Hope Springs (Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell) in Theatres on August 22, 2012

Hope Springs (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.6/5
Liked the Movie: 69% (n=11,235)

Critics
Rating: 3.4/5
Reviews Counted: 75% (n=110)


Reviews

"Led by a pair of mesmerizing performances from Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones, Hope Springs offers filmgoers some grown-up laughs -- and a thoughtful look at mature relationships." - rottentomatoes.com

"Director to Jones: "Just be yourself." Works for me. Master class in acting from the two leads." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"A surprise that sneaks up and moves you, "Hope Springs" has the courage of its awkwardness, and this is said admiringly in the spirit of the film, which is irony-free and unfashionably earnest." - Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

"Yes, this is the fascinating stuff, a rare (in pop culture) look at the complex nature of the love-sex equation -- when it's too direct, when it's too vague, when it breaks down completely." - Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

"If the film doesn't really explore the pain and bitterness of this marriage, it's still leagues ahead of most such attempts." - Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

"It's gratifying to see a movie that doesn't have anything to do with superheroics or the end of the world, merely ordinary heroics of the human heart." - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

"It will make you want to go home and have sex with your spouse afterward. Or at least share a longer hug or a more passionate kiss." - Christy Lemire, Associated Press


Movie Info

Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) are a devoted couple, but decades of marriage have left Kay wanting to spice things up and reconnect with her husband. When she hears of a renowned couple's specialist (Steve Carell) in the small town of Great Hope Springs, she attempts to persuade her skeptical husband, a steadfast man of routine, to get on a plane for a week of marriage therapy. Just convincing the stubborn Arnold to go on the retreat is hard enough - the real challenge for both of them comes as they shed their bedroom hang-ups and try to re-ignite the spark that caused them to fall for each other in the first place. -- (C) Sony

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Directed By: David Frankel

Written By: Vanessa Taylor

Distributed By: Sony Pictures

Cast
Meryl Streep (Kay)
Tommy Lee Jones (Arnold)
Steve Carell (Doctor Feld)
Ben Rappaport (Brad their son)
Jean Smart (Eileen Kay's friend)
Elisabeth Shue (Karen the bartender)
Mimi Rogers (Carol the neighbor)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Total Recall (Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel) in Theatres on August 22, 2012

Total Recall (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.2/5
Liked the Movie: 48% (n=53,587)

Critics
Rating: 2.6/5
Liked the Movie: 31% (n=149)


Reviews

"If you share its desire for straight adrenaline, the ride works." - Tom Long, Detroit News

"While it boasts some impressive action sequences, Total Recall lacks the intricate plotting, wry humor, and fleshed out characters that made the original a sci-fi classic." - rottentomatoes.com

"Casting and visuals are an upgrade, but we get far too many action sequences and not enough of the mind games." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"It's big and it's loud, but ultimately not much more than that." - Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

"One of the great advantages of remaking a movie is being given the opportunity to correct problems - something not attempted here." - James Berardinelli, ReelViews

"The Total Recall reboot is a futuristic fiasco, two hours you'll never get back - and every minute is a bad memory." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone


Movie Info

Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he's got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man. Finding himself on the run from the police - controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world - Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find the head of the underground resistance (Bill Nighy) and stop Cohaagen. -- (C) Sony

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 1 min.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Len Wiseman

Written By: Kurt Wimmer

Distributed By: Sony Pictures

Cast
Colin Farrell (Douglas Quaid)
Kate Beckinsale (Lori Quaid)
Bryan Cranston (Cohaagen, Vilos Cohaagen)
Jessica Biel (Melina)
Bill Nighy (Kuato, Matthias, Quatto)
Bokeem Woodbine (Harry)
John Cho (McClane)
Will Yun Lee (Marek)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

"The Bourne Legacy" (Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton) in Theatres on August 8, 2012

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

Critics
Rating: 3/5
Liked the Movie: 43% (n=14)

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 85% (n=109,132)


Reviews

"Sets the stage for better and fuller adventures to come." - Kate Erbland, Boxoffice Magazine

"Writer and director Tony Gilroy, who penned all three previous episodes, has come up with an elegant solution that manages to widen out the story without feeling like a Hollywood cash-in." - James Mottram, The List

"Although there isn't nearly as much action as the original three movies, it's doubtful anyone will leave Legacy not wanting to see more of Renner and Weisz in these roles." - Edward Douglas, comingsoon.net

"Subbing character actor Jeremy Renner into a franchise that requires Matt Damon-caliber magnetism, series scribe Tony Gilroy takes over the helming duties with an overlong sequel that features too little action and an unnecessarily complicated plot." - Peter Debruge, Variety

"Stellar photography and effects cannot quite make up for the staleness of the series and the flatness of the principal character when compared to Matt Damon." - Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve

"Gilroy is an intelligent writer but he is not a technically skillful action director, and so he tries to compensate with a detailed but not very involving tale and characters that like to talk in one too many indoor scenes." - Emanuel Levy, emanuellevy.com

"The Bourne Legacy disgraces the family name" - Blake Howard, 2UE That Movie Show


Movie Info

The narrative architect behind the Bourne film series, Tony Gilroy, takes the helm in the next chapter of the hugely popular espionage franchise that has earned almost $1 billion at the global box office: The Bourne Legacy. The writer / director expands the Bourne universe created by Robert Ludlum with an original story that introduces us to a new hero (Jeremy Renner) whose life-or-death stakes have been triggered by the events of the first three films. For The Bourne Legacy, Renner joins fellow series newcomers Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach and Oscar Isaac, while franchise veterans Albert Finney, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Scott Glenn reprise their roles. -- (C) Universal

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 5 min.

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

Directed By: Tony Gilroy

Distributed By: Universal Pictures

Cast
Jeremy Renner (Aaron Cross)
Edward Norton (Retired Col. Eric Byer)
Rachel Weisz (Dr. Marta Shearing)
Joan Allen (Pam Landy)
Albert Finney (Dr. Albert Hirsch)
Stacy Keach (Retired Adm. Mark Turso)
Scott Glenn (Ezra Kramer)
Oscar Isaac (Outcome #3)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Schedule of Free Movie Screenings at Instituto Cervantes de Manila this August 2012

Instituto Cervantes de Manila in collaboration with Embajada de Argentina (Filipinas) invites you to their...

Free Movie Screenings

Instituto Cervantes' Salon de Actos
855 T.M. Kalaw St.
1000 Ermita
Manila, Filipinas


Schedule for August 2012
Contemporary Argentinian Films


August 2, 2012 (Thursday) - "The Mural" (110 mins)
7:00 PM

"The film recounts the various circumstances that led the painter David Alfaro Siqueiros to make a famous mural in the fifth Los Granados, property of Natalio Botana, with the help of Argentine painter Lino Enea Spilimbergo, Antonio Berni and John Carlos Castagnino and the Uruguayan Enrique Lazarus, more complicated and intertwined relations established between the characters of the story." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


August 4, 2012 (Saturday) - "Carancho" (107 mins)
2:00 PM

"Darin stars in this one as a sleazy, ambulance chasing personal injury lawyer who gets caught up in an escalating cycle of violence and while personal injury law may not strike you as the sexiest of topics the just-released trailer for this one is absolutely fantastic. Yes, please." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


August 11, 2012 (Saturday) - "Aballay, el hombre sin miedo" (100 mins)
2:00 PM

"Aballay was a bad tempered gaucho. After killing a man, the terrified look of the victim's son raised his consciousness about his savagery. Years go by, that kid's look doesn't leave him. Aballay knows that the kid will look for him." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


August 18, 2012 (Saturday) - "Cortazar" (80 mins)
2:00 PM

"Documentary about the Argentine writer Julio Cortazar." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


August 25, 2012 (Saturday) - "Camila" (105 mins)
2:00 PM

"In 1840's Buenos Aires, Argentina, a beautiful young socialite named Camila falls in love with Ladislao, a Jesuit priest. After several failed attempts at fighting his own feelings, he ultimately succumbs to her. The two later escape to a far off, secluded village where they assume new identities as husband and wife and begin running a children's school. After several months of relative happiness, the couple's identity is discovered by a local priest. Under moralistic pressure from both Camila's family and the Catholic church the authorities apprehend the lovers, and imprison them for sacrilege." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


August 30, 2012 (Thursday) - "The Internal Debt" (97 mins)
6:00 PM

"The story of the life of an Indian boy, Veronico Cruz, from his birth in one of the most remote parts of Argentina, until his death in the far-off south Atlantic during the Falklands / Malvinas War." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


Admission to all the screenings is FREE on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED basis.

For more details and for reservations, please contact:
Tlf: (63-2)526-1482 - 85
Fax: (63-2)526-1449
Email: cenmni@cervantes.es

Or visit their website, this article's Source.

Taiwan Film Festival at the Shangri-La Plaza from August 2 - 6, 2012

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office presents...

Taiwan Film Festival

The works of award-winning director Hou Hsiao-Hsien will be featured in this year's Taiwan Film Festival

Shang Cineplex, Cinema 4, Shangri-La Plaza, Shaw Boulevard cor. EDSA
August 2 (Thursday) to 6 (Monday), 2012

Admission is FREE!
Tickets are issued 30 minutes before the screening on a First-Come, First-Served Basis.
Film ratings may be confirmed at the ticket office.
Movies and schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

Schedule at the Shangri-La Plaza

August 3 (Friday)
12:30 PM - The Boys From Fengkuei
3:00 PM - The Man Who Plants Trees
5:00 PM - Classmates
7:00 PM - Three Times

August 4 (Saturday)
12:30 PM - A Time to Live, A Time to Die
3:10 PM - Stars
5:40 PM - Grandma's Hairpin
7:40 PM - Dust in the Wind

August 5 (Sunday)
12:30 PM - The Boys From Fengkuei
3:00 PM - Classmates
4:30 PM - The Man Who Plants Trees
7:00 PM - Three Times

August 6 (Monday)
12:30 PM - Dust in the Wind
3:00 PM - Grandma's Hairpin
5:00 PM - Stars
7:30 PM - A Time to Live, A Time to Die

Step Up Revolution (Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Peter Gallagher) in Theatres on August 1, 2012

Step Up Revolution (2012)

Audience
Rating: 4.3/5
Liked the Movie: 86% (n=19,064)

Critics
Rating: 2.4/5
Liked the Movie: 36% (n=56)


Reviews

"No one goes to a "Step Up" movie for the plot or the romance. Only the dancing matters here." - Neil Genzlinger, New York Times

"Delivers plenty of spectacular fancy footwork in what is otherwise a flat-footed fantasy." - Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail

"Step Up Revolution treads familiar territory by surrounding its lively and kinetic dance sequences with a predictably generic story." - rottentomatoes.com

"The choreography is solid throughout, but director Scott Speer gets in his own way every time, relentlessly shifting camera angles to close-ups and reaction shots when he should be letting us witness the spectacle." - Sara Stewart, New York Post

"While dance purists won't be impressed by the energetic and athletic choreography -- the dancers have clearly learned routines but not necessarily technique -- date-movie audiences will likely want to go out dancing afterward themselves, and that's fun." - Frank Lovece, Newsday

"[Guzman and McCormick] zero acting experience - and it shows. Same goes for the first-time movie director, Scott Speer, who can't coax even a passable performance from his amateurish cast..." - Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

"Step Up: Revolution" is the fourth of the "Step Up" movies, a series of unconnected stories that serve as showcases for the kinds of young stars who sincerely hope they'll soon be in better movies. - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"Will the next "Step Up" tackle the cutting-edge trend of planking?" - Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News


Movie Info

Step Up Revolution is the next installment in the worldwide smash Step Up franchise, which sets the dancing against the vibrant backdrop of Miami. Emily (Kathryn McCormick) arrives in Miami with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer and soon falls in love with Sean (Ryan Guzman), a young man who leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs, called "The Mob." When a wealthy business man threatens to develop The Mob's historic neighborhood and displace thousands of people, Emily must band together with Sean and The Mob to turn their performance art into protest art, and risk losing their dreams to fight for a greater cause. -- (C) Summit

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 1 hr. 37 min.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts

Directed By: Scott Speer

Written By: Jenny Mayer

Distributed By: Summit Entertainment

Cast
Ryan Guzman (Sean)
Kathryn McCormick (Emily)
Misha Gabriel (Eddy)
Peter Gallagher (Mr. Anderson)
Stephen Boss (Jason)
Mia Michaels (Olivia)
Megan Boone (Claire)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Brave (Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson) in Theatres on August 1, 2012

Brave (2012)

Audience
Average Rating: 4/5
Liked the Movie: 82% (n=114,380)

Critics
Rating: 3.5/5
Liked the Movie: 77% (n=183)


Reviews

"I really hope that people will give this imaginative little fairy tale a chance, and I can't wait to show it to my 6-year-old daughter." - Dana Stevens, Slate

"In addition to being fast, funny, and unpretentious, Brave is a happy antidote to all the recent films in which women triumph by besting men at their own macho games..." - David Edelstein, New York Magazine

"Brave offers young audiences and fairy tale fans a rousing, funny fantasy adventure with a distaff twist and surprising depth." = rottentomatoes.com

"The tone is uneven and more often morose than joyful. The pacing is slow and at times almost tedious. The end result is something that feels like it was put together from a jumble of Disney clichés tacked onto the skeleton of Beauty and the Beast." - James Berardinelli, ReelViews

"It's a subpar story that seems to exist mainly to sell a new Disney Princess in the form of wild-haired Merida." - Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News

"While co-directors Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell have successfully made a family action fantasy featuring a girl hero - a long-overdue revolution - the story is not as special as the princess inside it." - Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

"We would expect this kind of overstuffed joyride from Dreamworks Animation or the folks at Fox or even Disney itself. But it's terribly ordinary for Pixar, and ordinary is no longer enough." - Ty Burr, Boston Globe

"Brave" isn't a bull's-eye, but it's close enough. - Tom Long, Detroit News


Movie Info

Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). Merida's actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it's too late. -- (C) Disney

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1 hr. 33 min.

