BYZANTIUM is a MUST-SEE VAMPIRE FAIRYTALE FOR A ADULTS.

SHAOLIN : Regal & Spectacular

Although Jacky Chan did not cut his hair in this movie as a monk, his contribution to this epic Chinese movie was noteworthy.

Here's my pictographic review of SHAOLIN.

My TOP 3 Action-Adventure Movies of April 2013

There were numerous movies shown last April that could have been shown and were worth to watch and these includes THE HOST and GI JOE RETALIATION. Even the animated ONE PIECE FILM Z is noteworthy to mention.  However, I have MY TOP 3 ACTION-ADVENTURE MOVIES FOR APRIL;


1.   Antoine Fuqua's
OLYMPUS HAD FALLEN

2.  Shane Black's
    IRON MAN 3

3. Joseph Korinski's
       OBLIVION

Archie Alemania says ...

Archie is nice and fine gentleman. 

So accommodating and good conversationalist.

pangbatang matanda ang ONE PIECE FILM Z at matandang pambata

Ito na marahil ang counterpart ng Pixar Animation ang Manga Animation mula sa Japan. Walang duda na pinaghandaan ng mga tao sa likod ng animae’ na ito ang pagsasapelikula ng tanyag na hit sa telebisyon.

ONE  PIECE FILM  Z ay sinulat ni Osamu Suzuki (Jungle Emperor Leo) at sa direksyon ni Tatsuya Nagamine (One Piece: The Desert Princess and the Pirates Adventures in Alabasta).

Ang pelikula ay umiikot sa kwento ni Z (Zephyr), dating Naval Admiral na dahil sa pait na dinanas sa buhay ay napuno ng puot, galit  at paghihiganti kaya bumuo ng grupong Neo Marines na syang sisira sa 3-End Points upang maghari sa mundo. Nagkrus ang landas ni Z at grupo ni Luffy, ng makita nilang walang malay na nakalutang sa dagat ang malupit na pinuno. At dito nagsimula ang kanilang bakbakan.

Una, magara ang presentasyon ng mga imahe, buhay na buhay ang kulay at detalyado ang bawat eksena. Dahil 2D ito, malinis at klarong-klaro ang resolution na makikita kaya maganda ang cinematography nito.

Kahit di ka pamilyar sa One Piece ay madaling maintindihan ito habang pinapanood mo tulad ng “NARUTO: ROAD TO NINJA” na kamakailan lang ipinalabas.

Kompletos rekados ang ONE PIECE FILM Z, lahat ng karakter ay nandoon mula kay Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Frank, Brook at iba pa ay nagpakita ng kani-kanilang kakayahan sa pakikipaglaban.

Mahalaga sigurong sabihin na medyo lumihis ng konti ang kwento pagdating sa dulo, hindi consistent si Luffy sa kanyang layunin laban kay Z pero hindi mo na gaanong mapapansin ito dahil sa puno ng umaatikabong bakbakan ang pelikulang ito. At sa lahat ng karakter tanging si Usopp lamang ang hindi nagtransform kaya medyo nakulangan ako sa aking napanood.

Sa kabuuan, masaya kang lalabas sa sinehan. Walang pagsisisi na ito’y pinanood mo. ONE  PIECE FILM Z ay pangbatang matanda at matandang pambata.

Rating: 3/5

mapulitika ang BROKEN CITY kaya napapanahon sa eleksyon

Mainit ang mga eksena parang eksena sa eleksyon, nakakaalarmang debate at nakabibinging kampanya – ang Broken City ay isang crime thriller tungkol kay Mayor Hostetler (Russell Crowe) na kumuha ng private investigator (Mark Wahlberg bilang Billy Taggart) upang alamin kung totoong may karelasyon ang kanyang asawa (Catherine Zeta-Jones) sa campaign manager  (Kyle Chandler) ng kanyang kalaban sa pagka-mayor sa kanilang syudad.

Napapanahon ang pelikula sa Pilipinas dahil nalalapit na ang eleksyon, may binaril at namatay, may pananakot at panunuhol, may blackmail, at marami pang iba – kaya nga BROKEN CITY – isang powerhouse cast na sinulat ni Brian Tucker at sa direksyon ni Allen Hughes (The Book of Eli [2010]).

Medyo manipis ang kwento ng pelikula at parang minadali ang bawat eksena. Malabong mangyari ang mensaheng nais iparating ng BROKEN CITY kaya hindi ito kapani-paniwala. Sa ganang akin, kinulang sa detalye ang pagsasadula ng kwento. Nadala lang ang pelikula sa mga naglalakihang artista dito, na talaga namang wala kang masasabi sa karakter na ginampanan.

Hindi mo kailangang gumastos upang mapanood ito pero kung may pagkakataong maipalabas sa tv, walang masama kung pag-uukulan mo ng oras. Maari mo ka ring bumili ng kopya sa cd/dvd.  Sa ganda ni Catherine,   sa galing ni Russell at Mark solb na solb na ang panonood mo.

Rating: 2/5

higit sa lahat, tao rin si IRON MAN

Sa ikatlong yugto ng IRON MAN ay ipinakita nito ang pagiging tao niya bilang si Tony Stark [Robert Downey Jr.] – marunong magmahal, nasasaktan at higit sa lahat  may pinagdadaanan, ang kanyang anxiety disorder. Kung matatandaan n'yo ganito rin ang tema ng Spiderman 3 at Batman Begins (3rd installment) kahit nga ang Superman Returns - kaya patok na patok sa manonood.

Back to basics ‘ika nga ang istilo ng IRON MAN 3, dito inilahad kung paano mag-isip at makipaglaban ng mano-mano si Tony upang matalo ang “extrimis” na pinamumuan ni Mandarin [Ben Kingsley] na sumusunod sautos ni Aldrich Killian [Guy Pierce].

Isang pelikulang pampamilya, matanda’t bata ay maaaliw sa galing ng bida kasama si Iron Patriot [Don Cheadle] sa pakikipagtunggali sa walang kamatayang kalaban.

Maraming eksena ang nakamamangha dahil sa makabagong teknolohiyang ginamit sa pelikula at ang karakter ni Tony ay kwelang patok sa mga batang manonood.

Hindi ito ang huling Iron Man kahit na ipinaubaya ng dating direktor na si Jon Favreau (Iron Man 1 & 2) kay Shane Black (Kiss Kiss bang Bang) ang pelikulang ito.

Sinasabing “loosely inspired” ang kwento ng IRON MAN 3 kaya medyo kulang ang laman nito. Magpagayon pa man, nakakamangha pa rin ang mga adventures ni IRON MAN kaya nga GP ang MTRCB Rating nito na may habang 2 oras at 15 minuto.

Sabihin man nating may konting sablay, sa huli ay siksik pa rin sa entertainment value ang IRON MAN 3 at kaabang-abang ang susunod na yugto nito.

Rating:  3/5 

IRON MAN 3 @ iMaX MoA had a 24-hours screening schedule.

Dark Skies – Pananakot Sa Makabagong Panahon

Napakabilis ng takbo pag-asenso, progresibo ang pamumuhay ng tao sa kapaligiran subalit sinong mag-aakalang may mga pangyayaring hindi pa rin maipaliwanag ng siyensya, may mga bagay-bagay na nararanasan ng iilang tao sa mundo – ito ang DARK SKIES – mangingilabot ka sa kwento nito.

Hindi man orihinal ang kwento pero ang pananaw na ito ay nangyayari sa makabagong panahon ay nakakapangilabot. Ang pelikula ay nagpapakita kung paano madaling mabuwag ang isang pamilya.

May mga sipi ang pelikulang kuha mula sa ibang palabas. May mga eksenang parang na napanood muna. Ito ay dahil ang mga tao sa likod ng Dark Skies ay gumawa ng “Paranormal Activity” (2007),  “Insidious” (2011), at “Sinister” (2012).

Isang supernatural thriller tungkol pamilyang Barret, si Daniel [Josh Hamilton] ang amang na nadepressed sa pagkakatanggal at paghahanap ng kapalit na trabaho, si Lacey, [Keri Russell]  inang mapag-aruga at naniniwala sa kakayahan ng asawa at ang kanilang dawalang anak, Jesse, [Dakota Goyo] na nagbibinata at Sam, [Kadan Rockett] ang bunso – lahat sila nakakaranas ng kakaibang mga pangyayari sa loob at labas ng kanilang bahay. At habang tumatagal ito ay patindi ng patindi ang mga nangyayari hanggang sa makamit ang layunin ng may pakay.

Sa panulat at direksyon ni Scott Stewart [“Priest” (2011) at “Legion”  (2009)] ang Dark Skies ay PG13 ay may humigit kumulang 1 oras at 40 minuto ang haba.

Rating:  2/5

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK : a sport dance lovestory

“The only thing that you did to me is crazy and I’m crazy.

I Love You, Thanks.”

-Pat’s letter to Tiffany

I felt the sincerity of Jennifer Lawrence in her role and was never left behind with Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper's remarkable portrayal on their role well, even Chris Tucker was good in this movie.

Silver Linings Playbook is a rom-com drama about Pat (Bradley Cooper), a bipolar struggling to win back his wife after his release from a psychiatric institution. In one of his morning jogs, he met Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a sex-addict widow that challenged him to compete in a dance sports – a way to treat his sickness and get back to his wife – but love pulls them closer as they cope with their own disorders.

 I love the musical scoring and the dance competition was spectacular in this movie.

The film got 8 Academy Awards nominations where  Jennifer Lawrence received her 1^st Best Actress Oscar statue though she won the same awards in Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and British Academy Awards last year.

She also collected her trophies as Best Actress in Independent Spirit, MTV, Georgia, Houston, Detroit, St. Louis, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Los Angeles, & Las Vegas Film Critics Awards and in Producers Guild of America, Satellite and National Board of Review Awards.

Heartwarming and pure silver linings!

A score of 5 is not much but I gave it a  4/5 rating.

FLIGHT: near to perfect – a reality

Nominated for Best Picture in 2012 Oscars is a movie that deals beyond survival, a lovestory with heavier legal issues and life’s struggles - FLIGHT.

The film will take you to an uncompromised situation, as a passenger of an airline you seemed to be helpless but wait for your death to come when the plane is about to crash. Director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) effectively binds facts and fiction into a perfect art of storytelling. While Denzel Washington collected citations from various award giving bodies like Black Reel, Palm Spring, Chicago and Holywood Film Festivals and Screen Actors Guild as Best Actor in an alcoholic airline pilot characterization is a crash-and-burn epic.

FLIGHT is a movie that suggests to do things right, accept our wrongdoings, face the consequences with courage and most of all to change for the better.

FLIGHT is a “loosely inspired” story of  2000 Alaska Airlines Flight 261 where an alcoholic, womanizer and drug addict pilot  Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) skillfully maneuvered his malfunctioned airline to avoid a plane crash and saved hundreds of lives of the passengers.  But this incident does not end here, investigations has to be conducted to know the cause and the findings seemed not to favor Whitaker – this is the journey of a man, as a successful pilot, a father, a victim and a renewed man.

The movie ended with a father-son conversation about “the most fascinating person I’ve never met.”

This is a challenge to us all!!!

Free.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

Just FLIGHT.

Rating: 5/5

CAPTIVE: pakikibaka at pakikipagtunggali

CAPTIVE (2012) ay kalahok sa Bernale Film Festival at sa Ghent International Film Festival. Ang pelikulang naglahad ng paghihirap ng mga nakidnap sa kamay ng Abu Sayaf.

Matapang at mapangahas ang kwento ng Captive na tinampukan nina French Actress Isabelle Hupert, Raymund Bagatsing, Ronnie Lazaro, Coco martin, Mercedes Cabral, Mon Confiado, Ma. Isabel Lopez, Sid Lucero at marami pang iba sa panulat at direksyon ni Brillante Ma. Mendoza. Talagang mababasa mo sa dulo ng pelikula ang mga katagang “…kidnap for ransom has been a lucrative business in the Philippines…”

Kung hindi ka ‘pinoy hindi mo mararamdaman ang “realistic side” ng pelikula. Marahil maraming katanungan ang babagabag sa ‘yo dahil sa palipat-lipat ng baryo ang mga Abu Sayaf magtatanong ka “ano ang reaksyon ng mga taga-baryo?” o di kaya’y “bakit may ganitong kidnapping na nagyayari sa Pilipinas?”  at “talaga bang kasal ang sagot ng rape victim sa nanggasaha sa kanya?”

Puno ng tension ang pelikula – magaling ang paglalahad at ang mga ipinapakitang eksena. Ang gubat, ang mga mababangis na hayop, ang kultura at tradisyon at maging ang paraan ng paggamot ng sugat.

ang eksenang nakita ni Therese' (Isabelle Hupert) ang mahiwagang
Ibong Adarna nasumisimbolo ng katatagan at pag-asa.

Habang nakaupo ka’t pinapanood ang pakikibaka ng mga hostage upang mabuhay sa gubat, ang pakikipagtunggali ng mga military upang isagip ang mga ito, ang hirap na dinanas ng bawat buhay na naging saksi sa walang humpay na paglalakbay at pagkitil ng buhay, ang karahasang dinanas ng bawat biktima at maging ang baryong napupuntahan at higit sa lahat ang kulturang naghihingalo ay mapapahanga ka sa galing ng pelikula.

May pagpapahalaga at pagrespeto ang CAPTIVE sa dalawang panig. Hindi ito kumiling at walang takot na nagpamalas sa katotohan.

Rating: 3 1/2 /5

IT TAKES A MAN & A WOMAN: a metamorphosis metempsychosis

Nagmistulang MMFF ang pila sa mga sinehan dahil sa pelikulang ito at tanging sina John Lloyd Cruz at Sarah Geronimo lang ang nakakagawa ng ganitong eksena sa local showbiz. At dahil bibihira ang nagsulat tungkol sa pelikulang ito na halos napanood ng nakararami, ihahabol ko ang aking blog tungkol dito.

It Takaes A Man & A Woman ay ang ikatlong yugto ng pag-iibigang Miggy at Laida, sa pagkakataong ito ay isang happy-ending ang ating nasaksihan. Sa wakas sa kasalan din nauwi ang lovestory nila. ‘Ika nga, sa pagkahaba-haba daw ng prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy.

Nagustuhan ko ang pelikula dahil maintained ang kilig factor mula umpisa hanggang sa matapos. Ramdam mo pag-ibig ng dalawa. Ibig sabihin epektibo ang rapport ng John Lloyd-Sarah tandem on screen – ang sarap panoorin. Walang duda, magaling na actor si John Lloyd Cruz, dekalibre habang si Sarah Geronimo ay medyo nagmature – nag-metamorphosis sa pelikulang ito.

Medyo nakulangan lang ako sa kwento ni Belle (Isabel Daza) – dapat sana’y bigyan siya ng isang eksena, ‘yong moment n’ya to shine – kumbaga yong tatatak sa manonood ng sa ganoon ay muli syang aabangan sa sususnod nyang pelikula. Sayang dahil introducing pa naman s’ya dito.

Magaling si direk Cathy Molina-Garcia, may mga sorpresa s’yang ipinakita sa pelikula at yon ang hinahanap ng mga fans ng dalawa. Hindi naman n’ya binigo ang manonood.

Kung na-enjoy mo ang panonood ng It Takes A Man and A Woman nangangahulugang maganda ang pagkakagawa sa pelikula.

Rom-com na super-saya at super-kilig-much (may much pa talaga!)

Rating:  3/5

ZERO DARK THIRTY: a paradox & disconcerting

ZERO DARK THIRTHY is “a military term for 30 minutes after midnight and it refers also to the darkness and secrecy that cloaked the entire decade-long mission.” – Director Kathryn Bigelow

Another film that vie for the 2012 Best Picture in Oscars is ZERO DARK THIRTY – the movie that reveals the fall of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda terrorist leader. This is the story of how the CIA operatives do their procedural interrogation and manhunt search.

The makers of “The Hurt Locker” (2008) that gave Kathryn Bigelow her 1^st Best Director nod and the 1^st woman to win the award at the Academy return with another historical approach in storytelling.

Cinematography is creatively done and the plot is compelling with a persuasive acting from the cast.

With the working title “For God and Country” the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing at the 85^th Academy Awards. Jessica Chastain won the Best Actress award at the 70^th Golden Globe Awards for this film.

Rating: 4 ½ / 5

BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD: full of loneliness, struggles & hope

This film has “a sense of childhood wonder with the harsh realities of the adult world.”

According to Wikipedia BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is a fantasy drama but for me it’s more of a social realism drama.

Nominated at the 2012 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress for  Quvenzhane Willis – the youngest nominee in Oscars’ history – BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is based on a one-act play written by Lucy Alibar entitled “Juicy & Delicious”.

A movie full of emotions with poetic approach and bombarded with the difficulties of life, BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD focuses on a 6 year old child, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis) who grew up on a catastrophic part of this world. Raised by his father’s tough love, Wink (Dwight Henry) he longed for his mother and this triggered his search.

A little beast of this big universe who lived in a bath tub flooded from time to time is fierce yet fragile, strong yet innocent and aggressive yet soft-hearted. Hushpuppy carries an emotional weight heavier than the entire universe.

Director Ben Zeithlin has a great empathy with lucid & vivid imagination in film making. Truly, wisdom is inside him. (If I’m not mistaken this is Ben Zeithlin’s 1^st full length movie, as “Egg”, “Origin of Electricity”, & “Glory at Sea” are all short films.)

BEAST OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is full of loneliness, struggles and most of all hope. While there is life, there is hope – let’s hold on to this tenet.

Emotionally amazing.

Rating: 5/5

OBLIVION: vast space, less characters

Oblivion is visually striking film with vast space and less characters. For me, it is multi-million INDIE FILM like “Life of Pi” (2012) when categorized in Philippine Cinema.

Oblivion is a sci-film set in a distant future where earth has been alienated by a race called Scavs and the battle of survival has begun. Places had been evacuated and there were skilled individuals assigned to overlook the planet’s surface, one of them is Jack Harper (Tom Cruise), who patrols the skies and the land to ensure security and continuous function of their machines. With him is his partner, Julia (Olga Kurylenko) stationed at their home base to assist him with his functions. 

Their mission was about to end in a matter of days when a spacecraft fall from the sky and upon his investigation, Jack discovers the capsule that contains humans and one of them seemed familiar to him. Jack embarks on a spectacular adventure risking his life that will challenge everything he knew about mankind’s most defining battle and the entire course of human history.

Director Joseph Kosinski’s  (Tron) storytelling is as good as his imagination. Futuristic and creative. He also co-wrote and produced the movie.

Since this film has an astounding visuals, you will get hooked on your seat even though the story is very thin.

Rating: 3/5

JACK REACHER: Tom Cruise at his finest

The tension has build up, intensified, maintained till the end - this is what Jack Reacher will give you. It gets more thrilling as it approaches the climax. Musical scoring is no doubt in perfect sync with the scenes. Cinematography is excellent like “SkyFall” (2012).

Tom Cruise is Rack Reacher, stoic, drifter and a former US military where another agent from the military sniper, James Barr [Joseph Sikora] shot five random victims and needed his help. Barr’s defense counsel Helen Rodin [Rosamund Pike], District Attorney’s daughter, Alex Rodin [Richard Jenkins] thoroughly investigated the crime with the advise from Reacher to visit the victims’ families and figure out what lies behind the shooting spree. Here, Helen will know the mastermind of all these killings.

Jack Reacher is an adaptation from the 2005 novel of Lee Child (Jim Grant) entitled “One Shot”. This is just one of the adventures of Jack Reacher as the character is in Lee Child’s 17 novels written from 1997 to 2013. He currently received a lifetime achievement award from the Crime Writers’ Association while his 1^st citation was given by Anthony Award for Best 1^st Novel “Killing Floor” (1997).

Jack Reacher is absolutely one of Tom Cruise' best films.

Rating: 4/5

EVIL DEAD: bloody as hell

With an R18 MTRCB Rating and approved without cuts, EVIL DEAD is seriously scary and gory – an Ayala Cinemas exclusive – the movie will have its’ regular theatrical run on May 8 (according to NCAP) but I was able to watch the Sneak Preview at Greenbelt Cinema 4.

EVIL DEAD is based on the 1981 cult-hit American horror film about 5 adults who stayed in a remote cabin. Mia, [Jane Levy] a drug dependent felt a stench of death which the rest of the group find it insensible. Her brother David, [Shiloh Fernandez] wanted to help her from her condition and believed with their friends, Olivia [Jessica Lucas], a nurse, Natalie [Elizabeth Blackmore], his steady girlfriend and Eric [Lou Taylor Pucci], a man who had faith in science. But when they retrieved the book covered with black trash bag and wrapped with barbed wire, Eric unaware of his actions, recited an incantation that summoned the demon who died under the basement and strange things happen that lead to their bizarre death.  One by one, they were possessed by this powerful force of evil.

 

Basically, the location was naturally creepy and the cinematography is exceptional, Make-Up & Hairstyling and Production Design are remarkable and a provocative acting from a great cast ensemble. This is the directorial debut of Fede Alvarez – a personal choice of Sam Raimi [director of the 3 Evil Dead previously released] – to make this loose continuation of the Evil Dead franchise.

Watching EVIL DEAD is like riding a car with the speed that continuously increases until it reached its’ maximum rate.

What is good about this movie for me is the vindication at the end, light wins over darkness, and the style of storytelling will take you to a higher level of terror.

A brutally effective film that the gore feeling will still linger in your nerves even after the watching.

Bloody as hell.

Scary and terrifying.

Sick to death.

Evil dead.

Rating: 4 1/2 /5

Sun Cellular, The Good Choice in Post Paid

Hassle Free!

