“INTRUDERS” Defines Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia/noun: a panic disorder characterized by abnormal persistent fear and severe anxiety of public places and. In open spaces extreme cases, the victim is socially paralyzed by a pathological fear of being in public places, resulting in the sufferer becoming housebound. Anna Rook is afflicted with agoraphobia so crippling that when a trio of home invaders break into her old Victorian on the outskirts of town, she is unable to flee, frozen by her phobia. The intruders soon discover that survival brings out the worst in a girl. Anna, hardly helpless, is harboring dark secrets and deeply disturbed on many levels. 

‘INTRUDERS’ is a suspenseful, tightly contained horror-thriller with a strong female lead; the story of a disturbed woman backed into a corner, who is forced to exorcise her personal demons in a fight for survival, and in the process escapes the house that’s become her prison. Beth Riesgraf (TNT’s Leverage) stars as Anna Rook, a young woman isolated from human contact in nearly every way. She suffers from a crippling case of agoraphobia and spends her days holed up in an old Victorian on the outskirts of town. The people in Anna's life can be counted on just two fingers: Her terminally-ill partner, Conrad (Timothy McKinney) and the charming Meals-on-Wheels driver, Dan played by Rory Culkin (Scream 4). When Conrad dies, Anna can't even muster up the wherewithal to leave the house to attend his funeral. Which is unfortunate, because that’s when a trio of small-time criminals – JP (Jack Kesy), Perry (Martin Starr), and Vance (Joshua Mikel) -- break in to rob her place. Unable to bring herself to flee, Anna is forced into a violent confrontation that is only worsened when Dan shows up to check on her. Upon realizing that she’s been betrayed… that Dan actually knows the interlopers, Anna turns the tables on her captors and traps all of them in the basement. That’s when they discover her dark secret.

Anna, hardly defenseless, has her own skeletons to hide. Conrad’s attempts to cleanse her of her childhood trauma left her with a house of horrors legacy. That trauma remains and Anna taps into it to find the strength to finish the battle with the men that she’s trapped.

“INTRUDERS” is released and distributed by CAPTIVE CINEMA.

Showing on March 16. Nationwide!

Chris O’Dowd plays journalist David Walsh In The Program [R13]

Chris O’Dowd has become a bit of a disgruntled sports fan. His beloved Liverpool are in what seems like perpetual change and the arrival of Jürgen Klopp is far from a guarantee that the 25-year search for a Premier League title will end. At least he can’t blame Liverpool’s demise on other team’s cheating and that’s what’s really got his ire up. He’s been spending the past few months trying to work out the enigma that is Lance Armstrong, the cycling superstar who overcame cancer to win the Tour de France seven times. It was a unique achievement at arguably sport’s toughest endurance event. Then came the revelation that it was a house built on lies. 

In Stephen Frears’ The Program, O’Dowd plays journalist David Walsh, the man who refused to believe Armstrong’s lies, even when the cyclist successfully sued Walsh’s paper for libel, winning a multimillion-pound payout. O’Dowd has the same zealous belief that science and doping are making a mockery of sport. “For me as a sports fan, I have no interest in watching pharmacists and doctors competing to come up with the best concoctions,” says the Irish actor.

He has a similar disdain for Formula 1, because it relies so much on the technical prowess of the mechanics. O’Dowd’s main interest is the skill of the individual, which probably explains why he became an actor, being judged on his ability to mimic or bring a character to life, even when he’s part of an ensemble.

The 36-year-old is best known as a comic, a reputation that goes back to the flirting state patrol officer he portrayed in Bridesmaids. But he didn’t want to be known simply as the goofy comic. “Which is hard when it’s such a big movie,” he says of the 2011 hit. “And particularly stateside, when it’s probably what 90 per cent of the people know you from. But you always just want to find the best work. Not to tick a box. I ended up doing comedy by accident really. It’s not like it was a life plan or anything.”

