Movie Review: Cloverfield

It's been a while since I've seen a movie in the theater (I usually download or copy films from my colleagues now). But since I've found extra time to spend I decided to watch a film that's worth watching - and I think Cloverfield was it. Ever since I saw the teaser from Transformers last year... It really got me interested. Plus, being a fan of Lost and Alias definitely got me itchin' to see this film (Creator of Lost and Alias J.J. Abrams produced and 'pitched' the idea for the film). Though the film got me a little nauseous, it somewhat reminded me of 9/11, with all the torn buildings and panic in the streets. The movie was very effective in detailing accounts of the people involved in the film. It really gave you the feeling of fear - just like everyone in the film. As with every J.J. Abrams-related feature, reminiscent of Lost - clues and related stuff are popping in the film. From the 'Slusho' drink on one of the character's shirts - to the Dharma Initiative logo just before the film started. Even with the film's premise and trailer, the execution was perfect. While some find the concept of the film too shallow, I loved every part of it. It gave me this feeling of euphoria everytime I watch films, which I haven't experienced in a long time. Immediately one fo my favorite movies of the 2008. By the way, if some of you folks still have no idea what the 'monster' looks like, below is a tiny clip of one scene from the film. Cloverfield: 9/10

Movie Review: Resident Evil Extinction

Resident Evil may be one of those films harshfully bashed by critics, but still one of those that people truly enjoy watching. I think the first movie was good, and the second movie was better (though that fight scene with the shaking cameras truly gave me a headache). Extinction continues from Apocalypse, with the whole troop moving through desert-ridden Las Vegas. A bunch of new characters are introduced, though noticeable is the absence of Jill Valentine. Where is she? What happened to her? Ah well, maybe they didn't pay her enough. Anyways, the story was still the usual. But the action scenes are good. The film may be shallow, but there's something in the RE series that's still very watchable. Still, a good movie to pass time by. The ending screams out for another sequel, but I think that would be a much better story. *SPOILERS* ahead: I can't wait seeing RE's version of Attack of the Clones... Hehe. Resident Evil Extinction: 7/10

Movie Review: The Bourne Ultimatum

This is usually the type of film I’d only watch once. But seeing it as a trilogy finally makes sense. By far its one of the best movies that I’ve seen this year. The 3^rd movie ties up all the loose ends that were left unanswered in the first 2 films. Matt Damon was great as always, and never did I think that the he was able to do action. The pacing was great, and the action? Wow, it was really exhilarating. The storyline was also good and Joan Allen was at her best again, supporting actors like Julia Stiles definitely made this film a definite must watch. The Bourne Ultimatum: 8/10

Weekend Movie Marathon: Part Deux

Despite the weird occurrences that happened this weekend, I still got to enjoy a few movies that I didn’t get to see in the theaters.

28 Weeks Later – I actually thought the first one was good. So now I expected a lot from this sequel. The good thing is, I actually enjoyed it. There definitely some jump out moments. But what I liked was the movie’s ability to let you care for the main characters. The story was clichéd, yet still unique. I really enjoyed watching it. 28 Weeks Later: 8/10




Hot Fuzz – I’m a big fan of Shaun of the Dead. I never knew talents like Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright existed. They’re one of the most funny and creative people on the planet. The story is simple, yet very entertaining. This is of those films I’d love to buy on DVD to watch over and over again. Hilariously funny! Hot Fuzz: 9/10

Review: The Simpsons Movie

I really am not a die-hard Simpsons fan. But every once in a while, I find myself watching the series on TV. I can't believe its a;ready been running for 18 years! Well, I guess now they've cashed in on the franchise by making the inevitable "Simpsons Movie". The plot is simple, with Homer placing Springfield in jeopardy after he pollutes the river with his 'pig crap' silo. Which in turn makes the American Government place Springfield in a huge glass dome. While the story was overly shallow, I still found my self laughing at some scenes. It indeed was very funny. Everyone on the casts still gives life to each of the yellow-colored characters. All in all, I had fun watching the film. But I guess it wouldn't make any difference if this were a one-hour special episode. The Simpsons Movie: 7/10

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

After 6 days I finally finished the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My reactions? It was great! It was actually very thrilling from the moment you read the first chapter up until it ends. J.K. Rowling definitely made Harry Potter’s world seem so real that even reading it would take you to the action. A lot of deaths happened, but I really think they were necessary. I also loved how all characters and places came full circle on this book. Really, really good! The only negative thing I would like to comment about is that the Epilogue was somewhat ‘cheesy’. I liked it, but somehow there was something in the writing on that epilogue that makes it like tasteless. Anyways, I really liked it. And this is easily one of the best books in the series (after Prisoner of Azkaban, of course.) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: 8.5/10

Weekend Movie Marathon

This past weekend I got the chance to have a movie marathon. Since I’m quite lazy to go out (and it’s hot), I decided to watch the following films instead. Some are new but some have been released a few months back. Still, I got the chance to watch and review them. Since I never really watched them in the theater, I guess they really don’t deserve a lengthy, single blog entry.

Evan Almighty – I remember this film didn’t do well at the box office. But still, I actually was laughing the whole time. Steve Carrell indeed was funny. But between Jim Carrey and him, I’d still choose Jim. A nice comedy that’s worthy of a rental. Evan Almighty: 7/10

Vacancy – I actually didn’t like the film when I saw its trailer, but somehow it was actually better than I expected. Some clichés are present, but overall it was a fun watch – fun, but forgettable. Vacancy: 6/10

Disturbia – I actually wanted to watch this film due to its success at the box office and some nice reviews. When I did, it was actually good. It was thrilling with an added sense of humor. Worthy of everyone’s attention. 8/10

Click – now this was the film I failed to watch at the cinemas and had second thoughts on buying it on DVD. The movie was funny and endearing, but that’s about it. It was nothing special, the usual Adam Sandler comedy with a drama bit in the end. A good family film, though. Click: 6/10

Mr. Brooks – I’m not really into these kinds of films, but I gave it a chance. Story was typical, and has been used dozens of times. Kevin Costner’s acting was good, but his alter ego (William Hurt) actually did better. Demi Moore’s performance was actually better than Costner’s. Forgettable film. Mr. Brooks: 6/10

I guess the only summer film I haven’t seen so far was Shrek the Third... yet. It’s not that I didn’t get the chance to see it, but I just lost interest on the Shrek films after Shrek 2.

Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I have seen the last four Harry Potter movies on its first day of showing. Now that I am here in Dubai, I wouldn’t ruin my record. Hehe. I read the 5^th book about December 2004, and if I am not mistaken it is the longest book in the series. I also think it is one of the darkest. Now, I initially had my doubts with the film when I saw it’s 2-hour, 18-minute running time. For a book that long, will they be able to fit all the necessary events in the book with that runtime? I watched the film with high anticipation, and upon seeing the opening titles, I joyfully clapped along with the excited audience. The movie was very dark, reminiscent of Prisoner of Azkaban. The main plot is that Harry must prove to everyone that Voldemort (er, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) is back, and is now wielding a war against all who would not follow him. As always, the main actors continue to grow into their roles. While the writer tries to keep everything at a nice pacing, there are some scenes included that were not fully explained. I guess only readers of the book would actually know the full sense of that scene. One for example, was Percy’s (Ron’s older brother) appearance with the Minister of Magic. It was never explained why he was with the Minister, and why on Christmas he wasn’t with the Weasley family. With all that aside, I think it is a wonderful film. Audiences would mostly admire Harry’s first love, and also witnessing his first kiss. Directing was good; David Yates was a proper choice in movie number 5 (I think he’ll be returning for the Half Blood Prince). The one thing that I liked is the number of cameos in the film. While the characters they are portraying are really characters on the book, I considered them cameos because of despite their small screen time; they were able to steal the show. For me, the best performers were Imelda Staunton and Helene Bonham Carter, who perfectly played their roles of Dolores Jane Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange, respectively. The special were, as always, very good. I was left in awe during the battle at the Ministry of Magic. All in all, it was a dark yet fun film. This is one of those book-to-film movies that really give a different experience to audiences, whether they may be reading the book or watching the film.

For comparison, I have included a score for the book and the film for all 5 Harry Potter book and film.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (a.k.a. Philosopher’s Stone)
Movie: 7/10 Book: 6/10

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Movie: 8/10 Book: 7/10

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Movie: 8.5/10 Book: 9/10

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Movie: 8/10 Book: 8/10

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Movie: 8.5/10 Book: 7.5/10

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Book: 8/10

Review: Transformers

I am actually not a fan of the Transformers toys, but I definitely was watching the cartoon series back when I was a child. That “Ei-Oh-Uh” sound was embedded on everyone’s mind, kinda like that deep breathing sound of Darth Vader. Come 2007, and Steven Spielberg produces this Michael Bay-directed epic. A sure blockbuster? Definitely. I went to the special screening of the film last week , and boy was I impressed. The plot was simple; Autobots are seeking out the Allspark, a cube like device that has the ability to ‘transform’ mere objects into cybernetic organisms. They must get it before it get into the hands of the Decepticons, who would use the cube’s power to wipe out humankind to extinction. Acting was great, especially Shia LeBeouf, who may be the next big star. Megan Fox was hot and other supporting characters all performed very well. Now to the stars of the film itself. The Autobots, headed by Optimus Prime, was one of the best rendered digital characters I saw on the big screen. While watching, some part of me was actually thinking if the robots are real or not. Even on the big screen, he still has the charisma that I loved when I was a kid. Megatron was also great, though some of the other Decepticons didn’t have as much screen time as expected. The action scenes? WOW. Michael Bay is a great director. Some action scenes I liked were from his films. Those slow-motion epic shots definitely bring tears to my eyes. One scene I loved was the arrival of the Autobots, the shots coupled with choral music bring chills to my spine. I love that scene. I definitely had a great time, and if not for the high prices of cinemas here, I would have watched it more than once. Sure, there numerous plot holes in the film, but who cares? This is Transformers. Sequel please! Transformers: 9/10

Review: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

While the first Fantastic Four movie was a bland excuse to show Jessica Alba’s smoking’ hot body, I still went on to go see Rise of the Silver Surfer. While I do not have any comic background with the Fantastic Four or even the Silver Surfer, I watched the film expecting nothing. Well, how right was I. The movie was poorly scripted, even with Ben and Johnny’s constant torture with each other wasn’t even funny anymore. Their acting seemed like they literally just reading directly from the script. Dr. Doom, who technically is the main villain, appears only on half of the film and practically does nothing besides ‘monolouging’. And the Silver Surfer? That’s what you get, a silver being on a surfer. Some part of me was dismayed as I should have just used my money on buying Mocha Frap at Starbucks instead. Well okay, not all is bad. Action scenes and special effects were a lot better this time. This would have been a great film, but due to poor scripting, horrible acting and bad directing, sadly this movie falls far behind along with other crappy comic book adaptations like Elektra or even Ghost Rider. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: 5/10

Review: Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard 4.0)

Wow, seeing John McClane back again on the big screen definitely makes me tingly all over. In this 4^th movie in the Die Hard series, Bruce Willis again plays the lead role and now battles a villain bent on taking over the US Defense Systems unless he gets his demands. I love watching Bruce Willis; I think he is one of the best actors in Hollywood today. The way he embodies the character of McClane was very good. He definitely created this iconic character that everyone will definitely remember. Justin Long perfectly plays McClane’s geeky sidekick Matt, who also adds more humor to Willis’ already funny intermissions. Maggie Q counterparts her role in M:I-III as an ass-kicking sidekick of main villain Timothy Olyphant. While Olyphant’s acting was good, it wasn’t great. He was not as striking or as ‘bad’ as with previous Die Hard villains Alan Rickman or Jeremy Irons (I didn’t like the villain in part 2). The story may have been a long cliché along with other Hollywood films, but there is something in this film that makes it really fun to watch. Director Len Wiseman definitely was able to be at par with previous Die Hard directors John Mctiernan and Renny Harlin. Action scenes were non-stop. Explosions were here and there. All of those fit oh so perfectly with the story and tries not to be over the top. All in all, it was a good addition to the franchise and this proves Willis can still be the old action hero that we all love about. Die Hard 4.0: 8.5/10

Review: Ocean’s Thirteen

Danny and the gang are back in the Vegas strip as they now face a new ‘rival’… (‘Enemy’ would be impractical). Okay, story goes like this one of the original ‘11’ (Elliot Gould) gets a heart attack after being deceived by fellow casino owner Al Pacino. With this, Danny plans to pull another all out heist to revenge their friend. But it is not easy, let’s say it involves a lot of tunneling and a prosthetic nose (I won’t go much into plot details as to not spoil others). I think for me, the main cast was only the 3 of Danny’s team, namely Danny himself (Clooney), Rusty (Pitt) and Linus (Damon). The acting was subtle, it seems they are now this decade’s ‘Rat Pack’. Their performances were alright, but completely forgettable. I think in this installment they play their characters much too comfortably, that it seems that there is nothing new. Same goes with the remaining of Ocean’s gang. Pacino was great… every bit of his scenes reminded of how well this actor can act. And Andy Garcia was a bit on the boring side. He barely is seen in the film (though that one bit with Oprah was unforgettable), so it’s such a surprise he agreed to do this film at all. Ellen Barkin was gorgeous. She reminded me of middle aged women in Hollywood (Demi Moore comes to mind) that still has the ability to act while astounding audiences with her charm. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones were absent from this installment, though I have no idea if they were written out from the script or they didn’t feel like doing another Ocean’s film. One plot point I had complains about was Vincent Cassell’s character from Ocean’s Twelve. Though he is a villain, he never seemed to be a threat to Danny, so his addition (I think) was unnecessary. Steven Soderbergh returns to the director’s chair for the third time, who always envisioned the Ocean series to be a ‘trilogy’. His shots were spot on perfect. This director surely knows how to use a camera. I love the scenes while Pitt and Clooney were walking along the strip. He showcases the city’s sceneries beautifully into each of his shots. Better than Ocean’s Twelve? Yes. Better than Ocean’s Eleven? I think not. As they say, the original is always the best. But hey, the Ocean’s Trilogy is one of the finest heist films to come around this decade and I definitely say I had fun watching it. Ocean’s Thirteen: 8/10

Review: Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End

WARNING: Here be spoilers... Captain Jack is back. But is it the last? I recently went to see the last (?) Pirates movie (I'll refer to it as POTC 3 as the title is overly long). What did I think? It was great. Firstly I'll discuss some things that I liked. The plot. It was OK, though some may have a hard following it. I liked that they showed all the pirates lords from all corners of the world, giving the viewers a chance to know that there is a bigger pirate world other than Jack's or William's or Barbossa's. The story is much darker, some dealing with death and some with betrayal (though pirates really is like that). It's a much better narrative than POTC 2. POTC 2 simply went from one location to another, not fully explaining each setting. In POTC 3 it was quite different, amazingly showcasing different pirate worlds. I liked the story more in this one, from Goddesses and sea creatures, this one has it all. Now, the acting, I think it was superb. Johnny Depp created this iconic character that will be up there with Luke Skywalker and Michael Myers. I could not think of anyone more deserving to play Jack Sparrow (err, Captain) than him. Bloom and Knightly were great, too. There are parts were the film shows too much of their story, but I guess this film is about them anyways. Rush was good, he played Barbossa so perfectly with that monkey of his. Supporting characters were alright, but I felt somewhat wanting more of Yun-Fat's character. He barely is the film even if the film shows he is a major character. Credits go Bill Nighly, who gets my vote for the best character in the film. He played Davy Jones flawlessly; you can definitely feel his emotions underneath all that computer-generated tentacles. And the effects... WOW. Never have I seen such real effects since Spider-Man 3 (Sandman's transformation, specifically). And Keith Richards! That was my favorite moment in the film. I can now definitely see the likeness between Richards and Sparrow (Yep. Sparrow, not Depp). It shows that I liked the film... Now here's what I didn't like: Tia Dalma's character. What the hell was she saying? I need subtitles when he talks. Wish I had a remote every time she's on. I'm just having trouble trying to understand her. Another is Will's story, it seems he too much frustrated on being betrayed and betraying someone. Too much emotion I guess. Same goes to Elizabeth... (Though her father's death hit me hard). And the running time, in the theater it runs 3 hours and 10 minutes, though it felt like 2 and a half. But that's still long... the Pirates film was that long too. Some scenes could definitely be shortened, but why complain, it's already done. All in all it a great experience. I like this better than POTC 2. And I enjoyed this more than Spider-Man (Yes, I love Spider-Man but part 3 somewhat disappointed me) and Shrek The Third. So far the 2007 summer season for me is going mediocre, still waitin' for Transformers and Harry Potter. POTC 3: 8/10

Review: Spider-Man 3

Here's my take on the third Spider-Man film (Spoilers ahead)

Firstly was Peter and MJ's love story. It was good, the film definitely showed how they have grown since Part 2. The actors were also great; Tobey Maguire definitely was the right choice for Spider-Man/Peter Parker. Kirsten Dunst was also brilliant, though some of her scenes tend to become cheesy at times, but all in all they were great.

Next is Harry Osborn, the movie definitely shows his hatred for Peter. His face certainly shows that something will make him the next goblin. The way he handled his character was truly unique. While watching the film, you can certainly feel that Harry not a villain, but a troubled soul seeking revenge for his father. And the way he treated his character was top notch, I even cried watching the finale with the 3 (MJ & Peter) of them.

The villains were good; I most especially liked Sandman’s transformation. Thomas Haden Church was great, he portrayed not only a villain, but also as a loving father. Topher Grace as Venom was really what the fans have been waiting for. Even though Venom appears late in the film, the minimal screen time he had was some of the best action scenes I’ve seen since the Train Scene in Spider-Man 2. Topher’s acting deviates away from what fans have already known from his stint in That 70’s Show.

The supporting actors were great. I really thought Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) has a big role in the film, but she barely gets screen time (But I liked her scene when she fell off the building). Rosemary Harris (Aunt May) was great as always (I always tend to say great), you can see how she cares both for Peter and his Uncle Ben. Even James Cromwell (Gwen’s Dad) was a great addition to the case, I liked him back in Six Feet Under and this time, I like him more. Even J.J. Jameson, Betty Brant, Hoffman, Robbie (the Daily Bugle cast), Peter’s landlord (Mr. Ditkovich) and his daughter (Ursula) were a great part of already great ensemble.

The cameos were great too. It’s nice to see Stan Lee in a speaking role this time. And Grand Curtis’s (Producer) cameo was actually funny (he was the security guard at the armored vehicle Sandman was robbing). The one thing I really loved was Bruce Campbell’s role as the “Maître d’”.

A word on the effects and action, AWESOME! I’ve never seen CGI sand work that way since The Mummy back in 1999. I think the effects team should get another Academy Award for their work here. They continue to amaze me and make the impossible, well, possible. The fight scenes were brilliant. Back in 2004 when I watched Spider-Man 2, part of me was kind of depressed seeing only little fight scenes in the film (but the Train Scene still kicks ass). Now, I don’t have any reason to complain, as each minute comes with a different action scene. Thank you, Sam Raimi!

I do have my own complaints... Though the story was good, it feels kind of ‘overlappy’ , with different story arcs to create one big plot arc, I guess there’s too much story to tell and for me some scenes/stories were not fully explained/concluded. And also, I’m sad that I didn’t get to see the final swing (usually happens every end of the film), the film just fades out. Though that might mean something. Still, I loved the film.

This is unarguably one of the best films of the year. I’ll definitely going to watch this again and buy it on DVD.