The MOVIE REVIEW Thread

[dragonei]

Title: Unleashead

 

Cast: Jet Li, Bob Hoskins, and Morgan Freeman

 

Director: Louis Letterier

 

Plot: Jet Li plays Danny, a man who literally has been raised to live like a dog. He has no normal human education, and has a peronality like that of a child. He even wears a colar just like a regular dog. Danny has nothing except his intincts to fight and k*ll upon the command of his owner Bart (Bob Hoskins). Once unleashed from his colar, Danny becomes a lethal weapon against any formidable adversary. He has also been used to fight in a gladiator-style showdown, in illegal fight clubs, where he makes money for his master. After a car shootout sends his master into a comma, Danny escapes and meets a blind piano tuner named Sam (Morgan Freeman). Sam and his step daughter, takes the wounded Danny into thier home, clothes him, feeds him, and used music to teach him about the essentials of being human. Then Danny eventually becomes reborn into a man. But when Bart and Dannys paths cross once more, Danny must use his figthing skills to protect his newly found family and uncover the truth about his past.

 

Review:

 

What do you get when you have dynamite action producer Luc Besson to produce a good script, martial arts superstar Jet Li in the lead role, Matrix and Crouching tiger fight coreographer Yuen Wo Ping, A-class actors Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman in the supporting cast, and to top it off, Europe as a location, and massive attack doing the music? An excting slam-bam asskickin martial arts flick....... with a heart! Who says action movies can't be heart warming?

 

I really enjoyed this movie, and I wondered why this film was so underated in the U.S. When I heard Jet Li was going to play a retard in this movie, I was like "Oh Boy, please don't let this be like Van Damme's forgettable The Replicant". But relax if you hated that Van Damme flick your going to love this one. Van Damme's Replicant, was the wrong way to make a martial arts hero play a retard, Jet Li's Unleashed is the right one. Definetly Jet Li can act as much as he can fight. Although he could use a little work with his english, It really did not matter for his character anyway. I always said that a good actor is the one who can create a character you'd wanna emphatize with. And sure enough from start to finish Jet Li delivers. I also kinda realized how difficult this must have been for Li since he had to perfectly portray the transition form Dog to Man. You also get to feel how Danny's character is reawakened, and how he learns the essence of being human.

 

Morgan Freeman's role as sam was nothing short of perfect. In fact I couldn't find a better actor to portray that role. He becomes Dannys father figure in this movie, and I could really feel thier affection for each other when Li and Freeman are put together onscreen. It was so real, that I could have been convinced That Sam might turn out to be Dannys biological father. Bob Hoskins should have played "The Kingpin" in that dare devil movie. His portrayal of a greedy, unmerciful, unhumane, and perverted Kingpin was simply chilling. This movie definetly found its perfect villain.

 

The script and dialougues of this movie was so good, that there were times I completely forgot I was watching a martial arts flick. But for those of you looking for great fights, you won't be disappointed in this one. Yuen Wo Pings magic definetly works on this one. Those cheesey Wire effrects and CGIs were minimized here, and the essentials of close contact combat is stripped to its purity and makes it really feel real. There are a lot of good fights scenes here. Spercifically, the one at the climactic showdown between lee and a bald guy, in a tight spaced bathroom cubicle. That was absolutely slick! And of course with massive attack working on the score/background music, it only made the fights more exciting.

 

But If I would get to choose among other Li's previous fight scenes. I don't think this was the best so far. But acting wise he does nail the Job. In the season where there is a lot of eye candy films competing for the general audience market, Im not sure if this movie will keep up. Obviously the story was not too original, and very predictable thus it lacked the element of suspense, which could have made this movie better.

 

Nonetheless a pop corn flick for all you Jet Li fans... with a heart

 

B+

[Kaftig]

MADAGASCAR

 

What would you choose: friendship or survival?

