Following The Lion's Long Way Home: Thoughts on Lion

Lion is the fourth film from this year's Best Picture nominee list that I've seen. The great thing about these Oscar-nominated films is that they're all very good and won't disappoint you, but they will also turn your little hearts into a mess with their greatness. Lion is no different. 

One of the moving scenes in Lion, featuring Dev Patel and Priyanka Bose
(Source: imdb.com)

Lion is based on an extraordinary true story of Saroo Brierley. When Saroo was just a little boy in India (played by the very cute and talented Sunny Pawar), he got separated from his family after accidentally taken by a train to a place that was far away from his home. The boy had to stay alive alone for a pretty long time before he got adopted by an Australian couple (played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham). Years later, adult Saroo (Dev Patel), who had built a new life with his adoptive family, began to remember the life he had forgotten and intended to find his way home.

Source: www.gramunion.com

When I first read the synopsis of this film, I wondered why it was entitled Lion. Now, after seeing it, I think the title is perfect for the story. It turns out that Saroo had mispelled his own name. His name is Sheru, not Saroo, and the meaning of the name is lion. Before seeing the film, I also thought that it would focus on Saroo's search for his biological family, but it turns out that it is about Saroo, the lion, himself. It is about the traumatic experience that he has had, the way it haunts him, his longing for his family, his mother... So, this film really is about a lion, and Saroo is the lion. 

Lion feels like two different movies merged into one. The first half of the film centers on little Saroo and his long struggle to stay alive after being separated from his family while the second half follows adult Saroo and his search for home. I think it's great that they make it that way because that must be how the real Saroo feels about his life too. His childhood, his life with his family must feel like something that is separated from his new life to Saroo. 

As beautifully said by Park in the novel Eleanor and Park, a piece of art can make you feel something. Lion makes me feel like a mother. Seeing little Saroo alone in unknown, and sometimes dangerous, places, feeling hungry, scared, missing his mother and brother is just unbearable. All I want to do is taking care of him, making sure he's okay and safe, like a mother. When Sue, Nicole Kidman's character, helps him clean himself in the bathroom and tells him lovingly that she will always listen to him, my heart feels warm. I think that scene really captures a mother's love for her children. I'm not a mother but the depiction of a mother's love in this film really touches me. Maybe it's because I work with children every day haha. After seeing this film, I've been thinking a lot about being a mother. I've never been sure about getting married, but now I know that I want to be a mother. And when I do, I really hope I could be a great one. Oh yeah, that's how deep this film touches me.

Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman got nominated in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories in so many award shows this year, and I think they both truly deserve it. Everyone knows that Nicole is a brilliant actress, so it's not a surprise. For Dev, I think it's time for him to be recognized more because he's such a fantastic actor. The scene-stealer in this film is definitely Sunny Pawar. He's just super cute and lovable and amazing. I think I could just watch him do anything all day because he's just so adorable. Rooney Mara also delivers a great performance here. She doesn't have much screen time but there's something about her character that makes me want to know more about her life, her story. She seems like a smart and interesting person. If there is a movie about Rooney's character, I would definitely watch it. Another unforgettable character is Guddu, Saroo's big brother. I feel really sorry about what has happened to him. I really wish Saroo could reunite with him.

Rooney Mara's character is not based on a real person, but her scenes with Dev Patel's Saroo are always captivating
(Source: AZCentral.com)

Lastly, the film is visually stunning. It features some beautiful landscapes that can be found in India and Australia, filmed from the sky. If you like to travel or see beautiful views, I'm sure you'll enjoy the views featured in this film.

So, the Oscars will be held tomorrow. I don't think Lion would dominate the award show, but its roar will always be heard in my heart. May the best ones win the Oscars tomorrow!

Rating: 4,5/5

A War Hero and His Faith in God: Thoughts on Hacksaw Ridge

Today I have a day off because it's the election day in some cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta. If you live in Indonesia, I'm sure you're aware that the election and the candidates for the governor of Jakarta have been hot topics these days. I've tried to follow the news and conversations about the election and the candidates just to, you know, keep myself informed and updated, but I find it quite hard to do that. I'm the kind of person who avoids arguments and confrontations, while talks about the election mostly take the form of heated arguments that involve sensitive issues like religion and race. I always cringe whenever I read or see news about the election.

Last week, when people were anticipating the final debate of the candidates, I chose to watch Hacksaw Ridge, not the debate. I know it may seem like there is no relation between the film and the election at all, but after seeing it, I feel like this movie has a story that is very important and needs to be heard by those people who are involved in those heated arguments and fights.

Hacksaw Ridge is based on a true story of Desmond Doss, played by my favorite actor who is now an Oscar nominee, Andrew Garfield. As a religious man who, as his father says, needs to sit down, think and pray before doing anything, Desmond joins the army to serve his nation. However, he refuses to use any weapon and kill his enemies as his religion teaches him not to kill. This gives Desmond a rough time during his training and an even more brutal experience on the battlefield as he insists to save lives instead of taking them.

Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss
(Source: www.thecoli.com)

If you want to watch this film, you must know that this film contains very disturbing images that involve blood and body parts. Did I once say that Rogue One capture the harshness of wars? Well Hacksaw is on a higher level. The battle scenes are long and brutal. Luckily my friend Lia warned me about this before I saw this film, so I had the chance to prepare my heart and stomach first haha.

I know that some people think this films is a bit too dramatic, but I have to admit it really touches my heart. This film made me cry so much. I started crying five minutes into the film, I guess haha. There is a scene at the beginning, where deep regret slowly fills young Desmond's heart after he realizes that he almost kills his brother with a brick, that made me feel so connected to him. I could really feel him in that scene.

When Andrew Garfield takes over as adult Desmond, the connection that I felt didn't vanish. He has incredible scenes where he dramatically saves his wounded friends (75 of them) from a battlefield full of his nation's enemies alone. However, the scenes that really touched my heart are those where Desmond has these small talks with the people around him. The scene where he and Jack (Sam Worthington) talk as they're resting enables me to see Desmond from Jack's point of view. It made me think that Desmond is totally crazy and weird, but at the same time I realized that those qualities are the ones that make him different from others and admirable. The same thing happened whenever Desmond has scenes with his lady Dorothy (Teresa Palmer). Desmond's complex relationship with his dad (Hugo Weaving) is another emotional roller coaster. I couldn't hold my tears when Desmond tells the story of him holding a gun before his dad's head. He doesn't kill him but he says that he does kill him in his heart and swears that he will never use a rifle anymore after that. I cried with Hugo Weaving as he slides down the wall in front of his son in that scene. And then there is this scene where Desmond fails to save his friend Smitty (Luke Bracey) and has a breakdown. Smitty's last words ("I'm scared!") and Desmond's breakdown just gave me goosebumps. It's cool how Andrew is able to have such a strong chemistry with all his castmates. He is just amazing, like the amazing Spiderman (sorry I just can't help but adding this pathetic line hahaha).

After seeing this film, I spent some time thinking about it and realized that it is pretty relevant to the situation in my country right now. These days, a lot of people hate, fight and argue with each other when they try to defend their beliefs. There are people who hate those whose religions are different from theirs, and there are others who glorify their leader and see those who don't do the same as their enemies. It's just saddening, sickening and exhausting to see people hate and insult each other on a daily basis like that. When I saw Desmond in this film, I was stunned by how he could stay true to what he believes in without being aggresive at all. He shows me that we can fight with kindness and compassion as our weapons. He shows that strength and bravery that grow from kindness, compassion and faith in God are the greatest kinds of them. Desmond's story is a reminder that all religions teach kindness, not malice.

"While everyone else is going to be taking life, I'm going to be saving it." - Desmond Doss
(Source: MovieNewsPlus.com)

Besides that, I think this story also speaks to those who have been bullied by other people. I think all of us have experienced being laughed at because we do things a bit differently, being labeled as a weirdo, being told that we are ugly, wrong, pathetic, not good enough... Desmond has to face all of them too but he doesn't let that bring him down. I know it's not easy at all but, if you get bullied for being who you are, you should stay strong like Desmond because, as Desmond says, how are you going to live with yourself if you don't stay true to what you believe in?

So, Hacksaw Ridge feels like a very religious film for me. However, I think the message that it carries is universal and can be applied by anyone no matter what their religions or races are.

Rating :4,5/5

Learn The Power of Language in Arrival

So many great movies these days, eh? I gave 5-out-of-5 ratings in my last three film reviews and now I'm about to give the fourth one to this critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film, Arrival.

Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner in Arrival
Source: wegotthiscovered.com

To read the synopsis of this film and some information about it, please read my older post here. As I wrote in that post, Amy Adams leads the cast as Louise Banks, a language expert who is hired to translate the visiting aliens' language. Jeremy Renner plays Ian Donnelly, a science expert who works alongside Louise while Forest Whitaker plays a military guy who is tasked to figure out the aliens' intentions.

Like La La Land, this film's conclusion completely blows my mind. After seeing this film, I had to sit down for a long time in order to process the ending and recover from it. So this post contains spoilers because I just have to talk about the ending.

The one thing about Arrival that made me so eager to see this movie is the fact that this sci-fi film centers on a linguistics expert. I just have never seen a sci-fi movie that involves a linguistics expert. Films from this genre usually feature military guys, science experts and sometimes teenagers who are in the wrong place and the wrong time, not language experts. So I was so intrigued by the premise because I find it rare and unique. I really wanted to know how they would present a story of a language expert in a sci-fi world.

Arrival can be classified as a sci-fi movie, but if you expect to see an exhibition of CGI creatures and spaceship battles here, you will be disappointed because this film doesn't have any of that. Arrival does have aliens and spaceships, but it is the rare kind of sci-fi movies that drains not only your brain with its science elements, but also your heart with its intimate, deep story. It's kind of similar to Christopher Nolan's Interstellar.

