Meet and greet and dance with Alvin and The Chipmunks on January 7 & 9, 2010 at the SM Megamall Event Center. Meet and greet and photo op with them on January 8 at the SM Megamall Cinema lobby and The Podium Mall Atrium.
Alvin and The Chipmuks 2 is showing at SM Cinemas on January 8, 2010.
Under the Sea is now showing in IMAX Theatre – SM North Edsa and Mall of Asia (MOA). Buy 2 Under the Sea 3D IMAX movie tickets and get a chance to be 1 of the 10 lucky winners of 4 entry passes to Manila Ocean Park. Promo period is from August 30, 2009 to September 30, 2009.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents the teaser trailer for INCEPTION. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The film started its principal photography in July and will hit theaters July, 2010. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film is a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.
My son and I had the privilege to watch Ice Age 3 on 3D during the launch of TriNoma’s Digital 3D Cinema last Thursday. In this sequel, mammoths Manny and Ellie are expecting their first born. As busy as Manny getting everything ready for their newborn, even “baby proofing” nature, as Ellie said, his friends, Sid the sloth and Diego the tiger have their own issues to deal with. Diego thought that Manny is hopelessly domesticated by this “family thing” and is on his way to migrate, while Sid feels insecure and wants to be a parent too.
In his quest to be a parent himself, Sid got attached to dinosaur eggs instead of pursuing a lady sloth partner. This is where the trouble begins. Mother dinosaur T.Rex came stomping to their place looking for her babies. They also got to meet the invincible one eyed weasel named Buck. What I love about Ice Age 3 is that it reinforces the value of family. That it is not uncool to be domesticated, even as Diego himself realizes at the end of Sid’s rescue, that the life of adventure he is looking for, is right in the family setting.
As good as the story line of Ice Age 3 is, as with other Hollywood movies, even cartoons cannot escape the sexual suggestions in some scenes. I understand that the writers find it important that the movie caters to adults as well. Like for instance, the sequence when Manny was with Diego inside the man-eating plant and Diego said to Manny that he felt “tingly” and the mammoth replied that he should not say that when he is pressed up against him. It stunned me for a while when this line came in. Although, the audience Ice Age 3 makers are generally aiming at family and kids, a few nonsense has to be thrown into the story just to earn a few laughs.
Personally, I had my qualms about Ice Age ever since my son suddenly started saying, “stupid” whenever he is having a hard time wearing his shirt on his own. This surprised the husband and me because we do not use that word in our home. When I asked him where he learned that word, he said, Ice Age 2. Apparently, my sister has been allowing him to watch Ice Age 2 from her iTouch whenever he goes to their place. Although it might not be a big deal in America to be saying such things, it is not exactly something we would like our son to get used to saying. In this particular sequel, they did it again with the name calling, “idiot.”
Again, a few movies are perfect. But then again, the story of Ice Age 3 does remind the young minds how important family is. How selflessness is required of members in the family. What works for us is we zero in on the good stuff and remind our son about certain portions of the movie that are really good, like the part when it reinforces the teamwork that we already do in our home.
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a good movie. 3 out of 5 stars.
First off, thanks to Mykapalaran.blogspot.com and TV5 for the movie invite held last May 27 in Greenbelt 3, Cinema 2 for the movie Terminator Salvation- the fourth installment of the Terminator series. Terminator Salvation dutifully took us to the future (as the first three did) with all the cybernetic possibilities and tale of this certain, ever enduring John Connor. He was John Connor already back when I was in early grade school and now that out of my college years for more than a decade, he is still John Connor. It was just right because, there would be this anchor we could go back and try to remember from the old days – John Connor and his quest to save the world from the machines.
Watching Terminator Salvation actually got the movie goers to want to do a marathon of the first three installments. I love this fourth installment the most. I’m not sure if was my youth and I was practically too young to have enjoyed the movie my mom dragged me to watch in 1984 (Terminator) that did not get me to appreciate the first movie as much. I was barely 8 back then! Or it could also be the number of years that passed. I would know after I watch the first three Terminator movies again soon.
To be honest, I can barely remember a whole lot of details from both Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Terminator 4: Salvation is set on the year 2018 where machines are carefree, roaming the earth while people strive to survive. Resistance Fighters headed by John Connor leads his team through this radio frequency. I love how they weaved the character of Marcus into the story. Half man, half machine. His emergence was planned out by Skynet, executed simultaneously as he was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
As with the theme of all previous Terminator movies, John Connor is out on a man/world-saving mission. This is like a given already. While the new character (Marcus) in this particular installment was a murderer back in the year 2004 was used by Skynet as he signed a contract of approval before his death. Marcus was built to be a killing machine, a former criminal who later became a hero as he repeatedly put his life on the line to save mankind.
The first few minutes of the movie got me all confused. Nothing made sense until the puzzle came together as Marcus (T-800) rose from his hibernation, as per Skynet’s plan. Terminator Salvation is the “doomsday” that was foretold from all the previous Terminator movies. The highlight of the movie was when John Connor quipped, “If we behave like machines, what’s the point of winning?” It packs the whole point of the rest of the human being Resistance Fighters (as they call themselves) and what Terminator Salvation is all about. This movie easily deserves 4 out of 5 stars.
The first time I watched Mr. Holland’s Opus was during my Guidance Counseling class in my Continuing Professional Education course in 2007, under Dr. Pasco. I have posted my paper on the movie in my main blog, Marriage and Beyond.
Mr. Holland’s Opus is a mighty movie. Allow me to start with that. You really do not get to encounter very good movies nowadays. Glen Holland is a musician and composer. He turned to teaching, thinking that he will be able to afford more time to work on his musical “opus”.
One of the most symbolic things that this movie has presented is when the retiring principal handed over Mr. Holland a compass. She was won over by this passionate teacher, who she once criticized for his non-traditional way of teaching. Mr. Holland treasured the compass for 30 long years and held on to it. Educators are set to be moral guides to their students. More than just imparting knowledge, it is the impact that we make to our students that will change their lives that will really matter.
It does not take a professional teacher to appreciate this movie. I first watched Mr. Holland’s before I even got my license to teach and it sure served as an inspiration to me to be a non-mediocre teacher in the future. He was no doubt a very passionate teacher and excelled in being one. But the casualty of his dedication was his family. He held himself far too long in denial about his son being deaf/mute. His circumstance was an oxymoron, to say the least – a highly acclaimed educator who cannot teach his very own son.
It was when his son has grown up that he realized his shortcomings and came to terms with his son’s disability. Chose to learn the language of signing and finally reached out to his son. There were a few more conflicts in the movie that presented Mr. Holland’s vulnerability and how he chose to rise in every circumstance.
The story makes us go deep into our inner selves and encourages us to be of a good impact to those under our influence. One does not really have to be a teacher to influence others. Instead of getting busy on aluminum fence installation to make sure the line is drawn, why not choose to be a compass. The impact you make on those you influence goes way longer than you ever will. Towards the climax of the film, Mr. Holland would see for himself that all the while, he was really working on his life’s ultimate composition/opus – the generation of students whose lives he has changed.
As implied in one of John Maxwell’s books, Becoming a Person of Influence (How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others), your vocation is immaterial. You can be successful at home, at work and in very other area of life by how you impact the lives of those who you influence. Two thumbs up to Mr. Holland’s Opus!
The movie was all heart. From the pitiful circumstance of a retiree who chose his career over his family and how his ex-wife practically makes things harder for him even as he tries to get closer to their daughter. The motivating factor of the father to do everything that he did was love, no less. Only it was from a former CIA agent who makes his moves with exact precision. A deadly combination.
It is hard to imagine that anything as close could happen to anyone, let alone your very own daughter. How Neeson broke the necks and skillfully smashed the throats of the bad men and all his killing spree – shooting one man after another – makes it almost impossible for anyone watching to even drop a tear. The fight scenes, were so intense that almost gives you no chance to breathe.
As much as the movie was a good one, when I go back to reality I cannot really agree with Neeson’s “the end justify the means” system. But it did give the viewers surging adrenaline through and through. I guess I have made that clear from the start, have I?
It was a great movie. I’d give it 4.5 out of 5.
