Entertainment News (10/03/23)

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Ayala Malls Cinemas presents Thrill Fest

AYALA Malls Cinemas’ Thrill Fest, which is ongoing until Nov. 1, is a month-long festival of Halloween special that includes horror genre cult favorites and must-see thrillers. It kicked off the festival on Sept. 27 by screening The Exorcist: 50^th Anniversary Director’s Cut, a remastered director’s version with additional terrifying visuals. The Thrill Fest lineup features The Exorcist: Believer (Oct. 4), The Forbidden Play (Oct. 11), Target (Oct. 18), Beetlejuice (Oct. 25) and Five Nights at Freddy’s (Nov. 1). The Forbidden Play is a Japanese supernatural film about a son trying to resurrect his mother after a tragic death but has awaken something evil. Target is a Korean thriller which starts with a woman buying a defective washing machine and leaving angry comments on the shop’s website, after which strange things start to happen. In celebration of the 35^th anniversary of Beetlejuice, Ayala Malls Cinemas is bringing the remastered version to the big screen. Five Nights at Freddy’s follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, which becomes a house of horror at night. Those who watch five out of the six movies in the Thrill Fest lineup will win a free movie ticket. For more information, visit or @ayalamallscinemas on Instagram and Facebook.

Film heritage building to rise in Intramuros

A FILM heritage building will soon rise in Intramuros, Manila as the Department of Tourism (DoT) and its infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), formally sealed a 22-year agreement with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) on Sept. 26 at the DoT Central Office in Makati City. The building, which will rise along Sta. Lucia St. in Intramuros, beside the Beaterio de la Compania de Jesus and TIEZA’s Light and Sound Museum, will house a cinematheque, film museum/gallery, film and media library, film storage/vaults, and film scanning and restoration room. It will also accommodate the FDCP offices, lounge areas, a board room, as well as a shop and a cafe. The property will be utilized with consent from the Department of Finance which is the registered owner of the lot. “Our facilities will serve as a haven for enthusiasts, a source of deep and rich knowledge for students and a treasure trove of Philippine cinema for both our fellow citizens and visitors from all around the world. Together, let’s continue to nurture and celebrate our nation’s film and artistic heritage,” said FDCP Chair and Chief Executive Officer Tirso Cruz III in a statement.

Sci-fi action thriller pits humans against AI

THE HOLLYWOOD sci-fi epic The Creator, which is about a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence (AI), comes to regular cinema and IMAX screens across the Philippines starting Oct. 4. This action-adventure from director and co-writer Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Godzilla) follows hardened ex-special forces agent Joshua (played by John David Washington) who is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator. Joshua and his team journey into enemy territory only to discover that the elusive architect of advanced AI — who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war and mankind itself — takes the form of a young child. The film also stars Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, and Allison Janney.

Itchyworms embarks on a 3-city tour in Japan

FILIPINO alt rock band The Itchyworms has announced that it is embarking on a three-city tour in Japan this October. The tour will kick off at the Live House Gattaca in Kyoto on Oct. 6, followed by two more stops in Osaka (The Blarney Stone and Sengokudaitouryou) on Oct. 7 and 8. The Itchyworms performed at the Tokyo Beyond Festival on Nov. 22 last year. “There will be a lot of Filipino fans [in Japan] who will travel two or three hours just to see us live, so we will still be playing some hits. We will also be playing some other songs that we think will be appreciated by the Japanese musicians and audiences,” the group said in a statement. The band, consisting of core members Jazz Nicolas, Jugs Jugueta, and Kelvin Yu, will be joined by new recruits Ciudad’s Mikey Amistoso and Weckl Mercado for this particular tour. For more information about the tour, visit the band’s official social media pages and revamped website: .

ISOxo releases single, announces new album

THE NEW album of San Diego-based DJ and producer ISOxo, kidsgonemad!, will be released on Oct. 20. It will include the single, “STARsound,” which has had many different iterations over the course of his career. ISOxo said in a statement that “the final album version will mirror that journey as it starts in a more angsty place and ends up in this more reflective, ethereal outro.” The Fil-Am artist broke into the electronic music scene at 19 years old. “STARsound” () can be found on all streaming platforms. The upcoming album kidsgonemad! can be pre-ordered here ().

ON Music Festival to be staged in November

The ON Music Festival, an all-day musical and cultural experience, will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on Nov. 3 from 12 p.m. onwards. It will feature EXO’s SUHO, Ben&Ben, Moira Dela Torre, Seori, Darren, Adie, MeloMance, and wave to earth as its main performers. “What we’ve prepared is a musical experience, a food experience, and a cultural experience between Korea and the Philippines,” said ABS-CBN Global COO Aldrin Cerrado. The festival is a collaboration between ABS-CBN Global and South Korean immersive entertainment brand KAMP. Aside from the featured acts who are expected to individually render performances for at least 40 minutes on stage, the ON Music Festival will include pre-show performances from ABS-CBN Music artists Maki, Cesca, Nameless Kids, and SAB. For more information, follow ON Music Festival on Instagram (), Facebook (), and X/Twitter () or visit . Tickets are available at SM Tickets outlets and online through .

TikTok, Viva launch #ForYouPelikula Short Film Festival

TIKTOK and multi-media company Viva introduce #ForYouPelikula, an aimed at nurturing the Philippine short film industry and providing emerging filmmakers with a unique platform. “As TikTok continues to evolve as a creative powerhouse, we’re excited to introduce #ForYouPelikula in the Philippines. This campaign is more than just a competition. It’s a celebration of storytelling and a testament to the boundless creativity within our community,” said Julie Zhu, the Entertainment Lead for the Philippines for TikTok, in a press statement. From Oct. 2 to 22, aspiring creators and storytellers can join the festival by crafting short film entries ranging from one to three minutes in length, using the hashtag #ForYouPelikula. To qualify, participants should be based in the Philippines and should be at least 18 years old. They should also be the owner of the TikTok account where the video entries will be uploaded. All entries should align with TikTok’s community guidelines and feature the #ForYouPelikula hashtag in their captions. Participants are free to submit multiple entries; however, only one entry from each participant can qualify as a finalist. A panel of judges from TikTok and media partners will sift through the entries. The top five finalists, to be announced on Oct. 25, will receive P10,000 each and have their creations transformed into professionally produced short films from Oct. 25 to Nov. 25. Viva will produce the entries of the Top 5 finalists, complete with professional actors playing the characters in these films. The final short films will be premiered at the TikTok and Viva #ForYouPelikula Awards Night on Nov. 28 at the Venice Cineplex Cinema 5, and on TikTok. The Best Entry Award, chosen from the top five original videos submitted, and the Best Short Film Award, chosen from the Viva-produced films, will be announced during the Awards Night, with each winner receiving a P50,000 cash prize. For additional updates and information, follow TikTok and the hashtag #ForYouPelikula on TikTok.