Movie Review: Clash of Titans, Alice in Wonderland, Kick-Ass

Movie Reviews

I recently saw 3 movies near back-to-back. The Clash of the Titans, Alice in Wonderland, and Kick Ass. Of the three, I like Clash of Titans least. Wonderland and Kick Ass, I like equally but for different reason. I had wanted to see Wonderland in 3D, but unfortunately, the theater was taken by Clash of Titans, so I saw that in 3D instead.

The Clash of the Titans:

It's a well-made movie, but unfortunately, too special effect heavy. By that, I mean that the acting is put as secondary consideration. What was there is fine, certainly nothing wrong with it. However, I'm only impressed by the acting of two actors: Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes. Having seen Terminator 4 and Avatar, I know Sam Worthington can act, but it seems that his talent is under-utilized here. I also like the performance of that kooky old guy who put Andromeda to Kraken.

The special effect, however, is terrific. Unfortunately, the 3D special effect is wasted. I don't know why, but they fell flat, even though they shouldn't. There's enough scenes that should highlight the 3D effect. All other effects, though, is excellent. You can really feel the power of those gigantic scorpions breaking through the columns. Kraken is downright scary. The scale feels epic.

So, watch it in theatre for the effect, unless you have great surround sound system, because I believe the sound easily contributes 30% of the effect. The 3D effect is forgettable, so if you do have great sound system at home, you can skip the 3D effect.

Alice in Wonderland:

Down the rabbit hole she went. The story is kind of different. All the elements are there, but different. This one has plot. I'm having trouble judging the acting skills. I think Alice acting skill is actually sub-par compared to the rest of the crew, animated ones included! The rest of the cast is terrific. A pleasure to see Johnny Depp portray the Mad Hatter. Enough craziness to be mad, not enough to be silly. A very fine performance, indeed. Helena Bonham Carter is obviously typecast, but also put on an excellent performance. All the wonderland characters has this quirkiness that is just slightly out of this world. The physical proportion is off compared to that of the real world.

As far as the plot is conceived, I'm having trouble thinking why Alice can't eat some cake and crush the Jabberwocky with her fingers. Other than that, it is fine. A standard reluctant heroine plot. The environment, however, is marvelous. The costumes are terrific. The colors are brilliant. The movie really does transport you to another world, and I'm really sorry that I missed it in 3D.

Kick Ass:

I have to say that I wasn't going to watch this movie because it has a silly plot. But I did go see it because the performance of Chloe Moretz is rumored to be good. It's true. Having seen that movie, I can tell that she is a professional actress. And she was 11 years old at the time!

The story is that of Nerd-Turned-Superhero plot. However, it was presented in such a way that is believable, and generate sympathy, while at the same time, providing over-the-top fighting sequences. What other superhero do you know gained their power by being stabbed in the stomach and hit by a passing car? That is both painful and funny at the same time. That is the kind of humor this movie has, and it provides them by the buckets. Rumor has it, this movie is made with 30 million dollars. If so, that is 30 million dollars well-spent.

The acting skill and casting is superb. From Nicholas Cage down, everybody is terrific. Geeks act like geeks. Pretty girls act like pretty girls. Thugs act like thugs, and so on. The only one that I notice is sub-par is Red Mist. I know he's supposed to be stupid, but it seems like he's only stoic stupid. The role actually provides a range of acting skills, so there should be dumb-stupid, angry-stupid, bewildered-stupid, and so-on. I guess you can say Bruce Campbell Evil Dead series would be a good template. And yes, I am very impressed with Chloe Moretz's acting skill. I'm not a Nicholas Cage fan, but I have to admit, he's very good in this movie.

The story is good. The acting is top-notch. The special effects are flawless. Is there any downside? Depends. If you take the ridiculously violent movie "300", then you know how violent this movie is when I say that this one has more violence than "300". Also, the number of swear words seems to be there by the buckets. The humor, also, is not mainstream. Definitely adult-fare. If you're okay with that, and I am somewhat ambivalent about it, then yes, you should go see this movie.

And please, don't do that at home.

Dancing Pennies

FUN with MOTION CAPTURE

I was bored one day, so I decided to make a stop motion capture movie using my Nintendo DSi and Flipnote Studio, and these pennies are it. It took me about 30 minutes total to take pictures and import them, one by one, to Flipnote Studio.

X-Men Origin: Wolverine

REVIEW

As I sit in the movie theater, I noticed that I was the only one sitting in there. This bodes ill for the long term prospect of the movie. Like Star Trek, this movie is high on special effects, light on story. Also present are numerous plot holes, although it's not as outlandish as Star Trek.

Overall, this is a movie heavy with special effects and standard action fare. However, the special effect treatment is exemplary, not only in execution, but also in moderation, in that it is used to enhance the story. I applaud the movie makers on their good sense. Unfortunately, the script is a standard action fare. It's not bad at all. In fact, I noticed certain expert touches here and there. I think the material limits the exploration, though. This isn't some heavy philosophizing mutant. This is some psychologically tortured mutant trying to make sense of the world around him. It's a good setup, albeit lacking that "life altering experience." If you want meditation, then this isn't the movie you seek. If you want traditional tortured hero with great action sequences, then look no further. This is it!

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

The movie begins with young Logan and his brother on the run, promising to stay with each other forever. And stayed they did, from Civil War to Vietnam. Plot holes: for some reason, they stop growing once they are old enough? The time frame is kind of out of whack. Eventually, his brother aka Victor Creed aka Sabretooth ran into some mental instability problem and Logan and Creed were scheduled to be executed. Obviously, with their healing mutant power, they survived.

Enter Colonel Stryker, leader of Team X. "How would you like to serve your country?" Of course, they would. Wouldn't want to stay in the brig for centuries.

The African battle scene is terrific. However, the Hollywood mindset revealed itself, as even though Team X attacked the compound. Only one character at a time would partake into action. This is obviously a plot device to introduce the capabilities of each character. However, I think a coordinated action sequence where the team functioned as a unit would have been really an andrenalin workout. It could have been spectacular. Opportunities wasted, in my opinion.

Anyway, it turns out the colonel was looking for adamantium. In the subsequent brutal interrogation of the villagers, Logan quit in disgust. This was well scripted and acted, yet it is as cliche as any other time the good guy left a bad team.

Fast forward six years later, where Wolverine cuts trees down in Canada, lived in a log home, and with a pretty girlfriend to boot! An extremely understanding girlfriend who doesn't mind being scratched by the claws from time to time. In other words: Heaven.

Of course, the movie would be extremely boring if this is all there is. There's rampant killings of mutants and colonel Stryker tried to recruit Logan once more. Logan, who by this time has gained an indredible set of sinewy mucles from humping large trees. I was really impressed with Hugh Jackman physique. The last time I was this impressed was Daniel-Day Lewis in the Last of the Mohican. Jackman is better. I wouldn't mind getting a poster of his in battle action pose (hint!). This is a first for me.

It turns out Creed was the killer. He killed SilverFox, who is Logan's girlfriend. Logan agreed to undergo enhancement procedure. A butt naked Logan was strapped into the operating table. After some tense moments, Wolverine emerged. Unfortunately, Colonel Stryker made a tactical mistake. This caused Wolverine to bolt out of the base, still butt naked. Ladies, please avert your eyes! Hugh Jackman does porno including showing his pale white buff!

He befriended a friendly couple. Unfortunately, they got killed by agent Zero during the attempt to take in Wolverine. After an intense battle, during which agent Zero's incredible marksmanship went dud (plot hole), Wolverine managed to turn the tables and killed agent Zero.

Then comes the hunting for the new lab. Wolverine managed to meet up with Gambit (yet another implausible, but exciting fight scene), and together they hit the famed Three Mile Island. Yes, the nuclear reactor.

It turns out colonel Stryker was assembling a super mutant with capabilities of other mutants. I will not reveal the plot twists and turns here, but I will say that this is far better than Star Trek's plot. Still standard action fare, though.

In the end, Wolverine clawed his way onto one of the nuclear smoke stack, and together with Creed, fought off the new mutant. They finally won by decapitating the head. The head made a neat corkscrew cut, courtesy of Scott Summer's eye blast, that cuts down the smoke stack. Miraculously, it stood long enough for Wolverine to hit the ground. But then it tumbled down, threatening to bury Wolverine with several tons of nuclear proof concrete. Gambit to the rescue! With a leap worthy of a hundred long distance jumpers, he demolished the concrete, and Wolverine is saved, not even showered by concrete dust! Ain't special effect wonderful?

Unfortunately, one last plot twist reared his ugly head and colonel Stryker managed to shoot Wolverine in the head with super duper Adamantium bullet. KAPOWW! That must have hurt. After an emotional wrap up, the movie ends. Wolverine was last seen drinking large quantities of alcohol in Japan, "trying to remember."

2009 Star Trek Movie

REVIEW

I did see the Star Trek movie. In two words: Eye Candy. The movie is full of them. I know J. J. Abrams wants to take Star Trek to new direction, and I think he succeeded. However, I'm not sure I want to follow the franchise as-is. If you strip away the eye candy and old homage lines, you come up empty. Story, in this movie, is the glue that sticks one action sequence after another. And I thought Batman: the Dark Knight was bad! What is it with these people? Do you necessarily dumb down the material to appeal to the masses? You do realise, of course, that the implication is that the masses is nothing more than jello-brained monkeys incapable of critical thinking?

The performances of the actors are fine. The acting is eeriely reminiscent of the old actors. So kudos to the actors. The special effects are definitely mind-blowing! This is even more intense than Pirates of Carribean trilogy, and I thought that was over the top. I'm curious as how Mr. Abrams is going to top this one. This certainly broke all records of extravaganza in the movie making.

Other people would have their own pet peeve, of course, but I think Simon Pegg is weak as Scotty. Not that he doesn't act well. He does, and his accent isn't too shabby. But his face isn't too much like Scotty, but Shaun of the Dead. Karl Urban, however, nailed Bones nearly perfectly. There are times when I forget I'm watching a different actor instead of DeForest Kelley. I personally think Winona Ryder is perfect as Amanda. She doesn't have too many lines, but I thought her facial expression is the perfect balance of Compassion and Strenght. She communicates not via words, but facial expression. Very impressive.

The rest of the actors are fine. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and others. I will highlight the excellent performance of Leonard Nimoy (Spock Prime). It seems to me that whenever Spock Prime is on-screen. He became the anchor other actors lean on. Leonard Nimoy has excellent screen presence compared to the rest of the crew.

I will also put a note to the crew from Industrial Light and Magic. Brilliant works of art, to be sure.

Now, comes the spoilers and disappointment. It turns out the story if so full of holes that I really didn't want to watch it again. Too painful. This is the only movie that I left as soon as the credit rolled, instead of waiting for the short scene at the end.

SPOILERS
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SPOILERS

When the Romulan emerge from Black Hole: BH drags things IN. At least show it coming out on the periphery. Also, BH isn't flat like Port-a-hole. Get real!

Lots of hanging structure there, and it was depicted as massive. Not only that, numerous deadly torpedoes came out of it to harass U.S.S. Kelvin. Imagine my surprise to learn later than this isn't a warship, but a mining ship! Since when a mining ship carries that many torpedoes? Unguided explosives, maybe, but not missiles. Also, is it my imagination that the size of the ship shrunk when Spock was attacking it at the end of the movie?

The numerous shuttles leaving U.S.S. Kelvin, while Captain George Kirk single-handedly manned the ship, fending off those torpedoes. Huh? Why are there so many people on the ship when a few suffice?

Ramming the enemy ship. Interestingly, those torpedoes decided to stay out of the way when just moments before, they were attacking fiercely.

I think the scene where Jim Kirk did joyride can be safely skipped. It did establish the character as reckless and rebellious. The Wild One? A new personality, to be sure. Perhaps to show the character change as happened when he met Spock Prime, but I think this was handled poorly.

On one scene, he was speeding thru wheatfield. On the next, a tremendously towering cliff. I don't know Iowan farmers would put their farms on mountain tops.

The bar scene introduces Christopher Pike. But it seems that Jim Kirk is the only civilian there. Is this a Federation bar?

The Kobayashi Maru scene could be done better. I forgot to notice whether the enemy is Klingon or Romulan. A nice introduction for Spock.

Speaking of which, the pit classroom is gross inefficiency for space. A holographic projector can fit more people, given the same amount of space. This is especially true if the projection was done via holographic spectacles. And what's with the building hanging from the cliff. Eye Candy.

The Kirk cheating hearing is done in front of everybody? Highly unusual procedure. The disciplining process, maybe, but the hearing itself is usually a private affair with few selected people.

There's funny bit on how McCoy smuggled Kirk into Enterprise. Fine acting on that one.

I find it hard to believe that several Federation Starships didn't last long enough for Enterprise to catch up. Obvious plot device. Also rather improbable that Vulcan with its high technology and 4 billion people, in fact, did not maintain either a fleet of spaceships or atmospheric ones. Later on, Spock's Research vessel shot the drill quickly enough.

The parachuting action is well done and very exciting, but the defending Romulan was hidden in a cabin INSIDE the drill end? Highly unusual feature. Also, the Romulan ship must be at or near atmospheric location. Enterprise should be able to just shoot it from space, or at least hiding behind the curvature of the planet.

You don't really need to drill to the center of the planet to drop a black hole.

Look at the amount of material to create the black hole. It's the same amount Spock is using to collapse a supernova? Does that make sense? Later on, the whole orb was used to collapse the ship. I'm surprised that the whole thing didn't just implode immediately, taking the Enterprise with it.

Kirk was abandoned on Vulcan's moon. Or is that a twin planet? Anyway, they're close by. Did you notice that one is desert, while the other is snow?

You would think that collapsing a sun, even one that goes supernova, may in fact spare the planets from the flames, but will certainly doom the inhabitants to cold dead space.

It's funny how there's a Federation outpost nearby, but Spock didn't send Kirk there. Neither did Spock Prime seek refuge there before deciding to watch the planet Vulcan implode. Another obvious plot device.

Transporting two humans across vast distances requires more energy that what a simple outpost can muster, I think.

You would think that someone as smart as Spock would simply say "Security, put Kirk into the brig for further questioning later." No fuss. No muss. Also, he would have established a new chain of command so that when he became invalid, there's a successor chain of command, other than the guy he just throw out of ship.

Earth is as defenseless as Vulcan. Is that right?

Who designed a spaceship to be composed of multi-level planks with no safety fence, anyway?

How did the Romulans capture Spock's ship? And how come they can't do it again?

From cadet to captain in one mission? I may be missing something, though.

[UPDATE]

I read Countdown Graphic Novel. It does a great job explaining some of the technologies involved in the movie. A few things I got wrong:

1. Nero and Spock worked together in creating the red substance.

2. It's not a mining ship. It's a nano techno war ship.

3. Supernova was on another solar system, so imploding it won't turn Romulus into a cold, dead dustball.

4. Spock was an outcast in Vulcan.

I think that's about it. I only glanced it real quick, but these are the relevant items that I've discovered in the graphic novel. Still too many plot holes in the movie, though. I wonder if there ever was a novel that describes the movie that would make it less ridiculous. Maybe I should read that, too.