Movie Review: Angels & Demons (2009)

For those who read those interestingly novels by Dan Brown must have known that this is one of the best title ever, apart from Da Vinci Code and I also love to read Digital Fortress. After a huge success adapting Da Vinci Code on the silver screen, then come Angels & Demons.

So yesterday, after reading numerous reviews and of course some 'moral' support - I aptly after inane day-off doing nothing, went to TGV and bought myself a ticket. Well, it was movie day and got myself a half-priced ticket.

Once again, A&D cannot be departed from Vatican and its history - introducing Illuminati (another interesting subjects in the course of history that live on its own mystery) as a lining-up battle between religion and science.

Along the way, there was a conclave residing to decide a new pope to take over the throne. It was an amazing experience to learn about papacy systems, which I read fascinatingly after the death of John Paul II on the news.

Then, the combination of science as depicted through progress development at CERN to 'catch' anti-matter from energy released after collision brought us to another level of imagination. One great piece of imagination, I would say.

Whilst the director took us to many places around Rome (Pantheon - House of Every God) to the limited-access archive in Vatican City as well as high-point of churches tops to the subterranean of necropolis in order to solve the Illuminati puzzles and riddles, I have to say - this is too, amazing 'visits'.

The director had tried to put (but limited) other information on the ground of 25 December and the original history of Vatican City that was once the site for pagan religion for Roman pre-Christianity and the date of 25 December was to celebrate the Son on Sun (a god in pagan Roman).

Perhaps, as some other suggest their upsets over some failures of the director to really adapting the story from its original novel - I would still want to give an applause for him as he had successfully made a piece of art that perhaps not an easy one to produce. I really enjoyed it, that I do wish that one day, I shall be able to be at St Peter's to watch another Pope's ceremony (despite my belief).

As for others, I would still suggest GO and WATCH. You'll sure enjoy it though, it create sa little 'dimension' (or perhaps, better a little straying course) from the original novel. I'd give 4 out of 5.

Movie Review :: Dragonball - Evolution (2009)

Dragonball is back. Now set your time to collect it!

I have always marvelled and attached to Dragonball quite personally. It was 1994 and I was in elementary school when a friend introduced the class with a new comic. It changed hands very often and at the end of the day, the first issue was tore and wore down.

All of us can't wait for the next issue until later it stopped when I was a junior student at a grammar school.

But the rave started again in 2001 when I was in prep-college, where a bunch of students would wait every Saturday not to miss the cartoon-plays show on TV.

When the movie went out (12th March in Malaysia), a friend asked me out to fulfil his delight of childhood interest. Ok, I said. We went for TGV at Seberang Perai City.

Unlike other movie that I can write a peering review, this one will lack so many comments except that I would say - "If you don't mind to parted away with your money, then go..."

I really am up to something when I first walked in. I do hope that it could raved-up my childhood comic characters, but it has not completed the wish. To make it worse, the blend of lined-up actors seems to be a complete disaster. Chow Yun-fatt could never live the comical shell-back Kame-hame Ha.

There's nothing much I can write about this movie, sorry for that. But, allow me to quote a conversation I over-heard, "So many things lack in this movie. It's not even 50% comparable to the comics nor the tv shows."

(this is wallpaper size image, click to enlarge)

Perhaps, there'll be a sequence for this. I don't know. Out of 5, I'd give 2. One, for the charming kid and one for trying to living-up the once everyone's hero.

Movie Review :: Geng - Pengembaraan Bermula (2009)

Finally, I went for GENG: Pengembaraan Bermula (Gang: The Adventure Begins) last night with a newly met friend at Sunway Carnival’s GSC. It really amazed me, when I am looking up at the seats on the booking screen where most of them have been bought or reserved. The only left unoccupied would either be the double-seatings on the sides or couple-seats at the last row. Never knew that it really is attracting so many movie-goers.

That was one story, this is another story. In the movie theater, every seat was fully occupied. In front of me, a double-seat sat by three persons. I would call it a full-house, as the “never-bought” front rows were also taken. Gosh, Upin & Ipin really made their days!

