Album Review: Christina Aguilera – Bionic (2010)

“…The thing about Aguilera is that she’s used to zig when everyone else was zagging. And now, it seems like she decided to zag along with everyone else.” -EW.com

EW.com closed its review of Not Myself Tonight with these sentences. I wouldn’t blame them for thinking like this but I guess they were deceived by Not Myself Tonight. I love the single, don’t get me wrong, but this just didn’t represent the album in any way. Not Myself Tonight is like everything we have heard from today’s recording artists, except Christina can sing. I understand why they picked this track to be the first single — of all the tracks in Bionic, Not Myself Tonight is easily the most familiar and it is on this track that her voice is most recognizable.

But Bionic is more than that. Listen to Bionic and you’ll find Xtina going against the grain yet again, pushing the envelope harder, and yes, zigging while everyone else is zagging.

When Christina Aguilera said in an interview that she was experimenting more with her voice and exploring new ways to make music with it, she was not kidding. The album is unlike anything she has done before. It’s not even like anything other female performers and divas today have done before. Bionic is a big risk for an artist of her stature. It is not conventional. Yet, Aguilera was able to mesh her five-star voice with the different instruments that contributed to the genius that is Bionic.

To be honest, Bionic isn’t as futuristic as she sells it but it is indeed superhuman. And as you listen to it, subconsciously you are taken on a journey of a superhuman — opening with a big bang that is Bionic (track), taking you on a wild ride with Woohoo and Elastic Love, going deeper to the heart and soul of the album that is the four ballads at its core, and ending with a fun, wild, not-to-be-taken-seriously track that is Vanity.

I especially loved its row of ballads co-penned by Xtina’s long-time collaborator Linda Perry and new found ally Sia. It is the core of the record. It is as if Aguilera sheds of her metal armor, getting naked and revealing her heart and soul.It is Christina at her most vulnerable.

Most of all, Bionic successfully cements Christina’s status as probably this generation’s most versatile vocalist. She does urban, club-bangers, ballads and soul and does them well.

Here are what I think of each track:

Continue reading »

Movie Review | Miss You Like Crazy (2010)

Genre: Romance, Drama
Director: Cathy Garcia-Molina
Stars: John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo

When I first heard that John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo would be doing a movie together after three years, my first reaction was “How in the world are they gonna top One More Chance?!” Not that One More Chance is a perfect film. But it was perfect for John Lloyd and Bea. It was one of the best mainstream Pinoy romantic drama movies I’d seen in recent times — well-acted, well-directed, well-shot, mature and surprisingly solid.

That said, Miss You Like Crazy is bound to be compared to its predecessor. But looking at the new movie as is, this has a lot of refreshing things to offer.

First, there was a deliberate effort to deviate from conventional Star Cinema movies and it was pretty apparent. The treatment is way different from other Cathy Garcia Molina films. For instance, there was an attempt to play with the timeline. We all know how formulaic studio romantic movies are and they seldom mess up the narrative flow. Also, how they “sectionalized” the film was not something that usual mainstream romance does. Each section is set in a different time and has its own premise, conflict and closure (but not really a resolution). These sections feel like incomplete short films but weaved together make up a good, insightful movie.

Second, the narrative veers away from the explain-it-all/show-it-all school of storytelling. When one section ends and another starts, the audience is left in a vacuum. A long time has been skipped and the audience is left wondering how much time has passed and what happened in between. It doesn’t assume that you are too stupid to assume or to discover for yourself what you missed. There’s a downside, though. It has a happy ending, yes, but that’s not the problem. The issue is how it gets there comes out of nowhere. It’s not established enough; it felt forced. It felt thought out in the last minute just so they could give the audience a happy ending. That’s the problem.

Continue reading »

Movie Rundown | 2009 Oscar Contenders (Part 2)

I’m sorry, these are not exactly my idea of decent reviews but  my brain isn’t working right now. (Like isn’t it always?) And I really need to get back to work now-now. Wow, time is a scarce commodity nowadays.

Revolutionary Road (2008)
Genre: Drama; Directors: Sam Mendes
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon

Suburbia. Boring as it seems, suburbia is a deep well of materials for film and TV. The loneliness and grief found in suburbia, as shown in films such as American Beauty and The Safety of Objects, make me wanna thank God I’m living a cosmopolitan life despite EDSA and MMDA. Wala lang, nabanggit ko lang.

Revolutionary Road is about two people who are trapped in a predicament called “family.” Personally, I know so many people who call that walled place they stay in a “prison,” rather than a “home.” (My parents, for example, wahaha.)

The movie succeeds in showing the couple’s desperation to free themselves from their suffocating predetermined domestic roles and their frustration that led them to turn on each other, leading to the deterioration of their marriage and ultimately themselves.

Leo and Kate delivered painfully convincing performances, you’d forget they are the same couple in Titanic. Or that it is actually their reunion movie. I’m not a fan of Leo’s but he exhibited immense maturity in this movie. And Kate, well, I declare her name synonymous to the best of acting performances.

Although it’s not really an entertaining piece, or something I’d wanna watch (over and over) again, this is Sam Mendes’s best work. And it should have been nominated for Best Picture. Why, Oscar, why? 5.0

…

The Reader (2008)
Genre: Drama; Director: Stephen Daldry
Stars: Kate Winslet, David Kross, Ralph Fiennes

“What would you have done?”
”Is that kinder?”

These questions may not have an impact on you now but watch The Reader and you’ll see. And the funny thing is, the movie does not answer these questions. It just asks. And it’s up to you to find answers for yourself.

Only two emotions get the better of me: shame and guilt. Director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter David Hare (people behind The Hours) explored these emotions gracefully in The Reader. You can just imagine how much this film affected me, being someone always overpowered by guilt and shame.

The film’s plot centers on a sexual affair between a curious 15-year old boy and a 36-year old enigma, who turns out to be one of the Auschwitz guards during the Holocaust. Although it is an integral element in the film, The Reader is NOT a Holocaust movie. Or maybe it is. Wahaha. But whatever, it does not steer away from the absorbing illicit relationship between the two characters.

Kate Winslet is a standout. She attacked the role with a precision incomparable to any of her other performances. Her eyes scream her past. Also, the way she irons her underwear. And the way she closes doors. And the way she puts her foot in front of the other. Winslet was able to balance the guilt of a naïve former Nazi guard who does not know the consequences of her actions and the shame of an illiterate human being.

Given its premise, one may expect big scenes with larger than life confrontations, characters screaming their emotions out — histrionics in a typical Oscar-aspiring melodrama. But Stephen Daldry carefully avoided such scenes. Emotions are conveyed in ways too slow and subtle, the film gives you enough time to think. Think. Think. Feel. And then think again.

Continue reading »

Movie Rundown | 2009 Oscar Contenders (Part 1)

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Genre: Comedy; Director: Danny Boyle
Stars: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto

After watching the film, I felt disappointed. I wasn’t expecting myself to like it. But I DID. Tremendously.  Haha. And this might be the first time that I’m rooting for an Oscar frontrunner. (Two years ago, I liked Little Miss Sunshine better than The Departed; Crash than Brokeback Mountain; Munich than Brokeback Mountain; The Hours than Chicago.) But then again I haven’t seen The Reader yet. But so far, Slumdog gets all my loving.

People say that there’s nothing new to the story. It’s the same old third-world rags-to-riches plot. But like my Screenwriter mentor said, all stories have been told, it’s HOW you tell the story. Although I’m not sure I agree to that, it certainly applies to Slumdog. What’s amazing about it is how the story is told — how it used an old game show as a vehicle of a usual plot and a foreign setting and culture to make it look brand new. But the truth is, most of the time I don’t care if the story is fresh. What matters to me is if it’s yummy and spicy. And boy is it yummy and spicy.

One awesome thing that I especially liked about this movie is how the setting, Mumbai, seems to have a life of its own. It’s like one well-developed character, reminiscent of City of God, only happy.  It changes and grows with the characters. And I sympathized with it. Mumbai is more alive and active than Benjamin Button (haha).

Slumdog Millionaire, although revolving around the many not-so-pretty things about life, is brimming with optimism. It takes us to a life-long journey of a man, who proves that despite life’s infinite hardships — that vicious cycle of overcoming obstacles and then life making some more — there’s always something or someone that can give us that reason to move forward. It narrates his desperate struggles to find it. And to hell with everyone, he will find it.

It’s hard to believe that this is from the same director who bought us 28 Days Later, Trainspotting and Sunshine. But whatever, he managed to incorporate excellent screenplay, editing, cinematography and music and come up with something uplifting.

And oh, I think it’s just about time for an Oscar Best Picture that does not leave us depressed and suicidal, taking a dose of  life’s bitter pills, and wanting to kill ourselves to get out of misery. It doesn’t hurt to feel good.  5.0

…

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy; Director: David Fincher
Stars: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is stuffed with dualities — young and old, birth and death. Unfortunately for Benjamin, the two words that came to my mind after seeing it were long and cold.

First of all, I have to say I am a bit disappointed because I love almost everything and everyone in this film. David Fincher is one of my most-loved directors. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton are some of my fave actors. But amidst the amazing visual display and the technical brilliance, this film awfully lacks something integral — emotional coherence.

Continue reading »

TV Rundown 2008 | Comedy

Pushing Daisies | Seasons 1 & 2
Genre: Comedy; Creator: Bryan Fuller
Stars: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth

I admit that the whole Pushing Daisies idea was a little too quirky and too whimsy  and too fancy for me. I didn’t think I would like it. I’m just not the type of person who would enjoy magic realism shit. My kind of comedy is closer to that of Desperate Housewives or House. But I dunno, last year, after one episode of Pushing Daisies, I immediately fell in love with it and all its quirks and fancies.

The series reminds me of Amelie, a Jean Pierre Jeunet masterpiece. And everything about it is just TRULY delightful — the bright colours, the oversaturated scenery, the witty narration, the fast pace, the overall concept, and above all, the piemaker. Haha. I declared “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m officially gay.” At least stereotypically. You know, the colourful, flamboyant, I-wanna-experience-Mardi-Gras-gay gay.

And I was just sooo happy after the show received a couple of well-deserved Emmy nods and tons of nominations. And then a little later, ABC just killed my mood. DARN! Why did they have to cancel the show?! I know why, actually — modest ratings. But heck. I know life is unfair but not this no-more-piemaking-eyecandy-unfair unfair! It’s just sooo… unfair. Gaaah.

Dammit. Pushing Daisies is the drug. And it takes me to a new level of television-high. I feel like I’ve been so addicted to this show that I’m this close to joining a support group just to get rid of this addiction. But I don’t really want to get rid of it. (Gahd, I’m lost in my metaphors.) And then just like that, my stash will be gone soon. Someone’s gonna be suffering from Pushing Daisies withdrawal big time.  5.0

…

Ugly Betty | Season 2
Genre: Comedy, Action, Thriller; Director: Joel Schumacher
Stars: Val Kilmer, Chris O’Donnell, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman

I am yet to start watching the third season so I can’t say anything about it. But the second season is just lovely. The first season is far more hilarious but this season is enjoyable, nonetheless.

There are two things that I love love loved the most in this season. First, the return of Claire Meade, one of my fave characters. And the other, the addition of Freddy Rodriguez, whom I missed since Six Feet Under. And I love Gio more than Henry by 2000 lightyears.

I wonder if Betty and Daniel will ever share a romantic relationship like in its original and all the other versions. I’m a little torn with regard to this. Somehow, I adore their relationship as is. But I can’t help wondering how it’s gonna turn out if they develop something more than friendship.

Amanda is a showstopper. This is my fave one and a half minutes of the show EVER.

Gaawd. Amanda, Amanda, Amanda. Haha. But still, Wilhelmina all.the.way. 4.5

…

Desperate Housewives | Season 4 & 5
Genre: Action, Thriller; Directors: Joel Schumacher
Stars: George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alicia Silverstone, Uma Thurman, Chris O’Donnell

Season 4: What’s the best season of Desperate Housewives? Hmmm. Damn, that’s hard. But my favorite is a toss between seasons 3 and 4.

The most remarkable changes in this season is the addition of the very competitive Katherine Mayfair, a former Wysteria Lane resident who has just returned with a bagful of dirty laundry; and unconventional, gay couple Lee and Bob.

The “Tornado” (Something’s Coming) episode is the second best, I think, of the entire show. (Season 3′s “Bang” episode, where Lynette had a life-and-death confrontation with the hostage-taker Carolyn Bigsby, is #1. Felicity Huffman was just so very crazy divine.)

Season 5: At first, I was taken aback by the show’s 5-year jump. I mean, almost every character has changed. It’s not the same DH anymore. But after a few episodes, I got the hang of it.

For the first time ever, Gabby is now my fave housewife. (I’ve always been a Lynette/Bree fan.) It’s nice to see her struggling to get her fab, glam self back. And I finally think her character is not as empty as I thought it was. I hope she gets rich and hottt again by the end of the season.

Continue reading »

Top 25 Local TV Shows I Miss:
(Part 2) Comedy Shows

Heto na ang second part ng list na ‘to. If you missed the first part, click here.

15. ANG TV

4:30 NAAAA! ANG TV NAAAAAA! Doo waa didi didi dum didi dumm…

Ang sabi ng mentor ko, who happens to be WikiPedia (hahaha), “Ang TV was the first kids’ gag-variety show in the Philippines. Prior to 1992, Director Johnny Manahan enlisted a group of multi-talented kids (& pre-teens) to create the first ever gag-variety show for youngsters in the Philippines.

Most of the country’s current stars can point their humble beginnings to Ang TV. Popular celebrities like Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal, Rica Peralejo, John Prats, Camille Prats, Paolo Contis, Angelica Panganiban, Patrick Garcia, Kaye Abad, Roselle Nava, Angelu De Leon – to name a few – all jump-started their careers as mainstays of the variety show…”

Esmyuskee, si Sarah Geronimo din pala ay dito rin nagstart. Akalain mo. At pati ang magkakapatid na sina Gio, Luigi at Guila Alvarez.

At grabe marami pa kong paborito dito na nami-miss ko nang bonggang bongga. Hmmm. Lailani Navarro. Lindsay Custodio. Jan Marini Alano. Marnie Arcilla. Sarji Ruiz. Jason San Pedro. Haaaaaaaaay.

14. VICTIM!

Oo na, nakakairita si Carlos Agassi na minsan parang trying-hard maging Ashton Kutcher pero pinapanood ko pa rin ‘to dati. It was first a segment on ASAP Mania but was later developed into a new primetime show to replace “Buttercup.”

Naaalala ko pa yung ibang pranks like yung pinasabog nila yung bahay na malapit sa set ng Lukso ng Dugo at syempre kabadong-kabado si Bernadette Sembrano. Pati yung pinabitin nila sa kawayan a la lechon si Alma Moreno para sa isang dance number.

Sige na, second-rate Punk’d pero what the heck. Sana ibalik nila ‘to. Palitan na lang nila yung host.

13. WHATTAMEN

Sabi nga ng professor ko sa Comm 100 dati, ito na yata ang pinakamaingay na show. (But then again, wala pang Wowowee nun na kahit na naka-mic na eh sigawan pa rin nang sigawan ang hosts.) Grabe, si Ai-Ai delas Alas dito, talak na lang nang talak. (MAAAATTTIIIII!!!!) Nakakatuwa rin si Marvin Agustin dito bilang tatanga-tangang probinsyano, hehe. At saka si Melanie Marquez na mortal na kaaway ni Ai-ai!

Pero I liked the show. Or maybe twas just Rico Yan. Haha.

Continue reading »

Top 25 Local TV Shows I Miss:
Youth-Oriented Shows, Etc

I grouped the programmes by genre. So the rankings don’t really matter. Ehehe. Sa batch na ‘to, yung talk shows, drama anthologies, and youth-oriented shows.

25. MAGANDANG GABI, BAYAN!

As my friend Dam-dam pointed out, there were two things that really made this show very, very interesting and enjoyable.

Halloween Special. As in. I swear, magkamatayan na tayo but I would not miss their Halloween episode. It was just sinisterly spooky. The reenactments were desperately haunting I couldn’t understand why I would always want to watch it even if I knew that I would be so totally afraid to be alone in the days to come. Tipong ihing-ihi ka na, ayaw mo pa rin mag-wiwi kasi nakakatakot. Grabe lang yung “black lady na nangangalampag ng pinto.” Hanggang ngayon she stars as the lead in my nightmares.

