My Fave Flicks For '08...

It's been awhile (an understatement). I want to try and see if I can get back on the saddle again so to speak, and indulge in my "wannabe-movie critic" persona via my outlet; my little ol ' blog, "Reel Deal".
And what better way to kick off my return from my long absence than to recount my favorite movies from last year?

THE DARK KNIGHT
Instead of doing the usual "countdown-to-number-one" style (meaning from, say, number ten, counting down to number one) in enumerating what I think are the best films from last year, let me already start at the top. And, without a doubt, The Dark Knight is the best movie I'd seen for '08! Although, I have to admit, the first time I watched it, because I had very high expectations for the film, I wasn't all praises for it - 'til after I saw it a second time; and by then, I couldn't stop watching it over and over. I had several repeat screenings of TDK, which totaled to around twenty (or a little over that).
The Dark Knight has proven (again) that films based on a (super-hero) comic book can be made into a movie that's taken seriously, and not just some watered-down, "campy film". In fact, this is the way super-hero movies should be made : gritty, serious, and something that isn't (just) necessarily for kids.
The movie is filled with superb performances all around, especially that of the late Heath Ledger. I know that everyone has already shouted about his "Oscar-worthy" performance to the high heavens, but, I don't care, I'll ring that bell as well and jump on board the Ledger bandwagon. Before Heath, it was assumed that the greatest Joker performance would belong to Jack Nicholson (as he was excellent in visionary director Tim Burton's Batman). In fact, when I first heard that Ledger was cast as Batman's arch-nemesis, The Clown Prince of Crime, my reaction was that of doubt. I was going "What the heck was (director) Christopher Nolan THINKING?!?" But now, I've seen the error of my ways and have nothing but "I'm not worthy" praises. Hehe.
Ledger's Joker was his own. I especially loved how Nolan (or whoever came up with the idea) decided to make the Joker a "normal" criminal (well, as normal as insane criminals go that is) - meaning, there was nothing supernatural involved in how he became the Joker (as opposed to falling into a into a giant vat of chemicals, resulting in his pasty-white skin) - and that his "permanent smile" was nothing more than a scar (and Ledger's Joker gives the audience two versions on how he got it - in short, never really revealing the true origin for the scar - which i also loved; the whole flicking-of-the-tongue-to-graze-the-scar added to the uniqueness of Ledger's Joker as well). Heath was just...chilling as The Joker. In fact, there was this one scene in the movie in particular that gave me goosebumps : the scene where Joker, via a videotape, tortures a faux Batman, and he shouts "LOOK-AT-ME!!" Whew. That sent a chill down my spine.
Even Aaron Eckhart did justice to the role of Two-Face. He also has one of those "Oscar-moments" in The Dark Knight, and it was right after the accident that turns him into his villainous alter-ego, in the hospital, as he comes face to face with Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman). I was also worried that adding Two-Face to the mix would overcrowd the movie, plot-wise, as sequels often have the mistake of committing that particular "crime" (the need to have more of everything, just to be able to top its predecessor or the movie that came before it), but you realize, after watching The Dark Knight,that he is integral to the story as well.
But there are actually a lot of things happening in The Dark Knight, plot-wise. Fortunately, in the capable hands of director Christopher Nolan, you don't get to feel overwhelmed by the plot(s)/sub-plots of the movie. The running time, which is around two and a half hours (or two hours and forty minutes), is enough time for Nolan to wrap things up neatly, without it feeling like everything was rushed.
Now The Dark Knight may not be the kind of movie that a film critic would consider as the top pic for '08, but hey, I'm not a movie critic. In my opinion, this was the number one movie (that I'd seen anyway) from last year.
Besides The Dark Knight, other films from the previous year worth mentioning as part of my "Best Movies of 2008" list are :

SWEENEY TODD
Forget all the blood and gore (because there's a lot of it in this movie), this latest Tim Burton masterpiece is just that - a masterpiece. Despite its dark theme and look, it just somehow feels so colorful and beautiful to look at.
I heard that the studio didn't have Johnny Depp as their first choice to play the title character, but director Burton insisted that he was the right actor for the part. Though Depp may not exactly have a professional background when it comes to singing (and his vocal chops, as well as that of co-star Helena Bonham-Carter, is obviously not a match to some of his other, more seasoned singing co-stars), he still pulls off the right key in his "musical scenes."
Already considered to be, currently, one of the greatest actors in Hollywood, Depp has had the reputation of taking roles that are usually out of the norm, and this is no different. And just like most of his other "unusual" roles (Willy Wonka, Captain Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands, etc), he convincingly succeeds as The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Sweeney Todd is not a feel-good movie, and yet, it is just so much fun to watch.

