.. mah much-awaited movie for this year ahihi =b ..
.. "Anyone can cook!" -- Auguste Gusteau ..

Director/Writer: Brad Bird

Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Peter O'Toole, Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett, Julius Callahan, James Remar, John Ratzenberger, Teddy Newton, Tony Fucile, Jake Steinfeld, Brad Bird, Laurent Spelvogel (narrator)

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios

Official website: ratatouille.com

Runtime: 110 minutes


Synopsis:

A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great chef despite his family's wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the city of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. Despite the apparent dangers of being an unwanted visitor in the kitchen at one of Paris' most exclusive restaurants, Remy forms an unlikely partnership with Linguini, the garbage boy, who inadvertently discovers Remy's amazing talents. They strike a deal, ultimately setting into motion a hilarious and exciting chain of extraordinary events that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down. Remy finds himself torn between following his dreams or returning forever to his previous existence as a rat. He learns the truth about friendship, family and having no choice but to be who he really is, a rat who wants to be a chef.


From: msn

When the odds are stacked against you, at what point must you consider quitting? For Chicken Little, his big, never-say-die heart made up for what he lacked in size. This latest Disney animation focuses on how the right attitude towards hardship molds one's character. Although Chicken Little's overwhelming ambition to play baseball against the big league got his father worried, the little one knew better. The stars have already written his rendezvous with fame. His fascination with cosmic creatures, however, ushered in an episode of alien invasion, creating a wild goose chase between him and his friends on one side and the invaders on the other. The 90-minute fantasy captures the daily drama present in human relations in a fun flick that highlights the value of losing with dignity, persistence against all odds and a healthy dose of optimism. It is not only about how size poses no impediment to winning in life but also how one's family and social circles help overcome major handicaps. If love defines the outcome of any game, this movie is sure to win the hearts of young and old alike.

Chicken Little
Adventure / Animation / Comedy

Cast: Voices of Zach Braff, Steve Zahn, Amy Sedaris, Don Knotts, Katie Finneran, Gary Dewitt Marshall, and Joan Cusack

Director: Mark Dindal

Released by: Buena Vista Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 21 m

MTRCB rating: GP

Official web site: Chicken Little

Synopsis: After Chicken Little mistakes an acorn for a piece of the sky falling on his head, he becomes unpopular in his hometown of Oakey Oaks. Disheartened but not completely discouraged, he turns himself into a baseball hero. But no sooner has the pint-sized champion become the toast of town than the sky really starts falling! Not wanting to besmirch his reputation again, Chicken Little shares the news only with his best friends Runt of the Litter, Abby Mallard a.k.a. Ugly Duckling, and Fish Out of Water. How will Chicken Little convince his father Buck and the rest of the townsfolk that he is telling the truth this time before it's too late?

from: click the city

Few books translate well into film. The Lord of the Rings accomplished a three-peat, surpassing itself with every installment that director Peter Jackson churned out. While the Harry Potter films are surefire winners at the tills, they are less critically acclaimed than the aforementioned trilogy. The first two in the franchise by the same director, Christopher Columbus, were generally appreciated for their faithful adaptation of the well-loved books. Seeing the characters come alive onscreen felt nothing but novel, given that it's the first time. The second effort was a little less likable, but still acceptable. The third, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, was a little darker and decidedly better than the ones that preceded it. They say it's sweeter the second time around and third time's the charm, but for Harry Potter, the fourth proves to be arguably the best yet. Now with a Brit director at the helm, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire soars to new heights that none of its predecessors ever reached. Perhaps something is really best entrusted to its own people. Director Mike Newell's treatment of the text is such that although one has already read it, there is no escape from the suspense. It is a marvel how a 728-page book had been rendered in film without losing its core. While some elements had obviously been snipped--such as the Dursleys, Privet Drive, Dobby the house elf--the final output is still a compact package of thrills and cheers. The familiar characters have visibly grown, not just physically but unto themselves. The danger for the actors is being typecast, but to remove them from the latter movies sure to come may prove discomfiting to viewers. But whether or not Radcliffe, Watson and Grint would be around for the last three installments, it can be said that these three filled the shoes of Harry, Hermione and Ron with aplomb. Stripped of the CGI, Goblet of Fire would still stand as magnificently as it does with it. There is no letup on the magic, and well exceeds expectations--a feat, considering the magnitude of those expectations. J.K. Rowling must be mighty proud.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Action / Adventure / Family / Fantasy

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, Mark Williams, Miranda Richardson, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wrig

Director: Mike Newell

Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 30 m

MTRCB rating: GP

Official web site: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Synopsis: Harry is now 14 and is looking forward to watching the Quidditch World Cup with Ron and Hermione. In their fourth year at Hogwarts, Dumbledore announces that the school is hosting the Triwizard Tournament that was last mounted over a century ago. The dangerous tourney, traditionally engaged in by three European wizarding schools, entails three tasks that must be completed by its players who need to be 17 and above and are chosen by the goblet of fire. To Harry's surprise, he--who is three years below the age requirement--is to compete against Cedric Diggory who is also from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons' Fleur Delacour, and Durmstrang's Quidditch superstar Viktor Krum. There is no backing out of the tournament for the goblet's choice is binding. Meanwhile, the Dark Mark hovers on the horizon as the Death Eaters conjure it with their growing strength. Which will prove harder for the young hero: conquering the tasks, finding a date to the Yule Ball, or battling Voldemort incarnate?

from : click the city

This was the first movie i watched here in Singapore and t'was a good pick :)

Official Site : Just Like Heaven

Elizabeth Masterson (Witherspoon) is a dedicated, workaholic doctor who is way to busy for a life. One night, she gets into a horrible car accident and becomes a spirit stuck between heaven and earth. She doesn't know she's dead and thinks nothing has happened until she meets David Abbot (Ruffalo), a lonely architect, who rents her old apartment. David thinks he's crazy by seeing Elizabeth's spirit and tries all ways to get rid of her, but she just won't go away. Although the two are complete opposites they somehow may just form a relationship.

from imdb

The 40-year-old Virgin is the biggest comedy to hit the country post-American summer. With a title like that, you know where things are going; there's not going to be a 41-year-old Virgin. And yet, its predictability does not lend it boring. Rather, this makes the deflowering "journey" worthwhile as you wait to see just how things will play out for the unassuming man-to-be-saved, Andy, who first tries to hide the fact that he hasn't ever done "it" yet. And because his colleagues can smell the lie from across the table where he sits spewing off dirty deeds he has obviously never engaged in, they come to his "rescue" by trying to get him closer to the opposite sex with trips to the night club. He meets his muse, however, on his own and navigates the tricky relationship highways on his own terms, too. The 40-year-old Virgin may at first feel like a Wedding Crashers ripoff, but it's more tender despite the crass language sometimes employed (which works the funnybone anyway). Every scene is nearly funny, and you could slap yourself for laughing at the crude stuff, but you best just give in. The movie draws laughter as if from an endless well, and while it could very well be American Pie for the older set, all ages will soften up to its ageless theme of love because in the end, it's really more of a love story that begins as a sex comedy and ends like a musical. Better see for yourself!

The 40-year-old Virgin
Comedy / Romance

Cast: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen

Director: Judd Apatow

Released by: Universal Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 56 m

MTRCB rating: R-13

Official web site: The 40-year-old Virgin

Synopsis: Andy Stitzer is a virgin at 40. He has never gotten around to losing his virginity while being busy with his job at an electronics store, having a nice enough apartment and keeping nice friends. They think when he meets Trish, he'll finally experience what he still hasn't; what they don't know is that he and Trish started their relationship with a pact to abstain and take things slow.

from the click the city

With better effects but not necessarily a better plot, Dungeons & Dragons II: The Elemental Might is a decent fantasy that's as straightforward as a fine arrow's trajectory in medieval times. The only muddled path is the way to the tower where the orb is kept by the evil Damodar, who sheds off his undead state to wreak havoc on Ishmir, his beef with which is not exactly clear. Berek and the four other gifted companions named Lux, Dorian, Ormaline, and Oberon make an impressive band out to whisk the orb from Damodar, and the actors all act with conviction despite the circumstances that come out funny (and they're not supposed to be). The tone and mood smack of The Lord of the Rings--or at least envy of it--but they never feel as epic and grand as The Fellowship of the Ring's quest. Thus viewers' attentions may be held at first but not sustained; it's not their fault if they should yawn at some points. Still, the movie has enough credence to be laudable.

