Official PEx Movie Reviews

[Kaitten]

Honestly we thought that this movie would be boring as the trailer is not that catchy when we first saw it. But after we watched it last night We Bought a Zoo simply inspired us.

Based on a true story, Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a struggling father after his wife died. He quit his job and searched a new place for his family so they can have a fresh new start. Finally he found an old house with a zoo filled with endangered and sick animals in it. With his 7 year old kid Rosie enthusiastic in the idea that they bought a zoo, Benjamin tries to revive it with the help of dedicated people even his teenage boy Dylan isn't happy about it.



We bought a zoo is feel good, family oriented and pleasing film for all age. The scenes were marvelous as it never gave a dull moment all throughout. Director Cameron Crowe did a nice job on mixing some heartfelt emotions between a father and son relationship. Also in putting down the aging tiger that was a gloomy moment. More than that we bought a zoo gave a lot of admirable morals specially for families and dedication on what you already started even a lot of hindrances along the way.

For the cast Matt Damon did a brilliant job in portraying his role even though Ben Stiller was the first choice for the role of Benjamin Mee. The scene stealer was Maggie Elizabeth Jones as if she was already a teenager with her lines. She's just simply likable because she is very cute. While Thomas Haden Church provided some comedy. We also loved Elle Fanning as we did not recognize her right away that she was the talented young teen in Super 8.



Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox Philippines
Opens on January 18,2012



Discuss the movie at We Bought a Zoo thread

[Kaitten]

Intrigued with a lot of positive feedback we decided to watch A Mother's Story yesterday. The theater was jam packed so we eventually ended up at the front row.

Medy (Pokwang) is a mother of two, stressed in her everyday life and with her gambler husband (Nonie Buencamino). One day her boss wanted her to come with her to US for a one week job. There she met her high school friend (Beth Tamayo) which encourage her to stay. With her ailing child who badly needs treatment she decided to stay illegally to earn money. After seven long years she finally went home finding out that the family she left could not recognize her anymore.



The story was really heartwarming as a mother would do anything for her family even risking her own life just to earn money. She made a lot of sacrifices and hardships only to found out that his husband have a new family and her son hates her. With this tragic sorrow moments it really hits the emotions of the audience but whenever you feel that moment, they would actually mix it with a little humor that would control the burst of your feelings.

The story itself has a lot of empathy to it's characters. With Pokwang really gave her all, we are really impressed with her acting as a comedian doing dramatic scenes. With the story can be based in real life we admire all the OFW's who endure all the sacrifices for their families. This kind of movies are the quality films we should watch and we can be proud of.



Overall we really recommend this movie to everyone specially to the people who have their love ones out of our country. We should spend some time with them at least sending an email or a text message hoping that they are alright. We should respect them for what they are doing and at least repay them with importance and love.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Directed By: John-D Lazatin
Distributed by: Star Cinema
Now on it's 2nd Week



Discuss the movie at A Mother's Story thread

[Kaitten]

Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) is a former smuggler in the shipyards of New Orleans. He abandoned this kind of life to settle down with his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and their two kids. But after his brother-in-law (Caleb Landry Jones) blew up a drug deal, Chris is forced back in what he does best by running contraband. Together with his best friend (Ben Foster) they assemble a crew to head in Panama and return with millions in counterfeit bills so he can settle the debt. But he must do this quickly before his wife and kids become a target.



Contraband simply is a good action thriller with a very interesting plot. With hard hitting scenes and excellent set of characters the film was really entertaining from start to finish. The pace was really brisk and there are many moments that would really hold you on to your seat and control yourself not to have a bathroom break. It held the intensity all throughout and gave some few fun twist in the end. We really enjoyed the scene in Panama where Chris was forced to be a part of a heist and escaped with all the counterfeits with limited amount of time to get back inside the ship without getting caught. Contraband really hyped up every scene and succeeded to amuse us.



Mark Wahlberg is one of our favorite male leads because he is a very versatile actor and appealing in front of the camera. While Kate Beckinsale was barely felt in the movie her role was important because Wahlberg wont have a reason to this job. But still she is still one of the most alluring actress in Hollywood. It's funny that Giovanni Ribisi looked like CM Punk (WWE Wrestler) as the bad *** gangster. Above all the cast was appealing and impressive.



Overall Contraband is a good action movie to start the year. If you loved Mark Wahlberg's Italian Job we're sure you'll love this one. It's a really enjoyable thrilling heist.

