I was able to watch a Cinemalaya 2008 film last weekend with my girlfriend and I was lucky enough to catch Chris Martinez' entry 100. I say lucky because I really didn't have any expectations on 100 when I came to the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Heck, I didn't even have a clear idea which movies were showing for that day, so it was really a serendipitous thing.
On to the film: it is about a lady (played by Mylene Dizon) who decided to take control of her destiny when she learned she had cancer and the movie got its title from the 100 things a dying woman would do before her fateful day would come. The film has the good stuff: humor (thanks to Eugene Domingo and Tessie Tomas), a good dose of Filipino satire and of course, a nice poignant story about closure and life's meaning.
Like any other indie film, 100 has some rough edges in terms of the production and the movie seemed to get absorbed in itself (the film ran two hours). I was imagining that there were a few scened that could have been cut from the editing room to make 100 a more lean and tight movie. But maybe that's commercial movie-bred brain talking.
100 is very, very likable-- It's not artsy and it's pretty accessible to a wide spectrum of audiences. It even won the Audience Choice plum in the recently concluded Cinemalaya film fest awards. And speaking of awards, film stars Mylene Dizon won the Best Actress award, Eugene Domingo ran of with the Best Supporting Actress trophy and director Chris Martinez won Best Director and Best Screenplay in the Cinemalaya film festival's competition.
But if the movie ever do get to be distributed in the mainstream cinemas, I would recommend it. If it doesn't, then I sure hope the producers come up with a DVD.
Rating: 4/5
Tags: 100
This summer of 2008 is turning out to be a banner year from comic book superheroes. First there was Iron Man, then Wanted, and the natural progression into new cinematic heights continues with The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight revives the Batman versus Joker match-up from 1989's Batman, and boy, it that rivalry better than ever. Getting director Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale were a good decisions in Batman Begins two years ago, but getting the late Heath Leadger as The Joker was a major coup. He brought his own touch to the role Jack Nicholson made popular and made The Joker more vile and sadistic-- the contrast of Batman's cerebral nature and the Joker's chaotic abandon is played on prett well. Very good job by Ledger if you ask me, but an Oscar-clincher? Let me first see what he will be up against...
The fiom also elevates the story-telling in comic book superhero movies-- The Dark Knight tackles human nature and motivation in a deeper manner and relies more on the tension generated by the story than the pyrotechnics. This is same as saying that the film has hastened the maturity of the superhero genre in Hollywood. So some teeners may actually find the movie boring in a few stretches. One more peeve: Bale does not speak but growls when he's donning the Batman outfit.
My only problem is the length of the movie: it's two and a haf hours long. There was a time I thought the movie should have ended, but it still went on. After the film, you will most likely feel its length. But then again, the movie does have a lot to show. So, sit back and enjoy The Dark Knight, a definite must watch movie.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tags: The Dark Knight
Mamma Mia! Here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
The lines above are from the ABBA's "Mamma Mia!" the song from which the title of the critically-acclaimed musical was taken. Those lines seem to be very appropriate for the movie, since the adaptation is very likable.
I can't help but compare Mamma Mia! to Across the Universe. (The former is based on songs of Swedish super group ABBA while the latter is based on The Beatles songs) While both musicals' material are drawn from ear-frienly tunes, Mamma Mia! doesn't take itself too seriously and is very true to its original sources. Another thing: the cast, led by Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, seem to have enjoyed making the movie.
Speaking of the cast, Meryl Streep proves that she can handle any role you can dish out to her. I last saw her in Rendition, where she played a dignified U.S. Vice-President. Now, she's dancing and frolicking as an ex-band leader who is stressed out about her daughter getting married.
The music and soundtrack is also very enjoyable. A friend of mine who watched the musical in London swears that the movie is very, very faithful to the stage version. Thanks to Phyllida Lloyd, who also directed the original ‘Mamma Mia!’ Broadway version. Music lovers will also appreciate versions of ABBA's hits such as "Dancing Queen", "S.O.S.", "Money, Money, Money", and "Take a Chance on Me."
