tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60417195194502277962024-03-18T20:52:13.714-07:00FAMILIAR FANTASY IIAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-45490333866006508692016-04-03T04:23:00.004-07:002016-04-07T12:06:45.026-07:00Open Grave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRX11t6Yz02JegNAPvV-p3cOEYH6v-ilykNbdBL2zPK3PcuyEKV8ja0l-fl5LhnsJ3VNwCC3D33ohuB7mGHo_-hGGkYp0KmyRDB4RO2P2Xp9PERn-6WlMtbB0g2F08esVPRle3IdjqH4g/s1600/open_grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRX11t6Yz02JegNAPvV-p3cOEYH6v-ilykNbdBL2zPK3PcuyEKV8ja0l-fl5LhnsJ3VNwCC3D33ohuB7mGHo_-hGGkYp0KmyRDB4RO2P2Xp9PERn-6WlMtbB0g2F08esVPRle3IdjqH4g/s320/open_grave.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Mystery thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A man wakes up in a pit full of dead bodies with no memory of how he got there. Subsequently he finds a group of people with the same memory loss, and they all have to work together and set their doubts aside to figure out who killed those people and why.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Throw six strangers together who are as much in the dark about what's happening as we are and Open Grave seems Hitchcockian in nature. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a pit of dead bodies that our protagonist, who can't recall his name, finds himself in. He climbs out, finds more people in the same predicament, and has to figure out what's really going on. The others are able to identify themselves because they have their ID on them, but not our John Doe, which puts him as the prime suspect. Then the group start finding really strange things, like a room full of guns, dead bodies tied to the trees outside, a few wild humans lurking around, and the significance of April 18th, which is coming real soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego and writers Chris and Eddie Borey have successfully created a film set within a gruesome, if not consistently tense atmosphere. This is one of those films where you have to stay to the end to know the whole truth, and Lopez-Gallego more often than not manages to keep us guessing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The cast perform well, especially Sharlto Copley as our John Doe and Josie Ho as a mute Asian woman who has trouble communicating with the group. Credit also goes to the set design team for creating a scary place for our characters to find themselves in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> When the truth was finally revealed, I found that the idea of their memory loss and the Asian woman being mute was much too convenient, and without it the film's plot would not have worked as well as it did. The revelation was good though, I'll give them that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Open Grave is a solid thriller worth checking out. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-91944110373580595372016-04-01T08:46:00.002-07:002016-04-01T08:47:14.835-07:00Slow West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoNHSI0gVgf0U9-St7X6b5sb8G62bDReMiVWoaQr33pVgG2YZle9pg2rshqVaLpO-EqSOUJwpn8hkIp6XW_u5Dzw4uLRgJCbbl8tQIbbMddBJFj8BQlbsjYtulUhHQQzjyov72hfYbYqo/s1600/slow_west.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoNHSI0gVgf0U9-St7X6b5sb8G62bDReMiVWoaQr33pVgG2YZle9pg2rshqVaLpO-EqSOUJwpn8hkIp6XW_u5Dzw4uLRgJCbbl8tQIbbMddBJFj8BQlbsjYtulUhHQQzjyov72hfYbYqo/s320/slow_west.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Western</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>John Maclean</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A young Scottish lad travels to America to search for a woman he loves, and in the process meets a bounty hunter who agrees to be his guide.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> I figured that since it won an award at the Sundance Film Festival, Slow West would be worth checking out. But I was wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The film tells the story of Jay Cavendish, a young man from Scotland who travels to America to find a woman that he loves, Rose Ross. His naivety almost gets him killed when he is rescued by Silas, a bounty hunter who agrees to help him on his journey in return for some money. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Along the </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">way, the two men meet an assortment of characters, the most dangerous of them being Payne, leader of a gang Silas was once a part of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The film has some good cinematography to depict the mountains of Colorado, using New Zealand as a stand-in. Michael Fassbender is good as Silas, and Kodi Smit-McPhee is convincing as the naive Jay. There is a tense scene in a sundry shop which is probably the best part of the film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Despite running at a short 84 minutes, I found the film really taxing to sit through. Writer-director John Maclean plods the story along without a clear direction instead of developing his characters properly to make it interesting. While keeping things as simple as possible might work for some films, it does not work here. I wanted to know more about Silas and Payne, and their past together, but instead Maclean shows flashbacks of Jay and Rose, more than once. The final shootout scene was also disappointing and unnecessarily tragic. And Jay's character just wasn't endearing on a whole, to be honest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Slow West had potential, but it was near totally wasted here. Maybe a lot of people like this kind of thing, but not me. (5/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-62747640404008965362016-03-19T20:08:00.000-07:002016-03-19T20:08:00.344-07:00Tangerines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE97dkWYnLuvNtZY2FPDS6d7DzzL3NvEi1rmas_x_Z3c1j4zxzCHpPE4UD1SEXmdoO2TEboc2_XFSKnr9EcumT_8NQMnfZyGT9kQ6f5hmqzhvMEZoA3DWyD8lIN3UuYmDEVblMdd57cc1p/s1600/mandariinid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE97dkWYnLuvNtZY2FPDS6d7DzzL3NvEi1rmas_x_Z3c1j4zxzCHpPE4UD1SEXmdoO2TEboc2_XFSKnr9EcumT_8NQMnfZyGT9kQ6f5hmqzhvMEZoA3DWyD8lIN3UuYmDEVblMdd57cc1p/s320/mandariinid.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Zaza Urushadze</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> During the Abkhazian War in 1992-1993, an Estonian man takes in two wounded men, each from an opposing side and nurses back to health while trying to keep them from killing each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Tangerines is an Estonian film that received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2015. It is yet another fine example of European cinema that favours a quiet approach over Hollywood's loud and word heavy style.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The film is set in Georgia during the Abkhazian War in early 1990s. The war between Chechens and Georgians has forced everyone from a tiny Estonian village to flee, except two men: Ivo and Margus. Margus owns a tangerine orchard which he plans on harvesting before leaving to get away from the fighting. Ivo is a carpenter who builds the crates to put the tangerines in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One night, a fight takes place at the village and the two men rescue Ahmed, a Chechen soldier who is badly wounded. Later, they rescue a Georgian soldier, Nika and Ivo puts them both under his roof to nurse them back to health. The two soldiers naturally despise each other and want nothing more than to kill one another, but Ivo forbids them to do so as long as they are in his home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director Zaza Urushadze, who also wrote the script, keeps things simple in his execution of the film. The runtime is pretty short too (87 minutes), but he manages to convey his message, which is even enemies can respect each other during a war, and that people can learn positive values from the unlikeliest places.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good: </b>Lembit Ulfsak is excellent as the man of peace, Ivo, who has every reason to leave the village or ignore the plight of the two soldiers, but does not. I also liked Zaza's pacing of the film and how he keeps things moving, despite only putting in one shootout sequence towards the end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The short runtime works, but it disallows a background exploration of the two soldiers, which would make things more interesting. It sort of made me feel that the two men made peace with one another a bit too easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: </b>Tangerines is a good anti-war film that promotes the message of treating others, including our bitter enemies, as human beings. Worth checking out. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-30824655900287886102016-02-27T08:04:00.001-08:002016-02-27T08:04:09.498-08:00'71<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcakm8m8p-yIWea3Y8yzAo0m2ar9MrraFQY5uhu8LGqu8TtYyYtUY4AcnvOweoeSzbjiYQWM8uiLc3Mg46b4yH2HREPIhRKuRgP_3JxGySLnDdVluspHPVxVks9b1Mj3dE4Wz9v6CVSbie/s1600/seventy_one_ver5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcakm8m8p-yIWea3Y8yzAo0m2ar9MrraFQY5uhu8LGqu8TtYyYtUY4AcnvOweoeSzbjiYQWM8uiLc3Mg46b4yH2HREPIhRKuRgP_3JxGySLnDdVluspHPVxVks9b1Mj3dE4Wz9v6CVSbie/s320/seventy_one_ver5.