For Sam Mendes making 1917 – the critically acclaimed epic set during the First World War inspired by the stories his own grandfather told him – was, he admits, the most challenging experience of his long, acclaimed career. It was also, he says, very, very special.


Nominated for Best Picture and Best Director for this year’s Academy Awards, Mendes set the bar extremely high for himself and his team – including cinematographer Roger Deakins – by filming 1917 as though it is one continuous shot, following two young British soldiers, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) as they embark on a crucial, extremely dangerous mission, deep behind enemy lines.

“The Germans had retreated to the Hindenberg Line and these two soldiers are tasked with crossing this landscape that has suddenly been abandoned by the Germans to deliver a message to a section of the army that has pushed forward” says Mendes.

“The two men have until dawn the next day. If they succeed, then potentially they save 1,600 lives. If they fail, then those lives will be sacrificed. On top of that, one of the soldiers, Blake, has a brother in that particular battalion. So there is a personal element to it as well.”

Their perilous journey, through the trenches, across the bombed out craters of No-Man’s Land and a devastated town, is an intense, visceral experience for the audience. The camera never leaves the men as they relentlessly move forwards, in a heart-stopping race against time.

“It felt almost impossible at times, but somehow we managed to do it,” says Mendes. “We started by asking ourselves, ‘If the camera could move anywhere, where, emotionally, is the right place for it to go?’ And only then we would try to figure out how to do it.”

“Sometimes we wanted it to be very intimate and at other times very epic. We never wanted it to feel repetitive – you don’t want to see the same shot over and over again – so it became a dance between the camera, the characters and the landscape, all three of which were constantly changing and evolving.



“The technical challenges were huge. We shot with a variety of rigs – steadycam, wire, cranes, sometimes the cameras were on a car or a motorbike and sometimes it was old fashioned hand held camera work – yet all of it had to feel like it was one unified style. The movement of the camera had to feel seamless.

“We rehearsed for months. The first thing we had to do was to measure the length of every section, every scene. It’s all very well for us to write ‘this scene takes place in an orchard’ but we had to build the orchard to fit the length of the scene required.

“And this was the case all the way through the movie - for trenches, quarries, woods, farmhouses, roads, towns. So the first thing we needed to do, as a crew, was to walk across empty fields with the script, marking out every step of the journey. Then, when we found the natural rhythm of a scene, we planted flags in the ground.

“And that’s how we did everything. We marked out and planned and built over a mile of trenches, then filled them with hundreds and hundreds of people. Dennis Gassner and his amazing art department created a world. But it all began with the boys, myself and Roger Deakins just walking across a field.”



In Philippine cinemas February 5th, Sam Mendes’ 1917 is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. 

It's confirmed.

In a joint statement aired on 'Tonight with Boy Abunda' James Reid and Nadine Lustre confirmed rumors that they indeed broke up.

Statement reads, "It's true that we have split up but not for all the reason that are being spread on the tabloids and social media but because after quiet and mature conversations, we decided to focus on ourselves not only for our careers but more for our personal growth as we are still young and we want to achieve as much as we can.

We agreed that going separate ways was best for both of us. We are in good terms and are still really good friends and will continue to work with each other especially when it comes to music."

Famous for providing the voice of Dracula’s daughter, Mavis, in the Hotel Transylvania films, Selena Gomez now literally speaks for Betsy, the talking giraffe in Universal Pictures’ new epic adventure Dolittle, a vivid reimagining of the classic tale of the man who could talk to animals.


When the production team was thinking of who to cast, director Stephen Gaghan’s daughter insisted it had to be Selena Gomez. “My daughter told me, ‘You have to cast her because she’s an amazing human,” Gaghan says. “Selena’s an amazing person.’ My daughter was right. Selena is genuinely a wonderful human.”

Her unorthodox casting is not lost on Gomez who says, “If they would have called me any time in the world, I would have said yes, but luckily the director’s daughter (Betsy Gaghan) was a huge fan of mine and I’m actually named after her, the character. So, it’s really sweet.”

In the film, Dr. John Dolittle (Downey) is a particular and peculiar genius who most people think is insane and  a brilliant curmudgeon—one who has mastered almost all animal languages.



After losing his wife seven years earlier, the famed doctor and veterinarian of Queen Victoria’s England, hermits himself away behind the high walls of Dolittle Manor with only his menagerie of exotic animals for company.

But when the young queen (Jessie Buckley, Wild Rose) falls gravely ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure, regaining his wit and courage as he crosses old adversaries and discovers wondrous creatures.

The doctor is joined on his quest by a young, self-appointed apprentice (Dunkirk’s Harry Collett) and a raucous coterie of animal friends, including an anxious gorilla (Oscar-winner Rami Malek), an enthusiastic but bird-brained duck (Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer), a bickering duo of a cynical ostrich (The Big Sick’s Kumail Nanjiani) and an upbeat polar bear (John Cena, Bumblebee) and a headstrong parrot (Oscar-winner Emma Thompson), who serves as Dolittle’s most trusted advisor and confidante.


The film also stars Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen and Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent and features additional voice performances from Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard, Frances de la Tour, Carmen Ejogo, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Tom Holland, and Craig Robinson.

