harry potter and the deathy hallows part 1

the lowdown: In this first of a two part finale, Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decides to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord.

what's the buzz?: Many thrilling parts in this first installment, as there are quite a number of intense action sequence. They are done with well-rendered visual effects and they just blend in at a natural level without being too jarring. The action sequences are perfect, not heavy handed and done with gripping moments. The trio’s acting has vastly improved. Emma seems to be at the top of her game. Rupert is saddled with the role of comic relief but he gets the chance to shine in an array of emotional scenes. Daniel manages to carry the story well without the presence of adult actors.

what's the fuzz?: People should at least watch the first six films in order before watching this one, if they haven't read the books already.

roundup: Overall, the movie has good flow to it. The decision to split the book into two movies may be judged as financial by some, but I think it was the best verdict. We get the most accurate depiction of the book without leaving any major details out. The movie was cut off at the prefect time as well as it makes viewers yearns for more without being too rushed. I hope the last movie will continue in the same quality as this.

rating: world class chocolate

unstoppable

the lowdown: When a runaway train carrying a cargo of toxic chemicals comes barreling towards a city, a veteran engineer (Denzel Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) must race against time to stop the train.

what's the buzz?: Gotta go with the roller coaster action! It was also fascinating to watch the failed attempts to stop the train, which seems to add to the power of giving the audience a realistic idea of how unstoppable the train truly is. By having a story of everyday men with real concerns over livelihood and family, we root for these two men who display an outstanding act of heroism when faced with danger.

what's the fuzz?: Some shaky camera shot and some might find it difficult to get onto the train after watching this! Weird thing was train stations around here had posters of this movie everywhere. Not sure whether they’ve seen the movie or just put the poster up for its plot about trains.

roundup: A simple premise set to deliver an exciting action movie. A non-stop adrenaline shot that pretty much grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go from start to finish. In between, you get the story of two men who display an outstanding act of heroism when faced with danger.

rating: sambalicious

red

the lowdown: RED stands for Retired, Extremely, Dangerous. The movie follows a retired CIA operative who is hunted by his own people. He reunites with his old team for one last mission.

what's the buzz?: The action scenes are fantastic. But it’s the actors and their characters that makes this film worth watching. The casting in this film was perfect. Especially the supporting cast. Helen Mirren firing a Rambo sized gun is amazing! Malkovich is funny as an oddball ex-agent and Karl Urban as a solid CIA operative.

what's the fuzz?: It's certainly not an original story with a mash up of  ideas, something we've seen before in the Bourne series. Morgan Freeman is unfortunately the weakest part of this alternative A-Team, not because of his performance but because he is under-utilized. He has little action time and even less characterization.

roundup: This movie isn't rocket science, but a great date movie, a good time, and most important, the movie is worth the investment in a ticket.

rating: sambalicious

you again

the lowdown: As a teenager, Marni (Kirsten Bell) was tormented by Joanna (Odette Yustman) the head cheerleader. Years later, she’s a successful woman with a great job at as a PR executive. When she heads home for her brother’s (James Wolk) wedding and discovers that he is about to marry the girl who bullied her in high school, she sets out to expose the fiancee’s true colours.

what's the buzz?: The movie has a great female cast. Kristen Bell’s performance as the pimply face teenage girl with low self esteem, who wanted to get revenge on the mean girl was right on the mark. Odette Yustman as her rival was also quite good. Even the supporting cast was superb in each of their roles and brought something different to the table.

what's the fuzz?: The story itself is relatively predictable, and the direction, while competent, is nothing special.

roundup: It has laughs for all ages thanks to the great casting of its cast. Kristen Bell, Odette Yustman, Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis act brilliantly opposite each other.

rating: popcorn fluff

the other guys

*keep a look out for more movie reviews

the lowdown: In New York city, Terry Hoitz's (Mark Wahlberg) past mistakes in the line of duty and Allen Gamble's (Will Ferrell) reluctance to take risks have landed them the roles of the 'Other Guys', disgraced police detectives relegated to filling out paperwork for cocky hero cops, Danson (Dwayne Johnson) and Highsmith (Samuel L Jackson). But when the mismatched pair stumbles upon a high-profile investigation of a shady capitalist, they decide to take it on in an attempt to fill the shoes of the notoriously reckless officers they idolize.

