Red Riding Hood Film Review

Trinoma Mall, Cinema 1
Press Screening, 03.08.2010

Last night, I was able to catch the press screening of the Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried, Billy Burke and more... I will be re-posting the Pinoy Exchange review once they posted it.

Red Riding Hood is the tale of a young lady named Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) who is in love with the woodcutter Peter (Shiloh Fernandez) but was arranged to marry the wealthy Henry (Played by Max Irons). Unwilling to marry Henry, Valerie and Peter plan to runaway just when her sister was found slaughtered by the wolf that has been lurking around their village for years. With this, famed wolf hunter Father Solomon (Gary Oldman) was asked to kill the beast.

As the death toll rises, Father Solomon warns the villagers that the beast maybe one of them. Valerie then discovers that she has a special connection with the wolf, suspecting that the creature could be someone she loves.

The start was very fast-paced. From the moment that they found out that Valerie’s sister was slaughtered, the villagers plotted to kill the wolf themselves but were unsuccessful that it even causes more deaths. With Father Solomon’s arrival, which kind of gave me that “Van Helsing Just Arrived” vibes, it was apparent that he’ll be the one to actually create havoc in the village rather than the wolf itself. I just don’t get his character. Why is he bossing around people in the village when in fact it is obvious that it was not the majorities who called for him to be summoned and kill the beast?

When the wolf arrived and cornered Valerie and talked to her, the guessing game furiously started as everybody she loves was a suspect. That guessing part was almost good and suspenseful; I just wish that there’s more action to the narrative rather than just a plain explanation because it kind of lacks the connection. The big reveal was almost anti-climactic but it was still good given that it was not too much of a giveaway.

In conclusion, I think the film was trying too hard to be darker than what it shows in its trailer and was not very successful. It was still a good two hours guessing who the werewolf is and lamenting how some scenes could’ve been executed better.

Overall, I’d give it a 6/10 rating.

-this is an excerpt of my review courtesy of PinoyExchange Official Movie Reviews. -please visit link for a more detailed review and join in the community as well.

-paddylast

Remember Me, Dear John

I've watched these two films over my vacation in the province and surprisingly, I like ‘em both. It’s weird because they both have the 9/11 terror attacks as one of the defining scenes in the film – the end of Remember Me and in the middle of Dear John.
Both have this nonchalant vibes which make you empathize with them. It’s like both male leads are in so much pain that you’d actually feel it yourself.

Director: Allen Coulter

Starring

Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, Lena Olin, Pierce Brosnan, Tate Ellington, Ruby Jerins

Robert Pattinson played a rebellious young man in New York who has a not so good relationship with his lawyer Dad. His big brother Michael committed suicide when he was 22 and Tyler (Pattinson) was deeply affected by the tragedy as he continues to write to Michael whenever he can in their favorite café. And then he met Ally to whom he falls in love. It was the twist of fate that led them to heal both of their wounded soul –Ally’s Mom was murdered in the subway when she was 9. They both found solace from each other and just when everything seemed to fall into places, fate would intervene in the most tragic way.

It was actually a poignant film about forgiveness, falling in love and “living.” I love how Robert Pattinson and Emilie De Ravin complimented each other on the screen. It’s not going to make you cry buckets but it would make you realize that there are things more important in life than any material things could offer.

Ratings: 7.5 / 10

Director: Lasse Hallström

Starring

Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Henry Thomas, Scott Porter, Richard Jenkins

Dear John on the other hand strangely touched my heart in a subtle way that Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried delivered their lines. The whole letter thingy was something that I can relate to being in a long distance relationship (before) myself. Their love reminds me of Ennis and Jack’s love for each other in Brokeback Mountain for some weird reasons. It’s like knowing that you love each other deeply but you can’t be together. I love how the film ended differently than what is written in the book by Nicholas Sparks. Atleast, audience have the chance to conclude that they end up together because Tim died eventually whilst in the book Time lived. I’d say it is my favorite Nicholas Sparks film adaptation to date.

Ratings: 7/ 10

-paddylast