Movie review: ‘Doctor Strange,’ ‘Bakit Lahat ng Gwapo May Boyfriend?’

Trillo and Curtis in “Bakit Lahat ng Gwapo May Boyfriend?”

BAKIT LAHAT NG GWAPO MAY BOYFRIEND?

Starring: Anne Curtis,

Paolo Ballesteros and Dennis Trillo

Director: Jun Robles Lana

Rating: 3 out of 5

Once bitten, twice shy. But, in Kylie’s (Curtis) case, she’s been gypped many times over by deceptively “ideal” boyfriends (Will Devaughn, Prince Stefan, Ballesteros)—who turn out to be gay.

Kylie has to get her friends—and their buzzing “gaydars”—to size up swoon-worthy Diego (Trillo), who’s too good to be true. She’s drawn to the bachelor’s oozing masculine appeal, and it looks like the attraction could be mutual. But is her mind merely playing tricks on her?

To make matters worse, Kylie’s BFF Benj (Ballesteros) is also smitten with childhood buddy Diego, who doesn’t know he’s gay! Will Diego eventually come out of the closet like the other “gwapo” men who broke Kylie’s heart? Or will he leave his snooty fiancé (the lovely Yam Concepcion) at the altar, and ride happily into the sunset with Kylie?

The film may not be all that deep, but at least it’s entertaining. And we like Lana’s light and breezy handling of its tale. Its characters are sometimes stuck in situations that don’t always make sense—but, they’re nonetheless more palatable than the similarly pink-themed (and inexplicably A-graded) “The Third Party.”

The production plays well to the strengths of its leads, with Anne setting the thespic pace with a fourth-wall-breaking portrayal that is as winkingly winsome as it is effortless. —RITO ASILO

MAX STEEL

Starring: Ben Winchell, Maria Bello, Andy Garcia and the voice of Josh Brener

Director: Stewart Hendler

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

As he comes to terms with his newfound superpowers, teenager Max McGrath (the promising Winchell) grudgingly teams up with annoying extraterrestrial robot Steel (Brener) to go mano a mano against the megalomaniac wolf in sheep’s clothing, who’s responsible for the death of Max’s brilliant father.

But it isn’t easy to identify which of the people around him is a well-meaning friend or spiteful foe—and, for a world in dire need of a superhero, time is running out!

While it is briskly paced and beautifully photographed, not a lot about the film is original. It’s a hodgepodge of borrowed plots and ploys that bank on the charm of its eye-candy lead. It doesn’t hurt that Ben is given seasoned supporting actors who plausibly bring his character’s life-or-death dilemma to life. If you’re a teenager who just wants to gawk at Ben’s good looks, go ahead—knock yourself out. —RITO ASILO

DOCTOR STRANGE

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen

Director: Scott Derrickson

Rating: 3 out of 5

A severely injured doctor (Cumberbatch) finds renewed purpose and becomes Marvel’s heroic sorcerer in “Doctor Strange.” Stephen Strange is a surgeon who meets the Ancient One (Swinton, delightful as always), a Celtic mystic tasked to defend humanity against her scheming ex-student (Mikkelsen).

Cumberbatch proficiently breathes life into the titular spellcaster, making Strange a worthwhile addition to Marvel’s shared cinematic universe. The sped-up transformation from world-weary skeptic to empowered believer, however, doesn’t feel entirely satisfying.

Because it’s a Marvel Studios film, there’s a bigger, geek-pleasing picture, and “Doctor Strange” fits into that formula seamlessly. The expansion introduces magical dimensions, as well as elements that will ultimately connect to Marvel’s coming climactic showdown. —OLIVER PULUMBARIT

BRAVETOWN

Starring: Lucas Till, Josh Duhamel, Maria Bello, Laura Dern, Tom Everett Scott

Director: Daniel Duran

Rating: 3 out of 5

After overdosing at a New York City club, fast-rising 17-year-old EDM DJ Josh (Till) is sent by his perpetually zonked-out mother (Bello) to a small town in the Midwest, to live with the father (Scott) he’s never met. He has to undergo yearlong counseling with a shrink (Josh Duhamel) and finish high school.

But the town turns out to be a living memorial of fallen soldiers, where “everyone has lost someone from some war.” When the school’s dance team gets wind of Josh’s talent, he is recruited to “bring on the music” as the group sets its sight on winning the state invitational.

The film boasts a powerhouse cast that delivers the thespic thrills, but Duran’s low-key dance flick is far removed from the terpsichorean sizzle of “Step Up.”

The frequent shifts to competitive dancing, as deftly staged as they’re proficiently executed, dilute the film’s otherwise strong antiwar sentiments.

Despite the potential for mawkishness, the characters’ emotional outbursts are kept to a minimum. The performances are topnotch.

Till, gorgeous but too long in the tooth to play a high school student, and Dern, sublime as a mother coming to grips with the death of her son in Iraq, also turn in fine portrayals. —RITO ASILO