Yes Man

Rating: 7.1/10

Genre: Comedy

Overall value for money and time: 7.0/10

The movie is about a negative guy who says 'no' to almost everything. However, he was given the challenge to say 'yes' to every opportunity that comes his way. Things snowballs when an unexpected encounter with a homeless beggar leads to another life changing event, and so forth. Any movie with Jim Carrey in it will almost always yield lotsa laughter, especially when you know its a supposedly funny movie. However, I have to say that might be true only in the past, back in those days when he was starring in The Mask and Ace Ventura. He has lost his comedy appeal with his standard gags and rubber face. Though I'm a huge fan of his, I have to admit this isn't a great movie. Joey Deschanel contributed a major part in the rating. The situation in the movie is unrealistic, and the humor is borderline standard. If asked whether the movie is recommended... I will pause a little... and say... "Maybe".

Tropic Thunder

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Action Comedy

Overall value for money and time: 7.3/10

If you're looking for a movie to bring out the butterflies during a rainy day, this is it. Though it's quite the no-brainer movie, the humor is original. A star studded movie about a group of actors who unknowingly enter a real life situation to shoot a high budget war movie. Well, this is a part that doesnt really makes sense, I mean, how did the crew manage to plant hidden cameras all around the forest without being shot at? Still, if you were to leave logic aside and enjoy the movie for its lameness, it will pass off as a very decent movie. Though I'm not fond of Jack Black, I have to swallow my pride and admit that some of the movies he stars in are good, like King Kong, The Holiday and Nacho Libre, and this movie of course. Robert Downey Jr gives another brilliant performance in tickling your laughing genes. Ben Stiller is still as lame as ever (in a good sense) and directing this movie shows how versatile he is. Highly applaudable. Oh, and I didnt know Tom Cruise was in this movie only near the end of the movie. Good makeup effects as well! Though the poster might give you the impression that this could be a remake of the video game Metal Slug, don't let it fool you. This movie is like no other seen or will be seen in a long long time...

Rec.

Rating: 8.9/10

Genre: Horror

Overall value for money and time: 8.8/10

I've grown out of horror movies, but this is undisputably one of the best horror movies I have ever seen. The movie is about a tv reporter and her cameraman following a fire fighting team on one of their night rounds. However, what they were about to bargain for will leave you grasping for air. This movie is shot in first person view, similar to "Blaire Witch Project" and "Cloverfield". While "Blaire Witch Project" lacked the high resolution of video taking, and "Cloverfield" lacked a full ending, "Rec." is the cream of the crop of such movies. "Quarantine" is a remake of this spanish zombie-horror film. Looking at the trailers, the scenes in "Quarantine" are a total replica of "Rec." Therefore, though I have not caught "Quarantine", I would strongly suggest you give it a miss and catch the original at its very best. The cinematography and the angles of all the shots are excellently thought of. The director truly knows how to keep the audience at the edge of their seats, without relying on cliche horror sound effects. Apart from the irrational hastened rate of metamorphosis at the second half of the movie, everything adds up in the end and its not one of those movies that leaves you hanging. Though slightly exaggerated, the characters in the movie are convincing. Be warned though, this movie is not for the fainthearted. There will not be a moment for you to calm down once the camera starts recording...

Body of Lies vs Traitor

Rating: 6.7/10

Genre: Action Drama

Overall value for money and time: 6.2/10

In the recent years, there's an enormous increase in terrorist movies, or even movies of similar genres. Movies like "Rendition" and "Die Hard with a Vengence" are one of those top movies. The recent movie by the critically acclaimed director Ridley Scott's "Body of Lies" was a great disappointment for me. It lacked the build up and the plot. What it had was korny humor and subtle suggestive idealogy. In other words, the plot isn't that straightforward, much of it has to be inferred. There are pros and cons for this approach, but it wasn't enough to boost this movie up into the ranks of the tops. Although Ridley Scott is a reputable director and actors like Russell Crowe and Leonardo Dicaprio are veteran actors, this movie still felt like it lacked something crucial to its success. *Caution, spoilers ahead*. I would normally keep the plot of movies disclosed as I'm not fond of spoiling the fun for others, but I will make an exception this time because I find it only appropriate to state my reasons for thrashing this movie. "Body of Lies"has a slight hint of "The Hunting Party" in it, another flop movie that does not deserve to be screened in the threatres, about suggesting how incapable the US government is. The two movies are poking fun at the inefficiency and the reliance on technology that even the terrorist (or crime lords in "The Hunting Party") ultilizing simple methodologies are able to outsmart the most powerful country in the world. It was a direct "parody" for the latter, but Ridley Scott did it in a more subtle manner. Also, the ending suggest that Leonardo Dicaprio was recruited by the Jordianian Intelligence team but was not put across bluntly. There was a scene of the Jordianian Intel. leader standing behind a water fountain with the water directly sprouting from his *ahem* (an example of lame humor). The confrontation and the J.I.L with Leonardo at the end was many notches down with the confortation of Russell Crowe with Denzel Washington in "American Gangster". There wasn't a scene in the movie which made this movie outstanding or stand up above the rest. Even the ending torture scene where Leonardo's fingers were hammered, there was no rationale of him disclosing the idenity of the terrorist spy (how would that save him?). Unlike "Body of Lies", there is a movie that has finally excelled above the movies of such genre.... "Traitor".

