Greatness from Imperfections -- J. EDGAR Movie Review

POTATO ON THE GO REVIEW (Movie):

One thing I admire about Leonardo DiCaprio is how how he progresses as an actor, how he outdo what he has done previously, and how he reinvents himself and presents a whole new package everytime he comes out in a movie.  And this is what I witnessed in the latest  movie offering of Warner Bros., J. EDGAR.

J. EDGAR tells the story of J. Edgar Hoover who was considered as the face of law enforcement in USA for almost 50 years.  He was feared and admired, reviled and revered.  But behind closed doors, he held delicate secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career and his life.  Directed by Client Eastwood, J. EDGAR, topbilled by Leonardo DiCaprio explored the life, both public and private, of the most powerful, controversial and enigmatic figures of the 20th Century.  The movie also stars Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Damon Herriman, Ed Westwick, and Jeffrey Donovan.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO gets R-18 Without Cuts from MTRCB

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (Movie):

Columbia Pictures' critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated thriller “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” gets an R-18 rating and has been approved without cuts by the Movies & Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) of the Philippines. This means, only audiences 18-years-old and above may be admitted when it opens in selected theaters on Feb. 1.

Magnavision's newly released videos now available nationwide

POTATO ON THE GO (Video):

Did you miss some of the coolest movies of 2011 or do you want to watch again your most favorite films of last year, in a guilt free and much better way?  Worry no more!  Magnavision has recently released the newest titles for its DVD, VCD and Blu-ray collection which is available in video stores nationwide!

First there is the romantic comedy Crazy Stupid Love!

Crazy, Stupid, Love, the perfect combination of sexy and cute, will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and VCD this month from Warner Home Entertainment Group. Adapted from a screenplay by Dan Fogelman (“Cars” films), Crazy, Stupid, Love is a critically acclaimed romantic comedy-drama that follows a man’s perfect life unraveling after he discovers his wife is having an affair, turning his whole world upside down.

Kate Beckinsale Returns as Selene in UNDERWORLD AWAKENING

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (Movie):

Fans of Kate Beckinsale and  the first two Underworld films will surely be thrilled by the return of the actress as the fearsome Vampire huntress Selene, in Columbia Pictures' 3D action-thriller “Underworld Awakening.” “We really wanted to work with Kate again,” says producer Gary Lucchesi. “Sometimes the stars just align themselves perfectly and this is one of those times.”

Beckinsale admits she thought twice about slipping back into the familiar skintight black latex suit before accepting the part again. “But it was a life-changing role for me, so I feel very affectionate towards it. It’s exciting to be able to follow a character over such a long period of time. It’s rare to get that chance.”

Tom Rosenberg, Lakeshore Entertainment chairman and CEO, says he’s thrilled to have Beckinsale in the film. “She is Selene, and Selene is the heart and soul of Underworld. Right from that first scene in the first film, she embodied the perfect tone.”

Jack TV conquers weekend viewing with the launch of its Saturday Night Laugh block!

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (TV):

This January, Jack TV conquers the weekend viewing with the launch of its Saturday Night Laugh block! This block of shows will surely give you every reason to stay home on a Saturday night as it delivers top-notch laughs from the most-loved and most-anticipated new shows. Catch the latest seasons of The Simpsons, Family Guy and Saturday Night Live as well as breakout animations Napoleon Dynamite and Allen Gregory first and exclusively on Jack TV!

Entering its 23rd season and approaching its historic milestone 500th episode, The Simpsons have even more laughs and adventures lined up for fans. Their latest escapades include Homer attempting to help a former CIA agent, Bart and Lisa becoming successful food bloggers and Marge worrying about Homer’s health when he becomes a workaholic at the nuclear plant. Also dropping by to join in the fun are guest stars Michael Cera, Armie Hammer, Joan Rivers, Jane Lynch and Chef Gordon Ramsey, who all lend their voices. Premieres January 21, Saturday at 8PM.

