If you were a 80s or 90s kid, your favourite dinosaur movie has got to be JURASSIC PARK. The one very distinctive scene that you would remember vividly, would be the one where you watch how that vibrating cup of water in the car instilled fear in the main characters, when the T-Rex was seeking them out.

We have never forgotten how Jurassic Park used to thrill us. Decades passed and we had the Jurassic World back in 2015.

It’s good to see Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallads Howard reprising their roles in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. I was hoping to see a little more on their love line since they parted ways where Jurassic World ended. However, there wasn’t really much development.

They would brave dangers together once again in this seemingly “darker” theme “Fallen Kingdom”.

It was akin to a Kingdom, or a very majestic zoo/safari, back in the 1st part of this trilogy. Now, all we see are ruins and chaos as all the surviving dinosaurs fending for themselves on a deserted island.

This sequel is a little “darker” not just in its literal terms that the dinosaurs were jailed in dungeons, how the park looks like after being abandoned and how the dinosaurs had to die or to be sold before the volcano erupt, but also how it made you feel.

Most importantly, it’s about the co-existence between human beings and dinosaurs.

Humans seem to be the “monsters” as compared to these once-extinct creatures, with their evil agendas.

– Was it the fault of these natural predators that such irreversible impact was caused?
– Or the mankind who tried to revive them, by cloning them and genetically altering them?
– Now that they have caused harm to mankind, should we leave them to die or have them protected in a sanctuary?
– Is there a way to co-exist or the best way is for human beings to just leave them alone?
– Who are the real “monsters”?

These are some questions that the director, script writers might wish you would ponder about.

It’s sad to see these magnificent and majestic creatures that roam the earth way before mankind, to be locked up in cages, shackled, wounded, removed of their teeth, etc, just like endangered animals that poachers hunt down.

Nonetheless, the attempt to move things out of the theme park and now you see dinosaurs ramping in the dungeons and corridors of Lockwood’s castle-like home, is a daring move and good effort, though the attempt had somewhat caused a little downside for this movie.

You can’t but help applaud Bayona for instilling the fear factor and super intense moments of suspense and horror at the same time. You probably would recall the breath-taking moments when Indoraptor was tapping its claw, which seeking out the hiding of its victims.

The more heart-warming treat of this deal is, the special bond between Owen and “Blue”. Blue is a velociraptor which would tear her prey up, except that she recognises Owen, her trainer and would save him in times of danger and protect him.

It reminds us of the bonding that most pet owners would have with their pets. They would turn ferocious to protect their masters but would be like a little “kid” when they wanted to seek some affection. If a cold-dinosaur could be more empathetic and feeling than human beings, what does it make us out to be?

Even in the world of dinosaurs, there is segregation by “classes” – those that are worth more would be saved, while the rest would be left to die on their own.
Isn’t it so apt to this term that we always hear about “Survival of the Fittest”?

This pretty much resonates with how animal poachers kill or sell endangered animals for their body parts that are consistently in pretty high demand in a “black market”.

Here, we are talking about “ Dinosaurs Trafficking”. You would be an instant millionaire, if not, Billionaire.

Was it out of human greed, monetary gains, fame, or the fact that mankind wishes to revive a group of creatures that existed long before our time?

The world of dinosaurs may just be far-fetched fantasy, but what the director and scriptwriters are trying to send across to us, is way more in-depth.

Are audience prepared to be set thinking about the deeper implications that such acts would ensue, or are they more likely to engage in a visually enjoyable and intense “dinosaur” chasing movie?

This 2nd part of the trilogy, already sets its pave to what might come in the 3rd franchise.

There was much direction thrown towards the moral implications of genetic cloning.

It sets you thinking, though mankind is responsible for cloning them, does it give you a right to take away their lives?

It seems that the fools of this movie, is still mankind afterall.

Human beings are intelligent enough to bring these extinct dinosaurs back to life, harness their potential due to their greed, yet is still nothing but a helpless prey when left face to face with the dinosaurs.

While there are several issues that may set you thinking, the generic fear factor that we have for these majestic creatures are still instilled with us, in all the very intense, terrifying and seat-gripping, heart-pounding scenes, something just seems to be lacking in a manner.