what's the buzz?: The movie has great comedic timing of the cast. Expect hilarity throughout the entire film. The Wahlberg/Ferrell mix was surprisingly good. But the best part of the movie is Michael Keaton’s supporting role when he obliviously make references to the girl band TLC.

what's the fuzz?: The movie starts out with a bang and rolls along nicely but quickly loses all steam and finishes quite weak.

roundup: The first act was comical and absolutely spectacular. The two biggest action heroes, Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson made their cameo appearance worthwhile albeit given quite a short amount of screen time. The second half never had a chance to duplicate the magic of the first hour. Also, the cop clichés may have hindered the moments leading up to the climax.

rating: slippery spaghetti

p.s- sorry guys for the delay, will make up for more posts soon!

life as we know it

the lowdown: Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) and Eric Messe (Josh Duhamel) are two single adults . Their mutual best friends tried to set them up but after a disastrous first date, the only thing they have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter, Sophie. When their friends dies in an accident, these two become caregivers to an orphaned baby girl.

what's the buzz?: One couple. Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl. These two have a good chemistry on screen. The movie is fairly predictable but luckily its filled with quirky supporting cast. Melissa McCarthy is great as the seen-it-all Mom on the block. Andrew Daly and Bill Brochtrup are funny as the gay parents who fawn over Duhamel. Sarah Burns was an absolute awesome social worker Janine Groff, who warns Holly and Messer about complicating their relationship. She was hysterically touching to watch!

what's the fuzz?: Predictability. You can spot a mile away. The formulaic high jinx involving the baby, from poop to babysitting duty.

roundup: Life as We Know It, is an upside to predictability. We know who the characters are and we cheers for them. They are a family. The movie has heart. Even with its foreseen plotline, I enjoyed myself. Sometimes, with all the rom-com cliches, you just have to go along for the ride :)

rating: popcorn fluff

wall street: money never sleeps

the lowdown: This movie is a sequel to the 1987 movie Wall Street by Oliver Stone. We follow the 2008 financial crisis with a reformed Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) who was behind bars for eight years. Now, Gordon Gekko finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated. Looking to repair his relationship with his daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), Gekko forms an alliance with her fiance Jacob, a young  proprietary trader (Shia LaBeouf). In return, Gekko helps Jacob get revenge on the man he blames for his mentor's death. But, soon  Jacob learns the real truth of Gekko and his plans.

what's the buzz?: Michael Douglas brought his A game. He shows us the multiple facets of Gekko in a credible way. Shia LaBeouf did well, transitioning from Steven Gets Even and Transformers. I also like the performance by Josh Brolin and the great Frank Langella. I was impressed with the way the director created artistically directed shots of skylines with stock performances against its backdrop and the hurried interaction of stock traders and brokers. Stone succeeded in depicting the frenzied pace of Wall Street.

what's the fuzz?: The movie moves at a snail pace towards to second half act. The financial stuff may still seem foreign to most of us but we get the idea. And the writing is fairly unpredictable that everything seems to be tied into a nice bundle near the end.

roundup:  The movie has little connection to the first one besides its main character, Gordon Gekko. Overall,  it is a story that centers around the recent financial crisis and how its affects the elite financiers.

rating: slippery spaghetti

new posters for the final harry potter movie

check out the poster for part one of harry potter and the deathly hallows!

all the posters have dark themes, reflecting the mood perfectly for the final movie.
what a rush!! now, i really cannot wait for the movie. bring on the magic!

take a peek into the latest trailer :)

renesmee cullen: mackenzie foy?

Renesmee Cullen, the lovechild of Edward and Bella in Twilight.

Entertainment Weekly has reported that nine year old Mackenzie Foy is close to signing on the role to play human/ vampire Renesmee Cullen in the final installment of Twilight saga. She has appeared in an episode of 'Til Death and Flash Forward.

If this child actress is chosen, she will be playing a pivotal role in the film. A character that ages 17 years in just seven. Sources are saying that there will similar digital effects like the ones used in the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Maggie Grace, best known for playing Shannon Rutherford on the tv series Lost has joined the cast of Twilight. She will apparently play "vegetarian vampire" Irina who becomes an ally of the Cullen family in the final book.

Filming of the two-part final is due to start in November, with the first film scheduled to hit theatres at the end of 2011.

eat pray love

It's been awhile since my last movie review which was Inception.

I like to thank JR for the free tickets and MA for the company, also a special thanks to GSC and Style Magazine for this premiere screening on the 23 September 2010 at Pavillion :)

the lowdown:  A movie based on a 2006 memoir by an American author, Elizabeth Gilbert. The memoir chronicles the author's trip  around the world (Italy, India and Indonesia) after her divorce and what she discovered during her  travels, e.g: Italy - EAT, India - PRAY, Indonesia - LOVE.

The movie will be released in Malaysia on 30th September. I've read the book last year and I will try not to compare the two in my review.

Wanna know my review? Well, what are you waiting for? Come along!

inception

the lowdown: Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief, but not like any ordinary one. He is the master of extraction: stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. His job costs him everything he loved but this one last task might just give him his life back. Instead of stealing an idea, he and his team of specialists have to plant one. The only thing standing in the way is Cobb and his mysterious past.

what's the buzz?: Christopher Nolan has outdone himself. Inception is a fantastic mind boggling movie with a brilliant storyline, an all star cast, first class effects and of course, the important part of all: twist and turns, 'hold onto the edge of your seat, nail biting' SUSPENSE.

what's the fuzz?: A complex movie for sure. Some might feel it a bit too heavy. And if you miss something, you'll definitely miss the train.

roundup: A thought provoking movie with a multi-layered script. All the actor are amazing too. DiCaprio is a stand-out with the emotional weight of his character. Tom Hardy who plays Eames gives a breakout performance, a scene stealer with his witty lines and a smile. A well-composed score the perfect touch for this movie. I was mesmerized and captivated by this unique piece by Nolan.

p.s: You probably have to watch it twice, to understand it and let your mind wrapped around the very possible idea of the movie. A good debate indeed :D

rating: world class chocolate

enjoy!!

eclipse

the lowdown: Once again, Bella finds herself surrounded by danger. This time, a string of mysterious killing in Seattle and a vampire who wants take revenge on Edward by taking her life. In the midst of it all, Bella is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob, as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

what's the buzz?: The director, David Slade got it right. From the beginning, you noticed that the acting improved. The lines were less cheesy and the makeup was better. I like the scene in the tent with Jacob and Edward having a moment of understanding, which never happened in the first two movies. The action scenes were great between the Cullens, werewolves and the newborns. Besides that, the cinematography was breath-taking and the added bonus of Taylor Lautner and that body of his. :p

what's the fuzz?: The fight scene. Definitely a different method of killing vampires, especially when the head snapped and it sounded like glass shattering. The movie was a bit draggy with the love triangle and Bella's decision to be a vampire.

roundup: Definitely better than previous ones. Twilighters will definitely love this and non-fans will still not get the hype. And some will just see for hotties. Take your pick and enjoy the hype!

rating: durianic

despicable me

the lowdown: When a mysterious newcomer named Vector (voiced by Jason Segel) steals the Great Pyramid of Giza, Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell) decides to pull off the greatest heist EVER: stealing the moon! But, then he meets his greatest challenge in a form of 3 little girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes.

what's the buzz?: The tale of a villain and having his heart melt by adorable children is not really original. However, this movie blends these two things together perfectly with a dose of humour, action and plenty of heart in it. The star-studded voice cast handled their characters well. Most of them changed their voice which render them familiar. This is particularly refreshing with Julie Andrew casts as Gru's mother. Steve Carrell is pretty fantastic as Gru. Unique and very amusing. Even the look of Gru is cool with his nose so long like Pinnochio and hooked like Severus Snape. The three little girls were also cute especially the youngest one, with her Puss in Boots expressions. Even Russell Brand as Dr Nefario was an unexpected delight!

what's the fuzz?: Nothing that I can think of hand. I remember laughing my head off throughout the movie. LOL. Maybe Universal should start on a Minions sequel.

roundup: The plot has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. I love the adorable Minions with their antics, which kept things fun. Soundtrack was surprisingly great by Pharrell Williams. Despicable Me impresses with a great effort by Universal.

rating: fortune cookie

sneak peek:

harry potter and the deathly hallows

OMG, I can't wait for the last movie!!

Here's the first teaser..


and the full trailer.
enjoy :D

knight and day

Saw this movie with the whole family. some love it, some not so.
Here's the review, read up!

the lowdown: A chance encounter thrusts a woman named June Havens (Cameron Diaz) and a charming but lethal operative, Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) into a series of adventures across the globe. As if dodging assassins and uncovering world-changing secrets weren't enough, she must now figure out if he is a good guy, a traitor – or just plain crazy.

what's the buzz?: Knight and Day is an interesting thrill ride with Tom Cruise at helm. You soon forget his crazy antics these past years and jump right in with his character's Roy Miller. Cameron is great as her ever loving goofy self. Her transition from an insecure single woman to an ass-kicking sidekick was quite wonderful. The action scene, great comedic timing and breathtaking scenery makes this movie pretty satisfying.

what's the fuzz?: The chemistry between the leads was not as convincing. Luckily, the movie focused on all its energy on humour and action. Also it could have been a bit better with a shorter run time and maybe a stronger ending.

roundup: A good comeback from Tom Cruise. The leads at their most charismatic selves, charming each other and the rest of us.

rating: durianic

toy story 3

the lowdown: Andy is now 17 and ready to head off to college, leaving Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the toy-box gang to ponder their uncertain futures. When the toys are accidentally donated to the Sunnyside Daycare center they're initially overjoyed to once again be played with, but their enthusiasm quickly gives way to horror as they discover the true nature of the establishment under the rule of the deceptively welcoming "Lotso" Bear. Now, all of the toys must band together in one final, crazy scheme to escape their confines and return home to Andy.

what's the buzz?: I saw the first two Toy Story movies and I went to see this with high expectations. You know what? It totally lived up and maybe exceeded my expectations. A good film with the laughs, magic and best of all the entertainment. The new characters in the movie were engaging and really worked well in the movie. The best part of the movie has to be the ending, I was moved to tears. A rite of passage...We all went through it and to see it in animation is moving in itself.

what's the fuzz?: well, none. yup, it's that GOOD. :)

roundup: Toy Story 3 did what the first two movies delivered. The heart, the humour and the delightful cast of characters. This movie reveals our deep connections to our childhood and the things that allowed us to be free, and the wonderful ability to dream. It is a life lesson worth remembering, as Buzz Lightyear would say, "To Infinity and Beyond!" Guys, this is the go-to movie of the summer, and makes up for any disappointment you have seen this year or last.

rating: world class chocolate

the a-team

the lowdown: A remake on the 80s tv show A-team. four American soldiers who are in Iraq are sent on a mission to recover plates for printing 100 dollar bills that were used to print a billion dollars. After doing the job and returning to the base their commanding officer is killed in an explosion and the plates are stolen by another operative. They were sent to different prisons. 6 months later, the leader, Hannibal Smith is visited by a CIA spook who tells him he knows where the man who took the plates is and wants him and his men to recover it.

what's the buzz?: If you are looking for a light, funny and action packed movie, this is for you. It doesn't get much better than this. This film doesn't take itself too seriously, which is refreshing. The cast work well together and have a great team dynamic. Liam neeson brings the right combo of gruff and cool to Hannibal. Bradley Cooper is wise cracking and ever entertaining as Face, Sharlto Copley as crazy eyed Murdock, manages to steal each scene he is in. and Quinton Jackson, well his is B.A and that in itself is pretty fun!

what's the fuzz?: Well, it is trash. Trash of the most glorious, overblown, wonderfully-fun kind. Tongue planted firmly in cheek with the acknowledgment of not taking itself seriously. This is why you should leave your brain behind, or else you'll start wondering on how the law of physics works with all those ridiculous action.

roundup: Most of it's wonderfully-overblown, but in that great "Aw, that was cool" way, though the level of exaggeration which the climax reaches does start to stretch. All in all, my best advice is sit back, switch off, and enjoy the ride cos we really haven't had that for a while.

rating: laksamundo