Last weekend movies (19th week of 2012)

Life has become too busy, I like busy but too busy is really not my kind of thing and it is weird: I enjoy too busy a lot because there's no time to think about stupidities—which are usual when life is not busy at alla—the problem comes when it's too busy that you cannot actually finish one of the 6 things you are working on. Anyway, I have forced myself into the video store, movies and the networks web pages, this came out...

1. Sherlock Holmes: A game of Shadows, ****
   I enjoyed all of the stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and really lost myself thinking that Holmes died in Switzerland even though there was a third of the book left. Now, I just hope movies Holmes comes back as magazine Holmes came in the past.
   
   
2. Carnage, ***
   Polanski's take on Le Dieu du Carnage, I wish I had seen this on theater. Two couples of parents devolve from civilized sophisticated person into prejudiced childish asses. It has beautiful takes involving a mirror in the set, I loved them.
   
   
3. Underworld Awakening, ***
   I remember I got very excited for the first one nine years ago and, now, I'm far from excited as it seems there's gonna be a fifth one in the series as the ending of this leaves the door open to follow the search for Michael. Oh, most probably I will go to the movies and watch the new one if they make it.
   
   
4. Young Adult, ***
   This is a sad sad comedy. I'm really hoping this is a satire and the third star is just because I still believe in people and this has to be a satire if we are gonna survive as a something close to a rational race.
   
   
5. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, **
   Probably the best of the Mission Impossible series.
   
   
6. Contraband, **
   I love movies about cons, that's why this has the second star.
   
   
7. The Darkest Hour,  
   This film could have been awesome. The story is just terrific, good old war of the worlds invasion and funky aliens but, why o' why, had it to degenerate into a teen movie? 

End of season is almost here and I finally managed to catch up with the series I'm following. Any suggestions for the in-between season?

1. Last Man Standing S01-E19-23, ****
   Still fun to watch the angry man!
   
   
2. Castle S04-E17-22, ****
   It seems like we are gonna get a change in the episode formula sometime soon!
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O S02-E15, ***
   I can keep on with this, there's no big changes or twist but the crossover with NCIS: Los Angeles was a refreshing thing.
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E19-23, ***
   
   It has gotten a second air but not enough to recover the lost star.
   
   
5. Once upon a time S01-E14-20, **
   
   It has become too slow, please do something!.  

I think I'm gonna go sci-fi and animation for the summer break. 

Last weekend movies (12th week 2012)...

In order to try to keep a schedule, I'm scheduling this post way ahead of time...

1. Letters to Juliet, ****
   A young fact checker from The New Yorker finds herself thinking about her relationship while pursuing someone else's dream on an allegedly honeymoon-like vacation.
   
   
2. The Last Starfighter, ***
   This is amazing, just a couple of years after Tron (1982) this film has a lot of primitive CGI included, full scenes of CGI! And there's an alien that seems like the prototype of Dr. Zoidberg. The alien copilot looks a lot like the alien in Enemy Mine from 1985—the 1979 novella of the same title is awesome, a must read for science fiction fans—.
   
   
3. Seeking justice, ***
   A school teacher's wife is raped in New Orleans. A mysterious man approaches the school teacher offering vendetta in exchange of a future favor to the vigilante organization that he represents and that is only the beginning. A good thriller.

I managed to watch some tv-series:

1. Eureka S01, ***
   Federal Marshall Jack Carter finds himself working as Sheriff for the top-secret town of Eureka, where the topmost brilliant scientists of USA work for the development of science and technology. Of course, this peculiar town is prone to a lot of mishaps either by the ingenuity of the townspeople or the actions of some unknown evil band of men.

Last weekend movies (9th week 2012)...

Most probably, this is the last quasi-periodical blog update in at least a month. I'm leaving Singapore, going on real vacations for two weeks and, then, moving back to Mexico...

1. Sabrina, ****
   Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn), the lovely young daughter of an English chauffeur serving an American family, is deeply in love with the spoiled playboy of the family and can ruin a big merger between corporate families by running away with the youngster. It comes to the old, reliable, business mastermind of the family, Linus (Humphrey Bogart), to avoid such debacle.
   
   
2. Die Welle, ****
   Autocracies are a thing of the past and surely cannot emerge on modern democratic societies. Right? Wrong! Based on The Third Wave experiment of 1967, this awesome German film fictionalizes the real experiment that showed the emergence of fascist, nationalist behavior along high-school teenagers in just one week.
   
   
3. Age of Heroes, ****
   So, you knew that Ian Fleming was in charge of forming a secret commando for the British Army during WWII, right? The 30 Assault Unit was the name and this film seems very much like what should have happened in the beginning of such unit.
   
   
4. Tales of an ancient empire, 
   I don't understand why Vampire stories are usually all or nothing. I fell asleep after 20min of the film and didn't even cared to try to watch it again. 

I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to keep following the tv-series I have learned to like in the last year and a half here in Singapore, so this may be the last post about this matter:

1. Last Man Standing S01-E18, ***
   Tim's dad and brother come to town and may be staying there for a long time as they are gonna be building the new store. Of course, that cannot go smooth at the first try.
   
   
2. Castle S04-E16, ***
   The mystery left over from last week is solved when Beckett and Castle are in the midst of a cold war sleeper attempt to start world war three.
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O S02-E17, ***
   The unit has to solve the murder of a successful liner builder which happens to be a Hawaiian history fan. The suspects go from a petty thief to a possible eco-terrorist but, in the end, the motif is as simple as possible: pure greed.
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E18, ***
   
   The episode is named "The werewolf transformation." Sheldon starts becoming a chaotic character after failing to get his scheduled hair cut due to the barber being in coma.
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Once upon a time S01-E13, ***
   
   The story book is back, the story behind prince charming and Midas' daughter is finished, and the mysterious writer is starting to leave the background and playing a role. Interesting.  

   
   
7. Comic Book Men S01-E02, ***
   
   The second out of six episodes reality show based at Kevin Smith's comic book store: Jay and Bob's Secret Stash. The 60s Batmobile comes to the store and the guys try to play ball hockey without any glory at all. 

Last weekend movies (8th week 2012)

This week was another run at the discount bin with some titles I didn't even catch their names on the internet when they first came out. But it was a great discount bin run as you will see...

