An octopus and a human-insect join the new cast of “Toy Story 3.” See them for the first time here!

STRETCH is a fun-loving under-the-sea octopus friend that shines in glittery purple. Kids can count her eight rubbery legs and dozens of sticky suckers that are sure to stand up to rough-and-tumble play and extreme stretching. Toss her high on the wall and watch her climb her way down! Clean in mild soap solution to remove dust and lint.

Meet TWITCH, the insectaloid warrior, where MAN + INSECT = AWESOME! This sturdy action figure stands over five inches tall, with more than 15 points of articulation, including ferocious chomping mandibles. Use his powerful wings and impenetrable exoskeleton to evade capture! Twitch is meticulously detailed and includes his signature magical battle staff and removable chest armor. For children ages 4 and up. Other insectaloid figures sold separately.

The creators of the beloved “Toy Story” films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of our favorite gang of toy characters in TOY STORY 3. As Andy prepares to depart for college, Buzz, Woody and the rest of his loyal toys are troubled about their uncertain future.

Directed by Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2” and “Finding Nemo”), TOY STORY 3 is a comical new adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ that lands the toys in a room full of untamed tots who can’t wait to get their sticky little fingers on these “new” toys.  It’s pandemonium as they try to stay together, ensuring “no toy gets left behind.”  Meanwhile, Barbie comes face to plastic face with Ken (yes, that Ken).

Pixar veteran Darla K. Anderson (”Cars,” “Monsters, Inc.”) produces, while Michael Arndt, Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine,” brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities.

TOY STORY 3 opens across the Philippines on June 23 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and conventional format.

After releasing the epic song “Sleeping While The World’s Awake,” M.E. is back and all set to rock with his latest single “The Take Back” (still taken from his current E.P., Sleeping While The World’s Awake).

The song features a more up-beat and head bobbing vibe – one that many will enjoy not just listening to but experiencing the LIVE performance of as well. Another original track of his, Miguel Escueta shares that the song is about “having self pride, and not letting anyone take that away from you. We always look for other people to blame, but at the end of the day, what is made of each of our personal situations is really up to us. Its basically the ‘get off your butt and make it happen’ type of song.”

To add even more spunk and jolt to it, the video proves to be M.E.’s most surprising one yet as he actually shot it in New York City! It features Miguel sucked into the Big City’s vibe and sunk in a little snow here and there, too. Shooting the video there was possible by the undying support of his label MCA MUSIC Inc. and management The ALV Talent Circuit.

“The Take Back” is set to premiere on MYX this March and will have a special online premiere on MYXPH.com this Friday, March 12 at 11am (Manila Time).

Miguel’s E.P. “Sleeping While The World’s Awake” is made available courtesy of MCA MUSIC Inc. and also brought to you by Roadtone Guitars, Human, Deca Wake Davao, The ALV Talent Circuit and Heartfire Studios.

On a side note, M.E. is finally on twitter! Follow him now (twitter.com/miguelescueta) and get a chance to win exclusive prizes directly from Miguel!

More and more wonders unfold with each visit to the Ayala Malls. Considered as the urban hub of A-list retail brands, the Ayala Malls never runs out of first-rate choices for the whole family.

In its quest to bring complete customer satisfaction, the Ayala Malls Cinemas redefines the movie experience as it brings to fore the latest buzz in filmmaking technology.  Digital and 3D can now be fully enjoyed at the Ayala Malls Cinemas, adding a new brand of excitement to discriminating Ayala patrons.  And as the Ayala Malls Cinemas open more digitally-equipped theaters, more moviegoers can now have a truly delightful day at the movies.

We are very proud to give our patrons a front row treat to the latest advancement in cinema exhibition industry,’ avers Ayala Malls Cinemas general manager Amir Precilla.  “It gives avid moviegoers tremendous pleasure in their viewing experience.  As our digital cinema tagline, “Blockbusterize Your Movie Experience” suggests, movie watching at the Ayala Malls Digital Cinemas makes a day at the movies a truly rewarding experience.  It also complements the fine offerings of Ayala Malls in terms of dining and retail shops.”

With the Dolby Digital Cinema technology in place, viewers get an improved theater experience with its high quality image and sound.  It delivers vivid colors and a sharper, clearer image from every seat in the house.  Excitement is heightened as pictures are enhanced.  And with the latest 3D technology, moviegoers get to see life-like amazing sense of depth, making viewers feel as if they are in the midst of the scenes happening on screen.  Complementing this highly advanced visual treat is the theater’s captivating sound system.  With all these state-of-the-art technology and the distinguished Ayala brand of customer service, moviegoers are in for a blockbuster experience.

It was in 2009 when Ayala Malls Cinemas unveiled its Digital Cinemas in TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, Greenbelt 3 and Glorietta 4 (the latter two being THX-certified cinemas).  Since then, this technological breakthrough has served as the anchor of Ayala Mall’s entertainment component for the whole family.  Moviegoers were taken beyond the realms of imagination with spectacular visual innovations coupled with compelling stories.

As the wonderful world of cinema continues to entertain the whole family, the Ayala Malls Cinemas pulls all stops to bring more Filipinos closer to the latest in cinematic innovation – a fine complement to the luxurious lifestyle only the Ayala Malls can offer.

HBO Asia presents “The Pacific”, the series premieres on Saturday, April 3, at 9:00 pm, and airs every Saturday at 9:00 pm through April into end of May

From the team that brought the “Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy to the big screen, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films present “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” an epic action-adventure set in the mystical lands of Persia .

In the film, a rogue prince (Jake Gyllenhaal)) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Gemma Arterton) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

Directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) with a cast that includes Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina, “Prince of Persia” is written by Boaz Yakin and Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard from a screen story by Jordan Mechner.

“It’s a classic tale of someone having their world turned upside down by extraordinary circumstances and having to use all their resources to come out the other side,” Mike Newell explains what drew him to the script.  “I also loved the idea of going to a place I had never been before. We had the freedom to create this whole amazing world because no one knows exactly what it looked like. The time period is also one when people took stories very seriously, and there wasn’t a division between what was a fable and what was real. To me the story of the film feels like one of the great myths: something that’s quite simple in a way, but bites very deep and you remember it life-long.

Was Jake Gyllenhaal his first choice to play the title character and what was it about him that got him the part?

“You had to have someone of a certain age,” answers Newell. “The prince had to have a command of the screen, which Jake obviously does and is partly what makes Jake a very interesting actor. I looked around and Jake was the first name that came into my head. And though I did meet lots and lots of other actors, I kept coming back to him.”

Opening soon across the Philippines , “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

Refreshing new shows, series, and movies all month long!

MANILA (March 9, 2010): Cartoon Network beats the summer heat with only the coolest new shows, episodes and movies set to kick off the sunny season!

For something fresh, tune in to Jimmy Two Shoes starting March 6th, weekends at 11:30am. Jimmy’s an irrepressible, thrill-seeking optimist who lives in Miseryville, the most miserable place on Earth. Along with his best friends, Heloise – part-time genius, full-time soul-crusher – and Beezy – lover of adventure, once you get him off the couch – Jimmy is determined to surf past all obstacles and bring his infectious enthusiasm to the whole town…including it’s megalomaniacal chief executive, Lucius Heinous the Seventh. Join Cartoon Network and Jimmy as he tries to make misery fun again!

Dive into extreme action as everybody’s fave 15-year-old hero heats up the small screen with brand new episodes of Ben 10 Alien Force, Mondays at 5:00pm in New Mondays. The adventures continue with Ben and his super-powered companions, cousin Gwen and ally Kevin Levin as they face bigger, badder villains.

Then, travel to a galaxy far, far away and relive the Star Wars saga with Star Wars: The Clones Wars Decoded. It’s Star Wars as you’ve never seen it before with pop-up episodes from March 16th-31st, Double Episodes weeknights at 9:00pm!

Get ready for some feature length fun on Cartoon Network Popcorn with premieres of fabulously furry movies in March, every Saturday at 4:00pm with an encore screening at 9:00pm. Don’t’ miss An American Tail (March 6th), Mousehunt (March 13th), Stuart Little (March 20th) and An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (March 27th).

And to go with all that mousey mayhem, try a little side of Bean! Catch the premiere of Bean The Movie on Friday, March 26th at 9:00pm in Cartoon Network Popcorn Fridayswith an encore on Saturday, March 27th at 2:00pm in Cartoon Network Popcorn.

From director Louis Leterrier (“Transporter 2,” “The Incredible Hulk”) comes Warner Bros.’ new fantasy adventure “Clash of the Titans” starring Sam Waorthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes.

Shot in Leterrier’s kamikaze, high-octane style and set for release around the world in both 2D and 3D versions, “Clash of the Titans” is an action-packed epic that plunges into the world of mortals and gods, with spectacular settings and amazing creatures which have never before been portrayed on this scale.  Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus ( Worthington ) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld.  With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Neeson) and unleash hell on earth.

Director Louis Letterier discusses the highly awaited film in the following interview:

Question:  Can you talk about the scope and scale of “Clash of the Titans” and what drew you to the project?

Louis Leterrier: It’s the biggest movie in terms of scope and scale that I have done. I believe it’s also the biggest done by a French director.  It is a huge film, and I wanted to use natural exteriors with real practical effects and not only visual effects. So, we had a crew of 800- 500 for the first unit and 300 for the second unit.  All of us traveled to Tenerife and Wales .  It was very interesting to travel with those people.

Q:  Can you talk about the tone of the film, and the kind of action we can expect?

Leterrier: It is a family movie. I grew up in the ‘80s and what I liked were entertainment movies—watching the films of Spielberg, Joe Dante and Robert Zemeckis.  I always wanted to be able to do that kind of film, never thinking one day I would be lucky to be able to do so and that Warner Bros. would give me that chance and opportunity.

Q:  How did you go about bringing in such a diverse cast?

Leterrier: I wanted an international cast, mainly a European cast because for me it is, of course, Greek mythology and I didn’t want to use recognizable American actors seen millions of times before. For the Gods, yes, but for the characters around Perseus, I wanted to use newer faces, for the American audiences anyway, since for the Europeans they are slightly more well-known.

Q:  Can you talk about casting Sam Worthington in the film?

Leterrier:  I did not know him at all. I only met him once, during the preparation at the casting stage. I had not seen “Avatar” or “Terminator Salvation” at the time, only an Australian film he had done, “Somersault.”  I instantly adored him at the casting.  He brings such humanity and also such a real physicality to the character.  He did all his own stunts and he is really someone who is very dynamic.

Q:  When making a movie like “Clash of the Titans,” was it important to you to push the envelope in terms of visual effects?

Leterrier: In the original “Clash of the Titans,” the special effects were done by Ray Harryhausen, a master of the genre. I grew up watching his work, his films that I loved.  I wanted to bring something different. I did not want to use stop-motion or cell-by-cell animation.  I wanted to use 3D because it is simple and quick and more, because you can do something huge and very interactive with the actors. So, that’s why we started with that concept.  I also wanted to pay homage to Ray and therefore we used the best possible effects company in Europe to do the special effects.  What was really very interesting was the interactivity between the creatures, the sand and the water, which is extremely difficult to achieve with special effects.

(Opening soon across the Philippines , “Clash of the Titans” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.)

Philippine audiences headed down the rabbit hole this weekend, as Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” opened at No. 1 with a nationwide gross of an amazing P47.930-million in 144 screens for the March 4-7 frame.  This was announced March 8 by Victor R. Cabrera, managing director of Walt Disney Studios which locally distributed the film.

This figure marked the all-time third biggest opening weekend for Disney, after 2007’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (P71-million) and 2006’s “Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (P66-million).

It likewise became the second most successful March opening weekend in history, overtaking 2006’s “Ice Age 2: The Meltdown” (P41-million).

“Alice” also gave Tim Burton his biggest opening in the Philippines, with a jaw-dropping 105% improvement from 2001’s “Planet of the Apes” (P23.4-million) and already surpassing 2005’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s” lifetime gross of P41.1-million in only four days of release.

The top 20 cinemas that posted the best receipts are SM North EDSA (P4.10-M), Trinoma (P3.15-M), SM Mall of Asia (P2.95-M), Greenbelt 3 (P2.32-M), Power Plant (P2.08-M), Glorietta (P2.02-M), Alabang Town Center (P1.98-M), SM Megamall (P1.67-M), SM Cebu (P1.48-M), Shang Cineplex (P1.44-M).

Close to their heels are Gateway (P1.30-M), Eastwood (P1.25-M), Greenhills (P1.22-M), Robinsons Galleria (P979,784), Sta. Lucia East (P946,002), Market! Market! (P899,608), SM Ilo-ilo (P843,668), SM Clark (P815,772), Ayala Cebu (P789,548) and SM Marikina (P712,517).

In the U.S., “Alice in Wonderland” debuted to a gargantuan $116.3M, smashing box office records left and right. It was the biggest March opening ever soaring past the $70.9-million of “300” from 2007 and the best debut for a 3D film beating the $77-million of “Avatar” from last December.

An epic 3D fantasy adventure “Alice in Wonderland” provides a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Johnny Depp stars as the Mad Hatter and Mia Wasikowska as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends:  the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter.  Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror.  The all-star cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover.

Still playing across the Philippines in regular format, Digital 3D and Digital IMAX, “Alice in Wonderland” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.