Top 10 Movies for 2013

Since 2013 is about to end and as we welcome 2014, I decided to give you MY top 10 movies for 2013 (in no particular order mind you). This of course wouldn't be possible if not for our friends from 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks, Warner Bros. Pictures, Solar Entertainment and new additions like Captive Cinema, CrystalSky and Axinitte Digicinema. 

10. Gravity 

Nothing can be more compelling than humanity overcoming anything being thrown at them including space debris and burning space shuttles. Add to that some stellar acting from Sandra Bullock and George Clooney and Alfonso Cuaron just paved his way to an Oscar.

9. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 

The continued saga of Thorin Oakenshield together with the rest of his dwarf company and Bilbo Baggins continues and it's being shown in magnificent HFR IMAX 3D. Great adaptation and butchering of the J.R.R. Tolkien classic kids book and great way to give the ladies another fellow to swoon over in the form of Thranduil. 

8. Captain Phillips 

The only 'realistic' movie in my list. Captain Phillips is all about humanity in the face of adversity. It's a play on morals and decisions and compassion and it's got Tom Hanks in it playing the titular Captain Phillips. You'll also be amazed at the military tactics and precision that is the US Coast Guard and Navy Seals.

7. This is the End 

This one's on my list for all the sheer hilarity and dirtiness of the characters particular James Franco. I hated that they were pushing too much of the bromosexuality but that's all forgiven the moment you see the Backstreet Boys dancing in heaven to the tune of "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)".

6. Thor: The Dark World

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Tom Hiddleston return for another serving of Asgardian goodness. There's so many things to love about this sequel. More humor and more Hiddleston however are the top reasons. And they got the ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston to play the bad guy Malekith the Accursed too.

5. Iron Man 3

Never have I ever thought that Tony Stark could actually be twice as good as the Iron Man armor. Shane Black delivers a really good and solid Iron Man movie focusing equally on the massive array of Iron Man armor as well as the man inside the shell. Robert Downey Jr. truly rocked this performance. Great cast too and despite the debacle of The Mandarin, it's still a good movie to watch.

4. Man of Steel

Director Zack Snyder shows us a radically different Superman in Man of Steel. This man really punches hard and even breaks necks (literally!). The world is different and the acting was OK. Henry Cavill also shows us why he was born to play the role of Clark Kent/ Kal El/ Superman. It sucks though that there's very little chemistry between him and Lois Lane Amy Adams. Still, a pretty great movie. It's like Dragonball Z only with DC's main hero in it.

3. Frozen

A DISNEY MOVIE THAT WILL MAKE YOU SING?!?! How long has it been since that were the case. usually it's just there to make us cry but it hasn't made us sing and hum. Frozen does that and delivers a wonderful story that's loosely based on the legend of "The Ice Queen". It's a love story but it's not played out entirely like that and while the main pull might be a love angle between Christoph and Anna, it's really the sisterly love between Elsa and Anna that gets the main spotlight. Massive props too for the addition of Olaf who's quickly become a favorite character of mine.

2. Mama / The Conjuring

Can't figure which of the two I liked best so I'm chucking them as a special two-in-one deal. Guillermo Del Toro has Jessica Chastain playing a reluctant surrogate mother/ aunt whose kids brought along the diabolical 'Mama'. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson on the other hand are real life paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren. Both movies are scary and both have some sense of royalty among other horror movies that came out this year. 

1. Pacific Rim 

Giant fighting robots? Check! Giant monsters called Kaiju? Check! Two brooding and awesome pilots? Check! 3D monster-robot fights?! Check! Fuck the intricacies of the story and just watch this like 5 year old boy and you will surely enjoy this film. Nuff Said!

So there we go. Here's to more movies for 2014 and many more reviews! 

The Cuarons Release The Short Film Aningaaq

In line with the upcoming Blu-Ray and DVD release of the film "Gravity", the father and son team of Alfonso Cuaron and Jonas Cuaron release this 'companion' short film entitled "Aningaaq".

Here's the video.



IMPRESSIVE! We finally get to understand what the dude on the other end was talking about and goes back to the film's theme of life and death. Good job!

Say what you want about Gravity (Read my review of Gravity HERE) but I totally loved that movie. Sandra Bullock was great, it's full of meta, it satisfies the destruction-porn lover in me and it's got this ever-prevalent message of hope; which is very poignant now that my country is still recovering from Typhoon Yolanda aka Haiyan.

BREAKING NEWS! "Gravity" Has Fast Climb to $100-M Worldwide

BURBANK, CA – October 9, 2013 – Only five days after its record-breaking launch, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Gravity” has flown past $100 million at the worldwide box office. The film has earned an estimated $68.5 million domestically and $35.8 internationally for a global total to date of $104.3 million. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Following weeks of enthusiastic critical acclaim and huge anticipation from moviegoers, the Alfonso Cuarón-directed dramatic thriller exceeded all expectations on its opening weekend. Taking in $55.8 million domestically, “Gravity” broke a number of box office records, including those for the biggest October opening for any film, the largest IMAX opening in October ($11.8 million), and the highest opening weekend ever for stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

(In the Philippines, “Gravity” has grossed an outstanding P41.4-million as of October 9, and still climbing.)

