Category: Watch

Film adaptation of Tan Twan Eng’s novel The Garden of Evening Mists has commenced filming

In a recent media event, Malaysian film production company Astro Shaw, together with its partner HBO Asia, announced that filming has started for the movie adaptation of Tan Twan Eng’s 2012 award-winning novel The Garden of Evening Mists.

The film is set in two timelines: the early 1980s wherein the protagonist Teoh Yun Ling (played by Taiwanese actress-director-producer Sylvia Chang) takes stock of her life due to the onset of aphasia; and the 1950s wherein the younger Yun Ling (played by Malaysian actress Lee Sinje) deals with survivor’s guilt after the war and enters a relationship with Japanese gardener Nakamura Aritomo (played by Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe) who helps her build a garden in memory of her sister Yun Hong (played by Serene Lim) who died while they were at an interment camp. British actors David Oakes (The White Queen, Victoria), Julian Sands (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and John Hannah (Four Weddings and A Funeral and The Mummy trilogy) also join the cast.

Najwa Abu Bakar, Head of Astro Shaw said “The film will feature a stellar international cast and crew, including Malaysian talents in key acting and production roles. Over two-thirds of the cast and crew are made up of Malaysians, signalling Astro’s commitment to nurturing local talents for international exposure. We are also privileged to work with talents of diverse backgrounds from Taiwan, Japan, India and Australia to showcase Malaysia’s unique voice through Tan Twan Eng’s award winning novel, TGOEM. The lyrical and beautiful story captivates its readers with the mesmerising beauty of Malaya after World War II, and we are confident that the vivid adaptation will resonate among Asian audiences and beyond, due to many similarities in shared culture, language and history.”

Jessica Kam, Senior Vice President, HBO Asia Original Productions, HBO Asia said, “HBO Asia is committed to ramping up its slate of original productions which includes both TV series as well as high quality films. We are thrilled to partner with Astro Shaw to produce this extraordinary feature film with a Malaysian soul by world class film professionals, and to showcase it to our audience on our digital, linear and on-demand platforms across 23 territories in Asia and beyond.”

The movie, currently being filmed in various locations in Malaysia including the scenic landscapes of Cameron Highland’s famed tea plantations, is slated to have a theatrical world premiere in 2019.

Image and movie details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Check out Tan Twan Eng’s books on Amazon.com.

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So… can we now talk about “Fight Club?”

In 1999, a movie based on Chuck Palahniuk’s (“Adjustment Day,” “Invisible Monsters,” “Choke,” “Damned,” “Haunted“) 1996 novel became the definitive movie of a generation, almost like a rite of passage, turning boys who used to scoff at Brad Pitt’s leading man roles prior to the movie into avid believers. (I seem to recall someone claiming he “ain’t gonna watch no Brad Pitt movie,” then two years later was raving about this film.)

It’s been almost two decades since Fight Club’s release, and as it will headline Cinemax’s July offerings, I thought I’d talk about the movie, just some random stuff I found interesting. (First and second rule be damned.)

Fight Club tells of an unlikely partnership between a depressed and insomniac office worker dubbed The Narrator (played by Edward Norton) and a charismatic and nihilistic soap salesman named Tyler Durden (played by the scene-stealing Brad Pitt).

Author Chuck Palahniuk got the idea for the novel when he was beaten up during a camping trip and upon his return to the office, his coworkers would not mention or acknowledge his injuries. Instead, he encountered inane pleasantries such as “How was your weekend?” He attributed this bizarre behavior to his coworkers’ reluctance to interact with him in a personal level, not really caring much about him personally. His interest in this “societal blocking” became the foundation for his novel. (Now we know why we should at least show – and feel – some concern for the people we encounter.)

Palahniuk also claimed to have coined a term in the novel the we commonly use today: snowflake, which refers to a generation that is so fragile as to be easily damaged or offended by opposing views. This stems from the line “You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” (Well, decades later, snowflakes abound.)

