Rise of the Guardians (2012)

"A group of mythical fairy-tale characters team up to save the world in this DreamWorks Animation production. Based on William Joyce's series of children's books, the pic features the voice-acting talents of Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, and Isla Fisher. Peter Ramsey co-directs with Joyce. " (source)

Release date: November 21, 2012

Sneak Peek:

Alive (1993)

"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment." - Charles Darwin

How can a group of football jocks from a plane crash come out alive for months of starvation in the snowy highlands? Watch this film and you will know.

Alive, a morbid true story of survival and humans-eating-humans, sets to make your movie experience into a potpourri of extreme emotions. Well, it doesn't only offer subtle scenes of flesh-eating desperados, but more often than not it also gives out the chills of emotional separation from rationality.

Good cinematography. Convincing cast. Nice! Nice!

Personal Rating: 7/10

Hereafter (2010)

I really don't know what happened to this film, to think that the cast is star-studded and the director is the brilliant Clint Eastwood.

My friends and I watched this film a few years back. I can still remember our appalling faces after spending almost two hours askew. We actually didn't appreciate a single bit of it, even the effort of making the film.

 Sorry, but this film sucks big-time.

Personal Rating- 2/10

Schindler's List (1993)

Nowadays, people who are real anti-semitics might not be very common unless you enter a comedy bar during Saturday nights. We hear jokes and rants against Jews that are very demeaning, often taken out from their customs, rituals, and stuff. This is very popular in TV shows-a Jewish-born character who receives self-deprecating remarks for his/her irky "Jewish" behaviors. Since the audience have been accustomed by this typical scene, they can't help but laugh. Nonetheless, Do they know how these Jews suffered during the Holocaust era? I honestly don't think so.

"Schindler's List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg's signature tender humanism to create the director's dramatic masterpiece."

Personal Rating- 9/10

(source)

Flipped (2010)

I have flipped.

I don't really dig films about puppy loves and vintage clothes, but this made me think twice.

A delicate film directed by Rob Reiner ( a veteran of romantic films), Flipped doesn't only offer a story of friendship and love, but it also tackles the importance of family in the life of a teenager. It was narrated in a two-person linear fashion during the 50's, a very rare technique for a coming-of age film.

Personal Rating-6/10

Hunger Games (2011)

"May the odds be ever in your favor"

Seriously, this film wouldn't let you blink for seconds.

I honestly got attached to the whole story. I mean the writer of the novel made a nice move by devising a concept that fans wouldn't get tired of reading..and watching. However, I think it isn't necessary that the director made it child-friendly. It has stingy action-filled scenes and gore.

The nation of Panem has established a tradition for decades, the 12 districts must sacrifice a boy and a girl ages 12 to 18 for an annual event called the Hunger Games. All of the contestants must fight their chance to be recognized as the sole winner by surviving in the wilderness. They must win over physical limitations and emotional attraction.

Personal Rating-7/10  

The Ghost writer (2010)

Do you really want to be a ghost writer all your life?

An old haunting question hard to answer. 

"A ghostwriter stumbles onto a secret that places his life in danger as he takes down the life story of a former U.K. prime minister in this Roman Polanski-helmed adaptation of the Robert Harris novel. Convinced by his agent that he's been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, talented British screenwriter "The Ghost" (Ewan McGregor) agrees to aid British prime minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) in completing his memoirs after the leader's former aide dies under mysterious circumstances. Almost immediately after The Ghost arrives at a remote mansion in the U.S. to begin working with the prime minister, Lang is accused of committing a war crime by a former British cabinet minister. Amidst a deluge of protestors and reporters, The Ghost delves into the unfinished manuscript and comes to the terrifying conclusion that his predecessor died because he discovered a link between Prime Minister Lang and the CIA. The more information The Ghost uncovers, the more convinced he becomes that his life could be in danger as well."(source)

Personal Rating-5.5/10

Must-see: Life of Pi(2012)

One of Ang Lee's masterpiece, Life of Pi, will soon fight its standing in film festivals and screenings to surpass the success of Crouching tiger, Hidden dragon and Brokeback Mountain. Based from a novel written by Yann Martel,  the story is all about survival and responsibility. A young indian boy under the pressure of nature, makes close contact with fear for him to win against unacceptable death. 

"Based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martel, is a magical adventure story centering on Pi Patel, the precocious son of a zoo keeper. Dwellers in Pondicherry, India, the family decides to move to Canada, hitching a ride on a huge freighter. After a shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a 26-foot lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, all fighting for survival." (Source)

Sorry guys, but we have to wait until its release in theaters on the 21st of November.

