The Prince & Me

What if there really was a handsome prince? And what if he's cast with an equally charming lady? End result: a very charming movie.

The Plot: Paige Morgan (Julia Stiles) cannot afford any distractions right now, not when she's bent on entering John Hopkins and dreaming of a future career working for Doctors Without Borders. To be able to pass her last semester in college, she has to tackle Shakespeare, a subject she knows nothing about. So she enlists the help of her Chem lab partner, Eddie, who's well-versed on the bard. Eddie, however, has a secret identity. He just happens to be the Crown Prince of Denmark, who travelled all the way to Wisconsin and posed as an exchange student to escape the pressure of the 'family business'.

While the two didn't get off well at the start, owing to Eddie's misconception of American college girls, they eventually find themselves falling in love. All goes well until Eddie's identity is revealed, thanks to those pesky paparazzi. Paige feels betrayed. So she cuts herself off from Eddie, until Eddie is recalled to Denmark. He doesn't leave without telling Paige what he truly feels, of course, by leaving her a note: 'The sun itself sees not until heaven clears.' Paige follows her heart and flies all the way to Denmark, where she finds herself wrestling with the thought of whether or not she can give up her dream.

The Review: When Paige's mom lectures her that chemistry isn't just in class, I couldn't agree more. Julia Stiles and Luke Mably had chemistry, alright, and it sizzled (I can't get over the scene in the library). They looked so great together, I was hoping they'd continue their romance off-screen. Stiles is no stranger to college life so she portrayed her hard-working-pre-med-senior-who-fell-in -love character to perfection. Luke Mably was a surprise. I've never heard of him until this movie and he won me over. He did an excellent job in playing the dashing young Prince. He had such gentleness in him when he's around Stiles' character that I can't help but sigh every time he kisses her or just touches her.

More than the charming Stiles, the handsome Mably, and the sizzling chemistry, I loved the movie for its theme of female empowerment. It was a modern-day fairy tale for a modern-day Cinderella, a Cinderella with ambition. I admired Paige's strength for giving up a lifetime of Royalty to pursue her dream. The DVD had an alternate ending which was bittersweet but real. I preferred the released ending though, and fell even more for Eddie when he was humble enough to admit that he needed Paige in his life, and sweet enough to let Paige fulfill her dreams.

(Eddie's identity as Prince is known)

Eddie: I love you.

Paige: You love me? How can I believe you? You were just pretending!

Eddie: I wasn't pretending.

Paige: No, I wasn't pretending!

The Rating: 9/10. The best romantic comedy. Ever.

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Just Like Heaven

A feel-good romantic comedy that made me feel really good.

The Plot: Elizabeth (Reese Witherspoon) has taken workaholic to another level. She clocks twenty hours in the hospital, busily saving others' lives when the life she should be saving is her own, until it's too late.

David (Mark Ruffalo) rents an apartment in California, far from where he came, to forget a painful past. He shuts himself from the rest of the world, so the last thing he wants is company.

Imagine his surprise when Elizabeth suddenly shows up in his apartment, insisting the place is hers. Surprise turns to terror when Elizabeth disappears before his eyes. Terror turns to annoyance when he realizes that Elizabeth is determined to stick around. He's sure she's dead; she's convinced she's still alive. If only she can remember anything from her past...

With David reluctantly helping her, Elizabeth soon discovers the truth. Her body is lying in a coma and what remains is merely a matter of whether or not to pull the plug. Why then is her spirit still lingering? What, or who, is her unfinished business?

The Review: The skeptic would think that everything about the movie is impossible. I have to agree. If a spirit suddenly appears before me and insists that my apartment is his, I'd get out of the place fast. But the movie is all about suspending your disbelief and just delight in the light and funny moments shared by the sweet Reese Witherspoon and the handsome Mark Ruffalo. In no time, you will be pulled in by the movie and any thought of the inconceivability of the situation is driven from your mind. In fact, when I was pulled in, I didn't see a man being haunted by a dead person who didn't know she was dead (remember The Sixth Sense?). Instead, I saw this really cute couple whose lively exchange of dialogues gave humor to a rather morbid premise. The chemistry between Reese and Mark was there, which was a major accomplishment for the movie considering that it was only at the latter part that they got physical. It was more of their bickering that established the chemistry, and effectively so, because by the time David realizes that he loves Elizabeth, I was so moved...and the setting wasn't even romantic. Just when I thought that everything would end well with Elizabeth finally 'coming back to life', another conflict presented itself when she doesn't remember David. I won't take it against the writers though for suspending the inevitable, because this conflict made the ending all the more sweet. The movie was everything a romantic comedy should be...sweet and charming.


David: Have you had any traumatic experiences recently?
Elizabeth: Like what?
David: Oh, I don't know...like DYING?



The Rating: 8/10. Righteous.

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10 Things I Hate About You



I know it's a teen flick but I totally digged this movie. Totally.

The Plot: The Stratford Sisters are the exact opposites of each other. Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is a sweet, peppy sophomore, who 'happens to like being adored', while older sister Katarina (Julia Stiles), a senior, is described by her schoolmates as a 'heinous bitch'. When newcomer Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) spots Bianca from the crowd, he's mesmerized. The problem is, the sisters' paranoid obstetrician dad has this rule that Bianca can date only if her sister does, and that's good as...never. Cameron and his loyal pal then devise a plan to have both sisters attend the prom by asking rich, airhead Joey (Andrew Keegan), who wants to ask Bianca out too but only to 'nail' her, to pay loads to school rebel Patrick (Heath Ledger) for the latter to date Kat. Patrick rises to the challenge and the movie begins.

The Review: It's your typical high school: campus heartthrob, Narcissistic model, pleasant geek, mysterious rebel, angst-driven feminist, and guy-next-door newcomer. What made the movie overwhelming were the repertoire of wit and sarcasm, and the charming ensemble of actors. Katarina Stratford was convincingly and expertly portrayed by Julia Stiles. She just blew me away. And her chemistry with Heath Ledger was so pure that they made such a good on-screen couple. I first saw Larisa Oleynik in this Alex Mack series, so it came as a surprise seeing her in girly clothes when I was so used to seeing her in boyish attire. Nevertheless, she was refreshing. The plot may be formulaic of teen flicks: boy-meets-girl, boy-bets-he-can-get-girl, boy-unexpectedly-falls-for-girl, and of course, prom nights; but what makes a hackneyed plot worth the watch is how its movie rises above the rest. 10 Things I Hate About You didn't rise...it soared.

The Poem:

I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme. I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it that you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

The Rating: 8/10.

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When A Stranger Calls

I'm not a fan of horror flicks, but in the spirit of Halloween, I popped the disc into the player and prepared to get scared.

The Plot: Jill (Camilla Belle) is stripped off of her mobile and transportation privileges. In short, she's grounded. So instead of spending the night at this huge bonfire bash with her highschool buddies, she's off babysitting for the Mandrakises. It's not all bad, however, because the Mandrakises have the most awesome house and the kids were already asleep when Jill arrives. She then whiles away the time with schoolwork and harmless snooping. All is serene until the phone rings and a heavy-breathing stranger on the other end of the line asks, 'Have you checked the children'? What started out as a peaceful night for Jill turns into her worst nightmare.

The Review: Here are a few tips to enjoy the movie:
Invite over some buddies to spend the night at your house. Make sure the friends you invite are bored out of their wits in their own houses.

Stack your fridge with goodies. Don't forget the popcorn.

Gather round and psych yourselves that the movie is a hair-raising, scream-yourself-hoarse thriller.

Switch off the lights, pop the disc into the player, and scream whenever the phone rings.

After the anti-climactic ending, switch on the lights, replay among yourselves the scary scenes, if any, admire the really amazing house of the Mandrakises and laugh at the absurdity of it all.

(phone rings)
Jill: Stop calling me, you sick...
Police Officer: (interrupts) Jill? We traced the call. It's coming from inside the house. Do you hear me? It's coming from inside the house.

The Rating: 3/10

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Mission: Impossible II

Twice the stunts, less the spy.

