MOVIE REVIEW: Die Beautiful

Die Beautiful is a groundbreaking Filipino film that accurately depicts the journey and struggles of a boy named Patrick who transitions into a transgender named Tricia Echeverria. Paolo Ballesteros gives a masterful performance as Patrick/Trisha. 

Told from a series of flashbacks, the title comes from the main character's last request of dressing her in different beautiful outfits and making her look like famous celebrities while lying in state during the traditional seven day wake usually observed in Filipino culture. 

From his miserable childhood by having a conservative father who despise her until she became a mother herself after adopting a little girl, it is an eye opener to a world that we haven't seen in Philippine cinema, the real and raw life of a transgender. We are aware of the lives of the more famous ones: from Bb Gandanghari of the Philippines to Catlyn Jenner of the US. Trisha's life story though, mirrors the ordinary ones who make a living by joining gay beauty pageants organized by small towns across the country and investing the money they won by enhancing features that make them fully female.

For me, Ballesteros gives one of the best performance in Philippine cinema. The transformation from Patrick to Trisha is a complex task that he passes with flying colors. He is known in real life globally, thanks to social media as the one who can transform into different celebrities using the power of makeup. He uses that into full advantage and it works. This ain't the Paolo we usually see everyday on TV. He is Trisha!!

Credit is also due to Christian Bables, who plays Trisha's best friend and close confidante Barbs. He gives life to a best friend role that does not stereotype gays. After the movie, you will long to have a Barbs in your life.

Die Beautiful is director Jun Lana's masterpiece and one of the best films of 2016. The film, Ballesteros and Bables should not be forgotten come awards season time. Have an open mind in watching the film and it will be an eye opener to you. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I had low expectations about this Star Wars spin-off since the previous ones made such as 2008's The Clone Wars animated film and the 1985 made for TV movie Ewoks: The Battle for Endor were duds. I was wrong.

Set between the timeline of Episodes 3 and 4 of the original series, Rogue One refers to the spacecraft used by the rebels in the film. Led by Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and arguably the best female action lead in years Jyn Erso (played with sheer perfection by Felicity Jones whose performance is comparable to Sigourney Weaver in Aliens and Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2: Judgment Day), the team attempt to steal the plans of the Death Star - a planet like structure which aims to destroy planets and its habitats that are hostile to the Empire. Also in the film and newcomers to the franchise are Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Ben Mendelsohn and the legendary Chinese actor Donnie Yen in a scene stealing role.

As a lifelong fan of the series, I'm truly amazed by Rogue One. You will see some references to previous films yet it provides a breathe of fresh air with its new characters and settings. The vastness of the Star Wars universe provides plenty of opportunities for spin-offs. Ably directed by Gareth Edwards who made the good Godzilla reboot 2 years ago, the film dwells deeper into the series, pays homage to the past films and passes with flying colors. I saw it on a regular 2D movie theater and I would not mind watching it again on the IMAX format.

MOVIE REVIEW: Sing

2016  started with the excellent Zootopia, which in my book is one of the best animated films of all time. An excellent tale of discrimination and equality in a city populated with different animals both big and small. It's a time well spent with the entire family at the movies.The year ends with another film with talking animals that can belt out of a tune or two and unlike Zootopia, Sing is genuine feel-good crowd pleaser.

When Buster Moon, a koala bear theater owner voiced by Matthew McConaughey organizes a singing competition to save his theater which he inherited from his Dad being foreclosed, a simple typographical error from his trusted secretary, an old gecko named Miss Crawly made it more enticing for animals to join and win the top prize.

Illumination Entertainment made the right decision in getting the services of known celebrities to voice the characters. Aside from McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon voiced Rosita, a pig whose married to an ignoring husband and left to take care of her 20 plus piglets/children. Seth MacFarlane channeling his Sinatra crooner vibe plays Mike, a rat with a suave voice, that has connections to the mob. Scarlett Johansson as Ash, a teenage porcupine rock belter and The Kingsman's Taron Egerton as Johnny the gorilla with a sweet voice whose Dad is into robbing banks among others. The standout though is Tori Kelly who voiced Meena the elephant. she has one sweet voice!! Famous celebrities singing out well-known songs as shown on the trailer is fun to watch and in the film itself, doesn't disappoint.

This is one of the few animated films that is you never know what happens next. I was caught off guard and I'm sure most did to. The beginning of the second half of the film proves that. Sing is one fun animated film for the entire family this Christmas.

MOVIE REVIEW: Manchester by the Sea

Proving that his only Oscar nomination nine years ago for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ain't a one hit wonder and coming out of the shadows of his brother Ben, Casey Affleck dominates and gives the signature performance of his career in this masterpiece.

Affleck plays Lee Chandler, a janitor in an apartment complex in Boston whose temper often gets him into trouble with the tenants and even at the local bar. You know that there's something inside that's bothering him. It begins to unravel when he gets a call that his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has passed away unexpectedly.

Going home to the tiny town of Manchester by the Sea (hence the film's title), Lee is surprised to find out that he has been given legal rights to be the guardian of his brother's only child Patrick (Lucas Hedges) and because of it, is forced to move back. It's not an easy task since he can easily face again his ex-wife (a magnificent Michelle Williams, on her way to a 4th Oscar nomination for this film) with whom he shares a tragic bond.

On the surface, this is not an easy film to watch. The circumstances that plagued Lee are too much for a person to bear that you would not even wish to happen to your enemies. But Manchester by the Sea proves that in tragedy, there is redemption. This is a film of self-discovery and second chances. An amazing cast plus top-notch writing and direction by Kenneth Lonergan make this film one of 2016's best.

MOVIE REVIEW: Moonlight

Moonlight is a unique coming-of-age film divided into three chapters as Chiron, who is the maincharacter evolves as  years go by and discovers his true self.

Set in a world that most of us have seen only here in the film, in a rough area of Miami to be exact. Chiron has a life that is not good. He lives with his single mother (Naomie Harris, in a knockout performance) who's a crackhead, gets bullied all the time and is confused about his true identity when his mother called him a "faggot". 

He finds solace and a father figure with a drug dealer (Mahershala Ali in an Oscar worthy performance) and together with his girl Teresa (Janelle Monae), he is loved the way that his mom couldn't give. Years go by and he questions his sexuality as he falls in love with his best friend.

