Reviews
Dave (1993)
A classic comedy led by the amazing Kevin Kline
Dave is a truly fun and enjoyable movie, and despite its age (30 years since it was released), it's a highly rewatchable and and entertaining movie to this day.
Kevin Kline (who portrays both President Bill Mitchell and our titular protagonist Dave Kovic) at his finest during the funniest times of the movie and equally powerful at the dramatic scenes as well.
The supporting cast is very capable and incredible... Sigourney Weaver the First Lady, Eleanor Mitchell, provides the strength and heart. Frank Langella as Chief-of-Staff Bob Alexander, has the gravitas to be the perfect antagonist. His sidekick Alan Reed (portrayed by Kevin Dunn) is a good/bad communications director. Ving Rhames (pre MI movie days) as Duane, the secret service agent, provides perhaps my favorite scene in the 3rd act. Charles Grodin as Murray, Dave's friend and often employment destination for his temp agency's clients. Ben Kingsley, as ever, with his presence (albeit in very short scenes) as the VP. Plus pre-famous Laura Linney and Bonnie Hunt, are there as bonus finds, too.
Director Ivan Reitman made a truly wonderful movie that's as classic and as timely as it still is today.
While I know it's being idealistic, and this is a piece of fiction, the things that happen in the end with Dave as the president and subsequently as a potential councilman was quite a nice ending. And Duane at the end!!! Hahaha a nice mic drop.
Shortcomings (2023)
Choose between cheering or jeering for the d*ck of a lead
Shortcomings is a very well made and acted slice of life type of movie. It's a comedy with full of heart. I love this flick. The directorial debut of Randall Park (who does a cameo) is an assured work. Must watch whether you're of Asian descent or not because there are many things relatable here, especially for those who've lived the single life and all its entanglements, or if they're still in the midst of their younger version.
It depicts many relatable themes like struggles, self doubt, finding love, heartache, friendship, family - - all with the brevity and lightness that's just right that it doesn't go too deep and depressing and it isn't too over the top funny.
The lead Ben (Justin Min) is someone you'd either relate to or know someone like that. Seems shallow, a bit of a prick, and still wandering about life. His good friend Alice is a lesbian (Sherry Cola) who's also living her best life (sort of); she even asks him to pretend to be her bf to placate her conservative Korean parents. (source of good comedy; it was also in one of the trailers so this isn't a spoiler). Sherry steals the show and provides great friendship chemistry with Justin. It's also a pretty funny movie at the right doses. Love to see Sonoya Mizuno (La La Land and Craxy
Wonderful job by Randall Park and the cast and crew. I highly recommend this.
Plus it's funny!
Oppenheimer (2023)
Brilliant movie that puts you at the edge of your seat... And it's a biopic.
Despite its 3 hour runtime, Oppenheimer grabs you and draws you into J Robert Oppenheimer's life and what led him to become the father of the atomic bomb and the aftermath of WWII after little boy and fat man were used to help end the war.
Oppenheimer is portrayed to be a complicated man, a brilliant yet flawed person. In perhaps Cillian Murphy's best performance, he becomes Oppenheimer in our eyes. He eventually becomes someone that is against nuclear proliferation, so despite his contribution to its creation, he in fact realizes that it has a terrible and consequential impact on humanity.
The Oppenheimer cast is stacked! Downey, Damon, Blunt and Pugh, to name a few, plus the likes of Hartnett, Oldman, Malik and more familiar character actors fill the screen and sprinkle their magic in the their respective screen times. Perhaps the underutilized aspect of the actors is Emily Blunt who finally shows her mettle in the 3rd act during the hearing.
Nolan is truly a master at his craft. While there are a great many scenes in this movie to prove this, the one thing (SPOILER HERE) that comes to mind is when the testing at Los Alamos has finally happened... And then he does this visual magic without music or sound. Wow. Amazing. Seconds later when the boom finally follows, yowza, what brilliance!
This may very well be Nolan's best work and I hope he gets an Oscar win for this. Kudos to the cast and crew for putting together this masterpiece. I'm not normally a biopic nor historical movie viewer but you just have to watch this. 10/10.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Edgy animation that's fun from start to finish
I liked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem a lot. The trailers got me hooked more than any of the last iterations of TMNT. Maybe it's the positive effect of Inside/Across the Spiderverse film series that got me hopeful that this one would be good. And it sure was!
While it doesn't have the emotional depth, transcendence and brilliance of Across the Spiderverse, it's easy to dismiss this as a copycat given the similarities in the edgy, non-Disney looking animation style. However, when the movie begins, it does breathe out on its own, with humour as its main hook and action the delivery platform. Btw, hardcore fans to the original comics might find the homage to the art by Eastman & Laird a nice touch.
Overall, I had a lot of fun watching TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. I am not that familiar with the mythos nor canon of the TMNT besides the old cartoons from the 90s. I'm sure Seth Rogen, etc., bent some or totally changed things out, but I like that this is a bit of an origin story in both the turtles and April o'Neal's case.
