FilmReviews: Martin Scorsese's The Departed

Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it?

Finally watched The Departed earlier today on DVD and I was really very impressed with it.We'll talk about my insights about the film in a little while.The Departed is directed by master filmmaker Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver/GoodFellas) and stars an all-star talented cast that consists of Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic/Gangs of New York),Academy Award Winners Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) & Jack Nicholson (The Shining/As Good As It Gets/Chinatown),Mark Wahlberg (Three Kings/Four Brothers),Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now),Ray Winstone,Vera Farmiga and Alec Baldwin (The Hunt For Red October).The Departed tells the tale of An undercover state cop who infiltrated a Mafia clan and a mole in the police force working for the same mob race to track down and identify each other before being exposed to the enemy, after both sides realize their outfit has a rat.And,the plot is exactly like that if you haven't seen it.But if you have seen it,you know there are more and more revelations.



As far as I'm concerned,The Departed is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime-thriller,Infernal Affairs and The Departed's screenwriter William Monahan adapted it's screenplay from Infernal Affairs.Meaning The Departed is the American version of the Hong Kong hit thriller film,but added with Scorsese's twisted,smart direction.The Departed follows the question of "Who's working for who?" as the plot follows the story of an undercover state cop who infiltrated a Mafia clan and a mole in the police force working for the same mob race to track down and identify each other before being exposed to the enemy, after both sides realize their outfit has a rat.The plot is simple,but in times a little complicated.But still,it was easy to understand.But the thing here is,the two main characters raise questions.Also,once you watch the film,you must need to focus clearly or else,you might definitely miss something important in the plot.The experience I had here wasn't same with my first viewing of Inception,but for me,it was still pretty hard to understand because of the twists and turns.Maybe a 2nd viewing is really necessary.But again,I understand the plot well.The great thing in my experience while watching this is,I was shocked when I found out that there was another mole when it was revealed in the end.And turns out,that other mole was Barrigan, (Played by James Badge Dale) Colin's (Played by Matt Damon) co-worker.I was like "WTF?!" during that scene.I really never suspected he was a mole and neither would you.I was really surprised during that scene,no kidding.Also,the film's plot heavily relies on the use of cellphones as it is one of the characters' ways of communicating.It was no hassle,no fuss.It didn't ruin the plot or anything in fact,it was very useful. Hoorah!.The Departed has a solid,clever thrilling storyline that is infused by Martin Scorsese's twisted methods in directing making it a film that will keep you guessing until the end.Also,The Departed's storytelling is Oscar worthy and it highly deserved the Best Picture achievement.

The Departed has a talented cast so no doubt that it has really great performances.Leonardo DiCaprio was really amazing as Billy Costigan,the undercover cop.He was just so bad-ass.I've never seen DiCaprio act like this before.Truly remarkable.I really don't know why the Academy snobs him.He's just a great actor,accept it.And he deserved the first in billing,'cause he was the true star in here.Second best performance here would be Jack Nicholson's as the mob boss Frank Costello.From his opening scene to his last,he was just awesome.He fit the gangster character archetype.He just felt so sinister but with dark wit.Every line he muttered was just so great and awesome.Third best performance for me would be Mark Wahlberg's.Wahlberg played Staff Sergeant Dignam who was the Capt's right hand man.And Marky Mark was the second bad-ass in here and served as one of the film's comic reliefs for his smart,funny but bad-ass lines.Here's an example of one of his bad-ass  lines: "Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself.".Sounds bad-ass huh? That's because it really is.Specially with Marky Mark's wonky Bostonian accent.Matt Damon performed well too,but he didn't get my attention much because I was busy giving emphasis to those three actors mentioned above.But still,he was pretty good.The supporting cast was good too in case you're wondering.Martin Sheen,Ray Winstone,Vera Farmiga and Alec Baldwin all acted well also.The Departed has a great,awesome,bad-ass dialogue that are all well-written.It also had one of the best lines I heard in a film and one of those is that line said by Mark Wahlberg.Really superb.Two thumbs to the scriptwriter/s.

The Departed won 4 Oscars and one of those achievements is Best Film Editing (Thelma Schoonmaker) and no wonder it won.Those transitions from one scene to another are just rather amazing.Same with the cinematography.The score was great,it was thrilling and sometimes spine-chilling and that's because it was handled in the hands of Howard Shore.Who also scored Se7en.Even the soundtrack was bad-ass,the Irish rock-music that plays throughout the film fit the film's vibe and it added greatness to the film.The visuals of the film are spectacular and well shot,specially the final frame,the very last one before the credits rolled.All in all,The Departed was amazing in the technical department.The music was just unforgettable.

The Departed is directed by Martin Scorsese,so it's no doubt it was great.The guy is a veteran and is highly respected.And by far,this is the best film I've seen from him next to Taxi Driver.His direction and guidance in this was really masterful and because of that,the film has now become one of the American crime classic films.

The Departed is infused by great performances from the skilled roster of actors,brilliant storytelling that will keep you guessing and Scorsese's one of a kind direction.If you love crime-thrillers,this one is a must-not-miss.This is an instant classic.Worth re-watching again and again.

This brilliant crime thriller The Departed gets 8.7 out of 10 stars.


That poster above is a great alternative artwork for the film as it signifies the film's iconic final frame with the rat scuttling around the window rails as the background is set with the Massachusetts State House's gold dome.Classy.

*This Scorsese classic,The Departed is available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

For now,check out this clip from the film:


*Video courtesy of Movieclips.com

FilmReviews: Rebel Without A Cause

The bad boy from a good family.

Just finished watching the teen drama classic Rebel Without A Cause and it was a great film,hitting with big impact and moral lessons to its audience since its theatrical release up to it's audiences today.The film is directed by Nicholas Ray and stars James Dean (East of Eden),Natalie Wood (West Side Story),Sal Mineo,Jim Backus,Ann Doran,Corey Allen,Edward Platt and Dennis Hopper.Rebel Without A Cause is set in the backdrop of the glamorous,flashing 1950s and tells the story of a rebellious young man (Played by James Dean) who has a troubled past and  has come to a new town,finding friends and enemies.



Rebel Without A Cause's strong powerful,well-told story strikes a valuable message that tells that even kids that live in the suburb could also take the wrong/delinquent path and not just street kids could take that path.And it also tells the tale of juvenile delinquency,which was something of a controversy at that time.The plot is strong and well-grounded.This film revolutionized the coming-of-age movies to come and James Dean's character Jim Stark is one of the most influential characters in film.He influenced a lot of character archetypes today.All the way round,the plot is exceptional at the time of it's release that's why it was highly praised despite the controversial issues.It was just really good.


Rebel Without A Cause doesn't only provide a well-written story but it also features superb,emotionally grounded acting from the likes of Hollywood star James Dean,glamorous vet. Natalie Wood and newcomer Sal Mineo.James Dean plays the lead role,Jim Stark and his portrayal was very well strong and emotional.He brought depth to the character.One of his best emotional scenes in the film for me was the part where he argues with his parents.He was really excellent in that one.You could feel the emotion inside him.West Side Story star Natalie Wood plays Judy,a female rebel and she played the part really well,she's not the typical teen female rebel in today's films.She was great in playing the part of Judy.Meanwhile,Sal Mineo plays Plato,a misfit rebel who has no friends but has made one with Jim and Judy later on.Besides from Jim,Plato was my 2nd favorite character in the film.The way Sal Mineo portrayed Plato was very emotional and some viewers would somehow relate to him because of his character's mental background.Even the supporting actors were good too.But this trio were the best ones and the memorable ones too.


The film had a nice cinematography,but I have to say,it was nothing special.But still,I appreciate the cinematographer's effort and he shot the film well.There was just nothing special that attracted my eye.Sorry to say.However,the music/score was the great part.Even though it didn't have the 1950s' classic rock n roll music,it had that triumphant score that sounded like a western film's music.And it was great.I loved its' triumphant,rebellious melody.

All in all,Rebel Without A Cause is a strong screen-drama that everyone shouldn't ignore because of it has a  strong,emotional story,superb depth giving acting from the stars and it has a great emotional impact to its viewers.Everyone should see this landmark masterpiece specially those in their teens.Specifically,those misfitted teens.But remember,do not "rebel without a cause" unless you really want to just to look cool 'cause someday within 10 years,you might regret it.Just a little piece of advice.

Rebel Without A Cause gets 8.2 stars over 10.This comes in highly recommended.



This superbly acted teen-drama classic,Rebel Without A Cause is available on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

Why not check out the trailer of the film...Trailer provided in the link below:

FilmReviews: Les Miserables

Fight.Dream.Hope.Love

I just watched Les Miserables earlier today on DVD and wow! it was really good.Very amazing in fact.Anyway,those words I typed above is the film's tagline and It gave me more meaning and significance when I saw this wonderful,stunning film.Les Miserables is the film adaptation of the ever-famous broadway musical of the same title and is directed by Academy Award Winning director Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) and stars Hugh Jackman (The Prestige),Russell Crowe (Gladiator/A Beautiful Mind),Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises),Amanda Seyfried (Mama Mia!),Eddie Redmayne,Sacha Baron Cohen (Hugo) and Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech).The film is set in 19th Century France and follows Jean Valjean (Played by Hugh Jackman),who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert (Played by Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole and agrees to take care of factory worker Fantine's (Played by Anne Hathaway) daughter,Cosette.The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

Les Miserables' plot is briefly told in its iconic tagline and it is very powerful to me given the sense that it focuses on rising up/revolution,dreaming for a better life,hoping for a better future and loving a special  person to one another.The storytelling is compelling,heartbreaking and touching because it executed those said themes very effectively,properly and beautifully.Seeing the stories of these person's lives and what they have gone through is what made this movie really good.After watching the film,I noticed that each character in this movie corresponds to that tagline."Fight" signifies Marius' and the students' revolution against the French Monarchy,"Dream" represents Fantine's character arc with her dreams of having a better life,"Hope" signifies Jean Valjean's  desire in fulfilling a better future and Love represents Cosette and Marius' fruitful love with one another.Something like that.Once I saw Les Miserables,I understood the tagline better 'cause it tells a story underneath it.And that powerful,rousing story is told beautifully in the film.


The performances in Les Miserables was brilliant thanks to its talented well-chosen cast.Hugh Jackman was outstanding in his portrayal of the lead role,Jean Valjean because of the way he adds grit to the character and also,because of the way he belts his heart out during his musical numbers.It was just outstanding.Anne Hathaway was breathtaking in her role of Fantine specifically because of her very breathtaking and emotional musical performance in "I Dreamed A Dream".It's just no wonder she won an Oscar for that.She definitely deserved it.If you don't believe me,go check it out for yourself.It will move you away,spiritually.Russell Crowe was strong in representing the role of Javert and his ruthless traits.He was a well-crafted villain for the film and his musical performance in the film was good too.Outstanding also,in fact.Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne were both great in playing the roles of Cosette and Marius.Because both of them sang really well,both were great in giving life to the characters and also because I liked the romantic chemistry between the two.The two supporting actor/actresses Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were ever-spectacular since both of them play physically weird characters and that's the main thing they're both good at.Also,I liked both of their performances for they served as the film's comic relief.Their whimsical musical number was just a delight.Hell,even the background characters were great too,in terms of musical performance.They all did well.Actually,I was amazed,glad and dazzled with the cast.I really didn't have a clue that all of them could sing until I saw and heard them sing in this film.Bravo to them.


Les Miserables is a period piece film due to the fact that the story is set in 19th Century France,so of course they have to build up a set that looks exactly like that place in that era and Les Miserables didn't fail to do so.The set pieces of 19th Century France were just so gorgeous and dazzling.Specially the set piece during the revolution and the opening scene with the slaves pulling a big ship.It was just fantastic and well-built.They really must've done a lot of research and they did a good job at it.The cinematography of Les Miserables is one of the best and most beautiful I've ever seen in a film.The shots of France in the 19th Century were just so stunning and the film itself is really well-shot,specially the opening scene.Very attracting and pleasing to the eye.Kudos to Director of Photography,Danny Cohen for shooting the film so well and passionately.The music of Les Miserables is phenomenal and emotional,at times.Some of the songs are upbeat and jolly like The Thenardiers' Master of the House.Some are revolting like Look Down and Do You Hear The People Sing (Which is partly upbeat in terms of symphony,but still revolting) and most are downbeat,sad and heartbreaking.Perfect examples of that is "I Dreamed A Dream".Particularly,Anne Hathaway's rendition.During that song came on in the film,I actually really wanted to cry,but I forced myself not to due to the fact that I'm not the only one watching.I don't want other people to see me cry for a movie.But this movie was really worth crying for.Particularly the solemn,touching music.This is the first film I have seen from director Tom Hooper who previously worked on the Academy Award Winning film The King's Speech,and I must say he really did a great job in directing Les Miserables.I just really don't know why a lot of people are bashing on this film.It was well made and well-crafted actually,so I really wonder why it got so much hate.Well,everyone's a critic...

Les Miserables is a powerful film that will spiritually move you with its touching heartbreaking music,stellar performances from a star-powered talented cast,a beautiful moving plot and a powerful message that it sends to its' audiences.Truly wonderful.If you love spiritually moving films,then this comes in highly recommended.I just don't know if your spirit won't be touched by this.Les Miserables is a movie that everyone needs to see.Also,the film will make you shed a tear or two.




Les Miserables gets 8.6 stars over 10.I originally gave this film a rating of 8.1 but I decided to change it since I loved and enjoyed the movie so much.

*Tom Hooper's wonderful musical Les Miserables is available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

Check out this ultimate musical trailer for the film in the meantime:



*Video courtesy of Movieclips.com

TrailerZone: Here's The Newest Trailer For The World's End

The newest trailer for The World's End has just debuted online two days ago and uh,here it is.By the way,the trailer itself looks awesome and funny.What more about the film? Anyway,check it out below:



The trailer shows an up-close and more detailed look at the film's antagonists which are robotic aliens who take human form,or something like that.Anyway,the new trailer also includes new footage and more jokes than the previously released trailer.

The film will be the third and final installment of the said "Cornetto Trilogy" and it will reunite director Edgar Wright with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost,whom he previously worked with in Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007).Besides Simon Pegg,Nick Frost and also Martin Freeman (Who all starred in the previous films of the said trilogy),the film will also star Rosamund Pike (Johnny English Reborn/Wrath of the Titans),Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes).

The film will be about five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier.But...they unwittingly become Earth's last hope for survival.

I have heard that the previous films from the trilogy are good,though I haven't seen them.But once I saw the trailer and poster for this film,I quickly became interested in this film and the said Trilogy this film belongs to.This year,two Apocalypse-themed comedies will collide and this British Sci-Fi/Comedy,The World's End will compete against the American ensemble comedy,This Is The End.If you're asking me which will be better against the two,I would say it's hard to decide since both look to be good comedies.The World's End will absolutely be great for its genuine British humor and definite comedic performances from Pegg and Frost whilst This Is The End looks good because of it's ensemble comedic cast and its rowdy,raunchy R-rated humor.Well,I can already assume that This Is The End might not be that good because it might have redundant jokes but I really won't know yet.Whereas The World's End doesn't only look good,but it will definitely be good judging from the talented cast and the trailer.But let's get back to the question,which will be the better film from the 2,well we will all know the answer to that question when both films are released.

The World's End is scheduled to open August 23,2013 in the US.Whilst,no news yet regarding it's theatrical release here in the Philippines,but if it will be released,it might have limited screenings.



Oh.By the way,I was scrolling around in Google about this film,and I found the newest poster for this movie.The poster looks awesome.I gotta love Pegg and Frost's angst-upped faces and also Paddy,Freeman,Rosamund Pike and Eddie Marsan's curious faces are just priceless.Here it is anyway:

I just love the poster's blue and red mixture.Really cool.

*Own the previous films of the Cornetto Trilogy: Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

TrailerZone: Let The Adrenaline Flow In Rush's New Trailer

The latest trailer for Ron Howard's newest action/drama/biography film,Rush has just drove in.Check it out below:


From the look of the film's trailer,the movie will have a lot of heart-stopping action racing sequences that will be both thrilling and exhilarating.Also,let's not forget that since this a movie about 2 Formula 1 racers in the 1970s who are competing in a dangerous game of life or death,the film will be very intense due to that fact.Anyway,the film is directed by Academy Award Winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind/Frost Nixon) and stars Chris Hemsworth (The Cabin In The Woods/Thor),Daniel Bruhl (Inglorious Basterds),Natalie Dormer and Olivia Wilde (In Time/Tron: Legacy).

The film will be about a biography of Formula 1 champion driver Niki Lauda (Played by Daniel Bruhl) and the 1976 crash that almost claimed his life.Mere weeks after the accident,he got behind the wheel to challenge his rival,James Hunt (Played by Chris Hemsworth).


From what I sense in the film,this might be this year's Oscar contender due to the fact that this is directed by Academy Award Winning director Ron Howard.


Rush drives its way into US theaters September 20,2013 distributed by Universal Pictures.No news yet about it's theatrical release here in the Philippines.But hopefully,it will be announced soon by its theatrical distributor,Solar UIP.

