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)