 

This is the central question of Madagascar, Dreamworks' latest animated film. It tells the story of four friends - Marty the Zebra, Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe - who are animal attractions at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Pampered by zoo employees and adored by zoo visitors, these animals have no reason to leave New York...except for Marty. Marty dreams of breaking free from the confines of the zoo and spending his days galloping through the wild grasslands. His escape from the zoo leads to a chase that eventually puts him and his friends on their way to an animal reserve in Africa. Unfortunately, a bunch of "rebel" penguins takes hostage of the ship carrying the four friends, and they are swept away to the island of Madagascar. With the assistance of a kingdom of lemurs, the four friends think they could survive in Madagascar. For the herbivores, Madagascar is paradise, but for the carnivorous Alex, it is hell. He longs for the steaks served fresh daily by the zoo employees. In Madagascar, the only food he can eat is his friends. Driven by hunger, Alex' real nature emerges. Now, he has to make a choice: will he eat his friends or will he die of hunger?

 

I have to admire the creative team for posing such a brave question in an animated movie. This is a reality that everyone, including children, have to face. Life is full of such "survivor" questions. Had Madagascar fully explored this dilemma, it might have become the most intelligent movie of all time.

 

What separates animals from humans is our ability to think. In transcending the basic needs of survival, we are able devote time and attention in exploring our humanity. We develop social skills that enable us to work with fellow humans and establish a self-sustaining community. We use our imagination to express our innermost thoughts and emotions through works of arts. We are able to understand the world around us by studying science, and transform this knowledge into technological breakthroughs that make living easier. If you take away these layers of humanity, we remain as savage animals whose basic objective is survival. This is best exemplified by William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies.

 

I thought Madagascar would go as far as Lord of the Flies. Why not? The anthropomorphic animals could have even discussed more complex questions: What is our definition of freedom? Why did we land in Madagascar? Why did our animators give us human qualities?

 

Alas, the movie did not pursue its central question. Perhaps the creative team was too afraid that they will alienate their target audience, the kids; thus, they opted for a safe and conventional resolution. While this has to be considered, it still isn't right for them to alienate their "paying" audience, the adults. Why pose a question that you cannot answer satisfyingly? Sure, others might say that posing the question is sufficient. The movie need not answer all of its questions. That is true, but the movie should have at least explored the question. It should have have presented to its audience all the possibilities and limitations in answering the question.

 

While it did not rise above the standards of an average animated film, Madagascar is still an amusing movie. The kids might love it, but the adults can find better movies to watch.

[sickness]

SIN CITY

 

Cast: Bruce Willis, Clive Owens, Mickey Rourke, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy

 

Director: Robert Rodriguez

 

Plot: A collection of interweaving stories all based in the corrupt, crime infested hell-hole that is Basin City. Heavily influenced by film-noir, the main storylines concern a hulking brute called Marv, who is seeking the murderer of a beautiful woman who was killed while asleep in bed with him (along with the help of her twin sister); a photographer called Dwight who is callously used by a manipulative woman and seeks revenge, only later accidentally killing a hero cop and having to cover it up; and a soon-to-be-retiring policeman called Hartigan who is incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit only to find, on his release, the girl he was protecting when he was framed is under threat from a sinister psychopath. All based on the brilliant graphic novels "Sin City" "A Dame To k*ll For", "The Big Fat k*ll" and "That Yellow Bastard", written and illustrated by Frank Miller.

 

Review: Sin City is a modern masterpiece and rightfully treated as an instant classic by today's media. Director Rodriguez brilliantly captures the deception, crime, and sin of Frank Miller's graphic novels. The film is extremely violent, but done in comic-book fashion rather than just gore. The film is shot in black-and-white with certain objects in color. Colors come in and out of the film to emphasize certain aspects of the story.

 

The movie is also very intriguing and fast-paced with some excellent direction and music. This movie has everything: cops and robbers grunt brawlers, sexy warrior women, Nazis, ninja wolf boys, corrupt politicians, hit men, talking dead men and yellow bastards. Violence is a constant theme in 'Sin City', it is stylish and brutal, and there is no mistaking its comic book roots. Acting is superb as you would expect from such an outstanding cast and the directing is amazing. The story moved at an enjoyable and action-filled pace. It' nice to see that there are different stories here, all representing different aspects of Sin City, and they transition and blend seamlessly. I liked all the stories and characters, but Marv (played brilliantly by Mickey Rourke) was the man.

 

One thing about this movie is that people tend to love it or hate it. People who hate the movie can't follow the unusual plot, can't sympathize with the cast of hit men and prostitutes and abhor the violence. This film is not your standard comic book movie. This is a comic book in its truest form, taken from the pages and thrown on a big screen. Check it out if you want some juicy, stylish entertainment.