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year: </b>2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Action thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Yann Demange</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A young British soldier is left behind by his unit during the Belfast riots in 1971.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> '71 brings to mind films like Behind Enemy Lines and the recent No Escape, both starring Owen Wilson. All three stories present a protagonist trapped in hostile territory who must survive until they can be rescued or find their own way out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story is set in 1971 when Ireland was in chaos due to the feud between Protestants and Catholics. Gary Hook is a young British soldier who is sent to Belfast with his unit to assist the police in searching the neighborhood for weapons. Things get ugly real quick when the people there don't take too kindly to their presence and start a confrontation, and in the mayhem that ensues, Hook gets left behind as his unit flees the scene. He is forced to keep running and avoid getting caught or killed by IRA loyalists, with a little help from a few good Belfast citizens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">French director Yann Demange makes his first major film here and does a great job. Like No Escape, '71 has plenty of suspenseful moments and unflinching violence, which is always welcome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Jack O'Connell puts in a strong performance as Gary Hook. Demange deserves credit for keeping the pace tight and the suspense continuous. Two standout scenes include a foot chase at the beginning and a cat and mouse style sequence at an apartment building in the final 30 minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The film ends a bit abruptly without certain characters' motivations explained, almost as if there will be a sequel of some kind, but unlikely as the subject matter doesn't quite qualify it to have one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> '71 is a pretty good action movie. If you loved No Escape, you would love this too. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-64445575956232841362016-02-26T02:47:00.004-08:002016-02-26T02:52:43.408-08:00Afflicted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ikoCeeakfmtiz_YpEk_JlJQr9iUXWCqM1Gc-9-a6gioxyapVjRe03PKsp61NQPugmgIRW2nF2BpJddlfkYZXVOmVCCh9nH1zrpb7Kmek_DYKQr8LmQ4lIRwJe5wb-duJdqE24TVkiAUr/s1600/afflicted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ikoCeeakfmtiz_YpEk_JlJQr9iUXWCqM1Gc-9-a6gioxyapVjRe03PKsp61NQPugmgIRW2nF2BpJddlfkYZXVOmVCCh9nH1zrpb7Kmek_DYKQr8LmQ4lIRwJe5wb-duJdqE24TVkiAUr/s320/afflicted.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Found footage horror</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Directors:</b> Derek Lee & Clif Prowse</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Two best friends go on a trip around the world while documenting their experience. However their journey takes a sinister turn when one of them suddenly manifests vampire-like powers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> The found footage genre may be a tired and overused gimmick, but every now and then, a film of its kind rises up and manages to deliver solid entertainment. As Above, So Below is one such example. Now we can add Afflicted as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Derek and Clif are two best buds who go on a trip around the world, despite the fact that Derek has a medical condition that may kill him. All goes well as they vacation in France, until Derek meets a girl who spends the night with him, then leaves him with minor injuries and no memory of what happened. Next thing you know, Derek is sensitive to sunlight, projectile vomits food he eats, develops super abilities like strength and speed, and craves for human blood. How long will it take before he goes out of control? And what can he and Clif do about it?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Derek Lee and Clif Prowse wrote, directed and starred in their own film, which gives the two a natural chemistry with each other, and certainly helps the film a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Lee and Prowse are convincing in their roles, with Lee standing out as the guy who is desperate to find answers to his condition. I also liked the special effects used to film the action sequences, which is the best thing about this film. Also, by attaching cameras to their bodies while filming certainly helps in not having to explain why it's rolling while shit is going down, and it eliminates nearly all the shaky cam effects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Most of the jump scares are quite predictable, and the closing credit scene was very much expected. But not to fear, the film overall is highly thrilling, and that's what counts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> A found footage film worth checking out, especially if you're looking for something a little different. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-73284704448010805882016-02-22T01:39:00.001-08:002016-02-22T01:41:12.797-08:00The Loft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-aUi8P1Vz3_1Q6Nez9dRt9ypuy8xcUw2OhWkyRRZqceVWXGuhxNalXv6azutWUK_sLhIFfTAnXCCZff4WVEST9uvA8m86aWSdAKLMgMhVSHgobtiOednVZR_Zv8HmLVX8D5J5WUZUDYp/s1600/loft_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-aUi8P1Vz3_1Q6Nez9dRt9ypuy8xcUw2OhWkyRRZqceVWXGuhxNalXv6azutWUK_sLhIFfTAnXCCZff4WVEST9uvA8m86aWSdAKLMgMhVSHgobtiOednVZR_Zv8HmLVX8D5J5WUZUDYp/s320/loft_ver2.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Mystery thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Erik Van Looy</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Five men share a loft where they can take their respective mistresses to without their wives' knowledge. Trouble begins when they find a dead woman in the loft one morning, prompting them to suspect one another of murder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> The Loft is a remake of the original Belgian film of the same name, also directed by Erik van Looy and also starring Matthias Schoenaerts. Another interesting fact is that the film has been on the shelf since 2011 and only released four years later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So we have five guys: Vincent (Karl Urban), Luke (Wentworth Miller), Chris (James Marsden), Marty (Eric Stonestreet) and Philip (Schoenaerts), who share a loft, where they can cheat on their wives behind their backs. There are only five keys to the place, one for each of them. So one morning, they discover a dead woman in the loft, a writing in blood on the bed, and lots of questions. Which one of them is responsible for this?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Van Looy slowly unravels his story by using flashbacks, each revealing a secret about the men. He successfully keeps the viewers guessing till the end, though the film is clearly flawed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The many twists and turns are actually quite decent, as I couldn't figure out who it was till the end. There are no solid performances here but at the very least, Rachael Taylor and Isabel Lucas are so gorgeous to look at, that is if you're a male.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The climax, which is connected to the opening scene, was poorly executed. A shame really, since the film was good up to that point. Another thing is the fact that you won't be rooting for anyone here because none of them are worth it. All five men are deplorable in their own way, though James Marsden's character is the most sympathetic one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> The Loft is a decent thriller, no more no less. If you have some time to kill, you can give it a shot. (6/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-25116353161780090192016-02-20T08:19:00.004-08:002016-02-20T08:19:54.022-08:00The Hurt Locker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTifrB-bzNryBOezQxggGwkplsmURfBWxKRIanfxjLhyphenhyphen__XT4ikXz65riSm0vEf0JN5A9IzojqsqwNtHDbgx0JWll8BJL5_UVokB51PHRC7QpVi711f-h-uz2jvgzPMnE5TwTNE19Vua5/s1600/hurt_locker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiTifrB-bzNryBOezQxggGwkplsmURfBWxKRIanfxjLhyphenhyphen__XT4ikXz65riSm0vEf0JN5A9IzojqsqwNtHDbgx0JWll8BJL5_UVokB51PHRC7QpVi711f-h-uz2jvgzPMnE5TwTNE19Vua5/s320/hurt_locker.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2008</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> War drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Kathryn Bigelow</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A film about an army bomb squad stationed in Iraq in 2004.