2011 December : Up in the Air Movies with Singapore Airlines

The past few months before December 2011, I got so busy that I wasn’t able to have my regular dose of movies.

As much as I was eager to take my vacation to Paris & Switzerland come December, I must admit that I was also excited to be on that long haul flight from Manila to Paris  via Singapore taking Singapore Airlines, as I know I will have quite a selection of films on board.

On my way from Manila to Singapore about 3.5 hrs, my first pick was Horrible Bosses.  I’ve been hearing that this movie is really funny.  Honestly, my heart wanted to watch it because of Jason Bateman while my head didn’t want to see this film because of Jennifer Aniston.  There is not a single Jennifer Aniston movie I enjoyed.  I find all her movies boring and corny.  (My apologies to her fans.)  Anyway, Horrible Bosses was not bad, but it wasn’t good either.   So it’s no big deal if you haven’t seen it.  Watch it if there is no other option available.  If there is, this could be at the bottom of your list.

After a brief stopover in Singapore, I was able to watch three films on our 13 hour flight to Paris.

First up, Shelter.  This movie is not for the faint heart. It borders very close to being an exorcist film.  Even if you are not a fan of horror films, you can try to see it and while you may be scared as it plays, the ending will eventually take your chills away as it comes in full circle.  It’s dark, mysterious; has a great storyline that deals with multiple personality disorder or if you want to believe a deeper connection to the unknown.  Jonathan Rhys Meyers fits his role to a ‘T’ and Julianne Moore’s role here reminds me of her other portrayal as Clarice Starling in Hannibal.

After Shelter, I needed to see a lighthearted film to relax and get myself ready for a quick nap.  So I picked this German film : Groupies bleiben nicht zum Frühstück  (Single by Contract).  It’s about young love and the complexities of being a superstar finding love or being an ordinary person falling for a superstar.  It’s a funny film and has a lot of charm.  I was very happy to have picked this film it was perfect to bring some sweet dreams into my night…

After about one or two hours of sleep and when they started to serve breakfast up in the air, I woke up and picked my next film to be Colombiana.  An action film will give me that extra boost to wake me up, start my day and get ready for a full day once I arrive in Paris!  Yes, even in movies, I have to pick the right ones, at the right time ~ like a well planned schedule!  Anyway, I wasn’t expecting much from this movie and I remember clearly when I saw the trailer months back and it was repeating this phrase :  Remember where you came from.  Remember where you came from.  Never forget where you came from”.  It was such a stupid trailer.  Surprisingly, the movie was not bad. And Zoe Saldana was believable on her role as a revenging assassin.  And it also helps I have quite a crush on Michael Vartan.

Maybe it was all the fondue we had in Switzerland and all the Michelin Star cuisine we had in Paris, that my first movie pick from Paris to Singapore was this French film : Une affaire de goût  (A Matter of Taste).  It starts out as an ordinary but interesting scenario of a waiter being chosen by a wealthy businessman to become his food taster.  As I said, sounds ordinary but interesting right?   The story gets deeper and the plot becomes more intricate and dark as the movie progress and eventually ends in an unexpected and morbid end. Probably not for everyone’s palate, but this film will surely leave a sweet and sour taste on your senses.

Again, I had to choose another easy film after the last one, and since I am still on a Paris high, I picked a French comedy : Les Tuche.  A film about rags to instant riches and how one queer family handle and spend all the money they won overnight and try to blend in with the wealthy elite.  Hilarious and fun.  If you need a laugh, then this movie is it.

After a funny film, I was in the mood for love, so next up was Jane Eyre.  There’s so many version of this story adapted in films and on TV.  This one is the 2011 movie that stars Mia Wasikowska & the fast rising star Michael Fassbender.   I have never seen any Jane Eyre prior to this one, so I can’t really compare.  In a way, that’s good since I probably wouldn’t have picked this film had I seen previous versions.  So everything was new and fresh to me.  There was no pressure of comparison and I don’t know the details of this famous classic love story.  All in all, I found it striking and captivating.  It’s just like reading a historical romance novel which I love doing in my spare time, but with this one; I can let my imagination rest and just sit back and enjoy the visuals and let the story unfold before my eyes.

On the last leg of this flight, and summing up my movie marathon up in the air was Crazy Stupid Love.  My 8th and last film before landing back on land.  I am not fond of Steve Carell. Sometimes I feel he is overacting.  But it seems he is the new Jim Carrey nowadays.   I see Julianne Moore once again after Shelter.   And of course Emma Stone who is everywhere these days.  It was nice to see Ryan Gosling.  He is a great actor and I have never seen him in a comedy before.  The film is really entertaining, the bits and pieces work together and an unpredictable ending is a good bonus.  Usually I can predict an ending a mile away, so it’s either my mind was too full to work properly with all the movies I was watching one after the other, or it was just very well incorporated that it flows flawlessly and without a hitch.  I should just mention that one of my favorite is the Dirty Dancing scene they had.  OMG! That was just too romantic and incredible!!!  I wish 100x I was the girl on that scene!!!  I can and will dream about  that forever!

Back to Back ~ Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol & Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows

After more than two weeks of movie draught, there is no way I will miss the first day showing of Sherlock Holmes or the re-showing of Mission Impossible.  So as early as Saturday morning, I booked my seats via the ever reliable Shang Cineplex.

