Movie: High Tension

Let me start off by saying that I have simply no idea what this film is all about. All I see is a tough looking, alpha female holding a barbwire stick and looking mean enough to hack anyone who's crossed her path. I watched this film through an app on my iPhone and the blurb simply stated that this is a French film about two young women whose intention is to visit a countryside for vacation but an unexpected visitor has ruined their wonderful vacation. Sounds thrilling to me, I had initially thought, but once I was into the film there was no turning back for me, no matter how horrific and/or bloody it seems. 

The film begins with a scene of a woman in a hospital gown; her back is filled with stitches and she is whispering to herself. She has vague memories of a woman running from something (or someone) in a forest and her stomach is wounded. 

Back to a new scene, we see two happy young women in a car heading to somewhere else. Their names are Marie and Alex, and their destination is to Alex's parents' house at a countryside. They have decided to stay there for their college break and a quiet countryside sounds appealing; plus it is Alex's family. 

That night, before Marie settles into bed, she thought she hears something in the house. The film moves on to show Alex's father answering to a doorbell and someone bulky wearing a cap slashed at his face. Filled with blood and in pain, Alex's father crawls back into the house but is stopped by the killer when he presses Alex's father's head between two rails of the staircase and then shoves the bookcase towards him. Needless to say, Alex's father is gone with his head decapitated. At this point, I knew where this film is going and that it would be filled with more gore and violence but yet I couldn't stop myself from watching it. I wanted to find out what happened to the family and whether or not if Marie and/or Alex would be hurt or worse, killed by this sadistic killer. 

True enough, there was more gore and violence as Alex's mother is the next victim as her throat was brutally slashed. Seeing both Alex's parents dead, Marie goes off to find Alex but she is too late - for Alex is chained  in her bedroom but she promises her that she would call for help. Unfortunately, the line was cut and Alex's younger brother is the next to go, as the killer shot him after he realized he has gone into the cornfield. 

Feeling satisfied that he didn't find anyone except Alex in the house, the killer proceeds to haul her into his old van and make his escape but Marie manages to creep into the van before he drove off. They travelled down a deserted road and just when Marie thought they would be dead, the killer stops at a gas station and Marie decides that this would be the best time to call for help and stop the killer, but she is dead wrong. 

Filled with intensity as the title of this film suggest, this story is about a sadistic psychopath who would not stop at anything just to get his 'prize'. Aside from the gore and violence (be warned - there are lots of them), I felt that this is a classic slasher movie and that it has delved into the character as well as the complexities of the killer. Sometimes, what you see is not what you expect and High Tension had stumped me in many ways, not only the gore, violence, the ending but also the psychology as well. Though this is an old film (released in 2003, AKA Switchblade Romance), this is one of those films that would stay in your mind for a long while; which I find is a good thing to me for I don't have the intention to watch it, again. It was too horrific to me.

Movie: The Descent

Hello, my dear friends and readers! It seems like a long time since I have updated this blog! Well, I just want to tell you all that I am still up and running... around the house, that is. I may have quitted my job, but who says being a full-time housewife is easy either? Not me. Apart from all the household chores and stuff, I also "play" tutor to my eldest daughter, who is in Primary Two this year and for goodness sake, I couldn't imagine how stressful it could be as compared to my good, old primary school days! I really pity all the schoolchildren these days; they don't seem to have a childhood anymore. Anyway, I am sure you do not want to hear about my rambling, so let's move on to my thoughts on The Descent, a film which I watched lately. 

The Descent is a British horror film released in 2005. The story opens with three women whitewater rafting in Scotland. After the adventure and on their way back, Sarah and her husband, together with their daughter met in an horrific accident and while Sarah survives, her husband and daughter are killed on the spot, unfortunately. 

A year later, Sarah is reunited with her five good friends at a cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in USA. They decided to go caving and as the group move into the cave, Juno, one of the women admitted that she has led them into an unknown cave system instead of a explored cave system they planned for, after a passage collapses behind them and leaving them stuck. Now that they couldn't turn back, they have no choice but to move on, hoping that they would find another way out. 

As they move on, another woman, Holly falls down a hole and breaks her leg. While the rest helps with Holly's leg, Sarah wanders about and see someone, or rather something drinking at a pool. Whatever it is then scampers off into the darkness after hearing Sarah's gasp; and when Sarah told the group what she thought she has seen, they all dismissed her comment as an imagination. After all, they thought she has not walked out of her woe all this time. 

At this point, it is not surprising to know that something creepy is (are) lurking down there and they are just waiting for the chance to pounce on them. Holly is the first victim to be taken by these pale humanoid creatures, and despite they are as blind as a bat, they could leap and run very quickly by their sharp hearing senses. The group all run in different directions after chaos broke, and during a scene Juno accidentally stabs Beth through the neck with her pickaxe, thinking she is one of the creatures. Before Beth drops to the ground, she grabs Juno's pendant and the latter runs away in shock, not checking to see if Beth is still alive or not. 

Juno then found another two friends after rescuing them from the creature, and told them that she may have found a way out but first she will have to find Sarah. The two women reluctantly agree to the search. On the other end, Sarah finds the injured Beth and from Juno's pendant, she then realises that Juno had had an affair with her husband. Beth, at this point, begs Sarah to euthanise her, and Sarah sadly complies. 

Juno's group encounter more of the creatures, and in no time they killed the other two women, leaving Juno alone. The climax begins when Juno and Sarah finally find each other during their run and without a doubt, Sarah will have to confront Juno about her leaving Beth and then of course, her affair with her husband. Added to the intensity would be of course the creatures which by then have found their way towards them. Who will survive? Or will they all be perished together in the cave? 

I always have a thing for adventures movies so to have it in horror style is a bonus for me since I quite like watching horrors too. I find the plot OK, and if you are hoping for gore this film has it as there are full of it. This film is not for the squeamish, and of course definitely not for children! 

I also watched The Descent Part 2 and it was a total disappointment to me so I don't think I would want to write my thoughts on that. For starters, the plot isn't that intriguing and what most stumped me is the ending, which I find ridiculous and what, hilarious? 

So what horror movies have you been watching and most looking forward to (I'm thinking Paranormal Activity 4!)?