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar winning war film was marketed as a war action movie, but Black Hawk Down this is not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While The Hurt Locker has its fair share of tense moments, it isn't a high octane action flick you'd be led to believe. The story focuses on a bomb squad stationed in Baghdad in 2004, who has just lost their leader in an explosion. His replacement, Sgt. James, is a daredevil type guy who doesn't play by the book, much to the chagrin of his partner Sgt. Sanborn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The film presents the three-man squad's experiences in handling situations involving all kinds of bombs, and how it affects them personally. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie are solid in their respective roles as James and Sanborn. Renner is convincing enough as the devil-may-care type while Mackie shines as the regular Joe who just wants to make it home in one piece. Kudos goes to Bigelow for successfully creating tension whenever a bomb is in the picture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> A few things either don't add up or seem unnecessary. For instance, how is it that James and Sanborn have sniper skills if they're in bomb defusing? And why create the subplot about James' friendship with an Iraqi boy that ultimately leads nowhere? But more importantly, the film doesn't have a proper focal point as most war films do, thereby making this film drag whenever it strays away from bomb situations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> The Hurt Locker is a solid drama with plenty of tension. It's watchable but certainly not the best of its genre. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-23559075817816990012016-02-08T07:54:00.003-08:002016-02-08T07:58:10.975-08:00Beyond The Reach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEStgbo9wmpOTC9fP9Acomxug5BNOIdbK3MV7kpTUMnv4wXsAMIlrRS98jcjLefQKQWev0JgMSxlMvJSC28-3TXn5xCMxcTkTNrBM72ukxruRFsmxRKX5OLBdqE7pv2qTMILzNfeaHX5-F/s1600/beyond_the_reach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEStgbo9wmpOTC9fP9Acomxug5BNOIdbK3MV7kpTUMnv4wXsAMIlrRS98jcjLefQKQWev0JgMSxlMvJSC28-3TXn5xCMxcTkTNrBM72ukxruRFsmxRKX5OLBdqE7pv2qTMILzNfeaHX5-F/s320/beyond_the_reach.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Jean-Baptiste Leonetti</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A young desert guide and his client, a wealthy corporate shark play a dangerous game of cat and mouse after the latter accidentally kills a man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> On paper, this looks like it could work. But unfortunately there are more things wrong than right in this movie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's the premise: Ben, a young desert guide takes John Madec, a rich corporate bigshot on a hunting trip in the Mojave desert. Madec is clearly the kind of guy that deals with money all the time and loves flaunting it, from the expensive truck he drives to the high powered rifle he carries, and isn't above paying any amount of dough to get things done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He accidentally shoots a man during the trip, and momentarily manages to bribe Ben into burying the guy and keeping things quiet. But Ben's conscience gets the better of him and Madec decides to force the boy to walk into the desert without his clothes, hoping the heat will kill him. Ben has to use his own resourcefulness to survive while Madec follows him to make sure he dies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Michael Douglas is perfect as Madec, reminiscent of his Gordon Gecko character from Wall Street. Jeremy Irvine is good too as Ben. Also noteworthy is veteran actor Ronny Cox as the sheriff. Russell Carpenter's cinematography is also worth mentioning as he gives a nice view of the unforgiving desert.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The bad: </b>The plot is the film's biggest problem. Why would Madec force the kid to run into the desert and wait for him to die instead of just killing him right there and burying him? It's a big desert, so making Ben disappear isn't too hard. Then there's the over the top ending, which looked like director Jean-Baptiste Leonetti had a handful of endings to use and didn't know which one to pick, so he went with all of them. Douglas' character was also written poorly. He first seems like a desperate man trying to fix a problem that will bury him, but towards the end of the film he starts to look like a psychopath. It's based on a novel so i don't know how the story really played out, but the screenplay for this film clearly has problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> It's another one of those films where it looked good in theory but just didn't work thanks to poor execution. Skip this if you can. (5/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-57552360369841995472016-01-24T03:41:00.005-08:002016-01-24T03:41:45.700-08:00Ex Machina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHvFpRy4-0KgrTjsb_-Rr2YQIAOt57fdem4JSg2nsNu14U-wjoF0YShrPyHhS7JsbN5lxXLwsxuCP_3mRDGayp0MEGegWalCXlrMzhQkllUBgaiANrYQ7YKB2SX12XxEBF3yqbWjqgfIi/s1600/ex_machina_ver5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHvFpRy4-0KgrTjsb_-Rr2YQIAOt57fdem4JSg2nsNu14U-wjoF0YShrPyHhS7JsbN5lxXLwsxuCP_3mRDGayp0MEGegWalCXlrMzhQkllUBgaiANrYQ7YKB2SX12XxEBF3yqbWjqgfIi/s320/ex_machina_ver5.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Sci-fi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Alex Garland</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A young programmer is selected by his boss to participate in a test where he must evaluate a robot equipped with artificial intelligence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Most sci-fi films tend to be flashy and loud, save for a select few. Ex Machina is one of those few that opts for a quieter approach in order to educate and astound its audience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caleb is a young programmer selected by his boss Nathan, to visit his home in the middle of nowhere, to participate in an experiment. Nathan has created a robot named Ava, and programmed her with very sophisticated A.I. capabilities. Nathan wants Caleb to engage Ava in a handful of sessions to see how human Ava can be. Caleb discovers that Ava is a truly amazing individual, both physically and emotionally, but soon learns she is much more than that, and even Nathan himself isn't simply a boss asking his employee to take a test.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Garland, who makes his directorial debut, has written a great screenplay which will no doubt keep the audience guessing on which direction it is heading. As you watch, you get the feeling that the three main characters are all playing each other, but guessing who wins is the fun part.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Alicia Vikander is impressive as Ava, balancing between the smooth robotic movements and tics of a machine and her attempted human facial expressions very well. Oscar Isaac is also great as the slightly eccentric Nathan while Domhnall Gleeson puts in a quiet but convincing performance as Caleb. Credit also goes to set design, visual effects and cinematography, which are all top notch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The music score is quite disappointing, especially when it's almost non-existent in the film's climax, thereby dampening all the suspense that Garland had built up to that point. In fact, the film overall is too quiet, save for one dance sequence. The ending itself seems cold, but Garland went for the unexpected so he deserves some credit for that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: </b>Alex Garland's first attempt at directing is fascinating yet imperfect. Ex Machina could use a bit more noise, but at the very least it's an eye-opening film which will educate and amaze you. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-80001381514331241402016-01-21T02:57:00.003-08:002016-01-21T02:57:54.436-08:00Foxcatcher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5RtGyPBSbZJYZPw-RewSEUIcQnQ-Qa1nLgimO0KuFwfxtjdC0d8onw6Wtzw_7rBoJhrsVffUGbSV2MNIp2X2HET7YRHCEMh_Sz6iuP3kfD3GTgY_OqrQKPRSCs7TArqx9viiAqCMkM9I/s1600/foxcatcher_ver4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5RtGyPBSbZJYZPw-RewSEUIcQnQ-Qa1nLgimO0KuFwfxtjdC0d8onw6Wtzw_7rBoJhrsVffUGbSV2MNIp2X2HET7YRHCEMh_Sz6iuP3kfD3GTgY_OqrQKPRSCs7TArqx9viiAqCMkM9I/s320/foxcatcher_ver4.