Let's Talk Movies: Guardians of the Galaxy

Wow.

Just Wow.

Marvel took a chance with his movie and they've hit a homerun with it. It was certainly a very obscure comic to comic readers, even more obscure to the non-readers. But Marvel just went and did the thing and now they'll be raking in the big bucks.

Here's to taking chances eh? Well, it would've went any other way really. But Marvel had done an awesome job with marketing the whole thing. And now everyone knows who the characters are. ...or at least the main ones.

Story:
~ Peter Quill (also known as the Legendary Outlaw, Star-Lord) has lived his life in space and has managed to acquire an ancient artifact. Unfortunately, everyone wants their hands on it (it feels so Indiana Jones-esque). This starts off the turn of events wherein he meets the members of GotG in different ways and through different means.As they try to outrun Ronan the Accuser, all seems to be lost when he manages to get his hands on the artifact and start total purging of the galaxy.

Review:
~ This movie is the 2nd to the last movie for Phase 2 of Marvel's Cinematic Universe. It sets up any possible "cosmic" storyline  for future movies (sorry but I do not consider any of the Thor movies "cosmic").

The story itself is...somewhat typical as anti-heroes try to save the day from the bad guy. But that's oversimplifying things as the movie gives more than just the story. The movie's characters individual stories are pretty much mentioned in some detail. These characters have already been prevalent in the comics but this is the first time seeing them in the cinematic universe. They didn't veer away from their comic counterparts which is always a good thing. It's also not also so much "out there" that it won't be understood by the regular movie-goer or the MCU's  (Marvel Cinematic Universe) fans. Which means you don't have to really need to read the comics to enjoy the movie. They pretty much made it so that everyone is seeing these characters and their stories and THE main story for the first time. And that's pretty much a big plus because people won't be so confused as to who's who t that they totally won't enjoy the film.

The movie has some pretty awesome visuals. From the landscape of Planet Morag to literally a floating head of a dead celestial named Knowhere, they really made it look like a real space adventure.

living inside a severed floating head of a huge dead organism? ONLY IN SPACE!

Along with the awesome visuals come also the awesome special effects. From CGI Aliens to the SFX done to the actors, it was pretty great. I mean sometimes it was all too much for the eyes as you try to keep track of things happening in the movie.

Star-Lord's ship, The Milano (did they name it after Alyssa Milano?).

You can't talk about a space movie without talking about spaceships! They were all very wonderful to look at. From Star-Lord's Milano to Ronan's menacing Dark Aster, seeing them on the big screen flying around was pretty intense.

The acting was a bit okay though. Chris Pratt was particularly awesome as well as Bradley Cooper. Vin Diesel as Groot...was...well fun and okay since he has  little vocabulary. I was a bit weirded out on how the chose to characterize Drax. I mean Batista was a fit for him but how they chose to portray him lacked something. He had his moments though, they just needed to him  be more of the destroyer persona. Zoe Saldana was also okay being Gamora. But she lacked the aura of being the most dangerous woman in the universe. Take for example Karen Gillan who played Nebula. She was a sweet looking girl who is known for being in Dr. Who. In the movie, she's totally Nebula...she's a bad-ass (she also shaved her head for the role rather than use a bald cap). Her face and facial expressions says it, her moves says it. Zoe's portrayal seems a bit lacking on that part. On capturing how bad-ass Gamora is. She did okay though, it's just that she could've done a bit more. Lee Pace as Ronan didn't seem like a fit  for me. He was an Elven King and then prior to that he was a pie maker. He hasn't really played a real villain yet. He also lacked the mass that Ronan has, as Ronan is a big bulky bruiser. It came as a big surprise how he (Lee Pace) absolutely played Ronan well. He was big, he was menacing, he was the uber villain of the movie. Michael Rooker was also aa surprise for me. Though they made some changes, he surely made Yondu his own character. He made it seem like Yondu was a space cowboy with his attire and accent. I was amazed how they got his "power" right somewhat.

ohai <3

 And what's more better than a great movie? Having a great soundtrack to go with it. Yes, "Awesome Mix Vol.1" is an actual album being sold in record stores. It's part of the GotG OST and it has all the nostalgia bomb songs in the movie. 

Overall, Guardians of the Galaxy just delivers. It is a great movie that's full of action and adventure. It has also a few bits of humor put in that made me laugh so hard. It also chock full of easter eggs that I kept nudging my brother everytime I see one (there is a lot, keep your eyes peeled). It's a must see movie for the comic fans, MCU fans and movie goers alike.

...oh! be ready for post credits scenes. Brownie points for everyone who knows.

Let's Talk Movies!: How To train Your Dragon 2

Wow.

Just wow.

I am almost out of words on how I love this film so much.

I absolutely stayed away from trailers and any kind of news for this movie for so long. It's not that I wasn't interested. I just want to come in and watch this movie without any expectations. It wasn't long until I got to watch a trailer of it though as it was shown before the screening of Edge Of Tomorrow.

It was fantastic! And using "Kings And Queens" by 30Seconds To Mars as its background music was awesome as well. The trailer itself spoiled something important and relevant to the movie but for me, it made me want to watch this movie more.

STORY
(as always, no spoilers)

The movie begins 5 years after the first one. Berk has now fully embraced the idea of being with dragonkind. They have even made a sport, Dragon Racing, and constructed a big stable to fully cement their relationships with their dragons.

While everyone is Dragon Racing, Hiccup has been travelling around with Toothless. Discovering new lands, people and dragons. He has a more mature look and seemingly made his own personal armor that allows him to fly (glide actually) with Toothless. During his travels however, he meets up with his long-lost mother. His mother, who was presumed dead, has been living as somewhat of a hermit along with a vast array of dragons as well as an Alpha dragon called a Bewilderbeast.

Things get hairy when they meet Drago Bludvist, who appears to have a vast army and his own Bewilderbeast. A bloodthirsty conqueror, he will stop at nothing to gain control of dragonkind.

Toothless in "How To Train Your Rider To Fly Like A Dragon"

REVIEW

This movie does not disappoint. This is a perfect shining example on how you should do a movie sequel. I loved the first movie. It was brilliant and to be honest who doesn't love dragons? Kids of all ages and also the kids at heart love dragons...and moreso love the prospect of being able to have and train one.

I love the sequel even more. It has alot of things fans of the movie (and books too) would love. It continues the story of the first without making major changes. Then it adds more to the HTTYD movie lore with the inclusion of Hiccup's mom (How They Met The Dragon Tamers Mother, cue in theme song). Which I think that is great. I mean, we barely really get to know what happened to her during the first movie

Unfortunately, I have to be honest about it. I haven't read any of the books so I don't really have any comparisons to offer. But often times, the movies really do have differences from their books since alot of directors/producers/script writers are given freedom to change things as they see fit. Sometimes it doesn't work out well.

One of things I love about most in the movie is how they made Hiccup look to be more ingenious and crafty. First is his armor who has more pockets than Batman's utility belt. I loved how he has all those compartments in it. It hides alot of stuff that is helpful to him as he travels around. Also the armor has made him able to glide with Toothless. Second is his flame sword. I mean c'mon! A Flame Sword? That's pretty awesome! The sword has several attachments too, Hiccup more or less puts his knowledge of dragons to good use. Last is his peg leg. In the first movie it was somewhat crude but for the sequel it has been upgraded. It has a "Flying" (for which he can guide Toothless' fin with) and "Ground" (for walking) mode now which kinda made sense.

The story was great. It's action packed but it also has its drama. There was never a dull moment for me. If you haven't watched the first movie then it's alright. The sequel doesn't really alienate new viewers. Also (and it's not that much of a spoiler) there's was a point in the movie where it made me cry and from then on, I couldn't stop crying. Maybe it's prolly just me but some of the drama scenes have the power to invoke such emotions. Trust me.

It is the movie to watch if you don't know what movie to watch. And is definitely worth a re-watch too. I honestly recommend everyone to watch this one and re-watch it if you have time. For me, it is one of the best movies this year.

Besides, how can you not like this guy?

Let's Talk Movies!: Edge of Tomorrow

As usual, i'll make this as spoiler-free as possible. I will also try not to compare the movie to the manga/light novel it was adapted from, "All You Need Is Kill". But if you haven't read that one then I suggest you do because it's a good read and frankly, we all need a good read nowadays.

I first heard about this movie when I was browsing about news from SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) 2013. There was a panel and a first look for the movie and there were posters. I must admit the posters looked very cool. It was Tom, some guy in an exo suit and Emily. I didn't know that the movie was based on a manga until a few weeks ago. I have even read the FCBD (Free Comic Book Day) comic of All You Need Is Kill (with Terra Formars) when you flipped it) and it still hasn't dawned on me. So with that revelation I rewatched the official trailer and it looked more enticing to watch. I have also read both the light novel and the manga and they were awesome too.

~

The SDCC 2013 Posters

The Story:

Earth is at war. Aliens called "Mimics" have invaded the planet and it seemed like Humanity is fighting a lost cause. But with the creation of combat exo suits they call "Jackets", it seems that Humanity now has a chance. Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is all over the news telling people about the war and how we are able to defeat these Mimics. He also tells war stories and in particular about a soldier named Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who has become face of the war due to her success at the Battle of Verdun.

Unfortunately for Cage, he is sent from his comfy chair to the frontlines just before the big attack called Operation: Downfall. He was very hesitant about this since he doesn't have any combat expertise and experience. He tries to blackmail his way out of it which in turn gets him arrested and brands him as a deserter. So he gets shipped off to the FOB (Forward Operating Base) and is introduced to J-squad.

The day of the attack and Cage is a fish out of water. Utter chaos and death was all around. He rejoins J-squad but is then ambushed by Mimics. He meets his demise when he encounters and kills a really weird and big Mimic. But to his surprise, he wakes up on the same place at the same spot at the FOB.

From there he tries to go day-to-day trying to survive and find a way to end the war and the loop.

~

It's called a TIME LOOP and not necessarily TIME TRAVEL....and my views on the movie, actors, effects and whatnot~


Contrary to what other people had mentioned. The story isn't about time travel but rather a deviation of it which is the time loop. There have been alot of movies that have used this as their plot device Bruce Willis was in two which are 12 Monkeys and Looper and then my one of my favorite movies, Groundhog Day which starred Bill Murray.

Anyway.

To be honest, I was expecting a typical Tom Cruise film of action and romance. Almost always we get the same treatment from his movies...except the one (Collateral) where he plays a bad guy opposite Jamie Foxx. This film was no different. It had Cruise, it had action, it had Cruise running, it had Cruise grinning like an idiot.  It was fun to see Cruise's character trying not to die for each loop he goes back to and on how he tries to convince everyone else that the day already happened and it's not going to end well.

The surprise for me was Emily Blunt. She isn't really an action star. In this movie however, she held her own. She really looked good moving, jumping about killing Mimics left and right. I think she has a future being an action star.  And did I mention she was pretty hot?

Yeap, she is pretty hot.

The story was really something old and new at the same time. Time loops have been used before in many movies but it wasn't prolly used like they used it in Edge of Tomorrow. Add in an alien invasion and uber cool technology in the mix then I guess it is something fresh for movie-goers to see.

The Mimics were actually done well. They really looked like something out of this world and very menacing. They move like a small ball of thorns and have lighting quick reflexes and when they die, the light goes out from them and they just sort of freeze up.

The "Jackets" that they used in the movie looked like the ones they used in The Matrix albeit a more "compact" version. Its weird how even with jackets making them a one man army killing machine, they still cant totally fend off the Mimics. Anyway, seeing the jackets in action was prolly the best times of the movie. Bonus fact: they are in process of making actual combat exo suits at the moment.

An example of a "Jacket".....and another excuse to post a pic of Emily Blunt.

All in all, Edge of Tomorrow is a good action movie. It has good actors, it has a good story and has some good action. It has some humor in it too so that's a bonus. However, they do have some plot holes that makes you question a few stuff in the movie. I won't spoil/tell you though. You have to watch it for yourself. 

Let's Talk Movies! X-Men: Days of Future Past (Spoiler-free!)

Wolverine: "Hey..Mystique...did the Professor just fart fire?"