I AM LEGEND
*warning : spoiler up ahead*
I never got to see the original and the first adaptation of Richard Matheson's book The Last Man On Earth. All I know about that movie is that it starred Vincent Price. The only other remake (or adaptation) that I'd seen was The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston (I saw it on tv in the 80s, when I was a kid), and my only memory about that movie, other than Heston's character dying in the end, was that I was so depressed; I was probably too young to "appreciate" it and should not have seen a movie like that.
So after several failed attempts to bring back Matheson's book to the big screen (one of said attempts involved Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in it), along comes director Francis Lawrence, hot on the heels of his success on Constantine. And he's made one superb movie in I Am Legend!
Will Smith is terrific in this movie as Robert Neville, the lone survivor in New York City, who struggles to find a cure for a plague that kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters. Smith is convincing as a man wrought with guilt, as he literally takes the world on his shoulders and tries to save it from man's mistake and "over-eagerness" to play God (you know, the usual - create-a-cure-that-turns-out-to-be-humanity's-downfall). I know it's just a movie, but it does feel like a "realistic" look at a post-apocalyptic world, and of one man's struggle to survive from his lone existence (I mean, if you were the last person on Earth, wouldn't you go insane?), trying to keep some semblance of a normal life (e.g. putting up mannequins, pretending that they were actual people he could talk to as he goes about some of his daily routines, one of them being a visit to the video store to rent out DVDs).
One of my favorite parts in IAL, and one of the most heart-pounding scenes, was when Neville goes into this building filled with the movie's antagonist, the so-called "Darkstalkers" (the monstrosities that man is turned into because of the plague), to go after his only companion, a German Shepard named Sam. Director Lawrence decided that the only lighting that he'd use in the scene was the one mounted on Smith's machine gun. And so it made that scene even scarier.
It's got action, suspense, and heart-wrenching drama courtesy of the excellent Will Smith. I Am Legend was the first movie I got to see for 2008, and I'm glad I was able to start off my movie-watching that year with a bang.

IRON MAN
Of course, not all my choices for (my) fave flicks of '08 are all doom-and-gloom or "serious" movies; though not better than The Dark Knight, Iron Man was definitely the movie that i had the most fun watching.
I gotta admit, just like with Christopher Nolan's casting choice with the late Heath Ledger as The Joker, when I first heard that Robert Downey,Jr. was going to play the Golden Avenger, I was skeptical too. Was this going to be ala-Michael Keaton as Batman (cool in costume, but as alter ego Bruce Wayne, blech)? He's never struck me as the big screen leading man/super-hero type (I kept thinking more "comedian"; I also heard that there would be a lot of humor in the movie, which had me thinking "Oh no, this is gonna turn out to be too silly). In fact, even director (and co-star in the movie) Jon Favreau wasn't exactly jumping for joy in the beginning about Downey,Jr. being cast as well. Actually, Favreau was the other reason why I was thinking that Iron Man would be a so-so movie. I mean, he's never really directed a big-budget movie of this magnitude, let alone directed any film that's wowed me (well, those that I've seen anyway). But, just like me and everybody else, Favreau did eventually change his mind about Robert Downey,Jr. After watching Iron Man (about twenty times or more), I still can't help but be amazed at the perfect casting choice of Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, specifically that of his alter ego Tony Stark. He is Tony Stark! Can you seriously imagine Tom Cruise in the role now (because when news first got around that an Iron Man movie was going to be made, there were reports that he was up for the part)? No. It's a casting coup that kind of reminds me of Brandon Routh getting the part of Superman. Perfect.
One adjective that is best used to describe Iron Man is cool. And seeing the armor on the big screen definitely gave all the geeks 'round the world (I do fall under that category too) something to rejoice about. With this kind of movie, it's a given that you'll see a lot of CGI. But one of the (other) things I have to give Favreau credit for is his insistence in building and using an "actual armor", rather than simply rely on all-out CGI for when Robert Downey Jr. is in his Iron Man suit. Which was good, because it made seeing Shell Head (for those who aren't familiar with "comic book speak", that's one of the nicknames of Iron Man) on the big screen in full body armor way cool beyond words. Can't wait for the sequel.
And, oh yeah -- even before news about it got out on the 'net, I was probably one of the very first people (the only person perhaps?) who noticed Captain America's (unfinished) shield in Tony Stark's workshop. I just had to mention that. It's a geek pride thing.