The action and flow was pretty good, though I was underwhelmed by the 3rd act. I can't exactly say what was missing for me, but I can say that I was expecting more, perhaps?
Still, I came out satisfied and rooting for the success of this movie after seeing several good to very good movies underwhelm this year. Indy 5, Flash, D&D, were all fine movies.
The main characters were fleshed out well, from the turtles to April to Master Splinter. The other mutants were 2-dimensional,except for Superfly, the main antagonist.
I rate this a 7 out of 10, solid fun and a good watch.
Must watch for TMNT enthusiasts, animation nuts and those looking for fun action movies.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Better than Crystal Skull, a good addition to the series
Indy 5 (that'll be my shortcut to 2023's latest and dare I say, truly final chapter of the Indiana Jones movies starring Harrison Ford) is, for me, good addition to the series that has spanned over 4 decades and built the standard beater for all adventure movies.
Personally, on the one hand, I'd argue that they shouldn't have tampered with an excellent trilogy and never should have added films to ruin the trilogy especially with the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which was disappointing and oftentimes preposterous and not at all rewatchable. On the other, you have Harrison Ford still game, you also have Spielberg (now an excellent director in James Mangold for Indy 5) and Lucas still interested. It's just that extra terrestrial crap, bad CGI and not an engaging enough script.
Anyway, Indy 5 goes back to its roots, with the preternatural artifact, to the twists and turns that come from the Dial of Destiny.
There's very good chemistry between Harrison Ford and Indy's goddaughter Helena, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Though I didn't warm to her, ehm, motivations early on and she didn't really appeal to me until maybe the end. Credit to Waller-Bridge, though, for great acting and credibly being a co-star to Indiana Jones.
As far as the action set pieces, I loved many of them. The intro flashback sequence on the train, the tuktuk chase scene, ocean scene, and horse chase during the moonlanding parade, all of it. Even the 3rd act was wonderful, if not a bit incredulous at parts (no, not the actual setting, but what Teddy, the new Short Round, could do).
Oh and I liked the correct amount of injection of humor during the movie. And the sadness at some point of why a beaten down Indy was where he was during the twilight of his career.
Mads Mikkelsen is a great actor and a superb villain. That scene between him and that waiter was sublime. Perhaps his eventual demise is my only issue as it didn't feel as worth it given his weight as a bad guy. But yes, Mikkelsen is a truly a worthy Indy villain.
Leaving the theater, I was happy with the movie. The adventure, the great acting by Harrison Ford, even the de-aging CG were all good for me. Maybe a scene and 2 could be cut so the run time could have been shorter, but overall, I was very happy with the movie. The Indy personal life ending was nice and bittersweet. It's not as incredibly epic as Indiana Jones riding horseback with his father Henry St. And buddies Salah and Marcus in the ending of Indy 3, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.
I'd rank this below Raiders and Last Crusade and at par with Temple of Doom but this is definitely a better Indy movie ending than Kingdom of a the Crystal Skull. A thrill ride and a worthy addition to the Indiana Jones franchise.
The Flash (2023)
Solid outing for DCEU / Flashpoint but...
Save for a few less-than-stellar CG stuff in the opening sequence, it's a pretty good movie. Not the best of all time for me, but definitely up there in DCEU with Aquaman and a smidge below Wonder Woman, Man of Steel and Snyder's Justice League. It's still below any of my favorites MCU movies (Infinity War, Endgame, Winter Soldier and Iron Man I) and some of the next tier MCU ones.
Excellent acting by Ezra Miller, ably supported by Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle, the movie has a lot of heart, funny scenes, and overall, I found the story plausible. Is it the best Flashpoint version? I liked the animated version more but it may not be rendered as easily on live action, so this one is good as is. I liked the 2 different Ezra's as Barry's Allen, and they were as distinct as possible and seamlessly done as if there wasn't a split screen or some other effect. So the director and his crew knew their stuff.
The Flash was just badly affected by Ezra's antics (which prevented WB to do the best kind of marketing practices to promote a show without its lead), the announcement that DC will be rebooted, plus the bad performances of Black Adam, Shazam 2, and not to mention greater stories in Across the Spiderverse and GOTG 3, all may have snowballed to put this movie at a disadvantage since the very beginning. Which is a shame -- it's a heck of a movie and well worthy of the better DCEU films.
(SPOILER COMMENT BELOW)
I liked many elements of this movie, from story to CG to acting, except perhaps the end scene (pre-credits) surprise of showing George Clooney instead, which I think was more publicity stunt to offset the Ezra Miller drama than the original shot where Affleck's Batman was replaced by Keaton's Bruce Wayne and Sasha Calle's Supergirl as a twist to the Flash's decision to undo what he did but did enough to exonerate his father of his mother's murder.
Shazam! (2019)
Fun, Funny and Fantastic
I'm happy to see DC / WB is on the right track with Shazam, after WW and Aquaman (never mind Suicide Squad and Justice League).
