Matrix - 1999

Category: Movie

Genre: Epic / Thriller / Sci-Fi

Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Writer: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Producer: Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, and more

Tagline: The Future isn't User Friendly

A computer hacker named Thomas A. Anderson and who goes by the name Neo(Keanu Reeves), learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.He has always questioned reality but then the truth is far beyond what he imagines.

Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker who was branded a terrorist by the government began to initiate contact with him and the FBI was suddenly after him. Morpheus begins to awakens Neo to the real world.... and there the journey begins...

This is probably my 3rd time to watch the film. And it's amazing how you can watch the Matrix from many different levels:

1.) as a guns and technological movie (or sci-fi)
2.) as something about a Messiah in a religious point of view.
3.) or a metaphor of how we all see through the veils of illusion

and many different levels one can see... but so far, that's how I saw it. It's pretty similar to our Workshop:Courage the concept of taking the red pill or the blue pill and there's no turning back. Every journey begins with a Question... and it's what started his Quest.

Classic. Epic. Everytime you watch it, something is always revealed that wasn't there before. Effects, acting... plot... ahhh everything is just so right.

If you haven't watched at least once... then you are missing out one of the best sci-fi films ever! :)

Photo Source: Freewebs

Cathedral - Nelson Demille

Category: Books

Genre: Spy / Thriller

Author: Nelson Demille



Demille is one of my favorite authors in the "spy genre". I first read his book "Charm School".

The Cathedral, is a book that is hard to put down! I have to stay awake to get to the next chapter. Finally, I finished it!!! I actually read this twice, the first one wasn't successful since I couldn't quite get the drift so I didn't finish it. The second time, I began to get the gist of the story.

It's a tragic, romantic story between a revolutionary IRA couple Brian Flynn and Maureen Malone. And both their love for their country - Ireland and it's people. It tackles on an issue between the IRA (Irish Resistance Army) and their hatred for the British concentration camps. A cycle that never ends.

Maureen got burned out and got out of the group but was always reminded by Flynn: "Once in, never out". Which haunted the rest of her life, she took a different path to free their people who are in concentration camps... and began making alliances with the Brits, publicly during St. Patrick's Day in New York.

Brian Flynn and a group of IRA  who has family and friends inside those camps they want to free decided to take hostage 4 people (The Cardinal, Father Murphy, Baxter(British) and Maureen), and took hold of the Cathedral which they plan to blow up with a deadline.

One thing about novels involving the Irish... there's this sense of the occult and always always with a hint of magic and mystery. Because webbed in the story may be considered as a logical point of view, can be Flynn's imagination... but to them who believes in supernatural phenomena.... then it's something different. ;) (something involving the ring and the drive Flynn has).

Photo Source: Ioffer

Babe, I Love You - 2010

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Mae Czarina Cruz

Writer: Mia Bacarro, Margarette Labrador,
 
Producer: ABS CBN Film Productions, Viva Films, Star Cinema Productions

Cast:Sam Milby, Anne Curtis, Laurice Gullen, Tetchie Agbayani, Kitkat, Guji Lorenzana and more.

Tagline:



Nicolas "Nico" Veneracion Borromeo is a highly esteemed History of Architecture professor, who is on his way to becoming the next Vice Dean of the Department. He knows that this was his only way of making his forgive him and be proud of him. Then, he meets Sandra "Sasa" Sanchez, and then his whole world turns upside down..... but one thing is... Sasa who works as a promo girl is obviously unacceptable in his life.. specially his mom.


Well, it's a ball of "kilig moments". And a couple of drama between son and a strict mom. Also a typical story of a man on the upper class and a woman, on the other side of the road. Anne sure is good in giving us a few laughs here and there... making it a cute film to look forward to.

Even if it's typical.. it's a good watch.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Action / Thriller

Director: Brad Bird

Writer: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec

Producer: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladmir Mashkov, Samuli Edelmann, Ivan Shvedoff, Anil Kapoor, Lea Seydoux and more.

