PH BLOG ➹

F or Emily Blunt who provides the voice of the feisty and independent Juliet in Touchstone Pictures' animated comedy “Gnomeo & Juliet,” becoming a gnome isn’t a walk in the garden, so to speak. “Acting is acting,” says Blunt, adding “the approach to this film is not unlike others. When you’re doing a comedic version of one of the greatest love stories of all-time, I think it always has to be ingrained in some kind of truth because people don’t laugh if they’re not invested. We all very much wanted to play real people in this.”

O scar winning actress Reese Witherspoon stars opposite global heartthrob Robert Pattinson in the sweeping drama, “Water For Elephants” based on bestselling tome by Sara Gruen set during the Depression era. “Water For Elephants” is an original and compelling story that takes the audience back in time to 1931, when the circus offered a welcome escape from the rigors of daily life and economic hardship. Robert Pattinson plays Jacob, a talented student, heading for a career as a vet. His world changes dramatically when he discovers that his parents have died in an accident. Destitute, he has to abandon his studies and look for work. He boards a train out of town and only later does he realize that he has joined a circus train.

M y favorite kind of comedy is not only laugh-out-loud funny but has a lot of heart and even a note of poignancy,” says director Jason Winer, one of the creative forces behind the award-winning series “Modern Family,” marking his feature directorial debut with Warner Bros.' new comedy “Arthur.” “I love stories about characters we can root for as they try to become better people.” It was these elements that made the idea of a modern “Arthur” so appealing to Winer, as well as the belief that “there’s a whole generation of people who don’t know this story and will be experiencing it for the first time, in a way that feels contemporary and fresh. And for fans of the original—myself included—it’s also something new, not an imitation but a re-imagining, with its own humor and emotion.”

C olumbia Pictures’ sci-fi action-thriller “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles” colonized the Philippine box-office, claiming the No. 1 spot with a nationwide gross of a staggering P17.57-million for the five-day March 16 to 20 frame. This was announced today by Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., the film’s local distributor. Rolling out in 84 screens (including 10 digital 2D cinemas), the alien invasion epic is the third movie from Columbia to open at No. 1 in the country this year, following the terrific launchings of January’s “The Green Hornet” and February’s “Just Go With It.”

A ustralian actress Emily Browning (“Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events”) takes on the role of Babydoll, a young woman determined to be free at all costs, in Warner Bros.' new epic, action fantasy “Sucker Punch.” Directed by Zack Snyder (“300,” “Watchmen”), “Sucker Punch” takes us into the vivid imagination of Babydoll who has been locked away against her will, but has not lost her will to survive. Her dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what’s real and what is imaginary.

F ollowing the phenomenal success of “Ice Age” series, all roads beat to the tune of “Rio” this coming April in theaters as it sets off the summer’s heat with unparalleled 3D animation, heartwarming story and all-new original music from icons will.i.am and Jamie Foxx. Blue Sky Studios known for its tour de force animation films with helming director Carlos Saldanha, opens up another world in “Rio” so vibrant yet so timely relevant when rare bird species especially the blue Macaws face extinction from animal smuggling across the globe.

D isney and Dream Works Studios have just released the first-look photos of Steven Spielberg’s new directorial effort “War Horse” – an epic adventure for audiences of all ages, and an unforgettable odyssey of friendship, discovery and courage. This sweeping tale of a young boy named Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his beloved farm horse Joey, takes place at the outbreak of WWI. Joey is sold to the British cavalry by Albert’s father and dispatched to the front lines, Joey begins an extraordinary journey against the backdrop of the Great War. Despite the obstacles he faces at every step of his journey, he touches and changes each life he encounters along the way. Albert, unable to forget his friend, leaves home for the battlefields of France to find his horse and bring him home.

