Faster

Faster movie poster. Pic source: click here.

Aurel and I, plus a couple of friends watched this movie this afternoon. We had to choose between another movie and this. Our reason of choosing this movie was Dwayne Johnson and the cool movie poster. Shallow, right? But that's why the producers create cool movie posters and hire well-known actors.

So anyway, the movie turns out quite nicely. One thing for sure, it's unpredictable. Another notable thing is it starts a bit slow at the beginning but the pace goes up right around the middle.

Oh and, lack of actual names.

Some info, as usual.

Director: George Tillman Jr.

Writers: Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Casts: Dwayne Johnson (Driver), Billy Bob Thornton (Cop), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Killer), Maggie Grace (Lily), and others. Click here to see the complete set of casts.

Summary:

An ex-con sets out to avenge his brother's death after they were double-crossed during a heist years ago. During his campaign, however, he's tracked by a veteran cop and an egocentric hit man.

Slow justice is no justice.

Lily and Killer. Pic source: click here.

I've got to say the main characters are quite interesting here. Killer is a neurotic, Cop uses drugs, and Driver is as focused as a laser beam. (Honestly the only 'beautiful' person here from a girl's perspective is perhaps Killer.)

The storyline is basically very straight to the point, but still the end is pretty unpredictable. There are also a couple of dizzying scenes where the cameraman moves so much I simply had to turn away to avoid a headache. And as far as I counted (not sure of the accuracy, though), there are three bathroom scenes. What's up with bathrooms?

Reasons you should watch this movie:

1. If you're a fan of car-chase scenes, this movie is just one step behind Fast and Furious. Don't forget that it also delivers full on action and actually some stories to tell!

2. That unpredictable ending? It's so rare to see a movie that can still throw you back.

3. Nicely done depth of characters. Really love the fact that Killer is British. For being the only good-looking (my taste anyway) guy in the movie, he really is enough. I also like that Driver is not a one-dimensional character; he has motive, history, and character growth throughout the movie. 

4. Great music! The sound effects are simply amazing.

5. The moral dilemma you'll have!

Reasons you should not watch this movie:

1. The pace sometimes gets too slow. For a fast-paced movie fan like me this is annoying, but everything else makes up for it.

2. This is not a movie for people with weak stomachs. Some scenes are just downright gory.

All in all I rate this movie 7 out of 10. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie.

Toodle-o,

Maria

As usual, all info was taken from imdb.

The Tourist

We apologize for the long absence in blogging. This is due to the business of college life. Please understand. :)

Adi and I watched The Tourist today at Gandaria City. The cinema there, XXI, costs only IDR 25,000 to enter on weekends, while The Premiere charges IDR 50,000 per seat. Which was insanely cheap. Adi also lost the ticket minutes before the movie start, but thanks to a mishap earlier, the woman behind the counter remembered us and we didn't have to buy another ticket. The security officer was also very friendly. I can't help but comment on the cinema itself, because it's almost as important as the movie. So Gandaria City Mall XXI? A great choice.

Picture source: click here.

On to the movie. As usual, some details:

Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Writer(s): Florian Henckel von Donnersmarc (screenplay), Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay), Julian Fellowes(screenplay), and Jérôme Salle (motion picture "Anthony Zimmer").

Genre: Action | Drama | Thriller

Casts: Johnny Depp (Frank Tupelo), Angelina Jolie (Elise Clifton-Ward), and others. Click here to see the complete casts.

Summary:

Elise (Angelina Jolie) sits next to an American tourist, Frank (Johnny Depp), on a train going to Venice. She has chosen him as a decoy, making believe that he is her lover who is wanted for police. Not only will they need to evade the police, but also the mobster whose money her lover stole. (From imdb)

The perfect trip. 

The perfect trap.

Reasons to love this movie:

1. The settings are in Paris and Venice. Two of the most beautiful cities in the world, in my opinion.

2. Angelina Jolie is a delight on screen. Her make up and clothing are just divine. The clothes she wears in the movie are so elegant and charming I simply have to include it here.

Reasons to not-like this movie:

1. Action? Meh. Thriller? Double meh. Drama? Err. The movie is too light. Nothing is over the top or exceeding expectation. Frank (Johnny Depp) throws out several dry jokes and there are several cute coincidences and the laughs ended.

