The Darkest Hour

Philippine Showing: January 25

St. Basils Cathedral

This poster illustrates how the invisible aliens can easily disintegrate humans into dust

Max Minghella as Ben, Olivia Thirlby as Natalie, Emile Hirsch as Sean and Rachael Taylor as Anne

Max Minghella as Ben carrying the microwave-spitting weapon

the aliens

 

Emile Hirsch as Sean trying to look for invisible aliens | how hard can that be?

Anne and Ben

Inside the apartment/cage

After class, (yes, I have classes on Sundays - parang Sunday school lang. haha!) my classmates/friends and I went out and had dinner at Coco's South Bistro.After dinner, we headed to Abreeza and had reserved tickets for the movie.

The Darkest Hour.

Director Chris Gorak (Right at Your Door) teams with producer Timur Bekmambetov for this tense apocalyptic thriller centering on the fight for survival waged by five youths who find themselves stranded in Moscow during an alien invasion. As the invisible extraterrestrials absorb all of Earth's energy and life forms, finding a means of escaping the unstoppable attackers becomes a seemingly impossible task. Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, and Max Minghella star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

High points:

• Storyline. The storyline of the movie is quite similar to other apocalyptic thrillers but with a significant twist in the sense that the invaders are cloaked in an electrically-charged shield that affects the environment around them. What I got really excited about was the idea that the darkness is safer than the light! And so to survive, they have to lurk in the dark - which is commonly more terrifying in reality. Also, the twists of the story was unpredictable. I totally swear I was caught off guard. Yes, some of the sequences were quite predictable but there are some that will totally surprise you and make you feel really sad. :(
• Setting. Producer Timur Bekmambetov said that "the 3D thriller is one of the rare films that have showcased the characteristic beauty of Russia." After this movie, I am in love with Moscow, Russia. I have seen its marvel in Amazing Race before but it has struck me to a new intensity now. The architecture, the history and the culture - all now seemed so wonder-and wander-ful.
• Thrill. The thrill is killing me. It made me put my hand over my mouth almost throughout the film so that I wouldn't scream inside the cinema house and humiliate myself. The cinema is 2/3 full, btw.  
• Special effects. The effects was impressive. We watched it in regular cinemas but still the effects looked realistic and innovative, quite different from what we have seen before.  My favorite was when the aliens are invading the world, they seemed aurora-like apparition in the sky. They looked like beautiful and gigantic rain drops. 
• Actors. The actors are effective in bringing the emotions to the table. Many times during the movie had I felt various emotions and I credit that to the efficacy of the actors. 

Low points:

• Inconsistency. At the first half of the movie, I admired how they made the invasion so realistic basing everything on science and using logic to explain everything that they know of the invaders. However, the scenes reached to some focal points of the movie wherein they did a complete 180 and bended some of the logic they have established. You'd understand what I'm trying to say when you watch or have watched the movie. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't. :)
• Ending. The movie ended so soon. I can't believe that 89 minutes had gone by that fast. I don't know if it was because I enjoyed it that much or was it because I was looking forward for more, that I felt the the problem was left unresolved. However, I learned (after watching the movie) that their aim was to survive and not to destroy the invaders. But in the movie, they made me believed that they can defeat the aliens. I was so into that idea that I felt so disappointed that it ended.
• Climax. The climax of the movie was unsatisfactory. It was thrilling indeed but it felt far less that what I envisioned considering that the movie started really strong for me.

 Verdict:

Overall, I find the movie so-so. It's the movie that you won't miss a thing if you haven't watched it but still you're in for a good thrill if you do. I like to watch horror or thriller movies because I enjoy the feeling of anxiety (weird, i know!). The most exciting thing for me would be asking myself, how would I act in the face of this kind of adversity? Clearly an alien invasion is, hopefully, not in our future. The film is really about young people trying to figure out who they are and what it takes to survive and be with their loved ones.

Happy watching!

Love,
Me. 

Beastly

Tonight, I had dinner with family and cousins.