KUNG-FU PANDA
I also happen to love watching cartoons, and there were a few that I got to see last year : Horton Hears A Who, Wall-E and Kung-Fu Panda. Horton (which featured the voices of Jim Carrey and Steve Carell) was very funny, and Wall-E was sweet, but I pick Kung-Fu Panda as my favorite animated film of 2008 because, besides the fact that it was also very funny, it was the one that really stuck to my mind more than Horton (which I hear will have a sequel) and Wall-E. This a movie that both the kids and adults can enjoy. The characters are memorable, with Jack Black born to voice the role of Po, a porky panda who daydreams of one day joining the ranks of The Furious Five, a group of animal martial artists that he idolizes. Kung-Fu Panda could/should become the next big animated movie franchise.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Just like with Robert Downey, Jr., I wasn't all that thrilled at first when I heard that Edward Norton was taking over Eric Bana's shoes to play Bruce Banner. I mean, sure, Norton is a good actor, but I've never really been that big a fan. But Just like with Iron Man and The Dark Knight, after watching The Incredible Hulk, Norton did prove me as well as other "ubelievers" out there that we wrong; that he was right for the role of the troubled scientist, Banner, who is still trying to find a cure to the genetic accident that tranforms him into the titular character.
The Hulk movie (directed by Ang Lee) that preceded this one wasn't actually all that bad (I kinda liked it). But a lot of fans did voice out their disappointment over it (too much angst, not enough screen time of the Hulk, etc), and comic-book-giant-now-successful-superhero-movie-making-company Marvel wasn't exactly all too thrilled with the way the Ang Hulk turned out as well. So this time around, they've done away with the artsty-fartsy directing and storytelling, hired French director Louie Letterier (Danny The Dog, The Transporter 2), and made sure there were lots of action and a lot of The Hulk! Marvel says that The Incredible Hulk isn't quite a remake or retelling of the first Hulk movie, as the movie doesn't really recount too much about the how and why's of the Hulk's origin anymore, except in a bit of a montage at the beginning. And then, it was pretty much full steam ahead!
Other major characters have also been recast, with William Hurt as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (way better than Sam Elliott's cowboy-like portrayal -- Ross in Incredible... is a bitter and battle-hardened individual, whose obsession with the Hulk can sometimes blind him, even endangering his own daughter) and Liv Tyler as Betty Ross (Tyler wasn't terrible, but I still somehow prefer Jennifer Connely as the love of Bruce Banner's life). Miscast though is Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky, who turns into the very bad-ass Abomination ; he just seems too short. I guess thank goodness then for the CGI that renders the Abomination, as he does look like someone (or something) that could kick Hulk's butt.
There are fun cameos, from Stan Lee (no Marvel movie is complete without a cameo from Stan "The Man" Lee after all, the man responsible for creating Hulk, Spider-Man, The X-Men, Captain America and many more iconic comic book superheroes) and from Lou Ferrigno (fyi, he is the original actor who first played the green goliath on the small screen, back in the days when there were no CGIs). And does Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man also make a cameo in the movie (there were all those rumors before The Incredible Hulk came out about Stark making an appearance)? Well, I'm not going to spoil it for those who somehow have not yet seen the movie.
And, as a geek, one of my favorite parts from the film, other than the funny scene where Banner screws up the classic Hulk line "You wouldn't want to see me angry" in another dialect, is when audiences get to hear Hulk utter a line associated with him, "Hulk...SMASH!" (I couldn't help but feel giddy with excitement when Hulk uttered those words on the big screen... I knew it was coming, and with a big, geeky smile on my face, I silently said those words along with the Hulk)
The action is loud and fierce, particularly the final battle between Hulk and Abomination. The Incredible Hulk is... well, incredible.

Other films worth mentioning...
ATONEMENT -- excellent, heart-breaking tearjeker-of-a-movie.
JUNO -- "the little movie that could..." ; adorable, funny and heart-warming.
KITE RUNNER -- good ol' fashioned drama.
BODY OF LIES -- scene-stealer Mark Strong is more than enough reason alone to see this movie.
THE MIST -- the twist at the end will have your jaws drop.
CLOVERFIELD -- except for the almost-nausseating camerawork, this is good "monster movie" fun.
QUARANTINE -- just like Cloverfield, it's shot ala-(faux)documentary style, so the camerawork will also most likely have you hurling chunks, but this will scare the piss out of you.

'Nuff said.

Pathfinder, Rocky Balboa

PATHFINDER. A thousand years in the past, a Viking boy is left behind after his clan battles a Native American tribe. Despite his lineage, the boy is raised by the very same Native Americans that his kinsmen set out to destroy. He grows up to become Ghost -- and as the Vikings return to stage another massacre (they want to cleanse the island before they inhabit it), he wages a personal war against them to stop the trail of death and destruction. The title and trailer were just too corny for me (and yet, I still watched it), and when you see Pathfinder, that's exactly the adjective you'll be thinking of. The movie neither has an interesting story or good acting. Even (a lot of) the lines are so predictable that you can see someone saying it a mile away. If you're looking for an action flick, it's best to stay away from this one. Better yet, go see 300 instead.

ROCKY BALBOA. I remember a couple of friends of mine several weeks ago telling me that Rocky Balboa sucked. Which brings to mind how I thought that Stallone was absolutely nuts in making another Rocky movie when he told Conan O'Brien at a guesting over a year ago (promoting The Contender) that he was planning to make one more in the movie franchise. But I take back what I said about Sly making a huge mistake -- and I don't agree with my friends' assessment of the film -- because, as it turns out, writer, director and star Stallone has managed to create a superb film. I think what will turn off a lot of people about the movie after they've seen it is the fact that it's not an all-out fisticuffs Rocky movie that most have gotten used to seeing. Well, what do you expect? Stallone isn't exactly in his 30s anymore. And it's not like he can travel back in time and change his age. Plus, this latest Rocky flick is more drama than anything -- probably another turn off for most hard core Rocky fans (or fans of pugilistic-themed movies). It was touching to see Sly deal with his character's age, as it made Balboa even more human (as opposed to memorable action heroes never being allowed to grow old in Hollywood). If you love underdog stories, then this is perfect -- you won't be able to help yourself from cheering on The Italian Stallion, particularly when he trains (with the expected theme accompaniment of course) to get in shape for his big fight against World Champ Mason Dixon (real-life boxing champ Antonio Tarver). It's when Balboa steps into the ring with and against Dixon that the movie falters for me, as it becomes some sort of sports drink video. But, nonetheless, this is a terrific and touching movie. You'll be humming Rocky's rousing theme "Gonna Fly Now" again and again after watching this flick. I just hope that Stallone doesn't go through with his other crazy and rumored idea of making another Rambo movie.