When they announced that they were going to do the DoFP storyline for the next X-men movie. Alot of comic fans (me included) were both excited and curious. Excited because if they're going to follow the story from the comics then its going to be uber awesome. Curious because IF they're going to follow the story from the comics  then you wondered how they were going to pull it off since it was going to be a sequel to First Class and Kitty Pryde wasn't in FC...and of course, Sentinels.

Hey! This isn't the Blue man group!

In the following weeks and months before the movie was shown,  we were treated with tons of pics of the movie. The one above shows the Sentinels. Now....alot of comicbook fans were doubtful of these Sentinels mostly because of how they looked. But they do explain why the Sentinels are like that in the movie (so you better listen closely!).

On the left: original cover of the comic On the right: fan-made for the movie

Anyway, the story of the movie is quite simple. The whole film starts in the future where mutants and people who help them are killed/imprisoned in a world run by Sentinels/Nimrods (they're not called that in the movie and they're far from what the Nimrods look like in the comics but meh). A group of surviving X-men has come up with a plan which involves sending Wolverine back in time to stop the future of Sentinel overlords from ever happening. Of course there's a whole lot more than just that but that's what watching the movie is for.

~

Why was Wolverine sent back and not Kitty .

When I heard that it was Wolverine and not Kitty that was going back to the past like what happened in the comics, I was a bit confused at first as to why they would do that. But naturally they would try to do some liberties and deviate from the comics a little bit. It made sense because Kitty Pryde wasn't even in First Class and trying to retcon the whole thing to make it appear like she was sounds stupid. Wolverine is a well-known character. Alot of people can identify who he is and let's face it X-men: Days of Future Past would sell more tickets if Wolverine is in it because frankly he's a cash cow. Also he WAS in FC albeit in a small cameo so having Wolvie go back in time rather than Kitty work.

~

Sentinels.

So..yea..Sentinels man...

As mentioned above, their is a specific reason as to why the Sentinels from the past look the way they do. The Sentinels of the future (which I shall now call Nimrods even if they don't resemble them) look more sleekier and maybe a bit organic. A BIG upgrade from their past counterparts. Sure, sure when they said Sentinels we were all thinking the same thing.

"Maybe if I stay still...no one would notice i'm hiding behind this building..."

^ That. We were all thinking they would be bringing those in..or maybe actual Nimrods or maybe that single sentinel head they showed us in that one X-men film I won't mention. But hey, for me, the new Sentinels work. Watching them move around and well, do what they do (*wink*), they looked pretty awesome. Their designs have purpose. It would've been quite awesome and nostalgic to see the cartoon Sentinels we grew up watching come alive on the big screen but I can settle for these Sentinels...for now maybe.

~

DinklagePeterDinklagePeterDinklagePeterDinklage.

I make this movie look gooood...

Okay. So Bolivar Trask created the Sentinels and when they picked Peter Dinklage, I didn't really see him as the character. But after seeing the movie, I changed my mind. Peter Dinklage did a wonderful job playing as Trask. Sure he lacked the height but the way he talked, the way he presented himself...it just felt right. I think I like his Trask than the comic one.

...as for the rest of the cast...

Well, there's a reason why I chose the picture above. The reason being that these two characters, Quicksilver and Blink, are the characters I found super awesome in the movie.

To be honest, I doubted and joked about how Quicksilver looked. He looked like a male version of Ramona Flowers. Yes, he didn't looked like comic Pietro at all (he also went by the name Peter) and also didn't act like a pompous ass like the Quicksilver we know but seeing him zoom around left and right was fantastic. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much screen time but he made do with what he had..trust me.

Blink on the other hand, had a little more screen time than Quicksilver as being among one opf the X-survivors in the future. They did well with Blink. From casting the actor to her mutant powers and also on how she uses them. Sure she didn't look like her comic counterpart like almost everyone else but you'll get past that once you see her in action. Really. Also i'm glad to have found out that Fan Bingbing (who plays Blink) will be appearing on the next four(!) X-men films. Good news indeed.

As for the rest of the motley crew. We have: Bishop, Kitty, Iceman, Warpath, Sunspot, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, Magneto, Prof. X, Beast and Mystique. That's a whole alot of mutants already. Pretty solid roster too. But there are still more mutants that are present in the film. I'll just let you guys guess who they are and let you enjoy a who's-who of cameos, mutant and non-mutant (but still part of the X-Universe) alike.

I was happy with the roster they came up with and how their powers were portrayed. Bishop looked like Bishop and his mutant power (which is the ability to absorb energy and redirect it) didn't deviate from the comics...and yes, he also had a big gun. Warpath looked more like his recent X-force costume which I think is okay since it blends well with the costume motif of black(LOL). He was pretty much a sensor and scout than the big bodied brawler he is in the comics but I guess with Colossus already in the film then I guess it was okay. Sunspot, however, looked more like Human Torch than Sunspot. I guess portraying him like that is way easier to explain his power than what he really looks like. Wolverine is still Wolverine. He's been in all X-men movies and that's the only thing i'll say about him.

As for Charles and Eric, seeing all the actors from the two films come together onscreen was glorious. The tandems of McAvoy/Fassbender and Stewart/McKellen were both great and did very well in reprising their roles. Although Fass-neto could've had a more better costume but hey, that's just me talking. Lastly, Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique sees a bit more action in this movie. Kicking butt, taking names AND identities as well. I do find her Mystique red hair a bit....weird and off though.

If you're wondering where's the rest of the gang from First Class, try to look out for it in the movie. It's explained in it as well.

~

What else can I say?

I am a big X-men fan and despite alot of people not liking the movies, I love those movies as well....maybe to a certain degree. Days of Future Past is a good X-men movie. They could have done a few things a bit better but the things they did was already okay. Sure it's not the DoFP that we comic fans know and love but it's close. It feels like riding the same rollercoaster at a different theme park/carnival. It's something old but you get something new.

If you've watched all of the X-movies or at least First Class then you won't be lost on who's who. But seriously, I am suggesting that you DO watch ALL the X-movies (yes, that includes Wolverine's movies as well) AND X-men First Class to really get the into what's-what in Days of Future past. Also, you will be able to figure out a ton of easter eggs that's in the movie. Some are too obvious while some aren't. And yes, there IS a post credits scene...BUT if you're not familiar with the X-universe then you won't prolly understand what's going on.