1. Warhorse, ****
   A horse, his owner and WWI. A story of the great war where the main character is a horse, and the owner whom loves it. It has great visual storytelling and the composition of shots is beautiful.
   
   
2. The Big Year, ****
   What does birders leave behind in search of a big year? The film is based on the book The Big Year: A tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik which records the birder's season of 1998. It's a good comedy that somehow makes you think a little.
   
   
3. The rum diary, ****
   This film is based on Hunter S. Thompson's book The Rum Diary telling the story of an unpublished american novelist came journalist in Puerto Rico to pay the bills. A tale of expatriates life and abuses overseas. It's great to see Johnny Depp in two movies based on Thompson's books, the other is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
   
   
4. Anonymous, ****
   A visually appealing exploitation of the Oxford theory of Shakespeare with a lot of pseudo-history on  top of it to make for the lack of romance, drama and knowledge of true story.
   
   
5. Too Big to Fail, ****
   What happened behind the corporate and federal doors at the market meltdown of 2008? This pseudo-documentary film tries to hypothesize such events based on the news that came and information that leake out at and after the time.
   
   
6. Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, ***
   The Justice League has to save an alternate Earth were superheroes are bad and supervillians good. Although the move spends most of the time with just five of the founding members (Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash), the keystone of this animated film is my favorite psychopath: The Batman.
   
   
7. Cougars, Inc.,  
   Again, I didn't forget to put the stars. I don't even know why I finished watching this... 

This week brought many interesting things on the tv-series front:

1. Last Man Standing S01-E16-17, ***
   Embarrassment, dares, fight versus city bureaucracy, and a NASCAR car.
   
   
2. Castle S04-E15, ***
   A ghost assassin is loose in the city trying to start a the destruction of the modern world! Of course, Beckett and Castle get involved in this first part of two CIA thriller where I have the feeling there's more than meets the eye.
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O S02-E16, ***
   The team is in troubles when a murder is committed at the governor's fund rising ball and everything almost ends in an international terrorist attack to the Russian embassy.
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E176, ***
   
   Again, the episode is split between the adventures of the boys and those of the girls. Sheldon finds himself fighting for a new office and, afterwards, his sanity while Penny has to deal with being the bff of Amy.
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Once upon a time S01-E12, ***
   
   A retelling of the beauty and the beast that amazingly gives more insight on the story behind Rumpelstiltskin and the Evil Queen.  

   
   
7. Comic Book Men, ***
   
   A six episode reality based at Kevin Smith's comic book store: Jay and Bob's Secret Stash. It's a funny look at the memorabilia, pop culture and comic book tradings happening at the store.

Last weekend movies (7th week 2012)

Consuming media is a wonderful trip, there are amazing story and storytelling ideas that come from films in the discount bin that I didn't even manage to see in the marquee...

1. Wristcutters: A love story, *****
   What happens to suicide-people after they die? They go to a hot and desolated place with no laughs. The idea is awesome, it is based in the title-story of "Kneller's happy campers" by Etgar Keret. I'm gonna read that anthology as soon as possible. Do yourself a favor and go for the film, the acting is good, the soundtrack is creative, and the whole thing is a piece that you will carry in your memory for long.
   
   
2. Funny Face, ****
   Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn, together, dancing and singing—now I understand why Hepburn's sung part in My Fair Lady was done by someone else—in a fashion magazine romantic comedy film that surely was an inspiration for a lot of films like Devil wears Prada and such.
   
   
3. In time, ***
   The idea behind the film is awesome: Humans have been genetically modified to stop aging at 25, the price to pay is that after that instant each and every further second has to be earned because time has substituted money as currency. The film is barely good compared to what can be done with such a great idea, I think.
   
   
4. Drive, ***
   This drama has an 80s feeling all over it—I realized it was a 2011 film by checking the IMDb—, it uses a lot of slow, long scenes to build feelings between characters like in olden times. The twist and ending are good and filled with noir crime novel nostalgia. It is based in a book by James Sallis.
   
   
5. The Switch, **
   A lonely but accomplished woman chooses artificial insemination to fulfill her motherly dreams but, on the insemination day, his best friend switches the sperm's donor with his. Do you realize that I almost used the same words than in last weekend's backup plan? This is funnier, more comedy than romantic.
   
   
6. The Hit List, **
   A run down man without any drive finds a friend in a hitman who asks him for a list of people whose death will make his life better. Good action, but not thrilling at all.
   
   
7. In the Name of the King: Two Worlds,  
   I just realized this is a sequel to a dungeon siege film. No, I didn't forget to put the stars. I fell asleep twice while trying to watch it. 

Really, what is happening with television series? ...

1. Last Man Standing S01-E15, ****
   Mike's birthday! "Bacon of the month club... Yey, 17 years already... Yeah, if you get to 20 you get a free angiogram... What about 25?... Nobody makes it to 25." This is what I love about Tim Allen's shows, simple, crude, and fun.
   
   
2. Castle S04-E14, *****
   They really made a killer episode! Beckett and Castle solve a murder and a crime from the 50s while Castle enacts the past in his minds eye. Awesome characterization!
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O S02-E15, ***
   Danno is reached by his past and his family is put in danger's way.
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E16, ****
   
   Sheldon is forced to take vacations and pesters Amy on her lab. Howard is getting married and issues start arising while the rest of the guys just hang around.
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Once upon a time S01-E11, ***
   
   Emma trusts too much in Sydney and we learn the story behind the Evil Queen's mirror.  

Sorry for being late, I went walking and taking pictures yesterday and forgot to write the post in advance. 

Last weekend movies (6th week 2012)

This was a weird weekend, there were some very good movies and some real bad ones...

1. Cidade de Deus, *****
   Life at the "City of God," one of Rio de Janeiro's favelas, from the eyes of a kid who grew up to be a photographer. This is a violent but awesome film depicting life in the outskirts of Rio during the 60, 70, and 80s. It's based on real events. It is so good that it's one of the few films that I have seen twice in my life.
   
   
2. The warrior's way, *****
   The best swordsman assassin from Japan deserts from his clan and seeks refuge in the wild west where he makes new friends, new enemies and old enemies find him. A mash-up of lone wolf and cub, seven samurais, magnificent seven and many more this film just made my day! This is how a action fantasy story is visually told.
   
