"CHARLIE CHAN, AT THE CINEMA"

Date of viewing: 18th April 2012

I rate this film: 4 out of 5

I went to see this movie with my wife, in the evening after finishing at work for the day – I wasn’t expecting much and thought the worst case I’ll just fall asleep and have a snooze in my seat, if it didn’t grab my interest.

I read some reviews and the ratings weren’t that impressive 2 stars out of 5. So I didn’t expect much.

 The first 20 minutes were boring and I almost fell a sleep – just like I thought I would! Then there’s a football scene that looked like a match being played by a pub team…?

As the movie progressed it did get a little more interesting, however one thing that I wasn’t convinced by, was the alien ‘borrowing’ an Earth satellite to communicate to their home planet – just didn’t make sense or ring ‘true’ to me.It did have plenty of action, explosions, technology and some space tech too, all of which tick my action adventure boxes for this sort of film and for that I say go and watch it, and for that I give it 4 out of 5.

When the movie started, I did think to myself ‘…this looks like is going to be sh**’.

I would just like to say its 10 times better then The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games was so boring, see my review on that film for my thoughts on that rubbish!

Thank you

Chan

Date of viewing: March 2012

I rate this film: 2 out of 5

So the main issue I have with this movie is that if you were an expert hunter of Wolves and said Wolves out numbered you at a plane crash site, in the middle of nowhere, surely you would just wait it out in the shelter and safety of your plane until help arrived? No - just me then! Fending off the Wolves one by one as needed. I know that would make it a short film – but that’s the point – the story didn’t make any sense.

If it that was me, I would have waited it out, the plane had to have had some sort of aerial or signal or even black box locator beacon that would go off? Meaning a rescue mission was imminent, meaning you would haven’t to venture out to face the Wolves, risking death and exposure to the elements.

This movie made no sense.

Thank you

Chan

Date of viewing: An afternoon I’ll never get back!

I rate this film: 2 out of 5

I can’t think when I saw this, but I know I’ll never get that time back – ever!!

‘This Is War’ – I can only say that ‘This Was Sh*t’

Thank you

Chan

Date of viewing: 28th March 2012

I rate this film: 1.5 out of 5

I went to see this movie with my wife, we enjoyed the whole ‘Twilight’ set of films so thought this would be of a similar style and so took our seats.

I thought ‘John Carter’ was a bad film – oh my – this one was even worse, everything about it made me regret collecting my ticket and taking my seat.

Now I know it’s a series of books adapted for the screen, tapping into that whole ‘Twilight’ style of movies as I mentioned and directed at a similar audience, but there was no action, no fighting skills, poor hunting technique, mediocre costume and there wasn’t even a love story to hold your interest. In fact the whole film lacked meaning and substance for me.

I know I will probably get all sorts of people saying what is he talking about, but I enjoyed the Twilight films – this just feels like a poor relation to those ones – sorry, but that’s how I feel.

If I was watching the movie on my own, I would have gone home and happily watched a repeat on TV instead.

So I suggest you save your money, go and watch ‘The Valor’ or even ‘Contraband’ instead.

Thank you

Chan

Date of viewing: 18^th Feb 2012

I rate this film: 2.5 out of 5

I went to see The Woman in Black, now I have seen Daniel Radcliffe in all the Harry Potter movies and thought it would be interesting to see him in a new and different genre of film. The film based on the novel of Susan Hill and adapted for screen by Jane Goldman (Jonathan Ross’ accomplished wife). I was hoping it would be a thrilling and chilling tale, but was left disappointed by the press and media’s horror hype. Despite the breaking of box office records.

Its a tale of a young lawyer sent out of town to a remote village to wrap up some affairs for a client. He discovers a vengeful and scathing ghost - that’s about it.

I simply don’t quite understand the story of how one measly ghost could cause such damage to a small village and its only one man who is brave/dumb/misguided (delete as appropriate) enough to be the only one to venture or solve the mystery that lies in the house. The whole story was a big let down for me.

Don’t bother, give this one a miss, (pun alert coming up!) it was lacking in the “HEX” Factor. 

Chan

Date of viewing: 24^th Jan 2012

I rate this film: 6 out of 5

I have to say that this kind of movie is long over due if I could I would rate this movie 6 out of 5. Oh go on then, 6 out of 5 it is.

