Day 82 continued - Traces of a Dragon (Documentary)

 

" The film explores the touching and history-filled background of Jackie Chan as we have never seen him before" - Wikipedia

This is a very poorly done documentary, it has a lot to do with Jackie Chan but its more about his father than anything else. I think it is a little weird as to why Jackie has not met with his elder siblings but his father has gone back to meet with them several times. I honestly no longer like Jackie Chan due to his political thinking and I don't wish to spoil the documentary for anyone. If you are a Jackie Chan then watch the film if not then skip it. 

1/5

Day 82 - Lucy (French)

" a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic." Rotten Tomatoes.

This movie is the 2nd worst movie (Metropolis is number 1) I have ever seen in my life. Now, the concept wasn't all that bad as it was the best part of the movie. The special effects were also good but I felt like I was watching a poorly edited student graduation film. There were a lot of unnecessary scenes especially in the beginning. I did happen to enjoy how this film is very multicultural as it takes place in many countries and features actors from various countries as well. There a few holes in plot like the creepy white guy who was with Choi Man Sik is never seen again even though he appeared to be very important.
The ending was ridicolous but understandb=able. I felt that the writing could have been better as everyone besides Lucy was written poorly. The story really can't hold up and causes severe boredom in the viewer. I happen to like Luc Besson but this film is a completle waste of a film.

1/5

Day 81 continued - Magic to Win (Hong Kong)

 

"The world consists of five elements: gold, wood, water, fire and earth. In the wizard world of 'Magic to Win', the story also revolves around the "Five Element Wizardry", portraying a story that surpasses our imagination. Kang Sengui (Raymond Wong), a university professor, is the Water Magician of "Five Elements Wizardry". Although he uses magic spells in his daily life, his superpower remains a secret. By accident, his power is transmitted to his student, Macy (Karena), who recklessly uses her newfound powers for personal gain and money-making"-Wikipedia

Another bad movie to review! The film was a bit of a joke, the acting was bad and comedy was a bit corny. The characters are mostly ridiculous, and you might laugh out of the sheer stupidity of a few of them. The worst thing about this film was its special effects which were on par with the special effects from the godawful live action adaption of Avatar the Last Airbender. The story was very easy to read, so this might be a good film to show children but I am sure many adults would be compelety bored if they watch this film.

0.5/5

Day 81 - Breaking News (Hong Kong)

The Hong Kong police force try to solve a few robberies in order to make themselves look good to the public eye.

A film from Hong Kong director Johnny To but it doesn't feel like it is. The action was okay but there was not a whole lot of it. The character development was bland with no real value. You  don't really get to bond with any of the characters nor can you really figure out who is the central character. The film was quite boring to be honest and most of the characters were unlikable especially the main actress. 

If you are a fan of Johnny To then watch the film, if not I would suggest you skip it.

1/5

Day 80 continued - The Wee Man (Scottish)

Paul Ferris a man that grew up all around criminals, those in and out of police uniforms. He becomes a gangster or a man that goes bad things.

Event though its based on a true story, the script is so weak. The plot is predictable with not much originality present. I didn't think a gangster film could be boring but this one. The scenes were poorly lit and designed. It almost feels like someone's student film. I suggest you skip this film as well.

0/5

Day 80 - And so it goes (American)

Realtor Oren Little must take care of his granddaughter when his only son goes to jail.

A very weak film despite the talent in it. The story was a bit predictable and not much seems to happen. I think it should have been more about Oren Little (Michael Douglas) bonding with his granddaughter rather than a romantic "comedy". I wrote comedy like that because the film is not funny at all, its a bit bland. There's not much to say but to skip this film at all costs.

0.1/5

Day 79 continued - Maleficent

Have you ever wanted to know more about the character that many of us saw in Sleeping Beauty? This is the perfect film those that want to know more about Maleficent and how the story of Sleeping Beauty begins and ends.

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Angelina Jolie did a good jobs, I wish they had a better script and a better director. You can definitely tell that Tim Burton would have been the best director for this film. I love dark characters and I often hate the fact they don't get a happy ending. So when I heard about this film, I was slightly excited.
I was slightly letdown in that regard, the special effects were not that bad but I expected a lot more. It should have been darker as it felt more like a Sleeping Beauty film rather than a Maleficent film.
This film is perfect for children or people that love the character of Maleficent.

1.9/5

Day 79 - Supermensh: The Legend of Shep Gordon (American)

A documentary about legendary talent manager Shep Gordon who managed a band called Alice Cooper and others.

First off Shep Gordon is such an interesting man! He has done so much for the world of entertainment that not a lot of people know about. So for that I applaud the director for finding the right person to do a documentary on. This is actually directed by the actor Mike Myers, who met Shep Gordon when he was filming Wayne's World.
Now the film doesn't tell the whole story apparently but it does a good job to give us a look into the world of managers. Its a world we normally don't get to see all that much. It helps that you have a few talented people like Alice Cooper, Michael Douglas, Willie Nelson, Sylvester Stallone, and others talk about this man. It helped tell the story better, to hear about Shep from some of the people that he has managed.
I would suggest this film to  management majors, current talent managers, and anyone interested in the entertainment industry.

3/5

Little info

Shep Gordon has managed Alice Cooper, Emeril Lagasse, Anne Murray, Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass, and many others

Day 78 continued - Wet Dreams 2 (Korean)

A high school girl's struggle as she starts to become a young woman and her love of a new student teacher can lead to some more problems for her. 

It was actually decent, some parts were enjoyable but it was a bit bland on its delivery. It seemed rushed towards the end and doesn't really end in a good way. I understand why the director made the choice to do the ending but I hoped it would have been better.
The actress was not bad, you can tell it was her first time acting. She had a lot of room for improvement, I hope to see more of her work in the future.


1.5/5

Day 78 - Tales from the Dark (Hong Kong)

A 3 part horror movie with each part a different story and characters.


A very dull horror film that had the potential to be much more. It was slow at parts with no real build up and it was more boring than actually thrilling. I did laugh in the beginning but that was about it. I didnt enjoy watching this film despite the talented actors present in the film. This is a horrible horror movie to watch on any given day, so I suggest you skip it.

0/5

Little info

It was adapted from short stories by Lilian Lee
It was Simon Yam's first directing experience

Day 77 continued - Not Cool (American)

 

A group of former high school peers meet again for thanksgiving break in their hometown.

Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. At times it was quite enjoyable especially the parts that featured the main female characters. Though in no way is it a good movie, it needs a lot more work to be considered anywhere close to being good. I actually like how blunt everyone and I could relate to some of the characters as I know people like them in real life. I suggest you watch this film if you like Shane Dawson. 

1/5

Day 77 - Tricked (American)

A documentary film about sex trafficking in the United States from every perspectives. Some of the commentary will make you angry and others will make you sad.

This documentary was very hard-hitting, I learned so much from it. I really wanted to punch one of the interviewees in the face and I'm sure most of you will want to too. Besides that there is not much I can say but for everyone to watch this movie and try to understand that sex trafficking is a serious problem in the United States.

3/5

Day 76 continued - Bangkok Assassins (Thai)

 Four kidnapped/stolen kids who were forced to beg for money on the streets until they are saved by a monk. The monk took them and trained them in martial arts. Each one of the four has a special technique and each one has a handicap. One is blind, one is deaf, one is mute, and the other is mentally disabled. Their master is killed and now its up to these four to get revenge.

Another bad Thai film that could have been much better with a different director and screenwriter. The story was predictable, some of the acting was horrible and the special effects were over the top. The story was very tame, it had the typical cliches you can see from a mile away. There is not a lot I can really say about this film but to skip it no matter what.

0/5

Day 76 - The Man With the Iron Fists 2 (American)

RZA is back with a sequel to his directorial debut but this time he hands it off to another director which appears to have been a big mistake.

The Blacksmith has found his way to Tsai Fu village, a mining town under the control of a heartless man. The blacksmith bonds with these people and eventually decides to craft tools for them but he will not give them weapons. Though the tools he craft for them are for whatever purposes the villagers would need them for.

I honestly didn't like this movie, though it did have some good actors in it. A new edition to the series is Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa who surprised me with his acting abilities in the film as well as the predictable twist towards the end of the film. RZA did a good job on his part but I felt besides those two no one offered a lot. I have to say that Pim Bubear who played Innocence was quite nice to look it but that's about it.

The action scenes were not that bad but I would say they need some improvement. The ending was weak as well as it seemed so rushed and the story was so shaky. I honestly hope there is a third movie so I can see a better American martial arts movie.

1.5/5

Day 75 continued - Fireball (Thai)

Tai discovers that his twin brother, Tan, was beat badly to the point he is in a coma after playing a good game of basketball. Though this is not basketball like you have see it before, the players are allowed to use martial arts and weapons as long as they leave everything they have on the court.

I enjoyed the concept but everything else could have been thrown away. The action sequences were poor as was the story development. It was predictable at every turn and wasn't all that good to watch. The script was very weak though I was surprised that the concept and the music were the best parts of the movie.
The main character falls in love with his twin brothers girlfriend. Its a stupid part of the story that doesn't really work, I'm guessing it was the directors attempt to add a bit more drama to the film. The final scene was weak as well, it was predictable and not that enjoyable. Sure there was a lot of blood but there was no substance. I was left disappointed and sought to find a better film. I suggest you skip this film and watch something a bit better.

1/5

Little Info

This film won the Guru Prize for Most Energetic Film at the Fant-Asia Film Festival, it was tied with Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl.

Day 75 - The Flu (Korean)

"The worst epidemic ever seen is sweeping through Bundang, the suburb of Seoul. After smuggling illegal immigrants into the country, Byung-woo dies from an unknown virus. Soon after that, the same symptoms are plaguing scores of residents in Bundang. People are helpless against the airborne disease and the number of infected increases quickly, spreading chaos. As the worst-case scenario precaution, the city of half a million people, just 19 kilometers from Seoul, is about to be sealed off. The government orders a complete shutdown. Meanwhile, infectious disease specialist In-hye and rescue worker Ji-goo go into the closed city to find the blood serum of the index case, a crucial part of developing the vaccine."

A good movie if you are into mass panic movies like Contagion. Though I don't really like that there is a small feeling of Anti-Americanism in the film. I also hate how we are shown as bastards and not once have I seen an American truly represented in a Korean movie (except for Daniel Henney. Anyway this movie is actually a good watch, there are a few dull moments and standard Korean movie moments as well. There's also an annoying supporting character that you can always hear coming. Don't expect any real romance or any truly human moments except for the scenes with the little girl. I would suggest this movie on a slow day, there are a lot of graphic scenes so beware!

3/5

Day 74 continued- Guardians of the Galaxy (American)

"A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe."

Actually not bad at all, I thought it was going to be horrible to be honest. They did a great job with adding a lot of comedy to a action hero movie. It wasn't over the top, some of the jokes are actually quite funny. The acting is well done, I think Chris Pratt stands out the most. They did a good job with making him have the spotlight but at the same time he doesn't hog it. It was nice to see John C. Reily and a lot of the other supporting characters. There is a lot of good talent present in the film. This is definitely not a marvel movie you would want to skip.

3.9/5

little info

When David Bautista got the role he broke down in tears, he was so happy to be apart of a marvel film. He even took more acting classes to prepare. 

Playing Groot helped Vin Diesel overcome the loss of his dear friend Paul Walker

Vin Diesel said "I am groot" about a thousand times

Day 74 - Box Trolls (American)

 

"A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow."

 

A cute 3D animation film that has a lot of good moments but has room for improvement me. The concept was very well thought out, you can see the wonderful attention to detail in the film. The story was something different which I loved, all of the box trolls were cool. The characters were all interesting, they didn't make them seem fake to be honest. Eggs was a good main character, honestly I felt like this is something that Tim Burton would do but sadly he's not a part of this movie.

It features a wonderful voice cast with Ben Kingsley, Nick Frost, Tracy Morgan, Dee Bradley Barker, Steve Blum, Elle Fanning and much more. I also love the artistic style of the design of the world, it was pretty fun to see. This is a great movie to watch if you love stop motion or have kids.

 

3.5/5

 

little info

 

More than 20,000 props were made for this film

Production took 72 weeks

Day 73 continued - Mr. Nice Guy (Hong Kong)

 

"A Chinese chef accidentally gets involved with a news reporter who filmed a drug bust that went awry and is now being chased by gangs who are trying to get the video tape"

 

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be, the action was there but the acting and script could have been better. I understand that its hard to work with actors that don't speak Chinese. Despite not liking Jackie Chan in his personal life, on the screen he doesn't say idiotic things. He was actually quite good in the film, his English wasn't that bad either I could clearly understand him. Some of the actors brought a sense of realism to the film yet it the film feels bad. Mainly due to the back up actors including the villain who didn't seem to act well. This is a good movie if you want to see a early Jackie Chan movie besides that its a movie you can skip.

 

1/5

 

 

little info

 

Jackie Chan actually looked how to cook professionally in order to make his character believable.

Day 73 - Transcendence (American)

 

"A scientist's drive for artificial intelligence, takes on dangerous implications when his consciousness is uploaded into one such program"

 

 

A very weak film even with such a talented cast like Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman. The film was very boring, it seemed to have a lot of holes as well. The script was poorly done, it really had no real depth.

0/5