Maze Runner

Maze Runner is a film about a young man who yearns to do the impossible: to get out of the deadly maze!

The special effects add to the intensity of the story plus of course, the natural acting of Dylan O'Brian.

The message of the story focuses around going out of maze.  But could this apply to the mazes of human life?  And how do we cope up with them?  Of course, for Hollywood films, problems are always solved and resolved, giving us good feelings after watching them.

For all its worth, kudos to the power of the human spirit to struggle despite all odds  to do something rather than sit around helplessly.

Rating: 3/5

Oblivion

Oblivion is a film about a man who has recurring dreams about the past that he wants to recover what was erased from his mind.

The film tries to address a possible scenario of the future; the fear of future annihilation has finally come. What would the world be like after that? Be ready to enter into the world of fantasy because in that world, anything is possible.

On the other hand, there will always be hope for mankind that tries to correct its wrongdoing.  It may be the only consistent thing on earth.

Rating: 3/5

The Host

The host is a story of a young girl whose body is invaded by an alien and she doesn't want it inside of her.

It is quite an unusual situation in science fiction movies that aliens have something "pure" in them.  Thus, they're always something to be feared.  It becomes more confusing that the pure, virtues world they aim to create is attained through the unwanted intrusion of an unwilling host which makes this film "unbelievable".

Culturally, the iconography of aliens is a recurring sting of America which always finds itself defensive against aliens with whom they are always trying to understand.

However, Stephanie Meyer would always be famous for injecting a love story in the world of aliens and science fiction, as depicted in the three way battle for love.

However, the film is to  be commended for depicting the vulnerable condition of a soul and its inherent goodness, qualities which we human beings could have if we treat life as sacred.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Resident Evil: Retribution

Resident Evil: Retribution's particular episode is a woman partnering with her nemesis to counteract a computer virus that has gone global.

Of course we would expect that Alice (Milla Jovovich) would again triumph no matter how impossible it may seem.   The traces of apocalyptic film are in here - evil has taken over and it needs even the collaboration of her enemies to counteract the real enemy.

Is there an end to evil?  Is there are definitive and final confrontation between the forces of good and evil?  In this film, we should expect the good to triumph over evil, but how long?  How many episodes would still be produced or are the filmmakers feasting over the unconscious fears of people?

Whatever the answer may be, good has triumphed over evil 2000 years ago.  But the battle still remains in the hearts of each person.  It is up to us to know whose side we are on.

Rating: 3/5

Splice

Splice is a film about scientists going overboard to combine other cells in a human DNA.

For a science fiction film, this could be an eye-opener to the unimaginable consequences of an ethically irresponsible human research.  Splice is also supremely apocalyptic as it signals the end of all human rationality.

It may also be a realistic movie in terms of realizing the consequences of an immoral action and decision.  In this world, there is no redemption, only destruction of the human sensibility.  Worse for humankind, there's nobody to be blamed for this folly than man himself.  May we be awakened against tampering with the the natural world and what man can ethically do to serve it, not tamper with it.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Inception

Inception is a film about a man who engages in entering into other people's dreams and altering their personality.

With the advent of digital technology anything is possible under the sun.  Where will these digital technologies lead us to?  In this movie dreams and realities are intermingled.  All through the power of digital technology!

In the world of fantasy where the subconscious rules and the imaginations run wild, desires are limitless.  The conventions of disrupting time, space continuum to the realm of the uncertain, the wild and raw fantasies are something to be explored and played around.  It is also an area where there are no truths and morals.  But are all these right and just?  The answer is still no; that is why dreams are the most cherished possessions of an individual; no one has a right to tamper with them.

Rating: 3/5

Ironman 2

Ironman 2 is a film about a man who, in possessing an iron suit, is the subject of threats from his competitors.

Hollywood cinema has never failed to unleash its creativity in digital animation to tickle the audience.  It is more imaginative, more fantastic than real live drama of human characters.  It visualizes anything the mind can think of.  So, everyone's asking, "After digital animation, what's next?"

Can weapons of destruction be used to maintain peace?  The film seems to be telling us that it is so.  But this kind of outlook further propagates violence and power through arms.  In this case, you are relying on a Superhero and place your whole life to trust him to take of you.  We just want to bring out the fact that it takes the whole population to bring the world at peace through dialogue and understanding.  Unless this is so, just enjoy the film for its entertainment value.

Rating: 3/5

Percy Jackson and the lightning thief

Percy Jackson and the lightning thief is a film about a demigod who has to save his abducted mother as well as prove that he is not the lightning thief.

