MARVEL STUDIOS' AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR TRAILER

MCU finally releases its first official trailer of the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and all I could say is wow. This is really the culmination of years and numerous of movies intertwined. The trailer looks sleek and the movie promises to be of epic proportions.

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: FINAL PICKS

If the Miss Universe holds true to reported change in format that sees the Top 16 divided by region, then things could be much more unsafe for all the ladies specially those in the Asian regions. The Asians are showing to be powerhouses this year and with the new development, some might miss the cut to the semis. The news has 4 from Asia/Africa/Pacific (3 from judges, 1 from online vote), 4 from Europe (3 from judges and 1 from online vote), 4 from Americas (3 from judges and 1 from online vote) plus 4 wildcards which can come from any of the regions. With that here is my final picks for the Top 16 in Miss Universe 2017. I think the Europe regions is the weakest of them all.

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: TOP 20 PICKS (EVENING GOWN - PRELIMINARIES)

Beauty, grace and poise under pressure are some of the key points normally looked on during the evening gown competition. Although the gown makes for a great eye catching spectacle, it is only a portion of the total score each delegate can obtain. One's runway walk is also pivotal to see how one easily carries their individual gowns. Here is my Top 20 picks for the Evening Gown Preliminaries.

 V
Venezuela really wowed me during the evening gown presentation in the preliminaries. She was stunning, elegant and full of poise and grace as she is my clear winner during this segment. France makes up for an average Swimsuit portion to slay her gown in impressive form. Add to the fact that her gown was such a beauty she was able to really shine. Philippines may not have the best gown but her presence and superb catwalk brought her above most of the contestants. She really made people notice her in this prelims. Mexico also rebounded after a so-so swimsuit round. She managed to put sexiness and elegance under one place.

Colombia rocks the white feathery gown and proved to be one of the stronger ones during the night. Egypt was kind of a surprise. But with a gown that shows all her right curves, she strutted like someone who is eager for the top. Iceland was simple yet very impressive in her look at the evening gown. Her over-all performance was solid and she looks beautiful on that lovely dress. Korea continues to impress in the prelims. After a strong swimsuit round, she backed it up with an elegant display of her beauty during the Evening Gown parade.

USA's decision to ear a yellow gown did her well. She popped out and stood out with the right contrast of her color and the bright yellow gown. With solid performances like this, she is rest assured to land a spot in the semis. Angola stood tall and made heads turn during the evening gown portion. Her beauty was noticeable as it shines through the simple yet stunning silver/white gown. Lebanon is beautiful no doubt about it but she has been in the shadows for majority of the competition. Good thing she really nailed her evening gown and then we took notice. Hot in pink, Indonesia braved the odds but still look effortlessly gorgeous on her hot pink piece. Her outstanding presence did her pretty well as this gown was not one among the best praised gowns.

Thailand's gown was a classic and she is once again beautiful but her confidence and presence on stage is somehow questionable as she seems a bit nervous during this round. A good performance but good isn't enough to win the crown. Japan's red dress was an attention grabber during the prelims. Packed with a great smile and personality she was able to outshine some of the other early front-runners. Panama was another surprise that night. Her gorgeous evening gown was well carried and she walked the part and did her best to be among the best. Malaysia is stunning hands down but this red piece which was somehow more sexy than regal may have hurt her chances to move higher on the ranks.

Paraguay followed up his powerful run at the swimsuit round with a scintillating take on the evening gown competitions. Her towering figure was amplified the more with the great cut on her chosen gown. South Africa has slowly dwindled. It helps her cause that she is really gorgeous and beautiful but this sad green gown may have hurt her chances for an easy pass to the semis. Great Britain may have made some jaws drop with her revealing red dress and she really let us see that she is beautiful and sexy indeed. Australia is also on a downturn and an average performance in the prelims may have hurt her chances. After all she is bracketed against Asia and Africa which is turning out to be a pretty crowded bunch.

