When Robots Do the Job Better -- Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon Movie Review

Potato On the Go:

2011, the year of the movie sequels, wouldn't be complete without the 3rd installment of the movie adaptation of Transformers.  After the long wait, I was able to catch Transformers3: Dark of the Moon on its premiere in IMAX SM Mall of Asia on June 28!  Thanks to Solar Entertainment - United International Pictures!

Directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg, Transformers 3 : Dark of the Moon features Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) taking his first tenuous steps into adulthood while remaining a reluctant human ally of Optimus Prime. The film centers around the space race between the U.S.S.R. and the USA, suggesting there was a hidden Transformers role in it all that remains one of the planet's most dangerous secrets.

I belong to the generation who grew up with Transformers' original story.  At first, it was hard for me to accept that these robots are alien life organisms which somehow possess a combination of mechanical and biological composition but since I liked the first live action movie of Transformers, I eventually was able to treat the film as a complete separate version of the original animation.

Final Destination 5 reaches theaters soon

Potato On the Go:

No matter where you run, no matter where you hide…you can’t cheat death.  This is what Final Destination has been telling us since it hit the theaters for the first time.  Like many of you, I was hooked with the first one as the plot was unique and suspense-filled.  It's like a slasher movie that I enjoy watching with family and friends who keep on screaming on every suspense and death scene!  =D  How morbid I could be? Hehe.  Well, for me, there's always a room for this genre in my movie list.  Let's get real, we (at least for most of us I guess) enjoy the thrill of movies like this, it's like riding the Roller Coaster or Horror Train in carnivals and theme parks!  Anyway, I didn't expect the movie will have a series of installments but now, it's already on its 5th!  Let's see how different this franchise will be!  =)

In New Line Cinema’s “Final Destination 5,” Death is just as omnipresent as ever, and is unleashed after one man’s premonition saves a group of co-workers from a terrifying suspension bridge collapse. But this group of unsuspecting souls was never supposed to survive, and, in a terrifying race against time, the ill-fated group frantically tries to discover a way to escape Death’s sinister agenda.

Watch Team Azkals in action through the Cortal SQR Facebook Promo!

Web Announcement:

The new Cortal SQR, the official pain reliever of Team Azkals, gives you the chance to win tickets to the much anticipated match between Sri Lanka and our very own Philippine National Football Team. It all happens on July 03, 2011 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines.

Here's how you can win those tickets:

1. Search and Like the "Cortal SQR" Page on Facebook.

2. On the wall of Cortal SQR Facebook Page, from June 21 to June 28, post your most creative cheer for its newest ambassador, the Philippine Azkals for their game on July 3, 2011. Your post / cheer will serve as your official entry to the Facebook promo.

3. The post / cheer should end with “Sa Cortal SQR, We Believe, Kaya Nyo Yan!”.

4. Get as many Facebook friends as possible to like your post / cheer.

5. Five winners will be chosen based on their entries’ creativity and popularity (Facebook likes). Each winner will receive two tickets for the Azkals vs. Sri Lanka game on July 3, 2011 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila, Philippines.

6. Winners will be announced on June 29 through the Cortal SQR Facebook Page. Claiming of tickets is from June 30 to July 1, 2011.

7. This contest is open only to residents of Mega Manila (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna) who are 18 years old and above.

What are you waiting for? Like Cortal SQR on Facebook now and start cheering for the Azkals!

The River Cruise to Bayanihan Spirit -- Baybay Ilog, Bye-bye Basura for the Lubao-Sasmuan River Cruise

BAYANIHAN REPUBLIC:

The Philippines is a country of rivers.  In fact, we have about 421 river systems spread all throughout the archipelago.  There is no doubt how the rivers have influenced  us as a people.  For example, Tagalog, the language, the people and the region, came from the word Taga-Ilog (from the river) as the provinces surrounding the region evolved with the river system.

A view at the Loboc-Sasmuan River

And from what I learned in my Asian Civilization and World History classes when I was studying, it is in river systems where great civilizations flourished -- Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for the Persian and Mesopotamian civilizations, Nile  River for the Egyptian civilization, Indus River for the  Indian civilization and Huang or Yellow River for the Chinese civilization.  This body of water provide communities with food, water for drinking, household chores and domestic animals, irrigation for farm lands, access to transportation, a venue for trade and a place for rest and recreation.  There's no doubt, rivers have been part and parcel of our lives.

Mr. Popper's Penguins Movie Review -- Learning Fatherhood from Penguins

Potato On the Go:

March of the Penguins and Happy Feet are two films about penguins that I enjoyed on the big screen.  And when I saw the trailers and clips of Mr. Popper's Penguins, my first reaction was, "Penguins Again?!".  But well, since I was hooked by those two penguin movies, I thought there must be something in this film that I did not see in its trailer.  And good thing, and I really am thankful, that I did see Mr. Popper's Penguins because I really had one great time watching the movie!

