Watch Me: Seventh Son, and the awesome queen performance

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I've been intrigued by the story and movie entitled Seventh Son, directed by Sergei Bodrov, back in 2014. Where I first knew about the movie through an interview with Julianne Moore and that it's not her normal role to portray, which was a villain. Something that made me fascinated on how she would do was quite worth it.

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Medieval times rang with the stench of high belief in magic and fantasy, where the good and evil had no fine line since they had physical manifestation, especially the evil. Welcome the realm of Seventh Son where being a hunter of evil, a warrior of light, is a real and practically the most dangerous job of all time.

The film focuses on the folklore of "the seventh son of a seventh son", where the seventh son holds a prowess strong enough to be comparable to witches, trolls, and other supernatural monsters of their time. John Gregory, the last Spook, is on a quest to rid the world of the revived witch queen Mother Malkin. His quest brought him to the life of Tom Ward, a teenage herds boy, who has the ability to see visions, the seventh son of the seventh son, and an eager soul to get out of his country life yearning for an adventurous one.

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Yep, my purpose to see Julianne Moore to portray the villain, Mother Malkin, was worth every penny (forgive my irony for this statement).

Folklore's and medieval themed fantasy movies are always a good taste for my fiction loving tongue. Complete with dragons, mystical shape shifter's, and the sprinkle of simple olden times life, always stirs a nice soup of imagination for my brain.

The choice for the casting feels like not my cup of tea though, especially the lead roles for Gregory and Tom, although they grow into you as the story goes by. Even the young witch lover for Tom, Alice, was quite a pick. Maybe the re-write of the story, from the original books under author Joseph Delaney, might have to do with the unusual personalities the actors portrayed. Or maybe I'm just looking for a good justification of some of the blandness I find during the course of their dialogues, acting and story.

Either way, it doesn't pull down the good parts of the film, from it's unusual dry humour in between everything and the fierce Julianne Moore witch queen. Yes, this is a blatant fan girl to her portrayal, even the moments that she would show her human side due to the hurt she had experienced (I couldn't guess well if it was the same with the book, since I have a hunch it became that to a certain point for ex-machina reasons in re-writing the story from the book) was superbly fitting to the character she wants to shape the queen into.

The rushed parts and elements of the story was melded well, in comparison to some book to movie ones I've watched, where you could clearly say that there was a missing chunk of progress lacking for the characters growth to come a full circle. The only thing I could say that was forced was the romance for Tom and Alice's part, as they used the density (destiny) excuse for the ultimate reason of their attraction but covered it's traces by a moment where Alice explains it as if it was scientific. Copper metal in friction contact with another but sparks happened due to dust.

Wish that excuse worked in real life. It does but not on the scale where two people has this obvious tension between them.

Last words, this movie was a good roller coaster ride. Maybe reading the books would shed better light with things, and I hope no review somewhere out there from a fan of the book felt completely blasphemed and disappointed for all the missing bits they enjoyed from the book.

P.S. Kit Harrington died early in this film, I didn't know it was him until I realized in his dying moments.

Watch Me: sort of The Last Dragonslayer

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Sure I'm guilty for watching a movie by it's title and the poster, which is common, but that's how I got to watch The Last Dragonslayer that was produced by Blueprint Pictures shown in Sky One on the Christmas of 2016. A story based from a book authored by Jasper Fforde.

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Don't you feel eager to learn about a medieval themed world infested with modern day thinking and innovations, such as the concept of marketing and the budding age of electricity and automation under the noses of magic. Here lies the fascinating mix up of the Last Dragonslayer as it starts with an orphan girl named Jennifer, last name Strange, as she was "fairly" adopted by Mr. Zambini. A man who managed an agency that contracts magicians to do almost all the oddest jobs they are capable of.

After growing up under her foster fathers care, one day he vanishes and a series of events brings forth Jennifers fate into the unassuming role of the Last Dragonslayer.

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Again, I've encountered an imagination fuel for the mind of a lover of fantasy.

The Last Dragonslayer is a nice mix and mash of a universe in the brink of being unable to surpass mechanical and engineering like science because of the existence of magic. Compelling characters that so far is lovable in terms of their authenticity and rawness in regards to it's human emotions and desires. Plus the complexities of their universe, laws, and the blatant play of modern concept of advertising marketing and sales in the play of medieval set.

There's a charm to Elise Chappells portrayal of Jennifer with no over exaggeration and simple acts and emotions, there might be no grounds for me to judge the way she portrayed the character since I have never read the books myself. Still, the actress still captured a genuine that levels everything else in the story. Jennifer, the heroine, simply makes you want to be her friend with her smartness, fair compassion, her love and gratitude to her father, plus her eagerness to just be a simple girl who wants to work with her foster father.

Comparing Jennifer to the absurd side characters; might be a recurring formula for some fiction stories to have side characters that simply balances out the main leads almost simple character, that walked around her somehow made her seem desirable. Something I easily fall for most often, not that I put my self into the leads shoes, but I myself feel compelled to give her a nice peppy attention that the other characters seem to give her. Although, mine started at an earlier point in the story.

The story though was your typical hero thrown into the throngs of destiny due to untold historical circumstances that have lead to the demise of the kingdom. You have your typical mysterious events from a long time ago, that the hero had to unfold due to a lot of unanswerable questions that would lead to the current situations solution. Typical ex-machina situations, cause why not magic and fiction. Plus character tropes with typical scenario endings, like the hidden twist where the assistant who was the best one the hero could find is actually one of the enemies, the judas iscariot.

That however was not stopping anyone from connecting with Jennifer who along the ride was pouring her best, that typical underdog feeling. Selling it like so shouldn't be something wrong about this story, even though it's been a proven seller to viewers, at least the underdog tale didn't sell the plot and scenarios, and it's plot twist, short.

Being enamored by dragons and the mythical world of magical crossing steampunk genre isn't such a bad thing. Somehow, you won't be tired of it because the dialogues and characters are well thought out and worth the giggle. By the end of the movie you'd have gained that warm fuzzy feeling and joy that simply puts you in a sense that somehow you'd want more.

Imagine hearing a recounted tale like Jennifers from a friend over a nice warm beer in the cold winter. How about that?

Over-all, this movie is a good kid friendly story that as I said fuels the imagination enough to inspire someone to simply walk out the cinema doors and create something, or even go into a nice adventure.

Watch Me: teenie boppering The 5th Wave

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Out of curiosity, and being a weirdly loyal fan of Chloe Moretz, I tried watching one of her latest sci-fi themed movie entitled The 5th Wave directed by J.Blakeson from the same titled book written by Rick Yancey.

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Life was pretty much normal for Cassie Sullivans world, until a mysterious large hovering space craft the size of a continent became the dead ringer start of events unfolding into an apocalyptic battle between man and the alien race named as the Others.

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Believe me when I say this movie may have, like all the other nice movies out there, a good and curious universe that can very well establish a footing fit for a nice theatrical prowess, it is not unavoidably subject under a mainstream over used theme. Such as this very element of aliens being able to infest inside a human like a parasite, rendering their host under their very control, a.k.a. that Stephanie Meyer book the Host with the almost same type of alien.

This however is not the selling point of this movie, but the depicted experiences of Cassie and their eventual events into a future unknown under the invasion of the Others. Which to my opinion is pretty well composed, in terms of the flow of events fairly edited from the book into a feature film.

Might as very well clarify that it was very evident that the movie is a stepping stone opening for a long ass story, it's open ended conclusion after they saved Cassies sibling simply says "I'm supposed to have a continuation".

I've barely any knowledge of the book and how it's characters, events, and style of writing is unfurled. Basing from the movie, there are heavily built ex-machina scenarios edited from the original, and possibly characters intentionally omitted. Though, I am not a very critical person, and that to I simply enjoyed the flow. Disregarding the obvious romance tension happening between select characters, the action and adventure elements seems a good 8 out of 10 grade.

Simply put, this might be a B grade movie even to it's reader fan base. But I wouldn't mind seeing the sequel happen even if the movie itself isn't compelling, just out of curiosity on what will be happening next into the lives of the characters.

Over-all it might be better to just follow the books, own them and read to your hearts content; and treat the movie like a large fan base advertisement for it.

Watch Me: bus rides with Captain Fantastic

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How much do you regret missing to watch a movie when it showed in your cinemas? That's right, immensely, and that my friends is how I started feeling when I watched director Matt Ross' Captain Fantastic.

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Starring a father and his family of six children on a quest to rid their lives, not really since they're completely smart and able for their age/s, of life ignorance from the forest they used to live in and discover the world through an awesome bus ride back to their mothers home town to evidently emotionally move on after her departing with drastically wonderful familial results.  

