Review of EASTERN PROMISES

December 11, 2007

This is Director David Cronenberg's follow-up to "A History of Violence." Once again, he composes an exposition on the subject matter of violence, and likewise, he extracts an electrifying performance from his star Viggo Mortensen by delving deeper in that vein.

This time around, Cronenberg brings us into the world of the Russian crime organizations in London. We are taken there by Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife, as she looks for relatives of a 14 year old girl who dies in childbirth under her care. The girl leaves a diary written in Russian which leads Anna right into the web.

Through Anna, we meet the major players in that Russian underground: a deceptive restaurant owner-crime boss Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl), his psychologically-disturbed son (Vincent Cassel) and their stoic driver Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). With this story as background, the movie proceeds to delve right into the underbelly of the subculture where these protagonists live their depraved lives.

The acting is of very high caliber. Armin Mueller Stahl is a familiar name because he was once an Oscar nominee (for Best Supporting Actor in "Shine"), but I have never really seen him. This is a showcase role for him, and most likely will get him another nomination at least. Vincent Cassel chews scenery in another role reminiscent of his role in "Derailed" of a psychotic criminal. Naomi Watts underplays her naive role and lets the actors outshine her, yet she is still quietly effective in her own way.

But the star of the film is really Viggo Mortensen. He is really very convincing as the astute and confident driver who climbs up the ranks in the Russian mafia. He was as effective in his scenes of gore and violence, as he was in tender scenes with Naomi Watts (and Vincent Cassel!). As he can project a genuine sense of evil and dread, he can similarly show sincerity and concern. Certainly, that controversial bloody Turkish bathhouse fight scene would most likely be talked about for years to come.

This film would not be easy for everyone to watch. The violence and gore levels are high. But being very interesting and rare trip down the Russian underground, plus the tour-de-force acting, makes this film a definite must see. As I said about "The Departed" last year (coincidentally another gangster film), this may be the first potential Oscar Picture nominee I have seen this year.

Review of BEOWULF

December 6, 2007

I watched this spectacular movie completely in mind-blowing 3D and IMAX! I think this is the only way to watch this movie, and I do not regret the money I paid for it. This is the most expensive movie in commercial run in town these days--P400, a little less than US$10.

This is only the third movie I have seen in IMAX. First was those few minutes of "Superman Returns". Then the much longer and better 3D sequences of "Harry Potter 5". This is the first one I have seen in IMAX that is completely in 3D.

This is one of those movies where the technology is the star, not the story, the script nor the actors. The movie is completely computer generated. The artwork was excellent in the architecture, the landscape and the male characters, especially Beowulf himself. The 3D effect multiplies the grandiosity and excitement of everything in the film several-fold. The action sequences were really top notch in 3D, most especially the climactic battle of Beowulf and the Dragon. I certainly cannot imagine how this movie would look and feel in 2D.

Ray Winstone's Beowulf looks every inch a hero, but the story makes him flawed, thus more realistic. I did not know who Winstone was before this movie. He has a grand time looking heroic, with his stances, poses and braggadocio. He was totally naked during his battle with Grendel, and the way his manhood was hidden by various other props can be quite amusing, which distracts from the great action somewhat.

I was a bit off-put by the strange over-the-top rendering of Grendel's monstrosity. I did not expect such extremely grotesque interpretation, with a mishmash of deformed human features. The script did imbue Grendel with much drama and tragedy, much enhanced courtesy of Crispin Glover's acting.

Angelina Jolie was depicted in gorgeous elaborate artwork as Grendel's mother. All the scenes involving Jolie were really very well done. She does well in looking both beautiful and sinister at the same time. Her costume is very remarkable as well. Unfortunately, aside from her, the other female characters were not very well rendered, particularly Robin Wright Penn's Queen.

Overall I would really recommend watching Beowulf. But please watch it in 3D. I cannot avoid comparing this movie with a similarly-themed movie shown earlier this year, 300. I liked 300 much better because of the live actors involved. I read that 300 was also available in 3D IMAX format, but I am not sure if they showed this locally. I don't think so. I gave 300 a 5-star rating despite seeing it only in 2D. Beowulf could have been an average movie, but it gets an extra star because I saw it in 3D.

Review of LIONS FOR LAMBS

November 15, 2007

The very impressive poster attracted me several months back. What a cast this movie has -- Redford. Streep. Cruise. Wow. I did not really know what movie was all about, but I simply had to watch it.

This movie is really a filmed debate on the current situation of the United States and its war on terror. I am very sure a lot of Americans would either love it or hate it depending on their political leanings. It is quite frank, even extreme, in both its left-wing and right-wing pronouncements. The script, with all its conflicting views and witty repartee, is amazing to hear, coming alive through the mouths of the impressive cast.

I liked this debate. In fact, I almost wanted to watch it again right there. I liked the intense interaction between jaded left-wing journalist Janine Roth (Meryl Streep) and hotshot US Sen. Jasper Irving (Tom Cruise). The senator is convincing Roth to publicize a story of a new military strategy in attacking Afghanistan using smaller attack points. Meryl Streep, what more can I say. She is so natural. You actually forget there is a script. Her adlibs sound like actual adlibs. Tom Cruise is also very good. His personal charisma was needed to make his decidedly "more negative" character three-dimensional and real, and counter-balance a perceived left-leaning bias. I believe Cruise pulls off this difficult task very well indeed. Political content aside, the deceptively static conversation scenes involving these two characters is very vivid and alive, an undeniable acting master class.

The other debate involves Prof. Stephen Malley (Robert Redford) and his smart but delinquent student Todd Hayes (Andrew Garfield). The professor is convincing his student to take his studies seriously, and to take his talk one step further. The acting is also very natural. Robert Redford was so cool, and you believe that he is your favorite idealistic political science professor in college. Garfield, I have never seen before, I needed some time to get used to his fast talking style. But he holds his own. The conversation between them was very convincing in its arguments from both sides. The movie's enigmatic title was explained by Malley when he said, ""World War I. German soldiers wrote poems about the bravery of British Grunts. Admired them. Almost as much as they laughed at the British High Command who just wasted those same Grunts by the hundred-thousand. A German General wrote, 'Nowhere else have I seen such lions led by such lambs'."

As these debates were going on in Washington and California, respectively, two former students of Prof. Malley, Arian Finch and Ernie Rodriguez, are involved in the military operation launched by Sen. Irving. They have fallen from their aircraft when it was attacked by the enemy while flying over a mountain pass in Afghanistan. Both injured, the pair had to rely on their idealistic spirits, as the Taliban closes in on them.

I just realized after I watched that the critical feedback about this film had been negative. For me, I disagree with this consensus. Maybe being a non-American, I can be more detached from the sensitive subject matter. It is a good film. It makes the audience think. True, there are many questions presented by this movie, and no answers. The audience is challenged to contemplate on these matters and create their own stand. As American's policies invariably affect the world, even non-Americans should know the issues that surround the political situation in Washington DC. This film summarizes these conflicting issues very well.

