Lee Thanat from Thailand emerged as the twelfth finalist in “100 Asian Heartthrobs 2019” by winning our Group 10 poll!

The lakorn actor garnered a total of 22,201 votes beating seven other nominees in Group 10 by 55.83% He will compete in our final poll starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 10 is Miguel Tanfelix of the Philippines who got 6,233 votes. In third place is Jericho Rosales of the Philippines who received 3,507 votes. Both Miguel and Jericho will compete in the second of the two wildcard rounds happening on February 1, 2019.

No longer in the running for the title are Cha Eun-Woo of Korea, Song Weilong of China, Choi Siwon of Korea, Nine Naphat of Thailand, and
Kentaro Sakaguchi of Japan.

Here are the complete results:

SCHEDULE:

Jan. 29, 2019 – Announcement of Group 11 winner (11th finalist)
Jan. 29, 2019 – Announcement of Group 12 winner (12th finalist)
Jan. 30, 2019 – Announcement of Group 13 winner (13th finalist)
Jan. 30, 2019 – Announcement of Group 14 winner (14th finalist)
Jan. 31, 2019 – Announcement of Group 15 winner (15th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Announcement of Group 16 winner (16th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Start of Voting for 2nd Wild Card Round
Feb. 3, 2019 – Announcement of the Second Wildcard winners (19th and 20th finalists)
Feb. 3, 2019 – The Final Battle Begins!
Feb. 20, 2019 – Announcement of the 100 Asian Heartthrobs of 2019 by ranking
Feb. 20, 2019 – The winner of the Ultimate Asian Heartthrob of 2019 revealed

“Mr. Cutepido,” the new series of “Wansapanataym” starring McCoy de Leon and Heaven Peralejo, recorded a national TV rating of 23.5% last Sunday (Jan 27), beating “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko” (16.2%).

Meanwhile, “World of Dance Philippines” ruled the weekend programming as it scored a national TV rating of 29.3% last Saturday (Jan 26) versus “Daddy’s Gurl” (16.7%), and 31.8% last Sunday (Jan 27) compared to “Studio 7” (13.4%). “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” kept its spot with 39.8% last Friday (Jan 25), while “Cain at Abel” only got 13.2%. “The General’s Daughter” ended its pilot week strongly with 31.8% last Friday (Jan 25), compared to “Onanay” (14.4%).

Here are the Top 20 programs and comparative TV ratings nationwide from January 25 to 27, 2019 according to Kantar Media:

 
25 January 2019 Comparative Total Philippines (Uban+ Rural)
Ratings Data: ABS-CBN vs. GMA7 and TV5 
O Shopping (0.5%) / Red Alert (Replay) (1.0%) / Kape’t Pandasal (0.6%) vs. Born To Be Wild (Replay) (0.6%)
Umagang Kay Ganda (4.4%) vs. Unang Hirit (3.6%)
Magandang Buhay (5.5%) vs. Detective Conan (4.8%) / Yo-Kai Watch (5.5%) / Rakshasa Street (5.9%) / Don’t Dare To Dream (5.9%)
“Kapamilya Blockbusters ‘Lethal Weapon 3′” (10.2%) vs. Whisper (5.7%)
Playhouse (11.3%) vs. “Kapuso Movie Festival ‘The Scorpion King 4 Quest For Power'” (8.0%)
It’s Showtime (16.8%) vs. Eat… Bulaga! (10.8%) / Asawa Ko Karibal Ko (11.6%) / Ika-5 Utos (10.8%)
Kadenang Ginto (18.6%) vs. My Special Tatay (11.3%)
Precious Hearts Romances Presents Los Bastardos (16.2%) / Pinoy Big Brother Otso Gold (15.3%) / Minute To Win It Last Man Standing (22.6%) vs. Wowowin (13.7%)
TV Patrol (30.8%) vs. 24 Oras (18.3%) vs. Aksyon (1.5%) / 2019 Pba Philippine Cup (Live) (2.5%)
FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (39.8%) vs. Cain At Abel (13.2%)
The General’s Daughter (31.8%) vs. Onanay (14.4%)
Halik (23.4%) vs. My Golden Life (8.1%) vs. Sports Center Philippines (0.9%) / The Flash (0.4%)
Pinoy Big Brother Otso (12.0%) / Tonight With Boy Abunda (5.6%) vs. Bubble Gang (5.1%) vs. Aksyon Tonite (0.3%)
Bandila (2.9%) vs. Saksi Liga Ng Katotohanan (2.3%) vs. 30 For 30 (0.2%)
Tnt Tapatan Ni Tunying (2.1%) / O Shopping Live (Replay) (0.7%) vs. The 700 Club Asia (0.9%) / Shop Tv (0.2%)

26 January 2019 Comparative Total Philippines (Uban+ Rural)
Ratings Data: ABS-CBN vs. GMA7 and TV5
O Shopping Live (Replay) (0.5%) vs. Light Up (0.4%)
Kape At Salita (0.9%) vs. Lifegiver (0.8%) / Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko (1.1%)
Salamat Dok (2.5%) vs. Pinoy Md Mga Doktor Ng Bayan (1.7%)
Swak Na Swak Ang Good Vibes Show Ng Bayan (3.0%) vs. Tobot (3.6%)
Angel Wings (2.7%) vs. Sonic Boom (6.2%)
Dok Ricky, Pedia Ng Barangay (3.0%) vs. Grami’s Circus Show (7.2%)
“NBA Sabados (Via Satellite) ‘Orlando Magic Vs Washington Wizards'” (4.8%) vs. Angry Birds Toons (8.1%) / Ben 10 (8.7%) / Yo-Kai Watch The Movie (8.8%) / “Kwento, Buhay, Tagumpay Maynila ‘My Mother’s Love'” (7.4%)
“KB Family Weekend (Saturday) ‘Flight 7500′” (11.5%) vs. Sarap ‘Di Ba? Family. Food. Fun. (6.3%)
It’s Showtime (Saturday) (18.4%) vs.  Eat… Bulaga! (Saturday) (10.2%) / Asawa Ko Karibal Ko (10.9%)
Ipaglaban Mo (15.4%) vs. Tadhana (10.7%)
S.O.C.O. (A Scene Of The Crime Operatives) (13.7%) vs. Wish Ko Lang! (11.1%)
Pareng Partners (11.5%) vs. Imbestigador (13.3%) 2019 Pba Philippine Cup (Live) (3.5%)
Tv Patrol Weekend (16.3%) vs. 24 Oras Weekend (17.0%)
Home Sweetie Home Walang Kapares (21.2%) vs. Pepito Manaloto Ang Tunay Na Kuwento (20.8%)
World Of Dance Philippines (29.3%) vs. Daddy’s Gurl (16.7%) vs. Sports Center Philippines (1.1%) / 2019 Pba Philippine Cup (Replay) (1.0%)
“MMK Maalaala Mo Kaya ‘Pregnancy Test'” (27.7%) vs. Magpakailanman (14.2%)
Pinoy Big Brother Otso (15.5%) / Failon Ngayon (5.5%) vs. “Kapuso Movie Night (Saturday) ‘Kutob'” (6.4%) vs. Sine Squad (1.0%)
The Bottom Line With Boy Abunda (1.6%) / O Shopping Live (Replay) (0.8%) vs. “I-Witness The Gma Documentaries ‘Ang Unang Reyna'” (2.5%) / Shop Tv (0.2%)

 
27 January 2019 Comparative Total Philippines (Uban+ Rural)
Ratings Data: ABS-CBN vs. GMA7 and TV5 
O Shopping Live (Replay) (1.0%) vs. In Touch (0.3%) / Jesus The Healer (0.7%)
The Healing Eucharist (4.0%) vs. Pororo The Little Penguin (1.0%) / Thomas And Friends (1.5%) / Tobot (3.4%)
Swak Na Swak Ang Good Vibes Show Ng Bayan (2.9%) vs. Sonic Boom (4.6%)
Salamat Dok (3.9%) vs. Ben 10 (5.6%)
The Legend Of Korra (5.3%) vs. Aha (5.4%)
One Punch Man (7.1%) vs. Born To Be Wild (6.1%)
Matanglawin (7.3%) vs. I Bilib Featuring: Street Genius (6.4%)
Miss Intercontinental 2018 (10.1%) vs. “Kapuso Movie Festival (Sunday) ‘Antz'” (8.4%)
ASAP Natin ‘To (14.7%) vs. Sunday Pinasaya (8.2%)
Banana Sundae (14.3%) vs. Dear Uge (7.8%)
“Ang Hari FPJ On ABS-CBN ‘Umpisahan Mo… Tatapusin Ko'” (17.2%) vs. “Stories For The Soul
‘Maghihintay Ang Walang Hanggan'” (6.5%) / “The Atom Araullo Specials ‘Nino'” (6.2%)
Tv Patrol Weekend (15.4%) vs. 24 Oras Weekend (9.5%) vs. 2019 Pba Philippine Cup (Live) (2.8%)
Goin’ Bulilit (17.9%) vs. Amazing Earth Featuring Hello World! (15.7%)
“Wansapanataym ‘Mr. Cutepido'” (23.5%) vs. Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko (16.2%) vs. 2019 Pba Philippine Cup (Live) (4.0%)
World Of Dance Philippines (31.8%) vs. Studio 7 (13.4%)
Rated K Handa Na Ba Kayo? (21.7%) / Pinoy Big Brother Otso (11.2%) vs. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (24.0%) vs. Sports Center Philippines (0.8%) / Sine Squad (0.6%)
Gandang Gabi Vice (9.9%) vs. The Boobay And Tekla Show (7.1%)
“Sunday’s Best ‘Karla The Music Within'” (2.9%) vs. “Sunday Night Box Office ‘The Chronicles Of Riddick Dark Fury'” (2.4%)
O Shopping (0.8%) vs. “Diyos At Bayan ‘The Role Of Partylist In Nation Building'” (0.5%) vs. Shop Tv (0.1%)

Bagging the most nominations in major categories in this year’s Academy Awards, “The Favourite” vies for Best Picture, Best Director (Yorgos Lanthimos), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Olivia Colman), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best in Costume Design, Best in Film Editing and Best in Production Design. “The Favourite” stars a pool of strongly talented cast led by Olivia Colman along with Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn that brings us to the much-overlooked period of British monarchy during Queen Anne’s (Colman) reign, the last of the Stuart line of rulers, has perhaps in history has been unfairly dismissed.

As Britain wars with France, in the Queen’s court the absurdities of palace life run rife. Gout-ridden and beset by grief over the loss of no fewer than 17 children, Anne relies on her only confidant, Lady Sarah Churchill (Weisz), who keeps the Privy Purse and offers much more than guidance in the matters of state. Her relationship with the Queen is as intimate as it comes, but when she introduces her downtrodden cousin, Abigail Hill (Stone), to court, she soon discovers a rival for Anne’s affections, and so begins a struggle for power and love that might threaten the monarchy itself.

Meanwhile, orbiting these three women are the men who perhaps expected to be in charge, including Robert Harley (Hoult) the Tory leader of the opposition who misreads Abigail as a pawn to force his agenda, and Samuel Masham (Alwyn), the handsome nobleman who finds himself inextricably drawn to Abigail’s charms.

Like most, Colman had been unfamiliar with the story of Queen Anne. “The film is surprisingly accurate, because it does feel so far away from what we know to be period drama,” she notes. “But in a way, it’s less about the history of the piece as it is about this woman who has lost all these children, and her love for these other women. Anne displays every emotion, good and bad. Every trait. It’s great to play somebody who does so many things.”

Weisz, too, came to the film with little knowledge of the period. “Anne has been misunderstood and misrepresented – possibly by male historians – but she had more nous and political savvy and strength than has been credited to her previously.” Through Lanthimos’s lens, Weisz immediately saw an opportunity to offer something fresh to the genre. “What’s interesting is they’re in competition with each other, but there’s love, there’s envy, there’s rivalry. There’s a cliché in cinema of women being bitchy to one another, and this film plays with that, but it goes way beyond it, because what you discover is that there’s a real love story between the Queen and Lady Sarah. It’s not quite Casablanca but there’s a real, real love there.”

From Fox Searchlight Pictures/20th Century Fox, “The Favourite” will open February 20 exclusive at Ayala Malls Cinemas – Glorietta 4, Alabang Town Center, Trinoma and Ayala Center Cebu. Check www.sureseats.com to book tickets in advance.

From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), comes “Alita: Battle Angel,” an epic adventure of hope and empowerment, based upon the Manga graphic novel series by Yukito Kishiro. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyberphysician who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg core is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city, headed by Vector (Mahershala Ali), come after Ido and Alita that she discovers a clue to her past – she has unique fighting abilities ingrained in her that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love.

No decision was needed to bring Weta Digital on board Alita: Battle Angel; it was simply a given. From the lush wonders of Pandora in Avatar to Gollum in Lord of the Rings to the sentient primates of Planet of the Apes, Weta has propelled nearly every performance-capture milestone of the last two decades. In particular, spurred largely by Cameron’s aspirations for Avatar, Weta has revolutionized real-time digital capture of the human face, allowing for an actor’s natural expressions to be fully mapped and translated—the stuff of raw emotions intact—into CG animation. They remain the leaders of the field.

Says Cameron, “Weta still does the best facial animation of anybody out there—the most human, the most alive, the most emotional. So many other houses are trying to catch up, but Weta remains in front. I knew they had to do Alita, because you have to believe in her even in the tightest close-ups.”

Weta has kept surging forward since Avatar. Every aspect of their distinctive process has progressed, from more efficient workflows to more versatile digital lighting to an improved ability to simulate muscles and skin. This was all vital to infusing Salazar’s performance into Alita’s CG body and to blending the blistering action and emotional drama that had to feel equally real in the visuals.

Weta’s knowledge and command of the human face has also become deeper with every production. “I’ve worked with digital faces on many films, but I’ve never seen faces like these,” says animation supervisor Mike Cozens, who also worked on Avatar.

For Alita, Weta orchestrated a new level of CG facial sophistication. Explains Eric Saindon, visual effects supervisor for Weta and a two-time Oscar® nominee for The Hobbit series: “We’re now able to work at the level of the facial musculature—so it’s no longer about just moving the surface skin but moving the underlying muscles. You can see it in how the movements of Alita’s face look so much like Rosa’s. We spent hundreds and hundreds of hours just working with Alita’s mouth, because what makes even a big action scene work is getting the most human expressions and Rosa has a very expressive face.”

He continues: “We’re also constantly working on the performance capture system to get higher and higher fidelity, so there are many little subtleties you see in Alita that you wouldn’t have seen in Avatar or Planet of the Apes. It’s those little natural details that create that extra feeling of life.”

There was also zero doubt going in that the film would be shot in native 3D. “The best 3D is native 3D, you can’t just convert it later,” says Cameron. “Luckily, Robert had shot native 3D before, so he was completely familiar with the rigs and how they work.”

Rodriguez was indeed familiar with the basics, but he was exhilarated by how systems have leapt ahead. “The advances have been incredible over the last few years. I even forgot at times we were shooting with 3D cameras on Alita because they don’t slow you down at all anymore,” he says.

Both Cameron and Rodriguez share the view that 3D is just another tool in the filmmaker’s toolbox—a powerfully immersive tool but still in service to the storytelling. Editor Stephen Rivkin, an Oscar® nominee for Avatar, sums up: “Jim has always maintained that 3D must be an element of the story and not the star of the story.”

“Alita: Battle Angel” opens February 6 in cinemas nationwide (available in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX) in PH from 20th Century Fox.

Two of iWant’s new originals, “The Gift” and “S.P.A.R.K.,” which serve as the reunion projects of love teams NashLene and GraeDrea generate online buzz.

In Nash Aguas and Sharlene San Pedro’s “The Gift,” Cocoy (Nash), a teenager suffering from Asperger syndrome, meets and Tina (Sharlene), who has a congenital heart problem. The two meet in a therapy clinic and will soon find love and hope in each other. After the movie dropped on iWant, the hashtag #WatchTheGiftOniWant immediately made it to Twitter Philippines’ list of trending topics as fans and netizens commended the lead stars’ performances, as well as the movie’s story.

Twitter user @itsmerainrain2 posted, “It tackles mental illness and awareness. You can learn something from it..”

“Love this movie because it’s not just about love, family, and hope. It’s about psychological disorders that a person may experience, “ commented @itisMissAaa. User @zaynaness also added, “I’m a psychology major… and I can really tell that Nash perfectly portrayed his character. He studied it well. It makes me proud!”

“The story is so beautiful and the cast, especially Sharlene and Nash are excellent. It’s complete, will make you laugh, get kilig, and cry. It won’t waste your time!,” said @paulineeeee24 about the Onat Diaz film.

