You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling...

Apparently, Christopher Nolan isn't just dreaming big...but he's making it into the big screen. INCEPTION might be the most ambitious movie for the past decade (well, apart from the Lord of the Rings series), but on the other hand, it is also one of the most kept secret movie, since I believe not many people (unless they are serious moviegoers) actually know about this project. Since last year, I have been telling people that Inception will the be hottest movie of 2010, but they just gave me a weird look and said, "What the hell is that?". Well, in the end I came up in the same answer for everyone: it is written and directed by Christopher Nolan (remember Batman Begins and Dark Knight?), starring Leo Di Caprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine....(damn, it's a long list), and the story is about....dream. (Weirder look mode: ON)

In the year 2000, Nolan made a small movie with huge influence, called MEMENTO (again, you might haven't heard it...but try to watch it, twice, or 10 times). Back then, I was totally blown away by it. Memento is easily the cleverest and smartest movie with its unique story telling and plot twist. Fast forward 10 years, Nolan similarly creates a more spectacular mind blowing experience in INCEPTION. With big budgets and A-list actors, practically he can do whatever he wants to transform his dream into reality.

Watching Inception is like experiencing Philip K. Dick previous movie adaptation (remember Blade Runner or Minority Report?), since it has all the sci-fi noir elements. To date, this maybe the best of its genre, simply because INCEPTION has the best of both worlds, quality and money making, which something that sci-fi noir movies have failed to achieve.

I'm not going to write any synopsis, not just because I don't want to spoil the fun, it is just that its storyline is somehow 'difficult' to be translated it into clear and understandable writing. Mind you, even Nolan always uses the same wording to explain the plot storyline. Beware though, you must have prepared your brain into full concentration in order to grasp the whole 'dream inside dream 'thing, because you will eventually have some headache, or worst, fall to sleep halfway through (it has 150 minutes running time). Not like any other brainless action movies (a.k.a Iron Man or A-Team), this one you may experience where the movie dictates you and ask you to turn your mind upside down.

As far as the acting goes, Inception offers one the best ensemble cast, with Leo DiCaprio is solid rock as the star of the show. After this performance, no one will have any doubts that he is one of the best actors around (ask Scorsese himself). He's just damn good to portray Cobb, the group leader with his nightmarish occurrences of his late wife. He has so many materials to play with, tortured soul, endless guilty nightmares, love of the family, the longing of seeing his children again, and many others. I can't think any other actor can play this great role other than Leo himself.

The rest of the supporting cast are also brilliant. We have the great Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur, Cobb's longtime partner and most trusted friend, and he gets the best action scene in the movie, the fighting in rotating hallways which you've seen over and over in the trailers. And thankfully we have the gorgeous and magnificent Ellen Page, which has made a big jump on characterization of playing Ariadne, the architect. She finally manages to escape from typecasting of teenage girl character, since this role has made her into a more mature figure (still remember Juno?). The good thing about having her the in the movie is that she's the one who appears so naively and look so 'ordinary' compared with the rest. Therefore, we always have a proper explanation from her about the whole extractor and inception thing. Another plus thing, ain't it cool to see how the role of an architect is highly glorified in this movie? Tom Hardy as Eames, the forger, steals the scenes later on near the end of the show, by having his own action scenes. Man, this guy has all the criteria to be the next action hero star, he may even that good to replace Daniel Craig for the 007 role in the future. The late wife of Cobb, Mol is beautifully and elegantly played by Marion Cotillard (she's getting hotter and better recently), we can really feel sympathetic toward her disillusion and broken spirit throughout the movie, which is the root of all Cobb's problems.

The rest just completes the round-up, Tom Berrenger, Michael Caine, and Pete Postlethwaite, whose given small but significant roles, it's kinda like you have a great main course with excellent side dish also. My only real concern is Ken Watanabe, as Saito the client, which I think he has some issues with his lines, since most of the time, I really can't hear what he's saying. Nevertheless, he gave a convincing performance also, but still, it's better for all of us to watch it with subtitles.

INCEPTION is so rich in materials and conceptual ideas, which I think requires several viewings to really understand the whole dreaming saga. I might even buy the original DVD or Blu-Ray to hear Nolan's audio commentary or anything behind the scene process. I remember watching like 2001 : Space Odyssey, Memento, or Blade Runner for multiple times, and it's been a while since Hollywood presents us 'confusing' movies, but still great ones. INCEPTION is truly a remarkable movie, it makes you play with your brain, it's entertaining, and it makes you think and continues even after you leave your the theater (the ending will make you say, WHATTTT?). It's Hollywood's smartest example on spending the big budget so far.

