Movie Review: 211

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie 211 on AppleTV. I must say this is one of the worst if not the worst movie I have ever seen. Unfortunately, this is not the first bad movie with Nicholas Cage. It is so obvious that the whole movie was filmed at a backlot. Don’t get me started on the dialogue, it was horrible.

I should have paid attention to the Rotten Tomato rating for the movie before I pay to rent it,

 Nicholas Cage performance was typical, he just doesn’t have any other character. The characters are weak and doesn’t get time to develop. I have no idea what the purpose of Sapir Azulay’s character Jacobs in the movie. She plays an Interpol agent that goes around claiming she has been hunting the bad guys and pretending to be tough.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the DVD

Buy from AppleTV

Rent it on AppleTV

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Spy (2015)

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Spy at UA Cine Times, Times Square, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

I had not written a movie review for some time, not to say that I had not been watching movies. In my opinion this was the best movie I watched this year; even after big names like Avengers: Age of Ultron, Furious Seven (2015) and Still Alice. That was saying a lot since I watch a lot of movies, both at the theater and via iTunes.

Melissa McCarthy was very good. Something I had expect, ever since I watched her performance in Identity Thief with the not so great Jason Bateman. This time around Melissa was partnered with two famous male actors: Jason Statham and Jude Law, who both have not had blockbusters movies for a while. This time around Jude played a pretty boy James Bond type who didn't really have any talents, Jason played a guy with tough exterior, all-talk but soft inside.

Melissa's natural stand-up comic side came out throughout the movie. I can imagine how enjoyable it would have been for the other actors on set. Making the director's job even harder to stay on track as Paul Feig had envisioned it.

If you're looking for a fun night out this is definitely a sure bet.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the DVD

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Prometheus (2012)

My Rating: 

This evening I saw the movie Prometheus at AMC Theater, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

This Ridley Scott movie is a prequel to the Alien franchise. Although the first Alien is the only movie in the series that Scott directed. For fans of the Alien franchise they may find this movie has many unanswered questions.

After the first quarter of the movie the audience will recognize the aliens from the previous Alien franchise. Similar to the other movies in the franchise there is also a heroine, in this movie it is Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace. Rapace may be familiar to many of you as she gain critical acclaim with her role as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its subsequent sequels.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the DVD

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Men In Black III

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Men In Black III at AMC Theater, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

It has been 10 years since the Men In Black franchise has a new episode. Not sure if it is worth the wait. Like most sequels, subsequence episodes do not have the original's surprise and freshness, as a result the audiences are normally very critical. Unfortunately this episode did not live up to expectations.

Will Smith again plays "agent J" whose partner, "agent K" (staring "Tommy Lee Jones" and "Josh Brolin" plays the young version) is in need of his help, but to do so Smith has to go back in time. 

There are some surprises but at the end of the movie it felt the writers are running out of originality and did not know how to end the story.

If you have other choices at the box office you will want to save Men In Black for iTunes rental.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the DVD

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Act of Valor

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Act of Valor at AMC Theater, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

This movie is very realistic mainly because all the action sequences were done by real Navy Seal and stunt men.

The story is simple and the dialog very amateur but the purpose of the movie is to show off the the tactics and maneuvers of Navy Seal. If you're into military stuff and particularly war games then you will like this movie.

Even though you are the demographics above you should still consider other options at the box office.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: The Avengers (2012)

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie The Avengers at AMC Theater, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

A highly anticipated movie ever since the appearance of Robert Downey Jr. with a cameo in The Incredible Hulk (2008). After seeing the actual movie I am starting to think this was over hyped.

This motion picture version of The Avengers reminds me so much of movie Transformers. The plot is predictable and slow, the dialog is poor without any chemistry among the characters.

Definitely not a movie worth watching in 3D or IMAX. If you have other options at the box office go with them.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Contraband

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Contraband at JP MLC Theater, JP Plaza, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

First of all I will never go to JP MCL Theater again. The design of the theater is such that the seats are way too close to the screen of the cinema. It gave me a headache after only 15 minutes into the movie.

Aside from the headache from seating too close, the movie is fairly good. Mark Wahlberg plays Chris Farraday, an ex-smuggler who turned legit, with a wife, two kids and a custom alarm installation company.

The plot is not that original and some what expected. Farraday's brother-in-law got in trouble with a gangster after a failed smuggling run, forcing Farraday back into the business he promise his wife and himself not to get back into just to save his family. Telling you any more will just give away the entire movie.

If you have other options at the cinemas definitely save this one for iTunes.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

This is the first sequel that I wish there will not be another.

It stars the "always nominated but never wins", Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Now with this movie the audiences can clearly see why.

Downey returns to play his ever eccentric and love-thy-self Holmes and Law plays the trusty sidekick who wants to give up on Holmes but can't bare the thought of doing so. There are so many scenes in the movie that I still cannot figure out the purpose of them being in the movie. Given the movie is center around Holmes' ultimate rival, Professor Moriarty, I find the plot to be too weak, and there are not enough excitement or intrigue to keep the audiences at the edges of their seats.

