Author: Matthew Escosia

I have to make the case that James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’ moves frenetically, and while it works as to amplify its energy, it is another case of a mishap a lot of movies tend to always do especially with a scale as big as its story. It goes to a lot of places, which on paper definitely make up for an interesting ride. The world that was presented in this film is magnificent, and (I’m sorry if I have to say this) something I have never seen before. It just so happens everything moves so quickly, reducing the intimacy we have…

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is too safe for what it was, and also too uncertain to try new things. The band in-focus, the iconic Queen, is known for obscure musical choices. The title of the film, probably their most popular song, is a blend of opera, rock, and straight ballad. It’s this type of innovation that this film needs to transcend. But it seems this is not the film they wanted. It is a by-the-numbers narration of the band’s rise to success through the eyes of their frontman Freddie Mercury. The film follows how some of their songs are created and at…

Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut project ‘A Star is Born’ should not be much of a surprise to everyone. It is a story that has been remade and re-angled at various decades in cinema like a Shakespeare play being put to film a hundred times. The sense of familiarity over the plot it was telling can be a hindrance, as it essentially moves beat by beat the same way as its previous incarnations. But Cooper decides to emphasize music this time as his choice of weapon for drama, and the payoff is a big win for him. Aside from directing and…

The catharsis of ‘Exes Baggage’ is never defined on the basis of two characters falling in and out of love, but the small nuances that come in between those pains. It follows a familiar narrative: two people meet in a bar, get to know each other well, make out, become partners, releases one’s insecurities, and chaos ensues. The story is never really new, but director Dan Villegas and writer Dwein Baltazar want to establish the romance as less of a fairy tale and more about the individual flaws that create the complications when it collides. And on that note, the…