raptor's Blog

Vampires vs Lycans vs Humans

2012-01-18T22:58:00.000+08:00

Selene fans rejoice as Kate Beckinsale finally returns to bring “cool” back to vampire-dom in Underworld Awakening.

In the successful franchise's fourth installment, the thousand-year-old vampire-Lycan (werewolf) war is given a new twist – humans have discovered the existence of the two species, and will stop at nothing to eradicate them both.

The world is also a very different place for Selene, having been captured and cryogenically-frozen by humans for 12 years. Thankfully, she hasn't lost any of her slick gun-blazing skills or trench coat-flapping coolness.

Easily the most action-packed of the series, Underworld Awakening also sees three-dimensional effects used to good measure in line with a pumping soundtrack to achieve quite a breathtaking experience. Storytelling however, seemed to have taken a back seat this time, with less exploration into the mythology and only a few new surprises in store.

Those unfamiliar to the franchise need not worry as a short prologue helps you quickly dive into the storyline. The squeamish however need not apply, as the movie is a neat no-holds-barred vampire-vs-Lycan gore-fest like previous installments. Fans who loved the previous films in the series should not miss more of their favourite blue-tinted uber-stylish fun.

4 out of 5 Stars

Chipwrecked Chipmunks

2011-12-08T01:51:00.000+08:00

Those helium-infused, furry little critters are back! Love or loathe them, there's no denying the success of the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise, which has grown from strength-to-strength with each installment, earning hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. With such a successful formula, it's only inevitable that the producers come up with yet another sequel - Alvin and the Chipmunks 3.

This time we find our favourite singing rodents on board a cruise ship with their manager/father figure Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Given Alvin's (Justin Long) notoriety for mischief, it wasn't long before havoc is wrecked.

The chipmunks (all six of them!) get blown off the ship via a kite and get 'chipwrecked' off a remote island. Things don't go too well for Dave either, who gets thrown overboard. And to make it worse, he's stuck with ex-producer and main protagonist Ian Hawke (David Cross) dressed in a pelican suit. Stuck on opposite sides of the island, they also encounter the peculiar cast away Zoe (Jenny Slate), who's been stuck there for far too long.

Being stranded on an island is actually quite refreshing to the storyline as he focus this time is less on the little critters competing and more on working together to survive and escape.

There are some good lessons learnt and plenty of laughs as we get to see some of the chipmunks in a different light. The chipmunks were clearly the star of the show and get quite a few numbers, albeit more contemporary than in previous films. Alvin and Brittany (Christina Applegate) develop a rivalry while there is a cute budding romance between Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Jeanette (Anna Faris).

Simon later switches to French alter ego "Simone" after being bitten by a spider while Theodore (Jesse McCartney) continues to get the most "awww"s from the audience due to his adorableness (especially when he's imagining Jungle Monster 4).

Dave and Ian do have a few good lines and certainly add well to the comedy. The two hold their own rather well, especially since there aren't many live-action actors. Zoe on the other hand, I found tremendously annoying. I'm not sure if her acting was awful or was she asked to act that way, but she was just a pain to watch, especially with her unfunny "balls" which were obvious references to Tom Hank's 'Wilson' in Cast Away.

Visually however, the movie was bright and colorful, with plenty of sea, jungle and beaches than you can shake a stick at. Wait till that climax suspense scene which seemed to have been hilariously added just to show-off some extra visual effects. The chipmunks themselves seemed to have gone through some enhancements too, as I fancy they were far more detailed this time around. With all that's going on, it's a little odd that this flick wasn't offered in 3D.

It isn't hard to see who the producers of the film were targeting. The story is inoffensive, the villains aren't too scary and the songs they sing are mostly chart-topping pop tunes that include 'Bad Romance' and 'Survivor'. You could even sense the dialogue is written in a way that will help younger viewers understand better. Children will lap this up easily while older folks might require further convincing.

Parents however will be relieved as there are fewer and fewer 'family-friendly' flicks these days. If you could ignore the occasional bad acting (come to think about it, the ship's captain was terrible!) and couple of roll-eye moments by the chipmunks, this is one fun-filled flick the whole family can catch without much trouble.

Stick around after the movie for plenty of extras during the credits.

2 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

Early Hangover

2011-12-07T21:33:00.000+08:00

Oh gosh, it's Valentine's Day all over again. Directed by the same guy (Garry Marshall), I figured they must have reshuffled the plot and gave it a new title. Heck, they even included some of the same cast and hoped we wouldn't notice. That was exactly my first impression upon laying my eyes on the trailer of New Years Eve. So was it a rehash of the said movie? Read on to find out.

Centering around the theme of New Year's Eve (obviously), we are introduced to people from various walks of life and how they face the looming start of a new year. We start off with pressure-ridden Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank), who needs to get the ball (which is unfortunately stuck for some reason) to drop at Times Square by midnight, or she'll have her job on the line. There's also Stan Harris (Robert de Niro), a terminally ill patient who's dying wish is to just see that same ball drop one last time, which unfortunately isn't allowed by his caretaker Nurse Aimee (Halle Berry). Performing at the New Year Ball, we have rock-star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) who's also seeking forgiveness from his past love Laura (Katherine Heigl), who happens to be the head chef for the exact same event.

Other than that there's disgruntled middle-aged Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) who hopes to complete her radical new year's resolution list with the help of her bubbly runner Paul (Zac Efron). At the same time overprotective mother Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) is dead-set on not letting her daughter Hailey (Abigail Breslin) go out to enjoy the festivities with her boyfriend. There's also a couple of soon-to-be-parents set on out-doing each-other to be the first to deliver a baby in the hospital in order to win a big cash prize. And guess what, that's not even the whole list of characters, which also include among others Ryan Seacrest, Ludacris, Russell Peters, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele and Josh Duhamel.

Feel like there's too much going on? Well that's precisely the case. The sheer amount of big name presence coupled with various scenarios may seem overwhelming at first, but as each one runs its course it isn't that hard to follow. Just like Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve runs numerous story-lines that cross upon one another. However despite the number of A-listers and Oscar winners, the movie comes as a tad predictable. You could sense the stars giving it their best shot, but there's only so much they can do with such limited material to work on. Some certainly work better than others. Ashton Kutcher was in character as a young new year-hating comic artist, but then again he's just doing what he does best. It was interesting seeing him getting stuck in a lift with Lea Michele's character. The competing-parents scenario was excruciating while the mother-daughter one will make your eyes roll.

Halle Berry and Katherine Heigl had favourable performances, only spoiled somewhat by their mismatched counterparts. I certainly liked Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron's story as the mismatched duo do various funny and oddball things to complete their list.

The theme of New Year's Eve is mostly love and compassion, but sadly none of the stories seem pushed to their full potential, resulting in a lack of impact. There were also a number of really funny parts during the film and it helped balance things up. And if there's one thing the filmmakers got right, it's the singing.

Having two singers in the mix, it'd be a crime not to have the two - Jon Bon Jovi and Lea Michele - sing a few numbers. And boy did they sing well. Too bad it's just not enough to save a film that is just a huge compilation of movie plots you've seen before.

New Year's Eve isn't a bad movie - it's sweet, but just rather average, like how Valentine's Day was. If you're in it just for the celebrities, then this is for you. But if you're expecting a good plot or storyline, best to look elsewhere. While there aren't many 'New Year' movies around, catch this only if there are no other rom-coms to bring your significant other to. If not, best wait for the inevitable DVD release.

2 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

Brewin' Lunch with Wyeen

2011-12-02T01:25:00.001+08:00

Had a nice and simple lunch with Wyeen at Chef & Brew recently as a belated birthday treat (also cause she hasn't tried it before teehee).

We both had pasta, hers was Turkey Ham Olio Spaghetti while mine was Smoked Duck Olio Spaghetti. Pretty good value for the price I must say.

Messed up the settings on some of the shots though (guess I haven't been shooting much lately).

Some had too narrow depth-of-field or wrong focus points (sorry Shneeps, but you still look lovely and photogenic as always, will take better ones next time aye)

Perhaps I should do a review of this place someday~

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

Happily Ever After?

2011-11-24T18:11:00.001+08:00

Fans are rejoice and haters seek cover as the fourth installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga is here. Wedding bells fill the air and smiles are everywhere as we finally bear witness to the long-awaited union of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Surely this must be the happy ending to the story? Well, far from it actually. In Breaking Dawn: Part 1, we learn that forever after is only the beginning...

