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‘Shang-Chi’ film: A beautiful, poetic story
By Wendell Gaa “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a dazzling triumph of the highest order. As MCU’s first Asian-led feature, this is a movie which happily exceeded my expectations and is truly the superhero genre’s homage to the best of Asian and martial […]
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Figuring out the ‘safest’ way to film during the pandemic
Up-and-coming New York filmmaker Michael Manese gears up to shoot his fourth film tentatively titled “Asian PersuAsian” amid a coronavirus pandemic that has halted production and possibly the film’s release. Manese’s project has an All-Filipino/ FilAm cast, all based in New York and New Jersey. The film is made possible by a grant from the Inwood Art […]
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In ‘Nerisa,’ Viva brings back Regal’s low-budget blockbuster formula
By Joel David Among the Philippines’s media-streaming participants, Viva Films has resumed its early role as determined new player, the same way it set out to challenge the then-nearly monolithic Regal Films when it first emerged during the 1980s. This time, however, it also seems to be partaking of the innovations that Regal once became […]
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Eric Celerio: When your father is a Master
By Cristina DC Pastor When you’re the son of a brilliant music composer who is also a National Artist in the homeland, one cannot hide in anonymity for so long. At least not in New York City. Somehow, Eric Celerio managed to do so for many years since he came to the U.S. in 1975. […]
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‘The Lion King,’ ‘Aladdin’ are back on Broadway and so is FilAm cast; Vince Ermita debuts as Young Simba
“The Lion King” and “Aladdin” are returning to Broadway this fall, it was announced by Disney Theatrical Productions. Both companies will welcome back nearly all of the cast members who were performing when Broadway shut down last March, along with exciting fresh faces. “The Lion King” begins performances on Tuesday, September 14 at the Minskoff Theatre. “Aladdin” resumes performances on […]
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Home cook fan fave with 45M views on YouTube wins Top Chef Amateurs
By Loida Nicolas Lewis Lorenzo L. Beronilla landed his Epicurious 4 Levels Series on YouTube almost like a fluke. But on second thought, he felt, “It is fate. I was at the right place at the right time.” A friend referred him to an Epicurious cooking pilot series on YouTube. They liked what they saw and […]
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Jhett Tolentino debuts as feature film director in ‘Asian Persuasion’
By Cristina DC Pastor “Asian Persuasion” is the complicated story of Mickey and Avery, a newly-divorced couple. It is also the story of a creative collaboration between a theater impresario and a liquor entrepreneur on a comedic crime story that involves a nutty plot, a romance gone wrong, and catfishing. Theater producer Jhett Tolentino has […]
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Pop star Olivia Rodrigo rallies 20M fans to get their jabs
FilAm actress, singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is using her voice to speak to young Americans about the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. At a press briefing on July 14, Rodrigo, a Filipino American multiplatinum recording artist, faced White House journalists before she was to meet President Biden and his chief medical advisor Dr. […]
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‘Black Widow:’ An enjoyable spy family drama
By Wendell Gaa Having stayed away from cinema houses since the start of the pandemic early last year, I recently joined my office colleagues to see the premiere screening of “Black Widow” at a movie theater here in Ankara, Turkey where I am currently assigned with the Philippine Embassy. “Black Widow” turned out to be […]