Entertainment News (12/06/24)

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Bookings for the Disney Adventure open Dec. 10

GUESTS will be able to book vacations at sea on the Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line’s first ship to homeport in Asia, starting Dec. 10, 8 a.m., Singapore time, for sail dates through March 2026. The Disney Adventure will set sail from Singapore on her maiden voyage on Dec. 15, 2025. Guests will be able to book directly from the Disney Cruise Line website, through the  contact center, or with their preferred travel agents. Sailing on primarily three- and four-night voyages designed with only dedicated days at sea, guests will be immersed in experiences that bring to life the worlds and characters at the heart of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel. The Disney Adventure has seven themed areas: Disney Imagination Garden, Toy Story Place, San Fransokyo Street, Town Square, Wayfinder Bay, Disney Discovery Reef and Marvel Landing.

Royal Hataw Grand Finals to kick off this month

SODA BRAND Royal will host the Hataw Grand Finals on Dec. 7, 3-6 p.m., at Market! Market! in Taguig City. The event will feature the top 15 dance crews from Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon competing for the title of Royal Ito Ang Gusto Crew and the grand prize of P500,000. The winner will be crowned the first-ever Royal Dance Crew.

Araneta City’s Simbang Gabi schedule

ARANETA CITY will be holding the Simbang Gabi series of midnight masses for Christmas at the Sagrada Familia Church, the Ali Mall Chapel, and Farmers Market. The Sagrada Familia Church, found at Level 5 of Gateway Mall 2, will have Simbang Gabi masses on Dec. 15 and 22 (Sundays) at 7:30 p.m.; on Dec. 16 to 20 and Dec. 23 (Monday to Friday) at 6 p.m., and on Dec. 21 (Saturday) at 6:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the Ali Mall Chapel will hold masses from Dec. 15 to 23 at 6:30 p.m.; and over at the Gen. Aguinaldo Ave. Entrance of Farmers Market, masses will be held from Dec. 16 to 24 at 5:30 a.m. Christmas and New Year’s Masses will also be held at the Sagrada Familia Church throughout Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, 2025 at 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. Among the various other Christmas activities being held at Araneta City over the holidays is Santa & Friends Meet & Greet. This will be held from Dec. 6 to 8 at the Gateway Mall 2’s Quantum Skyway at 4 p.m.; at Gateway Mall 1’s Upper Ground Floor Activity Center at 5:30 pm.; at Ali Mall lower ground floor Activity Center at 4 p.m.; and at Farmers Plaza’s lower ground floor activity center at 5:30 p.m. Santa and Friends will also be stopping by the Giant Christmas tree at the Green Gate of the Smart Araneta Coliseum at 6 p.m. There will be a mascot parade around Ali Mall (4 p.m.) and Farmers Plaza (5:30 p.m.) on Dec. 8. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola’s Christmas Truck will be making a stop at Times Square Park on Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m. The Coca-Cola Snow Globe is set up at Gateway Cineplex 18, Level 4, Gateway Mall, until Jan. 11, 2025. Visitors can create their own Snow Globe by scanning the QR code. A fireworks display will be held at 7 p.m. every Friday to Sunday. The best viewing locations are near the Giant Christmas Tree and along Gen. Aguinaldo Ave. The Fireworks Display will launch at the Gateway Tower helipad.

Met Park in Pasay unveils holiday season events

MET PARK in Pasay City has kicked off its holiday festivities, starting with the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Blue Bay Walk. The park is offering a range of events to spread holiday cheer. These include the Met Park Christmas Bazaar, running every Friday to Sunday until Jan. 5, 2025, which features 20 specialty stalls offering artisanal gifts, festive treats, and workshops for perfume-making, candle-making, and wreath-making. Payday promos and complimentary gift wrapping are available with qualifying purchases. From Dec. 2-8, the Heroes PH Comics & Cosplay Convention at Met Live will showcase toy displays, comic vendors, and cosplay competitions. Christmas Carols will fill the air from Dec. 6-14, with choirs and buskers offering traditional holiday performances. Lastly, Simbang Gabi masses will be held nightly from Dec. 15-23, honoring the Filipino Christmas tradition.

Lionsgate offers heartwarming films for the holidays

LIONSGATE PLAY presents a selection of heartwarming films perfect for the holiday season. Among its offerings is Wonder (2017), based on R.J. Palacio’s bestselling novel, which follows August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a young boy with facial differences who is navigating his first year of elementary school. I Am David (2004) tells the inspiring story of 12-year-old orphan David (Ben Tibber), who escapes a Bulgarian labor camp and embarks on a life-changing journey across Europe bringing only a compass, bread, and a mysterious letter. In August: Osage County (2013), the Weston sisters — played by Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, and Julianne Nicholson — are forced to reunite with their estranged mother, played by Meryl Streep, after a family tragedy. Finally, there is The Impossible (2012) which tells the true story of the Belón-Álvarez family’s fight for survival after a devastating tsunami strikes during their Christmas vacation in Thailand, separating the parents (played by Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor) from their children.

Viu adds four new Tagalog-dubbed shows

VIU, a streaming platform focusing on Asian media, has added four new Tagalog-dubbed Korean and Chinese series to its lineup. The new shows, which are already available this month, are: Lovely Runner which follows a fan who travels 15 years back in time to change the fate of her idol and prevent his untimely death (it stars Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok); Pyramid Game, which tells the story of a high school transfer student who has the bad luck of scoring zero in the ranking system and must fight through bullying and violence to reach the top of the pyramid (it stars Kim Ji-yeon); My Boss, a romantic comedy about an aspiring lawyer who is determined to prove herself to her colleagues, especially the firm’s head (it stars Zhang Ruonan and Chen Xingxu); and, High School Return of a Gangster follows a gangster who accidentally possesses an 18-year-old boy to stop him from taking his own life (it stars Lee Seo-jin and Yoon Chan-young).

Kuya Kim Atienza renews contract with GMA

KIM “KUYA KIM” ATIENZA renewed his contract with GMA Network on Dec. 2, solidifying his continued partnership with the network. The contract signing was attended by key GMA executives, including GMA Network President and Chief Executive Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.. Mr. Atienza, often called the “Philippine Trivia King,” has been a key figure in several flagship shows, including 24 Oras, Mars Pa More, and TiktoClock.