Movie Review : U Want Me 2 Kill Him?, Fruitvale Station, The Railway Man & Blood Ties

I’m reviewing movies based on true stories – deceit and trust; hate, love, wrongfulness and forgiveness; death and living life. represented on silver screen.

‘uwantme2killhim?’ a true story about how a harmless cyber chat can turn ugly; ‘fruitvale station’ tells the true story of the merciless shooting of a black youth by a white cop captured in camera phone; ‘the railway man’ is a true account of a former brit soldier and the tortures he endured by the japanese circa 1940-s. finally ‘blood ties’ a movie which basically reminds me of the countless plot of hindustan movies.

 

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an intriguing true story of how a harmless cyber chat can result into unexpected consequences; even deadly one. a well-made movie, helmed by the two young actors who dominate the storyline.

plus they are both SO adorable!

plot : 16 year old mark; cute, popular, happy family – starts chatting with a random girl named rachel and found out she’s in some mysterious witness protection program with her abusive boyfriend. she asks him to take care of her lil bro john, an outcast in his school. and so begins a friendship between the two – which gets more complicated as the truth comes out…

jamie blackley as mark is so adorable I can’t believe I haven’t seen him in any other movie. if I were a teenage girl, I’d have his poster on my wall! haha. he’s like a very young ‘man of steel’s henry cavill. he’s charismatic in this one; very believable in all the emotions he has shown. I hope for bigger break for this young lad!

the story of ‘u want me 2 kill him?’ seems outrageously unbelievable to be a true story, but it’s more common than we care to admit. watch it and you’ll understand. a shocking ending to a well-told true story.

 

 

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we know how the movie is gonna end. the hero dies. the story is about the brief life of oscar grant, a young african-american; redeeming himself from his crimes, starting new, loving father, playful son – he’s the hero we wanna root for, despite his troubled past.

the movie made us like him a lot, with that touching scene with saving the dog and his lovely relationship with his mom – and then slapped us with the truth we all know – that he died in vain. shot (allegedly accidental) by a white cop in the middle of a busy metro station, on new year’s eve.

writer-director ryan coogler and michael b. jordan who played oscar grant are both in their 20-s and as african-american youths themselves, always feel like oscar grant could’ve been them; it could’ve easily happen to them. the whole cast presented a very natural kind of acting; almost like watching an interesting documentary or a reality tv show. wonderful assemble of cast, especially octavia spencer as the mother.

but of course, michael b. jordan steals the show; a brilliant performance that made us care for the character so much that the final scene became very painful to watch.

no matter how dark your past is, no one – NO ONE deserves to die the way he did.

 

 

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colin firth as ‘eric lomax’ and nicole kidman are both academy-award winners, so there’s no doubt of their acting ability. so I would just like to move your attention to jeremy irvine, the actor who played young eric. he captured the mannerism and speech of colin firth down to his footsteps and the way he stands. incredible!

an interestingly enough, it was colin firth himself who suggested that jeremy irvine played him as a young man!

based on an autobiography of eric lomax (the main character in the movie) a british army officer who experienced extreme torture by the japanese soldiers at a POW camp during the construction of thai-burma railway during WW2 just for building a radio. it was so traumatizing that he was still haunted by it till the present day.

colin firth is believable as the soldier with psychological trauma – the fear, the hate – all encompassed in his expressions and voice. a true great actor.

what if you were brit soldier eric lomax, and years after, found out that the japanese soldier who tortured you is still alive? would you confront him? will revenge be first in your mind? and what would be the response of that japanese soldier? unchanged? remorse? indifference?

I dislike war movies, for obvious reasons, but this is a must-see for fans of colin firth. “sometimes, the hate has to stop.” ~eric lomax.

 

 

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oh, this is one movie from my list today that is NOT based on true story. it’s practically citer hindustan actually. brothers. one a cop, one an ex-con. the rest, is pretty predictable.

of course the brother has a troubled past; drug-abusing wife and kids he left for prison. of course cop-brother’s work is compromised when his criminal bro gets out of prison. and of course they have a sweet dad who’s dying of something. and don’t forget to throw in a love interest with an abusive husband to make it more dramatic!

dah kata dah, hindustan!

but I won’t say that the movie is bad. it’s okay. and I’m giving it more stars than it deserves simply because of the A-list cast – billy crudup as the cop-bro, macho clive owen as the ex-con-bro and zoey zaldana as the cop’s ‘colored’ girlfriend.

watch it if you’re into this sort of family drama. for me, the actors make it worth the watch. and the ending is not bad too. really wraps up the whole drama; but at that point I dont even care if anyone is supposed to get what they deserve.

 

Movie Review : About Time & My Top 5 Movies about Time Travel

I am a huge fan of time-travel movies. I am very fascinated with the subject – so much so that one of my favorite books of all time is ‘the time machine’ by h.g. wells. to me it is the ultimate time-travelling tale and theories. thought of writing this post after I watched the oh-so-sweet ‘about time’ – which is, about – time travel.

I don’t say that I believe in time-travelling. Allah knows best. it’s not in our power to be able to change things in the past for personal gain, or see the future before it happens.

time-travelling just fascinates me because of the many endless possibilities it presented in the many stories. and movies and books give us just that. endless possibilities.

 

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owh I am just in LOVE with this movie. sweet, funny, heartwarming. watching the trailer make me want to cry again because this movie reminds people that time-travelling or not; it’s the moment you live through day by day are the ones that is important – so live them well and to the fullest!

boy was told that the men in his family has the ability to travel through time. boy meets girl. boy screws up meeting with girl. boy uses time travel to rewind and rewind many times so that the first-meeting would be perfect. and so begins his effort to make each moment in his life ‘perfect’ the way he wants it.

but can life possibly be perfect? we forgot that there are so many variables involved – the lives of other people close to us, one meeting could mean another’s farewell, a life saved might mean a loss of another life – everything is inter-connected, even in time.

domhnall gleeson, practically unknown to me succeeded in oozing charm with his coy and adorkable clumsiness. I love rachel mcadams here, who has risen above her famous bitchy character regina george to become a convincing romantic lead that we can all root for. they have adorable chemistry together, which helps make this movie so enjoyable.

absorb each moment as it happens – because it happens only once. this, this very moment will never come again, so appreciate each and every moment of your life! a must-see for all you hopeless romantics, and even you skeptics too!

 

 

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here’s the list of my favorite movies about time-travel, starting from 5th place – I absolutely LOVE these movies so I highly recommend them!

5) frequency

 

 

well, in ‘frequency’, the characters don’t physically travel through time – only their voice does – via a radio link. father and son, across the span of 30 years, somehow got reconnected thru the radio waves, during an unusual aurora borealis night.

it’s the future, and grown-up james caviezel whose father had died in a fire when he was little; gets connected with a friendly stranger over the airwaves using those home-radio-thingy, and soon discovers that it’s the younger version of his father in the past! it’s time to save his father’s life so that he won’t die in the past – but with shocking consequences.

now together, cop-son and fireman dad must work together through time to solve a series of unsolved murder!

dennis quaid and james caviezel make a great father-son team. their chemistry will bring tears to your eyes the moment they realize they’re speaking to each other, to the moment they thought they had lost each other all over again. I cried each time!

this is one time-travel-murder-mystery combo you should not miss. a good watch for father’s day too!