In Philippine cinemas January 29, Dolittle is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Just Mercy,” the powerful and thought-provoking true story of young lawyer and his history-making battle for justice, will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting January 22.

Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther,” the “Creed” films) leads a powerhouse cast that includes Brie Larson (“Captain Marvel,” “Kong: Skull Island”) and Jamie Foxx (“Baby Driver,” “Django Unchained”).

After graduating from Harvard, Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) had his pick of lucrative jobs.  Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson).  One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the main testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie.  In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings, as well as overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds—and the system—stacked against them.



Michael B. Jordan, who portrays Bryan and is one of the film’s producers, says, “Throughout the course of the story, we see the ups and downs and trials and tribulations as Bryan fights to get Walter exonerated and freed from death row.  You get to know Walter and see the humanity of the innocent man who’s been wrongly convicted, but you also see Bryan’s courage and passion, and understand why he has dedicated his life to this cause through his non-profit organization, the Equal Justice Initiative.”

“There are many reasons Michael B. was the perfect choice to play Bryan,” says director Destin Daniele Cretton, “beyond the fact that he is an extraordinary actor.  He is an extremely empathetic person who not only cares deeply about the subject matter of this film but also about properly representing Bryan because, like all of us, he holds him in very high regard.”

Stevenson, in turn, has long admired Jordan’s work, going back to his breakout role in HBO’s “The Wire,” and, more recently, “Fruitvale Station,” which he calls “powerful.”  But more importantly, he says, “When we met, he seemed like the kind of person I would feel comfortable with.  He’s thoughtful and compassionate and genuine, and I value those qualities, so I was really excited when he signed on.”


“Just Mercy” opens on January 22 exclusively at selected Ayala Malls Cinemas: Greenbelt 3, Alabang Town Center, Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma, U.P. Town Center, Ayala Malls The 30th,  Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls Capital Central, Ayala Malls Central Bloc and Centrio. Book and buy your tickets at www.SureSeats.com.

Join the conversation and use the hashtag #JustMercy

Fresh from the success of her Netflix Original film The Knight Before Christmas, Vanessa Hudgens now sees action as weapons specialist Kelly, in Columbia Pictures’ new action adventure Bad Boys for Life (in Philippine cinemas January 22).

In Bad Boys for Life, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return in two of their signature roles, Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett. Everybody’s favorite crime-fighting duo is back on their beat – and they’re as fun, dangerous, and unpredictable as ever.

Aside from their personal struggles, Mike and Marcus must contend with the elite new police unit Advance Miami Metro Operations (AMMO), which has introduced high-tech investigative tactics to the Miami P.D.



The old school versus new school interplay is highlighted in the guys’ dealings with this state of the art, elite squad. “The contrasting approaches to police work is hilarious, because we all think of Mike and Marcus as these young, go get ‘em fighters,” elaborates Hudgens, who plays AMMO weapons specialist Kelly. “They still have that taste for getting the job done, and the AMMO team is fresh, young, and focused, and they do things by the book – which they’re writing.”

Hudgens’ Kelly is an aggressive young cop who’s also a big fan of Mike Lowrey. “She’s the weapons expert who’s tough, fearless – and crazy in awe of Mike,” states Hudgens. That feeling extended to Hudgens’ view of Smith and Lawrence. “Seeing Will and Martin back together again is iconic,” she shares. “Their chemistry is just unreal.”

Bad Boys for Life also stars Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Paola Nunez, Kate Del Castillo, Nicky Jam, and Joe Pantoliano.

In Philippine cinemas January 22, Bad Boys for Life will be distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Sex Education is about Otis Milburn, a socially awkward high school student who lives with his sex therapist mother, Jean. In season 1 Otis and his friend Maeve Wiley set-up a sex clinic at school to capitalise on his intuitive talent for sex advice. In season 2, as a late bloomer Otis must master his newly discovered sexual urges in order to progress with his girlfriend Ola whilst also dealing with his now strained relationship with Maeve. Meanwhile, Moordale Secondary is in the throes of a chlamydia outbreak, highlighting the need for better sex education at the school and new kids come to town who will challenge the status quo.



The series is written and created by Laurie Nunn and produced by Eleven. Season 2 is directed by Ben Taylor, Alice Seabright and Sophie Goodhart. Jamie Campbell, Laurie Nunn and Ben Taylor are also Executive Producers on the series.


The series stars Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo), Gillian Anderson (The Crown, The Fall), Emma Mackey (The Winter Lake, Eiffel, Death on the Nile), Ncuti Gatwa (Stonemouth, The Last Letter From My Lover), Connor Swindells (The Vanishing, VS), Aimee-Lou Wood (Louis Wane), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Will, Roots, Wolfblood), Chaneil Kular (Informer), Simone Ashley (Broadchurch), Mimi Keene (Tolkien, Close), Tanya Reynolds (Emma, Delicious), Mikael Persbrandt (Invisible Heroes, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, The Hobbit, King Arthur), Patricia Allison (Les Miserables, Moving On), Jim Howick (Broadchurch), Rakhee Thakrar (Four Weddings and a Funeral), Samantha Spiro (Game of Thrones, Tracey Ullman’s Show, Babs, Doctor Who), James Purefoy (Rome, Altered Carbon) and Alistair Petrie (Deep State, Rogue One, Night Manager).


