English Movie Sorority Row Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

English Movie SORORITY ROW 2009

Cast And Crew

Cast: Briana Evigan, Jamie Chung, Rumer Willis, Julian Morris,
Leah Pipes, Audrina Patridge, Margo Harshman, Matt Lanter, Carrie Fisher
Director: Stewart Handler
Genre: Horror/Thriller
RunTime: 1 hr 41 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: TBA
Official Website: http://sororityrowmovie.com/
Opening Day: 8 October 2009

Synopsis:

When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret.

Movie Review:

You know the drill to making these films it is staple to fill the screen with beautiful bodies willing to flaunt their assets, and the opening scenes established everything right going for it, with plenty of hot bods gyrating to senseless music, under the influence of drink, drugs and everybody having sex on their minds. And what more the lead characters here are all females, from relatively better known ones whom you know will have a better chance of survival Rumer Willis (well, the offspring of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore), Jamie Chung (from Dragonball Evolution) and Briana Evigan (Step Up 2 The Streets), to those unceremoniously inserted for gratuitous, passing shots.

It's no wonder as well that the film went horribly wrong right from the start, both in storytelling techniques, and the predicament that the sorority sisters of the Theta-Pi house face from a prank gone morbidly wrong, where one of their own becomes a real corpse, and the rest decide through some strange ritual of voting, and listening to the save-your-own-skin rationalization from ring leader Jessica (Leah Pipes), that they swear to keep that night's event a secret. There's a little integrity tussle between established do-gooder Cassidy (Briana Evigan) and Jessica and the breakdown of the group's solidarity, but otherwise it serves only as an exercise for the audience to know who to trust amongst the bunch of bad hats.

So with most of the characters made unlikable and probably deserve that's due to come to them, it certainly took a long time, some 30 minutes, before one of them fell victim to a cloaked figure utilizing the exact same steel weapon on their demised friend. Trust me this villain will not find any cult longevity to be included in the Great Hall of Infamy. Constant harassment ensued, very much like a cheap knockoff of I Know What You Did Last Summer (well, actually 8 months ago) with the ghoul spooking and dispatching the girls one after another, except that director Stewart Hendler really needed an exercise in building suspense, and keeping things tight through not having villains succumb to the need for monologues with verbatim explanations.

Most scenes of death were averagely designed, and for fans of the genre you'll probably be jaded enough to see some of them coming from a mile away. It played on cliches with all the tricks coming from the same bag. The body count is kept extremely low with some scenes being quiet sterile, and I'm pretty surprised at those who managed to walk into the sunset. Probably the only redeeming grace to make this film slightly bearable to watch would be Carrie Fisher's short supporting role (what was she thinking when she accepted this?) as the protective sorority house-mistress packing a mean shotgun, acting tough and inflicting maximum damage; brings back some memories when she was Rebel Leader, leading a bunch of space jocks, compared to whiny, bitchy supermodel wannabes.

Sorority Row could have been fun while it lasted, but the lacklustre pacing took away most of its shine.

English Movie Surrogates 2009 Watch Online Movie Review Trailer Cast And Crew

English Movie Surrogates 2009

Cast And Crew

Cast: Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike,
James Francis Ginty, Boris Kodjoe, James Cromwell, Ving Rhames
Director: Jonathan Mostow
RunTime: 1 hr 28 mins
Released By: BVI
Rating: PG (Violence)
Official Website: http://chooseyoursurrogate.com/
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
Opening Day: 1 October 2009

Synopsis:

FBI agents (BRUCE WILLIS and RADHA MITCHELL) investigate the mysterious murder of a college student linked to the man who helped create a high-tech surrogate phenomenon that allows people to purchase unflawed robotic versions of themselves – fit, good looking remotely controlled machines that ultimately assume their life roles – enabling people to experience life vicariously from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The murder spawns a quest for answers: in a world of masks, who’s real and who can you trust?

Movie Review:

Surrogacy is all about the great pretend- pretending to be more beautiful, more perfect, more desirable than who you really are. All you need to do is design your ideal self, then recline in your seat at home and use your mind to control your robot avatar. Imagine the possibilities- you may be shy, disfigured, disabled, or even disillusioned (say with your gender) and still be able to live vicariously through your duplicates.

