Viva, Viva ! Sto. Niño

The festivals have a biggest cohesive and binding force and go to nurture feelings of love and affection towards other fellow beings. These festivals in fact provide an occasion to narrow down differences if any, and bridge the gaps in understanding each others. They provide an occasion for togetherness. They enforce the feeling of joy and happiness. The festivals come and go but the overwhelming message they underline must remain uppermost in our minds, upholding their true spirit. The purpose gets fulfilled, if these festivals are celebrated in their spirits and in the process the people enjoy life to the hilt, civilised society get formed and the nation gets built up based on strong patriotism and nationalism.

 At this time in the Philippines, the month of January is devoted  to Santo Niño, the Holy Child Jesus. There are lots of popular festivals in the country that is celebrating in honor of Santo Nino. There are lots of exciting events and merrymaking in the celebration of Santo Nino Festival. One of this is the street dancing where dancers are dancing in the streets to show their devotion and faith and also of course to compete with other contenders.


Provinces, cities and towns in the Philippines celebrate the festival for Santo Nino prepares months ahead for their upcoming festivities. There are many local and foreign tourist and visitors come to these places also to celebrate the joyous building and see the faith of the people and devotees to the Santo Nino. Visitors also want to witness, explore and experience the historical and cultural specialty in these celebrations and events.

Little boy holding a sto.nino at the festival

SINULOG FESTIVALCEBU,PHILIPPINES

One of the popular sto.nino festivals in the Philippines is the Sinulog festival in Cebu.The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines with a very rich history.The main festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features some the country’s most colorful displays of pomp and pageantry: participants garbed in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. The streets are usually lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.

Aside from the colorful and festive dancing, there is also the SME trade fair where Sinulog features Cebu export quality products and people around the world flock on the treasures that are Cebu.

Recently, the cultural event has been commercialized as a tourist attraction and instead of traditional street-dancing from locals, Sinulog also came to mean a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, where most of Cebu’s major provincial events are held.

    Sto.nino in Cebu

                                Santo Nino statues paraded during Sinulog Festival,Cebu.

The devotion to the statue shares its worldwide veneration of the infant Jesus of Prague. Coloquially referred to as Santo Nino, it is found in many residential homes, business establishments and public transportation. It is often found two traditional vestment colors, green for the residential home and red for places of business. It is also often found with interchangeable clothing, whereas the devotee may choose to associate their own uniform to the statue, such as physicians, nurses, janitors or teachers. Another popular form of the statue is the Santo Nino de Atochas, but varies as standing pose rather than the seated pose of the Spanish version.

THERE'S MORE... 

SANTO NINO FESTIVAL THE TONDO WAY...

(Sto. Niño.ph)

The feast day of Sto. Niño in Tondo is celebrated in the third Sunday of January. The fiesta in Tondo has the biggest participation in Manila, not only because Tondo is the most populous district in the city and poorest but perhaps because of the many anecdotes connected with the Sto. Niño of Tondo. According to Philippine Historical Commission, the peoples of Tondo celebrated the feast day with a fluvial procession that “attracted thousands of visitors.” Tondo’s terrain at that time consisted of waterways and tributaries which were connected to Manila Bay, a probable reason why the present stone church of Tondo was constructed on elevated ground (several meters above sea level) to prevent sea waters from inundating the Church.

    Different Replicas of Santo Nino

        

As early as the first week of January, traditional fairs are set up along Tondo’s side streets, most of the time occupying even half of the two-way traffic lanes. Hanging over practically all streets are banderitas which residents have painstakingly cut, trimmed, and pieced together months earlier. In some streets, where the procession is expected to pass the banderitas are more intricately made and more meticulously laid-out in-between houses complete with bamboo archways and steamers proclaiming “Viva El Sto. Niño.” The annual fiesta processions are held twice, one in the morning and the other just before the sunset. They pass the major streets, stopping occasionally as the participants in the procession watch a display of fireworks, a couple of doves set loose from the hanging gilded cage or a shower of residents stay in their homes to receive guests both invited and uninvited. At North Harbor waits the great pagoda with turreted altar. The Sto. Niño embarks, along with everybody who can squeeze abroad and the pagoda moves through the flaming hues of the sunset escorted by fishing fleets bedecked with banners the smaller boats racing each other round and round the pagoda. Dusk falls as the flotilla sails northward along the bay. On the pagoda the dancing continues but the trip has also become a picnic as the good old custom of caridad showers forth bags of biscuits and baskets of native oranges. The Sto. Niño moves in a blaze of light on the waters of his city. The voyage ends at the landing in the Velasquez and Pritil, densest tenement of Tondo is even livelier because folks back from school or works join in the merriment and besides, it’s always more fun to dance under the stars than under the sun. Parents not only from Tondo or Manila but also from the province come to dance before the Sto. Niño to pray for a sick child or give thanks for a child’s recovery.

Here's the List of Festivals in the Philippines from January to March

STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL 
January | Nationwide
A grand procession of over two hundred well-dressed images of the Child Jesus.

BULAKLAKAN FESTIVAL 
January 1 | Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila
Annual procession, parade of flowers and costumes

FEAST OF THE THREE KINGS 
January 2 | Gasan, Marinduque
A feast honoring the three kings who are visiting houses around the Poblacion of Gasan


ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL 
January 3- January 16 | Kalibo, Aklan
Scene of a yearly celebration in honor of Sto. Nino held every third week of January, popularly known worldwide as Ati-Atihan. So called because Aklanons, domestic and foreign tourists, wipe soot on their faces and done ethnic paraphernalia and masquerade around town as Negritos and make merry and dance in the streets to the beat of ambulant ethnic troubadours.


BAILES DE LUCES 
January 5 | La Castellana, Negros Occicental
The town’s celebration of Charter Day and a befitting culmination of the Christmas season, the festival is conceptualized as a festival of hope and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for all the blessings received in the year that was and hope for a prosperous new year. Its unique feature is the use of lights or “luces” as props and adornment and its nocturnal festivities and streetdancing

LINGAYEN GULF LANDING ANNIVERSAY 
January 9 | Lingayen, Pangasinan
Lingayen, Pangasinan (6 hours from Manila by land) Commemoration of the liberation of Pangasinan from the Japanese invasion led by Gen. Douglas McArthur of the US Pacific Command on Jan. 9, 1945


FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE 
January 9 | Quiapo, Manila
An intense, day-long festival highlighted by a mammoth procession through the streets. 

BINIRAY FESTIVAL (Fluvial procession) 
January 9 | Romblon
Sto. Niño-inspired revelry and fluvial procession.


COCONUT FESTIVAL AND FAIR 
January 10- January 13 | San Pablo City, Laguna
A grand mardi-gras celebration which pays homage to Laguna Province''s most ubiquitous crop.

ARAW NG KORONADAL "HINUGYAW FESTIVAL" 
January 10 | Koronadal
Translated literally, it means "Day of Koronadal" and indeed it is. Hinugyaw Festival, dubbed as the "Festival of Festivals", is a celebration of the different cultures that has dwelled on the fertile valley of Koronadal for many years now.

BINANOG FESTIVAL 
January 10- January 16 | Lambunao, Iloilo
Binanog is a yearly festivities celebrated by the Lambunaonos every January in honor of infant Jesus. Binanog means a pool of dance by the people in hinterland of Lambunao. The following are the Binanugan, the dance depicting the movement of the birds, the Inagong sayaw-sayaw, a celebration dances and the Dinagmay, the courtship dance. The dance movement is accompanied by lively drum beatings. 

SINULOG (KABANKALAN) FESTIVAL 
January 10- January 16 | Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
Revelers garbed in distinctively colorful costumes with bare bodies painted in black soot take to the streets to the riotous and frenzied beats of drums celebrating the feast of El Señor Sto. Niño. 

MAKATO STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL 
January 15 | Poblacion Makato, Aklan
The ati-atihan festival of Makato dates back before the Spaniards came to sow the seeds of Christianity into this land. During the celebration, thousands of Catholic devotees from all over the country and those from abroad felt the urge to come and join in the wholesome, frolic and religious fervor of thanksgiving to the Holy Child, Sto. Niño. 

PASUNGAY FESTIVAL 
January 15 | San Joaquin, Iloilo
Celebrated every 3rd Saturday of January. This spectacular & exciting event find its origin on a hillside in one of the inland barangays of the municipality when resting farmers witness for the first time the fight between the two raging bulls, set loose by their herdsmen. It caught the fancy of the barangay folks and soon it became a popular entertainment in most barangay fiestas. During the municipal fiesta, the best bulls from different barangays are pitted against each other by weight category in a "Bull Derby".

KAHIMUNAN FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Libertad, Butuan City
Butuan''s version of the Sinulog of Cebu which has an equally lively and spectacular street dancing.

PANGISDAAN FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Brgy. Tangos, Navotas
One of the highlights of the Navotas Day celebration featuring a street dancing and float competition focusing on the fishing industry.

KINARADTO FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Buenavista, Guimaras
This cultural festival makes maximum use of the rich cultural tradition of the oldest municipality of the province. The presentation of songs, dances and musical tableau depicts the various influences Buenavista has been subjected to. Celebrated in honor of the town’s patron saint, Sr. Sto. Niño, Kinaradto promises the participant loads of unforgettable positive experiences.

KAHIMUNAN FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Libertad, Butuan City
Butuan''s version of the Sinulog of Cebu which has an equally lively and spectacular street dancing.

KINARADTO FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Buenavista, Guimaras
This cultural festival makes maximum use of the rich cultural tradition of the oldest municipality of the province. The presentation of songs, dances and musical tableau depicts the various influences Buenavista has been subjected to. Celebrated in honor of the town’s patron saint, Sr. Sto. Niño, Kinaradto promises the participant loads of unforgettable positive experiences. 

BATAN ATI-ATI MALAKARA FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Poblacion Batan, Aklan
The participants celebrating this festival wear masks made up of paper mache and prepared costumes. The festival is celebrated in honor of the Sto. Niño with merry making for a bountiful harvest, peace and prosperity, street dancing along the streets and plaza of the poblacion. A holy mass is celebrated before the start of the contest on Sunday morning proceeded with a parade of participating tribes.

FIRE WORKS DISPLAY & CONTEST 
January 16 | Arevalo, Iloilo City
Highlights of this District Fiesta of Arevalo are the multicolor fireworks. The skyline becomes a celebration with the dazzling display of sparkles and blazing lights.

CARACOL FESTIVAL 
January 16 | Glorietta 4 Park Makati City, Metro Manila
Official Festival of the City of Makati by virtue of resolution No. 251 of Jan. 21, 1991 displaying the call of the local Government for the protection and conservation of our ecology.

BANSUDANI FESTIVAL/FEAST OF THE DIVINE SAVIOR 
January 17 | Bansud, Mindoro Oriental
A thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest which coincides with town fiesta. It features dances and cultural presentations by schools and barangay communities.

SADSAD SA KALYE 
January 19 | Janiuay, Iloilo
“Sadsad Sa Kalye” is a dynamic mass presentation expressing the beliefs, views, visions and aspirations of the Janiuaynons based upon tradition, historical experiences, and culture of the people of Janiuay. It is a street-dancing affair buoyed by the kaleidoscopic prism of cultured grace and fineness that reflects the embodiment of all that are beautiful in man’s body and soul. “Sadsad” is a native word meaning dance. 


SINULOG FESTIVAL
January 20 | Cebu City
Celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January, is Cebu''s biggest and most popular festival. The feast is in honor of the Holy Image of Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu. Fiesta Senyor, as it is widely known, is the most celebrated among Cebu''s festival where people converge along the routes of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardi gras parade immersed in wild colors and the constant beating of drums.

PANDOT SA BACOLOD 
January 20 | Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
A true to life dramatization depicting the life of Bacoleños during the Spanish times and the life of being a Catholic 

BINULIGAY FESTIVAL 
January 20 | Jamindan, Capiz
A cultural and fiesta celebration. 

ALTAVAS STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL 
January 21- January 22 | Poblacion Altavas, Aklan
This day marked the end of the Fil-American war in Altavas. Since then, January 22 is being celebrated as an Annual Thanksgiving and Armistice Day in Altavas. Later, the date was adopted as its municipal town fiesta. This is the continuation of the joyous celebration of peace when Fil-American war ended in this municipality.


DINAGYANG FESTIVAL 
January 22- January 23 | Iloilo City
A spectacular street merrymaking in honor of the Holy Child Jesus. 

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE 
January 24 | La Carlota City
These features cultural shows and traditional fiesta activities like procession, traditional games and cultural presentation. 

IBAJAY ATI-ATI MUNICIPAL AND DEVOTIONAL FIESTA 
January 24- January 25 | Ibajay, Aklan
A religious feast in honor of its patron saint Sto. Niño, held by transferring the holy image of the patron from Ibajay Cathedral Rectory and enthronement at St. Peter Parish Church, by way of amusing the image from where it was originally discovered and brought to the church. 

DINAGSA ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL 
January 24- January 30 | Cadiz City, Negros Occidental
A revelry from sunrise to sunset, with ceaseless and rhythmic beating of drums. A sea of humanity in cadence with black soot “ati” performing rituals, all in honor of El Señor Sto. Niño. A spectacular fluvial parade where the Infant Jesus is carried aboard a fishing boat around the river, out to sea and back. “Dinagsa” connotes the sudden surge of good things washed ashore, such as the generous catch of fish and other sea foods, which Cadiz is famous for. Throw all cares to the wind as you street dance with gaily-costumed ati-tribes. Be game however if you find your own face painted black by playful ATIS.

SANA-AW FESTIVAL 
January 28 | Jordan, Guimaras
Primarily a celebration of the economic endeavor that made Jordan what it is today. Sana-aw also pays tribute to the skillful artisans and the enduring workers in an endearing characterization through dance drama. 


STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL 
January 30 | Malolos, Bulacan
The Malolos Sto. Niño featuring a week long exhibits, a month procession featuring more than a hundred caros of drivers Sto. Niño images.

BALOT SA PUTI FESTIVAL 
January 31 | Pateros
One of the highlights of the Pateros Town Fiesta celebration

There's a Rainbow Always After the Rain

Sendong had stricken the Philippines last December of 2011. Known internationally as Washi, the said tropical storm that badly hit the Visayas and Mindanao region is also the world's deadliest storm in the previous year. The Philippines was struck unprepared, leaving about a thousand victims, dead and homeless. And some remained missing.

It seemed like we haven't learned our lessons from the other tragic incidents that had struck our country like the storm Ondoy in 2009. Still, we are incapable of handling this kind of calamities.

Iligan City is one of the places that were heavily hit by Sendong. Thousands of homes were ravaged by flash floods and wiped-out by mudslides, especially those near the streams and rivers. And mudslides caused by illegal logging desolated the city. 

Although it was another sad picture for the Philippines, a silver lining broke through the dark clouds. Millions of support flooded the victims from their fellow countrymen and from all over the world and unexpected heroes emerged, proving that no calamities can bring the Filipino spirit down. 

A young girl saved by two rescuers in Iligan City (photo courtesy of allvoices.com)

DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND,LEND A HAND!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

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PEOPLE HOOKED ON IT

Can’t wait getting into the glamorous and gorgeous world of fashion this 2012?

Techie? Can’t wait to get  your hands on the latest product of technologies?

Moviegoer? Can’t wait to catch the most talked about movies on screen?

Here is an exciting preview of what lies ahead in the world of fashion, movies and gadgets this year. 

FOR FASHION

Metallic style is still in this season and it presents as a great alternative in the form of amazing pants, tops and skirts. But this year’s, neon bright will not either fades. In fact, these bright colors bring happiness in shadowy and gloomy days of ours.

Fashionistas or designers dare to look for another bunch of garments to show off this season’s trendiest shades in all forms—convenient chic, urban femininity, just-simply-you and many more. 

Lofty and impressive shoes with metals on each side

This pair of silver flats having diamonds on top of its ribbon does not steel attention from the dress and other or whatever your clothes are. 

Without a doubt, this striking 5-inch pumps completed you

Think of these enormous, textured, and extravagant  bags that will surely add style to your office outfit

Restore the summer's outfit

This cottony blouse partnered with shorts will give something slim below. 

These firm hues and patterns are an enchantment to behold with matching neutral sling bag which will keep you on track 

Teasing with its prints and colors that drives home the point that fashion is meant to be fun 

The finest metallic pleat-skirt and Top shop Pewter Ankle Grazers is perfect for it meant to be cool. 

10 of the Best Upcoming Gadgets for 2012

Apple iPad 3

No surprises here – you voted the iPad 3 your most wanted future gadget in the 2011 Stuff Gadget Awards. From the moment Apple launched the iPad 2, iPad 3 speculation has been in serious overdrive.

2011 saw some great efforts from the Android camp, including Asus' original Transformer and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 – but we're expecting Apple's next iPad effort to take things to a whole new level.

An eye-slicingly sharp 2048 x 1536 pixel 10in screen, a quad-core Tegra 3-baiting A6 processor and a carbon fiber case are just some of the rumored specs for the iPad 3 that could see it setting the gold standard for tablets once again. Previous iPad launches point to a February or March release, so we're hoping it'll be putting in an appearance soon.

PlayStation Vita

Dubbed the "PS3 in your pocket," PlayStation's next-gen Vita handheld is a pocketable gaming powerhouse. With a quad-core ARM 9 processor feeding a 5in OLED touchscreen, a tactile back panel and dual cameras for augmented reality gaming, one thing is clear – Sony means business.

Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft's next OS has already tantalized our taste buds by strutting its stuff in a developer preview  – and you can see just how much by reading our first look review.

Its Windows Phone 7-style Metro UI offers a new level of interactivity for both PC and tablet users, promising an abundance of new features like Kinect for Windows for gesture based control, HTML5 applications which will make full use of online cloud services and ARM chip support – a clear sign Microsoft is taking its tablet efforts very seriously this time round.

Windows 8 is expected to launch its double attack on the PC and tablet world with a beta arriving in February – and an official launch towards the end of the year.

Samsung Galaxy III

Samsung's Galaxy S II certainly made its mark when it showed up on the smartphone scene – and it's still the best Android phone to buy. It's so good we named it our 2011 Phone of the Year.

Now, with the Galaxy S II almost approaching its first birthday, word on the virtual street suggests its successor – the appropriately named Galaxy S III – will come complete with a quad-core engine, 2GB of RAM, a 4.6in screen and a whopping 12MP camera.

Expect the Galaxy S III to be unveiled at the end of February during Mobile World Congress – and expect it to be more powerful than ever.

 Apple TV

Not content with dominating the smart phone and tablet markets, Apple has its sights set on our living rooms. The future of TV, according to the rumors swirling around Cupertino, is AirPlay, mobile device synching and gesture controls.

Clearly the Apple TV will be more than just your average smart TV, with purported specs including the powerful A6 processor destined to arrive on the iPad 3, a giant Retina Display courtesy of Sharp and voice controls handled by the iPhone 4S Virtual Assistant, Siri.

Not only does iTV – as it has been dubbed – look set to revolutionise the television industry in the same way it has with the smart phone market, but Apple could be trying to engineer a shift away from traditional broadcast and satellite TV channels, if the rumors about Cupertino trying to buy up Premier League football rights are anything to go by.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon may not have given the official nod, but its first stab at the crowded Android tablet game could be winging its way to the UK in January… if the rumours are to be believed.

The Kindle Fire is certainly no iPad killer, in fact it's more of an anti-iPad, primarily concerned with providing a 3G-free mobile experience that's less about genre-shattering computing and more about staying amused on the train.

As long as you don't mind living your life in the cloud and compromising a little with Gingerbread 2.1, Amazon's colour tablet may very well be worth waiting for – especially if it's still half the cost of the iPad when it launches. There are high hopes for a January release. We're waiting with bated breath – in the mean time, check out our review of the Kindle Fire.

iPhone 5

It's fair to say there was widespread disappointment among Apple fanboys when Apple lifted the lid on the iPhone 4S as opposed to the iPhone 5 we were all secretly hoping for.

September could see the release of what feels like an overdue handset, but considering there was a 16-month gap between the release of the iPhone 4 and 4S – throwing a spanner into the traditional summer release pattern – Apple may not be gunning to relase an iPhone 5 so soon after the last model.

But a 4in screen, quad-core processor, thinner chassis, NFC and an integrated SIM sound worth the wait, don't you think? Want all the rumours so far? Our rumor round-up should bring you up to speed.

