My Top 10 - Jackie Chan

I realized I haven't rated a single Jackie Chan film despite having seen almost every single one of them. Since there are so many of them, I'm going to attempt to list some of my favourite Jackie Chan films (in no particular order).

1) Operation Condor
-Friggin gut splitting hilarious, with the classic Jackie Chan fighting scenes, and great supporting actress fighting for Jackie's attention that makes this film one of the best!























2) The Twin Dragon
-double the fun

 




3) Armor of God

-prop used to fight is a hot burning log

4) First Strike
-prop used to fight includes latter, broom


5) Who Am I

6) Project A

7) Mr Nice Guy
8) Rush Hour

9) Rumble in the Brox

10) Dragons Forever

Worth Mentioning:

11) Drunken Master

Top Secret (1984)

7.5/10 [recommended]

I enjoyed this film, and some of the VERY VERY unique filming/editing scenes.

Plot: Parody of WWII spy movies in which an American rock and roll singer becomes involved in a Resistance plot to rescue a scientist imprisoned in East Germany.


It was silly, quirky, innovative, idiotic, completely weird and funny. It was Val Kilmers first leading role, and he was fairly loveable as the young Elvis-Grease pop artist.

There are a few scenes, notably the bookstore sequence where the entire three minutes was shot backwards then rewinded, that makes this film stand out as inventive and extremely creative. Kudos to whoever thought of it.


If you haven't seen it, Top Secret is a spoof that is very similar to AirPlane, and is worth venturing into. If you have seen it, let's talk about it!!

Train of Life (1998)

7/10

Hope

Plot: In 1941, the inhabitants of a small Jewish village in Central Europe organize a fake deportation train so that they can escape the Nazis and flee to Palestine.

Similar to Life is Beautiful, Train of Life is a comedy drama war film about Jews attempting to survive during World War II terror from Nazi Germany.

Despite the subject matter, this film uses humor and some outrageous situations to look at the horrors of the holocaust through new dimensions. This and Life Is Beautiful are worth viewing.

Watch it all here with subtitles:

Stuck On You (2003)

6.5/10

The complete each other, bromance before it was popular

Plot: Conjoined twins from Martha's Vineyard move to Los Angeles so that one of them can pursue an acting career.

Acting is superb. I love Matt Damon, and it was nice to see him paired up with Greg Kinnear. With cameo from Cher and Meryl Streep as themselves made this film fairly unique.

Stuck On You didn't over do its use of humor. The subtleness and odd romance relationship makes this film sappy yet sweet.

Nothing overly epic or spectacular, but a good light comedy to enjoy on friday night.

Statement (2003)

6/10

Has some goofs in the age casting, but a good film with some thought. And despite the title, film is not about accounting.

Plot: Tale of a former Nazi executioner who becomes a target of hit men and Police investigators.

 Even though it is labeled 'thriller' The Statement is fairly slow paced with slight edge of suspense of what the ending will be like. There are very little chase scenes and gun fights.

A Woman in Berlin (2008)

7/10 [recommended to selected viewers]

Intense, and harsh film based on a true account.

A Woman in Berlin, as its title says, is about a woman living in Berlin at the end of world war II. This film is her account of having to survive and the terror that she faces. The idea of safety and protection will never again be felt. Idea of love will never be the same.

All the ugliness, complexity and horrors of war are all laid out in this raw and harsh film.

The subject matter is difficult to handle, and there are some disturbing ....not recommended for everyone. Good but intense film.

I strongly advise against watching "Come And See (Idi i Smotri)" along with this film on the same day. Very hard hitting.

The Tunnel (2001)

6.5/10

Plot: Based on a true story a group of East Berliners escaping to the West. Harry Melchior was a champion East German swimmer at odds with the system under which he has already been imprisoned

Fairly decent made for TV movie that revolves around the effects of the building of the Berlin wall. What this film does the well is that it takes many true incidents that occurred and dramatized it to fit the story. For example, the famous photo of the NVA soldier Conrad Schumann defecting to West Berlin, and Peter Fechter's defecting but slightly changed with the character Heiner.

Lead actor is mediocre, and almost felt he had the same facial expression in the entire film.

Better Off Dead (1985)

5/10 

 Better off not watching this film. It's hard to really like this film when you can't stand the protagonist

What redeems this film is the weird/crazy/wacky/quirky/bizarre group of supporting characters.

John Cusack's character Lane Meyer, is a spoiled teen who can't seem to be relied on and is overly obsessed over Beth, a girl who doesn't really have much personality but somehow everyone likes her...reminds me of Bella from a movie saga that must-not-be-named.

This film wanted to be one bizarre/hilarious/fun adventure but it just ended up skimming the surface of all these categories. Better Off Dead tried but it just didn't succeed in my books. I much prefer Teen wolf or Breakfast Club or Back to the Future or or Honey I Shrank the Kids. This flick just didn't have any deeper meaning to it, and the comedic element it wasn't there.

Lake Placid (1999)

6.5/10

What do you get when you throw interesting/wacky characters, chopper, gun fire, action, endless sarcasm, and one big croc? One fun Saturday movie night.

Here are the pros of this film: it almost feels like a wildlife documentary, lingered with a slight tone of horror, classy yet gross use of gore, and hilarious dialogue. I felt myself chuckling at the many sarcastic remarks and bantering of Shieff Hank and Mrs. Delores Bickerman. This film differs it self from many other creature features in the sense that the writers put focus on the characters of this film instead of just the 'horrifying monster'. OH and Betty White probably is the gem....

Starring Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Brendan Gleeson, Betty White


Cons of Lake Placid: Bridget Fonda's character kelly was a bit of a nag, I found her more peeving at times. If you were looking for horror, this film doesn't really make you jump (I dont do horror well, so this is a pro for me hehe) but it does make you not want to go swimming in a lake for a while. Some action taken in this film doesn't really have much common sense, but then again that's what makes it fun


Overall, it was fun ride. Not overly epic, but has some funny as well as gross moments.

Rust and Bone (2012)

7/10

This film is not easy to explain, It is raw and blunt– a punch in the gut, yet it is also a film of intelligence and sensitivity.

Plot: Put in charge of his young son, Ali leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Ali's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident

Delicatessen (1991)

7/10 [recommended]

Fantastic cinematography, with great editing, quirky cast and overall a wacky film.

Plot: Post-apocalyptic surrealist black comedy about the landlord of an apartment building who occasionally prepares a delicacy for his odd tenants.

I knew I was in for a treat when the beginning credits started. Instead of your typical text on screen fading in and out, Delicatessen used credits that was attached to pieces of labels on rubbish. This initial credits alone was inspiring and very creative.

This French film is an art piece, with many themes embedded and is not afraid to push the limit.

Not one character in this film is not quirky, thus coming together to form a very wacky film.

War of Buttons (2011)

8/10 [Highly Recommended]

Tres Magnificent!!!!

Plot: In occupied France, Lebrac leads a play war between two rival kid gangs, but his feelings for Violette, a Jewish girl in danger of being discovered by the Nazis, encourage Lebrac to face the reality of what's happening around him.

I am so glad I ignored the rating from IMDB and watched this film. It is a heartfelt film set in a small town during world war II and their struggles to stay together under the Germany regime. War of Buttons mainly focuses on a group of kids of one town and a rival group of kids. What this film does so well is it uses this group of kids as a metaphor of the actual war that was taking place. This group of boys, led by Lebrac, goes through multiple battles with the rival town over buttons and territory like a mini war. Many themes (innocences, betrayal, love, hate, bond, friendship, battles, confidence..) are explored from this simple warring between the kids, as they experience the effects of the actual war that's taking place.


Not only is the acting from all the kids, especially Clément Godefroy and Jean Texier, absolutely amazing and realistic; This film stars one of my favourite French actors as well!! Guillaume Canet, who plays the school teacher, has been one of my favourite actors since the film Love Me If You Dare, making this film an absolute TREAT!!

I highly recommend this film. The underlining theme of the world war II mixed with the innocence of the children, well written/funny dialogue and superb acting makes this film a GEM

And Then There were None (1945)

6/10

A masterpiece by Agatha Christie that many other films got its inspirations from but it was predictable and not very suspenseful.

Plot: Based on a novel and subsequent stage play by Agatha Christie; ten people are invited to an isolated island, only to be killed one-by-one. Could one of them be the killer?

Nicely plotted, but not a very exciting film. During the film I kept thinking about Harper's Island (mini-series) and Clue (film), both of which I watched prior to this adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel. Having seen both of them first, i came into And Then There Were None with different expectations.

Witness for Prosecution (1957)

8.5/10 [highly recommended]

You want murder, suspense, thriller and twists upon twists?!? Well then strap yourself in and watch this gripping courtroom drama written by Agatha Christie.

Plot: It's Britain, 1953. Upon his return to work following a heart attack, irrepressible barrister Sir Wilfrid Robarts, known as a barrister for the hopeless, takes on a murder case, much to the exasperation of his medical team

From moment one of this movie, my mind was moving and attempting to figure out what the possible ending might be like. Leave it to Agatha Christie to write crime thriller full of twists and leaves the reader/viewer completely in suspense. The ending will blow you away, and I am sworn not to give away this ending and I stand by it.

This film consists of mostly dialogue that is very detailed, witty and sophisticated, which requires the viewers to pay close to attention. The case starts off very slow but picks up pace like a cheetah spotting its prey around minute 30 and continues its run until the ultimate twist filled conclusion.

I HIGHLY recommending this film to anyone who enjoys a murder mystery, courtroom/crime drama...as Witness for Prosecution will not disappoint!!

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

8/10

innocent, melancholy, like a puppet show

Plot: A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them.

The editing and filming technique is very unique in this film. It uses a lot of single continuing shots and surreal use of imagery.

The Vanishing (1988)

6/10

those golden rules you learned as a kid "don't talk to strangers"

Rex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia is abducted. After three years and no sign of Saskia, Rex begins receiving letters from the abductor.

The Vanishing is very slow paced film that  alternates between flashback and present day. It sets up a very mundane event of a couple going on vacation, and turning it into a sinister plot.

The ending of this original The Vanishing is fairly different from the hollywood remake with same title (1993). I found the ending in the original to be far more fearful and sad than the remake.

spolier: --------------
This film does not need any special effects, gory or frightening images to create fear; rather the fear/horror of this film is the randomness of the act.
------

Lost Room (2006)

8/10 [highly recommended]

Despite some flaws, still mindblowingly awesome.

A detective investigates a mysterious motel room, which acts as a portal to alternate universe after he lost something precious in the room.

The Lost Room had me completely engrossed from the first episode, I was pulled in and couldn't turn away until it ended.

Premise of The Lost Room is astounding. Without giving too much away, Lost Room is about a motel room and the many contents that it came with. The room and each item has a different/very unique abilities that is attached to it. The mini-series is built around these items and the people who covet after them. I was completely absorbed by the different qualities given to the items and the way all the items comes together.

Despite the fascinating premise, there were certain flaws that made it hard for me to give this series a perfect 10. The mini-series had way too many characters and sub-plots that didn't get developed enough. The character relationship was lacking in material and emotion. The main character, Joe Miller, felt kind of one-dimensional and we aren't really told why he was so special in comparison to the rest of people whom were once involved with the mysterious hotel room.

Joe Miller's relationship with the different characters, eg with the girl interest Jennifer Bloom, was thin and rushed. Besides being a cop and single father, we aren't given much background about Joe  and yet almost everyone he meets seemed very inclined to help him.

Also the gun, the way he points it at people at such close distance can be so easily swatted away, yet no one seem to be capable of disarming him....(i know, this is just me being picky but nevertheless bothersome).

Overall, I did enjoy this mini series and highly recommend it. The main focus of the film (the special abilities of the motel room/items premise) does overshadow the flaws (the undeveloped characters/relationships).  Very entertaining and will keep you at the end of your seat!

Injustice (2011) Mini-series

8/10 [Highly Recommended]

Holy awesomeness batman!! Such a good mini-series!!

Plot: On the surface William Travers is a picture of success. An accomplished criminal barrister happily living with his wife in rural Suffolk. However, Travers is still recovering from a traumatic series of events that have shaken his belief in the legal system

Hats off to the writers of Injustice, who created a complex masterpiece through flashbacks, multiple intersecting story lines from different characters and many twists.

The series starts off a bit slow, but give this mini a chance and sit through the first half of episode one; You'll be thankful that you did. This 6 episodes 300minutes long mini-series is filled with unexpected twists, clever dialoge, interwoven stories, suspense and great acting. I was truly amazed by suspenseful and thrilling adventure that was Injustice.

James Purefoy (from TV series Rome) and Charlie Creed-Miles both gave superb performances in the lead roles, giving an edge to this mini that otherwise wouldn't have been as great.

The rating on IMDB.com must have been the result people who can't tell the difference between great television programming and jersey shore.

Recommended to those who enjoys Law and Order, Sherlock Holmes, Mr.Brooks (movie) or just a great police/court/character-driven film.

Bill (2007)

7/10

Light hearted comedy with a few surprises

Plot: A guy fed up with his job and married to a cheating wife reluctantly mentors a rebellious teen.


This film is great as it addresses certain serious subjects using a light and humourous tone. It focuses on a man with no authority over his own life takes control-with some help from a kid with an authority issue. The underlining tone of this film requires a more mature and well read audience.

Aaron Eckhart, who's normally suave and sharply dressed, plays a very different type of character in this film. His performance is great as we witness his character go through some big transformations.

