At first glimpse, Alex Strangelove looks like a mere rip-off of Love, Simon but far from its smiliar LGBTQ+ lead characters, this coming-of-age film has a charm of its own with Daniel Doheny adorably playing the role of Alex Truelove and his quest – with the help of his supportive friends – to lose his virginity to his awesome girlfriend / bestfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein).
Unlike Love, Simon – this isn’t as wholesome and as realistic in terms of how accepting the high school kids are and virtually just about everyone around Alex. That is where it falters a bit in my opinion. Alex Strangelove is a cliché yet poignant and optimistic movie in an unforgiving high school setting moving towards acceptance, rather than just mere tolerance when it comes to sexuality and individuality. It is beautiful yet too ideal a scenario that we only see on TV and the big screen – this time, through my smartphone.
That being said, Alex Strangelove is a step forward towards education. A step towards acceptance. We’ve already made some progress. One step at a time. One step at a time.
Director: Craig Johnson Cast: Daniel Doheny, Antonio Marziale, Madeline Weinstein, Daniel Zolghadri, Nik Dodani, Fred Hechinger
I’m not big on these kind of films but this one piqued my interest from its very visually appealing trailer, plus one of my favorite actresses is starring in it so I ‘d easily searched it thru Netflix where it was widely released and tagged as one of Netflix originals.
Annihilation follows a group of an all-female scientist who enter a mysterious quarantine zone they call The Shimmer – a place where there is constant mutation from virtually all living things the shimmer touches.
There were several failed mission before the group where nobody has ever returned except for one – Lena’s (Natalie Portman) husband. Nobody has ever gotten information about The Shimmer since said husband couldn’t remember a thing and communications is jammed inside the Shimmer.
I’ve several questions about the central premise of the film but the major thing that bothered me is – if and when the / a group was able to gather information from The Shimmer, then what? It’s not like, we’re advanced enough to counter such entity (if you even wanna call IT that). Obviously, the whole thing was expected to expand and invade cities, states, countries and the rest of the world in time but what can we do exactly? I mean, all throughout I was just thinking about what are they going to do about a world that is constantly evolving, the way we are evolving now. If you wanna go deep and a philosophical about it – even without the Shimmer. We are evolving. Maybe not in appearance (just yet) but in every aspects of our lives.
It was a fascinating and visually stimulating film to say the least. Very typical alien-esque movie, not as artsy as the tree of life but definitely worth a watch or two!
Director: Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac, Benedict Wong, Sonoya Mizuno, David Gyasi,
Okay, calm down. We all need to calm down for a bit. Over the weekend, the ever so lovely Mr. Saenz tweeted a photo of him with Henry Alberto – the guy who apparently got the nod from our beloved author into writing the screenplay of the award-winning Young Adult book, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I mean, screenplay. Like screenplay! Are we just months or years away from the very own movie of our dear Ari & Dante? Gosh! I was hoping for this for the longest time since I’ve read the book and I do know that eventually it’ll be translated into the big screen but having an acknowledgement that it would indeed be on the silver screen in the future is such a euphoric feeling!!!
Now, let’s just zoom past into the future as to who should be playing the main lead! If I were the casting director, it’d be awfully difficult for me to cast this once in a lifetime roles!!! Who are your Ari & Dante?
This year is shaping up to be a battlefield between Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet on their way to the Oscars next year as these two previously Academy Award-nominated Hollywood It-boys are both headlining two major dramas based on real life.
In “Boy Erased,” Hedges will be playing the son of a Baptist pastor who has been pressured to attend a conversion therapy program after being outed to his parents played by Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman.
The drama is based on Garrard Conley’s memoir of the same name is directed by Joel Edgerton who will also be in the film as the main antagonist. Focus Features will be releasing the film on September 28.
“Beautiful Boy”meanwhile is already gaining some Oscar buzz right after the awards season this year due to Chalamet charming the socks out of everyone during the year-long campaign for his breakout role in Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name.
Beautiful Boy follows the story of a father, played by Oscar-nominated Steve Carell who watches his son played by Chalamet struggles with meth addiction. It’s an equally serious and controversial topic as Boy Erased and it’s based on David Sheff’s Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction and Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff. Beautiful Boy is slated for an October release by the Amazon Studios.