Review of LUST, CAUTION

November 3, 2007

 
Ang Lee has become one of those directors for which every film becomes an anticipated event. This particular one is catching a lot of attention because of several graphic scenes of a sexual nature, but it really is not fair to just judge the movie by those scenes alone. These scenes were shown locally without cuts (unlike Singapore or China). I believe they were integral to the plot, as the characters relationship deepens, and their original motives distorted, with every intense act.

Like "Brokeback Mountain", "Lust, Caution" is also based on a short story, this time by Eileen Chang. But Ang's exposition and interpretation extended this material into a 2 hour and 35 minute movie. I did not feel the length of the movie. It was very well paced and very interesting all throughout. Again, films with situations based to real history interest me. The contrast of the lives of the rich and poor at that time were very well portrayed. The rich talk about jewels and gossip over the mahjongg table, as outside, the poor need to line up to get their rice rations and die on the streets.

As with other Ang Lee films, the cinematography was again the main star -- very rich and vibrant. The camera angles were very unique. The production design of old Shanghai and Hongkong, complete with the period costumes, were very painstakingly depicted.

Both lead stars were very daring in the depiction of their roles. Tony Leung is really very good in this one. His intensity as an actor penetrates the screen. As the female lead, Tang Wei is very impressive, considering that this is her first movie. Those quiet scenes in the cafe (purposely chosen by Mr. Yee because it had bad food, thus less people who could see and bother them), and the geisha house (where Mr. Yee lets down his guard and likens his own situation with whoring) are the best in the whole movie.

Despite all this embellishment, the main conflict and story are actually very simple, even disappointing in its resolution. This is my main complaint about this movie. I had wished for a less typical denouement, but that was not to be.



****** SPOILERS FOLLOW ********

The story is about a girl Wong Chia Chi (a daring debut performance by Tang Wei) who joins a patriotic theater group, headed by Kuang (Wang Lee Hom) in her freshman year in college during the war of China with Japan. One vacation, her group got the idea of assassinating a big-time Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee (the ever dapper and sinister Tony Leung). Wong posed as Mrs. Mak, a lonely businessman's wife, who infiltrates the Yee household by befriending and playing mahjongg with Mrs. Yee (Joan Chen). While Wong has succeeded in attracting Mr. Yee's attention, this initial attempt did not succeed because they were accidentally found out by one of Mr. Yee's lackeys whom they had initially used as a connection. They had to kill this guy in the movie's most violent scene.

Three years later, Wong was back in Shanghai, and back in college. One day, she again encounters Kuang who recruits her back to reprise her role as Mrs. Mak. She agrees, and finds her way back into the Yee household. This time, Mr. Yee wastes no time in consummating his lust for her, pent-up for the past three years. After the initial violent rape scenario, more sex scenes follow, all with so much intense passion. Things come to a head when during the day that Kuang's group was set to kill Mr. Yee, Wong had a sudden moment of weakness that changes the course of their plans.

For me, the resolution of the story is the one area of disappointment for me, as i felt that the ending was so much similar to other movies that dealt with the same plot. I would have wanted to see Wong see her mission through, despite the huge 6 carat diamond ring dazzling before her eyes at that fateful moment. I thought she would be much stronger in her resolve than that, especially seeing how much she had already gone through in her life to get to that moment.

Review of 1408

September 26, 2007

This is as close to a one-man show as we can get. Just one lead actor appearing throughout the film, the others are all minor supporting characters. John Cusack really goes through the gamut of human attitudes and emotions in this one film. For me, it is a convincing tour-de-force acting performance. He really gets into the skin of his character and rides the storyline all the way through the roller coaster from hell, from its benign beginning to its heart-stopping twists and turns, up to its fiery end.

He plays Mike Enslin, a writer who debunks popular haunted places. He gets challenged to stay at Rm. 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel in New York City by an anonymous postcard. He could not resist the challenge, despite all the efforts to convince him not to stay the night. His life turns 360 degrees after the manager leaves him in the fated room. The evil spirit of the room, along with ghosts of the room's past victims, as well as Enslin's own personal ghosts regarding his daughter who died of cancer, all join forces to torment and torture him physically, mentally, psychologically and emotionally.

After this movie, you will never hear "We've Only Just Begun" by the Carpenters the same way again. This sweet song actually became creepy! The movie never loses focus. Very exciting. Tight, very well-edited. There's a strange bit at the end with Samuel L. Jackson's hotel manager character in a perplexing scene. But then the whole movie is one big perplexing and torturous trip, you can't really not nitpick on these small details. Hope I can get to read the Stephen King short story on which this film is based in the future.

Review of DISTURBIA

September 13, 2007

Finally I got to see a movie after a month, I think. Caught this movie that unexpectedly copped the number 1 slot in the US box office earlier this year. The prologue scene before the opening credits really gave me quite a jolt! Turns out that that smashing scene sort of just sets up the personality of the lead character Kale played by Shia LaBeouf. He socks his Spanish teacher one day and gets put under house arrest.

I am the type who might even enjoy this type of confinement. But apparently Kale most definitely isn't. He gets very restless on the very first day since his X-Box and Online activities were curtailed. In addition, he gets sassy with his mom, who gets even by cutting off the plug of his TV. Bereft of things to do, he starts looking out his windows, into the lives of his next-door neighbors. He gets very excited with pretty and tone Ashley, who just so happened to just move in with her family. However, the suspense comes in when he notices very strange goings-on with his other neighbor Mr. Turner. Is he involved with a series of missing women?

As far as the actors, I see Shia as a young John Cusack, with a sad-sack charm about him. I just have to say that this guy is lucky to be able to romance gorgeous Megan Fox in "Transformers", and now the beautiful and sexy Sarah Roemer in this movie. I just felt his room was too over-the-top messy. I couldn't be THAT bad! I totally failed to recognize Carrie Anne Moss as Kale's mom! David Morse, on the other hand, is really getting the hang of playing these creepy characters. I certainly have seen him in other movies with characters like Mr. Turner. For the Asian best friend Ronnie, he just had to totally be geeky. What a stereotype! For his credit, actor Aaron Woo did quite well in this obnoxious role.

This is teen angst meets "Rear Window." There were really scenes that bring you to the edge of your seats. The scene of Mr. Turner and Ashley in the car is classic creepy. Same with the "Blair Witch"-style camera work when Ronnie breaks into Mr. Turner's garage and house. Exciting! The angst scenes however did not really sit well with me. I think they are way overblown. Just OK with me overall. I would not call it a waste of time. Some tense and exciting suspense scenes that make it worthwhile to catch in theaters.

Review of DERAILED

August 30, 2007

I just caught this on cable in Saigon, while packing my suitcase the night before our departure. I did not really have background information about it. I actually thought it was a love story. Much to my surprise, it was nothing of the sort at all! The action that went on inside that seedy hotel room between Charles (Clive Owen) and Lucinda (Jennifer Aniston) went from steamy fantasy to violent nightmare in a matter of minutes.

As a man, I felt I am feeling everything that Clive's character was feeling as he went through his ordeal. I liked the quiet understated acting of Clive Owen. He projected the sheer weight of helplessness and haplessness as Charles goes into a massive guilt trip. His eyes could not have been more expressive of despair. Man, kawawa talaga! (Sorry, I could not express that too well in English. "He is really pitiful!" simply does not carry the same punch.)

It was also great how the story turned out with the surprising revelations and secrets. Neat! Vincent Cassel is truly vicious here. And Jennifer Aniston, wow! All I can say is, she isn't Rachel Green in this one.

OK, it does get a little illogical towards the end on how Charles gets his justice. But for me, the great emotional story development in middle part more than makes up for this.

Review of LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD

August 16, 2007

Finally I got to see this film, and boy was it worth the wait! The action sequences harken back to the slam-bang first three Die Hard movies. The original "Die Hard" deservedly was named the best action movie of all time, and this installment successfully carries on the tradition of excellence.

While "The Bourne Ultimatum", was sleek and smart, this one is pure brawn, muscular and explosive, all care of its star, Bruce Willis. I have been a fan of this guy since his Moonlighting days as David Addsion. While he surely looked grizzled in this one, only Bruce Willis can play John McClane. He faithfully stuck to the character we all admire for being cool and collected, tough as nails, yet inexplicably melodramatic when it came to his family (his daughter Lucy, in this case). Of course, it's no Bruce Willis film without the smart-ass humor and attitude, and he puts it on thick in this one!

The story is so current and so close to what can actually happen in reality. It dealt with a "fire sale" cooked up by a disgraced CIA man, Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant). A "fire sale" is when someone hacks into and causes major snafus in the transport, financial and telecommunications and basic utilities, in so doing, holding the entire USA in his hands.

John McClane gets dragged into the action when he was assigned to protect one computer hack Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) who had been targetted for execution by Gabriel. And wow, their adventures and close calls are as slam-bang as they can ever get. Ingenious action scenes include that inside a tunnel culminating in a car blowing up a helicopter (!) and that where a jet and truck battle on the freeways. The martial arts action between McClane and Mai (played by the fantastic Maggie Q) is breathtakingly exciting.

The computer hacking angle, so often tackled in recent movies, is certainly lifted to a higher level. I found it so funny that the grand computer geek and hacker Warlock's real name is Freddy (short for Frederick)! Hahaha! Chalk another one up for memorable film characters named "Fred"!

I'm not discounting a 5th installment, as Bruce Willis is looking still fit and capable as any of the upcoming young guns. A must-watch for action movie fans!

Review of THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM

August 7, 2007

This is one of those rare third episodes that really lives up to the first two. Very very good indeed! The action begins even before the beginning credits. Then, throughout the movie, this action is relentless. The technology-driven cat-and-mouse tactics in the London train station, the fantastic motorcycle and foot chase scenes in streets and houses of Tangiers and the heart-stopping car chase scenes on the streets of New York City are really editing masterpieces. Very exciting! The direction of Paul Greengrass does not disappoint. It was breathtaking. All the scenes are important. There is no wasted time.

As with the first two installments, there is very little downtime in this. In fact, the downtime is very similar to the first two, where Bourne is in the company of a female, and washes up.
Honestly, during the first Bourne movie, "The Bourne Identity", I did not think that Matt Damon would be a good action star. In fact, I believe I did not watch that one until I watched and was very impressed with the second installment "The Bourne Supremacy". Matt is really very good and convincing as Bourne, in all three. 

In this one, the drama was more intense as Bourne comes into information that leads him from Moscow, Paris, London, Madrid, Tangiers, and New York, back to the very facility where his new violent life began. Matt's talents as a dramatic actor balances perfectly with his physical prowess in the amazing stunts.

I think this is really a great action and espionage trilogy I would probably watch all over again, together one day. While the trajectory of Bourne's character arc is clear to me, I would like to note more the other characters, especially that of Julia Stiles, who had an important role and character development in all three movies. 

Review of THE SIMPSONS MOVIE

August 5, 2007

Maybe I went into this movie with very high expectations, so it was just alright for me. Not the laugh-out-loud-fest that I thought. I admit I haven't been watching the TV series lately already, so maybe that's part of the reason.

The line at the beginning of the movie says it all so frankly: Why watch a movie that you can watch on TV for free??? It even goes further to call everyone watching a sucker! I think those were the best lines in the whole movie! Hahaha!

The humor was not very spontaneous, especially in a lot of parts that dealt with the main plot of how Homer single-handedly wreaked environmental havoc on Springfield and its dire consequences on his family. The Alaska part of the movie was not very productive. It took away a lot of screen time that could've been given to Mr. Burns and Smithers, Maggie's sisters, Apu and the other interesting characters in Springfield itself.

The storyline of Bart was quite dramatic and even touching (ironic, huh? hehe). Marge, Lisa and Maggie act as I knew them, and I liked that. Lisa's really a great quirky little character.

However, for me, Homer's character was not very likable in this film, compared to how he was in the TV show. On TV, the tight situations Homer gets into were due to his stupidity and boorishness, which we find cute and charming. But in this movie, he seemed to be uncharacteristically ill-tempered and ill-intentioned. I think this was a major issue in my not liking the movie as much I wanted to.

Another problem with me is the Pig. It was the main bone of contention in the plot. Yet it was so casually forgotten and dismissed in the end, as it was so haphazardly introduced in the beginning.

Review of OUIJA

July 31, 2007

Of the big movies in theaters this week like "Ratatouille" and "The Simpsons", I chose to watch this local horror flick first. Okay, so I am a sucker for these glossy local horror films. I really enjoyed watching "Feng Shui" and "Sukob" very much, and recommended them effusively to my friends at that time. Liked those clever little twists at the end for both these flicks. Although, I only realized recently that the twist of "Sukob" is quite similar to that of "Sigaw" (which is now in production in Hollywood as "The Echo") when I caught the latter film on TV.

Now back to "Ouija". The 'spirit of the glass" story has been done very many times, hasn't it? This one, though, goes one bit further because the ghost can torment the victims even if they are already far away from the scene of the original seance. And furthermore, the ghost can torment separate victims simultaneously! This concept innovation led to a very entertaining scarefest in the middle part of the film where three parallel ghost attacks were shown interlaced with each other. That was a great film editing achievement!

I also liked the ending. Okay, there's a twist when you least expected it. I don't spend time in films like this to try to predict the twist. I want to enjoy the revelation. That is why when it came, I think that this twist was rather intelligent and logical. Nice touch.

Now for the minuses. I think this film is replete with borrowed previously done Asian horror gimmicks. How many times can they rehash the dirty long-haired girl in white crawling with jerky movements (famously done in "Ringu")? Or the ghost girl appearing under the blanket where a frightened character was hiding (first seen in The Grudge")? Or will there always be a bathroom stall scene in these films??? Or a looking under the bed scene??? Argghhh! I wish they would stick to more original scare tactics (which they had) than merely repeat classic scenes. These very familiar scenes diminish really the scare factor, and can even be predictably funny.

Now for the actresses. I must say that the presence of superstar Judy Ann Santos is quite distracting (more distracting than Kris Aquino in "Feng Shui" and "Sukob"). It is so anti-type, that it seemed very artificial for her to portray a chain-smoking bitchy lawyer. Jolina Magdangal, on the other hand, underplays her quiet part quite effectively. Iza Calzado seems a bit of place as a narcissistic hammy stage actress, providing some comic relief.

Some very effective scary scenes (except for those obviously copied ones) with excellent editing, cinematography and music. And for me, a good ending. Good enough!

Review of ENDO

July 28, 2007

As you may have deduced from this site of mine, I watch movies a lot. But last night, I had a particularly unique movie watching experience. No, it was definitely not a big Hollywood blockbuster this time. It was a local independent film currently in competition in the ongoing Cinemalaya 2007 Independent Film Festival, called "Endo." What makes this film stand out is that this time I actually know someone from behind the scenes. The cinematographer of the film is my cousin Wowie Hao (whom we used to call Lori Ann).

Wowie studied Film in college, at UP Diliman no less! Our first experience working with her as a family came when she directed our family tribute video to our grandfather's 90th birthday a few years back. Last year, I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw her name among the nominees for Best Cinematography at the prestigious Urian Awards. This was for the independent film "Dilim", which I have not yet seen.

Well, this time, I asked cousin Harry to tag along so we can see a product of her professional camerawork firsthand. This was a dark and rainy night, but the Cultural Center of the Philippines was alive with lights and people.

Wowie met us when we came in and introduced us to her director, Jade Castro. He was a tall, lanky guy, very young and friendly. I don't think I have ever watched a movie just minutes after meeting its cinematographer and director. To add to the importance of the occasion, we saw celebrities at this showing, such as National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, ABS-CBN boss Malou Santos, indie film pioneer Kidlat Tahimik, Laurice Guillen, and Jessica Zafra, among the audience. This screening was certainly well-attended.

**********************

Now, for the movie itself. First, the title. I honestly did not have any idea what the word "Endo" was all about. In my area, "Endo" would mean "Endocrinology" or "Endoscopy." Somewhere in the middle of the movie, I still could not get the meaning of the title given the movie's context. So, as I could not bear my ignorance anymore, I had to ask my cousin Harry what it was really about. I found out that it meant "End of Contract." The whole movie dealt about the lives of simple city folk, workers whose employment history is a series of short months-long contracts in various places of employ. This also serves as a metaphor for the temporariness of their social and love lives, which generally need to start all over every time they change jobs every so often.

The central character is Leo a young 20ish guy. In this movie, we saw him work for a fastfood, a department store (Robinson's Place), a grocery store (Quincy), then back in a restaurant (Don Henrico's). In the beginning of the movie, he splits up with his girlfriend at the fastfood. Then in his next job, he meets shoestore clerk Tanya and his love life really got going. However, the inevitable conflicts arise as family problems, opportunities to go abroad, and return of former loves complicate the idyllic relationship, so tough decisions have to be made.

The script is the star of this film. It was current and crisp, dramatic and touching, yet maintaining the sense of humor Pinoys are well known for. There were rich references to various aspects of current pop culture pertinent to the situation at hand. There were smart one liners (such as "Mahal mo lang ako, kasi aalis na ako.") throughout that impress the viewer. It is light and pleasant fare, not dragged down by pretentious angst that pervade other indie films. The direction and camerawork brought this script into an effective visual reality.

The actors were generally unknown to me, and I guess this is how indie films like this make audiences relate with them. Except for veteran Ricky Davao who played Leo's tragic and pathetic father, there were no superstar face there to distract audience empathy with the characters. The young lead Jason Abalos is very good and convincing as Leo throughout the movie, both in his cutesy lovestruck parts, as well as in his teary lovelorn parts. His character really had to run the gamut of emotions here, and he fared quite well for a neophyte. Ina Feleo (whom we were able to meet after the screening) is likewise very good in her role as Tanya. She also had her difficult dramatic moments where she definitely shines, as in the hotel bathroom with her coworker, and with Leo outside the gate of her house.

Wowie told us afterwards that "Endo" was shot and processed from April to June 2007. There was even a scene where "Oceans 13" was a choice at a cinema multiplex. In that short time, they were able to create a layered but accessible film, sensible, yet kept real. What a good indie film should be. Highly recommended for everyone to check out.

Review of IN THE LAND OF WOMEN

July 19, 2007

Every year on our wedding anniversary, my wife and I watch a romantic love story type movie. (Must be the only love story movie I watch all year??? hehehe) Three years ago, it was "If Only", which I liked. Two years ago, it was "The Notebook", which I did not like. And last year, it was "The Lake House", which was OK. Unfortunately, this year, there was no big romance movie to break the stronghold of the action-packed summer blockbusters. So we settled on this obscure film which I have never even heard of.

The only name I recognize above the title was Meg Ryan. But we watched it anyway, better this, than "Terror Planet" or "White Noise 2". Aside from the lone person somewhere up the balcony, we had the entire moviehouse all to ourselves! It turns out however, that, despite the poster, this movie was not exactly the love story we expected.

*********************

"In the Land of Women" is the story of three people. There was Carter, a 26 year old soft porn script writer from LA, who was just dumped by his supermodel girlfriend (no explanation on how their paths even crossed). To recover from this crushing setback, he volunteers to fly to suburban Michigan to take care of his ailing grandmother (played by Olympia Dukakis, the only other familiar face).

There he meets the women who live across the street, desperate housewife Sarah (Meg Ryan) and her teenage daughter, Lucy (Kristen Stewart). And there intersect their lives. And intersect they did! Every main character had three people fighting over their love. This movie is really hard to describe, but it is definitely about all their intersecting relationships. It is just a straightforward telling of the events that happened in their lives and the emotions that came out these events.

Meg Ryan is her old reliable and lovable self. Sure she is more mature now, playing a teenager's mom. But you really cannot help but love this woman. I liked her since I saw her first in "Joe Vs. The Volcano"! She is very good and sincere in her dramatic scenes. I liked the conversations she had with Carter in their long walks. I don't blame Carter at all, it is impossible not to like her.

The younger leads Adam Brody and Kristen Stewart, though both unknown to me, are also very good. Kristen had a rebellious teenager look, ala Avril Lavigne, not the typical teen beauty. Adam Brody had good scenes with the senior actors Meg and Olympia. May have a promising career ahead, although no male star from these prolific TV teen dramas really make it big in the movies.

Not really a film I would watch. But since I have, it is not that bad. Sincere and sad, yet with the promise of redemption.

Review of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

July 12, 2007

 
I watched this IMAX version this morning and it was well worth the expense. This is one of those rare times where the movie is WAY BETTER than the book! The Order of the Phoenix is my least favorite of the six published books so far. The adventures were repetitive of previous books. I felt that nothing original was introduced. I also felt that it was not well-written since the action is not clearly described. When I finished the book, I did not feel any sense of awe that I felt especially with the fantastic 4th (Goblet of Fire) and 6th (Half Blood Prince) books! But this film was the total opposite.

