RJ

Theater actor | Writer | Singer | Architecture student

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Loving Vincent (2017)

Genre: Animation/Drama/Biography

Stunning visuals. Innovative storytelling. Sensational masterpiece. A dazzling achievement. One for the books. 

How every single shot you see in the film is painstakingly painted by 125 artists in a span of 6 years is truly remarkable. The uniqueness of this film may, however, be the single most noted aspect of the movie, which, perhaps, may have covered up for the plot’s composition, which I believe, was ineffective. Although the actors’ portrayal of the characters were very well-suited for the story’s setting, the dialogues were quite dragging, thereby making it a little boring to watch. The story does have substance and was interesting, and I can’t help but feel a little sorry that the writers weren’t able to maximize the potential of the storyline. 

Nonetheless, I believe “Loving Vincent” is an astonishing feat for the global film industry, and a fitting tribute to the great painter, Vincent Van Gogh. It still deserves to be seen and to be praised.  

Story/Plot - 7/10

Portrayal of Characters - 10/10

Creativity - 10/10

AVERAGE - 9/10

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HOW’S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Lady and the Tramp (2019)

Genre: Romance/Adventure/Family

A sweet and tasteful retelling of a classic.

Growing up, The Lady and the Tramp was one of my favorite childhood stories. Perhaps, my inner dog lover was truly captured by the love story of two dogs of completely different backgrounds. I felt the same watching the movie, but it felt like it lacked a little of the magic and energy. The story’s pacing may have been slightly altered to make the movie so much more interesting to the older generations. The dogs are definitely cute to watch and it was astonishing to see how Disney was able to pull off their personification. It was especially good to know how they used live dogs in the film and animated their mouths to make them look like they’re talking, post-production. However, I believe the film may have fell a bit short in terms of cinematography. The voice acting particularly deserves a well-deserved appreciation. The actors were able to ensnare the essence of a dog love story in the way they portrayed the characters. The live-action cast was also able to shed light on the lives of the people of the era. 

Overall, I think the film is still able to retell the classic story of the Lady and the Tramp, despite its shortcomings. I believe it will be able to capture those of the younger generations, in particular, who don’t know much of the film’s predecessor. If Disney decided to release it theatrically instead of at an online on-demand streaming service, it may have been able to reach a larger audience that is able to appreciate the remake. 

Story/Plot - 8/10

Portrayal of Characters - 10/10

Creativity - 9/10

AVERAGE - 9/10

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HOW’S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Genre: Adventure/Sci-fi/Family/Comedy

Indulging. Absolutely family-friendly.

Familiar with the popular video game of the same name? Yes! This movie is basically the movie version of that! Sonic the Hedgehog is the story of an extraterrestrial blue hedgehog who runs at supersonic speeds who is constantly threatened by those who want to exploit his power. After being tracked and chased by a tribe in his world, he escapes to Earth where he lived a life of loneliness for years. One day, he lost control of his power and sent shockwaves all over the vicinity. This then lead to him constantly trying to escape the evil Doctor Eggman. Along the way, he finds a friend in Tom Wachowski.

I couldn’t say much about the story because it’s basically based on the video game but I truly appreciate how it was portrayed and translated into a real world setting. For me, the actors were able to give justice to the characters. The movie was indulging. It was able to capture my emotion and was able to remind me of the value of family and friendship. Though the outcome was predictable as it was based from the video game, the filmmakers were able to keep us anticipating. They were able to pull it off in a way that even if I know things will lead towards that ending, it felt like I didn’t know anything about what’ll happen next. This is definitely a must-watch. Surely, families and ‘barkadas’ would be able to enjoy the film.

Story/Plot - 10/10

Portrayal of Characters - 10/10

Creativity - 10/10

AVERAGE - 10/10

P.S. The movie is now the highest-grossing film based on a video game, dethroning 2019′s Pokémon Detective Pikachu. It is also the 2nd highest-grossing film of 2020 as of writing. A sequel has already been announced.

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HOW'S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Begin Again (2013)

Genre: Romance/Drama/Musical

One phrase: subtle magic. 

If we are to examine the movie down to the details, I can definitely say it ain’t perfect. There’s a lot of areas which can be further improved, including but not limited to cinematography, script, storyline, but if there was one thing that was so perfect about this movie, it’s the magic of its soundtrack. The music just leaves you with a feeling of connection and intimacy. Keira Knightley’s gentle whispers and heart-wrenching renditions allows the movie itself to dive into the soul of its audience. What the story lacked, the music made up for. Still, I believe a soundtrack this good deserves to have a much more compelling story that would drive viewers deep into the depths of their emotions. 

