You are too kind...

His best ad is the Nike all star spot that got him the legendary TVC film director status. It's the first time for nike to spend that much money on football and it became an annual practice of having an all star theme ads.

Merantau (2009)

Simple storyline, very well shot and pretty decent cast.

This is suppose to be Iko Uwais first movie, and it is good.

He is no "method" actor. What he brings to the table is a sense of "earnest-ness", if you understand what I mean.

And he is a skill Silat Artist. There is a sense of deja vu here, because this movie has almost the same vibe as Ong-bak (2003). Credit where credit is due, the director, Gareth Evans, know what he wanted and he was able to get it, at a very modest budget. I love the camera work in this!!

This movie also brings up the subject matter of human trafficking. Malaysia is thrown into this limelight recently, because an international rating has reduced our country's rating, in term of reducing the issue of human trafficking.

This reminds me of the ads that has been circulating, you know the one, that has the tagline "If the eating stop, the killing would too" (eating of shark fin, and no, I do not condone the consumption of shark fin).

So, I say this to our western counterparts, if the demand stops, the trafficking would too.



I humbly submit to you, My Two Sen.

Another thing that surprised me is the director of the movie is Brett Ratner. The same director alot of X-Men fans claims almost killed the movie franchise..., and I have to add, I like his work here (and also like his Red Dragon (2002)).

Lucy (2014)

Luc Besson, best know for his works Léon: The Professional (1994) & The Fifth Element (1997) had gone on the record that he has another sci-fi movie in his mind that is so big and mind blowing, that it will blow The Fifth Elements out of the water!!!

And ladies, and gentlemen, I believe he meant, this movie Lucy (2014).

Allow an old uncle to elaborate, the oldest "human" fossil discovered by anthropologist to date is an almost complete skeleton of an upright female ape, which scientist believe is our ancestor. This skeleton is named Lucy.

Does, this have anything to do with this movie? In a roundabout way yes. I might elaborate more on this. Keyword being, might.

Luc Besson likes his woman leads..., lacking a better term, butch. He likes them so much so that he married Milla Jovovich, and put her in two of his movies, namely, The Fifth Element (1997) and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999).

So, with the title in mind, Scarlett Johansson heads this Action/Sci-Fi, as Lucy.

From a concept point of view, this movie is a little "non-hollywood".

Alot of inspiration is drawn from Asian cinema, namely Chan-wook Park's work, Oldboy!!?!

So inspired in fact, he got Min-sik Choi to be the BIG BAD in this movie!!

Movies starts out well enough.

Min-sik Choi can play a real S.O.B.!!

Things progress along and Morgan Freeman is introduced, where is narrates the plot of the movie.

And we then get the very weird incarceration scene of  Scarlett Johansson and then the action starts!!

Somewhere in that, something happened, I really do not root for Scarlett Johansson character and the movie not longer have me hook line and sinker...

Then the worst thing happened
This movie with a little twigging would have be a GREAT movie, and I am not sure if no one around Luc Besson pointed that out to him, and it is a shame, because this movie is actually very well product and has amazing production quality.

Don't get me wrong, you will be entertained.

I just don't know if it would remain memorable, a shame really.

My Two Sen

Assault on Wall Street (2013) - The rich getting richer, poor getting poorer... no fair at all... Watch it and u will understand..

No Escape (1994)

"Don't ever turn your back on me again" a tagline that spinning in my mind after watching this film...
The film stars Ray Liotta, he is great in doing action in the film although he's not categorized in the action genre stars, but I found him can be described as the second Van Damme since I saw this action plus sci-fi film that will keeps you on the seats!

Recommended 6/10, if you're a 90's action film fans, or give a try on Ray Liotta performance throughout this film

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Oh My Fortune God!!

What a start to Chinese New Year!?!

This is the BEST Chinese New Year movie ever!!!

Story, Gripping

Direction, Clear

Budget, Well Used

Casting, PERFECT!!!

This is a very WELL DONE movie!!!

I kid you not.

My only concern is because of the violent nature of the movie, this might not be suitable for all

This is a 4.9/5 movie for me!!!

The Wachowskis, this is HOW IT IS DONE!!!

My Two Sen

Chappie (2015)

Let's cut through the chase.

The Good

Director: Neill Blomkamp
Stars: Sharlto Copley (Chappie's mannerism is uniquely Sharlto Copley), Hugh Jackman (who would have thunk he could play such an @$$h0le)

The storyline, at least for the 2/3 of the movie play homage to Robocop (1987, Paul Verhoeven version) & Ghost In The Shell (1995). Outside of Paul Verhoeven, Neill Blomkamp is currently the ballsiest (is THAT a word??) director working in "Hollywood". The reason Hollywood is in quotation marks is because, this has a distinctly "unHollywood" vibe.

The Bad

Dev Patel is a pretty good actor. I just don't think he is the best suit for this role... The story is pretty "unique" for a Hollywood production, but at certain points, the "leap of faith" the director expects from the viewer, leaves me going... "but, but, but!"

The Ugly

I was gonna write that it was refreshing not to see the American Flag in this movie, but alas in the middle of the movie... *Sigh*. I do not agree with the Director/Writer's conclusion. Not necessary a bad thing. At least it challenges it's viewer to "think about it"

Conclusion

If you think the above is a negative review, it really isn't.

Go watch this. It is very entertaining!! 3.5/5

My Two Sen

Am assuming you have read American review and you are having second thoughts...

Let me put it this way. This is not an American-centric movie, hence the negative reviews from the Americans...

Cinderella (2015)

Wow, no actual reviews yet?

I could have sworn the cinema was pretty full yesterday (Nu Sentral)

Or are you guys here too shy to admit that you have watched this!!

Permit me to stick my head out here.

I was bored, I actually had some free time yesterday and I went to watch and it is what you expect from a Disney Fairytale/Live Action.

Don't get me wrong. This is NO Alice In Wonderland (2010) (re-imagine by Tim Burton)

The script is very true to the Disney Animation Classic.

Kenneth Branagh is great. Everything he touches has an English sensibility, which is appropriate for this movie.

Nice to see Ben Chaplin (I remember him from The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996) opposite Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo. You guys might remember him from The Thin Red Line (1998)) in a big Hollywood movie again (As Cinderella's Father).

Lily James, I feel, "tried a little too hard". I think she would do the role better justice, if she relax a smidgen.

Richard Madden who plays the Prince looks familiar, for the whole movie I went, where have I seen him before, where have I seen him before and after doing a search, Robb, the Game Of Thrones!!!

Derek Jacobi plays a fine and ailing King and Stellan Skarsgård a deliciously conniving Grand Duke.

Now for the reason I went to see this movie, Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother. She is SO elegantly... CRUEL. Does she have no peer?! Alas no, as cruel as she is, I believe she had a hard act to follow... Namely, Anjelica Huston!!

I am not sure if you young'un remember, there is actually a Cinderella Live Action movie (sans magic), named Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998) where Anjelica Huston played the wicked Stepmother, and to date, she has NOT been surpassed in that role!!

Conclusion. This is a true adaptation of the Disney Animation Classic, Cinderella (1950).

There are no surprises, no twist and you know what happens at the end.

One basically watch this movie to see... how a pumpkin gets turn into a coach (And I do not mean a handbag!!?! )!!!

For the chicks reader, yes, the palace scene is great. And there are ballroom dance with all the bells and whistle (gowns, ballroom dancing, orchestration music etc). I am no expert but the Cinderella gown seems... "impossible" at times. In Green Lantern they had to CGI Green Lantern's costume... Does it mean they are now CGI'ing Cinderella's ballroom gown!!!?!

Oh! Almost forgot the wonderful Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother (Bib Baddi Bob Baddi Boo and all) ...

She is the goto "gal" for all the weird Hollywood movies chick character nowadays!!

Seriously, do I need to ask you to go see this??

My Two Sen

Cant wait for the movie

After 2 diminshing sequel. how does the tird sequel hold up, compared with the original?

Mov_freak maybe i should go muvi with u one fine day.

Why leh???

So you can verify, just HOW FREAKY I am??