cheerriooooooooooo

Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events

2008-11-20T04:48:00.003-08:00

rated ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 9 / 10

I never thought this movie was worth seeing when it was first screened in 2005.

However watching it today proved that the initial impression I had was quite wrong. A wonderful story of familial love interwoven with unfortunate events and artful performances by a throng of actors, this movie would touch you in a way that you wouldn't expect. A tingling sensation towards the end - well it could have been the twinkling conclusion of the movie that caused it, I wouldn't know.

It is a movie of unfortunate events, yet it makes one feel heartened and even happy (which seem pretty much unlikely and impossible, at first, considering the subject matter).

A dainty old aunt with a professed love for grammar and not unfounded paranoia eventually dying of leech-bites; a kindly old uncle with a vast collection of reptiles at home eventually suffering fatal poisoning are just a few reasons why you should watch this movie (:

Quantum of Solace

2008-11-18T06:48:00.001-08:00

rated ★ ★ ★ ★ 4 / 10

While some people swoon over Daniel Craig, I feel that this movie may be the worse yet in the entire history of the James Bond franchise.

Its prequel (Casino Royale, 2006) took a classy illustration of the highlife in Montenegro and the smart storyline involving crimelords and an organisation with higher political agendas made the movie a very enjoyable watch. Quantum of Solace follows up on this story which ended off Vesper's betrayal and subsequent death leaves the special agent extremely bitter -

The horrible story of this movie makes watching it an equally bitter experience.

Poor delivery of an essentially hollow plot swallows up entirely the potential of a blockbuster hit.

V for Vendetta (2005)

2008-11-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

rated ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 8 / 10

First introduced to this movie during the first few Literature lessons this year, I took an immediate liking to artful direction of this movie.

An exhilarating take on a dystopian society and musings that go deeper than they seem at first look. It sets you thinking about how much a government should actually be in control of the society (or the country) and how the efforts of the masses could so easily steer the direction of the government.

Like I mentioned previously, the Singapore rating is skewed. V for Vendetta was dumped into the M18 lot for "mature content" which did not involve sex or vulgarity or use of drugs - but for the possibility of spreading seditious intent.

I place it as paranoia that Singapore even banned the theatrical poster of this movie (which is the one shown above) because of the tagline "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people"

As my GP essay for the Promotional Examinations blazed (in rather horrid handwriting): CENSORSHIP STIFLES CREATIVITY.

Touché ~

Probably under the charge of V, countries should relax their censorship laws to at least show enough respect to movie makers and viewers - we deserve better and more open treatment on movies.

entertainment

2008-11-17T05:58:00.001-08:00

Entertainment takes many forms. Personally I have always felt that movies are the greatest form of such. It expresses through many dimensions that engage our sense with a variety of effects for a variety of effects.

However, in Singapore, I guess it is just a tragic thing that the MDA is extremely strict with ratings yet it is not something that carries through consistently. Now that is off-tangent.

ENTERTAINMENT.

As I have asserted just above, I'd concentrate mainly on movies for this theme and I would be reviewing movies I have seen - just for the thrill of it (: