Sunday, March 30, 2025

Liwanag Sa Dilim (9 Works Theatrical)

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Elesi (Anthony Rosaldo) becomes an orphan once again with the death of both of his adoptive parents, sparking more frustration and curiosity within him regarding his biological parentage. When he is given a necklace and a small propeller toy with a green light, both tagged as the only items he had on him when he was found as a child, he is later swept into a time travel frenzy taking him back to the 1800’s, in the fictional world of Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. There he meets Crisostomo Ibarra (Vien King) and his fiance Maria Clara (Alexa Ilacad) as well as the crazy lady of the town Sisa (Rita Daniela). As Elesi is fascinated by his new timeline, he decides to stay put and befriend his new acquaintances. He also discovers a few more secrets along the way with the help of his time travel device, including one that might just give him answers about the missing parents he has been searching for.

Saturday, March 29, 2025

The War of the Worlds

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An extraterrestrial object falls somewhere in Britain, causing curiosity among the locals. The thing turns out to be a cylinder launched from Mars and as its lid slowly rotates as if being opened from the inside, a Martian emerges and struggles to literally find its footing on Earth’s radically different gravitational pull. As humans crowd the area, they are decimated by the alien’s heat ray. Panic ensues and an unnamed narrator flees with his wife to another town where he leaves her so he can go back to their home and return the dog cart they borrowed while escaping. There he finds Martian tripod machines wreaking havoc with poisonous black smoke. The narrator seeks refuge along with an artilleryman and, later, a curate. Meanwhile, his brother attempts to flee the country by securing a ticket to cross the channel to mainland Europe, but hindered by the continuous Martian attack and a human opposition that is rapidly getting decimated.

Friday, March 28, 2025

Richard II

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Richard II, reigning king of England, mediates between the noble Thomas Mowbray and his own cousin Henry Bolingbroke. The squabble has something to do with high treason, Henry accusing Mowbray of stealing funds from the English army. Furthermore, the former is also accusing the latter of the murder of his uncle, even though his father John of Gaunt believes Richard II himself had a hand in his death. It is decided that the verdict will be reached via Trial by Battle, but the duel is cut short by Richard II when he just arbitrarily opts for the banishment of both men from his realm. As the king busies himself with the war in Ireland, Henry sneaks back into the country, invades the northern coast, and persuades the Duke of York who was left as caretaker by Richard II in his absence to join his cause. Turning the tide of public opinion against the king, Henry succeeds in stripping Richard II of his mandate and succeeds him as Henry IV.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

The Taming of the Shrew

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Baptista Minola, a lord in Padua, has two daughters. While the younger one, Bianca, is the epitome of everything a man should like in a woman, the elder sister Katherina is outspoken and strong-willed, which is a major turn off for potential suitors. Baptista has declared that her younger daughter will not be married before the elder, which leads some of Bianca’s prospective suitors to hatch a plan to find someone that would agree to marry Katherina. Hortensio and Gremio, eager to win Bianca’s hand in marriage, recruits Petruchio of Verona to woo Katherina, the titular shrew that needs to be tamed. Through various plans and gaslighting, Katherina and Petruchio end up married while Bianca ends up with a totally different man – university student Lucentio, while Hortensio eventually gets married to some random widow. In the end, Petruchio is admired for being successful in his quest to tame the shrew.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

As You Like It

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Duke Frederick usurps the kingdom from his older brother Duke Senior, who then goes into exile at the Forest of Arden. Duke Senior’s daughter Rosalind remains in the kingdom at the behest of her cousin Celia, Frederick’s daughter, given how the two young ladies are inseparable and more like sisters. Threatened by his niece’s popularity with the masses, Frederick gives Rosalind an ultimatum to leave the kingdom or face execution. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to bear being apart from her cousin, Celia hatches a plan to flee with Rosalind, which they do, along with the court jester. The trio end up living a pastoral life at the forest where they meet Orlando, the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys, who fell in love at first sight with Rosalind when he saw her in court before she was banished. Disguised as men, Rosalind and Celia interact with shepherds and Orlando himself, using the advantage of their disguise to provoke from them an honest opinion of various matters.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