FilmReviews: Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn

2 Terrifying.2 Frightening.2 Much!

Yeah,that's exactly Evil Dead 2.Anyway,I just saw it earlier today and it was darkly funny and at times,terrifying just like the film's tagline says.Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn is the sequel to the 1981 low-budget hit horror film The Evil Dead.The film is still directed by Sam Raimi who also directed the first Evil Dead.The film has a small cast that consists of Bruce Campbell,Sarah Berry,Dan Hicks,Kassie Wesley DePaiva and Ted Raimi.The film begins with a re-cap of the events of The Evil Dead and then continues with Evil Dead II's story that tells Ash's survival against the demons' attacks together with a group of strangers.
Most horror film sequels have weak plot,weak acting,dumb characters,and over the top violence.Well,Evil Dead 2 is the exact opposite.It has a nice plot that sticks well with the first film,although I haven't seen it as it tells Ash's survival in the cabin together with a group of strangers.The acting here is good for a horror film,because of the way Bruce Campbell portrays his good turned insane character Ash Williams and the one liners he delivers are just a delight.The supporting actors did well too,Sarah Berry felt like a rather solid character,as she served as a good partner with Ash during the film's middle part and in the climax where she recites the words from the Necronomicon.And Berry's performance on her character,Annie Knowby was rather good.The two remaining supporting actor/actress' performances were nice too,but felt rather dumb and unlikeable.It's almost like that the hillbilly,Jake (played by Dan Hicks) almost ruined the film,but good thing he didn't.I still liked him because of his hillbilly persona due to the fact that he's used to the woods.But one character I was sort of annoyed of was Kassie Wesley DePaiva's Bobby Joe.She felt annoying all the way,because of the way she acts.But still,her character archetype was normal for a horror movie.I mean,almost every horror movie has a character like that. But still,her acting was good.It was just I was sort of annoyed of her character.But among all the characters,the only 2 I liked were Ash and Annie Knowby.Both of them were the smart ones,whilst the other 2 were sort of dumb.Not to be racist because they were hillbillies,but they really acted like that.But among the two hillbillies,Jake was the better one IMO.The horror was on and off,as the film played horror in a satirical darkly funny way.The film had a lot of gore,but didn't consist of guts flying everywhere,but instead,it had blood.lots of blood! In a fairly excessive amount.The film had horror written all over it but it felt more like a comical,comedic horror movie rather than a serious one.But it's the comical,wacky tone that made it good,with high entertainment value.But despite the silly,goofy but violent moments,the film was frightening and horrifying,some scenes might be disturbing for some viewers.But the horror scenes were well done,specially the one where (SPOILER ALERT) Ash brings Linda's head to the work shed and he cuts her head with a chainsaw.Now,that scene was terrifying enough.But what's more scary and creepy is that freaking witch,Henriette.And as the film gets close to the climax,it gets more scary and more terrifying.Anyway,the film is well directed as it is still directed by Sam Raimi,who also directed the first.He was really able to blend wacky comedy with terrifying horror.Plus,the script was written well,the dialogues were good,and the one liners were bad ass.Also,I loved the camera work.Amazing zoom-ins and I love the demon attacker's POV shots.Evil Dead 2 is a sequel that is too good to suffer sequelitis.The film has a great amount of wacky charms and it is enough to terrify.At least to terrify some easily scared viewers.Thus,Evil Dead 2 is a smart horror-comedy that will make you laugh and will make you shout.If you loved Part 1,you will most likely love this too.It's too good not to be loved.

Groovy.Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn gets a bloody 7.9 stars over 10.


Evil Dead 2 is available on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video but only has limited stocks,so get it while it's still available.

Who's laughing now?! Why not check out this clip from the film:


*Video courtesy of Movieclips.com

FilmReviews: Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey

Open the pod bay doors,Hal.

I finally watched Stanley Kubrick's classic,epic Sci-Fi movie,2001: A Space Odyssey and i was really amazed with the film.We'll talk about the things that I loved about this film in a little while...The film is directed by master-director Stanley Kubrick,who also directed the 1960 epic,Spartacus.The film has a small-cast that consists of Keir Dullea,Gary Lockwood,William Sylvester,Daniel Richter,Robert Beatty and Douglas Rain who voices the menacing computer system,HAL-9000.The film's plot deals with Humanity,who finds a mysterious ,obviously artificial  object which is buried beneath the Lunar surface and,with the intelligent computer,HAL-9000,they set off on a quest.


2001: A Space Odyssey's plot focuses on Man's evolution,exploration,knowledge and the duel between man and machine.The movie consisted of 4 chapters: The Dawn of Man,which signifies the evolution of technology and the competition between one man against another.The second chapter,TMA-1 (Tycho Magnetic Anomaly One),shows man's curiosity and wonder as the main character in this chapter,inspects and wonders what is the strange object on the Moon.The third chapter Jupiter Mission, shows the duel of man vs. machine and finally,the fourth and final chapter,Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite,sort of signifies exploration and discovery beyond far reaches.And somehow,Humanity's immortality.From what I know,the film was partially inspired by Clarke's short story,The Sentinel.And the novel was written after the film's release.Nonetheless,the plot was applied properly and it worked very beautifully.Specially the third and fourth chapter's storyline.The performances here were remarkable,mainly Keir Dullea's portrayal on Dr.Dave Bowman.He acted really well during that scene where he gets stranded outside his spacecraft and he keeps yelling at HAL to open the pod bay doors.Now that,was amazing.Oh,and let's not forget Douglas Rain's incredible voice work on the evil HAL.He was just impressive and great for the role.He was the one who fit the role to voice HAL.The film's dialogue was reduced,but it was still really unforgettable and wonderful.Specially,HAL-9000 and Dave's.Both of their dialogues were great,and well-written.From what I said,the film had reduced dialogue,but to take place in that,there was the timeless score of the film,the silence,the classical music,the breathtaking vocalizations,and the amazing sound-effects.And you know what,it worked really well and made the film even more great.One of the best things about this film was the jaw-dropping visuals,from the beautiful space vistas to the trance-giving light tunnel.It was all breathtaking and beautiful.It must've astounded audiences during the film's time of release.It was like nothing they've ever seen before on film.Kubrick won an Oscar in 1968 for that,and he rightfully deserved it.The editing and cinematography of this film was one of the finest ones that I've ever seen.The jump-cut in the beginning between the end of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 was really amazing.The direction by Kubrick,as always,is great.And from what I noticed,this film had one of the best directions from him.From what experts claim,the art of film is one of the highest arts ever,and Stanley Kubrick exactly proves that claim because of this masterful,well-crafted and captivating saga of evolution,a struggle of man against machine and the incredible capabilities of space travel,and also because of those strong,stunning visuals that will blow your mind.This might just be Kubrick's masterwork.Despite the slow pacing,it really represents film's beauty and greatness.

2001: A Space Odyssey gets 8.6 over 10 stars


 
*This mind-blowing,epic Sci-Fi film is available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

Why not check out this clip from the film,in the meantime:




*Video courtesy of Movieclips.com

TrailerZone: The New Trailer For The Wolverine Looks Fierce And Sharp With New Footage

20th Century Fox just unleashed a new exclusive trailer for The Wolverine,which from what I notice includes more Jean Grey,more explosive action and a look at The Silver Samurai.Anyway,Slash your claws in with the new trailer below:


The newest trailer for the film shows Wolverine getting haunted by Jean Grey,A more detailed look at Wolverine's past regarding that Japanese guy he saved and his WWII past,a first look at Viper showing her slithery tongue,more action,a longer look at the bullet train sequence,a feisty Yukio and the surprise,a first look at Wolverine facing his opponent,The Silver Samurai.


