Flightplan --- almost a plane wreck waiting to happen

©Touchstone

Title:
Flightplan (B)
PH Release Date:
November 9, 2005
Actors:
Jodie Foster, Sean Bean, Peter Sarsgaard, Kate Beahan, Michael Irby, Erika Christensen
Director:
Robert Schwentke
Screenplay:
Peter A Dowling & Billy Ray
Editor / Music:
Thom Noble / James Horner
Design / Photography:
Alec Hammond / Florian Ballhaus
Producer:
Brian Grazer
Studio:
Touchstone Pictures


©Touchstone
“If Someone Took Everything You Live For... How Far Would You Go To Get It Back?”


Finally, after weeks of waiting, I finally got to see this movie. As a humungous fan of Ms. Foster, I reserve all the right to make a review of it and nobody is gonna stop me! Not even my virus-filled computer!!!

Mized reviews besiege this thriller, which forced me not to expect too much from this movie, withdrawing my previous assumptions that it’s gonna be great--- cuz Jodie’s in it. But after seeing it, I can say that it’s really GREAT---- cuz Jodie’s in it.


©Touchstone

Kyle (Jodie Foster), a recent widower is on board with her daughter on a flight from Berlin to New York when all of a sudden, Julia, her 6 year-old daughter, mysteriously disappeared, leaving no traces behind as if she never existed. Convincing herself and others that she’s not crazy and that her daughter is in fact really missing; Kyle went as far as blaming an Arab man as Julia’s abductor and messing with the plane system. With everyone thinking that she’s out of her mind, will Kyle be able to hold her belief that Julia existed for the plane crew, staff and passengers to find out that it’s anything but a severe case of delusion?

The script for this movie is good, far from airtight, but tolerable. A lot of pivotal changes could have been made that will make this movie the great thriller that it should be. For starters, they could have made Fiona’s (Erika Christensen) role more crucial, made her a link as to how Kyle will find out the truth. As far as I am concerned, despite the enormous size of that plane, it is quite impossible to miss somebody knowing how close the seats are. Someone will always notice someone, maybe not approach or talk to them, but surely someone will spot them. And if that’s not enough to convince you, someone will surely see anyone who reaches for the luggage cabinets (if that’s what they call it). Fiona could have been that one.


©Touchstone

The direction is better than I expected. It was clean and smoothly done. It captured every inch of the acting prowess Jodie showed in this film. He knew where the strength of this movie lay, and he grabbed every opportunity to use it. The pacing for the first hour of the movie was nicely done, it sorta appeared rushed after that but I believe it’s really more of the script’s problem. It just turned too predictable and ordinary, that no good direction can save it.

The editing of the movie is another good thing in this movie. The production design is good as well. A fabulous plane if I may add. Never been on a plane so I don’t think that such things, like a fab bar and the like actually really exists, but I would definitely not turn down a chance to experience riding in it. The music is average, it could have been much, much better. The cinematography is good enough, although sometimes it looks as if they’re not inside a plane cuz it just seemed to big, but how would I know, I’ve never been in one.


©Touchstone

Jodie Foster shines, sizzles, kicks-ass in this movie! She never lost her thriller-charm! Nobody does it better! Although I find it extremely difficult to believe that the role she played was originally written for Sean Penn, I am delighted that it didn’t end up in his hands, not that he’ll ruin it, but I wouldn’t wanna miss the chance to see her in any new movie this year. She rarely makes movies these days, which is really a shame cuz she’s one of the finest, if not the best.

Sean Bean makes a convincing captain who seemed to be having more problems dealing with his constipation rather than his flight scare, but I was really persuaded that he was worried, may it be his bowels or the plane. Peter Sarsgaard is like a split-image of Paul Rudd, with the latter being more good-looking and talented. He is one of the weakest aspects in this movie. I found him infuriating, not his character, but him. He looked and acted like a drunken-bastard suffering from a jetlag. Couldn’t they find anybody else? Erika Christensen was rightfully cast, but unfortunately the role wasn’t developed well enough. Hopefully we’ll get to see more of her doing more challenging roles next time. The rest of the extras who I heard stayed for the gig for more than 5-months did well, lucky them, all they did was sit, chat and stare at real actors and get paid for it for more than 100 days. I guess they didn’t mind being on that much-delayed flight.