Rating:8 out of 10 stars

Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Distributed by: United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation
Opens on January 25, 2012



Discuss the movie at Contraband Thread

[Kaitten]

When General Caius Martius "Coriolanus" (Ralph Fiennes) returned to Rome as a hero by leading his troops against Volscian forces lead by Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler). He was then awarded to become the prime candidate for consul but he despises the people in Rome. Soon he was manipulated by other politicians and banished from Rome. The exiled hero looked for his arch nemesis,Aufidius and offers his life and services. Together they march to Rome and planned to burn it down.



Coriolanus is one of Shakesphere's plays though Ralph Fiennes makes his own adaption in a modern way. Even we do not like a movie with a lot of talks the actors was really marvelous in portraying their role especially with Fiennes delivering those hard hitting lines with his democratic emotions.Coriolanus has a great story to back it up and a nice mix of fights scenes from the start. The movie was mixed with a lot of ingredients to be a brilliant adaptation of the play though maybe a lot of viewers will feel bored.



Overall Coriolanus is a masterpiece Oscar material movie maybe for much adult audiences. It's strong cast brought a lot of complexity all throughout and gave a nice scenery of the tragic moment in the end. No wonder the critics gave it a 92% grade at rotten tomatoes.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

Directed by: Ralph Fiennes
Distributed by: Pioneer Films
Now Showing at selected Cinemas



Discuss the movie at Coriolanus Thread

[Kaitten]

Good friends, Sean and Ben (Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella) traveled all the way to Moscow for a software design project in a big time company. They were outplayed by Skyler (Joel Kinnaman) their British competitor that stole their design. Disappointed, they end up meeting two female tourist in a nightclub (Olivia Thirlby and Rachael Taylor) and then out of nowhere a parade of lights start to hit everyone and turns them into dust. 8,000 miles from home with language barrier and invisible alien invaders all over the place all they need is to survive the onslaught.



Another thriller alien invasion movie, nothing to be excited about as most of the good parts were already spilled out in the trailer. It was a fast paced movie with some exciting bits and marvelous special effects. The concept was too weak as it was already seen many times before. The story was pale as they already knew that the aliens wipe out most of the population in Moscow they made this brilliant plan by going to the US Embassy to ask some help. (This may contain spoilers) Another goofy thing about this was they already saw the submarine that would rescue them when a huge explosion occurred and sunk their boat all they have to do is swim and get in the sub. When one of them decided to walk half a mile and hide inside an abandoned bus. Some of the parts were really dumb while some are unexpected and good.



Overall The Darkest Hour provided some soft spark and a little entertainment. Don't expect too much as you may get disappointed.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

Directed by: Chris Gorak
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers Pictures Philippines
Opens on January 25, 2012 in digital 3D



Discuss the movie at The Darkest Hour thread

[Kaitten]

MMA Superstar Gina Carano stars in this action-thriller movie as Mallory Kane. She is a highly trained covert ops specialist that works for a government security contractor that does the most dangerous missions across the globe. After a successful rescue to a Chinese journalist hostage in Barcelona she was sent again for another mission to Dublin where she was double crossed by someone in their agency. They want her to be dead while Mallory needs to rely on her skills to survive, find the truth and eliminate those who betrayed her.



Gina Carano is indeed one hot lady with her awesome moves in the fight scenes, she really made my day watching this film. Haywire is not your average action movie that has too many explosions or car chases that would destroy tons of properties just to make the film exciting. They done it with style with very realistic choreography. It was made brilliantly in different ways with fresh camera angles and star studded cast, Haywire was pretty good. The story was a little bit predictable yet they still provided some few good twist and turns in the end. Yet some people may get bored as they may compare this with other revenge themed movies, Haywire stands alone with the depth and originality that director Steven Soderbergh did.



Overall if you like to watch a fresh action thriller themed movie you better watch this but if you want to stick with the impossible stunts that can only be seen in films skip it, as we don't think you'll appreciate this.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Distributed By: Pioneer Films
Opens Today at your favorite Cinemas



Discuss the movie at Haywire thread

[Lola_Rose]

When Clint Eastwood directs a biopic, brace yourself for a lengthy ‘talkies’ experience. Unless you are fascinated with the early beginnings of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), particularly with J. Edgar Hoover, who headed the bureau for 50 years, then skip the movie.

The name J. Edgar Hoover, even if you don’t care about American history and politics, rings a bell to Hollywood crime-drama fans. The former FBI director was even regularly mentioned in the cult hit series The X-Files, which starred FBI agents Mulder and Scully, and where Hoover’s framed photo on the walls of the bureau was often showed to us.

J.Edgar, filtered by sad monotonous shades of blue and gray, with unemotional musical score, will challenge your attention. Hoover is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance is highly disappointing in this movie. The actors feel like they were left alone in their craft, and Di Caprio was unable to transform into Hoover, his speech and accent unnatural and unpleasant to the ears.

J. Edgar Hoover was a highly guarded individual, and so the movie depicts what little information is known about his private life. Who was this genius who created the bureau’s impressive and innovative methods? Who was this once most powerful man in America who went through three wars and eight presidents as head of the FBI? In the movie, we get an interesting insight to the origins of some of the bureau’s impressive and current structure, Hoover’s personality and character, and we are also provided with only three major characters surrounding him: his domineering mother (Judi Dench), his loyal secretary Helen Gandy (Naomi Watts), and, most especially, his very close colleague Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer), which confirms the FBI director’s sexuality.

J.Edgar is the type of film that can be more appreciated when watched in a movie house—most preferably in a crowded movie house because the audience response can boost its entertainment factor. There’s something about the audience’s collective response that will help you get more in touch with the film’s message and, of course, sustain your attention until the end credits.

The heart of the film is Hoover’s relationship with Tolson, which will surely spike your interest level. Armie Hammer has the most notable performance in this movie (even Naomi Watts gave a sad performance) and with much relief, has good chemistry with the disappointing DiCaprio.

Again, unless you’re interested in Hoover and the FBI, J.Edgar might bore the daylights out of you.


6.5 out of 10 stars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6lveTYlHic

Now showing in Philippine cinemas




Discuss the movie in the J.Edgar thread.

[Lola_Rose]

If you are in the mood for cheap thrills, or perhaps thinking of bringing your date to a juvenile alien adventure where not much concentration is required, then The Darkest Hour is your best pick.

No, there’s nothing wrong with popcorn movies manufactured for light Friday night entertainment at the cinemas. Add the 3D effects, these sorts of films can de-stress a moviegoer-- and if lingeringly good, can even be a good conversation starter. But the problem with The Darkest Hour, it is shallower than the acceptable level of shallowness of popcorn movies.

Sean (Emile Hirsche) and Brad (Max Minghella) are hanging out one night in a stuffy bar in the heart of Moscow, meeting new people, when there is a sudden blackout, and then strange but beautiful lights started appearing in the Russian sky. Soon after, these lights started wiping out humanity-- and Sean, Brad, the two girls they had just met in the bar, and a Russian guy are the only survivors.

Thus, we follow the five young people venture into the midst of the Russian ruins in the wake of a global alien attack, trying to outsmart the killer alien lights that roam invisibly and turning every living creature into dust.

The Darkest Hour has good potential to be an ultimate alien thriller, but, sadly, it is unable to boost your adrenaline level. Yes, it can sustain your attention towards the end because it’s not boring; it’s actually fast-paced-- but mediocre.

Written by Timur Berkmambetov (Wanted, Night Watch) and directed by one obscure Chris Gorak, The Darkest Hour is a bad popcorn movie; extremely shallow, lazy, with embarrassingly cheesy dialogue, poor humor-- and, worse, it sometimes defies logic and reason for the sake of conflict. The only substantial factor of this movie is the location--- Moscow is refreshing to the eyes, mystical and foreboding, a refreshing break from the streets of New York or L.A.

The Darkest Hour is one that is similar to a low-budget TV movie disguised as a real film (or just like my movie companion commented, a "video-on-board-a-bus" kind of movie to keep you entertained in long trips) and seemed to have been only created to rip you off with its 3D effects.

3.5 out of 10 stars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc-AGw1ecDk&feature=fvst

Now showing in Philippine cinemas



Discuss the movie in the The Darkest Hour thread.

[forg]

My Cactus Heart is an interesting movie because while the premise is familiar there are new stuff in it worth checking out. Star Cinema is labeling it as a “mainstream-indie hybrid” as it is produced by their new indie outfit Skylight Films (ala Fox Searchlight of 20th Century Fox) which I interpret as a commercial story produced under an indie budget. It's an experimental movie of some sort but while I could see the effort to take the Pinoy romcom genre to a different direction, they weren't brave enough to pursue it as they still settled for what is expected.

Sandy (Maja Salvador) swears off love after her dad left their family when she was young. But Sandy's stance is challenged when she meets Karlo (Matteo Guidicelli) who is willing to do everything just to win her heart.

The movie opens with an animated sequence which is quite lovely and while the technical side of it is not as polished as RPG: Metanoia was, it was still captivating and quite artistic too boot. Seeing that sequence made me think that this movie could be unique. And true enough, the narrative style of the movie used various techniques and tricks in introducing the characters and the story. It's an interesting take as we actually don't know what to expect. Or so it seems. Sadly, the non-linear approach of storytelling was just halfhearted as the movie practically abandoned it in the second half in favor of the Pinoy romcom template. It was really disappointing because they could really do more if they didn't held back.

The script did a good job in developing the love story of Sandy and Karlo. While there's a cheesy soulmate angle squeezed in, the movie was still able to make you feel the natural progress of two people falling for each other. However, the script tends to over explain the characters' feelings especially Sandy's apprehension with love but the direction was competent enough to not let everything be spoonfed to the audience and just let the small moments speak for themselves.

Competent direction is supported by good performances from the cast. Maja Salvador might not be the biggest or most hyped star of her generation but this young actress' screen presence is strong. She delivers her lines with ease and makes you understand her character even more. Matteo Guidicelli is quite a surprise as he did a solid job and the only thing that held him back was his accent which is distracting at times. Xian Lim's role is not as important as the marketing of this movie would suggest otherwise but he did okay and has the charisma of a leading man (the girls in the theater where we watched this squealed when he first appeared on screen).

My Cactus Heart attempted to be a step above of your typical local romcom but in the end it falls short. Overall, it's still a good movie but it just didn't live up to the potential and it's quite a shame. 7 / 10



Discuss the movie at the My Cactus Heart thread

[Kaitten]

Another exciting journey begins when Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island. He believes that his lost grandfather (Michael Cane) is there who's been missing for two years. Together with his stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson) they traveled all the way to Palau to search for the island. With the help of a Helicopter Pilot (Luis Guzman) and her charming daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island with strange life forms and has a lot of astonishing secrets. Now they need to find a way on how to escape from the island before it sinks into the ocean.



Follows the movie Journey to the center of the Earth (2008) another fast paced exciting adventures set to electrify your cinematic experience in Journey 2 The Mysterious Island. With outstanding visuals in 3D, the film will amaze you from the very beginning until the end. With Dwayne Johnson filling the gap left by Brendan Fraser the movie was much fun to watch specially the banter between him and Michael Cane. With the addition of the lovely Vanessa Hudgens and the comedic factor of Luis Guzman the movie never had a dull moment. You'll surely love it just make sure to bring some kids as they would appreciate every scene.



Though the story is a little bit predictable, it gave us good thrills that really glued us on to our seats. It also has good message for the whole family and a good animation made in the whole island. Journey 2: the mysterious island is a great film and we recommend it to peeps who wants to watch a great adventure movie this weekend.



Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Casts: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzman and Michael Cane

Directed by: Brad Peyton
Distributed by: Warner Brothers Pictures Philippines
Opens 3D and 2D on February 02, 2012
Also Available in IMAX



Discuss the movie at Journey 2: The Mysterious Island thread

Watch the trailer of Jouney 2: The Mysterious Island at the PEx Movie Trailer page.

[forg]

Synopsis:

Sean (Josh Hutcherson) receives a mysterious broadcast and with the help of his stepfather Hank (Dwayne Johnson) they decoded the message which reveals the location of the so-called “The Mysterious Island”. Sean suspects that the message came from his explorer grandfather Alexander (Michael Caine) who he thinks is in the island. Sean and Hank then went to Palau to look for the island and with the help of their tour guide Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens) they travel to find the island. The group faces a storm that ultimately led them to the mysterious island and there they find Alexander. However, the island is slowly sinking and the group needs to find a way to escape the island before it's too late.

Review:

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a sequel to the 2008 movie Journey to the Center of the Universe but only one character, Sean, from the original movie returns. Essentially, it's a standalone movie but still exhibits the same vibe of the first one. It's fun enough to say the least but nothing really sticks out to make it a memorable movie experience.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island basically follows the family adventure template. We have the adventurous but stubborn central character, the realistic parental figure, the quirky wise man, the comic relief and the hot girl love interest. They go on an adventure with half of the characters reluctant but goes along anyway. They face different troubles along the way but convenient plot devices will help them escape the ordeal. The group will be separated while each character will have their moment of realization. And the final act will have them in the brink of danger but [spoiler alert?] survives and lives happily ever after until the last scene teases a possible sequel.

With a storyline that you could easily tell how it ends from the beginning, the movie should have something that gives it an edge and that's where the production design and visual effects comes in. The design of the ecology in the island is interesting because a world where insects are larger than life is simply fascinating. However, the movie didn't maximize the world they are in and could have explored the place more and give us more exciting scenes. I feel like the sense of adventure was not fully accomplished here. The visual effects are solid except in a chase scene that involves bees wherein the use of green screen is so noticeable. The 3D incorporation is okay but nothing amazing although watching it in IMAX heightens the spectacle.

The acting is good and the cast gel together. Caine will always add “oomph” even to a stock character and Johnston is charismatic enough that he can pull off scenes like jiggling your pectoral muscles without looking pathetic. Hutcherson and Hudgens have the chemistry for their cutesy romantic subplot and Guzman is a scene stealer managing to make the audience laugh every single time he opens his mouth.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a fun family flick but there's nothing more to it beyond that. There's nothing wrong with following a formula especially if it's expertly executed but with a predictable premise coupled with flawed special effects it makes the movie a little stale.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Genre:

Family Adventure

Main Cast:

Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens,

Luis Guzman and Michael Cane

Director:

Mike Mitchel

Released by:

Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines

Opens in cinemas on February 2, 2012 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D



Discuss the movie at the Journey 2: The Mysterious Island thread

Watch Journey 2: The Mysterious Island trailer at the PEx Movie Trailers page.

[Kaitten]

The battle between Vampires and Lycans continues in the newest installment of the Underworld franchise. It is the first film in the franchise shot in 3D. Kate Beckinsale basically skipped the 2009 prequel Underworld : Rise of the Lycans and only appeared in a re-used scene and a voice over. After a disappointing prequel from the last Underworld movie Kate Beckinsale's return will surely give you a reason to watch it.



Selene awakens in a long coma and held captive for 12 years to find that humanity is no longer ignorant of Vampires and Lycans. She searched for Michael only to discover that she has a daughter (India Eisley) who is a lycan/vampire hybrid and is being used as a pawn in the war humanity has raged on the supernatural. In order to protect her daughter and to save her kind, Selene teams up with a police detective (Michael Ealy) and Vampire (Theo James) in a battle for survival.

No doubt that this is the best film in this franchise, Underworld Awakening is a fast paced nonstop action movie right from the very start until the end of the credits. A lot of critics decided to gave a poor rating for this film in which they find the story was too simple and dull. But for us the movie rocks, The story was good they made something new out of it, unlike the past films that it feels like only Vampires and Lycans exist. They also made the fight scenes remarkably amazing, making Selene much stronger and made her fight with stronger and bigger Lycans.



And yes Kate Beckinsale is the hottest vampire chick slaughtering machine. With her dazzling moves and incredible fight scenes the film amaze us a lot of times. They also made the action scenes better than the previous ones. We are also impressed with India Eisely's acting it and great job by their very talented supporting cast. Overall this movie stands up on its own and worth seeing twice in the big screen and we highly recommend this film.



Casts: Kate Beckinsale,Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, India Eisely, Theo James and Kris Holden-Reid

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Directed By: Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein
Distributed By: Columbia Pictures Philippines
Now Showing at your favorite cinemas
Also available in 3D and IMAX



Discuss the movie at Underworld Awakening thread

[Lola_Rose]

Another docu-style popularized by the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity, comes Chronicle, a disturbing movie about the misuse of powers.

High school students Matt (Alex Russell), Steve (Michael B. Jordan), and Andrew (Dane DeHaan), after a strange underground encounter, find themselves with telekinetic powers that they harmlessly use to entertain themselves, with Andrew chronicling everything with his camera.

What comes across as a seemingly paranormal movie no different from an X-files episode, Chronicle surprisingly takes a darker and more serious turn; we suddenly find ourselves watching a bullied and abused high school boy Andrew, who is the male counterpart of Carrie. And with trepidation, we know that abuse plus telekinetic powers is equals to terrorist-in-the-making.

Because of the ominous, sinister undertone of the movie, magnified by its realistic camcorder treatment, the movie evokes unpleasant feelings the whole time. The guys' adventures from acquiring uncanny powers don't really provide a sense of thrill, because you somehow anticipate that something evil is escalating.



DeHaan was perfectly cast as Andrew, with his disturbed and menacing eyes-- an apt illustration of a high school outcast with an abusive home environment, his looks reminiscent of American high school shooters, with dangerously low self-esteem. He induces both sympathy and fear, efficiently frightening in his emotional suppression.

Directed by Josh Tank, Chronicle is your modern-day Carrie. Not exactly a teenage suspense flick, but a horror film that portrays the psychological and emotional make-up, as well as the moral compass, of an abused youth. It’s a commendable film in the sense that it effectively builds the Andrew character, the horror of what he can do with his powers escalating until the movie’s climax.

Effectively disturbing and depressing.

7.5 out of 10 stars


Opens February 2, 2012 in Philippine cinemas.



Discuss the movie in the Chronicle thread.

[Kaitten]

What would you do if you are convicted in a crime that you did not do? Sam Worthington stars in this unforgettable thriller heist to prove his innocence in such a clever way. Man on a Ledge provided a good grip all throughout the film that made a boring movie poster into an extremely great film.




Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) was convicted into a crime he did not commit. They accused him by stealing a forty million diamond. Determined to clean his name he escaped from prison and climbed out onto a ledge of the 21th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel. Threatening to jump, he requested for Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks) a police negotiator. He pleads with his innocence and sticks that he would jump if she'll not help him. With Nick making a scene, his brother (Jaime Bell) and his girlfriend (Genesis Rodriguez) are stealing the real diamond for the first time in the building of the man who set him up.



Honestly we watched this film not expecting too much. We felt that the film was boring but we are wrong. The story was cleverly made with the story revolving with one man trying to prove his innocence to the public. The supporting cast was really good specially the heist team combination of Bell and Genesis. The film was entertaining, fast paced and really made a high tension decent thriller that is really memorable. There are some twist and turns that would really hold you into the edge of your seats. With some awesome scenes Man on a Ledge gave a full package and really made our day.



Overall we highly recommend this film to people who want to watch a real decent thriller movie that will provide you pure entertainment.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Casts: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie and Genesis Rodriguez

Directed by: Asger Leth
Distributed by: Pioneer Films / Movie Punch
Now Showing at your favorite cinemas



Discuss the movie at Man on A Ledge Thread

[Kaitten]

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was on our list to watch this weekend. With Oscar nods including the Best Actress nomination of Rooney Mara we did not hesitate to watch this film. Approved without cuts, the movie is only shown at selected cinemas with a R-18 grade.



Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) was contacted by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plimmer) to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his niece few decades back. Mikael took the job and started to investigate the family. Hard, but with his dedication he traced a series of brutal killings of women that have been raped. With the help of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an emotionally disturbed computer hacker. They dig into the secrets of the family that leads them both in danger.

The movie was too long with a run time of 158 minutes, the first part was dull. But as the movie goes on and the characters teamed up it started to blossom up and brought a lot of interesting situations. With some sexuality and some violence in the film it compels some disturbing scenes. It just went off into a slow start and made a move towards the end. The Girl with the dragon tattoo has a lot of dialogues which contemplates the story. A well deserved nod for Rooney Mara as she made a pretty nice job in her acting. The score was brilliant that provided a lot of anxiety in some of the scenes that really made us gasp some air while riding that tension.



Overall it's a good film but with a long story some people might get bored. It is a nice adaptation and has a great talented cast. An excellent movie with some good thrills, David Fincher's adaptation was a huge success.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars


Casts: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Steven Berkoff and Robin Wright.

Directed By: David Fincher
Distributed By: Columbia Pictures Philippines
Now Showing at selected cinemas



Discuss the Movie at The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo thread

[Lola_Rose]

The all-American Gil (Owen Wilson), with his California-surfer looks, is enamored with romantic Paris--especially Paris in the rain--just as his fiancé Inez (Rachel McAdams) is enamored with the pseudo-intellectual Paul. The engaged couple tags along to the French capital with Inez’s parents for a business trip. And while the highly romantic Gil professes excitement and desire to move to Paris after their wedding, daydreaming about Paris in the ‘20s, reliving the time of great writers and artists, the annoyed Inez is frustrated with his penchant for the past and his romanticism.



Written and directed by Woody Allen, and nominated for this year’s Oscar Best Picture, Midnight in Paris is a delightful fantasy-romantic-comedy that will transport you right into the heart of Paris for an unexpected adventure. Because whenever the clock strikes midnight in Paris, magic happens to Gil that even you, the viewer, wouldn’t want to see ending. And I’m not gonna spoil what Gil finds every midnight in one Parisian corner. It’s like Cinderella’s magic night with the prince happening not just one night, but every night.

With worthy performances of the delightful cast, including Kathy Bates and Adrian Brody, Midnight in Paris is a delicious fantasy right from the beginning until the end. Like fine wine, you’ll be savoring it down to the last satisfying drop. It’s an escape, a different kind of adventure.

Midnight in Paris is probably the best Woody Allen film ever: inspired, playful, daring, and imaginative, and probably one of the best films of the decade. A charming fantasy that elicits riotous laughter, the dialogue engaging and stimulating, the characters rich, and the story magical.

For artists and fans of literary and creative geniuses, the movie will be a fantasy fulfilled. Do not dare read any more details of the movie or regret coming across spoilers. Watch the movie now, be swept away, be surprised, fall in love, and experience Midnight in Paris.

9 out of 10 stars



Discuss the movie in the Midnight in Paris thread.

[Lola_Rose]

So far it's the best action flick that came out in the cinema since the start of the year.

The dynamic Denzel Washington resurrected in Hollywood in the spy thriller Safe House. This movie is his rebirth; elevated him once again as the compelling anti-hero, a force to be reckoned with.

Partnered with the fresh-faced Ryan Reynolds in this almost obscure, off-the-radar espionage thriller, Washington plays Tobin Frost, a legendary CIA renegade, who after trading national secrets with enemies for nine years, surprisingly turns himself in at the U.S. Consulate, and is immediately transported to the CIA Safe House. Young housekeeper, low-level agent Matt Weston (Reynolds), after a year of being bored on duty, suddenly finds himself with the dangerous Tobin Frost, right under his watch. Will he allow Frost to get inside his head?

Set in the pulsating streets and colorful slums of Cape Town, South Africa, Safe House is an intelligent and delicious spy thriller that provides a lot of startles and sophisticated action sequences. With superb editing, extreme close-up and camera-shaky shots, as well as gorgeous saturated colors, it gives off a nitty-gritty realistic feel to the movie, magnifying each brute force, every explosive punch, and ear-shattering gun shot, and you sense all the blood, the sweat, and the tears. Denzel Washington is brilliant once again, his comeback a huge relief; and Reynolds is fairly persuasive, credible in his wide-eyed fear, innocence, and youthful determination. They complement each other in the movie, their relationship a tad reminiscent of Training Day.

Directed by a Swedish Hollywood newcomer who takes us by surprise, Daniel Espinosa gives us a spy thriller just the way we want it: humorless (except for Vera Farmiga's laughable hairdo and clownish make-up), serious, and intense, like in real-life. It contains no fairy-tale frills-- just pure and point-blank aggressiveness and cold-blooded, no-holds-barred spy mission. What makes this film even more deliciously compelling is that the protagonists are not ridiculously invincible; they get seriously hurt; each fall, shot, and hit result in realistic injuries. The violence is raw and aggressive but it is essential to the heart-stopping fight scenes-- sensible and not done out of sick pleasure.

Do not expect elaborate and complex plot twists because this is not a mystery-spy movie meant to challenge your guessing-game skills, but it's pure action film meant to jump-start your senses and jack up your adrenaline as you follow a rogue CIA agent and an ambitious novice in a maddening and electrifying cat-and-mouse chase in the vibrant streets of South Africa.

The film is a vivid and raw beauty; amazing shots, and a thrilling musical score that heightens suspenseful and emotionally charged scenes. And along with notable acting performances by the entire cast, Safe House has all the right ingredients that spy-thriller movie enthusiasts crave for.






9.5 out of 10 stars


Opens February 10, 2012, at your favorite cinema.





Discuss the movie in the Safe House thread.

[Kaitten]

Academy Award-nominated Liam Neeson (Taken) stars in this thriller movie that actually deals with surviving in a cold weather with a pack of wolves. Though it's not an action movie, It's still a Liam Neeson film that made us decide to watch it.

In Alaska a plane carrying a group of oil drillers crashes into the thick ice in the middle of nowhere. Ottway (Liam Neeson) together with seven survivors must need to find a way on how to survive the temperature, lack of food and how to deal with a pack of wolves. One by one they are being attacked by the wolves as they travel the subzero Artic looking for a way home.



