Clash of the Titans (2D)

I redeemed one of my free tickets (won from a game during my company's dinner & dance recently) to watch Clash of the Titans. While the stellar cast of actors are overpowering, it has somehow failed to match up to the glitter.

The 2010 version Clash of the Titans tells a pivoted story of Perseus and his quest to kill Hades. On his journey, he seeks the words of the Stygian Witches, obtains the head of Medusa, kills Acrisius and finally destroys the Kraken, saving Argos and Andromeda.

The mishmash of the movie offers mostly wrong information on the Greek mythologies, the wardrobe, sets and monsters did not heighten the enjoyment. It seems to lack grandiosity and mystic. So much said for the special effects.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. For those unfamiliar to Greek mythologies, the new Clash of the Titans is still rather entertaining.

City of Men

After I had watched City of God a few years back, I naturally assumed that City of Men could potentially be an interesting movie.

The movie tells the story of two best friends, Acerola and Laranjinha, before they turn 18. Laranjinha is determined to locate his father while his family discourages his search. Acerola, an orphan, supports Laranjinha and starts the search and to help to identify Laranjinha's father.

The friendship suffers a huge break when Acerola discovers that he has been an orphan because Laranjinha's father had killed his father while trying to rob a restaurant. Together with a war between the rival drug lords for a hold of the hill, their friendship becomes compromised.

Rating: 2 out of 5 fairy clouds. While the movie makes reference to their childhood and strong bonding, I find it hard to totally comprehend with dire exasperation of people living in the slum. You feel pitiful and sympathize with their hardship, hopelessness and chaos living in such an environment. You leave the cinema feeling sad instead of inspire by their perseverance to keep trying for a better life. It is a real shame.

My Lovely Bones

I watched My Lovely Bones after finishing up on an event over the weekend in March. The movie has a very strange poetic rhythm and captivating charm. You either love it or hate it, I don't think there is much of an in-between.

Her name is Salmon, like a fish. First name, Susie. She is a 14 year old and her life is only just beginning when it is taken away from her. Taking a short cut through the corn field, Susie meets a neighbour, Mr Harvey, who coaxes her to see an underground den which he has built for the children. From that fateful day onwards, Susie watches her family and her killer from an in-between world.

She watches how her death tormented her family and she desires vengeance from the man who has taken away all her hopes and her future. Slowly over the years, her family starts to heal and her killer has been discovered. Together with the other young victims, Susie is able to finally move on to heaven and let go of her final wish.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. The movie has done rather well to bring across the emotional pain, the horror of death and all the things which were considered unbelievable in the 1970s where people trusted each other, especially neighbours. Quite a lot of depth in the seemingly simple and straightforward movie.