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Growing order Review by Vives Anunciacion Inquirer Libre July 13, 2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Directed by David Yates Based on the book by JK Rowling Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint GP / 138 minutes Warner Brothers Pictures *** (3 stars) It’s been four movies since Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) is now binata . How time flies. Or in this case, like a Phoenix: time stops in the middle and resurrects towards the end of the fifth and most information-laden Harry Potter movie. Order of the Phoenix represents a crucial point in our pop-cultural lives: the beginning of the end of Harry Potter. In the movie, the Ministry of Magic flatly denies the return of the Dark Lord (Voldemort, played by Ralph Fiennes) while Harry and Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) desperately try to convince it otherwise. Harry returns to Hogwart’s for the fifth time, and finds Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) interfering with Hogwart’s affairs ...

McToughie Review by Vives Anunciacion Die Hard 4.0 Directed by Len Wiseman Starring Bruce Willis, Justin Long PG 13/ 130 minutes 20th Century Fox ** ½ (2 ½ stars) Seems like old times. It’s been twelve years since detective John McClane last appeared to shoot ‘em bad guys. He just keeps going. On the Fourth of July weekend, computer hackers attack the main networks of the US infrastructure grid, shutting down its transportation, communications and power. Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is on a routine assignment to bring computer hacker Matt Ferrel (Justin Long) to the FBI when McClane discovers that Ferrel is one of the hackers hired by a mysterious organization out to topple the US financial system. As the federal government scrambles to restore order while figuring out who the perpetrators are, tough guy McClane and tech geek Ferrel emerge as the unlikely dynamic duo who will stop the terrorists’ plans at all costs, even risking the life of McClane’s daughter Lucy (Mary Elizab...

Roll out! Review by Vives Anunciacion Inquirer Libre June 29,2007 Transformers Directed by Michael Bay Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Peter Cullen (voice) Based on the toys and cartoon of the same name GP/ 143 minutes DreamWorks, Paramount, Hasbro *** ½ (3 ½ stars) It only happens to a few films: at the end of the press screening, the audience exploded into cheer. Transformers is entertainment to a perfect T and filmmaking of impressive proportions. Make way for the first bona fide summer blockbuster of the year. Based on the extremely popular 1980s cartoons and action figures from US toymaker Hasbro, Transformers is Michael Bay’s most action-packed popcorn movie since the smart sci-fi, The Island and the Will Smith action-comedy Bad Boys II. In Transformers, Earth becomes the battleground between Autobots and Decepticons locked in an ancient battle for the possession of the all-powerful cube and planet Cybertron’s source of life and energy, the Allspark, which landed on Earth thous...

Flotsam and jetsam Review by Vives Anunciacion Inquirer Libre June 18, 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Directed by Tim Story Based on the characters created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby Starring Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis GP / 92 minutes Twentieth Century Fox/ Marvel Enterprises ** ½ (2 ½ stars) There are many things to like in Rise of the Silver Surfer – the Surfer, the Torch and Jessica Alba. But there are also as many things not to like in it – Alba’s makeup, the dull action, and of all things, Galactus. Behold – a very nice bad movie. Manhattan’s fabulous foursome reunite in a more action-oriented, plot-driven sequel to the 2005surprise hit, Fantastic Four. In Rise of the Silver Surfer, the Fantastic Four battle an intergalactic threat that is about to swallow the earth whole. In the movie, superstar superheroes Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd) and Susan Storm (Invisible Woman played by Jessica Alba) are about to exchange “I Do’s...

Oh the charm Review by Vives Anunciacion Ocean’s Thirteen Directed by Steven Soderbergh Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Al Pacino PG 13/ 122 minutes Warner Brothers *** (3 stars) They should be put behind bars, for what they are really is a merry band of slick thieves. Somebody tried to do so in Ocean’s Twelve, but Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his merry band are way too fashionable for the slammer. Third time’s the charm for the new rat pack in Ocean’s Thirteen. In the movie, hotel czar Willie Bank (Al Pacino) defrauds one of the original Eleven, Reuben (Elliott Gould) from ownership of a new hotel casino in Las Vegas. Danny Ocean gathers the entire gang, including Rusty (Brad Pitt) and Linus (Matt Damon), to exact revenge against greedy Willie. Their plan is to bankrupt Willie’s new casino on its opening night to the tune of $500 million by staking their most elaborate heist as thieves. To do so, as Danny and Rusty so intricately explain to a prospective partner, t...

Horror scope Review by Vives Anunciacion Inquirer Libre May 30, 2007 Zodiac Directed by David Fincher Based on the book by Robert Graysmith Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey, Jr. R13/ 158 minutes Warner Brothers Pictures *** ½ (3 ½ stars) Most suspense thrillers attempt to satisfy their audience with non-stop action chases, quick cross-cutting scenes, mega plot-twists and rising music. Meet the anti-thriller thriller. Director David Fincher is best known for reshaping the crime thriller in the groundbreaking 1995 drama Se7en starring Brad Pitt. In that movie, two detectives (one of them played by Pitt, the other by Morgan Freeman) are thrown into the darkest pits of human behavior while on a chase to find a serial killer, known only as John Doe, who uses the seven deadly sins as MO. In Fight Club (1999), Fincher vented suppressed male aggression when an unknown office employee (Edward Norton) and a soap salesman (Brad Pitt) start an organization that erupts into g...

(review in Filipino) Bean there, bean that Rebyu ni Vives Anunciacion Inquirer Libre, May 28, 2007 Mr. Bean’s Holiday Direksiyon ni Steve Bendelack GP/ 90 minuto Universal Pictures/ Studio Canal ** ½ (2 ½ stars) Kung tutuusin, isa siyang salot na may kasunod na disgrasya saan man siya mapadpad, anuman ang kaniyang gawin. Nakatatawa man si Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) sa TV, hindi ibig sabihin ganoon din iyon kaagad sa pelikula. Buti na lang, pwedeng tiisin. Sa Mr. Bean’s Holiday, panalo sa raffle ng trip to France si Mr. Bean (first name, ayon sa passport niya, ay Rowan). Dying to see the dagat si Mr. Bean, kaya tuwang-tuwa siya nang manalo. Pero gaya ng nangyayari sa kaniya sa TV, sangkaterbang kamalasan ang kanyang matitikman marating lang ang mainit na buhangin ng Cannes, France. Malamang hindi pa nila naririnig ang Boracay. Gamit ang kaniyang handheld video camera, malilibot ni Mr. Bean ang magagandang tanawin sa France bago niya marating ang Cannes. Sa kanyang paglalakbay, makakasama...