Author: Contributor

I was very impressed with director Neill Blomkamp’s District 9. Being his first full-length feature, it was such a surprise success four years ago that it was even nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Not bad for a first time right? It’s not surprising that his next feature will be another science fiction film. In early 2011, Blomkamp shared art designs of his proposed sci-fi film which eventually won the executives of Sony Pictures. With a budget of $115 million, production began and it was titled as Elysium. Set in a Dystopian era in the year 2154, two classes…

Are you a fan of crime dramas and thrillers like Goodfellas, The Departed and The Godfather? Well, I got a film for you and take note it’s local! I’m referring to Star Cinema and Reality Entertainment’s On the Job directed by Erik Matti. Based on true events, it’s a crime-thriller which centers on four men struggling to survive and a make living for themselves and their respective love ones. Mario (Joel Torre) is intend to retire after the parole has been given to him and Daniel (Gerald Anderson), his younger inmate and apprentice is set to replace him in the…

iPhones, iPads, iPods and Mac are all cutting edge of technology gadgets from Apple that everyone seems to have in their bags and pockets but ever wonder what is the story behind the man who innovated them? His name is Steve Jobs. When he died two years ago, Apple lost a visionary and creative genius and the world has lost an amazing human being. Jobs is an extraordinary story of Steve Jobs, the original innovator and ground-breaking entrepreneur who let nothing stand in the way of greatness. The film tells the epic and turbulent story of Steve Jobs as he…

After winning five awards in the recently held Cinemalaya Awards and now our official participant in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Ekstra (The Bit Player) is one of the most buzzed local films of the year. It is a socio-realist drama-comedy that follows a seemingly usual day in the life of Loida Malabanan (played by Vilma Santos) as she embarks on yet another shooting day of a soap opera as an extra or bit player. As the shoot goes on, we get a glimpse of the reality in the ruling system of the production as well as the exploitation of…

Based on a worldwide best-selling book series? Check! Fantasy creatures? Check! Love story? Check! Can Clary and her gang of Shadowhunters make The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones the next big fantasy movie series? Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate…

Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds headline the 3D supernatural action-adventure R.I.P.D. as two cops dispatched by the otherworldly Rest In Peace Department to protect and serve the living from an increasingly destructive array of creatures. Can they save this movie or will they let this rest in peace? Based on the Dark Horse comic created by Peter M. Lenkov, Detective Nick Walker (Ryan Reynolds) and Bobby Hayes stole a chest full of gold during a drug bust. Having a change of heart, Nick informs Hayes that he intends to return the gold. During a raid on a warehouse, Hayes kills Nick to…

Hats off first to the film’s marketing team for doing a great job! With just a clap, the second trailer really drew and anticipated people. I’m sure nobody will be playing hide and clap anytime soon. In the online world, there are a lot of users who shared and posted Anabelle’s picture or the film’s poster in Facebook. Not to mention, the good word-of-mouth from the critics. So the real question would be: is The Conjuring as good as the hype or the marketing team is just that good? Before there was Amityville, there was Harrisville. Based on the true…

Kick-Ass, Hit Girl and Red Mist return for the follow-up to 2010’s irreverent global hit: Kick-Ass 2. After Kick-Ass’ (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) insane bravery inspires a new wave of self-made masked crusaders, led by the badass Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), our hero joins them on patrol. When these amateur superheroes are hunted down by Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)—reborn as The Mother F****r—only the blade-wielding Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) can prevent their annihilation. When we last saw junior assassin Hit Girl and young vigilante Kick-Ass, they were trying to live as normal teenagers Mindy and Dave. With graduation looming…

Based on the publishing phenomenon, we last saw Percy Jackson saved Olympus in the disappointing Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Now in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Thalia’s tree has been poisoned and the protection of Camp Half-Blood weakens! To save their world, Percy and his friends must find the fabled and magical Golden Fleece embarking the viewers on a treacherous odyssey into the uncharted waters of the Sea of Monsters (known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle), they battle terrifying creatures, an army of zombies, and the ultimate Evil! Equipped only with the Thermos of Winds and a…

Based on Ramon Bautista’s popular book, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo? is the first team-up onscreen of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim directed by Joyce Bernal. Like its catchy title, is this something to crush on or it’s better to find another movie to watch? The film tells the story of Sandy (Kim Chiu), a brainy ugly duckling girl who gets dumped by her ex-boyfriend in their anniversary causing her to fall for depression. After getting his own rejection from his fiancé, Alex (Xian Lim) returns to the Philippines and was asked by his grandfather to run a…

What happened to The Matrix big star Keanu Reeves? We don’t see him much these past three years in Philippine cinemas. According to his filmography at IMDB, he had two films in 2010 and 2012 plus a short appearance on a TV series but it was not shown here. Well, he’s now back in Man of Tai Chi. Take note not just as a star but as the director. Marking as his directorial debut, Tiger (Tiger Chen) is the last remaining student of Ling Kong Tai Chi. He wants to make his master Yang and parents proud by joining the…