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Biography drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Bennett Miller</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Based on the true story of Mark and Dave Schultz, a pair of wrestling brothers and their association with millionaire wrestling enthusiast John du Pont, which ends in tragedy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Foxcatcher is named after the farm where John du Pont lives. He is a millionaire who considers himself a patriot, and wants to make America glorious again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To that end, he invites Olympic wrestling gold medallist Mark Schultz to his estate and pledges to provide him with everything he needs to win the World Championship and the next Olympics in Seoul. Eventually John manages to persuade Mark's brother Dave, also an Olympic gold medallist in wrestling, to join Team Foxcatcher. However, John's continuously bizarre behavior threatens their relationship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director Bennett Miller ought to be commended for attempting to translate a fascinating yet tragic story for the big screen, even though the results are mixed at best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Steve Carell, who earned an Oscar nomination for playing John du Pont is pretty awesome here. It's not just the prosthetic nose and makeup that makes him seem disarming, but Carell's mannerisms and speech pattern as well. Channing Tatum is better than he's ever been as the intense Mark Schultz. Hopefully he takes more roles like these in the future. Mark Ruffalo is also solid as Dave Schultz, the quiet and sensible one among the trio. Some scenes turn out pretty tense and Miller deserves credit for that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Miller chose to rely on the actors' reactions and quiet moments to tell the story, but it doesn't always work. There are too many instances where scenes are drawn out unnecessarily, or Miller kills the sound and replaces it with a score. Even the wrestling matches get this treatment, which negates the intensity of the fight. This film unfortunately focuses more on the three men and the tragedy at the end, and less on the wrestling. I would have preferred a balance of the two. Plus the editing could have been tighter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Watch this for Carell, Tatum and Ruffalo at their best. But overall the film isn't as tight and intense as it could have been, making it a hard film to digest. (6/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-67225938447508482842016-01-04T03:02:00.001-08:002016-01-04T03:02:15.628-08:00American Sniper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc0y6RyDULmT-BsYmofSnM1_ZQVqf3q0HyVarZvnseFnVG22miDTz8h6aBcu6GgxoLPWl0F4HSwhBwSAoDYDmPyEtIgilv-Cxe63uyEBOKDmR9QYa5fuwNQ0gge2Sxy5qmA0EZFy1Gj99/s1600/american_sniper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfc0y6RyDULmT-BsYmofSnM1_ZQVqf3q0HyVarZvnseFnVG22miDTz8h6aBcu6GgxoLPWl0F4HSwhBwSAoDYDmPyEtIgilv-Cxe63uyEBOKDmR9QYa5fuwNQ0gge2Sxy5qmA0EZFy1Gj99/s320/american_sniper.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Biography, war drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Clint Eastwood</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot: </b>A biography of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who has been credited with over 160 kills during his four tours in Iraq.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> I've heard about the controversy surrounding this movie, about how it makes Muslims look bad. Honestly, I don't see that aspect here. I can understand how some people may look at it that way, but I chose to focus on the story and the man in question, which is what viewers should do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the story of the late Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who did four tours in Iraq, and was known as a legend among his peers. The film tells it from his childhood briefly before showing how he was a Texan cowboy who eventually decided to stop riding rodeo horses and serve his country as a soldier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director Clint Eastwood focuses most of the film on his four tours in Iraq and how he was determined to hunt members of Al-Qaeda, particularly a sniper named Mustafa. In between, Eastwood inserts scenes of Kyle at home with his wife Taya and how his career affects their relationship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Bradley Cooper is splendid as Chris Kyle, bulking up and training hard to look the part as well as portray a man who is dedicated to serving his country and protect his fellow men. Sienna Miller is also quite good as his wife, Taya. Also noteworthy are the battle scenes, and a few of the sniper scenes can be downright tense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> It almost feels like the film merely scratches the surface of the real Chris Kyle's story. Was he merely a loyal and dedicated soldier who just wants to help his men? Was his only regret being unable to save the men who died fighting next to him? The story feels almost too perfect. But some actual footage of Kyle's funeral which Eastwood inserts at the end is a nice touch, as it shows how much the American people loved him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> It's a good biography movie, but not exactly Clint Eastwood's best work. Bradley Cooper is commendable though. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-91486804722448996112015-12-30T23:57:00.006-08:002015-12-30T23:57:55.867-08:00Redbelt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0toccXrqVcIhOsHUhLlZxsaxJ5Me8YzP0sYVC27b8JmdCSfDhzu_z8ai44lVtyTyMICZgLiKq-eBhstPfyagAStvT1r7YnAPVKvYNtHlSH3WrfPdSY_DP9u2coRq-w-vsn1z-cpifYqcD/s1600/redbelt_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0toccXrqVcIhOsHUhLlZxsaxJ5Me8YzP0sYVC27b8JmdCSfDhzu_z8ai44lVtyTyMICZgLiKq-eBhstPfyagAStvT1r7YnAPVKvYNtHlSH3WrfPdSY_DP9u2coRq-w-vsn1z-cpifYqcD/s320/redbelt_ver2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2008</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Sports drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> David Mamet</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot: </b>A jiu-jitsu instructor is forced to take part in a prize bout, against his own principles, when circumstances leave him in a financial quandary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>This film is written and directed by veteran writer David Mamet, known for penning The Edge and The Untouchables, among others. Redbelt focuses on jiu-jitsu, a martial art that Mamet himself is a master of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story follows Mike Terry, a jiu-jitsu instructor who trains and educates his students on the art and some wisdom, mostly for free. Then suddenly Mike finds himself in dire straits after two encounters: one with a lawyer who accidentally smashes his dojo window, and another with a struggling movie star who seeks to hire his services. Eventually his finances take a dive and he's forced to do something he once refused to do: compete in a prize fight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The film is actually more philosophical and dramatic than action oriented overall. Mamet focuses his story on the idea that there isn't a situation one can't get themselves out of, which is what Mike tries to impart on his students, and what he has to do when faced with his own troubles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> It has a strong cast, with Chiwetel Ejiofor putting in solid work as Mike Terry. Home Improvement star Tim Allen actually plays it serious here as movie star Chet Frank, and does it well too. Other performances from the supporting cast such as Alice Braga, Emily Mortimer and Max Martini are also worth mentioning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The film's execution is as simple as it gets. No lengthy fights, no complicated monologues. Even the final fight involving Ejiofor and the film's villain isn't flashy at all, and is over pretty quick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Redbelt isn't a film for entertainment, but more for drama and philosophy. At best, you can learn something from it. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-38586071472397985812015-12-29T03:02:00.005-08:002015-12-29T03:02:55.817-08:00Big Hero 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH9wv52z6YbLT-zhjD5shAn93h8fV_8z9RkXpltO_25KHrtzYROv2Orlv6vUgpfa8q89Uegv_TA-IM6eYY9vjZaaTMSbmr4XME3LpBLsIW_Ik-IV5Bi0EJgjfl30ZoXmnafu4XT50T1zd/s1600/big_hero_six_ver2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKH9wv52z6YbLT-zhjD5shAn93h8fV_8z9RkXpltO_25KHrtzYROv2Orlv6vUgpfa8q89Uegv_TA-IM6eYY9vjZaaTMSbmr4XME3LpBLsIW_Ik-IV5Bi0EJgjfl30ZoXmnafu4XT50T1zd/s320/big_hero_six_ver2.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Animation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Directors: </b>Don Hall & Chris Williams</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Hiro Hamada, a young genius who loses his brother to a fire, bonds with his late sibling's last invention, a health care robot named Baymax. He then teams up with the robot and his brother's friends to catch the man who caused the fire that killed his brother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> The film is based on a Marvel comic of the same name, but slightly changed. To its credit, the film is entertaining enough as a whole, but doesn't have as much heart as the kind of stuff Pixar is known for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story follows Hiro as he bonds with his late brother's robot Baymax. One of Hiro's inventions, microbots that can take any form imaginable, was stolen by someone who killed his brother. So Hiro upgrades Baymax to a super fighting robot and teams up with his brother's friends to nab the man.