Sunday, March 30, 2008

No Country For Old Men: Review

They gave this movie Best Picture? Seriously? I thought it sucked. Hah! Turns out I don't like everything the Academy likes.
So, No Country For Old Men is directed by the Coen brothers who did O Brother, Where Art Thou? one of my favorite Goerge Clooney movies. But these guys have this thing of breaking the rules in film making by doing some really weird stuff that makes no sense but frequently gets mistaken for artistic brilliance.
No Country For Old Men is a crime thriller adapted from a book about a hunter played by Josh Brolin who comes across a heap of dead bodies, tonnes of heroine and 2 million dollars in what appears to be a drug exchange gone bad. He thinks he's struck gold and thinks he can keep it quiet. But a silent mercenary named Anton Chigurh is one his trail and the hunter is thrown into a deadly chase for his life.
I think No Country would have been great as an action thriller movie where there is just the blood and guns, but Best Picture? Are you kidding me? I mean, I loved the film for the most part. The whole manhunt between Llewelyn and Anton is filled with suspense. I get on the edge of my seat for a good 30 minutes of the film and what goes down in this film is really violent.
I loved the cinematography of the film just like how I love the cinematography in every Coen brothers film. The shots of the Rio Grande desert is breathtaking and should have gotten an Oscar for that. The editing of the film is really tight. It doesn't give you one moment to lighten up. The moment Javier Bardem starts killing people, things just go on one crazy roller coaster ride to hell!
And Javier Bardem! My God I worship this man. I am genuinely terrified by Anton Chigurgh, Jesus Christ this guy was scary. There is this one scene where he is choking a Federal Marshall with his handcuffs, the look that was on his face said everything about his character. There is no mercy in this man. He plays this spine chilling psychotic killer that decides the survival of his victims with a coin toss. Kind of like Harvey Dent but with a big ass gun.
And I'm slightly confused about his gun. So.. is it an air gun or something. Cause at the beginning of the film he shoots a guy in the head using nothing but air, which is friggin awesome. And he goes through the rest of the film killing people with that same gun. So is it an air gun or something? Is there such thing as that? Cause if there is.. I want one of those!!
So with so much great stuff to say about the film, why do I hate it? It was the ending. What the fuck was the ending all about. With about 20 minutes to go in the film, the Llewelyn & Anton story finished of in an unclimatic finale that we didn't even get to see cause it happened off screen. Then the film picks up with another story following Tommy Lee's character as he investigates and close the film talking about his dream that completely makes no sense.
Why? Why do they do this to me. They make a great movie that is genuinely terrifying, great suspense and a body count that can put all the Rambo movies to shame only to screw it all up on purpose at the end. What the hell is that all about? I get that the Coen's never do conventional films but this was just silly. It just get's me so mad that they made me love the development of the film so much and then ends it by spitting in my face.
You know what? For what it's worth, watch No Country for about 70% of it. The just tune out cause you'll really go "Whaaa" at the end. Best Picture my ass!

RATING: 6/10

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Bucket List Review

Ok to the cry babies, you should save a box of tissue before seeing this. Seriously, even I was close to tears myself when the movie ended. So if you watch this, don't watch with Kenny.
 
The theme of The Bucket List was really simple. What would you do if you knew you had 6 months to live? And, who would you do it with? The story is about two complete strangers who are diagnosed with cancer, who escape from the hospital and go on a journey to complete their bucket list, which is this list of things you want to do before you die.
 
The characters and plot developed so well in just a hour and a half movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as the main characters. It didn't really focus on the completing of the list but the friendship between the two guys which got stronger as they went on in their adventure. They started out kinda awkward coz they didn't even know each other at first but as time progressed, it was as if they were life long friends. And Oh My God.....the ending where they had to go their separate ways(oops..spoiler) was so beautiful and sad, for sure your eyes will do waterworks.
 
It's also quite a powerful film about things more important than money and power or even family. I mean, you live your whole life getting a job, climbing ladders, getting money or starting a family, have kids, see them go to college and then when it's all done you just feel shitty coz you realize there was more to life than just that.
The acting was oh so chun from the two Oscar winners and the script is super hilarious. Imagine two 70 year old cancer patients, with their botak heads from chemo going Nascar racing, lion hunting in Africa, sky diving, climbing the Himalaya's, riding Harleys on the Great Wall Of China and getting tattoos. Also, since Jack Nicholson is in it with a black dude, prepare for a lot of discriminative nigga jokes and 'F' bombs. Super funny.
 
This film is a perfect story of life and friendship. It's kinda sad that it's Jack's last one but it's kind of a nice movie to end on. For sure after the movie, you'll have that fuzzy feeling inside and a strong want to hug your best friend.

RATING: 7/10

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Kristen Kreuk is Chun-Li!

As you guys may have already heard, there is going to be a Street Fighter movie coming out in 2009 and guess who's the main character? CHUN-LI!!! Finally, something good from Street Fighter. For my entire childhood , I can never watch the show without seeing Jean-Claude Van Damme try to speak proper English half-naked.
Cmon guys you know its true. The only reason why we watched Street Fighter last time was for Chun-Li. I don't exactly remember her superpower but I know it had something to do with her long, luscious legs (see..drooling adi). And the best part is that Smallville's Kristen Kreuk is going to play the part. She so fine.....
I think the movie is going to be called Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li but it sounds too cheesy so maybe it's just a working title. Coz Chun-Li is not old, and therefore cannot be legend, yet. Or maybe they're going to make a movie about an old, dried up Chun-Li in an old folks home reminiscing about her heydays and thats why its called The Legend Of Chun Li.....OMG! I'm spoiling my own hype! I just hope they don't turn it into another spin-off failure like Elektra. Keep it simple, show a lot of flesh, a lot of exploding things and none of that hero crap.
Well, we just wait and see la. But now back to Kristen. After seeing her acting in Smallville, do you think she can play someone as big as Chun-Li? My answer........
She sure can! Muahaha

Horton Hears A Who!: Review

Note to self. When you watch a kid's movie...do it late at night when they're all in bed. I was watching this film with a cinema full of children making all kinds of racket. You should have seen the "this was your idea" look Terry gave me before the movie started. Thank God I sat next to one hot babe. But like all girls...... she ignored me.
 
Horton is based on Dr. Suess' classic cartoon about Horton, voiced by Jim Carrey. He's an eccentric elephant who found Who-Ville sitting on a dust speck and makes friends with it's mayor, voiced by Steve Carell. Along the way, Horton and the mayor forms an unlikely bond and sought to save each other from utter humiliation by their friends.
 
For one thing, Horton was damn original and funny. There were no reused toilet humour from it's predecessor and at times, I even forgot this was a Dr. Suess movie. There were times the film went a bit corny. Like the whole manga segment in the middle of the show. I don't know....I kinda hated it. PEOPLE...MANGA IS GAY!! But luckily, Horton did it in a cute and funny way so it wasn't that bad.
 
Horton was kinda fun for the whole family. There were some laughs for the kids, CGI for the teens and lessons for the parents. Like that kangaroo lady and the mayor who forces their kids to see things their way and weigh them down with all their expectations. Maybe I should have let my mom see this movie.
 
I like the show but I hated it's audience. Throughout the whole movie the kids were like:

Kid 1: Mommy, who is the elephant?
Kid 2: Mommy, now what happen?
Kid 3: Mommy, I wanna go toilet.
Kid 4: Mommy, why it like that wan?
Kid 5: Mommy, I cold.
Kid 6: MOOOOOMMMYYYYYY!!!!!

RATING: 6/10

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Deathly Hallows Will Be Split Into Two Movies

Yup you heard me, the Harry Potter franchise is going to end on the magic 8 instead of the initial 7. J.K Rowling's final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which was released last year will be split into two different movies simply named Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
Doesn't matter, you still die.

According to Warner Bros, the book had too many details with significance that it would end up misleading and incomplete if any of it was cut out. C'mon you know it's true. There are some of the movies where you feel unsatisfied coz it didn't play out exactly like it did in the book. So, I guess Warner Bros just wanna give Harry the proper goodbye. The first part is due to premiere in November 2010 and the second in May 2011.
 J.K has given the OK but there has been some speculations of Warner Bros just trying to cash in on the inevitable box-office smash. But who cares seriously, as long as I see Harry go out the proper way I'm fine with it. The problem now is where are they going to break the story into two? Guess we only have to wait and find out ourselves.

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