Clark and Bruce will share the big screen next summer

This will no doubt please DC Comics fans, most especially Superman and Batman fans. During the Comic Con in San Diego, Zack Snyder, the director of Man of Steel and Watchmen, confirmed that a 'Man of Steel' movie sequel is in fact happening. He couldn't provide more information as to what exactly the movie would be like. Following the announcement, the most anticipated film features Superman and Batman. Both most-loved superheroes will share the big screen.

As of the moment, it is still not clear who would play as Bruce Wayne in the new Batman film. It won't be Christian Bale, who officially announced that The Dark Knight Rises was his ultimate film as Batman.

Despite negative feedback of the movie 'Man of Steel', it became a huge hit internationally and in the U.S.

It would be interesting to see what would be Zynder's own take on the story of Bruce, tangled with the Clark Kent's story. The Superman-Batman tandem movie is expected to be shown in theaters worldwide on Summer 2015.

Wolverine slashes monsters and minions at box office

The ticket returns are still rising but 'The Wolverine', starring Hugh Jackman debut at an estimated $55 million in North America according to studio forecast.

The movie tops Warner Bros.' low-budget horror movie 'The Conjuring', just slipped to second place followed by the Gru's little minions 'Despicable Me 2'.

Set in Japan, 'The Wolverine', which features international actors, earned $86.1 million with flying colors in 50 territories. The latest is that it already surpassed the $120 million it cost to make the film. Aside from movie-goers' positive feedback, the upcoming 'X-Men: Days of the Future Past' teaser was shown at the post credits (spoiler alert) of the movie.

Here's a list of estimated ticket sales at the U.S. and Canadian Theaters. This is according to Hollywood.com. Latest figures for International theater sales are also included below.

1. "The Wolverine," $55 million ($86.1 million international).
2. "The Conjuring," $22.1 million ($6.9 million international).
3. "Despicable Me 2," $16 million ($24.5 million international).
4. "Turbo," $13.3 million ($12.5 million international).
5. "Grown Ups 2," $11.5 million ($4.2 million international).
6. "Red 2," $9.4 million ($6.1 million international).
7. "Pacific Rim," $7.5 million ($14.25 million international).
8. "The Heat," $6.85 million ($3.1 million international).
9. "R.I.P.D.," $5.85 million ($3.1 million international).
10. "Fruitvale Station," $4.65 million.

What to expect of 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'?

Bryan Singer, the director of the upcoming sequel of 'X-Men: First Class', is working of a classic 'Un-Canny X-Men' storyline that is involving time travel set in different decades.

The Sentinels are coming. Peter Dinklage, of 'Game of Thrones', was added in the cast to play Bolivar Trask, creator of the massive mutant-hunting Sentinel robots. For who didn't noticed, the company Trask was by the way shown for a second or two in the Wolverine after credits scene.

Watch out for X-Men: Days of Future Past in theaters in May 2014.

More Exposure for Hawkeye in Avengers: Age of Ultron

The a pool of writers are thinking about the potential spin-offs for Black Widow and Hawkeye. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow had a starring role in Iron Man 2 to  before joining The Avengers, which became the third biggest box office success of all-time. Unlike Black Widow, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye was introduced with a limited short cameo in Thor.

While Scarlett Johansson will get to explore more of the backstory behind Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (to be released in April 2014), Renner may not get a chance to return to the big screen as SHIELD Agent Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye until The Avengers 2 releases in the summer of 2015.

The latest and this is probably a good news for all the fans of Hawkeye -- Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye will get bigger exposure in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Renner’s thoughts on his role in the film earned quite a few headlines and he hoped that he – along with the other Avengers stars – would have more time to explore their characters in the sequel. According to Avengers: Age of Ultron writer/director Joss Whedon at Comic-Con 2013, Hawkeye is the character he’s enjoying writing this time around.

The X-Men: "Days of Future Past" Teaser Shown in Wolverine Post-Credits

The Wolverine director James Mangold emphasized that while the film story does honor and take place in the same universe, acknowledging the films that came before, it is truly stand-alone. Interestingly, Mangold pointed out that The Wolverine story ends when the credits roll and he wants moviegoers to  feel satisfied as such, making it clear that any added post-credits sequence is not his part of his story, instead as a studio's way to excite fans of the next franchise film, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Hugh Jackman also confirmed that a post-credits scene at the end of The Wolverine teases next year's ambitious franchise installment.

