12 Things Star Wars The Force Awakens Did Right

Back to a galaxy far, far away!

Expect an unprecedented rise in hoodie-wearing because after 10 years of waiting, STAR WARS IS BACK!!! And it could not be more glorious!!!!

Our collective bottled up excitement erupted at the mere sight of the ‘Star Wars’ title card with its titillating music score. From then on we were all just wide-eyed and awestruck and laughing and applauding – it was fantastic! Star Wars The Force Awakens, in a nutshell, was everything we hoped it’d be and more!

It was familiar yet fresh, like a vintage car given a nice new shine. It’s basically everything we loved about the previous films, minus all our complaints. This is Star Wars perfected (or very, very near it)! Here are some of the things that went so wonderfully right about Star Wars TFA (The Force Awakens)!

A Very Geeky Christmas...Wishlist

Christmas is right around the corner! I hope you’ve gotten around completing your Christmas list (which honestly, you should really be done with already)! I know that every year, finding gifts for nerdy friends/children/nieces and nephews/officemates/lovers is a major concern (just pretend this is true)! But fret not. I may be able to help. Here’s my geeky wish list this Christmas that’ll hopefully give you an idea of what YOU’LL give! (For my ideas last year, click HERE!)

Rediscovering Star Wars As An Adult

Star Wars' Epic Saga...so far!

Okay, so I re-watched all the Star Wars films in preparation for next week’s new Star Wars installment, The Force Awakens. Note that the first time I watched the original trilogy was way back when I was 10 years old, so last week’s whole day marathon was a great refresher! Almost 2 decades later and Star Wars is still as cool as ever! But I have to admit though; there were a few things I didn’t realize or appreciate about Star Wars when I watched it as a kid. As a fun exercise I thought I'd list down some things about the series that I’m only just figuring out:

(Disclaimer: No, this isn’t some profound discussion of Star Wars’ underlying themes or philosophies. They’re just shallow things that went over my young and unassuming head.)

Anime Shows To Catch During The Holiday Break!

I haven’t been a big anime fan since the time of Dragon Ball Z, Ghost Fighter (Yuyu Hakusho), Zenki and Fushigi Yuugi, but I’ve recently come across a few new shows that I ended up absolutely loving! They’re what I would call gateway anime – fun shows that are easy enough to follow if you want to get back into it. Anime these days cover a variety of themes, but my personal picks are about food, hyperactive hormones, a bored, bald, and an overpowered superhero.

4 Problems I Had With Marvel's Jessica Jones

Marvel’s Jessica Jones, the newest Marvel property to get a Netflix adaptation, was critically slated to be as good, if not better than last April’s Daredevil. But when my brothers and I finally found the time to binge watch the shit out of that show, we found out that the critics miiiiiiight have slightly been overstating things.

The most badass super-heroine on TV with one of the coolest villains ever.

Even though I don’t share my brothers’ passionate and very vocal hating on the new Netflix show, I do understand where they’re coming from and agree with a lot of their arguments. Marvel’s Jessica Jones had cool moments for sure, some of which were deliciously horrifying, but as a whole, Jessica Jones season 1 felt frustrating and repetitive.

'Manang Biring' is a story-telling symphony

'Manang Biring' wins Best Film. And for good reason!

Manang Biring deserves all the praises and then some!

Director Carl Joseph Papa’s Manang Biring nabbed the Best Film award at this year’s Cinema One Originals Festival. If this film fest was all about imagination and beyond the box story-telling, then it was a well-deserved win; Manang Biring is innovation incarnate.

'Baka Siguro Yata' is Definitely, Surely, Absolutely a Hoot!

Last 2 days to catch these new indies!

9 Cinema One Originals Film Festival movies are currently playing on selected cinemas. Now I’ve already said before that I was never a fan of Pinoy movies, let alone indies, but after seeing some pretty good ones like Tadhana and Heneral Luna, I’ve abandoned my initial apathy in exchange for a more hopeful view.

Surely, definitely, absolutely a hoot!

The lineup this year seems promising but I’ve so far only had the pleasure of seeing one – ‘Baka Siguro Yata’. It may not have been the artsiest or most unique film but it was still a whopping joy to watch. This feature was the perfect blend of mainstream and indie sensibilities and contrary to its title, Baka Siguro Yata is surely, definitely, absolutely a MUST WATCH.

'Until Dawn': The Ultimate Horror Game

I can't believe I didn't find out about this game sooner! It would have been perfect for Halloween! Until Dawn is an incredible and wonderful game and it's just the right amount of scarefest for someone who hates scary movies like me!

Until Dawn is about this group of kids who reunite at a remote winter lodge to celebrate / get over a tragedy that befell them a year before. Little do they know that behind the shadows of the cold, dark night, something sinister awaits them.

Not your typical teen horror flick! Trust me!

Starring Grant Ward and Claire Bennet. (Or at least that's what we kept calling them.)

Along with other notable actors including Rami Malek (Mr. Robot), Peter Stormare (Count Vertigo), etc.

'Spectre': Sexy Spy Spectacle

*Fixes sleeve under coat before starting to type*

Spectre is the latest addition to the 007 franchise’s illustrious saga. It marks Daniel Craig's 4th run at the iconic international super spy. From Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and then Skyfall, Craig’s Bond has always stood out as darker, grittier and more grounded that the rest of the previous Bonds. But Spectre is touch closer to the classic spy-romps of James Bond’s earlier years. Whether that’s favorable or detrimental to the series (or at least Craig’s 007 in particular) is still up for debate.

COSTUME THEMES TO DO THIS HALLOWEEN THAT ARE SO EASY, IT’S EMBARASSING!

Halloween is in the air!!!

Halloween is fast approaching and I am so excited! I’m a grown man but the idea of dressing up, even for just one night a year, still excites me! It’s an excuse to shed off your normal self for something fresh and radical! But alas, I’m very much aware that I'm the minority in this. Some people are too lazy, or too old and crusty, or just plain uninterested to get off their butts to make an effort and find costumes. But if you’re like me and you just want to have fun this Halloween, and want your friends to join in on the celebration, then here are some RIDICULOUSLY EASY HALLOWEEN THEMES that hopefully even your most reluctant friends will be willing to do!

'Goosebumps' remains true to form

Do you ever get the feeling when a movie is just right? When it’s not too heavy, or too slapstick, or too anything? It’s just the right amount of whatever it is. That’s how I felt getting out of Goosebumps.

'The Walk' is not for the faint of heart

Danger is what makes high wire acts so entertaining. You’re kept in awe of how well tightrope artists keep their balance and essentially…stay alive. But film-viewing’s inherent nature negates the thrills of such feats. There is no real risk, therefore life-threatening stunts become pointless.

And yet Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk, a film about a man walking on a wire, still manages to deliver profuse amounts of thrill and excitement! It was a cinematic experience! And this is how movies are supposed to be enjoyed henceforth!

2015 Fall TV Shows To Watch!

A tattooed Jane Doe, a devil-clad serial killer, a mind enhancing drug, a girl from outer space, a sleeper agent in the FBI, and a world that needs heroes – here are some of the new shows this fall that I recommend for anyone looking to start a new addiction.

BLINDSPOT

Forgotten identities, government conspiracies, unexplained assassin skills, action, thrills and a whole lot of intrigue; Blindspot is Bourne the TV series!

Mark Watney is...Marsgyver

A new Ridley Scott sci-fi classic!

Ridley Scott’s The Martian is one of the best space sci-fi and/or survival movies ever made. And it also unequivocally proves that all that science, math and algebra I studied back in college, that I thought were just cool to know, WILL EVENTUALLY BE USEFUL MIGHT JUST SAVE MY LIFE.

The Martian, based from Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name, is about survival on Mars. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) and the rest of the crew of the Mars Mission ARIS III are hit by a devastating storm. In an attempt to escape the planet, Mark is struck by debris and separated from the rest of the crew. Believing Mark is dead, the crew has no choice but to take off. But even injured and alone, Mark is far from helpless as he uses whatever materials were left behind, his superior Botany powers and an uncanny ability to stay positive-slash-non-crazy to survive.

Mark Watney: MARSGYVER!

The Martian is Gravity and Castaway’s picture-perfect lovechild…dipped in slick Heisenberg sauce. (Breaking Bad fans will get it.)

The Intern Review: Robert De Niro Is The Nicest Man On The Planet

Robert De Niro has more acting chops in his finger…nay, his eye brows…nay, his DEAD FINGERNAILS, that most actors do in their whole bodies!

Running is Healthy: Scorch Trials Review

STREEEEEESS DRILLON!!!!!

…is what I can say about Maze Runner 2 in a nutshell.

APCC: Cosplay, Toys and Statues Photo Dump!

Collecting all my cosplay, toys and statue photos from last Sunday's Asia Pop Comicon (APCC) in one post. Hope you like photo dumps! Had a lot of fun! Read more about the event HERE!

COSPLAY HUNTING!

The guy on the left won $10,000 in APCC's Cosplay competition!

APCC: The Next Big Step Of Philippine Geekery

Oh my god.

