MOVIE REVIEW: Into the Woods

Meryl Streep leads the all star cast of Into the Woods, the film version of Stephen Sondheim's 1987 Broadway musical that intertwines fairy tale stories that we all know and grew up with and this time with new characters such as Streep's The Witch to form an original story. 

When the Witch tasks a childless baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt who have great chemistry together) to find four items to reverse a curse, that's when the fun part of the movie begins. Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Lilla Crawford as Red Riding Hood and Daniel Huttlestone as Jack all have great pipes but the biggest surprise of the film was Chris Pine, who was a scene stealer as Prince Charming. Who knew that he could sing well or even be funny??!! Acclaimed veteran comic actresses Christine Baranski as Cinderella's Stepmother and Tracey Ullman as Jack's mother provide great support

as well as Johnny Depp playing Mr. Wolf in a variation of his regular quirky character that he usually does in most of his films.

The songs aren't as memorable and the second half of the film which veers towards adult territory but aided by an excellent ensemble and great cinematography and costume design by Oscar winners Dion Beebe and Colleen Atwood repsectively, director Rob Marshall redeems himself from his last musical that bombed both at the box office and with the critics - Nine. Into the Woods is his best film since the Oscar winning Chicago.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

When you split the final book of a bestselling series into two movies, it is expected that the first  would be like an extended trailer of the final one which is the pinnacle. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is just like that.  It is basically a build up to the final film which as people who had read the book would know is the just reward that the lead Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) will reap after overcoming all those trials that she encountered throughout the series. Don't expect those action packed scenes from the games of the first two movies.

What saves the film from total boredom is the cast itself. The always great Lawrence was born to play the lead character and in Mockingjay Part 1, she showed more range and depth as her character struggles to bring back into the fold the one guy she has affections for: Peeta Melark (Josh Hutcherson) who was brainwashed by the evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and amidst the PR maneuvering of the rebellion's leader President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and her spinmaster Plutarch Heavensbee (the late great Phillip Seymour Hoffman) to be the face of the rebellion. Lawrence, Moore, Hoffman and the other member of the cast Woody Harrelson earned a combined two wins and 13 nominations in the Oscars. With that acting pedigree alone, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is well worth your time and ticket at the movies.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Theory of Everything

Ever since I was a kid, I always associate Stephen Hawking as a paralytic intellectual who's always in a wheelchair with a robotic voice, then after watching The Theory of Everything, which is basically his love story with Jane Wilde Hawking whose book "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen" was the basis for the film, the childhood impression still stays but it added something else: that he has a heart and an inspiration for people for all ages in the best love story I'd seen in 2014.

Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables, My Week with Marilyn) was born to play Stephen Hawking with a performance that complimented his physical built to his character's eventual physical deterioration due to motor-neuron disease. Add to that with both natural charm and a sharp sense of humor, Redmayne's acting won't be forgotten once awards season starts in a few weeks from now, alongside Felicity Jones (The Amazing Spider-Man 2)'s quiet yet domineering performance as Jane the wife. Part My Left Foot part A Beautiful Mind, The Theory of Everything is one of 2014's best films.

MOVIE REVIEW: Big Hero 6

The merger of Marvel into the Disney group of companies is fully realized in Big Hero 6. Loosely based on one of it's obscure titles in enormous comic catalog, it is the story of  Hiro Hamada, a prodigy who ends up with a robot named Baymax, after his older brother tech geek Tadashi gets killed in an unfortunate accident. Together with his group of friends, they form the group hence the title to find out the truth about the incident that put them all together.

It could have been one of those generic cartoons with the themes of family love and the antagonist who wants control of the world but Big Hero 6 triumphs with a great story from a group of writers led by Don Hall (who also directed the film). He also wrote the sweet new version of Winnie the Pooh (2011) as well as 2009's The Princess and the Frog. The setting of the city of San Fransokyo also compliments the film: blending east and west, it is one of the best looking animated cities since last year's San Franjose from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. I guess that you can never go wrong with the City by the Bay!!

Disney also finds a merchandising goldmine with Baymax the robot. With it's marshmallow like body and gentle loving personality, kids who saw the film would want to have one to call their own. And unlike Disney Pixar's Cars which spun spin off films and millions of dollars of merchandise revenues to the company, Big Hero 6 is a far off better film that deserves more than what the automotive animated films franchise gets. Can't wait for the sequel.

