Mockingjay Part 1 (Movie Review)

Even before watching the movie, I already had doubts that Mockingjay Part 1 would be a good one. I really have reservations about movies being divided into two parts mainly because the studios wanted to earn more money. I have read the book and I can say that the whole story can be put up into just one whole movie. It’s unfair that the quality of movies like this would suffer just because it has been cut. Now let’s see if I am right with what I am saying.

I was somehow right, but also wrong in some ways.

It’s amazing how the director, Francis Lawrence, and the screenwriters, Danny Strong and Peter Craig, were able to turn the first half of the book of Suzanne Collins into a two-hour movie. You’d sense, though, that the script was really stretched out especially at the start but when the pace of the movie was established, you’d just carry on watching. The movie had its big moments and these moments were carried out well. The excellent camerawork was really something to commend on because it turned seemingly normal scenes into something exciting and thrilling.

Jennifer Lawrence once again impresses in this penultimate installment of The Hunger Games movie series. In spite of the havoc brought about by the leaked nude pictures scandal, she maintains to be likeable. More importantly, she delivers in the film as Katniss Everdeen, the face of the rebellion of the thirteen districts against the anarchic system of the Capitol. Katniss was asked to lead the propaganda against the Capitol, and even though she hesitated at first, she eventually agreed after seeing the destruction made by President Snow (aptly played coldly by Donald Sutherland) and his government. If Jennifer Lawrence was likeable, her partner, Josh Hutcherson was not… at least in the movie as Peeta Mellark. As one of the captives in Capitol after the Quarter Quell, Peeta was being forced to feed lies to the people of the districts and counter what Katniss was telling the citizens. Even though Hutcherson had fewer scenes in this movie compared to the previous movies, he made sure that his scenes, especially the final ones, were truly remarkable. Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Katniss’s best friend and one of the top soldiers in District 13 was effective, though I hope he’d do better in the last film as his character plays a really big part in the Mockingjay book. The supporting cast that includes Woody Harrelson (reprising his role as Haymicht), Elizabeth Banks (as Effie Trinket) and Julianne Moore (as the rebellion forces’ leader, President Alma Coin) was a pro in their roles.

Aside from the formidable cast, the movie’s biggest draw is its smart political overtones. Panem is at war, and the movie has shown how players in the warring governments do their work of planning and strategizing to gain victory. It’s been shown how propaganda works: the smarter the propaganda is, the better it serves its function. Moreover, the movie exposes that truth about war: it sacrifices a lot of people. It is never the best option to end conflicts as many, many people will die and be killed along the way. If there came a point when declaring one is the only option left (as presented in the movie), offering oneself for the greater good is justified. You’d just hope you’re on the right side.

The movie’s good but it lacked in one department where it should have really excelled: action. As a consequence of the trimming of the story to pave way for a two-part movie, the action scenes were sorely lacking. No good action scenes could justify the shortness of the action, considering this as a war movie. Producers should really think about giving up quality over the quantity of money that they’ll be earning. Shame on them.

Mockingjay Part 1’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 3.5 out of 5

Interstellar

Prepare your minds to be blown.

True to every movie he directs, Christopher Nolan made a film that is not only extraordinarily picturesque, but also striking, thrilling and mind-boggling. With Interstellar, he impressively created a futuristic world where Earth is not sustainable anymore for humans to survive for a very long time. Tackling issues that we are already facing today, the film opened the possibilities of how things would be in the future. Nolan created that world via Interstellar, and he made the audience part of that world. Relatability and relevance are two words that define the film even if it’s a futuristic one.

Fresh from winning the Oscars for Best Actor for his great performance in Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey once again tugs the audience’s heart with his role in Interstellar. A former test pilot and engineer for NASA who became a farmer in their hometown due to the eventual deterioration and degradation of the Earth, Cooper (McConaughey) accepts the challenge to man a space ship called Endurance to confirm viability of the three potentially habitable planets that were surveyed out by a previous space mission called Lazarus Mission. Leaving behind Donald, his father-in-law, Tom, his son and Murph, his 10-year-old stubborn yet brilliant daughter, he heads on to space with the scientist daughter of a leading NASA figure Amelia (Anne Hathaway), physicist Romilly (David Gyasi), geographer Doyle (Wes Bentley) and the super robot named TARS. His team’s struggles with the unknown universe out there and his thoughts about his family back on Earth represents the brain and the heart of the film respectively. Will they ever find a potential Earth replacement for humans to live in? Will they still be able to go back to Earth and see their family once again?

