Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Maleficent = Manananggal?

Maleficent movie was great and all but…

maleficent floor sticker

Am I the only one who thought this floor sticker looked like a manananggal?

For those not familiar with Philippine mythology:

The manananggal is a mythical creature of the Philippines, an evil, man-eating and blood-sucking monster or witch. It is described as hideous, scary, often depicted as female, and capable of severing its upper torso and sprouting huge bat-like wings to fly into the night in search of its victims.

It is said that they mostly prey on sleeping, pregnant women, using an elongated proboscis-like tongue to suck the hearts of fetuses, or the blood of someone who is sleeping. The severed lower torso is left standing, and it is said to be the more vulnerable of the two halves. Sprinkling salt or smearing crushed garlic or ash on top of the standing torso is fatal to the creature. The upper torso then would not be able to rejoin itself and will die by sunrise.

- Wikipedia

I think I read too much Trese.

Monday, February 25, 2013

…I See What You Did There.

So I went to watch “A Good Day to Die Hard” with my brother one night, and had the feeling that someone was watching me… very intently…

I looked around and saw this at the candy crane machine:

mallory's pineapple

LMAO, MAL. Why are you staring at me like that?!

Now I wish I tried to get this thing at least once. I shall return for it when I get the chance! Just look at the evil, plotting grin!

Monday, September 12, 2011

The Sorcerer and the White Snake

Looks like Jet Li is coming up with another film~ I thought he was done with these ancient, Chinese martial arts films, but I guess he changed his mind!

The film is based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake. I haven’t heard of this until now, so I might check out some of the books we have in the library to see if I can find out more about it. The film was also shown out of competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival last 3rd of September, so I’m guessing there are a lot of nifty effects to look forward to~

Can’t wait until the 28th~ Please show this in the original Mandarin dialect with English subtitles! I’m begging you Philippines!!!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Priest 2011

It appears my gothic fangirl-ism has been tendered.

Priest is possibly one of the more epic movies to be released on 2011. It’s based on the Korean graphic novel of the same name, although I find it strange that they want to go with another “vampire” film instead of the zombie saga.

Regardless of the vampires, the presence of the Catholic Church going about its usual ways of covering up something protecting the general public has always been a source of fascination for me. I’m definately watching out for this one when it comes out… Let’s hope it does not disappoint.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Inception

inceptionWhen you fall asleep and dream that you get hurt, the pain feels "real" while you are dreaming. However, when you die in your dreams, you simply wake up.

But is the world of your own subconsciousness really that safe?

Dom Cobb specializes in “Extraction”; stealing secrets from a target’s mind while they are asleep by using an Architect and a Point Man to design and fill a dream world that will make their target reveal real-world secrets. When Saito proposes an offer Cobb could not refuse, he embarks a team to perform an “Inception”; that is, to create new thoughts in the target, which he later accepts as his own idea. He then hires a Chemist and a Forger, but how will he avoid being trapped by the Shade?

There are mostly questions in this review, but that is the only way I can write about this film without revealing too much about the plot. Writer, producer, and director Christopher Nolan did an excellent job with this film that left the audience literally gasping and clapping at the end of the movie. I think this is one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s best work that compares to the Titanic, but of course, that’s just me.

This is a must watch in theaters, but before you do, you might want to read this webcomic which occurs right before the movie. It will give you a better understanding of what’s going on…

Once you have watched the film, however, I want to know: Was the ending real?

Sunday, July 18, 2010

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

the sorcerer's apprentice by disneyIn 740 AD, one of Merlin’s three apprentices, Maxim Horvath, betrays him and joins the evil sorceress, Morgana le Fay. His two other apprentices, Balthazar Blake and Veronica, try to rescue Merlin but is too late as Merlin was mortally wounded. At Veronica’s sacrifice, Balthazar imprisons Morgana along with Veronica in the Grimhold which appears to be a nesting doll. Merlin then leaves his dragon ring to remaining apprentice; a ring that will eventually choose the Prime Merlinian, a sorcerer who will succeed Merlin and obtain his powers.

I’ve been seeing a lot of movies lately, including the much loved or hated Twilight Saga “Eclipse”. There hasn’t been a lot of good movies to write about lately, but this was really enjoyable! Possibly because it’s a Disney film, so you know it’s a feel-good movie.

