Movie Digest # 002

THE NUMBER 23
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 3, Feb 21, 9:05pm

My first bad film of the year. Point 1: it’s not chilling. Point 2: acting is so-so (who’s taking Jim Carrey seriously, tell me) and Point 3: it’s directed by Joel Schumacher (in my book, he hasn’t done any impressive film yet). People in the moviehouse were only waiting for the twist. Poor Virginia Madsen. She has to endure crappy projects like this.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who wish to waste money and those who wish to do something else inside the moviehouse.

THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 3, Feb 21, 11:20pm

So old school. It’s like a watching a film done in the 80’s (the story-telling is straightforward, no CGI’s, no hip camera shots, etc.). But I am not saying that this is a bad film. It’s just that I don’t like it much. I find it very predictable, too. Well, it’s about a non-fictitious account of a Scottish young doctor with Uganda’s dictator, Idi Amin, during the 70’s. The film tells about their friendship (from Day One to Doomsday). Forest Whitaker might snag an Oscar here but I prefer Leo DiCaprio’s engaging acting in “Blood Diamond”. I find him OA at times, IMHO. If there are good scenes here, it must be the bonding scenes between the two lead characters. I can say that you won’t feel bad (naman) after watching this. But don’t bring a date.

Friends who might appreciate it: Allan (for the gorefest), Allan’s torpe friends, Academy Awards patrons and members of the underground film group that I belong to (I think, I should stop mentioning them).