T he original “Romeo and Juliet” was penned by William Shakespeare in the late 1500s. The tragic tale of two teenage lovers endures today with countless interpretations—from Georg Benda’s operatic adaptation in the 1700s to the popular 1950s stage musical “West Side Story” to 1996’s MTV-inspired “Romeo + Juliet.” In 2010, Twitter premiered “Such Tweet Sorrow”—an improvised tweeted version of the play presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Mudlark Production Company. And now we have garden gnomes, in Touchstone Pictures' animated comedy “Gnomeo & Juliet.”

A stunning and talented young actress, Minka Kelly has distinguished herself with powerful performances in the hit NBC series "Friday Night Lights” and the acclaimed comedy “(500) Days of Summer.” Now, Kelly plays Sara, the object of a female roommate’s obsessive love, in Columbia Pictures’ new suspense thriller “The Roommate.” Academy Award®-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (“Råzone”) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal in “The Roommate,” packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as Sara (Kelly), a naïve college freshman begins to suspect that her roommate, Rebecca (Leighton Meester) is not what she appears to be.

F unnyman Jason Sudeikis (TV's “Saturday Night Live”) made audiences laugh as the quirky bestfriend of Justin Long's character in the romantic comedy “Going the Distance.” Now, he's set to amuse moviegoers again with two consecutive edgy comedies from Warner Bros. First up in April, Sudeikis stars opposite Owen Wilson in the Farrelly Brothers' new raunch-fest “Hall Pass.” Then come August, he shares top billing with Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston in the dark comedy “Horrible Bosses.” In “Hall Pass,” best friends Rick and Fred (Wilson and Sudeikis) have both been married for a long time. They love their wives, but, like some guys, just can’t help checking out every other woman who crosses their paths. Fed up with this habitual rubber-necking, their wives (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) take a bold approach to revitalize their marriages by granting their husbands a “hall pass”: one week of freedom to do whatever they want, no questions asked. Seven days to

V isionary filmmaker Zack Snyder (upcoming “Superman: Man of Steel”) wanted to push the envelope of what is fantasy versus reality in his first film to be based on his own wholly original concept, “Sucker Punch” from Warner Bros. Snyder, who conceived of the story and co-wrote, produced and directed the film, states, “`Sucker Punch' is a movie about escape, both literal and figurative. It shows how the mind can create an almost impenetrable barricade against the real world, and to what lengths we’re willing to go, what sacrifices we’re willing to make, to get out of a difficult situation.”

I n Warner Bros.' new comedy “Arthur” – a fresh new look at a classic story – Russell Brand re-invents the role of loveable billionaire Arthur Bach, an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of lifelong nanny Hobson (Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge—choosing between an arranged marriage to ambitious corporate exec Susan (Jennifer Garner), that will ensure his lavish lifestyle, or an uncertain future with the one thing money can’t buy, Naomi (Greta Gerwig), the woman he really loves.

P roducer Robert Zemeckis credits the cast Disney Animation Studios’ “Mars Needs Moms” for infusing so much humor into the film. “The situations are funny and the scenes are hilarious—the whole absurd reality of the movie just lends itself to fantastic humor. But our cast in this movie is probably one of the best improv casts that has been put together in recent years. They can take a scene and add to it in a wonderful way.” Milo (Seth Green) is 9. He has comic books to read, zombie movies to watch and bed-jumping to do. He doesn’t have time to eat his vegetables and do chores, no matter what his mom says. Mom is sick of nagging, and Milo’s sick of Mom. But when he suggests that he’d be better off without her, things get a little hairy. His efforts to apologize are interrupted when Martians—yes Martians—arrive, steal his mom, return to their spaceship and rocket to Mars—with a 9-year-old stowaway who’s determined to rescue the mother he’d wished away just moments before. To Milo, th

I n Columbia Pictures' sci-fi action-thriller “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles,” the City of Angels is destroyed by unknown, alien forces… and visual effeccts supervisor Everett Burrell. Preparing to do his worst, Burrell flew in a helicopter between San Diego and Los Angeles, taking digital photos of the southland – wide shots that would become the background plates for the film for Burrell to use as a tool of his trade. “Once [director] Jonathan Liebesman had chosen the shots he liked, we could add smoke, fire, and city destruction,” Burrell explains. But making the destruction was just the beginning – Burrell and his team were also responsible for creating the destroyers. Liebesman collaborated with a team of artists to create the aliens and bring his vision to life. “While I had a very clear idea of what I wanted for the look of the aliens, the collaboration between concept artists and our post-production team ensured the aliens became far more complex and fascinating c