New Year Special. To quote Dam-dam, “yung New Year’s episode nila na pinapakita ang mga naputukan, naputulan ng kamay at tinamaan ng bala. Walang panama ang Grey’s Anatomy at ER sa masabaw na dugo na take note, walang konsepto ng blur at pixel.”

24. ALAS SINGKO Y MEDIA

“Alas singko y media na, paboritong palabas ko sa umaga. Halina’t gumising na. Tayo na’t manood ng Alas singko y media.” Hihi,

Missing alas singko y media is almost tantamount to missing my childhood. The show was a significant part of my life then — a part of my routine. Tumututok ako dito while getting ready for school. Peborit ko ang traffic report ni Aida Gonzales kahit na taga-Batangas ako at wala namang kinalaman saken kung traffic sa Maynila (eh traffic naman araw-araw pag umaga, paulit-ulit lang yung report nila.) And I would wait until Cheryl Cosim had done the weather forecast (I was in love with her) before I would finally turn the TV off and leave for school. And I witnessed the Julius-Tintin love story blossom. Yeeeh.

23. MORNING GIRLS WITH KRIS AND KORINA

What I loooved about Morning Girls with Kris and Korina was that unlike many of our talk shows back then (and even today), they actually got to talk sensibly. At first, I thought their tandem would not work. But boy was I so wrong. Kris’s chismosa-factor blended well with Korina’s ruthless criticisms, all against a Talk TV backdrop. My fave segment was K2K, where the hosts comment on the various issues that bannered most newspapers. Kung sana ganito ang mga local talk shows natin ngayon, eh di masaya manood ng TV. But noooo, just look at Sis! It’s a frakkin’ circus!

Continue reading »

TV Rundown: Local Series
(3rd Quarter 2008)

PINOY DREAM ACADEMY (Season 2)

This season’s finals will prove to be much more exciting because it’s really a very close fight among the scholars. Unlike last season where it was such an easy win for Yeng Constantino, who had always been the crowd favourite.

Here are the Top 6 Scholars: Bugoy Bugayon, Cris Pastor, Laarni Losala, Liezel Garcia, Miguel Mendoza, and Van Pojas.

It’s hard to guess who’s gonna emerge victorious. If online polls are any indication, Laarni is most likely to grab the title. But Bugoy also has a huge fanbase. Van has the so-called Cebu votes. It’s gonna be a very unpredictable PDA finale.

Personally, I want Liezel to win. But somehow, a part of me thinks that ABS-CBN wants Van to get this one. I dunno.

I LOVE BETTY LA FEA

I’m disappointed with the pilot episode. It wasn’t as “glam” as I imagined it to be. I was expecting it could foster an Ugly Betty-ish atmosphere. That’s what I want. But what ABS-CBN is giving me is a franchise that looks so ABS-CBN (if you know what I mean).

And I don’t understand why local series always have to start the story with childhood scenes. Ugh.

Haaay. But I looove the cast. And for what it’s worth, it’s still much better than most teleseryes we have today. It’s not a bad show. I’m just disappointed.

Maybe I just expected too much.

NOT THAT I DON’T LIKE THE SHOW. I still love it. Would still watch it. Just that I’m a little disappointed.

DYOSA

Oh, don’t get me started with Dyosa. I love Anne Curtis (and Sam Milby and Zanjoe Marudo, haha) but heck, this show is a complete and utter crap.

The concept was very promising when it first gave my eardrums a roll, but the execution is just totally suicide-inducing. The show is far from heavenly.

If it weren’t for seeing Sam half-naked every night, I would’ve launched an anti-Dyosa campaign in our village. But I’m only human, you see. Haha. Sam’s body is just too convincing.

Why does the director have to be Wenn Deramas anyway?

IISA PA LAMANG

My ultimate guilty pleasure today. Combine all the clichés in Philippine TV drama and what do you have? Iisa Pa Lamang. Haha.

