The X Files - I Want To Believe: Movie Review

The X Files: I Want To Believe.



Synopsis
What do you do with a successful TV series, seen globally? Come out with a movie of course. But the X Files have already done that in their first movie in 1998. With such success, a continuation is obvious.

The winning team of proucers, directors & writers come again together to create this 2nd feature film of The X Files - I Want To Believe. A new story with a winning team & catchy music score.

Here, an agent is abducted and the FBI seems to be a lil lost and hence needs the help of Agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) & Mox Fulder (David Duchovny) who were now retired agents and pursuing their own lives.

However like it or not, they find themselves getting very much involved in this case of a series of girl abductions.

Why You Should Watch This Movie
If you like the mystery that evolves around the X Files (ie a fan of the TV series). This fiction movie stays quite close to its TV series of unsolved mysteries, up to the very last end.

For those who like movies which have some thought process, then this one is a good watch, as the case evolves each time with more clues.

Why Not
Somehow, a FBI movie seems a lil more suitable for the TV, especially when it is very close to the original TV series itself - only difference longer time & with a much more 'matured' agents.

Conclusion & Movie Rating
A superb movie for the thinking souls, that is if you don't mind the lil TV like drama. The rather catchy tagline lives up to its status.

The X Files Trailer


3.5 stars.

*Want to read the David's or producer Frank's blog? Read it on The X Files Official Site.

Batman: The Dark Knight Movie Review

Synopsis (with some info from Warnerbros Batman).
The Dark Knight is another movie series of the successful DC comics of the action hero, Batman.

One on hand, there is Batman (Christian Bale), who together with the help of Liutenent Jim Gordon & District Attorney Harvey Dent, who plans to make a crime free city. However, on the other end is Batman's old faithful, enemy, the Joker (Heath Ledger), a rather crazy character who 'is not so serious' and likes to create havoc & trouble, for the sake of pure fun.



The battle between the 2 builds up with both sides seems at times to be winning only to loose it in the end.

Why You Should Watch This Movie
If you are a Batman fan, you would most likely have watched this movie. Even non fans will be quite pleasantly surprised that this movie has turned out to be one of the better Batman movies of all time.

But the real winner here is not Batman , but the Batman villain - who else, but the Joker, or for that matter - the award nominee Heath Ledger. His superb acting as the crazy & care-fee Joker steals the show, and truly Batman is more like in the dark shadows than being the Dark Knight.

From the crazy laughs to when he gets real serious, the late Heath acted like a true talent.

Hong Kong is also a winner here in a way when Batmand does a 'stopover' to the Chinese city.



As for gadgets wise, this Batmans has a fair bit, especially on his Batman suit & also the Batman vehicle - a rather futuristic motorbike that only superheroes use.

Why Not
The only setback in the movie is that as the many other super heroes, it is a lil fictional that the authorities don't know who Batman is. And in this Batman movie, the Dark Knight seems to have a weird computerised voice (did the other movies have it?).

Conclusion & Movie Rating



From 1960s to today, the Batman has reformed itself. If you are into action packed movies, a dose of fiction (or a lot depending on how you see it), like good acting and love Hollywood blockbusters, then head to the theaters now.

4 stars.

Iron Man Movie Review

Synopsis (with info from Iron Man: Official Site).
This comic turn big screen sees Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. starring as Tony Stark/Iron Man, a billionaire and a genius continuing his father legacy of war weapons in Stark Industries.

During his business trip, he was kidnapped and his body inserted with an electromagnet attached to his chest. The terrorist group has required him to re-invent a powerful missile that he had just created.

However, instead of building that, he went to create an escape plan by building a powerful suite which he could wear and protect himself to escape. That was the first Iron Man suit he created.

After his survival, he realised that the weapons he & his company created were not meant for his first objective - peace, but instead for war and mass destruction. That is where he plans to 'save the world' using his Iron Man suit, which he perfected over time.

The film also stars Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and Oscar nominees Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges and directed by Jon Favreau.

This movie is a joint collaboration between Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios.



Why You Should Watch This Movie
If you like action-packed movies, or super hero movies. The effects are quite impressive, similar to those of what is expected from action-packed movies. And of course, if you are a big fan of the comic character of Iron Man itself.

Basically, it's a ride of Hollywood enjoyment.

Why Not
Because you will know the ending even before watching the movie. And because it's always the same Hollywood action-hero plot: good vs evil, with machines along the way and evil-in-disguise. It's just too predictable.

Conclusion & Movie Rating
A fun family action-movie suitable for the kids, minus a few steamy scenes. An okay watch, and will definitely be a big blockbuster, but not one that is a must see.

2.5 stars

Iron Man Trailer

Sex And The City

Synopsis (with info from Sex And The City Movie).
Based on the popular 6 episodes TV series of the same name, this movie stars fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker as the successful author, Carrie Bradshaw. She's living in New York City with 2 of her girl friends - the happily married Charlotte (Kristin Davis) & workaholic lawyer Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). Her other friend, Samantha (Kim Cattrall) lives in LA with her actor boyfriend, Jason Lewis (Smith Jerrod) where she is his manager.

The movie is narrated by Carrie herself and is about her & her friends love stories (the getting in love - getting out of love). The highlight is the marriage-to-be of Carrie with Mr Big (Chris Noth) which just got 'big to bigger'.

There is lots of twists & turns in this love drama, showing how the lives of 4 friends of 40 year olds (& decently rich) living in New York city (Samantha flys to see them often).

Academy Award winner, Jeniffer Hudson plays Louise, the personal assistant of Carrie.

Why You Should Watch This Movie
If you are in love with the series, this is like a TV drama on big screen. Or if you would like to see a glimpse of a New Yorker (not sure if it's real enough) or you are a fan of New York itself. Of course, you'll need to like love drama movies.

Why Not
It's just too mushy and draggy. It feels like paying to watch the TV series on silver screen. And the storyline is just a showcase of their lifestyle - you are like sitting aside and seeing them in their everyday lives. There's not much build up apart from the wedding-to-be, which was okay. But after that, the film just continues to drag and though it does serve a purpose to show of a get-back of love, but for movie-wise, it becomes boring.

Conclusion & Movie Rating
2.5 stars for such a highly anticipated movie. If this movie is without the series backing, it most probably will flop in theaters along with other love movies.

Escape From Huang Shi

This movie apparently has 2 titles - another which is called Children of Huang Shi.

Synopsis
This true story is a sweeping but intimate story set against war-torn China during the Japanese occupation in the late 1930’s. The film revolves around an English war journalist George Hogg (by Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers), an American doctor-nurse Lee Pearson (by Australian actress Radha Mitchell) and the leader of a Chinese partisan group 'Jack' Chen (by Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat).



George, trapped in China met 'Jack' Chen who helped and saved his life. Along the way, he also meets and falls in love with Lee Pearson. She apparently is also attracted to 'Jack', though the love story is not much of the highlight.



He together with Lee and also 'Jack' helped bring together and save a school of orphaned children, leading them on an extraordinary and ambitious journey for months across hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain, through snow-covered mountains and an unforgiving desert.

Along the way they discover the true meaning of love, responsibility and courage.

Why You Should Watch This Movie
Set in olden day China, the remake scene of Shanghai is awesome and full of grandeur. It was very real, even so the Japanese Headquarters. The sceneries across the Silk Road is another eye soothing experience.

Plot wise, this heart-warming true story is inspiring as it shows how the West & East work together for a common vision - that is to help the children. Without any experience, the journalist managed to groom the children to farming and learning English.

The war scenes are very real and shows what China went through during that period. Hisotry if learnt this way would be much more interesting and fun.

Fans of Chinese actor, Chow Yun Fat will be quite happy with his rather comfortable English now as well. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Radha Mitchell played their roles well as well, especially Jon for soaking into his role from first terrified and scared to later a hero to the children.

Why Not
If you are a big fan of the actress who made a big star in Hong Kong and one of the most famous Bond girls, Michelle Yeoh, you'll be quite disappointed. Playing the role of a rich opium merchant, Madame Wang, her role in this movie was rather small. Clearly, the stars were the other three.



Conclusion & Movie Rating
This production is worth every cent if you are keen to be inspired yet have an enjoyable watch.

4.5 stars

The Trailer