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While nationalism gets a bad rap in the center of world power, it does speak differently within the so-called third world. Bor Ocampo‘s “Moneyslapper” is, undeniably, a film that speaks to the Philippines as a nation without the condescension and humiliation commonly found in filmic social commentary. This journey of a man who has found comfort in wealth pushes for a historical introspection of the vices and malice ascribed to its people.

Moneyslapper is screening at Qcinema

Daniel (John Lloyd Cruz) lives a life of extreme simplicity. He is so feeble-minded that his first thought upon winning the lottery is to escape everybody and live a different life. His return years later is also characterized by a simple mission to give or take paybacks.

But this simplicity has an extremely complicated source. The script penned by Jason Paul Laxamana and transgressive novelist Norman Willwayco frames Daniel within the violence...

“Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital,” an adaptation of the South Korean box office hit “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum” is headed for a world premiere in December at the Metro Manila Film Festival.

The 2018 Korean original was a found footage type supernatural horror film directed by Jung Bum-shik. Based on an actual psychiatric hospital located in Gwangju-si, it starred actors Wi Ha-joon (“Squid Game”), Park Ji-hyun (“The Divine Fury”), Oh Ah-yeon (“Mr. Sunshine”), Moon Ye-won (“Legal High”), Park Sung-hoon, Yoo Je-yoon (“Extreme Job”) and Lee Seung-wook (“Joseon Fist”) in the leading roles.

The new version is directed by Kerwin Go and produced by acclaimed director Erik Matti and veteran producer Dondon Monteverde in partnership with actor Enrique Gil. Production is through Reality Mm Studios.

Following the format of the Korean original, the group of Filipino amateur ghosthunters will explore the notorious Xinglin Hospital, an abandoned building located in Taiwan’s West Central District.

Rising-star Philippines director Mikhail Red is poised to begin shooting of “Deleter,” a film that straddles the techno-horror and psychological thriller genres.

The story involves an online content moderator who deletes a suicide video made by her co-worker. But the otherwise desensitized woman cannot escape from either her own troubled past or from a mysterious vengeful presence.

The film is scripted by Red and younger brother Nikolas Red. It is set to star actor-singer-influencer Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes and film and TV actor Mccoy Deleon.

Production is by Viva Films, an established production house which has credits including Erik Matti’s action thriller “Buy Bust.” Location shooting will run through August and September and a completed version is intended to be completed by the end of the year ahead of a launch at key festivals.

Red’s most recent completed film “Arisaka” launched at festivals late last year and...

Erik Matti is one of the Philippines’ most celebrated filmmakers, working across genres. “On The Job” bowed at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2013, where it was nominated for the Sacd Prize, and went on to global and domestic acclaim.

The film was inspired by a real-life scandal in which prison inmates were temporarily released from prison to work as contract killers on behalf of politicians and high ranking military officials.

Matti returns to the subject, which he has expanded as a franchise, in “On The Job: The Missing 8,” which is playing in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Again inspired by true events, the film follows a corrupt journalist seeking justice for his colleagues, and a convict who is frequently brought out of prison to perform assassinations.

The difference this time is that the franchise expansion is as a series for HBO, with the events of the 2013 film treated as the first two episodes.

The newest horror movie by Philippino director Erik Matti (“BuyBust” 2018) deals with a whole bunch of different topics. The story is pretty simple though.

“The Entity” is now screening at /slash film festival

Luis (Kent Gonzales) left home to study at an engineering school. One day he receives a call from his parents. His sister has died, and he should return for the funeral. Back home, Luis tries to uncover the circumstances of her death, but no one is willing to give an answer. Right from the start, the viewer is introduced to supernatural elements. A demonic haunted house and a dark past that holds a tragic family fate are the ingredients that make up the typical horror stylistics of this movie.

“The Entity” is dominated by the past. The events that take place are all related to bygone incidents. The entire house and its surroundings are covered in fog,...

With over 25 years of experience working in Hollywood as a stunt performer and action actor, Sonny’s career has led him to reinvigorating the action genre in the Philippines as an action director and producer with a focus of bringing international productions to film in the country. In addition, future projects in development are slated to film in Asia and Europe.

On the occasion of “Maria” premiering at Netflix May 17, we talk with him about his training, his experiences working in Hollywood and in the Philippines, Anna Curtis and Cristine Reyes, Erik Matti, and about his approach on the particular film.

How did you first enter martial arts? What kind of training did you receive and how is your training program at the moment?

I started martial arts training in 1975 in Shorin Ryu Karate. My main martial arts style is a hybrid system of Karate, Judo/Jujutsu, Kenpo, Boxing called Kajukenbo-Wun Hop Kuen Do.

The theme of the female vigilante with the additional value of the protagonist being a very beautiful woman not previously associated in any way with the action genre, has been working quite well recently for the Philippino film industry. In that fashion, after Richard Somes‘s “We Will Not Die Tonight” with Erich Gonzalez came Erik Matti’s “BuyBust” with Anne Curtis and now was the time for the latter’s co-protagonist in “No Other Woman”, Cristine Reyes, to play Pedring Lopez’s “Maria”.

The rather generic story involves a former BlackRose cartel assassin named Lily, who, after refusing to complete her last mission, has escaped and managed to evade the grasp of the syndicate, even forming her own family. Some years later, and as the power struggles in the organization, between Kaleb and Victor, the two number 2s in the hierarchy, rise over the assassination of an influential politician,...

Award-winning Filipino director Erik Matti’s follow-up to last year’s excellent action film “BuyBust” is finally ready and we have the first trailer for the horror film “Kuwaresma” right here, an epic team-up that sees Matti join hands with two of Filipino cinema’s biggest superstars.

Synopsis

Not much is known of the plot so far, but “Kuwaresma” sees a man return home to find out the reason behind the passing of his young sister, only to discover the secrets and horrors within his family.

Matti is no stranger to the horror genre, with his last horror film “Seklusyon” earning him the best director award at the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. The very atmospheric trailer also introduces Filipino icon Sharon Cuneta in her first horror film role and also her first collaboration with Matti, one she calls a “dream come true”. This is also the first time that she...

“Aurora,” a horror thriller directed by Yam Laranas has been acquired by Netflix. It is one of the first films from The Philippines to be picked up by the global streaming giant and will play out from April 25.

With a screenplay by Laranas and Gin de Mesa, the film sees a passenger ship, the Aurora, mysteriously collide into the rocky sea threatening an entire island. A young woman and her sister try to survive by finding the missing dead for a bounty – until the dead themselves come looking for shelter.

It had its theatrical premiere at the prestigious Metro Manila festival in December and this year is nominated for the Famas award for best visual effects.

The film features Anne Curtis, an Australian-born woman who became a child star in the Philippines. Curtis is now one of the country’s biggest celebrities and a social media phenomenon. The film also...

Brillante Mendoza has made a career out of highlighting the “dark corners” of the Philippines, and “Alpha” is no exception to the rule. His style, however, is much different here, as the film winks at the mainstream, despite the fact that the documentary-like tactics are still here. Let us take things from the beginning, though.

“Alpha: The Right to Kill” is screening at Helsinki Cine Aasia 2019

The story revolves around two radically different individuals, with the Philippines Government’s crackdown on illegal drugs functioning as the background. The first one is Police Officer Espino, a respectable professional, family man and Christian, and Elijah, a small-time pusher who has become his informant, in a desperate effort to provide for his wife and newborn child. During a police raid to the hideout of a notorious drug dealer named Abel that results in a number of deaths on the criminal’s side and very few arrests,...

Mirovision’s new global contents division also selling O Muel’s upcoming drama ’Pamir’.

Studio Bonanza, the global contents arm of Korean sales agent Mirovision, has picked up international rights to Lent, the first horror film from Filipino filmmaker Erik Matti.

Produced by Manila-based Reality Entertainment, the film follows a college student who rushes back to the family home when he learns that his twin sister has died. But when he finds himself being violently haunted, he starts to investigate the true nature of his sister’s death.

Matti is well known internationally for On The Job (2013), which premiered in Cannes Directors Fortnight,...

The International Film Festival and Awards Macao and Variety combined forces for the second year running to put a spotlight on Asia’s acting talent.

A well-attended meet-the-stars press event on Friday afternoon in Macau was addressed by leading local official, Maria Helena Senna de Fernandes. She turned the microphone over the five actors from different corners of the region, who dazzled with poise and wisdom beyond their years.

In 2017 the talent selection included Celina Jade, Ludi Lin, Rajkummar Rao, Shioli Kutsuna, Piolo Pascual, And Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, better known as the star of “Bad Genius.”

The five in this year’s crop — Xana Tang (New Zealand), Ann Curtis (The Philippines), Zheng Kai (China), Zaira Wasim (India) and Iqbaal Ramadhan (Indonesia) – will be presented with trophies on stage this evening at the closing ceremony of the Iffam.