Dungeons & Dragons II: The Elemental Might
Fantasy

Cast: Mark Dymond, Clemency Burton-Hill, Bruce Payne, Ellie Chidzley, Steven Elder, Lucy Gaskell, Roy Marsden, Tim Stern

Director: Gerry Lively

Released by: Pioneer

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 45 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Synopsis: The kingdom of Ismir is under threat from the evil sorcerer Damodar, who has braved a strong whirlwind to steal an essential black orb. The warrior Berek and the amateur sorceress Melora join forces with four heroes representing Intelligence, Wisdom, Honor and Strength to retrieve the orb. They must battle ghastly creatures that guard the vault where the orb is being kept and defeat Damodar himself before the latter summons the gruesome black dragon whose powers could leave the entire kingdom in utter ruin.

from : click the city

Into the Blue should be the perfect antidote to the summer heat. But with or without sun, you'll still want to take a dip in this movie, especially when the bronzed bodies are in parade. Paul Walker and Jessica Alba heat up the screen in their skimpy water wear while trying to outsmart drug syndicate leaders and their druggie underlings. Set in the Bahamas and shot on location, the movie boasts of beautiful underwater shots as well as of the Bahamian sunset above the surface. Sadly, the beauty is also only on the surface and not, well, ocean deep. It's smooth until you get behind the story, which takes implausible turns after mobsters get into the picture and the two couples must risk shark bites to retrieve drug loot from the bottom of the ocean. But wait, another find sits on the ocean floor: a sunken ship possibly holding billions worth of gold. Before you think the movie is centered on greed, you'll be glad to know there is a morality play that goes on when the four friends (if they can be so called) are out of the water. You just don't agree with their choices. Plot holes notwithstanding, Into the Blue is a mindless and sleek movie that's not to be taken seriously. Just enjoy the bikini show.

Into the Blue
Action / Adventure

Cast: Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin

Director: John Stockwell

Released by: MGM/Columbia

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 50 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: Into the Blue

Synopsis: Four young divers find a discovery of a lifetime on the ocean floor: a shipwreck with millions' worth of gold. They chance upon another find, a sunken plane containing illegal cargo. The group makes a pact to keep mum on both so that no one can beat them to the treasure. What they do not realize is that vile smugglers are already on to the finds, pushing one of the two couples to do something out of left field. The hunters then become the hunted.

From: click the city

Lisa Reisert is on a flight back to Miami after attending her grandmother's funeral. At the airport, an interesting young man strikes up a conversation with her. She's pleasantly surprised when she learns that they will be seated right next to each other on the plane. Things take a nasty flight when he turns out to be who he says he is (which Lisa initially thought he was just kidding about) and makes the trip hell for her. She has to do as he says and lead a customer (a politician) at the hotel she works in into a trap, or else her father dies. Next to a crash, a flyer's worst nightmare would be having a hijacker onboard (or maybe one follows the other). The movie may be tugging on people's recollection of the 9/11 tragedy but you will hardly think about that little insensitive bit because the thrill is absent--surprising, since it's Wes Craven at the helm. The director famed for horror flicks shifts gears and doesn't quite land with an impact with the predictable turns the movie takes, although there is some tension felt. Cilian Murphy is a little menacing but a lot more annoying. The best thing about the movie is the charming and able Rachel McAdams, who as Lisa is the epitome of customer service. The title doubly refers to a late flight (between 9 PM and 4 AM) and also the terrorists' missile (Redeye).

Red Eye
Drama / Thriller

Cast: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Jack Scalia, Jayma Mays, Brittany Oaks, Beth Toussaint Coleman, Kyle Gallner, Colby Donaldson, and Laura Johnson Jenny Wade

Director: Wes Craven

Released by: United International Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 25 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: Red Eye

Synopsis: Lisa Reisert has always hated flying. But it seems she'd enjoy the night flight to Miami because she's seated next to Jackson Rippner, a charming man she met earlier at the airport. When he reveals the real reason he's on board just after takeoff, however, Lisa is dismayed to hear that he wasn't who she thought he was. Will Lisa be able to look for a way to escape from her captor before he commits a terrible murder?

from : click the city

Beneath heaven lies hell. Beneath hell lies the cave. With that line the only impressive thing going for it, The Cave sinks into the abyss of forgettable creature-features. It's a hodgepodge of borrowed elements from bigger movies: the dark depths of The Core, the Mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings and the monsters in AVP: Alien vs. Predator. If you've seen all those then you won't find The Cave very threatening; it will just seem familiar ground. While caves haven't been much explored in many movies of the same genre, this derivative movie robs it of its novelty simply because it spends too much time in these caverns. The actors do a lot of wading, running and fighting that the audience never gets scared. So why was this classified as a horror film? This B-movie effort doesn't fail completely in casting competent actors, but one cannot help but think their characters are a little more intelligent in playing scientists than the actors themselves who agreed to be part of this. Perhaps it's the director's fault, and mayhap he learns to get a style of his own next time--if there's even a next time.

