Summary of 2009 movies - Quarter 2

Last December, I posted movies I saw between January - March 2009. So here's the second installment

Quarter 2 - April to June:

1. Fast & Furious 4 - I enjoyed this 4th installment of the movie franchise the most. It felt like it had more guts to it. Too bad Michelle Rodriguez's character had to die. But still, I liked it so much I saw it twice :)

2. Confessions of a Shopaholic - Isla Fisher is really sweet! I was smitten after I saw her in Definitely Maybe and she was pretty good in this one too. Loved the credit card-buried-in-ice breaking moment!

3. Talentime - I saw this movie at MBO with Wan and it was such a tear-jerker! It's a wonderfully-lovely story! Funniest moment was when Azian Irdawati's character joked "I won't lose hair over it" in response to something her son said. She had chemo and she's almost bald for it! I laughed pretty loud :P

4. Knowing - This was a cool movie and I loved the effects. It was a little creepy too, what with the young girl hiding in the cupboard, scratching the wooden door with her nails. But I can't seem to remember how it ended. Hmm...time to get the dvd. Hehe.

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5. Paul Blart Mall Cop - Hmmm.........this one wasn't that good. It had some funny scenes but that was it. Nothing memorable. Not deserving of the RM9 I paid for.

6. Queens of Langkasuka - I don't watch foreign movies often. This one had some cool action scenes, so it wasn't too bad. Overall, just average though.

7. Passengers - I love Anne Hathaway! She was brilliant in Bride Wars, which I picked as one of my top 3 movies for Q1. She plays a totally different type of character in this one. A therapist. A confused one. A dead one. I liked the movie, it has the Sixth Sense kinda twist. Nice.

8. Crossing Over - I went into this one with a high hope. I mean it was Harrison Ford and Ashley Judd so yeah, I was pretty sure that it would be really good, but came out rather disappointed. I did love the premise of the movie; about people getting in / out of the U.S. illegally, how they're tracked and caught and stuff, and of course the emotional factors involved with risking your life for better living. All in all, average.

9. He's Just Not That Into You - Loved it!!! Great actors and story and it proved what I've been saying all along - we, the guys, are straight-forward. If we like something, we'll say we like it. And if we like something strong enough, we'll do whatever we need to have it. Therefore, if we didn't say we like it, please don't assume that we do and that we're just too shy to admit it. If we want to call you, we'd call you. If we don't, it's because we don't want to call. See. Mixed signals my ass. Oops.

10. Make It Happen - Boy this one was fun! Mary Elizabeth Winstead was awesome!!!!! Loved the performance scenes!! It was so good it left me wanting more!!! Definitely a favorite!!

11. X Men Origins: Wolverine - This movie did not live up to my expectations, and I loved all the other X Men movies but this one had a different feel to it. Thank god for the last few fight scenes though, my favorite is the one that took place on top of the nuclear plant structure. Simply awesome!! I hope the next origin movie would feature more of gambit in action. Hmmm.....I just realized I saw this movie twice. I can't remember why. maybe it was a slow week at the movies. hehehehe....

12. Star Trek - Easily one of the best movie of 2009!!!! When I heard that J.J. Abrams was on the director's seat I knew it would be a renewed legacy. And it surely delivers!! It made Star Trek cool again!! It also have a good score, very stylish. Stylishly Star Trek. Many goosebumps moment! Sequels please!! And yes, I saw this movie twice, no surprise there.

13. Angels & Demons - Up to this day, I still haven't seen The Da Vinci Code, but I enjoyed this movie. Ewan McGregor almost stole the show from right under Tom Hanks's nose. Loved the twist and ending bit. Really thought he was the world's saviour for a moment there.

12. I Love You, Man - I have said before that Paul Rudd might just be the next big thing in the comedy line, and he was excellent in this one, but his career isn't exactly as big as I thought it would be by now. Too bad. But then it's only April :)

13. Push - I was really psyched to see Dakota Fanning all grown up and dark in this one. She was good, but the character wasn't big enough. Saw it once in the movie, bought the dvd, haven't put it on. Overall, pretty good, but no memorable lines / scenes.

