Flick Critique 1.05

I can't believe how busy I am right now. So much stuff to attend to and so much more lined-up. It really pays that once in a while I get to watch movies for free. Thanks to some officemates who were able to hand me DVD ripped copies of recent movies I wasn't able to watch on the Big Screen! Lucky me...

A. Fool's Gold (2008) - Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson pair up again for this treasure hunt of a movie. This one though, unlike their previous 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", disappoints. Sure there were funny moments but the gaps between those scenes would allow you to put up a new blog and write the first three articles of it. And sorry, but McConaughey's abs wouldn't bring this film to life. As to Hudson's bikini scneses...hmm...still no!

B Never Back Down (2008) - So does this movie remind you of Rocky or what? Though I was only able to catch some scenes of the first Rocky movie, this movie totally reminds me of it. But of course, this one's had the modern touch. Tom Cruise look-a-like Sean Faris, IMHO, played the lead well because he would make you want to root for him. At first I thought this movie would be something like The Fast and the Furious, where characters were loudly shouting "I'm so tough! I'm so cool!", but this movie has a heart.

C. Get Smart (2008) - Steve Carell did it once again with this movie! I'm starting to be a fan. What I like most about the movie is that all the characters are so well-developed! Even the Computer Nerds of Control have contributed in making this movie something to laugh loud about! Carell, Arkin and Hatthaway were great in the movie . Add the witty script and the classic slapsticks and you've got a great Comedy for the family.

By Joe with 7 comments

Flick Critique 1.04

I got my hands on more than 1o DVD ripped movies from the office am so excited to watch all of them! I got Hulk, Hancock, Get Smart and so much more so that means October would be full of FC posts! Yeay! This time though, I would be reviewing these movies...

Don'tMess with the Zohan (2008) - Finally, a movie where Adam Sandler was able to make me laugh really hard! When people would ask me to choose between Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, it was always a no-brainer to me, I would always choose Stiller. Recently though, I'm liking more Sandler movies than Stiller's. Don't Mess with the Zohan is fresh and original, for me at least. Humor is mostly slapsticks but hey it work! I'm not complaining.

Wanted (2008) - This movie was such a surprise! Before the movie came out, I've been hearing nothing but negative comments about it. That this movie had nothing new to offer and yada yada yada! So I decided not to watch it in theaters and waited for its DVD instead. And Oh my! It was orgasmic! True that there was nothing new about the story or anything but the movie was fantastic! It was probably James McAvoy's character that made this movie a really big hit to me. The character of Wesley Gibson brought this movie to life. After watching this movie, I wished I was an assassin!!!! Take that!!!!

Over Her Dead Body (2008) - So the last movie is this romantic comedy about how Eva Longoria's ghost was hunting a psychic for dating her supposed husband had she not died at the day of her wedding. This movie reminded me of "Just Like Heaven" starring Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon, but the former pales in comparison. I admit the movie is funny at times, but yeah there was no "X" factor to it. It was a nice concept but I felt like it needed a little more kick to it. Longoria, Biggs and Bell did an okay job in acting but I can't say the same for Paul Rudd who was probably sick the whole time they were shooting the movie because he's so lifeless.

Hey, you! Wanna read more FCs? Click here: FC1, FC2 and FC3

By Joe with 11 comments

Flick Critique 03

A cruise ship’s battle with a rogue wave, teen pregnancy in a typical American family, and a group of MIT students out to gamble at Vegas: All that in this edition of Flick critique.

A. Poseidon (2006) – It is New Year’s eve and people are partying at a large luxury cruise ship called the Poseidon when a rogue wave hit the ship and turned it over. A group of passengers now tries to escape death by climbing out of the ship but that's no easy task when the ship is filling up with water. The special effects are great. Acting is mediocre. Story is okay. Directing was bad. This is one of those movies that you wouldn’t recall watching five years after. The concept was good but the director wasn’t able to bring out the best out of it.

B. 21 (2008) - It stars Hollywood's newest "It" girl Kate Bosworth, veteran actor Kevin Spacey & Jim Sturgress playing the role of the fresh meat in a group of "gifted" MIT students who heads to Vegas every week armed with fake identities. I'll go 50-50 on this one. It has a good story but it was predictable. And although the cast delivered really well, the movie is just a so-so for me. It didn't blow me away but if you've got 2 hours to bust, this is an entertaining option.