First up is Mission Impossible : Ghost Protocol.  There’s a lot edge-of-your-seat action in this film, the storyline was good and it’s a very entertaining film throughout.  I am glad that Tom Cruise was able to make this movie exceptional, especially since it’s his own production company.  Of course Mr. Cruise got older, looked older…but everybody ages.  At least he’s aging gracefully and fit.  Not to be missed if you love action films.  Finally, the opening scene location at the Kremlin in Russia, brings fond memories of my travels there.  Russia should be in everyone’s must see before you die list.  The people are friendly, Moscow is as cosmopolitan as any other city and the attractions are just superb.

Here  is a link of my 2008 album : From Russia with Love

SPOILER ALERT FOR SHERLOCK HOLMES : GAME OF SHADOWS below:

Next up was Sherlock Holmes. I got to rest and have dinner for about an hour before my next movie marathon began.  I love RDJ and I wish and hope beyond anything that he will continue to lead a straight life…and continue to make wonderful movies and entertain us all with his remarkable talent.  Of course I enjoyed this movie.  BUT there is one scene I wasn’t really fond of…its where they were running for their lives in the forest and being BOMBED! Being BOMBED in full artillery in the year 1891?!  That scene was just trying too hard and felt like I was watching a world war movie!  It just doesn’t fit.  The worst was all the slow-mo they had to place on it.  The other slow-mo on the other scenes were fine and in some case necessary, but that forest scene…most definitely unnecessary.

Last but not least, as a Make-Up Artist; I can’t help but notice the makeup on these film stars.  In the scene where Sherlock went to see Madam Simza for the first time,  the camera focuses on Simza’s side view profile and it clearly shows her real and false eyelashes ~ separately!  Maybe it was intentional?  But it surely looked weird.  They were probably in a hurry to shoot the scene and the MUA didn’t have enough time to clamp the eyelashes together…

Finally, there is something that is most interesting about these two movies.  Connected in some way.  Two actors playing in the supporting cast might come off as newcomers to some and unknown or unheard of to others.  That’s Michael Nyqvist who plays the vilian Kurt Hendricks in Mission Impossible.  And Noomi Rapace who plays Madam Simza Heron in Sherlock Holmes.  So what’s the connection of these two stars?  Michael Nyqvist is well known as Mikael Blomkvist and Noomie Rapace is known as Lisbeth Salander.  Both are scene names they used and starred together in this famous Swedish Millennium Trilogy: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (The Original),  I say original because there’s a Hollywood remake of this film with the same title that was so coveted and all the big named Hollywood & even British actresses tried to bag, namely Natalie Portman & Emma Watson; but the role went to newcomer Rooney Mara playing Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as financial analyst Blomkvist.  The original is always the best, but I will surely watch the remake and see how Hollywood will fare.  Kudos to these two Swedish film stars (Michael Nyqvist  & Noomi Rapace) for making their breakthrough in Hollywood with no less that two highly grossing franchise which coincidentally are being shown at the same time, starring alongside two of Hollywood ‘s A+ actors!

Bridesmaids (2011)

This is a hilarious film from start to finish.  Very well-written and even with all the laughters, there’s a lot of heart in this film that’s rightly placed in the scenes where you least expected it.  Truly a nice way to end to my Friday night after a busy week and I guess a great movie to start off my 2012!  Can’t believe my last movie blog was more than 2 months ago?!  *****Stars and…..I AM BACK!!!

Real Steel

  TOP FIVE REASONS TO WATCH THIS FILM:

1. IF YOU LOVE BOXING.

2. IF YOU LOVE ROBOTS.

3. IF YOU LOVE SCI-FI.

4. IF YOU LOVE GOOD STORIES.

5. IF YOU LOVE GREAT MOVIES!!!

BONUS:

*IF YOU LOVE HUGH JACKMAN. (WHO DOESN’T?!)

**DAKOTA GOYO SUCH A GREAT ‘KID’ ACTOR. I CRIED IN THIS MOVIE BECAUSE OF HIS AMAZING ACTING SKILLS!!!

DON’T MISS IT!!! *****STARS!!!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

OMG! This movie is actually good.  No, it’s INCREDIBLE!  It makes Captain America (the last movie I saw before this one just last week) look like child’s play!  And to think I’m not even fond of Ape, Gorilla, Monkey films (no offense).  Actually I didn’t even plan to see this movie, but really glad I did!  Now I plan to bring my mom to see it!!! Even though my mom’s English comprehension is not good, and she doesn’t like to go to the cinema (unlike my dad) but the actions in this movie tells a lot and is enough to entertain movie goers of all ages.  The Apes are believable and it might not be perfect for some but it’s  a super great film in my book! Giving this one *****Stars!!!

Captain America : The First Avenger

This film tries to build a very solid storyline and it worked. Even though the first part may seem a bit dragging, especially when you had a full day and watched a LFS that starts at 10:55pm!…My sister seemed bored looking at this scrawny kid until he turned into this handsome hunk and the rest they say is history!  Most of the action scenes are set in parts unlike the other Marvel Superhero’s fight scenes that are whole.  Nevertheless, the pacing was good and doesn’t giveaway much; although I was able to predict how the story will end 20 minutes before it actually did.  Still it was very enjoyable and it was fun connecting all the dots on how they become and will all be in the Avengers film in May 2012…the month of my birthday! YES!!! Can’t wait.  For those who want to wait until the end credits, you will get a glimpse of a short Avenger trailer!!! Enjoy!!!

Blitz

This is a no nonsense British action/suspense film.  I really like it for its rawness and not so polished film making.  It’s a good change to watch this kind of film once in a while.  The sarcastic humor was funny, the story was more than engaging and all the actors were great.  A nice film to see especially on a weekday.