Movie - Repo Men (2010)

I went to watch this movie with mixed expectations. On one hand, my peers claimed it to be inception-like, a very good movie and on the other hand reviews convincing me that it was not to be the case. Lets see which side won my agreement.

hmm.... decisions...decisions...

The movie starts of abruptly, with a very brief but sufficient explanation of the whole idea of the movie. I must admit I had hopes for this movie, albeit it being very little. But my hopes were very quickly repossessed by the Repo Men, in painful fashion.

I was blown away... for all the wrong reasons

Was the movie really that bad? well... Yes... and No.

On the up side, there was sufficient violence to keep me glued to my seat (for those violent parts, at least) and the story did, for a short moment, gave a breathe of conspiracy to it. And I honestly felt that the concept of these Repo Men was a very nice and somewhat cool concept. But sadly, these 'positives' barely make up for the low-points in this movie.

There were holes all over the plot and it quickly became tired and unbearable; very difficult to digest. Most parts did not make sense, some very predictable. The dialogues were boring and never really gripped the audience (or... me, at least). Characters and scene were underdeveloped, if not rushed.

Artiforgs (artificial organ) anyone?

It was appalling how the movie shamelessly squeezed in a very boring and tired, so-called 'twist' at the end just as an attempt to salvage what was left of the movie's worth. I guess, if there were to be a strong point to this movie, it would be the Acting of Whitaker and Jude Law, but even that falls short of the passing mark.

Whitaker: Hey, we're in a shitty movie...
Law: I know... (giggles)...

All in all a very disappointing movie from a mildly interesting concept. Miguel Sapochnik (the Director) should send his Repo Men to repossessed this movie from cinemas worldwide.


IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: Interesting concept, violent scenes | Cons: Everything Else | Rating: 3.5/10

Movie - The Reader (2008)

Set in the 1960s through to the late 80s, the movie revolves around a middle-aged woman, Hannah Schmitz (Kate Winslet) and a young boy (David Kross) who have an affair in which the woman 'provided' the boy with sex as long as he read to her.



The movie was somewhat of an emotional roller-coaster. In the beginning it was mellow, then it became weird, then happy, then disgusting (the affair), then sad, then at the end... sadness with a strange hint of calmness to it.

Ok, I admit it, I'm lazy to write this 'review' because I am just plain lazy and the movie was'nt that great to be honest. It wasn't bad... it just wasn't my cup of tea. The acting was good, by both Winslet and Kross. The plot was a wee bit predictable - the whole Nazi-Jew thing is kind of overused - , anyone could have guessed the ending and the plot progression. But fortunately, though it was predictable, it wasn't boring as most would expect.




*SPOILER*
I would think that to plead guilty to a war-crime just because one is illiterate is a bit over the top. But well, thats why its in a movie.
*SPOILER*

IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: Decent acting, emotional storyline but from a different direction | Cons: pretty bad ending, the twist could have been greater, story was a bit off at times (messy),quite disturbing | Rating : 6/10

Movie - The Expendables (2010)

Well, I went to watch this movie without and hope for the storyline and high expectation on the action. And I got what I came for. This movie is filled with more explosions than any other movie before it times 2 (sorta). I felt that what appeared to be one of the poorest, most predictable plot was forgiven by the sufficient amount of action scenes.

For this review, ill be a bit more thorough to cover a few aspects:

Acting:

Well, to be honest, i felt kind of annoyed that the movie decided to squeeze one too many Hollywood 'heavyweights' into one movie. The fact that The Governor only had 10 minutes of movie time (and it was possibly the worst 10 minutes in any movie, even by his standards) filled with weak lines was appalling. And Bruce Willis was not even necessary for the movie, with just a couple of lines.




Mickey Rourke though, despite limited on-screen time, played out his character rather well - giving a whole different character from Whiplash - .

Couture and Crews were extras at best, but did well to add a little more oomph to the movie. Crews in particular added the typical black-man with big-guns kind of feel.