However, there are many instances in the movie that really reminded me about my childhood. Balthazar Blake is a thousand-year-old wizard played by Nicolas Cage. This character is actually based on the magician Yen Sid in Fantasia’s the Sorcerer’s Apprentice! Mickey Mouse got in a lot of trouble for his mischief, which is pretty much the same as Dave Stutler who pulls almost the exact same stunt as Mickey did.

I won’t spoil the movie any more than that because you really have to watch this for yourself! Oh, and Jay Baruchel who played Dave Stutler, is also the voice of Hiccup in “How to Train Your Dragon”. :3

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Of Similar Worlds: Twilight and Vampire Knight

I’m probably going to get flamed for comparing the two fandoms which people either love or hate, but this was something that I’ve noticed ever since I’ve read the second part of Vampire Knight. Similarities between the two series go beyond the fact that they exist in Vampire Worlds, and this was confirmed when I finally sat down to watch the first movie of the Twilight Saga.

I’ll try to explain this as best as I can without spoiling too much about any of the series, so please hear me out before commenting anything hateful in my blog.

Symbolism

The original covers of the Twilight Novels, particularly New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn have photos of a rose, a red ribbon, and a white king (or white queen?) chess piece respectively. These symbols have appeared numerous times in illustrations made by Hino. However, the red apple which became a signature illustration of Twilight, has never appeared in Vampire Knight as of yet.

Setting

Set in modern day, peace and harmony reign the two worlds so different from the ignorant human race. In Twilight, we see them as Vampires and Werewolves while on Vampire Knight, they are known as Vampires and Vampire Hunters.

The Werewolves and Vampire Hunters will kill any vampire who dare to hurt the humans, but their origins are somewhat different. Werewolves in Twilight are from people who descended from wolves while Vampire Hunters are said to be humans who ate the flesh of a Vampire Ancient in order to attain the powers to kill vampires.

Twilight's Volturi has a Vampire Knight counterpart known as the Vampire Council of Elders. Similarly, Twilight's werewolves are ruled by the Alpha Male, which is the same for Vampire Knight's Hunters' Association.

The Characters

Both series have teens as their main protagonists. However, the similarities do not end there:

Bella Swan/Cullen and Yuuki Cross/Kuran

vampire knight - yuuki cross / yuuki kuan twilight saga - bella swanThe main heroines of both series; not only do they share hair styles and hair colors, but they also have very similar problems: loving two boys at the same time and refusing to choose one over the other. They also act differently when they are with one or the other boys they are choosing from. Bella is more like her human-self when she is with Jacob, which is the same with Yuuki when she is with Zero. The girls do not act like themselves when they are with the one they “truly” love.

As much as I like love triangles, the angst flowing from these two princesses made their respective series somewhat redundant and predictable. However, there is one thing they do not have in common (as of yet)… Bella has chosen Edward, and from what I gather from the fans, she will stay with Edward. Yuuki, on the other hand, still hasn’t chosen what she truly wants and stays with her Ancestor, Kaname for the time being.

There was also the fact that Bella insistently wanted Edward to change her into a vampire. Although Yuuki only wished to become one in order to stay by Kaname's side and/or help Zero, she was also very persistent with Kaname regarding her forgotten past.

Last but not least? Both girls are extremely tempting and tasty. This goes for vampires and werewolves/vampire-hunters-who-are-also-vampires.

Edward Cullen and Kaname Kuran

vampire knight - kaname kuran twilight saga - edward cullenOne thing struck me as the most obvious about these two: their Family Names. “Cullen” and “Kuran” are very, very similar in the way they are read. Although Kaname was revealed to be the ancestor of the Kuran Family and Edward was only turned by Carlisle, the two long for their demise and live only for the one they love. Both boys also seem very distant and have a tendency to fall into mood swings whenever they are with Bella and Yuuki.

Edward confessed to Jacob that even if Bella chose Jacob over him, he would not kill Jacob, because he doesn't want to make Bella miserable. The same promise was mentioned by Kaname, who couldn't bare the thought of Yuuki hating him.

There was also the fact that Edward did not wish to change Bella. Kaname wanted to keep Yuuki "in her box garden" for as long as he could. Edward asked Bella to marry him first before he would change her... Kaname did not mention the same but asked Yuuki to be his lover before he would reveal everything about her past to her.

There were some parts of Eclipse that made me think Edward is similar to Zero Kiryuu as well. For one thing, both characters wished to be apart from the one person they loved because they thought “she would be better off without me”. Both were, of course, coerced to return by the ladies, but I will not spoil any more than that.

Jacob Black and Zero Kiryuu

vampire knight - zero kiryuu twilight saga - jacob blackBoth Jacob and Zero are childhood friends of Bella and Yuuki respectively, but these two do not have the same personalities at all. In fact, Zero is much sadder and angrier than Jacob who smiles a lot more. However, it was their lines that caught my attention.

Jacob wanted to stop at nothing to keep Edward from turning Bella into a vampire. This was the same for Zero until it was later revealed that Yuuki is actually a vampire to begin with. Although Jacob openly confesses to Bella about his feelings for her, Zero is more reluctant to do so, but appears to be incapable of hurting Yuuki and, quite possibly, will wait for her to return to him as well.

Rosalie Hale and Ruka Souen

Similar in appearance and in attitude, both Rosalie and Ruka do not like nor do they accept the main heroines of their series. Blonde, beautiful, and regal, both characters come to terms with the heroines as the series progresses, and eventually end up as friends.

Carlisle and Esme Cullen; Haruka and Juuri Kuran

Parental figures of the male protagonists, Carlisle and Haruka share a common compassion over humans, while Esme and Juuri are both passionate individuals. Esme and Juuri have also had the same hair styles and hair colors, just like their “daughters” Bella and Yuuki.

Carlisle may also share some similarities with Headmaster Kaien Cross. Although Kaien is far more out-going when he’s relaxed, the two are quite fearsome and capable when threatened or serious.

Publication

Both Twilight and Vampire Knight were first published in the year 2005. While Twilight has ended in 2008, however, Vampire Knight is still an on-going series. The tiles of each publication rhyme too.

Authors

Stephanie Meyers and Matsuri Hino both have three syllables in their first names and two syllables in their family names; fives syllables each in total.

Conclusion

I am not an expert on Twilight or Vampire Knight, and while these similarities may be purely coincidental, it is still quite interesting to consider. And please take note that I am not accusing one or the other of plagiarism. I was a huge fan of Vampire Knight, but I did not like reading Twilight at all. Now that I’ve written the similarities down, I begin to wonder why I loved one series and hated the other.

One thing is for certain though… I am losing interest in Vampire Knight, because of the amount of fan-bashing and storyline angst. I really just want Yuuki to choose Kaname or Zero and let it be the end of it.

And no, I don’t think I’ll ever convert to Team Edward or Team Jacob. Vampires just don’t sparkle in my book.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Toy Story 3: Be Good to Your Toys!

One of the better movies I’ve seen in a while…

Toy Story 3. It made me think, how could Disney and Pixar pull-off a third successful movie seeing the first and second ones were absolutely fantastic?

I was blown. Away.

toy stoy 3 - woody, buzz lightyear, jessie, bullseye, slinky dog, mister potato head, missus potato head, rex, hamm, squeez toy aliens, sarge, sergeant, bucket o soldies

Andy, now a 17-year-old kid getting ready for college, no longer has time to play with his toys like he used to. After countless garage sales and spring cleanings, Woody’s family becomes smaller and smaller, even losing Little Bo Peep and her sheep.

Left with only Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Bullseye, Slinky Dog, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rex, Hamm, Toy Aliens, and a few Toy Soldiers, Andy’s mother begins to pester him to clean up his room and gave him two choices: to throw out or to donate the stuff he can’t bring to college with him. Otherwise, anything left in his room will be thrown out. What will he do to his beloved toys?

I’m 26, but I still have a lot of my childhood toys hidden in my room and around the house. The ending made me tear up a bit because I began to feel guilty about not playing with my old toys. And well, are PVCs even considered toys? I’ve never played with them the way Andy did, haha~

I highly recommend watching this in the theater. Don’t miss it, guys! And oh yeah, Totoro from Studio Ghibli’s “My Neighbor Totoro” is in this movie!!! I want a plush of him too! :(

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Last Airbender

I saw this in the movie theater last night. Don't ask what I watched though, as this was the only thing worth mentioning from last night:

Trailer from the Official Website.

I'm quite happy they finally pushed through with this film, and with M. Night Shyamalan as the director, this might turn out to be a pretty awesome movie. Let's try to forget Shyamalan's last few films, and remember the good ones, shall we?

Though it makes me wonder... Where's Appa? And for goodness sake, I thought Prince Zuko was suppose to be Chinese? Dx But I'll hold my tongue from any more complaints until I see this on the big screen.

I must say though, Noah Ringer is probably the cutest Aang I have ever seen. x3

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Alice in Wonderland

alice in wonderland by tim burton13 years after Alice Kingsley's first encounter with the strange white rabbit in a waistcoat, Alice has grown to be a beautiful young lady, who is soon to be engaged to Hamish Ascot. The death of her father has led to the Ascot to take over the Kingsley's family business specializing in foreign trade.

Alice is troubled and unsure about Hamish's proposal and is troubled by her "visions" of the white rabbit running around in the engagement party. She decides to follow the rabbit, leaving Hamish without an answer.

The white rabbit leads Alice to an all-too-familiar rabbit hole. Peering closely from the edge, Alice falls into the hole and enters Underland, the real name of the world "Wonderland" that she stumbled upon when she was much younger.

I was able to watch this film with my siblings last Sunday. I must admit that I enjoyed seeing Wonderland as if it were depicted in the real world, but my siblings were confused with the details since they couldn't remember what happened in the animated film. I've been reading mixed reviews about the film too, but I think Tim Burton did a fantastic job. I don't recall seeing the White Queen in the animated film, but Anne Hathaway just blew me away... Even if the ending of the film made me think the White Queen is practically a damsel in distress sort of ruler. -_-;;; I kinda wish the White Rabbit was a lot cuter, but Johnny Depp being the Mad Hatter made up for that very nicely. I mean, how could you possibly go wrong with Johnny Depp? Really?

Anyway, people, go watch the film! I'm sure you wouldn't regret it~ ♥

Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, that is Rei Ayanami on my banner. Apparently, almost everyone in the family thinks she is "my most favorite character ever!" What's a gal gotta do aside from cower and cave in?

Besides... I kinda like this better than my Kaname one... What do you guys think?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

It's Complicated

meryl streep, steve martin, and alec baldwin - it's complicatedWhen the Adler children had finally grown up despite her becoming a single mom for the last 10 years, Jane thought she had finally got it together and begun to feel "normal" again. No longer did she sleep through lonely nights, and she even had a successful bakery known as, simply, "The Bakery".

Who would have thought attending her son, Luke's graduation with her ex-huband Jake, would actually develop into an affair? And the timing couldn't be worse as her architect, Adam, seems to have fallen head over heels for her too!

Oh, did I mention Jake had already remarried to a much younger girl named Agness who had a son with another man?

Told you it's complicated!

It's actually been a long time since I last went to watch a movie in a theater. I have to admit, Meryl Streep did a wonderful job in this film. I bet most people didn't realize she was the boss in "The Devil Wears Prada".

In any case, it's a cute romantic comedy film, and not the typical ones you see these days. Yes, I'm talking about the Twilight Saga, but that's another story. It's really refreshing to see love from the eyes of the more mature and successful women; and, that despite getting a divorce, there's still hope for love.

Admittedly, however, teens may find this film boring since they prefer Twilight and all, but I thought it was a really nice film. Alec Baldwin was adorable and so was Alec Baldwin. I wish we got to see more of Adam though...

...oh and yeah, my brother-in-law and I had a craving for chocolate croissants after the film. Anyone know of a place that has good chocolate croissants, if at all?

"Age is one of my favorite things about you." - Adam Schaffer

Aww~ ♥

Monday, August 17, 2009

Bee Season

A seemingly simple family of a child with a special gift, Bee Season follows the story of Eliza Naumann, the youngest child and daughter of Saul and Miriam Naumann. What starts as a little girl's attempt to be closer to her father ends in a strained relationship amongst a once strong family bond. Saul's obsession with his daughter leaves his wife and son lonely, leading Miriam into a deeper into her obsessive-compulsive disorder and Aaron to question his religious views and convert into becoming a Hare Krishna.

The film shows each individual attempt to become closer to God, finding his/her own way to Him. All of which seem to be unsuccessful, aside from Eliza's. It was a strange movie, but I happen to like Richard Gere. And it's a reminder of how parents can become overly obsessed with their child's success, that nothing else seems to matter... including their own family. However, the effects were pretty good... It makes me wonder if Richard Gere could really play the violin. ♥

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Unleashed (Danny the Dog)

unleashed (danny the dog)Danny, a young man trained to be a human "attack dog", is a skilled fighter who has the emotional capacity of a young child. When his owner, "Uncle" Bart unchains his collar, he becomes unstoppable; giving Bart the upper hand when it comes to collecting loans.