MOVIE REVIEW: John Wick

On paper, John Wick comes off as one of those generic revenge action thrillers that can interchanged with other films on the genre. It also stars Keanu Reeves who hasn't had a big hit both in the box office and with the critics in a lead role since 1999's The Matrix which is now considered a classic.

Fortunately, the streak is now broken with John Wick, an engaging and satisfying bloodfest led by Reeves as a retired hitman who just lost his puppy given to him posthumously by his late wife, to his old co-workers and must do payback time to those who did a part of it.

With a premise like that, beautifully dark production design in a criminal underground world  plus an excellent supporting cast led by Bridget Moynahan as Mrs. Wick, Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane and Game of Thrones' Alfie Allen, John Wick is one of 2014's biggest surprises in Hollywood that puts Keauu Reeves  back in the game. It joins Speed and The Matrix as the best ones in his career.

MOVIE REVIEW: Fury

Fury is the name given on a Sherman Tank that's led by Sgt. Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) and his men gunner Boyd "Bible" Swan (Shia LaBeouf in his best performance so far since his Transformers days), driver Trini "Gordo" Garcia (Michael Pena), loader mechanic Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis (Jon Bernthal from The Walking Dead) and new guy Norman Ellison (The Perks of Being a Wallflower's Logan Lerman), as they navigate their way thru Nazi Germany in the last days of World War II. The end may be near but the enemy is still giving a fight to the finish.

Directed by David Ayer who made the commendable LA cop movie 2012's End of Watch, Fury may bear some similarity to it rather than what most people compare to which is Saving Private Ryan. The graphic gore and war violence are the only things similar to Spielberg's masterpiece. Fury is more on the camaraderie of men put together in a sea of uncertainty and danger that guarantees no happy ending for them and yet they still can engage in funny dialogues and actions and that reminded me of Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena's characters relationship in End of Watch.

With some remarkable scenes, great production design and a spot on musical score by Steven Price who won last year's Oscar for Gravity, Fury is not our grandfather's World War II film, it is realistically bleak but it sure is entertaining.

MOVIE REVIEW: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

All of us have experienced bad days in our lives and for 12 year old Alexander Cooper played by Ed Oxenbould, it is just too much to bear and he wished that his family might experience it too.

Steve Carell is perfect as Alexander's dad, the ever optimistic Ben, who even after he got laid off at his work, still finds a silver lining being with his family. Jennifer Garner as right on the spot as Kelly the Mom. She is what to expect from a Disney mom: loving, caring with some crazy moments. Dylan Minnette as the hopelessly romantic older brother, Kerris Dorsey as the aspiring actress older sister and Elise Vargas as baby Trevor complete the family.

The recession and the use of gadgets and social media was integrated in the film to keep up with the times and kids in this generation would surely relate to it. Director Miguel Arteta, known for his adult comedies Cedar Rapids, Youth in Revolt and The Good Girl, does a complete turnaround from his filmography and crafted Alexander that reminds you of the old live action Disney films in the seventies and early eighties. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is one of the longest movie title we have seen so far in recent memory but it only has a running time of an hour and 21 minutes and it's packed with enough laughs and life lessons for kids of all ages.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Judge

Veering away from the two film franchises that made him the highest paid Hollywood actor today, Robert Downey Jr. chose to do The Judge, a beautifully shot courtroom family drama with a pedigreed supporting cast led by Oscar winners Robert Duvall, Billy Bob Thornton as well as nominee Vera Farmiga. Dax Shepard and Vincent D' Onofrio are also in the film.

Downey plays Hank Palmer, a city big shot lawyer who goes back to his childhood home town after the death of his Mom. His Dad Joseph (Duvall), whom he is not in good terms with, is one of the town's revered judges and when he was suspected of murder in an incident after the funeral, Hank now reconnects with the family and friends in the town he left behind. Farmiga plays Hank's old flame and Thornton as the opposing lawyer.

Despite it's starpower, The Judge could have been better. With Downey, he never left his Tony Spark persona in the film. Fortunately he and Duvall have great chemistry and the scenes of them together are one of the highlights of the film  The director David Dobkin is much more known for his comedies Wedding Crashers and Shanghai Knights and by that alone, drama ain't his forte.

The Judge is not a boring movie and it ain't great too. If you are a Robert Downey Jr. diehard fan then by all means go. The Judge is a commendable filler for those who thirst for Tony Stark and can't wait till The Avengers 2 comes out May of next year.