To conlcude, here some more lines from "Mamma Mia!":
Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go
Rating: 4/5
Tags: Mamma Mia!
Based on Jules Verne's sci-fi classic, the movie follows the journey of an offbeat geologist (Brendan Fraser), his teenage nephew (Josh Hutcherson) and a beautiful Icelandic mountain guide (Anita Briem) who accidentally find a way to the center of the earth while searching for the geologist's brother. The quest takes them to the world Verne envision in his book and a thrilling ride through volcanic tubes, winding gem mines, and underground oceans.
Like the title says, the movie is a journey, so expect a very linear story with lots of thrills but little plot twists. The movie is really intended to be that way, especially the 3-D version being the recommended one for viewing. I only saw the 2-D version and it was good enough. But I'm sure the movie looks prettier in 3-D.
I like the Journey to the Center of the Earth for the sheer thrill it provides. But if you're expecting more, you'll be better off going to an amusement park.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tags: Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Incredible Hulk is a huge improvement over Lee's 2003 film for one simple reason: it doesn't take itself too seriously. This current iteration focuses on the Hulk as an angry brute that likes to smash military equipment and gives him a worthy adversary in terms of strength and power. The movie also draws more from the familiar-- more elements from the television series in the 1970's were incorporated into the movie. (Actors from the old series make cameos in the film). No doubt, more people will like this "reset" of the franchise.
Edward Norton plays Bruce Banner with a clear sense of what's motivating him: Banner does not want to be kept isolated by the effect of the Gamma radiation experiments he performed on himself and is driven by the pursuit of finding a "cure." Norton is complemented well by Tim Roth (who played the villain), William Hurt and Liv Tyler.
The movie could be seen as standard sci-fi fare, but the story gets a bit dull in stretches. If you are not familiar with the Hulk universe in the comics, some things in the story will fly over your head. But given succeeding films about the Hulk will follow this thread of reality, I'd say The Incredible Hulk is a very good place to start.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tags: The Incredible Hulk
A lot of people (read: women) will not agree with me but Wanted is the best movie this summer of 2008. (Of course, I've only watched a few movies this summer and the two films that come the closest for getting the top spot are Kung Fu Panda and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull).
I like Wanted for a couple of reasons: (1) the action, although violent, is very envisioned and very well helmed by Russian-Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov (of Night Watch fame) and (2) Angelina Jolie. I seriously believe that the movie won't be as good if another Hollywood actress is playing the part of "Fox," a skilled assassin.
Speaking of assassins, the movie centers on the ascent of Wesley Gibson (played by James McAvoy) from a complete 9-to-5 nobody to an merciless killer who can "bend bullets" and eliminate targets with ease. Of course, that transformation is not possible without the help of "The Fraternity," a clandestine organization led by Sloan (played by Morgan Freeman). Wesley is trained and tortured by Fraternity assasins with cool call names: Fox, Gunsmith, The Repairman, and The Butcher, among many others. We see Wesley subject himself to the hazing because of his desire to avenge the death his father, who was also a member of The Fraternity.
As far as action movies go, Wanted is very visual and highly unbelievable (you will see a lot of bullets deflecting other bullets). But that is what makes the movie an enjoyable fun. This thrilling high-wire act should be on the top of any action film buff's list this summer.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tags: Wanted
Look at this list: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, and Jackie Chan. Pretty impressive huh? Those Hollywood stars all share their voiced in the Dreamworks' latest animated offering Kung Fu Panda.
It was the first movie I watched since arriving back from my stint in India and it was a good decision. Kung Fu Panda is a nice take on the Chinese Kung Fu genre with an animated twist. If you haven't watched the film, here are some things to look forward to: The opening dream sequence was something I really liked and the animation durring the fight scenes were superb.
The story is fairly shares a vein with most of Asian action movies-- a seemingly incompetent character is thrust into a hard situation, then undergoes a physical and emotional transformation where he becomes someone of immense skill and great wisdom, then saves his community and his loved ones. From the way I describe it, it seems to be appropriate for the kiddie crowd, but Kung Fu Panda has enough depth and humor to keep the adults entertained.
The only thing I did not like is how everything just unravels so easily in the end-- the main villain was ferocious in the first 95% of the film but degenerates into a comic act in the last few minutes. But other than that Kung Fu Panda was a fun ride.
Rating: 4/5
Tags: Kung Fu Panda
Geeks are often depicted in Hollywood movies as socially inept geniuses who write software, hack computer networks and just slack off. 21 is a movie about geeks who don't use technology but use pure brain power to take on the world. And that world is the glittery place called Las Vegas.
Starring Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns) and Kevin Spacey (American Beauty), 21 shows the life an MIT college student leads as he joins an elite group of campus math geniuses who is trained by their math professor how to count cards and beat the Las Vegas odds in the game of Black Jack. Of course, a lot of drama and casino happen in th e movie, but the heart of the movie centers on the transformation of a simple Harvard Medical School aspirant into a greedy, high-rolling, Black Jack gambler.
The story is truly fascinating, especially the process of card-counting and the how the students and the professor use this legal technique to game the Vegas system. However, the story was hard to follow in the beginning because a lot of jargon about card playing was introduced and the "system" the team follows is a bit complicated as well. This would be a frustrating for people who dislike math or numbers. Director Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde) had no choice but to go take a safer route in terms of creating a believable story because the concept was complex. One more thing: I think Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth are an odd choice for the lead couple, she too old looks for the role for me.
21 is definitely a movie math geeks will enjoy, and I have reason to believe non-geeks will enjoy as well. Just ignore the jargon and the math, you'll find the film a jackpot.
Rating: 3/5
Tags: 21
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull marks a couple of firsts for me-- it's the first Indiana Jones movie that I watched, and it's the first movie I watched in a cineplex in Bangalore. (Yes, I'm currently in India).
Indiana Jones has been the gold standard in action-adventure movies and the latest incarnation is proof to that. Harrison Ford and director Steven Spielberg know how to cook up a great journey that starts with a simple artifact and ends in a grand ancient city.
In his latest mission set inf the 1950's, Indiana Jones must unravel the mystery of the Crystal Skull, an ancient artifact Russians are lusting over. The skull holds powers of unearthly capabilities, that's why the the Russian forces led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) coerced Indiana Jones to start the search for clues to find an ancient city that holds the key to the skull's true nature. The story also introduces Indiana Jones, Jr., played by Shia LaBeouf, and I sensed that this film is the launch pad for adventures for Jones' young son.
People who have not watched the previous movies can be assured that the story of "Crystal Skull" is stand-alone, but there a few references to the past movies as well as appearances by past characters. I also think that Ford as Indiana Jones has probably seen its last installment, as he's not as dynamic as most action heroes (obviously, he's already in his 60's.) Given LeBouf's performance in this film, I think he can adequately carry the franchise in the future.
No doubt, a movie like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull deserves a follow-up, but it may likely be Indiana Jones, Jr.'s first full adventure.
Rating: 4/5
Tags: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Imagine a horror movie that takes The Ring and The Grudge together. Should be good, right? But what if you take those Japanese horror classics and leave out the best parts? What you have is One Missed Call.
One Missed Call is bad across the board-- the execution was weak, the story was convoluted and the acting, like most Hollywood horror movies, was practically non-existent. Lead actors Shannyn Sossamon and Ed Burns did the movie a disservice by following most cliches movies like the Scary Movie series would like to pick on.
I really have nothing good to say about this movie except that it provided me with good conversation with people, telling them to avoid this movie at all cost.
Rating: 0/5
Tags: One Missed Call
Finally, after three weeks here in India, I've finally watched my first movie in a proper theater. The movie I was able to catch was the Wachowski Brothers' adaptation of Speed Racer, originally a Japanese animated series in the 1960's.
