Spiderman 3 is a highly anticipated release of the highly successful Spiderman franchise. The special effects alone are worth watching and similar to the previous Spiderman releases if not better. The character development and acting are also well done with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst playing their roles to a very high standard. The main shortcomings of this film are that it is a very long movie spanning approximately 2.5 hours and jumps around between many story lines with some characters disappearing and reappearing at different stages of the movie. There are a lot of stories that are compacted into the movie and each alone can be a movie in itself but it is definitely worth a watch on the big screen mainly for the abundance of special effects that are breathtaking most of the time.
Rating: 7/10
This is due to it being really long and doesn't really have a huge 'wow' factor. It is a very typical Spiderman movie so if you liked the first 2, then you will definitely like this but otherwise, watch the pirates and other highly anticipated movies that are out very shortly.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
The Prestige (2006) – Rhys Andersen
Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale play two rival magicians who become locked in a desperate battle to be the greater magician. The desire to learn the secrets of each others tricks leads both men to gamble everything including assistant Scarlett Johansson. The acting is really good, the storyline is interesting, twisting & turning and kept me guessing until the very end. Michael Cain also does a great job. If you liked Memento and Batman Returns you will probably enjoy as it is from the same writer/director, Christopher Nolan.
Rating: 8/10
Mr Bean’s Holiday (2007) – John Grant
This film follows the typical Rowan Atkins style of humour where he couples brilliant timing with bizarre actions. Some of the humour is unspoken but is nevertheless uproariously funny.
The film is in some sense a send up of French society with comment on their food, transport, holidays and entertainment. The script meanders from grey looking London to Paris, the French countryside and the French Riviera. There are stopovers to comment on French cooking with a visit to a Paris restaurant, French railways with an interrupted trip on the SNCF and life in a French provincial town. There are even scenes from the making a commercial involving WW2 German soldiers, maybe he was having a go at German culture as well!
The final scenes are on the Riviera at the Cannes Film Festival where wry comment is made about the style of the entries. The film ends with the popular French song “La mer” sung by Mr Bean and a crowd of people at the beach at Cannes.
If you like zany humour you will enjoy Mr Bean’s Holiday.
Rating: 9/10
The film is in some sense a send up of French society with comment on their food, transport, holidays and entertainment. The script meanders from grey looking London to Paris, the French countryside and the French Riviera. There are stopovers to comment on French cooking with a visit to a Paris restaurant, French railways with an interrupted trip on the SNCF and life in a French provincial town. There are even scenes from the making a commercial involving WW2 German soldiers, maybe he was having a go at German culture as well!
The final scenes are on the Riviera at the Cannes Film Festival where wry comment is made about the style of the entries. The film ends with the popular French song “La mer” sung by Mr Bean and a crowd of people at the beach at Cannes.
If you like zany humour you will enjoy Mr Bean’s Holiday.
Rating: 9/10
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Sunshine (2007) - Shelvia W
Cast: Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, Cillian Murphy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong and Michelle Yeoh.
Director: Danny Boyle
Fifty years into the future; the Sun is dying. A team of astrounauts are sent out to the space in Icarus II as a second attempt to revive the dying Sun. The team is made up of interesting mixed of characters played by of a well diversed group of actors.
There are quite a few different aspects of the movie at which one can focus at. The advance technology within the spacecraft being the most enticing to me. The amazing space shots they've got in the movie. The character's personality under pressure. The correctness of the science aspect of the movie.
I personally think this movie is quite enjoyable and would definitely recommend Movie Buffers to watch it. =)
Rating: 8.5/10
PS: This post gets the honour of being our 50th review!!! Yippeee!!!
Director: Danny Boyle
Fifty years into the future; the Sun is dying. A team of astrounauts are sent out to the space in Icarus II as a second attempt to revive the dying Sun. The team is made up of interesting mixed of characters played by of a well diversed group of actors.
There are quite a few different aspects of the movie at which one can focus at. The advance technology within the spacecraft being the most enticing to me. The amazing space shots they've got in the movie. The character's personality under pressure. The correctness of the science aspect of the movie.
