Entertainment
Now Playing: MI7, Hijack, Rurouni Kenshin
Some recommendations for your consideration
It’s been a while since I wrote one of these. Partly busy, partly I didn’t really feel like talking about the content I’ve been consuming of late. So, why now? Just scratching a writing itch really. Without further ado, here are some movies, shows, and even music you can check out right now.
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (Cinemas)
I was pleasantly surprised to get a premiere invite for this one. Can’t call myself a Mission Impossible diehard fan. It’s just one of those franchises that you inevitably check out when it’s showing.
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 will have you at the edge of your seat during its entire run time. The action is high octane and the tension is palpable. It further cements the franchise as THE blueprint for modern action flicks. It’s definitely one of those movies that you HAVE TO see on the big screen.
Some quick thoughts:
- It’s almost like an “Age of Ultron” story in a non-superhero setting.
- There’s a sequence that screams Uncharted 2.
- I might be in love with Hayley Atwell now.
Hijack (Apple TV+)
I subscribed to Apple One/Apple TV+ this year mainly for Ted Lasso Season 3. Sadly, I fell off that show after three episodes. This past week, I wanted to pick up Lasso again but instead, I played Hijack starring Idris Elba and it’s been a ride.
Hijack is a mini-series(?) of only six episodes. It’s about a plane flying from Dubai to London getting, well, hijacked. Much of the story is told through the point of view of Elba who is onboard the plane. As of writing, we’re four episodes in and I am honestly surprised how they’ve been able to hold my attention for this long on a premise that usually can be wrapped up in the run time of a 1990’s movie.
It’s a thrilling watch and one that I highly recommend.
Rurouni Kenshin 2023 (Prime Video)
It’s wild that I’m writing about this after only having watched a single episode. But Rurouni Kenshin (or Samurai X as I knew it growing up) is a beloved title.
My brother, who is an avid fan of the franchise, quickly messaged me about it and commented on how he preferred the soundtrack from the 90s anime. Can’t help but agree but that might just be the nostalgia talking.
Animation and art style-wise, it’s too early to judge. I personally hold the late 90s animation and art style at a pedestal, and the almost plasticky look on this 2023 version isn’t resonating with me as much. But I’ll keep watching, of course.
Animé to check out
I have fully reverted to weeb mode in 2023. Most of the shows I’ve watched are animé. They’re easy to digest and are just my comfort zone in what has felt like a busier year than usual. That said, here’s a quick list of animé I’ve seen and/or I’m seeing this year that you should check out.
- Trigun Stampede
- Oshi No Ko
- Mashle
- Hell’s Paradise
- Jujutsu Kaisen S2
- Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War S2
- Kimetsu No Yaiba S4
- Tengoku-Daimakyo
Some of these I’ve dropped, others I’m in the middle of watching. All them, I feel, are worth checking out.
Last song syndrome
While we’re at it, might as well share with you the songs that have been on loop for me lately. These are new additions to my odd mix of K-Pop, R&B, Pop Punk, J-Pop, J-Rock, OPM, and Alternative Rock rotation.
- “Do Not Touch” by MISAMO
- “Marshmallow” by MISAMO
- “Strawberry Soju” by Jesse Barrera
- “Deja Vu” by Jesse Barrera
- “You” by Rangga Jones and Tengy
- “Thirsty” by aespa
- “Express Moon” by Jo Yuri
- “love you twice” by Huh Yunjin
- “Sugarcoat” by Natty
- “Flower” by Johnny Stimson
- “Just Friends” by Estelle Fly
- “Idol” by YOASOBI
- “friend zone” by Morgan Jay
- “Tsuki wo Miteita” by Kenshi Yonezu (Final Fantasy XVI theme)
Fast Forward
Naturally, there’s plenty of entertainment on the horizon that’s worth checking out. Listing here the ones that: I’m interested in, seems to be popular mainstream, and stuff we’ve received press releases for.
- Oppenheimer (Cinemas, July 21)
- Barbie (Cinemas, July 21)
- Blue Beetle (Cinemas, August 16)
- Wonka (Cinemas January 8, 2024)
- Psycho-Pass: Providence (Cinemas PH, July 26)
- The Witcher Season 3 (Netflix, July 27)
- The Uncanny Counter S2 (Netflix, July 29)
- Ahsoka (Disney+, August 23)
- “Killin Me Good” – TWICE Jihyo Solo Debut (August)
Entertainment
Street Fighter special look: Blanka vs. Ryu
Jason Momoa, Andrew Koji’s characters face off
Paramount Pictures has released a new special look for Street Fighter featuring Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji.
The short, minute-long clip shows the actors’ respective characters, Blanka and Ryu, in battle.
It opens with a chained prisoner struck by extreme electrical charges, transforming into the green-skinned, electricity-infused Blanka.
He unleashes a fierce roar. Meanwhile, Ryu drops into a fighting stance, but tells Blanka he does not want to fight him.
Forced to defend himself, Ryu then fires a signature Hadouken fireball towards Blanka, as the teaser cuts to the Street Fighter title card.
