i am woman, hear me rawr!

I came within a hair’s breath of not showing up at the premiere of the animated film Toy Story 3. For one, it was going to be shown at the IMAX Theater or SM North Edsa, the farthest mall possible from my place. Secondly, I was coding today. Also, I had a research meeting at 4 pm at DLSU and it was the first day of preschool classes. I wasn’t really feeling very well either, in fact, I had to be absent in my first college class because my morning class wore me out. Add to this the fact that I was missing someone I know better than to miss (wa-paw!)

In short: I was overwhelmed and stumped with all the things going on around me.

However, after some convincing, I decided to go (thanks Flow ) and by golly, I’m sure glad I did. I needed a good cry this morning and a good cry I got

It was great to see the old friends we grew up with, Buzz and Woody. It’s been about ten years (give or take) since we last saw Andy playing with his toys and since then, he has grown up and is now at the throes of his new adventure: college life. Given that he is off to this new world, his toys have been relegated to the toy chest, left alone gathering dust. As a last ditch attempt, Woody and the gang try to get Andy to notice them but to no avail. The question  now is what happens to them when Andy’s gone?

I’ll leave that question unanswered for now, but suffice it to say I more than enjoyed the movie, I loved it. It now ranks among my all-time favorite movies, alongside it’s prequels. It was a good blend of laughter and charm blended with heart-warming nostalgia that is bound to leave you on a trip down to memory lane. Just like the second installment of the series, Toy Story 3 left me in tears and with that familiar ache in my heart, but in a good way

Although some old faces were missing, such as Bo Peep, there were a whole bunch of toys which made the movie so much more fun. My favorite one is this one because it reminded me of a toy I actually once had

Toy Story 3 is definitely a fun-filled adventure that you shouldn’t miss! I enjoyed seeing it in 3D and I couldn’t help but think about how far technology has come since the first Toy Story movie. I love how the pictures are so much more clear and crisp and the effects definitely add more to the viewing experience. It was also the first time I got to try out SM North’s IMAX theater and as I understand, it’s the biggest 3D screen in the Philippines.

As for me, whether 3D or not Toy Story 3 made me very happy today It sure was worth the effort I made to commute to and from and to and from SM North (yes, to and from, to and from talaga!)

Toy Story 3 opens tomorrow, June 17.

Photo Credits: Walt Disney Studios

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I was so excited to see Sex and the City 2 last week but when I walked out of the theater after the press screening, I turned to my friend Flow and said, “bakit di ako happy?”. I was a bit discontent and to some degree disappointed about the film I waited so long to see. So much so that when I first drafted my SATC2 review, I entitled it “Looking for a happy ending”.

Don’t get me wrong, however: I LOVED THE MOVIE! I loved it so much that I would go out and see it again in a heartbeat. The only thing I didn’t like about the movie is that it seemed “cut” too much and the cuts weren’t as smooth as could be, so there were some small gaps between scenes. On the other hand, I liked how it was a tamer Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte I got to see. While I was not really technically disappointed with the movie, I was disappointed that I didn’t walk away with the giddy, kilig feeling I got when I watched the first flick. To some degree, the movie seemed to “real” for me.

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I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the A-team screening last night! Much as it was a testosterone fest (definitely a drastic change from the movies I love to watch! case in point: sex and the city!) and action-packed, I found myself literally laughing out loud for a big chunk of the film. I couldn’t help but cheer along as the movie progressed. Suffice it to say I enjoyed it a lot

I didn’t get a chance to see the original A-team, so I can’t really give an opinion as to whether they were better or not. The only thing I remember from the first team was the name Mr. T. I suppose it was because I never really liked films that were more male oriented, action themed and filled with a lot of explosions and firepower.  This movie, however, made me see how enjoyable these films can apparently be!!!

From what other bloggers have said, however, it appears that they exceeded expectations. “A-Team” opens June 10 (Thursday) in theaters nationwide.

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I had very little expectations for the remake of one of the classic films of my childhood, Karate Kid. I actually did not get the usual feeling of anticipation I get when I know I have a movie premiere to attend, but in it’s place was a feeling of ambivalence. I was more curious than excited, should I say. I remember very little details of the original Karate Kid film, mainly because the day I saw that in the movie house was a traumatic day for my family, but I remember that I enjoyed it. When the sequels came out, I was a bit unimpressed, which is why that’s how I approached this film.

Early into the film, I had already proven myself wrong. Much as I thought it would be an ordinary movie, I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. Granted that the storyline may be overused, Jaden Smith truly gave this film a refreshing new life. He was simply AMAZING. And for a young boy, his body was buff beyond his years! While the fact that he is Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s son was always at the back of my mind, I think he held his own in the film. Jackie Chan likewise gave a good performance as Jaden’s Kung Fu mentor.

Granted the film may not be the type to win an Oscar, plus it did have a feel of a predictable “formula” as my brother put it, I still say this is a great feel-good movie to catch when it comes out.

Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 in terms of story, but 4.5 for entertainment value. Adding to it’s charm is the beautiful Chinese setting, where old and new collided. From the Olympic stadium to the Forbidden City, the setting truly added to the feel of the movie, at least for me. Lastly, what I liked best about the movie is that much as I knew what to expect in terms of what would happen next, the sudden bursts of humor and the way this was injected into the film kept me truly entertained.

Karate Kid opens June 11 in Philippine theaters. Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

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