Tagline: No Plan. No Backup. No Choice.


 Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), and a new team  is tracking down Hendricks and racing against time, a dangerous terrorist who gained access to a Russian Nuclear Launch codes and is planning a strike on the United States. An attempt by Hunt and his team ends in an explosion causing damage to the Kremlin and the IMF is being implicated forcing the President of the US to invoke the Ghost Protocol, where IMF is disavowed and will be offered no help or backup in whatever form.

It is gripping, over the edge action during the beginning till the end! It will take you from Moscow to Dubai to Mumbai! Cool gadgets and gizmos were being presented along the way, which will satisfy all you spy afficionado's!

And the funny one liners in between worked. I had fun! The story aint that groundbreaking or something new... but I was entertained and was on the edge most of the time.

Why did I ever stall my watching this? Well, everything's just perfect. :)

I love the scenes in Burj Kalifa, because I've been there! And it's actually cool to see it on film with Tom Cruise! (Wow, we were on the same place! Haha!)

Photo Source: Weeklysnooze

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery:Double Crossing - Carolyn Keene

Category: Books

Genre: Mystery / Teens

Author: Carolyn Keene


Nancy Drew is enjoying a luxury cruise aboard the ship where George (her friend) is the new social director. It sounds like a great escape from all the cases she had to leave back in the mainland when she overhears a plan to sell CIA secrets to another country. She also bumps into the Hardy Boys who are working undercover on the same cruise ship trying to track a dangerous group of thieves who prey on the rich cruise ship passengers.

It's a good mystery for kids and teenagers. :) Bought it a long time ago, just read it now. :) It was a quick read as well.

A Thousand Words - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Comedy / Inspirational

Director: Brian Robbins

Writer: Steve Koren

Producer: Saturn Films, Dreamworks SKG, Varsity Pictures

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Washington, Emmanuel Ragsdale, Jill Basey, Greg Collins, Robert LeQuang, Michael Wilkinson, Cliff Curtis and more

Tagline: Make every word count.

Just to make the deal with a spiritual guru, literary agent Jack McCall stretches the truth, and when he got home finds an unusual Bodhi tree on his property. It is teaching him a very important lesson about every word he speaks, he finds out that everytime he speaks a leaf drops off of the tree and he would die if all leaves fall out.


I found it quiet corny at the beginning and was looking like it is a mock-up of "spiritual" gurus, but then it turned out fine right in the middle towards the end. I actually enjoyed it. Eddie Murphy, was just that at the beginning - LOUD! It's a good balance between comedy and drama... and it's got a nice message built into the story which is one of the reason why I enjoyed the film.

Photo Source: Pinoy Technologies

Elizabeth 4: Downstairs, Upstairs - Francine Pascal's

Category: Book

Creator: Francince Pascal's


Elizabeth is in big trouble. She might get deported back to America. Unless someone from the Pennington mansion would stand up for her. But, who would do it? Everybody seems to hate her.

Well, it's kinda off reading Book 4 without reading the first series. But, I wanted to revisit the characters I've grown to love ever since I was a kid. And this is a continuation of their ongoing journey. And this time, my very favorite... Elizabeth! :)


Anyway, it didn't come off as exciting like it did before... but still it's a good journey. :) Albeit a very short one. :) Uhmm very typical as well. Book afficionados, won't really fancy this. But, kids? They would. Oh and High School too! :)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Category: Movie

Genre: Sci-Fi

Writer: Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci

Director: Michael Bay

Producer: Dreamworks SKG, Paramount Pictures


Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Ramon Rodriguez, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Isabel Lucas, John Benjamin Hickey, Matthew Marsden, Andrew Howard and more.

Tagline: Only one team will transform your summer

Sam Witwicky(Shia LaBeouf) leaves the Autobots behind for a normal college life. The Decepticons once again makes trouble in Shanghai, and Sam begins to see some symbols and glyphs imprinted on his mind. Decepticons knows about this and hunts for Sam.


I thought I saw this part, but was surprised I didn't get to watch this part. Also, I can't find my review for the first part of this film. I love the soundtrack! I enjoyed it. Although, there was too much metal and believe me it wasn't eye candy but then the action scenes got me till the end. The thing that was kind of off was the romance part... it just wasn't working.

Well, whatdya say,... I just love em Transformers! :)

Photo Source: English Moviez

The Road to Gandolfo - Robert Ludlum

Category: Books

Genre: Comedy

Author: Robert Ludlum as Michael Shepherd.


This is a funny story about General MacKenzie Hawkins whom they dubbed of as "The Hawk", a military legend who seems to be popular. On an assignment he defaces an important Chinese memorial while being drugged by a Chinese general and in return was asked by the Chinese for the Americans for him to be kicked out. As revenge, he plots to kidnap the Pope, with a ransom of one dollar for every Catholic in the world.


It was ridiculous in most parts. And the two characters were good combo. Sometimes, one of them getting wee bit crazy. It is still intelligent. But I got confused with the ending, really. Anyway, it has quite interesting characters specially MacKenzie's wives, it's a refreshing, comedic side of Ludlum I'm reading. 

How To Train Your Dragon - 2010

Category: Movie / Animation

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure

Writer: William Davis and Dean Deblois

Director: Dean Deblois, Chris Sanders

Producer: DreamWorks Animation, Mad Hatter Entertainment, Mad Hatter Films

Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz Plasse, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wig, Robin Atkin Downes, and more.

Tagline:


A young Viking, named Hiccup on the Island of Berk, wants to join the fight and hunt dragons that continually raid their town. But, being clumsy and small, he was always discouraged by his father, Stoik the Vast who is a village leader. Despite his being clumsy and small, his attribute goes to his creativity/inventiveness. While out doing his best to prove that he is worthy to be a Viking,he was set to kill, but could not bring himself to do it. Out of curiosity, he befriends the dragon whom he calls Toothless. 

Oooh yeahhh!! Dragons! and Taming them? Well you are right!!! I had a fun time watching the film. It was exciting and heart warming too! :) I enjoyed the relationship of Hiccup and Toothless, they gave enough time for the characters to develop which actually gives depth to the movie.

Great animation, but what matters a lot is the story and the journey of Hiccup and Toothless. Both, young and old would enjoy this dragon and viking tale! :)

Funny Lines:

Hiccup: And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl, like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich.
[imitating]
Hiccup: "Excuse me, barmaid! I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring! I ordered an extra-large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side. This here, this is a talking fish-bone!"

Fishlegs: [to Tuffnut] Your mom let you get a tattoo?
Tuffnut: It's not a tattoo, it's a birth mark!
Ruffnut: Okay, I've been stuck with you since birth and that was never there before.
Tuffnut: Yes it was! You've just never seen me from the left side until now. 

Emo Lines:

Hiccup: Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? Would've been better, for everyone...
Astrid: Yep. The rest of us would have done it. So why didn't you?  Why didn't you?
H: I don't know... I couldn't.
A: That's not an answer.
H: "Why" is this so important to you all of a sudden?
A: Because I want to remember what you say, right now.
H: Oh, for the love of... I was a coward! I was weak! I wouldn't kill a dragon!
A: You said "wouldn't", that time.
H: Agh, whatever... I "wouldn't"! Three hundred years, and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!
A: First to ride one, though. So...?
Hiccup: I wouldn't kill him, because he looked as frightened as *I* was. I looked at him... and I saw myself.

Photo Source: HowtoTrainYourDragon.Blogspot

City Hunter - 2011

Category: TV Series

Genre: Action / Suspense / Romance

Director: Jin Hyuk

Writer: Soo Jin Choi, Eun Kyung Hwang

Cast: Lee Min Ho, Park Min Young, Kim Sang-Jung


Lee Yeung Su applies and got accepted at the Blue House for the National Communication Department with a hidden agenda. He was selected because of his prestigious background having been graduated from MIT. He meets Kim Nana who works as a bodyguard at the Blue House, and they begin to fall for each other. 


I enjoyed this whole series. It's actually my first time to watch a Korean drama with all the action and mystery. Although, City Hunter Lee Yeung Su has the same qualities with Batman. While the Prosecutor Kim Jeong Su, got similarities with TwoFace albeit keeping his morale intact.

Anyway, it was unique all on it's own, because it also mixed romance, and family life in between and the issues between politics and corruption. Of course it never fails to place the Korean flair of comedic scenes and equally heartbreaking ones.

Sometimes, it tends to be disturbing, as trust and loyalty issues are being resolved.

The last two episodes turned out to be quite exciting, and both unpredictable and predictable, but still can make you wonder how it would turn out in the end. The ending was quite sad but somehow something  relieving as the cycle of revenge finally comes to an end.

Photo Source: http://thepensieveonline.blogspot.com/

John Carter - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Adventure / Fantasy / Action

Writer: Andrew Stanton

Director: Andrew Stanton

Producer: Walt Disney Pictures

Cast: Taylor Kitsch,Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, Claran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Bryan Cranston, Polly Walker, and more

Tagline: Lost in Our World. Found in Another.

A Civil War veteran named John Carter, was trying to escape and is being pursued by the army. Got into a battle with Indians. Carter then seeks refuge in a cave, and saw someone holding a medallion and when Carter got around to touching it, he finds himself transplanted to MARS. Founds himself a prisoner of 12foot tall beings, and when he tries to escapes, he encounters a princess who needed someone to save her community.

It was quite dragging at the beginning, but turned out interesting by the middle of the movie. I would've dropped it at the first few scenes, but I pushed through. and good thing, I did! I learned that it was an adaptation or inspired by the book Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Cool, right? 

 I feel that the setting is unique, what with all the Mars*Barsoom* thing in the picture. It was also comedic in some parts, which reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean. :) And while reviewing this, it just made me realized that it's a Disney film! so much for the reference, right? It's a mix of Star Wars (weird beings), Indiana Jones (the first few scenes), a bit of Avatar, Prince of Persia and yeah, Pirates of the Caribbean (for the funny scenes). Great CGI too.

Anyway, its a good film to watch, despite it's bad critic for people who judged before watching the film. It's a good layered film, with a love story thrown between a Princess of Helium and an Earthling, coupled with some emotional and other funny scenes. It's simple, so don't overthink the whole movie, okayyy?

In short, I had a blast as I was transported to the Red Planet, Barsoom. :)

Photo Source: www.blogcdn.com

The Last Airbender - 2010

Category: Animation / Movie

Genre: Fantasy 

Writer: M. Night Shyamalan

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Producer: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Blinding Edge Pictures

Cast: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub, Aasif Mandvi, Cliff Curtis, Seychelle Gabriel, Katharine Houghton, Francis Guinan and more

Tagline: Four nations, one destiny


The world is divided into four kingdoms, Water, Air, Fire, Earh. The story follows the adventures of Aang of the kingdom Air, a young successor to a long line of Avatars, the only being linked to the Spirit World and the only one who is capable to master all four elements.

Awww  I LIKE IT! I heard about how other people thinks it sucks and all that. But, I actually love it. Well, anything magical even though it is predictable... is amusing for me. (Just came back from Aletheia - a 3 week workshop and I can clearly connect the dots of what we discussed and the things that came up in the movie). Anyway, for everybody's sake I haven't seen the original cartoon series, so I can't really say anything bad about it. :)

Although the film did feel like it was rushed and character development was poor... but the action scenes were equally riveting. :) Great musical score as well!! :)

Quotes I Like:

Iroh: There are reasons each of us are born. we have to find those reasons.

Gran: He will begin to change hearts, and it is in the heart that all wars are won.