & Jerry Kids (TV5) - 4.3%
8. Lokomoko (TV5) - 4%
9. AHA! (GMA-7) - 3.8%
10. Johnny Bravo (TV5) / Showbiz Central (GMA-7) - 3.3%

Primetime:
1. SNBO Double Treat: True Lies (GMA-7) - 14.5%
2. Kap's Amazing Stories (GMA-7) - 12%
3. Pepito Manaloto (GMA-7) - 10.1%
4. SNBO Double Treat: Skyhawk (GMA-7) - 8.5%
5. Rated K (ABS-CBN) - 7.6%
6. 24 Oras Weekend (GMA-7) - 6.4%
7. Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition (ABS-CBN) - 6.1%
8. Talentadong Pinoy (TV5) - 5.8%
9. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (ABS-CBN) - 5.7%
10. Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited (ABS-CBN) - 5.4%

January 23, Monday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 13.2%
2. Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (GMA-7) - 9.3%
3. Chef Boy Lagro Kusina Master (GMA-7) - 8.4%
4. Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit (GMA-7) - 8.3%
5. Kokak (GMA-7) - 7.9%
6. Super Sine 5: The Tuxedo (TV5) - 6.3%
7. Kapuso Movie Festival: Magdaleno Orbos (GMA-7) - 6%
8. Detective Conan (GMA-7) - 5.1%
9. Bleach (GMA-7) - 4.9%
10. Love You (GMA-7) - 4.8%

Primetime:
1. Walang Hanggan (ABS-CBN) - 13.4%
2. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles Showdown (GMA-7) - 12.7%
3. Munting Heredera (GMA-7) - 12.6%
4. Legacy (GMA-7) - 12.4%
5. 24 Oras (GMA-7) - 11.6%
6. Budoy (ABS-CBN) - 11.5%
7. Dongyi (GMA-7) - 10.9%
8. Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig (ABS-CBN) - 10.3%
9. Daldalita (GMA-7) / Pinoy Big Brother Unlinight (ABS-CBN) - 7.7%
10. TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) - 7.3%

Here are the Top 10 daytime and primetime programs from January 20 to 23, 2012 among Mega Manila households (Household Ratings):

January 20, Friday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 25.9%
2. Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (GMA-7) - 21.7%
3. Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit (GMA-7) - 20.4%
4. Chef Boy Lagro: Kusina Master (GMA-7) - 17.9%
5. Kokak (GMA-7) - 17.4%
6. Kapuso Movie Festival: Isang Kahig Tatlong Tuka (GMA-7) - 14.4%
7. Angelito Batang Ama (ABS-CBN) - 12.7%
8. Love You (GMA-7) - 12%
9. Knock Out (GMA-7) - 11.2%
10. Bleach (GMA-7) - 10.4%

Primetime:
1. Walang Hanggan (ABS-CBN) - 27.2%
2. My Binondo Girl (ABS-CBN) - 26.9%
3. Munting Heredera (GMA-7) - 25.4%
4. 24 Oras (GMA-7) - 22.6%
5. Legacy (GMA-7) - 22.5%
6. Budoy (ABS-CBN) - 21.9%
7. Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig (ABS-CBN) - 21.4%
8. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles Showdown (GMA-7) - 21.1%
9. Bubble Gang (GMA-7) - 19.1%
10. TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) - 16.8%

January 21, Saturday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 29.8%
2. Kapuso Movie Festival: Ano Ba Yan (GMA-7) - 14.8%
3. Wish Ko Lang! (GMA-7) / 24 Oras Weekend (GMA-7) - 9.5%
4. Maynila (GMA-7) - 9.2%
5. Startalk TX (GMA-7) - 9%
6. Showtime (ABS-CBN) - 8.7%
7. Happy Yipee Yehey! (ABS-CBN) - 8.1%
8. Knock Out (GMA-7) - 7.2%
9. Tom and Jerry Kids (GMA-7) - 6.5%
10. Tropang Potchi (TV5) - 5.8%

Primetime:
1. Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (GMA-7) - 27%
2. Kapuso Movie Nights: Pasukob (GMA-7) - 26.3%
3. Imbestigador (GMA-7) - 19.3%
4. MMK 20 Maalaala Mo Kaya (ABS-CBN) - 17.1%
5. Junior Masterchef Pinoy Edition (ABS-CBN) / Manny Many Prizes (GMA-7) - 12.2%
6. Toda Max (ABS-CBN) - 12.1%
7. Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited (ABS-CBN) - 11.5%
8. Just For Laughs Gags (GMA-7) - 10.9%
9. Wansapanataym: Ilog (ABS-CBN) - 9.2%
10. Banana Split Extra Scoop (ABS-CBN) - 8.4%

