Movie Review: DRIVE (2011)

Ryan Gosling is simply called "Driver"

Ryan Gosling playing a nameless special kid simply called "Driver," a full-time car mechanic, a part-time Hollywood stunt driver, and who moonlights as a getaway man in midnight heists. Enough to see the film, right? Okay, go ahead and watch the trailer first. You are now excited, I presume? Come on! Gosling, a very special actor playing a very special kid in heist-riddled L.A., involved in a dirty job that goes wrong, sucked in an intricate web of masterminds, double-crossing and shadowy criminals-- and to make it more rich and complex, falls in love with the Brit version of Katie Holmes: Carey Mulligan. And! It's directed by the Danish Nicolas Winding Refn, who won this year's Cannes Best Director for this movie. To those unfamiliar with Refn (Pusher 1996), then Drive will be your first taste of the European director's style.

If you are expecting a heart-pounding, high-adrenaline car chase, or a direct-to-the-point suspense, then you're in for a dose of a different film adaptation of the novel by the same title. Because it's quiet, devoid of emotion and facial expression from Gosling (which was intentional), and it kind of recalls Sophia Coppola's excruciatingly pretentious Somewhere; but along with the constant hum of the car engine, we are bombarded with Refn's playlist of eighties electro music sung by various female artists, interspersed with throbbing, ominous musical score intentionally misplaced for art's sake.

No, I am not against style, of unconventional filmmaking, of a different contemporary approach to what should be expected as your normal Hollywood action-thriller. But do I appreciate Refn's style? No. It's utterly distasteful, like swallowing bitter medicine that you just want to get over with as soon as possible. It's highly pretentious, too artsy-fartsy that it robs us of every bit of emotion. I don't care how artsy-fartsy you wanna go, but please don't take away the emotions in the story. Picture this: slow, languid movements with background music; Gosling most of the time quiet, with a deadpan expression; Gosling driving or thinking with 80's discotheque kind of music playing; small stunts here and there, interrupted by raw and very graphic violence; a sickly looking Mulligan who is equally quiet and has no chemistry at all with Gosling. The bad guys (not that Gosling isn't a bad guy himself in the movie) are the only ones who give life to the film, but hell, they're so ugly to look at.

Drive is something you'd watch slouched in your cinema seat (never on the edge), and watch Refn's artwork unfold before your eyes: an orchestra of bad music with a creative slideshow of violence, Gosling's stony and cold expression, set in totally depressing LA locations. Yeah, it's got a real story-- a good one, actually, which makes it a tad better than Coppola's non-existent story in Somewhere. But it could have been delightful if it were directed by let's say...John Woo? Who the hell needs artsy fartsy in a simple action-suspense movie?

In the movie, one of the criminals tells Driver that in the 1980s, he used to produce movies. He recalls: "One critic called them European,” he said, then adding: “I thought they were shit!”

That's exactly what Drive is. Not my words!

1 out of 5 stars

My PEx post

OrangeMagazineTV.com Re-launch Party

Causes for Celebration

The word "orange" always strikes a familiar chord. Every where I turn these days, I hear the word "orange."

Like this morning.

I went to the Orange Place Hotel in San Juan (orange is the city's official color) to meet a good friend who just attended his friend's art exhibit at the Orange Gallery in Bacolod.

There's something appealing, I guess, about the word "orange." It conjures the color range between red and yellow in the visible spectrum. And the round citrus fruit, of course.

But in the local blogosphere, when you say "orange," what flashes across your mind is "entertainment." A site with a black backdrop, with half of a solid-colored citrus fruit strategically placed on the left-hand corner, peeking, like sunrise. Two tiny leaves adorning its crown. Across, in simple white font, is written: OrangeMagazineTV.com. And if you're not subscribed to the site, you'll be sorry that you missed something you wish you didn't.

OrangeMagazineTV.com is the Pinoy netizen's one-stop site for the latest news in entertainment, food, health, lifestyle, movies, music, technology and travel in the country. It's catchy. It's cool. It's fast and fresh. It's easy on the eyes and direct to the point. And it's perpetually giving away freebies. Yeah, you read that right. Constantly throwing contests and free stuff to its many followers. It's like a buffet of delicious news tidbits and entertainment, like a candy shop to the bloggers and to the freebie and entertainment junkies. It's the King of the Blogs, actually.