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We are all thrilled by this start—from the tremendous critical acclaim to the fantastic response from audiences. Alfonso Cuarón and his brilliant collaborators crafted a groundbreaking film that succeeds on every level, both creatively and commercially. Word of mouth has been amazing and we expect it only to grow, keeping ‘Gravity’ strong at the box office in the weeks and months ahead.”

Kwan Vandenberg noted, “‘Gravity’ is a riveting and relatable human drama that has struck a chord with moviegoers in countries around the globe. We are excited by these numbers and know this is just the beginning, with much-anticipated openings coming up in major markets such as the UK, France, Japan, Korea, Brazil and Mexico.”

Sue Kroll, Warner Bros. Pictures President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, said, “The buzz on ‘Gravity’ began building when we unveiled the film at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Critical raves and screening audience reactions reinforced what we already knew—that the combination of thrilling drama, breathtaking visuals, and powerful performances made this a film that had to be experienced on the big screen.” President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production Greg Silverman added, “Sue and I join everyone at Warner Bros. in congratulating Alfonso Cuarón, producer David Heyman, screenwriter Jonás Cuarón, Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and all the other talented artists who worked to make ‘Gravity’ an unequivocal cinematic achievement.”

In “Gravity,” Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left.

But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.
(Now playing across the Philippines in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular theatres, “Gravity” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.)

Alfonso Cuaron Defies Odds to Bring "Gravity" to Big Screen (Opens Oct 3)

“I have always had a fascination with space and space exploration,” states Alfonso Cuarón, the director, producer and co-writer of Warner Bros.’ new dramatic thriller “Gravity.” He continues, “On the one hand, there is something mythical and romantic about the idea of separating yourself from Mother Earth. But in many ways, it doesn’t make sense to be out there when life is down here.”

In “Gravity,” Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“Gravity” was co-written by Alfonso Cuarón and his son, Jonás, marking their first official collaboration. “I was inspired by Jonás’s ideas for the movie,” Alfonso says. “I was very intrigued by his sense of pace in a life-or-death situation that dealt primarily with a single character’s point of view. But, at the same time, placing the story in space immediately made it more expansive and offered immense metaphorical possibilities.”

Jonás Cuarón adds, “The concept of space was interesting to us both; it is a setting where there is no easy way to survive, thousands of miles from what we call home, so it was perfect for a movie about surmounting adversities and having to find your way back. We also wanted it to be a realistic story, which required us to do extensive research to become familiar with space exploration in order to depict a plausible scenario.”
The filmmakers soon discovered that they would need to push the boundaries of moviemaking to tell a story that transpires wholly in zero gravity. “I have to say that I was a bit naïve; I thought making the film would be a lot simpler,” Cuarón admits. “Yes, I knew it would require a certain amount of tricks, but it was not until we started trying conventional techniques that I realized in order to do the film the way I wanted to do it, we were going to have to create something entirely new.”

To accomplish that, Cuarón called upon cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, and visual effects supervisor Tim Webber of Framestore. “From the get-go, Chivo, Tim and I decided we wanted everything to look like we took our camera into space. That would have been my dream, but, of course, that’s not feasible,” Cuarón smiles.

Simply put—though there was nothing simple about it—the filmmakers did not want anything akin to a sci-fi fantasy world, but rather to depict the stark realities of being marooned in the harshest environment known to mankind.

That objective turned out to be a game changer.

The filmmakers invented entire systems to generate the illusion of being in space in ways that were both totally convincing and utterly visceral. As a result, “Gravity” is a hybrid of live-action, computer animation and CGI, with sets, backgrounds and even costumes rendered digitally.

“Gravity” had been envisioned from the beginning as a 3D cinematic experience. Jonás Cuarón says, “The concept was always to do this movie in 3D because we wanted people to be truly immersed in the imagery as well as the narrative.”

That said, Alfonso Cuarón emphasizes, “We didn’t want it to be 3D for the sake of things flying in your face. We tried to be subtle…to let you feel like you’re inside the journey.”

Despite all the technological breakthroughs developed in making “Gravity,” the journey that remained the most vital to the cast and filmmakers was the personal one at the heart of the story—particularly that of Ryan, who is alone for a large part of the film.

“For us,” Jonás Cuarón offers, “the meaning of ‘Gravity’ isn’t just what keeps your feet on the ground. It’s the force that is constantly pulling you back home.”



