Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Ratings: 8.0/10

Genre: Action Thriller

Film Class: B+

Before I continue with my review, I have to admit, this year's year-end blockbuster movies are definitely one of the best so far. There's so many good movies out there, like Sherlock Holmes MI4, War Horse, The Artist and 50/50. 3 of which I have yet to watch but reading the synopsis and the reviews, will only be a matter of time before I catch them on the big screens. But my first 2 top choices, Sherlock Holmes and MI4 was a good call.

While MI2 and MI3 totally flopped, which made me rather skeptical about the fourth, MI4 did justice to the very first movie of Mission Impossible. The classic scenes were still prevalent no doubt, with slight twists here and there but it didn't feel that cliche compared to its previous 2 movies. It was a one off event and weren't overly done. This time, the focus were more on the story and the characters instead of the filming style and trademarks of the MI franchise. If you're wondering what classic scenes/trademarks I'm talking about, they are:

1. Mission device will self destruct in 5 seconds

2. Tearing off of face disguise

3. Mission impossible theme song

4. Super cool gadgets (though some seemed a little exaggerated)

5. "Conquering" a famous place in the world

6. Flashing of the female lead's sexy legs when coming down from a super cool car
7. Classic 4 limbs stretched out suspension

Points 5 and 6 are more like the trademark scenes which evolved midway with the franchise. And from what I've observed, MI4 is probably going to pave the way for the female lead to clinch more movie contracts in the future. The MI franchise is starting to be like the modern day James Bond franchise, where it's like a platform for relatively unknown actors/actresses to make their debut and rocket their popularity regardless of how successful the movie turns out, in this case, excellent.

The only demerits of this movie I thought were some rather fake scenes (not that good a job with the CGI under Hollywood standards) and somehow, I wasn't able to follow the movie entirely. *spoilers ahead* I didn't quite get why landing himself in prison will act as a decoy? That said, the first prison breakout scene was a fitting grand opening to set the pace going and I don't think there was even a lull moment in the movie. It was hard hitting action scene after scene which made the 2hr+ long movie seemed like a 1/2 hr movie. Yup, it's that good. Though CGI lost to Transformers 3, the whole package beats the former hands down.

MI4 just proved one thing, the mission isn't that impossible after all to revive a dying franchise. I'm been humming the theme song in my head ever since I left the cinema hours ago... "Den Den Den, Den Den Den, Den Den Den, Den Den... Tu Tu Tu, Tu Tu Tu...Tu Tu!!"

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Ratings: 8.0/10

Genre: Action Thriller

Film Class: B+

This intellectual sequel of Sherlock Holmes left me feeling satisfied yet again, though a rather short flashback explanation at the end would have made it more complete, the ending didn't affect the pluses in this movie.

Plus 1: Robert Downey Jr. sure can act. I'm so glad he's back in the movie industry ever since he knocked himself out of drug addiction. He's an excellent Iron Man, even better Sherlock Holmes. Plus 2: Judd Law's like the eye candy for this movie (feminine speaking). However, it seems he has less "credit" for his character this time round but he does good the scenes he's given. Plus 3: I salut the new face on the big screens, the villain Professor Moriarty, or at least the actor acting as him. Have liked him ever since I first saw him in the series Fringe, and I'm sure we'll see more of him the near future.

Plus 4 & 5: For the comic moments, witty and humorous lines, and of course, the trademark "smart" plot. It's not exactly thought provoking, but gives the good substance type of feel. Especially loved it when the director pieced together the seemingly random events at the end. Opps, no spoilers alert this time but any fan of Sherlock Holmes would have guessed it either way. For those who haven't caught the first, then it's really like a "OMG" cause Sherlock Holmes definitely is one of the better movies of all time and missing the first is like missing the first series of Harry Porter and/or Lord of the Rings.

Fear not though, this movie is independent and you don't have to catch the first to appreciate this. Which brings me to my Plus 6: Cool action scenes. I almost forgot about the coolest part of Sherlock Holmes... his "Spider-Sense" detective skills. Sherlock Holmes has the ability to predict 10 steps in advance (metaphorically speaking) and it's so cool every time he "turns on" that ability of his.

Possibly the only minus in this movie, rather personal, is that I don't like the female lead. She's the lead from the Swedish version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy and though I liked her in that, she just didn't quite seem to fit the role in this. She's a good actress nonetheless.

Overall, this sequel does justice to the Sherlock Holmes franchise and it paves the way for more installments to come. However, like most other sequels, the first still beats this one, but that doesn't mean part 2 was bad, it just means part 1 was better. The front, the middle, the back... two words to describe them... Good Stuff.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Rating: 7.1/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Action Superhero

And I thought this movie would be a blast... Considering Captain America is the first avenger... oooowwww.... it turned out there was not much to owwww about. The skinny pre-Steve Rogers was so convincing that I find it almost hard to believe that Chris Evans actually played him. Thought perhaps they superimposed Chris Evan's face on a skinny guy. But from the trivia, they actually CG-ed his body instead.

Steve Rogers is a patriotic citizen of America who wouldn't give up his dream of becoming a military soldier despite his weak physique. Deemed medically unfit countless times, his perseverance finally paid off when a top military scientist decided to give him a chance to prove himself. Impressed with his heart and character, they enlist him for a top secret research project to transform him into the perfect soldier.

*spoilers ahead* I liked the part where Steve Rogers threw his body over a hand grenade to protect his teammates, a classic NS story which stayed with me till this very day. It sounded so magnanimous, however, the movie didn't have a good build up to it. It felt like a quickie, it came before you knew it, and when you knew it, the scene had already passed you by.

Also liked the part where Steve Rogers' body became so chiseled after being injected with the super-soldier serum, or whatever you call it. There was a similar scene in Spider-Man, where Peter Parker woke up to a buff body after being bitten by the radioactive spider. However, in this case, the difference in physique was much greater and the result was more... impressive.

Captain America felt so god-like in this movie. However, I really wasn't too fond of his trademark weapon... a shield. A shield made up of a rare element that can deflect bullets without being scratched. There was nothing really awesome and drool-dripping about it. I'm aware that I can't blame the director for that since the character was as such and the director did good whatever he could to make the shield "feel" awesome... Perhaps a hint too much. *Major spoilers ahead* This is seen for the first scene where there's so much hooha about finding something in the middle of nowhere in the North Pole... and low and behold, it's shield. A little off and disconnected I felt.

I liked Red Skull's look but not so much the portrayal of Red Skull by Hugo Weaving. Hugo Weaving was stellar in the Matrix and V for Vendetta but somehow, his voice didn't quite fit in in this movie. I haven't heard Red Skull speak before, at least not that I can remember, but I would think Red Skull would have a coarser voice to match his burnt, volcanic red face.

While there weren't many scenes which blew me away, the ending did however pack a fine dose of immense anticipation for the long-awaited The Avengers. Do stay tuned for the after-credits scene and trailer for the The Avengers.

Possibly one of the weakest movies of The Avenger's franchise.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Ratings: 7.0/10

Film Class: A

Genre: Action

My biggest displeasure about this movie is how the trailer and title distorts the entire storyline and sets a wrong expectation about the film. Will Rodman (James Franco) is a scientist who have been working on a cure for Alzheimer's disease for the past 5 and a half years. After injecting a test ape with the drug, things got out of hand and the project was abolished. However, the test ape left a baby son behind... who was later named Caesar, the lead ape in this movie.

The drug increased Caesar's intelligence by leaps and bounds, but eventually, his inner nature took over... hence, the title, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I'm not familiar with the Planet of the Apes franchise, all I know is that there a planet run by intelligent apes wearing sliver body armour. The trailer and the title is sure to veer one off the Eden's path.

Because, one, *major spoilers ahead*, the horde of apes, if that's what you call them, seen charging over a car-filled San Francisco Bridge in the trailer isn't a declaration of war on humans but of seeking freedom. And two, there's really no "rise" of the planet of the apes, the word "rise"as a revolting denotation to it. But no, the apes didn't form a horde to battle humans... all they did was to escape from our clutches.

There's something I'm sitting on the fence about. And that's the realism of the Apes. It appeals, yet somehow disturbs. I wouldn't say I liked it because of the realism and "human" essence seen in Caesar's mannerisms and eyes, and I wouldn't say I hated it because of how human they felt to me, with lotsa hair and almost seemed that an-ape-like face was plastered onto a human face. I thought Tom Felton's (evil teenage dude from Harry Potter) really did a great job in this movie because I started hating him almost immediately once he came on screen. His character was extremely detestable, but was so only because of his commendable portrayal.

John Lithgow did whatever he could with his limited screentime, though wasn't fantastic and the eye candy, Freida Pinto lit up the screen with her appearance. Unfortunately, in summary, there wasn't much screentime set aside for the "human" actors and there was a lot of emphasis on the CG-ed apes.

Was an engaging and heartfelt movie, occasional scares here and there but it lacked the "action-packness". In its place, there were many "cool" ape scenes though. Because of the nature of the apes, there's a part of me that was kept at the edge of my seats throughout the movie because I never know when Caesar or his other ape friends would "strike".

I enjoyed it, was a good watch but not one I would constantly be singing praises about. Sequel or not, I'm not spending sleepless nights thinking about it, if it comes, good, if it doesn't, so be it, wouldn't be too sad about it...

The Change-Up

Ratings: 7.7/10

Film Class: B

Genre: RomCom

2 best buds have switched their bodies due to a passing remark said in front of a lady statue at a fountain. Cliche storyline, but with an astounding depth of delivery.

The humor was crude in this movie, especially since Ryan Reynold's character was more on the blunt offending side. One complain is that the body-switch wasn't that convincing. Ie. The cast probably didn't deliver that great of a performance as compared to one of the classic body-switching movies of all time, Face-Off.

It had a few good scenes of humor as well as brief nudity but what really impressed me was the ending. The build up and the "wake-up" call somehow got to me. It's been a while since a RomCom was able to get to me in this manner... most simply fall flat at the end, but The Change-Up ironically soar to greater heights. Unpredictable outcome which exceeded my expectations, overall, it's a pretty darn good movie to catch.

I think what makes a good RomCom is that there has to be a mix of good comedy and romance in it (the trend being so that the Com is the opener, and the Rom is the closer). This movie has 70% comedy and 30% romance. Good enough for me, whilst most simply just have 60-80% comedy, period. It's about time RomComs start changing to be like the Change-Up!

Drive

Ratings: 7.9/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Drama Thriller

Meet this generation's very own Taxi Driver. It is only apt to compare this movie to Robert De Niro's classic 1976 movie, Taxi Driver. The way it was shot and the style reminded me of old school film noir. There's a hint of Taken in it, where the protagonist was cool and invincible-like.

Ryan Gosling acts as an expert driver with few words and emotions. He works as a Hollywood stunt driver, a garage helper and a contract getaway driver. The movie was shot entirely in grainy graphics, accompanied with jarring soundtrack and many freeze-frame shots. There's a weird feel to the movie at the start, during and after the movie - all of which were different. The start was cool, the middle was sweet, and the ending was disturbing.

The reason why I wanted to watch this show was because of a review that my gf had read on a local newspaper, The Newpaper. About how Ryan Gosling was super cool in it. Well, the poster did feature a cool-looking protagonist. I knew about this movie quite some time back since it was released in the US in June this year. However, whenever I see the poster, I would always think the main lead was Daniel Craig. Still, both actors are cool in their own right and it wouldn't have made a difference if either actor starred in it.

Not knowing what the movie had installed for me, I took that leap, hoping to watch something with more substance than just a senseless cool driving movie (like Fast and Furious, no offence to the franchise's fans). Well, it turned out to be too much "substance" for me. It wasn't a roller-coaster ride throughout, there were some parts of it with so much dialogue it kinda felt draggy at times. But then again, it could be because I watched it after a long day at work...

Though it had a typical and predictable storyline, the film style allowed me, and which I believe was intentional, to delve deeper into the characters' psyche. A few freeze-frame-like shots (almost a good 10 seconds just fixated on the characters/lead despite the absence of dialogue), the raw, grainy feel, and the close-up facial shots were all stylistic, and elegantly managed.

Be warned though, this is not your average Hollywood movie. It really messes with your emotions, there you thought you were watching something cool... then sweet... and then everything turned pretty gory. And because of the grainy feel, it felt more "realistic" than other movies even though there was an exaggerated bloodfest at the end.

I love and hate the irony at the end. *major spoilers ahead* The female lead was so "sheltered" and "blind" from everything Ryan Gosling did for her and the unreciprocated gratitude was just too "gek" for me.

Unlike Taxi Driver, there wasn't any cool lines that Ryan Gosling said for us to take home in movie history and there was a lack of consistency with his character. What I couldn't understand was how his character's habits changed through the movie, whether it was intentional or not, it didn't work. At first he was always with a toothpick in his mouth. Then he would always put his left hand in his white scorpion jacket. Where's the consistency in his mannerism? Shouldn't the director have made a conscious effort to ensure that Ryan Gosling still put a toothpick in his mouth even towards the end of the movie?

Anyways, the ending was slightly unpredictable for me. Perhaps I was to be blamed, for thinking like Ryan Gosling... that there just might be a way out of his predicament after all... that the mafia boss could be trusted after all. Even though Ryan Gosling brought a weapon with him at the end, he did hope not to use it.

