Author: Gabriel

I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t expect much. I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t think I’d title this review “I Wanna Get Out Of Here!”. I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t approach this movie without bias, that, inspite of myself, I’d approach local films on an even perspective, where I would discuss their merits or lack thereof, instead of having negative expectations by default, so as to be surprised (oh alright, “happy” then), if it achieves any semblance of a coherent story, or some measure of believability, or, frankly, anything worthile whatsoever.

But then, what can I say? At the end of the movie, we were recalling scenes from it, laughing, smiling, and feeling good, which incidentally, is reason to smile even more, since that is exactly what the movie was supposed to do – make us feel good.

I Wanna Be Happy is a story of three generations of a typical Filipino family, trying to adjust to the earth-shaking news that their eldest members, played wonderfully by The Great Eddie Garcia and Gloria Romero, have decided to call it quits, months away from a 50 year anniversary. Throughout, the three siblings Jun, Rory and Tish, played by Joey Marquez, Cherry Pie Picache and Diana Zubiri, deal with personal issues of their own.

Continue reading I Wanna Be Happy

I read somewhere months ago that Keira Knightley, at the very first premiere of the first Pirates of the Carribean: Legend of Jack Sparrow, held hands with co-stars Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, as I understand now, in an act of support, both giving and receiving, as they sat down along with, I assume, their friends, family, the rest of the cast the Hollywood Press to watch it for the first time.

After several minutes into the movie, Orlando Bloom blurted out, as Ms. Knightley relates, the words “hey, this isn’t so bad!”, or something to that effect.

Above story I remember well for three things, primarily the poignancy of great and famous movie stars such as they seeking and finding solace in one another’s company heading into the release of a film they found reason to doubt. Secondly, suddenly realizing it wasn’t so bad after all, and finally, her honesty in admitting as much, somewhat I imagine, an indication of her youth (she would have been 18 at the time), or just plain good old honesty, with no intention to delude anyone into believing she, or any of them it appears, were any at all confident.

It is sad therefore, that after watching the second of apparently two additional installments of the film no doubt inspired by the success of the first, I am fairly sure that Ms. Knightley will have no tales similar to the above to tell, her honesty and forthcoming character notwithstanding.

Simply because, unlike the first, this movie will likely not elicit the same reaction from Orlando Bloom. Unlike the first, which was surprising, and therefore, entertaining, this second is boring, and ergo, dissapointing.

Continue reading Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest