beatles rocks!

Across the Universe - 4/5 stars


Dir: Julie Taymor (Frida)


This movie is a real darling for anyone who is a Beatles fan. The film characters, the stories, the motivation is all based on all the Beatles song like, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I'm the Walrus, Hey Jude, Let it Be, Something, Strawberry Fields Forever, and many more.

A dock worker Jude travels to America in the 1960s, the period during turbulent years of anti-war protest, the struggle for free speech and civil rights, mind exploration and rock and roll, to find his estranged father. There he falls in love with sheltered American teenager Lucy. When her brother Max is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, they become involved in peace activism. The social protests that Lucy is involed in threathen to separate their relationship, will their love last?

This is the type of movie you either love it or hate it. I am the sort of person that hate movies musical that pop up and sing during every part of the movie like Phantom of the Opera and Rent, but this is a bold, quirky and visually stunning feature by Julie Taymor. I like the way the songs are not just to act as the "selling point" for this so call Beatles movie, its a movie that stand out as its own. The songs are reproduce to tell the story of all the characters, especially for the song I Wanna Hold your Hand, which turn out to be first sad start to the movie.

This would be a movie that you can watch many times, like a Cd that you love, listen it over and over again, another plus. All the songs in the movie are sang by the actors in the movie. Enjoy the movie.

movies for christmas

Due to christmas i would like to put a top 10 list happy and lovey movies suitable for christmas!! in no particular order.

1. Paris Je Taime - for those who haven't watch this, it is a suitable movie to watch with your loved ones thiis festive season, love is in the air.

2. Love Actually - Channel 5 show this every year, but pls watch the uncensored version if u haven't watch.

3. Big Fish - a great fantasy and familyfilm, one of my all time fav.

4. Bad Santa - The movie that stereotype Billy Bob Thornton, not suitable for kids.

5. Gardenstate - My fav darling Natalie Portman, also one of my all time fav. lovey dovey.

6. Notebook- This list looks like a valentine movie list too.

7. Little Manhattan - a sweet little love story of a 10 yr old boy in love with his childhood friend.

8. Catch me if You Can - Technically a christmas movie too.

9. Chocolat - the fav gift for christmas.

10. Finding Neverland - Another little big of magic from JD.

Merry Christmas to everybody!

I Am Legend -3.5/5



Dir: Francis Lawrence (Prev work, Constantine)




This is another one man show movie since Cast away by Tom Hanks, although not comparable to Tom Hanks performance, but Will Smith manage to pull it off.

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague -- The Infected -- lurk in the shadows... watching Neville's every move... waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time.

Firstly, the New York you see in the whole movie is totally rendered in CG, only some scenes shot in real motion, thus this is one of the best visuals i seen, very well thought and totally look real and stunning. Secondly, for some reasons zombies seem to be moving faster n faster, last time the zombie speed is 2km/h, now they can run even faster then a car, in yr 3000 movies, i cant imagine how fast zombies will be. But there's a answer from the director, which say zombies like human are also evolving, especially in the 3 yrs time, and cleverly they also set up the trap to caught Will Smith too, with Fred the mannequin as the bait. Another great part of the movie, they managed to drag our suspence and make us worried for the characters in the movie, with the acting and the camera work (remind me of Sixth Sense), which turn out to be scarier then those recent horror movies.

I think alot people will think 3.5 rating is a slightly low rating for this movie, but i feel there are alot of loopholes in the movie, thus i giv it 0.25 star lesser. Why won't the canned food expired? Where did he get the water and electricity from? How can Anna and Ethan get to New York when you see all the bridges destroy in the movies? And the worse is the ending which just try to end the movie quick, when Will Smith spend 3 yrs trying to look for humans, Anna and Ethan can just heng heng, bang, find out where the other survivors are. trying to bullshit me. and the most important, if he is so convinced that everybody is dead, (bang bang, everybody is dead, dead!) as he say to Anna, why do he still bother to send the messages to the radio and wait for other survivor every single day? but a forum post in imdb seems to answer some of this questions but i am not convinced. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/board/flat/92867373?p=1.




Warlords - 3.25/5


Dir Peter Chan (prev work Perhaps Love, Tian Mi Mi)





This movie aka Kill Bill style, you saw killing non stop and everyone was killed. Peter Chan trying to break out of his safe zone to make a epic blockbuster, i think it fails to win any chinese audience but might get some from the western.

This movie is about a heroic tale of three blood brothers and their struggle in the midst of war and political upheaval. It is based on "The Assassination of Ma," a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) story about the killing of general Ma Xinyi.

