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?

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.

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.

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.

Autumn's Concerto (下一站,幸福)

Well, if you are a follower of this blog, you might remember that I ever mentioned about a Taiwanese drama serial (Autumn's Concerto) which got me hooked a while back. I also mentioned before that I would try not to write a post on it as I know very well that it would be nothing but a gushing post; however I could not stop babbling about the show to Julia (one of my best blogger friends whom I knew for years) until she must have got tired of my ramblings and decided to watch it. (Julia, I had so much fun discussing some of those scenes with you!)

So after watching this drama, we came up with the idea of putting this review in a Q&A format and I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as we had fun doing them!

{Please be warned that they might contain some spoilers!}

Questions from Julia:

1) The show seems to have shown us many different kind of violence issue against women that are still happening today, e.g. abuse, harassment, stalker, hitting etc. What are your thoughts in how the show portrays the issues and did you find it realistic? Why or why not?
It always saddens me to read about violence happening not only to women but to all beings as well. In the show, I really felt sorry for Mu Cheng (the heroine) because she had endured many hardships since the death of her father. Besides the loss of her family (her mother ran off because she couldn't deal with all the pressure), she also has to endure the sexual harassment by her ‘stepmother’'s lover. Though he failed to abuse her in any other ways, the harrassment alone was enough to leave an emotional scar in her. I think the harrassment scenes in the show to be realistic as that continues to be an issue in today's society.

2) Being a single parent is no easy task. In the show, the heroine had raised her son for 6 years with some assistance from her friends. Life is tough and yet she managed to take care of her own son, bring food to the table and find home in a village. The mother strength comes from their own children. What do you think of the heroine’s role and the way she handle this kind of life?
I think Mu Cheng was amazing! She has sacrificed so much for her loved ones (first by leaving her lover but I will come to that later), yet she'd never grumble or complain to anyone about her condition. She has deep appreciation for everyone who gives her a helping hand whenever she is in need, and for this reason she always stay humble and grateful.

3) The little kid plays an important role in this show. The kid brought his parents closer together again. And he even got closer to his grandmother too (which he never knew of their relationship until towards the end). He also brings out the good in everyone who’s in his life. What is it about the kid, who seems to bring people together?
Oh I loved Mu Cheng’s son! He’s so sweet and adorable! (See above poster) I think it is great that he’s able to bring his parents together again, after all the misunderstandings and that fate has played a cruel joke on them. Despite of his young age and that he has diabetes, I really admire the strength in him because he is always so cheerful and optimistic (I think Mu Cheng played a significant role in this by showering him with lots of love and attention). His zest for life and his optimism is simply contagious.

4) The hero and heroine started out with a love/hate relationship. But what bring them close together was understanding each other background history. The kind of childhood life they were raised to be. If the hero and heroine situation was turned, do you think their life would be any different or would it stay the same? Do you like love/hate relationship type in movies?
I admit I hated Guang Xi’s (the hero) attitude from the beginning. Given his wealthy status and his unhappy childhood, it’s not surprising that he chose to be rebellious and acted as if he was the king of the school he’s in (after all his mother owns the school). When Mu Cheng first met Guang Xi, he gave her the impression that he was a playboy and that he was insensitive and arrogant, yet the more she knew him she knew that deep down in his heart he wasn’t such a bad person after all.

And Guang Xi’s opinion in Mu Cheng changed after a bet he had with his friends. He knew he had hurt her deeply despite her trust in his, and this made him feeling very remorse. That goes without saying that his attitude towards her totally changes after that incident.

As for the change of situation, I think Mu Cheng will remain the person as she was. If she’s feeling optimistic despite her difficult situation, I don’t see why there’s any changes in her if given a better condition, after all it is in her personality and not that status would change anything. As for Guang Xi, I do think that he might be a different person and be more humble if he was in Mu Cheng’s shoes.

I have no preferences when it comes to the scenarios in any romance movies and as long as they capture the essence (and transition?) of love I’m fine with it.

5) It seems that the hero and the heroine are destined to be together. So many scenes show fate play in this role. No matter where they go, they will meet again. Do you believe in fate?
Yes, I do.