The rest of the cast played great support to McConaughey and the notable ones include Mackenzie Foy, who played his teenage daughter, Jessica Chastain, who played the grown-up daughter, Ellen Burstyn, as the 100-year-old version of the daughter, and Matt Damon as Dr. Mann, one of the astronauts who ventured into space via Lazarus Mission. The willful and bright daughter of Cooper was remarkably played by Foy, Chastain and Burstyn. You could see curiosity in their eyes and the assertion of love and brilliance through their actions. Even though they were not seen together most of the time (Chastain and McConaughey actually didn’t have a scene where they were physically together), they provided much better chemistry than McConaughey’s team-up with Hathaway. Meanwhile, Damon provided such a good surprise with his small role in the film. This actor’s really impressive whatever role he’s in.

Hans Zimmer booms with his masterwork sound in the film. When his score kicks in, the suspense, the drama and the jubilation rise up to complement Nolan’s remarkable scenes that were edited by no less than Lee Smith (also the editor of Inception, The Dark Knight and X-Men: First Class).

As expected, the cinematography (Hoyte van Hoyterna) of the film is outstanding. Most of the visuals used in the film would leave you breathless. From the blight Earth up to the Icelandic scopes of one of the potential Earth replacements, the film has chosen and used such great shooting locations. While I find Gravity’s space visuals more impressive (probably because it was filmed in 3D IMAX compared to Interstellar’s combination of anamorphic 35 mm an IMAX 70 mm film photography), Interstellar’s visuals are astonishingly beautiful, too.

The movie’s going to challenge you about the Earth’s natural state right now. It lets you glimpse into a world where humankind has regressed into an agrarian society because of problems with sustainability. And this idea isn’t farfetched. With billions of people currently living on the planet and having very limited resources, adding to that the dangerous effects of global warming, Earth is into a quicksand of destruction lest humans do something about it.

Moreover, the film did not hesitate to mince highfalutin words with complex scientific concepts. Interstellar showed and dealt with worm holes and black holes and their potentials, space travel and interstellar communication, potential earths from other parts of the galaxy, and extra-dimensional presence. Even though it is a science-fiction film, it presented what seemed to be potentially accurate possibilities about all these venturing into space activities. It may have stretched out those possibilities especially with the potentials of bending time and space, but who knows if they will be a reality in the near future?

Interstellar’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 5 out of 5

Guardians of the Galaxy

Visually splendid, smartly written and surprisingly but satisfactorily emotional, Guardians of the Galaxy stands on its own as a great Marvel film. 

I’ve actually feared that this Marvel movie was going to flop. The story’s not that familiar to many, the trailer’s not liked by everybody and the only thing that’s attracting it is its Marvel brand. I guess I shouldn’t have feared because it has all the makings of a blockbuster flick. 

Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG) is about a seemingly group of miscasts led by Peter Quill (or Star-Lord), a half-human, half-alien whose rogue ways made him hunted by the thieving and smuggling group that kidnapped him on Earth as a child. Upon teaming up unexpectedly with the other guardians, namely Gamora, adopted daughter of the mighty Thanos and the last of her species; Drax the Destroyer, an avenging warrior; Groot, a tree-like humanoid and Rocket, a genetically engineered raccoon who’s a master mercenary, he (along with his team) found a higher purpose, and that is, to serve and save the universe we are in from the dangers highly powerful creatures bring. 

GOTG’s got terrifically marvelous visuals. I was awed by the graphics and effects of this movie and thought the production behind it didn’t restrain its team from making it really look great. Anyone who’s got a clear, good vision will be stunned by its superb cinematography and production design. 

Witty one-liners: This movie’s got a whole lot of these killer funny lines. I think I’ve laughed here more than any other film I’ve watched this year (including those old comedies I’ve watched in the comforts of our home). Plus, it’s got a real good story going on. What’s more impressive is that it’s still tied in with the story arc of the other Marvel movies that are due in the next few years. These ludicrously smart tie-ins might just be superb promotional maneuvers for the companies behind these movies, but if we get to be fully entertained by the fantasy these Marvel stories bring, who are we to complain? 

Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt is a revelation in the film. Who knew he could carry an enormous Marvel movie with him on the lead? Nevertheless, his funny antics and childish charm have certainly helped. Zoe Saldana showed she’s a tough lady by performing as Gamora. Meanwhile, Dave Batista (as the rough Drax), Vin Diesel (as the lovable Groot) and Chris Cooper (as the whiny Rocket) proved that there are no small roles as they perform well in their respective challenging characters. Meanwhile, I did not see any sign of Lee Pace as he shows how to be a main villain in the movie. 

I love the editing done in the film. GOTG didn’t seem very long for me considering the short attention span I am having with films lately (haha). I enjoyed its pace, which was enough to present who are these guardians of the galaxy and how are they a part of the whole Marvel universe. The director of the movie, James Gunn (Slither), seemed to love this movie so much he probably even cared about the nooks and crannies of each scene, aside from how his actors fare in front of the camera. I am hoping he will still be the director and writer of the expected sequel. 

Hmm, if those things I’ve said are still not enough for you to watch the movie, just listen to what’s more to love about this film… its great soundtrack, of course! 

Guardians of the Galaxy’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 5 out of 5

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is fascinatingly awesome.

The movie continues several years after the conclusion of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The smart, genetically-evolved apes led by Caesar went to the jungle and made their own colony. They grew in number and many of them were trained to fight to survive. Meanwhile, a few of the remaining people living in a fortified complex in what remains of the San Francisco City ventured into the jungle to fix the dam that provides power. One of them encountered two of the apes and shot one by accident. Caesar and the rest of the apes appeared before these people and warned them about the implications of going to their territory. Will this start the war between the humans (who have dwindled in number because of the virus tested to the apes more than a decade ago) and the smart, strong and talking apes?

The movie was full of surprises. If you think you knew what’s about to happen, think again. The struggles humans face in the movie’s virus-stricken world made it a lot harder for them to live. The sharing of work was still there, but their activities were certainly limited. This was in contrast to what the apes were up to. They’d been hunting, training hard and educating the young. Both humans and apes found each other a threat, and it’s up to a few good people to stop the impending war between them.

Hats off to Matt Reeves (whose movies include Conviction and Cloverfield) for brilliantly directing the movie. Imagine, if directing human actors on the set is hard enough, what more if they’re interspersed with visual effects to make it appear like some of the human actors are apes. The way he tells this saga about humans and apes is consistently good and really smart. He knew what to do with the story and it showed magnificently onscreen.

Andy Serkis ably reprised his role as Caesar, the leader of the genetically-evolved apes. The way he moved and emoted showed ease and control that his character possesses. Toby Kebbell almost stole the show with his portrayal of Kobo, Caesar’s brutal ape adviser. Meanwhile, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell (as Malcolm and Ellie, respectively) held well in portraying the humans who went to the jungle and created a bond with the apes.

Needless to say, this movie has superb visual effects. The apes in the film looked amazingly real. It would make people wonder how the production team was able to come up with a lot of apes interacting with humans in various scenarios. It’s like Rise of the Planet of the Apes (its superior predecessor) gone bigger and better. This movie was a testament on how well the technology used in films has advanced throughout the years.

The movie was filled with satisfying action scenes. The scenes depicting the war wrought by apes to humans were commanding of attention as they were excellently choreographed. Humans battling the apes looked good, but apes battling other apes looked better.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was outright dark right from the start. It’s got light moments and funny ones once in a while, but its atmosphere got darker as it progressed. When Kobo took power in the ape colony, the movie became hauntingly terrifying. The ante of suspense got higher and was thoroughly sustained until the end. In addition, Michael Giacchino delivered an intense musical score, making the scenes a lot more terrifying.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 5 out of 5

 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-Men: Days of Future Past is the most exciting, most compelling and most beautiful X-Men movie since the first X-Men film in 2000.

As a fan of the X-Men comics, cartoons and video games, I was in such a wild ride (again) while seeing the characters that I love battling each other and manifesting their powers on the big screen. It was sort of like a dream come true! Just imagine the euphoria I would feel if this movie was several hours long!

Moving decades forward since the conclusion of the X-Men: First Class, Days of Future Past presents the greatest threat to mutants that could wipe them all out: the sentinels. As mutants seem to die one by one because of the indomitable and powerful sentinels, Professor X and the remaining members of his team take action by doing what seemed to be impossible: sending a mutant to the past. The chosen mutant, Wolverine, would be tasked to change what has been done that has led to their current predicament. Will Wolverine be successful in changing the events that coursed through time?

Bryan Singer is a perfect fit for the X-Men movies. With his delicate and classy presentation of the characters, the engaging battle scenes, from the funny and light moments to the oh-so-awesome-how-did-they-do-that action-laden sequences, you would know he really loves and cares for the whole X-Men saga. The great camerawork and editing of the scenes paved for a very engaging film. And needless to say (but still I will say it), the visual effects used are superb. I have never been so happy while watching an X-Men movie.

Both senior and younger actors really impressed with their great portrayals all throughout the film. With the calculated and careful ways of the old Professor X and Magneto made alive by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, firmness and persuasiveness of the young Magneto by Michael Fassbender, careless ladida of Quicksilver by Evan Peters, the fragile yet still fighting young Professor X by James McAvoy, the cool shifting aura of Mystique made possible by Jennifer Lawrence, the tough, charismatic presence of Wolverine by Hugh Jackman, the unyielding determination of Bolivar Trask by Peter Dinklage, the smart, funny and engaging characterization of Beast by Nicholas Hoult, the classy moves of Storm by Halle Berry, the delicateness of Blink (Fan Bingbing), the  perseverance of Kitty Pride (Ellen Page), the coolness of Iceman (Shawn Ashmore). The list of awesome characterization of the actors  just goes on and on.

Days of Future Past, though, is not just an entertaining film. It comes with a powerful message. In the film, mutants are feared because of their abilities and this is why they’re persecuted or even killed. In real life, people in all kinds of minority are persecuted because of the others’ fear of their potential: what they can do and how they can do it. This film does not merely suggest equality, but right treatment people deserve no matter what or who they may be.

X-Men: Days of Future Past’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 5 out of 5

Godzilla

Highly intense and fast-paced, Godzilla is a great remake of the movie about the god of monsters.

I missed watching monster movies and watching Godzilla made me feel so good I could watch it again anytime soon. In comparison with another early summer flick, Godzilla was more enjoyable than Spider-Man. When suspense in this film hit really hard after some time, it just kept on growing and growing. There were moments when the suspense was too high and couldn’t have gone any higher, but thanks to the great directing by Gareth Edwards and editing by Bob Ducsay, the scenes ably shift into essential quiet moments to pacify the high tension. People would have experienced a heart attack if this wasn’t done. Haha.

The different settings the movie had shown were so intricately designed one would know they’ve been worked on meticulously. I was awed on how they were able to do the scenes, with or without the monstrous creatures, into something of a great spectacle.

The movie is filled with action scenes: monster-to-monster battles, monsters destroying cities, humans defending against the creatures, humans evacuating but are caught on the monsters’ wrath, among others, that is why action fans (like me) would find Godzilla a great movie to watch. Meanwhile, the special effects and sound departments should be proud of what they have made. The screen sizzled with awesome visuals and trembled with great sound making the movie more realistic. Scenes in the San Francisco bridge, along Nevada railroad and in San Francisco’s Chinatown were real standouts; action movie directors should have taken notes. These great directing, stunning special and sound effects plus the whole lot of non-stop action bode well for this type of flick.

The senior actors may have dominated in the movie but the younger ones held on their own. Bryan Cranston, best known as Walter White in the television series Breaking Bad, was outstanding as Joe Brody, a nuclear physicist who dedicated a big part of his life in unraveling the mystery of the disaster that brought down the nuclear power plant he’s working on  in Japan. I didn’t see Walter White but the character he’s portraying with the way he carried out his scenes. Ken Watanabe, meanwhile, looked like he’s clueless or confused most of the time, but it worked to define his character as Dr. Shiro Serizawa, a lead scientist working for Monarch, a secret organization that is tasked to keep true reasons of disasters in nuclear power plants a secret and protect the world from monsters like Godzilla. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as the son of  Joe Brody, was successful in unraveling the mystery his father was working on. Even though he moved along with the military to fight the monsters wreaking havoc on Earth, he’s able to carry the movie on his shoulders as the key character in resolving the conflict in the movie.

A lot of things happened in the movie’s two-hour screen time and yet it seemed like it wasn’t that long. I felt great suspense  in those two hours and the quiet moments mentioned before served as much-needed breathers in this action-packed movie. Some people might find the beginning arc of the story long as Godzilla wasn’t featured until after an hour or so but I think that was needed to keep it more interesting. Moreover, other people might find the ending as an abrupt conclusion of the story but for me, it’s as good as it gets. The suspense was so high during the entire final scenes and what’s a better way to end it but to cut it short and sweet?