That said, before I forget, I wanna give credit to Ron Pearlman and Carey Mulligan who lighted up this depressing movie. Ron Pearlman was the vulgar partner to the Mafia Boss, whilst Carey Mulligan was the eye candy in this dark film about a man with no purpose in life... until he met her. While I thought there was a lack in cool car action scenes (perhaps my expectations were built up even before the movie), this movie didn't disappoint me. It turned out to be a mid-paced movie with an ending to look forward to.

Even though I was greeted with a bad first impression - the opening credits was a little too lengthy, with gayish pinkish words flooding the screen and jarring music with disturbing vocals, but soon after that, everything turned out to be... more than a drive, it's a ride to remember.

Horrible Bosses

Ratings: 7.5/10

Film Class: B+

Genre: Comedy

Three friends tormented by their bosses decide to murder their horrible bosses and free themselves from agony. Yup, though we're talking about murder here, that aside, this movie was super hilarious. There's a hint of obnoxious "Hangover" in this, but this movie really got to me because of its star-studded cast, which I always am a sucker for. There was Kevin Stacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrel and Jamie Foxx!! How awesome is that?!

I personally thought the chemistry between the 3 friends was what really made this movie work. Though the casts' performances were all top-notch, the most important factor to get the audience engaged always lies in the acting of the protagonist, or the 3 protagonists in this case. I liked the story progression, the witty lines and the unpredictable encounters and situations that the main casts had to overcome in the end.

The poster of horrible bosses speaks for itself. This movie is hilarious, racy and extremely crazy. Good stuff.

Bridesmaids

Ratings: 6.7/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Comedy

No doubt about it. Bridesmaids is truly the female version of Hangover. Why? There's loads of crude humor in it and for its audience out there, it's either you like it, or you don't. It may come across as offending to some, and f***** hilarious to others, but for me, it was simply a so-so movie.

The scenarios were too exaggerated, but funny nonetheless, and the entire movie didn't give a very "feel-good" feel to it even though I kinda expected it from the movie poster. Each of the Bridesmaids were "unique" in their own way and the relatively unknown main lead, Kristen Wiig (Annie) truly stole the limelight. She was obnoxiously funny and had this "like and hate" personality about her character. Well, that means, she acted well.

Actually, Melissa McCarthy also gave a superb performance as Annie's best friend's sister in law. Oh and yeah, Annie's best friend, Lilian is the one getting married. I think the problem with this movie is that there's just too many characters in it. While the focus did still mange to revolve around Annie and Lilian, the movie felt relatively messy.

*spoilers ahead* There's one of the most disgusting scenes I've seem on screen (didn't expect it to be from this movie) which was rather interesting. It's not gory, and there's no violence or nudity in it. But the act of a group of decently dressed bridesmaids puking all over the place, has won a place in my top 10 most disgusting scenes in filmology.

While Bridesmaids might not be my cup of tea, if you're a fan of The Hangover, Knocked Up or Due Date, you might be laughing your pants or intestines out with this film. Watch with an open mind, an open heart and an open stomach.

Equilibrium

Rating: 7.8/10

Film Class: B+

Genre: Action Thriller

Wow Wow Wow. This is definitely one of Christian Bale's coolest movie. Matrix style. Since The Matrix came out in 1999 and Equilibrium in 2002, the latter was possibly inspired by the former. Still, this movie is one of the coolest action packed films I've seen. Other such movies which I can think offhand are The Matrix, Wanted, Taken, and Death Sentence. Since Equilibrium is such an unheard of movie, it won even greater brownie points for me.

No there wasn't slow motion action scenes, maybe there was, one of two, and yes, the way Christian Bale acts and dress reminded me of Neo from The Matrix, but the way Christian Bale wipes out his enemies is in a class of its own.

In a hypothetical world after World War 3, in order to not have a 4th World War in which the ruler of the fascist world believes Humans cannot survive, everyone is forced to be devoid of all forms and emotions and feelings. If someone does however have it, he/she is a Sense offender and will be executed immediately or without trial. Imagine that?! Even the term used to describe such an offender is such a pun in itself.

The whole concept of the storyline was well thought off, however, there were a couple of loop holes in the movie. The ideology of a person being unable to feel, is just too difficult to pull off, even if it's just a movie. There were incidences of sense and feelings portrayed, but which were not accounted for the movie. *major spoilers ahead* In essence, I believe what the director wanted to show was that everyone was robot-like, but yet if a person isn't able to feel, then why would he/she even clap for a speech given by the ruler?

Also, the ending twist was quite a screw up. The twist would have been awesome if everything pieced together, but it just felt like it was a convenient twist to make the storyline more "cool" and planned, which kinda backfired.

Still, all these little loopholes didn't really spoil the movie experience for me. Christian Bale was way too awesome in this movie and I really liked the shooting scenes, in an artistic point of view of course (don't want to sound sadistic).

The movie only made a fair bit of reference to the title but I thought though cool, once again, doesn't really make much sense. To sum it up, Equilibrium is a relatively no-brainer (cos' using your brain will spoil the experience for you) but super cool action packed film.

Fermat's Room

Rating: 7.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Mystery, Game

Well, I actually thought this Spanish movie was pretty awesome. Four mathematicians find themselves being voluntarily invited to meet up in a secluded room in hope of being presented a great enigma. The mathematicians (actually one of them is an inventor), are to solve an enigma within a minute if not the room will start to shrink. However, they are hardly given any time to breathe as the enigmas will keep on coming one after another.

The mathematicians all have their secrets, and as the story unraveled itself, the suspense grew stronger and the entire picture was gradually pieced together one by one. There's a slight element of Saw in this movie, nope, not the Gore, but a part of the storyline. This movie doesn't have gore, doesn't feel like a low grade film and definitely not a no brainer film. Interesting sets of enigmas presented and there's even subtle hints throughout the movie which made me think, "Oh my, how did I miss that?" (kinda reminded me of Dark Knight)

I especially liked the ending twist, as well as the finale scene. It packed a powerful line just before the credits rolled (similar to Shuttle Island) and left me very satisfied after its viewing.

Fermat's Room is definitely worth your time even though one might complain about it's "low-budgetness" since most of the film takes place in a single room. The colors are vibrant, the acting was convincing and it was great idea to have the main cast kept under 4 characters since it allowed me to feel more for the characters and to understand them better. The difference between this "game" film and others, lies in that because the characters were not redundantly wiped out one by one, you get to "sit" with them through the movie and to feel for them as well.

Intelligent, Suspenseful and Twisted. Fermat's Room is a must-see!

Cube

Ratings: 7.2/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller

This vintage film really zaps me back to what classic horror sci-fi movies was. Saw this recommendation from Imdb, where there was a post of "game" movies. Viewed quite a few from the list, but Cube was one of the top of such a genre. Other top recommendations (from me) include The Game (1997), the classic Saw (2004) and the Japanese film Battle Royale (2000).

