History alive and kicking at this year’s Oscars

LOS ANGELES – History is alive and kicking at this year’s Oscars in an unusually rich year for movies that plumb the distant and recent American past and have resonated with both audiences and voters.
Four of the nine Best Picture nominees at Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony — Iran hostage drama “Argo,” Osama bin Laden thriller “Zero Dark Thirty,” slavery revenge fantasy “Django Unchained” and U.S. presidential drama “Lincoln” — are the most discussed films of the awards season, with their very different takes on historical events.
“It’s an interesting year for thought-provoking movies that have a semblance of reality. Some look to where we come from and where we are going, and they get people thinking,” said Pete Hammond, awards columnist for entertainment industry website Deadline.com.
It’s a sharp contrast with 2012 when the silent film comedy “The Artist” was embraced by the 6,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a love letter to old Hollywood.
This time, terrorism, slavery, war, politics and the CIA take center stage in films that try to make sense of calamitous times for the United States and draw lessons for the future.

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Marian laughs off Dennis ‘hardness’

TALAGANG tirahin pa rin si Marian Rivera lalo na nga’t patuloy ang pamamayagpag ng kanyang Temptation of Wife na pinatutumba lahat ng mga katapat na programa, huh!

Ang latest na tsismis kay Marian ay ang diumano pagwu-walk out niya sa set ng TOW. Hindi raw niya nagustuhan ang script ng episode na iti-tape na sinulat ng headwriter.

Sad to say, imbento lang pala ’yung walk out na ’yon, huh! Ayon sa executive producer ng show, laging happy raw sa script si Yan-Yan at walang negatibong sinasabi ang Primetime Queen!

Imbes na maaapektuhan ng tsismis, tinatawanan na lang ito ni Marian. Gaya ng eksenang nasilipan niya si Dennis Trillo sa kinunan nilang eksena. Kasi naman, sa episode, sinusuyo ni Dennis bilang Marcel si Marian bilang Angeline.

Eh, galing sa banyo si Dennis at tuwalya lang ang nakatakip sa bukol niya. Pero bago ang take, biglang natanggal ang tapis ng aktor sa harap ni Marian kaya sa halip na magitla sa nakitang bukol, humalakhak na lang ang aktres sa nangyari.

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Aiza resigns from show directly competing with ‘Eat Bulaga’

AIZA Seguerra is a mainstay in “Be Careful with My Heart” playing the role of Jodi Sta. Maria’s lesbian sister who had a child after one drunken night with Tom Rodriguez. When the show was re-scheduled by ABS-CBN to be a direct competitor of GMA7’s “Eat Bulaga,” Aiza decided to resign from “Be Careful” even if she enjoys being a part of it.

“Respeto na lang sa ‘Eat Bulaga’ kasi diyan ako nagsimula sa Little Miss Philippines hanggang maging regular ako sa show noong kabataan ko,” she says. “Diyan ako lumaki at malaki ang utang na loob ko kina Bossing Vic Sotto na isinama pa ako sa ‘Okay Ka Fairy Ko’ on at later sa mga pelikula niya. Walang Aiza ngayon kung hindi dahil sa ‘Eat Bulaga’. I’m glad na naiintindihan naman ng ABS ang reason sa pagre-resign ko.”

Aiza is still busy with her singing career. After her hit performance as the genie in “Aladdin”, she’ll next be seen in the repeat of the hit musical from Atlantis Productions, “Rock of Ages,” with Migs Ayesa.

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Pilipinas Got Talent returns to high ratings

MANILA, Philippines – The fourth season of the ABS-CBN hit reality talent show “Pilipinas Got Talent” (PGT) is definitely back with a bang as it secured once again the top spot in the ratings chart nationwide.
Based on the combined urban and rural ratings data from Kantar Media, PGT garnered a national TV rating of 29.6% when it aired its pilot episode last Satuday.
This is way ahead of its rival programs where GMA’s “Watta Job” with 9.7%, and TV5’s “Kanta Pilipinas” with a scant 3.5%.
Furthermore, Kantar Media listed "PGT" as the most-watched program in the whole country on Sunday, hitting a national TV rating of 25.8% against GMA’s “Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho” with 21.9%.
The reality talent show also made it to the worldwide trending topics on Twitter during the airing of its first two episodes.
After three successful seasons, "PGT" is again looking for someone in the country who can wow the judges and the viewers with his/her unique talent.