Bridge To Terabithia, King of Scotland, 300, ...Happyness, Flushed Away, ...Iwo Jima, Hitcher, It's A Boy Girl... , ...Shepherd, Notes..., Dreamgirls

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA. Since I wasn't familiar with the fact that this film was actually based on a book by Katharine Patterson, I thought that, after seeing the trailer, Bridge was a fantasy movie in the same vein as, say, The Chronicles of Narnia -- but, apparently, the premise was more reality than anything else -- about the very real childhood friendship between two kids, Jesse (Josh Hutcherson from one of my all-time fave flicks, Little Manhattan) and Leslie (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory's Anna Sophia Robb). Because I was expecting it be some fantasy romp, I gotta say that I was a bit disappointed by how the movie turned out. But nonetheless, it's a sweet story, and the bond between the two kids are probably (very) relatable to a lot of people, as we watch them trying to come into their own. It's best to have a lot of tissue on-hand, as this is quite the tear-jerker. Sniff.

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND. Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime, as seen by his personal physician in the 1970s, this is a superb movie. Forest Whitaker delivers a tour de force performance as Amin, and he deserves winning the awards for it, including The Oscar. He's so charismatic (and scary-as-hell), that you can understand why James McAvoy's physician - the fictitious Nicholas Garrigan - is drawn to him, as well the people around Whitaker's Amin (well, for those who didn't know any better). It's an exciting flick, and downright brutalizing towards the end (it will make your heart race). Even though I won't be in any rush to go see it again, without a doubt, King is one of the best films I've seen for this year.

300. Holy crap. And I mean that in a good way. That was exactly the expression that came out of my mouth after I stepped out of the theatre (well, it was a lot worse actually, as I tend be pretty foul-mouthed -hehe) -- I was so impressed by this movie! Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, 300 is about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. -- about King Leonidas (Phantom of The Opera's Gerard Butler), who takes 300 warriors on a fight-to-the-death to protect Sparta from the invading forces of Persia. Since is this based on a graphic novel, don't expect it to be an "historic movie" -- instead, enjoy it for what it is -- a very visually stylish action movie. It's very testosterony though, so methinks that this isn't probably something a lot of the ladies will enjoy. But notwithstanding, this is definitely an epic movie worth seeing over and over!

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS. Yes, with a Y. Based on a true story about something everyone can relate to : succeeding in life. Will Smith is Chris Gardner, a struggling medical salesman who decides to apply at a six-month long internship at Dean Witter, an internship that eventually rewards only one of twenty interns for an actual job. The twist is that the internship is unpaid. Which adds to the drama that is already Gardner's life -- his wife leaves him, he and his son are evicted from their home and have to sleep at a homeless shelter, etc. Because it's a rags-to-riches flick, you expect the protagonist to go through a lot, before the big pay-off -- and he does (go through a lot) -- but I didn't exactly get the satisfactory feeling one should get after watching a movie like this. Maybe it's because most of those moments where Gardner realizes that he can really make it (in life) happens like some sort of afterthought, instead of sweet, small victories to relish. It makes for some good drama, but Pursuit isn't really anything exceptional.

FLUSHED AWAY. This underperformed at the U.S. movie box-office from what I remember, and it's something that'll pretty much get unnoticed here as well, given that it's a cartoon -- which is a shame, because this is absolutely funny! Flushed Away has an actual story, with Hugh Jackman as Roddy, a sheltered-but-happy-with-his-life-or-so-he-thought aristocratic pet rat who gets flushed down the toilet and discovers that there's an entire world in the pipes below London. The animation studio behind Wallace & Gromit packs Flushed Away with a lot of laughs and really funny characters, especially the evil frog voiced by Sir Ian McKellan, and his cousin Le Frog (Jean Reno). The kids will enjoy this because of the animation and all the sight gags -- but the young once will (enjoy it) as well. Did I already mention that it's very funny?

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. First of all, I have to just mention that I like(d) Memoirs of A Geisha -- but my biggest disappointment with the Hollywood- produced movie was the fact that the actors who played, and were actual, Japanese in the movie were talking in english -- and, for me, it would have been more authentic if they spoke in Japanese. On that note, I have to give credit to director Clint Eastwood for not going Hollywood, in the sense that the Japanese actors and extras in the flick spoke in Japanese, rather than english just to make it "easier" for the viewing audience (although watching subtitled movies in cinemas can be a problem, as you can't really hit pause or rewind, which doesn't help if you're a slow reader or missed or didn't understand something). This time around, Eastwood's film companion to his World War II drama Flags of Our Fathers (an excellent movie by the way) focuses on the ones fighting on "the other side" - the Japanese soldiers who fought the pivotal battle of Iwo Jima. With Letters, we get to see the stronger sense of what it meant for the Japanese to fight this war, and the nature of sacrifice they were willing to make and made for national pride. Not as superb as Flags, as Letters does get a bit dragging in some parts, but the film still does hold its own in the drama department.

