Film Works

Rianne's Film Blog


Tim Burton Biography: Frequent Off-screen Collaborations

Tim Burton Biography: Frequent Off-screen Collaborations
For his behind-the-scene collaborations, as of his 2010 filmography, Tim Burton has frequently worked with the following film professionals for his films…
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September 6th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: Frequent On-screen Collaborations

Tim Burton Biography: Frequent On-screen Collaborations
Like many filmmakers, frequent collaborations are very much apparent in Tim Burton’s works. As of his 2010 filmography, this list provides Tim Burton’s frequent collaborations with his preferred actors and actresses.
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September 6th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: The Hollywood Icon Outside His Directing Set

Tim Burton Biography: The Hollywood Icon Outside His Directing Set
Who would have thought that this inward-looking and quite withdrawn artist would become one of the most famous Hollywood director of his time?
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September 4th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: His Up and Down Moments and His Shelved Major Projects

Tim Burton Biography: His Up and Down Moments and His Shelved Major Projects
Even the best filmmakers have their share of so-so projects. Others even have some really awful movies, at least once in their lives. Yet, such films don’t really overpower what their great works can ever do.
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September 4th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: His Short Films, TV Projects, and Non-directing Credits

Tim Burton Biography: His Short Films, TV Projects, and Non-directing Credits
Aside from more than two dozens of directing works made up of short, independent, and mainstream film projects, Tim Burton also has credits as producer, writer, and animator both in film and TV productions.
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September 4th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: From His Early Years to His Early Career as a Filmmaker

Tim Burton Biography: From His Early Years to His Early Career as a Filmmaker
Timothy William Burton, better known as Tim Burton, is an American filmmaker distinctive for his dark, strange, and visionary style.
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August 19th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Animation, Film Noir/Expressionism, Films, Films I Like, Hollywood Films, Independent Films, People | no comments

Tim Burton Biography: From His Early Career to His Rise to Hollywood Fame as an A-list Director

Tim Burton Biography: From His Early Career to His Rise to Hollywood Fame as an A-list Director
Aside from his filmmaking credits, he wrote and illustrated the poetry book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories in 1997. He also published the compilation of his drawings entitled The Art of Tim Burton in 2009.
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August 18th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Animation, Film Noir/Expressionism, Films, Films I Like, Hollywood Films, Independent Films, People | no comments

10 Best Non-Tourist Sites to See in Los Angeles, California

10 Best Non-Tourist Sites to See in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles boasts of many attractions beyond what the famous tourist sites can offer. But if you’re seeking for something more local with a less tourist air, LA also has many non-tourist sites to offer.
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July 30th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Traveling/Places | no comments

Inception Film Review: An Exceptionally “Inceptional” Masterpiece

An Exceptionally “Inceptional” Masterpiece
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Now, Inception is more than just a leap of faith for filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

With its elements about powerful ideas, dreaming in a dream, and dreaming inside other people’s dreams, Inception is one entertainingly hard-core, multi-layered mindbender. This motion picture masterpiece is one of the strongest science-fiction concepts to come in a long time. Nolan and his production team construct a breathtakingly audacious blockbuster narrative while not leaving the intelligent and more demanding film lovers behind.

Inception is nothing less than astounding. It dreams big, dreams deep, and creates challenging dreams to engage the wide-eyed dreamy viewers. In doing so, the film’s own thin line separating dream space and reality innovatively creates such a well-mounted story. It carefully blends the conscious and subconscious in various levels. It balances philosophical ideas and narrative tension within a labyrinthine plot that engages in various forms, degrees and intensities.

Whether for its visceral popcorn thrills, elegantly laid out action sequences, boldness and restraint, this ambitious film knows how to manipulate its thematic fetishes and its complicated narrative structure.

Like its own theme, Inception taps into the subconscious of each viewer in its relatively comprehensible way. Orchestrated by a crafting hand of a director who knows what he wants and how to make things happen, even the most obscure details get digested as the film cinematically sells its conceptual and emotional investments. It’s bold, intense, exhilarating, engaging, and impressive. It is complex yet coherent. It’s something that can benefit repeated viewings and feed the viewer with something new or different each time. Preposterous, yet ingeniously done, it offers such an entertaining ride. It serves as a popcorn flick, too!

While it is ambiguous enough to lead to conflicting opinions, the main purpose of the film is to engage the intellect about its theme and concept, not just merely figuring out which one is real, which one is a dream. While additional viewings are needed to personally provide a more solid analysis and opinion about the film’s ending, it seems more like the filmmaker crafts this opus in a way that there is no concrete interpretation to dictate to each and everyone that something is or is not.

The various elements, symbolisms, characterizations, and dialogues are carefully planted in a way that they work together to let the audience go beyond the need to figure out a twist or find out the “truth” behind the main story. Like how actual dreams are, Inception is open to different interpretations. And it does so without making specific aspects of it bug its quality down. It works in higher levels of film viewing that it touches something beyond a film viewer’s surface thinking, quite different from how s/he would typically treat other movies. And this is what makes Inception seem quite different from the usual. It is endlessly elliptical and it works in many facets. It allows its tagline “Your mind is the scene of the crime” validate itself; while its grand provisions for a visual feast keep up with the more palpable sense of its thrilling ride.

Inception isn’t perfect. Yet, its weak points are unquestionably shadowed by its brilliant and meandering machinations. The film splurges and invests in its concept, story, script, visuals, sound, emotions, and intellect, in accordance to how the film language can intangibly bring out all its cinematic ideas and values across.

Like Leonardo diCaprio’s character Cobb, Nolan is a meticulously skilled extractor and an architect of deep and provoking thoughts. He is a sly narrative tactician who juggles at big ideas and make people think about his idea. He takes the audience to a pleasurable trip through varying mental labyrinths filled with elegant dreamscapes and genuine human drama. It has a sort of paradoxical architecture of its own as Nolan offers a clockwork-precise showmanship in every scene. By the film’s ending, he impressively allows the characters to wake up from their dreams to figure out what’s real. Yet, whether for his film’s characters or for his film audience, things doesn’t really end there…

Inception is a rare movie project that can be enjoyed on a superficial and/or progressively deeper level of viewing. It uncannily fascinates the audience as the story moves further into the challenging layers of the subconscious mind. It is a work of a visionary. For all its high production values and budget requirements, this is the kind of film that the big movie studios should support more often.

July 24th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Epic/Adventure, Film Review, Films, Films I Like, Flicks, Hollywood Films, Love Story, Melodrama, Sci Fi/Cyberspace, Surreal, Suspense/Thriller | no comments

Philippine Dual Citizenship Requirements

Philippine Dual Citizenship Requirements
A natural-born Filipino (a child born in the Philippines or a child born to a Filipino parent) who lost his Filipino citizenship due to naturalization as a citizen of another country can now apply for dual citizenship.
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July 21st, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Others, Traveling/Places | no comments

Behind-the-scene of Inception: Movie Locations

Behind-the-scene of Inception: Movie Locations
Inception hinges on the premise that it is possible to share dreams and that they have been designed to look and feel completely real while you’re in them. In such subconscious state, a person’s deepest and most valuable secrets are there for the taking.
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July 18th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Action, Epic/Adventure, Films, Films I Like, Hollywood Films, Suspense/Thriller | no comments

Project Donat Advocacy TVC

Caritas 30′s TV Commercial for the International Institute for Film and Arts

July 18th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Film Review | no comments

Borrow DVDs for Free at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District

Well, most residents know about it, but they probably forgot how this perk can be something they can take advantage of. There are also those who prefer to watch something they specifically want which might not be readily available with this option. But for those interested in watching something that gets their attention within the DVD racks, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is a great way to enjoy diverse collections of movies, TV shows, and instructional and informational videos.

Read More: Borrow DVDs for Free at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.

July 18th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Film Review | no comments

How to Buy a Condo in the Philippines: For Foreigners Who Reside or Frequently Travel to the Country

How to Buy a Condo in the Philippines: For Foreigners Who Reside or Frequently Travel to the Country
As a foreigner is not allowed to own a house and lot in the Philippines, if you’re a foreigner who frequently travels to the country and you want to invest in a “home” for your you next visit, what you can buy is a condo unit. Condos are easier to maintain as it has full-time security and it offers services and options beneficial to those who don’t regularly stay there. There are condo units that can also provide individuals or even families good options to live near commercial areas and the most happening places, while also getting fully-serviced amenities beneficial to regular urban dwellers.
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July 18th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Others, Traveling/Places | no comments

