Spring Flicks
This season’s next attraction
promises the right dose of comedy,
drama, action and adventure for
every moviephile.
The
Assassination of Jesse James
(Warner Bros. Action/Adventure)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mary
Louise-Parker, Casey Affleck
Originally entitled
The Assassination of Jesse James
by the Coward Robert Ford,
this movie delves into the life
of the most notorious outlaw of
history—Jesse James (Brad
Pitt). Step into the wild, wild,
west with old school robbery, damsels
in beribboned hats, outlaws, cash
rewards, pride and glory. Robert
Ford (Casey Affleck) joins the gang
of the charismatic James, but jealousy
soon takes it toll. Ford ends up
resenting James’s unpredictable
ways and hatches a plan to kill
the notorious cowboy.
Hollywood acclaims this movie for
Andrew Dominik’s directing,
the superb Western visuals, and
the cast’s stellar performance.
Makes us wonder why it took months
before releasing this film in the
Philippines. Make sure you bring
enough soda and popcorn; the movie
lasts two hours and 40 minutes—almost
as long as its tongue-twister title.
Trivia:
The final casting for Robert Ford
was narrowed down to Casey Affleck
(Ben Affleck’s little bro)
and Shia LaBeouf (from The Transformers),
but Affleck eventually got the role
because LaBeouf was too young for
it.
Blonde
Ambition (Solar UIP. Comedy)
Starring: Jessica Simpson,
Luke Wilson, Rachel Leigh Cook,
Andy Dick
Blonde Ambition
trails Katie (Jessica Simpson),
an ambitious young woman from the
suburbs who attempts to make it
big in corporate New York. She ends
up being used by two scrupulous
executives who plan to topple and
replace the powerful head of an
international conglomerate.
With the all-too-familiar
elements of Legally Blonde and
Pretty Woman, this movie is
everything that Jessica Simpson
critics expect—a light-hearted
chick flick without any new twists
and turns.
Trivia:
The film unfortunately bombed
in the U.S. Instead of a theatrical
release, the flick went straight
to DVD, which was launched in the
U.S. in January.
10,000
B.C. (Warner Bros. Adventure)
Starring: Steven Strait,
Camilla Belle
When a band of mysterious
warlords raid the village of D’Leh
(Steven Straight) and kidnap his
beloved Evolet (Camilla Belle),
D’Leh is forced to lead a
small group of mountain hunters
to pursue the warlords to save her.
The unlikely band of warriors battle
saber-tooth tigers and prehistoric
predators and, at the end of their
journey, they uncover a lost civilization.
Their fate lies in an empire beyond
imagination, where great pyramids
reach into the skies. Here they
will take their stand against a
powerful god who has brutally enslaved
their people.
Director Ronal Emmerich
brings the mythical age of prophecies
and gods to the big screen with
the worldwide debut of 10,000
B.C. Don’t expect the
cuddly wooly mammoth, sabertooth
tiger, and sloth you loved in Ice
Age. Thisfilm shows a realistic,
action-packed battle between man
and beast.
Trivia:
Steven Strait started out as a model
before landing his first big acting
stint in Sky High in 2005.
Spiderwick
Chronicles (Solar UIP. Sci-Fi/Fantasy)
Starring: Freddie Highmore,
Michael Kahn, David Strathairn,
Sarah Bolger
Director Mark Waters
brings Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi’s
best-selling children’s fantasy
series to film. Twin brothers Jared
and Simon Grace (Freddie Highmore)
move into the run-down Spiderwick
Estate with their family. Hoping
for a quieter life after New York,
the twins and their sister Mallory
(Sarah Bolger) realize that the
strange country house isn’t
as dull at is seems.
With elements such
as mythical creatures, magical stones,
potions, and supernatural forests,
one can’t help but compare
the book-turned-film to the likes
of Harry Potter, A Series of
Unfortunate Events, and Bridge to
Terabithia. But when you have
the talented child actor Freddie
Highmore on board, you can’t
help but feel the excitement for
this fun-filled fantasy.
Trivia:
Don’t judge a director by
his resume. Before Spiderwick
Chronicles, Mark Waters directed
teen flicks Freaky Friday and
Mean Girls.
Sleuth
(Sony Pictures. Thriller)
Starring: Michael Caine,
Jude Law
To celebrate the
35th anniversary of 1972’s
Sleuth, the story is retold
in a modern-day version starring
Michael Cain as the aging famous
writer Andrew Wyke. His wife Maggie
has left him for a younger man,
Milo Tindle (Jude Law), a charming
young actor. When Wyke invites Tindle
to his mansion, Tindle tries to
convince Wyke to sign the divorce
papers. Wyke, however, lures the
young man into a series of intelligent
and elaborate games as his ploy
to take revenge on his unfaithful
wife. Wyke soon realizes that his
adversary is just as smart, or maybe
even smarter, than he is.
The 1972 version was
already criticized for a number
of flaws, so Rotten Tomatoes had
its field day with this 2007 release.
However, fans of old school mystery
thrillers in the likes of Sherlock
Holmes will argue that this unique
film is not elementary.
Trivia:
A younger Michael Caine originally
played Milo Tindle in the 1972 film
based on Anthony’s Shaffer’s
stage play, which explains Sleuth’s
theatrical script.
*movie photos courtesy of allmoviephotos.com
Scientific
studies prove that dog owners reduce
their risk of heart disease and other
health problems. Little tasks such
as playing with your pet or walking
your canine friend will give you a
dose of exercise without realizing
it. If your pooch is starting to get
rounder in the belly (just like its
master, perhaps?), it’s time
to grab that leash and take Fuzzy
out for a walk. There are a growing
number of dog-friendly vicinities
in the metro. You don’t have
to settle for your village neighborhood.
Parks, resorts, clubs, and even malls
are slowly opening their doors to
pets. Whether you’re taking
your own pet or babysitting your aunt’s
four-legged companion, dog walking
is a fun exercise for both you and
the dog.
Reminisce
your childhood memories of letting
loose in an arcade or kiddie amusement
zone. The next time your girlfriends
are looking for a new gimmick, ask
them to join you for an hour at the
arcade. When your date asks you what
you want to do after dinner, grab
his hand and dare him to beat you
in a game of basketball shootout.
Not only will you have loads of fun,
you’ll lose calories while you
play. Instead of those sit-down video
games, opt for the physical games
like air hockey, bowling, and hit-the-beaver.
Better
known as Ultimate Disc, this game
is more than just your childhood game
of Frisbee toss. The Philippine Ultimate
Association has been around for 10
years now, and has helped ultimate
disc earn respect as a professional
team sport. Unlike potentially violent
sports like hockey and football, ultimate
disc is a non-contact sport but with
the same calorie-burning speed and
capacity. Each game is played by two
teams of seven players each and a
plastic disc is passed around. To
score, a teammate must catch a pass
in his/her opponent’s endzone.
You’ll get the similar feel
of rugby and soccer by exercising
your legs, upper body, and arms.
What
are the programs/projects?