Cube is no different from the norm of how sick "games" are played. I'm just quick surprised this was a 1997 movie, which I believe this movie was one of the pioneers which inspired the "sick game" concept. 7 strangers wake up to find themselves stuck in a cube-like maze in which they have to figure out why they're there, and to find their way out before it's too late.

Enclosed in a squarish room, the strangers soon realised that they must keep moving on the next room. However, there's many doors for them to advance, and all but one of the room is equipped with deadly traps. The strangers have to find a pattern to the untrapped rooms and eventually solve the mystery as to how to escape the kafkaesque maze.

Since it's such an old film, I have no idea who any of the actors or actresses are. But they all acted decently well and there's this slight eeriness to the movie thanks to it's soundtrack and twisted behaviors displayed by the characters at the end of the movie. The suspense was there no doubt, and the plot buildup heightened as the story progressed. But be prepared because at the end of the movie, though you might not have more questions popping up in your mind, not everything will be answered.

This movie will leave you with a fair bit of unresolved questions, yet the concept and ending will leave you greatly satisfied.

PS.: There's a sequel to this movie, but heard that it doesn't bring justice to this movie, therefore I decided to not bother wasting my time on it...

The Dilemma

Ratings: 7.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Comedy Drama

Things get dilemmic when Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn) finds out his best friend's wife is cheating on him. Finding the best way to resolve the situation for his best friend, he takes matters into his own hands, only to result in disastrous circumstances.

Once again, there's a slight biasness since yet another 2 of, wait, no 3 of my favourite Hollywood stars are starring in this movie... Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly and Kevin James. I'm not a fan of Vince Vaughn, but have to admit, this movie coerced me to have a second opinion of him. I've known of his glib tongue from previous movies, but this time, he nailed his role exceptionally. He's the best friend anyone could ever wish for, the silent hero in this movie. I think it's only fitting to give additional credit and acknowledgement to Channing Tatum who added several comedic moments as the aggressive and emotional insecure "affairee", and to Queen Latifah as the horny liaison officer for the leads' careers.

It was a joy ride for me. Regardless of it's less than complimenting reviews and ratings on imdb, this is one movie I would beg to differ. I think there's more to it than just slap stick humor which I believe most viewers were expecting. There was this crazy and subtle point on friendship, and bragged of how friendship was far superior than relationships. In times of turmoil, sometimes, your best friends are the true heroes in your life.

It worked both ways in this movie, and the support and understanding of Ronny's girlfriend (fiancee to be) was also very sweet and heart warming. There's an irony in the genre, usually a comedy wouldn't be termed under the same category as a drama, since dramas in general are slow paced and more dialogue driven, whilst comedies would usually pack fast-paced hard hitting humor.

And this is where I believe one of the top directors of all time, Ron Howard was able to portray impeccably. It felt unrealistic, yet realistic at the same time, it felt like if a tear or two would roll down anyone's cheeks, it would be a tear mixed with laughter and sadness. I believe that's the true dilemma in this movie, how it leaves it's audience feeling when the credits start rolling...

Your Highness

Ratings: 7.3/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Action Comedy

There was a Newpaper review about Natalie Portman being a super hot archer in this movie... well, for her fans out there, it's t-r-u-e, true!! Hot is not just about being sexy, but also holds an element of coolness to it. She was sexy in one screen, and cool for the rest.

I may have to warn you though, the movie is pretty lame, the jokes included, but still stands out as an entertaining B class movie. Shoot me, I'm biased, since 2 of my all-time favourite actresses Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel are in it. This movie possibly features James Franco in his stupidest role till date and the rather unknown lead actor, Danny McBride was simply detestably hilarious.

The honorable Prince Fabious's bride has been kidnapped by an evil magician, and it's up to him and his useless brother, Prince Thadeous to save her before it's too late. Typical storyline, impressive casting even though roles were lame, and the CG was rather impressive.

To some, waste of time, maybe, but entertainment value was certainly there.

Something Borrowed

Ratings: 5.9/10

Film Class: B

Genre: RomCom

Just before her best friend Darcy's wedding, Rachel's suppressed love for Darcy's fiance Dex, surfaces again and by a slip of her tongue, opened up hidden emotions between the both of them. They must come to terms with their feelings before the wedding, or risk their love for each other forever being silenced.

There's a rather interesting cast behind Something Borrowed, and Kate Hudson excels in her role as being the possessive, everything-has-to-be-her-way best friend. She's really good at obnoxious roles like these and audience are not left with much of a choice than to hate her character. Unfortunately, there's really not many characters to love in this movie, other than the main lead herself, Rachel, and perhaps her best friend, Ethan, who has always been there for her.

*spoilers ahead* I didn't like how the script writer made Dex's role so wishy-washy like, and over the span of the movie, you almost wished they didn't end up together (even though it's no surprise they would). It's your average chick flick movie, girl falls in love with guy, guy falls in love with girl, but under circumstances, their love cannot fruition... blah blah blah... then love triumphs all and they end up happily ever after?

Was fairly entertaining, and was thankful I caught this movie at the comforts of my bedroom and not in the movie theaters because it's sure not worth the $6.5-$10. Good for a weekend rental movie.

Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil

Ratings: 8.2/10

Film Class: C+

Genre: Comedy Slasher

If anyone's looking for a yet another slapstick "hidden gem" that hasn't found it's way to the local theaters, Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil is the 2011 movie for you. Tucker & Dale, two innocent and kindhearted hillbillies mistaken for being hardcore killers have to save themselves from the mindless attacks from a group of college kids.

Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil packs a s***load of laughter and gore. Don't mind my language, there's really no other way to say it for this crude and "vulgar" movie. It's like a top class parody style-like movie, not your average no brainer Scary Movie. There's a slight twist at the end, and though the chronological order doesn't seem to make sense logically, it's easily overlooked since by then, you would probably be laughing your brains out anyways.

Do expect lotsa blood and gore, intended for comedic effects and not for squeamish ones, and do expect a fair dose of insults to your intelligence. But nonetheless, it's the perfect movie to offer that destressing therapy for anyone who's game for it. Look no further, Tucker and Dale will show you that Evil is no match for 2 hillbillies after all.

Never Let Me Go

Ratings: 6.0/10

Film Class: C+

Genre: Drama

Though the poster will almost certainly catch anyone's attention, and with a title like Never Let Me Go, one would think this is a heart warming movie about love. At least from the looks of it, a love triangle perhaps.

Well, if you thought like me, you are only 1/2 right. There's a disturbing plot behind the movie, which doesn't seem to be exposed in any synopsis. I believe the intention was to create suspense, but I would rather "spoil" the suspense for you than to have you go on a ride which may potentially turn you off if you didn't know what it has installed for you. *spoilers ahead*

The movie is vaguely divided into 3 acts. Reminiscence of the movie Full Metal Jacket with 2. It's slow, dialogue driven, and not at all about love. It's about being human. The first scene with the text information might divulge the "true" contents of the movie, but it's not until the end of the first act that you actually know what this movie is truly about.

Narrative style, Carey Mulligan is one of the many kids who was brought up in an English Boarding School, together with Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield (from The Social Network). She brings you from the start of her life, till the end. Though sublimely acted, the movie development and styles were rather dull-like. I might have appreciated it more if I were to read the novel, if I ever bothered to even pick it up in the first place.

I seek the forgiveness of its' fans, but in all defense and honesty, this movie just didn't make it for me. Considering my tolerance for slow-moving movies, and those with subtle contents, this movie falls short compared to most others I've watched. There's really not much to "learn" from this movie or "thought-provoking" about it. It's a watch it, feel it, forget it, kinda movie. Sorry Never Me Go, but I may have to let you go for now.

The Beaver

Ratings: 5.8/10

Film Class: C+

Genre: Drama

The Beaver lost me in the middle of the movie, don't get me wrong, everything made sense, just that the story development was rather stale. With a cast like Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, I would think that the movie wouldn't have failed that terribly, but it seemed their performances weren't enough to spice up the perpetually slow and melodramatic pace.

You would think "hiding" behind a Beaver puppet would have created humor and interesting bits to the movie, but it just felt too "weird" and awkward for me. *major spoilers ahead* Even the climax, where Mel Gibson was finally able to detach himself from his puppet, the scene wasn't enough to get me at the edge of my seat. His son, whom have hated him all these while, acted rather badly. The final speech he gave, had great potential for wrenching a tear or two, but it turned out to be rather disappointing as well.

The movie did feel like it was a waste of time for me, but I'm not condemning it. I believe there's a few "soul searching" moments in it, but none too liberating. If you can stand seeing some schizo behavior about a suicidal man, about him hiding behind a beaver to find a new life, but turns out to do worse than better, than this movie should find its way into your library of viewed movies. If not, don't bother giving this beaver a chance.

Final Destination 5

Ratings: 6.8/10

Film Class: C+

Genre: Horror Thriller

Ok, so what does Final Destination 5 have which its prequels doesn't have? It wouldn't be fair for me to say much since I've only ever remembered bits and pieces of 1-3 and which I never bothered to catch the 4th. I mean afterall, they're all the same... Final Destination's 5-episode long franchise is all about death, and about seeing how every one dies one after another. So, what's new?

For you fans out there, good news. Nothing. It's still the same Final Destination from day 1, and I would think after all these years, the CG would have at least kept itself up to modern standards. Boohoo, ain't the case for this one as well. The opening sequence was excruciatingly long, scenes of broken glass, shattered glass, glass fragments over and over again. The director must have had some glass fetish. There were some stuff here and there, but really... nothing much to see.

The cast was pretty amateurish. Not many familiar faces, and it really did feel like a C grade movie. Low budget, if not for the rather decent "fake" scene of the bridge falling apart at the start.

The buildup wasn't as strong as I remembered its prequels to be, this time round, it was kinda cut to the chase, wipe them out, in the goriest way possible. There's a slight twist this time round though, and I shan't spoil it for you since that's about the most interesting it could get (*hint* about avoiding death).

Surviving the collapse of a massive suspense bridge, 8 survivors must once again figure out how to beat Death, before Death finds its way to them again. I thought the scene seconds before the closing credit was just too ironically lame, but it's forgivable considering the nature of the theme. However, I have to bring up an important point just before the ending scene (pre-ending scene). For those who are unfamiliar with the Final Destination (me included), this trivia might win some brownie points.

*major spoilers ahead* The final scene in which both leads took the plane to Paris was actually the very first scene in Final Destination 1. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember much of it, but according to my friend who's an avid fan of the Final Destination franchise, the guy in the white shirt shouting that he needs to get off the plane was the same person/cast in the very first installment. So, do lookout for him. With that scene, it kinda made it for me. Even though I was never fond of the plot, and the development, I thought the way the director "tied" everything up was pretty clever.

Final Destination is almost certainly the last of its franchise (from the looks of the ending). So, even though you know it's not gonna be a blockbuster of any sorts, and would like a movie to get you at the edge of your seat, this movie might just make your day. The death scenes were rather interesting and one particular scene, about "lasik", got me squirming a little since I've gone through that myself. I think the thing about movies like these, in cases where you've been "through" them one way or another, there's certainly gonna be an elevated surge of cortisol (fear hormones). If not, it's still worth a scare or two, or maybe even 5.

Contagion

Ratings: 7.8/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Drama Suspense

Heard about this movie some time back from imdb, and it seems that in the recent weeks, there has been a lot of publicity done on it in Singapore. It could be due to many reasons, two of which I believe to be more likely could be because Singapore's prone to such diseases (almost the same category as H1N1 and SARS, awareness campaign maybe?) and because it features a star-studded cast and includes one of our very own local talent Chin Han (also featured in The Dark Knight, but this time got a more decent screentime). From previous marketing campaigns, movie trailers were released way before the movie.. to create the anticipation. But it would seemed Contagion sprouted out rather "abruptly" in the Singapore theatres.

Contagion is about the global outbreak of a deadly new virus, causing panic to the public and it's a race against time for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the intervention of WHO (World Health Organisation) to find a vaccine for it. I can't help but compare this movie to one of my top favourite all time movies, Outbreak. To be honest, Outbreak was a more superior film in terms of suspense and audience engagement. Contagion lacked the much awaited climax (there was supposed to a climatic-like scene but still lacked the punch), and there were just too many subplots which made the film more like a documentary than a blockbuster.

Still, what I liked about Contagion was that it featured a star-studded cast (*slight spoilers* though their screentime were short-lived) and being an individual with a Science background, I felt "one" with the film. I was able to grasps the technical terms in the movie and was able to catch the hasty explanations (which I believe will be a turn-off for those audiences with different specializations). I believe the director did try to keep the technicalities as minimal as he could, and scripted the explanations to cater to laymen.

It was an interesting watch for me and being fond of the main casts, this movie wouldn't have gone wrong for me. *spoilers ahead* Even though the subplot of the WHO doctor (Marion Cotillard) and our very own Chin Han was a little "calefare-like" and that there wasn't a definite closure for that, I liked the subplots of the CDC specialist (Laurence Fishburne) and the difficult but realistic situation he was put in. Judd Law (a rogue journalist) brought out a very interesting point about humanity during the showdown interview with Laurence Fishburne, yet, it's a redundant statement made to only to demonstrate how humans are all selfish (don't get me wrong, I'm siding Laurence Fishburne). If Judd Law was put in that situation, or anyone else, I'm sure everyone would have done the same as Laurence Fishburne... to notify their loved ones to exit the country knowing that the country would soon be "quarantined". Hated Judd Law's role... still it only meant one thing... he did an excellent job in portraying his character.

