Tag Archives: Movie

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Don’t watch it! Drive 2011

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Ratings for this movie is at a stunning 8.1 stars on IMDB and 79% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If you’re all about numbers then you would definitely watch this movie but my title here is telling you otherwise. It’s ridiculously overrated! To be fair, I did feel a little emotional attachment with the great cinematography that draws you closer to the movie. I felt the movie was fantastic for a moment. But after a day of thought, the movie is a disappointment. I want my 2 hours back!

Trailer Vibe
The trailer give this movie off as the type of movie where you would expect lots of cool pumped-up action driving scenes with Ryan Gosling. Carey Mulligan seems to have a romantic connection with Ryan Gosling and multiple sideline stories seem interesting enough to explore the movie. Overall, the perception of the movie is a fast-paced action type of show.

Action movie goer perspective
You will be immediately thrown off by the fuchsia pink of the opening credits. You thought some cool jagged-edged title is gonna flash across the screen and disappear as soon as the car chasing scene starts. It did still managed to build up the tense moments during the first chapter but you will be completely turned off as the remaining ultra slow scenes unfold for the next few chapters. You’ll be dreaded to wonder where did all those action scenes went to from the trailer you saw. The uncalled for violence and uninspiring story leaves you ponder what else is beneath this movie without it. Sure it has style, but there’s no substance.

To summarize, it’s painfully slow, unimaginative film blanketed by loud music and blood capsules.

Artistic movie lover perspective
Ryan Gosling did a good job in portraying the silent cool character speaking only when necessary. Scenes where you could feel the tension and fury in his eyes as well as silence that brought the caring and ridiculously though side. The scenes unfold slowly as the emotion sinks deeper and deeper into your heart. A skill the director has put in this film to grab hold of you and takes you inside this often dark and dreamy LA setting. It has beautiful cinematography but what is it without a great plot?

To summarize, retro action with style but portrait a blank canvas in the end.

Conclusion
It’s good but far from a great movie.

Silver Screen

Watch it! Real Steel 2011

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The Perception
If you’ve watched the trailer, it sums up as an action packed fantasy robot fighting movie. Boxing, steel, Hugh Jackman. A movie where you can smell its testosterone from miles away.

The Surprise
The surprise was, it offers way more than that. It’s not just some metal on metal pounding like Transformers the movie. It’s not just some boxing plot showing a rags to riches story.

When was the last time you heard the crowd in the cinema cheering away with the movie? The energy the movie brought was so high that the audience is literally shouting ouch as each punch is throw at each other.

Acting performances from Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lily and Dakota Goyo really hits the spot. Their relationship felt genuine and realistic. The 12 year old Dakota Goyo will definitely make your tears roll down your cheeks at certain scenes.

The comedic elements would pop out as cheesy if not scripted properly. But Real Steel did it so well it just kept the crowd laughing.

Computer graphics of the robots are so realistic you just can’t stop helping to think that ‘Where can I buy one of these after I leave the cinema?’

It is truly a perfect cross over movie transcending from modern day fiction to a timeless classic.

Favorite Scene
When Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) goes into shadow mode with Atom the robot and Max Kenton (Dakota Goyo) watches him.

Real Steel, Real Deal.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei5l3r1dV4I]

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Watch it! Nasi Lemak 2.0 2011

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It’s a title that questions you. What the hell is Nasi Lemak 2.0? Where was Nasi Lemak 1.0? My guess is that Nasi Lemak 1.0 is what we’re eating now.

Anyhow, Namewee has been quite notorious with all his YouTube videos and now a movie that passed the censorship board of Malaysia and made it into the theater? If you’re a Malaysian and you heart it, you don’t need a better reason to watch this movie. And mind you, please go to the cinema and watch this film. My friend has the nerve to ask ‘can download ah?’. You can buy/download all the freaking pirated movies from Hollywood for all I care but please support our local good products (not just any product).

Overview
On to the movie. I love how Namewee fused so many Malaysia essence into this movie and not overdo it. The cultural beauty of Malaysia is nicely portrait throughout the movie. Of course there are some parts where it reflects how racist we can be, the harmless sarcastic way of how we perceive each other. On the flip side, there are also political hints planted throughout the movie. Mostly distinguishable if you’re the Bersih 2.0 Malaysian and others subtle and requires you to piece the puzzle to fit our current political issues. And that’s what I think made the movie funny and worth watching.

Big shout out also to the cast he was able to pull in for the movie which includes Karen Kong (main actress), Afdlin Shauki, Adibah Noor, Dato David Arumugan (Alleycats), Nadine Ann Thomas (Miss Malaysia 2010), Kenny Chan & Chee Hood Siong (Baba Nyonya series), Reshmonu and countless cameos.

Favorite Scene
The keris fighting part which was interrupted by ‘Han Tu Yah’

Trailer
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QyRzSKuwkY]

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Don’t watch it! Your Highness 2011

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Yeah a few big names and an Oscar winner Natalie Portman isn’t gonna save this show.

