Entertainment

By Alvin I. Dacanay This month marks the 70th anniversary of one of World War II’s most brutal episodes: the Battle for Manila. In this conflict, which lasted from February 3 to March 3, 1945, United States forces shelled the Philippine capital to compel the remaining Japanese troops in the city to come out of hiding. They did, but at …

Derrik J. Lang / The Associated Press Los Angeles—It seems as though nothing can come between the Wachowskis. When the filmmaker-siblings are asked what incites the biggest spats between the duo best known for writing and directing The Matrix trilogy, Andy and Lana Wachowski provide a non-verbal response: The brother and sister sweetly clasp each other’s hands and tap their …

Review by Jake Coyle / The Associated Press Within the warped wardrobe of the Wachowskis latest sci-fi extravaganza, Jupiter Ascending, there are some fantastical feasts of intergalactic ridiculousness. Channing Tatum as a combination elf and speed skater. Space dinosaurs in leather jackets. A robed Eddie Redmayne as the universe’s overlord, who so gravely whispers his lines that you fear he …

Award-winning poet Carlomar Arcangel Daoana launched on February 2 his latest book of poems, Loose Tongue, Poems: 2001-2013 (University of Santo Tomas [UST] Publishing House), at the Henry Sy Sr. Hall of De La Salle University (DLSU) in Malate, Manila. As part of the book launch, which was organized by the DLSU Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center and the …

By Leanne Italie / The Associated Press New York—Mark Miller has survived 19 years of online dating since his 1995 divorce, yet he still has a smile on his face.

Connie Cass and Emily Swanson / The Associated Press Washington, D.C.—Guys, if you want to get the girl, try bringing flowers—to her mother. With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s something to think about: Winning over the mom may sound old-fashioned, but it’s still a smart strategy in today’s fast-changing, app-tapping, hookup-happy world of dating.

By Cherie Mercado Santos First of two parts In all those decades I’ve been dreaming of setting foot in southern France, I would never have guessed that my favorite place would turn out to be a stretch of road.

Mesfin Fekadu and Nekesa Mumbi Moody / The Associated Press New York—Will Beyoncé reign as queen of the Grammys, or will the pop diva be dethroned by newcomer Sam Smith?

Few Filipino albums capture the disorienting intensity of heartache as compellingly as Songs to Slash Your Wrist By (MunkeyMusic), composer/lyricist/musical director/actor/playwright Vincent de Jesus’s terrific, if underheralded, collection of 11 songs written over a 24-year period that were sung by some of the most talented vocalists in the Philippine music industry today.

By Alvin I. Dacanay This February, several local performing-arts companies will present their final productions for the 2014–2015 season. By many accounts, this season has been a strong one that featured entertaining, yet thought-provoking works and improved ticket sales, despite the government’s continued neglect of artists, performing and otherwise. If the productions set to open this month are any indication, …