Film Works

Toy Story 3 Film Review: Toys to Infinity and Beyond

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.

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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Shrek Forever After Film Review: Ogre Forever After

Ogre Forever After
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Shrek Forever After is technically fine, but it’s only mildly entertaining. While the pleasant nostalgia is a given that it renders something familiarly successful, the monstrously good fun has already faded for this fourth and last installment of the Shrek franchise. In comparison, it goes “far, far away” from the first two of the now four Shrek movies. It is not exactly “cat-astrophic nor ri-donke-lous,” at the least. Its saving graces are the solid performances for the movie’s bankable characters that breathe life into this commercially mandated and creatively bankrupt effort.

The quick wit and pop-culture referencing that made Shrek a fun movie doesn’t feel the same anymore after a decade down the line.  It falls flat when it comes to the supposed one-liners and adorable critters. It still maintains some appeal, but the fun and energy feels kind of forced already.

Director Mike Mitchell and scriptwriters Josh Klausner and Darren Lemke are all new to the franchise, yet the movie looks so derivative. There are only simple and minimal changes on a distinctly surface level (primarily a darker mise-en-scéne), but deep down, it’s just a tired offer.

Shrek Forever After is very much a recycled treat that bases everything about it for the fad on 3D technology. As a last dance for the profitable green ogre, this one last hit for the marketable business franchise is clearly a cash cow product. Yet, it has undoubtedly captured a steady audience after establishing an impressive past and setting a new trend in mainstream animated films during its heyday. Now, after almost a decade, it keeps its general charm and viability amidst being narratively overcooked and comically undernourished. While this final attempt to profit on the Shrek motion picture fame is a rather modest affair that barely exerts an independent quality and charm for itself, the characters viewers have learned to love through the years keep this movie hanging. Add up the expensive tickets from 3D theaters and everything really goes into the Dreamworks cash register.

Interestingly, after three movies aimed at children and adolescents, this final Shrek movie is aimed more or less at middle-aged men than attracting new younger recruits. Perhaps, Shrek Forever After is really aimed just for its “grown-up followers” (both the grown up kid and adult fans from the past films, but with more focus on the middle-aged adults). Its theme even centers on adult issues and concerns more than trivial children stuff. With this part of the film, it works in the sense that it allows adult viewers to relate to Shrek’s own midlife crisis, Puss’ obesity, among other things.

Mike Myers and company pull the interest to it when scenes fall flat in the other departments.

With a business kind of thinking, Shrek Forever After is a pretty good deal. After the box office profit, it has a very good market in home video sales together with the rest of the Shrek movies. Indeed, for a Shrek collection with four films to boost, it can live a long and prosperous life for the general collection of most households, and it is expected to be one of those movies meant for babysitting the kids inside the homes.

MacGruber Movie Review: MacGruber is MacAwful

MacGruber Movie Review: MacGruber is MacAwful
With references from the classic action TV series MacGyver, MacGruber is a popular Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch gone really MacAwful in its movie version.
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Shrek the Third Movie Review: The Slapstick Third

Shrek the Third Movie Review: The Slapstick Third
The Shrek franchise comes up with its third installment quite inferior to the first two. Shrek the Third tries to do its best to bring out some laugh-inducing slapstick from the can. At the least, it has the very humor that Shrek fans have come to expect.
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Shrek Forever After Movie Review: Happily Ogre After?

Shrek Forever After Movie Review: Happily Ogre After?
For its long-time followers, Shrek Forever After is passable entertainment. It’s for those who have grown with the franchise’s predecessors and not the type that can add any new toddler fans.
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Sky High Movie Review: Soaring High School Heroes and Sidekicks

Sky High Movie Review: Soaring High School Heroes and Sidekicks
If you think Hogwarts is the only secret school for extraordinary kids, well there’s also the heroic children’s world of Sky High.
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All About Steve Movie Review: All About the Odds of Trying Too Hard

All About Steve Movie Review: All About the Odds of Trying Too Hard
All About Steve is all about that screwball comedy offer starring an A-list star trying to carry the movie’s second-rate slapstick gags and awkward schmaltz.
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The Bucket List Movie Review: Filling the Bucket

The Bucket List Movie Review: Filling the Bucket
The Bucket List generates both humor and drama about two terminally ill men who heads off outdoors to go for a trip around the world and explore a wish list of to-do’s before they die.
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The Pacifier Movie Review: A Pacifying Time at the Theater

The Pacifier Movie Review: A Pacifying Time at the Theater
After a long, stressful and tiring day from work, watching The Pacifier is a great way to relax and be entertained.
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I Love You, Beth Cooper Movie Review: Flip-flopping with the Farce and the Funny

I Love You, Beth Cooper Movie Review: Flip-flopping with the Farce and the Funny
I Love You, Beth Cooper is average stuff… that is to compare what you see in the unimaginative trailer and what this teen movie rehash actually delivers for its worn out theme and story.
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Wedding Crashers Movie Review: Wedding Galore

Wedding Crashers Movie Review: Wedding Galore
Wedding Crashers is pretty much your average, formulaic and escapist comedy.
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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Movie Review: A Slick and Solid Family Slapstick

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Movie Review: A Slick and Solid Family Slapstick
This eye-popping and mouth-watering film cooks up a veritable buffet of the bland and the bizarre, the sweet and the sour, and all other tastes generously offered on screen. It serves up a riot of glee, color, and absurdity.
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Dawn of the Dinosaurs Movie Review: The Dino-Ice Adventure

Dawn of the Dinosaurs Movie Review: The Dino-Ice Adventure
And as an adventure-packed ride, it provides an astoundingly eye-catching animation built on the fun foundation given by the old characters. Some scenes may feel repetitive, but for the needed surface-level fluff, this kiddie flick generally works.
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The Top 5 Best 3D Movies List

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In the era of IMAX and Real 3D, the worldwide resurgence of 3D films hit the theaters with what stereoscopic 3D technology can offer
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The Top 5 Worst 3D Movies List

The Top 5 Worst 3D Movies List
There are actually many movies (both animation and live action offers) that are made into 3D flicks for the heck. And not all stories or film style or cinematic treatment are best suited for the 3D medium.
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The Bounty Hunter: Putting Action in the Comedy

The Bounty Hunter: Putting Action in the Comedy
The Bounty Hunter began as a friendly over-the-fence chat between neighbors: In between the producer Neal H. Moritz (Cruel Intentions, Click, Stealth) and director Andy Tennant (Fool’s Gold, Hitch, Ever After, Anna and the King).
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Up Movie Review: Pixar Goes Up, Up and Away

Up Movie Review: Pixar Goes Up, Up and Away
Pixar’s “Up” further strengthens its impressive track record of making noteworthy animated films.
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Lucky You movie review: A poker life

Lucky You movie review: A poker life

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The Hangover movie review: Hanging over a guy flick

The Hangover movie review: Hanging over a guy flick

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The Pacifier movie review: A pacifying time at the theater

The Pacifier movie review: A pacifying time at the theater

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Film Review: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

A Slick and Solid Family Slapstick
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Catch colorful candies and marshmallows from the sky. Play around ice cream snowballs. Hop around nacho cheese fountains. Slide onto a giant gumball hill. Go gaga with a palace of Jell-O. Get endless supply of jellybeans. Then there comes the massive pancakes, tornados of pasta, pools of nacho cheese, hailstorm of jellybeans, ice cream blizzard, pizza flurries, and deadly gummy bears… Suddenly, it’s raining steak and gumballs! It’s “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”

The story is engagingly ridiculous. And it’s fun. And it works.

This eye-popping and mouth-watering film cooks up a veritable buffet of the bland and the bizarre, the sweet and the sour, and all other tastes generously offered on screen. It serves up a riot of glee, color, and absurdity. And it actually looks fresh and witty beyond the expectation for it.

With a solid gag ratio and a pretty good animation, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” serves as a commentary on the potential perils of genetically engineered food and the downside of “overabundance.” It makes a social point about how people now have too much of what they need. It’s a culture of excess where wastefulness seems next to coolness.

This impressive film from Sony Pictures is a downright odd family flick with exuberant animation, quirky humor, and plucky characters. It’s a slick and solid slapstick made with technical sophistication and engaging storytelling. This animated venture from writer-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have utilized the popular children’s book by Judi and Ron Barrett into a nice movie feature.

The filmmakers know how to play with their food. And at the same time, they capitalize well on the universal compulsion for stomach-filling delight. As a computer-animated 3D extravaganza, it provides entertaining food fights and pleasurable food trips. It amusingly expands the book for the big screen. It provides whimsical detail through: increasingly surreal weather activities, in a way that climate change in the real world suggests a call for action; and a hunger for more when everything is too much already, in a way that capitalism and consumerism in the real world becomes an alarming concern for every nation.

From the gloriously surreal buffet of predatory giant chickens to the psychopathic gummy bears fighting to death, things are quite weird but really wonderful. Mutated food isn’t that far from the reality of junk food and some unwholesome fast food stuff. And all these are actually best seen in 3D splendor. Technically, this 3D food adventure makes terrific use of the format. Things really look stunning, but that doesn’t mean that its conventional 2D counterpart is of no good value. In fact, the film is a good DVD collectible. It’s just that, dining on 3D is another cool treat. It looks natural for the format and it enhances the story. And it’s good to know that the excellent animation is a veritable feast for the eyes and doesn’t overwhelm the storytelling.

