whitebruiser

by Gregorius

Walden Media, the production house that create The Chronicles of Narnia made another based-on-novel-fantasy movie. I was interested to watch this movie, because i thought it was a good one. But I'm wrong, well not totally wrong.

What's wrong with this movie? Well, I've noticed that this movie main mistake was on the cast. No extraordinary cast in this movie. Alex Etel's and Priyanka Xi's performance remind me of those stupid Pevensie's (You know what I mean right?). In this movie, Emily Watson was the best of the rest I might say, while Ben Chaplin's wasn't good but averagely quite (maybe almost) acceptable.

I could give more stars to this movie if those cast could perform better. This movie has a brilliant score (similar to the Narnias) and great story. Beside, the special effects of the movie was a nice one, and so smooth. I was concern about around the end of the movie (in the climax), I felt for a while like I was watching some horror movie such as Primeval,etc, but I know that's one the strength of the story or the movie itself. Last thing that I concerned was some of needless scene like the interruption of the narration, which bring us back to the old Angus (this movie was a flashback).

After all, for my last words, this movie was a decent one and suited for family. Light entertainment and sweet creature was featured here. And just for my last info, this was one of the (fiction) story based on the Loch Ness Monster's Legend.

by Gregorius

It's a little bit shame on me, but I just watched it recently, but whatever. But after all, for me, most of the romantic-comedy's movie was best for snack. I watched it, and I felt something strange and I felt this feeling before (I felt it once, when I saw Made of Honor). This movie was the better one (well, I compare it with Made of Honor because I watched this movie later, I mean I watched Made of Honor first).

This movie has a great idea and (sorry, some spoiler) it was the first time I saw Julia Roberts lost in love battle. Alright, Julia Robert, as we know that she is a great actress and she showed great performance and her emotion when she played her role was brilliant! Even with hear (awful I might say) hair! For this review, I just choose two cast to be reviewed, so next will be Cameron Diaz. Well, she was fine, fine performance I might say, perform with her cute smile even when she cried. The others were so-so and I don't wanna talk much about it.

About the story, I like this movie's story, I mean it's idea. Well the score and songs featured in this film were nice I guess, but I didn't like it much, but still acceptable.

To summarize this movie was a decent one, a nice pick for Julia Robert's or Cameron Diaz's fans. All I hope after I watched this movie is, I don't have to have some trouble like canceling my best friend's wedding. Because I have a nice friend, my best friends (female) that was close to me (and she is still my best friend when this review made).

by Inez

Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don't fall for it.

DIRECTED BY: Cameron Crowe
STARRING: Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Frances McDormand, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Paquin, Philip Seyour Hoffman

Synopsis

Writer and director Cameron Crowe's experiences as a teenage rock journalist -- he was a regular contributor to Rolling Stone while still in high school -- inspired this coming-of-age story about a 15-year-old boy hitting the road with an up-and-coming rock band in the early 1970s. Elaine Miller (Frances McDormand) strict single parent whose distrust of rock music has helped to drive a wedge between herself and her two children, Anita (Zooey Deschanel) and William (Patrick Fugit). Anita rebels by dropping out of school and becoming a stewardess, but William makes something of his love of rock & roll by writing album reviews for a local underground newspaper. William's work attracts the attention of Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman), editor of renegade rock magazine Creem, who takes William under his wing and gives him his first professional writing assignment -- covering a Black Sabbath concert. While William is unable to score an interview with the headliners, the opening act, Stillwater, are more than happy to chat with a reporter, even if he's still too young to drive, and William's piece on the group in Creem gains him a new admirer, an editor at Rolling Stone offers William an assignment for a 3,000-word cover story on Stillwater, and over the objections of his mother , and after some stern advice from Bangs, Williams joins Stillwater on tour, where he becomes friendly with guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) and singer Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee). William also becomes enamored of Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), a Band Aid traveling with the band who is no older than William, but is deeply involved with Russell. Lester Bangs and Ben Fong-Torres, incidentally, were real-life rock writers Crowe worked with closely during his days as a journalist.