Helena Bonham Carter’s character, Marla Singer, reveals that she frequents support group meetings because they are “cheaper than a movie and there’s free coffee.” (Apparently, someone likes to get her kicks from the suffering of others.)

Actress Rosie O’Donnell saw the movie prior to its release, and, in her TV show, revealed the movie’s plot twist ending and enjoined her viewers to avoid the film. (Guess who broke the first – and second – rule of Fight Club!)

Fight Club will air on Cinemax (ch 36 on SKYcable in the Philippines) on July 6, 10pm and July 16, 12mn.

Cinemax not available in your area?Rent Fight Club on Amazon Prime or watch it for free when you sign-up for your free Amazon Prime 30-day trial.

Check out the book on Amazon.com.

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Image credit: Fight Club | 20th Century Fox

Movie details were taken from Fight Club’s IMDB page.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Amy Adams stars in new HBO limited series Sharp Objects premiering July 9

Five-time Academy Award-nominee Amy Adams (“Arrival,” “Nocturnal Animals“) stars in the new TV series Sharp Objects, set to premiere on HBO at 9am on Monday, July 9, taking up the slot left vacant by Westworld.

The eight-episode series is based on the novel of the same name, with Adams playing reporter Camille Preaker who comes back to her hometown to cover the murder of one preteen girl and the abduction of another. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely.

Sharp Objects is the first novel of now renowned author Gillian Flynn(“Gone Girl,” “Dark Places“), who also wrote some of the series’ episodes.  She shared “I wrote it nights and weekends and holidays with no real belief it would ever be published, because I felt like I had to bring this girl to life, so it holds a sacred place with me. It’s a strange and thrilling thing, bringing text to screen, allowing it to become a new thing while honoring readers’ interpretations too — it’s fun and a bit scary.

“This was my first novel, yet the last to reach screen — 12 long and often disappointing years. But then Amy came along, and I thought, ‘Oh, that was it! Camille was waiting for Amy to play her.’ And that’s not lofty, writer talk. I really believe Camille needed Amy.”

Emmy, DGA and PGA award-winning director Jean-Marc Vallée (HBO’s “Big Little Lies”; “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Wild”) who helmed the project relays that he was quite taken in by the character Camille saying “I was falling for this character. Never met, never seen, nor heard anyone like this before.

“I was fascinated by her obsession with words, the way she uses them to define herself, to heal and to harm, and her way of describing the world, her way of talking about herself, her wounds and imperfections. What a unique voice, so raw, so dark, and yet so honest and vulnerable. That is Camille Preaker’s beauty, and Amy Adams.’ I feel grateful and fortunate to have witnessed the spectacular work of an actress who dared to play in the dark, with no safety net.”

The series’ cast of characters are:

Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a St. Louis newspaper reporter sent on assignment to Wind Gap, her quaint Missouri hometown, to cover the gruesome murder of one preteen girl and the disappearance of another.

Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson – the “Maze Runner” series, HBO’s “Six Feet Under“), Camille’s mother and queen of Wind Gap’s high society, who has her serene, picture-perfect life threatened by the unexpected return of her estranged daughter.

Richard Willis (Chris Messina – “The Mindy Project,” HBO’s “The Newsrooom“), a detective brought in from Kansas City to support Wind Gap’s sheriff in the search for the killer of a young girl. He joins forces with Camille to try to solve the mystery.

Amma (Eliza Scanlen – “Home and Away”), Camille’s 15-year-old half-sister, living a double life as a restrained and girlish daughter at home with her parents, and as a brash, impetuous teenager when out with friends.

Jackie (Elizabeth Perkins – “This Is Us,” HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm“), the local gossip and renowned alcoholic. Trashy, fun and larger than life, she knows she’s a “backwoods Barbie” and has a sense of humour about it.

Vickery (Matt Craven – “X-Men,” “Justified“), the frustrated small-town police chief, trying to preserve the reputation of Wind Gap by keeping a lid on the possibility that a serial killer might live among them.