The highly-anticipated next franchise X-men: Days of Future Past is set to be released in May 2014.

Pacific Rim 2 Remains To Be Seen

"I’ll tell you a couple of things. We will have Gipsy 2.0 for sure. Second thing is you’re gonna see a merging of Kaiju and Jaeger. And that is quite special.

Just think about it for a second. We sent Gipsy to the other side, right? It exploded, but whatever remains stays there. We’ve drifted with a Kaiju brain. Well, then start riffing on that and you’ll get to something."

While the future of the franchise is still up in the air, that hasn’t deterred Guillermo del Torro and writer Travis Beachem from planning out the next phase in the man-vs.-Kaiju war. And after reading all the things the duo has in mind for a sequel.

The director recently chatted with MTV, and he revealed some of the things that are going to be part of the next installment – including the biggest reveal of all: there will be a Kaiju/Jaeger hybrid!

Although Pacific Rim has not opened quite as well as Warner Bros. had hoped, a sequel is being talked about by the producers and writers. 

The movie hits #1 spot in box-office overseas.

Pacific Rim hits #1 Spot Worldwide

Despicable Me 2 gave way for Pacific Rim as the #1 film internationally over the weekend. It was a surprising news for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures as Pacific Rim (3D sci-fi) managed to hit the number one spot across 50 territories. However, this is not really all that impressive given that it is believed the budget was anything between $180 - 220 million. Pacific Rim brings a worldwide cume of $178.5 million. According to reports, many analysts do not believe that the film will even reach $100 million in the U.S. theatrical sales so there is still a good chance that it will fail to turn a profit. It may not make enough for the studio to confidently move forward with a sequel; after all, a summer tent-pole such as Pacific Rim should ultimately reach at least $500 million.

Movie goers has helped in a way because of their positive feedback and reviews of the film.

Do you think the movie Pacific Rim deserves a sequel?

Movie Review: 21 and Over (2013)

Straight-A college student Jeff Chang has always done what he was supposed to do. But when his two best friends Casey and Miller surprise him with a visit for his 21st birthday, Jeff Chang decides to do everything he wants to do for a change, even though his important medical school interview is early the next morning. What was supposed to be one beer becomes a night of humiliation, over indulgence and utter debauchery in this coming-of-drinking-age-comedy, from the writers of THE HANGOVER,about living youth to its fullest.

On my radar:
The writers of The Hangover stick to the same formula which is to provide fun while the beer flows. Unlike Project X, 21 and over had an actual story to it.

Off my radar:
21 and over is not actually a groundbreaking comedy movie; perhaps, writers John Lucas and Scott Moore, who created comedy blockbuster, have ran out of ideas. It is inevitable to compare 21 and over with The Hangover. The Hangover is way better than 21 and over.

My rating:
3 out 5 blipz

Cast:
Miles Teller ... Miller
Skylar Astin ... Casey
Justin Chon ... Jeff Chang
Sarah Wright ... Nicole
Jonathan Keltz ... Randy
François Chau ... Dr. Chang

Watch 21 and Over full movie trailer below.

Movie Review: Pacific Rim (2013)

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes-a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)-who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse ~ Warner Bros.

On my radar:
Pacific Rim is the movie Transformers should have been. The battle between two-manned gigantic robots and humongous sea creature was balanced with humor spectacles (corny asides). The visuals was awesome and convincing, convincing compared to the effects of Man of Steel the movie.

Off my radar:
A little bit corny.

My rating:
4 out of 5 blipz

Cast:
Charlie Hunnam ... Raleigh Becket
Diego Klattenhoff ... Yancy Becket
Idris Elba ... Stacker Pentecost
Rinko Kikuchi ... Mako Mori
Charlie Day ... Dr. Newton Geiszler

Watch Pacific Rim full movie trailer below.

Box Office: Movies of 2013

Here's a list of top ten high-grossing films in the Philippines as of July 2013. Surprisingly, Star Cinema is on the list -- It Takes A Man and A Woman of Star Cin. beats G.I. Joe: Retaliation distributed by UIP.