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Gloc-9, Christian top MYX Awards nominations

MANILA, Philippines – Rapper Gloc-9 continues to reap accolades for his latest album, "Mga Kwento ng Makata," this time at the MYX Music Awards, where he received eight nominations on Monday.
Gloc-9 received the most number of nominations, mostly for his hit single, “Sirena,” which is up for Favorite Song and Favorite Music Video.
Balladeer Christian Bautista scored six nominations, including two for “In Love With You,” a collaboration with fellow Kapamilya singer Angeline Quinto.

Other artists who received multiple nominations were pop singer Julie Anne San Jose, rapper Abra, the bands Never the Strangers and Callalily and the acoustic duo of Krissy & Ericka.
According to the music channel, voting starts on Monday at 5 p.m. Fans can vote through the MYX website at MYXph.com, on Twitter and a soon-to-be-launched MYX Music Awards Facebook app.
Here is the list of nominees:
Favorite Music Video

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Ejay Falcon denies avoiding Robin Padilla

MANILA, Philippines – Actor Ejay Falcon denied that he is avoiding Robin Padilla after his nipped-in-the-bud romance with the action star’s eldest daughter Queenie.
In an interview with “The Buzz” aired on Sunday, the "Pinoy Big Brother" winner said there is no truth to that rumor because he and Padilla still greet each other when they cross paths in ABS-CBN.
Falcon said he also remains friends with Queenie even if their romance did not blossom.
“Yung samin ni Queenie, talagang hanggan doon lang. Magkaibigan naman po kami eh. Napakamarespeto ko kasi sa kanila, lalo na kay Kuya Robin and siyempre kay Queenie,” he said.
Queenie and Falcon first worked together in the movie “Tum: My Pledge of Love,” a Bollywood-style movie directed and starred in by Padilla and his wife, TV host-actress Mariel Rodriguez.
They were also co-stars in the television series “Momay.”

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Iwa Moto three months pregnant with Pampi Lacson's baby

PEP SCOOP: Aksidenteng nakasalubong ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ang aktres na si Iwa Moto sa Alabang Town Center sa Muntinlupa City.

Kasama ni Iwa ang kanyang boyfriend na si Pampi Lacson.

Kapansin-pansin ang umbok sa tiyan ng StarStruck alumna, kaya naman bagamat nagulat nang makita kami ay hindi na nito itinanggi ang tunay na kalagayan niya.

Inamin ni Iwa na tatlong buwan na siyang buntis sa anak nila ni Pampi.

Hindi nagpaunlak ng panayam si Iwa sa PEP dahil, ayon sa kanya, may mga inaayos pa siyang mga bagay-bagay.

Maliban sa pagsagot sa aming katanungan kung ilang buwan na ang tiyan niya ay wala nang iba pang sinabi si Iwa.

Ngunit tiniyak niya sa amin na darating ang takdang panahon na magbibigay siya ng pahayag.

Bagamat matagal na silang nagsasama, kasal pa rin sina Iwa at Pampi sa kani-kanilang mga nakahiwalayang asawa na sina Mickey Ablan at Jodi Sta. Maria.

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Pangarap ni Benjamin Alves, natupad sa bagong teleserye ng GMA-7

Natupad na ang pangarap ni Benjamin Alves na maging abogado kahit sa isang teleserye man lamang.

Gaganap na abogado si Benjamin sa bagong afternoon series ng GMA-7 na Unforgettable, na pagbibidahan nina Kylie Padilla, Mark Herras, at Phillip Salvador.

Sa interview ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) kay Benjamin, inisip daw niyang kumuha ng Law pagkatapos ng kolehiyo.

Saad ni Benjamin, “An English degree is really a good degree for pre-law.

“I thought about it… I thought a business law.

"Pero dito pa tayo [sa showbiz] at hindi pinalad na mapunta po ako doon.

“At gusto ng Diyos na nandito po ako sa Pilipinas at mag-showbiz. Yun po."

DREAM CAREER. Natuwa raw si Benjamin nang bigyan siya ng ganitong role sa bago niyang acting project.

“Ang gusto ko po sa ganitong role, never po in my life I’ll be a lawyer anymore.

“So, ah… maganda po siyang gampanan at marami po akong matutunan.

“Kasi po, when you take po any role, pag lawyer ka, lawyer ka sana.

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Psy thanks Pinoys for 'craziness and happiness'

Korean superstar Psy thanked Filipinos for the "craziness and happiness" they showed during his one-night concert in Pasay City Saturday night.

Psy, Park Jae-Sang in real life, posted a photo on his Twitter account of him performing before a packed crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.

"Thx for ya craziness & happiness!!! #Philippines," he tweeted.

Earlier on Saturday, the superstar had tweeted to Manila, [I'm] "on my way!!!"

Psy is behind the monster hit "Gangnam Style," which set a record on video-sharing site YouTube by reaching one billion views.

