In Time

Ratings: 7.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Action Sci-Fi

I really loved the ideas and concept behind the movie. In Time is set in a hypothetical era where everyone only gets to age till 25 years old, and only has a year more to live. However, the people can "trade" or more accurately "transfer" time from one individual to another just by the grabbing of another's arm (a little too easy I feel). Their "lifespan" or timespan is shown on their left arm. 

Justin Timberlake, or Will Salas is just an ordinary guy living in the "dumpster" or lowerclass citizen doomed to die after he reaches 25 years old and isn't bothered by it. He makes full use of his time by running to destinations and doing meaningful stuff. However, everything changed for him when he tries to save another guy who has a century of time in his hands, literally. People with that much time in their hands only suffer 1 fate in the lowerclass zone... death by murder. 

Will was unexpectedly given the 100 years by his new acquaintance and was told to make full use of his time. He then travels to the inner, or outer parts of the city, to another zone where the time-rich people are... where a hundred years is nothing to wow about. There, he meets the tycoon's daughter, Slyvia Weis, played by Amanda Seyfried and steals her heart and life. 

Hunted down by "time-keepers" or rather the "cops" of the era for murder, Will, together with Slyvia must find a way to disrupt the imbalance of time in a warped world. 

Though I personally didn't like the acting of both leads, the storyline got me on the edge of my seats most of the time. Whenever the leads' time clicks down to mere seconds, it never fails to cut off the oxygen in my lungs. This movie reminded me to cherish my life, and make full use of my time on earth. Unlike the movie where you almost certainly know when you're gonna die, it's not the same here in the real world. 

Before I start muttering on philosophies and urging you to cherish your lives and those around you, I better not waste yours and tell you if this movie really is worth your time watching... It is, it kinda reminded me of Total Recall (no idea why) and it has a solemn and abstract feel to it. There's actually more to this movie than meets the eye, but with eye candy casts like Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, it's expected to get lost in them instead of the movie. 

Cillian Murphy was exceptional in this movie. Everything about him just feels detestably cool. I liked the motivation and ideals the leads were working towards, and though the movie wasn't super action-packed with hot car chases, blaring explosions and high-teched guns, In Time would easily be one of the top Sci-Fi movies with a great storyline concept. 

Cowboys & Aliens

Ratings: 7.8/10

Film Class: A

Genre: Action Suspense

Cowboys and aliens is, as it's title suggests, a movie about cowboys vs aliens. Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) wakes up in the middle of nowhere, and not remembering who he is and how he got there, he travels to a nearby town, where it's villagers are bullied by a notorious gang of cowboys led by Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford). That's the 2 main leads for you, with Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde) as the exotic-looking towns girl. 

*spoilers ahead* It's no mystery that the loggerheads cowboys would join forces against their greatest challenge yet... an alien invasion. The aliens are bad ass, with state of the art weaponry and stealth speed, everyone looks at their only hope of offence against the merciless aliens, a metallic device attached to Jake's waist which never fails to blast the brains out of their foreign guests. 

The plot isn't without it's flaws, with the convenient activation of the weapon whenever it's near the aliens even though it belongs to them and on a few occasions, it miraculously stays "tame". Ending was no killer, but the development, setting, CG and action nailed it. 

I'm thankful the movie turned out better than expected, at least that way I'm comforted knowing one of the few original movie posters I own might someday be as valuable as other movie classics like The Dark Knight and Finding Nemo. 

It's old school (cowboys) meet new school (aliens), a refreshing plot that surprisingly took that long to hit the big screens. Damn, why didn't I think of that? There was an unexpected likable character who suddenly shined at the end which really added a "twist" to the movie. Expect everything you would expect, cool cowboys, galloping horses, useless pistols, tamed romance, and most importantly, one weapon to rule them all... One weapon to bring them all into the darkness...

Immortals

Ratings: 7.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Mythological Action

I don't think immortals lack the coolness or acting of 300. What it did lack, was the flow and the strength of a good plot.

Immortals is about the conquest of a group of evil "superhumans" led by King Hyperion, who is in search of the bow of Epirus, a godly weapon needed to break open the locks of a divine prison to unleash an army of Titans which would cast war on humans and the Gods. The titans were once gods, but were the inferior of the lot and were cast away and locked up in a divine prison, hence, were called Titans instead. Just a little additional background, which was also explained in the movie.

*major spoilers ahead* The plot wasn't strong because of how powerful the Gods were and yet they couldn't prevent the unleashing of the titans. It was the result of an accumulation of bad decisions and stubbornness (which didn't quite make sense). The Gods refused to help the humans and would do so only until the titans were unleashed. But when the titans were about to be unleashed, why didn't the gods interfere? 

It was a bloodbath between the gods and the titans at the end, but everything could have been prevented. If you ask me, I thought it was pretty silly how it turned out that way. And Theseus, the mortal who was trained and tasked to lead the fight between humans and the "superhumans" was always (twice) rescued by the Gods. It just felt... kinda conveniently redundant. 

I didn't really get the rationale for the plot, how the Gods would help Theseus now and then but when the prison was about to break free, they didn't come down only after the titans were running amok. However, when I caught the movie, the plot would only be a plus to movies of such genres. Clash of the Titans didn't have a great storyline as well, but it worked for me. 

There's not much 300 in this film, few slow-mo scenes and no cool lines, but there was a characteristic gore fest. Typical, and welcoming. I believe when viewers watch movies of such genres, they expect gore here and there, if not it'd lose the impact of the fighting scenes and the movie experience. Well, at least that's what I feel. The splash of blood, and chopping of heads (which I didn't really like), the contrasting colors of the wardrobes, the flying of spears, the shooting of arrows, the 5+-minute-long duels, the massive bloodshed between humans vs superhumans and gods vs titans were all what made this movie a success.

Johnny English Reborn

Ratings: 6.8/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Action Comedy

While this movie did entertain me, I don't think it's deserves a high rating because it wasn't fantastic. It's prequel Johnny English wasn't that good in the first place, so I didn't set my expectations too high when catching it. True enough, the jokes were abundantly lame, but there were a couple of good lines here and there.

Johnny English is back after being punished for the failure of a mission and pits himself against Chinese assassins, only to uncover a conspiracy involving a mole in his agency. Framed and backed by his new rookie sidekick, he must clear his name and stop yet another assassination. 

It's entertaining to see Rowan Atkinson in action but not to discredit his talent in any way, I thought the "material" in this movie wasn't strong. It didn't bring out what could have been a f***ing hilarious movie experience. I did like the closing credits scene though, it reminded me of Rowan Atkinson's "original" material (from his standup shows). 

*spoilers ahead* The Chinese aunty assassin was annoyingly amusing and one of the lead actress, Rosamund Pike was a liberating eye candy to the aged cast.

This movie could be a waste of money, but not a waste of time. If there's ever a 3rd, you can be sure that I'll almost definitely put up a post about it. 

Crazy Stupid Love

Ratings: 6.6/10
Film Class: B

Genre: Rom Com

I didn't like it. Though the movie did do justice to its title. This movie featured crazy and stupid stuff people would do for love. Ryan Gosling was suave, but something about him just didn't feel right. Ryan Gosling was fantastic in Drive and Blue Valentine, as the cold and emotionless badass Hollywood stuntman and as the gloomy love-torn husband, but when it came to being a suave pick-up artist, either he's stuck in stereotyped roles or that he was given really bad lines in this movie.

Steve Carell was irritating as hell and was given yet another "detestable" role so nothing too different to comment about. Ie. He's good in this kinda roles. Noisy, grumpy and insensitive. Till date, I think his only more serious role was in Little Miss Sunshine. Shan't critique all the cast one by one, but in general, everyone did good what they were supposed to.