As Amy Adams states in an interview, Arrival is basically a story of a mother who loves her daughter; a love letter from a mom to her daughter. Throughout the movie, we are made to believe that Louise is haunted by the memories of her deceased daughter, but at the end it is revealed that she doesn't know, or maybe I should say hasn't known, who that girl in her memories is. It is because the glimpses that she sees are from her future. Yes, Louise gets the ability to see her whole life, her past, present and future, because of the aliens' language that she learns during her mission. It turns out that the aliens' intention is to deliver a gift to the humans, which is their precious, unique language that gives anyone who has mastered it the ability to perceive time as something without beginnings and endings, like a loop. So, in the present time, Louise has already got the knowledge about what the aliens' purpose is, their language, how the problems that they are facing will be solved, that she and Ian will fall in love with each other, that they will have a daughter, that Ian will leave her and, the most heartbreaking one, that an incurable disease will kill her daughter at a young age. However, with all that knowledge, Louise chooses to cherish every moment in her life as if she didn't know the future. She still chooses to be with Ian and have and love her daughter with all her heart even though she knows she will lose them. This completely blows my mind and shatters my heart.

Source: https://bradscribe.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/arrival-the-bradscribe-review/

I think the revelation hits me so hard because it instantly changes the way I perceive the story, just like the language alters the way Louise sees her life. It connects every moment in the film, clears all the confusion, concludes the story beautifully and sends its deep, meaningful message right into my helpless heart. I almost can't contain the feeling that the revelation brings. Besides its greatness, it is also totally unexpected. I expected mind-boggling science theories but I get this emotional story that gives me all the feels. Films that can make you feel so much like this one are what we call art.

Some people say that a great movie is a movie that can make the audience feel related to its characters. Arrival makes me feel related to its main character, Louise Banks. Similar to Louise, language is my area as I have a degree in English literature, do translation jobs and teach English to children. I know that learning a language and teaching it to someone who is not familiar to that language at all are long processes that require patience. So I get really angry when I see how they push Louise to finish her work quickly. I can really feel her frustration in this film. I bet she is the kind of person who appreciates the process of everything, not only the final product. Louise also has scenes where she just stares at her work in front of her, thinking hard and deeply without saying a word, which looks exactly like I do right now as I am trying to find the right words to describe how I feel about this film haha. Her scenes with the aliens, Abbott and Costello, the way she takes off her suit as she says, "They need to see me," the way she touches the screen to connect with the creatures on the other side and the way she stays calm and quiet let me know that she also appreciates real interaction, intimacy and peace. Amy Adams's performance here really makes me feel close to her character. I think she deserves all the recognition she has been receiving and should be nominated for an Oscar for her role here. She has received many nominations this year but, suprisingly, is not nominated for an Oscar. Check the full list of nominees for this year's Oscars here.

Source: wegotthiscovered.com

Arrival might not lead the Oscars race this year, but I think it is one of the best, the most thought-provoking and mind-blowing films ever. Five stars for this movie!

Rating: 5/5

Here's To The Fools Who Dream: My Review of La La Land

Sometimes I secretly wish that I could just burst into songs and dance in public places whenever I feel emotional without being labeled as a crazy person. But unfortunately that's not possible, and I'm a terrible singer and dancer anyway haha, so I will never do that. To fulfill my fantasy, I usually just watch people do that in musicals. 

  

One of the most popular musical films this year is La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as the leads. Just a few days after La La Land was crowned as the best musical or comedy film of the year in the Golden Globe Awards, the film was released in my country. I didn't expect it to be released here that fast because they usually wait until after the Oscars to release award-winning films, but didn't complain. As I said before in one of my older posts (click here to read it and see the synopsis of La La Land), I had been very excited to watch this movie.

Before I start, I need you to know that this review contains spoilers. I just have to talk about the ending because it's just so powerful and great.

I've never seen anything like La La Land before.

Visually, this film is very artistic and dramatic. Here, we can see men and women twirling and jumping around in bright-colored outfits as they sing together, a dark purple sky that is full of stars during night scenes, people vanish as the lights get focused on the main characters whenever they lose themselves in the songs... Just so dreamy. A lot of people say that La La Land looks like classic musical films, which I've never seen before. Surprisingly, these dreamy qualities are combined with a very realistic story. The story is very relatable, not just for people who work in the show business like Mia and Sebastian, but for anyone who is pursuing their dreams. I really love it when a film can combine these qualities. I think the credit should be given to director/screenwriter Damien Chazelle. 

La La Land is basically carried by its two lead actors: Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The chemistry between these two is one of the best things about this film. I really love watching the scenes where they just talk to each other because, there, you can really see the strong bond between them. Their performances also touch my heart many times. I can see myself in Sebastian when he gets frustrated as he tries to explain to Mia, who states that she doesn't like jazz, why he is so passionate about jazz. I imagine I must be just like him whenever I explain to other people why I love films and books haha. When Sebastian tells Mia to give her all if she gets a role in the film she auditions for, my heart just breaks because, at that moment, I know that he loves her and wants her to be happy even though that means she will have nothing left for him because she has given her all to her dreams. Mia's last audition before she becomes a successful actress, the one where she sings Audition, really destroys me because  it shows a lot of emotions. Emma and Ryan totally deserve to win Oscars this year.