Even though I was 10 minutes late for the movie, as soon as I sat down and took my seat I was gripped! It grabbed my attention and wow, it was something I hadn’t expected.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh, featuring a stunning cast including, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton, Michael Fassbender and introducing Gina Carano in the lead role as the double crossed agent.

Watching this movie is like watching the equivalent of a female “Jason Bourne”. She kicks her ex-boss’s organisations ass in style. Her old boss happens to be in the government she formerly worked for and they have a wealth of resources and agents available to send after her.

With her mixed martial arts background and with her doing her own highly charged stunts, she convincingly portrays the character of an agent fighting back and fighting back hard.

Full of action and believable action at that, this is what makes this movie so different from all the other movies out there of this genre. All the action, stunts and confrontations you saw, all seemed possible and realistic – that is if you were a specially trained ex-Marine government agent, of course.

Where some action movies mostly rely on special effects, slow motion shots, tricky camera moves and various post production techniques this film doesn’t. This film works because it just made you think, “ …that’s a tough well trained agent, she gets the job done”

It left me on the edge of my seat; this is what I have been waiting for in an action film.

Go see this movie on the big screen now! 

Chan

Iron Lady

Date of viewing: 18^th Jan 2012

I rate this film: 3.5 out of 5

You either love her or hate her…

The Iron Lady is a film about Baroness Margaret Thatcher, who served not only as the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom but also the longest serving Prime Minister of the 20^th Century, from 1979 – 1990.

Meryl Streep is cast as the strict conservative politician who portrays a woman in her later years and who is recalling her life through a series of flashbacks. We see these memories through her distorted perspective . She is a woman of ill health who is not in great shape mentally, a confused and reclusive widow.

I think the story could have gone into more detail about some of the moments we remember her for, the best or the worst (you decide) during her term at Number 10 as PM. It would have been interesting to show the audience more of her government policies that changed Great Britain.

Overall I thought it was a good film and Meryl Streep’s performance is to be applauded, no doubt it will receive many awards in the upcoming festivals season.

Chan

Date of viewing: 4^th Jan 2012

I rate this film: 3 out of 5

The first of three films adapted for the screen from the bestselling Millennium trilogy by author Stieg Larsson, (which I haven’t read). Directed by David Fincher and starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, the film is based on the first novel.

I found the storyline hard to follow and complex from the start. (Perhaps as I haven’t read the book). It was hard to understand and the whole lighting scheme of the movie was very dark and moody, I know it adds for drama and trying to achieve some great use of cinematography but frankly it hurt my eyes. It would have been nice to turn up the lights at some point within the story.

The storytelling did get better but you have to stick with it and concentrate to follow what’s going on. If I hadn’t, the dim lighting of the movie theatre and lack of interest in the film would have sent me to sleep, zzzzz!

Chan

Date of viewing: 3^rd Jan 2012

I rate this film: 3.5 OUT OF 5

Starring Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis and Directed by Luc Besson.

I like Michelle Yeoh, she is originally from my home country of Malaysia, that might be part of it but I think she is a good actress and have seen her in other films such as, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).

However this time it was nice to see her in this film playing the lead and as the pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma.

I recommend you see this movie, I felt the story line was very touching. Not only is it a love story between Aung San Suu Kyi and her writer husband, Michael Aris (Thewlis) but also it shows how people suffered under the government in Burma and how they came together in their belief in this extraordinary woman.

On another note, I thought the costume, hair and make up was very good in this film.

My only is that it could have shown more of the campaign, but there needs to be a fine balance between it being a love story and a story of the struggle for Democracy that still continues.

Chan

Date of viewing: 28^th Dec 2011

I rate this film: 3 out of 5

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this is the second film featuring the Victorian sleuthing duo of Sherlock Holmes and his ever-reluctant sidekick Dr Watson, this time facing the notorious of his rivals, Professor Moriarty.

Similar to the previous movie, it uses the visualisation of what Holmes will do next to get out of an attack situation, how he will tackle and overcome his opponents, using the slow motion step by step with narrative, very impressive to watch in the first film, however a little tiring now. But for me just showed too much of what will happen if I do this or that!  They should just cut this out.

An entertaining detective movie just a shame about the slow motion explanation stuff.

Chan