As a computer-animated flick, it is bright, cheery, and at times flat-out hilarious as it provides winsome sight gags involving giant food, references to disaster film clichés (including “Independence Day” and “Twilight Zone”), and endearing characters that vividly come to life. The running gags are pretty neat clichés. It’s mostly slapstick yes, but it’s a pretty charming kind of slapstick that works well for its intended commercial value.

The sophisticated presentation doesn’t look pretentious, and it doesn’t sweat the message. As a family-friendly movie, it provides a frenetically tasty offer. It’s insanely funny and at times wonderfully weird. Things work well with the gastronomically hilarious pace and tone of the comedy. It’s visually inventive and can be swallowed very easily while serving some serious food for thought on the side.

Unlike most children movies being insipid and lowbrow, this film doesn’t insult its audiences. It’s light on its feet and it’s quick-witted. It is silly and surprisingly enjoyable – not to mention, a little trippy. It bursts with random sight gags that boast intricate design and goofy humor. It has some grown-up gags to keep the adults amused as well. The characters are likeable amidst the fact that in terms of character development, they don’t render something of the caliber of Pixar’s “Up.” Yet, this movie really assures the audience with such a tasty adventure.

As a hyperbolic exposé of human greed, abusive behavior, and environmental destruction, this food revolting spin of the 30-page children’s book into a 90-minute bountiful big screen buffet is something that the general viewer won’t regret sinking his/her teeth into. Its delicious and imaginative concept takes flight with a real tasty family delight. And while it rains big food, it also rains big laughs and sheer fun.

Film Review: Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel

“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” is a disappointing second installment from the Chipmunks franchise. Well, it becomes at the least commercially watchable (for some laughs) with its light campy touch of comic fun. Thanks to the endearing CGI characters – these singing-and-dancing rodents become really charming in this seamless blend of CGI and live-action elements. It is predictable, terribly acted especially by the live action guys, and heavily reliant on slapstick humor, but it has some entertaining moments nonetheless.

Featuring these rodents in cool outfits while shaking their tushes as they cover a number of danceable pop songs, this Chipmunk squeakquel delivers pretty much the bare minimum: a peppy, brightly colored, tune-filled scenes just enough to meet the low standards of watching merely for some laughs. Its high school rom-com style has no much effort to even mask its predictability. Indeed, the Chipmunks, along with the featured Chipettes, are as cute as ever here, but the plot is almost insultingly predictable, even for the younger viewers.

Amidst the not so engaging plot and flat jokes, the major upside to the movie is still the song and dance numbers. For the most, director Betty Thomas maintains the world famous singing pre-teen chipmunk trio as an appealing pop culture sensation in the big screen. And this time around, they contend with the pressures of school, fame, and a rival female group known as The Chipettes.

Trading on children’s endless appetite for talking animals is really a buy. Yes, there are some slapstick action and catchy soundtrack to enjoy and it can be counted as a family-friendly flick. However, a movie being aimed at children isn’t an excuse for it to be too simple-minded and trivial. In fact, all the more that quality should matter so that even the pre-kindergarten core audience can benefit on a good story. Talk about films like “Up” and “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” now those are awesome films for the kids (and even adults).

The Chipmunks Alvin (voiced by Justin Long), Simon (voiced by Matthew Gray Gubler), and Theodore (voiced by Jesse McCartney) are still as appealing as the first movie. The addition of the Chipettes Brittany (voiced by Christina Applegate), Jeanette (voiced by Anna Faris), and Eleanor (voiced by Amy Poehler) add to the delight for these performing CGI animals. However, I just wonder, instead of paying for just celebrity voices that are actually unrecognizable and dispensable, why not pay for better writers to make the quality of the story in par with the charm of these adorable computer-generated talking animals?

As Alvin, Simon, and Theodore deal the pressures of high school, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor provide two additional things: a reason to get more appeal to those who enjoy pop tunes; and more importantly, the chance to include female pop hits on the cute roster of performances. It is a given that these high-pitched boy and girl pop routines provide the bulk of the enjoyment for the movie. It is interesting to note that the Filipina singing sensation Charice Pempengco actually did a cameo performance here. As always, she’s got that impressive voice to back her up!

And given the circumstances, you could expect an inevitable Threequel for this movie.

Film Review: All About Steve

All About the Odds of Trying Hard
By Rianne Hill Soriano

“All About Steve” is all about that screwball comedy offer starring an A-list star trying to carry the movie’s second-rate slapstick gags and awkward schmaltz. And it turns out to be an oddly creepy series of interminable goofball moments missing more than a few crucial screws.