O’Dowd was born in Boyle, County Roscommon. His father is a graphic designer and his mother a psychotherapist. He has brought many of his childhood tales to the screen in Moone Boy, the show he created for Sky TV. “I mean, we kind of look at it all... not through rose-tinted glasses, but certainly, I had a lovely childhood, so I wasn’t necessarily worried about dealing with issues from my past. There are moments when my family would be like, ‘That’s not how I fuckin’ remember it!’ But for the most part, the vast majority of it… relationship-wise it’s totally accurate to how I grew up. A lot of the stories kind of come and go. Some of them are based in reality and then you make them funnier in some way, or make them more interesting to watch.”

But he thinks the show’s now on its last legs. There are only so many stories he can tell about 11- and 12-year-old boys, although he has a Truffaut-esque desire to return to the characters when they are a bit older. One story he could put in, if he ever followed up that idea, is about a bike ride he went on, aged 14. “It was during the summer holidays. There was very little happening. I come from a very small place. I went with these two friends, John and Dermott. We cycled maybe 80 miles. It took two days. We pitched a tent. I’d forgotten about that. We pitched a tent and when we woke up we were in a traffic island.”

It didn’t put him off cycling, and when he was acting on Broadway in Of Mice and Men, opposite James Franco, he would cycle to work and back every night. On stage he became a big fan of his co-star. “James is great. I think he’s genuinely trying to do interesting things. Not everybody is. He takes a lot of flak for it, which I’ve never really understood. If he wasn’t so handsome, I think he’d be celebrated much more.”

But his recollection of playing a venture capitalist in the US drama series Girls is more down to earth. “It wasn’t an iconic show when I was doing it. It just felt like another kind of TV gig. You could tell that they’re all very smart, and it felt quite raw, which was nice… I’m kind of amazed to see it take off, and you don’t know that it’s going to be such a massive thing. But they really keyed into what people wanted.”

I’m left with the impression that giving people what they want is not O’Dowd’s objective. Otherwise he would be happily revelling in comic roles, rather than taking on meaty stage roles and playing journalists on a mission. He’s considered and serious and wants to challenge himself and people’s perceptions of him. Playing a journalist brings back memories of working on a student newspaper when he was young. “I wanted to be a journalist quite a lot when I was in school. And I didn’t get the grades to go to the journalism colleges… I don’t know how they were so hard to get into given the level of journalism generally.”

“Thanks,” I respond. To which O’Dowd lets out a hearty laugh. His wife, Dawn O’Porter, is a television presenter and they have just had their first child, Art. When he talks about Walsh, it’s in reverential tones: “He’s a great journalist with a lot of integrity.” And that’s how O’Dowd plays him in The Program

“THE PROGRAM” is released and distributed by CAPTIVE CINEMA.

SHOWING ON MARCH 2. NATIONWIDE!

Ben Foster wanted to be experience what it was to be Lance Armstrong in ‘The Program’ [R13]

The Program, director Stephen Frears's latest film, will likely go down as the most in-depth, uncanny depiction of the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong to date. Credit goes to actor Ben Foster, who went to insane lengths to become Lance, taking on intense months of training, riding the most treacherous legs of the Tour de France while filming, dramatically fluctuating his weight by 30 pounds to portray every point of his career, from the top of the podium to the battle with cancer, and even going on his own regimen of performance-enhancing drugs "to more deeply understand what this world was about," Foster says between screenings at the Zurich Film Festival. He did everything but speak with the film's subject man-to-man. "In so many words, Lance Armstrong was not interested in talking with me. I couldn't blame him at all. I wouldn't have wanted to talk with me either." 

Did playing Lance Armstrong give you a new found appreciation for cycling?

I appreciate the rigor it demands, but I have not been on a bicycle since we finished shooting because I've been pretty deeply traumatized. I hadn't cycled before and only had a limited amount of time to 

train. Simply said it was an aggressive training process.

What drew you to the project?

The interest for me was working with Stephen Frears. He's made so many kinds of movies. To my eyes I can't find a signature style of his. Lance, on the other hand, is very recognizable. To get the opportunity to explore a subject that I knew very little about while working with a master filmmaker was a rare opportunity.

Do you think people in the States are still hurt by Armstrong's story?