Rank	Movie Title	Distributor	Gross	Release
1	Iron Man 3	Disney	$14,949,472	24-Apr
2	It Takes A Man And A Woman	Star Cinema	$9,141,744	30-Mar
3	Man of Steel	Warner Bros.	$8,907,067	12-Jun
4	Fast & Furious 6	United International Pictures	$5,916,627	24-May
5	World War Z	United International Pictures	$4,742,996	19-Jun
6	Despicable Me 2	United International Pictures	$4,646,551	3-Jul
7	G.I. Joe: Retaliation	United International Pictures	$4,560,225	30-Mar
8	Four Sisters and a Wedding	Star Cinema	$3,351,356	26-Jun
9	Jack the Giant Slayer	Warner Bros.	$3,154,259	28-Feb
10	Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters	United International Pictures	$2,744,810	23-Jan

Source: Box Office Mojo

Box Office: Movies Opening This Week

According to returns in the US, "The Conjuring" will easily get the No. 1 spot at the box office. Movie goers will enjoy the following films opening this week.

Red 2

Retired C.I.A. agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device.

Directed by Dean Parisot

R.I.P.D.

A recently slain cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department and tries to find the man who murdered him.

Directed by Robert Schwentke

Turbo

A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

Directed by Davie Soren

The Conjuring

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

Directed by James Wan

Movie Review: The Purge (2013)

If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? In The Purge, a speculative thriller that follows one family over the course of a single night, four people will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home. In an America wracked by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity-includingmurder-becomes legal. The police can't be called. Hospitals suspend help. It's one night when the citizenry regulates itself without thought of punishment. On this night plagued by violence and an epidemic of crime, one family wrestles with the decision of who they will become when a stranger comes knocking. When an intruder breaks into James Sandin's (Ethan Hawke) gated community during the yearly lockdown, he begins a sequence of events that threatens to tear a family apart. Now, it is up to James, his wife, Mary (Lena Headey), and their kids to make it through the night without turning into the monsters from whom they hide. Directed by James DeMonaco (writer of Assault on Precinct 13 and The Negotiator), The Purge is produced by Jason Blum of Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister), Platinum Dunes' partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), as well as Sébastien Kurt Lemercier (Assault on Precinct 13). ~ Universal

On my radar:
Well, the plot is thought-provoking. A workable blueprint for a movie. That's all I can say.

Off my radar:
The Purge could have been great if only they've expanded and explore the plot a little bit more. The film  is an old horror-movie standard. The actors was not that bad but the kid actor lacks charm; not so convincing.

My rating:
3 out of 5 blipz

Cast:
Ethan Hawke ... James Sandin
Lena Headey ... Mary Sandin
Max Burkholder ... Charlie Sandin
Adelaide Kane ... Zoey Sandin
Edwin Hodge ... Bloody Stranger
Rhys Wakefield ... Polite Leader
Tony Oller ... Henry


Watch The Purge full movie trailer below.  

Movie Review: Man of Steel (2013)

A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind. ~ Warner Bros.

On my radar:
What I like about this movie is that it shows Clark Kent appears to be human at first. The film concentrates on the discovery of Superman's extraordinary powers. The movie tackles the origin of Superman; the letter "S" on Kent's suit. The new film also introduced a new suit for the man of steel (discarding the briefs). I think I saw the suit regenerates by itself. 

Off my radar:
The new Superman movie consists of a long declamation and endless violence. By the way, I slept half of the time as the movie ran. The movie effects was not that effective either; not as good as I have expected.

My rating: 
3 out 5 blipz

Cast:
Henry Cavill ... Clark Kent / Kal-El
Amy Adams ... Lois Lane
Michael Shannon ... General Zod
Diane Lane ... Martha Kent
Russell Crowe ... Jor-El
Kevin Costner ... Jonathan Kent
Laurence Fishburne ... Perry White

Watch Man of Steel full movie trailer below.

Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol Movie Review

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol is neither deep nor meaningful but the stunts are awesome.