Godzilla’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 4.5 out of 5

Divergent

Divergent was beautiful to look at with its stylistic approach in presenting a dystopian society. However, I was expecting it to be made more with substance and not just style. The writing tried to make the story deeper than it could, though its too predictable of an ending forbid it to be so.

I like how the writers made a good introduction of the Divergent story. Those people who haven’t read the book must be introduced to the plot: In the future, people living in Chicago are divided into five factions (Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, Amity) which are determined based on each person’s character. The story’s heroine, Tris Prior, is a divergent: a person who doesn’t conform as he or she can think independently and does possess the virtues of not just one faction. Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite, wants to eradicate her type as divergents are not predictable, therefore, dangerous. It’s up to Tris, her friends and her family to stop Matthews from her evil plan.

Shailene Woodley showed promise as Tris Prior, but it’s evident that she’s no Jennifer Lawrence. Even though many of her antics and nuances are consistent with her character, I found her not tough enough for the role. Theo James on the other hand, made Four, Tris’s love interest, real on the screen. Their supporting cast was good enough, though none left a remarkable performance other than Kate Winslet, whose cool confidence made her a good fit as Jeanine Matthews.

Everyone though that Divergent would be the next Hunger Games but it simply isn’t. It may be better than other movies based on dystopian books  that are released recently but it is not as good as the aforementioned movie based on the Suzanne Collins novel. Divergent’s got commendable visual effects though its lack of action and good direction made it just a so-so of a movie. Is it a waste of the Veronica Roth story? Not really. It could just have been made a lot better.

Divergent’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 3 out of 5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Captain America is definitely one of the best superhero movie sequels out there. Smartly written, action-packed and well-directed, The Winter Soldier proves once again Marvel’s ability to make great sequels out of their superhero movies. I honestly didn’t know what the movie was about before watching yet I had high hopes for it because I loved the first Captain America movie. I was pleasantly surprised because The Winter Soldier exceeded my expectations.

Great, great action scenes. No other superhero movie has impressed me this much in terms of hand-to-hand combat. It also succeeded in delivering scenes with an array of gadgets, weapons and advanced vehicles. These scenes comprise a lot of time and they were actually fun to watch because they were clearly captured, thanks to great editing and camerawork.

Major requirements for superhero movies are stunningly good visual effects and pretty excellent sound effects. Captain America: The Winter Soldier has both. Yet, what made this movie really stand out from the other superhero movies is its minimal use of CGI effects. The audience would get to appreciate all the combat scenes where incredible stunts were made and awesome fight choreography was played out.  What stood out were scenes of great, great action.

Smart script. The story of the Winter Soldier is a solid one. The audiences may not be familiar with the plot, but it’ll eventually unfold on their eyes as the movie progresses. It’s great how the script tied in Captain America’s real relation to the so-called Winter Soldier character to the remarkable threat the terrorist group called HYDRA is posing to America’s pseudo-homeland security agency called SHIELD. The former subplot played out just right and didn’t appear too shallow or cheesy at all. The HYDRA subplot actually covers the first subplot but the focus there is how the said terrorist organization has come to infiltrate SHIELD, thereby compromising it and its operations.

Good performances. Every lead and supporting actor in the movie delivered well during the whole movie feature. Chris Evans proves once again why he’s a good fit to be this generation’s Captain America. He has not only given what he’s asked to do as both the patriotic superhero captain and the good, old friend of his current nemesis, but he’s also able to show the development of his character woth his solid performance. Also delivering exciting performances are Sebastian Stan (as the Winter Soldier), Scarlett Johansson (as Black Widow), and Anthony Mackie (as Falcon). Not to forget Samuel L. Jackson (as Nick Fury) and Robert Redford (as Alexander Pierce) who are as great as ever.

Good editing and directing. A bit predictable at times, this movie is nevertheless as suspenseful and exciting as it could get. The great story-telling Anthony and Joe Russo, the movie’s directors, did have made the audience care about what’s really happening in the story. And this made every scene as exciting as the other.

