Star Trek

After watching Cloverfield, I find that J.J Abrams might just be the next Steven Spielberg. I was scouring for his next film and I found a trailer of his next upcoming movie, Star Trek. And its teaser is nothing short of amazing!

It starts with a gradual build up of music, followed by scenes of men doing different forms of construction work. Taken at different angles and in slow motion, I anticipated to see what the Enterprise ship would look like. In between scenes, J.J Abrams name appears. "The Future Begins" appears and fades away against a background voice of Neil Armstrong's saying the famous phrase "One small step for man...... one giant leap for mankind."

And then the famous line from Star Trek is spoken; "Space..... The Final Frontier" followed by the familiar Star Trek theme song. At the same time, the camera focuses the Enterprise from the front view gradually from the base to the top, showing the enterprise under construction.

The enterprise fades out and the Star Trek logo appears, followed by the sentence "Under Construction". How cool was that?!


The Story

Not much is known about the movie but the plot I read tells about the chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.


The Cast

A pretty good cast of actors are present in this movie. Eric Bana is in, Winona Ryder, and the guy from heroes, Zachary Quinto will be playing as Spock.

An original cast from the Star Trek series will be in also, Leonard Nimoy (Spock). I am not too sure what the story will be like, I am guessing maybe there will be time travel?

I am guessing this won't be the only Star Trek movie. It might probably continue further, following the life of the USS Enterprise crew.

Anyways, we would have to wait until the end of the year to catch the movie. And with J.J Abrams directing, I am sure it is going to be an interesting science fiction movie full of mystery, suspense and action.

Dark Knight

Yes, why so serious? Why the stern face? Why the deep thinking? Just live life, you can never change yourself. Rob a few banks, kill some people and have fun while you are at it. Why you ask? Why not? I am after all joking about it.

Yes, the Joker is back. No, it isn't Jack Nicholson. It's the man from the Brokeback Mountain movie, Heath Ledger. He has a lot to show to be cast as the Joker, since Jack Nicholson did a pretty good job as the Joker in Batman.

Not forgetting also the other outstanding casts, Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman. Who have done a wonderful job in the previous installment, Batman Begins.

As Batman Begins, shed a lot of light on how Bruce Wayne became Batman, I hope this one shows a bit on Joker's beginnings.

Katie Holmes won't be in this movie (who was the love of Bruce Wayne), she is replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal.... what? you don't know her? .... well maybe her brother would, she is Jake Gyllenhall's sister.


The Story

Last we saw Batman, he was handed the Joker card from Lieutenant Jim Gordon. That card left a feeling of anticipation for the next movie.

In this movie, crime is still an all time high, and Batman sets out to do his work of justice and tries to bring Gotham back in peace again. But, a reign of chaos ensues as banks are robbed and people are killed in the spate of crime and violence that is gripping Gotham City.

Now, Batman, together with Lietenant Jim Gordan and District Attorney Harvey Dent, has started their war on crime and meets one of the most famous villains in the Batman franchise, The Joker. A criminal mastermind, who in his sadistic sense, seems to enjoy his crime rather than showing remorse for it.


Review of the Trailer:

A new vehicle is introduced here. A big wheeled bike, that seems to look like an attachment of the Batmobile. Anyway, the introduction begins with the voice of The Joker, which I have to say, really sounds 'criminally sadistic'. His blatant sarcasm and sick laugh, really makes you think Heath Ledger is the real Joker. I do notice, apart from that ugly face, is the fats around his face. I am not sure if it is make up or did he put on weight just for this movie?

Further view of the trailer, you realise that they really are making The Joker as the main attraction of the movie. Despite the feeling that he looks a lot like Beetle Juice, I am pretty convinced that Heath Ledger really pulled off for this movie. Meaning he did a pretty good job as The Joker.

I really felt like the Joker as a sick, sadistic criminal which I am sure has his own ways of merciless torture going through his mind whenever he stares at you. A kind which you don't want to meet, knowing that he won't kill you but rather find pleasure in torturing you.

Batman as usual, is the firm and serious one. Total opposite of The Joker. Which makes them two, perfect enemies of each other. Frankly, I love the trailer. Not just because I love Batman, but the superb preview of their acting skills.

Batman Begins wasn't a disappointment, I do think the Dark Knight won't disappoint.


Trivia

This is the only Batman movie without the name Batman in the title.

American Gangster

Two heavy weights in one movie, and an acclaimed director. I think this movie has the makings of a great film.

Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe worked together before back in a 1995 movie, Virtuosity. But the Denzel played the good cop and Russell was the bad guy. Frankly, I find it hard to choose the best between the two. Both have made incredible films, that really touches the heart.

Most memorable for me for Denzel is in the movie 'Remember the Titans' which was based on a true story of how a coach had to bring a team of colors together in a time of racial tension. How he got them together as a team, even as he and his family's lives were under threat from racial extremists.

