The Matrix Revolutions

The Plot: Neo makes the hardest choice he ever made as he decides to go where no human has ever dared -- into the heart of Machine City. There, he strikes a deal with the machines: he fights the powerful renegade program Smith in exchange for peace.

Zion, on the other hand, prepares for the war that is inevitable. It is the ultimate showdown between men and the machines.

Neo and Zion stand together on the threshold of victory or annihilation in this last saga of the Matrix trilogy.

The Review: In this last chapter of the trilogy, the final battle between the men and the machines is set in the dark terrains of reality. As it is the decisive battle, it is but fitting to end it in the real world, with all its dark splendor and kick-ass CGIs.

I found the setting the most desolate, the most dreary ever, but then again, what do you expect from a 'Machine City'? Hence, the scenes shot from inside the Matrix was a sight for sore eyes, particularly the immaculate train station, a stark contrast to the desolation and dreariness that is the 'real' world. It was also a treat to have seen a bit of the stunts I've come to expect from The Matrix: the upside-down fight scenes with the Merovingian's goons was a very welcome surprise; and the conclusive battle between Neo and Smith was equally awesome. That particular fight scene was a bit overplayed though, as I could do with a little less rain and a little less flying. But I can hear the production people saying, 'Alright, you guys, you've seen enough stunts to last you a lifetime. It's time to end this the right way.' And end it they did...with a big bang.

Movie Quotes worth 'Quoting':

The Merovingian: It is remarkable how similar the pattern of love is to the pattern of insanity.

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The Kid: Neo, I believe.

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Capt. Mifune's speech: Alright, this is it. You all know me, so I'll just say this as simply as I can. If it's our time to die, it's our time. All I ask is if we have to give these bastards our lives, we give 'em hell before we do!

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Agent Smith: Mr. Anderson, welcome back. We missed you. Do you like what I've done with the place?

Neo: It ends tonight.

The Rating: 9/10.

Photos courtesy of www.imdb.com

The Matrix Reloaded

The Plot: It's the same old Matrix, but with upgraded agents and cloned Smiths. Neo (Keanu Reeves), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carie-Anne Moss) are back, with reloaded skills: Trinity's a devil at bikes, Morpheus' combat skills take on another level, and Neo flies. The gang is back, fighting a whole new ensemble of exciting villains. They do not stand alone, however, as they are joined by their fearless allies. Together, they struggle to fight the inevitable: the downfall of Zion, the last human enclave.

The Review: The Matrix Reloaded was my first look of Zion. And while the place was more dreary than I expected, one thing's for sure: the people of Zion know how to p-a-r-t-y.

The second installment to The Matrix trilogy surpassed its predecessor. Just when I thought nothing more could amaze me after The Matrix, the directors surprised me with reloaded jaw-dropping stunts and eye-popping visual effects. Although most of the stunts and effects were done in CG, the results were spectacular. That everything can be done when done with computers holds true in this sequel. The people behind the movie pushed the CG to its limits and they delivered...in style. Back too is the black trench coats and Ray Bans ensemble, but with more flare and fashion. Only Keanu Reeves can come out looking yummy in that costume after fighting a dozen or so Smiths. The Oracle said he turned out okay. Are you kidding me? He turned out waay better than okay.

Unforgettable Scenes:

- The Opening salvo with Trinity

- The fight scene between Neo and the Chinese guy

- The fight scene between, or is it among, Neo and Smiths at the park

- The fight scene between Neo and Merovingian's goons

- The spectacular Freeway scene

Movie Quotes worth 'Quoting':

Link: He's doing his Superman thing.

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Neo: (to a dying Trinity): I know you can hear me. I'm never letting go. I can't. I just love you too damn much.

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Bane: Oh God.

Agent Smith: Smith will suffice.

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Agent Smith: Mr. Anderson.

The Rating: 10/10.