As I have said, I am extremely satisfied with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And this made me anticipate the next Marvel movies that are coming out soon. Here’s hoping they’re as good, if not better, than this Captain America movie.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier’s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 4.5 out of 5

Best Movies of 2013

Let’s take a look at the best movies the year 2013 has to offer days before the most prestigious award-giving body for movies airs on the United States. These are my top choices for time-worthy and money-worthy cinema:

TOP 14- BEFORE MIDNIGHT

I want to start this yearly countdown with the third installment of the romantic Before trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Thanks to the good word of mouth from people who have watched this movie in theaters I got interested in watching the first two Before movies. And I was flabbergasted by how good they were. The directing was brilliant and the acting done by Hawke and Delpy never seemed be acting at all. And the writing, hmmm, the writing! It was nothing short of great! The last installment, Before Midnight, thankfully did not disappoint either. I was happy and fulfilled about how the characters came to be.

TOP 13- PRISONERS

Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal star in the most thrilling and one of the darkest movies of the past year. The story of child abduction is never light and it wasn’t treated lightly in Prisoners. Apart from the believable acting done by the cast, this movie showed great editing, suspenseful directing and smart writing. Too bad it was one of the most underrated movies of the past year which is why only a small number of people were able to watch it.

TOP 12- FROZEN

Frozen is the best film Disney has produced for a long time. Using their magic formula of putting a princess as a lead character, they made a great change this time in terms of resolving the always predictable conflict. Not to spoil anything but this great change made Frozen one-of-a-kind.

TOP 11- CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Paul Greengrass is a master of action. I wasn’t convinced at first that a ship and its captain that are being taken over by pirates could make such a very suspenseful narrative. But it could. In more than two hours of scenes involving the captain and his crew protecting the ship, falling for the mean pirates, negotiating with them and finally resolving the conflict, the movie depicted the most astounding hostage-taking drama film. Greengrass, along with his brilliant lead actor, Tom Hanks, presented a very interesting tale about how it is to be taken at sea.

TOP 10- BOY GOLDEN

Just when I thought no good film would come out last year in the Metro Manila Film Festival come the little promoted Chito Rono film called Boy Golden. The title must have a premonitory effect as this is gold compared to the other MMFF entries.

I love how Chito Rono took care of the movie. He tied up all the scenes without lose threads. He did not allow mediocrity sip into his actors’ performances. And I just really like how he works with colors in the film’s scenes. He found beauty in each scene no matter how unlikely it was and this gave a much profound effect to what he wanted to convey about his characters or what’s happening in the story.

TOP 9- HER

Want to watch a film that will really make you think about human relationships? Watch Her, the latest film from acclaimed director, Spike Jonze, and brilliant actor, Joaquin Phoenix, as they tackle how humans express love with each other now and how it might be in the near future.

Joaquin Phoenix displays his brilliance once again as the lonesome lead character in the movie named Theodore. Every quip, every act he made seemed so natural. But he wouldn’t do it that well without Samantha, which is voiced by Scarlett Johannson. “Her” quirkiness and poignancy as the super smart computer made it believable that a human could really fall in love with a machine.

TOP 8- AMERICAN HUSTLE

David O. Russell did it again with American Hustle. In comparison to his previous great efforts, this movie is like an organized chaos of ideas. A great chaos, that is. And much like how Russell directs his films, this one seemed blurry at first until one gets over the blurriness and seemingly understands what the whole films is all about. That’s how Russell shows his brilliance. He’ll let you in little by little until you find yourself wanting more. But his directing would be futile if not backed up by a brilliant cast led by Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. None of these actors were seen as themselves in the film. Why? They were not seen because they became their characters. And you just got to be awed by how amazing these talented individuals were when given a smart script that they could toy with. American Hustle is definitely one of the greatest movies of 2013.

TOP 7- THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

Martin Scorcese’s latest offering, The Wolf of Wall Street, trumps many a great movie about money-making schemes. Watching it is a blast from start to finish! It’s got that great vibe of helping you understand how people in the stock market do what they do good. I kind of expected Leonardo diCaprio to be great, but I was nicely surprised to see him a lot better than what I was expecting him to be! He would surely given Chiwetel Ejiofor of the brilliant 12 Years a Slave a run for his money in the Oscar race for Best Actor. I actually thought he’s given the best performance of his life in this movie, being really the wolf in the Wall Street.