Source: Starpulse

My Review

Almost Famous is one of some real proves in the existancy of wheel of life. What I'm trying to say here is, you see Cameron Crowe here, and you see him 5 years later in Elizabethtown. Got the idea? If you haven't, let me make this clearer that Almost Famous is a real PIECE OF WORK and Elizabethtown is RUBBISH.

The whole idea is BRILLIANT, about the lives of rockstars, the rise and fall and all is really caught me. This is why I put Cameron Crowe as a good director in my list, his work here is untouchable, way too far from his downfall in Elizabethtown. I'm sorry, I just still don't get why those great directors who have gained good movies want able to cast Orlando Bloom as the lead actor in their movies. (NOTED: Ridley Scott-Kingdom of Heaven, Cameron Crowe-Elizabethtown) And thank God that the Penny Lane role was not given to Kirsten Dunst who was rumored to play the role, instead, she played in (again) Elizabethtown 5 years later. Bloom + Dunst = EARLY DOOMSDAY. Smart choice, Crowe! (total joking)

Back to the movie, Almost Famous gives a well written script, solid casts (the great actings from Frances McDormand and Kate Hudson, both deserve the Oscar Nomination), good rock musics, and the 70's set works. What I concern about is Anna Paquin that she should given more role here. She's a great actress (an Oscar in her age of 11 by the movie The Piano), it's a great start of career for the young girl. But until now, she mostly only known as the girl named Rogue in the X-Men series. She should be a promising Hollywood talent.

The characters bond to each other, but of course Penny Lane, played by Hudson, got the center of attention. This is the best Hudson's performance in a movie. The character's chemistry with Russell Hammond, played by Crudup is inevitable. Both barely speaks, but I guess Crowe got a great sense of picking the great actors for the roles ONCE. (I guess you all know why I bolded, biggered, and underlined the word)

Overall Almost Famous is a movie with interesting characters about how life can turn into, possibilities and most of all, ALMOST FAMOUS MADE A SPOT IN 2000's BEST LIST.

You CANNOT make friends with the rock stars. That's what's important. If you're a rock journalist - first, you will never get paid much. But you will get free records from the record company. And they'll buy you drinks, you'll meet girls, they'll try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs... I know. It sounds great. But they are not your friends. These are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of the rock stars, and they will ruin rock and roll and strangle everything we love about it.

-Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs-

by Mark

Fatal flaw, a scary movie that isn't scary. A more apt title would be "Gone With the Mist". Thumbs down.

by Mark

Sunny, lively and entertaining, perfect for Summer '08 viewing ! If you are a fan of Abba you shouldn't miss this! Recommended.

by Channelia

After minute :
One of the most romantic , half-british roman book turned to a movie(eventhough it didn't come from roman novel) and a super-tearjerker at the end .

The ReviewStory :
Touching and dramatic yet not too ridiculous . A movie based on a mixture of fiction and reality , the iceberg crash and the love story mixed perfectly . But , there's a minus point because of it's less creative idea

Score :
Brilliant ! The best point of this movie , a thing that made us into the feeling and to tears. 'My Heart will go on' by Celine Dion is one of the most beautiful soundtrack ever made . This movie score made me fly away .

Directing & Setting :
James Cameron did it perfectly and lovely and tragic . I watched it for 3 times and it was still very impressive for me.
Choosing that big luxurious ship as the love birds's meeting place was a perfect fab job . But , i think it's better if they made it as dreamy as "Big Fish"

Script :I'm flying!-Rose DeWitt Bukater-
One of the most dreamy quote i have ever heard . (which also made another plus point for Titanic)

Casting :Kate Winslet as Rose . She made the character "alive" , dramatic and rebellious . She made a perfect actress for this character.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack . He made a breakthrough , i've already known that he is a good actor since his early teen , so it's not a very big suprise for me if he acted really really well in this movie.

Any other casts are nice and touching enough.

