Minions

DIRECTOR:  Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda  LEAD CAST: Sandra Bullock, Pierre Coffin, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton  SCREENWRITER:  Brian Lynch  PRODUCER:              Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy  EDITOR: Claire Dodgson  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Heitor Pereira  GENRE:  3D computer-animated comedy  ART DIRECTOR: Olivier Adam  DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures  LOCATION: United States RUNNING TIME: 90 minutes

Technical assessment: 4

Moral Assessment: 3.5

CINEMA Rating: For viewers 13 years old  and below with parental  guidance

MTRCB Rating: PG 13

Out of  boredom,  Minions Kevin, Bob, and Stuart  aim  to do something worthy  and  remarkable under a despicable master. When they see from a hacked TV broadcast about a major event gathering of villains called by the super villain Scarlet (voiced by Sandra Bullock), they immediately go out, hoping to hitch a ride to the venue of the event in Orlando, Florida, to actually meet a potentially new boss. After some failed attempts to get a ride, they are finally taken in by a family who, like them, are also heading on to the villains’ event in Orlando. Along the way, this family amazingly orchestrate robbery to the surprise of the Minions. At the villain convention, the Minions, particularly Kevin, steals the scene by accidentally winning the challenge by Scarlet and becomes her partner in her next crime mission—to steal the crown of Queen of England. In time, something happens that irks Scarlet, making her aim to stage revenge on the Minions.

Minions offers an unusual story of protagonists who join the crowd of  “praising” a woman super villain in her “greatness” and “remarkable” leadership in the field of crime. But the plot development manages to keep the focus and audience sympathy on the innocence and cuteness of the Minions as main characters especially when they talk in their own language. Subtitles are not provided in the film but characterizations are still well carried out. Dubbing by voice cast is impressive, especially that of Bullock (for Scarlet).  The voicing blends well with the digital creation of motion picture and sounds. Humor in form of jokes is constantly injected in the film which brings more fun and entertainment.  The director did well in the overall treatment for Minions as digital film creation. The musical score complements the film to consistently highlight the requirement of the scenes such as the music of the 60s.  The editing is good and has contributed to the entertaining quality of the movie.

            Whose person with good moral ascendency will join a known and proud supervillain? This happens in Minions. In reality, even the most evil person will not openly admit or be proud of his villain status. Even the most obvious criminals deny  their wrong doings in court. This is  because bad  actions are not something that anyone can be proud of. The “end justifies the means”, appears to be the message of  Minions, but the entire run of the film highlighted in scenes, characterization and dialogues all praises to the villains. Although it tackles positive messages like loyalty and friendship, and towards conclusion, there is an effort to correct the wrong, these messages are overpowered by negativity and malicious humors.  A person’s search for despicable master can be a noble personal mission and may be a good opportunity to practice humility and spirit of service.  And there are surely good and upright masters around.  The film is fun and entertaining but parental guidance must be given to viewers 13 years old and below.

The breakup playlist

DIRECTOR: Dan Villegas  LEAD CAST: Sarah Geronimo, Piolo Pascual, Rio Locsin, Dennis Padilla, Diego Loyzaga, Maris Racal, Anna Luna, Teddy Corpuz, Cris Villonco, Badji Mortiz, Jet Pangan  SCREENWRITER:  Antoinette Jadaone  PRODUCER:  Malou N. Santos, Charo Santos-Concio, Vic Del Rosario Jr.  GENRE: Drama, Music, Romance  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dan Villegas  DISTRIBUTOR: Star Cinema and Viva Films  LOCATION:  Philippines RUNNING TIME:  115 minutes

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  3

MTRCB rating: PG 13

CINEMA rating: V 14 (Viewers age 14 and abov

             Nag-aaral ng abogasya si Trixie David (Sarah Geronimo) bilang pagsunod sa kagustuhan ng mga magulang (Dennis Padilla at Rio Locsin), ngunit musika ang kanyang hilig at pangarap. Pinagbigyan siyang sumali sa isang music camp kung saan nakilala niya si Gino Avila (Piolo Pascual) na isang musikero. Kinumbinse ni Gino si Trixie na maging miyembro ng Pencil Grip na banda niya. Tuluyan nang huminto sa pag-aaral si Trixie at gumawa sila ni Gino ng magandang musika. Nagtagumpay ang banda nila ngunit umiral ang pagka-insecure ni Gino nang makita nitong laging pinupuri si Trixie. Parang nasasapawan na siya ni Trixie kaya’t ipinagtulakan niya itong palayo. Pagkalipas ng tatlong taon, muli silang inanyayahang mag-perform na magkasama. Makakaya bang magpatawad ni Trixie? Magkakabalikan pa kaya sila?

            Magkasama sa unang pagkakataon sina Sarah Geronimo at Piolo Pascual sa Breakup Playlist. Mahusay silang magsiganap bilang Trixie at Gino, at kahit malayo ang agwat ng edad ay kapani-paniwala ang kanilang chemistry, at ang kanilang musika. Nagpakita ng higit na galing sa pag-arte si Geronimo sa pagsasabuhay ng kanyang papel. Makabuluhan din ang pagganap ng mga supporting actors na nagbigay ng kabuuan sa mundo ng mga pangunahing tauhan. Kakaibang love story ang Breakup Playlist, salamat sa malikhaing panulat ni Antoinette Jadaone, na nakilalang direktor sa That Thing Called Tadhana. Simpleng kuwento ng pag-ibig na magsisimula sa breakup bago makita ng manonood kung paano ito nagsimula. Maraming memorable dialogue at nakakatuwa din ang paggamit ng mga titolo ng CD albums sa kanilang pag-uusap. Akma ang musika kaya lang ay sobrang lakas ng volume nito. Mahusay ang paggamit ng flashback  kaya lang ay parang pilit ang conclusion. Kapansin-pansin ang somber at dramatic lighting ng pelikula, na ibang-iba sa mga romance movies, na bumagay naman sa takbo at timbre ng istorya. Kaya lang, bakit napakaraming product/service endorsement na halatang isiningit at wala namang kaugnayan sa kwento?

            Makatotohanan ang paglalarawan ng pamilya sa Breakup Playlist. Nariyan ang pagsisikap ng mga magulang upang maging maganda ang kinabukasan ng anak, ang mga pangarap na nasawi, ang hangganan ng pagpapaubaya, at ang pagpapatawad. Makikita rin ang kapusukan ng kabataan sa kabila ng kagustuhang tumalima sa magulang, at ang pagtugon sa sariling pangarap at hilig. Bahagi ng responsibilidad ng magulang at ng mga anak ang linangin at pagyamanin ang anumang kagalingan/talent na ipinagkaloob sa iyo. Isinabuhay rin dito ang karaniwang insecurity ng kalalakihan – ang kahirapang tumanggap sa galing at tagumpay ng kababaihan, na para bang kumpetisyon ang buhay. Ipinapakita rin na sa anumang relasyon, kailangan ang pagkilala at pagtanggap sa sariling kahinaan at pagkakamali, ang pagpapakumbaba ubang humingi ng tawad at ang pagpapatawad.

            Sa kabila ng magagandang aral na napapaloob sa pelikula, iminumungkahi ng CINEMA na mga kabataang mula sa edad na 14 lamang at pataas ang manood nito dahil sa tema, at sa subliminal suggestion na OK lang na magsama ang magkasintahan bilang mag-asawa na hindi ikinasal.

Mad Max: Fury Road

DIRECTOR: George Miller  LEAD CAST: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult   

SCREENWRITER:  George Miller & Brendan McCarthy   PRODUCER:  George Miller, Dough Mitchell  EDITOR: Jason Ballantine & Margaret Sixel CINEMATOGRAPHER:  John Seale GENRE:  Action  DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Brothers  LOCATION:  Australia RUNNING TIME:  120 minutes

Technical assessment: 4

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V 18

            The film begins with a brief prologue of apocalyptic future—a world that is turned into a wasteland with nothing left but rage and darkness. In Citadel, a ruthless leader, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Bryne), reigns and all the people fear him. Until one of his priced warriors, Furiosa (Charlize Theron) rebels and kidnaps his slave wives and “breeders” (Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee and Courney Eaton) out of Citadel. She heads east hoping to bring the women to a safer place—a place where she was born, they call—the green place.  Consequently, Immortan Joe is outraged and sends his men to chase after her in the desert. There, Max (Tom Hardy), now a prisoner haunted by the ghost of his past and on the brink of insanity, finds himself in the middle of this mess created by Furiosa—he’s reluctant at first but eventually decides to help Furiosa out.

            Mad Max: Fury Road remains faithful to its original look and feel of madness but this time, with a much bolder, bigger and profound vision. The story can be considered simple—single tracked without unnecessary subplots and distractions. In its simplicity, there lies intelligence and intricate craftsmanship both reckless and controlled as it shows order in the midst of chaos. The film defies typical action-genre plotlines by putting premium on the meat of the message while providing above-average level of excitement and thrill. Mad Max: Fury Road is an achievement of technical excellence in itself and director George Miller never ceases to amaze Mad Max followers.  Miller has once again outdone himself after almost two decades since the last Mad Max franchise. The acting is great and flawless from the lead actor Tom Hardy up to the ensemble of crowd characters. But the real gem of the film is Charlize Theron who exudes charm amid required toughness of her role without losing femininity. Her portrayal of Furiosa is such a remarkable achievement in her career given the demands of the complicated and complex character. She’s every inch perfect fit for the role. Mad Max: Road Fury is such an enjoyable and unforgettable hell of a ride where madness is really everywhere in the film but not without a compelling story to tell.

            Mad Max: Fury Road is a film about revolution and redemption. The film gives a clear glimpse of an apocalyptic future where humans will lose everything but still would hold on to life’s essentials and to what would eventually remain—faith, hope and love.  The women, as the source of life, are portrayed as the ones who have the ability to cling on to hope. In its entirety, Mad Max: Fury Road is a film about women. It shows how women rule in a male-dominated world. It questions status quo and stereotypes by showing equal physical strength of men and women. The resistance of women as being used and abused in reproductive coercion, and being treated as merely “breeders” of men and future warriors is very evident in the story. Amidst the chaotic and violent backdrop, humans’ innate goodness springs eternal and good triumphs over evil in the end. Such messages both salient and loud are a rarity in action genres. However, it cannot be denied that given the core of the message, the film has to be consistent with its genre so there’s violence, blood and gore and even a certain level of sexual theme and nudity (although done in context) here and there that might not be suitable to the very young audiences so CINEMA deems the film as appropriate only to audiences 18 and above.

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Jurassic World

Direction: Colin Trevorrow; Cast: Chris Platt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson; Story:  Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver;   Screenplay: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow; Cinematography: John Schwartzman; Editing: Kevin Stitt; Music: Michael Giacchino; Producers: Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley; Genre: Action, Sci-Fi; Location: Isla Nublar, Costa Rica; Distributor: Universal Pictures Running Time: 124 minutes;

Technical Assessment            : 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3.5

CINEMA Rating: V14

Twenty-two years after the catastrophes with InGen’s Jurassic Park project, Simon Masrani (Khan) has found a way to revive and operate the program and now owns the biggest Themed Resort, Jurassic World, which attracts at least 20, 000 visitors a day. Meanwhile, brothers Zach (Robinson) and Gray (Simpkins) are on the way to Jurassic World to spend some quality time with their aunt Claire (Howard), the park’s Operation Manager. However, Claire has more important matters she feels she needs to attend to and delegates her assistant to look after her nephews. Meanwhile, the park is about ready to release their latest creation, the Indominus Rex, a T-Rex genetically engineered according to the comments of the focus groups.  Accordingly, this dinosaur will be bigger, fiercer, and scarier since the public are tired of the existing attractions. Masrani wants the expert opinion of Owen Grady (Pratt), the parks’ Velociraptor trainer, first so Claire fetches him to show the Indominus. But when they arrive, they find that the Indominus has apparently escaped basing on the claw marks on the fence. A team enters the enclosure but is ambushed by the Indominus who faked his escaped through characteristics from various animals whose DNAs he was made from. A bigger chaos is about to ensue with the unstoppable Indominus on the loose in a full-packed park. The only hope is with Owen and his four Velociraptors.

A successful box-office film gives its remakes and sequels both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, there is a ready fan base to support the franchise, on the other, comparison is inevitable for the expectant fans. Jurassic World has some huge shoes to fill and it barely does. Storywise, there is a commendable effort to bring in tender moments between man and beast instead of portraying the once extinct creatures as the antagonists. They, after all, have been forced to live beyond their time for the selfish reasons. Main characters were properly developed and well played but supporting ones are forgettable. There is a lack of humor and punchlines in the script but is flows effortlessly still. The computer-generated images are magnificent and worth one’s while. Jurassic Park really comes to life, structure, attraction, dinosaurs and all. However, the suspense and thrill pales in comparison to Spielberg’s 1993 and 1997 films, considering that CGI here is a thousand times better. Jurassic World is an enjoyable movie but it may not be remembered the way its predecessors are.

There is a redemptive satisfaction to be reminded that man cannot dominate creation and nature. You would think that the disaster that took place 22 years ago is enough to teach people that, but no—man finds a way around for the sake a few hundred bucks. Jurassic World is an epitome of man’s greed and conceit and a harsh reminder that these will ultimately lead to his own downfall. On the other hand, Jurassic World emphasizes the importance of relationships and bonds—marriage on verge of breaking up destroys the kids, a woman who focuses on her career more than her family loses meaning, a man who respects life in all forms gains a friend. This specific theme made the difference in this 4^th installment of the Jurassic franchise.  CINEMA raises a yellow flag on some scenes too graphic for very young children that may either scare or desensitize them. Parents are advised to use discretion in allowing their younger children to watch.

San Andreas

DIRECTOR: Brad Peyton  LEAD CAST:  Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Paul Giamatti, Alexandra Daddario, Iona Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Colton Haynes  SCREENWRITER:  Carlton Cuse   PRODUCER:  Beau Flynn  EDITOR:  Bob Ducsay  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Andrew Lockington  GENRE:  Disaster film  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Steve Yedlin   DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bros. Pictures  LOCATION:  United States RUNNING TIME: 114 minutes

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral Assessment:  3.5

CINEMA rating: V 14

            Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson), a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter rescue-pilot is at the midst of his divorce when he takes a dangerous rescue mission and succeeds in saving an earthquake victim trapped in a ravine. Upon knowing that his estranged wife Emma (Carla Gugino) is trapped in a tall building in downtown L.A. and that his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario) is pinned down in an underground garage in San Francisco, he races across California to rescue them. Meanwhile Caltech seismologist Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti) predicts the 1,300 km San Andreas fault line is about to set off. He organizes his team and media staff to get on air and he warns everyone about the coming massive earthquake. His live broadcast with journalist Serena (Archie Panjabi) helps get some people out of harm's way. As San Andreas fault shifts and rips apart major cities along the fault line from Los Angeles to San Francisco, buildings collapse and the tsunami sweeps away whatever is left, an epic devastation.

            San Andreas owes much of its box-office success to its amazing effects, its vivid depiction of mass destruction, which could be the best to-date.   Because it involves real people in a realistic disastrous situation (and not real people scurrying away from robots or zombies), the movie is able to engage the audience in the emotional ebb and flow naturally rendering human beings helpless in such a calamity.  Director Brad Peyton stages this cinematic destruction of US West Coast in meticulously rendered CGI, so real that it is almost palpable—particularly among audiences in the Philippines when warnings of “the big one”, the imminent splitting open of the West Valley fault. are currently being issued.”  The rupturing of a dam, the fires resulting from power lines going haywire, all those scenes are not likely to boost tourism in California, but it should give the viewers their first scary lecture on earthquake survival.

            Despite the empty nest syndrome—in the middle of a divorce, with his wife now living with a new boyfriend, while his daughter is off to college—Ray has no time to brood as his job throws him into what may be the most challenging rescue mission of his career.  At the end of the day, all those sights of the earth heaving and then breaking up and swallowing people alive really isn’t just about the prediction-come-true of a scientist nobody listens to; it’s more about how catastrophes reduce our personal problems into silliness, how—when all around us the world is literally crumbing we get to realize what matters most in life.  Spoiler coming: Ray is reunited with wife and together they save their daughter, a victory for the family.  Guess who the bad guy is.  (CINEMA tip: please keep young children out of the theater.  We sat next to a couple with a toddler who kept screaming at the scary sights.  The father took him out for a long while and when they returned the kid was asleep—from exhaustion, most likely).

Pitch Perfect 2

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DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Banks  LEAD CAST: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Britanny Snow, Skylar Astin, Elizabeth Banks  SCREENWRITER: Kay Cannon  PRODUCER:  Elizabeth Banks and Paul Brooks  EDITOR: Craig Alpert  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Mark Mothersbaugh GENRE: Comedy/Musical  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jim Denault  DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Studios  LOCATION:  USA RUNNING TIME:  1:15 mins.

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  3

CINEMA rating:  PG 13

After being humiliated by a wardrobe malfunction at the Lincoln Center—with the President of the United States of America and his wife in the audience—the collegiate singing group, the Barden Bellas, are taken out of the A Capella circuit for being an embarrassment to the Barden University. But they are not prohibited from joining the World A Capella Competition to be held in Copenhagen, although they are discouraged from joining because, as the Barden authorities themselves claim, “no American team has ever won that competition.”  The undefeated champion at present is the formidable Das Sound Machine from Germany.  The Barden Bellas have to try twice as hard to beat them.

 The university feel of Pitch Perfect 2 lends the movie a touch of realism, with characters one might encounter in such a setting.  The simple story is enlivened by the musical score while the acting delivers the requirements of characterization in that genre.  From the time someone’s pants is ripped open to the moment the winner is announced there is no let up, not a second a viewer might be tempted to nap, although the movie resorts to the occasional crude language, obscene gestures, and adult themes and innuendo to keep the viewer awake.

College-age young adults as well as their elders have much to discuss in Pitch Perfect 2, such as the primacy of teamwork, the power of sisterhood, tradition as a positive force in supporting one another for a cause bigger than oneself, etc.  The surprise ending is a heart-lifter, coming so unexpectedly at a moment a boost is most needed.

Para sa hopeless romantic

-->Direction: Andoy Ranay;  Cast: James Reid, Nadine Lustre, Julia Barretto and Inigo Pascual; Story: Marcelo Santos III; Screenplay: JM Gadingan; Editing: Nacelle Sayr; Cinematography: ; Production Design: ; Producer: .; Music: ; Location: PUP, Manila area; Genre: Teen Romance; Distributor: Star Cinema; Running Time:1:45;

Technical assessment : 3 stars

Moral assessment : 3 stars

CINEMA rating: V13

Hanggang ngayon ay masakit pa rin para kay Becca (Lustre) ang paghihiwalay nila ng kasintahang si Nikko (Reid), kaya naman kahit sa kanyang pagsusulat ng nobela para sa dyaryo ng paaralan ay hindi rin niya mabigyan ng masayang pagtatapos ang kanyang mga tauhang sina Maria (Barretto) at Ryan (Pascual) sa kanyang kwento. Pero muli siyang mabubuhayan ng loob nang magkaroon ng di sinasadyang ugnayan sa taong nakaupo rin sa kanyang upuan sa klase dahil sa pagpapalitan nila ng sulat at kwento.

May kaunting kiliti ang Para sa Hopeless Romantic, lalo sa mga kabataang sumusubaybay sa mga tampok na tambalan. Nakakatuwa rin ang disenyong pamproduksyon, lalo sa unang bahagi ng pelikula, kung saan kulay rosas ang kapaligiran ng ikinathang mundo nina Maria at Ryan, samantalang makatotohanan ang mga kulay sa mundo nina Becca at Nikko. Wala namang bigat na hiningi mula sa pagganap ng mga tauhan kaya't mapapatawad na ang matigas at tila mala-karton na pag-atake nina Reid at Pascual at ang malatang pagganap ni Barretto. Malinis ang pagkagawa sa pelikula at walang mapupuna sa ibang teknikal na aspeto nito. Kung sana ay sinikap pang pigain ang pagganap ng mga tauhan dahil walang “chemistry” ang kani-kanilang tambalan kaya’t ipinagpilitan ng musika at ng mga angulo ng kamera na palabasing nagkakagustuhan sila, para naman kiligin ang mga manunuod sa mga bahaging ito. Mas malaki naman ang kakulangan ng kwento sa pagtalakay sa pag-ibig dahil nauuwi lamang sa romansang pangkabataan ang mga karanasan nito. Sabagay, kaya nga “hopeless romantic” ang pamagat, dahil ipinapapalagay na hindi masyadong pag-iisipan ang panunuorin.

Bagamat wala namang malaswa o bastos sa Para sa Hopeless Romantic, ay may malaking usapin itong binubuksan—lalo na para sa mga magulang. Ang panahon ba ng kabataan ay panahon ng pagkakaroon ng relasyon? Handa nga ba ang isang mag-aaral na nasa high school na harapin ang kumplikasyon ng relasyon at pag-ibig? Tiyak, ang sagot ay hindi, kaya naman kadalasan ang isang kabataang nahiwalayan ng nobyo o nobya ay halos madurog na ang mundo at hirap nang harapin ang iba pang responsibilidad. Heto kasi ang idinidikta at ibinebenta ng media: "kabataan + romansa = takilya". Akala tuloy ng kabataan, pagtuntong nila ng "teen" ay may lisensya na silang magkarelasyon at duon na iikot ang kanilang mundo at buhay.

Ang tunay na pag-ibig ay mahirap matagpuan sa usbong ng kabataan dahil higit pa ito sa kilig, romansa at kulay rosas na kapaligiran. Ang tunay na pag-ibig ay sinusubok ng panahon, hinahasa ng mga tunay na suliranin ng buhay, pinapalalim at pinapagtibay ng karanasan at ng hamon ng pagbubuo ng sarili.  Kung manunuod ang mga kabataan, nas mabuting may kasamang nakatatanda na makapagpapaliwanag sa kanila ng konsepto ng pag-ibig.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron

DIRECTOR: Josh Whedon  LEAD CAST: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson,  Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cobbie Smulders  SCREENWRITER: Josh Whedon PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige  EDITOR: Jeffrey Ford & Lisa Lassek  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Dave Jordan  GENRE: Sci-fi, Action, Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Davis  DISTRIBUTOR: Walt Disney Studios  LOCATION:  England RUNNING TIME:  2 hrs. 22 mins

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V 14

Team Avengers reclaims Loki’s scepter from whose power in time Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downy, Jr.) will attempt to build artificial intelligence.  Stark’s move, unknown to the rest of the Avengers, is hoped to protect humanity against alien incursion, something Stark has seen in a vision.  Stark takes Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) into his confidence, and with Banner’s erstwhile reluctant but amiable cooperation, the experiment is a success.  However, Stark’s supposedly peace-keeping creation Ultron (James Spader), turns out to be an iron-willed Artificial Intelligence that defies the aim of its inventor.  Ultron hates the Avengers and his idea of peace is the total annihilation, not the salvation, of the human race—including the Avengers themselves.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron is anything but average.  Although it’s shamelessly sci-fi, and heavily reliant on CGI, it’s loads of fun and entertainment from start to finish, and doesn’t come off like a video game.  This is not to say it’s a perfect “5” by CINEMA standards—The Avengers: Age of Ultron has flaws like other movies that have too much to string together in a dizzying couple of hours—but by this time viewers realize that action and gags matter more than the plot.  Plot holes are patched over by the other luscious elements in the film, like the special effects,  choreography, and cinematography.  The performance by the charismatic, blockbuster cast—now numbering 18, cameos included—is cemented by a sparky storyline that’s tailor made to bring out the best in superheroes.
Superhero movies of late seem to have increasingly obscured boundaries between humans and robots.  Here, A.I. Ultron takes on a messianic complex that heretofore belonged exclusively to humans.  Point of discussion: if robots have become so complex and competent that they can will to destroy their creator, what will happen to the human race?  But on second thought, Ultron’s ambition, supposedly inappropriate for a robot, could be simply mirroring man’s vanity—doesn’t man also rebel against his Creator?  At any rate, The Avengers: Age of Ultron is an entertaining blend of superheroic bombast and human-size emotions.  Picture the tiny hand of Black Widow tentatively caressing the fearsome green mega-hand of the Hulk—how’s that for a pacifier?   Like a white rose brushing a raging bull’s horn to tame the beast to submission.  Get the picture?          

Big Game

DIRECTOR: Jalmari Helander  LEAD CAST: Samuel L. Jackson, Onni Tommila, Ray Stevenson, Victor Garber, Mehmet Kurtulus, Ted Levine, Jorma Tommila, Risto Salmi, Felicity Huffman, Jim Broadbent SCREENWRITER:  Jalmari Helander  PRODUCER:  Will Clarke, Petri Jokiranta, Andy Mayson, Jens Meurer  EDITOR:  Iikka Hesse  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Juri Seppä, Miska Seppä  GENRE: Action, Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Mika Orasmaa  DISTRIBUTOR: Europa Corp.  LOCATION:  Germany  RUNNING TIME:  110 minutes

TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT:    3.5

MORAL ASSESSMENT:  3.5                      

MTRCB RATING: PG 13

CINEMA RATING: PG 13

Finn Oskari (Onni Tommila) faces what every Finnish boy dreams of on the eve of his 13^th birthday: to prove himself a man by surviving a day and a night in the wilds, catch game, and do his father proud. It doesn’t matter if he can barely bend his bowstring, let alone hunt for deer on his own.  Meanwhile, Moore (Samuel L. Jackson), the President of the United States of America is on his way to a G-8 summit meet when Air Force One is suddenly attacked by missiles. He is promptly ensured safety through the escape pod by Morris (Ray Stevenson), head security officer, before the plane crashes on to the forest floor where Oskari is. The young boy finds the President and drags him along his solitary pursuit only to discover that Moore is being hunted by a psychopath with the help of his trusted security aid.  Will Oskari prove himself and bag the biggest game of all?

Big Game opens with a spectacular and breathtaking sweep of what is supposed to be Finnish mountains and woods (it’s actually Bavaria, Germany). The awesome opening sequence alone makes your movie ticket worth it. There is great chemistry between young Onni Tommila and Samuel L. Jackson who both wear their characters with a delightful and solid performance. The action sequences are well choreographed and the musical score heightens the thrill of the adventure. Some parts are ridiculous but the dialogue has wit and it has lots of fun. Plot holes and the war room scenes leave much to be desired. In spite of its flaws, Big Game is a great package of adventure, humor, and ingenuity that somehow works and manages to inject real inspiration without being preachy.  

Big Game actually parodies current conceptions of what it means to be a man. It presents a bumbling president, a rich psychopath, a corrupt secret agent, an incompetent intelligence team, a well-meaning but unenlightened father, and a male community whose criterion for manhood is survival in the wild and a trophy kill. Instead the film shows man’s greatness in the capacity to forget himself and his pursuits in order to help another human being in need. When he surrenders posturing to getting his hands dirty, and valiantly defies any thought for self-preservation to save another, then he becomes a man.

There’s one poignant scene in the wilds when Oskari weeps not because his father made sure he’d be successful. He realizes that even his own father did not believe in him. He throws caution to the wind, and stands up to the challenge surprising even himself. As always, the temptation is to strive and struggle for power, possessions, prestige and position. Big Game teaches us, without any allusion to God or Jesus, the true measure of a man: “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as ransom for many.”

Unfriended

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DIRECTOR:  Leo Gabriadze  LEAD CAST: Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Heather Sossaman, Renee Olstead, Will     Peltz, Jacob Wysocki and Courtney Halverson  STORY: Nelson Greaves  PRODUCERS: Mr. Greaves and Timur Bekmambetov  PRODUCTION DESIGN: Heidi Koleto  FILM EDITORS: Parker Laramie and Andrew Wesman COSTUMES: Veronika Belenikina  GENRE: Horror, Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHY: Adam Sidman  PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Bazelevs Company, Blumhouse Productions  DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures  LANGUAGE: English  LOCATION:   United States RUNNING TIME:  85 mins.

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2.5

CINEMA Rating: R18

            Blaire (Shelley Hennig) and her friends are chatting on Skype when they all start to receive messages from an inactive account of a common friend, Laura Barns, who had committed suicide a year ago after her humiliating video was posted on the Internet. They think at first that they are being hacked. But things start to get violent and they are all forced to admit their dirty little secrets leading towards the truth as to why Laura killed herself. Now they know and are convinced that they are all in trouble. Will they be able to escape the ghost of their past?

            The film makes full use of the latest communication technology to give a new look and perspective to a rather worn-out horror premise. The film succeeds in this aspect as it was able to keep the audiences glued on their seats. The film’s highlights that mostly happen on the computer screen are able to capture audience’s interest. Unfriended uses realism as a technique and is very effective at delivering such, which is a challenge given the film’s rather unrealistic premise. The characters are all effective at being both unlikeable and pathetic—making them appear as real human beings, flawed, weak, committing mistakes without being intentionally evil. Plot wise, the film has little to offer but presentation wise, it is able to deliver.

            Unfriended is a statement on the irresponsible use of social media. The film clearly states that although the media is powerful in shaping perception and influencing beliefs, the humans who use it still remain supreme. It is the users who create content who should be held liable for whatever outcome media content may bring. In the case of Unfriended—that centers on the suicide of Laura Barns—it is not the media that killed her, but the irresponsible people behind the video uploading. Hers is another case of cyberbullying and the horrors that go with it.  Although the film goes overboard in making the victim so vindictive, it may have been done intentionally to create a greater impact on its message—and there goes the irony as a communication media: the film makes a critique of another  medium, the internet, thereby contradicting itself by being as dangerous for audiences to watch.  Clearly computers are used here by evil forces making revenge possible, and how!  This is the reason why CINEMA deems the film as appropriate only to audiences age 18 and above. There is so much cursing, sex, drugs, and violence in the film, although done in context, that may not be suitable to young audience’s impressionable minds.