The Healing (2012): Director's Cut

In the opening credits, when the 3D text of the movie title "The Healing" appeared and positioned itself against the mountains like the HOLLYWOOD billboard sign in L.A., you know that you're in for an interesting experience.

Seth (Vilma Santos) brings her stroke victim father (Robert Arevalo) to Manang Elsa (Daria Ramirez), a faith healer in an unspecified province. The following day, Seth’s father is already miraculously up and running, making up for lost time by urgently living vicariously, taking in young girls for lovers and creating a Facebook account. News of the miracle healing has quickly spread in Seth's neighborhood, and soon her ill neighbors and close friends (Pokwang, Ces Quesada, Ynez Veneracion, Cris Villanueva, Janice de Belen) are begging to be brought to Manang Elsa, including the seriously ill stepdaughter of her ex-husband Kookie (Kim Chiu). Same thing happens, they all get miraculously well. But their cure, unfortunately, did not come free after all - each one healed will pay a horrific price…and the "Star for All Seasons" has the key to save them.

Split into two versions (PG-13 and R-18/The Director's Cut) so that the general public can all enjoy the movie, The Healing is horror-suspense laced with comedy. Director Chito Roño (Feng Shui; Sukob) and writer Roy Iglesias opted for a "fun" suspense flick, concocting a fast-paced storytelling meant to make scaredy cats jump from their cinema seats when they're not laughing at Pokwang or Seth's wild father. By the way, the Director's Cut, if you're curious, offers a right boob exposure and lots of bloody slayings, the graphic, gruesome violence not appropriate for the faint-hearted.

So, what of the narrative?

The plot itself is plain and simple enough to bring about its core entertainment: the string of horror and suspense that befalls each victim. However, if one follows the pattern of the killings, it has become inconsistent with the ultimate climax-- the scene with Kim Chiu. Her "different" case not explained; her horror different from the rest of the cast. Obviously, the different twist to her character aims to provide the audience with the element of surprise through deception, but still, it's not an excuse to change the story pattern without a valid narrative explanation. Yes, it succeeded in providing the audience with suspenseful scenes, but the more discerning audience would be distracted with the Why's. There are other essential factors disregarded for the sake of carrying the horror towards its end goal in an easy manner, which makes the Seth character either somewhat dense or not that concerned with her close friends. But then again, you are aware that it's the narrative that is a bit loose, purely concentrating on scaring you thus compromising important details.

 

Vilma Santos and the rest of the cast deliver absorbing performances; Santos delivers a natural portrayal of her character albeit some minor, forgivable slips-- chasing her lines in the script, like losing her balance and being able to catch herself before she falls. But in the entirety, she exudes the matriarchal, kind-hearted role she portrays with ease.

The special effects are still a bit crude but passable, and the funny “crazy eye” thing takes away the horror factor, but both the editing and cinematography are impressive, the scene transitions smooth, and the camera angles aptly capturing all the essential scenes. But what is highly memorable in this movie is the art direction-- it uses that film technique of "complementing" the set's interior color scheme with the actors' costumes. This movie did not seem to understand the idea of this technique, and instead laughably dressed the actors in uniform color-- with matching props. The entire town is wearing white, then the next day blue, then red, and so on. Instead of creating a harmonious, aesthetically pleasing, complementary color palette in your eyes, the result is distracting, hilarious, and such an eyesore, even confusing one movie reviewer I’ve read, who wondered if the “Color of the Day” scheme is some kind of a town ritual.

In its entirety, The Healing is well-acted, engaging and as a matter of fact will not bore you one bit because of its gimmickry on suspense. If a solid narrative, and even art direction, is not really an issue to you and you are a Pinoy horror fan seeking for the Chito Roño brand of horror-suspense, then you will surely enjoy this movie. And, of course, if you are a “Solid Ate Vi” or a “Global Kim Chiu” fan, this movie will giddily entertain you to bits.