Such a beguiling science-fiction conceit is at the heart of "Surrogates". Though based on the little-known graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele, it is no doubt inspired by the way people today are living their lives, increasingly dependent upon their computers and other electronic devices and projecting themselves into the world through them. But despite its nifty premise and prescient relevance, "Surrogates" is much less clever than it would seem.

Indeed, what appears to be an intelligent sci-fi thriller mixed with good ol’ Bruce Willis action is in fact a half-baked copy of other far superior films of the genre- its most direct equivalent "I, Robot", right down to casting James Cromwell as the creator of the technology inside. But where its peers have made good on their no-more superior ideas, "Surrogates" is content to wallow in its simplicity, turning what is a rich promising conceit to a one-note exploration of the human condition.

Yes, the human condition. If you believe "Surrogates", everyone rich or poor would soon hide behind their surrogate selves, creating a perfect world without crime, racism or bigotry. In other words, we would be living a lie. Besides the logical lapse of how everyone could afford what looks to be an expensive piece of equipment, there’s also the fallacy of assuming there’d be no human ills just as long as we are free of the constraints of our bodies. Isn’t the mind the root of all evil? And isn’t the mind apparently the control over one’s surrogates?

Were screenwriting duo John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris more imaginative, we’d be more willing to overlook these lapses. But no, it seems the only consequence they could envisage out of such a surrogate-inhabited world is denial. So instead of facing up to the truth of their son’s death, Bruce Willis’ Detective Greer’s wife simply plugs into her surrogate and buries her pain beneath her other self. Really? That’s the worst that could happen?

Squandered away are not just the possibilities that "Surrogates" doesn’t even delve into, but also the limited opportunities that it does flirt with. What about the "Dreads"- actual human beings who reject the idea of surrogacy and live on reservations on the outskirts of the city, their dreadlocked leader The Prophet (Ving Rhames)? Surely it’ll be interesting to see some sort of confrontation more than a street protest told over the TV news.

Or how about that near future populated by our robotic selves? Certainly besides the ability to customize our own robots, there must be some other forms of technology that mankind must have developed. Why then does the world in "Surrogates" look so uncannily like our world now- the cars, the shops and even the computers? Are we supposed to believe that almost every other technology was halted while surrogates were being developed?

But if "Surrogates" isn’t good science-fiction, it’s even worse as an action flick. Reuniting with his "T3: Rise of the Machines" screenwriters, director Johnathan Mostow doesn’t even match up to the serviceable standards of T3. Aside from one foot chase, action junkies will have to wait till the last 20 mins before the already-brief 88-min movie picks up its draggy feet. Even Bruce Willis' usual roguish charisma is absent from this mechanical affair, leaving only to admire how wonderful a job the makeup artists have done in making Willis appear 20 years younger with a blond toupe.

Like surrogacy, "Surrogates" is one great pretend- pretending to be smarter, more exciting and more promising than it really is. Imagine the possibilities that "Surrogates" could have been with its clever premise… and erase all that. This is one ho-hum thriller masquerading as intelligent sci-fi- ultimately a poor substitute for either.

English Movie Shorts Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

English movie SHORTS 2009

Cast And Crew

Cast: Jon Cryer, James Spader, Leslie Mann, William H. Macy,
Jimmy Bennett, Leo Howard, Jolie Vanier, Trevor Gagnon, Devon Gearhart
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Genre: Family/Adventure
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://shortsmovie.warnerbros.com/
Opening Day: 1 October 2009

Synopsis:

SHORTS is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX is the ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget that’s sweeping the nation. Other than keeping his parents employed, however, Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX has done nothing for 11-year-old Toe Thompson (Jimmy Bennett), who just wants to make a few friends... until a mysterious rainbow-colored rock falls from the sky, hits him on the head and changes everything. The Rainbow Rock does Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX one better: it grants wishes to anyone who holds it.

Movie Review:

Robert Rodriguez is firmly back in family-friendly mode with his colourful kids fantasy "Shorts". Indeed, this is not the "Grindhouse" gore hound Rodriguez at work- this is the Rodriguez who gave us "Spy Kids" or "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D". Thanks to Rodriguez’s hyperactive imagination, there are mini-aliens, walking crocodiles, pterodactyls and a big slimy green booger monster all crammed into a frenetic 95-min affair.