Like “The Gift,” “S.P.A.R.K.” also received loved from the fans of Andrea Brillantes and Grae Fernandez, whose last project was the Kapamilya series “Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin.” Directed by Carlo Po Artillaga, “S.P.A.R.K.” tells the story of Drei (Grae), a campus crush and trickster who gets into trouble after damaging the stalls of a pottery barn. As a punishment, the barn boss assigns Beth (Andrea), a sweet lad raised in the province, to teach him the basics of pottery. The two start out as enemies and eventually develop a friendship that blooms into something beautiful – a lot like love.

“#GraeDrea is so cute, their movie’s story is also great. They give me kilig. I hope they shoot a movie together and Grae Fernandez does more shows,” commented @Czarmiah.

“The Gift” and “S.P.A.R.K.” can be streamed on iWant via its iOS or Android apps or via web browser on iwant.ph. More subscribers can also get their iWant craving in the comfort of their own homes as they can already connect the streaming service to their TVs via Chromecast and Apple Airplay.

Mobile subscribers can also enjoy their favorite movies and shows on iWant whenever and wherever they are by subscribing to the telco providers’ respective promos. Smart, TNT, and Sun subscribers can now stream iWant videos via Smart Gigasurf 99 with Video Every Day for only P99, which comes with 2 GB data for surfing and all apps and an additional 1 GB per day to watch up to one hour of videos every day, valid for seven days. Globe mobile customers, meanwhile, can enjoy video streaming of their favorite Kapamilya movies and TV shows on iWant for as low as P29 with GoWATCH. To register, just text GOWATCH29 to 8080 and get 2 GB or up to five hours of streaming for iWant and other video apps & sites valid for one day.

For updates, like www.facebook.com/iWant, and follow @iwant on Twitter and @iwantofficial on Instagram, and subscribe to www.youtube.com/iWantPH.

Gun Atthaphan (full name: Atthaphan Phunsawat) from Thailand advanced to finals of “100 Asian Heartthrobs 2019” by winning our Group 11 poll!

The 25-year-old star of “Secret Seven” and “The Gifted” garnered a total of 22,844 votes beating seven other nominees in Group 11 by 67.33% He will compete in our final poll starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 11 is Kris Wu of China who got 6,009 votes. In third place is Kim Myung-Soo of Korea who received 2,234 votes. Both Kris and Myung-Soo will compete in the second of the two wildcard rounds happening on February 1, 2019.

No longer running for the title are Jameson Blake of the Philippines, Hyunjin of Korea, Derrick Monasterio of the Philippines, Taishi Nakagawa of Japan, and Benjamin Tang of Vietnam.

Here are the complete results:

SCHEDULE:

Jan. 29, 2019 – Announcement of Group 12 winner (12th finalist)
Jan. 30, 2019 – Announcement of Group 13 winner (13th finalist)
Jan. 30, 2019 – Announcement of Group 14 winner (14th finalist)
Jan. 31, 2019 – Announcement of Group 15 winner (15th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Announcement of Group 16 winner (16th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Start of Voting for 2nd Wild Card Round
Feb. 3, 2019 – Announcement of the Second Wildcard winners (19th and 20th finalists)
Feb. 3, 2019 – The Final Battle Begins!
Feb. 20, 2019 – Announcement of the 100 Asian Heartthrobs of 2019 by ranking
Feb. 20, 2019 – The winner of the Ultimate Asian Heartthrob of 2019 revealed

“PlayHouse” stars Carlo Aquino and Angelica Panganiban’s blockbuster film, “Exes Baggage,” is coming to television this weekend via KBO on ABS-CBN TVplus.

After almost 20 years, former couple Carlo and Angelica teamed up in a drama film about loving despite heartbreak from past relationships.

Follow the story of Nix, a musician who falls in love with Pia, who charms him despite being angst-ridden, in the film directed by Dan Villegas.

The said reunion movie raked in around P 350 million and is the first film produced by Black Sheep, a new division of ABS-CBN Films.

Aside from the blockbuster movie, the remastered film, “One More Chance,” as well as “Can We Still Be Friends,” “So Connected,” and “Triptiko” will also be shown this weekend.

Simply register using any prepaid or postpaid SIM. For prepaid, just load up (Globe, TM, Smart, Sun, TNT) with P30; press the green / INFO button on your TVplus box remote to get your box ID; then text KBO30 (date) to 2366.

Coming-off receiving three Oscar nominations for acting, writing and producing the critically acclaimed film “A Star Is Born,” Bradley Cooper now reunites with Clint Eastwood in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Mule,” following their blockbuster collaboration, “American Sniper.”

Check out the film’s trailer below:

https://youtu.be/ogvRRnLUxyU.

A certified $100-million box-office hit in the U.S., “The Mule” will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting January 30. Moviegoers can catch the film at the following Ayala Malls: Alabang Town Center, Bonifacio High Street, Glorietta 4, The 30th, Trinoma, U.P. Town Center and Ayala Center Cebu.

Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a man in his 80s who is broke, alone, and facing foreclosure of his business when he is offered a job that simply requires him to drive. Easy enough, but, unbeknownst to Earl, he’s just signed on as a drug courier for the cartel. He does well—so well, in fact, that his cargo increases exponentially, and Earl is assigned a handler. But he isn’t the only one keeping tabs on Earl, who has also hit the radar of hard-charging DEA agent Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper). And even as his money problems become a thing of the past, Earl’s past mistakes start to weigh heavily on him, and it’s uncertain if he’ll have time to right those wrongs before law enforcement, or the cartel’s enforcers, catch up to him.

Paralleling Earl’s story is that of the law enforcement agents who are trying to track down the various cartel mules, in particular the newest, Agent Colin Bates. Cooper plays the dog-with-a-bone DEA agent in hot pursuit of the enigmatic “mule” no one can seem to sniff out. Bates, who recently transferred into the unit, is not only trying to solve the case, but to show his superiors what he can do. Like Earl, he’s giving more of his time to work than to his family.

