Happy Gilmore 2 — Movie Review

After winning his first Tour Championship in 1996, Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) continued to dominate the golf scene and build a fulfilling life. Over the years, he secured five more championships and had five children with his wife, Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen).

But everything changed when tragedy struck. During one of his games, Happy’s powerful drive accidentally killed Virginia. Devastated by guilt and grief, he quit golf to focus on raising their five children. The loss also pushed him into alcoholism.

For a long time, Happy disappeared from the spotlight. He lost their home, ran out of money, and now works in a supermarket just to get by. His four sons take on jobs to help support him and their younger sister, Vienna (Sunny Sandler). Vienna dreams of studying ballet, but the tuition is far more than Happy can afford.

One day, Happy is approached by Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie), the flashy CEO of Maxi Energy Drink and the new golf league called Maxi Golf. Frank invites him to play in an upcoming tournament. Happy declines and their meetup ends with Frank swimming with fishes.

But still, the encounter sparks something in him. With support from his kids and encouragement from his tenant, John Daly, he picks up a golf club again for the first time in years.

As Happy returns to the green, he discovers that he still got the powerful drive in his arsenal. But one the major problem keeping him down is his alcoholism. He must find the strength to overcome his addiction and confront his grief head-on if he wants any chance of making a real comeback.

Deep Cover — Movie Review

Deep Cover follows a group of improv comedians who are unexpectedly recruited by a police officer (Sean Bean) to infiltrate a dangerous drug gang.

Leading the team is Kat Boyles (Bryce Dallas Howard). She’s a struggling stand-up comedian who also teaches improv on the side. Joining her is Marlon Swift (Orlando Bloom), an aspiring dramatic actor and one of Kat’s improv students. Completing the trio is Hugh (Nick Mohammed), a socially awkward IT worker who gets pulled into the mission despite his poor improv skill.

At first, everything goes surprisingly well. Using their skills, the trio manages to earn the trust of the drug lord, Fly (Paddy Considine). Their improvisational talents keep their cover believable, and for a moment, it seems like the mission might actually succeed.

But things quickly spiral out of control.

Suspicion starts to build and Fly begins questioning their identities. To make matters worse, the police seem oddly uninformed by the operation, leaving the trio out in the cold with no backup.

Now trapped in a dangerous game and with their lives on the line, the three have no choice but to rely on what they know best: improv.

Lilo and Stitch: Movie Review

Who would’ve thought that after 23 years, Lilo & Stitch would rocket back into theaters? Not for a sequel, but for a live-action remake.

Naturally, some fans are nervous (including me!). The original Lilo & Stitch is a beloved Disney classic. And let’s be honest, Disney doesn't exactly have the strongest track record when it comes to translating animated films into live-action. Their latest, which is Snow White, was received pretty badly.

From the moment I saw the news about this remake, it felt unnecessary. In fact, I feel like most of Disney’s live-action remakes are unnecessary. There’s rarely a compelling reason to retell the same story, especially when the original is already outstanding, if not perfect.

For those unfamiliar, Lilo & Stitch tells the story of a spirited Hawaiian girl named Lilo (Maia Kealoha). After the tragic loss of their parents, her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong) steps up to raise her, even though she's barely an adult herself.

Nani juggles the pressures of work and caring for Lilo, all while under the watchful eye of child welfare services. If she fails to keep up with her responsibilities, she risks losing custody of her little sister.

Lilo eventually adopts a strange blue "dog" from an animal shelter; she names him Stitch. Stitch (or Experiment 626) is an alien creature genetically engineered for destruction. He has escaped from a galactic prison and landed on Earth, prompting the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham) to order his immediate capture. To retrieve Stitch, she sends down Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), the evil genius who created him, along with Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), an expert on Earth.

Naturally, things spiral into chaos because of Stitch. But despite it, Lilo refuses to let Stitch go. To her, he’s Ohana. And Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.

Now, this live-action version does make a few changes that set it apart from the animated film.

The first change lies in its interpretation of Ohana. In the original, Ohana basically meant sticking together through tough times. But in the remake, it takes a more grounded approach, suggesting that sometimes, Ohana also means letting go or walking separate paths in order to grow. While it’s a thoughtful revision, it’s also a challenging concept to communicate clearly to younger audiences. And unfortunately, at least for me, the film doesn’t quite manage to explain it in a way that lands emotionally.