 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[Kaftig]

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

 

The opening film for this year's French Film Festival in Manila is Yvan Attal's Happily Ever After (Ils se marierent et eurent beacoup d'enfants).

 

The story revolves around the friendship of three men. Georges (Alain Chabat) is unhappily married to a wife who complains that women are always being discriminated. Fred (Alain Cohen) is a Casanova who can't have a lasting relationship. On the outside, Vincent (Yvan Attal) seems to be the luckiest of them all. He has a beautiful wife, Gabrielle (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who is devoted to him. Thus, it came as a surprise when Vincent has an affair with a masseuse (Angie David). Even Vincent himself isn't sure why he's having an affair. Though no one tells Gabrielle about it, she feels that her husband is cheating on her and it breaks her heart. Since she has no poof, she couldn't confront him about it. She holds on to the marriage, hoping that her fears will dissipate. Slowly, Vincent begins to weigh the two women in his lives. The question is will Gabrielle be strong enough to hold on until he makes his final decision.

 

Written and directed by Yvan Attal, Happily Ever After treats a rather sensitive subject in a light and charming manner. Instead of following a strong narrative, this film works by presenting a series of character moments. It doesn't "tell" the audience the story. Rather, it allows the audience to "feel" the characters. That way, the characters become more real and sympathetic. In fact, there is no clear protagonist or antagonist in this film. Everyone, including the mistress, is a victim to human emotions that cannot be rationalized.

 

Supported by brilliant editing and a selection of well-chosen songs, most of Attal's scenes come off as fresh and charming. The food fight montage between Vincent and Gabrielle is the height of romantic comedy. So is the scene where their 6-year old son courts a high school student. The best scene, however, is the part when the mistress meets Gabrielle for the first time. The brilliant sequencing of shots and dialogues of the discovery is capped off by a heart-wrenching moment between the mistress and her mother.

 

Though it is full of wonderful elements, Happily Ever After is far from being a great film. The downside of not having a strong narrative is that nagging feeling of the film stretching its premise. Halfway through it, I feel that the director is running around the bush. I get the feeling that he doesn't know how to end the film. In the end, Attal did leave the film open-ended.

 

However, the ending is not as bad as it seems. In the film's most ironic moment, Gabrielle gets her revenge. This non-compromising resolution further stresses the point that in a moral dilemma such as adultery, there is no clear-cut answer.

 

Fairy tales end with "happily ever after" marriages. In real life, though, it is the start of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

[Kaftig]

Shutter

 

Challenging South Korea and Japan's dominance over the Asian horror genre, Thailand has produced several horror films in the last few years. The latest to hit the Philippine shores is Shutter, a surprisingly better-than-average horror movie.

 

Shutter is about two photographers-lovers, Tun (Ananda Everingham) and Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee), who are haunted by the ghost of a woman (Achita Sikamana) they ran over and left dying on the road. At first, the woman haunts them through ghostly photographs only. Things get worse when the woman starts appearing in their apartment. During their investigation, the two are shocked when they learn that no one has been reported hurt or killed on the night of the road incident. Then, Tun's three male buddies commit suicide. Jane realizes that the woman is after them for another reason. Pressured by Jane, Tun reveals that the woman haunting them is actually Natre, his ex-girlfriend. The problem is he can't reveal to Jane why Natre's spirit is after him.

 

Yes, Shutter borrows heavily from previous Asian horror movies. There is nothing fresh about the narrative. In fact, it is utterly predictable and full of loopholes. Once you stop thinking about that, however, Shutter becomes a truly terrifying movie.

 

Aided by brilliant editing, the horror scenes will truly make you jump out of your seat. My favorite scene is the one where Tun is left alone in the darkness of his studio. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear a lot of sounds that shouldn't be there. In the darkness, I could feel Tun's terror. No matter how much I prepare myself for the horror scenes, I still get scared.

 

The directors, Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, successfully balance horror and comedy with this film. Just when you think that you're about to scream again, the scene turns out to be a big joke and a really funny one at that.

 

Though the narrative is derivative, the film's final pay-off (Tun's neck pains) is completely original. It is so effective that it still gives me the creeps. It is also an ironic statement of love and hate transcending death.

 

With Shutter, Thailand proves that it is capable of producing effective horror films. I just hope that the Philippines is not far behind.

[Kaftig]

STAR WARS: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

 

Due to work-related problems, it took me several weeks to bring myself to the cinema and watch Revenge of the Sith, the third episode of the Star Wars saga. Ever since it opened, people have been giving me conflicting reviews. The die-hard Star Wars fanatics cursed Lucas for giving them another episode that threatens to destroy the legacy of the original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). The first-time Star Wars viewers enjoyed the movie's emotional sweep and special effects. The only thing they agreed on was that the dialogues, especially the romantic ones, sucked big time.

 

So, when I finally watched Revenge of the Sith, I made sure that I had no expectations. Quite surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie...bad dialogues and all. Needless to say, it is my favorite episode after The Empire Strikes Back.

 

Before I watched the film, my general concern was how Revenge of the Sith would connect with A New Hope. The first two episodes were visually worlds apart from the last three episodes. I wasn't sure if George Lucas could bridge the two trilogies. More importantly, would Episode III make me feel excited to watch Episodes IV-VI, given that I already know its outcome? The answer is a resounding "yes."

 

Revenge of the Sith is probably the darkest and most serious of the six episodes. Bad acting and bad writing not withstanding, George Lucas adeptly presented Anakin Skywalker's descent into the Dark Side of The Force. My friends tell me that they found Anakin's descent too swift and his reasons too shallow. Although I am not a Star Wars expert, I beg to disagree.

 

One thing that has to be considered is Anakin's youth. He is a young man whose great potential is both a blessing and a curse. He hasn't yet come-of-age when all these great events unfold before him. Thus, his decisions were dictated by his own emotions. That is his character flaw, and it is what Palpatine uses to manipulate him. Thus, it was understandable when he feared for Padme's life. A young man who has no control over life and death would cling on to every possible solution. In a society where no one trusts him, not even his Jedi mentors, the young Anakin sought security in the arms of the most powerful man in the Republic, a man who became the father he never had.

 

The film has an emotional sweep that was missing in the first two episodes. As one betrayal leads to another, we see how the greed for power of one man can destroy the balance of an entire Republic, even turning friends into foes. The scenes where Anakin and the soldiers of the Republic killed most of the Jedi knights, even the young ones in training, are the most painful to watch. Yet when the movie ended with Obi Wan handing baby Luke over to his relatives, hope was re-instilled in my heart. There is a new hope after all.

 

That isn't to say that I saw nothing wrong with the film. For one thing, the fight scenes were too long and repetitive. Lucas could have shortened the screen time of the light-saber duels and devoted it to development of the narrative. Another thing that I could not accept was Padme's death. "She has simply lost the will to live" is totally unbelievable and unacceptable. It belongs to a soap opera, not a movie.

 

But more than anything else, Revenge of the Sith restored my faith in the Star Wars saga. It transported me back to my childhood days when I dreamt of becoming a Jedi Master. It made me believe once again that there are other worlds beyond the stars. That, my friends, is the magic of cinema, and that makes Lucas, at least with this film, one of its best magicians.

[marc.alan]

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

 

cast: angelina jolie and brad pitt

 

director: doug liman

 

plot: two top notch assassins who are married whose real identity is secret from each other are tasked to k*ll each other

 

warning!! spoilers ahead

 

IMHO: SUCKED!!! big time... when the movie ended, i sat up from my seat and shouted "putsa... yun na yun??!!???" the only cool scenes from the movie were 1) angeline jolie falling cooly off the building after a job, using her chin link purse as a dropline, and she's wearing a black leather dominatrix outfit. 2) the car chase. wasnt that trilling but compared to the other parts of the movie, it's one of the only two things that sucked the least. music is a bore.. it failed to rev me up in the actions scenes. also the fight scenes were a bit too cliche, nothing new, nothing special. no really cool gadgets too... ending is so anticlimactic, and it sucks!!!!!

