Total Recall (Movie Review)

Total Recall

Hello true believers, Len Wiseman’s remake of Total Recall is slick and has great production values but somehow it just doesn’t have the provoke the same kind of excitement that the older movie had. The biggest thing that’s missing is the whole Mars spiel which sorta dials down the stakes that are presented in the plot.

Kate Beckinsale really shines as Lori Quaid in this one and I just “hated” her character which is quite an achievement especially as most of her roles sees her on the side of the angels. As usual she’s smokin’ hot and she’s more than just a pretty face with all her fast kicks & lightning fast action scenes. Colin Farrell & Jessica Biel aren’t as great in this one and if it weren’t for Kate Beckinsale I think the movie would’ve been super flat.

My memories of the original Total Recall are fuzzy but the thing that pulled this movie down for me was this; the critical plot twist is exactly the same in this one and if you can still remember stuff from the original then I’d suggest that you don’t bother with this one Discarding the entire backdrop of Mars didn’t help too. Anyways, I give Total Recall a so-so 2 out of 5. If you really don’t have anything else to catch as the summer blockbusters come to a trickle then I guess it’s worth it just for Kate Beckinsale.

The Dark Knight Rises (Movie Review)

The Dark Knight Rises

Ka-Pow! Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated closure to his Batman saga is a great one but personally it wasn’t as mind-blowing for me because I couldn’t help but reference Heath Ledger’s performance in the last movie. The cast does a stellar job here but not one of them could stand up to the The Joker; who is hands down one of the greatest villains to grace the silver screen.

The Dark Knight Rises is still a great watch nevertheless because the events of the movie are pretty epic and it raises a lot of questions about morality & sacrifice. Unlike The Amazing Spider-Man, the latest Batman flick is a thinking man’s superhero movie and a whole lot more realistic in its setting which I didn’t enjoy as much cos’ it kinda depressed me a little.

The entire cast holds their own here. Christian Bale does a decent third outing as Bruce Wayne but I felt that his supporting cast really outshone him throughout most of the movie. Tom Hardy makes for a super-menacing Bane whilst Anne Hathaway really stole the show in exquisite manner as Catwoman. Joseph Gordon-Levitt deserves a special mention too as rookie cop John Blake.

Christopher Nolan has given us a satisfying ending to his trilogy of Batman movies and I’m pretty sure most fans will not be disappointed by this one.

I give The Dark Knight Rises a back-breaking 4.5 out of 5.

The Amazing Spider-Man (Movie Review)

The Amazing Spider-Man

I know, I know…. I’ve not been blogging in ages and well life’s just happening and I guess I’ve just been living life rather than writing about it. Anyways, on with the review. The Amazing Spider-Man was… AMAZING!

Being a comic book fanboy I really think that Marc Webb has captured the essence of what Spider-Man is. Andrew Garfield looks the part and his build is perfect especially when he’s in costume. The sarcastic one-liners are great and while the character has an edgy feel to it; you still get that sense that Spidey’s a kid who is figuring things out in his life.

The cast does a great job and Rhys Ifans makes for a great Doc Connors albeit a different kind of Doc Connors compared to the comic books. The best part about it all is that Emma Stone makes for a great Gwen Stacy and a way better love interest compared to MJ in the previous movies. The chemistry is palpable which gives girlfriends in tow something to chew on besides the super-heroics.

The story’s not too complicated so I wouldn’t give this one awards for plot but it does get the job done & there’s enough left unresolved to pique audiences for the sequel.

I give The Amazing Spider-Man a Spider-Sensing 5 out of 5. Just don’t watch it in 3D. 🙂

Prometheus (Movie Review)

Prometheus

Ridley Scott’s return to the world he created in Alien is a decent one. It’s a compelling watch but in typical Alien-fashion you can’t help but know that the entire cast is marching inexorably towards certain doom.

The biggest problem I have with Prometheus is the fact that the entire mystery of the xenomorphs gets dissipated at the end of the film. Also there are quite a few holes in the plot that doesn’t quite add up and the question of the origin of man that figures as one of the themes doesn’t quite work as well as it should.

The cast deserves a special mention especially Michael Fassbender who plays the synth David 8 and even though she doesn’t make quite as big a role as she did in Snow White and the Huntsman, it’s nice to see Charlize Theron making a come back.

I give Prometheus a xenomorphic 3 out of 5.

Wrath of the Titans (Movie Review)

Wrath of the Titans

I expected less but got more with this one. Wrath of the Titans turned out to be an OK watch. The special effects were great and the mythical creatures has a God of War-ish tinge to it although I must say that Perseus wasn’t as heroic as I would have liked him to be.

Sam Worthington’s Aussie accent emerges far too often for my liking though and you see it happening a lot in almost all his movies. Liam Neeson as always does an excellent job in this movie but then again I’m biased cos’ I’ve always liked Liam Neeson. Ralph Fiennes is pretty cool too and Hades is a lot more identifiable & likeable which makes him a stronger character this time round.

The plot’s pretty simple on the whole but the thrills that pull you along more than makes up for the lack of an awesome storyline. I’d choose Wrath of the Titans over The Hunger Games anytime.

I give Wrath of the Titans a semi-titanic 3 out of 5.

The Hunger Games (Movie Review)

The Hunger Games

I’m really, really losing it at blogging. Argh!

Anyways, here’s a quick review of The Hunger Games of which I caught a sneak preview on Wednesday night courtesy of a friend. For the record, I have not read the books at all and before the movie I’ve not even heard of the franchise which means I’m reviewing the movie based on the strength of what was presented with absolutely no bias.

Plotwise, the movie is pretty simple and on the whole I wish there was more exposition on how the Hunger Games actually maintains the peace. I don’t quite get why teens between the ages of 12 and 18 are picked to battle to the death.

What I liked about the movie was the two main leads; Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson who played Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. The duo had real chemistry and Jennifer Lawrence especially made for a strong character. And of course we have Woody Harrelson (a favourite of mine) in the supporting role of Haysmith their mentor.

What I didn’t like about the movie was the pacing and the actual plot itself doesn’t go anywhere new. There aren’t many surprises in the movie and while it was watchable it could’ve been so much better if the pace was just a little tighter and the action sequences having more action.

I give the Hunger Games a half-starved 2 out of 5. There are better ways to spend with your time i.e. I’ve been reading a tonne of Image Comics’ Invincible by Robert Kirkman after a half-off sale that Comixology had recently. I’m up to Volume 8: My Favorite Martian by the way. Now that’s good writing.

Chronicle (Movie Review)

Chronicle

Really cool. What’s interesting about Chronicle is not the whole telekinetic jazz but more so it’s the awesome way the movie is shot and how the story is told through video cameras. The whole story unfolds through the eyes of Andrew as seen through the video cam that he carries around with him and through other cams.

Chronicle has a lot going for it and the special effects are used to great effect to make the tale a believable one. The cast is strong and the script is a decent one that draws a fair bit from movies like Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project.

It’s a definite must-watch so I’d hurry if I were you cos’ the movie’s just about at its last legs in the Malaysian circuit.

I give Chronicle a telekinetically-charged 4 out of 5.

Safe House (Movie Review)

Safe House

Heh… I’ve been so lazy of late but anyways, here’s my first post ever in 2012 and of all things it’s a movie review. Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynold makes for a weird pairing on paper but I’m glad that I caught this one last weeked.

Safe House is all thrills & spills with a cast that does a great job of sucking you into a cloak & dagger world of the CIA. Ryan Reynolds makes for a great rookie CIA agent and you can’t help but like the fella in the role. Denzel as always is magnetic on screen as the rogue agent Tobin Frost.

Give this one a spin. You won’t regret it. Safe House gets an exciting 5 out of 5.

50/50 (Movie Review)

50/50

I didn’t expect a drama about cancer but that’s what I got in Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s new movie 50/50 with Seth Rogen.

If you’ve had a loved one who’s gone through cancer then I think you might wanna give this one a miss or bring along some tissues cos’ the movie has really moving moments in the character’s live as he battles a rare form of cancer in his back.

Cancer is a really awful disease and the toll it takes on both the patient and loved ones is immense. In a self-centred world movies like this are very much needed to help us have bigger hearts to love & care for those who are going through a lot.

I give 50/50 a decent 3 out of 5 because of the subject matter. It’s not one for the whole family but if you want something that’s different then catch this one cos’ it’s on it last legs on the Malaysian circuit.

 

Happy Feet Two (Movie Review)

Happy Feet Two

Happy Feet Two had its moments but story-wise it wasn’t as good as Puss in Boots. The penguins were super cute though and if you love music the movie had great takes on Queen tracks which music lovers would appreciate. The whole eco message and how all life is connected is much stronger in this one compared to the first.

I kinda disliked the whole Bill the Krill (voiced by Brad Pitt) thing that they had going cos’ it seemed like they were trying to emulate Skrat from the Ice Age movies. The character felt very contrived and odd.

Let’s cut to the chase. I give Happy Feet Two a Queen-rocking 3 out of 3 because they had Queen stuff in the movie. Heh.