The question I have been asking myself about the movie is "Is this another parody of Epic Movie or Disaster Movie?" Despite astonishing great costumes, eye catching settings and involvement of A list star "Julia Robert and Sean Bean", Mirror Mirror failed terribly to impress. The weak story which largely contributed to it. Mirror Mirror tried to set aside from the original classic Snow White fairy tale but failed miserably to fully baked the story. Beside having a weak story, the main focus is unclear either to make it into fun children and family movie or teenager movie. Unlike Alice in Wonderland (2010) that famously praised for dark version of fairy tale that targeted teens or Enchanted (2007) which is fun musical fairy tale adaptation that targeted children and family, Mirror Mirror is like another parody movie about a Snow White which is unclear whether for either teenagers or children. Lacking of creativity is what I can say.
Julia Roberts performance is not so good this time. Comparing her to Helena Bonham Carter portraying antagonist queen in Alice in Wonderland (2010), Julia Roberts is far behind. Perhaps, it was lacking character building that resulted in Julia Roberts unable to fully expressed it. The antagonist in Mirror Mirror does not have a strong character. It is more into an annoying queen rather than purely evil queen like classic Snow White. I know they tried to make Mirror Mirror into modern adaptation not a fully copy and paste stuff, however at least put some effort on it and make the queen just as bad as what she should be rather than become half baked Witch.
Left: Julia Roberts; Right: Helena Bonham Carter
The story is rather weak, is it about the Snow white, the seven dwarfs, the queen, the prince or the lost king? Well, the story started with the queen stating that this is her story but thenI barely know anything about the queen. Why she hates Snow White so much and how evil she is. It is unclear whether the queen is obsessed with the beauty or the greed of power. The whole story is like jumping from one perspective to another without fully describing it. I think that the writer must be fully assuming that everyone have read about the Snow White so he doesn't need to explain it too much or get into more detail. In spite of the title "Mirror Mirror", the whole story is not about it. It is about how Snow White finally married to the Prince. On the other hand, the jokes, the funny act and some of the line is corny and childish. I have admit that some of the scene did make me laugh, but I am still disappointed with the movie. I was expecting more like Alice in Wonderland or at least make it fun like Enchanted. The monsters in the forest and the king lost in the darkness is added to the movie just to make it interesting while the whole movie barely talked about it. The prince? I have only one word to describe it "Lame". Moreover,the true love kiss plot is insulting to the magical classic fairly tale. The post-scene along the credits are unnecessary.
However, on all the bad side. I have to praise the costumes and the settings. The dresses are very elegant, built for perfection. The whole costumes are designed to fit perfectly in fairy tale movie. The settings are fabulous as well. Taking you across the land from the high land castle to the low land town separated by frozen lake. Each scene is beautifully crafted. Even the details of the hall from the floor to the gold tainted ceiling. Thumbs up for both costumes and the settings.
Well, here is the trailer for you to watch =>
Act of Valor is a product of insulting the Battlefield and Call of Duty fans. Despite feeding us with tons of explosions, gun fighting and tremendous modern weapon, AoV is utterly a disappointment in terms of acting and characterization. So its kinda cool to jump from one location to another location just like COD Modern Warfare, apparently not without a good story-line.
"Have to admit it that the story-line is way out of the phase, putting me in boring face, yawning along the movie for God sake. "
The premise is simple and utterly specific, which is "Capturing the head of the terrorist to prevent another attack on American soil". It is so simple yet they failed to make it so intensely and excitingly complicated. Unlike Jack Bauer in 24 or Black Hawk Down or even Saving Private Ryan that gives you a dramatic conflict and sets you closer to the character which you feel some sort of connected with it at the end of the movie, Act of Valor is somewhat "Yes sir, yes sir, you are right sir, lets go with it sir" movie. It brings you straight to the end without any amazing twisting plot and dramatic conflict or even the emotional state of the lead character. They decided to put an actor with deep voice like the Terminator dude to impress us, unfortunately they make it even worse. It almost put me to sleep with the non-excitement, un-energetic voice that when you closed your eyes and heard it, you would think that the dude must be waking up for a Good-day Monday.
The storyline is awkwardly told, Started with Voice Over telling us the courage, the honor, bravery and heroism and then suddenly bring you to Philippines and bring you back to the states for another voice over and bring you to all of the world with a very little intention to tell you what was really happening around there. Well, to be honest. The first scene sort of brought my expectation up that this movie was going to be great, but actually I was being lifted to enjoy a short throne and then being thrown to the river just to be brought by the current to the edge of waterfall and saved by a branch.
