CATRIONA GRAY WINS 4TH MISS UNIVERSE CROWN FOR THE PHILIPPINES

And it was truly a wonderful early Christmas gift for the Filipino pageant fans. Catriona Gray won the recently concluded Miss Universe 2018 pageant at Thailand. The 5'10" stunner who previously joined the Miss World 2016 pageant (Top 5) came out on fire from the preliminaries up to the actual pageant night and bested 93 other ladies for the crown.

Gray who was an early favorite showed everyone that she is the one to beat from the get go. Her presence and her walks from the swimsuits and evening gowns together with her wit, personality and intelligence in the Q&A portion paved way for the country's 4th over-all Miss Universe title. From the start it was as if the crown is just waiting for her and everyone else is fighting for runner-up positions. 

MALE HOTTIE: PIETRO BOSELLI

Filipinos are dropping jaws with this hot model which stirred the runways and ads of the Philippines after it landed a modeling job with local brand Bench - Pietro Boselli. Since the early days of 2017, he has graced several print ads and commercials much to the satisfaction of his die-hard fans. 

Pietro is an Italian engineer, former mathematics lecturer at University College London and model and has somehow made the Philippines a second home as he meets tremendous fanbase here. And we have been getting more of him ever since and obviously the public isn't complaining.

GLORIOUS: 50 IS THE NEW 20

50 is the new 20. This is the running tagline that lingered to us after this IWant movie aired and created buzz among Filipino viewers.  The movie stars Angel Aquino and Tony Labrusca as two star-strucked lovers in a May-December love affair. The story is about how they will be able to protect their love and relationship with each other despite the many rigors of social disapproval and judgment. Although the film was definitely geared toward emphasizing that age is just a number, somehow the movie cloaks itself with a lot of sex innuendos and steamy scenes and plots.

The whole steamy love scenes with Aquino and Labrusca sure did stir up waves in the entertainment industry but outside of that this film is actually a simple and honest picture of reality. It somehow makes us question our stand on age, stature and relationships as a whole. The performance of Tony Labrusca was also simple and commendable but I think what really stood out is how well acted Angel Aquino was in her role. It was honest, relatable and one that touches the heart. I truly believe she is one of the true gems of Philippine movie industry that is rather underrated. Their characters of Niko and Glory was well thought of and how they manage to survive society and its judgments is really good although some may see as over-the-top.

Aside from the wonderful chemistry of the main protagonists, I also commend how Glory's relationship with her daughter was tackled making this film much more real. Over-all cinematography was great and direction was also good. My only qualm would have to be the ending as I was left hanging and searching for more. Still this film deserves to be one of the stand-out gems of 2018.

8.5 out of 10 popcorns. :)

TOP MANAGEMENT MAKES ME WANT FOR MORE

I have just recently finished "Top Management" - the South Korean  web television series that premiered on October 31, 2018 on YouTube Premium, and it was such a pleasant viewing surprise. The series stars Seo Eun-soo, Ahn Hyo-seop and Astro's Cha Eun-woo. The rest of the lead roles also include Jung Yoo-ahn and Bang Jae-min.

The story focuses on Eun-sung, a former girl idol trainee with the power to foresee the future, who becomes the manager of the aspiring, but struggling, boy idol group "S.O.U.L." From there we are treated on the lives of Kpop idols with all their hardships & trials and the relationships they build along the way. It was amazing to see the great chemistry of Seo Eun-Soo and Ahn Hyo-seop and how they have a certain level of love triangle with Cha Eun-woo.

Aside from the simplistic acting and the seamless pace of the story, the series triumphed with its songs. I personally love "Spring" sang by Kee Won-seok of Day 6 and the alternate duet version "I Will Show You" with Hyo-seop and Z. Hera. The song "Get Myself With You"  by S.O.U.L (performed by the 4 idols in the series) was also a catchy and memorable tune. Notable singles also came from Cha Eun-woo (Together) and Park Jin-young of Got 7 (Hold Me).

This is truly a wonderful web series for you to watch and not miss.

ADELA FINISHES RUNNER-UP IN ASIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL CYCLE 6

Cycle 6 of Asia's Next Top Model came to an end and the Philippine's bet Adela-Mae Marshall finished first runner-up for this year. It is the 5th time a Filipina went as far as the finals in the modeling reality competition. The ever radiant and beautiful Adela was one of the early front runners and she did not disappoint. She finished behind eventual winner Dana Slosar of Thailand.

