Paranormal Activity

What made the Blair Witch Project horribly scary was most probably its anonymity- they never quite illustrated the antagonist (or whatever it was that was after those ill fated teenagers). As a result, imaginations ran wild. And no, not to wondrous conclusions, I might add.

That said, the movie was a horrible success by any scale.

This exact element is present in 'Paranormal Activity'. The flick is definitely a long deserved breath of fresh air from the many stereotypical horror movies that have plagued cinemas for the last decade or so - Asian ghost stories, filled with females clad in white who always seem to have long, straight hair that never, EVER crumples up. (Does the afterlife provide Sunsilk or something?)


Be warned though: the first 10 minutes or so of Paranormal Activity can prove to be quite the bore. However, I would say that the rest of the show is well worth the wait. The plot is simple, the ending pretty predictable - or not. What truly irks and freaks viewers though, is the presentation and recurring haunting which progresses gradually from harmless, to vehement.

If you're expecting ghosts to pop out nowhere, that's not what you're getting. What you DO get though, is possibly far worst. To me, anyway, because you never really know what the thing is, or what it looks like. Nor what it wants for certain. All you do know though, is that there is something there. And that something, is not all sugar-spice-and-everything-nice. NO sir.

I liked the acting too. It was refined, without excessive drama. In fact, one could easily be convinced that the movie was simply taken from someone's collection of personal home videos. The veracity that we see everything through the lens of a video camera only vindicates this, of course.

Overall, I would give the movie a solid 8.5 out of 10. If you're looking for a scare, voila! Look no further, Paranormal Activity is what you want. And oh, please don't watch it in a totally contradictory atmosphere. Dim those lights, increase the volume, keeps your eyes peeled, and hold on tight.



I guarantee you sleepless night. *Evil smiles*

Cheerio!

Disclaimer: All pictures are courtesy of Yahoo! Images.

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Sherlock Holmes

Every now and then, it's quite a refreshing thing to be thrown back in time... Back to 1891 AD, especially. Quite a risk though, seeing as various people tend to depict the era quite differently, and that in turn, can have drastic effects on movies.

Sherlock Holmes however, had an apt interpretation of the era. Throw in a fantastic conspiracy theory, fantastic actors, and even more fantastic dialogues, and voila! One of 2009's best movies, I dare say. Credit should be given to director Guy Ritchie for this. Lots of it.


Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel of the same name, the movie is essentially about a very witty detective, Sherlock Holmes, who is played by Robert Downey Jr. Faced with a case like never before, he finds his very existence threatened, and for the first time in a long while, will have to step beyond his normal antics and boundaries to solve that very case. Joining him is the famed Dr. Watson (portrayed by Jude Law), and Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams).

Best not reveal too much here... The plot is all too juicy to be spilled.


Something to note about this movie though, is that if you're a tunnel-visioned, classic lover, who believes that literary treasures like this should not changed or altered in any way, there is a high possibility that you won't enjoy the flick all too much. For one, there's way too much action involved, and many might see this as a dilution of the true genius within Mr.Holmes.


What I find most appealing about this movie (aside from the brilliant plot) would have to be the acting. For a movie that was hardly anticipated, the cast have pulled of something simply wondrous. Robert Downey Jr. has to be, by far, the most apt person to play Mr. Holmes. Flawless and natural, he fills the shoes of the witty detective all too easily.


Jude Law and Rachel McAdams have indubitably grown tremendously since their debuts. Both have transformed into fine stars, with acting skills to be reckoned with. I already see the makings of Oscar-worthy performances from the two.


All in all, Sherlock Holmes is quite definitely a must-watch this holiday season. The movie has taken me by surprise entirely, and yes, in a pleasant manner. Out of 10, I'm more than willing to give it an 8.5.

Of course, some might argue that the movie comes across as too fake, and too laden with effects. But it's a nice marriage between tradition and modern elements, I'd say.


Cheerio!

P.S.: All pictures are courtesy of Yahoo! Movies and Wikipedia. No copyright infringement intended.

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Unplugged 2009

Who would have ever thought that one of the biggest lecture halls in Tunku Abdul Rahman College, would someday accommodate an actual MOSH PIT?!


That's what it came down to, at this year's Unplugged IV Band Competition cum Rock Concert. 6 band finalists. 4 immensely musical guests performers (bands). Two funny emcees. Loads of people, and a terrific organizing committee.

The result? A historical event like never before.


Now, you know that this show has to be a force to reckoned with when someone like yours truly, who has very little liking for rock music, enjoyed himself all the way throughout the event. From the moment the showed kicked off at 6.00 p.m. till the time the curtains were drawn at 11.00 p.m., Unplugged proved to be entirely entertaining, and enormously energetic.

Credits have to be given to the committee for selecting top notch finalists. Down to Earth, winners of the evening's event, definitely deserved their victory -their take on Marie Digby's "Avalanche", Colby O' Donnis and Akon's "What You've Got" (which took everyone by surprise, pleasantly) and a rock-rendition of "Nobody" by the Wondergirls, epitomized the band's creativity and talent. I would say they stood out due to their juicy creativity, nicely blended harmonies, and musical finesse.

(Down to Earth performing)

Other finalists (in performing order) include 202 Band, which was the only band who performed a Malay song that night - "Itu Kamu", by local music phenomenon Estranged and an original composition by one of the band members. Chili Man Skitz performed second, with another notable feat- they were the only finalist with a Chinese song, coupled with a performance of "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. (Yes, the vocalist was female- Miss Jessyca Cheong).

Blackbox took the tide in another direction. The band went more on the hardcore side, performing "Seek and Destroy" by legendary band Metallica, and "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. The thing about Blackbox though, unlike the previous two bands, was that Neo Eu Yann (vocalist) could scream Ala rock. Not like Freddie Mercury of course, but there definitely is great potential.

Down to Earth took the stage next, followed by Pull the Plug. This particular band had me in chills, for two reasons. Firstly, Stuart, the guitarist, played incredibly flawlessly. His transitions were smooth, and his solos left an impact. Above that however, was the vocalist's performance. He had a rock-opera touch to his voice, which was especially prominent in the second song, "The Phantom of the Opera". Very, VERY HAUNTING. Their initial song though (The Fray's "How to Save a Life") didn't go too well.

Finally, The Raccoons - one of the most anticipated acts that evening, took the stage. With renowned members, such a famed vocalist Aryton Bernado Soliano, they performed a medley of two songs: "Level" by The Raconteurs and "Come Together" by The Beatles, ensued by Oasis' "Champagne Supernova". Overall, the band played smoothly, and definitely vindicated expectations.

All did well; all rocked the stage.

The stage deco was arguably simple, which definitely worked in favour of the affair. Unplugged was, after all, a celebration of music, and not a visual arts exhibition. The backdrop was bold, and made a pronounced statement- like it was intended to.



(The stage)

Not to forget, The Ex-Boyfriends kicked off the show with a few self-composed songs. Being winners of the previous Unplugeed from two years ago, the band has clearly maintained their abilities to entertain, and perform very very well.

Guest performers included Beat the System (without Lenard), who started the mosh pit thingamajig. With each guitar strum and each word sung, they gave the audience a huge boost, in terms of energy and spirit. By their second song, the floor before the stage was filled. People were screaming, jumping, headbanging- you name it, TARCians were doing it. (Nothing vulgar, of course. We're very civilized, mind you)

Rosevelt also made an appearance. Mid this year, the band made it's debut during Talentime Night 2009; during which I had the honor of introducing them to the public. While they proved their prowess that night, their performance during Unplugged showed just how much they have improved within the time frame of a few months. Picking up where Beat The System left off, they kept the show going, and added to the rock-themed energy that was building.



NAO was another noted performer that evening. To think that they went on playing pure music without break for about 40 minutes- these are guys with serious stamina. Every note was spot on, and this showed just how professional the band is. Having toured China recently, the band performed flawlessly that night, with a very colourful collection of songs.

