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Reviews
Eternals (2021)
Unwatchable
This movie was unwatchable for me. It's the first Marvel movie that I was unable to finish watching. There are many problems with Eternals starting with the slow pacing of the movie. Many scenes were too long and could have been edited out. It doesn't help that the screenplay is also weak. The audience is dazzlingly taking back and forth between past and present day. The visual effects are not always on point. It's surprising considering the massive budget. Not even an inclusive celebrity cast can help this production from staying afloat.
San sheng san shi shi li tao hua (2017)
Forgettable at best
This movie is the perfect bad example of trying to condense a long story under 2-hour time. It was like watching a beautiful music video with fast transitions, but no room for neither story development nor character development. On top of that, the main actors have zero chemistry. Start by watching the TV series starring Yang Mi and Mark Chao first, which does a much better justice of depicting the eternal love between Bai Qian and Ye Hua. Only watch this movie afterwards as a bonus feature.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Everything you need to know about Enron scandal
The documentary is based on the same book written by Peter Elkind and Bethany McLean who was the Fortune reporter who first smelled something wasn't quite right with Enron's business. I must say that the 110 minutes DVD is one of the "scarriest" movies I have ever seen. It gave me chills to watch the untold secrets of big corporates America. There are things you wish you didn't know about because of its nature but for former Enron employees I bet they wished they've asked why more often. What seems too good to be true may really not be true at all. I absolutely love this documentary. I think it is spot on at capturing the sense and feeling about the scandal.
Nacho Libre (2006)
Viva Nacho Libre!
The movie tells the story of this orphan kid (aka Jack Black) growing up in a monastery somewhere in Mexico. As a kid, he dreamed of becoming a wrestler but unfortunate events led him to become a cook at his church where he falls in admiration with a nun. One day, he decides to make a man out of himself and goes on to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler. With the money earned from his newfound talent he gives back to his church and all the orphan kids there. The humor in this movie is very a la Stephen Chow (like very absurd and out there) but that is why I liked it so much. The story line was good. The cinematography and acting were very good. I guess at first I wasn't expecting much of this little comedy movie, but it turned out to be a good 1 1/2 hours of entertainment.
300 (2006)
The Inspiring Tale of 300 Spartans
300 is a truly visual masterpiece. I mean the editing done on this movie is incredible. Each scene from 300 is as if taken from a painting (especially the scene towards the end with the dying king laying with his dead soldiers). I was a little doubtful at first about how this movie will deliver. I've watched Sin City before and although was amazed about the cosmetic side of it I did not, however, like the overall motion picture. 300, on the contrary, has an intriguing plot line made for the big screen. Set in the ancient time, it is the inspiring tale of 300 Spartans fighting for their freedom against the proclaimed God King, Xerxes, and his massive Persian army. The actors and actresses are perfectly cast in this movie. Overall it is a bloody movie and at times crude but oh so original apart from all the rest! I left the theater revivified with life and hope.
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
A Feast for the Eyes & Laughter Muscles
Kung Fu Panda is the best animated movie I've seen since Finding Nemo. It's the story about Po, a fat-bellied panda, who dreamed of becoming a master of kung fu although his father thinks that he'd one day take over their family business of selling noodle soups. The panda is good at making noodle soups but he knows better that he's destined for something bigger. One day the village is threatened by a villain named Tai Lung, a power-seeking snow leopard. Po is somehow designated as THE dragon warrior who would save the town. I wouldn't go too much in details so not to spoil anyone but this animated picture has a very important message. Sometimes you wish you had a magic wand to make your imperfections go away or transform yourself into someone else. The truth is there's no such thing as magic wands. You got to believe in yourself first before people can believe in you. And you got to work hard to get to your dreams. So that's pretty much the plot behind the legend of the legendary warrior. The CG-animated work in Kung Fu Panda is so much detailed that it's breathtaking. I particularly liked at the end of the movie when they showed a close-up of Master Shifu (Po's kung fu master) waiting for the return of Tai Lung. You can clearly see the wind brushing his fur. The fighting scenes (and believe me there's plenty of them) are spectacular and would make envious any live-action kung fu movies. Some characters were underdeveloped or had no real purpose like most of the Furious Five except maybe for Tigress. However, Jack Black cast as Po did a remarkable job. Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu was a real treat as well as Ian McShane who played the voice of the fearful Tai Lung. Finally, there's no single moment you won't find yourself cracking a smile or bursting out in laughter while watching Kung Fu Panda. It's a must-see!
Wanted (2008)
Great action movie with great acting
I think before watching Wanted, people need to be aware of certain things... First, the premise of the trailer is as good as the movie. However, Wanted is not another cliched action movie. The tone of the movie felt real and raw just like in the comic book. You better believe it when the MPAA classified this movie as "Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality". You will also find action sequences and special effects that you've never seen before.
The storyline is a cross between Office Space, Minority Report, and the Matrix. James McAvoy plays the role of Wesley Gibson who is this average guy working in an office from 9 to 5. He seems to be living a normal life, yet boring to death. One day, he gets recruited by an old fraternity of assassins. They train and turn him into a professional killer, someone with a status. But there's a twist to the story so I won't say much not to spoil the moviegoers.
Not only was James McAvoy convincing playing a geek through his full force acting but he also did a very credible American accent. Angelina Jolie plays the role of Fox as one of James' mentors. She exuded sexiness and confidence on screen as usual. I was pleasantly surprised to also see the musician Common in this movie playing one of the other assassins. Overall, I think this movie delivered. And if after watching this movie and you don't feel any emotions (either like or dislike) then maybe you do need someone in your life to shake you up!
Mongol (2007)
Great movie about Genghis Khan of Mongolia
Mongol, directed by Serge Bodrov, is a stunning historical epic about the early years of Temudgin, better known as Genghis Khan of Mongolia. It's the first installment of a trilogy about the Khan's life. The movie starts out with Temudgin incarcerated in what seems to be a Chinese prison. He then recounts events that happened some 20 years ago that would change his life forever: from meeting his future bride at the age of 9 to his father's death and the alienation of his own people. The last half of the movie shows him escaping from prison and becoming the future emperor of the Mongol empire. The Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano plays Temudgin in the movie and is very charismatic. His strong performance is worthy of an Oscar. Tadanobu is great at playing the part to portray Genghis Khan as a fearless and visionary leader and not as the vicious killing machine of stereotype. Temudgin's best friend, Jamukha, is played by the Chinese actor Honglei Sun. His flamboyant character shows a funnier side of things. Temudgin's wife, Borte, is played by a newcomer Mongolian actress Khulan Chuluun. Honglei and Khulan both gave excellent supporting performances. There are many aspects of Mongol that makes it appealing besides the first rate acting. For example, the too few battle scenes with thousands of soldiers were spectacular and felt real (i.e., not CGI-like). Although the movie seems to be slow at times, the breathtaking landscapes of Mongol makes up for it. This is a great movie not to be missed.
The Dark Knight (2008)
THE best superhero movie of the Summer if not of all time
The movie opens up with an elaborate bank robbery that slowly takes a different direction that you would never expect. Then appear Bruce Wayne aka Batman (Christian Bale) who works in partnership with cops and lawyers to clean the streets of criminals in Gotham City. However, Batman begins to think that people like Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) are the real heroes in the public eyes and that Gotham City would no longer need his help. In the meanwhile, Batman's aggressive effort to eliminate crimes pushed the criminals to the point where they have to turn to someone they barely understand: the Joker (Heath Ledger).
Heath Ledger's phenomenal performance in The Dark Knight will be remembered in a long time. His rendition of the Joker is terrifying, making the villain looks almost like a psychopath on the loose. The Joker is portrayed in the movie as someone who murders people and commits crimes for his own amusement. He goes by no rules, no structures, or no plans whatsoever. Like Batman's goal is to fight against crimes for the sake of bringing peace to Gotham's City, the Joker's purpose in life is to just do the complete opposite. This movie is all about the idea of absolute good and absolute evil. The Joker could care less about money or fame. He only cares about proving that humans are primitives in their worst time. However, the Joker will come to realize that humans rely on faith and hope in such time and that's when Batman comes in. He's the hero that Gotham City deserves...
Heath Ledger steals every scenes that he's in even the ones he's with Batman. He portrays the Joker as funny sarcastic at times and gruesome at others. Christian Bale as Batman did his duty and acted well. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays his love interest, Rachel Dawes. She's not your normal beauty but she did great in projecting her character as someone who's independent and who knows what she wants. I did not recognize Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon in the movie at all. Another great performance worth mentioning is by Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, Batman's once close ally.
Besides the star-studded cast, The Dark Knight is a movie that has substance. I like how the director presented multiple shots of different scenes that happened simultaneously to create a momentum. I'm also glad this movie does not look cartoonish like they did before with the previous Batman movies. The Dark Knight feels shockingly real.
How to Be (2008)
Indie gem not to be missed!
Vocationless and without direction, twenty-something Arthur 'Art' (Robert Pattinson) tries to make his way in the real world and develop his career as a misunderstood musician. Unfortunately, he gets dumped by his girlfriend, gets fired from his job, moves back in with his parents, and subsequently hits a quarter-life crisis. He reaches out to everyone in his life, but they don't exactly help him. So Art turns to a self-book aptly titled 'It's Not Your Fault'. He goes on to convince the Canadian author of the book, Dr. Ellington (Powell Jones), to come live in London in his parents' house and become his personal life coach. As expected, comedy ensues.
There are numerous scenes in the movie that had me laughed out loud and the characters were undeniably lovable, regardless of their numerous flaws. However, the undertone and theme of the movie are pretty dark and dramatic. After all, this movie tackles the subject of how the role of parents is important in upbringing children. Art may appear at first as someone who craves for attention, but the audience slowly realizes how distant are his parents. This lack of contact is perceived by the child as lack of love.
Robert Pattinson is popular now, but I only saw this film to check his acting abilities. I must say I am impressed. Pattinson exhibited an entirely new side of him, making me completely confident in his abilities as an actor, not just as a pretty face. Powell Jones is hilarious in his role of the systematic Dr. Ellington.
This film is wholly unique. A must-see for anyone looking for an indie gem that paints real life problems in a surreal and comical light. 'How to Be' provides a touching take on the pains of growing up.
The Big Flower Fight (2020)
Best in Bloom
"Best in Bloom" would be a more fitting name for this TV series!