No One Lives: Luke Evans Takes Your Breath Away

Kids of the 80s and 90s  have all grown up with slasher films where the bad guy is horribly disfigured -- take Freddy Krueger, for example. There's also the hockey-masked Jason from the Friday the 13th franchise, and who can ever forget the miniscule Chucky of Child's Play. These are guys who want to make you run and hide. 

Then here comes Luke Evans -- you know, snappy dresser, cool accent, once played a Greek god... who comes up and takes victims left and right. Yep, that's what this hunk, as the character Driver, does in the new horror film No One Lives. 

The trailer speaks for itself. This is a gore-fest that every blood-thirsty moviegoer should see. It takes your breath away and will leave you at the edge of your seats, trying to figure out who is next and if truly No One Lives.  

Despite the availability of CGI effects, film director Ryuhei Kitamura says that he went old-school on this one, believing that the story and the acting will be more than enough to thrill and chill. He adds that there is more to the script than just a bloodbath. "I loved the script because it was not just about blood and guts. I was fascinated by the character of Driver; a non-stop killing machine doing it all for love. To me this is a twisted love story."


If Kitamura's name is familiar to you gamers out there, here is the reason: he was the one who directed all the scenes for the worldwide mega hit video game, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. He says that Luke was the first and only choice for the role of a hot psychopath. "I needed someone who was not only good looking and sexy but also has intelligence, madness, and a sense of humor. Luke gave life to the Driver character. He is an amazing actor."       

Luke is set to get your heart-pounding (literally!) as No One Lives hits Philippine cinemas on September 11. It is released and distributed by solar Entertainment Corporation.

Villains Beware -- Kick-Ass is Back!

It was no big budget blockbuster-- but the first Kick-Ass movie really, well, kicked ass. The sleeper, which came out in 2010, got rave reviews for its true grit and is now firmly ensconced in hip pop culture. It was irreverent, it was tongue-in-cheek, and it was definitely violent. The no-holds barred movie featured bloody noses and gory deaths, and the audiences worldwide loved it!

Well lanky Dave Lizewski is back, via Kick-Ass 2, and this time he and the awesomely cool masked crusader Mindy Macready or Hit-Girl are joined by other crime-fighting wannabes. These band of costumed misfits form Justice Forever and is led by the badass Colonel Stars and Stripes -- played by no less than Jim Carrey! He is supposedly a former mobster who changed his ways when he became born-again.

Crimefighters Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl

So what's a superhero movie without villains, right? Well first up, Mist is still very much around and has sworn vengeance on the two who are responsible for his dad's demise. He has evolved into an even meaner version, calling himself The Mother F5&^r (boy, what a difference a name makes, huh? Mist just sounds so girly). This baddie forms a league of his own and they start to terrorize the streets.

Kick-Ass meets his old nemesis, Mist

More troubles come  when Hit-Girl is "outed" and cannot fight crime incognito anymore. instead of fighting baddies, she is reduced to living a normal life of a teenager among school bullies.

Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit-Girl

 
Will hot Hit-Girl be forced to hang up her purple wig? Will Kick-Ass keep the streets safe once more? find out at the regular theater screenings of Kick-Ass 2 this August. Kick-Ass 2 is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation.   

Cuteness Overload from Despicable Me 2

Yellow is the color of cuddly -- thanks to these pint-sized little critters that are poised to steal the show once again from Gru and his little wards Margo, Agnes, and Edith.

Despicable Me 2 is a movie that kids and kids-at-heart are looking forward to, especially those who laughed out loud at the sidesplitting antics of those cute Minions. Who knew that the bomb-manufacturing business was so much fun, right?  

Well, finally the long wait is over, minion fans! Those who had to content themselves with watching funny shorts on the internet will now get to see the next installment of the Despicable Me franchise. New characters are added, including Bridesmaids actress Kristen Wiig -- who formerly voiced the pudgy Southern Belle Miss Hattie (yes, the one who ran the orphanage that puts non-productive cookie sellers in the box of shame). Now, Kristen lends her vocals to pert and pretty Special Agent Lucy Wilde who goes on an adventure to the now-reformed Gru in a mission to save the Earth from the villain whose code name is El Macho. 

Steve Carell, who voiced the curmudgeon Gru was quoted to have been surprised by the phenomenal success of the first movie (it grossed more than $540 million), but really there is no reason for it, as he himself describes it as "animated but very human." He goes on to say, "Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 are smart, funny and heartfelt without being cloying overly sentimental.  They tug the heart strings just enough without going too far.  The writers did such a great job creating something special and unique."

The movie shows on July 3 in Philippine theaters, and is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment.   

Fast & Furious 6: Hot-Rod Hunks!

To sum up Fast & Furious 6, I would use three Ms -- Muscles and Mean Machines! While guys would look at the hard pumping road action as a street racing movie, girls can definitely classify it as Magic Mike on high-octane fuel.  Ladies might want to catch the flick with their girlfriends, who will definitely enjoy the thrill of this ride, but it wouldn't hurt to watch it with boyfriends too, because it might just inspire the guys to work out for those yummy six-pack abs on Vin Diesel (*hint, hint*).



Yes, the Diesel is back, along with the rest of the road warriors from the first movie, and it would be interesting to see how the characters have evolved from the very first Fast & Furious flick. So fangirls of blonde blue-eyed babe Paul Walker have something new to squeal about in the dark, and Dwayne Johnson a.ka. The Rock  brings his own brand of badass as well. Not to be left out are hot rap stars Tyrese Gibson and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges who bring their own smooth flow.

Michelle Rodriguez is present and accounted for, too, and she is definitely going to sizzle on the screen as the hottie every girl aspires to be, and comes across as every guy's dream girl -- c'mon, a hot bod and mad car skills? she's the perfect package! 



Oh, yeah, there are cars in the movie too... although this Walking in Flats writer really does well, walk around the metro, this is one girl who also appreciates the beauty of a perfectly crafted machine and the thunderous roar of a racing engine.

Even more good news is that there's another M in the picture: Manila! Yes, the cool crew is coming over for the Asian premiere of this much-anticipated movie! Diesel, Rodriguez, Gina Carrano and Luke Evans will fly in for a special premiere, along with producer Neal Moritz and director Justin Lin will grace the star-studded opening on May 15 at the SM Mall of Asia. (fingers crossed for an interview session!!!)

Hot guys and flashy cars? We are so there, right?  So ladies, get your gear on, because the regular showing of this movie is on May 24, 2013.

   

G.I. Joe 2: Byung-Hun Lee Makes Storm Shadow Hot!

Yep, I'm a girl, but growing up, I preferred watching action-packed boy's cartoons than My Little Pony or Rainbow Brite any given day.

So, I could hardly contain my excitement when I first found out that there was going to be a G.I. Joe movie. While there were girls like Scarlett and Lady Jaye in the series, I found myself more fascinated with the male characters and their storylines, and two of my favorites were Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes. I liked the fact  that, unlike the other Joes and Cobra operatives, with their fast-talking mouths and bravado, these two had the Asian characteristics of being respectful and disciplined.   

Any G.I. Joe cartoon fan will definitely count Storm Shadow as one of the coolest characters in the show. His deadly ninja skills are awesome, and he puts these to good use as a Cobra operative. While there was never any big scenes between him and his Joe ninja counterpart Snake Eyes, he was constantly pitted against Quick Kick, who displayed another discipline of the Asian martial arts, more like Bruce Lee's Kung Fu. And for you Westerners out there, here's a special note: They are not the same thing.  

Anyway, flash forward to the movie franchise, where Korean actor Byung-Hun Lee portrays Storm Shadow, and the role fits him to a T.

While one would assume that a Japanese actor would be best to portray a ninja, I had no qualms about it, and there is no doubt that this guy is HOT! Need proof? Here you go:

Intense, huh? Before going on to Hollywood, Lee's actually made a name for himself in Korea, with top-rated TV shows and box-office movies in diverse roles ranging from villain to good guy who falls in love with the girl-next-door. He's actually one of the first Koreans to put his hand and foot prints on the forecourt of Grauman's Theater in LA.

He reprises his Storm Shadow role in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which I and the rest of the Joe fandom are really excited about.  He gives a sneak peek in the development of his character in the movie franchise:


“If I had just a lot of sword fights and kicks in the first movie, this time my character is seen more up close. It has a dramatic aspect that shows his history, inner conflicts."        

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is showing March 2013 in Philippine theaters, released and distributed by United International Pictures, through Solar Entertainment Corp. 

Stand Up Guys: A Cool Mobster Mash

  Are you talking to them?

 

Mafioso movie fanatics will definitely enjoy this epic gathering of  three of screendom's most memorable mobsters: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin topbill Stand Up Guys, a comedy about three aging tough guys who are trying to relive their glory days as hoodlums in suits.

After all the reminiscing and hi-jinks the group gets into, the twist is that one of them is keeping a secret that threatens to explode if they don't get on top of the situation. Of course, the trio gets to resolve the crisis with their street-smarts and wisecracks. Trying to beat a bunch of gangsters in their own game? Fuhgettaboudit! Shootouts are, like, their thing, and the bonus is that they look good doing it too.

Reunion movies seem to be the thing these days, with big name stars collaborating on action-packed flicks. Stand Up Guys has the formula down pat, complete with mobspeak and action scenes to show that these guys can really walk the talk. 

The movie comes to Philippine theaters soon, and is released by Crystalsky Multimedia.

Scary "Mama"

Oh, moms can be scary all right... forget to do your homework, and she'll scream your full name, like: "Rachelle Annamarie Silverio Ramirez! Get your butt over here!"  She  can scowl and howl until you get your grades up in the next semester. Oh, and buying your first brassiere with your mom? That will leave you cringing in fear, because she tells EVERYBODY in the whole wide world where you are going and what you are about to do.

But the matriarchal figure in the new Mama movie has got nothing on your own mom. The plot starts with two little girls found abandoned in the woods. They were adopted by their father's brother who tries to give them the most normal life as possible. But normal may be farthest from the truth, because the freakiest things start happening in the household. The mere whisper from the girls' lips of the word "Mama" is enough to send chills down your spine, and practically guarantees a seat-of-the-pants ride.

The cast has star power -- Games of Thrones actor Nickolaj Coster-Waldau and Zero Dark Thirty best actress Jessica Chastain play the couple tasked with rearing the kids towards a happy childhood, away from the horrors they had to endure out on their own. Were they really alone, though? Watch the creep-out fest as soon as it shows to find out!

The movie is presented by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, based on a short flick by Andres Muschietti -- that is enough to get you to hold your breath until Mama shows nationwide on February 6. The thriller is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment.