Movies reviews.

[Admin]

'The Dilemma'

Rating: 8.5

I really like this actor Kevin James (Doug), I used to watch all 'King Of Queens' when I was young so for me he is the main star and all the movies he play in them are always nice to watch.

Great comedy for all the family.  

Vince Vaughn and Kevin James headline an all-star comedy from director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer about a man who finds out that what you don't say to a friend is just as important as what you do. Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah join them in The Dilemma, a story of how far you can bend a brotherly bond before it snaps. Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny (Vaughn) and happily married Nick (James) have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that would launch their company. With Ronny's girlfriend, Beth (Connelly), and Nick's wife, Geneva (Ryder), by their sides, they're unbeatable. But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide how and when he will reveal the truth to his best friend.

[manupete]

'The Dilemma'
Rating: 8.5

Glad you enjoyed this movie more than me,it just goes to show if more people reviewed the films they watched on this thread we would get a much better idea on films that are on the market for our viewing pleasure ,as not all tastes are the same 

[manupete]

Last night I watched The Hangover

I've seen some good review of The hangover party 2 ( this time its in Thailand instead of Las Vagas  ) but my stockest doesn't have it for a few days so I decided to to watch the first one again 
Absolutely loved this movie. I laughed so much  through out the movie. Don't go expecting a cinematic masterpiece but if you are looking for out of control laughter this is your film. The story was funny the acting was hilarious and I don't want to spoil it but the end was so funny I was crying    8.5/10

I can't wait for number 2 to arrive 

Here's the trailer

[den Buut]

Totally agree Manupete, I laught the loudest during the end credits. I say photos.

[Dave the Dude]

I have recently done exactly the same as you Alan for the same reasons. I thought it OK but didnt bother to watch till the end. Maybe I missed the best bit?

[Dave the Dude]

HANGOVER PARTY 2

Bad fiction, films fine - it's bad reality that really upsets
 By Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation
 
Residents and long-time expats who have watched the latest Hollywood comedy "Hangover Part II", which was mostly shot in Bangkok, may wonder how accurate the depiction of their city was.
 
In the film starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, three buddies wake up after an orgy of drugs, violence and sex and cannot remember what happened the night before.
 
The movie reduces Bangkok to a city known for its sex industry, drugs, crime and gangsters, with an elephant, street vendors and strangely robed monks included as colourful props.
 
While some of the representations of Bangkok are accurate, you won't find the mundane, traffic-congested normalcy and boredom as experienced by millions of Bangkok white- and blue-collar workers. They are simply not exotic enough and will likely dilute the image of the Big Mango as a legendary city unlike others.
 
Truths that are inconvenient are left out and the fact that the film is produced by the powerful Hollywood film industry means it stands a good chance of being distributed globally.
 
The production grossed US$86.5 million (or Bt2.6 billion) on its first weekend on North American screens, according to Associated Press on Monday. It's also being shown in 40 other countries, including Thailand, and has been doing well.
 
Back to the movie. Since the film is about three farang having a hell of a wild night in Bangkok, mundane aspects of the city that do not mesh with the main narrative are omitted. In this way, they can strengthen the core message of Bangkok in a selective and simplistic way, and make it easier and more entertaining for viewers. (BTW, this writer encourages Thais and expats to go see the movie and think about how Bangkok is portrayed and to ask themselves why).
 
In a way, it's also like how the Thai authorities and most of the Thai mass media attempt to control the grand narrative about Thai society and politics, and about what is "Thai" and what is not.
 
So for example, "all Thais" are depicted by most mass media as having "unreserved reverence and love" for the King and the monarchy. When that narrative gets affected by Thais who express themselves otherwise with regards to the royal institution, they get quietly thrown into jail through the lese majeste or computer crime law. And in the case of 'Da Torpedo', her lese majeste trial was even conducted in secret, while the media tried to play down the news as much as possible, if not ignore it altogether.
 
These people simply got in the way of a feel-good story line, and the growing number of arrests has become an inconvenient reality. And so they will be further ignored and edited out of the "normal" conversation about Thai people's relations with the monarchy, politics and society.
 
Never mind if by doing so, things become inaccurate or even distorted, because what the authorities and most mass media want is to ensure that the grand narrative is convincing, special and unspoiled from unwanted distractions to the plot.
 
I have little problem about the selectivity and simplistic description of Bangkok in the movie "Hangover Part II" because it's fiction. But when most mass media keep on making a simplistic and fictitious portrayal of the current state of Thai society and politics, especially regarding facts and the issue of people's relationship to the monarchy, they are doing a disservice to society and only hindering Thailand from ever maturing.
 
A feel-good and simplistic story line without nuance and irony is best left to bad fiction that is too good to be true.
 

-- The Nation 2011-06-01

[Admin]

Pay it Forward (2000).
Rating: 9/10

A very good movie. Must see.

A young boy stumbles upon a simple way to change the world in this drama. Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) is a bright 11-year-old boy who comes from a troubled home; his mother Arlene (Helen Hunt) is an al... read more coholic trying to hold down two jobs to support her son, while Trevor's father Jon Bon Jovi) left his family behind some time ago. At school, Trevor's class is introduced to their new social studies teacher, Mr. Simonet (Kevin Spacey), a guarded man with severe facial scars. Simonet gives his class an unusual assignment -- think up a practical way to make the world a better place, and put it into action. Trevor comes up with the notion of Pay It Forward" -- do a needed favor for three different people without being asked, and then ask them to do the same for three others. Trevor starts by letting Jerry (James Caviezal), a junkie living on the streets, stay in his home. Next, he tries to fix Arlene up with Mr. Simonet, since both seem to be lonely and the clean and sober teacher might help Arlene stay away from alcohol. Finally, he tries to rescue one of his schoolmates, who is constantly tormented by bullies. Meanwhile, journalist Chris Chandler (Jay Mohr) finds himself stuck on the road without a car late one night when a man stops and give him the keys to a new car, asking him only to pay the favor forward to someone else; astonished, Chris wants to find out where this philosophy came from. Based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hide, Pay It Forward also stars Angie Dickinson and Liev Schreiber. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi



--------------------------------

London Boulevard

Rating: 9/10.

Good movie.

A reclusive movie star, who hides out from the world in a Holland Park mansion, hires a London criminal recently released from prison to be her bodyguard and handyman.

Starring Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley and Ray Winstone, and from the writer of 'The Departed'.

[manupete]

After all the hype ,today I watched The hangover 2

The Wolfpack has relocated to Bangkok. Stu (Ed Helms) has planned a quiet wedding in Thailand with bride Lauren (Sucker Punch's Jamie Chung   ), but naturally it turns ugly. Part II is essentially a carbon copy of the smash hit original. Writer-director Todd Phillips has lazily used a cut and paste technique, but it's still very amusing nonetheless. The written gags are fairly witty although it's the delivery from the cast, especially Zach Galifianakis, which really provides the laughs. The short, fat comedian is hilarious as the socially (and mentally?) retarded Alan; his comic timing and straight-faced humour is faultless. The supporting characters are hit-and-miss, Ken Jeong's Mr Chow again painfully unfunny. This inferior sequel won't draw in any new audience members; however fans of its predecessor will still have a hoot. 7.5/10 

Here's  the trailer.

[Dave the Dude]

It was funny in parts and I think your score is a fair one,Alan(Heng2) . Enjoyed London Boulevard! 

[Dave the Dude]

Just watched "unknown" with Liam Neelson.

A man awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, he sets out to prove who he is.

Good film with interesting twist.

8/10

[manupete]

Today I watched Unknown

An effective thriller with a good twist in the ending. Not since The Sixth Sense has a movie given me such a surprise at its ending. Liam Nieson keeps your attention fixed on the action throughout the movie, although some of his lines did not match the scenes or his character. If someone is trying to kill you, maybe some emotion would be shown. The car accident at the beginning is very realistic and makes Liams amnesia credible. The car chase scenes in the movie will also keep the action buffs happy, although the black car driven by the assassin is a bit too corny to believe . Bruno Ganz as an aging former Stasi agent gives a stand-out performance and Diane Kruger supports Nieson without the usual Hollywood theme of girl following for hero. Maybe its because Nieson is old enough to be her father. This film is no masterpiece but if your looking for a couple of hours entertainment with an interesting ending this will fit the bill....8/10
Here's  the trailer .

[Admin]

It's not look like a movie of my taste but both of you are saying its really a good movie.... Maybe I should give it a go..... 

[manupete]

Tonight I watched Priest

"Priest", a post-apocalyptic sci fi thriller, is set in an alternate world -- one ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest (Paul Bettany,The Da Vinci Code) from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece (Lily Collins) is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his nieces boyfriend (Cam Gigandet,Never Back Down and The Roommate), a trigger-fingered young wasteland sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q , Nikita (TV series)    ) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.
Lots of action so a 7.5/10 for me   

Here's the trailer.

[manupete]

This morning whilst doing the ironing for my next holiday ( isn't life one big holiday though   ) I watch Little Fockers

This sequel was totally not necessary! A great comedy defuses itself when it spawns sequels. With my mindset on that statement I watched Meet The Fockers surprisingly mostly due to the cast being chock full of superstars. Needless to say it wasn't bad. Then I saw the trailer for Little Fockers and there was no way three times a charm but once again was tempted to watch it . This time I was 100% right in my sequel assumption...totally unnecessary but there was a few funny moments though . The storyline has Pam and Gaylord struggling to raise their very busy children although Greg seems to have entered father in law Jacks circle of trust after Pam's sister and the prodigal son in law bob have since parted ways and Jack leaves one of his aforementioned quotes to Greg "I knew you were the good one all along" yeah sure Jack!! Anyhow after Jack suffers a mild health scare he informs Greg he will be the new family patriarch. This in turn leads Jack into a new bout with over doing his CIA training to keep an eye on the son in law.
An OK film to do the ironing too and worth watching just to see Jessica Alba in her underwear,so 6/10 for the movie and I would like to give Jessica Alba one   ...so thats a 7/10 then   

Here's the trailer..

[manupete]

This afternoon I watched Take me home Tonight

This is another movie about the 80's. I thought Take me home Tonight was going to be on par with Hot Tub Time machine but sadly for me it never came close.Yes there were a few funny moments but on the whole one to miss IMHO ..6/10   

Here's the trailer .