13 hours of being on our feet. My right knee is cramping, one wrong stretch and this is gonna HURT! But it was all worth eeeeeeet!!!!!

Asia Pop Comicon (APCC), the biggest comicon to hit Manila was packed with celebrity guests, entertaining panels, great cosplay sightings, and fun merchandise and giveaways. In a very literal sense, some people's dreams came true that weekend. 

Nakakasilaw ung...Arc Reactors.

Kinda pricey but it was soooooo worth it!!!

The Brilliant and Ferocious 'Heneral Luna'

You know how in every movie with a war room meeting with the President, there’s always that one guy, usually the military chief, who passionately lobbies for the hostile route? Well Heneral Luna is about THAT guy! Finally, after years of relegating that character as the movie’s token jerk, we finally have a movie that shows that he’s much more sophisticated than we give him credit for…even though he really is a jerk.

NO NOT THAT GENERAL LUNA, THIS, HENERAL LUNA!

Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna depicts the many exploits of the revered-slash-notorious Philippine General, Antonio Luna. It’s the story of a man whose brilliance, ferocity, passion for his country, and uncompromising pride would inspire the resistance against the American invaders, but also earn him enemies in his own land. A hero or a madman – this is what the film ultimately asks its audience.

Spider-Verse: Everything A Spider-Fan Could Want

EVERY SPIDER-MAN EVAAAAAAR!!!!

It doesn't get any more comic-y that having a race of dimension-traveling vampires trying to consume all Spider Men. But still, Marvel's Spider-Verse event was light, fast-paced and fun! Especially if you're a Spider-Man fan!

10 Most Loveable Drunkards from TV and Movies! (In Celebration of Oktoberfest!)

Oktoberfest is the worldwide celebration for mankind’s greatest invention – BEER! And it starts this month and lasts all the way up to November! Parties all over the world, cheaper, if not free, beer, and just a really good reason to drink to your heart’s content!

As happy as we are about this impending event, I’m sure no one’s more excited about Oktoberfest than the guys on this list. Here’s my Top 10 Most Loveable Drunks on TV and Movies!

Chris Evans Is Charming America

During interviews with Chris Evans in the past year, he’s expressed interest in trying his hand at directing. (Remember when all the nerds and women OF THE PLANET gave a collective gasp at the thought of Evans leaving Captain America behind and quitting acting?) And this week, we’re finally being treated to his directorial debut in Before We Go. And while the romantics are Evans department as an actor, Before We Go as a whole was only slightly above adequate.

10 Ways Arkham Knight Is The Closest You'll Get To Being BATMAN

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…

If you had a choice between being BATMAN or getting any wish you can think of…

Which Batmobile would you drive?

Because YES, WE ALL WANT TO BE BATMAN! THIS QUESTION IS INVALID. Batman has been an icon in pop culture for decades! We all love him and what he represents – the pinnacle of human potential.

Be Batman.

#SoMuchFeels : 'Inside Out' Review

Adorable, sweet, funny, goofy, touching, clever, complex and colorful.

Inside Out was a smart deconstruction and re-imagination of how our brain and psyche works as well as essentially being one of the best coming of age movies this year. 

9 Kickass Fictional Schools We'd All Love To Go To!

Go to school!

It’s the mantra responsible parents all have. But as children, we rarely ever saw the value of academic study. I remember the sheer joy of finding out classes were suspended, or when the bell rings at 4pm and it was time to go home, or PE. But I’m sure not all children/students find school so bemoaning. Especially if they’re going to these (fictional) schools!

'Absolutely Anything' was Absolutely Lacking

What would you do if you had the ability to make absolutely anything happen? Would you ask for a million dollars or the ability to fly? Or would you solve poverty, or make lying impossible? It’s a question that can either have a very shallow answer or a deeply insightful one. Unfortunately, ‘Absolutely Anything’, while entertaining, never digs deep enough in the thesis it created for itself.

FAIL-TASTIC FOUR!

A fantastic failure.

I’ve heard the rumors, read the nasty reviews, and seen all the bad publicity, but I STILL wanted to give Fant4stic a shot. But alas, my faith was not rewarded. I didn’t think it was as bad as people were saying, but it really wasn’t a very good one. The online hate is justified. Fant4stic was setting up something that could have been awesome, but it ultimately deteriorated into senseless mush.

Impossibly Fun (Rogue Nation Review)

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to head on over to the cinema and catch Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg bust out some old-school spy craft against the latest international threat!