   
3. Charade, ****
   A woman's husband is found death and a quarter million dollar is missing (it's the 60's so that's a lot of money). Audrey Hepburn's character finds herself in the middle of a mystery leftover by WWII. A very cute romantic comedy within a mystery film. Lovely takes of Paris. This is a must see.
   
   
4. How do you know, ***
   A girl softballer, portrayed by lovely Reesse Witherspon, is being cut from the USA team and finds herself interested in both a professional baseball player playboy and a corporate guy in the mist of a SEC investigation while dealing with her life after being a pro-athlete.
   
   
5. The backup plan, **
   A lonely but accomplished woman chooses artificial insemination to fulfill her motherly dreams but, on that same day, meets a guy in what seems to be love at first sight. A nice romantic comedy, good for girlfriend time.
   
   
6. From Prada to Nada, **
   Have you read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin? Well, think about it but with two rich-come-poor latinas in LA. It's a weird romantic comedy that jumps a lot in the story.
   
   
7. Chick magnet, 
   No, it is not a mistake that there are no stars at the right of the title. Two complete and one partial assholes find themselves with a shirt that is a chick magnet but in the case of true love. The review on the cover sounded nice but it was a waste of time.

Really, what is happening with television series? ...

1. Last Man Standing, (no episode?)
   
   
   
2. Castle, (no episode?)
   
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O, (no episode?)
   
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E15, ****
   
   Leonard chooses to forfeit his friend status as per Sheldon's room-mate's agreement. Chaos ensues in Sheldon's life. It's good to go back to non-drinking Penny and the comedy style from the second season .
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Once upon a time S01-E07-10,
   
   Emma starts finding and solving the problems of fairy tale characters trapped in Storybrooke, Maine. It has a comatose prince charming, so it qualifies as a soap opera according to my standards.  

At last, Lyx and I manage to watch an Audrey Hepburn film! I hope we can see the rest of them in the coming weekends.

I cannot believe that the "Last weekend movies" series of short reviews is having around a hundred visits in the last three weeks. I never expected that. Thank you for visiting!

Last weekend movies (5th week 2012)

Compared to last weekend, this one was a bad movie weekend. I also grew a little bit bored of doing nothing and decided to get some work done. Nevertheless, I'm trying to keep with my vacation goal: to watch and read as much media as possible...

1. Moneyball, ****
   Based on the story of Billy Beane, one of the first baseball managers to put together a team based on computer analyzed statistics who is still trying to win a championship. I never know how to classify biographic films, I guess this is a drama. It has a good pace and flows. I actually enjoyed it.
   
   
2. Immortals, ***
   King Hyperion marches against the Greek gods and it's up to Theseus to stop him before he frees the Titans. I really liked this film, the visual design is impressive—say, e.g., the young golden gods and the golden but dirtied demi-god Theseus—and the landscape composition is impressive. The retold of Theseus and the Minotaur is amazing!
   
   
3. Colombiana, ***
   A drug lord's family is murdered and only his little girl survives. She grows up to be a perfect assassin looking for revenge. The film was scripted by my favorite femme-fatale enthusiast Luc Besson—Mathilda, Nikita, Leeloo—. It's a good action film with a lot of parkour.
   
   
4. Johnny English Reborn, ***
   Johnny English left the British secret service in disgrace but happenstances bring him back and gets a chance to clean his name. Mr. Atkinson comedy is good, specially his faces. It's a no brainer, I just sat down and laughed for half the movie.
   
   
5. 11-11-11, **
   A writer losses his family and stats realizing that bad things happen to his family on November 11th, but the worst is yet to happen. In the beginning I started to get bored with this horror film, but then came the ending and I really loved it. I have always loved non-hollywood endings.
   
   
6. Killer Elite, **
   A retired assassin is blackmailed and brought back to kill a team of ex-SAS soldiers involved in the assassination of a Sheikh's family in Oman. A passable action film, not so much action, not so much of a story, one of the stars is just out of respect to Al Pacino.
   
   
7. Salvation Boulevard, **
   A not-so-sure born-again-christian is witness to an accidental shooting committed by his mega-church preacher who decides to keep everything under the table. It's a great farcical film on the subject of false and self-justified "faith."  

Really, what is happening with television series? ...

1. Last Man Standing, (no episode?)
   
   
   
2. Castle S04-E13, ****
   A dog judge and trainer gets killed and it is up to Castle and Beckett to find out the reason why.
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O S02-E14, ****
   The mystery of the past is unfolding as a robbery entangles with the past.
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory S05-E14, ****
   
   It's back to the beginning with Leonard dating penny and everybody else being their old selves from the first season.
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Wilfred S01-E01,  ***
   
   An US remake of the Oz series, a suicidal man finds a "friend" in the bastardy dog of his hot neighbor.
   
   
7. Once upon a time S01-E01-07,
   
   The land of fairy tales suffered a horrible fate, the Evil Queen curse them to a place of horrors: our world. Now, it is upon Snow White's daughter and grandson to fix things in Storybrooke, Maine, and end the curse.

It seems like we are getting a curse too, because Lyx and I haven't found time to sit down and watch those old  films with Audrey Hepburn. I really hope we can do something about it next weekend. 

Last weekend movies (4th week 2012)...

This was a nice long weekend that I'm sure is gonna remain unchallenged in my personal annals of laziness for years to come. It also was a weekend of independent cinema...

1. Fright Night, ****
   It has been ages without a vampire movie! This is a reboot of a 80's film with the same name. A vampire comes to town and its teenage neighbor has to fight it to protect his loved ones. One star is pure euphoria for finding a horror movie that involves mythological creatures and not a human serial killer.
   
   
2. Beginners, ****
   A man's life after the death of his father trying to construct a relationship— fighting his impulses to always run away—while dealing with the past; his father came out the day his mother died and his take on the family makes him evade relationships. This is a great and dramatic romantic comedy. The characters are so fresh and lovable. And the pace is just perfect to get soaked with the photography and the music.
   
   
3. Our Idiot Brother, ****
   Ned is a naive, honest, kind and idealist man who always tries to empathize with the neighbor (I like the Spanish word "prójimo" more but there exist no English equivalent) but manages to always screw things up, or so it seems like. The topic, honesty and idealism, really got me. It is a fresh and elegant comedy of situations with a big human factor on it. 
   
   
4. Lucky, ***
   A newbie serial killer inherits a winning lottery ticket from one of his victims and his newly won money gets the attention of his childhood love. They get married and manage not to kill each other for a few weeks. It has been ages since I watched a dark comedy and this one really got me smiling, it lacks a great script but it is morbid and funny enough.
   
   
5. Texas killing fields, ***
   There's a serial killer on the loose in rural Texas and two cops get emotionally involved in the case. This crime drama is loosely based on a real case. The story is so dark that the film doesn't manage to show it most of the time, nevertheless the photography is good and the takes of the Texas bayou managed to give me the chills.
   
   
6. The Art of Getting by,  ***
   A lonely teen has to find himself or flunk high-school. I liked the opening: "you are born alone, you will die alone" which is a chopped paraphrase of Orson Welles'  "We are born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship we can  create the illusion for the moment that we are not alone." The rest of the movie can be considered an audio-visual rendition of the rest of Mr. Welles' phrase.
   
   
7. The Son of No One, *
   A young cop is haunted and hunted by ghosts of his past when he killed two men. The crimes of past and present intertwine in this not so much of a thriller with the background of 9-11. It's a good idea but I guess you need to have some context that I lack to really appreciate the movie.
   
   
8. Lone Wolf and Cub 6, *
   This film should have a three or four stars rating but I watched the first five parts in the last two weekends and the memory of them are too fresh in my mind. The lone wolf finally faces his rival the Ura-Yagyu and nothing happens. C'mon! Give me an ending! I read somewhere that they are planning a new movie for the series with possible release date in 2014.

What is happening with the television series, I have never followed a season in the past and it is very annoying that during this month some of them have been going in and out...

1. Last Man Standing S01-E14, ****
   Mike screws it big time with the neighbors thanks to his honesty, leading to troubles with his socially active wife. In the end, well, Mike's proven right.
   
   
2. Castle S04-E12, ****
   The shadows behind power reappear to keep the mayor of New York from running for governor and keep Beckett out of her mothers case.
   
   
3. Hawaii Five O, (no episode?)
   
   
   
4. Big Bang Theory, (no episode?)
   
   
   
   
5. Psych, (not yet back?)
   
   
   
   
6. Phineas and Ferb S01-E01-46,  *****
   
   This is a simple, ten minute long cartoon, about two creative and industrious kids trying to spend summer at their best and their teenage sister trying to bust their plans. It's so innocent and creative and full of stories in just 10 minutes. I really liked it, it just made me laugh again and again.
   
   
7. Game of Thrones S01-E01-10, (mini-series)  ****
   
   Winter is coming! A land where winter brings shadows and horrors is involved in incestuous political intrigue and in the verge of an all out war. Stage and wardrobe design are awesome, the characters have personality and deepness. I only didn't like the slow pace at the beginning but then the epic scale of the plot may need such a pace to develop.
   
   
8. Falling Skies S01-E01-10, (mini-series) ****
   
   An alien vanguard has taken over the earth and a ten percent of the original population survives. Some of these survivors have organized in a resistance trying to figure a way to bring the fight back to the aliens. Great effects, great alien designs, good episode progression, crappy season finale.
   
   
9. The Borgias S01-E01-09,  (mini-series)  **
   
   Rodrigo Borgia has been elected pope Alexander VI and the Borgia family reaches the apex of their political station which is gonna last just a few decades. A free take on the historical Borgia family and its influence in the geopolitics of the Papal States and Mediterranean Europe during the Renaissance. Jeremy Irons plays the role of Rodrigo Borgia! Awesome wardrobe and locations. I was not so happy with the episode design, it didn't manage to get me interested long enough but good to remember the old history lessons from high-school.
   
   

Sadly, we didn't have any Audrey Hepburn due to the fact that my cousin got married and Lyx went to the wedding but we are already planning next weekend. 

Last weekend movies...

Lyx and I both got a very busy week, but we still have the Audrey Hepburn bug...

1. My Fair Lady, ****
   Based on the theater play, it tells the story of Eliza Doolittle a young street girl with a drive who search and becomes the experiment of Prof. Higgins, a brilliant scholar of language, who believes that in early XX century London language defines status. It would have been five stars if Hepburn had sang her parts and if they had done with the kill-time-while-the-scenery-is-changed songs.
   
   
2. Life as we know it, ***
   Sophie is a baby who lost her parents in a car accident and is left at the care of her mother's best friend and her father's best friend, who are a pair of self-centered modern adults used to have the life they wanted. It's a fresh romantic comedy with this modern twist on the idea of love in the times of ego.

More and more series are coming back...

1. Last Man Standing S01-E13, ****
   Mike is an angry man but any man has a hearth and now the girls manage to have a puppy for a few days and Ed... well, Ed manages to make him angrier by almost re-branding outdoor man to compensate for time-lost with his daughter.
   
   
2. Hawaii Five O S02-E12-13, **
   I just skipped episode 12 last week! The guys solve a triple murder and Chin gets married. The special forces are back in action and McGarret has to deal with the fine line between friend/enemy again, but this time it is even closer to his heart.
   
   
3. Big Bang Theory S04-E12, ****
   
   Sheldon finds out that buying forgive-me trinkets is just his strategy for a happy relationship as Amy, brilliant as she is, is still a girl and not Sheldon. The rest of the guys deal with manhood in the old fashioned way (Howard), loneliness (Leonard) and some strange gayness (Raj).
   
   
4. Revenge S01-E01-13, ***
   
   Amanda Clark's father is framed for a crime he didn't commit and dies in shame while in prison, she comes back to the Hamptons as Emily Thorne, loaded with money and ready to revenge on all those who helped framing her dad. The first five episodes are nice and fast-paced but the rest become a little bit too slow and cliche. Oh, yes, the under-laying idea is Monte Cristo. Lyx calls it "a drama" but it has all my qualifiers for soap-opera: i) String music during dramatic pauses, ii) Guys with more stylized eyebrows than girls, iii) Someone falling into a coma, iv) That someone coming out from the coma with amnesia

And yes, we still have more Audrey Hepburn to come thanks to Lyx despite the fact that she doesn't seem to like me pointing out how beautiful, gorgeous and astounding Audrey Hepburn was. 

Last weekend movies...

Lyx got the Audrey Hepburn bug and I cannot be happier, she's the most beautiful actress ever, if you ask me...

1. Roman Holiday, *****
   A young princess is burn out by her public relations schedule and, under the influence of a happy drug administered to relax her, decides to escape the embassy of her country and have a free day in Rome. She meets an American journalist by chance that saves her from sleeping in the streets and takes her on a one day tour—not without selfishness. I love old movies, they are so innocent and their endings are so good.
   
   
2. Zatoichi, ****
   Zatoichi appears to be just a blind, wandering masseuse and professional gambler; but the old man is also a wrestler and proficient swordsman. In this story, his road interlaces with that of a pair of siblings that seek revenge on those who murdered their family ten years ago. Good for them, Zatoichi has some unfinished business with the murdering gang. I loved the almost static and the bizarre scenes appearing now and then, and the random act of foolishness that puts a comic touch to everything.
   
   
3. Lone Wolf and Cub 2-5, ***
   Ogami (similar to Okami, wolf in Japanese)  Ito and Daigoro keep walking the road to hell but the Ura-Yagyu is now trying to destroy the lone wolf more actively. I was expecting more after watching the first, but it gets more and more fantastic as the saga keeps going.
   
   
4. The Help, ***
   A young writer, from small town Jackson, tries her hand at narrating the lives of those negro maids from the deep south of the 60s.  It is a well done movie with good acting but I can hardly believe the story. The story would have been great if it were not just a fairy tale. The civil rights movement in the 60s was not a rosy, peaceful endeavor and I would think that even in the 60s a lot of abuse to african-american and american women happened in the deep south.

Some of the series are back from the December pause...

1. Last Man Standing S01-E12, ****
   Mike has to deal with what seems to be a punk celebrity but happens to be a man looking for a center. Of course, he almost screws things up almost making the young  pro-bass-fisher quit fishing. Tony Hawk appears for a few minutes!
   
   
2. Hawaii Five O S02-E13, **
   The special forces are back in action and McGarret has to deal with the fine line between friend/enemy again, but this time it is even closer to his heart.
   
   
3. The Cape E01-13 (Miniseries), ****
   
   A honest cop named Vince gets framed as super-villain Chess and taken for dead, but he survives and, under the tutelage of Max Malini and his Carnival of Crime train him to be the super-hero The Cape. I really liked the idea—and Summer Glau as omniscient Orwell—but the story started to drag and everything became too slow by the second episode. In the end, the series was dropped and the half-season ending was not even close to a real good finale. 

Next week, It's gonna be a Audrey Hepburn weekend for me thanks to Lyx!

Last weekend movies...

Lyx has an awesome taste in movies and again she choose one that just got us flabbergasted...

1. The Time Traveler's Wife, *****
   The whole movie is a time travel paradox of Heinlin proportions! A time traveler erratically goes back and forth in time and creates a relationship with a normal girl. It is an amazing way to tell a love story, I'm really hoping to get my hands on the book as soon as I clear my current reading list.
   
   
2. Going Postal, ****
   So far, the last film based on Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. Ankh-Morpork is suffering from a monopoly of telecommunications and needs to revive its postal service, what a better man for the job than conman Moist von Lipwig? As always, there's romance, murder, adventure and a lot of laughs.
   
   
3. Lone Wolf and Cub, ****
   I have the feeling that this one should be on the first place because I surely missed a lot of the technical, photography and cinematic details. The Ogami (similar to Okami, that is wolf) clan has been murdered in a political game during Tokugawa's shogunate, only the clan leader Itto and his son remain taking the path of the assassin and searching for revenge. An awesome masterpiece from the seventies and the first of a series of six (or maybe seven) films.
   
   
4. The Rite, ***
   A faithless man is recruited in the exorcist ranks of Vatican and confronts his first demon, Ba'al, in a faith inducing and almost mortal experience. Allegedly based in a true story
   
   
5. Red State, ***
   A trio of teens looking for sex are captured by a fundamentalist sects somewhere in rural america and there's a big screw up by the ATF. Kevin Smith—disclosure, I'm a fan of the Jersey saga—portraits fundamentalist America, both civil and government, and its screw-ups.

Most of the series have gone to hiatus so I had to go for Rafael's recommendation and some more...

1. Breaking Bad S01E01-07, ****
   Walter White, a brilliant chemist gone South surviving teaching at a high school in Albuquerque, finds himself facing death and the prospect of leaving his family without a cent and up to the neck in debts, that's when he decides to cook meth with one of his old students and break bad. In the beginning I didn't like it but as Rafael told me, it really gets worse with time and that's good.
   
   
2. Tin Man E01-03 (Miniseries), ****
   Three generations ago, Dorothy Garland walked Oz and fought the bad witches of Oz. Now, a witch is free and her grand daughters played a major role in liberating the witch. It is the turn of D.G. and a rag tag band composed of an empty-headed scarecrow of a man (a former adviser to the Queen), a heartless tin man (copper, police) and a coward lion to find a way into Oz emerald and vanquishing the witch.
   
   
3. Good Luck Charlie S01E01-23, **
   
   Charlie, short for Charlotte, is the few months old baby of the Duncan family. Her sister Teddy is video logging a diary so Charlie can learn from the past. The family is rounded up with PJ the oldest and brainless sibling and Gabe, the second youngest and the evil mind of the pack. Good innocent laughs, refreshing after so many pseudo-procedural series and good for waiting the return of Last Man Standing tomorrow night.

Happy New Year to all!

Last weekend movies...

Lyx wanted a Christmas themed weekend of movies, here is the result plus some that I managed to squeeze on my own time...

1. Hogfather, ****
   Human belief is conserved, if one major belief is getting lost then there will be belief to support minor lies into existence.This was the first tv-movie made from a Discworld book and it was a great film centered on Death and Susan. Not as good as The Colour of Magic, though.
   
   
2. The Polar Express, ***
   A boy is loosing his belief in Santa Claus and needs to be brought back into the Christmas spirit. I guess this was an amazing animation in its own time. The story, well, is dull and boring but the quality of the animation is very good even though it's almost eight years old.
   
   
3. Just go with it, **
   A guy's heart is broken by his fiance just minutes before the wedding and this is enough to make him take on girls based on pure lies from then on, until he finds love, love out from honesty and respect. It's a good laugh and Jennifer Aniston is so cute!
   
   
4. Bad Santa, **
   A conman finds something that could pass as redemption through a neglected kid during Christmas. Billy Bob Thornton plays the role of an alcoholic conman that makes his year every Christmas alongside a fellow criminal. I don't like happy endings in this kind of movies.
   
   
5. Setup, **
   A diamond heist goes south when the leader decides to cheat on the gang but making the mistake of letting one alive. It lacked the fast pace and explosiveness that I would expect from an action/violent film. After the first scenes I was expecting Lock, Stock and Two Smocking Barrels, but got nothing.
   
   
6. Scrooged, *
   A Christmas carol told in the 80s with Bill Murray in the role of a modern Scrooge. It was better when I first saw it in the 90s.
   
   
7. Hall Pass, *
   Two married guys neglected by their wives get a one week free from marriage and find that the good old times are actually gone while their wives are the ones really getting the time off and the fooling around. It gets a few laughs but nothing out of the ordinary.
   
   
8. Elf, *
   A human orphan gets to the North Pole and is raised as an Elf and some thirty years later comes back to his father to try to live like human, during Christmas in New York. Of course, he ends up saving Christmas and his family. Some laughs but mostly embarrassment.

Most of the series have gone to hiatus...

1. Terra Nova S01 E11-13, ****
   Terra Nova is over and it seems like it's not gonna be back. In these last chapters the colony faces the invasion from the future when the mole helps Lucas finish his solution for the two-way tunnel. The colony is taken by the forces from the future and the bridge severed by Taylor and his men to prevent the corporation from ruining Terra Nova.
   
   
2. Hawaii five-o, (hiatus)
   
   
3. Castle, (hiatus)
   
   
4. Last Man Standing, (hiatus)
   
   
5. Big Bang Theory, (hiatus)
   
   
6. Psych, (hiatus)

Last weekend movies...

Although Lyx spend most of the weekend at the shelter helping with the Christmas party for the kids, we manage to squeeze some movie time...

1. The Colour of Magic, *****
   I thought that whenever they decided to launch a Discworld movie I will be disappointed. The point is that I have read 37 of the 39 Discworld novels in the last 15 years and I always wanted to see a movie about it. Well, I couldn't be more wrong! It is awesome! Go for it! It is actually both the colour of magic and the light fantastic.
   
   
2. The Myth, *
   I have to be honest, the star is all Jackie Chan. The story could be great were not continuity lapses like seeing the hills from the Korean border from an Indian border temple and such. As always, the stunts are awesome, but that's it. I got disappointed.  

Uhm, some series have gone into end of year hiatus...

1. Terra Nova, ****
   I'm really liking the twist of events. Although the characters are starting to become cartoonish due to the extreme polarization, the possibilities for the story arising from Lucas and his work on the wormhole are actually limitless; I just hope this doesn't end in a Stargate Atlantis with dinosaurs.
   
   
2. Hawaii five-o S02 E02-12, ***
   I spend most of my before-bed time catching up with this series and I'm glad I did. It is still very bland in the procedural thing but the story is unfolding nicely. Now, everybody seems to be more than meets the eye.
   
   
3. Castle, (hiatus)
   
   
4. Last Man Standing S01 E11, ***
   Love, work and responsibilities comes to the family, each one to different girls. Of course, a mess ensues with outdoor man in the middle of it. It still keeps me laughing most of the time.
   
   
5. Big Bang Theory, (hiatus)
   
   
6. Psych S06 E09, **
   Brandon from Beverly Hills 90210 is the guest 90s star this week. The story unfolds during a romantic weekend with Shawn and Jules, con and murder included.

Last weekend movies...

Lyx had a busy weekend preparing candy bags for the kids at the shelter. We didn't have a chance to sit down and watch movies together.  I had to help myself into this one...

1. The Devil's Double, *
   This film tells the alleged story of Latif Yahia, an Iraqi national recruited to be the double of Uday Hussain. In my opinion, the movie has cheap stamped everywhere. I think they had the chance to tell the story of one fallen modern dictator through a forced servant but it came out slow, bland, some minutes of softcore porn, and most sadly trying to portrait a hard-to-believe-is-truth hero. Even recollections of Jarhead seem better in comparison right now.

The thanksgiving break is over and the missing series are back!

1. Stacked S01-02 E01-19, **
   Pam Anderson plays the role of Skyler, a bimbo bouncing out of a relationship and trying to avoid the hot, sturdy men that are the story of her life. The solution, find a job at a book store run by two nerd brothers. The jokes are light, filled with sexual innuendo. I laughed out loud on this simple and nipply nippy antithesis of good old Cheers. 
   
   
2. Hawaii five-o S02 E01, ***
   Last season was finished with McGarrett in jail, in this, the first episode of a second season, we are treated with a closure to that history, new characters, and a hint of treason that surely will reverberate all over this season.
   
   
3. Castle S04 E10, **
   Really? Come on, this is the second time that Castle and Beckett are trapped together! Give me something nice and new! At least they are keeping up with current pop culture references.
   
   
4. Last Man Standing S01 E10, ***
   Mike has to deal with Christmas, specially the time for forgiving part. I loved the "That's all you keep from church, Forgiveness? What about the vengeful guy, rainning brimstone and toads on people?"
   
   
5. Big Bang Theory S05 E11, *
   The guys are bad without any punch, but the girls. O, the girls are enjoying their time atoning raiding charity clothes boxes.
   
   
6. Psych S06 E08, *
   It seems this was not my week for tv-series. Gus fells in love, again, but this time it comes with murder and fraud, at least this time he's not the target.

Last weekend movies...

Another busy week. This time I found a little after work project that may give something interesting. Wish me luck! It seems like Lyx was also pretty busy as we only managed to watch one movie...

1. Cowboys and Aliens, ***
   Cowboys with the quintessential space cowboy, Han Solo. The aliens are a nice construction but otherwise it's gone without pain nor glory. It's good to kill a morning. 

So, Thundercats is over, Big Bang Theory is on hiatus, Castle is coming back this week, I think, and we couldn't catch episode nine of Terra Nova. In the end, I had to find something short to watch and kill the day after working a lot at home and I found Hawaii 5 O thanks to my office mate listening to the soundtrack one of these afternoons.

1. Last Man Standing S01 E09, ***
   I'm not gonna lie to you. I totally agree with Mr. Outdoor Man. Once one enters home, one should not be requested to deal with the neighbors, go to parties, or socialize unless you really like them people, hehehe.
   
   
2. Psych S06 E03-07, ***
   William Shatner! Jules' dad is portrayed by William Shatner! C'mon, can you think about something cooler? Psych is as bland as always but William Shatner is enough reason to sit down and watch it.
   
   
3. Hawaii 5-0 S01 E01-24, ***
   This is the remake of an old—and twelve seasons long—police series from the 60-70s. It is a good sit-down-don't-think pseudo-procedural action/crime series. I'm already hooked up and waiting to see how the story unfolds on the second season. R. Orci, the screenplay writer from Cowboys and Aliens is a writer here. 

Last weekend movies...

It has been a really busy week, one of those seven day long weeks. Nevertheless, we have managed to find time to watch some movies!

1. Lucky Number Slevin, *****
   I love films that are about confidence tricks (that's where the word con comes from). This in particular is a whole Kansas City Shuffle. Plus the dialogues are amazing! Plus Sir Ben Kingsley! This goes straight to my best con films alongside Confidence.
   
   
2. Trespass, ***
   Joel Schumacher and Nicolas Cage plus Nicole Kidman. I was really piss off as this is one of those movies where everybody does what you are never supposed to do; e.g. confront armed men robbing your house. Anyway, it human nature at his typical: greed and lust.
   
   
3. The Reunion, ***
   Three brothers and a sister from different mothers find out the father they share and hate is dead. The sister tells them that there are 12 mil to share if only they manage to be a family for two years. Against all odds, this manages to bring the three men together with guns, girls and horses! 

Just when I decided to follow Thundercats, I came to realize that it is only thirteen episodes long, damn! Anyway, I took advantage of my working late to try to catch up with the back episodes of my series.

1. The Cape S01 E01-03, ****
   A ten episode miniseries. An honest police officer finds himself betrayed and hunted. He dies for the world but is saved by a freak show that train and give him a chance at redemption. Classic comic book material. So far, so good!
   
   
2. Terra Nova S01 E07-08, ***
   The fog of war is starting to disperse and it seems like now the true colors of the factions are starting to show. Still, good guys seem to be good guys for the old reasons of sustainability as well as value and respect of human life against corporate greed.
   
   
3. Thundercats 2011 S01 E12-13, ***
   The Thundercats win an important battle against the lizards while Lion-O and Tigra recover the gem of power that was missing. We are left with a reshuffle of characters and some arm-less dude, I'm not gonna tell you who.
   
   
4. Castle S04 E08-09, ***
   Castle keeps being Castle and Beckett, well Beckett is evolving from her trauma as the group has to confront from bank robbers to a sniper serial killer.
   
   
5. Last Man Standing S01 E06-08, ***
   I'm really enjoying this sitcom. Seeing a macho guy confront the troubles of living with tween and teenage girls is just hilarious.
   
   
6. Big Bang Theory S05 E--, ***
   There was no BBT this week, it's on Thanksgiving day hiatus.
   
   
7. Psych S06 E03-06, ***
   It took me three episodes to realize that entertainer celebrities from the 80-90s are showing up at each episode of Psych; so far I have seen New Kids on the Block's McIntyre, Lethal Weapon's Glover, Buffy's Swanson, Breakfast Club's Ringwald and I think Corey Feldman from Lost Boys, but I'm not sure.
   
   

Last weekend movies...

Just the thought of dealing with some people can be draining, but life is about dealing with such happenings; I guess. Anyway, there's always the movie time to just keep going, forget, turn off the brain and just relax. This week and weekend, Lyx and I managed to sit down and watch...

1. Hanna, ****
   Hanna is a girl raised in the wild with the skill set of a spy/hunter that desires to meet the world, but this means she needs to kill Marissa, her father's former CIA handler.
   
   
2. 127 Hours, ***
   This is the true story behind Aron Ralston, who was trapped in a canyon for 127 hours and had to amputate his own arm to free himself. The film has wonderful cinematic sequences and the choice of music really got my liking.
   
   
3. 30 minutes or Less, **
   A douchebag moron wants to kill his father to get an inheritance. Problem is, he has no money to hire an assassin. That's why he kidnaps a pizza delivery boy, straps a booby trapped chest bomb into him and sends him to rob a bank.
   
   
4. Bridesmaids, *
   This is what Hollywood movies are not about. Zero make-believe. Just an everyday story of a selfish self-centered not-so-young-anymore woman that had her dreams crushed at the same time that lost the love of her life, who is not doing anything to improve her life and at the same time destroying the dreams of her best friend. I have nothing against costumbrismo, but if you are gonna spend millions in a film about everyday life at least make it satiric and bring a moral. 

Well, I'm thinking of following these series, I'm not sure if I'm gonna add or take some but so far I have been hooked up on some of them enough to wait for the next episode. If I were to get my hands on supernatural again, I will have one series to follow per day. If anyone knows about a good science fiction series, please tell me about it.

1. Futurama Season 6, ***
   This was the first season after Futurama disappeared from the airwaves. Over all, there's a different kind of feeling to the series. The satiric feeling is there even more. Also, they even used real math in some episodes. But there's something that just doesn't feel right and I have no clue what it is.
   
   
2. Terra Nova S01 E06, ***
   An electromagnetic pulse breaks all of Terra Nova's circuitry and the Sixers take the chance to retrieve the mystery box during the blackout. There's a nice twist when the owner of the box is revealed.
   
   
3. Thundercats 2011 S01 E11, ***
   The Thundercats arrive to the Forest of Magi Oar in their search for the missing power stone. There, Lion-O learns about appearances and how some people are not really what they appear to be. Really, this feel like back in the 90s.
   
   
4. Castle S04 E06, ***
   Castle and Beckett are now involved with the paranormal, which happens to be a decades old passion crime.
   
