Final Destination 5

Out of the blue, honey just emailed me yesterday saying, “let’s go on a date tonight” and honestly, I was thinking the very same thing. I love it how he can read my thoughts even when we are in our own offices nonetheless.

So we started planning and we wanted to watch a movie. Since we were disappointed with the last movie we saw, we are hoping that this time around it would be better. We decided that if we make it to the cinema by 18:50 we’ll watch Harry Potter again, but if not we’ll go for Final Destination 5.

Honey was stuck in a meeting in the afternoon so Final Destination 5 it was. The plot was more or less the same as the first 4 movies. Someone would have a vision that they will all die and he would freak out and save some of the people from the disaster that was about to happen that would have killed all/most of them. Although the plot was the same old one the movie was surprisingly entertaining. Think violent, gruesome, gory and gross. But because the scenes were so horrific and bloodthirsty, it was a little bit funny. I’m still impressed by the writer though, because although the plot is still the same, the details on each scene on how they would take each character out was really well thought off. Being the 5th instalment, I would have thought that by now the writers would have exhausted all possible means to create a ghastly way of killing off each character but they still managed to surprise me.

This movie is definitely not for kids, and needless to say this is not a movie that vies for awards or anything like that, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Cowboys and Aliens Review

This week’s date night, honey and I were trying to decide which movie to watch. As I browse through the schedule of movies, I was toying with three possible options. I was deciding whether we should see Final Destination 5, Harry Potter (I really want to watch it again!) and Cowboys and Aliens. A spark of memory flashed through my head as I recall the preview of Cowboys and Aliens when we were last in the cinema. I got excited coz the preview hinted of a very promising movie. You have James Bond and Indiana Jones in one film, what more can you ask for in a flick?

The film starts with a man waking up in the middle of a desert not knowing who he was, how he got there and where he was going. He had to defend himself against several cowboys, go to a village, again crush his fists on some more cowboy faces then Aliens appear in the skies and take some of the village people.

Now this is where we started to get disappointed with the movie. The movie started to move at such as pace that even a turtle carrying a backpack on top of its hard-humped back would still outrun it. At some point honey looked at me and said… “I’m bored.” LOL! Seriously, could the movie progress any slower?

After about an hour into the film, it did start to pick up the pace, but the lull that you have to endure before you get to the good stuff is a little bit too much.

Then I realized, this is the second Harrison Ford movie that we’ve seen that bored us to the point of slumber. The last movie of his that we’ve seen was the last Indiana Jones film. I kid you not I was asleep almost two thirds of the entire movie. This time it was honey’s turn to be rocked to sleep.

I think, next time Harrison Ford has a movie, we’ll really think twice, even thrice if we’re going to see it.

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes

My honey is such a sweetheart, he told me that no matter how busy we both get, we should always make time for each other and he suggested we fix a day of the week for our date night. He thought Thursday would be the best day so for a couple of months now we’ve been having our date nights no matter what.

Yesterday was Thursday again so it was date night for us. We planned to go to a movie, initially we were planning to see Green Lantern, but hubby arrived later than expected and we wanted to have dinner with Bee first so we ended up in settling for the Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

I’m glad we ended up watching this movie coz it was really entertaining. The plot was developed quite well. The story revolves around a scientist (James Franco) who is trying to develop a cure for alzheimers to help his father who is suffering from the ailment. He was testing the drug he was trying to develop on apes. The drug improved the intelligence of the ape massively, the ape had faculties almost that of a human. Little did the scientist know that the ape he was treating with the cure was pregnant and she passed on the effects of the cure to her baby.

The movie had all the ingredients of a good flick. It combines emotions, titillating scientific ideas, great special effects, a dash of action scenes and cute and adorable monkeys, what more can you ask for?

Honey and I really enjoyed the movie.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

After reading all the seven Harry Potter books, honey and I have been so looking forward to finally get to see them on the big screen. I was disappointed when the latest instalment, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’s premier was moved from last year to this year. You can just imagine our excitement when we were finally buying our tickets online to finally see this much awaited film.