 

 

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4) 12 monkeys

 

 

one of my favorite movies ever. a complex storyline that might leave you clueless, or will blow your mind – once you realized everything is somehow connected. take a close watch, and listen! I was so fascinated by the clever plot, engaging script and the mind-blowing ending that sort off gel everything together.

bruce willis is cole, a convict who is sent back in time to save the future from a virus created in the past. he’s supposed to gather information about the so-called army of the 12 monkeys and the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

bruce willis is undeniably awesome as always : dazed, confused and determined to find the truth. brad pitt gave one of the best performances of his career as mental patient jeffrey goines, earning him the well-deserved oscar nomination and golden globe win.

if you haven’t already seen it, don’t read any more reviews. get the movie, sit back, watch and listen. if we continue living the way we do; pollution, deforestation, illegal poaching of endangered animals – mankind might deserve to be wiped out of this earth anyway…

 

 

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3) somewhere in time

 

 

tall, handsome christopher reeves. beauty and elegance of jane seymour. a period piece. the glorious era of american film-making. beautiful soaring soundtrack. what a timeless love story.

christopher reeve (best known as superman) is playwright richard, who falls in love with a picture of an actress in the 1912 – and determines to find a way to go back in time to meet her! talk about love that transcends time! he is so handsome, and jane seymour as elise the actress is so gorgeous. such a classic beautiful pair. I love watching them!

how did he travel through time? he got himself the right suit and apparels for that era. he removed anything modern from his room that will remind him of the present time. he lie down on the bed and sort-off hypnotized himself to the past!

the love story might not be as corny as ‘notebook’, or too deep as ‘eternal sunshine of the spotless mind’ or terribly tragic as ‘titanic’ but it’s heart-breakingly sweet and memorable.

 

 

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2) midnight in paris

 

 

quirky, amusing and clever. I fell in love with this movie instantly, despite not knowing what it’s about when I first watched it! also, in spite of not liking the lead owen wilson. (always thought of him as a mediocre comedic actor whose memorable performance is only alongside jackie chan.) but here, he is the everyday guy searching for that little bit of passion that he’s lost.

and oh, the paris depicted in that movie – just magical.

he’s on holiday in paris with rich fiance rachel mcadams (played brilliantly cocky haha) and while on a walk along the street of paris, the clock struck midnight and suddenly an antique car pulled over, and he found himself partying with the fitzgeralds, having a discourse with hemingway and other great writers of the past!

probably being a student of literature in english has something to do with it, but I was so engrossed with the idea of meeting all the literary geniuses of the past – to ask them about their work, and just get to know the person behind all those magnificent written words.

and between meeting great writers and finding his footing in writing, he also found love. for all fans of PARIS, woody allen and all things funny and quirky.

 

 

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1) back to the future

 

 

if you haven’t already know what this movie is about – where have you been?!

back to the future is THE ultimate time-travel movie. genius plot-line, a witty script filled with irony and hilarious one-liners, and perfect casting of michael j. fox as marty mcfly and christopher lloyd as doc emmet brown – both became most recognizable time-travelling duo in cinematic history. even the time-machine delorean is just so slick even in 1985 when the movie was released!

‘back to the future’ is about a teenager named marty mcFly, who's sent 30 years into the past by accident and then must make sure that his future parents fall in love so that he can be born. the storyline sounds simple but the story is just so awesome!

too bad the trailer that I found is so extremely corny that it makes ‘back to the future’ looks like some b-grade sci-fi flick! truth is, it’s still one of the most entertaining movies of all time; a genius story-telling if ever there was one.

 

 

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sadly the movie ‘the time machine’ starring guy pearce, based on the book ‘the time machine’ by h.g. wells, is quite disappointing, so I could not add it in my top 5 favorite movie about time travel. the book, however – remains one of my most favorite books ever.

while ‘the time machine’ actually has the character travel through time using an actual MACHINE built for that purpose, other time travel movies utilize other means for its character to travel through time.

• in the wacky comedy ‘hot tub time machine’ travelled back to the past to relive their teenage years via a malfunctioning hot tub; while they’re bathing in it. haha.
• in the creepy-mystery movie ‘the langoliers’ based on a short story by master horror writer stephen king, the characters on a plane found themselves travelling to the future – and found out that only passengers who were sleeping survived the time-travelling, while others just mysteriously vanished!
• in ‘men in black 3’, will smith’s character agent J travelled through time – by jumping a high-rise building – because, duuh – ‘time. JUMP’? thanks, but no thanks.
• in the unforgettable ‘planet of the apes’, the astronaut has no control over the situation when his spacecraft crashed, and he was suddenly transported far into the future when apes ruled the earth while humans are the slaves.
• in ‘harry potter : prisoner of azkaban’, hermione uses a necklace with a magical pendant that can take her back in time.
• in the comedy with moral values ‘click’, adam sandler’s character travelled to the future by controlling a magical remote control given to him by a mysterious old guy, to teach him a lesson or two.
• in ‘back to the future’ it’s a car, in ‘somewhere in time’ it’s through self-hypnotism and mind-control, and in ‘midnight in paris’, the character just magically transformed to the past at the struck of midnight; and of course in ‘about time’ it’s using a dark, closed space while clenching your fist.

 

creative sangat! oh well. wait, IS time travel possible?

Movie Review : Ride Along, Philomena, Baggage Claim & All Is Lost

I’m reviewing a comedy ‘ride along’ about impressing your future in-law who happens to be the big brother-tough cop dude, ‘philomena’ a charming drama based on a true story of searching for long-lost son; another comedy ‘baggage claim’ about searching for love in all the wrong places; and ‘all is lost’ an engaging one-man show about surviving against all odds while being lost at sea.

 

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‘ride along’ is entertaining, fun and hilarious. kevin hart himself is quite a trip – with his high-pitched voice in his short frame spewing funny lines each time he speaks. and if it’s not his lines, it’s his expression.

in order to marry his girlfriend, a cop-wannabe needs the blessing of her big brother, a tough cop who speaks like he’s in a rap music video. wants to prove he’s a man? his brother took the guy on a ride along (‘ride along’ is a term used when civilian sits in the passenger seat of a police car, observing the work day of a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic).

I don’t have a big brother that mr. khairul needs to impress; but my youngest uncle cu (my mak’s lil bro) did have a man-to-man’s talk with mr. khairul when I first introduced him, so I consider that as my life’s version of ‘the ride along’ haha. now they both can simply hang out for cendol, without ME! huhu.

in ‘ride along’, as expected, many humorous incident ensue as the guy tries to impress his girlfriend’s brother, leaving us literally laughing out loud, not the internet version of LOL. huhu. kevin hart and ice cube have great chemistry together which is ironic since in the movie, the characters can’t get along! ‘ride along’ is an enjoyable movie on a lazy sunday.

