2010 Fave Movie

For this week's TCP theme, it's all about our Favorite movie from 2010. Oh my, I've got a lot to choose from.. But at the end of the day, I chose Jacky Chan & Jaden Smith's remake of The Karate Kid.

The plot concerns a 12-year-old boy from Detroit who moves to China with his mother and runs afoul of the neighborhood bully. He makes an unlikely ally in the form of his aging maintenance man, Mr. Han, a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense.

Truth, I'm a sucker for everything that has Jackie Chan on it. Really! I'm a big Jackie Chan fan, I have even bought DVD's of his animated series Jackie Chan Adventures which my kids love. When I learned about Jackie getting involved with the remake of The Karate Kid, I was so happy that I promised myself I'm gonna go watch it.

And boy, was I crying my heart out after watching the film. I loved the way Jackie & Jaden portrayed the sort-of Father & Son tandem, especially the training using the "remove the jacket, let it down, get it up, put it on" routine. Jaden is sooo cute! In the end, the moral of the story is when Mr. Han (Jackie) needs Dre (Jaden) in his life just as much as the boy needs him.

I heard that there's gonna be a sequel to this one and I'm looking forward to it.


P.S.
I kinda missed the themesong Eye of the Tiger which was a blockbuster hit on the first Karate Kid movie. And oh yes, I saw the original Mr. Han aka Pat Morita in this remake.. yay!!



and there goes my entry for our Tuesday Couch Potatoes. See you again next week!

TCP: Alvin & The Chipmunks

Yep, it's December - time for a new series of topics for Tuesday Couch Potatoes and this month is about films that are centered on the Family and as Kikamz call it -Christmassy.
For this week - our topic is - Family Adventure Movies.

For me, the family that watches the movie together, stays together - that's what I believe in. Whenever there's a feel-good family shown on TV or downloaded on the computer, I make sure that Hubby, our kids and I are gathered around the TV (or PC) so we can all watch and stay happy. So far, my kids' favorite is Alvin and The Chipmunks (1 and 2).

This is a really hilarious yet happy family movie, seeing how close the chipmunk brothers are and what they do to keep Dave as their "foster" father; even helping him with his zero-luck love affair. Kyle likes annoyingly cute but groovy Alvin while my bunso likes super cuddly Theodore. They love the part when David Seville would scream ALVINNNN!!

Here's a summary of Chipmunks Part 1:

Three chipmunks -- voiced by Justin Long (Alvin), Matthew Gray Gubler (Simon), and Jesse McCartney (Theodore) -- are kicked out of their pine tree home when it's chopped down and shipped to a record label's headquarters as a Christmas tree. They end up sneaking a ride with Dave (Jason Lee), a down-and-out song composer who's none too happy to discover he has new rodent pals.

Eventually, of course, the trio starts singing and inspires Dave to write a Christmas song that wows an oily label exec (David Cross). The rest is chipmunk history.

The Squeakquel (Part 2):

Charice was on it, what's not to love?

Alvin learns to overcome his arrogance and need for acceptance -- i.e. joining the football team -- and fulfill his responsibilities to his family. Alvin's brothers refuse to perform without him because their act has always been about teamwork rather than any individual. Eleanor begins to feel bad about her body image but learns to accept herself the way she is. The evil talent agent and school bully are both humiliated as punishment for their behavior. The movie portrays video games as a means to avoid social interaction and focus on more family time. 

and that's my Family Movie Adventure for this week.. Happy Tuesday!

Narnia

I'm re-joining Tuesday Couch Potatoes although I'm two days late. Nevertheless, I can't help but share one of our fave films with snow all over the place.. Yes, for this week's ON ICE theme, I choose the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe..

My kids simply love the movie. They have great respect for Aslan and my Kian finds Lucy Pevensie "cute but with big eyes".. Kyle loves the scene where Lucy meets Mr. Tumnus by the lampost with the ice crystals or snow dropping on their heads. Kyle says, they look cute.. hahaha..

Film synopsis below:

The film begins with the 1940 bombing of Finchley, London, during the Blitz. The Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are in direct danger from the falling bombs.

The children are evacuated to the country home of Professor Digory Kirke. One day while they are playing hide and seek, Lucy discovers a wardrobe and enters a wintry fantasy world called Narnia. She spends a few hours in the home of the faun, Mr. Tumnus, who explains that Jadis, the White Witch, cursed Narnia, and it has been winter for one hundred years. In accordance with her orders, if a human is ever encountered, a Narnian must bring them to her. However, Tumnus likes Lucy and can't bring himself to kidnap her so he sends her home. When she returns, hardly any time has passed in the normal world, and when the other children check the Wardrobe, all they see is a normal wooden back - the portal is gone.

A few days later, Edmund follows Lucy into the wardrobe, and he meets the White Witch and her dwarf Ginarrbrik. She offers him Turkish Delight, as well as the prospect of becoming king if Edmund will bring his brother and sisters to her castle. After she departs, Edmund and Lucy meet again and return to tell the others. The Professor has a private talk with Peter and Susan; he does not understand why they do not believe Lucy's story and gives them three possible explanations of Lucy's behavior — madness, dishonesty, and sincerity — the others know she is neither mad nor dishonest, so she must be telling the truth.

On another day, while running away from the housekeeper in the wardrobe after breaking a window, the four siblings enter Narnia. They discover Mr. Tumnus has been taken by the Witch's Secret Police and meet talking beavers who tell them about Aslan. According to the beavers, Aslan is on the move to take control of Narnia from the White Witch. The four must help Aslan and his followers; it has been prophesied that when two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve sit in the four thrones, the Witch's reign will end.

tcp: susan sarandon

Be there for the joy. Be there for the tears. Be there for each other..

Anna and Ben, the two children of Jackie and Luke, have to cope with the fact that their parents divorced and that there is a new woman in their father's life: Isabel, a successful photographer. She does her best to treat the kids in a way that makes them still feel at home when being with their dad, but also loves her work and does not plan to give it up.

But Jackie, a full-time mother, regards Isabel's efforts as offensively insufficient. She can't understand that work can be important to her as well as the kids. The conflict between them is deepened by the sudden diagnose of cancer, which might may be deadly for Jackie. They all have to learn a little in order to grow together.

This is a real sweet and honest movie. It's definitely a family film. I liked the relationship of having to fill someone's shoes in a sense, because people are so attached to them. Susan Sarandon was awesome of course. She carried her part with grace and the feral intensity of a mama bear.

Nothing got over on her and I liked that because she wasn't going to be around much longer. It wasn't about sizing up the competition, but making sure she was the right person her kids could grow up with instead of her. It was heartfelt and real. Great film. A Gem!

And that's my feature for this week's Tuesday Couch Potatoes :)

tcp: morgan freeman

In The Sum of All Fears, Jack Ryan reaches his highest post at the CIA;
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence. His career is placed in jeopardy when
Fowler becomes President and Elizabeth Elliott becomes both National Security
Advisor and Fowler's lover/manipulator.

They not only deny Ryan any credit for an innovative Middle East peace
plan, but also panic when terrorists detonate a nuclear bomb in Denver during
the Super Bowl and nearly plunge the world into a Soviet-American nuclear
war.

For my Tuesday Couch Potatoes entry this week, i chose Morgan Freeman's SUM OF ALL FEARS with Ben Affleck.. i've read Tom Clancy's first few novels (Red October, Patriot Games/Clear & Present Danger) but this is the only one i was able to watch on film.. this is where i started to have a "crush" on Ben Affleck.. hahaha.. but overall, this film put me at the edge of my seat because of all the car chasing and CIA adventures that Central Intelligence Agency Director William Cabot (Morgan Freeman) & Ryan had encountered...

tcp: Brad Pitt

OMG... Brad Pitt! my ultimate Hollywood dream!!

OMG.. Brad Pitt... plus my idol Angelina... perfect!!

OMG: Brad Pitt on TCP!!

okay, sorry for a little exaggeration.. i am simply out of my mind whenever Brad Pitt is mentioned..

why...Brad Pitt was named Sexiest Man Alive by People in 1995 and 2000! so who wouldn't swoon and fall for him?!

without further audieu, for our Tuesday Couch Potatoes, my favorite Brad Pitt film is TROY!

Troy is a 2004 war drama film concerning the Trojan War. It is loosely
based on Homer's Iliad where we came to know Achilles (from the infamous Achilles Heel). In the Bronze Age Greece, King Agamemnon of Mycenae is in Thessaly, Greece, looking to conquer this last territory not in his fledgling empire. His soldiers prepare to fight the Thessalonian king, Triopas . Triopas agrees to settle the matter
through single combat between their best warriors.

Achilles (Brad Pitt) easily kills the Thessalonian champion Boagrius. Accepting defeat, Triopas presents Achilles with a scepter as a token for his king. But Achilles
refuses, saying Agamemnon is not his king.

In Sparta, Prince Hector (Eric Bana) and his young brother Paris (Orlando Bloom) negotiate peace between Troy and Sparta. Paris has fallen in love with Helen (Diane Kruger), Menelaus' wife. He smuggles her back to Troy with him. Infuriated,
Menelaus vows revenge. Meanwhile, Agamemnon (Menelaus' brother), who had for
years harbored plans for conquering Troy (which would give him control of the
Aegean Sea), uses this as a justification to invade Troy.

and soon the battle begun...

I would say, i love all Brad Pitt movies - especially Interview with The Vampire! he's the original vampire hearthrob! i also loved him in Mr. & Mrs. Smith as well as in the Ocean's films..

but Troy holds the most tender part of my heart, simply because this was the first movie that my husband and I watched (back when we were still dating as BF-GF) and aside from Brad, 2 gorgeous hunks also captured my eyes - Eric Bana & Orlando Bloom.. But of course, BRAD aka Achilles best made my heart go a-flutter..

i hope you enjoyed & will enjoy Troy as much as I did.. :) till next time for our Tuesday Couch Potatoes edition

TCP: Pinoy

i have a confession to make...

i only watch Pinoy movies if it was helmed & produced by Star Cinema!

bias? partly yes, because i'm a certified Kapamilya...

but honestly, this is due to the fact that all Star Cinema movies i've seen have the balance of comedy, drama, suspense & family oriented values that i look for in a film. for today's Couch Potato feature, my choice is:

I Love yOu Goodbye..'

aside from the fact that i love the song, i actually like the chemistry of the real-life couple Angelica & Derek.. i have only seen part of the movie, i wasn't able to completely watch it because i just saw it played on a bus (when i commuted back home in Pangasinan last May).. so i would really like to check this out really soon..

and that's my TCP: Pinoy Movie of the week..

SALT

TCP: Something New (Aug. 24)

i finally had the chance to watch Salt with my friends. i dont want to think that it's gonna be my last group date with my Spice Girls.. (why last? because it would be the last time that we, SpiceGirls will be complete.. but that's another story...)

anyway, as an Angelina Jolie fan, i expected the best from her. the fact that she's a double-agent in the film made me wished of being a CIA Agent too.. although i've read some negative reviews about the film, i still opted to watch it because i couldn't pass up the chance to see my idol gun-slinging and doing disguises every now and then..

SALT as a whole is action-packed and mind-boggling.. me and my friends left the theater in awe.. can't wait to catch another Jolie film soon!

I am still yet to watch Inception, i've heard rave reviews about it, and the fact that Leonardo Di Caprio's in it makes my waiting more worthwhile.. i guess i'll just have to wait for the DVD to come..

and that, folks, is my entry for our Tuesday Couch Potatoes