January 22, Sunday
Daytime:
1. Party Pilipinas (GMA-7) - 12.8%
2. Tween Hearts (GMA-7) - 12.6%
3. The Beginning of A Legacy (GMA-7) - 12.1%
4. ASAP Rocks (ABS-CBN) - 11.2%
5. Detective Conan (GMA-7) - 10.7%
6. Dragon Ball (GMA-7) - 9.9%
7. Tom and Jerry Kids (GMA-7) - 9.8%
8. AHA! (GMA-7) - 8.7%
9. Showbiz Central (GMA-7) - 8.4%
10. Growing Up (ABS-CBN) / The Buzz (ABS-CBN) - 8%

Primetime:
1. SNBO Double Treat: True Lies (GMA-7) - 26.2%
2. Pepito Manaloto (GMA-7) - 22.4%
3. Kap's Amazing Stories (GMA-7) - 22.2%
4. SNBO Double Treat: Skyhawk (GMA-7) - 17.3%
5. Rated K (ABS-CBN) - 16.9%
6. 24 Oras Weekend (GMA-7) - 15.2%
7. TV Patrol Weekend (ABS-CBN) - 12.5%
8. Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition (ABS-CBN) - 12.2%
9. Pinoy Big Brother Unlimited (ABS-CBN) - 12%
10. Goin' Bulilit (ABS-CBN) - 10.6%

January 23, Monday

Daytime:
1. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 28.2%
2. Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (GMA-7) - 21.2%
3. Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit (GMA-7) - 18.8%
4. Chef Boy Lagro: Kusina Master (GMA-7) - 17.9%
5. Kokak (GMA-7) - 17.5%
6. Kapuso Movie Festival: Magdaleno Orbos (GMA-7) - 13.3%
7. Knock Out (GMA-7) - 12.1%
8. Detective Conan (GMA-7) - 12%
9. Bleach (GMA-7) - 11.2%
10. Showtime (ABS-CBN) - 10.9%

Primetime:
1. Walang Hanggan (ABS-CBN) - 24.5%
2. 24 Oras (GMA-7) - 24.3%
3. Munting Heredera (GMA-7) - 23.9%
4. Legacy (GMA-7) - 23.1%
5. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Doubles Showdown (GMA-7) - 22.8%
6. Budoy (ABS-CBN) - 22.6%
7. Ikaw Ay Pag-ibig (ABS-CBN) - 20.3%
8. Dongyi (GMA-7) - 19.7%
9. TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) / Pinoy Big Brother Unlinight (ABS-CBN) - 16.3%
10. Daldalita (GMA-7) - 15.7%

Source: AGB Nielsen Phils.

Vietnam Vet Lottery Winner Takes Home $14.3 Million

A Vietnam veteran in need of a kidney transplant unknowingly won $14.3 million in a Megabucks lottery in Madison, Wis. For three days after the January14 drawing, the winning ticket sat on a table in Napolean Elvord's home unbeknownst to the Vietnam vet.

A regular at the Madison Mobil gas station, Elvord was asked by the clerks at the store if he held the winning ticket for three days after the winning numbers were released. Elvord, convinced he had purchased his normal Powerball ticket, said it was not him.

However, as the days passed, no one came forward in Wis. with the winning ticket. For three days after the Jan. 14 drawing Madison residents wondered who the lucky Megabucks winner might be.

When the store manager, Corky Wunderlin, asked Elvord if he held the winning ticket, the semi-retired construction worker reconsidered the $1 ticket sitting on a table in his home. He realized when he took the ticket to the Wisconsin Lottery office that he had in fact won the $14.3 million Megabucks jackpot after accidentally playing the wrong game.

Read full article from SOURCE.

City Hunter Real-Life Couple Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young Break-up Announced

They met and fall inlove while filming the biggest Koreanovela of 2011 - "City Hunter", six months ago. And now, Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young have reportedly decided to call it quits.

The news came directly from the un-couple's publicists who revealed that the two decided to part ways late last year due to their busy schedules causing their relationship to fall apart.

Channing Tatum Must Win His Wife Back in �The Vow�

One of Hollywood�s most sought after young actors who have established themselves among the next generation of leading men, Channing Tatum (�G.I. Joe,� �Dear John�) now stars opposite Rachel McAdams in Columbia Pictures� inspiring romantic drama �The Vow.�

In the film, newlyweds Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum) were struck by tragedy shortly after their marriage. A car crash puts Paige in a coma, where she is cared for by her devoted husband. When she comes to, without any memory of her husband or their marriage, the husband must woo her and ultimately win her heart once again.

