Love him or not, Quentin Tarantino has made an impact in cinema thanks to his explosive, dynamic, and very sensational style of filmmaking that's gone through decades and generations of praise and controversy. From Pulp Fiction to Kill Bill, and of course Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, the man has an eye for whimsical and edgy fun that'll literally blow you off your seats - whether its over-the-top action sequences, no-holds-barred dialogue, or something so unexpected that it will get you talking about the movie even after the credits roll and you've left the cinema.
I'm happy to say that the director's ninth film - "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" - is a great example of his art form brought to life in an exceptional manner, acting as both a tribute and love letter to 1969 era Hollywood. Set at the backdrop of what would be infamously known as the "Manson Family Murders", this was a period of innocence, transition, and so much developments in Hollywood and cinema that it's only fitting that a man like Quentin Tarantino would make his vision of this bygone era - full of potential yet also riddled with its own troubled history and eccentricities that happen behind the camera.
2019 marks Marvel's 80th Birthday, and fans in the Philippines are invited to celebrate and honor all the superheroes and characters born from the House of Ideas in a special exhibit that's right at SM North EDSA The Block!
Teaming up together with SM, Marvel is proud to honor 80 long years of comic book storytelling that has grown and branched out to different forms of media - including movies and television! From the assembling of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk and the rest of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the growing roster of superheroes in the pages of comics - fans worldwide have every reason to celebrate eight long decades of Marvel fandom! What's more - the Philippines has its own Marvel heroine to celebrate and be proud of in the form of Wave, aka Pearl Pangan and a character found in the action-role playing game "Marvel Future Fight"!
So come on down to SM North EDSA and celebrate 80 years of Marvel Comics starting this August 27th! Displays from various Marvel collectors and fans are featured there, as well as exclusive merchandise and collectibles from the folks at Filbar's and Hot Toys!
For more information, visit the officialMarvel Facebook page, SM, and Filbar's! Use the hashtag "#Marvel80atSM"!
What happens when you get two of the most recent and hot-headed additions to the long-running "Fast & Furious" film franchise together to star in their own spin-off movie? All the bromance, bickering, and action driven adrenaline you'd expect as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Jason Statham reprise their roles as federal agent Luke Hobbs and mercenary Deckard Shaw - teaming up as unlikely allies to save Deckard's sister and take on a new threat in the aptly named "Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw".
Thanks to UIP Philippines, I got to see the IMAX premiere screening of Hobbs & Shaw last night - and to say it was something totally action-packed, hilarious, family oriented, and fun is just the perfect way to describe this adventure that doesn't involve the gang led by Vin Diesel. Because of their perfect rivalry against one another in the past Furious film "The Fate of the Furious", Hobbs and Shaw have shown funny testosterone driven chemistry together which caught the attention of the filmmakers. Directed by David Leitch, this movie is a result of that "friendly rivalry", and now we get two mega stars ready to work together... If they can survive and stand one another first.
Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw | Trailer 3
Besides The Rock and Statham getting most of the spotlight, they are joined by Idris Elba - who plays their common enemy and cyborg enhanced "Black Superman" foe named Brixton Lore. This challenge puts the "Brains and Brawn" dynamic distributed between our two heroes to the test, as well as the fact they go on a Globe-Trotting adventure that takes the adventure to London, Russia, and The Rock's own ancestral home of Samoa. Vanessa Kirby debuts as Hattie Shaw - the younger sister of Deckard and Owen (Luke Evans), and she pretty much holds her own as a tough lady who can take care of herself despite the dangers and high stakes that come in this film. We also get to see familiar faces who play the brothers of Hobbs - including Cliff Curtis,Roman Reigns, Josh Mauga, and John Tui. Helen Mirren also returns as Queenie Shaw - the mother of Deckard and Hattie.
Bottomline, Hobbs & Shaw is a fun and brainless adventure that can stand on its own two feet despite living off the legacy of the Fast & Furious films. There's really nothing new added here save for expanding on the relationship between the two "frenemies" and seeing more of their family and background previously unexplored in recent entries. It's recommended you see the past films to see the past adventures and backgrounds of our two protagonists before diving into this one. The franchise shows no signs of slowing down, and it gets more bold and ambitious with each new entry that it can be described like a "nitro fueled car on steroids" with every adventure we see. I expect the next Furious film to follow suit and give us plenty more fun with cars and high stakes while highlighting the importance of family as always.
Fast & Furious" Hobbs & Shaw is now showing in theaters courtesy of UIP Movies Philippines and distributed through Columbia Pictures Philippines.