Overall :
One of the most dramatic drama with romance ever made and a big starter for movie watcher and another eye-candy movie . But , i can't give anymore star , it has a little mistake because of it was denominating too much .

by VANY'A

Rated: (R)
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Genres: Drama
Casts : Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Saarsgard


"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for I am the baddest mother fucker in the valley."
-Sargeant Siek-

Jarhead (the self-imposed moniker of the Marines) follows "Swoff," a third-generation enlistee, from a sobering stint in boot camp to active duty, sporting a sniper's rifle and a hundred-pound ruck on his back through Middle East deserts with no cover from intolerable heat or from Iraqi soldiers, always potentially just over the next horizon. Swoff and his fellow Marines sustain themselves with sardonic humanity and wicked comedy on blazing desert fields in a country they don't understand against an enemy they can't see for a cause they don't fully fathom... Sergeant Sykes is a Marine lifer who heads up Swofford's scout/sniper platoon, while Troy is Swoff's friend and mentor, a die-hard member of STA - their elite Marine Unit.

I would have to admit that to me the main appeal of Jarhead is Jake Gyllenhaal inevitably. After his outstanding performance in Brokeback Mountain, he became a promising actor among them in his generation. Seems to me that watching "Jarhead" is like watching snapshots of what can really happen among United States combat troops all but slap you with their observational force and definitely an eye-opening experience.
Jarhead evoked the surreal futility of men who owns passion for victory. The exact portrait of warfare and how the troops managed to get themself together, keeping them sane. Jarhead sets up a powerfully resonant echo of the current war happening.
Not the one-of-a-kind type of movie. Somehow forgettable, but still a very nice (another) war movie with (another) impressive performance by Jake Gyllenhaal.

A story. A man fires a rifle for many years. and he goes to war. And afterwards he comes home, and he sees that whatever else he may do with his life - build a house, love a woman, change his son's diaper - he will always remain a jarhead. And all the jarheads killing and dying, they will always be me. We are still in the desert.
-Anthony 'Swoff' Swofford-

by VANY'A

Rated: (R)
Directed by: Ang Lee
Genres: Drama, Romance
Casts: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway


"Jack fuckin' Twist."
-Ennis Del Mar-

In 1963,two young men hire on as ranch hands in the Wyoming mountains.During the long months of isolation,an unusual bond starts to develop between them, one which they are only vaguely aware of--until one night when it rises to the surface in a passionate encounter.When the season ends,they part ways,only to realize the true depth of their feelings.Thus begins a decades-long affair that the two of them desperately try to hide from those around them--one which will prove simultaneously beautiful and devastating.

I don't know how and why I like this movie so badly. The phrase here means : "this is the best romantic flick I ever watch in a peculiar kind of way".
The funny thing about this movie is the taboo word 'love' is never spoken. As a matter of fact, Brokeback Mountain has the utterly passionate and rich way of showing it, not by telling it. I consider both Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as my favorite actors since they are very talented, hot-looking (hell yeah, they are!), and for their tremendously breathtaking performance. They gave their very best here and successfully bind theirself into the character. Strange chemistry sparks and strong in an odd way. How in the hell did Heath Ledger act insanely good? One time he is a town casanova, he's a nightmarish and relentless Joker, and one slashy queer. And all of them are tremendously great. Well, I'll have to admit that some scenes are somewhat nasty for women, moreover to a 16 year old girl like me!
Beautifully composed, the score deserves every bit of Oscar. I totally adore it and I consider the score as the best one ever. The story is quite simple but beautiful. Screenwriters Diana Osanna and Larry McMurthy have extrapolated the sentimental aspects, particulary in giving a dramatic presence to the women in Jack and Ennie's life. No lack of character development, they are weirdly flawless. If anyone is the main seducer it is Jack Twist, played by Gyllenhaal . He shows that he has matured into one of the most charismatic actors of his generation.
Unfortunately for Brokeback Mountain, this movie is often exaggerated (like one of my fellow friend who refuse to watch Brokeback Mountain because she loathes gay guys) to tease those homophobes who often claim exclusive custody in western countries and leaves never ending discussion. But Brokeback Mountain is surely new in a daring and provoking way, remove the invisibility cloak and established how homosexual men can exist without living a lie.
It is a devastating ironic story in many ways, a story of wasted passion, but a wonderful moving story, too.

Jack Twist: "Tell you what, we coulda had a good life together! Fuckin' real good life! Had us a place of our own. But you didn't want it, Ennis! So what we got now is Brokeback Mountain! Everything's built on that! That's all we got, boy, fuckin' all. So I hope you know that, even if you don't never know the rest! You count the damn few times we have been together in nearly twenty years and you measure the short fucking leash you keep me on - and then you ask me about Mexico and tell me you'll kill me for needing somethin' I don't hardly never get. You have no idea how bad it gets! I'm not you... I can't make it on a coupla high-altitude fucks once or twice a year! You are too much for me Ennis, you sonofawhoreson bitch! I wish I knew how to quit you."

Ennis Del Mar: "[crying] Well, why don't you? Why don't you just let me be? It's because of you Jack, that I'm like this! I'm nothin'... I'm nowhere... Get the fuck off me! I can't stand being like this no more, Jack."

by Inez

Sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people

DIRECTED BY: John Curran
STARRING: Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Toby Jones, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang

Synopsis

The Painted Veil is a love story set in the 1920s which has Kitty Fane (Naomi Watts meeting young, intelligent, shy and somewhat dull Dr. Walter Fane (Edward Norton), whose forte is the study of infectious diseases, and the convenient marriage that she finds herself committed to. It is in this web of intrigue that they head for China, only after Walter discovers Kitty's infidelity with one dashing and witty diplomat Charlie Townsend (Liev Schreiber). So much as to hide her from herself and to help thwart a cholera outbreak, this is a marriage more than on the rocks. This is a cold, indifferent and loveless partnership in a vast unknown and deadly environment that will test both these flightless lovebirds and with the hardships and tolerances more than any had ever anticipated. A visual delight amid the pain and suffering of a dying people and failing marriage. Will a cure be found for both, before it's too late?

Source: IMDb

My Review

Somehow, I felt this movie is is a remarkable love story which unfortunately very UNDERRATED. How come Stephen Frears' The Queen was rewarded a nomination for the year's Academy Award Best Picture, and The Painted Veil didn't get any nomination at all? I mean, not a single one? You know what, they kept going crazy and crazier through years.

Enough with the disappointment on those guys, the movie didn't disappoint me at all. It is no Atonement, that movie is slightly better in every way, but the breathtaking SCENERY and cinematography took my breath away. The characters' development is magnificent, both main characters played by Norton and Watts were so true and close-to-life. The characters flow slowly, but sure, and no character was abandoned to be just a not-so-important character, they were given right proportions. Both actings terrific. I won't say much about Norton, I think we all agree here that he is crazy magnificent. But my concern here is to Naomi Watts which always give a worthy performance in every movie she's involved, but still, she is underrated. She should be rewarded as Keira Knightley, at least, which carrer boosted this high in only 5 years.

I considered the music score as one of the BEST in the year. The original score kept playing in my head until now. Maybe, the only flaw this movie carries is its slow-moving way of telling the story, which can bored some people, especially they who only watch for excitement. But, I'm not saying that The Painted Veil is a movie for everyone, so I don't really care about the slow-moving story.

In the end, The Painted Veil is a love story which gives a fresh air to the genre's fan, when all the rom-com parade is not soon to be ended. (And I'm REALLY SICK of them. The Painted Veil is romantic movie who brings us back when there are high quality love stories. Remember when it was the age of The English Patient? Well, who could forget that. THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE STORY WE NEED.

It was silly of us to look for qualities in each other that we never had.

-Naomi Watts as Kitty Fane-

by Inez

Why so serious?