Cooper states, “Bates has just moved to Chicago and he’s trying to make his mark, so he can ultimately move on to a position where there are better hours. He spends a lot of time away from his family and they’re not so happy about that. But when he is assigned to find this mule who has been transporting a tremendous amount of cocaine across the country, he’s on the hunt. He thinks this could be his chance to impress.”

Ironically, when the two characters’ paths do cross, Cooper says, “there’s a connection between them, the mistakes they’ve made, the fact that neither has made family a priority. Earl urges Colin to make sure he takes the time he has and spends it with them.”

Working with Eastwood a second time was what drew Cooper to the project. “I had the honor to work with him in ‘American Sniper,’ but he wasn’t acting in it,” he says. “The fact that I would get to act with him in this movie made it an immediate ‘yes’ for me.”

Cooper not only enjoyed the moments on screen with Eastwood, but watching his performance from the sidelines as well. “There were two times on the set, watching him work, when I couldn’t stop tearing up!” he recalls. “Even once when I was in a scene with him, when my character certainly should not be crying, and I had to turn away. It was very moving. He’s a fantastic actor and he doesn’t act very often, so I think we all recognized the privilege of working with him,” Cooper concludes.

“The Mule” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a WarnerMedia Company. Use the hashtag #TheMule

Your friend’s birthday’s coming up, so you go to your favorite online shop searching for the perfect gift, only to be greeted with a gazillion choices from merchants you’ve never even heard of. So instead of basking in the convenience of online shopping, you leave the site more stressed than before. Sounds familiar? It should, because this scenario highlights one of the problems in age of online shopping – trust and authenticity.

Online shopping has truly revolutionized the way we buy stuff. Right now, we can practically buy anything online – from clothes, to food, to even cars! But the immense convenience that online shopping offers isn’t without its set of challenges. Obviously, we cannot physically examine products, so descriptions, pictures, and reviews have become our go-to resources when it comes to deciding whether something belongs to our cart or not.

It’s a bit like looking for a relationship (bear with me on this). The first thing you notice when you meet someone is the looks (packaging, description) and when you start being together (after purchase) you begin to find out if he or she is as you perceive them to be (verification of features). The information you’ll gather then becomes the basis whether you stay in the relationship or get out and look for another one (next purchase). Simple, right?

To help out buyers, online platforms have implemented all sorts of website features and functions to give us as much information as possible. Not sure how a certain dress will fit? The product listing probably includes a picture of a woman wearing the dress, complete with the model’s measurements. Some shops even show videos of the products in use to make us visualize how we can use the product after purchase.

But aside from the products themselves, we also have the problem if figuring out if what we’re looking at actually even exist! We’ve all been there: we type a product on the search bar and we’re presented with tons of choices of the same item with different ratings, different prices, and different brands from different shops! The biggest challenge? Finding out which ones are legit, have fair prices, and will actually get delivered to you. Whew!

What are our options?

This is why platforms such as Argomall.com are quite refreshing. Founded in 2015 by Filipino-owned conglomerate Transnational Diversified Group, Argomall operates with a simple premise: Let’s make consumers trust us by selling only authentic products with fair prices and simplifying the buying process. It also uses human customer service representatives instead of bots or automated responses to better serve its customers.

Building relationships with customers is a peculiar strategy in a digital world usually dictated by consumerism and advertisements. It makes sense though because as mentioned before, we decide whether to buy stuff in a manner similar to when we choose our personal relationships. After the initial purchase, we go back to a platform if it sells authentic items, is transparent with its pricing and promotions, and strives to build trust among its patrons.

While it’s well and good that a platform is truthful about its product descriptions or terms, we often have a limited budget to work with, so price really matters. Having dozens of versions of the same item with vastly different prices (not to mention hidden charges, fake discounts, or bogus markdowns) only serve to confuse buyers, so it’s really a boon that sites like Argomall only post a single price for each item, which already includes shipping fee.

In the end, we as consumers have the responsibility of choosing which sites can best serve our needs. We shouldn’t just go to an online shop just because it’s popular. What if they don’t have a clear policy when it comes to returns or refund of items? What if they don’t care much about your privacy and data? These are among the new set of considerations we must think about in the digital world, and fortunately, we now have alternative websites and platforms like Argomall (which even provides Philippine warranty for all items) that address them.

Does putting emphasis on trust, transparency and authenticity really the way to go in the digital age? Time will tell. But knowing what really is important to customers is a huge step towards gaining their confidence and building meaningful and reliable relationships. And sometimes, that is all that is needed.

In 2016, NEWS5 broke away from the usual reporting style by launching the highly entertaining “B.A.Y.A.W. for President” election advocacy campaign starring comedian Jun Sabayton.

A series of vignettes in which fictional events were presented to create a parody of sorts highlighting the Philippines’ political landscape at the time, B.A.Y.A.W. or “Bagong Alyansang Ayaw sa Walanghiya” platform was presented with irreverent humor and slapstick comedy designed to mock the traditional Filipino politician or “trapo” as it is referred to in Filipino pop culture.

For 2019, the news organization once again chose an innovative and trailblazing route to come up with its electoral advocacy campaign as part of Bilang Pilipino. This time, the NEWS5 organization turned to the 2016 election for inspiration, seeing how social media amplified the voice of the ordinary or common Filipino and how it played a crucial role in electing the current President, Rodrigo Duterte. With more than 100 million mobile users, the Philippines ranks as the top country in the world with the longest time spent online, allowing Filipinos unprecedented access and power in terms of likes, comments and shares.

Unfortunately, along with great online power, came the proliferation of fake news and online trolling. The relative anonymity of the internet, empowered netizens to express themselves in the most inhuman way possible. Consequently, it is now commonplace to encounter “troll accounts” that spread lies, hurl insults, and even make grave threats – all without being held accountable for their actions.

This online trolling behavior is what NEWS5 will tackle in their 2019 advocacy campaign #TolWagTroll, Respeto Lang. The theme serves as a reminder to be mindful of one’s behavior, whether online or offline.

Recently, NEWS5 launched its 2019 campaign with the #TolWagTroll Rap De-Battle. Hosted by “Sumbungan ng Bayan” anchor Raffy Tulfo and renowned rapper Loonie, the TV special featured rappers Flict-G, J-King, Jonas, Lhip Kram, M Zhayt, and Poison 13. Using rhyme and rhythm, they debated relevant hot topics and proved that while each rapper could be on opposite sides of an issue, they can also remain respectful of one another’s views and opinions.

Other materials supporting this message will be airing both on TV and online. For more election-related information, visit news.tv5.com.ph/bilangpilipino.

Veteran actress and Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz joins the cast of the hit afternoon soap “Los Bastardos” as Consuelo Cuevas, a woman with a mysterious past. This comes at the heel of the introduction of Lorenzo, played by Joseph Marco, who is another one of Don Roman’s (Ronaldo Valdez) sons.

Meanwhile, the highly anticipated revelation that Isagani (Jake Cuenca) is a Cardinal on Monday (January 21) drew a new all-time high national TV rating of 17.7% for the show according to data from Kantar Media. It bested rival program “Wowowin” (14.8%).

The discovery that Isagni is Roman Jr. elated Don Roman, whose biggest challenge now is uniting his four sons – Isagani, Matteo (Marco Gumabao), Connor (Joshua Colet), and Lucas (Albie Casiño). Unbeknownst to them, a new threat is coming: a fifth brother, Lorenzo, exists and is seeking to avenge his mother after he was made to believe that it was Don Roman who tried to have her killed.

How will Don Roman, Isagani, Matteo, Connor, and Lucas deal with the arrival of Lorenzo?

Tune in to “Los Bastardos” every afternoon on Kapamilya Gold, after “Kadenang Ginto.”

In the latest commercial for this todo toppings, todo sarap Jollibee Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog, the young actor goes all out!

When it comes to scenes of pure drama—complete with heart-wrenching tears—we can always rely on young actor Joshua Garcia to deliver.

In his latest ad for Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog, Joshua shows off his acting chops and proves that he is truly a capable performer to watch out for.

The scene starts out with familiar elements: a dark, rainy night. A group of friends. And Jollibee’s Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog delivered right at home. Just when the group is about to dig in, a door opens to reveal Joshua, who rightfully feels betrayed that his friends have started to eat without him.

Right on cue, dramatic background music begins to play—and the actor unleashes the full force of his acting prowess. He seamlessly goes through a melodramatic line and even sheds a couple of tears. His friends come over to console him, but Joshua shakes them off and eventually breaks character to reveal that he was just joking around.

“Todo-drama talaga ang ginawa ko sa eksena,” Joshua shared. “’Yung performance na ibinigay ko doon ay parang sa mga drama movies na napanood na nating lahat, kaya todo enjoy talaga!”

Todo Toppings, Todo Sarap

Joshua’s reaction in the ad when his friends enjoyed their Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog without him is perfectly understandable. On the other hand, the friends who just can’t wait to eat are relatable, too—after all, who can resist the todo toppings, todo sarap deliciousness of Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog?

With a beefy, juicy sausage at its core, the Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog also comes with a soft bun, a flavorful smear of special dressing, a generous sprinkling of grated cheese, and a drizzling of sweet, tangy ketchup. The result of this combination is unforgettable, incomparable flavor with every bite!

In this latest Jollibee campaign, Joshua knows that he is not the only one going all the way to todo. “Bawat kagat talaga ng Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog, alam mong todo lahat, lalo sa toppings! Todo sarap, todo enjoy kasama ang buong barkada!”

Bite into the Todo Toppings, Todo Sarap goodness of the Cheesy Classic Jolly Hotdog today! Prices start at P50.00* (solo) and available in all Jollibee stores nationwide for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru transactions.

For more information on Jollibee’s products and promotions, like Jollibee Philippines on Facebook, subscribe to Jollibee Studios on YouTube, and follow @Jollibee on Twitter and Instagram.

* Prices may vary across different locations

Energy is important to our everyday life as it is the one who literally keeps us going. If we get too tired, out quality of work and life may change which may be a problem in some situations. That’s why we need to be fully energized day by day and here’s how to do it:

1. Never skip meals, especially breakfast. Make sure you properly feed yourself with healthy foods.

2. Drink lots and lots of water. Water replenishes the lost body fluid, if we have adequate water we won’t feel too tired and sluggish.

3. Keep moving and take something that can aid in boosting your energy!

For your daily energy boost, get it from food supplements with combinations of Taurine, Ginseng, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin B1, B6 and B12 can also help in providing daily energy boost as these components may have the ability to provide extra energy while improving alertness and focus.

Taurine and Ginseng promotes alertness, reduces stress and provide energy boost, Sodium Ascorbate helps in tiredness prevention and muscle weakness, Vitamin B1 aids in converting food into energy, Vitamin B6 enhances metabolism speed and Vitamin B12 aids in energy production. Now if you think it’s hard to find a product that has benefits like this and caffeine free check Mercury Drug and get your Robust Energy there!

Controlling the appetite is one of the things you need to do in jumpstarting weight loss. You need to keep your body satiated without cravings and once your body is used to it, that’s when you can rely on your strict diet and regular exercise. Controlling your appetite does not mean you will force yourself to not eat at all but to make sure you eat fibrous food that has the ability to make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Fiber can prevent obesity as it slows down the rate at which food enters the blood stream and speeds up the exit of these foods through the digestive tract. This helps not only in controlling your appetite but also in quickly eliminating toxins in your gut.