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No words can fully describe the magnificence of the story besides the accurate title itself, fantastic. 

There's something about a family coming of age relevantly intelligent comedy drama that sounds vibrantly complicated. Of course, to me that's a perfect description of the Cash family and their growth through the course of this story.

To those who are blatantly curious the Cash family decided to live their lives in the forest in hopes of helping the matron of the house to recover from her mental illness, according to wikipedia is Bi-Polar disorder; please excuse my lack of remembrance to that particular detail. From hence, they have lived their lives in a well did make shift lodging in the middle of the wilderness and living their lives like indian nomads.

Cutting down to the chase, there are several playing topics that hits the story fairly well and how realistic the issues that were tackled in it. Besides the growth of select characters upon being thrown into the real world, the greatest of it plays upon the role of Ben and the choices he and his wife made to their family. They were the bud of difference and radically apart from all the growing complacence and spoiled life style of modern day man. Teaching their children practical survival skills they will need in their everyday life in and out of their forest. 

From there you can already tell that there would be question to their ability in adapting to modern day mans life, with which the question is it worth keeping the uniqueness of your life just to retain abhor against society's lifestyle that sounds like an everyday brainwash propaganda. This was playfully shown as they first encounter their taste of modern family man by spending time in their mothers sisters house. 

Character growth is clear and distinct, changing at the right time and progressing in a pace that is considerably enough to show the characters of how strong their family as individuals are. There really is little to praise and critic to the flow of Captain Fantastic. Every fiber detail is neither impossible nor dull. The realism compelled rawness befitting that of how gentle they touched the issues and solved it with grace.

Elegance reeked the tale of Captain Fantastic and worth a watch that will open your mind to concepts of how a critical mind works in a body of a complex emotional. Enjoy the involvement that they show more human than anyone could ever see.

  

Watch Me: How to Be Single and not just the statement

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These days, it's promising to encounter stories that just blatantly tells an absurd realistic connection between relationships. As a filipino, I always encountered cheesy romances that can simply touch and make you laugh by the local bunch. But nothing compared to the blatant liberated passion of a story that needed to just tell you everything is gonna be fine after a long ride. Like all feel good movies, How to Be Single by Christian Ditter, is a good reminder nothings wrong for a certain type of stereotype called being Single. 

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Story revolves around the friends Alice, Meg, Robin, and a fourth girl, entirely does not interact with any of the three girls but connected only through one character, named Lucy. Below lists all the nicest poking moments flowing for the story.

A. Nice beginner tutorial about realizing the life of a workaholic, free spirit, kindred spirit, and a trying hard to be a robot

B. The men here doesn't miraculously flock around the women, they actually have the sense to fall for their personalities

C. Possibly makes the location a place filled with parties, I think IT IS

D. Coining the term Dick-sand for a character who loves being the kindred spirit without thinking that she herself might be her own kindred spirit

E. Women who are in-love are total ass holes and douche bags to those who one sided-ly pursues them, which isn't a secret to anyone

F. It's a one step at a time guide to living your life as you pleased it

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By far, according to my bias blood, that this movie is the best roller coaster mixed nuts ride that I've watched. Since I'm a sad sap sucker for some fairly well written chick flicks; to me, this movie spells a good letter of recommendations for any person-kind from the Oxford of "a feel good comedy movie worth your try". Not to be completely recommending this movie without warning anyone that there will BE character stereo-tropes and predictable scenarios, cheesy lines maybe, but over all best in representing emotional realism when it comes to recovering from a break up, desiring to break away from being single, and just enjoying your self for being single.

I couldn't go technical for the most part since the entire style of the story is like a book written by a modern yuppie extrapolating her/his experience in the big city by cherry picking scenarios. A typical man-child looking for a new chapter in their life after it has grandly closed behind them. But, all movies are like that, yet so does every media so far.

Might I add that this movie is a perfect flick to recover you from being down, especially when your problem involves life and how un-fucking-fair it has been so far based on your own petty judgement, if you allow yourself to think like so. 

This movie has a specific demographic that completely goes under the dramatic radar. The mix of scenarios will surely still pick their cynical ass up due to it's easy to emotionally relate level. Actor casting doesn't go under and their roles were portrayed justifiably. Scenario blending didn't suck as bad as a certain fantasy movie based from a famous cartoon series, and nothing of the flow did not feel off but at least a fitting piece to the larger picture.

All in all this movie is recommended only to a level where you are a simple person looking for a simple feel good movie.