Second, the focus of the story leans more heavily toward Nani. The emotional core becomes her struggle to hold everything together like her job, her relationship with Lilo, and her role as a young guardian. This angle gives Nani more depth, something the original only briefly explored. However, this shift also sidelines Stitch’s own journey of self-discovery and finding a home. So key moments like Stitch running away with the Ugly Duckling book, symbolizing his longing for belonging, are missing. That’s a big loss. Stitch’s arc of finding his own family was what gave the original its emotional pull.

Furthermore, some bold choices in this version may not sit well with fans. For instance, this version recasts Jumba as a villain. Cobra Bubbles, one of the most unique and memorable characters in the original, plays a much smaller role. And David is more of a comic relief. These changes strip the film of some of its original charm and personality.

Still, the remake isn’t without its strengths. One welcome addition is the character of Tūtū, a warm, quick-witted elder who brings both humor and wisdom to the Pelekai sisters. She adds a new dynamic that feels natural and heartwarming.

The casting also deserves praise. Maia Kealoha and Sydney Elizabeth Agudong are excellent as Lilo and Nani. They truly embody their characters and bring an authenticity that honors the original. And of course, Chris Sanders returning as the voice of Stitch! Sanders is unrivaled. No other actor could voice Stitch than Sanders.

So, which version is better? That’s hardly a debate. The animated film wins, hands down. Nothing can replicate the beautiful watercolor backgrounds, the straightforward emotional storytelling, or the perfectly cast voice actors.

This live-action version can stay, though. I don't really hate it. Even if it has a lot of misses, you can still feel that its heart is in the right place. It’s the same story, mostly, with a few creative changes. But those decisions, as odd as they are, do give it a slightly fresher perspective.

3/5

The Killer: Movie Review

The Killer (Michael Fassbender) is the definition of a cold-blooded killer. His secret to his effectiveness and forbearance in the trade of contract killing is to have a set of credos: Stick to your plan. Anticipate; don't improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you're paid to fight. Forbid empathy.

On top of these rules, contract killing requires the utmost patience. The wait for the perfect timing to strike is long and physically taxing. Hence, one must always practice keeping himself calm. The Killer does yoga; he keeps a heart rate monitor watch and an iPod full of The Smiths songs to make sure that he’s focused on the tasks at hand.

But despite his meticulous mental and physical preparation, The Killer failed a mission given to him by his handler, Hodge (Charles Parnell). His client is obviously unhappy about it. So Hodge instructed a group of assassins (Tilda Swinton and Sala Baker) to dispatch The Killer and his girlfriend (Sophie Charlotte) to tie up loose ends.

Flora and Son: Movie Review

John Carney’s musical drama is about expectations, failures, and finding true connection through the power of music.

The first time we see Flora (Eve Hewson), she’s uncaringly dancing the night away in a nightclub. The scene ends with Flora sleeping with a stranger. Despite her disappointment of ending the night with meaningless sex, she casually tells the guy that she has a son. He then leaves without saying another word.

Flora might be brash, but she’s never ashamed to say that she’s a mother. At the young age of 17, Flora is already a mother to Max (Orén Kinlan). Like her one-night stand, her husband, Ian (Jack Reynor), left her too. They’re still co-parenting, but he stays with her most of the time. 

Flora is now 31 years old, and those 14 years of raising her son, mostly alone, really pushed her to be better. It's not easy raising a kid like Max. For one, he’s got a boatload of criminal cases. The police eventually let him go, but it is clear that his desire to become a rapper leads to numerous run-ins with the law.

One day, Flora saved a broken guitar from a dump truck. She asked for it to be fixed so she could give it to Max. However, Max stoutly declined it. So Flora decided to learn it instead. She then meets Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a guitar tutor who will change the way she views her life.

Fair Play: Movie Review

Chloe Domont's erotic-thriller slash romantic-drama film is about the connection between female empowerment and male fragility.

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are deeply in love with each other. However, they need to hide the fact that they're getting married soon. They both work for a hedge fund company that prohibits having romantic relationships with coworkers. Since Luke is also in the running for a big promotion and Emily doesn't want to lose her job, they’ve lied to people to keep their engagement a secret.

One night, Emily meets with Campbell (Eddie Marsan), the hedge fund company’s CEO. It turns out that she’s getting the promotion, not Luke. Emily is both elated and shocked by this turn of events.  Luke, on the other hand, is confused and dismayed. So Emily made a promise that she would help him rise in position as well. But something about their relationship changed that night, and it will never be the same again.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Movie Review

Eight months after defeating Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) tries to help the city of Greenhills as a vigilante. However, things didn't always turn out as planned. So Tom, his friend and father, tells him that he needs to mature more and to be patient until the day comes when he will need his powers.