*spoilers ahead* Perhaps the main reason for me not liking this film were the exaggerated circumstances the characters landed themselves into. The director tried to "tie" everything up but it felt like a huge mess. And the scene where Steve Carell went up to do a speech on his son's behalf, that was simply ridiculous. (Can or would a parent go up on stage to criticise their kid's speech and do a "better" speech on their behalf?) If it was supposed to touch me, it failed. I can't accept illogical scenes, especially when they're this concentrated in a movie. All the "nude photo taking", "loving someone younger or 20 years older" and all the "crazy teacher screaming "crap doesn't sit well with me.

Crazy Stupid Love is more crazy and stupid, than love. 

The Perfect Host

Ratings: 7.4/10

Film Class: C+

Genre: Comedy Thriller

I'm not even sure if there's even such a genre as comedy thriller but this movie does stretch the norm. David Hyde Pierce, the comedy man from Frasier (not the main guy, but his close friend), delivers a twisted and at times hilarious performance as a schizophrenic guy by the name of Warwick Wilson, who has an unexpected guest "house-crashing" his dinner. 

Problem is, this guest is not your average Joe, he's a badass criminal on the run who lied his way into Warwick's house, only to find out that he's an equally dangerous schizo guy. It's a battle of wits and even though I was supposed to loathe Warwick (I think), I absolutely adore him. It's a light-hearted thriller that's doesn't take things too seriously.

The development was subtlety high-paced, with a slow mood lingering from one scene to another, yet the story was hard hitting with all the awkward and twisted situations. It's not a movie you can simply put your finger on, cos it's totally cranky, peculiar and at the same time, utterly entertaining. Oh and btw, there's only minimal gore in this movie.

The ending is something to look forward to, considering how one would think it's just a typical battle of wits thriller. Not a blockbuster-type movie, but it's sure to hit your "top 100 most memorable movies of all times" list. 

War Horse

Ratings: 8.8/10

Film Class: A

Genre: Drama

Despite liking horses, there's an inertia for me to catch movies about horses whenever they're out on the big screens because I didn't think any of them would be able to beat the animated movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. The reason is simple, one can easily animate the expression and exaggerate the gallops of the horses when it comes to CGI but it's not that simple when they're dealing with real horses. Movies with horses always lacked that "horse factor" which I would expect to sweep me off my feet.

Not sure how much CGI was in this movie to animate the War Horse, Joey, but Steven Spielberg sure did a phenomenal job in capturing my heart to feel for the horse. Most other movies emphasized more on the lead cast, I mean after all, it's reasonable to do so since the director is probably paying more money for them, but not this director. You can be sure that for once, finally, after Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, that the main star of the movie was the horse, the War Horse, Joey. All the other actors and actresses were merely supporting cast. And that's what I loved about the movie.

Also, most movies about horses will surely be under the genre of Drama, Ie. They're dialogue driven. It's typically about bonds between the horses and the leads, about separating them and reuniting them at the end. This movie is no different. Typical plot when it comes to such movies, but the way it developed, that was the distinguishing part. War Horse, as its title suggests, is a movie about a horse during war time, to be more specific, during the war between England and Germany. And about how this strong-willed horse endured hardships to tide through the crisis.

It's also about how "angels" protected this horse, and how a chain of events lead to the ultimate ending. Typical storyline, I reiterate, but definitely not a predictable one. The events in this movie are quite "random" and unexpected, kinda reminded me of Inglorious Bastards. It even reached a point that I stopped guessing what's going to happen next and just sat back, to enjoy the movie in all its entirety. Few movies have been able to make me feel this way, me being the thinker I am, but somehow, there was too much feeling in this movie, there's just no time for thinking.

When the credits rolled, I was still trying to regain my "consciousness". I was sucked into the movie and it took me a while to get back out.

*Major spoilers ahead* There were many subplots in this movie, about the horse meeting different groups of people and how each and everyone of them started a chain event which lead the horse to where it ended at the final scene. And out of the maybe 3-4 subplots, I was fond of all of them. Those scenes acted like little episodes in this "drama series" and the movie didn't even feel that long (2.5hrs).

