MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 31 January 2020 - Netflix Philippines has released the first episode of Kain Tayo, a social series, starring Jo Koy. In each episode, he invites a friend over to share his favorite Filipino dishes as they watch the latest titles on Netflix together. Aside from his funny commentary and love for local food, Jo gets personal and shares how his Filipino upbringing and experiences helped shape the way he relates to Netflix stories.


In Episode 1, Jo and Liane Valenzuela, Jo’s friend and half-Filipina influencer, watch Sex Education Season 2 while they talk about the pains of growing up and “the talk” over a bowl of sinigang.

Twenty-five-year-old Saoirse Ronan's portrayal of Jo March in Greta Gerwig's Little Women earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination and a place in Academy history: it made her the second-youngest performer, male or female, to ever receive four Oscar nods.

Ronan has been nominated for Best Actress twice before: in 2016 for Brooklyn and in 2018 for Lady Bird. Prior to those, in 2008, she was up for Best Supporting Actress at just 13 for her role in Atonement.

Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life.  In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters—four young women each determined to live life on her own terms—is both timeless and timely.

(Watch the film’s trailer here.)

Ronan plays Jo March who stands as Alcott’s most influential creation—the rare fictional character who became a real-world heroine, inspiring generations of young dreamers aiming for lives of adventure and artistic expression.



The role as envisioned by Gerwig needed an actor of near-supernatural transparency, and Gerwig already knew exactly who had that quality.  Having seen Ronan utterly embody the adolescent tornado of emotions at the center of Lady Bird, Gerwig knew Ronan could let the audience into Jo’s moods, her spirit, her thinking—and especially her “vortex of creativity” as Alcott called Jo’s daily bouts of writing. 

“I can’t really talk about Saoirse,” Gerwig demurs, “because she’s just such a genius. I don’t know how she does it exactly.  But feel very blessed that she’s worked with me twice.”

Ronan says that stepping into a role so beloved and so personal to every reader was a thrill—and a serious challenge.  The hard part was trying to get beyond a mere sketch of Jo’s iconic feistiness and bring to life a palpably real person as full of real doubts and confusion as she is of talent, independence and the hunger for change.  That meant thinking of Jo as a contemporary, a woman verging on modernity before anyone understood how complex identities would become in the turbid century about to unfold. 

“Jo to me is similar to girls that you would see in this day and age,” says Ronan.  “And Greta felt she needed to be more modern than all the other girls that we see in the film in the way she moves and especially the way she speaks.  Finding the way someone speaks, that’s my doorway into who the character is, and what we’ve done with Jo’s voice has a relaxed modernity to it.” 

Sneak Previews

Little Women will hold whole-day sneak previews in selected cinemas across the Philippines on Monday & Tuesday, February 10 & 11 (ahead of its grand opening on February 19).  The movie-going public is advised to check with their favorite cinemas for the screening hours.  Tickets will be available at regular admission prices.

Praised by the London Critics Circle as “heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny and powerfully emotional,” Little Women received six Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Gerwig).

The film currently has a 95% Fresh Rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an overall critical consensus that reads, “With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig's Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless.”

Portraying the March sisters Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth, Little Women stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothee Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.

In Philippine cinemas February 19, Little Women is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

In Paramount Pictures’ live-action adventure comedy Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic is a little ball of super-energy and speed in, as he notes, an extremely handsome package. 

(Watch the film’s trailer here  .)

Of course with that great power comes great power-hungry villains, and Sonic must make a narrow escape from his faraway planet, with the help of his protector and friend Longclaw and a magical golden ring, to a planet called Earth.  Longclaw’s final words of wisdom to her young charge, “Never stop running,” will always resonate with Sonic.


