81st Oscars reactions; balls are kept

So OK, who here didn't have a f-king clue that Slumdog Millionaire would win? Seriously, it won probably every single nomination it was given (Sound Editing is the only category it didn't win in), the movie's awesome as hell...

...and I get to keep my balls to myself.

Anyway, here's a full list of the winners if you didn't watch the ceremony. Starting from the all-important Best Picture, down to the more technical side of things.

Best Picture Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor: Sean Penn (This was unexpected. I was rooting for Frank!)

Best Actress: Kate Winslet (Duh!)

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (Another duh!)

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (The Academy still loves some spice; her performance was sizzling.)

Best Director: Danny Boyle (Foreshadowing of Best Picture winner FTW)

Best Animated Film: Wall-E (I'm sick of saying "Duh!", but Pixar is the best)

Best Documentary: Man on Wire 

Best Foreign Film: Departures (Forgive me for laughing at the acceptance speech; I'm so sorry)

Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay: Milk

Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire (Truly exotic treat for the ears)

Best Original Song: Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire (The competitors: another Slumdog Millionaire song and Wall-E's credits song)

Best Make-up: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (This was a given.)

Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire (The editing helps mesh the mishmash of genres together very, very well)

Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight (Well, The Dark Knight had to win some other category, right?)

Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire (Again, a treat for the senses.)

Best Special Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Ah-mazing.)

REVIEW: Wall-E

Although I've already watched Wall-E not a few months ago, it was just some terrible bootleg- and I rarely tolerate crappy bootlegs- so now that Wall-E's DVD is almost here, there's probably bound to be some excellent bootlegs. And yeah, we have one and I watched it again. Frankly, it's better the second time around because of said quality boost, and the in-jokes I missed are now pretty darn clear which is why i'm only reviewing this movie just now. So without further ado, I give you my review of Wall-E.

Littered with iconic moments and oozing with imagination and slapstick, Wall-E is a testament to how powerful actions are from words, cliché it might sound. The first 30 minutes of the whole shebang will attest to that where personality rings in every little frame despite the lack of dialogue.

The latter part falls short of the Chaplin-esque power of the first half-hour, but more of the antics, I think, that are reminiscent of that part may probably ruin the whole movie without getting its message across, so I guess I won't bash this fact much.

Still, just the fact that Pixar struck gold with their goal of putting emotions in the robots is something impressive. But contributing most to that feat is Ben Burtt's sound design which provides the voices of the robots. I mean, from a man who made R2D2 a likeable character, I'd expect as much.

Story-wise, Wall-E does pretty good. Basically it's about a robot who compacts trash (have you noticed that Pixar loves trash compactors?) and develops a personality after watching Hello Dolly every day. Hey, he's the last robot on Earth and it's been 700 years since the humans left for outerspace; anything could happen. Anyway, you see him going about his usual business of collecting items of interest and compacting the rest of the garbage until he finds a plant. This leads to EVE looking for said plant, but Wall-E doesn't know this and falls in love at first sight. This sparks a series of events that put Wall-E in outerspace.

Still, when you look at it in another perspective, you'll see that it discusses more complex topics not meant for a kid's movie, most especially consumerism. I mean, just looking at it skin-deep already yields a lesson about the environment, what more if we dissect it further? Really, I think this is gonna be the kind of movie that's gonna be made mandatory for viewing by film students.

But you know what my only gripe with this movie is? PRODUCT PLACEMENT. More specifically, Apple. You'll hear the start-up tone after Wall-E charges his battery, you'll see Wall-E using a post-apocalyptic iPod to watch Hello Dolly. I know that as an Apple fan I shouldn't actually mind at all, but I'm just bothered, and I feel that it dampens the consumerism issue it tries to discuss.

So what else have I to say that's already been said? The visuals, the score, the characters... I don't see anything else wrong with the movie to be honest, but it's not quite my favorite Pixar movie. There's one question left in my mind, though: How did that plant survive?

RATING: 9.3/10

Posted with LifeCast

Summer Movie Watchlist

The movie season is at its prime yet again, and summer started out with the magnificent Iron Man and opened up more box office gold with Indy Jones and Narnia. But the question is, what's next? I introduce you to some movies that are of interest.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan
Adam Sandler isn't exactly the best comedian in the movies, but his new comedy has a pretty bizarre plot that goes like this: He is an Israelite fighting terrorism, and he fakes his death to go to New York to achieve his dream of becoming a hairstylist. He becomes famous immediately after giving a customer some "special treatment" and his skyrocketing fame isn't fast enough to not let his past catch up, though.

Why is an Adam Sandler movie of interest to me this time around? Well, Judd Apatow's (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Dewey Cox) one of the writers of the script, so it's automatically a must-see in my book.

The Incredible Hulk
I personally haven't watched the Ang Lee version, but this re-telling of the Green Giant's origin and re-casting makes it seem that it's gonna be huger and better than aforementioned version. And with that also comes new enemies, obviously.

The Happening
Talented actor Mark Wahlberg topbills a new M. Night Shyamalan horror flick. And to get you up to speed with who the heck this director is, M. Night Shyamalan is the one responsible for making the acclaimed movie The Sixth Sense. So yeah, you will again be seeing more dead people- this time looking even more grotesque because the film's R-rated.

As for the plot, it's about apocalypse caused by something unknown. People are dying like hell, and everything's turning into a big wasteland. Will the schoolteacher Elliot (Wahlberg) and his family escape their eminent doom?

Get Smart
I featured this one the last time I made a list, and I am still putting it in this one because I just want to watch it. Not only was I instantly sold by Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway being the on-screen duo (oh, the comical opportunities!), but because the trailer also makes it seem very promising! Watch out for this one, but if you forgot what it's about, here's a synopsis:

Maxwell Smart (Carell) is an analyst for CONTROL and has always dreamed about working in the field like Agent 23 (The Rock), and when the Chief is forced to send him on a mission to thwart crime syndicate KAOS' plot for world domination, all the laughs break loose. But there to accompany him on his mission is Agent 99 (Hathaway) especially because she has the brains. Still, will the duo be enough to save the day?

Wanted
The movie looks like a screamer!

Wesley Gibson is a man who is living a routine life until his father gets murdered. This happening sets to motion a lot of otherworldly happenings, that involve a woman checking him out in which he discovers is actually an assassin who worked with his dad before. He also discovers that he has inherited his father's special powers which are used- obviously- to kill people. Will he use them just to avenge his father? Or will he continue working with Angelina Jolie anyway?

Complete with explosions and butt-kicking action, the new Jolie-McAvoy flick looks like it will have what the typical summer movie has. I won't come in with high expectations though, because it also seems like the type of summer movie that is also dumb. You know, like Kung Fu Panda? But still, Iron Man surprised everyone when it went out of the stereotype because it provided not only what a typical summer movie would offer, but also a bit more humor and brains.

Wall-E
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. Just kidding. Maybe if it gets released, I'd say that. And for good reason, Wall-E is shaping up to be a real masterpiece, and I can't just resist waiting for its release, which is the around the 26th or 27th of June.

Hancock
If you're an avid theater patron, you probably would've seen the trailer by now. But if not, let me get you up to speed.

This new Will Smith blockbuster tells the story of a man with supernatural powers named Hancock. However, Hancock isn't exactly like any other superhero in the planet as he drinks alcohol while saving the world, among other deeds you wouldn't expect your normal superhero to be doing. However, when he saves the life of a guy named Ray Embrey, the guy becomes determined to reform him and turn him into a real hero. Question is, will that endeavor actually work for very long? I mean, he's even flirting with Embrey's wife in the midst of his comeback!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
I haven't watched the first Hellboy, however, the name Guillermo del Toro raises eyebrows- and I mean that in the best way possible. Why? Well, for starters, he's the director of the acclaimed Pan's Labyrinth and producer(?) of last year's horror movie The Orphanage. So basically, yeah, he's a damn good director. And I can't wait to see what he does to the costumed freaks of hell (corny pun intended).

Batman: The Dark Knight
Yet again directed by Christopher Nolan, this new movie is the sequel to Batman Begins. All the actors reprise their roles from the first (except Katie Holmes) one and now a new crime lord has settled in Gotham. And of course, everyone knows by now who it is: it's Heath Ledger as the Joker! As if the movie hasn't got enough buzz already, Ledger's tragic death will make movie-goers want the movie even more, I mean, who wouldn't want to watch Heath Ledger's genuinely chilling performance? (It's not his last, though.)

Mamma Mia!
The ABBA musical gets the big-screen treatment- and the star power to match. Meryl Streep in particular is definitely gonna make the movie an instant must-watch, but the funny plot will definitely intrigue others. Speaking of plot, it's a lighthearted movie about a girl named Sophie. She's gonna be marrying to Sky- her true love- but she has no father to give her away. Fiddling with mother's diary only complicates things, because three of the men in the book might be her father! So, she sends a letter to them to see which one of them gets the right to escort her down the aisle, only to find out that the wedding's gonna become a big fat Greek wedding. No, really, it's in Greece... with accompanying Swedish tunes... Hmmm...