Tatum is a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, and felt the script told an authentic story about a once in a lifetime love and what people will do to hold on to that. �Falling in love is the easy part!� notes Tatum. �Getting on with your life together and making sure you stay in touch and connected because life can get in the way sometimes, that�s the tough part. I think that a huge part of Leo and Paige�s journey is based on the fact that not only do they make each other intensely happy and support each other, but that they pushed each other to grow and when you do that it really does take you to the next level in a relationship and in life.�

The actor admits that he found the role emotionally difficult at times because, as a young husband himself, he couldn�t help but imagine himself in this situation: �I hope I would be as brave as Leo is; it�s heartbreaking for him, but he has the faith to let Paige find her own way. And this role is great because Leo is so truthful about his love, he doesn�t hold it back, and I can relate to that. I love love! It�s harder to play than running around with guns and being physical, but it�s very satisfying.�

Tatum says it made total sense to him to work so hard to win Paige back: �If my wife (actress Jenna Dewan) lost her memory of me, I wouldn�t just be like �Okay, alright, well, see you later, good luck�. No. I�d be fighting tooth and nail and plug away at this until it comes back. No matter what.�

He continues: �It�s so frustrating for Leo because there�s nothing visibly wrong with his wife; she talks like Paige, she walks like Paige, everything is exactly the same, but it�s just her memory of her husband is completely gone. And it�s that much more painful that she remembered other people, her family, but just not her husband and everything they had been together.�

For director Michael Sucsy, casting Tatum was a case of finding the soldier of love in an established movie warrior. �The Leo role is a knight in shining armor, and prior to this I�d only seen Channing�s work where he�d been in tough, military roles. So I went to meet him, and we sat down, and I called the producers afterward and I said, �He is the guy. He�s Leo. It�s perfect for him.� I got the sense that his heart was bigger than his chest cavity. He�s got a huge heart, Channing does, and so does Leo, and that really comes out when he has to keep sticking with his wife through the ups and downs.�

From Rachel McAdams� point of view, �Channing Tatum is the perfect guy for this role because he�s a real renaissance man; chivalrous and gentlemanly. He�s playing someone who would do anything to win back his wife�s heart and that�s very much, I think, who Channing is. He�s a very heroic kind of guy, so yeah, and I know he loves love and really believes in it and I think he made Leo a really stoic character that you just fall in love with and believe that he�s definitely the rock in the relationship throughout. He added such lovely little touches to Leo.�

All in all, Channing Tatum sums up the core of the movie�s message this way: �It�s a big deal to vow yourself for life to somebody and mean it. It really is something.�

Tatum will next star in a contemporary motion picture adaptation of �21 Jump Street� opposite Jonah Hill. Tatum and Hill are also executive producers on the project, which is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Opening across the Philippines on February 10, �The Vow� is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Katie Holmes Plays Adam Sandler's Wife in �Jack and Jill�

Katie Holmes stars opposite Adam Sandler in Columbia Pictures� uproarious comedy �Jack and Jill.�

In the film, Jack (Sandler) was living an almost perfect life, with the exception of one, annoying constant � his twin sister Jill (also Sandler). Every year he has to tolerate a Thanksgiving visit from his smothering sister, who doesn�t take long to turn his life upside down. As the weekend intrusion starts stretching into a month, the siblings fight, tease, and bicker in the way only twins can. When it becomes clear Jill is never leaving, Jack sets into motion several schemes that he hopes will return Jill to where he loves her most � the other side of the country.

Holmes joins the cast as Erin, Jack�s wife and mother to their two children. �She�s a very busy wife and mother,� Holmes explains. �When Jill comes to town and creates a lot of mayhem within the family, she�s the one who�s trying to keep it all together.

�It was wonderful to see Adam transform into Jill,� she continues. �As a woman, it was nice to have conversations with a man about shaving legs, how pantyhose and heels feel, and all of the tougher parts about being a woman. Adam was a great sport � it was really, really fun.�

Holmes has showcased her ability as an actress to play a wide spectrum of diversified roles. She has appeared in several notable films ranging from the action blockbuster �Batman Begins,� directed by Christopher Nolan, to critically acclaimed art house pictures such as Ang Lee's �The Ice Storm� and Peter Hedges' �Pieces of April.�

Holmes was most recently seen on the big screen in �Don�t Be Afraid of The Dark� and �The Son of No One.� On television, she portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in �The Kennedys,� opposite Greg Kinnear as President John F. Kennedy.