THE HITCHER. One of those movies that I forced myself to watch because I wanted to go see something that I haven't (seen), and there wasn't anything else showing. An unnecessary remake of a flick that really wasn't a classic, cult film or otherwise, to begin with (the original starring Rutger Hauer and C.Thomas Howell). Sean Bean is in the Rutger Hauer role as, obviously, The Hitcher, who terrorizes collegiates Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton after they refuse to give him a lift. Considering the ease and frequency with which Bean's Hitcher kills, he might as well have superpowers, and it becomes quite laughable. This is a forgettable, not-even-close-to-being-scary "thriller".

IT'S A BOY GIRL THING. Another waste of my hundred thirty pesos. A predictable and irritating-more-than-funny, should-have-been(because it feels like it)-straight-to-video (teeny bopper) movie. Nell (The O.C.'s Samaire Armstrong) and Woody (Kevin Zegers - who looks so, uh, purtee that he's not really that believable as a jock) are neighbors who don't exactly like each other. They bicker a lot and, one day, at a class field trip to a museum, the two end up magically swapping bodies and are forced to deal with each other and their lives, and discover that they actually feel something else for each other (three guesses as to what). I like Samaire Armstrong, she's a cutey, even if she can't exactly act to save her life (and she's teetering on the edge of irritating in this movie), and she's pretty much why I gave this flick a try -- but that still doesn't change the fact that this is crap.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Robert DeNiro takes the director's chair (as well as have a cameo) and gives us a docudrama about the birth of the CIA - minus the car chase or doomsday device that one would normally or probably find in a movie of this genre. What Shepherd does have is a stellar cast, with an excellent Matt Damon as Edward Wilson, a morally upright young man who values honor and discretion, qualities that help him to be recruited for a career in the newly-founded Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency). Of course, as it is inevitable, while working there, his ideals gradually change into suspicion, and his distrust of everyone around him increases to no end. Damon presents Wilson as a complete mystery, almost a ghost even without ever leaving the frame. This is a superb movie, and it won't bore you - which is hard to believe, considering that it's almost a 3-hour film.

NOTES ON A SCANDAL. Dame Judi Dench does her Jennifer Jason Leigh, Single White Female impression on Notes, as a domineering and solitary teacher named Barbara Covett who rules over her class with an iron fist. She keeps a diary, lives alone with no friends and confidants, but is obssessed in finding the perfect friend. Cue the new and attractive art teacher Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), who appears to be the kindred spirit and loyal friend that Barbara has always been searching for. But when she discovers that Sheba is having an illicit affair with one of her young students, their "budding relationship" takes an ominous turn. It's interesting to see Dench play a loon (I don't think I've ever seen a movie with her in this kind of a role) -- unfortunately, for me, that's about the only interesting thing about Notes. Somehow, it felt more strange than scary. And the score by Philip Glass is just so damn distracting.

And finally...
DREAMGIRLS. From the first seconds of the film, you can already tell that you're in for the time of your life. The Broadway musical finally comes to the big screen, and it does not disappoint. The movie follows the story of a 1960s trio, The Dreamettes. The premise is actually conventional -- not that it matters though, because this slick flick - with Bill Condon's energetic direction - is all about the spectacularly staged musical numbers. And the showstopper that everyone is looking forward to? Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson more than delivers as she cranks it up when she sings And I'm Telling You (I actually found myself welling up during the scene). Co-star Beyonce has her moment,too, when she sings Listen. Truth be told, I've never been impressed with Beyonce (obviously, I was never a huge fan) -- I mean, sure, she can sing and dance, and she's bootilicious, but it wasn't until this movie, and the song Listen that have made me changed my mind about her. Besides wanting to watch it over and over, Dreamgirls will also make you want to go and buy its soundtrack.

Whew.
'Nuff said.

The Number 23, Ghost Rider, The Messengers, Catch & Release

THE NUMBER 23. Truth be told, ever since director Joel Schumacher ruined the Batman movie franchise with Batman and Robin (thank goodness for Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale), I'd grown a bit biased towards Schumacher's films -- that when he comes out with a new movie, I'd always think to myself "jeez, is he ruing this movie too?" -- but, notwithstanding, I'll still go and see it. Like this one. I honestly don't know if it's true, but one of the things that this flick is trying to show is that there's an obsession with the number 23 (the Titanic sank on 4/15/1912-add up the dates and you get 23; Shakespear was born and died on April 23 -- the list goes on...) -- and the subject matter is supposed to send chills down your spine. Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. I know that as he gets older, Jim Carrey will probably try to stay away from doing the physical comedies that he's known for, and try (even) more serious roles -- but this doesn't work for me -- the parts where Carrey is trying to be serious about something becomes unintentionally funny (i.e. : there was a scene where Carrey and family are in a pick-up truck and they come across this supposedly "supernatural" dog on the road, and there's a "let's-play-chicken" face-off between both parties, and it was uncomfortably funny - and it shouldn't have been, funny that is -- the movie audience who were also watching the same time I was were giggling and laughing when they shouldn't have, so methinks that was a bad sign). Ho-hum.

