Holiday Snacks from URC!

Christmas is just around the corner and the folks from URC (Universal Robina Corporation) knows exactly why snacking should be a big part of it. From family reunions to friends catching up, a drink or two is essential, and so is a bowl of Jack N Jill snacks. 

Unbeknownst to a lot of people, you can actually jazz it up and make it a bit gourmet if you please. They recommended a few recipes you can try at the comforts of your own home!

Piattos Nachos 

3-4 packs of regular sized Piattos Cheese (my preferred flavor but you can choose Nacho Pizza instead)

2 cups grated cheese (cheddar or quickmelt)

1 Jar of Salsa

Optional: Sauteed Ground Beef, Pork, beans (boiled til soft), Jalapeños, Black Olives, Onions, Sour Cream, more tomatoes. You can just put chips on a bowl, put cheese and melt it, then put salsa and other components. Serve immediately!

Cream-O Cake

For the sweet tooth, you can do a lot of things with your favorite cookie brand Cream-O. Grab 10 packs of it, separate the cookies from the cream, ground it up and mix it with 1 and a half cup of milk. Layer it alternately with the cream, steam it for 5 minutes (though I prefer mine frozen) add the remaining layers later on. Add a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or just eat it straight out of the container. Enjoy!

Without cooking skills, you can make a lot of things with these products, and yes, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to make it work. All of these are available in your local grocer or supermarket. You can also get it from your food and grocery apps, it's all about making your what you want to happen. All from our friends at URC! 

ALDEN RICHARDS Brings PH to Hollywood via "BIG TIGER" with Max Collins, Byron Mann, Katherine McNamara and Luke Goss

If you haven't heard, Alden Richards is taking his shot at Hollywood this coming 2026. Yes, you heard that right, Asia's well loved multimedia star is producing and becoming a part of "BIG TIGER" an action flick he's starring with fellow GMA star Max Collins, HK American Byron Mann (omg he's Ryu in Street Fighter!), and action star Katherine McNamara, and English actor Luke Goss (who's had several movies in his belt). 

How did this all start? Alden told us that he personally went to LA to look for studios that he could work with via his production company Myriad Entertainment (who's done several ones in the PH). There were a lot of them that he approached but it was either not feasible for them (and a whole lot of other reasons). When he talked to the folks from LUX Angeles Studios, Bims and Sawyer Studios and Voltage Pictures, all it took was 2 zoom meetings and one personal appearance to make things happen. With a Filipino production team based here in the Philippines, Keoni Waxman felt how smooth it was to stage the shoot here, and got lots of praises for the texture they got from locations that would have cost millions to build in the US. Here, it's all natural, and producers called it "COST EFFECTIVE" to make it happen here.

Here's what Alden had to say about that!

 Here's the full video of the media conference a few days ago:

There are tons of plans now to do several flim projects with Myriad Entertainment, and according to the producers, about 9 to 10 films the least. This is huge especially for the ones looking for locations outside the US, and it will bring jobs for PH crews, for Philippine based actors that they plan to do. This is ultimately what Alden wants to happen, and these are all challenges that he will try to overcome. He says "The reinforcement from production partners, to highlight the Philippines, as a location hub for Asia, if this comes true, we will have the chance to increase the quality of what we can do here in the country! I hope to work with Hollywood stars and do it with Filipino actors, this is an opportunity to bring more people to work in the Philippines and have the Filipino actors work here too. They didn't know how affordable it was to make films here, now they do!"

Max says "It's so different to see Alden do this (as an Antagonist) because we've worked together before in ILLUSTRADOS. That's totally different with our characters, he's an @SSH0LE and it was amazing and sexy, his fans would love to see more of those!"

BIG TIGER is a place in the film, and you'll see why it is called that once you see it in cinemas. They have plans to show it here, distribute it in the US and streaming platforms. This is where Alden is going, are you going to support him all the way?!

I know, I would!

I'M PERFECT: Understanding the Cause of This MMFF 2025 Entry

People were already crying when they got out of the cinema for the media conference of the movie I'M PERFECT, Nathan Studios' entry to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival. It's a film that touches on the lives of those with down syndrome. Before it even started, the conversations of media and folks from organizations captured my interest. I overheard Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Chairman Elmer Lapeña while he was talking to a colleague about it, and he says "They have one special ability, and that is to LOVE without inhibitions, magmahal ng wagas!"

Direk Ingrid says "I need to make a story, a film about 11 years ago. We won in FDCP and this was teased. This was to show that they can. I'm very lucky that this was noticed by Ms. Sylvia and Nathan Studios and made it happen. Kita Kita was 2017, but this was 2009. They forged my characters, they choose what to show and we only had to trust them. I know it is a risk for producers but I was given the right ones with passion. I didn't want to use them, because this is a passion project and we didn't want them to be used, but loved and be independent. I felt hope because it doesn't end there."

Ms. Sylvia says "I saw two of her scripts and didn't like it but this third one was an afterthought. She didn't believe I would do this, because it was 10 years ago, they wanted it but didn't trust that this will be made, but I knew that the kids with down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy can. I want to thank Janice, LT, Tonton, Zaijan, because at the beginning they knew they would support them, and they did. When I found the cast in Direk's laptop, I knew I had to do it. We met with the officials because we want their guidance and do it right. These kids will make history, so please make sure to watch it!"

This film called "I'm Perfect" is something special. It's about unconditional love, the support actors describe this as reality, a spectrum of emotions, and when they were in the set, instead of them teaching the lead actors, they learned more instead. They taught them the currency of love and hugs, and watch them enjoy the process as actors for MMFF. They were overwhelmed!

Here's what happened at the press conference:

You might be wasting time treating them differently but they probably need to be treated plain and the same. It's an eye opener, looking at family dynamics on how to love, and how to do it purely, without judgement, hesitation, or anger. That's what they want you to feel in this film, and if you're up to it, you can support them on the 25th! 

This film has a mission, and hopefully even before it comes out on theaters, it makes you feel what it is for. Make sure you watch it, so you'll learn more about what LOVE is in its purest form and concentrate on what they CAN DO instead of what they CANNOT DO. 

"Shake, Rattle and Roll: Evil Origins" a Gorefest with Effective Actors

 

I've been looking forward to see one of the biggest films this 2025, an offering from Regal Entertainment intended for the Metro Manila Film Festival called "Shake, Rattle and Roll: Evil Origins".

As you may know, this is the 17th installment of the movie franchise and is already a part of tradition to see one every Christmas. It must have been very challenging for producers to put this together since the matriarch Mother Lily passed in 2024, but Ms. Roselle and Atty. Keith obviously didn't get to put off fire off their family's passion. With an ensemble cast that includes SRR alumni and some of this generation's hottest love teams, the theaters will surely be filled to the brim with fans who would want to see a glimpse of their idols do 3 movies in one showing. 

Here's what happened at the red carpet!

A short review:

The story is well put together. While there were a few flaws to convey time, you'll get to appreciate the way things are because all of the characters are very busy establishing their identity, and why they are there. This isn't much of a scare, but more of a gore fest. The suspense will also play when each one of them appear on screen because you'll never know who's going to live or die. That mystery alone would get you hooked and they've managed to healthily do that in this 3 in 1 movie. You can expect Janice de Belen and Manilyn Reynes to do good, along with prime actor Richard Gutierrez. 

 

The love teams FranSeth and JMFyang did their A game in the gory part of the movie. Individually, they are remarkable, even if the pairings didn't exist you would see how they carried themselves well. The scare factor is a bit on the moderate side, but again, this is more of a gorefest rather than a horror flick, I enjoyed that part the most because I like brutal things which you'll see in a lot of situations in this movie. Is it apt for Christmas? Absolutely, because from our POV, an MMFF without a Shake Rattle and Roll movie is a lame one. People should have choices, and this horror entry is the only one of its kind this year. People consume content like this, and if you're a Filipino outside the country, you'll see how it has been made good compared to previous years because of advances in technology, Regal took advantage of that. 

With great pieces (actors who have done their jobs well), a well stitched movie. They deserve 4/5 🐂🐂🐂🐂. 

PS. Watch out for the scenes of Sassa Gurl because that's part of the reason why you'll love SRR Evil Origins, she made her mark, made this chance to appear in the movie a good one. She proves that there are no small roles, small actors yeah?!