If you want to detoxify regularly, you just have to look for components such as Oat Fiber, Alfalfa, Aloe Vera and Psyllium Husk that is responsible for easy colon cleanse and Green Tea and Pu’er Tea which helps your body digest fat faster than normal.

Each of these components have their corresponding health benefits that when combined, will result to proper detoxification and cleansing of the body. Oat Fiber helps in controlling the appetite which prevents you from intense and unnecessary craving, Alfalfa helps in nourishing the digestive system, Aloe Vera helps in cleaning the gut, Psyllium Husk makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time while making sure the digestive tract is cleansed. Green Tea on the other hand is popular for burning excess fat by speeding up the metabolism and Pu’er Tea is helps eliminate the fats that are hard to digest. Once you know a product with these components, take a hold of it these ingredients are helpful in keeping your gut healthy while making sure you’re fit! There are many brands but FatOut is the only supplement that contains all these components! Talk of the town is that FatOut is now more affordable than ever with SRP 25.00 per capsule! With this new suggested retail price, cleansing is easier now. Head over to nearby Mercury Drug stores and check it out now.

K-pop fans have reason to cheer – MTV Asia introduces ‘The Show’ to Southeast Asia for the first time! The variety music programme is a weekly series that will be aired live from South Korea and shown exclusively on MTV Asia in this region. Hosted by Jang Ye-eun from CLC and Jeno from NCT, and subtitled in English, it makes sure you stay on the pulse of what’s hot in K-pop. Check out performances by the latest chart-toppers, behind the scenes footage of K-pop artistes, and be a part of a global fan voting process.

The Show showcases the biggest names in K-pop and airs live on Tuesday, at 4pm (WIB, VN), 5pm (PH, SG) and 6pm (MY). Catch the replay on Saturday at 10am (WIB, VN), 11am (PH, SG) and on Sunday, 12am (MY).

“Proud and excited to be the first in Southeast Asia to premiere The Show, we truly believe this is the answer to our fans’ call for all things K-pop. If there’s one thing a K-pop fan needs to tune in to, this is it!” said Abhishek K Rao, Senior Director, MTV Brand, Southeast Asia.

A unique segment of The Show is its ‘The Show Choice’ element, a global and real-time voting system where adoring fans can play a part in choosing their top idols via the Starpass[1] app. Fans are able to vote before the show and even during the live segments. Past K-pop groups that have appeared on The Show include Wanna One, IZ*ONE, Monsta X, NCT and Red Velvet.

Thai actor Tay Tawan and Indonesian actor Aliando Syarief will advance to the finals of “100 Asian Heartthrobs 2019” by winning our Group 12 and 13 polls, respectively.

Tay of Thailand, star of “Secret Seven” and “Kiss Me Again,” bested 7 other nominees in his group by garnering 111,013 votes or 52.17% He will compete in our final poll starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 12 is GOT7’s Jinyoung who got a close 93,246 votes. In third place is Nepal’s Salin Man Bania. Both Tay and Salin will compete in the last wildcard round happening on February 1, 2019.

Group 12 Results:

Meanwhile, Indonesian actor/singer Aliando Syarief, ruled Group 13 with 16,693 votes. He will also compete in our final poll starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 13 is EXO’s Kai of Korea and in third place is China’s Lay. Both of them will compete in the last wildcard round happening on February 1, 2019.

Group 13 Results:

SCHEDULE:

Jan. 30, 2019 – Announcement of Group 14 winner (14th finalist)
Jan. 31, 2019 – Announcement of Group 15 winner (15th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Announcement of Group 16 winner (16th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Start of Voting for 2nd Wild Card Round
Feb. 3, 2019 – Announcement of the Second Wildcard winners (19th and 20th finalists)
Feb. 3, 2019 – The Final Battle Begins!
Feb. 20, 2019 – Announcement of the 100 Asian Heartthrobs of 2019 by ranking
Feb. 20, 2019 – The winner of the Ultimate Asian Heartthrob of 2019 revealed

Having appeared in and directed a number of films involving animals — including helming the two hit Dolphin Tale movies — Charles Martin Smith, director of Columbia Pictures’ heartwarming tale A Dog’s Way Home, admits to being enthralled with the genre.

Lucas(Jonah Hauer King), Bella (Shelby) and Terri (Ashley Judd) in Columbia Pictures’ A DOG’S WAY HOME.

“I’m probably the only director in the business that actually prefers working with kids and animals,” says Smith with a laugh. “I’m fascinated by making movies about animals, nature, and wilderness, and A Dog’s Way Home combines them in a way that’s very exciting for me. When I was a young man acting in Never Cry Wolf, the director of that film, Carroll Ballard, taught me so much about working in nature and working with animals and understanding how to capture that on film. I try to carry that forward in the films that I make now.”

Based on the bestselling novel by the beloved author of A Dog’s Purpose, A Dog’s Way Home is an emotionally charged and uplifting spiritual odyssey that follows the adventure of Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard), a dog who embarks on an epic 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her beloved human, Lucas (played Jonah Hauer-King), an aspiring med student and VA hospital volunteer. Bella touches the lives of many during her unwavering quest; from an orphaned mountain lion cub to a homeless veteran down on his luck, Bella brings joy and comfort to everyone she meets with her unique spirit and faith.

Watch the film’s trailer below:

“The thing about animals as opposed to human actors is that animals will always be honest,” Smith says. “You’ll never get a false moment out of an animal; there’s an innocence and purity about them as characters in film that I find endlessly interesting.”

