Back to this post, I was motivated to make a comeback chiefly due to the unwavering support and encouragement from my dedicated fans (yes I love you all too). Fine, it was ONE person only, but hey I'm not gonna leave my one fan feeling lost without guidance from my words of wisdom right? ;) Can't say no when my writing's gold (OMG I can actually rhyme for the first time in my life).
So then I thought what the heck should I post this time round? Fighting unfunny brain and all, I figured let's share my two cents worth on the movies I've watched at the cinemas this year (well at least those that I remember watching, yes my brain is now unfunny AND forgetful). For the uninitiated, I am a self-professed movie whore, and am lovin' it! Problem is, I watched so many of them I can't really remember them all. So I'm gonna type them here as I can recall them. Let's get the ball rolling, shall we?
Oh almost forgot the obligatory PSA (that's Public Service Announcement for the uncool): WARNING! WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! DO NOT PROCEED IF KNOWLEDGE OF A MOVIE'S CONTENT WILL AFFECT YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THE MOVIE IN A NEGATIVE MANNER! (Except for you, Ryan, this is after all your fault for egging me on for a comeback and in the process deprive me of an hour worth of sleep):
Cloverfield 
So Cloverfield was this big secret hush hush movie that no one had any idea what is was about until a few weeks prior to its release. The marketing gimmick for this movie was genius, to say the least: release a short teaser one year ago about some terrified person speaking into a camcorder about some attack, causing a lot of internet buzz, showing a picture of a decapitated Statue Of Liberty (don't we just love watching flicks where real life landmarks are reduced to smithereens?), and of course talk of a monster nobody knows looked like what.
So what did I think of it? LOVED it to bits! The creative juices were certainly flowing when they planned the whole filming. Loved the part when the head of the Liberty came flying onto the streets, and all the supposedly-shocked onlookers were snapping photos of it instead of running for their lives! Well, Asha did tell me I would have done the same...Yes I admit the whole camera-shaking bit can be dizzying, but really doing it otherwise would have reduced the movie's authenticity. The best part is, amidst all the chaos and running around, it really is a love story underneath it all, but done subtly and not shoved-down-your-throat type. I felt really irritated when I overheard some people comment about how the movie does not offer any explanations, or a proper ending. These people don't seem to realise it really isn't the point of the movie to give any explanations. The point was just to document, from a victim's point of view, what happens if you were in a city attacked by a monster. And that itself lies its beauty.
So Cloverfield was this big secret hush hush movie that no one had any idea what is was about until a few weeks prior to its release. The marketing gimmick for this movie was genius, to say the least: release a short teaser one year ago about some terrified person speaking into a camcorder about some attack, causing a lot of internet buzz, showing a picture of a decapitated Statue Of Liberty (don't we just love watching flicks where real life landmarks are reduced to smithereens?), and of course talk of a monster nobody knows looked like what.So what did I think of it? LOVED it to bits! The creative juices were certainly flowing when they planned the whole filming. Loved the part when the head of the Liberty came flying onto the streets, and all the supposedly-shocked onlookers were snapping photos of it instead of running for their lives! Well, Asha did tell me I would have done the same...Yes I admit the whole camera-shaking bit can be dizzying, but really doing it otherwise would have reduced the movie's authenticity. The best part is, amidst all the chaos and running around, it really is a love story underneath it all, but done subtly and not shoved-down-your-throat type. I felt really irritated when I overheard some people comment about how the movie does not offer any explanations, or a proper ending. These people don't seem to realise it really isn't the point of the movie to give any explanations. The point was just to document, from a victim's point of view, what happens if you were in a city attacked by a monster. And that itself lies its beauty.
Vantage Point 
This was really a so-so movie for me. It's about a terrorist plot to assassinate the US president (of course, every movie that's politically-inclined must depict the US president), but told from the views of 8 different people. I would say the story-telling mode was really creative, and goes something like this:
Scene 1:
A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. A farmer is aghast.
Scene 2:
The farmer is eating breakfast with his wife. His son is playing with some Lego. Farmer and wife is seen arguing. Farmer complains he is sick of milking cows. Farmer wants to audition for American Idol. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 3:
Farmer's wife wakes up grumpy from a night of bad sex. She makes breakfast while thinking if she should buy that new limited edition lingerie from Victoria's Secret to spice up her sex life. Farmer comes to breakfast commenting it was his best sex ever. Farmer and wife argue. Farmer's son is playing with Lego. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 4:
Farmer's son is carried by farmer's wife and placed in front of the TV and given some Lego to play with. He starts to cry when his parents argue. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 5:
The cow is grazing in the fields. It is depressed to hear the farmer is sick of milking it. Thinking it has no more reason to live, it chokes on a big bite of grass and drops dead. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast. The family mourns its death.
So yea it goes something like that lah. The funny thing is everytime they did such rewinds, I hear the cinema audience sniggering like it was so funny. These people obviously strolled into the cinema not knowing what the movie was about. I guess the only funny thing I found about the movie was that, for all the fantastic plotting the terrorists did, their plans were eventually foiled by a little girl standing in the middle of a road, of all people!
Step Up 2: The Streets
Of course all dance movie are the same plot-wise. It's always about a bunch of losers who aren't so well-off, but can dance so well we wonder why they didn't think of making it big by dancing in a Britney video and then getting laid by her ala Kevin Federline.
I have to say the Step Up series really ignited my love for dance movies. And OMG, that final dance scene was like THE best dance scene in a movie to date. Sufficiently long enough to not make you feel short-changed, it had everything: the ultra-slick choreography, jaw-dropping moves, the perfect clubbing tunes, hot women with sick bodies, and of course the rain had to come at the right timing to provide the scenario of wet people looking cool while dancing. Even the obligatory best friend cum nerd was a sick dancer! Man if only my nerdy friends (and myself) could move like that. Oh and do not be misled by the movie poster, the female lead is not really as hot as it suggests.
This was really a so-so movie for me. It's about a terrorist plot to assassinate the US president (of course, every movie that's politically-inclined must depict the US president), but told from the views of 8 different people. I would say the story-telling mode was really creative, and goes something like this:Scene 1:
A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. A farmer is aghast.
Scene 2:
The farmer is eating breakfast with his wife. His son is playing with some Lego. Farmer and wife is seen arguing. Farmer complains he is sick of milking cows. Farmer wants to audition for American Idol. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 3:
Farmer's wife wakes up grumpy from a night of bad sex. She makes breakfast while thinking if she should buy that new limited edition lingerie from Victoria's Secret to spice up her sex life. Farmer comes to breakfast commenting it was his best sex ever. Farmer and wife argue. Farmer's son is playing with Lego. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 4:
Farmer's son is carried by farmer's wife and placed in front of the TV and given some Lego to play with. He starts to cry when his parents argue. A cow is eating grass. It dies. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast.
Scene 5:
The cow is grazing in the fields. It is depressed to hear the farmer is sick of milking it. Thinking it has no more reason to live, it chokes on a big bite of grass and drops dead. Other cows run. Farmer is aghast. The family mourns its death.
So yea it goes something like that lah. The funny thing is everytime they did such rewinds, I hear the cinema audience sniggering like it was so funny. These people obviously strolled into the cinema not knowing what the movie was about. I guess the only funny thing I found about the movie was that, for all the fantastic plotting the terrorists did, their plans were eventually foiled by a little girl standing in the middle of a road, of all people!
Step Up 2: The Streets
Of course all dance movie are the same plot-wise. It's always about a bunch of losers who aren't so well-off, but can dance so well we wonder why they didn't think of making it big by dancing in a Britney video and then getting laid by her ala Kevin Federline.I have to say the Step Up series really ignited my love for dance movies. And OMG, that final dance scene was like THE best dance scene in a movie to date. Sufficiently long enough to not make you feel short-changed, it had everything: the ultra-slick choreography, jaw-dropping moves, the perfect clubbing tunes, hot women with sick bodies, and of course the rain had to come at the right timing to provide the scenario of wet people looking cool while dancing. Even the obligatory best friend cum nerd was a sick dancer! Man if only my nerdy friends (and myself) could move like that. Oh and do not be misled by the movie poster, the female lead is not really as hot as it suggests.
Forbidden Kingdom
I was disturbed by the fact that this movie will further convince Americans with regards to the stereotype that ALL Chinese people know kungfu. This movie could have been so much more tasteful and epic-like, but unfortunately it ended up being a cheap thrill. Nevertheless, I have to admit it was a fun movie to watch (quite rare nowadays) and a good family fare. The lengthy Jet and Jackie fight was also great, if only it did not end with Jet speaking in yet more embarrassing English. But the best scene? Definitely the part where Jet pee'd on Jackie when tricking him into believing the heavens were opening. This scene will forever remain as one of the most memorable moments in Chinese filmmaking since Ang Lee tricked all the Americans into believing that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a great Chinese kungfu movie and to shower it with Oscars, a move that befuddled most of the Chinese community.Iron Man
While it has garnered widely positive reviews, I really have to state here that this movie was wayyyy overrated. Don't get me wrong, it was not a bad movie, and Robert Downey was great in the role, and it had some really funny lines, and the Iron Man suit looked damn cool. But that was about it. Let me tell you what was wrong with it. When I watch movies of such nature, I expect to be held at the edge of my seat for at least 1 scene (if not more). Sadly, the most promising scenes failed to set my fireworks off because right when I thought it was gonna take my breath away, it ends abruptly (example: the part where Iron Man is pursued by the jets). The king of comic movies, for me, is still Spider-Man 2. It had all the right ingredients: gripping thrills, smart content, actors that spoke and touched the audience, the tears-in-your-eyes scenes (not mine of course). Iron Man? Not quite there yet. AND the final fight scene was not enticing either, there was no recognisable bad-ass villain, Gwyneth Paltrow was as lacklustre but overrated as usual. I rest my case.Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
This was another bore-fest for me. The first one was nothing to shout about, but this one, though slightly more entertaining, failed because the main character it was trying to push was a wuss. I mean is it just me, or did Prince Caspian appear more like a spoilt immature brat who wanted to be a wannabe hero and leader? It doesn't help that in such turbulent times, the exiled Prince seemed to had a lot of spare time grooming his hair to perfection (not shown to the audience of course), and apparently Vidal Sassoon already existed back then to provide him with the perfect shampooed and blowdried locks. Such movies are also often gauged by how elaborate and mind-blowing their final battle sequence is, but LOTR this is not. AND that final part where the girl succumbs to her lust and kisses the Prince? Was I the only one who was left with a sour taste in the mouth?Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I would have to say this movie was the complete opposite of Iron Man. While the script was not as sharp and witty and the plot was really incredulous-bordering-on-ridiculous, it did have that ONE scene that kept me glued to the screen and lapping it all up. The said scene was of course the jungle scene where Indiana and his groupies were running away from the Russians while trying to grab the skull. The action was spot-on! Loved loved the swordfight between Shia and Cate Blanchett while balancing on the jeeps. Cate obviously had fun playing the Russian woman, and why wouldn't she? I love these Russian people. They speak in a cool accent, they look cool, and don't you just love the Russian female tongue-twisting names? With alumni like Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kusnetsova, Karolina Kourkova, Anastasia Myskina, it's like the moment you have a Russian female name, superstardom beckons. Quick, it's not too late to change your name (sadly, male Russian names are instead rather dull. Need examples? Nikolai, Mikhail, zzz...).The Orphanage
This was the latest flick I caught and think it sure beats the hell out of all the summer blockbusters to date. Yes it is a Spanish movie and directed by that Pan's Labyrinth director. It's seriously one of the best horror movies I've watched in a while. Still have chills when I recall some of the scenes from the movie. It will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat, and some of the best moments include the part where they employ a medium to seek the spirits in the house. And unlike the run-of-the-mill Asian horror flicks, it does not rely on fake shocks, there are no long-haired females, and has a thought-provoking plot as a bonus. Please catch this while it is still showing!So what else will I be looking forward to this summer?
1) The Dark Knight (the first one was just great, and the Joker this time seems really disturbing)
2) Wall-E (trust Pixar to save the summer once again. Still thought Ratatouille was the best movie of 2007) 
3) The Happening (latest M Night Shyamalan movie which hopefully will finally rival Sixth Sense) 
4) Sex and the City the Movie (yes I know this is a chick flick, but I adored the series. Keeping fingers crossed it has the brilliant lines from the series) 
5) The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (better be good. Hope Jet Li doesn't try to speak English again though) 
While this may not be a new movie, I recently watched White Chicks on AXN, and this was the first time I watched it. I have to say I have very limited interests in such so-called comedies, because they are usually filled with slapstick shmuck and toilet humour which I find totally unfunny. Surprisingly, I found White Chicks to be hilarious and the pop culture references were just classic. Favourite line from the movie?
While one of the White Chicks was squeezing into a tiny outfit in the dressing room with his girlfriend (girlfriend as in girlfriend when you are a girl, not when you are a guy):
White Chick: I think I need a bigger size.
Girlfriend: Honey, you never need a bigger size.
While this may not be a new movie, I recently watched White Chicks on AXN, and this was the first time I watched it. I have to say I have very limited interests in such so-called comedies, because they are usually filled with slapstick shmuck and toilet humour which I find totally unfunny. Surprisingly, I found White Chicks to be hilarious and the pop culture references were just classic. Favourite line from the movie?
While one of the White Chicks was squeezing into a tiny outfit in the dressing room with his girlfriend (girlfriend as in girlfriend when you are a girl, not when you are a guy):White Chick: I think I need a bigger size.
Girlfriend: Honey, you never need a bigger size.
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