©Touchstone

With a handful of Asian thrillers coming out with almost exactly the same themes and ending, it’s nice to see a movie that attempts to bring back the times of Hitchcock, even if they fail. I cannot compare this movie with Red Eye cuz I haven’t seen it, but in comparison with Panic Room, you can say that it was close to being its identical twin. It’s impossible not to sense a feeling of déjà vu after seeing Jodie Foster lock herself in one of the rooms.

For Jodie’s performance alone, it’s worth the watch. This gem of an actress will be sure worth your precious buck. What do you know, after watching it, you may even ask for a return flight.

Grading Sheet:
Story – 15%
Screenplay – 15%
Direction / Execution – 15%
Acting – 18%
Technical Aspect – 17%
Total: 80% = B

The 40 Year-Old Virgin --- deserves to be put on a pedestal

© Universal

Title:
The 40 Year-Old Virgin (A-)
PH Release Date:
September 2005
Actors:
Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Jane Lynch, Leslie Mann
Director:
Judd Apatow
Screenplay:
Judd Apatow & Steve Carell
Editor / Music:
Brent White / Lyle Workman
Design / Photography:
Jackson de Govia / Jack N. Green
Producer:
Steve Carell et al.
Studio:
Universal Pictures


© Universal

“I'm very discreet... but I will haunt your dreams”

With the high price of cinema tickets today, it’s hard to decide on what movie deserves are violet buck. That is why I am here. But even I get a little confuse sometimes especially since the advent of 4-in-1 DVDs. If you really think about it, why spend a hundred bucks for a single entry to one movie when you can buy the multimovie DVDs in Quiapo and watch more than one movie as many times as you want, with as many people as you like at your own time? It is in this light that I have decided on this dogma: Thou shall watch movies in cinema only if it’s 3d filled, OPM and/or for free.

However, despite this creed, when I heard about this film, I knew that I got to see it straight from the movie house. And I don’t have a single contrition about that decision. I saw this flick more than a month ago, and watched it again yesterday (for free, thanx to Ate Kors). And somehow I was surprised to find the movie just as great.


© Universal

A couple of comedies regarding virginity have emerged for the past few years but none of them has ever tackled it with an adult man as the center of the story. Most of the time it’s about kids trying to get lucky after the prom with a happy ending completely bullocks for people of their age. Not that I loved the ending of this movie, but the way this flick was handled in its entirety exudes warmth that separates it from its wacko-for-bucko predecessors.

The movie revolves around the life of Andy Stitzer. A man who spends most, actually all of his out-of-work time at home together with his kick-ass videogames, limited edition toys and trombone. He’s a decade away to experience mid-life crisis but the one thing a man, according to the American standards should have experienced is something he has never successfully done before. With his natural shyness and life more predictable than Joan Rivers’ plastic surgery schedule, it seems that Andy may have to skip that whole aspect of life. Not until his co-workers: Cal, David and Jay came in, that Andy might finally get the chance to meet Pussyliah.


© Universal

Director Judd Apatow is in a way almost a veteran in the field of comedy but has never directed a full-length movie before until this one. In a lot of ways it is quite obvious, but the great thing about comedy movies is that when you’re able to make your audience laugh so hard they tend to miss the mistakes that you’ve made. The shots are okay, however, he is not very detailed that if you’re a keen moviegoer, it’ll be impossible to miss the bloopers. For example, when the drank girl puked shrimp sandwich on Andy’s face there was only a very minimal amount that can be found on the left side of his mouth, but the next scene showed Andy’s face covered with puke; a minuscule mistake, nonetheless a mistake.

Judd may be novice in directing, but he is certainly not a neophyte in writing. Together with Steve, they were able to make Andy’s character very interesting and consistent at the same time. They were also able to intertwine physical comedy with pure talk, which made it more fun to watch. The story despite its fairy tale ending still managed to standout because it’s something that has never been done before. They also managed to include lines about life that given enought time to ponder on makes utter sense.


© Universal

The editing of the movie needs some work. The music they used was very funny, apt to the desired reaction from the audience and mood at the moment. The design was pretty simple and the cinematography was nothing special as well. But nevertheless, they all blend perfectly well with the movie, and that for me matters the most.