While Tom (James Marsden) and his wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), were away for a wedding. Dr. Robotnik manages to return to Earth and attacks him with the help of Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba). Knuckles is the last of the Echidnas tribe, a very proud warrior race. He goes to Earth to find Sonic because he thinks he is the key to finding The Master Emerald, an ancient relic that gives its owner the power to change reality.

Miles "Tails" Prower (Colleen O'Shaughnessey), a two-tailed fox, saves Sonic from the ambush. Sonic then convinces him to help him find the Master Emerald before Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik can. Since Tails has been Sonic’s admirer for a long time, he agrees.

As Sonic and Tails follow the clues towards the Master Emerald, Dr. Robotnik meets up with his assistant, Stone, to plan out their strategy to take over the whole world by using the powerful gem.

Jackass Forever: Movie Review

Johnny Knoxville and his ragtag crew are back for another movie of pure mayhem. But this time, with a few key additions.

Joining the usual gang of Knoxville, Steve-O, Preston Lacy, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, and Danger Ehren are young and crazy admirers of the art. Throughout the film, Sean "Poopies" McInerney, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, and Eric Manaka go through the same antics as the original crew, with the exception of Rachel Wolfson, who acts as a color commentator for the group.

Guest members include Jeff Tremaine, Eric André and Spike Jonze.

Together they up the ante on pranks and stunts like sky-jumping and human-elephant hunting, all the way to exploding portalets. All just for fun.

The Adam Project: Movie Review

Shawn Levy’s sci-fi film is about a time traveling pilot who finds himself both literally and figuratively trapped in the past.

“The Adam Project” opens with a chase scene between two time jets. One of them aboard the wounded pilot, Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds). Adam then projects a wormhole in space transporting him to the year 2022 (28 years ago), crash landing near his old house.

Young Adam (Walker Scobell) grieves the death of his father Louis (Mark Ruffalo). His only means of coping with his sadness and anger is to express himself honestly and bitterly towards others.  As a result, he is frequently targeted by bullies at school. Despite this, his mother (Julia Garner) remains loving and protective towards him despite his misdeeds.

Anyway, future Adam travels to the past to find his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana) who went missing during a mission in 2018. But since he accidentally traveled back to 2022, he needs to get his ship repaired first before he can rescue her. In order to accomplish this, he enlisted the assistance of young Adam.

Unfortunately, the existence of a future Adam has the potential to significantly alter the timeline and cause irreversible damage to time and space. The longer he continues to live in the past, the more serious the consequences will become. Furthermore, the dystopian leader Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) and her minions are hot on his trail, attempting to apprehend him. Compounding the situation even more.

Ikaw: Movie Review

Janine Gutierrez and Pepe Herrera paired up to enliven this romantic comedy about two different and unlikely people falling in love.

Dee (Gutierrez) is a successful real-estate agent in Manila. Despite her success in her job, she’s not very successful in her love life. In fact, her last date was a disappointment. She met with this wealthy and handsome guy, but it turns out that he’s insensitive and dismissive of her. Maybe all men are the same and they are all a waste of time. 

Besides, there are far more important things than love, dating, and romance, like her grandmother’s birthday. Ever since her parents died, Lola Dulce (Pilita Corrales) has taken good care of her through their small eatery. So despite the distance, Dee traveled to Albay to be with her.

There she meets Edong (Herrera), Lola Dulce’s coconut supplier. He spends most of his time drinking Tuba with his best friend Manny (Archie Alemania), and managing his coconut farm. However, he’s not like every man Dee meets. He’s kind, warm, sincere, and respectful.

Dee finds herself gradually falling in love with Edong, but they both know that their time together is limited. Her life is in Manila, and with her grandmother’s declining health, she needs to be with her more than ever.

Nightbooks

Adapted from J.A White's horror book, this new Netflix family-centric film holds many twists and surprises to keep everyone entertained.

Alex Mosher (Winslow Fegley) enjoys writing horror stories, but those around him, such as his parents and friends, are perplexed by his unusual obsession with scary movies and books. Alex feels humiliated as a result of that. So he decided that writing was not for him and that it was time to burn all of the stories he had created.

As he heads down to the burner to destroy his so-called Night Book, the elevator mysteriously stops on a strange floor where he discovers a creepy apartment. He enters it. But it turns out that the room was cursed, and that anyone who stepped inside would be trapped with a wicked witch.

Natacha (Krysten Ritter), the witch, enjoys reading and listening to scary stories. She had lived inside the apartment for so long that she had read all of the published horror stories in its vast library.

According to her servant, Yasmin (Lidya Jewett), Natacha is extremely cruel to children who are unable to entertain her with their stories. Alex is now forced to create compelling horror stories every day to survive. Luckily, he discovers something that may help him escape.

Nobody

Bob Odenkirk plays as a passive father with a secret past in this high octane action film written by “John Wick” writer, Derek Kolstad.

Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk) is your usual family guy. Two children, a loving wife (Connie Nielsen), and a mundane day-to-day job.

Until one night, armed robbers break into his house. Hutch’s hesitation to confront the criminals leads to his son’s, Blake (Gage Munroe), injury. Now, everyone thinks he's a failure.

On a secret radio in his office, Hutch phones his half-brother Harry (RZA) and explains that he held back because the burglars were desperate, afraid, and using an unloaded gun.

At home, his daughter, Sammy (Paisley Cadorath), asks for help in finding her misplaced kitty cat bracelet. Hutch suspects that the criminals may have taken them by accident. So he goes to see his father, David (Christopher Lloyd), to get his old FBI badge and revolver in order to track them down. He found them, but he instantly leaves after learning that they have a sick child.

Hutch was frustrated. He directed his rage onto some goons who were harassing a young girl on a bus. However, he soon discover that those thugs are members of a brutal Russian mafia.

The Old Ways

Christopher Alender’s second feature film is all about the tragic consequences of cultural disconnection and ignorance.

Cristina Lopez (Brigitte Kali Canales), a Mexican/American reporter, returns to her ancestral home of Veracruz in search of a story on witchcraft and faith healers, only to be kidnapped by the locals.

Her captors are her cousin Miranda (Andrea Cortés), the “bruja” Luce (Julia Vera) and her son Javi (Sal Lopez). The reason for her abduction is both mind-boggling and terrifying: they believe she has a demon inside her, and they will not let her go until they exorcise the malevolent force.

When Cristina was young, the demon known as Postehki (the death god of broken things) killed her mother. And now it wants to take over her body. As a skeptic, she doesn't believe all this nonsense. But as she tries to find ways to flee, she begins to suspect that they might be telling the truth all along.

Vivo

Lin-Manuel Miranda plays an exotic animal in this Disney-like animated musical.

Andres (Juan de Marcos) is enthralled when he receives an invitation letter from his old companion, Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), to perform in her farewell tour. He will finally be able to confess his affections for her through a song he created a long time ago. Unfortunately, a tragedy occurs. Forcing Vivo (Miranda), his kinkajou partner, to deliver the letter from Cuba to Miami.

Meanwhile, Vivo meets Gabi (Ynairaly Simo), Andres' grandniece. Gabi is a rowdy 10-year-old girl who "marches to the beat of her own drum." She has no friends because of her outgoing personality. That is why, when she learns that Vivo is embarking on a grand adventure to deliver a love letter to Marta, she jumps at the chance to assist him.

Nerisa

Ricky Lee and Lawrence Fajardo teamed up to create a compelling drama about a mysterious woman and the island that both desires and resents her.

Obet (Aljur Abrenica) and Nerisa (Cindy Miranda) are two newly wed couples, so in love with each other. In flashbacks, it is revealed that their meeting can be compared to a fairy tale. Obet found her below the sea. She has no recollection of where she came from and who she was thus people believe that she might be a nymph, specifically a mermaid.

Mermaids are usually signs of bad luck. They can bring depravity and even death to a community. But Nerisa couldn’t care less of what they think. She is happy.

Until one day, Obet and a few local fishermen got into a sea accident. The townspeople quickly accuse Nerisa for this misfortune. Thrusting her into becoming the village’s pariah.

Wish Dragon

When Din meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities, he goes on a journey to meet his childhood friend.

Yet another Netflix China-based movie that is, in some ways or another, a riff-off of fan favorites Disney movies.

“Wish Dragon” draws close similarities to Aladdin, but director Chris Appelhans seems unconcerned about this. Besides, there are “differences” like the dragon and the jade teapot.

Din (Jimmy Wong) is a college student who hopes to reconcile with Li Na (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), his childhood buddy who has since moved away from his neighborhood. She is now a member of society's upper crust.

One day, while delivering food around the city, Din meets an old man who handed him a teapot. Inside it is a wish-granting dragon named Long (John Cho).

Long informs Din that in order to enter the Spirit world, every dragon must serve ten masters by granting them three wishes. Din is his tenth master.

Obviously, Din intends to use his wishes to reunite with Li Na. But a group of nasty gangsters led by Pockets (Aaron Yoo) were on his tail to steal the teapot.

Friends: The Reunion

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer reunite after 17 years to talk about their experiences, memories, and love for the classic TV show "Friends".

"Friends: The Reunion" premieres at HBO Max (HBO Go in the Philippines) after a series of delays, and it was awesome, surreal, beautiful, sad, and disappointing.

"Friends: The Reunion" is not another episode of Friends. It is no sitcom. Instead, it is more like a documentary-slash-roundtable-slash-interview with the casts.

The film opens with the six actors revisiting the show's set. The production team built a studio replica for the reunion, complete with Joey and Chandler's chair, Monica's cookie jar, and the awkward beam back in season one. Seeing all the actors in one room is bizarre and touching.

As the six friends start to reminiscence their time with the show, director Ben Winston throws in a surprise. The screen fades out, and The Rembrandts's "I'll Be There for You" starts to play. And it was the best bit of the entire film!

Moxie

Directed by Amy Poehler, this adaptation of a book with the same name sends an empowering message to the young girls of this generation: crush patriarchy!

Vivian (Hadley Robinson) is the most obedient person in her school. According to the unofficial list that some boys started. 

Though it holds a little truth, she is not just the type of person that would cause any trouble with anyone. She believes that if someone is annoying, just let him be. He will get tired of it eventually, right?

It works all the time for Vivian; she keeps her head low, and no one notices her. 

But not for the other girls, though. 

It turns out, the boys in her school can be more than just annoying. They are jerks, sexists, and offensive. Its absurd no one is even taking a stand against them. They rank girls based on their bodies and how they perceived them, and they make inappropriate gestures towards them.

After witnessing their star athlete (Patrick Schwarzenegger) harass a new girl (Alycia Pascual-Peña), Vivian starts to see this maltreatment more clearly. And she wants to change it.

Inspired by her mom's (Amy Poehler) rebellious past, she begins to publish anonymous zine calling out these indecencies towards women.

This one-time, one-girl revolution becomes an instant hit. It earns Vivian allies and friends, but without many enemies, of course.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Four students get sucked inside a simulated jungle world in this sequel of a beloved franchise.

Four troubled teens head down to the principal's office for some disciplinary infractions. As their punishment and detention, Principal Bentley (Marc Evan Jackson) wants them to clean the school's basement. But after a little dusting and cleaning, they found themselves inside a video game. 

In the real world, Spencer Gilpin (Alex Wolff) is a lean and awkward teen. But inside the game, he's the opposite. His avatar is Dr. Xander "Smolder" Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), a very strong archaeologist and explorer.

Anthony "Fridge" Johnson (Ser'Darius Blain) is a football player and Spencer's "former" best friend. Inside the game, he's Franklin "Mouse" Finbar (Kevin Hart). A diminutive zoologist and the backpack guy.

Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman) is a vain high school student who loves her phone so much. She transformed into Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon (Jack Black). In the game, Sheldon is a male cartographer and an expert in many scientific fields.

Lastly, the shy and cynical Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner) turns into Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan). The character is a trained commando and an expert martial artist.

Their mission is to return a jewel named the Jaguar's Eye to its proper place. This task will not be easy, as the world of Jumanji homes both dangerous people and animals.

Yellow Rose

Diane Paragas' feature drama is about a girl searching for a home amidst the fear of deportation.

Rose Garcia's (Eva Noblezada) dream is to be a country singer someday. But that dream seems to be impossible for an immigrant like her. So inside her little room, while wearing a cowboy hat, she sings a song about belonging.

The 17-year-old Filipina-American teen lives with her widowed mother, Priscilla (Princess Punzalan). Priscilla dreams of a better life for her daughter. So she works hard as a cleaner in a small-town Texas motel. The place where they also lived.

Being an undocumented immigrant, Priscilla is very protective of Rose. She is afraid that one-day, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will find them and deport them back to the Philippines. Taking away Rose's only chance to experience a better life. 

One day, Rose and her friend, Elliot (Liam Booth), drive down to a bar in Austin to party. At that moment, Rose finally feels like a real teenager.

But circumstances have their way of twisting fate. That night, Priscilla got arrested by ICE agents.

Distraught by her mother's arrest, Rose stayed with her Aunt Gail (Lea Salonga). However, Gail's husband is disdainful towards the young girl, forcing her to seek shelter elsewhere. With nowhere to go, she decided to go back to the bar in Austin. There she meets the musician Dale Watson, who takes her in as his protégé.

As Rose's dream starts to take shape, the gravity of her situation worsens. Priscilla's appeal to stay in the US seems hopeless. That means Rose might get deported soon, along with her mother.