 

the movie in a nutshell: starts off with the couple ina sort of a couples therapy session, recounting how they met. fast forward to five or six years after they met, each was tasked by his/her outfit to k*ll the same guy. both failed and both assumes the other may be able to identify him/her, so he/she has to eliminate the other. each one identifies the other and starts to try to k*ll each other in their house. they end up pointing a gun to each other's face. pitt refuses to k*ll jolie cos, well, he fell in love with her. jolie cant pull the trigger either so they just end up having sex. then both their outfits send teams to dipatch them so what they do is grab the the guy they were originally told to k*ll and interrogate him on why he was so important. it turns out the guy is bait. both of pitt and joilie's employers found out they were married and they think its bad for business. pitt and jolie escape, go to a mall, and for the ending, they k*ll 20 or so other armed men. thats it.

[sickness]

HIGH TENSION (HAUTE TENSION)

 

Cast: Cécile De France, Maïwenn Le Besco, Philippe Nahon

 

Director: Alexandre Aja

 

Synopsis: In High Tension, Marie and Alex are schoolmates and best friends. Hoping to prepare for their college exams in peace and quiet, they decide to spend a weekend in the country at Alex's parents' secluded farmhouse. But in the dead of night, a stranger knocks on the front door. And with the first swing of his knife, the girls' idyllic weekend turns into an endless night of terror.

 

Review: "High Tension" for the last year has been one of the most hyped foreign horror films to come out of a foreign land; it is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of film. Haute Tension marks the return of the great slasher genre which has long been dead for a good number of years now. This French movie is well done visually and sound-wise. Minimal plot, but profound storytelling is not the goal of this movie, but to keep the viewers on edge, and does so successfully throughout. Technically it is made very well but the plot holes could get on anyone's nerves, but you don't really realize and think about them until after the movie has finished. The sound, directing, cinematography, and atmosphere are all very well set-up and the execution of all of them is very well done. The one very enjoyable aspect of the film was that is was entertaining! The gore effects were top notch, very old school and no CGI enhancements. Haven't seen anything this brutal in years!

 

I have a read a lot of discussions about the movie's TWIST ending and how different people have different views on it. Everything in the movie is open to interpretation. The ending initially didn't make much sense... but I think becomes clearer in your mind after repeated viewing. But if you give it another try, you will understand it more. It only makes more sense to watch it the second time. That’s what made it different and more impressive then the other slasher flicks. Still, a lot of people have the right to be disappointed but in a way, many perspectives may be drawn with regard to what the underlying meanings of the film are. This movie is messed up, but I liked it, in a weird way.

 

It’s still definitely worth watching for all the brutality and general nastiness but just don’t go into it expecting this great plot. It's a relentless, bloody, in your face, no holds barred, unnerving experience, which knows no limits or boundaries. If you let a twisty ending mess up your experience, then you have no business watching horror movies. While the ending left some apparent plot holes, I still enjoyed the film very much. It gives you more to think about than the average slasher movie. The movie is absolutely brilliant because it makes you think what you are seeing is the true story, but it is absolutely not. If you are immune to being grossed out to the max and have a cast-iron stomach, and like scary horror movies, you're gonna love this. . . . . Haute Tension will have horror fans screaming for more, while having them scratch their heads, wondering what it all means.

 

 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[Kaftig]

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

 

When my friends told me that we were going to watch The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HG2G), I had no idea what the movie was all about. I didn't know that it was based on a book written by Douglas Adams, nor did I know that its later incarnations, as radio and TV shows, have achieved cult-classic status in the United Kingdom. I was simply prepared for a space-comedy, as compared to The Revenge of the Sith, which has been called by some people as a space-opera.

 

In a nutshell, HG2G tells the story of Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), whose house is going to be demolished to build a freeway. As it turns out, there are other creatures, the Vogons to be exact, who want to destroy his "bigger house," planet Earth, to build an intergalactic freeway. Dent escapes the destruction of Earth with the help of his friend, Ford Prefect (Mos Def), who turns to be an alien temporarily living on Earth. Together they journey across the galaxy, eventually ending up in the Heart of Gold spaceship of Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), the Galaxy's president, and Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), the only other survivor from Earth. A love triangle ensues between Dent, Beeblebrox and Trillian, but they have to put this aside when the Vogons once again attack the newly-reconstructed Earth.

 

HG2G is more like a British comedy show rather than a movie. Instead of having a plot to tie up the scenes, it relies on a series of witty one-liners and visual gags to keep it going. I particularly enjoyed the opening sequence about dolphins being doomsayers, and the character of Marvin, a perpetually-depressed android. It also offers some interesting ideas, e.g. planet Earth is actually a laboratory controlled by mice, who are using human beings as specimens.

 

However, I have to point out that this is a British movie. As such, I found it difficult to appreciate the British sense of humor, which can be very dry. Add to that my lack of knowledge of the original material, I did not get most of the jokes. I even slept through most parts of the movie because it seems nonsensical.

 

When I watched it again though, it began making sense. Maybe it is one of those movies that you have to watch again and again before you enjoy it. Until then, I might need a guide to fully understand and appreciate The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[thirteen]

War of the Worlds

 

Speilberg, once again, delivers. War of the Worlds not only entertains, it rivets you to your seat in anticipation. Sure, anyone who's heard about the book will know how the invasion ends, but that's besides the point. The real story isn't about the how the aliens are defeated, its about survival. Its about how ugly things can become when everyone's only concerned about themselves instead of looking at the big picture (ie the human race). If you want to see humans kick alien ass, go watch Independence Day. If you want to see an alien invasion from the POV of a normal guy, watch this.

 

Like many Speilberg movies, you can expect that special effects come only second to the story. I was kinda annoyed at a very pivotal scene where the US army was blasting the crap out of the alien tripods mainly because you never got to see the real battle taking place. You'd see shots of gunships and tanks firing in the background, but you never really see the battle taking place. But after watching the entire film, I understood why speilberg didn't put the battle scene. The point of the movie wasn't about the war itself, but the effect the war had on Ray and his family. (still, I can't help but wish there was a big battle scene)

 

War of the Worlds is definitely worth the price of a movie ticket. Pay the extra money and go to the smaller movie houses with the good sound system, because it's worth it. Most films lose a certain energy and edge when they aren't experienced in a good movie house. WOTW is one of those films which goes down several notches when you watch it at home.

[Guest Leviticus]

I too have watched War of the Worlds.

 

After watching I kinda got the feeling that this movie was influenced by SIGNS starring Mel Gibson. It's about a family surviving through an extraordinary circumstance. Through sheer luck and perseverance the characters somehow pull through in the end; aside from the other people who got disintergrated.

 

I think there's a parallel with WotW with Signs because:

1. There are many basement scenes

2. The theme about a family; single dad with his children

3. The actual aliens only get a few minutes' worth of movie time

4. It's because of simple reasons why the aliens are defeated (signs=water; WotW=bacteria/protozoa)

[Batabatuta®]

Review: 'Dark Water' spooky from start

By Christy Lemire

The Associated Press

 

Just when you thought it was safe to turn on the faucet comes "Dark Water," a thriller brave enough to tackle a subject that plagues every New Yorker at some time or another: bad plumbing.

 

We kid. It's actually better than it sounds. In the canon of recent scary movies of Japanese origin -- or J-horror flicks, for those of you in the know -- "Dark Water" is more deeply disturbing than the laughable remake of "The Ring" or "The Grudge," which was oddly antiseptic.

 

"Dark Water" falls into this category since it's based on a hit Japanese film directed by "Ringu" director Hideo Nakata, which itself was based on a short story by Koji Suzuki, who also wrote the novel "The Ring." And if you're a fan of the genre, you'll be happy to see that all the requisite ideas and images are represented. Water as a symbol of death. Cold, gray surroundings. A creepy little girl with long, dark hair.

 

The difference here is the pedigree: It's flawless from top to bottom. Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly and Tim Roth are among its stars. Brazil's Walter Salles ("The Motorcycle Diaries") is the director. Affonso Beato ("All About My Mother") is the cinematographer. Longtime David Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti composed the score.

 

These are people who know how to create a mood, one that's inescapably spooky from the first frame. No big, fast scares here. Just a slow, steady boil.

 

But there's also nothing you haven't seen before. Glimmers of iconic horror movies like "The Shining" and "The Sixth Sense" are evident, as well as the far less effective "Hide and Seek" with Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning.