He was initially scheduled to hold his concert in Manila late last year but was postponed to Saturday.  
source:LBG, GMA News

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Iya and Aljur enjoy spa-mpering

MANILA, Philippines - Away from the klieg lights, Iya Villania and Aljur Abrenica (photo) choose to give their tired muscles a treat by visiting the spa. Although they are from competing networks, the two good-looking artists agree on their choice of a relaxation haven: BlueWater Day Spa (BWDS).
“It was hard to resist an offer like this, to endorse a world-class spa,” says Iya. “I’ve always loved going to spas. So, the offer from BlueWater Day Spa was such a blessing.”
For Aljur, who probably possesses one of the sexiest bodies in showbizlandia, a soothing massage is all he needs to rejuvenate, rest and relax. “In the past, my friends would always invite me to BlueWater Day Spa because they love going there,” recounts Aljur. “Now that I’m the endorser of BlueWater Day Spa, I will be the one inviting them to try the spa’s services.
Both Iya and Aljur were also impressed with BWDS’s Theater Spa, which can accommodate up to 28 persons simultaneously for hand and foot treatments while watching a movie. “Isn’t it nice to be able to spend quality time with your family or your friends on something that can provide relaxation to all of you?” says Aljur. “The Theater Spa alone speaks volumes of how BlueWater Day Spa thinks of its customers’ welfare and caters to their needs,” adds Iya.

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Bea Downplays Angelica’s ‘Jealousy’

MANILA, Philippines – Bea Alonzo personally spoke to Angelica Panganiban regarding the latter’s proclamation that she can’t bear to see her boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz kissing another woman.
Bea, who has been the actor’s onscreen partner for a decade now, dismissed Angelica’s purported jealousy over her. In fact, she said that her fellow Kapamilya actress has already apologized for not seeing “The Mistress,” her 10th anniversary film with John Lloyd.
“I don’t think nagseselos siya. Baka nagkamali lang."
“Sinabi niya [hindi niya kaya panoorin] kasi tinanong ko nung nakapanood siya,” Bea told Push in an interview.
Angelica and John Lloyd’s relationship started in September last year, and it was also then that “The Mistress” was released.
“Sabi niya, ‘I’m sorry. Alam mo naman lahat ng pelikula mo pinapanood ko, pwera lang this time,’” Bea related of Angelica. “Oo sinabi niya sa akin, kasi inusig ko talaga siya bakit hindi pa siya nanonood.”
In the midst of a two-year relationship with actor Zanjoe Marudo, Bea banks on trust and communication in dealing with her boyfriend’s romantic scenes with other leading ladies.
“Siguro kasi malaking factor na malaki ‘yung tiwala ko sa kanya. And whenever may gagawin siyang ganon kadelikadong eksena, he would always tell me beforehand na parang ganito gagawin ko eh. And we talk about those things as adults. Parang wala, I don’t see Zanjoe there [in the movie]. I see the character. And this is also my job. So para namang, hindi ko naman mairereklamo ‘yun because I do the same things, minsan worse pa,” she said.

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Swedish House Mafia kicks off ‘V’ concerts at MOA

MANILA, Philippines - The Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena was recently transformed into a fun party place for Swedish House Mafia’s One Last Tour.
The disc jockey group composed of Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso has been dominating the global clubbing scene since 2008 with hits like Don’t You Worry Child featuring John Martin, (One) Your Name feat. Pharell, and Miami 2 Ibiza. The trio has been nominated in the Grammy Awards for the Best Dance Recording category for Save the World last year.
Republiq head DJ Martin Pulgar and Dutch DJ Quintino opened the show and hyped up the party-going crowd. The audience went crazy when the Swedish House Mafia finally hit the stage and played chart-topping songs, together with a remix of Coldplay’s Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and The Temper Trap’s Sweet Disposition.

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‘A Good Day to Die Hard’ rules North American box office

LOS ANGELES – The fifth movie in the Bruce Willis “Die Hard” franchise scored the biggest box-office action over the U.S. holiday weekend, beating out love story “Safe Haven,” which came in third for the Friday-through-Sunday period.
“A Good Day to Die Hard,” with Willis returning as the tenacious, wisecracking hero John McClane, pulled in $25 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters over the three days, according to studio estimates.
The tally was expected to approach a total of $40 million for the five days that began with Thursday’s Valentine’s Day and ends with Monday’s Presidents Day holiday in the United States.
“Die Hard” beat “Safe Haven,” an adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel that was aimed at luring couples during the week of Valentine’s Day. The film, which stars Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, pulled in $21.4 million over the three days.
Last weekend’s box office winner, the Melissa McCarthy comedy “Identity Thief,” stayed strong and ended up taking second place with $23.4 million from Friday to Sunday.
Willis prevailed with his reprise of a role he played four previous times starting with the original “Die Hard” in 1988. Those movies grossed $1.1 billion around the world and made Willis a global action star.