And who is the king of the bloggers? The man behind OrangeMagazineTV.com: publisher and editor-in-chief Mr. Jeman Villanueva. And last September 24, 2011, "Jeman" as he is simply known by the veteran bloggers, threw an intimate re-launch party of the site at Gweilo's, SM Mall of Asia, to reintroduce the year-old site with its fresh new look as well as its new batch of contributors-- now part of the Orange Team, honored with the golden ticket to the hippest and coolest events in the metropolis. And that day happened to be the king's birthday, too.

It's a merry night for the Orange Team

In the small, dimly lit and buzzing Gweilo's Bar and Restaurant, only big enough to accommodate the Orange men and women, the bloggers mingled, laughed, ate the delectable baked oysters with cheese and garlic, got merry, got to know each other, wished the happy Jeman a happy birthday, clicked away their DSLRS or compact digicams, clinked their glasses of the unlimited GSM Blue's to cheer the night away, posed in a photo booth, and asked the bartender for their other desired combination of drinks free of charge--strictly Sprite and Coke for me--all the while mentally typing away their blog post of the event.

And to top off the celebration is the spectacular MOA-an fireworks lighting up the pitch-black sky, coinciding with the celebration. To the rest of the mallers, it's an ordinary fireworks night... but in that small bar tucked in one corner, in that small circle of bloggers, the fireworks were a symbol of new, exciting beginnings in the OrangeMagazineTV world. ~Stephanie Mayo, new OrangeMagazineTVcom contributor

Some of the new contributors enjoying the feast

Mr. Rod Magaru and the many freebies reserved for the attendees

The author with the King of the Bloggers, Mr. Jeman Villanueva

We were the paparazzi-bloggers during the raffle prizes

The Photo Booth

My winnings that night. I'm no drinker; who wants my GSM Blue?

The Orange Team thanks the following sponsors:

Perlas and Luna PR Group, Brandspeak Asia, StratWorks, Cando and Florenda Martketing and PR Consultancy, Campaigns and Grey, No Seat Affair!, Dole, MCA Music Inc., Universal Records, PolyEast Records, FMCC, BND, Hair Gallery, 6000Goonz, WoW! 103.5 FM, Clara International and Benmore.

Movie Review: HORRIBLE BOSSES (2011)

Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman pla victims of horrible bosses.

The unforgettable Hangover has somehow set a precedent for the kind of comedy that uses character and personality for its humor, making use of the dynamics between a group of your standard American male buddies, the coarse interaction and exchanges between them, especially when they are put in a predicament. This is the sort of comedy we revere: wit over slapstick; exchange of dialogue meant to elicit gut laughter. Hot Tub Time Machine, one of the Hangover copy-cats, for example, failed miserably in this genre, desperately attempted to hit the Hangover mark--or even surpass it--but ended up a sad comedy, a cheap imitation of the real thing.

So what about Horrible Bosses? This time we are presented with only three friends, basically three good, sort of foolish, white guys, whose distinct personalities and dynamics we will rely on until the end of the movie: the serious, deadpan Nick (Jason Bateman); the small and whiny Dale (Charlie Day); and the cool and slightly smug Kurt (Jason Sudeikis). The predicament? Each has a horrible boss that, initially, they hypothetically wanted to murder-- until it has developed into a real, concrete plan.

Jennifer Aniston plays a sexual molester.

Nick's boss is a suave, sneering, cold and mean-spirited Kevin Spacey, imprisoning Nick into a life of hell; Dale's is a hot nymphomaniac, dirty-mouthed Jennifer Aniston who is constantly sexually harassing him (which should be every male's fantasy except for the monogamous Dale); and Kurt's employer is a balding cokehead idiot played by Colin Farrell. The guys pay the services of a random black guy, Academy-Award winner Jamie Foxx (whose name in the movie you gotta find out for yourselves), to fulfill their desire to wipe their bosses off the face of the earth.

Kevin Spacey gives a superb performance as Bateman's evil boss.

So is the movie funny? It is! It carries you towards the end of the movie. But is it thigh-slapping hilarious? Does it evoke lingering laughter, the kind that even when the scene is already over, you are still laughing? Uh....not really. There are absolutely some guffaw-inducing scenes and you will definitely hear yourself laughing-- but the punchlines never seem to hit squarely on the center of your gut (some are even discriminating). And it's self-conscious, the scenes screaming, "I am a movie that is so damn funny, aren't I?!?!" like an aggressive, desperate performer, only capable of eliciting a collective chortle and sparse howls of laughter from those who laugh easily.

The guys are likable enough, but Day's high-pitched exaggerated onscreen persona has become tiring halfway into the movie, his whiny voice like nails on a blackboard. The boss characters are extreme, too unrealistic to be appreciated-- except Kevin Spacey who is stupendous (as always). Also, there are too many sexual content and vulgar language that the movie should be stamped a good R rather than a surprising PG-13.

Horrible Bosses is funny and entertaining. Never boring. Unpredictable punchlines, yeah. But no sidesplitting laughter. Just some good-natured LOLs.

7/10 stars

Showing in Philippine cinemas on September 21, 2011


From my PinoyExchange post

Movie Review: Thelma (2011)

If you are hungry for quality Filipino film, Thelma will satisfy that craving.

Thelma indeed has caused wild curiosity among cinephiles when the trailer came out, giving us a glimpse of a seemingly unique and refreshing Filipino film released by surprise! surprise! Star Cinema-- with TimeHorizon Pictures. So are you wondering whether your curiosity is worth buying a ticket? The answer is a yes. Exchange it for a fast food meal, if you must.

In a remote part of Ilocos Norte, under the wide open sky, with windmills and mountains and sunsets and starlit nights, live a farmer and his poor family-- with a stubborn, rambunctious but deeply compassionate eldest child, Thelma (Maja Salvador), with an extraordinary talent in running. Lacking in school spirit and discipline, Thelma only finds joy with her younger sister's company in the raw beauty of their Ilocos Norte home, running wild and free without any cares in the world.

But an unexpected tragedy drove Thelma's life perspective to change and for her to strip her fears and lack of discipline away, and use her gift of running. And we follow how far her feet would take her.

Inspired by true events, Thelma is fast-paced, heartfelt, touching and unpretentious, with an engaging storyline that will hook you to finish the whole 1 hour and 35 minute-running time. It's a real breather; a pleasurable break from your usual Pinoy indie films of urban poverty, and here we finally see the beautiful parts of the country for a change. And with its impressive, breathtaking cinematography and sophisticated, elegant and tasteful musical score, the film will absorb you into its dramatic narrative and emotionally connect with you, and might cause a tear or two to roll down your cheeks. Also, there are some LOL-inducing scenes.

Thelma, however, has glaring flaws that could only be seen by the most critical of reviewers. For instance, the sub-par performance of some actors, particularly Tetchie Agabayi's (Thelma's mother) unnatural sing-songy delivery of lines and self-conscious performance (could be from her long hiatus) and the aunt's (Sue Prado) forced conversational tone and self-conscious performance, too, as well as some extra runners that looked anything but pro (awkwardly running with ridiculous smiling faces), especially the ending statement that sort of killed my admiration because it gave the impression of selfishness. Still Thelma has innumerable good points that the flaws are forgivable.

Impressively directed by Paul Soriano, with English subtitles, and most notably, a surprisingly brilliant performance by 24-year-old Maja Salvador (she is what you call an authentic actress who transformed into her character), who also co-produced the film, Thelma is indeed a breakthrough-- a milestone in Filipino filmmaking. Something to be proud of.

I'd see it again.

8/10 stars




Stephanie Mayo is one of the official movie reviewers for PinoyExchange.

Movie Review: CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE. (2011)

Crazy, Stupid, Love., infamous for its punctuation-riddled period-ending movie title, could mean two things: love is theoretically crazy and stupid and the movie title was just intended to irk the most humorless of copy editors. Or it's a multiple-themed movie that focuses on the crazy, the stupid, and love. Period.

Nevertheless, Crazy, Stupid, Love.'s playful title should not only cause an amusing double-take, it should be cinched. Yes, you should buy its marketing strategy of a movie title because it's going to be one of the best movies you will see this year-- and could possibly be fondly classified under your favorites in the multiple-genre of contemporary romance, drama, comedy. And Crazy, Stupid, Love. is romantic, poignant, hilarious.

Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) and his wife of 25 years, Emily (Julianne Moore), are sitting across from each other in a restaurant to start a seemingly perfunctory romantic dinner, the air heavy with dullness and tired ritual of a too-comfortable, too-stable marriage. And then out of the blue, Emily blurts out that she wants a divorce. And also confesses to having cheated on him to a co-worker named David Lindhagen (the last name's pronunciation is more complicated than it seems).

And thus begins Cal's devastating and painfully slow fall into the depression pit. He begins to frequent a single's bar, drunkenly blabbering about his wife and David Lindhagen-- until he finally caught the attention and sympathy of a ladies' man: the young and well-dressed Jacob Palmer (the ultra talented Ryan Gosling), a suave, smooth-talking player who offers the depressed Cal a chance to reclaim his manhood and win his wife back. What follows is a riotous Mr. Miyagi-like training of the ways of the modern playboy, with Jacob a hilarious cross between GQ's Style Guy and Esquire's Ask Nick Sullivan, with his blunt insults and sheer honesty, while solving the sartorial and romantic issues of the geeky, reluctant, fashion no-no Cal.

Crazy, Stupid, Love., although it centers on Cal, also revolves around other romantic sub-plots: Jacob Palmer, whose picking-up-women days abruptly ends when he falls in love with the quirky Hannah (Emma Stone); and Cal's 13-year-old son who is smitten with their 17-year-old babysitter Jessica (America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 Analeigh Lipton).

Crazy, Stupid, Love. delightfully and serendipitous-ly put together all my favorite--and talented--actors in a heartfelt and intelligently written screenplay by Dan Fogelman (Tangled) under the directorship of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa of the not-much-talked-about I Love You Philip Morris. The movie's got well-developed characters played exceptionally well by all, and I mean by all the actors. The movie also stars Kevin Bacon, Oscar winner Marisa Tomei and a famous singer that I will let you find out for yourself. But Carell of course stands out, delivering a brilliant performance of his endearing character with a combination of sympathetic and hilarious, comical and serious, the intensity of his agony displayed with beautiful subtlety. In fact, the whole movie focuses on subtlety; small gestures and fleeting eye movements that hide feelings of gigantic proportions.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. indeed is a surprisingly touching love story that will make you cry, laugh-- or cry and laugh at the same time. There are scenes that are a hairline away from turning into a cornball, but with much relief, it doesn't go there. Crazy, Stupid, Love. is a witty, heartwarming, lingering story of the common truth about pain and love, the crazy and stupid things we do for love-- and that love does in fact makes us crazy and stupid. Sometimes.

Must-see.

4.5/5

The First Ever "Bloggers Blowout" by OrangeMagazineTV and Astroplus

It was an ordinary lazy Saturday afternoon last September 3 and I was browsing through Facebook and "living vicariously" through other people's lives (kidding), when the distinct message alert tone of my phone broke the ordinariness of the moment. It was a text message from a guy named Jeman, saying that he hopes to see me later at Astrovision, Greenbelt 5 at 2 p.m. And that there will be "food, raffle, prizes." Confused, as I had no idea who this Jeman guy was and why he was hoping to see me at an event in a movie store, I kindly asked where he got my number, to which he replied, "Nag-sign up ka sa event ko, right?"

Based on the vague response, I still did not have a clue (especially when my name was not included in the text reminder), and asked him to kindly help me remember what event did I sign up for. But, without waiting for a response, I shrugged and Googled "September 3, Astrovision event" and was surprised to find out that I was one of the 20 chosen movie bloggers invited to OrangeMagazineTV and Astroplus/Astrovision's Bloggers' Blowout, which I signed up for some time ago upon the recommendation of my sister-- my constant movie buddy at movie press screenings.

OrangeMagazineTV and Astroplus

Jeman Villanueva turned out to be with OrangeMagazineTV, the first online magazine in the country, who partnered with Astroplus-Astrovision, the beloved video rental store of my childhood and now the country's leading and booming multimedia store that caters to the needs of music, movie and gadget enthusiasts.

Who's the caterer that prepared these tasty selection?