Based on the hit film Napoleon Dynamite tells the story of awkward teenager Napoleon. Convinced that he is destined for greatness and blessed with unlimited “sweet abilities”, he spends his days practicing ninja moves, soul dancing and bragging about a girlfriend no one has ever seen. Together with his best friend Pedro, brother Kip, and Uncle Rico, Napoleon struggles to navigate small-town life in rural Idaho . Jon Heder and the rest of the original cast will voice their characters in the series, which will include regular guest star voice appearances from well known celebrities. Premieres January 28, Saturday at 8:30PM.

GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE to heat up the big screen in February 2012

POTATO ON THE GO  BULLETIN (Movie):

Nicolas Cage returns to the big screen as Johnny Blaze in Warner Bros.' new action-thriller “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.” In this gritty new vision for the character, directed by Neveldine/Taylor (“Crank”), Johnny is still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – but he may risk everything as he teams up with the leader of a group of rebel monks (Idris Elba) to save a young boy from the devil… and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

United International Pictures and Solar Entertainment Announce Record Breaking Gross in 2011 and Exciting Movie Line-up for 2012

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (Movie):

United International Pictures. together with its Philippine affiliate Solar Entertainment Corp., one of the country’s leading film distributors, recently announced its record breaking theatrical gross of PhP 1.6 Billion (and still counting!) in 2011 which they consider as their biggest year of all time!  This was revealed by Solar Entertainment Corp. President Mr. Wilson Tieng. 

Tent-poles films, which were mostly great sequels, such as Fast and Furious 5, Kung Fu Panda 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Marvel’s Thor quickly escalated the gross tallies to 1 billion in the second quarter of 2011.

With this monumental feat, UIP and Solar also announced their line-up of movies for the year which also have all the potential to reach 1 billion this year.  These movies are:

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. In the epic retelling of the classic tale Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays as the one person in the land fairer than the Evil Queen (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) who dispatches the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) to destroy her. Unknown to the Queen, The Huntsman becomes the protector of the young woman threatening her reign, training her in the art of war. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power. This breathtaking new twist of the legendary tale is from producers Joe Roth (Alice in Wonderland), Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION. The upcoming sequel to 2009’s sci-fi-action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra, Retaliation continues where Rise of the Cobra left off. The G.I. Joe team is framed as traitors by Zartan, last seen disguised as the U.S. President). The Joes gather their numbers to expose the truth, and stop Cobra. Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce and Lee Byung-hun reprise their roles as Duke, Zartan, Snake Eyes, The US President, and Storm Shadow, respectively, with the star addition of Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson.

Good Things Come in Small Packages -- ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED Movie Review

POTATO ON THE GO Review (Movie):

In animation and in live action, the whole world has fallen in love with Alvin and the Chipmunks.  For sure, following it up with a new movie sequel will be quite challenging for the producers.  How else can you make it more fun?  'But this is the challenge that 20th Century Fox accepted and perhaps they are jumping in joy right now with the success of their newest offering ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED!

Spielberg's TERRA NOVA to premiere on Jack TV this coming January 12

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (TV):

Steven Spielberg's sci-fi family adventure drama series TERRA NOVA is set to premiere first and exclusively on Jack TV this coming January 12, Thursday at 7PM. It’s the year 2149 and the world is dying due to overdevelopment and overcrowding. With the majority of plant and animal life extinct, mankind realizes that its only opportunity for survival is a trip to the distant past.

A Classic Story with Cutting Edge Execution -- SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS Moview Review

POTATO ON THE GO REVIEW (Movie):

For movie makers, transforming a literary classic into a movie masterpiece is always a challenge.  If one follows the story page per page, he may hear reactions that it's no different from the book.  'But if he changes it dramatically, he will surely hear nasty remarks from the book fans.  For me, once a book is made into a film, the director and screen writer are given the freedom to make their cinematic interpretations of the literary piece.  And from the recent movie I saw, the SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS, during its recent Philippine premiere by Warner Bros. in Glorietta 4, I could say that the film makers are able to give an edgy execution out of a literary classic and well loved characters. 