John Keene (Taylor John Smith – “Cruel Intentions,” “American Crime“), moody and sombre since the murder of his 13-year-old sister. His sensitive, temperamental nature raises eyebrows and makes him a prime suspect in the murder investigation.

Meredith (Madison Davenport – “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series“), the confident and supportive girlfriend of murder suspect John Keene.

Bob Nash (Will Chase – HBO’s “The Deuce“), the hot-tempered father of Ann Nash, Wind Gap’s first murder victim.

Alan Crellin (Henry Czerny – “Quantico,” “When We Rise“), Adora’s attentive, mild-mannered husband, who dotes on her.

Curry (Miguel Sandoval – “Station 19,” “Medium“), Camille’s caring and supportive newspaper editor, who sends her on assignment to her home town.

Young Camille (Sophia Lillis – “It“), a 14-year-old tomboy who is devoted to her younger sister, Marian.

Episodes airing in July include:

Episode #1: “Vanish”

Premieres Monday, July 9 at 9am

Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a reporter for the St. Louis Chronicle, is sent to her rural hometown of Wind Gap by her editor, Curry (Miguel Sandoval), to file a story about two missing girls, one of whom was found dead and presumed murdered. The assignment, which reunites Camille with her overbearing mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), stepfather, Alan Crellin (Henry Czerny), and half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), brings back traumatic childhood memories, including the death of Camille’s younger sister, Marian (Lulu Wilson), when both were schoolgirls. Tormented by her past and seeking refuge through alcohol, Camille joins Detective Richard Willis (Chris Messina) and Chief of Police Vickery (Matt Craven) in following leads around town that might shed light on the fate of the most recent missing girl.

Episode #2: “Dirt”

Premieres Monday, July 16 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) searches for clues at the funeral and wake for Wind Gap’s latest victim, and clashes with her mother (Patricia Clarkson) over Camille’s presence in the town. Richard (Chris Messina) finds a surprising way to arrive at a conclusion about the murderer’s profile. Camille pays a visit to the working-class home of a young boy (Matty Evers) who says he witnessed the abduction, and confronts Chief Vickery (Matt Craven) about why he ignored the boy’s claim.

Episode #3: “Fix”

Premieres Monday, July 23 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) relives a recent tragedy as she struggles to piece together the murders in Wind Gap. Richard (Chris Messina) grows frustrated with Chief Vickery’s (Matt Craven) assumptions regarding potential suspects. A defiant Amma (Eliza Scanlen) shows off her wild side to Camille, while Adora (Patricia Clarkson) admonishes Camille for meddling in the investigation and a town in mourning.

Episode #4: “Ripe”

Premieres Monday, July 30 at 9am

Camille (Amy Adams) agrees to show Richard (Chris Messina) some of Wind Gap’s crime scenes, though the tour opens up old wounds.  Alan (Henry Czerny) confronts Adora (Patricia Clarkson) about her sharing confidences with Chief Vickery (Matt Craven), who is concerned about the Crellins hosting the annual “Calhoun Day” attended by Wind Gap’s youth. Fired from his job at Preaker Farms, John (Taylor John Smith) shares off-the-record revelations with Camille that raise fresh concerns for her.

New Sharp Objects episodes will air Mondays on HBO (SKYcable ch 54 SD and 168 HD in Metro Manila) at 9am with same day primetime encore at 10pm.  New episodes will also be available for streaming within the same day on HBO Go, HBO’s online streaming service exclusively available in the Philippines to SKY subscribers.

HBO Go not available in your area? Watch Sharp Objects on HBO on Amazon Prime.  Sign up for a free 7-day trial.

Series and episode details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Check out my other posts on HBO shows adapted from novels:

You can also purchase the novel that the series is based on, Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, at Amazon.com.

Love books and reading? Try Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. Get your first month FREE.

No Kindle device? Download the Kindle App for FREE to read your favorite books anytime and anywhere.

