Saturday 28 July 2012

New Trailers : Silent Hill - Revelation (Oct 2012) ; Life Of Pi (Nov 2012)

Here come the latest trailers (hot from oven) for the forthcoming 3D or IMAX movies.

Enjoy!

1. Silent Hill - Revelation (Oct 2012):
An adaptation from popular online/computer game series, Silent Hill. Silent Hill - Revelation is a sequel of the 2006 instalment (Silent Hill). Brief synopsis: "When her father disappears, Heather Mason is drawn into a strange and terrifying alternate reality that holds answers to the horrific nightmares that have plagued her since childhood"
silent hill - revelation , 3d movies


2. Life Of Pi (Nov 2012):
"Life Of Pi" is a popular fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel and this novel-adaptation 3D movie is brought to us by director, Lee Ang (whom brought us the popular movie like "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" etc.). Brief synopsis "The story of an Indian boy named Pi, a zookeeper's son who finds himself in the company of a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger after a shipwreck sets them adrift in the Pacific Ocean."
life of pi, lee ang



Cheers!

Guest Review : The Dark Knight Rises (IMAX)

the-dark-knight-rises
It has been almost 10 days after the international release of The Dark Knight Rises. As expected, it has stormed the global box office and as at to-date, it has grossed over US$374 Mil globally and still counting. 

Watching movie is just like appreciating food, they are both very subjective i.e. for any movie, there bounds to be people who like it as well as those who don't like it. Same fate applies to The Dark Knight Rises. This is especially so since Christopher Nolan has raised his standard so high in "The Dark Knight" that make it extremely hard for him to outdo himself. In any case, this version of Batman Trilogy under the charge of Christopher Nolan is already a Classic, regardless of the movie reviews.

As usual, my friend Ben has contributed his well written guest review here (with spoiler alert):

"The biggest strength, and sadly the largest threat, of The Dark Knight Rises lied in its predecessor “The Dark Knight”. TDK was widely received as a masterpiece in modern superheroes action movies, with both critically acclaimed and hugely commercial success. Hence it wasn’t surprise that many has high expectation to watch the concluding chapter to Chris Nolan’s TDKR.

With such high expectation, TDKR had to really raised above everything in order to match that. However as the saying goes, with high expectation comes high disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, TDKR was a good action movie, with strong casting and production value. The long screen hours of more than 2 ½ hours definitely well deserving of the movie ticket money. Unfortunately TDKR failed to raise up on par with TDK with plots holes and lazy writing. 

While TDK argued about whether absolute evil arise from absolute good, TDKR talked about Anarchy , whether chaos would come from absolute order and vice versa. However the execution plus the script merely scratched the topic, which was a surprise considering the length of the movie.

One of the grips lied in the super convenient occurrence of information; Alfred knew so much about Bane that he should head the CIA? John Blake could tell who was Batman just by merely one look? Bane got to know about the truth of Harvey Dent from the script in Gordon’s pocket? The list really goes on, and Chris Nolan got away with this because everyone watching this wanted to like this film. 

There were too many portions left unanswered, how did Bane know about the Applied Science lab? Granted that he might have gotten the info that Batman is Bruce Wayne through the league of the shadows, but how could he have known the Applied Science since only Bruce and Fox knew about it? How did Bruce Wayne walk from the prison back to Gotham? With no recourses and connection, how did he sneak past the guards, and could even pin point where Selina was? Why did Bane even bother to throw Bruce into that prison which apparently had no guards and with a means of escape as long as one know how to climb and jump? With such planning of bringing Gotham down, wouldn’t Bane find a better way to let Bruce watched how anarchy torn his beloved city apart?

Speaking about anarchy, I would have love to see more scenes on how Gotham survived the few months under such ruling. That would elevate the whole movie from a mere superhero to a deeper social drama, which incidentally TDK did very well. Sadly the chaos scenes probably lasted 15 minutes and suddenly the streets looked cleaner and lesser people. 

I could go on and on with the problems with TDKR, even though I would really want to love the movie. The DK trilogy was still by far the best superhero adaption to the big screen. I would have expected much more for this one. "

Cheers!

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Weekly Box Office Movies in US, Singapore and Malaysia (#16-20120722)

Here are the TOP 5 Movies for the week ending 22nd July 2012 (Sun).

SPECIAL NOTE : Finally the most anticipated superhero finale trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises released internationally with a bang and it easily claim the top spot across the international box offices. As it was only released in 2D and 2D IMAX, coupled with the shooting incident in  Colorado, the estimated first weekend US Box Office of  US$161 mil is slightly lower than the expected but it is enough to claim the best week in movie history for a non-3D released. Now, the question is whether the Batman (and maybe with Robin and Cat-woman) is able to out-run The Avengers become the most successful movie in 2012? The night is still young for The Dark Knight, we will continue to monitor the situation closely! 



