IT movie review

The remake of Stephen King's "IT" makes a new generation scared of clowns. Though it is set in the 1980s, Pennywise the Dancing Clown's target is the children who spend their time out being too far away and making things too much. One of which is imagining things. IT maybe what our parents warn us about talking to strangers, going out alone, or do something productive and worth our time.

You got 7 kids, off to solve the mystery of disappearing children, but also they are having a dose of the real world facing household problems and bullies. For Bill (Jaeden Lieberher), he just want to find his lost brother. Along with his friends, each come face to face with things they fear which feed the monster clown, Pennywise. The typical mix of peers, an introvert, the talkative, the rational, the joker, the genius and then mixed with a girl that will be their apple of the eye. This combo works as you'll emphatise with them all throughout. But the child who gets the most love is Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor), aside from his huggable features, he deserves the love of Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis) whom he is fighting for.

Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), aside from just being everywhere a kid is scared, is more terrifying with his deep-sea shark teeth. I think I watched the trailer too much that I was no longer afraid of him during the movie. But what terrifies me is when he shakes berserk when he attacks the kids, you'll hate him when he talks and you'd like to strangle him to his death.

Also don't forget the eerie monster house that is also kind of coming from Stephen Spielberg's Monster House minus the anatomy. The abandoned house looks like it came from a children's book infested with termites and spooks. So good but it doesn't blend with the neighborhood.

Opens today in theaters, IT is distributed by Warner Bros Pictures, and directed by Andy Muschietti. If you're in for a scare, bring the kids and introduce them reality and all that scares them is just a figment of their imagination. Can't wait for Part 2.

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THE BEGUILED movie review

A quiet dorm for girls were shaken upon the arrival of Corporal McBurney (Colin Farrell) after found in the forest wounded and dying. As they were trying to get rid of him fast, the ladies had been charmed and their true colors appeared in the excitement in the presence of a man.

In this remake of The Beguiled, Sofia Coppola defines the girls as they were also seductresses to the corporal instead of him taking advantage to play with their minds and hearts. This version talks about their life before he went in, how they are very reserved and how they are longing for escape from the walls of the dorm. At least that's what we heard from Edwina (Kirsten Dunst) telling the corporal. She must've been very lonely as she is overlooking on 4 different children and acts as a teacher. However, she is also inferior to Martha (Nicole Kidman) who serves as the man of the house.

Elle Fanning somewhat gave us how ladies in their puberty are. Her young features are some what on the verge of exploding in excitement seeing the corporal. She may be the meanest in their pack but the most vulnerable.

But you got to admire Miss Martha (Kidman) here. She still maintains her composure and was able to turn things around as if it wasn't intense. It gets more exciting when they planned on their next step on how to get rid of the corporal without him suspecting.

The Southern accent is very effective on the actors. Matching with the consistency in the period with their dresses and props, it is an amazing time travel.

The Beguiled opens today, September 6. Exclusively playing at Ayala Malls, Trinoma and Greenbelt 3.

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Rami Malek is Freddie Mercury

This is Rami Malek. Celebrity, movie star, drama trophy-awardee. He is known for the Emmy-award winning Mr. Robot as Elliot.

I first saw him in Night at the Museum for 2 movies as the young Egyptian pharaoh Ahkmenrah.

And when the photos circulated that he is joining the Queen biopic as Freddie Mercury, the internet goes wild! Look at this photo:

It seems that Freddie Mercury was exhumed from the grave will all those similarities as how Rami portrays him. Look at that jaw and moustache that goes perfect on him!

Bohemian Rhapsody will be in theaters 2018 and I think it will all bind us together like how everybody embraced the song until this day. Let's wait and see how Rami and the whole team will present it. Who's excited to see it too?

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INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY opens the door to new trailer

Dr. Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is set to face evil again and fight in right from her own home.

The latest horror flick from the successful INSIDIOUS trilogy comes 2018. Insidious: The Last Key unleashes new monsters and ghosts based from the creative minds teaming up with James Wan co-creating with Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity) and Jason Blum (The Purge). The film is written by co-creator Leigh Whannell (Saw), who wrote the trilogy and directed Chapter 3; and directed by series newcomer Adam Robitel (The Taking of Deborah Logan).

Watch the trailer below.


