People Like Us - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Family

Director: Alex Kurtzman

Writer: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci

Producer: Dreamworks SKG, Kurtzman Orci Paper Products, Reliance Entertainment

Cast: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Hall D'Addario, Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Sara Mornell, Philip Baker Hall and more

Tagline: Find your family.

Sam, a smooth talking salesman thought his father who died left him any money so he can get out of the jam he got himself into but discovered something else. He then later found out that he has sister named Frankie.

I wasn't really expecting what I would see and I never knew the plot and most of us were like guessing what would be next or why this and why that. We had a ball watching it though. It has a good enough character development which actually added mystery to the whole film.

This film has a mature take on supposedly "dysfunctional" families. Or skeletons in a family's closet. Where you can really work things out. That sometimes you really have to go out of the way to understand your family. It is artistic, and all actors really did well in pulling this film off.

Another unique storyline, written wonderfully.... about family, brotherhood and sisterhood. Seems like films nowadays has just gotten better or my sister is just good at spotting or hearing about good films. :) Good musical score as well.

It has a heartwarming ending...one that can make you go "awwwww".


Quotes from Film:

Six Rules: 1. If you like something because you think other people are gonna like it, it's a sure bet no one will. 2. Most doors in the world are closed, so if you find one you want to get into: you damn well better have an interesting knock. 3. Everything you think is important, isn't. And everything you think is unimportant, is. 4. Don't shit where you eat. 5. Lean into it: the outcome doesn't matter. What matters is that you're there for it. 6. Never sleep with someone who has more problems than you do. 

Photo Source: Glow Gaze

Touchback - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama

Director: Don Handfield

Writer: Don Handfield

Cast: Brian Presley, Kurt Russell, Melanie Lynskey, Marc Blucas, Sarah Wright, Drew Powell, Steve Turner, Kevin Covais, James Duval,

Producer: Freedom Films, Palo Verde, Hannibal Classics

Tagline: Would you give up everything you love for a shot at everything you've ever wanted?

On the biggest game of his life Scott Murphy (Brian Presley), the best High School Football player in the nation injures his knee which destroyed his college dreams and professional career. 15 years later, he gets a flashback and a chance to go back and change his-story. 


It is an inspiring film and I enjoyed it's unique storyline. It has a metaphysical ring to it. Great character development. This plays on some sort of a near death experience thing. It's also about family and making choices and making the "right now's" count.

It's pretty much about teamwork... but more on a man's journey to life specially one's that could change one's life forever, what will you do with a second chance?

"the future is just a bunch of right now's strung together."

I feel more films like these should be made. It's simple and it started off slow... and yet very moving and gets better by the near end. 

Quotes:

Coach Hand: Do you know what the future is Scott? The future is just a bunch of what you do right now strung together. And what you are doing now is giving up. And trust me there is no future in that. Scott, I hope you don't give up this easy in life, because it gets a hell of a lot harder than football.

Coach Hand: Gentlemen, some players have talent, others have heart, but tonight I've seen players with talent who I didn't know had any, and others that have heart who I thought only had talent. The quality and standard of your life will not be determined by how well you play football, but by how well you confront adversity. Attitude! Gentlemen, if you keep playing like this I promise you, you will leave this field winners. Get in here.

Photo Source: Ace Showbiz

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

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

Hitch - 2005

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Andy Tennant

Writer: Kevin Bisch

Producer: Columbia Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment

Cast: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta, Julie Ann Emery, Adam Arkin, Robinne Lee and more

Tagline:  The cure for the common man.

Alex Hitchens (Will Smith) is "the Date Doctor". He helps the gents to woo and date the woman of their dreams. However he gets smitten with a gossip columnist, Sara (Eva Mendes), for a New York City tabloid and finds out his game just doesn't work with her.


I never expected to enjoy the film much... but I did. I laughed loads at some of the funny scenes. Yeah, with this film, I learned that indeed it would take guts to approach a girl/woman a guy likes. So, it's kinda good to device a plan to make her interested.

I liked the fact that Hitch only caters men who are in love or really interested (more than just a lay) with another woman. So, that settles the PUA issue that I've been researching on.

The chemistry between Smith and Mendes was just so good. You would want to see more of it with them on it :)

Photo Source: Deadline

The Mistress - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Romance

Director: Olivia M. Lamasan

Writer: Vanessa R. Valdez, Olivia Lamasan

Producer: Elma Medua, Malou Santos, Charo Santos

Tagline:

Cast: John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Ronaldo Valdez, Hilda Koronel, Anita Linda, Carmi Martin and more.


Seamstress Sari (Bea Alonzo), struggles to take care of her family and is torn between the affections of her two lovers. One is a young bachelor who brings passion into her life, while the other is a married man who has kept her as his mistress for years.


Uhmmmm..... its a so so melodramatic film. It has the potential to be deep but it wasn't taken to that level. It's still the same old heartbreak, love, betrayal our local mainstream film makers are up to. :) But, well... that's it.

Photo Source: CoffeeChic

Born to Love You - 2012

Category:  Movie

Genre: Romance / Drama

Director: Jerome Chavez Pobocan

Writer: Rondel Lindayag, Coco Martin

Producer: Star Cinema Productions, Cinemedia Films

Cast: Coco Martin, Angeline Quinto, Albert Martinez, Tonton Guiterrez, Eula Valdez, Al Tantay, Malou de guzman, Kiray Celis and more


 This started off as a story with a poor lass named Joey Liwanag (Angeline Quinto) who works as a part time Korean tourist guide and gets into amateur singing competitions with her sisters to help raise finance for the family.  On a completely different note, Rex Manrique (Coco Martin) is an arrogant, hot tempered frustrated photographer who wants to prove to his family that he can stand on his own and can move and succeed in life independently.


Quite corny at the beginning. But, it never fails to make you laugh despite the corni-ness-ish! Interesting twist at the end....also some blatant advertising can be seen. o_O i ended up thinking this was made for that company. :P

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

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! :)

Silent Snow - Steve Thayer

Category: Book

Genre: Crime / Drama

Author:  Steve Thayer

Rick Beanblossom is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and the hero of The Weatherman. He is back in Silent Snow. Rick Beanblossom got it all, a good career, a beautiful famous wife and a newborn son. But, on March 1 at the height of a blizzard, on the anniversary of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case, it was about to change, as it was re-enacted once again, with his baby being kidnapped. 

Its a spinoff for the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case. Quiet interesting to use a historical event and re-making it. Not exactly a great mystery... but interesting enough.

Stranger than Fiction - 2006

Category: Movie

Genre: Comedy / Fantasy

Writer: Zach Helm

Director: Marc Forster

Producer: Columbia Pictures, Mandate Pictures, Three Strange Angels

Cast: Will Ferrell, William Dick, Guy Massey, Martha Espinoza, T.J. Jagodowski, Peter Grosz, Ricky Adams, Christian Stolte, Denise Hughes, and more

Tagline: He's not crazy. He's just written that way.


Harold Crick is an IRS agent, with a life so monotonous, boring and repetitive.  One day he hears a voice of a narrator who predicts what was just about to happen. He then realizes, he is a book character and that the narrator plans to kill him off. But, before the author does that, he has a chance to find the author and convince the author not to kill him.


Too strange for me. Or maybe I watched it at the wrong time. Not my kind of film, but it was quite unique and not to Holly-woodish if I may say so. Worth watching... only because of it's uniqueness or there are not many too strange films out there - right? The script is really quite funny, I have to hand it to the writer.

The Wedding - Danielle Steel

Category: Book

Genre: Love

Author: Danielle Steel


Allegra Steinberg is the epitome of a successful woman. She's got a career, great family and a handsome lawyer boyfriend, named Brandon. Raised well in the Entertainment Industry, her mom a Television Writer while her step dad  a successful Hollywood Producer and Director. Even though, her life looks like it's successful, she's so stressed she sees a therapist to help her go through things, specially with issues regarding her boyfriend who did not propose to her - yet.



Character development did not go well, some things were even predictable. Kinda just there... shallow. Its an okay story... but not really that great. Very typical.

Gothika - 2003

Category: Movie

Genre: Horror / Suspense


Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Writer: Sebastian Gutierrez

Producer:Columbia Pictures Corporation, Warner Bros. Pictures, Dark Castle Entertainment

Cast:  Halle Berry, Penelope Cruz, Robert Downey Jr., Charles S. Dutton, John Carroll Lynch, Bernard Hill, Dorian Harewood, Bronwen Mantel, Kathleen Mackey, Matthew G. Taylor and more




Tagline: Dr. Miranda Grey Is An Expert At Knowing What Is Rational, What Is Logical, What Is Sane... Until The Day She Woke Up On The Other Side



This is a ghost story of a criminal psychiatrist named Miranda Grey (Halle Berry)  who wakes up as a patient in an asylum she is working for, with no memory of a murder she was accused of doing.

I used to wish to have my third eye activated. But, after seeing this I'm beginning to think... I should not. If I'm gonna see or feel things like the way she did here in this movie.

I was enthused to find out Robert Downey was in the movie. This gives me the heebie jeebies!! It's actually got a neat storyline and also scares the hell out of you at the right time without appearing too much of the gore. Just enough. It's a good combination of horror and a suspense/thriller film. :)

Doc: The Rape of the Town of Lovell - Jack Olsen

Category: Book

Genre: Courtroom / Drama / Non-Fiction

Author: Jack Olsen


 For 25 years, the trusted family doctor (Dr. Story) in the town of Lovell, Wyoming, had been raping and molesting the women and children who relied on him.  The naive women victims who are mostly Mormons, realized on their wedding nights the truth about what happens in Dr Story's examination table.




It's long...and uhmm at the middle I was really feeling like I should abandon in reading the book because it was just way too creepy... but I pursued, just to have closure. Was well written and without bias, albeit what happened.