Sonic makes himself right at home on our planet, living his best life and setting up a comfy and cozy mancave – make that, hedgehog cave – enjoying his favorite comic (“The Flash,” of course) and movie (Speed, duh) in the small town of Green Hills, Montana.  Using his supersonic speed, Sonic remains hidden from his human neighbors because he’s just too much for this world.  Yet, he’s always looking out for the townspeople, while longing for their companionship, especially that of town’s sheriff, Tom (James Marsden), whose affection for morning pastries has led Sonic to call him “Doughnut Lord,” and Tom’s wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), aka “Pretzel Lady” (for her impressive yoga practice).

After watching a local baseball game, Sonic takes to the field alone and plays all the positions himself.  It’s an incredible display of super-speed and super-fun, but it leaves Sonic feeling even lonelier, and he works out his feelings in an electrifying and turbo-charged run, which leaves the area without power.  The sudden and widespread outage draws the attention of the military and C.I.A., which enlists the unconventional – i.e. maniacal – mega-genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), to track down the source of the energy surge.

For Jim Carrey, Robotnik provided the opportunity to return to his legendary film comedy roots and, he says, “hit that absurd energy that people really love – and the vibe of films like Ace Ventura: Private Eye, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.  Playing Robotnik, I just let the floodgates open!”

Meanwhile, Sonic and Tom finally cross paths after the sheriff finds Sonic rummaging through his shed and accidentally shoots him with a tranquilizer gun.  But it’s not long before Sonic shares his secret with Tom and the two become thick as thieves and embark on a road trip to retrieve Sonic’s magical golden rings, now resting atop San Francisco’s towering Transamerica Building. 

Says James Marsden:  “Tom finds meaning, not to mention an epic and unforgettable adventure, in being a friend to this creature.”

Naturally, Robotnik is in hot pursuit, looking to capture Sonic and harness his powers for – what else? – nothing less than control of the entire world … and universe.

In Philippine cinemas February 19, Sonic the Hedgehog is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

“Hello, Beshies!” In a newly released video, the cast of “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous  Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” -  Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Jurnee Smollet-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ella Jay Basco invite Filipino moviegoers to watch the DC adventure on February 6 in cinemas and in IMAX.

Check out the video here.

You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess?  “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is a twisted tale told by Harley herself, as only Harley can tell it.  When Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis, and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz, put a target on a young girl named Cass, the city is turned upside down looking for her.  Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya’s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

Margot Robbie  returns as Harley Quinn, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress; Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary; Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya; Chris Messina as Victor Zsasz; and Ewan McGregor  as Roman Sionis.  Newcomer Ella Jay Basco also stars as Cassandra “Cass” Cain in her feature film debut.



Directed by Cathy Yan (“Dead Pigs”) from a script by Christina Hodson (“Bumblebee”), the film is based on characters from DC.  Robbie also produced, together with Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll.  Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman, Geoff Johns, Hans Ritter and David Ayer served as executive producers.

“Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Writer-director Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, the beloved story of four young sisters each determined to live life on their own terms -- has garnered six major Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan) and Best Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh).

In celebration of its Oscar nominations, Little Women will hold whole-day sneak previews in selected cinemas across the Philippines on Monday & Tuesday, February 10 & 11 (ahead of its grand opening on February 19).  The movie-going public is advised to check with their favorite cinemas for the screening hours.  Tickets will be available at regular admission prices.


Praised by the London Critics Circle as “heartwarming, laugh-out-loud funny and powerfully emotional,” Little Women also landed nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay (Gerwig), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat) and Best Costume Design (Jacqueline Durran). 

The film currently has a 95% Fresh Rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an overall critical consensus that reads, “With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig's Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless.”

Little Women also became only the third Best Picture Oscar nominee in history that was written, directed and produced by women (after 1993’s The Piano and 2010’s Winter’s Bone).

Producer Amy Pascal is thrilled with the film’s six nominations. "I'm so proud of Greta. I'm so proud of Saoirse and Florence and Jacqueline and Alexandre,” Pascal told The Hollywood Reporter.  She elaborates that she has never had a more inspiring experience professionally than working with Gerwig. "Her brain is on fire constantly. Talking to her is like being on Wikipedia. She is firing on all cylinders at all times. She's incredibly well read. She knows everything about literature, theater, mathematics, geometry — I've never met anybody like that. She gets ideas and they spring out of her head and flower in a way that is truly exhilarating."