Rating: 8.2/10

Genre: Action Drama

Overall value for money and time: 8.5/10

"Traitor" has a mixture of "Eastern Promises" and "Rendition" in it. It leaves you hanging about the true identity of the protagonist of the movie and there is a killer ending to it. The build up is good and will not leave you a feeling of dragginess in the movie, something which "Body of Lies" lacked. The latter movie almost felt like a 3hr movie when in fact it only slightly exceeded 2 hours. "Traitor" on the other hand is a movie you cant get enough of. However, "Traitor" lacked the smoothness of the storyline. The start and middle was good, but the ending felt a little abrupt. *More Spoilers ahead* There wasn't a good flow between the male protagonist and how he was able to convince the dectective hard on his back that he was on their side, and of course there wasn't any closure for the dispute between him and his wife. Apart from these countable weak points, everything about the movie was applaudable. If I had 1 word to sum up both movies, "Body of Lies" would be "Yawn", while "Traitor" would be "Impressive".

(Synopsis of the mentioned movies can be found at www.imdb.com)

The Dark Knight

Rating: 9.8/10

Genre: Action Drama

Overall value for money and time: 9.8/10

With the current craze of superhero movies in the recent months, I didn't expect too much out of this movie. Great superhero movies like "The Incredible Hulk" and "Iron Man" have certainly set the benchmark for movies of similar genre. Despite great reviews about "The Dark Knight", I was skeptical. For movie buffs like myself, I've experienced too many high expectation movies which disappointed. The trailers weren't exceptionally alluring, but the fact that Heath Ledger died after this movie added an additional "appeal" to it. The prequel "Batman Begins" had many fans singing praises of it, but for those who's not a fan of batman will only see it as a good movie. I, for one, was not a fan of Batman movies. Was, is the word, because the difference between the current sequel is that it makes fans out of its viewers.

Here's a quick sypnosis of the movie. With the growing crime activities in Gotham city, an alliance is formed between the new district attourney, Harvey Dent, Batman, and Lieutenant James Gordon to take down the crime syndicate. They did succeed, initially, until the crime lords decided to employ a new villian "The Joker" to take out Batman. Things get messy as Batman is forced to reveal his identity to the world while The Joker brings out the dark side of humanity. This isn't a one villian movie, taking on a similar plot as "Spiderman 3", the villian two face will appear towards the end of the movie. And yes, it fortunately stops at 2 unlike "Spiderman 3" with its 3 villians - Sandman, Venom and himself.

Generally, Marvel movies are better made than DC (detective comics) movies. Marvel movies include Iron Man, Hulk, Spiderman, X-men, Fantastic Four etc, while DC movies include Superman, Batman, and er... that's all I can think of. But this movie is one that tops all. If you thought like I did the Spiderman series was as good as it gets, this is unbeatable. In "The Dark Knight", there's many subplots, and touches on many pyschological aspects pertaining to humanity. In a way, it's more down to earth and a movie which we can relate more closely than the rest of the superhero movies.

Never once in my life have I watched a movie in the threatres 3 times, and I just broke my record. The preivous record was twice, and the movie being "Titanic". "Titanic" was well worth it, with the 2nd viewing being an appreciation of the majesticity of the ship as well as the then new faces of Leonardo Dicarpio and Kate Winslet with their award winning performances. "The Dark Knight" is slightly different in that sense. The first viewing left me in a complete mess, I was confused with some takes in the movie and was too lost with words when the credit rolled that I thought it to be only a good movie. However, upon 2nd viewing, all my doubts were cleared and managed to see "hidden" stuff one would certainly miss out in the 1st. There were many slight subtleties in the movie which are easily overlooked. Let me name a few here (warning: spoilers up ahead).

1. I didn't notice Edison Chen's appearance in the movie initially. Those who caught a glimpse of him swore he only appeared for 2 seconds. However, it came to approximately 6 seconds.
2. When Harvey Dent and Rachel (Batman's ex-girlfriend) boarded the escort home, the look on the police officers' faces gave them away.
3. The first five minutes in the movie made the identity of the Joker pretty obvious when the camera zoomed up from the back of one of the robbers holding a mask in his hand. I did notice it at the start, but kinda lost track of it when they were robbing the bank, and when Joker unmasked himself, I was surprised to see him being in the crime scene.
4. When Harvey Dent revealed to Gotham city as being the outlaw vigilante (Batman), Joker chased him in a van down the underpass with a bazooka in his hand. However, he didnt blow up the truck Harvey Dent was in, instead, he shot at the police vehicles escorting the truck. However, when the batmobile showed up, he started firing at the truck. I was puzzled at first but came to realised that it was becos' Joker didnt want Batman dead, he just wanted to push him to his limit and have him commit a "crime".
5. In the hospital when Joker confronted two face, he passed a loaded gun to two face while two face was bed-ridden, and pointed the gun towards himself. It was a very risky move and when two face flipped the coin, the scene was cut. In other words, I believe regardless of the outcome, two face would have let the Joker off.
6. When the hospital was blown up, Joker sneaked up into a bus and it drove off. The final scene with the hostages being dressed up as clowns were the same hostages that the bus drove off in. Cos initially I was wondering where in the world did the Joker get all his hostages from?

There are many others such subtleties in the movie which can only be fully appreciated upon the 2nd viewing, hence I would recommend that you do not stop at the first. The 3rd viewing was pretty much like "Titanic", I watched it for the casts' performances and the well orchestrated development of the story plot. Heath Ledger's acting deserves more than a thunderous applause, it deserves a standing ovation. A true gem, a true classic, and for those of you who havent caught this movie, you're missing out on the ocar movie of the decade! It will be a long wait before another movie of such calibur matches up to this... Thank you Christopher Nolan (director), for delivering such an epic movie! Simply breath-taking, thought-provoking, beautifully orchestrated and highly memorable!!!

