Short Circuit (1986)



Ah... the 80s... is there a stranger point in time...

America was in it's hey days.

Reagan just sold the country (CBS was sold to Sony etc) to Japan and the country was flush with money

Walkman and VHS were the IN thing, and people actually talk to each other, FACE To FACE....

Good times....

The movie industry went through another transition....

In the 50s... MGM (MGM was so big that Warner, Fox, Disney, Paramount, put together, weren't even near the size of MGM!!) was brought down by TV and it was feared that VHS was bring down Warner, Fox, Disney, Paramount!!

Blockbuster sprang out of nowhere (a chain of video rental shops) and made a TON of money. This also taught the movie studios that this new format can actually bring them in further revenue!! This was a happy marriage!!?!

It is also in this period where people was talking about blockbusters!

Jaws, Raiders and Star Wars were big hits in the 70s and were release on video.

This new stream of revenue also encourage sequels to be made Jaws 2, Raiders 2 etc

And what am I going on about!!?!

Short Circuit was made during this time, a modern retelling of Frankenstein, with a happier ending. To understand the existence of this movie, you have to understand the 80s!!

The Asian invasion had already begun in America (Ben Jabituya??).

I have watched this on SO MANY Format

VHS, Laserdisc, DVD and now in HD!!

It doesn't have the nicest picture and sound transfer

This movie is ALL ABOUT NOSTALGIA!!!!

I really don't know if young'un would like this movie or just find it tacky!!!

Here is a horror story young'un.... to get general knowledge during the 80s.... you have read to something called.... THE ENCYCLOPEDIA!!!! Things made out of paper, usually is several volumes... You might still see samples of it in Libraries (if you are lucky) Here is the horror part... there was NO internet in the 80s (well, not much access and information anyway)!!!!!!????! No, internet cafes, not handphones, no iPad. NOTHING OF VALUE TO YOUSE!! And yet, we survived!!?! I hope you are able to sleep tonite...

Me, this is a guilty pleasure of mine!!

To each their own!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 9 2013, 05:51 PM

Yes, Denzel Washington's characters ALWAYS makes the RIGHT and HARD decisions....

Haha! My "sarcasm" seem to have drawn more comments then my usual blah blahs....

But alas, it is true. Although we have gotten more and more advance communication tools, but the art of communicating seems to be dying....

Sorry, don't seem to be available...

Great!! I'm NOT the only on then...

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 13 2013, 08:48 AM

**deleted**

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 13 2013, 08:49 AM

Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012)

Okay... anyone who has been paying attention would know by now that I'm NOT a Twilight fan

I have given my reason for this.

I've also explained in my previous posted why I continue watching the series even though I do not appreciate this.

Here are additional why the storyline is problematic to me



I have to say I have had NO expectations going into this movie and surprisingly, there WAS one surprise!!

I knew what the ending was going to be.

And yet the author of the books had a "twist" I did not figure on.

Picture and sound is good.

Storyline had a passable twist.

Am I a diehard Twilight fan now?

Don't hold your breath.

My Two Sen.

How is THAT?

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 15 2013, 09:56 PM

A Haunted House (2013)

It has been quite sometime since the Wayans had done any low brow comedies.

The last one I can remember, Marlon Wayans in was Little Man...

This movie makes fun of all the paranormal movies and then some...

I've notice Marlon Wayans likes to make fun of homosexuals and have to add, this movie takes THAT to a whole new level...

For a low brow comedy, there are actually some spooky bits in this one...

If you like the first two Scary Movies, White Chicks and Little Man, chances are you will find this enjoyable...

As always...

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 18 2013, 07:49 PM

You should see him in Oblivion!!

Will be watching Jack Reacher soon...

Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day....

Well, paint me blue and call me a smurf!!

Two Tom Cruise movie in a week.

Good Story √
Great Actors √
Action Packed √
Fantastic Production Value √
Amazing Pacing √

So, is there anything wrong with the movie?

In a nutshell, NO!

A rare animal indeed. A recent movie that delivers everything!!

The best part about this movie Robert Duvall's character, Cash.

I'll say no more.

Do yourselves a favour.

Watch this is you had not already!!

Mr Two Sen

Hitchcock (2012)

... I'm speechless.

Firstly, NOBODY put anything here...

Secondly, this movie was made with NO MONEY (Supposedly, Scarlett Johansson [at first look, you go, nah that is not Janet Leigh, but in some scenes...] and Jessica Biel ask for next to nothing to be in this)

Toni Collette (as Hitchcock's secretary) and James D'Arcy (as Anthony Perkins) are crazy good.

Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren.... as I had stated, I'm speechless.

Some of you know that I'm a die hard Alfred Hitchcock fan

It took me some time to actually watch this because I was afraid.

I was afraid that this might "diminish" Alfred Hitchcock for me.

I watched this during the weekend, and it took me this long to write a review about it.

I needed to let it sink in...

And By Jove this is a HECK of a good movie.

It is SCARY GOOD.

As I had stated, this movie did not have a budget.

Most people did it, because of the association with Alfred Hitchcock!!

This is a fictitious telling of the period in time, where Alfred Hitchcock was making the movie Psycho, arguably his most well known and received movie.

The broad strokes of the story is real.

Alfred Hitchcock and his wife had to mortgage their house to raise money to the movie (Paramount was to chicken shit to do so. They considered the story to risque).

Alfred Hitchcock did have a nervous breakdown while making the movie (since it was all or nothing to him).