Here's a quick peek:

Mysterious Skin (2004)

Mysterious Skin, a disturbing drama film about pedophilia and its detrimental effects to victims. It starred the young Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Neil along with Brady Corbet as Brian and Michelle Trachtenberg as Wendy. Rottentomatoes.com gave it a fresh score of 84% and positive remarks from critics. "Bold performances and sensitive, spot-on direction make watching this difficult tale of trauma and abuse a thought-provoking, resonant experience" as quoted. (Source)

Two boys with different characters, Neil and Brian, shared the same abusive experience from their baseball coach. However, the former remembered it exactly what and how it was, while the latter interpreted it as an encounter with aliens. Neil was devastated by the incident, believing that it made a major impact to his orientation. He sought sexual attention from men older than him, generally relating all of them to his coach. Brian, on the other hand, was trying to patch every evidence he could find to truly prove his alien encounter and his weird condition of nose-bleeding. To have a clearer view of what really happened, Brian contacted Neil . The two met at the exact place it occurred and they both reminisced the disturbing incident.

Personal Rating: 7/10

LOL(2012)

A big LOL to this movie.

Ok. I normally don't like crappy flicks of overrated teen stars for obvious reasons-the plot sucks, a lot of spooning and groping, and..I have to stop right here. Pardon my whining.HAHA.

I know some would ask, "So why the heck did you feature this crap movie?"
Here's the answer. I'm just trying to make this blog versatile, a hodgepodge, for it not to appear too biased and bland.

Let's backtrack. I didn't actually finish the whole movie.Well, in fact, I only survived the 20 minutes of it. I had to pee, so I paused it and what I can remember was I went to the kitchen and browsed my facebook account instead.

In conclusion, the plot was weak-after 10 minutes, I was not following anymore. Basically, It was about a teenager who had sex for the first time and was too afraid for her mother to know.

On the bright side, every little girl who wishes to be Miley Cyrus will certainly love this.

Personal Rating: 3/10

Inception (2010)

I was having strange nightmares lately. I mean really strange ones. I think the most weirdest is I was bitten by a dog and when I woke up, I could still felt the excruciating pain on my hand where the dog bit me. Strange, isn't it? This afternoon, while seated lazily on the couch aimlessly switching between channels, the idea of watching a film related to dreams hit me. I only have one film on my mind, it definitely is Inception.

In the film Inception (directed by the same director of the Batman trilogy and where Bane, Robin, and The Scarecrow are all in the same movie aside from The Dark Knight Rises), dreams become real. The viewers enter into another layer of substrate of the reality. The complexity of the plot tries to become playful to the mind, provoking the thoughts it has and sometimes leaves it perplexed as pitch black. The film is also visually appealing, specially when it introduced pretty amusing optical illusions which technically contributed to the cleverness of the film. The film ended with an inconclusive ending, it didn't show whether the totem stops or not. "Open" endings make me feel frustrated sometimes.

On a side note, The mind is so powerful, it becomes infinite. The edge of boundaries is getting farther and farther. I couldn't intellectually grasp what the mind can and cannot do. Because of it, we become limitless. We can build and at the same time destroy anything; and there are still a lot of possible ideas in the horizon that soon to be uncovered.

Personal rating: 8/10

Call Me Maybe Parodies

While looking for movie updates on youtube, I saw this video with 6million plus views and IT WAS HILARIOUS!! I decided to share it to you guys. I also included some funny videos of its like:)

Enjoy!

This one just made my day:

Chatroulette version

Barack Obama parody

Call me Gaybe.HAHA

Rate that movie!

To solicit your own movie rating to every featured movie, I have recently added reaction buttons found at the  bottom of an entry. With it, viewers of my blog will know what movies are public's favorites. The reaction encapsulates everything about that movie-plot, cast, cinematography,setting,etc. If you have something to say about a certain film, feel free to comment. 

Here's the legend:
 ★ -rubbish
 ★ ★-good
 ★ ★ ★-satisfactory
 ★ ★ ★ ★-very satisfactory

Lasers and Minions

Remember the tagline "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"?

The news spreads like fire all over the internet. Despicable Me 2 will be out next year along with Monster Inc. 2.

Excited?

Despicable Me, starring the voices of Steve Carell (40 year-old virgin) Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Russel Brand(Arthur), is a 2010 comedy/drama animation about family and cool lasers and badass villain wars. This movie simply disproves that a stoned heart of a mad scientist has no soft part for kids and yes, a villain has a heart too. For the second time, Gru, with his three lovable girls, will soon embark on another mission of saving the earth...or is it? 

Enjoy this addicting short teaser shared to me by a friend :)

Novels-turned-Movies

Novels-turned-movies of  vintage and new x generation, both The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and On The Road  will surely give honor to the writers of its respective novel adaptations.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower, written during the 1990's by an american novelist Stephen Chbosky when Kurt Cobain was still alive and recording mix tapes was still the best gift to give. The whole story was generally a compilation of letters addressed to an unknown stranger by a kid named Charle, who narrated his experiences as a freshman in their school and his struggle to fit in the society through drugs, booze, and premarital sex. I already finished reading the whole novel to clearly understand the movie when it is released in public theaters (Hopefully). I cannot understand why America banned school libraries to have a copy for their students to read.

I'm hardly starting to read the first few pages of the novel On The Road. It seems that I couldn't find time to read it entirely even though I own my time now. Nevertheless I'm still looking forward to see the film.   

Movies Coming Soon

The year of the so-called doomsday, 2012, not only delivers worries about apocalyptic predictions and public catastrophes, but also brings fresh and artsy action/thriller movies. I have scribbled some of these movies of their genres on my A-list to personally see them however, new movies keep on releasing and continually added on my list. I guess it would be impossible to watch them myself. A lot of beautiful movies, but so little time. 

Here is a list of action/thriller movies I've been eyeing to see. Hope you'll enjoy it as well. :)

1.The Bourne Legacy

The reason why I'm currently waiting for this movie to be released is that some scenes were actually taken in the Philippines. I hope it will bring pride to my country when the whole world sees it.

"The narrative architect behind the Bourne film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise that has earned almost $1 billion at the global box office: The Bourne Legacy. The writer/director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. For The Bourne Legacy, Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac, while franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn reprise their roles". 

2. The Imposter 

A new psychological thriller of its own kind, The Imposter is said to have an eerie, untoward after-feeling once you see it.

"Nicholas was 13 the day he disappeared (June 13, 1994). He would have been 16 and 8 months when he was reported found in Spain (October 7, 1997)... In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappears without a trace from San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive, thousands of miles away in a village in southern Spain with a story of kidnap and torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems. The boy bears many of the same distinguishing marks he always had, but why does he now have a strange accent? Why does he look so different? And why doesn't the family seem to notice these glaring inconsistencies? It's only when an investigator starts asking questions that this strange tale takes an even stranger turn".

3.Looper

I was shocked to see the full transformation of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's facial features from a wimpy gentleman to a sleek and manly young version of Bruce Willis. Looper, a postmodern sci-fi action film of time travelling, will soon make the audience in awe of its radical premise.

"In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented - but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a "looper" - a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) - is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good... until the day the mob decides to "close the loop," sending back Joe's future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination".

Movie Infos courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Let me hear from you guys. What movies are you eyeing this year?

Rainy Tuesday

The dominating monsoons have hit the Philippines for a couple of times this year. We Filipinos become accustomed with similar scenes like inundated highways and streets, mass blackouts, landfalls, alerting sirens for evacuation and annoying traffic jams. Most people would even see it as a normal weather despite the heavy rain showers and killing winds.  

Consequently, these phenomena have made us prepared all the time. To prevent problems to arise, canned goods and noodles must be packed for future consumption, medical kits and safe drinking water should be secured, and a bunch of fun-filled movies to relax with. There is nothing to worry unless everyone stays inside of the house seated on the cozy couch with hot buttered popcorn enjoying the movies on this list.

I recommend this list of movies to everyone staying in their flats while waiting for the rain to stop. Here it goes:

1.HARRY POTTER FILMS 1-8

This long epic story of fantasy and magic will kill your time literally. Filling the house with flying pixies and brewing potions would be a better idea right? Start your magical journey now.

2. THE LORD OF THE RINGS FILM TRILOGY  

An original novel of J.R.R Tolkein adapted in films by the director Peter Jacksons, The Lord of the Rings offers a surreal world of war and drama for the family. My Precious!

3. STARWARS SEQUEL AND PREQUEL

Starwars is an epic sci-fi film by George Lucas. It became a big hit in theaters for years until now and some fans have adopted the film into their lives. Some even made parodies and fun products for this film canon. These set of movies will reveal out the force in you. 

Any movie/s to add to the existing list? Leave a comment :)

The Incredible Shrinking Man(1957)

Scott Carey: I looked up, as if somehow I would grasp the heavens. The universe, worlds beyond number, God's silver tapestry spread across the night. And in that moment, I knew the answer to the riddle of the infinite. I had thought in terms of man's own limited dimension. I had presumed upon nature. That existence begins and ends in man's conception, not nature's. And I felt my body dwindling, melting, becoming nothing. My fears melted away. And in their place came acceptance. All this vast majesty of creation, it had to mean something. And then I meant something, too. Yes, smaller than the smallest, I meant something, too. To God, there is no zero. I still exist! 

One confession that I need to make is that I fond watching old movies. Movies that are older than me or anyone else. These preserved movies need to regain their shine because they shared a crucial contribution to the development of our films nowadays. 

As one of the best science fiction film of all time, The Incredible Shrinking Man has a fresh tomatometer of 88% and an average rating of 7.6/10 in rottentomatoes.com. I was stunned by the special effects in general. I expected it to be crappy, but I was proved wrong. The miniature effect that the movie used was rendered perfectly in black and white. Personally, it is the most realistic old sci-fi movie I have seen so far. Also, the script was profoundly written with thought-provoking lines to create a serious tone of the whole concept. 

The fuss started when Scott Carey (Grant Williams), married to a beautiful and sensitive wife Louise (Randy Stuart), was exposed to a radioactive cloud when having a vacation with his wife in a yacht. As months have passed, he noticed that he's losing his height inch by inch until he became smaller than a matchstick. Struck by the events, he sought help from an expert. The scientist was surprised of what he saw and directly revealed to Scott that there is no known antidote for his condition. Becoming less and less hopeful, he accepted his fate and lived in a dollhouse. Unattended by his wife, Scott faced a heart-pounding encounter with a provoked cat and managed to escape by jumping off the basement. When his wife discovered that the dollhouse was empty and the cat was licking its paws, She apparently considered it as the end of her life with Scott. The death of Scott was mistakenly reported to the public. Once again, he fought for his survival against a taunting spider and a rapid flood. In the end, he never returned to his normal size and started a new life with his new form.

Personal rating: 7/10

Shame (2011)

Dubbed as the most provocative and compelling film of the year, Shame is a scandalous story of a pressing issue on addiction to sex. It was directed by Steve Mcqueen, one of the renowned kings of controversial films of this generation.

The subtle and explicit world of a New York bachelor, Brandon (Michael Fassbender), was presented as he battled against his strong obsession to carnal satisfaction from sex workers or any girl in the way. His mundane cycle was disturbed by the arrival of his little sister named Sissy (Carrie Mulligan) to his life. Regardless of place and time, Brandon never won over his aggression despite the fact that it was only temporary. He was out in the wild, hunting for pleasure and  chasing for inner satisfaction. As he tried to create intimate connection to a co-worker, who is now his real-time girlfriend, he was haunted by the opposed force of his addiction. In this scene, it was revealed that he didn't have long-term relationships with women, four months as the longest of all. As the darkness of his addiction gradually taking over his life, it became a problem.  Pornography and stranger sex were his escape from the taunting predicament of his past and present. He could not determine his own dilemma, until he discovered that his sister also needed attention. He felt self-abused. A prisoner of his own cell, Brandon cannot leave the pandemonium that his addiction has created. At the end of the story, Brandon still became unaware that he needed to seek professional help. 

Some of the scenes in the movie, full frontal and creative sexual encounters, were profane and disturbing. Hence, the reviews committee decided to give it a rating of NC-17, only allowed to be premiered in some adult theaters worldwide. Most of the movie critics gave it positive reviews. Well, fair enough.

The leading actor, Michael Fassbender, known as the young magneto of X-men: First Class and the military officer with fake German accent in a war film Inglorious Basterds, invested his career for the success of this movie. He shifted his interest from Hollywood mainstream films to independent works. That was a risky move.

Carrie Mulligan, driven by her beauty and acting prowess, became known for her roles in critically acclaimed films An Education and Never let me go, alongside top-dog actors Peter Sarsgaard and Andrew Garfield, respectively. Her attributes as having an innocent and angelic face never became a hindrance of her change of characters.

In conclusion, Shame offers an introspective view of one's weaknesses and shortcomings without the feeling of disgust to self. It is an eye opener to society's filth of human becoming.

World's Greatest Dad (2009)

 The month of June had already passed, but celebrating fatherhood doesn't need a specific day of the year.  Let me show my gratitude to every doting father of any age through this entry. As the saying goes, it is better late than never.

A movie of rebellion and acceptance, World's Greatest Dad, starring Robin Williams, is considered as the contemporary epitome in film of unconditional fatherly love. The story revolved around the jaded life of a single dad with his vulgar son and the attempts to save the father-son relationship once they had. As the course of events played with them, specifically the shameful accidental death of the son due to erotic asphyxiation, the father made a plan to avert his son from ostracism of schoolmates and neighbors even in death. He fabricated the whole incident by writing a suicide note allegedly created by his son before killing himself. However, sympathy preceded popularity. Ever kid in the campus thought his son was a hero, longing to be understood and loved. The father acknowledged his growing guilt as he recounted the real incident of his son's death in front of the public. He lost almost everything, his career and loved one, in exchange for a clear conscience.

I only have two points for this teenage angst-themed film.

First, the plot was carefully stitched. You cannot find a story similar to this. Despite being a low-budgeted film, it still surpassed the picky conventional taste of the viewers. Second, the movie is a reflection the social world as it is, judgmental and unpredictable.

Personal rating: 6.5/10

Movie Review: The Batman Trilogy (2005.2008.2012)

I apologize for not posting entries lately. My life turned apparently busy over the past weekend.

Christopher Nolan has done it again. I think the word WOW is an understatement of another brilliant film from the director. Enough said. The Dark Knight Rises, the last sequel of the batman trilogy, has been kicking asses these past few days on the screen. It also made a huge controversy during its first premiere in Colorado, which the movie per se is not really relative to what had happened, a shoot-out inside a cinema killing 12 innocent civilians and some injured. Probably the perpetrator was a bit excited to see the movie and was carried away by the action-filled scenes. Just trying to put it on a lighter tone.

Alright. Where do I start? I'm quite lost for words while writing this review because the trilogy didn't disappoint me. 

I actually saw the last strand of the trilogy before the other two. I didn't plan to see the movie, but I was curious for hearing positive remarks from those who have seen it already. Luckily, I made the right choice. The powerhouse cast and the eminent production team were perfectly matched for their roles. The subtle plot has given the audience a ride of emotional roller-coaster and twists-and-turns. The jaw-dropping cinematography has offered the genuine facade of a real batman movie, in this case, dark and gloomy, unparalleled to the previous flop batman redux. I said it. Perhaps, the batman "like" film adaptations were only produced to save someone's career or whatnot, but no one has succeeded expect for Christopher Nolan. He gently lured the deserved attention from the viewers to bring back the hit-bottom spotlight of the famous DC superhero. 

Moreover, the movie tried to give an in-depth take of what is really happening behind the mask of Batman, seeing the real face of Bruce Wayne. His overall predicament showed how he balanced his sorrows and guilt in hopes of rising the dark knight from a cold death. Though, at some point, he became self-centered and hopeless. Devoured by the emotional turmoil that the death of Rachel and the vexed treatment by the Gotham citizen, Bruce still became penchant to see the light, regardless of how little it was, from some good people of the city who believed in him. 

Needless to say, the actor who played the hero, Christian Bale, proved his part. He gave the Batman a face. A face of courage, invincible strength, and  honor. His dedication to his work has paid off. 

After seeing the two other sequels, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I acclaim the acting performance of Heath Ledger, who played the role of the playful Joker. He really deserves the posthumous awards and achievements under the hood of this trilogy. Truly a legend.

P.S. I didn't like the fact that Katie Holmes turned down the role of Rachel in the second movie. Hello? It made her less cheap in terms of experience as an actress. Maybe, I was disappointed about it because I never fancied Maggie Gyllenhaal. 

I almost forgot. Anne Hathaway...Ah, nevermind.

Personal rating: 8/10

Movie Review: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close(2012)

Oskar Schell: Can't you even tell me if I'm on the right track?

Thomas Schell: *Shrugs his shoulders* 

Oskar: But if you don't tell me, how can i ever be right?

Thomas: Well, another way of looking at it is...how can you ever be wrong?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oskar Schell: But it wasn't working... because people aren't like numbers. They're more like letters... and those letters want to become stories... and dad said that stories need to be shared.

I have read a lot of different points from a series of critics for this movie. There are some(most of them really) who wrote that it was immaturely put together in sequence; and some say that the enigmatic sense of connection to the characters and how it was related to the current events have pulled it off. I honestly think that the cinematography is pretty good and oh the music is somehow..hhmm..ineffable. Sandra Bullock was even in the movie (I only felt her presence in the latter part).

Based from the adapted book with the same title written by Jonathan Safran Foer, the whole catch evolves when a child who has Aspergers Syndrome (a condition similar to autism wherein the nature of social interrelationship is impaired. However, cognitive and motor abilities remain intact.), Oskar Schell, tries to decipher the biggest unsolvable mystery according to his challenging father, Thomas Schell, which eventually turns the course of their lives, in general, to a different route. Furthermore, in the process, he discovers an array of people's lives from different walks of life with the use of his camera; and he understands what brings the society of any boroughs together, LOVE.

For me, one thing's for sure-It moved me.

P.S: It was the debut movie of the kid who played the character of Oskar Schell. He was discovered during his cameo as one of the players in Jeopardy!. He's good.

Personal rating: 7/10

Here's the trailer: 

Must-see: Sleeping Beauty(2011)

Circa midyear of 2011, I have watched Zack Synder's Sucker Punch which was created in a very promising style similar to 300 and Watchmen. Having said that, the combination of blue and orange in the screen of these films has been a plus for a moviegoer like me. 

 

See?

Pleasing to the eyes, I never wonder why Zack Synder's original style of painting a movie has helped him strolled his way to the best directors of 2011 effortlessly. (I apologize for digressing from the subject of this entry).HAHA. 

Emily Browning, a leading actress in Sucker Punch, has been changing character's clothes from a perky child actress to a full-grown and matured goddess actress. Again, she consistently showed this new skin to another masterpiece entitled, Sleeping Beauty. This independent film took a different perspective in portraying a classic story excluding the usual happily-ever-after, prince charming, and evil witch. Nevertheless, the concept of an innocent lady sleeping has been retained, I think. Surprisingly, this movie was even submitted as an entry to THE Cannes Film Festival. Yeah, BIG. Also, it means some scenes are NSFW to watch. 

Here's a movie info from Rottentomatoes.com:

"Lucy (Emily Browning) is a young university student possessed by a kind of radical passivity. She lets a flip of a coin decide the outcome of a random sexual encounter and she displays an uncomplaining patience when facing the repetitions of her various menial jobs that fund her studies. One day she answers an ad in the student newspaper and interviews for a job to be a lingerie waitress. But she is secretly being initiated into a world of strange new work; one where she will have to give into absolute submission to her clients by being sedated; becoming a Sleeping Beauty. Eventually this unnerving experience begins to bleed into her daily life and she finally develops the will to break the spell by discovering what happens to her while she sleeps."

MOVIE TRAILER:

Must-see: Moonrise Kingdom(2012)

Aside from the awesome stop-motion animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson yields another peculiar, yet comical story of a dynamic journey full of joys and mishaps dedicated to children of the new generation and children-at-heart of OUR generation.

 I always enjoy movies that give me quirky nostalgic feeling of childhood. The barred never-growing  innocent child inside me jumps with bliss as my eyes are glued to the screen exhibiting psychedelic textures and colors, and funny childish acts. This child will love the movie for sure.

Rottentomatoes.com, the only all-movie guide website I visit, has given the film a fresh tomatometer of 94% and an average rating of 8.2/10. I have also read positive reviews from film critics admiring its charming-ness.

Movie info from Rottentomatoes.com:
"Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, a violent storm is brewing off-shore -- and the peaceful island community is turned upside down in more ways than anyone can handle. Bruce Willis plays the local sheriff. Edward Norton is a Khaki Scout troop leader. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand portray the young girl's parents. The cast also includes Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, and Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as the boy and girl. "

MOVIE TRAILER HERE:

Minsan May Isang Puta

Tingin ng mga bobong kapitbahay ko, puta daw ako. Nagpapagamit, binabayaran. Sabi nila, ako daw ang pinakamaganda at pinakasikat sa aming lugar noon. Di ko nga alam kung sumpa ito, dahil dito naletse ang kinabukasan ko.

Tara, makinig ka muna sa kwento ko, yosi muna tayo.

Alam mo, maraming lumapit sa akin. Nagkagusto at naakit. Ang hirap pag lahat sa iyo, virgin eh. Tinanggap ko naman silang tao, bakit kaya nila ako ginago? Hindi ko maintindihan ang mga nangyari sa akin. Bukas palad ko naman silang pinakitunguhan, ni hindi ko nga itinuring na iba. Iniisip ko na nga lang na kasi di sila taga rito kaya siguro talagang ganoon.

Tatlong malilibog na foreigners ang nagpyesta sa katawan ko. Sabi nila na-rape daw ako.

Sa tatlong beses akong nagahasa, ang pinakahuli ang di ko makakalimutan. Parang maski di ko ginusto ang mga nangyari, hinahanap-hanap ko siya. Kasi, ibang-iba ang hagod niya. Umiikot ang mundo ko sa tuwing ginagamit niya ako. May mga pagkakaton na nasusuka na ko sa mga nangyayari sa aming dalawa. Parang ‘pag humahalinghing siya, nararamdaman ko na nalalason ako.. Gusto ko mang umayaw, hindi ko makuhang humindi. Hindi ko din alam kung bakit. Ibang klase din kasi siya mag-sorry eh, lalo pa at inalagaan niya ako at ang mga naging anak ko.

Alam mo, parating ang dami naming regalo – may chocolates, yosi at ano ka! May datung pa! Nakakabaliw siya! Alam kong ginagamit niya lang ako pero pagamit naman ako nang pagamit. Sa kanya namin natutunan mag-inggles, di lang magsulat ha! Magbasa pa!

Nung kinasama ko siya, guminhawa buhay namin. Sosyal na sosyal kami! Ewan ko nga ba, akala ko napapamahal na ako sa kanya. Akala ko tuloy-tuloy na kaligayahan namin, yun pala unti-unti niya akong pinapatay.

Punyetang buhay! Sa dami ng lason na sinaksak niya sa katawan ko, muntik na akong malaspag. Ang daming nagsabi na ang tanga tanga ko. Palayasin ko na daw. Taon ang binilang bago ako natauhang makining sa payo. Iniisip ko kasi na parang di ko kakayanin na mawala siya sa akin… Sa amin! .

Sa tulong ng ilan sa mga anak ko, napalayas ko ang demonyo pero ang hirap magsimula. Hindi nga ako sigurado kung nabunutan ako ng tinik o nadagdagan pa. Masyado na kasi kaming nasanay sa sarap ng buhay na naranasan namin sa kanya, kaya eto nabaon kami sa utang. Lubog na lubog kami sa pagkakautang, kulang yata pati kaluluwa namin para ibayad sa mga inutang namin.

Nakakahiya man aminin pero hanggang ngayon, sa tuwing mabigat ang problema ko, siya ang tinatakbuhan ko. ‘Yun nga lang, kapit sa patalim sabi nga nila. Para akong isang aso na nangagat ng amo, na bumabahag ang buntot at umaamo kapag nangangailangan.

Usap-usapan ako ng mga kapitbahay ko. May nanghihinayang, namumuhi at naaawa. Puta na kasi ang isang magandang katulad ko. Ang dating hinahangaan at humahalina ay nabibili sa murang halaga. Alam mo maski ganun ang mga nangyari sa akin, nilakasan ko pa rin ang loob ko. Kailangan makita ng mga anak ko, na masasandalan nila ako maski ano pang mangyari.

Maski ano pa ang sabihin ng iba, sinisikap namin na maging maganda ang buhay namin. Nag-aambisyon kami at nangangarap. Ayun, may mga anak ako na nasa Japan, Hong Kong, Saudi. Yung iba nag-US, Canada, Europe. ‘Yung iba ayaw umalis sa akin. Halos lahat, wala naman silbi. Masaya daw sa piling ko, maski amoy pusali ako.

Sa dami ng mga anak ko na nagsisikap na tulungan ang kalagayan namin, siya din ang dami ng mga anak ko na nanamantala sa kabuhayan at kayaman na itinatabi ko para sa punyetang kinabukasan naming lahat. Eto na nga ang panahon na halos di na kami makaahon sa hirap ng buhay. Napakahirap dahil nasanay na kami sa ginhawa at sarap.

Alam mo, gusto ko na sanang tumigil sa pagpuputa kaso ang laki talaga ng letseng utang ko eh. Palaki pa ng palaki! Paano na lang ang mga anak kong naiwan sa aking puder? At paano na lang ang mga anak kong nasa abroad? Baka di na nila ako balikan o bisitahin man lang? Hindi na importante kung laspagin man ang ganda ko, madama lang ng mga anak ko ang pagmamahal ko. Malaman nila na ibibigay ko ang lahat para sa kanila.

Sa tuwing titingin ako sa salamin, alam ko maganda pa rin ako. Meron pa din ang bilib sa akin. Napapag-usapan pa din. Sa tuwing nakikita ko ang mukha ko sa salamin, nakikita ko ang mga anak ko. Tutulo na lang ang mga luha ko ng di ko namamalayan. Ang gagaling nga ng mga anak ko eh, namamayagpag kahit saan sila pumunta. Mahusay sa kahit anong gawain. Tama man o mali.

Sa dami ng mga anak ko, iilan lang ang may malasakit sa akin. May malasakit man, nahihilaw pa.

Mabigat dalahin para sa akin, ang katotohanan na ni minsan ay di kami naging isang pamilya. Halos lahat ng mga anak ko, galit sa isa’t isa. IIlan ang gusto magtulungan, naghihilahan pa. Madalas kong itinatanong sa sarili ko kung naging masama ba akong nanay para magturingan ng ganito ang mga anak ko?