Holmes has worked with some of Hollywood's most prominent and talented directors. Her credits include �Wonder Boys,� directed by Curtis Hanson; �Thank You for Smoking,� directed by Jason Reitman; �The Gift,� directed by Sam Raimi; �Abandon,� directed by Stephen Gaghan; �Go,� directed by Doug Liman; �Phone Booth,� directed by Joel Schumacher; �First Daughter,� directed by Forest Whitaker; �Teaching Mrs. Tingle,� directed by Kevin Williamson; and �Disturbing Behavior,� directed by David Nutter. 2008 marked her Broadway debut in Arthur Millers �All My Sons� opposite John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and Patrick Wilson. Her portrayal of Ann garnered glowing reviews and established her as an accomplished actress on both screen and stage.

In 1996, Holmes landed the role of Libbets Casey opposite Tobey Maguire and Sigourney Weaver in Lee's award-winning drama �The Ice Storm� while in Los Angeles for pilot season. A year later she was cast as Joey Potter on the TV series "Dawson's Creek," opposite James Van Der Beek and Michelle Williams. The show quickly became the highest-rated series on the WB network throughout its six-season run.

Opening soon across the Philippines, �Jack and Jill� is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Bourne Legacy Lead Actor Edward Norton Arrives in Manila

After Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton also arrives in Manila for 'Bourne Legacy' shooting.

Norton arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 at around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 22 from Bangkok.

According to ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Drilon who was in the same flight with the Hollywood actor, Norton, who was accompanied by his girlfriend immediately boarded a car waiting for him at the airport. He also reportedly declined picture taking requests from fans.

Angeline Quinto and Sam Milby to Tour the US Together this February

Angeline Quinto is set to conquer the US this February for a series of concert called �The Dream Tour 2012� with Sam Milby as special guest.

You may catch Angeline and Sam on the following dates and venues:

February 19, 2012 - Anchorage, Alaska
West High School Auditorium

February 25, 2012 - Reno, Nevada
Grand Theater
Grand Sierra Resort and Casino

February 26, 2012 - Juneau, Alaska
Centennial Hall

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

�Journey 2: The Mysterious Island� Seizes Overseas Gold

The 3D sequel to the 2008 hit �Journey to the Center of The Earth � opens to impressive numbers in overseas territories.

New Line Cinema�s 3D family adventure, �Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,� is off to a strong start at the global box office. Launching ahead of the US in seven territories� Australia , Korea , Hong Kong , Taiwan , Singapore , Malaysia and New Zealand �the film grossed an excellent $7.9 million, which is 44% ahead of its predecessor in the same countries. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

�Journey 2: The Mysterious Island� is the sequel to the 2008 global box office hit �Journey to the Center of the Earth,� both inspired by the novels of legendary fantasist Jules Verne. �Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,� directed by Brad Peyton, stars Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Luis Guzm�n, Vanessa Hudgens and Kristin Davis.

�The first �Journey� went on to gross $141 million internationally, and to exceed it by such a great margin in these early markets is truly gratifying,� Kwan-Rubinek said. �This success is a testament to the vision of the filmmakers and the dedication of the cast, led by Dwayne Johnson, for delivering the perfect film for this corridor - an action-packed and fun-filled 3D adventure for families and audiences of all ages.�

The release was targeted to coincide with the Chinese New Year holiday in Asia and summer school holidays in Australia and New Zealand , predating the US release, which required a different marketing approach. �We�ve embarked on a multi-tiered marketing program to support our early release dates, encompassing talent tours across Taiwan , Australia and Mexico, with further tour stops forthcoming,� commented Sue Kroll, the Studio�s President, Worldwide Marketing. �A strong media presence, combined with our broad advertising and event outdoor campaign, set the stage for these early launches around the world. The tremendous success overseas also helps to build momentum leading up to our U.S. and broader international launches in the weeks to come.�

Shot in 3D, the new family adventure �Journey 2: The Mysterious Island� is directed by Brad Peyton from a screenplay by Brian Gunn & Mark Gunn, story by Richard Outten and Brian Gunn & Mark Gunn.

�Journey 2: The Mysterious Island� is a New Line Cinema presentation and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film will open across the Philippines on Thursday, February 2.

Sam Pinto Love Scenes with Cesar Montano Sell as Highlight of the Movie 'Hitman'

FHM's Sexiest Woman plays Cesar Montano's love interest in the upcoming action flick from Viva Films titled 'Hitman'.

Plot:

When Gina, a popular print model, met Ben, a guy with an arresting smile and a good sense of humor, she thought she found the perfect guy that will love her for real. Gina met Ben in a coffee shop. Ben bought Gina a cup of coffee after her drink accidentally spilled because of him. Because of Ben�s charm, they easily got along and Gina silently wished they could see each other again that night.