It's one of the good hero movies so far this year (at least for me) and maybe one of the best X-movies so far (yes, I loved X1). Whether you're a comics fan or movie-verse fan, it's still a great movie to watch and most definitely will leave you craving for more.

Let's Talk Music!: Fall Out Boy - Save Rock and Roll

The title of their album seems apt enough.

But to be honest, I really didn't know what happened to Fall Out Boy. I didn't even know they sort of had this hiatus going on. The last thing I heard from them was "Folie a Deux" and then nothing.

But I was equally happy and surprised when I saw that they were going to release new stuff. It kinda spread like wildfire all over the web..well, mostly on Tumblr.

They released the first single [along with its video], "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark [Light 'Em Up] and from there I was hooked. I didn't count how many times I've raped...*cough* click the Replay button but it was that damn good and catchy too.

...and then the day came and the album was out...

I really couldn't stop listening it to it.

The whole thing starts with a strong song with a very apt title [The Phoenix] and then eases in a bit with the first single [MSKWYDITD..yea, I abbreviated it LOL] and then from there branches into more songs that are new but also are somewhat expected from FOB. Awesome guitar riffs and catchy lyrics, it's more than enough to make your head bob along.

The album has 11 new songs and awesome collabs namely  Courtney Love [of Hole] and Elton John. The whole album makes you feel like FOB never left  the scene and makes you fall inlove with them again. The songs [for me at least] are refreshing and are very upbeat. They will definitely put you in a good mood while going through your daily routine.

I like every song on this album but my fave faves are The Phoenix, MSKWYDITD, Alone Together, Rat a Tat and Save Rock and Roll.

The Phoenix is prolly one of the best first songs of any album I've heard in a while. It starts out very ominous and heavy then picks up a bit into the chorus. It definitely will get you pumped and excited to hear more of the album.

My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark [Light 'Em Up] is the first single to come out from the album and immediately follows after The Phoenix. So from the initial song you are immediately thrown into something more familiar but very, very catchy. From the start to the end, it's either you'll clap or sing along. The next fave faves is also the 3rd song of the album and comes after MSKWYDITD. 

Alone Together's title seems pretty weird. I mean, how can you be alone but together? Then you hear lyrics and listen to the song and then you'll understand. 

Rat a Tat and Save Rock and Roll are the last two songs and are also collabs with other artists. Rat a Tat is a collab with Courtney Love and brings her alternative style into the song. The song goes fast and hard on Courtney's parts and then it sort of levels out on Patrick's turn.Save Rock and Roll is a collab with THE Elton John and is also the last song in the album which I think is very fitting. The song is one of FOB's slower songs and melodic.Elton John is pretty much Elton John and  provides a more "regal" tone to the song.

The only negative I can prolly say about the album is that it feels short even though the whole thing runs around 41 minutes. I mean, even the cover art looks so bad-ass! But I must say that it kept me wanting more and with this I do hope future albums would be as much awesome. Also whether or not Fall out Boy did "Save Rock and Roll" this time around, it's pretty certain they did a good job making rock and roll hang around.

Whether or not you're a fan, this is definitely a good add to your music library.

Let's Talk Movies!: G.I. Joe Retaliation

The original screening for this movie was for June last year [as stated in the old poster above] but due to a whole lot of things [making it 3D, initial preview screenings flunked, needed moar Duke, etc] the movie went back to semi-production and made fans wait a year till it came out.

Of course everyone was disappointed, maybe even angry but they did what they had to do. Once the movie did come out locally, I managed to catch it at the first showing on the first day. I was pretty excited the night before that I couldn't sleep.

The movie picks up where it left off at the end of Rise of Cobra but it does leave a whole mess of plot holes. Here are a few:

~ What happened to the other Joes [Scarlett, Ripcord, Heavy Duty, Breaker, Stone, Hawk]?
~ What was the "Nano-mite Wars"?
~ If Cobra Commander was in jail in Destro, who were the Joes fighting in said Nano-mite Wars [it couldn't be just Firefly]?
~ How did Storm Shadow survive?
~ Baroness?

Those were a few things running through my head during the first part of the movie. Moving on...

The storyline is split with what happens to the Joes to what Snake Eyes was doing with his free time. It was a nice back and forth thing and I think it meshed well.

The main story basically is that Pres. Zartan decimated the Joes and gets info in order to release Cobra Commander and then rule the world. Simple enough and it stays true to the Joe theme going back to the animated shows which was Cobra tries to take over the world and the Joes stop it. They did add a few more things and easter eggs to spice the movie up. The easter eggs however can only be seen and recognized by the purest of Joe fans or at least those who have watched alot of cartoons.

Anyhoo, so Pres. Zartan decimates the whole Joe team along with their bases and such but a few survive and now has to work underneath the radar in order to clear their names [Renegades plot line much?]. Meanwhile Snake Eyes is paired up with Jinx and goes to collect Storm Shadow under the orders of the Blind Master. Then the whole gang meets up and teams up to defeat the plans of Cobra.

With that said, the whole movie is pretty much a great and fun watch. They did a great job with going further than what they did in ROC. Although there are still rooms for improvement.

Character time!
~ I kinda liked The Rock's portrayal of Roadblock, he didn't go rhyme much but he was big and menacing. ~ Adrianne Palicki was a good choice for Lady Jaye. Sure there were scenes of uber fan service which was out of character for Lady Jaye but it was still a nice portrayal.
~ Speaking of portrayals, I think they messed up on how they should've portrayed Flint. D.J. Cotrona was great but the character he was doing almost felt like it was more of Falcon than Flint. Falcon was more of a young and brash soldier and that what how I saw D.J. I mean Flint a free-runner? And another thing, Lady Jaye gets to have a small backstory talk and we don't get one for Flint [or even Fireflly]?
~ As for Firefly, Ray Stevenson did an excellent job. I didn't expect the accent though, I don't remember Firefly talking like that on the animated cartoon.
~ Speaking of accents, Jinx seemingly looks asian but doesn't...and she sounds a bit british. Oh well.
~ Rza as the Blind Master, well sure he looks and speaks the part but was he really necessary? Some say he isn't, some say he does. For me it's a bit 50/50, I think he's there mainly to act as Snake Eyes' voice when they were conversing with Storm Shadow.
~ Byung Hun Lee was the 2nd best guy out there. His portrayal of Storm Shadow was spot on and you could see that he worked out to get his body buff.
~ It was interesting to see Bruce Willis casted as Joe Colton. But being the aging action hero that he is, being cast as Colton seemed like a fit.
~ Ray park as Snake Eyes. Still awesome, nuff said.
~ Cobra Commander...looked and sounded more like the Cobra Commander we know. I liked his look in this one, part warlord part well-dressed boss.
~ I think the best actor for me in this movie is Jonathan Pryce aka the President aka also Pres. Zartan. You could tell he had to make two separate individual traits for the two characters he was portraying even though it was the same one.
~ There were ALOT of other characters that have been named on the cast list but didn't have any significant effect on the movie. I was surprised to see a few notable characters on the cast but didn't see them at all, will wait for the Blu Ray I guess.