2.5 out of 5 stars

In Cinemas July 25, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

When the movie trailer opened with no sound except for that sole, clear, angelic voice of the boy singing the national anthem, then transitioning into a sinister rumble, serious and ominous, the low pounding escalating into some kind of chaos...and then we catch sight of the Caped Crusader in what would be revealed as the epic conclusion of the Batman trilogy, you just know-- that the Dark Knight will rise above all the superheroes who recently graced the big screen. And so you wait with pure excitement. That kind of restless anticipation. Because you just know it's going to be so, so good just by that teaser trailer alone.

And then the day has finally come to watch. After finishing the almost 3-hour epic finale, it turns out you were right. Christopher Nolan has rewarded your very high expectations.

In this emotionally gripping and intellectually satisfying epic finale, Gotham City is at peace time, and Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) is in seclusion for eight years now; bearded, depressed, and lethargic. People are curious; where is the billionaire Mr. Wayne? And people are talking. Batman had murdered the city's hero Harvey Dent eight years ago, didn't he? He's a fugitive now. Gone. A legend. Then a beautiful cat burglar (Anne Hathaway) arrives, waking Mr. Wayne from his stupor...and then a big storm starts  brewing, triggered by a terrifying behemoth of a terrorist with a bear-trap-like mask named Bane (Tom Hardy), finally forcing Batman to step out of the shadows to save his beloved city. But after almost a decade of hiatus, can we rely on the Caped Crusader to fight again? Or will he...*chokes*...die in the killer hands of Bane? 

Christopher Nolan's reinvention of Batman is an important turning point in the history of superhero films. Dark and dead serious, stark and gloomy, the maturity of Nolan's treatment has transformed the fantasy of Batman into something more tangible and real. And with Hans Zimmer, who is God's gift to cinema, composing the film score, as well as the clear and elegant cinematography, you will be swept away in this movie. You will find yourself right there, in Gotham City, witnessing the inevitable fate of Batman.

In this epic finale, the core of the story are vengeance, politics, corruption, and terrorism on a grand scale, with our hero struggling and fighting against lost hope. And with unpredictable plot twists and turns, and with you rooting for Batman to survive and become once again the superhero that he is, The Dark Knight Rises is indeed tensing, emotional, and scary-- made all the more absorbing because of the wonderful cast...

I think someone here has a crush on Batman.

"This Means War" for Mr. Bane, played by Tom Hardy.

Christian Bale delivers a dramatic Batman role-- and, please, let's just ignore his unsettling, freaky Batman voice! Bale is aptly brooding, in pain, and determined as what a mortal hero should be. And he has a surprising chemistry with the surprisingly likeable Hathaway as the non-purring Catwoman. And the villain, Bane, played by an unrecognizable Tom Hardy, is a terrifying equal match to Batman when it comes to strength, and his actions evil and precise, causing him to be a very real threat and danger to our hero. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the young, idealistic cop John Blake, an avid Batman supporter, gives an already expected terrific performance (and DC comics fans will instantly "get" his pivotal role here). And Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Morgan Freeman, and Marion Cotilliard give justice to their supporting roles.

There's something about John Blake (Gordon-Levitt) that is exciting.

The Dark Knight Rises is a thrilling, dramatic, and satisfying closure to the Batman trilogy. For fans of this mortal hero, especially fans of the Nolan brand of Batman, you will be rewarded for sure. For non-Batman fans, well, Nolan just might change your mind...because this is definitely going to be our collective choice as one of the best movies that came out this year.

5 out of 5 stars

In Philippine Cinemas on July 19, 2012

NOLITA: the New York Style Pizza

In search for a new pizza experience in Manila?
There's actually a relatively new pizza joint found in The Fort, serving New York-style pizza: thin, and the slice so huge you'd have to fold it before you take a bite. Just like what you see in movies and TV shows set in Manhattan. 

New York at The Fort.

Nolita, which opened January this year, is short for "NOrth of LIttle ITAly," the actual name of that Italian-American neighborhood in Manhattan, where the pizza was actually inspired from. Owned by Patrick Santos, the same guy who owns The Bourhough at The Podium, another NY-style comfort food restaurant, along with New York native chef, Cuit Kauffman, Nolita offers the New York pizzeria experience to Filipinos.