After dinner, the gang (Monique, Ram, Jessa and I) agreed to go catch a movie.

We all wanted to watch Beastly, we've heard good feedback from friends regarding the movie, and so we were excited.

Here's the plot of the movie, for those who haven't heard about it:

Kyle Kingson (Alex Pettyfer) has it all -- looks, intelligence, wealth and opportunity -- and a wicked cruel streak. Prone to mocking and humiliating "aggressively unattractive" classmates, he zeroes in on Goth classmate Kendra, inviting her to the school's extravagant environmental bash. Kendra accepts, and, true to form, Kyle blows her off in a particularly savage fashion. She retaliates by casting a spell that physically transforms him into everything he despises. Enraged by his horrible and unrecognizable appearance he confronts Kendra and learns that the only solution to the curse is to find someone that will love him as he is -- a task he considers impossible.

Repulsed by his appearance, Kyle's callous and equally mean father banishes him to Brooklyn with a sympathetic housekeeper and blind tutor. As Kyle ponders how to overcome the curse and get his old life back, he chances upon a drug addict in the act of killing a threatening dealer. Seizing the opportunity, Kyle promises the addict freedom and safety for his daughter Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) if she will consent to live in Kyle's Brooklyn home. 

Thus begins Kyle's journey to discover true love in this hyper-modern retelling of the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' story.

High points of the movie:

• The approach of the story is very realistic, except for the spell-that-made-one-hot-guy-into-a-really-ugly-one part (but hey! who knows? I mean, I want to believe that Hogwarts does exist! :p).
• The acting of both the lead stars are almost convincing and believable. I like how May-Kate Olsen (a.k.a. Kendra) portrayed her role -very mysterious and wicked! 
• Alex's transformation was very impressive, the tattoos, scars and all the uglyness is done very well.
• Alex looks hot! haha! Even when he's transformed to being ugly he still looks yummy! ^^

Low points of the movie:

• Very predictable. A classic lovestory. No twist or whatsoever.
• Kilig factor is so-so.
• Vanessa's make-up sucks! Peace to her fans! :)

 Verdict:

3.5 stars!

I recommend this movie to the youngsters and for those who are young at heart. It is a good inspirational movie for those who want to fall in love. It's moral point is that falling in love is not all about the physical appearance of your soon-to-be partner, but more importantly about how good he or she is as a person and how he or she treats you as well as other people.

 ALERT!!! If you plan to watch this movie, I guess your first move would be going to www.youtube.com and watch the trailer. Do not do that!!! Trust me! :)


Hope that could help, or at least entertain, you.

Hahahaha :)

I sooooo love their slogan: LOVE IS NEVER UGLY, true enough! :)


Love,
Me.

Red Riding Hood: Review

 Tonight, we went out and watched...

For those who have not heard about the movie, here is the plot.


Plot Summary:

           Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. Panic grips the town as Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast--one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect...and bait. 

My thoughts:

• The movie seemed boring at the first 15-30 minutes with less action and more dialogue, but when you keep close attention, each little detail is a prelude that helps build up the whole story.

• The story is loosely associated with the "Little Red Riding Hood" literature. It is more of a thriller-filled rendition of the original, far from the sweet and innocent story with some sexual scenes and a lot of brutality going on. But I like it that way, it's unexpected and unusually pleasurable. 

• I thought that the costume and the creative score of this film was superb.

• Amanda Seyfried's acting is unbelievable and flawless.

• Both her leading men are HOT!

                                            Henry                              Peter

• I love how the story was presented and how it went from beginning to the end. I love how the director keeps the watchers on guessing who could be the culprit til the end. And trust me, you'll never suspect who the wolf is.

• I definitely love how the movie ended. No hanging questions. ^^

 

My Verdict:

This is a must-watch movie. Good story, good effects and good acting. This movie can give you equal parts of suspense, thrill and heart. A classic tale with a fantastic twist. But I warn you, you need to be extremely focused to appreciate the movie. Go watch it now and enjoy!!! ^^

Love,
me. ^__^