21

Rating: 6.7/10
Genre: Drama
Overall value for money and time: 6.9/10

Based on true accounts, the movie is about card counting and how a team of MIT students went to Vegas to win their millions. The mastermind is their professor, starring Kevin Spacey and the rest of the stars are fairly low profile. The main lead is the same lead for "Across the Universe". Those interested in card counting will not learn the methodology viewing this movie, for it only scraps the surface of it. For those who're just curious and ignorant of such a technique, this movie is a great eye-opener. However, this movie lacks a climax in it, though it does have a handful of intelligent and memorable scripts. Initially, I thought this movie was all about card "cheating", but it's not. The main focus was on the characters' developments. Being a card fanatic, the movie didn't live up to my expectations, a disappointment like the other cardshark movie "Shade"...

Pathology

Rating: 7.3/10
Genre: Slasher
Overall value for money and time: 7.2/10

A dark movie about an elite team of medical students challenging one another to commit the perfect murder. Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli from "Heroes") lands his debut lead role in a movie, and objectively, I thought he did an excellent job together with the other lead actor in this movie. Frankly, I'm not a fan of his, since I dislike his acting in the hit series "Heroes", but the director had great foresight in casting him as the lead actor. Be warned, this movie is disturbing and thought provoking, though it could have been under the genre of being a "Thriller", the gory scenes throughout the movie would easily qualify this film as a "Slasher" movie. Despite a rather predictable storyline, the build up and casting are commendable.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Rating: 7.0/10
Genre: Comedy
Overall value for money and time: 7.0/10

Sarah Marshall is a TV star who just broke with her devoted boyfriend. Devastated, he decided to take a vacation in Hawaii. There, he meets Sarah with her new boyfriend and tries ways and means to get her back. The first few moments of the movie was entertaining but the excitement somehow regresses as the movie progresses. Still, it's refreshing to see new faces such as the actresses Kristen Bell as electric gal from "Heroes" and Mila Kunis for her role as Jackie in "That 70's show". I thought it could have been a more touching movie but it turned out to be just an average popcorn comedy movie.

Paroflops

Rating: 2.2/10
Genre: Spoofs
Overall value for money and time: 3.0/10

The concept of a spoof movie was novel and enticing... but it should have stopped with the first. Scary movie was the first spoof movie made, though brainless, it was pretty entertaining. However, more and more movies of such genre have been made and it's just torturous watching them now. Though the upcoming "Disaster Movie" is yet to be screened.. you already know what to expect. I gave "Meet the Spartans" a go at the theatres and not only was I disappointed, I was flustered! A total waste of time as well as my money! Still, I must give the director props for finding the character lookalikes. I have caught every spoof movie ironically, though only one at the cinema, hoping it would be better the next. I am now overwhelmed with disappointment as the quality of the humour and entertainment decreases with each spoof movie made. Be warned, stay away from them to avoid unnecessary consumption of your time and intelligence...

Battle of the Hulks

1. The Incredible Hulk - Louis Leterrier

Rating: 8.1/10
Genre: Action
Overall value for money and time: 7.9/10

Another movie about The Incredible Hulk, this movie is slightly better in terms of CG and plot. This Hulk has a darker green complexion to Ang Lee's "Hulk" but when it comes to reviewing about this movie, everyone compares it to Ang Lee's movie. I'm not sure why that's so, since they are completely 2 different movies. But I guess that's the norm when it comes to Hollywood movies, there's always comparison between relevant titles. Thus, I will try to review it as individually and unbiasely as I can. Overall, the plot of it is good but I didn't like the villian - the Abomination. Luckily, the movie wasn't entirely about the villian. Intially, it was about Edward Norton (from "The Illusionist") trying to cure himself from being the Hulk. However, with a power like the Hulk's, everyone's trying to take that power and use it as their own, hence, the evolution of the Abomination (a supposed more controlled version of the Hulk). That's the part which I don't understand, it's no surprise Hulk won the villian at the end but why was Hulk able to control his power so easily? The movie almost felt like "King Kong" part 2 but it sure was an entertaining one. Smooth story development as well as great casting. Apart from the "Hulk Smash" at the end of the movie which made it slightly chessy, it's an experience not to be missed.

2. Hulk - Ang Lee

Rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Action
Overall value for money and time: 7.6/10

With the very first movie about the Hulk, I jumped at the opportunity to catch such a long awaited classic marvel superhero in the big screens. I must say, I wasn't disappointed unlike most of those who watched it. It had everything about the Hulk as I know him to be - bullet proof skin, massive strength yet fumbles at the love of his life, and a very angry and uncontrollable superhero. Was Eric Bana's breakthrough movie and as always, loved Jennifer Conelly! Though her acting isn't that applaudable, seeing her in any movie really spices up my day. The villian perished in an almost abrupt scenario in the end, but for those who doesnt know, the power of the Hulk comes from the anger which rages inside of him. The angrier he gets, the bigger he grows. However, this can only be seen in Ang Lee's version of the movie and not in "The Incredible Hulk", a major part overlooked. And the reason why the villian "exploded" was because the power of the Hulk is too intense for the villian to overcome, that's why we must sympathize how difficult it is for the Hulk himself to control his anger. Also, the Hulk's face is molded based on Ang Lee's face, a trivia worth knowing about. Though not a fantastic film, it's good enough for me to want to watch it a second time.