The Cave
Action / Adventure / Thriller

Cast: Morris Chestnut, Eddie Cibrian, Cole Hauser, Piper Perabo, Lena Headey

Director: Bruce Hunt

Released by: Pioneer

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 40 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Synopsis: A team of scientists venture into the world's largest cave system for research and find evidence of earlier spelunkers who were never heard from again. The new explorers are about to discover just why the first group was never able to return as they lose their escape route and their own lives threatened by mysterious creatures, making it impossible for them to escape alive.


from: click the city

Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (JOHNNY DEPP) and Charlie Bucket (FREDDIE HIGHMORE), a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory.

Most nights in the Bucket home, dinner is a watered-down bowl of cabbage soup, which young Charlie gladly shares with his mother (HELENA BONHAM CARTER) and father (NOAH TAYLOR) and both pairs of grandparents. Theirs is a tiny, tumbledown, drafty old house but it is filled with love. Every night, the last thing Charlie sees from his window is the great factory, and he drifts off to sleep dreaming about what might be inside.

For nearly fifteen years, no one has seen a single worker going in or coming out of the factory, or caught a glimpse of Willy Wonka himself, yet, mysteriously, great quantities of chocolate are still being made and shipped to shops all over the world.

One day Willy Wonka makes a momentous announcement. He will open his famous factory and reveal "all of its secrets and magic" to five lucky children who find golden tickets hidden inside five randomly selected Wonka chocolate bars.

Nothing would make Charlie's family happier than to see him win but the odds are very much against him as they can only afford to buy one chocolate bar a year, for his birthday.

Indeed, one by one, news breaks around the world about the children finding golden tickets and Charlie's hope grows dimmer. First there is gluttonous Augustus Gloop, who thinks of nothing but stuffing sweets into his mouth all day, followed by spoiled Veruca Salt, who throws fits if her father doesn't buy her everything she wants. Next comes Violet Beauregarde, a champion gum chewer who cares only for the trophies in her display case, and finally surly Mike Teavee, who's always showing off how much smarter he is than everyone else.

But then, something wonderful happens. Charlie finds some money on the snowy street and takes it to the nearest store for a Wonka Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight, thinking only of how hungry he is and how good it will taste. There, under the wrapper is a flash of gold. It's the last ticket. Charlie is going to the factory! His Grandpa Joe (DAVID KELLY) is so excited by the news that he springs out of bed as if suddenly years younger, remembering a happier time when he used to work in the factory, before Willy Wonka closed its gates to the town forever. The family decides that Grandpa Joe should be the one to accompany Charlie on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Once inside, Charlie is dazzled by one amazing sight after another. Wondrous gleaming contraptions of Wonka's own invention churn, pop and whistle, producing ever new and different edible delights. Crews of merry Oompa-Loompas mine mountains of fudge beside a frothy chocolate waterfall or ride a translucent, spun-sugar, dragon-headed boat down a chocolate river past crops of twisted candy cane trees and edible mint-sugar grass. Marshmallow cherry creams grow on shrubs, ripe and sweet. Elsewhere, a hundred trained squirrels on a hundred tiny stools shell nuts for chocolate bars faster than any machine and Wonka himself pilots an impossible glass elevator that rockets sideways, slantways and every which way you can think of through the vast and fantastic factory.

Almost as intriguing as his fanciful inventions is Willy Wonka himself, a gracious but most unconventional host. He thinks about almost nothing but candy - except, every once in a while, when he suddenly seems to be thinking about something that happened long ago, that he can't quite talk about. It's been said that Wonka hasn't stepped outside the factory for years. Who he truly is and why he has devoted his life to making sweets Charlie can only guess.

Meanwhile, the other children prove to be a rotten bunch, so consumed with themselves that they scarcely appreciate the wonder of Wonka's creations. One by one, their greedy, spoiled, mean-spirited or know-it-all personalities lead them into all kinds of trouble that force them off the tour before it's even finished.

