The School of Rock - 2003

Category: Movie

Genre: Comedy / Music

Director: Richard Linklater

Writer: Mike White

Producer: Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, MFP Munich Film Partners

Cast: Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack, Adam Pascal, Lucas Papaelias, Chris Stack, Sarah Silverman, Lucas Babin, Jordan Claire-Green and more.

Tagline: Mr. Black. Accept no substitute. Come on feel the noize.

A wannabe, down and out rock star Dewey Finn (Jack Black) gets fired from his band, and now faces a lot of debt and suffers from depression. He then takes or poses as a substitute teacher at a very strict private preparatory school and tries to turn his 4th grade class into a rock band.


Prepare to rock your heart out with this film! The CD of this film has been with me since 2004!! But then, I never got around to watching it but just now. This is an entertaining feel-good film specially for the guys "rocking" it out! It cracks you up at the right moment as well. Jack Black's dynamics with the kids was also good and added zing to the whole thing.

Photo Source: Last FM

Pitch Perfect - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Musical / Comedy / Romance

Director: Jason Moore

Writer: Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin

Producer: Brownstone Productions III, Gold Circle Films

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Anna Camp, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Kelley Jakle, Wanetah Walmsley, Shelley Regner, and more.

Tagline: Get Pitch Slapped

The Barden Bellas are a collegiate, all-girls acapella singing group. After last year's finals that ended up in a disaster, they are forced to re-group. One of the new recruits is a freshman named Beca(Anna Kendrick) who aspires to be DJ and has no interest to have a college life. 


Wow! I had loads of fun with this film... and it almost made me wish I was part of the Bella's. Great musical arrangement, I have to stay. Although, yeah the storyline is overused, but do watch because of the music. Specially the final part. It also never fails to crack you up now and then, I discovered Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) here, which actually did well in giving everybody a good laugh.

It's going viral in schools and my friends because everybody's now watching it. Even if I recommended it to macho guys.. they all end up watching it over and over again.
"I'm bulletproof.. nothing to lose"
I recommended it to everyone I come across too, and infected them with the songs. I spent the whole day downloading the songs! HAHAHA. Also, Jesse(Skylar!!) what the!! He is one of my new found crushes. *swoons* Why do you have to be soooo cute and funny and adorable sa film?

Aca-Purrrfect! :)

Photo Source: Leviathyn

Just Curious - Jude Deveraux

Category: Book

Genre: Chick Literature

Author: Jude Deveraux

A young widow, Karen Lawrence finds herself on a holiday weekend with her boss MacAllister Taggert. She always believes that MacAllister is just some rich guy who has enough money and can date and break the hearts of many women.


What a quick book to read!! It was entertaining. Kilig worthy. As usual. Even though I know they would end up together and you can tell what would happen next.. just like in chick flicks! HAHAHA;) oh well. just something for the heart to swoon over. :)

The epilogue in the end caught me off-guard by the way even though it was a nice touch.

Photo Source: Simon & Schuster

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

Category: Book

Genre: Sci-Fi

Author: Orson Scott Card


Set in Earth's future, humankind barely survived two conflicts with the "Buggers". A hostile alien race which protects its queen like ants does. In preparation for an anticipated third invasion by the Buggers, an international fleet maintains a school to find and train future fleet commanders. The world's most talented and brightest children, including Ender Wiggin are taken at a very young age to Battle School.



A good friend recommended this book to me. It's a rich and intelligent book and one that carries a  good storyline. It's actually not a hard read but is in fact engaging, despite how disturbing the relationships of the three Wiggins' siblings are.

A song was dedicated to this though.and it will be made into a film! :)

Photo Source: Good Reads

The Rise of the Guardians - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Animation / Adventure / Family

Director: Peter Ramsey

Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire, William Joyce

Producer: Dreamworks Animation

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher, Chris Pine, Jude Law, Dakota Goyo, Khamani Griffin, Kamil McFadden, Georgie Grieve and more.

Tagline: Naughty, nice. You better believe.

Pitch, the evil spirit wants to assault and take over the Earth, and the Immortal Guardians (Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Sandman) once again team up to protect the innocence of children all over the globe. (Based on a Children's Book Series by William Joyce).


This is a Christmas film that is not entirely about Santa Claus but of Jack Frost.  IT WAS GREAT! (although, I  didn't like the cinema we were in this time, it made the picture look old school) Either way, it was a good film... heartwarming. And even if it is simple, it makes way for its deep and profound message. I like the Russian doll with Santa Claus reminding Jack Frost of his "center".  It reminds me of our spiritual journey with Ikepono. :)This also reminds you to keep the "child" in you alive......

Photo Source: Collider

Cloud Atlas - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Mystery / Sci-Fi

Director: Tom Tyker, Andy Wachowski

Writer: David Mitchell, Lana Wachowski

Producer:
 
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgees, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D'Arcy, Xun Zhou, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, Robert Fyfe, Martin Wuttke and more

Tagline: Everything Is Connected

This film is based on a novel by David Mitchell. It's an exploration of how each action of individual lives impacts one another in the past, present and future. Everything is indeed connected in this film.


It has been quiet sometime that I have waited to watch this film. When I saw the trailer... all i can say was: "I should not miss this! and I know this film will be epic!" True enough, it is indeed considered an epic... and one of the best films in 2012! It was even considered ambitious because the novel is supposed to be "unfilmable". But, they did it!!

I watched this with my whole family.

You should not blink when you are watching this. Each scene is equally important as it weaves through the whole story. Six stories are being interwoven to create the whole magical tapestry that is Cloud Atlas.  This film will take you anywhere, and you will find yourself in unexpected scenes, oftentimes delving to deja-vu.

It is visually stunning, the make-up were good although I'm sure the make-up artists had their own challenging moments by changing an actor's features to fit a certain race, age and era.

It was quiet gory, well not exactly too much, just a few disturbing scenes. The love affair between Somni and Keanu was the one I liked best. There's something about being protected... that makes me go ... swoonybeanoo.

Also, the musical score is one of the best. I loved the Cloud Atlas sextet.  As I am writing this the soundtrack is actually playing at the background.

Cloud Atlas is something different among other movies. It emanates creativity and a whole range of imagination. It's epic, and even layered and you'd be expecting most people to watch it again over and over. :) (I still have to read the novel though.. our local bookstores ran out of it... even before the movie was released. Gah! Maybe im settling with an ebook or whatever. )

Photo Source: David Belbin