How to Avoid Fatal Blood Clots (Economy Class Syndrome) in Long Flights

How to Avoid Fatal Blood Clots (Economy Class Syndrome) in Long Flights
While the risk is considerably low, even healthy people can be at risk in developing blood clots when traveling by air, especially during long, intercontinental flights. Drink enough liquids and move around every once in a while.
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July 16th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Others, Traveling/Places | no comments

Pera-Perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) Film Stills

Pera-Perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) Film Stills
Pera-perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) is about the plight of a young man who tries to make up for his inconsiderate moves towards a needy stranger, but he ends up seeing another tragedy from it.
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July 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Action, Films, Independent Films, Melodrama, My Films, Pinoy Films | no comments

Pera-Perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) Behind-the-scene Photos

Pera-Perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) Behind-the-scene Photos
Pera-perahang Lata (Penny from the Tin Can) is about the plight of a young man who tries to make up for his inconsiderate moves towards a needy stranger, but he ends up seeing another tragedy from it.
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July 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Action, Films, Independent Films, Melodrama, My Films, Pinoy Films | no comments

The 1st Philippine Film Festival in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Arts Centre

The 1st Philippine Film Festival in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Arts Centre
The 1st Philippine Film Festival will share with the Hong Kong audience works of film art by the burgeoning independent film industry of the Philippines that is rapidly making its mark in the world stage.
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July 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Films, Independent Films, My Films, Personal/Expression, Pinoy Films, Traveling/Places | no comments

Twilight Saga: Eclipse Film Review – Eclipse Continues to Suck Blood Out of Pop Culture

Eclipse Continues to Suck Blood Out of Pop Culture
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Eclipse Continues to Suck Blood Out of Pop CultureBy Rianne Hill Soriano

Twilight Saga: Eclipse is a compelling sequel certain to enthrall die-hard fans.

Twilight is now a legendary brand famous for its teenage angst, pale make-up, and otherworldly love triangle. Now a historical movie franchise breaking box office records worldwide, this third installment clearly marathons every opportunity to please fans. While they ultimately deserve more, this movie successfully utilizes the right blood type to fuel all its bankable possibilities. And whatever critics and non-fans say, its hard-core followers ultimately back up this romantic fantasy flick as an ultimate cash cow.

Eclipse is dull, boring, and overly dramatic; unless the viewer finds it therapeutic, entertaining, or orgasmic to see perfectly pale and powerful vampires and perfectly chiseled, shirtless werewolves making a regular girl happy on the big screen. If just for those, this movie is a sure winner. The movie marathons to as much close-ups and beauty shots while the actors and actresses try to put life to their clichéd lines. Add up some action to boost things up in between the many drags, and that’s about it.

Its vampire boy-meets-ordinary girl-meets werewolf boy story can already be effectively told in a short movie, but of course, the studio needs to prolong it as much as it can. To keep up with the feature-length movie requirement, Eclipse incorporates many visceral set pieces, stylistic flashbacks, and impassioned sentiments to keep the viewers hanging on to its swoony tale of forbidden love.

There’s no middle ground with the Twilight Saga: Either the viewer surrenders to the value of this movie version of the Stephenie Meyer bestseller or the viewer walks out feeling lifeless in disappointment. One thing is for sure, this film confidently provides the commercial requirements to make fans satisfied.

In its own mediocre level, Eclipse’s good points are its pretty good make-up, atmospheric feel, and art direction setting the mood for a sort of emotional pornography for teenagers. The “melodramatic crush factor” works well for those craving for such inner adolescent fantasies. The marketing strategy establishing the vampire-wolf division “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob,” along with the “in-Bella’s shoes” girl fantasies, is developed pretty well throughout the movie. It validates its teen-friendly demeanor where words overcome sexual urges and where fight scenes are meant for viewers who are only concerned about the protagonists winning and looking so cool with it.

Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black embrace their own sense of camp in this movie about teenage uncertainty, emotional highs and lows, and impassioned teenage love. It is not the stunning locations, special effects, or the plot that “Twilighters” will keep in mind, it’s the characters and their relationships that they shall remember.

Director David Slade taps into what Twilight fans want. He keeps it cold and lifeless in a way that the ultimate teenage fantasies about the characters become the full movie. The adolescents and the adolescents at heart don’t mind how characters shamelessly have their buttons pushed as long as they can relate to these characters’ own personal hurdles.

Eclipse manages to create a teen drama effectively utilizing its cheesy special effects to stage chaste, romantic tensions against the many scenic backdrops. It demonstrates adolescent longing and primal physical confrontations where the ultimate damsel in distress gets saved by not one but two “prince charmings,” not to mention their whole clans helping out.

For those seeking for a quality film offer, this 124-minute movie about convoluted passions and hormonal outrage cries out for life. It seeks for a life-saving blood transfusion. It is like watching two lovers looking at each other’s eyes and feeling the ultimate magic of being in love; while anyone not relating to it would most likely feel bored or apathetic.

With fans undoubtedly willing to get bitten, this third chapter in the Twilight Saga remains foremost a flick for devotees. Given the strength of this franchise, the least non-fans can wish for is for the next chapter/s to take the challenge of better quality over the shallowness of its comfort zone. If it continues to be this programmed and predictable, the only thing to remember it by is that it sucks the blood out of pop culture; while it leaves everybody else outside dead cold.

July 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Fantasy, Film Review, Films, Flicks, Hollywood Films, Love Story, Melodrama, Religion/Mystical/Supernatural, Youth/Teenybopper | no comments

Toy Story 3 Film Review: Toys to Infinity and Beyond

Toys to Infinity and Beyond
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Like the first two films, Toy Story 3 simply captures you with emotional magic in film form. Entertaining, well-crafted, and emotional, this third film of the historical animated film franchise is powered by fun, fueled by intellect, and driven by heart. It is a fitting finale for a Pixar animated trilogy perfected in tone, delivery, timing, humor, and drama. Its charm goes to infinity and beyond.

Toy Story 3 Photo Slideshow courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

List of the New Toy Story Characters Featured in Toy Story 3

List of the Toy Story Classic Characters Appearing in Toy Story 3

This film can bring you back the old memories of your toys and literally wonder where they are now. Whether tears come out from your spectator eyes or not, its ending offers an undoubtedly heart-wrenching moment that grabs the child in you. And this can simply be described as “cinematic magic.” By taking a bunch of animated toys teaching people about the mystery of human lives and struggling through it, Toy Story 3 becomes a sentimental journey with a heartfelt mix of sugar and spice. Every scene is delightfully engaging and there is so much to be absorbed without straining its theme and story. The gags are all set in the right places until the film wraps up with an enchanting finale.

The well-embraced Pixar tradition of a short film preceding the main feature attraction is nothing but clever and enchanting. Day and Night directed by Teddy Newton, also the voice behind the toy character Chatter Telephone, is a masterpiece on its own and it perfectly complements Toy Story 3.

This third motion picture from the franchise comes full circle. It’s a rare sequel that clearly endures the test of time. Like its theme and story, it mixes joy and sweet sadness for the complicated choices about staying in the comfort zone and embracing change. It emphasizes the relationship between toys and a child’s imagination. It’s about the inevitable moments of having to leave some things behind. It’s about the feeling of abandonment that comes with age and passage of time. And it’s about accepting how changes in life can sometimes be harsh and unfavorable.

Toy Story 3 has a basic plot and a simple, straightforward story orientation. What makes it stand out from the rest? The filmmakers know what they want, they know what they’re doing, and they know how to do things with utmost sincerity. It has such a simple formula, yet the delicate combination of the various aspects of film production goes beyond being objective and quantitative. The challenge in reaching such level of cinematic marvel requires careful choices and bull’s-eye decisions for the script, choice of shots, animation requirements, audio requirements, and voice performances. It’s a candid story that delves about living life, feeling outdated, getting misunderstood, and facing things beyond your control. It answers the question about what happens when “playtime” is over in a figurative and emotional way that is surprising, self-realizing, and considerably hurting while still being gently comforting.

