TRUTH

 

REVIEWED
This is one film I wont miss as it is a true story and about journalist's courage and integrity. The other movie for 2015 of this kind was Spotlight which after all receive the Spotlight. But not this one even with its many known actors. In the end I might draw my own conclusion as to why that came about.

Seem that this movie escaped the recent Globe Awards radar. No mentioned at all. Thou i havent seen Cate Blanchette performance in Carol which she was nominated as best actress, but I've her here. She's good as always. Not good enough to be nominated ? Thats another question.

Ok here are the array of stars in Truth - Blanchette, Redford, Topher Grace, Quaid, Keach, Greenwood, Mulroney and others. Even that guy who was at the HQ control in Pacific Rim, I thought I saw in this movie.

After you see this movie you tend to relate to what is going on in the real world not only is US but in our country. How the truth is manipulated to become a conspirancy and in the end the brave Journalists are the ones who got kicked in the Ass. Worst for the TV network CBS in this one. A few top executives were asked to resigned, all in the team even the Executive Director (Mary played by CB) got fired and the anchor man (Dan Rather played by Redford) got demoted. In the process it showed that covering the US President's ass is more important than the truth. It is for the record that if the story was aired before the presidential election, Al Gore would have become president because this showed how Bush cheated to be in the National Guard. Then we may not have 911 and Iraq would probably still be under Sadam. The world might be a better place (or a worser kind ?). Mary's personal problem resulted that didnt happen.

There's one acronym that the team shared which was FEA. I thought it was Fear (without the r) but its something else. Click here to know what it is

Its a very good truthful movie that happened in our past that we may know of and would have changed the world if things work the other way round. Sadly we dont have any of these kind of guys here.

MOONWALKERS

PreREVIEW
Its a movie of the 60's with Pearlman and the kid from Harry Potter (now grown up of course). Watching it 1/2 hour and its funny !
REVIEWED
This movie is funny all right, British Fashion way. But equally impressive is the gun and fist fights scenes. Its brutal and really gory. But if you have appetite for both, this film is for you. After all its a British film thou the main character Kidman played by Ron Perlman is American.

Ron Perlman when he is acting serious can scare the hell of people he is interacting with.

As the plot is quite simple it tried to stretch it further (thou its only about 1 1/2 hrs long) with scenes when people are high on drugs and acids. In the 60's this I presume is something normal and big.

What if the story actually happened ? It might as moon landing conspiracy still exist even to this day. This is another take on how the landing could  fail and what the back up plan would be. Doing it in England could be the right choice in order to remain secret.   

This to me is a good comedy. But without the equally impressive action scenes, you may not enjoy it as much. 

THE BENEFACTOR

PreREVIEW
Mr Gere in this and so does Dakota Fanning. Good review.
REVIEWED
This movie is hard to categorized especially while watching it. It can become a dark film where it involve murder or even a ghost movie.. but it aint. Surely you can digest some life experiences from it. The message that it is hard to carry the truth when you are guilty that it happened and that you cant make it right except to move on. But without telling it out you just know you cant and it will eat you from the inside. And for you to cope it day by day you take something to let you to forget it. Maybe you can but its still buried in you. So thats what happen to Franny the character played by RG.

But by the end of the movie you realized that the director had utilized on RG's look. For me, at start of the film you thought that he was having a bad hair day and hope that it wont carry on through out the film. Then he looks like those 60's hippies before trimming his hair whilst keeping his facial hair. But then by the end of the film, he was having a clean shave so as not to be RG's regular identity on film these days - scruffy Gere.

Its a moving film where you wonder if you are in his shoe can you live with yourself ?  But he on the other hand kept on hiding what he'd been through and not only that tried to relived it this time with the daughter of his best friend and her husband.

The ending could have gone any way but its the right ending after all.

See it for the life experiences. 

SUCKER

 

REVIEWED
This is an Australian movie I reckon produced by its chinese community. Dont worry when they speak chinese in some parts as the subtitles sufficed.

Saw this movie without any expectations and it didnt be as comedic as I hoped for but didnt totally fail as it did entertained.

Its a con movie or as they say in the movie a "professional lies" movie. Like a few other movies of this kind it shows how this team comprise of father, daughter(?) and chinese friend protege went from town to town conning people before reaching the ultimate con on a poker table. It shows how they sustain as conning is their jobs. And if you want to know a few tricks for you to create your own con job, you could really apply the con from this movie. I think it can work ! I am sure some con artist could use some of the tricks for their own benefit. You never know that con artists use some of the tricks like they did in this movie. Some require team work and risk that anything can go wrong. But all for all you need practice, then perfect the con, master them then repeat them.

The Chess trick at the beginning of the movie is brilliant where the Professor played with 10 people at the same time and won on the average. But the thing is, he was never good at chess its just that his strategy that was brilliant. But still I beg to differ if it can actually be done unless the opponent actually move according to what the other opponent did. You got to see this to understand.

The movie is not a let down but dont expect movie with exaggerate slapstick for it have not. Watching it you want to find out what will happen in the end.. and that is a formula of  a good movie.

American Idol S15E04

American Idol S15E03

LIFE

REVIEWED
This is a very slow story about 2 men who become friends where one is hoping for the other to make their career works. These were about James Dean and his photographer friend Dennis Stock. It happened around 1955 before JD became famous.

Theres no climax or outburst or even comedy in this one. Its OK if you are a fan of James Dean and wanting to know more about his life which could be rather surprising as to what being painted he was about. He was actually a home farm boy who care for his roots. though sloopy and easy going with his way which annoyed his bosses, he was actually not what we thought he was - womaniser, drug addiction et all. The film also tells about his struggle and how hard he wanted to be famous.

Nostalgic in seeing how a picture was taken in those days with Black and White film spooled camera. How the flash require a new bulb after every takes.

This film has a natural scene when JD was with his girl friend (Pier) in one of the scene. No issue of having a bra whilst on bed. Thou the boobs shot was unnecessary guess they want to make it in to make some spice for the film.

This is one of those film where you have 2 British actors playing Americans. One happened to be an icon. But they did it well where you wont know they are not Americans at all

Joel Edgarton is also in this movie. How good he is to look and act differently from his characters in other movies his in. 

As mentioned, this is a very slow movie. Good if you just want to know the man James Dean.

THE 33

True story of 33 miners trapped underground for 69 days

Bigger Screen Cap CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE to download,
PreReview
Beside knowing the real story of the 33 people involved, Antonio Banderas is playing.
First Posted 23nov15
REVIEWED
This is one of the movie in 2015 that  thought I passed but then again decided to see it as it had good reviews. Also because I dont see much TV downloads like before.

This is based on the true story of how 33 miners got trapped in a gold mine in Chile. If wondering what is actually true and what are not just refer to IMDB trivias about the movie. BTW this film was directed by a lady director. The 2nd last movie score for James Horner (who did Titanic).

All survived in 69 days and without any aid for 1/2 of that time is a feat. One can think of how discipline the miners must be, respect one another and respect their leader's decision. In this case the leader is not JD Phillip who was the supervisor in the film. And that is an impressive and inspired record indeed. No need to resort to forced canibalism like Heart of the Sea did. But then it would be even worst to stuck on a boat for nearly the same duration of time. Imagine the dehydration and heat that can do to ones body. But lets talk about The 33.

Thou the film has its strength and can hold one's concentration it also has its weaknesses.

First the actors physique dd not trim down so well after "starving" for nearly 2 months. Banderas and especially JD Phillips has still got muscle when they were rescued.

Second they didnt look "homeless" enough. This coud be the fault of the make up department or just to compromise the looks for the big screen.

The third which is very glaring was the things that the surface managed to supply them through the first drill hole which I reckoned about 6in width ? Papers, ipod, Tshirts etc is ok but to see the miners got matress and water containers is another thing.

Overall not a bad picture if to classify as a courageous and inspired movie. The thing is they just cant make the plot heavy enough as it is based on a true account. what if some died in the movie, that could bring tears not only to thier family but the audience too.

THE RIDICULOUS 6

PreReview
Why should you want to see this ? Not yet ranked at IMDB but many notable comedic stars in this one. Its a Western Comedy
First Posted 16Dec15

REVIEWED
Got the chance to watch this one hunger for comedy as the last one I saw was in dismay.

This movie has many known comedian actors with Adam Sandler as the main star. Not only that he also co wrote and produced the film too. So that should be questionable as AS has been acting in a series of shitty movies lately.

The movie did not fail and it was really funny. This is how you make comedies. In fact this is how you make western films. Nothing wrong in the cinematography nor the soundtrack etc. It all blend in nicely. Yup there are some over the tops jokes that they term as "mystical" like a beheaded man still shooting his guns dont forget the fighting scene with the left eye bandits at the beginning of the film. But it was funny. There were many characters take from the American folklore like Don Diego (Zorro), Wyatt Earp, Gen Custer even Abe Lincoln too !

The plot is unexpected too, nothing that you expect of a straight forward comedy; the twist who actually was their father Frank Stocckburn played by Nick Nolte. Didnt expect that.

When it is a good comedy 2 hours is not long.

The costume, make up and screenplay are all impressive. If you took some stills from the movie (not the funny one) You may be mistaken for a high budget cowboy movie.

Hats off to the Ridiculous 6 ! Adam Sandler nailed it this time.

A WALK IN THE WOODS - download link corrected

REVIEWED
This film is about an adventure of 2 old men (above 70 years old.. possibly above 80?) through the Appalchian trails in the US. The trail is more than 2,000 miles crossing over 14 states. Its from a book wrote by Bryson (played by Robert Redford). Nick Nolte is the friend who followed him as his (Bryson's) wife did not allow him to go alone.

Its a drama with some dose of humor along the way. From the film they traveled thru 3 months (even thru snow) and still only covering less than 1/3 way of the trails.

Aside from the other incidents they went through, it was really about the friendship of this two friends who had lost in touch with one another for sometime.

Of course to make the story interesting there were events that happened along the way like meeting and knowing people and learning new things.

Now back the facts or reality.
Redford is in the movie because he co produced it. Nolte on the other hand because RR wanted him as Paul Newman had died. The fact that these old men took the challenge is such a thrill to know and to find out if they made it or otherwise. But the truth is, health wise and the physicality of both men, they could not have made it.. a few miles maybe. Full Stop. In actuality, Bryson and his friend took the trip when he was 44 years old. And that is considered "old" to have attempt to walk the trail. So having actors nearly twice his age doing the trail is somewhat ridiculous. They could have used actors who are about that age but the challenges wont be that challenging.

But its a fun movie from the veteran actors. Seeing it you know one or two on hiking in the woods. There are people who are doing this for something they want to achieve and that is admirable.