Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017
Kapamilya’s newest
romantic drama and psychological thriller Taking afternoon TV viewing to another level. "The Better Half" lead cast JC de Vera, Shaina Magdayao, Denise Laurel, and Carlo Aquino
Life begins at 40 for actor and brand ambassador Piolo Pascual
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ATCH out for another unique story of love and obsession in The Better Half, ABS-CBN’s Half newest romantic drama and psychological thriller that shows how far people go for the person they believe will fill their other half. The series started airing yesterday. Four of ABS-CBN’s best actors–Shaina Magdayao, Carlo Aquino, JC De Vera, and Denise Laurel –play characters who go to extraordinary lengths for love as their lives get entangled in lies, betrayal, and dark secrets.
ISAH V. RED
the team behind the hit shows Be Careful With My Heart, Dream Dad, and Ningning – all directed by Jeffrey Jeturian – produce the series. Camille (Shaina) and Marco (Carlo) aremarried couple and their relationship is tested by fate when his airplane crashes, leaving a big scar in
his wife’s heart. Believing her husband is already dead, Camille meets Rafael (JC), the man helps her forget about her past. But just when they think they can start a new life together, Marco resurfaces and returns to Camille’s life, but now married to Bianca (Denise). As their paths cross once again, will Marco and Camille turn their backs from the new life they have without each other, or will they just throw away the love and dreams they once built together? Will Rafael and Bianca let their other halves go, or will they fight for their love? How far will they go to prove they are the better half for the person they love? Also in The Better Half are Epi Quizon, Nadia Montenegro, Rommel Padilla, Carmi Martin, Zeppi Borromeo, Maila Gumila, Bart Guingona, Mari Kaimo, Joyce Ann Burton, Regine Angeles, Junjun Quintana, and Pooh. Completing the cast are Gilleth Sandico, Kate Alejandrino, Tiptip Fucoy, Delphine Buencamino, Lemuel Pelayo, Vincent Lim, and Johan Santos. *** There’s a saying that goes “life begins at 40.” However, this is also the age when undesirable physical developments start to appear, and one of the most telling signs of being four decades old are eye problems that begin to set in, such as presbyopia, Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. But is it possible to keep one’s vision healthy at age 40? One celebrity who can say yes to this is Piolo Pascual whose expressive eyes have allowed him to dominate
both the big and small screens. His eyes light up in romances, pierce through rivals in action-thrillers and brim with tears in dramas, as shown by his lead roles in blockbuster films such as Milan, Dekada ’70, and Relaks It’s Just Pag-ibig, as well as popular series like Mangarap Ka, Lobo, Apoy sa Dagat and Hawak-Kamay. Piolo is also known as a fitness advocate who walks his talk. He fits time for exercise and outdoor activity in between tapings and public appearances. He watches his food intake, these days focusing more on vegetables rich in Vitamin A to maintain his eyesight, and tries to get as much sleep as possible given his hectic schedule. During the surprise birthday party thrown by his family and close friends from showbiz, Piolo continued to emphasize the importance of taking care of one’s health, and ensuring and protecting clear eyesight. He understands that people who enter their 40s, like himself, become prone to presbyopia or near-vision blurriness, hence he recommends having the eyes checked up regularly. He also believes that the key to keeping the eyes and vision healthy into midlife is prevention, protection and correction. And so, he recommends the use of Varilux® lenses for his fellow fortysomethings who find themselves with presbyopia. Varilux® progressive lenses are recognized worldwide as an optimal solution to achieving natural, sharper vision in any distance, with smooth transition in between. Using patented W.A.V.E 2.0 and Binocular Booster™ lens technologies, Varilux® lenses help those in the prime of their lives see effortlessly in any distance, and also help boost their active lifestyles. Piolo shares, “We need healthy vision to see and enjoy every moment in our life, which is why it is important that we take care of our eyes. I am glad that I can raise awareness by being an ambassador of Essilor. I’ll continue doing my best in promoting healthy vision to everyone.” For more information about The Essilor Group, visit www.essilor.com.ph.