The film unfolds like some formulaic mash-up of cardboard characters seen for the thousandth time in the big screen. Packaged as a romantic comedy but devoid of the touching elements of good comedy and romance, the movie’s all-out, gawky commitment to comic flair doesn’t serve it well. It’s often times bland and consistently preposterous. Its quirky bearing attempts to show the power of words in Sandra Bullock’s character as a tediously kooky constructor of crossword puzzles for a Sacramento newspaper. However, nothing much render authentically while watching the film. And perhaps, its kind of saving grace is that there are still a couple of goofs working to induce some laughs that can already be acceptable to the regular moviegoers who do not demand for a high quality cinematic offer for their paid tickets.

Bullock as the eccentric crossword puzzle constructor Mary Horowitz who falls in love for the handsome cable news cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper) after their short blind date both works and does not work. Generally, she can pull off such a fluffily quirky character with her talent and on-screen charm. Yet, the very film itself falls short on maximizing what she can do for it. Here, the heroine’s peculiar desperation makes the audience feel more pity for her than actually rooting for her. The movie meshes with too many ideas without sticking to one solid track, leaving the main character flailing in such a ridiculous role. Worse, as nothing much feels authentic even in a screwball comedy sense, it even elicits unintentional giggles at certain times that it actually seeks to deliver a serious message.

The idea behind “All About Steve” has some potential, but then it slides off into a hokey succession of comic events. Without any footing in reality, not much of the characters are recognizable enough in the sphere of human existence that further hinders the viewers to actually relate to such supposedly possible situations in a person’s life. The audience could care less about these superficial and too animated characters rendered in a not so good light. It’s low on laughs and satirical bite because its kind of humor comes from awkwardness. It’s a sort of anti-romance romantic comedy could have worked if the script and direction were improved. Yet the film is unable to control the poor tone of the scenes which considerably leaves the audience unsure whether to laugh or cry by the film’s climax. There are some discontinuities that are very apparent as well. One particular scene to show this is when Mary writes the truck driver’s license number on her left arm in black permanent marker during the hitching a ride scene. However, when she gets out of the truck as the same day moves forward, there is nothing written on her arm anymore.

The characters seem based around the shrillest, most obvious characters imaginable. As a goofball ugly ducking type, Bullock is in between a socially awkward character and an annoying weirdo who stalks the instant love of her life. Something that this movie glaringly lacks is the combination of comic wits and charming humor. There is a minor elevation of emotional resonance by the last part of the film through hardcore sellout music and mainstream formulaic juxtaposition of shots. Yet, even the supposedly key parts like when Mary tearfully confesses that she wears her red boots because they make her toes “feel like ten friends on a camping trip,” it doesn’t sell enough as how it is intended to be. Cooper’s Steve, along with the other major and supporting cast members try their best to deliver such outlandish, cartoony characters. However, the film’s issue on script and treatment doesn’t really work out to their advantage. Thomas Haden Church as Hartman Hughes attempts to throw in some good hearty laughs. Stereotype is what Ken Jeong as Angus and Mary’s newfound fellow weirdo friends radiate. And too bad, this latest entry on Bullock’s long list of movies aren’t even close to the type of screwball comedy she is capable of making.

Film Review: I Love You, Beth Cooper

Flip-flopping With the Farce and the Funny
By Rianne Hill Soriano

“I Love You, Beth Cooper” is average stuff. That is to compare what you see in the unimaginative trailer and what this teen movie rehash actually delivers for its worn out theme and story. Considerably, it does provide some laughs for its farcical intentions. But that’s about it.

The story revolves around a nerdy valedictorian Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) who proclaims his love for the most popular girl in school – Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere) – during his graduation speech. Much to his surprise, Beth shows up at his door during his post-graduation party and decides to show him the best night of his life. It’s one of those movies about the nerds getting with the high school hottie. This graduation night-road trip flick adapted from Larry Doyle’s 2007 best-selling novel of the same title seems kind of misguided. Or perhaps, the very story is already contrived to this kind of quality for a commercial film work. Or maybe this kind of movie just feels too outdated. The script, also by Doyle, has a few good flashes of comedy, but at most times, it just tries a little too hard. With its painfully awkward shifts between pat sentimentality, hackneyed teen-movie tropes, and parent-baiting raunchiness, this coming-of-age party movie is highly contrived and lacking the courage and conviction to completely tell a memorable character-based story about girls and boys with hyperactive hormones triggered by puberty. Well at the least, the movie can really induce some laughs.

As one-crazy-night teen comedies go, this film attempts to make itself a solid teen comedy flick; but it merely turns out to become a flabby teen movie trying to revive that same breath as “Superbad.” It fails to grasp that needed sincerity to make a spectacularly effective teen comedy masterpiece. It flip-flops between flailing farcical comedy and dull drama with a mixture of obvious jokes and winsome sentiments. The situations are forced. The script is weak. The pacing sometimes drags. The comedy isn’t funny enough all the time. And the film falls short on hitting all its emotional targets.