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Could 9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis win youngest best actress Oscar?

LOS ANGELES – She landed the part by lying about her age: Quvenzhane Wallis was five, and the filmmakers were only auditioning girls at least six years old.
But they believed her fib and tried her out — and were blown away, giving her the starring role in the low-budget “Beasts of the Southern Wild” over 4,000 other hopefuls.
And now she could become the youngest ever winner of the best actress Oscar, at the 85th Academy Awards, the climax of Hollywood’s annual awards season, next weekend.
“It was very clear …you don’t meet six-year-olds who have that quality,” said director Benh Zeitlin, recalling her audition. “She just had this natural charisma and focus and fierceness and wiseness and morality.
“Coming out of a body that small and a mind that young, it’s almost alien and alien in a way that goes kind of straight at your heart .. It’s her perspective that unlocks the truth in the film.”
That charisma is obvious when you see Wallis being interviewed to promote the movie over recent months, even before it was elevated to the stratosphere by being nominated for four Oscars in January, including best picture.
“I was in my bedroom half asleep,” Wallis told Jay Leno, about waking last month to learn she was nominated alongside Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Naomi Watts and Emmanuelle Riva, the oldest ever best actress nominee, at 85.
“So nothing reacted on the outside, but I was like flipping cartwheels and stuff on the inside,” she told the talk show host, whom she admonished — cutely — for asking her a question more appropriate for the director.

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Filipina Stephanie Retuya wins 1st runner-up on ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’

The Philippines came close to winning the top prize at the finals of the reality modelling competition “Asia’s Next Top Model” in Singapore on Sunday.
Philippine representative Stephanie Retuya finished first runner-up to the winner from Thailand, Jessica Amornkuldilok. Kate Ma of Taiwan was second runner-up.
Retuya, a 23-year-old neophyte model from Laguna, was considered the underdog in the finals after being in the bottom two five times throughout the season.
In a field of 13 models from across Asia, she made it to the final three even if she did not score a single best photo victory in any episode of the show.
For the finals, the three models shot a TV commercial for Canon, a cover shoot for Harper’s Bazaar magazine and a final runway show for Singaporean designer Frederick Lee.
The finals night was attended by former supermodel Tyra Banks, host and creator of “America’s Next Top Model”.
Retuya earned praise for her TV commercial for Canon and runway walk, but was found wanting in her pictorial for Harper’s Bazaar.
Banks had good words for the Filipina. “I thought your runway walk was spectacular. You have sass but you’re also very sweet. This is a model now although she is not modelling,” she said.
Banks, however, noted Retuya’s weak showing in the magazine shoot: “You were thinking strength but not giving strength.”

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Troian Bellisario will be third ‘Pretty Little Liars’ star to visit Manila

As earlier tweeted by boyfriend and fellow TV star Patrick J. Adams of “Suits” fame, “Pretty Little Liars” actress Troian Bellisario has confirmed that she too is coming to Manila this month.
“Next stop!”, the 2012 Teen Choice awardee for Choice Summer TV Star tweeted Monday morning when a fan asked if there’s a chance she will stop by the Philippines after she and Adams tweeted that they’re on their way to Singapore.
Troian, who plays “smart girl” Spencer Hastings on the hit teen mystery drama that airs on Solar Entertainment Corporation’s ETC cable channel, will be the third “Pretty Little Liars” star to visit the country.
Earlier, Lucy Hale, who plays “artsy girl” Aria Montgomery, was in town February of last year to promote Bench after she became an international endorser of the fashion retail brand.
In October, it was the turn of Shay Mitchell, who plays “jock girl” Emily Fields, to visit the country. Mitchell, who is Filipino-Canadian, was originally in town for a vacation in Palawan but ended up promoting the show.
With the coming arrival of Troian, that would leave Ashley Benson, who plays “it girl” Hanna Marin, as the only lead star of the “Pretty Little Liars” who has yet to set foot on Philippine soil.