When the movie ended, we get treated to a song saying/asking "How do you like me now?". It made me feel like it was a deliberate thing Jon Chu added. My response to that is "I like you a little bit now but make the next one without any glaring plot holes".

There's action, guns, explosions, ninjas, a little but of fan service, some comedic moments, a few more ninjas and The Rock and Channing Tatum talking about panties. What's not to like about this movie? Sure it still felt a bit lacking and that the one year wait didn't produce enough but it still has its moments.

Whether you're a fan of the franchise or not, it's still a nice movie to go and watch. It's still way better than Rise of Cobra and with a 3rd movie being greenlit, hopefully it'll get way more better.

I loved it, it was a great movie for me. There are only two words left to say, Yo Joe!

Let's talk Movies: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

I have never seen any previews or trailers for this movie but by just seeing the poster and the cast, I knew I had to see it. It has been awhile since I've seen great comedians in one movie. Anyhoo, I was lucky enough to have catched it last weekend.

Short spoiler free short summary:

It starts simple and a bit cliche'd where a young Albert Wunderstein [played by Steve Carell] is bullied and finds an escape [and popularity] by studying and performing magic tricks thanks to a Magic Kit he got on his birthday. Whilst performing a simple trick during school lunch, he meets a sickly Anthony Mertz [played by Steve Buschemi] who was amazed at his trick. From then on, the two became best friends and spent time practicing and doing magic together.

Fast forward to the future and you see the duo as famous magicians in a casino in Las Vegas as The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton. But nothing is what it seems between the two and their chosen career.

Amidst their own troubles, in comes Steve Gray [played by Jim Carrey] who is a very edgy charismatic street magician who is getting alot of attention and fans with his new but often dangerous tricks.

With a new hotel/casino looking for entertainers, will Wonderstone and Marvelton be able to edge out Steve Gray or will they fall into obscurity?

The Review:

This is a very funny movie.

It has been awhile since I've laughed so hard and so loud watching a movie. From the obvious [the bright performances of Carell, Buschemi and Carrey] to the most subtle things [Jim Carrey's character has a show named "Brain Rapist"] it was certainly a funny movie from beginning to end.

It was also great to see Alan Arkin in a comedy movie again. He has this certain charisma that makes you love him and the characters that he plays. Olivia Wilde is also great but her performance [to me] seems lacking. Also, since Steve Buschemi is in the movie, I was kinda on the lookout for minor appearances of either Ben Stiller and/or Adam Sandler since Steve Buschemi also cameo's a bit in theirs.

The storyline is a bit cliched but the comedy and the execution of it brings a bit of freshness in it. Although it's your typical comedy, it's really not. Also it has its usual moral lesson and despite some of the edgy tricks Carrey performs, the whole movie can be enjoyed by all ages. Comedy AND magic are both universal and you don't need to be a genius to appreciate both.

Catch it if you can while it's still in theaters, it really is a funny movie.

Let's Talk Movies!: The Man with the Iron Fists

I like this poster better, very minimalistic yet awesome.

*as always, spoiler free*

We all know how the Wu-Tang clan are so into martial arts that in one of their albums, it almost sounds like it was a martial arts film. From narration to the typical background music played during kung fu fight scenes.

It wasn't that much a surprise to me when I heard that RZA would be in a martial arts film since I was already surprised that he's playing Hard Master [martial arts master] in the coming Gi Joe sequel. 

The movie starts simple enough. In Jungle Village, RZA is their resident Blacksmith. Judging by how much orders he gets, it seems he is rather good at his job. Although it is shown that he dislikes making weapons for killing. But still he does it so he and his love, Lady Silk [played by Jamie Chung] would be able to leave and and have a life of their own. They were about to realize their dream however after a series of unfortunate events, both are dragged into a whole mess of trouble between the gov't., lions and ladies of reputation.

The story seems a bit of a mess at the start but it can be just simplified to a story of greed and power. The flow of the story was moving at a fast pace although the flashbacks of the Blacksmith [named Thaddeus] seemed a bit long and dragging. It was a bit weird how an african american from a plantation came to China even with an elaborate explanation on how he did but oh well, it's the movies.

They have a very strong and well known cast for this one. My biggest surprise was Dave Bautista whom we all know and love/hate as Batista from WWE. I seemed to have neglected seeing him in the main poster but I really loved his character [Brass Body] and his ...certain ability. It was really awesome to see. They also had Lucy Liu [as Madam Blossom] who was also magnificent. Any movie with Lucy Liu kicking ass in it is always a plus. It was nice to see Byron Mann again. He's much known as playing Ryu in the old Street Fighter movie. I must admit, he seemed to have been having fun in his role as the villain. I think Russel Crowe was something of a "meh" for me. His character [Jack Knife] was cool but I feel that they could've done better casting another actor...maybe, Woody Harrelson?

The fight scenes were completely awesome. It's pretty much action-packed with alot of actual martial arts since a few of the actors are actually masters or is really practicing martial arts in real life. Some were really fast [X-Blade's first fight scene] while some were totally out there [Brass Body Vs. X-Blade and the final fight of Brass Body Vs. the Blacksmith]. Still there were a few more elegant ones like Lucy Liu's fight scene and the Gemini's Vs. the Lions one. All were pretty much jaw dropping and a sight to behold. Although most people who've watched alot of martial arts movies might not see anything new, they didn't do anything that seems so out of this world.