Step Brothers
Yay, another Judd Apatow! OK, maybe he didn't direct it, but when his name is plastered onto a movie, regardless of role, it's bound to be good, and I loved John C. Reilly in the hilarious Walk Hard!

Anyway, here's the story: it's about a slacker living with his dad and another slacker living with his mom. When the parents of the two slackers get together, the slackers instantly hate each other at first sight. However, if they don't get along, and get a job, and get out of the house, the lives of the married couple might get destroyed.

WALL-E: Who knew?

Disney-Pixar's imminent summer blockbuster Wall-E is sure to keep John Lasseter and Disney laughing all the way to the bank. But if you viewed Pixar's history of films, the only blemish they had was the lackluster Cars and even that earned a certified Fresh rating in Rotten Tomatoes. So as you can guess, Pixar- along with Finding Nemo (my favorite!) director Andrew Stanton- can do no wrong.

If you saw the trailer- either in the Internet or in the new Narnia flick- you'll find that the titular character (which is also short for Waste Allocation uhhh... -checks Rotten Tomatoes- Load Lifter Earth-Class) is honestly charming and adorably rusty even in those trailers. Oh, and he's funny too. CAPTION: The vacuum's stuck to my belly! (Click for video)

But despite the apparent lack of dialogue in the scenes, forgive my corniness, their actions speak louder than words and it also tells a larger story.

The big picture is about a post-apocalyptic Earth where the humans have fled to outerspace and Wall-E is the last robot on Earth and he's been doing what he has been doing for the past 200 or so years. He has a friend in that lone garbage-filled desert- a cockroach- but other than that, there's nothing else in his life.

Then comes the interplanetary robot Eve who looks like something out of an Apple product (although Jonathan Ives- designer at Apple- was said to have approved of its design beforehand) coming out of a spaceship. At first, she zaps Wall-E with her laser beams and then they fall in love. Who knows how this romance will fare, because the next thing you see is Wall-E clinging for dear life... IN A SPACESHIP!

This new and unique animated story may just be what we need in these troubled times, although it's only gonna be shown in late June (the 27th to be specific). However, I speak for many- if not everybody- when I say this: I want Wall-E NOW!

REVIEWS: A speck of dust and clover that's not so lucky (plus a dose of movie news)

Horton Hears A Who
Starring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell
In a nutshell: It's a surprisingly effective and wonderfully animated Seuss adaptation.

I've a feeling you've already heard about Dr. Seuss (real name Theodor Seuss Geisel) and his beloved poetic literary treasures but if you haven't, you're living in quite a cave. But most of the movie adaptations of his stories don't really hit it off (esp. Cat in the Hat) and do you think an animated CG film is gonna change it all?

Well, yeah. I guess it does.

The latest of the pack is the adorable Horton who hears a speck of dust crying for help and catches it using a pink flower. Of course it's not because he's crazy or anything (because that's what the other animals think) but it's because he has significantly better ears. And what do you know? There's a civilization in that speck of dust complete with a mayor, his wife, his 96 kids and the civilians he governs. The place in that little speck of dust is called Who-ville, and as expected, the people in that thing are called Who's.

Rising action? Well, Horton catches it, right? And since he hears the mayor inside it, he socializes with him while the peers who pass by Horton thinks he's crazy as mentioned before. Same goes for the mayor, who interacts with the elephant through a horn in a pipe. Now, the mayor now knows that Who-ville is not all that safe, and it is definitely on the move. So he requests Horton to put the speck of dust in a safe spot and Horton does just that. In between, a lot of obstacles block his way of course, so the question is, will he be able to save the speck of dust that is Who-ville?

First off, I want to comment on the style on which the movie is animated. It just feels right, as in, the animators at Blue Sky nail the trademark Seussian cartoon look and gives it a bit more charm and that's what makes it work mostly.

More of the charm that it emanates is due also to its effective voice actors whose characterizations are spot-on as well especially with Jim Carrey as the eccentric elephant Horton and Steve Carell as the equally kooky mayor. Actually, Jesse McCartney's here too, but he only has, what? 2 lines and a song?