I'm sure by now haters will just not bother while fans will be waiting to catch it irregardless of reviews. Twilight's film franchise has grown from strength-to-strength, and with favourable reviews for Eclipse, expectations are high for the adaptation of the final book, Breaking Dawn. Split into two sections due to its length, we will be treated to Part 1 first, followed by Part 2 next year.

So we start off with Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) finally tying the knot with a grand wedding as poor Jacob (Taylor Lautner) can only watch.

The newly-wed couple then go honeymoon-ing off Rio in Brazil and after exhaustive persuasion, Edward agrees to make love to Bella in her human form. All's fun and laughter until the impossible happens - Bella gets pregnant. The unborn baby then starts a chain of havoc. Edward and Jacob want to get rid of it quick as it may actually kill her by draining from within, while the Quileute wolf clan wish to kill Bella to rid off the fetus, which they believe is a demon that will unleash terror upon the clan and folks of Forks - ending the peaceful treaty they have with the Cullens. Yet Bella wishes to keep the baby, irregardless of the consequences. With all the tension mounting, how exactly will this end?

First off, this installment marks a departure from the TV-movie feel the film franchise had since the beginning. With improved cinematography, the movie looks and feels great. Fans wishing to know how the much-anticipated wedding scene turns out may sigh in relief as it is nothing short of beautiful. With the lush romantic setting, heart-tugging music and that oh-so-gorgeous wedding dress, it will bring many a tear to viewers.

In my opinion, it was good that they showed this highlight, as it contrasts well with the tense scenes that follow later. There were also many nods to the book (which fans will have fun spotting) and even a blink-and-miss cameo by Meyer herself.

Acting-wise, it's pretty much the same, although it's evident that the actors were getting more comfortable and confident in their roles now. Kristen Stewart deserves special mention here as it was pretty much her that keeps the film together this time.

The emphasis on Bella in Breaking Dawn - her nervousness in getting married, losing her virginity, facing pregnancy and determination to deliver her child no matter what - is all portrayed with such believability. And wait till you see how she looks when pregnant! I'm glad Stewart's finally getting the chance to truly spread her wings in this movie. As for Edward and Jacob, they seemed a little less restrained this time while the rest, particularly Charlie Swan (Billy Burke) and the gorgeous Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene) seemed to have been fully absorbed into their characters. I rather enjoyed the fact that the other humans, vampires and wolves received more screen time too.

There are also notably more laughs this time around and that quite balances the serious tone the film undertakes later on.

It should be warned too, that due to our censorship guidelines an important scene gets snipped... TWO scenes in fact. The second was cut-out almost entirely, so you'll be left trying to figure out what just happened, although I believe the ending pretty much explains it to you if you pay attention. There's really not exactly much of a choice here, but I really am curious as Breaking Dawn: Part 1 gets a PG-13 rating in the States, just as it does here.

The storyline on the other hand, or rather evident lacking of it in the middle, does affect the pacing a little.

The honeymoon chapter seemed never-ending, enough to even make you wonder if they stretched this in order to make two movies possible, but I was told that this was a part described in much detail in the book. Do check out the neat chess metaphor though.

Things also happen rather predictably, and if you've seen the trailer, you can pretty much know what to expect. Most is forgiven though, due to the brilliant second half, which blends tension with anticipation, coupled with the aforementioned performance by Stewart. It all leads up to an well-laid, heart-thumping ending which will leave you hungering for the next, and final installment of the saga. Bring on Breaking Dawn: Part 2!

And oh, stick around a while after the credits or else you'll miss the ending.

3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

3D Shark Feast

2011-11-16T15:02:00.001+08:00

Name a creature that makes you not wanna go into the water and I'm very sure the word 'shark' appears at least within the Top-3 of the list. So much is misunderstood about these beautiful creatures to the point that an average person believes every shark species will look at them as sushi. While much of this can be attributed to Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws', the latest shark-flick Shark Night 3D isn't planning to change that perception.

Shark Night 3D tells a tale of Sara (Sara Paxton) who has her friends over at her family's lake-side house to celebrate her friend Malik's (Sinqua Wall) good results with the help of protagonist Nick (Dustin Milligan) as his tutor.

So here come a whole bunch of good-looking individuals that even include American Idol finalist Katherine McPhee having a fun time at a remote lake-house.

Things go awry almost right away as they get attacked by various sharks (yup there's more than one breed) in the salt-water lake.

And of course their only method of escape gets blown up in the most spectacularly unlikely manner.

To add to the mess are locals Red (Joshua Leonard) and Sara's ex-boyfriend Dennis (Chris Carmack), who are just too disturbingly creepy to not be ruled out with having something up their sleeves themselves.

First off, it's no secret that the film is a B-grade Jaws rip-off... in 3D. Good thing it doesn't try to be something it's not. With a title like Shark Night 3D, you pretty much get what you expect (the film was almost called "Untitled 3D Shark Thriller).

There's the usual 'innocent-victim-gets-killed' intro (albeit pretty cliche by now), a pretty cast with minimal clothing, some killer sharks and you'll even easily guess who-dies-and-who-doesn't.

Too bad Piranha 3D did all this a whole lot better. For a water-based horror flick, there isn't much suspense, nor enough skin or gore for that matter.

It feels like a rather toned-down creature-flick even for a person who gets freaked out by horror films like me.

However, Shark Night 3D does have some good things going on for it. The bunch of unknowns playing the various characters were actually pretty decent in the acting department and also rather likable.

But it's just hilarious how the film-makers went to great lengths finding numerous ways to get these people into the water.

I also found it kinda funny that the resident nerd, Nick's gamer roommate Gordon (Joel David Moore) was actually hanging out with a group that looked like they belonged to modeling magazines.

And oh, Sara Paxton is just so totally hawt in every single scene (plus she's in a lil blue bikini almost the whole time).

The sharks were pretty alright too, having a variety of species instead of stereotypically just one was a nice touch - this included bulls, tigers (albeit oddly shown as sand-tigers instead), hammerheads and the all-famous great whites.

Some love were even given to the cookiecutter, a childhood favourite of mine (feel free to Google them up). Despite the occasionally-dodgy CGi, the use of 3D in this flick was pretty good, and many will give you jumps - debris fall onto you and sharks jump out of the screen.

And as an added bonus, if you're not a fan of Katharine McPhee, you get to see her get munched-up as shark-snack.

The story however, borders on the absolute ridiculous. The twist halfway is so nonsensical that makes you wonder if the film-makers were trying too hard explaining a shark-infested salt-water lake scenario.

This is made worse by some scenes that are just absurd, like how one guy is out hunting sharks just moments after he was seen almost dying from losing an arm, blood-loss and shock.

With a few changes and a slightly bigger budget, this could have been a much better film. The camera angles used were pretty alright, and often gave sufficient suspense to scenes. It is still a rather fun flick, after all how can you not enjoy watching hot young peeps turning into shark food in friggin' 3D?

And oh, do stick around till after the credits for an extra that's as ridiculous as the movie's plot.

3 Stars (out of 5)

When Time is Everything

2011-11-07T20:09:00.002+08:00

These days, our everyday lives are filled with monotonousness. Often it's the same deal working from day to day, earning our little salaries. Like they say money makes the world go around, right? But what if our everyday lives depended on something else... something a little more basic like... time? That's exactly the scenario in the action thriller In Time.

In In Time, the currency that makes the world go around is time. Yes time, the same one we stare at watches and clocks. You see, in the far future, humans are genetically-engineered to the point that they stop aging once they reach the age of 25. Basically meaning you'll get to look young and pretty forever. But that's also when your 'clock' starts.

You'll have to 'earn' your time like how we earn money, and every form of expense is in measurements of time. If your clock runs out, you die. Simple as that. Avoids overpopulation they say...

So Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is just your average joe with an insanely hot mum (Olivia Wilde) who lives his life day-by-day.

One day he unknowingly inherits a fortune's worth of time and is thus hunted by corrupted time police called 'Timekeepers'. Upon exploring his new-found 'wealth', he stumbles across rich tycoon Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser) and is introduced to his hawt... i mean rebellious... daughter Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried).

The two then later decide to turn full-on rebellious (oh, forgot to mention his hawt mum timed-out before he could share his century's worth of time) and go all Robin Hood with the time system.