No time to read? Listen to your favorite books instead while you drive, run, shop, and more.  Try Audible for free for 30 days and get two free audiobooks.

A special screening of Diego Luna’s “Abel” brought by CinemaWorld

Sometimes, you have to step up and be the man of the house.

In Diego Luna’s (“Y Tu Mama Tambien,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) feature film directorial debut, that is what nine-year-old Abel (Christopher Ruiz Esparza) did when he got home from the psychiatric hospital. When his father (Jose Maria Yazpik) left their family three years prior, he suffered a breakdown and retreated into silence until his mother (Karina Gidi) persuaded his doctors to let him come home. When he starts talking again, he talks and acts like an authoritative father figure: talking sternly to his siblings, sleeping beside his mother and demanding his breakfast in the morning. Amazingly, the family plays along and all seemingly goes well… until the father comes back.

CinemaWorld showcased this 2010 Mexican satire in an exclusive screening held at Restaurant 9501 held at the ELJ Communications Center inside the ABS-CBN Compound in partnership with local pay TV provider SKY. Attended by select members of the press and social media influencers, the screening had a festive feel to it: a sumptious feast of Spanish cuisine was served to the guests and sweets packaged in colorful mason jars served as the events take-home souvenirs.

The screening is among CinemaWorld’s myriad of efforts to bring more of the global cinema experience to Filipinos.

CinemaWorld is a 24-hour, movie channel that premieres the world’s best and award-winning movies, box-office successes, critics’ favorites from all around the world. SKYcable and One SKY subscribers can add it to their channel line-up for only Php150/month.

CinemaWorld not available in your area?  Watch Abel on Amazon Prime. Sign up today for a 7-day free trial.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

HBO colonial period drama Grisse now in production

Modern-day Indonesia was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company. It was a gem of the Dutch empire, contributing to the empire’s prominence in the spice and cash crop trade in the 19th century.

In common with the experience of various colonized lands, the economic prosperity that befell the Dutch empire came at a great cost to the natives: from exploitation of their resources to being relegated to second-class citizens in their own motherland. Unsurprisingly, tensions rose between ghe colonizers and the natives until revolts broke out.

One such revolt is depicted in the new HBO Original Series, Grisse, which has now begun its principal photography amd is scheduled to premiere later this year on HBO’s on-air, online and on-demand platforms.

The series’ eight hour-long episodes will chronicle the story of how a group of unlikely individuals with diverse backgrounds and motivations came together to rebel against a brutal governor and found themselves in control the Dutch garrison town called Grisse.

Developed and produced by HBO Asia and together with Singapore-based Infinite Studios, GRISSE will feature an ensemble cast of actors who are based in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Europe. They include Adinia Wirasti (HBO Asia’s “Halfworlds Season 1”), Marthino Lio (“Sayang You Can Dance”), Michael Wahr (“City Homocide”), Edward Akbar (“Air Terjun Pengantin”), Jamie Aditya (“Sync or Swim”), Toshiji Takeshima (HBO’s “True Blood”), Joanne Kam (“Kopitiam”), Zack Lee (“The Raid 2”), Tom Dejong (“Medisch Centrum West”), Ully Triani (“Stay With Me”), Rick Paul Van Mulligen (“A’dam E.V.A.”), Alexandra Gottardo (“Tanah Air”), Hossan Leong (“The Forbidden City”) and Jimmy T (“Robocop 3”). Director and showrunner for GRISSE is Mike Wiluan (“Buffalo Boys”).

“We are delighted to once again bring together many talents from Asia to produce this adaptation of a historical tale of a small town in Indonesia. GRISSE promises to be action-packed with plot twists and interesting storylines that we hope will captivate our audiences in the region and beyond,” said Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia.

Series details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

CinemaWorld brings French movie “A Mother’s Fight” for free on SKY On Demand

Motherhood brings with it lots of challenges, some more heartbreaking than others.