Rex Smith ‘live’ at Estancia PICTURE a most romantic post-Valentine’s Day evening at Estancia, a topnotch retail facility where you can find an array of fine international fashion brands and retailers. Estancia is nestled regally within Capitol Commons, a 10-hectare mixed-use development along Meralco Avenue corner Shaw Blvd. in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. The area used to be where the Rizal Provincial Capitol was. Owing to Ortigas & Co.’s expertise in transforming some of the country’s most iconic places to destinations that provide unique experiences without losing their historical charm, Capitol Commons is poised to set a new standard for modern urban development. The benchmark has become all about a confluence of modern living spaces, office facilities, and commercial areas that showcase premium retail and entertainment options. On Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., families, young people, residents of Capitol Commons and visitors alike, and lovers will converge at the Estancia Bridgeway. It will be the venue of a free concert featuring the timeless tunes of Rex Smith, an American actorsinger and teen idol during the poster-plastered wall era of the late ‘70s. He performed live at the 1982 Miss Universe pageant in Lima, Peru. Among Rex Smith’s hits are “Simply Jessie,” “Forever,” “Everlasting Love,” “You Take My Breath Away,” “Don’t Give Up On Us,” and “Let’s Make A Memory.” Rex Smith Live at Estancia will be a walk down memory lane when music sounded soothing and soft rock and pop was king. Featured artist is JV Decena of “Showtime’s” popular segment “Tawag Ng Tanghalan.’’ The air will be filled with love songs that even in the age of social media will never grow old. At
the Rex Smith Live at Estancia concert, love will be the order of the day while taking in the whole breadth of Capitol Commons with its tall buildings and the lovely park between Estancia and Royalton Condominium. The park is a welcome sea of green, like an oasis right in the middle of a business district. Rex Smith Live at Estancia is a free concert but with limited seating.
Strange Bathtub. Mia Goth in a scene from psychological horror thriller film directed by Gore Verbinski
‘A Cure For Wellness’ in cinemas tomorrow
American singer and '80s love song superstar Rex Smith
FROM visionary director, Gore Verbinski, A Cure for Wellness is a chilling and mindbending psychological thriller. Embarking on the movie, Verbinski wanted to make a thriller with the depth, insight and power of classics in the genre that he admired, such as The Shining (1980, Stanley Kubrick), Don’t Look Now (1973, Nicolas Roeg) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968, Roman Polanski). The idea of a quick fix cure, together with society’s malaise and the obsession with perfect health were topics that fascinated Verbinski, whose films include the hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and the Academy Award® winning animated film, Rango. Dane DeHaan stars as Lockhart ,a driven Wall Street stockbroker sent by his firm to a remote alpine medical spa on a mission to retrieve the company’s CEO, Pembroke (Harry Groener), a patient at the spa, who has told his staff that he has no intention of returning to New York. Lockhart arrives at the tranquil sanitarium where the residents are supposedly receiving a miracle cure. In fact though, they seem to be getting sicker. As he investigates the dark and baffling secrets behind the spa, he meets a young woman, the hauntingly beautiful Hannah (Mia Goth), a patient herself. He also
gets to know another patient, the eccentric Mrs. Watkins, played by Celia Imrie, who has done some detective work of her own. Soon, Lockhart is diagnosed with the same condition as the other patients by the institution’s director, the ominous Dr. Volmer (Jason Isaacs), and finds that he is trapped in the alpine retreat. Lockhart begins to lose his grip on reality and has to endure unimaginable ordeals during the course of his own ‘treatment’. “We started exploring the notion of a health spa in the Alps, a wellness center that doesn’t actually make you well,” says Verbinski, “and it slowly evolved from there. It became pretty clear to us that this was going to be a genre piece, and we started playing around with the concept of inevitability. It’s the sense that there is a sickness, a sort of black spot on your x-ray that won’t go away!” “It’s almost like a huge roller coaster, but the film is also asking a lot of important questions,” comments DeHaan. “At times, you are really feeling terrified. But if you are in a communal setting like a theater, you know you are safe and you know that what is happening on screen is completely removed from reality.” A Cure For Wellness from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. opens tomorrow.