There will be Reviews…soon!!! July 2009 Movie Releases in the Philippines
Posted by emperorbananaketchup on July 24, 2009
The summer movie season is already in full swing not just in the United States but also around the world. Seemingly enough, even as our local multiplexes continue to be dominated by tentpoles like Transformers: Rise of the Fallen and the upcoming Harry Potter installment (which I’ve been hearing is quite, actually, good)
I have been very busy, particularly with this new job offer round the corner, which should explain the rather extensive delay with this article. Likewise, I would admit that my temporary financial bind has also prevented me from catching movies as often as I could.
July 1
Villa Estrella
Trailer
Bente
July 3
Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Latest trailer
I’ve been seeing that film’s teaser trailer for over a year already…it seemed that my enthusiasm for that film may have palled considerably since then (or is it my Pixar/Dreamworks bias kicking in)
July 8
Hannah Montana the Movie
Trailer
Synopsis/review for the film
I get my fill of Miley Cyrus & co.’s antics from the weekly TV series over at the Disney Channel, so I’m into passing on this big-screen version (even as I puzzle over Vanessa Williams’ reheating her Wilhelmina Slater character from “Ugly Betty” in this film – holy Madea, Batman!!!)
The Haunted
July 15
Brutus
Trailer
One of a number of entries in the month-long Cinemalaya film festival dedicated to honoring the best in the burgeoning Philippine independent film industry…the likes of cinematographer Tara Illenberger, whose directorial debut focuses on the struggles of two Mangyan youths who smuggle firewood in the middle of a Mindoro war zone triggered by a skirmish between the Philippine Army and the New People’s Army.
July 16
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Trailer #4
It’s now official…those magic-wielding kids over at Hogwarts are already growing up before our eyes, and while magic fills the air, so does love…
For Harry Potter, though, he is finally groomed by Albus Dumbledore for that decisive moment when he shall face his mortal enemy, Lord Voldemort.
(Review to come…if I ever get the chance to see it on the big screen)
July 22
My Sister’s Keeper
Jodi Picoult’s best-selling novel becomes tear-jerking chick-flick fodder under the hands of “The Notebook” director Nick Cassavetes. Worth it only for seeing Cameron Diaz in serious mode this time.
Public Enemies
Trailer
What happens when you throw in a Dark Knight and a Pirate together? Well, it has to be a gangster film, but not just any gangster film…from the director of Heat and Miami Vice, Michael Mann, comes this (roughly) Based on True Events™ story of the clash between Depression-era America’s “Public Enemy No. 1″ John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and dedicated G-Man Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale)
It’s Alive
Trailer of 2008 remake
Trailer of 1974 original
Yeah, so Larry Cohen can go ahead and sue the ass off Mother Lily Monteverde for ripping off his 1974 “cult classic” more than 20 years later in “Tiyanak”. But he should have gone after the minds behind this woebegotten (should we say unnecessary) remake.
Trailer for 2007 sequel, “Tiyanaks”
Adventureland
Trailer
Superbad helmer Greg Mottola works wonders with a post-Twilight Kristen Stewart, up-and-comer Jesse Eisenberg and go-to good-looking funny guy Ryan Reynolds in this dewy, late-’80s-set rom-com about looking for – and finding love – in the midst of a dead-end job at a third-rate amusement park.
Manila
Trailer
Piolo Pascual’s latest venture into indieland does have a tinge of “vanity project” about it – given that he’s co-producing – but that should be commended, if for assembling a cast that includes veteran character actors Menggie Cobarrubias and Marissa Delgado, “bold” film survivors Jay Manalo, Rosanna Roces & Cherrie Madrigal, award-winning child actor Jiro Manio, and even PP’s old Teatro Tomasino bud John Lapus.
This diptych – drawing inspiration from two immortal touchstones of late-70s cinema, Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night” and Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” – doesn’t seem to jell too well, as per this critic’s review. Nevertheless, it should give Piolo’s CV some much-needed indie grit while adding some press-worthy celeb glamour in the Cinemalaya film festival.
July 29
OMG (Oh My Girl)
Orphan
Trailer courtesy of ClevverTV
Nope, not the dreaded US remake of “El Orfanato (The Orphanage)” but a contemporary spin on “The Bad Seed” with child actress Isabelle Fuhrman giving the titular character the most deadpan this side of Wednesday Addams.
Trailer of original ” The Bad Seed”
Trailer of “The Good Son”, which has not one but two Bad Seeds, played by Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood
The Proposal
Trailer
Heheh…get Texan Sandra Bullock to play a Canadian opposite real-life Canucklehead Ryan Reynolds playing an Alaskan (and snowy Sitka, AK played by various Mass)
Rolling on to August and the homestretch of the Summer Blockbuster season, there is still GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Up, The Hangover (apparently, we’re no longer a primary market when it comes to non-franchise summer releases) and even The Land of the Lost (which should be routed straight to DVD). I’m hoping against hope that The Hangover – and eventually, Bruno – would get exhibited in Philippine shores with not too much mangling from our MTRCB.
Speaking of G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra, do we just dread Cobra Commander’s “hood-less” look?
Review of Cobra Commander toy from the upcoming G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra film
As per actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the reason for that change was that they thought Cobra Commander’s full-head hood as popularized in the comics and animated TV series was too reminiscent of Ku Klux Klan headgear.
Opening to ’90s G.I. Joe animated series.
’till then…happy viewing!!!
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