JACK QUAID IS EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE AUDIENCE’S REACTION WHEN THEY WATCH “NOVOCAINE,” IN CINEMAS MARCH 12

 

Jack Quaid in Novocaine in cinemas March 12

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

“This film blends genres in a cool, unique way that I’ve never seen before,” says Jack Quaid of his latest film, the action-comedy / love story Novocaine. “I hope audiences will enjoy that. It’s going to be a wild ride, and I’ll be so excited to hear the reactions inside the theater.”

Novocaine is the story of everyman Nathan Caine (Quaid), who cannot feel pain. When the girl of his dreams Sherry (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/_

hixeEcml3U 

Jacob Batalon in Novocaine in cinemas March 12

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

During the filming of the action scenes, there were times when even the crew could not look at the monitors because of how gruesome and gory the scenes were. “Everyone has delivered – from hair and makeup to stunts to prosthetics to everything in between,” shares producer Drew Simon. “You know it’s working when you have to look away from the monitors because you’re seeing something graphic happen to a guy who can’t feel pain. It was so real and felt so visceral. That’s the reaction we’re hoping audiences will have as well.”

Ray Nicholson in Novocaine in cinemas March 12

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

Besides the action, director Robert Olsen promises a good balance with comedy. “The mix of humor and violence is also what makes this movie special because everybody’s seen an action movie that has a ton of gore in it and a more dour tone,” says Olsen. “But the image of somebody being punched in the face and smiling right after is the heart of this movie.”

Action, gore, comedy, and of course, the love story. “I love Nate and Sherry as a couple,” says Quaid. “They’re incredibly cute together. And working with Amber was such a pleasure. There’s a certain comfort when you have a scene partner you feel so good with.”

Amber Midthunder in Novocaine in cinemas March 12

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

Midthunder, who plays Sherry, says she was captivated by the beautiful complexity of their relationship. “I think what makes their relationship so special is that they bring out this true version of the other person,” she shares. “Dan [Berk, co-director], Bobby [Robert Olsen, co-director], and I talked a lot about how Nate sees Sherry in a way she’s never been seen before. To Sherry, that is both alarming and disarming and that’s what makes her feel so drawn to him and feel safe with him, especially so quickly. She’s affected by that because she’s never felt that kind of safety before in her life.”

Feel every intense moment when Novocaine opens in Philippine cinemas March 12, 2025. Join the conversation with the hashtag #Novocaine and tag @paramountpicsph

About Novocaine:

 

PARAMOUNT PICTURES Presents

In association with INFRARED PICTURES 

A SAFEHOUSE PICTURES / CIRCLE MANAGEMENT + PRODUCTION Production

A Film by DAN BERK & ROBERT OLSEN  

“NOVOCAINE”

  

Executive Producers 

Paul Barbeau, Glen Basner, Josh Adler, Lars Jacobson, Alison Cohen

  

Produced by 

Drew Simon, Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold, Sam Speiser, Matt Schwartz, Julian Rosenberg

 

Written by 

Lars Jacobson

 

Directed by 

Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

 

Cast

Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh, Lou Beatty Jr., Van Hengst, Conrad Kemp and Jacob Batalon

______________________________________________________________________________

Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International” 

MICKEY 17 - It's Wild, Wacky, and Weird

By : Edgar Allan E. Yu 

MICKEY 17 is the next film from South Korea Director Bong Joon-Ho after his Oscar-winning film "Parasite". Mickey Barnes applied as an expendable, sent to a dangerous mission to colonize an ice planet. Everytime he dies, he is bio-printed or cloned to do the same work, over and over again. 

"Mickey 17" presents an interesting concept that piques curiosity from the outset. However, the story-telling ultimately falls short, leaving viewers feeling a bit lost amidst its ambitious narrative. While the production design and cinematography shine with impressive visuals that immerse the audience in this unique world, the execution of the plot leaves much to be desired.

Robert Pattinson delivers a standout performance as Mickey, showcasing multiple layers of his character that make him both relatable and intriguing. His ability to navigate complex emotions is commendable and adds depth to the film. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same with the supporting cast. Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal comes off as over-the-top with an exaggerated delivery that detracts from his character's credibility. Toni Collette's performance as the boss' wife also veers into odd territory without providing substantial context or development. Naomi Ackie's role as Mickey's girlfriend feels strangely disconnected from the main narrative, while Steven Yeun is disappointingly underutilized with minimal screen time that fails to leave a lasting impact.

 

Given Bong Joon-Ho’s reputation for masterful storytelling, it’s disheartening to see such potential squandered in “Mickey 17.” This film could have been a remarkable addition to his filmography but instead serves as a reminder of how critical coherent storytelling is in realizing an interesting concept fully.     