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Lawyer Gabriel John Utterson is taking a stroll with his cousin Richard Enfield when they pass by an unkempt house door which brings back some unpleasant memories. Enfield recalls how he witnessed a strange looking man assaulting a girl in the area one evening. His name was Edward Hyde. When Enfield interfered and forced him to pay up, he went to the house of Utterson’s friend, doctor Henry Jekyll, who issued a cheque for damages. Later on, Jekyll talks to Utterson requesting him to name Hyde as the beneficiary of his last will and testament. Suspecting probable blackmail, Utterson commences a secret investigation, on his own, to figure out who Edward Hyde is and what is his role in Jekyll’s life. As Hyde figures in another murder investigation, this time of a prominent victim, Utterson races against time to protect his friend, but the clues lead to a shocking secret whose discovery he might not really be prepared for.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Snow White (2025)

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The reigning monarchs of an unknown kingdom welcome their daughter and only child in the midst of a snowstorm and, thus, name her Snow White (Rachel Zegler). The princess is raised with benevolent values such as compassion for their subjects. Unfortunately, the queen falls ill and eventually passes away, leaving a door open to potential stepmothers. Enter a fair maiden who ends up as the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot). Obsessed with beauty and being hailed the fairest of them all, she regularly asks her enchanted mirror whether she is, indeed, the fairest. For the longest time, the answer is an undeniable YES, but as the princess grows up to be a fine young lady, the Queen’s title is usurped, prompting her to send her stepdaughter deep into the woods to be killed, if only the huntsman kept his word. Lost and confused, Snow White ends up at the humble abode of seven dwarves with varying personalities.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Kisapmata (Tanghalang Pilipino)

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When aspiring doctor Mila (Toni Go-Yadao) finds out that she is pregnant, she tells her mother Dely (Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan) right away, even though she is really hesitant to let her father know. Dadong (Jonathan Tadioan) is a retired police officer who runs his household under strict scrutiny, like Martial Law and house arrest combined. When the cat is out of the bag and Mila introduces Noel (Marco Viaña) to the family, everything seems to be going well. The two get married and agree, upon the insistence of Dadong, that they reside in the same house with them. What seems to be a harmless request turns out to be a power move from the patriarch to exert control on the newlyweds and manipulate the two to do his bidding anytime he wants them to, as long as they are under one roof. As tensions flare and patience runs thin, Mila and Noel hatch a plan for their escape, but will they succeed?

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (PETA)

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Military man Joel (Martin del Rosario) befriends impoverished couple Emma (Elora Españo) and Nardo (Ross Pesigan) who are caught in the crossfire between the army and the rebels that they are pursuing on the mountains. The three spend late afternoons together at the couple’s hut, just playing cards and even having simple dinner together with what Emma can come up with from the occasional sardine tin can that Joel smuggles from their headquarters. The unlikely friendship becomes the talk of the town. For many, both parties seem to have something to gain from the unexpected camaraderie. They believe that Joel is suspecting the couple of being in cahoots with, if not being part of, the rebels themselves. What they do not know is that Joel and Emma are having an affair right under her husband’s nose. As feelings begin to develop, lines are blurred between mission and lust. In the end, who is really playing whom?

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Babygirl

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High-powered CEO Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) has an enviable reputation in an industry that is primarily dominated by men. She has reached her current position by taking risks and leaving a mark in the computer automation market, at the helm of a company that serves as an innovator and leader in their field. Her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) is in the performing arts, serving as director of a theater group. Together with their two daughters, they seem to be the portrait of a happy family. Or so they thought. Romy has certain fantasies and sexual desires that are left unfulfilled by her husband, a gap that is later filled by a daring intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson) who senses, early on, his mentor's eccentric quirk of craving to be told what to do. What unfolds between them is a game of power, of giving and taking. In the end, who will emerge victorious?

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