Column

The Reel Score


Hopeless mish-mash, boring movie

FHM Sexiest Girls Megan Fox's new movie, “Jennifer’s Body,” will surely not help forward her career.

‘More Than A Game,’ amusing and inspirational

Fans of basketball superstar LeBron James will surely enjoy “More Than A Game.”

Stunning visual flair of ‘Battle for Terra’

“Battle for Terra” is great entertainment especially if you’d watch it on 3-D.

Funny, endearing hit ‘Julie & Julia’

Serious film buffs should go watch “Julie & Julia” right away before it vanishes from our theaters.

Haphazard characterizations, acceptable acting in ‘Fame’

In 1980, the movie “Fame” spawned hits like “Out There on My Own” and its title song.

Entertaining popcorn sci-fi action thriller

These days, we just want to stay home most of the time so the idea in the sci-fi film “Surrogates” is personally appealing to us.

Creepy atmosphere built up in ‘Horsemen’

Dennis Quaid gives an absorbing performance as Aidan Breslin, a hardworking police detective who is an expert in forensic dentistry.

Ruthless scenes of violence in ‘Kinatay’

"Kinatay” won the best director award for Dante Mendoza at the Cannes Filmfest in May.

Mindless, badly acted movie

The fourth in the series of movies about people cheating death then starting to die one after the other, “The Final Destination” follows the same formula of its predecessors.

Emotionally involving and satisfying ‘In My Life’

Vilma Santos’ ardent fans won’t be disappointed.

Terrifying ghost attacks and soul eating in ‘The Grudge 3’

"The  Grudge” series is the second horror franchise made by Hollywood after “The Ring.”

Excellent cinematography of ‘Manila’

We felt sad for Piolo Pascual as the first movie he produced, “Manila,” was first day-last day in some theaters.

A terrific and absorbing crime drama

Hollywood loves gangsters.

No longer a child’s fantasy

If not for anything else, the “Harry Potter” flicks that started eight years ago will be remembered as documenting the physical changes that occur in its lead stars.

Giant metal shape-shifters spring to life

Transformenrs Director Michael Bay succeeded in making the giant metal shape-shifters spring to life like they’re the real thing.

‘Wolverine’ explodes with high entertainment value

Based on “Wolverine Origins” comic book, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is a prequel that shows how the story of Wolverine started and how he lost his memory.

Jessica Simpson asserts her dumb blonde ambition

Jessica Simpson is the new personification of the traditional Hollywood dumb blonde.

‘17 Again’ succeeds with an uplifting feel-good resolution

Zac Efron fans won’t be disappointed as he does a wonderful job as this cooler than cool guy who dances with cheerleaders before a basketball game.

Awesome CGI saves weakly-written characters in ‘Knowing’

After a series of flops, Nicolas Cage is again at the tops spot with his new movie "Knowing."

‘Slumdog,’ a real crowd-pleaser

If you’re wondering how “Slumdog Millionaire,” an Indian film with Indian actors playing Indian characters directed by a British director, won over its Hollywood rivals as Oscar best picture, then wonder no more as the film is finally being released here this Black Saturday on the big screen, where it should be seen and not in the pirated copies that have been circulating since last year.

‘New in Town’ manages to convey positive inputs

We enjoy Renee Zellwegger in the “Bridget Jones” movies she did so we welcome the sight of her in the new romantic comedy, “New In Town,” set in the remote town of New Ulm in Minnesota which is covered by snow for about six months each year.

‘The International’ fails to give a satisfying conclusion

A thriller about an evil bank which is very timely at this point when greedy financial institutions are being blamed for the world’s economic woes, “The International” stars Clive Owen as an Interpol agent, Louis Salinger, assigned to investigate the unlawful practices of a big bank called the IBBC or International Bank of Business and Credit.

Cynical jokes, dark side

Animated movies are made mainly for children but there are edgy ones that adults can enjoy more, like "Igor", with its gruesome imagery and dark humor reminiscent of the hit 1993 Halloween flick, "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and "The Corpse Bride" by Tim Burton.

Have a good time

The hit West End and Broadway musical inspired by the hit songs of ABBA that dominated much of the 1970s, “Mamma Mia!,” is now a movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan in singing roles.

Something borrowed, something original

"Urduja" certainly deserves the unanimous A rating it got from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

Bored to death

It’s been downhill for filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan after his breakout hit, “The Sixth Sense,” that even got several Oscar nominations.

Forgettable light confection

It seems his fans have heartily accepted that Aga Muhlach is better off being paired with younger leading ladies like Claudine Barretto, Kristine Hermosa, Angelica Panganiban and now, Anne Curtis in "When Love Begins," since his movies with them do well at the tills.