6) Secondary characters play a role where they help the hero and the heroine in so many ways. What do you think of the secondary characters?
There are a wonderful cast of secondary characters in this show. For example, the woman whom Guang Xi was engaged after his brain surgery (he has no memory of his past with Mu Cheng together), as well as the guy (Hua Tuo Ye) who liked Mu Cheng all the while ever since the day she had saved him from some gangsters. I liked Hua Tuo Ye because he is always so selfless towards Mu Cheng and her son. Though Mu Cheng only treated him as her good friend, this doesn't stop Tuo Ye from helping her and I really admired him for that.

Secondary characters definitely play an important role in any shows. Come to think of it, don't you think it'd be boring and meaningless if the show focus nothing but the lead characters? Without the villians, how would the heroes shine? (Yes, there are villians in this show too.)

Questions from Melody:

1) What are your views of the hero and the hero from the beginning? Do you think there is indeed chemistry between them despite the difference of their personality and their status?
First, I’d say never judge a person by his looks. That’s how I’d describe Guang Xi because initially he didn’t leave a good impression on me. His insensitive and arrogant attitude totally put me off, but as the show progress, I found out that what made him rebellious was the fact that he had an unhappy childhood; he also blamed his mother for his parents’ separation which in fact, it was all due to his misunderstandings.

As for Mu Cheng, she gave me the impression of being weak due to her physique (and she cried a lot in the show) but in fact, I think she was way much stronger (in terms of her positive outlook on life) as compared to many characters in the show. Guang Xi was attracted to her because of her optimism, and I think it reminds him of what he should be grateful for in his life.

I absolutely think there is great chemistry between them (and personally I think they’d make a great couple in real life as well!) because I could just feel their attraction sizzle on screen. They had really done a great performance in portraying a pair of star-crossed lovers.

2) What makes you think the hero changed his opinions on the heroine thereafter?
I mentioned before that Guang Xi was attracted by Mu Cheng’s optimism, and her attitude towards the bet further made him think differently of her. I suppose he sees a little of himself in her, as both felt that life should've treated them better.

3) After the hero knew about his brain tumor, he refused to seek further medical assistance from his mother's friend, somewhat knowing he would feel obligated and be pressured to enter a relationship with his daughter. At this stage, do you think he is doing the right thing by saying no to the help he might get?
I have to admit that scene had almost moved me to tears. I think he must have struggled with the decision earlier but in the end, he had chosen not to proceed with the surgery because he loved Mu Cheng too much. He’d rather died than feeling obligated to marry another woman he doesn’t love. On the other end, Mu Cheng definitely wanted Guang Xi to go for the surgery because she’d rather have him healthy and alive than anything. Both of them have different opinions but the bottom line is, they just wanted the best for the other party.

4) So finally the heroine has somehow convinced him into getting medical assistance, but as a way of telling a white lie. If you were the hero, would you blame her for deceiving you in the first place?
Well, that’s a tough question (even I have to say so myself, haha). Yes, if I were the hero I’d feel somewhat cheated in the first place, but after considering her option and the struggle she’s gone through, I think I will have to forgive her.

5) The heroine has chosen not to rekindle her relationship with the hero after the success of his surgery, partly given the fact that he couldn't remember her after the surgery. Do you think it's fair to their young son since he has the right to know who his father is?
Based on the young son’s perspective, he definitely has the right to know who his father is, but then again I understand Mu Cheng’s decision for choosing not to disclose this information to him because she felt it wouldn’t do them any good since she thought Guang Xi has no memory of them and that he’s going to get married to another woman anyway.

6) Is it true that if you love a person, then you should let him/her go under certain circumstances?
That’s a tough decision, and not to mention a heartbreaking one. Honestly speaking, I’m not sure if I could do that but I guess it has to depend on how serious the circumstances are. If taken the same scenario as this show, I think I would probably do what Mu Cheng has done – by leaving her loved one so that he will have a chance of living.

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So there you have it! I still think it's a gushing post, just that it is 'disguised' in a Q&A form, hehe.

Now go visit Julia's blog for her answers.

Mini Movie Reviews: The Hill Have Eyes and How to Train Your Dragon

I know I don't always post reviews on the movies I watched, but I want to share my thoughts with you on these two movies which I saw lately. Let me begin with The Hill Have Eyes. I have to admit I am a total wimp when it comes to horror movies, yet I am fascinated with them. We watched this on MioTV, which is a subscribing channel but we got a free one-year subscription since we subscribed to a new Broadband plan which expired last year. Though there is a limited access to their programmes, at least we have four movies to look forward to each month.

Anyway, The Hill Have Eyes is a remake from the original which was first released in 1977. My husband and I had waited till our daughters have gone to bed before watching this because of the gore and the strong violence elements.

A team of men in NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) suits were brutally killed when they explored a secret military base where the government has secretly used for conducting their nuclear tests. The terror continues when Bob Carter, a retired officer and his family were being forced to camp at this place during their road trip after someone had intentionally punctured their tyres.

Unfortunately for the Carters family, they did not know that this place is inhabited by a mutant family and soon they have to do everything to fight for their lives before they became their meals. Without saying, some family members have to die during the struggle, and of course they died in the most inhuman ways. While I was bothered by the gore and all, what really made me think about this movie is the nuclear tests and how it would badly affect the world should there be a nuclear war. It is definitely a terrifying thought.

(My Rating: 3 out of 5)

Onto a cheerier issue, we watched How to Train Your Dragon with our eldest daughter last evening. We totally enjoyed watching it and I think we all have something to learn from Hiccup, our young Viking hero of this movie. When I first watched this movie, I didn't know this was based on a children's novel by Cressida Cowell, and that this is the first instalment of her How To Train Your Dragon Series.

One would never expect Hiccup is the son of a Viking Chief, for Hiccup is quiet and he does not seem to have the viking blood as his father. However, all the young ones in the tribe are required to go through trainings in catching and taming the dragons, and Hiccup could not say no to this ordeal and has to grit his teeth no matter how much he dislike it.

During a mission when they are required to fetch a dragon for training, Hiccup caught a black scrawny dragon and named him Toothless. Toothless is not friendly towards him in the beginning, but they began to trust each other and a special bond is formed as the days go by. However, no one in the clan knew of Toothless existence and Hiccup has no intention to tell anyone about it. Through his experience with Toothless, he began to learn ways of soothing and taming dragons. Little does he know that his experience with Toothless will change his life thereafter and he will encounter a challenging task that not only will prove his courage but also allow the other tribe members to change their attitude towards the dragons.

For this movie, we chose to watch a 2D version because my husband had complained of giddiness when we first watched a 3D movie last year. I think it has got to do with the glasses issue as I could not imagine wearing a pair of 3D glasses over a regular pair of glasses (for this, I'm thankful for being a contact lens wearer and I only wear my glasses at home). Anyway, we totally enjoyed the movie experience! What I loved best about this movie is the humanity and the emotions portrayed in all aspects: loyalty, friendship and of course, love. I loved the part that shows the struggle between Hiccup and his father, and how their feelings towards each other changed and became stronger as the plot progress. The bond between Hiccup and Toothless is especially moving for me, and I was choked with emotions over a scene which I'd rather not tell. All in all, a great inspirational movie for the young audience and adults alike.

(My Rating: 4 out of 5)

Movie: December Boys

Release Date: 2007
Starring: Christian Byers, Daniel Radcliffe, Lee Cormie, James Fraser, Teresa Palmer
Directed by: Rod Hardy


Thanks to my busy life juggling between work and children, I rarely have time for movies. I love going to the cinemas; the feeling of watching a movie at home is nothing compared to the cinemas with an excellent sound system, and not to mention the overall atmosphere and the anticipation when stepping into the cinemas. It is a wonderful feeling.

My husband and I were fortunate to be able to watch the latest Harry Potter movie last week, thanks to my in-laws who agreed to look after our children for us. We enjoyed the movie, and it amazed me how Daniel Radcliffe, the wizard boy who played Harry Potter, and his fellow cast members, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have all grown. I knew Daniel had starred in another movie but I didn't had the chance of catching it on screen then. Last Monday, I happened to walk into a CD store and I found this DVD on the shelves. I grabbed it; and to make things sweeter they have a sale going on so it was like killing two birds with one stone.

Anyway, I enjoyed this movie. December Boys is based on a classic novel by Michael Noonan and it is about four orphan boys growing up in a Catholic convent in outback Australia during the 60s.

Misty (played by Lee Cormie), Spark (Christian Byers), Spit (James Fraser) and Maps (Daniel Radcliffe) called themselves the 'December boys' because they were all born in the month of December. Though they are happy staying in the convent, deep in their heart they are hoping that one day they would get adopted. When they knew they would be going on a holiday by the sea for their birthday, they are thrilled but never do they know this vacation will change their life thereafter.

During their vacation, they stayed with the McAnsh's couple. Both of them are wonderful people, but it is a pity that Mrs McAnsh could not have children due to an accident. The boys enjoy their stay with them, though Maps (being the oldest of the group) keeps a distance with them and mingle around more with a teenaged girl named Lucy. Lucy is staying with her uncle and like the boys, she is there on a vacation but they did not know about this. Maps began to spend more and more time together with Lucy, and for the first time Maps knew what love and desire is with Lucy.

However, their friendship would lead to a test after Misty overheard a conversation whereby the McAnsh couple would adopt one of them and tension and competition arise once the other three boys came to know about the news later, except Maps who seems to be indifferent of the whole idea of adoption. He is more affected when he later realized that Lucy is gone and would not return until the next summer. He also got to know the past history of the McAnsh's couple by chance, and he is not at all surprised that Misty is being chosen towards the end.

As much as Misty has craved for this, actually he is not prepared of leaving his friends. As for whether or not did he stay with the McNash's couple in the end, I will not tell so as I will not spoil it for anyone who has the intention of watching this. All I have to say is December Boys is a marvellous coming of age story; this is a story about friendship and family, and I loved the nostalgic and bittersweet feelings of this story. And it is great seeing Daniel Radcliffe playing a different role besides Harry Potter; he is such a talented actor.

Did you watch this movie? What do you think of it?

The Black Swindler

I have not been to the cinema for a while. I think the last movie I watched with my husband is Iron Man. It was his idea, but overall I enjoyed it. I find the storyline and the effects were pretty good.

Anyway, I watched The Black Swindler in DVD two days ago and thought it was very entertaining. I was attracted by the cover and it says this is the movie adaptation of the bestselling manga "Kurosagi". I love reading manga, but I do not recall seeing this one on shelves so I decided to read buy it.

This story is basically about swindlers; or to be precise, a swindler who cheats other swindlers. During the introduction of this movie, it says there are three kinds of swindlers in the world. The White Swindler preys on anyone to steal their money, the Red Swindler make use of others' emotions to cheat their money, and then there is the Black Swindler who targets only the swindlers and he is believed to be the worst amongst all.

Takashi Kurosaki (played by Yamashita Tomohisa) belongs to the latter. He is the only survivor left amongst his family as all were perished by a scam artist. He vows for revenge and grown up to be a professional swindler known as 'Kurosagi', who swindles other con artists. He works with Katsuragi Toshio, who is known as the master of all swindlers and buys information from him. Ironically, Katsuragi is linked to the death of Kurosagi's family and Kurosagi began to learn and improvises his methods on preying other swindlers. But his main target is Ishigaki, who uses corporate seals as gifts to companies and has led them losing money by sending out contracts bearing the seal.

Sakura, a woman who had fallen into Katsuragi's trap years ago ever told Kurosagi not to be too emotionally involved with Katsuragi. Unlike Kurosagi, she has chosen to forget and move on. But Kurosagi is having mixed feelings. He did not know whether or not to trust Katsuragi entirely, but yet he is the one who is closest to him. The movie reaches its climax when Katsuragi has imposed a charge far higher than anything Kurosagi has ever paid, and also there are some exchanges between Kurosagi and Ishigaki that set my pulse racing. Will Kurosagi get his revenge in the end? Will he also get out from swindling forever? I am sure these are the questions that most viewers would like to know but I am not going to ruin the fun by saying it. All I can say is, I enjoyed it and I find Tomohisa Yamashita quite attractive, which is a bonus to the movie.