Shazam is utterly enjoyable. Lots of rightly placed humor, heart and heroic stuff.
Zach Levi is perfect as Shazam coz he has a great blend of child like enthusiasm, but projects a lot of heroism and heart at the right moments. His foster family is well cast, and they're great in their supporting role, providing the support, love and care that Billy Batson, a lifelong loner, needs.
While it doesn't have some epic scale of some of the recent offerings by both DC and Marvel, I found it a very well made Origin story, and it appears to be closer to recent DC Comics versions of Shazam than the older ones I'm familiar with.
I found some tone shifts a bit jarring, and some kids might be traumatized by the horror tones, but most teens and up should find it okay.
It's not as highly rewatchable as Marvel's Captain Marvel to me, but I think it's a worthy addition to DCEU.
Stay till the very end of the credits. There are 2 scenes.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Terrific origin story with a 90s backdrop
Grea origin story. Pacing was good, and if you don't expect it to be as grand as Avengers: Infinity War, well you'll leave the theater plenty satisfied with Captain Marvel.
Brilliant acting, perfectly timed funny moments, good buddy relationship (Marvel and Fury), fab supporting cast, and enough of a story to have some measure of consistency with the Carol Danvers canon, it's enough for movie buffs, casual fans, though I'm not sure about the hardcore comic fans.
Stay for the mid and end credits.
Now I've become a fan of Brie Larson after this movie. She is cute, gorgeous and, quite obviously, a terrific actress (an Academy Award winner already st such a young age).
Person of Interest (2011)
Best new drama of the 2011 US shows
I've been totally addicted to this show ever since I watched the pilot a few weeks ago. James Caviezel is dark, brooding, yet calm and methodical when he's in action. Michael Emerson from Lost is also effective as the guy who invented the machine that predicts that violent crimes are about to happen.
It's an intriguing show. Closest plot that reminds me about this is Minority Report, but with a made-for-TV treatment that's still pretty damn good. Guest stars are also familiar to those who've watched Law & Order, CSI, etc., and are complementary. The cop trying to chase after him's a bit of a stretch but I guess they need something for continuity.
Worth recommending to those who want to hitch on a new action, mystery show that's very well-written and fantastic-paced.
Go watch it and you won't regret it.
Super 8 (2011)
Excellent Story, although...
I've been a fan of JJ Abrams for a while now, since his Mission Impossible 3 revitalized the franchise from the slow-mo,dove-flying movie made by John Woo in MI:2, and his 2009 rendition of Star Trek.
This was his own story, not a sequel nor a reboot... and I have to say that this was a most excellent story with fantastic acting by the top two actors, Joel Courtney (Joe) and Elle Fanning (Alice), both of whom are children; they're well supported by Joe's best friend, Charles (Riley Griffiths) and Cary, Martin and Preston. Adult acting, though supporting, was well done by Kyle Chandler (who playes Joe's Dad) and Ron Eldard (who plays Alice's Dad). Though the critics have said that JJ Abrams takes several pages out of Executive Producer Steven Spielberg's past movies on sci-fi and centering on children, I don't really care. This is a great movie for these times, and he balances things out pretty well. The story has a good solid base, the acting superb, the emotions (be it sorrow, glee, excitement, fear) were truly felt, there were appropriate sprinkles of humor, and the action/special effects scenes were top notch.
My only qualm or reservation about this movie is that it left me wondering how the ending could have been better; I mean there are quick cuts of a creature of some kind (er, ET?), but I wish there was more closure there; there were questions unanswered (why was it collecting, what was its objective, etc.-- sorry I don't want to spoil it so I cannot elaborate more). Perhaps there was too much set up that I was anticipating more when the creature was revealed. Maybe another few more minutes to give a proper ending...
Anyway, the ending doesn't take away much from the movie (except my rating it a 9 instead of a 10).
Green Lantern (2011)
Movie could have been so much better
As someone who's followed Green Lantern a little bit of a decent amount (not big but fairly decent, for DC character), I liked some things about the movie; but I definitely say that it could have been made better, both for casual fans, non-GL fans or hard core ones.
Good points... 1. It stuck fairly consistently with the mythos of the origin and Planet OA; 2. Ryan Reynolds did decently as Hal Jordan (though he fits more with the Kyle Rayner/Guy Gardner type than Jordan) -- but I wish he was more serious; though non-GL fans couldn't care less about this; 3. Blake Lively was eye candy; super hot, but not much else; 4. Green Lanterns Tomar Re, Kilowog and Abin Sur were damn good but didn't have enough screen time to be significant; 5. Mark Strong's Sinestro was excellent! 6. Hector Hammond was well portrayed by Peter Saarsgard (though it lacked a proper finish) 7. Good supporting cast from Tim Robbins (Sen. Hammond) to Angela Bassett (Amanda Waller); 8. Green Lantern's costume was wicked; 9. Visual/CGI effects were pretty good
Bad Points... > It tried to fit too much into one movie, moving back and forth from Earth and outer space/OA, thus there was no proper flow... (like when there was a build up of momentum, things go slow or boring; or from serious to funny without proper pacing); too many stories were crammed into one movie > Humor was misplaced at times (good peg is Thor which had it in the flow rather than contrived/forced) > Parallax looked comical; scary at times but only a couple of times > Like Iron Man 2, I wish the fight scenes were so much more; they spent too much on the set-up that the fights were short and could have been so much more and elaborate. > Some scenes and even some characters were not necessary (Hal's best friend, even some scenes with Blake's Carol Ferris were not needed); they should have added more action instead
Summary, visual effects, actors, GL base story good. But the way the writers and director put things together were a mixture of various plots and subplots crazy glued into one movie for pure entertainment. Kids will enjoy it, but adults likely will not. This is a summer of superheroes, with 3 down and one more to go (well, technically 5 with Transformers if you're thinking comic book stories), so it's quite impossible not to compare them to each other.
The director is known to direct good flicks like Goldeneye and Casino Royale (two good movies), but I wish he did more; studied more, had split up more stories to be more single- minded and not work on a cluttered material.
Rango (2011)
Two stars out of ten, and that's generous
Pluses: Visually well done background, some good voice acting. It can put you to sleep. (Oh wait, that last one is not good for the movie, but good for you if you've had a long day like I did and watch this movie at 10pm)
Minuses: a lot; dragging story, advertised as fun but it's really not. I don't want to waste more time typing up a review.
Bottom line: Don't see it. Even on DVD, folks.
But if you expect that it's got adult themes delivered in animation, then maybe you'll feel satisfied after watching this. And then maybe I'll rate it a 4 out of 10.
Sucker Punch (2011)
As advertised
Having raised my expectations after a friend showed me the two trailers of Sucker Punch in December, I went and caught it on the first day. I was not disappointed. You know there are movies that pretend to be something they're not (e.g. Rango seemingly a fun movie and for kids, but it's not; or the poster of The Adjustment Bureau that made it seem like an action flick, but it's not). When I saw the trailer, I saw girls in hot costumes, kick-ass action, anime-inspired material, and visual sequences as only visionaries like Zach S can bring to the screen.
Simply put, it was as advertised.
Emily Browning stars as Baby Doll, a girl who was checked into a mental institution by her abusive stepfather, whose imagination comes to life while she's inside. Maybe it's a coping mechanism, or something more purposive for her, or maybe it's Zach Snyder's creative way of showing difficulties in real life. With Baby Doll are other young "girls" Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Sweet Pea's sister Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), and Amber (Jamie Chung) who all band together and ooze testosterone (wait, or should it be estrogen, right? whatever...) with their swords, guns, heavily-armed vehicles, and martial arts moves, as they attempt to survive their daily hell. Impressive visuals are basically the norm of the film as expected, but at least this time we see more than we saw from the trailers (which were quick cuts but had enough oomph to get the average joe (READ: guys) interested to watch) -- kick-ass action and hot women. Hell, even women who like strong female leads could get into this, too. Though there definitely will be those that will get turned off by the way women are depicted in this film.
But don't get carried away - - this isn't Oscar-worthy acting, and the storyline, though well told in this visually-stunning, mind-F'ing, Inception-esque way--- is not that deep. But I didn't expect depth in a movie like this. And neither should you.
Acting was fine, especially for Jena Malone, whom I enjoyed watching when she was a kid in dramas like Stepmom and For Love of the Game. Abbie Cornish was good and intense. Lead Emily Browning had spunk and emotion in hey eyes; Jamie Chung and Vanessa Hudgens looked good, too, though not much else to see their acting chops. Oscar Isaac reminded me of that Numbers guy (is it David Krumholtz?), and he was scary and devious as Blue the orderly. While I am an admirer of Carla Gugino, her character's accent was somewhat weird and she only had moments, too. John Hamm's just a familiar name making a cameo, so his acting was severely underutilized. Like I said, it ain't Oscar-worthy, except maybe for visual effects/art direction, costume and the usual fare.
I still give it an 8 because I expected it like the way I saw the trailers, like I know Zach Snyder does films, and that's it.
Bring your popcorn and drink folks, and enjoy this ride. The Summer movie season starts with Sucker Punch.
Megamind (2010)
Megamind kicks Despicable's butt
Having a 2nd supervillain themed animation film in the same year might have been thought of as overkill and ill-timed. Overall, though, that this movie, Megamind, came after Despicable Me, was apt because I would have simply been disappointed in Despicable Me if I saw Megamind first.
Megamind has all the right combinations, a decent plot, a couple of twists, an over the top villain who eventually evolves into a likable guy, couple of good supporting characters, an homage to Marlon Brando, a couple of FB-esquire pokes of fun at Superman (including a Lois and a Jimmy Olsen), humor (lots of witty ones, too), and a couple of nice action/fight scenes.
Most of all, it has a lot of heart. For a guy named Megamind, he sure shows some heart in this film that you can't just help but root for the guy (even if he was evil by design or by fate). Didn't recognize the voice talents of Ferrel, Fey and Mr. Pitt, though I could tell that Titan had to voice of actor/comedian Jonah Hill, so at least I can watch again the movie and see some snippets (if ever) of the real actor's or actors' speaking habits coming out in this movie.
I'm not sure if this will be a classic, but it sure will be something I can keep watching when it comes out in DVD a few months from now. Good follow up from Dreamworks after How To Train Your Dragon earlier this year. Keep up the great works your Animation division is churning out.
ADDENDUM - saw this in 3D. Like Despicable me, you may not necessarily be missing out if you watch it in 3D so watch according to your preference.
The A-Team (2010)
A-Team 2010 rocks
Having been a fan of the original A-Team when I was a kid watching with my Dad, I had decent expectations about this one. First, it shouldn't be complicated; winning formula on television, updated and amped up for a movie. McG did well with Charlie's Angels a few years back, so this isn't something new.
Start with a good line-up for the cast? They got it. Liam Neeson plays Hannibal Smith, a more elderly turn after his great action-suspense flick "Taken" from 2009; but he does it with flair and charisma that he makes a pretty good Hannibal. Templeton "Face" Peck is played by funnyman Bradley Cooper who, from usual supporting roles on both TV and cinema now plays a lead in an ensemble cast (well technically he did so in The Hangover). He's got enough chutzpah, so I thought he was good, too. Quinton Rampage Jackson, more known as a mixed martial arts guy in the UFC (tough loss recently, too in UFC 114), and Sharlton Copley, a relative newcomer in the mainstream film genre, as BA Baracus and Murdock, respectively, did good in supporting the two main protagonists. Throw in the ultra hot Jessica Biel and you've got one pretty good cast.
For the story, it is just an updated version of their original concept; this time, it's the Iraq War; this time you actually see people get hit (oooooh, something different from the relatively tame TV "violence"), so there are technically new things too.
But you throw in the usual McGyverish moment when they invent, create, weld, mold, their weapons or supporting stuff, humor, the almost trademark line, I love it when a plan comes together, and some twists and turns, then you've got a surefire Hollywood hit. Lots of old folks watching, too.
Something to kick back, enjoy the brainless parts, love the kick ass violence (er, relatively for a PG-13 model) and the acting. This A-Team's a pretty good attempt to make this team relevant in this millennium; if this makes good money, I would imagine this thing will spawn a sequel. Can you see it now?
Date Night (2010)
Using the likability of Steve and Tina well enough
Predictable? Sure, this ain't a comedy that pretends to be more than a vehicle for the comedic abilities of the very likable Tina Fey and the sometimes over-the-top (but not so much in this movie) Steve Carrell.
Aside from the surprising cameos in this show, there aren't much surprises. This is one of those movies where there's a couple that's been in a somewhat fixed circle of boredom in their lives. Heck, even their regular date nights have been very predictable.
Steve and Tina are the Fosters; upon finding out that one of their closest couple friends are splitting up, they try to spice things up by having a date in the city. In a case of mistaken identity, their would-be date night winds up an action-filled, sometimes funny evening. Except for a few scenes, this movie isn't anything innovative; but it's still nice to see Steve and Tina play likable characters.
The producers of this flick know what they have in these two actors, and the movie is enough to give their comedic and acting chops (nothing like Steve's nice acting ability in Dan in Real Life) a little flexing. With this knowledge, I still recommend this movie to those who want to enjoy a little break from the action-3D-filled movies out there now. A little date with your significant other watching this movie would be good.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
From no expectations, to high expectations and then exceeding them
I have to admit, I didn't know anything about this movie until it started showing here in Manila around a week ago. The 3D version had just opened (if I'm not mistaken) a couple of days later and I invited my niece and nephew to watch with me (and my wife). Seeing how this was a Dreamworks movie (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar), it was likely that I'd watch it anyway... the question is, will it be another Kung Fu Panda (which I rated a 10), or a Monsters Vs. Aliens (entertaining, but not a classic for years to come; or good enough to watch over and over again on DVD; let's face it, for every excellent Dreamworks animation like Shrek or Madagascar, there's a Shrek 2 or a Bee Movie).
So I read up on reviews on a local website and on IMDb, and I was blown away by their reviews, both from critics and regular movie goers. People were generally pleasantly surprised, and enjoyed the 3D as well. So... I got all excited and had higher expectations all of a sudden.
Now on to the movie. There were so many great things from this movie ---
Entertainment - from a storytelling standpoint, this was up there with the best of Dreamworks animation; there was decent character development whether you empathize with the classic protagonist that's different from the rest of the Vikings or just appreciate the father and son relationship as it goes through the awkward years. The build-up from beginning to the climax was well done. There was much enjoyment all around with acceptable (and only occasional) lulls, and the lessons that can be learned were good and appreciable both from a child's standpoint and an adult's. Overall, How To Train Your Dragon (or some call it HTTYD) is a good blend of comedy, action and sprinkles of drama. After all, don't you want your animation to be a pretty good mix of everything?
Animation - Breathtaking; the aerial movements, the battles, the effects were all very good; not over the top, but released in appropriate doses needed to make every scene effective, memorable and entertaining. Watching in 3D adds more texture to the surroundings, puts the right amount of action at the right times, and was so generally well done that I hope this would be the benchmark of the perfect blend of cinematography and action using this technology (okay, this is not up there with Avatar's 3D but Avatar is technically live action, not animation). 3D doesn't have to be in-your-face like the old 3D's of Jaws or the more recent not-so-impressive 3D of Ice Age, or sometimes useless 3D used during the otherwise-touching and memorable movie "Up"
Voice actors - Okay, that the children/teenage protagonists didn't have the requisite Viking (Scottish- or Irish-like) accents was strange, but if you wave off the inconsistency and suspend your disbelief there, I can understand why some reviews said that the choice of voice actors was just right, and not over-the-top overwhelming that they begin to define the humor, and effectively take over the movie (like Robin Williams in Aladdin or Eddie Murphy in Mulan/Shrek). I was half expecting Gerrard Butler to shout his famous line from 300, but he was all right, too. So I enjoyed that, hahaha.
Dragons - maybe I was half expecting the dragons to speak but then again, that would have placed it into a box... a box of the usual Hollywood animation (or even non animation in cases like Dragonheart) crap. So this was good. You could still see it in the actions and expressions of Hiccup's dragon friend, "Toothless." Plus they did a bang up job in portraying many different kinds of dragons. I thought that was quite intelligently conceptualized and implemented perfectly, from the wart-hog looking ones, to the two headed variety, there were plenty of dragons for everyone's enjoyment.
Overall, this is a must-see movie for children and those who, like me, are children at heart. I enjoyed it enough to write a review again, hoping that those who are undecided will be convinced to watch it. Please do watch it, and look for that touching scene near the end between our young Hiccup and Toothless (made my eyes welt up just a little). No regrets in watching this. Even with heightened expectations, HTTYD still blew mine out of the sky. Or should I say dragon-blasted it? :-) Now to try watching it in Imax 3D before Clash of the Titans starts next week.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Great movie, has some cheesy moments but Transformers is still great!
Managing expectations, I never expected Oscar worthy acting performances. I expected kick ass action, amazing special effects, fabulous hand to hand robot combats, and Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen brings all that to the table.
The way I remember the 2 decade old Transformers the Movie animated film/video, how robots were fighting, were well portrayed in this flick. Generally good action from beginning to the end, with somewhat passable plot and timely comic relief provided by the humans and even a puppydog like Bumblebee.
I still left the theater feeling very satisfied in the entertainment that I experienced watching the movie. Can't wait to watch the next sequel in 2011 or 2012.
Angels & Demons (2009)
Nice ride, good to watch, but not as good as the book
I just saw Angels and Demons from its first screening yesterday in Manila, and I must say that it's a decent rendition of the book.
Basically, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is asked by the Vatican (or at least the security people handling most of the Vatican except for the Pope's protection which is care of the Swiss guard) to help understand the symbols and other forms of symbolism to help catch an erstwhile thought long-gone group called the Illuminati.
The Illuminati has apparently kidnapped the 4 Preferiti, the top cardinals who are on top of the Vatican cardinals' list to succeed the recently deceased Pope. And not only are they threatening to kill them off every hour, they also stole a device with a deadly bomb-esquire effect and hid it somewhere in the Vatican.
Now there's a race against time as the hours pass, and thousands of people waiting in St. Peter's Square to wait for the announcement of the new Pope.
I actually found this movie lag behind Da Vinci Code in terms of twists, build up to the climax, and action, which is unlike the book in the sense that I prefer the Angels and Demons book compared to The Da Vinci Code because of its action, suspense and twists and superb plot.
Whether this will make millions, the answer is clearly sure, but whether it will become a classic movie thriller/mystery, I'm not certain. At any rate, it's a good movie to watch and simply enjoy, but I don't see myself buying the DVD as soon as it comes out.
Star Trek (2009)
OMG! I ain't a Trekkie, but as a movie buff, this was an AWESOME re-boot
I headed into this movie with relatively high expectations, because the trailers were awesome...
As the movie started, my wife, friends and I were treated to an awesome intro that reminds me of those cool James Bond intros in terms of impact... and it helps set-up the rest of the movie, and we eventually understand that it sets aside a series of events that makes it different from the original Star Trek crew's experiences as people (or Trekkies, I should say) know it.
After the intro, it was off to Star Trek Redux, as we saw how the principal players, James T. Kirk and Spock, as well as the rest of the original USS Enterprise crew, Uhura, Chekov, Sulu, Bones and even Scotty later on, came together.
