| MOVIES - AUGUST PART 2 |

ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE

"Our lives are remembered by the gifts we leave our children."

SYNOPSIS: A group of people decided to search for the long lost city of Atlantis after they found a journal telling it's location.

RATING: 7.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

I found this quite enjoyable to watch. Milo was an adorable geek who's worth idolizing because of his dedication to his work. Their whole adventure was exciting and terrible to watch (simply because they encountered a lot of things that tried to block their way). The city of Atlantis was beautifully created. Even though you could see that it wasn't what it used to be (like in the beginning), it was still an amazing city that had advanced technology. Kida was an interesting princess who knows how much trouble her kingdom is on and wants to help solve it. I love that it didn't focus much on romance and that there were no songs (I like musicals but I feel like lately there's been to much songs on Disney movies). The climax of the film was gripping and the ending was great.

• I was amazed by how much details were incorporated to create the scenes especially during the Leviathan attack and the volcano eruption. 
• I was shocked to see how many members were lost during the Leviathan attack.
• Rourke is an asshole who deserved what he got. He was greedy and selfish and I was glad that Helga got her revenge after he threw her off. I wasn't glad that she died too.

GIFTED

SYNOPSIS: A child gets caught in a custody battle between her uncle and grandmother after they found out that she was a gifted child.

RATING: 8.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

I really liked this movie. There were comedic scenes which made the movie not feel really depressing/dramatic. It had comedic scenes that will make you laugh and heartbreaking scenes that will make you want to cry. The conflict that rose was really intriguing because you can see that both parties had their points. They just want what's best for Mary. I was glad to see how the story panned out and got resolve. The actors did an amazing job portraying their roles. Plus, Mary is an adorable child who is sometimes sarcastic and can act older than her age.

• I felt sad for Fred, the one-eyed cat, but he was also pretty cute. I was shocked and sad when they found Fred up for adoption/euthanasia. I wonder what happened to the other cats that were with him.
• I found Mary quite amazing. She can be adorable but there were many funny scenes that showed her sarcastic side. I love her and I was devastated when she and Frank got separated. She thought Frank abandoned her and I just wanted to go give her a hug.
• I like Bonnie because she's a very supportive and kind teacher. 
• Roberta is a lovely character who really cared for Mary. It was funny every time she threatened Frank if he lost Mary and I like how much she helped and pushed him get Mary back.

TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY

"My feet will want to march to where you are sleeping, but I shall go on living."

SYNOPSIS: A ghost returns to earth in order to console his beloved girlfriend who hasn't gotten over his death.

RATING: 8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

This is a truly touching and devastating movie. I really loved the characters and the actors did an amazing job portraying their roles. I found Nina and Jamie quite adorable together. It was very heartbreaking to see how much Nina grieved over Jamie's death. The death of a someone is truly devastating especially if you loved that person so much. The movie was able to show how hard it is to move on. It had a bittersweet ending but I loved it.

• Seeing Alan Rickman was heartbreaking because he's dead in real life. 
• I was quite heartbroken when I saw that Nina was moving on and was starting to see another guy. I felt devastated for Jamie but he truly wanted her to move on and be happy. When I realized what Jamie was doing, I got more heartbroken because he was willing to ruin Nina's image of him so that she would be able to move on. It did not help to see that he was glad that she found someone else who could make her happy and move on from the pain and grief she was feeling.

DEAD POETS SOCIETY

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

SYNOPSIS: An English professor taught his students poetry in a way that made them express themselves more.

RATING: 6.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

This was truly an inspiring movie to watch. I loved seeing the way Professor Keating taught his students. Rather than making them memorize things, he applied the poems in a more practical manner. The students were able to voice out more of what they really wanted. He was able to inspire them to break free and do what they wanted. It was also shown in the movie the negative effects to those who couldn't break free from control which was devastating. The actors did an amazing job portraying their roles especially Robin Williams. Plus, I finally know the story behind the 'O Captain! My Captain' line!

• I loved Robin Williams's portray of Professor Keating. He was very passionate about what he was teaching and he truly cared for his students. He is a great epitome of a good teacher.
• Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke looked very very young in this movie. 
• I was truly devastated when Neil died especially since he was portrayed by Robert Sean Leonard (I loved him as Wilson from House). It was heartbreaking that he couldn't fight for what he wanted and gave up entirely. 
• I really loved the scene where the boys stood up for Keating and salutes him with 'O Captain! My Captain!'. It was very inspiring and heartbreaking to watch.

MR. HOLMES

"One shouldn't leave this life without a sense of completion."

SYNOPSIS: A story of an old Sherlock Holmes with dementia who is trying to remember his last case with the help of the son of his housekeeper.