Shaye is joined in the cast by Angus Sampson, Whannell, Josh Stewart, Caitlin Gerard, Kirk Acevedo, Javier Botet, Bruce Davison, Spencer Locke, Tessa Ferrer, Ava Kolker and Marcus Henderson.

Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Charles Layton, Bailey Conway Anglewicz, Couper Samuelson and Whannell serve as executive producers. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (“SPWA”) produced and financed Insidious: The Last Key. Sony Pictures Releasing and SPWA’s Stage 6 Films will distribute the film outside of the U.S.

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Element-themed posters for Lego Ninjago

Lego Ninjago give the zen feel with the elements in these character one-sheets. Lego Ninjago opens in Philippine theaters on September 27 by Warner Bros. Philippines.

Master Builder Lloyd (Dave Franco) and six of his Master Builder friends train under Master Wu (Jackie Chan) as secret ninja warriors to fight against the Worst Guy Ever, the evil lord, Garmadon (Justin Theroux), who happens to be Lloyd's father, to save the city of Ninjago. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their inner power of Spinjitzu.

Making up the secret ninja crew, Michael Peña (“Ant-Man,” “The Martian”) is Kai; Fred Armisen (“SNL”) voices Cole; Kumail Nanjiani (“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”) is Jay; Abbi Jacobson (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) plays Nya; and Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley”) voices Zane.

“The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan. The screenplay is by Bob Logan & Paul Fisher & William Wheeler & Tom Wheeler and Jared Stern & John Whittington, story by Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher & William Wheeler & Tom Wheeler and Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman, based on LEGO Construction Toys.

“The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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BLACKBIRD

Only 90mins to sit in Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium and you need only two characters to give you the complex thing called LOVE. The Necessary Theater's Blackbird is a very interesting play about Ray (Bart Guingona) and Una (Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante) who met again after 15 years after. Their story sparks a very interesting debate that will make you think about the factors and consequences of the decisions made by Ray and Una.

In a simple office cafeteria where they confront their past, Ray and Una gives the most graphic conversation as if you are there in the moment where they enjoy each other's company, and then you begin to doubt your beliefs and morals. Bart Guingona's stuttering could be a sign when Una already owns him in the event that Ray regrets their past and Una wearing a thigh-high dress could also mean that she is out there and ready to retaliate against any one who may do her wrong.

Again, the conversations already gives you a picture of what happened especially 15 years ago. And when Una makes her monologue, John Batalla's focused lighting makes it more dramatic and you'll feel like it also transports you through time.

While it has given away that this play is about post-rape, you'll also wonder many questions on why Una came back to him, why Ray also welcomed her back. It goes on putting yourself in the shoes of the characters while fighting your morals. It's very interesting that is really an ice breaker for discussion.

Catch the final 3 shows of Blackbird in Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza this weekend, September 8, 9 (8pm) and September 10 (3pm). Directed by Topper Fabregas for The Necessary Theater.

Photos credit to Jaypee Maristaza

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A Game of Trolls

Ramon Magsaysay Awardee PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) is on fire creating a new musical tackling about Martial Law for the millennials. A Game of Trolls, makes its rerun from September 1-30 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City.

Very relevant in our time today when Marcos defenders are trying to bend the truth and ignores the victims of the dictator's ways, supporting extra-judicial killings through the internet and social media, as long as they play safe. The play starts by browsing Google, telling us that information is readily available in the internet. However, with the keyboard warriors existing today, it is very hard to verify which is true or not.

Then our main character meets different victims of EJKs, torture and disappearances during the Martial Law. From there, words and songs come and convene a strong message that should not be left for granted. They deliver the stories that haunted the critics of the past government and strengthens the idea that killing is never right at all aspects. A Game of Trolls deals with a very important subject but still affects the millennial generation of its light romantic lines and musical genre.

A Game of Trolls tells us that we should stick to facts. Any information that we see or hear should make us think not just once but even more than a million times. Each camp would say that the information of the other is biased but we should also be critical about it all.

I asked the creative team afterwards about what they can say to their fellow artists. Since it is a very vital for all of us to have a healthy discourse about this topic and I agree with that. Escalating it and engaging in a fight is never progressive. Since all of us have different political views, we should also learn to co-exist peacefully and base everything on facts.

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