At the bar that same night, Gina and Ben bumped into each other. This time, she fell for him. She was captivated by Ben�s allure and she gave her whole self to him. They made love. But then it�s already too late when she discovered Ben�s true character, and his real motive. To Gina�s surprise, Ben was actually a hitman and he intended to kill her. That their first meeting did not happen by chance. Ben is out to seek justice and avenge the death of his wife and son at the hands of Gina�s father, Mando, his former boss who had ordered to kill him because he already knew too many.

Ben survived after he was left �dead� by Tom, Mando�s �cleaner�. Now he�s back and he wanted to settle the score by killing both father and daughter. Ben had a sudden change of heart after making love to Gina. He decided to kill Mando before taking down Gina. But Tom, who has an axe to grind, went ahead of Ben and killed Mando first. Even worse, when Ben went back to look for Gina, she had already been abducted by Tom.

Ben ran after Tom to get Gina. And after finishing Tom, he tried to kill Gina, too.But Gina knew too well that Ben couldn�t do it to her after that fateful day when they first met. Gina knew that Ben came for Gina not because of revenge, but because just like her, he had already fallen in love with her.

Aside from the action-packed scenes between Cesar and Philip Salvador, one of the highlights of this movie is the numerous love scenes between the Sam and Cesar which the latter bluntly described as "parang earthquake, may aftershock."

Directed by Cesar Montano himself, �Hitman� is set to open in theaters this February 2012.

Hitman - Trailer:

Kim Chiu and Xian Lim Cover StarStudio Magazine�s �Love Issue� this February

My Binondo Girl loveteam Kim Chiu and Xian Lim are on the cover of StarStudio Magazine�s �Love issue� where they shared what fans can expect of them in this year of the Water Dragon.

Other celebrities featured in the �Love Issue� are Kristine Hermosa, Oyo Sotto and their baby Ondrea Bliss, Kris Aquino, Rommel Padilla and sons, and the newly wed Juris Fernandez and Gavin Lim.

Also in this issue are today�s most-kilig pairs like Kathryn-Daniel, Barbie-Joshua, Julie Anne-Elmo, and JM-Charee.

StarStudio Magazine�s February 2012 is now available at all magazine stands and selected supermarkets and bookstores nationwide.

Q&A with �Contraband� Lead Star Mark Wahlberg

Check out the Q and A with Mark Wahlberg from the action flick �Contraband.�

For Contraband, Director Baltasar Korm�kur employed the same casting technique he used during the years he made movies in his home country. Rather than choosing an actor by his or her looks, the director casts according to the performer�s personality.

�I like to find the core of people,� he says. �The outer appearance is less important. What is the person? You try to figure that out and make that right for the character.�

The first actor cast was the same man to whom the director brought his ideas for a film inspired by the one in which he last performed. Korm�kur commends: �Mark Wahlberg has a mixture of boyish charm and toughness, and you believe him as a blue-collar guy. Chris has actually walked out of the criminal world, but then he�s forced back in. That�s the great thing about heist-thrillers. It�s great to see people step outside the norm and do something that the rest of us wouldn�t do.�

Describing his character, Wahlberg explains: �Chris is definitely a thinker, but he is not afraid to raise his voice or get his hands dirty.� For Wahlberg, when his character finds himself back in the game, and possibly over his head, that�s when the fun begins. He offers: �Chris is continuing to try to figure out a way to survive, to still solve the problem and then get his ass home to his wife and kids.�

What drew you to this project?
Mark: I saw the original movie and really liked it a lot. These are the kind of movies I like to watch, with the kind of characters I like to play. Now our new thing is to try to find cool European films, obtain the rights and remake them.
Can you describe your character, Chris Farraday?
Mark: He is just a good, hard-working guy trying to do the right thing. Unfortunately, his brother-in-law is not the sharpest guy around so Chris has to go back and clean up his mess. This forces him back into the world of smuggling.

What do you like about Chris?
Mark: I like the fact that he is more of a thinker, even though he gets pretty violent in certain situations. The way he has to think and react in all those different situations really appeals to me. He is in a world of criminals, yes, but he is nicer than the other guys in the movie and you want to root for him. Chris is definitely respected in that criminal world. He knows how to stick up for himself. He would do anything to protect his family.

Do you identify with him in that respect?
Mark: Absolutely. There isn�t anything I wouldn�t do to try to protect my family and provide for them. It doesn�t take a lot for me to get into that head space.

As a producer, how much input did you give the director on set?
Mark: You should always try to give the director the freedom and space he needs to do his thing. There are times when I find myself looking at the big picture, but considering that this is Baltasar�s (director) second go with the story, he knew this movie better than anybody else. I wanted to give him as much freedom as possible. It�s a fine line to walk.

