Horror movies are definitely something that require a brave face and courage - especially on things that involve the supernatural and have been well-documented to exist in real life. The subject of possession and those taken over by an evil spirit in particular is a constant battle the Catholic church faces, which of course requires a priest to exorcise the victim with the power of faith, prayer, and belief in God and his divine works of mercy. One particular figure who specialized in that practice is the late Father Gabriele Amorth - an Italian priest who was the Chief Exorcist Priest of the Vatican and whose files have inspired the events of the new horror film "The Pope's Exorcist".
Directed by Julius Avery and starring Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth himself, The Pope's Exorcist is set in the late 1980's and deals with the priest's battle to save a child possessed by a demon in an abbey located in Spain. With the boy's family distraught and with only a young Spanish priest named Father Esquibel to assist him, Amorth battles the evil while also uncovering a conspiracy that the Vatican itself has hidden. With deep secrets revealed and personal battles fought, it will truly be the greatest challenge the Pope's personal exorcist will face.
Definitely not for the faint of heart but absolutely a treat for those who enjoy and fancy watching things dealing with the supernatural, The Pope's Exorcist is something that should get horror fans and those who want to learn more about possession and exorcism invested. It's a horror movie with elements of action, suspense, and comedy - things that Russell Crowe carries over very well with his charismatic and very charming portrayal of Father Gabriele Amorth. While it doesn't break new ground and follows in the footsteps of similar films like "The Exorcist" and "The Rite", this is a good film to take the uninitiated into to learn about some very real battles the church and the faithful face - showing just how important it is to believe in a the power of God and prayer in the battle against evil.
The Pope's Exorcist in now showing in cinemas courtesy of Columbia Pictures Philippines!
What would you get when you have a bullet train full of passengers, assassins, the yakuza, and seemingly random hits and encounters that all test your luck, karma, and the power of fate? That’s Bullet Train in a nutshell - director David Leitch’s offering that brings a stellar all-star cast that consists of Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karen Fukuhara, and much more surprises in this rollercoaster ride of an action comedy that has to be seen in the big screen!
Thanks to the folks at Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see this film not once… But TWICE! Saw it in the private screening theater of the studio, and then last Monday at IMAX - which is the definite format for this movie! Here’s some pics from the event to tell the tale and why it was just so hyped and full of energy to see this movie in the big screen!
That being said, let’s get to the nitty and gritty and see what fate says about Bullet Train - from the director of John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and Deadpool 2!
There's no shortage of superhero movies in this day and age thanks to the advent of technology and a well of ideas to adapt into feature films. Whether it's a hero dressed in a vigilante suit or a regular person lucky enough to be endowed with special powers, there's a plot or twist that's capable of making them into something more than just your average joe... But what if it's some guy who was assassinated only to be brought back through nanotechnology and hungry to exact vengeance? That's exactly the type of hero Vin Diesel plays as he brings to life the Valiant Comics hero called "Bloodshot" - and it's an exact fit for an action star of his caliber.
Thanks to Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see the new film that serves as a doorway to a possible Valiant Cinematic Universe, with Diesel's character serving as the progenitor to the potential new series of superhero films. If you've watched movies like "Universal Soldier", "Terminator", and "Robocop", this is in the same league as those classic sci-fi hits and shows us a guy who is neither a boy scout nor a pure soul to begin with. As we follow the character of Ray Garrison and his unwitting conversion into a superhuman killing machine, we also see a man trying to make sense of his past while dealing with a conspiracy that blurs the line between what is real and what is fiction.
BLOODSHOT - International Trailer #2
As someone who barely has a passing knowledge of the character other than seeing issues of Valiant Comics back in the 90's, Diesel gives his typical tough guy demeanor and intensity into playing a walking nanotechnology wonder - who can literally heal from mortal wounds even after being shot point blank in the face with a shotgun. It's as sci-fi and straightforward as it comes, and here's my initial movie reactions expressing that sentiment.
Movie Reactions: Bloodshot (2020)
Directed by David S. F. Wilson and also co-starring the lovely Eiza Gonzalez and talented Guy Pearce, Bloodshot is superhero film material that doesn't go fancy and tries to keep things simple and familiar. Fast and Furious fans will be happy to know Vin Diesel is still his gritty self and delivers just what you'd expect, so if you're looking for that kind of action, this is made for you. While the editing can be messy and all over the place and the plot is fairly predictable, we need to remember it's a popcorn flick that will entertain anyone looking to escape from reality and dive into something brainless and fun.
