When i first saw the trailer of this movie last year, i thought- another Spiderman movie?, and again earlier this year- seriously, another Spiderman move?. In all honesty, i was not compelled to watch the movie- may be it was the trailer or that thought of how far can a Spiderman movie be different than the one produced about a decade ago? How 'amazing' can it be, as its title suggests?
After going against the odds, i came out from the movie very pleased. In fact, i enjoyed the move thoroughly and felt very entertained. And i finally understood the word 'amazing' in the title- because it is really, pretty amazing!
It is not one of those movies with excessive ZOMG factor, for sure. The movie is amazingly captured with great use of CGI. The first half of the movie explores the dark side of Peter Parker's family history in a fairly comical manner. I got to know about Peter's father, which was not much explained in the previous trilogy and i don't exactly read the comics.Then there is his high school stories of his love. The next half of the movie was gripping and fast-paced, with well angled shots to make you feel like swinging from building to building and climbing up towers- i watched it in 2D and i could still feel the height! This part of the movie focuses on the transformation of Dr Connors as the Lizard, the villain of this movie, who happens to be Peter's father's working partner. His wish to regenerate his arm goes awry, leading him to produce a biological threat that forces Spiderman to a race to save the people in the city.
As i said, i was entertained. The movie was light hearted, like watching The Captain America, with brilliant cast. Andrew G performs magnificently as Peter Parker, to a certain extent, i felt him outshine Tobey M. He fits the character well. I enjoyed the scene where he first discovers of his special ability, particularly with the flipping of his skateboard. Much credits to Emma Stone, Sally Field, Martin Sheen and Rhys I, and director Marc Webb for taking the risk of rebooting this franchise. Watch out for Stan Lee in a show-stopper scene. Flash, played by Chris, gives me the feeling of a sequel where he will be featured in a bigger role- like Jacob in Twilight.
Give this Spiderman a try. For a two-hour movie, this movie does not fall short and does not feel long. And a sequel is pretty likely- stay for the post-credit (duh! almost all Marvel movies has this).
I have to say this one more time: The Amazing Spiderman is amazing.
Year: 2012
My ratings: 8.2 / 10
Genre: Action, drama, sci-fi
You'll like this if you like: Spiderman, The Captain America
Friday, July 13, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Real Steel
I am going to be brief- one of the best movies in 2011!
Hugh J's performance in this movie is flawless. Playing the role of the father and an unsuccessful robot boxer, he meets his son, Max (played by Dakota G). Soon, their relationship blossoms together with their new sparing robot, Atom- how i wish i have Atom as a friend, that lead them into the world championship.
The movie begins with plenty of development and foreshadow, making the movie very predictable. But the excitement and the journey from where they were to where they are at the end was spectacular. A movie with numerous layers, Real Steel surely did succeed at all levels. The fight scenes were well executed- i was at the edge of my seat, clenching my fist and cheering all the while.
It touched straight to the core- that i teared up in the end. It accomplished bittersweet moments effortlessly; and while some other movies fail to make the hero loses and wins at the same time, Real Steel did it in style.
I highly recommend Real Steel because really, it's as good as any metal out there!
My rating: 9.2 / 10
Year: 2011
Genre: Action, drama, sci-fi
Hugh J's performance in this movie is flawless. Playing the role of the father and an unsuccessful robot boxer, he meets his son, Max (played by Dakota G). Soon, their relationship blossoms together with their new sparing robot, Atom- how i wish i have Atom as a friend, that lead them into the world championship.
The movie begins with plenty of development and foreshadow, making the movie very predictable. But the excitement and the journey from where they were to where they are at the end was spectacular. A movie with numerous layers, Real Steel surely did succeed at all levels. The fight scenes were well executed- i was at the edge of my seat, clenching my fist and cheering all the while.
It touched straight to the core- that i teared up in the end. It accomplished bittersweet moments effortlessly; and while some other movies fail to make the hero loses and wins at the same time, Real Steel did it in style.
I highly recommend Real Steel because really, it's as good as any metal out there!