Photo Source: FantasticFiction.co.uk

Limitless - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Sci-Fi

Writer: Leslie Dixon and Alan Glynn

Director: Neil Burger

Producer: Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, Rogue

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Robert de Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth, Tomas Arana, Robert John Burke and more

Tagline: What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?

This is about a desperate writer Eddie named Morra (Cooper), who was rejected by his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) and confirms his belief about himself about not having a future. One day an old friend introduces to him an experimental drug called NZT, that allows him to be laser focused and more confident than any man alive and allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As he becomes into the perfect version of himself, and begins to rise in the top of the financial world, he begins to draw the attention of Carl Van Loon (De Niro), a business mogul.

I was actually intrigued by the concept, a pill that can allow you to tap the untapped potential of the human brain. Of course, the ideal way would be achieving it through Self Mastery.... but then in a very Western way of thinking, they would always come up with a "pill solution" for everything. It's quite thrilling but it could use room for some improvement here and there and it would be a spectacular blockbuster! :) But, nevertheless, it was a good concept and I enjoyed it. :)

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend - 2010

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Daryn Tufts

Writer: Daryn Tufts

Producer: Fiftyfilms

Cast: Christopher Gorham, Alyssa Milano, Michael Landes, Carol Kane, Tom Lenk, Beau Bridges, Kelly Packard, Stephen Carey, Paul Carey, Maclain Nelson and more.

Tagline: What would you do if you found your one true love... twice?

Jesse meets Ethan, someone she could finally fall in love with, but then she meets Troy, and now she has a dilemma.

 A chick flick with some sort of a twist in the end. It was pleasant and charming enough and quite cheesy in most parts, and the twist gave it quite a refreshing look. Did not expect that one. :) If you want a different kind of chick flick.... you might want to try watching this.

13 going on 30

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Gary Winick

Writer: Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa

Producer: Revolution Studios, Thirteen Productions

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, Kathy Baker, Phil Reeves, Sam Ball, Marcia deBonis, Christa B. Allen, Sean Marquette

Tagline: Every woman has a secret - hers is really magical


13 year old Jenna Rink (Garner) always dreamed of becoming 30 and to be part of the "in" crowd at school. After a total embarrassment during a game on her birthday she wished using a magic dust to be 30. And when she woke up the next day, she was on a body of a 30 year old with her 13 year old mind. She got what she wished for, a knockout body, amazing superstar friends, a wonderful apartment with an extensive wardrobe. During the days of confusion and adjustment, she realized this is not what she truly wants... all she wants was to be with her childhood best friend, Matt.

But then something happened between the years she skipped 14-29..... Can she still bring back the life and best friend she wants?

I enjoyed the film, it's a mixture of magic and love and the modern world. It's light and charming, entertaining and quite unique. It's a girly film that tried to go a little deep and you'd discover the wonders of family and friends at the present moment. :)

When In Rome - 2010

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director:Mark Steven Johnson

Writer: David Diamond, David Weismann

Producer: Touchstone Pictures, Krasnoff Foster Productions

Cast: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Anjelika Huston, Will Arnett,Jan Heder, Dax Shepard, Alexis Dzeina, Kate Micucci, Peggy Lipton, Luca Calvani and more.

Tagline: All is fair in love and in Rome.


Beth is from New York who is totally unlucky when it comes to love. She is young, ambitious and hardworking career woman. One day, on a whirlwind trip to Rome to attend her sister's wedding, and getting drunk - she begins to steals some coins from a famous fountain of love thrown by people looking for love and was then aggressively pursued by a band of suitors who followed her all the way back to New York.


Clean, fun chick flick. Those who are into magic, wishes and love fountains would enjoy this amusing tale of finding love. Although, not really the best of the best or a movie vying for an Oscar, it just simply out there to entertain you (and make moolah). I like the chemistry of the stars, however there are scenes that can seem such a drab and let's say cheesy moments. But, all in all... well, I like chick flicks eh. So, yeah. this did it. :)

Quotes:

Beth's Dad: You could get your heart broken or... you could have the greatest love affair the world has ever known. But you're never gonna know unless you try.

Aleph - Paulo Coelho

Category: Book

Genre: Literature / Drama


Author: Paulo Coelho



This book describes the journey Paulo Coelho took from March to July 2006 via the Trans-Siberian Railway to meet his readers across Russia. Coelho had mentioned that this has been one of his most personal novels to date. It starts with Coelho asking his master "J" about his struggles and the spiritual crisis he is going through and he feels stuck in his spiritual growth.This is also similar to the beginning of his previous work: The Valkyries.

I finished reading this while listening to Tomatis (an audio therapy I am taking).

It's an interesting read this time about his journey to the past. And its not just about the past which happens in the current life but of something regarding a previous lifetime, that still haunts him. It's about the mystical term called the "Aleph", a Jewish Kaballah mystical term. It mixes different spiritual traditions as always with a Coelho.

This book also makes me want to go on an outward journey on my own to make my inward journey unfold! The question... where to? :P