The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Review

I’m kind of surprised that The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia was getting bad reviews from both critics and viewers. I must admit that I liked the original movie, released in 2009 by the same studio (Gold Circle) and thought that the sequel was a pretty decent horror flick.

Ghosts of Georgia is based on the true story of the Wyrick family, who move into a remote home near the woods in 1993 and encounter spirits of black slaves that are trapped in the property. Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill) plays the role of Andy, the father of the household, while Abigail Spencer takes on the role of Lisa, his clairvoyant wife who tries to deny her gift of communicating with the dead. The adorable Emily Alyn Lind plays Heidi, their little girl who shares her mother’s abilities to whom the spirits manifest, and Katee Sackoff  is Joyce, Lisa’s sister who can also see through the veil.

Ghosts of Georgia is very different from its predecessor in the sense that the original Haunting dealt with demonic possession whereas Ghosts was a pretty straightforward ghost story. While the story was admittedly predictable, I thought the execution was very good. It had a great set up leading up to the supernatural scenes. The pacing was good and there was ample time to prepare audiences for the shocking moments.

The casting was spot on, and despite the limited number of characters, the actors portrayed their parts well, especially Emily and Chad. They had great chemistry as father and child. On the other hand, I didn’t like the character of Lisa but I thought the rest of the characters pulled their weight.

All in all, I wouldn’t go on to say that Ghosts of Georgia shot up to my list of favorite horror flicks but like the original movie, it was not a clunker, especially for a limited budget release. I have seen way way worse. It was just too bad that people did not respond to the movie as well as expected.

Still, I would probably go see the third movie in the trilogy The Haunting in New York because of the strength of the first two features in the franchise. I just hope that it gets a better reception than this flick.

Must Be Love: Movie Review

I caught the last full show of this teenybopper rom com on its opening date along with my co- workers. From the minute I plopped down on the seat and opened by popcorn, I braced myself for an hour and a half of lighthearted entertainment filled with LOLs and an occasional dramatic scene which is the trademark of Star Cinema, the studio that produced this movie. True enough, all my expectations were met.

Ivan (Daniel Padilla) and Patchot (Kathryn Bernardo) have been friends since they were kids. They have been through a lot together. Ivan was there when Patchot’s beauty queen mother left her family for loftier career opportunities, and Patchot stood by Ivan when his father ran off with another woman. When they grew up, their familiarity starts to pose a problem with Patchot, who starts to develop feelings for her best friend, who finds it hard to see her beyond the friend zone. Worse, Patchot’s cousin Angel (Liza Soberano) arrives from the US and Ivan immediately falls for her. Even worse, Patchot’s dad (John Estrada) would not allow her to explore her femininity because he fears that Patchot would turn out exactly like her mother, the deserter. When Ivan’s gay uncle (John Lapuz)  decides to help out the lovelorn teen, Ivan begins to see a whole new side to the friend that he has known forever.

The plot was predictable — a no brainer, the stuff formulaic mainstream movies are made of.  On all counts, this should have accounted for a boring disaster.

However, I found that I liked the film a lot despite the recycled plot. It seemed that the excellent direction of Dado Lomibao and the witty script of screenwriters Melissa Chua and Roumella Monge made the film seem fresh and fun, entertaining and relateable to the audience. The script was peperred by a whole lot of acronyms and delivered with a certain sense of coolness which will surely start a fad among teenage members of the audience. Terms like YOLO (You only live once), MTB (Meant to Be), MBL (Must Be Love), slow mo and fast forward will surely dominate the walls of facebook in a couple of days. As for the family element, was incorporated into the film early on so when the focus shifted from the love story to the family drama side, it did not seem awkward and blended seamlessly into the narrative.

The best part of the movie however, was the great chemistry between the lead stars and among the supporting cast members. Young heartthrob Daniel is a natural born charmer and he carries with him an appeal that is not common among young stars of today. When he delivers his lines, it is with great abandon to self consciousness that when he does goofy, it turns out endearing. His dramatic acting could still use some work but there is great potential there. Teen princess Kathryn, on the other hand, maintains a good girl image that is such a foil to Daniel’s effortless cool that makes their pairing work so well. Perhaps, because of working together many times before and establishing a rapport (or something else), the two stars seemed very comfortable with each other which made their scenes appear very natural and heartwarming. The supporting cast, which mainly provided comic relief, lent barrels of laughter rifting through the audience. All this was reinforced by the magnificent backdrop of Cebu as the setting for the film. Surely, this will be a boon to potential tourists who want to revisit the places the scenes were shot.

If I were to post any complaint about the movie, perhaps , it would only be overselling of the tomboy angle for Patchot in the beginning. It is one thing to be boyish but it would seem that her character was also oblivious to the basic tenets of personal hygiene, appearing always caked in dirt, sweat and charcoal. Also, the speed of the courtship between Ivan and Angel seemed to proceed at too fast a pace.

All in all, Must Be Love had a very simple story that carried a very positive message. It spoke about love between friends, family and and love for oneself — looking beyond the superficial and appreciating a person for what he/ she is. Its a bit cliche but for a movie that targets mostly teens, its still a great lesson to impart. A great date movie, or just to see with a bunch of friends. Loads of fun and an awesome way to unwind and spend the better part of two hours. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again, given the opportunity.

The ABCs of Death: Movie Review

I first saw this poster several months back and was waiting for it to be shown in the theaters but sadly, I seemed to have missed it. My brother recently brought home a DVD loaned by his officemate, and my interest was again piqued. How ambitious is this movie to combine 26 horror shorts in an anthology movie, each movie depicting a title using an assigned letter of the alphabet. All of the shorts were done by 26 different directors and the entire movie spans only 124 minutes.  I must admit that I did have my reservations but the gall of producers Ant Timpson and Tim League alone deserve high praise. In order to be fair, I will outline all of the episodes and give my two cents about each one.

A is Apocalypse
Written and Directed by: Nacho Vigalondo

Does not lack in the violence and gore department, but too short to make an impact.

B is for Bigfoot
Written and Directed by: Adrian Garcia Bogliano

For a horror story come to life, not very original, although kudos to the filmmaker for being able to insert the one boob quota despite the shortness of the film.

C is for Cycle
Written and Directed by: Ernesto Diaz Espinoza

The story had some potential but the execution was left wanting.

D is for Dogfight
Written and Directed by: Marcel Sarmiento

Very adept use of style and lighting. Dogfight manages to tell its story despite the limited time allotted.

E is for Exterminate
Written and Directed by: Angela Bettis

Very predictable.

F is for Fart
Written and Directed by: Noboru Iguchi

With a very anime approach, F for Fart delivers ridiculousness in spades and makes one hell of an entertaining episode.

G is for Gravity
Written and Directed by: Andrew Traucki

Not a big fan of shaky cam, especially when the entire short does not have anything to show for it except this. Next.

H is for Hydro Electric Diffusion
Written and Directed by: Thomas Malling

Very bad title but A for effort in terms of producing a weird yet engaging short.

I is for Ingrown
Written and Directed by: Jorge Michel Grau

I didn’t quite get the connection between the title and the short but by far, this is one of the more mature and polished entries of the lot. Good script.

J is for Jiddai-geki (Samurai Movie) 
Written and Directed by: Yûdai Yamaguchi

A bit protracted in its approach but all in all, a good one.

K is for Klutz
Written and Directed by: Anders Morgenthaler

An animated short worthy of a MAD sketch; rife with toilet humor.

L is for Libido
Written and Directed by: Timo Tjahjanto

Think Hostel for sex perverts and you will have Libido. Execution wise, not bad.

M is for Miscarriage
Written and Directed by: Ti West

No dialogue required. This short is one of the shortest of the episodes but it tells a horrific story.

N is for Nuptials
Written and Directed by: Banjong Pisanthanakun

Very funny and gruesome at the same time. I loved the bird.

O is for Orgasm 
Written and Directed by: Bruno Forzani, Héléne Cattet

Sensual and surreal but not much to go on in the horror aspect.

P is for Pressure
Written and Directed by: Simon Rumley

Makes a real attempt to get deeper into the issues of poverty and desperation but the ending does not quite make sense. Killing a cat? Really?

Q is for Quack
Written and Directed by: Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett

Starts off with director and writer bitching about getting the short end of the stick but finally coming up with an idea that does not quite work out the way they planned. One of my favorites. Very simple but with great execution despite the premise being predictable.

R is for Removed
Written and Directed by: Srdjan Spasojevic

Call me stupid but I didn’t get it. Although the cinematography for this short was excellent.

S is for Speed
Written and Directed by: Jake West

This was also one of my favorites. The grindhouse approach was awesome but it would’ve been much better if the director actually got actors who could act. I understand the low budget but at least with decent actors, the movie’s strengths will be highlighted. I loved the cut to reality. That was a money shot.

T is for Toilet
Written and Directed by: Lee Hardcastle

Yes, there was a lot of toilet inspired entries in the 26 shorts included in this film but Toilet, a short executed in Claymation glories in children’s fear of the toilet eating them up. Excellent use of the 2-3 minutes. Very entertaining.

U is for Unearthed
Written and Directed by Ben Wheatley

Also executed in documentary style footage but this one I did not mind so much, because the story kind of made up for the madness.

V is for Vagitus
Written and Directed by: Kaare Andrews

A sci fi that plays like a yoyo that alternates between editing glory and maximum cheesiness.

W is for WTF? 
Written and Directed by: Jon Schnepp

Started out like Quack but all went to sh*t with a sequence of random and incoherent scenes that in total amounted to WTF? A complete waste of time.

X is for XXL 
Written and Directed by: Xavier Gens

A French film about a women oppressed by her weight and decides to do something drastic about it. Very macabre. Exactly what a good horror should be.

Y is for Youngbuck
Written and Directed by: Jason Eisener

Helmed by the director of Hobo with a Shotgun, this short is truly sick. It inspires a feeling of disgust both psychologically and physically. I guess that’s what makes it such an effective horror piece.

Z is Zetsumetsu

A short that plays like a porno, the premise is totally out there, along with boobs, peens and a lot of girl on girl action. Not for the faint hearted. Even if it spans only five minutes tops.

All in all, I’m not quite sure if the ABCs of Death was a success or not. It was pretty lopsided all around. But it was a great opportunity for horror directors to collaborate. I just wish they had more time to work on their material or flesh them out because there were some gems in this movie. A bit rough around the edges but with potential nonetheless.

A Moment in Time: Movie Review

After the successful team up of dramatic actor Coco Martin and teen princess Julia Montes on the teleserye Walang Hanggan, it seemed like a logical next step to try their chemistry on the big screen and it was no wonder that Star Cinema, in partnership with Dreamscape Cinema chose the pair to headline their Valentines Day presentation, with a romantic drama entitled A Moment in Time. While it was not a clunker, I don’t think it will go down in my list of favorite local movies either.

Jillian (Montes) is a sheltered rich girl with only a few friends and music to keep her company. When Patrick, a charming artist forced to give up his dream because of the untimely death of his mother, enters her life, she easily falls in love with him. But their budding romance encounters a major setback when it is revealed that the two share a connected past that may affect their future happiness.

I think the beginning part, when Patrick was laying on the charm on Jillian was actually the main reason why viewers went to see the movie.  It is the season of romance after all and Coco plays the happy go lucky heartthrob quite well. In the movie, Coco is seen doing a lot of goofy stuff that his previous characters have not given him a chance to do. And since the chemistry between the two stars was already proven in their earlier pairing, there was no surprise when their scenes were met with a lot of smiles and approving whispers from the audience. The supporting cast also contributed to establishing the story.

However, it would seem that the conflict in the story was introduced too soon and this affected the romance angle of the movie greatly. The relationship between the two stars was not even fully established that the heavy drama was already injected into the story, testing the bond that was supposedly formed between them. This affected the entire pace of the story and feelings that went with it. The ending too, seemed a bit too simple considering how complicated the problem was presented as. It would seem that the bulk of the film was devoted to the drama that the ending seemed a bit forced in order to change location to Europe, which was breathtaking by the way. It did not seem realistic at all.

