Reel Advice Movie Reviews

The Box: Movie Review

2010-03-11T22:32:00.007+08:00

What would you do for a million dollars? Would you face your fears? We are pretty sure a lot of people would do a lot of freaky stuff they never imagined they could do, if they were offered a million bucks. Just look at "Fear Factor" - a show that gives not even a pinch of that amount and people are already so desperate. "The Box" tries to tackle the same question but with a sordid twist. This is not your typical eat-a-roach thing. With "The Box", you push a button and someone you do not know dies. But hey, that's a million dollars right? Can the film be an effective psychological and at the same time philosophical thriller? Read on to find out.

The film is set in Richmond, Virginia and the year is 1976. The Lewis' are sleeping when someone rings their doorbell. Norma (Cameron Diaz) goes to the door and sees a black car leaving. At their doorstep is a sealed box and when they open it, they see a locked black device with a red button inside. A letter states that a certain Mr. Steward (Frank Langella) will contact them at 5PM that day. Weird Right? So they didn't think much of it. Later that day, Norma discovers that the faculty tuition discount is being removed. This means that her son's tuition will be paid in full the next semester. It does not help that Arthur (James Marsden) was not accepted into NASA's astronaut program. Norma fears that their money is not enough to support their lifestyle. When Norma goes home, Mr. Steward arrives and tells her that when she or Arthur presses the button, they will instantly get a million dollars. The caveat is someone they do not know will die instantly. Will Arthur and Norma press the button to save themselves from financial ruin? They have 24 hours to decide and the clock is ticking.

"The Box" was a hodge podge of ideas that never really gelled together. All we can say is that it will make you pull your hair off your head in frustration. Ninety-percent of the time, we just could not comprehend what was going on and when there were times we thought we get what was happening, the movie would do a complete turnaround. It felt like we were being slapped in the face with another out-of-this-world twist. It just never made any sense. Now, we believe they tried to be philosophical and all but can someone tell the creators of "The Box" that they should at least try to make it understandable for the common person? The only good thing we see in this film is the way it captures your curiosity the whole time. Sadly, the wait in the end is not worth it. Come credits time, there are still gaping plot holes and a "what-the-hell" story that will make you wish you just chose another film. This movie will waste your time, your money and even some of your brain cells.

Rating: 1 reel

Why you should watch it:
- if you're the type who likes to keep on guessing when watching a movie

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- a literally out-of-this-world story that never really concludes anything and never really makes any sense
- a mish mash of ideas that will confuse you and frustrate you

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The Losers: Trailer Sneak Peek

2010-03-08T22:56:00.007+08:00

An explosive action tale of betrayal and revenge, “The Losers” centers around the members of an elite Special Forces unit sent to the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission. But the team soon find that they have become the target of a deadly double cross instigated from inside by a powerful enemy known only as Max. Now presumed dead, the group makes plans to avenge themselves and clear their names. Working together, they must remain deeply undercover while tracking the shadowy and heavily guarded Max. Get a change to see the trailer after the jump.

“The Losers” stars Jeffery Dean Morgan as Clay, Zoe Saldana as Aisha, Chris Evans as Jensen, Idris Elba as Roque, Columbus Short as Pooch, Oscar Jaeneda as Cougar and Jason Patric as Max. Sylvain White directs the film from a screenplay by Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt which were based upon characters appearing in the graphic novel published by DC and Vertigo Comics.

“The Losers” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and is slated to be shown on April 23, 2010.

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Alice in Wonderland: Movie Review

2010-03-04T22:22:00.010+08:00

"Alice in Wonderland" has big shoes to fill. Not only is it on the heels of a world famous Disney classic animation but it also tries to adapt the well-loved novel. It also stars Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton - both of which who have made countless films together. Both are also known for their quirky and unusual nature - surely a perfect match for a story like "Alice in Wonderland". Can the new adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" be considered a classic as its film and novel counterparts? Read on to find out our verdict.

19 year old Alice Kingsley (Mia Wasikowska) has been suffering from a recurring nightmare all her life. Her nightmares every night are about talking animals and smiling cats. Today, Alice is attending party - a party in which her suitor is going to ask her hand in marriage. While talking with her mother, Alice spots a white rabbit roaming around the garden. When her suitor finally proposes to her, Alice sees the rabbit again and tries to follow it. She falls into a rabbit hole and finds herself in a peculiar room. What adventures await Alice and most importantly, is there a way for her to come back home?

"Alice in Wonderland" had a very slow start - too bad the film never really picked up until late second half. Overall, the film just felt really uninspired and boring - we lost count on how many times we yawned. Tim Burton's style did not help the lackluster performance of the film. If this was Wonderland then what the heck is so wonderful about it? It was too dark for our tastes and it can surely leave some of the young ones feeling a bit out of place. The only saving grace for this film is the very effective humor. There were a lot of moments, especially with the Red Queen that got us laughing out loud. Oh and Johnny Depp was his usual, meaning he was really good. You can throw him anything and he'll do an excellent job. But in reality, stupendous acting from the cast can only do so much. "Alice in Wonderland" was one of the most anticipated films this year - we thought it would be brilliant but it bombed.

Rating: 2 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- it had a lot of very, very funny moments
- Johnny Depp and his cohorts did a swell job in the acting department

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the movie was uninspired with nothing special to really show
- we believe Tim Burton's dark style was not the right fit for this film

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Up in the Air: Movie Review

2010-03-03T23:09:00.001+08:00

We are quite familiar with almost all, if not all movies vying for Best Picture in the different award giving bodies this year. One movie we have not heard before it got nominated is “Up in the Air”. The movie, starring George Clooney is labeled by some as his best film yet. Some even consider this as the overall best picture for the upcoming Oscars (speaking off the Oscars, we cannot wait for the results to come out in the next few days). Six Academy Award nominations pretty much says that this movie is going to be great, too bad that it was released in local theaters just this week. Let’s see if this film, based on Walter Kim’s novel can live up to its expectations.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has an odd job. His job takes him across America to talk to employees and tell them that they have been laid off. On the side, Ryan conducts motivational speeches that tells people that they do not need a life with relationships for them to be happy. His primary goal in life is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles. In short, Ryan's job compliments his life's purpose and with that, he truly loves it. Ryan's job is threatened though when a new co-worker, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), proposes that they should do virtual job firings to save on travel costs. When Ryan confronts Natalie and shows her that she does not know anything about the firing business, his boss decides that Ryan should mentor Natalie on his next few trips. Will Natalie learn something from Ryan or will Ryan learn from Natalie instead?