Bloodshot is NOW SHOWING and is distributed by Columbia Pictures Philippines.
"We ride together. We die together. Bad Boys For Life."
As one of the cop buddy franchises I absolutely love, "Bad Boys For Life" - the third installment in the "Bad Boys" film franchise, was a sequel I really didn't think would happen but at long last it did. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite as Miami P.D. cop partners and best friends Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey - looking like they NEVER AGED since the last sequel, Bad Boys II, hit theaters in 2003. The original film in itself was released in 1995 - making it nearly 25 years since this hilarious, explosive, and high adrenaline film series started and entertained generations of moviewgoers and now reemerging for the millennial viewership we have today.
Thanks to Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see the film a few days before it opened in theaters, and I will tell you now if you are a fan of the first two films - MIKE AND MARCUS STILL GOT IT! I was concerned how the plot would carry over following the insanity Michael Bay put us through in the first two films, but this threequel very much entertained me - and it all boils down to chemistry and progression now that these guys are a little past their prime and older... But not necessarily wiser either thanks to their gangsta style shenanigans.
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE - Official Trailer
Set 17 years after the events of the last film, "Bad Boys For Life" sees Mike and Marcus still serving in the Miami P.D - with the former stylin' and profilin' as always while the other contemplates retirement especially after becoming a grandparent. However both best friends are drawn to a new cycle of crime and intrigue, as someone starts systematically targeting people Mike used to work with in an old case. As shots are fired and skeletons begin coming out of closets, both friends must reevaluate each other's own character and come together as "Bad Boys" to solve the problem and save the day once more.
As a longtime fan of these kinds of action films, "Bad Boys For Life" surprised the heck out of me and allowed the franchise to get a breath of freshness to reemerge in a film market that has vastly changed in the decades since the series started. Will Smith and Martin Lawerence are the key to making these movies work, and it helps to have new stories to tell that propel their lives forward, as well as working with familiar faces like Joe Pantoliano returning as Captain Howard and new blood in the form of Vanessa Hudgens, Paaola Nunez, Kate del Castillo, and Jacob Scipio joining the cast. While Michael Bay does not return to direct the threequel, duo directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are more than up to the task and bring on the fun, laughs, and high octane drama and action we've come to expect and a whole lot more. In fact, one old joke from the second film had a pay off in this sequel, and if you're curious about what that is here is a featurette on it:
2020 just started and this is one of my favorite movies of the year already. You know when something's good you shouldn't stop, and a new series of films should be made after this.
Bad Boys For Life is now showing in theaters courtesy of Columbia Pictures Philippines.
Love him or not, Quentin Tarantino has made an impact in cinema thanks to his explosive, dynamic, and very sensational style of filmmaking that's gone through decades and generations of praise and controversy. From Pulp Fiction to Kill Bill, and of course Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, the man has an eye for whimsical and edgy fun that'll literally blow you off your seats - whether its over-the-top action sequences, no-holds-barred dialogue, or something so unexpected that it will get you talking about the movie even after the credits roll and you've left the cinema.
I'm happy to say that the director's ninth film - "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" - is a great example of his art form brought to life in an exceptional manner, acting as both a tribute and love letter to 1969 era Hollywood. Set at the backdrop of what would be infamously known as the "Manson Family Murders", this was a period of innocence, transition, and so much developments in Hollywood and cinema that it's only fitting that a man like Quentin Tarantino would make his vision of this bygone era - full of potential yet also riddled with its own troubled history and eccentricities that happen behind the camera.
It truly has been a great two years for Spider-Man fans. Not only has the wallcrawling wonder been making a big splash in his native comic book environment, but he's also has a VERY SUCCESSFUL Playstation 4 game by Insomniac Games and made appearances in TWO EPIC Avengers films that brought together all of his fellow heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Those films, along with the Academy Award winning animated movie "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" has shaped our hero's future into a very bright one... And I can safely say that the latest live-action tale in "Spider-Man: Far From Home" is just another example of why we call this character AMAZING.
Thanks to the folks at Columbia Pictures Philippines, I was able to view a special media screening for Far From Home together with friends in the press and some of my fellow personalities in the Spider-Man Fan community.
