Executive Decision, 1996

EXECUTIVE DECISION
Kurt Russell, Halle Berry

ACTION

Terrorists have hijacked a Boeing 747 en route to Washington D.C. and demand the release of one of their own from American custody.

When officials realize that there's a weapon of mass destruction on board and a plan to strike at the U.S. capital, its up to an elite team of special forces commandos and a daring mid-air insertion to defuse the threat before its too late.







THE GOOD : Typical '90s era actioner with plenty of over the top scenes, a fun and tense ride.
THE BAD : Not much in the way of story and acting won't win at the critics.

-6/10

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THOUGHTS / SPOILERS :

Not bad as a popcorn movie / dvd rental. The film's main attraction is of course the physics defying mid air transfer of commandos from a specially modified stealth fighter to the hijacked airliner without drawing attention from the terrorists inside.

Always nice to see John Leguizamo around. I personally find his amount of feistiness/energy often over the top and humourous. Another notable is Halle Berry in one of her earlier roles before Monster's Ball.

The Social Network, 2010

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

DRAMA

Upset after a breakup with his girlfriend, Havard student Mark Zuckerberg retires to his dorm for an alcohol fueled rant on his blog and hacks into residence hall databases to create a website where participants can rate the attractiveness of female students. Zuckerberg gains the ire of his female colleagues and a 6 month academic probation for the disruption to the university network.

Taking notice of the stint and its viral popularity, a group of seniors hire Zuckerberg as a programmer for their own social networking page, the HarvardConnection. Progress on the website is minimal and while the situation seems stale, Zuckerberg approaches his friend with an idea to launch Thefacebook, his own idea of a social networking website. The implications are soon realized and just as fast as the site expands, the legal troubles begin to stack up.

THE GOOD : Great performances, dynamic script, tight and fast paced.
THE BAD : A Story about Facebook has its doubters.

-9/10

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THOUGHTS / SPOILERS :

I admit I doubted the movie as well. I mean what could possibly have happened that could be made into a feature length movie and 2 hours at that?

I was wrong. The movie is a tapestry of memories and recollections weaving in and out of legal hearings where Zuckerberg and his opponents are trapped in a battle over egos and intellectual property. There's a dynamic about the characters that will have you dying to find out what's next.

14 Blades / 錦衣衛, 2010

錦衣衛
(cant. "Gam-Yee-Wai" / mand. "Jin-Yi-Wei" / eng. "Brocade-Clad Guard")
Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei

Action, Wuxia

Legend has it that the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty employed secret imperial police to keep order and stability within the empire. Trained in combat since childhood, these 'Jin Yi Wei' were bestowed the power to arrest and persecute in the name of the emperor.

During a time of corruption and incompetence in the late Ming Dynasty, the Jin Yi Wei, taking orders from the eunuch faction, struggle to maintain stability amidst a period of countless rebellions. Qinglong, the leader of the Jin Yi Wei, receives orders from the chief eunuch to kill a rebellious Imperial Councilor and retrieve a box containing a list of names deemed enemies of the state.

Qinglong and his team seize the box at great cost of life only to realize he had been used in a conspiracy to steal the Imperial Seal. The Jin Yi Wei leader finds himself on the run as he struggles to piece together who set him up and outrun his fellow Jin Yi Wei which are now hot on his tail.


THE GOOD : Interesting premise, some tense battles and nice action choreography
THE BAD : Too much CGI takes away from movie and the fight scenes, similar plotlines, Donnie Yen can fight but don't ask him to try romance.

-4/10

l'Immortel, 2010

L'IMMORTEL
Jeno Reno

ACTION, DRAMA

Once feared mob boss Charly Mattei turned in his life in the Marseille mafia for a chance to spend time with his wife and their two kids. Echoes of his old life come back to haunt him when he is gunned down in an underground parking lot.

Miraculously, he survives and a long recovery ordeal later, he is reunited with family but also with those who want him out for good.







THE GOOD : Decent actioner, crime drama. Poetic cinematography along with a good performance by Jean Reno.
THE BAD : Plot not new, tense but predictable.

-6/10

========================================
THOUGHTS / SPOILERS :
L'immortel ain't no Leon but has Jean Reno in a similar role of menace turned civilian but encounters the criminal element and must do battle once more. Here, he's more the family man and to a certain point, you find Jean almost endearing in his role as a conflicted ex-mafia boss. Not a bad film.

The Mechanic, 2011

THE MECHANIC
Jason Statham, Ben Foster

ACTION

The world has its ups and downs and business is good for those ready and able to deal with the problems. Arthur Bishop is one of those men. Employed by a secretive organization, Bishop gets handed assignments few men dare to even suggest. He is the best at what he does, that is until he's forced to take out one of his own and finds himself dealing with the aftermath, the troubled son.

Taking him under his wing, Bishop trains the youngster in the business of killing knowing full well he is on a collision course with his past.


THE GOOD : Some intense action sequences, the two man hit team is a treat to watch in action.
THE BAD : The film loses steam and the plot fizzles as things are just starting to heat up.

-4/10

============================================
THOUGHTS/SPOILERS :

The movie starts off on key but sooner or later the notes become stuttered and short and the piece starts to fragment just as the action kicks off which is rather unfortunate. Situations become a bit far fetched and the rest of the movie becomes a predictable drag you can't wait to see finish.

This movie finds the same tragic flaws as did other similar assassin genre pieces like Wanted where the premise of the film starts off well but fails to hold up. Some of Statham's other generic action movies actually play through in a more coherent manner despite a more fantasized story like the movie Death Race. (I haven't seen Transporter 2/3 at this time so will not comment. Not in a rush to either.)

Memento, 2000

MEMENTO
Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

THRILLER

Leonard has anterograde amnesia. He remembers everything from his past, who he was, right up until the attack that cost him his wife and his mind. Unable to form new memories, he has no idea what has happened since, who he's met, what he has done.

With only a handful of polaroids and the notes scrawled on the back, Leonard struggles in his search for the truth and to learn from his records in an ever shifting world of deception.





THE GOOD : Original and revolutionary multi-layered plot, solid performances from the cast, not to be missed!
THE BAD : Hard to find the DVD

-9/10

=======================================
THOUGHTS / SPOILERS :

Can't really say much without spoiling the movie. The progression of the movie will leave you as utterly confused as the protagonist who struggles day to day in his search for answers all the while being hampered by deteriorating memories. As you piece things together, the genius of Nolan's film begins to pan out. Be prepared to have watch it again (and maybe again) to pick up on all the subtleties.

Unstoppable, 2010

UNSTOPPABLE
Denzel Washington, Chris Pine

DRAMA, THILLER

A veteran engineer and a young conductor are out on field training at a locomotive yard when they are called to reign in an unmanned freight train set loose from an ill advised stunt by a worker trying to cut back on a shift.

The pair are put through a test of their wits and trust in each other as they race to stop the speeding freight train, loaded with hazardous materials, from barreling into their hometown of Stanton.




The Good : Great cinematography and the tense atmosphere doesn't let up despite the simple plot.
The Bad : Predictable story and the trailer spoils some of the good bits.

-8/10

==============================
THOUGHTS / SPOILER WARNING :

This is director Tony Scott's latest film and probably one of his most successful pieces where the marriage of his trademark jittery camera work and fast paced editing help rampant up the tension and suspense despite what would be a simple and predictable plot.

The film is deepened by the steady revealing some of the history behind the two main characters and adds a lot more emotional weight to the story. The soundtrack is a another great Harry Gregson Williams addition chiming in at the right times to ratchet up tension or go in for the poignant piano stretches.

Overall, it's not a overly deep or complex film but what it has, it does very well.

House of Flying Daggers / 十面埋伏, 2004

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS / 十面埋伏
(cant. "sup meen mai fuk" / mand. "shí miàn mái fú" / eng. ten faces in ambush)
Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau

ACTION ROMANCE WUXIA

Officers Leo and Jin are veteran police officers of a declining Tang Dynasty in the midst of fending off various rebel uprisings. The two men receive orders to track down and kill the successor of a recently assassinated rebel leader. They hatch a plan to capture and release the dead man's daughter in hopes that she will lead them to the group with Jin going undercover as a rebel sympathizer and Leo shadowing from a safe distance behind.

When love blossoms between the daughter and the undercover officer, their little romance begins to threaten to undermine the delicate game of deception and reveal everything.


THE GOOD : Gorgeous cinematography and choreography, tight script.
THE BAD : Some of the acting is a little over the top.

-8/10

The Brave One, 2007

THE BRAVE ONE
Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard

CRIME DRAMA THRILLER

Erica Bain, a New York Radio host, is the victim of a senseless attack which leaves her hospitalized in a coma and her fiance dead. When she comes to, she endures a lengthy period of reclusion.

Her first outing is met with new and strange sounds, her radio show now exhibiting a noticeably darker tone. Her outlet is a nightly taste of vengeance that leaves a trail of blood and a veteran cop puzzled and looking for answers.






The Good : An artistic take on the vigilante character, some interesting cinematography, a good attempt at blending several genres.

The Bad : Gets a little too ideal, predictable. Some poorly chosen cliches that could have been more flushed out. The movie tries to be too many things, master of none.

-6/10

Killshot, 2009

KILLSHOT
Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke

CRIME DRAMA THRILLER

Known only by his alias "Blackbird", mafia hit man Armand Degas always eliminates his target, along with any and all possible witnesses.

Carmen and Wayne Colson are in the middle of sorting out a divorce and inadvertently witness a botched hit. While they managed to fend off the attack, they are next on the hit list and are put under witness protection. Not before long, Blackbird catches up to the Colsons' and its a fight for survival and each other.



The Good : Tense scenes, great performance by Joseph Gordon Levitt
The Bad : Some dead pan acting, uninspired average 'killer on the loose' plot

-5/10

=======================
THOUGHTS/SPOILERS :

Overall an average movie about a killer on the loose with a more fully featured ensemble cast of B List actors and actresses. I bought this as I was curious about the acting history of Mickey Rourke given his casting in the recent movie, The Expendables.

Rourke commands a bit of screen presence but his acting is rather subdued and stiff. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance takes the cake as the loud mouth wanton bank robber whom Rourke's character takes under his wing.

The movie was suitably tense in areas but let down by its predictable plot.

Resident Evil : Afterlife, 2010

RESIDENT EVIL : AFTERLIFE
Milla Jovovich

ACTION, SCI-FI

Hot on the tail of Umbrella Corporation, Alice and her clones tackle one branch of the elusive operations after another. Picking up traces of an old friend reignites her search for survivors and plunges Alice back into the zombie infested mayhem that has engulfed much of the planet.

THE GOOD : Bullet splicing 3D/CGI slow mo shots are a visual delight. There's a few scares (predictable) and enough cheesy cliches to garner a few chuckles.
THD BAD : Plot a hamfisted mess, characters are uninspired.
THE UGLY : The dog with the splitting jaws and mutated heads is a nasty visual.

> 2/10

====================
THOUGHTS / SPOILER WARNING :

Overall I found little reason to watch this movie other than the fact that it was filmed at our school causing for quite the ruckus and arousing the curiosity of an otherwise apathetic student body. So I shelled out for the movie ticket when the film finally came out to see just how producers ended up portraying the particulars on the campus and I was delighted with not one, but two scenes, the latter was filmed at the more famous Robarts Library at St. George.

There were some chuckles like the casting of Wentworth Miller as a very expressionless Chris Redfield who ironically is found in a jail cell during his character's debut in the movie. (Prison Break, anyone?) The rest of the movie is just one blunder after another, story wise and in and of itself. I doubt any fan of the video games even bother to follow the movie series at this point.

The gratuitous usage of CGI benefits the movie's post apocalyptic renditions of cityscape and frequent special effects shots but in this day and age, many video games are actually outclassing movies with respect to story, cinematics and characters. The previous episodes were better but the series as a whole is on a downhill slide and with room for a 5th installment, I hope they use it wisely or not at all.

There Will Be Blood, 2007

THERE WILL BE BLOOD
Daniel Day-Lewis

DRAMA

There is nothing glamourous about the oil industry at the turn of the century where mineral prospector turned oil worker Daniel Plainview toughened it out scooping crude bubbling up at the bottom of a well into buckets. The methods are crude and an accident one day robs a worker of his life orphaning his baby son. Plainview adopts the small boy.

Enjoying moderate success years later, the duo are approached by a young man claiming to have oil bubbling up on their tract of land and for a small price, will divulge on the details. Jumping on the opportunity, Plainview and his adopted son head up to inspect the land, meeting the family and indeed discovering the oil. The young man's twin brother and up and coming preacher, Eli Sunday, has ambitious plans of his own and the two initially square off over the land but soon becoming entangled into a battle for personal dominance.

THE GOOD : Ruthlessly dark bipolar performance by Day-Lewis, gritty atmosphere, great cinematography. The battle between the two leads is a maniacally dark one and descends into madness.
THE BAD : A tad long, not kind to the impatient movie goer
THE UGLY : The madness knows no bounds.

> 9/10

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THOUGHTS / SPOILERS :

The movie opens up to a cringe worthy accident that sets the tone for the rest of the movie and if any composer can be praised for a nail biting, chalkboard scratch of a soundtrack, it would be Johnny Greenwood. It nails the ambiance of this movie firmly in the unfolding hell despite some deliciously picturesque pan overs of sundried Californian landspace.

Day-Lewis' performance sold the movie and in turn the movie will sell him for many years to come as this may just be the definitive Day-Lewis film. He plays the character Plainview with an unflinching menace that speaks just as loudly in the subtleties as it does in plainview (ha!)

The scope of Plainview is so widespread and engrossing, you'd be still busy tallying up the score/damage long after you have left the theatre.

Shinjuku Incident, 2009

SHINJUKU INCIDENT, 2009
Jackie Chan, Naoto Takenaka, Daniel Wu

DRAMA

Harsh times in rural China and an absence of communication from his sweetheart prompts tractor mechanic Tietou ('Steelhead') to go to Japan to search for her whereabouts.

Upon arrival, Steelhead catches up with his contacts in the underground Chinese community, many of whom have resorted to working illegally on low income jobs like cooking and sanitation to get by. During a night shift at a restaurant, Steelhead is devastated when he spots his fiancee with a local Yakuza boss.

Determined to make something for himself and his comrades and fund legal citizenship in Japan, Steelhead organizes money laundering operations which garner a new found prosperity for the impoverished group. The events do not go unnoticed by authorities and other factions of the criminal underworld and set off a chain of violence that none of them saw coming.

THE GOOD : Tense & dark atmosphere well maintained, plot holds up for the most part.
THE BAD : Acting could be more inspired.
THE UGLY : Some scenes were very gruesome, be prepared.

-7/10

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THOUGHTS / SPOILER WARNING:

I thought this was a interesting departure for Jackie Chan forgoing his usual blend of slapstick action for a more dramatic role while not overly challenging, he succeeds for the most part. The movie captures some of the hardships endured by pioneering immigrant generations and the obstacles they face on both sides of the law.

Jackie's character, Steelhead, saves Inspector Kitano early on in the movie from drowning during a police raid on illegal migrant workers during a night shift cleaning sewers. The decision to save the cop earns Steelhead respect from the lawman who later on serves as a source of hope and guidance. Every money laundering efforts by Steelhead and his crew are marred when a misguided turn to rigging slot machines drops the innocent Jie into the hands of the Taiwanese gang who are quick to make an example of him. (Close your eyes or lose the food.) Seeking revenge for his friend, Steelhead sneaks into the rival gang's headquarters and instead overhears a plan to assassinate the Yakuza boss and ends up foiling the plot. Thankful for the intervention, boss Euguchi allows Steelhead some time alone with his sweetheart and even takes him in as a hitman to eliminate opposing figures within the hierarchy.

The movie is dark and tense with Steelhead progressively fouling his conscience and his relationships as he takes on job after job to make ends meet. Much of it will leave you gripping your seat handles (maybe even squirm) when rather violent retributions build up as Steelhead struggles to keep separate his dealings with the Yakuza and his attempts to lead his people to legal citizenship in Japan.

Triage, 2009

TRIAGE (2009)
Colin Farrel, Paz Vega

DRAMA, MYSTERY

Colin Farrel plays a photojournalist well known for his work in unforgiving parts of the world. He heads off with his best friend and co-photographer to cover the war torn region of Kurdistan. He returns home shaken and tormented, his partner missing.

Concern at home amounts and he only remembers having been separated during an ambush before awaking injured in the triage. Distancing himself from family and friends, he pours over his photos, haunted by the mystery of his missing friend.




The GOOD : Good premise to the story, Christopher Lee's always a treat to see
The BAD : Stiff acting, kept in suspension too long and the film looses pace.

> 5/10

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THOUGHTS / SPOILER WARNING :

I felt compelled to buy the DVD because of its content on photography and possible commentary on the breed of war photography. It would make some interesting remarks especially as it pertains to personal choices to composition as photographers, but doesn't really go far with the material.

Its slow burn mystery that is somewhat disconnected and and uninvolved as you begin to catch on that there is more than meets the eye. Some interesting usage of camera and the gritty atmosphere of Kurdistan are a visual treat but the movie still feels long drawn and even the appearance of Christopher Lee late in the film feels misused and cannot fully save the films shortcomings. (his appearance did weigh in favour of my purchasing the dvd, though)