For Russell Crowe, it has to be from the movie 'A Beautiful Mind' which was based on a true story too. I remembered him as a general in 'Gladiator' but seeing him acting as a mathematician battling schizophrenia was truly amazing. Not many actors can make it so believeable a character.

Anyway enough about them already, here's the story of the movie below.


Story:

Russell Crowe plays Detective Richie Roberts, an honest cop working in a world of corruption. He works hard to keep the streets clean, but he knows he has to get the big guys if he is ever going to see the streets clean forever. He realises that a new power is rising in the streets, and it is not the Mafia.

Denzel Washington plays Frank Lucas, who was just a small time driver, a chauffeur of one of the biggest crime boss in America. When the boss dies unexpectedly, he uses this opportunity to rule the inner-city drug ring. With his street smart antics, he manages to outplay other leading crime syndicates to become one of the biggest crime lords of the country.

With two opposites facing each other head on, it is a matter of time before one of them crumbles and the other becomes the victor.


Review of the trailer:

Watching it, takes me back to the time of racism and segregation in America. Although I wasn't born yet, I read about it. Of how badly treated the blacks were, and how the whites seems to exhude white superiority. I see it as a time of desperation and the people looking for a hero. Somehow, I feel for those people, eventhough it seems that they lead a life of drugs, crime etc, they were looking for a better place, a better future. Here I see Frank Lucas as the hero. The man who provided food and hope to the people. Kinda like a modern day Robin Hood, but instead of stealing from the rich, he becomes rich himself and helps the people.

Of course, being rich for him was getting rid of people who comes in his way, getting involved in drugs, crime, etc. But yet, his other side of him as a loving family man who thinks for the family. I think he thinks he is making the initiative to make things right or better even if it means doing many wrongs.

Richie Roberts sees a total opposite of what he sees himself. He knows he is dangerous and he is doing all he can to convince others. But he seems to be facing some stiff critics of his own.

Overall, the trailer wasn't that enticing, but from what I learned from watching trailers is that, sometimes a bad trailer equals a good movie. This is one of them. I am definitely going to watch this movie

Movie Trailer: I am Legend

If you are a fan of Wild Wild West, Bad Boys or Bad Boys 2 starring Will Smith in it, I don't think you want to miss his latest flick as well - I am Legend.

The Story:
Robert Neville is the only sole survivor of a world dominating virus created by mankind. The virus was supposed to help cancer patients, but apparently wiped out 588 million people in the year 2009.

Neville decides to dedicate his life to continue surviving for the sake of the human race, because he was somehow immune to the virus and trys to find a cure. He plays an interesting role at night to seek out infected beings who seem to have lost their human instincts and survival skills.

Neville knows that he is outnumbered, quickly running short of time and only driven by only one remaining mission, to find a way to reverse the effects using his immune blood.

Review of the Trailer:
Imagine waking up one day realizing all your family members and your close friends dead, because of a man made virus and everything becomes a standstill. Robert Neville had to face that reality and he had his own dog, rifle as his companion in New York City.

He exercises in the morning, plays golf on an aircraft carrier in the afternoon, and hunts for game in the late afternoon. When darkness falls, everything changes where he becomes the hunted, desperately trying to put some sense into the beings that he has a cure for the world.

The trailer is extremely well produced which makes you want to visit the cinemas to watch the whole movie.



Release Date: 25th December 2007 (Singapore)

Rating: PG

Iron Man

Apart from Batman, Iron Man is one of the only few superheroes without any super powers. Although I do not follow much on Iron Man, I used to watch the cartoons when I was a little kid. In this show, Oscar nominee, Robert Downey Jr, is the lead actor in this movie as Tony Stark/Iron Man.

Just a recap for those who may not remember who Iron Man is:

1) A billionaire
2) An industrialist who owns Stark Industries
3) A genius inventor
4) A lady's man
5) An insane in the mind man (well aren't most geniuses are)
6) If I remember correctly, he has a heart problem


The story:

Known to be a rich arrogant man, he creates weapons and shows off his riches. Liked by the corporations and disliked by many, Robert Downey Jr shows a pretty good potrayal of who Tony Stark is before being Iron man.

Kidnapped one day in Afghanistan (from his early comics he was actually kidnapped in Vietnam), he was forced to create a weapon for the 'terrorist'. Instead of giving into their demands, he created a suit that would set him free from his captives. Well from there, the rest is history.


Review of the trailer

After watching the teaser trailer and the new trailer together, I realise there is just small additions to it. Probably just a few extensions here and there, but the most notable and I think the coolest is the voice that says 'Iron Man' in such a futuristic robotic way.

I also notice F22 Raptor planes in the trailer. The last time I saw such planes in a movie was Transformers (if you said Die Hard 4 you are wrong, it was a different plane). One look at the trailer, I just can't help but wonder whether there is a political agenda behind it. Seeing terrorists, American planes, probably another propaganda or kinda like trying to justify the wars America had recently.

Nevertheless, the trailer really got me excited. I mean it's got hot women, hot cars, cool machines, kinda like a man's dream come true!