In the hands of it's director Barry Jenkins, what could had been a depressing film turned out to be a showcase of raw great acting, wonderful cinematography and an intelligent script. One of 2016's best.

MOVIE REVIEW: Allied

Allied is Robert Zemeckis' most beautiful film to date. Headlined by two of the biggest and good looking actors in the world: Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, the two Oscar winners complimented its beautiful cinematography by frequent Zemeckis' collaborator Dan Burgess, art direction and costumes. Unfortunately, the film gets bogged down by its uneven storytelling.

Allied starts when intelligence officer Max Vatan (Pitt) lands in 1942 North Africa to aid a French resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Cotillard) in assassinating a Nazi official. There's some old Hollywood glamour infused in the film and it's a pleasure to watch it on the big screen. 

Once the two fall in love and move to London, it goes downhill from there. It's hard to believe that Vatan and Beausejour wanted to start a family in the middle of the war. With their jobs, it's just not possible. When his superiors say that Vatan's wife might be a German spy, some people can easily predict the outcome.

Allied has it's moments and both Pitt and Cotillard rise above the mediocre script to give commendable performances. This is Zemeckis' love letter to the golden age of Hollywood but I wished that it was better written.

MOVIE REVIEW: Moana

Disney's latest animated heroine ain't new. We saw Moana 18 years ago in Mulan - a daughter who must prove her worth to her father and the village that they live, in a world dominated by men and they stood out by circumstances not to their choosing.

Moana though, is a musical and a fine one at that. Disney scored a grand slam when they got the services of the biggest composer on Broadway right now, multiple Tony Award Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and the songs and musical score by Mark Mancina are quite catchy, memorable and the film's ballad "How Far I'll Go" is a sure bet to be the next "Let It Go" from Frozen.

The animation is gorgeous and the colors of the islands and the sea fully come to life that is best appreciated on the big screen. It's good to know that they cast Auli'i Cravalho, in her film debut to voice Moana. Born and raised in Hawaii, she knows the feel of the island life just by listening to her lovely voice.

Dwayne Johnson voicing the demigod Maui is the icing on the cake for the film. He was born to give life to the role and arguably it can be compared to Robin Williams' now iconic genie role in Aladdin. We always knew that The Rock had a flair for comedy but he can also sing!! He is truly a jack of all trades.

Moana is another success story for Disney.

MOVIE REVIEW: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

J.K. Rowling again does brilliant magic this time in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, an entertaining new series in the Harry Potter film universe. From one of the wizarding books that was used in the series, the film introduces us to its author Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne perfectly cast) and his trip to New York City in 1926 with a mission to save the beasts and put them into their rightful place and purpose.

As one among those who followed the series, I find it refreshing that the setting was moved to America and director David Yates truly created the Big Apple with it's own distinct character as similar in earlier Potter films. The writing is also spot on with an emphasis of using the word nomaj as the American term in the wizarding world for a regular human as opposed to the now popular muggle in the UK.

 The film is best seen on the big screen (I saw it on IMAX). It also boasts of an outstanding supporting cast led by Collin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Dan Fogler and Carmen Ejogo among others. There is also a big surprise in the film that sets it up for the next ones that is planned. I'm looking forward to that and I'm pretty sure you will too.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Edge of Seventeen

The Edge of Seventeen is coming of age teenage film for anyone who used to be an outcast at one point of their life. 

With a sharp script that echoes the Oscar winning Juno but more grounded and realistic. Hailee Steinfeld gives a marvelous performance as Nadine, a teenager faced with insecurities so typical with her age group but burdened by a not-so great family life.

Nadine's father passed away when she was only 13. She considers him as her number fan and his death leaves a void in her life that she must face with her overbearing mother (Kyra Sedgwick) and her older brother Darian  (Blake Jenner) who's the more outgoing one. What made it worse to her is that he hooked up with only friend since childhood Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) and that made Nadine feel so alone by herself.

She finds solace with her teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson) who becomes her confidante. The best parts of the film are the scenes when this two Oscar nominated actors are together.

Writer-director Kelly Fremon Craig in her directorial debut gave the film a vibe that's similar to early John Hughes films. The Edge of Seventeen will hit both parents and their children alike and by watching this movie together, may help

their family relationship strengthen by finding ground with each other in the age of social media (which played a vital part in the film).

MOVIE REVIEW: Almost Christmas

Almost Christmas is like good old comfort food. You had it too many times and yet it feels so good. The typical dysfunctional family during the holidays movie. The film rises above the genre with an outstanding cast led by Danny Glover as Walter, the patriarch of the Meyers family who is celebrating their first Christmas after the death of his wife.

It's nice to see Academy Award winner Mo"Nique (Precious) back in films and doing what she does best - comedy. She plays Walter's sister in law Aunt May a back-up singer to famous musical acts who comes and joins her sister's family for the holidays. The scene where she shows her unique dishes with her relatives are a riot.

Two of the most beautiful African-American actresses in my book: Gabrielle Union and Kimberly Elise play the warring sisters whose conflict run the course of the film. It gets predictable at times but they have great chemistry in those tension yet funny scenes. 

Also starring Omar Epps, Jessie T. Usher and Nicole Ari Parker, Almost Christmas isn't groundbreaking filmmaking but it sure put a smile as sweet as the Sweet Potato Pie the matriarch of the film's signature dessert makes.

MOVIE REVIEW: Arrival

In a time and year when our world is at a standstill due to political beliefs and differences among nations, Arrival comes as a breath of fresh air that offers solid entertainment yet it enriches our mind and questions us on how we can unite despite our differences.

This ain't your typical science-fiction/alien invasion film that relies too much on visuals and testosterone to hype us up, the moment the aliens show up, you know that they came here on earth with a purpose. Aside from Montana which is the film's main setting, the alien pods also landed and stationed in 11 different and random locations around the world. Each government had a different approach in dealing with the visitors and Arrival's focus is in the US when linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is recruited by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to use her skills in communicating with the aliens. Together with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) and a small team, they go inside the pod when it opens for a certain time to talk to the visitors.

