ABS-CBN announced the film, ‘A Very Good Girl’ will be released in select theaters across the United States on October 13. The film stars Golden Globe Award and BAFTA Award Nominee Dolly de Leon (A Triangle of Sadness, Verdict, Historya ni Ha) and Asian Box Office Superstar Kathryn Bernardo (Hello, Love, Goodbye and Barcelona: A Love Untold).
Directed by Petersen Vargas and written by Marianne Mancol, Daniel Saniana and Jumbo Albano, ‘A Very Good Girl’ features two self-made women and follows them as they navigate their lives around each other. After a heartless firing triggers a chain of unfortunate events, Philo (Bernardo) plots a meticulous revenge against retail mogul, Mother Molly (de Leon), aiming to dismantle her empire and seize the ultimate payback. This time, there is no mercy.
This marks ABS-CBN's continued commitment to making Filipino content accessible on a global scale. This also celebrates the 30th anniversary of Star Cinema - a film studio, film & television production company, and film distributor based in the Philippines.
Be prepared for the kilig coming soon again with Star Cinema's upcoming film, An Inconvenient Love starring Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano. The rom-com follows a young couple who looks for love that's quick, easy, and convenient. DonBelle strike up a receipt that gives their relationship an expiration date.
Belle plays Ayef, a convenience store worker who aspires to be a professional animator in Singapore, and Manny, played by Donny is a company heir who runs his own plant shop and who secretly works as a social activist. Their relationship is set to end when Ayef takes her talent abroad, but Manny looks to stand by her side.
Directed by Petersen Vargas and written by Enrico Santos and Daisy Cayanan, “An Inconvenient Love” marks DoneBelle's second film following “He’s Into Her” and their debut movie “Love Is Color Blind.”
Catch it in theaters on November 23 nationwide in the Philippines.
Promoting the premiere of his new Syfy series, Reginald the Vampire, Jacob Batalon joins the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to talk about the show, living in New York, and rooming with Tom Holland.
The Spider-Man: Homecoming actor reminisces on his early acting days at drama school and walking the streets of New York with friends. Jacob shared he used to walk around Manhattan hoping one day to be on a show like The Tonight Show and now here's here. Jimmy Fallon calls him family and says only good things coming the young actor's way.
While sharing a snippet of his new series, Jimmy asked how his journey has been so far and how he's dealing with being in box-office breaking films. Jacob shared how the Spider-Man cast like Tom Holland and Zendaya are now family as they started the journey together so young. He was even roommates with the web-slinger himself for the first film. We're so excited to see the series and what else is in store for Jacob!
Cover Photo Credit: Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon Twitter
The director of Philippines' widely talked about films, Birdshot and Dead Kids, Mikhail Red has his next project lined up. The techno-horror film, Deleter borders the thriller genre with the script created by younger brother Nikolas Red. Nadine Lustre is set to star in the lead role with Louise delos Reyes and Mccoy Deleon also joining the cast. If you're a fan of his previous films, this may be your next favorite.
According to Variety, "the story involves an online content moderator who deletes a suicide video made by her co-worker. But the otherwise desensitized woman cannot escape from either her own troubled past or from a mysterious vengeful presence." Content moderation is apparently a hub for social media moderation due to "good English-speaking skills and low-cost labor." With that, moderators sometimes can't unsee what they've seen and they carry that experience with them which can lead to trauma.
Mikhail tells the magazine, "this genre film attempts to unlock the dark secrets and consequences of their world, especially in a world where the truth is filtered and distortion is prevalent." Production of the film starts in August and is expected to go through September with the hope of premiering Deleter at key film festivals at the end of the year.
Cover Photo Credit: Mikhail Red Instagram
If you're a fan of The Hunger Games series and thought it was over, it's time to see if you're up to the challenge as tribute when the prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Sonbirds and Snakes make it on the big screen. Directed by Frances Lawrence, the film takes place before the presidency of Coriolanus Snow in Panem and follows the character of Snow during the 10th annual Hunger Games.
Filipino-English actor, Jerome Lance will play Marcus, the tribute for District 2. This marks his first acting role after completing his studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Other credits include performing his own writing at the Donmar Showcase. We can't wait to see his debut in this box office franchise and the Pinoy actor is just as excited!
Deadline explains further the premise of this anticipated sequel. "With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake."
