Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

IMHO, the strengths overpower the flaws. One of the best bits is the relationship between Thor and Loki, as realised by Hemsworth and the ever oh so wicked Tom Hiddleston.

Monday, October 28, 2013

About Time (2013)

Don't really like.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Escape Plan (2013)

Enjoyed this!

Though I did have one or two minor complaints about plot details towards the end.  

Like Father, Like Son - そして父になる (2013)

Love this. Brilliant acting by the ensemble.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Menstrual Man (2013)

Surprisingly funny and entertaining. Not too bad.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Not too bad.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

The Heat (2013)

Melissa McCarthy gives one heck of a performance, and Ms.Bullock ain't too bad either. Other than that, there really isn't much going for this rather lacklustre movie. Editing feels rather random and choppy at parts.

Innocents (2012)

One of my thoughts post-viewing was... this could be a landmark Singapore film that few in the country would have noticed or watched. It definitely feels a little different from other local indie flicks...

Here's what I like:
(1) Cinematography - one of the most nicely shot indie films from S'pore. The forest shots are truly sumptuous and lovely. (2) Generally decent performances by the two child leads.
(3) Sound design, score, sound effects editing (for the most part, or what can be achieved within its limitations) are also not bad and complement the tale without going OTT (4) A generally strong sense of control by the director.

Here's where I think it could've been better:
(1) The story and character development aren't strong enough to draw me in all the way. (2) Almost all the surrounding characters aren't particularly developed, and the performances aren't generally better either (except for the sister).

IMHO - a commendable debut effort. Just that I think if it sort of missed the mark on being a stronger film.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Gravity IMAX 3D (2013)

Watching this in IMAX 3D is probably the only way to get the most out of this film, which I also feel is perfect and tight in almost every way - from storytelling, to direction, to visuals, to sound effects, sound effects editing, visual effects, performances, etc, etc. Ms. Bullock deserves accolades for her performance and Mr. Cuaron applause for crafting what is IMHO, one of the best movies in recent years (and probably the first to so successfully utilise the 3D format within the filmmaking process).


Thursday, October 10, 2013

Blood Stains the Valley of Love - 血染相思谷 (1957)

Interesting from a historical point of view.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Rush (2013)

I wasn't keen on this film. Then some positive reviews changed my mind. Overall, not a bad drama. I did struggle to stay awake during the first half, and actually missed some bits (Probably due to a sleepy afternoon and that the main subject didn't interest me). It was not until Lauda's accident when I was awake all the way. Daniel Bruhl's performance left a strong impression. And I also thought the score, the sound effects and sound effects editing were pretty good too.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon - 狄仁杰之神都龙王 (2013)

Watching this irritated me because it looks like the film was designed for 3D and I was watching the 2D version. A bit long, but still entertaining.