Adela came strong on all challenges from photoshoots, catwalk and other go-see challenges that saw her propel into the finals. It could have gone either way but definitely she was able to lift the Filipino flag up high once more. She went into social media and thanked all the fans and supporters who were with her through her journey at ANTM.

Adela previously joined the Philippine version of Top Model and was a runner-up there as well. 

PHILIPPINES FELL FLAT AT ASIAN GAMES 2018: WINS PALTRY 4 GOLDS

The Philippine contingent to the 2018 Asian Games fell way short of lofty expectations. Although the 19th place finish of the country was an improvement from the 22nd finish from the 2014 games, they still fell short of the predictions of grabbing at least the 15th over-all spot. 

The RP team collected only 4 golds and all of which came from our lady athletes. In fact 2 of which came from Golf while the other two came from Skateboarder Margielyn Didal and Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz. Over-all, the country collected 21 medals at the quadrennial event. Matching with its SEA Games contemporaries, Philippines remain lagging behind and placed 6th in the region - the same spot they have in the 2017 SEA Games. 

MALE HOTTIE: HENRY GOLDING

One of the hottest new Hollywood star being raved over by fans is Malaysian-English Actor Henry Golding. He is known for his film work, playing the role of Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians, as well as Sean Townsend in the thriller A Simple Favor and Tom in the romantic comedy Last Christmas. He has also been a presenter on BBC's The Travel Show since 2014. 

With the success of Crazy Rich Asians, his fans all around the world are hoping things could just go up for the young lad's career. He is handsome, dashing and has shown that he has a knack for acting. And while his die-hard fans were all eyes on his topless scenes in the film, we just can't help but be in awe with him even with his clothes on. 

BRAWL MARS PHILIPPINES-AUSTRALIA FIBA QUALIFIER MATCH

One of the more shocking news for Philippine sports in 2018 was not a story to be proud of. The Gilas basketball team made headlines all over the world after a brawl spawned for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers in Bocaue Bulacan. Four Australian players and nine Filipino players were suspended, Philippines head coach Chot Reyes and assistant coach Jong Uichico were sanctioned, while the Australian and Philippine national federations were fined by FIBA. The match was eventually abandoned in the third quarter with Australia winning by default due to lack of eligible Filipino players.[

Meanwhile, the national associations from both countries, the PBA and BA, issued a joint apology suggesting the "actions displayed have no place on any basketball court" and have accepted responsibility while promising "to do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again".

MOVIE REVIEW: INCREDIBLES 2

More than a decade after the first film was released, we finally get a chance to revisit the lovely superhero family in the sequel "Incredibles 2". Immediately following the events of the first film, the Incredibles and Frozone battle the Underminer, who has just appeared to terrorize Municiberg. But things go from good to bad quick as they were not able to capture the culprit and the collateral damage caused by the events somehow caused a concern on their existence. And the family problems just got bigger from there. Mr. Incredible gets bench of superhero service as his wife Elastigirl takes centerstage. We are caught on a different family setting as the husband tries to tend their 3 kids and the issues all of them face. Violet with her puppy love, Dash and his difficulty with his studies and the growing up Jack-Jack. 

Incredibles 2 is nostalgia all over as we enjoy the action sequences, sounds and effects that made the first one very likeable. Aside from that the film is bounded on solid story although one may argue that it has been used far too many times already. But despite all of that and underneath all this fun and hi-tech shenanigans, there is actually a serious movie lurking that takes timely swipes at gender inequality, family stress and the modern triumph of salesmanship over substance.

And for me the actual triumph of this film is centering on Jack-Jack and his evolving "many" powers. Talk about super baby and the challenges of baby-sitting. The real life takes on family makes this film much more reachable to the public. In here we see the value of family and how each one looks for each other and the beauty of love in the family.

Over-all. This is a satisfying sequel that could stand on its own. A sequel long overdue but worth the wait. 9 out of 10 popcorns.

BARON ANDREWS WINS MISTER STAR MODEL 2018

The Philippines very own Mark Andrew Baron, most commonly known as Baron Andrews gave the country something to cheer for as he grabbed the Mister Star Model 2018 in Peru. The moreno stunner gave it his all and all his efforts was good for him to nab the title. 

The 24 year old expressed his joy and excitement with this triumph and thanked all his family, friends and supporters. He looked hot and dashing in his formal wear, swim wear and also in his national costume. 

Andrews graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education Major in Social Studies. He currently works as a teacher at San Rafael Technological and Vocational High School in Navotas. He also previously represented the country in 2015 for the Mister Real Universe pageant. Again a big congratulations.