No Country For Old Men

Rating: 9.3/10
Genre: Thriller
Overall value for money and time: 9.3/10

A movie about a pyschotic killer on the loose chasing after the one man who stole his loot. Top notch acting by the cast especially the lead villian in this movie. He creates such an intense atmosphere throughout the screening of the movie that together with a fear so real it could make you break out in cold sweat! Well deserved oscar film for being the best movie of the year 2007. There are many scenes in this movie which made me gasps for air. No movie is perfect, and a downside of this one is that there really isn't a climax scene for the movie. I'm not sure why that is so, prolly perhaps there's just too many seat gripping scenes that you can't really rank them. The last 2 scenes of the movie didn't rocket me out of my seat but instead brought me back to reality. Still, they left a vivid impression for me. A true gem which will send a shiver down your spine and have you wonder - "What if there's really someone like him out there?" If there's a movie about the showdown of all the top villians, he's definitely going to emerge the champion...

There Will Be Blood

Rating: 8.4/10
Genre: Drama
Overall value for money and time: 8.0/10

Great film with a running time of approximately 2.5 hours! Though dialogue dominated, it has an engaging build up and an oscar winning performance by Daniel Day Lewis, the lead actor. This movie may not be everyone's cup of tea but I guarantee you this, you will certainly not regret watching it. There are a few memorable scenes which are highly seat gripping and heart wrenching - the blowup of the oil refinery site as well as the last scene. This is indeed another beautiful film which shows the darker side of human nature. I don't believe there's a "good" person in this film, which is one of the few films breaking the convention of the usual Hollywood movies, just a "bad" and a "worse". This movie is about the evolution of the oil industry from the finding father's point of view and the events which takes place over the course of time. (Fictional) There are many themes explored in this movie, such as family, greed, religion and status. Personally, for dialogue dominated films, I believe the success lies in the build up as well as the ending, both of which this movie is superior in.

Juno

Rating: 5.8/10
Genre: Comedy
Overall value for money and time: 5.6/10

Well, I stayed away from this movie for a long long time. When it was first screened at the local theatres, I thought I would never have watch this movie - a movie about teenage pregnancy. Due to the good reviews from imdb.com as well as my friend's reccomendation, I decided to give it a try. Not surprisingly, I wasn't fond of the movie. A girl's first sexual experience landed her into an unplanned preganancy. Deciding to keep the baby but not as her own, she decided to give it up for adoption to a married couple having difficulties with conceiving. Known for her role in "Hard Candy", the lead actress has this repelling force which turns me off - in simple english, I don't like her. This movie almost felt like another pedophillic film in the midst of it, perhaps "icllihpodep" since I felt she had a little crush on Jennifer Gartner's husband. It wasn't put blatantly but I was given that impression when she kept popping over at their house. Opps, a slight spoiler here but the course of the movie is pretty much predictable. I think it's greatly over-rated for it's just an average popcorn movie. Nothing memorable about it...

Ryan Reynolds

1. Waiting

Rating: 5.7/10
Genre: Comedy
Overall value for money and time: 5.5/10

Ryan Reynolds is probably most well known for his role in "2 guys, a girl and a pizza place". Though he started off slow, his career is finally kicking up. One of the "unsung heroes" of Hollywood, his acting is of extreme calibur, and would be appreciated given the right roles and opportunities. "Waiting" was one of his first few movies, however, it didn't even make a good past time movie. The film revolves around employees in a restaurant and what they do to nasty customers. It shows the "darker" side of the F & B industry in its entirety, honest yet probably slightly exaggerated. It has a shallow plot and the humour element was just half past six. The reason of this review is not to criticise Ryan Reynold's acting, instead it's here to remind us all that a bad movie doesnt make an actor bad.

2. The Nines


Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Suspense
Overall value for money and time: 7.2/10

The trailer for this movie was extremely enticing, so I thought, why not give it a try? Ryan Reynold is a guy living in 3 different worlds and he must patch things up (so must you) and understand why is that happening to him. Though it was rather confusing all the way till about three thirds of the movie, the ending brought forth a new concept that one might not be able to accept easily. I don't recall anything scary for the movie, so it falls under the "Suspense" category as opposed to being a "Thriller". Ryan Reynold takes on more serious roles in this movie and its a great movie to showcase his acting skills. However, I was not immensely impressed by the movie.

3. Chaos Theory

Rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy Romance
Overall value for money and time: 7.6/10

Just like the 1st 2 movies mentioned, this movie didn't receive much publicity, though the difference is that this movie deserved it. Highly touching and hilarious. The story is about a guy who's obsessed with perfect time management and soon realises that no matter how well you plan your life, it doesnt turn out the way you want it to be. Hence, he introduces what is called the "Chaos Theory" into his life, writing down things he never done before on cue cards and picking them randomly. It started off light heartedly, progressed into a more serious and teary situation and finally ended with an "enlightenment" take home message. Brilliant casting, as well as a good build up of plot development. This is a movie not to be missed.

4. Definitely, Maybe

Rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Comedy Romance
Overall value for money and time: 8.8/10

From the producers of "Notting Hill" and "Love Actually", how bad or unpredictable could this movie be? I was only half right. It was good, as expected, exceptional actually, but not predictable. A loving father tries to explain to his daughter about his pending divorce. Being taught about conception and sex education in class, she thinks she was a mistake, and questions her father about his love life before marriage. Her father tells a story of him and his 3 loves in his lives, changing the names of them and letting his daughter guess who the mother is. If you don't already know, the father is none other than Ryan Reynolds and the daughter is the young girl from "Little Miss Sunshine", one of the rising Hollywood kid stars. This movie has what I call the fairy tale element in it, together with pleasant suspense and cheeky lines on his daughter's role to add to the humour. It's quite a "fullsale" movie, and I just love this movie. One of the most romantic thought provoking movies I've ever seen, leaving you utterly shaken by the sincerity and truth of such a scenario. A must see! If you thought "Love Actually" or "Notting Hill" was good, it gets better!