The movie is so unmemorable that I have already forgotten the ending. Unfortunately, there's not many movies to choose from during the Holiday breaks, but this is still one to avoid at the theatres.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part II

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

This brings the last of the Harry Potter movies franchise to quite a nice ending.

The 7 books in the series they transpose into a 8-movie franchise are: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) and finally Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011).

Unlike Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that feels dragged on, this sequel has the right amount of action, storyline and most importantly final answers to the plot of the franchise. To cut up a novel that J.K. Rowling painstakingly written in 784 pages; the longest of the 7 books, is a difficult and challenging task, but the play writes did a fairly good job.

Over the 10 years that the movies spanned, we see improvements in the three young-teen actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson; who are now in their early 20's, with Watson improves the most among the three.

Not wanting to give away the plot, I will not tell you who dies or who are reviewed as good guys. I personally did not read book 7 before going to see the movie so I had no expectations. Although having seen all seven previous movies I am very familiar with the Harry Potter story. As a result I was very satisfy with how this latest movie addresses all the open issues in previous movies.

Before going to the movie I have heard a lot of negative feedbacks on the quality and quantity of 3D effects in the movie. So I was trying my best to locate a cinema showing the regular version of the movie. I was even ready to skip this edition of the franchise because I was not able to find a cinema close enough or a show time that is convenient.

In the end I still watched the 3D version, which I recommend movie goers avoid if possible. It just just not worth the extra ticket prices that cinemas charges. The 3D effects and quality were not great or affective, but the movie is filmed very well and it will be a waste to watch it at home on my home theatre.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Super 8

My Rating:

This evening I saw the movie Super 8 at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

Wow... this movie got right into it at the start. We only have to wait about 15 minutes to receive a spectacular train crash, then kept a steady pace throughout. It has the spirit and style of E.T. and Close Encounter of the Third Kind all over it. Even though Steven Spielberg only receives the "producer' credits we can see much of his influences in the movie.

On the other hand the director, writer and producer, J.J. Abrams is famous for his hands in the hit TV series: Alias, Lost and Fringe. Abrams also has some motion picture to his credits including some of the biggest box office winners: Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek, but it also includes some of the busts like Cloverfield. The latter is what cause me to be weary about purchasing the tickets, but I believe Spielberg will not associate himself with anything bad which reassures me.

Like Spielberg's E.T. that launched the careers of Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas, this movie also introduces two new child actors: Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths, of whom did a much better job than the so call veterans in the movie: Ron Eldard and Kyle Chandler.

We should watch Courtney's development to see if he develops into the star that Barrymore did minus the drug addictions or follows the paths of Thomas. Courtney portrays a kid who recently lost his mother and has a great passion for makeup and model making. He practices his passion by helping his kindergarten friend, played by Griffiths, with a no budget movie. One night while filming bought them close encounter with a major government cover up.

This is definitely a must see for 2011 and for fans of children adventures and E.T. aficionados.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Hangover Part 2

My Rating:

This afternoon I saw the movie Hangover Part 2 at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list, and the following is my movie review.

In the past several months I have seen many sequels to franchises and this have to be one of the worst one. The original had the surprise and twists of a fairly engaging story. This time it is just a rehash of all the same encounters with the same types of characters and antagonists, but set in Bangkok and Thailand resort area, Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton, Krabi. If you really wants to you can visit all the places the characters went to in Bangkok.

The movie try to give the story some twists but they were shallow, easy to figure out and did not offer enough intrigue. Therefore to shock the audiences and give them something to think about, the director decides to introduce various frontal nudity. Starting from 10 minutes into the movie, to full frontal nudity of transvestists who are half transformed. I am very surprise this movie is not "R" or "III" rated given those scenes. It is definitely not a movie that under ages should be watching.

If this movie is the only choice at your box office. I suggest you go have a nice dinner with your partner/love one instead.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: X-Men - First Class

My Rating:

This afternoon I saw the movie X-Men: First Class at AMC Cinemas, Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong. One of the movies from my Must See Movies list.

This is another prequel to the X-Men franchise, with the first being X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This time it did a good job providing ample amount of background to the characters: Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr (aka "Magneto"), Raven (aka "Mystique") and Hank McCoy (aka "Beast"), which we were introduced in the past three X-Men movies: X-Men: X-Men, X-2 and X-Men: The Last Stand. The movie offers fans and non-fans of the franchise opportunities to understand why the characters behave the way they do, and why they are segregate into two groups.

After four previous versions of the franchise one will expect the story to be over done, to our present surprise this is not the case. It has the spirit and excitement of the franchise, while bringing the audiences back to the cold war era where the US government seeks the mutant's assistance in preventing a nuclear war.

This is a well made sequel to one of my favorite franchises. If this movie is an option at your box office, it will guarantee an exciting evening out.

Rating Legend:

Must watch before you die

Wait for the Blu-ray

Buy from iTunes Store

Rent it on iTunes

Waste your time elsewhere