Director: Brad Bird

Writers: Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and 1 more credit »

Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg

It’s these that make Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol superior to the other films in this series, and very much worth the price of admission. See it, if you can, on an Imax screen, where the stunts are breath-taking.
 

Bourne Legacy Shots in the Philippines

 

The latest installment of the Jason Bourne Hollywood spy franchise began filming in the chaotic Philippine capital Tuesday amid heavy security with the city on alert over a feared terrorist attack.

The production, which has a budget of more than $100 million, will spend about 45 days in the Philippines. Scenes have already been shot in New York and Alberta, Canada, since filming began last September. 

Although a few smaller-budget independent movies, including John Sayles’ 2000 “Amigo,” have been made in the Southeast Asian country, the fourth “Bourne” will be the biggest Hollywood production to be shot there since the late 1970s and 1980s. Several classic war films, among them Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 “Apocalypse Now” and Oliver Stone’s 1986 “Platoon” and his 1989 “Born on the Fourth of July," used the Philippines as a stand-in for Vietnam.

Director: Tony Gilroy

Writers: Tony Gilroy (screenplay), Dan Gilroy (screenplay)

Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton

 

President Benigno Aquino III's spokesman Edwin Lacierda says the movie will boost tourism (Filming. It's more fun in the Philippines) and provide jobs.

The Dilemma Movie Review

Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny and happily married Nick, have been together through and through -- thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the bestfriends are vying and betting to land a dream project that would launch their company. 

With Ronny's girlfriend, Beth, and Nick's wife, Geneva, by their sides, they're unbeatable. But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny (a former casino-addict) must decide how and when he will reveal the truth to his best friend Nick. 

Some truths had to be hidden (even to your own best friend)!!!
 
The Dilemma 
Production year: 2011 
Country: USA  
Runtime: 112 mins 
Director: Ron Howard 
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin James, Queen Latifah, Vince Vaughn, Winona Ryder

The Next Best Thing

Independent films are gaining much more popularity nowadays. In fact, it's much cheaper to produce a movie like these ones. Indie films have low budget and shorter time of shooting and I mean the entire movie. What I like about it is that its substance is never compromised. Since it's not commercialized like the ones produced by Star Cinema or GMA Films, short films are more appealing to most theater and movie buffs. It's much more convincing because veteran actors prefer doing it. It always is a powerhouse of great actors.

Let's take for example, Yanggaw, a horror film written and directed by Negrenses' pride Richard Somes. I happened to see the movie and it brought me shivers while watching it. It only proves that it does not require expensive CGI effects to make convincing scenes.

Yanggaw, produced by Cinema One Originals, scores high because of its great cast - Ronnie Lazaro and Joel Torre. Cheers to both of them!

The plot is well written. It will take you to a far-flung province of Negros. Junior (Ronnie Lazaro) is a patriarch of a family living in a small farming community. One day his daughter Amor comes home with a mysterious sickness. She becomes weaker and weaker as days go by and the whole family has no choice but to consult his daughter's case with a local healer healer. Junior and his wife learn that his daughter has been infected by a malevolent spirit. Little did they know that she is slowly turning into an aswang. A very typical Negrense father at that, the local authorities, headed by Joel Torre, getting closer to the truth, Junior seeks to save his daughter from this curse, or failing that, to protect her at all costs. That starts the conflict between Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro. And by all means, Junior has to protect her daughter even if it would cost his neighbors lives. The limitations in production do hurt at times. There’s a somewhat lacking in the death scene near the end of the film that just never manages to be convincing, though they do established their point across.

"Yanggaw is easily one of my favorite films; getting a fresh take on Negrense local myths."

Indie films are definitely the next best thing.

Famous Movie Lines

May the force be with you.
Star Wars

I have nipples, Greg, would you milk me?
Meet the Parents, spoken by Robert de Niro

That (sex) was the most fun I ever had without laughing.
Annie Hall, Woody Allen, Director

My Brain? It's my second favorite organ.
Sleeper, Woody Allen, Director


Sharpness is a state of mind.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, spoken by Yun-Fat Chow

Shut up ... just shut up. You had me at hello.
Dorothy (Renée Zellweger)

“It’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack—not rationality.”
The Bride (Uma Thurman)