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of the Fleet Street

Rating: 7.6/10
Genre: Musical
Overall value for money and time: 7.4/10

Benjamin Barker, sent away by an evil judge who fell in love with Benjamin's wife, returns with a different alias to take revenge. Supposedly aiding a new guy who has a crush on the Judge's daughter (actually Barker's daughter), he commences his diabolical plan. Now known as Sweeney Todd, he works with Mrs. Lovett, who makes meat pies out of humans that Sweeney kills whilst cutting their hair. The plot is highly disturbing and twisted, yet, due to the movie being in black and white (and red), one will not be entirely grossed out by it. Sounds similar to "Sin City" doesnt it? Well, this movie is 1.5 times more slasher-like compared to the former. Imagine combining a slasher movie, making it black and white, and turning it into a musical? The songs are catchy and novel, and how often do you get the chance to hear Johnny Depp singing? Once again, Johnny Depp displays his versitility and talent in acting. The movie has a high pace and the uniqueness of the cinematography makes this dark movie one of the films not to be missed. The ending will leave your hair stand on ends... Be disturbed, be highly disturbed, for the demon barber of the fleet street is here!

Across the Universe

Rating: 6.3/10
Genre: Musical
Overall value for money and time: 6.2/10

A love story between a poor British boy and an upper class American girl is portrayed using songs from the renowned band, the Beatles. How they met, getting together, then separated bla bla bla... typical typical typical. I thought the legendary music of the Beatles could have made this movie one of the better musicals, however, it was disappointing. There were simply an overdose of inappropriate improvisation on the tempo of the original songs, so much so that it turned me off. This movie made the classics songs sound pirated. Also, the plots were all over the place. It confused me more than a 1000 piece jigsaw. The only good thing about the movie... sadly, was the fresh faces, especially that of the lead actress. Nowhere near the ranks of "Moulin Rouge!" and "Phantom of the Opera". Just like "Hairspray", would leave you shaking your head after the movie and have you regret wasting your time on it. The only reason it reached the "6" rating is because I'm quite a huge fan for the music of the Beatles.

Once

Rating: 7.3/10
Genre: Romance
Overall value for money and time: 7.0/10

Came to know about this movie from a friend of mine, who told me about the link to the main song of the movie "Falling Slowly". It was the song which inspired me to catch the movie. It isn't a blockbuster type movie, but has its own uniqueness about it. The plot is raw, and has a bold documentary style cinematography. The movie revolves around 2 main characters, a male basker and a female passerby who shares the same interest in music. They soon work together to record a demo disc, and sparks start to fly soon after. However, the female lead has a child, which complicates things a little. I won't spoil the story for you, though there isn't much of it in the first place. But for those who loves music, you will be inspired by this movie. I personally liked the sweet ending, though abrupt but it leaves a good feeling after the movie. Not a movie to watch in the wee hours of the night since it's dialogue dominated. Personally, you can forego this movie but DO NOT miss out on the song! Those interested in viewing the song, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSL_qayMCc

Spiderwick Chronicles

Rating: 7.5/10
Genre: Fantasy
Overall value for money and time: 7.5/10

At first glance, this movie felt like an imitation of the "Chronicles of Narnia" and "Harry Potter". With all the adolescence fantasy movies these days, how could this movie ever surpass any of the predecessors? Nonetheless, I went with an open heart and was pleasantly impressed with the plot for it was highly captivating. Imagine being in a world of faeries and other weird creatures without knowing of their existence! There's a mansion by the name of spiderwick estate where the first documented book about the alternate world of faeries is hidden and protected. The evil Ogre boss wants the book so that he can find and eliminate all the "good" creatures, and its up to a young boy and his twin brother to protect the book and save the creatures from destruction. The start of the movie had a pinch of horror element in it, and the pace of the build up was progressively engaging. There's a fair dose of humour, awe, and excellent acting by the casts... but 1 thing I don't understand is why the directors made the ending so "complete". The movie felt like a stand alone movie but whatever happened to the "chronicles" part? Still, highly recommended for all occasions. Definately 1 of the better fantasy movies I've caught so far, probably the 2nd best, slightly trailing behind "Stardust".

10,000 BC

Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: Action

Overall value for money and time: 6.7/10

Though probably one of the highly anticipated films, this movie wasn't really worth waiting for. However, when compared to "Forbidden Kingdom", this movie is so much better, yet it lies a notch lower compared to "Apocalypto". It has a story plot similar to "Apocalypto", where a tribesman is the chosen one to free his people from evil. It does feel a little weird to hear them speaking english. It has astounding CG and convincing costumes, yet the casting wasnt all too perfect. The lead star doesnt have the overall "stylo-ness" in him. Even after the end of the movie, you wouldn't entrust your life to him. The lead actress on the other end, is the reason for me (and the lead actor) to carry on the journey. She's a real eye candy and enough to make one's day. That's why together with the cool CG, this movie bearly passed the "7" rating.