It’s not a secret that I adore, adore, adore Claudine Barretto. But what really keeps me watching this formulaic drama are its unforgettable lines and the performances by Cherry Pie Picache (Isadora) and Angelica Panganiban (Scarlet). Even Gabby Concepcion and Diether Ocampo are good here. But Angelica is THE revelation.

I’m hooked to this show the way I was to the first season of Maging Sino Ka Man. Also for the same reasons. Isadora is my new Corazon with a humourous twist. Scarlet is my new Celine with bigger boobs.

Here are some lines that made me go whoah, and then whoah, and then WHOAH!

Scarlet: Pati ba naman sa pagsuswimming, naka-diamonds ka pa rin?
Katherine: Siyempre, diamonds are forever, like me!

Scarlet: Luluhod ka sa harapan ko at magmamakaawa ka na tanggapin kita ulit!
Miguel: Kumain ka na. Gutom lang yan!

Isadora: Oh aren’t you excited to see me?
Scarlet: Excited? Alam mo bang mas excited pa akong magpunta ng dentista at mag pa root canal kesa ang makaharap ka?
Isadora: Ikaw naman, nagpapaka-funny. Kung ang lahat ng bulok na ngipin ay kasing ganda ko, o di wala ng bibili ng toothpaste… I’m so witty
Scarlet: Ano ba talagang pakay mo? I’m sure hindi naman ang kapakanan ng dental industry ang pinunta mo dito di ba? Business? Monkey business?
Isadora: Oo, at napaka disenteng monkey business — Politics.

Isadora: Ano ba Katherine, wala na akong panahon makipag-balagtasan sayo. Tapos na ang linggo ng wika! Hindi ka ba naabisuhan?

Continue reading »

TV Rundown 2008 | Drama

Writing a review of a movie is very different from that of a TV series. Yes, both the technique and the entertainment value must be considered. When reviewing a film, a huge fraction of my judgement is based on how solid the story is. When it comes to TV programmes, I usually ask myself how engaging the episodes are.

Anyway, here are the programmes I started and finished watching since June this year.

Kyle XY | Seasons 1-2
Genre: Sci-Fi, Family Drama; Creators: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber
Stars: Matt Dallas, Marguerite MacIntyre, Bruce Thomas, April Matson, Jean-Luc Bilodeau

HEARTWARMING. I must admit that the only reason I decided to watch this was Matt Dallas. He’s hot and I love him. And when the show opened with Matt Dallas nude and sweaty in the middle of the forest, I knew I made the right decision. Haha. But Kyle XY is more than Matt’s hotness.

Most of my friends didn’t like this show because there isn’t anything novel about the premise. Although I agree with them, I still think that this is a pretty good show. I was expecting a sci-fi with lots of fight scenes but it is actually a family drama. It may not be as cool as other sci-fi/fantasy shows but it is a very effective family drama with solid characters and moving narrative turns.

And yeah, Matt Dallas is just so hot. Both seasons: 4.0

…

Prison Break | Seasons 1-3
Genre: Action, Thriller; Creators: Paul Scheuring
Stars: Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller, Amaury Nolasco, Sarah Wayne Callies

INGENIOUS. Looking at the poster, Prison Break did not appeal to me in any way. That’s why I only started watching this year even though my friends had been raving about it as early as my last year in college. The only reason I decided to watch it was because there was nothing else to watch. I didn’t know what the series was about and I didn’t find Wentworth Miller attractive. But when I read the synopsis on the back cover, I was blown away. And that was the start of my addiction.

Prison Break manages to keep its audiences hooked even though the story takes place within the boundaries of a prison. I mean, come on, it could’ve been boring. But Michael’s character assures that nothing is predictable inside. The characters are all driven and motivated, and their relationships to one another make it even more exciting. More riveting than the concept is the execution. It’s well-shot, well-edited and well-directed. The only problem I had with the first season was that I knew they couldn’t successfully break out until the season finale and I was getting really — as in REALLY — impatient, which, I believe, was what the creators wanted audiences to feel in the first place. 5.0

On with Season 2. Still exciting. Still engrossing. Seeing the brothers together in the outside world was somewhat refreshing. (And now, I’m rhyming. Haha.) Alexander Mahone is one very interesting character and I think, together with Michael, he kept the series together. If I was being impatient the previous season, this time I was sooo tired for the characters. I just wanted them to stop running. And they have been making stupid decisions (like Michael trying to kick T-Bag back into gaol). But then again, everything is justified. 4.5

And then, there’s Season 3. And everything went downhill. The problem with Season 3 is that it actually feels like Season 1 all over again. The only difference is that Michael is less smart and Lincoln is a bit smarter, and that it is set in Panama. Although it’s far from boring, the ingenuity is absent here. Nevertheless, I still can’t wait for the next season. 4.0

…

Heroes | Season 2
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Thriller; Created by: Tim Kring
Stars: Milo Ventimiglia, Ali Larter

BOOORING. I’m having a huge problem with Heroes. It seems like the only adjective I can think of to describe it is “interesting.” That’s it. Other than that, nothing. The show, like what Bebs said, is boring. (Oh wait, that’s another adjective, haha.)

But I don’t get the hype. I don’t know what this show tries to be. The narrative is loose and weak. Maybe because there are too many characters. (But I’ve seen many ensemble-type shows that aren’t boring. Lost, for example.)

And because I didn’t really like this season or the entire series, allow me to just quote cellblocknutter of TV.com:

I can’t help but think the idea for it was ripped from The 4400… Whilst in this day and age very few shows can truly be called original, and most shows can be accused of this, Heroes doesn’t really do anything beyond being glamourous. Heroes is easy to like because it plays its safe; everything it does is tried and tested. It has cherry picked the successful elements of many recent popular American TV shows….

…This show feels as if it was made by a bunch of businessmen in a boardroom thinking how best to make money, rather than some talented person who had such a good story and idea worth sharing with the world, and being realised as best as possible. This is another show where you find yourself watching 45 minutes in which it spends about 15 minutes telling you something you don’t want to know, 5 minutes repeating old news, and 10 minutes doing absolutely nothing.

I don’t agree that it’s ripped from The 4400. But if you think about it, The 4400 actually has a much better and more interesting premise. Although my review wouldn’t have been that harsh, it’s kinda close to it. Hehe. Anyway, should have watched X-Men reruns instead. 2.5

Continue reading »

Movie Rundown | Batman Edition

Note: I was supposed to write a full-blown genre criticism of The Dark Knight but I figured writing something too Film-graduate-ish is uncalled for. So here are some random thoughts about it and the other Batman movies. For what it’s worth, I saw the following movies again recently. You know, just to refresh my memory.

The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Action, Thriller; Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman

One of the things I hate the most is too much hype. This unsolicited noise has always spoiled fine movies such as Brokeback Mountain and Atonement for me, not appreciating them because they did not reach the high bar that the hype made me set for them. And this is precisely the reason I want to watch movies on its opening day. And yes, I saw The Dark Knight on its opening day. Haha.

The Dark Knight is the first uberhyped film ever that I could swear deserves all the noise around it. It gave me everything I expected and hoped for in a Batman movie, and then some. And with all my biases aside (being someone who worships Christian Bale and Batman himself), I can say that this is the best mainstream superhero movie ever to grace the silverscreen.

Director Christopher Nolan surprised me with Batman Begins, giving me exactly what I wanted — a realistic approach. After all, Batman has no superpowers and did not hail from some faraway planet. And like its protagonist, the film fosters a cinematic atmosphere that is believable yet alarming. A superhero movie in which every character is justified, motivated, and above all, human.

With this very credible headstart, Nolan managed to expand and intensify the story with The Dark Knight. Just when you think you’re seeing a formulaic action flick — gripping chase scenes, breathtaking fight sequences, jaw-dropping stunts— it destroys the sub-genre’s many conventions. Like in all Batman movies, the America-as-the-world-superhero idea is absent here. The superhero admits he can’t do things on his own and not for long. The superhero is willing to sacrifice his reputation for the greater good. It is indeed a superhero movie but Batman isn’t the only superhero here. We see superheroes in the political arena, in the judicial system, in law enforcement, and of course, in the people, as represented by Harvey Dent, Jimmy Gordon and Batman. All bear a potential to beat the menacing times.

The movie isn’t about Batman. It is about Gotham and how its people struggle to make their city a better place. But I couldn’t help but feel like watching a Batman movie in a “Godfather” setting. But what awes me most is that its moral subtext sneaks up on you that you’d forget that it is a superhero movie. It poses ethical dilemmas and redefines heroism through Joker, a man who has an unrelenting passion for mayhem. Joker is everything we want in a villain — opaque, heavy, and “immovable.” He shakes our definition of evil, questions our self-righteousness, and challenges our moral social decisions to a massive degree.

It has to be expected that Heath Ledger steal the show. Ledger’s Joker is so insanely awesome and genuinely frightening that I would never see clowns the same way again. If he receives an Oscar nomination for this performance, it will not be because it’s such a pity he passed away but because he earned it. And, of course, the rest of the cast are also highly commendable. Lucky for Ledger he had the most challenging role.

Oh Gawd, why am I so serious? 4.7

…

Batman Begins (2005)
Genre: Action, Thriller; Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes

Prior to The Dark Knight, I considered Batman Begins the best superhero movie ever. Actually, I thought it was a toss between this and Batman Returns (though I enjoyed Begins a bit more). I’m a writer and what I want the most when seeing a film is some emotional connection even when there is no way I could relate to the character. And there had never been a superhero movie with excellent character development until Batman Begins. Christopher Nolan dug deeper into Bruce Wayne to let the audience see what made Batman the Caped Crusader. It makes the audience understand where he’s coming from and explains what drives him. The movie is action-packed as expected but what sets it apart is that it offers a thrilling psychological tour into the mind and soul of a troubled superhero. 4.5

…

Batman and Robin (1997)
Genre: Action, Thriller; Directors: Joel Schumacher
Stars: George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alicia Silverstone, Uma Thurman, Chris O’Donnell

Batman and Robin is my least favourite of all the Batman movies. Why? Simply because it has an undernourished story covered with the glamour of its cast, on which it capitalises. The plot is just sooo lame and loose. Take away Batman and it wouldn’t feel like a Batman movie.

On the good side, of all the Batman movies, this might be the one that children would enjoy best. After all, everything in it is kinda, er, what’s that word? — Immature.

Thank God George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, Alicia Silverstone and Uma Thurman are SOOO HOT. They made all the points here. 2.0

…

Batman Forever (1995)
Genre: Comedy, Action, Thriller; Director: Joel Schumacher
Stars: Val Kilmer, Chris O’Donnell, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman

Batman Forever is pretty enjoyable and makes more sense than Batman and Robin. But this Schumacher movie pales in comparison to its predecessor Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. I have a number of issues with it.

1. Tommy Lee Jones’s Two Face is very much like Jack Nicholson’s Joker. It shouldn’t be the case. Two Face is one heck of a conflicted character whose past is well-known to the public (the public in the movie and the public in the real world). I would have loved it had I felt for Two Face even just a little in this film. But sadly, na-uh. He’s an empty character. Or seems like it.

2. The Riddler and Two Face look like twins. Nuff said.

3. Bruce Wayne’s trauma wasn’t given much attention. It should’ve been explored and exploited. It’s a good dramatic mechanism that could’ve driven the entire plot.

But because Nicole Kidman is in it, I still enjoyed it a lot. Haha. 2.5

…

Batman Returns (1992)
Genre: Comedy, Action, Thriller; Director: Tim Burton
Stars: Michael Keaton, Michell Pfeiffer, Danny DeVito

The bat, the cat and the penguin. Batman Returns is one heck of an effective comedy that I almost forgot it was a Batman movie. Haha. It’s just sooo hilarious. But aside from its entertainment value, there are two things that I love, love, love about this Batman movie — the cast and the subtext.

1. The Cast. Michael Keaton was my fave Batman until my Christian Bale tried the batsuit on. I just love his jaw and lips. Haha. I also fell in love with Michelle Pfeiffer as the Catwoman. Feisty much. And Danny De Vito is just fantastic as the Penguin. Very, very convincing.

2. The Subtext. Batman Returns is “semiologically” rich and politically loaded. It’s full of signs and representations. The bat. The cat. The Penguin. The penguins. The circus. The sewer. Each character seems to represent a social group struggling to work their way to the top of the food chain. Uh, power. Meow. 4.5

Continue reading »