I do. From what I've heard and who I've talked to about it in North America, people get very emotional. They're upset about the subject. In Europe it seems that they've been able to process what Lance did, while in the U.S., we haven't done that yet. So far, I don't think Lance Armstrong has apologized in a way that is palatable to us.

What are your own thoughts on how his scandal played out?

My job is all about defending the people that I play. I had to rationalize what he did. Early on Stephen would half joke that he was going to call the film "The Stupid American." I thought that wasn't too generous a title. We had different views and I hope that actually translates in the movie, that there are always two sides to the story. It's a little more complicated than saying he's a liar and a doper. He's a man who raised a half billion dollars for cancer research. He won the Tour de France seven times in a row and he wasn't the only one doping, he was just better at it. He did everything better. He moved the needle in all aspects of the sport while also doing a lot of good. His bullying was bullying people who were threatening his empire, and that empire was saving lives. I think calling him just a gangster is ignorant.

What did you read and watch of his appearances to prepare?

I watched everything. He's so recognizable. Sitting that long on a bicycle, it's going to even change the way that you walk. What made his story so accessible was the way that he communicated. His rage was always pretty close to the surface. I was interested in both the persona and the man behind the persona. The loneliness that must occur with people like that who are at the top of their field. To answer your question, the joy of the job is to ask questions and then consider them in both an emotional and physical way. You find that he had certain mantras, speaking about the will to survive, the way to better yourself. I imagine that he was a guy who looked around the room and thought, "Nobody is working as hard as I am. Nobody is as determined."

Did you hear any stories that proved particularly insightful to who Lance Armstrong was as a person?

This isn't a biofilm. You hear anecdotal stories. I would have liked to have partied with Lance. He sounds like he was a lot of fun. He went hard. I'd be talking out of turn if I talked about some of the stories, but I was most touched by the work and attention he did give the cancer community. He'd call up people that he didn't know who were struggling with the disease and just talk to them for two hours. He would talk about the hope that you need to get better. His visits to the hospitals were very moving, my aunt started a foundation called Conquer Cancer"in Boston, Massachusetts. It's a subject that's important to a lot of people, and though right now he may be out of favor, it's important to return to the fact that he did put in the time. He did raise that money. It wasn't just a cancer shield. He tried to better the planet.

What kind of preparation did you do to re-create Armstrong's appearance and cycling?

I was in very good hands. I rode with people who had rode with Lance in the peloton during the Tour de France. They did their best to teach me how to look like he did. We had a computer program that had analyzed his position on the bike. Then we did the best to match my look and stats with his. I was also working with his nutritionist and his mechanic during his time on the Postal team. I worked with a wellness doctor who helped create a program of performance-enhancing drugs that I could do as safely as possible. I did that because I felt it was important for me to more deeply understand what this world was all about.

Cobbles are one of the more challenging aspects of the Tour. How did you face up with those?

We shot them in Belgium in the rain and mud. Insurance was not there on set that day, which was for the best because if you go down, you may break a knee, and then the film's not happening. But keeping the handlebars loose in the hand, and keeping your balance is the trick behind those. I really loved riding the cobbles though. It's brutal but fun.

The weight-changes were really impressive. How did you lose that much?

That was all me. That was a very grumpy me. I knew neither was going to last too long but I had about two weeks to go from one to the other. There wasn't the money to support a more gentle change. To start, I was lifting a lot of weights, then I had two weeks to basically cannibalize my body. Shooting in sequence would have been ideal, but we didn't have that luxury this go around. Weee! [Laughs.]

The first shot, of you at Alpe, d'Huez, is incredible. How did it feel to be there?

It was fucking scary. We are there shooting in the French Alps and I haven't told anybody about this but I have terrible vertigo. Terrible vertigo. I've dealt with it. I've done bungee jumping. I've done wirework, but it's a paralyzing fear. David Millar was one of our champions who made sure the details of the cycling were correct in the film. He was handling the opening shot. It was being filmed on a four-wheeler, with a steadicam on it. It was able to tilt and weave with us. They said, "Just head down the mountain." Then they were asking me to speed up! I was riding the brakes for the first few minutes, but finally I had this moment where I started passing the camera. The competition part of your brain starts to take over and you want to tear the mountain apart. It was those moments where I started to understand the drug of the sport. The first bit of intensity in my face, though, was not, "I'm going to win." It was, "I'm going to die."

What do you think that you got out of this experience that will be useful in the rest of your career?

Very little scares me now. Once you ride down a mountain like that and don't die, it's hard to be scared anymore.

“THE PROGRAM” is released and distributed by CAPTIVE CINEMA.

SHOWING MARCH 2. NATIONWIDE!

Vista Cinemas opens first and only MX4D Motion EFX Theater in the country at Evia Lifestyle Center

New state-of-the-art theaters redefine movie watching experience in Metro South

Mall-goers of the Metro South can now experience the best cinema experience available in the world.

After the successful opening of its first movie theaters in Taguig, Vista Cinemas has opened to the public its second location at Evia Lifestyle Center in Vista City, Daang Hari. The four new movie theaters equipped with unique top-of-the-line features are now ready to to redefine the movie-watching experience in the Southern Metro.

Three of the four newly opened cinemas are fitted with the latest and the best in audio technology--Dolby Atmos -- which allows movie-goers to feel like they're part of every scene. Sound produced by the Atmos System is projected from every direction in the cinema and moves with the action on-screen – creating a one-of-a-kind movie experience.

Apart from this world-class sound system, all four theaters of the Vista Cinemas are equipped with luxury seating from the FIGUERAS and LUXOS brands available only in select locations around the world.

Figueras is a Spanish brand that specializes in crafting high-end seating for public spaces. Their seats can be found in places such as The White House and the Philharmonie de Paris. Luxos is a specialized line developed by the Japanese furniture brand Okamura. Luxos is a new and original concept of a lounge chair with a lower, reclining seating posture that provides added comfort through its active back structure and smart operation.

Couples living and working in the area can now also get to experience world-class movie dates. Vista Cinema 2 at Evia Lifestyle Center has thirty-one customized love seats that take the romantic movie experience to a whole new level of comfort and coziness.

Best of all, Vista Cinema now brings the first and only MX4D Motion EFX Theater in the country to Southern Metro Manila. This latest evolution in 4D cinema technology features MX4D theater seats that move in-sync with the action on-screen, while special EFX generators inside the cinema make viewers feel every jolt, poke, tilt, plus timed wind and mist atomizers. Vista Cinema's MX4D theater lets residents in the south enjoy the latest cinema innovations without them needing to go too far from home, avoiding the stress and traffic of the busy Central Metro. The two top-of-the-line movie theaters opened this month are only the first phase of growth for Vista Cinemas. With more Vista Cinema locations all over the country set to open within the year, more Filipinos can look forward to a new era of premier movie viewing, right by their doorstep.

PO BECOMES TEACHER OF THE FURIOUS FIVE IN “KUNG FU PANDA 3"

The student is now a teacher in “Kung Fu Panda 3” where Po (voiced by Jack Black), the dragon warrior had been tasked by their master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) to take on the responsibility of further training the Furious Five. As Po faces the insurmountable challenge of training his idols, the “best of the best” Kung Fu warriors in all of China – Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Crane (David Cross) and Mantis (Seth Rogen), he then meets his biological father Li Chan who made his way to the Valley of Peace looking for his long lost son. 

“Kung Fu Panda 3” brings Po in full circle as he continues his evolution as a hero, leaving his comfort zone to become a teacher and finally become the Panda he was meant to be - bringing together his biological family and his kung fu family to become a master of the past and the future.

As Po attempts to instruct his idols – Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis – in the finer points of kung fu, chaos reigns in the Training Hall, a place of discipline, honor and sacred practice. “The Five have become positive and optimistic about their friend Po, but they have serious doubts about his abilities as a teacher. And for good reason!” says Lucy Lui.

According to Jack Black, who once again voices the iconic role, that scene points to the fact that “Po is no Shifu, let’s be honest. He’s freaking out and doesn’t think he’s up to these new responsibilities, which are weighing him down even more than the countless dumplings he consumes.”

It is Shifu who first recognized and channeled Po’s passion for kung fu, and, now, once again pushing Po to the next level, insists he become a teacher. “Shifu knows Po must face the challenge of becoming a teacher, but he also knows it’s not going to be easy,” says producer Melissa Cobb.

Short of stature and, sometimes, of patience, Shifu is a fun and complex character. Oscar® winner Dustin Hoffman returns to voice the role, to which he brings four decades of experience as one of the world’s great actors, as well as world-class comedy chops.


Unlike Shifu, the Furious Five have serious doubts about Po’s ability to teach kung fu. These protectors of the Valley of Peace take their art form very seriously and have always had the best-of-the-best instructor – Shifu – keep a weather eye on them. Now, they have to take instruction…from Po?

The victims of Po’s instruction are Monkey (voiced by the legendary Jackie Chan), whose mischievous and playful nature masks a cunning martial arts ability; Crane (David Cross), the pragmatist of the group; Mantis (Seth Rogen), the smallest and most temperamental of the Five; Viper (Lucy Liu), the team’s “mother hen”; and Tigress, the strongest and boldest of the Furious Five.

Po’s cluelessness as a teacher reminds us of the character we met and fell and love with in KUNG FU PANDA. Po has no bigger fans than the filmmakers who have brought him to life. Director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, who’s been with Po from the very beginning of his journey, notes: “The trait I love most about Po is his boundless enthusiasm. It’s a pleasure to spend time with Po, because he’s just so passionate about everything.”


“The fact that he discovers what makes him special and uses that to become the best he can be, is also something we can all identify with,” Yuh Nelson continues. “Everybody wants to learn what makes them unique and to use that information to become a better person. I think that’s great for kids and adults to hear – and it’s important for us, the filmmakers, because we certainly don’t fit into any kind of mold!”

“Kung Fu Panda’s” theme of being the best you, you can be, clearly resonates with Jolie Pitt. “It’s telling us we don’t need to emulate others; we should focus on who you are and your personal growth,” she explains. “That’s relatable to everyone. We’re always trying to find our best selves and our center.”



“Kung Fu Panda 3” opens March 9 in cinemas (2D, 3D and IMAX 3D) nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

BASTILLE DAY in Philippine cinemas soon!!!

   “Bastille Day” opens very soon this April in cinemas nationwide in the Phils. from Axinite Digicinema.

“KUNG FU PANDA 3” SNEAK PREVIEWS ON FEBRUARY 29 AND MARCH 1

Invading cinemas earlier than expected, “Kung Fu Panda 3” will have sneak previews (whole day) on February 29 (Monday) and March 1 (Tuesday) nationwide in the Philippines, in 2D and 3D screens.

The latest and third installment in the global phenomenal franchise, “Kung Fu Panda 3” ruled the US box-office for weeks and is tracking almost US$200 million to-date. The latest kick-ass and hyper-action family-oriented animation brings back Jack Black as the loveable Po along with the Furious Five, Tigress (voiced by Angelina Jolie Pitt), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Crane (David Cross) and Monkey (Jackie Chan) with their Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) who now brings the franchise into full-swing action mode as he takes on to be the Furious Five’s master.

Po, considered as the Dragon Warrior is now tasked by Master Shifu to take on the role of being the teacher to the Furious Five, a task Po is not so ready to take on, not initially at least. Making the transition from student to teacher isn’t the only upheaval in Po’s life. His long-lost biological father, Li Chan, has made his way to the Valley of Peace and to an emotional and hilarious reunion with Po. Acclaimed “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston joins the franchise to lend his voice to Li.



Meanwhile, Po and the Furious Five have yet to encounter their ultimate nemesis, Kai (voiced by J.K. Simmons), once brothers-in-arms with Po’s father figure mentor Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), the ancient tortoise who now lives in the spirit realm. In the Spirit Realm, Kai has taken the chi from thousands of masters, collecting them as jade amulets on his belt. With this accumulated power, he defeats Oogway, breaks free from the Spirit Realm, and arrives on Earth. The only one who can defeat Kai is a master of chi, and the only teachers of chi are pandas – or so Li tells Po.