Marie Humbert, in particular, saw her son Vincent brought down by a severe road accident which left him tetraplegic – unable to use all limbs – and having lost his senses of sight, speech, smell and taste. His only means of communication is by moving his right thumb.

The tragedy has left the former fireman devoid of any desire to continue living. His post-humously published book, I Ask For the Right to Die, was written by indicating to a journalist what he wanted to say using his right thumb. In it, he said “The life I am forced to lead is a shit life. It is not a life, it is not my life. I can lead it no longer; I will lead it no longer.”

In a move that sparked controversy amd debate in France and most of Europe where euthanasia is still among the strongest taboos, Marie decided to fulfill her son’s wish.

This real-life drama is the basis of the French movie “A Mother’s Fight.” This May, CinemaWorld brings this title for free on SKY On Demand, allowing registered users of the video streaming service to view the movie online for one month at no additional cost.

To use SKY On Demand, register at skyondemand.com.ph. You can watch the movie and more using your computer’s browser or by downloading the SKY On Demand app on the Google Playstore or the Apple App Store.

CinemaWorld is a 24-hour, movie channel that premieres the world’s best and award-winning movies, box-office successes, critics’ favorites from all around the world. SKYcable and One SKY subscribers can add it to their channel line-up for only Php150/month.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Fahrenheit 451, starring Black Panther’s Michael B. Jordan, set to premiere on HBO and HBO GO on May 20

451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which paper begins to burn.

This is central to the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.  Considered to be one of the author’s best works, Fahrenheit 451 tells of a dystopian future wherein books were outlawed, facts and history are rewritten, and firemen, instead of saving things from burning, are actually tasked to burn books.

Michael B. Jordan (“Creed,” “Black Panther”) stars as Montag, a young fireman who questions his loyalty to the regime and to his mentor Captain Beatty, played by Michael Shannon (“Boardwalk Empire,” “Revolutionary Road”) after his encounters with Clarisse, played by Sofia Boutella (“The Mummy,” “Kingsman: The Secret Service”).

The film is directed by Ramin Bahrani (“99 Homes”) from a screenplay he co-wrote with Amir Naderi (“Vegas: Based on a True Story”).

“I have always loved Ray Bradbury’s prophetic novel ‘Fahrenheit 451’,” says Bahrani. “The concept is so provocative. Three years ago, I started to think about it again, because the world was frighteningly catching up to what he had envisioned. Bradbury said that we demanded, we elected, for the world to become this way. That’s different than having a totalitarian government take over. I found that to be true, because we have willingly given up our knowledge, identity, books, history, dreams, culture – everything – to tech companies, big business and politicians.”

FAHRENHEIT 451 follows Guy Montag (Michael B. Jordan), the most popular fireman in his district, with a mandate to achieve happiness and social harmony by burning books, physical or electronic, deleting and altering history, art, photos and facts, and replacing words with simplistic emojis. “Natives,” or citizens, mainly stay home, happily interacting with screens and getting anything they need from “Yuxie,” an advanced AI personal assistant that listens to and watches them at all times. “Eels” fight to save books, knowledge and culture. When firemen catch them, they punish Eels in public burnings, which are broadcast to the city on giant building-screens; the Eels’ digital identities and histories are wiped clean and they are banished to Talay City, a poor slum with very little technology.

Captain Beatty (Michael Shannon) is Montag’s mentor and friend, and the head of the regional fireman brigade. He is grooming Montag to take his place, but Beatty also harbors a secret: a desire for knowledge and books, exactly what he trains Montag to burn. Beatty manages to ride a fine line of contradiction to survive within the Ministry. He finds himself losing control of Montag, his prized student, who is haunted by dreams and increasingly questioning his beliefs. Interacting with Clarisse (Sofia Boutella), an Eel-turned-informant, Montag is drawn to forbidden knowledge. The turning point comes when an old woman burns herself alive, in front of Montag, for her books. Now, Montag must know why.