Mia and Sebastian
(Source: http://therumpus.net/2016/12/the-rumpus-review-of-la-la-land/)

The most important aspect in a musical is definitely the songs. La La Land features seven original songs and all are very catchy and awesome. After seeing the movie, I just can't stop singing City of Stars, a duet performed by Emma and Ryan. I even have memorized the lyrics now. Audition is, as I said before, so beautiful and emotional. The scene where Ryan and Emma dance as they sing A Lovely Night is so iconic and memorable; it makes me want to learn tap dance haha. The opening scene in the middle of a terrible traffic jam, which features Another Day of Sun, is so epic. They even made a parody of it for the opening of this year's Golden Globes.

Source: http://giphy.com/lalaland

La La Land is amazing in every aspect, but if I have to choose my favorite part of it, I would choose the ending. [SPOILER ALERT] At the end of the film, Mia and Sebastian have made their dreams come true but live separately. When they accidentally meet again, Mia imagines what her life would be like if they decide to stay together. The life she imagines (which is presented in such a beautiful way that looks like a musical performance on a stage) is wonderful, but, in that life, Sebastian would have to sacrifice his dreams to be with her. That is why it is best for Mia and Sebastian not to be together; because none of them could sacrifice their dreams. It doesn't mean that they don't love each other; it's because, in this life, we just can't have everything. There will always be things that we must let go and it's up to us to decide which one it is that we want to keep and which one to sacrifice. Mia and Sebastian choose to let go of each other, but there are other peope who choose to give up their dreams and be with the ones they love. Some others also choose to compromise and change their dreams in order to make things work. None of the choices is better than the others because people have different ways of thinking and priorities. I think this is a very powerful message that everybody needs to understand. It gets me thinking about it for a long time, even until now. Another interesting thing about the ending is the fact that they show how Mia and Sebastian's life would be if Sebastian, the guy, sacrifices his dreams. In my country, and possibly others too, it's usually the women who are expected to give up their dreams in order to take care of their families when they marry their men. A lot of people think that it is normal for women to do that. I'm not saying that it is wrong for women to do that - it's actually very heroic, but not all women are willing to do that and that's okay too - but have you ever imagined what it would be like if a man sacrifices his dreams to be with his woman and allow her to reach her dreams? I just find it interesting.

So, does La La Land deserve all the buzz it has been receiving? Definitely yes! Go see La La Land everybody! If you're still not convinced, take a look a this clip!

Rating: 5/5 

Be One with the Force: My Review of Rogue One

It's a good time for Star Wars fans to be alive.

Our favorite saga that we thought had ended had been resurrected and we can expect at least one Star Wars film every year now! How cool is that? Last year we were introduced to the new generation of Star Wars in The Force Awakens. This year, we're getting the first standalone film in the saga entitled Rogue One: A Star Wars Story or simply Rogue One. 

For the first time, we're having a Star Wars movie that doesn't center on the Skywalker family. Rogue One tells a heroic story that takes place right before the events in A New Hope. As we all know, Luke Skywalker and his friends from the Rebel Alliance famously destroy Death Star at the end of that movie. Rogue One will let us know how the Rebel Alliance gets a map of Death Star which helps them destroy the superweapon. A team that names itself Rogue One runs the highly important yet dangerous mission. The Rogue One squad consists of new characters that we've never met before such as Jyn Erso, the daughter of the architect of Death Star, and Cassian Andor, a member of the Rebel Alliance. Gareth Edwards, whose previous projects include the 2014 remake of Godzilla, directed this film while Academy Award nominee Felicity Jones leads an international cast which includes Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed etc.

The Rogue One squad (Source: www.magazine-hd.com)

Before the film was released, there were rumors that reshoots were done for the movie because Disney was not happy with it. The news made me, and lots of other fans as well, really nervous. Last minute changes and problems with the studio are never a good sign, eh? But, after seeing the movie, I realized that we shouldn't have been worried because the film is awesome!

What I love the most about the new generation of Star Wars films is how they trust young, talented and visionary filmmakers and let them helm the projects. J.J. Abrams has proven that he's the right man for the film when he successfully brought Star Wars back to life last year. Rian Johnson is currently working on Episode VIII  and I'm very happy that they choose him as the film's director. One of his previous films, Looper (starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis), is one of the coolest films I've ever seen. For Rogue One, the studio entrusts British director Gareth Edwards, and I approve this as well. He did a remake of Godzilla with Aaron Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen a few years ago and I love the film very much. I think the movie makes a monster attack, which is so otherwordly, feel realistic and plausible. I can say the same thing about Rogue One. This film's tone is a bit different from other Star Wars films. As you know, the other Star Wars films are always kept "light" and child-friendly (but still cool and awesome, of course!), but Rogue One plays with a darker tone. Edwards once said that he was going to make this film a war movie because the saga has the word "war" in its title haha, and he kept his promise. I think Rogue One really captures the roughness of wars. It shows how a war can force good people to do bad things like killing and deceiving. It also shows that not everyone can make it out alive by surprisingly (SPOILER ALERT) killing all of the main characters. This reminds me of Clone Wars. Oh yes I'm still not over Clone Wars haha.

