Edge of Darkness

Rating: 7.0/10

Genre: Drama

Overall value for money and time: 6.8/10

When the daughter of a homocide detective (Mel Gibson) was murdered right before his eyes, he goes on to investigate her death. Gradually, he uncovers her secret life and is caught up between a greater conspiracy.

A movie plot with great potential for action-packed scenes and thrill rides throughout the movie. The movie Taken had it all, I thought, but when I first saw the thriller for this movie, this movie plot was way better cos' of the "secret" life and the conspiracy. Perhaps that was my greatest mistake I made before watching this movie, my expectations of it was not only too high, but it was steered towards an entirely different direction. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I was disappointed.

However, this movie isn't all too disappointing as long as you don't have a false expectation of what it's meant to be. It's a dialogue dominated movie with action scenes less than the number of fingers you can count on a single hand. *spoilers ahead* The "secret" life of his daughter wasn't her being a terrorist or how bad she was (as was misled in the trailer), for it was just a possibility of what she was. I had initially thought Mel Gibson had to fight off a morality battle but no, all he had to fight off, was... just some bad guys.

Things aren't the way they seem in this movie, it had lots of unexpectedness about it, I wouldn't term them as "twists" as the impact wasn't intended. It's tough to endure a dialogue dominated melodramatic movie like this unlike Up in the Air, another dialogue driven movie but had the accompliment of upbeat soundtracks.

True, it's not a no brainer movie, but perhaps because it takes too much "brain", concentration-type not thought-provoking type that it failed to make it for me. To add salt to my wounds was my false expectations of it. It wasn't a bad movie, just one not to be watched after a hard day's work or when you're feeling on top of the world.

The Invention of Lying

Rating: 7.7/10

Genre: Comedy

Overall value for money and time: 8.2/10

It's hard to pull off a story about a hypothetical world where everyone tells the truth... until... as the movie title suggests, some "loser" guy invented, lying. Still, the director did pull it off in more ways than one and I must say, it was indeed an eye-opening experience.

I love the wittiness of the plot and how everyone spoke the truth, from direct insults to directly verbalizing their desires. It was comedy on a whole different level, for in most cases, the comedy is created from the story, but in this case, the story creates the comedy.

*spoilers ahead* I couldn't see where the story would lead to ultimately, for I thought it would be one where everyone starts "taking up" lying and balancing the hypothetical world, thus resulting in our modern age. However, it didn't quite turn out the way I had imagined and the main gist of the movie, it seems, had a little twist to it... The focus wasn't on lying in a world where no one could, but about how "shallow" we all are and how most of the time, our consciousness is in constant conflict with our sub consciousness. It reminded me of another movie, Shallow Hal.

I highly recommend this movie for the novelty of its plot and it's different perspective on what "lying" can really accomplish. I would be lying to you if I said it's just your average comedy movie because it packs more meaning, more laughs and more satisfaction than most others!

The Lovely Bones

Rating: 7.6/10

Genre: Drama

Overall value for money and time: 8.0/10

A young girl was murdered and watches over her family from the in-between of heaven and earth. She must tie the "loose" ends before finally moving on...

Mark Wahlberg was cast as Susie Salmon's (the young girl who was murdered) father and Rachel Weisz as her mother. I didn't quite like the casting of Mark Wahlberg because I felt he didn't have the "look" of a loving and despaired father, for he fits more of a role in an action packed movie. Rachel Weisz on the other was perfect in every sense.

I love the narration-style of the movie and it really creates this sense of wanting to know more, to better understand Susie's character as the movie progressed. It hit a peak at the start, but just like Up In The Air, it went downhill in the later part of the movie. It got a little "messy" and too "fantasy" like which gave me the feeling of a "split personality" for the movie. It didn't synch well and it felt almost like 2 separate movies in all. I'm not sure if it's the way the novel (or yah, did I forget to mention it's based on a novel?) portrayed it or was it due to the direction's differential interpretation of the story.

