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Movie Reviews

You know that my online kamalasan descended upon me when I lost a year and a half worth of blog entries when Anyxhost disappeared. I also lost almost a dozen of movie and book entries, and because I’m so hooked to movies right now, I’ll try to write quick notes on those stuff that I lost. I know some of my entries won’t be as accurate compared to the old ones, but then again… Whatever.

50 First Dates (2004)
Isang date film. Stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrimore (for the second time since Wedding Singer). Sandler has to deal with Barrimore’s ‘disability’, that is, her memory was all short-spanned. Funny, feel-good film. Hindi ko puwedeng ikumpara sa Wedding Singer dahil hindi ko pa napapanood. Mas nakakatawa ito kaysa nakakainlove, but I like it anyway. It doesn’t really stands out, pero ok naman. The sountrack’s pretty good. I like the song by The Beach Boys (wouldn’t it be nice?). But like what I said, it doesn’t really stand out the way that I expected because everyone else was ranting about this film. Rating: 3 out of 5

Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Nakita kong umarte dito si Keannu Reeves! Gah. Another romantic-comedy film pero medyo oldies na ang bida. Tungkol ito sa isang matandang playboy (played by Jack Nicholson) na mahilig sa bata na nakahanap ng pag-ibig sa isang babaeng kaedad niya (Dianne Keaton) at nanay ng huli niyang pinifling na babae. Kadiri yung character ni Jack Nicholson, but he was hilarious in this film. Gusto ko rin ang exchange of lines nila ni Dianne Keaton at ang scene niya noong nasa hospital siya. Natawa ako sa sex scenes nila, ang awkward kasi nga middle aged na sila eh. Rating: 4 out of 5

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
I have no idea why a lot of people love HP book 3, and I know that most of them watched this film. I always make sure that I watch a HP film sa sinehan because… wala lang. Gusto ko lang. Movie’s about the problems in the Wizard world when they learned that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. Anyway, the film’s kind of disappointing. It’s too fast-paced for me. Or maybe it’s just me. Whatever. I don’t really like it. Walang “wow” factor. I think Alfonso Cuaron concentrated more on the events and the development of the characters rather than what we’ve seen before on the first two films. Ewan ko ha, pero Cheree (who was with me when we saw the film) felt disappointed as well. Baka kanya-kanyang trip lang. But my favorite book’s Goblet of Fire, and I am expecting something big in that film (eh ang laki kaya ng libro?), and I hope I won’t get disappointed. Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
Hindi ko gusto yung libro kaya I opted for the movie instead (this rarely happens, you know, since I always make sure that I read the book first). An amazing and wonderful film. What can I say? Kahit mahaba yung pelikula sulit naman kasi hindi nakakaantok. ROTK is the final film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, at katulad ng naunang pelikula ay hindi ito nakakadismaya. Ganda ng effects, galing ng mga artista, astig ang setting, lahat na! Isang henyo si Peter Jackson. Hindi nasayang ang talento ng mga artista. Rating: 5 out of 5

The Remains of the Day (1993)
Hindi ko gusto yung book nito pero kelangan ko kasing basahin para sa literature class ko noong highschool. The story’s about an old butler (Anthony Hopkins) who was re-hired and got a new master. It’s all about realization about life, and a love found but never had (the girl was Emma Thompson). The movie satisfied my need to get enough information about the book, and I guess it was ok-ok. The theme’s not my cup of coffee but it was ok. Emma Thompson was amazing, she made me really sad. My favorite part was when Hopkins went out with Thompson tapos when she was about to go home, hinatid niya sa truck, tapos they were both sad kasi Thompson was waiting for Hopkins to tell her what he feels pero di niya ginawa. Naiyak ako, sobra. Rating: 2.5 out of 3

Serendipity (2001)
Gusto ko ang pelikulang ito sa ibang anggulo, yet a part of me says na may pangit sa pelikulang ito. It’s not the film, but the characters. Tungkol ito sa dalawang tao (Cusak and Bekingsale) na nagkatagpo sa isang tindahan. Pareho silang may sari-sariling buhay pero na-attract sila sa isa’t isa. Sa halip na magsama sila ay naghiwalay sila at hinayaang ang kapalaran ang magdesisyon kung sila nga ang para sa isa’t isa. Some scenes are frustrating, I don’t know, maybe because they seemed so real. Rating: 2.8 out of 5