In all fairness, the chemistry was very strong between the two main stars and the acting was no less than superb. I was just having a bit of a problem with the depressing background music which fed to the tone of the film but other than that, it was a decent output from the studios. I just wished that the filmmakers were able to balance the romance and the drama aspects of the film better.

Beautiful Creatures: Movie Review

Since the end of  Harry Potter and Twilight movies, studios have been scrambling to find literary materials that would appeal to hordes of teenage fans obsessed with young adult book sagas, but not all have been successful. Case in point is Logan Lerman’s Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, which was supposedly the first in a series of five books (The studio has given the green light for book 2 despite book 1′s less than stellar output).  Suzanne Collins’ dystopian novel The Hunger Games seemed to have tapped the market, with the first movie raking in millions of dollars in revenue. But still, the competition remains fierce and Alcon Entertainment’s adaptation of Beautiful Creatures, authored by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl seemed like another attempt to replicate the success of other book to movie franchises.

Ethan Wate has been having weird dreams of a mysterious girl for several months already, and in each one, something bad always happens. This is the closest to excitement that he has experienced as his regular life in the small town in Gatlin, is anything but. When the niece of town recluse Macon Ravenwood arrives, Ethan is immediately drawn to her and for good reason. She is the girl he has been slowly falling in love with for months and it would seem that their destinies are intertwined.

When I read the first book of the saga, I thought that setting the novel in the South was kind of refreshing because of its connection to the rich history of the United States. Combining history with modern day Casters, with light trying to banish the dark and a Caster/Mortal romance caught in between was also a fresh new take on the Romeo and Juliet theme. Translated into film, I am not quite sure if it worked.

For one, producers did not pick a heartthrob with Robert Pattinson-like looks to play the main character. Rather, they opted for newcomer Alden Ehrenreich to play the lead opposite Alice Englert’s Lena Duchannes. The chemistry between the two stars was unmistakable, making their scenes the true highlight of the movie. To a certain degree, Ehrenreich’s strategy of playing Ethan as a rather goofy charmer instead of the book’s more intense character worked well for movie viewers as they were able to relate to him more and enjoy his performance. The problem was it took away from the general sense of urgency that should surround the film, especially since danger was supposed to be imminent the whole time.

The film was also too slow and too wordy. There was too much dialogue explaining the backgrounds of the Casters, the history of the curse, etcetera, etcetera — the result of failing to establish early on the relationships of the characters to one another. The change in the sequencing made sense, but I think the main problem was basically in presenting the events in the story. I think the key sequences did not make as much an impact as it should because they were simplified and shortened to make room for yet another Ethan-Lena makeout scene.  The fact that the soundtrack was not as cool as Twilight, and that Lena was only 15 years old at the time, did not help their cause any. Such a shame because there were plenty of opportunities for the movie to come out with original music based on the book.

Come to think of it, there were plenty of opportunities missed with the elimination of many parts of the book. Boo Radley, Macon’s dog was nowhere to be found, and his reports would have made for a much less boring town hall meeting. I was also not a big fan of combining the character of Amma, who was supposed to be the Wates’ housekeeper, and Marian Ashcroft, the town librarian in the book. The problem was the two characters were very different, and the portrayal for any one of them did not quite hit the mark. I did not think Viola Davis, no matter how critically acclaimed her performance in The Help was, did any justice to any of the two characters in this particular movie. She did not pop out, she did not deliver. She was just there, looking grim for 95 percent of her exposure. I wasn’t quite sure if she was underplaying her role because of the audience but whatever she did, it did not work. Veteran actress Emma Thompson was another disappointment. She was annoying, as what Mrs. Lincoln should be but her attempts to be as sinister as Seraphine fell as flat as a pancake. Jeremy Irons was the only veteran to pull in his weight.

The ending can serve well as a closer to the series should the producers decide not to pursue the saga, but can also double as a cliffhanger for the next one. All in all, its not perfect but a passable romance fantasy adaptation. But it could have been better. It could have been so much better.

