QCinema holds free screenings, Q&A sessions
QCINEMA International Film Festival 2023 has announced that certain film screenings throughout the festival — which is ongoing until Nov. 26 — are free, while others allow audience members to meet the directors, ask questions, and get their insights. This includes the free screening of National Anarchist: Lino Brocka on Nov. 22, 1 p.m., at Gateway Cineplex, which will have a Q&A with director Khavn afterwards. At the same day and time in Robinsons Magnolia, this year’s batch of QCShorts will be shown for free with the short film directors also available for a Q&A session. The documentary film Divine Factory will have a free screening on Nov. 23, 1 p.m., at Gateway Cineplex while LGBTQ shorts will be shown for free on Nov. 25, 5 p.m., at Shangri-La Mall. For a full schedule of this year’s films, visit QCinema’s social media pages.
Operatic pop superstars return to Manila
THE CLASSICAL crossover group Il Divo (which translates to “divine performer”) will be performing at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Newport World Resorts on Nov. 24 and 25, 8 p.m. They will be performing together with special guest vocalist Steven LaBrie. Composed of French pop singer Sebastien Izambard, American tenor David Miller, and Swiss tenor Urs Bühler, the trio is a pioneer of the “popera” or operatic pop genre, in which classical and pop music come together. The chart-toppers took the world by storm with hits including “Time to Say Goodbye,” “Amazing Grace,” and “Unchained Melody,” with lyrics in English, Spanish, and Italian. Tickets to Il Divo – A New Day Tour range in price from P3,500 up to P18,500, and are available at all TicketWorld and SM Tickets outlets.
Alviera holds 1st Northern Floats Fest in Pampanga
THERE will be an extra dose of color and light in Porac, Pampanga this holiday season as Ayala Land and Leonio Land launch the first-ever Alviera Northern Floats Festival. Happening from Nov. 25 to Dec. 17, the festival will highlight larger-than-life floats which will introduce Alviera’s Christmas characters: Alvie, Sandy, Christoff, Sparkles, Fin, and the Jingle Belles. There will be carnival-themed activities like game booths, zorbs, a kite display, as well as live music and food stalls. Festival goers can also enjoy special access to the SandBox adventure destination, bike trails, and the exclusive Alviera Country Club. For P125, guests can access the Alviera Northern Floats Festival and enjoy one Sandbox ride. For P375, guests can enter with a P150 food and drinks voucher, a P100 voucher for activities, and one SandBox ride. Meanwhile, for P525, guests get all that plus access to the Giant Swing, Free Fall, and Roller Coaster Zipline. The “ultimate” festival experience costs P725, inclusive of a one-day Alviera Country Club guest pass with complimentary food and drinks. Tickets are available via Tickelo. Visit the official Alviera Facebook page for more information.
Snoopy takes over Megamall
SM MEGAMALL has partnered with Peanuts Worldwide to bring Snoopy and friends to life through a unique and interactive exhibit. The exhibit features the largest inflatable in the Philippines. To try out the Snoopy Mega Adventure Tunnel, located at the Event Center, Mega A, customers must present any P1,000 single receipt purchase from SM Megamall, SM Center Shaw, or SM Center Pasig at the exhibit entrance to get two passes to enter. Valid receipts are those dated from Nov. 17, 2023 to Jan. 6, 2024. “The Snoopy Mega Adventure” exhibition is an immersive journey of four seasons with Snoopy and friends through a multimedia display of Snoopy’s Comic Strips. Visitors can bring home Snoopy collectibles and merchandise from MINISO at the end of the exhibit. The Snoopy Inflatable has been set up at the rooftop of Mega Fashion Hall. The 50-foot gigantic Snoopy will be on display for a year, until Dec. 31, 2024. Meanwhile, SM Megamall’s Paw Park, at the 5th Level Mega Fashion Hall, gets a Snoopy revamp starting this December. For updates, follow @smmegamall on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Horror movie Thanksgiving opens in cinemas
AS A slasher movie, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving promises to deliver scary and gory kills, with the help of prosthetics genius Adrien Morot (who won an Oscar for Best Makeup for The Whale). The film was actually born in 2006, when Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were working on the gory double feature Grindhouse and asked Roth for fake trailers to come along with it. Roth saw the perfect opportunity to create a trailer for an American holiday that Hollywood horror movies had yet to celebrate: Thanksgiving. For 17 years, fans had wondered if the movie would ever be made for real. This month, the new horror legend will finally emerge. It stars Patrick Dempsey and opens in Philippine cinemas on Nov. 22.
Rosie Darling releases debut album
INDIE POP artist Rosie Darling has released her debut album Lanterns, an exploration of confessions, heartbreak, and acceptance. The latest emphasis track from the record is “The Longest Goodbye,” a heartfelt reflection on the enduring pain and nostalgia of a past relationship that lingers. Each track illuminates different facets of the singer’s life and emotions. It also has several collaborations with Justin Gammella (FINNEAS, Ashe), Wynter Bethel of Tommy Lefroy, and Swedish-based songwriters Boy in Space and Hilda Stenmalm. The collection of poetic alt-pop tracks is out now on all streaming platforms.
Fantasy romcom series exclusively on Prime Video
A FUN romance starring Jang Dong-yoon and NANA, My Man Is Cupid, will premiere on Prime Video in the Philippines this December. It features a star-crossed love story between a love fairy, Cheon Sang-hyuk (Jang Dong-yoon), who lost his wings in a tragic incident and is living as a human, and a veterinary surgeon, Oh Baek-ryun (NANA), whose beauty attracts many men. The fantasy romantic-comedy or romcom series will stream on Prime Video on Dec. 1, with new episodes released weekly every Friday and Saturday.
Willy Wonka prequel coming in December
DIRECTOR Paul King, known for the family-favorite Paddington movies, has adapted the beloved book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, which focuses on the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. Wonka tells the story of the character’s younger days, when he was just starting out as a chocolate-maker and setting up shop at the cathedral of candy known as the Galeries Gourmet. It is a prequel to the 2005 hit Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, also produced by David Heyman, who previously produced the Harry Potter movies. The cast is led by Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, and includes Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Grant, and Rowan Atkinson. Wonka opens in Philippine cinemas on Dec. 6, one week ahead of the US.
The Simon & Garfunkel Story at Solaire
Following sold-out performances in London’s West End and a worldwide tour, The Simon & Garfunkel Story makes its way to the Philippines, with a performance at The Theatre at Solaire on March 2, 2024. Featuring a cast of West End actor-musicians, the musical will take audiences back through the 1960s, featuring the story of both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel from their humble beginnings as the rock ‘n’ roll duo Tom and Jerry, right through to their massive success and dramatic break-up, and finishing with a recreation of the 1981 Central Park reunion concert. Using a huge projection screen, the show features 1960s photos and film footage whilst a full live band performs all their hits including “Mrs Robinson,” “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound,” “Sound of Silence,” and many more. Presented by Concert Republic, The Simon & Garfunkel Story will have a performance at The Theatre at Solaire, Paranaque City on March 2, 2024, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at all Ticket World outlets with prices ranging from P1,350 to P6,350.