 

"Do you have an invisible friend only you can see?" Connelly's character, Dahlia Williams, asks her daughter, Ceci (6-year-old Ariel Gade, whose dark hair and almond-shaped eyes could make her Connelly's daughter in real life, and whose poise makes her Connelly's equal on screen).

 

Dahlia and Ceci have moved into a cheap apartment on Roosevelt Island in a complex that could be a converted psychiatric hospital, with its bleak lighting, cinderblock walls and rumbling elevator. (Reilly, perfect as the falsely perky real estate broker, euphemistically describes their unit as being on the "lower penthouse level.")

 

And then there's the dripping water -- nearly constant and all over the building, but mostly in the bedroom Dahlia and Ceci share, plopping in gloopy puddles from apartment 10F above them. It's shot so viscerally, you can almost smell the musty, moldy odor.

 

All this is happening as Dahlia is in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle with Ceci's father (Dougray Scott). So when Dahlia learns from Ceci's teacher (Camryn Manheim) that her daughter has been talking to an imaginary friend named Natasha instead of playing with real kids at her new school, it seems normal. Children seek such methods of escape during times of crisis. No biggie.

 

But then the water becomes more insistent, as does the voice in Ceci's head, and eventually Dahlia starts hearing and seeing things, too. Is she going mad? Is she reliving abandonment issues from her own childhood? Did something horrible happen in 10F? Or is it just old, faulty plumbing? (Roth is nearly unrecognizable and dryly funny as Dahlia's lawyer, who helps her learn the truth about the building, even though he has secrets of his own.)

 

J-horror fans will figure out pretty quickly what's really happening here. For everyone else, there is a palpable sense of suspense as the film reaches its climactic revelations.

 

Connelly, an Oscar winner for "A Beautiful Mind," adds weight and realism to a role that could have been just another wide-eyed, shrieking damsel in distress. Every emotion -- from fear to determination -- flashes vividly across her strikingly clear features.

 

Too bad Hitchcock liked those icy blondes. If she'd been around 40 years ago, you could imagine Connelly ducking deadly birds instead of menacing drops of water.

[Kaftig]

FANTASTIC FOUR

 

I have to admit that the trailer of Fantastic Four was truly fantastic. It was so action-packed that I held my breath for the entire duration of the trailer. It made me forget about all the other superhero movies that I planned to watch this year. I told myself, "This will be a fantastic movie!"

 

Seems like I spoke too soon. After more than two years in the film industry, I should have known better than to trust trailers. The movie itself was a far cry from its trailers. It's just like watching an episode of Friends, only this time they are playing superheroes.

 

The movie simply presents the origin of the superhero group, which most of us are familiar with. I told my friend, Chicoy, that I didn't have to watch the film to know the story. The entire story could have served as the prologue or back story of the sequel, if there would be a sequel.

 

What the movie lacked was action...a whole lot of action. There were so few action scenes that it makes you question if you are watching a superhero movie. During the entire duration of the film, I never felt that the world was at risk and that it needed superheroes. Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon) was simply too preoccupied with his personal issues against Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd) that he didn't care to destroy the world. The movie just feels so contained, so claustrophobic.

 

In place of action, the movie focused on the dynamics of the characters, which isn't much. There is a cheesy and predictable love triangle between Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba) and Dr. Doom. Who wants to know about that? The only interesting characters are Human Torch (Chris Evans) and Thing (Michael Chiklis). Unlike most reluctant superheroes, Human Torch relishes his popularity. He basks in it, and this makes him real and "human." On the other hand, Thing is a reluctant superhero simply because it gave him "real" problems. His physical appearance drives away the people that he loves. Being a hero becomes a real burden for him. He is not admired. He is feared. In the end, he finds true love in the eyes of a blind woman.

 

Among the cast, Michael Chiklis deserves some applause. Despite the tons of prosthetics on his body, he was the only one who gave an emotional, affecting performance. Chris Evans looked and played his part to the hilt. Ioan Gruffudd was just okay, nothing impressive. Julian McMahon looked sexy and dangerous at the same time, but that's just it. Jessica Alba could have stayed invisible throughout the movie, and no one could care. Not only does she not look like a scientist, she also does not act like a scientist. She wasn't good as a superhero either.

 

Fantastic Four is truly disappointing. It has some promise, but it never achieved its potential. Ho-hum. Wake me up when the sequel arrives.