What can you say of Baltasar Korm�kur as a director?
Mark: He is great with actors. I thought that all of his choices were very smart and instinctive. He is really talented. Being an actor himself, he has a unique understanding of what�s going on in front of and behind the camera. He knows how to communicate with everyone and give encouragement. He�s also very easy to get along with. Baltasar really cares about his work. So, if anybody is not trying he is going to say something.

Would you like to work with him again?
Mark: All I can say is that if I could make the rest of the movies in my career with him, I would. I�m actually hoping to do another film with him in spring.

How do you see Baltasar�s future in the industry as a filmmaker?
Mark: Hopefully Hollywood, and bigger budgets, won�t spoil him. He is used to making small independent movies without all the bells and whistles.
Do you think his background of making small independent movies helped him on this film?
Mark: Baltasar managed to shoot this movie in 37-days. He did it with all the action and for the budget he had to work with. After CONTRABAND, I went and shot a comedy that took almost twice as long, with no action.

How would you describe CONTRABAND?
Mark: At the end of the day, it�s an action movie. But I also think it has many strong characters that separate it from similar action films.
How was it working with Ben Foster, who plays your best friend Sebastian, in the movie?
Mark: I�ve wanted to work with Ben for some time. He was my first choice for that part. The first time we met, we really hit it off. Just like Giovanni Ribisi, who plays Tim Briggs in the movie, he responded to the material. Ben Foster is an extraordinary actor and an intense guy.
What did you think Kate Beckinsale brought to the role of as your wife, Kate Farraday?
Mark: I thought she was great. I was thrilled when she came on board.

What do you think appealed to her about CONTRABAND that made her want to be a part of it?
Mark: When you get successful in a certain genre, it�s sometimes difficult to say �no� to those same types of movies. Kate wanted to get back to something real and gritty. She showed up and did a great job.
How did she surprise you?
Mark: I didn�t really know her. She comes off as this really sophisticated and elegant woman but she doesn�t mind getting in the mud, which she literally did on her first day of the shoot.
What can you say about Mexican actor Diego Luna (Gonzalo) who has a small but quite relevant part in the film?
Mark: Diego is awesome. I was a big fan of his and I was so excited that he was going to come and play this part for us. He is such a sweet and really talented guy.

You have some frantic moments with Diego in CONTRABAND. Do you enjoy shooting action?
Mark: I enjoy shooting the action and fight scenes. Especially if I�m hitting and not getting hit back, like in the scenes with Giovanni Ribisi. I have always been a huge fan of Giovanni�s work, too. He has a very strong presence in this movie.

The truth is that you have assembled quite an impressive cast for CONTRABAND.
Mark: We have a really great cast. It was one of those things that just came together. As a producer, I�m always fighting for the people I want. When you get an idea of someone for a role, it�s hard to veer off from that.

How was it filming most of the movie in New Orleans?
Mark: I love New Orleans. The restaurants are fantastic and they have great crews. People really work hard there. They are enthusiastic about it and care about the movies they are making. It�s a great town. I�m actually shooting another movie there right now.

You also shot some scenes in Panama. What was that experience like?
Mark: It was great because we didn�t have any restrictions. We got into a van and that was it. We ran around the city and shot some great stuff. That energy was awesome for the movie.

�Contraband� is released and distributed by United International Pictures though Solar Entertainment Corp. The film opens in Philippine theaters nationwide on January 25, 2012.

Sarah Geronimo Resigns from ASAP 2012

Sarah Geronimo bids ASAP 2012 goodbye. Why? Because she's about to start her new Sunday night live concert show on TV titled "Sarah G Live!".

Premiering on February 26 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., "Sarah G Live!" will replace Vice Ganda's top-rating stand-up comedy show on TV "Gandang Gabi, Vice" which will goes off air only to return soon with a totally different concept and title - "The Singing V (The Singing Vice)".

"I am very happy with the concept of the show. But every time I do shows onstage to perform, I am not that confident. I still get nervous. Doing this show every Sunday is like doing a concert at the Araneta week after week," Sarah said of her new show.

Sarah, who says that this show will surely give her the chance to showcase what else she can do aside from singing, will be joined by a set of special co-hosts and guests weekly.

Photo credit: facebook.com/SarahGLiveFan

Oscar Awards 2012 Nominees (84th Academy Awards) Announced

Oscar Award 2012 Nominees (84th Academy Awards) Announced

The nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday morning, January 24, by Jennifer Lawrence (Winter�s Bourne) and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) President Tom Sherak at the Academy�s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills Tuesday morning. They are:

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"

Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Best Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Steven Spielberg, "War Horse"

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

Best Animated Feature
"A Cat In Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)

Original Score
"The Adventures of Tintin," John Williams
"The Artist," Ludovic Bource
"Hugo," Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse," John Williams

Best Original Song
"Man or Muppet," The Muppets; Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio," Rio; Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown, Lyric by Siedah Garrett

Best Achievement in Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"War Horse"

Best Achievement in Cinematography
"The Artist"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Best Achievement in Costume Design
"Anonymous"
"The Artist"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"W.E."

Best Documentary Feature
"Hell and Back Again"
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
"Pina"
"Undefeated"

Best Documentary Short Subject
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement?"
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
"Incident in New Baghdad"
"Saving Face"
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"

Best Achievement in Film Editing
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"

Best Achievement in Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"

Best Animated Short Film
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Best Live Action Short Film
"Pentecost"
"Raju"
"The Shore"
"Time Freak"
"Tuba Atlantic"

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
"Drive"
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
"War Horse"

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

�Underworld� Sequel Awakens to No. 1 Spot in PHL, Grosses P49.72-M in 4 Days

Rabid fans welcomed the return of Kate Beckinsale to the �Underworld� franchise, catapulting the 3D 4th installment �Underworld Awakening� to the No. 1 spot at the Philippine box-office for the Jan. 20 to 23 frame.

The sequel slew the competition with a nationwide gross of a stunning P49.72-million opening weekend, this according to Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Columbia Pictures which distributed the film locally.

That phenomenal bow marks the biggest opening ever for the �Underworld� franchise, as well as the most successful debut so far this year for any title, local or foreign.

Rolling out in 155 screens across the country, �Awakening� posted its biggest receipts in SM Mall of Asia (P 3.03-M), Trinoma (P2.85-M), SM North EDSA (P2.35-M), SM Megamall (P2.24-M), SM Cebu (P1.90-M), Glorietta 4 (P1.61-M), Greenbelt 3 (P1.54-M), Newport (P1.52-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.276-M) and Power Plant Mall (P1.274-M).

Completing the Top 20 cinemas are Ayala Cebu (P1.18-M), Eastwood (P1.15-M), Gateway (P1.11-M), Robinsons Ermita (P 988,965), Gaisano (P 940,048), Market Market (P 838,236), SM Clark (P 739,563), SM San Lazaro (P 705,278), Greenhills (P 693,888) and Sta. Lucia East (P 636,938).

In the US, �Underworld Awakening� also opened in first place with $25.4 million, good for a $8,252 per theater average.

The millennia-old battle between Vampires and Lycans rages on in stunning 3D in �Underworld Awakening,� the most spectacular installment in the hugely popular franchise. Taking the celebrated saga�s signature action and mayhem to a new level, the film pits the legendary Vampire warrioress Selene (Beckinsale) against her most powerful adversary yet, just as she discovers a shocking secret that will change everything she has ever fought for.

Fifteen years have passed since Selene and her human-Lycan hybrid lover Michael vanquished the Vampire Elder Marcus in �Underworld Evolution.� In the intervening years, mankind has discovered the existence of both the Vampire and Lycan clans, and launched an all-out war to eradicate both species. Selene, captured during the genocide, awakens after more than a decade to find herself captive in a sealed laboratory at Antigen, a powerful biotech corporation dedicated to developing a vaccine against the viruses that have created the Vampires and Lycans.

Now showing across the Philippines in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular theaters, �Underworld Awakening� is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Monday, January 23, 2012

KC Concepcion Covers ROGUE Magazine January - February 2012 Issue

Sya na talaga!

Iza Calzado is Now a Kapamilya

Phenomenal Drama Queen Iza Calzado is now certified Kapamilya!

Iza officially signed an exclusive three-year contract with ABS-CBN on Tuesday, January 24.

Present during the contract signing were Iza's manager Noel Ferrer and ABS-CBN executives Charo Santos-Concio, Linggit Tan, Cory Vidanez and Laurenti M. Dyogi.

"It's just a business and at some point we will make a certain decision and hopefully without burning bridges," Iza said during the contract signing.

Amongst the many projects stipulated in her contract are hosting stint for another season of "Pinoy Biggest Loser" formerly hosted by now TV5 talent Sharon Cuneta, two teleseryes a year, and a movie with John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo under Star Cinema.

Photo: PhilippineTVRatings on FB

Munting Heredera Ends Incredible Nine-Month Long Journey

After months of dominating on primetime, GMA-7�s Munting Heredera concludes its successful nine-month journey with a nerve-racking finale week from January 30 to February 3.

Intended to run for only 13 weeks, the Kapuso family drama received several extensions after consistently topping ratings charts. The show garnered its highest audience share last August 30, 2011 with an overwhelming 49.5 points among Mega Manila households according to AGB Nielsen (based on May 9, 2011 to January 17, 2012 Mega Manila households data). To this day, Munting Heredera remains at the top of its game as it continues to register high ratings relative to its competition.

Likewise the show made its presence felt on the internet as netizens avidly followed and discussed the many twists and turns in the story.

From the show�s basic plot, which tells of a grandmother searching for her missing heiress, the writers of Munting Heredera headed by Agnes Gagelonia-Uligan and its award-winning director, Maryo J. delos Reyes were able to make the story even more engaging by introducing new characters and sub-stories.

While the story focused on the search for the rightful heiress to the Montereals� riches, Munting Heredera also shed light on other issues and revelations involving other players in the story. Truly, every character made an impact and contributed to the overwhelming success of what is arguably one of GMA�s most successful and unforgettable dramas.

Through out every episode, Ms. Gloria Romero, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Camille Prats, Luz Valdez, Gabby Eigenmann (whose performance in MH as Desmond earned him a Best Supporting Actor trophy in the Golden Screen Awards), Leandro Baldemor, Ynez Veneracion, Neil Ryan Sese, Krystal Reyes and Roderick Paulate gave exceptional performances in their portrayal of different familial issues.

The three girls Mona Louise Rey, Kyle Daniel Ocampo and Barbara Miguel also impressed viewers with their talent - whether they be throwing lines at each other or acting alongside their more experienced, veteran co-stars.

Meanwhile, with Katrina Halili, Joyce Ching and Kristoffer Martin leaving the show came the arrival of new actors including the likes of Boots Anson-Roa, Robert Arevalo, Bobby Andrews, Andrea del Rosario, Migs Cuaderno, and in a very special role, Monmon Domingo, a 12-year old boy born with cerebral palsy. Certainly, their acting performances will also leave a mark with audiences, whose nights were made more colorful by the weeknight drama.

In its much-awaited finale week, viewers must await whether or not Manny (Roderick Paulate) will survive a new battle concerning his health, or if Desmond (Gabby Eigenmann) will remain greedy until his last breath. Witness too, how the love stories of Sandra (Camille Prats) and Jacob (Mark Anthony Fernandez), and Do�a Ana (Gloria Romero) and Enrique (Robert Arevalo) will culminate in the story. Someone will also officially join the Montereal family. Who could this person be?

Find out the answers to these and more as Munting Heredera bids its viewers farewell. Do not miss its finale week from January 30 to February 3 on its new timeslot after 24 Oras on GMA Telebabad.

Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace� is Back in 3D

From visionary filmmaker George Lucas, �Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace� is back with an immersive 3D dimension for a richer cinematic experience.

Following the first acclaimed and hugely successful Star Wars films, �Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace was released in 1999. The movie starred Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn and Ewan McGregor as his apprentice Obi-Wan-Kenobi, a determined young Jedi Knight. Natalie Portman played Queen Amidala. Jake Lloyd starred as Anakin Skywalker. It is a fantastically exciting adventure set 32 years before the events of the original.

Writer, director and producer George Lucas is the creator of the phenomenally successful Star Wars saga and the Indiana Jones series. Lucas directed his first feature film, THX 1138, in 1970. In 1971, Lucas formed his own film company, Lucasfilm Ltd. In 1973, he co-wrote and directed AMERICAN GRAFFITI. Four years later, Lucas wrote and directed STAR WARS, which broke all box office records and earned seven Oscars.

The Star Wars saga is a modern-day fairy tale reflecting the vision of George Lucas. Lucas imbued this new myth with pieces of American pop culture, including movie westerns, swashbucklers and � for seasoning � Japanese samurai epics. Star Wars was also a reaction against Watergate, Vietnam and other periods of domestic turmoil that seemed to undermine the concept of the hero for disillusioned Americans.

With the Star Wars saga, Lucas decided to bring together these recognizable, modern-day threads under the umbrella of the basic mythic structure � the journey of the hero � that has been in place for thousands of years, in hundreds of civilizations. With its mix of the traditional and the modern, Star Wars� new mythology thrilled young and old alike.

Now, with, Lucas takes us back to the beginning, in which Darth Vader is a hopeful nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi is a determined young Jedi knight. This first chapter, which is rich in art, design, costumes, architecture and technology, follows Anakin�s journey as he pursues his dreams and confronts his fears in the midst of a galaxy in turmoil.

�Star Wars Episode 1 Phantom Menace� (3D) opens February 9 in all 3D cinemas in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Ilocos, Dagupan, Baguio, Tarlac, Pampanga, Clark, Bicol, Bohol, Tacloban, Gensan, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Iloilo and Cagayan De Oro.