Still, the highlight of the movie, though it should be the serenity of the storyline, but it was not, was the lead actress herself... Susie Salmon. She took my breath away, in every sense imaginable. It was such a delight to see her throughout the movie and she really did have the "heavenly" look and feel about her. In all subjectivity, I think she was what "made" this film. Without her, I don't think this movie would have been as good as it is. This movie would probably pave the way for her movie career, though she acted in Atonement she wasn't given the opportunity to showcase her talent, and I certainly hope so because I'm so looking forward to seeing more of her in future. Definitely the next best young star since Dakota Fanning!!

Up In the Air

Rating: 7.4/10

Genre: Drama

Overall value for money and time: 7.5/10

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has one of the worst, or best jobs in the world... he travels the world to fire people. However, when a new employee of his company proposed a new and cost-saving method of using video conferencing to do the job instead, Ryan's job is threatened. He unwillingly takes the employee on his trips and the employee soon realises the harsh nature of his job and the experience brings them a step closer to uncovering what they really want in life.

This movie engaged and got me hooked right from the start. Though it was a dialogue driven movie, it had an interesting script which was able to sustain my attention. As the movie progressed, it allowed me to sink deeper into George Clooney's character and those around him. George Clooney was the highlight of the movie, bringing out the essence of his character and his delivery and portrayal was a perfect fit. There are few movies like this (dialogue driven) which can pull it off, and this movie possibly tops its category.

However, if I were to draw an attention/excitement graph, it would be high at the start, but steadily receding as the minutes passed... I personally thought the last few scenes had the potential to pack the punch but didn't do so due to the weak script; Story wasn't bad, but the lines didn't had the "blow away" factor. It did have a fairly unexpected ending which spiked up my attention graph a little, but that was the best it got before the credits rolled.

One of its kind, but might be forgettable after a while... still, it's worth your time and money, so don't let it fly by you!

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasus

Rating: 7.2/10

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Overall value for money and time: 7.8/10

A travelling theatre has a portal which allows its audience to enter a world of their dreams. The main attracting force of this movie is its star studded cast, especially the late Heath Ledger and it's colorful graphics. Well, these two areas of the film are sufficient enough reasons for anyone to go catch it.

The plot on the other hand, could either be fairly weak, or rather abstract. Reminds me of a recent movie I've watched, "Youth After Youth". There's the dilemma for story plots like this movie, you either like it, or you don't. The fantasy aspect of it could almost hit full marks - a world of another dreams coming true with what looked like high definition colors... but the links and the "morality" issues the portal provides was somewhat puzzling to me; for I didn't see what "choices" were there.

*spoilers ahead* I love how the movie explains the different faces of Tony (Heath Ledger) when he enters the "imaginarium" - initially I had thought it was because of the perceptions of those who entered it, and that because Heath passed away, the director had to find replacements of him... which made sense. But as the story unfolds, it was the different faces of him as Tony was more than meets the eye. Also, the subtleties with Valentina (Dr. Parnasus's daughter) floating and flying around in the imagarium when Tony was inside, not sure if it was intended or not, showed the fusion of both fantasies, of the audience and Tony, and indirectly relates to how Tony feels about Valentina.

However, just like Law Abiding Citizen, the "good" side of Tony went to the other extreme and that was one major part I didn't like about the movie. Almost had me questioning why the director had to include such a character in the first place... Just like how Gerard Butler was portrayed as fighting his inner demons through Law Abiding Citizen only to execute the ultimate bad deed at the end of the movie, it was similar in Heath's case... where he entered the imaginarium to save Valentina in the first place only to desert her in the end... Weird, extreme twists of events.

The ending scene with Dr. Parnasus and Tony was also... somewhat out of place. Why did Dr. Parnasus have to personally have a showdown with Tony? Where normally he would just appear to direct an alternative path for his audience who enters his imagarium?

Also, this movie shows the dark side of humanity and almost inevitably, after viewing it you might even think there's no good side of it. Even Dr. Parnasus wasn't a "good person" in the movie, yet, we still "cheered" him on at the ending sequence. I have a weird vibe about the movie's hidden content, but if you're not one to think or analyze films to this extend like me... I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves fantasy movies.

Whiteout

Rating: 5.1/10

Genre: Thriller

Overall value for time and money: 4.9/10

The idea of the movie was good, but was badly delivered and the the plot was "insufficient". It lacked suspense, ingenuity and a punch. Weak in most areas, if not all, cast performances were mediocre... and that was about the best it could get...