The Wolverine is directed by James Mangold (3:10 To Yuma/Walk The Line) and stars Hugh Jackman (Real Steel),Famke Janssen (GoldenEye/Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters),Will Yun Lee,Brian Tee,Svetlana Khodchenkova,Hiroyuki Sanada,Rila Fukushima,Tao Okamoto and Hal Yamanouchi.


The film's plot will take Wolverine on a voyage to modern-day Japan,where he encounters an enemy from his past that will impact on his future.


The Wolverine slashes it's way into Philippine theaters on July 25,2013 in regular cinemas and Digital 3D to be distributed by 20th Century Fox (Philippines).

*Find out Wolverine's back-story in X-Men Origins: Wolverine,available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Viva Video Inc.

TrailerZone: General Zod Gives Warning In New Man of Steel Trailer

"The fate of your planet rests in your hands."

-General Zod (Man of Steel)


Well,yes...That's exactly it,General Zod gives us a warning message in the new Man of Steel trailer that also features destruction and an unknown woman that seems to be in league with General Zod.


So alright,the newest trailer for the most anticipated comic-book film this year looks really awesome because of Zack Snyder's incredible visuals and Goyer/Nolan's brilliant production.Anyway,the trailer looks sinister because of Gen.Zod's evil warning to us,but don't worry,Superman will definitely save the day.Wait,at one point in the trailer,the Man of Steel gets covered by lots of skulls...Huh?! Does this mean,he will be defeated? Also,who is that lady that seems to wear the same type of clothing that Zod wears? Why is Lois Lane wearing a sort of weird helmet?  We will all find out as soon as the film opens in theaters.P.S: The sinister static makes the newest trailer even more awesome.

Man of Steel is directed by Zack Snyder (300/Watchmen/Sucker Punch) and is produced by The Dark Knight Trilogy director,Christopher Nolan who also co-wrote Man of Steel's story together with David S.Goyer who also worked with him in the TDK Trilogy.Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill (Immortals),Amy Adams (The Fighter),Michael Shannon (Premium Rush),Kevin Costner (Waterworld/Dances With Wolves),Diane Lane,Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) and Russell Crowe (Gladiator).


Man of Steel soars into Philippine theaters June 12,2013 in regular cinemas,Digital 3D and select IMAX theaters to be shown in IMAX 3D for the most immersive  movie experience.Man of Steel will be theatrically distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (Philippines).

MoviePix: Here Are The 2 New "Japanese Painting" Styled Character Posters For The Wolverine

20th Century Fox just dropped 2 new Japanese-painting styled character posters for The Wolverine which consists of Yukio and Viper.Anyway,here they are:

Here's the poster for Yukio,with great vivid red hair that might catch your attention



And here's the one for Viper,complete with her signature red slithery tongue.

 Also,in case you wanna see the previous posters,here are Wolverine's and Silver    
Samurai's.

    Here's Wolverine's:

    And here's Silver Samurai's




The Wolverine is directed by James Mangold (3:10 To Yuma/Walk The Line) and stars Hugh Jackman (Real Steel),Famke Janssen (GoldenEye/Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters),Will Yun Lee,Brian Tee,Svetlana Khodchenkova,Hiroyuki Sanada,Rila Fukushima,Tao Okamoto and Hal Yamanouchi.


The film's plot will take Wolverine on a voyage to modern-day Japan,where he encounters an enemy from his past that will impact on his future.


The Wolverine slashes it's way into Philippine theaters on July 25,2013 in regular cinemas and Digital 3D to be distributed by 20th Century Fox (Philippines).


Alright,here are the 2 previous posters from the film in case you're wanting for more.






*Find out Wolverine's back-story in X-Men Origins: Wolverine,available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Viva Video Inc.

MoviePix: WB releases 3 new Man of Steel posters

Just today,Warner Bros. Pictures released 3 new Man of Steel posters that has the film's 3 main characters attached on to them.Respectively,the Man of Steel himself,Jor-El and General Zod.


I won't let you guys wait so here they are:


There's Russell Crowe  as Jor-El


Michael Shannon as General Zod


Henry Cavill as The Man of Steel.Better known by people as Superman

As for now,here's the film's plot summary:

A young journalist is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race.
The film is directed by Zack Snyder (Watchmen/300) and produced/written by Christopher Nolan (Inception/The Dark Knight Trilogy).Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill (Immortals),Amy Adams (The Fighter),Michael Shannon (Premium Rush),Kevin Costner (Waterworld/Dances With Wolves),Diane Lane,Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) and Russell Crowe (Gladiator).

Man of Steel flies it's way into Philippine theaters June 12th,2013 in regular cinemas,Digital 3D and IMAX 3D for the most captivating movie experience to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (Philippines).

Catch Superman on his other previous adventures in Superman The Movie,Superman II,Superman III,Superman IV and Superman Returns on DVD and Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video.

MoviePix: Here's Your First Peek At Mystique In X-Men: Days of Future Past

Director Bryan Singer (X-Men 2) has just tweeted the first pic of Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past,the sequel to the 2011 blockbuster superhero/comic book movie X-Men: First Class.

In X-Men: Days of Future Past,The X-Men must travel in time to change a major historical event that could globally impact on man and mutant kind.
The film will be directed by Bryan Singer,who also directed X-Men and X2.And will star Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games),Nicholas Hoult (Jack The Giant Slayer),Peter Dinklage (TV's Game of Thrones),Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds) and James McAvoy (Trance) alongside series alumnus Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: First Contact),Sir Ian McKellen (The Hobbit/X2),Halle Berry (Die Another Day),Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables),Anna Paquin,Daniel Cudmore (X-Men: The Last Stand) with series newcomers Booboo Stewart and Bingbing Fan.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is scheduled for release in Philippine theaters July 2014  to be distributed by 20th Century Fox (Philippines)

*Catch the X-Men's first adventures in X-Men,X2,X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: First Class.Available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Viva Video Inc.

TrailerZone: The Newscasting Continues In Anchorman 2's Newest Teaser Trailer

This just in! Paramount just released the second teaser trailer for Anchorman: The Legend Continues,the sequel to the 2004 hit comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.Anyway,here it is:

As from what i know and heard,the sequel tells the continuing on-set adventures of San Diego's top rated newsman.