See the first official teaser below!
Cover Photo Credit: Jerome Lance Instagram
Let's face it: growing up as a teen actually means trying to figure out who you are apart from your parents. Going through the pains finding yourself as a teen while balancing a relationship with parents can be tough. However, the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry, Love at First Stream is a "love letter to all generations." Watch how the story unfolds between parents, kids, and friends and how they navigate through growing up and understanding each other. Stream the film now on the iWantTFC app!
Love at First Stream Snags 6 MMFF nominations
Love at First Stream from Director Cathy Garcia-Molina celebrated a blue-carpet premiere with 6 Metro Manila Film Festival nominations. The film includes fresh rising stars and is the comeback movie for Director Cathy since her 2019's blockbuster film, Hello, Love, Goodbye. While the stars headlining the film are today's fast-rising new faces on screen from Rise Artists Studio -- Daniela Stranner, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma and Jeremiah Lisbo -- playing integral roles in the story are screen veterans like Agot Isidro, Hyubs Azarcon, Igiboy Flores, Melissa Gibbs, Pinky Amador, Almira Muhlach, RJ Ledesma with the special participation of Tonton Gutierrez. Gail Banawis and Vien King are launched in introductory roles.
For the MMFF, it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress (Daniela Stranner), Best Editing (Marya Ignacio,) Best Production Design (Norico Santos), Best Original Theme Song (“No Stopping You” by SB19), and Best Visual Effects (Nickl Entertainment Corp.).
About Love at First Stream
The foundation of the story is the parent-child dynamic, but Molina said that the film explores the digital platform as the new medium in establishing relationships. The film is a unique collaboration between Star Cinema and KUMU as the livestreaming platform is incorporated into the film.
"...this film is not only for teenagers but also for parents like me. I don't want parents fighting with their kids. I want them to understand each other, hopefully, through this film."
DIRECTOR CATHY GARCIA-MOLINA
The young stars Daniela Stranner, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma and Jeremiah Lisbo took on the tasks of first-time lead actors and they didn't disappoint. It's a certified modern day rom-com that will have you rethinking the impact of social media when it comes to relationships.
Catch "Love at First Stream" streaming now on iWantTFC and TFC IPTV On Demand.
Cover Photo Credit: Kumu PH Twitter
One of the best renditions of the story of Cinderella could be Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1997, film Cinderella. It starred singer Brandy and the legendary Whitney Houston who was also a co-producer of the film. Also an important part of the cast was Fil-Am actor Paolo Montalban as Prince Christopher. This groundbreaking film was one of the first to feature a racially diverse cast. With great music, an extravagant production and costume, the film is a favorite for many. So what happens when the stars reunite for the first time in over two decades? Check out the video below!
It came with much excitement when we saw a reunion that we never expected to happen. Cinderella and Prince Christopher reunited after 24 years since the film debuted in 1997. All we can say is that they have not aged at all and their reactions of seeing each other had many of us balling. The side-by-side photos could fool us as there is no way they're almost 25 years apart.
Paolo Montalban posted on social a cute story about asking Brandy which side is her good side and he realized she has no bad side. We would love to see a sequel now that Paolo and Brandy reunited and see how Cinderella and Prince Christopher are doing down the road. BRB time to rewatch the move for the 100th time on Disney+.
Cover Photo Credit: Paolo Montalban Twitter
*Warning Spoilers Ahead
Spider-Man: No Way Home broke records on its opening weekend with a debut earning of $587.2 Million worldwide, but now Jacob Batalon has helped get Fil-Am representation on the big screen. Jacob Batalon broke the stereotype as Ned Leeds, Spider-Man's BFF, and the guy in the chair and gave the character a new perspective. Opposite from the physical description in the comics, Ned Leeds is a Fil-Am STEM high school student. In No Way Home, the audience gets to see more of Ned's personal and relatable Fil-Am life.
*Again, Spoilers Ahead!
Early this year, rumors circulated that Disney/Marvel was casting for a "Filipino or Filipino-American female, 50 to 90 years old fluent in English." Spider-Man: No Way Home was in production and now we finally have the answers! Mary Rivera was cast as Ned Leeds' Lola!
