Entertainment News (11/22/22)

Cinema ‘76 Film Society reopens new branch with QCinema

IT’S A double celebration as Cinema ‘76 Film Society opens its new branch at the second floor of the Terraces Building at Tomas Morato corner Scout Borromeo in Quezon City with a lineup of movies from the 10th QCinema International Film Festival.  The micro-cinema will have its soft launch from Nov. 23 to 25, screening some of the fest’s titles under the Asian Next Wave Competition, QC Shorts, Asian Shorts, and Rainbow sections. Among the Asian Next Wave films to be screened in Cinema ’76 are Autobiography by first-time Indonesian director Makbul Mubarak. The film uses a fictitious election campaign as the backdrop for his moody thriller with metaphorical context; filmmaker Sorayos Prapapan’s feature debut with Arnold is a Model Student, dwells on its titular math student character amidst the background of student protests and authoritarianism in Thai schools; the Cannes award-winning film Plan 75 by Chie Hayakawa, a Japanese dystopian drama focuses on how the government lures the elderly to sign up for a mysterious life-and-death scheme. One of the lead cast members, Filipina actress Stefanie Arianne, will be at the screening for a Q&A with the audience. Other films to be shown are the French LGBT drama Stranger By The Lake and QCinema 2018 film Billie and Emma. Tickets are priced at P240. This is a special discounted price for the QCinema International Film Festival movies screened between Nov. 23 to 25. Cinema ‘76 will start regular operations on Nov. 30. For tickets, visit bit.ly/c76qciff. For a complete list of films and screening schedule, follow Cinema ’76 Film Society on Facebook, Instagram, andTwitter. 

Mamamoo kicking off first world tour in Manila

KOREAN girl group Mamamoo will visit the Philippines as they kick off their first world tour titled MY CON in Manila on Feb. 12, 2023 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This year, Mamamoo released its 12th EP, Mic On, with the chart-topping hit “Illella.” This came after the release of the group’s seventh anniversary album, I Say Mamamoo: The Best.” Mamamoo debuted in 2014 as a quartet with members: Hwasa, Moonbyul, Solar and Wheein. The group’s hits including “Um Oh Ah Yeh” (2015), “You’re The Best” (2016), “Décalcomanie” (2016), “Yes I Am” (2017), “Starry Night” (2018), “Egotistic” (2018), “Wind Flower” (2018), “gogobebe” (2019), “HIP” (2019) and “AYA” (2020). Tickets go on sale on Nov. 30, 10 a.m., via TicketNet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets nationwide.

Smart Live backs major concerts

AS LIVE events return to the Philippines with a vengeance, Smart Communications launches Smart Live which gives Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, Smart Infinity, Smart Bro, and TNT subscribers privileges such as early ticket access, eligibility for discounts, raffle promos, express lanes, and on-ground activities to concerts, sports events, among other events. To start, Smart Live offers perks for three of the biggest concerts in the country this December: The Seventeen World Tour Be the Sun at the Philippine Arena on Dec. 17; Ben&Ben Send-Off Concert at the SMDC Festival Grounds on Dec. 18; and Eraserheads’ Huling El Bimbo concert at the SMDC Festival Grounds on Dec. 22.  For Seventeen World Tour Be The Sun, Smart is set to offer raffles for sought-after tickets.  For Ben&Ben’s Send-Off Concert, subscribers can enjoy access to the “Smart Lane” to breeze past long queues at the entrance. For Eraserheads’ Huling El Bimbo, Smart subscribers are entitled to a 10% discount on concert tickets through a unique promo code. To claim this, register at https://smrt.ph/eheadspromocode from Nov. 17 to 22 and wait for the unique promo code via SMS. Then type the code into the ticketing platform before completing payment from Nov. 26 to 27. Smart subscribers can also look forward to watching the live on-court games of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be held in the Philippines in 2023. For more information, visit smart.com.ph/pages/smartlive and following Smart on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.   

Julie Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz in JulieVerse concert

JULIE Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz will hold their much-awaited concert, JulieVerse, live at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Nov. 26. JulieVerse is produced by GMA Synergy. Directed by Paolo Valenciano, the concert’s special guests are real-life couple and fellow Sparkle artists Kyline Alcantara and Mavy Legaspi. For tickets, visit www.gmanetwork.com/synergy or www.ticketworld.com.ph. The Premium and Bronze categories already sold out.

Christmas showcases at Ayala Malls

AYALA Malls and Pandora are spreading the spirit of Christmas starting with the staging of The Nutcracker ballet by STEPS Dance Studio. From November to December, STEPS Dance Studio is touring the malls to bring the show to more Filipinos with accompaniment by the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir in Manila and the Loboc Children’s Choir in Cebu. The Nutcracker has shows on Nov. 26 at TriNoma; Dec. 3 at the UP Town Center; Dec. 4 at Ayala Malls Circuit; Dec. 10 at Ayala Center Cebu; Dec. 11 at Alabang Town Center; Dec.17 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay; and Dec. 18 at Glorietta. In staging the fantastical world of The Nutcracker, event partner Pandora will set up charm-filled pop-up vignettes at every location of the mall tour. One of the picture-worthy elements is the Pandora Christmas Tree, covered in Nutcracker charms from the brand’s latest Christmas jewelry collection. Pandora’s new collection also features stars, snowflakes, reindeers, and gingerbread houses. Meanwhile, BPI bank holders are in for a holiday treat when they visit Glorietta, TriNoma, Greenbelt, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Abreeza, Maquee Mall, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Ayala Malls Solenad, Ayala Mals The 30th, and Ayala Malls Serin. For a minimum spend of P1,500 on dining, or P3,000 on retail and department store purchases, or P5,000 on supermarket transactions in single receipts using any BPI credit card, customers get free P300 worth of vouchers that they can use for one out of four options: a P300-worth Timezone gift card, a P300 department store voucher, a P300 Ayala Malls Cinema gift certificate, or a P300 supermarket voucher. The prizes are redeemable in select participating malls only.

Hazel Faith releases Christmas song

HAZEL Faith spreads the joy of the Yuletide season with the release of her upbeat Christmas tune “Pasko Kasama Mo” via Waterwalk Records and Sony Music Entertainment. Revisiting the holiday experience with technicolored bounce, funky chords, and 1980s city pop lilt, “Pasko Kasama Mo” reminds listeners why it’s the best time of the year. The track was written by Hazel Faith and was arranged, produced, mixed, and mastered by Albert Tamayo. The song is available to stream athttp://lnk.to/HFxJA-PaskoKasamaMo.

Ace Banzuelo releases new single

SINGER-songwriter/producer Ace Banzuelo breaks through the mainstream pop with the release of “Kulang,” an unabashedly vulnerable track with trap, R&B, and bedroom pop influences. Using retro-futurist synthesizers and laid-back, hip-hop beats, “Kulang” finds the 22-year-old wallowing in loss or lack of personal direction. The song is available on all digital music platforms worldwide via Sony Music Entertainment.