The MOVIE REVIEW Thread

[clubber_lang]

Beowulf (IMAX 3D)

 

The visuals were great, the experience was good. Beyond that? Ho-hum.

 

Not once did I feel for Beowulf. It was a character that was not fleshed out well. The battle scenes were not exciting at all.

 

3D may be the new wave but this film is not worth the hype or the treatment...

[johnnydrama]

Enchanted.

 

Well its a shallow plot, but at least its smart. Its cheesey sometimes but who cares, I am a guy reviewing a chick flick. Well at least its not you average Kim Chiu and Gerard Anderson "Pakilig" flick, or that John Loyd Bea movie, or any other piece of crap filipino romance flicks that are so formulaic, so unoriginal, so inane, that you have actually seen the movie by just watching the trailer....

 

Sad to say, as per boxofficemojo, it's the inane, unoriginal, formulaic crap filipino romantic flick that is getting more business locally.

 

Anyway, I also loved Enchanted...will definitely recommend this over any Pinoy garbage anytime!

[Justin Nicholas]

Movie Title: Beowulf

 

A movie you shouldn't miss. It reveals the dark side of love, lust, and power revolving around one another,

and the reason why such phenomena exists. Cast in full 3-D.

 

Story: 9.5

 

Cast: 10

 

Sound FX: 9.5

 

Fun Factor: 10

[Great Milenko]

Beowulf - 6/10

Hitman - 5/10

D-wars - 5/10

[imogen]

THE KINGDOM!!

 

MAN THIS IS SOME HARDCORE SHIZ!!!!

finally... jennifer garner has revived herself from the disaster that was elektra... (peace)

nice to see her back in real action.

[dragonei]

HITMAN

 

Well definitely even with th right elements, a movie can still turn disappointing when given the wrong execution. Well I am a big fan of the game so I have a little bit of Biases, so Im gona say it wasn't really all bad. At least it was a notch better than Jet Li and Jason Statham's Rogue Assassin. And I am a big fan of both actors too.

 

If you guys aren't familiar with the game, Hitman is actually not a shootem up game. The point of the game is for you to be stealthy, avoid suspicion (and becoming a bullet magnet), and minimize casualty as you take out your target. The less bullets you use to eliminate your target the more points you get (But of course you can just go Rambo for the fun of it). So I was not really looking forward to a blow em up type of movies, which is why I did not think that Vin Diesel would make a good agent 47.

 

Anyway here is the Plot. There exists an agency simply known as "The Organization", which sole purpose it to train professional killers from birth (It should have been clear in the film, that 47 was bread from the most dangerous international criminals, he was genetically engineered). 47 is the best among them. His latest target gets him in between a political conspiracy, and later on becomes the subject of a widespread manhunt by the local authorities, Interpol, and of the same agency he works for. His only hope of uncovering the truth on the price on his head is a russian prostitute.

 

The plot is a collosal mess. I mean I wasnt expecting an oscar worthy plot, in fact I thought that thre is a good reason why plots should be minimized in an action movie. Its what makers the Rambo and Die Hard Franchise enjoyable. Although good story and great action could always make a balance, it just was not achieved here. It is lackluster, predictable at one point, confusing at another point, and feels like you are watching a Bourne rip off. The movie could have been saved if it actually followed a simpler plot, more action and stayed true with the game.

 

Action scenes were not that grand either. I mean it wasn't bad. The fight scenes at the train station, I thought, was pretty sleek. It just was not enough. Its not enough to be original, its not enough to be memorable, its not enough to jolt you out of your seat, and its not enough to save the mess that the plot has already monumentally created. Its like ordering this very expensive dish at a restaurant, it does look good, it does taste good, its just not enough to fill your hunger. How I wish John Woo would direct a film like this. Oh it would be so kick ass with the dual guns, doves, and slow mo.

 

The casting also was bleaaH. Dougray Scott was insignificant. The russian girl has no other purpose but for the movie to have a breast exposure. and of course Timothy Olypant. He looks the parts, he feels like the part, but he is not the part. You would understand what I mean if you have seen how 47 was in the game. They should have found someone with deep baritone voice to cast as agent 47. He looks great in the movie posters, but come on! he looks gay when he opens his mouth or when he begins to talk. The director failed to actually feature the dark, enigmatic, and iceblooded nature of 47.

 

All in all, Im willing to give the movie another chance. But please overhall the casting

 

C

[icicle]

Enchanted.

 

Yep its me reviewing probably this years biggest walt disney chick flicks. Its a perfect movie to take your girlfriend to.

 

If you are looking for a movie soaked with estrogen, then this one is definitely a movie for you. Im not saying that a guy could not enjoy the movie (I did enjoy many parts actually), but definitely its not going to be in any guys top 10 movie list like terminator, rambo, or 300.

 

The story is very simple. What happens when a fairytale princess is sent to the real world where there aren't always happy endings? The story begins with your average storybook romance, about a kingdom far away, about a selfish queen, about a handsome price in his noble steed, and a maiden with a honey coated singing voice that could charm all forest creatures. There is singing and some dancing, the prince meets his fair maiden, and next thing we know they decide to get married first thing in the morning. The evil queen has other plans though, before our fairytale princess could go to her wedding, the old queen/witch pushes her into a well that transports her into another dimension. A place where there are no happy endings. New York City. And so our fairytale princess accidentally lands on the lap of another prince charming of the story, who happens to be a divorce lawyer struggling to race her 6 year old daughter. For some reason this prince charming in the story keeps the lost princes, and the morning later, its catastrophe, catastrophe, and more catastrophe when the original prince from the fairytale land follows her to New York city. All stirred up with the fairytale musical youd expect in snow white. Only the charming forest animals this time that are charmed by the voice of our princess are sewer rats, and pigeons.