Street Fighter debuts in cinemas starting October 14. It is directed by Kitao Sakurai and stars an ensemble cast that includes Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai as Akuma, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog, among others.
The film is set in 1993 when estranged Street Fighters Ryu and Ken Masters are thrown into combat when Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament.
Entertainment
Now Playing: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
It’s a must watch for Spidey fans who want to see Peter Parker enter his sad boy era.
The Holland-led Spider-Man trilogy is one of my favorite franchises in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Compared to other series with admittedly disjointed plots, all of Spidey’s storylines have a clear thread leading from one to the next. Since the fourth entries after trilogies are historically lackluster, I had a lot of trepidation heading into Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Thankfully, all those worries were unfounded. Brand New Day follows the same throughline as its predecessors, once again reinforcing Spider-Man as the strongest franchise that Marvel offers fans today.
A brand new day indeed
Coming from No Way Home, Brand New Day still has Peter Parker live a new life as a literal nobody where no one remembers who he is. So begins his existence as just Spider-Man with no friends or family.
When a new and unseen threat ravages through New York City, Spidey starts to wish that he still had friends to help him out, which leads him on an inevitable collision course with Ned and MJ. Ironically, it also leads him to other characters in the city, including the Hulk and the Punisher.
A cacophony of villains
When I first saw the trailer, I was worried about the astounding number of villains from the get-go. After all, one of the biggest problems in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, the most maligned entry in Spider-Man movie history, was the villains. Though far from the movie’s biggest problem, having too many bad guys without a solid plot led to its terrible reception. You can see why Brand New Day’s trailer raises some flags.
If you were thinking the same thing, Brand New Day does indeed have a cohesive plot. Everything flows neatly into one another. Each emotional beat of Peter feeling for his solitude mixes well with the action. In here, fight scenes feel like they have a purpose.
And there is a big bad here. It’s not just a collection of guys that Spidey has to go through. That big bad, who shall not be named at this time, doesn’t feel like just a placeholder for Peter’s internal struggles. They have a character of their own and their own struggles to solve. I wouldn’t say they’re at the level of Loki just yet, but they definitely have a better go at it than most of the MCU’s other villains.
Marvel’s New York City finally debuts
Despite being a prime location since 2012’s Avengers, New York City never really felt like the quintessential city for superheroes in the comics. In the movies, the city was just another city to be ravaged when a new villain comes along.
For the first time, Brand New Day makes the city feel like a lived-in world with a bunch of superheroes living in the neighborhood. And they do pop up.
Does Peter have a scientific problem that only a very specific hero can solve? It’s a good thing Bruce Banner is just around the corner. Does he need some muscle? Well, the Punisher is skulking around somewhere. Plus, there’s even a succinct reason why other superheroes can’t help out.
In this way, Brand New Day presents itself more like a comic book series than a one-off movie. It’s like following the story alone from issue to issue. It’s not the most perfect adaptation of the landmark city, but it goes a long way from just another ravaging of New York.
Peter’s sadness
Everything here hinges on Peter’s loneliness. Despite meeting a trove of characters across the cinematic universe, Peter yearns for time with his loved ones. But they’re gone.
Unlike the past three films where he always had someone to go home to, he has no one here. Tony Stark is dead. Aunt May is gone. Happy has gone to parts unknown. Ned and MJ have no memory of him. Brand New Day has a way of making you feel for his aches, whether the way he still keeps track of MJ or some physiological changes as a result of his predicament.
It also helps that the movie’s big bad has similar motivations. Both serve as perfect mirrors against each other, elevating both their stories effectively. And that’s all I’ll say about that.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a few steps behind from being a perfect Marvel movie, but it’s still an extremely strong part of the Spider-Man mythos. The trilogy, now quadrilogy, remains Marvel’s most consistent franchises to date. It’s an absolute must-watch.
Entertainment
UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony hits Makati in October
Determination arrives in October.
For so small of a game, UNDERTALE quickly made it into the gaming world’s hall of fame. Despite being only a decade old, the small title has had a major influence for modern-day gamers because of its unique gameplay, its lo-fi art, and, of course, its catchy soundtrack. If you’re a fan of UNDERTALE’s soundtrack, a unique concert experience is headed your way.
On October 17, Film Concerts PH, in partnership with SOHO Live, is hosting UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati.
The concert will be performed by the Filharmonika Orchestra and conducted by Thanapol Setabrahmana. Personally curated by creator Toby Fox and developed by Lambert Jackson with Materia Music, the concert experience showcases the game’s most recognizable tunes laid over gameplay footage playing simultaneously. Plus, for the world tour, the experience will have expanded scoring.
In the game, you play as a small child stuck in the mysterious Underground filled with interesting characters and monsters. Unlike traditional RPGs, UNDERTALE asks players to choose between building relationships and chasing after wins. It’s a unique experience that’s defined by whether you chose to make friends or fought your way to the top. It teaches players to value different ways to solve problems, all while showering them with its one-of-a-kind humor.
Pre-sales for the concert, exclusively for members of the Film Concerts PH community, start on August 4. Public sales, however, will start on August 11 via Ticketmelon.
SEE ALSO: The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow
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