Photos courtesy of www.imdb.com

The Matrix

The Plot: What is the Matrix? This question has been nagging Neo (Keanu Reeves) for ages. His desire to have the question answered had him following the white rabbit, unplugged from the world as he knows it, and catapulted to the reality of the time.

It is 2199, not 1999, as Neo, also going by the name Mr. Anderson, believes it to be. There are no buildings adorning the sky, no trees lining the boulevard, no people crowding the streets. The world in which Neo lives is a fake, a deception spun by machines controlling humankind. Reality is the desert, the darkness. Will Neo embrace his fate of being The One who will free humankind from this deception? 'Buckle your seat belt, Dorothy, because Kansas is going bye-bye.'

The Review: Take the red pill and let Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and his gang of freedom fighters show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes. The Matrix is the ultimate in visual inventiveness; the ultimate in shaping tomorrow's film making; the ultimate in mind-blowing stunts. It's the cyberthriller you'd want to see over and over again, and your amazement at its inventiveness never wavers. I've seen the movie a couple of times over and I'm repeatedly blown away. And that's NOT even counting the flowing, black trench coats and Ray Bans ensemble. Classy.

Unforgettable Scenes:

- Trinity's daring escape from the agents

- The Combat Training between Morpheus and his new recruit, Neo

- The Rescue of Morpheus

- The fight between Neo and Agent Smith at the subway station

Movie Quotes worth 'Quoting':

The Oracle: You're cuter than I thought. I can see why she likes you.

Neo: Who?

The Oracle: Not too bright though.

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Neo: I know Kung Fu.

Morpheus: Show me.

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Neo: There is no spoon.

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Agent Smith: Mr. Anderson. (Classic.)

The Rating: 10/10. Whoa.

Photos courtesy of www.imdb.com

Phone Booth


The Plot: Stuart Shepard (Colin Farrell) is one of the many straight-faced lying publicists roaming the streets of Manhattan. One ordinary day, after making a call from the phone booth he's been using to cheat on his wife, the same public payphone rings. Stu does what normal people would do: he answers a ringing phone. Big mistake. The caller (Kiefer Sutherland) doesn't want Stu to hang up.

The Review: The simplest setting I've come across: Phone Booth was shot entirely from, well, a phone booth. Colin Farrell did a brilliant job in this one-man show, dishing out the right amount of cockiness and fear the situation called for. Kiefer Sutherland deserves special mention notwithstanding the fact that he just lent his voice to the movie, appearing briefly towards the end. I'm so used to Kiefer's voice by now, having undergone a '24' marathon. His portrayal of the psycho sniper was done with such devilish glee, it perfectly matched Farrell's intensity. Nothing was overplayed in this minimalist drama. I guess the next time a public payphone rings, don't answer the call.

The caller: You'd shoot me if you had the chance, wouldn't you?
Stu: With a big fucking smile on my face.
The caller: There's the spirit.

The Rating: 7/10. Colin and Kiefer. 'Nuff said.

Photo courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

The Shawshank Redemption



The Plot: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for the murders of his wife and her lover. Shawshank Prison became his new home...and it was not a pleasant home to spend the rest of his life in. The reticent banker kept to himself. His prisonmates were used to his aloofness until that fateful day when he asked Red (Morgan Freeman) for a pick hammer. It turned out that there was much more to Andy than meets the eye. His intelligence and indefatigable spirit earned him his prisonmates' respect and friendship, and ultimately, his freedom.

The Review: The justice system looks at the evidence presented, and sadly, when all the evidence point at you, there's no ghost of a chance that you'll be given a 'not guilty' verdict, no matter how much you believe your innocence. Life in prison can be downright depressing; but what do you do with the life that was given to you? The Shawshank Redemption is a triumph, in every aspect of filmmaking. The quiet and solid performances of the cast, led by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, set the perfect mood to match the gripping and exceptional tale of hope and life, be it inside or outside the prison walls.

The Rating: 10/10

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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.

Photos courtesy of http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

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.

Photo courtesy of http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

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.

Photo courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

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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