I’ve read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince years ago so I’ve had forgotten a lot of the details in the story. However, one thing that I haven’t forgotten is how much I enjoyed leafing through the pages as I explore Harry’s adventures and misadventures with him in another year of his stay at Hogwart’s. I was so tempted to reread the book before going to the movies, after all I was home on sick leave the very same day that the movie premiered and had time to spare, but as the call of slumber was much stronger on my tired body than the urge to relive the book, I gave in to the call of the bed and slept the day away. After seeing the movie, I think not rereading the book was all for the best, I was thrilled to see each scene in the film and was excited as each part of the movie unfolds without me tying to mentally recall the next things that I have read in the book.

The movie was great! I daresay that this is the Harry Potter movie I enjoyed the most beating the first movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone out of my number one. We were even treated to about 15 minutes of 3D as we watched it on IMAX and the first few scenes were on 3D. The movie was funny, exciting, heart warming, it contained everything that I’m looking for in a good movie. I can’t believe how much the actors have grown over the years. It made me look back to the time when honey and I saw the very first movie together, we were still in college then.

Of course, I browsed through the book after watching the movie and although there were scenes that I would have loved to see on the movie, this film is definitely a gem and worth watching.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

I remember honey and I saw the first Transformers movie while we were on vacation in the Philippines and the brilliant effects and fast-paced story kept us at the edges of our seats. No wonder, honey was very keen on taking me to the movies for our last week’s date. Personally, I didn’t like Transformers (the animated series) I preferred Voltes V, but as it turns out, honey was a fan. He even gave me a gist of his favourite episodes.

We decided to see the 6pm showing of the movie (being the 2nd IMAX screening of the day) rather than the normal screening at 5pm. We were stunned by the very long queue that greeted us. It was free sitting so everyone was trying to get ahead of everyone to get a good seat. As I didn’t want to get squished we just decided to let the bulk of the crowd to go ahead of us before we went inside. Luckily, we still managed to get great seats.

As expected the special effects were spectacular. The movie didn’t have any dull moment in it, it was action packed, comic reliefs were right on target and all the action scenes would make you hold your breath. Oh and my favorite autobot would have to be Bumble Bee, I feel giddy each time Sam calls him "Bee"... so cute!

Honey and I enjoyed the movie immensely and if you’re looking for an enjoyable film for the family, this definitely should be one of your options.

Angels and Demons

(via)

I’ve been wanting to watch Angels and Demons for weeks now, but somehow, going to the movies gets bumped off by other more pressing (or other not so pressing) matters in my weekend to do list. Finally last Saturday, for our week date, honey took me to the movies.

It’s not surprising that there is so few of us inside the cinema, after all, the movie is on its third week of showing. It made the ambiance of watching the film more conducive for me though, I never liked a cinema that is packed. I must say that I liked Angels and Demons (the novel) better than The Da Vinci code which fuelled my excitement to see the movie. I was curious as to how the makers are going to fit all the exciting portions of the book into a two-and-a-half-hour movie. The movie was enjoyable although, if feel that there were certain important areas in the novel that weren’t fully developed in the movie. Of all the cast of characters, I liked Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of the carmelengo the most, I think he really gave a convincing performance. As expected, there were deviations from the novel and I think that a person who watched the movie without reading the book first will be more entertained, and completely clueless as to the ending. .

Although I’ve enjoyed the novel immensely, I was a half expecting to be disappointed with the movie as I was when I watched The Da Vinci code (the first Dan Brown novel translated into film) but to my surprise, I did enjoy the film and can say that it’s definitely worth watching.

Finally I’ve seen Twilight

I had my mind set on watching Twilight the movie on the 4th of December, the moment I learned that that was when it’s going to be shown here in Amsterdam. However, since our visitor arrived on the same day, honey and I had to postpone it the following day. Came Friday, honey was coughing and sneezing like crazy so I asked him if he was still up for the movie, I told him we should do it another day when he’s all better. But honey knew how long I’ve waited to see the movie, he insisted that we go.

When we got inside the cinema, I was really surprised to see that there were barely ten people inside, initially I thought all the people waiting in the cinema lounge would be watching Twilight but as it turns out, they were there for another film. To think that it was Friday night 7pm, it seems that Twilight doesn’t have a big fan base here, from where I live anyway. Now what do I think of the film….

I really enjoyed the movie. I love Robert Pattinson as Edward, he was able to lend Edward’s character more depth and charisma, and of course needless to say, he was absolutely gorgeous! I had to stop myself from shrieking like an infatuated teenager the moment I saw him on the screen (no one squealed so it would have been soooo embarrassing… hehe). His facial expressions and tortured looks, I think, were spot on.

Kristen Stewart as Bella was also a great choice, she perfectly portrayed Bella’s character, she had a simple beauty and yet a sensual look about her. The clumsiness and awkwardness of Bella appeared so natural in the movie.

Jacob, I must say I imagined him to be cuter but I’ve seen other pictures of Taylor Lautner to know that the best is yet to come.

I would have to say, I didn’t picture Charlie like how he was portrayed. I don’t know why but while I was reading the book I always pictured Charlie as someone who would be played by John Goodman, I told you I don’t know why but I just thought that a chubby chief of police and a loving (in a not too obvious, kind of awkward way) father would be endearing and that is how I saw Charlie in the books. Although, I must say, Billy Burke didn’t disappoint. He was endearing and quite a character without being overly expressive.

Bella’s friends, I could have never imagined Eric that way, while reading Twilight, I imagined him to be a nerd and goofy type but in the movie he was actually hip. Mike was cute very boy-next-door type, just as I imagined him, Angela and Jessica were also very well played.

The Cullens…. Ah the Cullens, love, love, love them especially Carlisle, he exuded a very fatherly image and he was so good looking! I love how they looked more alive in the film than they were in the book. When the book described them in Twilight it was like they don’t talk while in the cafeteria only staring on the walls, I love it when the movie showed them laughing and even having fun together.

Some of my favourite scenes: (Spoilers alert! Stop reading now if you haven’t seen the film!)

1) I love the scene when Edward rescued Bella in Port Angeles, when they were already in the car and Edward was so furious and asked Bella to distract him so that he will not go back and hunt the guys who almost attacked her and then suddenly he smiles when Bella says something funny.
2) I really liked the restaurant scene in Port Angeles, it was so funny when Edward was listening to the thoughts of the people around them. Money… Sex… Money… Sex… CAT!?! Money. Haha.
3) When Edward took Bella to see their home for the first time. The house was so beautiful and the Cullens were so endearing when they tried to cook Bella dinner.
4) The first time Edward kissed Bella, when he had to pull back, the pained look on his face was so real that I actually pitied him.
5) Every time Bella speaks to his mom, it’s funny and endearing at the same time, specially when she asked Bella “if she was being safe?” haha.
6) The baseball game! So fun, so refreshing and they looked cute on their outfits.
7) The scenes when Edward is in Bella’s room, so intimate… so sweet.
8) I like the fact that there was a fight scene between Edward and James unlike in the book where Bella just passed out and when she was awake it was over.
9) The prom night was dreamy!

The movie was absolutely entertaining, however, there were some parts of the movie that I didn’t like.

1) Most of the times that Jasper was shown in this movie, he had a funny look on his face. I know it was mentioned in the book that he was having difficulty being around Bella coz he’s new to this vegetarian thing but that look on his face is not unease it was funny really.
2) The way Bella and Edward fell in love, it wasn’t developed well, it was like one moment Edward was there then he was gone for a while after the Biology class and when he came back they were sort of falling in love already…. Parang pilit. Didn’t work for me.
3) I would have wanted to see more of Alice’s and Bella’s developing friendship, it seemed to be vital in the next books after all.


