Entertainment

Bohemian Rhapsody, Ragnarok Mobile: Now Playing

We’re reliving the past!

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Curious to know what GadgetMatch has been up to besides covering everything lifestyle and tech? Here’s what we’ve been seeing, visiting, and playing this month:

Movies to see

Bohemian Rhapsody
Chay: Bohemian Rhapsody is an epic biopic-musical whose title is derived from the equally epic song. Even if there are a lot of inaccuracies and clichés as pointed out by several critics, it’s a film moviegoers will still enjoy, Queen fan or not. If you’re a true-blue Queen fan, this will either make you miss Freddie Mercury or wish you can see all four members perform again together. Good news is watching Bohemian Rhapsody is the closest thing you’ll get to watching a Queen concert in 2018; it’s like seeing Queen’s greatest hits come alive before your own eyes (and ears).


Batman Ninja
Rodneil: What’s cooler than Batman being transported to the samurai era in Japan? Nothing. This film is all kinds of bonkers and that’s why I love it. Batman Ninja captures the essence of the entire bat family as well as their villains while also throwing in every possible animé trope and/or quirk you can think of. Batman Ninja is a lot of fun. Watch with an open mind and try to not take it too seriously.

Hintayan ng Langit
Dan: Hintayan ng Langit first hit theaters during the 2018 QCinema International Film Festival last month. It’s about Lisang (Gina Pareño) who is stuck in purgatory. She then meets her ex-boyfriend Manolo (Eddie Garcia) who is apparently her new roommate. Lisang is already scheduled for passing to heaven, so Manolo’s presence kind of distracted her. It’s a fun and touching interpretation of death and kindling love. The film is an adaptation of Juan Miguel Severo’s one-act play at The Virgin Labfest in 2015 and 2016, and it’ll be shown in Philippine cinemas starting November 21.

TV shows to binge watch

Car Masters: Rust to Riches
Kevin: For all the car lovers out there, Car Masters: Rust to Riches will make you drool over its custom vehicle creations. It’s about Gotham Garage’s crew and how they buy old cars or car parts and turn them into a masterpiece in order to sell them for a higher value. They repeat this process until they reach a six-figure price in which they call it a day. It’s a good show to sit back to with a bottle of beer, while enjoying the intricate but fun process of turning rust to riches.

Magic for Humans
Kevin: Magic has always been a fascinating form of entertainment but Justin Willman, the host and performer of the show, injects it with life lessons or relates it to everyday life. It’s a reality and magic show with a fresh formula and will have you laughing while scratching your head at the same time trying to figure out how he does his performances. Oh, and its segment Magic for Susans is just one of the things I wait for every episode.

Terrace House: Aloha State
Rodneil: This season ran from 2016 to 2017, but it was only recently when I got around to watching it. Haven’t really had much recreation time so this was one of the two things that kept me sane over the last two weeks or so. It’s a relatively easy watch and there’s just something about Terrace House that gets you hooked. My favorite members are Lauren Tsai and Taishi Tamaki. Lauren is super talented and also easy on the eyes. Taishi’s arc is somewhat like a mini Ted Mosby from the TV series How I Met Your Mother. His goal in the show was to find “Shinuhodo No Koi” or a love worth dying for and his journey could actually become a movie all on its own.

Bodyguard
Dan: If you love action-thrillers, you should check out Bodyguard. It’s a six-part British drama series, so it’s not something you’ll have to binge watch for weeks. I actually finished it in just a few days because I just couldn’t get enough of the action. The series is set around Police Sergeant David Budd, a war veteran who is suffering from PTSD and is now working as a special protection officer. He’s assigned to protect the Home Secretary and the politics involved in the work drives the series wild. It’s currently streaming on Netflix outside the UK and Ireland.

Games to play

Ragnarok M: Eternal Love
Marvin: Ragnarok Online has finally made its way to mobile, and it’s been a major success so far. The Southeast Asian server for Ragnarok M: Eternal opened recently and it’s been loaded to the brim with both new and old players. A lot of the original mechanics are still around, such as the job classes and guild system, along with new tricks to make the game more smartphone-friendly, including auto-attacking and a straightforward user interface. As a returning player, I must say it’s been a smooth ride so far; let’s just hope it stays that way.

Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to

Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
MJ: I first heard “Shallow” on A Star Is Born’s trailer, and I fell in love with it. It’s a country rock ballad that tackles things like wondering if you’re contented with who you are, finding confidence through a person, and diving headfirst in love without looking back.

La Vie en Rose by IZ*ONE
Vincenz: This song’s concept is a mix of cutesy and mature concepts with the inclusion of strong vocals plus a vibrant and groovy electro pop beat. Together with its catchy tune and lyrics which present one’s revelation and passion towards a person, the music video’s cinematography, visuals, and choreography are all astounding. The various colors represented by each member and other elements go well with the title of the album itself, COLOR*IZ (read as color-ize).

Yes or Yes by TWICE
Vincenz: If you still don’t know TWICE, better hurry and listen to their 10th title track that shows the diversity of the nine members. The visuals will catch both your eyes and heart but the catchy lyrics, asking one’s love interest to choose between Yes or Yes, make it more addictive. With its popularity, the song went off the charts with the music video itself gaining 31.4 million views in just 24 hours and is currently the seventh-fastest YouTube music video to do so.

Cities/places to visit

Milan, Italy
Isa: I was in Milan for the OPPO RX17 Pro launch and was able to spend some time in the beautiful city. Despite being cold and relatively wet, Milan in autumn is still a great destination. Architecture is breathtaking and simply walking along the cobblestone streets is an experience in itself. The Milan Cathedral in Piazza Del Duomo, which took almost six centuries to complete, is a must-see.

Now Playing is the GadgetMatch team’s favorite games, movies, TV shows, and more each month. If you’re curious to know what we’re into at the moment, this is what you should check out. So grab your popcorn, get some drinks, and enjoy what’s now playing!

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Entertainment

YouTube Original Series to feature TWICE

First K-Pop girl group to be featured

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August 21, 2019

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Image from JYPNation at Naver

K-Pop continues to be more popular than ever and it’s now making its way to YouTube Originals. TWICE, who constantly tops Korean charts, will be featured in a YouTube Original Series. They are the first K-Pop girl group to star in the award-winning series.

The series will feature the North American leg of their 2019 World Tour called TWICELIGHTS. This might prove to be an emotionally charged content from the group as one of the members — Mina — took a leave in the middle of the tour due to anxiety.


According to Billboard, the series is “unlike anything released by TWICE before. The series will showcase exclusives, in-depth interviews, as well as an “intimate and personal portrayal of all of TWICE’s members.” It will also dabble into the group’s four-year journey so far. The series will launch in the first half of 2020.

TWICE debuted in 2015 with nine members namely Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. The group first hit their stride following their first comeback Cheer Up. The group has consistently released hit songs since and have been tapped as endorsers by multiple brands including tech-related ones like LG.

YouTube Originals and YouTube Premium

YouTube Originals had previously worked with K-Pop boy groups, most notably the one with BTS called BTS: Burn The Stage. It features various shows produced by YouTube itself. The show series was launched alongside YouTube Premium — a subscription based entertainment platform akin to Netflix, Hulu, et al.

YouTube Originals are currently only available to YouTube Premium subscribers but the content will soon be accessible for free but with ads starting September 24.

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Spider-Man could be out of the MCU, #SaveSpiderMan trends

Fans are blaming Sony

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August 21, 2019

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Spider-Man’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is looking bleak.

A report by Deadline says that Sony and Marvel failed to come to terms on a deal. Marvel reportedly offered an even 50/50 split on co-financing future films involving the wall-crawler. The deal could extend to the larger Spider-Man universe that Sony also intended on building and that, perhaps, was when the company started to become protective.


The report says Sony just “did not want to share its largest franchise.” For its part, Sony has rebounded nicely from the mess that was the two Amazing Spider-Man movies. In 2018 they released the Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 game as well as the animated flick Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Both were massive hits critically and commercially.

It’s a puzzling move on Sony’s part considering how much life the MCU has breathe into the character. Tom Holland, the actor who plays Spider-Man in the MCU is still under contract to do two more films. Director of Spider-Man: Far From Home Jon Watts, likewise, is still under contract but if this stalemate between Sony and Marvel persists, we might be looking at a vastly different live-action Spidey.

If you’ve seen the latest Spidey film, you also know that it ended on a massive cliffhanger so this new turn of events is major bummer for fans.

#SaveSpiderMan trends on Twitter

Following the news, fans of Spidey in the MCU couldn’t help but voice out their disappointment and displeasure with Sony. #SaveSpiderMan quickly trended on Twitter with fans pointing out how Sony is ruining the character.

Clearly, Spidey fans aren’t pleased. Here’s to hoping Sony will listen to this outcry because right now, this is literally everyone…

 

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John Denver Trending, It Chapter Two, The Bold Type: Now Playing

Get ready to be shookt

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August 16, 2019

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August is ramping up the start of announcements in the realm of technology. Samsung unveiled the Note 10 while Xiaomi and Realme started teasing their monster smartphone cameras. While we may be busy catching up with everything in tech, we still don’t forget to watch and relax. Here’s what’s Now Playing on GadgetMatch:

Movies to see

Spider-Man
Rodneil: Yes, the first one starring Tobey Maguire. This one recently showed up on Netflix and I couldn’t resist the urge because I’m a Spidey stan after all. It’s a nice throwback and that upside down kiss is still iconic.


The Red Sea Diving Resort
Shivam: Based on true events, the movie highlights Mossad’s attempt to rescue refugees out of Sudan. Who expected an intelligence agency to run a resort in the middle of nowhere? Nobody. And, that’s what makes this action packed movie different.

Shoplifters
Leez: Shoplifters, a Japanese film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, was awarded the Palme d’Or for main feature at the closing event of the Cannes film festival last year. There was no question as to whether or not I was going to watch it. It was a question of when. I don’t understand why it took me this long to finally getting to watch it but, I finally got to it last weekend. It’s a stunning film that dabbles into the complexity of what it means to be a family with people who tiptoe their way around dysfunction. It’s a thought-provoking film that takes no time in diving deep into the conflicting morals, yet palpable familial connection within a financially deprived family. I’d definitely rewatch it this weekend.

John Denver Trending
Vincenz: Most people post everything on Facebook — even when someone gets brutally attacked inside the school premises. John Denver instantly became a hot topic in Antique. Too bad, the society only believes in one side of the story. The film made an impact on me that it felt heavy during and after watching the film. Best Film of Cinemalaya 2019, indeed.

Shows to binge-watch

SB Nation’s The Rewinder
Rodneil: I don’t have a lot of time to watch anything these days so I’m mostly shuffling through YouTube videos. SB Nation’s The Rewinder is the perfect seven or 10-minute video that takes a look at historical NBA moments and discusses everything that lead up to it.

Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj: The Dark Side of the Video Game Industry
Rodneil: The video game industry is enjoying a surge in attention — both positive and negative. And while video games are generally associated with fun, the people behind it are suffering in ways most of us probably don’t know about. This is an important watch for every gamer.

The Bold Type
MJ: As a young millennial in his early 20s, one can’t help but think about his life’s directions. The Bold Type perfectly captures this scenario where the show features three young women working in a fictional magazine, who navigates the modern life and struggles in love, career, and their identity. Additionally, the show highlights the pressing social and cultural issues which gives that perfect, woke millennial vibe.

Dark
Shivam: If you like Stranger Things, but are looking for some more serious thrill, this show’s for you. It starts out with a simple concept of time travel, but slowly escalates into an in-depth walk-through of inter-dimensional threads. All the characters play a key-role in setting up the story and you’re sure to be glued day and night.

Albums/Songs/Podcasts to listen to

Wasabi by Little Mix
MJ: Everytime I hear this song, I can’t help but feel as if I’m part of a film’s montage, walking like a runway model. “Wasabi” exudes an empowering and confidence-boosting vibe, supported by its lyrics which talks about you not giving a f*ck on people hating on you and raining on your parade. It’s one of the best song to listen when you feel like you’re slaying it.

Love Is Over by Rocket Punch
Vincenz: Don’t get me wrong, their debut title track “BIM BAM BUM” sounds great. However, this B-side track caught my ears which is all about being independent and not relying on love after a heartbreak — which makes sense for its appealing beat, strong vocals, and dark visuals.

Games to play

Underlords
Leez: I’m not too much into mobas from the get go. I grew up playing video games either alone or against my siblings and so, I naturally gravitated to RPGs, platformers, and strategy games. When Underlords was released, most people nagged me to give it a go, especially knowing the type of games I got hooked on and the ones I fell out off quickly. Well, I’m devastated to report that I’ve been stuck playing it at three in the morning almost every single day. If you haven’t heard of the game before, it’s essentially a Valve developed version of Autochess with beloved heroes from Dota 2. It’s a game of strategy and gritting your teeth through the torturous loses. It’s fun, painful, and it’s what you need to realize you need your life straightened out soon.

Films to catch

Ready or Not
Ready or Not is a film about a young bride who participated in a tradition by her new husband’s family. In a sudden turn of events, the newly-wed woman ended up being hunted by her in-laws as part of a diabolical ritual. It’s scheduled to be released on August 21, 2019.

It Chapter Two
It Chapter Two is the sequel to the 2017 film It. The film follows twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise, it returns to terrorize the town once again. It’s scheduled to be released on September 6, 2019.

 


Weathering With You
Makoto Shinkai’s follow-up to the massive 2016 hit Your Name (Kimi No Nawa) promises to deliver the same level of emotion and artistry. The animated film was first released Japan and is already a larger box-office hit than Your Name building up more excitement for viewers around the world.

Matchketeer’s Recommendation

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Kyle Benson Azuelo, Matchketeer: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty will encourage you to do something with your life and chase your dreams. The film is a beautiful reminder to not let life get in our way. We may have responsibilities and different priorities, but the lesson here is to keep going after what you’ve always wanted. It’s impossible to not feel empowered, happy, and inspired upon watching this film.

Now Playing is the GadgetMatch team’s favorite games, movies, TV shows, and more each month. If you’re curious to know what we’re into at the moment, this is what you should check out. So grab your popcorn, get some drinks, and enjoy what’s now playing!

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