Xana Tang (New Zealand)

Best known in the role of an offbeat office assistant...

Filipino filmmaker Erik Matti was just starting production on his next, long-planned crime movie when Rodrigo Duterte, incoming president of the Philippines, began his chaotic and brutal war on drugs.

Matti had won acclaim at home and abroad with taut, street-smart crime thrillers like On the Job (2013) and Honor Thy Father (2015), which premiered at Cannes and Toronto, respectively. With his latest project, what would become BuyBust, Matti intended to make his first full-scale action epic, building a story around Philippine Drug Enforcement Agents who are forced to fight for survival after a bust goes wrong in a Manila slum.

But when Duterte'...

Filipino filmmaker Erik Matti was just starting production on his next, long-planned crime movie when Rodrigo Duterte, incoming president of the Philippines, began his chaotic and brutal war on drugs.

Matti had won acclaim at home and abroad with taut, street-smart crime thrillers like On the Job (2013) and Honor Thy Father (2015), which premiered at Cannes and Toronto, respectively. With his latest project, what would become BuyBust, Matti intended to make his first full-scale action epic, building a story around Philippine Drug Enforcement Agents who are forced to fight for survival after a bust goes wrong in a Manila slum.

But when Duterte'...

Filipino director Erik Matti is known for his eclectic body of work that includes “Honor Thy Father” and “Seklusyon.” His 2013 effort, “On The Job” travelled widely and won several awards including two at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and was nominated for an Sacd Prize at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Matti is at the International Film Festival and Awards Macao this week with the action thriller “BuyBust” that is showing in the festival’s Flying Daggers strand. The film has shown in Bucheon, Fantasia and the Berlin Fanstasy Filmfest.

Inspired by real life events, “On The Job” focused on prisoners who are temporarily released to act as contract killers on behalf of powerful people. The film is now part of a rapidly expanding franchise.

“On The Job 2” is currently filming and is due to complete principal photography by February, with a view to releasing it in the Philippines on...

Peter Farrelly’s Oscar-tipped Green Book will open the festival.

Peter Farrelly’s Green Book will open the third edition of the International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam), which also unveiled its full line-up at a press conference in Macau today.

The international competition for first and second-time filmmakers will screen 11 films, including China’s Suburban Birds, India’s The Man Who Feels No Pain and Japan’s Jesus (see full line-up below). The best film in the international competition will receive a cash prize of $60,000.

As previously announced, Chinese director Chen Kaige is heading the competition jury.

This...

"Are you asking me to wait for bodies to get to shore?" The first trailer has debuted for a very interesting mystery horror titled Aurora from The Philippines. Made by Filipino director Yam Laranas, the film is about an island nation that is disrupted when a massive passenger ship named Aurora mysteriously collides and overturns. The story follows a young woman, the owner of a rundown inn, who must work to stay alive by finding missing dead bodies for a bounty - while at risk of danger from visitors who seek shelter in her home. Starring Anne Curtis (who also stars in BuyBust) with Mercedes Cabral, Andrea Del Rosario, Sue Prado, Ricardo Cepeda, Ruby Ruiz, Allan Paule, and Arnold Reyes. The imagery of the boat in this reminds me of the Costa Concordia disaster, it's just so eerie seeing a boat half flipped like that. Freaky. Here's the official trailer...

The 21 short and feature-length films, including six European and six German premieres, that make up this year’s Focus programme at exground filmfest provide a perfect opportunity to get to know the rich tradition of Filipino film culture and explore current strains of socio-political discourse in and about the country beyond the official narrative propagated by the increasingly authoritarian Philippine state.

The programme brings together works by internationally celebrated filmmakers such as Lav Diaz, Khavn De La Cruz and Jet Leyco with lesser-known gems from up-and-coming directorial talents, all conveniently shown with English and German subtitles. In addition, several of the films will also be screened in Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt after the festival. An extensive accompanying program, including two exhibitions, two panels featuring high-calibre guests and lectures on the subjects of a full century of Philippine filmmaking and the current human rights situation in the country will serve...

Following its plan to upload more and more local content alongside the more predictable blockbusters, streaming giant Netflix is about to give us the opportunity to binge on good Filipino movies.

After choosing to stream Mikhail Red’s Academy Award-nominated “Birdshot” in March, Netflix has just announced a new list of films, including bombastic action thriller “BuyBust” by Erik Matti.

