Movie Review: Scary 'Mama' Asks For Your Sympathy

I'm a big fan of Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth so I didn't waste time in checking out his latest horror opus, Mama.  Well, it is scary - and it's really mostly a ghost story.  It also involves children finding themselves in the most difficult of situations.  You can bring your kids to watch this but I suggest you cover their eyes in the 7th minute as there is a scene there which may be difficult for you to explain to them.  The first ten minutes though is crucial to the whole story, so except for that short scene, it keeps you wanting to discover who is Mama and how she gets involved with these kids.

By the way, Jessica Chastain disappears here in black colored hair but she's still very good acting-wise.  There are some holes in the story though like why is an uncle taking care of these kids and why didn't they go to the nearest relative, instead, landing in the lap of a non-relative, played by Jessica.  It is explained a bit in the movie but still, it's quite a stretch, considering how very strict child custody rules are in the West,

The cold, chilling, almost always snowing atmosphere lends perfectly to making the movie eerie and scary.  The styling of the ghost hues to the style of del Toro.  That's how he wants scary to look like - so there's not much departure from his other horror movies.

Still, worth a trip to the cinema.  This one should be seen on a big screen!

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: From 'Game of Thrones' to 'Mama'

 

Ruggedly handsome Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau plays the concerned uncle in the Guillermo del Toro-helmed horror movie, 'Mama', opposite current Oscar Best Actress nominee Jessica Chastain.  No shirtless scenes for the sexy Nikolaj in this movie, since the setting is in winter - but still, this guy's sex appeal just oozes out of those comfy sweaters of his!  His tough guy look is important since the leading antagonist of this movie is a sad and mad lady ghost!

The Day That I Dye Has Come!

It used to be that I dyed my hair to look cool - which I did lots of times when I lived in HK!  However, now that I'm in the wrong side of the age spectrum, my sister, finally dropped the bomb at me last night at dinner, when she said, "Oh my God, you have to dye your hair, you look old!"  Well, I have to take her word for it since we don't see each other often.  Unlike Vic or Mama, who I see almost everyday, and may have not noticed the white hair sprouting all over the place, my sister, Mimi, who I only see once a month at most, may have reason to say that out loud.

So now, I asked Mama about it and she said I should buy brown dye and put it on my hair, and maybe ask one of the maids to assist me.  Terrible!  Oh well, I am vain in some ways and I think, making the hair return to black should at least shave a year or two off my real age!

Related articles

• The Day That I Dye Has Come!
• Cherishing Family and Friends on My 41st
• Brunei Darussalam's National Day
• Carlos Celdran's Intriguing 'Livin' La Vida Imelda'
• Theatre Review: The Rousing 'You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown'
• Concert Review: Cyndi Lauper Mixes Her Old and New Stuff in Manila
• Revisiting Gaydar
• Classical Night Music with Conductor James Judd and Violinist Vesa-Matti Leppanen
• Diet Talk: Shifting From Softdrinks to Fruit Juices
• We Have A Supermodel Too in Danica Magpantay