[Kaftig]

HERBIE: FULLY LOADED

 

I remember watching the original Herbie on Betamax. I was still in grade school then. I believed in it so much that I thought our own car, a 1980 Mitsubishi Colt Mirage, was alive as well. For years, I was constantly talking to "Mirage," asking him to slow down every time my dad chases another car on the road or asking him to speed up whenever I feel that I'm going to be late for class. Scary, huh? Well, this went on until I found real, alive, human beings to serve as my friends. When that happened, "Mirage" just died. It simply became a car.

 

My point is I was hoping to recapture the magic of the original Herbie movie when my friends and I watched Herbie: Fully Loaded last night. Once again, I hoped for too much.

 

Herbie: Fully Loaded starts with Herbie, the Love Bug, in a dump heap. After a series of victories on and off the race track, Herbie's luck runs out. Failing to win a single race for years, Herbie was sent to the dump heap to be transformed into scrap metal. Enter Maggie (Lindsay Lohan), who just graduated from college and is looking for a second-hand car. After buying Herbie, Maggie gets into a series of trouble, culminating in a clash with an egocentric racing champion, Trip (Matt Dillon). Maggie is forced to race against Trip despite her father's (Michael Keaton) objections. Against all odds, Maggie and Herbie win.

 

This movie is as formulaic as it could be. Kids might love the underdog-turned-hero story, but adults will simply find it corny. Even Herbie's special effects scenes are meant to impress the kids only. Being an adult, I found the entire movie boring and predictable. The only interesting part for me was the opening credits, which showed the rise and fall of Herbie's career. I would have slept through the whole film, if not for the cheering kids behind me. Ah well, this is a children's movie after all.

 

Sadly, Herbie's magic has no effect on me anymore, and that dashes any hope for me and "Mirage" to rekindle our friendship.

 

P.S. Watching the movie as an adult, I got scared of Herbie for a moment. I mean, if I have a car that's "alive," it would totally freak me out. I would immediately assume that a demon has possessed my car. Who knows, Herbie might be a relative of Stephen King's Christine!

[Kaftig]

SARONG BANGGI

 

Yesterday, Star Cinema had a private preview of two Cinemalaya entries: Sarong Banggi and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. Both movies were produced by Raymond Lee's UFO Pictures.

 

Sarong Banggi (English translation: "one night") was written and directed by Emman Dela Cruz, a former Creative Consultant of Star Cinema. It tells the story of young boy (Angela Ilagan) and an aging prostitute (Jaclyn Jose) as they spend one night together. As they delve into each other's lives throughout the night, the prostitute uncovers a secret that changes both of their lives forever.

 

Sarong Banggi boasts of beautiful shots. I am tempted to hail Emman as the Philippines' Wong Kar Wai. His shots are artistically framed, filling the screen with a profusion of colors and memorable images.

 

The music is also great. It enhances the mood and tone of the film. However, the repetitive renditions of the theme song drew snickers from some of the viewers.

 

The concept in itself is very interesting. However, I feel that it is only apt as a material for a short film. Stretched to feature-length, the story loses its impact. It becomes loose, lumbering...as if it doesn't know when to end. There are certain sequences that could have been edited out to make the story tighter. As it is, the pacing doesn't help to get you hooked on the movie.

 

The script itself relies heavily on voice-overs and dialogues. While some of the dialogues are witty, most of it sound too literary to be used in a movie. I get the feeling that I would appreciate the material more had I read it rather than seen it.

 

Since the movie works on the premise that the entire story happened in one night only, the characters' were not fully explored, especially that of the young boy. I would have wanted to know more about his issues with his family and friends. It would have also helped if I knew more about the prostitute's past and present story.

 

It is a good thing that Jaclyn Jose portrayed the lead female role. Her effective performance makes her character interesting and sympathetic. The only problem is her great acting shows how amateur her co-actor is. Angelo Ilagan looks good onscreen but his performance is so wooden, stilted that you don't care about his character. On the other hand, this is his first movie. I hope he'll become a better actor as he gains more experience.

 

Sarong Banggi is a good first effort from the writer-director. Knowing how creative Emman can be, I am sure that he will be able to come up with a great film to follow this one. That is something that everyone can look forward to.