Rogue One is a war movie
(Source: imdb.com)

Introducing new characters in a saga that has such iconic and beloved characters is clearly a challenge. I was a little skeptical about this at first, but Rogue One is surprisingly successful with its new characters. The characters have strong personalities and are definitely memorable. My favorites are Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, Chirrut Imwe and K2SO. I'm so proud of Felicity Jones's Jyn because she's a woman and she's the leader! I'm so glad they put more women in this saga! Diego Luna has officially become my new celebrity crush and favorite actor haha. His character Cassian is so heroic. And I love his accent very much (I think I have a thing for men with accents hahaha). Donnie Yen's performance as Chirrut Imwe is just so iconic! He even gives us a new quote ("I am one with the Force, the Force is with me.") and makes sure we don't forget it haha. K2SO the droid, played by Alan Tudyk, definitely steals the show with his surprisingly sarcastic personality. Oh I have to mention Forest Whitaker's character, Saw Gerrera, as well. Saw is a character that was first introduced in Clone Wars, which gives me all the Clone Wars feels. He worked with Anakin, Obi-wan, Ahsoka (Tano, Anakin's young Padawan), Lux (Bonteri, son of a senator who used to work with the Separatists but then joined the Republic) and his own sister Steela during the Clone Wars. If Saw can have a part in this movie, can we expect to see other characters from Clone Wars like Ahsoka and Lux in the future films? I told you, I'm still not over Clone Wars.

"I am one with the Force, the Force is with me."
(Source: Tumblr)

Similar to Fantastic Beasts (click here to read my review of it), Rogue One relates itself to the main story of Star Wars without trying too hard. It features tons of easter eggs that I won't mention one by one because someone has already done that here, but it has its own story and its own characters. I hope the upcoming standalone films can do the same thing. Oh yes, there will be more standalone films. I think they're working on that Han Solo film right now. I heard about a Boba Fett movie as well but I don't know whether it's confirmed or not. Those projects are exciting but I will be even more thrilled if they make an Obi-wan movie. Yes, we want Obi-wan!

So, I'm giving another five-out-of-five rating hahahaha. I just can't contain my love when it comes to Star Wars and Harry Potter, you know. Enjoy your holiday and go see Rogue One, everybody!

Rating: 5/5

Going Back to the Magical World: Thoughts on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Five years ago, I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the last film in the Harry Potter series, with my mother and left the theater with tears all over my face. My mom was very confused, just like so many other people whenever they see me fangirling over Harry Potter like a crazy person, but, hey, how could I not be emotional? 

Harry Potter is a huge part of my life. The first book and its movie adaptation came out when I was in elementary school and the last ones were released at the end of my teenage years, so I practically grew up with the series. Harry Potter is my childhood hero. He shows that a hero is not someone who kills the bad guy, but someone who cares about other people. A hero is someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves for other people and not afraid to lose, like Harry. And that world of wizards and witches... Oh man, that world really helped me free my imagination. Harry Potter also helped me find myself. You know, I wouldn't have chosen English Literature as my major if Harry Potter hadn't made me realize how much I loved English and literature. Harry Potter also has a role in my decision to be a teacher. One day, I was thinking about what I wanted to be in the future. I knew that I liked teaching at that time, but I wasn't sure about being a teacher professionally. But then I remembered Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest man in the Harry Potter universe whose passion is to teach. That was when I realized that I shouldn't be unsure about teaching just because it isn't a popular career choice. I love teaching, like Dumbledore, so who cares if it's not popular. Besides, Dumbledore is a teacher and he's awesome, so I can be a teacher and awesome too hahaha.

So, yeah, Harry Potter means a lot to me. Seeing the last movie was like saying goodbye to a childhood best friend to me. It was bittersweet and so emotional. 

And when it was announced that there will be new films set in the Harry Potter universe, it felt like getting a phone call from that childhood best friend who tells you that he's coming to see you.

Our new favourite merry band
(Left to right) Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein and Newt Scamander.
(Source: www.threeifbyspace.net)

Oh yeah, the witches and the wizards are coming back in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! This film is not a sequel of Deathly Hallows Part 2, It is more like a spin-off of Harry Potter. If you're a diehard fan of the series, you must know about a textbook entitled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander that is used by Harry and his friends during their time as Hogwarts students. This film follows the adventures of Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who is very fond of magical creatures (Sounds like Hagrid, eh?). In this film, Young Newt arrives in the United States with his case, which is full of magical creatures. Some of the creatures escape from his case and somehow it makes Newt get linked to Gellert Grindelward, a dark wizard who has  a long history with none other than Albus Dumbledore and is just as dangerous as You-Know-Who.

As a Potterhead, I am very happy with this movie. Like an old friend whom you haven't seen for a long time, this movie is different from the one that we knew and grew up with, but it still has those little things that let you know it is the same thing that you once loved as a kid. Fantastic Beasts features some things that are so Harry Potter, like the theme song, the film title that emerges in the sky, the duels with the wands, the familiar spells, the moving photographs in the newspaper, some familiar magical creatures like Bowtruckle and Niffler, etc. Those things will make any Potterhead feel nostalgic because it's been a long time since the last time we saw them on screen. Despite the traces of Harry Potter in it, I am happy that Fantastic Beasts doesn't try too much to relate itself to Harry Potter. It has its own story with its own characters whom we meet for the first time. This film brings something new and fresh for the audience. I particularly enjoy the story. It runs very smoothly with magical and funny moments here and there and big, shocking reveals at the end.  In case you don't know, Jo Rowling herself penned the script of this movie. I think she should've written the scripts of the Harry Potter films too!

The naughty yet cute niffler
(Source: www.notey.com)

Just like the original Potter films, Fantastic Beasts is visually stunning. The set, the costumes and the CGI... all are a feast for the eyes. I enjoy the actors' performances too. One of my favorite Academy Award winners Eddie Redmayne delivers a great, enjoyable performance as Newt Scamander. He looks like he was born to play a role in the Harry Potter universe because he fits perfectly there and looks very natural as a magizoologist. Dan Fogler and Alison Sudol are so funny and likeable; I'm sure they will soon become fan favorites. And Ezra Miller! His character Credence is so dark here, darker than I expected, and I think his performance is very powerful. Oh there is one more actor that made my jaw drop at the end of the movie, but I think you should see the movie by yourself to find out who it is haha.

So I'm giving this movie a five-out-of-five rating hahaha. It might be a bit unfair because I'm a Potterhead, bit I really did enjoy this movie very much. Now I am happily waiting for the next films, just like the old times hahaha. I think the next films will have a stronger connection with Harry's story. I hope J.K. Rowling will find a way to connect the stories naturally and wonderfully.

Rating: 5/5

Combined Review: The Magnificent Seven & Deepwater Horizon

Sooo we have reached that time of the year when all the anticipated blockbuster movies of the summer have been released. It's October right now and there is no film this month that has much hype. I've seen a couple of movies this season. I saw Jason Statham's Mechanic: Resurrection and The Magnificent Seven in September. Earlier this week, I saw Deepwater Horizon. I think the first film is horrible in every aspect (sorry!), but the other two films are pretty enjoyable and I have some things to say about them. Here they are!

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

The Magnificent Seven is a remake of a movie that has the same title that was released in 1960. The original movie itself is also a remake of a Japanese film entitled Seven Samurai. The 2016 version of The Magnificent Seven tells the story of Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), a woman whose hometown is threatened by a greedy man named Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), who intends to take over the small town. Desperate to reclaim her town but not able to fight on her own, she seeks help from a bounty hunter named Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington). Chisolm then forms a team of seven deadly cowboys who are willing to risk their lives to help Emma and her neighbors face the evil Bogue. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Source: moviesinthephilippines.com

For me the movie is not bad, but it's definitely not as magnificent as the title.

The storyline itself is such a stereotype and, from the very beginning, I know how it's going to end. It's understandable, though, as this one is a remake of a classical movie which was probably one of the pioneers of cowboy movies. Furthermore, the plot also goes a little too slowly for me. Some scenes, like the ultimate shooting scene, are too long and slow and made me a bit bored.

The Magnificent Seven has a list of great actors in its cast. There are Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett, Peter Sarsgaard, Byung-hun Lee, etc. So before I went to see the movie, I had high hopes in terms of the acting quality. However, I must say that I was disappointed. Well, I'm not saying that these actors have bad acting quality; I just think that their talents are not supported by good writing here, so they don't really shine throughout the movie. The story doesn't give time for the characters to have bonding time and let the actors show the chemistry that they have with one another. I think the bond should have been the focus of the movie because this movie is about a squad that is so magnificent. They should have given us some squad goals moments! But, unfortunately, the movie doesn't show this bond. To be honest, I still don't understand why the other six members of the squad are willing to join Chisolm and risk their lives for the job. They all just agree to join without any strong reason. They should've shown the reasons behind the cowboys' actions; the reasons why they make such a solid team.

There are two things that I admire from the movie. The first one is Haley Bennett's character, Emma Cullen. Although she doesn't have much screen time, we can really see her as a brave and strong woman. She stands up for her town when nobody else dares to do it and even joins the bloody, deadly fight for her freedom. I find it very inspriring. Peter Sarsgaard's performance as Bogue also amazed me. He is really unrecognizable as Bogue here; I didn't even realize it was Peter Sarsgaard until I saw his name linked to Bogue's name during the end credit. You know, I always remember him as that charming man who breaks Carey Mulligan's heart in An Education, but he looks nothing like that man here. He transforms himself into the mean and greedy Bogue here. An actor who is able to transform himself into his character is a great actor, right?

Rating: 2,5/5

DEEPWATER HORIZON

Deepwater Horizon is a movie that is based on true events. In 2010, a drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded due to some malfunctions in its system. This movie shows the story behind the disaster; the conflicts that led to it, the people who were involved in it and the brave heroes who emerged during the disaster. The movie is directed by Peter Berg while the cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Kate Hudson and Dylan O'Brien.