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: TOP PICKS (SWIMSUIT - PRELIMINARIES)

The initial impressions on the delegates is important for the build up but the preliminaries is what matters most as it is the ticket to the semifinals. Last year it is during this stage that we had some surprises that was able to make big waves and enter the semis. Will that be the same for this year? Here are my Top 20 picks for the best Swimsuit. I judged them from their physique and body structure (sexiness, shape and appeal), ramp (confidence and poise) and factoring in beauty as well (grace and facial beauty).

 Topping my list is Philippines with a beaming smile emanating from such a pretty face and a body to die for, she was sure on fire. She strutted the runway and showed the entire universe that she means business And those legs are so perfect. Venezuela also did a splendid job. Parading her white Yamamay swimwear, Keysi wowed everyone with her curves and her confidence and presence on stage. Colombia's body was just the bomb and that together with her fierceness on stage made us really notice her. Peru rounds up my Top 4 as she gracefully walked the runway. And she was one of the sexier ones of the night.

 Indonesia did a splendid job and with a face like hers and a gorgeous body like that, she can spell trouble for the ladies on top. It is a given that South Africa is hot and sexy and her over-all aura spells that as well. But she was overshadowed by some of the other delegates who simply put the ramp ablaze. USA does not have the perfect body but her over-all confidence beams making her look fiesty in black. Surprise package at the swimsuits is Saint Lucia. Suddenly coming with a bang, if her other scores would be above average, this swimsuit round would definitely catapult her to the semis.

 Mexico sits in at 9 for me. She is a crowd pleaser and her nice curves were put into good use as she walk the ramp and all we could say was wow. Malaysia is one of the few front-runners pre-arrival and she has proven that the hype is not a fluke. Confident and graceful, Malaysia captured the eyes of many. Brazil packed a solid run at the swimsuit rounds but with the rest too far ahead, she needs to step it up soon. Costa Rica is somehow not a surprise as I think she is one of the few people who have really gorgeous bods in the competition. The swimsuit round proved it all the way and she did impress.

 Korea is another surprise in this round as she stood tall edging out some of the more favored contestants along the way. Australia started the pre-season hot and on fire but this preliminary is not s strong as the others. Solid but could not keep up with the rest. France slowly faded in the swimsuit rounds. She does not have the best body and she really looked less confident with that. Thailand may not have the best body and her walk was somehow awkward but her presence is just electrifying enough to merit her as one of my Top 20 picks in the Swimsuit round.

 Spain is regal in her form and she showed brilliance in her catwalk and those abs are definitely an eye-candy. Paraguay used to be one of the best there is and for this year, this is one of their stronger performances in the past few years. Honduras was the bomb. Her body was really great looking and she obviously enjoys her time at the pageant. A bit off on her runway walk have hurt her chances of even being higher on my list. Iceland is a charming and despite being in the club of select curvaceous delegates, she managed to stand out and be noticed.

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: BEST NATIONAL COSTUMES

The National Costume parade is always one of more anticipated portions on Miss Universe. This year, I think very few were really stand outs but a lot of countries had clean solid and wonderful costumes showing their unique heritage. Here are my Top picks for the National Costume in the 66th Miss Universe.

 Myanmar once more wows the audience with its outlandish costume yet I have to give my pick to Guatemala with the intricate details of her costume and the vibrant wonderful colors that really shows her nation's culture. Korea, Thailand and Laos were all solid and well crafted as well.

 Brazil is simple yet stunning and Spain also made me take a second look. Cambodia, India and El Salvador's designs were also fluid and a wonder to watch.

 Japan and Mexico in its simplicity was able to stand out and the usual feathery affairs from Jamaica, Costa Rica and Nicaragua could never go wrong.

 Going out of the traditional. Philippines did a good job with the Sarimanok costume. The rest of the group were also nice and Vietnam, Peru, Turkey and Guyana nailed the catwalk in presenting their costumes on stage.

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: 2ND HOT PICKS

You have seen my pre-arrival picks and my best in their glam shots. The past week saw some delegates step it up and make some noise. Factoring in my scores on pre-arrival together with the glam shots, recent TV and print appearances together with the newly included "Head Shots" in the Miss Universe website, here are my new Top 20 picks for Miss Universe 2017.

 1. Australia

Previous: 3

With a strong glam shot and head shot photos, Olivia finds herself vaulting some of the favorites moving into the pivotal days before the pre-pageant and the actual pageant.

2. Thailand

Previous: 6

Maria wowed all of us with her last week as strong as it maybe. Every TV appearance was a must watch and we are all one in agreeing that she is indeed so beautiful. Strong head shots and glam shots also make her move steadily up the ranks.

3. Philippines

Previous: 5

Rachel also moved up 2 notches on this power list. Despite having critical comments to her glam shots, she slayed her way with a sweet yet stunning head shot. That together with great praises with her interviews makes a good week for Philippines.

4. Venezuela

Previous: 2

Keysi was solid and consistent but with some of her co-delegates stepping up their games in the last week, she has slipped down by a bit. Her personality continues to shine making her a darling of the crowd.

5.  USA

Previous: 9

A strong week for USA sees her jump into the Top 5 power picks. Her pictures and her interviews were all on point and she seems to flourish more as the pageant progresses. Truly someone to keep an eye for.

 6. Colombia

Previous: 4

Laura was very good on all aspects for this week but that may be the case for her slip in the rankings. She is just good but not great. Solid catwalk, nice interview comments and good pics did well for her chances. Now it is time for her to step up her game.

7. Indonesia

Previous: 11

A very so-so glam shot caused her to not gain much but still she did wow everyone with a stunner of a head shot. Her great media visibility is also working on her favor and she is slowly making heads turn. Great poise and presence over-all that helped her move in the power rankings.

8. Nepal

Previous: Unranked

Big surprise in the past week was Nepal. I had her unnoticed on my previous hot picks and did not even have high marks with her Glam Shots. But this week was simply Nagma's week. Her screen presence is felt in interviews and the general public was put in awe with her wonderful headshots which for me was one of the best on the entire competition.

9. South Africa

Previous: 1

A relatively passive week for South Africa saw her slip from frontrunner to people on the heels. Not much media buzz was given to her and her photos were rather average. Still her strong pre-arrival buzz has kept her in my Top 10 thus far.

10. Ghana

Previous: 19

Ghana is slowly but surely making a lot of people take notice and the others should be a bit nervous. Her meteoric rise this week was buoyed by her great backstory and powerful performances on both photoshoots. Her shots were on point and definitely deserves the big bump in the rankings.

 

 11. Ukraine

Previous: Unranked

Another beauty to grace the rankings first time is Ukraine. Yana Krasnikova surprised even the keenest eyes of pageant experts as she beamed with a smile on her head shots and the rest of the world noticed how beautiful she is.

12. Peru

Previous: 10

A slight drop on our rankings, Peru was also one of the few that did well this past week but was not able to wow everyone. Consistent with her walk, pictures and communication skills she just needs to have one last charge to the top or she will continue to fade with the rest of the ladies surging ahead.

13. Lebanon

Previous: Unranked

Jana Sader also surprised me this week. Her strong head shots and a good glam shot just barely missing my Top 20 was able to push her ahead of the other early front-runners. She just needs to maintain this and she can sneak into the semifinals.

14. Israel

Previous: 17

I love Israel and although she did move up the rankings, I am not totally convinced she can make a push to the top. She moved up just because the others were not able to deliver solid performances and she just remained in status quo. Still her pretty face saved her from being left stuck with the rest of the group.

15. Aruba

Previous: Unranked

This few days are really more on beauty as the contestants are tested with a tons of photoshoots and press meet-ups. Aruba performed above expectations and she was specially gorgeous with her Head Shot. One name that is lurking at the sidelines but people need to be ready as she is waiting for her best moment.

16. France

Previous: 15

Slightly slipping into 16th is France. The photos that were released this week did not show her best potential as she remains stucked at the back of the chasing pack. I am eagerly waiting for more catwalks and presentations which France is strong.

17. Japan

Previous: Unranked

Japan took me by surprise in the past week. She is not the tallest, prettiest or the sexiest but she managed to make herself get noticed. She had solid photos to boot this week and with a lot of good press for her she might be slowly turning into a contender.

18. Jamaica

Previous: Unranked

I love Jamaica when she won her national pageant but as many other girls got their crowns, she slowly faded into the background. Good thing that she had a relatively good week last week. Once more, we were shown how pretty Davina is with her stunning Head Shot.

19. Mexico

Previous: 18

Steadily going with the flow, Mexico continues to trail the front runners. But she did pretty well this past week coming up with nice photos that was able to keep her in my Top 20.

20. Iceland

Previous: Unranked

She overperformed the past week making a bit of a noise and landing several top picks from fashion gurus and pageant specialists. She has that different look which might do her well in the days to come.

A lot of candidates slipped off my Top 20 this week. Russia, Spain, Great Britain, Malaysia, Puerto Rico and Brazil took the bubble this week after average performances. Let us see what will happen in the next few days to come if they can recover.

MOVIE REVIEW: THOR RAGNAROK

MCU has become such a huge success both critically and commercially through the years although at the bottom of the spectrum usually is where Thor finds itself. And with Thor: Ragnarok being the 3rd film in the trilogy, some may find hesitations in taking the plunge for the ride.

But alas, Ragnarok was superb in all cylinders and the great word of mouth spread like fire making people flock in and watch the film. What happened that saw Thor do such a 360? Majority of the film's success lies with the new treatment. With a new director at helm, Ragnarok did not faze away with experimenting. This may be MCU's riskiest and most audacious film to date but Ragnarok with bold choices and effortlessly triumphs. With a visionary director on hand, Taika Waititi took the Thor franchise into an unchartered territory. He showed us a more humane and funnier God of Thunder. The punchlines were on point, witty and very well timed. It is good that Waititi saw Chris Hemsworth's chops in comedy and he really delivered. Combined that with the sarcasmic humor of Tom Hiddleston's Loki and you have a winner indeed. And Hela (Cate Blanchett) being the first female villain in the MCU was definitely kick-ass. The others in the cast were equally brilliant with Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) and Mark Ruffalo (Hulk) making each scene memorable.

Aside for the great direction and acting, Thor was visually exceptional and vastly different from the dark undertones of the first 2 Thor films. Ragnarok dives into something colorful, fun and pleasing making each frame a cinematic treat. Combine the wonderful cinematography with the great visuals and awesome soundtrack and you are sure to be taken to a different world - a world the first 2 films failed to immerse us with.


Thor: Ragnarok is charming and goofy at the same time and I could not complain at all. This was a sure-fire hit from the get-go! 9.5 out of 10 popcorns for me!

MISS UNIVERSE 2017: TOP 20 GLAM SHOTS

Here are my Top 20 Glam Shots. This is solely based on their glam shots and not factoring any other criteria. I have to say that this year's glam shots did not live to much hype and expectations. Some of the ladies looked too edited and some are actually way better looking in other pictures. But anyways, here are my top picks for the Glam Shots for Miss Universe 2017.

Colombia, Thailand and South Africa all nailed their respective glam shots and USA and Australia did pretty well with theirs. This is a good move for USA as the pre-arrival picks have shown her at the lower spots.

Surprise in the Top 10 Glam Shots are Austria and Dominican Republic who were both stunning with their shots. Venezuela and Israel did a good job but was overshadowed by some of the other candidates.

I was a bit sad with how Philippines looked with her glam shot so as with Spain. Surprisingly, Haiti is in this list whereas I did not notice her on the pre-arrival lists.

 Indonesia and France were also not as strong as the others delegates as they narrowly missed the Top 10 in the Glam Shots. Costa Rica surprised me with this picture enough to land her on my Top 20.