Directed by Guy Ritchie and written by Michele Mulrony and Kieren Mulroney SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS is an action mystery movie based on the character of the same name created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  A sequel to the 2009 film SHERLOCK HOLMES, the movie brings back Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law to reprise their roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, and several other actors as characters they played in the 2009 film.   The film is inspired by Conan Doyle's work The Final Problem, but it is an independent story rather than a strict adaptation and this where cinematic freedom is maximized.

Catch PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Season 2 on ETC starting January 7

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, the most tweeted about TV show of 2011 had its fans on the edge of their seats as its mix of mystery, scandal, intrigue and nail-biting suspense proves to be a hit formula with audiences in different parts of the globe.  Now, the lies will continue to pile up when the long-awaited mid-season return of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Season 2 on ETC begins Saturday, January 7 at 8PM.

Network Wars continues as GMA Network posts breakthrough ratings performance in 2011

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN (TV):

With TV5's entry to the big three, alongside ABS-CBN and GMA Network, network wars in the Philippines continues to heat and gets even more exciting!

GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) recently announced that for 2011, it altered television channel ranking as it overtook ABS-CBN in nationwide total day household audience share, placing the latter only to second rank - according to broadcast industry's more trusted ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

Based on full 2011 nationwide data of Nielsen (December 25 to 31 based on overnight ratings), GMA posted a 34.2 percent total day average television household audience share, outscoring ABS-CBN's 31.1 percent and TV5's 15.6 percent by substantial gaps.

GMA noticeably increased its total day household audience share record in 2011 versus 2010 by 3.2 points. In contrast, ABS-CBN's record suffered a significant drop of 8.6 points during the same period.

The country's first epic TV series Amaya

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law back in SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS!

Did you miss the powerful tandem of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes?  Worry no more!  The action duo is back as Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law returns as his friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, in Warner Bros.’ new action-adventure “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

Here's film’s Special Content Trailer:

Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large—Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris)—and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may give him an advantage over the renowned detective. Around the globe, headlines break the news: a scandal takes down an Indian cotton tycoon; a Chinese opium trader dies of an apparent overdose; bombings in Strasbourg and Vienna; the death of an American steel magnate… No one sees the connective thread between these seemingly random events—no one, that is, except the great Sherlock Holmes, who has discerned a deliberate web of death and destruction. At its center sits a singularly sinister spider: Moriarty.

Warner Bros. Unveils Line-up for 2012; includes DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE HOBBIT and WRATH OF THE TITANS

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN:

Warner Bros. continues to be one of the formidable forces in movie making as it unveils its powerful line-up for 2012.   Warner Bros' offering of the year consists of much awaited tent-pole releases (“The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Hobbit”), blockbuster sequels (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sherlock Holmes 2”), potential franchise-starters (“Jack and the Giant Killer,” “Dark Shadows”) and prestige titles (“Gravity,” “J. Edgar”). With all these surefire bets, what's not to like?

The Dark Knight Rises. The epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Christian Bale again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Marion Cotillard, as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes the first of two films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

Wrath of the Titans. A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus (Sam Worthington) —the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson)—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. But Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades (Ralph Fiennes) makes a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus.

20th Century Fox Reveals Fantastic Movie Line-up for 2012

POTATO ON THE GO BULLETIN:

It's the start of  2012 and movie buffs can't wait to know what exciting films are lined up by major studios for the year!  20th Century Fox won't be far behind as it anchors in 2012 with big screen adaptation of classic favorites from television and books, phenomenal movie franchises and a novelty of ideas captured in unparalleled 3D technology employed by the Fox lot.

Supervised by George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic, “Star Wars Episode 1: the Phantom Menace” undergoes meticulous technological and artistic conversion for its long-awaited 3D movie release. Navigating within a galaxy far, far away, the movie conversion is set to deliver most of the Saga’s amazing scenes from the peaceful planet of Naboo to nearby ally and warring galaxies.

The returning cast of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” strikes a third in “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” where Dave (Jason Lee) is on board a luxury cruise liner with the gang for a well-deserved break. Incidentally, they find themselves in a deserted island after going overboard during the trip. Thinking that they have found a tropical paradise, they soon found out that they are not alone.