I too liked the "rawness" of the scripting on Matt Damon's part. There were pause fillers in one scene, which brought out the realism of the characters and the predicament they were facing. Subtle point, but it did add extra points for me. Kate Winslet's role was one of the more heart-wrenching ones to watch. And though the scenes on how panic brought out the "ugly" side of humans were a little too extreme, yet, one can only imagine what others would do in situations like that (I wish never to know).

Predictable plot, scary thought, stellar cast, Contagion is guaranteed to flabbergast!

True Grit

Ratings: 8.3/10

Film Class: B+

Genre: Action Adventure

True Grit is truly one hell of a cowboy movie. I didn't even know that it was a remake of a classic John Wayne movie but will blindly vouch for this version's superiority.

If this movie was ever to be a success, it would be entirely up to Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, or so I thought. Child actress Hailee Steinfield stole some of that limelight and played a major role in its success as well... and just when I thought the sublime acting was all that was needed, the ending literally took the level one notch higher by blowing my mind, or head off.

Best cowboy movie I've watched so far because almost every part of it was so well thought of. The raw, dull colored cinematography brought out the harsh and rough lives of the characters. The introduction of 2 male protagonists was a bold and well-deserved move because it made True Grit different from other movies. And even the supposed main villain in this movie... turned out to be only secondary to yet another more powerful villain. The story development was well paced and well structured... first leading the audience to understand the female protagonist, then moving on to the other 2 main leads.

*spoilers ahead* Initially, Matt Damon seemed to assume an arrogantly irritating role... but gradually gained my respect by his actions. And just when I thought Jeff Bridges character was totally awesome, I lost some respect of him towards the middle of the movie... only to be salvaged by an action far more respectable than anything I've ever seen...

This movie really plays with your mind and heart. You think you know the story, yet you don't. You think you know what you feel towards the characters, yet you don't. But, True Grit ultimately drives a very important point across... that no man is perfect. There's a good side and a bad side of everyone and sometimes, having True Grit isn't determined by one's courage, but by one's compassion... the other side of humans that we seldom see.

The narrative style also added depth and tact to the story, by initially making us feel detached from the characters... but gradually pulling us closer to them. Humor, action, awesomeness, loathsomeness, playfulness, and whatever -ness you can think and name of, you can almost be certain that its prevalent in this movie.

True Grit is a modern day classic that I'm certain for the years to come, will always be a movie that truly stands out from the pack.

Harry Porter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Ratings: 6.8/10

Film Class: B+

Genre: Fantasy

Ok, let me be open about this. I know there are many Harry Porter fans out there who would have unconditionally sung praises of the last film to this epic franchise but let's face it, the director under-delivered. I don't even have to read the book to know how much injustice this movie has done to it, but don't resort to conformity. Just because almost "everyone" says it's nice, you don't have to say it. I won't say it.

I may not be a Harry Porter fan, and I may not have caught the entire franchise, but I was truly impressed with it ever since I watched the Half Blood Prince. Many may not have liked how "dark" the franchise had evolved since then, but I felt it brought a more "adult" feel to it. I'm not saying that adults who appreciates the movie are childish, all I'm saying is that there seems to be more "substance" than just impressive magic, cool flying-stick games and triumphant good vs evil battles.

It promises more than what I've mentioned... and I was so looking forward to the finale. But after catching HP7 Part 2, it proves to be just all that. Period. The plot progression felt too rushed, and as a result created too many loopholes or convenient closures to it. Since I believe I have much to critique about the negative aspects of the film, I shall start with what I liked about it. Hmm... I've got one. *major spoilers ahead* The scene where the villains started to invade Hogwarts, was epic-like. Reminded me of the battle of Helms Deep for Lord of the Rings. It was dark, depressing, seemingly impossible outcome of the bad being defeated. It is this feeling which draws you closer to the storyline, because a part of you is dying to know how the tables can be turned.

And now... the negative aspects of it. I didn't like how the focus of the film shifted entirely to Harry Porter and left Hermione and Ron so calefare-like. Then there was this god-knows-where-he-pops-out-from guy who stole part of the limelight at the end. I understand it's a "Harry Porter" film, but if you're going to build on a franchise with the previous 7 installments fairly distributing the limelight to 3 main leads, then the director shouldn't have shifted this focus away. I honestly felt this last movie didn't bring justice to Emma Watson and Rupert Grint's characters.

I was curious to find out how 4 horcruxes could be destroyed in a single 2hr long movie when the previous 3 drained out the entire contents and runtime of the movie... but I was pleasantly impressed with how it was done. It makes sense, since two horcruxes were close to the main villian, Voldemort and the main lead, Harry Porter. But how the other two were destroyed, felt a little under-developed. Not sure if it's the same for the book, but I thought rather then making a final movie just for the sake of closure, why not invest more runtime in making those scenes more exciting and engaging?

The ending where Voldemort's invincible-like snake was killed was also... underdeveloped. Same for the witch, Helena Bonham Carter, who was so invincible-like in several of the installments but was killed in merely 10 seconds in the finale. Tsk. Such a let-down. And finally, Voldemort. Lorrrddd Voldemort. The name in which everyone in the magic world of Harry Porter fears. Loses in a duel with Harry Porter because... because... I don't even have any idea why. Just because his wand didn't "listen" entirely to him, Lord Voldemort couldn't overpower Harry Porter, who has never been shown to win any solo battles. The sudden surge of power Harry Porter displayed was enlighteningly absurd.

And the way the elderwand (ancestral wand, most powerful wand in the whole world) was snapped into half and thrown into the abyss, was rather hilarious. The way the elderwand flew high up from Volemort's hands into Harry Porter's was so dramatic... and yet, it stopped at such. Under-played, under-developed, under-delivered.

Nonetheless, a fitting ending to a long-standing franchise. Only wished it had packed more of a punch. Honestly, I don't see how this movie could have gotten in the top #250 of IMDB other than pure bias-ness of its fans. Objectively, this film was mediocre and falls behind many of the hidden gems in filmology.

Hanna

Ratings: 7.0/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Action Suspense

Raised in the snowy woods of who-knows-where, Hanna was trained by her father to be a first class assassin. However, as she grows older and starts to wonder what the world out there has for her, she succumbs to temptation to press a red button... a button which her father warned that once pressed, there's no turning back.

Saoirse Ronan (darn it's so tough to spell and to pronounce her name) shines once again in this suspense action film about an unbeatable assassin let loose in the "real" world. It's such a delight seeing her in action because in every movie she acted in, she not only brings out her character, she delivers them with such finesses. Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett were no exception, even though it's expected of them since they're such veteran stars, there wasn't an instance which ignited any disbelief in their roles.