After sitting through disappointing film interpretations of the 3rd (Prisoner of Azkaban) and 4th books, this movie is a vast improvement over the book. I guess I have to credit the writer for distilling the ponderous text into this coherent and action-packed adventure script. And the director, David Yates, who is relative newcomer, who created an amazing vision from the lackluster printed words. The story is easy to follow, and logically sequenced. The action scenes are very well choreographed and executed on the big screen.

The IMAX version features 3D rendition of the last 20 minutes of this 2 hour 20 minute film. This was from the scene where the gang flies off to London to fight Voldemort on flying beasts, through their dangerous magical adventures in the Ministry of Magic. The 3D effects of the flying around, the perspectives of the doorways and corridors within the building, the destruction made by the violent spells being thrown around were nothing short of amazing and impressive.

The three main kids have really grown up. Daniel Radcliffe really turned out to be the perfect actor for Harry. He grew up well with the series, and can indeed carry off the heroics and angst of the title character. Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) have less screen time here, but they also did their job well. The chose well for the actress (Evanna Lynch) to play Luna Lovegood, who is quite annoying in the book, but very well portrayed in this movie. Those small clues regarding Ginny Weasley were also excellently hinted in many scenes, and very well underplayed by Bonnie Wright.

The esteemed senior members of the cast do their best with their limited screen time, such as Gary Oldman, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson (so good as Sibyl Trelawney!) and Maggie Smith. I still miss Richard Harris as Dumbledore. There is something amiss in Michael Gambon's performance in my opinion.

Their nemesis in this installment is Dolores Umbridge played so sinisterly by Imelda Staunton. I have only heard of this actress from "Vera Drake." She is so good at being so hateful! She interpreted this villain as I imagined as she was described in the book. With a shorter villain role is Helena Bonham Carter as the mad Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange.

Overall, an excellent film!!!

Review of FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER

July 3, 2007

I went into this movie with no high expectations. And yes, I was thoroughly entertained by it. It was a good comic book movie. For me it was just the right mix of action, humor (naughty at that), and drama (not too much Spiderman-like angst), rolled into one fine exciting package. All four heroes had their moments to shine action-wise and character-wise.

As in the first film, Chris Evans stole his scenes, both as Johnny Storm and as The Human Torch. This time, there was even some dramatic character development for that character. They just had to include one gratuitous scene of Johnny clad in only a towel for his female fans.

I don't know why, but Jessica Alba still did not look like the correct choice for Invisible Woman. I also don't know why her hair style looks very fake in a lot of scene, particularly the one set in a Japanese garden, where it was truly fixed up horrendously.

The Silver Surfer was truly a star in this film. His cool appearance and action sequences are great to watch. I was surprised to note in the credits that the voice was given by Lawrence Fishburne. Great choice, as he delivered the few lines of the Surfer with just the right mix of sinisterness and dignity.

Review of TRANSFORMERS

July 1, 2007

When the movie began it felt like a serious modern war movie here, not unlike Black Hawk Down or Jarhead or something of that sort. But then when that the Scorpion robot showed up, there was no mistaking this movie at all.

What can you expect from Michael Bay but the best action sequences. He is really a master of action movies ("The Rock", "Armageddon"). All very close-up with bone-crushing detail. Very impressive robot effects, whether the small Frenzy (who turned into a CD player on Air Force One) or the gigantic Optimus Prime, all are very realistic! Great looking vehicles all around. A great man's movie overall. Add to that the palpable sentiments of loyalty and heroism.

Interesting back story about an explorer in the Arctic Circle at the turn of the 20th century to connect to present hero Sam (Shia LaBeouf) and the very presence of the Transformers here on Earth.

There's also humor in a lot of scenes. Notably the scenes where Bumblebee helps Sam score with Mikaela with some well-timed cheesy 70s and 80s love songs on the radio. Also the scenes when Sam's parents barge into Sam's room while the Autobots are impatiently waiting in the garden.

One of the most entertaining movies overall this season. And you certainly need not be a fan of the old cartoon series to enjoy this.

Review of THE INVISIBLE

June 26, 2007

This is a teen movie with some serious teenage angst going on. The two main characters from different sides of the tracks, Nick and Annie, both come from problematic family situations. The acting of the neophyte cast is definitely juvenile, including the adults (yes, even Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, as the only veteran actress in the cast, somehow had to stoop to the lower acting levels). But you know, the first two quarters of this film were really not that bad. There were some good dramatic scenes there.

The soundtrack of predominantly "emo" songs by Soul Patrol, Perfect Circle and especially, the great "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" of Death Cab by Cutie, was definitely a welcome feature of this movie.

However, the last third about Annie's character resolution was so sudden, ill-conceived and illogical. This final segment actually ruined the whole movie for me, thus the low rating.

*****Spoilers follow******

Foremost of these last segment fiascos was the big question of "How on earth did Nick and Annie come to the conclusion that they had to be together in that hospital bed, in order for Nick to be saved????" That certainly came from out of nowhere, and is the biggest plot question among several that come to mind both during and after watching the movie.

Review of OCEANS 13

June 21, 2007

I watched this, even though I have not seen Ocean's 11 nor 12. I only know a bit about the basic plots, but nothing specific. But truth to tell, I enjoyed this movie. It is fun. Even though, you really need to check your disbelief at the door. Don't take it seriously. I know the casino tricks they did were not possible in the real world, but it was fun to see Al Pacino's character get his comeuppance.

It was great to see all these stars together, and I feel they all got to be exposed with seemingly equal screen time. I liked Matt Damon's and Carl Reiner's characters the best. I felt they could have chosen a more appropriate actress than Ellen Barkin.

I don't really know the personalities of each member of the gang, nor their talents. I think was where I missed out, on some of the small stuff and inside jokes. But I guess, the whole story was still there for me, so I hope I did not really miss that much.

Review of ZODIAC

June 12, 2007

I saw Zodiac today. I was deciding between Bordertown and this one, but decided on Zodiac because of the director David Fincher, whose Seven is a classic.

I was not disappointed. The atmosphere is really creepy. The murders were just the backdrop of the story. The main plot and 2/3's of the film revolves around the men investigating this case, whose lives were drawn into a tangled net by their obsession about solving the case.

Jake Gyllenhaal was very good in his role, as a dorkish naive cartoonist, whose family life was rent apart by his obsession with Zodiac. My favorite sequence was when Jake's character visited the cinema owner's eerie house and basement. It was darkly comic, yet without losing its creepy edge and chilling atmosphere. Jake was so effective in that scene!

Marc Ruffalo had to deal with a very difficult voice quality and accent, but he was believable. Chloe Sevigny was also quietly effective in her unexpectedly limited role, same with Dermot Mulroney (even dared to show his paunch!).

Much praise had been heaped on the performance of Robert Downey, Jr. But honestly, I don't get the love. I felt he actually ruined my appreciation any scene which contained him in with his ambiguous alcoholic character, which he played in a very annoying and hammy manner. Sorry for the Downey fans out there.

