JULIA ROBERTS AND MARK RUFFALO STAR IN BRAND NEW HBO ORIGINAL MOVIE THE NORMAL HEART

HBO Asia material release

 

TO DEBUT IN ASIA MAY 26 ON HBO GO / JUNE 1 AT 10PM ON HBO

 

Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch and Jim Parsons also star

PHILIPPINES, MAY 19, 2014 – Directed by Emmy^® winner Ryan Murphy (“Eat Pray Love,” “Glee”) and written by Academy Award^® nominee Larry Kramer (“Women in Love”), adapting his Tony Award-winning play of the same name, THE NORMAL HEART tells the story of the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s, and takes an unflinching look at the nation’s sexual politics as gay activists and their allies in the medical community fight to expose the truth about the burgeoning epidemic to a city and nation in denial.

Photo courtesy of HBO Asia

 

Starring Academy Award^® nominee Mark Ruffalo (“The Kids Are All Right”), Matt Bomer (“White Collar”), Taylor Kitsch (“Lone Survivor”), Emmy^® winner Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”) and Academy Award^® winner Julia Roberts, THE NORMAL HEART premieres Monday, May 26 on HBO GO, within 12 hours of its US premiere, and Sunday, June 1 at 10pm on HBO / HBO HD, within a week of its US premiere.

 

The film also stars Alfred Molina (“An Education”), Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (“Law & Order”), Jonathan Groff (HBO’s “Looking”), Denis O’Hare (HBO’s “True Blood”), Stephen Spinella (“Milk”), Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”), Finn Wittrock (“Unbroken”) and BD Wong (HBO’s “Oz”).

 

Ruffalo portrays Ned Weeks, who witnesses first-hand a mysterious disease that has begun to claim the lives of many in his gay community and starts to seek answers. Matt Bomer plays Felix Turner, a reporter who becomes Ned’s lover. Taylor Kitsch plays Bruce Niles, a closeted investment banker who becomes a prominent AIDS activist. Jim Parsons plays gay activist Tommy Boatwright, reprising his role from the 2011 Broadway revival. Roberts plays physician Dr. Emma Brookner, a survivor of childhood polio who treats several of the earliest victims of HIV-AIDS.

 

Alfred Molina plays Ned’s older brother, Ben, who is a successful attorney. Joe Mantello plays Mickey Marcus, who is an instrumental member of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Jonathan Groff plays Craig, Bruce’s lover, an early victim of HIV-AIDS. Denis O’Hare portrays Hiram Keebler, Mayor Koch’s gay aide. Stephen Spinella plays Sanford, one of Dr. Brookner’s first patients. Corey Stoll portrays presidential senior advisor John Bower. Finn Wittrock plays Albert, a male model. BD Wong portrays Buzzy, a nurse who works with Dr. Brookner.

 

In 1981, writer Larry Kramer hosted a gathering of six gay men and their friends to discuss the “gay cancer,” and to talk about fundraising for research. This informal meeting in Kramer’s home would lead to the formation of Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), one of the first advocacy groups for HIV prevention and care.

 

Kramer’s play debuted at New York’s Public Theatre in 1985 and was revived in Los Angeles and London, and off-Broadway. The 2011 Broadway revival garnered five Tony nominations, winning for Best Revival, Best Featured Actor and Best Featured Actress.

 

The talented behind-the-scenes team includes production designer Shane Valentino (“Beginners”), director of photography Danny Moder (“Jesus Henry Christ”), editor Adam Penn (“American Horror Story”), costume designer Daniel Orlandi (HBO’s “Game Change”), composer Cliff Martinez (“Drive”) and casting directors Amanda Mackey (“The Proposal”) and Cathy Sandrich Gelfond (“Ronin”).

 

An HBO Films presentation of a Plan B and Blumhouse production in association with Ryan Murphy Productions, THE NORMAL HEART is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Dante Di Loreto (“Glee”), Jason Blum (the “Paranormal Activity” series), Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”), Dede Gardner (“12 Years a Slave”). Mark Ruffalo co-executive produces; Scott Ferguson (HBO’s “Temple Grandin”) produces.

 

1. THE NORMAL HEART airs in Asia Monday, May 26 on HBO GO, within 12 hours of its US premiere and Sunday, June 1 at 10pm on HBO / HBO HD, within a week of its US premiere. Also available free on HBO On Demand from Monday, June 9.