 

Well its a shallow plot, but at least its smart. Its cheesey sometimes but who cares, I am a guy reviewing a chick flick. Well at least its not you average Kim Chiu and Gerard Anderson "Pakilig" flick, or that John Loyd Bea movie, or any other piece of crap filipino romance flicks that are so formulaic, so unoriginal, so inane, that you have actually seen the movie by just watching the trailer. I mean not that enchanted is not predictable or formulaic at some levels, but at least it took a fresh perspective by asking the basic questions of "How could we create an orginal concept about fairytale romance in the real world?" What would happen if snow white got lost in new york city and her prince charming happens to be a single dad who makes a living by settling divorce cases?Or "could it be possible that the damsel in distress at the climax would be the prince charming?" Ergo its a different execution, and it works.

 

Performances were great too! Amy Adams definitely owns her character to the core. She will make your girlfriend believe in fairytale prince charmings again. Her charisma is so overflowing, that it never gets too dull or too overacting when we watch. She captivates both the people that she meets in the park and the audience that loves to see her do that. She is just full of candy sprinkle that she is just so entertaining to watch even when she is sleeping. James Mardsen isn't really Rupert Everett in Shrek, but he is great a dumb shallow Don Quixotesque prince charming. Makes you ladies wana think, if youd wana go for a fairytale prince charming as narrow as this. Patrick Dempsey of course is that sweet spot in that candy sprinkled eclair. The goofy and nerdy guy back in the 80's has definetly turned out to be every girls dream boy. And why not isnt that the reason why girls are suckers for greys anatomy?

 

Its mostly fun. But I gotta admit some parts were avoidably and predictable cheesy. I mean we already know what the true love's first kiss would do, and that of course there has to be a happily ever after. But all this is a necessary ingredient to creat probably this seasons best feel good movie. Its all just surrealism though of course, often times very cartoonish and sometimes unnecessarily that way. Id like to put a teaspoon of honey on my earl grey tea, but sometimes sitting through it is the equivalent of 20 teaspoons.

 

All in all it is the Chick flick equivalent of Shoot em up, only its more entertaining and even memorable. It actually made me go. Can somebody tell me why I should watch a piece of crap john loyd- bea movie that has an unforgettable quote "Mahal kita! at ang sakit sakit na!"

 

A solid B+

 

I fell asleep at the start but woke up when they started singing (and when my date punched me). The lead's acting wasn't too great but they must have gotten heer for her voice.

 

C+

[BrotchaCrotcha]

I would have to agree with Dragonei on Enchanted. IMO, It is a movie worth seeing.

[clubber_lang]

Eastern Promises

 

The film is good but still falls short of being a great film and also did not emulate the greatness of A History of Violence.

 

Still, it is worth watching. The violence is quite gripping and Viggo Mortensen rules this film. Of course, there is that scene that would make sauna lovers cringe.

 

David Cronenberg's finest, it is not. Still, quite a film to experience with teh way he fleshes out every detail of the underbelly of London.

[Larry]

Enchanted

 

- a pleasant surprise

 

I went into this film with very low expectations, but they actually did a really good job with it and I was laughing for the most part.

 

Amy Adams did a great job being a real life Disney Princess and although Susan Sarandon was underused for this movie, it still turned out pretty ok

[LYCHEE]

I AM LEGEND... starring will smith...rakes in $75million at the box office for the 1st week...soulful action, but quite lacking on suspense & thrills. If not for WS, i'd watch this instead on dvd.

[johnnydrama]

Death Proof

 

Supposedly part of the "Grindhouse" double bill...this is Quentin Tarantino's contribution there.

 

Chick overload...Kurt Russell's Stuntman Mike can make Snake Plissken his butt boy.

 

Speaking of butts, lots of that...esp from the African American lady who plays Jungle Julia and CSI:NY alum Vanessa Ferlito (check out her lapdance number)

 

Good "k*ll Bill" and "Pulp Fiction" references there (esp. the one with the cheerleaders in the black&yellow Mustang - check out the "Pu$$y Wagon" bumper sticker on that baby).

 

Groan...Quentin Tarantino's appearance as bar owner Warren.

 

Anyway, if you don't mind the deliberate crappy-looking opening & closing credits (all the more accdg. to Mr. Tarantino, to recapture the "grind-house" experience of seeing B-flicks - in the days before pirated VCD/DVDs - on a seedy downtown cinema with rats 'n' roaches on the floors, pervs jacking themselves and getting b.j.'s next to you)

[DJTranz]

I AM LEGEND

 

medyo alang kwenta

 

kulang na kulang sa aksyon kasi eh

[Gideon]

Elizabeth - Golden Age

 

An great good sequel, but sana nilakihan ang budget, $50 million lang kasi. Mas maganda kung pinahaba yung labana ng Armada.

 

But in the acting side bumawi ang movie. Cate deserves another Oscar Nomination.

[Marshall Bruce]

Saw 4

 

Probably the most compelling part of the series. It connected all the loose ends. First 8 minutes was really memorable. It's definitely better than Saw 3. However, I had this feeling that the movie was somehow rushed.