For my review of the book, click here.

A Clockwork Orange: Classic Review

I have long been intrigued by this movie as I’ve heard of it being mentioned in countless sci-fi threads as one of the most disturbing films of the 70s. I wanted to see if it was really as shocking as the boards have suggested but found it difficult to find a copy. At last, a friend was able to get a hold of a copy and share it with me, and true enough, it deserves all the notoriety it has gained.

A Clockwork Orange revolves around Alex DeLarge, (Malcolm McDowell) a rather charming sociopath who leads a gang of sadistic hooligans in modern day (depicted as futuristic) Britain, who get their kicks out of assaulting people and robbing homes, as well as raping women. But dissatisfaction brews within Alex’s gang when two of the members decide to go against Alex, a rebellion he quickly puts in check. Things take a turn for the worse for the gang leader when his gang sets him up to take a fall in one of their botched robberies. While in jail, Alex volunteers for an experimemtal technique that seeks to correct violent behavior in a bid to commute his sentence but if he thought he would be able to manipulate the system, he thought wrong as it would seem that the treatment may have worked too well.

Straight off the bat, I was sure that Clockwork Orange was going to be a unique film, as classical music is coupled with ultraviolent scenes — rape, brutuality, debauchery and a general lack of morality are commonplace in this movie. I don’t want to think of myself as one with a weak stomach but I must admit that the senseless cruelty and the sadism that is prevalent in this movie truly had my stomach turning for most of the time.

I appreciate the artistry in the approach, as with Alex’s offbeat humor. Had I not checked the movie’s imdb page, I would not have thought that the young charmer who played the lead was Malcolm McDowell, a seasoned veteran actor I remember most for his role on Fantasy Island. Still, even in his younger years, McDowell proved that he could portray two different facets to the main character — the charming persona and sadistic bastard all at the same time. He had the look of evil and mischief down to a science, but still, a part of the viewers will feel a certain sense of sympathy for the young bloke when the tables turn against him.

There were times when the singsong tone in the dialogue felt a bit exaggerated but perhaps during the time it was made, it was normal. The violence in the movie was not portrayed with a lot of blood as with noir and grindhouse movies these days but it was depicted in a way that truly gets in the audience’s skin. It disturbs on a mental level which is quite in contrast to the classical background music that is normally associated with calmness and peace.

Kubrick has a unique style in his direction that not all people can appreciate. I for one, am still conflicted about it after seeing two of his movies. But I do admit that he has a gift that is unique from directors who work within the boundaries of formulaic mainstream movies.

All in all, I thought A Clockwork Orange was a well made film, but I don’t think I could sit through it again. The film just turns my stomach.

Bullet to the Head: A Review

Bullet to the Head is a classic Stallone starrer — a flick reeking of testosterone and action, a hint of old school meets new school, and quick witted dialogue courtesy of the action veteran. A formula for success? No doubt about it.

The film revolves around a case of double cross, when local hitman Jimmy Bobo (Sylvester Stallone), and his partner Louis find themselves in trouble after they get set up to take down a rogue policeman who knew too much about an unscrupulous real estate deal involving high level politicians, policemen, businessmen and gangsters. After Louis gets killed by an assassin named Keegan (Jason Momoa, Conan, Game of Thrones), Bobo tries to extract revenge on the mastermind of the hit with the aid of detective Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang, The Fast and the Furious franchise), whose disdain for Jimmy’s old school methods often leads to an odd couple-esque vibe between the two.

Bullet to the Head had a very simple plot, not exactly original but still watchable. Throwing in Sly into the mix was a surefire guarantee that the movie will sell to hard core action lovers, and for good reason. When Sly was younger, he boasted of a really tight physique and an air of machismo that he still carries around with him after playing iconic characters like Rocky and Rambo. What he brings to the table, now that he’s older, is this “been there done that” air which works well for the characters that he chooses to play nowadays. Sly wears his age like a badge of honor and he’s very comfortable with it. He embraces his old school roots and does not try to change to suit modern action standards. Instead, he makes today’s standards adapt to him.

This was very obvious in this film as writer-director Walter Hill decided to play off the contrast between Jimmy and Kwon’s character. Kwon was ultra modern and confident but most of the time, his character still had a lot to learn from Jimmy.

I liked that the script had a lot of sass. True, I would not have used the term to describe Stallone on any other occasion but his lines definitely had sass. There was also no shortage of racial jokes directed an Kwon but they were all delivered in a very humorous manner so they were not really offensive. Their back and forth made the movie fun and light despite the fact that they were being hunted down by a hulking beast of an assassin and that the entire system was working against them.

In truth, I thought that Sung Kang was underutilized in this film and  would have liked for his character Kwon to have bigger action scenes. Since fighting was not really his M.O., some cool car chases could have been thrown in to play to his strengths.

All in all, Bullet to the Head was an enjoyable watch especially for fans of action. A lot of explosions, a great one on one towards the end between Stallone and Momoa (who is a vast improvement after his portrayal of Conan), gunfights, and stunts. Hardly a dull moment, as is expected of a Stallone movie. It did not disappoint.

By the way, Bullet to the Head is an adaptation of the French graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tete.

War Horse: A Belated Review

I have wanted to see War Horse as soon as I saw its behind the scenes piece on HBO in 2011. However, when I missed it on cinema and got it on video,  it took a while for me to finally commit and see it after watching the first five minutes of the film and getting teary eyed already. As frequent readers of this blog would know, I cry in any movie featuring animals and this is the same reason I have yet to see We Bought a Zoo, Mr. Poppers’ Penguins and A Dolphin Tale and it took me three years to see Hachiko. Anywhow, now the deed is done,  I am glad that I finally got to sit through this inspiring and heartwarming tale of a young boy and his horse amid the turbulent times of World War I.

From the moment Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) first saw the colt Joey the day he was born, he knew that the horse was meant to be his. And when his father returns from the auction one day after purchasing the young thoroughbred for a much higher price than the working horse they intended to buy for their farm, he vows to care for the horse, raise him and train him to do all the things that a farm horse would do. From the onset, they share a unique bond, Albie’s patience is rewarded by Joey’s obedience and his love was rewarded by the horse’s loyalty. But when hard times fall on the family and war is declared in Europe, Albie’s father is forced to sell his beloved horse to the military. Albie tries to enlist but is rejected by the officers because of his youth but the farm boy vows to follow Joey into war, and be with him again after it is all over.

From the first minute, War Horse was a masterpiece. The cinematography and the scoring hinted at an epic and even with limited dialogue, eye contact and body language between Albie and Joey, their bond easily communicates to the audience. Jeremy Irvine, being a relatively new film actor at the time, was very subtle in his role, but was very sincere and earnest in his portrayal that his character’s innocence and love for his animal affects the audience in an emotional level. On the other hand, the horse who played Joey was a magnificent creature not just because the animal was a beauty but because he had so much personality. When he stepped up to sacrifice himself in dragging the heavy artillery, I was crying as his footsteps almost buckled from the weight.

War Horse is a bit long as it spans Joey’s experiences during the war (which took four years). It chronicles his journeys, his triumphs and defeats and is a catalogue of his uniqueness, compassion and resourcefulness that made his adventure as a solider all the more poignant. It is not one dimensional as the story also tackles his life away from Albie, and Albie apart from his beloved Joey.

War Horse is an epic story that reaches out to the viewers on a cellular level. It is inspiring and it carries a message of hope that stays with the audience even after the credits have rolled. It is an excellent piece of cinema adapted from a children’s book written by Michael Morpugo three decades ago. It is a story whose formula has been used countless times on dogs, cats, dolphins, whales, apes and penguins but still, War Horse manages to make it an all new experience again that audiences will appreciate on a different scale. There is a reason why Spielberg is one of Hollywood’s most respected directors and weaving magic like this is on the big screen is one of the reasons why it is so.

