Battleship 2012 movie review

Date: 10 April 2012
Time: 9.30pm
Venue: GSC Mid Valley
Screening courtesy of ChurpChurp

Battleship (2012)

PLAYERS

Production company: BluegrassFilms/Film 44
Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano, Hamish Linklater
Director: Peter Berg
Screenwriters: Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber
Producers: Brian Goldner, Scott Stuber, Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Duncan Henderson, Bennett Schneir

PLOT

(credits to rottentomatoes)

Peter Berg produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro's classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper's fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper's older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper's crew mate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone's superior (and Sam's father), Admiral Shane. (C) Universal

PERSONAL COMMENT

Computer Graphics

I can't deny that the graphics are top notch. The moment the screen plays I told my girlfriend, wow! The quality of the film running and the graphics are very clear that I thought its 2D or something better! 

I get amazed when the alien's battleship came out.

 

The alien's suit is pretty cool, not really special but it will be something like Iron Man? 

By the way, it's kinda interesting how the CG players draw out the alien. You will get to see their face.

 

Actor/Actress

Taylors Kitsch - Alex Hopper

 Perform well with good expressions, doesn't seem fake to me. I should say he is experience!

Rihanna

 This movie is definitely underused of Rihanna, eventually when you thought Rihanna is not gonna perform well in this movie, she did perform averagely, consider her expression, movement and dialogue.

Tadanobu Asano as Captain Nagata

great supporting role in this movie, funny scenes with him appearing.

Plots
There are lots of loopholes in this movie.
Remember how the U.S Navy found the first alien and start to take out their mask?
The next moment, 1 troop of aliens went into the U.S Navy battleship and took the alien away. Why can't the alien just kill all the U.S Navy at that moment? They knew the US Navy is harming their own allies.

Next, how the old-retired US Navy suddenly appear at a museum battleship, how they start the battleship in such a short time frame, how can a museum battleship still works?

More loopholes can be found at HERE 

In case, you didn't notice, how they blend in the END of the story with Brooklyn Decker contacting Taylors Kitsch - Alex Hopper where the aliens are using the satellite.

Action scenes are pretty good!

 how the US Navy fight against the alien! See how the 2 round blades above, running the whole Hawaii, causing chaos, bridge breakdown, cars breakdown and etc.

Also take note on action scenes like, battleship shooting missiles.

Also it is interesting to see how the actors interact with each other, team up to fight the aliens.

I have to say that after reviewing all those action-Computer graphics movie, as long as it is entertaining, good graphics, able to let audience give your graphics (like Transformer and GI Joe) a WOW! That is enough to get back your return.

I really did enjoy the movie, how action-fied is this movie, how I like the CG graphics, see-ing how a battleship vs alien's battleship is entertaining!

 Try this movie in IMax 2D, I think you will be amazed! 

Oh yeah, 1 question here, did you guys hear about Malaysia is also one of the Navy teams? I remember Liam Neeson saying Japan, Malaysia, US and etc is part of the exhibition Navy crew.

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 5/10
Graphics: 9.5/10

Dialogue: 5.5/10

Overall: 7/10

The review is based on my personal opinion.

Thanks to ChurpChurp for the invites!

Mirror Mirror: The snow white legend comes alive movie review

Title : Mirror Mirror
Release Date : 29 March 2012
Genre : Fantasy, Comedy

PLAYER

Director : Tarsem Singh
Cast : Lily Collins, Julia Robers, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane

SYNOPSIS

Starring Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts

and breakout star Lilly Collins

(“The Blind Side” &; “Priest”), and evil Queen (Roberts) steals control of a kingdom, and an exiled

princess (Collins) enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright in a

spirited adventure comedy filled with jealousy, romance, and betrayal that will capture the

imagination of audiences the world over. The film also stars Armie Hammer (“The Social

Network”) as the object of their affection, Prince Andrew Alcott, and Nathan Lane (“The

Birdcage”) as the hapless and bungling servant to the Queen.