30 Days of Night

Rating: 6.7/10
Genre: Horror

Overall value for money and time: 6.4/10

Based on a graphic novel, 30 Days of Night is about an Alaskan town which experiences 30 days of night. The lives of the townspeople and the Sheriff (Josh Harnett) are threatened when a group of vampires haunts them. It's not exactly your typical vampire horror movie. It started off slow, with plot development and gradually the action caught up. The horror factor isn't overwhelming so for viewers with low fear tolerance like myself can expect a good night's rest. The ending boosted my rating for the movie so be sure to sit through the entire movie if you feel yourself drifting away in the midst of it. Watchable but if you're someone with a hectic schedule, you can give this horror movie a miss.

Away From Her

Rating: 9.1/10
Genre: Romance

Overall value for money and time: 9.2/10

One of the most beautiful movies I've seen. It's beautiful in the story, the chracters and the cinematography. A highly recommended movie about an aging couple where the wife contracted Alzheimer's diesease. The loving couple was put to the test when she requested to be transferred to a nursing home where she gradually starts to lose her identity. Her husband's battle to bring happiness to his wife was so emotionally packed that your heart will break in his place. While this movie is extremely touching and sweet, it's not those movies that will have you walking out the cinema flooded with your tears. Strangely enough, it's not tear wrenching but more thought provoking. Based on a true story, this movie will take your breath away. Well worth every penny and every single second of my time. GREAT, EXCELLENT, FLAWLESS!

Speed Racer

Rating: 5.5/10
Genre: Fantasy

Overall value for money and time: 5.2/10

From the Japanese animated series comes the movie version of Speed Racer, brought to you by Wachowski brothers (creators of "Matrix"). Sounds almost perfect doesnt it, which was the reason that convinced me to watch it. The trailer turned me off, with all the CG, making it feel a little too fake for me. I gave it a go anyway and I must say, I wasn't totally disappointed. Fortunately, the ending saved this movie. Apart from that, the opening and the build up was draggy. The humour is exceptionally lame. Also, Matthew Fox from "Lost" added some coolness to the movie. There's also Rain in this movie, though I'm not too fond of him and his character didnt have an outstanding role. This story revolves around a young boy, Speed Racer, who fantasizes about racing since young and his older brother is one of the race champions of all times. However, when his brother died in a racing accident, his family changed. When he grew up, Speed Racer realises that racing is a dark underground business, and only he, has the ability to change it.

Street Kings

Rating: 7.7/10
Genre: Crime
Overall value for money and time: 8.0/10

This movie doesnt entirely have the impact "Training Day" gave me when I finished watching it. But I wouldn't give this one a miss if I were you. It has an intense build up and quite the unexpected ending. A cop who does things the "left" way finds himself being implicated and set up. The only way he knows is to bring justice into his own hands. Great acting by Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker. There's also stars like Chris Evans and Amaury Nolasco (Sucre in Prison Break) which I thought was pretty refreshing to see them. I find it difficult to comment much about this movie, for it's a straightforward and rather forgettable movie.

Iron Man

Rating: 8.2/10

Genre: Action

Overall value for money and time: 8.7/10

This movie belongs to one of the top Marvel movies of all time, matching up the ranks with movies such as "Spiderman". The villian in this movie isn't the all cool and powerful type, however, the main emphasis is on the plot and character development of Iron Man. Though I'm not too fond of Robert Downey Jr, I thought he did a great job in this movie. Tony Stark is a talented and wealthy industrialist who makes weapons of mass destruction for his country. When he was captured by terrorists and realises the damage his weapons could do if they were in the wrong hands, he took it in himself to use his talent for doing good for mankind instead. Hence, he created an armoured suit to fight justice. The entire movie is very light hearted and has a good mix of everything in it - humour, action, justice, cool CG, evil villians, morality and stuff. Still, I didn't give this movie a top notch rating as there were quite a number of loop holes in it. There were some parts of the movie which just didnt make sense. However, those can be forgiven taking into account the overall plot and the portrayal of the movie. There are times which this movie may get you to the edge of your seats, so be warned, fasten your seat belts and get ready for a roller coaster ride!!

Forbidden Kingdom

Rating: 5.2/10
Genre: Action Fantasy

Overall value for money and time: 5.0/10

After the much awaited movie, how could I bear to fail this film? Since young, I've always longed for a movie with both Jackie Chan and Jet Li in it, imagine the amount of action in it! When the trailer first came out months back, it was one of the highest anticipated movies of all time. Imagine my disappointment when I watched it! Action? Impactless. Graphics? Pretty decent. Humour? Lame. Plot? Almost senseless. The movie is about a young boy who is a huge fan of Chinese Kung Fu and one day, he morphs into a fantasy world where he must return the Golden Staff to the stonned Monkey God. Only then can he free the people from the tyranny of a devious warlord. The movie is cheezy and there are lotsa senseless and abrupt takes and scenes. Somehow, it just couldnt link well. Thinking back too much about the movie will only cause you brain hemorrhage. I believe the producers wanted to make an epic movie, combining all the famous chinese kung fu characters like the drunken master, white haired "witch", monkey god etc. However, it resulted in a parody-type like movie, and it felt like a cheap production movie. It gave me the feeling that the director was trying to portray his fantasies in the main lead, and he's such an avid fan of martial arts that he made this movie just to satisfy that fantasy. There are many mixed reviews about this movie, both extremes. Either you like it or you dont. Sadly, I believe most people belong to the later, unless, you love movies like "Scary Movie", "Date Movie", "Meet the Spartans" etc. Then this movie might just make your day.