Undeniably, In Time has a great idea going on. The concept of 'time is money' is utilised rather well, and we are shown how almost every part of our daily life is affected by it. However the film somehow loses it's way a little around two-thirds of the way and ends in a rather ambiguously unsatisfying manner. And is it just me or does everyone hybrid-converted drive vintage American muscle cars? Except our hero who instead drives a cool Jaguar E-Type which must be really ancient by that time. However the film it is still very enjoyable, as the mood, setting and action will keep you glued to the screen. Justin Timberlake was surprisingly not bad and Amanda Seyfried was simply stunning.

Perhaps they should have gone easy with the whole cat and mouse game, which gets tiring when the duo is chased by Timekeeper (Cillian Murphy) for the umpteenth time.

If you can ignore these little shortcomings, In Time is still a fun sci-fi flick with a creative concept and plenty of good-looking 20-somethings. And you can't go wrong with that.

3 Stars (out of 5)

Pocket Cili Padi

2011-11-03T02:07:00.000+08:00

Perodua's Myvi needs no introduction. Hate it or love it, the local compact hatch has been selling like hot cakes nationwide. But having a best-seller in their hands didn't mean Perodua rested on their laurels. In March, they discontinued the Myvi after a mere 6 years of service, replacing it with a second-generation model based on the new Toyota Passo/Daihatsu Boon. However, rumors were already circulating of a separate, higher engine-capacity model, with spy-shots to match. All those were put to rest with the launch of the new 1.5-litre range of the Myvi, which comes in two guises, the Special Edition (SE) 1.5 and the one I managed to test-drive, the Extreme 1.5.

The Japanese car that the second generation model was based on was more feminine as it was targeted at women. With its curvy roof-line and lamps, bench seating and cosy interiors, it would make many ladies feel at home.

I was lucky enough to have a feel of the Toyota Passo last year in Tokyo, and I admit it certainly fitted the 'cute and comfy' description. It was available in two specs - the cute 'Passo' and the slightly sportier 'Passo + Hana'.

However Perodua needed their car to be unisex in order to make the numbers, so unlike the previous generation Myvi, this time they did a rather thorough redesign of the car's exterior and interior. Gone was the look of the rear, replaced with a design echoing the previous model. Changed too was the rounded front, replaced with sharper-angled projector-based headlamps and grille.

In my humble opinion, the headlamps and grille of the 1.3L model didn't quite gel together and made it look like a cross between the Perodua Viva and the previous generation Hyundai Accent. The side mirrors get neatly-designed integrated signal indicators as well.

Out goes the bench seats, replaced with more conventional ones, and the dash takes on a totally different design, with the gear on the dash (for automatic transmission models) instead of the stalk in the Passo/Boon. The funky instrument panel is gone, but in its place is an Optitron unit not unlike something you'd find in a Toyota or Honda.

Onwards to the new 1.5L model. In keeping with the Malaysian demand for more power, the Myvi was further developed to incorporate a 1.5 litre engine and transmission. The 1495cc twin-cam DVVT-equipped 3SZ-VE engine is similar to the one found the Toyota-Daihatsu-Perodua stable like the Perodua Nautica, Perodua Alza, Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Gran Max to name a few.

You would have noticed that all the other vehicles listed are considerably heavier than the Myvi, which meant that the Myvi 1.5 would have the best power-to-weight ratio among them. This, coupled with electric steering (which doesn't sap power from the engine) should provide adequate 'oomph' to the vehicle. The exterior gets a slight revamp to differentiate the new model from its smaller-engined sibling. The front gets a redesigned bumper and a gunmetal-colored grille that actually gels better with the overall front design. The rear gets a new bumper too with an integrated 'diffuser' design. Dubbed the Special Edition or SE, it's easy to see the link with the previous model. The reviewed Extreme model however, gets further add-ons to the exterior, notably an aggressive lip extension up front...

...and more radical diffuser at the rear.

It also gets lower side-skirts, chrome door handles, additional side-moulding and an racier wing.

The rims on the vehicle on the other hand are minuscule 14-inch units (with equally skinny tyres) that are one-directional - meaning they roll backwards on the left side of the car.

The colors available are Majestic Yellow...

...Ebony Black...

and Ivory White.

Inside the Myvi Extreme 1.5 gets the full-black treatment for the dashboard and seats (now with leather covers) and also the same six-inch multimedia-ready LCD touchscreen as the 1.3 Elegance model.

The LCD unit on glossy piano black surface is a joy to use and has pretty decent touch sensitivity.

And if you wish you can also control the stereo via buttons on the neat leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Sound quality from the four speakers however isn't as good as the Clarion units in Proton. Like the previous-generation model, the tiny front speakers are only 4-inches wide! And on the dash, the Optitron unit now glows bright red to match the sportier nature of the car.

The door panels however get only fabric covers instead of leather and tacky silver mock carbon-fiber textures.

The car also gets full tinting for all windows, although I suspect it isn't really high end to reduce costs. Seat space is pretty good for its class, with adequate legroom in the rear due to improvements with the new model's configuration.

However, this comes at the expense of boot space in the rear, which is noticeably smaller than the previous model.

How is it like to drive the Extreme? Well, upon starting up the engine, the instruments 'glow' to life in a pretty cool manner, and I must say that gives a much upmarket feel to the car. Upon stepping on the pedal and accelerating, the boost in power is immediately felt, and the car feels rather zippy and eager to climb to 100kmh. However it should be noted that the car is still a Myvi and is no hot hatch. Hit the corners and the car leans quite a bit. The steering is light and smooth, but suffers slightly from the lack of feedback notoriously associated with electric steering. The ride is firmer (albeit still comfy) than before, but might still be 'floaty' to some. For a range-topping flagship model (especially with a name like Extreme), you'd expect Perodua to put at least a little more into the handling to better suit the sporty image and new-found power. Nevertheless, I'm sure tuning companies will be coming up with numerous upgrade packages for this model soon enough.

Overall the Myvi Extreme 1.5 is a pretty decent car for its class. The new 1.5-litre engine really makes its presence felt and will prove handy for when you need that little extra 'oomph' during city driving. While some may say the RM5k premium over the SE model might be pricey, I say for those in the market for a Myvi, it's a justifiable cost for the little extras that make a difference and that slight exclusivity on the road - there aren't as many Extreme units running as the SE... at least for now that is.

Perodua should however note that the Myvi is now entering competitive new territory, with it being closely-priced to offerings from fellow national car-maker Proton, like Satria Neo, GEN.2 and Persona, or even their own Alza. Some buyers seeking a better car might even opt to top-up a little and go for the sportier Ford Fiesta or Suzuki Swift instead.

The Myvi Extreme 1.5 price ranges from RM58,200.00 for a solid-colored manual to RM61,700.00 for a metallic-colored automatic. Waiting period ranges from 2 weeks to a month.

Painting the Streets Yellow

2011-10-30T15:46:00.001+08:00

Perodua has been running 'Lagi Power Lagi Best' roadshows around the country of late. Meant to help promote the latest addition to their stable, the Myvi 1.5, these roadshows travel from state-to-state and allow the public to get a closer look at the new model. I managed to check the roadshow out as they hit Bandar Puteri Giant in Puchong yesterday.

Taking roughly half-a-row of parking lots in terms of space, the roadshow certainly made its presence known to shoppers. The intention to have the public test drive the new model was immediately clear, with a fleet of little yellow cars lining up the lots, waiting to rumble.

I wasted no time giving the Myvi Extreme 1.5 a spin along the test route, after which I got some freebies. I was also asked to participate in a survey too, in which I got myself even more freebies after. Most were average merchandise although I liked the Myvi Extreme 1.5 key chain and 2-in-1 pen/pencil.

It was good that they did the survey, as it allowed me to voice out my opinions, after which might help improve future roadshows. I did notice the test route layout was rather lacking, as it was merely a simple journey past Columbia Asia Hospital into the inner parts of Bandar Puteri, a U-turn and back to Giant. It was almost entirely made of straights with no room to try out handling. They also asked me for my thoughts on the car, of which I gave plenty.

Other than the test drive, there were also games in which the public could win prizes (the same stuff I got from the test drive and survey) and sample units of the Myvi SE 1.5 and Myvi Extreme 1.5 for Malaysians to do their favourite new car test: body knocking and door slamming.

A number could also be seen making bookings of the car.

Getting the public to try the car out in a shopping area seems like a good thing, as not everyone is willing to check out the showrooms.

However, it would have been better if they gave more promotions like discounts or free gifts for those who came for the roadshow.

Speaking of the Myvi 1.5, expect a test drive report real soon!

PEACE and God Bless,
Aris Tee

Keeping the Number in Check

2011-10-29T16:18:00.000+08:00

What's a number to you? To some it may be age, while others is may be something simple like a cellphone number. But to Ally Darling (Anna Faris) in What's Your Number?, it's more than that.

You see, Ally's been getting a little desperate. With all the preparations underway for her sister's wedding, she stumbles across a magazine article on relationships and begins worrying about the fate of her own love life.

With an obscenely large number of past failed relationships (and some embarrassment), she decides to not increase that number and instead track down all her past loves to see if any have improved for the better. In the mess of things she also gets her hunky womanizer neighbour Colin (Chris Evans) to assist her with this.

What follows is a messy, raunchy and hilarious chain of events as she finds out that not every ex remains as you'd expect.

Immediately it was clear what the selling point of the movie was - the charismatic main leads. Admittedly, the two were instantly like-able, had good chemistry and were simply hilarious.

And the exes were also great in their parts, many of which will give you stitches. But even they couldn't help it if the flick has typical rom-com cliches. While the film has plenty of really funny moments and goofball jokes, it's the storyline that brings down the overall film.

Not to say that it's a bad film. Like most rom-com flicks, just bring your partner along, sit back, relax and enjoy it for some light-hearted fun.

3 Stars (out of 5)

I'm Back!

2011-10-18T14:58:00.000+08:00

Wow it's been a while. Have been on hiatus a little too long, mostly due to either being too busy or tired. But hope to get things back on track soon. Have some backdated stuff to post up soon. Watch this space :)

Star-Spangled Man with a Plan

2011-08-22T01:44:00.000+08:00

Marvel actually did it. I have always felt that Captain America would be one of their toughest characters to translate to the silver screen. With his bright colours and American propaganda roots, it would undoubtedly prove hard to market such a flick outside of the States. And after the brilliant work they did with Thor, surely it would be tough to repeat such success once again? Thankfully, Marvel Studios produced the miracle which was Captain America: The First Avenger.

Staying true to the source material wherever possible, the story takes place in the 1940s and we see Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) trying to enlist for the army for the 5th time. You see, Steve is quite a scrawny little chap, with a list of medical problems to boot, hence why he never gets the approval. But his genuine will to do good catches the attention of Dr. Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who gets him recruited for a secret American 'Super Soldier' experiment under the watch of himself, Colonel Chester Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).

The Colonel disapproves at first but slowly gives in, especially after seeing Steve perform an act of self-sacrificing bravery. So after an injection of special serum formula and a dose of 'vita-rays', Steve becomes the Captain America we know - a perfect example of the human form. But things aren't all rosy as they all have to worry about the growing threat of the Nazi Hydra division under the megalomaniac Johann Schmidt aka the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving).

The first thing you would notice upon watching this flick is how refreshing it is, especially with the sea of current lookalike sci-fi flicks. Every attention is paid to detail and you really feel like you've been transported to the forties.

The 3D is also worth a mention. Despite being post-converted, the effects blend well and enhance the experience rather than being distracting. The pacing throughout the film is rather good, and you'll get good doses of action yet storytelling never takes a back seat. There is an air of good old-fashioned superhero fun and also plenty of laughs. They even managed to fit in the Captain's classic costume and armor from the comics into the movie as a way of making the final suit look less ridiculous in live action.

And instead of toning down the patriotism aspect of the story, the producers went berserk and many scenes even feel like propaganda ads of that era. I believe this was a daring but good move, as it adds to the movie's unique feel. Believe me you'll be humming along to the Star-Spangled Man jingle, which was surprisingly composed by Alan Menken, who did quite a number of classic Disney songs. It was pretty neat how they presented Hydra's technology with a cool mix of modern and retro.

Overall they did a good job adapting the source material, as despite the sci-fi elements of it, it is still very grounded in reality and somehow you could just believe it could happen in real life.

I was sceptical at first when Evans was chosen for the lead role. I mean sure he was a cool punk playing the Human Torch, but Captain America was something different altogether. I'm glad he proved me wrong. Not only does he ooze a certain innocent charm, he was also likable and has wonderful chemistry with leading lady Atwell. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't use a human double for his 'skinny' role earlier in the film.

Special effects were used to 'shrink' his body, making him look frail and weak as his character should be. I must say it was done rather well. Atwell did well playing a tough no-nonsense girl, which made her relationship with the Captain perfect. And oh, it helped too that she was so friggin' gorgeous!

Fresh after his villainious role as Megatron, Weaving plays Red Skull with such ease (and funnily playing with a cube again).

From the accent to the facial expressions, he nailed the 'supervillain' role perfectly. If only they gave him more room to flex his muscles. Too bad they didn't fully utilize Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) either (he is the Cap's sidekick in the comics).

Tucci was great as well, showing a different side of his acting abilities. After seeing this and his previous stint in The Lovely Bones, I believe he is quite a versatile actor.

But it was Tommy Lee Jones who stole the show. Wisecracking at every opportunity and filling up the screen with charisma, he certainly made good use of every minute of his screen-time.

The storyline was pretty decent as well. Sure it might have plenty of cliches, but hey, you're looking at a source material that's more than six decades old.

Marvel did a good job with what they had, and if I had a complaint it'd be that it doesn't feel much like a complete tale. This is also partially due to the fact that (as most of you know, unless you've been living under a rock) this is the final movie that will link to the highly anticipated The Avengers movie. But hey, it's still a great watch, almost up there with Thor.

Fans will love spotting the neat nods to the comics (and the Marvel world as a whole) while casual moviegoers will simply enjoy how fun the movie is. Heck, even Tony Stark's dad Howard (Dominic Cooper) gets quite a big role here.

And yeah, like I say a million times, do stay behind after the credits. And I mean to the absolute end. It'll be worth it.

4 1/2 Stars

Animals to the Rescue

2011-08-16T00:35:00.001+08:00

Imagine yourself working in a zoo and you're bad when it comes to the love game. Bad as in REAL bad. So bad in fact, that the animals in the zoo wish to break their code to help you out. That's exactly what happens to Griffin Keyes (Kevin James) in Zookeeper.

You see, Griffin proposed to the love of his life, Stephanie (Leslie Bibb) in the most overblown way he could think of, expecting a happy ending. Instead he receives one helluva rejection and spends the next 5 years being upset about it. Then one day his brother Dave (Nat Faxon) proposes he quit his zookeeper job and join him at the car dealership (a job which he does surprisingly well).

Oddly enough, Stephanie once again appears in his life AND would love for him to work there. This of course worries the animals, who wouldn't want that as they consider him the best keeper they have ever encountered. So Donald the monkey (Adam Sandler), Joe the lion (Sylvester Stallone), Janet the lioness (Cher), Jerome (Jon Favreau) and Bruce (Faizon Love) the grizzly bears, Barry the elephant (Judd Apatow), Sebastian the wolf (Bas Rutten) and Molly the giraffe (Maya Rudolf) all decide to break the code and lend their 'expertise' to help their buddy nab the girl... again.

Zookeeper has quite some promise to it. After all talking animals are always a good thing, right? Well, yes and no. While it is fun seeing so many big names voicing various zoo creatures, if uninformed you wouldn't have been able to tell (I believe I make a good example, haha). But they were voiced well, spoiled only by occasionally dodgy mouth animation. But when they start teaching him numerous tips that they 'think' will work well, it's just... excruciating.

But enough on that, onwards to the story. Zookeeper has a rather predictable storyline that feels like it has been done to death, but with enough wacky turns to avoid it being a bore. Main character Griffin is easily likable thanks to James. You could sense he never really let go of Stephanie, yet something tells you she might just not be what he needs.

And he has a delightful friendship with Bernie the gorilla (Nick Nolte) who just longs to check out TGI Friday's.

His work buddy Kate (Rosario Dawson) wasn't too bad herself and the two have lotsa crazy fun.

Kudos however to Joe Rogan as Gale, Stephanie's hilarious bullying ex-boyfriend who becomes quite a menace to Griffin.

Expect laughs along the way as there are quite a number of hilarious gags and scenes, but often some of those jokes just fall flat. This inconsistency, in addition to the cliché storyline seems to be the biggest drawback for this flick.