Genre: Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy

Directed By: Brenda Chapman, Mark Andrews

Distributed By: Walt Disney Pictures

Cast
Kelly Macdonald (Merida)
Billy Connolly (King Fergus)
Emma Thompson (Queen Elinor)
Julie Walters (Wise Woman)
Kevin Mckidd (Lord MacGuffin)
Craig Ferguson (Lord Macintosh)
Robbie Coltrane (Lord Dingwall)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

The Dictator (Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris) in Theatres on July 25, 2012

The Dictator (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.3/5
Liked the Movie: 53% (n=130,686)

Critics
Rating: 3/5
Liked the Movie: 58% (n=194)


Reviews

"For once, Baron Cohen has a real script and a supporting cast as skilled at improv as he is. And those complementary elements make a difference." - Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

"On the laughmeter The Dictator is closer to Borat than to the misfired Bruno, which is to say it's funny for about half of its brisk 83 minutes." - Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

"Most of The Dictator had me neither laughing nor shocked, but just staring at the screen in anxious is-that-all-there-is? silence." - Dana Stevens, Slate

"Of course it's offensive and tasteless. That's the point. Sometimes the jokes are excruciatingly funny." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"Clearly, Baron Cohen is a smart, gifted and versatile actor; it's time for him to stretch his abilities and dictate to himself a new kind of challenge." - Christy Lemire, Associated Press


Movie Info

The heroic story of a North African dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. -- (C) Paramount

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 hr. 23 min.

Genre: Comedy

Directed By: Larry Charles

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures

Cast
Sacha Baron Cohen (Aladeen / Efawadh)
Anna Faris (Zoey)
Ben Kingsley (Tamir)
Megan Fox as Herself

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Cinemalaya 2012 at the CCP, Trinoma & Greenbelt from July 20 - 29, 2012

Cinemalaya in Full Force With 25 New Films At
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Trinoma & Greenbelt 3
July 20 (Friday) - July 29 (Sunday), 2012

To view the film trailers and know more about the films, please CLICK HERE.

To find out the Cinemalaya 2012 Schedule in all Venues, please CLICK HERE.


To know the Schedule for Greenbelt 3 only (Cinemas 3 & 5), please CLICK HERE.

To buy or reserve tickets for Greenbelt 3, please CLICK HERE.


To determine the Schedule for Trinoma only (Cinema 1), please CLICK HERE.

To buy or reserve tickets for Trinoma, please CLICK HERE.


For tickets and passes in the CCP venues only, please CLICK HERE.


Hazel's
Comment: I came across the trailer of "Bwakaw" on Facebook (thanks to Cor Sunglao, a dog-lover =) and couldn't help but cry every time I watch it (being an animal-lover and volunteer for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society [PAWS]). This is the film I'll definitely watch in Cinemalaya 2012 with my dog-lover boyfriend Joey Nespral. Can't wait! Mabuhay ang Aspins (Asong Pinoy)! =)

The Dark Knight Rises (Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman) in Theatres on July 19, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Critics
Rating: 4.4/5
Liked the Movie: 91% (n=33)

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 93% (n=336,412)


Reviews

"Bleak, black and brilliant." - David Edwards, Daily Mail [UK]

"The crowning achievement of the Batman trilogy and the biggest, best, most exciting Batman of them all." - Scott A. Mantz, Access Hollywood

"The Dark Knight Rises is a big, bold and occasionally brilliant piece of blockbuster filmmaking." - Alistair Harkness, Scotsman

"The Dark Knight Rises is a spectacular and thrilling conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy." - Bruce Kirkland, Jam! Movies

"Whoever Warner Bros hires to reboot the 'Batman' films a few years from now, I wish you luck. The bar is as high as it could possibly be." - Drew McWeeney, HitFix

"The film suffers a bit from a glut of new characters but is helped along by Nolan's continued insistence on emotional resonance over mindless spectacle." - Tim Grierson, Screen International

"The bad news is that it lasts two hours 45 minutes, which is astonishingly bloated -- and unforgivable in a film that spends a long, ponderous hour getting started." - Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]

"A fine film in a strong summer, but it lacks the spark that made its immediate predecessor a masterpiece." - Amy Nicholson, Boxoffice Magazine

"Emotional, epic and entertaining, this is the end you've been waiting for." - James Mottram, The List

"A fitting epitaph for the hero Gotham deserves." - Nev Pierce, Empire Magazine


Movie Info

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.. -- (C) Warner Bros.

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 45 min.

Genre: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: David S. Goyer, Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, Bob Kane

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast
Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne / Batman)
Michael Caine (Alfred)
Gary Oldman (Gordon)
Anne Hathaway (Selina Kyle)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (John Blake)
Tom Hardy (Bane)
Marion Cotillard (Miranda Tate)
Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox)
Liam Neeson (Ra's al Ghul)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D (Jennifer Lopez, Jeremy Renner, Queen Latifah) in Theatres on July 12, 2012

Ice Age: Continental Drift 3D (2012)

Critics
Rating: 3/5
Liked the Movie: 52% (n=25)

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 93% (n=20,677)


Reviews

"The gang of walking, talking, mammalian chums prove as reliably consistent as ever." - Steve Newall, flicks.co.nz

"This isn't just the fourth silver screen outing for 'history's greatest heroes'. It's the Ice Age gang's most action-packed film to date." - Graham Young, Birmingham Mail

"Weighed down with daft new characters and an overstretched story, the prehistoric saga is looking a bit old. On the other hand, it still has Scrat -which is all any movie really needs..." - Paul M. Bradshaw, Total Film

"The wit and charm of the series' earlier entries, and much of their visual splendour, appears to have evaporated." - Shaun Munro, What Culture

"Despite impressive visuals and voice work, this fourth instalment feels uninspired and unnecessary." - FILMINK (Australia)

"This latest installment feels like a rudderless ship of ice floating in tropical waters." - Anton Bitel, Film4

"I hate to be the one to break it to everyone... but it's time these animals were put to sleep." - Matthew Toomey, ABC Radio Brisbane


Movie Info

Scrat's nutty pursuit of the cursed acorn, which he's been after since the dawn of time, has world-changing consequences - a continental cataclysm that triggers the greatest adventure of all for Manny, Diego and Sid. In the wake of these upheavals, Sid reunites with his cantankerous Granny, and the herd encounters a ragtag menagerie of seafaring pirates determined to stop them from returning home. -- (C) Official Site

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1 hr. 34 min.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy

Directed By: Steve Martino, Michael Thurmeier

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Cast
Ray Romano (Manny)
John Leguizamo (Sid)
Denis Leary (Diego)
Queen Latifah (Ellie)
Seann William Scott (Crash)
Josh Peck (Eddie)
Jennifer Lopez (Shira)
Jeremy Renner (Gutt)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Act of Valor (Active-Duty US Navy Seals) in Theatres on July 11, 2012

Act of Valor (2012)

Hazel's
Comment: There were Filipino groups who demanded an apology from Relativity Media and wanted this movie banned because it depicted Filipinos as cold-hearted terrorists. But isn't this movie a work of fiction? Why are some people just so uptight and critical about it?

Audience
Rating: 4/5
Liked the Movie: 77% (n=69,819)

Critics
Rating: 2.3/5
Liked the Movie: 25% (n=126)


Reviews

"When the bullets are flying, Act of Valor is undeniably tense and thrilling." - Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly

"Fighting is a learned skill; so is acting. And the SEAL stars are plausible only when on maneuvers - performing as their own stunt doubles." - Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

"The special ops missions are pretty amazing, but the SEALS as dramatic characters are under-developed." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"It's undeniably reverent of the real-life heroes in its cast, but Act of Valor lets them down with a clichéd script, stilted acting, and a jingoistic attitude that ignores the complexities of war." - rottentomatoes.com

"The filmmakers are so intent on shooting the real SEAL deal that they forget this is supposed to be a movie: We need a story." - Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

"I don't know what to make of Act of Valor. It's like reviewing a recruiting poster." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"I think these real-life action heroes deserve a better movie. So does the audience." - Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune


Movie Info

An unprecedented blend of real-life heroism and original filmmaking, Act of Valor stars a group of active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs in a film like no other in Hollywood's history. A fictionalized account of real life Navy SEAL operations, Act of Valor features a gripping story that takes audiences on an adrenaline-fueled, edge-of-their-seat journey. When a mission to recover a kidnapped CIA operative unexpectedly results in the discovery of an imminent, terrifying global threat, an elite team of highly trained Navy SEALs must immediately embark on a heart-stopping secret operation, the outcome of which will determine the fate of us all. Act of Valor combines stunning combat sequences, up-to-the-minute battlefield technology, and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate action adventure film-showcasing the skills, training and tenacity of the greatest action heroes of them all: real Navy SEALs. -- (C) Relativity

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 hr. 41 min.

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure

Directed By: Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh

Written By: Kurt Johnstad

Distributed By: Relativity Media

Cast
Roselyn Sanchez (Agent Morales)
Alex Veadov (Christo)
Nestor Serrano (Walter Ross)
Emilio Rivera (Sanchez)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Magic Mike (Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey) in Theatres on July 11, 2012

Magic Mike (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.7/5
Liked the Movie: 69% (n=48,120)

Critics
Rating: 3.5/5
Liked the Movie: 77% (n=132)


Reviews

"If you're looking for a romance with 100 percent prime beefcake? Get your singles out and ready, ladies. "Magic Mike" is in the house." - Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

"Soderbergh has created a spicy yet lucid, surgingly high-energy yet smartly modernistic musical." - Richard Brody, New Yorker

"It's one of the year's best surprises, and so is its frequently underrated star." Rafer Guzman, Newsday

"At the very least, it is exceptional and one of the best and most original pictures to come along in 2012." - Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

"A weirdly guilty pleasure." - Stephen Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Magic Mike has a conventional structure, yet a teasing question percolates beneath: If selling yourself is as much fun as this movie makes it look, what could be wrong with it?" - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

"The dance numbers, choreographed by Allison Faulk, are inventive and athletic, but not really erotic; Soderbergh never lets you forget that, for these men, dancing is above all a job." - Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader

"If filmmaker Soderbergh had paid as much attention to relationship dynamics as he does to dance number mechanics, this film would have gotten closer to living up to the magic in its name." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times


Movie Info

Set in the world of male strippers, Magic Mike is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum in a story inspired by his real life. The film follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money. -- (C) Warner Bros.

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 hr. 50 min.

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Written By: Reid Carolin

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast
Channing Tatum (Magic Mike)
Alex Pettyfer (Adam, The Kid)
Matt Bomer (Ken)
Joe Manganiello (Big Dick Richie)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas)
Cody Horn (Brooke, Paige)
Olivia Munn (Joanna)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Free Movie Screenings (Animation) at Instituto Cervantes de Manila on All Saturdays of July 2012

Instituto Cervantes de Manila invites you to their...

Free Movie Screenings

Instituto Cervantes' Salon de Actos
855 T.M. Kalaw St.
1000 Ermita
Manila, Filipinas

All Saturdays of July 2012
2:00 PM


Ciclo de Cine de Animación Español Film Series

The animated films produced in Spain has experienced great development in recent years. In collaboration with the Film Archive of the AECI, the Instituto Cervantes presents a cycle that includes four examples of high quality level Spanish animation . Projection on DVD with English subtitles.


July 7, 2012 (Saturday) - "Chico and Rita" (94 mins)

"Cuba, 1948. Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unites them, but their journey - in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero - brings heartache and torment. From Havana to New York, Paris, Hollywood and Las Vegas, two passionate individuals battle impossible odds to unite in music and love." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


July 14, 2012 (Saturday) - "De Profundis" (75 minutes)

"Once upon a time there was a house in the middle of the sea where a woman waited while she played a melancholy violoncello… She was waiting for her beloved, a painter who had always wanted to be a sailor so that he could navigate amongst the jellyfish, the sea stars and the thousand coloured fishes that he dreamt of in his paintings… His fascination led him to undertake a trip with the purpose of discovering the exciting beauty and mysteries of the deep sea, but one that meant that neither of them knew if they would ever meet again… A trip to the depths of the sea. A dream come true. A love story. A poem in motion..." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


July 21, 2012 (Saturday) - "Don Quijote I y II" (26 minutes)

"Cartoon adaptation of the immortal work of Miguel de Cervantes. 39 episodes chronicling the adventures of the knight Don Quixote (voice of Fernando Fernan-Gomez) and his faithful squire Sancho Panza (voice of Antonio Ferrandis)." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


July 28, 2012 (Saturday) - "Nocturna" (80 minutes)

"In the aging orphanage the days pass very uneventfully, but the nights are something quite different; at least for Tim they are. The light reflected from the stars is the only cure for his fear of the dark. One night this fear leads him to the orphanage rooftop. Where he discovers that his favourite star has disappeared, and unfortunately it’s not going to be the last one. Tim also discovers the Cat Shepherd and his faithful cat Tobermory, that will become Tim's personal guardians. Tim convinces the Shepherd to take him to see Moka, the guardian of the night, and pleads for him to return the stars to the night sky." - Instituto Cervantes de Manila


Admission to all the screenings is FREE on a FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED basis.

For more details, please contact:
Tlf: (63-2)526-1482 - 85
Fax: (63-2)526-1449
Email: cenmni@cervantes.es

Or visit their website, this article's Source.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Benjamin Walker) in Theatres on July 4, 2012

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.5/5
Liked the Movie: 61% (n=144,391)

Critics
Rating: 2.5/5
Liked the Movie: 34% (n=150)


Reviews

"Both terribly silly and a lot of fun." - Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

"Of course it's ridiculous and tasteless and grotesque. It's ABRAHAM LINCOLN, VAMPIRE HUNTER." - Richard Roeper, richardroeper.com

"Bekmambetov ... stages hilarious, imaginative, almost free-form action sequences like nobody in the business." - Andrew O'Hehir, salon.com

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has visual style to spare, but its overly serious tone doesn't jibe with its decidedly silly central premise, leaving filmgoers with an unfulfilling blend of clashing ingredients." - rottentomatoes.com

"Bekmambetov doesn't expect us to take the premise seriously, exactly. But he doesn't seem to want us to laugh at it, either." - Eric D. Snider, film.com

"The movie plays safe by cutting every theme down the middle - a swing that's effective when splitting wood or vampire skulls, but dull when applied to filmmaking." - Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

"A B movie treated like an A movie that mostly ends up being a zzzzzzzzzz movie." - Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

"Not just a letdown but an absolute disaster." - Rafer Guzman, Newsday

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" is such a smashing title it's too bad someone had to spoil things by making a movie to go with it." - Manohla Dargis, New York Times

"What next, "George Washington Werewolf"? Laugh not, history profs." - Tom Long, Detroit News


Movie Info

Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov reinvent the time-honored genre and present the terrifying creatures of the night as they were meant to be experienced -- as fierce, visceral, intense and bloodthristy. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter brings to the screen the secret life of our nation's favorite president... as history's greatest hunter of the undead. -- (C) Official Site

Rated: R

Running Time: 1 hr. 45 min.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Timur Bekmambetov

Written By: Seth Grahame-Smith

Distributed By: 20th Century Fox

Cast
Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln)
Dominic Cooper (Henry Sturges)
Anthony Mackie (Will Johnson)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Mary Lincoln)
Rufus Sewell (Adam)
Marton Csokas (Jack Barts)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

"Big Miracle" (Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Kristen Bell) in Theaters on July 4, 2012

Big Miracle (2012)

Audience
Rating: 3.4/5
Liked the Movie: 63% (n=29,488)

Critics
Rating: 3.1/5
Liked the Movie: 74% (n=95)


Reviews:

"Big Miracle uses real-life events as the basis for a surprisingly satisfying family drama." - rottentomatoes.com

""Big Miracle" gets off to a shaky start, but once revved up, it becomes an involving work-against-the-clock-and-the-odds action movie." - Rachel Saltz, New York Times

"Cold War-era bonding over whales? It would sound utterly absurd if it weren't based on fact. And that's part of what makes this movie fun for adults." - Stephanie Merry, Washington Post

"It is a whale of a comic tale, if also one overly crowded with characters and incidents." - Peter Howell, Toronto Star

""Big Miracle" might be subtitled, "How Hollywood Turned a Real Story Into Bogus Fiction." - Rafer Guzman, Newsday

"If you think it's absolutely not your kind of thing, you might be surprised." - Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies


Movie Info

Inspired by the true story that captured the hearts of people across the world, the rescue adventure Big Miracle tells the amazing tale of a small town news reporter (John Krasinski) and an animal-loving volunteer (Drew Barrymore) who are joined by rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle. -- (C) Universal

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1 hr. 46 min.

Genre: Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Comedy

Directed By: Ken Kwapis

Written By: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler

Distributed By: Universal Pictures

Cast
John Krasinski (Adam Carlson)
Drew Barrymore (Rachel Kramer)
Kristen Bell (Jill Jerard)
Dermot Mulroney (Colonel Scott Boyer)
Ted Danson (J. W. McGraw)
Tim Blake Nelson (Pat Lafayette)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner) in Theatres on November 2012

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012)

Hazel's
Comment: Twilight fans are in for a treat on November... though it's the last installment already of an engaging series that had us glued to Jacob's abs and Edward's pretty face haha =)

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 90% (n=48,892)


Movie Info

The epic love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen concludes in this final installment of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series.

Genre: Drama, Action & Adventure, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Bill Condon

Written By: Melissa Rosenberg, Stephenie Meyer

Distributed By: Lionsgate Films

Cast
Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan)
Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen)
Taylor Lautner (Jacob Black)
Ashley Greene (Alice)
Kellan Lutz (Emmett)
Nikki Reed (Rosalie)
Peter Facinelli (Carlisle)
Jackson Rathbone (Jasper)
Elizabeth Reaser (Esme)
Billy Burke (Charlie Swan)
Dakota Fanning (Jane Volturi)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

The Amazing Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field) in Theatres on June 29, 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Hazel's
Comment: A movie I'm definitely going to watch on the big screen! It's awesome that there are scenes wherein you could feel like you're Spider-Man since it's shot on his perspective. Can't wait when it swings to theatres real soon...

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 91% (n=232,426)


Movie Info

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero. -- (C) Sony

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Marc Webb

Written By: Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, James Vanderbilt

Distributed By: Sony Pictures

Cast
Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker / Spider-Man)
Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy)
Rhys Ifans (Dr. Curt Connors)
Sally Field (Aunt May / May Parker)
Denis Leary (Captain Stacy)
Martin Sheen (Ben Parker / Uncle Ben)
Campbell Scott (Richard Parker)
Irfan Khan (Dr. Ratha / Van Adder)
Annie Parisse (Mrs. Van Adder)
Julianne Nicholson (Mary Parker)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Rock of Ages (Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary J. Blige) in Theatres on June 14, 2012

Rock of Ages (2012)

Hazel's
Comment: There was an episode in this year's season of American Idol wherein the director of "Rock of Ages," Adam Shankman, was their guest. He shared that he wasn't expecting much from the singing talent of Tom Cruise and was totally blown away when Tom brought the house down. Can't wait to watch this on the big screen! Also, already bought tickets to watch the "Rock of Ages" play at RCBC Plaza on July 7 so I get to compare the stage play to the movie. I wonder which one is better...

Audience
Like to See the Movie: 86% (n=15,980)

Critics
Rating: 3/5
Liked the Movie: 33% (n=6)


Reviews

"As a story, Rock of Ages is all over the place, but the performers are clearly having a blast, and their enjoyment is infectious." - Shaun Munro, What Culture

"[T]his is just a madly silly, deeply goofy movie that's meant to pander to GenX 80s nostalgia. It's not trying to be radical or revolutionary... I'm not even sure director Adam Shankman realizes how extraordinary his film is on [a certain] level..." - - MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher

"Shankman] succeeds in draining most of the fun from a vehicle that was all about the winking humor of its flagrant cheesiness." - David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

"This lively but decidedly overlong film showers the audience with kitsch at the expense of characters." - Tim Grierson, Screen International

"As the tagline says, Rock of Ages is nothin' but a good time. Sometimes, it's even less." - Charlie Lyne, Ultra Culture


Movie Info

Rock of Ages tells the story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock 'n' roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and more. -- (C) Warner Bros

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hr. 3 min.

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts, Drama

Directed By: Adam Shankman

Written By: Chris D'Arienzo

Distributed By: New Line Cinema

Cast
Julianne Hough (Sherrie)
Diego Boneta (Drew Boley)
Russell Brand (Lonnie)
Paul Giamatti (Paul Gill)
Catherine Zeta-Jones (Patricia Whitmore)
Malin Akerman (Constance)
Mary J. Blige (Justice)
Alec Baldwin (Dennis Dupree)
Tom Cruise (Stacee Jaxx)
Bryan Cranston (Mayor Mike Whitmore)
Will Forte (Mitch Miley)

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kiyeme (Eugene Domingo, Dingdong Dantes, Alodia Gosiengfiao) in Theatres on June 13, 2012

Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kiyeme (2012)

Hazel's
Comment: I came across this trailer while browsing Facebook. I never got to watch the first Kimmy Dora film (which catapulted Eugene Domingo to fame) that was released in 2009 but after watching this, I plan to watch both movies. The trailers are hilariously funny and Eugene Domingo is dubbed the goddess of Philippine comedy =)


Movie Info

The adult twin daughters of an aging business mogul find themselves haunted by a terrifying ghost. The two dig into their family's past, and they travel to South Korea to try and find a way to appease the angry spirit.

Directed By: Joyce Bernal

Written By: Chris Martinez

Genre: Comedy

Released By: Star Cinema

Cast
Eugene Domingo (Kimmy & Dora Go Dong Hae)
Dingdong Dantes (Johnson)
Zanjoe Marudo (Barry)
Ariel Ureta (Luisito Go Dong Hae)
Miriam Quiambao (Gertrude)
Alodia Gosiengfiao (Sang Kang Kang)


This is the trailer of the first Kimmy Dora movie. Hopefully, I get to watch this film first before the sequel...



Source: clickthecity.com

Happy New Year to All and Thank You! =)

Happy New Year to all!

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you... all "Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You" readers, followers, subscribers, likers and members. You all inspire me to blog more =)

This year, I'm planning to post and link on our "Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You" Facebook group and page, my blogposts on "Latest Movies Philippines," which features movies currently showing in theatres. I'm also thinking of starting a movie blog about past movies I have watched and name it "Movie Backtrack." Therefore, we can now talk about movies from the past (Movie Backtrack), present (Latest Movies Philippines) and future (Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You) on our "Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You" Facebook group and page =)

Wishing everyone that we get to watch and enjoy more movies while making our dreams come true this 2012 =)


Love,

Hazel R. Pascual
Blogger
Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You & Latest Movies Philippines