It’s also possible that in Beautiful Boy, Carell will be push for the leading category while Amazon will campaign for a supporting role for Timmy. If this would be the case, it could be a win-win situation for both young stars as they won’t have to compete against each other.I loved them both and I am super-excited to watch both films. I’d definitely be rooting for them to get their golden statuette early in their respective careers! ❤
Deadpool is perhaps one of the most slaptick comedy superhero films in recent memory that I could remember watching and it helps that an actor as effective as Ryan Reynolds gave life to the Marvel’s out of the box comic character. If you’ve enjoyed the first film back in 2016, you’d definitely love this sequel even more!
Here, we see Deadpool’s inner mother hen in protecting the young mutant Russell (Julian Dennison) from another mutant Cable played by Josh Brolin (ooohhh Thanos…hhheeeelllppp!!!!). It is a feel good plot that delivers enough emotional punch that will make you say awww… every now and then. It’s very easy to say that this Deadpool here is definitely more emotional than the first one.
Deadpool 2 returns with more barrage of pop culture references that it almost made me wonder how the young millenials will be able to relate to it. But despite of its R16 rating, Wade Wilson aka Deadpool with his crude humor and grit to match is still as charming as ever.
This is a must-watch for fans and regular viewers alike if you’re up for a good laugh and a hearty anticipation for the next installment.
Director: David Leitch Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hilderbrand, Jack Kesy
A successful Korean-American man finds himself stuck in Columbus, Indiana, where his estranged architect father is in a coma. The man meets a young woman who plans to stay in Columbus with her mother, a recovering addict, instead of pursuing her own dreams. Together, the two explore the various architectural buildings in Columbus, all the while discovering in each other what they hope to be.
This is one of those instances where I’ve expected too much from a film because of its rave reviews but end up getting oh-so disappointed that getting through the whole 104 minutes of it almost felt like a chore. I mean, it’s not that long so I decided to just get over it while wasting away my time commuting to work.
The whole thing just felt contrived. The dialogues, the very in-your face frame by frame Architectural landmarks which I totally get but felt a bit too much, and the disjointed feel of the whole story. I didn’t see chemistry between Casey (Richardson) and Jin (Cho) and I wasn’t even looking for a romantic chemistry.
To end this, I thought the whole script was just weak or what I will call in books having a thinly veiled plot with very stiff characters. Or maybe Kogonada’s style isn’t just for me.
Director: Kogonada Cast: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey, Rory Culkin, Michelle Forbes
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the United States on August 4, 2017, by the Sundance Institute.
The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
I was not supposed to watch this. I was thinking that I won’t be able to fully understand the story because I haven’t watch the most recent Marvel films prior to this and I’m not a Marvel fanboy to begin with. But yeah, it is the only available flick that coincides with my schedule so I decided to check what the ‘hype’ really is all about.
The movie boasted grand and scenic special effects, is action-packed and most importantly, it wasn’t boring. See, it’s more than two hours and the film was able to sustain the excitement from start up to the end-credits. The great thing about watching it on IMAX 3D is that it feels like you’re part of each scene yourself. I just noticed that the 3D effect isn’t as crisp as I expected it to be. There are parts of the film that they may have forgotten to convert into 3D.
I’ve to praise the wonderful casting as well. I mean, we’ve known most of them from their individual films but you cannot deny the great chemistry between these bevy of A-listers and B-list celebs.
The story kind of make sense in a way that it connects the individual movie installments and it also makes you want to watch them again because each one did their job wonderfully.
I am really excited to watch what will happen next. And no, I won’t be reading its comics or the Avengers wiki-page. I think I could wait for the 2019 release of the next film.
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt
Synopsis: Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends, and all of his classmates: he’s gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.
I am absolutely delighted by this movie adaptation! The book didn’t do much for me but this one just made me appreciate it more in a way. Nick Robinson was very charming and funny as the closeted High School teenager blackmailed by a fellow student!
I also love Duhamel. It thought he’d be awkward as the ‘awkward’ dad but he’s incredibly charming here. Jennifer Garner was her usual amazing self and she and Nick had the best scene in the movie methinks. Their heart to heart talk is so beautiful it made me tear-up right then and there.
I loved that Berlanti did not demonized Martin’s (the creepy blackmailer) character here but I was maybe hoping that one of the most intense scenes would be Simon confronting Martin about HIM taking away his right to come out in his own terms.
Super sulit! I wished more people would watch it. Too bad, it’ll be affected by the Infinity War but if you’re looking for an alternative watch, then you should really check this out.