2. Simple plot. Too simple, actually. Quite a twist at the end, but nevertheless, still predictable.

3. Too little conversations. I hate when the movie revolves around conversations, but too little conversations can also be annoying.

4. Angelina Jolie. This is my personal opinion but I never like any movie Angelina Jolie stars in. 

All in all, in my humble opinion this movie deserves 4 out of 10 stars. It only provides eye candy and nothing else. Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy this movie, but I don't think I'll watch it again.

Video trailer:

Toodle-o,

Maria

Info: all from imdb.

THE EXPENDABLES (2010)

The expectation for this film is obviously very high with one of the best action hero line ups (if not the best) in cinematic history. I can honestly say that I was not disappointed. This was a high octane, unbelievably explosive, funny, blood thirsty, proper action movie! This film would not have been out of place in the 80s, but manages to fit into the market of today's cinematic action experience. It is easily much more graphic and gory than most modern day action films, but this adds to the film and creates a degree of realism. Let's face it; if you go around killing people it isn't going to be pretty! This film did what it needed to do, it wasn't afraid to contain blood, guts and violence for the sake of an age restriction but also wasn't overly ridiculous.

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON

Director : Sylvester Stallone
Writers : Dave Callaham (Screenplay and Story) and Sylvester Stallone (Screenplay)

Release Date : 13 August 2010 (Indonesia)

Genre : Action | Adventure | Thriller
Cast :

	Sylvester Stallone	...	Barney Ross
	Jason Statham	...	Lee Christmas
	Jet Li	...	Ying Yang

	Dolph Lundgren	...	Gunner Jensen
	Eric Roberts	...	James Munroe
	Randy Couture	...	Toll Road
	Steve Austin	...	Paine

	Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Trench
	Bruce Willis	...	Mr. Church

Plot : Barney Ross leads the "Expendables", a band of highly skilled mercenaries including knife enthusiast Lee Christmas, martial arts expert Yin Yang, heavy weapons specialist Hale Caesar, demolitionist Toll Road and loose-cannon sniper Gunner Jensen. When the group is commissioned by the mysterious Mr. Church to assassinate the merciless dictator of a small South American island, Barney and Lee head to the remote locale to scout out their opposition. Once there, they meet with local rebel Sandra and discover the true nature of the conflict engulfing the city. When they escape the island and Sandra stays behind, Ross must choose to either walk away and save his own life - or attempt a suicidal rescue mission that might just save his soul.

HEROES TODAY. LEGEND FOREVER

What I think about this movie :
1. The plot is not that original, but it doesn't need to be, nor was it expected to be. The cast, goes without saying, was fantastic. What could have been a disaster of conflicting egos ended up being a believable team of mercenaries where banter is rife and keeping each other alive is their number one priority. Stallone can give himself a big pat on the back for getting so many iconic actors onto the screen together and actually making it work. Though the much hyped cameo of two particular people was short lived, it was hilarious and I think a great moment in cinema.

2. This was a great film that keeps you glued to your seat, constantly makes you gasp and laugh out loud and leaves you pumping with adrenaline. It was ridiculous and wonderful all at the same time, with more bullets and bombs than Rambo and more fighting than Rocky. This is a must see film for any movie buff or action hero wannabe. It is certainly not for the faint hearted, or for kids, but for any true action movie lover this is the ultimate manly film.
3. The only negative: Some of the blood and explosions looked digital. Wish it could have been just a bit more authentic. Sometimes, there was a tad too many closeups during the fight scenes. With so many people fighting at the same time, sometimes I couldn't tell who was punching who. It didn't happen very often, but how cool would it be just for one moment to see three simultaneous fights from a super wide master shot?

TRAILER

We are the shadow, the smoke in your eyes, the ghosts that hide in the night.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Brian Tyler.

The Expendables: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Expendables"	3:22
2.	"Aerial"	2:58
3.	"Ravens And Skulls"	4:49
4.	"Lee And Lacy"	2:15
5.	"Massive"	3:24
6.	"The Gulf Of Aden"	6:56
7.	"Lifeline"	4:29
8.	"Confession"	2:56
9.	"Royal Rumble"	3:41
10.	"Scanning The Enemy"	3:47
11.	"The Contact"	1:31
12.	"Surveillance"	3:27
13.	"Warriors"	3:49
14.	"Trinity"	4:19
15.	"Waterboard"	3:01
16.	"Losing His Mind"	2:37
17.	"Take Your Money"	2:41
18.	"Giant With A Shotgun"	3:57
19.	"Time To Leave"	1:55
20.	"Mayhem And Finale"	5:47