All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. The moment we got home from watching this film, I couldn’t help but browse through the pages of the Twilight book again. There was nothing spectacular about the movie but it delivered, I have to say, it was worth the wait.

photos from here

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Revisited

Viewing the trailer of the upcoming movie, Twilight starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, among others, has built up the anticipation at the pit of my stomach. I can’t get over how cute Robert Pattinson is. I can’t stop myself from letting out an ear splitting, goose bump raising, high pitched scream of …. “He is so cuuuutttee!” which earned me an amazed/worried look on Honey’s face as he hurriedly went out of the kitchen to check if I was choking or something. (Haha!)

I remember Robert Pattinson as Cedrick Diggory from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, however, I am surprised that he didn’t leave an impression on me, after all I have seen that movie dozens of times. Come Friday evening, I was still burning with the Twilight fever, so to see more of Edward (Robert Pattinson), I clutched the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD on my way to the bedroom and told Honey we should watch it again for the nth time. Being a Harry Potter fan himself, there were no contests.

The movie was just how I remember it, there seem to be a bleakness that surrounded the film from start to finish. I feel that the entire movie is too heavy and sad, however, comparing the movie with the book itself, I think the movie was able to impart a lighter ending to the sequel than what was actually depicted in the book. One of my favorite scenes is the Yule Ball, I liked the fact that Hermione was able to captivate the attention of Viktor (Krum) and I loved her look as she trailed down the stairs to meet him. All the challenges in the Tri Wizard tournament were all so exciting particularly the dragon challenge. This film has everything that a viewer can ask for, romance, thrills, struggles, funny moments and so much more. I have been entertained by this picture over and over again.

I think the reason why I never really noticed Cedrick Diggory is because there are just too many new interesting characters and too many developments going on at the same time. Watching the movie, this time paying close attention to Cedrick’s character, I think he did great given the limited scenes that he had. He has a certain charisma that is subtle and yet enigmatic. There is also something mysterious about his childish grin.

I am convinced that Robert Pattinson will definitely shine if given room to truly show what he’s got and Twilight is his chance. I am keeping all my fingers (and toes!) crossed that the film will also be shown here in good old Amsterdam on the 21st of November.

Twilight photo from here

One lazy Sunday afternoon

We’ve been having a bright, sunny and warm weather here in Amsterdam for quite a while now and it is an opportunity we grabbed to have friends over, finish a long overdue project and prepare for the visit of families and friends in the weeks to come. As welcome as the great weather is, the activity laden weekdays and weekends this entire month or so has taken its toll and I really needed a relaxed day to just lay like broccoli and the gray and rainy Sunday afternoon was just the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Honey was still hurling around installing curtain rods and window blinds to the guest rooms. My poor honey, so I fixed him a snack first before selecting a movie I could watch while curled up in bed. I chose Memoirs of a Geisha.


I am very fond of this film coz I really like the setting of the movie, an old Japanese town and the characters performances are notable. The movie tells us a tale of a young child, who through circumstances, was exposed and soon became a part of the mysterious world of the Geishas. The movie revolves around her trials while growing up and her path to becoming a Geisha, her inspirations, her glory, her love and ultimately the fulfillment of her long desire. Zhang Ziyi, I think, is the perfect choice to play this part, she lends Sayuri’s character a beauty and grace that I don’t think any other actress could have. Gong Li also gave a distinguished portrayal of Hatsumumo’s character who was a conniving, selfish, jealous Geisha who was envious of Sayuri’s character and beauty. I have watched Memoirs of a Geisha several times in the past but I never get bored with it.

I haven’t read this international best selling book though but I am currently in search of a copy here in Amsterdam so that I could compare the movie portrayal and the novel. This movie was the perfect choice while relaxing on a lazy Sunday afternoon.