If you're looking for an action movie filled with martial arts well, this won't disappoint. This movie pretty much has alot of it. If you're looking for a story, well...this movie has an okay storyline. It's not much but at least it still attempts to be linear and doesn't go overboard.

Let's Talk Movies: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Sooo....where's Scott Pilgrim?

*as always, this is going to be spoiler-free*

This movie surprised me. I did not expect a few things that happened but was right when I pegged this as another "coming-of-age" film. As if the term, "Wallflower" wasn't a dead give-away. 

I haven't read the book or the wikipedia entry or any reviews of it *I read a post from girlfriend about it though but it didn't give much away", so I watched it unprepared. I was kind of putting of watching it as it didn't seem that much. My girlfriend did consistently tell me to watch it and also asked a few times if I already did.

The movie is all about Charlie, played by Logan Lerman of "Percy Jackson" fame. I kinda liked him more on the "Gamer" movie. Anyway, it all starts out with his first day of highschool. Nothing much happens and it seems like he was going to be one of those silent loners until he gets the courage to talk to a "quirky" Patrick [who was played magnificently by Ezra Miller] and introduced to Pat's step-sister, Sam [played by Emma Watson]. From then on one thing leads to another as Charlie's highschool life gets better AND worse. 

The whole movie, as I found out, was set around the 90's. Which explains the lack of more...high end tech as well as more recent music. I didn't mind, being a kid of the 90's it seemed almost perfect.

My only question is...where the hell was this movie during MY highschool years? Ahahah~

Seriously, if I could've watched this during those times then my life would've so better. It's not that I could relate to the characters but at some instances all of us could relate to that dreadful first day of school where you don't know anyone at all. To those unsure feelings of awkwardness, as well as those feelings of happiness and loss. 

There are a few plot points in the movie that wasn't touched upon if you've just seen the trailers and haven't spoiled yourself in reading the wiki entry or haven't read the book itself. I think that those things made the movie more compelling and a bit dramatic. For me it would've been a bit dull if they didn't have it.

It's nice that they had an awesome selection of songs for this movie. Although I know most of them via covers by other artists, it was still awesome to hear them and used in moments that seem most opportune. Speaking of music, it was also awesome to see an old hobby again which was creating mixtapes. Prior to the technological advancement of selecting your playlists, you had to do it by yourself at the time and it was really hard.

Speaking of music, this made me remember a song entitled, "Wallflower" by Caroline's Spine [Yay 90's music!]

Take a listen, it's pretty awesome:

Anyhoo..

I've made a few mixtapes way, waaay back and it was both fun and a pain. But I digress...

Watching this movie makes you feel nostalgic of the time you've spent in highschool. Not only that, it then delves deeper and it will pique your interest. The best thing is, they do it at a slow pace. Slow enough to not give it away all at once and slow enough to let it just flow naturally within the story. It typically deals with the "love and loss" theme and a bit of a "boy meets girl" theme ala 500 Days of Summer [haven't watched that? then go and watch it then!]. There will be points of the story where you'd prolly wonder what was going on and what's going to happen next. All of those doubts and questions will mostly be answered as the story progresses.

All in all, it was really a very great film with a few characters that has a bit of depth.I think that Ezra Miller had more of a fantastic performance than Logan or Emma. Watching Mae Whitman in a movie was a delight [i've only seen her in Scott Pilgrim] and seeing Paul Rudd act the way he is is also nice. I dunno, i'm beginning to like him.

Since the author of the book was also the director of the movie, I think fans of the book will enjoy the movie as much as the book. I haven't read the book [maybe someday] and I've enjoyed the hell out of this movie. It's definitely worth a watch and a re-watch....because sometimes, we feel the need to be...infinite.

Let's Talk Movies: Silver Linings Playbook

First and foremost, I will post no spoilers :D Feel free to read on then..

The first time I heard about this movie was when I was browsing the 'net. It caught a bit of my attention because of two things...and no, it wasn't the ones on Jennifer Lawrence [LOL]...1.] Bradley Cooper - because I loved his performances in the Hangover films, A-Team and Limitless. Number 2 would be that this movie is also starring Robert De Niro which has to be one of my favourite actors of all time.Of course, I couldn't leave out Jennifer Lawrence as my girlfriend likes her. We both laugh at how she's so not like her serious characters when she does interviews.

Anyhoo, in this movie Bradley Cooper plays Pat who finished his "time" in a Mental Institution for a serious breakdown [don't worry I won't spoil anything here]. He then lives with his parents played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver [who was brilliant]. He tries to "re-make" himself and live right so as to rekindle his marriage to Nikki, his wife of course. Along the way Pat meets Tiffany [Jennifer Lawrence] who also seems to have problems on of her own. Tiffany agrees to help Pat out with his issues as long as she gets something in return.

The movie is a bit hard to track as it jumps right in the story. You'll only get to see what happened before via flashback. But that doesn't ruin it at all, you can still piece it together slowly but surely.

I also liked how it tackles other subjects than the main storyline [Pat's story], like how his family is coping with him coming back. Robert De Niro played a stellar job [in my eyes at least]. His characterization of Pat's Dad will let you know that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. This also the first time I've watched Bradley Cooper do something more serious and dramatic. Although his character almost always had some sort of blank expression on his face. Jennifer Lawrence was as great as Robert. It was more mature than most her her movies [LOL I've only watched Hunger games]. There are times where I think she was kinda like a living breathing Daria Morgendorferr due to her low voice [the director told Jen to lower her voice] and attitude in the movie. Her role as Tiffany won her a Golden Globe. Watching her performance here makes me think that she really should win. I wish she did more movies like this or she'll be typecasted for her role in the Hunger Games just like Daniel Radcliffe was for Harry Potter.

The story is somewhat the ol' "boy meets girl" arc but with a few complications along the way. It's not that it's boring but the story isn't really something new. There are a few more things added to the story to prolly sort of liven it up or spice things up but ultimately it still goes back to a tried and tested formula. In the end it was still great story and movie, I just recently found out it had 8[!] Academy Award Nominations. 1 award more than Argo [which i'll prolly watch next]. Best part of the movie for me? Brad and Jen dancing! Why were they dancing? What kind dance? Watch it and find out :D

It's a worthwhile watch for me. I'd recommend you to go see this movie, sure there's alot of big named stars in it but it really is a very good movie...I mean why else would it be nominated an Oscar for Best picture right? Right.

Let's talk TV: A Young Doctor's Notebook

While wandering around the net looking for things, I chanced upon a news article with the words "Jon Hamm", "Daniel Radcliffe", "Mini-series" and "Doctor". It made me well curious enough to click the link and read the article.

I was surprised to see Jon and Dan doing a tv mini-series together about the experiences of a young doctor. We all know Daniel Radcliffe from the Harry Potter movies, I haven't really seen his other works though so I thought it might be worth a watch. I also know Jon Hamm via Mad Men but I really didn't follow the series. For me, Jon Hamm's memorable performances in Saturday Night Live [especially his "Sergio!" skit] was absolutely fantastic.

...and who could resist the possibility of seeing this?

Anyway, moving on...

*cough*

The story revolves around a  certain Mikhail Bulgakov during his early days of being a doctor. Daniel Radcliffe plays a young Mikhail while Jon plays the older one.

The first episode starts with the Older Mikhail [Jon] in an office while two [what seems like Russian?] officers are either looking for something or currently confiscating everything in the room. Older Mikhail then chances upon an old black notebook which he reads and it goes into a flashback of his younger self [ Daniel] being taken to a remote hospital in the Smolensk province.

During the time, the Young Mikhail is fresh out of med school and as he mentioned got the highest of marks from his class. However as the episode progresses, he finds out that the actual real thing is way more nerve-wracking than what med school had offered. 

Aside from that, he also has to surpass the certain stigma that his predecessor has left behind. It seems as if the previous doctor did things the right way every time and the staff never lets him forget it. And also trying to convince the medical staff that he really was a doctor [the staff mentioned he was either too young..or too small] and a good one at that.

A nice thing they did was that the Older Mikhail shows up in the flashback as some sort of spirit guide for his younger self. He can only be seen by his younger self and converses and interacts with him.

Overall, it was a very fun first serving of this mini-series. Daniel Radcliffe looks more rugged than usual but during some of the more goofy and awkward moments, you can't help but see a little HP sometimes. Either that of HP really has been imprinted on me that much. It's nice to see Jon in a more relaxed and comedic role [at least not too comedic like in SNL]. 

It's a bit sad that there will only be 4 episodes and [if we use the first episode as basis] that each will only last 30 minutes. Still if it's going to be as interesting as the first episode than it'll be worth it.

Besides, who cannot resist watching these two together on the TV screen?

Let's Talk Movies: The Campaign

This movie almost coincided with the emergence of "campaign" posters that we are now seeing along our streets, walls and etc.

But that's not why I wanted to watch this. I wanted to watch this movie because of Will Ferrell, as he is my favorite comedian, and because of Zach Galifianakis, as he really shined in the Hangover movies.

The story starts with the re-election campaign of Will Ferrell's character, incumbent Cam Brady. He is set to win [again] because no one wants to run against him. That is until Zach's character, Marty Huggins, puts in his name in the race. Marty seems out of place in the political world but with the help of his Backers and "Campaign manager", he's more than ready to serve his district.

What happens next may or may not be a reflection of what really happens in and behind the scenes of an electoral campaign. It clearly has the political mudslinging but in a more less serious tone.

Will does a good job portraying a man in office. He had alot of practice in SNL, playing Pres. Bush. In fact, in some points of the movie, I think he was channeling his Bush character. Zach also did a good job being the regular joe who is thrust into the limelight. His portrayal of Marty in itself was pretty hilarious.

The movie is not just about politics but it has alot of underlying themes to it. From family issues/drama/values to loving your country to standing up to what you believe in. Amidst all the comedy, there are lessons to be learned. that was pretty nice of them to include.

There also alot of other great actors in very great roles. From SNL Legend Dan Akroyd and the Great John Lithgow to current SNL cast member Jason Sudekis. A few cameos by great actors are included too. Let's not also forget the news anchors and reporters who acted as themselves.

The movie shows us the dark side of politics. How it can manipulate the good men into something they are not. It shows us how some people in power aren't really in control of themselves but are more puppets to something more greater..or sinister. But it also shows us that there is also good in everyone and that they have the chance to do good and be good if they are given the opportunity.

This movie is a great watch and offers a great mixture of serious and comedic tones. It's a breath of fresh air if you've been following Philippine politics as of late. You'll definite laugh out loud and leave the cinema very entertained.

Let's Talk Comics: KWENTILLION

I was wandering around a bookstore when I saw something that caught my eye. It was almost the size of a regular magazine but it wasn't really you're typical one.

Kwentillion [derived from the words, Kwento meaning Story and Million meaning..uh, Million of course] felt like something I needed to get...so I did.

I haven't really been following any other Philippine comic books other than Pugad Baboy, Beerkada and Life in Progress. It was just only last year that I was really getting immersed into it. My girlfriend was influential in opening those doors for me. Introducing me to the Trese books....it also helpled that I had a few friends that were launching their own indie comic as well.

After going to last year's Komikon, I was starving for more but I really couldn't get my hands on anything [except for copies of SkyWorld]. So seeing Kwentillion was a big bright spot in my day.

The cover sort of has a pop-culture feel..the magnificent cover art is reminiscient of the video game character Edea from Final Fantasy 8. It also states of containing a whopping 100 pages of comics and fiction, so I knew I was in for a ride once I started reading.

Kwentillion begins with a story titled, "The Last Datu" written and drawn by two familiar people, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo of Trese fame. I love the Trese books but I just wish that they deviated from it with this new story. It almost has the same feel. Aswang/Monsters, a female lead, a Father who sacrifices himself..it seems all to familiar. Still it is it's own story and it is still quite enjoyable.

The next story was something that we all prolly thought about when we first played Super Mario. What if we had a Pinoy/Philippine version of him? It we ever did, I'd want it to be "Poso Maximo". A war veteran turned plumber. This story was drawn a bit cartoony but it works. It also didn't have any dialogue but again, it still works. You will still be able to follow and get the story even without it. Poso Maximo is pretty straight forward. It is fun, it has action and it has a pretty light-hearted ending. I wouldn't mind seeing more adventures from him.