Steve Carell nailed this part as if it’s his first-time: with full energy and intense determination. He was very consistent and right on the money all throughout. He surely deserves more than Hollywood gives him credit for. And after this flick, I’m pretty sure he’ll get what’s right for him. Catherine Keener played her part very naturally. Paul Rudd is one those few could-have-been leading man but successfully managed to do what he do best—comedy. He’s your average American, and he played this role as if he’s been that person his entire life. Jane Lynch was another standout in this flick, a simple but landmark performance. The rest of the cast was great.


© Universal

Like I’ve mentioned in the beginning, very few comedy/rom-com/non-CGI flick deserves to be seen onscreen. Now that times has never been more difficult, it is imperative that we should be practical in dealing with our hobbies such as watching movies. But it is more imperative to see a movie that will not only bring tremendous joy to you, but will also make you think about the complications that surround relationships and adult life in general. So go watch this flick now, and I’ll stop putting this pussy on a pedestal.

Grading Sheet:
Story – 17%
Screenplay – 18%
Direction / Execution – 17%
Acting – 18%
Technical Aspect – 17%
Total: 87% = A-

The Brothers Grimm --- it's been a long time coming...

© Miramax

Title:
The Brothers Grimm (C+)
PH Release Date:
August 2005
Actors:
Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci, Jonatahn Pryce, Lena Headey
Director:
Terry Gilliam
Screenplay:
Ehren Kruger
Editor / Music:
Lesley Walker / Dario Marianelli
Design / Photography:
Guy Dyas / Nicola Pecorini et al.
Producer:
Bob and Harvey Weinstein et al.
Studio:
Miramax Films


© Miramax

Show us the way, Grandmother Toad or I’ll smash your slimy green body into tiny green pieces!

Honey, you ain’t dreamin. The wanker is indeed back to bring you your weekly dose of movie crap after two months of absence. I apologize for my sudden disappearance on the face of the blog world but believe me when I say that the amount of break I had is certainly needed to stop me from bashing these movies with no real cause, which I’ll still end up doing otherwise. On with the show ei?

I saw this flick more than two months ago and I’ll try my best to recall as much as I can even if this means I would have to trash down some more recent precious memoirs like that of… never mind.


© Miramax

The movie is supposed to be an imagined biography of the brothers who gave life to most of the classic fairy tale stories we have today. Crappy as it may sound, but given the time they were born, they’ve come up with quite a number of great works spawned from a true artists’ brilliant imagination. Sad to say, the movie failed to show this, and fell greatly short from any level of the authors’ brilliance.

Okay, granting that it shouldn’t be taken seriously (which will be truly evident when you see this movie), I don’t think it will be much to ask to have at least a concrete idea of what they plan to do, accomplish and present. Aside from the fact that they want to incorporate the different fairy tales made by the Grimms into the plot (that somehow worked), there is no clear design for the movie as a whole.


© Miramax

I have not seen any movie of Terry Gilliam. They say he is a visionary of grandeur. Looking at this movie, I do not defy such title. However, for a visionary like him, how come he didn’t notice that his plot is way out of the rail and that he needed to stop working on the visuals and actually start digging for substance.

The way they presented the characters may be whimsical for some, but somehow, I found their personalities anything but refreshing. They were so typical for a buddy movie. I was expecting a little bit more.


© Miramax

Visually, the movie is spectacular. The production design is excellent together with art direction and costumes. It was finely edited, too bad there’s nothing much worth pondering on.

Matt Damon played Wilhelm Grimm with a performance as ridiculous as the movie itself. Heath Ledger is very enjoyable to watch. I no longer wonder as to why a lot of celebrities and even a studio backed out of this project, it is simply because it was a disaster waiting to happen. Good for them.


© Miramax

As a whole, the movie has some really magnificent scenes that will surely be enjoyable for the kids and adults as well. It has a brand of humor not exactly dismissible on a single exposure. However, despite all this, a movie, no matter how great it looks will always lean on its plot, and to be honest, there’s nothing much of that in here. If you are to see it, be careful not to fall under the spell of boredom.

Grading Sheet:
Story – 10%
Screenplay – 12%
Direction / Execution – 14%
Acting – 17%
Technical Aspect – 17%
Total: 70% = C+