The story is very comprehensible to children. In fact it may so simple it works; thus, it goes beyond just displaying special effects and animation. Of course, situating a much revered Greek mythology in Las Vegas or Hollywood may be hard to bear.

The story ultimately explores the vast world of parentless children and how they are coping up to survive in this complex human existence. Parents, take the hint - despite all good intentions, do children really deserve to grow up this way?

Rating: 3.5/5

Legion

Legion is a film about an angel who has fallen to save what God wants to destroy.

This film should be known for its special effects. But be wary more of the script and the message it wants to convey. Like Angels and Demons, the scriptwriter has a way of putting on the silver screen what he believes in. The entire story could be seamless but eventually, it is totally misleading.

The film presupposes a lot of doctrinal errors among them, God has lost "faith" in mankind and has to destroy him; the angels who are supposed to serve God "possess" people and turn into monsters; the angels have their own free will; and that God could be wrong in His decisions. The last part is the most disturbing of all - it puts man at the center of things.

Be forewarned about the message of this film.

Rating: 1/5

Avatar

Avatar is an semi-animated film about a man who has to fill up the shoes of his twin brother to manage his avatar as he enters into a new world and learn its culture.

The most significant thing is how the script develops to make you glued to your seat in a span of three hours. There wasn't any dull moment with Avatar. The animated world blended seamlessly with the real world, thus, enmeshing these two. The digital world definitely awakens the viewer that the film he is watching could not be real. But he is left to look for any resonance of the film with the real life.

Many other "alien" films are produced with this kind of theme, i.e., picturing the humans' inhumanity and the aliens' innocence. These films pose a challenge to us, "What have we done to our own world?" We may have gone a long way in advancing technology, but we haven't become more humane. Unless we change our outlook, our world may actually disintegrate and die, leaving the next generation to suffer extinction and decay.

Rating: 5/5

2012

2012 is a film about the impending doom of the earth and how man desperately tries to survive it to the point of killing others.

This film is a combination of a classic Hollywood-style that seeks a good ending and an apocalyptic film that aims to destroy all conventions. It is digitally animated and destroys buildings and states. But while the whole world is being destroyed to pieces, the people still continue to communicate via cellphone, making the film too incredible and impossible.

2012 is not a film about the end of the world. Rather, it is a film about the beginning of real life. We have created so much that add to the destruction of things - sinful unmarried relationships, selfish lifestyles, etc. But the characters have valuable realizations in the course of the film. Unfortunately, the film tackles only the human perspective. Only God is the ultimate source of life. He destroys so he can start building again.

Rating: 3/5

Surrogates

Surrogates is a film about a man who investigates for the serial killer of the various owners through their robotic surrogates.

Science fiction films makes us expect high-animation techniques in filmmaking - among them, making Bruce Willis young and robots moving swiftly. Of course, it would still take a lot of convincing to do to hook the audience to believing they're seeing the future. But apparently, the more relevant motive of the film is in the human interest. Thus, the film is still realistic.

The usual "Where does science end and faith begin?" syndrome is tackled. Moreover, there are other more important human realities slowly killed by technology - our capacity to be human, the gift of relationships, and our capacity to be hurt. Despite all these, we are still the vulnerable, helpless creatures we really are.

Rating: 4/5

Land of the lost

Land of the lost is a story of a scientist who invents a time travel machine that works and he gets trapped in a distorted world where past, present, and future meet.

A world distorted by making present dinosaurs, caveman, and aliens are products of the creative minds of the screenwriters. This is further animated by successful comedian Will Ferrell, although his typecast role possibly dragged the film down. Nevertheless, the film is generally entertaining.

To create a zany world is to demythify or present satirically man's concept of his reality. "Thou shall not get serious with this life" seems to be the norm. Partly true, but while we remove coincidentals or accidents, the essential remains: have we found meaning in this world's existence? I hope we have, for if we remove coincidentals, only love remains.

Rating: 3/5

District 9

by Fr. Lito Jopson

District 9 is a film about a man who is contaminated with the genes of the aliens that he wants to find ways to get rid of it.

The film, though in the form of a documentary, is very much far off from the realist format it intends. It reverted back to narrative form to push the story to its expected conclusion - whether or not Wikus Van de Merwe (Sharlto Coply) be cured and go back to his normal life. The progression of the story is compelling and believable till the climax. Will Wikus attain his mission and at what cost?

There are sensitive issues raised by the film that give reference to actual life - the treatment of foreigners, or the issue of poverty and the way those in power are mistreating the lowly. The film handles this theme in a very effective way and brings out the cause of such racist treatment against others - lack of dialogue and communications. We fail to communicate effectively with others. We are prejudiced over others simply because they are not one of us. Unless we change our attitude toward others, the problems of poverty, prejudice, and racism will continue.

This film should appeal to adults rather than teens for its excessive violence.

Rating: 3.5/5

Aliens the attic

Aliens in the attic is a film about a boy and his cousins who have to foil the aliens' mission to rule the earth.

Digital animation is very common nowadays and this film does not add anything spectacular to the world of film making. However, the scenes are entertaining, funny and sensible. It is also fast-paced. The film with its script and characters is tailor-made for children.

Alien movies always mirror the basic attitude toward aliens or foreign nationals in real life. In a family setting, a stranger in the home is much like the same thing. Perhaps, a welcoming stance would be more apt than fearing strangers at the first instance of the encounter. Fantasizing aliens as monsters does not help decrease the barrier that separates us from one another. Recognize the dignity of a stranger and be hospitable to him/her.

Rating: 3/5

G.I. Joe: The rise of the cobra

G.I. Joe: the rise of the cobra is a story of a special Battalion capable of fighting the enemy using the latest state-of-the-art artillery.

The action is just "ka-boom!", from one action to another; the story doesn't seem to end. The script is tailored for children, that is why the plot is simple. The key to fast-paced action is computer animation - the most impossible tasks come to life. The sound adds up to the feeling of realism of this science fiction fantasy film.

With this film, nothing is left to the imagination. But there probably might too much of this so-called "action", as if everything is pushed to the limitless sphere of violence and death. There is no entertainment, just plain violence and death. It desensitizes children to the world of gruesome death. If that is the filmmaker's orientation, too bad for our children to loose their childhood simply because of this nonsense action-packed film. Let us warn them that there is nothing glamorous about violent deaths and wars; life is much precious than these.

Rating: 2.5/5

My sister's keeper

My Sister's Keeper is a story of a girl who wants to free herself from donating parts of her body to her dying sister.

The script is poignant, touching, and emotional. There is a tendency for Cameron to "act", not live out the role. It is also not totally engaging because the backdrop in question is highly ethical and needed to be discussed rationally.

The story borders between medical science fiction and drama. It is ethically unacceptable to produce human life for the sole purpose of donating its body parts to another no matter how noble a cause is. Man's dignity solely comes from God; he does not have any right to judge on its viability to live. Only God can do it for us. Much more if the main character is a child. Only God has the right to deal with human life; and His is always to give life to everyone, not choose one over another.

Rating: 2.5/5

Eagle Eye

Eagle Eye is a film about a young man who is ordered by a mysterious caller to do things beyond his will and he has to free himself from her powerful grasp.

The script is almost perfect and suspense is at a level high! There's a balance between fast and slow paces. The only thing that bothers is the anti-climactic ending.

There must be a moment when science ends and philosophy begins, for human intelligence to admit its limitations and for faith to proceed. The film aptly reflects this, a timely reminder for man to admit his limited state, proclaim his independence from his own creations, and recognize the gift within - his power to choose what is good and follow it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Babylon A.D.

Babylon A.D. is a futuristic film about a mercenary who is paid to deliver a gifted girl safely from Russia to the U.S.

To create an environment of a world devastated by global warming is the greatest challenge of this movie. It is also its greatest advantage. Other than that, the other film aspects are confusing like the cast, the script, and their roles. The film is relying heavily on Vin Diesel's action stunts, nothing more.

It is unfortunate that the concept of the Messiah has to be fabricated, invented, or humanly designed. It is for this reason that this film should be treated with a grain of salt. The human mind may be rich with creativity, but it should also give due regard to existing religious themes that people hold so dearly. Otherwise, enjoy the movie simply because of its entertainment value.

Rating: 2.5/5

Hellboy 2: The golden army

Hellboy 2: The golden army is a film about Hellboy trying to stop a mythical ruler who violates the agreement of peace between mythical and the real world.

The animation is amazing. The characters are products of a creative mind. The plot too is amazing and so too are the transitions and twists in the story.

It is amazing how the world of fantasy is crossed with real world. This is world of children. Unfortunately, there are those who abuse children's gift of imagination and create a nightmare just to bring out an unlikely hero. But who are we to judge the hero based only on what we see? What's more important is the substance within - the strength of character of a person. Thus, Hellboy is created. The usual film adage that "good triumphs over evil" lords over this film.

Rating: 3.5/5