MOVIE REVIEW: AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Spoiler Alert!!! When Marvel said that the stakes are high, then they are not really joking. The latest movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the 3rd Avengers film certainly rocked everyone. Decimation is one word to describe it. Avengers: Infinity War shocked even the most loyal of MCU fans as half of our heroes were turn into dust. 

The film focuses on the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy attempt to prevent Thanos from collecting the six all-powerful Infinity Stones as part of his quest to kill half of all life in the universe. And from the get go we were just put into an emotional ride one after the other. We saw the heart wrenching scenes of the deaths of Heimdall and Loki as Thanos starts its quest to get all the Infinity Stones. We are treated into several locations wherein different subteams are tasked to stop the Mad Titan from his devious acts. And each one of those teams fail one after the other. And just as we thought that the deaths are done for, we see Gamora bite the dust as well as Thanos acquires the Soul Stone. And during the big battle in Wakanda we saw the famous finger snap which somehow turned half of our heroes into dust. The most emotional of which is the scene of Peter Parker/Spiderman and Iron Man which truly made me shed a tear or two.

The pacing was surprisingly good for a long film and I did not feel bored at any time. The fight scenes are great and the scenes and cinematography is commendable as well - the color grading somehow brings more effect to the melancholic tone of the deaths. The film showed us that in life we sometimes make sacrifices for us to go to a common goal. And we re also reminded that not all we wanted in life usually comes true and each one of us should be prepared for the worst. 

9.5 out 10 popcorns! A must-watch.

CHANNING TATUM AND JENNA DEWAN SPLITS

It is official. Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan finally says it's over. But unlike all other fa,ous celebrity break-ups, this one is ends with the two of them lovingly choosing to separate as a couple. "Love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now, " - they say in a joint statement.

After almost a decade of marriage the two have decided to take separate ways much to the surprise and sadness of their loyal fans. Perhaps one of the loveliest couples from the past decade, Channing and Jenna's said split began circulating way back in 2017 but nothing came to surface only up to now.

MY BINIBINING PILIPINAS 2018 BETS

Binibining Pilipinas 2018 is later today and here are my top bets on who among the 40 candidates will do well come pageant night. Each one of them are good but I have made my choices based on everything I have seen so far.

Miss Universe - Catriona Gray

Ever since the get go she is my favorite. This is her pageant to lose. She is one of the few who exudes confidence and she is really beautiful. Armed with a great catwalk and over-all presence she can sweep all aside. Add the towering height as an advantage, Catriona is also well known for her wits and great advocacy.

Miss International - Vicky Marie Rushton

One of the more consistent of this batch, Vicky is both beautiful and sexy. Despite her lacking the feistiness as the other candidates, it could also work on her favor. She is fitted to the International Crown and could possibly grab back the crown to our country.

Miss Grand International - Karen Gallman

She is my bet for the Miss International but with her age problem that could make her disqualified for the pageant, I put her in one of the pageants we have not yet won. This is a great chance for her and the Philippines and with a stunning face and a great body she can romp over competition.

Miss Intercontinental - Michelle Gumabao

Backed with a great story she could grab one of the top plums this year if not with one contestant which I see is doing better than her. Pretty and packed with a great body, she has surprised everyone as well on good she handles herself with interviews letting people see who she really is which could really do wonders with her this pageant night.

Miss Supranational - Muriel Orais

Muriel was one of the first ladies that caught my attention during the screenings. She is one that can make the front-runners' lives difficult. With a great charisma and a wonderful personality to boot, she is one that gets noticed easily. She has to work her consistency and she can go far. She is built on the mold of the Supranational pageant - simple, beautiful and can draw audiences.

Miss Globe - Sigrid Grace Flores

She is one of the dark horses for some pageant analyst lists. But for me she deserve a crown. She did pretty well to the build up before pageant night and with her infectious smile adding to her beautiful face, she can win over hearts of people. Although Miss Globe does not have Q&A, her great communication skills pre-pageant times can favor her.

These two runner-ups can sneak into one of the titles but for me I think they will settle for runner-up positions. They have great performances along the way but does not create much buzz among fans and is somehow lacking with charisma and charm. If they perform exceptionally well on pageant night, I would not be surprised if they and a crown.

First Runner-Up: Maria Andrea Abesamis

Second Runner-Up: Wynonah Buot

Top 16

Sandra Lemonon

Kayesha Chua

Agatha Romero

Juliana Kapuendl

Ana Patricia Asturias

Samantha Bernardo

Jehza Huelar

Ena Velasco

THE SHAPE OF WATER WINS AT THE 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS

The historical romantic dark fantasy "The Shape of Water" came out on top on the recently concluded 90th Academy Awards. The Benicio Del Toro helmed film grabbed the Best Picture award together with the Best Director nod for Del Toro. 

The win for the film was a bit underwhelming considering it was nominated for 13 awards for the night. It also took home the awards for Best Production Design and Best Original Score for a total of 4 awards. In a year where no one was a clear favorite, it edged out Dunkirk which finished with 3 awards. 

MOVIE REVIEW: BLACK PANTHER

The Marvel Cinematic Universe hit the jackpot big time. Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters. In a predominantly actors of color, MCU introduced us to the world of Wakanda and its technological galore plus all the wonderful characters in it. It was indeed a wonderful surprise as Marvel keeps in the winning streak of making us fall in love with superheroes that we have not heard of by much.

Most notable characters include T'Challa/Black Panther ably played by Chadwick Boseman. His presence and enigmatic charm makes him believable as a young leader who is trying to re-establish a kingdom after the death of his father. Danai Guriar as Okoye was also exceptional. Her role as one of the trusted servants of the Wakandan empire show true grit and personality. You don't wanna mess with her in a battle for sure. And who could forget the 2 most unforgettable characters of the film. Shuri as played by Letitia Wright combines both youth and energy as she brings the wits and the brains to the kingdom. And perhaps the most memorable of them all is Michael B. Jordan who plays Killmonger - the anti-hero of the film which showed us that villains have heart and that usually they become bad because of circumstances that happen along the way.

Aside from the great acting chops, Black Panther is a cinematic masterpiece in the way it was directed and the way each shot was carefully done. The writing was sublime but memorable and the cinematography is stunning with all visuals wowing audiences. The film was a breath of fresh air for MCU as it connects in a more human way than prior films in the franchise tackling issues on family and all complexities it poses thus making it more relatable. It draws the line on family ties and doing the right thing or sacrificing everything just to do what is correct.

9.5 out of 10 popcorns. A must-watch!

KWENTONG JOLLIBEE VALENTINE'S SERIES 2018

Jollibee once more tickled our hearts with three wonderfully crafted commercials for their seemingly annual Valentine's series. Although not as trending as the prior year's ads, this year's commercials were still a hit to everyone. 

"Homecoming" is a follow-up to last year's "Crush" and tells the story of Gilbert and Ruth that leads them to a life of happiness that is destined for forever. It chronicles how their love blossomed through the years and makes us believe that there is still chance for forever.

"Signs" on the other hand tells a story of Star who is a hopeless romantic and believes that everything that happens in her life is driven by signs. But reality check for all us when sometimes we tend to overlook the sign that is readily in front of us. Super Kilig.

"Status" is the last one and shows us a different kind of love - a love that encompasses family. This shows that whatever happens to us in our lives, our family will always be there.

2017 TOP KPOP VIDEOS

There were several wonderful videos on the Kpop stratosphere that blasted 2017. With great concept, cinematography, set design, visuals and choreography, here are the videos that stood out from the year that was. Although this year's best surprisingly skewed Male videos with only BlackPink and Loona making it in the Top 25 list.

1. Spring Day - BTS

What makes Spring Day a cut above the rest for this year is it subtle use of visuals touching more into realistic soft tones to be able to convey its deep message. The breathtaking cinematography really brought about a certain level of emotion that this song wants to relay. 

2. Sorry - The Rose

The only Krock video in this year's outstanding list, Sorry by The Rose is a visual spectacle that is made to emphasize frame by frame focus. The vivid red colors in the video made for an emotional treat for its fans. Each scene made you feel the pain and agony of each lyric.

3. DNA - BTS

This is a visual rainbow spectacle filled with colors. Its vibrant feels ensured audiences of DNA will be engaged and glued to their screens from start to finish. And needless to say, BTS really is a marvel to watch in terms of jaw-dropping choreography.

4. Don't Wanna Cry - Seventeen

Seventeen has proven that they are one of more talented dancers in the Kpop industry nowadays and with video they surely did not disappoint. And with an amazing backdrop and good panning of camera to the over-all view, Don't Wanna Cry belongs to this list for sure.

5. Really Really - Winner

Black and White concepts in music videos are tried and tested formula but from time to time we are treated to gorgeous videos like this from Winner. Really Really's simplicity in its beat and tone is well pictured on how stunning even the B&W video was represented.