Hottie and the Nottie

Rating: 5.0/10
Genre: Comedy

Overall value for money and time: 3.5/10

While there isnt many movies with Paris Hilton in it, this lies nowhere close to the best. For you Paris's fans out there, this movie may appeal to you in some sense, but I personally felt that the plot was too hurried and there wasn't enough character development in it. There's nothing to feel touched by, and the movie could only bring a few genuine laughs. It's your average stay home popcorn movie on a gloomy day where you have nothing else better to do. The movie is about a guy who realises that he is still in love with his childhood sweetheart. Only problem is, he has to matchmake her hideous best friend before she could start dating again. It has a little spice of "ShallowHal" plot in it. It's your typical boy chase girl, realises he's in love with her best friend and they live happily ever after kinda story. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me.

Eagle vs Shark

Rating: 6.8/10
Genre: Comedy
Overall value for money and time: 7.2/10

Don't let the title of this movie turn you off. It's actually much better than expected. This movie revolves around a group of very weird people and the main focus is on the couple you can see in the poster. It's pretty hilarious at times but the oddity of the entire setting makes me a little uncomfortable. The lady falls head over heels with the guy and soon love blossoms for the both of them. It's not your typical or average chick flick movie. This movie shows just how blind love is as well as vengence. The guy is obsessed with taking revenge on his high school bully that he fails to see the "beauty" around him. While it's not my cup of tea, it does hold more meaning than senseless comedy movies like "Dude, Where's My Car". The ending really made it for me in this one.

Invasion

Rating: 7.7/10
Genre: Suspense

Overall value for money and time: 7.6/10

This movie is about an alien invasion and a mother who tries to save her son from being infected. The entire movie is pretty intense and Nichole Kidman is such an eye candy despite her aging years. If you're hoping to see alien beings with big eyes or probably state of the art CG animation, you'll truly be disappointed. The only "aliens" you see in this movie are humans who have been infected acting emotionless and diabolical. The ending quite spoilt it for me but apart from that, the built up was good and the pyschological fear was genuine. One hell of an alien flick movie.

The Kingdom

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Suspense
Overall value for money and time: 7.5/10

A group of US agents are sent to Saudi Arabia for a week to investigate a terrorist bombing. This movie is similar to "Rendition" but I feel that the latter is a better movie. I've watched "The Kingdom" only 2 days back and I can't seem to remember much of it already. It's a good movie but a forgettable one. Though there's Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Gartner in this movie, the emphasis isn't on them. The most outstanding cast in this movie must go to Ashraf Barhom - an unheard of actor in the movie industry. His role is to protect and look over the US agents and his performance should be well applauded for. If you're not one who likes terrorist warlike movies, I suppose you could choose "Rendition" over this movie.

Gridiron Gang

Rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Crime
Overall value for money and time: 6.7/10

Based on true events, juvenile delinquents at a detention centre are inspired by their counselor to form a rugby team. Guess who their counselor is? Can you smell what the rock is cooking?!! His first serious role in a Hollywood movie. This movie is pretty long, about 2 hrs + and since we're all familiar with "based on true events" movies being a little draggy with dialogue, this movie is no exception. There are real footages of the coach at the end of the movie which I found was what made it for me. The entire movie doesn't have too much a peak in it and I found it to be a little monotone for me. Still, it's up to individuals. If you're one who doesn't like rugby, or thinks "The Rock" has bad acting skills, then this movie is not for you. This movie doesn't have excellent casting, the plot is the emphasis.

Death Sentence

Rating: 8.2/10

Genre: Action Thriller
Overall value for money and time: 8.0/10

If you're not already familiar with Kevin Bacon's top class acting, this movie will further clarify that. Kevin Bacon is one of the most versatile Hollywood actors there is and together with the director of "SAW", you can only imagine how good this movie will be. It doesn't have the usual "SAW" unpredictably in this movie, what it does have, is coolness, and humorous gore. This movie has one of the best takes I've seen in movie cinematography, the part at the carpark. It is truly an intense scene not to be missed. A wealthy father loses his son to a gang of thugs robbing a convenience store and is driven up the wall when he accidentally kills his son's murderer. The gang wants payback and his whole family is in danger. What can a helpless desperate man do against a gang of ruthless killers? You'll have to find it out yourself. Seat gripping and intense movie that has some similarities of empathy and "imperfectness" of the characters with the movie "The Brave One".

The Brave One

Rating: 8.7/10
Genre: Crime

Overall value for money and time: 8.9/10

After declining to continue her role as "Clarice Starling" the FBI agent in "Silence of the Lambs" for "Hannibal", I didn't have such a good impression of Jodie Foster ever since. However, this movie has really made me fall in love with her once again. I really think this is Jodie Foster's breakthrough movie even though she's already getting on age. A woman struggles to move on with her life after she and her fiance were beaten by a gang of thugs. Her fiance was beaten to death but she narrowly escaped death. Life isn't the same for her and her fear and sense of injustice drove her to take matters into her own hands. She is quite the "superhero" in this movie where she brings bad guys to justice while the cops can't. However, her sense of justice is to kill them off, usually not because she wants to but because she's forced to. This movie really drives you into a moral dilemma. It draws a faint line between right and wrong and this movie brings you to the grey side of justice. While it may have quite the typical plot, this movie will have you leave the cinema at a loss of words. It has an unexpected ending and a good cast to enhance this movie. I truly recommend this movie to everyone out there.