So can we say that "Up in the Air" has a chance to win the Best Picture category in the Oscars? We can fairly predict that it won't but it was not a bad film at all mind you. In fact, the unique story, characters and even the moral lesson fit the bill together which makes it a must watch for everyone. The film was also deep and will make you think a lot about your life. It was so effective in conveying its message, no thanks to the outstanding performances of the main characters especially George Clooney. We definitely have to agree that this is probably one of his best performances yet. So what made "Up in the Air" miss the trophy? We think it was the way the film's overall story was developed. It felt half-baked and with this, there seems to be a lot of disconnection between the mini dilemmas of each character. With a longer running time the film could definitely have been perfect.

Rating: 4 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- great performances for the three main actors especially George Clooney
- the movie's multiple plot points are unique and full of ironic surprises
- makes you ponder on what your daily life's true purpose is

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- for us, it was a little bit on the short side
- it lacked development and somewhat incomplete

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Oscars 2010 Winners: Our Prediction

2010-03-03T21:58:00.002+08:00

We have been contacted by VoucherCodes.co.uk to join their Oscars 2010 contest. Basically we just have to guess the winners in any of the categories. One correct prediction equals a point while an incorrect answer takes a point away. The entrant with most points win.

But first, if you are from the U.K. and you want to have a better deal when you go shopping, try to visit VoucherCodes.co.uk. They have free vouchers and discounts exclusive to their site. Some of the participating vendors includes Amazon, Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and The Body Shop. just visit their site to find out more about this great service.

Now, at last, here is our predictions for some of the major categories:
Best Picture – The Hurt Locker
Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow
Best Actor – Jeremy Renner
Best Actress – Sandra Bullock
Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Waltz
Best Supporting Actress – Vera Farmiga
Best Original Screenplay – Up
Best Adapted Screenplay – District 9
Best Animated Feature – Up
Best Original Song – Down in New Orleans
Best Original Score – Avatar
Best Cinematography - Avatar

Wish us luck!

Miss You Like Crazy: Movie Review

2010-02-24T23:51:00.003+08:00

Cathy Garcia-Molina is at it again with John Lloyd-Cruz and as luck may have it, the pair has yet to make a disappointing film together. So what were those John Lloyd-Cruz movies you may ask? Ow, they were just "One More Chance", "A Very Special Love" and "You Changed My Life" - now do you get what we mean? The biggest bombshell for this film is probably Bea Alonzo - finally the John and Bea tandem is back together after a three year hiatus. No doubt, "Miss You Like Crazy" will be one of the most anticipated films this year. But most importantly, can it deliver knowing that it has a pedigree of films that it has to at least be at par with? Read on to find out.

Allan Alvarez(John Lloyd-Cruz) occasionally takes the Pasig River ferry to go to his newly purchased home. On several of these trips, Allan always sees a girl who writes messages on stones and leaves them behind. He picks these stones up and realizes that messages being written are getting worse and worse as time goes by. One day, when the girl writes "Goodbye World", Allan panics and stops the girl from supposedly committing suicide - he soon discovers that this is not the case. He finds out that the girl, Mia Samonte (Bea Alonzo) works as a hotel receptionist in Malaysia. They have exceptional chemistry together, even finding themselves in love after just a week. Unfortunately though, Allan has a girlfriend he is seriously committed to. Whom does he really love more? The girlfriend he has been with for years or the girl he just met a week ago?

The moment you all have been waiting for is finally here - so was it worth the three year wait? Well, the answer is a disappointing no. This is the case of the film being too rushed and too raw for public consumption. No, we have no qualms about the acting or the chemistry of John Lloyd and Bea. Actually, the pair still has it and no doubt they can still do lots of effective films together (and we actually want and expect more!). The story was not bad at all, although we realized that it is impossible to happen in real life. So what made this film bad? It was the post-production elements that killed it. Numerous transitions were really bad that it was confusing us already. We also felt that the confusion could have been lessened if actual dates/time references were shown. We as an audience were left second guessing what year was it and how much time has really passed and the time element plays a key role in the film. The film also presented inconsistent film quality in different scenes - one shot may be clear as day and the next shot would be grainy and dark. The selected songs for certain scenes seemed out of place which destroys the overall mood for them. Our question in the end is, "What the heck happened here?"

So what can we get from this film? Is it about love? We say yes, it can bring the casual tear in your eyes. But we believe the clincher here is outside the bounds of the movie's plot. We hope that Star Cinema and to all the local outfits out there will also focus on post-production. With a bit more time spent on making sure that cuts make sense, that the transitions are smoother, that the picture quality of the scenes are consistent and that the background music actually fits well to what's happening on screen, then the film would have been better.

Rating: 2 reels

Why you should watch it:
- the acting was spectacular for the two main actors in the film
- no one can doubt the amazing chemistry of John Lloyd and Bea

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- makes you wonder how much time they put into post production as the film seriously needs a lot of polish
- the film's story being too ingrained in fate's hand just did not sell

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Invictus: Movie Review

2010-02-21T20:30:00.007+08:00

We really have to say that the timing of this film is just right for our country and why? Well, it is all about how an improbable leader solved an impossible problem by finding a whacked out solution to inspire his countrymen to band together. Sounds simple? No, when your country is literally torn in half by the effects of years and years of living with apartheid (which was a system of racial segregation used in South Africa by the Whites). Now we feel the movie's timing is perfect because we will have our national elections in May and the movie portrays the life of a great leader and how one man, with sincere disposition and willful perseverance, can change a nation in almost an instant. This should make people ponder a lot who to choose and vote for (or so we hope). Also it headlines Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman which we think is a huge bonus. Read on to find out our verdict.

It is 1994 and Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) has just won the presidency. He now has a huge problem - his populace of Blacks and Whites are still widely divided due to the trauma of the apartheid era. The Whites fear that having a Black president will obviously lead to disaster - in short, they think it is a huge mistake. The Blacks on the other hand still hate the Whites who have oppressed them for years. This hatred has seeped in so deeply in their minds that they even hate their own national rugby team as they deemed it a symbol of apartheid. Mandela, with a stroke of genius (or even madness), decides to unite his country by pushing for the Springboks (the name of the South African rugby team) to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. This won't be an easy task though as the Springboks, led by team captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), are struggling to even score close against their opponents. Worse, the team only has a year left to improve before the World Cup begins.

For the movie, we can say it was so-so at best. "Invictus" was as effective as it was frustrating. We can say that it had a lot to do with how the movie was presented overall. For us, it just jumped around too much from scene to scene. There were times that we just felt that things were being rushed too much and given how much an important role plot development plays in drama - even more so in biographical films - as such, our rating for the film suffered a lot. Although as a sports film, it was spectacular - it had us grabbing our seats in suspense - wait for the the Rugby World Cup scenes and you will get what we mean. Overall, we still recommend "Invictus" but we just cannot get remove that nagging feeling that it should have been way better than the current finished product.

