Chizmizan with Chuva

Oscars verdict on “Ploning” to be announced on January 22

After organizing “Damit Para Kay Ploning” and “Plato Para Kay Ploning,” the producers of the period film are now busy organizing “Laro Para Kay Ploning.” A poker tournament is slated to take place on January 13 to raise funds for the Oscars bid of the Philippine movie starring Judy Ann Santos. Ploning, produced by Panoramanila Pictures Co., is the country’s entry to the Foreign Language category of the 81st Academy Awards.

“Laro Para Kay Ploning” will take place at the Metrocard room at Metrowalk, Ortigas Center. For details, contact Niña at 09153280307.

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North American box office sets record in 2008 (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It was a photo finish, but North American movie-ticket sales hit the wire in a furious gallop to post an annual gain of almost 2%, with a record haul of $9.78 billion in estimated grosses.

Avid holiday moviegoing helped the industry rewrite the history books in the home stretch, though substantial ticket-price boosts helped pad the tally. Industry estimates put average U.S. ticket prices at about $7.20, or almost 4.7% higher than in 2007.

About 1.36 billion tickets were sold in the U.S. and Canada in 2008. That compares with a total 1.40 billion admissions in the previous year.

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`Marley & Me’ remains top dog with $24M weekend

LOS ANGELES – Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson and their little dog have not lost their box office bite.

The family tale “Marley & Me,” starring Aniston and Wilson as owners of an adorably mischievous pooch, took in $24.1 million to finish as the No. 1 movie for a second-straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The 20th Century Fox flick raised its total to $106.5 million since opening Christmas day.

With no new wide releases, the weekend shaped up largely like the previous one, with Disney’s Adam Sandler comedy “Bedtime Stories” in second place with $20.3 million.

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Ai-Ai delas Alas expresses gratitude for “Tanging Ina’s” continuous success

Kahit si Ai-Ai delas Alas ay nagulat sa malaking tagumpay na inani ng kanyang pelikulang Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat, na official entry ng Star Cinema ngayong taon sa Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Ayon sa naunang report ay tumabo diumano ng P20.9 million ang pelikula ni Ai-Ai noong first day of showing upang pangunahan ang iba pang pelikulang kalahok. Sinasabing malaki ang naiambag ng nasabing figure para umangat din ng 37 percent ang total gross ng 2008 MMFF.

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“Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat” currently leads MMFF box-office race

By all indication, this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) could surpass last year’s gross.

Jubilant mood ang MMFF chairman at MMDA chairman na si Bayani Fernando sa kanyang opening speech sa awards ceremony ng MMFF kagabi, December 27, sa Sofitel Philippine Plaza. Sabi niya sa kanyang speech, malamang ma-break na ang half a billion sale this year ng walong kalahok sa taunang film festival, dahil sa unang dalawang araw pa lang, nalampasan na nito ang unang dalawang araw noong isang taon ng 37 percent.

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“Baler” wins 10 awards, including Best Picture in the 34th MMFF Awards Night

The historical film Baler, set during the 18th century, was adjudged the Best Festival Picture of the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival. Produced by Viva Films in cooperation with PAGCOR, this Jericho Rosales-Anne Curtis starrer bagged a total of 10 awards including the Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award.

Anne received her first acting trophy when she was adjudged Best Actress for her performance in Baler. Her co-star Phillip Salvador was named Best Supporting Actor while their director, Mark Meily, won Best Director.

Christopher de Leon bested other Best Actor contenders for his performance in Magkaibigan, where he essayed the role inspired by the late Rudy Fernandez. Manilyn Reynes, meanwhile, picked up the Best Supporting Actress trophy for her comedic role in One Night Only.

 
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Jennifer Aniston Beats Brad Pitt at the Box Office on Christmas

It’s on!

Jennifer Aniston’s doggy drama Marley & Me beat out Brad Pitt’s fantasy flick The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the box office on Christmas Day Variety reported.

According to preliminary box office numbers, Marley & Me opened at No. 1 with $14.6 million in ticket sales - (making it the best opening ever for Dec. 25) while Pitt’s film set the record for the second-highest Christmas opening of all-time grossing $11.8 million.

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Dayo - Official Movie Trailer (VIDEO) for MMFF 2008

Go to the Official Website.

The Tale of Despereaux Movie Trailer - Comes Decemer 19th

Are we ready for a Terminator 4? Coming out in 2009. View the trailer

Do you want to be a star? Be a Bollywood star!

I read from the paper this morning that there is a shortage of Bollywood actors that a new Bollywood acting school (more like a dancing school) opened up in London.  It was the creation of the phenomenal movie dad (Anupam Kher )  from Bend it Like Beckham.  It opens up the window for aspiring actors to be a part of the largest film industry in the world.

I heard that people come from as far as the United States and Pakistan to enroll at this newly-opened school.  And if it becomes successful in London, a branch might open up in Los Angeles.

Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat - Full Video Trailer

Victory in Singapore for Ploning

MANILA, Philippines—Calling from Hollywood, Dante Garcia relayed the good news to the Philippine Daily Inquirer: He won Best Director on Dec. 10 for “Ploning” at the Asian Festival of First Films held in Singapore.

Garcia said he couldn’t wait for the awarding rites because he was flying to Los Angeles to meet up with lead star Judy Ann Santos for screenings of the movie, which is also the country’s entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards.

“I left Singapore immediately after my film’s screening, a day before the awarding,” he recalled. “But [filmmaker] Tikoy Aguiluz [was there, and he] told me that the applause for me was louder than for Nandita Das who won for Best Screenplay and Best Film (“Firaaq”). When I Googled Nandita’s name, I found out she’s a superstar in Bollywood!” Garcia edged out filmmakers from China and India, including Das.

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Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler - Out December 17th - Full HD Trailer

Back in the late ’80s, Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, twenty years later, he ekes out a living performing for handfuls of diehard wrestling fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey.

Estranged from his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) and unable to sustain any real relationships, Randy lives for the thrill of the show and the adoration of his fans. However, a heart attack forces him into retirement. As his sense of identity starts to slip away, he begins to evaluate the state of his life — trying to reconnect with his daughter, and striking up a blossoming romance with an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei) who is ready to start a new life. Yet all this cannot compare to the allure of the ring and passion for his art, which threatens to pull Randy “The Ram” back into his world of wrestling.

Watch the movie trailer in HD after the JUMP

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New Moon Rises Next November

Fanggirls, mark your calendars.

Yesterday, you officially got a director, and today, you officially have a release date: New Moon will cross the horizon on November 20, 2009.

About a Boy’s Chris Weitz directs the Twilight sequel and, oh yeah, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson return as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.

As of right now, the vampire and his mortal love will have several major movies to battle for box-office glory on that fateful day, the most challenging of which are Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr., and a Three Stooges flick written and directed by the Farrelly brothers.

Source

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Trailer - Brad Pitt (Christmas Day)

Yahoo’s Top 10 Trailers of 2008

Chuva Chienes loves movie trailers.  What best way to share them with her readers than to do a countdown of the Top 10 Movie Trailers of 2008.  I’m a movie buff so I could normally tell whether the movie will be a good one or not. Yahoo has compiled the “most watched” movie trailers in 2008. Have you seen all these movies yet?

10. KUNG FU PANDA

9. SEX AND THE CITY

8. HANCOCK

7. WANTED

6. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

JUMP to see the complete countdown with the specific trailers..

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A overnight fan or an avid fan of Twilight? Download all books for free today.

Like everyone else who were skeptical about Twilight (a vampire romance by Stephanie Meyer) and why it is such a hit among moviegoers, I wanted to find out what all the fuzz was about.  I saw the movie the other day and to my surprise, I was drawn to it like I have never been drawn to anything since “Interview with a Vampire”.

Maybe it’s because I am a hopeless romantic or maybe it’s because I am drawn to always loving the unreachable, the improbable. Or simply, I may just be one who still look forward to that ideal relationship that is probably not real. I am a sucker for love stories.

Ever since I watched the movie, I made it my goal to read the Twilight series. I haven’t been to the bookstore yet. I was looking for the book online and found a free download site. You can download all four books for free (and if you’re not sure if you’re going to like it, don’t run spending your hard-earned money just yet).

Yes folks, for FREE! You can download the books from a link that I will disclose after the JUMP. It’s in PDF format so make sure you have Adobe Reader.

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As I predicted: ‘Twilight’ takes $70.6M bite out of box office

LOS ANGELES – Audiences found the vampire romance “Twilight” infectious in its opening weekend, pushing the movie to a take of $70.6 million.

Catherine Hardwicke’s film also enjoyed the biggest opening ever for a female director, blowing away the previous standard of $41.1 million set by Mimi Leder’s “Deep Impact” in 1998.

Drawing from its huge fan base of teenage girls, who fell for Stephenie Meyer’s novel of forbidden love between brooding vampire Edward Cullen and bookish high schooler Bella Swan, “Twilight” made a whopping $20,636 per theater, according to Sunday morning estimates.

And the fangirls will get another taste soon enough: Summit Entertainment, which released “Twilight,” announced during the weekend that it’s going ahead with production of “New Moon,” based on the second book in Meyer’s internationally best-selling series. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will return as its star-crossed lovers, but whether Hardwicke will be at the helm again is still being determined.

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“Land Down Under” will have world premiere in the U.S. by December

After shooting in Australia for the past two weeks, Piolo Pascual and Angel Locsin arrived in Manila, yesterday, November 22. The stars of the movie will just finish the few remaining scenes of their movie Land Down Under before flying to the United States to attend the world premiere of the Star Cinema film.

A source from Star Cinema informed that the first public screening of Land Down Under will take place not in Manila but in the United States. The original play date of
the romantic drama was supposed to take place this November, but due to several delays, the showing of the movie in the Philippines has been moved to January 2009.

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