-auReL-

KILLERS (2010)

Let's start of with saying that Robert Luketic knows howto direct, the pace in the movie is good, he never takes this film to serious and he know how to film a couple of good scenes. Funny. Enjoyable. That's what I thought about this movie. Actually, I just like drama movies like this. Make the audience relax, laugh all the time. Beware if you're looking for a romantic comedy or a quick action flick. Watch it only if you are willing to stand an hour of nothing to finally get to a fun, ridiculous, sexy, and funny light-weight action film. xP

MARRIAGE.. GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT

Director : Robert Luketic
Writers : Bob DeRosa & Ted Griffin (Screenplay)
Release Date : 4 June 2010 (USA)
Genre : Action | Comedy | Romance | Thriller
Cast :

	Ashton Kutcher	...	Spencer Aimes
	Katherine Heigl	...	Jen Kornfeldt
	Tom Selleck	...	Mr. Kornfeldt
	Catherine O'Hara	...	Mrs. Kornfeldt

Plot : Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher) is just your average, undercover, government-hired super-assassin accustomed to a life of exotic European locales, flashy sports cars and even flashier women. But when he meets Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heighl) , a beautiful, fun-loving computer tech recovering from a bad break-up, he finds true love and happily trades international intrigue for domestic bliss. Three years later, Spencer and Jen are still enjoying a picture-perfect marriage - that is, until the morning after Spencer's 30th birthday. That's when Spencer and Jen learn he's the target of a multi-million dollar hit. Even worse, the hired killers have been stalking the happy couple for years, and could be anyone: friends, neighbors, the grocery store clerk, even that crabby old guy shuffling across the street. Now Spencer and Jen are on the run for their lives. As their suburban paradise turns into a paranoid game of dodge-the-bullet, they must find out who wants Spencer dead and why, all the while trying to save their marriage, manage his in-laws, keep up neighborly appearances ... and just plain survive.

What I think about this movie :
1. The movie is not in a hurry to tell its story, mostly due to the fact there is none. The couple gets married, move together and three years later (and half way through the film) his old boss calls him again, 'you're ain't going out that easy' he promises, and he's right on the money. All hell breaks lose, and almost everyone who gets introduced during the first half turns out to be a gunman hired to kill Spencer. The trailer practically tells the whole story and shows some of the best bits of the film. But the pace is good, sometimes it's funny and the action was good. But it has all been done before and in better films.

2. Kutcher is detail-oriented twitterer, and as an actor, his goofiness is unmatched. (BUT I really am going to tell you that actually he is cute.. xP) Up until the end, Kutcher monotone performance came across as lack of talent. But after the surreal note the film ended on, it made perfect sense. Him and Heigl have the best anti-chemistry, and casting them together was an unintentional stroke of genius; He's the Laurel to her Hardy.
3. Katherine Heigl plays the romantic comedy lead, she got the sexy part and at least tried on the funny part, but she was a very disjointed character that at times was really hard to care for or relate to. Ashton Kutcher played the action lead, and he got the sexy part but was very awkward when he tried to play the romantic comedy lead.

One Day Is Enough For You!

Trailer :


"Killers" Soundtrack Tracklisting

1. Beauty in the World – Macy Gray
2. Under the Sun – Salvador Santana
3. Cat and Mouse – Nikki & Rich
4. Ooh La La – Faces
5. A Moment – Bitter: Sweet
6. I Don’t Believe – Rox
7. Bon Bon Bon – Vanessa Contenay-Quinones
8. Montego Sunset – Menahan Street Band
9. I'm Gonna Kill Him – Rolfe Kent
10. Even The UPS Guy – Rolfe Kent
11. Arriving In Nice – Rolfe Kent
12. Falling In Bed – Rolfe Kent
13. Elevator Attraction – Rolfe Kent
14. New Home Office – Rolfe Kent
15. Killers Suite – Rolfe Kent

enjoy ^^

-auReL-

SALT (2010)

UNPREDICTABLE and DIE HARD. That's the two impression which I got after watching this movie. 'Salt' is a surprisingly well-made, enthralling, thriller of a movie. The film has so many good twists and turns, it's hard not to be excited about anything that happens in the film.