I personally think this movie is quite enjoyable and would definitely recommend Movie Buffers to watch it. =)
Rating: 8.5/10
PS: This post gets the honour of being our 50th review!!! Yippeee!!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Music and Lyrics - John Grant
I must admit that some of Hugh Grant’s movies haven’t quite hit the spot for me but Music and Lyrics had the audience and myself laughing all the way through. The lines were quick witted so you’ll need to be on your toes to get the full effect.
Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is a washed up pop star from a well known group of the 1980's which were renowned for their hip gyrating dancing. He is performing around the club scene and at special events with a following of women in their 30's. Alex's enterprising manager lands him a chance to write a hit single for current pop diva Cora (new comer Haley Bennett) because she thinks he has retro appeal. The only catch in the arrangement with Cora is he only has until the end of the week to come up with something that has alluded him for a long time (a hit song!). Alex makes the logical choice and hires a songwriter to write the lyrics while he does what he is good at and adds a pleasing melody. They are in the middle of putting it together when Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) enters the scene as the plant maintenance lady. While going about her duties she suddenly pipes up with a catchy phrase to the lyrics that are being composed. Alex ditches the hired songwriter and teams up with Sophie to tap into her natural talent. Together they work out the hit song and at the same time meet the real challenges that lie within their lives. For Alex the challenge was to work from his heart and not be so consumed with achieving success that the result was mediocre. For Sophie the challenge was to overcome and refute the negative statements that were spoken over her by a previous boyfriend who said she had no orginal talent and merely drew on the work of others. Both personal challenges are overcome in this "happy ever after" movie.
A good romantic comedy send up of the ageing pop star. Entertainment value 7 out of 10 (the critics gave favourable if cautious approval) and $38,673,388 from the US box office alone is not too bad a result.
Rating: 7 / 10
Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is a washed up pop star from a well known group of the 1980's which were renowned for their hip gyrating dancing. He is performing around the club scene and at special events with a following of women in their 30's. Alex's enterprising manager lands him a chance to write a hit single for current pop diva Cora (new comer Haley Bennett) because she thinks he has retro appeal. The only catch in the arrangement with Cora is he only has until the end of the week to come up with something that has alluded him for a long time (a hit song!). Alex makes the logical choice and hires a songwriter to write the lyrics while he does what he is good at and adds a pleasing melody. They are in the middle of putting it together when Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore) enters the scene as the plant maintenance lady. While going about her duties she suddenly pipes up with a catchy phrase to the lyrics that are being composed. Alex ditches the hired songwriter and teams up with Sophie to tap into her natural talent. Together they work out the hit song and at the same time meet the real challenges that lie within their lives. For Alex the challenge was to work from his heart and not be so consumed with achieving success that the result was mediocre. For Sophie the challenge was to overcome and refute the negative statements that were spoken over her by a previous boyfriend who said she had no orginal talent and merely drew on the work of others. Both personal challenges are overcome in this "happy ever after" movie.
A good romantic comedy send up of the ageing pop star. Entertainment value 7 out of 10 (the critics gave favourable if cautious approval) and $38,673,388 from the US box office alone is not too bad a result.
Rating: 7 / 10
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Good German - John Grant
This movie is set in Berlin just prior to the Potsdam Peace Conference immediately after World War 2. The genre of the film is that of the American private detective action drama. The makers of the film used the techniques of 40 years ago to give the look and feel of the time. Filmed in black and white with a square screen presentation, you really could imagine yourself in an old cinema with the tobacco smoke rising up from the audience (perish the thought these days). The set is the ruins of old Berlin, overflowing with lost innocence and without hope.
The story centres around the work done by German scientists to produce missiles and the race to take these scientists to the United States at all costs. The issue is seen as of monumental significance to the security of the West especially when set against the news of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrasting the issue of national security is a moral dilemma, one of the scientists needed by the West was a war criminal, in fact a mass murderer. Predictably officials in high places are persuaded to relinquish moral obligation for national priorities and a conspiracy is formed which aims at eliminating those who would make public the real character of the scientist sought by the West. The scientists former aide an SS officer is in hiding shielded by his wife. Their intent is to regain some of the integrity of the German people by disclosing what they know. Personally the wife, Lena Brandt (played by Cate Blanchett), also seeks to somehow absolve herself from betraying twelve Jews to the Gestapo.