RATING: 6.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

This is a very interesting take on the character of Sherlock Holmes. It seemed different to his usual uncaring self. He wanted to know the reason why he decided to retire and as the story progressed, we find out why. The case was a very interesting and devastating one. It made Sherlock realize that what he says and what he does can seriously affect the life of someone. The character development and realizations that Sherlock had in this film was very nice to watch. I loved seeing him bond with Roger. Ian McKellen is truly an amazing actor and he was able to portray Sherlock amazingly.

• It was interesting to see how much older Laura Linney looked now compared to what she looked like in 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. Frances de la Tour also had a different appearance to her Madame Maxime look in Harry Potter.
• I was glad to see that the Munro's stayed and that they bonded with Sherlock. He was able to have someone with him during his old age.
• Roger is a very interesting boy who's very eager to learn and I liked watching him get closer and closer to Sherlock.

STILL ALICE

"Live in the moment."

SYNOPSIS: The story of Alice Howland, a linguistics professor, who was diagnosed with early Alzheimer's disease.

RATING: 6/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

It was a very interesting movie that showed a realistic point of view of a person suffering from Alzheimer's. It also showed the reactions of her family about what is happening to her. It was very devastating to see Alice lose her memories and become dependent on others especially since she was a linguistic professor. It was also devastating to see how much her family wanted to help but couldn't. Julianne Moore did a really job portraying Alice and you could really feel her dedication to the role. The other characters also did an amazing job which made the movie better. Overall, this is a very heartbreaking but good film.

• I can't help but think of the Boss Baby whenever I see Alec Baldwin in this movie. 
• I was really scared at the scene where Alice found her suicide video. I was glad someone distracted her and she lost that trail of thought.
• I felt that the ending was quite abrupt.

BATMAN BEGINS

"And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can earn to pick ourselves up."

SYNOPSIS: After training with the League of Shadows, Batman starts to fight crimes in Gotham City.

RATING: 7.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

I haven't read any comics about batman but this was a pretty good movie. The story is interesting and it's full of action. It was kind of slow in the beginning because it needed to build up the story of Bruce Wayne. It was all pretty serious stuff. The gadgets that were used by Batman were all amazing. Plus, the cast were wonderful. Most of them were able to portray their character very well especially Christian Bale as Batman. He was amazing at it. I also loved seeing Cillian Murphy and Liam Neeson here as the villains.

• I really love that Alfred is Michael Caine and Lucius is Morgan Freeman. They are both amazing actors.
• I did not think that Katie Holmes was a proper cast for Rachel Dawes. She seems fragile for the role of an attorney.
• I really really love Cillian Murphy and so I was really happy that he was here. The beautifulness of his eyes were very much seen in the movie.

THE DARK KNIGHT

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

SYNOPSIS: A villain named Joker started causing chaos in Gotham City and so Batman must stop him.

RATING: 7.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

This is a strong sequel to the Batman Begins. The story was full of chaos created by Joker and it was interesting to see how they dealt with it. Joker is an interesting character and I wished we found out his true background (I don't know because I didn't read the comics). Like the first movie, it continued on focusing on being serious and dark. The cast still did a pretty great job portraying their roles. I felt really devastated because of the ending.

• I did not like Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. He seemed pretty plain compared to the supposed image of Harvey Dent. I wished they casted someone else.
• I like Jared Leto's version of Joker more. Heath Ledger's version was interesting but it was too serious for me. He was indeed creepy though.
• I really felt bad for batman in this movie. He saved the city but he was deemed as the villain in the end because they couldn't let Harvey's image get ruined. They built peace based from a lie. 
• I knew that Gordon was just faking his death but it was still a tragic part.
• I felt terrible for Bruce and Harvey when Rachel died. It was also terrible that Harvey couldn't handle it and Joker managed to convince him to join the dark side.
• I hated Harvey because he almost killed an innocent child.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

"A hero can be anyone."

SYNOPSIS: A new villain, Bane, sets out to destroy Gotham City and so Batman must once again put on his outfit and save Gotham.

RATING: 7.8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 

Even though this movie probably had the weakest plot, I liked it the most because it was less serious and had a brighter tone than the previous ones. It still had an interesting plot and I liked seeing how it panned out. It ended in the best way possible. The cast still portrayed their roles amazingly. Plus, I liked seeing Bruce's interactions with Catwoman.