Six months after Nolita opened at The Bonificio High Street, I found myself sitting in one of the rustic, charming, wooden booths inside the pizza joint, ready to take my first bite of a new pizza experience — New York style —  right here in Manila.

THE PIZZA

Nolita serves 16 rotating flavors of pizza throughout the day — by the slice, on a paper plate — so if you want to taste each and every flavor, you have to go back again and again to the restaurant. And one slice is so huge that it can be divided up to three parts if one wants to share with friends a little bit of every flavor. 

Last Monday, for lunch, owner Patrick ordered for us six flavors to share. First bite of the Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese (PHP250) was somethin' else. Spicy. The blue cheese strong and complementary, all melting into a rich, flavorful, and new pizza flavor experience. Chicken Parmesan (P250) was deliciously...parmesan, the cheese the dominant flavor, lingering. 

L-R: Cheeseburger, Pepperoni, Chicken Parmesan

The rest, namely, the Regular Cheese (PHP130), Pepperoni (PHP160), Spinach & Artichoke (P210) and Cheeseburger (PHP210) were...bland. Surprisingly. You bite, and there's nothing quite special to them; none of that homey, comfort-food experience of even such classic as the pepperoni pizza. No, they're not bad at all, but if I'd draw a smiley face, the mouth would be a straight line. Blank.

L-R: Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese, Regular Cheese, Spinach & Artichoke

From the total of six flavors, I could honestly say as a pizza lover that I've tasted way better pizza in other places. The first two flavors I've mentioned were different and good —  but I did not experience anything "Woooow" or "Mmmm!!!"  The pizza offered to us were no longer warm, straight from the display window, so I cannot say if it would make a difference if I bit into the fresh, hot version of them. 

We were also given a basket of beer-battered onion rings with Sriracha dip (PHP160) to crunch on...and they are crunchy; crispy, not that oily, and tastes fine. The fun is all in the crunch. The potato chip fries with dip (PHP130) were a delight for a potato fan like me. Both, I can do without the dip. They're good snack material.

Beer-battered onion rings with Sriracha dip

Potato chip fries

For dessert, Patrick opted to let us taste the white chocolate and peanut butter tiramisu (PHP280), which was nice, filling, deliciously chilled, crumbly, and rich, the white chocolate overpowering the peanut butter a bit, which I prefer.  And the funnel cake, the light and crunchy-on-the-outside-and-soft-on-the-inside fritter-like pastry, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar and dipped in butterscotch and whipped cream is absolutely delectable, a heavenly treat for a sweet-tooth like me.

White chocolate and peanut butter tiramisu

Funnel cake with butterscotch and whipped cream

All the food on the menu are made from scratch, admirably.

THE AMBIANCE

It's hip, casual, and laid-back. The space is very small; can only seat around 45 diners, but the cleverly placed floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one wall prevent that claustrophobic feel. With overhead blackboards at the counter, the menu carefully written in colorful-chalk letters, the hip and modern light fixtures, and the overall Manhattan vibe, makes it one of the coolest and eye-candy pizzerias in town. 

"Hmmm...what to order?"

The wooden tables give it a more picnic-y, park-y, casual New York feel to it, and the pizza on paper plates completes the New York pizzeria experience. 

Perfect.

THE SERVICE

Self-service. Line up, order your pizza, grab a table, wash your hands, and eat away. They actually posted a helpful instruction for you, bolted on their wall in modern and artful graphics, in case you enter clueless.

OVERALL VERDICT: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Let's be blunt: If you're rich, or a luxurious eater, and buying a PHP200+ slice of pizza is something you won't think twice, then Nolita is a place to go to if you need your pizza fix and it's the nearest pizzeria to your place. Or if you're with a group of friends looking for a place to hang out, where bonding at a cool joint is your priority over the food, then with PHP 200 per head, you can all chip in and order various pizza flavors to share over animated conversations. You can also opt for free ice-cold water to go with your pizza, available on the counter, with colorful plastic cups.

