Down to its last book, Harry Potter continuously vows both the critics and fans with its breathtaking conclusion of this beloved book-adaptation series that has become the most successful book adaptation of all time with a total of $6.4 billion. The latest film Deathly Hallows Part 1 has become the top grossing overseas among the series with $952,175,796 million while Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone) rules the North America and World Wide box office tally. Both of which are in the top 10 all-time highest grossing films (boxofficemojo.com)
The series follows the life of Harry Potter, a young wizard who has been running for his life since his parents died from ruthless evil wizard Lord Voldermort. With people around him doing everything to protect him and end up dying, Harry Potter with the help of his best friends Ron and Hermione, they must find Voldermort's weaknesses quickly as possible to spare the people they love. (My Rating is 4 out of 5 stars)
The three have gone to searching and destroying Horcruxes which help them to defeat Lord Voldermort on this first part of the last film, which is the 7th and final book of J. K. Rowling. With David Yates on the director's seat again, HP has never been this great. The dark-noir effects and musical scoring were really outstanding bringing a different experience, more so if the film was successfully converted to 3D-IMAX. Personally, "Prisoner of Azkaban" is my best book and best film among the series and assuming the last film would carry on thesame style and over-all cinematic presentation, it would be either fall next to 'Azkaban' or surpass it. The film is obviously vague, but that's how it really is, the momentum may have gone downhill after watching it but prepare for a roller-coaster ride once Deathly Hallows Part 2 hits the 3D-IMAX cinemas this July.
One of the most anticipated movies of this year is the 5th movie of the famous speed car-racing movie franchise Fast and Furious, this time dubbed as "Fast Five". Before hitting theaters this May, let's look back and see what this action-thriller has been for the last ten years (I spent the whole day yesterday watching again its first four films).
The Fast And The Furious (2001) - The first film from the franchise was released in June 2001 and went straight to top spot on its first 3-day in North America with $40.1 million . Starred by Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. The first film was a huge success that accumulated $207 million world wide considering the small budget of just $38 mil. Directed by Rob Cohen, who later directed xXx, Stealth, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
Plot: Dominic Toretto (Diesel) with his team including his girlfriend Letty (Rodriguez) hijacked a truck stealing millions of merchandise. Pursuing them was LAPD Brian O'Conner (Walker) who was in undercover joining Dominic's team to get enough evidence to take them in. He fell for Dominic's younger sister Mia (Brewster) and become more close with her brother. The two got along and Dominic introduced him the "Race Wars". A sort of brotherhood formed and Brian got himself protecting Dominic and his team from the authority. (My rating is 3.5 out 5 stars )
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) - after two years the second movie was released with more budget ($76 mil) and also debuted at number one on it's first week with $50.1 million and ended with $236 mil during its theatrical run world wide despite the absence of Vin Diesel and the two female lead. New casts were added which include Tyresse Gibson, Ludacris, Eva Mendez and Devon Aoki. Directed by John Singleton who later directed Mark Wahlberg in Four Brothers and this year's new film Abducted.
Plot: Brian was discharged from LAPD from freeing Dominic (was shown at the end of the first film). He was contacted by the FBI to do another undercover job with Monica Fuentes (Mendez) for money laundering headed by a ruthless drug lord. In doubt of being accompanied by an FBI agent, Brian demanded for a known driver who can do the job with him and in return they will be both cleaned from their past charges. He turned to his old friend Rome, whom he had a little drift with before joining LAPD. With the help of fellow street-racers Tej (Ludacris) and Suki (Aoki), Brian and Rome need to finish the job before the drug lord finishes them. (My rating is 2.5 out of 5 stars)
The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) - released after three years, the third installment didn't much live up to its predecessors when it comes to box office gross but wasn't a disappointment either. It still managed to accumulate a worldwide gross of $158 million despite casting younger and unknown actors which include Lucas Black, Bow Wow and Korean American actor Sung Kang. Directed by Justin Lin who later worked on the other two movies from the franchise.