   
5. Last Man Standing S01 E05, ***
   The Outdoor Man's softball team needs to go co-ed and holds a vote which ends up with Eve joining and winning the game for them. Ed is not so happy about girls in the team and starts chasing the culprits to shoot them on the legs with an airgun.
   
   
6. Big Bang Theory S05 E10, ***
   Stuart makes a move for Amy and Sheldon has to react. Meanwhile the rest of the guys are sacked by their addiction to the card game Mystic Warlord's of Ka'a and Penny keeps on drinking herself out of her problems (this part I really don't like).
   
   
7. Psych S06 E02, ***
   All the guys, including Lassiter and Shawn's dad, go for a night of drinking, wake up with no recollection of the night out, and end up thinking that they murdered a man.
   
   

Last weekend movies...

Just the thought of dealing with some people can be draining, but life is about dealing with such happenings; I guess. Anyway, there's always the movie time to just keep going, forget, turn off the brain and just relax. This week and weekend, Lyx and I managed to sit down and watch...

1. Midnight in Paris, *****
   Adrien Brody portraying El Divino Dali for some ten minutes. That's enough for me. Now, seriously, Woody Allen has this wonderful way of telling stories and this nostalgic incursion in the old times nostalgia exploiting the Paris of the 20s when all the minds that created our cultural landscape dwell on the streets of the city of lights.
   
   
2. The Lincoln Lawyer, ****
   When you are a defense lawyer, what do you do when your client is guilty? This film is good but weird. Sometimes, specially in the first half, it feels like they are just showing random daily occurrences to build up the story and connections behind the characters. But it is a good thriller.
   
   
3. Flypaper, ****
   This is a fast paced criminal comedy. I can bet you will know who the master mind is before the bag of popcorn is finished. Nevertheless it is an entertaining film that just flows. I laughed out loud many times due to the peculiar characters.
   
   
4. Larry Crowne, ***
   A middle-aged man, heavily in debt due to his divorce, losses his job at a retail store due to his lack of college education. He enrolls in a community college as he tries to jump-start his life and finds love. This is a nice romantic comedy heavily borrowing from the economic downturn. Don't forget your couple!
   
   
5. Rise of the Planet of the Apes, ***
   While slow in the first two thirds, the film delivers a nice and clean prequel to Planet of the Apes introducing Caesar—the Mars mission that latter will bring Taylor back to a future earth is briefly showed—. The CGI is nicely done and if you are a fan of the novels, old films, or the reboot films it is a must.
   
   
6. Zookeeper, **
   In order to keep their favorite zookeeper at the zoo, the zoo animals decide to break their code of silence and help him get a girlfriend. Of course, they screw things up but, in the end, everything gets fixed: the good guy gets the good girl and the animals get their favorite pampering zookeeper.
   
   
7. Tower Heist, **
   Another crime comedy, it borrows heavily from real life as it focus in a get even with one of those rich bastards scamming people out of their money to live at large. Actually, I liked the film and spend a nice time watching it and laughing with the situations.
   
   
8. Conan the Barbarian, *
   I wonder how sometimes Hollywood productions manage to screw so well-established characters as the almost 80 years old (in 2012) Conan. For starters, the movie commits the worst sin of action movies, it feels slow even with the fast paced battles every ten minutes. Anyway, hither comes Conan the Cimmerian.
   
   
9. Source Code, *
   Come on, really? The idea behind is amazing, what would you do if you could play again and again the last eight minutes of someones life in order to gain valuable information. What I don't understand is why there always have to be a romance and a happy ending. This could be amazing, awesome, epic... Bah!
   
   

I still have some charge on my batteries and I have managed to keep the mood of watching some tv series  before hitting the street. This week's Big Bang Theory was again just okay, I didn't manage to watch Terra Nova this week, but I catch up with the new Thundercats and I really like the way they are rebooting the series. Also, I just found out that Castle is not over yet and the fourth season has been running for eight weeks!

I got my hands on something very ciberpunk—without the ciber and a lot of bio or gene—: "The Windup Girl" while looking for the latest Terry Pratchett discworld novel "Snuff"—it hasn't arrived to Singapore yet—I hope I will be finishing it in time to get Snuff when it arrives. 

Last weekend movies...

I'm keeping a very good mood these days and find myself sleeping some six hours nightly, so there's have been time to sit down with Lyx and watch movies together during my/her mornings/afternoons...

1. Crazy, Stupid Love, ****
   This film made me realize that I really like Steve Carrel's drama/comedy. The story deals with a bland gray man dealing with a family crisis—his wife cheated on him and filed divorce—that brings him a new friend, a new way of living and plenty of knowledge about women, life and love.
   
   
2. The Hangover Part II, ***
   You know the deal, it's bachelor party again but instead of Las Vegas, it is Thailand. This second part more or less repeats the first part's routine, criminal masterminds included. It's a good laugh.
   
   
3. 800 Balas (800 Bullets), ***
   This is an Alex de la Iglesia film. I have a thing with his films, I either hate them or love them. This one, well, it is a western-like story and I love it westerns, specially those with noir endings. Also, I love non-hollywood films where endings are more fulfilling and not oozing caramel.
   
   
4. The Smurfs, ***
   I grew up watching the smurfs cartoon, I guess I saw each of them at least five times as they where broadcasted five times a week on open television. I really enjoyed the film, it lived to the spirit of the cartoons and, actually, fulfilled my original expectations. Oh, and there's Neil Patrick Phillips.
   
   
5. Harry Potter. The Half-blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2, ***
   It's been ages since the last time I saw a Harry Potter movie. Truth be told, I started reading the books and I got dispirited quite soon due to the fact that all the real work and thinking is made by the supporting characters. Anyway, the movies are a masterpiece of animation and in the Deathly Hallows Part 1 there are 5 minutes that I believe are a piece of art, the story of the three brothers.
   
   
6. The Change Up, *
   Another one of those I want to live the life of my fill the line, in this case it is two best friends with antipodal ways of living.

It's good to be back with the batteries all charged up, so there's not a big nee for relaxing tv-series. Anyway, this week's Big Bang Theory was O.K. just that and last week's Terra Nova still doesn't help me making my decision about liking it or not, so I'm still hooked into that waiting for more info to round up my opinion.

And that's it, another week of interesting times is gone.