A slow paced long film brings a battle for survival concept effectively. With Liam Neeson taking charge it was quite interesting watching the characters survive in a scenario that can happen in real life. Where you can only trust your skills and instincts by finding a way to outlast the onslaught of the wolves.

The Grey is another movie in which a group of imperiled people die one at a time en route to finding safety but administer a slow paced story avoiding stupid deaths of the characters along the way. They made it cleverly and gave high adrenaline scenes that pops out effectively.



Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Casts: Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney and Joe Anderson

Directed By: Joe Carnahan
Distributed By: Viva International Pictures/ Viva Films
Now on it's 2nd Week



Discuss the movie at The Grey thread

[Kaitten]

Falling in love is one of the best thing that can happen in life. It makes you happy, sometimes it makes us cry but you can learn a lot of things that can complete your personality. But what if your love one lost her memory and thinks that your a total stranger after the vows and promises you made with each other.



Leo (Channing Tatum) is deeply in love with his wife Paige (Rachael McAdams) but due to unfortunate accident Paige had a severe head trauma which leads her into memory loss. Paige only remembers the life she has four years back where she do not remember Leo at all. Leo believes that if she heads back into their house he could bring back her memory but in her head, she still in law school and engaged with Jeremy (Scott Speedman). Now Leo must find a way to win her heart back and compete in a completely new life.



A lot of critics slapped The Vow a failing grade maybe due to over used concept of memory loss in a romantic genre but for us it really exceeded our expectation making it a good romantic tale about true love. With the chemistry between the leads it really gave a lot emotions that really touched our hearts. They really had a good combination specially McAdams as the veteran of this type of films gave some powerful tearjerker scenes. Though Tatum lacks a little in his delivery of his emotions he still provided a huge spark with the use of his charismatic style and charms.

Another plus for this film is this is inspired by true events. Most of this movies are ideal to watch as some can really adapt in the story making it memorable and could touch our hearts. Overall we recommend this movie to all the guys and girls who have their dates this valentines day. Don't watch this alone as it would dramatically pour some tears that would need a shoulder you can lean on after.



Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Casts: Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams, Jessica Lange, Sam Neill and Scott Speedman

Directed By: Michael Sucsy
Distributed By: Columbia Pictures Philippines
Now Showing on your favorite cinemas



Discuss the movie at The Vow (2012)thread

[Lola_Rose]

Alexander Payne’s poignant drama-comedy, the unforgettable masterpiece Sideways (2004), is enough to give credence to The Descendants even if you haven’t seen it yet; another drama-comedy directed and co-written by Payne and starring George Clooney.

Based on the novel of the same title by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants, nominated Best Picture in this year’s Oscars, is about Matthew King (Clooney), a father who is trying to cope with a double trauma: the sudden comatose of his wife, and then finding out that she was cheating on him. On top of the struggle of losing a brain-dead wife and unable to confront her, he also has to deal with his two difficult daughters who are alien to him, not made easy by a friend of his eldest daughter, a tactless (and hilarious) teenage boy who tags along in the family’s life-changing and painful journey.

The movie is set in Hawaii, where King is the trustee of a huge part of the island as a direct descendant of the original Hawaiian owners. The story is engaging right from the beginning, rich and fast-paced, and eliciting thigh-slapping laughter. However, Clooney, who was Oscar-nominated in this movie, was overrated. Yes, his role here is different from his usual roles. In this film, he is a mild mannered aging father who is clueless and perplexed with his foul-mouth daughters and weighed down by the sudden turn of events in his life. But Clooney’s performance was exactly that: a “performance.” In movies, we hate to see “acting.” We want to forget that these people are merely pretending; rather, we want to be fooled into thinking that we are actually watching real people with real stories. Clooney failed to transform in my eyes, and there were split-second moments when he seemed to be grasping for his lines and reactions. His performance in Up in the Air (2009) was even significantly better. Also, some of the performers are shockingly amateurs, like the few Hawaiian extras-- which decrease the movie’s credibility and quality, no matter how potent the storytelling is or how amazing the others’ performances are. Unexpectedly, the highly impressive performances came not from Clooney, but from the daughters and the teenage boy, but most particularly the youngest daughter (Amara Miller).

Despite the poor performances of some of the actors in the movie, The Descendants, more notable for its sharp humor rather than the drama, is still absorbing in its entirety… a unique and engaging screenplay that is still a must-see in the line-up of Oscar nominees for Best Picture.






7.5 out of 10 stars


The Descendants hits theaters this February 15, 2012.





Discuss the movie in The Descendants thread.