Distributed by 20th Century Fox, Mr. Popper's Penguins is a family comedy film based on the children's book of the same name published in 1938.  The movie narrates the story of Mr. Tom Popper (Jim Carrey), a divorced businessman who is clueless when it comes to the important things in life - until he inherits from six penguins from his explorer father!  Popper's penguins turns his New York apartment into a snow winter wonderland.  But unexpectedly, these birds who can't fly, will take him to a different kind of adventure and change the rest of his life. 

Green Lantern Movie Review -- Imagination in Action!

Potato On the Go:

As far as I know, after Superman and Batman (and Robin) there has been no prominent DC superhero yet that made it to the big screen in recent years.  So when I learned that Green Lantern is joining the big league and making a giant leap to the movies, I can't help but get thrilled and excited about it.

And the long wait is over!  Through Warner Bros. Philippines, Green Lantern is finally soaring high into theaters on June 16!

Celebrate Global Smurfs Day on June 25!

Potato On-the-Go:

It was in 1980s when I came to know the animation called "Smurfs" but it actually was in existence since 1950s but only as secondary characters.  And after more than 20 years, the hit characters are back in town, and in a bigger way!

 
On Saturday, June 25, 2011, in celebration of the birthday of Peyo, the creator of the Smurfs (born June 25, 1928), Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation will lead events all over the world as part of Global Smurfs Day, a worldwide event in anticipation of the release of the Smurfs’ trip to movie theaters.

Green Lantern soars into theaters on June 16!

Potato On-the-Go:

In a few days, we will witness another awesome comics superhero brought into live action movie via Warner Bros' Green Lantern!  The studio recently released another eye-popping trailer of the fantasy action adventure which was essentially created for 3D theaters.

A hybrid of coming of age film and science fiction movie -- Super 8 Movie Review

Potato On-the-Go:

For the children of the 80s, I bet you still remember ET and Mac and Me, movies that dealt with kid's adventures with admirable alien life form.  But Super 8 is far from this genre of films.

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a movie with a Super 8 mm film camera [ now you know why it's entitled Super 8 =D ].  They suspect it was not not an accident.  Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

Super 8's Official Movie Trailer

Creative Blog Entries Dominate the Electrolux Dynamica Doom of the Broom Blog Contest

Action & Event-ure:

In line with its launch of the Dynamica vacuum cleaner, Electrolux, the global leader in household appliances from Sweden, recently concluded the much anticipated Doom of the Broom Blog Contest. Opened to all bloggers residing in the Philippines, 10 blog posts were chosen to win out of the many entries that made it to the April 30 cut-off.

In photo are the winners of Electrolux Dynamica Doom of the Broom Blog Contest and Electrolux Philippines’ Marketing Team.

Winning the grand prize is “Doom of the Broom” by lifestyle blogger Iris Acosta of Pinay Ads. Iris Acosta demonstrated creativity by making an original comic strip that showed the difficulties of using a broom for everyday household cleaning. She described the special features of Dynamica vacuum cleaner which are perfect in saving her from the broom crisis. Also, the entry received the most positive feedback from readers, garnering an impressive number of 218 responses in the blog post.

 In photo are (from left): Electrolux Philippines Product Manager Andrea Pionilla, Dynamica Doom of the Broom Grand Prize Winner Iris Acosta and Electrolux Philippines Marketing Manager Terry Sales.

The Shocking Sequel!!! -- The Hangover Part II Movie Review

Potato On-the-Go:

As fans are still in hangover with the first "The Hangover" movie shown in 2009, Warner Bros releases on June 08 the much awaited sequel of the comedy movie that rocked the world -- The Hangover Part II!

The Hangover Part II shares the adventure of the wolfpack Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha) and Alan (Zach Galigianakis) as they travel all the way to Bangkok to celebrate Stu's wedding to his fiancee Lauren (Jamie Chung).  They are joined by Lauren's younger brother, Teddy (Mason Lee), a pre-med student at Stanford University, and his future father-in-law's favorite. At the wedding reception, Lauren's father shows his disapproval of Stu by mocking and comparing him to rice porridge in his toast. At the end of the night, Stu hesitantly joins Phil, Doug, Alan and Teddy for a beer. Sitting at a campfire and roasting marshmallows, despite with the embarrassment Stu went through during the pre-wedding dinner, the group toast to the couple's future happiness.  And as they wake-up with Hangover (once more!), that night, they are headed once again to discovering the surprises of the one-night fun, adventure and stupidity, they can't even remember.

The Epic Beginning -- X-Men: First Class Movie Review

Potato On-the-Go:

Finally, after the long wait, 20th Century Fox has finally released the much awaited prequel of the X-Men saga "X-Men: First Class". Special thanks of course to  20th Century Fox Philippines for the invitation to the film's press preview in SM Mall of Asia.