[7.25/10] Julie & Julia (2009)

Julie & Julia (2009)

"Julie & Julia" is a well-baked movie with all the right spice and sauces, you couldn't ask for a better comedy no matter who it was about. It is refreshing to finally see a film that celebrates women who are past their twenties, and not desperately seeking men. They neither compromise who they are, nor do they concern themselves with shadowing a man just to get and keep his attention. There is no catty, evil competitiveness that has become so prevalent in so many female driven films. Watching Meryl Streep as Julia was like sitting down to a meal at any of the finest restaurants, complete with dessert and the best house wine! From the beginning, Streep was hilarious as Julia. One may have to know a little about Julia Childs to truly appreciate that person and the person that Streep portrayed. The voice was perfect, the characterizations were absolutely believable, and the spirit of the character was more lovable and endearing than I cared to take time to realize when she was with us. The relationship between Julia and her husband were beautiful and hilarious. You just cannot take your eyes off Julia no matter who she is seen with. Amy Adams throws herself in the more contemporary but less developed role with gusto. Her role is more of the everywoman who cooks as a form of therapy. Powell's background can't quite compete with the rich history of Child's origins, but what she does get is a following and respect from fans and publishers. "Julie & Julia" includes ample doses of rich, intelligent humor based on the circumstances, situation, and personality of the characters. Surprisingly, this movie also depicts more substantive depth while presenting a populist summer movie. This challenging endeavor captures the trials of working from anonymity to publication and fame as well as the trials of pursuing a wild dream in the context of a relationship. It is a fun movie with heart and soul that delights the sense and engages the eyes!

• My Rating: 7.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 74% (6.7/10)
• IMDb: 7.4/10

[8.50/10] Mary and Max (2009)

Mary and Max (2009)

A beautifully-animated film with dialogue that is witty and wise and wonderful, "Mary and Max" is a marvelously-made claymation! It's an intriguing tale, starting in the mid 70s, of the ongoing true friendship of two long distance pen-pals, younger Mary in rural Australia and older Max in the rat-race of New York City. There is much in the way of telling via the voice-over of the wondrous Barry Humphries and yet the visuals provide us with an extra layer on information, working with the voice-over rather than being hindered by it. Occasionally it goes on too long, but Adam Elliot is incredibly brave in wanting to tell this story his way. Aside from stylistic similarities to his earlier shorts, he has remained true to himself. He thanks a lot of people in regards to his script; its clear he has made the effort to get it right, proving the basic notion in screen writing, is to get right on the page first folks. The script is a gem, finding the humor in a rather grim tale, without ever being patronizing to the characters or their plight. If anything, he manages to reinforce their humanity. The film has been immaculately designed, with many tiny details and features placed into the sets, all of which would have taken many countless hours to mould. The lighting and colour scheme too are significant to the unique look of the film, ranging from highly saturated to almost entirely black and white, to reflect the self-depreciative and sometimes gloomy tone of the narrative. It is a film made of great patience and craftsmanship. "Mary and Max" is simply unique animated film! It's without a doubt one of the best animated pictures of the year, together with Henry Selick's "Coraline" and Pixar's "Up". "Mary and Max" is a potential Oscar winner!

• My Rating: 8.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (7.7/10)
• IMDb: 8.3/10

Rewind: George Beremov's TOP 10 Favorite Movies of 2002

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George Beremov's

TOP 10
Favorite Movies of 2002
________________________

1. Lord of the Rings:
The Two Towers (10/10)
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2. Spirited Away (9.75/10)
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3. The Ring (9.75/10)
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4. Shaolin Soccer (9.75/10)
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5. Talk to Her (9.50/10)

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6. Minority Report (9.50/10)
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7. Y Tu Mama Tambien (9.50/10)
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8. The Pianist (9.25/10)
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9. Spider-Man (9.00/10)
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10. Catch Me If You Can (8.75/10)
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CineMarvellous Preview: John Woo's "Rain of Swords" - Teaser poster, plot and shots

John Woo's

Rain of Swords (2010)

a.k.a.

Jian Yu Jiang Hu

Fortissimo Films has released a sales flyer with teaser poster art and a detailed synopsis for RAIN OF SWORDS, a wuxia film now in production that is co-directed between John Woo and Terence Chang. The film stars Michelle Yeoh and Jung Woo-sung. It’s scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2010. The costume is designed by Emi Wada (House of Flying Daggers, Hero, The Storm Riders, The Bride with White Hair, Ran).

Plot: 428AD, Bodhi, a Southern India prince became a Buddhist monk and set off for China, earning a hallowed reputation as a mystical martial artist. Following his death, his remains mysteriously disappeared.

Hundreds of years later, Zhang, a high-ranking court official, is assassinated by Drizzle. Zhang’s son Jingxiu, whilst mourning his father’s death, is assailed by a group assassins. They leave him for dead, but somehow he survives and escapes their clutches.

Drizzle, a talented warrior herself, finds herself in possession of Bodhi’s remains, and begins her quest to return them to their rightful resting place at Yunhe Temple. The Black Stone, a team of deadly assassins who employed Drizzle, are also after the remains and the powerful secret they hold. To hide from The Black Stone, Drizzle undergoes drastic facial surgery and changes her name to Zeng Jing (Michelle Yeoh). She flees to Beijing, where she meets and falls in love with Jiang, soon to become her husband.

After a confrontation in Beijing, Zeng Jing’s identity is uncovered and both she and Jiang must flee for their lives. As Zeng Jing kills off members of the gang while they are on the run, she quickly realises Jiang is actually Jingxiu, and he is seeking to avenge his father’s death. This leads to a lethal triangle and a fight to death between our hero Zeng Jing, Jiang and The Black Stone.

The only question remains who will be the last ones standing to uncover the secret of Bodhi’s remains?

Source: Kung Fu Cinema
Images: TungStar, Sina.com.

[10/10] Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

We know "Inglourious Basterds"' story - a WWII tale told only as Tarantino can. He is able to give us a picture of the entire war, showing us not only British, American and German soldiers, but also giving us glimpses into the world of French and German civilians, both collaborators and Resistance. It goes without saying that any Tarantino film is going to have fantastic dialogue, but when Tarantino made the decision to have the French characters speak French and the Germans speak German, beyond adding a level of authenticity, Tarantino also somehow ensured that his dialogue in French was as sharp and funny and clever as his English dialogue. Tarantino plays with his usual palette of colors: violence, humor, crisp dialogue, and music and mixes all of them that create new colors and shocking results that only he can pull off. There is violence, you will see people scalped, beaten to death, and shot to pieces, but it is war. Tarantino's violence has always seemed stylized to me, not cartoonish, maybe hyper-real is a better to describe it. The violence looks like it could be real but there is an element that lets you realize the violence is fictional without pulling you out of the movie. And there's Tarantino's dark humor that if were in different circumstances or situations we might not ordinarily laugh at, but Tarantino bends the situation just enough for a dark humor to materialize and that's mostly because of the dialogue Tarantino is noted for. Then, there is the performance and the perfect casting - and here I have to insert another ode to Tarantino - he is a great actor's director. Every actor who has been in one of his films has given unforgettable and amazing performances and in "Inglourious Basterds" it is no different. Not only that, but the casting for his films are always perfect. Every single actor in his films is great. They are so expressive and intense, fitted perfectly to their characters. There are no small and unimportant roles. Every character seems to deserve the best actor for it and every actor delivers the best portrayal for their character. And no, I'm not referring here especially to Brad Pitt as Aldo Rainer. I don't think anyone is surprised any more that Pitt is an amazing actor and, to be completely honest, I don't expect anything less than incredible from him. I am talking about everyone else and particularly about Christophe Waltz as Hans Landa. Waltz truly takes over and "Inglourious Basterds" becomes his film. His performance is theatrical in a way without being over the top or fake! His performance became my all time favorite male performance. It's that exceptional! "Inglourious Basterds" is not a piece of history, it is a work of absolute fiction, a fairy tale with a wartime setting, and as such should be regarded with a degree of open mindedness. Those who expect another depressing, hard-to-watch Holocaust movie shall be disappointed. However, those wanting to be entertained and willing to approach this as a work of fiction, will find a film that is gripping, funny and thrilling in equal measure. Tarantino has made a war movie that practically blows the genre apart at the seams. And it is utterly fantastic!