Speed Racer is movie that exemplifies style over substance-- the Wachowskis' vision of the movie is a bright and colorful future world where racing is a huge sport (and business) and race tracks are of various shapes sizes. The hues of the movie is vibrant and slick, and the atmosphere is undoubtedly influenced by cartoons. Speaking of cartoons, the movie also integrates some animation inspired by from Japanese anime (for example, the fight scenes).
The visuals of the movie is impressive and I could see the creators really making an effort to bring the quirky nature of the animated series to real life. However, while it helps create the backdrop and racing sequences of the film, the non-linearity and choppiness of the plotting set in the very fast pace hurts the movie in a whole lot of ways. The acting is not bad as Emile Hirsh in the titular role is very likable and the rest of the cast (John Goodman, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox and Susan Sarandon) do their best to put some humanity in the machine-dominated film. There is humor peppered all-over the movie, but it relies heavily in situations involving a chimpanzee.
So what's the final verdict for Speed Racer? It's one of the best movies that I could remember in translating the spirit of an animated series into real life and the look and feel of the movie is stunnigly top-notch. But the Wachowskis bit focused too much on the action and forgot to put in a better paced story to make this an instant classic like the animated TV series.
Rating: 3.5/5
Tags: Speed Racer
The worst thing being in a very unfamiliar place is probably missing things you're familiar with.
That's what I'm going through right now being here in Bangalore. I'm away from home and I haven't been able to watch the nice movies being released this summer season. Good thing I was able to catch a few movies like Iron Man before I left Manila but I've already missed movies I've had my eye on like:
- Speed Racer
- What Happens in Vegas
- Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay
Sheesh, I better step my search for a decent movie house here in Bangalore that shows more than Bollywood films.
Tags: Hollywood
I'm here in Bangalore, India for the next two months and I really haven't explored the place. One of my goals here is to watch a Bollywood film in a movie theater here, but I really don't know the place. :(
So, if anyone can recommend a nice cineplex or movie house here in Bangalore or a nice Bollywood movie to be released within the month, please do chime in! I'll definitely appreciate any suggestion. :D
Tags: Bollywood
We have a winner for The Great Appleseed DVD Giveaway!
Congratulations to kamewh for being the lucky person who will get the special Appleseed Ex Machina DVD from Warner Video. Please check your email for a confirmation message from me. :)
Thanks to everyone who joined, please keep on visiting this blog for more exciting giveaways. :D
Tags: Appleseed Ex Machina
I've followed a lot of superheroes from collecting comic books and I have to admit Iron Man was one superhero I never got to like. But the Iron Man movie is making me change my mind.
Not to surprisingly, the Iron man as a film hero works in almost all levels. First, viewers get to appreciate the mechanized beauty of the suit-- something the comic book can't really give total justice to. Todays computer generated graphics really make Iron Man very believable and scientifically/mechanically plausible.
Second is the alter-ego/secret identity element has been freshened up. Tony Stark is what Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins should have been-- the comics always have always wanted to show a charmed life that contrasts the burden of being a super hero. In the case of Iron Man, Tony Stark fits the contemporary billionaire who realizes he must contribute more to society, something Bill Gates and Warren Buffet did, but Stark decided to use his mechanical engineering genius to save the world.
Third and finally, the film is a very good "reset button" to everyone who knew about Iron Man before the movie. The hero's origin has been updated (instead of dealing with the Nazis, Stark faced problems with an Al-Qaeda-like group) and the corporate aspect of Stark Enterprises resembles the big corporations nowadays, from the public relations to the board room battles.
Robert Downey, Jr. gives his spin to Tony Stark as a fast-talking, wise guy that is quite different from Tony Stark in the comic books. Make no mistake, Downey is superb in this movie, but I guess I was still adjusting to the "new" Tony Stark. Director John Favreau balances the humor, action and commentary with a nice pace, and thankfully doesn't get too caught up in the "hero rescues the damsel" trap.
Iron Man is a great addition to the comic book superhero movies and a definitely a must watch this summer. Heck, you might even get to start liking Iron Man from this film.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tags: Iron Man
