My Favorite Movies

I absolutely love this movie, partly because the acting is really good, but also for the CGI effects and the good storyline. I watched the extended version and realized that it isn't boring like some people think because some people I know think that Fellowship Of The Ring is quite a lengthy movie because of all the talking, but in my opinion, if there's not talking, there's no story!!!! If they jumped to the fighting scenes without any of the introduction, then you won't know where the movie started from. This film is masterpiece fom start to finish I mean Fellowship is a great start to the biggest trilogy of all time. Overall an mazing begining for an even more amzing trilogy, perhaps the best I've ever had the pleasure to see.

The Two Towers can only explained in one word, beautiful. I was hoping for a film that could stand in the same depths of the Fellowship Of The Ring, and I must say that it has surpassed the film completely. Gollum gave an astonishing performance. The poor misunderstood beast, or the darkened soul creature whose cares are only based on the One Ring. The performance given in CGI is at times very human. The facial expressions given could strangely give this character a personality as you would see in any great actor. The extended version is better than the original, but does not need to make such a quantum leap as Fellowship managed with its EE. However it will be a film that is seen as a landmark in cinema.

Peter Jackson has done it. He has created all epic saga of Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings books. The musical score retains its beauty and power. The special effects are nothing less than breathtaking, and simply move the story alone. The battles are huge and exciting. There are some liberties taken with the story, especially during the end with the homecoming, and yet, everything that needed to be covered regarding the main characters was handled. After the greatest moment of the series resolves itself, the story provided a breather. As with the first two, the film was very long, but goes without you ever truly realizing it. This film is so much more like a simple fantasy epic. It's a story about strenght of characters, frienship, loyalty and love. The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King is one of the most finely tuned and cinematically perfect films ever made.

No doubt, this movie is as good as the TV show. There is an excellent story, which is entertaining in every single moment. The film focuses on the family Simpson, so you might miss some of you favorite characters like Sideshow Bob, Apu or Mr. Burns. But this really doesn't matter, because you can see these characters in the show and it is not necessary, that they appear a lot in the movie. Instead there are some new characters, for example the president Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is very funny. There is also a nice cameo of a very big star, which is very surprising. Every joke makes you laugh. There are excellent quotes and great moments. Dan Castellanata does a very good job again. Homer is as funny as in the show. The Simpsons Movie might be the funniest animation movie ever made. You can laugh the whole film through. For Simpsons Fan it will be the best of all feelings to watch this movie. Over all this movie deserves an Oscar I rate it 10/10 so go see it you will not be disappointed.

Michael Bay doesn't disappointed us. I've seen Transformers in a press screening today, and I'm under the film's impression right now. The robots are cool as much as they can be. Bay's vision about the cult-comic and animation of the eighties has become one of the greatest effect-movie of all time. However I must disapprove that the Decepticons lost their personality, they're just mainly destroying and killing machines, Megatron and Starscream are more complex characters like they're featured in the movie. But I don't want to tease. Spielberg and Bay has created a gigantic, spectacular and funny summer blockbuster movie, that the sequel manufacturer studios can consider as an example.

The Opening beach assault sequences were the most violent, realistic filming I've ever seen; looked as though the thing was actual combat footage. Speilberg did an unbelievale job of putting realism into this film with the camera-work and everything else. What Saving Private Ryan does extremely well, is to show the world the harsh reality of war without pulling any punches. The story about a squad of soldiers sent to retrieve the surviving brother of three dead soldiers is told with competency and due reverence from all perspective of the characters involved. It is an uncommon and intriguing drama, but it serves as an excuse to describe a setting, rather than the other way around. The story manages to move us through all sorts of different landscapes and scenarios. STeven Speilberg gives the ultimate tribute to the greatest generation with this movie and it really proves why he's one of the best in the industry. It's one of the most powerful movies ever made and should make make anyone who watches itmore grateful for the sacrifice the greatest generation made. Simply amazing. This is first best war film ever made.

A emotional and powerful film that I will remember forever. I can't fault anyone who doesn't want to see this film. But please put to rest any fears that this film was made purely to turn a profit and serves no purpose. No veiled political stances. No cartoonish villains. No making the enemy sympathetic. Just a brilliantly executed look at what did happen and what might have happened on that fateful day. What makes it more effective is that all throughout you don't recognise any of the actors. They may as well be "real people". And come to find out, many of the air traffic controllers and military personnel are playing themselves!!! This makes it all the more real and draws you in and takes you back to that day. The final 15 mins of United 93 will leave you speechless and paralyzed, as a group of passengers plan to attack and over throw the terrorists and try to take back the cockpit. It's intense, violent and overwhelming inspiring. The film is a well done memorial, dedicated to those who were killed on September 11th. God bless America.

World Trade Centre tells the gripping true story of two of the last men pulled out of the rubble of ground zero alive.
Many around the world remember that morning. September 11 2001. I really wasn't sure if I wanted to see the film but I remember watching on telly. Iam so glad I went to see this, it is a powerful work of film. There are tears of joy, laughs, and tears of sorrow throughout this film with strong acting from a huge cast including Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena. The cinematography and sound really aided this film. All of the filming was crisp and clean, the special effects were great and you could hardly tell this had been filmed after the towers were gone (the shots containing the towers that is). There were some great scnes from life in New York; shots of the skyline and the subway as well as some breathtaking aerials. The sound was spot on, you could feel the building collapseas the scenes unfolded on the screen. It was a great job all around. Overall I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was, It lived up to Flight 93, although it has an entirely different feel to it. This film is not ground breaking work, but it wasn't meant to be and it accomplished this very well.

The film was based on the book written by James Bradley. Clint Eastwood directed the film, even though the battle for Iwo Jima was considered one of the bloodiest against the Japanese in the Pacific. During the battle scenes, you actually see the choas that soldiers encounter on the battlefield. This film will receive many Oscar nominations. Some of the movie is graphically violent and shows the dark side of war.

Letters From Iwo Jima is pure art house war drama, a massive monster of a movie that differs from everything Eastwood has ever made. The story is basically the Japanese point of view of "Flags Of Our Fathers. While the letter had many scenes showing the glory of Americans, veterans returning home being greeted as heroes, and a tone of vivtory all over, "Jima" proves to be completely different. There is no glory of Japanese, only pain. There is no tone of victory, but a huge clouds of defeat. Jima is dark, resembling a black and white film. Jima is probably the best war film of the 21st century. Eastwood has created a piece of work that will remain untouchable and will survive through the decades.

The movie is what it is, a perfect 5, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on earth and realises there almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task: actors, stunts, pupperty, models and computer generated. Robert Patrick is a super-villain. He can change shape and colour, he can imitate anything it touches, anything it samples by physical contact, any objects of equal size. The level of violance in Cameron's film is pretty intense. The special effects are outstanding. They look realistic, the action scenes are amazing, very well executed. James Cameron tries to provide a message of peace. The musical score is perfect, the plot is intriguing, and the motion picture features excellent performance. I heard Terminator 4 will be released somewhere in 2008 and I'm looking forward to that.

Black Hawk Down is an incomparable war flick. I can recall such as Courage Under Fire, have a powerful story but fall short of authenticity. Also Black Hawk Down isn't about operation restore hope, which stretched over 1993 and 1994. That's why some poorly thought out reviews point out that Somali perspective isn't shown or the events leading up the US/UN intervention. Black Hawk Down is easily the 2nd best war film ever made.

This is the first martial arts film that I enjoyed very much. It has a very strong plot which is also based on a true story about an martial arts master, Huo Yuan Jia and together with great actors and actresses, a masterpiece is presented. As well as their visual effects, every movement is clearly, one would find their heart beating hard as the fight is going on. The music in the film also fits perfectly with the film. Fearless is badly edited from the original 150 min version. To fit in the market demand, Fearless has been mercilessly chopped into a 103 min theatrical version....oh well. And its sadly true that it is to be his final martial arts epic film.

This is wonderful storytelling. The opening battle scene simply mesmerize, showing the brutal nature of comabt for Roman. A simple General Vs an emperor. I just loved the resilience Maximus showed throughout the movie. The visual effects were amazing. The battle of Carthage Reenactment was really great. The music is wonderfully beautuful as if Maximux family are telling him...you have arrived. Bottom line: magnificent and emotionally satisfying.

Master And Commander succeedsnot so much in the fact that it has an exceptional plot, but in fact that it carries the viewer along on its voyage exceptionally. This film pulls no punches about how it perceive the workings of a British Naval Ship to function in the early 19th century. Excellent performance by Crowe and his doctor right hand man played by Paul Bettany only add to the thrill. This film also has a great original score which makes it flow perfectly. The interaction between the ship members is what makes it a success.

The Green Mile is a masterwork. This is film as art, at it's very best. The depth of the cast is extraordinary, with all the players delivering excellent performances. There is a clear sense here that all involved in the production knew that this was something special. See this film if you truly enjoy actors giving everything to their craft. Watch for countless of expressions and the great power that the cast creates with silence. This is evident in the opening sequence and remains throughout. Above all, Michael Duncan as John Coffey is exceptional. He brings gripping emotion to a unique, fascinating character.

Direction and special effects is really good in animal and human form as well as semi humans. The best thing about this movie is the battle scene when the war begins. The musical score is outstanding and the computer generated creatures looks good. The final battle scene is well edited and it can be used to compare with the battle scene in The Lord Of The Rings movie.

This has the best action sequences of any of the six Star Wars film. The battle sequences at the begining with Jedi star fighters and seperatists forces is by far the most spectacular special effects sequence ever put to film. By far the best of the three Star Wars sequels.

Shanghai Noon is unlike any other Jackie Chan movie I have seen. It is his best since "Rush Hour" and is among one of the best all-action movies that I've seen with an actual plot behind it. Shanghai Noon" brings alot of excellent comedy, dialogue, actions, thrills and even a little romance. I was expecting Owen Wilson to be similar to Chris Tucker, but in Shanghai Noon Wilson proved himself to be much better than other Jackie Chan sidekicks I've seen him teamed with. The movies is really an excuse to show off Chan's fighting skills and we're here to see Jackie Chan pull his stunts.

This movie is actually funny and entertaining. I wasn't expecting much because the past several Jackie Chan films, The Tuxedo, have sucked. But the duo of Chan and Wilson really worked. This has plenty of Chan stunts with ladders, amazing kicks, and swords. This sequel is actually better and funnier than the original.

What I found was an amazing movie, with some of the greatest special effects I've ever seen. The camera angles really work for the action sequences and the Choreographed fight scenes made me yearn for more. The Matrix also provides endless action and a pretty solid storyline that influences the philosophical ideas in the movie. There are so many great things in this movie, it's just crazy.

In the first film we see the creation of (the believing) man. In Reloaded the religious theme takes a step back. Instead it is Free Will VS Determinism whichj is the main conflict. Thereby the existential perspective which were planted in the first film can be developed. There is a hint of a cycle here. Matrix is about birth, Reloaded is about life, and Revolution is about death (rebirth). Matrix is the becoming of man. Reloaded is man as a builder of theories and civilizations. Power and control is formed and developed.

Shrek is a wonderful parody of every fairytale story that you can think of, for the kids it has charm, humour and tons of fun, and is delightful film for them to enjoy. Shrek is simply so well created that it can successfully appeal to a huge audience excellent voiced as it is, by Mike Myers, John Lithgow, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy. Brilliant characters, solid script and hilarious parody, make this film a simply wonderful achievments, and thats without mentioning the awesome computer generated.

This is a tale of love and comedy. What an amazing, well made animation with an excellent choice of new characters and old favourites from the first one. Enjoyed every second, great visuals, sounds and music. The story is fun to follow, very sharp humour, good characters and most of all, a good happy ending.

What a superb film, Denzel Washington at his superb best. Denzels plays a terrific part as Alonzo Harris, a cop with a dark personality. From the moment you set eyes on him you can realise that Alonzo is a feisty character, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Ethan Hawke provides excellent backup but Denzels steals the show. Plot is excellent as it leads you into false sense of securities and even shouting at the TV set. I loved every breathtaking moment of this film. Quite extraordinary.

The plot is not a biography of Marshall Mathers, a.k.a. Eminem, but it is very much informed and guided by the experience of his early career as a rapper in blue-collar and no-collar Detroit. Eminem gives a compelled, powerful performance that diverges just enough from his public self to inject the story with a strong sense of realism without sacrificing anything artistically. Every minute and every second, the cast intensity never gives up and the camera never sleeeps. The film is detailed and finely crafted. The hiphop music is good to listen to.

This movie could have turned out bad with cliched acting and over the top performances, but what makes you stick with the story, is that you really feel sorry for these people and you want them to succeed. True, the hook of the story, a pimp wanting to be a rapper, sounds really fun. Good story, perfect characters well realized. Witty, crackling dialogue. You can't make this stuff up. And comparing this to 8 Mile is like comparing dogshit to gold. A deeply flawed protagonist who is able to reach into himself and trnsform himself through the power of art, larger themes involve the disillusion with fame, consumer culture.

Denzel Washington is so convincing as Rubin Carter that one forgets that he is, indeed, an actor playing a role. From the begining to end, Denzel is perfect. The film made me think about how poverty and prejudice can ruin a person's life when misfortune, such as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, visits. We should learn from this movie. We can't take anything, especially our freedoms, for granted. There have always been and may always be someone with power to change or destroy our lives and take away all we hold. He did what he had to do for survival but others humanity at first weekened him, then he drew strength. The Hurricane is more about racism than injustice, more thematic in nature than subjective. It proves a solid moral about what society is like. A point that is powerful and touching because of its strong development. But also saddening because it's true.

Pirates Of The Caribbean is the big-budget adaptation of a theme park ride, starring actors you wouldn't think of being in a blockbuster. But despite all that Pirates Of The Caribbean is a marvellous success. Also Pirates Of The Caribbean was fun. It was truly exciting, thrilling film with plenty twists and turns. The action was very choreographed. Pirates features some very good action sequences especially, Jack and Will's first encounter, several boat fights and the finale. Pirates Of The Caribbean is very much a comedy. Jack Sparrow provides a lot of belly laughs epecially in the rum scene with Elizabeth Swann. In a year, when comic book films and sequels dominated, Pirates Of The Caribbean was a breath of fresh air.

The movie is visually stunning, the CGI is top rate and you won't spend the whole film groaning about how fake things appear on the screen. Acting was brilliant. Johnny Depp once again proves why he's the only man alive who can play the role of Capt Jack Sparrow. There's a great number of returning characters from the first film, including a couple I was very happy to see. There's a good plot, wonderful sets, great acting and plenty of laughs. One of the best films I've seen all year thus far, Can't wait for the third one to release in 2007.

Johnny Depp continues to shine as Captain Jack and Chow Yun Fat makes a huge impact as Captain Sao Feng. Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush returns as Barbossa and his exclusion from most of the 2nd movie was the reason it was my least favorite out of the whole trilogy. Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom complete the All-star class and do an OK job as their respective characters.
The CG was some of the best I've seen. This film is often bright and pleasing to the eye unlike many others. Special effects?? awesome! The sets / ships were proof of the attention to detail of the art and construction departments. The story and the way it was acted out just couldn't have been better. It was exciting, maybe a little scary for the little ones and often times very funny. The settings are stunning and beautiful, the music is thrilling and there is something for everyone without getting tiresome or boring beforehand. Pirates 3 completes the series, not just with a bang, but with a Yo-Ho and a bottle of rum! THIS IS A MOVIE NOT TO BE MISSED!!! there is a scene at the end of the credits so don't forget to stay!!!!

Kill Bill is absolutely incredible. The art direction is beautiful, the camera angles are perfect. The lighting, sound, dialogs and of course the details, no one works with small details the way Quentin does. This film contains extreme violence and sometime strange dialog coupled with some pretty good acting and directing.

Vol 2 is way different. It makes sense it's a seperate movie; the tone is such a departure from Vol 1in two ways. One is style. Director Tarantino has fun stylistically quoting Sergio Lione and chop-fu cheapos from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Cinematic samplings is something he's good at and enjoys, but in Vol.2 he doesn't go as overboard as he does in Vol 1. This gets the second different tonal different between films, which is emotional. It all comes back to the characters. They don't quite become real people here, but they get close enough to get under your skin. The camera viewpoints are brilliants at times and as usual the tiny absurd elements are a joy to discover. Tarantino's entire Kill Bill achievements may easily be considered as one of the most craetive and dared film projects ever.

I've never read the graphic novel, but i don't think you need to read it to appreciate the movie. The story was so topical that I got seriously emotional during a lot of parts. Weaving did an excellent job with the mysterious title character "V", creating a poetic, intelligent, and compassionate yet ruthless character. The acting, the cinematography, special effects, and the general vision of this film all lead me to believe that it will likely receive a cult following. It is only my hope that the message of this film will come to summerize the history of our future ascendancy to true liberty.

A conglomerate of great acting, great direction, and a great story has made Ali a landmark film. This film is socially important because it raises up one of the most notable and underappreciated figures of the 20th century, Ali. Many considered Ali just a boxer with a big mouth, but this film finally exposes him for what he truly was, one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time. The film makes subtle but amazingly done comparisons between Ali and the other civil rights leaders, notably Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and highlites Ali's influence with theirs. This theme is climaxed in the beautiful scene of Ali (Will Smith) running down streets in Africa with local children chanting his name. At this moment in the film, we understand as viewers that Ali did not fight for fame or fortune, but he fought for his rights and the rights of all black people in the United States and the world. No other film has exhalted Ali's influence in such a way. It was beautifully done. Highly recommended for those intrerested in real-life drama and heroism, the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s, and the intelligent and political side of American sports. Not recommended for fans of boxing movies and action films. This is a slow moving, intense drama and neither a fell good film nor a slug fest.

"Wong Fei Hong" may be dismissed as "yet another Hong Kong Kung Fu Film" at first glance. But when one looks at it deeper, it is one of the most triumphant films of all time. Rarely is the histoical splendour of the Late Qing Dynasty decipted as tragically beautiful as in this movie. The acting and the characters are achingly humane, as are the interaction between the characters. To say that the action in this movie is awesome is to commit the gross crime of severe understatement. The final confrontation between Wong Fei Hong and Yen Zhe Don in the forrest of ladders within the American Fort is arguably most electrifying and intense action narrative in cinema history. Painstakingly detailed and tightly paced, it is Martial Arts Action at its finest, thanks to the incredible talents of Choreographer Yuen Woo Ping. Most of all, "Wong Fei Hong" is one of the rare films these made these days that is truly about honour and caring about people. Master Wong represents the courage, nobility, honour, compssion and the sorely lacking justice that our world desperately needs. Wong Fei Hong is possibly the best role model for our children, whose souls are constantly rotted by selfish, nasty, so-called heroes like Blade and Spawn. The theme music of this film, "Be a hero", truly brings out the spirit of this nobility, and is one of the most moving tunes ever composed. The HERO of this film makes me proud that I am an Asian like him. Tsui hark is truly a great man for making this film, and deserves better than to have his talent wasted on Van Damme.

This is arguably the best of the 'Once Upon a Time in China' series (which now runs to 6). It stars Jet Li as martial arts master & doctor Wong Fei-Hong, a historical figure/legend popular in Hong Kong period pieces, much like Robin Hood or King Arthur in Western culture. It features some of the most exquisitely choreographed and executed fight scenes in any movie I've ever seen, utilizing two truly excellent martial artists/actors, Jet Li and Donnie Yen. And, almost as importantly, the level of absurdness and ridiculousness, so high in many HK movies, in the fights, humor, and story are kept to a reasonable level so western viewers won't be totally put off. In general, production quality is high, story is good/tolerable, and the fights are truly incredible showcases of the actors' abilities. It would be an excellent choice for the western movie-watcher trying to find more Jet Li films after seeing Lethal Weapon 4. It is also an excellent example of how in 20 years the 70's kung-fu chop-socky has evolved after it and Bruce Lee disappeared from the west.

After seeing this, I realized Tsui Hark really has a knack for period films. Jet Li is Master Wong in this third part of OUATIC series. Honestly, I really enjoyed the scenes with Wong and Aunt Yee (played by always lovely Rosamund Kwan). The way they play off each other is so innocent that you can't help have a smile on your face. It's also a chance to see a jealous Jet Li which adds to the humor. You really root for him to get the girl (lucky Jet). The action is on point as Jet Li displays his martial arts prowess as he battles a lot of enemies. Great use of a jacket to ward off a street battle and the restaurant fight scene is classic Jet Li (you gotta love that shadowless kick). The Lion dance ceremony was interesting and I enjoyed how chaotic it was as all the dragons battled to get the bait. Foon adds comic relief and Club Foot was a cool character who knows how to get his "kicks". Even though I expected to see superb fighting, I really enjoyed the romance in the film as well.

The sixth film in the series, and the welcome return of Jet Li after a break in parts 4 and 5. This time around Wong Fei Hung and his cohorts take a trip to the wild west, a reasonable idea but ultimately one of the weakest of the films. The plot limps along rather pointlessly, although the frequent fight scenes (choreographed by Sammo Hung) are as exciting as ever. Their power is somewhat diminished, however, as at no point do you feel the characters are in any real danger. Jet's cool bullet-dodging in the climactic fight is fun, but only real highlight is the scene where Fei Hung's loyal comrade Seven attempts to cure his master's amnesia by fighting him in the styles of villains from the previous films. The supporting cast are a painful bunch of stereotypes, and their acting ability leaves a great amount to be desired, but if you can get past that this is enjoyable enough hokum.

'300' is a totally riveting masterpiece of film making. Zack Snyder, inspired by the graphic novel, has brought a 2487 year-old news story to life with people you really care about who are faced with choices between compromise and war that are all too familiar today. The breath-taking CGI images are flawlessly integrated with the live action. All the actors are excellent in their roles, and Butler IS Leonidas. The sound design is excellent. The score was recorded by the London Phil with a full chorus and is beautiful to listen to, but is very reminiscent of 'Gladiator' which detracts from the otherwise total originality of the film. This movie integrates the potentials of film-making and story-telling in a wonderful new way that is the best of both entertainment and artistic achievement. One last thing, this movie is NOT a history lesson. This is based on a graphic novel, similar to a movie made back in 1962, and is inspired by the battle in 480 B.C. This is not racist either. The Last Word: 300 delivers what is was sent out to do. Action. Entertainment. Skin. Ignore the naysayers and enjoy. Excellent popcorn fun.

Greetings again from the darkness. A true tour de force by Forest Whitaker ... the best performance of the year so far! Somehow Mr. Whitaker captures the madness and charm of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Amin was one of the first political rock stars. He used the media to his advantage as his regime slaughtered hundreds of thousands of his countrymen. Whitaker seizes the chance to play this larger than life character and runs with it -- I've never seen Whitaker give so convincing and transforming a performance. However, as good as he is, McAvoy impressed me more. His performance as Garrigan is not as showy, but it's much more textured and subtle, and his character has the bigger arc from start to finish. Gillian Anderson also does terrific work in a small role as a fellow doctor, who understands things about Amin and the African culture that Garrigan does not. Unlike other recent thrillers set in African nations ("The Constant Gardener," "Hotel Rwanda"), "The Last King of Scotland" is not greatly concerned with the geo-political implications of Amin's reign. The atrocities he committed against Ugandans are given only the barest of mentions, and the film sticks almost exclusively to Garrigan and the danger he himself faces. Some may think the film is irresponsible for this reason -- that the plight of one man pales in comparison to the plight of thousands, and I can see where a criticism like that is justified. But the movie packs a powerful wallop regardless, and complaints like this seem like quibbles when up against such an entertaining movie.

TMNT does its job: CGIs are done very nicely, the visual overhaul of the Turtles' design comes near the original comic-look and for a kiddie flick (let's face it TMNTs target audience is well below 14) it is a shade darker, cooler and grown-up than any of the other animation films hitting the Box Office right now. I am one of the older generation of TMNT fans and I can happily say that I greatly enjoyed watching this film. Also the row of children sitting behind me did not make one noise from the start of the film to the end. Which I think is a good sign to universal appeal of this film. The plot ticks along at a good pace, some of the action sequence are outstanding in terms of action, animation and detail (as stated by ChimpCadet the fight in the rain is a highlight of this film). Voice acting is pretty well done by the likes of Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patrick Stewart, Mako, Kevin Smith and Ziyi Zhang. This movie gets dibs on the title of First Great Movie of the Summer.