The ending was a bit abrupt and disjointed. But overall, this movie is definitely worth its screening time.

Review of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 3: AT WORLD'S END

June 11, 2007

I'm giving this movie 4 stars only because of the last 2 hours. The first hour, for me, went by so slowly and unexcitingly. The scenes of multiple Johnny Depps were too stagey, hammy and self-indulgent, not to mention weird. There was also that very long and surreal scene with the ship and the crabs. Huh???

However, once that Council Meeting of the Pirate Lords got underway, I finally got the Pirates movie I was waiting very eagerly for!

The last 2/3's contained the swashbuckling action, drama, comedy and romance of the high level we have come to expect from this franchise. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley look good together and do very well in their action scenes, as well as their "wedding" scene. There was no scene here that was as distinctive as the "Fighting on the Rolling Wheel" scene in Pirates 2, but there were several well-choreographed fight scenes here as well.

I was not too happy with the Calypso scenes, nor how that was resolved. They way it was built up, I was expecting a bigger revenge disaster, than the rain and whirlpool we got. I also thought that Chow Yun Fat was under-used (even 'mis'used) in his role.

Yes, it was too long. Yes, the beginning sucks. However, the middle to the conclusion was well worth your patience. But still, hey, I liked Pirates 2 more.

Review of FRACTURE

June 3, 2007

This is a very dark film, both thematically and visually. It is about infidelity, revenge, murder, and manipulation of the justice system. Both Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling act up a storm. Even if he did not intend it (or maybe he did), Hopkins had a Hannibal Lecter feel in his character. The actor who played the cop Nunnaly, Billy Burke (from "24"), was very hammy. Gosling's new boss, played by icy Rosamund Pike, was, for me, a useless character. This angle was the worst written part of this film. The revelations were done well, but I can't help feeling I have seen this kind of resolution somewhere else before.

Review of SHREK THE THIRD

May 20, 2007

This must be the first movie which I watched with my whole family. Yes, with all three kids. Unfortunately, this movie did not really hold the attention of my two younger kids though. Even for me, the funny experience of watching both Shrek 1 and 2 was not really very evident with this installment. I remember in Shrek 2, I was laughing out loud with each passing pop culture reference and innuendo being bantered around. However, that was not so here.

I was not too amused with the Disney princesses characters. Shrek's "baby nightmare" scene was well-executed. Justin Timberlake did well in voicing his "grovelling at Merlin's feet" scene. Overall, this movie was not that bad, but it needed to be much better to be worthy to stand on the same level as the first two Shrek films.

Review of SHOOTER

May 8, 2007

This is the rare movie still left in the malls after Spider-man 3 opened last week.

I had no idea what this film was about before I entered. It stars Marc Wahlberg playing a Marines sharpshooter veteran increduously named Bob Lee Swagger. He was abandoned in the Ethiopia warzone by his superiors, so when he made his way back in the States, he becomes a loner. Sounds familiar??? Yes! This film could be the rehash of Rambo or any Chuck Norris movie of the 80s! There was definitely an 80s feel to it in the first few scenes.

In this film, Swagger was recruited to help analyze and prevent an assasination attempt on the US President. However, it turns out he would be framed for the crime. Of course, he escapes this tight set-up and, despite two gunshot wounds, was able to tackle an FBI agent, steal his car, drive the car into the river, escape along the shore, hotwire an abandoned car and make his way from Philadelphia to Kentucky! Of course this is just the start of a series of superhuman artillery exploits in the forests, in the fields, in the snow!

It is very exciting for an action film. Big explosions everywhere. Characters are either one of two: 1. Too superhuman, as was Swagger, but also Sarah (Kate Mara) as the widow of Swagger's best friend, who was amazingly able to do bullet extraction surgery in her bedroom! Or 2. Too caricaturish, as were the over-the-top evil characters of Danny Glover, Elias Koteas and Ned Beatty. Of course, we don't expect Wahlberg (or anyone else for that matter) to earn his next Oscar nomination from this film.

Finally, we only watch these kinds of films for the adrenaline rush, and for that, "Shooter" still gets three stars.

Review of SPIDER-MAN 3

May 3, 2007

Got to squeeze some time yesterday to catch Spiderman 3. Well, what is my verdict?

Let me put it this way. Don't expect too much. All the hype and excitement might make you expect something you might not get. Among the 3 Spiderman movies, I personally still liked Spiderman 2 the best. This third installment tries too much to squeeze so many characters and plotlines into an almost 3 hour movie. Either the Sandman story alone or the Alien Symbiote/Venom story alone should have been chosen to intermix with the love story sequences. Having all of them together felt too much, yet you also feel short-shrifted on how these stories were resolved.

The action sequences are exciting, for sure. The Sandman sequences are breathtaking CG. The "hip bad-boy" Peter Parker sequences were funny, yet also very prolonged and repetitive. Overall, not bad, yet not very satisfying.


****Spoiler Alert****

I don't read the Spiderman comics. So some details are unclear to me.

What really is the role of Gwen Stacy in the life of Peter and MJ? Her name comes up with fondness when comics fanboys write about Spidey, but her storyline was so wasted in this overloaded film.

Is is really possible that Harry makes a turnaround so the New Green Goblin was able to help Spiderman in that final battle? Why didn't the butler reveal to Harry what he knew earlier? It was so vital.

Was Flynt Marko really responsible for Uncle Ben's death??? Or was this only for the movie?

Review of PERFECT STRANGER

April 19, 2007

This movie is certainly less than perfect. The title alone is trite and awful and unoriginal (shades of a Bronson Pinchot sitcom!) It clearly relies on its "superstar" cast to draw in the audiences. However it seems Halle Berry and Bruce Willis have both seen better days in their careers.

Halle's beauty is front and center in this movie, but that is about it. She looks fantastic in everything she wore, especially the white blouse when she first enters Bruce's firm, and the red outfit she wore to her first meeting with Bruce in a bar. She wore them to seduce Bruce, and man, they surely work.

The plot is not convincing and unbelievable. The red herrings are aplenty, especially with regards to the character of Bruce Willis. The build up towards the revelation of the perpetrator at least had the requisite suspense. It does keep you guessing up to that point. However, I will not recommend this.

Review of THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE

April 16, 2007

I don't know why my son picked out this particular DVD to buy when we were in Shanghai. I have never seen a single episode of this popular Nickelodeon cartoon series. But now that I have finally seen it, I must admit, this movie is really, really hilarious! This is a great introduction of the characters for me.

This comedy is relentlessly silly yet smartly plotted and written. There were so many precious one-liners and punchlines. That part when Squidward learns about Plankton selling Krabby Patties at the Chum Bucket, and he says "Chum Bucket? Free? Krabby Patty? Plankton? Giving? With?" is too funny, even with repeated watching! Hahahaha! Come to think about it, I actually did not mind watching this movie over and over with my kids!

