December 30, 2010

RPG: Metanoia (2010) Movie Review

Another first in Philippines film history, RPG: Metanoia is the first full length Philippine animated film presented in 3D. With more than two years in the making, a Grade A from Cinema Evaluation Board, a first animated film presented in 3-D, does RPG Metanoia live up to its hype or is it or not? Find out more about on this spoiler-free RPG: Metanoia Pinoy Movie Blogger Review.

RPG: Metanoia Film Review


RPG: Metanoia Movie Review
Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews

RPG: Metanoia starts slow and when I say slow, I mean the very beginning of the film featured constant dropping of frame rate which is by the way in "3-D". Though it can affect the viewing experience, it doesn't take too much away from the overall experience. It is still watchable, if not enjoyable. I maybe nitpicking a bit because of the countless excellent Hollywood 3-D films I have seen in the past, but knowing that this is a first in Philippine cinema then I guess it will do. But this should definitely be not an issue next time film studios and distributors! I still managed to oversee such lack of polish and look for other waiting treasures from this seemingly long delayed (to be made) discovered treasure chest.

RPG: Metanoia has good musical scoring and this has been recognized by the Metro Manila Film Festival as it won the Best Sound Recording in the highly acclaimed awards night. Some voice acting may feel a bit unnatural like that of Vhong Navarro's real world character, if only he has maintained that consistency both offline and on. Most of the voice acting grows up on you especially those of Zaijan Jaranilla, Mika Dela Cruz, Aaron Junatas, Basty Alcances, Aga Muhlach, and Eugene Domingo.

The first Filipino animated film presented in 3-D starts out slow. So slow that it seems like there is no exciting plot to follow and just a bunch of kids with wild imaginations. Luckily I was wrong as the film introduces an odd plot which affect not just the characters and their online roleplaying games, but the whole world in general. Pretty clever if I may add, but also very good. Nice character development with some cheesy and over the top dialogue. I just can't seem to relate with kids saying "Astig" everytime they can. The film is very Filipino as you will be in a treat seeing classic Filipino past time games in RPG: Metanoia.

I can't help but to review the RPG: Metanoia as a gamer. There are things that I like and don't like about the animated film. Being an avid RPG or MMORPG fan, there seems to have some headache inducing concepts going around the Metanoia universe like why does a player have a need to save his file in an Online Role-Playing Game? It is already online so it means that every transaction and quest a gamer do should automatically be saved. I think MMORPG gamers would also noticed this mistake in concepts. What I do like about the the role-playing game world of Metanoia on the other hand is the new concepts that has slowly been integrated to various mmorpgs nowadays, highly customizable characters. So customizable that the in-game characters looks exactly like their real world counterparts, or it is just the film playing tricks on us as the world of Metanoia is seen in the eyes of these "Astigin" group of kids... and adults.

I was able to watch most of the scenes without the 3-D glasses. I even favor watching it without them if not for some scenes which really demands the 3-D peripherals. One would often get a clue when to wear the 3-D glasses and that is everytime the animation frame rate drops. RPG: Metanoia is not really 3-D, but rather a pseudo-3D a.k.a. 2.5D. It may still be the first full length CGI Filipino film but not a full length 3-D one. One can really noticed that it is really a first of its kind here in the Philippines because of the constant frame rate drop everytime the animation goes into 3-D.

RPG: Metanoia Official Full Trailer
Movie Related Videos



Nico's (Zaijan Jaranilla) hundrum daily existence simply cannot compete with the fantasy life he leads in the world's most popular MMORPG—METANOIA, as the swashbuckling vagabond Zero, together with his friends: the spiritist Mang Ernie (Jairus Aquino), renegade chi-master K'mao, apprentice weapon-smith Sumpak (Aaron Junatas), folk hero Ahdonis (Basty Alcances) and the beast master Cassandra (Mika Dela Cruz), they explore Metanoia's vast virtual landscape in search of untold on-line fortune and glory!

When a malevolent force surfaces and threatens to consume everything they hold dear, the fate of two worlds fall upon the shoulder of one very unlikely champion. One who must first find way to burst out of his shell and discover the true hero within-before it's too late.

PMB Recommendations for RPG: Metanoia
The Verdict

RPG: Metanoia is a nice and decent animated film for the whole family. Though it lacks the necessary polish, it doesn't greatly deter its shortcomings from the overall viewing experience. An animated film which brings you back to the age of innocence. For a game about online video game, it can be the most anti-video game film one can ever watch. Tow hy was I able to come up with such statements? Well you just have to find it out for yourself by watching the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival entry RPG: Metanoia.

