| Apparently, I do Movie Reviews, despite the fact that I don't watch movies, oh, so often. I do catch the movies I enjoy. I watch it and try my best to compile an entire review in a matter of minutes...So here we are. Mind the Spoilers. Updated - 29 July 2007: Back after long hiatus. "The Simpsons Movie" Reviewed. |
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Movie Reviews Scores out of 10. |
Game Reviews @ Gamespot.com |
 "The Simpsons Movie " (PG)
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Score: 9.5/10 |
 Voices (among others): Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson "da dada dada dadada dadadada..." Since my first encounter with the Simpsons, I've been waiting 13 years for a movie like this. There's little this movie doesn't have. Humour, Love, Suspense and Homer. I couldn't stop laughing over the funny bits. There was no chance to. The antics of Homer are what you'll tend to expect from that silly man. Think Spider-Pig. The movie starts off nicely. An Itchy and Scratchy episode plays, then Homer complains, poking fun at the audience for paying for something they can watch on TV for free. Then, the opening sequence begins with Green Day's rendition of the Simpsons Theme. Wow. The story starts there, and I shall not reveal any further. Simpson fan or not, you should watch this movie. It's good to know that it's still hand-animated with an added feel of computer graphics to suit it for the big screen. I found the scene where Homer dared Bart to skate to Krusty Burger's in the buff a real shocker. Didn't expect that one. The rest of the movie was awesome, just like you'd expect from a Simpsons episode. This one's a 9.5. The Best Simpsons Movie in my life SO FAR. (Image from Trailer 1, © Matt Groening/20th Century Fox. Trailer from www.apple.com/trailers) |
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| "デスノート (Death Note) " (PG)
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Score: 9/10 |
 Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara as Light/Kira Ken'ichi Matsuyama as "L" Asaka Seto as Naomi Shigeki Hosokawa as Iwamatsu Voice of Shido Nakamura as Ryuk "The human whose name is written in this note shall die." Based on the Manga series by Tsugumi Ohba of the same name, the show tells the story of a guy who chanced upon a notebook lying on the street one rainy night. In unbelief of the rules given in the book, he writes a criminal's name, being disappointed by the unjust ruling of criminals who go scot-free for murders and crimes they commit. When another criminal in the Death Note dies before him, he realises that this wasn't any ordinary book. It belongs to Ryuk, a Death God (Shinigami), who dropped the book but gets Light to keep it. Soon, criminals start to die without reason, and the police start to get suspicious and calls upon the help of "L" who deems it as the works of a serial killer, "Kira". Now Light has to I watched this movie only knowing the basic plot from the Manga, so one really doesn't have to read the manga series to know what's going on. It's a good movie, but do people dying from a heart attack really drop dead like that? Anyway, the CG Ryuk that follows Light/Kira is as good as it is depicted in the manga. The Movie doesn't end there though. There's a sequel coming up. "Death Note: The Last Name" is due for a December Release. A 9 out of 10. See the Rules of the Death Note here. I need to get one of those novelty notebooks. |
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| "Click" (PG)
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Score: 7/10 |
 Cast: Adam Sandler as Michael Newman Kate Beckinsale as Donna Newman Christopher Walken as Morty David Hasselhoff as Ammer "Wow. This doesn't need Batteries?" This starts off as your typical Adam Sandler Movie. A base story will form up into the complication, a Rob Schneider cameo (laughing ensues). Then ends with the total opposite. All I can say that it is very heart-warming. Made me cry. Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) is an architect. A very, very busy architect. All a busy person would want to do is just to sit down in front of the couch to watch TV after a day's work. With all the modern technology and remotes required for them, he just couldn't take it anymore and, following his son's suggestion, runs down to the nearest store still opening in a frantic search for a Universal Remote. He finds one that was a piece of "very advanced technology" starts to use it, only to realise that this was a Universal Remote that controls the Universe. He soon fast-forwards through the boring elements of his life (family dinners, traffic, chores) not realising that he would soon regret it when it goes out of control. (How? Why? Watch the movie.) I like the fact that the remote would control everything in Michael's life and it comes with DVD features, including a James Earl Jones commentary. This movie scores a 7, because, as I mentioned before, it ends very heart-warmingly and teaches a very true lesson. Enjoy your Life. Don't speed through it. |
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| "Silent Hill" (NC16)
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Score: 7/10 |