USA: 


the dark night rises
1. The Dark Knight Rises
2. Ice Age 4 - Continental Drift 
3. The Amazing Spiderman
4. Ted
5. Brave

  SINGAPORE:


the dark knight rises
1. The Dark Knight Rises
2. Ice Age 4 - Continental Drift
3. The Amazing Spiderman
4. Abraham Lincoln - Vampire Hunter
5. Chernobyl Diaries


MALAYSIA:


1. The Dark Knight Rises
2. The Amazing Spiderman
3. Ice Age 4 - Continental Drift
4. Naked Soldier (Cantonese)
5. Brave

Cheers!

Wednesday 18 July 2012

Weekly Box Office Movies in US, Singapore and Malaysia (#15-20120715)

Here are the TOP 5 Movies for the week ending 15th July 2012 (Sun).

SPECIAL NOTE : This week, the only new releases: Ice Age 4 - Continental Drift tops the chart and moved The Amazing Spiderman to the second slot. Same thing happens to Singapore box office, as for Malaysia, The Amazing Spiderman continue to top the chart for the second weeks   with his web-slinging force. 

By the way, I am making some changes to the presentation on the box office movies to a more direct version. Do leave your feedback/comment on how you like (or dislike) the new presentation.


USA:
1. Ice Age - Continental Drift
         
2. The Amazing Spiderman
3. Ted 
4. Brave
5. Savages

SINGAPORE:

1. Ice Age - Continental Drift
2. The Amazing Spiderman
3. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
4. Painted Skin 2 - The Resurrection
5. Chernobyl Diaries
MALAYSIA:

1. The Amazing Spiderman
2. Ice Age - Continental Drift
3. Naked Soldier
4. Brave
5. Motorway
Cheers!

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Guest Review : Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

By now, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter might have already ended its run in many countries but it is never too late to give a review (especially from a guest). If you have not watched the movie, this will comes in handy as an additional resources for you to decide whether to get it in DVD/Bluray later.

Though Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter did not create an instant success in the box offices and no way near an instant classic for the vampire genre but it is still a worthwhile visual treats.

If you are interested to check out the original novel instead, click on Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter.

This is the second guest review from Ben :

WARNING: Spoiler ahead!

"Question Time: With the amount of resources and a lead actor (Benjamin Walker) that bears strong resemblance to the late Abraham Lincoln, what if they had made a proper historical movie of his life instead of him waving axes and chopping vampires?

To enjoy this movie, one really had to cast aside Abraham Lincoln was a USA president, that he was a olden day Blade (the other vampire killer) The action sequences were well done, especially the horses back fight and the finale train scenes. The slo-mo action plus the blood splatter (no doubt to justify the 3D price tickets) were used to the max but still enjoyable.

After watching the show, I kinda wondered, vampires had to be the dumbest, with all the stealth plus the ability to turn invisible, they had a tendency to charge straight out at their enemies. Also Abraham Lincoln's ability fluctuates greatly in the movie - certain part he was easily defeated, the next turn he could do amazing stunts.
"

Cheers!

SPECIAL: Be Brave

Brave, the upcoming animation from Disney and Pixer will be the first animation with heroine lead role. Is it a sign to promote more gender equality? In any case, there is/are true heroine in our personal life, I am not sure about you, for me, my mum is the heroine in my life, without her, I would not be who I am today. In many occasions, she has done her heroine act in protecting us from all the external threats, big and small.

Now, let's get back to the movie, following are some additional details of Brave for your reading pleasure:

The Synopsis:
Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In “Brave,” a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts. Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson).

Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

The Trailer:


If you are in Singapore, catch Disney • Pixar’s BRAVE in cinemas this 8 August 2012 and like the Official Walt Disney Studios Singapore Facebook Page, follow the @disneystudiosSG and subscribe to Official Disney Studios Singapore YouTube Channel!

Cheers! 

Friday 13 July 2012

New Trailers : Rise Of The Guardians (Animation)

From Dreamworks, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS is an epic & magical adventure that tells the story of the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost - legendary characters with previously unknown extraordinary abilities.

Can you guess whose hand is that in the poster on the left? Clue: he is so famous that everyone should know. If you are still clueless, find out the answer from the trailers below.

Rise Of The Guardians will be released in Nov 2012 (3D) and I will sure to cover it in more details in the subsequent months. Meanwhile, enjoy the newly released trailers below.


Trailer 1:


Trailer 2:


Cheers!

Monday 9 July 2012

New Hot Trailers Not To Be Missed (#9) - The Twilight Saga -Breaking Dawn (Part 2 - Nov 2012) ; Epic (May 2013)

Here come the latest hot trailers for the upcoming 3D/IMAX movies.

In this post, there is one sequel and one brand new animation (The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn (Part 2) [Nov 2012] and Epic [May 2013]).

