Doctor Popcorn

Harry Potter, goodbye my friend

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:40:00 +0000

About 12 years ago, my Dad dragged me into a bookstore, demanding I pick out half a dozen books. That was how he tried to get me into reading (to be honest, it didn’t really work out as well as he’d hoped). One of the books I reluctantly picked out was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which in my opinion was a great book for a 9-year old considering I had recently graduated from Enid Blyton. I read it. Loved it. And got hooked to the entire series. Now more than a decade later, it all ends.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is everything I expected it to be - exciting, action-packed, emotional, heart wrenching and most of all an epic and satisfying finale to an amazing series. There are plenty of good things about the movie. More than ever, the color and lighting suits the tone of the movie. It’s like the entire film has the Walden filter (if you’re on Instagram, you’ll know what I’m talking about) layered over it. Effectively, it makes the movie more heart wrenching than it already is. On top of this there are some absolutely gorgeous visuals. I was really struck by the pure beauty of this film. It’s probably the best shot of all the Potter films, and I love gorgeous-looking movies.

Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) probably gets more screen time in this movie than in any of the previous four, which brought me around to realizing that he does a fantastic job. Everything is convincing. His pain, his anger but most of all, his terrifying whispers. While on the point of acting, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have come a long way and finally give barely decent performances.

My favorite part of the movie was Snape’s story. It’s brief, concise and gets the point across but most importantly, it instantly built a sense ofaffection and close emotional connection for me. With that, it brings me to the content of the movie and my issues with how they were separated, making up part 1 and part 2. David Yates had two options - either film a long ass movie no. 7 or, split the last book up into two movies. Obviously, he went with option no. 2, which I believe to have been a wise decision. My problem is that there is too much content in the book to have been fit into one movie but on the other hand there is too little content to have made two outstanding movies. So this is a problem for me that can’t really be solved. Big props to Yates for making the best of it though.

Having cut the first movie off at a great point, part 2 essentially comprises scenes set in only three locations and only one day passes in the movie. Although massively eventful, the movie feels stretched, dragging the content out to fill up the allotted 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Having said that, I think this is a good movie on its own and if you’ve followed this from the start I believe you will be quite satisfied. I know I was. And to everyone who has grown up with Harry Potter, as I have, say goodbye but only for now. This is our generation’s Star Wars and we will introduce our kids to this. And when we do, we’ll experience, all over again, the magical escapism it’s brought us.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon Teaser Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 05:02:00 +0000

When the first Transformers trailer was released, there was big hype. When the Transformers 2 trailer came out, there was bigger hype. Third Transformers teaser trailer? Not so much. After what was a disaster of a movie in the last one, expectations are down a little bit for Dark of the Moon. But I have to say, this is a pretty kick-ass teaser trailer. Love it. But of course, this tells us nothing of what the movie is going to be like.

So for now, enjoy the tease.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:57:00 +0000

I'm going to start this off with a very slight spoiler to anyone who hasn't read the books yet because it's pretty difficult to talk about a Harry Potter movie without mentioning any spoilers, much less the penultimate one. If you've read the book, you would know that Harry and gang don't return to Hogwarts for school at all. Instead, they set out to find the seven Horcruxes upon Dumbledore's instructions. This brings a whole different aspect to the movie, giving it a James Bond feel, somewhat. If you haven't read the book but this all seems familiar to you, that's because this movie starts off right from where the last one ended.

Splitting the last book into two movies was a smart move from Warner Bros. Good for the fans and good for the studio too. Win-win situation. Part 1 is a very good movie. It covers all the important stuff and creates a great platform for what's going to be an epic finale to the movie franchise next July.

This movie just sets everything up. The audience is filled in with the necessary information like the Horcruxes and Deathly Hallows, which will allow the action and pure awesome-ness to flow in Part 2. But as a result, some of the scenes in the middle part of the movie got a little repetitive and dragged out. The general audience may find it a little dull as compared to a Potterhead.

I really enjoyed the way this film was shot. There are a few scenes that are simply awe-inspiring, one of which, very Tim Burton-esque when telling the story of The Three Brothers. The chase scenes through the forest as seen in the trailer is equally as awesome. The action and informational detail in this movie is so captivating that I didn't miss Hogwarts and all the magical exploration the first couple movies brought. As I walked out of the movie hall the feeling sunk in. We don't see Professor McGonagall, there are no classes, no Quidditch and no banter between Harry and Draco. I even missed Snape who had one scene in the entire movie. I know I'm writing this as if I didn't read the book. I know all of this happens but it's just so different when you get to see it all on the big screen.

To be honest, I liked the last movie more compared to this one but only because a lot of important stuff happened in Half-Blood Prince whereas The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is more of a build up, the quiet before the storm if you will. Because trust me when I say that shit is gonna hit the fan in Part 2.

There's no denying this. You MUST watch this movie. There's no two ways about it. This has been the movie franchise of the decade. People will be talking about Harry Potter when we enter the next century. Bring on Part 2 I say.

Movie Review: Unstoppable

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:51:00 +0000

Many would say Unstoppable is Speed with trains. I guess you could say that to a certain degree. But Speed will never be as ridiculous as Unstoppable. Frank Barnes (Denzel Washington), a railway engineer is paired up with rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) for their first day on the job together when disaster strikes. As they are out on the tracks doing what they do, the discover that there is another train that's unmanned and carrying toxic substances heading down to Scranton, PA, a city of high population. Against orders from higher up, Frank and Will go after the rogue train and try to stop it before it causes some serious destruction. This movie is based loosely on true events.

There are two things wrong with this movie - it's ridiculous and Chris Pine is in it. Chris Pine is awesome and I think he's a great actor, which is why it baffles me that he's in a movie like this. It isn't contributing to his push to being one of Hollywood's leading men like how Star Trek did. Then you say what about Denzel? He's one of Hollywood's leading men and he's in this movie. Well, to that, I say to you, he can do whatever the f*** he wants. He's Denzel! I really didn't get Chris Pine's involvement in this movie. I just couldn't connect with his character.

If I directed this movie, first off, it would be a crappy movie, and secondly, it would be half an hour long. The whole middle part of this movie is ridiculous and could have been done away with. But that would have been impossible because then we wouldn't have a movie. With such a premise, there isn't many ways to make a movie that wouldn't be ridiculous and having said all this, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and how Tony Scott shot it.

There is so much suspense in this film I almost soiled myself. Okay, maybe not, or maybe I did. Anyways, the way things fall together in this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and really accentuates the cinema experience. If you're in the hunt for some brainless action and suspense, go check out Unstoppable. It'll be worth your money. And you could share with me your pants soiling experience. No? Okay, maybe not.

Unstoppable opens in theaters November 11 and I give it a 6 out of 10 Popcorns.

Movie Review: The Joshua Tapes

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:58:00 +0000

So it's been a while since I wrote anything here. I'd like to say I'm going to start updating regularly again, but my Mom taught me not to lie. So I'm not. However, I thought I'd break this lazy streak with a little somethin' somethin' from the local indie film scene. The Joshua Tapes was shot two years ago in 2008 but is only getting limited distribution this year. I don't really know why (maybe I should have asked during the Q&A session =/) but I think it was worth the wait. And I'd say this movie is worth your Ringgit.

The best thing about going into this movie was that I had zero knowledge on the film. I didn't see many posters/banners, I did not watch the trailer, knew nothing about the plot - all working to my benefit. I went into the cinema with a completely open mind, judgment-free, which was refreshing considering all the Hollywood marketing crap that gets flung our way before the movie even opens.

The Joshua Tapes is about three buddies coming together, after growing apart for some time, to go on a road trip to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Heightened emotions, flashbacks and hilarity ensue.

I really did not like the beginning of the movie. The whole shaky cam thing just put me off straight away. My first thoughts were "Is the entire film going to be like this?". It works fine later on as flashbacks but I thought the start would have been better if it was present day. In fact, I liked the first act of the film the least. The build up to the road trip took a little too long, the lines were starting to get on my nerves a little, especially from Ajeet. To be honest, Ajeet annoyed me all throughout the movie.

The film picked up in the second and third acts and got way better. Just not Ajeet. I didn't really get his character. What I thought was that he was the troubled soul - angry, bitter, suicidal. Sure there were hints of those in the character, but bitchy stood out the most. Ajeet could have been played by a girl and it wouldn't have made a difference. It felt as if I should have sympathized with Ajeet, but instead I was so annoyed by his character and at one point wish the other two had kicked him out of the car. At least then Ryan and Reza would have had more time to talk about their problems.

I really enjoyed how the flashbacks sort of acted as the antagonist in this movie, bringing up dirty secrets and problems. The only thing was that these problems and secrets are never really brought up, discussed and resolved in the present day parts of the film. It did leave me wanting more, which is a good thing.

