Why Superman Sucks & Batman Owns

Out of all DC Comics characters, Superman is the one hero that I think he sucks major ass. I never got interested in his story, his comics, his cartoon, or even his movies. Even though I have some admiration for Smallville, Clark Kent is certainly not as compelling as other superheroes out there. And by other, I mean Batman. Of course, I’m not going to set here and be all judgmental without giving any convincing reasons. Allow me to share with you my personal list on why Batman kicks the crap out of Superman (which he actually did in The Dark Knight Returns) anytime.

• Batman had a much more tragic childhood; watching your parents die is infinitely worse than hearing your biological parents died without ever having met them.

• Batman’s crime-fighting style is based more on intelligence and planning while Superman almost always relays on brute force.

• Batman is a detective, a scientist, a master of disguise, and a martial arts expert; Superman is a burly asshole in a red cape with big muscles.

• Even though both characters steadfastly refuse to kill their enemies under any circumstances; it’s just a hell of a lot harder for Batman, which makes his attitude toward mercy all the more admirable.

• It’s five times harder for Batman to do anything, which Superman takes for granted on a daily basis, yet he often does it a hell of a lot better.

• Batman has Robin!

Review: Arranged

Note: This review is based on the DVD version.

This film actually was recommended by my dearest friend Sushi, and based on her review and the premise of the movie I couldn’t help myself but to watch it. The film focuses on two young female teachers – one an Orthodox Jew (named Rochel) and the other an observant Muslim (named Nasira) – who are assigned to work together in a multi-ethnic school in Brooklyn. Initially, I thought it is one of those films with a sentimental “let’s all get along” message, but it turned out to be a lot more complicated and interesting than that. The characters find friendship with each other, because they are both confronting similar issues with their parents and the secular world. They are also both undergoing the difficulty of trying to find a mate through their community’s traditional systems of arranged marriage. While some of the characters come off as walking stereotypes, the film for the most part, does a sensitive job of portraying both aspects of religion and tradition in a very positive light. The film respects the women’s genuine commitment to their faiths even as they struggle with difficult aspects of their faiths. The acting and the script are sometimes uneven and there are moments that feel like an after school special. The conclusion is a bit too simplistic. But the message about both necessity and possibility of multi-religious co-existence is a good one presented with humor, warmth, and intelligence. Another minor flaw I found is that it doesn’t balance the lives of both characters; I felt Rochel was the leading character and Nasira was the support (sort of a side story) character, but the effort was genuine and heartwarming.

Arranged is an engaging story that feels very real, and very important in our times when so many walls keep people from connecting with each other. It is so refreshing to have the bigger theme of cultural and religious differences treated with respect and interest, and with an absence of violence. Even though it’s not a masterpiece, I invite you to watch this film along with your friends and family and absorb the fact that you don’t need shared religion in order to share friendship and respect.

The Bottom Line

B

The Last Supper!?

The Last Supper – Star Wars

The Last Supper – Battle Star Galactica

The Last Supper – Super Smash Bros. Brawl

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE

The Happening

The new trailer of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening is finally here. Now, let’s hope this one doesn’t suck like Lady In The Water. The movie is scheduled to be released on June 13th of 2008.

Review: In Bruges

Very few movies in the past managed to blend the genres of comedy and crime in one motion picture, but most of those few wound up uninspired and quite dull. However, once in a blue moon, a movie gets it right and exceeds expectations. After a London assassination job gone wrong, Irish hit men Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are ordered to the old-fashioned Flemish town of Bruges to hide out until the heat dies down. From the start, Farrell is twitchy and frustrated in such a small, non-happening place; as Gleeson placidly enjoys the sights on offer in the best-preserved medieval town in Belgium, Farrell drinks and bitches and babbles nervously, at least until he runs across a pretty girl on a movie set, and starts coming up with his own distractions, and eventually many things happen after that that leads to unprecedented chain of events. In Bruges starts both quietly and funny at first but eventually new twists and plots emerge and inspire to take the story in new directions. Sometimes it’s shockingly poignant and touching; at other times, it’s a gripping crime drama; then it veers back to comedy. But despite of that, you will never get lost and you will find yourself sightseeing Bruges at the same time. The performance is the winning formula of the movie; Gleeson and Farrell have a wonderful chemistry, and their one-on-one moments are funny and sympathetic. Truly, all the characters in the movie have a distinct flare and some of them are odd and unsavory, in a very smart way; the unusual role of Ralph Fiennes in this movie was certainly a surprise but welcoming. The film’s score is both subtle and exciting, depending on the situation that has taken place in the film. The ending however, might leave some people wanting more, but personally, I found it very smart and semi-open ended.

Despite being dialogue heavy, In Bruges is an engaging film. It is sharply written, superbly acted, funny and even occasionally touching that will leave people wanting more. In addition, it is easily one of the best debut feature films in recent memory; kudos to Martin McDonagh -the director and the writer of the movie- for springing this movie to life. So far, it is the best movie in 2008. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

The Bottom Line

A-

Top 99 Women (2008 Edition)

Once again, AskMen.com makes one of the most righteous and prestigious lists of the year and that is the 99 Most Desirable Women List. Drawing from the worlds of movies, television, fashion, sports and more, the feature celebrates the women we love and what we love about them. Most shockingly however, is that the very cute but not so sexy Gray’s Anatomy actress Katherine Heigl made her way to the top and kicking Beyonce out of her throne.

Here is the top ten:

10. Adriana Lima
9. Marisa Miller
8. Rihanna
7. Jessica Biel
6. Scarlett Johansson
5. Jessica Alba
4. Eva Mendes
3. Kate Beckinsale
2. Alessandra Ambrosio
1. Katherine Heigl

Spoiler-Free Review: Cloverfield

If you have seen the trailer of the movie, then you probably realize what you are getting into. Cloverfield is Blair Witch meets Godzilla, with the audience allowed only as much information about what exactly is happening as the characters have themselves, and it works fantastically well. And that’s key to the film’s second stroke of genius: its nearly subconscious evocation of our current paranoid, terror-phobic times such as the 9/11 nightmare. However, Cloverfield is a movie that will enjoy an abundant amount of discussions and theories among your friends for a short period of time (maybe a day or two), but it will not resonate for long. The first question will probably be the “where question” and that’s can easily be solved if you pay attention to the movie and actually attach all the information given into one complete picture. However, The “what” and “how questions” are up to your imaginations and theories. The performance was great but not always; it certainly wasn’t believable as Blair Witch was, but it managed to evoke an array of emotions that were similar to what the characters were experiencing. Surprisingly, the movie has its fair share of humor and smart writing but sometimes they seem a little nuisance and out of place. Also, bear in mind that the movie views the catastrophic, literally earthshaking events through the lens of one character’s digital video camera, complete with rough, nerve jangling in-camera edits; thus it might cause motion sickness to some people, but it will probably subdue after 30 minutes or so. Sitting in the theatre, watching all hell break spectacularly loose in Lower Manhattan, and watching the reaction of the audience is certainly a fine experience that I highly encourage to participant in, and the movie deserves to be watched just for that, even though it’s an 80 minute film.

Cloverfield isn’t particularly a great movie or a bad one either; it simply modifies the genre by allocating the best elements of thriller and sci-fi flicks. But to be fair, this is probably one of the most intense, stomach-churning, and breathtaking movies I have seen in awhile and it deserves a nod for its effort. For brave hearts only.

The Bottom Line

B

Review: Atonement

Before divulging deeper into the review, I need to inform you that I have read the novel prior watching the movie, and because of that, I had high expectation of the movie because the book was simply beautiful in every way. Not only the movie met my expectation but it also managed to exceed it. It’s some kind of miracle to find a motion picture that is written, directed and acted to perfection. Atonement swept me up on waves of humor, heartbreak and ravishing romance I have never witnessed in a long time. Christopher Hampton who wrote the screenplay of the film did an amazing job in capturing the essence of the characters and the evoking emotions from the novel. And the director Joe Wright polished his adaptation skills once again after his successful acclimatization of Pride and Prejudice in 2005. The performance is utterly magnificent. James McAvoy and Keira Knightley had vividly sprung the characters of Robbie Turner and Cecilia Tallis to life, and both have demonstrated their merit in leading roles. Of course, it was Saoirse Ronan and Romola Garai (who played the role of Briony Tallis at 13 and 18 years of age, respectively) that stole the show with their splendid performance. The cinematography is so beautifully captured, especially the Dunkirk scene where Robbie surveys the evacuation site in one breathtaking shot. The ending, which, both happy and tragic, is as wrenching as it is genuinely satisfying with a surprising twist that will leave the audience in tears.

Atonement is simply the best movie I have seen in 2007. No two-hour film could ever capture all the riches of McEwan’s masterly novel, but Wright and Hampton’s Atonement comes beautifully close, while adding sensual delights all its own. This movie is a must and a worthy contender in every award it is nominated in.

The Bottom Line

A+

Review: Beowulf

Robert Zemmeckis’ CGI depiction of one of the most ancient poems in English literature provides a successful merge in both motion capture and film animation technology. At first, the movie might seems as the darker version of the Polar Express, or a simple cut-scene of a videogame epic, but the visuals and the animation gradually draw you in bewilderment on why normal, live action movies don’t look quite as good as Beowulf. Indeed, Sony Imagework’s impressive CGI is so gorgeous that you can’t help but gape at the photorealism and the excellent cinematography. All the actors including the seductive Angelina Jolie to the veteran Anthony Hopkins to even Ray Winstone’s impressive Beowulf have pulled off amazing performances and portrayals. However, if you are seeking a true depiction of the original poem, then this movie is certainly not for you. Just like 300‘s divergence, while some of the film remains true to the poem, the plot deviates significantly from the original as certain elements were created specifically for the screenplay. Thus, it is extremely important that you remind yourself that what you are watching is a just a groundbreaking action movie, not a true adaptation. The dialogue also sags in some occasions in the usual, tacky exclamation and confrontation, but there are moments where the script truly shines, thanks to the outstanding performances. Regardless of its flaws, the movie certainly delivers a breathtaking rollercoaster ride of none-stop action and a jaw dropping visuals and the chance to witness Jolie’s CGI naked body.

Beowulf hails as one of the most beautiful and realistic CGI animations ever created. The epic poem is brought entertainingly to life by an extremely gifted cast that provided an array of notable performances, and Zemmeckis’ interpretation is a great testament that fictional history lessons can be fun, even if it means the slaughter of the original script. If you loved 300, then this movie is the second best thing for you.

The Bottom Line

B

Me & The Movie Theater Couple

Earlier tonight, me and a bunch of my friends went to the movie theater hoping to find something interesting to see. Unfortunately, not a single movie appealed to our diverse tastes, so we decided to watch whatever we want and any movies that we might have missed. We wound up dividing into several groups except for me because I wanted to watch the super chick flick movie The Jane Austen Book Club. Since I’m a big Austen fan I couldn’t miss a movie that has “Jane Austen” in it. So I bought my ticket, got me some Dibs, and went on to my theater.

The theater was completely empty except for a couple (a boy and a girl) sitting way in the back. I picked my seat and was kinda waiting for other people to show up, but nobody ever came. While the commercials (not the previews) were playing, I turned my back and the couple looked at me and smiled. I smiled back and said “So, I guess it’s going to be three of us tonight huh.” They laughed and the boyfriend said, “Yeah I guess so”. Then the girlfriend looked at me and asked, “so, aren’t you waiting for someone?” “No, but I came here with a bunch of my friends and we sorta ended up going to different movies. I’m kinda one of the few straight men who watch and read everything Jane Austen, so I couldn’t miss this one”. The girl got excited and asked, “What is your favorite Austen book?” “Well, I will always have a thing for Pride and Prejudice but I’d have to say I love Persuasion more than the rest. “Excellent choice. Mine is Sense & Sensibility.” The boyfriend grew restless from our conversation so I had to close the subject before he flipped out. “Well, let’s hope this movie isn’t a snooze fest”.

After the movie has finished, the girlfriend asked me “Did you like the movie?” I answered, “I was hoping for something phenomenal but I honestly have to say that I had a good time. It is definitely made for Austen’s fans.” Then the boyfriend said, “I, on the other hand, had a good nap. The only reason I came here is just so I could score tonight.” His girlfriend and I looked at him, shocked, we couldn’t believe he said that in front of me, a stranger. Then he heard himself saying that and looked away. I had to get out of their sight quickly, so I wished them good night and stormed out of the theater. So, the question for today is:

Did the boyfriend score?