His first step: steal a book. Next: find Clarisse to explain it to him.

Through Clarisse, Montag connects with rebel Eels who are preserving books by memorizing one author’s work and “becoming” that novel. They have developed OMNIS, a way to store all of humanity’s art, history and literature in a microscopic strand of DNA – an advanced form of a technology that exists today. The Eels need Montag to use his status as a fireman to protect OMNIS.

A conflicted and suspicious Beatty realizes that Montag has aligned himself with Clarisse, betraying him and the Ministry. Beatty confronts Montag, resulting in a series of fiery standoffs in which Beatty tries to bring his apprentice and only friend back into the fold. But Montag can’t be saved. He has a goal: save the OMNIS. Mentor and apprentice will have to face the inevitable tragedy that neither friend wants: One of them will have to be destroyed.

Notes Michael Shannon, “This is a good time for FAHRENHEIT 451 to come out, because it seems like we are drifting away from pure information as a society. Everything now is more oriented to opinion and propaganda, and the technology that’s available is allowing us to create a dangerous non-reality. For my character Beatty, it’s not even important whether something is a lie or the truth. That’s an antiquated notion, and that’s something we’re seeing in our culture today. But my own personal mantra is ‘pay attention’ – we think we’re getting all the information and facts, but often you can’t rely on the validity of what you’re reading or seeing these days.”

Says Michael B. Jordan of his character, “He’s the golden boy, you know? And with that type of pressure on him, there’s also a pressure to continue down that path – not to go back, not to turn left, not to make any mistakes. I think the message of the film and the book is very important today, when our freedom of choice and freedom of speech – our rights as human beings – are being tested. Don’t always do what you’re told. Do what you feel is right. That’s something my character Montag learns as he starts to question what the Ministry taught him and slowly but surely begins to think for himself. Know that you have freedom of choice. Don’t rely on someone else to tell you what is true or what your reality is.”

FAHRENHEIT 451 will be streaming on HBO GO and premiering on HBO, the same time as the U.S. on Sunday, May 20 at 8am, with a same day primetime encore at 9pm.  

HBO Go not available in your area? Watch it on HBO on Amazon Prime.  Sign up today for a 7-day free trial.

Series and episode details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Buy Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, on Amazon.com.

Mini-series based on J.K. Rowling’s C.B. Strike detective novels to air on Cinemax

Did you know that Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling wrote a series of crime novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith?

Proving once more that her literary prowess extends beyond children’s fantasy, Rowling penned the Cormoran Strike series which depict the eponymous war veteran turned private investigator whose unique insight and background as a military police investigator proved crucial in solving three unsolvable cases.

British television station BBC adapted the novels as a seven-part miniseries titled C.B. Strike, starring Tom Burke (“Only God Forgives,” “The Three Musketeers”) as the title character. The mini-series, will premiere in the Philippines on May 12 (Saturday), 10pm on Cinemax (ch 198 HD | 36 SD on SKYcable), and will stream on HBO Go, HBO’s online streaming service exclusive to SKY subscribers. The series also stars Holliday Grainger (“The Borgias,” “Bonnie and Clyde”) as Robin Ellacott, Strike’s assistant.

Episodes cover the first three novels in the series and include:

#01 “The Cuckoo’s Calling: Part 1”

Premiere: Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 10pm

After supermodel Lula Landry is found dead outside her London flat, war-veteran-turned-private-investigator Cormoran Strike is visited by Lula’s adoptive brother John Bristow, who disputes the police’s assertion that her death was a suicide. Strike tasks his temp secretary Robin Ellacott with background research on the case, but instead she uncovers details about Strike’s own illustrious yet troubled past. Meanwhile, Strike attempts to track down DI Eric Wardle, the chief investigator on the case, as well as those who may have seen Lula in her final days, including her wealthy neighbour Tansy Bestigui, famous rapper Deeby Mac, designer Guy Somé, and Lula’s best friend Rochelle. Written by Ben Richards; directed by Michael Keillor.

