Jack Reacher
The new Tom Cruise film starts off brilliantly tense with a random multiple murders that put the story in motion. A mentally-troubled former army was accused of the murders and the army man asks for Jack Reacher, a brilliant former army police. Think of this film as Ethan Hunt without the big set pieces and gadgets (which leaves only Tom Cruise) with smart, sharp dialogues. Tom Cruise is in top form here. The film is an interesting thriller to follow. Director Christopher McQuarrie made a nice debut after years of writing screenplays. However, the main antagonist of the film The Zec (played by director Werner Herzog) seemed like a caricature while actually he could be creepy. Also some parts of the film feels so slow, I yawned a lot and a person beside me was sleeping. The ending is also a let down for me. But it does follow Jack Reacher's style that was established throughout the film. The score-less chase scene was intense and was one of the best scenes in the film (the car was driven by none other than Mr. Cruise himself!). Looking up to next Tom Cruise films; yep that's you Oblivion. Jack Reacher: rated 3/4Life of Pi
Hollywood is desperately making films from what was once deemed as an unfilmable books. But then in 2012 come Cloud Atlas and Life of Pi. Pi tells the story of a boy named Pi (Suraj Sharma) whose family owned a zoo that is going to be moved to Canada. However, their ship was hit by a massive storm, leaving Pi alone in a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The film was emotionally satisfying. Throughout the film you can feel the thirst, the joy, the sadness. Above all you can feel the magic of filmmaking and the power of imagination. Ang Lee delivers so much beautiful shots, such as the reflection of the clouds in the water, making it heavenly instead of earthly. Through the story and visuals, Ang Lee made the film a celebration of life and a reminder of the power of faith and hope. Suraj Sharma as a newcomer is really really good, he gives it all. It's a shame that I didn't watch it in 3D. I could just imagine what the 3D would be like. If you can still catch the movie in cinemas, be sure to check out the 3D version. Life of Pi: rated 4/4.Les Miserables
Tom Hooper of The King's Speech directs the film version of the stage play that was based on Victor Hugo's novel. The story revolves around ex-convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) and Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) with the dawn of French Revolution in the backdrop. I'm a sucker for musical. I love this film. The setting is marvelous. The music is majestic. The acting is crazy amazing; especially Hugh Jackman and the Oscar-locked Anne Hathaway. You just need to see Anne Hathaway's scene when she sings the renowned 'I Dreamed a Dream' to see that she deserves to bring home the Oscar gold. While most of the cast are known to have starred in musicals (from Mamma Mia!, Sweeney Todd, Oscar hosting gig or even Broadway players like the amazing Samantha Barks), the ones that are not that well like Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne is visible to have some misstep in the singing but still it was wonderful. The only thing that kinda bother me is the lack of Amanda Seyfried which makes Cosette one-dimensional. Cosette should be the one who glues the relationship between Jean Valjean and Marius. But despite that, it's still a great film. I also look forward to see the stage play (yes I haven't seen it yet). Don't forget to pack a lot of tissue because the film will drain your tears and emotion. Les Miserables: rated 4/4Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
Finally I watched this film after almost 2 months from its initial release. The story picks up after Bella has become a vampire and the Volturi clan is concerned about Edward and Bella's child. The story is actually monotonous. And also the visual effects is TERRIBLE. I mean, now you have sufficient money, why not spend it on visual effects. The worst visual effects in the film were the baby and the running/jumping parts. I mean Tron Legacy could make young Jeff Bridges really good. Why can't you make a decent baby? Visual effects issues aside, the film went incredible until the brutal fight. The film shows off Kristen Stewart ability to be angry! And also an opportunity to see a crazy Martin Sheen once again. However, I was kinda disappointed by the Savages ending. During the fight, I was thinking that this is so cool and brutal. I loved the fight scene really until the fact that it's actually not happening. This film really justifies that Breaking Dawn should not be split in two parts. It's just too short and I almost forgot the characters, especially the wolves ones. But this film really closes Twilight on a high note. Even Bella can develop the power to give a small montage. They even list all the cast from the first film. It's just great to see even if you're not a fan. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2: rated 3/4Bonus!
I watched four other films. Interesting ones of course.
1. Dredd - Finally watched this. It's a great action film with Karl Urban at the lead. The story and action is great and the characters too. Although it does suffer comparison from the non-stop action of The Raid. 3/4
2. Pitch Perfect - Again, I state that I love movies with songs. This one does not have a great story. It's like the singing version of Streetdance. But Anna Kendrick and the musical numbers cover all that. Go see this just for the sake of Anna Kendrick singing with cups! 3/4
3. Beasts of the Southern Wild - An amazing movie with amazing cast also with an amazing score. It's heartbreaking and moving but also inspirational. I'd like to see an Oscar nod especially for Hushpuppy and her daddy (her name is really hard to spell). 4/4
4. The Words - A nice thriller with an exceptional cast lead by Bradley Cooper. It's about a struggling writer plagiarizing a fine work from the past. However, some parts are just strange, especially the scenes with Dennis Quaid and Olivia Wilde. This film really shows how music score can save a film from being boring and dull. Although it's kinda strange, I recommend the film for the good parts of the story (and the amazing cast, of course) 2.5/4
Epilogue
Doing movie marathons, you realize the magic of movies. It could transport you to places. It's a teleporter, a vacation you can do while sitting. At one time you could be in an American city but then the other second, you're at the open sea with a tiger. Or at one time you're in the late 1800s France and the other second, you're at Forks. It's amazing. And after watching Les Miserables, I'd love to live in world of musicals where I can just burst into songs to say something and some orchestra will accompany me. See you at the next post!
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