Planes, Boats and Plains

I will review three films. Two of them are better than 300: Rise of an Empire. But a character from 300: Rise of an Empire is as entertaining as Meryl Streep in August: Osage County

300: Rise of an Empire
The main reason to watch 300 Rise of an Empire is to see all the stylized battle gore and possibly a bonus sex scene. But in Indonesia, being a fucking hypocrite country as it already is, they cut down all of those things you'd like to see in the movie. Fuck em. I want to see all that beheadings and that "all-timer" sex scene. Anyways, Eva Green is super awesome. I'd watch a whole film about Artemisia rather than another one frame of Themistocles. Gerard Butler seemed to be a great presence in 300, that Sullivan Stapleton and his band of Sparta-wannabes looked so unimportant in this film. Particularly that son and father sub-plot, why don't you delete it in exchange of more gore and sex because it's just so unimportant. However, despite having more in-your-face-blood effect, Rise of an Empire is a bore (if there's no Artemisia on screen). The action are not that fun, the story is not that compelling, the lead actors are wooden that you want Artemisia to cut off all their heads by 40 minutes in. Or get queen-turned-warrior queen Gorgo to get over with her narration and just swinging swords at random people before the hyper-slow motion kicks in and call the curtain. The action are fun for the first 10 minutes then it's all repetitive. The film is otherwise bland (or blame the censorship!) 300: Rise of an Empire: rated 2.5/4

Non-Stop
I actually wanted to write a separate review of this film last week but was too lazy to write a whole post consisting this film only. Anyway, I enjoyed Non-Stop more than I enjoyed Neeson's post-Taken films like Unknown, The Grey, or the preposterously hideous Taken 2. Non-Stop is tense and smartly made, it's a pleasant and thrilling surprise to experience it. Liam Neeson is supported by an amazing cast that includes Downton Abbey's Lady Mary Michelle Dockery, House of Cards' Peter Russo Corey Stoll, Monsters' lead actor Scoot Macnairy, Oscar nominee Julianne Moore and recent Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o (in a very miniscule role). My only complaint is that the film spent too much lingering on the tension that it overlooked some of the things that could make Liam Neeson's Bill Marks look smarter in that position. How about confessing that he's trying to save the plane from earlier on? Now, who's going to buy them free tickets for one year? Despite all that, I like the film quite immensely and the twist is quite thoughtful. Non-Stop: rated 3.5/4

August: Osage County
First of all, let me tell you that this film is an acting masterclass material. Meryl Streep is superbly amazing. Julia Roberts exhibits a strange, previously unseen energy for her role. The other cast are a delight too. I particularly dig Dermot Mulroney, Chris Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch in their own small roles. However with all that stellar acting I find Abigail Breslin and Ewan McGregor to be underused. The film itself peaked at the amazing dinner table scene. I mean, that one scene, justifies all the Oscar nom that Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts got this year. However, the ending dragged too long, it made it strange. I read that it should've ended with Meryl Streep's last scene and I concur. That would be a good, satisfying ending. August: Osage County: rated 3.5/4


Next week: Jesse Pinkman turns street racer in Need For Speed #oldjoke