Enjoy!

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 [Nov 2012]:
Another finale Trilogy of a hugely popular movie franchise, The Twilight Saga (mainly among the teenage girls). This is the kind of movie that you will either love it or hate it. Having said that, this Part 2 of the last installment of the Trilogy will sure to continue to stir up a storm in the international box offices when it is released in Nov 2012.

breaking dawn part 2, movie poster


2. Epic [May 2013]:
From the creators of "Ice Age" and "Rio", here comes the nature and green friendly animation, Epic. Briefly, it's about a teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is taking place. Sounds like a kid-version of Avatar to me. However, the trailer looks impressive though.


Cheers!

Guest Review : The Amazing Spider-man

The Amazing Spiderman has taken the US box office by storm with the accumulated sale of US$140 mil (from Tuesdays [3th Jul] through the weekend). Similar phenomena happens in the international markets for this well-liked web-slinging super-hero blockbuster. The director, Marc Webb has confirmed recently that this will be the first of a Trilogy! Spiderman fans will be happy be that news.

Still need some clue/review before watching the movie? Check out the following well written Guest Review from my facebook friend, Ben

WARNING: Spoiler ahead!

"Perhaps the #1 question everyone asks when watching this will be “it is worth a reboot?” Considering Sam Raimi's version was just a decade ago plus the trilogy enjoyed certain success, made one wondered was it a good decision to reboot instead of continuing with Spider-Man 4. (why? Tobey Maguire getting too expensive?)

I have mixed feeling when watching this, overall it delivered a decent super-hero’s movie, not as bad as Green Lantern, neither had it reached the Dark Knight level. On the good part, touching on Peter Parker’s parents disappearance added in new depth of the back story, plus I loved the promise that Peter gave to Captain Stacy towards the end. The action sequences were better and Spidey utilizes much more of his webbing during fighting.

The rest, on the other hand, felt apart. Dr Curt Connors was never a strong enough advisory for Spidey. The CGI version of the lizard really paled compared to Sam Raimi’s Green Globins and Dr Octopus. Here’s the thing, it is never a good idea to use CGI to create the villain, the Dark Knight trilogy highlighted the importance of using actors for their villainous performance, from the Joker to the upcoming Bane. Adding to the non-too realistic CGI Lizard effect made it a letdown. In addition, the Lizard felt like a rehash of earlier villains from Green Globins’ split personality to Dr Oc genius scientist turned evil plot.

Pacing was another issue, certain parts felt rush (Spidey learning to use his powers, the creating of his costume) while others dragged too long (the love scenes) making one reviewer commented that it’s like watching Twilight with spider instead of vampire!

Another part I had issue was that Spidey’s cockiness was a stark differences to this movie Peter Parker’s brooding character; it’s as if Peter is the one with the split personality.

Lastly Oscop building had the worse security ever for a high tech office, anyone could walked in, claimed a badge and accessed top secret area."

If you have already watched the movie, do share with us your comment/review here too!

For more resources on the movie, check out my earlier post The Amazing Spider-man (Jul 2012).

Cheers!

Saturday 7 July 2012

The Dark Knight Rises (Jul 2012)

Today, I am going to share the most anticipated superhero sequel of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises (in IMAX). The finale of Batman trilogy under the helm of the great director/writer, Christopher Nolan. During one of the interview with the director, he shared that it will be a true conclusion of the trilogy, can't wait to see this conclusive masterpiece.

Besides the previous 2 Batman installments (Batman Begins [2005] and The Dark Knight [2008]), Christopher Nolan also brought to us other masterpieces like Inception [2010] and Memento [2000]. I've seen all his previous works and all of them given me WOW experiences! I have confident that The Dark Knight Rises will WOW me once again.

Besides Christian Bale whom reprises the titular role, do look out for the other promising roles/casts like Selina Kyle/Catwomen (by Anne Hathaway), John Blake (by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the baddie Bane (by Tom Hardy). 

The Official Release Dates of The Dark Knight Rises:

USA : 20 Jul 2012
Singapore : 19 Jul 2012
Malaysia : 19 Jul 2012

Enjoy...
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Synopsis: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

For some of my previous coverages on The Dark Knight Rises, check out the following posts:
The Dark Knight Rises (Jul 2012) - Latest Movie Stills
The Dark Knight Rises - Latest Character Posters (Jul 2012)
The Dark Knight Rises - Yet Another Latest Character Posters (Jul 2012)
Official Trailer #1:

Official Trailer #2:


Official Trailer #3:


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the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman, catwoman
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the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman
the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman
the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman

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the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman

the dark knight rises, movie poster, batman


#1: Official Site: The Dark Knight Rises
#2: The Internet Movie Database Link: The Dark Knight Rises
#3: Rotten Tomatoes Link: The Dark Knight Rises

Cheers!