The next story actually surprised me as it was not a comic but a short story. Nevertheless, "Spin Man" is a story of it's own. The fact that it can relate to alot of the comic readers out there adds to it's allure.

The next few pages took me back to the real world and made me realize that I was actually reading a magazine. The next pages were full of different interesting articles. From Interviews with Manix Abrera and Chester Ocampo, to book reviews, to an article about Fan Fiction topping it of with 6 color pages of wonderful art along with info on their creators and where to follow them on the world wide web.

Then another story...and it's my favorite one this issue. Entitled "High Society", it started like it will be another one of those stories with a supernatural theme. I was wrong...more or less. While it did have a supernatural theme, it also delved into one of my favorite things...Steam Punk. The story is set during the Spanish times and it featured Philippine Mythological Creatures AND Steam Punk. What is not to like there?

Kwentillion closes with a genre that we really haven't seen much in Philippine Comics...well, at least I haven't. It was Science Fiction...and Sky Gypsies was just like that but with a more Pinoy tone. This story was pretty exceptional and very Pinoy as well [especially on how the Police acted near the last panels LOL].

After that, it's just a How-to-draw a Tikbalang and a chart of Philippine Folklore Magic. Pretty informative I must say.

All in all, the stories were like a breath of fresh air. I like how they had a short summary of the writers and artists prior to starting the stories. At least people might not who wrote/draw their fave story in Kwentillion and that they might be able to stalk them online (LOL). I also liked that they included short stories...written fiction. It actually made me think of submitting a few stories of my own and wishing so hard that it'll get printed. I just wish they had something else at the end of the Magazine..like an introductory Letters to the Editor and such.

Kwentillion is a very awesome find for me and I am lucky to be able to get a copy. It has a few stories that everyone can enjoy...although the written fiction entry might be a little TL:DR or long and boring for some. It was still a very great first issue and hopefully there'll be a second.

Let's Talk Figures!: M.A.R.S. Heroes

I happened to get info about these figs just last year. I never really got to seeing them around until the last few days of 2010.

M.A.R.S. Heroes are a group of three kinds of figures, Aliens, MegaBot and Troopers. I managed to get and complete the Aliens. I also got one of the Troopers and didnt get the other two as they really didn't look pleasing to me. The MegaBots are a bit harder to find.

Anyhoo, I don't really know if there's any backstory about these figures but i'm thinking it's kinda like ala-Starcraft type of storyline. Oh you know, 3 races, killing each other?

Let's move on shall we?

These figures are all standing tall around 4 inches, have 13 pieces and  interchangeable parts[!]. They all have simple ball joints for articulation. It's not much but it's enough.

M.A.R.S. Heroes: Aliens


First off are the Aliens and the one I would like to call "Big Blue".

Why "Big Blue"? It's not because he's any bigger than any of the others. His blue color just really stand out and he's the only one who wields a melee weapon.

See what I mean? Other than the shoulder-mounted..uh..thing he has. He has got a big "energy" type Axe. It looks simple but effective. His Axe fits both his "claws"/hands well.

As mentioned before, the have 13 pieces/parts that can be easily removed and interchangeable [weapons and shoulder mounts included of course!]. Since they're ball joints and sockets, it's not hard to put them back together.

You can create an abomination like the one above or a more normal creation! It's up to you. Anyway, I like "Big Blue" best. Not only does he remind me of the aliens from Titan AE but he is really menacing with his Energy Axe.

Next is "Agent Orange"...

Why the name? He's so goddamned orange! LOL Aside from his blaster and almost "Predator" inspired shoulder mount, he has the same articulation as the rest.

He doesn't have a melee weapon but he has a very distinct Blaster weapon that fits snugly on both his hands. Why did I say that his Blaster was very "distinct"?

His blaster looks like a Xenomorph from the ALIENS movies. I don't know why it looks like it but for me it's a pretty weird thing to do and have for a weapon.


The last Alien is "The Rookie",

Why name him "The Rookie"? It's because he's GREEN! Get it? Oh..you don't..oh well..

He's the next Alien I like after Big Blue because he dual wields! He's the only Alien fig who has dual blasters and what looks like an actual Rocket shoulder mount.

Isn't dual-wielding so bad-ass? He's pretty much raring to go with guns/blasters blazing.

Moving on....

M.A.R.S. Heroes: Troopers


I managed to get only one of the three Trooper figures. Why? The other two had visible Humanoid heads and it felt like they wouldn't fit in among GI Joe and Marvel Universe figures I have. The one I bought seemed like it was the generic grunt, so let's name him that.

He looks more like a cyborg..maybe even a robot but he's part of the "Trooper" group. He is also the only one who has their helmet on.

Unlike the Aliens, the Troopers do not have Shoulder mounts. They do have two weapons. Unfortunately, their grip is a bit wide and the weapon handles are a bit thin. Hence they can't really hold the weapons well. One is a Blaster handgun while the other seems like a Laser weapon [which he is holding backwards OOPS!]. But I let them hold a few of the GI Joe vintage weapons I had [ones with wide handles] and they pretty much stayed put.

He looks pretty plain but he does offer a ton of customization. If I was any good at customizing, he'd be looking like Master Chief. Maybe do a few retouching or repaints on his helmet to add detail.

Since I didn't get the other two, I just bought three of the same figure instead. A squad of three is better than one [the 3rd fig is still inside its plastic prison though].

Wonder Gun powers...ACTIVATE!

OVERALL

I didn't grab a whole lot of them..yet. I collected all 3 types for the Aliens and 3 of the "Grunts" for the Troopers.

Articulation-wise, they're limited a bit but they can be moved and posed just enough for decent action shots. Accessory-wise, they don't have much but what they have is just enough.

 These Aliens are good as enemy fodder for GI Joe or Marvel Heroes if you troop build en masse. They can also be the main villains having a single Big Blue [as leader] and army build the rest. The "Grunts" are great army builders for a "Space Marine" type of army versus the Aliens. They can also be evil cyborgs versus GI Joe or Marvel Heroes.

It all boils down to your own perspective and imagination.

I'm still trying to look for any of the MegaBots and will prolly get a few more Grunts and Aliens. They're pretty much a nice addition to any 3.75/4inch collection. So it's a definite buy if you're into a little diversity and into sci-fi/futuristic figures.