Perhaps I'm just being over-picky but based in trailers I certainly was expecting more than what I saw. It should still be noted however, that Zookeeper is still fun for the family (especially young ones) as there aren't that many family flicks out at the moment. Catch this if there aren't any good flicks screening or if you have lotsa kids with you.

2 1/2 Stars

Rise of the Planet of the Apes TV Spots

2011-08-07T15:43:00.001+08:00

I have still yet to catch Rise of the Planet of the Apes and I must say the hype is killing me. I've been a fond follower of the franchise (yup, I actually enjoyed the Tim Burton one as well) and I'm really pleased how this one looks from the trailers. I've heard lots of good things from those who have caught it, so hopefully I'll be able to watch it soon. For the meantime here are two new TV spots of the film:

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Trailers

2011-08-07T15:11:00.000+08:00

Gleeks rejoice as hit television series Glee will hit the big screen soon in glorious 3D! I've been quite a fan of the series so I'm pretty excited to see how the producers will adapt it to film format, titled Glee: The 3D Concert Movie.

And oh, Sue Sylvester would like to say a word or two...

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

It All Ends...

2011-08-06T20:18:00.000+08:00

It's finally here, the end, the closing chapter of the epic film saga that spanned 10 years and 8 movies... The tale of a boy wizard who against all odds... survived. The saga concludes with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

The story picks up exactly where Part I left, and we see Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) possess the late Prof. Dumbledore’s (Michael Gambon) Elder Wand, further complicating matters for our young heroes – Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), who are still on a mission to find the remaining horcruxes, the key to the dark lord’s immortality. So the stage is set and the biggest, and final battle will commence.

Director David Yates didn’t hold anything back with this breathtaking conclusion to the Potter saga. However I do wish to mention that full enjoyment of this final chapter will require every ounce of your knowledge of the Harry Potter movies to date.

Every hole is filled, each question answered and almost every character from the previous instalments received some screen time. Here we can certainly see how much our young heroes have matured and grown into their roles; they are confident and convey plenty of emotion, you will find no problem connecting with them (Emma Watson is friggin' gorgeous... man, that kissing scene!).

There were plenty of excellent performances by the rest of the cast as well, namely Alan Rickman as Prof. Snape.

Here in the final instalment, he is given the chance to really flesh out his character, which I believe will delight many fans. Maggie Smith also continues her brilliant portrayal of Prof. Minerva McGonagall.

Nothing was spared for the effects as well, as the battle wages between the forces of good and evil. 3D was used well, and despite the film being post-converted into the third dimension, the effects were seamless and served to enhance the magical experience rather than be gimmicky.

It’s amazing how stuff blends in, like the dragon the trio ride early in the film, to the epic final battle between Harry and Voldemort, which sees much destruction to the beloved wizardry school of Hogwarts.

But despite the spectacle of the effects, it was always the story of the saga that was the core of the franchise. And this movie is no exception.

(Slotting another pic of Emma *wink*) Tragic revealed secrets will astonish you, character deaths will shock you and seeing key elements from other instalments either getting destroyed – especially after the incredible journey we’ve experienced with them – will fill you up with emotion.

I found myself tearing during the final moments of the film, seeing many characters I have grown to love and care for in the years fall in battle.

It has indeed been an amazing journey. And yeah, the much talked about additional scene at the end – like the books, will have you smiling like a dork.

Summing up 10 years of amazing movie adaptation, this is without doubt, how you close a saga.

4 ½ Stars

The Moon's Dark Secrets

2011-07-25T10:42:00.001+08:00

Our favourite warring autonomous robotic organisms are back as we take a third dive into the movie-verse world of Transformers in Dark of the Moon. The previous instalment of the franchise was seen as a bit of a mixed bag among critics and fans, and director Michael Bay has taken the blame, citing the movie as a writers’ strike casualty. He then assured that his team has put together a leaner, darker and better film than its predecessor. I certainly must say he wasn't kidding.

The film opens up with an epic 3D sequence that is worth the admission price alone. Bay finally gives the fans what they want to see - warring robot factions battling it out on Cybertron during the final days of the war. Through the voice of Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) we are introduced to the Autobot ship, the Ark - said to be carrying a secret cargo and their final hope to end the war only to see it lost into the vastness of space - and presumably ages later - onto the dark side of our moon. The film then cuts to the space race of the 1960s, where it is revealed that President Kennedy commissioned NASA to put a man on the moon as a cover-up to the fact that they needed to investigate the crashed vessel. What secrets does this vessel hold and will the Autobots figure it out before the Decepticons do?

The gang is back for more as we see our beloved team of robots and humans (sans Megan Fox) try to figure out what the Decepticons are up to. Adding to the already stellar human cast are newcomers Frances McDormand as Director Mearing...

...Alan Tudyk as Simmon's assistant Dutch....

...John Malkovich as Sam's boss Bruce Brazos...

...Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould and Ken Jeong as Jerry Wang. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the other hand, plays Sam's new love interest Carly Spencer (Carly was Spike Witwicky's blonde girlfriend and eventual wife in the cartoons).

Joining the fun this time are Decepticon fan favourites Laserbeak, Shockwave (Frank Welker)...

...and more screen time for Soundwave (also voiced by Frank Welker) in a kick-ass earth alt mode. On the Autobots' side we have Mirage/Dino (Francesco Quinn)...

...Wheeljack/Que (George Coe), Brains (Reno Wilson) and the Wrecker team consisting Leadfoot (John Di Maggio), Roadbuster (Ron Bottitta) and Topspin.

To put the cream on the cake, we have Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy playing Sentinel Prime, the former leader of the Autobots and mentor to both Optimus Prime and Megatron (Nimoy also played Galvatron in the 1986 Transformers animated movie).

And oh, they even threw in Buzz Alrin (the second man on the moon) in too, just because they can!

The storyline this time around is considerably darker than previous instalments of the franchise, and has a better structured plot with conspiracies, betrayals and revelations. I must admit it was certainly unpredictable with numerous twists in the story as the movie goes.

In keeping with the darker theme, the stakes are higher we see cities being destroyed, numerous people getting blasted into bits and a number of character executions.

It might come as a shocker at first but I believe it added to the realism of the war. Transformers fans would immediately notice key elements in the story were taken from the cartoons and comics, which I believe was a neat touch and nice nod to the franchise. Stuff like the Matrix of Leadership...

...Optimus Prime's trailer...

...and a certain scene of Megatron (Hugo Weaving) sitting in the Abraham Lincoln statue's chair had members in the audience cheering.

In fact, the core of the story seems taken from G1 episodes "The Ultimate Doom" and "Megatron's Master Plan".

The addition of new characters (both human and robot) also added some depth to the story and it seems there is more overall interaction this time around.

Finally you feel the Transformers were actual characters instead of mere eye-candy. Soundwave and Laserbeak were scene-stealers and I really never saw it coming (not gonna spoil it for you). And surprisingly Wheelie (Tom Kenny) and Brains make a funny and cool duo.

Nimoy was simply stellar as Sentinel Prime and Cullen was at his prime (pun intended) voicing Optimus. Having big names like Malkovich, McDormand and Dempsey was a good thing too, as they had such enjoyable acting.

Huntington-Whitely was not bad as well, considering it was her acting debut. Sure she might not be as hot as Megan, but she carries herself with such class and has that killer British accent you'd just forgive everything (not to mention how freaking hot she looked stepping out of a Mercedes Benz SLS AMG).

I just wished they'd explain Mikaela Banes' disappearance better. I mean, after all the trouble she went through in Revenge of the Fallen, would she simply dump Sam like that? C'mon!!

Now about the use of 3D... I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again, Transformers was a movie franchise PERFECT for 3D. Filmed using similar Cameron-Pace 3D fusion camera systems as used in Avatar, the 3D effects of this film are among the best I’ve seen yet.

Bay didn’t hold back with his new ‘toy’, we see dust, shrapnel, liquid, sparks, robot parts and even Soundwave’s sonic blasts fly off the screen!

Battling bots are thrown into the audience, ships weave in-and-out of tight spots and transformations with shifting plates of screeching metal look simply insane in the third dimension.

Mark my words, very often you will find yourself yelling "whoa!" or "oh shit!" out loud during the movie. And do I have to mention how sexy cars look in 3D?

I must say Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz joining the fray is certainly most welcome as their shiny vehicles stole every scene they were in. This movie has to be seen in 3D, no exception. And that much-talked about climatic showdown in Chicago? Well, let’s just say only a director like Michael Bay can get away with having an hour’s worth of non-stop cinematic destruction on the big screen.

The amount of detail that goes into the effects this time round is beyond belief. It's amazing how clearly you could make out expressions on the robots' faces.

You could see stuff like little kinks in the bots’ armor as they battle...

...the seamless-ness of them morphing into their vehicle modes...

...and the absolutely astounding way the filmmakers destroyed Chicago. No longer were the Transformers having mere battles. This time it was an all-out alien robot invasion. Massive swarms, spacecraft, motherships, the full works... It was a no-holds-barred war.

Having given the snub twice at the Oscars, I believe Industrial Light and Magic gave their absolute best for Dark of the Moon in retaliation. The level of realism was first class and I believe there will be outrage if they do not nab the ‘Best Visual Effects’ award next year.

Worth mentioning too is the soundtrack of the film. Steve Jablonsky once again provided the magical touch and while it carries certain elements from previous instalments of the franchise, the overall sound and mood has a distinctly different feel to reflect the different tone of the movie. It adds a lot to how certain scenes were played; you feel the pain during sad moments, fear whenever Shockwave is around or joy when there is a moment of triumph.

Perhaps one of the most memorable is the theme that plays from the Ark chase up to the moon discovery at the beginning of the film. Linkin Park on the other hand provides the theme ‘Iridescent’ which like Jablonsky’s work has a different sound for Dark of the Moon.

On the complaints side, there were still a number of lame jokes, although I must say most have been toned-down a notch. Even Simmons (John Turturro) is less crazy as before, in keeping with the seriousness of the movie's theme.

The worst example was possibly Jerry Wang, which was unnecessarily creepy and disturbing. At the same time, it does feel like Bay might have cut some parts of the movie (possibly to decrease the length?). Stuff builds up at Chernobyl and you know Shockwave (with friggin' huge driller) is set to have a huge battle with Optimus (who has his energon sword and shield up) and the next thing you know, he's gone. I'm very sure I heard a few "ehhh?"s among the audience. Another gripe would be too much emphasis on humans instead of the robots (just like the previous instalments), but I believe the balance is a little better this time. And if you've been following developments, you'd know that the 'twins' Mudflap and Skids were originally in the script but were cut out. However in one short scene you could actually spot their Chevy Spark alt modes.

Michael Bay has repeatedly stated that Dark of the Moon will be his final Transformers movie. If indeed this is the final movie, I believe it ended quite abruptly and still had quite a number of loose ends, which is a pity, given how well crafted the opening was. It felt as if too many characters were written-off, some had no conclusion and perhaps more could have been done to close the chapter on one of the most technologically breathtaking movie franchises of recent times.

While he did attempt to make it real tough for any other director to continue the franchise, I doubt this will be the last we see of Transformers in the big screen.

Overall, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is quite the cinematic experience it promises. Combining cutting-edge visuals, emotional drama and the right amount of nostalgia, it certainly has raised the bar for action movies. So whatcha waiting for? Rush now to the nearest cinema and catch in 3D, and if you already have, go for repeats. Trust me, you’ll discover something new each time due to the immense amount of detail.

This is the reason we watch 3D summer blockbusters, and they certainly don’t come better than this!

4 ½ Stars

Monaco Switch

2011-07-10T00:42:00.001+08:00

I admit I was never a fan of Selena Gomez (aka Bieber's girlfriend). So when I heard of this new movie that she's acting in I was naturally gonna avoid it like the plague. But you know what? I'm kinda glad I didn't.

You have to thank the trailers for that, which made me realise this could be kinda fun. Loosely-based on Jules Bass' Headhunters novel, Monte Carlo tells a tale of three young girls on a trip to Paris and somehow getting tangled in an identity mix-up. Grace (Selena Gomez) is an unpopular student working as waitress while waiting for her graduation. She looks forward to her holiday trip to Paris with the money she's saved up during those torturous years of study in college. Accompanying her was her BFF Emma (Katie Cassidy) and much to her dismay, her step-sis Meg (Leighton Meester).

Their initial excitement over their trip of a lifetime is quickly dimmed as it turns out they picked possibly the worst tour in all of the French capital. The hotel is a rat-hole and their tour bus seemed like it wanted to speed off without them. And hey, it eventually did! But the fun begins after, as in the mess they stumbled across wealthy socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott (also played by Selena Gomez), who looks exactly like Grace, albeit more snobbish and spoiled.

In a funny twist of events, Grace gets mistaken as Cordelia and gets carted off to Monte Carlo (and oh, the other two get tagged along as well) for a charity ball. What follows is an entertaining mix of drama, comedy and romance as the three girls get tangled with royalty, first love and impersonation.

I must say that Gomez surprised me. I expected to be annoyed but she was quite likable.

While her character Grace was more of a girl discovering herself (perhaps a lil similar to her actually), it was her role of Cordelia that really shone. With her snobbish British accent, stuck-up attitude and constant fits, you could tell she was having a ball of a time with her role. Cassidy was crazy as the wild, fun-loving opportunist who eventually learns a thing or two about reality away from boyfriend/fiance Owen (Cory Monteith).

On the other hand Meester's character starts off annoying but ends up being rather charming, especially after she meets Australian backpacker Riley (Luke Bracey).

Without spoiling you on the details, I'll just mention that there's loads of fun, some heartbreak, and plenty of lessons learnt (not to mention landing in hot soup!).

Unfortunately, a film with a cliche central plot is eventually going to follow the inevitable predictable chick-flick route towards the end. And it's a sad thing really, as the characters were quite likable.

However, the movie has quite a number of twists and good messages that keep it from being a total cliche. And there were also some scenes that just dragged on way too long and could've been trimmed shorter.

But fear not as every hilarious scene of Cordelia with her bitchy, snobbish self compensates for any setbacks this movie has. In fact I believed there should've been more of her!

And you'll find yourself laughing whenever the girls get into various sticky situations throughout the movie. The filmmakers also spared no time showing the beauty of Paris and Monte Carlo. It was such a joy watching the gorgeous cities and lush scenery.

So what's there to not like? A tale of three pretty girls, with three equally pretty guys (it's ridiculous when you think about the possibility of so many gorgeous people falling for each other!)... I mean, even the prince looked like a model!

I found myself laughing along and actually enjoying it. And yeah, you'd probably learn a thing or two as well. As for Selena Gomez, I guess she's not so bad after all... :P

3 Stars

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night...

2011-07-05T18:12:00.000+08:00

The summer superhero onslaught continues with the live-action adaptation of DC's The Green Lantern.

Here we see Ryan Reynolds donning the famous green suit in which some may ask, "Ryan as a superhero?" Well, I guess many have already erased from their minds his previous superhero stint as the awful adaptation of Deadpool (oh God!) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Anyways the Green Lantern might be less-known than DC's more famous stars like Superman and Batman, but anyone familiar with comics and the Justice League should know about this chap. The film adaptation marks a serious attempt by DC to pit their superheroes (other than the famous duo) against Marvel's Avenger movie onslaught.

The film is essentially an origin story and sees how fighter pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) gets chosen by the ring and becomes the Green Lantern.

We are also introduced to the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic group of beings (all chosen by rings) who help defend the galaxy from evil. You see, times are bad and the galaxy is in peril because of an escaped entity of fear called Parallax, a powerful being once imprisoned by the great Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison). With the Corps seemingly unable to defeat Parallax without Abin Sur (who before his death sent his ring to find a successor, which turned out to be Hal Jordan), all hope seems to lie on our little new Green Lantern (who also happens to be the first human to get this privilege).

And oh, I forgot to mention that the ring enables its user to turn any thought as a weapon.

If this all sounds like a lot to swallow, well, it is. The movie tries to cram most this within the the first 15 minutes of the movie and it might be an overwhelming information overload for those unfamiliar with comic characters or superheroes in general. But it's still quite a ride. The action is entertaining and there are plenty of neat details like how Hal's suit seems 'alive' and glowing. The various weapons he uses are also real cool, although occasionally bordering on the cartoonish. The filmmakers also did a splendid job on the Corps home planet of Oa, which appears rich and vast. And boy did they do a good job showing the diversity among the Lanterns.

You could see plenty of budget was spent on the effects and action scenes for the movie. However you might wish that more attention be spent on the plot and characters. The motivation for lead guy Hal for instance, wasn't really fleshed out much and some might even wonder why the ring chose him.

Indeed there are parts like how his dad's death while flying affects him but I felt he needed a more concrete reason to rise up and be the green hero everyone needs.

But Reynolds does a decent job portraying a conflicted reluctant hero who rises to the occasion and also brings in good laughs (some were unnecessary though).

The film has quite an assortment of other characters that add color to the story as well, like the great Corps leader Sinestro (Mark Strong), fellow Lanterns Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush) and Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan).

While nicely adapted (an voiced) for the big screen, I couldn't help but feel they weren't fully utilised. And 'The Guardians' reminded me of Mojo Jojo for some reason. Peter Sarsgaard on the other hand, did quite well as Hector Hammond, the revolting creepy guy who has quite a disturbing obsession over Hal's love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Livey).

And oh, Lively makes nice eye candy, but is terribly under-used.

Parallax however, looked like space diarrhea and reminds everyone why super-villains like these don't work well on the big screen (Galactus in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer anyone?). But to give him some credit, scenes of him sucking the fear out of his victims was disturbing and nicely done.

Overall The Green Lantern might have its flaws, but it isn't a bad movie. In fact it's quite entertaining. Just treat it like what it's meant to be (a summer flick), grab your popcorn and you'll have a fun ride. It's just a little unfortunate that it comes out right after X-Men: First Class. Don't watch expecting it to be the next The Dark Knight and you'll enjoy it.

PS: Stay back after the credits until the movie title appears for an extra scene that fans will certainly be able to associate with.

3 Stars

First-Class Act

2011-06-22T20:15:00.144+08:00

Wait, another X-Men movie?? Well, after the disappointments of X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, you could be forgiven if you gave up all hope on the X-Men movie franchise. Add to that a trailer which screams "meh" in 10 languages and it's hard to be positive about this. But hold your horses as this latest installment may indeed... surprise you.

The movie acts as a prequel to the X-Men movie trilogy and centers mostly around the two big guns, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) and of course their alter-egos Professor X and Magneto.

Acting as an origin story, the movie reveals how their relationship started and how their mutant groups (the X-Men and Brotherhood of Mutants respectively) were formed. Taking place during the Cuban Missile Crisis, it also serves as an interesting alternate take on history. It also introduces to a number of interesting young mutants, both young and old and also a central villain from the comics, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon).

I know some were concerned about mutant fighting, which was seemingly scarce in the trailers. Well rest assured, as there is indeed plenty in this flick and I must say the best is left off the trailer.

The pacing of the effects used is rather good, giving an impression of realism, although I admit the quality of CGi is somewhat inconsistent. There are however, a few scenes that will still make your jaw drop. The 60's setting is nothing short of refreshing, and it adds a whole new feel to the franchise. The makers sure put a lot of attention into detail, with vehicles, clothing and even hairstyles associated with the era faithfully applied. Not forgetting the fact that we are seeing younger versions of our favourite mutants, notably Xavier with hair! (there's even a joke about it)

And there's even room for some mutant romance...

But believe it or not, the strength of this X-Men flick lies in the acting. With such concrete performances by the two main leads, you can't help but feel the emotions running through their characters. You'll feel and care for them, you understand their struggles and their opposing views.

This also applies to the most of the pack too, like Beast (Nicholas Hoult) or Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).

Kevin Bacon on the other hand makes such a wonderfully evil villain you'll just love to hate him.

Overall, X-Men: First Class successfully saved the X-Men movie franchise and with its wonderful package of drama+action+romance+laughs makes for a nice watch. Personally I'd prefer if more time were given to Charles and Erik's search for the mutants as I believe it should have spanned years at least. But I'm just nitpicking.

If the makers can keep the quality of acting as consistent as this one it'll be a blast watching future installments (yup, a trilogy is proposed!). Plus, it was also nice to see Professor X and Magneto on the same side. I guess the return of Bryan Singer (X-Men and X-Men 2) teamed with Matthew Vaughn (of Kick-Ass fame) sure made an awesome combo. If you haven't caught it, you simply should!

4 Stars

PS: Watch out for a hilarious brief cameo by Wolverine!

Struck

2011-05-16T02:05:00.003+08:00

Funny how things turn out. I remember how I used to blog loads, like once a day or even twice at times. Seems like work really took its toll on blogging. Even with a new job and (somewhat) more time in my hands, I still don't write as much as I do. Perhaps it's the 'mood' I need to get into? Nah, I think not. I'm pretty sure I can put what's on my mind into words. Oh look I just did. Wonderful.

Having a blog isn't as personal as how it once was. But yet I'd like it to remain personal. After all that's what blogs are. Thoughts, opinions, memories. It's a way of expressing myself, and I guess it might help one keep sanity. Anyways been trying to keep myself feeling upbeat. I wonder how much of this smile can actually fool people. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm jolly most of the time, but there really are moments where I feel frustrated and tired. I'm not even sure of the reason. And I'll just put on this mask so that I don't worry anyone.

Work? Well, I seem to be coping relatively alright... still much to learn. There are times I feel like cracking my head due to the stress, yet at others I feel a sense of achievement when I complete a tough task. Writing? I sure seem to miss doing what I like. Covering events, launches or reviews... they were stuff I was passionate about. I admit putting them behind was pretty tough. But not wanting to stop writing was what made me revive this blog. I love doing this. Even if nobody reads, there's a sense of satisfaction in doing something you love. It also keeps my mind off things.

Like there's this adorable girl, well, I dunno what to say. Despite just only getting to know her recently, I feel there's a sense of warmth whenever she's around. Maybe it's just the funny little things she does, the zany replies she gives, or simply her fun personality. She can be all cool at times, yet goofy at others. She ain't perfect, she even says at times that she has a lazy trait or is often like a guy. And boy is she feisty when mad. Honestly I don't mind at all, it adds to her charm. She's real and she doesn't pretend to be someone she's not. She's opinionated, has an rockin' taste in music and she often tries to be independent. I admit I find all those traits of hers rather attractive. And there are also times that she seemed stressed, and I really wish I could take the burden off her back. She makes me happy just by being around, and it would make me happier if I could do the same for her. Sometimes I wish she's open up a lil, but I wouldn't wanna be pushy at the same time. Nothing worse than getting her annoyed instead. Hoping to know her better, cos honestly, its not everyday you find a girl this special.

Ah crap, I'm just typing random stuff here. Maybe I shouldn't have typed all that. Oh gosh >_< And what I've actually typed that much? I was gonna have my reviews for Fast Five and Thor up but I just couldn't find the momentum. Hopefully it'll come to me soon. But it sure felt good to let out stuff in text again for once, in a blog entry, like how things used to be. Ah man I need to get my lose weight & get fit plan up and running. Ah shit I'm actually starting to blabber again. But I'm serious about my plan. Gonna make it work yo~

Aites, gonna go surf youtube or surf some shit like Cracked.

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

This Priest Kicks Butt

2011-05-14T23:18:00.001+08:00

The 'V' word is almost taboo these days. Yup, I mean vampires. Ever since those popular sparkly ones from the novels jumped into the big screen, anyone attempting to make a movie featuring them is seen as jumping into the vampire bandwagon. So what is this we hear of yet another vampire-themed movie? Well, rest easy as 'Priest' is not your run-of-the-mill vampire flick.

Loosely adapted from the manhwa (that's Korean manga for those who don't know) of the same name, Priest takes place in an alternate world where humans and vampires have been at war for centuries. The war ravaged humanity and left it on the brink of extinction. Resorting to enclosed cities under the all-ruling Church, humans lived in fear, until hope was found in the form of 'Priests'. These weren't your usual holy priests; they were armed to the teeth and trained in the art of vampire hunting. And they had crosses tattoed onto their faces, signifying their badass-ness.

Needless to say, they helped turn the tide. But everything changed once humanity won, as these 'heroes' are forced to blend back into society. And all this was told in an extremely cool animated prologue.

In fact the prologue was so cool, you really wished the entire movie was in that style. But hey, Priest was still really cool nevertheless. The story centers around a former warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) who stays unnamed throughout the movie, and is referred to simply as... Priest. So okay, the poor dude's niece Lucy gets kidnapped by vampires and fearing that she'll be turned into one of them, he consults the Church for permission to hunt, of which he is denied in order to maintain their solid 'safe haven' status. What is a man to do?

While it does seem like a revenge-based slaughter-fest movie at first, there is more to the story than it seems. And oh, the vampires aren't the ones you'd typically associate with. They don't dress in suits and they don't even have eyes. In other words, pretty original, terrifying yet refreshing take on the blood suckers. They do however, remind you a little of those creepy human-munching monsters from The Descent. And humans who get bitten don't become vampires. Say what? Yup, you read that right. Instead they become these creepy pale beings called 'Familiars', that are pretty ugly too.

The actors did pretty good in their roles, Bettany was his usual badass hero self (similar to Legion, which featured the same director) while Maggie Q was equally awesome as a butt-kicking Priestess (what's with these Priests and their lack of names?).

Cam Gigandet was alright as Lucy's boyfriend Hicks (kinda funny though that he's moving from one vampire flick to the next) while Karl Urban was brilliant as hybrid main villain vampire Black Hat. True Blood's Stephen Moyer on the other hand makes a short appearance as well. Personally I felt a little more depth into the minor characters would have done more good.

The film's setting is one of its biggest assets, with a futuristic, post-apocalyptic-western fusion that works really well with the story. The Priests remind you a lot of the Jedi in Star Wars, with their whole 'unwanted former heroes' saga. And again like the Jedi, they even wear really cool hoods and wield special powers. However, they ride even cooler nitrous-equipped jet-powered bikes that are so ridiculously awesome that you'll actually want one.

The fighting scenes are one of the highlights, with some Shaolin influence kicked in (wait for a scene that involves a couple of rocks). These fights were mostly rather well-choreographed and appeared really stylish. One of my biggest concerns for the movie was having director Scott Charles Stewart at the helm, of which his previous movie Legion I found rather lacking. Sure he might have vision, and a knack at making really cool scenes, but he seems to run out of steam once he gets the ball rolling. The trailer of Legion made us expect much more than what the movie gave, and it seems somewhat similar when it comes to Priest. However, Priest is a way better movie, and far more entertaining. There were plenty of scenes that'd make you go "whoa that's so cool". And on the use of 3D, well, Priest was post-converted from 2D (which explained the delay in release). The added depth was nice and added to the experience, but was nothing to shout about. You wouldn't miss much if you caught the normal version. I just wished there were more vampire vs Priest fights to showcase how awesome these warriors were, and perhaps a little more humor to ease up the seriousness. But hey, I ain't complaining, Bettany was cool, and Maggie Q was hawt.

I found myself enjoying it, but it could have undeniably been more. But if the ending was anything to go by, it seems that we'll be seeing an expanded story if this flick does well in the box-office. Which I pretty sure hope it does.

3 1/2 Stars

Popeyes Pay Day

2011-04-30T16:58:00.000+08:00

Yo peeps, I'm sure most of you should be excited by now and you know why? Cause Labour Day's here again! Yay! Well, okay, some of us (like me! sobs~) still have to work but that doesn't mean you can't make yourself happy with a treat. Most of us should be getting our pay by now and what's better than getting your pay at the end of the month? Well, getting another pay from Popeyes!

Okay, that was quite a silly pun. But yeah Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen would like to lessen the load of spending all your income on Labour Day with their Pay Day special promotion. That's right, on May 1st and May 1st only, you can purchase five pieces of their signature Bonafide chicken for only RM8.99, instead of the usual price of RM15.45!

Pay Day special is actually something Popeyes does each year in all its stores in the States since 2009, and it has drawn great response year after year. And since it's only on for one day, don't miss out on this at any of their nine outlets... I'm serious!

For those unfamiliar with Popeyes, it'll be interesting to know that their chicken are hand-battered and marinated for 12 hours, ensuring all the Louisiana seasoning, flavour and authentic Cajun spices are sealed into the goodness you get from each bite. Those who have tried the chicken would know that its not as oily as most fast food fried chicken and there's that slight kick of flavour. Many would agree with me that the chicken shouldn't be eaten with ketchup or chilli sauce as it disrupts the flavour of the chicken.

Before I end the post I'll leave you to photos of some of their other offerings in order to tempt you further (evil laugh!). Feast your eyes upon:

Delicious Fish Rice Bowl

Juicy Shrimp

Addictive Cajun Fries

Succulent Fish

Mash Potatoes (with chicken bits!) & Coleslaw

Yummy Chicken Tenders

And of course their famous Biscuits

Feeling hungry yet? So remember peeps, Pay Day @ Popeyes is available from 10.30am-10.30pm on May 1st, which is just tomorrow... Go treat yourself, cause you know you deserve it! ;-)

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Taman Tun Dr Ismail - 03-7710 1198
Sunway Pyramid - 03-5631 2476
Mid Valley - 03-2287 7372
Wangsa Walk - 03-4142 8423
Klang Parade - 03-3344 5685
e@Curve - 03-7724 2630
Selayang Mall - 03-6137 0378
The Mines Shopping Fair - 03-8941 7812
Jalan Yap Kwan Seng - 03-2161 2318

Here We Go Again...

2011-04-28T20:08:00.001+08:00

Yeap peeps, the Coca-Cola glasses are back at McDonald’s! And this time they come with an exclusive new “can” design. The first color, 'Charcoal' is out today and I was among the earliest to go grab one. On how popular it was... well, let's just say I had to queue for it... IN MY CAR!!! Yeap, there was a friggin' long queue in the drive thru when I was trying to get it. Hope I'll be able to complete the collection. Whatcha waiting for? Go grab them at McD's now!

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

Never Too Late to Scream

2011-04-26T01:57:00.002+08:00

Fear is a fascinating thing. Even more fascinating is the fact that for some unexplainable reason, people just love to feel scared. Hence the spawning of the lucrative horror movie genre. These days filmmakers are finding ever more ways to scare the living daylights out of their audiences. From these movies come sequels, prequels, remakes and spin-offs, proving you simply can't put a good formula down. Enter Scream 4 (aka SCRE4M), the forth installment from the rather successful Scream franchise. A slasher franchise which has not seen a sequel in 11 years. The filmmakers say it helps bring Ghostface it to a new generation of audiences. Some argue it is a ploy to generate some quick bucks. Others believe there is no longer a place for it in the horror movie scene. I say the result might surprise you.

Scream 4 isn't afraid of making fun of itself, and/or the horror genre altogether. the film starts of with a number of false starts that poke fun on cliches of the genre, summed up with the 'Stab' movie-in-a-movie franchise. After all the teasing the movie flows seamlessly to an actual killing from the story. That moment will have you thinking, "Damn, Ghostface still has it in him".

Set in real time after the events of all the previous chapters, the film once again centers around Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who has since become quite a celebrity after getting herself back together and writing a book on her experiences.

But 11 years is never too long a time as the Ghostface killer returns once again to haunt her (and slaying a new generation of pretty teens while he's at it). Also returning are Dewey Riley and Gale Weathers, played by real-life husband-and-wife David Arquette and Courteney Cox.

Those new to the story include Jill Roberts (Emma Roberts) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere). There are also cameos by Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell.

In keeping with the times and the new decade, the killer this time doesn't follow the rules, like not killing gays or virgins, making it things more unpredictable. New twists include filming killings and streaming them live over the internet, but Ghostface is still traditional when contacting his victims - thru his eerie voice via the phone!

With horror maestro Wes Craven at the helm, you can expect a helluva good slashing time. Craven's still has his grip on cinematography, as we see cameras swoop following victims, and plenty of interesting angles that just keep you on your toes. With the trend of horror flicks often using sudden shocks and loud noises of late, its quite refreshing to see Scream 4 getting its scares from what's important - the killer.

Although time might have caught up to Ghostface (he does seem rather goofy in this time and age with the mask and long robe), his ruthless pursuits are still intense and keep the suspense running. There's just something really terrifying about a guy in a mask chasing you with a knife. And the killings and gore aren't overblown, they are pretty much appropriate and merciless. The acting ain't too shabby either, especially Panettiere who stood out as horror movie fan Kirby.

And yeah, what makes (or breaks) a slasher flick like Scream is who the killer is in the end. And without spoiling anything, I'd like to say that it's rather well-played and you'll never guess the twist at the end.

What Scream 4 has that many recent flicks lack of late is something relatively simple: fun. The movie doesn't take itself entirely too seriously. Characters occasionally seem to know they're in a horror movie. It's this nice blend that sets it apart from the crop. Sometimes after hordes of ridiculous horror methods, sticking to the basics proves effective. Scream 4 shows that a simple proven formula still works if you update it in the right places. While die-hard horror fans might find it lacking kick (or enough gore), it is scary enough for an average moviegoer like me.

3 1/2 Stars