•  I did not like Bane's voice. I thought it sounded wrong and not suitable for the character he is playing.
• I really liked Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. She was strong and sexy. She also made the movie less dark.
• I really felt bad for Gordon because he had to uplift the image of someone (Harvey) who tried to kill his son for eight years.
• I really liked Alfred's character. He was a wonderful person who stayed by Bruce's side and supported him in his endeavors. I was glad that he saw Bruce in Florence which fulfilled his dream.
• It was fun seeing Cillian Murphy again as Scarecrow. The punishment was really absurd because it was death or exile and the exile would just end in death.
• It was great to see that Bruce's character developed into someone who cared about himself and feared dying.

| MOVIES - AUGUST PART 1 |

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2

"He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn't your daddy."

SYNOPSIS: The guardians continue with their adventure and they encounter a man who claims that he is Quill's father.

RATING: 7/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I did not love this as much as the first one. It was still a pretty interesting and had a decent plot but I did not like that the whole movie focused on trying to be funny. Sure, there were a lot of funny parts but there were also parts that I thought that it was just trying to push that it was funny. I didn't get why the characters were so amused (especially when in comes to Drax).

Still, the animation was on spot. The scenes had designs that are pretty amazing to look at. It was so bright and colorful. The interaction of the characters were fun to watch. The actors did a great job portraying their roles. Plus, baby Groot was very very adorable. I loved watching everyone protect him and carry him around.

Overall, the movie was still enjoyable to watch just don't expect to much from the story.

• I hate the fact that Yondu died. It was a heartbreaking scene especially since i felt that it wasn't really that necessary (except probably to make Quill realize how much Yondu really loved him). I was glad that Quill realized how much Yondu cared for him and that the Ravagers recognized Yondu as a Ravager again. 
• Ego is a really big asshole. Yeah, you can tell it from his name but ugh. Especially since he caused Meredith Quill's cancer.
• I hate that Drax kept bullying Mantis. Mantis is a special creature that should be protected. She's so cute and adorable.
• I love baby Groot. His stupidity was fun to watch and I loved watching him dance. The end credit was also funny, the one with teenager Groot and him talking back to Quill.
• Rocket is an idiot. The whole movie could have been avoided if Rocket was not an idiot.
• I like that Nebula and Gamora managed to sort things out. 
• I loved it when Yondu declared himself as Mary Poppins. It was adorable. 

LIAR LIAR

"The goddamn pen is blue!"

SYNOPSIS: A lawyer can't lie for 24 hours because of a birthday wish made by his son.

RATING: 9.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW:  
I have watched this movie a lot and it still makes me very happy. I even remember some or maybe most of the lines. It's a very entertaining movie especially since Jim Carrey is the lead actor. Jim Carrey is one of the actors that doesn't annoy me if/when they overact a character. His performance here was very fun and appropriate for the character and the scenarios he play. I think that the movie had a deeper meaning especially towards father who prioritize work over their family. It was such an entertaining and feel good movie.

• It still blows my made that Audrey is not played by Jennifer Aniston. I thought all this years that it was Jennifer Aniston. I think Maura Tierney looked a lot like her in this movie.
• I love Greta. Even though she quit at some point, she came back to help Fletcher.
• Seeing Cary Elwes here was quite funny (I saw him before in Men in Tights) especially since he played an awkward character and he did so brilliantly. 

BEDTIME STORIES

"Your fun is only limited by your imagination."

SYNOPSIS: Skeeter Bronson, a hotel handman, was able to change his life because of the bedtime stories that his nephews created which magically came true.

RATING: 9/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I have already watched this movie many times and it still made me happy. It had a strait forward and light story but it was really enjoyable. It was full of comedic and touching scenes. The children were very adorable and entertaining to watch. The story that they created and the way that it was shown in the movie was magical. I love the twists that reflected on Skeeter's real life based on the stories. Plus, Bugsy was pretty funny to look at.

• It's sad seeing this movie because I know that Richard Griffiths is dead. He did a remarkable job in this movie.
• Oh my god. Bugsy's eyes were really huge. I know it's animated (probably) but it is still fun to point out.
• Teresa Palmer is very very pretty in this movie.
• Rob Schneider's role was pretty hilarious. 'Moon-bear'.

THE BOSS BABY

"If there isn't enough love for both of us, I'd like to give you all of mine."

SYNOPSIS: A boss baby was forced to work with his older brother to uncover the plot of the CEO of Puppy Co.

RATING: 9/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
I really loved this movie. The story was not really that unique but the way it panned out was very entertaining to watch. The relationship between Tim and the Baby was very lovely to watch develop. They had many hilarious interactions all throughout the movie. Many scenes made me really laugh out loud and the scenes including many many babies (in the Baby Co.) made me squeal a lot because they were too adorable. I couldn't stop grinning. Plus, it was hilarious to listen to the Boss Baby especially since he was voiced by Alec Baldwin. It was a very feel good and heartwarming movie and I don't understand why there were many bad reviews for it.