The film will still be directed by Adam McKay (The Other Guys/Step Brothers) and stars Will Ferrell (The Campaign/Stranger Than Fiction),Paul Rudd (Knocked Up),Steve Carrell (The 40-Year Old Virgin) and Christina Applegate alongside the film's newcomers Jim Carrey (Dumb and Dumber),Harrison Ford (Raiders of the Lost Ark),Liam Neeson (Taken),Nicole Kidman (Eyes Wide Shut),James Marsden (X-Men Trilogy),Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator/Borat),Vince Vaughn (The Watch) and John C.Reilly.Unlike the first film,the cast will be bigger and more star studded with veteran actors portraying some of the film's new characters.

I haven't seen the first film and I'm not much of a fan of Will Ferrell (Though I still find him funny) but I'm interested in this sequel because of the huge A-list cast.


So far,that's the only poster released for the film.Anchorman: The Legend Continues is scheduled for release, Dec.20,2013 in the US to be distributed by Paramount Pictures.No news yet on it's theatrical release here in our country,however it will probably  be theatrically distributed by Solar UIP Philippines.


The sequel's predecessor,Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is available on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video

FilmReviews: Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds

A Basterd's work is never done.


Just watched Inglorious Basterds and it was very entertaining and stunning.This was the first Tarantino film that I have seen fully and i was really amazed with it.The film is directed by Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill Vol.1 & 2/Pulp Fiction) and stars Brad Pitt (Se7en/Troy),Melanie Laurent,Christoph Waltz,Eli Roth,Michael Fassbender (300),Diane Kruger,Daniel Bruhl and Til Shweiger.The film basically has 2 storylines.One would be about a girl who gets her family killed and narrowly escapes the massacre by Nazis,who after the incident has taken a new identity as a cinema owner and is now being forced to host a propaganda film attended by several highly ranked Nazi officers,including Adolf Hitler.During that event,she is also plotting her revenge to assasinate each and every Nazi in her cinema.The other storyline would be about Aldo Raine's (Played by Brad Pitt) Jewish-American soldiers and their scheme to assassinate Nazis.Like most of Tarantino's films,Inglorious Basterds is divided into 5 chapters which follows the story of those 2 plots.Later in the film's climax,the movie's storylines will interconnect with each other.



I like Basterds' storylines as the main one shows Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine's pleasure to kill those evil Nazis,and the other one highly deals with good,old fashioned revenge.Tarantino's way of cinematic revenge,actually.Basterds had great performances from Tarantino's well-chosen cast.Pitt was clever in playing his Nazi killin' character Aldo Raine.His dialogues were smooth,cool and darkly funny at some times.Christoph Waltz was wonderful in his portrayal of his strudel eating,Jew hunting character,Col.Hans Landa.I just loved his sort of evil wittiness.And his priceless dialogue and the way he speaks.And,the character itself.He was simply likeable,even as the film's antagonist.Now,Melanie Laurent who plays a girl who wants revenge is very reminiscent of Kill Bill Vol.1 & 2's The Bride because of her will of vengeance.Ms.Laurent was incredible in playing her character,Shosanna.She was like The Bride in Kill Bill only without a bloody katana but in change for that,a well thought revenge scheme to kill those whom she wants revenge from.And we see her "revenge" in the film's glorious climax.The supporting actors' performances on their characters in Basterds were also good.From Michael Fassbender's to Til Schweiger's.They didn't felt dull and flat.They were solid,performance-wise and character wise.Oh,and speaking of the supporting actors' performances on their characters,I also found Eli Roth's Donny Donowitz who is Aldo's right hand man.He was just bad-ass physically and verbally.Anyway,since this is a Tarantino film,one we should talk about is the gratuitous,brutal visuals and Basterds doesn't fail in showing that.This film had one of the best shoot-outs I've seen on film.Although,most of the film's violence depends on the gunfights,it also shows Tarantino's darkly funny way of showing  violence in films.Unintentionally,i found the "shaving of Nazi scalps" funny.And it was because the dudes whom scalps they were shaving off were bad men who were killing people.Basterds has incredible bad-ass dialogue that you would find in a Tarantino-directed film and that's what this film exactly has.But not in a Pulp-Fiction level somehow.More of like a Kill Bill level of some sorts.The film had a gritty cinematography and Tarantino's trademark "vehicle trunk" point of view is present here for 2 times.And it was great.The standoff scene's camera work at the bar was amazing and specially the climactic scene near the film's end.Tarantino has a very clever and genuine directing style and one of the best things I love about his direction besides his stylishness is his dark satire.You know,depiction of violence in a sort of funny way.And Inglorious Basterds didn't dare not to have that.It was "that" which made the movie more entertaining and fun to watch as a Tarantino film.All in all,Inglorious Basterds is a great film with the theme of vengeance,great actors playing great characters,solidly clever,genuine dialogue and great bloody entertainment.As Germans would say,Inglorious Basterds is wunderbar or wonderful in other words.


Inglorious Basterds gets hit with a bat scarred with an 8.4 stars over 10.




*Inglorious Basterds is available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video

Meanwhile,check out this clip from the film if you please.

TrailerZone: The Oldies Visit The City of Sin In "Last Vegas"

I don't know if this is gonna be "The Hangover for seniors" but looking at the first trailer,it seems to be like one.It's a good thing if it will a "Hangover" for the oldies 'cause we might get to see the old dudes get into a little bit of trouble.But I hope it won't turn out to be like that Adam Sandler ensemble comedy "Grown Ups".Either way,here's the first trailer for "Last Vegas":

Last Vegas is an ensemble comedy that is directed by Jon Turteltaub and stars Academy Award Winners Michael Douglas (Wall Street),Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption),Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver/GoodFellas),and Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda).Along with Mary Steenburgen (Back To The Future Part III),Jerry Ferrara,Romany Falco and Roger Bart. Here's the film's plot anyway:
"Three sixty-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal."


The film will most likely be rated R but there might be few chances for the film to get that rating.But if it do gets rated R,It better be good with clever laughs and genuine dialogs.Anyway,from what i said the film looks like "The Hangover" for oldies,and from what we see in the trailer it somehow gives homage to that film.Just little.Expect a full trailer soon...I hope the film won't disappoint,it has a very talented and well chosen cast but if I were the director,i would add a little bit for spice for adding Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino,in that way I would want Pacino to give homage by snorting some cocaine in here like he did in Scarface.Hehe.Last Vegas promises so much that I hope it won't disappoint.