Director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners & Sicario) had done it again. He successfully made a sci fi film (his first) that's based on the short story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang, that does not rely too much on visual effects and now because of this I'm looking forward to his film the Blade Runner sequel. Anchored by the outstanding performance of Amy Adams who is the films heart and soul, she now joins Jodie Foster in Contact and Sandra Bullock in Gravity in outstanding female performances in the genre and it's an impressive group. Renner and Whitaker offer ample support but it's Adams who clearly dominates. It's one of the best female lead roles in years. Arrival seems like a mashup of Contact and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar but it stands on its own to be called one of 2016's best films.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Girl on the Train

I had read the bestselling book by Paula Hawkins and I admit that I was hooked by the intertwining stories of three women, the dangers of alcoholism and falling in love with the wrong man. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the film version directed by Tate Taylor who made the highly entertaining The Help which is also based on a book about women on the Southern region in the US.

Emily Blunt in my book, is one of the most beautiful and likable actresses in the world right now and playing the character Rachel Watson who's a divorcee and an alcoholic with lots of issues, isn't just her. The book describes Rachel as a loser and Blunt tries her best to be like that but it doesn't really match her. She is joined in the film by the lovely Rebecca Ferguson (so good in Mission Impossible Rogue Nation and unrecognizable here because of her different hair color) who plays Anna, Rachel ex-husband's (Justin Theroux) new wife and mother of their child and Jennifer Lawrence's doppelganger Haley Bennett (The Magnificent Seven) as Megan, the one that connects them all in a different twisted way.

Rachel rides the train everyday in her work commute, passes by her old neighborhood and while inside, she's always observing a couple on the route who lives two houses from where she used to live. When she sensed that there's something wrong, Rachel uncovers the past that might have the effect of what she is now.

What could have been an engrossing thriller based on the page turner turned out to be a melodrama that's better seen on the small screen.

MOVIE REVIEW: Queen of Katwe

Uganda has never been this impoverished, crowded yet beautful and magical in Queen of Katwe, the latest Disney true to life sports underdog movie that brings us to this African country that we barely know nothing about. 

The film is all about Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga in her film debut), one of the many impoverished children living in the slums of Katwe in the capital city of Kampala. She and her siblings help their mother Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o in a brilliant  luminous performance that proves her Oscar winning performance in 12 Years A Slave ain't a one-hit wonder) sell maize on the streets. It will all change when Phiona meets an out-of-work engineer Robert Katende (David Oyelowo still in a saintly performance after portraying Martin Luther King in Selma) who coaches soccer to kids in the area. He introduces chess to kids who wants to dabble in a less physical sport and when she learns chess for the first time, that's when they discover that Phiona has the potential to be a chess master. Her rise despite poverty and limited resources is one inspirational tale that deserves to be seen around the world. A lot of young girls can easily relate to Phiona Mutesi and in the age of the Kardashian girls, this Ugandan is a breathe of fresh air.

In the able hands of the film's director Mira Nair and just like in her previous films Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair, Mississippi Masala among others, Queen of Katwe succeeds because the background is in harmony with the actors. Inspite of hardships, there is happiness in the slums and that works in an underdog triumphs against all odds film just like this.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Magnificent Seven

I have vague memories of the original 1960 Western, which in itself is the remake of the 1954 Akira Kurosawa Japanese classic Seven Samurai. I only remember two things: the all star cast (Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson and Eli Wallach among others) and it's iconic theme by Elmer Bernstein.

The spirit lives on in the remake and with Antoine Fuqua as it's director, this is a more modern, diverse, violent but nevertheless fun Western that does not disappoint on it's 132 minute running time. With a rich businessman (Peter Sarsgaard) as the villain this time, harassing a poor village, it mirrors current events and personalities that we know and are familiar with.

And speaking of all star cast, it's great to see Denzel Washington who plays the groups de facto leader Chisolm and Ethan Hawke reunited on the big screen after Training Day which no doubt is Fuqua's most prestigious film which gave Washington his Best Actor Oscar. Chris Pratt is also in the cast as one of the members of the group with his trademark wit ever so present in the movie. Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier and Vincent D'Onofrio complete the most diverse Magnificent Seven cast among the three films.

MOVIE REVIEW: Blair Witch

More like a reboot than a sequel of the groundbreaking 1999 film that elevated found footage film  into a genre in the horror category, Blair Witch is all the same except that the family member this time that's venturing into the forest is the younger brother James (James Allen McCune) of the lead actress in the first film Heather (Heather Donahue).

After watching a video in YouTube (which does not exist in 1999) about some mysterious encounters in the woods, James firmly believes that it is connected to her sister's disappearance and with the help of those who uploaded the video Lane (Wes Robinson) and Talia (Valorie Curry), he ventures with his friends to discover that there is really something mysterious and frightening that can be the Blair Witch.

From the start till the end, Blair Witch felt like a rehash and some parts are good especially scenes that are more visual compared to the first but in 16 years since the first, there had been more better found footage films and this Blair Witch is more like a film school project with new gadgets like drones to honor the original.

MOVIE REVIEW: Storks

A fresh take on the age old story of storks delivering babies to couples and families needing of one, the animated film written and directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek and The Muppets reboot in 2011) rises with it's witty script loaded with lots of double entendre that smart adults can easily recognize and make them smile. 

When storks stopped delivering babies and concentrated more on delivering products from an online shopping conglomerate cornerstone.com, Junior (voiced by Andy Sandberg) is faced with a trial when the only human in the company Tulip (voiced by Katie Crown) accidentally switches back the baby making machine therefore jeopardizing his chances on being the next big boss with a big endorsement from Hunter (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) the company's head.

Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Danny Trejo and the Key and Peele duo complete the prominent names in the voice cast and they do not disappoint.

Storks is fun family entertainment but be prepared to be bombarded by questions by your children or other kids after watching the movie. This can be the first step in introducing them to the birds and the bees.

MOVIE REVIEW: Sully

In just 96 minutes which is short for a Clint Eastwood directed film that usually lasts 2 hours or more, the two time Oscar winning director made a love letter both to New York City and the United States in Sully.

Tom Hanks plays the titular character, now retired pilot Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger who became an instant hero in 2009 when he was able to land safely on the Hudson River in New York, U.S Airways flight 1549 with all the passengers and crew alive despite the chilly weather and frigid waters after birds damaged the plane. Assisted by co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart in a heartfelt subdued performance), they soon realize that there's more to that when authorities call for an investigation if there was "pilot error" on the captain.

Eastwood, in his first film made for IMAX  was able to use the format wisely with beautiful shots of  the New York City skyline that compliments  the plane as it attempts to make the landing on the Hudson. The film also stars Laura Linney who plays Sully's wife. She and Hanks have great chemistry as a couple even though they weren't together in any scenes in the film.

When three All American Icons (Hanks, Eastwood and Sullenberger) collaborate, the result is one wonderful film that makes you want to do great in the world.

MOVIE REVIEW: Bridget Jones's Baby

12 years after the disappointing sequel The Edge of Reason that probably made its lead actress Renee Zellweger go into a self-imposed hiatus, Bridget Jones is back with a vengeance in the 3rd installment of her story. She's still the confused single Brit but thanks to it's director Sharon Maguire (who directed the first film), the author of the original book Helen Fielding and Oscar winning actress/screenwriter (Sense and Sensibility) Emma Thompson who's also in the film as the gynecologist joining screenwriting credits, the film is one enjoyable intelligent chick flick.

Bridget's true love Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) is back again and this time he's competing with an American website millionaire Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey) for her love. After having an intimate moment with the two, she becomes pregnant and the dilemna begins: who is the father between the two men?

Aside from the writing, Bridget Jones's Baby wins with its cast. It's great to see 4 Oscar winners (Zellweger, Firth, Thompson and Bridget's dad Jim Broadbent) all in one film and they don't disappoint. Nice to see Patrick Dempsey back in the chick flick scene again with charm fully intact.

This is the Bridget Jones in the age of social media and those who loved her since the first book came out are in for a treat.

MOVIE REVIEW: Don't Breathe

Don't Breathe ironically breathes life to the horror film genre devoid of supernatural beings and torture porn by delivering a solid film. It will scare the hell out of you with moments that you wish it would end but there's more to it.

Friends Rocky (Jane Levy), her boyfriend  "Money" (Daniel Zovatto) and their friend Alex (a sympathetic Dylan Minnette) live in abandoned Detroit (a perfect setting for the film) breaking into homes and stealing valuables that will be their ticket outside their dying city with dreams of moving to California for a better life. For one last heist, they planned on entering a home of a blind war veteran ( a commanding Stephan Lang) who lives with money from a settlement he got from his only daughter's untimely death. They thought they had it easy but it was a big mistake.

For a lean hour and 28 minutes, Don't Breathe becomes a thrilling exercise in suspense entertainment that will have you at the edge of your seats. Close your eyes then be relieved and then be shocked again at another twist. Believe the type on the movie poster, the movie delivers for fans of the genre.

MOVIE REVIEW: Kubo and the Two Strings

Laika Studios, known for it's dark yet beautiful stop motion films such as Coraline, The Boxtrolls and ParaNorman transport us this time to mythical Japan in Kubo and the Two Strings and the end product is one of the most beautifully and artistically made animated film in recent memory matched with an engrossing story that appeals to all demographics.

Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson from Game of Thrones) is a simple boy who loves to tells stories in a small village accompanied by magical origami. He takes care of his mother with a mysterious past and when he encounters something that is out of the ordinary, Kubo joins forces with a monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron) and a beetle (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) to fight it and in turn discovers his true worth. Rooney Mara voices the lead characters twin Aunties and Ralph Fiennes channeling Voldemort is the evil grandfather.

Kubo and the Magic Strings joins Zootopia and Sausage Party in what is turning out to be a great year for animated films that all have strong messages beyond the drawing, rendering and stop motion animation.

MOVIE REVIEW: Ben-Hur

Remaking a film (which in itself was a remake of a silent movie) that won 11 Academy Awards and considered to be one of the greatest of all time is a monumental task and Ben-Hur of 2016 makes the grade on effort....but it falls short on other aspects.

Produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, known for their Christian faith based films and TV series, Ben-Hur has the feel of TV movie written by your Sunday Pastor. It is just too clean, no edgy conflict or flawed characters that can keep you glued to your seat. Jack Huston plays the iconic titular character like a college student whose final requirement is to be a lead actor in the film. Can't blame him though since the writing is just too bland. 

The scenes on the ship during the time when he was a slave was commendable and at some point it has the look and feel of a George Miller action film. The chariot scenes though pale in comparison especially side by side with the 1959 film. Director Timor Bekmambetov has made Wanted which has some spectacular action scenes but due to most likely "creative control" of the producers, this Ben-Hur again felt like a school production with a big budget.

Morgan Freeman played his mentor and just like in Morgan Freeman fashion, he played Morgan Freeman, in a tunic and dreads that's more at par in Battlefield Earth. The only saving grace among the actors is Rodrigo Santoro who plays Jesus Christ. He has the look and most especially the expressive eyes of the Son of God. Too bad, he gets to unnaturally pop in and out of scenes to give and speak out his teachings. It ain't convincing - he deserves a better film.

MOVIE REVIEW: War Dogs

Director Todd Phillips, best known for directing comedies such as The Hangover Trilogy and Old School among them ventures into real life territory with War Dogs, a film about the Iraqi War of the second President Bush and the people who benefited from it financially.

You would not expect a comedy film coming out of it, but thanks to Phillips, he successfully transported the story of two real life best friends in their early twenties from Miami Beach who were able to avail a little known government initiative of small companies to bid on U.S. Military contracts. Put Jonah Hill, fresh from his two Oscar nods and Miles Teller a rising Hollywood commodity after his Oscar winning film Whiplash together as the BFF's then War Dogs is pure Hollywood fun that finds comedy in times of war and atrocity anchored by the excellent chemistry of the two lead actors. The film also stars the lovely Ana de Armas who plays Teller's wife and Bradley Cooper popping in and out of the film as a man with a mysterious background.

One good thing also about the film is that you will able to learn something new about the "War on Terror" as what the Bush Administration would like to say besides the usual bombing on Iraq and the quest for oil we knew from the internet as well as CNN, Fox News and BBC. Fun, entertaining and yet lessons learned: that's War Dogs for you.

MOVIE REVIEW: Sausage Party

Actor Seth Rogen and his frequent writing collaborator Evan Goldberg has done it again with Sausage Party, the first R-rated animated feature length film in recent memory that is offensive, disgusting and fortunately one of the funniest films of 2016.

Part Disney and Pixar spoof (even Academy Award winner Alan Menken wrote a song that starts the film and sets it tone with it), part stoner comedy and with a little dash of religious existentialism on the side, the film stars Rogen with his usual costar/friends Jonah Hill, James Franco, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Paul Cera and Michael Cera.

The setting is inside Shopwell Supermarket. Frank (Rogen) alongside with Barry (Cera) and Carl (Hill) are sausages all packed together and stacked on a 4th of July special freestanding shelf alongside with a pack of hot dog buns that has Frank's girlfriend bun Brenda (Kristen Wiig) in a package close to each other. The sausages are naturally from a crude mind are males and the buns with a vagina looking lip are females. Salma Hayek also lends her voice in the film as a taco and Edward Norton channeling Woody Allen as Sammy Bagel Jr.

As per the rest of the items in Shopwell Supermarket, the products aim to be chosen by the Gods aka the shoppers that will bring them to the great beyond that will promise them eternal good life. But when Honey Mustard (McBride) gets returned and saw the real truth, they scramble to escape and live.

Sausage Party ain't for everyone most especially for the highly sensitive and the easily offended moviegoer but look behind the crudeness and their lies an animated gem that's like an adult version of the popular Shopkins toys.

MOVIE REVIEW: Suicide Squad

Picking up where Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice left off, Suicide Squad tells the tale of the antiheroes in the DC Extended Universe and how they entered the picture when a secret government organization named A.R.G.U.S. headed by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) enlisted the villains to help to defeat an unknown entity that's terrorizing Midway City in exchange for shorter prison sentences. Once they attempt to do something harmful, they're automatically be eliminated.

Will Smith as Deadshot leads the cast of the antiheroes that were given a temporary pass outside prison that also includes Margot Robbie continuing her gift of perfect comic timing with effortless sex appeal as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney (Divergent)  as Boomerang, Jay Hernandez (Crazy/Beautiful) as Diablo and Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje (TV's Lost) as Killer Croc. Jared Leto in his first film after winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor plays The Joker. Surprisingly the iconic DC villain has a limited amount of screen time compared to the other ones so he did not make quite an impact and it's a tough act to follow after Heath Ledger's memorable turn in The Dark Knight. Joel Kinnaman who played the titular character in the Robocop reboot (2012) is Rick Flag the guardian of the group who's girlfriend Dr. June Moone played by actress model Cara Delevingne is possessed by a spirit that turns her into The Enchantress. The scene stealer of the film though is Karen Fukuhara who plays Katana, Rick Flag's unofficial bodyguard and who's also an expert martial artist and swordswoman. Her scenes elicit fun from the audience, me included.

Written and directed by David Ayer who helmed the brilliant End of Watch (2012) and wrote as well 2001's Training Day, he was the perfect choice to do it since he knows a thing or two regarding villains based on his film credits. Points to Ayer as well for properly introducing the characters at the start for it helps to know the villains without asking for Google's help. Compared to Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel, Suicide Squad is the lightest, breeziest and most fun film of the rebooted DC movie catalog.

MOVIE REVIEW: Bad Moms

Imagine if the Mean Girls got married and had kids, Bad Moms stars Mila Kunis (in her first reel life Mom role) as Amy who juggles her everyday life as a wife, mom to her two kids and her work in a start-up coffee company where at 32, she is the oldest worker. 

She meets fellow mothers in the school that her daughter and son go after an unfortunate incident with its PTA President (Christina Applegate in a delightfully villainous role with comic bile) and her friends Jada Pinkett-Smith (unfortunately wasted in a supporting role) and the Oscar nominated screenwriter of Bridesmaids Annie Mumulo. They form a clique of Queen Bee Moms and even though they have kids of their own, they make everyone feel like they're back in school again. 

Amy finds solace and friends with the other set of mothers: the free-spirited and fast talking Carla, a funny Kathryn Hahn and the very busy supermom Kiki (Kirsten Bell). The trio then rediscover life with friends and themselves as well.

The great cast raises the quality of Bad Moms with impeccable comic timing and some cameos from celebrities that work. It also feels like watching a Judd Apatow film with some scenes that tug your heart especially when the gang open up being mothers. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Lights Out

James Wan director of The Conjuring movies is on a roll with Lights Out, a supernatural horror film that answers one of our worst fear: the darkness, once our lights at home had been switched off. 

This time, he is the executive producer and handed out directorial duties to Swede David F. Sandberg, who is making his full length directorial debut based on his short film that became a viral sensation 3 years ago.

I have not seen the short film (but I will after) but Lights Out is one effective horror film that is completely CGI free matched with an outstanding cast led by the lovely Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies) who plays Rebecca who saves his half brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) from their unstable mother Sophie (The great Maria Bello) who battles depression following the death of her two ex-husbands as well as talking in the dark to a shadowy entity Diana ,who had a special bond with Sophie when they  were both younger and has a violent attack streak to match even until the afterlife. The comic touch is provided by Bret played by Alexander DIPersia who plays the boyfriend of Rebecca. In an average horror film, he will just be the token partner of the lead but his character isn't and  Bret is the key that unravels the film's last half.  A special

commendation should be given and  to the wonderful cameraman and cinematographer who made the darkness beautiful yet scary again.

Lights Out short running time of 82  minutes is just about right if its based on a short film.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Legend of Tarzan

In the latest retelling of the classic story of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) married Jane (Margot Robbie in a subdued yet luminous performance) went back to England, was able to claim his stake as John Clayton III aka Lord Greystroke. He is asked by an American journalist George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) to go back to the jungle where he grew up and help him investigate the illegal activities of King Leopold of Belgium that encompasses the Congo Basin. 

A trap set up by a mercenary (Christoph Waltz who have some bad intentions to help the King of Belgium) that would deliver Tarzan to Chef Mbonga (Djimon Hounson) who seeks revenge for a killing of a loved one in the past sets up a spectacular showdown between the ruthless colonizers and the locals both men and beasts.

David Yates who directed some of the Harry Potter, most notably the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2 still has some of the magic touch left in bringing a beautiful jungle in the film. I saw the film in the latest 4DX format and it's well worth your time and hard earned money. The film feels a bit sluggish at times and a big factor includes Skarsgard monotonous performance, his abs though is like the only shining moment when he's in the big screen. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Independence Day: Resurgence

The highest grossing movie of 1996, the first Independence Day earned its place in movie pop culture was such a visual treat on the big screen with all the famous landmarks getting destroyed by aliens and anchored by the wit and charisma of Will Smith, who in turn became a big global box office star after the film was released. It even won the Oscar for Visual Effects as well.