MOVIE REVIEW: Gone Girl

Based on the phenomenal global bestseller by Gillian Flynn, I finished reading Gone Girl two days before the movie opened here in the United States and if you love it then you won't be disappointed for the film version stays faithful to the book, it helps too that Flynn also wrote the screenplay and is ably directed by David Fincher (Seven, Zodiac, Fight Club and The Social Network among others).

Gone Girl is the story of Nick and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike), a New York City based couple who due to the recession, had to move back to Nick's hometown of New Carthage, Missouri to start a new life. As they are trying to rebuild, Amy suddenly disappears hence the title and maybe Nick the husband has something to do with it...or not??!!!

Ben Affleck gives the best performance of his career as the aggrieved husband who may have some secrets that lead to the disappearance of his wife but Rosamund Pike outshines everyone in the cast that also includes Neil Patrick Harris, as Amy, the wife who may have some secrets as well. This is a star making turn from the British actress mainly known for her roles in Die Another Day, Pride and Prejudice and Jack Reacher. For such a complex character, Pike is excellent that she reminded me of past strong female characters created by Alfred Hitchcock, don't be surprised it she gets an Oscar nomination for this.

Dark, intelligent and mildly comic, Gone Girl is way better than David Fincher's other bestselling film adaptation: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. No one thought that after Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander that he would create another great female character with Rosamund Pike's Amy Dunne. It is great edge of your seat, whodunnit entertaining thriller that's well worth of your hard earned money and two and a half hours of your time.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Hundred-Foot Journey

How can not one resist movies that celebrate food? From Denmark's 1987 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film Babette's Feast (Babettes gaestbud), to 1992's blockbuster hit from Mexico Like Water For Chocolate (Como Agua Para Chocolate), 2009's Meryl Streep's Julie and Julia as well as Pixar's animated classic Ratatouille and this year's indie sensation Chef directed and starred by Jon Favreau. They are the equivalent of comfort food that will nourish your well-being after watching it.

The Hundred-Foot Journey joins the list, directed by Lasse Halstrom, it basically continues where his other food movie Chocolat left off, on a idyllic French town where it revolves around food. Add a little spice when a family from another culture arrives and the result is one spectacular visually appealing comic drama.

When the Kadam family, whose patriarch (Om Puri) owns a restaurant in Mumbai, flees to Europe after a tragedy struck them, they begin to start a new life on a new continent with only their skills as their assets. They eventually setted down on the Midi-Pyrenes region of France where they bought an old house turned it into a restaurant only to earn the ire of their neighbor right across the street, the famed restaurateur Madame Getrude Mallory (Helen Mirren), whose first class eatery suddenly found competition right in front of them.

Naturally conflict of cultures ensues but from it's all about Hassan Kadam's (Manish Dayal) coming of age, from his Papa's dutiful son in the kitchen to Madame Mallory's apprentice in the kitchen. That's where the title was lifted from: the steps you take to make it from both restaurants. 

To add the icing on the cake, Mirren portrays Mallory with such great presence that her transformation, from being icy cold,  when she takes her rival's son to her fold is flawless. She also has great chemistry with Puri and the film's best scenes are when the two of them are together. 

The Hundred-Foot Journey is one film that will stimulate the senses and better be ready to find a place to eat after watching the movie. You'll sure be hungry.

MOVIE REVIEW: Guardians of the Galaxy

The Marvel Universe expands again in film with Guardians of the Galaxy, based on the lesser known comic book series in the seventies, however things will change once moviegoers discover it's charm and heart in a film that's a well written space comic adventure, does not take itself seriously and the characters know how to make fun of themselves.

The team is lead by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), a bounty hunter who was abducted as a child after a tragedy befall him. He is joined by green-skinned humanoid Gamora (Zoe Saldana whose features of her character echoes her most popular one, Neyteri of Avatar), a genetically mutated raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper in an unrecognizable yet excellent vocal performance) and a tough yet gentle treelike creature Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel channeling his earlier The Iron Giant animated character with a heart). Oscar nominees Glenn Close, Djimon Hounsou and John C. Reilly as well as Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro, whose character of The Collector was introduced at the end credits of Thor: The Dark World also join in the fun.

With pop culture references, music that ventures into Quentin Tarantino territory and great visual effects amidst a sea of colors; Guardians of the Galaxy is the freshest and most fun popcorn flick so far for the summer movie season of 2014. I can know say that right after The Avengers, Marvel Studios are at it's best when they make ensemble films such as this.