Photo credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

@warnerbrosph

#Mickey17 

It takes a spy to hunt one. Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender star in new spy thriller “The Black Bag”

 

Opens in PH cinemas April 2

From director Steven Soderbergh comes the gripping spy drama, Black Bag, where legendary intelligence agents and married couple George(Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn(Cate Blanchett) Woodhouse balance their dangerous career with their marriage. When Kathryn is suspected of treachery, George must make a choice between his loyalty to his marriage or his country.

Watch the trailer (FB): https://tinyurl.com/bdz5nrfw

Director Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp have teamed up before, most recently with the 2024 thriller Presence. This time this unconventional spy drama takes people behind the lives of elite officers who work in the shadows. The idea for Black Bag came to Koepp as he was conducting interviews on intelligence officers for the blockbuster Mission: Impossible franchise. “All the spycraft stuff was very cool, but I learned more than I ever expected about the people,” he says. “One woman told me that her job made it impossible for her to sustain a relationship. A line in the movie was inspired by my conversations with her. ‘When you can lie about everything, how do you tell the truth about anything?’”

The idea of navigating this relationship called to director Soderbergh, and so the collaboration began. “It is an interesting context in which to explore the idea of betrayal,” he says. “The source of most conflict in the world is somebody feeling they have been betrayed or that a trust has been broken. In this situation, both main characters hold a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card because not only are they not obligated to share everything, in some cases they are forbidden to.”

Spy thrillers have always been appealing to writer Koepp, and with Black Bag, he’s made sure that the stakes are as high as it could get. “People are lying,” he says. “The stakes are astronomical. There’s nothing more fun to write than that. We have all the action, suspense and tension that audiences want from a spy story, plus characters that are compelling and layered. At times, Black Bag becomes more like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? than Mission: Impossible. That’s a big part of what audiences will respond to. It brought me back to some of the great 1970s films like Klute and All the President’s Men, which were steeped in paranoia and deceit. The feeling of being lied to was very strong in that era and it’s pretty strong in this story as well.”

Black Bag also stars Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan. The film arrives in Philippine theaters on April 2. Follow Universal Pictures PH (FB), UniversalPicturesPH (IG), and UniversalPicsPH (TikTok) for the latest updates.

Credit: “Universal Pictures”

TP Supports Industry Effort to Address HIV in the Workplace

 

Hosts capacity development session for medical professionals and advocates

As host to IBPAP’s On-site HIV Training and Screening session, Teleperformance or TP in the Philippines welcomes over 60 medical practitioners and advocates to its Innovation and Solutions Hub at its TP Aura site, Taguig City.

Taguig, Philippines – Teleperformance (TP) in the Philippines, a global leader in digital business services, reinforces its commitment to drive awareness and prevention of HIV in the Philippines. This comes in the wake of national efforts to curb the rising cases of HIV infection in the country.

TP hosted an HIV Training and Screening session for medical professionals and advocates on February 26 at the Innovation & Solutions Hub of its TP Aura site. 

In collaboration with the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) Labor Standards & Health Committee, the initiative provided free expert training to support enterprise-level HIV prevention and control.

“Since 2019, we have been working to educate IBPAP members on the value of having workplace HIV programs. These include awareness talks and summits. We have champions among our IBPAP members—TP is one of them,” said Tess Azicate, IBPAP Labor Standards and Health Lead.  

TP is a Platinum member of IBPAP, which is the enabling association for the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry in the Philippines.

The session, which was both empowering and insightful, brought together over 60 participants. In addition to doctors and nurses, the activity also included TP leaders and advocates from various teams and departments, equipping them with knowledge and skills to administer HIV screenings. 

The training complements TP’s HIV Awareness and Advocacy Development program and emphasizes the critical role of early detection and awareness in combatting the spread of HIV.

In his continued advocacy & staunch commitment to break the stigma, Jeffrey Johnson, Chief People Officer of TP in the Philippines, volunteers to be tested as a statement of support & encourage the proactive prevention & treatment of HIV in the workplace.

Addressing representatives from fellow IBPAP member companies, Jeffrey Johnson, Chief People Officer of TP in the Philippines, shared, “At TP, we truly believe that creating an environment where everyone is welcome is the foundation of everything we do—both to the success of our organization and our industry. I’m so grateful for the other IBPAP member companies for their participation and support in this critical training and development. This speaks volumes on how we're all working together with a shared purpose and commitment.”

Launched in 2015, TP’s HIV Awareness and Advocacy Development program is regarded as a pioneer in the private sector and recognized by the Department of Health (DOH) and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). TP continues to collaborate with advocate organizations like IBPAP, and partners in the private sector and government to promote safe spaces, truth-telling, and equip more people to prevent infections and help People Living with HIV (PLHIV).