Rating: 3 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman were both outstanding

- the rugby scenes were perfectly made - it made us feel like we were watching the real thing

Why you shouldn't watch it:

- there was a huge disconnection from scene to scene

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The Crazies: Trailer Sneak Peek

2010-02-19T23:46:00.003+08:00

"The Crazies" is an upcoming horror film written by horror film legend George Romero. In fact, "The Crazies" is a remake of the 1973 of the same name. "The Crazies" is set on a small town in Iowa. A toxin has contaminated the town's water and it has made the inhabitants of the town go insane. Four people have survived without going crazy but news has spread to the military of the toxin outbreak and they are out to kill everyone in town. Now the four have to scavenge their way out of harm's way both from the military and the townsfolk. Can they all survive?

Watch the movie trailer below or better yet, you can pull a cool trick on all of your friends by making you or your other friends star on the movie's trailer. Click this link and press "START HERE". From there, just follow the instructions and let the fun start by spreading the infection to all of your friends and family.

You can catch "The Crazies" starting February 26, 2010 in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Movie Review

2010-02-15T22:16:00.008+08:00

The first time we heard the movie’s title – "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", we couldn’t help but laugh. The title is just so unusual and at the same time, intriguing. Come on, a movie wherein meatballs fall from the sky? How the hell are they going to come up with a good movie with a title like that - even conjuring a story is almost impossible for us to fathom. We soon found out though that the story is based on a children's book of the same title (what a relief knowing that the story is not going to be made out of thin air). The question now is, are they going to make a good movie out of it? We’ve set a very high standard when it comes to animated films because of the brilliant classics offered by Dreamworks and Disney-Pixar in the recent years. Sony has released "Monster House" and "Surf’s Up" among a few but these were simply forgettable. Let’s see if Sony can come at par with the latest from competition.

There is absolutely nothing that Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) wants in the world than to become one of its greatest inventors. From his early childhood days, he has dreamt of inventing something great that would change humanity. After many many years, you would think that young Flint has indeed done something significant but as all things in life, this is not the case. We see Flint in the present time, still dreaming but still, no luck. His latest invention is a machine that would generate food out of water vapor. Seems far-fetched right? His device accidentally gets rocketed into the sky and before he knows it, cheeseburger comes falling down into the whole town. Everyone thinks the invention is amazing and the whole town is treated with all kinds of food they could dream of. However, things start to go wrong as Flint sees that the more food the machine generates, the more dangerous the food the machine generates becomes.

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" is just a movie we loved and enjoyed immensely. We were amazed on how they came up with a movie or a story from the concept of food falling from the sky. The graphics were brilliant and the story, heartwarming. We liked the Father-Son theme since there aren’t a lot of movies where we see this (or we don’t remember one in recent memory). We were laughing hard from the unique humor that not only kids will enjoy but adults as well. It was like an infusion of Japanese and European style animation and cinema in our opinion. Who said Sony couldn’t come up with a great film of their own? This may just be the beginning and we can’t wait for the next animated movies from them. "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" may have a weird title but it’s something worth your time. For a more enjoyable experience, catch it on 3D to see the breathtaking, life sized food coming down to earth.

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:
- unexpectedly great and heartwarming story
- great movie to see for extra special Father-Son bonding
- witty movie! Numerous scenes that got us laughing really hard
- it had a unique style of presentation that seems to be a mix of European and Japanese influences

Why you shouldn’t watch it:
- the only reason why you shouldn’t watch this is if you hate animated movies

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Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief: Movie Review

2010-02-11T23:21:00.010+08:00

Let us be honest from the get go - "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" screams Harry Potter all over. The similarities cannot be denied and honestly, it has a lot to prove on its belt just to show that it is not trying to cash in on the Potter craze. What scares us most is not actually the story (which is already based on a best-selling novel) but mostly on the overall quality of the film because as most spin-offs go, luring as much money is the king. Is "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" worth your time and money? Can it really bring something new to the table? Read on to find out our verdict.

When Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is attacked by his teacher on a field trip, he soon discovers that he is not a normal kid. In fact, he is a demigod (half human, half god). He is soon sent to Camp Half Blood, a camp for demigods in which they can hone and train their unique gifts. While on the camp, he finds out that he is being accused by Zeus as the one who stole his lightning bolt and if he does not give it back in ten days, the Greek Gods will have to start a war among themselves. If this happens, the world as we know it will end. Percy, with his protector Grover (Brandon Jackson) and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) who is the daughter of Athena, decides to embark on a journey across America to first, save his mother from the clutches of Hades and second, prove to Zeus that he is not the Lightning Thief and save the world along with it.

"Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" suffers because of the material it is based on but as a film, it was perfect in our opinion. Dare we even say that we enjoyed this film better than the other "Harry Potter" films? Now what makes this different is that it is really, amazingly fast-paced. The film was literally littered with monsters that Percy and his friends have to fight against with. It was not bad that it was humor bounded as well. The film was both gripping and funny at the same time. The cast was perfect as well especially the supporting cast. Props to Brandon Jackson by the way. Without you, the film would really lack a lot of comedy. So what's our say? Everyone should take a second look at "Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief" because it is not your typical fad-riding movie. It is a separate beast of its own kind.

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:
- even though similar to Harry Potter and his cohorts, as a film, it is definitely better than the Potter films
- action-packed from start to finish
- the humor will make you laugh out loud

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- if you hate Harry Potter or really want something new at the table, just avoid this film

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Valentine's Day: Movie Review

2010-02-09T23:24:00.011+08:00

Another Valentine's Day is fast-approaching and we all know how hectic and strenuous (especially for the guys) that day is all the time - reservations for a romantic dinner, a bouquet of flowers is almost a must, a box of chocolates may already do for some and that is only the tip of the iceberg. But what is most important in celebrating Valentine's Day is that we must remember that it is all about love and no dinner or any object can ever replace one's love for another. Just wondering, anyone with a unique Valentine's Day story to share? Anyway, a literally star-studded film, aptly named "Valentine's Day", is attempting to make waves on the day of hearts by showing it in a unique light we don't normally see on the big screen - Valentine's Day and love in particular with its imperfections; warts and all. Read on to know if they succeeded or not.