Movie: Kaiji 2 - The Ultimate Gambler

Hello, my dear friends and readers! It has been a long while since I have updated this blog but let me assure you that I haven't forgotten you all and that I still read books and catch up on fellow bookbloggers' posts via Google Reader. I may not have commented on all the posts I read, but I do read them. 

The first moment I logged on to Blogger, I was amazed at how much changes have been made over at Blogger and I figured I would have to explore them when I have some spare time. As of now, I am going to write my thoughts on the DVD I watched lately - Kaiji 2: The Ultimate Gambler. I mentioned this before that I have been searching for the first installment but to no avail to date. However, that does not stop me from watching the second part and I was glad that it could be watched as a standalone, even though there are some flashbacks of the first part to remind the audience some of the scenes it had happened and how these would affect the second part of the story. 

Anyway, the story opens with the leading hero, Kaiji Ito (played by Tatsuya Fujiwara) again being in debt and was sent to the underground to work as labourer. There are many others like him deep in the underground and they never get to see the light of the day. Thinking that he would be struck in there forever, Kaiji is thrilled when he is offered a chance to clear his debt of 200 million Yen but there is a catch. For starters, he has only two weeks to clear off his debts and most of all, he has to play against a beast of a machine dubbed "the swamp" (which is actually a pinball machine and the balls have to go through a few levels before one ball would drop into the red winning hole). Unfortunately, no one has ever won playing against the machine as it is controlled by the illegal casino's ruthless manager, Seiya Ichijo (played by Yusuke Iseya). He has the machine manipulated so that no matter how many times the players play, no one will walk out of that casino as the winner. 

Together with a few fellow "losers" who all have their own shares of misfortunes and emotional baggage on their shoulders, they decided to think of ways on how to beat the unbeatable "swamp" while hoping that time and Lady Luck would be on their side before they lose everything, again.

While Kaiji 2 is all about gambling and survival, I have to say this movie is also about humanity and yes, courage and determination. While I do not encourage anyone to gamble and be addicted to it, I do admire the strong determination and courage in the leading hero, Kaiji, and how in the end, it is not only about the money but also to redeem the freedom of his fellow friends in the underground as well. As for the entertaining part, what really held my interest is how "the swamp" is invented by using the logic of mathematics and even the laws of gravity! While one may find it hard to grasp on how these factors could apply to the machine, still you have to marvel at the invention and the mastermind behind it. 

Released in November last year, this Japanese movie made waves in Singapore as there was a star tour following its release and interviews of the leading actor, Tatsuya Fujiwara. These bonus features are included in the DVD as well and although the movie is in Japanese, there are English and Chinese subtitles to choose from. I am expecting a Part 3 because the ending scene definitely allows one to wonder about one particular character's fate. Bring it on, Kaiji Ito!  

Movie: Friends with Benefits

Right, let me start off by saying that I'm not a fan of Justin Timberlake (at least not in the past anyway), therefore this is not a gushy post about him but more on his latest movie, Friends with Benefits. I am sure many of you must have came across romantic comedies which have themes like the leading characters being friends (or even strangers) before they fell in love and became a happy couple. The theme may be cheesy, but they do happen in reality and I love such theme all the same.

Jamie (played by Mila Kunis) is a headhunter in New York and she has found Dylan (played by Justin Timberlake) to fill in the position of an art director at GQ. Prior to fetching Dylan from the airport, Jamie had fallen off with her boyfriend who thinks she is emotionally damaged. Jamie, on the other hand, has swore off men and relationships after the break up and focused her mind into work and helping Dylan in settling down in his new job in New York, after all Dylan is LA based and their personalities and mindset is way so different from each other. Jamie is loud, vocal and is not shy in displaying her emotions in public while Dylan is much more level-headed and prefers to stay in a low profile.

A few outings lead them to become friends, and it is one night while watching a show which revolves around romance and relationship and this got them started on discussing issues like getting physical without all the emotions attached. They then decided to make a pact to be sleeping partners but without those emotional baggage that comes along with it.

Things are going on fine between them until Dylan brings Jamie back home to meet his family, not to introduce them as a couple but as friends considering that Dylan didn't even bring his ex-girlfriend home. Jamie is awed by Dylan's family, for they made her feel at home and most of all, this trip makes her see Dylan in a new light. It makes her understand Dylan a bit more after seeing how he treats towards his father who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Dylan, on the other hand, started to have feelings towards Jamie although he wouldn't want to admit it, in spite that he is being accused of emotionally unavailable by his ex-girlfriend.

Dylan's sister thought Dylan and Jamie make a fine couple, but Dylan brushed it off and said they are nothing but friends. Being a cliché and all, we all know where this is leading to but still we want to see the chemistry sparks and their confession towards the end.

Friends with Benefits may have an old and cliché plot, but what I liked about this movie is the great chemistry between Mila and Justin, and not to mention their witty dialogues at times. Aside from these, I think supporting characters like Jamie's mom, Dylan's father and Dylan's gay colleague, a sports editor, all add entertainment to this movie and make it even more interesting. It was great having a few of those laugh-out-loud moments when you thought this movie is a tad cheesy, in which I wish to reiterate that I enjoyed watching the chemistry between Justin and Mila being onscreen lovers. Heck, I even have to admit that it was far off better as compared with No Strings Attached (starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher), another movie which has the same theme of friends became lovers and in my opinion, it somewhat lacks the poignancy and also that I felt the characterisations are a tad weaker.

And before I end this post, I have a question for you. Do you think a man and a woman can remain friends, especially in the long run?

My Thoughts on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1

I am sure many of you must have known the storyline and what happened in The Twilight Saga, thus I am not going to brief on the premise and instead share with you what I thought of the movie when we watched it a few days ago. Due to the school holidays, the cinema was quite packed but still Breaking Dawn: Part 1 would attract its fans everywhere no matter whatever the circumstances are.

Unlike the previous installments, Breaking Dawn: Part 1 covered more on the emotional than the action part as we see Bella and Edward got married and had their honeymoon at a beautiful exotic place in Brazil. There are many romantic scenes of the newlyweds being together and how Bella reacted in her new role as Edward's wife (and by the way, I loved her wedding dress!). In fact, I felt the first part of the movie was moving on quite slowly because it focus too much on the above.

The action (and drama) finally began in the second part where we see Bella having difficulty in her pregnancy stage and that her appearance and her overall health deteriorate. Bella looked frightening in her pregnancy stage as she always looked pale and haggard. Her body frame reminds me of those who are anorexic except that her protruding belly tells otherwise. And as for the birth scene, it wasn't horrendous as I had anticipated, but then considering that this movie is PG-13 I figured by showing traces of blood is suffice to tell the whole delivery process.

However, fret not if you think this movie is geared towards the sentimental as there is still a tad small of a fighting scene between the werewolves clan and also between the vampires and the werewolves as well. It is also interesting to see Jacob's struggle as he not only have to see his beloved Bella got married to his nemesis but also to stand by her throughout the overall series. Even if you don't belong to Team Jacob, you couldn't help but to feel sympathy with the poor guy who have sacrificed so much for the sake of seeing Bella's happiness.

So what did I think of this movie? It was pretty romantic (yep, I am still thinking of the place where Bella and Edward went for their honeymoon) and I am sure this installment would satisfy a lot of female audience (the wedding/honeymoon as well as the part where Jacob took off his shirt during the opening scene) but it also left me wonder what would be in store in the last part considering the big premise (the wedding and the delivery of the baby) were already shown in this first part. Of course there is the confrontation scene with the Volturi but other than that I couldn't think of anything major would happen. That said, I still look forward to Part 2 as it is a closure to this Saga.

Movie: Re-cycle (鬼域)

Directed by: The Pang Brothers
Starring: Angelica Lee, Lawrence Chou, Siu-Ming Lau, Rain Li
Release: July 2006

As mentioned in my previous post, I had the intention of doing a mini-reviews post on In Time and Re-cycle but in the end I had written more than I had expected for In Time so I figured I may as well do an individual post for each film.

Re-cycle was released in 2006 and though it had intrigued me at that time, I didn't get to watch it in the cinema. And then the time just rolled and I had forgotten about this movie until last weekend, my husband asked if I am keen to watch this on screen so of course I said yes.

Author Ding Yan attains her fame through her debut romance novel and during a press conference one day, she stated that she would like to try her hands on writing a paranormal and she had even thought of the title. Her statement has intrigued the press as well as her readers and they believe that she would once again take the literary world by storm through her writing skills.

However, Ding Yan (played by Angelica Lee) faces difficulties when writing the story initially. To complicate matters, her ex-lover wants them to be together again and this further adds stress to her already chaotic mind. She tried several attempts in writing the story but most of the drafts ended up in the bin.

Then she began to sense something is not right at home; first she would see shadows late at night and thereafter, she would find strands of long hairs in the bathroom but the most terrifying experience is finding strange things began to happen as what she has written in her deleted drafts.

One night while taking the elevator, she encountered a mysterious old woman and a little girl. One thing leads to another and the next thing she knows, she finds herself in another dimension where the wasted lands are and the supernatural beings that roam there. While finding her way out of the ghoulish land, she finds her young daughter whom she had aborted eight years ago and through her assistance, she needs to find her way back to earth or risk stranded there forever.

While I think the premise is nothing new, what really made this movie stands out is the atmospheric setting and the stunning visual effects of the other dimensions (see below).

Personally, I feel many of the horror movies out there focus too much on the shocking effect (which I think is natural) and neglect to portray more of the messages (or morals) which may be hidden behind those effects. Re-cycle may seem to be a tad weak on the plot but the good thing is it gives the viewers something to ponder on the abortion and the environmental issues (hence the title?).

And finally, the ending may perplex some viewers but I have to say I quite liked the twist and that it stretch the imagination.

Movie: In Time

Directed by: Andrew Niccol

Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser

Release: October 2011

I watched In Time with my husband last week as part of his birthday celebration. Truth be told, In Time was our last minute decision as the time slots for other movies were either not right to our schedule or they were shown later in the evening. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining movie although I have to say the storyline seemed to be a little far-fetched to my liking.

It is Year 2161. Genetic alteration has allowed humans to stop aging at 25 years and in order to avoid the issue of over-populations, the state of currency is being replaced by a system they called 'living time'. Each individual has a running time line which is 'etched' onto their arms and in order to pay for their necessities as well as for survival, they have to earn more time through labour and/or other means (i.e. stealing time from others). The people are divided by social classes and the poor will live in the ghettos of Dayton while the rich will live in the luxurious New Greenwich.

28-year-old Will Salas (played by Justin Timberlake) lives with his 50-year-old mother in the ghettos. One day, he witnessed a gang fight in a bar which involved a mobster boss and a man named Henry Hamilton who has a hundred years on his clock. Will helps Henry in the escape and needless to say, he became the target of the gang too.

Henry later transfers all his remaining time line to Will before committing suicide. Unfortunately, Henry's suicide alerted the resident police force who called themselves the Timekeepers. And this begins a race between the Timekeepers and Will as the latter makes his way to New Greenwich, where he encounters a beautiful 27-year-old Sylvia Weis (played by Amanda Seyfried). Sylvia is the daughter to time-loaning businessman and she is attracted by the enigmatic Will after he has beaten her father at a poker game.

In order to crash the time line system and to bring a balance between the rich and the poor, Will and Sylvia began to rob the time banks and other time loaning branches so they can distribute the time capsules to the poor while they are being hunted by the Timekeepers.

Although my feelings toward the storyline is lukewarm (I just couldn't picture a human's life being calculated and controlled by the time line), however I have to say this movie featuring the dystopian future is refreshing and thought-provoking at times (i.e. a reminder that time is precious and to make full good use of it, etc). Personally, I think the chemistry between Justin and Amanda was great, and although I am not a huge fan of Justin, I have to say he had grabbed my attention through his performance (he must be physically fit for this role as he always seemed to be on the run in this movie most of the times) and not to mention his cool, chiselled looks (I have to check out his previous movie, The Social Network that talk about the founding of Facebook and the resulting lawsuits).

On the other end, as much as I was taken in by Amanda's portrayal of a spoiled rich girl, truth be told I just had this mixed feelings about her robbing her father's bank though I know her and Will's intentions were good (I suppose I shouldn't connect her robbing as being unfilial towards her father and instead think of the deeds she has done as a whole).

I may not give this movie a 5-star rating, but it interested me enough that I wouldn't mind watching it again on video the next time around.

(Note: Initially I had wanted to do a mini reivews of two movies I watched lately - this together with a chinese horror, Re-cycle but it turned out that I'd written long enough for In Time to be considered as a mini review. Thus my review on Re-cycle will have to wait for another day. What movies did you watch lately?)

Movie: My Kingdom (大武生)

I watched this movie three weeks ago and to tell you frankly, I couldn't decide if I would want to write a post on it. After all it starred two of my favourite idols and I don't want to make it seem like a fan post. However, I didn't want to let this movie go unnoticed considering it has a good plot involving the Peking opera so here you go.

The story opens with a group of men, women and children being sent to behead under the order from the merciless Prince Regent of the Qing Dynasty set during the 19th century.

A five-year-old boy named Er Kui and his family are a few of the unfortunate victims and before the execution started, he began to sing a song before doom befalls his family and his beautiful voice startled Master Yu Shengying and his seven-year-old pupil, Guan Yilong, who are bystanders watching the commotion.

Yilong asked his Master if he is able to rescue the poor boy from his gallows, and Master Yu did save the boy in the end. Master Yu is a "Wu Sheng", which means a warrior and it is a highly and well-admired status in the world of Peking opera and for this, he earned a golden plaque which is the most sought-after prize.

However, arch-rival Master Yue demands a duel and Master Yu is forced to retire from the opera after the lost of the duel. He places his hope on Yilong and Er Kui and trains them to be "Wu Sheng". Fast forward, the two boys have now grown into fine young men and they had mastered the arts Master Yu taught them. They left for Shanghai to avenge for their master, and they did so on stage since Master Yue's troupe had a public performance. Master Yue chose to die than facing the humiliation but his dreadful action has spurred on another revenge cycle; this time around through his beloved pupil, Xi Mulan.

With the colourful setting of Peking opera mix with martial arts, My Kingdom tells the tale of two sworn brothers's journey as "Wu Sheng" and how their life ruin under the hands of love, revenge and deceit. In my humble opinion, what makes this movie stands out is aside from the cast, it gives the audience a better understanding of Peking opera and a glimpse of the performers' life on stage as well as backstage. What we see on stage may be short, but it takes all the years and hard work of the performers' for perfecting those movements we get to enjoy as an audience.

Mulan and the rest of the troupe have no choice but to let Yilong and Er Kui take the lead of their troupe; after all Yilong has now caught the public attention with his excellent performance and it is no doubt he is now the new "Wu Sheng". Er Kui didn't mind being the sidekick, after all he has more important thing in mind, such as to kill all the sons of the Prince Regent to avenge for his family.

While some may think the premise is cliché, I have to say it is the rich history and the choreography that is the highlight of this movie. I also watched with marvel at the colourful of the costumes and how Peking opera has brought to life under the directions of Director Gao XiaoSong and Action Director Sammo Hung (I understand that this movie took 4 years of making). Wu Chun (Guan Yilong) and Han Geng (Er Kui) may be the leading actors here, but I also have to give credit to Lu Chen, Taiwanese renowned magician (who makes a debut in this movie) for playing his role well as a corrupt cop.

All in all, I enjoyed this movie immensely and I'm not saying that just because my idols starred in it. Needless to say, I look forward to getting the DVD once it is released.

Image Source

Rio: The Movie

We watched Rio on Monday evening since my husband said he wanted to spend some quality time with us after being away in Austin, Texas and St. Paul, Minnesota for almost a month for his business trip and needless to say, we all missed him. He showed me some of the pictures he took while he was there and I have to say I was awed by some of the places he visited. I will share them on my Wordless Wednesday posts once he has the time to download them all (yes, he's still trying to recover from jet lag).

So onto the movie. If you have seen the trailer, you’d know that the main focus of this animation is about the birds. There is a baby male macaw lived in a jungle near the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and he has not learned how to fly yet. One day while watching his friends and neighbours singing and entertaining themselves, the smugglers came and caught some of them. Unfortunately, this baby macaw is one of them and they are being smuggled to Minnesota (can you see the coincidence? LOL). During the journey, the box that carried the baby macaw dropped off from the truck and a girl named Linda (Leslie Mann) found him. She named him Blu and decided to look after him.

Years passed and Linda became a bookstore owner. Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), which is now an adult macaw, still has not learned how to fly. Later a scientist from Brazil came to look for Linda, telling her that Blu is the last male of his species, and he wants to take him to Rio so that Blu can mate with a female in order to preserve the species. Linda refused to do so initially, but she agreed in the end for the good cause.

When Blu meets Jewel (Anne Hathaway), the female macaw, he is smitten by her beauty but the latter thinks of nothing but to escape from their prison. While she is thinking of ways to escape, the place is raided with the help of the smuggler’s cockatoo, Nigel, which posed as a sick bird and once again, Blu is forced to flee. However, bad luck continues to befall on Blu and this time around, he and Jewel are caught and chained together. There is a short history of why Nigel helps the smuggler but I’m not going there.

Blu and Jewel then managed to escape, but they couldn’t travel far since Blu doesn’t know how to fly. They met a family of toucans in a jungle and the father toucan brought them to a friend named Luiz (which is a bulldog) for he believes he could remove the chain that binds them together. Meanwhile, Linda and the scientist are frantically looking for the pair of macaws and they would do anything to find them, including sneaking into a Brazilian carnival and posed as dancers after learning from Fernando, a poor boy who is feeling remorse for helping the smugglers to smuggle the macaws.

The above scenarios are just parts of the film and there are far more exciting adventures in which I’d rather not spoil for you. I also enjoyed seeing how Blu’s and Jewel’s feelings towards each other changes (the same goes to Linda and the scientist) as the story progresses. On top of that, the musicals totally rock and I felt myself tapping my feet away whenever a Brazilian number is being played (the carnival scene is the most spectacular). What can I say? We had a great time watching this animation; it was so cute and hilarious. I’d go for the 3D effects if it doesn’t make me feeling giddy (I must be getting old!).

Let Me In (aka Let the Right One In)

Based on Swedish film Let the Right One in and the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let Me In tells a story of a relationship between a 12-year-old boy and a vampire girl set in a New Mexico town during the early 80s. I had no prior knowledge of the story having not read the book first so you can well imagine the anticipation I have had for this film.