Perhaps, we can have lesser of the sinister “agenda” behind all these genetic engineering, but to have a more functional way that we all enjoy of the “Jurassic Park” instalments that we used to love.

It’s good to move with the times, and also try to take a twist away from the functional state of such movies, but it probably needs to consider more about how to keep the audience leaving the cinema, with some very iconic or heartfelt scenes, that we would remember, for a longer time.

If you always have been a Jurassic series fan, yes of course, you should watch this. If you aren’t but are gamed for some excitement, it is still thrilling in its ways, just don’t keep up too many hopes on it bringing you many out of the extra-ordinary moments.Read More →

Known as the King & Queen of Melodramas, So Ji Sub & Son Ye Jin make their on-screen reunion after 17 years as loving couple with a very cute and sensible son in “Be With You”. This movie is a Korean remake of the famous Japanese movie, based on a popular novel by Takuji Ichikawa.

The story started with an animation about a mother penguin which passed away and reunited with her family one day after traveling back on the “rain train”, but had to leave again when the rainy season ended.

It ‘s a prelude to how the story would end but it is how the story unfolds with looking back into the past, revelations of how things happened before and after, that would tug at your heart strings.

电影的拍摄手法像雨季一样,悠悠的, 轻轻的打在你身上。

看到初中那青涩的岁月,仿佛把你带到了”那些年”和”我的少女时代”的场景。曾经曾经,我们都有过那青涩腼腆,遇见心议对象小鹿乱撞,不知所措的年代。

从初中认识,到了大学时期才约会几次,过后分手,又再次相遇,结婚生子,到生离死别,到最后失了记忆回来后.. 又重新的开始找回那相爱的甜蜜感觉和记忆。

两人其实从很早的时候就对彼此有感觉,但都缺乏自信和勇气,不敢告白。就在等待的时刻,磋跎了好几年。

Ji Sub oppa 这回的角色虽然会有 melo 成分,但有一些较活泼的表现。因为他得从10几岁演到40几岁。那傻呼呼的懵懂少年,从暗恋,到如何笨拙的第一次约会和牵手, 会让你我会心一笑。那是多遥远,但多美好的时光?

即使是结了婚后,两人感情依旧甜蜜。由始至终,两人都是属于细水长流型。这种才是令人向往的爱情和婚后生活。

戏里的儿子 Ji Ho 真的很可爱。也把那个年纪的小孩该有的天真与活泼,还渴望和妈妈一直一直在一起而做的”傻事”发挥的很惹人心疼。

其实看到最后40分钟才开始有点想哭的感觉。就是儿子 Ji Ho 在表演时说得那番话。他心里知道妈妈迟早会离开,于是就在”演讲”时, 说了会如何照顾自己,和守护爸爸,要妈妈放心。还有就是 Woo Jin 和 Soo Ah 在下着雨的夜里,凝望着对方哀伤的眼神。虽然什么话都没说, 他们俩都知道离别在即。

父子俩都知道秀雅会在雨季结束后离开,但都各自想尽办法”挽留”她, 试图不让她离开。他们傻的可爱,也傻得让人心疼。

我想, 故事想带过的时, 即使失去了记忆,该相爱的人, 还是会重新找回记忆。。 重新找回爱的感觉。。 因为”爱”靠的不是脑袋里的记忆,而是感觉。

该相爱的人始终还是会再次 fall in love.

人来到这世界上, 是为了遇见那命定的人, 相知到相爱,但总会有分开的那一天。倘若明知道结果还是会分开,那是不是会更珍惜与彼此在一起的时光?

我想,该如何好好的告别,让离开的人放心,让留下来的人好好的生活下去,才是最大难题。

电影故事处理的方式就很好的包括这两点,所以不会让你像在看了那些千篇一律,令人无法释怀的结局一样纠结。

看完之后, 就像喝了一壶带点苦涩,有点酸,但又有点甜的柠檬茶。。只是看你如何拿捏那浓度,酸度和甜度。

清淡,但不给人太承重的负担。

因为我没有看过原著日版,所以无法说哪个版本比较好看。但以第一次看这部电影来说,我觉得虽然不是什么轰轰烈烈会让你内心澎湃的激动,但是种可以用淡淡,浅浅的方式,来温暖你的心的那种感觉。

看了会想谈恋爱,也会想更珍惜在身边的人。Read More →

Midnight Runners, is all you need after a hard week at work, to keep you entertained on a Friday night. It’s like chilling with Lemon or Lime Mojito, with a refreshing twist to kick-start your weekend and it would leave you with a sweet after taste.