"Valentine's Day" showcases the lives of different people as they individually cope with the day of hearts. The film starts off with Reed (Ashton Kutcher) as he proposes to his girlfriend Morley (Jessica Alba). Sad to say, her initial reaction is lukewarm. There is also Julia (Jennifer Garner), Reed's bestfriend, who is currently going out with a divorced heart surgeon, Harrison (Patrick Dempsey). Question is, is he telling the truth to Reed? We also meet Liz and Toper. Can Toper accept Liz's biggest secret from him? Julia's mother, Estelle (Shirley MacLaine) must reveal an affair from long ago to her husband, Edgar (Hector Elizondo). Will he accept her after this revelation? Their granddaughter (Emma Roberts) on the other hand is planning to have sex with her boyfriend during Valentine's Day to make the day really special for the both of them. Meanwhile, a publicist named Kara (Jessica Biel) and Kelvin (Jamie Foxx) both hate Valentine's Day. Can they discover what the day truly means for everyone else?

We can surmise that "Valentine's Day" is a must-watch - even after the high of Valentine's Day subsides. The film's magic, in our opinion, is on how it showed the imperfections of love and relationships and how people struggle to live through it (even playing dumb sometimes). What sets this apart is the feeling that the situations presented are down-to-earth, practical and real. These things happen and can even happen to us! Now was that too heavy? Ironically, the film was not slow or heavy at all. It was serious but had bouts of injected comedy from time to time that kept the overall mood light. The star-studded cast was outstanding and just seeing the who's who of Hollywood in one film is a sight to behold in its own right. The only flaw we see is that some characters were left out due to the nature of the film having so many story lines to develop. We also think some minor characters could have been cut and it would not have made any difference to the overall story or quality of the movie. We have a feeling that they just include some actors just to get more people to watch the film. The intertwined characters were also a bit too over-the-top for us - it was not cool at all and it made the movie somewhat predictable. Overall though, we highly-recommend this.

Rating: 4 and half reels

Why you should watch it:
- a practical, no nonsense story on what love (and Valentine's Day) in reality is
- the movie was really, really funny

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- we felt that some characters lacked airtime (or the film could have lived without them)
- we did not like the overall theme of the characters being interconnected with each other in some small way

Catch "Valentine's Day" starting February 12, 2010. This film is brought locally by Warner Bros. Pictures

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Dear John: Movie Review

2010-02-06T23:40:00.007+08:00

Nicholas Sparks' novels is almost synonymous to romantic films nowadays. Countless film adaptations of his books are all over the place. The latest of which is "Dear John". Now honestly, we know what to expect from a Nicholas Sparks' novel or a film version to say the least - a nice, love story that does not always end on a happy note and will make you cry buckets of tears. On our count though, we have only liked half of the films based on his books. With "Dear John", can Nicholas Sparks make a positive mark on us once more or can this prove that they should just stop making adaptations of his books? Read on to find out what we have to say.

In 2001, Savannah Lynn Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) is having her spring break when she accidentally meets John Tyree (Channing Tatum) - a native of her vacation spot. They met when John dove into the water to get Savannah's bag that fell into the sea and the two jive almost immediately. Savannah discovers though that John is a member of the Army Special Forces and he has only two weeks left before being assigned to his post abroad. They spend the two weeks getting to know each other more and eventually getting into a relationship. When the two weeks are up, the two decide to have a long distance relationship by writing letters to each other. After one year of service, the two meet up again but John has grim news - he wants to stay two years longer because of what happened on 9/11.

After the success of The Notebook, Message in a Bottle and Walk to Remember, the quality of Sparks' adaptations pretty much has gone on a downhill trend. "Dear John" bewilders us - it had us going more than a majority of the film but totally blows it off in the twist towards the end. Without giving details, let us just say that it was totally weird and out-of-this-world that it will either make you see the story as unbelievable or you will really hate a certain character. In any case, it totally sucked out all the goodness that happened before it and all the drama was kaput. We do not know who to blame here, the original book narrative or how they executed it in the film. The actors were a saving grace in the movie as Channing and Amanda were beautiful together and they played their roles well (even though their characters seemed to good to be real). We just hope they're given better material. In summary, "Dear John" had its moments but as an overall package, we really cannot recommend it that much. This is not exactly the lovestory you might want to see.

Rating: 3 reels

Why you should watch it:
- it had good portions of drama and sweetness
- if you like the Nicholas Sparks formula, then this should be a good film for you

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- really baffling twist that ruined the whole feel of the film
- very poor material for such a talented cast

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The Princess and the the Frog: Movie Review

2010-02-06T11:34:00.009+08:00

In the past few months, 3D has become huge. Just compare the local cinema scene a year ago and you will know what we mean. Before, when we want to watch in 3D, we need to go to an IMAX theater to get the experience. Now, almost every cinema house in the vicinity of the Metro has a digital cinema capable of recreating the 3D experience. Part of 3D's evolution probably started off with animation moving from the traditional hand-drawn one to utilizing 3D computer-animation as a medium. Just look at all the animated films we have right now - aren't the majority made with computer graphics? Sadly, we miss the good old days of cartoons being 2D and all. So when we saw the trailer for "The Princess and the Frog", we saw hope. If Disney retracted their decision six year ago (that "Home on the Range" will be their last hand-drawn cartoon film), maybe other publishers will see that the magic of the 2D, hand-drawn cartoons can never be replaced. Read on to find out if "The Princess and the Frog" is a good start to re-envision an old, misunderstood craft.

In 1912 at New Orleans, two young girls are talking about the fairytale of "The Frog Prince". One dreams to someday marry a prince while one vows that she will never kiss a frog. The latter child is Tiana and her only dream is to fulfill her father's dream of owning their own restaurant. Moving forward to the Twenties, Tiana is now a young woman and we discover that her father has already died. This makes Tiana more desperate to fulfill her late father's wish - so desperate in fact that she is already working double shifts just to save money for the downpayment of the building she wants to buy. When a certain Prince Naveen arrives at New Orleans, the whole town is abuzz especially Tiana's childhood friend Charlotte. Charlotte decides that Tiana could serve beignets at the ball so Charlotte could impress the Prince with good food. Before the Prince could get to the ball, he is lured by a man who calls himself Doctor Facilier and he in turn morphs him into a frog. Everything falls apart further when Tiana kisses the frog prince and instead of turning Naveen human, Tiana also turns into a frog.

What we can say for "The Princess and the Frog" is that it was almost there but it missed perfection by a small fraction. What we liked about the film is that it never strayed away from the old Disney formula which can almost mean sure success. It was also not bad that it was in 2D and hand-drawn in the style of late Eighties and Early Nineties Disney animated films(which in our opinion is the best style we have seen when it comes to film cartoons). It was not all visual though as the movie had a great story and even better songs to sing along with. We guess the biggest disappointment for the movie is that the characters are not memorable at all. Also, the whole film did not meet our standards when it comes to Disney films. Although that is the case, this is still a wonderful film to watch and definitely a must-see for everyone. We think 2D films just made a comeback with this one.

