Since I retired from work in January 2005, watching movies in the cinema has been one of my favourite time-killers. This blog contains brief information and some comments of the movies I have seen.
Starring Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Skandar Keynes
Based on a classic novel by C.S. Lewis, this fun, warm, and bloodless film is definitely for children. Teenagers, mostly Harry Potter fans, may find it boring, too sweet and overlong. The most admired is the special effects and the pretty little Lucy, played by Georgie Henly.
King Kong is back. This new action-packed Jurassic Park version is thrilling, entertaining, humorous and heartbreaking. Peter Jackson does not let his fans down after The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This is perhaps the most enjoyable movie of this year. This 3-hour film is however too long. Some scenes need to be edited and even some characters might need to be deleted.
Starring Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd
An amusing sex comedy about a 40-year-old guy who has never had sex with anybody. The plot is not so outrageous like in other sex comedy films. Apart from raunchy talks, the movie is warm and sweet.
Based on a classic novel by Charles Dickens, this version of Oliver Twist by Roman Polanski is quite serious, flat and dull, compared to the lively and enjoyable 1968 verison ( Oliver!) directed by Carol Reed.
The movie is thrilling and frightening and continues to go well until the last 30 minutes when it turns to be lousy and boring. Jodie Foster delivers her best performance anyway.
The story about a bashful student, Moo, who falls in love with his best friend, Dakanda. Moo is too shy to tell Dakanda the truth until it is too late. Depressed and broken-hearted, he goes to a resort island and there he meets Nui, a young nurse, who is attracted to him. Moo has to choose whether to hang on with his first love or to start over with the one who loves him. Directed by Komkrit Treewimol, a former director of "Fan Chan", this movie is warm, easygoing and entertaining. It cannot be matched with "Fan Chan" though, as the latter is nostalgic and reminds middle-aged Thai people of the past.
The story took place on a plane on a night flight to Miami. Lisa, a hotel manager, is threatened by a passenger sitting next to her, Jackson, that he will kill her father if she does not cooperate with him. The film is exciting, thrilling and entertaining, although Lisa is unbelievably strong and lucky and Jackson is so weak and unlucky at the end.
Like the Tom-Yum-Goong movie, this action-packed film is entertaining and fun, if you don't expect to get anything, at all, seriously. Similar to Tony Ja or Jackie Chan, Jason Statham is really good at fighting. The outrageous car chases, the absurd fight scenes, and the incredible and ridiculous plots, will enjoy you and make you laugh through the scene.
Starring Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti
Based on a true story of James J. Braddock, the World's Heavyweight Champion in 1935, this movie is inspiring, thrilling, and heartwarming. Ron Howard, Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti deserve the Oscar nomination.
Starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrel, Shirley MacLain, Michael Caine
The worst movie so far this year. This romantic comedy is neither romantic nor funny. The scriptwriting is so weak and stupid. Will Ferrel is so uncharming. Shirley MacLain is so boring. Don't waste your money.
Based on a film by the Japanese creators of "The Ring", this is the story about a newly-divorced mother and her 5-year-old daughter. They rent a cramped and worn apartment in Roosevelt Island and hope to start a new life, only to find that there is mysterious "dark water" in the apartment. Despite the fine performances of Jennifer Connelly and other casts, this ghost movies is not so haunting. One of the reasons, I guess, is that the ghost in this movie is a young pretty girl. There is no creepy ghost or ugly corpses like in "The Ring" movie.
Although the movie is full with elephant-sized plot holes, shameless product placement, and cheesy jokes, watching Tony Jaa does his stuff is well worth the admission price. Keep an eye out for the jaw-dropping 4 minutes long-take of Jaa fighing up a four-storey building, or the ultimate bone-crunching fest that makes even Steven Seagal looks like a Charlie Angel's girl. The plot is the usual kung-fu cliche, the acting mediocre (Jaa's only lines are variations of "Where's my elephant!!"), so expect all your ticket price to be for the Tony Jaa action. If you can handle that, you'll enjoy this campy yet immensely fun movie. This Tom-Yum-Goong dish might be very light on the nutrients, but it's undeniably spicy. -Comments written by Dear-
A story about human clones making a daring escape from the utopian-like facility to the outside world. Full of thrilling action set-pieces as expected from a film by Michael Bay. Unfortunately, the film is also influenced by Bay's other less desirable trademarks, including dumbed-down plots and unbearably sappy ending. Still, the film works well enough if not taken too seriously.
Starring Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Tim Robbins, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto
Based on the novel of the same name by H.G. Wells, this Stephen Spielberg's movie is about an alien invasion as well as a family drama of a father and his two children. It is different from Spielberg's two previous famous sci-fi movies, i.e. Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, as the aliens in the War of the Worlds are hostile. With great directing, acting and visual effects, this is a really terrifying and scary sci-fi movie.
Starring Pichaya Witchajittaphan, Anthony Howard Gould
Based on the book "Muang Rae" by Archin Panchaphan, Thailand's famous writer and Awarded 1991 National Artist, this is his real life story when he decided to go to work at Krasom Tin Dredging, a tin mine in Pang-Nga province, after being retired from the best engineering school in Bangkok in 1949. It is the story of life, love, loneliness, sadness, empathy, integrity, honour, and friendship with his boss and colleagues, which he finds it more valuable and worthwhile, than a diploma from any university. Well-directed by Jira Maligul, although I think his previous movie "Mekhong Full Moon Party" is more interesting.
A suspenseful action movie about cops and criminals uniting and fighting to survive the night at the precinct house in Detroit. Entertaining, thrilling and fun to watch.
Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe
Different from the former Batman sequels, this film is dramatic, real, dark, and full of emotions. Chistian Bale is very good at being Bruce Wayne. This is the best of Batman movies.
A plain comedy movie about a girl who would like to marry a man of her dreams, only to discover that his mother is the woman of her nightmares. Jane Fonda makes her comeback, after her long absence from the big screen, while Jennifer Lopez cannot match her. This is a fun movie if you don't take it seriously.
Violent, action-packed comedy film about husband and wife who are hired to assassinate each other. Feel like seeing Rambo + Commando + Cobra + James Bond + ..... This film only attempts to sell Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. If you like this kind of movie, watch "True Lies" (1994 film directed by James Cameron). It is much more fun.
A story about an interpreter working in the UN who overhears a death plot against an African leader. This is supposed to be thrilling and suspenseful, but it is rather an overly familiar story to me. I have no difficulty predicting what's going on and will be at the end. Fine performance of Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, but absolutely not thrilling.
Julia Lambert (Annette Bening), a 40-year-old famous actress, is having nervous breakdown and having an affair with a young boy half her age. If there is no Hilary Swank or the Million Dollar Baby, Annette Bening will certainly get the Oscar's Best Actress Award.
Starring Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman
This is the best movie of the year. Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank deserves their Oscar Awards. Everything is perfect but I prefer not to watch it again as it is very tragic, miserable and heartbreaking at the end.
Starring Johny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman
A tale of magic and fantasy inspired by James Mathew Barrie, this film is a fictional story of his creation of the children classic "Peter Pan". This is actually a very good movies, warm and tender, heartwarming and heartbreaking, full of inspiration and imagination. However, it is a bit too warm and too slow for someone like me.
Starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon
A lawyer, married, signs up for dance lessons to meet a lady dance teacher he is attracted to. His interest however turns to ballroom dancing, which he later goes for dance competition. As he keeps this secret, his wife becomes suspicious. I don't buy the story but the film is entertaining and Jennifer Lopez is really good at dancing.
This is a film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical show "The Phantom of the Opera". The film may not be so great compared with the real Broadway show but the music is very beautiful.