Nokia Lumia 900

Nokia gained back some of its cool cred towards the end of last year when it unveiled the Windows Phone 7-toting Lumia 800. Despite the paint barely drying on Nokia's latest and most excellent foray into WP7, an super-sized successor – complete with a 4.3in screen – is rumoured to launch at CES, the world's biggest consumer electronics show held in Las Vegas.

Netflix

The popular US video-on-demand service that offers thousands of films and TV shows for a monthly fee is crossing the pond in a bid to tempt us into signing up to its unlimited streaming service.

Attempts to woo us begin by offering the first month for free – like LoveFilm - as well as unlimited streaming, which means you can watch as many movies as you like without data restrictions.

Netflix will also throw up suggested viewing based on the stuff you and your friends like to watch. It'll be available on on the iPhone, iPad and Android, alongside the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 and Netflix is currently negotiating for its app to be included on smart TVs.

Nintendo Wii U

The follow up to Nintendo's hugely popular Wii console is going to give the Wii a long overdue facelift. The Wii U sports a slate controller that acts as a second window for creative new gaming views and accepts touch input for zany control options. Meanwhile, the Wii U will treat your TV to HD graphics equalling the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Nintendo promises its next-gen console will be more powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3, and Ninty's USA president Reffie Fils-Aime has gone on the record as stating that the Wii U won't be launching till after April 1.

MOVIE

Here are five of the movies all moviegoers should watch out for this year.

1. UNDERWORLD: Awakening

  After the success of Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Kate Beckinsale stars again in the vampires-vs-werewolves themed movie Underworld: Awakening as the lead role vampire warrioress Selene who escapes from imprisonment and into a world where humans have already discovered the existence of vampires and Lycan clans, and are on a battle to exterminate both of the immortal species.  Selene leads the battle against the humans. 

2.THE AVENGERS 

             Love the movie Thor? Or can’t get over both the Iron Man films? Did you get hooked on the movie The Incredible Hulk? Or do you keep watching Captain America over and over again? If you answered yes to any of the questions—or to all of it—the year 2012 is the year for us who love these movies and these superheroes. Everyone would agree that each movie can stand on its own—each movie’s success is a resounding proof—but merging all of them in one spells M-A-R-V-E-L-O-U-S.

Marvelous indeed, the movie, based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name, is produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. What made it more exciting are the star-studded cast including Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson. 

In the movie, S.H.I.E.L.D, a peacekeeping organization under Nick Fury, drafts Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America and Thor to save the world.  

 3. MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED

                It was six years ago when Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippopotamus (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), on their way to a preserve in Kenya from the Central Park Zoo, found themselves on an island off the coast of Africa in Madagascar. In Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, the crew tries to return to New York City but their plane unexpectedly landed in the heart of Africa.

                Now, our favorite animals from Central Park will make us laugh our hearts out once again in a 3D escapade in Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, wherein Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman attempts again to go home to New York but ends up in Europe, linked up with a traveling circus and will be pursued by the police.  

 

4. PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER 

                If you’re a fan of Percy Jackson of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series, and Elena Gilbert of The Vampire Diaries, this movie is the one to watch out for this year.  Perks of being a Wallflower, based on the novel of the same title authored by Stephen Chbosky, includes Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Nina Dobrev in the lineup. The plot will revolve around a shy and unpopular teenager who describes his existence through writing a series of letter sent to anonymous person and explores the awkward phase of his life called adolescence.

               

5. COMRADE

                In the Harry Potter movies we’ve come to love the actors who played the characters from the books and brought it to the big screen; and one of the British actors every Potter fan loves is the funny, witty, charming, bestfriend-you’d-love-to-have, ginger boy named Ron Weasley played by Rupert Grint.

                We sure miss him as Harry’s ever so loyal sidekick but this man will prove his versatility in acting as he shifts from the magical world to a battlefield in the anti-war movie, based on true events, Comrade.  

CREDITS:

FASHION

Items from SM Department Store, Maldita, Primadonna and Secosanna
GADGETS

By stuff.tv.com     

MOVIE

[Photo courtesy of rupertgrintonline.com (Comrade), collider.com (Perks of being a Wallflower), disneydreaming.com (The Avengers), 

punchdrunkcritics.com (Underworld: Awakening), madagascar3movietrailer.blogspot.com (Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted)]