In a strange twist of fate, Danny meets a blind piano tuner, Sam. It was the first time anyone treated him like a human being, not to mention Danny was completely fascinated by pianos to begin with.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, an accident occurred, leading Danny to think that his uncle is dead. With no one left to turn to, he returns to Sam. Will Sam be able to give Danny a normal life, or will Danny's past catch up to him and endanger Sam and his step-daughter Victoria?

I got to catch this on Studio 23 tonight... I remember my brother-in-law asking me about this film and told him I couldn't recall this film, even though we had seen it together before. Now that I was able to jog my memory a bit, it's pretty good, and Jet Li and Morgan Freeman did an awesome job. The story's a little on the straight forward side, but the action scenes are cool... so it's not a bad film to see when you're bored.

...just not the kind of film to watch when you're trying to draw Shoujo Manga. I completely failed at drawing 2 more pages because of this movie, heh. Ah well...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Proposal

the proposal - here comes the bribeWhat do you do if your boss, whom you absolutely loathe, suddenly tells you that the two of you are getting married?

That is the unfortunate(?) situation Andrew Paton finds himself in as his boss, Margaret Tate, is in danger of getting herself deported back to Canada, losing her job and everything she's worked for to the employee she had just fired. Andrew plays along with her game in order to get promoted to editor, and get his manuscript published.

Who knew that the hard-working assitant was actually not all the editor-in-chief thought he was?

This was a very enjoyable film~! Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds did a very good job in their own respective roles, and Betty White was simply adorable~! I won't spoil much about it, since really, it's better to just go see it than to read about it... So go watch it, please! :D

That aside, Leilei has jipped me into joining Twitter. Do follow me if it suits your tastes? :3 Though I wonder how long I'll last with this one, seeing I dropped plurk a long time ago.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Public Enemies

public enemies movie posterThe life story of John Dillinger, one of USA's infamous criminals has found it's way to the silver screen.

"Public Enemies" stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale as they portray the charismatic cat-and-mouse game between the thief, John Dillinger, and FBI Agent, Melvin Purvis as set in the late 1930's. It shows how Dillinger was able to escape from prison twice and his heists; robbing banks and even planning to rob a train.

I've seen the documentary about the life of John Dillinger. Sadly, the documentary was far more interesting than the movie. I suppose eating at Tony Roma's before watching this film made it even more difficult to stay awake, which I have to say, is still a very good place for honey-cured, baby back ribs and cookie skillets. I should write a proper review about that restaurant some time. But even with that aside, the movie didn't show much of John's charisma. To most viewers, it probably didn't make sense why people were cheering him on when he was caught in Tucson and extradited back to Indiana since we didn't see much of his charm towards his hostages.

Oh well, I suppose I should have said I prefered to watch "The Proposal", but brother-in-law seemed really keen in watching this movie. And honestly, I was expecting it to be much better than what I saw because of that documentary. I guess seeing Johnny Depp and Christian Bale makes up for the weird story line. :3

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

harry potter and the half blood prince poster featuring draco malfoyThe 6th installment of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, the movie adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" premiered last July 15 (16 here in Asia). It proves to be darker than previously released films, focusing more on the evil side of magic.

Draco Malfoy is being forced to aid the Dark Lord as it is expected of him as the son of a Death Eater. Severus Snape creates an unbreakable vow with his mother in order to ensure Draco will be protected in his mission. Would this mean that Dumbledore has indeed misplaced his trust on Severus? Would this be a mistake with which he will pay a severe price for?

I was fortunate enough to be able to watch this last Sunday. I have to say, despite being a fan of the book, this is probably my favorite movie adaptation among the 6. Maybe because the ending didn't feel rushed this time?

Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, is really growing up to be a very pretty lady. My officemate and I have been talking about Draco Malfoy's fate in the final book, and I told her it makes more sense to me now why he turned after watching the 6th movie. I think he may have been traumatized with his mission, and he was really nothing more than an arrogant young boy. I don't really like Ginny Weasly though... I imagined she'd be prettier than Hermione. >.<;;;

I'm still glad Rowling decided to focus this book on the half-blood prince though. He's one of my favorite characters in the series. Or rather, he's become my favorite in teh series when it ended.

I can't wait for the final 2 movies for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows"! The book disappointed me enough, so I'm hoping the movie will bring it back to light...

