Series Review: Under The Dome

One day, a town named Chester's Mill is suddenly caged in a big dome that came from nowhere. Neither do the townspeople nor the outsiders have any idea of where it came from. For short: a pure mystery. The dome; invisible, indestructible, and completely, inescapable; is going to test the people of Chester's Mill. Is this big thing a plague or protection from something that is coming?

 

Under The Dome is a science fiction drama television series that was developed by Brian K. Vaughan and is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. What made me really try this series and download it's first whole season (since I prefer downloading than watching on TV as I hate cliffhangers) is that the author himself, Stephen King, serve as an executive producer along with the critically-acclaimed and award-winning director Steven Spielberg (who, for the record, is my favorite). There were six other producers, but with the first two mentioned teaming up, I was already convinced.

Under the Dome is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. It tells the story of the residents of the small town of Chester's Mill in Maine, where a massive, transparent, indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. With no Internet access, no mobile signals and limited radio communication, the people trapped inside must find their own ways to survive with diminishing resources and rising tensions. While military forces, the government and the media positioned outside of this surrounding barrier attempt to break it down, a small group of people inside attempt to figure out what the dome is, where it came from, and when (and if) it will go away. (This paragraph is a courtesy of Wikipedia)

The series is unsurprisingly a thrill ride. The director/s gave the viewers contenting shots of every scene and the actors, as I find it, are convincing. In fact the cast were amazingly tact and there were really chemistry among each other. One would really be sorry for the sorry and raging mad for the wicked. I only wished that there were more visible destruction as a big dome covering a small town could really be plague-y and disastrous. The team only failed in that moment but all-in-all throughout the series, flaws (if there were) are unnoticeable . 

For a rating, I give this series a 9 out of 10 for being able to properly deliver a good story to the viewers. It is a television wonder, indeed!

Thanks for paying attention to this review. Watch out for more!

Critical Eyes: The Breakfast Club Film Review

"The Breakfast Club" begins with an old dramatic standby. You isolate a group of people in a room, you have them talk, and eventually they exchange truths about themselves and come to new understandings. William Saroyan and Eugene O'Neil have been here before, but they used saloons and drunks. "The Breakfast Club" uses a high school library and five teenage kids.

The movie takes place on a Saturday. The five kids have all violated high school rules in one way or another, and they've qualified for a special version of detention: all day long, from 8 to 4, in the school library. They arrive at the school one at a time. There's the arrogant, swaggering tough guy (Judd Nelson). The insecure neurotic (Ally Sheedy) who hides behind her hair and clothes. The jock from the wrestling team (Emilio Estevez. The prom queen (Molly Ringwald. And the class brain (Anthony Michael Hall).

These kids have nothing in common, and they have an aggressive desire not to have anything in common. In ways peculiar to teenagers, who sometimes have a studious disinterest in anything that contradicts their self-image, these kids aren't even curious about each other. Not at first, anyway. But then the day grows longer and the library grows more oppressive, and finally the tough kid can't resist picking on the prom queen, and then there is a series of exchanges.

Nothing that happens in "The Breakfast Club" is all that surprising. The truths that are exchanged are more or less predictable, and the kids have fairly standard hang-ups. It comes as no surprise, for example, to learn that the jock's father is a perfectionist, or that the prom queen's parents give her material rewards but withhold their love. But "The Breakfast Club" doesn't need earthshaking revelations; it's about kids who grow willing to talk to one another, and it has a surprisingly good ear for the way they speak. (Ever notice the way lots of teenage girls, repeating a conversation, say "she goes ... rather than "she says..."?)

The movie was written and directed by John Hughes, who also made last year's "Sixteen Candles." Two of the stars of that movie (Ringwald and Hall) are back again, and there's another similarity: Both movies make an honest attempt to create teenagers who might seem plausible to other teenagers. Most Hollywood teenage movies give us underage nymphos or nostalgia-drenched memories of the 1950s.

The performances are wonderful, but then this is an all-star cast, as younger actors go; in addition to Hall and Ringwald from "Sixteen Candles," there's Sheedy from "War Games" and Estevez from "Repo Man." Judd Nelson is not yet as well known, but his character creates the strong center of the film; his aggression is what breaks the silence and knocks over the walls.

The only weaknesses in Hughes' writing are in the adult characters: The teacher is one-dimensional and one-note, and the janitor is brought onstage with a potted philosophical talk that isn't really necessary. Typically, the kids don't pay much attention.

Now, here's a film where there is no yesterday and tomrrorow. The present is the only matter. Totally, it's a great 80's film that is still being watched up to date.

Note: The "R" rating on this film refers to language; I think a PG-I3 rating would have been more reasonable. The film is certainly appropriate for thoughtful teenagers.

Philippine Fashion Week: Spring Summer 2014

On October 26, 2013, the fourth day of Philippine Fashion Week: Spring Summer 2014 was held at Function Rooms 2 and 3 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. It was my first time to attend such an event. Thanks to big sis as she was exclusively invited by designer Lizanne Cua and she brought me with her. It was her 7th time around. Designers who presented world-class outfits were Anthony Ramirez, Chris Jasler, Lizanne Cua, Melchor Guinto, Randall Solomon. We haven't seen much of that of the first designer since we came late. Albeit his last designs presented made me drop my jaw as his idea of men's fashion was stupendous! The rest showed their designs in a fashionable way and as the models ramp through the runway, my spirits was at it's highest as high-end fashion is anywhere to be seen. A marvelous day that has been!

By the way, my get up during the event include a royal blue, long-sleeved shirt with patches on both shoulder and on one chest poket; A dark brown/khaki designer jeans; and a pair of loafers.

Good day reader!

Divergent Book Review

Another Dystopian story was born. Published in 2011, Divergent is a Young Adult (YA)  novel that aims to tackle the society of Chicago in the future. Written by Veronica Roth the novel intends to attack the YA readers of the modern time.

Divergent is quite similar to other YA Dystopian novels of her time. Reading through the book, I immediately noticed it's resemblance to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The formation of the austere government of the former is (if I may say) inspired by that of the latter. The point of view of the novel is narrated by it's heroine and main character, Beatrice 'Tris' Prior, as she journeys into the futuristic city divided into five faction namely Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). The general field of the genre is Science fiction and I can say that it did very well on proving that it really is a Sci-fi novel as fictitious hi-technology machines, futuristic settings and impossible events largely covered the story. The attack of the novel is mostly formal but informality are seen when the characters converse with vulgar words.

Divergent as mentioned a while ago, lacks distinction from other previous Dystopian, Sci-fi works that makes the story not a hundred percent fresh but nonetheless, it is a Sci-fi novel and it functions how one should. All in all, the novel is a good read for YA and non-YA readers alike.