All the stuff I wish were different in the movie aside, I really did enjoy this movie. The humor, when it did pop up, was incredibly hilarious and I found myself laughing more than I thought I would. Putting the bitchiness of Ajeet aside, I enjoyed the car scenes, the back and forths between Reza and Ajeet, the crazy emotions, the sarcasm and even the awkward silences. The thing I loved the most about this film was the dialogue and how it was presented and brought through. I could relate to so many things that were said in this movie, not by what was said, but by how it was said. Everything felt so natural and just right. Maybe because it was all so Malaysian.

I had such mixed feelings about the ending it hurt me so bad. After such a roller coaster ride of a movie, there was a sense of calm and serenity in the ending. On the flip side, there was an exorbitant amount of unanswered questions, unrevealed secrets and unresolved problems. That was quite unsatisfying for me, just because I expected so much more from the movie.

Instead of seeing this as a shortcoming, I see it as room to grow into and potential. There were endless possibilities with this movie and big ups to the writers of the movie. I hope The Joshua Tapes is a sign of more to come from the local indie film scene.

The Joshua Tapes open in three cinemas - GSC Mid Valley, One Utama and Pavilion on September 30 and will be showing for two weeks only. Shake up your movie-watching routine and go catch this local production. You might love it, you might hate it. But what the hell.

Free Resident Evil: Afterlife Passes With Friendster Fizz

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:13:00 +0000

Remember the Friendster Fizz deal I posted a couple weeks ago? Free passes to go see Step Up 3 were up for grabs. This time around, the Friendster profile is giving all of you a chance to win passes to go see Resident Evil: Afterlife. It is a video game adaptation and also the fourth installment of the movie franchise.

Afterlife continues as the world is ravaged by an infectious virus and victims are turned into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Although a deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation escalates, Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend, Claire (Ali Larter). A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes Alice and her comrades to Los Angeles, but when they arrived, the city is overrun by thousands of Undead –and a deadly trap waits.

What do you need to do to win a some passes to go see the film? Well, you need to be the first 80 fans to send an e-mail to contest@friendster.com on why Resident Evil is the best movie franchise ever in less than 25 words.

You could also win a 16GB Sony Walkman and cool Resident Evil: Afterlife stuff. Just dress up as a zombie, makeup and the works, and post a photo of yourself on your profile. Then just drop a comment on the Friendster Fizz profile. This contest closes on September 1. Good luck!

For more info, go to friendster.com/friendsterfizz

Movie Review: Repo Men

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:05:00 +0000

Repo Men, at it's core, is about selling your soul to the devil. A company called The Union manufactures and sells bionic organs and body parts to people who are in dire need for them. In most instances, these people cannot afford to pay the astronomical prices for these artificial organs and are faced with ludicrous interest rate plans. If they fall behind their monthly payment, repossession agents are sent after them and their artificial organs are essentially harvested from their bodies and taken back by The Union. Jude Law and Forest Whitaker play best buddies who work as repo men for The Union.

This movie is all over the place. It starts off light-hearted, then goes through a whole depressing, emotional phase and ends in very gory fashion. The premise is interesting enough (they always are) but the constant change in direction of the movie completely put me off.

I don't really see what the casting director saw in casting Forest Whitaker together in a movie like this one. I must say Jude Law brought his A-game in this one. His character is chock-full of charisma and underlying sarcasm. Forest Whitaker looked completely out of place and ultimately became an annoyance.

The gore in this movie is excessive and unnecessary to say the least. And there is an exponential increase in the bloodshed in this movie. By the end of the it, the floor had enough blood to fill a blood bank. The gore in this film is completely unexpected. Any of the pre-release marketing buzz, although there wasn't much of it, had very little indication of how inappropriate this film would be for the faint-hearted. Even the first half of the movie served no notice of the gore that was to be expected.

Having said all this, in some weird, creepy, crazy way, I was quite entertained by this movie. Although the humor could have been better and the movie could have been shorter, I felt a thrill watching all the mindless violence and the crappy B-grade plot organization with A-list actors.

The movie is executed poorly but interesting nonetheless. It's a weird one because despite my less-than-flattering review of the movie, it's worth a watch. Jude Law does a great job and if you're a fan of the dude, it's as good an excuse as any to go see the movie.

I give Repo Men 5 out of 10 Popcorns.

Movie Poster: Due Date

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:51:00 +0000

Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis and Jamie Foxx. Can you get a better combo than that? I don’t think so. Along with director Todd Phillips who did last year’s smash summer comedy The Hangover (also starring Galifianakis), they bring this year’s supposed big comedy- Due Date.

The teaser trailer for the film was released about a month ago and the poster was just made available on the web a few days ago. I think it’s very Hangover-ish, don’t you? You can check out both the poster and trailer below.

High-strung father-to-be Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay (Zach Galifianakis) on a long road trip in order to make it to his new child's birth on time.

The trailer wasn’t incredibly funny. But it was okay because I’m a big fan of Zach Galifianakis. He has his moments. The due date on Due Date is November 4 in Malaysia.

Free Step Up 3D Passes With Friendster Fizz

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:20:00 +0000

Do you love dance movies? More specifically, do you love the Step Up franchise? Well check this out. There’s a brand new profile by Friendster called Friendster Fizz dedicated to giving out freebies such as movies preview passes, movie premiums and much more.

They are starting this giveaway with free movie passes to the preview screening of the much anticipated dance flick, Step Up 3D.

Moose (Adam G.Sevani) who missed his flight back to Baltimore when the Maryland School of Arts (MSA) goes to Paris for an international dance competition. He soon makes friends with an American away from home and beautiful French sophisticate. They introduce Moose to the red-hot Parisian underground dance scene, and before long he is wowing the local dancers with his unique moves as they prepare for an underground dance competition. With time running out before the big event and their routine stolen by a rival crew, Moose turns to his loyal MSA crew in Baltimore for help.

Can Moose, the MSA crew and the French crew pull together a new dance number at the last minute? And will it be good enough to beat the world’s best street dancers? Will Moose kiss the frog?

Personally I’m super excited for this movie. Forget the plot. Forget the characters. Forget the dancing. Think of the 3D. I know I’ve said I hate all these gimmicky 3D movies of late, but Step Up 3D will be different.

There are essentially three types of 3D movies in cinemas right now:

Film shot in 2D and later converted into 3D
Film created in 3D and exported in 3D (eg. animations)
CG effects combined with #1 above (eg. Avatar)

Step Up 3D won’t be anything like these because the film was actually shot using proper 3D cameras. So expect an incredible cinematic experience when you watch the movie.

All you have to do to stand a chance to win these free preview passes to the movie is become a fan of Friendster Fizz and post a comment stating why you would love to win those passes. Like these peeps right here.

The contest closes on August 18 so what are you waiting for? Check out Friendster Fizz now! Oh and pssst, by the way, if you post creative dance poses on their profile pages, you might also win additional Celebrity Fitness vouchers.

Check out the Step Up 3D trailer below.

Movie Trailer: Jackass 3D

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:04:00 +0000

via slashfilm.com

Oh my goodness. I LOVE Jackass and it's back for a third installment and in 3D! I know I've stressed my discontent with 3D-converted movies in the past but I don't care I want to watch this movie in 3D. It's gonna be HILARIOUS!

Unfortunately, there isn't any plans for local distribution of the movie. Bahh! But it gets an October 15 U.S. release.

Salt Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:43:00 +0000

First off, I’d like to say that the marketing tagline of ‘Who Is Salt?’ is both misleading and clever at the same time. Unfortunately, however, the movie itself tries to be clever but does not really deliver. There are so many plot holes and shortcomings in this movie that even the big star that is Angelina Jolie and the seemingly endless action can’t make up for.

Speaking of action, I’m not going to deny there are lots of it. The thing is all the action sequences are very linear and textbook. People getting beaten up, shooting, explosions, jumping from one moving truck to another; we’ve seen it all. There is nothing new. And the action that is in this movie is quite poorly choreographed and shot. There are on numerous occasions where the camera cuts away just as something important is about to happen. Even during the action stuff, there is too much focus on Jolie as opposed to the people she’s beating up and the stuff she’s blowing up.

Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who turns out to be a Russian spy (or not, who knows?). The usual formula for films is that the audience is shown the plans for either the protagonist or antagonist but the protagonist has no idea what the antagonist is up to and vice versa. This creates the suspense effect and allows the audience to take sides while watching the movie. None of this happens in Salt. The audience is kept in the dark about Evelyn Salt’s true motives for most of the movie and this creates a big old wall between the character and the audience. We just cannot relate or connect to her character and everything just breaks down from there.

I mentioned at the start of the review that the film tries to be clever. I understand the need to be mysterious but the whole thing is a complete mess. The twists in this film are absolutely absurd. Half the time you don’t know what the hell is going on or why Salt is doing a particular thing. There seems to be no direction in the film. I must say the premise is a clever one (I would never want it to happen in real life) but it just isn’t executed decently enough in the movie. Coupled with the gaping plot holes, there is no saving this movie.

Salt is really just a movie that has such convoluted characters, cloudy plotline, a myriad of plot holes, crappy action and a hot superstar chick playing the lead. I would pick a mindless action movie over this any day of the week. At the end of the day, for a movie named Salt, it really is tasteless.

I give Salt 4 out of 10 Popcorns.

Machete Red-Band Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:21:00 +0000

Robert Rodriguez (Grindhouse, Planet Terror) doing gore and violence at its best. Machete stars Danny Trejo and he’s backed up by a multitude of stars including Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Robert De Niro, Steven Seagal, Cheech Marin, Jeff Fahey and Don Johnson.

Check out this action-packed, gut-ripping, brain-blasting trailer below. This is a red-band trailer, so without having to say, this trailer is NSFW or kids as it obviously contains gore, violence and nudity but most importantly, awesomeness.

The highly skilled Federale Machete is hired by some unsavory types to assassinate a senator. But just as he's about to take the shot, he notices someone aiming at him and realizes he's been set up. He barely survives the sniper's bullet, and is soon out for revenge on his former employers, with the reluctant assistance of his old friend Padre Benito del Toro, who has become a priest and taken a vow of nonviolence. If you hire him to take out the bad guys, make sure the bad guys aren't you!

Machete gets a September 3 release in the US. But don’t even have a shred of hope for it to ever get distribution here in our lovely conservative nation of Malaysia.

Inception Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:18:00 +0000

[This review does not contain spoilers. Because of the complexity of the film, you may not understand what the hell I’m talking about in this review. So if you don’t, watch the film and then read again.]

Pushing the boundaries of visual and intellectual creativity, Inception is bound to push you to the edge of your seat. Filled with awe-inspiring effects, complex ideas, explosive action and fast-paced dialogue; Inception, in my mind, is by far Christopher Nolan’s best piece yet, maybe even a masterpiece. I would say this movie is a slight mesh of Memento and The Dark Knight with a tinge of The Prestige but it blows all three movies out of the water. The film is long (two and a half hours) but it doesn’t feel it. The plot moves along very swiftly so buckle up and pay attention to every little detail. You cannot afford to miss 1 minute of this movie because if you do, you will have a hard time getting back up to speed.

Christopher Nolan plays with the idea of being able to invade other people’s dreams and subconscious. It might just be me but I find toying with the concept of subconsciousness for a movie extremely captivating. An absolutely stellar cast including Leonardo DiCaprio. Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine and Dileep Rao sets the foundation for this extraordinary movie. Each actor fits their character almost perfectly well, with the emotionally distraught Cobb (DiCaprio) to the suave, relaxed Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) to the hauntingly psychotic Mal (Cotillard).

Coming back to the conceptual brilliance, the idea for Inception was almost single-handedly conceived and carried out by the genius that is Christopher Nolan. He thoroughly deserves to be called a genius for writing and directing Inception. Aside from the brilliant intellectual idea the movie stems from, Nolan also brings such cinematical grandeur. There are some scenes in this movie that are just so good I was on the verge of tears, not as a result of emotions from the film, but rather because of what I was seeing before my eyes was just some of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on the big screen. There are so many things in this movie that make you go “wow, how on Earth can anybody even come up with this kind of stuff?”. Having said that, nothing in this film is groundbreaking or never-before-seen stuff. It’s just the way scenes are executed. Just pure ingenuity.

Right from the get-go you are thrown around, luring you into confusion with the intertwined worlds of reality and dream. The first 15 minutes or so of this movie is one of the most difficult to pick up on. But once the initial concept is understood, more and more things start to make sense. So here I warn you once more. Pay close attention to this movie. There is no room for zoning out in this movie. You will get lost. The opening act does very well to explain the mechanics and concepts of the movie and the attention to detail in this film is just amazing. Each idea has a structure. Each rule has a purpose.

Everything in this movie including the visceral visual effects, outrageously brilliant ideas, well executed acting, high octane action and Hans Zimmer’s immersive soundtrack so seamlessly come together to stitch up a big thought-provoking labyrinth of a movie. Only every once in a while do we come across movies that make us doubt reality and life as we know it. Inception did that for me. In essence, Inception is a horror movie. Sweet dreams everybody.

I give Inception 9.5 out of 10 popcorns. A definite MUST-SEE film. I urge every single one of you reading this to rush out and see this film. It could very well be the best film of this year. One of the best cinematic experiences I’ve ever had.

Despicable Me Review – Its So Fluffy!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:54:00 +0000

Changing the animated film formula up a little bit, Despicable Me chooses not to follow the regular road of superheroes or anything else of the sort. Instead, its a story about a super villain trying to be the world’s foremost villain while finding the softer side of himself with the help of three little adorable orphan girls. Who would have thought that a big international criminal with a thick, put-on Hungarian accent being the hero with three small adorable orphan girls by his side would be the winning ingredients to a movie? Well, the three small adorable orphan girls, maybe.

Where do I even begin with this one? In a nutshell, Despicable Me is one of the most entertaining animated films I’ve ever seen. The LPM, SPM and APM were all off the charts. (Laughs per minute, smiles per minute and awws per minute). To be frank, you have not seen cute until you’ve seen this movie. The most outrageous, ridiculous things you’ve ever seen is all thrown into this movie - freeze rays, shrink rays, punching giant sharks, little yellow goggle-wearing things that speak gibberish. The whole nine yards.

I went in not knowing what the film was about and I’m glad I did. Everything is almost spot on awesome. The design of the characters is a little more Dreamworks-esque as opposed to being Pixar-esque. The voice acting is incredibly suited to each and every character. And don’t get me started on the jokes. There are well thought out jokes all over the place.

All in all, this movie gets you in all the right spots of your funny bone. And the cute will just not stop. In fact, there may be cute overload in this movie. I have to say that this movie is by far one of the most entertaining films of the year, if not the most. It does so much for escapism that other movies can’t achieve. I implore each and every one of you reading this to rush out and watch this movie. Ahead of Twilight Saga: Eclipse (ugh) and Predators.

Oh, if you’re watching in 3D, don’t leave the cinema hall too soon. There’s a little surprise at the end of the film, before they roll the credits.

I give Despicable Me 8 out of 10 Popcorns.

Let Me In Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Let Me In is based on one of my most favorite foreign films- the Swedish Let The Right One In. I’m horribly dreading this movie just because I loved the original so much. The plot is relatively simple.

Young boy meets young girl.

Young boy likes young girl.

Young boy becomes friends with young girl.

Young boy learns that young girl is a vampire who’s gone around town killing people.

Young boy confused.

Honestly, every moment of the original movie is beautiful. The child actors were great. The wintry tundra setting was amazing. I’m just so afraid Hollywood is going to mess this up. Anyways, here is the trailer to the remake- Let Me In. And then right after that, the trailer to Let The Right One In. Check them both out. I personally found the latter one to be more gripping.

Let Me In is directed by Cloverfield director Matt Reeves, and stars child actors Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz who played the foul-mouthed Hit-Girl in Kick Ass.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Let Me In, tells a terrifying tale about an alienated 12-year old boy named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is viciously bullied by his classmates and neglected by his divorcing parents. Achingly lonely, Owen spends his days plotting revenge on his middle school tormentors and his evenings spying on the other inhabitants of his apartment complex. His only friend is his new neighbor Abby (Chloe Moretz), an eerily self-possessed young girl who lives next door with her silent father (Oscar® nominee Richard Jenkins). A frail, troubled child about Owens’s age, Abby emerges from her heavily curtained apartment only at night and always barefoot, seemingly immune to the bitter winter elements. Recognizing a fellow outcast, Owen opens up to her and before long, the two have formed a unique bond.

The film will get an American release October 1, but there is no word of a Malaysian release yet. Chances are, we won’t even get distribution here.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:22:00 +0000

We all know the Harry Potter film franchise is coming to a close soon with the last book being split into two films, to be released 7 months apart; ala The Matrix. What people are calling the trailer to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was just released on the Internet recently but it doesn’t really seem like a trailer to me. It’s more of a promo for the last two films instead of being a standalone trailer for an individual movie.

Lines like “The Finale Of The Worldwide Phenomenon” and “The Motion Picture Event Of A Generation” sort of spoiled the trailer for me and made it more of a TV spot than anything else. Having said that, I am no less excited for the final two films in the franchise. Check out the trailer below.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I will be in cinemas November 18, 2010 and Part II July 15, 2011. What do you think of the trailer?

The New Megan Fox Is Hubba Hubba

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:34:00 +0000

So we all know Megan Fox is out of Transformers 3. And Michael Bay has been looking for Sam Witwicki’s new love interest. So here she is. Meet Rosie-Huntington Whiteley. The good news, she’s a Victoria’s Secret model. The bad news, she has no previous acting experience. So what do you think? Straight swap with Megan Fox? Hot for hot, but no acting talent? We’ll just have to wait and see.

She’s been offered the role but not quite confirmed yet. I would think we’ll know pretty soon since Transformers 3 will start shooting in about 2 weeks. Appropriately, I’ve included a few pictures of this Rosie-Huntington Whiteley. Enjoy. =)

Megan Fox Leaves Transformers 3, Says Her Decision

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 20 May 2010 05:38:00 +0000

So Paramount have said that Megan Fox will not be in the next Transformers movie. Hooray! No more useless acting. There is speculation that it was director Michael Bay’s decision not to hire Fox for the third film. It makes sense since she went on that rant about him and calling him Hitler in the process.

But Fox’s reps have come out and given a statement on her behalf saying “Megan Fox will not be starring in Transformers 3. It was her decision not to return. She wishes the franchise the best.”

But I’m sure she was fired. Or at least I’d like to think so. Makes things more fun that way. Heheh. Gemma Arterton is rumored to take Megan Fox’s place in the movie but not as Mikaela. Instead, as Sam Witwicki’s new love interest. Yes, this will be interesting. Transformers 3 is set for a July 1, 2011 release.

Robin Hood Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 12 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

I liked this movie a lot. I really did. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t stay for the whole film and had to leave 20 minutes before the end. So this review will be based on the some 2 hours of it that I did see.

If you’re looking for a Robin Hood wearing tights and a story filled with him stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, look elsewhere. This version is not for you. Ridley Scott basically plucked Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator from Rome and set him in the middle of England in the Middle Ages and re-named him Robin Longstride. The movie is about the beginnings of Robin Hood and how he came to be, more like a prequel, if you may. This just makes Robin Hood not so much the tale of Robin Hood but an epic medieval war epic. I believe that this will be a love or hate type of movie. It will completely depend on what you’re looking for in watching this movie. In any case, here’s my take on the film.

The opening half-an-hour or so of this film is great. There’s a good amount of top-notch action choreography that just gets you going. The screenplay balances out the action to character development ratio. Ridley Scott found a way to introduce and develop characters early on in the midst of a flurry of scenes full of horse-riding, sword-fighting, explosions and arrows whistling through the air.

This gives Scott plenty of time to further elaborate the screenplay in the middle portion of the film, which for me, is where the film sunk a little. After the opening 30 minutes, the action dies down and politics takes center stage. Although the middle part of the film didn’t maintain the buzz given by the action in the beginning, the screenplay kept things fresh and interesting. Never once was I bored or felt the film was dull. I was actually surprised by the amount of wit and humor that was thrown in the film. There were several times when the theater I was in erupted in laughter. Some jokes, the whole crowd didn’t get but I found myself and a few people around me chuckling to. Ultimately, the comic-relief in Robin Hood is unexpected and is a great inclusion to the film.

Robin Hood is the fifth time Ridley Scott has worked with John Mathieson as his cinematographer, the first four being Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Matchstick Men and Hannibal. I just loved the way the film was shot. Exposing such incredible scenery in the background, really taking advantage of the beautiful filming locations. Something I noticed was the zooming in the film. Unlike the typical slow and subtle approach, the zooming in this film was quick and sharp, bringing a sense of nostalgia because it made the film look like it was shot in the 90’s. Not many people might like this or even notice it, but if you do, it only makes the movie that much better for you.

The weakest link in the movie is surprisingly Cate Blanchett’s character, Lady Marion. Instead of having an arousing romance with Robin Longstride, Lady Marion is more involved in the fighting and politics of the movie. I don’t think Blanchett fits the role at all and her character seemed very apprehensive and awkward.

All in all, the film was shot well, acted well, written well and scored well, with most of the movie having a score that sounded somewhat like flutes. Something like this. If you’re looking for an movie filled with well choreographed action this weekend, this is it. So this weekend, between Robin Hood and A Nightmare On Elm Street, go see Robin Hood. It will be worth your money.

I give Robin Hood 7 out of 10 Popcorns.

I WANT TO WATCH THIS MOVIE RIGHT NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Sat, 08 May 2010 13:59:00 +0000

I really cannot express in words my the level of anticipation and excitement I have for this movie. I’ve been interested ever since the movie started casting and now we’re full swing into the post-production. Have I mentioned yet how excited I am. Ahhh who am I kidding. Cut the crap, show the trailer. Here it is. It is AWESOME!

Inception is both written and directed by acclaimed Oscar nominated British filmmaker Christopher Nolan, of Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight. Nolan previously co-wrote the scripts for Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige, and The Dark Knight with his brother Jonathan Nolan. Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ken Watanabe. Warner Bros is bringing Inception to theaters starting July 15th this summer.

Source: FirstShowing.net

Crazy Inception Poster

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Fri, 07 May 2010 06:03:00 +0000

I’m seriously loving this poster right now. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited for a movie. Inception is going to be crazy. This poster already is. Chekkit.

Inception hits theaters July 15

Inception Poster and Tron Legacy Banner

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 06 May 2010 04:53:00 +0000

For your viewing pleasure. I know I like them.

A Nightmare On Elm Street 3D Sequel?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Thu, 06 May 2010 03:15:00 +0000

All together now…groan. So I didn’t like the reboot. And now they’re going to make a sequel. In 3D? Come on. Don’t make me hate something I already dislike. I honestly cannot wait until the we come out of this saddening 3D phase we’re in with movies right now. 3D only wastes your money and ruins a good movie experience or makes a bad one even worse. If Hollywood wants to make 3D films, STOP converting them from 2D. Actually shoot the damn movie with 3D cameras. But until they do, I’m a firm believer that 3D movies nowadays are a waste of effort.

But for business, it’s all good. It attracts a bigger audience who are willing to pay more money than they normally would for the 2D version. Apparently A Nightmare On Elm Street had the biggest horror film opening for the April/May bracket with $32.9 million in it’s first weekend. That has obviously convinced Warner Bros. to make a second one. Here is what producer Bradley Fuller had to say:

We think that 3D movies have to be designed and written as such. If Eric (Heisserer) and Wesley (Strick) came to us with a Nightmare sequel script that is for a 3D movie, we’d be fools not to make it. Using 3D for a Nightmare sequel has to work conceptually for us, though. I don’t want to shoehorn the story just so we can use 3D technology. I do really think this movie and the visual style would work well within a 3D environment, though, so you never know.

There you go. We’re going to get another crap horror film in crap 3D. I just hope Jackie Earle Haley doesn’t agree to do the sequel. He’s just too good for a movie like this.

Source: /Film

A Nightmare On Elm Street Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Wed, 05 May 2010 11:43:00 +0000

The 2010 reboot of this franchise is just a complete mess. For a horror/terror film to be neither scary nor terrifying isn’t so good. I didn’t once jump or twitch in my seat, expecting every shock, surprise and scare from Freddy. I didn’t leave the theater thinking I’d never be able to fall asleep soundly again. The movie just did not deliver on what looked like promising potential in terms of having Oscar-nominee Jackie Earle Haley play Freddy Krueger. The film was, at the end of the day, like a typical, bad, B-grade slasher movie. The typical stuff, you know. A bunch of incompetent, eyeliner-wearing teenagers getting slashed in their dreams by Freddy one by one.

Speaking of Freddy Krueger, you just can’t recreate such an iconic villain. You just can’t. I was hoping for Jackie Earle Haley, who’s one hell of an actor, to be able to pull it off. But at the end of the day, no matter how good an actor they got, it would not have made a difference. This Freddy Krueger was not just not scary but boring as well. Every time he showed up on screen I groaned a little. I was a little disappointed to see that the current Freddy Krueger looks the same as the 1984 version. There were no improvements whatsoever in the makeup, further diminishing the scare factor. The only thing I enjoyed about Freddy Krueger is what I now call the ‘Rorschach voice’. The low growl of Jackie Earle Haley is very distinguishable and I love how it fits in with the character of Freddy.

The movie did one thing for me. It kept me guessing what was real life and what was a dream. I caught it early a couple of times but otherwise I didn’t know if the protagonists were awake or asleep until it was revealed. I wished there was more to the story line. There were absolutely no significant twists or surprises in the plot keeping it dull the whole way through. Even when the story of Freddy Krueger was told towards the end of the film, there was a ‘this doesn’t really matter, we’re just telling you for the hell of it’ vibe.

At the end of the day, the movie doesn’t do anything for me. I was bored, unafraid, uninterested and could not wait for it to end. Go watch this film only if you have a low-threshold for terror. If you don’t, just don’t bother. You’ll be wasting money and time.

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Here are some more pics to look at. (Just because I got the press kit. Hehe.)

Batman 3 Release Date Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Campton) — Sun, 02 May 2010 04:32:00 +0000

Warner Brothers have just announced that the 3rd installment of the most recent Batman franchise is going to get a July 20, 2012 release date. Both Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale are confirmed for the project and I’m sure more of the other cast members will return as well.

Nolan will have to step it up a gear with this one as Batman 3 will be competing against films like The Avengers, Battleship, Star Trek 2, and the Spider-Man reboot, all opening around the same weekend. And he has just about 2 years to get the movie done and dusted. It’s going to be a monumental task to come up with a movie better than that of The Dark Knight. But Christopher Nolan is, after all, a monumental director.

Until 2012, I’m very excited for Nolan to wrap post-production on his latest project, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.