X-Men: Days of Future Past

Director: Bryan Singer
With: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry

X-Men: Days of Future Past is an awesome, history-bending superhero film that mixes a great and balanced amount of drama, comedy, camp and pure heroic badassery.

This probably ranks as one of the X-men franchise's best. With the bloated cast of mutants, one would think that others would be ignored but impressively, it managed to make each of the ensemble shine. Every main character had their own moments that's why it's also quite surprising how each of them (Prof. X, Magneto, Wolverine, Mystique) have great stories to tell and told so well in a fast-paced fashion without sacrificing the quality of their stories.

The complexity of the stories blew X-Men: First Class away. As usual, they included heavy bromantic scenes of Prof. X and Magneto but they're done masterfully and they're much more vital to the story. Add Wolverine and Beast to the mix as the neutralizer of these two and Mystique who also had her own agenda made this movie way more complex than it already was. But it didn't rest there as the humans, mainly military scientist Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) joined the party in amplifying the layers of the stories, as the person I consider as the real villain of the film.

While these entities fight for the safety of their corresponding races (mutants and humans), and the mutants having the same thing in mind,  the difficulty of their situation made more intense as they also have different plan of executing their aim. It's unbelievable how effectively Bryan Singer attacked these numerous layers of stories rolled into an amazing harmonic and uncluttered piece of an X-men movie.

Then there's the supporting characters that also didn't fail to leave a mark as they fought the Sentinels who aimed to diminish the mutant race. Personal favorite is Blink and how they utilized her power. She's amazing! The cameos of other mutants are also favored well and in their 30-seconds of fame, they added flavor to the completion of each of the leads' storyline.

It's also not devoid of subtleties. In the beginning of the film, Ellen Page as Shadowcat pays homage to Inception as she does her own version of inception to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. It also contains several shades of Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence's real life love story. I don't know if it's just me but it sure did seem like they included some Beast/Mystique back-to-back facial reactions in some scenes that I can't help but think that they're done intentionally.

As we all know, the cast is undeniably brimming with stars that no one faded into the sidelines and all of them embraced their own character with the exact amount of drama and tenacity. Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique just can't do no wrong. First she's just so SEXY in this with her costume and all. Who said Mystique is ugly? Heck I'd rather see Mystique as Mystique than shifting into a different person or her human version. And who knew the Vietnamese language can sound so cute, sexy and flirty? Only JLaw can do that. I enjoyed her so thoroughly in this. Evan Peters as Quicksilver is another showstealer. He served as the camp provider/comic relief of this film and the Time in a Bottle scene will probably create a polarizing reception by the casual and superfans of the X-men franchise. Personally, I like what he brought to the movie. The best in show, however, is certainly James McAavoy which is quite strange because this film, an X-Men film, is actually the flick that reminded me again of how great of an actor he is. He truly is one of the best actors of his generation and now I can't wait for The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby because his presence needs to be seen again in critically acclaimed films as he's been kind of MIA for the past few years, or perhaps he's just choosing the wrong projects. Either way, he promoted his talent well in this.

See, I'm not the biggest X-Men fan. I know it solely because of the cartoon series and the past X-Men films but not the comics. But I gotta say that Bryan Singer did his best in showcasing the franchise to the mainstream movie lovers and the die hard fans of the saga. 

Also, this is a superhero movie and it's sort of becoming a trend that every superhero movie has an extra scene in the end. This one is no different so stay until the last words of the end credit and watch the weird additional scene. Great movie!

Top 10 SUPPORTING ACTRESSES of 2013

  

10. Octavia Spencer as Wanda Johnson - Fruitvale Station

In Fruitvale Station, Octavia Spencer showed that there's no need to burst out crying to depict a sorrowful mother mourning for her son's loss. Her restraint and calmness in the midst of a family crisis is admirable. Octavia Spencer after winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress two years ago seems like she now knows how to stand out as an actor and there's no looking back, Spencer got my respect.

9. Margot Robbie as Naomi Lapaglia - The Wolf of Wall Street

I love how Margot Robbie introduced herself in the movie world in such a huge way last year. Appearing in two of the best films of 2013 -- About Time and The Wolf of Wall Street, she morphed into the who-girl into the it-girl. Of course she still has more to prove but her performance as Jordan Belfort's wife Naomi showed her promise as an actress. Her Brooklyn accent is brilliant and to be quite honest, I didn't see that she's capable of a worthy performance when I watched her in About Time.

8. Sarah Paulson as Mary Epps - 12 Years a Slave

Like Michael Fassbender in 12 Years a Slave, Sarah Paulson gave something appealing in a role we're supposed to be detesting. As a wife seething with jealousy towards one of their slaves, Paulson channeled this role with absurdity behind a great amount of elegance. Paulson proved in 2013 that she can succeed even outside television. Her work in Mud and 12 Years a Slave are good enough for her to hopefully land a future lead role.

7. Melissa Leo as Holly Jones - Prisoners

Damn, I LOVE Melissa Leo in Prisoners! The fact that she's not getting a lot of recognition for her work here as an old mysterious suburban lady with a dark motive I would never understand. Solely through Melissa Leo's acting, she can make us scared, laugh, sympathize, provoked, name it. And even if she's kinda awkward in real life, there's no doubt that Leo is one heck of an actor.

6. June Squibb as Kate Grant - Nebraska

I'm not crazy about June Squibb's performance in Nebraska but I find it impossible not to be smitten by her. With the help of Bob Nelson's screenplay and Payne's direction, they made the most out of June Squibb's potential. I think Squibb's personality in real life made Kate Grant a little more charming and hilarious rather than annoying and shrew, making her the most memorable in Nebraska.

5. Jennifer Lawrence as Rosalyn Rosenfeld - American Hustle

I may be unimpressed with Jennifer Lawrence's Jersey accent but only fools can deny the incredible talent of this woman. She's unstoppable. She has swag in real life but also translates it in films. Rosalyn turned out to be the most awesome character in a film with many OTT characters and that's because of JLaw's ability to steal every scene she's in. For me, she still hasn't surpassed her performance in Winter's Bone but I know that she's still capable of topping it. I'm looking forward for her return in doing serious roles instead of comedies.

4. Scarlett Johansson as Barbara Sugarman - Don Jon

It's sad that ScarJo is getting more recognition for her voice over role when she's better in the greatest role of her lifetime in Don Jon. :( She's impressive as a voice actor in Her but her everything in Don Jon is miles better. It's unbelievable how she can change her accent so natural and believable like how Meryl Streep does her millions of accent. Only few actors can achieve that and ScarJo is now one of them. Funny thing is, I don't think that she tried hard and she just enjoyed her role or she's just really good at it that she made me think that way.

3. Annika Wedderkopp as Klara - The Hunt

 I've campaigned my ass off to put this young but INSANELY ASTONISHING actress to spotlight but I failed miserably. Wedderkopp, in my book, brings a lot of mature actress to shame because she can portray maturity better than most actors. The fact that she seems like she knows what she's doing in a film involving molestation, penis and other mature stuff, that's just WOW.

2. Léa Seydoux as Emma - Blue is the Warmest Color

Léa Seydoux is frickin fantastic in Blue is the Warmest Color! Knowing that she's actually a very feminine person makes her even more fantastic because in Blue, she's believable as a lesbian, the manly lesbian. She carried some of my favorite scenes in Blue, one of which is when she first met Adele in a gay bar. She's striking and as I am typing this, makes me want to watch Blue is the Warmest Color all over again. Oh yes I will!

1. Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey - 12 Years a Slave

Lupita gave us one of the most unforgettable scenes ever! Patsey's whipping scene still astounds me to this day for how brutal it was. The emotions and the pain she brought to Patsey during that scene was so raw and out of this world. And with that, I think she easily blows everyone away. I also love the tiniest details in her acting. Her dance, her way of holding the macaron, her way of eating it, her whistles, her passionate delivery of her lines. Her acting screams passion and while that doesn't always translate to a great performance, it's something that she possesses that helps her portray a character that deserves to have one. I hope Lupita wins come Oscar night.

Other Rankings:

Top 5 Original Scores of 2013

Top 10 Cinematography of 2013

Top 5 Original & Adapted Screenplays of 2013 

Top 10 Supporting Actors of 2013 
Top 10 Lead Actors of 2013
Top 10 Lead Actresses of 2013

MOVIE WRITEUPS: American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave and Dallas Buyers Club

American Hustle

Director: David O. Russell
With: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner

It's probably a bad omen that earlier last year, a friend recommended that I watch Goodfellas. And as I was watching American Hustle, I can't help but feel like O. Russell ripped off some styles from it -- from the way the history of the characters were presented, to the voice overs, to angry housewife, to Robert de Niro, to the trumpet-heavy musical background in the beginning. It screams second rate Martin Scorsese where Hustle is the cat to Goodfellas' lion. But that's probably just me hating on O. Russell lol. Despite that, I can't deny that it's engrossing. The number of wacky and fun scenes, I enjoyed. It's really just the ABSCAM plot that didn't soar.