Warm Bodies: Movie Review

Even before I read the book, I knew without a doubt that I was going to be watching the movie version and I finally caught the film this afternoon with some girlfriends from work. I was excited to see how writer/director Jonathan Levine (50/50) would adapt this Isaac Marion novel to the big screen, because judging from the trailer, the movie looked awesome. And it was awesome, and adorable, and heartwarming, and funny… oh let me just get on with it.

R is a zombie, but unlike other zombies, he yearns to regain the feelings that he had when he was still human. Now, he can’t remember anything about his former life and lives out his days at the airport, a hive of the undead controlled by “Bonies,” skeleton like zombies who will devour anything with a beating human heart. One day, as R and his best friend M, along with a zombie pack storm the city to get some grub (read: humans), they encounter a group scavenging for supplies, and he lays eyes on the human girl named Julie for the first time. When he munches on the brains of Julie’s boyfriend Perry, he learns bits and pieces about their relationship and he finds himself wanting to have the same connection with Julie. So in order to save Julie’s life, he takes her with him to the airport, inside his home, an abandoned airplane filled with memorabilia to keep her safe. As the two spend more time together, R discovers that he is changing, and as his feelings for Julie develops, the feelings that has since eluded him begin to return, along with his humanity.

The premise of this movie is totally whacked, and as with the book, many fans of the zombie lore will surely react to the very idea that love has the power to revive the undead. But Warm Bodies managed to make the ridiculous premise work, mainly because it retained the very essence of the book that made it so much fun. It poked fun at zombie stereotypes in an offhand manner, the scoring was super cool and super cheesy at the same time. The cast was also super likeable. Nicholas Hoult was adorable as the zombie R, creepy but still adorable, a tad ripe and grungy but charming nonetheless. Teresa Palmer was the perfect girl to play Julie. She had a kickass attitude that was just right for the daughter of the military leader of the humans (John Malkovich). Saturday Night Live alum Rob Corddry was great as R’s goofy sidekick M.

Warm Bodies was an unsual rom com, or as they are now dubbing it, zom-com. I think Jonathan Levine was the right guy to handle this project because he has that air of coolness about him that translates to his adaptation of rather unusual subjects (such as a zombie-human love affair). His other project 50/50 starring Joseph Gordon Levitt as a cancer patient and Seth Rogen was sort of the same way. He has the ability to put a positive spin on rather dire situations and make light of a rather grim topic like zombies (who are mostly featured in horror flicks).

Compared to the book, there were some minor tweaks, some that I missed like the bonies having a worship session and a wedding session, and some towards the ending that actually served the movie well, but basically, the filmmakers did good in this movie adaptation.

All in all, Warm Bodies was a fun ride, very entertaining and very cute. The interactions between Julie and R were very sweet and audiences can’t help but exclaim awwww on many scenes. The fact that audiences keep forgetting that R is a zombie (who should really be creepy and gross) is a testament to the success of the pairing. Warm Bodies was light, funny and smart and extremely well put together. Good writing, excellent casting, great scoring, make up and CGI. I can’t help smiling, just thinking about Julie overselling her zombie act, my favorite scene in the book, and in the movie. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

If you want to check out my review of the book, check it our here: http://cineramaetcetera.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/warm-bodies-book-review/

Life of Pi: Belated Book Review

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I’ve had Life of Pi on my TBR pile for several years now, long before it was optioned for a movie. The book was a gift from my brother, which he gave to me because he knew I loved tigers (If you’re not a first time reader of this blog, I may have mentioned this fact a couple of times). However, it is precisely because of this love for the animal that I chose to save it for later so that I could savor the feeling of looking forward to reading it longer. After the long wait, it turns out it was every bit as good as I had imagined. There is only one word to describe this book, and it is extraordinary.

Life of Pi tells the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, an Indian boy with an unusual name, who hails from Ponchiderry India during the time politics was in transition in the country. His middle class family, fearing radical changes that would affect them, decides to move to Canada in search of a better life. But the trip that was supposed to herald a brighter tomorrow for the Patels, quickly becomes tragic as their ship encounters a major mishap. Piscine, who has christened himself Pi after the mathematical figure, barely sixteen years of age, finds himself lost at sea in the company of a young adult Bengal tiger with the unusual name of Richard Parker for 227 days, on the sole lifeboat that escaped the accident.

