All Is Lost Movie Review

All is definitely not lost when it comes to the nominations, awards and praise for this movie which is another award winning movie in the American Survivor genre along with Castaway and 72 Hours. 

All Is Lost showcases man's perseverance for survival amidst the impossible forces of both nature and circumstance. The movie begins with Robert Redford's nameless character loosing hope and apologizing, saying goodbye to an unknown loved one. Then we are brought back eight days ago, to where it all began. 

Robert Redford (we never know the name of his character throughout the film) wakes up with a start as a floating shipment container hits his ship the Virginia Jean and water starts coming in his boat (think of Titanic beginning when they hit the ice burg) and this of course is the beginning of his insurmountable ordeals. 

The movie has no dialogue which gives more power to Redford's acting and why he deserved all those Best Actor Nominations and his win (in that category) from the New York Critics Circle. 
   
Most movies even get awards for the script and the screen play but All Is Lost had no dialogue but Redford was still able to deliver a powerful performance which really resonates throughout the film, even without words you know what he's going through and all this just through his great acting!  

Right after the movie. Two thumbs up - just holding a cup of soda from the Director's Club Cinema at the New SM Fashion Hall in SM Megamall. 

Redford gets through one challenge after the next displaying a seaman and a survivor's strength and resiliance. I thought that he was a different kind of "action star" on a league of his own (a different kind  of action star) from his contemporary Liam Neeson's gun wielding, bone breaking, threatening-over-the-phone Taken character. 

Redford's sea-savy character definitely walked the walk as he knew the different sailor knots and even knew how to navigate the seas using a sextant (and I actually had to Google that since I had no idea what it was!) and he seemed to know all the equipment inside his boat. I guess if you would be sailing in the middle of the ocean you would know a thing or two (preferably a lot) about sailing. 

One thing that I really don't get about American Survivor films is - why would you do -anything potentially dangerous and life threatening?! (sailing, rock climbing, biking etc) alone?! 

I really can't comprehend taking up anything that could be remotely dangerous (if not life threatening) as a hobby. Can you tell with all the movies/tv series that I watch, the books that I read and the music that I listen to that I am a home buddy?). Although I have friends who have taken up mountain climbing as a hobby I would not be joining them any time soon. 

The whole sail around the world alone or travelling in an RV or on a boat as an idea of a good time or even retirement is a concept that is very foreign to us Filipinos (so let's just keep our limbs and leave it to the foreign films). 

Our grand parents or retired parents are mostly home buddies who are happy taking care of their grand children.  

Okay enough with the personal thoughts on the dangerous side of things and on with the movie review. Well can I just interject that I'm so glad that I was in the comfort of the La-Z-y boy I was sitting on in the new Director's Club Cinema at the new Fashion Hall (blog post here) because I would surely not want to be where Robert Redford was. I would not last a minute there! 

Aside from the great acting, the musical score of the movie was also amazing and I couldn't blame the producers for wanting to focus on the musical score of the movie which was done so well it really does move you and tugs at your heart which is probably by the movie won for Best Musical Score in a Motion Picture during the Golden Globes and it's also up for the same nomination for the Oscars. 

Brand New Director's Club at the SM Fashion Hall!

A panoramic shot of the new SM Director's Club.

There were two things that I was excited about with the special screening of All Is Lost and these were: 

1) The movie itself which has garnered raves and nomination nods from different respected award giving bodies (more on that in the movie review) and second reason was that --

2) the screening was in the spanking-brand new Director's Club at the new SM Fashion Hall in SM Megamall! ^___^ 

Paul and I have been lucky enough to experience the Director's Club in the Mall of Asia during the Naruto: Road to Ninja special advanced screening. You can read on that here. While we were in awe of the Director's Club here the new one at the SM Fashion Hall (right across the IMAX and right in front of the Skating Rink) really was a whole new level - it's even BIGGER and BETTER! 

There were more seats in the new Director's Club but it still maintains the private and exclusive feel which the Director's Club offers and which is just one of the things that makes the Director's Club experience so unique. 

Right outside the Director's Club! :) 

Of course any movie experience is not complete without something to munch on and the Director's Club even has it's own food and drink counter which sells various foods and drinks (at reasonable prices) that would definitely go well with the movie you're watching. 

The La-Z-boys are super comfortable and can be adjusted to your preferred angle (with a foot rest too!) with a touch of the button, speaking of buttons, there was also a button per table which you can press to get assistance from the very friendly staff at SM Director's Club! Wait-what? There's a table? Let me back up just a bit, for each pair of La-Z-boys there is a table in between where you can put your food and drinks, there are even cup holders! Which I appreciate so much since it is challenging to juggle popcorn and food while watching movies.   

Two thumbs up for All is Lost - movie review in another blog post :) 

  

Paul was just so happy that there was a place where you can store your bags underneath the table. If you know us for some time now, you would bear witness to the huge bags that we bring with us everywhere, every day. 

And of course the Director's Club had it's own comfort room inside! ^_^

Each La-Z-boy had a 'head cover' of sorts like the one you see on top :) 

More to see at the brand new SM Fashion Hall! 

Of course there was the great big screen, the booming surround system completing that great cinematic experience! Make sure to check out the brand new Director's Club at the new SM Fashion Hall in SM Megamall! If you have a movie that you have been looking forward to see then watch it here-it will definitely elevate that movie experience and make it more memorable! ^_^ 

Naruto The Movie: Road to Ninja Premiere

Movie Posters are up!

Paul and I were really excited to be invited to a special advanced screening of Naruto the Movie: Road to Ninja by it's movie distributor, Movie Punch. It's actually the first invite that we got as a blogging entity and it gives that feeling that everything that you've worked hard for is finally paying off. ^_^ 

The special advanced screening was held in the Director's Club at SM Mall of Asia. It's a really cozy and exclusive venue with only 30 La-Z- boys! 

I've personally never seen a movie while reclining comfortably on a La-Z-Boy, so there I was all curled up and all comfy while watching the movie!  
In order not to spoil the movie for those of you who are planning to catch in theaters and I'm telling you that you should! I will have a separate blog post about my Movie Musings (movie review) and this would mostly focus on the special advanced screening. 

   

First time, and it was awesome!

The special advanced screening was also attended by other bloggers and well renowned cosplayer Jin Joson and Marien Jose were present and cosplayed as Minato Namikaze and Tsunade Senju from Naruto. 

Tsunade, Sir Sam, and Minato. Jin Joson as Minato Namikaze and Marien Jose as Tsunade Senju