The Plot: Renegade agent Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) has in his possession the cure for the deadly virus Chimera. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is summoned yet again to destroy whatever remains of the killer virus at the Biocyte Pharmaceuticals before Ambrose gets a hold of it, to retrieve the cure from Ambrose, and to save the world from the terror Ambrose and the Biocyte CEO plan to unleash. Hunt is further ordered to recruit into his team civilian Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton), who is a professional thief. Unexpectedly, Hunt falls for Nyah. Nyah, however, is to be used as a bait for Ambrose because, as later revealed to Hunt, she happens to be the former's ex-lover. Hunt faces a dilemma: the mission or the emotion?

The Review: For starters, the stunts were simply jaw-dropping. Mission: Impossible II was an extreme sports enthusiast's heaven, from the somewhat serene mountain climbing at the start of the movie to the heart-pounding motorcycle chase in the end. Secondly, there's a love triangle angle to the story which, either, a) could have been done away with, or b) could have been told with more depth. I had a difficult time accepting the fact that it was love at first sight. D'you mean to tell me that after a few stares, which weren't intense to begin with, a few sexual innuendos, and a wild car chase, Hunt is now hesitant to send Nyah on the mission and Nyah oh-so-willingly injects herself with a deadly virus because she hates to see Hunt 'get hurt'? Finally, there's no spy game in this Mission: Impossible. It was stunts through and through.

The Rating: 6/10. It is an action movie. And it's John Woo.

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The Polar Express

Next stop is the North Pole via the Polar Express. I'm not that ambitious to even begin commenting on the CGI. From a layman's point of view, the movie was visually satisfying.

The Plot: Kids are being picked up by the Polar Express bound for the North Pole, where they are going to experience something that will change their lives forever. (Intense).

The Review: When the disillusioned kid was informed that he was going to the North Pole, I immediately had the impression that this was gonna be Willy Wonka-ish, minus Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory, of course. Plus the fact that it's in CGI, so make it Willy Wonka's Final Fantasy. I never did expect that the movie would be mostly about the travel and some about the last-minute gift preparations. I wasn't disappointed anyhow. The train ride was quite exciting, with its exaggerated roller coaster dips and swirls and impressive navigating and maneuvering at the frozen lake. Fast forward to the North Pole, the town was breathtaking. It would have been a treat to see elves scurrying about making extraordinary toys, but then again, the setting was five minutes before Christmas Eve. Surely, the toys would have been finished and packed by then. I was able to see a bit of the town, thanks to those kids who seem to have a knack for getting themselves in sticky situations. The movie ends as it is supposed to end...the kid once again believes in the existence of Santa Claus.
And no, I won't analyze what the hobo on the train was there for.

Quotable Quotes:

Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see. - The Conductor
The thing with trains...it doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get on it. - The Conductor

The Rating: 6/10. I'm a sucker for Christmas stories.

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The Sentinel

Another mole, this time from the Secret Service, is the theme of this movie.

The Plot: A Secret Service agent dies on his front porch. What initially looks like robbery has been elevated to murder. As if this was not enough, there's now a plot to assassinate the President of the United States, and the agent's murder has something to do with it. The plot thickens as the investigations of top investigative agent David Breckinridge (Kiefer Sutherland) leads him to a fellow agent, Pete Garrison (Michael Douglas). Being framed for an assassination plot against the President, Garrison works double time to clear his name. The catch is, he is having an affair with the First Lady (Kim Basinger). Can he prove his innocence against the assassination plot without exposing the affair?

The Review: The affair with the First Lady didn't come out as appealing, at least for my taste. But hey, there's got to be conflict and the First Lady having an affair with her agent is a good enough conflict, I think. I like Kiefer Sutherland. It was kinda disappointing though to watch him take the back seat to an older Michael Douglas. It would have been better if both of them were tracking the mole, with veteran Michael Douglas guiding hot-headed Kiefer Sutherland. At least that's gonna save them one more cast, Eva Longoria, who basically did nothing in this movie. Thank goodness for some decent acting on the part of Kim Basinger, no matter if her roles are far and in between, Sutherland and Douglas. And what's up with the montage of threats and Presidential itineraries before every sequence?

Pete Garrison: (to Breckinridge) I'm gonna miss you.
David Breckinridge: She's gonna miss you.
Cheesy.

The Rating: 5/10.

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