The characters are crazy as their hairdos, and they're the best aspect of the film. This con film would have suffered if the characters are all sane and happy, but they're all fueled with different things - Irving (Christian Bale) is fueled by money and his adopted son, Sydney (Amy Adams) fueled by her ambition, FBI Agent Richie (Bradley Cooper) aims to be recognized in his profession, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) is hungry of love and attention, she's very insecure, and Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner) by his goodness and willingness to help his people. These characters made more fun than they are by the ensemble's performance. Even if I think the tandems within this group lack chemistry, their acting chops are well-displayed here. It's as if David O. Russell's purpose in creating this film was to cater these actors acting abilities.

Christian Bale is the usual very in-character Bale, Bradley Cooper is surprisingly better here than his performance in Silver Linings Playbook, Amy Adams gave one of her best performances. Jennifer Lawrence is a whirlwind here. She shares the same little amount of airtime with Jeremy Renner but she definitely made sure that she stands out in the crowd. Her non-stop award nods for her work in this is a testament to her brilliance. My favorite scene in this film involves JLaw and she's also the reason why it's my favorite. It's not the living room scene, but rather the bathroom scene with Amy Adams. It's probably one of the most authentic and sophisticated actings I've ever seen. However, I thought she's very inconsistent with her accent that ScarJo in Don Jon made her sound like an amateur. Jeremy Renner's also kind of awkward in some of his scenes. He's definitely the weakest in the bunch.

If I were to rank their performances it would be:
1. Amy Adams
2. Christian Bale
3. Bradley Cooper
4. Jennifer Lawrence
5. Jeremy Renner

12 Years a Slave

Director: Steve McQueen
With: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Adepero Oduye, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt

Truly a masterpiece. This is from someone who tends to claim every good film a masterpiece but repeatedly restrains himself of doing so because it's such a precious word that only few things deserve to be called one.

We've been taught in our history classes how horrible slavery was, may it be in our country or anywhere but in 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen emphasizes the horror of American slavery during the pre-Civil War in a whole new level. He's fearless in showing brutality that ensures us to have an emotional kick and provokes our sympathy for the slavery victims. It's also refreshing to see a very calculated film with firm cinematography and poetic script in a world where shaky shots and realistic dialogues are starting to become the 'thing'. That's why I can't help but compare this to films like Shawshank Redemption or Schindler's List or Forrest Gump - it reminds me of past iconic films and it is made to be a classic.

12 Years a Slave didn't stop from its commendable technical achievements, it's also filled with powerful performances by its ensemble. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup is a quiet yet an effective lead. What I love about his performance is that he finds balance in his character's vulnerability and fighting spirit. He didn't go overboard even in his most intense scenes especially at the end. Instead, he stayed true to his reserved character. He mastered the frown and agitation drawn on his face and he's consistent from start to end. On the other hand, his co-actor, Lupita Nyong'o, is my favorite in the film. There's so much passion in this actress that glimmers even outside the film. She's absolutely my favorite part of this year's awards season. Her Patsey is so iconic to me. It is very transparent that she made more of her character than what's written, and the outcome is beautiful. Patsey's naivety, femininity, youthfulness, longingness of having a better life and enthusiasm is such a joy to watch that despite all these qualities, she yearned to end her life, adding yet another complexity to her persona. Lupita Nyong'o brought out all of these with such life. She impressed me the most in her non-speaking scenes but her line "I stink so much I make myself gag" is ironically my favorite line as well. The whipping scene felt astoundingly real and that's because of Lupita's out of this world reactions that resound from the screen to our heart strings. I'm not crazy about Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson's performances but their commitment with their characters made for an engaging experience even with its vicious content. Honorable mentions are Adepero Oduye and Paul Giamatti.

I wish 12 Years a Slave came out 2 years early for I would probably appreciate Steven Spielberg's Lincoln more if I saw this before the latter. 12 Years a Slave made me ache for triumph to this injustice and Lincoln would have been a great catharsis from the nightmare that is shown in this film.

Dallas Buyers Club

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
With: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner

Prior to watching this film, I'm not too thrilled with any of its themes: AIDS, homophobia, AZT drug, etc. Yet I knew that it will be inspiring and there's a huge possibility that I would like it, mainly because of its buzz. It exceeded my expectations. I actually like it very much. Basically, the film asks you to feel sympathy for a bigoted straight guy named Ron Woodroof. A guy who might have helped hundreds of AIDS victims not through charity, but to earn money and to save himself. He might have a change of heart and outlook in life somewhere in the film but I choose to think that Woodroof is an imperfect character who made heroic deeds in his unintentional ways.