 

#02 “The Cuckoo’s Calling: Part 2”

Premiere: Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 10pm

Strike connects with a model, Ciara, who offers insights into Lula’s complex friendship with Rochelle and introduces him to Lula’s volatile boyfriend Evan. Robin learns more about Strike’s past from his sister Lucy, and contemplates taking a more stable position in a corporate office. Strike questions Tansy about her changing accounts of the night Lula died, and tries to get to the bottom of Deeby Mac’s whereabouts – and why the building’s security guard didn’t see anything that night. Written by Ben Richards; directed by Michael Keillor.

#03 “The Cuckoo’s Calling: Part 3”

Premiere: Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 10pm

Robin gets a taste of private investigating at a high-end shop Lula visited the day of her murder. Later, she and Strike try to track down a hooded figure in the CCTV footage that Strike obtained from police, as Lula’s long-buried family secrets come to light.

Written by Ben Richards; directed by Michael Keillor.

#04 “The Silkworm: Part 1”

Debut date: Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 10pm

Strike investigates the disappearance of a provocative author, Owen Quine, whose wife Leonora has come to Strike for help. Questioning those in Owen’s inner circle – agent Liz Tassel, author Andrew Fancourt, publisher Daniel Chard and editor Jerry Waldegrave – Strike is eventually led to a gruesome crime scene plucked from the manuscript of Quine’s next book, “Bombyx Mori.” Finding herself caught between Strike and her fiancé Matthew, Robin sets up an introduction between the two. Written by Tom Edge; directed by Kieron Hawkes.

#05 “The Silkworm: Part 2”

Debut date: Saturday, June 9, 2018 at 10pm

Strike tries to convince DI Anstis, the lead investigator on the Quine case, that their prime suspect is not the murderer. Later, Strike lunches with Quine’s agent, Liz Tassel, while Robin tails Quine’s rival Andrew Fancourt, finding a possible clue at Fancourt’s wife’s gravesite. Delving deeper into the hidden meanings and concealed secrets in Quine’s “Bombyx Mori,” Strike and Robin scour all corners of London’s literary world to unmask the killer. Written by Tom Edge; directed by Kieron Hawkes.

#06 “Career of Evil: Part 1”

Debut date: Saturday, June 16, 2018 at 10pm

Arriving at the office, Robin is horrified by the delivery of a gruesome package: the severed leg of a teenage girl, Kelsey Platt. Convinced the girl’s killer is sending him a message, Strike looks into suspects from his past who each have vendettas against him. As Robin’s relationship with Matthew hits an impasse, the investigation takes her away on an overnight trip with Strike. Written by Tom Edge; directed by Charles Sturridge.

#07 “Career of Evil: Part 2”

Debut date: Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 10pm

As Strike and Robin search for clues on their three suspects, Robin’s mother arrives in London to encourage her to make a decision about the wedding. After visiting with Kelsey’s sister, Strike is scolded by an angry DI Wardle for meddling with police business, while Robin questions a suspect’s girlfriend. With the killer continuing to taunt them, Robin inadvertently puts herself in danger as she and Strike arrive closer to the truth. Written by Tom Edge; directed by Charles Sturridge.

HBO Go not available in your area? Watch the series on HBO on Amazon Prime.  Sign up today for a 7-day free trial.

Series and episode details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

6 Takeaways from Journey Into Night, Westworld Season 2’s Explosive Premiere Episode

We’re back in Westworld, thanks to an exclusive advance screening held by HBO and SKY.

Held at the Narra Rooms in the posh Shangri-la at the Fort Hotel last April 19 (four days before its TV premiere on April 23, Monday), the event was attended by selected SKY subscribers as well as members of the press and social media influencers.

By the time this post is published, the episode should have aired on HBO. For those who haven’t watched it yet, be aware that there will be spoilers below!

