Movie Review: Super 8

 Super 8 500x150
Super 8 500×150

My Rating:

 Buy from iTunes Store

This evening I saw the movie Super 8 at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

Wow… this movie got right into it at the start. We only have to wait about 15 minutes to receive a spectacular train crash, then kept a steady pace throughout. It has the spirit and style of E.T. and Close Encounter of the Third Kind all over it. Even though Steven Spielberg only receives the “producer’ credits we can see much of his influences in the movie.

On the other hand the director, writer and producer, J.J. Abrams is famous for his hands in the hit TV series: Alias, Lost and Fringe. Abrams also has some motion picture to his credits including some of the biggest box office winners: Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek, but it also includes some of the busts like Cloverfield. The latter is what cause me to be weary about purchasing the tickets, but I believe Spielberg will not associate himself with anything bad which reassures me.

Like Spielberg’s E.T. that launched the careers of Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas, this movie also introduces two new child actors: Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths, of whom did a much better job than the so call veterans in the movie: Ron Eldard and Kyle Chandler.

We should watch Courtney’s development to see if he develops into the star that Barrymore did minus the drug addictions or follows the paths of Thomas. Courtney portrays a kid who recently lost his mother and has a great passion for makeup and model making. He practices his passion by helping his kindergarten friend, played by Griffiths, with a no budget movie. One night while filming bought them close encounter with a major government cover up.

This is definitely a must see for 2011 and for fans of children adventures and E.T. aficionados.

Rating Legend:

 Must watch before you die
Must watch before you die
 Wait for the Blu-ray
Wait for the Blu-ray
 Buy from iTunes Store
Buy from iTunes Store
 Rent it on iTunes
Rent it on iTunes
 Waste your time elsewhere
Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Hangover Part 2

The Hangover Part II 500x150
The Hangover Part II 500×150

My Rating:

 Waste your time elsewhere

This afternoon I saw the movie Hangover Part 2 at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

In the past several months I have seen many sequels to franchises and this have to be one of the worst one. The original had the surprise and twists of a fairly engaging story. This time it is just a rehash of all the same encounters with the same types of characters and antagonists, but set in Bangkok and Thailand resort area, Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton, Krabi. If you really wants to you can visit all the places the characters went to in Bangkok.

The movie try to give the story some twists but they were shallow, easy to figure out and did not offer enough intrigue. Therefore to shock the audiences and give them something to think about, the director decides to introduce various frontal nudity. Starting from 10 minutes into the movie, to full frontal nudity of transvestists who are half transformed. I am very surprise this movie is not “R” or “III” rated given those scenes. It is definitely not a movie that under ages should be watching.

If this movie is the only choice at your box office. I suggest you go have a nice dinner with your partner/love one instead.

Rating Legend:

 Must watch before you die
Must watch before you die
    Wait for the Blu-ray
  Wait for the Blu-ray
    Buy from iTunes Store
  Buy from iTunes Store
    Rent it on iTunes
  Rent it on iTunes
    Waste your time elsewhere
  Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: X-Men – First Class

 X-Men: First Class 500x150
X-Men: First Class 500×150

My Rating:

 Wait for the Blu-ray

This afternoon I saw the movie X-Men: First Class at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

This is another prequel to the X-Men franchise, with the first being X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This time it did a good job providing ample amount of background to the characters: Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr (aka “Magneto”), Raven (aka “Mystique”) and Hank McCoy (aka “Beast”), which we were introduced in the past three X-Men movies: X-Men: X-Men, X-2 and X-Men: The Last Stand. The movie offers fans and non-fans of the franchise opportunities to understand why the characters behave the way they do, and why they are segregate into two groups.

After four previous versions of the franchise one will expect the story to be over done, to our present surprise this is not the case. It has the spirit and excitement of the franchise, while bringing the audiences back to the cold war era where the US government seeks the mutant’s assistance in preventing a nuclear war.

This is a well made sequel to one of my favorite franchises. If this movie is an option at your box office, it will guarantee an exciting evening out.

Rating Legend:

 Must watch before you die
Must watch before you die
 Wait for the Blu-ray
Wait for the Blu-ray
 Buy from iTunes Store
Buy from iTunes Store
  Rent it on iTunes
Rent it on iTunes
 Waste your time elsewhere
Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: The Other Woman (2009)

 Love and Other Impossible Pursuits
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits

My Rating:

 Buy from iTunes Store

This evening I saw the movie The Other Woman (aka Love and Other Impossible Pursuits) at UA Cinemas, Times Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

This movies stars the Academy Awards Best Actress, Natalie Portman. It was filmed in 2009 and general released early 2011, I wonder if this has anything to do with Portman’s Best Actress win in 2011.

Portman’s character is very similar to the role she played in Black Swan that won her the Best Actress title in 2011. The actor who stood out in the movie was the young Charlie Tahan, brother of Daisy Tahan, who played a very believable boy stuck in the middle of a bad divorce and remarriage of his father, played by the TV actor, Scott Cohen.

The plot of the movie is simple and Portman’s character is the “other woman” who caused the break up of her boss’ marriage. Ironically that was the same reason her mother divorced her father. Portman also struggle with the guilt of her 2 weeks old baby dying in her arms.

I was more mesmerized by Tahan’s character and his struggle to cope with the changes in his life more than Portman’s character.

For Portman’s fan this may be a must see but for me I think Tahan is an up and coming actor we can expect much from. Hopefully he does not fall into the traditional child actor predicament like Gary Coleman or Dana Plato, but shines like Drew Barrymore.

This is a good movie to go to if you don’t have anything else to choose from at the box office.

Rating Legend:

 Must watch before you die
Must watch before you die
 Wait for the Blu-ray
Wait for the Blu-ray
 Buy from iTunes Store
Buy from iTunes Store
 Rent it on iTunes
Rent it on iTunes
 Waste your time elsewhere
Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides

 Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides

My Rating:

 Rent it on iTunes   

This evening I saw the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

This is one of the worst 3D movie i’ve ever watched. There are hardly any 3D scences and the ones that are in the movie did not have to be 3D. The worst part is that none of the theaters in Hong Kong are showing the non-3D version.

As usual Johnny Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow that has no care in the world except for his own hide. They brought back some previous characters from past editions of the franchise like, Barbossa played by Geoffrey Rush and Gibbs played by Kevin McNally. Since this is the fourth edition of the franchise the originality of the plot and characters were not there, one will expects the screenwriters to go the extra distance to make the movie more special. I think this lack of originality started with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End when the movie became very unbelievable and strange.

If you do not live in an area where they offer the non-3D version, I recommend you wait for it to become available in iTunes Movie Store, Netflix or airline entertainment system. But I think even fans of Depp will be disappointed with this movie.

Rating Legend:

 Must watch before you die
Must watch before you die
 Wait for the Blu-ray
Wait for the Blu-ray
 Buy from iTunes Store
Buy from iTunes Store
 Rent it on iTunes
Rent it on iTunes
 Waste your time elsewhere
Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Just Go With It

Poster

My Rating: 4Stars

This evening I saw the movie Just Go With It at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

It is a romantic comedy starting Adam Sandler as Danny and Jennifer Aniston as Katherine where Nicole Kidman has a supporting role as the evil Devlin Adams. Danny is someone who lost fate with marriage and decides to use marriage to get into the hearts of women.

Continue reading “Movie Review: Just Go With It”

Movie Review: Source Code

Poster

My Rating: 3Stars

This afternoon I saw the movie Source Code at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

It stars Jake Gyllenhaal (as Captain Colter Stevens) and Michelle Monaghan (as Christina). Without giving away the plot, it is about a military pilot (Captain Stevens) who wakes up inside someone else’s body and had to figure out what happened.

Continue reading “Movie Review: Source Code”

Movie Review: Limitless

Poster

My Rating: 3Stars

This evening I saw the movie Limitless at UA Cinemas, Times Square, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

This movie has an original story. It is about a down and out writer who receives a custom drug from his ex-brother in-law, which helped pick himself out of his slump. He later finds out the drug is not as described by his dead in-law, and comes to the realization of its deadly effects.

Continue reading “Movie Review: Limitless”

Movie Review: No Strings Attached

Poster

My Rating: 3Stars

This evening I saw the movie No Strings Attached at AMC Cinemas, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

It is a romantic comedy staring Natalie Portman (Emma) and Ashton Kutcher (Adam), playing two life long friends who have sex one morning. In an effort to protect their friendship, they decide to make a pack to keep their relationship as “no strings attached” (aka. friends with benefits). The movie has made popular a quote among the social networks.

What I need is someone who’s going to be in my bed in 2 a.m. who I don’t have to lie to or eat breakfast with… Use each other for sex at all hours of the day and night, nothing else.

Portman definitely carries this movie where the rest of the actors done an okay job of supporting her. Even though Kutcher has an equal billing for this movie, his role is nothing special. It’s similar and at times identical to all other roles he played in the past: Killers, Valentine’s Day and What Happens in Vegas.

On the other hand I have enjoyed Portman’s performances since her role as Mathilda in Luc Besson’s The Professional, then as Queen Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Evey in V for Vendetta.

This a fun entertaining movie to watch with your love one. It is definitely a good option if there’s nothing else to choose from at the theater.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it on iTunes
1Stars Waste your time elsewhere