MOVIE REVIEW: Into The Storm

Into the Storm is mainly focused on the series of tornadoes that has swept over Silverton, Oklahoma and the effect it had on it's people. This is the now classic 1996 film Twister (also released by Warner Brothers) rebooted for the social media generation: from the storm chasers eager to get inside the eye of the storm, to hillbillies looking for that instant fame on YouTube by doing some crazy stunts and a school documenting thru video a time capsule which shall be opened 25 years later: it is one entertaining and unpredictable disaster film.

The visual effects are remarkable: from the tornadoes forming up in the sky to electric posts falling, there's no need for 3D to admire the effort done in creating the visual aspects of the movie but it would be best to watch this in a theater with a good sound system to better hear it's auditory effects. It's running time of an hour and 29 minutes is just about right.

There are shades of other films in Into the Storm: Twister, Final Destination, Jackass, Armageddon and even Titanic comes to mind. It makes sense that it's director Steven Quale's resume includes being the director of Final Destination 5 as well as the assistant director for Titanic. An avid moviegoer can easily see this.

Into the Storm is one of the well made disaster movies in recent times and watching it feels like being there right in the eye of the tornado.

MOVIE REVIEW: Jersey Boys

I haven't seen the musical in which Jersey Boys was based on but I know most of the songs that Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons sang and I admire Clint Eastwood as a director so I came in the theater with some excitement. I came out humming but wanting more.

Jersey Boys is the story of how iconic singer Frankie Valli and his group The Four Seasons came to be: from their beginnings on the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey, their mob connections, rise of the Four Seasons and their disbandment. This is like Eastwood paying homage to his fellow Oscar winning director Martin Scorsese.

Unlike Scorsese's frenetic fast-paced signature style of film making, Jersey Boys is pure Eastwood, slow with a bit of gloom in it's colors. The vibrancy of John Lloyd Young's singing (reprising his Tony Award winning role as Valli) as well as the group's choreography is lost in the atmosphere and feel. It's the complete opposite of the bright colors of the poster of the Broadway musical.

Acting legend Christopher Walken gives ample support as their father figure and it was nice on Eastwood's part to cast the other actors in the original musical to reprise their roles on the big screen.

If you have seen the Broadway Musical and expecting the same, you will be disappointed. If you're a fan of The Sopranos and other New Jersey based mob films and shows, you'll enjoy it. Either way, Clint Eastwood, despite his age, continues to evolve as a filmmaker.

MOVIE REVIEW: Edge of Tomorrow

I had low expectations coming inside the theater for Edge of Tomorrow since from what the trailer has shown is kinda like Tom Cruise's last film, the bland Oblivion. When the film started, with scenes echoing similarities to the beginning of Brad Pitt's World War Z last year about a force that's threatening mankind, Edge of Tomorrow is one entertaining, comic, action-packed movie. 

Outside of  the Mission Impossible franchise, this is Tom Cruise's best film in recent memory. As inexperienced military officer William Cage, the Hollywood superstar gave a performance that's part comic and believable in scenes that puts his life in death's door. It's always tricky when acting with visual effects but he pulled it off. He is ably assisted by Emily Blunt, if I'm not mistaken, her first action movie, who plays the poster girl for the Allies as the world tries to defeat a powerful alien force that came to invade earth.

The movie with it's concept gets repetitive but with the direction of Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity and Mr.& Mrs. Smith) with The Usual Suspect's Christopher McQuarrie as one of the writers, Edge of Tomorrow, based on the short Japanese light novel All You Need is Kill, is totally unpredictable. You will be at the edge of your seat not knowing what happens next even though some of the earlier scenes gets played over and over again.

Part Groundhog Day mixed with Starship Troopers, Saving Private Ryan and The Source Code, Edge of Tomorrow, despite borrowing some concepts from the above mentioned films, works and well worth your time and hard earned money at the movies.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Other Woman

When the wife and mistresses joined forces to avenge the man they all thought that was loyal to only each of them, The Other Woman is anchored by the comic tandem of Cameron Diaz and most especially Leslie Mann who brought excellent chemistry as the intelligent yet  unsuspecting mistress Carly and the clueless yet sweet wife Kate.

When the two discover that their playboy of a man Mark played by Game of Thrones' Nicholas Coster-Waldau has another girl: young,sexy and voluptuous Amber played by model Kate Upton, Carly and Kate became their friend and unexpectedly bond to plot his downfall.