 Cast: Radha Mitchell as Rose Da Silva Sean Bean as Christopher DaSilva Laurie Holden as Cybil Bennett Deborah Kara Unger as Dahlia Gillespie Kim Coates as Officer Thomas Gucci For a Silent Hill, it's rather noisy. Firstly, let me say this: Play the Game or get to know the game first, then come watch the movie. Only skimmed story plots appear in this movie, the heavy story behind what happened in Silent Hill comes from the game so play it to get a better understanding. It goes like this. Daughter sleepwalks, mentions Silent Hill, Mother brings daughter to Silent Hill, Car Swerves, Blacked-out, Missing Daughter, Strange fog and ash treatment, brave mother goes exploring Silent Hill and then the story begins. This movie brings out the best from the game. From the Creepy, disturbing monsters to the sudden Darkness engulfment of the "Otherworld". Lighting plays a very important role in the movie, as it did in the game. The characters from the game, however, has been replaced. The Main Character is now a woman (not that I'm sexist, it's in the movie). The fog effects and ash fall are all a great touch to create the effect of spookiness. Fret not, depending on your scare factor, there isn't much heart-thumping scenes where surprises happen. The only thing closest to a difference between the game and the movie has to be that Rose, used no weapons throughout the entire ordeal (The Knife dropped, folks, and the shooting was done by a cop). Final Word? The Townfolk of Silent Hill are a bunch of sad idiots. "She's a Witch! Burn Her! Burn Her!" 7 out of 10. Because I knew part of the story from the game, never played it. Movie Inspected and Approved by Team Silent (Konami). |
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| "Mission: Impossible: 3" (PG)
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Score: 9.5/10 |
 Cast: Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt Ving Rhames as Luther Strickell Keri Russell as Lindsey Ferris Philip Seymour Hoffman as Owen Davian Laurence Fishburne as John Brassel Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn Alright! Alright! I'll Pay for the Parking! Explosive. That sums the Movie in One word, but what fun would this review be if it only had one word? IMF Agent Ethan Hunt is back in this exciting, action-packed sequel sequel. This has to be the Best in the Series. You cannot compare the differences for this Movie and the other two, who has grown dimmer since the release of M:I:3. Morpheus...er...Laurence Fishburne as the chance to boss Tom Cruise around as he joins the trilogy as Ethan's Boss. Simon Pegg, known better as 'Shaun' from "Shaun of the Dead" also plays part of the tech recovery crew help Ethan and such. He can't play serious roles. A New Badass is on the loose. Owen Davian, Sadistic and Vengeful, he wants the mysterious "Rabbit's Foot". Now that did throw me off as they repeated the starting sequence again in the movie where Davian theatens Ethan. The Movie cuts to the chase as the Opening Credits are Straight to the Point. Yes! We pay for the Action, not fancy opening graphics! We go to Berlin, The Vatican City and Shanghai, as Ethan's time runs out... If you thought MI and MI:2 was good, then you gotta watch this movie. You Really won't know what will happen next (unless you are watching the movie twice). It's all suddenly, BOOM! and You're thrown off the Trail. The Same Dolby™ Surround Sound system (from War of the Worlds) sure did the job of handling the Fighter Jets and every Missle, every bomb, every Turn of the Movie. Now That's a Good Movie. You watch the movie and finish it, only to find out that you still don't know that the Rabbit's Foot actually is. Oh well. This is a 9.5. "Don't Interrupt me when I'm asking rhetorical Questions" |
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| "V for Vendetta" (NC16)
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Score: 8/10 |
 Cast: Hugo Weaving as V Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond Stephen Rea as Inspector Eric Finch Stephen Fry as Gordon Dietrich John Hurt as Chancellor Adam Sutler Remember, Remember the 5th of November... I can't compare this with the Matrix Trilogy because it is a different story genre altogether, even though some of the prominent crew members from the Matrix Trilogy return for this movie. Hugo Weaving, a.k.a. "Agent Smith" also joins the film to be 'the man behind the mask'...um, he's 'V'. I somehow mistook the guy who played High Chancellor Adam Sutler (this guy, John Hurt) for Sir Ian McKellan (um...that guy). No Matter, it's a hella-good movie. I haven't read the Graphic Novel, which I heard was also worth a look, but reviewers have mentioned that this particular book-to-film adaptation was well done. It is the Future Britain, speculating around the year 2020, run by a Totalitarian Government, one which strictly requires everyone to obey its laws. A Mysterious character, 'V' (Hugo Weaving), blows up the Old Bailey (Criminal Courthouse in the UK). The Government covers the situation up using the controlled TV Networks, BTN. Evey (Natalie Portman), who works in there, saves 'V' from possible capture after a Police raid. 'V' continues to kill everyone involved in the Government Coverup Conspiracy of the Larkhill Detention Facility, where he actually came from. (Apologies, but I'll not reveal anything further, so go watch it yourself.)  Traces of "Matrix" elements can be seen in the Movie. Like the Knife-throw "Bullet Time" effects shown here. Hugo plays a very good 'V', but it's weird seeing a Mask Talk throughout the entire movie. Yes, the mask is never taken off. If I counted right, the word "bollocks" was said 9 times in the entire movie. Conclusion? Very Well Done. A Great Movie. Go Watch it. I'd give it an 8. (Images from Movie Trailer 1, © Respective Owners. Trailer from www.apple.com/trailers) |
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| "War of the Worlds (2005)" (PG)
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Score: 9/10 |
 Cast: Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier Dakota Fanning as Rachel Ferrier Justin Chatwin as Robbie Ferrier Tim Robbins as Ogilvy Miranda Otto as Mary Ann Morgan Freeman as (God-like) Voice of Narrator It's Over, man. It's all Over. This is the freakiest Sci-Fi flick I've ever seen. It's a new-generation adaptation of the novel from H.G. Wells. Stunning Effects and Gross-out Elements put such Sci-fi movies to a new level for the audience (which this time, was more quiet). It makes you think. I mean, we'll all be doomed if this really happened. The damn Dolby Surround-sound systems took every Ear-piercing Scream from Dakota Fanning, playing Ray's (Cruise) Claustrophobic Daughter and loud moaning from the Tripods. Prepare to see a different kind of alien, don't expect Little green men or bulb-head, bugged-eyed creatures or even the Original Book's Tentacle Monsters. It seems the Tripods are the only element similar from the Book. Ray Ferrier is a single father who's been asked to take care of his kids for the weekend as his wife goes to Boston to see her (the kids' grand) mother. On the news recently there had been reports of freak lightning storms wiping out entire city's worth of power with it's EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse. Think "The Matrix" where the ships uses them to deactivate the sentinels.). A similar storm occurs the next morning near Ray's residence, shutting down the household power supply and the cars on the Street (EVERY Car at almost anywhere). He goes to where the lightning struck the same exact spot 26 simultaneous times. He observes the cracked road and find out that it's not even warm (like it should be when lightning strikes) but freezing cold. What Happens Next? The World turns Upside-down. Go watch the bloody film. Speaking of bloody, those red root like things on the posters and traliers? They're Human Blood Vessels! These are Expelled when the humans are used to fuel the Tripods. Eww... Nine. |
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| "Madagascar" (PG)
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Score: 8/10 |
 Cast: Ben Stiller as Alex the Lion Chris Rock as Marty the Zebra David Schwimmer as Melman the Giraffe Jada Pinkett Smith as Gloria the Hippo Sacha Baron Cohen as King Julian the Lemur Cedric the Entertainer as Maurice the Lemur Born Free. I love this Flick. Dreamworks, you've done it again! There will be a lot of "Yeah, Right."s and "As If..."s in this one. There are spoofs a-plenty. This has a Great storyline. Marty the Zebra (Chris) is persuaded by the Head Penguin of escaping from New York's Central Park Zoo and back to the Wild, where they actually belong. Marty attempts to escape to Connecticut's Open Fields but was thwarted when found by friends Alex (Stiller), Melman (Schwimmer) and Gloria (Pinkett). Upon realization of their need of freedom, the people from Central Park Zoo sends them back to the Wild (Africa) before being flung off, boxed-up from the ship to the sea. One-by-one, they get washed up on "Madagascar". They get befriended by the Lemurs on the Island and they invite them to their "Paradise". Alex suddenly regains his instincts, being paranoid without his taste for fresh-cut steaks and takes a bite of Marty. Alex then isolates himself away from them, being the "Monster" that he is. |
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| "Napoleon Dynamite" (PG)
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Score: 7/10 |
 Cast: Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite Jon Gries as Uncle Rico Efren Ramirez as Pedro Sanchez Aaron Ruell as Kip Dynamite Diedrich Bader as Rex Friggin' Idiot! This is one peculiar flick. There's many words to describe Napoleon, a Slow, Retarded, Oddball, Dimwit Loser. There's a weird feeling to this MTV Production. It's part-by-part scene-to-scene movie. Ultimately Strange. The main 'idiot' characters are like real dumbasses. Watch this only if you can laugh at people doing stupid stuff. This entire movie can be funny. Think of how you sat through watching this entire movie. Storyline: Amazingly, this movie won 3 awards in this year's MTV Movie Awards. Probably cause it was made by MTV. |
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| "Revenge of the Sith: Star Wars Episode III " (PG)
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Score: 7/10 |
 Cast: Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi Natalie Portman as Padmé Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker Ian McDiarmid as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu Force Be You. I still say that this flick should be made NC16, 'cause most who know and understand the hexilogy are more than 16 years of age in the first place! I was blown away by the Starting Obi-wan, Anakin war battle f(l)ight scene. Excitement fills the movie with the ending scenes looking so 1970. I liked General Grievious. Uber-cool. Welding up to four Lightsabers from those Jedis he defeated. He has his own weaknesses, with how Obi-wan slashed arm by arm off. The 'prelogy' continues and concludes with Anakin Skywalker turning to the Dark Side, thanks to Chancellor Palpatine, or should we call him Darth Sideous, Sith Lord! With no other choice and having a feeling of unfairness of the Jedi Council, Anakin drives himself to the Dark Side to save his Wife, Padme(Odd names, these guys have), from perishing during childbirth. Also, He becomes Darth Vader. Blinded by the DarkSide, he betrays the Jedis, kills Mace Windu(nice purple saber), several young Padawans and battles Obi-wan(Anakin lost, of course, after making a bad 'leap' forward). Grieved (and taking hard clutch of rage on the neck from 'DarkSide' Anakin), Padme died anyway being without the true Jedi Anakin she knew and Loved. And this connects with Episode IV, with Luke and Leia orphaned and separated during childbirth... blahblahblahblahblah...(go see Episode IV) |
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All Reviews © Julian Yeo. Reviews are of writer's own opinions
and may affect your choice of whether to go watch them yourself or not.
Spoilers Revealed in this page are not Intentional.
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