Here is the list of Filipino movies coming soon to Netflix:

“Heneral Luna” (2015) by Jerrold Tarog (Release date on Netflix: November 1)

Set during the Philippine-American war, a short-tempered Filipino general faces an enemy more formidable than the American army: his own treacherous countrymen. (IMDb)

“BuyBust” (2018) by Erik Matti (Release Date on Netflix: November 15)

New recruit of an elite anti-narcotic squad Nina Manigan and a group of the best men and women of the team find themselves fighting for their lives in the slums of Manila after a botched buybust.

“Kita Kita” (2017) by Sigrid Andrea P.

Arriving hot on the heels of Eric Matti’s similarly plotted but decidedly more entertaining BuyBust, Brillante Mendoza’s Alpha, the Right to Kill is a down and dirty frontline take on Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs. Seen from the point-of-view of Swat commander Espino and his impoverished informant Elijah, the film purports to represent both sides of the violent confrontations that have ravaged Manila’s slums since Duterte came to power in 2016. But anyone with even a passing knowledge of the issue, will see Mendoza’s film as a gross misrepresentation of the fundamental problems facing millions of Filipino citizens, in favour of a simplified, sanitised cops and robbers tale. The film won the Special Jury Prize at last month’s San Sebastian Film Festival....

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

It was a monstrous weekend thanks to Warner Bros.'s The Meg, which devoured everything in its path en route to a nearly $150 million global debut. As a result, the weekend box office was up 5.7% compared to last weekend and over 25% compared to last year, with the top twelve grossing over $132 million. It was also a strong weekend for Focus Features's release of Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman and Screen Gems's Slender Man even over-performed against expectations, though a disappointing CinemaScore for the latter is likely to lead to short-lived theatrical run. As already said, the #1 film at the weekend box office was WB's 70-foot shark The Meg. The film brought in $45.4 million domestically, nearly double BoxOfficeMojo's weekend forecast. Heading into the weekend, the most optimistic expectations were around $30 million, which puts into perspective what a massive performance this is. The debut gives director Jon Turteltaub the largest opening of his career,...

Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are the big Asian territories that come to mind when audiences think of quality action movies. Of course, some incredible action films, like “The Raid” franchise, have come from other, smaller, Asian countries. However, the Philippines has struggled to gain a foothold in the worldwide cinematic consciousness. Filmmakers Lav Diaz and Brillante Mendoza have experienced success on the festival circuit, but not in Western cinemas, and The Criterion Collection has only recently inducted the nation into their canon in the form of two Lino Brocka classics.

Continue reading ‘BuyBust’ Is A Unflinchingly Visceral, Hard-Hitting Actioner With An Incredible Lead Performance [Review] at The Playlist.

The Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival (Puff) and its array of indie movies, including Satan's Slaves, The Witch in the Window, Butterfly Kisses, The Queen of Hollywood Blvd., and Luciferina, will descend onto film fans in the Philadelphia area starting on September 5th. Continue reading for the full lineup, because there are some fascinating films being showcased:

Press Release: The Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival is once again ready to unleash the finest independent genre cinema upon the City of Brotherly Love. Returning to the Proscenium Theater at the Drake in Center City Philadelphia from Wednesday, September 5 to Sunday, September 9, Puff is back for its third annual edition, with an extended feature program, special presentations, and much more.

In the 2018 edition of the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival, genre fans will have the opportunity to check out eleven feature films — the biggest lineup in Puff history — as well as four short film programs.

As the summer comes to a close, it seems as though most distributors–especially on the indie side–were holding onto their gems before the busy fall festival slate as a number of the year’s best films arrive this month. If we’re being honest, though, our most-anticipated film won’t actually get a theatrical release, but will instead arrive on The Criterion Collection with Terrence Malick’s extended edition of The Tree of Life. However for this feature, we’ll stick to those films one will be able to see in theaters, so without further adieu, here are the 15 films we recommend this month.

Matinees to See: Nico, 1988 (8/1), Christopher Robin (8/3), A Prayer Before Dawn (8/10), Buybust (8/10), Summer of ’84 (8/10), Crazy Rich Asians (8/15), Juliet, Naked (8/17), Memoir of War (8/17), Notes on an Appearance (8/17), We the Animals (8/17), The Wife (8/17), The Night is Short, Walk On Girl (8/21), What Keeps You Alive (8/24), Papillon (8/24), The Happytime Murders...

