DCT Season 2 Episode 8: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), or Ned's Lola Likes Taong-Gagamba

Da Couch Tomato Podcast Season 2 Episode 8, discussing Spider-Man: No Way Home. Hindi namin inakala na makakakita kami ng isang mahabang dialogue exchange in Filipino sa isang major Hollywood movie. Nagustuhan din namin na the use of all three actors who played Spider-Man on the big screen ay na-pull off nang maayos, and hindi naging gimik lang para kumita ng pera. Also, bakit nga ba kami nalungkot sa nangyari kay Aunt May?

Sting Lacson's rating: 8.6/10

Rachel's rating: 8.7/10

Final rating: 8.65/10

Help our podcast and get up to 80% off on Lazada if you shop using this link: https://bit.ly/3p4Ur5K

DCT Episode 46: Soul, or This Film Is Deep But Not Provocative

Insider

Da Couch Tomato Podcast, Episode 46, discussing Pixar's Soul, why Pixar made a film about Mexicans first before African-Americans, and the difference between passion and purpose.

Sting Lacson's rating: 8/10

Rachel's rating: 7.9/10

Final rating: 7.95/10

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 4DX

YouTube

My reaction at the end of the movie The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was to exclaim quite loudly, "Great screenplay!" And after absorbing the entire experience, filtering out the fancy 4DX gimmick (which shall be discussed in another post), I wondered what made me say it was a great screenplay. The best Marvel movie for me so far is still Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and that was a great screenplay. Some have called Spider-Man 2 a "bridge movie", defined as a second film in a franchise trilogy with no other purpose than to connect Parts I and III together.

From the Sidelines

Almost became a bridge movie were it not for Heath Ledger.

Django Unbound Unfettered Unchained

The Weinstein Company

*PISS OFF IF YOU HATE SPOILERS*

Whether you love Quentin Tarantino or you hate him, you can’t deny that he is one of the few living original storytellers for the cinematic medium. For that fact alone, Django Unchained stands apart from its Hollywood brethren of adaptations, remakes, and reboots.

The Weinstein Company

Also, Jamie Foxx in electric blue.

Due Date

From the title itself, you know this is about a pregnancy. But from the poster, you know that this stars Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. So who's giving birth?

Certainly not the alpha male of this flick.

It's actually Robert Downey, Jr.'s wife who's pregnant. And she's played by Michelle Monaghan. Who I don't really fancy. Not my type. But she sure is Jamie Foxx's type. Wait, so how does this play again? RDJ and Jamie Foxx have been friends for like twenty years. Foxx and Monaghan used to date. And Monaghan is now married to RDJ. Yet Foxx and Monaghan still keep in touch. The situation is so absurd that everyone was half-expecting Monaghan's baby to be black.

Not really his baby. Got you there.

Wait, so how does Zach Galifianakis come into the picture? As an unwanted asshole, that's how. Funny how Galifianakis's roles are always assholes. It's not because of the beard, is it? I mean, beards don't make assholes, right?

Does that not look like an asshole to you?

Finally, speaking of beards, I don't think Galifianakis can do proper comedy without his beard. I'll bet that if you shave his beard off, he loses his comedic powers. Kind of like Samson. That's why in The Hangover Part II, he shaved his head, but not his beard. So I'm betting that in his next flick, he still has the beard.

Speaking of which, the director Todd Phillips also directed both Hangover films. Which is probably why Galifianakis gets to be just as annoying in this film.


Due Date. USA. 2010.


Rating: Six and a half out of ten.
Danny McBride's cameo: Plus point three.
Final rating: Six point eight out of ten.



*some info from IMDb
pics from VLC

Rio. 3D

A kid's flick that is neither from Pixar nor DreamWorks.

Yeah, okay, it's adorable. But only because I want to have my honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro.

In time for this, of course.

The Soloist

Three words: Pretty. Heavy. Shit.

Such seems to be the screen tragedy for all great musicians. Beethoven. Mozart. And now Ayers.

This is a true story by the way. And Jamie Foxx does a damn great job. I sincerely believe Jamie Foxx is one of the most talented actors of his generation.

Robert Downey, Jr. doesn't really shine in this movie. But he doesn't suck either. Though his chemistry with Foxx is undeniable. I think Downey can work with anyone. He's a great team player.

The story was good. The acting was great. But the storytelling was too dragging. And that, I believe, is where it failed.

But Catherine Keener is still hot.


*some info from IMDb
pic from gloaminganddawn.wordpress.com


The Soloist. UK/USA/France. 2009.


Rating: Five point nine out of ten.

The Kingdom

One of the best films about the greateset conflict of modern times.

With a spectacular opening sequence, audiences will be primed for the big show with a brief visual history of Arab-American relations. It is indeed a funky way to explain how all this shit started.

Most of the action (more than 90%) happens in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, one of the richest places on the planet, and director Peter Berg does a great job of transporting us to the Arab world. Western audiences will need this immersion into the alien Arab culture. This works in establishing everything, because the authenticity of life in the Middle East is one of this film's selling points. This is not like the other movies that portray Americans and Arabs in black and white.

Jamie Foxx gives a good performace as the FBI special agent assigned to investigate a suicide bombing (check out the scene where the terrorist explodes). The ever-brilliant Chris Cooper plays the experienced old-timer on the team, while Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman (who will team up later in Juno) play the serious forensic scientist and the comic relief, respectively. Ashraf Barhoum also gives a very convincing performance, showing the American audiences that there is such a thing as a good Arab.

There truly is never a dull moment when you're an infidel in Arab land. Especially with bullets flying and bombs exploding.

Rating: Four and a half stars.