Official PEx Movie Reviews

[forg]

Brave is Pixar’s first movie with a female lead and it’s about a princess. The princess fairytale genre is more associated with their parent company Disney, so it was interesting to find out how the acclaimed studio will handle this timeless genre. Brave delivers a straightforward story, it’s really simple at its core but they still somehow manage to make it stand out.

Princess Merida (Kelly McDonald) is the daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connoly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) of DunBroch, Scotland. Merida is a free-spirited girl who does not want to follow the rules her mother set so she would become ladylike as a future queen should be. A tournament was organized for the eldest sons of the three other ruling clans in the land to compete for Merida’s hand but she sabotages the event which led to an argument with her mother. Merida runs away and meets a witch (Julie Walters) who can make her wish come true: a spell to change her mother. But it was a change that she never expected and must now find a way to fix it before the spell becomes permanent.

Brave, unlike most Pixar films, is direct to the point; it has no underlying deeper themes or messages. It’s basically a story about a mother and a daughter. While the plot is not ambitious nor reinventing the wheelhouse, it’s still good as the message is heartfelt and sincere. The depiction of the mother-daughter relationship in Brave is poignant as it mirrors real life. It’s not telling anything new about parent-child conflicts but its message of open communication is strong and the way it was able to find a common ground between Merida and Elinor is well-played as they both learned something from one another.

It’s also refreshing to watch a fairy tale with no outright villain. Yes, there’s a witch but she’s not really evil and she’s basically just a plot device (and comic relief). There is also no prince charming or knight in shining armor to rescue the princess. After all, the princess is not a sweet, good girl that needs to be saved as Merida is a tough lass but her immaturity and impulsiveness led to the movie’s main conflict. While Merida’s comeuppance felt a little rushed, somehow in the end it all works out and you end up rooting for her to break the spell and get her family back.

The technical aspect of the movie is a marvel. From Merida’s vivid hair to the stunning landscapes to the detailed interiors, the animation in this movie showcases the level of visual craftsmanship Pixar is capable of. The musical score, which is based on traditional Scottish sounds and instrumentations, complements the lush scenery of the film and fully captures the medieval setting of the story. The voice performance is first-rate especially Kelly MacDonald who gave Merida a strong impression.

Brave may not be groundbreaking and mostly follows familiar plots of classic fairy tales, but it tells an immense story about mending family ties which will resonate to a lot of people. It undeniably offers a conventional story but it is well-executed that has a sense of humor and a big heart. Coupled with one of the most beautiful animations to date, Brave is what a family movie should be.

Rating: 9 /10
Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connoly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters
Directed by: Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Philippines via Columbia Pictures Philippines

Now showing in 2D and 3D formats in theaters nationwide




Discuss the movie at the Brave thread

[PEx_Movies]

A Life in a Day

"There are two things that never shine as bright as when they are seen through the eyes of a child -- hope, and faith. A child still has that unbroken spirit that things, no matter how bad, will always turn out for the best. A child does not yet have the hang ups and fears a grown up does, that is why he can hold on to hope and have faith that tomorrow will be a better day, no matter how dire today may be.

In this short film by Jolly Feliciano, we see just that. Hope comes alive in the musings of a boy, who, despite being in a hospital, can dream up of bigger and better things for himself and refuse to let worry or doubt plague his mind. No words were necessary, and perhaps, that was the best way to show it, because different people define hope in many different ways, but somehow, this short film encapsulated the very essence of it."




Discuss the movie at the Sun Shorts: 5 Digital Films thread.

Showing online on Aug 8 exclusively at http://www.experiencethesun.com.ph

Get a chance to FLY to San Franciso, USA or win Rudy Project watch/bag DAILY by liking the video/s AND posting a comment on http://bit.ly/SunShorts

[PEx_Movies]

There was never just one.

And so is the tagline for the Bourne Legacy, following hot on the heels of the mega successful Bourne Trilogy with Jeremy Renner replacing Matt Damon as the bone-breaking, face-punching super spy. This time around, Tony Gilroy takes the directorial helm, replacing Bourne Trilogy director Paul Greengrass. Incidentally, Tony Gilroy also wrote the screenplay of the previous Bourne movies, Michael Clayton (which he also directed), Dolores Claiborne and The Devil’s Advocate. Needless to say, the man knows how to create tension.

Jeremy Renner plays Aaron Cross, who unlike Jason Bourne, is not amnesiac. He is a renegade spy from super secret Operation Outcome which aims to produce chemically-enhanced super-soldiers, similar to Operation Treadstone who made Jason Bourne what he is. He needs to take pills to enhance his abilities and kick *** and unfortunately, his supply is running low. Due to the brouhaha that Jason Bourne caused in New York, Operation Treadstone is extremely close to being unravelled to the public. Colonel Eric Byer, played by Edward Norton, desperate to keep the operations away from the public says that Treadstone was just the tip of the iceberg. So he does what every self-respecting high-ranking USAF colonel would do and that is to shut down all operations and assassinate all chemically-altered spies. Aaron Cross however, won’t go away so easily. Since his supply of chemicals is running low, he enlists the help of Dr. Marta Shearing, played by Rachel Weisz. Shearing also experienced trauma after a co-worker pulled out a handgun and violently massacred her research team, with the scene even made more chilling due to the recent shootings in the United States. The movie then bounces off from the United States to what every Filipino was waiting for, to Manila where further mayhem ensues.



Tony Gilroy did a good job in showcasing balls-to-the-wall action scenes, fist-to-face fight scenes, elbow-to-wolf fight scenes. The action sequence in Rachel Weisz home stood out along with the elaborate and thrilling chase scene in the streets of Manila (we’ll get to that later). Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross had one permanently-frowned, look-at-me-wrong-and-I'll-break-your-legs facial expression but it works. Cross is mysterious and is a believable badass, a badass that you can't help but root for. Rachel Weisz as the neurotic, traumatized damsel-in-distress was convincing. Edward Norton gave a good performance but was underutilized.