Generally, the storyline is quite excellent, the action and special effects were state of the art, and I think the director JJ Abrams paced it well while the actors were generally well cast. With exception for a scene or two with Karl Urban (Bones) when I felt he was overacting to simulate the character of Dr Leonard "Bones" McCoy, all the cast members performed admirably in the shoes of their predecessors who began this quest in 1966. Chris Pine is a perfect impetuous and brave James T. Kirk, while he is opposed and complemented by Zachary Quinto, who is a very good selection as Spock (though he has sinister looks that remind me of his character Sylar on Heroes, like he was going to chop the top of your head off... hahaha). THe other actors also come together pretty well, Zoe Saldana as the long legged Uhura, Karl Urban as a serious and sometimes-not-intending-to-be funny, "Run Fatboy Run's" funny Simon Pegg, "Harold and Kumar's" John Cho, and a very young Chekov played by Anton Yelchin. Coolness.
The storyline, though complex at first glance, as there are time-space continuum (whatever) factors to it, allowed us to accept this re-boot, meaning there was logic to it. Though there are some elements that Trekkies will surely hate (a romantic thing that was not in the original series springs to mind), I hope that they forgive certain liberties taken by the new writers (JJ and his crew from Lost) as it is a worthy part of the Star Trek family.
I don't consider myself a hard core or even part-time Trekkie (though I grew up as a fan of Next Gen), but I believe this story will appeal to Trekkies, and non-Trekkies alike. As long as you love to watch movies and sci fi flicks, this is the story and movie for you. It left me with a good feeling after I finished the movie as it was simply awesome. I empathized with the crew as they experienced difficulties and also expressed feelings of triumph when they achieved success.
I am so looking forward to more Star Trek flicks to come. Lock in JJ Abrams for 5 more sequels, please! He's the best!
Enjoy you guys!
WALL·E (2008)
Extraordinar-E
It took me a while to actually watch Wall-E. People told me it was boring, there wasn't much dialogue, etc., etc.
So when I caught it at the tail end of its showing here in Manila a few months ago, I came in with the lowest of expectations, perhaps expecting at least the quality of animation I'm so used to seeing from Pixar as its only redeeming value.
Turned out, I was wrong. Who would've thought that with little dialogue in the first third of the movie that this would actually turn out to be a richly done animated picture? While it didn't have many laughs like Kung Fu Panda or even Bolt, this picture shows that love and hope can come from anywhere at anytime. Of course, it's balanced, well-paced and it has its share of laughs.
Wall-E the protagonist (he reminds me of that Short Circuit robot from the 80's movies with Steve Guttenburg) is a unique robot. He has feelings, he's sentimental, and he's a collector of old memorabilia and interesting stuff. Plus he still does his business taking out the trash and even using the junk to make replicas of buildings. Cool.
Visually stunning from beginning to end, Wall-E is a masterpiece of animation and directing. In fact, the movie has a rich detail in the portraying of Earth in the distant future as well as providing an imaginative perspective of how Earthlings could have evolved given a certain path taken. That was very interesting as well.
Mostly, the movie portrays a message of hope. It may seem preachy, bringing to mind a similar animated flick in Happy Feet, but it's portrayed in such a way that it's acceptable to hear and you say to yourself, "yeah... that's right." It's got a level that can appeal to adults as well, and it's different than many of the things we see and consider as "entertainment." There are countless awesome (animated) movies that I've seen through the years, but Wall-E is so different that it's got to be included in my personal collection of worth-collecting DVD's. Truly an extraordinar-E movie made by Pixar. You've got to see it!
Bolt (2008)
Good entertainment value
With many good animation flicks in 2008, Bolt has rightfully cemented its place among Disney/Pixar's masterpiece CGI/animation collection over the years which began with Toy Story over a decade ago. While it will not be a classic like Finding Nemo nor as good as one of my favorites, The Incredibles, it is a very enjoyable animation movie.
Bolt has the right touches of heartwarming moments, action sequences, and funny scenes (some of Bolt's thunder were stolen by a hamster inside a ball named Rhino so watch out for them), and the concept was quite different in that the protagonist thinks he is an actual super dog. That was new.
My wife and I saw this, and we have to say that we left the movie theater feeling good and entertained. It will have to be tied with Wall-E for 2nd best animated movie that I've seen in 2008, behind Kung Fu Panda and ahead of Madagascar 2. I went into this not having as high expectations like when I went in to see Madagascar-Escape to Africa... my expectation coming in was just OK; it was comparable to when I went to see Kung Fu Panda (which was far exceeded by Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, and the rest of the Dreamworks' team). So it was a pleasant surprise that there was something different to the plot, and that the funny moments were well placed.
The movie may be less star studded compared to KFP or Madagascar 2; sometimes in the other movies, you can imagine the famous actor while he's delivering the funny line (say, Jack Black as Po or Chris Rock as the Zebra) so it's a little different with Bolt because neither John Travolta nor Miley Cyrus is as well known for their over-the-top comedic voicing, but I think that the casting was quite solid.