6. Power - Exo

Exo again has outdone themselves and with 3 videos in this list, this being the highest, every single one stood out on its own strengths. Power is fun and happy video and the guys have again shown how they are here to stay.

7. Move - Taemin

Compelling and emotional - these are just few words to describe Taemin's video Move. The stunning visuals and Taemin's powerful and gorgeous moves simply made this video one of the great ones of 2017. We are left breathless with his every pivot and every wave.

8. Not Today - BTS

One of the strengths of BTS in its videos is the high level of storytelling and Not Today is of no exception. Shot in a wonderful location, it charges with all the necessary action, drama and emotion enough to have us in awe. And once again the dance moves are crazy and we are not complaining about it.

9. Sweet Crazy Love - Loona

Braving out of the norm of the regular Kpop vibe, Loona triumphed in 2017 with her hit song and this could not come any better with this emotionally charged video which is a masterful art on its own. Surely, this is one of the gems of 2017.

10. The Best Present - Rain

Rain has done it again and this hot Kpop star has shown that once a superstar always a superstar. His newest video grabbed major influences with the likes of Usher, Chris Brown and Jason Derulo in the way it was filmed and how each frame was shot but he injected his own sexy Rain flavor as well.

11. Ko Ko Bop - Exo

This video shows that Exo can really dance well and they have put audiences into a wow state with Ko Ko Bop. And do we need to mention how sexy Kai is in this video? I guess the charm of the group is somehow combining sexiness and great dance moves together in a video spectacle.

12. Dramarama - Monsta X

Monsta X was successful in delivering an energy packed video with Dramarama. And with such fashionable and gorgeous costumes worn by the guys in the vid, we simply can't take our eyes of them all the way.

13. Mic Drop - BTS

Of all BTS videos, this certainly has the most international appeal with the simple ways of combining a banger vibe song and a super difficult choreo. Mic Drop also somehow touched on the roots of BTS back on their hiphop early days and with an added international flavor, we have one outstanding video for fans to watch.

14. One More Chance - Super Junior

SuJu has always given us wonderful videos through time and One More Chance is no exception. Masterfully crafted and visually perfected to fit the song's emotions, the guys shown a glimpse of acting chops as well as we are made to believe on the emotions they convey all throughout the video.

15. Energetic - Wanna One

Full of energy and a wonderful dance routine made this video stand out. Added to the great uniformity in the jeans theme on the guys costume, Wanna One treated its fans to another video that makes us join and dance.

16. Cherry Bomb - NCT 127

Sick dance moves and routines. NCT 127 has shown that it can be on par with the big boys. Cherry Bomb pulled one powerful dance move after the other.

17. Black Suit - Super Junior

Super Junior has proven that they still have it in terms of dancing and performance. Their video Black Suit is a wonderfully choreographed piece that is accentuated by the power suits worn fashionably by the guys.

18. Never Ever - Got 7

With many outstanding videos in 2017, GOT7 still managed to wow all of us. Its simplistic video style is an eye candy for us audiences. The catchy tune and the good dance routines made this video more memorable as well.

19. Where You At - Nu'Est W

Nu'Est W shines in this video for sure. While some have drawn comparisons with BTS' Not Today in terms of set design and visuals, the boys still proved their dancing chops and this video is still one of the guilty pleasures of 2017.

20. You Are - GOT7

I really like how simple looking yet stunning GOT7's videos are and You Are keeps up with their theme. The boys have certainly outdone themselves for this year and we can't help but wait for more to come in the upcoming year.

21. Universe - Exo

With 2 dance powered videos on 2017, it was a bit of fresh air as the guys of Exo treated us to one emotional piece in Universe. The heart of the video is with how well its well thought of lyrics is seamlessly portrayed into a heart-felt music video.

22. Shangri-la - VIXX

VIXX has again shown that in terms of glamor, fashion and confidence, their group is second to none. The guys delivered a very inspired performance in this video and with their charms showing in their black tux and coats, this made for a great viewing pleasure from last year.

23. As If It's Your Last - Blackpink

Being the only female Kpop act in the list says a lot and it simply shows that the girls are here to stay. With a great costume and dance steps to boot, this video just made us want for more.

24. Burn It Up - Wanna One

This young group has shown the muscles to withstand the rigors of the crowded Male Kpop world. And with such a stellar video like Burn It Up, they have cemented themselves as one of the best dancers out there.

25. Clap - Seventeen

Clap is both fun and energetic and shows the innate persona and vibe of Seventeen as a unit. The boys went back to basics as they showed more of who they are and how well they could dance in this visual delight from 2017.