Revenge of the Fallen

Have been apprehensively waiting for this movie since the first one came out two years ago.Now that Michael Bay has the budget needed to make it a really full blown robot-fest, I wantedto see what he could do with it. I was still blown away with all the slick looking CGI robots and the actions scenes were definately eye catching.

However, as a big 80's Transformers fan, i was utterly disappointed by the lack of developement of the Transformer's metallic co-stars. This was an opportunity to delve into the characters which we all knew and loved from the cartoon and the comics, but it seems like the robots were just there mostly during the action scenes to be cannon fodder. Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron and Starscreamhad more screen time than most but it was still abysmal. I wished they had given more thought to the plot and at leastallowed the Transformers (both Autobots and Decepticons) their time on screen to allow us to catch a glimpse of them in a morepersonable level. However, Jetfire was good addition to the plot and it was a smart idea on how they brought him in, although I never knew Cybertronians had Scottish brogues. Is there such a thing as too much action? In this case, probably yes. Put in less10 mins of action and add in 10 minutes more of plot development and change of pace would be nice.

As a wrapup, I would still say this is one of the best movies to come out this year. The action was fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The plot had a few holes and misgivings which i didnt like but overall, it was well done. The 2hr 30minsin the cinema just flew by without you realising it and this is a hallmark of a well scripted movie. I never really likedthe idea of the Allspark but i'm glad that they finally brought in the Matrix of Leadership. The mythology of the matrix, Primus and Unicron has always fascinated me and i would like it explored more in the future. And finally, this movie highlights why Optimus Prime is STILL the coolest robot EVER! Here's hoping to the hopeful appearance of the Dinobots in the next movie!

Will The Real Reds please stand up??

Benayoun on Target in Madrid

To say that Liverpool has been underperforming as of late is an understatement. They have at times lacked the passion and skill to beat mediocre teams. Last night showed something though. In beating Real Madrid on hostile ground, it showed the genuis Rafa possesses in Europe and the defensive stalwarts which Liverpool can be. Now, if they can only transfer that winning blueprint to the Premier League. Stevie G, please come back ASAP! The Reds arent the same without you.

Summer Movie Rants

I always enjoyed summer season. Lots of blockbuster movies and awesome box-office breaking shows. However, as much as i enjoyed 'Indiana Jones:Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' thoroughly, Robert Downey as 'Ironman' was excellent! and the fact that 'The Dark Knight' removed the myth that sequels aren't as good as its predecessor (Loved the Bats and Two face but joker stole the show!!). I guess after the last few summers of 'Transformers' , 'X-Men' , 'Spiderman' , '300' , 'Live Free or Die Hard' , 'Pirates of Caribbean' ....the list goes on and on and on, you can see why i feel like something has been missing this summer season. Not that im knocking the movies of summer 2008, i just feel like there arent ENOUGH of those types of 'blow you out of your mind' and 'stuck to your chair' kind of movies this year.

However, some movies have caught my attention and these future shows will hopefully wet my appetite in the months to come.

1) 'GI Joe' tops my list! Can't wait til Snake Eyes appears in his full black ninja armour glory. Just hope the story matches up to the characters to do them justice.

2) 'Watchmen'. Alan Moore's amazingly written comicbook comes to life. 3) 'Quantum of Solace'. Bond is back and the trailer looks great.
4) 'Terminator Salvation' Christian Bale as John Connor kicking cyborg @ss. Alright, that's it for now. I can't wait for my week off. Going to use it to plan for my next vacation :)

The Return of the Dark Knight

I haven't been current in my movie updates due to my busy training schedule the past month. Ive only recently come back home and got the chance to update this blog now. Its been a hectic but fun June and July which saw me going on training to East Malaysia and taking a short trip to Kuala Lumpur for a bit of shopping and partying! Going back to the daily grind of work wasn't something i was looking forward to. Alright, on to the movie review.

Managed to only catch 'Get Smart' last month but i made sure i wouldn't miss the 2nd instalmentof Batman helmed by Christopher Nolan. 'The Dark Knight' has been one of the movies i have been waiting for this summer and it did not disappoint. Creepy, dark and at times a tad psychotic, whatwith the Joker running amok, it proved to be an excellent sequel for Christian Bale's reprise as the world's greatest superhero detective.

The story proved to be a strong one, bringing to light the elements of what made Batman great in the comics. An ordinary man (billionaire in this case) haunted by his past striving to bring justice in a world gone mad, that even in the worst of times, the best in people can still arise from the darkness. The regular supporting cast of Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) was excellent but what surprised me was Aaron Eckharts's turn as Harvey Dent. I always liked Eckhart's work and his turn as Two face proved to be even better than i would have expected.

Last but not least is the late, great Heath Ledger's role as the Joker. He portrayed the Joker as madman lunatic with more than a hint of genuis that proved more than a match at times for Batman. Good vs evil. Morals and decency versus anarchy and chaos. The 2.5hrs movie flew by without me realising the time. Strong acting on all fronts, together with a smart and thought provoking story is making the Dark Knight the frontrunner for best movie this summer.

The Dark Knight Official Movie Site

Taiwan Trip Part 3 - Kaosiong

Its been tooooo long since i updated this blog...work, work and more work interspersed with studying has wreacked havoc upon my schedule, so thought i'd put in a little update once i had the time.

So before continuing with my normal musings, it's better if i wrapped up my Taiwan trip. The last venue of my vacation was the city of Kaosiong. Famous for its river (pic below), it provides a serene landscape cutting through the bustle of the city streets. Kaosiong was relatively calmer compared to Taipei but i found that i enjoyed it just as much.

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the island formerly known as Formosa and definately would make it there again in the near future.