Alien Vs. Predator Duology

Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Action Thriller

Overall value for money and time: 7.2/10

1. Alien Vs. Predator (AVP)

Fans of the video game would not be too disappointed with this movie. There are loads of cool fighting scenes and everything was considerably cool until one part of the movie that made it pretty lame - the part that the lead actress got "geared" up. The storyline doesnt make total sense at the back but the CG both predators and aliens were a job well done. Unlike blockbuster movies like "Transformers" and "King Kong", this movie has a second class feel to it, somewhat like the movie "Starship Troopers" where it feels somewhat like a cheap production movie. I'm not sure what exactly it is but it could be due to the settings and the cast. Predators are the hunters in this movie and worshipped like God back in the ancient days. Every few hundred or thousand years or so, they would come back to hunt the prey, the aliens, to prove them worthy of being worshipped.

2. AVP2 : Requeim

After recapping the first movie, it doesn't make sense once again at the start of this sequel. Spoilers would be included in this critique so do catch the first one before reading on. At the beginning of the movie, the aliens infested one of the predator casualty shown in the first movie. However, logically speaking, the predator king should be on board the ship and where did all the other predators go at the start of this sequel? I saw like 10 predators at the ending for part 1 but only about 3 were on board the ship in part 2. Also, unlike 3 predators who came down to earth to hunt in the first movie, there's only 1 "hero" in this one. Since the alien queen was already "used up" in the 1st, the elite enemy in this movie is the predator turned alien hybrid. Overall, the lighting for this movie was bad. It was dark almost throughout the movie and it felt like they were running low on budget for the aliens. You can't really see a clear, entire alien figure, unlike in part 1. The casts are all unknown actors and actresses and once again, this feels like a 2nd class movie. However, for fans of AVP like I am, I'm still rather satisfied with it for giving me the opportunity to see both the aliens and predators, predator in this case, battle it out once more. After the infestation, the predator's spaceship crashes on earth and the aliens run loose. One elite predator knows about it and comes to earth to "save" the day, or night in this case. Be forewarned, my rating is a little overrated as I'm an avid fan of the video game. Unless you think "Starship Troopers 2" is an avergae movie instead of being a total flop, I'll advice you to go this duology a miss.

M. Night Shyamalan Productions

1. The Sixth Sense

Rating: 8.6/10
Genre: Suspense

Overall value for money and time: 8.8/10

A boy has the ability to communicate with apparitions but is afraid to use his gift. A child psychologist, Bruce Willis, decides to help him out. This movie has a good blend of horror and suspense in it. Unlike most horror movies, there is a better thought of reason for the boy to be encountering the apparitions. The apparitions are not there for revenge or for the purpose of just frightening the boy or the audiences, they are subconsiousness drawn to him for help because they do not know that they're dead. The plot works for me, and the ending, priceless. A stunning ending that's very much unpredictable but not impossible to cross one's mind. When I watch movies like these, I tend to have a bad habit of trying to figure the movie out. I think of all possibilities and perhaps this was a notch lower than the movie "The Others" because the ending did cross my mind in this movie. The best movie of M. Night Shyamalan and one would know why this was his breakthrough movie after watching it.

2. Unbreakable

Rating: 7.2/10

Genre: Suspense
Overall value for money and time: 7.1/10

After such a successful movie like "The Sixth Sense", one shouldn't expect Shyamalan's subsequent productions to top his first. Hardly has there ever been any directors who produces better movies each time. Perhaps that was why the expectations of the audiences were high for this movie. An unpredictable ending would be Shyamalan's trademark, as well as him guest starring in a few scenes, but the plot itself was considerably attractive. A man manages to survive a train crash unhurt and unscratched. Soon, he discovers the truth about himself and the drawback of such a "gift". Wasn't all too exciting for me but at least it makes me wonder at the end of the movie. A good thought provoking movie.

3. Signs

Rating: 6.9/10
Genre: Suspense

Overall value for money and time: 6.8/10

Crop circles have been sighted all around the world and rumoured to be the work of extra-terrestial beings. Finally, a movie has been made about it. A family of 3 living in a farm experiences such a phenomenen but soon discovers that it is not something worth celebrating. The aliens do actually have a good 10 minutes of screentime in this movie so fans of the supernatural would not be disappointed unlike some suspense alien movies that never really showed the aliens. The ending wasn't such a stunning one as compared to the first 2 but being a fan of Mel Gibson, he kinda saved the movie a little.

4. The Village

Rating: 7.9/10
Genre: Suspense

Overall value for money and time: 7.2/10

The trend of Shyamalan's productions seems to be going from good to average. However, this movie is finally one that makes it for me. Many have negative feedbacks about this movie but I loved the irony in it (you would understand only after watching the movie). A village is being barricaded to prevent creatures from entering their peaceful home. However, their alliance seems to be threatened when medical supplies is needed beyond the village. It is up to a brave, blind woman to cross the boundaries and seek help for the village. The "creatures" in this movie will disappoint you but do not give up halfway, the ending might just be able to save this movie.

5. Lady In the Water

Rating: 7.1/10
Genre: Suspense

Overall value for money and time: 6.8/10

The title gives you a freaky expectation for the movie, but it's not so if you've caught the trailer. It doesnt take a genius to figure out that the lady in the water isn't bad simply from the trailers. So, who's the villian in this movie? I wouldn't want to spoil the story for you, but I can tell you the way to defeat "it" is quite well thought of. An apartment superintendent rescues a drowning lady in the swimming pool and soon discovers she is actually a mythological character in a bedtime story. He and the tenants in the apartment must do what they can to save her. Isn't a bad movie, but it seems the novelty of Shymalan's productions are plunging like a bad day in the stock market.