When only little Charlie Bucket is left, Willy Wonka reveals the final secret, the absolute grandest prize of all: the keys to the factory itself. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka feels it is time to find an heir to his candy empire, someone he can trust to carry on with his life's work and so he devised this elaborate contest to select that one special child.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Johnny Depp yet again sinks his teeth into a sweet and sour movie that Tim Burton concocted. The versatile actor's deadpan humor goes right along with his reluctant smile, which he flashes as he tours the kids and their companions from section to section of Willy Wonka's enormous factory. This awkward expression of his may just stick in your memory like Ben Stiller's model smirk in Zoolander. "Charlie and the Choclate Factory" is a delectable treat with its more faithful rendering of Roald Dahl's beloved piece of literature. Although it may still weird out some people, like the first movie adaptation that came out in 1971 did, this one is a more easily digestible version for it gets the fun flavor right. Its dark humor hits like of deliciously bitter chocolate. There are also a lot of nuts that populate this characteristic Burton film; the kids seem as crazy as their parents, except, of course, Charlie who is played by Freddie Highmore to mild perfection. The movie also comes in the right packaging; it's visually appealing for the luminous landscapes that dot the map of Wonka's facility. Well, you expect nothing less than that Burtony feel. The Oompa-Loompas, played by just one actor, are really the only eyesore. He's sporadically funny nonetheless. So cherish your golden tickets!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy

Cast: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Anna Sophia Robb, Helena Bonham Carter, Julia Winter, Noah Taylor, Jordan Fry, Missi Pyle, Christopher Lee, Franziska Troegner, Philip Wiegratz, Harry Taylor, James Fox, Adam Godley, and Deep Roy

Director: Tim Burton

Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 50 m

MTRCB rating: GP

Official web site: http://chocolatefactorymovie.warnerbros.com/

Synopsis: Willy Wonka is an eccentric chocolatier who opens his beloved chocolate empire for the first time in 15 years. Uncomfortable with human contact, the chocolate magnate eventually warms up to one kid from the five who won golden tickets to the facility. The lucky boy is Charlie Bucket, a pure-hearted kid coming from a humble background. His family has always lived in the shadow of Wonka's towering extraordinary factory.


from: click the city

guyz it's worth seeing this movie.. pramish! ganda ng movie so don't be left behind coz for me it's the movie of the year.. though, still waiting for the CHRONICLES OF NARNIA which is yet to be shown late this year or early 2006.

Be warned. The Island packs so much more than what the trailer offers (which, come to think of it, should be the case every time). Fasten yourself to your seat for a heady ride into the depths of a sophisticated cloning facility that caters to the rich who believe that $5M is a small price to pay to get an extension in life. These clients are actually in the dark as to what exactly goes on in this institution run by Sean Bean's Dr. Merrick, a greedy genius of a doctor who wants to play god. Director Michael Bay gets the futuristic feel right; motorcycles, buses and trains look familiar and yet strange. When these ram against one another in a hail of bullets and crushed metal, product placements are what emerge from the storm. Not-so-covert advertising notwithstanding, this summer movie, in hinting of a technology that just might become reality in the very near future, is a whole lot intriguing and a little disturbing. It taps on medical and moral issues that could crop up, at the same time offering a mindless sensory treat. If you thought nothing could ever compare to the Freeway sequence in The Matrix, this'll make you think again. Ewan McGregor is the curious and inquisitive Lincoln Six-Echo who stumbles upon the truth and fights to expose it with Jordan Two-Delta (the graceful Scarlet Johansson) in tow. Lincoln meets his egocentric clone who literally gets the bang for his buck.

The Island
Drama / Sci-fi / Thriller

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Shawnee Smith

Director: Michael Bay

Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 16 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Synopsis: Twenty years into the future, Lincoln Six-Echo and Jordan Two-Delta escape from a colony of clones. The clones, who actually believe they are the survivors of an apocalypse, think that The Island is the last uncontaminated spot on the planet--until Lincoln makes a terrible discovery that everything about his existence is a lie and that he is actually more valuable dead than alive. Now, with the forces of the institute that once housed them relentlessly hunting them down, Lincoln and Jordan engage in a desperate race for their lives.


from: click the city

Monster-in-Law is a good enough comedy but it doesn't quite entertain as expected. Jennifer Lopez affecting a sweet-but-strong-underneath persona is as convincing as her short-lived romances. The star would do well to stop trying to speak like a demure lady in that often singsongy, going-for-cute voice. Or maybe she should stop accepting roles for which she is not fit. Jane Fonda, on the other hand, makes a splashing comeback as the devilish possessive mother who won't let her grownup surgeon son marry a temp who may or may not just be a gold-digger. She does everything in her power to make things hard on her. However, the many catfights only feel like a petty game of one-uppance with estrogen all over the place. If it's worth seeing at all, it is not even because of Michael Vartan who is just this almost detached character unaware of all the female fights going on but rather for Wanda Sykes as Ruby, the assistant who's got the most sense and right timing among the cast.