While it celebrates consumerism with its many brands and product placements, the genius in Pixar impressively manages to keep the film’s innocent pleasures of imagination. Toy Story 3 succeeds beyond its glossy and gleaming pixels both in 2D and 3D. It has a valuable script with animated characters as real as a child’s sense of wonder. It balances rollicking adventure, wrenching pathos, and brilliant humor in an exceptional package. Exuding with enough emotional resonance, it creatively ties up the first two films at a very suitable time: without having to rush things as how the mainstream filmmaking bible dictates it (think of how studios rush sequels for the sake of commercialism). It took years and years until the new technology now enables 3D films and how this era showcases a new age of toys to add up to the Toy Story collection. Even the actual voice behind the little Andy character of the past now renders his voice as a grown up young adult himself.

This third worthy installment kicks off with a brief playful sequence of breathtaking mastery, evocative detail, wonderful camera work, all aptly resolved in a true little boy’s eyes. It impressively opens up with a scene that reminds people of what Toy Story really offered more than a decade ago. And as the fun treats of the film progresses, it carefully blends the moments of sadness and ache that come along as life shifts towards another direction. On a lighter note, there is an appreciation for Pixar’s brilliance in making a nice, long gag reel side by side its closing credits. Aside from bringing a satisfyingly intelligent but fun resolution to the movie, it offers additional time to wipe away those tears before the screening finishes.

Pixar’s now trademark of “ingenuous storytelling” serves up yet another exceptional animated treat that doesn’t surpass its predecessors, but simply continues its virtuous tradition. The studio simply knows how to tell a brilliant story in an animated movie format without resorting to brainless gimmicks and cheap sentiments. It winds up its way gently towards its serious themes without grabbing desperately on them.

With inspired homage to jailbreak movies, director Lee Unkrich presents a thoughtful story about regret for the past and fear of the future. It’s nothing but worthy to mention much of the people behind this masterwork: writers Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich; producer Darla K. Anderson and executive producer John Lasseter; music composer Randy Newman; and the very long list of animators, production artists, and film crew who made the film what it is. As a clever piece of storytelling magic, this family-friendly movie illustrates a natural progression melding with ease in many levels of thematic resplendence.

On the technical side, Toy Story 3 lives up to the expectations. The characters design and animation are spectacularly detailed and well rendered. From Barbie and Ken’s robotic moves to the almost palpable strawberry smell of Lotso as how this gets established in the film, this emotional cinematic treat employs technical wizardry in par with its storytelling. The cinematography and production design are so vivid and fitting in every sequence and scene.

The vocal performances coming from a mix of the old cast and the newcomers create such powerfully emotional characters. Whether a major or minor role, each one really brings his/her character to life. Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear lead the pack of toy characters with such brilliance. Buzz’s Spanish mode is a hysterically fun treat. Aside from these two best buddies of the franchise, the audience shall remember such iconic performances from the many human and toy characters. To mention some: John Morris as Andy; Joan Cusack as Jessie; Ned Beatty as Lotso; Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head; Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head; Jodi Benson as Barbie; Michael Keaton as Ken; Wallace Shawn as Rex; John Ratzenberger as Hamm; Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants; Jeff Pidgeon as Aliens; Blake Clark as Slinky Dog; Emily Hahn as Bonnie; Jeff Garlin as Buttercup; Bonnie Hunt as Dolly; John Cygan as Twitch; Whoopi Goldberg as Stretch; Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s Mom; Bud Luckey as Chuckles; Beatrice Miller as Molly; Javier Fernandez Pena as the Spanish Buzz; and Lori Alan as Bonnie’s Mom.

There is so much to absorb in this animated opus for a viewer of any age. Watching it over and over again further makes a strong bond between the film and its viewer. Best advice: Buy the Toy Story Blu-ray collection once it hits the market. Such a release is truly worthy of anyone’s collection. It doesn’t sell just with merely crappy marketing materials and bonus features. It’s the actual film that hits every button from laughter to tears, from adventure to realizations, from audio-visual flair to earnestness. It’s “magically deep, sweet, painful, and real.”

Like its characters, the Toy Story films are to be treasured forever.

July 8th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | 3D, Animation, Children's/Family, Classic, Comedy, Epic/Adventure, Film Review, Films I Like, Flicks, Hollywood Films | no comments

The Karate Kid Film Review: The Kung Fu Kid

The Kung Fu Kid
By Rianne Hill Soriano

The Karate Kid featuring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan starts off with a considerably sincere showcase of what the movie is all about. From the pop music in its opening credits to the kind of shots it utilizes early on, it’s clearly meant for the young crowd who likes hearty stories and happy endings. This commercially entertaining remake works well for its audience while not being an entire rip-off of the 1984 original. It keeps its spirit alive, except for one disappointing aspect: The Karate Kid is actually The Kung Fu Kid.

The biggest cinematic sin committed here is its misnamed title that sets it somewhere in between an appealing popcorn flick and a big cinematic blasphemy.

View Karate Kid photo slideshow courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Read Jaden Smith Learns Kung Fu in Karate Kid Remake

The story of Dre migrating to China with his mother, along with his learning of kung fu, renders a fine mainstream treat. But sadly, this movie rides too much on the name of the classic Karate Kid film that it practically uses its franchise just to maximize all the hype and good branding. While making a remake of an old movie is something acceptable, this new martial arts flick for kids could have been more respectful of the film’s legacy by either living up with it (within the karate world) or deviating from its original title to keep up with the new, updated plot. In so doing, it wouldn’t look and sound so funny, questionable, and dumb that it’s a Karate Kid movie using kung fu. In fact, they can even use the original movie’s title as a “sub-title” if they really want to use the brand and recuperate on the most likely huge amount they paid to use the franchise.

The Karate Kid remains a feel good story that works. It succeeds as a crowd-pleasing treat that captures the general charm and humanity of the 1984 original. While it doesn’t surpass what its predecessor has already etched in film history, it takes the same old story and feeds it back with some change in scenery and targeted demographic. It radiates the light-hearted buoyancy of the original with Jaden Smith now stepping in as the new Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan as the new Pat Morita.

When disregarding its title’s ultimate booboo, what makes the movie succeed in its own terms is that, amidst its clichéd plot, it manages to earn that same winning spirit of the influential classic. This formulaic but savvy reboot makes a good family movie.

While it is totally predictable, it proves that the formula still has life as this new one captures the good emotional beats of the original. From the simple emotional good-bye scene between Dre’s Detroit friend who gives him the skateboard to the gripping fight scene in the end, the movie pays enough respect to the tradition and nostalgia of the first Karate Kid. It may not be as good as the old one, but it reasonably engages with enough heart.

The bountiful travelogue opportunities in China also add to its button-pushing crowd-pleaser demeanor. Director Harald Zwart features historic Chinese ancient structures sitting right next to new architectural wonders. The panoramic vistas and well-choreographed fight scenes reinterpret Karate Kid without straying too far from what the original offered during its time.

The fight scenes make a good playground to its characters. The climactic showdown works in the same fashion as the 1984 movie where the face-off between the bully and the bullied feels predictable, but it interestingly doesn’t feel calculated. It gets the general audience’s attention for an emotional investment until the underdog reigns supreme. Even the simple cliché moments surprisingly validates the kung fu showdown, complete with a deciding slow-motion kick. The choice of shots and emotional bearing on the characters works well for the story. The direction, acting, production design and cinematography become the saving graces of this blasphemously titled movie.

Working together in the spirit of kung fu, Dre and Mr. Han embody naturally good chemistry. They carry the movie well: a brash American boy trying to fit in Beijing and a queerly reserved Chinese maintenance man seemingly living a lonely life on his own.

The two main characters ground the movie in between the drama, action, and comedy. While they don’t exactly match the depth and fortuitous rapport of Macchio and Morita, their partnership brings a heart-filled depiction of their own.

Smith impresses with his small frame sculpted with martial arts training. He looks very natural on screen and his charm carries the movie all the way towards a pleasing end. Amidst the frequently annoying awareness on Jackie Chan’s struggle to get rid of his Americanized tongue to speak Chinese without any English twang, he still generally works well as Mr. Han. He brings good depth to his inner struggle as a character where his emotional baggage fills up to the brim in the car drama sequence. At some point, he seems to go overboard, but the direction and editing effectively handles his breakdown with emotional shots showing him heads down on the steering wheel.

The characterizations of the other roles are not given enough value. Dre’s mother played by Taraji Henson is completely two-dimensional and flat like the rest, with the exception of the bullying boys who get their change of heart by the movie’s end. The humanity between Dre and Mr. Han is fine, but the movie could have benefited more if at least, there’s a simple establishment of Dre investing in one emotional bonding scene with his mother, instead of just mere comic elements brought to their scenes together. His potential love interest Meiying played by Wen Wen Han makes a good addition to the puppy love angle of the story. Dre’s kung fu opponent delivers a fine performance to keep the other side of the story’s spectrum a well-rendered aspect of the movie as well.