9 Ways US Cons One Up Pinoy Cons (Anime Midwest 2015 Photo Dump!)

During my trip to the US last month, I was finally able to go to my first US nerd convention! It was called the Midwest Anime Con (I'm more of a comic book nerd, but what the hey. You take what you can get.) I was so excited. I've been to cons before but I always imagined US cons to be a level higher. And when we got there, it really was! Even though my cousin said that it wasn't even that great a con, to me it was still pretty awesome enough already!

'Paper Towns' was Pretty Something

Ahhh, yes, young life, young problems, young love - we’ve all been there. The specifics may be different for this day and age from when we were young, but the broad strokes are pretty much the same – friendship blues, graduation anxieties, identity crises, the opposite gender and the like. In the same vein, coming of age movies come by all of the time and tackle generally the same things, but every so often, some movies present it ever so attractively that they stand out and become the current generation’s Breakfast Club. Was Paper Towns one of those movies? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a look. 

Adventure Hijinks: Surf’s Up at Baler!

Sun, sand, sea and SURF! As if we needed more reason to go to the beach!!!

I used to always see photos of my friends surfing in Baler or La Union or whatnot. And as intimidated as I was with their washboard abs, golden tans, humongous boards and suave, devil may care vibes, I still wanted to try it out myself. For the longest time, I’ve wanted to. And last month, I finally did it! And man was it a thrill!

ANT-astic New World!

Who else has a sudden urge to pet an ant? I do! Man, ants are cool! (You know, when they’re not creeping up my leg and munching on my delicate skin.)

Ant-Man is the latest Marvel hero to get an on-screen adaptation. He’s a relatively unknown character to non-comic book fans, but then that’s what Marvel does best – turning B characters awesome!

The movie follows the same genetic make-up of other Marvel movies – the unexpected hero, the human undertone, the levity, and the unapologetically comic book-y flair. But while they succeeded in introducing a cool, engaging new superhero into the MCU, I wouldn’t say it was my favorite movie. Ant-Man struck me as just being…sufficient. (This is SO not going to bode well with the fandom.)

10 SDCC '15 Things That Gave Me Man Tears

San Diego Comic Con, one of the two most important cons in any given year, just ended last weekend. The big wigs wait for this con to announce a lot of their new and exciting projects and release exclusive footage or merchandise.  The nerd community looks forward to this con maybe more than they look forward to their own birthdays!

And this year was no different. A lot of cool stuff were announced and just as a show of my own excitement, I wanted to share with you which of this year's SDCC news got all my juices flowing!

Awesome Things To Expect At A Con!

Every year, more and more nerds are born made. Thanks to Marvel movies and DC TV, our people have grown exponentially! And with that growth comes the rise in attendees in nerd conventions. One of the most prominent of which, is the Philippine ToyCon!

And ToyCon 2015 is right around the corner! June 19-21 to be exact! If it’s your first time going, or you don’t know what Cons are, let me tell you what you can generally expect from them. But for those (likely very few) nerds who have no interest in Cons, let me tell you what you’re missing!

Living Up To The Jurassic Franchise

And just like that, Dinosaurs were cool again.

Because seriously, what was the last good dinosaur movie or TV show you remember? Lately it’s all superheroes, zombies, vampires, and what not. It’s a welcome change of pace to finally get a long overdue dose of colossal dino-fun! 

Jurassic World is a direct sequel to the Jurassic Park Trilogy in the 90’s. Its basic premise – dinosaurs are recreated, turned into an attraction and things inevitably go terribly, TERRIBLY, wrong - as in, massive-death-toll kind of wrong. It’s the same basic through line of all the Jurassic franchise movies, and it worked then, and it still works now.

Dragon Ball’s New Era Begins

I love Dragon Ball, especially Dragon Ball Z. I grew up with it, watched all the episodes, watched all the movies, and played all the video games. That said I’m still going to try my best to be objective about this movie review, despite my great, great love for the show. (I may go full DBZ nerd on you from time to time, I’m sorry in advance.)

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection of F opens with Frieza’s army’s stand-in commander, Sorbet, attempting to resurrect their late master. When he succeeds, Frieza plots his revenge on the Saiyans that destroyed him. The plot is fairly simple, giving the movie ample opportunity to focus on the fighting.

San Andreas Review: Rockin' Action With A Shaky Foundation

The people of California just hit ROCK BOTTOM!

Eh? Eh? See what I did there?:) Bah, you get it.

...the movie stars The Rock, in case you didn't.

I haven’t seen a good disaster movie in a while, but San Andreas was one of the better attempts recently. It was an intense, visceral, movie that reminds us of our powerlessness against the fearsome forces of nature…unless you were The Rock, of course. In which case, you’d unsurprisingly be able to accomplish even the most ridiculously impossible things.