The film’s first half started tediously slow (besides scenes of Aaron Cross kicking wolf butt and reducing an aerial drone into scrap metal) and is littered with black ops spy jargon and references to events in the film’s trilogy. Audiences were given a quick crash-course in the events of the first film, with quick glances of Jason Bourne’s face appearing on screen, which is a bit hard to follow due to its clumsy execution. The movie gets better during the aforementioned massacre scene and towards the Manila locale. Manila is expertly featured, with the gritty setting the perfect backdrop for the pill factory for the chemically-enhanced super soldiers. The chase scene in Manila is without a doubt one of the best sequences caught on film, doing a good job of keeping the audience glued to the screen and with their pulses pounding. After the chase scene and the disappointing demise of the T-1000 like villain, the movie comes to an abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion while possible hinting at a sequel, leaving the audience mixed feelings of asking just what the hell happened and wanting more.

Tony Gilroy doesn’t have the directing skills and action expertise of Paul Greengrass, and the Bourne Legacy doesn’t exactly live up to the expectations set by the Bourne trilogy. Still, it isn’t a bad movie. All the actors gave convincing roles, special mentions to John Arcilla and Lou Veloso. The action scenes are top-notch and again, the Manila chase scene is especially gripping, it keeps you at the edge of your seat, glued to the screen, and makes you want to pee your pants just a little bit with all that tension. It managed to breathe new life into Robert Ludlum’s story and is an enjoyable popcorn movie and with hints of a possible sequel, it can only get better.

Rating: 7/10
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton
Directed by: Tony Gilroy
Distributed by: Solar UIP





Discuss the movie at the Bourne Legacy thread.

[Lola_Rose]

Comedy | Family

A great kiddie movie can entertain anybody, from a grandma right down to a grade-schooler. From a pony-tailed film snob down to the happy-go-lucky mainstream moviegoer, because an excellent storytelling is an excellent storytelling! Simple as that. Regardless of the target audience.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the third installment of the Wimpy movie franchise based on the bestselling book series by Jeff Kinney, is my first introduction to the popular world of the wimpy hero, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon). But after I left the cinema, I was not converted to the Cult of the Wimpy Kid.

In Dog Days, summer vacation has finally started and Wimpy Greg, who is not really wimpy in the pure sense of the word, is excited to spend the summer playing video games with his major crush, Holly (Peyton List) because, well, he's the "indoor type." Unfortunately, his father (Steve Zhan), the genuine wimp in this kiddie tale, forces Greg to go outside and live life this summer, and so the reluctant Greg is forced to lie to his father in order to please him, while trying to fulfill his real summer agenda.





Directed by David Bowers and co-written by the book author, Dog Days make it seem as if the kid's diary lacks imagination and details. Maybe it's a planner? And not really a diary? The thing is, Greg's summer events are interesting, in fact they are waaaaaaaaaay more interesting than the events in the last five years of my life, but the way the events are told terribly lacks humor and imagination, surprisingly lacking that kind of unedited, raw observations and rich material usually found in diary entries-- even by seventh graders. The movie doesn't say much. It feels like you're watching a 3-page script, with lines that are flat and limited. Many times a situation happens when you naturally expect the character to say something, to verbally react, but he or she doesn't; the character simply acts out the particular emotion and the movie cuts to the next scene. Like tongue-tied, or shy, or simply speechless.

There are scenes that will make you LOL, but they're not even the kind that you'd cherish as comedic excellence. Greg's older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick), a pseudo-goth who cannot spell, is the only character that tickled my fancy and caused me to burst into short-lived laughter and choke on my popcorn, and Greg's chubby best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) comes next because he's just so cute, serious and morally strict.




Anyway, Dog Days teaches a valuable lesson about the evils of perfectionism, lying, and trying to pretend to be someone you're not...and some father-son relationship lessons. There's a dog in the movie, too.

With Greg's interesting summer, it's got high potential for fun, creative storytelling but, alas, if Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days were a TV series, I'd most likely switch channels fifteen minutes into it and watch Hannah Montana instead (and I'm not even a fan of Miley Cyrus). But if you're a fan of the Wimpy Kid series and enjoyed its first two movies, you will surely enjoy this, too. I know, because I've spoken to two fans and they loved it.

4.5 out of 10 stars

Opens in Philippine cinemas August 15, 2012
Runtime: 94 min




Discuss the movie at the Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days thread.

[Lola_Rose]

Action | Adventure | Mystery

A spin-off of the Matt Damon Bourne trilogy, The Bourne Legacy introduces a new hero, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), one of the chemically enhanced agents of a U.S. top-secret intelligence program called "Outcome," quite similar to Jason Bourne's program, Treadstone. When operations head Retired Col. Eric Byer (Edward Norton) decided to shut down Program Outcome with a seemingly shallow reason, he immediately wants all the agents dead— nope, not issued a termination slip and given new identities, but instantly dead, along with the oblivious team of scientists who support the Program. And so we follow Aaron Cross as he escapes to save his life— and get his fix of the blue and green pills that make him a super-soldier, with the help of scientist Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). And all these events, according to the meticulous followers of the Bourne series, take place during Jason Bourne's exploits in Bourne Identity and Supremacy.



Directed and co-written by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, Duplicity), The Bourne Legacy, when stripped off its lengthy spy talks filled with spy jargon that keep the audience in the dark, is basically nothing but the story of Aaron Cross trying to stay alive while getting his drug fix— which is located on the other side of the planet: in Manila, Philippines. In the entire movie, you are eager for the real plot to reveal itself, but it never arrives until the shockingly abrupt ending. There is no delicious backstory, no intelligent conspiracy going on, just Aaron Cross and Marta running for their lives...and maybe falling in love.




Jeremy Renner is formidable and engaging to watch, perfectly cast as a super soldier, and Rachel Weisz is equally engaging, complementing Renner's character as his beautiful sidekick, vulnerable but with a quiet strength. The performances by the entire cast were really good, natural and intense. The cinematography is pleasant, and the super close-up shots of the actors in conversation aptly capture their thoughts and emotions. The action sequences, coupled with the thrilling film score, will keep you fairly glued to the screen, including the cat-and-mouse chase in Manila, which was moderately fun— but it was the science laboratory scene that was the most effective and chilling, disturbingly calling to mind the recent Dark Knight Rises mass murder; precise and cold-blooded. But because of the weak, unintelligent, and shallow plot, the movie in its entirety lacks real suspense and tension, with nothing much to tell. And when Norton's team finally sends their prized weapon, the laughable Spiderman-like Thai super soldier, to eliminate the un-killable Aaron Cross once and for all, you expect some awesome power fight between the two, but the Thai guy is defeated in the lamest way possible in recent cinematic history. Then the movie abruptly ends, obviously signaling a sequel.

Overall, The Bourne Legacy is a movie that will keep you waiting...for nothing. It's a mental and emotional ripoff.

4.5 out of 10 stars

In Philippine cinemas August 8, 2012
Runtime: 135 min



Discuss the movie at the The Bourne Legacy thread.

[Lola_Rose]

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi


Whether on not you've seen Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall, forget about it. A remake is never a carbon-copy of the original. It has its own distinctive style. An "original" on its own. So don't try to recall the 1990 classic, or how precious and incomparable it is for you. Erase it from your mind, and embrace a new memory.



Sci-fi-action fans will take pleasure in Len Wiseman's totally modern Total Recall (2012), this time casting Colin Farrell as Doug Quaid. Loosely based on the 1966 short story by Philip K. Dick, Total Recall takes us to a dystopian future, post World War III, when the Earth is almost uninhabitable in the aftermath of a chemical warfare. Only two livable but overcrowded territories exist: The Colony and The United Federation of Britain. Doug, a factory worker in The Colony, and married to the beautiful Lori (Kate Beckinsale), has recurring dreams of a life way more exciting than his daily routine in the assembly line, dreams that are action-packed, and with a girl (Jessica Biel).




Seeking a break from his monotonous, boring life, Doug goes to Rekall, a company that offers artificial memories. A fantasy mind-trip that will make your dream life come true. You can have any memories you desire, except something that overlaps your real life experiences. Doug excitedly chooses the memory of a super spy, but before the procedure even finishes, he is attacked by law enforcement, accused of being a secret agent— and suddenly, to his shock, he's acting like one. So, is Doug a real spy unbeknownst to him? Or is everything just a product of Rekall? And The Colony, he is told, is in danger...or is it? And an underground terrorist group led by Matthias (Bill Nighy) is evil...or are they?




Do not expect deep mind games, but do except the revival of the three-breasted prostitute, some stunning visuals and lots of tensing action and suspense, filled with engaging and elegant martial-arts fighting scenes. The visuals are eye candy, succeeding in transporting you into a different world— which is what sci-fi should be all about. The Colony is an artful shantytown, a labyrinth-like pulsating "New Shanghai"; gray, dark, and gloomy, punctuated with vibrant colors here and there, and fun, modern technology that we might actually see in the future. The United Federation of Britain, the affluent part of the world, is "Euro-America," sepia-like London, misty and modern. The merging of Old World and clever futuristic details make Total Recall's world a delicious visual trip.



Beckinsale is glorious to watch, all acrobatic and threatening. Biel and Farrell make a good team, competent and engaging to watch. Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), chief of police, make a formidable antagonist, but Bill Nighy lack that sort of rebel vibe.

Total Recall, in its entirety, is basically an action flick, with mild political undertones. It's a good, solid story. Probably not awesome, but very much entertaining. A visually-pleasing popcorn action-sci-fi flick that will satisfy your Friday-night movie date.

8.5 out of 10 stars

In Philippine Cinemas August 22, 2012
Runtime: 118 min




Discuss the movie at the Total Recall thread.

[forg]

The very first scene of The Expendables 2 gets right into action and sets the mood for a bigger sequel pumping up the action to the extreme. It's no secret that the selling point of this movie is to see the biggest action movie icons of our time in one movie together and if you liked the first one, there's no doubt that you'll enjoy the sequel as well.

Church (Bruce Willis) hires Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and his team for a mission to retrieve a blueprint to an abandoned mine that holds a stolen Russian plutonium. The team however was ambushed by terrorist Vilain (Jean Claude Van Damme) and kills one of them. Ross vows revenge and plans to attack Vilain's group.

The Expendables 2's plot is as conventional as the first one but it really doesn't matter because what we are all looking for this movie is an action nirvana and the movie definitely delivers on that matter especially on the bombastic first sequence that features big weapons, explosions and various fight scenes specifically designed to cater to each actor's action skill. My favorite action sequence would have to be Jet Li in which he uses pots and pans to kill the bad guys. However, some of the scenes are so chaotic though and hard to follow and the editing not as polished as well. It should be noted that the movie is Rated R-13 here so there are cuts which made the movie messier.

Willis and Schwarzenegger get more screen time compared to their glorified cameos in the first one although essentially they are still not part of the mission and basically just pops in but at least they get to do some fun action scenes this time around. And the movie definitely satisfied the viewers' craving with Chuck Norris' grand entrance and dropped in a Chuck Norris Fact along the way. The movie definitely does not take itself too seriously with several self-referential jokes and “wink to the viewer” moments. Sometimes the jokes are clever but there a couple of misses as well.

Stallone still has that movie star charisma that is enough to carry the movie and he shares good buddy chemistry with Jason Statham. Dolph Lundgren and Terry Crews were enjoyable as well and scored big laughs with the audience with their one-liners. One might think that Liam Hemsworth is out his league with this cast but the story manages to fit him in quite well and he held up decently with the other actors. Lastly, Jean Claude Van Damme took his villain role very seriously and while he comes off a little too cartoonish at times, he was still compelling to watch and his final showdown with Stallone was exciting.

The Expendables 2 still suffers the storytelling flaws of the first one and during the scenes when there's no action scene going on the energy dies. But for what is worth, the movie is as fun as it can get and seeing all those action stars in one movie is still a delight.

Rating: 7 / 10
Cast:

Sylvester Stallone
Jason Statham
Jet Li
Dolph Lundgren
Chuck Norris
Terry Crews
Randy Couture
Liam Hemsworth
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Bruce Willis
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Director: Simon West

Now showing in theaters nationwide


Discuss the movie at The Expendables 2 thread

[forg]

If you think that Hope Springs is an 'icky' movie about old people wanting to have sex again then you are absolutely wrong. Hope Springs paints a moving picture of how time tests relationships and even if it focuses on an older couple, the message is universal and will definitely strike a chord to anyone regardless of age.

Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) have been married for thirty one years but Kay is not happy anymore and wants a 'real' marriage. Despite Arnold's reluctance, Kay manages to get them into Dr. Feld's (Steve Carell) week-long intensive marriage seminar in a small town in Maine. In the course of the week, the couple learns more about themselves and the state of their marriage.

Hope Springs is marketed as a comedy but the movie never goes for cheap laughs and the humor is subtle and graceful. One would think that when the couple arrives in Maine and goes into counseling, they would face several hijinks to dig into some laughs but the movie does not go to that direction. For example, when Kay tries to do a 'dirty deed' to Arnold in the theater, I thought they would get caught but they didn't and while the scene started funny as the attempt to do it was so awkward it ended up on a strong emotional note that tells a lot about the issues the couple have.

Hope Springs is such a strong movie because it is well-observed and direct to the point. It is an intimate film that carefully dissects the issues that led the couple in that state of their marriage. There are no major dramas or dark secrets behind the fragile situation they are in but just a couple of small unspoken issues that bore a hole which got bigger and bigger over time without them realizing it. It also commendable how the film resolved the conflict in a realistic way, there's no magic moment where everything is going to be better in an instant. It suggests that resolving issues takes time and effort from both sides.

The performances of the leads are impressive as Streep nails the role of a wife who is unhappy but is clueless on what went wrong. Jones brings in his usual grumpy old man shtick but this time the character he is playing has issues thst he does not want to acknowledge and Jones was so effective in showcasing the emotion of a man who has become a “ghost' without him realizing it. Meanwhile, Carell plays it straight all throughout the movie and he's a believable therapist.

At its core, the movie is so simple yet the issues it is discussing is so complex but handled so elegantly. Hope Springs is a smart film for adults that does not pander to conventional movie making and effectively sends it message across.

Rating: 10/10
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell
Director: David Frankel

Now showing




Discuss the movie at the Hope Springs thread

[Kaitten]

Katy Perry: Part of Me is a 3D documentary of the life of one of the hottest singers in the world on and off the stage.If you missed her concert last January this is a must for you to watch to get all the access into Katy Perry's life. You'll know how she started her career and become the first singer to have five #1 singles in the Billboard Pop songs chart, even defeating Madonna, The Beatles and Micheal Jackson



You also can enjoy the hits of Katy performing in the film with lively colors and exceptional outfits. Sing with her as the music plays in every beat. See the real Katy Perry herself in the ups and down of her life. You can know who Katy Perry really is on how she interacts with her fans to the backstage and to witness how very down to earth this person can be. The film would inspire a lot, as you can see fans of all ages roaring in her performances, infecting all her fans with that Katy Perry enigma that inspires them to follow and reach for that dream she always knew she can have.



Overall this is a must watch to all Katy Perry fans and it's not too late to become one. We admit that we love her songs and even love her more after watching this film. We feel a real Katy that beyond her blue hair and colorful outfits, she is a charismatic, goofy and sweet person living a charismatic life. We'll always love and believe in her weirdness.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10 stars

Cast: Katy Perry

Directed By: Dan Cutfort and Jane Lipsitz
Distributed by: UIP through Solar Entertainment Corporation
Opens in 3d on August 29, 2012



Discuss the movie at Katy Perry: Part of Me thread

[forg]

If you are looking for a smart satire of American politics then The Campaign is probably not the movie you are hoping for but if you want non-stop laughs then go ahead and see this as the movie pulls off every zany joke without a bat of an eye.

Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferell) thought he has the re-election in the bag as he is running unopposed. But when a scandal erupts that tarnishes Brady's image, a powerful corporation backs up Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), the eccentric little-loved son of the town millionaire, to challenge the incumbent. Cam dismisses Marty at first but thanks to the all-out political campaign supporting Marty he soon becomes a viable threat.

The Campaign does not tell anything new about the dirty world of politics. The movie presents an exaggerated look of the media circus that surrounds a political campaign. The plot is really silly and unrealistic but the performances are strong enough that you could just ignore the ridiculous war of spin and mud slinging.

Towards the end, the movie attempted to make a statement about leadership but it falls short. The overall tone of the movie does not offer the meat to make the statement they were trying to make credible. It feels like that they just inserted it to have the movie some form of substance but it ended up hollow and insincere.

Ferell and Galifianakis play characters that are caricatures but the talent of the actors and their strong chemistry elevate the material. It is also commendable that despite the buffoonish nature of their characters they still somehow managed to make them sympathetic even if the movie's attempt for heart is a miss.

While The Campaign does not tell anything significant about the nature of politics, it still offers plenty of laughs that will make you forget how ugly real life politics is.

Rating: 7 / 10
Cast:
Will Ferrell
Zach Galifianakis
Jason Sudeikis
Katherine LaNasa
Dylan McDermott
John Lithgow
Dan Aykroyd
Brian Cox
Director: Jay Roach
Distributor: Warner Bros. Philippines

The Campaign opens today (Aug. 29) in cinemas nationwide



Official PEx Movie Reviews

Discuss the movie at The Campaign thread

[Kaitten]

The Possession is another exorcism movie which was produced by Sam Raimi and is based on a true story.

Basketball coach Clyde(Jeffrey Dean Morgan), always spends his weekends with his two daughters Hanah and Emily (Madison Davenport and Natasha Calis) whenever he has temporary custody. One day they decided to stop by a yard sale where Emily picks a mysterious wooden box with Hebrew letters inscribed on it. After opening the box, Emily acted a little bit strange as she and the box became inseparable. Soon Clyde found out the secret that lies inside the box and tries to save her daughter from the demon that resides inside the box.



The film brings out a lot of tension to its audience, providing a nice quality of sound effects and nerve-racking scenes. Although the film revealed some good parts in the trailer, the quality of the story was definitely good. There are some scenes that are really unforgettable but they should have exerted more effort and raised the scary factor to another level. The story was cleverly made where you become engaged to the story and try to prevent yourself from having bathroom breaks.

The actors were pretty good, Natasha Calis was extremely magnificent in in her performance. We wouldn't be surprised if she would become a big star in the future. The cast all did wonderful, convincing performances.



Overall The Possession is a solid horror flick. It managed to keep up the pace unlike other exorcist-themed movies that made me sleep instead of bringing some scares. It's a good horror flick that has good thrills and does not have a crappy ending.

"Daddy You Scared me".......

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Casts: Natasha Calis, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Madison Davenport

Directed By: Ole Bornedal
Distributed By: Pioneer Films
Now Showing at your favorite cinemas



Discuss the movie at The Possession thread

[Kaitten]

Originally titled "Neighborhood Watch", The Watch was re-titled after the killing of a Florida teen by an armed neighborhood watch volunteer. The film was bashed by the critics at www.Rottentomatoes.com, giving it an overall rating of 16%. Once again, we didn't agree with the critics as we found The Watch amusing, funny and entertaining.

Evan (Ben Stiller), is a store manager who decided to build a watch group that patrols out at night after his security guard gets murdered in his store. Unfortunately, he only attracted three guys to join the group: loudmouth family-guy Bob(Vince Vaughn), police reject Franklin (Jonah Hill) and newly divorced Brit Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade). After roving a couple of nights, the group manages to find out that the killer is an alien and their kind are planning an extraterrestrial invasion. Now, the watch must find a way to stop the aliens and save not just the neighbors but the whole planet.



The Watch is a really entertaining film, it promises to give the crowd some very funny scenes thanks to its solid cast. The mix of sci-fi, action and comedy works well, probably much better than Paul which is of the same genre and was released last year. The dialogues were not too offensive and it was embedded with good humor. The CGI effects were limited in a basic distinctive way which was good, as they just relied on the comical actors in delivering their clever punchy lines.

Ben Stiller was great even though his character was uptight and serious, while this must be the best Vince Vaughn performance as he made our night complete. Richard Ayoade is genuinely likable and Jonah Hill sets a tone that feels we're still watching 21 Jump Street.



Overall give The Watch a chance as it still comprises the elements of an entertaining comedy movie. Don't expect too much but we assure you you'll have plenty of laughs. Ignore the critics and low ratings, go watch it and judge it yourself

Rating : 8 out of 10 stars

Casts: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade

Directed By: Akiva Schaffer
Distributed By: 20th Century Fox Philippines
Opens on September 5, 2012



Discuss the movie at The Watch thread

[Lola_Rose]

Is there really such a thing as a perfect relationship? Does your dream girl/guy actually exists? The quirky romantic-comedy-fantasy Ruby Sparks tackles the twisted and flawed idea of wanting that "perfect" partner.

Calvin (Paul Dano) is a genius celebrity novelist suffering from a terrible writer's block, unable to come up with a follow-up to his masterpiece— the greatest contemporary American novel of all time—that he has written ten years ago at the age of 19. Like most geniuses, Calvin is lonely and a bit messed up. And like most celebrities, he questions people's affections for him ("They like me for my work, and not me.") And like everybody else, he just wants to be loved. Basically, Calvin lives a depressing life, with only his brother (Chris Messina) as his friend (not even a "valid friend," according to his psychotherapist), and his dog Scotty as his sole companion in his depressingly neat, monochromatic, and sterile apartment (I myself would suffer from writer's block and insanity if I were living in that place).

Calvin's writer's paralysis finally ends when he starts dreaming about a ruby haired woman, becomes inspired, and begins writing a novel about her, his ideal girl. He names her Ruby Sparks. And he falls in love with her, his creation. One morning, Calvin is astounded to wake up to find Ruby Sparks in his kitchen, fully realized and very much real. With the perfect girl in his arms, Calvin's loneliness also ends. Or does it really?


Paul Dano now typecast as a writer? He also starred as a writer in Being Flynn (2012) with De Niro.

Love?

Screenplay written by 29-year-old Zoe Kazan, who also plays the titular Ruby Sparks, and from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine (husband-and-wife Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris), the movie is not your usual romantic comedy. The movie has its light comedic moments but the entire film has dark and unsettling undertones in it. In the drab and dreary, melancholic canvas of the film, the Ruby Sparks character, in her vibrantly colored costumes and quirky face, is the shiny object, the only sight of color and "life," even though she's not even "real." This does not make you happy for Calvin, but only leaves you with a sense of dread and a general sense of unpleasantness and creepiness. Both Dano and Kazan (real-life couple) deliver effective performances that draws you right into their world, sucking you along in their roller-coaster of emotions. The movie begins with light comedy, but then gradually escalates into a disturbing climax, then finishes with an audience-pleasing ending—albeit still with a twist of creepiness.


Zoe Kazan wrote the screenplay, then plays the Ruby Sparks character.


What does "perfect relationship" mean to you?


Ruby Sparks, with a cameo from Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas, is both fantasy and real, light and heavy, depressing and sporadically funny. It's essentially an intriguing and thought-provoking fantasy film that reveals the honest truth about self-centeredness, selfishness, relationship control, debilitating loneliness, and an unhealthy perception of love and relationships. It could be an eye-opener for some, or plain entertaining for some, or could be too eccentric and freaky for the taste of some.


7 out of 10 stars
In Philippine Cinemas September 19, 2012



Discuss the movie at the Ruby Sparks thread.

[Kaitten]

The most successful zombie movie franchise is back with it's fifth installment which brings Alice (Milla Jovovich) in another non-stop battle for survival against the umbrella corporation. Resident Evil Retribution starts in the coolest way possible by doing a slo-mo reverse action for the title sequence.

The Umbrella corporation's T-virus has already spread globally, inflicting damage to the human race. Alice (Milla Jovovich) wakes up helpless inside Umbrella's most clandestine facility. She breaks out with the help of new found allies Leon (Johann Urb), Ada Wong (Bingbing Li) and Luther (Boris Kodjoe). They need to escape the facility which is controlled by the Red Queen. Now, Alice and her friends must work together to survive the outbreak made by the corporation involving simulated arenas of bio-hazard attacks so they can save what's left of humanity.



When we hear about Resident Evil, we expect to see tons of zombies lurking and preparing to attack any prey in sight. But in Retribution, zombie exposure was diminished but still handed out some remarkable fight scenes with Alice that will keep you glued to your seat. The movie is peppered with a lot of outstanding visuals that's probably the best of which the franchise had offered and defined the word awesomeness. Anticipate non-stop action scenes from the very beginning of the movie until the credits rolls out in the end. Though the storyline was merely about nothing, it is easily shadowed by the intensity of the scenes that resulted in a thrilling experience. Maybe not the best sequel when you base it in the plot, but arguably the best when it comes to CGI effects and jaw dropping moments.



Paul Anderson manage to cap up the latest RE in an isolated place but filling it with dozens of action sequences plus the addition of the returning characters from the previous movies. A lot may get disappointed, some will love it, for us we had mixed feelings about it as it did not reach our expectations. It's good, but it could have been better.

Overall if you are a fan of the series you'll surely love the film but don't expect too much from it. All we can say is sit, back relax and enjoy the movie.

Rating: 8.5 out f 10 stars

Casts: Milla Jovovich, Johann Urb, Bingbing Li

Directed By: Paul W. S. Anderson
Distributed By: Columbia Pictures
Now Showing at your favorite cinemas
Experience it in 3D and IMAX 3D



Discuss the movie at Resident Evil Retribution thread

[Kaitten]

A complete reboot of the disastrous Stallone movie, many critics approved that this is one movie remake that actually works. It already received a lot of positive reviews from rotten tomatoes and it's better for you to see what the buzz is all about.

In the future, America has been reduced to a wasteland. Lying on its east coast is Mega City One, where “Judges” have the power of restraining peace and order in the city. They have the power to be a judge or an instant executioner. One judge named Dredd (Karl Urban) is paired with a psychic rookie (Olivia Thirlby) as they embark in a mission to stop Ma-Ma (Lena Heady) a dangerous drug dealer who's ruling a 200 story complex while running a new drug called Slo-Mo that is sweeping the entire city. Next thing they know the whole place becomes locked down and Ma-Ma orders to have the two judges executed.

Many would compare this movie to The Raid Redemption, as the idea was pretty much the same but the story and the scenes stands out on its own. Dredd provides non-stop action scenes that delivers right from the very beginning, stitched with bloody outrageous scenes where some of it was trimmed down but still maintaining the tension it offers. The futuristic cop shows no mercy for anyone who crosses his path, showing no fear to anyone as he is the law.





Karl Urban gave a remarkable performance keeping his character cool at all times. He shows no emotions, making him a man that only cares about the law. We never feel that Karl Urban is present in this movie. All we can see is Dredd with his rough voice who never removed his helmet. Olivia Thirlby is the perfect psychic side-kick as she embraces her role well, while Lena Heady flawlessly portrayed a remorseless villain.

Overall, Dredd is loaded with a lot of firefights and explosions, while the 3D effects were awesome especially with the incredible slo-mo scenes. Hopefully the movie would be appreciated by many as we are hoping for an upcoming sequel and a start of a new comic book movie themed franchise.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Casts: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Heady

Directed By: Pete Travis
Distributed By: Pioneer Films
Now Showing at your favorite cinemas
Experience it in 3D



Discuss the movie at Dredd thread

[Lola_Rose]

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Richard Gere is Simon Hunt, the discredited star reporter whose career went downhill soon after his meltdown on national television while covering the Bosnian war. His best friend and assistant, cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard), however, went on to become successful. Five years later, Simon and Duck meet again in peacetime Bosnia, and along with Benjamin Strauss (Jesse Eisenberg), the son of the network's VP, they go on to hunt the world's most wanted war criminal, Boghdanovic a.k.a. The Fox. Mistaken for CIA agents, the trio gets closer to capturing the war criminal — and to the 5-million-dollar bounty — but not without getting into a series of troubles.

Based on a true story from an Esquire magazine article written by Scott Anderson, The Hunting Party is a monotonous narrative, very much confused with which direction to seriously take. Comedy? Or Drama? Directed by Richard Shepard, the movie opens with these words in gigantic fonts: "Only the most ridiculous parts of this story are true," and already, the movie feels forced. Like trying to sound Esquire-witty. But with the heavy subject matter of war and genocide, a comedic treatment feels off. Deadpan, serious conversations, then the occasional humor, interspersed with haunting visual memories of the war, makes the movie unabsorbing and messy.




The locations, in Saravejo, and in Celebici, in the border of Republic Srpska and Montenegro, are breathtaking. The architectures, the landscapes, the quaint cafes and restaurants, the movie looks like a motion picture of National Geographic photographs, which will delight you like your regular travelogue. However, since the screenplay is banal, lacking the vibrancy and richness that the visuals offer, the film simply flops. Yes, there were small, genuinely funny moments, but the only noise you can produce is a short chuckle or a snort. Also, there is zero thrill in the hunt, and The Fox doesn't induce fear or mystery.

Despite the tiresome appearance of Eisenberg in a typecast role of a nerd, the cast deliver good performances. Unfortunately, such talents are wasted on a sad, sad, disappointing movie adaptation. It feels like one stretch of a lifeless, colorless journey, with only tiny bursts of life in between. Only the ending will spike your interest, because it proudly reveals which are fiction and real in the movie, and the ones which the filmmakers tweaked for creative purposes. Oh, okay, cool. Thank you for the information.


4.5 out of 10 stars
In Philippine Cinemas September 19, 2012



Discuss the movie at The Hunting Party thread.

[forg]

Coming of age stories are dime a dozen from books to TV shows and most especially movies. With a plethora of growing up stories out there, it really is a tall order for one to stand out. One might dismiss The Perks of Being a Wallflower as one of those generic tales but this movie takes a familiar story to a whole new direction thanks to strong characterization and heartfelt commitment to the material.

Set in the early 90s, Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a troubled kid entering his first day in high school. He never stood out before and he believes that things will stay the same that is until he meets seniors Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson). Together with Patrick and Sam, Charlie discovers the joys and pains of growing up and at the same time wrestling with the memories of his haunted past.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is adapted to the big screen by the novel's author Stephen Chbosky and one can see how this material is very important to him. He handles the adaptation with so much care and eye for detail which I believe will please most fans of the book. The novel is written in epistolary form wherein Charlie tells his story through writing letters to an anonymous person. Adapting that format to the big screen made it look like it's just a gimmick to have a voice over narration but the script and Lerman's performance carries it through. Still, there are in things in the novel that were left out (For example, Charlie's sister has a smaller role) but overall the movie fully captures the novel's tone and atmosphere.

The story is very accessible even for those who haven't read the source material. The structure is basically simple and something that most people could relate to. It really is all about growing up and the pain and pleasure that comes along with it. What makes The Perks of Being a Wallflower special is that the movie does not pass judgment and just lets you in to the world of these kids who are young, adventurous and full of potential yet so unfocused and fragile. It does not escape the cliches known to this genre but the characters are fascinating and genuine that watching their journey is so engrossing to watch.

Committed performances from the cast strengthen the movie even more. Lerman, in particular, fully embodied Charlie delivering a nuanced but knockout performance. He fully captures the vulnerability of a troubled teen like Charlie. He gets the small details right, making Charlie a well-developed character that you just couldn't help but be draw on to. Watson is a playing a totally different character from the role that made her famous and she nails it. Miller is so charismatic, funny and sweet that one would not think that he played a terrifying character in We Need to Talk About Kevin so effectively a year ago.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower does not tell anything new or groundbreaking about youth issues but what it does best is showing the serious side of being a teenager with so much sensibility and sincerity. It's a journey that one has seen (and experienced in one way or another) but this movie reminds us that no matter how crazy those years have been, it's all worth it.

Rating: 9 / 10
Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott, Mae Whitman, Nina Dobrev
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Distributor: Pioneer

Now showing!



Discuss the movie at The Perks of Being a Wallflower thread

[forg]

Taken was a surprise hit in 2009 and made Liam Neeson a bonafide action star so it's no surprise that a sequel was made. Taken 2 tries to take the formula of the first movie to a whole new level with uneven results.

Retired CIA agent Bryan Millis (Liam Neeson) takes his ex-wife Leonore (Famken Janssen) and daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) to Istanbul for a vacation but things got sour when the father of one Kim's kidnappers took them hostage to avenge his son. Bryan must once again use his advanced level of special forces tactics to get his family to safety.

Taken was remarkable because the action beats were so exciting to watch as it managed to class up a B-action movie and make implausible scenes oddly compelling. In Taken 2, there are more elaborate action sequences and chase scenes but while they are technically good they came off as rather generic and not as thrilling as the first one. There are still good moments in the movie though as they used Bryan's extensive survival & analytical skills very well. One particular set piece involves the use of a map, a shoelace and grenades to rescue someone which was so intrepid yet very enjoyable.

Despite the movie's flaws Liam Neeson is still so compelling to watch as Bryan. He says every line with so much intensity and power that is just incredible to watch. There's no standout line though like in the first movie when he warned the kidnappers that he will hunt them down and kill them all but nevertheless he carries the movie well and it's still worth the watch just to see him knock down his opponents. Grace has a larger role in this one and she did fine.

While not as remarkable as the first one, Taken 2 still has enough thrills to make for a satisfying action movie.

Rating: 7 / 10
Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Director: Olivier Megaton
Distributor: 20th Century Fox via Warner Bros. Philippines



Discuss the movie at the Taken 2 thread

Official PEx Movie Reviews

[forg]

Seth MacFarlane makes his crossover to the big screen via Ted and he actually replicated his success in TV with the big box office success of the movie. While the traces of his adult animation humor are still very visible in Ted, MacFarlane mixes things up with a solid story about growing up.

When John (Mark Wahlberg) was 8 years old he wished that the teddy bear he got for Christmas, Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), could come to life and become his real life best friend. The next day his wish came true and Ted became a celebrity afterwards. But as years passed, Ted’s popularity waned but he never left John’s side and they soon lived together with John’s girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis). However, Lori believes that John will never grow up as long as Ted is still part of his life.

Ted’s humor is pretty much like MacFarlane’s Family Guy and if that brand of comedy makes you laugh then you will have a great time seeing a talking teddy bear with his foul mouth and dirty deeds. Most of the laugh out loud moments of the movie involves Ted whether he is beating up a grown man, smoking pot and getting wasted on a party. Even Ted’s short one-liners referencing a lot of pop culture moments and personalities knocks it out of the park. I think the movie could still be funny without being crass but it’s a formula that works.

But underneath the dirty jokes and set pieces,Ted also tells a strong story of how some men are still trapped in a prolonged childhood and refuses to grow up. In its own absurd way, the movie made a strong foundation on why Ted and John’s friendship help and hurt them. Ted, the teddy bear, could be a representation of the things that grown up men hold on to that’s why they can’t fully embrace adulthood. However, the movie does not resolve that part of the story well as it chooses to end it on a more convenient but accessible way.

The technical work on Ted is marvelous and the details are spot on. The flawless animation on Ted made the character felt like a real actor and not just a special effect. MacFarlane’s voice work complements Ted but he does not do that much to differentiate it from his other “voices” in his animated programs. Wahlberg is perfect for this role and his chemistry with Ted is terrific. Kunis is relegated to a stock character but the actress oozes charm to make it more than just “the girlfriend”. Giovanni Ribicci’s role could have use more time to make for a credible villain while Joel McHale’s douche boss of Lori does not add anything to the story at all and could be easily cut from the story and McHale hams it up.

This is Seth MacFarlane’s first major attempt to tell a story outside the 22-minute runtime of his successful projects and Ted makes a strong case of what he could deliver in this medium. Ted is a crazy concept but thanks to its playful wit and surprisingly sweet heart it manages to shine.

Rating: 8/ 10
Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Distributor: Solar UIP Philippines

Now showing!



Discuss the movie at the Ted thread

[forg]

I was hesitant to watch Give Up Tomorrow at first since I felt like this might be just propaganda but the rave reviews won me over. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with Chiong sisters double murder case and this documentary is my first exposure to this story. Give Up Tomorrow is definitely one-sided (one of the producers is related to Paco Larrañaga) but they presented a very strong case on why the convicted is innocent while at the same time depicts the gripping reality of the Philippine justice and political system.

The documentary chronicles the life of Paco Larrañaga when he was arrested and subsequently convicted in the rape and murder of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in Cebu on July 1997. It presents a convincing argument on why Paco couldn’t possibly committed the crime as he was, as the registrar’s documents show, was in school in Manila when the sisters were abducted in Cebu. But despite solid evidences and 35 witnesses who vouched for Paco’s innocence, the court basically ignored it. Why you might ask? Well, the documentary hints a couple of reasons on why Paco’s fate was doomed from the start and those reasons are so unbelievable, something that you think will only come out from the minds of soap opera writers, but no this is one is for real and it’s so disturbing.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the documentary is clearly in favor of Paco but despite that it still managed to present the facts of the case as objectively as possible. But without a doubt the documentary tells what we already know and yet still hard to accept: The sad state of justice system in the country and how those people with power and connections managed to manipulate the system to get what they want. Even if you still question Paco’s innocence, it was clear that he (and other six other men who were also accused and convicted) was denied the due process that he is entitled to. Paco was arrested in dubious fashion, defense witnesses were denied the opportunity to take the stand because of silly reasons; the key prosecution witness who had a questionable credibility avoided cross-examination and the judge was too hostile to the defense team from the get-go and even sent them to jail when they resigned. There are lot loopholes during the trial and yet the verdict was so obvious from the get-go because of public pressure and media scrutiny.

Give Up Tomorrow serves as an eye opener on how people are so gullible to media spinning in such high profile cases. We do often absorb the more acceptable option as it makes us feel better whenever a heinous crime is committed. We always want to have justice for these poor victims and their families without even bothering to listen to what the accused have to say. Paco, given his bad boy past and affluent status, is such an easy prey. During a media circus, it’s really hard to take things in perspective as the louder the it gets, the more it easily sways public opinion.

Give Up Tomorrow is not just the story of a man looking for justice but a powerful wake up call on how dangerous trial by publicity is. It paints a picture of a rotten system that will make you think things over and over again. It’s a gripping documentary that a lot of people should see because it speaks a lot of things so hard to accept but yet so painfully true.

Rating: 10 / 10
Director: Michael Collins
Producer: Martin Syjuco


You can watch Give Up Tomorrow at the following cinemas until Oct. 9, 2012.

SM Cebu, SM North Edsa, Mall of Asia, Megamall, SM Southmall, Robinsons Galleri, Robinsons Ermita, Greenbelt 3, Trinoma and Alabang Town Center




Discuss the documentary at the Give Up Tomorrow thread