Director Chris Columbus provides a by-the-number type of filmmaking here – all manufactured for that farcical comedy in teenybopper fashion. There are some mindlessly funny moments that could probably please its target audience. However, the one-sidedness of the movie kind of robs the film of overall quality and conviction.

“I Love You, Beth Cooper” offers nothing new and original. As a bland mix of dumb comedy routines and teen angst, it touches all the bases that have been touched so many times before, with both better and worse ones. On a slightly positive note, it actually exceeds a little of the basic expectations for it. And it’s not to be branded as a totally unwatchable fare, thanks to some really funny scenes. Amidst the clichés and stereotypical stretches, the comic deliveries from Rust as the nerdy Denis and Jack Carpenter as his movie-quoting best friend Rich induces some pretty fine laughs. Yet, flat and sluggish moments here and there just pull it down further. And the flashbacks are sometimes awkward.

Overall, this graduation comedy movie still flunks; but at the least, there are still specific laughing moments that can make the teacher reconsider it to reach a passing mark.

Film Review: The Hangover

Hanging Over a Guy Flick
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Escape factor is what “The Hangover” is all about. Its approach to gross-out gags is hilarious enough to benefit from the considerably low expectations for it. Who knew a hangover could be this fun?

“The Hangover” is a guilty pleasure comedy. The guy cast is personable, the photography is entertaining, and the script is cleverly constructed for the laughs. It has a raunchy decadence. It is vulgar and offensive. And it hits as much as it misses.

This fun boys’ comedy about a bachelor party gone wrong is really nothing special; but the simplest reason for its comedic success is the fact that it achieves a rare balance between character and vulgarity. And there is a sort of perverse brilliance, or maybe brilliant perverseness, thrown against the gambling streets of Las Vegas… Just bring your political correctness and gender sensitiveness at home and you will probably enjoy the ride. Hmmhhh…

“The Hangover” is a cleverly vulgar “bromantic comedy” filled with jokes and sight gags that manage to remove its own tired tooth to make itself feel inventive and consistently funny. It actually works as a non-stop laugh riot with compelling plot and characters – promoting the twists to keep you guessing right to the very end. While it would be misleading to claim this is a “brilliant film,” it’s an assured escapist offer that immediately finds its place with a surprising level of sustenance. And at most times, it serves a steady stream of big, dumb laughs. At its best, it dispenses a crudely pleasurable bearing, and at its worst, provides a hostile relationship to the woman characters. Somehow, the enjoyment route needed is to just let it pass as a furiously paced, inventive, and flat-out hilarious take on a tried-and-tested formula. And if you dig deeper into its comic ambivalence, the rude and downright tasteful extremes actually find genuine humor to the film’s bewildering crises of debauched and depraved consequences.

The film’s stumbles and slurs become effective through a fine ensemble cast. Lewd and rude, the gags generally come from a cracking script from Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It succeeds well as a rowdy romp pegged around a sharp-witted plot that actually holds up. And like the condition for which it is named, this aptly titled movie has some spirited moments of devilishly smart enough comedy that keeps you laughing with its sheer absurdity. It turns out to be every bit as crass, offensive, and incorrect as you’d expect, but you are victimized by its bizarrely gripping man-crush comedy. Indeed, it’s very funny an awful lot of the time.

This guy flick manages to find a great deal of humor in human tragedy. The characters are very well-played and their interactions are genuinely hilarious, even if most of the jokes are pretty cheap in finding its myriad ways of having the biggest laughs come into play. Finding humor in the mystery of a weird aftermath, the story wisely studies the day after the bachelor’s party rather than the day itself. The plot works backwards, without tacky flashbacks, and much of the evening in question is left in between their one-liners and your imagination. There is a lull towards the end – where you almost become as exhausted as the boys. But really, thank goodness for those end credits. This movie has a simple, but definitely one of the funniest, credit roll in commercial movie history. The photo slideshow of what really happened the night before absolutely deliver straight up laughs – and they certainly rank as one of the best-ever kind of punch line to grace such kind of movie offer.

Director Todd Phillips (“Starsky and Hutch,” “School for Scoundrels,” “Old School”) is successful in promoting strong comic performances in the film. The actors, virtually unknown, are terrific. They invest in a great deal of “laugh to the bones trip.” This Las Vegas-set movie centering around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed bud after their drunken misadventures proves that you don’t need big Hollywood names just to get the big laughs. It’s a testament to the strengths of these actors that they make their characters endearing and believable enough – validating the idea that even in the face of total lunacy, throwaway goofballs make such appealing nuances.

Here, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis are a great comedy trio with each one bringing a different element to the movie. Cooper as the womanizer Phil Wenneck, whose confidence renders him automatic chief in their guy getaways, uses his looks to his advantage. You see a typical leading man figure ironically exploiting his charm to become a self-absorbed, clueless, and bumbling idiot. Helms as the typical “Andres de Saya” Stu Price is pretty solid as well. The repressed pussy-whipped dentist who obeys his girlfriend’s every command adds a pretty texture to this mainstream comedy. He makes the laughs subsequently heartier by balancing out the team. Galifianakis as the child with a beard character Alan Garner plays his character straight up without any shred of condescension in knowing the actual humor and droll buffoonery he is providing as a man-child. And as far as fat funny guys go, he has a fair share of the film’s funniest lines – all working well with such naive absurdities. Justin Bartha as the groom-to-be Doug Billings blends his matinee idol appeal with the thoughtfully funny twist in the end that ties up what the story is really all about. He inexplicably disappears while the rest of the group couldn’t remember a thing about their wildest night in Vegas. And his groomsmen must retrace their steps in order to find him. The good chemistry extends to the solid performances of the other supporting characters, including the cameos: Heather Graham as the stripper Jade, Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow, Mike Tyson as himself, among others.

What makes this comedy work is how the antics seem innocently awkward rather than deliberately awkward – and that’s what makes it so funny. Yes, it’s not in any way pleasing the way it handles the female characters. And that is the not so good thing about it. Yet, you get victimized by the laughs as you know that it has no other major intention but provide dim-witted fun with immoral, ruthless characters not to be taken too seriously. But where exactly did the chicken inside the hotel room really come from? At least, the tiger has a pretty clear role…

Film Review: Up

Pixar’s “Up” further strengthens its impressive track record of making noteworthy animated films. This must-have DVD provides a symphonic balance of touching silence and witty dialogue where the flight of fancy is carefully crafted through a wildly creative fantasy, inner childhood, and rediscovery.

As an emotional and heartfelt story with various levels of relationships and sense of belongingness, this high-altitude exploration about love and loss and letting go makes a beautifully balanced effort – propelling the viewers up, up and away with its colorful balloons of cinematic adventure.

“Up” is a family film that doesn’t pander. The audience’s suspension of disbelief especially for some of its preposterous elements never insists itself as a negative issue. In fact, the cleverness and originality the film exudes through it becomes considerably boundless. Highly supported by visual wonder and worthwhile story investment, the theme of this exquisitely cinematic work tweaks the common elements of a grownup tale and rejuvenates the storytelling with much spark and pop.

From belly-laugh humor to tear-in-the-eye despair, it never becomes anything less than incredibly touching and entertaining. Alternately funny and touching, and exciting often all at once, this tale about unfulfilled dreams and fulfilling promises is punctuated by gentle whimsy and tender human values. Through its intimate character study about rediscovering the soul, or surviving the worst and making the most of it, the film’s creative synergy of sharp, funny, and tear-jerking elements delivers both a thrillingly fantastic adventure and a devastatingly poignant piece of realism.

What makes “Up” more special is how its animation efforts are utilized for maximum value. It combines the basic filmmaking requirement of imaginative and sincere storytelling with dazzling and dreamlike visuals on a level that can work best on animated films – creating an experience that is a special characteristic of animation – at once utterly convincing and completely impossible, but all in all, lovingly acceptable for its kind of medium.

This swashbuckling romp starts slowly, but classy. Then it picks up helium and soars into a continent-hopping adventure and an understated, nuanced psychodrama with an end as inspiring as its title. For children, it’s an adventure movie; for adults, it’s an adventure on a whole different level. “Up” is a breezy kid’s fun yarn embedded in a sentimental grownup tale with serious consideration on love, death, and lives left behind. The “visual wow factor” can resonate more powerfully to the kids while the amusing brilliance as a sweet, gentle, and imaginative tale about grief and regret, purposes lost and rediscovered can resound more to the adults.

The opening sequence sits in silence, telling the story of young Carl and Ellie filled with emotions and alleviated by Michael Giacchino’s magnificent music transporting the viewers to a make-believe place. Tears fall at the end of this beginning to cast a spell over the willing audience. It hits the right notes as the musical score becomes practically a character in the film itself. The contemplative montage taking Carl from childhood to widowhood truly makes imaginations take flight. Director Pete Docter and co-director Bob Peterson, along with all the talented people from Pixar, create such a palpable story while maintaining itself as a piece of expertly-rendered and artful type of entertainment.

Colors match the emotions seen on screen. Shapes and sizes in every frame promote such valuable storytelling subtexts like: the character design of Carl being very edgy while the designs of Ellie and Russel being full of curves.

The various characters balance the thrills and tenderness to make a truly beautiful and compelling work. The gruffy old widower Carl Fredrickson (voiced by Ed Asner) ties thousands of balloons to his home and sets out to fulfill the lifelong dream initiated by his already departed wife Ellie (with the young Ellie heard in the film voiced by Elie Docter) to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn’t alone on his journey, since Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai), a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, becomes a stow away on the trip. And as he finds himself reluctantly sharing his ride with the short-attention-spanned kid, he embraces the jungle adventure with more and more characters coming their way including the colorful, sweet-toothed bird Kevin, the talking dog Dug (voiced by Bob Peterson), and his childhood idol, the adventurer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer) with his pack of dogs led by Alpha (voiced by Bob Peterson).

“Up” has a genuine warmth of a true classic. It orchestrates itself into one truly unforgettable piece of animated film for all ages.

Film Review: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Fluff and Pathos Equals Adult Fairytale
By Rianne Hill Soriano

“Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” is a gentle period piece that keeps the comedy humming while unpacking Miss Pettigrew’s one extraordinary day. This Depression-era Cinderella comedy has a certain kind of sophistication backed up by a fluffy form of lyrical cleverness. And for those who are into ultra-light screwball fun, artsy romance, and happy endings, this grown-up fairytale can surely live up for a day of cinematic entertainment.

Light and pleasant, this snappy adaptation of a 1938 British novel by Winifred Watson is a valentine to a by-gone era. Its old-fashioned qualities explore women’s roles in the society at the time – with an impending war hanging heavily at the background. Nicely cast, this handsome production is a delightful farcical fairytale that plays like a joyous whirlwind. Its mood and treatment is reminiscent of a period theatrical piece bolstered by moments of depth and emotion. It’s a veritable treat that’s quick, breezy, witty, and charming amidst the considerably tough and uneasy blending of comic delight and pathos.

Set in 1939 London, the era, costumes, sets, and music make the film feel like a classic. The world war fear is carefully dissolved into a blend of eye-candy production value, cliché romanticism, and screwball comedy that give the film a certain gravitas to keep up with. Director Bharat Nalluri maintains a light mood, a brisk pace, and a pleasurable wordplay for such a film that is pulled down by its own predetermined ending.

Period comedy is a tough act to mount. And “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” works with a certain heft. Interestingly, it is aimed at the ‘art house’ crowd while keeping a treatment that is as light as a feather and as stereotypical as your usual romantic comedy. What it lacks in substance is counterbalanced by the energy of its heavyweight actors and actresses – the thespian acting performances fitting the film’s fairytale-ish needs. At the same time, those who are not demanding for some heavy meanings and deeper artsy points would still enjoy the film by just the sights and sounds of cheeky purses, shoes, and dresses, vintage cars, and period music.

Delightful performances make the film a charming 1930’s “Cinderella-meets-Sex and the City.” Frances McDormand puts a frazzled charm and endearing insecurity to her character as the frumpy Miss Guinevere Pettigrew. Amy Adams as a wide-eyed delight of a would-be starlet Delysia Lafosse lends her frivolous charm amidst such an autopilot-ish acting for her ingénue character. The two ladies blend in a likable manner that keeps up a British fortitude and class to the mounted picture. Even the romantic angles of each one (Delysia’s young womanizer producer Phil played by Tom Payne, the rich, have-it-all businessman Nick played by Mark Strong, and the financially modest but simpatico musician Michael played by Lee Pace, and Miss Pettigrew’s urbane fashion designer Joe played by Ciaran Hinds) form an appealing bond that promotes light and gentle laughs. The rest of the supporting cast led by Shirley Henderson as Edythe and Christina Cole as Charlotte Warren are equally entertaining.

This film works as a quick throwaway comedy mixed with period romance, theatrical drama, and relevant theme. Overall, it is fluffy as it is fun.

Film Review: Pink Panther 2

Another French Goof
By Rianne Hill Soriano

“Pink Panther 2” is all about rehashing the jokes of the past. While keeping itself as a comedy crime caper, its hoary slapstick routines promote nothing more than kitchen-sink comedy for those looking for something in a Mr. Bean vein. As usual, it serves up the pretty dumb and predictable goofs, moronic pranks, and fractured wordplay to keep itself purring along.

This revisiting of Peter Sellers’ original Inspector Jacques Clouseau plays like a series of hit-and-miss skits. While it certainly has some moments of hilarity, it seems to prefer the warm comfort of mediocrity. It may have some response from a few visual gags and a couple of moments where the slapstick gives some funny ride, but amidst the primary effort on the production’s physicality, it’s still a flimsy attempt trying to effectively revive the almost five decade-old franchise. It suffers on some flat gags and off-color innuendoes that waste what the talented cast can further offer. It merely relies on cheap-looking humor and old hat routines filled with derivative punch lines. Nevertheless, as a form of brainless escape, this flick’s vapid, low-grade comedy designed for marketability more than anything else can still provide certain chuckles. The animated title sequence is quite enjoyable to set up the mood. And even the unforgiving, demanding viewer could still find a dim-witted laughing moment on at least one individual scene like the part of the burning restaurant.

Steve Martin takes up the task again as the bungling Inspector Clouseau in his sneering French accent and idiotic detective wits. This time, he teams up with a squad of international detectives who are just as bumbling as he is in their mission to stop a globetrotting thief who specializes in stealing the greatest pieces of world treasure and historical artifacts. The comic mayhem following his dense character includes John Cleese as Chief Inspector Dreyfus, Jean Reno as Ponton, Emily Mortimer as Nicole, Andy Garcia as Vicenzo, Yuki Matsuzaki as Kenji, Aishwarya Rai as Sonia, Alfred Molina as Pepperidge, and Jeremy Irons as Avellaneda. But despite all the supporting star power, the movie’s search for redeeming features is too hard to find. The performances are let down by the screenplay and direction – which don’t really give vital opportunities for strong comic focus. The paper-thin storyline gasps for laughs with its airless plotting that it wastes the talents of the many good actors in this sequel.

Overall, “Pink Panther 2” is a hit-and-miss entertainment venture relying heavily on the audience’s affection to the bumbling detective who already made its mark in Hollywood history. The movie is not a very good film, but at least it’s generally painless as a form of mindless entertainment – thanks to the cast trying their best to put a little reason for the flick to exist more than just wringing dollars from an already throttled franchise.

Film Review: Confessions of a Shopaholic

On Getting Maxed Out
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

“Confessions of a Shopaholic”
Directed by: P.J. Hogan
Starrring: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack, John Goodman

“Confessions of a Shopaholic” is a triumph of style over predictability and formula. A chick flick about conspicuous consumption, it’s a mixed bag of elements you either want to exchange or keep. It poses as a heavy-handed brief against debt, shallowness, and financial issues presented in a goofy form.

As a fabulously frothy fashion film, it relies on the ordinary but feisty star performance of Isla Fisher as the sassy New York shopaholic Rebecca Bloomwood and her charming leading man Hugh Dancy as the handsome boss Luke Brandon.

Based on the novel “Confessions of a Shopaholic” by Sophie Kinsella, this adaptation about a woman racking up five figures of credit card debt manages itself with a light-hearted anti-capitalist sentiment. The film is a mildly amusing comedic satire effectively putting the message within its madness. And crazy as it can be, it warns you against mindless materialism and the dangers of becoming slaves to labels, while at the same time, it actually celebrates those same designer brands in the story.

The problem nipping at the designer heels of this movie is that the sloppy, unfocused script fails to push all the emotional buttons to chip away the mold from its derivative plot; and at the same time, avoid merely reinforcing the such female stereotypes in the big screen. But what makes it a sale attraction still is its by-the-number schmaltz being saved by its delightful cast. As a cartoonish treat struggling against the humor deficit of such a usual offer, it’s pleasingly addictive to those who are in for a cheesy, feel-good romantic comedy. You might feel guilty for buying into its sellout pulp, and later, you might need more as its markdown considerably makes up only for a short term.

“Confessions of a Shopaholic” becomes more entertaining than anticipated through its bundle of comic energy, production values, and radiant acting performances. The garish, frantic, and frivolous tone of the film from director P. J. Hogan manages to make it a frothy commercial offer and a cautionary tale about the perils of plastic splurgery. The pleasant treatment like that of the moving mannequins adds up to the credit. And with a contrived but breezy take on the life of a spend-crazy writer whose shopping addiction catches up on her, it poises itself as a wonderfully silly, superficially charming, and occasionally hilarious cautionary film against overspending.

The silly and beguiling Fisher is well worth the investment. The shop-till-I-drop Rebecca finds herself giving others advice on how to stash some cash when she lands on a job as a financial journalist. And through her adorable presence, she puts up a slick and polished appeal to spare to overcome the film’s slapdash script and formulaic plot and make a bargain out of its own denouncement to consumerism.

Her bright, comic talent is aptly paired with the desirable monetary journal manager Dancy. The rest of the cast is just as delightful and backs her up quite effectively: Rebecca’s thriftiest parents Jane and Graham Bloomwood played by Joan Cusack and John Goodman; her bride-to-be best friend and roommate Suze played by Krysten Ritter; her fashion magazine dream boss Alette Naylor played by Kristin Scott Thomas; the fashionista she describes as the girl with the longest legs ever Alicia Billington played by Leslie Bibb; her creepily persistent debt collector Derek Smeath played by Robert Stanton; among others.

Overall, “Confessions of a Shopaholic” is a goofy, likeable enough chick flick that eventually steals the indulgent hearts.