Mr. Stone Cold's acting was very very disappointing, with not even the slightest hint of talent in acting for the rattlesnake. Perhaps his impact wrestling as Stone Cold overwhelmed his character's display to the audience. Also, most of his fight scenes involved, in one way or another, wrestling moves. Have to give him credit though for trying. And the other 'bad' guys weren't impressive as well.


The three main character (Li, Statham and Stallone) were good. Li's martial arts moves never fails to impress, with speed the likes of a wild cat (LOL). Stallone played an all-muscle typical-hero character; probably could have done better with the emotions but all in all a good performance. My favourite was Statham. Loved the way he fought and killed with his blades and his acting was arguably the best in the movie.




6.5/10 - Overall

Action:

In my opinion, the action scenes were sufficient. Not so much gore but just enough. Not too violent but still pretty bad-ass. Not much complaints in this department. Good ol' mindless violence is the key to all action movies (...well, not always).



7.5/10 - Overall

Plot:

Predictable and boring.



5/10 - Overall

VERDICT:

- A movie worth watching, but ONLY for its action scenes and pure bad-assery. Not for those who want an intellectually challenging movie or just a movie with a good plot. Rating: 6/10 - this is not an average.

Person of Interest - Escopper Zumilla

After writing up the last POI review on a  particular someone whose name I can't mention anymore, I have received numerous death threats and warning letters from certain members of the community asking me to stop what I'm doing or face the consequences. I have to admit that I am a bit shaken up by these incidents but as a journalist (a proper one mind you), it is my duty to report anything and everything in all honesty. No cover ups, unbiased, uncensored, the utmost and absolute truth. Sorry for the delay in my reviews (I know i promised something new every sunday) but as my old man used to say, better late than never. So lets get the ball rolling.

This week I will be reviewing one of the most mysterious yet interesting person ever to roam the land of earth in the form of, Escopper Zumilla. Escopper, or just Copper, as he is known  by his mates is a relatively quiet individual. Born and raised in the Phillipines (thus earning him the name Espillak), Copper was well-known in his neighbourhood for updating laptop/pc windows programme for the locals. A 'Student of the Streets' as Jorge Van Sputnikberg, a popular physician from Manila puts, Copper never went to school formally. Every skill and wisdom, Copper acquired from the streets. In late 1995, Copper's parents were transferred to the Island of Borneo and that is when Copper's life changed forever.

Escopper Zumilla: Just another contributing member of society or International man of mystery? 

Being the new kid in town wasn't easy for Copper. He had to earn respect from his peers the hard way. Some of the things Copper did to impress his new found friends cannot be mentioned here for they are too explicit, however of the few I am allowed to say are: recreational fishing, karaoke, and cycling (images below sourced from BeritaBorneo).

 

However, what seems like a normal individual in a rather normal society, Copper has a  dark secret kept deep within his closet. Because we can now officially reveal that Copper is no ordinary bloke. No. Escopper Zumilla is an international man of mystery. He is a SPY! Sent here by the Filipino government, Copper or better known now as Agent 3559 (Tiga Limak Limak Sembilan) was given to the task of spying on the local Borneo political party, PDRS, and reporting back to officials back in Manila. This was during the early 2000s when the President of PDRS, whose name i cannot mention, was said to have been on the run after trying to smuggle drugs into Manila via bicycle. Just like all members of the Secret Society of Spies, Agent 3559 was trained in the arts of Jiujitsu and Ong Bak. He was said to have once killed a man by ripping his heart out with his bare hands in an incident during the 2003 peace protest rally in Manila against the government's decision to increase taxing rates. Agent 3559 was unfortunately not charged in the court of law as it was deemed he did it in self-defense. Agent 3559 also did not come into the country alone despite popular belief. He actually came here with his state-of-the-art mechanical sidekick manufactured by the geniuses in the lab of the Manila Defense Department simply called 'John'. Often mistaken for a 50 year old man with stunted growth, we of course know this is not the case! John is actually a robot with no feelings or emotions. John is a codename for Journey Online Homing Niche, which makes no sense whatsoever but sounded cool to those nerds in R&D anyway so they stuck with it. 

Agent 3559 has a Bachelor's Degree in 'Opening a Can of Whoop-ass' on you faster than you can say Espillak. Source: University of Spies Manila

JOHN: Not a real person. Not allowed to show emotions. Elongated neck allows it to spy on targets effortlessly.

After loyally serving the defense department of the filipino government for a good 10 years and failing to catch the president of PDRS whose name I am not allowed to mention, Agent 3559 decided to quit and lead a normal life like he always wanted to. Soon after, Copper did what he always wanted to do ever since he was a little kid, and that is to play with a jazz band in a lounge.

Copper making sexy and suave jazz music in a local lounge Source: NPhotography

But as we all know, from watching way too much spy movies on tv, nobody actually retires from these sort of organisations. Fearing that any important information might be leaked out or sold to the enemy, the Filipino government tracked down Copper in hopes of eliminating him. Copper instead sought help from his former enemies, PDRS and soon he along with JOHN was taken under their wings. Classic case of if you cant beat them, join them. Given a new name and identity, Copper now lives happily in among the locals leading a normal life. Living the dream. It is also important to note that John was adopted by Copper as his nephew and the pair have got along well and their blossomed relationship lead to Copper winning the award of Uncle of the year for 3 years in a row ('07, '08 and '09).

John now allowed to show a bit of emotion. Also in picture is Uncle of the Year (07, 08, 09), Escopper Zumilla.

With that, I rate Copper (formerly known as Agent 3559) an impressive 3.5 out of 5!

Escopper Zumilla: International Man of Mystery or Just plain bitchy? You be the judge.

Movie - Boy

Plot:

It's 1984, and Michael Jackson is king - even in Waihau Bay, New Zealand. Here we meet Boy, an 11-year-old who lives on a farm with his gran, a goat called Leif, and his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has magic powers) and several cousins. Shortly after Gran leaves for a week, Boy's father, Alamein, appears out of the blue. Having imagined a heroic version of his father during his absence, Boy comes face to face with the real version - an incompetent hoodlum who has returned to find a bag of money he buried years before.

Comments: Adam and I scored free tickets to watch a preview of Boy, and I have to say I would gladly pay to watch the movie.Despite its gloomy premise (drug abuse, poverty, no parental responsibility, disillusionment), this touching and uplifting story does not for a minute become bogged down in despair or wallow in self pity. Boy instead walks the line between between drama and comedy through its cleverly deployed and well timed humour.

IN A NUTSHELL:
Pros: Genuine and warm storyline, funny, good character developments, highly recommended! Cons: Nothing except the ending feels abrupt | Rating:8/10

Movie - Memento (2000)

IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: Original direction, not so predictable storyline, very convincing acting by Guy Pearce (with his short term memory loss) | Cons: can get a little bit confusing at times | Rating: 8/10

___________________________________

Superb work by Nolan with the confusingly original plot of placing two chronologically diversed stories into one whole movie. With one part flowing correctly with time while the other works in reverse. The build up is reversed and somehow the meets up with the forwarding story (confused?, so was I).



The story revolved around a man, Leonard, a former insurance claims investigator, who has a condition (short term memory loss) after his head was banged against a mirror by one of his wife's murderer. He remembers only what happened before the incident but cannot produce new memories, hence, everything that he just did 10 minutes ago, he will forget. Leonard reminds himself of things by taking photos and making short notes so he does not get confuse about where and what he is doing. A particular Sammy Jankis is a story he keeps repeating due to the fact that Sammy suffered the same condition he was suffering from.


The story can be abit confusing at times, but with a little thinking and solving of the puzzle, it is actually quite a simple plotted-out storyline (a man after his wife's murderer).

The focus of the story is mainly on Leonard, who suffers from short term memory loss and keeps repeating stories to the people he meets. A certain Sammy Jankis keeps him in check of his problem - Sammy suffered the same condition he is suffering from now - . He keeps himself in check with tattoos, photos and notes to remind him of people and places and facts.