I suggest to anyone who plans on seeing 'Salt' to throw away any knowledge they thought they knew about the film before seeing it. If you think you know everything about 'Salt' from the trailers and commercials and whatnot, think again. The plot from the trailers was really interesting, and good enough to get a lot of people to go see the film. HOWEVER, the genius part is whenever these people actually go and view the movie, 'Salt' delivers exactly what everyone expects from it… but just in its first 20 to 30 minutes. The majority of the film, the 70 minutes after that, is what 'Salt' is truly about!!

WHO IS SALT?

Director : Philip Novce
Writer : Kurt Wimmer
Release Date : 28 July 2010 (Indonesia)
Genre :Action | Thriller
Cast :

Angelina Jolie	...	Evelyn Salt
Liev Schreiber	...	Ted Winter
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Peabody
Daniel Olbrychski	...	Vassily Orlov
August Diehl	...	Mike Krause

Plot :

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who is Salt?"

The reasons why I like this movie :

1. The story is unpredictable. That's for sure. At first, I really thought that this movie was just like an ordinary "spy" movie. You become a spy, get caught then run and a happy ending as usual. BUT, "salt" is really make me say "wow"! The majority of the film is amazing simply because you never know what's going to happen. The parts about Evelyn Salt being framed as a Russian sleeper agent, on the run from the government, trying to clear her name and find her husband, are practically all thrown away after the first 20 to 30 minutes – they're no longer important. During the duration of the film, we continuously run into a multitude of plot twists, and each one leads the main character onto her next destination. All of these plot twists are amazing and shocking in the right way; they're not badly thought-out twists. Each twist makes us ask a new question, most of which are never really answered by the end of the film.

2. ANGELINA JOLIE as the main character. She's really great as an action actress. She kept changing her appearance so that she could finish her mission :

THE TRAILER :



enjoy the movie ^^

-auReL-

INCEPTION (2010)

At first I wasn't interested at all to watch this movie. Because one, I've never seen its trailer; and two, some of Leonardo DiCaprio's movies are a bit too heavy (at least that's what I think).

I was wrong. It's not too heavy or complicated; it's challenging. Which is good.

Info!

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Christopher Nolan

Genre: Drama | Mystery | Sci-fi | Thriller

Casts: Leonardo DiCaprio (Dominic "Dom" Cobb), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Arthur), Ellen Page (Ariadne), Tom Hardy (Eames), Ken Watanabe (Saito), Dileep Rao (Yusuf), Cillian Murphy (Robert Fischer, Jr.), Tom Berenger (Browning), Marion Cotillard (Mal), Pete Postlethwaite (Maurice Fischer), and others. Click here for complete list of the casts.

Summary:

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

Your mind is the scene of the crime.

A couple minutes before I wrote this review, I did my research on the Internet. I basically visited two sites I trust the most when it comes about movie: imdb.com and wikipedia. In which I found out: one, Christopher Nolan was the director and writer, two, Hans Zimmer composed the score. (And the actor who played as handsome Arthur is Joseph Gordon-Levitt... lol.)

These are important because Christopher Nolan was the one who directed Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I didn't watch those two films but I figure he must be great at his job because those two films are very popular. About Hans Zimmer, well... he helped with Pirates at the Caribbean score, along with Despicable Me.

Things I love about this movie:

1. This movie makes you think. It moves at super-fast pace where you have to concentrate to understand it. The problem it delivers is also an intriguing one, something that will keep you wondering until after you finish watching it.

2. The idea is quite original. Christopher Nolan is the one who came up with the idea of "exploring the idea of people sharing a dream space — entering a dream space and sharing a dream. That gives you the ability to access somebody’s unconscious mind. What would that be used and abused for?" (quoted from Wikipedia). Apparently, Nolan has had this idea since he was 16.

3. Great casts. Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, etc... all familiar names (or at least faces). If you remember, Ellen Page is the one who played as the girl who can walk through walls in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and she also plays in Whip It! (2009). Leonardo DiCaprio is of course best known as Jack in Titanic, while he also plays in The Aviator (2004), Catch Me If You Can (2002), Shutter Island (2010), etc. Ken Watanabe plays as the Chairman in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). Plus, Dileep Rao also plays in James Cameron's Avatar (2009) as Dr. Max Patel. You can't go wrong with casts like that! They deliver the characters wonderfully.

What I don't really like:

1. Many people say that you don't really feel the time when you watch this movie. I mean, it runs at 148 minutes, but people say that they didn't feel the 148 minutes while watching this movie. (And by people I saw reviews from the Internet, mostly from imdb). It doesn't work for me... I mean I like the idea of the movie and it's not boring, but I did keep one eye on my watch - up until the 3/4 of the movie.

2. Unestablished ending. Some people might find wondering about what actually happened "tasteful", but I don't. I'm okay with sad endings, but unestablished one? Blegh.

For me, this movie is 7 out of 10 stars. One warning though: I don't think this movie is for everyone.

Trailer:

Toodle-o,

Maria

The A-Team (2010)

I watched this movie with some of my friends : Nje-Giov, Ditya, Vivi & her siblings. At first, we wanted to watch Karate Kid since the main actor is Jackie Chan. But, Nje has watched the movie, so we decided to take the other movie, which is The A-Team. I already watch the trailer, and I also have read about the movie from the magz : Cinemagz. I know that the movie must be really funny and full of action.

Director : Joe Carnahan
Writers : Joe Carnahan, Brian Bloom
Release date : 11 June 2010 (Indonesia)
Genre : Action | Adventure | Thriller
Cast :

	Liam Neeson	...	Hannibal
	Bradley Cooper	...	Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck
	Jessica Biel	...	Charisa Sosa
	Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson	...	B.A. Baracus
	Sharlto Copley	...	Murdock

Plot : A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

They are the best and they specialise in the ridiculous!

This is a fun movie. I couldn't help laughing all the time when Baracus cried and shouted when he was supposed to ride helicopter with Murdock. So everytime he went, the others have to make him unconscious.

Sgt. Bosco 'B.A.' Baracus: Aw hell naw, I ain't steppin' foot in any type of aircraft
Lt. Templeton 'Faceman' Peck: Man up! Now get in there, we've gotta finish the escape! Man up and get in there!

The characters who made you laugh are Baracus AND the 'mad' Murdock. The one whom you think is sexy and handsome is Faceman (p.s : SPOILER! Lt. Sosa who is played by Jessica Biel, is Face's girlfriend). The the smart and jenius one is Hannibal.

His motto : "I believe no matter how random something may appear, there's still a plan." So, you will know that he is the brain of the team.

This movie is the re-make movie from the tv series in the past, 1983, with the same titled. My dad and I talked about this movie. He said that this movie was really popular back then. It was played on TV everyday. So, when I read about the review from other people (mostly 'pops') said that this movie is bad. It can't be compared with the movie in the past. It was A LOT better than this one.

The trailer of the movie :



enjoy the movie! ^^

-auReL-

Chloe (2009)

Aurel and I watched this movie together when I was staying over at her house. It was... well, a rather surprising movie. One warning: it's very, very graphic. But since we're both over 18, I guess it's kind of okay. Lol.

Here's some general info, taken from imdb:

Director: Atom Egoyan

Writers: Erin Cressida Wilson (screenplay), Anne Fontaine (motion picture Nathalie)

Genre: Drama | Thriller

Casts: Julianne Moore (Catherine Stewart), Liam Neeson (David Stewart), Amanda Seyfried (Chloe), Max Thieriot (Michael Stewart), etc. For the complete cast list, click here.

Summary, taken from imdb:

Catherine and David, she a doctor, he a professor, are at first glance the perfect couple. Happily married with a talented teenage son, they appear to have an idyllic life. But when David misses a flight and his surprise birthday party, Catherine's long simmering suspicions rise to the surface. Suspecting infidelity, she decides to hire an escort to seduce her husband and test his loyalty. Catherine finds herself 'directing' Chloe's encounters with David, and Chloe's end of the bargain is to report back, the descriptions becoming increasingly graphic as the meetings multiply.

If the one you love is lying to you, how far would you go to find out the truth?

What I think about this movie:

1. It's for mature audiences only. It has a couple of sex scenes in it and very close to being a porn movie.

2. If you hate lesbians, don't watch this movie.

3. Seeing through the sex scenes and the lesbians... this movie is actually quite great. It's beautiful, for one thing. Great people are playing in this movie (I have a tendency to squeal when I see Liam Neeson lol), and the moral issue of this movie is real. I think people are able to relate to Catherine's problem. And that's the most important thing.

4. I'm giving it a 3.5 stars out of 5.

A trailer, from youtube:

Toodle-o,
Maria