OSCAR®-NOMINATED HBO ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY REDEMPTION DEBUTS DECEMBER 28 AT 10PM ON HBO SIGNATURE

HBO Asia Online Release

PHILIPPINES, DECEMBER 18, 2013 – One of three nominees for this year’s Documentary Short Subject Oscar^®, REDEMPTION looks at a growing army of jobless New Yorkers, whose treasures are found in trash. Created by Emmy^®-winning filmmakers Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill, who spent months on the streets getting to know the canners and gaining their trust before turning on the cameras, this timely HBO Original Documentary REDEMPTION is presented amidst the ongoing debate over income disparity in America, and premieres on Saturday, December 28 at 10pm, exclusively on HBO SIGNATURE / HBO SIGNATURE HD.

 

Photo courtesy of HBO Asia

While employed New Yorkers pass by in a hurry on their way to and from work, “canners” eke out a meagre living on the sidewalks of the city by collecting empty bottles and cans and dropping them at redemption centres for five cents each. Former short-order cooks, computer-sales executives and factory workers, these men and women turned to canning after the economic downturn eliminated their livelihoods. Despite their non-traditional livelihood, many canners have worked beside each other on sidewalks for years, forming a unique sense of community.

“In the best of times for some, there is a growing army of New Yorkers who survive scouring the sidewalks and sifting through our city’s trash,” note Alpert and O’Neill. “As politicians debate whether life in New York is a tale of two cities, REDEMPTION shows the Dickensian conditions at the growing bottom of our city’s economy.”

Walter, a 60-year-old Vietnam veteran, now a canner for a decade, watching the number of canners soar as odd jobs that once supported the poor have disappeared. Like many unemployed canners, he equates the odds of getting hired for a conventional job with “hitting the lotto.”

Joe, another canner, says that everyone seems to be down on their luck right now, while Susan, a former computer-sales executive who turned to canning when she couldn’t get by on Social Security, notes that the young people in the city hold the good jobs. “What are we supposed to do?” asks Nuve, a devoted mother, intent on giving her children a brighter future.

The days are exhausting and the nights are dangerous for canners, especially those like Walter, who sleep in public places such as park benches or even the redemption centres. Lilly, a Chinese canner who speaks limited English, feels fortunate to have a home, but shares her tiny one-bedroom apartment with six others and frequently works through the night. The reality of life as a canner is so harsh that one ex-con considers arrests to be “rescues,” because incarceration means three meals a day, a bath and a job in a kitchen.

Says Susan, “I guess it’s survival of the fittest,” a sentiment echoed in the words and actions of the men and women who struggle to get by on the tiny sums the redemption centres offer them. Many have canned for years and have no reason to remain hopeful, yet they are, rising each day to sift through the waste of the city and survive another day.

Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill’s previous HBO projects include 2012’s “In Tahrir Square: 18 Days of Egypt’s Unfinished Revolution”; the Emmy^®-winning “Baghdad ER” (2006); the Emmy^®-nominated “Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq” (2007) and “Section 60: Arlington National Cemetery” (2008); the Academy Award^®-nominated “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” (2009); and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award winner “Wartorn: 1861-2010” (2010).

REDEMPTION was directed and produced by Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill; edited by David Meneses; original music by Jonathan Zalben; cinematography and audio by Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill. For HBO: supervising producer, Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

REDEMPTION premieres in Asia on Saturday, December 28 at 10pm on HBO SIGNATURE / HBO SIGNATURE HD.

Other playtimes on HBO Signature: Monday, December 30 (7.35pm), Thursday, January 2 (5.30pm) and Wednesday, January 22 (7.15pm).

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About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios - Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros., as well as a large number of major independent studios. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers. HBO Asia offers a bouquet of channels and services including 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels in standard-definition and high-definition – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS, CINEMAX and RED – as well as HBO GO and HBO ON DEMAND. HBO Asia is the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and WarnerTV in Asia and is owned by HBO (a Time Warner company). Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

BRAND NEW HBO ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES LIFE’S TOO SHORT

PHILIPPINES, AUGUST 15 2012 – He’s a self-aggrandizing actor who’s appeared in some of Hollywood’s biggest hits. But now his career is on the wane, and he’ll do anything to reverse his fortunes. From Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, LIFE’S TOO SHORT is a faux documentary starring Warwick Davis (“Willow,” the “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” films) as a fictionalized version of himself: a little person who’s down on his luck, desperately trying to hustle and connive his way back into the spotlight. The comedy series kicks off its seven-episode season Monday, September 3 at 10pm, exclusively on HBO. 

Photo courtesy of HBO Asia

In LIFE’S TOO SHORT, actor Warwick Davis is struggling to jumpstart his fading career and maintain his status as Britain’s “go-to” little person. He runs a talent agency for fellow showbiz little people called “Dwarves for Hire,” though he often takes the best roles for himself, and serves as vice chairman of a society for small people, though he’d rather be chairman. Davis also seeks advice from his old pals Gervais and Merchant (playing versions of themselves) in hopes that their A-list celebrity connections will aid his career. 

Each episode features cameos by top stars, including Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Sting, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Carell and Kat Deeley. Other cast regulars include Jo Enright as Davis’ soon to be ex-wife Sue, Rosamund Hanson as his dim-witted assistant Cheryl, Steve Brody as his incompetent accountant and “EastEnders” actor Shaun Williamson as himself. 

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are the creators of the Golden Globe^®-winning BBC comedy series “The Office” and the HBO series “Extras” and “The Ricky Gervais Show.” In addition to his feature film credits, Warwick Davis guest-starred on the series “Extras.” 

LIFE’S TOO SHORT was created by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant & Warwick Davis; executive producers, Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant; producer, Charlie Hanson. 

HBO Original Series LIFE’S TOO SHORT premieres on Monday, September 3 at 10pm exclusively on HBO / 9pm on HBO HD. Brand new episodes air weekly at the same time.

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About HBO Asia

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios - Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. In addition to the proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers, HBO Asia works with a large number of major independent production companies to secure exclusive rights to a host of quality movies. HBO Asia offers five subscription movie channels with uninterrupted programming – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and MAX (a refresh of CINEMAX) – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service, HBO ON DEMAND, HBO HD, the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia, and HBO HITS HD, which delivers Hollywood blockbuster hits 24-hours a day in high definition, available in selected territories. HBO Asia is a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

Life’s Too Short, HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, MAX, Cinemax, RED, HBO HD, HBO On Demand and Home Box Office are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

"The Newsroom" Is Now in HBO Asia

From Aaron Sorkin, the man behind the blockbuster The Social Network, Charlie Wilson's War and The West Wing, takes you inside The Newsroom; a new HBO original series. The Newsroom is a drama series about what happens behind the camera of the fictional news network ACN.

The Newsroom℠ is a service mark of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission

Jeff Daniels stars as  a successful news anchor Will McAvoy, a favorite of the viewers until an outburst during a collegiate symposium and relationship with his news team made him the least liked person. until the network has the new executive producer.

Here's my personal review of the first episode. Although the news network is fictional, the events they featured was a real event. You will not only see how they deliver the news but also how a story became news. You will see that before it becomes news, they will confirm with the sources before the news anchor delivers it. I'll tell you it is not just the anchor who does all the work. The executive producer(most of the time is called the EP), directs the anchor what he /she says in front of the camera.

During the press conference of HBO Asia's The Newsroom at ABS-CBN, TJ Manotoc shares his experiences. TJ said that what we saw in the first episode reveals what happens in the newsroom behind the camera.

The set of The Newsroom is operational like a real newsroom that it only needs a satellite or antenna and they can broadcast.

The Newsroom℠ is a service mark of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission

Aaron Sorkin is one of my favorite movie storytellers. He sees the realities that the world is facing and illumines us through the films and TV series. I'm sure that The Newsroom will be my Wednesday evening habit for the next ten weeks.

The Newsroom has ten episodes and will start August 1 at 9PM on HBO Asia and is now renewed for the second season. Also stars Emily Mortimer, Alison Pill, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn and more.

The Newsroom, HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, MAX, Cinemax, RED, HBO HD, HBO On Demand and Home Box Office are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

HBO ORIGINAL MONDAY NIGHT: GIRLS NIGHT IN on HBO

Monday nights will never be the same again for the ladies in the house – HBO spruces up these sleepy nights with three HBO Original Series that ladies are bound to love. VEEP, ENLIGHTENED and GIRLS play back-to-back this month, starting at 10pm from July 2. More information on the brand new VEEP and GIRLS below:

VEEP (Brand new HBO comedy series)

Premieres Monday, July 2 at 10pm on HBO

Veep S105

Emmy^® winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as Selina Meyer in VEEP – the story of a woman who becomes vice president only to discover that the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. Created by Oscar^® nominee Armando Iannucci, VEEP follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Meyer as she puts out political fires, juggles a busy public schedule and demanding private life, and defends the president’s interests, all as she tries to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive.