[6.75/10] 2012 (2009)

2012 (2009)

Emmerich was never acclaimed for substance or depth in his films but always for the special effects and the destruction of several cities at a time. Such is the case with "2012", which brings the myth of the Mayans to reality with a combination of cataclysmic stellar activity to obliterate our world on a foreseen judgement day. Yes, the result is nothing short of spectacular: The Earth shattering and ground breaking sequences in California are breathtaking and so are those with the explosions of a violent Earth in Yellow Stone National Park. Vegas gets lost in the dark with Earth falling below. Tibet's part is most impressive of all. As seen in the previews, gigantic waves have some stunning effect when they attempt to overcome the roof of the world while mankind's only hope of continuity rests in these lands. It may not be a very convincing end. In fact, the movie's premise itself may not be convincing at all but that is clearly not Ronald Emmerich's forte. He is concerned with mass devastation and we are supposed to enjoy that ride. Not the excessive drama associated with John Cusack's struggle with his ex-wife, children, ex-wife's boyfriend and his pathetic life. If that wasn't enough, we have Morgan Freeman and Thandie Newton in a Presidential melodrama that drags longer than Sarah Palin's election campaign. Yes, a human aspect is required in a catastrophe movie but the excess length of the movie caused by the drama could well be the downfall of "2012". Also, the conclusion is silly, there are some very fatuous, ridiculous moments, but the overall package is satisfying, if not completely successful. The screenplay is unapologetically cheesy and some of the lines these respected actors have to say are simply terrible, but in a hilarious sort of way - and the direction is as over-the-top as it could be, but the amazing special effects and the whole grandeur the filmmakers convey more than compensates for it. Pure popcorn entertainment!

• My Rating: 6.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 37% (5.0/10)
• IMDb: 6.4/10

Rewind: George Beremov's TOP 10 Favorite Movies of 2001

________________________

George Beremov's

TOP 10
Favorite Movies of 2001
________________________

1. Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring (10/10)
________________________

2. Amelie (9.75/10)
________________________

3. Shrek (9.75/10)
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4. The Others (9.50/10)
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5. Brotherhood of the Wolf (9.50/10)

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6. The Devil's Backbone (9.25/10)
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7. Donnie Darko (9.00/10)
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8. A Beautiful Mind (9.00/10)
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9. Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone (8.75/10)
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10. Monsters, Inc. (8.75/10)
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[9.00/10] Zombieland (2009)

Zombieland (2009)

You know "Zombieland" is going to be a bit different as soon as the movie begins. Columbus does a rundown of some of the most important rules he's learned while living in Zombieland leading up to the credits playing over very cool slow-motion scenes of people being chased and eaten by zombies with "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica playing the entire time. The cinematography and the way the characters on screen interact with the letters in the opening credits is incredible. Blood splattering on the screen, glass shattering, and the way everything seems to be jumping out at you. Best movie opening so far this year! Woody Harrelson perfectly captures the insane, grizzled hero of the bunch. Jesse Eisenberg, as he tends to be in his roles, works as the awkward kid with a crush. Emma Stone is sweet and cute in her own wicked little way. And then there's the sweet Abigail Breslin who really never fails and still maintains her place as one of the few tolerable child stars left out there. On other technical levels, the writing was very good. The dialogue is often hilarious, especially in the times of character spats. The story never gets too complicated and stays very interesting throughout. Director Ruben Fleischer, who makes his directorial debut here, really captures the action of the zombie-killing lifestyle well and manages to wrangle the movie into something both simple and expansive. Very well done on all accounts. The gore is fantastic, brutal, and sometimes over-the-top. "Zombieland" is witty horror entertainment with a great cast and clever cinematography. A roller coaster ride you immediately want to ride again as soon as its over. What's surprising is it might just wind up being the best horror film to come out this year!

• My Rating: 9.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 89% (7.3/10)
• IMDb: 8.1/10

Rewind: George Beremov's TOP 10 Favorite Movies of 2000

________________________

George Beremov's

TOP 10
Favorite Movies of 2000
________________________

1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (11/10)
________________________

2. Memento (9.75/10)
________________________

3. Requiem for a Dream (9.75/10)
________________________

4. Amores Perros (9.50/10)
________________________

5. Erin Brockovich (9.50/10)
________________________

6. Chicken Run (9.50/10)

________________________

7. Chocolat (9.25/10)
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8. Dancer in the Dark (9.00/10)
________________________

  

9. American Psycho (8.75/10)
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10. Traffic (8.75/10)
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[6.00/10] Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Short review: Other than Megan Fox, the other factor that was pushed really hard in the advertising campaign for "Jennifer's Body" was the fact that Diablo Cody, the screenwriter of "Juno," was attached to this film. The dialogue and humor of the film are both witty and laugh out loud funny at times. This film does not apologize for its odd premise nor does it try to compensate for it. "Jennifer's Body" plays it straight, recognizing the plot is entirely superficial. This premise doesn't hold the film back. The plot throws enough fun details in the mix that drive this film forward, making it a fantastic platform for the starts of the film, obviously the cast and Cody's writing. The characters themselves are funny to begin with. Megan Fox brings the classic evil beauty queen to life, and her acting is surprisingly good. Sure, in context of the film, the things she says and does may seem ridiculous, but she owns the role. Amanda Seyfried is equally good in the cliché good-girl role, and she's proved her talent before with her bubbly role in "Mean Girls"; she's cute and lovable and the audience is able to sympathize with her, and yet she can be a smart ass herself. "Jennifer's Body" ends up as being very entertaining and funny modern horror film that is a nice change of pace after so many remakes and rehashes.

• My Rating: 6.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 45% (5.1/10)
• IMDb: 5.5/10

[4.00/10] Surrogates (2009)

Surrogates (2009)

Short review: There are a lot of good ideas floating around in "Surrogates". For whatever reason, though, the movie is just never really able to mesh them into something that's engrossing or as thought-provoking as it should be. As the movie progressed with it's anti-technology message, Bruce Willis became less like a hero and more like a pain in everyone's neck. Tom Greer's backstory is so run-of- the-mill that it borders on being laughable, and we're never really given a chance to connect/identify with this situation. Moving at a breakneck 88 minutes, the whole thing feels more episodic in nature than it does a full length feature film. The pacing is often mired by plodding tedium at times as well, which is oddly contrasted by the convenient, very "Hollywood" final act that we all see coming from hundred miles away. More interesting is the lack of production skills on this movie. Bar a few scenes, "Surrogates" has a made-for-TV feeling much of the time. The outside lighting looked odd, the interior shots often seemed badly framed. Somehow, this movie either lost money in production or maybe never had much, and that definitely showed.

• My Rating: 4.00/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 39% (5.4/10)
• IMDb: 6.4/10

[9.25/10] Star Trek (2009)

Star Trek (2009)

"Star Trek" was going completely in a tailspin until "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams, came aboard to jolt the aging Trek franchise with a much needed rush of adrenaline! This is easily the best Trek film in twenty years, bringing back the excitement of James T. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and all the original crew back to their full glory. It is a true 21st-Century Star Trek - explosive, exciting, character-driven and a miraculous spectacle to behold. The movie follows the great action reboots before it in returning "Star Trek" to its origins: how the U.S.S Enterprise, the golden ship of Starfleet, protectors of the universe , came into being and how its characters forged their relationship on board its deck. The most impressive aspect of the film is the cast. The acting talent on display here is terrific, balancing the difficult task of capturing the soul of the well known characters and fleshing them out, without falling into the trap of merely impersonating the original actors. They succeed admirably: Chris Pine captures Kirk's cockiness and Zachary Quinto is great as the hotheaded younger Spock, but the most plaudits must go to Karl Urban as Bones, who is so good, you'd swear they cloned DeForrest Kelly. The supporting cast is also very effective, with Bruce Greenwood's Captain Pike the standout, adding earthy notes and depth to a character previously relegated to a horrible accident on the TV show. Visually the film is stunning, taking a leaf out of Star Wars book and hosting massive chaotic space battles, yet remaining much darker in tone. Director J.J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have outdone themselves by doing what many believed was impossible. They have not only revitalized the Trek franchise by making a great sci-fi/action saga that appeals to a wider audience, they have done so while capturing the spirit of the original Trek series.

• My Rating: 9.25/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (8.1/10)
• IMDb: 8.3/10