"The Hangover" 2009, 2001, 2013 USA, by Todd Phillips

The Hangover is one of the most ethically hilarious stories of a bunch of best mates exploring the unforgettable nights, or shall I say "days", of their lives prior to the wedding day of their best friend.

Each part of The Hangover has enormous amount of comedy elements to offer the audience whether it is the stolen cop car, the lost baby, the stolen tiger or the mysterious monkey. It is a rather fast pace comedy with a great sense of sentiment. It is absolutely well written and the story sets in some of the most known party destinations of the world. 

I think Todd Phillips has done an exceptional job in directing the movies. So as Zach Galifianakis's performance as Alen, a little boy who lives inside a 40 year-old male body, is ridiculously adorable. 

I must admit the fact that this is the movie that I discovered Bradley Cooper, who plays Phil, for the first time. In my opinion, I think the character really appeals to me as a fun and lighthearted character with great sense of leadership. And Ed Helms plays a softy character of Stu with a modest dentist exterior who later on discovered the secret demon within himself.

I call myself a comedy fan, and this is one (or three) of my favourite movie(s). The story takes place in the crazy pre-perceived destinations of party and wildness that I think I never really get to experience in the same light with what the characters do, nor I really want to in person. I think the director really put me in the audience seat as a "peeping Tom". I am exploring the journey of the unknown in desperation of seeing what going to happen to the secret that the characters are trying to keep and the problems they are trying to solve. I think the layering of obstacles and time limit pressure my excitement more and more as the story progresses.

I think what I love about the film, as a female audience, is that I get to explore the unknown territory of male friendship and their exclusive world on a hilariously beautiful journey.

"10,000 BC" 2008 USA, by Roland Emmerish

"10,000 BC" is an amazing prehistoric epic by Roland Emmerish. This stunning film portrayed the prehistoric lifestyle by representing a few different tribes, their ancient beliefs and their prophecies. The film set in absolutely beautiful landscapes in various parts of the world. The story follow the journey of D'Leh, played by Steven Strait, a young mammoth hunter who follows his father's footsteps to secure his tribe and his lover Evolet, played by Camilla Belle. 

It is so fascinating for me to see this exceptional portray of the prehistoric era. I love pretty much everything about it. The story is a little cheesy, but it is how it needs to be so. I love the cinematography and the dialogue, more than anything else. The animation of those mammoths was so well done, their movement and the texture and everything. It makes me feel like getting a little 'Spear tooth' pet. (he he) I really don't have a bad thing to say about this film.  

Here is my favourite bits of the dialogue.

D'Leh

Why do they think I can free their people?


Tic-Tic

There's something you must know about your father.

When your mother died bringing you life, your father

took upon himself not only the weight of you, but

all of our people.

(Skiped a line from each character)

D'Leh

And why do you tell me this now?


Tic-Tic

A good man draws a circle around himself and

cares for those within. His woman, his children.

Other men draw a larger circle and bring within

their brothers and sisters. But some men have a

great destiny. They must draw around themselves

a circle that includes many, many more. Your

father was one of those men. You must decide to

yourself whether you are, as well.

It is such a beautiful film. And it truly is one of the best films I've even seen. 

"The Insider" 1999 USA, by Michael Mann

"The Insider" is a biographical drama thriller based on the life of Jeffrey Wigand, a Former Vice President of Development and Research at Brown & Williamson tobacco company. The story presents the struggles of Lowell Bergman, a "60 minutes" producer, and Wigand's to expose the secret of the Big Tobacco. The film discuss the power of politic, in both tobacco and media industries, to control the secret information of the Big Tobacco about nicotine addiction which in the end was revealed through the process of legal investigation.

This Michael Mann's film has really appealed to me not because of the fact that the story was about a "60 minutes" producer trying to expose some secret, but I was attracted to the film at first because of the actors, Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. They are my idols. I love the "tone" of the film, the way the director chose to tell it. I personally don't find it as a thriller, or I don't think there's enough of thriller element to it. I watched the film several times and tried to decide whose performance, between Al Pacino and Russell Crowe, was the winner. I don't think there is one. They both are amazing, just different. I love the complexity that Al Pacino built into his performance and the way Russell Crowe wearing the character's mindset, in particular. I also really like the ending, when Bergman decided to quit his job. I think the film successfully did what it mean to do to the audience. It made a profound impact on me, personally. I think it is a great film and very insightful. 

"The Golden Compass" 2007 UK, by Chris Weitz

"The Golden Compass" is a visually stunning fantasy-adventure film by Chris Weitz. The screenplay is based on a book named "North Lights" 1995 UK, by Philip Pullman, USA publication called "The Golden Compass". The story set in a parallel universe, the world where each human has a coexisting spirit in the form of animal called "demon". It is the journey of the lead character Lyra Belacqua, played by Dakota Blue Richards, searching for her missing friend who was kidnapped from Jordan College to be used in a scientific experiment. The film presents a power struggle of authority and challenges in speaking of truth in a politically constrained society.

What a beautiful film! I love the production design and the art-direction as much as the computer graphic generation and animation components of the film. I also admire Chris Weitz's distinctive direction on the performance of each character. The complexity of the character Mrs Coulter, played by Nicole Kidman, was very well presented. I personally enjoyed the story and its development. It is a little rush though. I definitely am a fantasy fan. And this film has good and interesting conventions for me to follow and work my way through the story. The adventure and the conflicts within the story work well and captured me all the way through the film. I enjoyed the film and I think it really is one of the good ones.

"INVICTUS" 2009 USA, by Clint Eastwood

"INVICTUS" is another stunning and inspiring drama by Clint Eastwood. The film tells the story  of Nelson Mandela, portrayed by Morgan Freeman, the elected president of South Africa after his 27 years of imprisonment. The story captured the breakthrough moment of reconciliation in South Africa during Mandela's government. Mandela inspired the national rugby team leader Francois Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, the captain of Springboks with the mission to win world cup in 1995 and promote the slogan "One team, one country.".

The most outstanding things of the film to me is the cultural sensitivity of the direction and the film script as well as the exceptional performances of Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon. I think it is always a challenge for film makers to make film about political matter of a country. The film "INVICTUS" does not discuss the political issue as such, but it presents the approach of Mandela in uniting his country. Without saying much about production value of the film which established by the standard of one of world best directors, Clint Eastwood, it is obvious. It may not be the most entertaining film to watch, but it is a truly heartfelt and inspiring film to see. 

"Love Actually" 2003 UK, by Richard Curtis

"Love Actually" is a romantic comedy film that contains 8 relationship stories. The stories are interconnected by the relationships between each of the characters. The film set in the glorious season of Christmas in London. Story begun from several weeks prior to Christmas leading up to New Year. The film generalises British lifestyle in modern society. At the same time, it presents us with the sentimental value of 'love' that exists in different forms of relationship.

British comedy always has the sense of provocativeness and honesty, that's what I found. I personally feel that Richard Curtis, the writer and director of the film, really brings out the well polished jokes to the foreground in this film with full use of smart transition from scene to scene. I love all of the key characters' performances. But if I really have to name that would be of 2 actresses' in particular, Emma Thompson and Laura Linney. The performances are rather suttle, but express great depth of the characters' emotions. Great choices of music! I ended up buying the CD afterwards. I think by having different stories with various types of character that we, as audience, would be able to identify ourselves with is another selling point. Over all I found I am more interested in the story, not so much in the production aspect of the film. But really if it is a comedy film and the laugh is there, it's already half of the film.

"Chaplin" 1992 USA, by Richard Attenborough

"Chaplin" is a biographical story of the world most know and celebrated comedy character/actor named "Charlie Chaplin". The film is the story of his career path, his personal life, and his struggles along the way. The story is told from the perspective of Chaplin's himself. It is a rather serious film with some sense of comedy that carried through out the story. 


I really enjoyed the film and appreciated many story telling choices that the director, Richard Attenborough, used. The mixture of texts and symbolical elements. I also admired the compelling performance of Robert Downer, JR. who portrays Chaplin. The script was delightful, I can pretty much access the essence of the person that Chaplin is. And what a journey watching a story that is set in the period that I was not even born yet. Best of all, the film gave me this sense of ambition of such an extraordinary person.