Movie Review | Sonic the Hedgehog

02.24.2020 – Sonic the Hedgehog is changing the way you see video games adapted into a live-action film. The movie holds up to the promise and hopes of the fans that followed its development after the reveal of what could have been a disastrous concept, which was saved by the fandom all over the world. It is considered a breakthrough on how video games have been adopted into the big screen and Sonic leads that reinvigorated the genre that would potentially become a franchise. Despite being a hit in various markets it is still considered a niche film for those who have grown up and played the game dating back to SEGA’s 16-Bit Mega Drive game console from the 1990s. But word of mouth travels with a supersonic speed that would continue to make this film a must watch you’ll see. The new reality for Sonic is simple in narrative and greatly executed performances from James Mardsen and the scene stealing Jim Carrey as the maniacal genius of Doctor Robotnik can’t be contained in this impressive ‘little’ film that most think is a child’s film, but actually it is for everyone to appreciate just like how he is being played in the video games is something worthy of a second watch in cinemas.

Movie Review | Birds of Prey

02.07.2020 – The start of blockbuster films shows that things are about to start to heat up that DC Films latest entry Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is something of a wildcard knowing that the original team based in the comicbooks is different from this roster in the big screen. Harley Quinn is front and center of this story, which arguably sort of an excuse for a solo film within the context that this is supposed to be movie consist of a team of heroes where the later lead character is not even an anti-hero. But with the concept of live-action films as part of the DCEU or DC Extended Universe you can give credit that Margot Robbie’s scene stealing portrayal of Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad is one of the bright spots of that the actioner. At the same time this gives you a different perspective and iteration of what is “Birds of Prey” in the big screen through the eyes and story of one Harley Quinn dealing with the events that transpired after Suicide Squad and what she has to do moving forward now that the former sidekick of the Joker is on her own now that is something to invite viewers with curiosity as the same time a closer look on the character.

Movie Review | Lupin III: The First

02.03.2020 – If you haven’t heard of Lupin the Third chances are you haven’t watched the full spectrum of iconic Japanese anime series. But if you just want to see a modern take of a cult classic character this latest iteration of Lupin might be in your wheelhouse for those looking for a different take of the beloved franchise. Lupin III: The First is the latest instalment in the film franchise, which is actually a standalone adventure of Lupin and his friends including Detective Zenegata. Back in the early 2000s old episodes of Lupin the Third anime series were syndicated in the Philippines, which were dubbed in Filipino (Tagalog) and became a huge hit. Though the series is no longer being broadcast the character and its series has been popular. With the latest film it takes all the classic elements of what the franchise is all about and reintroduced in this generation with a CG animated feature film, that redefines the character and giving you a fresh look on his next adventure that also ties up to his grandfather Arsène Lupin.

Movie Review | The Rise of Skywalker

12.21.2019 – Finally, it is the last chapter of the nine-part Skywalker Saga. The film has very limited release in the Philippines from 20 22 December 2019 due to the annual MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival), but had enough window for most Star Wars to see in the big screen before it gets replaced by locally produced films that is featured throughout the Holiday Season. The Rise of Skywalker resumes local screen date in the country by 8 January 2020. It was one of the most anticipated films to close the saga; the other was from Marvel’s highly successful Infinity Saga that closed out with Avengers: Endgame that was shown in late April 2019. For Star Wars, it was a different emotional ride that nearly divided the fandom after The Last Jedi (2017). This time around since JJ Abrams back in the director’s chair fans hope that it will right the ship from the previous film. The Rise of Skywalker is now perfect and most would suggest lowering your expectations to see this due to the ramifications of the previous film.

Movie Review | Terminator: Dark Fate

10.31.2019 – The Terminator franchise has endured the good, bad, and the ugly through it all fans continue to look forward into the future of the franchise. In the early films, there is one constant reason why this movie has been around because of the elements that make this one of the iconic movie franchises in the 20th century that continue to evolve, expands, and tries things differently. The other consistent part that makes a Terminator franchise is it follows a template, which is something from the future is sent to hunt someone down and then there’s another one sent back to protect it. The key to all of this narrative is about John Connor, the revolutionary leader that would change the fate of humanity. There’s so much mystery to the future and what is deemed the savior of the human race. Time and time the Terminator franchise plays out on the concept about the future of John Connor and sometimes it is that reason why this plays out that gives different opinions and discussions why humanity has to place their fate on one man they hardly knew in the present and for that reason it was an endless cycle of Terminators to deal with this man and for this once the franchise goes back to its roots why this endured long enough to still keep coming back and it isn’t John Connor…

Movie Review | Joker

10.06.2019 – The Joker is a very complicated character and his origin varies depicted by the writers and artists that breathe life to its history. In the films, Cesar Romero was the first to bring the character to life in Batman 1966. Then Jack Nicholson’s portrayal in the 1989 film, but what caught everyone’s attention is the later Heath Ledgers take on the character that defined the modern Joker. Jared Leto’s version should not be unnoticed that defined the sadistic side of the character. But with the introduction of a solo Joker film by director Todd Phillips with Joaquin Phoenix, the method actor as the titular character was something a different take defining a fresh look on the deep dark origins of what is the Joker in this film. This Joker movie lives up to the expectation that it is unpredictable and downright dark and not afraid to push the boundaries of what the character can be. Though, like in the comicbooks the Joker is unreliable narrator that prefers his original as a multiple choice, which gives writers to add their own take on the characterization of this complex human that ‘had a bad day’ as most taking the template of inspiration from Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke.

Movie Review | Spider-Man: Far From Home

07.03.2019 – With Great Power Must Have Great Responsibility. Everyone knows that was caption in the comicbook and uttered by Uncle Ben in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. But the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t need an adult to tell Peter Parker that entire he must find out from himself through trials and errors of his ways. The film that will close out Phase Three of the MCU films as its sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming was a revelation to Peter Parker’s growth what it takes to be a superhero and there was been a wealth of visual perspective in this film that makes it more cheerful; than the last film that precedes it. Definitely, the fun factor was dialed up that it was more focus now on the world of Peter Parker as the hero moving forward. Like any Marvel Studios produced films it takes an identity of its own that the cast of characters are headed to a ‘Summer Vacation’ and in relative fashion still carries the vibe from Homecoming that it still the elements of a fresh adventure of the students that have Ned, MJ, and Peter with the rest of their class that was a whole lot of fun!

Movie Review | Toy Story 4

06.24.2019 – The fourth installment of Toy Story was unexpected that the third film was the final act that closed the franchise. But Pixar Studios had other plans not being done with the adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and friends that was something fans, kids, and parents growing up seeing the franchise for the past 25 years. Definitely, there’s no doubt this fourth film is an emotional ride as revealed by Tom Hanks who voiced Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear. If you’ve witnessed Andy growing up from a young boy to a college student, the characters themselves have their unique evolution and growth that never was the same for everyone to see. There’s a saying the only thing that’s permanent is “change” and every succeeding Toy Story film that came out since the first one in 1995 was the constant growth not only for Andy but his toys that has been his companion since childhood. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you haven’t seen Toy Story 4 you know the drill, but then again you’ll just ignore it anyway so carry on…

Movie Review | Captain Barbell Boom!

03.14.2019 – Captain Barbell is a Filipino superhero created by Mars Ravelo and Jim Fernandez. The original concept of the character is inspired by a shirtless circus strongman. But throughout the character’s story appearing first in Pinoy Komiks series Ravelo continue to refine Captain Barbell’s costumes as well as how the hero came to be. In other medium Captain Barbell, has been retold in movies and television and the most present one was from 2011 with a follow-up to the 2006 series both aired by the GMA Network. But as far back to the mid-1960s to the early 1970s Captain Barbell was portrayed by three different actors with the most popular one portrayed by Dolphy, the Philippine’s King of Comedy. There were no surviving copies of the two previous films and with ABS-CBN Film Restoration project this third iteration of Captain Barbell was restored back digitally remastered with the 4K quality format. It brought back the nostalgia about how Filipino films were produced during that simpler time.

Movie Review | Captain Marvel

03.11.2019 – There has A LOT being discussed about Captain Marvel in, out and behind the scenes. Being one of the films that should be appreciated for what it was then seeing it from different angles of a spectrum. But none of that shall be discussed here but rather how superhero films should be.

Movie Review | Alita: Battle Angel

02.09.2019 – There has been an abundance of great stories from Japanese Manga that were adopted first to become a hit anime series. Sometimes translations to be marketed in Western countries like the US or Europe also have to change the names and terms to have a better understanding of the series. One of these series is Battle Angel Alita that was recently adapted into a live-action film produced by James Cameron and directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Movie Review | Glass

01.20.2019 – “Glass” is an interesting subject seeing that this film turns out to be a stealth sequel to “Unbreakable” (2000) that ties up with “Split” (2016). There have been so many superhero genre films that have come and ruled the cinemas since “Unbreakable” not to forget even on television. With “Glass” masterful connection to the two previous films M. Night Shyamalan written and directed gives closure to the project he has been pushing to create in almost two decades. The long-awaited plan didn’t happen entirely but it gives you a perspective if superheroes exist in the real world. M. Night Shyamalan himself revealed his ideas for this film was a deconstruction of the genre as known as “East Rail 177 Trilogy” that completes the long-awaited narrative that started with “Unbreakable” introducing Mr. Glass’ first appearance as the villainy that Bruce Willis as David Dunn aka The Overseer. The highlight of this trilogy was “Split” introducing James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb aka The Horde having 23 personalities with the 24th identity as The Beast.

Movie Review | Bumblebee

01.08.2018 – Transformers has been one of the many properties from the 1980s that continues to be relevant today with a slew of toys being produced by Hasbro and Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy with so many iterations from a multimedia franchise. The film series has earned billions of dollars, but critics have almost dissed the franchise for the last decade is slowly making a course correction.

Movie Review | Aquaman

12.13.2018 – Superheroes are every now in all platforms of the media. There has been an abundance of good stories adapted for the big and small screen. There are characters that are widely known, and there are also few underrated ones that have been ridiculed in the past. One such character is Aquaman which was published by DC Comics. It’s a long time coming for the aquatic hero to get his own movie and DC Comics made sure it delivers.

Movie Review | The House with a Clock in Its Walls

10.11.2018 – Fantasy-based adapted from novels are getting rare nowadays with every blockbuster film now is making comic books as its source material. There are also films that surely are underrated that it flew under the radar for those not in the know that immediately disappeared in some cinemas. "The House with a Clock in Its Walls," quite a mouthful for a title is surely one of those films that can be considered incognito that in some cinemas rarely gets the second look.

Movie Review | Thor Ragnarok

11.01.2017 – Marvel’s Thor Ragnarok is the seventeenth installment in their ever-expanding billion dollars breaking the cinematic universe. It’s by far heading to break box office record with great reviews rolling over as it’s headed for the US release date. By now everyone’s talking about this film like its brand new and going through the shortest Marvel film ever released Taika Waititi hits a big goal on this one.

Movie Review | Valérian

08.13.2017 – Luc Besson’s vision of “Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets” is grand that takes you back to where he was known for, which “The Fifth Element” is and what makes it more special is that this film inspired him to make the later. There’s no doubt Valérian is a very special film based on the popular French graphic novel.

Movie Review | Ice Age: Collision Course

07.03.2016 – “Ice Age: Collision Course” is the fifth instalment in the film series following ‘Continental Drift’ from 2012. The usual theme the main characters encounter either new enemies or an impending extinction to a certain doom. From the original characters Sid, Diego, and Manny with Scrat they meet friends along the way and just like real people they also have grown having families…

Movie Review | Independence Day Resurgence

06.21.2016 – How do you bring back a film that is both iconic and had a cult following? Simple you expand the story that the aliens where defeated at the same time sent out a distress signal for an immediate reinforcement invasion. This produced “Independence Day: Resurgence” from a movie that was built for one narrative in 1996. It’s about an alien invasion that unites the entire human race to take on, which was one of the best that came out in cinemas that has become nostalgic.

Movie Review | X-Men: Apocalypse

05.18.2016 – If you grew up the X-Men animated series chances are whenever there’s a new film coming out you’ll probably humming to the tune of the opening music. Unlike the animated series the film’s scope is different and taken in a grand way. With that the latest instalment is ‘X-Men Apocalypse’ that has been highly anticipated and already is getting mixed reactions due to the introduction of the main antagonist in Apocalypse portrayed by Oscar Isaac.