PERSONAL COMMENT

 Julia Roberts doesn't look that evil after all, but she is definitely a good 'bitchy' queen I can say. Along with the evil queen is the good helper Nathan Lane,

he is an important supporting role in this movie. After he turn into a cockroach, I can't forget that he actually say, 'the grasshopper take advantage of me'. It's kinda 18SX if you understand the meaning.

The Prince, Armie Hammer

is able to handle 2 characters well, one as a prince who always come naked, in love with the princess and on the other hand the prince who fall for the love portion from the evil queen. The puppy character is like wow! How could you act like a puppy!

For Lilly Collins

She suits to be the princess, being quite innocent, intelligent and brave when fighting the evil queen. What I think really helps Collins in this movie would be the 7 dwarves! You won't forget them.

Having the dwarves constantly steal our attention makes the show very interesting. How one of them says, Its between US. Their expression impressed me.

Besides that, their costume is kinda colorful, nice and attractive. Even if the movie is not nice, maybe checking out the costumes is cool enough.

So overall, kinda funny, some laughter here and there, not really scarry unless the puppet part, and lastly I didn't really expect the ending, so I assume it's a good plot for me.
Make sure you watch till the end, now I understand why at the end Collins sing and dance like those Bollywood movie! The director is from India.  (Highlight the text if you want to check it out.)

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 7.5/10
Action: 6.5/10
Comedy: 7.5/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Trailer 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9zsP6RAPDs

Thank you Nuffnang GPlus for the media screening.

All picture credits to NEF (Nusantara Edaran Filem)

Niu Chen-zer Film 《Love 愛》 2012

《Love 愛》

PLAYER

Actor/Actress: Doze Niu (鈕承澤), Ethan Juan 阮經天, Mark Zhao 趙又廷, Eddie 彭于晏, Shu Qi 舒淇, Zhao Wei 趙薇, Zvy Chen 陳意涵, Amber Guo 郭采潔

Director:  Doze Niu (鈕承澤)

PLOT

This is a story that happened between two cities, Taipei and Beijing, a story about eight lonely souls searching for happy endings. Everything that happened and every sacrifice that was made was all for LOVE.

Ni comes from a wealth family. As the captain of a bicycle racing team of the college everything seems perfect until the day she finds out that her life tangled in a three people relationship. Ni's best friend YiJia was pregnant with her boyfriend Kai after a one night affair. Betrayed by the boyfriend and the best friend, Ni is going crazy. She needs answers.

(Ni and Kai)

Kai realized that he had made the biggest mistake of his life, but he is in love with Ni. Running away is not the answer. He needs to get her back. All this while, YiJia is also torned by this situation, and decided that she will end this by getting an abortion. But after a series of wild emotional rampage, Ni realize that she is not the only victim and her loving nature made her admit that she cant afford to lose either of them.

(Zoe and Mr Lu)

Mr Lu, the father of Ni, as a successful middle age businessman who lives in a glamorous life style with a charming movie star girlfriend Zoe by his side. Lu leads a lifestyle that is the envy of everyone. However when Lu is ready for marriage, he finds out that Zoe is no longer infatuated with him. In fact, Zoe is a lonely woman who needs someone to wake her up from the vanity around her. When she meet waiter Kuan, the brother of Yi Jia, she is attracted by his sweet personality and life of wisdom. Between Mr Lu and Kuan, Zoe faces the biggest choice of her life.

Lu's business partner, Mark, is from Taipei. Mark is a ladies man and he always and only dates women who are young, beautiful and chic. His fondest memories were from living with father, who has passed away, in the Chinese old-style courtyard house. Therefore, after his much business success, Mark always wanted to buy a Chinese old-style courtyard house in Beijing.

(Mark and XiaoYe)

XiaoYe is a single mother working in Beijing as a real estate agent. She is not young, nor is she stylish. She spends most of her time and energy taking care of her five years old son. One day, Mark meets XiaoYe looking for a place to buy. Through the process, Mark starts to develop feelings for XiaoYe and also her son. 

PERSONAL COMMENT

This movie is clearly similar with English movies like Valentine's Day and New Years Eve. It is also same with Chinese movies like Love in Space (全球热恋) directed by Tony Chan.

It should be a movie on cinema during Valentine's day but somehow a delay screening for Malaysia?

Alright back to the actor and actress, somehow I feel Zoe ( 舒淇) and Doze Niu (鈕承澤) really fits the character, Zoe really have the looks of relying on middle age man to live and the middle age man would be Doze Niu. The chemistry is there, and the actors that play the role do really helped.

Plot also shows a complicated relationship. Whereby not all relationship is perfect.

Like Mark (趙又廷), he doesn't have confidence in relationship, while for Kai (彭于晏) really love Ni but had sex with YiJia and is a dad now.

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 7/10

Actor/Actress: 7/10

Expression/Chemistry: 6.5/10

Overall 7/10

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace in 3D

Date: 3 February 2012
Time: 10am
Venue: TGV Sunway Pyramid

Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace had been released since 1999, I remembered watching this at TGV Sunway Pyramid and I get a figurine bottle after purchasing a pop corn.

and now 2012, it is confirmed with the re-release at 9 February 2012 with 3D

PLAYER
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman
Director: George Lucas
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

PLOT (from Fandango)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is a young apprentice Jedi knight under the tutelage of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) ; Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), who will later father Luke Skywalker and become known as Darth Vader, is just a nine-year-old boy. When the Trade Federation cuts off all routes to the planet Naboo, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are assigned to settle the matter.

PERSONAL COMMENT
Back then when I'm still young, watching Star War really attracts me, main reason being the jedi knight holding the light saber really attracts me, it's like the real hero!

Main focuses on 3D, the blue and red light saber stuns out during the fight,

The pod race by Anakin Skywalker

The jet fighter shooting out laser and the underwater creatures. I feel like the remake in 3D is nothing much however the few scenes I describe above, you got to be more attentive to check out the 3D effects.

I also found out that the whole purpose is to attract small kids or even teenagers like us to really step into the cinema and find out how we used to attract to the fantasy of Star Wars directed by George Lucas. Small kids now would be attracted to Jajarbinks and the robots. You would have realized how Star War became our kids favorite.

In addition, I don't think our memory is really that good to remember all the plots of Star Wars, so in case you forget like me, you can still re-watch it and enjoy in 3D!

PERSONAL RATING
Overall 3D: 6.5/10

Johnny English Reborn movie review

Date: 13 September 2011
Time: 9pm
Venue: GSC Mid Valley

Johnny English Reborn

PLAYER

Directed by: Oliver Parker
Written by: Rowan Atkinson, Hamish McColl
Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, Daniel Kaluuya and Richard Schiff

PLOT (from wikipedia)

English attempts to stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos. In the years since MI-7's top spy vanished off the grid, he has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier's life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action. With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect the world.

PERSONAL COMMENT

Johnny English Reborn is the sequel to Johnny English (2003) starring Rowan Atkinson.

This film is actually parodying the James Bond secret agent genre.

I love how the Plot started, especially where English meditate himself at Tibet. He learned skills from his master like, Focus on what you want to do, and there is always solution to a problem.
All these he will be used at the climax.

It's really nice to see our favorite Rowan Atkinson is back in action, love to see how his acting make us laugh out loud.
As this is a comedy, of course some part of the scenes is not logical at all, but as long as it's funny I'm fine with it.

He uses lipsticks

Some parts..I just gave a stunned look.

For Johnny Girl, it's Rosamund Pike.
Rosamund Pike is hot and sexy and

she is also the former Bond girl at Die Another Day.

For effects, love how they modified the Rolls Royce, which is sound activated, the wheel chair that travel faster than the police car and the Missile launcher with the umbrella. 

Overall, if you are a fan of comedy you will definitely enjoy the movie. Just don't think so much and enjoy the movie.