Rating: 4 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- this is the traditional Disney cartoon film at its core - which is not a bad thing at all
- 2D and hand-drawn makes the experience nostalgic, worthwhile and even refreshing

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- not as good as some of the Disney classics we have seen before
- characters are not memorable at all

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iAcademy's 2nd Annual Character Design Contest

2010-02-04T22:49:00.004+08:00

Has it ever been your dream to become a cartoonist or a graphic artist? If the answer is yes, then this is your chance to get a Bachelor's degree in Animation for free. iAcademy together with Wacom launches the 2nd Annual Character Design Contest. iAcademy aims to tap budding animation artists from high schools around the metro and offer them a chance to study under a unique curriculum developed by academics and industry professionals.

The contest aims to provide a venue for amateur artists to showcase their drawing skills and to promote Animation as a career option to high school students. Major winners will get scholarship grants up to 100% from iAcademy, a Wacom Intuos 4 or Bamboo Fun Pen and Touch, Adobe Photoshop CS4 and other exciting prizes.

Interested participants may call 889-7777 or 891-3865 and look for Patti Platon or Sef Servañez or visit www.iacademy.edu.ph to download the competition kit. Deadline of submission of entries is on Feb. 20, 2010. So what are you waiting for? Join now and maybe some day we will get to review a movie you made with your own hands! Do not forget to tell us okay? Good luck!

Paano Na Kaya: Movie Review

2010-01-28T01:31:00.006+08:00

You only hear one other song on television and radio aside from the political jingles these days - the theme song for the new Kimerald movie, "Paano Na Kaya". In fact, you can hear the song almost anywhere that we were pretty hyped up about the movie. Star Cinema does its formula once again in promoting their latest film: get a hit song as the movie’s theme, name the movie after the song’s title, and keep playing the theme song until everyone can’t wait to see the film. Believe it or not, this has been effective for quite some time now as almost every movie from Star Cinema rakes millions in ticket sales. Read on to see if the offering of the hottest love team today, Kim Chui and Gerald Anderson is worth the ticket price.

As most people would say, the best person to fall in love with is your best friend. Mae Chua (Kim Chiu) and Bogs Marasigan (Gerard Anderson) have been best friends for too long until Mae starts to feel something more than friendship. After Bogs breaks up with long time girlfriend Anna (Melissa Ricks), Mae has done nothing but be there for Bogs, even putting Bogs’ needs before hers. Mae finally professes her love for Bogs and the two navigate their way through their new found relationship. Things get complicated when Anna comes back to try to fix things with Bogs.

With all the hype about "Paano Na Kaya", we were not surprised that the movie did not turn out to be good. The hype came from all the promotion, not from people saying how good it was. However, we would like to emphasize that the movie was not really bad either. Despite having a lot of potential, the way some of the dramatic lines were written led to the movie’s downfall. There were two instances on top of our head wherein we feel the heavy drama and emotions before us; the great moment was there only to be ruined by some cliché line or perhaps some bad wording. For instance, who in their right mind would still add the line “It’s not you, it’s me?!” in a movie? Come on, it’s like the most cliché breakup line ever. It would have been better if they mixed the line with some Tagalog words. We were also disappointed with how the story was developed and promoted, what we thought would be a “falling in love with your best friend” story actually ended after the first 20 minutes of the movie. The focus became the struggle of the characters to figure out if the platonic-turned-romantic relationship is a rebound or not. Also, we were starting to get frustrated – why is it that main characters of our local films always have family problems they have to deal with? Are these problems even necessary?

We were pretty impressed with Kim Chiu’s acting, she played her part really well and her emotions were genuine. Gerald Anderson on the other hand seemed off, he had some good moments but there was one scene wherein he could not even shed a tear. If the love team was not so popular, we felt that some other guy can play the role of Bogs. Unless you are a big Kimerald fan or an avid supporter of local films, forget all the hype and make sure you skip this one. There may be a lot of “falling for your best friend” movies that are better than this.

Rating: 2 reels

Why you should watch it:

- if you’ve experienced falling in love with your best friend, you might want to see if you can relate with this one
- no reason not to see this one if you’re a big Kim-Gerald fan.

Why you shouldn’t watch it:
- stay far away if you hate cheesyness and all the mush
- really bad script; we would be really surprised if they say that they spent a lot of time writing it

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The Blind Side: Movie Review

2010-01-27T23:32:00.008+08:00

The big question on our minds when we first heard about "The Blind Side" is if it was really necessary for it to be made in the first place. Everything about it is so common in the film world that it already borders the cliche`. First off, it is based from a novel of the same name. More or less, a majority of the films being produced are already based on novels and stories. Second, it was a sports documentary - like we need more of those. It seems that "The Blind Side" is a disaster waiting to happen based on its common traits but could it really be this bad or could it make our hearts flutter in delight? Please read on to find out.

"The Blind Side" is a reference to the remarkable true life story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) and how The Tuohys helped him. The film starts off with Michael being accepted to a Christian school due to the coach believing in his ability as an athlete. The school was hesitant though that Michael's IQ and grades are too low to begin with but still, with enough persuasion, they still gamble and accept him. At first, Michael has a hard time fitting in to an all-white school and he cannot play sports due to his poor grades. One day, the Tuohys chance upon a walking Michael in the rain. When Leigh Ann Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) discovers that Michael has no house to go to, she offers him to stay with them for the night. Soon, without a home and a family to go to, Michael stays with the Tuohys and in time, they consider him as part of the family. Can Michael make a life for himself?

"The Blind Side" shocked us on how good it was. No, this is not your typical sports film and yes, this is probably one of the best ever. The life story of Michael Oher is so touching that at times, we just could not stop the tears from falling. There were also moments that it will make you laugh as well, especially with the quirky and hyper active S.J. (the son of the Tuohys). The film was also well-paced - it was around two and a half hours long but it did not feel that way. We never found ourself yawning even once. As for the acting, it was superb especially Sandra Bullock. Good for her for trying to get out of romcom films. We believe drama is the best medium for her at this moment and it shows in this film. What we like best about the movie is the inspiration it brings to viewers, it ispires you to help others reach their dreams as well. You can change a a person's life completely with just helping in your own little way, most especially if you have the chance to. Forget what we said in our introduction as we were completely wrong. "The Blind Side" is not cliche`, this heartwarming story deserves your time and money. Bring your family and friends with you and go watch now!

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:

- a touching story that will make the tears fall in no time
- even with all the drama, it still had time for some light-hearted fun
- the acting was superb all the way especially Sandra Bullock

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- honestly, we cannot find anything wrong with this film and finding one would be forcing the issue already

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The Fourth Kind: Philippine Sneak Peak

2010-01-26T21:56:00.003+08:00

One of the most mystifying subjects science has dealt with is the idea that there are aliens abducting humans. The new science fiction-horror film "The Fourth Kind" puts the matter in cinematic form as Milla Jovovich portrays psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler who years ago conducted a study on a sleep disorder that revealed terrifying information connected to abductions. The movie, based on actual case studies, is a reenactment of an original documentary set in Nome, Alaska, with never-before seen archival footage integrated into the film. Writer-director Olatunde Osunsanmi exposes shocking revelations from multiple witnesses — all leading to significant conclusions about non-human entities abducting earthlings. Their accounts of being visited by aliens are looked upon closely, assuring viewers' of goosebumps and eerie realizations. Read on to find out more.

Shot in Vitosha and Sofia in Bulgaria, in Los Angeles, California, and of course, Alaska, The Fourth Kind is the first major film by Osunsanmi. The title is derived from how J. Allen Hynek classified close encounters with aliens - "fourth kind" denotes alien abduction. This particular scale of measurement is considered the most difficult to document making this a rare experience in itself.

In October 2004, Osunsanmi traveled to North Carolina for post production of a project he was doing. While there, a colleague told him of Dr. Tyler who relocated to a remote town along the Bering Sea. The latter is said to have been convinced that her patient's stories of alien abductions are real. She even discovered a history of missing people and mysteriously bizarre happenings around the region dating back to 1960s.

The movie also stars Elias Koteas and Will Patton. It opened in the US last November and grossed with a total $24,619,000, surprisingly topping its $10 million budget.

Reported alien activity in Alaska is famous among UFO enthusiasts including that of captured flying saucers over Alaskan airspace and the disappearance of Alaska's US State Sen. Nick Begich in 1972 that was again connected to E.T. presence.

"The Fourth Kind", distributed locally by Viva International Pictures, opens in the Philippines on February 17, 2010.

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Messengers 2: The Scarecrow: Sneak Peek

2010-01-21T10:00:00.004+08:00

In 2007, "The Messengers", produced by Sam Raimi (who gave us "Drag Me To Hell") became a blockbuster hit. The creepy scenes, the winning cinematography, and convincing acting of the cast, including Kristen Stewart all contributed to its smashing success. Now, as 2010 begins, let us uncover the story of John Rollins — the man who caused dread to the Solomon family in the first film – in the much anticipated horror flick, "Messengers 2: The Scarecrow". And for the second time around, witness horrific curses that will scare you out of your wits.

John Rollins, played by one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors, Norman Reedus, is desperate to save his farm from ruin. A strange scarecrow, which he finds in his barn, seems to be his lucky charm as the field’s condition improves. But not for long. Events that are terrifyingly inexplicable start to occur and John himself feels he is losing his sanity. This adversely affects his relationship with his family.

The storyline by Todd Farmer, who also penned "The Messengers", appealed at once to Director Martin Barnewitz. Not new to directing thrillers, he says that “horror films become more scary once a connection to something real has been made and if the characters have something emotional at stake.” Such is the case in this prequel movie. He gives credit to Norman Reedus for really immersing himself into the character of John Rollins, and even coming up with an idea that he is being possessed by a dark force, which will heighten the audience’s feeling of intrigue and terror. Director Barnewitz also has good words for Heather Stephens, who plays Mary Rollins. “She gave a lot of warmth and life to the character. The contrast between the more emotional and extrovert wife and the introverted, brooding husband worked well. They bounced off each other and their performances came to life,” the director concludes.

With the same elements like a solid plot, creepy tone and credible acting, seen in "The Messengers", experience and relive the terror in its prequel, "Messengers 2: The Scarecrow" as it opens in theaters on February 3, 2010. This is a release by Viva International Pictures.

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Movie Review

2010-01-20T22:57:00.015+08:00

Finally, it is here. After Heath Ledger's untimely death early in 2008, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" has been widely anticipated (well at least in our case that is). And after watching Heath Ledger as the Joker on "The Dark Knight", the build up for his last film just got bigger and bigger. Even better, the best actors of his generation even joined the bandwagon to help finish the film in his honor. Three Hollywood superstars, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell all play different roles as Tony. Terry Gilliam is at the helm and has a momentous task to finish a film that will serve as an end to an actor's unexpected demise. Read on to find out if this will quench our expectations.

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) and his extraordinary Imaginarium, a traveling show where the audience can get a chance to experience their most desired imaginations. This is possible because Parnassus is actually blessed with the power of guiding the imaginations of people when he is on a trance. Now, Doctor Parnassus has a dilemma as he has a long-kept secret that will affect his daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole). He made a deal with the devil to get back his mortality and youth to be able to love the girl of his dreams, Valentina's mother. In return though, any children that Parnassus will have will be given to the devil on their 16th birthday. Desperate to protect her from her fate, he has made a new bet with the devil - a race to get 5 souls. If Parnassus wins, he can get his daughter back and if not, the deal will still push through. All looks hopeless until one day, Parnassus and his crew happen upon a hanged man named Tony. Tony has wit and charm that might win souls on Parnassus' side. Can Tony (Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp,Jude Law, Colin Farrell) save Valentina's soul?

"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is not for everyone. We are pretty sure that a lot of people will hate it and why? Because it is a deep film. It felt like we were doing philosophy and theology classes at the same time when we watched it. It didn't help that the visuals and characters used were sometimes confusing. Now do not get us wrong here - we actually liked the film. The visuals while surreal was truly amazing. All the actors gave their all (yet we feel that no other movie could surpass Ledger's performance as Joker) and we really liked how the Heath Ledger-Johnny Depp transformation happened. We thought it was Heath on screen but it was Johnny already - that caught us by surprise.

The biggest downer for the film is probably how the narrative was presented. It will make you scratch your head a lot of times and more so frustrate you - it will require some brain power to really get the hang of the story. This is most probably due to the fact that the movie's lead star wasn't able to complete the film and they did all their best to salvage what they already started. We were still impressed on how they were able to piece together scenes they've already finished with Ledger and scenes with the new actors. The ending was so-so at best which we really felt was out-of-place with how the story was going. Without revealing details, the ending was just a 180-degree turn from how the movie was going 90% before that. In the end, if you are patient enough to try understand what's happening on screen and what the heck the movie is all about, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" will be a rewarding experience. But if you are a movie watcher just out for some fun, then maybe skipping this is a good idea.

Rating: 3 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- surreal visuals that just blew our minds away
- great acting from all actors, even those with minor roles
- if you want to see how they managed to save the film after Ledger's passing

Why you shouldn't watch it
- most people would definitely have a hard time getting what the heck is happening - it was like a philosophy class on screen
- it lacks polish on some areas especially with its narrative and ending

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Daybreakers: Movie Review

2010-01-15T23:10:00.006+08:00

There's a vampire in town and his name is Edward. No, this is not "Twilight", "New Moon" or even "Eclipse" and definitely this is not your "achy breaky heart" vampire movie designed for the tweens and teens. This is Edward Dalton and he is the complete opposite of the Edward every girl wants to be with. "Daybreakers" is a vampire action thriller film that begs to be noticed on a very slow week for movie watching. Read on to find out if this Edward deserves some fanfare or not.

The year is 2019 and the world is not what we know it to be. When a plague hits the human race, almost all humans are transformed to vampires. Now, vampires run the place and humans are now dispensable resources for vampire food. Unfortunately, a blood shortage is happening due to the dwindling human population. It is estimated that the blood supply would run out in a month's time and without blood, vampires deteriorate into blood-curdling monsters called subsiders. Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke) is a hematologist working for a blood supplying company. He is tasked to find a blood substitute that can sustain vampires even without the use of human blood. When Edward saves a group of humans one night, he discovers that they are a part of a group who has a secret that will be useful to Edward in more ways than he can ever imagine.

"Daybreakers" starts of well but ended in a terrible fashion. The first half of the film will make you hold your breath in suspense. It will also make you think deeply on the issues the vampires are facing (which can definitely be related to how we deplete our resources right now). Too bad though that the second half of the film just did not make much sense. From a deep and psychological thriller, the film suddenly transforms to a mindless shoot-em-up. While the first half of the film presents ideas in a very patient manner, story elements in the second half mysteriously pop up that seems to be massively out of place - it seems as though they just did not know how to end the film properly. Maybe the initial plot was just too much for them to handle but we really beg to differ that that was the case. As for the acting, we can say that it was above average but not great. In the end, we would like to think that "Daybreakers" is a film that has a lesson to teach us - we just wished they took more time flushing out the second half of it which felt very mediocre and sub par.

Rating: 3 reels

Why you should watch it:
- has a deep,psychological thriller feel to it
- acting was above average
- an interesting plot and a very good first half

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the film bogs down massively when the second half begins
- the end feels rushed and pointless

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Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel: Movie Review

2010-01-11T00:17:00.013+08:00

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" was a big surprise during the U.S. holidays. It was fighting back and forth with movies like "Avatar" for crying out loud! While we do not really judge from the get-go, we find it hard to believe that "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" will be good in any shape or form. In fact, total sales is not necessarily a good indicator of a film's quality. In any case, we watched the film. Read on to find out if "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel deserves your time and money.

When Dave (Jason Lee), the father figure of the Chipmunks, gets injured during a concert due to Alvin's antics, he decides to send the Chipmunks to his Aunt while he recuperates in the hospital. Dave also decides that the Chipmunks need to have a normal childhood and sends them to school. When Dave's Aunt also gets injured, the Chipmunks are left to the care of Toby (Zachary Levi). Alvin, Simon (Justin Long) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) struggle at school due to the jocks' bullying. The Chipmunks are sent to the principal's office when they find themselves entangled with the jocks. Instead of getting a suspension, the Chipmunks are tasked to save the school's music program by joining an inter-school music concert in which the winning school will win $25,000. Trouble brews when their former manager Ian (David Cross) discovers an all-female singing chipmunks group. He enlists them at the same school and battles them against the Chipmunks for the right to represent the school.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" is not as bad as it was supposed to be. It had its moments but does it really justify a sequel? The answer is more subjective really. If you are a kid, then maybe this movie is a fun and unforgettable film but if you are an adult then this is probably a mind-numbing ride to nowhere. To put it short, the plot was plot-less - anything goes in fact. And even with its jumbled up nature, most of its elements are cliche` moments from other movies of past. Worse, we just could not get the feeling that they tried to pull of a "High School Musical" feel to the film which is mostly a failure. So what's to love with "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel"? Well, we laughed on some occasion and oddly, we really liked the high pitched rendition of popular songs from the past year. Some people may find that already worth the ticket price but for us, it isn't.

Rating: 1 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- if you are a kid at heart or just a kid right at this moment
- we liked the high pitched rendition of popular songs

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- adults and mature audience would see this as a pointless movie
- seems to be trying hard to pull off a "High School Musical" feel

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The Spy Next Door: Sneak Peek

2010-01-10T23:22:00.004+08:00

Known for his good comic timing and fast-moving stunts, Asian superstar Jackie Chan stars in a new action-comedy bound to give people another round of countless laughs. This is his return to Hollywood after the groundbreaking "Forbidden Kingdom" he starred in with fellow Asian action star Jet Li. This time around, Jackie Chan is an inactive spy who suddenly finds himself reluctantly in another mission. A mission that will challenge his espionage skills while trying to become a good step dad to his girlfriends' kids. Read on to find out more about "The Spy Next Door"

Lions Gate Films found Jackie Chan the right act for The Spy Next Door as he sensibly fits the role of Bob Ho (Jackie Chan), an undercover CIA super spy who chooses to settle down with his next-door girlfriend Gillian (Amber Valletta). He spies no more as he focuses himself to win the hearts of his girlfriend's three children from a previous relationship — a requirement set by the latter before she agrees to marry him.

When Gillian is scheduled to leave town, Bob seizes the opportunity to babysit her cleverly smart kids. One of these little mischiefs mistakenly downloads a top-secret formula off his computer files. Unfortunately, Bob's arch-enemy, a Russian terrorist, discovers this and readies for attack.

With that, Bob has no choice but to switch on the action button, without setting aside his more challenging role as a babysitter. Chan's knack for comedy since the legendary "Drunken Master" has proved he is one of the more bankable stars in the world today. He is one of the very few Asian acts who can do well in Hollywood.

"The Spy Next Door will be released locally by Viva International Pictures. The movie opens nationwide on January 15 (Friday).

"The Spy Next Door" will also have a special movie premiere on January 14 at SM City North Edsa Cinema 7, 7:00 PM. The event is presented by VIVA International Pictures, VIVA Video City, and SM Cinema. The film is supported by Psicom Publishing.