For me, with only six flavors to base my experience from, I would recommend Nolita for what it actually and literally offers:  New York-style pizza. The operative word here is style, not really the pizza itself.

***

Nolita is located at 7th Ave. corner 31st St., Bonifacio High Street Central, Taguig. 
Operating hours: 11 a.m. daily to 12 mn (Sun-Mon), 2 a.m. (T-Th), and 5 a.m. (Fri-Sat).

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I would like to thank OpenRice.com, Asia-Pacific's Premier Dining Guide, for the invitation.



Photos by Stephanie and Jessica Mayo

Magic Mike (2012)

To Channing-lusting females, sexually frustrated housewives, gays, and closet strippers, Magic Mike could be the answer to your fantasies. You don't have to visit a male strip club—  just go to your nearest cinema for a generous sight of gyrating beefcakes, even if it's only in 2D.

Generating a ripple effect of female hysteria, Magic Mike seems to be the hottest and much-talked about movie in town, even by straight men. But if you're seeking for fun and entertainment that is beyond hot males grinding their pelvis—i.e., the story—then there's nothing in it.

Marketed as light and fun, the movie is actually more of a drama. Mike (Tatum) is an ageing superstar male stripper at Xquisite Club owned by Dallas (Mathhew McConaughey). The movie establishes early on that Tatum is a wise, responsible guy, so don't judge him! He is only using his sexy gig to save up for his real dream and ambition: furniture-making. But Mike's well-laid plains might just go wrong when he accidentally meets a 19-year-old unmotivated Calvin Klein model-lookalike, Adam/"The Kid" (Alex Pettyfer), and recruits him as a stripper under his wings—  and promises Adam's uptight sister Brooke (Cody Horn), who he has a crush on, that he will keep Adam out of trouble. 

British actor Pettyfer as "The Kid" could be the next Magic Mike.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, and inspired by Tatum's teen life as a stripper, do not expect a deliciously rich story on the five male strippers on the movie poster—  they're not even close friends in the movie. The story surprisingly only revolves around Mike, Adam, and Brooke, and executed flatly. And the rest of the male strippers? They are just extras— except for McConaughey, the ambitious and narcissistic leader of the troupe.

From the perspective of the three main characters, you'd barely feel anything. You won't feel Mike's struggles as an ageing stripper; you won't care what happens to him. With Adam, there is initial thrill when he is introduced to stripping, but we are weirdly not sucked into the world of male strippers— it's just all in the surface. You comprehend but you don't experience. And Mike and Brooke have no chemistry, with Brooke most of the time pouting and her eyes traveling thoughtfully. And whenever anybody talks in the film, it's irritating. The dialogues are lame, sad, and empty, making Gossip Girl and Glee look like they were written by geniuses.

Cody Horn looks like this in the entire movie, but Magic Mike is smitten by her.

For someone like me who don't go gaga over male strippers, the performances provide light fun and entertainment and is quite engaging, especially when the males accumulate all the sweaty, rumpled Benjamins stuck in their leather thongs, and you're happy for them. The choreography and costumes provide amusement but somehow you don't get any infectious giddiness from the female audience in the club. You see them shrieking and going wild, but you don't feel anything. Stamped PG-13 in the country, the sexy moves are not shocking, only teasing and naughty, and the frequent loud rip of clothing material to reveal male bums can elicit laughter. Tatum is the only skilled dancer in the entire gang, yet he does not exude the special superstar persona; it is McConaughey who delivers a lively and impressive stripper performance, and the only one with a strong sense of character.

Mathew McConaughey is a credible stripper.

Set in sunny Tampa, Florida, the movie provides a beautiful yellow glow throughout the film, complete with visually pleasing palm trees and the sounds of crashing ocean waves, with physically fit men and women walking around...but the story is scattered and ambivalent. You cannot grasp anything. It's floating, barely felt. No real sense of drama, and the humor is dry. There is no magic.

