Mini Movie Reviews: The Lego Movie 2 and How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

February has been a BUSY MONTH, and there's been plenty of good films this Oscar season that have come out in theaters to generate buzz and bring some good festive and family fun to audiences across the globe. Two of those of course are sequels to critically acclaimed films that have come out in the past couple of years - one about a group of bricks and the other about vikings and dragons co-existing that finally sees chapters of their lives and adventures end for the better. I was fortunate enough to see them thanks to the respective studios that invited me to these screenings, and now here's a little post talking about them in small detail and my thoughts regarding each animated film!

Movie: The LEGO Movie 2
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Philippines

I REALLY ENJOYED "The LEGO Movie" back in 2014. It was fresh, action packed, insane, and featured a lot of cameos and appearances by blocky versions of our favorite popculture characters  - including of course LEGO Batman who would go on to have his own spin-off film in "The LEGO Batman Movie" in 2017! That being said, The LEGO Movie Part II tries and moderately succeeds in delivering a good follow-up to its predecessor, reuniting Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, and the rest of the gang five years later to face a new threat that could spell the end of their world of Bricksburg - which is a "Mad Max" styled post-apocalyptic shell of its former self. The adventure takes them to a different universe from their own and interstellar hijinks ensue that introduces new characters that includes the macho adveturer Rex Dangervest.


The LEGO® Movie 2 - International Trailer
While it certainly does not surpass the sequel in terms of freshness and presentation, The LEGO Movie 2 was still a heck of a lot of fun - albeit predictable and truly an animated flick built for kids and sending a family friendly message as well. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys LEGO life and what the toy line means to anyone whether they be a kid or adult. There are also songs that are awesome and will get stuck inside your head too.

Rating - 4/5

Movie: How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Distributed by: UIP Philippines through Columbia Pictures Philippines

Hiccup and Toothless journey finally reaches its satisfying conclusion, as the HTTYD film series wraps up neatly in a third film that satisfies fans hearts and makes the movies one of the best animated trilogies of recent memory to exist. We've seen these guys grow up, face many trials and dangers, losses and heartaches, and now something that is truly a coming of age story that not only progresses both characters stories - but their loved ones in the vikings and dragons that have learned to co-exist because of the example these two have set.


How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World | Official Trailer 2
In addition to finding a new home and facing a new baddie, Toothless finds a mate in Light Fury - which reflects Hiccups own relationship with his best friend Astrid. It's cute and a natural progression of what fans of the series expect when they want to see a happy ending in their stories. The Hidden World is a great way to cap things off, and you won't regret seeing it in theaters at all.

Rating - 5/5

Movie Review: Alita: Battle Angel

There are ideas taken from source materials like a book or animated feature that rarely make a successful transition to the big screen, let alone a live action adaptation of a popular Japanese Manga/ Anime property that is unique and had concepts that, at that period, were literally are ahead of its time. Yukito Kishiro's "Gunnm" or better known as "Battle Angel Alita" is one good example - a 1990 manga turned two-part OVA in 1993 that explored the themes of cyberpunk and a post-apocalyptic future where a great war has divided classes and humans and cyborgs co-exist together.

Long developed and produced by veteran Hollywood director James Cameron who wanted to adapt the manga, "Alita: Battle Angel" finally gets its time to shine - with Cameron attached as producer alongside Jon Landau and Robert Rodriguez now at the helm as director. After seeing several delays and improvements made to the visuals and CGI effects, the film has finally arrived in theaters - and what a festive treat this film is to anyone looking for some impressive effects and world-building storytelling. This movie could arguably be considered the first big step in Hollywood's attempt to properly adapt Japanese Manga/ Anime properties, and that is saying a lot considering so many others tried and loosely did those concepts right in the past.

Thanks to 20th Century Fox Philippines, I got to see Alita: Battle Angel last week at a special advance screening on IMAX 3D - and I literally walked in blind and unsure of what to expect from the film. I can safely say this movie is a luscious visual spectacle - with actress Rosa Salazar putting everything in her being to bring the lovable cyborg heroine Alita to life and just making her one of the most endearing characters to remember in cinema.

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL | Trailer 3
Without giving away much of the plot, Alita: Battle Angel sees Alita begin her journey as a disembodied core that is found in the scrapyard by cyberologist Dr. Dyson Ido (played by Christoph Waltz). Reassembled and with no memories of her past, this young cyborg slowly starts to remember fragments of her former identity while building new relationships as viewers discover a dystopian planet Earth that is divided between the rich and the poor - with the privileged living in a utopian land above the clouds called "Zalem". As cyborgs, bounty hunters, and a sport called "Motorball" quickly work into her new life, Alita eventually become the driving force for a change that will affect everyone in this brave new post-apocalyptic world.

Here's my quick impressions of the film from the premiere via IG:

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Ended January the best way by getting to see @alitamovie c/o @20thcenturyfoxph last night! Here’s my short video reaction after seeing the beautiful cyberpunk live action flick on IMAX 3D last night! Catch my full review soon and see this when it opens in theaters in the Philippines starting February 6! #Alita #AlitaBattleAngel #BattleAngelAlita #Gunnm #RosaSalazar #RobertRodriguez #JamesCameron #20thCenturyFoxPH #Timzster #TimzsterMovies #February2019

A post shared by Tim V. (@timzster) on Jan 31, 2019 at 6:51pm PST

With a powerful supporting cast that includes the aforementioned Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, and even Edward Norton, Alita: Battle Angel is just the shot of Cyberpunk action and anime style Hollywood flavor moviegoers need. It personally feels like a Final Fantasy concept brought to life with Robocop aesthetics inserted, and that's never ever a bad thing. While the movie considerably takes its time building itself up and there are themes and tropes that have been seen time and again in the past, this is a film that will not disappoint in presenting something visually stimulating.

Alita: Battle Angel is now showing in cinemas courtesy of 20th Century Fox Philippines!

Rating - 4/5

Movie Review: Bumblebee

Howdy all and Happy 2019! It's a new year and a fresh set of things to look forward to, and along with that mindset comes new movies, games, and just about anything in the world of popular culture I can write about. As this is the first post of this personal opinion/ reviews blog, I want to start things off with a review of the first film I thoroughly enjoyed seeing in theaters - the Transformers movie spin-off/ prequel "Bumblebee".

As many of you already know or have experienced, the Michael Bay directed Transformers movies are somewhat of a divisive topic among the fanbase - especially to older fans who grew up with the original 1987 animated series created by Takara and Hasbro. I especially am an old school "Generation 1" fan, so with the exception of the first film released in 2007 - I wasn't so happy with the turnout of the "Bayformers" line of movies - and "Transformers: The Last Knight" in 2017 pretty much killed all hopes of the franchise salvaging itself from too much explosions and an incomprehensible plot.

Bumblebee | Official Trailer
Fortunately for fans, that all changes with "Bumblebee" - what is being called "The BEST Transformers live-action movie" ever made. That claim doesn't come easily, and it took a viewing to really cement my own opinion on whether or not that was the truth. I can safely say IT IS, and thanks to an impressive story, cast that includes singer Hailee Steinfeld and pro-wrestler John Cena, and director Travis Knight - it is literally a Bayformers film that sets a new course for the film universe and pays homage to its roots in the original Transformers show by setting itself in the era it began - where cassette tapes were the in thing and all the stuff that powered the 80's was alive and rolling!

Set in the year 1987, Bumblebee is a prequel that focuses on the titular Transformer as he is sent to Earth by his leader Optimus Prime in an effort to establish a rendezvous point the Heroic Autobots can regroup in following the major loses incurred in Cybertron caused by their mortal enemies, the Decepticons. Landing on the planet successfully, the young Autobot is quickly put at a disadvantage when the first humans he meets misunderstand him and Decepticon forces who followed him injure him gravely. Forced to disguise himself, a chance meeting with a young headstrong girl named Charlie will lead to an adventure that will change their lives and how the tide of war between two factions will be decided on our planet.

Thanks to UIP Philippines, I got to see the film and it was so full of nostalgia and awesomeness that it simply cannot be described in detail. The pacing of Bumblebee was A LOT BETTER than any of the previous Transformer sequels I have seen. Focusing on just the titular Autobot makes it so much simpler, and Hailee Steinfeld is by far the most likeable and relatable protagonist the live-action movies have got - bonding well with the Volkswagon changing Autobot with her role as Charlie Watson. John Cena on the otherhand plays the relentless Jack Burns - who chases Bumblebee through this movie with a group of soldiers. Director Travis Knight plays these elements well, and it is fortunate we get such a stellar soundtrack to backup this throwback to the 80's too. Good stuff and the CGI elements look GREAT in the big screen - especially on IMAX!

Bumblebee is now playing in theaters c/o UIP Philippines.

Rating - 5/5