To be honest, the main reason why I wanted to see this movie is because one of my fictional boyfriends, Stiles Stilinski aka Dylan O'Brien, is in it hahahaha. Sadly, Dylan's pretty face is covered in mud most of the time there, but I still enjoyed the movie.

As I said before, this movie is based on true events, so the conflicts that are featured here are very realistic and relatable. The realness of the story is also supported by the actors' great performances. I love how they all look like real people here; it makes things feel even more realistic. The chemistry between Kate Hudson and Mark Wahlberg, who play a married couple, is really sweet yet so real. Kurt Russell really transforms himself into his character here. Similar to Peter Sarsgaard in The Magnificent Seven, I didn't realize that Kurt Russell is in this movie until his name showed up during the end credit. He looks so badass with that awesome mustache hahaha. John Malkovich successfully made me hate his character here haha. I also admire Dylan's bravery to make himself unrecognizable by letting his face, that cute face that makes girls love him hahaha, be covered in mud for the entire movie. I heard he and the film's director decided to do that to make things seem real because real people who work in rigs like Dylan's characters do have their faces covered in mud most of the time. That's what you call dedication.

Dylan an his muddy face :D (Source: www.imdb.com)

The set that they built for the movie is pretty impressive as well. I heard they really built a huge set for the rig scenes in a water tank. The explosion and the fire scenes successfully made me scared. The explosion and the fire are so massive and crazy. When I remember that that kind of explosion and fire really happened and that people really did have to go through that, I just shiver. No wonder Mark Wahlberg's character becomes very emotional and broken at the end of the movie.

Rating: 3,5/5 

My Newest Obsession: Stranger Things

Have you heard about Netflix's Stranger Things? I bet you have because everyone is talking about this web series right now. I myself became aware of this series last month because there were so many articles about Eleven swimming on the internet. However, I just started watching it last week. I really want to finish the entire season in one day but I had work to do last week so I'm only on episode five right now. Hopefully I can catch up soon!

In case you don't know, Stranger Things is a Netflix original series whose first season, which contains eight episodes, was released last July. The story starts when a boy named Will (Noah Schnapp) goes missing in a mysterious, supernatural way. When Will's family and friends desperately try to find the boy, a girl, who is also mysterious, called Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) arrives in the small town and crosses paths with Will's best friends: Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin). As the mystery evolves, the people around Will start to realize that Will's disappearance has something to do with the government, an extra-terrestrial force and is somehow related to Eleven.

Source: www.tumblr.com

The premise of this series might not be new at all. I happen to be a fan of mystery stories that require us to play detectives in order to solve the mystery and supernatural stories which involve mythical creatures, so this one is, of course, very appealing for me. But what makes Stranger Things such a huge hit is, I think, because it is made and presented in a really good way. Here are some things from Stranger Things that forces me to sit in front of my laptop and watch.

It's very well-acted

Winona Ryder's performance as Joyce, Will's mother, is a winning performance. She plays a single mom who seems like she has always been shaky, even before her son disappears. Will's disappearance just makes her worse; it shatters her. And Ryder portrays this very, very well. This character makes me think and reflect on my own life as well. When I see Joyce, her story, the reasons behind her behaviors and actions, on screen, it's easy for me to believe her and root for her. But when I see someone like her in real life, someone who is known to be falling apart because of their problems, it's easy for me to think that they're just weak people who can't control their emotions. Seeing Joyce reminds me that everyone has their own story, their own reasons behind their decisions. We shouldn't judge people if we don't know what they're going through. So that's how powerful her performance is; it makes me learn something!

We know Winona Ryder is a great actress even before Stranger Things, but we didn't know about Millie Bobby Brown's talent before. The character that she plays, Eleven, is just so iconic. Don't be surprised if you see many people sporting Eleven costumes this Halloween. Who can forget her buzz cut, her deadly stare and her mysterious silence? That little face of hers sheds the darkness from her past and the trauma that she has. I mean, how can a twelve-year-old girl portray such a dark character so well? Millie Bobby Brown is such a talented actress. I hope we'll see more of her in the future.

Source: www.frogx3.com

It uniquely combines innocence and horror

The 1980s set, the child characters and the alien-related theme of Stranger Things remind me a lot of the classic movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which, as you all probably know, is about a friendship between a boy and an alien. However, those elements from E.T. are combined with elements from horror and monster movies here. So, yes, you'll find an innocent friendship between two beings like the one in E.T., but you'll also find scenes where people scream as their bodies get dragged by a mysterious monster that are similar to scenes from Alien movies. Such an odd combination, but it works for me.

The complex and relatable characters

As we get deeper into the world of Stranger Things, the characters reveal themselves as complex and layered characters with so many interesting sides. I'm always fascinated by round characters like these. My favorites are Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Mike's older sister who starts off as a girl who tries to be someone else in order to fit in but grows into a brave girl who fights for what she believes in; Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Will's mysteriously quiet older brother whose looks resemble young Luke Skywalker hahaha; and Hopper (David Harbour), the cop with a wounded soul who handles Will's case.