Monday, June 1, 2009

Nanny McPhee

nanny mcpheeIn 1840, England, an undertaker named Cedric Brown is left to care for his seven children alone when his wife passed away. The children are unfortunately very rambunctious and ill-mannered. Simon, Tora, Lily, Eric, Sebastian, Christianna, and Aggie have made it a point to drive each and every last nanny out of their house as soon as possible.

That is, until Nanny McPhee arrives to discipline them by use of magic and teach the Brown household 5 lessons:
  • To go to bed when they are told.
  • To get up when they are told.
  • To get dressed when they are told.
  • To listen.
  • To do as they are told.
And it's only when all this is learned that Nanny McPhee will be satisfied, stating "when you need me, but do not want me, then I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me, then I have to go."

I was lucky enough to catch this on ETC one night. I had been meaning to watch this ever since I saw the trailer a few years ago. I have to say, Emma Thompson put up quite a performance. In her appearance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, she stated that she turned down a role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows in order to take on this film.

2 other movies were said to be on the making to make this a trilogy, though I haven't heard or seen anything as of yet. I'd love to watch the next two though.

Friday, February 20, 2009

No Reservations

no reservations movie poster, catherine zeta-jones and aaron eckhartWhen someone suddenly enters your world and you realize that you you are no longer the best there is, how would you handle the situation?

Kate is a master chef who had everything cut out for her. She takes her job seriously and runs her kitchen with a certain strictness that intimidates everyone from her co-workers, her boss, and to the Greenwich Village clientèle.

Unfortunately, Kate's sister had an accident and she is left to care for her niece, Zoe. Worse, sous-chef Nick filled in for her while she was on leave, winning the hearts of everyone in what she considers to be her world. Even Zoe opened up to Nick a lot easier than she would to her own aunt, making Kate feel threatened by her rival.

And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, Kate's boss wanted to replace her with Nick.

The movie really got to me since I use to work like Kate. I took my work so seriously that I forgot about everything else life had to offer. This movie reminded me that there is more to life than the work place. It's a nice, "feel good" movie for workaholics to remind themselves to step back and see the bigger picture.

I have to say, Catherine Zeta-Jones still looks as pretty as ever. Maybe even too pretty for Aaron Eckhart. *^.~*

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Brave One

the brave one"How many wrongs to make it right?"

Sometimes, we ask ourselves the very same question. When there are those who wrong us, we want to take revenge to make things even.

But what if someone took away your fiancé and left you for dead? The only person in the world whom you could finally call "family" after you've lost all of your own?

What would you do?

Jodie Foster stared as Erica Bain, a radio show host and professional flâneur, someone who walks the streets in order to experience it. After she and her fiancé were attacked, however, she found hard to even step out of her apartment. She was so traumatized that she decided to buy a gun to keep herself safe, not even able to wait for a month to get a proper permit.

The conclusion is left to the judgment of the viewers. Some say that justice was served, while others say Erica is no more than a criminal vigilante, seeking to kill people and thus depriving them from their chance to repent and change their ways.

Jodie Foster played her role really well, and shows her talent as an actress. I like the film very much, even if it's against my beliefs that anyone has the right to take another person's life. I think it shows how the world is not always so black and white when it comes to good and evil; something we learn when we grow up and gain wisdom in life.

How would you handle a situation as devastating as Erica's?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Bram Stoker's Dracula

gary oldman as the young prince, count draculaIn 1462, Vlad III the Invader returns home to find his beloved wife, Elisabeta, dead. She took her own life when she had received false news of her husband's death. Because suicide is a sin, he would not meet his wife in heaven. This enraged Dracula and he renounced God, stating that he will rise from the grave to avenge Elisabeta with all the powers of darkness.

More than 400 years later, Count Dracula, now old but still very much alive, finds a photo of Mina Murray from his young law firm clerk, Jonathan Harker. He realizes that Mina is the reincarnation of Elisabeta and travels to Abbey to meet her. Mina feels a connection with this mysterious prince and begins to fall in love with him, despite her engagement to Jonathan.

Now this, is what I call a beautiful vampire movie. A tortured soul who could love only one person, driven by revenge... And yet, he loved her too much and could not find it in himself to turn her... at first.

It's a definite recommend, even if it is a 1992 film. I was surprised to find a familiar name, Abrahan Van Helsing, as one of the characters. And I had no idea that vampires needed to be stabbed in the heart and beheaded in order to be killed. I always thought it was an either/or thing.

Keanu Reeves looks like a dork though... a really cute dork. xD