Pinoy Movie Blogger gives RPG: Metanoia (2010) Movie a two point five out of five yoyos:

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December 29, 2010

Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews for the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival for 2010

Pinoy Movie Blogger is authored by a film enthusiast and proud Filipino, thus it is only natural for this blog dedicated on giving its readers honest film reviews to feature local Filipino movies. The best way to start this review is by reviewing all of the entries in the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival for 2010.

So if you still haven't seen the 2010 MMFF entries then let Pinoy Movie Blogger do the watching and reviewing for you. Don't worry Pinoy Movie Blogger is Spoiler-Free and will only say if the film is a "must-see" or a "definite-pass".



Here are the the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival Entries for 2010 Reviewed by the Pinoy Movie Blogger

Italicized 2010 MMFF entries means that the review is pending

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December 17, 2010

Tron: Legacy (2010) Movie Review

1982's Walt Disney Film entitled Tron marked the first time that movies and video games converge into one amazing movie experience. If one is to look back or watch the original 1982 Tron movie then he might find the graphics and presentation primitve but during the 80's it was phenomenal. Who would have thought that Hollywood would once again pick up another classic which seems to be a complete movie in itself and create a direct sequel to it? Tron: Legacy is that latest sequel and here is Pinoy Movie Blogger's Review on Tron: Legacy.

Tron Legacy movie review


Check out Tron: Legacy's movie posters, trailers, synopsis, and links at A Classic Makes a Comeback with Tron Legacy

Tron: Legacy Movie Review
Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews

Tron: Legacy starts off with a brief message that some of the parts of the film are in 2-D but the audience are advice to wear the 3-D glasses through the entire film. The film then start off with a very impressive opening light cycle to real world sequence which shows us Kevin Flynn played by Jeff Bridges while he tells his son about his adventures with Tron from the first film. His character then disappears until some years and Sam has grown up into a happy go lucky successor of ENCOM International, the company his father drove to success. After sabotaging ENCOM's latest software endeavor he was later visited by the executive consultant for ENCOM International, close friend of Kevin Flynn, and a father image to Sam, Alan Bradley. Alan (Bruce Boxleitner who played Tron in the first film) then tells Sam that he receive a mysterious page from Sam's father which Sam later checks out. Ultimately, Sam entered the grid and this is where he realized that all his father's stories where true, the Grid is real. He is immediately thrown into a gladiator type of entertainment simply called the "games" where he meets Clu 2, which he mistakes for as his father but then later revealed as the one pulling the strings in the seemingly twisted digital world of the grid. He is later saved by Quorra played by Olivia Wilde and was later reunited with his father. Then the story began to further unfold into a climatic ending which is for you to find out. Pinoy Movie Blogger is a spoiler-free movie review blog, if you can remember.

Tron Legacy has great musical scoring thanks to Daft Punk and some very interesting nostalgic 80's music. The main villain in the film, Clu 2 is also played by the Jeff Bridges except younger. Clu 2 is the exact duplicate of the 1982 Kevin Flynn, which is either a hit or a miss. Knowing this, I think we are mentally conditioned to look for flaws on the 3-D rendering of a young Jeff Bridges which I eventually did. The model sometimes feel plastic and facial expressions stiff, but it doesn't take too much away from the film. Tron: Legacy has a good amount of hight intensity action scenes. Not to mention various Grid vehicle transformation sequences are just simple awesome, jaw-dropping, and what pop culture refer to as it can induce "nerdgasm". The writing is nice which may provide some chuckles as Kevin flynn occassionally use classic 80's remarks and expressions along the way.

PMB Recommendation
The Verdict

Tron: Legacy is an exciting, eye candy, engaging, entertaining, action pack film with a decent storyline. You don't have to see the original 1982 to get the gist of the film but it is highly advisable to see it, just have an open mind if you are to see such classics. I believe it is unanimous amongst everyone who watched this film that Tron: Legacy is a nice Hollywood 3-D film. Though some parts are in 2-D, most of it is in awesome 3-D, so if you can, I recommend you to go see it on various IMAX Theaters nationwide: SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, and SM Cebu.

Pinoy Movie Blogger gives Tron: Legacy (2010) Movie a four out of five Tron Identity Disk:

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