It’s not entertaining nor it is funny at all. Poor scripting and cheap make-believe props makes my eyes bleed.

As you can see from the trailer below, clearly they have slot in all the best convincing bits of the show to convince you to watch it. I can’t help but to compare it with Robin Hood: Men in Tights 1993. Most probably it’s because of the chastity belt bit. But at least that show gave me a good laugh.

So, avoid this at all cost.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FplWxtPzWY8]

Silver Screen

So smitten by Amanda Seyfried, especially in the new trailer ‘In Time’

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Amanda Seyfried, such an enchanting little darling. She didn’t really caught my attention in Mamma Mia! 2008 as Sophie but yeah she sure could sing!

I guess the first time I’m actually smitten by her is in Dear John 2010 as Savannah Curtis. Most probably also how the story is in the movie and how kind and vulnerable she was. If you’ve not watch Dear John 2010, do watch it.

Recently, the new trailer of In Time 2011 is out. I can’t wait to catch this film that has got her and Justin Timberlake in it. Movie is set in the future where time replaces money as currency and everyone stops aging at 25 but you have to pay to live another year. Trailer looks promising, check it out for yourself below!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdadZ_KrZVw]

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Don’t watch it! Super 8

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Before you roar, hear me out first.

If you’re an adolescent or an adolescent at heart, you’ll love it, go watch it, period.

Like any other JJ Abrams story, he’s always into the extraordinary. Super 8 is like watching Lost TV series, you’re subjected to being lost for more than half of the show before you get a glimpse of the alien and slightly figure out what’s going on.

But I won’t rule it out as a bad movie. Story wise, it will always appeal to the younger generation where you think your life sucks and you wish to be special. The movie brings you to meet a boy with a broken background who meets someone beautiful and falls in love and kinda save the day.

Execution wise, it’s great. Hollywood’s CGI these days are superb. With Steven Spielberg producing it, it ensures suspense and fun!

Favorite Scene
Not a scene, but the ending credits short film – The Case

Trailer
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCRQQCKS7go]

Silver Screen

Watch it! X-Men: First Class 2011

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Pretty lucky to have tickets for X-Men: First Class 2011 premier last night. I was a bit skeptical on going to watch this movie because the actors are all fairly new and seriously, how can 1 movie show the beginning of X-Men properly? I’ll give my 2 cents on this movie from a fan-boy, non-fan-boy view and overview.

Non-Fan-Boy
The way the story started all the way to the end definitely flows nicely towards the rest of the X-Men movie series. Seeing them growing up and learning their powers and excepting them is always a nice touch to anyone with a fantasy of hoping one day they will also have super powers.

Fan-Boy
Hardcore fans might be disappointed on how almost every characters story isn’t the way it’s suppose to be. You’ll most probably non-stop telling the person sitting next to you that “that’s not the way they met”, “he didn’t do that”, “that’s not true” blah blah blah…

Overview
Story set aside, Matthew Vaughn (director) did a great job on the cinematography and dialogues, he’s pretty good with fantasy comical stuff considering he’s the one who produced Stardust 2007 and Kick-Ass 2010. He kept this movie true to it’s name, first class of X-Men. Focusing on Prof. X, Magneto and the human race. Two greatest mutants torn apart because of different goals and mutual understanding towards each other. The CGI is wonderful, not unbelievable, who am I kidding, it’s a comic movie! Should be unbelievable.

Favorite Scene
Wolverine’s cameo :o)

Trailer
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yq7Za1JnZg]

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Watch it! Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

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I’ve always thought that Dreamworks productions are always 1 step behind Pixar. But Kung Fu Panda (2008) has proved me wrong. They have a team of animation artist just for special effects like how sparks look and feel when the claws of the tiger grinds the floor! Can’t wait to have a Blu-ray version for me to pause through the animations and admire the 3D artists’ hard work.

So Kung Fu Panda 2 just hit the theaters officially today in Malaysia. Without much hesitation I got the tickets yesterday and had an absolutely awesome time watching the movie today. It’s been awhile since there’s a show that made me laughed this hard in the cinema.

Unlike most sequels, it’s always either better than the first or worst than the first. Not this time, Kung Fu Panda 2 didn’t try to recycle cinematography angles or cheesy lines or similar animation scenes. Which is why I would say – watch it!

I wouldn’t tell you the whole story here and spoil it for you but here are a few points to excite you to watch it!

  1. The new characters introduced in this sequel is nicely thought out. The villain, which is Lord Shen, a peacock has got an interesting background story tied to Master Po. Did I mention freaking cool kung fu too?
  2. Torn between choices for favorite scene but I would pick the dragon looking costume scene cause I seriously had a great time laughing out loud in the cinema.

I did not watch it in 3D version so can’t comment if it’s worth the money. Do comment here if you’ve watched it in 3D version.

Here’s the trailer for Kung Fu Panda 2.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1ftH73f3xg]