To say it was nothing short of Spectacular is putting it mildly - this long awaited follow-up to 2017's "Spider-Man: Homecoming" just made its predecessor look like an appetizer to the main course that is this sequel! It's definitely that good, and it's an experience and treat that will certainly go with the best theaters and IMAX theater you can swing nearby to once this movie opens in theaters this July.
So without any more delays, here's my straightforward and NON-SPOILER REVIEW for "Spider-Man: Far From Home"!
What would happen if one of the most famous and well known superhero origin stories turned out to be something twisted and horrific instead? That's exactly the question "Brightburn" answers - an eerie and evil interpretation of the Superman archetype during his young formative years where a child from another world is raised and adopted by loving parents who live in a rural farm setting. However instead of becoming a hero to the world, what if this boy with amazing abilities becomes something more sinister?
Thanks to director David Yarovesky and producers James Gunn and Kenneth Huang, we are treated to a vicious and perverted Superboy story that shows a kid willing to do whatever he wants and has the power to shape the world. Starring Elizabeth Banks and David Denman as a mother and father who think their alien son is a blessing - this rollercoaster superhero horror story will no doubt bring the comic book and Superman fans out there together to watch this "Elseworlds" tale where "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and a young boy's rage is left unchecked.
I got to see Brightburn a few days before it opened in theaters thanks to the folks at Columbia Pictures Philippines, and let me tell you that I walked into this with a fresh mind despite the similarities and obvious nods the film gives to Superman (and I wore a shirt too!). This is a movie that explores the flipside of that life where a "Strange Visitor from another planet" doesn't turn out as a kid with a moral compass to guide him in using his powers. Young actor Jackson A. Dunn embodies that very well in playing 12 year old Brandon Bryer - who is seemingly a young and quiet everyday boy who goes to school and excels in class, yet somewhere in the inside festers a growing curiosity that soon turns into a path of disaster and destruction. Upon discovering his alien powers and heritage, Brandon develops into a frightening, disrespectful, and disobedient kid who starts scaring his classmates and those close to him. Even with the love and support his family especially his mother gives him - it's not enough to turn him away from the dark path that this film already knows you're prepared to witness.
BRIGHTBURN- Official Trailer #2
There's a reason why we enjoy superhero movies - we get to see the good guys become symbols of hope, freedom, and save the day for everyone who needs help. However "Brightburn" is a stern reminder that there is always a flipside to that, and a supervillain's origin story can be just as impactful and shaped by the events they experience in their own respective lives. While the theme is familiar, the circumstances and scenario are not. It's definitely worth the watch.
If you told me years ago there would be a Spider-Man movie featuring all the different kinds of webheads and wallcrawlers out there today in comics - I would have been beside myself and freaking out at how exactly that would come together. Fortunately - seeds were planted by Marvel and comic book writer Dan Slott on how to exactly get around this problem by actually bringing ALL SPIDER-MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER in the 2014 comic book crossover called "Spider-Verse". That storyline saw every conceivable variation and alternate universe Spidey come together to battle a common threat - and through that narrative came the possibility of actually adapting the concept for cinematic purposes and having more than just Peter Parker and his alter ego appear in the big screen.
Fast forward to 2018, and Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, and Marvel have put together something that is undeniably one of the most AMAZING films to feature our friendly neighborhood hero and everything that he stands for - "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse". The first animated Spider-Man film to expand on the character and his other alternate counterparts, Into The Spider-Verse does feature Peter Parker, but puts most of the spotlight to young and relative newcomer Miles Morales - better known to comic book readers as the other hero to bear the name Spider-Man! First appearing in the Ultimate Marvel Universe and created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli, Miles is the heart of this animated feature - serving as the main character and thread that tells one huge yet special story of a power, responsibility, and what makes Spider-Man such a beloved character throughout the world.
Thanks to the folks at Columbia Pictures Philippines, my teammates of Spider-Verse PH and I, along with a few good friends got to see a VERY SPECIAL advance screening of "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" a few days ago, and I was literally BLOWN AWAY not just by the visuals and the fact it was pure fan service, but because it is a true LOVE LETTER to all of us Spidey fans who have adored, admired, and idolized the character and what he stands for. Spidey Co-Creator Stan Lee, who passed away earlier this month, would have been VERY PROUD to see this movie if that's any indication of how great this is.
What makes this movie different is what makes it so AWESOME. Check out my thoughts on "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" below.