Overall, if you're seeking to be entertained with the story, then Magic Mike is a complete waste of time. The story is dragging, boring, and empty and only inspired me to get into shape because of Brooke's enviously flat belly. But if you're in it for the visual male eye-candy alone, and you don't care whether the movie has a story or not, then you might enjoy it. Because, really, you're just paying for a non-live, silver-screen version of Chippendales, with Channing Tatum in it. 

1 out of 5 stars

Still showing in Philippine Cinemas

The Intouchables (2012)

From the producer of 2012 Oscar Best Picture The Artist comes another hit French film that broke box office records in France and across Europe, going down in history as one of the most successful French movies of all time.

The Intouchables, based on a true story, focuses on the unlikely and touching friendship of an extremely rich disabled man and his ex-con Sengalese caregiver from the ghettos. Philippe (François Cluzet), a bored tetraplegic who lives in a mini castle in Paris, hires Driss (Omar Sy), a crass and vulgar black man who has no intentions of getting the job in the first place. And so we follow how two men from entirely different worlds find joy in each other's company...and making a huge difference in each other's lives.

The story is rather simple:  a rich man and a poor man developing a genuine friendship. But what makes the movie engaging is the shining personalities of the two men and how well they click together. Philippe is stiff, reserved, and sophisticated, with zero skills in courting women; and Driss is the opposite: outspoken, relaxed, uneducated but street-smart, and he knows what he wants and gets it. Get them talking and the result is pure comedy.

Omar Sy, who has won several awards for his role as Driss, beating The Artist's celebrated Jean Dujardin for the César du cinema award for Best Actor, is actually the star of the film. What makes Driss' character in this movie deliciously entertaining is his unabashed vulgarity, cheerful disposition, his riotous sense of humor, and the fact that he's not intimidated with Philippe and his world. Driss speaks his mind, and we always love hearing the blunt truth. He says things that we usually edit out in our heads, and hearing them spoken before a stiff, wealthy man is funny and liberating. Think Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour; Omar Sy and François Cluzet deliver their own memorable brand of comedy and friendship.

The Intouchables is not what you'd call a comedic masterpiece, but it is an absorbing, witty, and heartwarming story, much made more meaningful by the fact that it's based on a true story. You will definitely find yourself wearing a huge grin while watching, in between bursts of laughter.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Internationally Acclaimed Candice Adea: The Perfect Ballerina

At the final show of Ballet Philippines' re-staging of Crisostomo Ibarra last June 24th, I had the great pleasure of witnessing the most recent Filipino pride, Candice Adea, first-prize winner of this year's Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Finland, perform her critically acclaimed role as Maria Clara, with her partner, Jean Marc "JM" Cordero, as Ibarra. 

It was a breathtaking experience.

Twenty-five-year old Candice brought soul and magic to her role. I thought to myself, I have never seen a ballerina like this. Never. Or a dancer. In my entire life. She has this innate power to behold you, train your eyes on her, and you'll get lost in her soulful storytelling through dance, taking your breath away. The stage was filled with ballet dancers, yet Candice stood out, her dancing perfect and incredibly effortless as if it's is as natural as breathing. And you will absolutely fall in love with her. And her chemistry with her partner — and real-life sweetheart — JM Cordero, was palpable, delivering a memorable performance in one of Ibarra's acts, "Halik," which brought tears to my eyes.

I'm a Candice fan, if I may gush!
Candice and JM "meet and greet" after the final show of IBARRA.
(L-R back: my dad, me, and my sister).

Ibarra may be over, but Ballet Philippines will give us another opportunity to experience Candice and JM's ethereal ballet dance moves in a new grand pas de deux created especially for them in  Songs. You won’t want to miss them at their prime. No way.

Real-life sweethearts Candice Adea and Jean Marc Cordero.