There’s not just lotsa laughter, but also an eye feast (literally), with young, hot bods (6 packs, biceps, triceps) of 2 rising stars (Park Seo Joon & Kang Ha Neul) in Korea. 所谓的 “青春热血”,会让你血脉膨涨。

You get a bit of everything from action to comedy, visual aesthetics (no romance though), yet not excessively violent or bloody like many action-packed Korean movies may get. It’s pretty well-balanced and well-paced. It isn’t draggy and there’s no time for boredom.

As the title says it, there’s a lot, a lot of running during midnight. The action scenes are bound to keep you breathless while watching the guys sprint their way from long winding roads to narrow alleys. You can literally label them as “Running Men”.

You’d be laughing half the time with the hilarious things they do, yet it did not fall into the category of slapstick comedy.

There’re some societal topics being brought out in the movie,

1) Putting self before others, or vice versa?

2) How materialistic people are these days. Before you decide to be friends with someone, you would assess their societal status.

3) Would you challenge red tape and protocol, if someone’s life is at stake?

4) Are you doing what you enjoy? Do you understand the rationale of why you are doing what you are doing now?

We all need to explore, to understand ourselves further.

年轻就是本钱。

It’s never too late to revive that fire in your heart, no matter what your passion or dream was/is.

You only live once, and you should not regret what you did not do.

There are dark moments but the light-heartedness of the friendship between the 2 leads, make it a very enjoyable journey to watch these recruits grow and mature in the movie.

This movie is definitely worth a ticket to the cinema over the weekend.

I’m sure it’s not just for swooning female fans, the guys would like it too.Read More →

“The Battleship Island” has started screening in cinemas on 17 August 2017. Have you watched or are you intending to watch this historical blockbuster? Be it watching for your favourite actors or wanting to know more about a dark page in history, your ticket money would be worth it. I am contemplating to brace myself to watch it a 2nd time. Prepare your tissues if you have more delicate tear glands.

With an A-List casting of Hwang Jung Min, So Ji Sub, Song Joong Ki, Lee Jung Hyun, Kim Su An and Award Winning Director Ryoo Seung Wan and a budget of US$21 million, we can almost be assured that the ticket box office sales will soar real high. The stars also made a trip to Singapore and Malaysia to promote this historical blockbuster. It shows how much emphasis the cast and crew place on this movie.

As expected, this movie would invite much controversy but what I would like to say is, it is a movie and not a documentary after all, thus entertainment value needs to be considered. More importantly, what the director and production crew hopes to do is to unravel a dark side of history that the world (including many Koreans) never knew. It is to relook into the past and learn from a new perspective, which can direct everyone to a better future.

The actors felt that we can all somehow relate to the happenings and would be touched by the story and also be aware that this actually happened in history. I feel this would also serve as a good lesson for the people in this generation that war would only bring harm to everyone else. There is no win-win situation when so many people have to suffer.

The trauma, atrocities, hardships, tortures, separations, deaths, sadness, betrayal, selflessness, selfishness and all forms of humanity could be seen from the movie.

I would say, the actors did a very great job.

The director also put in some joyful and heart-warming moments, creating some light heartedness within the inhuman living conditions of those on the island.

The one highlight of the movie would be the big escape plan and how the 400 Joseon workers helped one another. With war and escape plans would definitely bring about much bloodshed. However, “Unity is strength” indeed.

I am sure those who walked out of the cinema, would feel that their ticket money is worthwhile. You not only get to swoon at your favourite K-Actors but you also learn another lesson in history and it makes you appreciate more of what you have in the present and also to treasure your loved ones.

I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Remember to catch The Battleship Island while it is still screening!Read More →