Rogue (2007)

5/10

Its bark scarier than its bite

plot: An American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile.

It is a very mundane creature feature, not much in storyline or in graphics. BUT it does have some amazing and stunning landscape sceneries of Australia.

The acting is not bad, with the at-the-time-not-discovered Sam Worthington and Michael Vartan.

 Rogue, although thin in terms of storyline/material, it is still an entertaining creature feature. I would recommend this to those who enjoyed Anaconda I and II. If you want something that mixes horror/creates/comedy, then I would recommend: Tremors, Eight Legged Freaks and Lake Placid.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

4/10

Mediocre film that's not very thoughtful

Plot: Two seemingly dumb teens struggle to prepare a historical presentation with the help of a time machine.

When I started this film, I expected a ton of time travel that would make you think. What I received was a very linear storyline about two dumb and extremely dull teens who are caught up travelling through time in an attempt to finish a history report. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is just a bunch of different famous people from history thrown together in a phone booth....that's it.

Pros: The graphics and special effects for the late 80s is quite well done for this film. The different time period costumes are well done and detailed. The backdrop for each history time frame is believable

Cons: The time travelling aspect lacked in element and though. The story focused all of it's energy in introducing the viewer to the varies history time periods/personalities and spent no time on the effects of time travel has on the present/future. The dialogue was dull and the two main characters didn't appeal to me at all.

If you want GOOD time travel movie, DON'T bother with this one..you're way off base. I recommend you check out Back to The Future trilogy and Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel.

City of Men (2007)

8/10 [highly recommended]

Great film, from the producer of "City of God"

Plot: Best buddies Acerola and Laranjinha, about to turn 18, discover things about their missing fathers' pasts which will shatter their solid friendship, in the middle of a war between rival drug gangs from Rio's favelas.



Beautiful story that is companied by astonishing shots of landscapes. City of Men takes you on a journey between two friends (both of whom fatherless) and their search to find out about their fathers. Through their search for the truth, their friendship and values are tested.

A fantastic film, though not as great as City of God, but just as spectacular. I recommend watching both films, as each provide a different element in story, friendship, war, and scenery.

Harper's Island (2009)

7.5/10 [recommended]

Great mini-series that will keep you engaged (though predictable but still very thrilling)

PlOT: Harper's Island was once the scene of a gruesome series of murders. Now, seven years later, family and friends gather on the island for a wedding, but one by one they begin to die.

I watched this mini-series a few years ago. It is such an exciting series that I watched all 13 episodes in less than 5 days. It's a horror shot in BC, where (spoiler alert) a character dies per episode. This mini-series is fairly predictable at times, but it definitely does not disappoint with the horror/thrills/excitement.

Casino (1995)

8/10 [highly recommend]

iconic cast and a story that takes you into the heart of casinos

Plot: Greed, deception, money, power, and murder occur between two mobster best friends and a trophy wife over a gambling empire.

Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci lead the way in this gangster themed movie about the beginnings of sin city. We are taken through their experience through Ace (De Niro) and Nicky's (Pesci) experience in the world of casinos and mob ties. The story is told from Ace and Nicky's point of view, as they switch in between each other in narrating the film. This narrating is very unique and feels almost like a diary entry, mobster style.

A great film that I would highly recommend!

The Last Castle (2001)

3/10

The premise sounded good but the dialogue, storyline and scenarios are stupidly ridiculous and overly exaggerated

All the characters are very one sided and simple minded. The dialogue is shallow and cliched. "The Castle prison" doesn't even feel like a real prison. All these bad-ass dangerous prisoners, who get food/beverages/free time/family visits, all act like babies whining about mistreatment and minimal issues making this film feel like a high school drama.


The prisoners and prison is built up at the introduction of the film to be dangerous and strict, however the film does not deliver this atmosphere at all. Also to add to the stupidity of the film is the "forbidden salutes" rule of the prison.

Bad film, it had potential but failed to create much emotion or thought. The action in this film is bare minimum, so I won't even recommend it as a brainless action flick.

12 (2007)

8.5/10 [Highly Recommended]

Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent Russian remake

Plot: 12 jurors must decide the fate of a Chechen teenager charged with murdering his stepfather.

Barfuss (Barefoot) (2005)

7/10

Cute, wacky German film with content

Baruss (English "Barefoot") is about Nick, a hedonistic bachelor, falls for an escaped mental patient.

Great acting, believable and simple story line to follow. Til Schweiger and Johanna Wokalek are the perfect duo for this film. Wokalek plays the socially awkward mental patient who found herself with the troublesome bachelor, played by Schweiger. A bunch of ridiculous and quirky situations ensues.

A fantastic German chick flick with a lot of underlining messages that I highly recommend!!

Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire (1972)

6.5/10

Slow paced, quirky, funny

Plot: Hapless orchestra player becomes an unwitting pawn of rival factions within the French secret service after he is chosen as a decoy by being identified as a super secret agent.

I stumbled upon this French film accidentally and found it fairly entertaining.  The concept of this film intrigue and the introduction grabbed my attention right away. This is not a film to take too seriously as it is very quirky and full of ridiculous moments.

It wasn't as exciting or thrilling as I had hoped but there were numerous scenes that was ridiculously amusing and funny.

A remake of this film titled "The Man with One Red Shoe" was made in 1985 starring Tom Hanks.

Miracle at St. Anna (2008)

5.5/10

A good plot line but poor poor execution.

Plot: Set in 1944 Italy, the story of four black American soldiers who get trapped in a Tuscan village during WWII.

The film started off exciting but the attention grabber didn't last long. The dialogue and acting felt overly exaggerated. There was a lack in character development and connection between them. Many characters were introduced but none of them remain memorable.

The film felt long and dragged out. The movie felt like a bunch of scenes that was roughly thrown together in the editing room. Somewhere in the production, the direction of the film was forgotten, but the realization and decision to scramble a few meaningful scenes in proved insufficient.

Long story short, skip this film and go watch something like Saving Private Ryan and Saints and Soldiers

John Carter of Mars (2012)

7/10 [highly Recommended]

underrated gem filled with rich characters and an incredible new world.

Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior.

 What's not to love? Action, fight scenes, alien creatures, civilization on mars, and Taylor Kitsch in the lead.

The story telling style of John Carter is very unique as it explores the world of both earth and mars. It is not a simple story to follow if you aren't paying attention. There are many characters, endless new vocabulary to get used to, and a lot of 'clans' that are at war with one another.

Taylor Kitsch is perfect as long haired hero, John Carter and Lynn Collins as the princess of Mars. James Purefoy's character is also worth noting as it brought much comedic element to the film.

Though the graphics was not as extravagant as Avatar is was very believable and real. I feel that I enjoyed John Carter more than Avatar, not because of the graphics but rather the story and character development. John Carter explored more character depth and has much more complicated plot.

I highly recommend this film and pay close attention, as it is a thrill ride from minute one.

Man from Nowhere (2010)

7/10 [recommended to selected audience]

Gangs, drugs, smuggling, lone hero, fight scenes and blood blood blood...nothing new

Man From Nowhere is a Korean film about a quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug- and organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.

Right off the bat we are introduced to a bunch of characters, and if you weren't paying attention, you would have a hard time keeping up. The plot, though not complicated, does not wait for you and moves fairly quickly.

A typical storyline full of action packed fight scenes of a lone heroic man, with a complicated past, attempting to save a girl's life. Although this film has many overdone cliche themes (lone super human saving a girl from cruel/ruthless drug dealers and one super bad guy who is of equal strength that the hero must fight), it is definitely not a boring movie to watch.

But of course, being a Korean film, Man From Nowhere did include some tear shedding drama accompanied by orchestra background music. This touch of 'heart warming' element does help balance out the action of the protagonist.

In short, if you like gory fight scenes with tone of explicit scenes full of bloodshed, then definitely watch this film. Nothing new but great friday night kick back film to watch!

With some careful re-analyzation of this film, I decided to bump it from the original rating to a 7. This film felt very similar to Leon, The Professional...just with more blood filled scenes. Though this film has some cliche themes, I have to admit the cinematography and use of sound is above par.

The Core (2003)

5.5/10

Not the best apocalypse movie but not the worst either

Plot: The Earth's core has stopped spinning. Disasters are appearing all over the world: Birds acting crazy, powerful thunderstorms, 32 people die within seconds of each other when their pacemakers quit working. Dr. Josh Keyes and his crew of five (total members: 6) go down to the center of the Earth to set off a nuclear device to make the Earth's core start spinning again or Mankind will perish.

The Core isn't the best film about world disasters but it is fairly entertaining nevertheless. On one hand this film is full of action, explosions and a decent plot line. On the other hand, this same film is flawed, is predictable, riddled with cliches and doesn't have the best acting. When you balance the pros and cons, you are left with a brainless 135 minutes of overdramatic but entertaining film.

This film had potential to be so much better but failed to be much more then another forgettable action flick. The Core reminded me so much of the 1998  film Armageddon, where a group of drillers were sent to save the world, but sadly did not come to par with it. This movie lacked in the deep rooted character development, believable situation and better CGI.

The acting felt overdramatic and unreal, even with the amazing cast. The actors aren't completely at fault as the dialogue and interactions in between the characters are very underdeveloped. It felt as if someone in the editing room decided to cut out all the meaningful emotions and character depth leaving an empty fiery shell of people running around. Stanley Tucci and Bruce Greenwood kept the emotions going in the film with fairly good performances. I am a fan of both Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank but this film didn't do them much favour. DJ Qualls' character was my least favourite as it was way too dramatic, fake and forced.

I won't even go into the logic of how certain situations played out.

This film is for those who want to watch an exciting film without having to use their emotions/brain. Forgettable film

Paradise Road (1997)

8.5/10 [highly recommended]

An amazing and very moving film about different girls from different backgrounds forced together in unbearable circumstance. A test of will.

Paradise Road is a Fact-based recount of a group of women who are imprisoned on the island of Sumatra by the Japanese during World War II and used music as a relief to their misery.

Fantastic acting, that will grip you from moment one. Really shows that many of the war struggles in the POW camps and the endurance of women.

To End All Wars (2001)

6/10

A look at war through forgiveness

To End All Wars is a true story about four Allied POW's who endure harsh treatment from their Japanese captors during World War II while being forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle

This film explores how POW find their freedom through faith, belief and calm. Forgiving their captors and not exacting revenge.

To End All Wars is a very unique war films. Through the duration of the movie one does not feel anger or hatred but rather a feeling of pity towards the guards. Even watching the cruelty of the captors on the prisoners, the forgiveness of the prisoners overshadow any feelings of hate.   

The film didn't introduce the main character Ernest 'Ernie' Gordon as well as I had hoped. It was confusing in the first 20 minutes as to who the story centred around. The focus seems to jump from character to character and not really showing the relationship between people. I also had a hard time not seeing Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, which became distracting.

Some parts of the movie felt overdramatic and overdone (eg the ending where Campbell was beating up the guard). The exaggeration of events was unnecessary and did not help to emphasize the powerful message that underlines the film. It felt

Aside from some overdone scenes, this film is very well done, giving you a very different look at war.

Saints and Soldiers (2003)

8/10 [highly recommended]

Simple story with a lot of heart

Saints and Soldiers is a war drama that is based loosely around events taking place shortly after the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge where several US soldiers and a downed British airman need to reach Allied lines to pass on some vital intelligence.

This film is very character driven and extremely underrated! It doesn't focus only on action packed gore filled scenes, but rather the personal battles each one of the soldiers goes through. Exploring themes of morale, faith, fear, friendship and purpose. Each character experiences some sort of change and personal battle as they fought to survive.

A very powerful film that carries a lot of content. Sit down. Give this film a chance.

The Raid Redemption (2011)

7/10 [recommended to selected  audience]

The Raid is filled with fantastic action, packed with endless martial arts fight scenes, heart pumping suspenseful moments and a whole lot of gore.

The Raid Redemption is an action packed Indonesian film that feels like a cross between Kill Bill, Jackie Chan film (without the humour), Die Hard and Ninja Assassin.The entire film is set inside a run down apartment building, where layout remains a mystery and every corner of the premise is filled with thugs. The movie follows members of the SWAT team as they attempt to take down the mobster and his arm of killers.

The storyline is fairly simple, with a bit of a twist towards the end, but nothing overly complicated. What is worth noting is the well choreographed fight scenes and captivating cinematography.

Recommended to those who love a brainless action packed film full of blood, fights and action. Even though the subtitles went off course and paused  during parts of the movie, it did not effect the experience of the film.

Parents (1989)

8/10

A morbidly creepy yet funny film that will make you think twice about eating meat again.

Parents is set in 1950's about a boy who began to question where his parents is getting their dinner meat from. A comedy/mystery/horror/drama, the entire story is told from the perspective of the little boy, Michael.

Acting is superb! Bryan Madorsky is very genuine in his portrayal of the confused/scared Michael who is unsure who to trust. Madorsky's only acting gig and he gave a fantastic performance. I wish I could have seen him in more films. The parents, played by Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt, are very believable and very creepy...I had the chills every time they smiled....

Parents is very deceiving as it uses sit-com music and a warm family appeal giving viewers a false sense of safety and just when your guards are down the film will plunge into the horrific scene. The realization that you are actually watching a scary movie comes so quickly that it is chilling.