My Rating : 10/10

We are going to steal the MOON!!!

After an emotionally moments with Toy Story 3 (surprisingly, I read some kids found it scary and dark), DESPICABLE ME has all the right ingredients to conjure certain antidotes for bringing out laughters, I mean a lots of laughters. Clearly, it's a very obvious carbon copy from Pixar blueprint and Looney Tunes' 'violence' jokes, but it was made in a smart and positive approach.

In a world where super villains make the headlines, Gru (Steve Carrell) is one of them, and he has just been challenged by another villain, Vector (Jason Segel) who had just stole, literally, the Pyramid. Fear of future popularity decline is imminent, along with his assistant, Dr. Nefario (voiced by UN-recognizable Russell Brand) and a bunch of Minions (the source of all your laughters), Gru is planning to overtake Vector by with, steal the Moon (yes, literally, by shrinking it and put it his hand). However, Vector is always one step ahead of him, and along the way, Gru discovers what might be Vector weakness. To exploit it, Gru has to manipulate some orphan girls, Agnes, Edith, and Margo, into Vector HQ and obtain a secret weapon to shrink the Moon. After spending lots of time with the girls, the 'white side' of Gru has little by little becomes to change his point of view. He has to choose whether to chase his ultimate ambition, or not to horribly disappoint the kids.

Nonetheless, the brief synopsis reminds me of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole the Christmas, since it shares the same plot. Like most of cartoon antagonist characters, Gru's arrogant accent and comic villain attitude has made him a unique main character in an animation movie. It's quite rare that this kind of movie picks up a baddie to be the main character, but we'll end up liking him even more. What makes me love it is that Despicable Me is simply hilarious! It's simply a kind of movie that all can enjoy, a terrifically smart film which balances the clever jokes and visual slapstick which won't harm anyone.

If you check out the cast, it has all the brand house names, ranging from Steve Carrell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, and the veteran Julie Andrews. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the voice-over of the characters, especially Carrell and Brand, which I think they've done a terrific job on putting a different characterization that they used to bring on live movies. But the most fun element from Despicable Me comes in the tiny form of Gru's Minions. You can't argue that they are the main show, since the cute irresistible yellowish mini size creatures will end up maximizing your laugh-o-meter to the max. From the moment they show up onto the screen, you'll want them for more.

Despicable Me appears to follow the tried and true formula, a good story decent animation = entertaining family film. It hasn't quite up to Pixar quality, but if this something that Universal and Illumination Studio can offer, they are surely on the promising track. For the first timer directors, Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, they did a splendid job on delivering Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio script. Just like How to Train Your Dragon and Cloudy in the Chance of Meatballs, this is one of the better CG movie efforts in a while, where it is also a reminder that no single studio has a monopoly on thoughtful animated features. Despicable Me is good enough for you animation lovers, perhaps until the next Pixar's smashes the theaters.

My Rating: 8/10

To Infinity and Beyonddddddd.....

Toy Story 3, in my opinion has just completed one of the best trilogies ever made...and it's suitable for all ages and families. I'm pretty sure all Toy Story movies will be put on my kids' must-see watch list. I never thought that PIXAR is able to pull a 2nd sequel as good as the previous releases. I mean, the 3rd movie is really damn good. Storyline, check....Graphic, check....Cast check....Entertainment, check....Plot Twist, check....Surprises, check....Tear-jearking moment, check, hix hix hix.....They just have 'em all. For a zillion times already, never ever ever EVER underestimate PIXAR. They just keep on making remarkable movies, when all other studios should really LEARN from them, especially in this era of commercialism, zero creativity, and nonsense ideas.

It took 11 hours just to render this frame.

The whole storyline for Toy Story 3 has actually already pre-described from the Toy Story 2, with the notion that every boy/girl will eventually abandon their old toys once they are grown up. Andy is 17 now, and he's preparing to move out for college time. He still kept some of his beloved old toys, from Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, Jessie, Bullseye, Hamm, Rex, and Slinky Dog. However, what a pity that they are craving to be played again. Andy finally chooses Woody to keep him company, while others will be kept in the attic. Unfortunately, after some misunderstanding, the toys are mistakenly carried out from Andy's house, and they end up at some child day care. The toys think that this maybe a good start of a better new life, while Woody is trying hard to convince them to return to Andy. Apparently, the other toys at the child care, led by head honcho Lotso, are able to convince the Buzz and co. to stay back and enjoy to be played by the children. What they don't know that the place has become a prison, and they are trapped with the brutality of the children. Again, Woody jumps into the adventure of rescuing his friends, in the nick of time before Andy is checking out.

Apart from being the funniest of the series, this one also appears to be the darkest. The child daycare condition as a prison in disguise is a clever and bold move from PIXAR to freshen up the story. Suddenly it reminds me of the Shawshank Redemption which put Buzz and friends in Tim Robbins position, and Lotso as the mean warden. This new approach is just not making the movie more mature, but it adds up the emotional depth of the characters, and their friendship values. I was a bit concerned regarding the big number of the characters, but PIXAR (again) brilliantly put them all on the screen, and it works smoothly, and no one gets left behind. Most importantly, they are able to give 'heart' into each of toys. Once you go out from the cinema, all the toys left me a good remarks and impressions.

While all the old faces are given their equal portion (and each of them have their own 'best' moment). the new toys are not disappointing, even some of them are quite strong and influential for the story. By putting Lotso as the main villain, it gives a darker aura beneath the cuddly purple toy. Barbie and Ken (voiced over by brilliant Michael Keaton), as cheesy as you may think, are having their glorious moments on screen, compared to their direct-to-DVD craps. The rest are just too many to be covered, but rest assured, the have enriched the whole Toy Story Universe.

In some points, it is scary, even for kids, and on the ending, it is both sad and joyful (I'm not shy to admit that I had tears right in the end, but I guessed, I'm not alone who cried behind the 3D goggles). Overall, PIXAR has done it again, they crafted not just a very nice movie, but also closed up the perfect ending for the series. 10 years in the making shows the seriousness on not just making big bucks, but how to make a movie with appropriate script, animation, and character development. It is not an overstatement that this might be the best 3rd installment on board with Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, and perhaps best sequel if we compare it with Godfather Part II or Empire Strikes Back.

It's amazing that a movie based on toys can have so much drama and family values, and even real-life situation. It has underline the notion that we cannot go forward, solve problems, make choices, or even grow up without the help of friends. It has been the same concept and blueprint for most of the PIXAR movies, but somehow they can always adjust it well into different script.

Look closely, and you'll see a cameo from a famous Studio Ghibli character.

It has been a 15 years epic, and PIXAR is not slowing down a bit. After a dull and ludicrous summer, Toy Story 3 has lighten up the mood, by bringing a fresh air for the audiences, for us to enjoy what a movie should have been doing, to entertain us, and put the experience in our hearts and mind. It's a rare thing to say a movie with number '3' in it is a very very GOOD one.

My Rating : 10/10

The Agent Who Drugged Me...

Frankly, I have lost appetite with Tom Cruise’s movies recently. His last decent movie as far as I could recall was probably The Last Samurai, plus he made a pretty good cameo on ‘Tropic Thunder’. We all may blame his antics on Oprah, Sciencetology, or teenage love story with Katie. I didn't even catch Valkyrie at all. But there is something with Knight and Day which makes me interested. I think this is a perfect movie where Tom Cruise plays as...Tom Cruise himself. Actually, when the trailer was premiered last year before Avatar, I didn't get the idea, what the hell is this movie? A Super Secret Agent running around with Cameron Diaz, chased by bad guys? Not to bright, huh?

Overall, the movie is a total nonsense, over the top, and ridiculously fun in some parts. In a way, this popcorn flick delivers something fresh, out of the line action scenes, and no one gets hurt badly (thanks PG-13). I didn’t even see Cruise get scratched or wounded (at least until the end) most of the time. Yeah, he still has that ‘look’ and ‘charismatic’, I guess it’s better for him to use and explore it while it lasts. I really enjoyed the opening 30 minutes, the scenes were changing rapidly, from one spot to another spot, and bang bang bang everywhere. Afterwards, the movie was just going downward, it became too repetitive, and the only thing differs is the locations (we see airplane, tropical island, Switzerland, Spain, etc). As far as the story goes, the audience will be assured that no matter what happens, Cruise and Diaz won’t get into too much trouble.

The plus point of Knight and Day is the perfect chemistry of the main duo. I kinda enjoy how Roy Miller and June Havens start building their relationship on screen, right from the flirting moments at the airport, they fight among themselves, and right into the end when Diaz' character suddenly steals the show. Remember Mr. & Mrs. Smith? Just like that, but without 'Brangelina' hype. They prove to be a much better pair than Heigl – Kutcher on The Killers. Diaz still has her and sweet cute attitude. If only this movie is made 5 years ago, damn she must be a one damn hottie. Although I don’t buy the ending, the chemistry becomes a bit awkward and Diaz’ transformation is just ludicrous and bizarre.

Thanks to the domination from the main stars, the rest is just like puppets, even the villain, Fitzgerald (Peter Sarsgaard), looks like a douche, one of the lamest bad guy in 2010, making him on board with Jason Patric (The Losers) and Patrick Wilson (A-Team). He doesn’t look intimidating, the threat is so weak and dumb, and most of all, he doesn’t have that ‘bad guy’ face at all. Paul Dano plays very few screen as the inventor Simon Peck, who creates the mini super battery that can run a small city, which happens to be the center of all problems. It's a shame since I thought he will add the colors of the whole cast, he's pretty much underused and ignored (man, he's brilliant in Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood).

This may not the best Tom Cruise movie after all, and frankly, I’m still surprised he wants to jump into the wagon for this one. But, only Tom Cruise who can still add the flavor and additional gimmicks to this kind of flick. He can shoot, jump, play lasso to grab person by person, go from A to B in 18 hours, acting ridiculously, and still...audience will not blast him, we may even like him more. That's the power of Cruise. From technical aspect, the action scenes were unreasonably and ridiculously thrilling. Most of the jokes work well (I like the ‘with me, without me, with me, without me’), and Diaz can be really cute in some scenes (she can also play dumb, though). Again, just like when I reviewed the A-Team, leave your brain at the door, and ‘try’ to enjoy the movie. In the end, Knight and Day may entertains some audiences, kinda love storyish in a way....but if you’re looking for some seriousness, you’re in the wrong section, dude.

My Rating : 7/10

I love it when a plan comes together...

Remakes of 80's TV series are the current trend in Hollywood. You may think that the idea stinks, or even lacks of creativity, but it has potentials to get lots of bucks. And apart from it, it's kinda guilty pleasure thing to see a fresh and updated TV series remade into the big screen. In short, the remakes are the reminder of things past.

This year, the A-Team maybe the biggest TV remake you can get. With big stars like Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley, and Jessica Biel, it's a mouth watering prospect that this can work well altogether. Joe Carnahan sits at the director seat, and I really like his previous work, 'Narc' back in 2002, and although it looked all around stupid, 'Smoking Aces' had delivered something fresh.

If you were young enough to remember, the A-Team is a story about a band of outlaw mercenaries, ex-Rangers, who were branded as war criminals of a crime they didn't commit. Afterwards, they become soldiers of fortune, acted on the side of good and those who are helpless. The group comprises 4 members, with each has distinguished outlook, skills, ability, and not to mention silly attitude. No plan B and they get the job done.... ridiculously.

Without altering the main concept, the 2010 version is expected to be a big hit, with over the top action scenes (or I can say, brainless) packed within 120 minutes running time. Meet Hannibal (Neeson), Facepack (Cooper), Murdock (Copley), and B.A (UFC winner, 'Rampage' Jackson). After disastrous mission at Iraq to recover money plate, the whole A-Team member was put into trial and ends up in prison. Realizing the whole mission was a setup sprung by other mercenaries, they got helped from FBI agent, Lynch (Patrick Wilson), to escape from prison, and to retrieve back the money plates, before they are going to be used by terrorist countries. A DOD agent, Charisa (Jessica Biel), who has history with Facepack, is given task to track all the A-Team members. Unfortunately, things don't go as smooth as predicted, since they end up with unexpected encounter which reminds them why the were back stabbed in the beginning.

I'm always a big fan of action movies, no matter how brainless it can be sometimes. Most of the times, good action movies tend to follow the era. This fun action reboot brings the quartet of soldier for hire into the digital era, and in a way, Carnahan did a pretty good job since he didn't let technology overcomes personality. To be frank, the story line was predictable, and the only thing that sells is the brainless and sometimes meaningless action scenes. You won't find anything serious, since the Carnahan put the fun tone in every scene. Watching this flick is kinda Ocean's Eleven with big guns and a tank falls down from the sky and shooting airplanes.

'A' is for action, not for acting though. From all the cast, I enjoy every time Murdock comes out, since his lines are pretty funny and laughable. On the other hand, I feel new B.A is kinda like sissy and 'laughable' also (in a wrong way), compared with its predecessor Mr. T. Big body with lesser attitude, doesn't work at all. Neeson is a perfect cast for the team leader, and Cooper is a bit lousy and noisy altogether. And for the hottie, I must say Jessica Biel was cast only for screen refresher (FYI, she's the only female cast), since she didn't do much, where her character most of the time only catch wind and smooch Facepack.

But really, for this kind of movie, the whole package is enough. Although I smell lots of commercialism, the movie turns out to be enjoyable for most part. After watching so many remakes and reboots, the lesson learned is not to take it seriously, and lower down your expectations. Not to be harsh, I see this whole macho fantasia as a disposable fun, a great summer action-comedy, where the Action is the Comedy. Finally, after a dull summer period, the A-Team just ignite the fire with its first action packed thrills of the year. But keep in mind though, it's dumb, noisy and relentlessly violent ... did you expect anything different?

My Rating : 7/10

Put Your Jacket On....

The 1984 Karate Kid has become a cultural icon, and the story line has been used for million times. A kid, bullied, helped by an old guy happened to be karate expert, the kid learn to be tough, entered the tournament, fought his nemesis, and won it...It's like the fairy tales in a modern way, and for teenagers indeed. Back then, it is hard not to like the classic version, where it glorified courage, honor, and of course, getting a hot chick in the most stylish way, showing off the crane kick. Pat Morita, with his role as the notorious Mr. Miyagi, since then has been a iconic figure in Hollywood.

Now, the 2010 Karate Kid basically is using the same old recipe, but instead of karate, they change the setting into China, where the kid learns Kung-Fu. I still find it silly that the movie title was not changed into Kung Fu Kid, since the title and the whole story was totally irrelevant, but this is Hollywood, and I guess this is the way to attract the old 80's generation to watch it. The producers made a bold move to choose Jaden Smith (Will Smith's kid) as the new karate, ups...kung fu kid, not just because he's BLACK (believe me, commonly it's kinda hard for Hollywood to promote black people as an action figure), but also the new character will become much YOUNGER than Ralph Macchio. Another interesting cast selection was Jackie Chan as the kung fu master, since he has been very very poor on choosing the script in Hollywood these days. So, will the new Karate Kid will actually be that good for the new generation? Oh hell yeah...(believe, I didn't even see this coming).

Dre (Jaden Smith), is moving out to China with his mum (Taraji P. Henson). Apparently, cultural shock and a couple of jet lag has made things from bad to worst for Dre's first day in Beijing. His show off attitude toward a cute girl, Mei Ying (Wenwen Han) doesn't make Cheng happy, who happens to be very good in kung fu. Beaten up like a sack, Dre has just started his nightmarish days. Until one day, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) an old mechanic guy, helps him out from being cornered by Cheng's group. Desperately, Dre begs Mr. Han to teach him not just to fight, but importantly, to defend himself. He declined at first, but after failing to make peace with Cheng's master, Han decides make Dre his apprentice, since the kid is challenged to join a kung fu tournament. From there, the story embarks not just on teaching martial arts, but also on how the mentor and the apprentice shares and learns about family and how to move on with life (halfway in the movie, Mr. Han will eventually share his sad story, a bit tear jerker actually). Afterwards, the movie will roll up until the climatic tournament fight...one thing for sure, no crane kick in the end....

Before I went to see this, I believe this must be the worst of summer movies. After How to Train Your Dragon, every movie which came out looked decent, or even worse, and I ended up miss some of them. What a relief to say that this one finally comes out to be different. The positive thing about this one is that The Karate Kid seems to detach itself from the original. Since this remake is so damn good, it feels like a stand-alone title. All the original components are still there, which we rarely see in the past few years.

The cast also gave an a good show, especially Jackie Chan, because I think this is the first time he acts according to his age (read: OLD). His character taps into true emotion and I got to see another side of Chris Tucker‘s Rush Hour sidekick. Jaden Smith still lives under his dad's big name, but by looking his preparation for this flick, I say he does a pretty good job (I mean, learning martial arts isn't supposed to be easy rite?). Some of the his lines were dreadful, some of the jokes were crispy, but for some scenes, he can also show the emotional side. Dre's love interest, played by Wenwen Han also steals some scenes with her cuteness, but still, seeing a black and Chinese kid get along each other (once again) is a brave portrayal by the director.

Another good thing about The Karate Kid is the China scenery, which is portrayed well on showing how Beijing looks like, and also the people activities. I just came back from China couple of weeks ago, and seeing the Beijing landmarks just made me think, "Man, I've been there !". So, for the common viewers, it is also a good chance to see what kind of a city Beijing is.

My only concern is the fighting scenes. The Karate Kid, in my opinion is quite a bit of violence for kids. All the hits and kicks received by the kids made me cringe...Dude, landing on concrete, hard blows to the limbs, and even harsher blows to the face, man...that will make you bleed and won't wake up easily....But then again, this is fictional, so these little actors are taking a licking and keep on ticking. Mums and Dads, be careful not to let your kids do those things at home.

Overall, 2010 Karate Kid is a very satisfying update of the original, a little slow in the middle but the ending has people standing up and clapping. As far as remakes go, it's not the best, but it's definitely a worthy effort and a fine display of Chan and Smith's skills, both as dramatic actors and action ones.

My Rating : 8/10

Happy Father's Day

I was hearing Will Smith's Just The Two of Us yesterday, and just realized that the lyrics are so touching and meaningful...coincides with the Father's Day celebration...to all the great dads...GBU always....

From the first time the doctor placed you in my arms
I knew I'd meet death before I'd let you meet harm
Although questions arose in my mind, would I be man enough?
Against wrong, choose right and be standin up
From the hospital that first night
Took a hour just ta get the carseat in right
People drivin all fast, got me kinda upset
Got you home safe, placed you in your basonette
That night I don't think one wink I slept
As I slipped out my bed, to your crib I crept
Touched your head gently, felt my heart melt
Cause I know I loved you more than life itself
Then to my knees, and I begged the Lord please
Let me be a good daddy, all he needs
Love, knowledge, discipline too
I pledge my life to you

Just the two of us, we can make it if we try
Just the two of us, (Just the two of us)
Just the two of us, building castles in the sky
Just the two of us, you and I

Five years old, bringin comedy
Everytime I look at you I think man, a little me
Just like me
Wait an see gonna be tall
Makes me laugh cause you got your dads ears an all
Sometimes I wonder, what you gonna be
A General, a Doctor, maybe a MC
Haha, I wanna kiss you all the time
But I will test that butt when you cut outta line, trudat
Uh-uh-uh why you do dat?
I try to be a tough dad, but you be makin me laugh
Crazy joy, when I see the eyes of my baby boy
I pledge to you, I will always do
Everything I can
Show you how to be a man
Dignity, integrity, honor an
An I don't mind if you lose, long as you came with it
An you can cry, ain't no shame it it
It didn't work out with me an your mom
But yo, push come to shove
You was conceived in love
So if the world attacks, and you slide off track
Remember one fact, I got your back

It's a full-time job to be a good dad
You got so much more stuff than I had
I gotta study just to keep with the changin times
101 Dalmations on your CD-ROM
See me-I'm
Tryin to pretend I know
On my PC where that CD go
But yo, ain't nuthin promised, one day I'll be gone
Feel the strife, but trust life does go wrong
But just in case
It's my place
To impart
One day some girl's gonna break your heart
And ooh ain't no pain like from the opposite sex
Gonna hurt bad, but don't take it out on the next, son
Throughout life people will make you mad
Disrespect you and treat you bad
Let God deal with the things they do
Cause hate in your heart will consume you too
Always tell the truth, say your prayers
Hold doors, pull out chairs, easy on the swears
You're living proof that dreams do come true
I love you and I'm here for you

Prince of Persia

Let's do some counting...how many good movies were made from video game adaptation? NONE...even titles such as Tomb Raider and Mortal Kombat can only be considered as decent quality. Most of the time, these genres came up with bad and even terrible script, so-so production cost, lame actors, and last but not least, it just doesn't work somehow....remember Super Mario Bros, Wing Commander, Street Fighter, etc....Perhaps, maybe only Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children which i thought the best of them all, followed by the Resident Evil series (although they really should stop making it!). It brings us to the question, what does make Prince of Persia different from the others?

First of all, this is the first time that this genre has a big budget support for the production. The super mega producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, apparently did a gambling when he decided to put his money for funding this movie. Frankly, Prince of Persia : Sands of Time story line is good enough to be translated into big picture, and when I saw the production team behind it....I crossed my fingers that this might be the best adaptation ever. With big names attached such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Artenton, and even Alfred Molina, I may believe that this one could work.

Once upon a time in the Persian kingdom, a poor little boy from the slum, Dastan, made a good impression in front of the King Sharaman who happened to cross by a city of Nassaf, by running and jumping acrobatically across streets, roofs, and corridor, after he helped another kid being abused by soldiers. Afterwards, Dastan was adopted and became one the princes of the Persia. Fast forward several years, Dastan's grows up amongst royalties and quickly earns his place as mighty warrior and a prince. One day, his step brothers, Garvis and Tus plan to invade a holy city of Alamut, based on accusation that has been supplying weapons to enemies. Taking matter in his own hand, Dastan eventually helped the troops to overtake the city, accidentally retrieves a strange looking dagger, and encounters the beautiful Alamut princess, Tamina. The King was angry with the decision, but nevertheless, he promises to rule the city with generosity. All of sudden, the King dies under strange circumstances, and all evidence leads to Dastan as the murderer. Managed to escape with Tamina, he has to find a way to clear up his name. After a while, he learns many facts from Tamina why Alamut was invaded, and one of them is the dagger in his hand who holds a special power to control time. Together, they embark a journey to stop the evil mind's master plan to seize the ultimate power.

So, was this movie do any good? I must say...both YES and NO....

YES, it works, because it appears with sufficient amount of money, a video game adaptation can receive extra treatments in the art production department. The desert settings in this movie were rendered nicely, and cities, street markets, temple, and palaces, all were made with good production values. Even costumes and weaponry were nicely design, with details and authentic Persian style. The sword fighting scenes are nicely choreographed, and the acrobat jumping and running is kinda rip-off from 'parkour' style, but still entertaining though. Gyllenhaal made a good impression as Dastan, with his beefed up body and English accent, I have to say, he truly has that kind of charisma of action icon.

On the other hand, I can also say....NO, it doesn't work, because once again, the script was lousy and in some parts, the lines were so ridiculous, especially Tamina's part, they are incredibly unconvincing and flat. It appears they put Gemma Arterton just for eye catcher (no offense there, I still found she's also incredibly hot). The sword fighting scenes were cool enough for starters, but after so many numerous repetitions, the fighting scenes became dull. Lucky enough, the Hassasins jumped into the scenes with their unique, cool, but over the top weaponry, replacing swords.

Overall, Prince of Persia is no more than a video game rip-off with better cast and adequate entertainment value. Storyline was so-so, but the ending was quite satisfying. I must say, this maybe the best of all previous video game adaptations. But I can't help to compare this flick with Pirates of Caribbean, just without the eccentric Jack Sparrow. This shows that with enough budget and good cast, a video game translated into a big screen doesn't have to be disastrous. Now, bring it on MASS EFFECT or GOD OF WAR !

My Rating : 6.5/10

You want my property - you can't have it!

Spiderman 2, X-Men 2, and The Dark Knight...those are superhero movie sequels which are considered as 'better than the first one', both quality and dollars. Unfortunately, I must say upfront, Iron Man 2 does not belong to that same category. Nevertheless, it still entertains, especially in the early part and the last action scene, which I believe are the huge boost points for the sequel. For those who wants to see boom boom bang bang actions scenes, prepare to be disappointed, since there was only 2 big action scenes which involves Iron Man, and to tell you the truth, this movie lacks of Tony Stark appearing in his Iron Man suit.

On the bright side, the opening 40 minutes was a great story telling, gives you a 'family' and 'humanist' theme. The movies started in Russia, with how Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) succumbed to his sadness after his dad had died, and planned to take his revenge on Stark by making a similar Iron Man suit. While back in the US, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)is everywhere, he has become the most known public figure, superhero, celebrity, well, you name it. He hasn't changed at all, the super ego, complete with over the top narcissistic figure and never take anything seriously. He still has Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) to clean up his mess, new assistant, the blossom brunette Natalie (Scarlett Johansson), and his buddy Rhodey (Don Cheadle) who constantly reminds Stark that he should be careful with both his mouth and actions.

Without giving out any spoiler, I can tell you that in spite he enjoys the spotlight, he has to deal with his very own 'problem' which can compromise both his future and Iron Man. To add things up, the US Government, led by Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) felt that they require Stark to give out his suit to the country. At this very moment, Stark is being bombarded everywhere, not to mention the sudden appearance of Whiplash a.k.a Ivan to make things even messier. Another additional character is Tony Stark wannabe, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), a military contractor who is obsessed to create the Iron Man suite kind-of for US military soldiers. After he witnesses what Ivan Venko in action, he seizes this opportunity to benefit him.

I can say Iron Man is the antithesis compare with previous superhero movies. For a start, it is less darker than its predecessors. The sequel offers something refreshing than the 1st installment, it gives Stark a more human character who deals with death or alive issue. The built up story is well told and composed, which almost makes it one of the best. Sadly, it falters in the middle part, where some of the story sequences become too fast, and all things happened at once.

The plus thing about Iron Man 2 is the cast, where the all the main characters do not disappoint at all. Each of the main star has his/her own moment, means the scenes distribution is quite equal, except for Stark character. Robert Downey Jr., once again deliver his stellar performance as Stark, where he is able to capture all the Stark's essential character (that's why Downie Jr. is the most suitable guy for Stark). The Iron Man main core lies within Downey Jr., every scene felt more fresh with him in it. Gwyneth Paltrow has more screen time, and perhaps larger role, less childish, cute as ever. The baddies also don't disappoint as well, Mickey Rourke has one of the hell introduction in the Monaco circuit, while the greedy Hammer played magnificently by Sam Rockwell, he is annoying and one damn bad ass. He's very good in mixing evil and comedy at the same time, sinister asshole, I must say. Although my complaint is that Ivan Venko is lack of lines, damn he only does 1 or 2 liners at most, but lucky his appearance is more than enough to intimidate. ScarJo, until her brief action scenes near the end of the movie, was mostly used as screen refresher (for guys I mean), although she does not show much cleavage as she used to be. She's sexy, but that's about it, period.

Now the major talking point, Don Cheadle as Rhodey a.k.a War Machine, replacing Terrence Howard from the previous installment...does he do any good? Well, yes and no. In term of physical appearance, Terrence wins the competition by a mile, since he has much better charisma as Rhodey, and I believe the girls also agree with me. But in term of delivering convincing lines and emotional state, Cheadle may be better. the surprising thing is how the director himself, John Favreau as Hogan, Stark's bodyguard, eventually has more scenes and even his own action moments (I think he shows up more than ScarJo).

Iron Man 2 has all the potentials to become a very good superhero movie flick, especially with all the hypes and big expectations, but unfortunately, this flick has its own letdown moments. The underused of Whiplash is the biggest disappointment, even the biggest and coolest action scene does not involve Ivan, and the I felt final battle was really short and easily concluded. And another issue is the amount of comedy injected to the lines. Is it too much? I felt like watching an action-comedy flick. I mean, compared with all previous superhero movie, perhaps this one is the 'lightest'. There are some emotional moments, but with the tone has already set into 'fun' mode, I never buy 'em.

The action scenes are good, and I'm glad Favreau does not follow Michael Bay's dumb and brainless path. People who waits for big explosions and Iron Man performs cool moves, will be satisfied in the final moments. Although, I didn't feel the element of surprise anymore. I mean, c'mon, I remember how my jaw dropped the first time I saw Stark put that Iron Man suit, and start flying. Now watching him fall down from airplane into the stage of Stark Expo, hmmmm...nothing new there.

Another interesting aspect is the hints and clues about Avengers project. Yes, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has longer scenes regarding this issue, and there are some very very clear of the next Avenger movie clues, one is clearly visible in the middle of the movie, and the other one...you have to wait until the credit titles roll ends...so sit tight guys.

To conclude, Iron Man starts great, and ended with epic battle scenes, perhaps one of the best, involving all characters at once. It has funny jokes, supported with stellar cast performance. Unfortunately, the tone is dropped in the middle, but despite some imperfections, this film accelerates well into a spectacular final act. I don't doubt it will be a big hit, but it could be so much better.

My Rating : 8/10