The movie seems to be an amalgam of deadly sins: greed, gluttony, power andlust. Leonardo diCaprio characterized all of these in his characterization of Jordan Belfort, the notorious stockbroker who owned Stratton Oakmont and made lots of millions swindling investors in the stock market. The way he spoke would seem to persuade even the most skeptical person to invest in his company. He didn’t really care about the investors; he cared about making loads of money. He, together with his friends and employees, drank and partied hard, took drugs as if they’re meals, fornicate anyone even those he is not fond of. He was addicted to power by not just trying to maintain being rich, but doing all he can to become richer and richer. All of these drowned him into the well of immorality, a world where everything seemed to be fun even though they’re not.

Scorcese still has his magic. In three hours, Scorcese showed how such a character like Belfort could have done such outrageous things. It is a testament that he really excels in doing movie that shows a study of character. He effectively showed how a small-time dreamer turned into a great but wild realist in the Wall Street. Belfort had a vision of what he wanted to be, and Scorcese made that evident in his frequent collaborator, Leonardo diCaprio, who’s insanely good in this movie.

TOP 6- THE WAY, WAY BACK

Probably the most underrated movie in this list, The Way, Way Back is a coming-of-age movie that touches the heart, reels up the mind and brings out the good in every viewer’s soul. Yeah, that’s how deep the movie is even though it appears as just one of those teenage movies, which it definitely is not. It is the total opposite of the senselessly “fun” teenage movies as it deeply explores relationships of a child to his family, his friends and his crush. Putting in great performances are Lian James as Duncan, the 14-year-old central character of the film, and Sam Rockwell as Owen, the newly-found childish yet wise friend of Duncan when their family went to a beach house for a vacation. They, along with the rest of the cast, made the brilliant script come really alive. Thanks to its directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for bringing this movie into fruition. Would you believe the movie is their directorial debut? What a great start!

TOP 5- NEBRASKA

“It’s a long time ago. Why are you bringing that up for?”

This movie is a funny, straight up story about a senior man and his family who went back to their roots in Nebraska. I had reservations before watching this film but after watching, I realized I should have not. I liked it actually. A lot.

I was wondering why the director chose the movie to be filmed in black and white. But while watching, I thought it must have been for a good reason. Reminiscing the old times? Looking for what’s good and what’s bad? We may never know. But what I know is that it was beautiful even only with its black and gray hues. In addition, there were a lot of shots that show a lot of very picturesque sceneries and scenic moments.

It never hurts to watch a good movie. Nebraska is one of those movies that you would really appreciate watching. You won’t only enjoy, you won’t just be entertained. You’d certainly feel good. But not just that, you’d pick up a lesson or two.

I like the movie’s quiet. I like its easygoing feel. I like its soothing music. I like the belongingness and the cheers. I like the confrontations and the bickering. I like its bright and dark contrasts. I like everything about it. In one way or another, every person is going through one of the roads any of the character is experiencing in the movie. Some will rise above the others, some will do just fine. Some will die early, others may grow old yet the may grow old in misery. It’s nice to know, though, that everything seems to be just fine. Believe in something… because it never hurts to believe.

TOP 4- CATCHING FIRE

Catching Fire is one of those rare occurrences that a sequel of a movie is much, much better than its predecessor. Whether it’s because of the bigger budget or a better director, the movie is certain to give the moviegoer a great film experience upon watching.

I have read the book where the movie is based and I can say that this movie version is much more faithful than The Hunger Games. It’s been roughly two years since I’ve read it but after watching one scene after another, glimpses of what I have read suddenly came back.

Ten minutes into the film, I was already feeling the drama and the heaviness of its themes. Jennifer Lawrence (as Katniss) and Josh Hutcherson (as Peeta) are, without a doubt, two of the best actors in this generation. They make small scenes seem big and important with the way they act: their nuances, their delivery of lines, their movements. They made me believe once again in their characters. Meanwhile, I like the supporting cast much more in this movie than the last one.

Amazing visuals. Good musical score. Great directing. This movie seems to have it all!

TOP 3- ON THE JOB

Top-notch directing and editing, very credible acting, excellent production design, great musical score, this movie has it all. To tell you the truth, I already had high expectations before watching because of good word-of-mouth feedback from people and raving reviews from critics. It was that high that I prepared myself to be disappointed. But, no. The movie was worth the hype. On the Job delivered greatly that acclaimed movies of many years past were not able to achieve.

TOP 2- 12 YEARS A SLAVE

12 Years A Slave is one of the most buzzed films of 2013 and it is deserving to be so for one very good reason: it is a great movie. The way director Steve McQueen touched the topic of racism would truly affect you, inspire you (to do what’s good) and discourage you (from doing what’s bad). It didn’t come off as preachy, but it set the drama for every eye to see what was happening in America almost 200 years ago.

Come to think of it, the movie served as a reminder, too, that it’s much the same today, albeit a different kind of use and abuse are being done to other people. Despite the preaching of good people, awareness and knowledge about what’s right or wrong, some people still enslave other people in more ways than one.

With great directing/ editing, credible acting, impressive writing and brilliant production values, this movie is a great contender for Oscar’s Best Picture. I wouldn’t be surprised if it upsets my 2013 favorite Gravity.

Read the rest of my review here.

TOP 1- GRAVITY

A visual spectacle and an emotional masterpiece, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity takes off as one great 3D movie a film enthusiast will definitely love.

It’s an understatement when I say that watching this movie is a great 3D experience. It’s a joy to float with the characters in space and their space shuttles and yet it’s a tragedy to tumble with them unto the unknown. You would be able to grasp that idea of emotion they must be reeling to feel while enduring the idea of being really there in the outer space. Every single move they do with their body, every single twitch of their eye, every word their mouths articulate, you will feel. All of these things are present in the film without lacking in visual aesthetics. The space setting was so real you’ll feel you’re there all those times. The space shuttles, the debris, the stars and the Earth all felt real. Add to that the sometimes subtle, sometimes roaring musical score and you’ll definitely know you’re in a great ride. Because of these and more, the film went beyond spectacular. Gravity seemed like a character study in a display of technically perfect showing. Kudos to all the visual effects people, the sound masters and the meticulously great director of the film, Alfonso Cuaron.

The story might be very simple but it’s got great lessons for everyone. We all go through changes. We all go through sorrows. We all experience alarms and unpleasant surprises. We all sometimes just want to tune out everyone and just be with ourselves and ourselves alone. In the end, you will know that you’re still there with yourself, all changes or not. In the end, you will know that you can’t forever wallow in sorrow. In the end, you will learn to survive any astonishing thing that comes your way. Because in the end, if you have the will to live, you will always make it through.

RUNNERS-UP:

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LE PASSE

METRO MANILA

WORLD WAR Z

IRON MAN 3

Ender’s Game

A fantastic take on a fictional war against aliens, Ender’s Game mostly satisfies with its compelling cast, amazing stunts and stunning visuals.

I haven’t read the book by Orson Scott Card from which this movie is based so I have no idea what it was about. Science-fiction movies do not really attract me in a way that would make me want to watch them as soon as I can, that is why I wasn’t that giddy before watching Ender’s Game unlike when I was about to watch, let’s say, an action or a horror film. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised while watching the movie. It got me hooked right from the start and the interest I had with it stayed until the end.

In the near future, a technically advanced Earth has been gearing its engines to destroy aliens that have previously attacked. The U.S. government hires children to enter Battle School and uses them in the operation to destroy the aliens for good. Ender, a young cadet, shows promise with his great strategical thinking and the government hopes he is the one they have been waiting for all along. His adventure and rise from Battle School towards the International Fleet make up for a great story that is Ender’s Game.

The whole cast is compelling on each of their roles. Asa Butterfield as Ender Wiggin is very good in showing off a brave, smart and determined youth touted as the hope of the future. Harrison Ford is good as as Colonel Gruff, the chief-in-command in the International Fleet. Meanwhile, Hailey Stanfield made an impression as Ender’s friend and love interest.

The idience womages and visual effects used in the film are so good the auuld be wanting to fly out there in outer space in no time. They are consistently beautiful, satisfying the eyes of everyone watching. These great visuals really complimented a solid writing and good acting from the cast.

My biggest criticism about the movie, though, would be its very fast pace. With movies that have a lot to tell especially if they’re a version of a novel, fast pacing would be something good to do so as not to bore the audience. The director and his writers would have to satisfy the readers of the book while not alienating those who haven’t read it. However, the pacing done in Ender’s Game is too fast for me. There were times that when I was just about to enjoy an elaborate action sequence, a new action sequence would be introduced, making me somewhat dissatisfied and disappointed.

Nevertheless, the movie is still good so watch it still if you can.

Ender’s Game‘s movie rating by the pondering movie fan: 3.5 out of 5