Movie Review: The Lucky One

Movie: The Lucky One
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling
Release Date: April 20, 2012

I've never seen The Notebook or Dear John, and I've never been much of a romantic movie watcher either. However, once in a while I find myself seeing these movies with a little love and chemistry to them, and The Lucky One just happened to open up and premiere on a month where a little excitement with upcoming and much anticipated movies. Anyone looking for romance can check this up in theaters, but is it a good draw? Find out in this review, and thanks goes to Warner Bros. Philippines again for the screening!



As the title implies, The Lucky One is a movie that literally centers on a man who gets lucky, namely Zac Efron. Playing a US Marine soldier named Logan Thibault, he returns from his third tour of duty from Iraq, having survived several near death encounters while serving his country. He attributes his good luck to a picture of a woman he finds during his time there, and makes it a point to find her and thank her for saving his life. After stumbling on a local kennel ranch in Louisiana, he meets the very woman in the photo named Beth (Taylor Schilling), and suddenly enters her life and family as a result. A romance blossoms between the two, and Logan suddenly realizes that there's more to the woman he's fallen for than being his guardian angel.




The Lucky One Trailer
For starters, The Lucky One is a decent romantic movie with your typical "destined love" plot that will get hearts pounding and couples giggling for sure. However, there isn't much else to speak about other than the actors credibility to their roles. Zac Efron plays a decent role as Logan, and while it feels pretty one-dimensional most of the time, he's got the hot stud look to him that will get the attention of the ladies out there. Taylor Schilling is credible as Beth, and even as a single mom raising a son and going through troubles with an ex-husband, she's a hot and driven woman who falls for the complex yet honest Logan. Blythe Danner adds that old and wise grandmother charm as Beth's Nana, and Jay R. Ferguson plays the guy you love to hate as Beth's ex-husband Keith. There isn't much else to say after that but enjoying the movie and it's romantic drama tale, and the actors and actresses play their parts well from start to finish.

Overall, The Lucky One will appeal to most audiences and its target demograph, but it's nothing new on the romantic movie scene. Fans of Scott Hick's films  Nicholas Sparks' works will be drawn to this as much as their other works, and will serve a nice blend of fun, love, and drama in one sitting. The film also serves up good exposure for Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling, so those looking into their talent and acting skills should be given a look.

Rating - 2/5

Movie Review: Battleship

As a kid, I enjoyed playing tabletop board games that used wits and imagination to determine victory with a given set of rules. It was commonplace to see lots of these innovative titles in toy shops and hobby stores, and I was fortunate enough to play the likes Cluedo, Monopoly, and Battleship. So imagine to my surprise that Universal Pictures actually commissioned a movie of "Battleship" to be made, with Hancock director Peter Berg at the helm. However, seeing the trailer firsthand left me with the impression that this would your typical B-Movie alien invasion flick, only with lead stars like Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson highlighting the cast. It's not as simple as it sounds however, and maybe this review will shed some light on what to expect if you decide to watch this film. Thanks again goes to Solar UIP and Channel V for the screening!

Movie Review: Titanic in 3D

I've never seen the original release of "Titanic"; Not once during its theatrical run in 1997, or even its eventual release in home video. I've caught portions and snippets of it now and then through subsequent showings in HBO and other movie channels, but I've never been able to sit through the movie as a whole, much less show an appreciation for it other than the historical significance of the real-life incident the film is based on to the world. However, as luck would have it, the film has come back to theaters, and it comes during the centennial year of what is still considered one of the biggest and deadliest maritime disasters known to mankind ever.

As of this posting, April 10, 2012 marks the 100th year anniversary of the Titanic's maiden voyage, and to commemorate the occasion, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures have re-released James Cameron's epic piece to the world once more, fully converted and remastered to 3D. Following the success of his 2010 flick Avatar, Cameron spearheaded this conversion from the original, hoping to give audiences a breathtaking new look at one of Hollywood's biggest films and the highest grossing film of all time. After a year of adjustment, "Titanic in 3D" set sail into theaters on April 6, just a week shy from the anniversary that bore dreams and tragedy at sea. Being a 15 year old movie, does this rerelease hold up and still manage to captivate audiences like before? Find out in this review coming from a first time viewer. Special thanks goes out to Fox Philippines and Ayala Cinemas for the screening!