I was particularly fond of the Captain and the French girl's scenes. Thought I recognised the captain, he's actually the villain of Thor, Tom Hiddleston. And from this movie, it just shows how great an actor he is. He's actually also very convincing as a hero as well as a villain. And the young french girl, by the name of Emilie (Celine Buckens) whom I found from imdb, has never acted in any movies before this. Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. The cast in this movie were just brilliant!! Apart from both of them who were exceptional, the rest of the cast were also top class.

But it wasn't just the cast, but also the graphics, the mood, the story, the development, the soundtrack, which earned this drama an "A" class. Rarely, in my opinion, that dramas are categorised under "A" class because of the nature of the genre, there would always be less CGI and "awesomeness" incorporated in them. Dramas are just on a different ballgame with Blockbuster movies packed with action and excellent CGI regardless of the storyline.

However, War Horse is different. It is in a class of its own, a "family" war movie. The only other movie which could be on par with this movie is possibly Inglorious Bastards. War Horse is a heart warming tale of a horse and its journey through the hearts and souls of people on both sides of the war during WWI. It would surely make you laugh, and possibly cry and most of all, have you remember it as one of the greatest horse movies, or movies ever made in cinema history. War Horse, I salut you.

We Bought A Zoo

Ratings: 7.5/10

Film Class: B

Genre: Family

We bought a zoo is a family drama based on a true story. I don't think everything in the movie was real, cos a huge load of its scenes were highly exaggerated, but with a plot about a family struggling to start afresh by buying a closed down zoo and fighting to revive it, I can't help but feel that I'll be damned for speaking ill of this movie.

It wasn't fantastic. That's for sure. It wasn't in any sense bad at all either. It was a slightly above average family movie which may trickle your tears every once in a while and there were a couple of good lines in it. Though the lines were a little out of place, and might not necessarily complement the scenes, they were in fact pretty good standalone lines.

*Major spoilers ahead* Briefly, such lines include (not quoted from the movie, but the gist of the lines are kept) "All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage", "Your happy is too loud" and "Sometimes we talk by listening".

Though cute, I personally didn't like the daughter in this movie. I felt that she didn't act well, but of course I'm just being too harsh on her since she's still very young. Elle Fanning, the cousin of Scarlett Johansson (one of the zoo keepers), though I like her generally, in all honesty, also thought she didn't act well. Either that or as my gf suggested, she possibly didn't know how to portray a country girl. Matt Damon's son, was irritating as hell with his unreasonable arguments and the way he treated Elle Fanning was crap (not personal). Didn't quite get his role. Didn't know what character trait he was portraying.

On the other hand, I thought Scarlett Johansson was convincing as a Tom-Boyish zoo keeper. Though I'm never fond of her, I thought she delivered well in this film. The chemistry between her and Matt Damon was convincing for me. And Matt Damon, as usual, doesn't fail in his acting.

The reason why there's so much criticism in the cast is because I feel that they are an important factor in making the movie a success. Ironically, though most of the cast may have "failed", the lines and story development made this movie quite memorable. *Major spoilers alert 2* Especially the scene about Matt Damon answering Scarlett Johansson with a mere "Why not?" when he was asked "Why did he buy the zoo." It was a rather awkward scene which ended abruptly. But it was explained at the end of the movie, which made it extremely sweet.

There's also an "abstract" metaphoric representation of how Matt Damon was feeling... with his reluctance to let go of the dying Lion, Solomon.

I have rather mixed feelings about We Bought A Zoo. There was a good 4-5 times which the cast kept "chanting" the title of the movie, as if the director was afraid we didn't know what movie we were watching and as mentioned, the cast were in general too ordinary. But because the way the events unfolded, it built up to a hard hitting ending which left me more satisfied than disappointed.

Therefore for anyone who's looking for a movie to bring your kids to, this is a good choice. However, bear in mind that the focus weren't on the animals but on the humans, so don't expect cute animals (more screen time was given for ferocious animals like tigers, lions and bears) but you can expect it to be a feel good movie.