Twenty years later, here comes the sequel but it came too late. A lot of things had happened: 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami of 2004 and Typhoon Haiyan among others. The fun factor of seeing earth destroyed just got weary as well on the big screen as  movies with a similar premise and same pattern of destruction have came out among them the film director Roland Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow in 2004 and 2009's 2012 thus erasing it's wow and novelty factor, Will Smith not returning for the sequel is heavily felt on the film's tone. Liam Hemsworth's love triangle with the daughter (Maika Monroe) of President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) in the first film and the son (Jessie T. Usher) of Smith's Captain Steven Hiller is straight out of Top Gun. Only Jeff Goldblum's dry wit saves the film from taking itself too seriously despite its popcorn appeal overtures.

However, if you are a fan of the first Independence Day, the first half of part 2 is well made. We the audience are reintroduced to the old characters as well as meeting the new ones. It's also refreshing to see acclaimed French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg star in her first big blockbuster Hollywood film. The second though, felt like an overlong Transformer film directed by Michael Bay that never made it to the final cut despite Independence Day 2's running time of 2 hours which is 25 minutes shorter than the first one. Skip the 3D, spend it on Finding Dory instead.

MOVIE REVIEW: Central Intelligence

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart join forces in Central Intelligence, a action - buddy comedy that has been done before and yet it feels new and engaging because the two actors have excellent chemistry and impeccable comic timing not only from Hart but also from Johnson, who is more known in the wrestling world as The Rock and his action films.

The film starts in high school where Hart stars as Calvin Joyner as the popular kid in school while Johnson is Robert Weirdicht who is on the opposite end, a victim of bullying to the extreme.

Fast forward twenty years later and days before their high school reunion, the two shall meet again thru Facebook and this time - things have changed, Joyner is now  the mild-mannered and put down upon accountant in the firm that he works for while Weirdicht has changed his name into Bob Stone, has completely transformed physically and has a cool and exciting job unlike Joyner who incidentally was voted most likely to succeed. The two get into a situation that involves Stone's job and just like any other buddy action comedies - punchlines and action are thrown right into the audience.
Central Intelligence offers a fresh view though on bullying and overcoming it in all forms and situations. Add to it some excellent one liners most especially coming from Kevin Hart and a charming performance from Dwayne Johnson: the movie rises above it's genre and it's on track to becoming director Rawson Marshall Thurber's third blockbuster comedy film after Dodgeball in 2004 and We're the Millers from 3 years ago.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring from three years ago is one of the critically acclaimed horror films in recent years with a big box office gross to match. Based on the true story of the husband and wife paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren more popularly known for their involvement in the Amityville case in New York state in the seventies. The first film set a couple of years before, was focused on the Perron family of Harrisville, Rhode Island, who's home is said to be cursed by a witch who lived there in the early 19th century. Excellent acting from the cast guided by focused direction by James Wan, who also made another well-crafted horror film which is the first Insidious in 2010, is turning out to be a master of the genre. A part 2 was inevitable.

Bringing back Wan to helm the sequel and also the same actors who played the Warren couple Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga is the first step in the right direction and from there The Conjuring 2 never looked back.
The action shifts to England this time and the couple was sent there to investigate a poltergeist in a home in Enfield North London where a single  mother Peggy Hodgson played with perfection by Frances O'Connor and her four kids live. It just wouldn't live their home.
The success of the first film was easily replicated in the sequel. Aside from the lead actors, the film's charm lies in it's excellent production design that easily replicates the era and a dark moody cinematography complimented with a haunting score. The Conjuring 2 is one of the rare sequels in the genre that equals and also maybe surpasses the original. Looking forward to the Warren couple's next supernatural experience hopefully played again again by both Wilson and Farmiga.

MOVIE REVIEW: Now You See Me 2

The sequel to the 2013 surprise hit Now You See Me, it brings back The Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Woody Harrelson and Mark Ruffalo) and together with Lizzy Caplan who replaces Isla Fisher from the original as the lady in the group, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Daniel Radcliffe in a role completely opposite from his Harry Potter persona.

A year and a half after the first film, The Four Horseman, a group of magician entertainers who expose global corruption and evildoers are hiding from the law after doing a Robin Hood type of heist from an insurance magnet (Michael Caine). They are brought back together after when a young high tech magnate (Daniel Radcliffe) blackmails them and insists on pulling a trick to benefit him.

Those who enjoyed the first film will have a great time with the sequel. Now You See Me 2 has some elements of the Ocean Eleven films with different locations around the globe that is actually family friendly. If the first film was able about magic, the sequel is more focused showing it's technical aspect. It was great to see how some tricks were done piece by piece.

Radcliffe is a great addition to the cast and it's nice to see him back on the big screen in a Hollywood popcorn film. Most of the actors who were in the first film still has that chemistry that was a big factor in it's box office success. The heist scene involving a playing card is a pleasure to watch. The problem though is that like any other sequel, the film felt like it was going nowhere. It's running time of 2 hours and 10 minutes could have been shorter by 30 minutes.

Overall Now You See Me 2 is a passable sequel and despite its shortcomings, it will make you wish for a better third film in the series. 

MOVIE REVIEW: The Lobster

The Lobster is a film set in the near future where being single is not acceptable or an option. Colin Farrell in the best performance of his career shedding his handsome guy persona stars as David an architect whose wife left him after 12 years and therefore had to check in to a strange hotel type facility in which he has to find a partner in 45 days or else turn into an animal of his choice according to the hotel manager (Olivia Colman). David then chooses to be a lobster  because according to him "they live for a 100 years, stay fertile and are blue-blooded just like rich people".

After meeting some people with various characteristics such as the Lisping Man (John C. Reilly) and the Limpin Man (Ben Whishaw) and getting into situations that can easily end his life, he realized that he had to escape and fight the system. David joined the group of Deserters, fellow escapees who don't like what the system dictates and are proud of their single statuses in life. Led by their leader (Lea Seydoux from Blue is the Warmest Color and Spectre), David ironically falls in love with the woman the group calls the short-sighted one (Rachel Weisz) with unforseen consequences. 