Filipino director Erik Matti’s latest high octane action movie “BuyBust” will be released in Us cinemas on the 10th of August, courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment. Expect an exhilarating mashup of “The Raid”, “Escape from New York”, “Mad Max” and “The Villainess”. Introducing a spectacular new kick-ass super-lady! You can read our review here.

“One of the best action films of the year and a must-see for all fans of the genre”

Panos Kotzathanasis

Synopsis: After surviving the slaughter of her entire squad in a drug raid compromised by dirty cops, anti-narcotics special operative Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis), is eager to go head-to-head with the drug cartels that hold a bloody grip on Manila. But when her new mission in the city’s most dangerous slum goes south, the angry civilians turn on her squad. Trapped between a brutal drug gang and hordes of bloodthirsty citizens, their only...

San Diego Comic-Con unveiled some of the most anticipated movie trailers of the year to enthusiastic audiences. Thankfully, the studios made nearly all of the trailers available online for fans who were not able to attend the annual convention. And now, we have all of the best of them below, in one convenient place for your viewing pleasure. So sit back and check out the best of the San Diego Comic-Con trailers.

Easily the biggest Comic-Con trailers released all came from Warner Bros. as they unleashed a ton of never-before-seen footage celebrating some of 2019's biggest releases. DC came into Hall H with two trailers that wowed audiences. Aquaman was a huge hit, helping to restore faith in the Dceu (now officially known as Worlds of DC). And Shazam! took the audience by storm, giving everyone a peek at the Big-inspired superhero comedy that looks fun for all-ages. Warner Bros.

Police director Alvarez (Nonie Buencamino) and his prized team leader Dela Cruz (Lao Rodriguez) are finally making headway with their war on drugs throughout the slums of Filipino capital Manila. They’ve already cleaned sections long-thought lost to crime and currently have one of kingpin Biggie Chen’s (Arjo Atayde) mid-level operatives (Alex Calleja’s Toban) in custody. A little “good cop/bad cop” sets the stage for how far law enforcement will go to earn their collar as well as how loyal Chen’s foot soldiers might prove. If they can cajole Toban into wearing a wire while helping them smoke out his extremely elusive boss, Alvarez’s mission would move even closer to completion. Compile the right support team to surround them on this sting operation and victory appears within their grasp.

Let’s just say writer/director Erik Matti isn’t interested in tactics or covert precision...

"The only way out - is to fight." Well Go USA has debuted an awesome new full-length official trailer for an action thriller from the Philippines titled BuyBust, the latest film made by veteran Filipino filmmaker Erik Matti. The teaser trailer was promising, and this trailer has some impressive action as well. Might actually be worth a watch. The plot of BuyBust involves the anti-drug enforcement agency staging a massive drug bust in the slums of Manila in the Philippines. But when things go wrong, they get stuck in the middle of a brutal drug gang and hordes of bloodthirsty citizens, so their only option is to fight their way out. Hell yes. Anne Curtis stars, with Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Victor Neri, Joross Gamboa, Nafa Hilario-Cruz, Brandon Vera, and Nonie Buencamino. The action in this looks totally badass! These fights plus Anne Curtis kicking ass - this film is on my...

BuyBust is a 2018 Philippine action thriller that has been getting rave reviews in North America and we now have a fresh look at Erik Matti's intense trailer for the movie, which debuted at Comic-Con today. In addition to directing the film, Matti also co-wrote the screenplay with Anton Santamaria. Pre-production started back in 2016, which is also when the cast was announced. Anne Curtis and Mma fighter Brandon Vera star in BuyBust, which Matti calls his first "full-on action film," and declared that it's the most ambitious project that he's ever been a part of.

After surviving the slaughter of her entire squad in a drug raid compromised by dirty cops, anti-narcotics special operative Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis), is eager to go head-to-head with the drug cartels that hold a bloody grip on Manila. But when her new mission in the city's most dangerous slum goes south, the angry civilians turn on her squad.

“BuyBust” is a superbly executed action film about drug squad members fighting for their lives in a maze-like Manila slum that resembles nothing less than hell on earth. Director and co-writer Erik Matti has delivered an explosive exercise in kinetic cinema that also offers potent commentary on the devastating social consequences of the Philippine government’s war on drugs. Following its world premiere at New York Asian Film Festival, “BuyBust” will become a must-see item for genre fans. It looks certain to spark controversy and attract large audiences when it releases locally Aug. 1, and should enjoy a successful run in selected North American cities from Aug. 10. Worldwide Netflix rollout is set for Nov. 1.

“BuyBust” barely digs into the background of any characters and doesn’t need to. All we need to know is that Drug Enforcement Agency recruit Nina Manigan (Anne Curtis) is the sole survivor of a team that...

The 17th annual New York Asian Film Festival closed July 15 after two weeks of boasting four world premieres, 21 North American premieres, and 12 New York premieres. Produced by Subway Cinema and the Film Society at Lincoln Center, the Nyaff aims to showcase Asian cinematic excellence, and to expose audiences to non-Eurocentric, emotionally compelling, and provocative Asian film. The festival kicked off June 29 with the North American premiere of celebrated Japanese director Masanori Tominaga’s “Dynamite Graffiti,” an idiosyncratic drama about the Japanese pornography publisher Suei Akira. For its closing, the festival chose box office darling Erik Matti’s “BuyBust,” an action film starring megawatt actor Anne Curtis and Mma world champion Brandon Vera, all of whom attended the screening. The festival also delivers awards, this year honoring Hong Kong’s Dante Lam with a Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema. The festival’s schedule included a special screening...

Erik Matti is one of the most recognizable and most crucial figures of the Filipino film industry, with films like “On the Job”, “Honor Thy Father” and “The Aswang Chronicles” among others, along with his work on production. “BuyBust” is a film that comes to establish his prowess on creating genre films through a humongous production that included 309 stuntmen and 1,278 extras, and relentless action.

“BuyBust” screened at the 17th New York Asian Film Festival

Nina Manigan is the new recruit of an elite anti-narcotic squad. However, she is definitely not a rookie, since a few months back, she was a member of another team which was completely eradicated after their leader gave them the wrong orders. This time, Nina and a group of the best men and women of the squad have to accomplish a buybust, with the help of a captured “asset”, Teban, who used to be a member...

"Welcome to the squad." Well Go USA has released the first teaser trailer for a new action thriller from the Philippines titled BuyBust, the latest film made by veteran Filipino filmmaker Erik Matti. This looks action packed and intense as all hell, with some badass fight scenes for sure. The plot of BuyBust involves the anti-drug enforcement agency staging a massive drug bust in the slums of Manila in the Philippines. But when things go wrong, they get stuck in the middle of a brutal drug gang and hordes of bloodthirsty citizens, so their only option is to fight their way out. Anne Curtis stars, along with Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, Victor Neri, Joross Gamboa, Nafa Hilario-Cruz, Brandon Vera, and Nonie Buencamino. This looks way better than you're probably expecting - it's worth a watch. Here's the first official teaser trailer for Erik Matti's BuyBust, direct from Well Go's YouTube:...

Following on the initial trailer cut for general audiences - and therefore skewing away from the action - and the camera / stunt teast sequence shpwcasing star Anne Curtis kicking ass we now have what fans of Filipino helmer Erik Matti have been waiting for: A full trailer for his upcoming action picture Buy Bust that lays it all out there. Curtis and current One Championship heavyweight champ Brandon Vera take the leads in Matti's latest, the pair of them starring as members of a police squad sent into the slums to bring down a drug lord. This, of course, has a very particular context given the overall state of Filipino politics under Duterte and his ultra violent way on drugs - which has openly...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

We've been keeping tabs on On The Job and Honor Thy Father director Erik Matti's upcoming action thriller Buy Bust for a little while now but while prepping that film the director has very quietly - so quietly it's not even listed on the IMDb at this point - been putting the final buff and polish on his new horror film Seclusion. Details are limited at this point but we do know that the story revolves around the tradition of young men preparing for the priesthood being sent off on silent retreat for the final few days before ordination as this is when they will be under most direct attack by evil forces. Ronnie Alonte stars and with the film now very deep in post...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Erik Matti (Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, Rigodon), the maestro Filipino director, really knocked it out the park with his 2013 hired-assassin thriller On the Job. Not one to rest on his laurels, his latest crime flick, Honor Thy Father (not-related to The Godfather spin off) has also been garnering much praise among critics.

But Matti is nothing if not versatile, and as such has now decided to turn his attention towards the martial arts genre with the upcoming film, Buy Bust. Although still just in pre-production, it has already been announced that the film will feature American-Filipino mixed-martial arts Ufc star Brandon Vera (Kamandag), and Filipino-Australian female actor, Anne Curtis (Blood Ransom, The Gifted).

Information regarding the film’s plot remains sparse, but if we were to hazard a guess we would expect gangsters, drug-lords and of course ball-busting police officers, all no doubt served up with a heavy dose of...