Try Sun Cellular Network for a stress-free and no headaches when it comes to your communications.

Now that Sun Cellular has Post Paid Plans to offer, experience these great deals like Sun Cellular Plan 600.

          Well, aside from free calls & texts plus 350 free SMS to other networks, it has 250 load consumables - this is for Call & Text Unlimited Profile or you may avail of the 600 load consumables plus 350 free SMS to other networks called the Fully Consumable Profile or the Text Unlimited Profile with 450 load consumables plus  350 free SMS to other networks. This comes with an array of celphone models to choose from such as;

Alcatel Android [Alcatel One Touch Tab or Alcatel Glory]

LG Optimus L3 or L5

Nokia Asha 303

Alcatel OT 978 or 916 D

While Plan 999 gives you;

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Wi-Fi + Galaxy Y or Grand

or LG L7

or HTC Desire X

           This comes with Unlimited Mobile Internet, Unlimited Texts  & 4 hours calls to Sun.

What are you waiting for switch to Sun Cellular and experience the beauty of communications.

Sun Cellular, the good choice in post-paid.

Mga Enkantong Laog sa Mahabang Dapit-Hapon - Official Selection for 2013 Cannes Festival Short Film Corner

The Nomadic Creatures of a long twilight is a story about Minda (Anita Linda)  and her family, about the complex impact of her daughter selling her own kidney, her continued employment as a middleman of organ selling and the strained balancing of her responsibilities as a mother and grandmother.

In the record of World Health Organization (WHO), this 2013 the Philippines leads when it comes to organ selling around the world.

Director Derick Cabrido is an award-winning Filipino documentary producer who ventured in film directing. He grabbed the Bronze World Medal at New York Television Festival for “Pinays for Export” (2009), Silver Screen Award at New York International

Independent Film & Video Festival for “Tasaday” (2010) and Silver World Medal Award at New York Festivals for “Yaman sa Basura” (2012) which is also a UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Awards Finalist in 2011. He is currently working at GMA News and Public Affairs and the Executive Producer of “Front Row” that airs every Saturday at GMA News TV.

“Mga Enkantong Laog sa Mahabang Dapit-Hapon” is an Official Selection for 2013 Cannes Festival Short Film Corner.

Noteworthy to mention is actress Isadora who has a cameo role in this short film.

THE HOST: a love beyond science & romance

Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) refuses to fade away.

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Wanderer (Saoirse Ronan), the invading “soul” who occupies Melanie’s body, finds its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared (Max Irons), a human who 

has avoided invasion and lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Soon Wanderer  and Melanie - reluctant allies - set off to search the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, The Host is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human. – novel back cover of  Stephanie Meyer’s The Host

The Host is now a major motion picture and the film is so dedicated to the novel. Well, primarily because one of the executive producers is also Stephanie Meyer.

This film is far different from Korean suspense-thriller “The Host” (2006) where an amphibious monster is killing humans. The highest grossing Soth Korean film was also awarded as the Best Picture in Asian Film & in Blue Dragon Film Awards.

The Host is a sci-fi romance written & directed by Andrew Nicol (Gattaca) has an amazing visuals and a vivid imagination. Though there are numerous dramatic tensions some scenes would simply make you laugh and smile. And at the end of the day, you fell good after watching it.

The story may have a sequel but that’s how the movie ended – an attempt for more but I didn't feel the same way.

Rating: 2 ½ /5

6 SOULS [SHELTER]: souls are in to consume you

The original title of the movie is SHELTER but was changed to 6 SOULS when it had its’ theatrical run.

A father (Jeffrey Demunn) and daughter (Julianne Moore) psychiatrists dealt with a patient,  David Bernburg (Jonathan Rhys Meyers)  with multiple personalities whom by her investigation revealed that all were murder victims. And Dr. Cara had to figure out these unusual incidents before her time runs out.

A psycho-thriller movie that has a new concept of this genre, the first 5 minutes of the movie built the suspense effectively that will get you curious about the story and the characters – hooked – and eventually feel the suspense progressively. And the musical scoring is substantially persuasive.

The revelations are just as creepy as hell and the suspense never stops instead it intensifies the thrill as it goes.

I felt the scary impersonation of Jonathan Rhys Meyers in this movie and surely evil will rise. Directors Mans Marlind and  Bjorn Stein are natural shocker and witty film makers.

Shelter is from the makers of The Ring (2002) & Identity (2003).

Shelter is creepy and shockingly beautiful film.

Rating: 3/5