14. Night At The Museum - I thought the first one was so-so, and I liked this one more than the first. Possibly because of Amy Adams. or the thinking man. Hmmm...........which one is it? Hmmm.....I'm thinking...................................................I'm thinking............................. LOL!!

15. Battle For Terra - This was a must-see for me because its poster looked a bit like Star Wars animated series. And the story turned out to be pretty good. Cool action too. but no light saber action. Crap. Hehe...

16. Monsters vs Aliens - This one was lame. Seriously, it was. Wasn't really funny, wasn't full of action, wasn't this, wasn't that. And I had high hopes going in. The only saving grace was Bob. he was the only one with the funny lines. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to save the movie. Thumbs down on this one!

17. T4 - Christian Bale. Bigger and cooler robots. Sam Worthington. Moto-Terminators. What's not to like? I saw it twice. Nuff said. :P

18. Drag Me To Hell - Sam Raimi is back at his best!! Sylvia Ganush sent shivers to my spine!! I mean even the handkerchief is scary shit alright!! Loved every bit of it!! More please Mr Raimi!!! Definitely a favorite!!

19. State Of Play - Average. Dun have much to say for this one, except, I might have gotten played. Hehehe.

20. Blood - This one's pretty good. it's got gore, blood, sword action, all the recipe of a cool action movie. With action scenes like this, who cares about a storyline? :)

21. Transformers ROTF - Out of all the movies I saw in 2009, nothing could match the level of anticipation, enthusiasm and high hopes I had for this movie. I even held a countdown on Facebook about a few weeks before it opens at the movies! And I bought Transformers t-shirts. Like 5 of them! And they're all cool!! I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, I think it kicked ass! if I could change anything though, I would take out some of those stupid unfunny lines uttered by the autobot twins. Wasn't impressed at all. But hey, the rest was awesome, so all is forgiven! Oh yeah, I even bought the official prequel book to ROTF and I read it from cover to cover. If that ain't passion I dun know what is!!! :P Top pick!!

Gosh...................quarter 2 sure had the most number of movies of all the quarters in 2009.

My top 3 pick? Transformers ROTF, Talentime and Star Trek!

Of truth, acceptance and holding on

On most weekends, when I wake up in the morning (or afternoon :P) and leave the bedroom, I normally go to the couch and put on a dvd. It's almost like a ritual snooze moment before I get to starting my day. Only I'm awake and not still in bed.

Today, I put on Shrink starring Kevin Spacey. One of the quotes on the cover states "Spacey's best performance since Swimming with Sharks". Normally, all these quotes wouldn't account for much, we all know that, especially when I didn't even see Swimming with Sharks, but since it is, after all, Kevin Spacey, I expected the movie to be quite good. And it was.

Spoilers alert!

The story touches on the darker aspects of life - death of a loved one, the struggle of those left behind, drug addiction and an uninspired writer to name a few. The story unravels at a slow pace but it had some really good scenes and moments.

It highlights that when faced with so much grief, we often do not want to acknowledge the truth. or to even know the truth. Cos you feel it in your heart that it is ugly and sad. And so what good will it do to you? So you stall. You tell yourself "When I'm good and ready, when it's time, I'll open it. I'll find out." Only you have no idea when that will be. Heck, you don't even wanna know when you'll know.

So you focus on things that make you feel good. Things that calm you down. Things that could have you so focused that you stop thinking of everything else. Things that make the world go silent. And as long as you can keep doing this, everything else is off less importance.

And if, you stumble upon anyone whom you feel you could trust and confide in, and feel safe with, then you just might give in a little. Especially when you feel that they've gone through something similar and therefore could relate to how you're feeling. At the very least, you're not alone.