That being said about the casts' performances, the storyline was predictable and rather disappointing. The progression of the plot and the film techniques were rather unconventional. You either like it, or you don't. I, didn't like it. I rather hated the jarring soundtrack, the intention may have been to inject intensity, but to me it just felt irritating and distracted me from involving myself with the characters. Still, the opening and ending lines were original and pretty cool.

I would like to say I love it, since Saoirse starred in it and it was one of my highly awaited movies of the year... but I know it's just going to be another forgettable film in the months to come.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Ratings: 6.1/10 (+2 for awesome CG)

Film Class: A+

Genre: Action

The Autobots (good machines) learn that the last vessel which left their ruined planet Cybertron was found on the moon. The vessel supposedly carried the last remaining hope of their planet with it, with its most important cargo, the ship's captain, Sentinel Prime, a.k.a, Optimus Prime's mentor and original leader of the Autobots.

It's then a race between the Autobots and Decepticons (bad machines) to recover the ship's cargo which could either save, or destroy planet Earth.

Hmmm... where do I even start? Epic movie? I'm torn to give a definitive verdict. The CG was hands down super awesome, but the plot and story progression was less than mediocre. The acting was irritatingly unpleasing to watch, especially that of Shia LaBeouf, the main lead. I didn't like any of the human characters in the film, there were just too many over-acted characters this time round. John Tuturro's role, ex CIA agent, was terrible terrible terrible. Added too much lameness to the movie. Accompanied by Ken Jeong, some random member of the space expedition, the plot was doomed for failure. Off moments also included screen time of Shia LaBeouf's parents and even John Malkovich's character was pretty pathetic.

I hated the "human" aspect of the movie. Everytime the movie featured humans, it showed how immature and lame they were. I was just looking forward to the transformers scenes, even though on occasions they (the director/CG specialist) may have overdone the "body languages" a little.

In comparison to it's first two installments, Transformers: Dark of the Moon beats Revenge of the Fallen hands down but the very first Michael Bay's movie about them was still the best of the 3. Don't believe there was any after credits scene (there were lame early after credits scene however) which featured future sequels. From the looks of the ending, I believe Michael Bay has decided to close the franchise once and for all, a wise decision.

I'm compelled to make a separate and "special" comment to the new face on the screen, Megan Fox's "substitute", Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (quite a mouthful), who was Shia LaBeouf's new love interest. While many may have watched the previous two installments for the hot Megan Fox, do not fret this time round because the new face was equally as saucy. Actually, her hottest scene was the start... period. Love her British accent but hated her acting. Still she was a way better actress than the "Hua Ping" Megan Fox. That said, I hated how the Transformers franchise was not just about the machines, but about the cliche' hot woman with hot cars. The two "human" factors created too many dimensions for the movie.

If a movie was all about hot cars, like Fast and Furious, then bringing in hot women to act alongside was perfectly suitable. But if it's a movie which the main focus was on alien robots and the relationship between them and the human race, then adding scenes of hot women with hot cars seemed a little forced and inappropriate. Perhaps that was the reason for the downfall for the 2nd installment and which prevented this 3rd to rise above it's first.

The first half of the movie was engaging, drawing me deeper into the plot, but gradually kicked me back to my seat with lame one-liners and chalky scripting for the second half. On the contrary, the first half had 8/10 CG awesomeness, and the second half rocketed to 20/10 CG awesomeness.

While I'm not a fan of Transformers, I'm a sucker for impeccable movie graphics. That's why for the first time in my blog, I have given it a "double" rating. Even though the acting and story might not be absolute plus reasons to watch it, I would highly recommend Transformers: Dark of the Moon to anyone out there to experience the pinnacle of CG evolution.

PS.: I caught this movie on the big screens, Digital, without 3D. I personally feel that digital is as good enough an experience for me. Have always hated the nauseating "for the sake of making 3D" effects.

Hidden Gems of Filmography

It's distressing to come across so many hidden gems in filmography that never made their way to Singapore's big screens, rental or video stores. Movies such as Five Minutes of Heaven and I Saw the Devil are two such examples. Therefore, I shall pay tribute to them in hope that any avid movie-goers will allow themselves to experience what I have... the appreciation of the efforts invested to make those movies and the viewing pleasure and satisfaction of being one of the few thousands in a godzillion viewers to have found and watched them.

1. Is Anybody There?

Ratings: 7.2/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Drama

A young boy growing up in an Old Folks' home believes in the afterlife and tries ways and means to contact the deceased. His life changes when a retired magician (Michael Caine) enrols himself in to live off the rest of his sliver years. They form a friendship that

will forever change both their lives.

This movie isn't just about death, it's also about life and gives us two perspectives... Though both leads are more focus-centric on death, owing to each other's presence, they start to experience life once more. It's a heartwarming story about the start and end of life, sprouting from a place that's lost and forgotten by most others.

Phenomenal performances by Michael Caine and Bill Milner (boy who acted in Spiderwick Chronicles and X-Men: First Class as young Erik) and it was indeed a sheer delight to see two actors acting alongside despite their apparent large age gap. The score from what I could recall was melancholic, fitting to the theme of the plot and mood of the movie.

Is Anybody There? sure is worth your time to experience what it's like to immerse yourself into a simple storyline with realistic acting and just a few settings. It's not your elaborate

, and exaggerated Hollywood-style movie, but more of a down-to-earth-style-like movie. A note of caution, there's a strong British accent prevalent, but fret not, for those of you who aren't quite used to that, there's always subtitles to help you keep up with the storyline.

2. Dear Frankie

Ratings: 8.8/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Romantic Drama

Dear Frankie is an absolute heart-warmer about a hearing impaired son, exchanging letters to his sail bound dad. Unknowing to him, the letters are all replied by his loving mother, played by Emily Mortimer. When circumstances resulted in a supposed meet-up with his dad, it's up to his mother to find a guy to play the role of I-haven't-seen-you-in-ages-dad, Gerard Butler.

The chemistry between all three main stars were undoubtedly one of the most convincing I've seen. It was romantic, and heartfelt. Sometimes, what makes the moments romantic isn't just about the lines, or breathtaking "aw" scripts injected into such scenes, this movie proved that the most romantic feelings can be delivered purely by sublime acting and with only a few words.

Cinematography and setting was stunningly spectacular. It was so beautiful most of the time, it felt like a mini documentary about beautiful places around the world, captured with a slightly back-dated camera. It was slightly grainy due to the technology back when

the film was made, 2004, but of which added realism and raw beauty to it. Making the son hearing impaired added another dimension to his character and to the storyline as well. This movie has almost everything in it, a good score, beautiful cinematography, excellent performances, a powerful plot and an engaging development.