Beyond the local impact, TP continues to engage in international learning exchanges to advance HIV advocacy. In 2023, the company hosted a dialogue with Papua New Guinea’s Key Population Advocacy Consortium (KPAC) and other organizations under its umbrella at its Vertis North site. This exchange, held in partnership with DOH, facilitated discussions on community-led HIV services and TP’s efforts in establishing an inclusive and supportive workplace.

For its efforts and outstanding contributions, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) recognized TP’s HIV Awareness and Advocacy Development program with the Gold Anvil Award in 2020.

                                                                                           

DO YOU LIKE PUZZLES? “THE ACCOUNTANT 2,” STARRING BEN AFFLECK AND JON BERNTHAL, OPENS IN CINEMAS APRIL 25. WATCH THE TRAILER AND CHECK OUT THE NEW POSTER!

 

When the numbers don’t add up, they make the corrections. Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal are back in “The Accountant 2.” Watch the trailer now and see the film only in cinemas April 25.

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/RxvPtYryOVg  

Check out the new poster: 

Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Official synopsis: 

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,” Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

 

About “The Accountant 2”

Directed by: Gavin O’Connor

Written by: Bill Dubuque

Produced by: Ben Affleck, Lynette Howell Taylor p.g.a., Mark Williams

Executive Produced by: Gavin O'Connor, Scott Lastaiti, Jamie Patricof, Matt Damon, Michael Joe, Kevin Halloran, Dani Bernfeld, Alison Winter

Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson and J.K. Simmons

Find the accountant when “The Accountant 2” opens only in cinemas April 25. #Accountant2

Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures” 

WHAT LIES WITHIN THE MINES? WATCH THE BRAND NEW TRAILER FOR “A MINECRAFT MOVIE,” STARRING JASON MOMOA AND JACK BLACK, IN CINEMAS APRIL 2, 2025. TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

 

Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Get ready for the greatest adventure ever built. ⛏️ Tickets are on sale NOW for “A Minecraft Movie,” starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, only in cinemas April 2.

Watch the brand new trailer: https://youtu.be/OtGJmI5qQFg?si=Q9VtAVxVDoQgIBOy 

Official synopsis: 

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits – Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Eugene Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks) – find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like Piglins and Zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative… the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.

 

About “A Minecraft Movie”

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, “A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time.

The film also stars Emma Myers (“Wednesday”), Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks (“The Color Purple”), Sebastian Eugene Hansen (“Just Mercy, “Lisey’s Story”), with Jennifer Coolidge.

Oscar nominee Hess (“Ninety-Five Senses,” “Nacho Libre”) directed, with Roy Lee, Jon Berg, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Jill Messick, Torfi Frans Olafsson and Vu Bui producing, and Todd Hallowell, Kayleen Walters, Brian Mendoza, Jonathan Spaihts, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary and Anthony Tittanegro executive producing.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present A Vertigo Entertainment/On The Roam/Mojäng Aktiebolag Production, A Jared Hess Film, “A Minecraft Movie.” The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures worldwide and by Legendary East in China, and released only in theaters and IMAX in North America. 

Get ready to craft your world when “A Minecraft Movie” opens only in cinemas April 2, 2025. #MinecraftMovie

Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures” 

GO BEHIND THE SCENES WITH JACK QUAID AND THE REST OF THE CAST OF “NOVOCAINE,” IN CINEMAS MARCH 12

 

Novocaine in cinemas March 12

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

He makes saving the day look painless. 

In Novocaine, Jack Quaid (The Boys) plays Nathan Caine, a man who cannot feel pain. When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.

“The fun of this movie is watching [Nathan Caine] get his butt kicked,” says Quaid in the new “No Pain, All Gain” featurette, “but he doesn’t feel any of it.” 

Hear more from Quaid and his costars Midthunder and Jacob Batalon why Novocaine is a must-watch. Watch the featurette: https://youtu.be/To7BNKYe1Og 

Feel every intense moment when Novocaine opens in Philippine cinemas March 12, 2025. Join the conversation with the hashtag #Novocaine and tag @paramountpicsph

About Novocaine:

 

PARAMOUNT PICTURES Presents

In association with INFRARED PICTURES 

A SAFEHOUSE PICTURES / CIRCLE MANAGEMENT + PRODUCTION Production

A Film by DAN BERK & ROBERT OLSEN  

“NOVOCAINE”

Executive Producers 

Paul Barbeau, Glen Basner, Josh Adler, Lars Jacobson, Alison Cohen

  

Produced by 

Drew Simon, Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold, Sam Speiser, Matt Schwartz, Julian Rosenberg

 

Written by 

Lars Jacobson

 

Directed by 

Dan Berk & Robert Olsen

 

Cast

Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh, Lou Beatty Jr., Van Hengst, Conrad Kemp and Jacob Batalon