Joining Smith in the big-screen retelling of Bella’s journey is Ashley Judd, who previously worked with the director on two other beloved films about an animal: Dolphin Tale and its sequel.

“Charles Martin Smith is the director of the movie and we made two Dolphin Tale movies together,” said Judd in an interview with Parade. “I knew that in his capable hands the movie would be very touching, very inspirational but also very grounded and authentic. I love that the movie deals with big social themes, such as veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with homelessness, and our family of choice — the people with whom we choose to spend our lives.”

(l to r) Terri (Ashley Judd), Bella (Shelby) and two Vets (Rolando Boyce and Annie Nelson) in Columbia Pictures’ A DOG’S WAY HOME.

In the film, Judd plays Terri, a veteran affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and finds that having Bella in her home is able to give her considerable relief. “As someone who has had service animals, I’m very familiar with the way that these animals are of extraordinary benefit to their humans,” says Judd. “When Terri has [PTSD] episodes, Bella recognizes that, and she’s there to put her chin on Terri’s leg, to comfort her, and to help bring her back to the present moment, to get her back into her body, and out of being stuck in the past traumatic event that happened when she was in the U.S. military.”

“A Dog’s Way Home is a break from the world in which we’re living today,” concludes Judd. “It’s a reminder that we all have really deep needs for connection, belonging, purpose… and those needs are reflected in the movie through Bella’s journey.”

In Philippine cinemas February 6, A Dog’s Way Home is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Use the hashtag #ADogsWayHome

Apey and Mark’s journey as housemates, and as siblings, is now even more meaningful as the Binibining Daldal of Gen San has been reunited with their father last Sunday (January 27).

Tears and forgiveness marked the reunion of Apey and her father, Mariano Obera, who apologized for being absent in her life for 23 years. After Apey shared what she went through with her father, the latter couldn’t help but feel sorry for not being there for her but at the same time proud that she was able to overcome many things.

The reunion was made possible after Apey, with the help of older brother Mark, the Incredible Itay of Compostela Valley, successfully finished a task of moving time forward by pulling the hands of a giant clock.

As 2-in-1 housemates, Apey and Mark, now face a new challenge after being nominated for eviction along with Wakim, the Gifted Go-Getter of Iloilo, and Abi, the Kolehiyala Cutie of Isabela.

Who among them will get to stay in Kuya’s house? Tune in to “PBB Otso” to find out.

Watch “PBB Otso” every night on Primetime Bida after “Halik,” every Saturday after “Home Sweetie Home,” and every Sunday after “Wansapanataym.” Viewers can also tune in every afternoon to “PBB Otso Gold” on Kapamilya Gold after “Los Bastardos.” Fans can follow “Camp Star Hunt” and “PBB Otso” on iWant for catch-up episodes and livestreams for both houses.

Follow @PBBabscbntv on Facebook, @PBBabscbn on Twitter, @pbb_abscbn on Instagram, and Pinoy Big Brother on YouTube. Also follow @starhuntabscbn on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Columbia Pictures has just unveiled the brand new posters for its two upcoming thrillers — Escape Room from the producers of Fast and the Furious, and Zombieland: Double Tap, showing original cast Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, and Emma Stone after ten years (in a #10YearChallenge mode.)

Check out the brand new posters below!

Escape Room opens in Philippine cinemas on February 27, to be followed by Zombieland: Double Tap in October 2019. They are distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

About Escape Room

Escape Room is a psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die.

Columbia Pictures presents an Original Film production, Escape Room. Starring Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine, Nik Dodani, with Yorick van Wageningen. Directed by Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key). Produced by Neal H. Moritz (The Fast and the Furious franchise) and Ori Marmur. Screenplay by Bragi Schut and Maria Melnik. Story by Bragi Schut. Use the hashtag #EscapeRoomMovie

About Zombieland: Double Tap

A decade after Zombieland became a hit film and a cult classic, the lead cast (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, and Emma Stone) have reunited with director Ruben Fleischer (Venom) and writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Deadpool) for Zombieland: Double Tap. In the sequel, through comic mayhem that stretches from the White House and through the heartland, these four slayers must face off against the many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the first movie, as well as some new human survivors. But most of all, they have to face the growing pains of their own snarky, makeshift family.

Newwiee from Thailand and Grae Fernandez of the Philippines advance to the finals of “100 Asian Heartthrobs 2019” by topping Group 14 and 15 polls, respectively.

Actor Newwie, also known as New Thitipoom, garnered a total of 23,621 votes beating seven other nominees in Group 14 by 81.83% He will compete against 19 other finalists in our final poll starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 14 is Kim Mingyu of Korea who got 2,017 votes. In third place is Gerald Anderson of the Philippines who received 1,408 votes. Both Mingyu and Gerald will compete in the second of the two wildcard rounds happening on February 1, 2019.

In Group 15, it was Grae Fernandez of the Philippines who emerged victorious.

The young Filipino actor garnered a total of 24,073 votes beating 7 other nominees in his group by 50.42% He will compete in the final round starting February 3, 2019.

Placing second in Group 15 is Lee Min-Ho of Korea who got 18,742 votes. In third place is Jack Reid of the Philippines who received 1,347 votes. Both Min-Ho and Jack will compete in the second of the two wildcard rounds happening on February 1, 2019 (tomorrow).

SCHEDULE:

Feb. 1, 2019 – Announcement of Group 16 winner (16th finalist)
Feb. 1, 2019 – Start of Voting for 2nd Wild Card Round
Feb. 3, 2019 – The Final Battle Begins!
Feb. 20, 2019 – Announcement of the 100 Asian Heartthrobs of 2019 by ranking
Feb. 20, 2019 – The winner of the Ultimate Asian Heartthrob of 2019 revealed