The artwork is likewise very funny, especially with Patrick Star and his infatuated look with Mindy, or that part when he was trying so hard not to sing along to the Goofy Goober theme song at the Thug Tug. The interaction of Spongebob and Patrick with live-action David Hasselhoff is another very funny sequence.

Review of PREMONITION

March 22, 2007

This is the second movie of Sandra Bullock that I have seen dealing with time. Both times, it was love story, since Sandy is a master of the romance genre. There was "Lake House" last year. And this time, it's "Premonition."


**** SPOILER WARNING*****

Linda Hanson was having a humdrum regular day, when her daily routine was shattered by a policeman at her door, telling her about her husband's death in car accident. The next day, she wakes up to see him alive and well in the kitchen having breakfast. The next day, she wakes up to see Lithium on her sink, people dressed for a funeral and her daughter with a face full of stitches. Then the next day, she wakes up to see him taking a shower! Linda begins to realize that she is living two timelines, one before, and the other, after her husband's death. So then she begins to intervene to try to prevent the death from happening. However, there were tragic consequences to her interventions.

I have learned from watching these timeline movies in the past not to think to much about them afterwards, or else you would end up puzzled and confused, and riddled with your thought-up plotholes.

If you treat her first day as the premonition referred to in the title, the way the events unfolded seem to be logical, as Linda's interventions have varying effects on what actually happens. But again, I don't want to look to hard.

It is not difficult to like a Sandra Bullock movie. I felt that liked "Lake House" more than this one. Maybe because of the lighter fantasy treatment of "Lake House", compared to the heavier, more sinister feel of this one. I would like to think that the story of "Premonition" was actually more cleverly thought out.

Review of NOTES ON A SCANDAL

March 14, 2007

This is a very disturbing movie about two very disturbed women. Great actresses happen to play these two women, so they feel like they may be real ordinary people we can meet everyday, who may have deep dark skeletons.

The character of spinster teacher Barbara is so creepy and Judi Dench really plays it up. Her voice-overs narrating her entries in her diary betray a humorous side to her. But her outward behavior is so cut and dry, stern and strict. Her lonely existence changes when a new art teacher Sheba Hart (played by Cate Blanchett) was hired by her school. Her beauty and freshness appeals to Barbara. When Sheba invites her over for lunch for the first time, Barbara called it 'a merry flag on the arctic wilderness of my calendar'.

I have seen all five nominees for Best Supporting Actress, and I found Cate Blanchett to be the most deserving of the award. Her role here is practically for the Best Actress category in terms of screen time. Although her role is really secondary to that of Ms. Dench. Actually, Dame Judi was also very good in this monstrous role. But I guess, with the conservative nature of the Academy, perverted roles such as these don't really stand a chance to win (especially for women -- except perhaps for that perverted but extra-challenging Holly Hunter role in "The Piano", but that is another story....)


****SPOILER ALERT****

Sheba gets into a sexual affair with a 15 year old student. Barbara finds out, and actually uses this info to blackmail Sheba into being her "friend". There is one scene where Barbara's cat died on the same day that Sheba's Down-syndrome son was having a school play. And Barbara wanted Sheba to be with her! Of course, Sheba cannot. So there amidst the tension, comes out "sweet" Barbara's real nature and fangs. This is a scene that most uncomfortable to watch because of its twistedness. But this is a vital scene, as it is the turning point of the whole.

Review of THE PRESTIGE

March 11, 2007

This is one of those movies where the story is the main attraction. It is a very sad and disturbing movie about intense and violent rivalry, this time in the field of magic, at the turn of the century.

The set and art direction, as well as the costumes are also very good. Interesting thing also to inject a real character, Nikola Tesla (played by David Bowie!), in there. Did not know that Tesla had a bad conflict with Thomas Edison and it was that severe! (Should read up on that....)

I felt that the acting styles of the two leads were one of the disappointing points of the movie. Hugh Jackman tends to be too over the top, as if he were in a stage production. Christian Bale is severely underplaying his part, his face seemed to be in a perpetual scowl. Of course, the fact that they were playing two dislikable characters probably contributed to this.

The direction of the movie by Christopher Nolan is typical of him. Jumping back and forth in time, it was ok but I felt it made the movie a bit hard to follow at the beginning. But once you get the drift, it was very interesting.


*****SPOILERS FOLLOW*****

Maybe it was just me, but one major thing that confused me was Julia, the wife of Angier (Hugh Jackman). She looked like Scarlett Johanssen. Then later after the wife dies in a tragic stage accident, Angier's assistant, Olivia, was again Scarlett Johanssen. Admittedly, I had to stop the DVD right at that point and run to the computer to check imdb because it was affecting my appreciation of the movie. Turns out that the wife Julia was played by a different actress, Piper Perabo. Olivia is really Scarlett. Ok then, these two girls were just fixed up in too much the same way. Once that was settled, I was able to follow the flow of the story much better.

This ending is the worst part of the movie for me.

At the end, the Borden that was left said, "We each loved one of them. I loved Sarah, he loved Olivia."

The Borden who loved Sarah is the one who started the whole problem by making a mistake in the tying of Julia's hands so that she could not escape the water trap, thus killing her.

The Borden who loved Sarah is also the father of Jess.

And therefore the Borden who started the whole problem is the one who lives at the end happily ever after with his daughter!!!

After all the revenge and the deaths, I felt the happy ending for one of them was completely undeserved. This kind of ending is unacceptable for me. There is no sense of justice at all here in this scenario.

Review of 300

March 8, 2007

This movie is SO awesome!

We have seen so many cloak dagger epic battle movies before. But in the age of computer-generated effects, we have had "Gladiator" and "Troy", to name but the most high-profile ones. Frank Miller's "300" somehow even surpasses these very accomplished films.

The whole look, cinematography, costume, sets, editing, musical score, make-up, and yes, sound and visual effects all score superlatives! It is beautiful to see, despite the relentless gore and splattering blood. It may be true that we are becoming jaded in watching displays of extreme violence onscreen. However, the highly stylized choreography of the violent scenes, so over the top that it hews close to its graphic novel origins, is an eloquent cinematic achievement.

The acting of the ensemble was commendable. This is the first I have seen of Gerald Butler since "Phantom of the Opera". He really lives and breathes King Leonidas, very believable. The actors playing the individual Spartan soldiers are also impressive. Their bodies showed their discipline in preparing for their roles, so much that their muscles look like visual effects. The Queen was also portrayed as a strong character, not a mere helpless woman just waiting for her husband.

Highly recommended! I loved "Sin City", and I have got to say that I love "300" even more. Can't wait for the next Frank Miller project!

Review of LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA

March 6, 2007

This is a very sad movie about the Japanese side of the battle on Iwo Jima. We are so used to see it from the US point of view, the winner's point of view. Taking the Japanese side of the story--how they persevered for more days than expected with limited food and limited ammunition--LFIW was a very moving elegy. I consider this an elegy because you knew they would lose from the beginning. It was documentation of a lost cause.

It starts out very slowly. The first hour setting up the characters I found quite tedious and overlong. However, the last hour and a half went by unnoticed because of the efficient flow of the storytelling. Being a war movie, you expect violent scenes. Nothing can compare with the group suicide scene with grenades. This was shot so close up! Very realistic and disturbing.

