was surfing the net and this interestingly titled review of tom hanks' angels & demons caught my attention.
the movie opens today and according to some people who saw an earlier screening the movie did change some subplots in the book. how it affected the movie is something i need to find out for myself.
here's the review:
*****
Angels & Demons an Unholy Blast of Boring
by Natasha Vargas-Cooper
Fri May 15, 2:39 am ET
Los Angeles (E! Online)
Seeking penance for his abysmal adaptation of Dan Brown's megahit book The Da Vinci Code, Ron Howard picks up the pace with the sequel. But this diligent yet dull religious caper only adds to the long list of Tom Hanks throwaway features, movies best enjoyed on airplanes.
The Bigger Picture: Is there a more unholy alliance than Hanks and Howard in movies today? The two have conspired on some very play-it-safe, softball pop, and Angels & Demons is no exception.
The first of many problems is Howard's fumbling of a high-stakes game and the subversive fun of Brown's book. When Pope Liberal McProgressivepants III dies, a global cabal of cardinals has to choose a new head of the billion-member Catholic Church. But Howard gives the affair the intrigue of student council meeting.
Things get a little hotter when the Illuminati, a rogue sect of dudes who love science and hate serious men in big hats (like popes!), keeps kidnapping and murdering the fan favorites. The Vatican then brings in symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks), armed with a bewildering knowledge of religious lore and a mystifying toupee—of truth! Once again, Hanks, gives a numbing and empty performance, which gets us to the greatest mystery of the movie: Why do you continue to love him, America? Why!?
Next problem, sure, it's tough getting permits to film in the Vatican, but the CGI is embarrassingly bad. Interior shots are unnecessarily digitized, priests are engulfed in the phoniest of flames and there are really dopey effects surrounding an evil, world-destroying antimatter.
Sheesh, they could have better spent the cash on one more zesty screenwriter to give the mysteries a little more pulp.
Also, the angels-to-demons ratio is way off. Brown's novel is brainy and filled with all kinds of grisly murder. But Howard's version is all ancient statues, musty scrolls and paintings. There's hardly any brimstone, only some smatter of blood, nary a thumbscrew—but a there's a whole boatload of weepy sculptures.
Hardcore devotees may not be as disappointed, seeing the rich literary/art history descriptions come to life. All the obscure papers, frescoes and devilish obelisks are contextualized in a murderous Roman holiday. But like the less inspired Potter flicks, it's a curious delight to fans only.
The 180—a Second Opinion: People, when did we stop paying attention to Ewan McGregor? As a shifty Church big shot, he's both dreamy and talented and feeds the movie the little bit of soul that it's so starved for.
***
what do you think?
Friday, May 15, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
bye izzie
so katherine heigl finally got her wish. she's out of seattle grace hospital.
it is hello hollywood for her now. she has a movie coming out with gerard butler in june. now she'll have lots of time to do the movie's promo.
meredith and derek are "married". oh well, it took four seasons for them to do so. let me hazard a guess - when the series comes back in the fall, the couple are already separated. it's so un-hollywood if they are still together by then... lol
"You'll love me, even when you hate me."
"Nobody walks out, no matter what happens."
bravo! kudos to the writers.
and o'malley is dead! :(
too bad, he can no longer vote for his favorite american idol - sorry, can't help it. :)
by the way, here are the pictures of the last two contending idols.
do i need to remind you on who is the subject of yesterdays "kiss" blog???
so mean... just kidding!
my friend tony thinks kris should win. personally, i find adam incredibly good but helplessly boring. well, it's just me.
it is hello hollywood for her now. she has a movie coming out with gerard butler in june. now she'll have lots of time to do the movie's promo.
meredith and derek are "married". oh well, it took four seasons for them to do so. let me hazard a guess - when the series comes back in the fall, the couple are already separated. it's so un-hollywood if they are still together by then... lol
"You'll love me, even when you hate me."
"Nobody walks out, no matter what happens."
bravo! kudos to the writers.
and o'malley is dead! :(
too bad, he can no longer vote for his favorite american idol - sorry, can't help it. :)
by the way, here are the pictures of the last two contending idols.
do i need to remind you on who is the subject of yesterdays "kiss" blog???
so mean... just kidding!
my friend tony thinks kris should win. personally, i find adam incredibly good but helplessly boring. well, it's just me.
stir?
today, i received an email newsletter questioning the integrity of the cannes film festival and the works of celebrated filipino directors brillante mendoza and raya martin.
i always believed that film criticisms, no matter how bad, as long as it is focused on the artistry and merit of the finished film should always be welcomed; however, when someone dismisses a film without having seen it is something else.
the author of the newsletter accuses cannes of playing favorites. he asserts that the primary reason why filipino films are in competition this year is due to some underhanded manipulation by several french filmmakers. bullshit!
why can't just he be proud of mendoza and raya! personally, i don't like the films of mendoza. i thought his serbis sucked big time. but it is just me - others may find it actually good and i cannot accuse them of poor taste.
the writer's innuendos are downright cheap!
below is the text of his newsletter. grammatical errors are all his own. lol.
French connection
by: Edgar O. Cruz STIR Editor (Chief Agitator)14 May 2009 10:26 AM
TO VISIT www.stir.ph, CLICK HERE.
Are the three Filipino-made films in the newly opened Cannes International Film Festival to be held in Cannes, France from May 13 to 24 a triumph for Pinoy movies? Perhaps to Pinoy moviemakers who are hanged up on the Gallic ambition. It looks to this writer as more like a French triumph than a Pinoy victory.
Brillante Mendoza and Raya Martin’s movies were highly expected to be accepted in the Cannes International Film Festival because of their so-called French connection. If not, why do you think STIR already buzzed the selection of Raya’s “Independencia” in the Un Certain Regard section and Brilliante’s “Kinatay (The Execution of P)” in In Competion sections three day before the selection was officially announced?
That’s because Cannes has a bias for French-produced and French-funded entries. It’s not a coincidence that Brillante and Raya had movies screened in Cannes last year and this year. Both were expected—even designed—to make it to Cannes because of their French connection. If British Academy of Film and Television Arts British determine the Academy of Motion Picture ARTS AND Sciences (Oscar) winners, the French connection determines Pinoy films to be selected in Cannes. There’s that inescapable association.
Raya’s closeness to Cannes is well known. He’s considered as its baby plus the fact he’s talented. He spent time in Cannes doing films. “Now Showing and “Indio Nacional” are clearly French-style movies. French Jeanne Lapoirie is “Independencia’s” director of photography (DoP). “Independencia” used the 120,000-euro (P7 million) grant from the French government called Fonds Sud Cinema.
Raya’s other new movie,“Maynila,” co-directed with Adolf Alix, Jr. is a reimaging of Lino Brocka’s “Maynila Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” and Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night.” To screen out of competition, it stars and co-produced by Piolo Pascual.
Brilliante’s movie, on the other hand, was financied by French producer Didier Costet for his Swift Productions. “Tirador” and “Serbis,” his entry which made it to the In Competition section in last year’s Cannes are clearly French-inspired.
Yet two other Pinoy movies, Raymond Red’s “Himpapawid” and Bing Lao’s “Biyaheng Lupa (Solliloquy)” were left out. Why? Quite simply, both movies did not have French connection. Both are 100% Pinoy movies with an all Pinoy cast and crew. “Biyaheng Lupa’s” case was understandable as Quantum Films submitted a rough edited version.
You’d counter. Raymond won the Palm d’Or for his short film “Anino (Shadows).” Right! But what’s a five-minute movie to a full-length feature but a minor accomplishment? Do you know the joke about the jurors finding the floating shit in the movie very artistic that’s why it won?
Being selected in Cannes is a formula. Once a filmmaker masters the shock factor with a Frenchy presentation and with the right French connection, his movie/s can qualify to participate in its various sections, even proceed to win the Palm d’Dor!
i always believed that film criticisms, no matter how bad, as long as it is focused on the artistry and merit of the finished film should always be welcomed; however, when someone dismisses a film without having seen it is something else.
the author of the newsletter accuses cannes of playing favorites. he asserts that the primary reason why filipino films are in competition this year is due to some underhanded manipulation by several french filmmakers. bullshit!
why can't just he be proud of mendoza and raya! personally, i don't like the films of mendoza. i thought his serbis sucked big time. but it is just me - others may find it actually good and i cannot accuse them of poor taste.
the writer's innuendos are downright cheap!
below is the text of his newsletter. grammatical errors are all his own. lol.
French connection
by: Edgar O. Cruz STIR Editor (Chief Agitator)14 May 2009 10:26 AM
TO VISIT www.stir.ph, CLICK HERE.
Are the three Filipino-made films in the newly opened Cannes International Film Festival to be held in Cannes, France from May 13 to 24 a triumph for Pinoy movies? Perhaps to Pinoy moviemakers who are hanged up on the Gallic ambition. It looks to this writer as more like a French triumph than a Pinoy victory.
Brillante Mendoza and Raya Martin’s movies were highly expected to be accepted in the Cannes International Film Festival because of their so-called French connection. If not, why do you think STIR already buzzed the selection of Raya’s “Independencia” in the Un Certain Regard section and Brilliante’s “Kinatay (The Execution of P)” in In Competion sections three day before the selection was officially announced?
That’s because Cannes has a bias for French-produced and French-funded entries. It’s not a coincidence that Brillante and Raya had movies screened in Cannes last year and this year. Both were expected—even designed—to make it to Cannes because of their French connection. If British Academy of Film and Television Arts British determine the Academy of Motion Picture ARTS AND Sciences (Oscar) winners, the French connection determines Pinoy films to be selected in Cannes. There’s that inescapable association.
Raya’s closeness to Cannes is well known. He’s considered as its baby plus the fact he’s talented. He spent time in Cannes doing films. “Now Showing and “Indio Nacional” are clearly French-style movies. French Jeanne Lapoirie is “Independencia’s” director of photography (DoP). “Independencia” used the 120,000-euro (P7 million) grant from the French government called Fonds Sud Cinema.
Raya’s other new movie,“Maynila,” co-directed with Adolf Alix, Jr. is a reimaging of Lino Brocka’s “Maynila Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” and Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night.” To screen out of competition, it stars and co-produced by Piolo Pascual.
Brilliante’s movie, on the other hand, was financied by French producer Didier Costet for his Swift Productions. “Tirador” and “Serbis,” his entry which made it to the In Competition section in last year’s Cannes are clearly French-inspired.
Yet two other Pinoy movies, Raymond Red’s “Himpapawid” and Bing Lao’s “Biyaheng Lupa (Solliloquy)” were left out. Why? Quite simply, both movies did not have French connection. Both are 100% Pinoy movies with an all Pinoy cast and crew. “Biyaheng Lupa’s” case was understandable as Quantum Films submitted a rough edited version.
You’d counter. Raymond won the Palm d’Or for his short film “Anino (Shadows).” Right! But what’s a five-minute movie to a full-length feature but a minor accomplishment? Do you know the joke about the jurors finding the floating shit in the movie very artistic that’s why it won?
Being selected in Cannes is a formula. Once a filmmaker masters the shock factor with a Frenchy presentation and with the right French connection, his movie/s can qualify to participate in its various sections, even proceed to win the Palm d’Dor!
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