So far, my thoughts on the episode titled “Journey Into Night” are:

  1. The inmates have taken over the asylum. When we left Westworld during last season’s finale, it was on the brink of chaos. Now we see the aftermath: bodies of both hosts and their human guests are littered everywhere, clear evidence of violent delights that have violent ends.
  2. They are out for blood. Former Sweetwater sweetheart Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) has fully embraced her inner Wyatt. Together with her posse which includes earnest cowboy Teddy Flood (James Marsden) and femme fatale Angela (Tallulah Riley, now promoted to series regular) are hunting down the human guests who were present during Robert Ford’s (Anthony Hopkins) presentation of his new narrative (which has the same title as this episode – Journey Into Night), and subsequent death at Dolores’ hands (yes, he’s really dead as evidenced the maggotty rotting corpse in the beach scene which takes place a few weeks after the shooting). Having broken free of the restriction from killing humans, the hosts are rounding up all the other human survivors and shooting them down or lynching them.
  3. A mother’s love knows no bounds. Former brothel madam Maeve Millay (Thandie Newton) is continuing her search for her daughter in her past narrative, despite knowing that “it is not real,” enlisting the willing assistance of notorious bullet-ridden outlaw Hector Escaton (Rodrigo Santoro) and the reluctant one from narrative designer Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman).
  4. Worlds are colliding. Last season, we discovered that Shogun World exists. Now, thanks to a robotic carcass of a giant robot Bengal tiger which the SWAT peeps say wandered too far from home, we can surmise that there’s probably a Jungle World as well.
  5. The Man in Black (Ed Harris) still has something to keep him busy. Last season, he was told by Ford that the maze (the object of his obsession which turned out to be the hosts’ journey to consciousness) was not for him. In this episode, he was told by Ford’s young robot clone that he is now in the game.
  6. Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) is acting all shady again. We know that this good-hearted head of behavior can be used as a weapon. Seeing him in a series of timejumps, from waking up to security personnel rounding up hosts for the slaughter to his run for survival with Delos director Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson), we know he will prove be central to more violent ends from violent delights.

Westworld Season 2 premiered on HBO (SKYcable ch 168 HD | 54 SD) on April 23, Monday at 9am with a primetime encore telecast at 10am. A new episode airs every Monday at 9am.

New Westworld episodes will also be available for streaming within the same day on HBO Go, HBO’s online streaming service exclusively available to SKY subscribers.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers.  I consider this privilege one of the biggest perks of my job: being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people.

Terror in the sound of silence in A Quiet Place

Imagine having to live your life in silence, not as a form of meditation or therapy, but as a matter of survival.

For the Abbotts, a family caught in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by deadly creatures who hunt by sound, silence is a way of life. They walk gingerly along paths marked by sand that muffle the sound of footfalls, or paint that indicate floorboards that won’t creak. They communicate to each other using sign language, a skill they acquired because of a deaf family member, or by changing the color of the Christmas lights that surround their home. When upset or in pain, they hold back their screams. Silence has become integral to the movie that when sounds do come in, the effect is jarring.

Still, the Abbotts have carved a thriving life despite the near-constant fear and the death of one of their own brought about by one of the creatures. Pregnant Evelyn (Emily Blunt) homeschools the children while dad Lee (John Krasinski) studies the creatures and scavenges for supplies that will help them cope. Eldest daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), though deaf, is independent and willful, capable of venturing off on her own. The surviving son Marcus (Noah Jupe) is perceptive and bright; he seeks to bridge the growing gap between Lee and Regan due to their feelings of guilt, blaming themselves for the death of youngest child Beau.

It is the tension within the family that magnifies our fear for them and the love and cohesiveness among them that makes us root for them, especially when they face the monsters in a final showdown.

Thanks to Diva for inviting me to catch the advance screening of this gripping thriller, magnificently helmed by John Krasinski.

A Quiet Place is now showing in Metro Manila cinemas. View screening schedules here.

Catch Diva on SKYcable ch 37 in Metro Manila.