Sex Education Season 2 launches on Netflix on 17 January 2020.

Get ready for an unforgettable Valentine’s this year! Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, the stars of Netflix’s To All the Boys films (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and the upcoming To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You), will visit the Philippines to show love to all their fans.

As a special treat, fans can see Lana and Noah on February 15 at the #TATBPhilippines fan event, following the release of To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You on February 12, only on Netflix.




The special fan event will take place at Glorietta Activity Center, Ayala Center, 6811 Ayala Ave, Makati, 1226 Metro Manila, Philippines, from 5 pm onwards, February 15, 2020. Entry on first come, first served basis. Fans can follow @NetflixPH on Instagram and Facebook for more details.

As you gear up for Season 2 of Insatiable, the OG Queen and special guest star Gloria Diaz, has a special behind the scenes treat for you.

In a special behind the scenes video, Gloria chats with her fellow cast members including star Debby Ryan, talks about working with Netflix, her “elegant and demure” wardrobe, and how her director helped her prepare for her role. (“He told me, ‘Relax, act like a diva. I said, ‘That sounds like me.’”)

Plus, catch her funny nod to a famous quote from a fellow Filipina pageant queen!

You can get to see the stars of Insatiable, including Debby Ryan, Dallas Roberts and Gloria Diaz, at the #InsatiablePhilippines fan event that will bring together everything fun, exciting, and over-the-top about the show. Rumour has it that there is a pageant involved… Ready to take control and unleash your inner beauty queen (or king) alongside Debby, Dallas, and Gloria? Check the official Netflix Philippines Instagram page, instagram.com/netflixph to find out how you can be part of the fan event.

Wait, there’s more…

If you have not seen Insatiable yet, Netflix is making it even easier to join the fandom. Starting October 2, for a limited time, anyone in the Philippines (even non Netflix members) will be able to watch the first episode of Insatiable Season 1 for free, exclusively at www.netflix.com/insatiable.

The free episode can be viewed at www.netflix.com/insatiable on desktop, as well as on Chrome browsers on Android. iPhone/iPad users will be prompted to enter their email address to receive a link through which they can watch the episode on their desktop.

About Insatiable Season 2

In season two of Insatiable we find Patty dealing with, well, a lot. Her past is haunting her, and her struggle to be “good” is becoming harder and harder each day as she battles her inner demons. And Bob - well - he’s helping her cover up Christian’s murder, but just how far will his loyalties go? Will he continue to allow his romantic relationships, his career ambitions, and his integrity to take a beating, just to help Patty pursue her pageant dreams? And when beauty queens start going missing, who’s to blame? Patty’s rage? Or is there more at play?

Insatiable Season 2 launches October 11, only on Netflix.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with over 151 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

To celebrate James Bond Day (October 5), the first poster for No Time to Die has been released. The film will be in cinemas around the world in April 2020.



About No Time To Die



No Time to Die, the 25th James Bond adventure, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), and Universal Pictures International, is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, True Detective) and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.



Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, No Time to Die is written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (Spectre, Skyfall), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag).



No Time To Die also stars Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes.



In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica.  His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.




Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre have grossed more than $3.1 billion in worldwide box office collectively. Skyfall ($1.1 billion) and Spectre ($880 million) are the two highest-grossing films in the franchise.



Use the hashtags #NoTimeToDie, #Bond25, #JamesBondDay. 

They play the heroes, but reality has caught up with them. Watch the final international trailer of Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, the 9th film by Quentin Tarantino and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.  The film opens in Philippine cinemas August 28.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.   The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.

Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is produced by David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh and Quentin Tarantino.

With Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino continues to evolve and to surprise audiences. While the movie has all of the hallmarks of a Tarantino film – a wholly original story, with fresh characters, presented with bravura technique – his ninth film also breaks new ground for the writer-director. It is a character-driven story, dealing with mature issues of unfulfilled expectations that inevitably confront us all as we age. In Hollywood, this struggle is particularly dramatic, as success and failure live side by side. In Once Upon a Time…, they do so literally as well as figuratively.   Uniting two of today’s greatest stars in a first-ever pairing and recreating an entire lost era, the film is big cinema made for the big screen. A true original in a landscape of sequels and superheroes.

Set in 1969, Tarantino recreates the time and place of his formative years, when everything – the United States, the city of Los Angeles, the Hollywood star system, even the movies themselves – was at an inflection point, and no one knew where the pieces would land.  All this is not entirely dissimilar from the changes buffeting Hollywood today.

“This is a unique film in Quentin’s body of work, and it is his most emotional,” says producer David Heyman. “In a way, he’s looking back on his influences and the movies he loved, the period he was growing up in, and what helped shape him – a love letter to a bygone Hollywood. But I found the script so moving. Yes, it was funny. Yes, it was thrilling. Still, at its heart, it’s a really tender story about a friendship.” 

Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Use the hashtag #OnceUponATimeInHollywood