Director: Greg Berlanti Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Keiyan Lonsdale, Miles Heizer, Logan Miller, Talitha Bateman, Tony Hale, Natasha Rothwell, Drew Starkey, Clarke Moore, Joey Pollari, Mackenzie Lintz
Love, Simon was based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. (Read my review HERE)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Love, Simon opens in Philippine cinemas on May 9, 2018 courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Yay! It’s finally here! After his breakthrough performances via Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird last year, Timmy’s upcoming movies are very much anticipated by fans and critics alike (including moi). One of them is Hot Summer Nightsthat premiered earlier last year at the South by Southwest (SXSW) and will be the first film by Timothée to come out this year. The coming of age film was directed by Elijah Bynum and also stars Maika Munroe (The Guest), Alex Roe (The 5th Wave) and Thomas Jane.
It will have it commercial release in the US on July 27, 2018!
I’ve been binge-watching film trailers on YouTube the whole day and thought of sharing with you guys my top favorites so far – the interesting ones that got me all excited to go watch them on the big screen! It’s just a shame that most of this films won’t probably be getting any local releases but I’m keeping my fingers crossed right now. Check these trailers out!
1. Krystal
Director: William H. Macy
Cast: Nick Robinson, Grant Gustin, Rosario Dawson, William H. Macy, William Fichtner, Kathy Bates, Felicity Huffman, Rick Fox, Jacob Latimore, T.I., Amy Parrish
Plot: A young man living a sheltered life develops a crush on a stripper and joins her Alcoholics Anonymous group just so he can be in the same room with her. (IMDb)
This kinda reminds me of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha’s The Rebound where the young guy fell for the older girl, they got together but at the end they’d realize their priorities in life. Hah! This looks cute and funny though! Nick Robinson looks absolutely adorable here!
US Release Date: April 13, 2018 (The film had its premier back in November 2017 at the Virgina Film Festival)
2. On Chesil Beach
Director: Dominic Cooke
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, Samuel West, Adrian Scarborough
Based on Ian McEwan’s novel. In 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night. (IMDb)
Now, this looks absolutely fantastic! This is looking to be another Ronan’s possible entries to next year’s Oscars. I haven’t personally read the book but I’ve read a summary of it before and it’s really interesting and uhm, sad.
US Release Date: May 18, 2018 (The film had its premier back in September 2017 at the Toronto International Film Festival)
3. The Seagull
Director: Michael Mayer
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Annette Bening, Corey Stoll, Billy Howle, Elisabeth Moss, Jon Tenney, Brian Dennehy, Mare Winningham, Glenn Fleshler, Michael Zegen
An aging actress named Irina Arkadina pays summer visits to her brother Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin and her son Konstantin on a country estate. On one occasion, she brings Boris Trigorin, a successful novelist and her lover. Nina, a free and innocent girl on a neighboring estate who is in a relationship with Konstantin, falls in love with Boris. (IMDb)
Now, this one has Oscars written all over it! Based on Anton Chekhov’s play of the same name, the film doesn’t lack in its star-power with former Academy Award nominees Benning and Winningham providing support for Ronan. Moss looks absolutely brilliant here as well! I hope they’d show this one locally!!!!
US Release Date: May 11, 2018 (The film will premiere on April 21, 2018 at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival)
4. Adrift
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin
Based on the true story of survival, a young couple’s chance encounter leads them first to love, and then on the adventure of a lifetime as they face one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history. (IMDb)
I loved Shailene! Even the horrendous Divergent film series was made bearable by her. She’s also fantastic in Big Little Lies! Now, I am hoping that this one will pick up steam and get her the attention leading up to next year’s Awards season. On to the film, I did a bit of a research and it tells me that the guy in the trailer (played by Claflin) was not really discovered along with his wife. Uhm, so there ya go…
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And of course, I am just waiting for Avengers: Infinity War three weeks from now and Love, Simon (whose books I’ve read but didn’t like) which is getting a late release here but I’m really excited to watch it because it’s gotten tremendous support and good praises from the film community!
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At first glimpse, Alex Strangelove looks like a mere rip-off of Love, Simon but far from its smiliar LGBTQ+ lead characters, this coming-of-age film has a charm of its own with Daniel Doheny adorably playing the role of Alex Truelove and his quest – with the help of his supportive friends – to lose his virginity to his awesome girlfriend / bestfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein).
PADDYLAST INC. 