A bold gala of local and international works opens the season of Ballet Philippines’ 43rd Season: Dragon Song in Songs, on July 6-8, 2012 at the CCP Main Theater. Featuring works by BP artistic director Paul Alexander Morales, Agnes Locsin, Alden Lugnasin, Hazel Sabas-Gower, French choreographer Redha, and Australian Mark Rosolini, Songs will premiere a new work by Augustus Damian III on Candice Adea and Jean Marc Cordero.

Watch this trailer and be excited:

Songs also features sensational masterworks in the arsenal of Ballet Philippines including:

Les Petit Mots D’Amour by Redha Beintefour (France)

A compelling dance piece that embodies man’s innermost desires. In it, man is reduced to his primal origins as he covets and yearns for an interactive idea. This vigorous search thrusts him into an enigmatic core of emotional existence. First performed in the Philippines in 1994.

Moriones by Agnes Locsin (Philippines)

Inspired by the Moriones Festival of Marinduque, Locsin’s MORIONES was choreographed for Ballet Philippines 2’s participation at the Recontres Festival Du Danse in La Baule, France. It was also a study for movement for the Guardias Civil dance for Locsin’s coming Encantada, slated to be premiered the next year. First performed in July 1991, Manila, Philippines.

This is My Life by Alden Lugnasin (Philippines)

This solo contemporary dance piece highlights the independence and elegance of woman.

Songs will also feature works by BP’s Morales, as well as a new pas de deux choreographed by former BP artistic director Augustus Damian III. Damian’s piece will be premiered by Candice Adea and Jean Marc Cordero, who have recently triumphed at the 2012 Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

SONGS:

July 6 2012: 3 pm and 8 pm

July 7 2012: 2 pm and 6 pm

July 8 2012: 3 pm

Venue: Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)
Tickets: P1200,P1000, P600, P500


For tickets contact Ballet Philippines at 551-1003, 551-7919, 624-5701. Or call Ticketworld at 891-9999, or CCP Box Office at 832-3704. Or visit Ballet Philippines at the 4th Floor Cultural Center of the Philippines Bldg., CCP Complex, Pasay City.

More on Candice Adea

2012 Ballet Philippine's principal dancer, Candice Adea beat 69 dancers from 28 countries, including USA, China, Japan, Finland, Canada, Italy and Cuba, by winning First Prize, Senior Women's at this year's Helsinki Ballet Competition, one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world. Her partner, and real-life sweetheart, Jean Marc Cordero, also a principal dancer of Ballet Philippines, was a semi-finalist in the Male Seniors Division. He won a Special Jury Award for Best in Pas de Deux Technique (partnering).


2011 Candice won special awards at the Boston International Ballet Competition (the Maris Liepa Award for Artistry) and the Third Prize at the Seoul International Dance Competition. With Cordero, she also won the Lead Role in a Russian Ballet Performance in Boston.

2010 Candice won the Silver Medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, MI, considered as the Olympics of ballet.

Adea is the first Filipino to be awarded First Prize in a top tier international ballet competition (composed of competitions in Varna, Bulgaria; Jackson, MI, USA; and Moscow, Russia).

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Ballet Philippines Official Site

Ballet Philippines FACEBOOK page

Photo credits: Ballet Philippines.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

The concept that the 16th American president was a vampire hunter is already a dubious entertainment material-- if not laughable. Especially when the story is delivered in a serious, historical manner. But the novel, on which this movie is based, has actually garnered positive reviews-- and followers. And with Tim Burton producing the movie version, I guess no one should underestimate the power of imagination and creativity and give this--*guffaws*--Abraham-Lincoln-with-a-secret-life-slaying-bloodsuckers a chance.


In Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, America is occupied by the living and the dead. Abe (Benjamin Walker) is confronted with this fact when he found out that it was actually a vampire that killed his mother. And so he not only becomes bent on ending slavery, but also becomes determined to avenge his mother's death and kill each and every vampire that exists in his beloved country. His determination of the latter comes true when he meets the mysterious Henry (Dominic Cooper), who trains him to become a vampire hunter. And so, like Clark Kent and Peter Parker, Abe also lives a double life-- store clerk and law student in the morning, superhero-vampire hunter at night. And if Thor wields a hammer, Abe kills the enemies with a silver-dipped axe.