This is one of the most original film in the English language in years. Greek Director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) created a film that is certainly an acquired taste with a loud statement on society's stigma on now having a partner in life. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Warcraft

I had never played Warcraft before and I know that films that are based on video games are mostly a miss. However when I found out that Duncan Jones aka David Bowie's director son who made two of the outstanding indie sci-fi hits in recent years: Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal and Moon with Sam Rockwell, my curiosity and expectation with Warcraft became increasingly high to find out if Jones can succeed with his first big budgeted flick.

I did some background research of the game first before watching. The battle never ends on Azeroth with the human and the orcs competing against each other to live. Unfortunately, the movie has too many characters that we are inclined to follow at every step. That can also be said about the X-Men movies but unlike the Marvel franchise, the Warcraft ones are written poorly that in the end we moviegoers don't give a damn about since unlike the game, we aren't the ones playing.

At some point, Warcraft aims for Lord of the Rings grandeur but the CGI simply overpowers everything and instead of replicating the Oscar winning trilogy of Peter Jackson, Warcraft turned out to be more like the other trilogy: The Hobbit.

MOVIE REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse

The third part of the X-Men reboot is set ten years later after 2014's Days of Future Past, 1983 to be exact and as the title suggests the world's about to end as one religious group was able to unleash the first mutant Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) after being betrayed and trapped underneath ancient Egypt. He consumes power from other mutants and is ready for world domination and to destroy humanity as a whole.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are both back reprising their roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto respectively. The two hold their own in a movie filled with lots of characters that can get confusing at times but not like in  the previous film with the old and the younger versions of the mutants join together. Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique, perhaps due to her stature as one of the biggest Hollywood actresses is more of a heroine than a villain in the film - it works!! Nicholas Hoult (Beast) and Evan Peters (Quicksilver) are also here in the third installment.

Isaac always had the magnetic presence whether as the titular character in his breakout role in Inside Llewyn Davis and as the hero Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Unfortunately, he is covered with tons of make up as Apocalypse diminishing his star value and at some point the character looks like a typical villain in a bad sci-fi B movie. 

X-Men: Apocalypse is one of the entertaining action packed films in the series. It does not top the greatness of 2011's X-Men: First Class which for me is the best in the franchise but it sure is worth the money and the time to enjoy

it on the big screen.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Angry Birds Movie

The first animated film based on a game app of the smartphone generation, The Angry Birds Movie is made with those who had played the game in mind. Like most of us, if you are familiar with it, you will easily be entertained and know some references in the film. The creators upped up the prestige factor by casting some of the finest actors around to do the voice work. Jason Sudeikis is Red, the lead character: a red bird with some extreme anger issues that forced him to be isolated on Bird Island. Danny McBride is Bomb, the bird who detonates when mad, Josh Gad more popularly known as the voice of Olaf in Disney's blockbuster Frozen as the fast and speedy Chuck  and just like in real life when he made the headlines because of his temper, two time Academy Award Winner Sean Penn is perfect as Terence, a big red bird with issues. Together the four bond together when Pigs visit the Island with suspicious intentions. Maya Rudolph, Bill Hader, Peter Dinklage and Keegan Michael-Key complete the outstanding voice ensemble which makes The Angry Birds Movie notches above other films based on video games.

The animation is gorgeous with color palettes blended perfectly well and the jokes are for all age demographics from the harmless to one or two that are as green as the pigs color. 

The Angry Birds Movie exceeded my expectations and it is an hour and 40 minutes well spent with the family and friends.

MOVIE REVIEW: Captain America: Civil War

Two iconic superheroes turning against each other due to misunderstanding and because of it forgetting the bigger enemy. Sounds like the other superhero movie released exactly a month ago but that's just the only similarity. Captain America: Civil War the third in the series of the all-American superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first with an all-star cast that can easily be mistaken as an Avengers movie.

The film starts where the Age of Ultron ends and the new Avengers still headed by Iron Man/Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) question their roles in world affairs when the U.S. Secretary of State (William Hurt channeling Kevin Kline) proposed a treaty that would involve the participation of the United Nations in determining if the superheroes can help fight evil in different countries around the globe. On the other hand, Captain America/Steve Rodgers (Chris Evans) is opposed to it as his best friend turned assasin Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier will be the first target.

Except for Thor and The Hulk, most of the characters from the last Avengers film are back as they pick their side between Iron Man and Captain America. Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) joins in the fun and making its character debut is Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman as well as the new Spider-Man played by Tom Holland. Peter Parker/Spidey brightens up each frame he is in and a big thanks should be given to Sony Pictures for allowing the character which is under contract from the Studio to appear in the Marvel/Disney production.

Captain America: Civil War is the darkest and most mature of the Marvel/Disney films but it does not forget to have fun. Looking forward to the Infinity War series that this film was set up for.

MOVIE REVIEW: Bastille Day

Idris Elba ventures into Liam Neeson territory in Bastille Day, an exciting and entertaining action thriller that's reminiscent of the first Taken movie which was also shot in the French capital.

Elba plays Sean Briar, a CIA operative who teams up with Game of Thrones' Richard Madden who plays an American pickpocket with an overstaying tourist visa in Paris, who after stealing a bag from a mule played with Charlotte Le Bon (The Hundred Foot Journey) opened up a vast network that maybe linked to terrorists. 

Director James Watkins (The Woman in Black) made great use of the film's 90 minute running time. A chase scene shot above the rooftops is beautifully shot and executed. It is just unfortunate that some scenes are a bit similar to the recent terror attacks on the city so maybe that's why the film did not get a release date in some other countries, notably the United States. There are a lot of holes in the plot that require you to leave your thinking outside the theater but it's compensated by the good chemistry of the cast.

Elba passes his first lead action hero flick and who knows maybe this is his audition to play the world famous super spy sometime hopefully in the near future.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Jungle Book

Disney's latest retelling of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book is best watched on the big screen and if you have some extra money to spare for 3D or IMAX then by all means go. Not since Avatar has the movies ever come up with a beautifully created world and not since The Life of Pi has there ever been CGI created animals brought to life vibrantly than this film which does not divert too much from the 1967 Disney classic.