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003)
Hindi ko nagustuhan yung unang film pero ito nagustuhan ko. It’s about the adventure of Lady Croft para makuha ang golden orb na nakuha niya sa Greece (na apparently, was stolen from her), kasama na ang pagpigil sa isang grupo ng bio-terrorists na buksan ang Pandora’s Box. The Cradle of Life is better than the first film, IMHO. Ok ang effects but the story isn’t that good. Pero compared sa unang film, medyo mas ahead ng konti para sa akin. Angelina Jolie IS Lara Croft; hindi ko maimagine na may ibang taong gaganap sa role na ito.Rating: 3 out of 5

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
Na-curious ako dito noong nasa UPD pa ako kasi sabi nila maraming sex scenes ang film na ito. Madami nga. Tungkol ito sa dalawang hormone-driven na magkaiban (Gael Garcia Marquez, Diego Luna) na niloko ang isang babae na pumunta sa isang dagat/beach resort para maligo. Isa itong road trip at sa biyaheng ito natutunan nila ang iba’t ibang bagay. This is one film that YOU definitely have to watch. Kahit paulit-ulit, ok lang, kasi may meanings ang bawat lugar o eksenang nadadaanan ng tatlo habang nasa sasakyan sila. Of course, there are a number of sex scenes, pero ok lang, maganda naman eh. Rating: 5 out of 5

Tengoku No Tobira (2001)
Cowboy Bebop is one of the most popular anime in Japan. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the series so I cannot compare the film (or what we usually call OAV) sa anime series. However, I can say that this is one of the best animated films I’ve seen. Tungkol ito sa isang grupo ng bounty hunters at ang paghahanap nila sa taong nagkakalat ng virus sa buong siyudad. Masyado akong nadala sa pagkakaroon nito ng sci-fi theme kaya naman masyado akong naaliw. Astig ito: ganda ng dibuho, astig ang fighting scenes, simpleng kuwento, nakakatawang eksena, passionate ecnounters, pagkakaroon ng chill factor. Parang lahat ng hahanapin mo sa isang film, mayroon dito. Rating: 4 out of 5

Kill Bill (2003)
Sabi nila hindi daw masyadong kadiri itong pelikulang ito. Violent, but not that disturbing. Tungkol ito sa pagganti ni The Bride (Thurman) sa kanyang dating amo na si Bill, sampu ng iba pa nitong tauhan matapos nitong sirain ang kanyang kasal at naging sanhi ng kanyang comatose sa loob ng halos 4 na taon. Maaksiyon, madugo. Galing ni Thurman. Magulo lang ang transition ng mga eksena. Hindi ko alam bakit nilagyan pa nila ng Japanese animation, pakiramdam ko mas ok kung totoong tao ang gaganap sa mga flashbacks sa pelikula. Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Hindi ko pinanood yung Reloaded eh, yung unang Matrix lang saka ito (tagal na noong napanood ko yun). Eto na iyong ending ng trilogy na hindi ko naman maintindihan kasi magulo na yung kuwento, wala pang emosyon umarte si Keannu Reeves, parang estatwa. Sabagay nasa ibang lugar sila na halos lahat ay gawa sa makina o programs or whatever kaya bagay rin siguro sa kanya yung character bilang Neo. Hindi ko ibibigay yung synopsis dahil wala akong ibibigay kasi nga, wala akong nagets. Maganda ang effects, pero di ko talaga gusto yung kuwento, nabore lang ako. Ewan ko ba bakit madaming naaaliw sa pelikulang ito, napapangitan ako. Rating: 2 out of 5

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ito ang remake ng 1960’s film, almost the same characters but with different elements. Tungkol ito sa isang mayamang magnanakaw na si Danny Ocean (Clooney) na naghire ng kanyang mga tauhan para nakawan ang tatlong pinakamalalaking casino sa Las Vegas — nang sabay-sabay. Naaliw ako sa pelikulang ito, magagaling ang cast, simple lang ang kuwento. Medyo nalinlang din ako sa mga ibang eksena kaya ok sa akin iyon. Medyo predictable nga lang ang ending pero althroughout ay puno ito ng wit, action and humor. Rating: 3.7 out of 5