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 5/10
Effects: 5/10
Humour: 7.5/10
Overall: 7/10

Thanks to ChurpChurp and United International Pictures for the screening

Rise of The Planet of The Apes movie review

Date: 2 Aug 2011
Time: 9pm

Venue: GSC @ 1 utama

PLAYERS

Directed by: Rupert Wyatt
Produced by:Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark
Written by: Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa
Starring: James Franco, Freida Pinto, Andy Serkis, Tom Felton. David Hewlett, Chelah Horsdal


PLOT
Will Rodman (James Franco) is a scientist, currently residing in San Francisco, who is working on a cure for Alzheimer's Disease by performing tests on apes. The first test subject is a chimpanzee, named Caesar (Andy Serkis), whose parents had been captured in Africa.[5] Rodman's "cure" not only repairs brain cells as they expected to, but it genetically modifies Caesar's way of thinking to create a new breed of ape with human-like intelligence. Caesar learns unbelievably well, but human authority orders him to be locked up. However, he eventually proves to be smart enough to escape from his cage and releases an airborne-strain of the cure among thousands of other apes (the ones that are caged with him), making them as intelligent as Caesar. Thousands of apes begin to foment revolution. Soon, war breaks out between humans and apes. Rodman may be the only one able to stop them before the ape revolution ends with the apes succeeding, humanity being driven to extinction, and apes becoming the most dominant species on Earth.


Personal Comment (may contains spoiler, read at your own risk)

Computer Graphics

CGI apes created by Weta Digital from motion-capture performances.

Facial expression like angry, jealous, happy really looks alike like human. You will be focusing every single expression that the apes show especially from Caesar. That's the best element I can see from this movie.

Forget to mention that, all the CGI are produced by Weta Digital Company and they have won several Academy awards. Avatar movie are produced by them too, so this movie will be the improve version of motion capture technology used in Avatar.

Plot is alright only, climax doesn't seem excited as it is. 

Caesar bringing the whole gang back to Redwood forest

However, the intelligence after the injection of drugs shown by the ape is impressive. He is able to do what a 8 years old children will do when he is just 2 years old. His IQ level increase significantly after consuming the drugs.

A loophole found in this movie would be after Caesar and his gang break out from the "prison", it looks like more than  hundred of them ran out of the prison, but in the prison there is like enough to only accommodate hundred of them.

The wow scene

It is also quite Emotion as Caesar would really wants to go back his owner Will Rodman but he decided not to mainly because he wants to save all the other apes lock in the "prison". Caesar cried after that.

Lastly, it is really touched watching the ape finally giving humanity

Do take note the Ending on a tease for a potential sequel. Yes, there will be next episode!

Personal Rating

Plot: 6/10

Action: 7/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall: 7/10

Thanks to FlyFM as I won the tickets through SMS contest!

Scream 4 movie review

Date: 13 April 2011
Time: 9pm
Venue: GSC @ 1 utama

SCREAM 4

PLAYERS
Director: Wes Craven
Writer: Kevin Williamson
Stars: Anthony Anderson, David Arquette, Alison Brie, Adam Brody, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Rory Culkin, Marielle Jaffe, Erik Knudson, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Marley Shelton and Nico Tortorella

PLOT
Sidney Prescott (Campbell) heads back home to start her book tour just as a new wave of killings happen that involve someone pulling the same phone and stabbing stunts as before. This reinvigorates Gail Weathers (Cox), who’s been married to Sheriff Dewey (Arquette) and hasn’t been able to figure out what to write next. Sidney stays with her Aunt (Mary McDonald) and Niece Jill (Roberts), and it turns out it’s Jill and her classmates who are to be the next victims of the Ghostface Killer.

Personal Comments (may contains spoiler, read at your own risk)
10 years had passed since Scream 3? I didn't know that until I goggle search about it.

Thumbs up for the Violence scene.

Stabbing with knife and blood splashing is what I really want. :)
Sometimes it creates a thrilling scene, whereby you tend to close your eyes, thinking that the murderer will appear. 

Eg: A girl receiving a phone call and when the murderer ask her to open the closet, and she did but nothing appear. 

It's often punctuated with funny or jokes scene. Especially this part.

Alison Brie received a call from the murderer

and she tends to run to her car. Guess what?

 She still dare to walk out of her car and look under the car for the murderer.

*I laughed*

But if you are looking for serious bloody murderer film I don't think you can find it much in Scream 4.

I have been always guessing who is the murderer. You think of A and B might appear as one.

You might suspect everyone in the end.

Ending was the best part, and I think it's more logical compare to the other movie.

How a guy/girl wants to be a murderer, what's their motive? You will find it out in the end.

The Cast

Overall

The film also keeps up the suspense, the director did a great job of keeping you interested. But for me, some part is just too ridiculous, so I just tend to ignore it.
Be careful you might just get shocked by some of the scenes mainly due to sound system I guess.

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 6/10

Thrilling: 7/10

Shocking: 610

Overall: 6.5/10

lastly, the group photo!

(Credits to Carmen Wong)

Thanks to Jolyn Toh and Nuffnang for the screening!

HOP movie review

Date: 30 March 2011

Time: 9pm
Venue: Cathay Cineleisure, e@Curve

HOP

PLAYERS

Director: Tim Hill
Writers: Cinco Paul (story and screenplay), Ken Daurio (story and screenplay), Bruan Lynch (screenplay)
Starring: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Kaley Cucuo, Hank Azaria, Gary Cole, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Perkins, David Hasslehoff
Original Music by: Christopher Lennertz
Cinematography by: Peter Lyons Collister


PLOT
The current Easter Bunny (Laurie) is set to retire, but his son E.B. (Brand) wants to be a drummer, so he runs away from home and into the arms of Fred O’Hare (Marsden), who’s a layabout who can’t hold down a job. The two become buddies, and eventually learn to work together, and both learn very important life lessons about responsibility. 

Personal Comments (may contains spoiler, read at your own risk)

E.B. (Russell Brand) and Fred (James Marsden)

Both of them have a good bonding in this movie. James Marsden is consider entertaining in this movie, especially his dialogs with E.B.
Sometimes what really impress me is that, in reality he is acting without the existence of EB.

When Fred sends EB to sleep at the garage

Easter Bunny: What are the newspapers for?

Fred: You know you’re an animal, so..

Easter Bunny: Oh, I understand. I’ll just sleep down here, among my poo and pee, like a pig

Love this part 

EB trying to seduce Sam (Fred's sister)

Sam: Look at this. Look how cute this stuffed bunny is. [Holding E.B.} 

Fred: Oh. 

Sam: [As E.B. touches her hair] Oh, he's so soft And cute. And cuddly, and And warm. 

EB is a talking bunny, it would be weird if a bunny can talk with human so

Fred is afraid of letting others know EB can speak, but when people see EB talking, they didn't care so I think everyone assume EB is a built in talking toy.

But how could David Hasselhoff believe a talking Bunny exist?

Not logic at all.

Carlos (antagonist character)

pretty obvious he is the evil one, at least he is the important role during climax.

Do you think he will take over Easter?

Carlos: Can I at least touch it? 

Little Bird: [Gets hit by the spoon] Ow! 

Carlos: There. You touched it. 

Little Bird: Thank you. 

The Pink Berets 

acting as the special agent/guard for Easter Bunny

They are quite cute, especially the one every time FAIL at doing mission.

Do you think this dancing chicky Phil

looks like me? I mean the hair!

OVERALL
The combination of CGI and Live action is pretty impressive. Actors is able to act naturally.
Although this movie doesn't really suits the adult, but it's quite entertaining for me! Get to laugh for some stupid scenes.
I would really wish a better one for Cars 2 and Rio

PERSONAL RATING

Plot: 5/10

Humour: 7/10

Graphics: 6/10

Overall: 6/10

Thanks to NuffnangMY for the movie screening!

Personal comment and Personal Rating are for reference purpose only.

Bloggers attended

The Twins

Henry Baboon, Henry Munkey

(same spects, same purple T, promoting Rio)

And I kicked Jessy's butt Leg.

Somehow on the day itself, I saw 2 agents holding a folder with a kind of symbol and pass it to us.

I don't really understand what is it for. There is also a link attached to it.

lambangmisteri.blogspot.com

So I just visit the site and found some weird photos

KLCC with the symbol?

I would really wanna know what symbol is that for! 

I could even saw it at TVC.