The Purge (2013)

3 out of 5

This film’s is between scary and relieving to the honest. Basically in the future, particularly in USA, once a year for 12 hours, everyone is allowed to commit a crime, including murder, rape, robbery, etc. This purge is making the world a better place. This film focuses on one family, the Sandins, the father (played by Ethan Hawke) is the one who’s selling security system in the city, surely including his house has this security system, this is mainly for the purge for the families who are not leaving the house.

Ok movie wise, it’s just regular thriller I must say, the acting is just ok, cinematography is ok. It did give me an eerie feeling though during the purge, my heart was pounding quite hard, I could felt the terror of the family. I was expecting more wide coverage of the purge, not just about one family, also the people purging were the rich people killing the poor, homeless, etc, which I honestly think in this real world, it’s the poor people who would love to kill the rich people, the people that “don’t have” try to get rid the other side of people and get what they have, wealth, power and girls. Envy, wrath and sloth are heavier in most places. 🙂 So, I’m very much wanting to see that side. Yes, I am very much intrigued with the idea, this purge thing. Of course you can choose which side you wish to be in, the purged, purge or just doing nothing and hoping no one would have any hatred or revenge onto you, which could be the most terrifying 12 hours of your life, as no one will save you, everyone would try to save their own ass in this thing. I think I can imagine already on which side I am. 🙂

The film should cover the purge thoroughly, how it started, why it started, how did the people plan, people from all economic levels, the feel and need of the people, perhaps they should make a damn TV series, because I’m very interested in this. 😀 The film is lacking a lot of details, it was too short, and somehow there are a lot of things missing, the homeless guy’s story, the boyfriend’s story, the rich purgers’ story, the neighbor’s story. They were all there, but just incomplete.

Watch it and what do you think? What would you do?

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)

2 out 5

I really expected a lot from this movie. I was so much looking forward to it. I’m very into magical, mystical tales and all. Yet, it really disappointed me. 😦 I also loved the cast, James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams (this one not too much though). Apparently it’s similar as Wicked, the theatrical show which I watched it and I almost fell asleep as well. That one became so much better as it was live! In the film, the acting was so-so, storyline too shallow, whole thing was too soft, not dark enough. Being dark is not necessarily full of blood or gory or anything, for example Harry Potter, it is still a children’s story but you can feel the darkness in it. While this one felt like Winnie the Pooh or something. It has flying monkey which I love actually, the ceramic girl (a bit annoying) and the people of Oz who lived in their own peaceful world.

Oz was a jack-ass magician in Kansas who found himself stranded in Oz, a land that is named after him. He met Theodora (Mila Kunis) whom he wooed the moment they started to walk together. Then he met his sister Evadora (Rachel Weisz), gorgeous as always. 🙂 Based on a prophecy that a wizard called Oz will come and defeat the Evil Witch. So, all of them expected him to make this prophecy true, apparently the Evil Witch was not what he thought to be. They tried to have a twist there, but it just could’ve been done a lot better. I imagined how it would become if Guillermo del Toro directed it. Hhhhhmmm…

Warm Bodies (2013)

3.5 out of 5

 

Yep, this film is pretty interesting. I’m not a big fan of zombie actually, I’m more on the vampire side. 🙂 But this particular movie had a good kick. A zombie or a walking corpse or the walkers or whatever they call it, fell in love with a human! How is it possible right? That’s what everybody thought I guess. It was not technically explained in the film, the logic behind it and all. The film just showed this zombie’s heart suddenly started to beat again after he saw this human girl and slowly he felt things that a human would felt which he hasn’t felt since being a zombie. They listened to music, seeing pictures, had a dream, riding a car and other things.

It wasn’t so much about the teenager love thing that I like. If it’s not a zombie, obviously it’s just one of those movies telling a love story, and the dictator dad doesn’t approve and they would do anything to be together, bla bla bla.. What I like from this movie is telling the story from the zombie’s mind, until now we always see zombie movies from the human perspective, zombie apocalypse, zombies can’t be cured and must be killed. With this film though, surely you are on the zombie side.

Starred by Nicholas Hoult, I think he’s perfect playing “R”, the transitioning from zombie to human is just nicely done, not too much yet convincing. Teresa Palmer as Julie, I thought there was nothing special about her character, anyone could do it. John Malkovich as Julie’s father, well you can never complain about Malkovich, but it wasn’t a character that can fully expose his talent plus his performance was not too often in the movie.

 

Carnage (2011)

3.5 out of 5

A simple bitter comedy starred by four significant actors and actresses. Two boys were in a fight, their parents arranged a meeting to resolve the situation maturely. However, it turned out to be quite full of personal dramas amongst them. The parents of the boy who was attacking played by Christoph Waltz & Kate Winslet (both my personal favorites!) as Alan & Nancy Cowan. The other parents are played by John C. Reilly and Jodie Foster as Michael & Penelope Longstreet. It was shown in the beginning that it was supposed to be a short visit, it started with Penelope finishing a letter explaining of what happened and the Cowans were leaving. Everytime they wanted to leave, there’s always something came up, it turned out to be a long visit.

Started with quite civilized conversations, slowly they were frontal, vulgar, including shouting, swearing, between husband and wife, between the couples, between each other showing their real-self. All the feelings were out, all the emotions plus small incidents such as Nancy threw up all over the table. They ended up even drunk.

It was only set in this small apartment, just four of them, surely you feel the tension and emotions greatly, plus with its black humor. Each one of them is such a very strong character, all shown their strengths and weaknesses, very fun to watch, haven’t seen Roman Polanski’s film in a while.

Oldboy (2003)

5 out of 5

Actually I really don’t know how to review this, it’s just too good. Seriously. My friends already suggested this movie since ages ago, but I still didn’t watch it. Then I was browsing through the channels in my TV, turned out I have a Korean film channel, which I have just realized, obviously. They were playing Oldboy. Got carried away instantly when I just started watching it.

This guy was imprisoned for 15 years in a room without knowing why, then released and still tangled in a conspiracy. Lots of violence going on, then she also met a girl in a sushi place. Turned out everything was already planned and created carefully by the captor. The ending was just sick, I don’t usually like this word, but for this is really suitable. You don’t really expect it, because you are scared of even imagining it, then you’ll find out anyway and your heart just rips.

Maybe I’m exaggerating or maybe I really didn’t expect it, but everything was just great about this film. The acting, the cinematography, the plot, especially the ending. You can really feel broken-hearted, emotions were just naked here. Plus, it’s an Asian film, I’m so proud :D. Best revenge movie I have ever seen.

The Three Musketeers (2011)

3 out of 5

It’s a very pretty movie. All beautiful men, boys, a woman, girls fighting, arguing, plotting and kissing. The film was quite grand and very colorful. The colors are vibrant, it actually seemed everything was just CG, the cities, landscapes, buildings and all of the other scenic views. There were “air-ships”, looks like Black Pearl in the sky fighting off another ship, a beautiful ship. Everything was just grand and colorful, the castles, the gardens, the chambers, Cardinal’s chamber or office or whatever he would call it.

Lots of known celebrities, such as Milla Jovovich, well it’s the same director as Resident Evil, so.. obviously… Orlando Bloom, Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans, Logan Lerman, Juno Temple, Mads Mikkelsen, Christoph Waltz (my favorite!), even Til Schweiger (Stieglitz in Inglourious Basterds), even though he was only there for seconds, such a pity. All the acting are just standard I guess, no one was outstanding, nothing bad but nothing too memorable in terms of the acting.

Plot is interesting and fun, Cardinal (Waltz) is plotting to start a war with England, led by Buckingham (Bloom) with double agent Milady (Jovovich) by trying to start a feud between the young King & Queen. The three musketeers (Macfadyen, Evans, Stevenson) are the ones to fix everything of course along with D’Artagnan (Lerman) who has fallen in love with one of the Queen’s entourage. It is also hinting strongly that there will be a sequel, since the ones that seem dead and defeated have risen and ready to avenge.

Lastly, this film is very very and I say very fashionable, all of the outfit, hats, hair-pieces, dresses, shoes etc were just stunning. I really wish I have one of those. It’s like watching a grand world class fashion show theatrically with massive budget of course. 🙂 Very pretty and beautiful sight.

Beginners (2010)

4.5 out of 5

Christopher Plummer as Hal, a gay that just came out at 75 years old after his wife’s death and started to date with a much younger guy, joining gay communities, lots of new gay friends. His son was in shock when he found out he was gay, Oliver (Ewan McGregor), but he doesn’t show it, he just takes care of his father. As if it’s not enough, Hal also diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, there’s no stage 5.

The film tells the story by going back and forth to the past, very neatly. Oliver’s relationship with his mother, relationship of his parents, how he took care of his father before he died. Oliver met Anna (Mélanie Laurent) after 4 years his father died, he’s 38 years, in 2003. Anna is a French actress, also has father issues. They are facing their own issues together quite well.

It is a very touching movie, I felt the sadness, loneliness, happiness, sweetness, graphics, they used a lot of images to express, describe things and feelings. One of my favorite quotes by Oliver “Our good fortune allowed us to feel sadness that our parents didn’t have time for”. Yet, it is a hopeful movie somehow. I also like the sounds, you can hear the paper moves, curtain slides, putting on a shirt, deep breathing, etc. Directed by Mike Mills, who made music videos for Yoko Ono, Air, Moby, etc. My new favorite movie!

Little White Lies (2010)

4 out of 5

A nice simple French film by Guillaume Canet, stars a few famous names, François Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche. I like the beginning where Ludo went clubbing, left the club, driving his motorbike on a quiet streets of Paris, then suddenly got hit by a truck.

It was a quite an awful crash, it really did Ludo badly, he couldn’t even speak, you wouldn’t recognize his face as well. He was supposed to go for a holiday with his group of friends, other 7 people. His friends were hesitant in the beginning to go on with the trip but finally they went for it. They stayed in the house owned by Max, a successful restaurateur, also one of them. He’s already a tense person, plus one of the friends as well, Vincent confessed to Max that he’s attracted to him. Both of them already married with kids.

During that holiday, a bit of drama and tensions, particularly between Max and Vincent. Also with Marie, Eric, all with history of bad relationships. One of the highlight when Max flipped out and insulted Vincent deeply in front of everyone. They’ve got another friend Jean-Louis which the others looked up to and respected, Jean-Louis. He’s the only that doesn’t have any issues, everybody else has.

Emotional with its ups and downs, small arguments, there’s a feel that you can connect and relate, even though not many people experience those same circumstances like in the movie. But the sense of involvement is there quite strongly. I’m feeling like going to France now.. 🙂

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

3 out of 5

So I thought to watch a lighter movie, after all the heavy films I watched. This one was my first choice, as the reviews were good and of course there was Ryan Gosling. But I actually liked Steve Carell here, still with his humorous acts, but you can feel his depression and sadness here. Steve Carell plays as Cal, married with Julianne Moore (Emily) with 3 kids, well the oldest kid you will only find out later.

Actually there are so many complications in this movie, I mean she met him, he met her, turned out that she or he is someone unexpected, he hates her, she hates him, or the 3rd person, etc, that kind of thing. But all brought up nicely. For a moment there I thought there was no happy ending, but it finally was, at the very end, which made me feel relieved actually.

Cal is the main character who met Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a total playboy that can get any girl to have sex with him after a short sweet-talk. Jacob was teaching Cal how to get his manhood back after Emily was cheating and asked for a divorce. They got 3 kids, Hannah, Robbie & Molly. They also got a babysitter, Jessica. Jessica likes Cal, Robbie likes Jessica. Hannah dated with Jacob, of course all of them got caught in the end, and there’s always the third party who don’t like these facts, all the drama, fighting, laughs are caused by those facts.

It’s a sweet movie, one of the scenes I like is of course when Jacob brought home Hannah the first time, it was fun and sexy, very light, not too cheesy, just the right amount of cliches. Also the fighting scene in the end which involved everybody in the movie, everything was just tangled but organized.

Drive (2011)

4 out of 5

Very 80s feeling, I really didn’t expect it to be that good, I thought it would be typical Hollywood car-chase film. I always like films that are flat and raw, not too bold colors and this is one of it. Played by my favorite pure hotness Ryan Gosling, sorry I really have a thing for him. But I can assure you this review is not subjective. 🙂

Ryan played as the Driver, he’s a stuntman by day and getaway driver by night. He met this girl, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son, they are neighbors, spent time together, but then Irene’s husband out from jail and back in the picture. Standard, the husband, I don’t know why he’s called like that, played by Oscar Isaac still owes some money which needs to be paid back and of course he can’t pay. So he was told to rob this pawn shop, Driver was helping him. The heist gone bad, Standard got killed, and so Driver needs to deal with everything by himself.

There were violence with lots of blood, I like. 🙂 Ryan Gosling was great, Carey Mulligan was just okay, she’s definitely better in An Education, here she wasn’t that strong. Lastly, great soundtrack, you really got the 80’s feeling but still it’s in the now.