• I thought at first that it would just be all about Tim's very active imagination. I was glad that it wasn't because I was really annoyed at Tim in the beginning. I was glad that he and The Boss Baby set aside their differences to work together and develop a real bond over time.
• Oh my God the scene with so many babies was so adorable to watch. I couldn't stop grinning because they were to cute.
• I found The Boss Baby quite adorable during the parts where he really became a baby. He was so cuteeee.
• Eugene was such a creepy character (Scary Poppins) but I found it funny that when he talked, he had an English accent.
• Jimbo was so cute. I love watching him protect the Boss Baby and hug him in the end. He was so adorable.
• I love the ending. I found it quite heartwarming to see that Tim and the baby really grew fond of each other and realized that what they wanted changed. They wanted to be with each other and not be alone.
• It was funny to see that the ending involved the Boss Baby all grown up and still throwing money and that Tim's new baby is also wearing a 'boss baby' outfit. 

GOING IN STYLE

SYNOPSIS: When a group of old men lost their pension after a robbery in their bank, they decided to rob the bank.

RATING: 7/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
The movie was quite entertaining. The veteran actors such as Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine portrayed their characters appropriately and amazingly. The lead characters had so much chemistry that it was very funny to see them interact. You would also worry about them because they seem like fragile old men. It was such a fun and feel good movie.

• I was so happy to see Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman together again.
• I can't stop thinking about Morgan Freeman as God (in Bruce Almighty). I still refer to him as God after all this years.

ROUGH NIGHT

SYNOPSIS: Things go wrong on a bachelorette party.

RATING: 4/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
It felt like a female version of Hangover only things really did go wrong. It wasn't really that bad but I did not like any of the characters (I felt that Scarlet wasn't really suited for this movie) and the places the story went. Some parts even made me cringe. It's also supposed to be a comedy but I did not find most of the scenes funny. The only good thing about the movie was probably the ending.

• Seeing Ryan Cooper as the stripper/robber was pretty funny since I already know him as Owen from Colleen Hoover's Confess.
• Things that felt really off to me: Peter's adult diaper clothing just so he could reach Jess immediately, the fact that they threw the body in the ocean, the creepy and perverted upstairs neighbor, and Alice.
• Seeing Dean Winters too was such a funny surprise since I know him as Cassidy from Law and Order SVU. 

RUROUNI KENSHIN: KYOTO INFERNO

SYNOPSIS: Kenshin was sent to Tokyo in order to fight Shishio, a man who is attempting t overthrow the Meiji government.

RATING: 6.8/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
The movie wasn't bad. I just had an issue with it because of three things: the change of background for Aoshi, the non-existent fight with the Juppongatana, and the way that the movie ended. Also, I did not feel anything for majority of the casts especially with Sano and Sanosuke. I felt that they could have found someone better. They also wasted the potential of some characters like with the Juppongatana and the Oniwabanshu.

Still, the movie followed most of the events in the anime. They also did a great job with the choreography of the fights and the cinematography. The people who have no background in the anime and/or manga would probably enjoy this better.

Overall, the movie was still good but it could have been better.

• I wanted to see the fight with the Juppongatana because that's one of my favorite fights in the anime (though I admit that there were some things there that would probably need a large budget for graphics). I felt that they wasted the casts for the Juppongatana because they weren't given a more focused role. They were just background charaters.
• I liked the Ryunosuke Kamiki's portrayal of Sojiro. It was accurate to the anime and he kind of looked like him. I also enjoyed the fight between him and Kenshin.
• I hate that they did not include Aoshi in the first film and how much they changed his background in this movie. The original reason was more appropriate.
• I hated that Kenshin was again distracted by Kaoru being kidnapped. Kaoru is not a weak character and I just hate that they kept making her a vulnerability for Kenshin.

RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE LEGEND ENDS

SYNOPSIS: Kenshin is still trying to finish his mission to defeat Makoto Shishio.

RATING: 6.5/10

NON-SPOILERY REVIEW: 
This movie had a very slow pacing. I got bored in the beginning. I had no expectations from the story line prior to the final battle because that was not included in the anime but it was alright. I still did not feel anything for majority of the characters especially Shishio.

Still, the movie maintained it's excellent cinematography and wonderful choreography for the fighting scenes. The final battle was able to satisfy the expectations from it (though sometimes I felt that Aoshi was just randomly slashing at the air).

Overall, the finale did not disappoint but it did not amaze me.

• I really liked the actor portraying Hiko. He seemed really appropriate for the role.
• The battle in the beach seemed pretty weak and stupid. You would really think that it was staged.
• Sojiro's breakdown in the end seemed off and I did not like it.
• I really did not like the cast for Yumi so the scene that made me cry in the anime (Yumi's death) did not make me cry in this movie.