The killer soundtrack

The original score of this series has this disco vibe that somehow captures the extra-terrestrial theme of the story. I really love the score. The theme song that is always played during the opening credit is stuck in my head. Some old songs from the 80's that are played in the episodes are pretty catchy as well. The most unforgettable one is definitely The Clash's Should I Stay or Should I Go.

Last but not least, the mystery

The story that this series offers is the kind that makes you question so many things at the end of every episode. What has happened to Will? Where is he? Where is Barb? Who is Eleven? What is it that they're doing with Eleven and the mysterious creature in that mysterious lab? What is that creepy creature that lurks in the woods? What is that other creepy thing that Hopper finds in the lab? The list of questions just keeps growing as you finish every episode and it makes it almost impossible for you to stop watching. For fans of this kind of story, Stranger Things is very, very entertaining to watch.

If you have already become a fan of this hit series, do you have other things that you like about it? If you haven't started watching, are you interested to start watching now? Not yet? Well, this trailer below should be able to convince you.

Hope you enjoy my blog post! :)

Let's Talk About Superheroes! (Part 2)

It's time for the Marvel heroes from the big screen now. Here we go.

Source: www.tumblr.com

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

Civil War opened the season of blockbuster movies this year. Technically it is the third Captain America movie, but it's more like the third Avengers movie because it features multiple Avengers team members. Similar to Batman vs Superman, Civil War is about a war between two beloved superheroes. Due to severe damages that are created by the superheroes when they try to save the world, the governments of most countries in the world demand the Avengers to work under their supervision. Tony Stark thinks it's logical for the team to accept that, but Steve Rogers thinks the opposite. The situation gets worse when Bucky aka the Winter Soldier gets involved. A conference which includes the signing of the agreement between the Avengers and the governments is ended by an explosion and Bucky gets blamed for that. Having a strong emotional connection with him, Steve decides to help Bucky, which makes him labeled as a criminal too. As the story goes, the war between Tony and Steve gets even more personal and emotional.

As you probably know, I'm not a big fan of the films that are made by Marvel Studios. But I have to admit that Civil War is a remarkable movie. The way it portrays the feud between the two heroes is really good. If you ask me which side I'm on, Team Cap or Team Iron Man, I wouldn't be able to choose. I can understand why Steve refuses to sign the agreement with the governments, but I think Tony's argument about why they should sign it has a point. I think it's very human for Tony to be angry when (SPOILER ALERT) he finds out that Bucky kills his parents, but I can't say that Steve is wrong for defending his best friend until the end. This is the kind of war between two heroes that I want to see. It really is good vs good here, even though there is still an evil third person who manipulates things. It's very interesting to watch.

The best scene-stealers in this movie for me are the new characters: Spider-Man and Black Panther. Yeah, I, surprisingly, love the new Spider-Man. I didn't expect to like him this much because I really, really love Andrew Garfield's version of Spidey in The Amazing Spider-Man movies. When I first heard that they were replacing Andrew with young Tom Holland, my heart broke. But Tom's portrayal of the hero in this movie just made me fall in love with Spider-Man all over again. I was just so happy to see our young, smart, excited, funny and pure-hearted hero again. Maybe it's not just Andrew that I love; it's the character itself too. And then there's Black Panther. I know nothing about this character's comic book history, but he is just so cool in this movie. The costume and the way he fights are so neat, elegant. And I find his accent quite sexy too hahaha. The female characters, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch and Sharon Carter, are pretty badass too. They should include more female characters in the Avengers movies. They even deserve to have their own movies!

Oh, hey, Spidey! (Source: www.dailysuperhero.com)

Rating: 4/5

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

Apocalypse is the third film in the prequel trilogy of X-Men movies. This time, the X-Men must face a mutant who claims himself as the first and the most powerful mutant in the world: En Sabah Nur aka Apocalypse. He recruits four other mutants (Magneto, Storm, Psylocke and Angel) and plans to destroy the human race so that he can build a new world in which he is the leader, the God. Apocalypse's threats somehow bring back the disunited squad together and help them deal with their issues.



Source: phimhayso.com

I think the premise of the story has been overused in Hollywood. As for the villain, I find Apocalypse aka Mr En Sabah Nur a little too... magical. Maybe I'm so used to seeing superhero films being as realistic as possible because it seems to be a trend these days. His physical appearance, the way he talks, the way he gets resurrected (which involves a hidden cave and ruins that light up when the sunlight touches them), and his dialogues about ruling the world made me cringe. I'm so sorry but the premise and the villain are a bit cheesy for me.

However, I still find this movie quite entertaining. The iconic characters and the way the actors portray them are the ones that save this movie. Each character here has their own style and characteristics which make them all unique and so unforgettable. Professor X on his wheelchair with his calm and caring attitudes, Magneto with his burning anger and dark past, Mystique with her blue skin and mysterious personality, Quicksilver with his slow-motion scenes, Cyclops with his special glasses... They have great arcs and the actors played their characters very well too. This movie is really a treat for the characters' fans.

Rating: 3,5/5