My rating: 9.2 / 10
Year: 2011
Genre: Action, drama, sci-fi
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Rio
My rating: 6.9 / 10
Genre: Animation, adventure, love
Year: 2011
You'll like this if you like: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Ice Age, Finding Nemo
Genre: Animation, adventure, love
Year: 2011
You'll like this if you like: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Ice Age, Finding Nemo
War Horse
What caught my attention most was the title of the movie. War. Horse. Enough said, and my mind went wild with imagination. I saw little trailer and avoided reviews of the movie, but i knew this movie has been nominated for 7 awards. And directed by Steven S. So there came the expectation.
In short, this movie is about the love and loyalty between a horse and its owner. At the beginning, i was introduced to the horse, Joey, and Joey was trained and cared by Albert (played by Jeremy I). Albert's father won the bid for the horse in which he thought the horse was special. But because his father could not pay rent, the horse was 'loaned' to the then English army to serve in the war.
The plot thickened with the horse playing the lead role, and his life story traveled three-sixty. I felt like the horse was cursed, that whoever was with him suffered a misfortune. It was until Albert reached his legal age to serve in the army, he enlisted himself and began his quest in search of his beloved horse.
This movie is pure drama, at its best. It has a strong cast and a great setting. Expecting it as a drama movie, there are times when my heart raced through the scenes, and there are times which the movie mellowed down for development.
One of my favourite scenes of the movie was the war scene- explosions and gunfire. It was brilliantly captured and frankly, one of the best war scenes in movies. While war points at the weakness of man's humanity, this movie shed light on the power of a horse to unite two parties, even if it might mean temporary. A strong message.
I thought, as a human-animal relationship story, that i would tear up at the end of the movie. But thankfully, i didn't. The movie was moving and it touched straight to the heart, but it was inspiring with a happy ending. The love and loyalty between Albert and Joey are difficult to be expressed in words here, that only in the movie do you really get to see them shine- even the eyes were not needed to recognize.
My rating: 7.4 / 10
Genre: Drama, War
Year: 2011
In short, this movie is about the love and loyalty between a horse and its owner. At the beginning, i was introduced to the horse, Joey, and Joey was trained and cared by Albert (played by Jeremy I). Albert's father won the bid for the horse in which he thought the horse was special. But because his father could not pay rent, the horse was 'loaned' to the then English army to serve in the war.
The plot thickened with the horse playing the lead role, and his life story traveled three-sixty. I felt like the horse was cursed, that whoever was with him suffered a misfortune. It was until Albert reached his legal age to serve in the army, he enlisted himself and began his quest in search of his beloved horse.
This movie is pure drama, at its best. It has a strong cast and a great setting. Expecting it as a drama movie, there are times when my heart raced through the scenes, and there are times which the movie mellowed down for development.
One of my favourite scenes of the movie was the war scene- explosions and gunfire. It was brilliantly captured and frankly, one of the best war scenes in movies. While war points at the weakness of man's humanity, this movie shed light on the power of a horse to unite two parties, even if it might mean temporary. A strong message.
I thought, as a human-animal relationship story, that i would tear up at the end of the movie. But thankfully, i didn't. The movie was moving and it touched straight to the heart, but it was inspiring with a happy ending. The love and loyalty between Albert and Joey are difficult to be expressed in words here, that only in the movie do you really get to see them shine- even the eyes were not needed to recognize.
My rating: 7.4 / 10
Genre: Drama, War
Year: 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Definitely a game worth watching.
Sherlock Holmes (Robert D Jr) returns for another adventure- against his fiercest and in par nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), with his loyal sidekick, Dr Watson (Jude Law). In the collision between two great minds, there are possibilities of collateral damages, and this itself makes the movie more thrilling on top of its crime busting, mystery solving forte.
