I just realized I've seen a fuck load of movies in the past two weeks. And yet I haven't written a single entry about at least one of them. In an effort to combat Blogger's Block, here are some blurbs about each movie. Feel free to add comments. Let me know we have a difference in opinion - just don't get too hostile.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Hollywood version)

I thought the original version in German was very compelling and might be too graphic. But it was one of the best movie adaptations I've seen so far. The US version lost the excessive thrill of suspense that I got from the original. However, I was very pleased that they showed more of Lisbeth Salander's personality. The German version showed little of her capacity for love. The US version succeeded in making her more human than the one I saw on the original.


Man on a Ledge

I admit: I have become a fan of Sam Worthington. His list of accomplishments (Avatar, Terminator Salvation among others) were impressive. And while Clash of the Titans was a sour attempt at milking his Avatar fame, I really can't think of any good reason to miss Man on a Ledge.

The movie can be classified as a B-grade suspense thriller with a great cast and a tight story. The biggest disappointment is the lack of twist. Or was it just me who thought the twist was so predictable, you can probably walk out in the middle of the movie to get more popcorn and just come back within the last 15 minutes of the screening? 

In the end, Sam Worthington saved this movie. Yeah, maybe Elizabeth Banks did too.

The Darkest Hour

What a breath of fresh air! This is probably the first alien movie you will see where America was not the one who found the way to kill the aliens. Also, the concept of invisible aliens devouring all things that give off energy was pretty clever. The downfall of this movie: its cast. Surely they could've hired Mike Vogel or some C-list TV actor. 

Underworld:Awakening

My first complaint: not enough Scott Speedman. In fact, no Scott Speedman at all! ( His exposure was kept at minimum, reduced to a mere cameo.) I always love how writers think of ways to continue a movie franchise that has gone from sequel to prequel and back to a sequel. This one may satisfy our thirst for a more violent, action packed vampire-werewolf showdown. It will however, disappoint the CGI freaks because this movie looked like they slashed their graphics budget, considering that this is marketed as a 3D film. They could have at least made an effort to maintain the previous movies' CGI technology. This one looks cheap and effortless (and not in a good way).

Chronicle

Like what my tweet said, this shit is bananas. Remember how Magneto abused his mutant power and became the number one enemy of the X-Men? That's basically what this movie is about ny thisn one's cooler since the guys who got their mutant powers are very ordinary people like you and me. Brace yourselves of some amazing flying scenes and awesome display of telekinetic abilities. This is one of the best superhuman movies I've seen (outside the expansive list of Marvel and DC movies).

The Grey

Warning: this is a tale of survival. That means there's a lot of dead people, wild animals, chewed flesh and endless supply of blood. It's a great tale of 'what if our plane crashes..' and it gives a more compelling storyline than, say, Lost or Castaway. 

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

This film is really for kids so don't expect an adventure movie that was taken seriously by its producers. I have no ide why Brendan Fraser wasn't picked to reprise his role but the shift to Dwayne Johnson being the stepfather was the best thing to do. The only problem is, he is just too serious or too 'bland' to be in a film like this. Remember Race to Witch Mountain? Remember how poorly that performed in the box office?

Still, bring your two kids and you'll probably get to appreciate the cheesy lines.