Most of us already know the story of Mowgli played by newcomer Neel Sethi, a "human-cub" raised by wolves whose parents are voiced by Giancarlo Esposito and Lupita Nyong'o after the panther Bagheera voiced by Ben Kingsley entrusted him to them for better protection when he found him all alone in the jungle when Mowgli was just a toddler, after his father was killed by the tiger Shere Khan voiced with such evil authority by Idris Elba on an expedition. Guided by Bagheera and the bear Baloo voiced by Bill Murray to bring him to his fellow humans when the tiger came back to seek revenge, the three encounter different situations and meet different animals such as the slithering snake Kaa voiced with seductive perfection by Scarlett Johansson and King Louie the ape voiced by Christopher Walken.

Director Jon Favreau's (Iron Man 1 and 2) take on The Jungle Book is much more engaging than recent Disney live action remakes of their animated classics and it some instances jolting. I sometimes have to close my eyes at some scenes for you know that some predator might surprise Mowgli from the unlikeliest of places in the deep jungle. It's good fun but I know that some little kids might get scared. It's great too

that the film also used some of the songs from the animated version that I'm pretty sure that parents who grew up watching it will sing along much to the amazement of their kids.

MOVIE REVIEW: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Don't be dismayed by the critics reviews, this highly anticipated meetup between two of the most popular iconic comic book characters from the DC Comics universe won't disappoint fans of both Superman and Batman but also get you excited for the long awaited Justice League movie. The Avengers now have a threat to global (box office) domination.

I have to admit that I am not familiar with the comic book set up on how the two would meet up but there's nothing to worry. Director Zack Snyder who also helmed 2013's Man of Steel made both the cities of Metropolis and Gotham bleak yet entertaining with a lot of things going on and that's the major negative aspect of the film: there's indeed a lot of things going on which it can be trimmed down for a few less scenes from it's 2 hours and 38 minutes running time.

Henry Cavill is his old reliable Clark Kent/Superman self and Amy Adams is the thinking damsel in distress Lois Lane. The big revelation though is Ben Affleck. The naysayers who freaked out when Warner Bros announced that he was playing the Dark Knight a couple of years ago can now apologize to him. His Bruce Wayne and Batman is one of the best among those who played the character and he redeemed himself from the disastrous Daredevil more than a decade ago. Jeremy Irons is a welcome addition to the cast as a younger (compared to Michael Caine from The Dark Knight Trilogy) yet cool and sarcastic Butler Alfred. Jesse Eisenberg is channeling The Joker as Lex Luthor - it sometimes work but there are some cases in which he still reminds you of his character from his Academy Award nominated role as Mark Zuckerberg from The Social Network. 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is also the film that introduces Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) to its fold of characters. There are also tidbits from the other characters of the upcoming Justice League movie and I was rest assured that the actors chosen to play the up and coming superheroes are great ones.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is best seen on the big screen. No need for that 3D upgrade. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Miracles from Heaven

Based on the book by Christy Beam about her family's experience when her ten year old daughter Anna (played by Kylie Rogers in a breakthrough role)

was diagnosed with an incurable, rare and likely fatal intestinal disease and the baffling way it got healed triggered by a freak accident.

Miracles From Heaven is produced by the Evangelical film division of Sony Pictures aptly named Affirm Films and anchored by the amazing performance of Jennifer Garner who portrays Christy, the movie elevates it from other faith based films released in recent years because it doesn't dwell too much on religion but more on the Beam family's struggle as one of their members was living on borrowed time. I dare say that this is Garner's best performance to date and is comparable to Susan Sarandon's Oscar nominated turn in the similarly themed Lorenzo's Oil in 1992. 

Also starring Martin Henderson who portrays the patriarch of the family, Queen Latifah providing the comic relief and Hispanic comic superstar Eugenio Debrez, Miracles From Heaven is the perfect family film as Easter approaches. You feel good in the end and better yet you knew that it really happened.

MOVIE REVIEW: Zootopia

Zootopia could not have come in a perfect time when the world is still grappling with the age old issues of intolerance and prejudice. In this wonderful new Disney animated film, predators and its  prey have come to learn to live together and co-exist in Zootopia, one big city which is divided into subcities that best fits the animals in their natural habitat.

Inspite of this, there are some issues that needs to be sorted out. When the lead character a bunny named Judy Hoops, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin (Walk the Line, Something Borrowed) dreams of becoming a police officer, she was dissuaded by her parents and the community that their family lived in, for she was a rabbit and no one that small has ever joined the police force. Judy pursued her dreams and after graduating at the top of her class at the academy, was assigned at first to issue parking citation tickets because of her size and she was a female. 

Fortunately Judy found an unexpected ally in a fox (the most despised animals in Zootopia) named Nick Wilde, voiced by Jason Bateman. He's a sly con artist who after having a run in with Judy at the beginning of the film, become her true and trusted friend. Other actors who voiced in the film includes Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Bonnie Hunt and recent Oscar winners Octavia Spencer and J.K. Simmons

Smartly written and directed by the team that also created Wreck-It-Ralph, Tangled and Big Hero 6. Zootopia is notches higher that those films mentioned. It has the feel of a classic Pixar animated film. This bound to be a Disney classic delivers both the laughs and it's strong message in a fun and entertaining way. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Triple 9

Triple 9 is one tense, exciting urban crime drama that's way above the usual films in this genre which usually gets released in the US during the dead of winter. A big difference primarily of it's outstanding cast with an Oscar and 11 nominations among them. 

Big credit is given to writer Matt Cook and Australian director John Hillcoat (Lawless and the Road) by rounding up the finest actors of the past years and connecting the Russian mob and Atlanta, Georgia and making it believable.

After a group of bank robbers who are also police officers and former soldiers (among them Anthony Mackie of Captain America and The Hurt Locker) with orders by the head of the mob (Kate Winslet playing against type with a flawless accent to match) to do an impossible task after a sloppy yet successful bank heist, they decided to do a Triple 9 which is code for officer down, so that the entire Atlanta Police Department would be easily distracted once they do it. It won't be that easy.

Triple 9 isn't an easy film to watch due to its convoluted plot and some scenes that were better left in the cutting room floor. Fortunately, aside from the cast which also includes Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Eijofor, Woody Harrelson, The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus and the new Wonder Woman Gal Gadot, Triple 9 has some great action scenes and an unpredictable ending which will keep you guessing.