The director affirms, “Throughout the film there are constant visual references of Earth as this beautiful, nurturing place. And floating above it is a woman who is cut off from her nurturing self. We wanted to explore the allegorical potential of a character in space who is spiraling further into the void, a victim of her own inertia, moving away from Earth, where life and human connections reside. Amidst all the tools and effects, we were always clear that Ryan’s struggle is a metaphor for anyone who has to overcome adversity in life and get to the other side. It is a journey of rebirth.”

Opening across the Philippines in Oct. 3 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular theatres, “Gravity” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

10 Thoughts on Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity

Caught Alfonso Cuaron's GRAVITY last night and all I can say is "floored"! I was floored by the script, the visuals and the spellbinding power that Cuaron used in crafting this space-age story of survival, life and death. Here's a rundown of 10 thoughts about the film which comes out Oct. 3 from Warner Bros. Pictures.

1. The film is as close as we can get to actually be in space. The first thirty minutes of the film was a major doozy. It not only introduces us to the cast but in a way shows us that we are small specks in the universe.

2. Sandra Bullock's performance here rocks. I was turned off by her role in "The Heat" (although there were great reviews for that film) but seeing her as Dr. Ryan Stone in Gravity brought her back to "Academy Award Winner" status in my book. Bullock goes from sardonic to frantic to dejected and finally to a fighter. All that in a well written movie.

3. Sandra Bullock looks hot by the way. 

4. George Clooney's role is a surprisingly good one. Clooney plays Matt Kowalski, the mission leader in this disastrous mission ins the cold vacuum of space. He's also playing the role of the exposition tool, a means for the audience to get to know more about Bullock's Stone. 

5. Gravity is a story about life. It begs us to answer the question of whether or not we are willing to just lay down and die when facing a bigger problem or do we fight. It's a basic question that's been tackled on so many different levels. Gravity just upped the ante by putting the scenario in space.

6. It's not science fiction but rather science fact. People who have seen the trailer for Gravity thinks that this is going to be one of those big sci-fi epics. Yes, it's grand and big but there are no laser guns or aliens. Just an astronaut with a huge chip on her shoulders thrust into a very dangerous and shitty situation. More fun for moviegoers. Gravity is also a good way to introduce kids to life in space and how it can be very terrible to stay up there for months.



7. The symbolism is just rich here in this film. I'm not sure if Cuaron made sure that viewers would get some of the stuff that he placed but it's really there. Just train your eyes to keep out for those "small things" and subtle imagery. One of the very best subtleties at the top of my head was that part where Bullock enters the Russian space station and just sucks in as much oxygen as possible while taking off her space suit slowly. The chapter/ act ends with her just lying there in zero-g in a fetal position with cords all around her. It's that part of the movie where you go "wow" to everything presented on that big-ass silverscreen.

8. Plot twist. Leave it to Cuaron and the rest of the team to escalate things quickly and make a good surprising "plot twist". Plus that ending is very uplifting.

9. Again, Gravity ain't exactly original. We've seen this story from stuff like "2001: A Space Odyssey" to "Castaway". That being said, have a source of inspiration didn't act like a crutch for the film. In fact, I feel that these "predecessors" has given a lot of good things for the film. Just don't call this a "space age version of Castaway" because that is not entirely true.

10. This is one of the top-notch films that came out this year and I'm happy I got the chance to see this. The film warrants a second and a third viewing (again all in IMAX) and you'll see how well crafted and brilliant this film is.



Special thanks to the good folks at Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines.



GRAVITY OPENS OCT. 3.

Space-Walking With George Clooney in "Gravity" (Opens Oct 3)

“I grew up with the space race; I am a child of that era,” says George Clooney, who stars with Sandra Bullock in Warner Bros.’ new, deep space thriller “Gravity.” “I have always loved the idea of space exploration and am in awe of the people who do it. They really are the last of the great pioneers.”

In “Gravity,” Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

“The thing about adversities is that they take us out of our comfort zone,” explains director Alfonso Cuarón. “In order to do that with Ryan, we needed her to be new to spaceflight. But for the rest to make sense, we also needed a mentor figure—someone who could guide her through the process and help her figure things out.”

That mentor is Matt Kowalski, portrayed by Clooney, who says he had a list of reasons for wanting to do the film, starting with the script. “I loved the screenplay, which is the first reason you ever want to make a film if you’re an actor. And I liked the character a lot; I thought he would be fun to play.”

Clooney continues that “Gravity” also presented the chance to team with two people he admires greatly. “Sandy and I have been good friends for very long time, but we never found the right vehicle for us to do something together. I have always had tremendous respect for her, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner to act with. And I think Alfonso Cuarón is one of the most interesting and talented directors we have. I honestly thought ‘Children of Men’ was a masterpiece, and have wanted to work with him. So everything about this seemed like a great opportunity to me, and I was proud to be a part of it.”