 

 

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bright sunny background color, a smiley judi dench, and steeve coogan smirking back at her – all spells comedy even though ‘philomena’ is a story about a woman who was forced to give up her son a long time ago, and is now searching for a closure. both judi dench and steeve coogan are sweet and charming, and their relationship is touching and meaningful.

inspired by a true story, ‘philomena’ is the name of the woman whose son was forcefully taken from her for adoption – in one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve seen in a movie. years passed and a journalist wants to write a story about her journey to find this son – and so begins and unlikely friendship through empathy, understanding, and mutual respect.

one by one clues were found and stories unearthed, taking her closer to finding her lost son. and in those steps we viewers too feel the same anxiety, excitement, happy and sorrow as more truth is made known. philomena reminds us to rejoice in the simple smile of our child, or the fact that he can’t say not to pasta, or pronounce ‘tiger’ as ‘tigger’, or simply knowing that he had said ‘hi’.

a heartfelt story for all who had lost and found; no matter what it is that you found in the end – as long as you found closure.

 

 

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we know how this movie is gonna end in the first 10 minutes of the movie. ‘of course she’s gonna end up with the one right in front of her eyes all these while’ plot! oh, please I’m not giving spoilers here – ‘baggage claim’ is THAT predictable!

I’m not saying it’s not funny nor entertaining though – paula patton is sweet and funny, and I did enjoy myself seeing her character meet her many handsome exes, trying to fish the right one to bring her to her sister’s big engagement party OR simply to be THE ONE.

though ‘baggage claim’ is so predictable, it’s just fun to just sit back and wonder what’s in store for the character. what silly incident will happen next? what quirky, unacceptable behaviour will her next ex have? what ridiculous scene will make her wish she hadn’t met this ex for a second time?

it’s a simple, fun movie that ends to easily when she finally ends up with THE ONE – but still entertaining if you have nothing else to watch.

for mr. khairul, thanks for taking the job as co-pilot, and not letting me fly solo no more! love ya!

 

 

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I thought I can stay through the awesome one-man show ‘cast away’ just because my beloved tom hanks is the one it it. I thought if it were some other actor, ‘cast away’ would be boring. it turns out, even the senior actor robert redford can pull it off with his one-man show, ‘all is lost’.

unlike ‘cast away’ which starts off showing tom hanks’ life with other characters before he was cast ashore, and again when he’s rescued, ‘all is lost’ is literally a one-man show because robert redford is THE ONLY person we see throughout the movie. from start to finish.

and can still be engaging.

that shows how incredible the movie is. no wonder robert redford was nominated for best actor at the golden globes awards – he was amazing in this. especially since he’s so old. so old! yet his character and actions show us the meaning of calm under duress, courage under pressure, determination, and the will to go on. all without saying a word.

after his boat crashed into a container at sea, a sailor begins his adventure of survival at sea, engaging viewers with a thousand and one things he could do to keep afloat; literally and figuratively. while getting closer and closer to losing all hope, he keeps fighting. ‘all is lost’ may well teach us, that this, in fact, is not always true.

hope. hope will never get you lost. a highly-recommended movie!

 

Movie Review : The Lego Movie, Rush, August-Osage County & Her

an entire awesome animated movie made of lego called – duuh – ‘the lego movie’, ‘rush’ an adrenalin-rush drama about two formula 1 race car drivers in the 70s, the intense drama of a dysfunctional family in ‘august-osage county’, and an original love story of the hi-tech era in ‘her’.

today I want keropok ikan and sos linggam while watching movies. make it happen.

 

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call it a shameless extended advertisement of the already extremely popular LEGO brand, but this movie is simply – AWESOME. yah, admit it – you’re hooked on that song too. because everything is awesome in ‘the lego movie’! everything is awesome!

the first few minutes were awkward for me because it reminds me of the countless lego homemade videos my boys watch on youtube. by the time the character emmet say ‘good morrrrning city!’ it was all jaw-dropping visuals from then on. EVERYTHING was lego. bubbles in the shower. smoke from the cars. dust in the desert. awesome.

as fans of lego, my boys were ecstatic of course; but the lego movie is totally enjoyable for the parents too – the one-liners are so funny; and mr. khairul and I had fun trying to recognize the famous voices as the characters. (we did not read ANY review or promo on this movie before watching so we didn’t know channing tatum was superman!) we totally got morgan freeman the moment he started speaking; liam neeson was a close second, and after awhile we figured out president business was will ferrell. awesome.

the lego movie has a predictable yet smart storyline, which is totally forgivable with all the hilarious lines and cool characters! watch it in 3D. so enjoyable. so awesome.

everything is awesome!

 

 

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never have I thought that a movie about race cars would be so interesting for me. I totally LOVE this movie. ‘rush’ is set in 1970’s glory days of formula 1 racing, a film based on a true story of a sporting rivalry between two great race car drivers; james hunt and niki lauda – and that fateful incident that change both of their lives.

it goes beyond racing; it’s about calculating risks or thread on despite it, how we deal with losing and winning, how we face adversity and rise against it – it’s about how we live life.

james hunt lives carefree, because he knows he’s good no matter what; and what good is all those awards and recognition if he didn’t have a little fun? meanwhile niki lauda lives carefully, even when he’s in a profession where everytime he goes to work, it could be his last. these two racecar drivers have different personalities but one thing is the same – their passion for speed. 

hemsworth (you know him as thor!) is such a hunk, and it helps that he’s also talented in bringing james hunt to life so well in this movie. bruhl plays niki lauda (you remember him from inglorious basterds) deserves the award accolades he has received for this character – he was so convincing as niki lauda that I became so engrossed in the movie, and in his life.

this movie was premiered in front of an audience of current formula 1 racecar drivers, the managers and people in the field – with standing ovation and applause. even the real niki lauda approved of this movie and quoted as saying it’s ‘almost entirely accurate’.

personally I just love the heart of the movie; what goes between the lines in sports, rather than just for medals and trophies. the close-up shots of the speeding cars and rolling tyres are just amazing. you don’t need to be a formula 1 fan to enjoy this movie. you just need to see it. the sporting rivalry that is legendary.

 

 

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watching ‘august: osage county’ I’m thinking, this could easily be JUST another drama about a dysfunctional family with all sorts of repressed anger, mother-father issue, scandals unearthed and secrets untold. something we have seen in countless soaps and made-for-tv movies. or daniel steele’s books. haha.

but the script was fantastic (it’s based on a play) and of course, presented by a powerful cast of oscar-winning actors – mainly the amazing meryl streep and julia roberts. the rest of the cast is just wonderfully dysfunctional too.

mom has cancer, dad just killed himself. so the daughters all came back to their hometown to nurse dear old mom. one has serious marital problems with a defiant teenage daughter; one brings home her man-of-the-week, and another one who stays with the mom has a secret affair. in the course of few days, all hell broke loose.

if you don’t like drama, you might find it boring – mr. khairul said, “banyak bercakap je!” haha because the speeches tell stories. the lines spoken tell us the history, the love, the hatred; future and past.

all I’m saying is, only a group of talented actors such as this assemble can keep your attention long enough to feel the lines and enjoy the movie. I did. especially that dinner table scene. 

 

 

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‘her’ is an original, but not totally far from reality. a love story that goes beyond physical attraction. a love that some of us has experienced through chat rooms – not having met, not knowing what the person looks like – but found yourself falling in love with this person that you’ve been chatting with. loving the things they say, the way they say it, falling in love with their hopes and dreams, their likes and dislikes. falling in love with who they are rather than what they look like.

it’s the future, and  it’s near. everyone is talking to themselves on the street – checking their schedule, answering emails, all using their personalized operating system. just imagine SIRI, on a larger, more brilliantly personalized scale – who can talk and have feelings and thoughts like an actual human being – not just when asked, or not just to reply ‘there are 5 mcdonalds in your area, 2 are fairly close to you” – but talking to you like your personal secretary.

and one man found his operating system strangely engaging, charming and ‘beautiful’, and falls in love with HER. joaquin phoenix plays the sweet, shy, romantic guy and scarlett johansson is the voice of HER. amazing that great actors can have such powerful chemistry without even being in same room physically.

HER reminds us the importance of connection – that all everybody wants is to connect – to someone they are most comfortable with. and even when it’s a mere machine; an operating system that cannot run away and leave – when there’s a connection, there can also be detachment.

a must-see.

 

 

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Movie Review : Ender’s Game, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Butler & Blue Jasmine

just watched four incredible movies – a fantastic sci-fi action movie ‘ender’s game’; ‘the secret life of walter mitty’ an engaging quirky story of a daydreamer who finally seized the day, the drama about african-american civil rights movement seen from the eyes of ‘the butler’; and woody allen’s dark comedy about a housewife coming to terms with her failed marriage in ‘blue jasmine’.

this time I want kacang puteh please. and iced milo.

 

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awesome, awesome movie. ‘ender’s game’ is by far, one of the most entertaining sci-fi action movies I’ve seen in a LONG time. I mean, pacific rim was a freaking cool movie BUT with a dumb storyline, while elysium falls flat to really stir my feelings. ‘ender’s game’ delivers all – great storyline, fine acting, jaw-dropping CGI and awesome soundtrack. it’s a whole package.

it has heart, and it has got style.

‘ender’s game’ is set in the future, where the army recruits intelligent kids to helm the armed forces to fight against ant-like aliens. what happens when the game becomes real? in the middle of it all, a young boy stood out to save the world. or will he?

asa butterfield as the young commander is amazing in this movie. I like him since ‘hugo’. his mature acting, his expression and the way he delivers his lines – I mean, cammon that scene with harrison ford where they had that intense argument – ANY actor who can still steal the limelight in an argument scene with the great harrison ford is a great actor in my book. and he’s young.

mr. khairul still sees it as a kids’ movie, but I say naah. brace yourself, star wars fan, you could be seeing another saga in the making, because the ending begs for a second part. and I’m not exaggerating! it’s interesting to note that ‘han solo’ is the one doing the recruiting! geddit? geddit? and I’m happy to say that andrew wiggin is SO much cooler (and cuter) than luke skywalker…

watch this with your kids! they will totally love this cool movie!

 

 

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ever daydream? I bet your daydreaming is nothing like walter mitty’s. when he daydreams, walls break like ice boulders, he’s able to skate through tar roads like water, and he even have a different accent. ‘the secret life of walter mitty’ has a very unique storyline, and I enjoyed watching it very much.

it has a simple storyline – walter mitty needs to track down a photographer, to get the negative of a very important photo to be used as a cover in the last issue of ‘life’ magazine. he often daydreams because as a person, he never did anything interesting or worth mentioning. now that he needs to find this photographer, he beats all odds, and go against his character and went on a most awesome journey.

oh and the cinematography is breathtaking. kalah lord of the rings hihi. especially since it’s not all CGI-ed. they went on-location and shoot. quite rare in hollywood these day and age haha.

I’ve always been a fan of ben stiller. he’s so creative, and if you look at his movies, no two characters are the same. he’s multi-layered; like johnny depp. and in walter mitty, he delivers another great performance.

mr. khairul feels that the constant break into daydreaming is distracting and made the movie seemed like a mockery – sikit-sikit berangan, sikit-sikit berangan – mana satu betul ni? but for a fan of quirky movies like this, I totally enjoyed the berangan part.

I highly recommend this movie! you have GOT to watch the very heart-warming ending. truly the ‘quintessence of life’!

 

 

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I don’t know much about the african-americans civil rights movement in america, but I feel that this movie presents a unique take on one of the most pivotal times in american history – seen from the eyes of an african-american butler, who worked at the white house. what better way to get hands-on top secret information or snippets of conversations between the leaders of america.

I have to admit that I watched this simply because of oprah. and she’s fantastic in this. she’s not just in the movie because she’s one of the most recognizable celebrities of our time – she can really act. and yes, everyone is talking about that SLAP. haha. too bad she was not nominated for oscars despite the buzz it created.

forest whitaker is as great as he always is, but I was very excited to see all the big names like robin williams, alan rickman, john cusack and james marsden play american president throughout the time the butler was working at the white house. jane fonda was first lady, and even mariah carey was there! awesome.

it’s a well-made movie. with a narration – which I love. watch it for a different point of view of the revolution. the butler’s.

 

 

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a quirky dark comedy that fans of woody allen can truly appreciate. lots of witty lines, funny anecdotes from the leading characters and a solid storyline with a slap-on-the-face ending. another great movie from the grand master of ‘uncomfortable’ comedy, woody allen. I love woody allen’s movies!

a rich, posh socialite had to turn to her less classy sister after her downfall – husband in jail, money all gone, her mind in denial. she struggles to fit into her new lower-class life with her sister while trying to pretend she still has money to burn. the *fun* begins when she meets a rich politician-to-be…

cate blanchett delivers a convincing performance – you’re embarrass for her, you feel sympathy, you feel hate; and you feel her depression, her insanity and you feel her happiness when she was with the new guy – cate blanchett brought out all these different emotions and works wonders with each one. an award-winning performance. (already winning a golden globe, and she’s up for best actress category at the oscars)

highly recommended to all fans of woody allen, and if you like dark comedy with a twist at the end. mr. khairul doesn’t stand a movie with too much dialogue – but woody allen has won oscars for best writing and original screenplay for a reason – funny, witty lines that would darkly tickle your funny bones.

the screenplay for ‘blue jasmine’ is also nominated for best writing and screenplay at this year’s academy awards. so there!

 

Movie Review : Pee Mak, Saving Mr. Banks, American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club

syigim and her popcorns are reviewing thai’s high-grossing horror-comedy movie ‘pee mak’, walt disney and mary poppins in ‘saving mr. banks’, razzle dazzle of the 70’s america in ‘american hustle’, and homophobic turned HIV patient in ‘dallas buyers club’.

now pass me the soda please.

 

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thai movie ‘pee mak’ is highly recommended. don’t even read this review to convince yourself. just go find a way to watch this awesome movie. it’s the funniest horror movie I’ve seen in a long time. my sisters were reluctant to watch coz they don’t like to be scared by horror movies – you know what, even the scariest scene will make you laugh like mad; that’s how funny it is. I was literally laughing till my tummy hurts. this is serious comedy.

‘pee mak’ is based on the thai old legend about a dead loving wife pretending to live normally after her husband comes back from the war. there was an incredibly scary movie about it called ‘nang nak’ (you should watch that too. seriously scary) so at first I thought that ‘pee mak’ was just a silly spoof of that movie.

nope. calling it JUST a spoof would be an insult to the comedic genius of ‘pee mak’.

the script is hilarious, and the cast is just the best – dead funny, super talented with perfect comedic timing. tengok muka diorang je dah nak gelak. they’re called the ‘iconic gang of four’ who are always together in most of horror movies produced by GTH. noone is less funny than the other. semua sama lawak.

and the couple ‘mak’ and ‘nak’ are played by two gorgeous people from thailand. just love to see them together!

fan of horror movies, and comedy, and thai movies – ‘pee mak’ is NOT to be missed!

 

 

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‘saving mr. banks’ is such an endearing movie. especially more for me who is a huge fan of tom hanks and emma thompson. it’s sweet, it’s amusing and heart-warming too. all you fans of the classic ‘mary poppins’ starring the lovely julie andrews and charming dick van dyke should watch!

‘saving mr. banks’ is essentially ‘the making of the movie mary poppins’. full stop. tells the story of how walt disney convinced the writer of mary poppins to give up the rights for him to make a movie about it.

before watching this movie I really didn’t know that 1) the classic musical ‘mary poppins’ is based on a book, and 2) that it was SO hard to get the rights to make that movie since the writer was so reluctant to let go of her beloved mary poppins and was being so difficult, and 3) that the somber, serious vision the writer has for the movie is totally different from the silly-funny whimsical end-result of the movie as we know it now!

tom hanks is as always, very versatile and charming in playing the role of walt disney with such ease. the talented emma thompson is fun to watch as the difficult writer; fussing over every little thing. I mean, who in their right mind would scoff at the idea of touring disneyland with walt disney himself!

throughout the movie I ask, if the writer was THIS difficult and opposing of every creative idea from the disney team (mary poppins is NOT a musical! NO cartoons! NO animation!), how on earth did walt disney manage to convince her at the end; resulting in that lovely musical classic ‘mary poppins’ as we know now?

a heartfelt revelation in a heartwarming movie – recommended for fans of the unforgettable mary poppins, and the wonderful magic of disney.

 

 

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I don’t get ‘american hustle’. I just don’t get it. cakap melayu, tak paham apa!

I get the glitz and glamour of the 70’s america – with boot cut pants, low cut dresses, babes and boobs with big hair, loud coats – but the whole thing is just not believable to me. where is the heart? the clear-cut storyline?

two con-artists, living the american dream. got busted by an fbi agent. con artists forced to help fbi agent. target the mafias and unscrupulous politicians. still, I don’t get the story.

I’m writing this review because the gorgeous jennifer lawrence has won best supporting actress at the golden globe awards for her role as the dejected housewife. she’s beautiful, adorable, funny and her personality off-camera is fun too. she’s just the new hollywood darling.

christian bale (batman) is fantastic too I guess in this movie – with his huge beer belly and balding head – but not enough to take me away from not understanding the plotline of ‘american hustle’. haha. bradley cooper is so hot but so annoying in this. I’m done watching that guy.

‘american hustle’ won best movie (comedy or musical) too. please don’t let this movie win big at the oscars! that would be such an upset to me!

oh well. watch it if you want. I watched this because I love period movie. and jennifer lawrence.

 

 

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the story of ‘dallas buyers club’ doesn’t attract me much. a story about a homophobic chauvinistic comboy who one day was told that he was HIV positive. he got hold of a drug/medicine that would help HIV patients but not available in hospitals. hence, he formed the ‘dallas buyers club’.

however, what attracts me most was the transformation of lead actor matthew mcconaughey from that buff, tanned, sexy shirtless ladies man that we often see in romantic movies; to this scrawny, sunken-faced, sickly pale unlikeable redneck. it’s amazing what passionate, talented actors do for a role. amazing!

his appearance was so believable, that southern speech and tone, and his unlikeable personality. and then we feel his frustration, his pain and agony. he took us there – he’s done the role justice. an excellent performance.

he deserved his win at the recent golden globes for best actor. and eventhough I would like tom hanks to win for captain phillips, and I hope it’s leornado d caprio’s year to finally win an oscar, but mcconaughey looks clear to be the one to beat.

jared leto as the cute transvestite is surprisingly quite endearing. this actor came out of nowhere and steals the audience with his honest and convincing portrayal. another well-deserving golden globe awards for best-supporting actor.

mr. khairul said it’s a tad boring and dragging. to me it may not be the best of movies, but macconaughey will make it worth your time.

“you only got one life. you want it to mean something.”

 

Movie Review : Gravity, Captain Phillips, The Family & Escape Plan

I’m reviewing a couple of intense movies – sci-fi with heart-stopping scenes in ‘gravity’, tom hanks, a ship and pirates in ‘captain phillips’, a mob family under a protection program in black comedy ‘the family’, and prison-escape story with a twist in ‘escape plan’.

don’t munch the popcorn too loud. unless you’re at home. or screw it, just munch and scrunch away.

 

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‘gravity’ is tom hank’s ‘cast away’ in space. SPACE. no air. no coconut trees. no fedex boxes containing possible useful items. ‘gravity’ makes ‘cast away’ looks like a walk in disneyland. it’s not science fiction. this is a straight-up horror movie.

sandra bullock carried this movie on her own just like what tom hanks did to ‘cast away’. the problem with this kind of movie is that 1) you HAVE to like the actor playing that lone character coz he/she is the only one you will see talking and doing stuff, and 2) the story MUST be interesting. no, it cannot be OKAY, it cannot be boleh-lah. it MUST be engaging. and sandra bullock got my attention.

if you’re not a fan of sandra bullock, or space (who the heck doesn’t like space???) then move on, this movie will bore you.

the story : it’s space. sandra bullock was fixing something outside of the space station with george clooney, and boom – she’s cut off from where she’s held. she’s suddenly thrown out there in the void, completely alone, bobbing aimlessly; in one of the most terrifying scenes I’ve seen in a movie. the camera even spans from INSIDE the space helmet, to show her point of view. alone, no control of your movement. hazy. panic. breathless. we all felt it.

normal circumstances, a person could just die of fright. right there and then should this really happen. just stop breathing. out of fright.

also, in ‘gravity’, anything that could go wrong in space, went wrong for sandra bullock. if it’s not lack of oxygen, it’s flying debris. if it’s not lost contact with earth, it’s lost contact with the one other person in the movie. and when you think things couldn’t get any worse – there’s fire INSIDE the space station or the instruction is in another language she couldn’t understand. omg what?!

it’s a crazy movie. get ready to get all tense up. it proves that sandra bullock, the america’s sweetheart of comedy, is also the queen of thrill and drama. oscar-worthy performance right there.

 

 

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speaking of tom hanks, AND oscar-worthy performance, have you check out ‘captain phillips’? another intense drama with no boring scenes. each scene get you at the edge of your seat, wondering whether each action of the pirates, or captain phillips, or the rescuers will be the end of it all. and when it doesn’t, you get tense up again.

this is the true story of captain phillips and the 2009 hijacking by somali pirates of the US-flagged MV maersk alabama, said to be the first american cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. no wonder it was a big deal. when I was watching with mr. khairul we were like ‘why do they bring the whole army fleet to rescue this one particular captain?

I am also very curious on the casting of the somali pirates. they were also the star of this movie. their expressions, the way they say their lines – they were convincingly good alongside the awesome tom hanks. we felt their desperation during the final hours.

and tom hanks – oh my, he deserves a third oscar for his performance; especially the final scene (SPOILER) where he just breaks down and sob like a little boy during the check-up by the paramedic. and that’s just perfection – because that’s what normal people would react after such a traumatic experience. tom hanks expressed that trauma with such conviction, with so much reality; it’s as if I’m watching a real-life documentary.

I cried with him, I felt his pain, and felt like we were with him during the whole ordeal – from the moment he directed his crew to hide, to all those intense hours in the small cramped submarine. a highly-recommended movie. just for that final scene alone.

 

 

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after two intense movies, let’s move on to comedy. but this black comedy ‘the family’ is no less intense!

‘the family’ is about a witness protection program, which sounds normal and boring enough until you realize that the family is ‘the manzoni family’, from a notorious mafia clan! all they want was to start a normal life in france, trying to fit in, while not blowing their cover.

just when you thought it’s only the DAD who is a dangerous mafia and the rest of the family is just innocent victim tagging along – the MOM blew up a store just because. the daughter can be a maniac, and the son is too street smart for his own good; negotiating shady deals and bribes.

‘the family’ is NOT any normal family.

john d’leo and dianna agron as the siblings are awesome. looking like any normal teenager on the outside, and all weird on the inside. michelle pfeiffer is deliciously wicked and funny, though looking so much aged than ever before. robert de niro is in his usual masterclass of acting – cool and calculating. love it!

the ending calls for ‘the family returns’ or ‘another family’ – and I will be waiting. it’s gonna be another fun thrill-ride.

 

 

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I’m not a fan of stallone, or schwarzenegger. that’s why I haven’t watched any of ‘the expendables’ movies. however, the storyline of ‘escape plan’ is intriguing. I’m curious. they got my attention.

stallone plays ray breslin, and his job is reminiscent of one of my fav movies ‘sneakers’ where the main characters’ job is to rob banks to prove that their security system has a flaw. here in ‘escape plan’ ray breslin’s job is to get sent to prison, and escape, to prove the flaw in the prison security system.

very interesting job; and highly risky – you could get murdered by inmates, or get shot by prison guards while trying to escape (since the guards don’t know you’re not really a prisoner) or simply die from falling down or drowning in your escape attempt. but that’s what stallone’s character does – and a new assignment seems extremely difficult from the rest – the world’s most secret and secure prison; plus the people who sent him wants him to stay there. for good.

and that’s when schwarzenegger comes in. another inmate, his help from the inside. together they try to find ways, patters, habits and routine – information to help them both escape.

oh, and I like jim caviezel. but it saddens me that he’s the bad guy in this movie, and a deliciously devilish at that! he’s one of those good actors that are often overlooked for lead roles; and I guess now he accepts bad-guy roles just to keep up. kesian. he should’ve been cast as superman’s dad instead of russel crow. he SO look the part!

overall, an interesting plot, and I enjoyed watching stallone and schwarzenegger’s performances in ‘escape plan’ which helps even more when they’ve got this good chemistry goin on. and that’s as far as I can say as a non-fan to both. ‘escape plan’ is an interesting movie. highly recommended for fans of prison-escape movies.

 

Movie Review : The Wolverine, Elysium, The World’s End & Red 2

syigim hits the movies again. ‘the wolverine’, the anti-hero with that unmistakable metal alloy adamantium bone claws, ‘elysium’ a sci-fi drama of a divided world, a sci-fi comedy ‘the world’s end’ and an action flick ‘red 2’ that proves you’re never too old to be daymn cool.

 

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first, I’m totally in love with hugh jackman. that intoxicating stare, those yummy biceps – that is my girlie fan-girl talking. haha secondly, my movie-fan self will say that hugh jackman is one of those rare actors that can do both drama and action flick really really well. on top of that, he’s really funny also!

I just watched him in the intense drama ‘prisoners’. here he reprised his role as the awesome wolverine, and doing a damn good job at it.

you don’t have to be familiar with the wolverine and x-men movies to appreciate ‘the wolverine’. unlike the previous wolverine movie ‘x-men origins : wolverine’,  wolverine is the only familiar face from x-men in this movie. his old crush jean grey appears from time to time but only in dreams. the movie doesn’t even have as many mutants as a marvel movie should.

it stands alone as simply a story of a forgotten hero seeking freedom from the shackles of immortality (wolverine has healing powers against any wounds, heals rapidly and slows down aging). the setting is japan, when a tycoon summoned logan (wolverine) to his mansion, to ‘repay’ him for saving his life long ago during the bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki. there’s more to it that just a repayment of old debt…

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie – it’s not an empty action-packed movie; it has heart. but wolverine ended up spending the night with the japanese princess? cliché! I soooo can see that one coming!

 

 

* * *

 

 

it’s way into the future. ‘elysium’ is a man-made utopian world up in space for super-wealthy people, where birds sing and grass is green; while the rest of the poor people live on the ruined, polluted earth; brown and barren. the two worlds are so divided that when ‘earth people’ go to ‘elysium’, they’re considered illegal immigrants, and would be blast off in space.

the story of ‘elysium’ centers on a desperate man (matt damon) threatened with a dangerous mission that would drastically change both worlds; and in his way is a power-hunger government officer up in the perfect elysium world, played deliciously villainously by oscar winner jodie foster.

the storyline is a tad draggy at times, and could be downright boring for some (read : me included). also, the ending is somewhat predictable, but does not lose its tenderness; will definitely leave you with tears.

and that said, the sad reality is some of us are already living on ‘earth’, while others bask in their own ‘elysium’ oblivious to the happenings on ‘earth’. think about that.

 

 

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I’ve always enjoyed nick and simon’s brand of humor. wish I could watch this with my sis syida coz we both ‘get’ that dry brit wit! funny as heck.

it started as a pretty normal story – a couple of childhood friends got together to finish a tradition of visiting all the bars in their town, get a drink in every single stop, all in one night. what they didn’t anticipate was the fact that their town has – changed, somehow. an alien invasion? ack!

the script is hilarious, the plot is fantastically silly and the ending is even more so – but I enjoyed it! it combines the greats of british comedic actors, each one played their character with great comedic timing. love this movie!

the brit accent may put you off if you can’t catch what they’re saying – otherwise, a good watch for a silly fun on a lazy day. oh, if you enjoy this, go watch ‘paul’.

 

 

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the movie ‘red 2’ make old—or rather, aged people looked SO cool.

ex-CIA agents bruce willis and john malkvich are called up for one more mission, this time to clear their names from association to a nuclear weapon. fellow ex-CIA helen mirren joined in, while having M16 agents, a korean contract killer and russian secret agent played by catherine zeta jones hot on their heels.

the story is action-packed, funny and great wit from helen mirren and malkovich. I love how cool helen mirren is taking calls while pouring acid on one of her ‘victims’. she gets some of the best lines in ‘red 2’. love her!

on the other hand, actress mary-louise parker who played bruce willis’ girlfriend is just annoying. serious menyemak. however, we do need some nameless chick that lovely catherine and helen can outshine easily. haha.

bruce willis is still sexy as ever, and john malkovich is hillarious without even trying. dame helen mirren is so hot, and anthony hopkins is the most endearing character in this. highly recommended. I just wished morgan freeman would be on this too (he was in the first ‘red’ movie) – that would be perfection.

 

Movie Review : White House Down, The Lone Ranger, Prisoners & Blackfish

I’m reviewing an action-packed movie, a western comedy, an emotional drama, and a touching documentary. bring out the popcorn and kuaci. and a box of tissue when you’re watching ‘blackfish’.

 

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‘white house down’ is a combo of ‘air force one’ starring harison ford, and ‘the rock’ starring nicolas cage and sean connery. something belonging to the president is hijacked, and it’s up to only 2 individuals to save it, and a whole billion other people.

SPOILER : even the dramatic ending is similar – in ‘the rock’, nicolas cage’s character dramatically stumbles outside with the green smoke to indicate threat is neutralized before alcatraz is bombed; while in ‘white house down’, the little girl takes a dramatic move of taking the white house flag outside and waving it to indicate that the white house is safe, just in time to stop the armed forces dropping the bomb on them.

america humors itself by making a movie about white house being terrorized – but NOT by outside forces; because it seems that the only way the sacred white house can be taken over is if it were occupied by its own people – the head of secret service to the president.

it contains all sorts of action flick cliché known to man :

• girl disrespects dad; even calls him by first name and then boom – something happens, dad does cool stuff like saving the world and everything is rosy. she calls him dad again.
• one man fights against an army of armed and dangerous soldiers – and survived without a scratch.
• one tiny little girl saves the world, and the bad guy actually say, “when they come you will die first.” I mean, shoot her there and then and be done with it already!
• amidst the chaos – with the country, and possibly the fate of the whole world on the line – the president has time to change his shoes – because he’s the freakin US president
• that comic relief in all movies, that one guy who gets all the funny lines that should get him killed, but they won’t kill his character so that the jokes keep coming

I’m just glad that they didn’t have that ONE major cliché – a sexy love interest or damsel in distress who join forces with him wearing a tight tank top or torn skirt. I’m really glad it’s just hot channing tatum and adorable jamie foxx all the way!

but hey, I didn’t say that the movie wasn’t entertaining. I enjoyed it! cammon, it’s channing tatum rolling around, sweating. almost shirtless. and jamie fox as the US president. of course it’s a fun watch!

I hope those two team up again for another action-packed comedy!

 

 

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‘the lone ranger’ is enjoyable simply because of johnny depp. change the casting and the whole movie is actually a drag.

justice-seeker lone ranger team up with a quirky native american. both out for revenge. in the middle of it all there are precious stones, suspenseful fights on trains and corrupted law enforcers. that’s the plot for ‘the lone ranger’. it’s mostly action, few funny moments, and odd native american philosophy and mystical ideology courtesy of johnny depp.

johnny depp’s ‘tanto’ is like captain jack sparrow disguised as a native american. and that’s not necessarily bad for a fan like me. he’s trying to make tanto as memorable as ‘willy wonka’, or ‘the mad-hatter’ but it just didn’t take off. the reason is, tanto is similar in character to captain jack sparrow – looks aloof and a little silly, but really smart and conniving.

however, as a fan of johnny depp, his not-so-perfect character is still loveable! I enjoyed the movie as a light watch before taking a noon siesta, simply to watch johnny depp. oh, and I didn’t know that helena bonham carter is in ‘lone ranger’ too. she has a few scenes here, but steals them all. a nice surprise.

 

 

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how far would you go to find your missing child? how would you deal with them being lost? does it make you as bad as the criminal just because you’re willing to hurt and kill? or does it make you less of a loving parent if you just sit back and wait for the police to do their job?

‘prisoners’ is an intense emotional drama that starts from the very first 15 minutes. it doesn’t need to drag on to establish the loving relationship between parents and daughters; or between friends before the panic starts. no – from the get go, ‘prisoners’ lets you know that this would be a movie about 2 girls allegedly taken in daylight, and the emotional and physical struggles of each parent in search of their missing daughters.

oscar nominees hugh jackman and jake gyllenhaal are amazing in their roles. hugh jackman is such a fantastic actor. he can be wolverine, he can sing as jean valjean AND he can be funny hosting the oscars. he’s is SO good-looking, and on top of that he’s such a loving husband to real-life wife deborra. I LOVE hugh jackman!

here in ‘prisoners’ hugh jackman as the desperate father, willing to do anything to get his girl back. he’s not a dad ‘..with special set of skills’ like liam neeson in ‘taken’, but just a regular guy that any father can relate to. mr. khairul said he would do the same thing; if not worse.

the movie ‘prisoners’ is a well-made movie with A-list actors; but as a huge fan of CSI and criminal minds, I can’t help but feel that the plot is just a longer extension of one of the better episodes of criminal minds. a crime has been committed, 2 little girls are gone, distraught parents go to great lengths and emotional turmoil in dealing with the loss; and a young police officer determined to find the perpetrator.

a must-see for the storyline, for the powerful acting and the intense drama. the plot that’s so close to us malaysians (remember little girl sharlini who is still missing, and nurin who was found lifeless in a gym bag after missing for many weeks). may Allah grant peace and jannah for these girls. amin.

 

 

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‘blackfish’ is a powerful documentary about the life of performing killer whale or orca named ‘tilikum’. the title ‘blackfish’ refers to another name in reference to the orcas, but less commonly used.

intertwined with the narration are the interviews with the marine biologist, animal activists, former staff of these water parks; and who had experiences studying about or performing with orcas. the stories are often revealing, at times shocking, and most of the time, touching and emotional.

all these while we’re presented with a picture-perfect image – the family-like atmosphere established in these water parks through the close relationship of the trainers and the orcas, the happy-fun activities and stunts performed by these talented orcas, and the satisfaction of performing for a happy crowd day in-day out.

the reality is shocking and all too saddening. the many deaths recorded of trainers attacked by these emotionally disturbed killer whales (when in reality, orcas eat fish or seal. no documented attacks on human in the wild). the ill-treatment of orcas while in captivity. the abuse and attack from bigger orcas in the same cage. the list goes on.

killer whales or orcas live and hunts in tight groups; they’re social animals. they display great intelligence from the many instances of researches. this is one of the many reasons why it’s a concern in keeping these orcas in captivity away from other orcas with whom they have had strong emotional bonds.

like one former orca-hunter said – “it’s just like kidnapping a baby from its mother.” tears falling down his cheek. it broke my heart to hear the screams of the adult orcas as the babies were captured.

the gripping tale of ‘tilikum’ the 12,000 pound killer whale – from the moment he was caught, to his sad, helpless days at the small cramp of a ‘pool’. I was feeling so sorry I enjoyed my time at seaworld san diego. these beautiful, intelligent creature of the sea belonged to the great big ocean.

highly recommended. the final scene when the former orcas trainers go on a boat, enjoying the view of wild orcas in the wild and free at sea will make you weep. that’s how it is supposed to be. free the orcas!

 

Movie Review : The Internship, The Way Way Back, Parkland & Pacific Rim

reviewing two comedies, a drama based on true events, and a cool sci-fi. ‘the internship’ is like a google job advertisement disguised as a comedy. ‘the way way back’ is a heartwarming story about finding your place in the world. ‘parkland’ is a true recount of the day US president john f. kennedy was assassinated. and ‘pacific rim’, an american sci-fi that looks suspiciously like those ultraman series I grew up watching…

enjoy.

 

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‘the internship’ is like a big huge job advertisement for young techies interested in working in a fun, cool, colorful environment – the google office. in the middle of it all they throw in the story of 2 out-of-job middle-aged salesmen looking for a second chance to mend their career.

it’s the usual zero-to-hero, rise-to-glory story – unwanted, not fitting in with the other ‘cool’ google nerds, worse, don’t know squat about computer and its jargons. the two faces many obstacles that further confirms their inadequacy until they ‘come together’ through one successful assignment. this soon motivates them to finally conquer their flaws.

the story is very predictable but the setting is awesome (google office has a slide for its staff. a SLIDE.) and I am a fan of the wilson-vaughn combo since ‘the wedding crasher’. they have good chemistry, with different comic styles that work together.

an easy feel-good movie for fans who dream to be on the google team. keep that dream alive!

 

 

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I love this movie. the movie poster says it all – sometimes you just feel like you’re – drowning in the crowd. but ‘the way way back’ tells us that no matter how awkward we feel, or how lost and lonely we are, there’s always a place where we can belong. a place of friendship among strangers, happiness in sorrow, and a sense of belonging when we feel abandoned.

14-year old duncan follows his mom & boyfriend to his beach house for summer. bummer. duncan started as aloof, disinterested and quiet, finally found his footing when he befriends the manager of a waterpark. and so begins days of fun and laughter with the merry bunch who works there, making him feel like part of a family; loved, and respected. this is in contrast of his mom’s boyfriend constantly intimidating him.

the cast is fantastic. my favorite is sam rockwell, so wonderful in ‘the way way back’ as the cool, likeable, funny manager of the waterpark. he steals every scene he’s in. I love to hate funnyman steve carell in this as he’s just such a jerk as the mom’s overbearing boyfriend. a mark of a talented actor. making an impact no matter what role he’s in.

liam james is convincing as the shy awkward teen. viewers grow with him in this journey – starting with his emotionless expression till his joyful smile. he’s one to watch.

a feel-good comedy that will get you cheering for the underdogs. highly recommended.

 

 

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‘parkland’ refers to the hospital in dallas, texas – parkland hospital, where US president john f. kennedy was taken to shortly after he was shot by a sniper. the movie is an intense recollection of the day of the assassination, and the days that followed it. like a newscaster reported, it got ‘..very ugly, very fast.’

the movie starts with the final moment of the president’s life, and follows the nurses and doctors who attended to him at parkland hospital; the random citizen ‘zapruder’ who shot the famous recording of the exact moment the bullet hit the president on the head; the secret service, the law enforcement of texas; and the fbi agents supposedly to have received threats from the would-be assassin in a form of a letter.

all the actors involved gave very moving performance that left me in silent tears – especially the scene where they pronounced his death at the hospital. the sorrowful looks of doctors and nurses. staff waiting on the other side of the door. jackie kennedy’s blood-stained gloved hand. no words needed said. very emotional.

till this day, president kennedy’s assassination is subject to many conspiracy theories eventhough the ‘warren report’ had concluded that harvey lee oswald had acted alone in assassinating the president.

harvey lee oswald was shot dead by a random man 2 days after the assassination, (ironically was treated at parkland where president kennedy died) you can see the stark contrast of their funerals – one, a heartbroken nation mourning the loss of a fallen hero and another, a quiet farewell to an outcast, shunned by all including the surrounding churches.

a very well-made movie for people to experience that dark day for americans, and about the lives of people it affected.

 

 

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‘pacific rim’ is a cool movie. to me, it may be the coolest, pointless movie I’ve ever seen. haha. it’s simply a movie about cool robots fighting raksasa made from unbelievably awesome CGI work. I wasn’t watching a movie. I was watching a 2-hour demo on how far human can stretch their CGI capabilities. the CGI was amazing, but that’s about it.

I mean tell me if this sounds familiar – huge 100-storey high monsters that look like mutated lizards called ‘kaiju’ (japanese for ‘strange beasts’. duuh.) kept terrorizing the city, so humans build their own ‘monsters’ in the form of equally huge robots called ‘jaegers’ to fight them. these huge ‘jaeger’ robots are operated by 2 pilots each, strapped in a special suit connected in the head of the ‘jaeger’.

it’s like the makers of the film thought – hey, how can we turn all those cheesy japanese ultraman series into one bad-ass cgi-heavy blockbuster? the result is – ‘pacific rim’. the concept of ‘super robot’ – robot with immense size equipped with incredible high-tech weaponry has long been introduced in the japanese manga and anime.

‘pacific rim’ took that idea, and turn it into a movie. watch it if you like robots. and raksasa. me? I actually skipped all the talking scenes, and just watched the endless jaw-dropping fight sequence between the kaiju (monster) and jaeger (human-operated robot), with that cool soundtrack on the background.

forget plot lines, forget character development, or clever script. there are only two reasons to watch this movie : the cool robots, and the cool soundtrack. please don’t make a sequel…