Monster-in-Law
Comedy / Romance

Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes, Monet Mazur, Will Arnett, Adam Scott, and Annie Parisse

Director: Robert Luketic

Released by: Pioneer Films

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 50 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: http://www.monsterinlaw.com

Synopsis: Charlotte “Charlie” Cantilini has been looking for Mr. Right for the longest time until she meets Dr. Kevin Fields, who adores her. Problem is, his mother Viola doesn’t and even goes to lengths to give her hell. But Charlie fights back, and to Viola’s sour surprise she may just have found her match in an equally feisty future daughter-in-law.


from: click the city

Everything bad can be said about this movie: one-sided characters, poor storytelling, cheesy romantic angle and even cheesier FX. But if you're willing to look past all that, you just might have a good time. Fantastic Four has no lofty pretensions; it is not ashamed to be all light and juvenile because its makers probably had kids in mind as its main audience. It's not great, but it's not bad either. It's just...fun, if you let it humor you. Speaking of which, Chris Evans's Human Torch seem to be the self-appointed comic in the group, although it may be wisecracks he dispenses all the time. Look out for his character, a self-absorbed extreme sports-lover who just rolls with the punches without giving a thought. Jessica Alba as his sister Sue is annoying more often than not; still, she remains sexy when she isn't too dwarfed by the space suit. The Thing gets the most interesting repartee with the Human Torch, and for that we can forgive his character's wanting to unbecome a superhero. Possibly the least impressive of the four is Mr. Fantastic himself, Ioan Gruffud, because his powers are limited to malleability; whenever he stretches like a rubber, and all you can think of is how our own Lastikman has done it before. As for the villain, Dr. Doom--he just doesn't have a cause except to break up a couple. And the part where he turns Darth Vaderesque makes one laugh rather than worry for the superheroes. While the effects could've been better while they're in space, the last few sequences seal a feel-good ending.

Fantastic Four
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Fantasy / Sci-fi

Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis, Chris Evans, Julian McMahon

Director: Tim Story

Released by: Twentieth Century Fox

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 3 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: http://www.fantasticfourmovie.com/

Synopsis: Dr. Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic is spearheading a trip to outer space where he hopes to unlock the secrets of the human genetic codes. He accepted a financing deal with his old college rival, Victor Von Doom, who's now a billionaire industrialist. The crew for the mission includes his best friend, astronaut Ben Grimm/The Thing; Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Von Doom's director of genetic research and Reed's ex-girlfriend; and Sue's hot-headed younger brother, pilot Johnny Storm/Human Torch. With benefactor Von Doom in tow, the four set off for the mission, which is uneventful until the speed of the approaching storm is miscalculated. Cosmic radiation transforms the crew, altering their DNA and their future.


from: click the city

War of the Worlds is the kind of alien invasion movie that will be remembered not just for days to come but for all of cinema history. Whether for good or bad is the big question, though. For something inspired by a novel from the last century, WoW is as modern as it gets. It speaks of terrorism in our midst, an eerie reminder of how 9-11 looked like, only worse because the terrorists aren't humans but machines long buried beneath our soil and which come to life after thunder strikes--not once, not twice but twenty-six times--wherever these Tripod are entombed. This is the beginning of the end for humans; all they can do is run and scurry for their lives, which is exactly what Tom Cruise does. The gripping tension is palpable; it's vintage Spielberg making audiences hold their breaths and subsequently let out gasps as towering deplorable machines wreak havoc on the earth and prey on helpless humans, one of whom is Dakota Fanning's understandably whiny Rachel. Making it more involving is the focus on a small dysfunctional family just trying to survive instead of being irrepressible saviors. For all its good points, though, it doesn't come without flaws, and the top on moviegoers' minds would be: What are those red vines there for? A copout ending notwithstanding, WoW is truly one intense moviegoing experience that will simultaneously satisfy fans of action, sci-fi and drama.


War of the Worlds
Fantasy / Sci-fi / Thriller

Cast: Tom Cruise, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Tim Robbins, David Alan Basche, James DuMont, Yul Vazquez, and Daniel Franzese

Director: Steven Spielberg

Released by: Solar Entertainment Corporation

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 5 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: http://www.waroftheworlds.com/

Synopsis: Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and a father whose teenage son Robbie and daughter Rachel aren’t big fans of his. After his ex-wife and her new husband drop the kids off, a powerful lightning storm brews, signaling the invasion of Tripods--war machines from beneath the earth determined to incinerate everything in sight. Ray scrambles to save what he could of his family and his role as a father, at which he has so far been a failure.


from: click the city

Atlantis Productions: Beauty and the Beast

For its 2005 offering, Atlantis Productions has secured the exclusive rights to stage in the Philippines the smash hit Broadway family musical, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.

One of the most anticipated musicals of the year, Atlantis Productions' staging of Disney's Beauty and the Beast has found two leading ladies to play the title role.

KC Concepcion will return to Manila from her studies in Paris to sing the lead role of Belle, the intelligent and opinionated Beauty who learns to love a young Prince trapped in the body or a Beast. KC has always loved Disney animated films, Beauty and the Beast being one of her favorites along with Alice in Wonderland. Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST marks her return to the musical stage after nearly a four year absence.

Alternating with KC Concepcion is MYX VJ, Karel Marquez, who will be marking her professional stage debut. Karel fell in love with the Animated Disney Classic as a little girl and is thrilled to be able to play the role now.

Already a legend as the sixth longest-running show in Broadway history (and the second longest running show currently still playing on Broadway), "Beauty and the Beast" was nominated for nine 1994 Tony Awards including Best Musical. This spectacular musical has been wowing audiences worldwide, with record-breaking runs in New York, London, Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney, Tokyo, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Kyoto. It opens in Manila on June 16th for a limited Engagement at the Meralco Theatre.

Directing Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is critically acclaimed director Bobby Garcia. Joining him on the stellar creative team are Choreographer Andy Alviz, Costume Designer Mio Infante, Lighting Designer Jay Aranda, Sound Designer Bobbit Jacinto, Assistant Director Chari Arespacochaga and Visual Illusionist Eric Mana.

Meralco Theater
For ticket inquiries or reservations, please contact Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or 840-1187 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.
P1500, P1300, P1100, P1000, P600, P500
Jul 8, 2005
8:00:PM

Jul 9, 2005
8:00:PM

Bruce Wayne has been deathly afraid of bats since he was a kid and fell into a well/cave where the creatures dwell. His loving father rescued him but he couldn't return the favor one night when they got mugged outside of the opera house. Bruce grows up carrying the heavy sense of culpability on his back. He acquires skills in a number of fighting disciplines from Henri Ducard, a mysterious mentor who tells him to channel his strong urges elsewhere. But Bruce is more determined to make a mark in Gotham City, where he becomes a baffling beast in the night fighting off criminal lord Carmine Falcone and a psychotic psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Crane a.k.a. The Scarecrow. He also puts up a front as a billionaire playboy, which doesn't get him on the good side of his childhood friend Rachel Dawes. Alfred the Butler is back in Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman joins the cast as Lucius Fox, the man responsible for Batman's sophisticated gadgetry and transportation. You can tell from these facts alone that Batman Begins is different. It is by far the darkest and most intelligent, and it is no doubt exciting. No doubt about it, Batman Begins trumps all other Batman movies that came before it.

Batman Begins
Action / Adventure / Fantasy

Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, and Rutger Hauer

Director: Christopher Nolan

Released by: Warner Bros.

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 30 m

MTRCB rating: GP

Official web site: http://www2.warnerbros.com/batmanbegins/index.html

Synopsis: Bruce Wayne is racked with guilt over his parent's death. Years later, he travels the world to acquire skills necessary for avenging the pointless double deaths. But when he comes back to Gotham City, the place his billionaire parents helped build, he finds it thrown to the dogs. Bruce becomes Batman, a.k.a. the Caped Crusader/Dark Knight, shortly after his return and tries to save what he could of the city from foul elements.


from: click the city

It helps to believe the rumors. But no matter if they're true or not, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's onscreen compatibility is undeniable. The two make an interesting couple, to say the least. Mr. & Mrs. Smith opens with John and Jane in couples therapy. An unseen therapist shoots them with questions about their marriage. Clearly, as mister and missus, they make for perfect subjects for a case study because despite their ordinary names, they lead very extraordinary lives. When both their covers are blown, and not without incident, they are forced to examine their marriage--but, again, not in typical terms. They do with guns blazing and emotions flaring while they try to one-up each other. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is not like a lot of movies out there because it could be a cross between a chick flick and an action movie that serves something beyond the fluff and flying bullets. It is a treatise on a marriage that is compounded by more than the usual problems, but which when you get down to, is still about one thing.


Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Romance

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Adam Brody, Vince Vaughn, Angela Bassett, Greg Ellis, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Morrison, Keith David, William Fichtner, Matt Gallini, Michelle Monaghan, Jimmy Ortega, Peter Lavin, Elijah Alexander, Ron Bottitta, Patrika Darbo

Director: Doug Liman

Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 2 hrs 7 m

MTRCB rating: PG-13

Official web site: http://www.mrandmrssmithmovie.com

Synopsis: Two assassins in the dark about each other's real occupation are bored with their predictable domestic life although they each secretly hop the world for their kill. What they're not counting on, however, is that they'll get thrown into the same arena in one project--with each other as the target. What happens when the couple discovers they're not colleagues but rivals?


from: click the city

House of Wax does not deviate from the usual teen slasher movies that you've seen a million times before, only the girls are supposedly hotter here than in others. Elisha Cuthbert fits the bill, but Paris Hilton? The willowy hotel heiress is not given much to work on; being asked to do what she does best is not called acting. She was probably cast just for the mooning requirement and not so much for her thespic talents, if any. She can't even get limping right. Now Cuthbert's heart is more in the right place even with just a soiled tank top as she lumbers around trying to beat the demented twin brothers at their game while at the same time trying to hammer out differences with her rebellious twin brother, played by Chad Michael Murray. The shock factor lies with the way everyone exits the picture, bludgeoned and/or bloodied. Nothing waxes clever here; it's best to stay in your own house.


House of Wax
Horror / Thriller

Cast: Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, Robert Richard, Brian Van Holt, and Emma Lung Damon Herriman

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Released by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 55 m

MTRCB rating: R-13

Official web site: http://houseofwaxmovie.warnerbros.com/

Synopsis:
Six friends go on a road trip that takes a terrifying turn when they find themselves hunted by a mysterious killer hell-bent on making them the latest additions in his gruesome collection of all-too-realistic wax figures.


from: click the city

For those who haven't seen the original, worry not for this new version is enough to clue you in on the Long Island home that's been the stuff of controversy since the DeFeo murders. Into their old house a new couple moves in with the woman's three children from her first husband. It doesn't take too much to deduce that the old spirits that drove the DeFeo son to murder members of his family decades ago are still there. Eerie sounds begin to bother George Lutz, Kat's new husband, and her daughter begins seeing the ghost of Jody, the DeFeo daughter. While the whitewashed façade of the house does not lend a scary exterior, the mood that the director creates is chilling enough. Only there seem to be far too many scenes of the boathouse, its doors moving on its hinges. Ryan Reynolds could be scarier, but he appears no more than a guy pissed off at how his wife's kids don't warm up to him. Also, they seem to have overdone it with the perpetual red eye contacts. Urban legend or not, The Amityville Horror remains something to be scared of.

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jesse James, Chloe Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Baker Hall, Annabel Armour, Rich Komenich, David Gee, Danny McCarthy, Jose Taitano, and Nancy Lollar

Director: Andrew Douglas

Released by: Pioneer

Year released: 2005

Running time: 1 hr 35 m

MTRCB rating: R-13

Official web site: The Amityville Horror

Synopsis:
December 18, 1975. George and Kathy Lutz move into a house--the site of the murder of the DeFeo family on November 14 the year before--with their three children, believing it was their dream home. But 28 days later, they start getting terrorized by a foul force that doesn't want them in the premises. It is George who experiences it the most, and soon it seems that the spirits want to take control of him.


from: click the city

Johnny Depp gives life to J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland, a drama that may be a bit of a bore. But bear with it, and it'll be worth it. It takes some time before its charms show, and it may even be dragging towards the middle, but in the end you'll realize that it is a gem of a movie for its subtle ways. Some may be thrown off by how Mr. Barrie treats his wife (or not treating her) and how he pours all his attention on a beautiful but sick woman's young boys, his inspiration for Peter Pan. But take that away and this movie speaks about family and friendship and fantasy as inspired by childlike imagination, so much so that you'd want to gather everyone in a group hug: the boys (especially the talented Freddie Highmore, previously seen in 5 Children & It), Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet, and of course Depp. The actor may not want attention, but how could he not be accorded exactly that when he does a role with aplomb?

Cast: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Mitchell, Dustin Hoffman, Freddie Highmore, Joe Prospero, Nick Roud, Luke Spill, Ian Hart, Kelly Macdonald, Mackenzie Crook, Eileen Essel, Jimmy Gardner, and Oliver Fox

Director: Marc Forster

Released by: Sky Films

Year released: 2004

Running time: 1 hr 45 m

MTRCB rating: GP

Official web site: http://www.miramax.com/findingneverland/

Synopsis:
J.M. Barrie is a turn-of-the-century author struggling with writing a good play and having it produced. Inspiration hits him at the park while playing with his dog: four small boys and a widowed mother, a needy family whom he starts to care for. Soon the rumor mills are working about Barrie and the Davies--rumors that start to shake his marriage. But what emerges from his experiences is the well-loved children's classic Peter Pan.


from: click the city