Movie Review: The Pope's Exorcist

 

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!

Movie Review: John Wick: Chapter 4

 

He is a man of Focus. Commitment. Sheer Will. And he's back to finish the fight with the High Table at all costs.

It's bee nearly a decade since Keanu Reeves literally revived his career by playing the assassin and hitman known as "John Wick" - with the eponymous first film directed by his longtime collaborator and stuntman Chad Stahelski bowing into theaters in 2014 and telling the story of "Baba Yaga" as he seeks revenge on those that stole his car and killed his dog after the untimely passing of his wife Helen. The action flick proved to be a major hit. - so it spawned two more sequels with "John Wick: Chapter 2" in 2017 and "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" in 2019, which expanded John's world even further as we got to know more about the criminal underworld he lived in as he faced more obstacles to try and get out of the assassin life he reluctantly walked back into.

Now after enduring a global pandemic and delays brought about by it, John Wick: Chapter 4 is now here to bring you even more gratuitous violence, action sequences, and grit that only Keanu and his team can deliver. As the longest installment in the franchise, Chapter 4 clocks in at a whopping 2 Hours and 50 Minutes - which it deservingly gets thanks to all the story threads and stunt work applied for what is undoubtedly Mr. Wick's finest moment in cinema yet. 

Thanks to Viewer's Choice Philippines and SM Cinema, I was invited to the screening of John Wick: Chapter 4 with expectations high and excitement up in the air. I dressed up alongside my friends as Caine - the blind hitman assassin and new character in the film that's played by the legendary Hong Kong martial artist and actor Donnie Yen. His role as John's old friend turned adversary is a welcomed one - and this sequel is packed with other big stars and names from Hollywood that just adds to the spectacle of this pretty awesome movie.

Here's my review for John Wick: Chapter 4. Spoiler Warning naturally for anyone that wants to see it themselves!

Movie Review: Shazam: Fury of the Gods

 

It's been four years since "Shazam!" hit the big screen to introduce lots of lighting and shouting a certain magic word, and at the end of the first film we didn't get just one new superhero in Billy Batson - but a whole bunch of them as the kid shared his powers with his foster family and collectively became known as the Shazam Family! That film was definitely a DC movie unlike any other, and traded the seriousness and dark atmosphere of the DCEU for something more grounded and family oriented that worked to the character's strengths while providing a hearty serving of jokes and adventure that ensured viewers it was all about the fun and not taking things seriously at all.

With the first film proving to be a Box Office success, a sequel was inevitable and now it has arrived after long delays and a pandemic to navigate through. Shazam: Fury of the Gods is finally showing in theaters - and I got the chance to see the film in all its magical glory and silly heroics on IMAX thanks to the folks at Warner Bros. Philippines and SM Cinema! There was lots of fun, cosplay, and definitely an atmosphere full of energy! Was it worth the wait and does it live up to its predecessor? Check out the review below and of course here's your SPOILER WARNING in case you want to see it wit fresh eyes!