So after confirming my attendance to this intriguing event, which, according to the schedule had already started, I rushed to get dressed, then took the train to Greenbelt 5, arriving 30 minutes early for the scheduled movie bloggers niche. The smiling girl at the reception desk showed me where to sign my name for attendance, asked me to write my name on a small yellow square paper, and then handed me a silver paper bag with the Astroplus label on it. Then she gestured towards the buffet and suggested that I could take a bite before my niche begins.

And so I did. I brought my plate of food inside the store to eat and observe the ongoing music bloggers' talk, expecting the food to be, like most cocktail food, tasteless-- only texture. But the food were surprisingly good, each and every one of them, which felt like a foreshadowing of good things to come in the event.

Finally, it was the movie bloggers' turn. For an unobstructed view, I chose to sit at the front row before a huge, striking LG Next Generation 3D TV-- sleek, elegant and modern, displayed in all its entertainment glory, used in the event to show the various marketing presentations, along with the press kit and sample products they handed out to the bloggers as giveaways or prizes.

Trailer Roadshow by Movie Distributors and Exciting Events

Lined-up to present their up-and-coming DVD releases were Magnavision, Viva Home Video, and C-Interactive. They gave a brief overview of their company and have prepared audio visual presentations to the bloggers, talked about exciting events in the near future-- and of course, movie trailers of soon-to-be released DVDs-- the movie bloggers cheering every time the trailer of their favorite movies comes up.

Magnavision Talk

Magnavision, distributor of studio bigwigs like Warner Bros., Paramount, and Sony, will soon be delivering us DVD releases of summer blockbuster hits, such as Thor (this month); and in October Captain America: The First Avenger, Super 8, and The Green Lantern; in November, Transformers: Dark of the Moon; in December, Kung Fu Panda, and many other popular titles. And attention, Harry Potter fans, start saving up because in November, they're releasing the epic finale in DVD to add to your glorious Harry Potter movie collection. To add more to the excitement, Astroplus treated us with a thrilling inside information about a huge, HUGE, Harry Potter event coming this November. So keep your heads up and better start following Astroplus and Magnavision on Facebook or Twitter to get updates.

Viva Video trailer roadshow

Viva Video Inc, home to equally popular Hollywood mainstream movies such as the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, among many others, will soon bring us DVD releases of exciting titles such as X-Men: First Class, undoubtedly one of the best movies of the year, the SNL-filled Bridesmaids, and other titles from major film studios such as 20th Century Fox and Buena Vista Entertainment. And keep your heads up for the Angry Birds Rio Competition grand finals set real soon!

C-Interactive have BlueRay DVDs for us

C-Interactive, the last to present, had their own highly anticipated line-up of DVD releases, including BlueRays, with their impressive line-up of Oscar movies, including The Hurt Locker and The Fighter, and controversial films such as Source Code and Limitless, among many other international and award-winning titles. And, under their belt, is the Twilight saga movie franchise from Summit Entertainment. C-Interactive, who only distributes foreign films, has always been my favorite distributor due to the high quality of their DVDs; crisp and clear with amazing sound quality. And if you want to collect your favorite movies in DVD, C-Interactive's products are worth the price. Check out their official site for promos and other DVD releases

As mentioned already, the movie distributors gave away free DVDs (including a DVD of Source Code from the generous C-Interactive), limited movie posters, and they raffled away movie merchandise-- and I was lucky to have won an authentic Harry Potter merch from Warner Bros: a cool hardbound notebook of It All Ends, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

The LG Cinema 3D TV Experience

The impressive LG Cinema 3D TV

The good guys of Astroplus did not deprive the bloggers with the 3D experience from LG's Cinema 3D TV displayed before us. Even before they showed a sample 3D video to us, I was already confident about LG Electronics because I'm quite happy with their products. The DVD player we have at home is LG, and the movie-buff family is more than satisfied with its quality.