C. Juno (2007) - This perfectly clever movie is hard to beat! You would love every second of it. And it is impossible not to fall in love with Ellen Page's character in the movie with her stylishly rude and witty dialogues. It is amazing how the director, with the help of the cast, was able to tackle teen pregnancy without giving you the feeling of being preached! Everybody in the movie gave terrific acting.Another thing I like about it are those tiny little details of the movie that would really make you giggle. Totally a 2 thumbs up!

By Joe with 4 comments

Flick Critique 02

Back again for another Flick Critique and this time, I am going to review Wall-e, I am Legend & Made of Honor.

A. Wall-e (2008) – Who wouldn’t love this adorable robot? I know I do and that’s exactly why I wanted to watch this movie the first time I saw its trailer. It is by Pixar so this has got to be something good. So what do I think of the movie? Hmm, it is probably the fact that I had already set my expectations that this is going to be the best animation flick ever that kind of disappointed me after I watched the movie. Don’t get me wrong though, the movie is great. It is just that I was looking for something more. I dunno, it just pales in comparison with other Pixar movies.

B. I am Legend (2008) – The scenario of this movie scared the hello out of me. Who would want to live in a time when almost 80% of the human race is dead , 18% of the survivors turned into bald & horrendous-looking vampires hungry for human flesh? And it all started with a drug that was supposed to be the cure for all types of cancer. Tsk tsk tsk… A movie is a great one if it can affect the viewer’s emotions and obviously this movie affected me bigtime. Besides the great acting performance of Will Smith, another thing to look forward to in its DVD is the short animation movies they’ve added.

C. Made of Honor (2008) – OH MY GAWD! This movie SUCKS! Don’t ever waste your time and money for this movie unless you’re a die hard McDreamy fan. This is just awful! First of all, the story has been played out oh so many times. A little originality wouldn’t hurt. Friends who suddenly realized they are in love with each other? Come on! How many movies have this for a plot? But then again that would be okay if the movie’s lead gave a commendable performance but no! Patrick Dempsey has the same face for all human emotions! Enough said.

By Joe with 3 comments

Flick Critique 01

I love watching movies may it be at home using the DVD player, by the computer or in front of the big screen. Kind of a movie buff, actually, so I thought why not make a corner in Spoon Lagoon designed to review movies that I've just seen. And tada! Flick Critique is born! This where I give my take on three movies I've recently watched and you could either agree or disagree with my review. And what better way to do that but to post a freakin' comment, yeah? Haha.

So for the premiere Flick Critique episode, let's have Cloverfield, Little Miss Sunshine and 27 dresses...

A. Cloverfield (2008) - This might just be my favorite movie of 2008. I have been waiting to see this movie since October 2007 and I should just say it was worth the wait. The movie was released early this year but I failed to watch in theaters so I waited for it on DVD. Cloverfield is America's answer to Japan's Godzilla and although the former is not as iconic, Clover (the monster) is gaining popularity little by little. Sure a lot of people say that the movie is Blairwitch-ish, but IMHO that's what makes the movie so great! You'd actually feel the urge to run with the characters away from Clover! Another complaint from movie buffs is that the movie lacks a really good story but I beg to disagree. This is a freakin' monster movie! We watch monster movies to see the monster thrash cities, demolish famous landmarks and kill stupid humans! And cloverfield did just that, baby!

B. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - Oh, the fractured Hoover family. The movie is actually a feel good movie meant to be watched with who else...your family. I liked how director Jonathan Dayton characterized each member of the Hoover family. He made them appeal to the viewers as if they are your neighbors living a block away from you. each character has his own personal struggle may it be a failed career, depression from a break-up, or the need to unite a family. Performances worth noting are that of Alan Arkin and Steve Carell. Unfortunately, little miss sunshine Abigail Breslin failed to charm me with her acting. But over-all, this is a good movie with a heart.

C. 27 Dresses (2008) - Say what? Why would I watch Chic flicks like this? Well, because there's a DVD at home and I'm unemployed. Do the math. Haha. So 27 Dresses...well, what can I say? They don't make good romantic comedies anymore, yeah? Predictable. That's what this movie is and kind of reminiscent of that local Claudine Baretto flick. The movie follows the sacred "chic flick formula" where either the guy or the girl (in this case, the girl) chases her "soulmate" after realizing that he/she is in love with that person he is chasing and then a happy ending will surely follow. Tsk tsk tsk... the last great Chic flick I've watched is "13 Going on 30" and man that was 4 years ago.

By Joe with 2 comments