Antarctica, a place with few inhabitants, is probably one of the last places you'll expect a homicide. The marshal of Antarctica, Carrier Steko attempts to trek down the killer while being haunted by her past... Well, that's the idea. Now for the plot and delivery...

*spoilers ahead* The marshal was portrayed as a weak and helpless lead and the "subplots" about her past and her "relationship" with the doctor had somewhat of a link, but was essentially irrelevant. Felt like the subplots were put in for the sake of putting them in... And the ending, supposedly a twist, was highly predictable and didn't have any impact to the movie. It's not even a thriller for me, because there was basically nothing thrilling about the entire movie - oh perhaps there was one part where the killer appeared from behind and tried to kill the marshal.

One of the worst movies with Kate Beckingsale starring in it and even the title's relevance to the movie plot was unsubstantial. This movie proves that movie posters and movie titles can be deceiving. The best thing about this movie is... It's poster. That's about it.

Nothing But The Truth

Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Drama

Overall value for time and money: 7.5/10

An unforgettable storyplot, an unforgettable ending. This film takes you on the dark side of justice, only difference with most others is, the main protagonist is a lady. News writer Rachel Armstrong outed a CIA agent and is put behind bars for refusing to disclose the identity of source. The start of the movie scraps the surface of the different chracters, but as it progresses, pulls you deeper into the pysche of several supporting leads, especially the main protagonist, Rachel.

The feel of the movie gets gloomier and darker with each minute and one cannot but empathize with Rachel for holding so strongly to her morals and yet being "ill-treated" by the justice system. There were a handful of extremely powerful lines which really impressed me a lot. One of the which was, *spoilers ahead*, "I'm not representating a principle, I am representing a person!" said by Rachel's defending attorney.

I was wondering where the movie would lead too when I knew it was about to end, and the ending sequence sure left me satisfied. There isn't much story to spoil, apart from the ending; it has a rather predictable storyline but what made this movie wasn't so much as the unpredictability of it, but the realism and the engagement of the characters which makes this more than just you average popcorn movie.

Mongol

Rating: 7.2/10

Genre: Action Drama

Overall value for time and money: 7.4/10

The story of the late Genghis Khan is portrayed in this movie, following his life from a young child to his reign as ruler of the Mongol empire. Son of the Khan (leader) of his clan, his father was posioned and little Temujin was betrayed and the clan was taken over by his father's right hand man. Chased and hunted down since young, he gradually grew up surviving the harshest of conditions and with the help of his wife whom he chose when he was only 9 years old, he eventually united all the mongol tribes...

I'm not sure how loosely or how accurately the story of Genghis Khan is portrayed but it sure does leave you at the edge of your seats throughout the movie as one spurs on the poor and helpless Temujin. As Temujin grows older, the audience gets to experience a change of feelings towards him as he loses the sympathy and changes it into respect. The cast were excellent in unleashing the nature of their characters and I can say this movie truly deserves to be nominated as the best foreign movie of the year. Though it might not have the winning element, it is one movie that will be well worth your time.

This movie isn't entire realistic in the way the God which the Mongols worhsip blatantly helps Temujin; as if Temujin had "superpowers". Still, if there's something I learnt from this movie, it's how perseverence will never shortchange you and how fear, may jolly well be your greatest friend.

Persepolis

Rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Animation

Overall value for money and time: 6.5/10

This almost entirely black and white animation follows an Iranian girl as she goes through the harshest moments in her life - the fall of the Iranian Shah and the rise of the Iranian Revolution. However, the promise of a better life turned into a nightmare as the country gradually breeds its own tyranny. Forced to go abroad to seek a better life, she slowly finds herself sinking deeper and deeper into despair.

I thought the lines in the movie were of considerable substance and the story progression was unraveling. However, overall, this movie didn't appeal that much to me, was a wee bit overrated. True, it tells a different and dark side of Iranian's story, history, but the turn of events for the young girl's life was too extreme for me.

I love the voice over for the supporting characters, but not the lead herself. Since this movie is originally french, and the version I watched was english dubbed, I can only critique it biasedly in this aspect as I probably won't give this animation a 2nd viewing. This animation is a dark, solemn one and it does leave a rather shallow mark in my list of memorable animations...