VEEP kicks off its eight-episode season on Monday, July 2 at 10pm on HBO. Catch it earlier in high-definition at 9pm on HBO HD. A brand new episode plays every Monday at the same time.

GIRLS (Brand new HBO comedy series)

Premieres Monday, July 2 at 11pm on HBO

Girls S102

Hannah, Marnie, Jessa and Shoshanna are trying to figure life out. They’ve been living in New York for a couple of years, but they’re still not sure what they want – from boys, from each other, from themselves. And things aren’t getting any clearer.

Created by and starring Lena Dunham, GIRLS takes a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Dunham, Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner executive produce the show, which kicks off its ten-episode season Monday, July 2 at 11pm on HBO. Catch it earlier in high-definition at 10pm on HBO HD. A brand new episode plays every Monday at the same time.

About HBO Asia

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios - Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. In addition to the proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers, HBO Asia works with a large number of major independent production companies to secure exclusive rights to a host of quality movies. HBO Asia offers five subscription movie channels with uninterrupted programming – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and MAX (a refresh of CINEMAX) – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service, HBO ON DEMAND, HBO HD, the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia, and HBO HITS HD, which delivers Hollywood blockbuster hits 24-hours a day in 100% true high-definition, available in selected territories. HBO Asia is a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

Veep, Girls, His Way, HBO, HBO HD, HBO On Demand, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, HBO Hits HD, MAX, Cinemax and Home Box Office are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

HBO ASIA’S CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH BILLION DOLLAR MONTH ON HBO THIS JUNE 2012

HBO ASIA’S CELEBRATES ITS 20^th aNNIVERSARY WITH

BILLION DOLLAR MONTH ON HBO THIS JUNE 2012

HBO celebrates 20 years of bringing the best of Hollywood to Asia this June, with a line up of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters every night at 10pm from June 4 to July 1. Titles in this line up have grossed billions in box office receipts – these include FAST FIVE, THOR, BRIDESMAIDS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, culminating on July 1 with TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON.

Catch four different genres of mega Hollywood blockbusters each week – Action, Superheroes, Comedy and Fantasy, during HBO Asia’s Billion Dollar Month. These all time hits are also available in dual language in selected territories.

June 4 – 10: HBO Billion Dollar Action Week

-          GLADIATOR

-          JAWS and JAWS 2

-          INCEPTION

-          RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE

-          THE KARATE KID [2010]

-          2 FAST 2 FURIOUS

-          FAST FIVE

Thor

June 11-17: HBO Billion Dollar Superheroes Week

-          BATMAN & BATMAN RETURNS

-          BATMAN FOREVER

-          BATMAN and ROBIN

-          HULK

-          SPIDER-MAN

-          IRON MAN 2

-          THOR

June 18-24: HBO Billion Dollar Comedy Week

-          THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

-          JUST GO WITH IT

-          BEAN

-          BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY

-          THE WATERBOY

-          CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE

-          SEX AND THE CITY 2 [THE MOVIE]

-          BRIDESMAIDS

June 25- July 1: HBO Billion Dollar Fantasy Week

-          CLASH OF THE TITANS [2010]

-          HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLTY HALLOWS – PART 1

-          THE MUMMY and THE MUMMY RETURNS

-          THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY

-          TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

HBO Asia is on Facebook! “Like” us at http://www.facebook.com/hboasia. Also talk to us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/hboasia.

About HBO Asia

Singapore-based HBO Asia is able to bring the best of Hollywood to Asia first because of its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood studios - Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. In addition to the proprietary and award-winning HBO Original programs that are produced exclusively for HBO viewers, HBO Asia works with a large number of major independent production companies to secure exclusive rights to a host of quality movies. HBO Asia offers five subscription movie channels with uninterrupted programming – HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and MAX (a refresh of CINEMAX) – as well as a subscription video-on-demand service, HBO ON DEMAND, HBO HD, the first regional movie channel to broadcast in high definition in Asia, and HBO HITS HD, which delivers Hollywood blockbuster hits 24-hours a day in 100% true high-definition, available in selected territories. HBO Asia is a joint venture of HBO (a Time Warner company) and Paramount. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

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 HBO, HBO HD, HBO On Demand, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits, HBO Hits HD, MAX, Cinemax and Home Box Office are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission. Spartacus: Vengeance © 2011 Starz Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.