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Bono, Charlize Theron, other celebs reflect on legacy of Nelson Mandela in new docu on South Africa

Easily one of the most inspiring stories in recent memory, the triumph of democracy over apartheid in South Africa began with the release of longtime political detainee Nelson Mandela and culminated in his glorious rise to the presidency in the country’s first free and fair elections in 1994.
While there are several feature films and documentaries that offered a glimpse of what the apartheid system of racial segregation was like in South Africa as well as examples of how President Mandela initiated certain reforms under his watch, there has not been a documentary that has thoughtfully opted for a more in-depth approach in depicting the struggle of a nation against formidable odds.
Until now.
“Miracle Rising: South Africa” is a new two-hour special documentary on the History Channel that retells the story through simple, intimate portraits of local and international key players determined to change the country for the best of all who live there.
Moving beyond mere chronology, the story climaxes with the thrilling behind-the-scenes events of the elections that resulted in the joyful inauguration of President Mandela.
“It is such a powerful and amazing story of transformation and forgiveness that I think it really spoke to something deep in the hearts of all of us really, about the power to forgive and to go through that true reconciliation process that South Africa did. So it’s a kind of inspiration to all of us, I believe,” Adam MacDonald, VP of programming at A+E Networks UK recently told InterAksyon in an exclusive interview.
In distinguishing “Miracle Rising: South Africa” from previous documentaries that covered the same subjects, MacDonald said the producers shot new footage and conducted interviews with around 40 people from all over the world who were involved in the struggle against apartheid.
These include such influential figures as Desmond Tutu, Albie Sachs, F.W. De Klerk, Jeremy Thompson, Richard Branson, Christiane Amanpour and former US president Bill Clinton.

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Bianca ignores reunited Dennis, Cristine

DUMATING  na si Bianca King  mula sa pagbabakasyon sa  Canada at America na masaya dahil parehong okay na ang dalawang may sakit na mahal niya sa buhay. Tagumpay ang  quadruple bypass ng  kanyang ama  sa Canada  at ang lola naman niyang may cancer sa America ay stable na ang kalagayan ngayon.

Humingi ng tatlong linggong  bakasyon si Bianca sa GMA Network para puntahan ang may sakit na mga kaanak.

Dumating siya noong  Wednesday mula Los Angeles, California. Tapos, noong Friday night ay um-attend na siya ng launching ng bagong store ng Planet Sports sa Bonifacio High Street, sa The Fort, Taguig City.

Bagong endorser ng Planet Sports si Bianca. Tamang-tama lang naman siyang kunin ng Planet Sports dahil super sexy na siya ngayon. Nag-fashion show pa siya na naka-two piece. Ang pambaba ay jogging pants at ang pang pantaas niya ay blouse na litaw ang pusod niya. Tamang-tamang outfit kapag nagdya-jogging o nasa gym. Kita namin ang abs ni Bianca na talagang pinaghirapan ng actress.

Samantala, biniro namin si Bianca na super fresh at walang ka-problema-problema sa buhay. Pati raw love life ay wala siyang problema. Kasi, loveless siya. Matagal na siyang naka-move on sa hiwalayan nila ni Dennis Trillo kahit pa nga nabalita niyang nagkabalikan na ito at si Cristine Reyes.

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Jericho graces Vaseline XTERRA Off-road Triathlon Series launch

MANILA, Philippines - Vaseline Men celebrity endorser Jericho Rosales showed his support for the Vaseline Men XTERRA Off-road Triathlon Series by attending its recent launch at Dusit Thani Manila.
A sports enthusiast himself, Jericho participated and was in one of the events in last year’s Vaseline Men XTERRA Off-road Triathlon in Cebu. During the launch, he also announced that he plans to join the Vaseline Men XTERRA Putik Pare later this year.

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Derek Ramsay has no plans for V-Day, but may go out with Nadine Samonte

Believe it or not, Derek Ramsay has not decided on any plans for Valentine’s Day.
Given that he has not yet posted anything on his Twitter account, it seems like the country’s most eligible bachelor is without a date for this very special day.
“The last time I went out with a date on Valentine’s Day was with my ex,” Derek told Interaksyon during the recent launch of Dunkin’ Donuts Valentine’s campaign where the “Kidlat” actor is a brand endorser. The ex he is referring to is of course, Angelica Panganiban, who is now in a relationship with John Lloyd Cruz.
“As far as plans for Valentine’s is concerned, mine is to mainly help Dunkin’ Donuts promote its special Valentine’s offerings, especially their Dunkin’ Hearts and Premium Donuts Valentine box. As for myself, I don’t usually make plans although it might be possible that I might get together with friends who are also single like me on the 14th.”
So what about the two particular names that are currently being linked to him, namely Cristine Reyes and Nadine Samonte?
“Cristine is a good friend and she will continue to be a friend even with all the intrigues around us. We hang out a lot and I took her out to lunch the day before her birthday,” he revealed. “But I don’t see myself going out with her alone on Valentine’s Day. Unless if it’s a group thing it might be possible.

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