Black embraced the opportunity to revisit one of his most treasured movie characters and found it easy to reclaim his inner-Dragon Warrior. “I just go back to a younger me, when I was starting my career,” he explains. “That’s how I see Po – as young lover of kung fu. My love was rock and roll and acting, but Po and I share that unreserved passion. I, too, was a young Dragon Warrior,” he jokes.

“Kung Fu Panda 3” kicks in full blast in cinemas on its regular opening day on March 9 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D screens nationwide from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

“THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT” BREAKS BOUNDARIES IN YOUNG ADULT EPIC ACTION [PG]

The Shailene Woodley starrer "Divergent" series based on the books by author Veronica Roth has recently revealed "Allegiant - Part 1" and "Allegiant - Part 2" have been modified for the big screen.

In the news that have circulated recently, it was revealed that the upcoming two film will no longer be called "Allegiant - Part 1" and "Allegiant - Part 2." The two would now be titled "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" and "The Divergent Series: Ascendant."

The first two “Divergent” films have grossed more than $550 million at the global box office and are Lionsgate’s highest-grossing films outside “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight” franchises.

The third installment of the blockbuster Divergent series franchise, “Allegiant” takes Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) into a new world, far more dangerous than ever before. Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton venture into the world outside of the fence and are taken into protective custody by a mysterious agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. The film is being directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay by Noah Oppenheim, Adam Cooper, Bill Collage and Stephen Chbosky.

The story background discusses how a future, ruined Chicago becomes a society that defines its citizens by strict conformity to their social and personality-related affiliations with five different factions. This removes the threat of anyone exercising independent will and re-threatening the population's safety through war or another human-created catastrophe. The factions are Abnegation to uphold selflessness, Amity to uphold peacefulness, Candor to uphold honesty, Dauntless to uphold bravery, and Erudite, to uphold knowledge. Tris tests out for equal aptitude with three different factions: Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. This classifies her as "Divergent" and capable of independent thought beyond the restrictive nature of the factions. She is warned never to share this information with anyone for fear of her life. Divergent are a threat to the stable society, hunted and killed by the ruthless leader of Erudite, in order to eliminate the "threat" of independent thinking. Those who fail the initiation of their particular faction are deemed factionless, who are treated as a lower class and a drain on society. Tris Prior is shocked by the video released to the public at the end of the Erudite headquarters raid. The video revealed the truth about the faction system and announced that Divergent are needed outside the borders of the city.

“Allegiant” will open in the Philippines on March 9 from Pioneer Films, one week ahead of its US release.

JACK BLACK, ANGELINA JOLIE KIDS & DUSTIN HOFFMAN’S GRANDSON VOICES IN “KUNG FU PANDA 3” []

It’s definitely a family movie affair in the upcoming “Kung Fu Panda 3” as the lead actors’ voices along with their brood’s voices are in the movie too! In recent interviews, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie Pitt and Dustin Hoffman shared that their children recorded voices in the latest installment of the blockbuster family global franchise.

Angelina Jolie's kids Pax, 12, Zahara, 10, Shiloh, 9, and Knox, 7, record animal voices for the movie, says that they weren’t really expecting to be in the movie, "They were kind of shy. They don't really want to be actors, but I didn't want them to miss the opportunity. They came in, and they had a lot of fun with it," shares Jolie Pitt.



Lead star Jack Black's son Sammy, 9, did voiceover too, "My boy actually has a voice in it, He plays one of the bunnies. I wish there was only one bunny so I could say, 'My boy plays the bunny,' but he's like one of the bunnies. There's like a thousand bunnies. Black says his kids are "stoked" about the movie, but said, "they have to be a little contrary. It's part of being a kid. It's like, your dad is not the cool one. No matter how cool your dad is they have to rebel against me."