Kanino bang similya ng demonyo nanggaling ang mga anak kong maituturing mong may mga pinag-aralan pero nakakadama ng saya at sarap sa paghihirap ng kapatid nila? Di ko lubos maisip kung saan impiyerno nanggaling ang kasikiman ng ilan sa mga anak kong ito. Sila pa naman ang inaasahan kong magbabangon sa amin. Nakakabaliw isipin na natitiis nila ang kalagayan ng kanilang mga kapatid na halos mamatay sa hirap ng buhay. Parang di sila magkakapatid sa tindi ng pagkaganid at walang pagmamalasakit.

Ang di ko akalain ay mismong mga anak ko, ang tuluyang sisira sa akin. Kinapital ang laspag na ganda ko. Masaya sila sa mga nabibili nila mula sa pinagputahan ko. Buong angas nilang pinagyayabang ang mga pansamantalang yaman at ang kanilang hilaw na pagkatao sa mga makakakita at makikinig. Talaga bang nakakalula ang materyal na kayamanan at mga titulong ikinakabit sa pangalan? Hindi ko maintindihan.

Minsan sa pagtingin ko sa salamin, ni hindi ko na nga kilala sarili ko.

Dadating na naman ang pasko, sana maalala naman ako ng mga anak ko. Ilang linggo pa, magbabagong taon na. Natatakot ako sa taong darating. Ngayon pa lang usap-usapan na ang susunod na pangbubugaw sa akin. Gagamitin pa nila ang kahinaan ng mga kapatid nilang alipin sa kalam ng tiyan. Sa tagal ng panahong ganito ang sitwasyon namin parang eto lang ang sulok na gagalawan ko. Sana may magtanggol naman sa akin. Ipaglaban naman nila ako. Gusto kong isigaw: “Ina ninyo ako! Pagmamahal nyo lang ang kailangan ko!”

Sensya na, ang haba na ng drama ko. Masisira na ang make up ko nito eh. Salamat ha, pinakinggan mo ako. Malaking bagay sa akin na nakausap kita. Ang tagal nating nag-usap, di man lang ako nagpapakilala.

Ay sorry, di ko nasabi pangalan ko.

Pilipinas nga pala.


"Minsan may Isang Puta" is an article originally published by Mike Portes in 2007. The story was chosen to be adapted in a movie trilogy entitled "Ganap na babae"(Garden of Eve), directed by Sara Roxas. The said film has been shown during the Cinemalaya 2010.


from http://antipinoy.com/minsan-may-isang-puta-2007/

First movie review: Sarong Banggi (One night)

This is my first movie review (as seen in the title above). I hope I will nail this one:D

Well, I’m not really a fan of watching Pinoy movies because I look at it as cheesy and dull. I guess 80% of these films are created for television with fancy love teams and predictable premises just to satisfy the fix of the mass. It happened that I saw this movie from a pile of DVD’s my aunt has sent from abroad (I didn’t know that there are retailers of filipino movies outside the country). This may be the first and the last movie of its kind that will be featured in this blog (except for deserving independent tagalog films). haha

 Lahat ng tao ay may kwento.Naglalakad na kwento. (Everyone has a story. Stories that walk)

The story is about a narrated night of a middle aged masseuse (Jacklyn Jose) and how it changed her life.  The first few takes reveal a group of adolescent boys driving their way to the lighted streets of beachwalk to celebrate the birthday of one of their friends (Angelo Ilagan) and transform him from boyhood to a fully grown man.  The movie progresses as it discloses the twisted fate of the two characters.

In conclusion, The movie has poignantly moved me. However, the first thing that I didn’t like is the slow pacing of the story. I even forwarded some scenes. You know the feeling of watching a movie and there are scenes that you want to scrape out from it or take a nap instead. The second thing that I noticed is the poor acting skills of some casts except for Jacklyn Jose who proved that she is a versatile and timeless actress despite her age. The plot, which is similar to the Oedipus tragedy, is uncanny and interesting. Nevertheless, the ending is a bit of disturbing.

Personal rating-6.5/10

My first entry YEY :D

Readers, welcome to my blog!

This is my first time to try writing entries about movies I adore, puked-on, have-seen-a-couple-of-times, and dying-to-see. I will be posting brief reviews, spoilers, and random movie rants to this blog. This may not be the quintessential movie journal in the whole blog world, albeit this blog will best capture every angle of a featured movie , from scenes to outtakes, from casts to the production team.

Please bear with the progress of the entries that will be posted. I intentionally created this blog to spare myself from being unproductive now that I’m part of the unemployed world. I may also use this blog to escape from the  unkempt reality.

Again, Enjoy!