Spielbergian hit and comedic miss

Last Wednesday, we braved the rains and floods to catch Ayala Center’s screening of JJ Abrams’ “Super 8” – and we’re glad we did. The concept and premise of Abrams’ homage to producer Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking alien flicks aren’t all that new, but what the movie lacks in originality, it more than makes up for in execution, excitement, movie-making flair – and a lot of heart.

The film follows a group of middle-school students, led by its chubby writer-director, Charles (Riley Griffiths), and his makeup and special effects guy, Joe (Joel Courtney), as they attempt to finish a zombie movie they’re rushing for a teen film festival.

To their delight, the school’s blonde beauty, Alice (the incandescent Elle Fanning), agrees to star in it! Joe’s deputy sheriff-dad (Kyle Chandler) is none too pleased about the girl’s participation, however—because he blames her alcoholic father (Ron Eldard) for the accidental death of his wife years ago.

But, during a midnight shoot at an old train station, Alice and the boys find themselves caught in the midst of a major catastrophe that almost kills them – and, without their knowing about it, their camera captures the whole incident!

So, when Joe and Charles play the reel back, they see something strange in it, which could explain the weird events that have been happening in their small suburban community. Yes, we’re talking about paranormal and extraterrestrial occurrences – but, we’ll stop there before we spoil the whole thing for you.

The film has a lot of dazzling action sequences. But, all that spectacle proves no match to the impact of the intimate bond Abrams cogently establishes among his endearing protagonists – particularly that between Joe and Alice, and, more movingly, their fractured relationships with their flawed but well-meaning fathers.

As the narrative moves along, it’ll draw you in even more and make you care for its characters as they struggle to move on from past hurts and learn to let go.

The production’s big scenes are impressive, all right, but they don’t draw viewers’ attention away from its intimate human elements – a fitting tribute to the early oeuvre of its legendary producer!

‘The Hangover, Part II’

“The Hangover, Part II” does the opposite for its predecessor. Todd Phillips’ sequel to 2009’s hilarious comedy of errors turns from amusingly smart to incredibly ridiculous, as it finds its dazed protagonists – Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zack Galifianakis) and Stu (Ed Helms) – in Thailand to attend the latter’s wedding, giddily prancing around their new and exotic southeast Asian “playground” after a night of inebriated bliss and mess.

Like what happened in Vegas, the trio doesn’t have any recollection of the previous night’s merry-making! Before Stu misses his date at the altar, however, several clues should help them find their way out of the woods: There’s a drug-dealing monkey, a severed finger, a “mushroom”-like entity, sexually accessible ladyboys, and crazy gangsters who are more than willing to blow the party-hopping westerners to smithereens if they don’t get what they want!

To be fair, the wacky gang’s antics manage to generate laugh-out-loud moments from time to time – but, for the most part, the film’s humor is trite and more in-your-face.

We also find the inclusion of Ang Lee’s son, Mason (as the bride’s nerdy brother), in the gang refreshing. But, the production’s disparate elements fail to come together and coalesce into a coherent story as they did in the 2009 original.

This time, the guys are thrown into a bottomless pool of unfortunate events dished up as comedy that doesn’t amount to much. Besides, just how many times can something that implausible happen to the same people, however adorable they may be, without making viewers question their judgment –or sanity? As they say, lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice!