Chào đón năm mới bằng Contagion của Steven Soderbergh. Cứ mỗi tháng trôi qua là lại thấy mình thêm bận bịu, có lẽ thời gian cho những bài review dài thật dài đã qua rồi, giờ chỉ còn đủ tâm trí cho vài dòng ngắn ngủi trên Rotten Tomatoes.
01. 13 Assassins (2011): 5/5
Cruelly emotional. Just like watching Seven Samurai, in colour.
02. Midnight FM (Simya-ui FM) (2010): 4/5
Watch during my flight from Korea back to Vietnam. Terrific tension build-up! Some silly (even incongruous) plot-holes and factual errors are made up by very good acting from Yu Ji-tae and Su Ae (who reminds me very much of the supreme Uhm Jung-hwa in Princess Aurora).
03. Hanna (2011): 3/5
A not-really-successful attempt to stylize a conventional action movie. All artistic and symbolic angles (typical of Joe Wright's movies) and allegory-wannabe details could not fill up the big hole coming from an ordinary, weak plot and an uncharacteristic ending.
A not-really-successful attempt to stylize a conventional action movie. All artistic and symbolic angles (typical of Joe Wright's movies) and allegory-wannabe details could not fill up the big hole coming from an ordinary, weak plot and an uncharacteristic ending.
04. Sucker Punch (2011): 3/5
A surprisingly entertaining movie, especially when comparing with the overwhelming negative reviews that I've read. Guilty (and sadistic) pleasure indeed when watching a movie with Lolita-like characters (Jena Malone rules them all!), a One-Flew-Over-the-Cuckoo-Nest-like background (and ending) bound by a ridiculous video-game plot.
05. The Rite (2011): 1.5/5
From a great trailer comes a ridiculously nonsense movie, damn those trailer editors! The movie's score is quite good, though.
06. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009): 3.5/5
Satisfying ending for the series, especially when one already read the not-so-exciting novel that it is adapted from. The twist and details are unsurprisingly monotone but the acting is really good, notably Noomi Rapace.
07. Battle: Los Angeles (2011): 2.5/5
Really surprise that the film is quite entertaining, fast tempo, satisfied climax, it would be much more better if the length is cut half to annihilate all those cheesy conversations. Actually the ridiculousness of this film has just redeemed the way it ridiculously glorified the US Marines.
Really surprise that the film is quite entertaining, fast tempo, satisfied climax, it would be much more better if the length is cut half to annihilate all those cheesy conversations. Actually the ridiculousness of this film has just redeemed the way it ridiculously glorified the US Marines.
08. Paul (2011): 3/5
Still possess a glimpse of that clever (and bitter) British humours like in Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, but the acting and the distasteful (and obviously dirty) joke "à-la-Judd Apatow" really made me disappointed (with the appearance of the duo Frost-Pegg). It's enjoyable the way they make fun of the American silliness like homophobia or xenophobia, though, no wonder why the film cannot make money in the US.
09. Dragon (Wu xia) (2011): 4.5/5
Despite its name, the film contains only a minimal number of fighting scenes, but, despite that number, the film deserves to be the legacy of One-Armed Swordsman and The Blade - here we have the quintessence of Hong Kong wuxia genre, fine acting, marvellous landscape, ingenious action, and above all, the true spirit of Wu Xia.
Despite its name, the film contains only a minimal number of fighting scenes, but, despite that number, the film deserves to be the legacy of One-Armed Swordsman and The Blade - here we have the quintessence of Hong Kong wuxia genre, fine acting, marvellous landscape, ingenious action, and above all, the true spirit of Wu Xia.
10. X-Men: First Class (2011): 2.5/5
Awful CGI, dated screenplay - when was the last time Hollywood made Soviet people look like a bunch of no-brain, sex (and power)-addicted, rude and cruel? Too bad the film makers could do nothing but reuse (for the thousand times) the "Soviet cliché" to try "to resolve" the connection between the good old three films and this dated one.
11. Limitless (2011): 3/5
The hallucination of drug-addiction is very well illustrated but what kind of ending is that? Cooper is on the right track to be a leading man of Hollywood, though.
12. Your Highness (2011): 3/5
Surprisingly this film seems to be really entertaining as a vulgar version of The Princess Bridge. Of course some details are obnoxious but there are still a bunch of hilarious (and creative) things that somewhat remind viewers of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Besides, it should mention that Nathalie Portman is really a Jewess, if this film had been shown before the Oscar, she would have never won the little golden guy.
Surprisingly this film seems to be really entertaining as a vulgar version of The Princess Bridge. Of course some details are obnoxious but there are still a bunch of hilarious (and creative) things that somewhat remind viewers of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Besides, it should mention that Nathalie Portman is really a Jewess, if this film had been shown before the Oscar, she would have never won the little golden guy.
13. Made in Dagenham (2010): 4/5
Predictable but delight to watch. No real tension, doesn't matter, attraction comes from catchy (and quite emotional) quotes ("I'm Lisa Burnett, I'm 31 years old and I have a first class honours degree from one of the finest universities in the world, and my husband treats me like I'm a fool. ") and especially from the driving force of Sally Hawkins, who seems to be born with upbeat spirit in her eyes.
14. Man From Nowhere (2010): 4/5
The plot is somewhat inconsistent and full of cliché but the actors really deliver the film to audience, truly happy for Won Bin, now has grown into a leading man of Korean cinema, with charisma indeed.
15. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Daan gyun naam yu...) (2011): 4/5
In To we trust!
16. The Secret World of Arrietty (2012): 3/5
It is the lack of tension that kills the charming of the film.
17. Confessions (Kokuhaku) (2010): 5/5
Revenge is a dish best served cold - Purely ingenious! A new high for mind and humanity deception.
18. Jianyu (Reign of Assassins) (2010): 3/5
The film itself is not too bad but Michelle Yeo is REALLY too old for the role, why don't they reverse the switch at the beginning (Kelly Lin-who is hundred times more beautiful <=> Michelle Yao)? Barbie Hsu has a really hilarious character and situation, though.
19. The Stool Pigeon (Sin yan) (2010): 2.5/5
A film that seems to be stylistic and raw but in fact lacks a coherent plot and character development.
20. Piranha 3-D (2011): 2.5/5
One star for the (awful) quality, one star for the guilty pleasure to watch it with friends, and half a star for the boobies.
21. Attack the Block (2011): 4/5
When Muzzy gone mad (the aliens look really alike my dear Muzzy-the-English-teacher-on-television of the old days)! Excellent tempo, unique background (even the Harry Potter series forgot this poor and devastated area of London), solid acting, hilarious talks ("Go home and watch Naruto!"), all make the film really enjoyable and engaging. Some interesting leads are forgotten (or neglected, I don't know) such as the rich-poor tension build-up (premonition of the London riots?!), the "why the hell they come here?", but even without that subtleness, the film can still stay on the same par with its predecessors Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz.
22. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011): 1/5
Half a star for the awesome CGI, another half for the upbeat soundtrack, and zero for everything else.
23. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011): 3/5
Lousy plot, awful (and stupid as usual - the typical idea of Hollywood about Nazi) villain, dissatisfying ending, but entertaining enough to watch, can't wait for the real Avengers to come.
Lousy plot, awful (and stupid as usual - the typical idea of Hollywood about Nazi) villain, dissatisfying ending, but entertaining enough to watch, can't wait for the real Avengers to come.
24. Colombiana (2011): 3/5
For guilty pleasure, this film's done his work: Simple plot, checked; hot chick, checked; cool hero, checked; revenge is a dish best served cold, checked; evil villain, checked - what could you expect more?
For guilty pleasure, this film's done his work: Simple plot, checked; hot chick, checked; cool hero, checked; revenge is a dish best served cold, checked; evil villain, checked - what could you expect more?
25. Real Steel (2011): 3/5
Conventional plot, characters lack of subtleness but in a whole the film is fun to watch, quite compelling, and I'm quite satisfied with the quality of the film's subtitles, which were made by me.
26. Drive (2011): 5/5
An indie retro 80ish superhero movie with a The-Man-with-No-Name-mixed-with-Travis-Bickle-like protagonist.
27. Green Lantern (2011): 1/5
Plot - wtf? Characters - wtf? Acting - wtf? CGI - wtf? Even 10 hotgirls like Blake Lively cannot save this film. By the way, what's the matter with you Leo, Gisele, Bar, and now Blake, you hooked up with those awesomely beautiful girls only to mercilessly dumb them later?
28. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011): 3.5/5
Good but not great film, the trio's acting is trivial, Alan Rickman is as good as one could expect, but apparently no film could ever fully describe the priceless chapter about Snape.
29. The Guard (2011): 4/5
Un héro très discret - A very quiet hero, that's how you can find calmness among aims and blood.
30. Super 8 (2011): 4/5
A sublime tale of friendship and love for cinema but mediocre monster/alien film (The Host is much better), 4 stars for the "Stand by Me"-like feeling, though.
A sublime tale of friendship and love for cinema but mediocre monster/alien film (The Host is much better), 4 stars for the "Stand by Me"-like feeling, though.
31. Revenge: A Love Story (Fuk sau che chi sei) (2010): 2/5
Promising twist-and-turn, good (and cheesy) environment to develop the plot but wooden acting and most of all, stupid climax and ending, kill them all. A failed case of film-noir-wannabe.
Promising twist-and-turn, good (and cheesy) environment to develop the plot but wooden acting and most of all, stupid climax and ending, kill them all. A failed case of film-noir-wannabe.
32. The Ides of March (2011): 3.5/5
Very promising beginning but disappointing ending - lack of climax and powerful plot/acting, should have been a better film with such background and leading.
33. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011): 3.5/5
The action (especially the Burj Khalifa sequence) is heart-breaking, the chemistry between Renner & Pegg is surprisingly enjoyable, but the plot is quite disruptive and the villains is disappointing (and why the hell does Hollywood still like to depict Russian in a whole as a savage, uneducated and stupid people???).
34. Moneyball (2011): 4.5/5
The improbable combination of Brad Pitt, Jonas Hill (the fat guy from Superbad) and Lenka's The Show proves to be a surprisingly perfect match, a sport film to watch!
Awful mixture of Western and Alien.
