Prisoners (2013)

Watching Prisoners is like solving a puzzle and/or answering a riddle that has a mystery answer that you keep on guessing. This is the main strength of the film. Its mystery and thriller theme acts as its grip to the audience to keep them interested and glued to it until the conclusion of its puzzling mystery. Though, some of the scenes with numerous dialogues were quite boring plus it runs more than two hours, I can still say it is entertaining and worth my time. I just feel that the conclusion is so open-ended because the movie left it to the imagination of the audience for the answer. Prisoners is a 2013 thriller film that focuses on abduction of two young girls in Pennsylvania and how far a parent would go just to protect his family.

Going Popcorn Review: 3/5 Popcorns

Poltergeist (2015)

Poltergeist is the 2015 remake of the 1982 original iconic movie of the same title where the story revolves about a family that has just move in a new house in which they do not know is a house of mischievous spirits. Poltergeist has a nice horror story to tell but living under the title of an iconic horror movie, a lot of expectations were expected to this kind of big remake. Though, Kyle Catlett as Griffin Bowen and Kennedi Clements as Madison Bowen charming and effective which compares to the memorable Heather O'Rourke’s Carol Anne Freeling, some of the cast are emotionally distant from their characters thus making then unrelatable characters to the audiences like me. I appreciate the efforts of modernizing the film’s story with the use of modern gadgets like Ipad, drones and GPS in investigating paranormal activity but there are still expectations that did not meet at all. It wasn’t totally a scary or horrific movie at all. Yes, there are creepy scenes, thrill and suspense (the clown toys scared me), but Poltergeist cannot be summed up as a totally horror film because simply it wasn’t totally scary. It took years before this remake was made and I hope will equal or surpass the original one but it seems not. I hope the other sequels of Poltergeist (1986 and 1988) won’t be remade if this will be the same quality like this 2015 remade. 

Going Popcorn Review: 2.5/5 Popcorns

The Breakup Playlist (2015)

The Break up Playlist is a romance-drama film about former ex-lovers musician reunited after an incomplete closure break-up in which they have to face again and force to confront a lot of unanswered questions that led their break up. Both members of a band before, Gino Avila and Trixie David played by Piolo Pascual and Sarah Geronimo respectively love story was presented in an interesting manner of a supposed “playlist of break-up songs” being played that has themes related to their love story. Although, the song choices was relatable and induced last song syndrome to the audiences including its theme song – Paano Ba Ang Magmahal, the film was still lacking depth for it to be a memorable romance and drama movie. I thought The Break-up Playlists will live among the ranks of all-time best Filipino romance movies like The Mistress (2012), One More Try (2007) and Starting Over Again (2014) given a strong lead casts which by the is the main strength of this movie rather than the story it presents. But I was wrong. The story is shallow and the conflict of the story is shallow too – not deep enough to discuss further and solving it doesn’t require a longer period of time. In short, it’s not worthy for a 2-hour run of the story’s conflict. Though, I appreciate the different approach and style via use of music and songs as the theme and they made this film less cutesy and kilig romance flick as it tries to go on serious romance drama genre. Yet, it still failed to deliver what a serious romance drama should be. It’s entertaining but its ending is also one of its downfalls. I find it way too easy to end a conflict just like that making it having a quite uneven conclusion.  

Going Popcorn Review: 3/5 Popcorns

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

A science fiction thriller that lives up to a true thriller themed film but has a mixed feeling ending – either you love it or hate it. A group of researchers discovers a scientific experiment of bringing life from death but in effect has caused an irreversible situation that they might regret in the end. Olivia Wilde was memorable here as the lead character Zoe. While Wilde’s performance and other casts gave a strong performance act to remember it cannot be said to the plot of the story. The Lazarus Effect effectively gives the scares and thrill of a real thriller movie but the story is shallow and leave many loopholes in the story. The cliffhanging ending wasn’t also enough for it earn a higher ranking in movies with this kind of theme as it leave more questions unanswered in the movie. Characterization of the lead characters were also shallow and not in-depth making its characters less interesting and further leaving more unanswered questions.  The Lazarus Effect could have been a remarkable thriller science fiction film if it hadn’t been a film with so many unanswered plots. But it is still worth to watch if you’re into a movie night marathon or weekend movie trip. 

Going Popcorn Review: 3/5 Popcorns

Just the Way You Are (2015)

This is a romance-comedy film with a story of traditional teenage Filipino movie that heavily capitalizes on Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano loveteam.  I feel that the movie is the continuation success of their hit TV series Forevermore. I also feel that this film was made as a way of saying thank you for supporting the TV series and catered to the fans of their loveteam. Just the Way You Are has a nice rom-com story to tell but the problem with this movie is that it has a recycled theme that seems so familiar already in Filipino rom-com movies and yet fails to be different if not memorable from the rest of the numerous rom-com Filipino movies that has been produced in recent years. Every theme of romance is so traditional that when you watch it, you find it overly familiar and recycle. If you are a fan of Gil-Soberano loveteam, go ahead and watch it to feel the traditional “kilig” of Pinoy romance movie. It feels the same old teenage flicks and nothing is unique in its love story. But if you’re looking for a Pinoy romance movie that leads the rest of the pack in this kind of genre films then this is not for you as Just the You Are is not leading the pack.

Going Popcorn Review: 2.5/5 Popcorns

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

The Fault in our Stars is based on the same title novel written by John Green. It tells a unique romance story between cancer-ill teens Hazel and Augustus who fall in love in despite of their struggling situation. The story is unique as it explores cancer stricken people and their various struggles in life as they battle sickness. I find it slightly predictable in story but still worth to watch since Shailene Woodley is giving us again a strong acting performance. Luara Dern as Frannie Lancaster was surprisingly remarkable as well. While Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters were captivating and charming and Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten was effectively remarkable even in supporting act. The film is also a great travel movie, with half of the film explores the wonders of Amsterdam. The Fault in our Stars may be melodramatic and tearjerker but it is sure a moving and painfully poignant love story movie. And it truly proves that “dying sucks” as it opens our eyes and questions our concepts in death and sickness like how open we are in facing an imminent death, are we ready to accept the irreversible situation and what we can do despite of this situation. The Fault in our Stars makes us think and examine life situations that could affect our concept about life and its importance.

Going Popcorn Review: 3.5/5 Popcorns

The Age of Adaline (2015)

What if in a struck of an unexplainable phenomenon you suddenly become ageless? What if you live through ages and century without getting old but at the expense of not finding the life you want and the love of your life? The Age of Adaline tackles those themes of immortality, death and life in general. The movie is an epic-romance fantasy film that centers mainly to Adaline Bowman played by Blake Lively who was subjected to a slow aging process after an extraordinary phenomenon accident. At first, I thought it was a science documentary film but it wasn’t, as The Age of Adaline delivers “something new” to the table of immortality and ageless themed movies. It has the same theme as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) but with a different and modern twist. While this one has more inclination to the side of romance, it didn’t lose the story as a whole. There may be loopholes in the story but the great performances of Blake Lively (Adaline Bowman), Harrison Ford (William Jones) and Michiel Huisman (Ellis Jones) made it bearable to watch. They gave strong performances in my opinion. Actually Lively, reminds me of Gwyneth Paltrow a lot here and her performance here is enough to be notice and praise. This is also what kind of break movie she needed in Hollywood – something light but with serious drama and touch of romance. The Age of Adaline may seem not compelling for some but the theme surely made the watchers open the minds about the concept of aging and immortality and its consequences in real life. For me, this film can pass both as chick flick and romance fantasy film for a movie marathon night. 

Going Popcorn Review: 4/5 Popcorn