And Dustin Hoffman's grandson Gus is also heard in the movie. Additionally, franchise newcomer Kate Hudson says, "My kids have always loved the Kung Fu Pandas, so this is really exciting for me because, you know, I'm cool mom right now."



Po’s (voiced by Jack Black) adventure began in “Kung Fu Panda,” where he fulfilled his destiny and became the Dragon Warrior. The film showcased amazing fight sequences, hilarious comedy and a lot of heart. Audiences around the globe cheered the Kung Fu Panda, and the film grossed over $633 million worldwide, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and took home ten Annie Awards.



In “Kung Fu Panda 2,” Po had to uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins, in order to unlock the strength he needed to succeed. The film topped the blockbuster numbers of the first picture, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, and won two Annie Awards, including Best Director, for Jennifer Yuh Nelson.



Now, in “Kung Fu Panda 3,” which has recently ruled the US box-office for weeks, Po’s his adventure brings him full circle as he continues his evolution as a hero. Po realizes he still has a lot to learn when he leaves his comfort zone as a martial arts student to take on the responsibilities of a teacher. At the same time, he must bring together his biological family and his kung fu family – and become a master of the past and the future.



Po’s enthusiasm is contagious. Director Alessandro Carloni, another veteran of the trilogy, says: “In this film, Po must help others reach that same kind of epiphany and to embrace their unique qualities to become truly empowered.” Whatever the obstacles, Po never gives up. “He’s got a great attitude,” says screenwriter Glenn Berger. “Po is very positive and unrelenting, and no matter how many times he falls, he keeps getting back up.”



The first of those new challenges for Po is to make a daunting, if not insurmountable professional transition. He’s been living large and loving life as the Dragon Warrior, until his beloved teacher Shifu presents Po with the next step in his evolution as the Kung Fu Panda: Po must become a teacher. According to Jack Black, who once again voices the iconic role, that scene points to the fact that “Po is no Shifu, let’s be honest. He’s freaking out and doesn’t think he’s up to these new responsibilities, which are weighing him down even more than the countless dumplings he consumes.”



“Kung Fu Panda 3” opens March 9 in cinemas nationwide from DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. Available in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D screens.

Now Showing: Gods of Egypt from Pioneer Films []

“Gods of Egypt” Now Showing in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.

GAME OF THRONES’ STAR NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU STARS IN COLOSSAL ACTION EPIC “GODS OF EGYPT”

In the spectacular action-adventure “Gods of Egypt,” the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero Bek (Brenton Thwaites) undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. In order to succeed, he must enlist the help of the powerful god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in an unlikely alliance against Set (Gerard Butler), the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt’s throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict. As their breathtaking battle against Set and his henchmen takes them into the afterlife and across the heavens, both god and mortal must pass tests of courage and sacrifice if they hope to prevail in the final battle.

Writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless sought to give audiences a thrilling, elaborate adventure that is part homage, part invention and fully inhabitable as a transporting experience. Using the Osiris myth as a blueprint – Gods of Egypt re-imagines the tale of the sun god Ra, his vengeful son Set and Ra’s dutiful grandson Horus, folding several classical narratives into one adrenaline-pumped film following the journey of a mischievous mortal who joins forces with a fallen god to save all of creation from chaos and tyranny.

Meet the gods of Egypt: Ra (Geoffrey Rush) is the father of Osiris and Set, Ra is the Lord of Light and the Cosmos. It is his duty to pull the sun over mythological Egypt at the end of each day. As he does so, he passes into the chaos of the underworld where he fights the demon Apophis. After he beats Apophis back each night, Ra returns to the living world bringing with him the light of a new day. Ra is the creator of this world and its ultimate guardian. He possesses insight beyond any living god or mortal, and views the gift of life as a lesson and a journey. In his eyes, both Osiris and Set were equal.

Set (Gerard Butler) is son of Ra and god of the Desert, Set is plagued by jealousy. In Set’s eyes, his father apparently favors his brother Osiris, the God of Nature and Life, who is deemed to be a wise ruler and merciful facilitator of human souls into the Afterlife. Set believes that mortals are dispensable and far inferior to the gods. Set puts his pursuit of power, authority and material wealth above all else.

Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is the lord of the Air. While his ego is initially inflated by his status as a god, through his association with mortal Bek, Horus slowly learns to respect mortals, and even develops a liking of them. It’s a change of heart he’ll need if he’s going to avenge the death of his father Osiris and retake the throne from the usurper Set. Horus’ deity is a winged and armored form with a falcon-shaped head. His power resides in his eyes.

And the mortal who seeks Horus’ alliance is Bek (Brenton Thwaites), an affably mischievous mortal comes from modest beginnings and has little to offer the woman he loves, Zaya, aside from his heart. Having lost faith in the gods, Bek relies on his own zeal and ingenuity to make his way in life.

Coster-Waldau has has created a strong foothold in Hollywood, and continues to rise, starring on a critically-acclaimed television series and a vast array of film projects. Coster-Waldau will return for the sixth season of HBO’s epic, award-winning series “Game of Thrones,” starring as ‘Jamie Lannister.’ After leaving his handprint on the European Film and Television industry, Coster-Waldau quickly made his transition to American Cinema. His previous films include “Black Hawk Down,” “Enigma,” “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Firewall.”

Bringing to life a complex array of fictional characters, “Gods of Egypt” is an original story unlike anything viewers have seen that will open this February 24 in cinemas nationwide from Pioneer Films.

NICOLE KIDMAN, JAMES FRANCO AND ROBERT PATTINSON IN “QUEEN OF THE DESERT” EXCLUSIVE AT AYALA MALLS CINEMAS [PG]

Opening on March 2 exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas is “Queen of the Desert” starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco and Robert Pattinson, a true story of the life of British explorer and adventurer, Gertrude Bell (Kidman). 

“Queen of the Desert” chronicles Bell’s journeys of love and loss in the Middle East during the early 20th century. Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman stars alongside Academy Award nominated James Franco, Golden Globe & Emmy Award winner Damian Lewis and Robert Pattinson. A curious and adventurous young woman eager to explore the world outside of England, Gertrude Bell (Kidman) goes to the British embassy in Tehran where she quickly falls in love with a secretary of the embassy, Henry Cadogan (Franco). This sparks the beginning of a life-long adventure among the beautiful but misunderstood peoples and cultures of the Middle East. Along the way, her path intersects with archaeologist T.E. Lawrence (Pattinson) also known as Lawrence of Arabia, and Major Charles Doughty-Wylie (Lewis), the British Consul General in the Ottoman Empire.

“Queen of the Desert” is written and directed by Werner Herzog. “I call it Werner World. Werner World is just a different realm. It’s glorious. I said to him, ‘Werner, I feel like I’ve been in a dream with you for the past two-and-a-half months, and now I’ve got my feet back on earth.’ I’m at a place where I’m so interested in exploring things and going places that I haven’t been. I want my life to be full, so that means all of us – my family – up and moving to Morocco and doing this so we can have the experience,” shares Kidman on working with the director.

Kidman’s interest in exploration mirrors Gertrude Bell’s own adventurous spirit. While Kidman admires Bell greatly, she also shares her insight of why Bell pursued travelling and adventure, “She went off and lived a life that I would only dream of living. What she did is amazing, but she did it through motivations that, I believe, come from huge loss so that’s fascinating in itself, too. And the landscape and what the desert gave her was her salvation.”

As Kidman discovered that while Bell was a true trailblazer in a time when women were not treated as equals, especially in politics, she also had ambiguous aspects. “There’s an interesting fact about Gertrude though, is that she was not a supporter of the suffragette movement, so that was fascinating,” says Kidman. Her extensive research of Bell enables her to bring a realistic and nuanced performance to this legendary character.



Of Kidman’s performance as Bell, director Herzog says, “Now, Nicole Kidman. Wait for that one. Wait for it. I make an ominous prediction: How good she is.”

“Queen of the Desert” opens March 2 at Ayala Malls Cinemas distributed by Axinite Digicinema. Check out the film’s trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUYU65NbGkk&feature=youtu.be

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