Right now,there are only teaser posters and trailers for the film so you better expect more detailed posters and trailers soon.Last Vegas is scheduled for a November 2013 release in the U.S distributed by CBS Pictures under the Sony Pictures label.No news yet on it's local theatrical release here in the Philippines.

TrailerZone: Space Goes "Pitch Black" In Riddick's Debut Trailer

Riddick's first full trailer debuted yesterday and from the look of the trailer,it seems like the film will probably be more violent than the previous Riddick film (The Chronicles of Riddick) and will take on a dark tone just like the first film in the trilogy,which is Pitch Black.Oh,and the trailer already has an MPAA rating and it is officially rated R.Anyway,here it is:

Riddick is the 3rd film in the "Chronicles of Riddick" film franchise and are all directed by David Twohy.Riddick stars Vin Diesel as he reprises the title role,Karl Urban (Dredd,Star Trek),Dave "Batista" Bautista (The Man With The Iron Fists),Nolan Gerard Funk,Noah Danby,Jordi Molla' (Bad Boys II/Colmbiana) and Keri Hilson.

Here's the film's plot synopsis,just in case you want to know:

"Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick's past. "

 Rule the dark...Riddick opens September 6,2013 in US theaters to be shown in regular cinemas and selected IMAX theaters.No word yet on it's theatrical release here in our country.The film is produced by Universal Pictures so,the theatrical distributor here in our country who will release this would probably be Solar UIP. That poster has a freakin' creepily disturbing "pitch black" image of Vin Diesel as Riddick by the way...

TrailerZone: Go Big or Go Extinct In Pacific Rim's Explosive Main Trailer

The Kaiju (briefly) attacks Manila in Pacific Rim's new main trailer.Also,there are lots of awesome-ass action sequences in the trailer.The film is very different from Transformers in one way or another by the way in case you're wondering...


The trailer promises that the film's gonna be visually stunning and will give you total eye candy from all those vivid and jaw-dropping visuals.Anyway,Manila gets destroyed in the film by a Kaiju attack and in the trailer,it shows the destruction very briefly.But still,it's good to see our country featured in a foreign film.Looking back at the trailer,this will be more like Gundam VS Kaijus rather than Transformers VS Kaijus.I mean,just look at those gigantic robots manned by humans.They don't look similar to the Transformers,don't they? Just compare the size.Those Jaegers can easily crush the Transformers like a bug.And no,I'm not bashing on Transformers.I'm just comparing the robots.The film might be a 3D movie competent against Transformers Dark of The Moon anyway.But one thing I hope this movie won't be like is Transformers,but fortunately looking at the film's credits,it probably won't be since it's directed by one of the most-talented directors,Guillermo Del Toro who helmed Hellboy I & II and Pan's Labyrinth.In case you wanna know the film's premise,I'm gonna give it to you:
"In the near future, giant monsters identified as "Kaiju" have risen from a crevasse in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a war which takes millions of lives and quickly consumes humanity's resources. To combat this new threat, a special type of weapon is designed: massive robots, known as Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. As time passes, even the powerful Jaegers prove almost defenseless in the face of a relentless enemy. On its last stand and on the verge of defeat, the remaining defending forces of mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to pilot a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the early trials of the mechanical titans. Together, they must stand as the human race’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse."

Again,the film is directed by visionary director,Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy,Blade) and stars Charlie Hunnam (Children of Men),Ron Perlman (TV's Sons of Anarchy),Idris Elba (Prometheus),Charlie Day (Horrible Bosses),Clifton Collins Jr.,Heather Doerksen,Burn Gorman and Rinko Kickuchi.


The film is "gigantic" and "humungous" in "epic" proportions,so expect this to be a visual spectacle.And if you're in for tentpole (visually heavy) films,then this one might be a good watch for you.Also,if you want to have the most immersive experience for the film,then IMAX 3D will suit you just right.

Pacific Rim is presented by Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures and opens in Philippine theaters July 2013 in regular cinemas,Digital 3D and selected IMAX 3D theaters.To be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (Philippines).

TrailerZone: This Is The End For The Wolfpack In The Hangover Part III's New Red Band Trailer

In 2009,a phenomenon started named "The Hangover".It was acclaimed "Killer Funny" by Rolling Stone's Peter Travers.The film was well received by audiences and critics alike.The film was highly praised.


2 years later,in 2011,Warner Bros. released The Hangover Part II,the unexpected sequel to the first film.The reviews that came in were mixed,and some critics were bashing on it for the recycled plot and jokes.But still,audiences and some critics still found it hilarious and fun.

1 year later after the film's release,it was announced that the Wolfpack will be back for the film franchise's epic finale meaning,The Hangover Part III is happening and Todd Phillips promised that the film will take on a new direction and give homage to the first 2 films.Or at least the Wolfpack's first mishap.If you're part of the Wolfpack,it might be hard to say goodbye for you loved the film franchise so much and had a really good time with them.Anyway,here's the new Redband trailer for The Hangover Part III which includes recaps from the first 2 films accompanied by quotes from Zach Galifianakis' Alan Garner.


The trailer shows the Wolfpack's first 2 misadventures and the consequences they came through,as well as the Wolfpack's forthcoming misadventures in their third outing in The Hangover Part III.


To give you more details about the film,here's the plot synopsis:
"This time, there's no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off."

The film is directed by Todd Phillips (Old School) and stars Bradley Cooper (Limitless),Ed Helms (Cedar Rapids),Zach Galifianakis (Due Date),Justin Bartha,Ken Jeong (Knocked Up),John Goodman (Argo,Flight),Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids),Jeffrey Tambor,Heather Graham and Mike Epps.

The Hangover Part III opens May 29th,2013 in Philippine cinemas distributed by Warner Bros. (Philippines)

Catch The Wolfpack's first 2 misadventures in The Hangover and The Hangover Part II available on DVD & Blu-Ray distributed by Magnavision Home Video
Anyway,to feel your inner Wolfpack nostalgia,why not check out the trailers for the first 2 films:



Trailer for The Hangover (2009)


Trailer for The Hangover Part II (2011)

FilmReviews: Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now

The horror...The horror...