The reason i don't really have anything much to say about this movie because it is a typical chinese war movie you watch on chinese serial drama or those old hk movies. Man meet man, man became buddy with man, man steal man wife, man betray man, man kill man. every men died in the end. end.

The worse part of the movie is the casting of Takeshi Kaneshiro, i always had doubts about his acting, but he seems to be the favourite of those great chinese director acting in, Chungking Express, Fallen Angels(Wong Kar Wai), House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yi Mou), Confession of Pains (Andrew Lau), Perhaps Love (Peter Chan again) and the next John Woo epic comeback Red Cliff. His acting is so unnatural at times, and it makes the audience uncomfortable watching, and when you see the audience laughing at some of the suppose to be serious scenes, you can imagine how wrong his acting is.

Jet Li and Andy Lau acted pretty well but their acting expressions seem to be always the same in every movie and rigid, thus the movie fails in its no surprise movie plot and non surprising acting.


Valley Of Elah - 3.25/5


Dir: Paul Haggis (prev work. Crash)






The next feature of fame screenwriter Paul Haggis, so how was his next attempt on the director chair?

Hank (Tommy Lee Jones) receive a call from the Army that his son Mike, who just came back from Iraq, has gone AWOL. In the search of his son, a detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) becomes interested in the case and starts helping Hank outside of her job. When Hank's son's body is found, the search suddenly turns into a search for the murderer.

The winning formula of the movie is the portraying of Hanks by Tommy Lee Jones, which the story just totally revolve around him. This is what i call first class acting, you see the lines around the expression of his face, which tells alot even when he dosen't say anything. If acted by other actors, the guy might just go all out to show off his acting skills by venting his anger and crying out, but he expressed them all through his face, subtely, he looks concerned, under pressure amd try to control his feelings not letting people realize how breakdown he was. His voice full of power and authority which truly shows that he work in the Army in the past. Which makes us wonder why did he act in craps like Men in Black?

The bad point of the movie might not be bad for some, cause I am not really into really slow paced and draggy movies. But the small twist of the movie works for the movie. Nevertheless i would not recommend this for the mass, only for a minority.

Citizen Dog

Sawadeeka!

Citizen Dog (Thai) - 3.75/5




Dir: Wisit Sasanatieng



The director of Citizen Dog must be a big fan of Jean Pierre Jeunet cause this is a total replica of style of the French movie Amelie. But this dosen't mean this is bad.

A strange, romantic comedy by the director of Tears of the Black Tiger is the story of a country boy named Pod. He heads to the city to look for work, heedless of his grandmother who warns he'll grow a tail as soon as he finds a job. He takes a job first in a sardine factory and loses a finger, only to find it again. He then becomes a security in an office and had a crush on a maid, an introverted girl named Jin who obsessively cleans and reads a mysterious white book that she can't understand. He changes jobs again, to a taxi driver, to help her out. However, with Jin's other obsessive natures and desperately chasing her own dreams, with Pod finally win her heart?

This colourful happy musical rom com is totally insane. You get involved in a accident losing your favourite tapping finger and recovered it back in a sardine tin. You get a motorcycle taxi driver who get killed by raining helmets, coming back to do his job just because he is so routinely involved in that he dunno what else he can do as a ghost. You get your grandma reincarnated as a gecko to advice you just before you are going to commit suicide. You get a talking teddy bear call Thongchai who smokes and scold vulgarities. But overall I like the ridiculous, outrageous plotline and the whole surrealism, dreamy feel of this movie. Its a combination of 50% Amelie, 30 % Chungking Express and 20 % Punch Drunk Love.

The bad bits of the movie it tends to reuse the same material, the scenes and shots over and over again so by the start of the second half you will get a bit bored. Visually this is impressive, the tracking shots, the over saturated colours, the use of low budgets to make art (plastic bottles). Overall a highly recommended movie to people who want to laid back and see something entirely different from those blockbusters and zombie flicks and see a nice sweet little movie.

Latest movie news and updates!

Tim Burton set to direct the movie version of Alice in Wonderland! The movie is going to use both animation and live drama for execution. Expect something like Charlie n the chocolate factory meeting Corpse Bride, dark n quirky.

Christian Bale confirmed to star in Terminator 4 as John Connor which turn out to be a shock as you know Christian always choose his movies wisely, furthermore this sequel is going to be directed by McG (Charlie Angels franchise). Might this turn out to be good?

Nic Cage going to star once more in the sequel to Ghost Rider.

Martin Scorsese new flick Shutter Island cast appeared to be one of the best ensemble cast ever since his last movie the Departed. Confirm to star are Leonardio Di Carpio, Robert De Niro, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams.

The shooting of Time Traveller Wife had just ended, so expect is to screen in the later half of next year.

Fresh of the oven review.

The Golden Compass - 2.75/5



Dir: Chris Weitz (prev work: American Pie, About a Boy)




I just watched this movie an hour earlier and it kind of disappoint. It is one of those hype blockbuster movie that you expect alot which often lets you down like the Chronicles of Narnia and the recent Harry Porter.

Based on the novels by Philip Pullman, the first part of a supposed trilogy, the story begin with a young girl Lyra living in a world where human being souls that take the shape of an animal, known as demons where it will be always around you to become your friends. She is thrown into a adventure when she overhears a conversation of an particle, Dust. This particle is said to unite different worlds, and is feared by many who want to destroy it forever. As Lyra is flung into the middle of this horrible struggle, she meets creatures both big (the coca cola polar bear) and small (metal fly), and villains (Nicole as a villian!) who are not what they seem. With the help of a magical golden compass that will answer any question, Lyra has to save the other children that are kidnap for their demons.

The first part of the supposed trilogy is abit monotoneus which never seem to hit a climax is sort of forgivable as it is the introduction and characterization of the stories and characters, kinda like the first part of the LOTR trilogy where the actions and kickasses scenes all started in the 2nd the 3rd part of the movie. But with all the hype involved you expect much much much more from this. The cast is a brilliant and wonderful cast, the CG and actions are stunning and fantastic, and everybody is beautiful from Nicole Kidman to the Coca Cola look alike Polar Bear. But too much talking heads, too little actions and a poor cliffhanger makes this movie a letdown. But the story backline looks promising so i expect alot more for the sequel.

NEW MOVIE REVIEWS!! of nov

Recently nv watch alot of movies cause nov is one of the worst month in recent yrs for movies, what kind of movies they showing, Fred Claus, Bee Movie, Tattooist, Resident Evil, Good luck Chuck and topping the box office are movies like the Game Plane damn it , Game plan what type of movie title is tt, the poster featuring The Rock and the little girl damnit damnit damnit DISNEY STOP MAKING THIS TYPE OF MOVIES!!! dun remind me of Pacifier!!!

But let me share with u guys the few movies n dvds i watch during NOV. time for the oLc review.

Lars And the Real Girl - 3.5/5




Dir: Craig Gillespie (prev work Mr Woodcork) damn u all arent going to watch this liao.


dun be deceive by the poster of this movie, it is totally diff from what you will visualize. This story is one of the strongest drama performance i ever seen from an actor and i quite confident Ryan Gosling with get nominated for the Oscar for the second time in a row for this performance.


The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Lars Lindstrom, an super shy young introvert who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The proble is she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the internet. You all might thod from this onwards it is going to be one of those American Pie, Superbad type of cheap sex humour movie, but u r WRONG!! Sex is not what Lars has in mind, but for some reason this 2 weird couple develop a really deep, meaningful relationship. His brother thod he is totally insane, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.


This movie bring me laughter (not those stupid humour type of love), but more of for Lars innocent that you cant help but feel pity for this boy for the whole movie. The movie will be alot alot better if the pacing of the first half goes 3 times faster cause it is really draggy.

And this movie screenplay also yesterday won the Best Original Screenplay in the National Board of Review awards.

Enchanted - 3.5/5



Dir: Kevin Lima (prev work: Tarzan)




Okay i just shoot disney earlier i know and now i go watch a disney movie u guys must be want to throw stones at me. This is a kind of movie i wun usually watch. But i am a classic disney fan like ASnow White and Lion King, with such a cute trailer, and one of the most underrated coming actress Amy Adams first lead role in a major movie how can i dun watch.

This movie is about a fairytale princess from the past who is throw into present-day by who else? an evil queen, cliche u must thod, somemore she is also a stepmother. So disney for a start. Soon after her arrival, Princess Giselle begins to change her views on life and love after meeting a handsome lawyer play by McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey.

Most of my friends give 3 stars for this movie but i give abit more by who else, Britney! but this is so freaking old school that i love it and i was so delighted throughout the movie. Surprisingly the memorable moments of the shows are stolen by the supporting cast, James Marsden as the Prince in the fairytale trying to save Giselle in real life and the chipmunk. This 2 characters brought around 3 quarter of the movie laughter and jokes. but b4 u watch this movie in theatre prepare for a lot of kids and children talking and crying in the cinema which i had to tahan for 2 hrs.

Lust Caution - 4.3/5



Dir: Ang Lee (prev work: Brokeback Mountain)

This is one of the best movie of 2007 for me, the first being Babel which is technically a 2006 movie but screen much later in Spore.

Set in China World War 2 era, the story begins with Mrs. Mak, walking into a café, making a call, and then waits. It brought us to a flashback where the movie begins, in 1938 China. She is not in fact Mrs. Mak, but a shy student, Wong Chia Chi. With WWII underway, as a freshman at university, she meets fellow student Kuang Yu Min(played by Wang Lee Hom) during a play they work together. He sort of psycho his gang to carry out a ambitious plan to assassinate a top Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee (Tony Leung). And the story goes in a way how Chia Chi live is being intervine and ultimately destroyed by the 2 men.

I think this movie is a great movie that spark a lot of controversy, the sex scenes (is it real or not) the armpit hair (are those hair real) and alot of post topics and discussions like why did Wongk nv kill herself with the pill in the end? this is one of the movie that i tink the sex and nudity makes great sense and one of the core part of the movie, u totally see hw Mr Yee character dominated Wong in the start and hw the story and sex positions changed in which Wong dominated Mr Yee.

and for the part that said y wong nv kill herself in the end, i read a strait times article review and it say Wong wants to see if Mr Yee who she felt in love with in the end and spare his life, would he vice versa do that to her? which i feel is a great thought. and for the last scene where Mr Yee see his shadow on the bed, shot of the year nominee anyone.


DVD: Equilibrium - 4.25/5 (2002 movie)




Dir: Kurt Wimmer



This is a movie you watch more for the kickass and style for those cult movie fans. I am very happy to see this flick accidentely cause i bet a very minimal of you will see this cool low budget movie and i am very glad to introduce to all my friends.

At the end of World War III, the world fell under the control of Father and the Tetragrammaton: a government that outlaws all forms of art and emotion. Citizens are forced to take drugs that eliminate emotions. However, "Sense Offenders" which means they portray sense and emotions like love, art, books and music will be sentence to death. John Preston (Christian Bale) is a Cleric, aka the ma-ta, policeman who had to catch and eliminate Sense Offenders with the help of a ruthless police force. One day, he accidentally breaks his morning dose of emotion suppressant drug and begins to feel. Soon, he begins sympathizing with the Sense Offenders and begins to understand the feeling of... er feel. and ultimately fightback and kickass time when Preston turns his back on the government and kick alot of asses in the meantime.

The highlight of this movie is the action and fight, which the director invent himself call Gun Kata means fighting with a gun. Nv seen action and fight portray in such a cool and stunning manner. This movie is also inspired by Bruce Lee in Jing Wu Men but i also feel it portray some resemblance with Matrix which i dosen like that much.


DVD: Dark City (4.5/5) 1998 movie



Dir: Alex Proyas (prev work: The Crow)



The last movie i would like to recommend would be Dark City, a 1998 movie directed by Alex Proyas.

The story begins with John Murdoch waking up alone in a strange hotel to find that he has lost his memory and is wanted for a series of brutal and bizarre murders. While trying to piece together his past, he stumbles upon a underworld group of beings known as The Strangers who possess the ability to put people to sleep and alter the city and its inhabitants. Now Murdoch must find a way to stop them before they take control of his mind and destroy him.

This story is so cool and original. You can see the building morphing into all kinds of shapes liek Playdoh and for a low budget movie of that era, the graphic and visual style is brilliant and damn creative. The set and bg kind of reminds u of Batman. Also starrign the always brilliant and one of my fav actress Jennifer Connelly, the fame critic Roger Ebert also name this the best movie of 1998.

Ok now i going to share the Top 10 movies i had watched of 2007. so far.


1. Babel (technically 2006 film)
2. Lust, Caution
3. Ratatouille
4. Bourne Ultimatium
5. 300
6. Pans Labyrinth
7. Paris Je Taime
8. Little Children (also technically 2006 film)
9. Zodiac
10. Hot Fuzz


I expect much more to make it to the list, but spore always screen much slower den other countries, but i had high hopes for Atonement, The Savages, Into the Wild, Juno, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Away from Her, Michael Clayton, Kite Runner, Sweeney Todd and of course the high potential return of the Coens No Country for Old Men.