Of course, they kind of went on a little too long, as many agreed. That said, the musical stream they weaved that night was like no other. Unique, creative and astounding by any scale.


MC Shaun and MC Nalina spiced things up a lot. Literally, too, thank you. One could easily tell how relaxed and natural they were at hosting such events. No stress, no sweat. Both looked stunning as well. And oh, Nalina definitely made a statement that night: "Dont mess with me. I have killer shoes. Period".

All in all? Everyone who was involved (directly and indirectly) in the production of Unplugged definitely gets two thumbs up. It was a brilliant show- entertaining and power-packed from beginning to end, without a second going to waste. Special congratulatory wishes are in order for Bryan Chin, Nalina Nair, and Jonathan Teo - the big brains behind the whole occassion.

And for those of you who missed out on TARC's Unplugged 2009? Well, pray that there'll be another one next year. Trust me, this is one event you can't miss, even if you're not a TARCian.


Cheerio.

PS: Pictures courtesy of Roslyn Ruslan, Jiahui Koh, and Unplugged.

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Ninja Assassin

You know those kind of movies, where not a minute can go by without a single drop of blood being spilled?

Bingo. This be one of those flicks.

So you have Rain, who plays this rogue-renegade-me-against-the-world Ninja named Raizo. For some very, VERY ambiguous reason, he's harboring a vendetta against the clan of assassins that raised him. I know, not the most grateful of children.

Then you have this forensic researcher Mika Coretti (played by Naomie Harris, who was Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean) who in a very kepoh (nosy) manner, obligates herself with the task of investigating Ninjas. The problem here is that Ninjas are not meant to be discovered. So, inadvertently, the hunter becomes the hunted.

Naturally, the two develop a tag-team (although Mika is only useful for like, a quarter of the movie?), and the story rolls out from here.


Funny thing is, there is literally no story to the movie.

As aforementioned, 98% of the movie is devoted solely to swashbuckling, gruesome, gory, action. No, they did not recreate blood very well. It was very clearly red paint. Although I must say that the graphics and special effects were very nicely done. From the ways in which ninjas appear and disappear, to the manner in which Raizo wields his... Umm... Chained-dagger thingamajig? Yeah. Uber cool.

And while most of the Asian characters- no, wait, all of the Asian characters have Japanese names, and being a Ninja in itself is Japanese, the characters resolve to speaking Chinese. Two words, at that: "Xiao xin ah, xiao xin!".

Where on earth is the connection? What are we, globalization-conscious all of a sudden?

The plot and dialogue was extremely dreary and dry for me, and while the beginning was considerably interesting, everything went downhill after the first 10 minutes.

I prefer Rain's acting in 'A Love to Kill' and 'Full House' over his portrayal in this movie. Too much sword-swinging-dismemberment clouded this budding actor's skills. But then again, the movie is called Ninja Assassin anyway, not Ninja Drama.

Naomie Harris too, paled in comparison to her performance in Pirates of the Caribbean. That said, she was definitely the gem of the movie, and was the only cast member whose acting i found tolerable all the way through. Called me biased and what not, but that's the way I see it.


So, to conclude? Ninja Assassin is probably going to end up being classified as one of those movies which you should not waste time watching in cinemas. Unless of course, you're hunting for a hardcore, adrenaline-saturated action flick. If that's the case, this is worth the watch, I suppose. Don't expect anything great though.

All in all, Ninja Assassin gets 6.5 out of 10.

Oh!!! K-Pop fans!!! GUESS WHO WAS IN A MAJOR PART OF THE MOVIE?!

Click on the picture to see who the meditating guy is. =) *Hint hint* He's from MBLAQ.

Quote from the movie: "You sure this guy is an assassin? He looks like some boy band member."





Cheerio.

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Twilight: New Moon

The legions of die-hard fans screamed, and no, not for Edward Cullen.

Rather, each time Jacob Black appeared, and worse still, lifted up his shirt (or stood topless), numerous gasps and shrill cheers filled the dark cinema.

Which makes me wonder, which was more interesting? The jeers of teenage girls who couldn't control their waltzing hormones, or this much anticipated movie as a whole?

Taking off from where Twilight left off, New Moon once again zooms in on the inter-species romance between a vampire and well, a mortal. Except this time, there's a werewolf in the mix. When Bella Swan is left to fend for herself by her blood-sucking lover, Edward Cullen, she can't help but suffer. Screams, nightmares, pains, drama, drama, and oh, more drama ensues.

Then comes along Jacob Black, who gives Bella a shot at a new life; a new hope. This in return, tears of protagonist apart. Does she keep wishing for Edward's return? Or does she take Jacobs hand (and Greek-god like body), thus leaving her past behind?




Best not to reveal any spoilers here. Then again, assuming 5 out of 7 people have read the book, most of you already know the storyline anyway.

All in all, the movie wasn't all too bad. But neither was it a masterpiece. Noticeable improvements could be seen in the graphical aspects of the movie, especially in those scenes where werewolves emerged. The oh-so-graceful acrobatic movements of the vampires were also nicely touched up and finished, leaving no loose strings in the special effects department.

Another favourable trait would be the Volturi's appearance. Aside from the prominently fake eye colours, one must credit the casting director for appointing apt actors with matching characters to play, hence breathing life into the Volturi (Ironic indeed, seeing as they're undead).




My favourite was definitely Jane, the young female vampire equipped with power to induce pain by merely staring at her target. Guess who played the part?

Dakota Fanning - who's becoming so much more gorgeous by the day. *Grins*




Action scenes were fairly distributed, and all were more or less intense. Compared to the prequel, there's much more suspense and fighting this time around. And my oh my did them outrageously large wolves look real. The plot in itself was interesting, although praise for this should be given to Stephanie Meyer anyway.


However, the movie did have it's fair share of cringe-worthy moments. For starters, there was just too much drama (Once again, this depends on individual taste. Some of you may appreciate this trait). Now don't get me wrong, I think drama is all good. The world would be all too monotonous without it. But the thing about drama, is that it's like a rich chocolate brownie. While a few pieces are heavenly, too much could very well make you throw up.

What exacerbates things is the fact that at certain times in the movie, the desired effect doesn't quite come across. When Edward left Bella, for instance, some people were laughing in the cinema. Personally, I didn't find the scene moving in the slightest bit. Blame my standards perhaps, but it was just.. too.. fake?

And could somebody please explain to me why Bella was holding her stomach half of the time when she was in pain? I mean, he left you with a broken heart. Not gastric pains, for God's sake. (My mother says that stomach cramps could be caused by a broken heart. True?)


Of course, it could be conveniently concluded that Kristen Stewart is growing as an actress. Oscar-worthy? NO. Not at all. But she has incontrovertibly improved in quality from the last time we saw her.

Robert Pattinson looked like he was in pain half of the time. Yes, I know, many will argue that Edward Cullen is in a horribly painful conflict. However I can't help but wonder if his pain was acted, or if playing the role really did pain him. Trying a little too hard perhaps?

And ah, Taylor Lautner. A lot of work to do, young man. Acting-wise, of course. Physically, well, just stay the way you are right now, okay? And everything will be just fine. As it is, tons of fans had their heart broken when Edward Cullen turned out to be less good-looking then predicted. The least you could is maintain that figure. (Mind you, I do believe that at least half of the audience was there for his body and not the movie itself. Hello, 13 kg of toned muscle? Admirable by any scale, thank you)


A little treat for you Taylor Lautner/ Jacob Black lovers.

So how did the movie fare? Out of 10, I'd give it a 7. While it is far more furnished and enchanting then Twilight, there seems to be room for so much more. Let's just hope that the directors sense that potential. It really does capture this though: things can go horribly wrong and blown out of proportion at times. Even if they are the simplest of pictures or messages. If you need that imprinted in your brain, I do recommend this show.

By the way, if you hate cliffhangers, you're gonna totally despise the ending of this flick.

And well, for those of you who have totally no idea what New Moon is... perhaps watching this would help?



Cheerio!

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