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Zombieland: Movie Review

2010-01-07T22:46:00.004+08:00

Zombies are one of the most used up characters in movies. What's worse, with all the zombie movies coming out, majority of them have similar story lines - as if their story lines were great from the get-go. Zombie films are as mindless as the brains of their antagonists. We can only count a few zombie films that have captured our minds. "28 Days Later" is one and "Shaun of the Dead" is another. "28 Days Later" changed the way we understood zombies. If you think zombies are the slow and lumbering kind, then you have an outdated view because in "28 Days Later" zombies are pumped up Usain Bolt. "Shaun of the Dead" on the other hand brought laughter into the mix. "Zombieland" promises to be a mix of these - horror,comedy and running zombies (this just brought a tear in our eyes). Can "Zombieland" prove to be a great mishmash? Read on to find out.

"Zombieland" is cast on post-apocalypse America where mad cow disease had mutated to mad human disease which eventually turned almost everyone to zombies. We meet Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a college student who at best is a geek. Amazingly, Columbus has been surviving on his own with his own personal rules that he uses against the undead horde. Columbus craves to interact with another human being - so desperate in fact that he decides to go to his hometown in Columbus, Ohio in the hopes that he might see his parents alive and well. Along the way, Columbus meets Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) who roams around the country looking for fried Twinkies. Both eventually decide to travel together for the meantime. When they stop at a grocery store, they also met Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who both want to go to Pacific Playland in Los Angeles. Although the two groups had a rocky start and the question now is can they all get what they want and still survive the growing populace of the undead?

"Zombieland" had to end and that is the only thing we could see on the downside. It was over eighty minutes of terror interspersed with laughter and amazingly, it had time to let you ponder on life's meaning and purpose. Woody Harrelson was definitely the star of the show even with the supporting role he had. While the storyline was so simple, we were amazed on how interesting it was as it grabbed our attention from the start. Even better are the rules of Columbus - 33 rules that pop up on screen from time to time- definitely a crowd pleaser in our opinion. Also watch out for the final firefight at the end of the film which was definitely worth the ticket price. We could only wished "Zombieland" was a wee bit longer but even in its shortness, we learned a lot of things about appreciating life than we did watching countless films in unison.

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:
- it was funny as hell especially Woody Harrelson
- a simple storyline that definitely captures the attention of even the most hard-to-please person
- a not-so-serious yet deep film about living life

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- it was a little bit on the short side
- if you are the easy-queasy kind then you will hate the gore

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Sherlock Holmes: Movie Review

2010-01-05T23:38:00.011+08:00

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most recognized fiction characters we have out there and so, it would actually be a big surprise if you haven’t heard of him yet. Centuries after his character was first published by Arthur Conan Doyle, people still remember his wit and skill as a detective. Fast forward to present, "Sherlock Holmes" tries to make a refreshing retake of the legendary persona. Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and director Guy Ritchie are up with a very big and daunting task. We have no doubts about their talent but can they deliver with this movie? Read on to find out our verdict.

The year is 1891 and Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law) has just stopped Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) in completing his human sacrifice of a sixth girl - he succeeded in killing five girls previously. Lord Blackwood is found guilty by the court on charges of using the black arts and is sentenced to be hanged. On the day of his execution, Blackwood requests for Holmes and he warns him about other deaths that will eventually change the world. Blackwood is executed and pronounced by Watson himself as dead. Days later, Blackwood was seen walking away from his grave. Upon investigation, the burial chamber has been cracked open and the corpse inside the coffin is not Blackwood. Did Blackwood really defy death by to finish his plan? Can Holmes and Watson determine what Blackwood meant about changing their world?

So what can we say about "Sherlock Holmes"? One word sums it all up - astonishing. We just did our Top Ten Movies of 2009 list and what a way to start things off by having a movie that could be a contender on this year's edition of the top ten. Yes, you heard us right, this early on in the game, we believe "Sherlock Holmes" deserves a spot in the top ten. So what's so juicy about this film? Well first and foremost the cinematography was outstanding. It was so unique that only a Guy Ritchie could have thought of presenting it that way. We really liked the slow-mo scenes in which Holmes elaborates his game plan. Second, the acting was first class all the way. Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Mark Strong formed the trifecta in this area and all gave great performances that we just couldn't see who was the best of the bunch. Much could be said for Rachel McAdams though. Third, although hard to understand on some instances, the script and lines were a perfect mix of wit, seriousness and humor. We found ourselves laughing with Holmes' or Watson's quips against each other. Finally, the story is well-worth the ticket price. The story will thrill you from start to finish and the way the film was interwoven at the end was just perfect. "Sherlock Holmes" is definitely a film everyone should watch especially those who want an intellectual film that has balls.

Rating: 5 reels

Why you should watch it:
- brilliant cinematography that still stuns as in awe
- a storyline that is thrilling from start to finish
- acting was great and the right mix of wit was just perfect

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- some may find some story elements cliche`
- we had some hard time following the dialogue

Catch "Sherlock Holmes" starting January 8, 2010 on all cinemas around the metro. This film is brought to us by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Love Happens: Sneak Peak

2010-01-03T20:08:00.006+08:00

Who doesn’t want to fall in love? Probably people who have been jaded by it or it could be those whose relationships were the best thing that ever happened to them only to have their beloved taken away. "Love Happens" is about having a chance to love again, but past hurts cause the hearts to hesitate. Read more to find out about the film.

Dr. Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) is a successful self-help author who gives advice on how to deal with the loss of a loved one. While holding a seminar, he meets Eloise Chandler (Jennifer Aniston) and they soon become attracted to each other. Burke, ironically, has not moved on from the death of his wife and Eloise has sworn off men. As each struggles with the hurt of past loves and losses, they realize that they need to let go of these pasts to have a future together.

To play the lead roles, Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston were really the filmmakers’ first choice. Eckhart liked the screenplay for Love Happens and signed on to the project. Of his interest in joining, he says, “I loved the romance part of the script with Jennifer Aniston’s character, Eloise. I hope the audience will find the romance to be fun and energetic, sweet and charming. I think they’ll find the grieving part of it to be heartfelt, sincere and touching. I feel that we have an obligation to treat grief and those who are grieving with a lot of respect, compassion and empathy.”

Working for the first time with Eckhart, Jennifer Aniston has good words for him, “You can’t imagine anyone else playing Burke, Aaron is spot-on and moves you so much. I found him extremely dedicated and focused. When you work with a performer like that, you constantly have someone giving you something good to volley with.”

Catch the magic between Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart in Love Happens starting February 10 in theaters near you. This film is brought to you by Viva International Pictures.

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