June 22nd, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Asian Films, Children's/Family, Film Review, Films, Flicks, Hollywood Films | no comments

List of Filmmakers Who Can Replace Guillermo Del Toro as Director for The Hobbit

List of Filmmakers Who Can Replace Guillermo Del Toro as Director for The Hobbit
This list is not simply categorized according to how their filmographies made them who they are. in the industry now. These choices explore a number of complicated aspects, perspectives, and considerations about each director’s works.
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June 15th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Epic/Adventure, Fantasy, Film Review, Films, Flicks, Heroes/Superheroes, Hollywood Films, Melodrama, Period/Historical, Religion/Mystical/Supernatural | no comments

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Movie Review: High Fantasy Vs. Pop Culture Kitsch

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Movie Review: High Fantasy Vs. Pop Culture Kitsch
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is filled with visionary sense. It has a wide imagination and a heartfelt plea for environmental concern and cultural diversity. However, its spectacular sense of artistry could have worked much better…
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June 15th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Action, Comedy, Epic/Adventure, Fantasy, Film Review, Films, Films I Like, Flicks, Heroes/Superheroes, Hollywood Films, Love Story, Melodrama, Religion/Mystical/Supernatural, Sci Fi/Cyberspace | no comments

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Movie Review: A Curious Narrative

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Movie Review: A Curious Narrative
Based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story about a man who ages backwards, this far-fetched fairy-tale about the freakish birth of an infant born as an old man captures the sadness and exhilaration of life and the melancholic ideas concerning mortality.
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June 14th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Adaptation and Films with Related Inspirations from Lit, Classic, Film Review, Films I Like, Hollywood Films, Love Story, Melodrama, Period/Historical | no comments

Things to Do for Families Traveling to Las Vegas

Things to Do for Families Traveling to Las Vegas
While being primarily known as an adult playground, Las Vegas is still a place where families can enjoy many wholesome sights and bonding activities. There are a number of hotel accommodations that are smoke-free and without casinos.
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June 14th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Personal/Expression, Traveling/Places | no comments

Best Things to Do in Las Vegas Outside Casinos

Best Things to Do in Las Vegas Outside Casinos
Las Vegas offers distinct travel destinations, including world-class shopping and dining spots, state-of-the-art museums, recreational areas, theme parks, entertainment shows, and many other associated entertainment options.
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June 13th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Personal/Expression, Traveling/Places | no comments

Korean Food Guide: Information About Korean Cuisine for Travelers Going to Korea

Korean Food Guide: Information About Korean Cuisine for Travelers Going to Korea
When traveling to Korea, it is worthwhile to note the basics of Korean food to the uninitiated. Koreans use silver chopsticks which are considerably heavier than the wooden chopsticks that are more popular all over the world.
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June 13th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Personal/Expression, Traveling/Places | no comments

Analyzing Why Megan Fox Gets Replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whitely in Transformers 3

Analyzing Why Megan Fox Gets Replaced by Rosie Huntington-Whitely in Transformers 3
Many write-ups about whether Megan Fox was canned or she actually left the franchise keep the buzz coming. But the only thing confirmed is that: Megan Fox is out and Rosie Huntington-Whitely is in.
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June 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Films, Hollywood Films, Personal/Expression | no comments

How to Use U.S. Gadgets and Appliances in Asian Countries

How to Use U.S. Gadgets and Appliances in Asian Countries
When traveling outside the U.S., it is always a good idea to check the electrical requirements in your destination country so that you’re equipped with what you need when bringing your laptop, portable media players, cameras, and other electronic devices.
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June 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Activities/Events/Celebrations, Others, Traveling/Places | no comments

The Departed Movie Review: Fresh and Ferocious

The Departed Movie Review: Fresh and Ferocious
Based on the popular Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, this Hollywood version pulses with energy, strong dialogues and superb performances. The brilliantly written narrative is both grittingly relaxed and violently intelligent.
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June 11th, 2010 Posted by Rianne | Action, Crime/Gangster/punk, Film Noir/Expressionism, Film Review, Films, Hollywood Films | no comments