I nitially conceived as a tale in which two husbands score a week off from marriage while their mates anxiously await developments, Warner Bros.’ new comedy “Hall Pass” took another twist as filmmakers the Farrelly Brothers delved further into the story and characters. Now, in addition to tracking Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) on their seven-day bender, the story takes a look at what might happen if Maggie (Jenna Fisher) and Grace (Christina Applegate) assumed the same freedom. “It has to go both ways. That’s key to unlocking the story, making it fair and opening it up for everyone,” says Peter Farrelly. Not only fair, but, as Bradley Thomas points out, more honest. “If you make a movie about two guys who get a hall pass while their wives are sitting at home, hoping and praying they don’t do anything, that’s just baloney. It’s not real. I’m sure that if these two guys are looking at other women, then other guys are checking out their wives, too.”

B ritish actor James McAvoy (“Wanted,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”) explores his romantic side as he provides the voice of the love-struck Gnomeo in Touchstone Pictures’ new animated comedy “Gnomeo & Juliet” in which Shakespeare’s revered tale gets a comical, off-the-wall makeover. Directed by Kelly Asbury (“Shrek 2”) and showcasing both classic and original songs by Elton John, “Gnomeo & Julliet” also features the voice of Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as Juliet, who with Gnomeo have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and thrilling lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

F or Vanessa Hudgens, who became famous overnight with Disney Channel's “High School Musical” five years ago, self-confidence is the key. "I used to be very shy," the actress, 22, says. "Hiding behind a character allowed me a certain freedom that I didn't have." Today when doing an interview, she no longer needs to pretend she is an actress doing an interview. "It may have been easier in the past to do that, to put on a face and hide behind it. Now I'm growing into a confident young woman, and I'm proud to show that."

S tar of the phenomenally successful television series “Gossip Girl,” Leighton Meester takes her first lead role in a feature film with Columbia Pictures' new suspense thriller “The Roommate.” Academy Award®-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (“Råzone”) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal in “The Roommate,” packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as Sara (Minka Kelly), a naïve college freshman begins to suspect that her roommate, Rebecca (Meester) is not what she appears to be.

B ritish actor James McAvoy (“Wanted,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”) explores his romantic side as he provides the voice of the love-struck Gnomeo in Touchstone Pictures’ new animated comedy “Gnomeo & Juliet” in which Shakespeare’s revered tale gets a comical, off-the-wall makeover. Directed by Kelly Asbury (“Shrek 2”) and showcasing both classic and original songs by Elton John, “Gnomeo & Julliet” also features the voice of Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as Juliet, who with Gnomeo have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and thrilling lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness?

F ew hours before we head to Tagaytay , we, together with other bloggers watched Never Let Me Go on it's special screening at MyCinema in Greenbelt. MyCinema is not your ordinary cinema because the seats are limited. I think it only has 60 seats, so laughing hard and talking loud is not advisable since it will be heard by everyone inside. ;] When I first read the plot of this film, I said this film will gonna be gloomy, sad and disturbing. To give you an idea, Never Let Me Go is based on the novel by Kzuo Ishiguro, the movie centers on love and betrayal among childhood friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) are students at Hailsham, a very exclusive, very strange English private school. As children, the three spend their childhood at a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. Tommy is an isolated boy who struggles creatively and is often the target of bullies. As they grow into young adults, they find that they have to come to term

B illy Burke is well known to genre fans for the part of Charlie Swan – Bella's father -- in the blockbuster “Twilight” film franchise. He created the role in the first film, “Twilight,” which also marked his first collaboration with director Catherine Hardwicke. He has since reprised the character in the sequels, “New Moon” and “Eclipse.” Now, Burke reunites wth director Hardwicke for the latter's re-imagining of the beloved fairytale “Red Riding Hood” from Warner Bros. “I have a huge place in my heart for Catherine,” says the actor. “I’ve never met anyone with the energy level she has and it’s infectious. She has a way of infusing everyone on the set with a shared sense of purpose.” “Red Riding Hood” tells the story of Valerie (Amanda Seyfried), a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie

F resh from her mission in the moon Pandora in James Cameron's “Avatar,” Michelle Rodriguez now plays Air Force Tech Sergeant Elena Santos, who becomes a key ally for Staff Sargeant Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) and his platoon, in Columbia Pictures' new sci-fi action thriller “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles.” “She sees everything go off on the radars,” Rodriguez says of her character.. Once the platoon finds itself battling extra-terrestrial forces, “she is one of the first on the scene to track them down and find out what they are and how they tick.”

R ace to Witch Mountain is a 2009 movie that is directed by Andy Fickman and stars Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Alexander Ludwig, Ciarán Hinds and Carla Gugino. I haven't watched this film yet, good thing When in Manila is bringing it back via Week 9 Groovy Movie Wednesday at Blue Water Day Spa ! Special thanks to VinceGolango.com, FlairCandy.com and When in Manila Facebook Page .

E mily Blunt made her film debut in 2004 in Pawel Pawlikowski’s dark coming of age tale, My Summer of Love, a daring performance that won her a British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She says it is the only one of her films she recommends people to see. It also happens to be the one in which she spends most time naked. “I’m really proud of it,” she says. “It’s not like any other movie.” She thinks for a second and adds with a laugh, “I don’t know why I’m broadcasting my breasts to the world. It’s a bit worrying.”

W ith films like “The Polar Express,” “Monster House” and “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” under their belts, producers Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey are pioneers in performance-capture filmmaking. And with Walt Disney Pictures' “Mars Needs Moms,” they’ve capitalized on the latest advancements in both performance capture and 3D, creating a visually mind-blowing experience for audiences. According to Zemeckis, the technology has come a long way. “The advancement is one thousand-fold. The team that created ‘Mars Needs Moms’ is the best performance-capture digital facility on the Earth. The movie—its imagery and the story the technology allows us to tell—is absolutely beyond anything you’ve seen before.” Zemeckis says there’s an important aspect of the art form that makes these films special. “One of the great bonuses of doing a movie in performance capture is that it’s in 3D all the time. We have to make our movie in 3D just to do it. We now design the movie to be pr

M att Damon stars in sci-fi, love story, The Adjustment Bureau directed by George Nolfi. “loosely” based on a story by Philip K. Dick. In The Adjustment Bureau, Damon plays a smooth talking congressman who has a serious future in national politics. He meets a beautiful ballerina, but is unable to make a connection with her due to strange and uncontrollable circumstances. Damon’s interest was piqued by this tale of a man who stumbles on a vast, powerful and unseen world that exists on the periphery of our own. He told the filmmakers that if future drafts looked as good, he would be ready to join. “George has been a friend and collaborator for a long time,” notes Damon. “He brought this script to me that he’d written on spec…because he wanted to direct it. I was a big believer in him and felt he could do it.”

R eese Witherspoon joined the elite group of entertainers with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recently, and the Oscar winner revealed, "Never in 462 million years did I think this was going to happen to me. I thought I was going to live in Tennessee and be a doctor." Reese, who has a new comedy called “How Do You Know” with Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson acknowleged her good fortune and luck "to have been embraced by the community of Hollywood.

C olumbia Pictures assembles today's hottest young stars Leighton Meester (TV's “Gossip Girl”), Minka Kelly (“500 Days of Summer”) and Cam Gigandet (“Twilight,” upcoming “Priest”) for the gripping suspense-thriller “The Roommate.” Oscar-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (“Råzone”) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as a naïve college freshman (Kelly) begins to suspect that her roommate (Meester) is not what she appears to be. When the screenplay for “The Roommate” first arrived on producer Doug Davison’s desk, he immediately knew it had all the elements of a successful thriller. The script was skillfully constructed, and grounded in character and dialogue. The tension and suspense built so that, as the story progressed, the audience would feel more and more uneasy, and then, finally, out and out scared.

I MAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that director Zack Snyder's next big action thriller “Sucker Punch” will be released to IMAX theatres simultaneously with the film's regular format rollout on March 25. The film is part of the previously announced agreement between Warner Bros. and IMAX to release up to 20 Warner Bros. films in IMAX's format over the course of the next three and a half years (from 2010 through 2013). “Sucker Punch” will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with IMAX DMR technology.

H all Pass -- one week off from marriage to do whatever you want, no questions asked. That’s what best buddies Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) get from their wives in New Line Cinema’s outrageous comedy “Hall Pass” written and directed by the Farrelly Brothers (“There’s Something About Mary,” “Shallow Hal”). In the film, Rick and his buddy Fred consider themselves average, maybe even above-average, husbands. Easygoing, dependable and gainfully employed, they’re the kind of guys who aren’t averse to pitching in with the household chores now and then, or stopping by the dry cleaner’s… the kind of guys who wouldn't dream of cheating on their wives.

A aron Eckhart (“The Dark Knight”) leads the cast of Columbia Pictures' “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles” as Staff Sergeant Nantz, a career Marine who is “pretty burnt out,” the actor says. On the brink of retirement, he is pressed back into service. “He’s leading a bunch of young Marines into a battle with aliens in L.A. He’s doing it reluctantly, but that’s just the type of hero that I love to watch.” Director Jonathan Liebesman calls Eckhart, “one of the most incredible actors working today. It was such a coup to get Aaron in this movie,” adds the director. “Aaron immediately gives you incredible depth with your central character. You believe these guys would follow him anywhere.”

T he bestselling children’s book Mars Needs Moms by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed blasts off to the big screen as an eye-popping 3D animated adventure from the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express.” The Walt Disney film showcases nine-year-old Milo’s (Seth Green) quest to save his mom (Joan Cusack) from Martians. What follows is a wild adventure that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader.

T he greatest love story ever told, starring...garden gnomes? In the upcoming animated comedy adventure “Gnomeo & Juliet,” Shakespeare’s revered tale gets a comical, off-the-wall makeover. Directed by Kelly Asbury (“Shrek 2”) and showcasing both classic and original songs by Elton John, the film features the voices of James McAvoy (“Wanted,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”) and Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as Gnomeo and Juliet, who have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and thrilling lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness? Also lending their voices are two-time Academy Award®-winner Michael Caine (“Cars 2,” “Inception”) as Juliet’s father Lord Redbrick, Jason Statham (“Transporter” series) as Gnomeo’s nemesis Tybalt, Maggie Smith (“Harry Potter” movies) as Lady Bluebury, Patrick Stewart (“Star Trek”)

I n Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy “How Do You Know,” Jack Nicholson has to make a largely unsympathetic character vulnerable, human – even likable. The multiple Oscar-winner plays Charles, a business tycoon, who has worked all of his life for only two things: the success of his company and his son’s well-being. Paul Rudd plays his son, George, who's been wrongly indicted for stock fraud on the day he met the girl who could possibly be “the one.”

C atherine Hardwicke, who directed the original “Twilight” film now tackles “Red Riding Hood,” bringing to the screen a cautionary tale of danger and deception. Hardwicke notes it’s the fairytale’s more sinister roots that lend themselves perfectly to a fantasy thriller. “Most of us grew up with a sanitized version of Red Riding Hood, but the original fairy tale has darker elements that make it much more intriguing. The idea of a girl going into the woods by herself and having a wolf stalking her and then speaking to her… That holds so much mystery and captures your imagination on so many levels. When you were a child, the story might have meant one thing to you, but looking back on it as a teenager or adult, you respond to it in a completely different way.”