The cinematography creates the horror and element of fear. The film focuses on using high and low angles to give the illusion of the petite-ness of Michael and the towering built of the grown ups. The film also uses a lot of spins and turns emphasizing the idea of confusion and loss that Michael feels. In the scene where Michael is tied to a chair, the entire room is turning but the camera remain fixed on the people-- this shot is quite entrancing. The film has many short cuts, blending dream and flashback sequences and reality together further creating a sense of confusion and fear.

The blending of scenes into scenes and scenes into a solid screen of red makes this film really scary. Red has been contrasted and saturated quite a bit in this movie, making it loom over all other colours. The scenes are not overly gore, but is able to gross you out nevertheless.

I highly recommend this film to horror/comedy/mystery lovers. It is not your typical slasher or ghost film. It uses the element of safety (your parents) to create the sense of fear.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

8/10 [recommended]

the horrors of war

The Deer Hunter is An in-depth examination of the way the Vietnam war affects the lives of people in a small industrial town in the USA.

The Deer Hunter takes us through the effects of war with three close knit friends, showing us that there is nothing glamourous or glorifying about war. This film has some scenes of blood and violence but the uneasiness this film creates does not come from any of these elements. The sheer fear and unease comes from a single bullet and a revolver. Without revealing too much, the element of the bullet and revolver help to emphasize the horrors that comes with war.

Absolutely brilliant casting with Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryll Streep, and Christopher Walken (all in their younger years).


This is not a easy relaxing film but one that is psychologically straining. Well shot and worth checking out.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

7.5/10 [Recommended]

Dialogue driven drama that is fantastically well made!!

Glengarry Glen Ross is an examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office.

I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed this film being one that mainly consists of dialogue and character development. Focusing on salesman and the negative connotation that comes with it. This film explores the arrogances of successful salesmen, the intense stress from the pressure of making a sale, grovelling that comes desperation, success that follows with pride, and the sly dishonest methods used to make a sale.


Glengarry Glen Ross starts off with an intense opening that creates an unsettling and stressful atmosphere for the rest of the film. The rest of the film is carried by the star studded cast and their terrific performance in embodying their characters. What successful element in this film is its camera work and lighting choice. There are some very note worthy shots of continuous panning shots with zooming in and shifts between the camera moving verses the subject moving. The use of BLUE and RED light and shades adds an edge this flick.


Add this to your watch list because the pure talent of the cast ( Kevin Spacey, Al Pacino, Alex Baldwin, Ed Harris and John Lemmon) makes this film a gem!!

Elf (2003)

6/10

A cheerful, silly look at raw and complete innocence

Elf is about  a man raised as an elf at the North Pole who is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity after inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size.

Elf is a clever holiday film that both tells a lovely tale as well as makes a spoof on it. An elf by the name of Buddy is actually a human, but he was brought up by elves. So imagine a full grown man, who is smart, high spirited but has the innocent mindset of a 2 year old. We see Buddy interact with the outside world unbeknownst of it's cruelty and lost of innocence. Every negative remark made towards Buddy didn't affect him until...spoiler

I spent most of the film absorbed with the visual effects of the film. The simple yet effect treatment of the scenes and the created animation made the film believable and cute.

When Christmas rolls around..watch this movie!

Jackie Brown (1997)

6.5/10

Layers upon layers but no surprising conclusion.

A female flight attendant becomes a key figure in a plot between the police and an arms dealer.

Samuel L Jackson gave a great performance in this film. I felt myself despising him the moment the film rolled. His character had a sinister nice guy personality that makes you unsure whether to run away from him or to trust him.

This film had much of Quentin Tarantino's stylish touch to it, though the story didn't engage me but the filming technique kept me interested.

A visually appealing film that is fairly slow paced

Deja Vu (2006)

9/10 [highly recommended]

By far one of my favourite suspenseful thriller with time travel element.

An ATF agent travels back in time to save a woman from being murdered, falling in love with her during the process.

Deja Vu is a very realistic crime thriller with a clever sci-fi twist that will keep ou engaged. Acting is superb, plot is superb, but what makes this a great film is the mix in genres. Romance, drama, thriller, suspense, crime, action AND time travel.

The time travel wraps itself into the crime that is being investigated, so you are seeing bits of the ending throughout. I don't want to say too much as I might end up giving spoilers so I'll end it by saying WATCH IT and then REWATCH it and then repeat.

Narc (2002)

6.5/10

Profanity at its highest level, character intensive, really intense,  predicable storyline, nicely shot but nothing that new

When the trail goes cold on a murder investigation of a policeman an undercover narcotics officer is lured back to the force to help solve the case.

If you don't like profanity in a film, then this film will be offensive to you. 297 uses of the f-word (not to mention other curses that are thrown out).

Narc is character driven film exploring everything from inner demons, family difficulties, frustration, the theme bad/good cop, corruption, and the hardship with undercover.

The storyline is fairly straightforward and somewhat predictable. The ending wasn't as exciting as I hoped as I was expecting more twists.

This film does not put police officers on a pedestal, but rather peels back the core to expose the raw side of being exposed to the world of narcotics.


In the end, who's really a bad cop and who's a good cop? Question may never be answered.

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

6/10

Lovely cast with funny scenarios

The Importance of Being Earnest plot: In 1890s London, two friends use the same pseudonym ("Ernest") for their on-the-sly activities. Hilarity ensues.

Rupert Everett and Colin Firth both are fantastic in the lead roles.

Not my favourite film but it is family witty and silly.

Fateless (2005)

9/10 [highly recommended]

A heart breaking and haunting tale of a boy living through something no one should ever experience.

Fateless is about a 14-year-old, György's, life that is torn apart in World War II Hungary as he is sent to a concentration camp where he is forced to become a man, and learns to find happiness in the midst of hatred, and what it really means to be Jewish.


 This film is not a walk in the park, as it explores some of the cruellest and unbearable moments in human history. When the final credits rolled in Fateless,  I sat there for 5 minutes staring into space, thinking and trying to let it sink in. Some scenes in Fateless are so raw and shocking that it will leave you feeling at a lost for words.

We see everything from György's point of view: he attempts at survival, loss of hope, his search for happiness, sorrow, and acceptance of his fate. Part of him died while imprisoned in the camp, a part he will never get back.

[below contains spoilers]
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The end line in this film is one of the most bitter sweet narratives I've seen. As he walks off into the distance, his voice calmly says: "it was at that certain hour..even there in the square...was my favourite hour in the camp. I was filled with a sharp, painful, and helpless feeling: I felt Homesick... People always ask me about the horror, never the happiness. Because they ask, I can't forget." 

The most shocking bit in his epilogue is that he felt homesick for the camp...It completely boggles my mind at his reaction, however it makes sense that he would. The camp was where he lived his life from childhood to maturity. It is the only place where he has friends who can relate to how he feels, and it is the place where he almost died.

The most touching part in his conclusion is his view of the entire experience. He was not feeling sorry for himself, but rather his seeking of happiness of his entire journey. He rather talk about the joy in the camp, and not the horror. However, since all anyone ever ask is of the horror, he can never put it behind him. No hatred, no self pity, no fear, but just a need to seek happiness/desire to find meaning again.
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A very life changing, heart breaking, and powerful film. Watch it.

Micmacs 2009

7/10 [Recommended]

Micmacs is about a man and his friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers

From the maker of the French film Amélie, brings you MicMacs, a clever and well edited with small clips of animation and shot/edited in a very unique technique.

A very quirky yet sophisticated film that takes your through a intricate plan to bring down two weapons manufacturers. This film may not be the most action packed film with car chases and fight scenes, but it did not need any of these elements to be just as exciting. Although slow paced at times, the amount of artistic elements that Micmacs contained, such as mechanical puppets and cut out pictures, made this film very spectacular.

The array of clever, witty, silly, and ridiculous characters brought together in this film are worth watching.

If I had to chose two words to describe this film it'd be 'smartly quirky'. Micmac is a smart film filled with many quirky characters and is a piece of masterpiece.

Napola (aka Before the Fall) 2004

7/10 [recommended]

Astounding and shocking look at how boys became weapons.

In 1942, Friedrich Weimer's boxing skills get him an appointment to a National Political Academy (NaPolA) - high schools that produce Nazi elite

This film at first felt like a story of friendship but as the film rolled we see that friendship is clouded with cruel intentions attempting to build up killers. The innocences that each student that entered the school is washed away and filled with ideologies of the Nazi regime.

Definitely worth watching.

Haywire (2011)

5/10

Meh

Haywire is about  a black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission.

ok, plot sounded exciting but the film was far from it. Many parts of Haywire didn't make sense, there was odd use of sound effects, and scenarios were extremely un-captivating .

The genre this film is labelled under are "action" and "thriller, so my expectation going into it was exactly that. I turned on this movie on a friday night, hoping to kick back to something similar to the Bourne films, but rather I received a rather dull movie and a very un-fulfilling performance from the main actress. This film felt more like a drama then thriller.

The main part of this film that captured my attention was the star-studded cast and the idea of a super spy film. I guess I had too high of an expectation going into this film but with a cast of Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, and Channing Tatum, can you blame me?

Haywire tried to hard to be a sophisticated spy film that it forgot to have a good storyline and thrill to go with it.