I find it to be refreshing that people are starting to realize that there's more stories out there to tell and that there's more people out there to be in film and TV, obviously. It's refreshing for sure...And that's probably the one thing I'm unapologetic about is that everyone deserves equal opportunity.
JACOB BATALON, A BOOK OF INTERVIEW
Marvel and Director Jon Watts do a great job in adding important details that represent a Filipino household. The props from the sewing machine, the pandesal MJ's holding, and a photo of Ned just tell us were in his neck of the woods. One of the coolest parts is how Tagalog was incorporated in the film! Lola didn't need any subtitles. Ned translated for her when speaking to MJ and a couple of new BFFs. It showed the close relationship Ned has with his Lola. Many of us can relate to Ned and having translate for our grandparents to help them communicate.
We definitely called that Ned's Lola would be as funny as he is and that she'll be everyone's Lola. Mary Rivera's Lola wasn't a small role either. She helped welcome the biggest storyline in the movie, introducing Andrew Garfield's Amazing Spider-Man and Tobey Maguire's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Just like many Lolas, she gets them to clean up the cobwebs on the ceiling and scolds the superheroes for making a mess. It's one of the funniest scenes. Not only that, Marvel had everyone addressing her as Lola. Respect is a huge trait in the Filipino culture and the fact that everyone from Zendaya to Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire's characters called her Lola instead of a first name shows how much thought Jon Watts and the crew put into it.
The small details of the scene may get overlooked because of the bigger storyline, but as a Fil-Am, it's touching. It's a huge win for all of us and another step towards more representation in media. Mary River was a great Lola, and Jacob Batalon broke barriers playing a main character like Ned. Lola may not have been in the scene with all three Spider-Mans, but it's probably safe to say her favorite was the OG Peter Parker.
Representation matters. It's important for the younger generation or any generation to see themselves in mainstream media. Jacob Batalon and Mary Rivera showed what a Filipino apo (grandchild) and Lola's relationship looks like to people around the world. Something we know well is now portrayed in one of the biggest films this year.
If you've read this far and haven't seen the film, run to your closest cinema and watch it! If you've already seen it, time to go watch the film again!
Cover Photo Credit: Spider-Man: No Way Home Twitter
It's Wednesday so you know what that means, another episode of James Reid and Nadine Lustre's teleseyre Till I Met You tonight at 7PM on www.myx.global/livetv. This week we're at Episode 6 and trio of Iris, Basti, and Ali team up for a new business venture. Despite their misunderstanding, Iris and Basti rush to Ali's aid when trouble brews at the resort.
To help us get prepared for a new episode, let's get in the mood for kilig with some of our top Jadine duets. Let us know which ones are you favorites or if we missed any!
"Bahala Na" from the movie, Talk Bad and You're Dead
"Hanap-Hanap" from the album, Reid Alert.
"No Erase" from the film, Diary ng Panget
"Prom" from the film, Never Not Love You
"On the Wings of Love" from the series, On the Wings of Love
"This Time" from the film, This Time
"IL2LU" from the album, Palm Dreams
"Complicated Love" from the album, Wildest Dreams
Guardians of the Galaxay actor, Dave Bautista continues to grow his Hollywood filmography with his newest project. It was recently announced that the Filipino-Greek actor is set to star in M. Night Shyamalan's (Old) next project, Knock at the Cabin.
The D.C. native and former professional wrestler, Bautista has been starring or co-starring recently in some of the biggest films like Dune, Army of the Dead, and Knives Out 2. He also can add producer to his name as he'll be producing and acting in an action film with a Lethal Weapon-esque vibe.
According to Deadline, Knock at the Cabin will be written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan while Ashwin Rajan is set to produce the film. For this Oscar-nominated director who like to incorporates surprise endings in his work, usually has a couple big-name actors attached. Now, Bautista is ready to be the anchor for this next film. We'll have to wait for more information on the film and when production production begins.
Cover Photo Credit: Dave Bautista Twitter
Our Spidey senses are tingling! The official trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, and our own Jacob Batalon released and we're not ready! We'll get to see more of Peter Parker's BFF and "Guy in the Chair," Ned Leeds played by Jacob Batalon. We all have so many questions and aren't quite ready to see this trio hang up their suits yet in what could be the final Spider-Man film with this cast.