I'm not too fond of the story. It's entertaining in its own ways but I consider Dallas Buyers Club a performance-driven film. Yes, it has a great story to tell but it was easily outshined by the performances of Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto. Seriously, they are AMAZING in this film. Both mastered the art of disappearing into their roles. Matthew McConaughey WAS Ron Woodroof. Jared Leto WAS Rayon. Both embodied their roles into perfection. I can't even pinpoint which one is better because both truly are stars of this film. Their chemistry is as excellent as their individual acts and their performances deserve all the awards that they got.

NOVEMBER 2013: Bendor, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire & Frances Ha

 

Bendor

Director: Ralston Jover
With: Vivian Velez

Full writeup

Cinema One Originals: Bendor

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Director: Francis Lawrence
With: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Sam Claffin, Jena Malone, Willow Shields, Lynn Cohen

I find the first half of the book cheesy and frustrating with all the love affections and pretentions of Katniss and Peeta with Gale looming on their relationship. I was afraid it would be a repeat of the Edward-Bella-Jacob fiasco, I did not finish it. But even though I stopped reading halfway, I find the film adaptation of Catching Fire a good one.

Suzanne Collins was able to create likable characters even more so than Katniss and Haymitch in Finnick and Johanna, and I have no shame to include Mags as well as she proved to be a coattail riding mute goddess. Francis Lawrence was successful in maintaining that likability in the film. Unfortunately, I was not able to get to know them more as I didn't come upon their parts in the book but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I had something to look forward to watching the film and Finnick and Johanna's character developments ended up being my favorite part of it. Something I can also say to Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Plutarch. But Finnick's character surprised me the most as I was successfully tricked to believe that he's going to be the resident Career or villain of the Quarter Quell. I should have known better just like how Haymitch asked Katniss and Peeta to remove all of their expectations as they're in a whole new ball game. Kudos to Sam Claffin (Finnick) and Jena Malone (Johanna) for being charming enough to portray their characters. Makes me want to read Mockingjay even though I heard it's too serious and political.

There were times in the film when I was sure Jennifer Lawrence was ridiculing her scenes in the film but you just gotta love her for doing those. She sort of showed a slice of her real self in her portrayal of Katniss. She's an epic actress now. I also love how epic she looked when she was being carried out of the arena. Overall, it's a good ensemble. Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci recurring their roles were great. They're consistently fantastic!

I still prefer Hunger Games than Catching Fire. While the visual effects and production design of the sequel improved immensely, I thought the pacing have some issues. The climax felt like it's not yet the climax. I just prefer the story of its predecessor as it's more inclined with the Battle Royalesque nature, adventure and survival that enticed me to read the book. Catching Fire did not focus on the game anymore. It explored the love triangle of Katniss which I obviously dislike but it had more complications and storylines which helped the film stand distinct with its epic predecessor.

Frances Ha

Director: Noah Baumbach
With: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Charlotte d'Amboise, Grace Gummer

We can never have enough films about people in their twenties trying to live in the concrete jungle of New York (where dreams are made of :3). Quarter life crisis themed films will always exist and will never be overdone. I guess the world needs more of these but Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig's Frances Ha is probably one of the best.

It's kind of ironic how a black and white film can be so colorful. That is possible because of Greta Gerwig's characterization of the vibrant Frances - a 27 year old dancer with a cute and quirky personality surviving NY, struggling to grow up and attached to her best friend, Sophie. It's very reminiscent of the series Girls, and a little bit of New Girl, except this is more accomplished and realistic. Frances Ha is far superior. Greta Gerwig is even more likable. She absorbs all my adoration for Lena Dunham and usurped all of it to her. I think she's better overall. Poor Lena, she's too undateable compared to Greta. D:

The script is filled with catchphrases and the whole film is like looking inside the mind of Gerwig. Of course, Gerwig shined throughout the film as she was able to cater not only her talent in acting, but dancing as well. As Frances, she managed to blend the elements of comedy and drama through her subtle mannerisms and emotions. Frances never cried once but you would see through her the emotional depth of a girl whom most of the time doesn't know how to move on with her life. It's fun to follow her every step and every decision as life throws obstacles in her way.

I've always been a fan of subtle expression of sadness through comedies and most of the time these films are the ones that touch you. There's a reason why Lost in Translation is my all time favorite film. Although I don't think Frances Ha aimed to do that, but since I got some emotions out of it, it's probably on purpose. I'm pretty sure it will be one of the films I'll rewatch from time to time. It's becoming better and better as I discuss it with people who've watched this. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch. :)