Just watched Francis Ford Coppola's war movie masterpiece Apocalypse Now yesterday and i was dazzled with it.The film stars Martin Sheen,Marlon Brando,Robert Duvall,Frederic Forrest,Sam Bottoms,Albert Hall and Dennis Hopper and also features a young Laurence Fishburne.The film is set during Vietnam-U.S War and Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission to Cambodia to assassinate a US-Army Colonel who has become a renegade and gone insane and has set himself up as a god amongst a local tribe.



































I always wanted The Godfather to be the first Francis Ford Coppola movie that i would see,but i bought this first.I always knew and kept in my mind that Francis Ford Coppola is and was a great director for he brought us The Godfather (i haven't seen it),which is considered the greatest film of all time by many.Even though i haven't seen his Godfather Trilogy,i wasn't depressed nor disappointed with the film.It was one of the best movie experiences.Anyway,the performances in the film were all outstanding and likeable most specially Martin Sheen,as he plays lead character Captain Benjamin Willard.I love his narratives and his dialogues.They often sound dramatically cool and all of his lines were well delivered by him.Meanwhile,I loved Marlon Brando's portrayal of Colonel Walter Kurtz,the man Willard was ordered to kill.This is the first film that i have seen that has Marlon Brando in it,and i found him great even though he had little screen-time in the film and appeared for only a short time in the film.I loved the lines he delivered.He was darkly clever and genuine.The supporting actors' performances on their respective characters were good too,and likeable.In fact,I really liked Robert Duvall's performance on Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore.I found his performance on the character as one of the film's comic reliefs covering up for it's dark tone.In one way or another.The cinematography in this one was really gorgeous,specially the way the camera captures the landscapes and the camera work on the village attack scene.The way the camera captured the helicopters swooshing in and out was just excellent.And the entire village attack scene was  beautifully shot.You can see the mayhem and chaos happening.One of the big factors that made me love this movie even more is the shooting location they chose.The film's set location was set in the Philippines,that why i was wondering why the mountains were so familiar.It's because those mountains are located somewhere in Luzon.And Colonel Kurtz's temple was located in Pagsanjan that's why it looked very tribal and cannibalistic.And it was a good set piece.Plus,the tribesmen living in Kurtz's base were real Ifugaos.Francis Ford Coppola was really good in choosing the location.I'm so proud that this was filmed in the Philippines.Anyway,Francis Ford Coppola's direction was great,i always knew that he was a genuine and brilliant director,and he proved that to me because of this.Apocalypse Now was nightmarish in some way for it depicted the horrors of war.Specifically,the Vietnam War.I thought the film was similar to Full Metal Jacket in many ways,for it also explored those themes.But i later found out that this was released first and Full Metal Jacket was released a few years later after this was released.Now,to compare the 2 and to find out which i loved better...I loved the characters in Full Metal Jacket from the Sergeant to Joker.They were all likeable.And most of the supporting characters were comic reliefs to undertone the darkness.In Apocalypse Now,i also liked the characters but only some of them served as comic reliefs in the movie,and it's a good thing.But all of them were great specially Robert Duvall's Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore.He was just awesome.Same with Willard's crew,they were still likeable specially Clean.All in my opinion.Now,for the cinematography,i thought that Apocalypse Now was even more superior,though i loved FMJ's camera work.It's because of Apocalypse Now's beautifully captured vistas and battle scenes.Specially the said scene that has helicopters swooshing in with a dark sky backdrop.It just looked cool and awesome.FMJ's camera work was still good,i loved the grittiness but i just thought that Apocalypse's was even better and superior.The theme of the 2 films are similar,as both tried to show the horrors of war,but if you're gonna ask me who used the theme better,it's just a tie.Both were really great in depicting what happens during the Vietnam War.And i loved how both portrayed it,so it's a definite tie between the two.For the performances,It's still a tie.Although both films had an insane character,both actors who took that role did really great.But to level the insane performances,it's hard to say.FMJ's Gomer Pyle (played by Vincent D'Onofrio) had a child-minded persona in the start but about 30 minutes into the film,he turned insane and (spoiler alert) killed the Sergeant.And the worst thing is,he even killed himself.Whereas Apocalypse Now's Kurtz (played by Marlon Brando) was a soldier turned renegade who has made himself a god among a local tribe,and mutters poetry loudly.Kurtz only had a short appearance,but Marlon Brando was still great in portraying the insanity of his character.He delivered few,but memorable lines.Specially "the horror,the horror" part,that was great as the film's final words.FMJ's Matthew Modine portrayed Joker (the film's main antagonist) well,he sort of had a nerd-ish persona but he was clever and brave.Apocalypse Now's Martin Sheen,who played the role of Captain Willard was great,he was brave and willing to take the mission although he sometimes gets lost and troubled.Both actors' performances were well portrayed all delivered their lines flawlessly.Both films' directors are both veterans,so it's hard to tell who's superior to the other.Both FMJ and Apocalypse Now were the 1st films i've seen from the directors,so until this time,I can't really tell.But i would go with Stanley Kubrick for Full Metal Jacket.It's just that he was able to show something new and fresh.So,Full Metal Jacket isn't your typical war movie,it's more of a coming-of-age movie.In some way.But still,it features war.Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now was claimed as the first "epic" war movie at the time of its release,and audiences and critics were amazed.And Apocalypse Now,is also claimed as "the best war movie ever made".Well i agree to that because of Coppola's brilliant direction and everything else.But I just thought that Stanley Kubrick directed Full Metal Jacket better.And i blame it on the unusualness  of the film.To sum it all up on which is better,Apocalypse Now definitely wins even though the film was slow.It was well-directed.The film is still great,and worth watching.But Full Metal Jacket will forever be my primary favorite war movie together with Saving Private Ryan.Whereas,Apocalypse Now will be my secondary fave.But to tell,Apocalypse Now is still the better movie,as claimed by critics and audiences alike.And I definitely agree on the title it received.But still,Full Metal Jacket is still my preference rather than this.

Apocalypse Now gets 8.7 stars over 10


Apocalypse Now is available on DVD distributed by Magnavision Home Video

For the meantime,why not check this "Ride of the Valkyries" clip from the film:


*Video clip courtesy of Movieclips.com