GHOST RIDER. Nicolas Cage has been itching to play a superhero for as long as I can remember (I'm still thanking my stars and garters that the Tim-Burton-Nicolas-Cage pairing for the planned Superman movie fell apart - as we all know, the movie eventually got made, with Bryan Singer at the helm, and Brandon Routh donning the red cape and blue tights -- I mean, can you honestly imagine Cage as the Man of Steel?) -- and now he finally gets his chance as Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stuntman who accidentally makes a deal with Mephistopheles(Peter Fonda) and sells his soul to save his father from cancer. In exchange, Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider, to do battle with Blackheart, Mephistopheles' son who's out to turn the world into (his) Hell. I'm a comic book geek or fanboy (or at least I used to be, since I haven't bought a comic book in - how long has it been? - I think, over five years), and the Johnny Blaze portrayed by Cage in this big-screen adaptation of the Marvel comic book-based character is nothing like the way he is (or at least the way I remember him to be) in the comic -- Nicolas Cage's accent is erratic, has a funny-looking hair piece, and has given Blaze a couple of quirks : listens to The Carpenters to relax, and downs jellybeans from a martini glass. Sheesh. In my opinion, Cage is miscast (kind of reminds me of Ben Affleck being miscast as Daredevil in the big-screen treatment of the Marvel comic character back in 2003). Peter Fonda looks bored. Eva Mendes (Cage's love interest in the movie) is just pure eye candy. And Wes Bentley (as Blackheart) is a boring, Tobey Maguire look-alike bad guy. Blech.

THE MESSENGERS. The Pang Brothers, directors of Jian Gui(The Eye), makes their Hollywood film debut with The Messengers, a story about an ominous darkness that invades a seemingly serene sunflower farm in North Dakota, and the Solomon family (Dylan McDermott, Penelope Ann Miller and Kristen Stewart) are smack-dab in the middle of it all. I heard from my friends who've seen it that it was boring, so I opted not to watch it. But to my surprise, it was already over a week and it was still showing in cinemas, so I thought what the heck, might as well see it. It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be. The skittering stop-motion ghosts are fine, but somehow didn't offer the scares I thought and hoped it would. Maybe it's because I've seen a lot of these types of on-screen ghosts, that it didn't offer anything new for me. It's a stylish horror flick, and probably will do nicely for those who love J(apanese)-horror movies but hate the subtitles, but it doesn't really offer a lot in the scares department. And what is up with John Corbett -- I thought he said he was retiring from making movies?

CATCH AND RELEASE. What can I say? I love Jennifer Garner--I haven't seen a Garner movie that I haven't liked (yes, including the half-baked Daredevil spin-off Elektra - hehe). Yet. I like this one,too. Here, Garner is Gray Wheeler, who, after the sudden death of her fiance, finds comfort in the company of his friends : light-hearted comic Sam (Kevin Smith), the very-responsible Dennis (Sam Jaeger), and childhood buddy Fritz (Timothy Olyphant), an irresponsible playboy that she'd always pegged as the least reliable person in the world. In the course of the movie, Gray gets to discover new sides to the men that she thought she knew, including her late fiance. It's a good light fluff piece, albeit predictable. But it's a Jennifer Garner movie -- so that made it better for me by leaps and bounds. I liked the soundtrack as well.

'Nuff said.

Music & Lyrics, The Fountain

MUSIC AND LYRICS. Hugh Grant plays an 80s pop idol has-been who gets another crack at a comeback when a Shakira-wannabe asks him to write her a song. But he's only given a few days to come up with a hit song and is desperate to come up with the perfect lyrics. Cue Drew Barrymore, who just happens to have the talent for rhyme. Sparks fly and you can probably guess the rest. As predictable as that may sound, this movie is surprisingly very entertaining. Grant has a lot of witty one-liners and Barrymore...well...I've never hated her, but I've never been a huge fan of hers either -- but I gotta say that she's quite lovely in this movie, particularly in a scene where she gets to put on a red dress (Yowza!). Music has a lot of laughs, and you immediately get started at the opening of the movie, where a video of the Wham-esque group that Grant's character used to belong to - Pop - will have you cracking up. In fact, Pop's "80's" ditty will keep ringing in your head over and over, as if you're having one of those last-song-heard syndromes. And even though it seems like it was written by a child, one of Grant's other songs in the movie, "Don't Write Me Off" , is also pretty nice (well, I liked it).