The story can be abit confusing at times, but with a little thinking and solving of the puzzle, it is actually quite a simple plotted-out storyline (a man after his wife's murderer).

Movie - Rosemary's Baby (1968)

I watched this movie with high expectations due to its impressive score on IMDB.com (8/10 - #199 of the top #250 movies) and an overwhelming 98% on Rottentomatoes.

The movie revolves around a young woman and her husband who just moved into an apartment aiming to start anew. Strangely though, they did not seem bothered by the fact that the previous tenant of said apartment was dead after having a coma.



The young couple have themselves an old couple as their neighbour, an old man of 79 years and a woman who is more nosy than any woman who you will ever know. The story took a turn when the neighbours got a little too friendly and young Rosemary fainted and started to have this dream (which was actually real) of her being raped by a monster-like creature. Subsequently, she was pregnant.




From then on, many strange characters intervened with her (and her baby's) life.




Well, the movie itself was'nt bad - mostly disturbing to a certain extent -, but probably a tad bit predictable (note: it was in the 60s, probably then it wasnt so predictable). Again, very few modern day horror movies come close to even matching the quality (horror-wise) of old horror movies.



______________________________________

IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: Genuine feel of horror and eerie-ness, plot was somewhat original given the year it was filmed, one of the weirdest endings to a movie | Cons: predictable, restrained storyline | Rating: 7.5/10

Movie - When the Wind Blows (1986)

This animation revolves almost totally around an old couple in the midst of a war between the US and Russia. Living in a old country house, old Jim follows government instructions he found in the library to build an Inner Core (a shelter) and convinces Hilda to follow him.



*Spoiler*
What appeared to be an innocent, adorable cartoon at the beginning, soon changed after a bomb strikes which started the demise of poor Jim and Hilda very very slowly.
*Spoiler ends*

The story's strong message regarding war fits in very well with the conduct of the main characters' determination and togetherness. Two old people living together in hard times. The old gaffer endlessly talking about wars, economy and whatnot while the old lady worries about curtains and unwashed dishes.

It can get abit boring listening to old people chatter about endlessly. But it may be worth while to digest (or rather force down) the message that the director is trying to convey. However, it may seem like a war-propaganda animation at times. And also at times may seem abit scary (in a peculiar manner).



As for the cinematics, it was rather creative to mix paint, drawings, real life environment, props as well as stop motion all in one animation. Given the year this animation was done, it was no less than breath-taking work by the director and the team.

_________________________________________________

IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: very original and unexpected story, very neatly done, simple yet enjoyable | Cons: appeared like a propaganda at times, somewhat disturbing | Rating: 6.5/10

Movie - Mary and Max (2009)

This movie (animation) is based on a true story of an Australian lass (Mary) and an Obese American man (Max) who exchanged letter and created a bond unlike any other.



The Story starts out quite dull and slow but soon begins to pick up pace and the story gets more interesting. It is worth noting that this is no ordinary 'cartoon' (if you will). It seemed to be more well suited for the adult viewers rather than young children. Though it may come off as immature at times, the story manages to input mature issues (eg. sex, pregnancy, depression) very maturely.

Narrated by the calming voice of Barry Humphries, it fits perfectly with the setting of the movie. The detail of the props are superbly executed down to the littlest crack on the wall/ground.
Very much worth watching, especially those who are into creative animation.



Two worlds apart - the calm air of Australia against the harsh environment of New York - Mary and Max (through their letters) take on a roller coaster journey filled with sadness, anger, happiness and 'confuzzledness'. Yours truly, Mary and Max.

Ps. The intro music is very very nice.

Pps. The movie is somewhat dark.

Ppps. You'll get my reference once you've watch the movie.





------------------------------------------------------------------------
IN A NUTSHELL:

Pros: Superb setting (very detailed), very nice plot, though at times immature; it handled mature issues very neatly | Cons: First 15 minute was abit hard to digest (but it got better) | Rating: 7.5/10