I've never been a fan of 3D transfers in movies, and the 3D glasses they provide at the cinemas are always annoyingly heavy and uncomfortable, especially when I put them over my own prescription glasses (I'm blind without them). But when I tried LG's new lightweight 3D glasses (that comes with the 3D TV; 7 pairs), impressively designed to eliminate eye strain and dizziness with the use of Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology, it did feel light and comfortable-- even over my prescription glasses. And despite plenty of head movements, the 3D effects were unchanging, constantly crisp and solid and more realistic. Coupled with their 3D DVD player boasting of high quality sound that not only "surrounds" you but is literally everywhere, it will definitely enhance your home-viewing pleasure, giving you the ultimate cinematic experience in your own living room.

LG 3D Cinema TV is pricey, yes, (a whopping 340,000 bucks), but it's worth it if you're a fan of 3D movies, as it gives you a more incredible 3D movie experience better than in the cinemas.

Astroplus versus Piracy

With the onslought of movie piracy and free movie downloads, you wonder, how do Astroplus and the local movie distributors compete? And they're successful at it?

No brainer.

You're a movie buff, and if you want to collect your favorite titles, of course you want to own the authentic, high quality copy with bonus materials...packaged with love and care just for you, dear movie fan.

Thanks to:

AstroVision outlet in Greenbelt 5, Makati

Follow Astroplus, Orange Magazine TV, and LG on Facebook to get the latest updates on movie releases, exciting events, entertainment news and products, and a whole lot more.

Check out my movie reviews at my original FilmCheck site.

Catfish (2010)

Facebook romance.

Yaniv Schulman, or "Nev," a 24-year-old photographer from New York, meets beautiful Megan Faccio on Facebook, and an online romance blossoms-- until everything suddenly feels weird, suspicious, and strange.

Catfish follows the true story of Nev, documented by his brother Ariel and friend Henry Joost, that began when Nev was remotely befriended by Abby, an 8-year-old gifted painter from Michigan, who sends him painting versions of his photographs. Nev eventually became close to Abby's family, especially to the model-like sister Megan, through technology. And we follow Nev and Megan's budding relationship-- until the three friends decide, that from their filmmaking gig in Vail, Colorado, to take a detour and drive to Ishpeming, Michigan to finally meet the family in person. And the shocking truth is revealed to all of us.

Selected at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, the hit documentary became a controversy, with critics questioning its authenticity. The filmmakers deny the film as a hoax, and it's no surprise to me-- as the tiniest flicker of emotions in the eyes, the voice, and the split-second moments can never be replicated even by the most natural, exceptionally talented actors nor can it ever be directed by a genius director. And as the cliche goes, truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

Catfish is an engaging narrative; fast-paced, funny, and heartbreaking; a sad, disturbing, haunting story, touching on the dark, sensitive areas of our reality, and the universal effects of social media.

And after watching the film, you'll definitely find yourself Googling. And searching on Facebook.

And please, do not search for spoilers before watching the film.

4 out of 5 stars

The PEx post

The trailer:

Trust (2011)

Life As We Know It (2010)

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

So far it's my worst movie of the year.

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS feels like a Star Cinema love story but littered with sex scenes and nudity. It's a cliche-ish, cheesy romantic comedy-turned-drama about a spunky artiste commitment-phobe Parkinson's Disease sufferer (Anne Hathaway) and Pfizer womanizer (Jake Gyllenhaal) who accidentally met while Anne Hathaway was showing her left boob to her primary physician. Indeed, TRUE love conquers all, and her commitment phobia and his womanizing days were finally cured.

The characters lacked depth, the lovers had zero chemistry, and I was kind of getting tired looking at Anne Hathaway's eyes, nose and mouth that are blown out of proportion. In this dragging movie, all I hear are the f-word, tacky soundtrack, the irritating blabber of Oliver Platt and the greasy brother; and all I see are naked humping bodies and Hathaway's gigantic facial features.

It failed to ignite the smallest emotion in me, and even the film's soundtrack that was meant to evoke the target emotion in me just makes the movie even more annoying. I bet that even if I had Parkinson's Disease, I'd still be numb from any touching emotion this movie is so trying hard to project. 

0.5 out of 5 stars

Easy A (2010)

You will probably say that you've seen a lot of teen comedy flicks already; you've seen one and you've seen them all. You know, the kind of film that depicts the usual stereotypes and teenage angst and the whole high school experience that John Hughes had popularized in the '80s ( and who got a special mention in this movie).

But you gotta see Easy A,about a sympathetic "nobody" (played naturally by Emma Stone) whose social status instantly sky-rocketed because of a lie. It is hilarious, and when I say hilarious, it is hilarious. The cast is fantastic, which includes Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as the parents of our heroine, and other well-loved and well-known talented comedians. The screenplay is intelligent and engaging, with a wildly witty dialogue that has references to classic literature and modern-day culture, filled with rich, vibrant characters who are your usual everyday people but represented with depth (yeah, with depth, unlike the cast of Glee). All in all, Easy A is a comedy with a kind of humor that ranks high above other comedy flicks.Easy A delivers a lot of gut-laughter and has the "repeatability element." Yeah, I might see it again. Yes I will.

The King's Speech (2010)

Megamind (2011)

127 Hours (2010)

How do you make a film about a canyoneer trapped underneath a boulder for 127 hours without boring the daylights out of the audience? Academy Award winner Danny Boyle has managed to re-create the true story of Aron Ralston in a tasteful, honest and intense fashion; his trademark arrogant and playful shots complementing the profoundly dramatic journey of Ralston.

Impressively directed by Boyle, with a stellar performance by James Franco, the one-man film was able to transmit all the emotions of the hero from the screen right to your heart, encompassing all your senses and feelings; your emotions skipping between thrill, fear, horror, hilarity, panic, profound sadness, and euphoria. Every inch and detail of the film, every split-second facial expression of Franco, seems to tell a story of its own. And together with a fitting soundtrack (mostly beautiful original compositions of A.R. Rahman), and the stunning, harsh beauty of Canyonland as backdrop, make 127 Hours (with Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Directing, and Best Actor for James Franco) a tremendously emotional and satisfying cinematic experience. A masterpiece, and by far one of the best movies of the decade. 

5 out of 5 stars

The Scale:

‎5 - Masterpiece. Must-see immediately.
4 - Almost perfect, must-see.
3 - Very good; entertaining. Can-see at the cinema, depending on your time and budget, but still see it someday on DVD.
2.5 - Passable. Wait for it on DVD. Not worth your cinema ticket.
2 - Bad movie. See it if you dare on DVD.
1 - Don't see it at all. Waste of time.
0 - Pretend it never existed. AWFUL to the soul. (Yes, I give a zero rating).

Tangled (2010)

Walt Disney's version of the German fairy tale Rapunzel in digital 3D, Tangled is fun and absorbing despite the mediocre songs and Rapunzel's painfully boring face. The dialogue is modern and witty, and there were quite a few scenes that will make you LOL. Probably the most memorable and funniest character in the film is Maximus (the horse that should win the Best Non-Speaking Role).

What is especially notable in this animated film is the facial expression of the characters, and with their unique personalities, they are brought to life, evoking the targeted emotion from the viewers. Rapunzel is a bit bonkers, yes, but who wouldn't be if you were locked up for 18 years in a tower?

Tangled is unpredictable, lively and hilarious. Even though the songs were pretty bland, the Disney twist to the story and the captivating personalities of the characters still makes Tangled a fun and engaging movie for the entire family. 

3.5 out of 5 stars

Rabbit Hole (2010)

A married couple (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart) tries to deal with the loss of their young son. In the film, we explore the depth of the couple's grief and mourning process, and we wait with bated breath if their marriage will last.

Although this concept for a film has already been seen in the past, Rabbit Hole (based on the Pulizter Prize play by David Lindsay-Abaire's) still stands out and is unique in a way that it grips you and tears you inside. Both Kidman's and Eckhart's pain are raw and profound, and the tension and fight scenes between them are heartfelt and natural, easily defeating di Caprio and Winslet's self-conscious marital conflict in Revolutionary Road. And Eckhart was surprisingly good in the film, able to match and complement Kidman's acting prowess.

Rabbit Hole is sad, unpredictable and touching, unpretentious and raw. Its beauty lies in its simple story structure, the emotions rising to the surface, palpable and real.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kidman nabs a Golden Globe or Oscar for this. 

4 out of 5 stars

Black Swan (2010)

The Next Three Days (2010)

Writer-Directer Paul Haggis of Oscar Best Picture Crash gambles and screenplays a remake of a 2008 French suspense-thriller Pour Elle. The Next Three Days puts together Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe and Zack and Miri Make a Porno's Elizabeth Banks in a dramatic and suspenseful plot to entice the movie-adrenaline junkies.