The movie begins rather choppy but when it reaches the high gear, it is exhilarating. There are many scenes which pulled me to the edge of my seat. The train action scene is one to be reckoned with- i suppose train scenes are now favourites for high octane acts. While Watson heads to his honeymoon, little did he know he had fallen into a trap set by Prof Moriarty. Fortunately for him, Holmes followed him, in disguise- and you will laugh here, to rescue him and his newly-wed wife. Another scene that wow-ed me is when Holmes and his team are escaping through the forest. This movie absolutely has pitch perfect timing, especially for its slow-mo added with incredible sound effect. You can see the bullets flying across the screen, the men running and chasing. Lots of gunshots, lots of explosions.
With Robert D Jr playing Holmes, there are hilarious scenes- right until the last moment, he will tickle your heart with his creativity and perfect use of punctuation. It is nice to see when the bromance magic between Holmes and Watson returns in the second half of the movie, after his wife is thrown overboard to safer grounds. Knowing how strong a team they are together, Holmes and Watson complements each other, and watching them tells the importance of understand others' brilliance, skills and talents like in the movie: Watson's medical viewpoints, and Holmes' time management and peculiar behaviour.
Whether you need to think in this movie, i can tell you it is not as much as a thinking game like Inception. The plot is masterfully crafted, straight-forward paced that is enough to keep you engaged from start to finish.
Year: 2011
My rating: 7.7/10
Genre: Adventure, action, crime
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
As the title suggests, i was prepared to join Tintin in a ride of adventure.
Voiced by Jamie Bell as Tintin, he bought a model ship which hid clues that ultimately forced him into a feud between two families (Haddock voiced by Andy S and Sakharine voiced by Daniel C) in search for the hidden treasure. Tintin with his adorable pet Snowy, investigated the mystery surrounding them, deciphering the clues along the way and met Haddock after his kidnap by Sakharine. They escaped and raced against time and Sakharine to retrieve all three pieces of the puzzle. In the start, it felt like an animated Sherlock Holmes with Snowy playing Watson. When they boarded the ship, it felt like Narnia 3: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and when Haddock recalled the story his grandfather told him, the scenes pictured that of Pirates of the Carribean. Not that it wasn't good or original, but just that the scenes felt familiar.
I thoroughly enjoyed the graphic and visual of the movie. The faces of the characters looked so real i had to remind myself that it was an animation. One of my favourite scenes in the movie was when Tintin and his gang were in Morocco and they were running away, at the same time snatching the scrolls, from Sakharine's men and bird. It flowed well with fast-paced action and humour. Another scene that captured my attention was the fight between Haddock and Sakharine using cranes. It was intense yet entertaining to watch.
How could an animation movie like this go wrong? It doesn't. It is a progressive story with mystery intertwined that blends well action with adventure, humour with intensity. Good visual and adorable characters. I was dumbfounded that Tintin was not a kid and what i thought to be a childish movie had the characters holding guns. I was wrong, but i was, to say the least, pleased. The adventures of Tintin gets a green light!
Year: 2011
My rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Animation, adventure, action, mystery
You'll like this if you like: Sherlock Holmes, Up, Narnia.
Voiced by Jamie Bell as Tintin, he bought a model ship which hid clues that ultimately forced him into a feud between two families (Haddock voiced by Andy S and Sakharine voiced by Daniel C) in search for the hidden treasure. Tintin with his adorable pet Snowy, investigated the mystery surrounding them, deciphering the clues along the way and met Haddock after his kidnap by Sakharine. They escaped and raced against time and Sakharine to retrieve all three pieces of the puzzle. In the start, it felt like an animated Sherlock Holmes with Snowy playing Watson. When they boarded the ship, it felt like Narnia 3: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and when Haddock recalled the story his grandfather told him, the scenes pictured that of Pirates of the Carribean. Not that it wasn't good or original, but just that the scenes felt familiar.
I thoroughly enjoyed the graphic and visual of the movie. The faces of the characters looked so real i had to remind myself that it was an animation. One of my favourite scenes in the movie was when Tintin and his gang were in Morocco and they were running away, at the same time snatching the scrolls, from Sakharine's men and bird. It flowed well with fast-paced action and humour. Another scene that captured my attention was the fight between Haddock and Sakharine using cranes. It was intense yet entertaining to watch.
