Sorcerer's Apprentice? Hahahaha.... (...Not in a good way)

I saw Sorcerer's Apprentice today. I was already aware of some critics' negative reviews, but then again, seriously, who really believe those critics?? So, I decided that I should judge the movie on my own.. I mean, I love magic. I love wizard. Sorcerer's Apprentice has both.

But firstly, let's look at all those young actors selected for movies targeted at families.. Harry Potter in the books was portrayed as geeky with messy hair, but hey, look at Daniel Radcliffe in the photo below.. I challenge any mothers out there who wanna whack Daniel in the face?? No, right? More like mothers wanna protect and would sacrifice themselves, just to save Daniel from Lord Voldermont in real life.

Harry Potter, the beauty and that weird, red-hair friend.

Percy Jackson film might not be a great success in the box office, but at least the film got it right by casting a star who so did look like a Zac Efron.

Percy Jackson

Remember the Narnia kids? Well, at least the Prince are charmings, and the little girl is not an irritating Dakota.

Narnia Princes and Princesses

And even Home Alone has the right kid formula. You know, the sweet kid whom we all thought was adorable.. until we got too much of him since Home Alone II.

Macaulay Culkin

But Jay Baruchel? What? Even the kid before he grew up was all wrong.. There was no x-factor. What? Disney was worried that the kid would eclipse aging Nicolas Cage.

Sorcerer's Apprentice... Serious??

I felt bad watching the movie. Somewhere in the middle, I even tried to sleep. One, I would not, and could not, believe that Merlin would be so bad in judgement to pick an apprentice that would turn bad. And that wiseman Merlin's replacement would be a geek??

My colleague told me that this movie was one that combined works from other movies. I could see that - magic. That was an old school. Sure, it could work again, if the formula fits. But the others??

There was the mops (and brooms) scene borrowed from Fantasia (1940)

I've never liked Fantasia, although I understand why it was a classic, and neither did I like the mops scene in this 2010 film.

I thought movies should only borrow formulas that works, but doesn't anyone learn anything about Jar Jar Binks? Nerdy, whining and so-not-a-hero...

Not what you all think I was trying to point out here... :(

Seriously...

And the ending scene, which looked like it was from The Covenant, which was complaint as a scene too resembling Dragonball..



I am disappointed with Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer.

3rd Sequel

So, what's hot now in the market are Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Predators, Toy Story 3, Eclipse aka Twilight 3 and Jacob's chest.

So, just to do a simple comparison of how good a 3rd installment of a movie series should be, here's the stats, without inflation adjustment...

USA Box Office

1. Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - $380,270,577
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - $377,027,325
3. Toy Story 3 (2010) - $342,040,500*
4. Spider-Man 3 (2007) - $336,530,303
5. Shrek the Third (2007) - $322,719,944
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - $309,420,425
7. Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) - $309,205,079#
8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - $249,538,952
9. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) - $239,699,029*
10. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) - $234,362,462

Source: The-Numbers, as of 14 July 2010
* - Still rising
# - Of the original series


Worldwide Box Office

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - $1,133,027,325
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - $960,996,492
3. Spider-Man 3 (2007) - $890,871,626
4. Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) - $848,998,877
5. Shrek the Third (2007) - $798,958,162
6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - $795,538,952
7. Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) - $572,700,000#
8. Toy Story 3 (2010) - $555,140,500*
9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)- $474,171,806
10. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) - $459,359,555

Source: The-Numbers, as of 14 July 2010.

* - Still rising

# - Of the original series

X-Men will not be standing long in its placing for the World's Top 10. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is just short of USD1 million to kick Wolverine, Storm and Phoenix's ends off the chart.

Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief (2010)

Okay, I have to admit that the movie poster of Percy Jackson was cool enough that I found myself waiting for this movie to premiere. And then the day came (and yes, this blog is slow... I have been lazy), I find myself puzzled, wondering if the movie producers were aware how not unlike this story plot is like to Harry Potter. Of course, one should question the author of the series, Rick-something. I have to confess that I was looking for something to fill the void that Harry Potter has left since that the books had ended and we are in between HP suckie-movie-6 and the finale 2. But I did not know that we are settling for a Harry Potter-alike type of film.

And the funny thing too was that I could not help to see the similarity between who's-that-boy's hairstyle with the famous hairstyle of Zac Efron.

I bet he's getting enough remarks on this - to the point where I would believe he would be screaming - If I hear one more comment on Zac and me...


But seriously, I enjoyed Lightning Thief. It makes me want to read the other four books of Percy Jackson. And hopefully the movie earns enough bucks to make a sequel. But seriously, Percy with 2 mates for the good against the evil is too not-unlike Harry Potter with Hermione and what's that red-haired boy's name?

She must be thinking of Hermione could just kick her ass.

Logan Lerman (I have to googled this!) is a welcome change to those who want someone other than Harry Potter (sorry, Daniel Radcliffe!) and of course the heartthrob - Zac Efron. I hope to see more of him in this series.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

I kept telling myself that sometimes we need to do something crazy.. something stupid. Not something bad like any violent act.. but you know.. like hiking up the hill at 4am. Or meditate whole day. In fact, once I was invited to meditate the whole night into the next morning. Something like this... something crazy.

I still remember queuing up for Harry Potter's last book. I was eager to know the conclusion. I needed to know if the unstable, though talented, JK Rowling was going to do something bizarre like writing off the one character that had made her a billionaire, just because I suspected she felt guilty for the fame Harry Potter received and not Neville Longbottom.

Here is the diary of the day Harry Potter Book 7 was released.

Lined up for my book at 6.40am, and I was already customer no.40. To fend talkative people who would blab out the spoiler, I blasted my MP3 out loud - letting Rihanna and her eh eh ella ella Umbrella to drown the voices around. No problem even at the cashier when I could pick up my order at Borders. And then, queued up for my free breakfast at Starbucks. And then, I saw it - this young girl, who sat down on an empty chair, already reading, like others in Starbucks. But she was starting with the last pages instead of the first chapter. Freak!! I scrambled. Breakfast or no breakfast, I was not about to let anyone tell me the ending.

I did not avoid internet and switching on tv for nothing, just in case any news blurted out the ending.

Skipped lunch. Skipped dinner. Did my reading from 8 am and finished the whole Harry Potter Book 7 at 1030pm. Phew!