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.

Unforgettable Interview with Dave Batista

Okay, enough waterworks over Les Miserables. It's time to go into some hardcore action, and this time, we home into The Man With The Iron Fists movie. What makes this so noteworthy for me is the fact the Dave Batista, a.k.a. The Animal has a starring role in this flick. Does he transition well onto the big screen after mauling opponent after opponent in the wrestling ring? The movie starts showing on January 30, released and distributed by UIP through Solar Entertainment Corp.

I was one of the lucky ones who got to interview this half-Filipino wrestler when he visited Manila a few years ago, and it was with some alacrity that I entered the room where the exclusive interviews were being held. It was my first time to see a wrestling superstar up close, and I was a bit nervous about my questions, since they did not dwell on stats, moves, and such, unlike the sports reporters who came before me. 

As it turned out, my fears were unfounded -- he was a really nice guy! His large hand engulfed my scawny one in a firm handshake, and he seemed so relaxed and pleasantly surprised at the questions I threw at him. He commented from time to time, "that's a good question", and pondered carefully over his answers. 

I asked him about concerns over kids copying his wrestling moves. To which he replied that he is very concerned about that, and he always tells his young fans that these are done by professionals who have had many years of practice, and should never-ever be imitated by kids.

My parting question to this towering hunk of muscle and mass was "what makes a man a real man?" -- yes, I confess that I am known in my industry as the one who asks what they call "Miss Universe" questions. He actually looked pleased that I asked him that, and he says, "it is not about being strong enough to beat up anybody. A real man is someone who is not afraid to show his feelings." that totally blew me away, and made me a really big fan!

Here's more about the movie, where he is billed as David Bautista: The Man With the Iron Fists is an action-adventure inspired by kung fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth.  Making his feature-film debut as a director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russel Crowe as Jack Knife and Lucy Liu as Madam Blossom—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold. Blending astonishing martial arts sequences from some of the masters of this world, with the signature vision he brings as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most dominant figures of the past two decades, RZA embarks upon his most ambitious, stylized and thrilling project to date.  

Life's a Bitch

Mercury in retrograde. Murphy's Law. These are some of the excuses given these days for things that go wrong. In reality, some of these unfortunate happenstances that occur in our lives can be prevented. But of course, it is easier to blame the Universe for a streak of bad luck.

Life's a bitch, and i agree. But to bitch about it is counterproductive. When something bad happens, move on, shake it off, and learn from the experience. This was a realization that came to me when i woke up to a really bad day. I was late for an appointment, and it so happened that the Metro Manila traffic was more than bad, it was a parking lot along the expressway. And when i finally got to my destination, all sweaty and hot, it was a WTF moment when i realized that all the rushing about was for nothing because the media coverage was also mistakenly assigned to someone else who got there ahead of me. I bowed out gracefully and learned many lessons from it -- wake up early, anticipate the traffic, and check my assignment details at least a day before.
Oh, and did i mention, "wake up early"???
Of course, that is still not a fool-proof plan of action, but it helps to have one. Much as even the most well-planned parts of our lives can still get screwed up, the Universe is not averse to throwing a few curve balls too. On hindsight, I was even lucky on that fateful day, because there happened to be a pending appointment nearby that i could keep, and instead of heading back home, i chose to go there instead. I found out from colleagues that i had a better time at my coverage than they did at my previous one.

So heck yeah, stop bitching. Life will love you better for it. Then you will find that you will enjoy life even more. When you find that things are going wrong, take a moment to pray, keep your cool, and think of what you can do next. The answer will come to you.