Pascal concludes, “It’s the perfect time for this movie because women are talking more than ever about choices, about how to be, about money, about what power is and about how we get along with men.  Greta brings all this into the film by staying true to author Louisa May Alcott.  She said, ‘I want to make a movie unlike any other.  I want to make a movie from the book and if you go back to the book, it’s more controversial, funnier and darker than you think, and I want to make a movie that feels that real.’” 

Portraying the March sisters Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth, Little Women stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothee Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.

In Philippine cinemas February 19, Little Women is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.  Join the conversation and connect with the hashtag #LittleWomenMovie

The global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega crosses over to the big screen this February 19 with Paramount Pictures’ Sonic the Hedgehog, the live-action adventure comedy that centers on the infamously brash bright blue hedgehog from another world. 

Watch the film’s trailer here.

The film follows the (mis)adventures of Sonic as he navigates the complexities of his new life on Earth with his newfound – and human – best friend Tom (James Marsden).  Sonic and Tom join forces to try and stop the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from capturing Sonic and using his immense powers for world domination. The film also stars Tika Sumpteras Tom’s wife Maddie, and Ben Schwartz, as the voice of Sonic.



It seems only right that the cast and filmmakers turning Sega’s landmark and enduring videogame franchise into a motion picture event include: 1) Jim Carrey, a comedy icon known for his rapid-fire onscreen antics; 2) Neal Moritz, the producer of the blockbuster motion picture series The Fast and the Furious; and 3) Jeff Fowler, a fast-rising, Academy Award-nominated director who has been a lifelong fan of Sonic the game.


Moritz notes that he and his team were challenged to include in the film what fans of the game love about Sonic, while ensuring that it be accessible to those unfamiliar with the character.  While developing the project, he learned that the latter audience segment was smaller than he imagined.  “We discovered that more people are aware of Sonic than many other treasured pop culture icons, like Lego,” Moritz points out.  “People enjoy Sonic’s attitude and speed.” 


Moritz continues, “The goal for our movie was to keep all that while adding some unexpected dimensions.  It’s a combination of what we love in movies – incredible action, comedy, and a lot of heart that comes from Sonic’s friendship with the human characters.”


Adds executive producer Tim Miller, who previously helmed a film about another pop culture icon, Deadpool:  “This is the first time Sonic has been placed in a live action world, which brings exciting new possibilities to what he can do and be.”



Fowler’s relationship with Sonic began at age 13, when he was introduced to the game.  “I knew immediately that it and the character would change videogames forever,” he explains.  “Sonic’s attitude was unique and refreshing; I had never before experienced a personality like his.  He broke the fourth wall, which had never been done before in a game, and it provided a window into his personality.  Sonic behaved like a teenager, which was instantly relatable.  He has confidence, a sense of humor, and a mischievous quality.”

Fowler wanted to ensure that he honored the spirit of the game and weave into the film elements that fans would recognize, including the golden rings, which provide a portal for Sonic to escape across space and time; his speed, of course; Sonic’s signature red shoes; and the energy emeralds that give him his abilities.

Moritz notes that the film still delivers everything fans expect – and more.  “There’s a climactic sequence that sees Sonic and Robotnik in a chase that spans Paris, the Great Wall of China, and the Egyptian pyramids, before culminating back in Green Hills – in a matter of minutes,” he teases.  “You’ve never seen anything like it before.”

It’s a new year and Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) are no longer pretending to be a couple. They ARE a couple. And, as Lara Jean navigates a trove of official firsts with Peter — her first real kiss, her first real date, her first Valentine’s Day — she finds herself leaning more on Kitty and Margot (Anna Cathcart and Janel Parrish), Chris (Madeleine Arthur), and an unexpected new confidant, Stormy (Holland Taylor), to help her manage the complex emotions that come with this new chapter of balancing a relationship and figuring out her authentic self. But when John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), another recipient of one of Lara Jean’s old love letters, enters her life again she must rely on herself more than ever as she’s confronted with her first real dilemma: Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

Starring Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher, Anna Cathcart, Janel Parrish, John Corbett, Sarayu Blue, Ross Butler, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Trezzo Mahoro and Holland Taylor

Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling YA romance novel, P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han.