Cuarón describes Clooney’s character as “the counterpart to Ryan. Matt is very much at ease in that environment; he is as expansive as Ryan is insulated. If you were going into space, Matt is the guy you would want with you.”

Those on the set felt the same way about the man. “George is a life force,” states Bullock. “In many respects, he does parallel his character because Matt is the one who breathes life into every single moment; he loves nothing more than seeing the world from the vantage point of space. But what’s so electric about George isn’t just his face, it’s his voice. He has that voice that makes you feel like he’s a friend; he’s someone who has been there and can make you believe everything is going to be okay. It’s like that for Ryan with Matt. And that’s how George is to work with…until he starts causing trouble and then you have to watch your back every minute,” she teases.

Clooney’s practical jokes have, in fact, become the stuff of Hollywood legend, but the parameters established by the production’s technology forced something of a moratorium. “It required a certain discipline because of all the elements that were already in place,” the actor acknowledges. “So I just put myself in the hands of the smartest guys in the room, beginning with Alfonso. But working with Sandy made it fun, so there was truly a lot of laughing.”

Opening across the Philippines in Oct. 3 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular theatres, “Gravity” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Thriller "Gravity" Has Sandra Bullock Lost in Space (Opens Oct 3)

In casting the lead character Dr. Ryan Stone in Warner Bros.' new thriller “Gravity,” who is in nearly every frame of the film, director Alfonso Cuarón knew he needed an actress who could handle both the physical and psychological demands of the role, which were equally daunting. He found her in Sandra Bullock, whom producer David Heyman calls “a brilliant actor working at the height of her powers. She brought such truth and conviction to her performance.”

In the film, Ryan Stone (Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) in command. But on a seemingly routine mission, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalski completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

When we meet Mission Specialist Ryan Stone, she is all business, concentrating on the task at hand and not engaging in the playful exchange between the other astronauts and Mission Control. Even Matt Kowalski’s unending tall stories—all-too-familiar to those back in Houston—fail to distract Ryan as she works to implement her new scanning system on the Hubble Telescope. However, her focus and detachment are not driven by the job but by a personal tragedy.



“Ryan suffered a devastating loss,” says Bullock. “When I started delving into the character, I had to ask myself what I would do, and I’d probably do exactly the same thing she did. She withdrew. When Alfonso and I started talking about the character, it was clear we shared an understanding of her and also had the same questions. Why do we retreat when tragedy strikes, when being with others is what can save you? How often are we hit by life and won’t ask for help? In a way, what Ryan goes through is a compelling allegory for ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ She wanted to be alone and she got it.”

“One of the major themes of the film is that element of isolation,” Cuarón relates. “But it can be very scary for an actor to spend huge chunks of screen time on her own, not interacting with another human being. Sandra and I had many discussions about finding the balance between what she would say or not say, or by what actions she would express what Ryan is feeling. We agreed there should be a level of ambiguity to her character, but we also needed to anchor her emotionally. I think Sandra dug into some really dark corners to deliver what she did in her performance. I was more than thrilled and extremely grateful to her.”

Bullock has equal praise for her director. “It was the most collaborative experience I’ve ever had. I’ve admired Alfonso for so long, but working with him exceeded all my expectations. He is a master filmmaker and collaborator, who makes everyone around him want to give their best. He’s also an extraordinary human being…I mean, someone who is not involved emotionally, philosophically and spiritually could not have made something so profound.”

While aspects of her character evolved through Bullock’s conversations with the director, there were several constants that remained, beginning with Ryan being female. Co-screenwriter Jonás Cuarón says, “It was always important to us that the central character be a woman, because we felt there was an understated but vital correlation of her being a maternal presence against the backdrop of Mother Earth.”



Apart from that, the screenwriters needed Ryan to be an untested astronaut, who was there for her scientific expertise. “She, of course, had some training,” Jonás notes, “but she is a mission specialist, not a pilot, so when the shuttle is destroyed, she is unprepared to deal with such an extreme situation.”

Opening across the Philippines in Oct. 3 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular theatres, “Gravity” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

"Gravity" Character Posters Debut Online

Two new character posters for Alfonso Cuaron's “Gravity” are now online, featuring George Clooney's Matt Kowalsky and Sandra Bullock's Dr. Ryan Stone. Check them out below!

Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in the heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space.

In the film, Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

Opening across the Philippines in Oct. 3 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular cinemas, “Gravity” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

First Trailer and Poster for Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity

It's not a John Mayer song, Gravity is a film directed by Alfonso Cuarón; the same director who gave us the classic film "Children of Men" (which was very similar to the X-Men storyline Messiah Complex). The film stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.

Here's the official press release from Warner Bros Philippines: Academy Award® winners Sandra Bullock (“The Blind Side”) and George Clooney (“Syriana”) star in “Gravity,” a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. The film was directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuarón (“Children of Men”).