Crowe and Banks play husband and wife John and Lara Brennan, with a young son, and whose normal family life is suddenly disrupted when the local cops barge into their morning breakfast and handcuffs Lara for the murder of her female boss. With all evidences pointing to her--- fingerprints on the murder weapon, blood on her coat, her heated argument with her boss the night before the murder--- it looks like there is no more hope for Lara to get out of her life imprisonment. Triggered by his intense and undying love for his wife and his one hundred percent conviction of her innocence, John sets out a plan to break her out of prison. And that's when the thrills should have begun.

The Next Three Days moves in a slow, tedious fashion; there is no giddy, exciting feeling as Crowe plans out an escape for his wife. And as he fumbles through tutorials, books and seeks dangerous men for help before he executes his wife's prison break, instead of watching wide-eyed and fearful, you get this prickly sensation of boredom, the impatience creeping in, and you battle the urge to fast-forward the movie. However, in the end, the film was able to redeem itself in a last minute edge-of-the seat, smart cat-and-mouse chase.

The Next Three Days is basically centered on John's indomitable love for his wife; he plays that too perfect husband. Crowe's character also brings back to mind Mel Gibson's frequent roles as an ordinary family man (with expressive blue Aussie eyes) who suddenly finds himself in an extraordinary mission-- except that Mel Gibson's films are more powerful, more dramatic and action-packed.

The film is half-boring, half-suspenseful, and half-touching. If it's showing on cable TV, then you may find yourself changing the channel, and then checking back to see how the film ends. C

By the way, Liam Neeson makes a cameo.

True Grit (2010)

The Coen brothers’ remake of the 1969 John Wayne film (based on Charles Portis’s novel of the same title), True Grit is a Western adventure, with a spunky 14-year-old heroine, Mattie (Oscar-nominated Hailee Steinfeld), who seeks the help of a drunken notorious Deputy U.S. Marshall (Jeff Bridges, weirdly nominated for his role) to capture her father’s killer (Josh Brolin). They gallop into the Choctaw terrain, teams up with a Texas Ranger, LaBeouf (Matt Damon), for an adventure that would have been almost mediocre if it weren’t for the excellent performance of Steinfeld and the beautiful, heart-wrenching music of Carter Burwell, which plays significantly in the storytelling.

With their last year’s frustratingly pretentious bad dark comedy, A Serious Man, the Coen brothers were able to redeem themselves this year. True Grit (bagging a handful of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture) is an engaging adventure, oftentimes humorous; its substance mostly centered on Mattie’s spitfire personality and her chemistry with Bridges and Damon. Despite Bridges’s highly annoyingly incomprehensible slurs, the beauty of this film lies in its simple, unpretentious story structure of your regular Western, and the rich characters-- all encompassed by Burwell’s poignant music. A refreshing cinematic experience. B

Somewhere (2010)

In this film, expect five percent dialogue, two complete choreographed pole-dancing, one whole figure skating performance, then the rest are extremely long shots of silence and nothingness.

This Sofia Coppola film is supposedly about "a hard-living Hollywood actor" played by Stephen Dorff, who "re-examines his life after his 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning) surprises him with a visit." But in this film, instead of successfully getting across the substance of the story, or capturing the emotions or the mood of the characters, Coppola simply took uber long shots of material that were insanely unnecessary.

And Dorff, who's supposed to be an A-list Hollywood actor here, didn't feel like one; he simply looked like a scruffy guy walking around with an arm cast, tagging her daughter along to places, their bonding totally unfelt.

Coppola finished two complete choreographs of pole-dancing in this movie, and I wonder why a few seconds of that wouldn't give us an idea of Dorff's lifestyle?! Then we watch his daughter's complete figure skating performance, watch both of them play Guitar Hero and Wii for a looong time. Worse, most of the scenes were shot with one angle, as if she left her webcam on. These are just among many scenes where the camera was simply focused on one subject, unmoving, quiet, and ridiculously long, that the meaning is lost, making the entire film a one insignificant waste of time.

Somewhere is empty and totally leads to nowhere.

0.5 out of 5 stars