The storyline follows the activities of a US Army correspondent Jake Geismer, played by George Clooney, who coincidently (or is it) has previously been Lena Brandt's lover. Jake is manipulated along the way by his driver Tully until Tully is murdered. The film closes as Lena's husband is discovered and killed by the US army and she is able herself to emigrate to America. In a final dramatic scene Lena confesses to Jake her complicity in betraying the twelve Jews.
An excellent portrayal of the time and as usual a first rate performances by Cate Blanchett (Lena Brandt), George Clooney(Jake Geismer) and Tobey Maguire (Tully, Jake's driver). Not everybody's taste (the critics gave it a panning) and certainly you have to appreciate the black and white presentation, for me an 8 out of 10 - well worth watching but unnecessarily explicit in parts.
Rating: 8/10
The story centres around the work done by German scientists to produce missiles and the race to take these scientists to the United States at all costs. The issue is seen as of monumental significance to the security of the West especially when set against the news of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrasting the issue of national security is a moral dilemma, one of the scientists needed by the West was a war criminal, in fact a mass murderer. Predictably officials in high places are persuaded to relinquish moral obligation for national priorities and a conspiracy is formed which aims at eliminating those who would make public the real character of the scientist sought by the West. The scientists former aide an SS officer is in hiding shielded by his wife. Their intent is to regain some of the integrity of the German people by disclosing what they know. Personally the wife, Lena Brandt (played by Cate Blanchett), also seeks to somehow absolve herself from betraying twelve Jews to the Gestapo.
The storyline follows the activities of a US Army correspondent Jake Geismer, played by George Clooney, who coincidently (or is it) has previously been Lena Brandt's lover. Jake is manipulated along the way by his driver Tully until Tully is murdered. The film closes as Lena's husband is discovered and killed by the US army and she is able herself to emigrate to America. In a final dramatic scene Lena confesses to Jake her complicity in betraying the twelve Jews.
An excellent portrayal of the time and as usual a first rate performances by Cate Blanchett (Lena Brandt), George Clooney(Jake Geismer) and Tobey Maguire (Tully, Jake's driver). Not everybody's taste (the critics gave it a panning) and certainly you have to appreciate the black and white presentation, for me an 8 out of 10 - well worth watching but unnecessarily explicit in parts.
Rating: 8/10
Friday, February 02, 2007
D. O. A. (Dead or Alive) - Eddy Teh
D.O.A is in the grand tradition of Street Fighter-style video games ported to the big screen. What distinguishes it is that the main characters are all women - perfect femme-fatale archetypes with killer smiles and killer moves. Lots of eye-candy and rather impressive wire-work, a very easy and lazy 90 minutes.
Highly recommended for fans of Holly Valance ie all teenage boys.
Rating: 6.5/10.
(9/10 if you like street-fighter movies and Holly Valance.)
Highly recommended for fans of Holly Valance ie all teenage boys.
Rating: 6.5/10.
(9/10 if you like street-fighter movies and Holly Valance.)
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Miss Potter - John Grant
Set in post Victorian England, this film portrays the life of illustrator and writer Beatrice Potter. The film starts off with numerous flashbacks to a talented young girl who paints animals in an outstanding way but then the switches focus to the social environment of the times.
Beatrice’s family were products of the wealth of the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century and had ambitions for social advancement. Beatrice however resisted family pressure to marry a person of ‘standing’ in society and finds herself at 32, a spinster with a very limited future. Taking hold of her circumstance she determines to make the most of her life by taking her portfolio to a publisher in order to launch herself as an author and make her contribution to society. The publishing house run by two brothers at first (through one brother) rejects her ideas as being unmarketable, however the other brother sees an opportunity to solve a family requirement to encourage their younger brother (Norman) to enter the business. This is a pivotal point in the film since, providentially, Beatrice is both given the opportunity to enter the market with her illustrated books and meet the man whom she will fall in love with. Her books become best sellers and she achieves significant wealth and recognition.
Beatrice’s parents at first resist a marriage to Norman but eventually relent stipulating a period of waiting. Tragically Norman dies during the waiting period and Beatrice suffers a long period of grief. There is a stark contrast between elation at the coming marriage and the untimely death of Norman.
In the closing phase of the film, Beatrice moves to the Lake District of England where her family spent their holidays each summer and there she meets a childhood friend (William). They share a common purpose to preserve the national heritage of the Lake District, initially by purchasing the now famous ‘Hill Top’ farm. The film closes as she marries William at the age of forty.
This film illustrates some of the social biases, often irrational, in an age that birthed movements such as the Suffragettes, as a nation moved out of Victorian conservatism into truth and reality. The photography in the film is on occasion quite spectacular and the character portrayal excellent, especially from Renee Zellweger. Well worth viewing, Nine out of ten.
Rating: 9/10
Beatrice’s family were products of the wealth of the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century and had ambitions for social advancement. Beatrice however resisted family pressure to marry a person of ‘standing’ in society and finds herself at 32, a spinster with a very limited future. Taking hold of her circumstance she determines to make the most of her life by taking her portfolio to a publisher in order to launch herself as an author and make her contribution to society. The publishing house run by two brothers at first (through one brother) rejects her ideas as being unmarketable, however the other brother sees an opportunity to solve a family requirement to encourage their younger brother (Norman) to enter the business. This is a pivotal point in the film since, providentially, Beatrice is both given the opportunity to enter the market with her illustrated books and meet the man whom she will fall in love with. Her books become best sellers and she achieves significant wealth and recognition.
Beatrice’s parents at first resist a marriage to Norman but eventually relent stipulating a period of waiting. Tragically Norman dies during the waiting period and Beatrice suffers a long period of grief. There is a stark contrast between elation at the coming marriage and the untimely death of Norman.
In the closing phase of the film, Beatrice moves to the Lake District of England where her family spent their holidays each summer and there she meets a childhood friend (William). They share a common purpose to preserve the national heritage of the Lake District, initially by purchasing the now famous ‘Hill Top’ farm. The film closes as she marries William at the age of forty.
This film illustrates some of the social biases, often irrational, in an age that birthed movements such as the Suffragettes, as a nation moved out of Victorian conservatism into truth and reality. The photography in the film is on occasion quite spectacular and the character portrayal excellent, especially from Renee Zellweger. Well worth viewing, Nine out of ten.
Rating: 9/10
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
World Trade Center - Ryan Moss
I thought it was certainly worth in tribute to the police and fire-fighters who risk and lost their lives during the rescuing of the aftermath of the Twin Towers. Nonetheless, it is not going to go down in the history books as a definitive movie. Worth the watch but would probably wait for the DVD.
Rating: 3/5
Rating: 3/5
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Fearless Review - Gerry Me Boie
As announced by my master and friend Jet Li, this will be his final martial arts movie. A big shock to me, my Sensei retiring from what he is best known for.
"FearLess" is a story of Chinese legend Huo Yaunjia, a great Wushu fighter, whos arrogance led to tragedy. After a self-imposed exile, he came back to redeem himself and used his skills to rebuild Chinese morale against foreign colonialists.
An action-packed movie! Got me carried-away I was kicking and punching the seat in-front of me...
9/10 In Action
9/10 In moral Lesson
5/10 In Drama
1/10 In Love scene
"FearLess" is a story of Chinese legend Huo Yaunjia, a great Wushu fighter, whos arrogance led to tragedy. After a self-imposed exile, he came back to redeem himself and used his skills to rebuild Chinese morale against foreign colonialists.
An action-packed movie! Got me carried-away I was kicking and punching the seat in-front of me...
9/10 In Action
9/10 In moral Lesson
5/10 In Drama
1/10 In Love scene
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Prison Break - Gerry Me Boie
The acting is great! Plotline every episode is interesting it makes you crave for more. But this show had so many questions yet unanswered. When are they going to explain why Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows have two different last names? Are they half brothers, soul mates or just yo, my brotha, homey type of thingy?
Warning! Spoiler ahead... (Highlight the sentence below only if you HAVE WATCHED first 2 episodes of Season 2)
They shouldn't have killed Veronica. It would be interesting to see Sara, Veronica and Nikka have a cat-fight over Michael.
I hope Kellerman, the man of many disguise(the bad guy), would fall in-love with Sara so he'll never kill her. I want Sara to be there till the end.
In Season 1, they showed Nikka twice for just 30 seconds each. I hope next season, we'll see more of her. Nikka has got few more good talents you know. She can also sing.
I've seen 2 new episodes via youtube. Now im up-to-date.
Rated 9/10
Warning! Spoiler ahead... (Highlight the sentence below only if you HAVE WATCHED first 2 episodes of Season 2)
They shouldn't have killed Veronica. It would be interesting to see Sara, Veronica and Nikka have a cat-fight over Michael.
I hope Kellerman, the man of many disguise(the bad guy), would fall in-love with Sara so he'll never kill her. I want Sara to be there till the end.
In Season 1, they showed Nikka twice for just 30 seconds each. I hope next season, we'll see more of her. Nikka has got few more good talents you know. She can also sing.
I've seen 2 new episodes via youtube. Now im up-to-date.
Rated 9/10
Monday, September 04, 2006
Kenny - Rhys A
Kenny is a thoroughly enjoyable Australian mockumentary about a down to earth bloke who works as a plumber/port-a-loo installer. With elements reminiscent of both 'The Castle' and 'Crocodile Dundee', the film follows Kenny's day-to-day existence including visits to the Melbourne Cup,
Rating: Four and half out of five.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Wah Wah - Gemma
Written and directed by Richard E. Grant and based on his childhood in Swaziland, this movie is highly entertaining. With plenty of laughs and great acting, definitely worth a look.
Rating: 8/10
Rating: 8/10
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Gemma
No deep thinking required - just good entertainment. Laughs all the way. Johnny Depp is hilarious. You probably need to have watched the original as well!
Rating: 8/10
Rating: 8/10
Jindabyne - Gemma
This movie is quite emotional and you need to concentrate to understand everything thats happening. Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne are fantastic. It is a really enjoyable movie to watch.
Rating: 7/10
Rating: 7/10
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Joyeux Noel - Adam N
This film is set during the first world war and is a dramatisation of an actual event, when German soldiers on the frontline called a truce with French and Scottish soldiers on Christmas eve. Both sides shared food, wine and song with the truce lasting into the next day. The film highlights the absurdity of war and is slow to get started but really enjoyable to watch once it gets going.
8/10
8/10
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Zozo - Adam N
This is a Swedish-Lebanese film about a boy who must go alone to Sweden, to live with his grand-parents who immigrated there, after his family are killed during the Lebanese civil war in the 1980's.
It's set in both Lebanon, as his family prepare to go to Sweden, and in Sweden, after the boy (Zozo) makes it there on his own.
The Lebanese side of things is good, except for the bit where he talks to a chicken and the chicken talks back. The Swedish side of things is pathetic and I stopped watching it.
3/10
It's set in both Lebanon, as his family prepare to go to Sweden, and in Sweden, after the boy (Zozo) makes it there on his own.
The Lebanese side of things is good, except for the bit where he talks to a chicken and the chicken talks back. The Swedish side of things is pathetic and I stopped watching it.
3/10
Brokeback Mountain - Adam N
Brokeback Mountain is the tale of two cowboys who find themselves on the same job, looking after a bunch of sheep on Brokeback Mountain where they start a sexual relationship that is ultimately doomed due to an unacceptance of homosexuality within their society. Hence, they meet infrequently under the pretense of going fishing and even start heterosexual families, one in Texas and the other in Wyoming.
The scenery is great and the acting is superb, although I had to watch it with subtitles on as the southern accents (mumblings), especially from Heath Ledger, were exceedingly hard to discern.
8/10
The scenery is great and the acting is superb, although I had to watch it with subtitles on as the southern accents (mumblings), especially from Heath Ledger, were exceedingly hard to discern.
8/10
The Weather Man - Adam N
This is watchable but not great. It doesn't touch on anything you haven't seen before but is probably better acted than most. The story has Nicholas Cage playing a successful weather man, although the success in his job does not carry through to his family. He basically spends the film realising that his dreams of making everything right again with his family are nothing more than dreams.
5/10
5/10
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Chicago (2002) - Victor Kwong
Full of really catchy tunes,
Roxie's obsessive pursuit for fame and fortune leads her to murders her philandering boyfriend whch lands her in jail. She hires a slick high priced lawyer (Richard Gere) who builds her up as
There are so many great songs throughout this movie which makes it quite enjoyable to watch. There’s never a dull moment.
8/10
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