DIRECTED BY: Christopher Nolan
STARRING: Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Eric Roberts

Synopsis

With just one year passed after taking out Ra's Al Ghul's plan to have Gotham eliminated and the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Jonathan Crane A.K.A. Scarecrow, after the city was nearly plundered with his toxins, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and his vigilante alter-ego the Batman, continue the seemingly-endless effort to bring order to Gotham, with the help of Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and newly appointed District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), but a new threat has now emerged into the streets. The Dark Knight faces a rising psychopathic criminal called The Joker (Heath Ledger), whose eerie grin, laughter, and inhuman morality makes him more dangerous than what he has yet to unleash. It becomes an agenda to the Batman to stop the mysterious Joker at all cost, knowing that the both of them are in the opposite line. One with no method at all and seeks to see the world plunge into the fire he has yet to lit. One who represents the symbol of hope and uses his own shadow to bring the peace and order he has yet to accomplish on doing.

Source: IMDb

My Review

I have no idea how to start my words about The Dark Knight. You've seen the 5 stars above, I think that's what BEST DESCRIBES the movie. Here are a few thoughts:

- THE BEST SUPERHERO-SLASH-COMIC BOOK MOVIE EVER MADE.
- THE BEST 2008's SUMMER MOVIE SO FAR. For the record, I haven't seen Wall-E.
- THE BEST THAT HEATH LEDGER EVER DONE FOR HIS CAREER.

Another fact about The Dark Knight is, that after the movie, we will NEVER see The Joker as one of the Batman villain, considering him as another Scarecrow, another The Riddler, or (wait, I'm going to say this dreadful nightmare...) Mr. Freeze. Instead, we will see The Joker as what? A LEGEND.

Yes, I know the buzzes and promotions maybe made some of you (especially a non-fanatic-fan of Batman) sick, of the exposure of The Joker character and all, but I GUARANTEE, you'll know why after you see the movie, and hear the laughter of The Joker by your own ears, and experience the movie by your own eyes. Jack Nicholson who've been involved in movies, three times more than Ledger, and received Oscar nominations for twelve times more than Ledger, didn't even close to beat the half of Ledger's charisma here. HE WAS BORN DO PLAY THE JOKER. (I don't think I should bring up the Oscar buzz right now, Ledger's fantastic, but it still too close to call.)

I'm always a fan of Nolan's works. He directed many movies in different genre, but he always carries his Midas touch in everything he touches, they became gold. But this Dark Knight, is his MASTERPIECE. (Yes, said it already, IT IS A MASTERPIECE.) I believe this statement does not only come out from a tired girl which still feeling the euphoria after watching, but, I mean it.

The script was too BRILLIANT to be compared with another superhero movies, including today's hit Iron Man, which is, nothing, compared to the Jonathan-Christopher Nolan's job. I mean, where would we find a superhero movie, a movie which adapted from a comic book for children's consumption, and carries such high-grade humanity, complex and realistic storyline, along with the beautiful screenplay to be spoken in every minutes of its bites? NO WHERE BUT HERE. The characters' development were digged until the deepest depth, which played by the actors convincingly. Freeman and Caine repeated their role fine, the other new cast for Harvey Dent Aaron Eckhart was fit to the role, with no such costly exploitation like what they did with the Three Villain Disaster Venom-Sandman-New Goblin in that dumby-grumpy Spider-Man 3. And it's time for Nolan to learn from his own fault, that casting Katie Holmes to play Rachel Dawes is not a very wise decision (terrible and dumb, actually) and that he should find an actress who can act without ruining the movie. Gyllenhaal gives a new fresh air for the character, the lovable one. And the music score? Who would expect better than a James Newton Howard-Hans Zimmer collaboration?

I made myself clear enough above, and I obviously hoping for an improvement for the third installment. (you guys have to do a very tough job) And most of all, WE BELIEVE IN NOLAN.

You've changed things... forever. There's no going back. See, to them, you're just a freak... like me!

-R.I.P. Heath Ledger as The Joker-

by VANY'A

Rated: (PG-13)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Casts: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman


" Why so serious?"

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're tonight's entertainment. "
-Heath Ledger as Joker -

With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and the committed new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham City for good. The triumvirate initially proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces The Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante.
Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) portrays arch-villain The Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays District Attorney Harvey Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast in the role of Rachel Dawes. Returning from Batman Begins are Gary Oldman as Lieutenant Jim Gordon; Oscar winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules) as Alfred; and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) as Lucius Fox.

Before we get started, I have some confessions to make. It's a shame and I feel pretty awful but I haven't watch Batman Begins. There, I said it. Circumstances all had it. But I'll watch it this soon, I swear. And it is my other shame that I'm just starting to adore Heath Ledger THIS LATE and realize that I spent my whole life not knowing the magnificent talent he owns. Boy, now I'm actually mourning now. This is NO DOUBT : The best superhero movie ever made in the history of mankind. I would have give it 6 stars if there're still plenty spaces.
As far as I'm concerned, Batman Begins' easily the best DC comic based film ever happenned on earth. I am pretty damn sure it's a lot much better than Christopher Reeve's Superman. Superman is my favourite superhero character. While the other superhero such as Spiderman and even Batman, they all just regular humankind, but they managed to be a superhero. But Superman, he IS a superhero but he tries to live as modest, low-profile normal person. That makes him my most favourite superhero character. But very regrettably, our recent Superman movie had completely failed to adapt one of the most legendary DC comic into moving pictures. Either they couldn't handle the big responsibility to bear or simply bad luck for Superman. But this Batman hero is very fortunate indeed to have such brilliant casts performing and very superstitious visualization.
One of the things I've prepared myself for how over hyped the performance of Heath Ledger was going to be. And I was just : Damn! Heath Ledger's very very very astounding! HEATH LEDGER DESERVES EVERY BIT OF OSCAR NOMINATION for his superb performance as The Joker. How outstanding the movie really was yet it makes Jack Nicholson's version of Joker seems like a total joke! Clearly, I was totally blown away as if I've never seen any comic based superhero movie before. At all times, he is utterly plausible, unstoppably disturbing, an upsetting and the true nightmarish JOKER. The Joker is strongly exposed and totally hits the mark. Even Christian Bale as Batman seems like a secondary character. Ledger's deserves a standing ovation in this flick and if he receives the Oscar award or at least Oscar nomination, it's not because a simple sympathy but an appreciation and honor for the outstanding performance he delivered. Yes, he really is that good.
The script is utterly perfect as far as I'm concerned. But there are some tiny missing pieces which I don't quite get it because I haven't seen Batman Begins. But in superhero movie we don't really need to watch the former because it don't matter much. I like the dialog, crusty and severe. And gosh, how on earth they did those make up? Two Face is insanely incredible and so is The Joker.
We must thank God Maggie Gyllenhaal replaced the cheesy Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. She somewhat turn Rachel into one nice character instead of the annoying one that Holmes managed to make her out to be. The other casts (Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine) are very solid and we must thank to the brilliant Christopher Nolan. Hats off!
Whoever gives The Dark Knight less than 4 stars is definitely insane. Best movie of 2008 and best superhero flick ever happenned on earth.
Very superstitious masterwork.

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain..."

-Harvey Dent-

by Gregorius

Lots of movie in this summer (2008). Some of them were good (while others were miserable). And starting 18 of July, we could saw the best 2008's summer movie. Almost flawless and perfect. This was the best super-hero movie I ever seen (and maybe the best superhero movie ever produced). This movie deserved more than 5 stars. It deserved 6 or even 7! We saw some of superheros movie this summer (2008), but they're no match for The Dark Knight and so far, the only superhero movie that able to reach The Dark Knight's level was Iron Man.

As one of the most expected movie in 2008, this movie met our expectation not like Spiderman 3 which released last summer. Why The Dark Knight didn't fail like the Spiderman 3? At least, there two reason to explain this. First, they didn't do the same mistake like the Columbia Pictures did in Spiderman3. They exposed Venom too much and Venom didn't met the audience's expectation and so the rest of the villain. But here, in this movie, the Joker was the only villain exposed, and we saw one of the best villain in superhero movie's history. Two Face has perfect portion in this movie, even tough we saw Two Face in short durations. Second, this movie has no miscast at all and their cast was top class actors/actress. So this movie was movie full of stars.

As I mentioned before, no miscast. As we know, Christian Bale reprise his role again as the Dark Knight but, even tough he was the main character, Heath Ledger (R.I.P) as the Joker stole all of our attention. This was his best performance (beside of his performance in Brokeback Mountain). Heath Ledger bring us a totally different Joker. His Joker was more insane than Jack Nicholson's (his Joker look like a clown than a bad guy). Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, I was satisfied with his performance, his performance was very convincing.The Two Face was creepier than Tommy Lee Joneses. Fortunately, we wouldn't saw Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes again and (thankfully) her role would be filled by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Maggie was the puzzle piece to complete this movie. She was lot lot better than Katie Holmes (I believe Katie Holmes would made my rating down to 4). The supporting character were filled with top class actors such as Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine. Don't forget Cillian Murphy even tough we saw him in a flash (I mean in a very short duration). About the director, Chris Nolan is a good director, best for making movie's emotion comes alive and he successfully surpass his previous Batman series. A

So far, in my opinion, the Dark Knight was the best of Batman's franchise ever. The Dark Knight was helped with a great score (of course, it's Hans Zimmer). The story was very good, I enjoyed every seconds from this movie.

You know what? I could said that the Dark Knight was better than Iron Man even tough Iron Man provide more action and better special effects. Heath Ledger's performance defeated all of Iron Man's actions. And not just Heath Ledger, this movie's emotion was very strong. And this movie has twist that would shocked the audience.

After all, I saw this movie was one of the last (and one of the best) gift from Heath Ledger. My bow for him. I was so sad to face the truth that we wouldn't see him again. He deserved an Oscar for his role as the Joker. Oh, please, give him an Oscar! As the last testimonial for him.

The time will pass us by. But, "Why so serious?"

by VANY'A

Rated: (PG-13)
Directed by: Tim Burton
Genres: Drama
Casts: Ewan McGregor, Helena Bonham Carter, Marion Cotillard, Miley Cyrus, Danny DeVito


Sandra Bloom: "You don't even know me."

Young Ed Bloom: "I have the rest of my life to find out."

In the heartwarming film Big Fish, director Tim Burton (Batman, Edward Scissor hands) brings his inimitable imagination on a journey that delves deep into a fabled relationship between a father and his son.
Edward Bloom (Albert Finney) has always been a teller of tall-tales about his oversized life as a young man (Ewan McGregor), when his wanderlust led him on an unlikely journey from a small-town in Alabama, around the world, and back again. His mythic exploits dart from the delightful to the delirious as he weaves epic tales about giants, blizzards, a witch and conjoined-twin lounge singers. With his larger-than-life stories, Bloom charms almost everyone he encounters except for his estranged son Will (Billy Crudup). When his mother Sandra (Jessica Lange) tries to reunite them, Will must learn how to separate fact from fiction as he comes to terms with his father's great feats and great failings.

Nothing is more astonishing than exquisite stories of incredible adventures. Well, we all heard them already. Tales about fairies, witches always delighted me since I was a little girl and I suspect that I'm not the only one. The eccentric and also my all-time favourite director Tim Burton visualized captivating pictures and remarkably spelled magic for this Daniel Wallace's novel adaptation. And I was pleasantly surprised that Big Fish is as enchanting and cute as it appears so. With impressive images, brilliant performances, and a heart-warming ending that actually involves me sentimentally, I give a sincere applause for Burton for making me the kind of movie that I may not have appreciated in another director's hands.
The appeal of this Big Fish movie is the captivating journey of Edward Bloom and how Burton crafted a dreamlike world exactly like every kids' imagination. Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham Carter both delivered outstanding performances.
At its core, this is a movie about enchantment and bond. Though it seems like a long film, but it is the depth of storytelling that makes it seem like that, and at the end I felt truly connected to the emotional heart of the story.
Big Fish is delightfully crafted and very refreshing. After the captivating Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton strikes another with this genuinely warm tale of an adventure as big as life itself.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you're not too big? That maybe this place is just too small?"
- Edward Bloom -