THE FOUNTAIN. Spanning over a thousand years, and three parallel stories in different time periods, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality and the fragility of our existence in the world. Unfortunately, the movie is so muddled that it's a bit difficult to comprehend or keep up with the premise or plot. In the middle of this mess is married couple Tommy (Hugh Jackman) and Izzi (Rachel Weisz). Jackman and Weisz shine in the film, as their scenes together are achingly poignant -- which is good and bad -- good because their performances are what saves this movie for me, and bad because these two deserve a better movie than this. The Fountain is visually amazing that it's hard to believe that what I read about it having only one CGI used for the entire film is true (writer-director Darren Aronofsky chose to do the special effects using micro-photography on chemical reactions on tiny petri dishes -- he said that the CGI would take away the timelessness of the film) . But fantastic visuals can only do so much for a movie if the story doesn't help it.

'Nuff said.

Blood & Chocolate, Hannibal Rising, The Curse of The Golden Flower, The Holiday

BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE. It's a strange title for a movie if you ask me, particularly if it's a horror flick. I can understand the blood part, but chocolate?! And not seeing the trailer, the title was actually what put me off from seeing the movie right away. In fact, I almost didn't go watch it. I thought that it was some cheapo B-movie. I had to check for reviews about Blood, to make sure that it was at least worth my hundred and fifty pesos. Aiden (Hugh Dancy) is an artist doing research on Bucharest's ancient arts and relics for his next graphic novel based on the mythology of the Loup Garoux -- shapeshifters whose ability to effortlessly change into both human and wolf was once considered to be holy among men. He runs into and falls for Vivian (Agnes Bruckner), who, unbeknownst to him, is one of the Loup Garoux. One of the last of her kind in fact, and is under the control and protection of Gabriel (Olivier Martinez), the leader of the last packs of Loup Garoux who is to be her predestined husband. The movie may prove to be a disappointment for hard-core horror flick fans, as Blood doesn't really have a lot of... well, blood. It's actually more of a romantic thriller (well, more romantic than thriller ), minus the blood and gore that would normally accompany these kinds of movies. Heck, even the transformation of the Loup Garoux from human to wolf was done in an elegant or romantic kind of way, as opposed to how most of us have seen it done in other movies (An American Werewolf In London, The Howling, Wolf, etc). But what can I say? I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories, and I actually liked this one. It's not the best of this genre, but it's still pretty good nonetheless.

HANNIBAL RISING. Silence of The Lambs was one of the best movies ever made. With stellar performances from the two leads, Jodie Foster and (especially) Sir Anthony Hopkins. For me, it's one of those films that should be left alone. Meaning, no sequels, and no remakes. That's why I was a bit concerned when Hannibal came out ten years later, and Red Dragon in 2002. Fortunately, both movies weren't as bad as I feared it would be. The most important reason being the fact that Hopkins still played the deliciously frightening Dr.Lecter. So imagine my surprise and dismay when I found out another movie about the infamous doctor was made. Pardon my ignorance, but I'm not very knowledgeable with Thomas Harris' work -- and, apparently, Harris did write a novel about the origin of Lecter, so I guess it was but inevitable that a movie was going to be made based on said book. The thing is, in my opinion, Hopkins is Hannibal Lecter, and it would be difficult to see anyone else play the role other than him. Okay, so it's not like Hopkins could play a very young Hannibal (the movie's about his origin after all), but it's also difficult (for me anyway) not comparing the guy who plays Lecter in this one (Gaspard Ulliel) to Anthony Hopkins. And it's pretty much what ruins Hannibal Rising for me. Ulliel's portrayal of Lecter reminded me more of Crispin Glover's The Thin Man in the Charlie's Angels movie(s). As I said, Hollywood should have left Silence of The Lambs alone and not made any more Hannibal movies. Especially with this latest. Anthony Hopkins saved Hannibal and Red Dragon, but a Hannibal movie without Hopkins is just inconceivable.

Useless knowledge : There was actually another actor that played Hannibal The Cannibal before Sir Anthony Hopkins, and that was Brian Cox (who has appeared in movies like Troy, The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, to name a few) in a Michael Mann-directed film called Manhunter (an excellent movie), starring CSI's William Peterson. Info courtesy of the dvd lent to me by Ld.

CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER. Forget about the story because this will just leave you dazed and confused, especially the ending (which will also irritate the heck out of you). But if you really wanna know, Hero and House of Flying Daggers director Zhang Yimou, gives us his latest offering -- a martial arts "epic" starring Chow Yun-Fat, as an emperor in 10th century Tang Dynasty that's got some family drama going on in his life : he's married to Gong Li, who's having an affair with her husband's eldest son (that sounds icky but, don't worry, she's not related to him) - and the emperor also wants to turn her insane by slowly poisoning her; his middle son is clearly having designs on the throne; and his youngest son spends his time brown-nosing and skulking around the palace. But that's not all... someone's also raising an army to strike at the heart of the empire during the annual chrysanthemum festival, someone else is searching for a long-lost relative, and so on. Curse has beautiful costumes, superb cinematography, but, other than that, this movie is best left alone. Well... unless you can't help yourself and you just want to see a crappy movie. To prove my point, there's a scene where a huge battle happens -- a lot of people get killed -- but the moment the fight is over, palace servants appear out of nowhere and clean and clear out the thousands of dead bodies lying around and voila!, it was as if nothing happened. That scene was just so damn funny! (it wasn't meant to be funny)

THE HOLIDAY. After having problems with the men in their lives, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) - a Hollywood movie trailer producer - meets British writer Iris (Kate Winslet) on-line and decide to do a home-swap in each other's countries (I didn't even know some people do this kind of thing -- I thought to myself wouldn't it be great to swap my home for some huge abode, with complete amenities like a pool, superb sound system, a ginormous tv, etc? - then again, nobody's gonna want my place - haha), only to meet a local guy and fall in love. The trailer would suggest that this is a Cameron Diaz-Kate Winslet vehicle, but I felt that it was more of a Cameron Diaz show, as the movie seemed to focus more on her story and her scenes seemed to be longer than that of Kate's. Writer-director Nancy Meyers did much better with her last outing, Something's Gotta Give, but The Holiday is still a decent romantic comedy, if a bit lengthy. It's a beautiful movie to look at all around, particularly because of and with the leads that Meyers has in the film. Well, maybe except Jack Black who, perhaps, some will find a bit odd as a romantic leading man. He doesn't do bad -- it's just that people who've seen his movies are probably more used to seeing Black as a hyperactive, physical comedian -- and in this flick, he's more low-key. Absolutely wonderful film score by Hans Zimmer.

'Nuff said.

Apocalypto, Hollywoodland, Charlotte's Web

APOCALYPTO. If you're a filmmaker, how do you top something like Passion of The Christ? Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin had Independence Day and followed it up with Godzilla. Peter Jackson made the Lord of The Rings trilogy and King Kong was his next film. Both follow-ups failed at the box office and didn't live up to critics and the movie-going public's expectations. Like the saying goes when you're on top, there's no other way but down. So Mel Gibson probably was under a lot of pressure to come up with the next Passion of The Christ -- that was the main thought racing in my mind as I was watching Apocalypto. I have to applaud Gibson in creating another movie with a subject matter that won't necessarily translate into commercial success : about the Mayan kingdom facing extinction (and its rulers insisting that the only way to continue to prosper is to build more temples and offer human sacrifices). There's actually something more than just a sort of history lesson happening in the film, as a young man named Jaguar Paw, captured for sacrifice, flees and tries to return to his wife and child. There's a sense of awe, mysticism, and disgust while viewing Gibson's latest work. It was kind of like watching the National Geographic or something on a/the big screen. It can be and is pretty violent (some people have criticized Gibson for portraying the Mayan civilization as nothing more than a violent race), so this is something not for the weak at heart or those without strong stomachs. It's no Passion..., that's for certain, but it's still an interesting and somewhat disturbing look at the Mayan culture (even if you don't really learn anything about them from this movie). Apocalypto is what I would call an acquired taste -- it's definitely not for everyone.

HOLLYWOODLAND. I honestly have no idea about the life and death of George Reeves (Ben Affleck), tv's Superman, except that he (supposedly) committed suicide. And I've always never completely trusted movies that are based on true events or people because, being Hollywood, and that it's a movie, facts are often not a hundred percent accurate, and/or changes are made about a certain event or person for cinematic purposes. And I'm guessing that Hollywoodland is no different in that sense. Conspiracy theorists may find it interesting how a detective (Adrien Brody) tries to piece together clues surrounding the death of Reeves and comes up with several possible scenarios as to how it actually happened. But, at the same time, it does prove to be quite frustrating as all one really gets are just more maybes, and you somehow can't help but wish that there would be some kind of finality, or some kind of resolution to what may or (according to the film) may not have been a suicide. It was also a bit frustrating keeping up with certain things, as a lot of names or events would be mentioned, people and other stuff that I knew nothing about. You would have to have been knowledgeable with was going on in Hollywood and in the late Reeves' career back in the 50s to fully appreciate Hollywoodland. Fine acting all around, particularly Diane Lane who plays Toni Mannix, the wife of MGM studio executive Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins). But I think it's best or better to read some kind of authorized autobiographical book about George Reeves if you want to find out more about the actor, his career, and his mysterious death.

CHARLOTTE'S WEB. I vaguely remember watching the animated Charlotte's Web on the boob tube when I was a wee lad. Now comes the big-screen, live-action treatment of E.B. White's classic children's book, about a runty pig saved from the slaughterhouse by his friendship with a learned spider (voiced by Julia Roberts). Going in, you already know the target market, but it's still pretty enjoyable for adults (just make sure if you're watching it alone to not sit anywhere near a family with a group of kids, as the tendency will be the difficulty to enjoy the movie what with kids being kids, noisily and innocently asking a lot of questions to mom or dad, etc). But, even if you hear Julia Robert's (soothing) voice, there's just no way to make a huge, hairy spider anything but creepy. Ugh. Stellar (voice) cast : Oprah Winfrey, Cedric The Entertainer, Reba McEntire, Steve Buscemi, Kathy Bates, Sam Shepard, and John Cleese. Wonderful film score by Danny Elfman, even if it doesn't exactly have a strong recall.

'Nuff said.