No Way Home is action-packed with what could be the intro of the Sinister Six, the polar opposite of the Avengers. And no, there's still no sign if the previous Spideys, Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield will be showing up to help Tom Holland's Peter Parker save the day. There is one scene though in the trailer that may look familiar... will Peter Parker be able to save MJ in this universe?
A couple months ago, Sony and Marvel released the film's first teaser and Jacob said on social that it's the moment we've all been waiting for and that we're not be ready for what's about to go down! Peter and his friends and family, they all become public enemy No. 1. Since Jacob's character Ned is part of Spidey's clique, he's also dealing with the attention and hate. Ned is also seen in an interrogation room probably answering questions about Mysterio's death and how long he's known about his best friend's identity. December couldn't come any sooner!
Another thing that's killing us with anticipation is whether we will see a Lola in the MCU. Earlier this year, there was a casting call by Project Casting for the role of Lola. The description posted says, "a Filipino or Filipino-American female, 50 to 90 years old fluent in English." At the time, Spider-Man was in production. We can only hope to see Jacob Batalon as Ned interact with his Lola. Maybe she'll be just as funny and become a scene stealer! Could we even see Peter Parker have a traditional Filipino meal?
Jacob Batalon is also starring in the Syfy series Reginald the Vampire which was picked up by the NBCUniversal network and is based on the book series, Fat Vampire. According to his social stories, production is currently underway and he's put on the suit or teeth in this case as Reginald. The book series follows Reginald Baskin who gets turned into a slow, weak, most out-of-shape vampire by his coworker and tech guy Maurice. The story of an unlikely hero will bleed into the TV series.
Cover Photo Credit: SpiderMan Movie Twitter
Tony Labrusca is taking his talents to the international big screen as a newly announced cast member in the all Asian casted film, Asian Persuasion. Also just added are fellow Filipinos, Apl.de.ap, Devin Ilaw and Fe de los Reyes. Labrusca is set to play Noodlelove Chef, Allen as mentioned in the post by the movie's official Instagram page @asianpersuasionfilm. Production for the film is underway so more details will come soon.
The film is spearheaded by multi Tony Award and GRAMMY-winning producer Jhett Tolentino who is set to make his feature directorial debut. He made his film debut as director, writer and producer of documentary short Life Is What You Make It before producing Lingua Franca. The screenplay is written by Mike Ang whose Brooklyn-based agency, Planet X, is also an Executive Production partner on the film. Asian Persuasion features an all-star Asian cast including Dante Basco, KC Concepcion who replaced Toni Gonzaga due to scheduling conflicts, Paolo Montalban, Celia Au, Jax Bacani and Kevin Kreider from Bling Empire on Netflix.
Asian Persuasion follows underachiever, Mickey De Los Santos (Basco), who is fresh off of a divorce from his successful fashion designer wife, Avery Chua (Gonzaga). That said, Mickey devises an outlandish plan to avoid his substantial alimony obligations. You know there's going to be some crazy antics happening. Will Mickey's plan succeed or will it leave him with wanting a second chance with Avery?
It's a big call sheet of Asian decent or Asian-American creatives ready to "elevate the Asian narrative" in the industry. It'll also feature Geneva Carr (CBS’s Bull), Devin Ilaw (Broadway’s Miss Saigon), and the film will feature original songs on a soundtrack to be performed by all Asian artists. Production for Asian Persuasion begins in Spring of 2022.
ABOUT TONY LABRUSCA:
Anthony Angel Jones Labrusca Jr. is a Filipino actor, model, and singer based in the Philippines. He was born in Houston, Texas to Filipino actor Boom Labrusca and Filipina singer Angel Jones. Tony grew up in Los Angeles with his mother, step father and sister. His family moved to Vancouver, Canada when he was young then ultimately settled in the Philippines to pursue his career in show business.
Labrusca's first showbiz gig was a McDonald's Philippines TV commercial in 2016, Tuloy Pa Rin. Also that year, he joined the Philippine reality search Pinoy Boyband Superstar but did not make the cut to be part of the band. He then ventured into teleseyres as part of horror-fantasy drama series La Luna Sangre. In 2020, Labrusca starred in the hit Filipino BL series, Hello Stranger (web series), along with JC Alcantara. The series proved popular even among international fans, which led to the Hello Stranger (film) in 2021. A second season is expected to be released soon.
Cover Photo Credit: Tony Labrusca Facebook