The film opens with a police detective questioning a disfigured man in a hospital room in which he is believed to be a suspect of a murder case which took place lately. The story then fast forwarded to two weeks earlier where we see 12-year-old Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) being lonely and unhappy as he is neglected by his divorcing parents. On top of that, he is constantly being bullied in school which added to his misery.

One evening, while sitting alone in the courtyard, he meets a girl called Abby (Chloë Moretz). Abby is his new neighbour and despite she had claimed that she and Owen couldn't be friends, their friendship blossoms the more they see each other at night in the courtyard. Aside from that, the story also proceeds to show a various of murder cases first performed by the suspect and later to show Abby kills should we know that she is a vampire (this is not a spoiler). Meanwhile, Owen and Abby got really close and this has set off Owen's emotions especially after knowing that she is a vampire.

I'd say that aside from being a horror story, Let Me In is also a terrific psychological story which is both haunting and touching in ways. The feelings and emotions between Owen and Abby are beautifully captured in the film, and what I think of their relationship is both frightening yet truly genuine at the same time. Although I felt that the entire film doesn't have that kind of eerie feel which many horror films are trying to create, still the setting and the atmosphere and knowing what Abby is capable of doing to anyone are suffice to make your hairs stand. And finally a side note, don't watch this with your younger children due to the bloody and some violent scenes.

Movie: Gnomeo & Juliet

Loosly based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Gnomeo and Juliet are two garden gnomes whereby each clan (the Red and the Blue) has a long bitter feud despite they live so close to one another - the lawns of two neighbours, Mrs. Montague and Mr. Capulet (who like the gnomes are at loggerheads with each other).

Delicate and well protected, Juliet yearns for an adventurous life and her one night adventure sends her towards Gnomeo's path. Attracted to each other, Gnomeo and Juliet didn't realise of their positions until their disguise are off. However, this doesn't deter them from not seeing each other again. And with the help and advice from a discarded pink plastic flamingo named Featherstone, the twosome decided to overcome all obstacles even if they risk being broken (they are all made from ceramic).

Gnomeo & Juliet first caught my attention when I saw its advertisement on a magazine. Attracted by the bright and colourful illustrations and that it's a retelling tale of Romeo and Juliet, I figured this would be a fun movie to watch. And truthfully, I wasn't disappointed and my daughter loved it. There are many hilarious moments amid the heated exchanges and actions between the blue and red gnomes and their fights involving a lawnmower race are just some of the highlights of the film.

The characterisations are great too. Supporting roles like Nanette (who is a frog and is Juliet's good friend) and Featherstone (the pink plastic flamingo who reminisce about his lost love to Gnomeo and Juliet while encouraging them to embrace instead of hiding their love) add entertainment to the overall plot. I have to say their roles are more outstanding partly because they are funny and yes, likeable too.

While I think the plot is good, I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. No, I wasn't referring about the happily-ever-after instead of a tragedy ending (after all it is a G-rated film), but it is simply in my adult mind I was hoping for a more complex scenario. Anyway, what most matters is that we had had a wonderful time and that seeing the joy on our daughter's face and hearing her laughter is suffice for us.

Your Popcorn Choice: Salty or Sweet?

Yesterday my husband and I brought our daughter to watch Gnomeo and Juliet, as this week is a one-week school holidays. We had a wonderful time. I hope to have a review (or rather my thoughts) on the movie up soon. Anyway, what's a movie experience like without a tub of popcorn so we bought one and I found it interesting that they had listed the choice of popcorn we choose and what it says about us. Here goes:

Salty popcorn eaters tend to be down-to-earth, take-charge types who tell it like it is and prefer grim reality to la la land any day. They are inclined to also enjoy potato chips, salted nuts, sandwiches, hot dogs with ketchup and mustard, hamburgers with pickles and other salty things. They make loyal and steadfast companions on whom you can always count for an honest opinion, even when it's not necessarily the one you want to hear. Exponents of character-building tough love rather than wishy-washy-gooey-sticky soft love that does nobody any good, they tend to be excellent disciplinarians, good parents and responsible animal owners. They have strong moral values and even stronger opinions. Popularity holds scant appeal for them while integrity is held in the highest esteem. Their taste in movies leans towards gritty realistic dramas, natural disaster doozies, wartime epics, spy movies, martial arts showcases, action-packed blockbusters and road trip flicks. They tend not to believe in fairytales and take happy endings with a pinch of salt (just like their popcorn).

Sweet popcorn eaters tend to be romantic souls who hanker after happy endings and believe in true love, even when their heart's been broken and patched... and broken again. They tend to also like ice cream, chocolate, cookies, candy and other sweet things. They make good friends who will always try to cheer you up when you're down, and will gloss over the ugly truth to avoid hurting your feelings. If you ask a sweet popcorn-eating friend if your bum looks fat in a certain pair of pants, he/she will say no - the pants are poorly cut... or simply tell a sweet little white lie. Sweet popcorn eaters respond to pretty, bright colours and bright, bouncy pop tunes. They have lots of positive energy and radiate optimism like a little gob of sugar-coated sunshine. Their taste in movies veers towards romcoms, charming animated fables, modern day fairytales, weepies with happy endings, historical dramas, feelgood musicals and anything with an uplifting moral where the bad guys get their asses kicked and the good guys get their just desserts (or sweet popcorn).

So which popcorn eater are you? I'm a salty popcorn eater, but that's because I've always love salty food, ha. As for the types of movies I watch, I've to say I do go for romcoms and fairytales too, aside from those list of salty popcorn eaters. After all, who doesn't love happy endings?

3 Mini Movie Reviews

The Time Traveler's Wife
Starring: Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3.5 stars

Based on Audrey Niffenegger's novel of the same name, The Time Traveler's Wife follows the love story of Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. I have to admit my curiosity was piqued after reading so many rave reviews of it so I decided to buy and watch the DVD, despite that I have the book in my pile and I figured I couldn't wait to know what the story is all about.

Eric Bana plays the role of Henry DeTamble who has a genetic disorder in which this enables him to time travel randomly. He meets Clare (Rachel McAdams) and they begin a relationship. Actually, Clare had already met him when she was young and what makes this story touching and romantic is the connection they feel and have for each other throughout the years. Though they are once again reunited, Henry's condition has now became a strain for them now that they are a couple, and the idea of having a child further makes it difficult for them. Is their relationship deems as a doom right from the beginning?

Honestly speaking, though I was fascinated by the premise I am afraid to say I wasn't really wowed by this film. The characters and the cast performance are great, but there are times I was confused by some parts of the film and the flashbacks didn't make it any better although I understand they are crucial and they explain about Henry's past. I suppose I'd enjoyed this film more after reading the book so I might want to watch this again in the near future.

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Bride Wars

Starring: Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson
Rating: 3.75 stars


Emma Allen (Anne Hathaway) and Olivia 'Liv' Lerner (Kate Hudson) are best friends and they have dreams about their weddings ever since they were young. And after witnessing a couple's grand wedding at the Plaza Hotel, they had vowed to be married at the same location when they grown up.

When the two women finally got engaged, they went to consult New York's most famous wedding planner, Marion St. Claire (Candice Bergen) but due to a clerical error, their marriage date is unfortunately scheduled on the same day. Because this is an important day, neither of them wants to make a compromise and on the contrary, each try to outwit the other by using dirty tricks and sabotaging each other's plans. Does this mean their friendship will be over for good?

I always have a thing for romantic comedy and Anne Hathaway is another reason why I picked up Bride Wars. This film is highly entertaining from the beginning till the end; and though I felt some of their antics to be a little exaggerating I think there are some realistic truth in them when it comes to the friendship issue and/or how one wants to be better than the other under some circumstances. Brides-to-be may want to watch this film for some ideas on the wedding gowns and thanks to the special feature on the DVD, I get to know some history of well-known designer Vera Wang and why her wedding gowns is a dream and a must-have to every brides-to-be.

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No Strings Attached
Starring: Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher
Rating: 3.75 stars


No Strings Attached is another romantic comedy which I watched lately and enjoyed it. This film is rated M18 here due to the sexual issue and language as well as the portrayal of drug use.

Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) are friends for a while but they aren't close until they met each other again through a mutual friend. Emma works in a hospital while Adam works as an assistant in a show and his dream is to be a script writer one day. Their friendship might have stopped there if Adam didn't get drunk and text messaged Emma after he got upset with his father for having a relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

Emma decided they keep their relationship brief after that night, after all she doesn’t believe in love. She also set some ground rules to each other in order to prevent their relationship from getting serious. This goes on well in the beginning, but as the time passes Adam starts to develop feelings for Emma. Sensing Adam’s closeness, Emma decided to take a step back away from their relationship and so they went on separate ways. However, Emma isn’t happy after she has sealed off her relationship with Adam, and this makes her think carefully about their relationship.

No Strings Attached may seems clichéd at some point, but it makes you wonder if a man and a woman could maintain a platonic relationship. Another thing is, though casual sex may portrayed to be respectable in the film, I think the ending has changed that conception and show us what love is when Emma starts to realise that Adam is important to her and trying hard to win back his love.

Film: My Sister's Keeper

Based on Jodi Picoult's novel of the same name, My Sister's Keeper is a story about a young girl, Anna Fitzgerald (played by Abigail Breslin), who is conceived through in vitro fertilization as a means of saving her older sister's life.

Kate Fitzgerald (played by Sofia Vassilieva), suffers from acute promyelocytic leukemia and the family was deeply devastated when they first learnt of the news. Kate's mom, Sara (played by Cameron Diaz) took the news badly but when she found out from the doctor that there might be hope for Kate after all (and that is to conceive a child through in vitro fertilization since siblings have a better genetic match), she decided to take the chance.

So Anna was born and her blood is used in treatments in order to help save Kate's life. However Kate's condition worsened as she grows older, and this time she needs one of Anna's kidneys as she goes into renal failure.

When Anna knew about this (she is a 13-year-old girl then), she decided to defy parents' wishes and proceeds to sue them for medical emancipation. She told them that she does not want to be Kate's donor and that she has the rights to her own body after all. Attorney Campbell Alexander (played by Alec Baldwin) took Anna's case and act as her guardian ad litem. There is a reason why Alexander decided to take up the case, but I am not going to spoil this for anyone who hasn't read the book or watched the film.

In between the film, there are flashbacks that shows the close relationship between Anna and Kate, how it affected the family after seeing Kate's relapse and how Kate meets and falls in love with Taylor Ambrose, who is also a cancer patient. While I find the film to be emotional intense overall, I have to admit the ending still surprised me despite I had read the book a few years ago. But what most took me by surprise is not how it ends though, but how the film differs from the book towards the ending. As much as I wanted to compare the two versions, again I wouldn't want to spoil it should anyone wants to read/watch it. Still, it puzzles me why the change of the ending and this led me into wondering what's the point of a film adaptation if there is a significant difference from the book. And, I felt it wouldn't make the ending any much better because the subject itself is so sad. That said, My Sister's Keeper is a moving and thought-provoking story that will certainly linger in my mind for a long while.

Note: If you haven't read or watch this, I'd suggest you to read the book first before watching the movie (don't this apply to all books in general?) as I felt the emotional impact is more powerful.

Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale

The first time I'd seen the trailer of Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale, I knew I wanted to watch it. Plus, my daughter and I are big fans of Walt Disney animations so of course we wouldn't miss want to miss it. So we went to watch this movie last evening after shopping around for almost the whole day. Well I am currently clearing my annual leave so I took this opportunity to spend some time with my daughter.

So, Rapunzel tells the story of a girl with her 70 feet of magical, golden hair and her wish to see and experience the outside world while she is being locked away in a tall tower by her "mother". Rapunzel is originally a princess but she was stolen by an elderly woman named Gothel when she was a baby as she knew Rapunzel's golden hair could keep her looking young. There is a little story behind how Rapunzel got her magical hair and that leaves us the audience entranced in the beginning of the movie.

The adventure begins when bandit Flynn Rider flees from the pursuit of his twin thugs as well as the King's guards after they have stolen a diamond tiara of the missing princess from the castle. During the escape, Flynn finds Rapunzel's tower and hide himself in there. But his relief comes short as he soon finds himself being held captive by Rapunzel's long hair. Rapunzel has always longed for some freedom and she strike a bargain with Flynn, telling him that she would return the tiara if he brings her out to see the world as well as the annual floating lights which she always see on the day of her birthday. This escapade gives them the chance to get to know each other better, but danger is around the corner and at what price do they have to pay to get the freedom they wanted so much? Would they be able to escape from their pursuer's grasp?

Well I absolutely loved everything about this animation! I loved the premise, the characterisations, and most of all I am captivated by the songs sang by Mandy Moore, who also lends her voice for Rapunzel's role. Secondary characters like Pascal (Rapunzel's pet chameleon) and Maximus (the lead guard's horse, who at times behaves like a guard dog) add some humour and lively moments to the story and I liked these characters as much as I liked Rapunzel and Flynn. Aside from the fun and excitement, there are also some touching moments towards the end of the movie and it made me a little teary-eyed. I gave this animation a 5-star rating because I enjoyed it so very much! (Needless to say, my daughter loved it too.) I know I will be buying the soundtrack (I couldn't find it when I went to search for it immediately after watching the movie) and the DVD when it releases. You know, I wouldn't mind watching this in the cinema again.

Monday Musing

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers get to share the books that came into their house last week; this month the host for Mailbox Monday is Avis of She Reads and Reads.

Here's what I received last week:

1) Nightshade by Andrea R. Cremer (bought from The Book Depository)

2) Falling Home by Karen White (from the publicist)

What books came into your house last week?

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We have been trying to stay indoors whenever we can lately due to the haze, which arises from the forest fires in Sumatra but I have to say the condition has been getting better (as to date) after the heavy rains and I hope the Pollutant Standards Index reading would stay at the healthy range.

Anyway, we had a wonderful weekend despite the fact that we were housebound but we made good use of the time cleaning up and organising our stuff together. After everything was cleaned, I decided to play catch up on my DVDs watching and Before Sunrise was the choice since I haven't watched it before (gasp!) but wanted to after reading a fellow bookblogger's post about it (was it you, Sandy?).

So, Before Sunrise is unlike other romance flicks I watched in the past. For starters, you won't remember about the rest of the characters (never mind if their scenes last for merely a few seconds or a moment more) because this film only focus on Jesse (played by Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) and the conversations they exchanged since they meet on a train and how they spent the night walking around the city of Vienna and getting to know each other.

If you are expecting for some exciting plots, then you will be disappointed because this film captures these two characters about their ideas and perspectives on love and life in general. There is nothing too fanciful about the plot but I find the storytelling style somewhat refreshing and most of all, I enjoyed hearing the two characters' perspectives and sometimes their exchanges just made me chuckle. There might be no extravagant meals or roses during their time spent together, but still I find it romantic with these two characters sharing their thoughts before they go on separate ways. There is just something nostalgic and bittersweet about the story, and oh how I loved the setting! I have never been to Europe, so it was considered an eye-opener to me watching a few landmarks in Vienna (e.g. Wiener Riesenrad Ferris wheel, and the Danube Canal etc. I even find there is a particular quality about their café, which is so traditional and well, cosy.)

I don't know about you, but I think Before Sunrise is one of the most romantic films I have ever seen. The connection (and yes, the sparks!) between Jesse and Céline is simply indescribable and most of all, I felt there is an edge of realism to this film which what made the overall such an enjoyable treat. I can't wait to see what is in store for the sequel, Before Sunset.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

My Thoughts on 'Inception' and 'The Last Airbender', Plus A Fun Meme

I'd have watched Inception way earlier after reading all the rave reviews about it, but the screening time just wasn't right according to my schedule as my preference was to catch the movie after getting off of work. Anyway, my husband was off of work yesterday for an errand and I took the afternoon off so we could catch this movie, finally.

Where shall I begin? Let's start with the reviews I had read. Have you ever read some of the reviews that said it is best not to know anything (and not even the plot) prior to watching this movie? Believe me, it is so true! Most of the reviews I read stated something like 'don't be too quick to judge what you've seen' and 'to expect the unexpected'. With these perceptions in mind, I stepped into the cinema with a curious mind and waiting for any surprise to fall onto me.

I don't want to mention about the plot, as I'm certain most of you must have watched it by now, and plus I don't know to spoil it for anyone who hasn't watch this yet. Let's just say I was totally blown away by the creativity and the quality of the story. I also felt that the cast had all done a great performance, in particularly to Leonardo DiCaprio. I'd also watched his performance in Shutter Island and I felt he had a way of playing tortured characters. I was also in awe of the visual effects, and the concept between surrealism and well, reality. Suffice it to say that Inception is both a smart and a thought-provoking movie, and I'd highly recommend it if you haven't watch it! (5 stars)

We later went to watch The Last Airbender at another cinema in the evening, this time around with our 6-year-old daughter. I don't think I'd ever watched two movies in a day so I really enjoyed every moment of it. I've to admit I'd no intention of watching this movie initially, but both my husband and my daughter were quite keen about it (she and my nephew are fans of the Avatar animations) and I didn't want to be a spoilsport.

I knew it isn't fair to compare Inception with The Last Airbender due to the difference of genre and so forth, but I've to say I wasn't really hooked and/or intrigued by the plot at all. Don't get me wrong, I do find the mythical world of the four elements (Air, Water, Earth and Fire) to be interesting and I think the visual effects are commendable, but I'm afraid to say I don't really care about the characters. Aang, the Avatar reminds me a little of a Shaolin monk who knew all his Kung Fu moves, and I find Jackson Rathbone's role of Sokka, a member of the Water tribe to be somewhat annoying at times. In a nutshell, this movie is about war and disharmony among the four element tribes and only the Avatar has the power to bend all the four elements and keep the balance in the world. All in all, I find this movie satisfying but I can't say I liked it. (3 stars)

What movies have you seen lately?

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I found this fun meme over at Iliana's blog and couldn't resist playing. The key is to fill in the rest of the sentence with a title of a book read in the past year.

In school I was: Bloody Good (Haha)

People might be surprised I’m: Dancing with Ana (Anyone knew me well knows that I’m no dancing queen)

I will never be: The Billionaire's Bride of Vengeance

My fantasy job is: The Actor and the Housewife (OK, more like an actress)

At the end of a long day I need: Song of Renewal

I hate it when: Mr Darcy Broke My Heart

Wish I had: Wings

My family reunions are: Private

At a party you’d find me with: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (Hey, it’s a costume party after all!)

I’ve never been to: Revolutionary Road

A happy day includes: The Love Letter (from my husband of course)

Motto I live by: Wait Until Twilight

On my bucket list: Chicken with Plums

In my next life, I want to be: The Piano Teacher

I hope you'd join in the fun! Let me know if you are playing so I can go read your answers!

Toy Story 3 (and a Happy Birthday to Lu Chen!)

We went to watch Toy Story 3 on Wednesday and I have to say all of us had a wonderful time, despite that we got the third row seats due to the June school holidays.

Having watched the first two instalments and enjoyed them, I stepped into the cinema with high expectations and am glad to say this movie did not disappoint, at least it is to me.

In this third instalment, we see Andy has grown up and is packing for college. His mother wants him to clear his room before leaving, and feeling sentimental towards his old toys, he decided to pack them all into a box to be stored into the attic and brought only Woody with him.

However, due to a slip-up, the other toys ended up at Sunnyside Daycare Centre. Woody plans to rescue them so they would stay in Andy's attic, but they think otherwise and are actually quite excited with the notion that they would be played by the preschoolers. Unfortunately, the preschoolers they encountered are boisterous and they handled them badly. Added to their grief is an evil strawberry scented bear, Lotso, who seems to be the leader of the toys pack and he made sure Woody and his friends couldn't escape from the daycare centre.

Aside from the usual characters of Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head (just to name a few), we also get to see several new characters such as Barbie and Ken (who I think is hilarious), Totoro (a character from a Japanese animation My Neighbour Totoro) and many others.

Suffice to say, Toy Story 3 is a fun and entertaining animation that would entice both children and adults alike. There are a few sentimental and touching scenes that had me with a lump in my throat. Upon leaving the cinema, I reiterated the message to my daughter to put in extra care and love her toys the way Andy does (not that she don't, it's just that she can be a little disorganise sometimes).

Oh, I didn't mention that we watched this in 2D since my husband is not keen on the 3D version generally (said it makes him giddy). And do I hope for a next instalment? Definitely!

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This section has got nothing to do with books or movies, but I am a huge fan of Lu Chen (刘谦)and I want to wish him a Happy Birthday since it is his birthday today!

He will be performing here on 31st July for his World Magical Tour 2010 and I was disappointed that I am not able to attend. Nevertheless I am satisfied enough to watch his appearance on a TV variety show every weekend, and hopefully next time I'd get the chance to watch his performance in person.

My Rainy Days (天使の恋)

Director: Yuri Kantake
Starring: Nozomi Sasaki, Shosuke Tanihara
Year Made: 2009
Language: Japanese (with Chinese/English subtitles)
Rating: NC-16 (Some Mature Content)




I was looking for some Taiwanese drama serial last week and I found this DVD by chance. Intrigued by the premise, I decided to buy it.

17-year-old Rio (starring Nozomi Sasaki) seems to have everything under her fingertips. She is beautiful and is popular in school and it is not a surprise most girls are envious of her. The truth is, she has a traumatic past and in order to forget the unhappiness and everything, she buried herself into making money and leading a luxurious life through her sugar daddy.

However, her life changes after her encounter with Kouki (Shosuke Tanihara), a lone history professor when she found out that their photos have been swapped by mistake since they shared the same family name. They agreed to meet to exchange their photos, and Rio is quickly attracted by his cool and calm demeanour.

Upon learning he is a history professor, Rio decides to ditch her glitzy life and vows to study hard under his supervision. On the other end, while Kuoki is slowly attracted by Rio's charm and her cheerful personality, the fact that he has brain tumour keeps him from getting closer to her. In fact, he is already counting down the days even before he had met her. So will their love beat the cruel state of reality, I suppose this is up to you to find out.

I have to confess there are several things crop up my mind after watching this show. First, I was quite concerned of the underlying message of teenage prostitution and suicide (the latter was told in a way that Rio's lesbian friend had jumped to her death after learning that Rio has chosen Kuoki over her) and it was to my dismay that these issues are not further explored. I understand that the main focus of this story is the romance part but here I am thinking that the young adult audience might take it the wrong way and think teenage prostitution and suicide are encouraged, and this is never meant to be.

Despite my above issue, still it is a good thing that Rio has changed to be more sensitive towards others and that she wanted to redeem herself after meeting Kuoki. In a nutshell, My Rainy Days is a sweet, poignant story that tells about love conquers everything despite anything. I also enjoyed the interactive between Rio and Kuoki as I could just feel their chemistry onscreen. Due to this, I will have to look out for Handsome Suit, as I understand both of them starred in this movie too.

Thoughts on Shutter Island (Movie)

After hearing so many raving reviews on Dennis Lehane's books round the blogosphere, I figured I should start with Shutter Island because of the atmospheric setting, especially when it takes place in a gloomy mental facility in a remote island. What can you expect from the criminally insane, and where will you run should you need to hide and/or escape? Yes I could definitely sense suspense and great intensity before I read it; and my only regret is I wished I had read it earlier! (Read my review here.)

Anyways, I was thrilled when I knew there is a film adaption of Shutter Island. It thrilled me more when I learned Leonardo DiCaprio took the leading role of Teddy Daniels because honestly I think his acting is great and convincing. He is definitely not the same Leonardo DiCaprio when he first played Jack in Titanic; he has matured not only of his looks but also on his performance. I find the performances of the rest of the characters in Shutter Island are pretty good too, in particularly to Ben Kingsley for his role of the head psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley. I have to confess that Ben Kingsley fits the image of Dr. John Cawley when I first pictured this character while reading the book.

I find the flashback scenes of the war can be a bit confusing to some who has not read the book (e.g. my dear husband). When I asked him if he could foresee the ending, he said he has not expected that at all. Overall, I was quite satisfied with the cinematography and the effects on certain scenes are actually stunning (e.g. the scene where Rachel Solando (played by Emily Mortimer) covered in blood with the dead children on her feet). Needless to say, I enjoyed the movie but of course that experience could not be compared (and is not the same as) with the book. The only thing I want to complain about the movie experience is the distractions caused by a couple sitting next to me; usually I don't care what they do with each other but disturbing the audience when their cellphones rang during the middle of the show is a real spoilsport.

Have you read the book and/or watch the movie? Do share your thoughts with me.