View the trailer here.

You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess?  “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is a twisted tale told by Harley herself, as only Harley can tell it.  When Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis, and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz, put a target on a young girl named Cass, the city is turned upside down looking for her.  Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya’s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

(Watch the film’s latest trailer here.)

Margot Robbie (“Bombshell,” “Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood”) returns as Harley Quinn, alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“10 Cloverfield Lane”) as Huntress; Jurnee Smollett-Bell (HBO’s “True Blood”) as Black Canary; Rosie Perez (“Fearless,” “Pitch Perfect 2”) as Renee Montoya; Chris Messina (“Argo,” TV’s “Sharp Objects”) as Victor Zsasz; and Ewan McGregor (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep”) as Roman Sionis.  Newcomer Ella Jay Basco also stars as Cassandra “Cass” Cain in her feature film debut.

Directed by Cathy Yan (“Dead Pigs”) from a script by Christina Hodson (“Bumblebee”), the film is based on characters from DC. 

Margot Robbie, who reprises the role as well as produces the film, says, “The most exciting thing for an actor is to have choices with your character, and you can really do anything when you’re playing Harley Quinn.  With some roles, you can react one or two ways; with Harley, it’s more like 20, and every one of them makes sense for the character.  That is really liberating and creatively stimulating.”

For that reason, among others, even while she was still filming her first turn as the fan-favorite anti-heroine in “Suicide Squad,” she recalls, “I knew that I definitely wasn’t ready to stop playing her, that there was still so much yet to be discovered and explored on screen.”



That uncharted territory led Robbie to delve into options for Harley that included surrounding her with a girl gang, namely the popular DC team up Birds of Prey.  “I wanted to see what Harley would be like without someone to take care of her.  And it’s always been a part of my own life to have a group of girlfriends that do everything together.  We’re a very mixed bag of personalities,” she smiles, “but everyone loves each other despite being pretty different.  That’s what drew me to developing a story for Harley with the Birds of Prey, to find a group that’s unique, but who complement each other, especially in their fighting styles.  Together, they make up all the pieces of the puzzle.”

For the origin story that would pair Harley Quinn with a new collection of characters, Robbie and screenwriter Christina Hodson drew inspiration from various comics, such as the New 52 series, when Harley is out on her own and no longer with The Joker.  That circumstance appealed to them as a logical starting off point because, in order to be the lead in her own film, shouldn’t she also be the star of her own life?  For Black Canary, they opted for Dinah Lance, daughter of the original, same-name Super Hero with the killer cry, but who still hesitates to hit that high note.  They liked the version of police detective Renee Montoya who could be a little too tough and sometimes get in her own way, and felt that Huntress, with her tragic backstory, made for an ideal enigmatic loner averse to social interaction.  All of whom made for the most unlikely grouping of wholly reluctant individuals, so who better to match with the infamous criminal girlfriend known for standing by her man…after her man has kicked her to the curb?



Producer Bryan Unkeless offers, “The story takes place in the mean streets of Gotham—not the Manhattan-inspired version, but the outer boroughs where the seedy underbelly thrives.  It’s all about attitude, told through the lens of Harley Quinn and all that entails: her crass perspective, her impolite exuberance, and her madcap, acerbic, subversive energy that is always unpredictable.  Put all of that together with this eclectic group of really powerful women who are pushed to their limits and have to form an alliance—albeit a loose one—not only to do what’s right, but just to survive the day.”

That’s right, it all takes place over about 24 hours.  Just another day in the life of one Harley Quinn.

In Philippine cinemas and IMAX February 6, “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures.