Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin - Movie Review

Ayala Cinemas is bringing  the quirky comedy Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin which was directed by Randolph Longjias and is headlined by Tuesday Vargas and Travis Kraft.

It's a laugh-a-minute comedy about an interracial couple and their journey towards that great American festivity called "Thanksgiving". Along the way we share their triumphs and tragedies and at the end we it'll completely shed new light on these relationships between Pinays and American ex-pats. That's about the end of me writing in purely English.

From the moment the first scene started running, I knew that I was in for a treat. "Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin" had everything that made for a really good, and praise worthy movie. They shot the movie in a better format than what's being used in regular movies. No grainy stuff and it doesn't look like it was hobbled together from scraps of footage. Good job on that front. The editing was great and even those psychedelic crazy scenes involving the titular turkey was also done to entertain and not make you feel like it was just a bridging mechanism.

Tuesday Vargas is truly the star of the show. Sobrang laughtrip nya in the lighter scenes and she's also great in scenes where she needs to convey sadness or frustration. Talagang maawa ka. Pero mostly I loved the parts where she was happy and just the generally zany Cookie.

Tuesday's onscreen partner, Travis Kraft, is a find. He looks great and exudes smart Amerikano humor and then some. He's a YouTube celeb and he knows what he's talking about whether within or outside the movie that gives him more credibility for me, as an actor.

One of the biggest things that hits us right in the gullet in this movie is our quick judgment on American-Filipina couples. Once we see them, automatic yan, 'gold digger' or 'good time' lang ang iniisip natin. Admit it, we are all guilty of this. Seeing this movie sheds some light (like I mentioned earlier) about a fraction of the truth in these kinds of relationships; na meron talagang couples who really do love each other and hindi nagagamitan. It's funny but there's a portion in the film where we actually go and see the reflection of ourselves in the questions that the couple are asked to read. Sapul.

The supporting cast is great here most noteworthy (partly due to the long screentime) are Cookie's friends Osang (Julia Clarete) and Girlie (Cai Cortez).  Both are funny and totally grounds the character serving us additional support and 'kabatuhan ng linya' in some cases. I like the fact that they're also there to show viewers na kahit di kayo magkadugo, you can still call some people your bestfriends.

Kudos to JM De Guzman as Dong and Micko Laurente as Jon-Jon. Both have their moments and although they get downplayed a bit there's still so much meat into their roles. Sucky talaga minsan ang time constraints.

The dialogue and humor might be a bit crass and borderline green pero, come on, ganun naman talaga tayo sa totoong buhay. We don't live like drama queens and kings when we are in our habitat or element. We cuss and we crack dirty jokes and we're this usual guy and girl in our own homes, watching telenovela and singing our hearts out in our Magic Sing.

Overall, nag-enjoy ako sa "Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin". It's got heart and balls and we have to admire the entire team for producing a worthwhile comedy that tackles a rather sensitive issue while giving us a lot of great comedic moments. It's a movie na hindi masasayang ang pera mo dahil tatawa ka, at busog ka sa tawa dahil hindi slapstick at lalong hindi naman puro rehash ang binibigay *ubo ubo Kimy Dora *ubo ubo*. Magbubukas ang ilaw sa sinehan at uuwi ka na masaya at feel good that I can guarantee. Here are a few clips.

Post by Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin.

Post by Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin.

Here's the official trailer by the way:



Oh and one last thing, I support this movie because they fricking shot the final few scenes a few blocks away from my apartment. Bonus brownie points galing sa akin.

ANG TURKEY MAN AY PABO RIN Opens Dec. 18 exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas including Greenbelt, Glorietta and Trinoma. 

Quirky Comedy "Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin" Opens Exclusively at Ayala Malls Dec 18

“Ang Turkey Man Ay Pabo Rin,” the critically acclaimed comedy by first-time director Randolph Longjas, will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting Dec. 18.

A cross-cultural comedy about a Filipino American couple who celebrates life with karaoke music, superstitious in-laws, immigration laws, unexpected pregnancies, brown-outs, Thanksgiving turkey, with some love on the side, “Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin” stars Tuesday Vargas, Travis Kraft, Julia Clarete, Cai Cortez and JM De Guzman.

The film is produced by Tonee Acejo with screenplay by Allan Habon, edited by Carlo Manatad, and Joris Fernandez, cinematographby Tom Redoble, music by Jedd Dumaguina, production design by Butch Garcia and Nette Madrid.

“Ang Turkey Man ay Pabo Rin” is an experimental comedy that explores the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a Filipino-American couple on a universal love trip - that which do not discriminate against color, stature, or culture. It is a celebration of the Filipino experience in a foreigner’s perspective, and alternatively, the realization of the American dream in a Filipino’s eyes.

Fil-Am romantic relationships: We see a sampling of them in all places. The best stereotype is an ordinary-looking, gaudily-dressed Filipina clinging to an obviously older, casually-clad foreigner, caught in the bubble of their conversation, traversing the street as if it was their own. That visual often intrigues us, to say the least. What then, if we feature their lives amidst the judgment, bias and ridicule, beyond what we see in passing? What is their story?

The movie does just that, as it features one such couple: Cookie (Vargas) and Matthew Adams (Taft), a Filipino-American pair. The story begins when an online Fil-Am dating site decides to document a week in the life of these two site users who successfully found love in the net, with the aim of promoting such relationships through presenting the dynamics of their peculiar relationship.

The documentary opens with an introduction of the couple; their origins manifest a stark contrast at the onset. The show further establishes them as a couple by showing a typical day of the Adams. Hilarity ensues as the twosome strive to embrace each other’s cultural differences: Matthew encounters miscommunication, odd customs and unusual habits inherent to the Filipinos which he must be accustomed to (or else); while on Cookie’s end, the challenge is to successfully hurdle one of the most rigid and stringent examinations at present: the U.S. Immigration Citizenship Application.

Meanwhile, the online production team goes on to document milestones of the Fil-Am couple’s week, including (but not limited to) the following: eating balut; loud karaoke music; a telenovela sick leave marathon; food fight on a fiesta; black-outs and brownouts; the “A” word; ukay-ukay fashion shows; and a visit from superstitious in-laws; all culminating in an event we Filipinos have not imbibed despite a decades-long relationship with the United States: A Thanksgiving celebration, featuring arguably the most sumptuous centerpiece of all-- the roast turkey. Every day lies a question: will their cultures clash and burn? Or will they succeed in receiving the best of both worlds?

THIS IS THE END Review

Take five of the some of the most famous Hollywood comedians and place them in an apocalyptic situation and you've got yourself the makings of a great comedy such as "THIS IS THE END" which will be exclusively playing in Ayala Cinemas.

So if you live in a bunker and you're not familiar with who the cast members are, here goes: Seth Rogen (Knocked Up), James Franco (Spider-Man 1,2 and 3, 127 Hours, Oz the Great and Powerful), Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder, How to Train your Dragon 2), Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine 1 & 2), Danny McBride (Your Highness, Tropic Thunder) and Jonah Hill (Moneyball, 21 Jump Street, Django Unchained). 

There's a number of reasons why I'm putting the film in such a high regard. First, it managed to topple the already high standing of Adam Sandler's LITTLE NICKY. Secondly it's a no-brainer, stoner-friendly comedy starring the same guys from such films as TROPIC THUNDER, YOUR HIGHNESS, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, 21 JUMP STREET and so much more. That alone is worth the ticket price. If you still need a bit of convincing then hold on...

The movie is obnoxious and downright irreverent which makes it much more appealing to watch (well because it's silly and we all get to laugh at silliness right?) From Danny McBride's A-grade performance as a certified asshole to stuff like the two dozen cameos splattered across the film, THIS IS THE END is certainly worth watching.

THE GOOD:

- The main cast is star power enough but check out the cameos and guest appearance. They've got Jason Segel, Kevin Hart, that Indian chick from that drama series, that Indian guy from I think "The Office", a very different looking Paul Rudd and more importantly - RIHANNA. 

- The BACKSTREET BOYS. 

- A potential teaser to PINEAPPLE EXPRESS 2 all taken using the camera that Franco used in "127 Hours". 

- There's also a ton of movie references thrown around the film. One that stood out was the comment hurled about Seth Rogen making a "Green Hornet" movie that did not suck. Oh and they want us to believe that James Franco loves himself so much that he'd keep standees from his New/ Green Goblin days. 

- I hated Danny McBride ever since. And "This is the End" definitely proved why I hate him so much. But with so much hate, maybe he shows that he's an effective actor/ comedian. Still I hate that guy. 

- The music that they chose to use in the film was also great. They've got M.I.A.'s Paper Planes, Dr. Dre and Snoop's Next Episode and my favorite, PSY's Gangnam Style. Used to the best of their abilities. 

- The jizzing jokes were funny and cringeworthy at the same time. 


THE BAD

- Rape jokes. I hate rape jokes. It's improper and just plain bad. Thank goodness they got limited that bit. 

- Forced bromosexual tensions. Not cool. We get that you guys are buds and all but some things are just depicted too much. 

- Demon Dicks. No thank you. 

- There's really something disturbing about seeing Channing Tatum in this film. 

VERDICT: Me and the missues had a grand time watching THIS IS THE END. It's crass and a bit boorish and asinine but there's a lot of redemption going on in this movie (both literally and figuratively). Catch it when it starts rolling exclusively in AYALA CINEMAS starting September 11. 

James Franco Welcomes the Apocalypse in "This Is The End" (Opens Sept 11)

Hip actor James Franco satirizes himself as he plays a Hollywood version of, well, himself, in Columbia Pictures' wacky comedy “This Is The End.”

Says writer-director and co-star Seth Rogen, “The things we mock in James Franco in the movie are real, but Franco in real life is nothing like the way he acts in the movie. He genuinely does like art and weird stuff, but it’s not pretentious and he’s not in-your-face about it. He doesn’t care what others think about his art. He just likes art.”

In “This Is The End,” six friends – who just happen to be James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson – are trapped in Franco’s house as the end of the world begins outside. And we’re not talking about any old California-slides-into-the-ocean earthquake… we’re talking the fire-and-brimstone Apocalypse – the real Biblical deal.

Franco says that he didn’t hesitate to sign on for the project – even though he wouldn’t have even considered the project if it had been with anyone other than the writing-directing team of Rogen and Evan Goldberg. “We’re playing extreme versions of ourselves, and I would really only trust Seth and Evan to depict me in an outrageous way,” he says. “Their take on me is funny – of course, I don’t think I’m really like that, but yes, it’s a version of me, it’s their version, and it’s funny. But going back to `Superbad,' through all their movies, they put in a level of heart, or emotion, that grounds the characters, and that’s in this movie, too. I was game for it because the way they make movies, their sensibility is just so solid.”

“The way my character is on the surface, he’s a pretty shallow person,” says Franco. “He’s a guy who thinks that Seth can’t be his friend and anybody else’s – like sixth grade behavior. So that’s where we took the character deeper. In real life, Seth has been there at important points in my career – ‘Freaks and Geeks,’ ‘Pineapple Express’ – so we took that and decided that the character of James Franco would have this affection for Seth and need to connect with him. Really, he’s obsessed with Seth.”

In the film, Franco’s house is filled with art. Not surprising, in a way, because the real Franco cares deeply about art. However, the filmmakers and the real Franco make it clear that there’s a blurry line between the art he cares about and the art that the pretentious character he plays prefers. “My first conversation with James Franco was about the fact that the character is a ‘version’ of James Franco,” says production designer Chris Spellman.

“People know I’m interested in art,” says Franco. “I just went to school for it and for a while I was collecting art – I sold most of it a while ago so I could go to school and not work so much. So it was kind of a funny idea that the Franco character would be collecting art, and Seth asked me if there was any particular artist that I wanted to have in the character’s house. And I thought, there’s a way to take this to a different level. There’s a painter that I really like named Josh Smith – his work is hard to place because a lot of it has a very humorous feel, even though it’s abstract work. Josh was interested. Not only interested, but wanted to create new work, and it would be special because it would be work that was only intended for this movie. And as Josh and I were talking, we came on the idea that we could do the paintings together. Josh and I spent two days together and we painted a lot, through the night, ten huge paintings and a bunch of little ones.”

Together, Franco and Smith created art that directly references the movie. “The idea is that my character is somewhat obsessed with Seth,” says Franco. “So the subjects of the paintings are shows I did with Seth – there’s a Freaks painting and a Geeks painting, there’s a Pineapple Express painting.”

Distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, “This Is The End” will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting Sept. 11.

Actors Play `Horrible' Versions of Themselves in "This Is The End"

For a film about the group dynamics among a group of friends facing the apocalypse, it’s no surprise that the characters in Columbia Pictures' critically acclaimed comedy “This Is The End” were tailor-made for the actors playing the roles. They would all play horrible “versions” of themselves, says co-director/writer Evan Goldberg.

In “This Is The End,” six friends – who just happen to be James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson – are trapped in Franco’s house as the end of the world begins outside. And we’re not talking about any old California-slides-into-the-ocean earthquake… we’re talking the fire-and-brimstone Apocalypse – the real Biblical deal.

“Seth isn’t a duplicitous coward, but he plays one in this film,” Goldbrg says. “Danny is a delightful sweetheart, but his character is a maniac. Franco – the things we mock in Franco in the movie are real, but Franco in real life is nothing like the way he acts in the movie. He genuinely does like art and weird stuff, but it’s not pretentious and he’s not in-your-face about it. He doesn’t care what others think about his art. He just likes art. The only exceptions are Jay, who is more like his character than anyone else in the movie, and Craig, who isn’t a jerk like his character, but is a guy who carries a towel around to wipe sweat off his face.”

“People think they know everything about you based on the characters you play,” says co-director/writer and star Seth Rogen. “So we thought it would be funny to play into that – to have these characters that behave in the way that everybody thinks is what we’re like off-screen. There are elements of our real selves, but we all twisted them or exaggerated them to make it funny.”

Playing yourself can be a challenge – even for an Academy Award® nominee, as Jonah Hill says, “I’ve never slipped out of character more than when I was playing myself.”

But it’s more than just a joke, says Rogen. It’s a way of acknowledging the elephant in the room. “Everybody knows that we’re friends and we’re always in movies together. It was almost weirder that the movie wouldn’t acknowledge that in some way,” says Rogen. “So we thought, OK, let’s acknowledge it, and then let’s move beyond it. We wanted the relationships to feel real. We thought that would be the element that grounded the movie if the dynamics between the characters were real and relatable. So even though the movie gets super-crazy – it’s the Apocalypse – there’s a simple idea at the center that I hope is very believable. We never could have written this movie if we didn’t know these guys – and we definitely couldn’t have directed it.”

Distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, “This Is The End” will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting Sept. 11.

AYALA MALLS CINEMAS HOSTS CINEMALAYA 2013 ENTRIES: Holds Opening Ceremony @ Alabang Town Center

Promoting and championing Filipino talents, Ayala Malls Cinemas hosts for the 3rd time entries that will compete in Cinemalaya Festival on its 9th year themed “Cinemalaya Cinesthesia.”

Ayala Malls Cinemas’ first collaboration with Cinemalaya back in July 2011 opened its Greenbelt3 screens to the entries, paving easy access for the festival’s followers within the metro. Ayala Malls Cinemas solidified its support to the festival by adding Trinoma screens as an additional venue on its 2nd year of partnership with Cinemalaya in 2012.

Now on its 3rd year of collaboration with Cinemalaya, Ayala Malls Cinemas opens its Alabang Town Center screens for this year’s exciting and multihued film entries. With this latest development, Ayala Malls Cinemas is set to pay tribute to the competing films on its opening ceremony at Alabang Town Center on July 27 featuring “Jazz In Love” by Babyruth Villarama-Gutierrez. The movie is about a young man from Davao whose dream wedding is within reach: his boyfriend of 11 months has proposed. Because no law allows him to get married in the Philippines, he must fly to Germany, his boyfriend’s home country, and tie the knot there. One of the things that stand in his way is his inability to speak Deutsch, and to address that he must temporarily relocate to Manila for language lessons. Meanwhile, his parents remain completely unaware of the radical changes that his life is about to undergo.

Included in this year’s full length New Breed category lineup are: “Babagwa (Spider)” by Jason Paul Laxamana, “Debosyon” by Alvin Yapan, “Instant Mommy” by Leo Abaya, “Nuwebe” by Joseph Israel Laban, “Purok 7” by Carlo Obispo, “Quick Change” by Eduardo Roy Jr., “Rekorder” by Mikhail Red, “The Diplomat Hotel” by Christopher Ad Castillo, “Transit” by Hannah Espia and “David F.” by Manny Palo.

For the Directors’ Showcase, features include “Amor y Muerte” by Ces Evangelista, “Ekstra (The Bit Player) by Jeffrey Jeturian, “Porno” by Adolfo B. Alix, Jr., “Sana Dati” by Jerrold Tarog and “Liars” by Gil M. Portes.

A full-kaleidoscope of Shorts A and Shorts B entries amps this year’s Cinemalaya which runs from 8 minutes to 20 minutes. Shorts A features include “Bakaw (Little Thief) by Ron Segismundo, “Missing” by Zig Dulay, “Para Kay Ama (For Grandmother)” by Relyn Angkuan Tan, “Taya (Let’s Play)” by Adi Bontuyan and “Tutob” by Kisza Marin Campano.

Shorts B films to look forward too are “The Houseband’s Wife”by Paolo P. O’Hara, “Katapusang Labok (Last Strike) by Aiess Athina Alonso, “Pukpok (A Rite of Passage)” by Joaquin Adrian Pantaleon, Immanuel Canicosa & Stephan Domingo, “Onang” by JE Tiglao and “Sa Wakas (The End of the Beginning) by Nica Santiago.

Cinemalaya entries will open in three Ayala Malls Cinemas – Greenbelt3, Trinoma and Alabang Town Center starting July 27 until August 4. Check out www.sureseats.com for schedule.

HITCHCOCK Review - Ayala Cinema Exclusive

Here's my review for the film "Hitchcock" starring Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren and Scarlett Johansson. It's exclusively screening in Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide.

Read more after the cut.

Anthony Hopkins is cast as the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock in this wonderfully devious film about one important part of the the master director's career, the inception and the creation of the film 'PSYCHO'. 

Hopkins knows his part and plays it to perfection for this movie. It's an exceptional piece of work they did with the prosthetic and the makeup for the film especially for Hopkins. But it's not just the outside that made it so damn convincing. Anthony Hopkins also made it so he looks really acts the part. It's these rare performances that makes you go "ohhhhh" when you see it. 

Hitchcock Slashes its Way to Ayala Cinemas

Lurking behind Alfred Hitchcock, cinema's "master of suspense" -- the extraordinary film icon known for orchestrating some of the most intense experiences of menace and intrigue audiences have ever seen, was a hidden side: his creatively explosive romance with his steadfast wife and filmmaking collaborator, Alma Reville.

Now, for the first time, Fox Searchlight's searing drama “Hitchcock” lays bare their captivating and complex love story. It does so through the sly, shadowy lens of their most daring filmmaking adventure: the making of the spine-tingling 1960 thriller, “Psycho,” which would become the director's most controversial and legendary film. When the tumultuous, against-the-odds production was over, nothing about movies would ever be the same - but few realized that it took two to pull it off.

Starring Oscar-winners Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren as Alfred and Alma, respectively, “Hitchcock” will be shown starting Feb. 6 exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide. Moviegoers can catch the film at Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Market! Market!, Ayala Center Cebu, Marquee (Central Luzon), Abreeza (Davao), Harbor Point (Subic) and Centrio (Cagayan de Oro).

The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel and James D'Arcy.

BRAD PITT'S CRIME COMEDY “KILLING THEM SOFTLY” EXCLUSIVE AT AYALA MALLS

The Weinstein Company's critically-acclaimed crime comedy “Killing Them Softly” starring Brad Pitt will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma) starting Dec. 5.

In the film, three dumb guys who think they’re smart rob a Mob-protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Pitt plays the enforcer hired to track them down and restore order.

“Killing Them Softly” also stars Richard Jenkins (“The Cabin in the Woods”), James Gandolfini (“The Taking of Pelham 123”), Ray Liotta (“Narc”), Scoot McNairy (“Argo”) and Ben Mendelsohn (“The Dark Knight Rises”).

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Review

Ayala Malls brings us "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn 2" starring Kristen Stewart, Rob Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and many more.

Now that we're on the last leg of the Twilight saga, I had really high hopes for a live action adaptation of a romance novel featuring sparkling vampires and werewolves who love to wear denim shorts. Truth be told, I was already going to go for 'sold' with this last movie but there were a couple of things that made me frown. 

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World Movie Review

Movie review for "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightly exclusively showing in Ayala Cinemas (Greenbelt, Glorietta).

I've got a news flash for you regarding this film: Everybody dies towards the end. 

It's not really a spoiler much since it's pretty much blatant from the title alone how things will end for all the characters involved. 

There are a lot of movies that depict life before the Apocalypse as bleak, depressing and very sad. Director  Lorene Scafaria who also wrote the script turns everything upside down showing a world that's not really turned upside down. Just a little bit kooky but not too much. 

I liked that the movie played on its strengths of being a quirky rom-com set during the final days of humanity. Carell and Knightly has their moments within the film. They get to shine equally and there's something about the pairing of the two. The two main stars does have some semblance of chemistry in quite a few scenes. 

But no, "Seeking a Friend" aint your usual love story where they live happily ever after. Its also not the typical disaster movie where everybody just does all crazy stuff like there's no tomorrow. It's actually a subtle mix of both. 

Plot is pretty simple. You'll actually get the whole premise after watching the film's trailer:

Philosophically speaking the script is pretty tight and simple. It's got the cathartic effect somewhere in it that makes it totally worth watching. As Dodge (Carell) and Penny (Knightly) go on their journey of self-discovery and love, we get to see a transformation unfolding before our eyes with Dodge finding himself once more and finding love while he's at it.

I'm all for Keira Knightly's role as Penny who is bubbly and fun and optimistic about life. She's the perfect gal and one who looks a bit too much like Sasha Grey in Eminem's Space Bound music video.



She also showcases a comedic side which makes this film which is supposedly a bleak and depressing pre-Apocalyptic flick to something that would make lovers go "ahhhhhh".... 

If there's anything that I should rant about this movie, it's the fact that it ends in a sour note. Without spoiling too much, it's got that requisite happy ending that we need in terms of the plot but there's also people that "badtrip" bit where they all have to die (End of the world being part of the title and all that). 

It's not as satisfying as what we want it to be and event until the very last moments of the film, before that white fade out occurs, everyone in the silent Glorietta theater were hoping that there's a miracle of sorts, or there's a real sense of closure for the flick. 

Sadly, there's none and we have to deal with it; still the film is pretty damn nice. 

VERDICT: 8.5/10

Special thanks to Ayala Malls Cinema for the special screening session. "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" will be exclusively playing at Ayala Cinemas including Greenbelt and Glorietta. 

LAWLESS - MOVIE REVIEW

Reviewing the film Lawless starring Shia LeBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Guy Pierce, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska. Directed by John Hillcoat and exclusively distributed in Ayala Mall Cinemas (Greenbelt 3, Glorietta and Trinoma).

Lawless is a visceral and brutal look at the lives of the Bondurant brothers who we meet in the Prohibition era selling moonshine. Yes, thats basically the whole plot. The brothers trying to get by their business, evading the law and getting their asses handed to them by a very creepy Guy Pierce.

That description might not warrant you to shell out dough to catch the film but here are some of the goodies I found in the film that might just tickle your fancy.

TOM HARDY, FROM “DARK KNIGHT RISES” TO “LAWLESS”

Fresh from terrorizing Gotham City as the formidable villain Bane in the blockbuster “The Dark Knight Rises” last July, Tom Hardy is back on the big screen as a ruthless gangster in The Weinstein Company's epic thriller “Lawless.”

To be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma) starting Oct. 24, “Lawless” is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: three bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. Based on author Matt Bondurant’s fictionalized account of his family, The Wettest County in the World, the film gathers an ensemble of gifted, dynamic new-generation stars – LaBeouf, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke and Mia Wasikowska – alongside two of the finest actors of their generations, Guy Pearce and Gary Oldman.

A riveting, intense story of crime and corruption, loyalty and love, brutality and tenderness, “Lawless” is a rich addition to the American gangster canon.

Shia LaBeouf had been looking for opportunities to work with acclaimed English actor Tom Hardy. The two had struck up a friendship after LaBeouf sent Hardy a fan email about his arresting performance in the crime biopic “Bronson,” and had begun forwarding scripts back and forth to one another. LaBeouf sent Bondurant’s novel The Wettest County in the World to Hardy, followed by Nick Cave’s screenplay for “Lawless.” Hardy loved them both, and proved to be ideal casting for the role of quiet, fearless and fearsome Forrest Bondurant.

Director John Hillcoat was also keen to work with Hardy, whose reputation as an exceptional talent preceded him. “I kept hearing about this incredible guy called Tom Hardy. I started watching his work, and I was awestruck - he was amazing. I could also see Tom and Shia as brothers. And Tom’s take on the character was quite audacious - he saw Forrest as the matriarch and the patriarch of the family, in the wake of their parents’ deaths. He wanted to explore Forrest’s softer side and play him in a quiet, contained way.”

Hillcoat adds, “By taking on the roles of the mother and the father of this family, he was really responsible and very caring, especially towards his brothers. But because of the time and the culture, he is unable to articulate it. Tom’s approach was very much about the different emotional textures there were to Forrest and how distilled and controlled he was. It was a unique and fascinating attitude towards the character.”

Tom Hardy has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors. He most recently appeared in Christopher Nolan’s critically hailed “Inception,” alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard and Ellen Page.

Hardy rejoined Nolan on “The Dark Knight Rises” where he played the villain role of Bane opposite Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gary Oldman.

Other films include “Warrior,” opposite Joel Edgerton, the story of two estranged brothers facing the fight of a lifetime, an inspirational action drama from director Gavin O’Connor; also “This Means War,” and the Cold War thriller, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” with Colin Firth and Gary Oldman.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen Review

Here's a review for the film 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' which will be shown in the Philippines starting October 10.

Special thanks to the Ayala Malls Cinemas for the invites to this great event.

Shia LaBeouf Gets Lawless Chasing the American Dream

“Transformers” star Shia LaBeouf takes on the role of the youngest Bondurant brother, the smart, sensitive, forward-thinking Jack, in The Weinstein Company's epic, gangster tale, “Lawless.”

To be shown soon exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma), “Lawless” is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: three bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. Based on author Matt Bondurant’s fictionalized account of his family, The Wettest County in the World, the film gathers an ensemble of gifted, dynamic new-generation stars – LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Dane DeHaan – alongside two of the finest actors of their generations, Guy Pearce and Gary Oldman.

'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' to be Exclusively Shown in Ayala Malls

From the beloved director of “Chocolat” and the Oscar®-winning screenwriter of “Slumdog Millionaire” comes BBC Films' inspirational comedy “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Based on the bestselling novel by Paul Torday, “Salmon Fishing” opens exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma) starting Oct. 10.

The Women of ParaNorman Finds their Voice

Anna Kendrick (“Twilight” series, “Up in the Air”) and Leslie Mann (“Knocked Up”) join the voice ensemble cast of Focus Features' new, 3D animated thriller “ParaNorman.” The acclaimed family film will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting Sept. 5.

When a small town comes under siege by zombies, who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee), who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he'll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst, of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

The Guys of ParaNorman Scare Up the Screen

Leading the talented voice cast of Focus Features' new 3D animated comedy “ParaNorman” are Kodi Smit-McPhee (“Let Me In”), Casey Affleck (“Ocean's Thirteen”) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Superbad”). The acclaimed family film will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas starting Sept. 5.

The voice of the film’s 11-year-old hero, Norman Babcock, is provided by Kodi Smit-McPhee, a young Australian actor who in a brief few years has made a big name for himself. While Norman talks to ghosts in order to rid his town of zombies and stop a witch's curse, the film is really a comedy, which was perfect for Smit-McPhee, whose work in recent years has been in fairly dark films. As he told Entertainment Weekly, “my favorite genre is comedy…It’s pretty ironic and funny that I always get these kind of dramatic…movies.”

ParaNorman to be Exclusively Shown in Ayala Cinemas Starting September 5

The year's most acclaimed animated feature and considered a virtual shoo-in for the 2013 Academy Awards, Focus Features' new comedy thriller “ParaNorman” will be shown exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas (Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, Market! Market!, Alabang Town Center) starting Sept. 5.

Garnering an excellent 87% “fresh” rating at Rotten Tomatoes, “ParaNorman” is described by critics as “beautifully animated and solidly scripted...and will entertain (and frighten) older children while providing surprisingly thoughtful fare for their parents.”

Ayala Cinemas in Full Force Support for the 8th Cinemalaya 2012 Run

Ayala Malls Cinemas hosts for the 2nd time the country’s Cinemalaya on its 8th year in developing and promoting Filipino independent films. Cinemalaya’s simultaneous screening at the CCP Theater and at Ayala Cinemas’ Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma will run from July 21 to July 29.