During this holiday break I've seen a number of movies. Most of them were pretty much what I expected, with a couple of pleasant surprises. Anyway, below's my view on each of the movie I saw:
Initial D - Just to clarify my previous post, I thought the drifting was pretty cool but I don't think the movie is enough to make me want to check out the manga/anime. I've no clue how close it is to the manga/anime's plot, but for me that isn't a factor - it's all about the drift.
Kingdom of Heaven - I'm always a sucker for epic films and so of course I had to borrow this one. I thought it walked the line pretty well in terms of PC, and definitely made me read up on various crusades. Too bad for the typical romance, but this movie could've been worse.
Honogurai mizu no soko kara (Dark Water) - It's been a while since I watched thrilling horror films but this one brought the adrenaline rush back... well, sort of. It's about a mother trying to keep custody of her daughter by keeping her sanity while dealing with strange things that are happening to them. It uses a lot of the typical horror techniques so many of the things could be seen coming, but definitely wasn't as scary/thrilling as the Ju-on movies. I felt more sympathetic for the mother than any other emotion while watching the movie really, although I didn't find the dad to be of much blame either.
National Treasure - NO SHAKING OF HANDS BY CAGE!!! That in itself is a bonus! It was an enjoyable movie, kinda funny to see Cage and Keitel not swearing (Disney movie), but again, the movie could've been worse. It was pretty formulaic, but still a nice/fun popcorn movie.
DOA: Dead or Alive - This movie was surprisingly better than I expected. Still, the best description is that it's DOA... as a live action movie... Anyway, I can say it's probably one of the better video game movie I've seen - especially because it doesn't take itself seriously. There was even beach volleyball! I'm not too familiar with the background of the game, but the plot was to be expected. Again, it's all about DOA girls fighting.
Shutter - Wow - I really didn't expect this movie to be that scary, but it's definitely one of the scariest movie that I've seen. WARNING - DO NOT watch this movie alone with the volume up high, especially if you have a heart condition. I can honestly say it startled me several times and there were parts where I just wanted to look away. Although it uses the typical Asian horror techniques, the knowledge of impending doom did little to quell the suspense. It's about a photographer and his girlfriend who start to see things in their photos and in real life after they accidentally killed a girl in a hit and run. You just know that one of the flashes from the camera will show her face.... I dunno too many Thai movies, especially horror ones, but this one definitely makes me want to look for more.
Rocky Balboa - I don't remember if I've seen a complete Rocky movie, but this movie was pretty good. It is a simple do-good, old-fashion movie. No jazzy stuff really, no pointless romance, it's just a pure moral story. I know there are complaints about the fight being too short, the training is too short, etc. but honestly, I didn't think that was the point of the movie. Some people didn't like Sly preaching stuff, but I thought he did well. It's about the relationship with oneself and with others, both visible and invisible - how one's action and/or lack-of can affect others. It's about the bonds forged and strained, but never broken. It's clearly evident by how people respond to him. I know what Rocky feels because I've seen it in people in real life and to me, this movie protrayed it quite accurately. The effect of seeing a grown person cry in real life is... to be honest, scary. In an instant, all sense of security is gone. Anyway, it's nice to see a movie like this nowadays, where people actually show real emotions.
Labels: movies