So.....when you finally find the spot where you start to feel safe, loved and worthy of it again, you'll find acceptance. You'll find the courage to face the truth, even if it breaks your heart all over again. Because deep down in your heart, you know, that you can't keep holding on to the past. And yes, it'll never go away. It'll only be easier, in time.

Well that's what you hope for anyway.

Summary of 2009 movies - Quarter 1

At the beginning of 2009, I set a goal to keep all of my ticket stubs whenever I go watch a movie at the cinema. And so, now being December and all, it's time for that summary of 2009 movies:

I'll be posting the movies list by each Quarter so there'll be 4 posts altogether. But you already know that :)

Quarter 1 - January to March:

1. Australia - Overall quite good, had some memorable scenes.

2. Yes Man - I love Zooey Deschanel, and Jim Carrey was ok in this one.

3. Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans - Excellent prequel!! Saw it twice!! Best werewolf growls ever!!

4. Bride Wars - Fun movie!! and it had a memorable narrative at the end of the movie that rings true to the heart.

5. Inkheart - I didn't like this one so much. Everything about the movie is average.

6. Eden Lake - This was surprisingly good!! Had a lot of gore and was really, really dark. Not for Disney lovers. heheh.....I loved it!!!

7. Pink Panther 2 - Not too bad, good for a few laughs.

8. Watchmen - I found it to be too draggy, but then I'm not a follower of the comic, so I can't say much. I guess I didn't know what Watchmen really is about, prior to watching it.

9. Role Models - I think Paul Rudd is going to be big in the comedy movies scene. He's hilarious!!

10. Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li - It's pretty good, not as chock full of action as I was expecting though.

11. Dragonball Evolution - This was pretty cool! Didn't know anything about Dragonball before. Cool effects and fight scenes!

12. The International - Clive Owen is one of the most underrated actors around. He was brilliant in this one, as he usually is in all his other movies. The movie itself though, was just ok. It did however have a great shooting scene, the one that took place in a building with a circular structure.

My top 3 pick - Underworld, Bride Wars, Eden Lake!

The Reader

I finally got around to seeing this movie and I find it to be a great story.

I've always had a penchant for movies that are sad and moving. Well I obviously am a big fan of lots of movie genres, but movies like this one would evoke those deep thoughts and feelings, one of them being empathy. And I do think that empathy has a lot to do with it, empathy for the characters. If you have this, then you'd enjoy movies more often than not.

Hanna Schmitz once helped a boy in need. A 15 year old. An affair ensues - the boy would read to her, after and/or before you-know-what. But she disappeared one day. Years after, when the boy was in college studying law, he observed a trial of 6 female prison guards of an old war camp, one of which is Hanna Schmitz. Hana and the others are apparently responsible for the deaths of 300 prisoners who died in a fire back in those days.

Throughout the trial, Hanna's answers made her appear naive, ignorant and honest, but the revelation came when Hanna chose to claim responsibility as the leader of the guards rather than letting people know that she can't read and write.

This is where questions come in. Why, would anyone in their right mind, choose life imprisonment over self pride? But then I guess it wasn't pride. It was shame. A sense of shame so deeply rooted within the soul that makes it impossible to admit. And it surely wasn't all shame. Surely there was fear. Fear of consequences. But how can that be? How is it possible to comprehend that consequences of one's admission towards one's inabilities could outweigh consequences of admission for murder?

Whatever Hanna's reasons were, she stood by her decision, even as she shook when the sentence was read in court - guilty of murders on 300 counts - life imprisonment.

Micheal (the boy), now realizing that she's illiterate, sends recordings of his voice reading from some of the books he used to read to Hanna for her to listen to in jail. And this act of kindness (and empathy if I might add) breathes life into Hanna and eventually motivated her to learn to read, and then to write.

On her release day, Michael came to collect her and was informed that she had hang herself in her cell. "She never packed. She never planned to leave" said the guard. But I think she did. She did want to leave the place. Until she found out that there was nothing (or no one) waiting for her outside that prison wall. Until Michael said to her "I wasn't sure what you've learned".

A little empathy could have saved her.

Life and Chains

I saw the movie Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans for the second time the other day. It was still awesome and it drew my attention to this:

LIFE & CHAINS; You can't have one without the other. The line was uttered by Victor when he demanded respect from Lucian for giving him life.

"How true" - I said to myself. I mean freedom is sought at so many levels in our life and how many of us out there can truly claim that we have total freedom in our hands? Sure, as adults we are free to do many things, but can you really do every single thing your heart desires? Whenever your want? Wherever you want? For as long as you want? I know I can't.

• There are words I wanna say, but I won't.
• There are challenges I long to do, but I won't.
• There are things I wanna change, but I can't.
• There are experiences I wanna share, but I can't.
• There are ideas I wish to put forth, but I'm scared.
• There are things I shouldn't be scared of, but I am.

So while I embrace the freedom I have as an individual, I long for the rights I'm entitled to for being human.

Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans (spoilers alert!)

This was my third movie of 2009 and it's one helluva prequel!

It seems like some movie prequels share similar approach - first movie being a combination of style and action, then the sequel injects a more elaborate action sequence and then comes the prequel, with plenty of brutal and hard-core action with a much higher gore factor. Which I like. A lot!!!

One of the effects I like is the Lucian's roar. RROOOARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very cool. Don't think I've heard such good werewolf roar before this. In fact it reminded me of the first time I heard the sound of that T-Rex in Jurassic Park. Memorably impactful.

Rhona Mitra as Sonja was good, but I kept remembering Kate Beckinsale's Selene (not sure if I spelled that correctly) for some reason. I think it's because Selene had a way cooler outfit - stylishly sexy. And I think Selene's blue eyes looked cooler against her vampire-pale face.

Besides focusing on bites and bloody sword fights, this movie, like any other action movie, touches pretty heavily on the big four letter word that is LOVE.

One of the cliche line uttered in the movie was this:

Sonja: "But you were free"
Lucian: "Not without you"

There's also a funny line. Common, but still funny given the premise:

Lucian: "Are you afraid of me?"
Husky-voiced guy: "Yes"
Lucian: "Don't worry, I won't bite.................much"

By the way it ended, I think we should expect another sequel or two.

Yay!!

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen - Teaser Poster

Ever since the first word got out about Hollywood making a real life action movie of Transformers, my excitement towards it never cease.

I saw the first Transformers movie 3 times at the cinema and then countless more times on dvd, which I booked pre-sale from the US through the dvd shop at Cineleisure. I remember gasping in the cinema hall when the Dreamworks and Paramount logos came on screen with that signature robotic scramble sound. The special features on the dvd rocks!!!!

The movie blew me away. And that doesn't happen often. Cos I'm heavy. hehehe. ok,ok, bad joke. Seriously, it did. That's why I'm super excited to have found this teaser poster. REVENGE IS COMING. Sounds like a bad-ass decepticons vengeance in full force. COOL!!! Looks like the robots are evolving too, which is even COOLER!!! And if you add Soundwave to it, now that would be COOLEST!!! I am personally an autobot fan myself, but it's hard not to be awed when most of the decepticons are all military vehicles and equipment.

We should be able to see a teaser trailer in February or March I think.

Can't wait!!!!

Of culture-leading, movie-fasting and failed dvd hunting.

Last week was a little different for me, but in an interesting way.

The discussion I had with my superior led to me leading a certain aspect of the work place, which was really great, since it's an area which I'm very interested in - Culture. I know it's no small feat, but I am all for it! Of course, I'm also very glad that I have the very person I need to co-lead (here comes the setting of expectation!) all the efforts that needs to take place from the year 2009 onwards. That would be none other than Titu. hehehe.

Well obviously, just us two won't be enough. So we'll be collaborating our efforts with others in the workplace. After all, it's been a while since our last cross-functional committee. All aboard!!!!

Movie-wise, it was an uneventful week for me. Nothing interesting to watch. Decided not to see Outlander since someone told me it's not very good. So yeah, I've been movie-fasting for more than a week now.

The dvd-hunting didn't help either. I wonder why my 2 regular dvd shops were closed last weekend. Hopefully it's not because of you-know-what. And they better not be taking an early CNY break!!!!! not before I get my stock for the festive period anyway. Or else I'd be forced to watch those unwatched dvds I got stacked beside my TV. Poor me.

Seven Pounds

Jenn, a colleague of mine, told me about a movie titled Seven Pounds the other day at breakfast. Today, I found it at my usual dvd joint.

As usual, the first thing I do when I got home was to test it out to ensure it's working fine, quality and all. I normally pick a mid point scene for the test. For this movie, that a-minute-or-so scene I happened to pick immediately drew my attention. So I straight away clicked Menu and then Play.

Now, if you're not into spoilers, this is where you need to stop reading, wait till you see the movie and then come back, read the post and then comment. Hehehehe. But if you don't exactly live for surprises, then by all means, read on. And I thank you for that.

The movie doesn't let on much from the very beginning. It's interlocking plot gradually unfolds, scene by scene, character by character. What it does, however, is giving you hints of how it might all ends. The storyline touches on a variety of human feelings and emotions; regret, hope, determination, sadness, patience and trust among others.

This story tells of a man who seeks to redeem himself from his past mistake, a mistake that has taken 7 human lives. He now dedicates his life to finding 7 other lives - 7 good souls who need help the most. And to help make their lives better.

As you get closer to each character, you'll see means and ways of how the human spirit can touch and change a person forever. You'll be reminded of how easy it is at times to make someone happy. And that at other times, it requires the biggest act of sacrifice. Therein lies the ending - he gives up his life to save 7 souls, in redeeming himself againts those 7 lives he took away.

The final scene was very emotional as 2 characters, one having his heart and another seeing through his eyes, hugged in tears of overwhelming gratitude and sadness.

Anyway, all these words doesn't do justice to the movie so I suggest you wait for when it screens and see for yourself. Oh yeah, don't forget that box of tissues, even if you don't need them, cos the person sitting next to you might ;)

Yes Man

I arrived in Kota Kinabalu (KK) today for a meeting at 1Borneo. The meeting went ok and right after it ended I went straight to GSC to check out what the cinema has to offer. I got two tickets to Yes Man, one for me and another for my colleague, the cookie monster.

I'm not exactly a big fan of Jim Carrey and his facial contortions, but the trailer looked nice and I was pretty sure that he has evolved from all those a-little-too-funny-that-it's not-funny-anymore characters of his.

Throughout the movie, I laughed out loud several times, which was so unlike me. Hehehe. There were also parts that were kinda predictable and a tad un-funny but it was all saved by Zooey Deschanel, whom I really like nowadays. I've been a fan of hers since the movie Elf, which happens to be one of my favorite xmas movies.

A few take aways from the movie:

1. It is important to say what you mean and mean what you say, no matter how hard.

2. Life is never just black and white, it is often grey.

3. Jogging photography is very in nowadays. Hehe.


This was my second movie for the year and yes, I'm saving the stub!

Australia (spoilers alert!)

I started the first day of the year with a breakfast and a movie.

I saw Australia with Jazzy at MBO. I was a bit worried that it might be draggy since it is 2 hours and 45 minutes long, but hey, i'm an optimistic movie freak, so i went ahead and got the tickets. hehe.

It turned out to be a good movie. It does have more romance than war action but it wasn't a problem. One of the elements I like in the movie is its Aborigine's tale and perspective, particularly Nullah and King George.

Here are some memorable lines from the movie:

"I'll sing you to me"

"Just because it is, doesn't mean it should be"

"I can say your name!"

I kept Australia's ticket stub in a box where I'll be saving all other ticket stubs of movies I'll watch this year. I plan to have a summary of 2009 movies at year end.

It'll be cool..........I think.