The Japanese actors were very good indeed. Ken Watanabe--wow! This guy is an imposing yet charming master of his craft. "The Last Samurai," "Memoirs of a Geisha", now this. His General Kuribayashi was nobility personified. The actors who played the simple baker forced into the military service Saigo (the character the ordinary movie viewer can most identify with), and the dashing Olympic gold medallist-equestrian and officer Nishi, both played their roles excellently.

Much much better than "Flags of our Fathers" in my humble opinion, in terms of story and acting and technicalities. You cannot help but sense a pro-American sentiment somewhere in the story, as the two "good" Japanese officer characters Kuribayashi and Nishi both just so happened to have lived in the United States previously.

As a side gripe, I don't know how this current trend of showing movies exclusively in one or two cinemas began. Like this movie was shown only in two movie houses in Makati! It really takes time and effort to go see these masterpieces nowadays here.

Review of MISS POTTER

March 5, 2007

If there is one word that could describe is quiet little movie, it would be CHARMING. Almost everyone in this movie is simply so polite and pleasing.

Set in the first decade of the past century, this movie is the life story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the children's classic "Tales of Peter Rabbit". However, the lead character was played by American Renee Zellweger, who after the Bridget Jones films, have really gotten her Englishwoman act down pat. She is very convincing and involving in her portrayal, you wouldn't think she was from Texas! Miss Potter had a very personal and intimate relationship with her animal "friends", and this was shown very creatively in the subtle animation of these characters coming alive in her eyes.

This is also a story of her love affair with her publisher Norman Warne, so nicely played by a very versatile Ewan McGregor. He played innocent and romantic so well, you would not believe he was the same actor from "Trainspotting"!

It is very enjoyable to watch and well worth the time spent. This was very pleasant break from the consecutive violent movies I have seen recently. This is a triumphant return to the genre by director Chris Noonan, whose last movie was the similarly charming "Babe"!

Review of THE GOOD SHEPHERD

February 24, 2007

I know that this is a well-reviewed movie, but sad to say, I did not like it. It simply tried to cover too many subject matters. There were so many supporting characters (Robert de Niro, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt, John Turturro, Joe Pesci, etc) who seem to indistinctively blend into each other. There were too many subplots going on, and they were not shown in sequence.

I know I should get used to this film technique by now. However, since the main character Edward Sr. (Matt Damon) did not age physically throughout the movie, it was more confusing. You know that more than 20 years have passed since Damon's son Edward Jr. was shown from his childhood to his wedding day. But when the son was an adult (played by Eddie Redmayne) already, Damon still looked like an elder brother. Angelina Jolie looked hopelessly miscast and uncomfortable as the wife.

The film was very slow-paced, it felt like it was never going to end. It just went on and on, jumping from the 40s to the 60s featuring Edward Sr. and various characters in his life. There were only sporadic interesting subplots that catch your attention, but they were few and far between. The only likeable character it seems is hearing-impaired girlfriend Laura (played by Tammy Blanchard). There was that very original scene on an airplane with Edward Jr.'s fiancee. And the interesting CSI-like investigation of a piece of film, done with period technology.

But as a whole, for me, this whole movie felt like an interminable, rambling, unfocused and complex dirge--very draining to watch and not worth the 167 minutes of time spent on it.

Review of THE NUMBER 23

February 23, 2007

Jim Carrey surprises us here by appearing in a serious mystery suspense movie. In the beginning, we can still recognize his smart-alecky sense of humor, but this dissapears as the movie follows the paranoid obsession experienced by the protagonist, Walter Sparrow.

I like the fact that his whole family is involved in the development of his problem. I like the father-son relationship displayed, as Walter interacts with his son from beginning to end. His wife is played very well by Virginia Madsen. I was about to say she played very "smartly," but I remembered that it was her critical yet inexplicable action in the beginning of the movie that triggered the whole tragic chain reaction Walter had to undergo.

Bottom line, I expected something more. The weak set-up made the ensuing problem situation was too contrived. Despite majority opinion, I was satisfied with the ending. It is just that the route that director Joel Schumacher took towards that ending was unsatisfying.

Review of LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

February 19, 2007

I like movies based on real people in history. Because of the Oscar buzz surrounding Forest Whitaker now, I knew this movie is about Idi Amin. This is of course a familiar name in my childhood (asked in General Information contests), but I don't really know much about him, except that he was a dictator.

This film has a documentary feel to it. It is really very realistic, even if upon reading background info that the Dr. Garrigan character is fictional. Even though granted that the Idi Amin regime was compressed into a coherent Hollywood story line, it does not feel contrived. The final sequence of events at the Entebbe Airport was very suspenseful indeed.

Idi Amin was not really the lead character in this movie. It is actually Dr. Nicholas Garrigan. Being a physician, I could not help but be able to identify with his situation and dilemmas. Would you accept to be the personal physician of a country's president upon his personal request? It seems to be an offer and career opportunity you could not refuse.

There is sex and violence in this movie. I could not agree though with Dr. Garrigan's rashness regarding his love affairs, particularly his morals of hooking up with wives of his supposed friends. But considering that this movie is set in the 1970s, that was a totally different world pre-HIV. The violence, what can I say? After watching one violent film after the other (as you can see in this blog), you get sort of anesthetized already. That said, the scene with hooks at the airport was still something else!

The acting is very good. Forest Whitaker has channeled the Idi Amin persona very effectively. I could feel the scary and suffocating craziness whenever he is onscreen. There's something about this performance being based on a real-life character. I feel James McAvoy (who was actually Mr. Tumnus in "Narnia"!) did so very well as Dr. Garrigan. You dislike him, yet you can empathize the stickiness of his situation.

Before I end this review, I have to mention that I was very happy to see the luminous Ms. Gillian Anderson again. I totally did not know she was in this film and it was a welcome surprise. She handled her few scenes as the wife of a volunteer doctor very well indeed. I hope she gets meatier movie roles in the future.

Review of PAN'S LABYRINTH

February 19, 2007

I expected a lot from this film this film since it is a front runner in the Oscar Best Foreign Film category. Aside from that, it was also nominated in 4 other technical categories, which is not so common for a foreign language film. However because of these high expectations, I was a bit disappointed with Pan's Labyrinth.

The movie is basically a mix of Alice in Wonderland with Narnia. The lead character is an unbelievably brave and spunky girl for someone who is supposed to be a bookworm. She has no fear of big bugs crawling on her body. She was in no rush to leave the dining room of a kid-eating monster even though she had an hourglass that is about to run out. (The design of this monster is quite original and scary, though).

My first complaint is that the much of the movie was very dark and dimly lit. It was very hard to see everything onscreen. Secondly, there was a lot of unexpectedly graphic violence (shooting, gutting, stitching) for a movie that had a 12 year old girl as the lead character. I guess we are really getting jaded with these violent scenes (especially the movies I have seen lately like "Apocalypto" or "Blood Diamond").