Penguin RushLearn alphabets from movies - updated in green
Folks, let's form some words that begin with the 'D' and 'V' alphabets, based on movie titles or keywords that best describe some recent movies out there. For guidance on the rating system: ***** - 'super good' movie; don't miss it.
**** - good movie; try to find the time to watch it.
*** - average movie; you may or may not like it.
** - crap movie; watch only if you have nothing else to do.
* - 'super crap' movie; don't watch it at all!
'D' is for;
1. Death Call. I can still remember the opening sequence of The Lost World: Jurassic Park (the 2nd installment of the Dinosaur's saga), where it shows a rich British family having a picnic at an isolated island. Then this one little girl, Cathy, wanders off with a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, only to encounter with some rather tiny-but-turned-out-to-be-vicious creatures i.e. dinosaurs. As she gives a small bite of her sandwich to those creatures, it turns out that the creatures actually want a big bite of her.
Those who remember her in that movie, would remember her now, after seeing her latest, When A Stranger Calls (WASC). That little Cathy has ALL grown up into, my oh my, a 'boobiful' (oops I mean beautiful) talented young girl. The movie is a remake of a 1979 movie of the same name. She plays a lead character, Jill Johnson who babysits two children of a wealthy family, whose house location is rather isolated from the rest of civilization (isn't it always the case? a big house on top of a hill; facing a secluded lake etc etc).
Although the running time is rather short (like most horror movies), the pace of the story builds up rather nicely. From the time she meets the kids' parents, to the time when she explores the house, entertains a guest, receives some phone calls, gets spooked by one of the callers, makes emergency calls to a police officer and encounters a psychopath who tries to kill her and the children.
I guess so far, there has been 3 movies about some lunatics stalking some victims, by making disturbing phone calls before killing them: the original WASC, Scream trilogy and the 2006 version of WASC. While movies about babysitters being hunted down by killers have been made many times before.
In the first Scream, we tell ourselves how stupid Casey (Drew Barrymore) is, for still wanting to take the calls despite knowing the guy on the other line is not someone you want to have a chat with. However, in WASC, the situation is different. A few people make the calls to the house: the kids' parents, her three friends and a police officer, other than the stalker/the killer. So, in the beginning, there's no way that Jill can suspect, the kids' lives and her own are in danger that night. The next thing she knows; storm is coming, the maid is missing, a mysterious shadow lingers in a nearby house, there are dead bodies in the house and the calls have actually been made from inside the house.
Here are some similarities in the dialogues, that I manage to pick up between WASC and Scream 1:
1. I want to see your inside out (Scream 1); I want your blood in my hands (WASC).
2. I want to know who am I looking at (Scream 1); So, have you checked the children? (WASC) - implying the callers know or can see what the girls are doing.
I guess it's ok that ideas are repeated or remade, it's how they are repeated or remade that matters. (Rating: ***)
2. Diamond (The Pink Panther). One thing I learn from this movie is that my friend and I have different taste in movies, in particular, comedies. It's obvious from the trailer that the jokes are slapstick. But I never thought the whole movie is one big dry slapstick meaningless.... thing! (Rating: *)
3. Dick (Fun With Dick And Jane). Another remake (of a 1977 movie), and another attempt by Jim Carrey in a rather serious role, after his Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind with Kate Winslet. But the reason for me watching it, is solely because of Téa Leoni. Love her husky voice, love her stunning looks. Love her back then in the TV comedy 'The Naked Truth', where she played a lead role as a formerly rich divorcee forced to become a tabloid newspaper photographer (she was so natural and funny); and still love her now, whatever roles that she carries. (Rating: ***)
4. Descending (The Descent). A British horror with a difference. Why? The story centers around 6 female underground cave explorers. The group gets lost, only to meet with thousands of monstrous humanoid creatures. While trying to desperately escape, one girl finds out a brutal truth about the affair between her good friend and her husband. Somehow, the lead character reminds me of an Irish friend who now resides in Australia. Also, the accident scene at the beginning of the movie, is somehow repeated by Ron Howard in The Da Vinci Code and in another Asian horror flick. Plain coincidences I guess. (Rating: ***)
5. Destination (Final Destination 3). I guess they haven't actually reached the said destination, that they have to make 3 movies out of it, hehe. If you enjoy the first and second installment, you'll love this one. Great acting by the chick and cool death scenes (they will make you wince), although the pace is a bit rush. (Rating: ***).
'V' is for;
1. Vendetta. The creators of The Matrix trilogy had really disappointed a lot of Matrix fans around the world, due to its crappy ending and ridiculous plot as the story progressed towards the end. So that was why, I was initially a bit reluctant to catch V for Vendetta. But then, I was wrong. Yes, the movie is also a bit philosophical, but not in a confusing way. The 'hero' of the movie, V is a profoundly complex man dedicated to freeing his fellow citizens from those who have terrorized them into compliance. Take a look at 'terrorism' through a different perspective. Also, hear how V forms sentences by sentences that begin with the letter 'V' when he introduces himself to Evey, only to receive a reply from her, "Are you mental?" An unforgettable scene. (Rating: ****)
2. Vampires. Between Vampires and Werewolves, whose side are you on? A centuries-long struggle between the vicious predators continue in Underworld: Evolution. The story is a bit weak compared to the first one, but the action sequences are amazing. I especially enjoy the ending, cleverly done. Not for the faint of heart, for sure. (Rating: ****)
3. Vinci. It's hard for me to comment on this movie. In my opinion, any movies that refer to any prophets; whether Nuh (Noah), Muhammad or Isa (Jesus), I consider them rude, especially if they make some kind of fictional stories out of these respected figures and/or they portray how the prophets might have looked like. But then, since I thought the movie is about what happens after Jesus' time (partially, I was wrong), the movie actually refers to the "crucified Jesus" and with all the buzz going around, I thought I'd give it a try, only to find myself nodding off after the first 20 minutes. True, I was a bit tired. But then, it was soooo borrring, sooo slow to be a thriller. And Tom Hanks, why so wooden? (Rating: **)
Coming Soon:
1. The Horrors vs The Comedies - reviews on She's The Man, Scary Movie 4 (it's a comedy by the way), The Omen and The Hills Have Eyes.
2. Cartoons Network - reviews on Cars, Over The Hedge, Ice Age 2 and The Wild.
3. The Last X-Men Standing - a review on X-Men 3:The Last Stand (this movie deserves a stand-alone review!).
4. Rescue Your Wife; Rescue Yourselves - reviews on MI-3 and Poseidon.
posted by The Pisces Man @ 12:33 am
3 Comments:
I have not seen any of the movie mentioned. Used to be a movie buff but since the baby, my time's occupied around her. But nice reviews. Why not doa review on X-Men: The Last Stand. I managed to catch that one and I absolutely loved it. Mutants fighting with each other (the so-called Brotherhood), and the surprisingly sexy Phoenix whose power is beyond everyone else's (loved the fight between her and the professor. Left me completely speechless) and of course I caught the closing scene. Hhhmm.. what do you make of that? Another prequel? I know though that the movie: Wolverine is in the making. So I think I'm gonna catch that one as well.
Boobiful? Hey! so naughty of you... ;)))
Hi Ija,
I have a feeling that when me and wife have kids one day, we won't be as free and won't have as much time to watch every other movies too. In fact, I've seen the same kind of 'busy'ness happen to many other couples with small kids out there :))
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