MOVIE REVIEW: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

My love for the movies began when my grandma brought me and my cousin to watch Return of the Jedi at the old Luneta Theater in Manila. I was mesmerized by the experience that I instantly became a fan of Star Wars. I saw the other first two afterwards at home with the Betamax format, collected the action figures and hope that there will be more films to come. 

Unfortunately, Episodes 1 - 3 were unlike it's predecessors. There wasn't any charm into and it relied too much on CGI effects. However luck shone upon  for Natalie Portman (Princess Amidala) who won the Best Actress Oscar for Black Swan 5 years later after Revenge of the Sith and Ewan McGregor became well-known internationally as a great actor.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens though brings back the charm and the look and feel of the first 3 films in the series and in the able hands of director J.J Abrams, who now holds the distinction of directing both a Star Wars and two Star Trek films, the series is in safe hands. The film begins 30 years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire and a new threat arises spearheaded by the First Order It's great to see the iconic characters and vehicles (Hello Millennium Falcon) back together with the brand new ones as they join forces to fight the new evil that plans to take over and rule the galaxy.

I saw the film on a regular 2D format and would't mind watching it again in 3D as well in IMAX. It's worth it.

MOVIE REVIEW: In the Heart of the Sea

I never thought that the classic American adventure novel Moby Dick written by Herman Melville was inspired by a true story of a whaling ship's encounter with a Sperm Whale in the Pacific until now. Director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind & Apollo 13) brings the actual story that inspired the book of the whaling ship Essex and it's encounter with the majestic creature that ended up as a tale of survival not only for the captain and the crew of the ship but also for the whale itself as it fights back due to man's greediness to acquire oil from them.

A good experience going to the movies is when you learn something new from it and In The Heart of the Sea succeeds because even in the past and when it involves something with oil, people tend to be greedy in everything regardless of the consequences. Howard delivers by creating an environment is which we are not familiar of and yet it is one entertaining and exciting Hollywood film by means of the awesome special effects and a great cast led by the charismatic Chris Hemsworth and Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) who plays the dueling first mate and the captain of the Essex.

I saw the film in regular 2D and I can say that with the awesome effects and beautiful shots that it's worth watching it as well in IMAX.