There’s not much good movies in the cinema lately. I would recommend that you watch The Croods if it is still showing.
A fun, fun movie about change and moving forward. As long been suspected, cartoons are really not meant for kids, they are inherent treatise on life, and directly projected to us, adults.
Life of Pi
I read the book several years back and was blown away. When news came out that it will be adapted to the silver screen, I got hesitations because the story is fantasy. It is hard to convert it to motion picture. The producers were having a hard time looking for the director fit to direct a challenging film, and it was Ang Lee who finally took the responsibility. Regardless if you read the book or not, Life of Pi is an amazing film that captures the heart of its audience—vivid, luscious cinematography thanks to CGI looks colorful on screen and 3D. Watching the movie is like listening to a parable of a priest in a Sunday homily.
Zero Dark Thirty
The director, Kathryn Bigelow, expects its audience to understand the background of her film, i.e., what transpired after 9/11. That means, the audience has to remember major terrorist attacks that happened after the Twin Towers, from Marriott Hotel bombing in Pakistan to London bus bombing. Knowing and familiarization with these events make you appreciate Zero Dark Thirty more. Is torture an effective tool to eke out information, and curb further attacks? What went wrong when they cannot find UBL for a long time? Is redtape and bottlenecks in CIA structure to blame for the slow pace of finding UBL? At what cost does “human error” has on its capture? These questions were posed to the audience. Watching it creates arguments, debates. It asks questions.
Perks of Being A Wallflower
I enjoyed the book where it was based. I love the books featured in the movie. I love the music. Oh, don’t we just love everything in there?
The Impossible
The most hearbreaking film I had seen in 2012. It is so sad, story of hope and survival. It makes you realize that this is indeed a miracle. The story is based on a true story of a family’s ordeal during the Indian Ocean tsunami. Excellent acting from Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and the young kid, Tom Holland.
Argo
Ben Affleck sealed his place in Hollywood as one of its finest young directors. I rave about his previous films “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town.” I like him even more in “Argo.” This, by far, is the exact definition of a political thriller—an edge of your seat suspense.
In local scene, my only favorite films are:
Ang Nawawala
One of the most beautiful love story I have seen in a while. The colors, the music, are all perfect. Marie Jamora is a genius.
I Bi Doo Bi Doo
Never has a Pinoy musical has this been exciting. Not to mention, the universal appeal of the songs of Apo Hiking Society, and the most exciting love scene to hit the screen in a while.
This is what I was espousing before—that you tap a credible director, and a good cinematographer and screenwriter and James Bond will be as good as it gets. That formula has succeeded in its 50th year offering “Skyfall.”
Directed by no less Sam Mendes, Skyfall tells us that 007 don’t need gadgetry and flashy cars to entertain audience the world over. We have enough of that in previous films. It may not have gadgets that we used to see, but still, take note of the excellent cinematography. Remember the fight scene in a skyscraper in Shanghai? That silhouette fight scene amidst the neon lights is probably the best I have seen in years. Not to mention those Komodo dragons in a casino in Macau.
The arch-nemesis is also different—smart, gayish, and dons a blonde hair and eyebrows. I wonder if you also notice the Oedipal complex between M and James Bond.
P.S.
Adele should be nominated for Best Song for the song “Skyfall.”
When I watched Argo few weeks ago, I know right away that the award-worthy films are starting to be release in time for the awards season in the US. I have been hearing positive reviews about the Ben Affleck movie from various film festivals, and when it had its commercial release in Manila, I did not hesitate to watch it on the first day itself.
True enough, the movie is one hell of a suspense ride. Very engaging until the end. The airport scene is probably the most unforgettable; you can feel their fear and elation after the captain has announced that they can order alcohol after they left Iranian airspace.
Argo, starring and directed by Ben Affleck, is a strong contender for this years Oscar Best Picture.
When was the last time you enjoyed a good police movie? Not since End of Watch. It is raw, gritty, and full of fine performances.
I just saw it today in SM Megamall. SM Cinemas is exclusively releasing the movie in the Philippines.
Catch it this week.
I saw Marie Jamora’s “Ang Nawawala” last night in SM Megamall.It has that feel wherein you suspect the director/writer wrote the story really for you. You can connect to the protagonist in one way or the other.
I want to stand up and jump in my seat! It was the best coming-of-age Filipino film in a while.
If you still haven’t seen it, Loser. By the way, where can I get the soundtrack? It is amazing.
Manny Pangilinan said that “I Do Bidoo Bidoo” is better than Mamma Mia. I think that its closest American film is Across The Universe, featuring the songs of The Beatles. They are both flamboyant, colorful, and over the top. Mamma Mia is fun, too but maybe because it was first a stage musical (and not a film musical itself) makes it look square and limited.
I still have to find a Filipino musical that I enjoyed before but I cannot remember. I love musicals, and a Filipino musical featuring the songs of Apo Hiking Society makes it really special.
I heard about this project months before when Rogue magazine said that Chris Martinez is cooking a Pinoy musical inspired by the songs of APO. The finished output did not fail our expectations—you see, even Jim Paredes raves about it on Twitter. He watched the film so many times, and asks the director to make a sequel right away.
It is easy to fall in love with the movie. The universal premise on love, and its homage to Pinoy culture, makes it relatable to the audience. I, for one, is familiar with the songs of APO so I appreciate the movie more.
It is now on its second week in cinemas, so please do catch it if you can. I guarantee you, it is worth your money and time.
We all saw The Bourne Legacy, and it’s obvious that this won’t be the last time we will see Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner). After escaping his American chasers in Manila, he and Rachel Weisz rent a dilapidated fishing boat and heads somewhere in Palawan.
It got me thinking, are they going to Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea? That spots of islands that is being claimed in full or partial by a string of nations within the area? Because if that is the case, the sequel can be pictured something like this–they will be captured by Chinese navy doing its rounds within the area. And then they will be imprisoned in a remote Chinese facility. Then the American will rescue them. It will be a very political and power-flexing storyline.
Are you listening, Tony Gilroy?
AS he was overseeing rehearsals for the monumental, multimillion-dollar opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with its cast of 15,000 and fireworks extravaganza, the film director Zhang Yimou faced enormous pressure. Hoping for a distraction, he turned to a book. But far from light entertainment, it was a novel called “13 Female Martyrs of Nanjing.”
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I got the chance to see Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers of War, about a story of two different set of women gathered in a Roman Catholic Church during the Japanese Occupation of Nanjing in China. It was the most expensive Chinese film ever produced, to the tune of US$90 million. And the cinematography is obviously well-crafted, reminiscent of that Holocaust movie The Pianist.
The movie is so emotionally charge, and painful to watch. It makes my heart break every 5 minutes.
My Brain Farts 