ofsmokes&mirrors: movie

Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts

Raving About Night at the Musuem 2: Battle of the Smithsonian

5:52 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 0 comments

It was one lazy Sunday afternoon. The heat was so intense making me sweat profusely. The warm temperature was getting into my nerves that I found myself heading towards the nearest mall to feel the coolness of its centralized air conditioner.

As soon as I stepped into the mall, the cold air started to give me a sense of relief and freshness. Whew! I just loved the feeling. To complete my chillax (a word I have heard my niece utter a few weeks back which meant to chill and relax) moment, I bought a large Peach-Mango fruit shake and opted to watch a movie.

Since it was my unwind time, I chose to see a very light and entertaining film. Thus, I preferred to see the second installment of Night at the Museum.

Ben Stiller reprises his role as Larry in Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian.

The plot happens years after Larry left his post as the night guard of the museum to pursue another career. In the film, he visits his former workplace where he was told that some of its attractions will be temporarily stored at the Smithsonian Institution while the Museum of Natural History is closed for renovations. As most of us already know, the museum’s attractions are used to being alive during night time because of this certain tablet that gives them life. Thus, the dilemma sets in as the temporary storing of the attractions would mean they would not be brought to life for a certain period. However, the monkey steals the tablet as they were being transported to Institution, which begins the entire mess that Larry has to fix.

I could not tell the rest of the story because the movie is better watched than told. As expected, the cinematography and effects are great. It lives up to the good image it earned in the first episode of the film.

More than the aesthetics, the values that the movie wishes to impart is its best asset. This is also the very reason why kids should watch the film. It depicts how friendship can be manifested in a deeper level. It shows that people should not be afraid to conquer greater feats thereby leading to the ultimate happiness. It illustrates that satisfaction and fulfillment need not be achieved through having a high paying job but that it could be found in doing what one loves to do.

There so much that kids and adult alike could learn from the film. It is a guarantee that this one is something you should not miss.

Bedtime Stories

3:47 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 2 comments

Growing up, I tend to read books to help me fall asleep. It was like a therapy that I needed so badly so I can drowse off to a good night’s sleep. The stories I read range from fairy tales all the way to
adventure. As I unfold each page my imagination start to work. Often times, I felt that I was living the life of the main female protagonist. I felt her joy, pain, fear and jubilation.

There were also times when I would make up stories in mind as I try to put myself to sleep. In those tales I made myself the hero of the entire plot. I gave myself super natural powers, extraordinary beauty and immeasurable wealth. Yeah, I had this keen imagination.

Well, such was not surprising. It is an undeniable fact that almost all kids have the gift to imagine. They can stretch their fancy so they can be what and who they want to be. Well, this brings to mind
one of the movies I recently watched, Bedtime Stories.

Adam Sandler goes back to the big screen in a more children friendly film. This time, he portrays an uncle whose bedtime stories he shares with his niece and nephew almost always become a reality. In the
movie, he plays a man who works as maintenance for the hotel his father used to own. So, with his desire to manage the business his father so loved and worked hard for, he uses the bedtime bonding he
has with his sister’s children to get what he wants.

There were mixes of fortunes and misfortunes as each story he and the children make come true. Yet, just like how a true bedtime story goes, everything ends well although it may have ended not exactly the way how the lead star wanted it to.

The theme of the movie directly points to the importance of family and how relationships between each one develop. It solicits that the love children grow for the adults in their families depend on how they are being treated, loved and cared for from the time they were very, very young.

In the same film, viewers are taught one of the toughest lessons … acceptance. A lot of things that happen in our lives are those that we never wanted them to. There are dreams that we work so hard for yet we do not always get what we want. Nevertheless, life has to go on. There is nothing else left for us to do but to accept and to move; in the hope that indeed better things are to come.

Needless to say, I love the film. The kids in the movie are adorable and so is Adam Sandler. It was truly amazing!

Mama Mia!

12:29 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 3 comments

The cool air of the ITCZ is covering the entire city. It was a Saturday evening yet the gloomy and rainy weather is hindering a night out. On a case such as this, a cold night’s best friend is warm and comfortable bedding and a good movie to boot.

There were a few other movies available in the disc but for that night, I chose to go musical and watch a film I have heard so much about. It was shown a few months back. However, I was not able to see it in the big screen so for that evening I satisfied myself with a motion picture that stars Merryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan … Mama Mia.

Mama Mia tells of a story of a girl who knows nothing of her father as her mother never talks about him. On her impending wedding, she desperately looks for her father for him to attend the occasion and walk her down the aisle. Thus, with the help of the diary her mom kept during the year she was conceived, she found out that her mom had affaire d'amour with three different men and that any of them could be her dad. So, she invites all three men not expecting all of them to come to the island where she grew up for the event. Nevertheless, all three did come and the entire circus begins.

The entire movie was set in a beautiful island with lush green and blue setting. There were trees with rich green color and a deep blue sea. The scenery is truly an eye candy, which makes the film really interesting to watch. The environment depicts of a simple living where people seem to be satisfied with their lives revolving around the place. Overall, it was the location that makes the movie distinct.

It also offers Abba songs from start to finish. Growing up with those melodies make the film something I could really relate to. In fact, I was even singing along when familiar tunes are being played. Perfect!

It was also the very first movie where I saw Ms. Streep singing and shaking her booty to the groove. It was also refreshing to see Mr. Brosnan in a different light apart from the macho persona he often flashes on screen. In Mama Mia, he is this romantic lover who has waited for 21 years to marry his ladylove. Sweet!

Above all these, the movie tries to convey that true love can wait. It is something that does not try to imprison the people involved in the relationship. It communicates that couples need not rush into a marriage because it will come at the most perfect time.

If you are out to have a whip of romance and musicality, you may want to consider watching Mama Mia. The raves I have heard were true. The movie has not failed me and for sure, it would not fail you too.

Spiderman 3: Personifying Mr. Spidey

3:22 AM - Posted by chill whiner - 12 comments

As the third installment of Spiderman formally opened in theaters last week, hundreds of anticipating faces flocked to witness the seemingly unending saga of Mr. Spidey. There were some who came to witness the promised jam-packed action complete with hardcore animation, others came to see how Peter Parker aka Spiderman would eventually conquer the evil in him and still there were the hopeless romantics who wanted to watch how the story of Spidey and his lady love Mary Jane would eventually turn out. For whatever reason, what is certain was the fact that the world seemed to be glued with Spiderman.

In Davao City, the Spiderman mania was truly on high as one mall devoted all six of its theaters to showing Spiderman. It was indeed a gamble on their part but I guess they decided just right. The certified blockbuster film had Davaoeños waiting in long lines in all of their six theaters. To top that, people were standing inside these theaters as they gave their full attention to the web-swinging creature on screen.

In all curiosity, I went to see for myself what were the long lines and the standing position was all about. I was with my Churva friend Ruth last Saturday when I finally decided to gave in to the temptation of watching Spiderman.

As expected, the first few minutes of the movie immediately gave way to the action filled chase between New Goblin aka Harry, Peter Parker’s old friend, and Spiderman. From there, the movie slowly unfolded into how Harry and Peter redeemed their friendship through an accident, how Spiderman became so consumed with his desire to avenge his Uncle Ben’s death that gave way to the Evil Spidey, and how good overcomes the evil in the end.

Spiderman 3 was by far more interesting compared to the two other episodes, I think. Apart the well crafted action coupled with awesome animation (I love how they did Mr. Sandman!), the movie showed that even one of the world’s most celebrated superhero could also be so engrossed with himself leading him to commit faults he would lament in the end.

The movie showed that even Mr. Spidey could be one of the growing number of flirt and unmindful male specie, who at a certain point their lives, make stupid mistakes that almost cost them the true love of their lives (bato-bato sa langit ang tamaan huwag magalit J). It also showed that although a superhero as good, as timid and as calm as Spiderman, there are things that could push them so hard making them do things they would eventually regret. Spidey err Peter Parker also depicted the typical human being, who seems to be hungry for more power and more glory even if they are already immensely enjoying all of those.

Yeah… I love how the story presented that Superhuman as he is, Spidey is not perfect.