How could an animation movie like this go wrong? It doesn't. It is a progressive story with mystery intertwined that blends well action with adventure, humour with intensity. Good visual and adorable characters. I was dumbfounded that Tintin was not a kid and what i thought to be a childish movie had the characters holding guns. I was wrong, but i was, to say the least, pleased. The adventures of Tintin gets a green light!
Year: 2011
My rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Animation, adventure, action, mystery
You'll like this if you like: Sherlock Holmes, Up, Narnia.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Celda 211 (Spanish, Cell 211)
This movie likens that of a gemstone- raw, real, unique, crafty and incomparable. I watched this movie, my first Spanish movie in cinema, with English subtitles and frankly, i was impressed. Though now the only regret i have is not mastering the language before the show. If only i could pay more attention to the movie instead of the translated words running at the bottom.
This is a story of a prison guard, Juan Oliver (played by Alberto A) who decided to go to work one day before he actually begins to 'make an impression'. What awaits him later is a riot, which forced him to be locked in Cell 211 after suffering an injury to his head. He knows the only way to live is to be one of them, and so he acted as an inmate. But until when can he keep it to himself? He has to make peace with the rest of the inmates and gain the trust of their 'leader' Malamadre (played by Luis Tosar) as they take hostage of high profile, terrorist-prisoners. He later learns an ugly news of his pregnant wife outside prison and his life is never the same again.
This movie plays around the humanity of man and how corruption and distrust can affect a man's freedom and ultimately, his life. There were moments in the show. Obviously, the prison riot. The police riot scene later was well delivered straight to its core, which led to the falling domino pieces in the movie. The turning point of Juan's character was when he received the news about his wife. Fine acting by all the cast with amazing characterization, awesome cinematography and directing at every scene!
The development of the plot is great, at points where it creates suspense left me on the edge of my seat. The blossoming relationship between Juan and Malamadre is well crafted, and believable- that i don't see in many other movies these days. It felt like Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Walking out the cinema, i was left to ponder at many questions with respect to the show. Why was Juan left in Cell 211 at the first place? As if a curse is cast to the cell. It will be interesting to watch the Hollywood remake of the movie in two years time and i hope it does remain to its authenticity. Definitely award-worthy, it accentuates prison drama at its best- pulling heartstrings despite its violence and vulgar language.
My cinematic experience has truly broadened. And i am sure yours will too after watching this movie.
Year: 2009
My rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Drama, Action
You'll like this if you like: Prison drama movies.
This is a story of a prison guard, Juan Oliver (played by Alberto A) who decided to go to work one day before he actually begins to 'make an impression'. What awaits him later is a riot, which forced him to be locked in Cell 211 after suffering an injury to his head. He knows the only way to live is to be one of them, and so he acted as an inmate. But until when can he keep it to himself? He has to make peace with the rest of the inmates and gain the trust of their 'leader' Malamadre (played by Luis Tosar) as they take hostage of high profile, terrorist-prisoners. He later learns an ugly news of his pregnant wife outside prison and his life is never the same again.
This movie plays around the humanity of man and how corruption and distrust can affect a man's freedom and ultimately, his life. There were moments in the show. Obviously, the prison riot. The police riot scene later was well delivered straight to its core, which led to the falling domino pieces in the movie. The turning point of Juan's character was when he received the news about his wife. Fine acting by all the cast with amazing characterization, awesome cinematography and directing at every scene!
The development of the plot is great, at points where it creates suspense left me on the edge of my seat. The blossoming relationship between Juan and Malamadre is well crafted, and believable- that i don't see in many other movies these days. It felt like Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Walking out the cinema, i was left to ponder at many questions with respect to the show. Why was Juan left in Cell 211 at the first place? As if a curse is cast to the cell. It will be interesting to watch the Hollywood remake of the movie in two years time and i hope it does remain to its authenticity. Definitely award-worthy, it accentuates prison drama at its best- pulling heartstrings despite its violence and vulgar language.
My cinematic experience has truly broadened. And i am sure yours will too after watching this movie.
Year: 2009
My rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Drama, Action
You'll like this if you like: Prison drama movies.
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