We have seen The Other Woman before thru She-Devil with Meryl Streep and Roseanne Barr and most notably the box office hit The First Wives Club starring Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton but the movie is saved from the wonderful Leslie Mann, whom I always find to be a comic genius in films such as Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin and many more. It helps that she's married to comedy director Judd Apatow. Her moments in the film are the ones the shine the brightest in The Other Woman.

The film also stars singer Nicki Minaj in her film debut as Carly's secretary with great one liners, Zero Dark Thirty's Taylor Kinney as Kate's brother and Don Johnson as Carly's Dad.

MOVIE REVIEW: Heaven Is For Real

First and foremost, I haven't read the best selling book that the movie was based on but I heard that a lot of people were touched after reading it therefore it sparked my interest in watching Heaven Is for Real.

Greg Kinnear plays Todd Burpo, a pastor in Nebraska whose faith and belief in God was tested when his 4 year old son Colton (Connor Corum) had a near death experience after his appendectomy. He miraculously survived the ordeal and then revealed to his father that he went to heaven.

Colton provided a vivid description of heaven but his father still has doubts. Unlike other faith-based films, the one good thing about Heaven is for Real is that it doesn't shove it in your face with their beliefs and the scene with references to Moses and Mohammed is unlike any other dialogue that I'd heard before in a faith-based film. It lets you find out for yourself if Connor is telling the truth or the Burpo family is just manipulating us. Kudos to director Randall Wallace (who wrote Braveheart and directed We Were Soldiers and Secretariat) for assembling a good cast with Oscar nominees Kinnear (As Good As It Gets), Thomas Haden Church (Sideways) and also with Kelly Reilly (Flight) and Margo Martindale (August Osage County).

Technically, Heaven Is for Real is a just polished version of a Hallmark Channel TV Film: visual effects and musical score are cheesy. It might not even appeal outside the Christian demographic but it is one film that can give you comfort and reassure you that we will go to that place once we die.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Draft Day

Mixing real life American Football sports teams with fictional characters and set in the annual event which is the film's title, the movie tells a comprehensive behind the scenes on the happenings and goings on one team in the NFL, in this case, the Cleveland Browns and how they will fare in selecting the best player that can make and break the team for possibly the Superbowl title.

As Sonny Weaver Jr,, manager of the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Costner gives a commendable performance as a man stepping out of his Dad's (who was the former manager of the team) shadow to build the team based of his thinking and logic. Just like in Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and Tin Cup, he is at his best in sports themed films. An excellent supporting cast with Ellen Burnstyn as his Mom, Denis Leary as the Browns coach and Frank Langella, as the team's owner guides Weaver Jr. as he makes the ultimate decision. Only Jennifer Garner, who plays the girlfriend and coworker was stuck in a thankless role.

Despite some heavy American Football terminology, Draft Day is a film that celebrates the universal themes of family, sportsmanship and cooperation and the last hour of it is one great crowd pleaser.

MOVIE REVIEW: Noah

Black Swan Director Darren Aronofsky's version of Noah is not your typical Biblical film. The timeless tale of the man tasked by God to save his family and animals when he unleashed a flood that destroyed the evil that inhabited the world during that time and start anew asks  more questions that touch our personal beliefs and makes us determine on how strong our faith is to our Creator (this is how the film addressed God).

Aronofsky conveyed his artistic freedom and while it deviates from what is in the Holy Bible, the movie for me, is not offensive at all and it actually helps us interpret from what we were taught of Noah when we were kids and reflect on our current state of being.

After the Oscar winning A Beautiful Mind, Russell Crowe (Noah) teams up again with Jennifer Connelly who again plays his wife Naameh and they compliment each other in the film. Crowe with his rugged desperate built tasked by the Creator with such a daunting task to Connelly's Virgin Mary like features that softens the films surrounding and being the mother figure of the film. Anthony Hopkins, in a short role as the "Grandfather" brings a mythical New Age vibe to the film and as usual you want more of him. Emma Watson and Logan Lerman reunite after The Perks of Being A Wallflower in the film in such complete opposite from their iconic roles as Hermione in the Harry Potter series and Percy Jackson respectively. Their transition as adult actors is on the right track.

Stunning cinematography by frequent Aronofsky collaborator Matthew Libatique whose creation shots parallels Terence Malick's The Tree of Life and commendable visual effects makes Noah a good movie to see it on the big screen.