Surviving the shipwreck and outwitting the tiger to stay alive is just one part of the Pi’s story. More than his ordeal at sea, the story also focuses on his early life, his discovery and appreciation of religion (which led him into choosing it as one of his majors in his eventual stay at the University of Toronto), and his experiences that eventually helped him deal with tragedy and contributed to his success. Each page is filled with wit and honesty, which makes for an entertaining account of Pi’s mishaps, his triumphs and his other shenanigans, with varied results.

Aside from having a tiger in the lead, my favorite part of the book was the actual storytelling. What struck me the most about author Yann Patel’s writing was his sheer talent in providing clear and detailed  descriptions of the surroundings, of the people, the culture, the atmosphere. Readers can’t help but feel like they’ve stepped into 1960s India with each of Pi’s accounts. This, I think, aids readers in imagining the beauty of the setting, and helps give them an insight into the personalities and actions of the characters. The descriptions are just so vivid that the story just seems to leap from the pages and grabs the readers’ attention, no questions asked.

I especially  liked Martel’s style of injecting tidbits of facts about the animals in the zoo in the first person narration, doing it so casually that it just becomes part of the narrative’s appeal. I thought the manner in which explanations about animal behavior were incorporated into Pi’s dialogues, (which later on helped him deal with his ordeal), his experiences in finding God, his dealings with his family, all contribute somewhat to main bulk of the story, and makes readers connect with each character, human or otherwise, on a deeper level. Readers feel an affinity for them, as Martel makes them care about what happens to each and every one. The rhinoceros and the goat, the snake and the mice, the tiger and the goat, the tiger and the hyena are just some of the standout stories that added more meat to Pi’s growing up years. Also of note is the author’s ability to shift Patel’s style of narration, from a wide eyed child to a cynical survivor, which is  quite impressive.

I loved Life of Pi because one can’t help but like Pi and Richard Parker, as first adversaries, and later as allies. Pi is a strong character with his fair share of weaknesses. And in his storytelling, he acknowledges his imperfections. Richard Parker, on the other hand, has everything going for him, unfortunately, despite his advantage in size and hunting skills, he too has imperfections – his pride and his inability to deal with his seasickness. These flaws are actually what makes these two characters so endearing. I must admit that while they were on the lifeboat, I was constantly worrying about them, wanting to read quicker so that I would get to see what happens to this unlikely duo. I liked that there were parts of the story that highlighted their differences while there were also parts that focused on their similarities, which provided the balance in the tone of the book. However, I liked their moments of quietness the best, when both are not trying to assert supremacy, but just acknowledging the presence of the other amid the loneliness at sea. Half of the time, I was trying to think of ways for them to survive with the limited tools available on the lifeboat. This was quite an engaging segment of the book.

Personally though, I’m not sure if the last chapter was a stroke of genius or a miscalculation. On the one hand, it gets readers to rethink their impression about the earlier chapters so it kind of pushes them to revise their perspective. On the other, it plants a seed of doubt on what actually happened on the boat that some of the magic loses its luster. I guess in the end, this would depend on the reader, which ending (the philosophical or the fantastical) he would choose to bring with him.

Still, for me, last chapter or no, I still felt that Life of Pi was an excellently written piece, which mixes the profound with the trivial, which entertains yet urges questions, and inspires people to become like Pi, who had the courage to write his own story and dictate his own destiny in the face of tragedy. All this he has managed to accomplish simply because he did not give up and he dared. It also encourages readers to walk in Pi’s shoes (although he only had shoes in the beginning) and reflect on their own lives, their own faith and their own philosophies. It gives readers a chance to step out of the box and ask what if?

All in all, Life of Pi was an exhilarating read, a suspenseful adventure, and a moving tale that urges reflection and deep thought. It was, in a word, excellent. I would read this again for sure just to spend more time with the oddly named duo of  Pi and Richard Parker. But for now, its time to see how Ang Lee’s movie fares against its literary counterpart.