Well anyway, the retelling of the story is tweaked a little and tries to remain faithful. Only during one hand-drawn animated scene that obviously spoofs Japanese anime's over-the-topness does it diverge from its story. But it's a funny reference to be honest, and the divergence is not a bad thing either. But whatever, the movie still retains the spirit and its moral without preaching too much about it. And it just proves that a being no matter how small is a life form created by God to serve a purpose, and that we too are also just a speck of dust in this God-knows-how-large universe. So whatever life is around we must cherish it. Heck, it also keeps some rhymes that obviously come from the real story for the narrator to recite, and it doesn't feel old if that's what the kiddies are afraid of or something. I dunno.

It's highly recommendable, but if you want something with a little more maturity, then take a look at this next review:

Cloverfield
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas
In a nutshell: It's fast-paced, filled with scares, and nauseating (as in II-1 DVD nauseating).

Something is not right with this picture. Can you tell me?

Oh wait, some fireballs flung something across the street a while ago.

Was that it?

OK, I am sounding like an asshole over here, being cornily sarcastic and everything, but whatever, it's the nausea, I swear.

Have I told you how I got it?

Oh right, no.

So here's the thing, a few people are in this farewell party and this guy is documenting it using his camera because the guy-who's-leaving's brother wanted him to. But suddenly, the lights go dark and there's a lot of noise. Everyone goes up the roof and sees all these fireballs destroying the Chrysler Building and everything around it. Soon, they discover that it's all caused by some monster... and it has minions too!

This sounds routine for your average disaster/monster flick, but it's got a different perspective- a first person perspective. Or maybe a YouTube perspective?

If you've watched all those home videos in YouTube or whatever video hosting site you go to, this is the kind of home video that will make you dizzy with the shaky camera and everything, only it's scary, and it feels so natural that you feel like one of the running refugees. Some of them, the initially 5-member ensemble, go and try to rescue a girl (who's of course the girlfriend of one of them) and try to escape the monstrosity that could kill you any second. Not just that, the aforementioned minions bite people and are just crawling everywhere: The subway, the streets, the ceiling...

You know what? The scares are just effective and made much more effective by the first person perspective. But it's not all scares, it's got a little heart, especially with its characters that you'll feel kind of emotionally attached with if you get immersed in the movie (which you probably will).

Ironically, it ends with "I had a good day.". I didn't because I gotta barf now. Before I leave you though, I gotta say that if you're looking for a worthwhile thriller to rent or buy on home video, it's gotta be Cloverfield. Excuse me.

Ratings: Horton - 8/10
Cloverfield - 8/10 (Would've given it a nine if it wasn't so nauseating, but it's just part of the "feel". you know?)

Movie News (courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes' Weekly Ketchup)
Pixar's line-up for the next 4-5 years
Wall-E is just the icing of the cake of Pixar's potentially gut-putching box-office wrenching hits for the following months and yet they are already revealing their movies that are in production and in release for the next 4 or 5 years.

There's Up which is about an old man in his 70's who meets a young naive trooper of sorts. Together, they sail the skies in an adventure (of course the storyline's gotta be vague!).

And then in 2011 there will be two movies. One of them is called Newt which is about two newts who have to reproduce because they are the last of their kind. However, they have contrasting personalities and the male newt has some twisted ideas about mating (partly because the diagram about it is blocked by a coffee maker). The other one is called The Bear and the Bow which is about a Scottish royal family and their involvement with a witch. There's already a voice cast for this and from what I hear, it's a good one.

Plus in 2012, there will be a sequel to the lukewarmly received Cars as well as a Toy Story 3 on June 8, 2010. And if you like to keep some goggles on at the theater, Toy Story 1 and 2 are being re-released in 3D.

Oh God, HSM 4 already?!
High School Musical 3 is still in pre-production and yet a fourth script is being written. Can you believe it? They got writers for this!

Bush movie gets larger cast
Oliver Stone's W now has a bigger cast.
"with Rob Corddry (The Daily Show) landing the role of press secretary Ari Fleischer, Fantastic Four star Ioan Gruffudd to play Tony Blair and Thandie Newton signing on to play (the much older) Condoleeza Rice."
Why am I curious about this movie? Well, the director of World Trade Center is the one in the helm.

Prince of Persia video game adaptation casting rumors
Initially, Orlando Bloom was slated to become the titular character based on a trilogy of Prince of Persia games called Sands of Time but now, Jake Gylenhaal is being considered for the role. I guess Disney has a bit more work to do though... just look at who they're casting for!