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The animation is superb and the action sequences are well executed, particularly the final fight. Baymax also deserves credit as one of the most lovable Disney characters you'll ever see. In fact, he's the main reason this film succeeds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Other than the bond between Hiro and Baymax, the film doesn't have an underlying theme that would make it memorable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Big Hero 6 is great fun, especially for kids. But adults might forget this movie pretty quick. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-25702947568329533382015-12-26T21:58:00.003-08:002015-12-26T21:58:35.591-08:00Outcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq590H7f2BZ26USoXJLNseWNF_hDordwmW4n8JglQDRMULnjpuBloDPZFwn-QxcqBGLLJ_fqVGye4lTuOvrlM8r8x2P3iXzzgjm5-LapOaCsr0tkkR753-RbijWPhKL5rVcHJza_uaypi/s1600/outcast.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq590H7f2BZ26USoXJLNseWNF_hDordwmW4n8JglQDRMULnjpuBloDPZFwn-QxcqBGLLJ_fqVGye4lTuOvrlM8r8x2P3iXzzgjm5-LapOaCsr0tkkR753-RbijWPhKL5rVcHJza_uaypi/s320/outcast.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Action adventure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Nick Powell</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A former knight from the Crusades comes to the aid of a princess and her younger brother, the heir to the throne, who are on the run from their cruel older brother, who seeks to become king.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> With an IMDb rating of 4.6, you'd expect this to be one of Nicolas Cage's worst films, and he has made many bad ones over the years. To be fair, Outcast is not a great film at all, but certainly not the worst I've seen from Cage (that honor for me, goes to Stolen).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story, a mix of Kingdom Of Heaven and Tears Of The Sun, and a few other medieval adventure films you may have seen before somewhere, centres on Jacob (Hayden Christensen), a knight of the Crusades who has grown weary of the war and become a drug addict, until he runs into Prince Zhao and Princess Lian, who are on the run from their older brother Shing. Their late father has named Zhao as the heir to the throne, so Shing wants him dead in order to rule. Jacob, despite being in no real shape to be a protector, reluctantly takes on the task, hoping to redeem himself for his sins. Later, he seeks help from his former mentor Gallain (Cage) to join his quest, but he has renounced fighting for others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> At the very least, this movie does not offend much. I know that's really not a good reason to see this, but some films are just so awful you won't make it past the first fifteen minutes before giving up. Outcast managed to sustain my interest till the end, which is more than I can say for some other movies I've seen. Cage and Christensen try their best to make the film work despite being given laughable dialogue to read, and their shaky British accents are quite hilarious to listen to, especially the former's. Is this good? Yes, in a funny way, it is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The shaky camerawork during the fight sequences stand out. When will they ever learn? As mentioned, the dialogue is badly written, and we have to ignore the fact that the Chinese cast speak English even among themselves. The ending was very poor too, with an anti-climactic fight scene.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> You can try this if you've got time to kill and nothing else to do. Or if you're the kind of person curious enough to see how good or bad a Nicolas Cage film is. (6/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-71881989181540907402015-10-31T20:04:00.001-07:002015-10-31T20:04:21.119-07:00The Wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sRxBB8TcKU-wZ493wiypNMjUV-iJVl9Z-qJvXZhIGzUUhfxyD9eHX1uE_VI8o2fyGRmwxaQohevqAuaWFAAMAC1_tbw0w_zdThf8gYI_rjUypnr6O-7VpYJtZzX4dqq-0-VVrel7DBNK/s1600/die_wand_ver3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sRxBB8TcKU-wZ493wiypNMjUV-iJVl9Z-qJvXZhIGzUUhfxyD9eHX1uE_VI8o2fyGRmwxaQohevqAuaWFAAMAC1_tbw0w_zdThf8gYI_rjUypnr6O-7VpYJtZzX4dqq-0-VVrel7DBNK/s320/die_wand_ver3.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Fantasy drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Julian Polsler</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A woman visiting the countryside suddenly finds herself trapped behind an invisible wall that covers the area surrounding her lodge. She attempts to carry on with her life disconnected from the outside world with only a dog, a cat and a cow for company.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Based on the novel by Marlen Haushofer, The Wall is similar to Robinson Crusoe in telling a story on solitude, in this case a woman trapped behind an invisible wall that inexplicably appears, and appears to be impenetrable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The woman narrates her time spent surviving within the confines of the wall while tending to her animals who keep her company. It is only by keeping herself active that she saves herself from going insane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good: </b>Cinematography of the countryside is well done. Lead star Martina Gedeck does a splendid job as the woman, who reacts to her surroundings the same way we would. Her drive to carry on and live despite her impossible situation is inspirational, if not always engaging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> This isn't exactly a story about unraveling a mystery, so the explanation behind the wall's existence is not given. The film also lacks a proper ending, with a sudden incident towards the end being both a little late and somewhat inconsistent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> It's a picture with a slow pace that doesn't quite give a proper payoff. The potential is there but not utilised. Just a decent film overall. (6/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-60486382579459981582015-10-31T18:48:00.000-07:002015-10-31T18:48:00.612-07:00A Hijacking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAQXsIHwo0HyAE2h9DTsBaB-bAaDgieTb3Aelzfpj39kll0yWhTWY_G2lO4FQ-Q6vo62pLstRbIk8SkPzSvjCzdAsxSdQoSL2xD-s27Aldas-suc3Ew_xFkr57JpCHwh8LMAQoRSsbjJm/s1600/kapringen_ver4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAQXsIHwo0HyAE2h9DTsBaB-bAaDgieTb3Aelzfpj39kll0yWhTWY_G2lO4FQ-Q6vo62pLstRbIk8SkPzSvjCzdAsxSdQoSL2xD-s27Aldas-suc3Ew_xFkr57JpCHwh8LMAQoRSsbjJm/s320/kapringen_ver4.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Drama thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Tobias Lindholm</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A Danish ship is hijacked by Somali pirates, who proceed to negotiate for ransom money with the ship's owner back in Copenhagen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> On the surface this looks similar to Tom Hanks' Captain Phillips but it clearly isn't. Unlike that film, this is a slow burn drama with tense moments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Hijacking focuses on two men: Mikkel, the cook on board the Danish vessel Rosen, who is desperate to get home to his family, and Peter, the CEO of the company that owns the Rosen, who takes it upon himself to negotiate for his crew's release despite objections from a professional in pirate negotiations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Captain Phillips is a swiftly paced thriller, A Hijacking is the opposite. We watch the situation play out for a duration of four months as Mikkel tries his best to survive in between tense and friendly moments with the pirates, and Peter attempts to negotiate with the pirates amidst pressure from the crew's families and the company board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Pilou Asbaek gives a great performance as Mikkel, the everyman cook who simply wants his ordeal to be over and go home. Soren Malling is solid as well in the role of Peter, who seems like a cold professional at the beginning but starts to crack as negotiations start to break down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The pace can be languid at times. The moment the pirates boarded the ship was not shown, which I found to be rather odd.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> A Hijacking is a fine thriller with several tense moments, showing that negotiations are most difficult when it involves human lives. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-58230242915631155272015-10-25T21:48:00.000-07:002015-10-25T21:48:00.596-07:00The Sacrament<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05TxOZ1wnZ9R-lzCq4D-ZvnMmpNYPwIQmH4YcVZq-3TmXovZTHzjvFP5PbvyestA1X-PW8Dlg3LBhjSimpEpnHoXTXXZa7BjpfFkXvpe4aZtNEoaqibTW46VbEoBDmMt4g1_t5qdUDbfB/s1600/sacrament_ver3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05TxOZ1wnZ9R-lzCq4D-ZvnMmpNYPwIQmH4YcVZq-3TmXovZTHzjvFP5PbvyestA1X-PW8Dlg3LBhjSimpEpnHoXTXXZa7BjpfFkXvpe4aZtNEoaqibTW46VbEoBDmMt4g1_t5qdUDbfB/s320/sacrament_ver3.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Horror thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director: </b>Ti West</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A documentary crew travel to a remote community called Eden Parish for a story, only to discover that the so-called paradise isn't as it seems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Eli Roth produces this found footage picture shot in documentary style by Ti West, following a crew from VICE who travel to a remote community with a man looking for his sister who happens to be living there. It's only accessible by helicopter and guarded by armed men.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once there, the crew meet the man's sister who warmly welcomes them, and subsequently introduces them to Father, the leader of the community. Interviews with Father and several members of the community seem convincingly positive, though the feel that something sinister is lurking exists. Then a sudden call for help throws things out of order and the crew find themselves in danger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story is heavily influenced by the Jonestown massacre in 1978, and while I am not well informed on the subject, I can say that this film for the most part, works well as a thriller, even though it takes a while for it to get going. Once the shit hits the fan, the tension and suspense is quite palpable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Performances from the cast are generally good, but special credit goes to Gene Jones who makes Father seem kind and disarming at the same time. The camerawork is also surprisingly good considering that this is found footage stuff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The editing exposes a few lapses of logic here and there, and the camera angles seem too perfect in moments when the guy holding it clearly isn't shooting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: </b>The Sacrament is a good alternative in found footage horror, as in it doesn't rely on the usual tricks made famous by The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Worth a look at. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-14738721008371254162015-09-17T04:24:00.005-07:002015-09-17T04:24:58.556-07:00Nota<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uSZxS76ezIDP9dSgJ6Ow9SD-ic96cEIqcYpKiCiD3CcnMBN54tplVrmk-BwQOJpODL8OtURG8-XBMTx-VduyKOEounzeyFZsJMnQXkqTUZW0NzQOuuVR81XSfw0y5gPk9xdt5abVHsRJ/s1600/Poster+Filem+Nota.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uSZxS76ezIDP9dSgJ6Ow9SD-ic96cEIqcYpKiCiD3CcnMBN54tplVrmk-BwQOJpODL8OtURG8-XBMTx-VduyKOEounzeyFZsJMnQXkqTUZW0NzQOuuVR81XSfw0y5gPk9xdt5abVHsRJ/s320/Poster+Filem+Nota.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Yasu Tanaka</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A couple with marital problems return to the place where they first got engaged, hoping to patch things up. But when the wife discovers an ominous note written by her husband, a tragic set of events is put into motion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> I have a confession to make. I'm not a fan of Malay films. In fact, I haven't watched any Malay films made in my country for the last decade or so, could be longer. I did grow up watching P Ramlee films (who hasn't?) and saw a couple of 80s flicks (Mr Os is a personal favorite), but other than that, none. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forgive me for what I am about to say, but most Malay films in the last several years tend to be one of few things: a silly comedy (or lawak bodoh as they call it), a horror comedy, a horror film with lots of blood and not much else, Gerak Khas movies or blatant ripoffs of famous films from overseas. There have only been a few exceptions to this rule. You might ask how I came to this conclusion since I haven't seen Malay films for so long. Well, from trailers I have seen and some reviews I have read, this is what I feel. Let's just say my confidence hasn't been high.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when the hype began for Nota, I thought now's the time to sit up and pay attention. After all, if enough people talk about it, there has to be something worth seeing here. So here I am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nota is the story of Erin and Kamal, a couple who haven't been on speaking terms for a long time. There's the hint of trying unsuccessfully for a child as the main reason for this. The two decide to go back to the place where they first got engaged, at Bako National Park. Erin thinks this is a chance for them to reconcile, until she finds a note in Kamal's planner, hinting at her husband making a decision that isn't what she's expecting at all. And from there, more and more clues start dropping, and things go south from here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director Yasu Tanaka has made a nice little thriller here. While the lack of an expensive budget is quite obvious, the film is beautifully shot. This is pretty much proof that big bucks aren't necessary to make a good film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Maya Karin and Hans Isaac are good in the lead roles, but it is the late Ramli Hassan that steals the show as the boatman that ferries the couple to their destination. Ramli's boatman is an eccentric character, one who is kind yet mysterious, funny yet sometimes creepy when he looks at someone in a certain way. He has plenty of stories to tell, in fact his lines are more than Maya and Hans' combined. He's just awesome.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other good thing is the cinematography. It's not just the wide outdoor shots of Bako that I'm referring to, but also something as basic as a butterfly on the table, rice being cooked, hermit crabs walking on the sand etc. This is how a camera should be used in a film. Speaking of Bako, credit goes to the production design team for choosing the locations that ended up on film. Gorgeous to behold.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Nota lacks a genuine surprise. Perhaps I shouldn't have watched the trailer before seeing this. But even so, the resolution to the story is quite obvious once Erin makes her move in the third act. I was hoping for something to sweep the rug from under me but it didn't happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are also other little things, like Erin's conversations with Mayumi that didn't seem natural to me. I'm referring to how it looked on screen and not how it was set up. And then there was the weird receptionist, which wasn't necessary (don't know why this was here).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> It's a solid little thriller that uses its strengths well. Despite being predictable in the final third, it's a film worth checking out, even if just for the visuals. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-28545836663087578592015-08-27T04:06:00.002-07:002015-08-27T04:06:27.488-07:00As Above, So Below<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirF775m0YBsh0nRPpmTHmDq5XWkPn8E0Nt2M0E_2re24MtiBJd22Ne9YgsSqHjh2Bxd-MTTPg0m_Us875ZyBs1lX10Uby6Rr4O_tZiqbiEWTc_ssut7sLmpwjU7MgRLUMzfjqeha-X85kJ/s1600/as_above_so_below.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirF775m0YBsh0nRPpmTHmDq5XWkPn8E0Nt2M0E_2re24MtiBJd22Ne9YgsSqHjh2Bxd-MTTPg0m_Us875ZyBs1lX10Uby6Rr4O_tZiqbiEWTc_ssut7sLmpwjU7MgRLUMzfjqeha-X85kJ/s320/as_above_so_below.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre</b>: Horror thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> John Erick Dowdle</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Six individuals explore the catacombs beneath Paris to obtain a mysterious artifact, only to find themselves trapped in the dark and discovering something very sinister down there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Found footage flicks have been done to death at this point, with very little variation. But every now and then, one or two rare ones stand out by doing things a tad differently. This year's Unfriended is one example. As Above, So Below is another.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this film, six individuals led by a girl named Scarlett explore the famed catacombs beneath the streets of Paris, in search of alchemist Nicolas Flamel's legendary philosopher's stone. Scarlett is hoping to finish her late father's work by successfully finding this stone. So with her claustrophobic friend, a cameraman and three French cave explorers, she goes deep into the catacombs with a map and some clues. But as expected in films like this, trouble ensues when the group gets lost in the tunnels and really strange things start happening.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John Erick Dowdle, who directed and co-wrote the film with his brother Drew, does well in keeping the film moving constantly, never letting it stall. He also seems to have done some research in making the mythical and supernatural elements in the story seem plausible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The cast perform up to mark, especially Perdita Weeks as Scarlett, who is easy on the eye and comes off as very likable. Credit also goes to the camera guys for keeping the shaky cam effects minimal, as well as successfully capturing the claustrophobic feel of the film. I also loved how the film breaks convention by not having a horrific, depressing ending like most found footage stories.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> The film does suffer from lapses of logic at times, and the old "do stupid things when trouble hits" element is still there. There was also the presence of the spooky looking girl following them that was never explained.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> As Above, So Below is a nice little surprise in the found footage genre. It's not going to rewrite the book on the genre obviously, but it's very watchable for a scare or two. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-19889350528532932912015-08-09T04:35:00.005-07:002015-08-09T04:35:37.731-07:00The Guest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfmsDuuUDeE9GfARSBgiRI4myBcFd8MrXWY9EAwmkhyphenhyphen8HwlsB0K1YKc_iGu7w7ZpYOTa-Fy7Di22cNL1k8cVb74mY8n0Jr6pvcpuPSuZ49l5q1_BH_PCjh1i7-0jReV1RT5pV5DgZH5sd/s1600/guest_ver5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfmsDuuUDeE9GfARSBgiRI4myBcFd8MrXWY9EAwmkhyphenhyphen8HwlsB0K1YKc_iGu7w7ZpYOTa-Fy7Di22cNL1k8cVb74mY8n0Jr6pvcpuPSuZ49l5q1_BH_PCjh1i7-0jReV1RT5pV5DgZH5sd/s320/guest_ver5.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Action thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Adam Wingard</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A soldier claiming to be a friend of a member of a family who was killed in action during their tour, moves into their home and becomes part of the family. However, he's not quite who he claims to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> This film actually had potential, though the plot isn't anything we haven't seen before. The story of a stranger who seems too good to be true has been done countless times before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story begins with a man named David, who visits the Peterson home one day and claims to be a friend of the recently deceased Caleb Peterson, and offers to help them any way they can. Soon David becomes real helpful as we'd expect: he helps beat up a gang of bullies picking on Caleb's little brother, he connects with Caleb's rebellious sister and even helps around the house too. But he's not really who they think he is, and bad things start to happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I enjoyed Adam Wingard's You're Next but hated A Horrible Way To Die, and for me The Guest is somewhere in between. The action and violence is very welcome but a huge amount of suspension of disbelief is required to survive the second half of the film when things start to unravel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Dan Stevens is spot on as David, being a really charming guy who seems to know how to handle any situation he gets mixed up in. Maika Monroe is great eye candy and more as Caleb's sister Anna. The scene where David beats up the bullies is my favorite part, even more than the wanton violence that comes later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Like I said, suspension of disbelief is required in the second half, when David has to fight back when the truth is exposed. There's a special ops team involved, and God help me, I don't know why they went down the way they did. It's almost comedic in an unintentional way. My other issue is how the family, especially the parents, just trust David so easily. And David himself just keeps blowing people away, and I know they explained this part, but it sounded like a lame excuse for more carnage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> It's decent entertainment at best. If you don't mind absence of logic, go right ahead and give The Guest a shot. (6/10)</span><br />
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<span id="goog_698521770"></span><span id="goog_698521771"></span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-58817984320982192582015-08-09T04:00:00.001-07:002015-08-09T04:00:07.226-07:00Transcendence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz94VvQk5sV4bkt-QptNXS7xFDnvGxIS3CgECezB2lDfBo1ZZfZZ4b039fga3wL_qQIkIpGCHpr9dkv-6WKGB7KWI8rveEw_XBl5A5ygk5wQB6k6gCZYprm6buv7Jqie7ODTDJKn5oNto2/s1600/transcendence_ver11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz94VvQk5sV4bkt-QptNXS7xFDnvGxIS3CgECezB2lDfBo1ZZfZZ4b039fga3wL_qQIkIpGCHpr9dkv-6WKGB7KWI8rveEw_XBl5A5ygk5wQB6k6gCZYprm6buv7Jqie7ODTDJKn5oNto2/s320/transcendence_ver11.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Sc-fi drama</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Wally Pfister</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A dying scientist's consciousness is uploaded into a program built as the world's first A.I., but complications ensue when he surpasses expectations and becomes a threat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> I haven't had the chance to watch Lawnmower Man, which I hear this movie shares plenty of similarities with. But I can tell you that this film is a failure when it comes to keeping viewers' attention on it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story is as follows: a scientist who has worked on creating an A.I. program is shot with a radioactive bullet by anti-tech extremists, and he's doomed to die. His wife decides that the only way to save him is to upload his consciousness into his A.I. program. And it works, but he isn't quite who he was before. Soon he becomes omnipotent and dangerous, and damn well unstoppable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wally Pfister has long known to be Christopher Nolan's go-to guy for cinematography, and while he does great work behind the camera, he isn't very good here. Despite the A-list cast, Pfister can't seem to rise above the dull script in his hands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> The one bright spark among the cast is Paul Bettany, the only actor who doesn't look like he's on auto-pilot on screen. Some of the visual effects look good, but there's not much else good stuff I can say about this film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Most of the cast look so bored, especially Johnny Depp. Morgan Freeman has too little to do, Rebecca Hall tries hard but not good enough, and poor Kate Mara and Cillian Murphy are just out of their element here. Pfister also fails to create a genuine feel of suspense and the climax is almost non-existent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> Avoid this film. Every person involved here have made better films. Go look for those. (4/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-15672376841857573542015-07-07T03:27:00.005-07:002015-07-07T03:27:53.541-07:00All Is Lost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__MuoCX9rGKxowfibQRKCL4OAzdE3pEZjJ_pSYvciClgTMhSBRP5uQATF-9eTgtMNE_B8jrLNEPINYNUoK9l6nLZXMhkPBonXDJBN2w_ovFTeI3L_eqgk5c5gLKjPxbliLlEAmewXHEML/s1600/all_is_lost_ver4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__MuoCX9rGKxowfibQRKCL4OAzdE3pEZjJ_pSYvciClgTMhSBRP5uQATF-9eTgtMNE_B8jrLNEPINYNUoK9l6nLZXMhkPBonXDJBN2w_ovFTeI3L_eqgk5c5gLKjPxbliLlEAmewXHEML/s320/all_is_lost_ver4.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Survival thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> J.C. Chandor</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> A resourceful sailor struggles to survive at sea after his boat collides with a shipping container and a storm arrives soon after.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> All Is Lost is a neat little survival thriller that literally pits one man against Mother Nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robert Redford plays a lone man out at sea who wakes up one morning to find his boat leaking badly after it collided with a shipping container floating aimlessly. He mends the boat, but then a huge storm blows in and his survival skills are tested to the limit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director J.C. Chandor, who also wrote the script, successfully keeps the film going smoothly despite almost not having any dialogue. Unlike most films of the same kind, Redford's sailor does not spend time talking to himself or contemplating God, loneliness and life. He just fights against the current and strives to survive, and it works. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Redford's screen presence certainly helps here. Points are also earned by the visual effects crew and cinematographer for a job well done in realistically displaying a disaster at sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> You might not understand some of the things Redford's character does in order to survive, especially if you've never sailed before. There are also a few slow moments here and there, but no big deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> A solid survival movie that you can put on your shelf next to Gravity, Buried and Frozen. (7/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-77815049619702612432015-07-05T03:43:00.001-07:002015-07-05T03:56:05.703-07:00Stonehearst Asylum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTwk7gmwkuErvhl9Y4JshhQNmpefjko0Pg-Ha3sO_4HxWQVCvtjC_ZWt3zdL97Aa0kdd3K_X_XZOEwT2z-qif1rso6OrBjZUISpksuKu-Hy1vsfLpqFUWj7FuxzeTLtet4MpfjwwlC48V/s1600/stonehearst_asylum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTwk7gmwkuErvhl9Y4JshhQNmpefjko0Pg-Ha3sO_4HxWQVCvtjC_ZWt3zdL97Aa0kdd3K_X_XZOEwT2z-qif1rso6OrBjZUISpksuKu-Hy1vsfLpqFUWj7FuxzeTLtet4MpfjwwlC48V/s320/stonehearst_asylum.jpg" width="215" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2014</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Thriller</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Brad Anderson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Set at the turn of the 20th century, a young doctor arrives at a mysterious asylum looking for clinical experience but finds that nothing is what it seems.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> Stonehearst Asylum turned out to be one quiet little thriller that flew under most people's radar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The film follows one Dr Edward Newgate, who arrives at the mysterious asylum looking to practise psychiatry, only to discover that things there are far from what he expected. He takes a particular interest in Eliza Graves, one of the patients there, but has trouble in gaining her trust, while the other staff begin to look at him the wrong way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Director Brad Anderson seems to excel at coming up with low key films that have great potential like The Machinist and Vanishing on 7th Street. For this film he succeeds in keeping the pace brisk and the story engaging enough right up to its final twist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Ben Kingsley excels once again at playing a sinister mental doctor here after Shutter Island. Jim Sturgess and Kate Beckinsale are convincing enough in the lead roles though they lack chemistry. The many twists and turns especially in the final third of the film is its main trump card.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Michael Caine is severely underused here but he owns every moment of his screen time. Same goes for Brendan Gleeson. There's also a character played by Sophie Kennedy Clark that is eliminated rather clumsily, which is baffling as it makes almost no impact to the plot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: </b>Stonehearst Asylum is a nice little surprise that deserves one watch, especially if you like films with a twist. (7/10) </span></div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-46395695296366775682015-05-10T04:10:00.003-07:002015-05-10T04:10:29.898-07:00Killing Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYHfz8cnE7yfvGoDtzind8V7eXjEG8DqivKiA_GqoUlP2CEBRSsIktMKuhJZ4cVlHuRdNxQVdMdQt-mcOjUFylLiuHB0BHJ8U23rYCm-mnl4KS4RclKO6oAYEY1IqkP1oAtPkWEsDD1qa/s1600/killing_season.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqYHfz8cnE7yfvGoDtzind8V7eXjEG8DqivKiA_GqoUlP2CEBRSsIktMKuhJZ4cVlHuRdNxQVdMdQt-mcOjUFylLiuHB0BHJ8U23rYCm-mnl4KS4RclKO6oAYEY1IqkP1oAtPkWEsDD1qa/s320/killing_season.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year:</b> 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Action thriller</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Mark Steven Johnson</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> Two former soldiers, one Serbian and one American, wage war against each other in the forest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist:</b> With the pairing of John Travolta and Robert De Niro, what could go wrong? Well, a lot apparently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story is as basic as it gets: a Serbian soldier goes to the States to find an American soldier who had shot him during the Serbian war many years ago, but failed to kill him. The two men then play a game of cat and mouse, each of them taking turns becoming the aggressor and the target.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The film has its moments, but it never quite rises above its made-for-TV movie quality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> A couple of torture scenes come off looking solid enough, which involve arrows, a string through a leg and even waterboarding. The scenery was well filmed by DP Peter Menzies Jr.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> De Niro sports an inconsistent Southern accent, while Travolta exaggerates his Serbian accent. The film, while mercifully short, takes too much time to get going as we have to watch the duo talk about their personal lives while listening to Johnny Cash. Their dispute also ends rather meekly, which is the ultimate disappointment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict:</b> With the kind of calibre involved, one would expect a classic, but no such luck here. There's not enough action or thrills here for it to qualify as an action thriller. Skip this. (5/10)</span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041719519450227796.post-21940600275922950532015-05-04T03:58:00.002-07:002015-05-04T03:58:28.082-07:00Beautiful Creatures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XN-PEsfPSPJyjPdATGvTg-tT7YyQN1dUJnkq0XsuwHOcXEIPJeyKRuya_ukJZMBsgRQtZMcTolOSPh_MaT7T-eX0adrkRyT9RbbTvp1GUXkOjqfLleWGDqcF853xr59ne5RHq4e3TBRa/s1600/beautiful_creatures_ver3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XN-PEsfPSPJyjPdATGvTg-tT7YyQN1dUJnkq0XsuwHOcXEIPJeyKRuya_ukJZMBsgRQtZMcTolOSPh_MaT7T-eX0adrkRyT9RbbTvp1GUXkOjqfLleWGDqcF853xr59ne5RHq4e3TBRa/s320/beautiful_creatures_ver3.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Year: </b>2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Genre:</b> Romantic fantasy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Director:</b> Richard LaGravenese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Plot:</b> In the deep south, a boy longing to escape his little town falls in love with an outcast girl with strange powers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The gist: </b>The comparisons to Twilight are unavoidable. Two good looking youths fall in love, both outcasts in their own way, one of them has a huge secret, and their love will be put to the test etc. Now, I'm one of those people that actually appreciated Twilight more than most, so it's probably because of that, I found Beautiful Creatures to be charming in its own way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong, I'm not partial on these kinds of films. Sometimes they can suck too. Mortal Instruments is a fine example of this. But I have to say, Beautiful Creatures manages to entertain more often than not despite its imperfections.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story follows Ethan Wate, a kid in the south who meets a girl that seems to appear in his dreams often. Her name is Lena Duchannes and she is a caster, which is a nicer way of calling her a witch. They fall in love despite resistance from the townsfolk and her uncle Macon. On her upcoming 16th birthday, her destiny of either being chosen by the light or the darkness will be revealed. The chances of her going to the darkness is higher if she stays with Ethan, so says Macon. So what's gonna happen?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The good:</b> Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert work well together on screen. Their portrayal of Ethan and Lena are quite convincing. Ehrenreich in particular deserves some points for giving his character the right level of humour and awkwardness. Viola Davis is also solid in her role as Ethan's guardian. The deep south setting as well as the filmmakers' move to not take things so seriously (unlike Twilight) also works in its favour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The bad:</b> Emma Thompson is badly miscast as the townsfolk's spokesperson on spreading hate towards Lena and her uncle, and as Lena's mother Sarafine when possessed. I can see she put in a ton of effort, but she's just not right for the role at all. Jeremy Irons' southern accent is also rather shaky and Emmy Rossum doesn't get enough screen time as Lena's bitchy cousin Ridley.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Verdict: </b>It's really not as bad as it looks. Forget the Twilight comparisons and lukewarm box office takings. If you like love stories with some charm and magic, this is worth a shot. (7/10) </span>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596862089432440080noreply@blogger.com0