As if knowing the attention span of his target demographic, Rodriguez deliberately breaks the story up into segments (or "Shorts" for short) and tosses them around in no particular order assisted by some appropriate on-screen graphics. Each segment is labelled an episode and "Shorts" surges forward, rewinds, pauses and then courses forward again skipping joyously from one episode to another.

It must’ve worked- since the kids around this reviewer in the cinema sat quite transfixed in their seats throughout the entire duration of the movie. Adults, though, be warned- Rodriguez’s similarly hyperactive zeal will likely be more irksome than entertaining. Just when you think you’ve pieced together two "Shorts" and are ready to find out what happens next, Rodriguez inserts another in-between and brings you back in time once more.

Were the shorts more consistent, his movie would probably be a less bumpy ride. But not every one of Rodriguez’s segments is equally inspired. Perhaps surprisingly, it is the shorts with the kids that are in fact more enjoyable. Certainly, the movie’s funniest bits come from one of the first episodes where three brothers, Loogie, Lug and Laser, first stumble upon the magical wishing rock. And in case you’re wondering, yes that’s the short where the most amusing 'tele-phone-nesis' part of the trailer hails from.

Not so interesting are Jon Cryer and Leslie Mann’s short as narrator Toe Thompson’s 'miscommunicated' parents, which also features James Spader’s power-hungry Black Box Incorporated chairman Mr Black. Cryer and Mann are both gifted comedic actors; but Rodriguez seems to have exhausted his imagination by the time he finished writing for the tykes, so much so that he relies on an excessive amount of physical comedy to elicit the laughs.

Ditto for William H. Macy’s germ-phobic short about an oversized boogie monster all too eager to devour his boogie master- however well-intentioned it may be at advising kids against picking their noses, there’s just not enough inventiveness to warrant its addition. The same can also be said of its messy and noisy climactic scene- the last short where every character previously in their own respective shorts finally comes together- that plays too frenziedly for its own good.

And if you’re counting, that means only 2 out of the 5 shorts (well 5 and a half, if you’re counting the one before the opening credits) are actually worth watching. Pity though because these two shorts are genuinely imaginative, possessing the same freshness and spontaneity that first made Rodriguez’s "Spy Kids" such a success. Not forgetting of course the very talented group of young actors Rodriguez has assembled for his adventure- most notably Trevor Gagnon as the kid who’s not so good at the art of wishing.

Credit though must go to Rodriguez for creating an original family-friendly movie that is not casted in the genre-clichés of typical Hollywood family fare. Had this fast-paced, cute and colourful "Shorts" used its wishing rock for a little more imagination and inspiration, it would have been a much more enjoyable affair. Without that bit of alien intervention from the sky (where the rock came from), "Shorts" is enjoyable but only ever so slightly.

English Movie X Man Origins 2009 Watch Online Movie Review Trailer Cast And Crew

English Movie X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE 2009
Cast And Crew

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, will.i.am, Danny Huston,
Lynn Collins, Taylor Kitsch, Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Reynolds
Director: Gavin Hood
Genre: Comics/Action/Adventure Rating: PG (Violence)
Year Made: 2009
Languages: English/Thai/Hindu/Tamil
Subtitles: English/Chinese/
Bahasa Indonesian/Korean/
Malay/Thai
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Running Time: 1 hr 47 mins
Region Code: 3
Distributor: Alliance Entertainment

SPECIAL FEATURES

- Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
- Deleted and Alternate Scenes
- Alternate Last Scene (Not Seen In Theatres)

SYNOPSIS:

Superstar Hugh Jackman attacks the role of Wolverine once again - with a vengeance! This pulse-pounding action thriller sinks razor-sharp adamantium claws into the mysterious origins of Logan/Wolverine: his epically violent and romantic past, his complex relationship with Victor Creed/Sabertooth and the ominous Weapon X program that unleashes his primal fury. Along the way, Wolverine also encounters legendary new mutants including Deadpool and Gambit.

MOVIE REVIEW:

This is the movie that was leaked on the internet before its premiere. Again, this is the movie that critics and fanboys alike bashed and thrashed when it opened a month later. And yet again, this is the same movie that raked in $360 million in the summer box-office.

As the title implies, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" brings audience back in time to how Logan/Wolverine got his indestructible adamantium claws. But somehow the script by David Benioff and Skip Woods who did the rewrite doesn’t do much justice to a character much loved by fans in the comic universe.

For a movie that talks about origins and backstory of Wolverine, the amnesia tortured hero from the original franchise, the pacing is remarkably fast and wobbly. By the end of the opening credits, James Howlett (Wolverine) and his half-brother, Victor Creed (Sabertooth) has grown up and survived through the America Civil war and yes the Vietnam War. If you assumed I’m bluffing, wait till you see the actual movie. It’s as though Fox has not much of a confidence to tell a tale of a traumatized mutant boy who possessed bone claws to engage the audience. Instead, the company is rushing to bring its star Hugh Jackman to appear onscreen asap.

Characters obviously need enough time to nurture and grow so that the audience can relate to but this is nowhere to be found here. Too many characters purely for the sake of eye candy drop in and out without any specifically importance to the plot. This is especially true for fan favorites such as Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) and Deadpool (Ryan Rynolds). Both obviously slotted in clumsily by Fox to cash on their popularity, pathetically ended up as plain caricatures, nothing more. The engaging rivalry between Wolverine and Sabertooth (Liv Schreiber) gave way to one too many other subplots that include the introduction of the cunning Colonel Stryker (Danny Huston) and a romance angle involving Silverfox (Lynn Collins).

From director Gavin Hood who gave the audience the acclaimed Tsotsi and the political tone Rendition, you expect something more philosophical mind-blogging rather than a simplistic tale of good versus evil. In a way, this is definitely not in the league of the first two X-Men by Bryan Singer though it fares close to the Bratt Ratner’s helm third instalment.

In terms of action and visual effects spectacle, Wolverine still lose out to the latter. It’s true Hugh Jackman’s muscles look far more ripped and a few action sequences are choreographed way beyond the comics will ever imagined but still, it lacks a certain realism to the human eyes in the theatre version which I caught. Yet it fare much better on the small screen noteably the crazy helicopter-barn chase.

Ultimately for faithful fans of noisy summer blockbusters, Wolverine might not be that bad after all. There are enough CG effects, solid fights and explosions to keep everyone’s adrenalin pumping. However loyal fans of the X-Men franchise might find this a lame affair that worked far better as a fourth outing rather than an origin backstory.

SPECIAL FEATURES :
Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins is the typical making-of feature that include interviews with the cast and crew. Nothing really interesting to uncover here.

English Movie Friday The 13th Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

English Movie FRIDAY THE 13TH 2009

Cast And Crew

Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo,
Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle, Derek Mears
Director: Marcus Nispel
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Rating: M18 (Violence and Sexual Scenes)
Year Made: 2009
Languages: English/Thai
Subtitles: English/Mandarin/ Bahasa
Indonesia/Thai/Korea/Japanese/
Cantonese
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Running Time: 1 hr 37 mins
Region Code: NTSC
Distributor: Berjaya HVN

SPECIAL FEATURES
- The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees
- Hacking Back/Slashing Forward
- Alternate Scenes


SYNOPSIS:

At Crystal Lake, what started as the best weekend of their lives could quickly become their last. A group of teens, miles from civilization are about to learn, one by one that the lake has a bloody past... and it's ready for revenge.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Is there a need to remake every horror classic of the ‘70s and ‘80s for a new generation? Since the beginning of this decade, we’ve already seen “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Halloween”, “The Hills Have Eyes” among others go through the remake treatment. None have admittedly achieved the same success as their predecessor- perhaps it was the zeitgeist of the times that made them into the classics they were.

Marcus Nispel’s remake of “Friday the 13th” continues down this well-trodden path, the director himself behind the remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” back in 2003. There is apparently a new generation of teenagers that need to be scared shitless and who better to do that than the iconic Jason Voorhees, the masked killer from Crystal Lake who terrorizes his unsuspecting victims looking for a nice summer spot.

There’s nothing new that Marcus Nispel brings to the mythology of Jason Voorhees. Just like “Halloween” tried and failed with Michael Myers, this remake fails to inject anything really worth your attention into the character of Jason- what do you expect from just 5 mins worth of back story? Indeed, the best compliment one can pay to this film is that it is a brutally efficient thriller, one that grips you by the throat from the get-go and doesn’t let go until the end.

Yes, what “Friday the 13th” lacks in depth it certainly makes up for in suspense. There is little time wasted in building any of the characters- Marcus Nispel knows that they are just meat for the cleaver. So what bare bones story there is consists of a brother (Jared Padalecki) searching for his sister who has gone missing more than a month ago while going hiking with her friends up in the woods around Camp Crystal Lake.

But once you accept that “Friday the 13th” isn’t going to be anything more than a balls-out slasher flick, that’s when the fun really begins. The Jason in “Friday the 13th” is one mean heartless killer who disposes of his victims in cold calculating ways. This is not the retard one would expect whose only strength is his brute force. But the Jason here plans then executes his devilishly savage ways of butchering his victims.

Some backhanded compliment is also in order for writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift who avoid the kind of stupidity that teen slasher flicks often relegate their characters to. While none of the forgettable characters display much ingenuity, it’s a relief that Marcus Nispel’s film saves them (and its audience) from idiocy- and manages to sneak in some hilariously cheeky humour too.

Line of the movie goes to horny rich kid Trent (Travis Van Winkle) who in his moment of sexual joy utters: “Your tits are stupendous. You have perfect nipple placement, baby.” Yes, check your brains at the door and you’ll find this a visceral feast for the senses.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Rebirth of Jason Voorhees: Cast and crew take turns to display their reverence for the iconic character and then how they brought Jason to life- prosthetics, muscle suit and Derek Mears (who plays Jason).

English Movie State Of Play Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

English Movie STATE OF PLAY 2009

Cast And Crew

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams,
Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Helen Mirren
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG (Some Violence and Sexual References)
Year Made: 2009
Languages: English/Thai/ Japanese
Subtitles: English/Mandarin/
Bahasa Indonesia/Thai/Korea/Japanese
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Running Time: 2 hrs 7 mins
Region Code: NTSC
Distributor: Berjaya HVN


SYNOPSIS:

Congressman Stephen Collins is the rising star of his political party - until his research assistant/mistress is murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out. Investigative journalist Cal McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron who assigns him to story. As Cal and his partner Della step into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures, they discover one truth: when billions of dollars are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is safe.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Beneath the surface, politics can be downright dirty and scheming, a stark contrast to all the glossy reports published or motivational speeches flashing on television you encounter daily. That is if you believe this superbly craft thriller from The Last King of Scotland’s helmer, Kevin McDonald.

The movie opens with the murders of a drug junkie, a pizza delivery man and Sonia Baker, the lead researcher of Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) who is in the midst of investigating PointCorp, a private defense contractor. Three seemingly unrelated deaths until Washington Globe reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) who is Collins’s roommate in college decides to investigate further revealing unexpected details, links and puzzles along the way.

State of Play is very much a talky movie. With the exception of a few gunshots, it doesn’t feature exhilarating car chase or explosions visually speaking to hold your attention. If you have been following the works of scribers Matthew Michael Carnahan (Lions for Lambs), Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton), Peter Morgan (The Queen) and Billy Ray (Shattered Glass), you know these are the guys that are capable of churning engaging conversational pieces and mind-blogging suspense. The structure of the story is loosely adapted from a six-part BBC television series of the same name. I didn’t get to watch the original so I can’t confirm how much of it was condensed into this 127 minutes movie. Then again, the scribers should be commended for faithfully following the same theme and issue despite the number of rewrites.

What make it even more interesting are the cast members. The list reads on like an invitation list to an awards ceremony. Besides Crowe and Affleck, Helen 'The Queen' Mirren plays the head of Washington Globe Cameron Lynne, an iron lady who is much fired up about the circulation than the integrity of the paper. Rachel McAdams pairs off the McAffrey character with ease as Della Frye, a blogger with the papers’ online division, Jason Bateman as a flamboyant publicist and also notable names such as Robin Wright Penn and Jeff Daniels. But nobody beats the leading man, Russell Crowe who is famous for his prima-donna ways off-camera shines as the unkempt but brilliant reporter. He has proven he can hold the sword in Gladiator and here, a conscious and objective reporter armed with his pen who wants nothing but the whole gospel truth.

This is a movie that warrants a clear mind and thinking cap to follow as the script touches on contemporary political subjects, journalism and relationship issues without sacrificing the basic need of entertaining the audience. Sample the numerous exchanges between Lynne and McAffrey, they alone are worth the price of the DVD. To conclude, "State of Play" is one of the few political theme thrillers that actually serve up a fair balance between pure popcorn entertainment and smart story-telling.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
For such an excellent movie, the extras are a bit miserly. Deleted Scenes which last 3 minutes consist of two scenes which are disposable. The Making of State of Play is an 18 minutes featurette which consist of interviews with the cast and crew, could be a little more detailed and longer though.

English Movie Green Lantern Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

Green Lantern English Movie 2009

Cast And Crew

Starring: Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer, Michael Madsen, John Larroquette, Kurtwood Smith, William Schallert, Larry Drake
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Genre: CG Animation
Rating: NC-16 (Some Violence)
Year Made: 2009
Languages: English
Subtitles: English/French
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1/2.0
Running Time: 1 hr 17 mins
Region Code: 3
Distributor: Alliance Entertainment

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SYNOPSIS:

When pilot Hal Jordan accepts a mysterious , powerful ring from a dying alien creature, it transforms him into a Green Lantern, one of an elite force of heroes who patrol the universe to ensure peace and justice under the leadership of the Guardians of the Universe. Unsure of their newest recruit, the Guardians assign Hal to their most-honored Green Lantern Sinestro for training, unaware that Sinestro wants to overthrow the Guardians and create a new order he'll control. It's a battle of might and willpower as Hal must prove his worth by defeating Sinestro to save the Green Lantern Corps.

Online Movie Review

As one of the seven core members that make up the Justice League of DC comics, Green Lantern is one of the more prominent characters but yet not as well explored as Batman and Superman. How did Hal Jordan (the most popular human bearer of the Green Lantern ring) become Green Lantern? What the Green Lantern’s power and weakness? Who are the members of the Green Lantern Corps? Lastly who is his archenemy (Batman has his Joker and Superman has his Lex Luthor) and what’s his origin?

Green Lantern First Flight presents a good opportunity to catch up on the Green Lantern mythos. This animation gave a scan through of how Hal Jordan was chosen and after which focus on his induction and first mission with the Green Lantern Corps.

For someone who’s aware of Hal Jordan’s preeminent status in the corps and Sinestro’s villainy in the DC universe, it was surprising and intriguing discovery of how things were during the first mission. Even as a green horn, Hal Jordan’s heroic sensibilities and might revealed itself in time of need. It defines that it’s not super power that define a person but his and sense of righteousness. Sinestro on the other hand, was given a chance to explain how he became Hal Jordan’s archenemy. It’s a path paved with good intention but the flaw in his character made him take a path that’s the direct opposite from Hal Jordan.

Beside the origin of the hero and the anti hero, the rookie mission also delved into the unexpected discomfort of Hal Jordan working with the Guardians of the Universe (the creator of the corps) and Kilowog (the primary trainer of the Corps' newest recruits). First Flight was also filled with unexpected tinge of romance and ultimately unexpected betrayal which made the latter half of this animation quite intriguing to sit through.

The First Flight story was however marred by the manner that it was told. This origin story was told felt like a weird blend of children Sunday cartoon and serious adult animation. On one hand, the story telling felt like it’s been drum down to cater to the kids, making it rather juvenile and predictable. Then there are a fair amount of violence and brutality that parents might not want their kids to watch. Online Green Lantern Trailer

Nevertheless, Green Lantern First Flight is a good and easy introduction to Hal Jordan’s start as a Green Lantern member without the hassle of digging up all those comic back issues. It also helps build the anticipation for the upcoming live action Green Lantern movie that stars Ryan Reynolds.

Chinese Movie City Of Life And Death Watch Online Movie Trailer Reviews Cast And Crew

City Of Life and Death Chinese Movie 2009

Cast And Crew

Cast: Liu Ye, Fan Wei, Hideo Nakaizumi,
Gao Yuan Yuan, Jiang Yiyan, John Paisley
Director: Lu Chuan
RunTime: 2 hrs 11 mins
Genre: Drama/War
Rating: M18 (Some Sexual Scenes)
Opening Day: 8 October 2009

Synopsis:

Set in China 1937, the country is at war with Japan. The Chinese, lead by charismatic general Liu Ye are determined to repel the enemy and defend their home, but only to face Japanese army with little ammunition. Amidst the brutality, a Japanese soldier Hideo Nakaizumi observed the many pain and tortures the war brought. Hell is gradually consuming Nanking, now a place whereby death is easier than life.

Online Movie Review:

There are many movies and documentaries out there on the Sino-Japanese war of the 1930s, but few which have taken quite the stance that Chinese director Lu Chuan had opted for in making a film about the Rape of Nanking, which is a broadly even examination into the propensity of madness in humankind, with viewpoints adopted from both sides. Some are already up in arms about having a sympathetic Japanese soldier in the lead, but I feel that they are missing the point. To this effect, Lu Chuan has shrewdly encapsulated what we normally have a tendency to do when we see injustice committed by the majority we keep quiet, and fear to take affirmative action.

To not demonize everyone in broad strokes is what Lu Chuan had expertly treaded in this powerful, emotionally charged film. For the Japanese sergeant Kadokawa (Hideo Nakaizumi), we follow his point of view on the atrocities committed, and share in his horror that his countrymen are capable of such inhumane, barbaric acts that we read about in history texts the bayoneting, machine-gunning in cold blood, and the burning and burying alive the POWs captured, acts which he visibly disapproves of, but is powerless to do anything. On the flip side, there s the Japanese interpreter Mr Tang (Fan Wei) which history would ostracize as being a traitor for seeking favours from the Japanese, but again balanced by the human story of personal survival behind him, where concessions were made on the trust that his family would be taken care of.

I ve been impressed by Lu Chuan s earlier film Kekexili (Mountain Patrol), and he just upped the ante and showcased to the world that he s capable of pulling off a film of such an epic scale, being conferred the best film award at the recent San Sabastian International Film Festival. There's no need to look beyond the impact of the film's initial minutes, which set the tone and viewpoints that the film will take.

Shot in black and white to highlight the grimness of war, you'll be left gasping for breath as it's an extremely tense opening, where scenes of mass exodus, and the invasion of the Japanese troops, drip the entire film in fear, partly also because of hindsight knowledge on what's to come. But instead of demonizing everything from the onset, we see how the Japanese troops got apprehensive as they sieve through a torn, ghostly city looking for Chinese soldiers, until they chance upon a church full of refugees, amongst which the Chinese troops have been hiding. Every one on either side are just as confused and afraid, and this bewildering stand-off alone, sparks off the beginning of a series of descent into madness that will follow.

City of Life and Death is broadly split into two major acts. The first being the initial hours just as the invasion of the Japanese started, and the other taking place a week into the occupation, where the atrocities committed get systematically portrayed on screen. Fans of action packed war movies will be drawn to the film's first arc, featuring a final guerrilla resistance by the Chinese soldiers (starring Liu Ye in heroic mode) against incredible odds in attempts to dent the invasion. It's a finely crafted war sequence which will satisfy action junkies, and one which rivals those in Saving Private Ryan, and even Feng Xiaogang's The Assembly.

But it's the second act that proved to be the real deal. Highlighting the events that take place within the safety zone as set up by German John Rabe (the historical character here portrayed by John Paisley) and other Westerners, it's an area they try their best to shield refugees and injured soldiers, while constantly fending off Japanese troops who raid the camp to rape and plunder, no matter how futile it may all seem, with constant intimidation, and always on knife's edge. It is in this act that emotions run high, and you're left with the vivid, bitter after-taste about the living hell that the inhabitants had to endure, at times being put into catch-22 situations, or degrading ones such as being asked, for the welfare of the community, to be sacrificed as comfort women.

Those without knowledge of the past, will definitely have their eyes opened, and hopefully be induced to find out and read up more about these horrors of war and occupation, especially when the opposing camps have psychos like Kadokawa's counterpart Ida, played by Ryu Kohata with much nastiness. There are plenty of lingering facial close ups throughout the film of both the victors and the vanquished, with the ensemble cast putting in extremely fine performances, with so much being said with little nuances when the camera comes right up to them, making it feel very personal, and claustrophobic as well in situations where there is little room to maneuver.
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The film did taper downwards as it reached the finale in a spin on redemption, and it provided an opportunity to decompress after having spent time witnessing the dramatic portrayal of the events in Nanking. If there's a minor gripe on the presentation of the film, that would be the inter-titles used, where near illegible cursive writing would make you squint in trying to figure out what's written. But that is just a minor technicality, which should not stand in the way of you making a beeline for the film. Don't miss this!