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) and screenplay written by the author of the novel himself, Seth Grahame-Smith, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter proves to be worse than what I expected. It offers nothing substantial. It feels like you're watching a  video game. No, actually, it feels like you're watching over the shoulder of a kid playing an unexciting kiddy vampire online game. That's how uninvolved you'd feel.


Bekmambetov has excessively used slo-mo effects and MTv-like choreography in the fight scenes, the black vampire blood and wooden splinters flying in 3D--sometimes obliterated by smoke and dust and in synced with a modern film score--which totally eliminates the scary factor. No build-up tension. No sense of raw horror and danger. Also, the unnecessary 3D effects make you all the more detached to what's going on. Yes, your eyes can comprehend a lot of action going on in the screen; all the flying, the magical axe in swift motion, the black top hat, and the cartoonish vampires baring their fangs pop-up style...but you won't feel a thing except why such a movie exists. 

No sense of history either. The historical and Lincoln biographical part of the movie is thinly told and so you won't get anything substantial out of it either-- the movie purely concentrates on the non-threatening presence of the vampires and Lincoln's boring face and boring axe flying everywhere.


To vampire fanatics looking for a delicious horror-scare at the cinema, I suggest you just watch some YouTube pop-up monster videos because they are waay scarier than this. Not to mention more fun. 


1 out of 5 stars


In Philippine theaters today, July 4, 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Do you think you need to watch a Spider-Man reboot? Is it even necessary? Only five years have passed since the end of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movie trilogy and yet the Marvel superhero's story starts all over again on the big screen-- this time lanky British actor Andrew Garfield (The Social Network; Never Let Me Go) replacing Tobey Maguire as the webslinger.

In The Amazing Spider-Man, we are told an already familiar story: how Spider-Man came to be...only this time, we are provided with more details. Seventeen-year-old social outcast Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), orphaned at such a young age, grew up with his uncle (Martin Sheen) and aunt (Sally Field) in a quiet suburban neighborhood...but his past is kept a secret from him. One day, Peter discovers a clue about his father's mysterious work, leading him to Oscorp lab to meet the one-armed Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). There, Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider...that will change his life forever.

Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer) and writers Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, James Vanderbilt weave a Spider-Man story that is more human than superhero, more emotional than showy. And with a more dramatic approach, the film is much more realistic. Here is a Spider-Man movie that is more Peter Parker than Spider-Man-- we are given more insight into Peter's personality, his teenage struggles, his first love experience with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and how he shapes himself to become the amazing Spider-Man. Spider-Man fans will like Garfield as the new webslinger, as the 28-year-old actor gives a more Spidey personality, proving his versatility as an actor by delivering a believable performance as a socially awkward and vulnerable teenager who discover the thrills, the risks, and responsibilities of his newly acquired spider powers. 

There are a few dull moments and the humor can only elicit tiny chuckles, but the film smoothly transitions from a Peter Parker backgrounder into superhero-versus-villain action scenes as Spider-Man eventually finds himself face-to-face with the menacing Lizard...until we are brought to the breathtaking climax of the film where we are treated to watching Spider-Man in a flawless and beautifully choreographed display of aerial spider-acrobatics in night-time Manhattan, including exhilarating shots from his POV. The film score is sometimes off, downplaying some significant scenes but it's nevertheless compensated by a nice cinematography and engaging action scenes. Also, a giant lizard and a human-spider going at each other's throats in New York City unexpectedly provides a real sense of suspense and danger.

With a streamlined screenplay, unpretentious and clear narrative, The Amazing Spider-Man turns out be a necessary reboot after all, as the film will take fans on a different Spider-Man experience...and this movie might just spawn a whole new and exciting Spider-Man series on the big screen. Fans, prepare to be bitten.

3.5 out of 5 stars


In Philippine theaters June 29, 2012