Ang Panday 2 Trailer Impressions: A CGI-Heavy Sequel from Imus Productions

Ang Panday 2 or Ang Panday Ikalawang Aklat is a 2011 fantasy action sequel to the 2009 film Ang Panday. Ang Panday 2 is a 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival entry from Imus Production and GMA Films starring Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. as the iconic Flavio or "Panday".



Ang Panday 2
Plot / Synopsis

Ang Panday 2 is a fantasy action sequel to Imus Productions and GMA Films' 2009 for the Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Ang Panday. Ang Panday 2 features impressive CGI and special effects and will be shown in 3-D.

The world is once again thrown in turmoil and destruction from the forces of evil and it is up to Flavio and his mythical sword to stop it.

Watch Ang Panday 2 official movie trailer here



Ang Panday 2 Trailer Impression
Ang Panday 2 Trailer Review

I have a couple of rules that would make me call a movie trailer an effective and successful in creating buzz and building hype to attract movie goers to watch it. One is that you should never spoil the film audience by summarizing the entire film in a trailer. Second is to to not show the best parts of the film or just simply give a small glimpse of it to engage and intrigued the movie goers to actually see it. And that ladies and gentlemen is what the Panday 2 did not do.



Do not get me wrong, I am still hopeful that the Philippine movie industry can once again get back to its golden age state like what it was before, but only if they learn to adapt the ever increasing and changing demand and taste of film fans. Although Ang Panday 2 features an impressive array of computer generated effects not regularly seen on a Philippine produced film, this does not mean that it is automatically considered or be called a good or quality film. There are so many factors that constitute a good film, but let us discuss that for another time. Let us go back to Ang Panday 2 2011 movie trailer. The trailer to me is very sloppily made, first you see an old fairy saying about his experience about the war, then you jump to someone reminding the protagonist that he is relying too much on the sword, and he next the hero is making some twisted belief that sacrifices are needed to fight for peace. Maybe that is the underlying plot featured here but it is so vaguely touch and if that is what the entire story is about, Flavio undergoing a confusion of what truly matters then it might just spoil it a bit, for those kinds of struggle are best watched than stated in a trailer. Then we have those other characters which just made it more chaotic. We have computer generated fairies, dragons, sea monsters, "aswangs", giant scorpions, sandhenchmen, and a witch who introduced herself as the queen of darkness but is obviously just a henchwoman. Seeing the last Ang Panday film, the trailer has once again made its same mistake as it had before. Throw in all the good CGI part in the trailer for they believe it is enough marketing for the film. In a way, it works especially when trailers for Ang Panday 2 have proliferated in various commercials in the Kapuso Network (it really helps that a television station is a producer of the film), but to those who have been disappointed by Imus Production created films know better than not to be fooled twice. The trailer is really aimed for the children. Cashing in on the sense that parents are forced by their children to watch Ang Panday 2 because of the shiny stuff rather than the actual story itself. I maybe wrong in pre-judging it but the trailer isn't just convincing me that it is any better from what it was before. A film that does not explore and give justice to the popular iconic comics character Panday, but rather rely on CGI to do the work for them. I remember seeing a classic Panday film starring the late Fernando Poe Jr. and it was something. Although it is unfair to compare the before and after as film audience might have a strong sense of nostalgia in the past, I believe that it is more important for studios to emulate the writing and progression of the story, than depending too much on CGI and a more Hollywood-ish effect. I will no longer touch touch the very obvious as everyone has already notice the "Clash of the Titans" and "Eragon" computer graphics that "inspired" the look of Ang Panday 2 characters. The argument that every movie takes the inspiration from another is valid, so I will end it with that.

The funny thing is that families will still flock the theaters to watch Ang Panday 2. I know I would which is a quite a surprise actually as how I negatively receive this trailer. I also believe in the "if you do not like it don't watch it" kind of thinking, that's what I did with the Twilight series... a boycott. But like I said I am still hopeful that this is just a case of ineffective film trailer creation that at its core there is something special in it. I am more critical of this trailer review than my Enteng ng Ina Mo one because the film wants to be taken seriously but fails. At least to critical and film veterans (let us not include the "high class taste" of the Cannes film fest cinephiles into the mix), the films falls short as the trailer is obviously aimed for children. So will I recommend you guys to see it? Well, yeah. But i wished that ang Panday 2 trailer made it abit easy for the Pinoy movie Blogger to recommend it without doing this massive trailer impressions. This seems already a movie review itself Hahahaha.



How about you guys, what do you think about Ang Panday 2 movie trailer? Do you agree or disagree with my impressions of it? Share your thoughts at the comments section below:

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 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:

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.



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:

Toy Story 3 (2010) Movie Review

If there is one movie that set the standards for 3D animation it is definitely Toy Story. After two successful film, the toys are back with the Toy Story 3. Believe me when I say that it IS the best commercial film of the year. Well, that is one big conclusion for an introduction, here is why.



Check out the Toy story 3 trailer and movie posters at Complete Set of The New Toys from Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 Movie Review
Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews

The Philippines is one of the first countries to screen Toy Story 3. The animated film premiered at SM North Edsa's IMAX Theatre on June 16, 2010 (Wednesday) in full 3D and yours truly was there to watch, appreciate and review Toy Story 3, the latest installment of the popular Pixar classic.

Toy Story has already made two successful movies back on 1995 with Toy Story, and on 1999 with Toy Story 2. The biggest challenge of any movie sequel or follow ups is topping up what its first (few) movie franchises has achieved, whether it is a successful plot, characters, production, feel, etc. Many movies has fallen victim to the curse of bad sequels but Toy Story 3 didn't. With over ten years of span, it has already created a cult following of movie goers and home theater viewers. Thus the movie would have definitely have millions of once kids and movie goers of the first two films looking forwatd to seeing the film, and as one of them let me say that Toy Story 3 is the Bomb!

Toy Story 3 trailer



Toy Story 3 reacquaints us with the beloved characters of the first two movies with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Hamm, Rex, Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead, Slinky Dog, and the Squeeze Toy Aliens. It's been over ten years, and what I like about the concept of the movie is that the toys owner, Andy has also grown up and you know what that means for old toys. This is basic plot which is no spoiler at all is that Andy is going to college and the toys wound up at a Day Care Center which holds many dreaded secrets, one of them is Ken. Alright, that was my cheap way of pulling a joke, but the trailer when Barbie and Ken met in the first time is "epic". What secrets does Sunnyside Day Care Center have that made the plan a great escape, you should eventually find it out pretty soon, as in 2 days soon from the date of this review.

Great musical scoring with a very nostalgic retro music feel playing in some scenes blended with a seemingly perfect voice casts, I have no complaints against the music of Toy Story 3. In terms of visual presentation, what can I say or even comment? Only two words... it's Pixar (well that's three words if you count 'is'). Pixar won't be cheating on you on this one as you will need your 3D glass the whole time that the film is rolling. Toy Story 3 is best experienced in true HD full 3D.

Toy Story 3 has an excellent writers behind it and with perfect execution of the voice actors, direction, and the awesomeness of the production of Pixar the film turned into a cinematic masterpiece. With all of the main characters as toys, there are countless of ideas that the writers can explore and utilize to incorporate in Toy Story 3, and guess what they did! This is one of the best hilarious animated film from Pixar. I am a witness to this as everyone laugh their hearts out almost all at once, from the young viewers to the not so old ones like us. A very rare feat especially as people these days tends to have loss humor on their lives. Besides the humor, great character build up, or just great everything, what really makes Toy Story a phenomenal success (from Toy Story 1-3) is it's heart. Toy Story 3 brings you back on a time when everything seems so simple, so innocent, so magical and creates these lovable and memorable characters that you will associate yourself with and with the closest people around you. Toy Story 3 brings out that mushy feeling in all of us which we have unknowingly hidden in the darkest depths of our minds and soul as we mature. Toy Story 3 is that good, believe me tears just gush out of my eyes on two or three times on the duration of the film. You'll know when you watch it.

I think Toy Story will have a very favorable good reviews and I am not saying this because it is what I have experienced. Me, with all of fellow Filipino movie goers says this is a great comeback for the toys. Even the popular movie review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 17 reviews. It is that well crafted people.

Toy Story 3 Interviews
Movie Related Videos



Toy Story 3 Featurette: Old Friends, New Places



PMB Recommendation
The Verdict

Well, from the start of this review you already know that I am all thumbs up with Toy Story 3. A unique movie experience that will bring out the inner child in you. You'll laugh, cry, sympathize, rejoice, and celebrate life with Toy Story. If you haven't seen the first tow, go see it to know the story about how these toys came to be the best of buddies as they are on the film. Watch it in full 3D and believe me it is worth every single penny.

Pinoy Movie Blogger gives Toy Story 3 (2010) Movie a first time perfect five out of five Woody's cowboy hats rating:

Clash of the Titans (2010) Movie Review

Clash of the Titan is another movie adaptation based from the classic Greek mythology of Perseus. There are a couple of differences regarding its original mythology (books) and the 1981 Clash of the Titans, so Pinoy Movie Blogger will approach this in a completely fresh perspective to cater to the modern Filipino viewers.




Clash of the Titans (2010) Movie Synopsis, Poster and Trailer

Clash of the Titan Movie Review
Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews

Clash of the Titans is a 2010 retelling of the Greek mythology hero Perseus and when I say retelling then do not expect it to be as loyal as the 1981 stop motion movie version (if you have watched the movie back in the days). Overall, the movie was completely rendered in 3D as I once in a while remove my 3D glasses to take a peek. The emerging and the rampage of the glorious beast, the Kraken was probably one of the best 3D moments of the film. Well, the acting was just okay but definitely needed a bit more umph to it.

Another one of those epic adventure movie about one man against the Gods. A quest of godly proportions. Well, it can not (or can it?) be blamed on the writers since the movie was loosely based from the popular Perseus Greek mythology itself so expect a some very traditional lines like (if you'll excuse me) "Let's get that bitch!"... whut the? Yup, you got that right "bitch" and "hell" have been used in this movie of epic and ancient Greece setting which made me scratch my head. Besides these two inappropriate words incorporated in the movie, I have also noticed a lack of smooth transition from some scenes.

Seeing it in 3D, I think it delivered some nice 3D moments but there are somethings missing. When the "Woah" factor from the audience came from a pre-movie trailer about owls rather than the actual movie itself (or maybe my fellow movie audience were just too silent about expressing their awe regarding the movie), then you can't help but think that the effectiveness of the movie falls short in some strange ways. The probable reason behind this might be because of the 3D rendering of the movie in just a short span of time, and for what? Just because 3D is the latest "hype".

PMB Recommendation
The Verdict

Clash of the Titans is one of those movies that is better seen on the big screen (or better yet in full 3D or Digital cinema). The movie is definitely not a reboot of the 1981 Clash of the Titans, but a new one which was inspired of that and the book. Through flashy graphics, beautiful women, and a classic storyline the movie has overshadowed its shortcomings to some extent.

Pinoy Movie Blogger give the clash of the Titans (2010) Movie a three out of five Medusa heads:

Alice in Wonderland (2010) Movie Review

Alice? The Alice! The Alice is back this time in a whole new adventure in Underland... I mean Wonderland. This is the very first Movie Review of Pinoy Movie Blogger and join me peek into the looking glass down the rabbit hole in Walt Disney Pictures' Alice in Wonderland (2010) movie.



A Sneak Peek
Synopsis

Thirteen years after the young Alice Kingsleigh's adventure in Wonderland, she has completely forgotten about her adventure in the enchanted world of Wonderland until one fateful day she is summoned by the "people" of Wonderland.

Alice is a free-spirited girl living in a sophisticated Victorian era setting. Eversince her childhood days she kept in dreaming about a world that could only exist on dreams, and this is probably why she lacks concentration and can easily be distracted by such the littlest of things that comes to her mind.

Alice was invited to a special event which was set up by her mother and sister for her to wed a "not so" sophisticated Lord. Alice has no intention of marrying but came to a conflict that she couldn't disobey the wishes of her family. Eventually she was accidentally helped by an unbelievable circumstances as she followed a strange rabbit on a waist coat.

What happens next is a series of events that lead her back to the place that she formerly called Wonderland. There Alice meet her old friends which she could no longer recognize, and to her surprise she is the prophesied Champion who will rid of Underland of the tyrant reign of the White Queen with her infamous and most feared underling.

How will Underland be saved if the prophesied Champion is not what she seem like? Catch how she transformed to become the one key that unlocked the chains of despair that haunts the whole Kingdom of Wonderland with Tim Burton's continuation of the world that Lewis Carroll craftily created, Alice in Wonderland.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland Review
Pinoy Movie Blogger Reviews

The world down the rabbit hole of Alice in Wonderland is truly visually stunning, especially if you'll see it in 3D. Even for a world destroyed and terrorized by the of The Red Queen's tyranny and her "Jabberwock", Wonderland is still presented as both creative and dreamy, and at the same time seemingly realistic world that only Lewis Carroll has imagined it to be.

Some of the character's of the beloved Lewis Carroll novel "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" makes a comeback and has been given much more exposure and emphasis on the film rather than just Alice's adventures. Almost all the beloved characters from the novel comes back to add color to the dark world that Wonderland came to be. Johnny Depp's portrayal of the Mad Hatter seemingly gave more of the human aspect (saner side) to the almost loony character from Carroll's novel. You will see what I am talking about and what role did The Mad Hatter portray in Burton's Alice.

There are a few barely noticeable bad cuts on the film which would make you wonder what could be that omitted scene? Also it is not really just for the kids as but the movie also appeals to the general public movie goer.

PMB Recommendation
The Verdict

A movie blended with good humor, great visual presentation and superb acting, Alice in Wonderland is commendable for the young ones, young at hearts and people who haven't even read previous Alice in Wonderland or Through the Looking Glass literary pieces or seen classic movies.

If you are an enthusiastic and movie junkee like I am and you haven't even read the previous books or just barely knew the story then be prepare because after watching this film your curiosity will be hungry with anything and everything that concerns Alice in Wonderland. Where did the queen of hearts go? Is the Red Queen the Queen of Hearts? Walt Disney's 2010 Alice in wonderland movie will make you go back to the down the rabbit hole to the classic wonderland and through the looking glass just to know who the characters are.

Alice in Wonderland's movie soundtrack is entitled Almost Alice, and let me derived my conclusion from the soundtrack and my general review on the movie. It is almost an excellent movie but there are some questions that you'll eventually ask yourself or someone who knows the previous novels and that doesn't really mean that the movie delivered all that it has to see. You may blame me for not researching or failing to see the previous versions but it should have at least clarified some parts of the scene, but don't get me wrong about this. It is still a great 3D movie and with all of the positive remarks I noticed on it...

I gave Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland an almost perfect Four out of Five Mad Hatter Hats.