Have to praise the action scenes, gun fight and explosion stuffs, surely it did make the movie a lot better. At least something is really entertaining. The power of the gun fight, car chasing, and close encounter did really give some hope for us that came to see the big things. The modern weapon and vehicle brought in and the satellite technology stuff that looks like COD:MW series. Fps fans have finally fulfill what they have been expecting ,at least part of it (Better something than nothing).
Overall, the movie a good entertainment for youngster that value the action but not for hardcore moviegoers that more into story and character development. You know something is not that good if you saw people started to walk out minutes before the credit was shown.
After a shuttle ship crashed in the middle of forest between US and Mexico, alien form started to spread across the forest. Few years later, a journalist "Andrew" (McNairy) is being told to get the employer's daughter "Samantha" (Able) back safely to US. Unfortunately, Samantha passport being stolen and left them with no choice beside to go through the forest which is inhabited by the alien.
Review
This is new way in telling alien story. Unlike any other "alien genre" movie such as 'War of the World (Spielberg)", "District 9 (Jackson)", Monsters delivered it in elegant way. As a result, it is a slow phase movie which will eventually bring you to sleep without even you knowing it. Well, to be honest, there is barely a scene fighting the alien. The movie is absolutely a waste of time for action fans but for those who admire the cinematography and the art of story telling, this movie might pull it through.
Frankly, I do not like this film. Its flat and doesn't enhance my interest towards the film. Its just like watching a documentary film describing what it looks like inside the danger zone inhabited by the alien. Not much information can be derived beside a beautiful scenery and an alien with tentacle. Overall, this movie is loved by critics but a disappointment for movie goers.
Scott Pilgrim (Cera), band member who dated a girl named Ramona (Winstead) and unintentionally bringing Scott the challenge of defeating his ex 7 Ramona boyfriend. Scott then has to go one by one defeating them before Ramona will date him.
Source : Filmofilia
Review
Obviously, this movie is totally overrated by critics. Audiences are bombarded by complex editing which cause the story line to be extremely confusing, thus leaving the movie completely nonsense and frustrating. Although it does please the audience by bringing them back to the NINTENDO and SEGA age with the imaginative editing and visual effect, it fails to position itself to the current trend causing the movie to be a financial disappointment. "Second weekend and the movie dropped to bottom top ten" (Source Wikipedia).
What makes it worse is the leading actor "Cera" (Scott Pilgrim). Scott pilgrim character is poorly executed causing the character to flow flat and unable to express his emotion. Scott Pilgrim is really frustrating and annoying at the same time. Fortunately, the supporting role seems to be covering the lead character weakness.
On the other side, the scene was perfectly shot.The techniques used to elaborate the action sequences really lifted up the fight scene. However, the down side is the editing as stated above. The editing cause the story to jump from scene to scene and unable to maintain the coherency, leaving the audiences have to imagine themselves.
Despite praised by majority of the critics, I would skip this movie and wait until the DVD released as it is not worth to spend the weekend just to come out feeling regret and annoyed.
Gordon Gekko (M. Douglas) is back after almost eight years in prison which seven years later he finds out that his daughter "Winnie" (Mulligan) is dating Jake Moore (LaBeouf) and about to get married. Due to Winnie hasn't spoken to Gekko for a long time since Rudy death, Gekko is reluctant that Winnie will be willing to accept Gekko back. Jake working as broker is benefiting from Gekko intelligence and is struggling to look for investor to fund the fusion research project and to avenge the death of his role model Keller Zabel from suicide. Hence, both of them "Jake and Gecko" comes into agreement that Gecko will help Jake to avenge the death of Keller Zabel and in returns Jake must help Gekko to gain trust from his daughter again.
Review
Gordon Gecko is back but fail to impress. Audiences might feel disappointed with Gecko is not the main plot for the whole story, magic finance trick that he pulled out to fool the stock market systems that is found on Wall Street 1 is barely executed on the sequel. However, in term of character execution, both Shia and Douglas really pull it through with their performance to the limit.
www.filmofilia.com
On the other side, the effect of financial crisis hardly depicted in this movie and unlike the first movie, the atmosphere of stock trading is not fully developed leaving the movie merely touching the outstanding line. However, the message of the writer is getting through quite easily to the audience that "Greed is not good, that Greed is going to slowly consume you, that Greed is going to harm your love one without you even know it". More, I find that the drama is not strong enough leaving it just like another romantic conflicts. Well, overall the movie is okay for a mere entertainment and stock market lover.
A group of hired mercenaries is send to Gulf of Aden to rescue the hostages and end up with them accomplishing the mission. Sooner after the previous mision, Mr. Church comes to offer a deal for to assassinate General Garza in fictional island Vilena which later they find out that there is something behind the intention of Mr. Church. Barney (Sylvester), the leader of the team called "the expendables", decided to take on the missions although they have cancelled the deal when he finds out that they were being set up by Mr. Church to kill their own man.
Review
With lots of big stars, the movie could have done better however The Expendables is just another classic action movie. Tonnes of explosions and gun fights are filling almost the whole 90 minutes of the movie. Unfortunately, the story line which is a bit of this and a bit of that seems to be letting the movie down especially with the short and corny dialog which makes some of the stars look like a fool. The drama element is badly developed, seems like it just making the movie looks longer with unclear romantic element.
Jet Li fight scene is a disappointment, the art of the fight that Jet Li usually executes has long gone since the beginning of the movie. Well, this is what a happen when you ask a boxer "Rocky Balboa" to direct a kungfu fight scene. The result is neither kungfu nor boxing.
Well, looking at the intensity of the action, it is not bad. The action element is well developed and it is surely going to entertain action lover. With all the big stars, the movie turns out to be not what I have expected i.e ordinary.
Predators? Hearing this word might remind you on Arnold Scwarnegger beating Alien. After the last seqeul of Predators 2. Predators come back again to hunt human being after lost in the space for 20 years.You might called it Predators 3 or Predators return as you like because the setting of the movie is long after the first movie Predators 1. Predators(2010) is a sequel to Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990).
Anyway, I would call it Predators Hunting Game. If you asked a gamer, they would say Predators: Expansion Pack. Why? The new Predators is neither boring nor interesting. The movie seems to be made only to entertain the Predators' fans that are hungry for more.
Begins with a free fall of our great actor Adrien Bdrody as Royce and followed by several human beings and some sort of creature thrown in the forest. They later finds out that they are in the Predators Hunting Game. More, what a coincidence or on purpose they are also hunters, "a cruel human hunter with violence history", hence, they are able to use their hunter instinct to hunt back the Predators that is why I would say that the plot is simple, "Hunters VS Hunters".
The movie fail to develop the dark characteristic of each character with a very disappointing twisting character plot at the end that did surprise audience but fail to make the movie so special that it deserve a hand clap. The action element is great and well developed but the drama element just another useless part that is being added to make the movie longer to achieve the length of standard cinema movie. This is largely due to the writer doesn't developed it further hence unable to bring audience to a higher level of the movie. Thus, the movie can be said just another expansion pack of a famous movie.
Overall, the movie is just to pampering the predator fans only. You might leaving the cinema excited about it or regretted it that you have spent a few bucks for that movie.
A - Team is a remake of the well known TV series. Full of action and a bit of comedy, this is what A-Team is about. If you like 'Paris with Love' THEN you will like "A-Team".
A-Team is about four guys working in a group which specialized in a covert mission. Amazingly, along the movie, the A-Team members is miraculously lucky which it seems not a single bullet go through their bodies. Sounds interesting? Not yet, the A-Team manages to survive from a free fall of about 30,000ft and under fire by high technology drone. Now its interestingly weird----- and astonishingly it doesn't stop here!!!, surviving hundreds of container falling on the members is 101% unbelievable lucky. Just wonder what spell do they got for being that lucky.
The movie begins with Hannibal Smith being brutally beaten for ransom then suddenly it turns out to be a rescue mission of his fellow team mate Faceman and in on the way, he miraculously lucky to find another a-team driving a van and manages to rescue his team mate right on time. "Seems like the story line is full of coincidence?As I say, the A-TEAM is about four lucky guys on a mission" Then it continues on recruiting another a-team member in a mentally ill hospital. Afterwards, they manages to kill the corrupted police chief who they successfully baited to chase them to the US soil which then fired down by jet fighter. Then the movie continues with another mission after "8 years and 80 successful missions" of finding the missing plate and dig deeper who is behind it.
What I can say is Liam Neeson as "John Hannibal Smith" is spot on and his character is well executed, unfortunately, a corny dialog of his mates is a complete "no no" as it makes the wise Hannibal look like being fooled around. Moreover, Bradley Cooper as a "Templeton Faceman Peck" is trying to execute his character as a James Bond but turn out to be only pervert guy with crazy idea.
A-Team fails to deliver an appealing story. I have never watched the TV series before, perhaps they just wanted to keep the original classic story on this "A-Team" movie. However, a new decades with a new taste but a complete same style of story? I guess it will works decades before but not in today trends cause it makes the movie just like another regular movie entertainment which doesn't leave any feeling for the audience to talk about after it finished.
The last thing I can say about the movie is "it is fun to watch, a pure entertainment that you will not ask for more"