Two notes about it is that one, there's a strong Scottish accent, so it's rather difficult to catch the lines, once again no worries with subtitles on, and second, if you're a fan of Gerard Butler and you're going to watch it just because of him, don't. He doesn't enjoy that much screentime. He's only featured during the middle portion of the movie. *major spoilers ahead* Though I must say, his parting scene with Emily Mortimer was one of the most impressionable yet.

The movie doesn't just give you a surface experience, but allows you to empathize with the characters, especially that of Emily Mortimer and as to why she makes the tough decisions as she does. The ending was as tear-wrenching and ironically, just as sweet. Dear Frankie has easily eased its way up in my ranks as one of the top movies of the 21st century.

3. Blue Valentine

Ratings: 8.5/10

Film Class: C

Genre: Romantic Drama

Blue Valentine is by far the only movie I know of which turned out to be more impressive after reading its trivia. Initially capping a rating of 8.0 for this movie, after reading the trivia online, I cannot but help jack it up .5 notches.

There's no relation or references made to as why this movie is called Blue Valentine. According to the trivia, the director called it such in tribute to one of Tom Waits songs, Blue Valentine. After checking out the lyrics, there too isn't much relation to the story either. Still, if I were to create a "false" explanation, it would be that the color to describe Valentine would be red, representing romance. And as we all now, the color blue represents sadness and despair. So in summary, and in the context of this film, blue valentine represents a sad romance - depicting the relationship of Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

Here's a little trivia to impress you as it did to me... The film underwent 67 drafts and took 12 years to complete, because the director didn't have enough budget for the film and had to film it on and off. He claimed to have earned nothing from it and even had to "pay" to make the movie. The before and after marriage scenes were filmed separately on different cameras, which whether intentionally or not, created the subtle difference in mood which enhanced the emotional quality and aspect of the film. Ryan Gosling actually worked in the actual company portrayed in the movie and both protagonists actually lived together for a month in a rented apartment and created actual arguments with each other.

Michelle Williams is Heath Ledger's ex-wife and the mother of his child so the production had to be delayed in respect of his death. Interesting trivia but irrelevant. And possibly the most impressive part of it... the cast didn't have a script for most of the scenes. They acted impromptu and had to adapt to whatever lines were thrown at each other by the other party to reach the "desirable outcome".

The acting felt so real, and speaking of chemistry, this movie beats most movies hands down. I'm not sure if the cast were really "being themselves" and if so, it was quite an eye-opener and sad thing to see. Because unlike most reviews about the movie, I would beg to differ in that this movie is about a happily married couple who after years of marriage, is on the brink of breakup. This is a movie about an irrational decision made in the name of love, and after years of marriage, on one hand, true love blossoms, and on the other, love degenerated. The marriage failure theme isn't original, it's similar to Revolutionary Road but at least Blue Valentine wasn't totally depressing. There were happy moments featured because the entire movie trotted between different time frames.

The story gradually unravels itself as we eventually sink deeper and deeper into their relationship. I have to speak high praise of the camera technique. I for one was never fond of shaky camera styles, but this time, instead of just creating that realism, it also created a window of involvement. The scene whereby Ryan Gosling was playing a song for Michelle Williams as she was tap dancing in front of a convenience shop (I think) is one scene I will never forget. Trivia states that Ryan Gosling actually wrote and sang many of the songs featured. He almost reminded me of the late Heath Ledger. Talented, yet isn't that recognized.

His older self reminded me of the physical appearance of Andy Kaufman, a movie made about him called Man on the Moon played by Jim Carrey. Not sure if it was intended but it sure seemed that's where the director got his inspiration from. I know I'm reviewing it all over the place because I don't want to miss out any points which wouldn't do enough justice to this hidden gem.

Even though there's nudity, a scene of cunnilingus (oral sex performed on a female, a term I only came to know just yesterday after reading the trivia about how the movie was on the verge of receiving a NC17 rating as opposed to a less lenient R rating in US because of that scene - Saw and Hostel received an R rating, imagine that!!), and a rather disturbing and heart-breaking sex scene, there wasn't much eroticism in the movie. Yet, those scenes only enhanced the degenerating relationship between the two, actually, in my opinion, the fault lies in the female protagonist and not the male (not saying this to defend my own gender but what I observed from the movie).

Blue Valentine is about a couple whose marriage is degenerating and is on the verge of failure. Dean, Ryan Gosling, is a loving husband and father who didn't expect to be where he were but ended up as such all because of love. Cindy, Michelle Williams, on the other hand, is a confused wife and mother who believes that she no longer loves her life and indulges in self-pity. She just wants to get out of it and is waiting for the catalyst to spark that moment.

*major spoilers ahead* The movie is a constant reminder for long-term couples that it always takes two hands to clap, two hands to make things work and two hands to break things. Cindy was the "hand" who wanted to break it, and Dean was the other hand who wanted to make it. In the end, commitment, responsibilities and true love was barely able to keep the couple hanging on for just a little bit longer. My reason for which I believe Cindy is as such because of the way she was in the movie. Cindy kept her pending promotion from Dean, because it required her to move to another city with her boss. She wasn't totally honest with him and no longer had any feelings or attraction towards Dean. That, she shifts the blame to Dean by accusing him of always starting a fight.

Dean, on the other hand, seems almost foolishly in love with Cindy. Looking as if he was the more irrational person in the relationship at the start, it was gradually revealed that he was the true "element" of love in the film. It was depressing to see how blindly attached he was to what seemed like a doomed outcome, yet he still holds on because of the magnitude of his love for both his wife and daughter.

Dean and Cindy were opposites, like in most relationships, not just in character, which anyone in a relationship would agree with me, but also in thinking, with respect made to the movie. Dean didn't seem to know what he wanted at the start, but after getting married and having a child, believes that that's all he ever wanted in life (revealed through a heartfelt conversation between the two). Cindy, on the other hand, thought she knew what she wanted, to keep the baby and get married. However, as time progresses, she gradually realizes it wasn't what she wanted and tries means to break out of her self-proclaimed miserable life.

This movie isn't your average marriage failure type movie. There's more to it than meets the eye. The values and expectations portrayed served as possible scenarios and warnings to young couples who are about to set up a family. But one mustn't be afraid to take that one big leap, because ultimately, one can never predict the future. As long as the two hands needed to make the family stays iron-fisted, and constantly re-coats them with affection, even physiological science, even physically ageing appearances, even psychologically mundane routines will never be able to come between the tightly grasped hands which all started down the aisle.

Word of advice, this movie is dialogue-driven and is guaranteed to lower your mood when the credits roll. But like any other gems, it is because it's able to evoke that feeling in you which makes it truly commendable. Blue Valentine may not have won the Oscars, but it too has won a place in my heart.