Unofficially Yours

CAST:  John Lloyd Cruz (Macky Galvez), Angel Locsin (Ces), Edgar Allan Guzman, Tetchie Agbayani, Edgar Mortiz, Ian De Leon, K Brosas, Boom Labrusca; DIRECTOR: Cathy Garcia-Molina; PRODUCED BY: Charo Santos-Concio, Malou Santos; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR; GENRE:  Romantic Comedy, Romantic Drama; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR: Star Cinema; LOCATION: Philippines; RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes    

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 2

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above     

SYNOPSIS: The film is the story of a man who falls in love with a woman who is afraid of any commitment due to her trauma of a failed marriage. Through regular romantic engagement their love for each other develops until the man is able to convince his girlfriend.  

This Means War

CAST:  Reese Witherspoon (Lauren Scott), Cris Pine (FDR Foster), Tom Hardy (Tuck Henson), Till Schweiger (Heinrich), Chelsea Handler (Trish), Abegail Spenser (Katie), Angela Basset (Collins); DIRECTOR: McG; SCREENWRITER: Timothy Dowling, Simon Kinberg; PRODUCED BY: Simon Kinberg, James Lassiter, Robert Simonds, Will Smith; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR; GENRE:  Action & Adventure, Romance, Comedy; CINEMATOGRAPHY: Russell Carpenter; LOCATION: Vancouver, Canada; RUNNING TIME:  120 minutes 

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 1.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above         

Elite CIA spies FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) mess up an attempt to capture international terrorist Heinrich (Til Schweiger) and are assigned desk jobs.  Missing some action at Spy Central, Tuck decides to return to the dating scene.  By signing up with an on-line agency, he gets a date with Lauren (Reese Witherspoon), a busy-busy career woman in her thirties.  After their first great date Lauren accidentally bumps into FDR (Chris Pine) and soon FDR dates Lauren, too.  One improbable day at the office Tuck and FDR who are the best of friends discover they're after the same woman.  Disappointed at first, the two guys make a pact to keep Lauren unaware of their discovery and their being best friends.  May the best man win, they say as they slam their laptop shut. 

Considering the technical aspect of This means war, it’s as good as any movie goes that’s aimed to entertain and not to challenge viewers intellectually.  It is billed as a romantic-comedy/action movie but comes out half-baked at each count.   The romance aspect is snuffed out by the rivalry between the two guys—why break a friendship over a woman who is so self-absorbed she’s totally clueless about their     The comedy side relies on hurting people which isn’t funny, and the action doesn’t excite as elite spies are supposed to do.  If the story were based on real life we can’t help but say “What a silly love triangle!”  Fortunately it’s but fiction and so we can dismiss the shallowness of the plot and the characters.

This means war redeems itself by trying to uphold fidelity (albeit to a pre-marital sex partner), being a good sport or loser, and familial reconciliation.  It’s a good movie to see if only to tell your teenage children what to avoid in man-woman relationships.  

The Breaking Wind

CAST:  Heather Ann Davis (Bella), Eric Callero (Edward), Frank Pacheco (Jacob), Michael Adam Hamilton, Alice Rietveld, John Stevenson and Danny Trejo.

DIRECTOR:  Craig Moss; SCREENWRITER: Craig Moss; PRODUCER:  Bernie Gewissler, AmyJarvela, Craig Moss; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR; GENRE:   Comedy; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR: Pioneer Films; LOCATION: Los Angeles, California, USA; RUNNING TIME: 82 minutes       

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 2

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above         

SYNOPSIS: Breaking Wind is the comedic spoof of the world wide phenomenon Twilight series. When Stella's life becomes threatened by the vengeful Victoria and her gang of blood sucking newborns. Edward and Jacob must put aside their differences in order to save her life AGAIN.

The Vow

CAST:  Rachel McAdams (Paige Collins), Channing Tatum (Leo Collins), Sam Neill (Paige’s Father ), Jessica Lange (Paige’s Mother), Jessica McNamee (Gwen); DIRECTOR: Michael Sucsy; SCREENWRITER: Jason Katims, Abby Kohn,  Marc Silverstein, Michael Suscy & Stuart Sender; PRODUCER: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman, Paul Taublieb ; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR; GENRE:  Drama. Romance; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR Sony Pictures; LOCATION: Toronto, Canada & Chicago, USA; RUNNING TIME:  104 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above 

     

SYNOPSIS : A newlywed couple recovers from a car accident that puts the wife in a coma. Waking up with severe memory loss, her husband endeavors to win her heart again.

The Descendants

CAST: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster; DIRECTOR: Alexander Payne; SCREENPLAY: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash; PRODUCED BY: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor; CINEMATOGRAPHY: Phedon Papamichae; EDITING: Kevin Tent; LOCATION: United States; RUNNING  TIME: 115 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above 

The Descendants is set in Hawaii and follows the unpredictable journey of an American family at a crossroads.  Matt King (George Clooney), a husband and father of two girls, must re-examine his past and navigate his future when his wife goes into coma due to a boating accident off Waikiki.  He awkwardly attempts to repair his relationship with his daughters— perky 10-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and rebellious 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley)—while wrestling with a decision to sell his family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.  Matt and his King cousins own some of the last priceless virgin parcels of tropical beach in the islands.

When Alexandra drops the bombshell that her mother was cheating on her husband at the time of the accident, Matt has to take a whole new look at his life, not to mention his legacy, during a week of momentous decisions.  With his girls in tow, he embarks on a haphazard search for his wife’s lover.  Along the way, in encounters alternately funny, troublesome and transcendent, he realizes he’s finally on course toward rebuilding his life and family.

  Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants has a snappy screen play by its own director Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash.  Others in the acting ensemble are Beau Bridges, Robert Forster, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Nick Krause, Mary Birdsong, Rob Huebel and Patricia Hastie.  Clooney’s award-winning Matt King is a flawed individual finding his way through a world of lunacy, bittersweet emotion and surprises; he is neither a hero nor anti-hero, not the man he would like to be.  Rather, Matt King is a man grappling with some of the worst news, most difficult people, and most impossible decisions of his life.

  Close family ties are among the values highlighted in this movie.  The bond between the father and his daughters is also emphasized to show that while tragedy, a death in the family,  and the discovery of a betrayal may lead to pain and bitterness, the same suffering may also strengthen the character of those left behind.  In the last scene the characters do no talk but it is pregnant with symbols and body language no words can equal.  A most satisfying film for families to watch.    

The Woman in Black

CAST:  Daniel Radcliffe (Arthur Kipps), Claran Hinds (Samuel Daily), Janet McTeer (Mrs. Daily), Sophie Stucky (Stella Kipps), Liz White (Jennet Humfrye), Misha Handley (Joseph Kipps); DIRECTOR: James Watkins; SCREENWRITER: Susan R. Hill,  Jane Goldman; PRODUCER:  Hammer Film Production; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR; Marco Beltrami GENRE:  Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR; LOCATION:  United Kingdom; RUNNING TIME: 94 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above  

SYNOPSIS: Arthur Kipps, a widowed lawyer whose grief has put his career in jeopardy, is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric. But upon his arrival, it soon becomes clear that everyone in the town is keeping a deadly secret. Although the townspeople try to keep Kipps from learning their tragic history, he soon discovers that the house belonging to his client is haunted by the ghost of a woman who is determined to find someone and something she lost...and no one, not even the children, are safe from her vengeance.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

CAST:  Dwayne Johnson (Hank), Josh Hutcherson (Sean Anderson), Vanessa Hudgens (Kailani), Michael Caine (Alexander), Luis Guzman (Gabato), Kristin Davis (Liz Anderson); DIRECTOR: Brad Peyton; SCREENWRITER:  Brian Gunn; PRODUCED BY: Charlotte Huggins, Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson; EDITING: David Rennie; GENRE:   Action & Adventure, Kids &Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR:  New Line Cinema; LOCATION: United States;  RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes

Technical Assessment: 4

Moral Assessment: 3.5

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

Sean (Josh Hutcherson) gets coded messages he suspects have come from his long-lost explorer grandfather (played by Michael Caine).  With the help of his stepfather and legal guardian Hank (Dwayne Johnson) they decode the message and locate its origin, the Mysterious Island which is somewhere off Palau.  Sean is dead set on finding the Mysterious Island; Hank is eager to bond with the young boy and as his legal guardian obliges the latter.  Off they go, renting a rickety four-seater plane to cross the ocean with just the pilot (Luis Guzman) and his strong-willed daughter (played by Vanessa Hudgens).

Like most adventure stories, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, owes its appeal to breathtaking views of a pristine and hidden paradise, definitely out-of-this-world for its beauty.  And what would an exotic island be without its share of monsters and predators?  Here they are birds that in our world would fit snugly in our hands but out there would be as big as pterodactyls that hunt humans for snacks.  In our world elephants would be gigantic creatures one doesn’t fool around with, but in the misty Mysterious Island they are only slightly bigger than poodles and just as cuddly! 

All the elements that make for a wholesome family adventure movie are present in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island: the funny schtick in the person of the bumbling pilot; the tender-hearted muscleman going against all odds to win the trust of his beloved woman’s son; the ingenious 80-year-old adventurer who lives in an enviable treehouse; the chaste and budding teen romance; etc.  There are no pirates and bad people here—the villains are the distressing circumstances the group has to contend with.  But, of course, nature helps, as in the form of giant bumble bees that people can ride as the blue people of Avatar ride flying dragons.

It must been intended by director Brad Peyton to be really one undemanding, wholesome, enjoyable movie where the characters elicit your sympathy and support—you root for them, you want them to be safe, you want them to be happy with one another.  Definitely the whole family may see this—in case the young children tend to get scared of monsters you can quickly tell them they’re only made of cardboard.  But they’ll probably shrug off the monsters and would rather focus on the giant bumble bees—creatures they can cheer for them since they look no more menacing than a hamburger chain mascot.

Chronicle

CAST:  Dane DeHaan (Andrew), Alex Russell (Matt), Michael Jordan (Steve), Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw (Casey); DIRECTOR:  Josh Trank; SCREENWRITER:  Max Landis; PRODUCER: John Davis, Adam Schroeder; Screenplay by: Max Landis; GENRE:  Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense,  Sci Fiction & Fantasy; CINEMATOGRAPHY: Matthew Jensen

LOCATION:   USA; RUNNING TIME:  83 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2

Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above     

SYNOPSIS: Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Haywire

CAST:  Gina Carano (Mallory Kane) Michael Fassbender, Bill Paxton, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum; DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh; SCREENWRITER: Lem Dobbs; PRODUCER:  Gregory Jacobs; EDITOR: Mary Ann Bernard  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: David Holmes; GENRE:  Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense; CINEMATOGRAPHER: Peter Andrews     DISTRIBUTOR: Relativity Media; LOCATION: USA, Spain, Ireland; RUNNING TIME:  93 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above         

SYNOPSIS: Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

J. Edgar

CAST: Leonardo DiCarpio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Dame Judi Dench, Ed Westwick, Josh Hamilton, Josh Lucas, Judi Dench, Lea Thompson; DIRECTOR:  Clint Eastwood; SCREENWRITER: Dustin Lance Black; PRODUCER: Clint Eastwood, Brian Grazer, Robert Lorenz; EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR : Clint Eastwood; GENRE: Drama; CINEMATOGRAPHER     DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros; LOCATION: USA; RUNNING TIME:   137 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above  

J. Edgar tells the story of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo diCaprio), the head of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for nearly 50 years. The story jumps from one period to another between 1920’s and 1970s highlighting Hoover’s achievements from his point-of-view as the old Hoover narrates to younger agents. He tells stories of how he protected the United States from Communist attacks and how he introduced various innovations (like the central fingerprinting system) to advance criminology, thus, preventing criminality. Some of the film’s highlights were the tracking of the mastermind of the kidnapping of Lindbergh baby that paved the way for Hoover’s eventual rise to power. All these juxtapose with his secrets untold including that of his relationship with his mother (Judi Dench) and assistant Clyde Tolson (Armi Hammer).

The film has tried hard to capture the complexities of one of the most controversial figures in the history of the US. J. Edgar may be utterly successful in bringing about the details of Hoover’s achievements as the FBI director only to discredit him later on, but the movie fails in entirety to really flesh out the humanness of J. Edgar the man. This is not really much the fault of the filmmakers but the material itself calls for such complexity beyond the capacity of the film medium. But then again, the non-linear storytelling works well in sustaining audience’s interest and diCaprio’s intensity and screen presence is as brilliant as always. Perhaps the prosthetics did not really help that much and they should have thought of another way of representing the old Hoover, (Getting a real veteran actor, perhaps?) so actors won’t have to look ridiculous. The cast ensemble is strong and the film surely has its brilliant moments only that it should have shown more of the real J. Edgar.

Is J. Edgar Hoover a hero or a foe? That makes the figure a real controversial one. The film does not really say so but at the very least, it has presented the many contradictions in his character, although quite limited on the surface. There is much to ponder on as far as his intentions for his country is concerned. While he is able to protect the US from Communist attacks, he has also invaded private lives and spaces beyond the rule of law. Hoover  has broken the very law he has pledged to protect. All the while in the film, open secrets about his real personality – including his childhood and repressed sexuality – transposes to his duty as FBI director, thus quite saying that a weakling hides behind the mask of an iron man. The said back story could be a justification how the infamous J. Edgar came to be. But then, his integrity, dedication and loyalty as FBI head still cannot be questioned and his fiery passion to protect the country from communists, radicals and criminals must be emulated by every citizen of any land. In that respect, J. Edgar is still worth seeing, and the many questions the film did not answer and the many secrets kept hidden are all worth pondering.