Science Fiction and Drama are themes that have had a long charted history in film, and movies such as Interstellar, Contact, and The Abyss are prime examples of what happens when humanity and emotion come into contact with the unknown and things beyond our understanding. In that regard, director Denis Villeneuve tries his hand on the genre and adapts Ted Chiang's 1998 short story " Story of Your Life" into film, creating the star studded and Oscar nominated movie called "Arrival" - which puts humanity in the middle of a worldwide extraterrestrial encounter when 12 ships appear in different parts of the globe and humanity scrambles to decipher whether they are here as friend or foe.
ARRIVAL – International Trailer
Starring Amy Adams (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice),Jeremy Renner (The Avengers), and Forest Whitaker (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Arrival follows the perspective of linguist Louise Banks - who is summoned by the U.S. Army to help communicate with the alien lifeforms visiting our planet. Together with physicist Ian Donnely, Louise is sent into one of the ships located in Montana, where contact is established and the team soon discovers that the UFOs write in symbols that need to be broken down and deciphered for proper communication between the two species. What follows is a sequence of events where a combination of humanity's own faith and paranoia are tested, and as the world hinges on breakdown over whether the aliens are friend or foe, Louise will discover that their presence will change her and how she perceives everything in life forever.
Deep and emotionally tangled in a storyline that is both non-linear and requires a lot of focus and thinking, Arrival is the kind of movie that doesn't go for the alien action movie route that past films such as "War of the Worlds" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still" have presented where extraterrestrial life invades or needs to be met with hostility. There are themes of paranoia and fear present when pockets of humanity take the UFO visit negatively, but the film puts more emphasis of Adams and Renner's roles as people who want to ensure a peaceful encounter with the aliens and find out exactly what they are here for. Granted this is one movie that will require you to pay attention and not skip a beat in terms of the sequence of events, because much like Christopher Nolan's way of depicting films like "Interstellar" and "Memento", Arrival is non-linear and has a lingering mystery that doesn't fully flesh out until everything is said and done. It's a bit out of this world and requires some suspension of belief, but given it's a science fiction film and it has some of the best stars in film to date, it may please those who like something deep.
Arrival, presented by Columbia Pictures Philippines, will be released in theaters on February 15.
Fifteen years after it began in the underground complex known as The HIVE and through trials and extreme horrors faced through the course of five movies - IT FINALLY ENDS and the journey of the woman known as "Alice" comes to a close, as Director Paul W.S. Anderson and his wife/ star Milla Jovovich finally bring everything full circle with "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" - the sixth and last film in the Resident Evil Movie franchise that sees our heroine making a final stand against the Umbrella Corporation when an opportunity to undo all the damage they have done with the T-Virus outbreak makes itself present and brings all parties back to where it started - Raccoon City.
RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER - International Trailer #2
Set a few weeks after the events of the 2012 film "Resident Evil: Retribution", The Final Chapter sets up Alice in the desolate wasteland of what was once Washington D.C, now infested with hordes of T-Virus infected zombies and bio-weapon monsters. An encounter with her old Artificial Intelligence computer enemy called "The Red Queen" gives a glimmer of hope in the form of an antidote to the Virus - which is the key to stopping all the devastation and destruction Umbrella has left in their wake. Unfortunately for Alice, she must travel back to Raccoon City and The HIVE - where everything began for her and the Umbrella Corporation. Travelling back to the city and encountering allies and enemies new and old alike, Alice makes her last desperate attempt to stop all the evil Umbrella has done and put an end to things once and for all.
It's been a while since horror movies that didn't rely so much on the supernatural or unexplained came around... But then comes that one film that dares to try ground that has often been skipped and underestimated because it looks "far too simple" to be considered terrifying. We get just that with "Don't Breath" - a film directed by Fede Alvarez who got his start with 2013's "Evil Dead" remake and now takes horror to another level - by situating three unwittingly daring teenaged crooks on the house and domain of a seemingly helpless blind man who has millions to his name - only to realize they have totally entered uncharted territory that could mean the end of their young and dangerous lives as thieves and swindlers.
Don't Breathe International Trailer
Set primarily in a neighborhood somewhere in Detroit, "Don't Breathe" centers on three kids named Rocky, Alex, and Money, who break into people's homes and steal money, possessions, and just about anything to make a quick buck in life. Rocky aims to uproot herself and her little sister to California and away from her uncaring mother and her live-in boyfriend.
They then decide to take their prospects on a seemingly helpless blind army veteran, who lives alone with his dog and has a $300,000 dollar cash settlement after losing his daughter in an accident. After convincing a hesitant Alex to join in (and doing so because of his feelings for Rocky), the trio break in and set out to do the theft.
Unfortunately their underestimating of "The Blind Man" leads to severe consequences and discoveries inside his house, as his handicap serves more as a horrifying wake up call that these teenagers have walked into the last crime they'll ever commit.
Walking into this one without any expectations at all, I was certainly surprised at how terrifyingly nasty and brutal a blind guy with issues can be in "Don't Breath", and that performance is credited with "Avatar" actor Stephen Lang - who is just a menacing Blind Guy who is protecting what he owns yet harbors a dark side and secret as well.
Jane Levy, who was in Fede Alvarez's "Evil Dead" remake, returns as the heroine who's doing the wrong things for the right reasons, and she discovers the grim truth that if you do crime on unsuspecting folks - something will bite back and that happens to her and her companions because of The Blind Man. It's that kind of movie that doesn't have spooks, demons, or monsters as the evil baddie - rather one sightless guy who's just going to kill you in the name of keeping what's his away from those who dare to take it.
Don't Breath is now showing in theaters! A definite must watch for those who enjoy thrillers with suspense and shock value! Special Thanks to Columbia Pictures PH for the special screening and distributing this home invasion turned horror flick sleeper hit to our shores!
It's been quite a while since the last time we saw Daniel Craig wear the tux and woo the girls as James Bond, but all that changed last weekend when the English actor returned to reprise his signature role as 007 in the 24th film in the series entitled "Spectre", which formally reintroduces a familiar terrorist organization from classic Bond lore into the rebooted universe that began with 2006's Casino Royale. Once again directed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes, this new entry in the long running secret agent franchise carries with it a lot of expectation and anticipation, not just in continuing Craig's outstanding tenure as 007 but also planting those familiar themes and tropes that have become so distinguishable in classic Bond films into a modern setting.
Having seen the movie a couple of times now in theaters, it's time to carry on with this review for what is arguably one of the finest Bond films I have seen in my lifetime. SPOILER WARNING naturally, so here we go with the review for "Spectre" and special thanks goes to Columbia Pictures Philippines for bringing this film to our shores!
The summer blockbuster movie season of 2014 has officially begun... And it's led by the release of a sequel of a film everyone's been waiting for and featuring a familiar webslinging hero of Marvel returning to the big screen!
Of course, I'm talking about your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man... More specifically Andrew Garfield back as Peter Parker and his alter ego in Marc Webb's sequel to his 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man franchise with "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"!
As the second film in the rebooted franchise after Sam Raimi's epic trilogy and based on the life of Marvel's flagship character, Sony Pictures and the filmmakers behind this project have up the ante and gone through great lengths to make this sequel more daring, action-packed, and full of all the emotional twists and turns that goes with Spidey's complicated life as a hero. The themes of responsibility, hope, and heroism still lie intact, as does the love and chemistry the wall-crawler shares with his loved ones, New York City, and of course his flame and love interest played once again by Emma Stone, Gwen Stacy.
With a new primary villain to face in the form of Electro (Jamie Foxx), some deep secrets related to the disappearance of his parents, and the mysterious return of an old childhood friend in Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) Peter's tangled web just got a lot more complicated to navigate... With tons of adventure and danger to face as his heroic alter ego. After mixed emotions from the first reboot entry, I can truly say this film redeems and steps the game up impressively, while adding a few nods to the source material and swinging viewers into a new treatment of the legend on its own thread.
So without further delay, here's my review for ASM 2, and Special Thanks goes to Columbia Pictures PH, Sony Pictures, and Marvel for bringing this film to our shores!
The Future of Law Enforcement has been remade for the next generation, and it's a totally different interpretation altogether.
Way back in 1987, two writers Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner changed the way we viewed Sci-Fi and Action for the future by introducing a character who was literally Part-Man and Part-Machine... A Police Officer turned Cyborg who went under the name "Robocop". The original film released that year was directed by Paul Verhoeven and starred Peter Weller in the titular role as Alex Murphy, who dies in the line of duty and gets a second chance at life by being the tool for a megacorporation's effort to dispatch crime in a futuristic version of the city of Detroit. The focus of the movie was not just Murphy's transformation into Robocop, but his subsequent efforts to find and exact revenge on those responsible for killing him, as well as regaining the humanity he lost after turning into a machine.
Flashforward to 2014, and after two sequels that saw Weller reprise his role for Robocop 2 and Robert John Burke take over for Robocop 3, the film series has been rebooted and is now under the hands of Brazilian film director Jose Padilha, who makes his Hollywood and English film debut with this reimagining of "Robocop". Holding the same plot structure as its predecessor, the film still explores Alex Murphy's transformation into the cyborg police officer... But is handled much more intimately and given more exposition thanks to the involvement of a all-star supporting cast that definitely begs this interpretation of the concept to be watch.
That being said, here's the review of Robocop 2014 - which opened last February 6 in international territories, and February 12 in the US. Thanks again goes to Columbia Pictures PH for bringing the film to our shores!
What happens when you put together a comedy cast assemble of
James Franco, Seth Rogen , Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny
McBride, who play fictional versions of themselves and are forced to survive an
unexpected world apocalypse that sees death and destruction surrounding them?
Lots of laughs undoubtedly, and the kind of survivor
chemistry that wouldn’t see these guys team up any day… Save for desperate
times and apparently the world apocalypse set upon them. If you were looking for something brainless and with a seemingly all-star Hollywood cast on it, you should probably check out "This is The End", the brainchild of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and a movie that was originally released in June 12, but got enough fanfare to get rereleased anew this September!
So what's the buzz and stakes on this comedy flick? Read on the review to find out, and thanks goes to Columbia Pictures Philippines and Ayala Malls for the screening!
It's been playing in theaters since the beginning of the month, but better late than never to review it now... Especially for those who haven't seen this yet!
Opening last month Halloween in international territories and on November 8 in the US, Columbia Pictures and MGM welcomed the long awaited return of Daniel Craig as James Bond in the highly anticipated 23rd 007 Film "Skyfall". As the third installment of Craig's tenure as the famous British Secret Agent; a role that's also been played by legendary actors like Sean Connery and Roger Moore, this adventure pits Bond against an adversary with connections to MI6's past, which puts his faith with his superior M into question and explores another facet of the "Licensed To Kill" agent's mysterious past.
Many people call this the best film in the franchise yet, and a lot of the story and action in it hold water enough to make that a strong argument. This review will explore whether or not I agree with that assessment, yet still giving my two cents worth on why I certainly enjoyed it nonetheless.
It's been more than 10 years since Spider-Man swung into theaters, reinvigorating and helping usher in the blockbuster superhero film initiative we've come to expect year in and year out in from Hollywood. The Sam Raimi version is easily one of my favorite adaptations of the character, and while it didn't end on such a high note thanks to the shenanigans of Spider-Man 3, it still resonates with audiences who took to seeing Peter Parker's story told in the big screen. Flashforward to present day, and now we have 500 Days of Summer director Marc Webb's treatment of the webslinger's tale with "The Amazing Spider-Man". Taking its title directly from the first ongoing comic book series of the same name, it's literally a bold and modern new take for Spider-Man and his world. It's darker, emotional, and full of intensity and action that will give fans and audiences something new to talk about. The big question is: how does it stand up to its predecessor and the Spider-Man legacy? We'll find out in this review, as well as analyze how the film works up to bringing the concept of the character to a new generation. Thanks again goes to Sony Pictures, Marvel, and Columbia Pictures Philippines for the film viewing.
SPOILERS HERE, so if you have yet to watch the film, don't read this.
The year of the superhero movies is upon us once more, and there's quite a mouthful of exciting titles to look forward to as 2012 rolls forward. With momentum building up to Josh Whedon's The Avengers, Marc Webb's new take on Spider-Man, and the conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight saga, comic book fans certainly have a lot on their plate that will keep them satisfied and talking in the months to come. However, the comic book movie craze will officially begin this month, as Marvel releases their first salvo of heroism in the form of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Once again starring Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze/ Ghost Rider, the film is not exactly a direct sequel, and instead picks and retools elements from the first movie to generate a new adventure that is supposedly much darker and grittier than its predecessor. Before trailing off to the review, I'd like to extend my sincerest thanks to Warner Bros. Philippines for inviting me to the special screening of this film. Now that its riding in theaters, find out just how much hellfire and brimstone this film has.
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