Story/Plot - 7/10

Portrayal of Characters - 9/10

Creativity - 8.5/10

AVERAGE - 8.2/10

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HOW'S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Mystery

I LOVED IT. I REALLY, REALLY LOVED IT.

I enjoyed every bit of it. The movie captured my whole being and absolutely kept me from blinking. The beginning of the movie may be some sort of homage to the famous mobile game, Pokémon GO, but in a real world setting. I wouldn’t go into detail so I don’t spoil it for people who haven’t watched the movie, but the writers did a really good job in telling the story. It was even interesting to see unexpected turns in the storyline. The graphics were also very eye-catching! I love how the graphic artists were able to transform the usually-animated Pokémons to ones looking like real animals. Moving on, the actors also did a fantastic job in portraying the characters. I have to say... PIKACHU IS SO CUTE!!!!!! I love how cute he looks and moves but speaks like a father, and.... is a coffee addict. LOL. If he were real, I would definitely want to have him and bring him on a lot of coffee dates! That, I guess, says a lot about Ryan Reynolds’ performance. It was totally amazing! I think the movie has a very small cast and so it revolved mainly on these characters. I don’t know exactly if that’s a good or bad thing but I think that plays a role on how the movie turned out. Anyway, I believe this is one movie that the whole family could enjoy, whether Pokémon fans or not. So if you haven’t watched this, you should!

I was really satisfied with everything in the movie and I think it deserves to be commended with these ratings:

Story/Plot - 10/10

Portrayal of Characters - 10/10

Creativity - 10/10

AVERAGE - 10/10

P.S. I heard rumors of a sequel and I hope it can be as good as this or even better.

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HOW'S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

REVIEW: Yesterday (2019)

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Musical

This movie is all about an imaginary world where no one knows well-loved brands and pop culture sensations such as Coca-Cola and The Beatles. It’s a story revolving around a struggling English singer-songwriter by the name of Jack Malik. 

First, I love the songs! Of course, who doesn’t love The Beatles? They are classics! Music-wise, I believe Himesh Patel did them justice. Second, Ed Sheeran appears in the movie! His music plus that of The Beatles definitely is a mix you can’t get from anywhere else. I believe the show also tells the audience about honesty even if it means losing a career or fame or money. However, I believe the movie may have been even better if it went deeper. Deeper in a sense that the impact of its story is much larger. I understand it was meant to be a rom-com but I just felt like something was missing. Story-wise, I think it could have done much more. Acting-wise, the actors were no doubt good but I think there’s a character that I felt was missing. I think that would go back to the plot, but nonetheless it affects how the characters are seen in the film. I also think that how the conversations were placed and how well the words were chosen for the script had an impact on the plot. With that, I rate the movie as follows:

Story/Plot - 6/10

Portrayal of Characters - 8/10

Creativity - 8/10

AVERAGE - 7.3/10

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HOW'S MY WRITING? I’d love to hear constructive criticisms so I can learn to be better at this thing. Start a conversation with me by clicking on the tab in my profile. Have a great day!

[ryantiong17]

A New Beginning

Starting this blog anew. From today onwards, I’ll try to make reviews of every movie I watch. My main purpose for doing this is to have something to look back on some day, as well as, to take note of the movies I’ve watched. 

I will have to warn pros out there though that I will be grading them according to my own standards. To give an overview of my taste, I somehow look for stories that are impactful and imaginative. I love it when actors are able to really portray the characters well to the point that I am immersed into their world. I want them to make me feel the character’s emotions.  

Story/Plot - 10/10

Portrayal of Characters - 10/10

Creativity (incl. music, score, visuals, effects) - 10/10

[ryantiong17]

Nang mata ko'y nasilayan ka, ayaw nang ipikit dahil nais ko'y mailapit mga labi kong nangungulila sa iyong aking sinta. Nang ika'y makapiling sa Dakilang Lumikha, aking hiling, buhay may kitilin, sana'y ikaw ay maging sa akin. Sa aking pagdarasal, sinabi ko sa May Kapal iisa lang. Ikaw lang. Ikaw lang ang aking mahal.

Love Quote from Anselmo in KS

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You have filled my heart with greater joy.

Psalm 4:7

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The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters.

Audrey Hepburn

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Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action

Benjamin Disraeli

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True love is the true wealth

[ryantiong17]

Don't lose your faith that's the most important thing. You will encounter challenges that will frustrate you, but don't ever lose your faith

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Everything happens for a reason. All the hardships, all the rejection, everything. It all makes sense now because you found your destiny. Don't ever change.

Pia Wurtzbach

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One doesn't need to be tall to reach their dreams.

Excerpt

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Never give up on your dreams, because we really don't know if it would happen in the future.

Excerpt 

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True love waits.

Anonymous