I found the movie to be rather ordinary yet complex in its presentation. The dry thought of dry comical essence thrown by Upin or Ipin made some way for laughter. The pretty Kak Ros not much living to her sense as was in her series.

I would rather say that the story line has been over developed and too much exaggerated. While the characters of Upin & Ipin (may perhaps not totally lost to the City Boys, but) was somehow shaded and drought.

There were elements of shocking and awe. I even came to the stunt for few scenes (and Amir was laughing at me, so bad ah you! The last time I made noticeable stunt was during Pirates of Caribbean with David.)

One thing that I have to put here is that a comment by office-mate who went there earlier with her children: “The children were jumping from their seats!”

I may prefer the series, but this movie has really made it ways! Go for Upin & Ipin.

Azri, citer ni memang best la – thanks to introduce me to that living characters of Upin, Ipin and Kak Ros. Amir, thank you! (In a comical way)

PS: I think that the subtitle needs to be studied again. At some point, it relaying wrong perception and rendering wrong meaning on a particular situation.

Movie Review : Accidental Husband (2008)

Last night, I was unable to sleep. So at 1 am - I played the movie to fill my "time" and waiting for my eyes to get tired again so I can go to bed.

Comedy as it might sounds and romantic at it may seems - Accidental Husband has a unique way of finding Love.

R-E-A-L.

R - Is he Responsible?

E - Is he your Equal?

A - Is he an Adult?

L - Is he Loving?

As Dr Emmaline Willing Llyod put it through on her radio broadcast - Real Love.

It wreaks havoc for most of her advices made grief - by torning away relationships. And that happened to Patrick Sullivan when his fiance is having a second thought and put an end to their relationship.

As way to make his revenge - and using Ajay's ability to make a "glitch", he made our Dr Love to be married hence in order for Dr Love to get married to her fiance, she needs to annul her previous "marriage."

Guess to whom she got married to? Take no other answer than Patrick Sullivan himself. So, she went over to Astoria to get him signed "some" (127 pages) papers to their "annulment."

From here, he develops love and she get swayed along.

This is a romantic comedy where "it is ok to make few mistakes" and find your true love so "you can stop to looking over your shoulder."

I would say, "Go and watch this!" as I would rate 3/5 - for their characters and contents.

Movie Review: Twilight (2008)

Yeah.. It is movie day (Wednesday) that you can go for RM5 at TGV. Friends came over from Terengganu, spending their annual holiday in Penang and their first stop was visiting me (I do appreciate that, though) and asked if we can go out for leisure time and spend an evening somewhere. He'd want to watch Twilight as he (and so do I) prefers vampire kind of thing. We both followed Moonlight (vampire series) and I have watched Van Helsing (like twice).

The movie started with pretty gloomy introduction and characters shown to be nice - perhaps it was because they live in small town that people knew each other quite well, I guess.

No, this is not the first time that I watched vampires who don't drink from human (be him dead or alive) - Supernatural has that, vampires who feed on animal's blood and Moonlight who feeds from not-so-fresh blood of dead body taken from morgue.

As Moonlight tries to show diverting part of "new" and "modern" vampires who lives to be stock-broker, detectives and other professional roles while at they same time they are NOT affected by direct-sunlight. Twilight shows glittering skin when a vampire exposed to sunlight while Moonlight just show that vampires don't mind but cannot get over exposed.

Ok, enough comparison I think - this is not about Moonlight.

The FIRST one hour is pretty slow (it runs for two hours) and kinda flat. It goes for a little peak towards the end, but doesn't really off the chart. Perhaps if Twilight can show different angle of Cullens life and show what the rest do for living and how do they think.

The plot of killing another vampire in Phoenix does not go to the extend of full intention of "hunting" that shows the vampire to be very smart in thinking and designing situation. It perhaps be better if that involve more and more antagonist parts of showing affection towards love and restraining of killing same kind.

While the ending may not be what we have expected, I do think that this movie shall have sequel and heard (read somewhere) that they are going to have TV series on this. I don't know - to follow or not. Prefer metropolitan- compared to country-vampire.

(Last night scenes, I am sure have been cut many and at many places, thus needed me to wait for full unrated DVD to go out to watch again.)

Ok, if I were allowed to rate, I'd give 1 for the storyline (vampires) and 1 for stunning camera movement (which shows the aerial view of the Forks country-side), making the total of 2 out 5.

Movie Review: James Bond - Quantum of Solace

I was having nerve-breakdown since the morning and terribly can’t do anything. I was watching Queer as Folk (season 2) when suddenly an abrupt question pops-up and I can’t find any easy answer.

So, I decided to go out and help relief the mind by doing something different that the routine (spending time at home reading or watching videos). Called over for Shafir and we go out for lunch – Kenny Roger’s.

Not knowing anything to do to fill up the day, I went for James Bond – Quantum of Solace. Venue would be TGV at Jaya Jusco Seberang Perai.

The movie only started to be played HALF AN HOUR later, which was delayed due to technical problem. I don’t think this is remote case, since my previous experience made me waiting for nearly 15 minutes in the middle of the showing. Man, TGV sucked! Oppss…

Only, let’s get back to my personal view of the film.

I don’t find this new BOND to be interesting enough unlike previous BONDS. I said so because of it has no peaks and no more amusing gadgets. This time, BOND relies too much on political affairs and so much so that no new things have been introduced.

Daniel Craig looks pretty much old, unlike in his previous movie as BOND, the only thing that caught the sight would be his blue-eyes. I too don’t find the peak or final solutions or conclusions that could draw what was the problem or what was the organization they were looking after.




It is now or so, BOND has becoming a crappy movie. The director may want to introduce new elements instead of solely relying on the brand name.

If I may, I just give 2 out of 5. (1 each for Daniel Craig's blue eyes)

Movie Review : Max Payne (2008)

Max Payne – made me remembers of games I used to play. Duke Nukem and Diable II, but these games were like more than 8 years in history. So, when there’s a movie made on a game title, it is really catchy one. If Tomb Raider played by Angeline Jolie made a huge way for its fan, Max Payne going to made another history.

This was true, when the lead actor introduced better. Mark Wahlberg (aka Marky Mark) takes another challenge to bring a live character into the movie, but I think this one was a disaster. He really made things happened in The Italian Job, Shooter and The Happening, but not in this one.

A friend asked if I am interested to join his group to go for that movie last weekend and without hesitate I agreed, of course with the thought that “Oh, Marky’s another great movie!”


But only later to learn that 2 guys slept in the movie hall and the rest felt that the movie was crappy and some blundering that the movie has no peaks nor enthralled ending. It was just flat from the very beginning. Besides, the dark cinema concept the producer wanted to use doesn’t work and it made another disaster. Very sad to watch the hunky of my favorite actor ends up with this stupid film (Sorry to say!)

I might not good to judge a movie quality, but if I am allowed to rate this, I’d give 1.25 over 10. 1 for Marky Mark and another 0.25 for catchy name.




Anyway, not as useless as the movie might have been, I get to know to new friends and get up meeting with longed-met buddy. As usual, Nash Donut would be hang-after place.

Movie Review: Eagle Eye (2008)

My birthday and I went for (not so) new movie, EAGLE EYE. At first, yes I like the movie, very stunning effects and have lot of questions to what are going to happen next. Only later when Jerry (Shia LaBeouf) finds out who was talking to them, the full plot really revealed. It is not hard to pickup what is going to happen next with Rachel (Michelle Monaghan). Every future element is predictable. Not to dictate that this is copy-cat movie, but looking back on the core of the movie, pretty much to match (or maybe less) to I-Robot (Will Smith, 2004). I have no rights to make comparison, but still I cannot stop myself – while watching the movie, I can only sense up and summarised that EAGLE EYE probably came to very same idea of I-ROBOT, that computer wanted to take over decision making and in order to protect human from doing hard to another human, the computer took necessary step be eliminating threats (by killing the suspect). It has becoming less suspense and to some plot where the FBI Agent Morgan (Billy Bob Thornton) gave his badge and protocol for Jerry to go to Capitol and save the president pretty much showed how the characters in the movie were not well developed.

But on the other side, I still like to movie. I like the idea of super computer which can do a lot of hyper processing and how our lives were and are pretty much linked to databases and someone can come up to analyse our habit, spending patterns, personal history and to some level come to threat and put danger to someone’s life.

I would give 4 out of 10 stars.

The one who treats for my birthday...

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda (2008)

While have nothing much to-do (while doing little study during bored day of Saturday), I happened to download this movie. Err... It was like that I have missed to watch this movie at the cinema (probably, to tell the truth - I am on "tight" budget [RM8 pun tak mampu!])

Everyone, I mean everyone - as far from Sarawak, to right the person who lies next to me on bed (while watching some other movie) asked me, insistingly to go and watch for this particular movie. But, I keep on saying, "Naa, cartoon is not for me."

It seems that I had mistakenly adopting the idea that cartoon don't do much as it has very straight forward story line and there's no difference as available cartoon on the tv network. I am wrong and eminently should never amissed such great works of art.

Kung Fu Panda was to me, very funny - well developed story line and its drama resemblance part of what I learnt in school.

The is no secret for secret - likewise a teacher told me, there is no secret to success, everything is inside you. If you want to success, put your willing and strength together in order to achieve it. There is no difference from a guy to another - but their willingness to strive and their willingness to look for changes.

It happened to me last year, when somebody from quite well-known company told me that I am going to fail eventually for not following his set of advice for my daring to use different method that he suggested. When he met me early this year, he asked me "Have you re-applied?" Well, I just nodded, and reply with another question "Why should I, when I had already passed?" In sum, doing or being different doesn't mean that you are going to fail. It was just another flavor!

We tend on to look at something and keep on continue doing something that we are familiar with, and afraid of trying something new. Perhaps, that also need to be changed. Dream big and believe the unbelievable.

One quote that I like the most:

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift—that is why they call it the present. - Turtle Master.

Movie Review: A Walk to Remember (2002)

Last week, I went to Alor Setar to give talk on Account Management, and later that night I went to see a friend there, Sayuthi. I asked if he can suggest me a movie to watch, and a prompt answer from him just "A Walk to Remember".

Then I came back to Penang, and start looking for the movie. I found it on Wednesday, but only today (Saturday) I have time to watch it... I thought it just another romance or comedy story...

But in turn, I got tears as it to warming up my heart with intense "pain", "love" and "sincerity". I was very sad, but it is meaningful of how life can be "cruel", but "I am not angry with God". Since you love him, "be fair to him."

Jamie saved my life
She taught me everything.
About life, hope...
...and the long journey ahead.
I'll always miss her.
But our love is like the wind.
I can't see it...
...but I can feel it.

Don't asked me much about it. If you are looking for a movie that could move your heart, then watch this. I would give 5/5.

Pursue your dreams!!!

Movie Review: Made of Honour (2008)

Went for the movie yesterday with Hafiz at Golden Screen Cinema, Queensbay. Another love story, but not so sticking. The characters were well developed, though it was much the same like other love story "he loves her, but she loves another man, but at the end they get married and live happily ever after", it brings some differences.

The one that everyone shall notice would be the "gay"-character, since Tom has been invited to be the Maid-of-Honour and everyone thinks of him being gay. But in order for Tom to pursue his loves towards Hannah, he tried to make everything perfect in the sense of showing that he is now matured enough and sensitive.

It also "brings" the audience to Scotland, the land of beauty with its sceneries and traditions. The low-kilt wore by Tom, the Higland Games, the Gaelic-speaking ladies and some not-so-thicked accent.

I would give 3/5 and if you like this kind of theme, then you better watch it by yourself....