Plot:
Sean (Black) is a high school student who constantly moves from one town to another due to his stubbornness. He was sent to Tokyo by his mother to join his father after involving in a crash because of street racing. Despite the warning from his father, Sean found himself joining his fellow-American student, Twinkie (Bow Wow) who introduced him to "Drift Racing". He met Han, a Japanese drift racer who later taught him to drift against DK, a nephew of famous Yakuza. Tired of moving and running away, Sean made a good deal with the Yakuza and needs to race again and win against DK for him stay in Tokyo for good. It was revealed that Han was a good friend of Dominic (Vin Diesel) who made a short appearance at the end of the film. (My Rating is 3.0 out of 5 stars)
Fast and Furious (2009) - released in April of 2009 which opened with $70.1 million on its first 3-day. The fourth film reunited all the four original casts together which became the most successful film in the franchise so far. It earned a total of $353.2 million world wide and holds the record of the best live-action car movie ever created. Justin Lin was once again took the directing job for the fourth film. Plot: The plot happened between the second and third movie, where Brian was back in LAPD pursuing a drug dealer while Han and Dominic were in Dominican Republic hijacking trucks of fuel. When Dominic learned about the death of Letty (Rodriguez) he went back to LA pursuing her killer who was also being pursued by Brian to lead him to the drug lord Arturo Braga. The two met and once again involved in car racing, only this time with Dominic is on for revenge at the same time. After avenging Letty's death, he chose not to run from authorities, he was convicted and was sent to jail for 25 years, and on the bus while on his way to his prison, Brian, Mia and two other new racers rescued him. (My rating is 3.0 out of 5 stars)
Fast Five (2011) - picking up from where the last movie left off, Dominic, Brian, Mia and fellow racers are being pursued by cops headed by a new character Hobb (played by Dwayne Johnson). Still directed by Justin Lin and three main characters reprise their roles (except for Rodriguez whose character died in the last film). Also Rome (Tyresse Gibson), Han (Sung Kang), and Tej (Ludacris) are back in this action-thriller film. We still don't know if this film is better than its predecessors but no matter what it will be another box office success and the guys behind the franchise are already working on the sixth and final film. Sounds so exciting right?..can't wait to watch it in cinema this May
I watched a total of 22 movies last February, quite a number but a bit fewer compare to my list last January which reached to 29 films. I know It's probably insane (because I'm really crazy about movies) to keep track of all the movies you watch everyday but for me I just find it fun, it's like I've never seen that movie without having it on my list, good or too disappointing or whatever, I just like seeing them enumerated (if you notice them on the right hand side of my blog).
Most of this movies were not really part of the plan for my movie marathon or I was not eager to watch them. I could just count in my fingers those movies that I really wanted to watch and gave everything up to watch it, some made me sleepy at work 'coz I had to watch it 'coz I couldn't wait to watch it on my rest days and these movies are Robert Downey Jr and duo-comedy "Zach Galifianakis "Due Date", Russel Crowe's prison-break thriller "The Next Three Days", the all-time Oscar Best Picture "The Godfather", Josh Radnor directing-debut in "HappyThankYouMorePlease" and Jason Statham's latest action "The Mechanic".
Some movies were just latest and thought was fun to watch but rather disappointing like Jack Black's Guilliver's Travel, Dwayne Johnson's Faster and Hilary Swank's The Resident. Others were old but really great like the first Toy Story film and the Oscar Best Picture winners Chicago, American Beauty, and The Godfather. Movies like "Bulong", "Just Go With It" were both funny since I watched it in cinema along with friends and family. The horror flick Vanishing on 7th Street, Musicals Burlesque and Nine,teen action-thriller Tomorrow When The War Began, Sandler and Nicholson comedy Anger Management, and Woody Allen's star-studded comedy "You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger" were not really my favorites but pretty good one. The horror-comedy Hatchet is the worst movie on my list while The Godfather and The Next Three Days are the best.
Tale as old as time has once again brought to live by Disney and I’m not talking about the Beauty and Beast, I’m talking about the young girl who has been known for her very long hair, Rapunzel. The story didn’t need a retelling to do for it to be famous but Disney in a way relive Rapunzel’s tale not just to be enjoyed by the children of today’s generation but the adults as well.
Rapunzel was kept in a hidden castle for years by a woman whom she thought was her mother. Every year, during her birthday, she watched these hundreds of lights in the sky from a faraway place. Curious with what was out there, Rapunzel wanted to see these lights closely on her 18th birthday and decided to leave the castle for the very first time. With the help of a young bandit Flynn whom he made a good deal with, her chameleon friend Pascal and the castle horse Maximus, Rapunzel will see these lights brighter than she could imagine.
The movie was a lot of fun, it doesn’t require too much thinking but not too shallow either. Beautifully scored and voiced by Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (Flynn), this animated re-imagination of the classic tale will once again capture you heart and perhaps would last for another century. (4 out of 5 stars)
Down to its last book, Harry Potter continuously vows both the critics and fans with its breathtaking conclusion of this beloved book-adaptation series that has become the most successful book adaptation of all time with a total of $6.4 billion. The latest film Deathly Hallows Part 1 has become the top grossing overseas among the series with $952,175,796 million while Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone) rules the North America and World Wide box office tally. Both of which are in the top 10 all-time highest grossing films (boxofficemojo.com)
