A Film And Lit Lover

One-Second Film Review: Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows (2012)

Director: Tim Burton

Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, Graham King, Johnny Depp, Christi Dembrowski, and, David Kennedy

Screenplay by: Seth Grahame-Smith

Story by: John August and Seth Grahame-Smith (based on Dan Curtis’ Dark Shadows)

Cast: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloe Grace Moretz, and, Bella Heathcote

A typical Burton film. The film is successful enough to deliver its funny lines. The audience will still love Tim Burton for this film.

One-Second Film Review: Yam Laranas’ The Road (2011)

Director: Yam Laranas

Producers: Jose Mari Abacan and Annete Gozon-Abrogar

Screenplay by: Aloy Adlawan and Yam Laranas

Cast: Carmina Villaroel, Marvin Agustin, Rhian Ramos, Barbie Forteza, TJ Trinidad, Alden Richards, Louise delos Reyes, Derrick Monasterio, Lexi Fernandez, Ynna Asistio, and Renz Valerio

Before I watched the film, I expected too much because of the wonderful reviews (by Filipinos! sadly) that it garnered since it released. Most even say that it is made as if it is from Hollywood. I greatly disagree, unless of course, you compare it with B-grade Hollywood movies. This movie is a bore (and even is worth laughing at at some scenes). Sadly for Laranas, he cannot live up to his 2004 blockbuster film, Sigaw, which has an American remake, Echo (2008), which he directed too (though oddly enough, he failed to create another good film). I blame the failure of the film to its screenplay and how the story progresses, its exposition. Moreover, why title the film “The Road” when in fact only the first part really show why it is titled so? The last two parts were mostly filmed inside a house, so, I guess you get where I am coming too.

One good thing about the film, though, is that both Derrick Monasterio and Alden Richards, whose character is so pathetic because he is too “weak” to be a murderer (the older version though, TJ Trinidad’s, is more believable), are eye candies.

One-Second Film Review: Joss Whedon’s The Avengers (2012)

Director: Joss Whedon

Producer: Kevin Feige

Screenplay by: Joss Whedon

Story by: Zak Penn and Joss Whedon (Based on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s The Avengers)

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, and Samuel L. Jackson

One-Second Film Review: David Yates’ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 1 (2010)

Director: David Yates

Producers: David Heyman, David Barron, and J.K. Rowling

Screenplay by: Steve Kloves (Based on J.K Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, John Hurt, Rhys Ifans, Jason Isaacs, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Timothy Spall, Imelda Stauton, David Thewlis, and Julie Walters

One-Second Film Review: William Brent Bell’s The Devil Inside (2012)

Director: William Brent Bell

Producers: Matthew Peterman, Morris Paulson, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Steven Schneider

Screenplay by: William Brent Bell and Matthew Peterman

Starring: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, and Suzan Crowley

Although the overall film review of this film is negative, this film is still worth watching, especially if you’re an exorcism enthusiast. Moreover, Suzan Crowley’s performance here as a possessed woman is very convincing and effective. Kudos to her!