The guy voicing Rhino was pretty good, especially considering the producers could have gone with one of those well known "big" comedy guys like James Belushi or Kevin James. But here was a guy voicing a really funny character pretty well, so kudos to the movie's producers for going against the grain and not following the usual Hollywood thing and hire someone well known.
Overall, the movie was well-paced, the story was simple but clear, and there was a good balance of entertainment value.
Something worth watching, guys! Enjoy!
Wanted (2008)
kick a** action worth the watch
Before this movie, I really didn't know this relatively new guy, James McAvoy, a Scottish actor who apparently had been in the first Narnia movie. For the other castmates, sure, who doesn't know Angelina Jolie? And Morgan Freeman's great in this flick as well. But it's this unassuming dude that does so well as the stressed-out account(ing) manager turned cold blooded assassin. The transition was quite believable. From this "geek" of a person with anxiety attacks to an efficient assassin with a special ability that's quite rare. McAvoy, Jolie and Freeman certainly make for a great cast in this action-packed thriller.
If you thought "Jumper" was an interesting concept (like I did) earlier this 2008 (don't get me wrong, "Jumper" was decent, but nothing great or it's a DVD worth collecting), that'll get blown out of the water with "Wanted," a movie about this group or secret society of assassins that have been in existence for hundreds of years. The curving bullets, the action scenes, the twist of the story, the fast pace, wonderfully done directing...
You just gotta WANT to see this movie (and Angelina's rear is a bonus for you gents out there). While it holds no philosophical significance nor hand-to-hand combat like say, The Matrix, Wanted's simply a kick ass action flick that's enjoyable.
Get Smart (2008)
Laugh Riot, with a pinch of wit and a dash of slapstick
I saw Get Smart with my wife and a buddy of mine last Saturday, and let me tell you, we were laughing practically the entire movie. From subtle Carrel to over-the-top Carrel, from Anne Hathaway to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, hell to even their Chief, Alan Arkin, the movie's funny moments were many and well-spaced throughout the show.
I only saw the trailer before this, and thank goodness they didn't throw in everything funny there (the comedy "Tommy Boy" springs to mind as the movie that had all its funniest moments shown in the trailer so the movie pretty much was tame) because the movie had a lot more comedy to offer.
I only saw some of the re-runs of the TV show of Get Smart, but I think that they did a good enough job of giving homage to the TV show while making some updates of the movie, with Steve Carrel giving Maxwell Smart some of his own touches as well.
The movie has some witty (read: Smart) moments that not everyone will get, but it has physical comedy for the avid slapstick fan as well.
The chemistry between Hathaway and Carrel was realistic, despite the age gap. And there are memorable scenes in the movie, ranging from comedy (like the dance scene) and action (the movie's train tracks and car chase scene). My wife especially loved the deadpan delivery of Alan Arkin as the Chief (especially after the car chase).
Overall, it's a worthy movie update of a classic TV show. Fans of the TV show should enjoy this one, and new moviegoers will become new fans as well. Can "Get Smarter" be far behind?
Made of Honor (2008)
Enjoyable to watch (if you're into romantic comedies)
Just got to see Made of Honor last night with my wife as it only made its debut in the Philippines last June 18. Watching Made of Honor was a good opportunity to get away from the seriousness of the last movie we saw, The Incredible Hulk.
You know what, it was actually a decent date movie. The comedy won't blow you away, but what I liked about the film has more to do with the two main protagonists. I've been a fan of Michelle Monaghan since I saw her on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (terrific dark comedy with Robert Downey & Val Kilmer) then in MI:3. Pretty, cute, with a sexy appeal without being overwhelming and seemingly unattainable. And a great leading man (never thought I'd say this about him) with Patrick Dempsey, who has overhauled his career after several quiet years (with supporting roles in Outbreak and Sweet Home Alabama) with Grey's Anatomy; these led to roles in Enchanted and now Made of Honor.
While the plot doesn't have anything REALLY different, other than a guy being a maid of honor of his best friend who happens to be a girl, it is Dempsey and Monaghan that make the movie work. They have chemistry, even as best friends. And you believe that, watching them on screen.
Therefore the "romantic" part of the romantic comedy makes the movie's concept work. Kadeem Hardison (never thought I'd see "Dwayne Wayne" of A Different World again) and the other two buddies of Dempsey are pretty funny and show good support. They had a nice funny scene together while helping Dempsey prepare for his Made of Honor duties (okay, so there was some good comedy after all), and Dempsey in his short Scottish skirt was also pretty funny.
So if you're into romantic comedies, then watch this. If you're expecting this to be a classic like, say, When Harry Met Sally or a Julia Roberts/Sandra Bullock flick, then this might disappoint. Expect to enjoy a decent amount, and be thrilled by Tom and Hannah's (their characters' names) chemistry, and you'll be fine.