Alfred Hitchcock had to figure out a way to market the movie, since Paramount was not gonna do it.

Everything else is the "made up" by Stephen Rebello, the author of the book.

Alma Hitchcock (wife to Alfred Hitchcock) had always stood by her man, and many people knew that behind every successful man there is an equally capable woman, but this movie, my goodness Alfred Hitchcock would be less them half of a man if Alma was not by his side!!

Sacha Gervasi the director had only done a documentary before this movie, and one would not feel that this is a work of an amateur...

Him making this movie with no money, is in sync with Alfred Hitchcock, desperately wanting to do Psycho and does not have a money from Paramount to do it...

Clever, Clever, CLEVER!!!!

Heck of a movie!

If you young'un want to know want a good movie is, look no further!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 1 2013, 01:22 PM

Mama (2013)

Let's cut to the chase, this is a horror movie, so, is it scary??

The answer is, with the right setup, YES!!!

If you had watched this is a good cinema, or you have a good home theater, this movie can be very frightening!!

It is how the movie design.

There are a lot of image and sound the is very subtle and if you have a really bad copy, these nuances will be missed and hence the lack of enjoyment (fright!)

The best I can describe this is, anything that Guillermo del Toro is involve in would be DARK!!

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that he is the Prince of Darkness per say...

I believe his motives are more towards, if he (Guillermo del Toro) does not show us what is dark, how can we appreciate the light!

At least that is my take.

Creepy movie evolves around two very young children, and surprisingly with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (of Games of Throne fame) who is NOT the focus of the movie.

Guillermo del Toro likes his women and likes them to be strong, tough and independent (maybe, what he wishes his daughters to be??)

I think this takes the award for the scariest movie of 2013, so far.

We still have Insidious 2 to go so...

For people who likes horror movies, please consider.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 20 2013, 12:47 AM

The Tower (2012)

A Modern Korean, retelling of Towering Inferno... Interesting

Cannot say I watch alot of Korean movies, and have to add, this is not bad, quite well made

My Two Sen

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013)

I understand that many a people are disappointed that Stephen Chow is ACTUALLY not in the movie.

I believe I actually "Sense" him in it, via other actors.

The story is a little "all over the place", and have to add, over all I think it is NOT bad.

This is Stephen Chow's take on the origins of the main characters of Journey to the West, Tang San Chang, Sa Chen, Chu Pa Zhek and Sun Wu Kong.

He also throw in his other love, Chinese Martial Arts.

The storyline is NOT well define, some characters are downright disposable, and also have to add, his intentions are well meaning.

After such a long hiatus, I believe most people's expectation are well above boiling point!!

So, in summary, good CGI, good sounds, haphazard storyline, Huang Bo (Sun Wu Kong) steals the movie.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 20 2013, 10:14 PM

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

I have done a review of this after I watched it in the cinema.

For THAT review please goto Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter Review

What I would like to add here is that, the advantage of watching this outside the cinema, because there is nothing cut!!

Picture and Sound quality is superb.

There is a blatant fault to this movie, it tried TOO HARD to be... hip!

See you at the next review.

My ANOTHER two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 20 2013, 10:15 PM

I've seen that before, William Petersen in the lead....

I actually like Red Dragon more...

Better.... flow...

... The thing that bothers me most is in Manhunter William Peterson lived in a RIDICULOUS expensive house!! How does an out of work FBI agent AFFORD such a place!!!!!! Red Dragon is more believable. Also really REALLY like Edward Norton in this one.... Just my opinion...

Ghostbusters (1984)



Believe it or not, I've NEVER watched this in the cinema.

Back then I was ALL about video tapes baby... (back then because of the time difference of movie release in the cinema in Malaysia, sometimes the video is release in the States B4, they are release in the cinemas in Malaysia)

I have since seen it on DVD and now Bluray.

Okay, I'm NOT really gonna talk about this movie, as per a movie.

What I like to talk about is the new 4K format!

This copy is the Ghostbusters remastered using the 4K technology...

Sony, in a nutshell is broke. They have put alot of hope in the new 4K TV and players...

And before you can say Bobbina is your aunty, they have release several "big" Sony productions (May) in this new format, namely:

Spider-Man (2002)
Glory (1989)
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Angels & Demons (2009)
Total Recall (2012)
The Karate Kid (2010)
The Other Guys (2010)

Having got Ghostbusters from previous release, watching this in HDTV and player (Not the UltraHD TV and player) the format does show some promised.

The original Ghostbusters transfer to HD, has never been a reference material, having said that neither is Ghostbusters 4K...

What I can say about the format is, the details are more pronounce!!

Alot of the "details" which were not very apparent in the original transfer, is all out of the closet.... so to speak!!

Does this mean I'm going 4k?

Not so fast. At this point in time, I'm using it on my Full HD equipment (it is backward compatible)

Sony has been notorious in releasing dud technology...

Beta Tapes, Disc Man, Mini Disc anyone??

To date ONLY nine 4K discs are announced, will there be more???

I cannot answer that.

So my suggestion would be to wait and see.

My Two Sen.

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 24 2013, 12:28 AM

Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft (2013)

***** This is a public service announcement *****

Avoid this movie like THE PLAGUE.

This movie has a budget of USD $1,000,000.

That is the same amount of reasons why you SHOULD NOT watch this.

Calling this BAD is an insult to the word BAD!!?!

I believe Film Student's projects are much MUCH better then this DOO DOO.

You have been warned kiddies. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 26 2013, 02:21 PM