Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Work and life both have been busy recently. This is holiday season, we are all busy chilling out. However, there isn't many good movies out there. We picked Sherlock Holmes after all.

I still remember we watched Sherlock Holmes in 2009 around the holiday season. Same old, the movie is predictable, so that the story line is not that appealing. Of course, I see it differently from two years ago. The ability Holmes had is pretty impressive. This is definitely something I should learn. Maybe I will never get to that level, but reaching some of it will be good.

I realized that it is very important that you can pay attention to all the details (even the smallest ones) and able to summarize all given information and turn them into use. This skill is very critical for both work and life. It is worthwhile to train.

Happy Holidays everyone! =)

Paranormal activity 3

Today is Halloween. I don't know if everyone celebrate/like this holiday, but I still wish everyone happy halloween. =) I personally don't celebrate this holiday often. I went to Trick or treat once/twice when I was a kid. Other than that, I did not really dress up in costume again.

This year we went to this Halloween party in Sheraton hotel in downtown Toronto. It was pretty fun, saw quite a few of interesting costume there. You guys may check out the pictures in the following link.

https://picasaweb.google.com/michelle.z.x/2011Halloween?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCO2huI2EtMjxcQ&feat=directlink

I am here to talk about the movie, Paranormal activity 3. I never really like/dislike horror movies, because I was not really scared. My friend commented, I tend to analyze movies with logic, therefore I don't really get the movie and do not feel scared.

I watched this movie in the theater. It is actually pretty funny to see other people's reaction to a horror movie. I agree with the movie leaves a lot of room for imagination. It may be a good point for some people.

I personally do not like the movie. Maybe it is because i never really understand it. >_< If it is just for an experience, i guess it is worth a try to watch it in a dark room.

Moneyball

I am not really into sport movies and I do not really like baseball. I thought sport movies are pretty much the same, not much surprise. This movie did not give me any surprise either. I also think 2hr is too long. There are some scenes can be cut, so they won't drag the length of the movie. 1.5hr would be decent. Again, the story line is nothing new. I predicted most of the movie and the ending.

Overall, I rate this movie to 6/10. No need to see it in the theater, dl is good enough. I didn't watch the movie for Brad Pitt. However, as my friend said, we see his improvement in acting.

I like this movie because it is encouraging. I tend to do what others said, what others think it is the right thing to do. Maybe, there is one time I should really try to stick on something I think it is right to do and not worry about what others think.

Really, like Bill said in the movie, it really does not matter how other people say/think. It is about do you believe in what you do is right. When no one else believes, you should still believe in yourself. Of course, adventure is not easy. There will be difficult times. You just have to get through those times and solve the difficulties in order to achieve your goals.

I am still looking, and I will get there. But I learn, I should be more brave this time. Holding back is not gonna get me anywhere. If you don't try, you won't get hurt, but you won't succeed neither.

Crazy, Stupid Love

I have been working hard. I have to say I have never study this hard before in my life, really hope I can get through this.

However, a break is still needed. We watched Crazy stupid love yesterday.

My friend picked it because it is light and don't really need much brain cells. I would say it is a good break from functioning the brain. XP

I rate this movie as 7/10 because I actually kind of enjoyed the movie and had a good two hours of break.

The movie is romance comedy, pretty obvious. I like that this movie climax is very obvious and standout. Maybe you can argue the rest of the part is not as great, that why the climax seems more exciting comparatively.

I enjoyed those small funny scenes and some quotes are pretty true. I am not saying they are very creative, but they are worth to check out. After all, I would say this is a dl movie.

Of course, there is a lesson to learn from everything. From this one, it is a small world. =P The other one is... It only take days to change your appearance, but it takes you years to build up what is inside.

Harry Potter - it all ends

50 days count down to UFE...

However, since there are two days left to prep school, we went to see Harry Potter today. Honestly, I am not a big fan of Harry Potter personally. I didn't like the fact that it is super long and not very finding the story interesting. While everyone is talking about it, it is not a bad choice to watch it.

I did not watch the entire series of Harry Potter nor read the books. I will evaluate the movie on its own for this one I just saw.

First of all, I like the fact that this one is not super long and the director did not make the movie longer than necessary. The movie turns out better than I thought, the plot is pretty tight and no breaks in between. I watched the movie in 3D again. I actually like it, compare to the previous one I watched in 2D. I guess it is worth it to watch Harry Potter in 3D because of all those graphic effects. It is a pleasure to enjoy the graphics for this movie.

There is not much to talk about for the actors and actress. However, I found the ending kind of weird and not fit into the entire story. The "# years after" scenes are not really necessary. I think the ending should be more creative than that. Overall, I rate this movie to be 7/10.

PS. I was lucky... now i should work extra hard.

Captain America

Today is the release day of Captain America. Honestly, I didn't really know what is this movie about when I picked it.  I saw the trailer and thought it was fine. I wanted to pick something that comes out today because today is special.

Movie first...
When I told people I am going to watch this movie, everyone is shocked. >< I guess it is not a favor super hero for everyone and it seems childish. However, I don't it is a bad movie after all. I never really know the original story of Captain America, the plot of the movie is not bad. Yet, the ending is pretty awkward and do not really fit into the whole story.

I watched the movie in 3D. I don't think it is worth it. The 3D parts have not done well. I did not really see the 3D is necessary. Other than the 3Ds, the overall action scenes are fine. Some of the explosion and fighting scenes are not realistic enough.

There is nothing special about the acting part because they are mostly action scenes.

overall, i rate this movie 5/10.

PS. 要感谢神的眷顾，也要感谢所有帮了我的贵人，更要感谢給我無限支持的家人和朋友。我會為下一城更努力。

Zookeeper

It is summer time, there are many good and popular movies out there. Since I am behind on movies for two months, I can only watch something that my friend have not watched. Here, Zookeeper is the one we picked. It is a comedy movie, average. Do not have much comment about it because there is not much special or memorable from this movie. There are some funny scenes, but not enough to make me laugh for the entire time. The story is not new, the idea reminds me of Night at the museum when the animals start talking to humans. Overall, I rated 4/10. It is really a dl movie.

However, there is still some idea you may get out from this movie.
Do not try to be someone that you are actually not. It is not worth it to try too hard to be someone you are not, do something you don't like in order to impress someone else. Your happiness is more important than anything else, life is short.

PS. 看到你們幸福我真心的替你們高興。正因爲看到你們的開心，覚得這世上還有開心的事，我的不開心已變的不算是甚麽。谢谢！

Hangover II

Yesterday was the opening day for this movie. It is a sold out movie. The theater was packed when we go in and there was a pretty long line up when we exit the theater. I believe it was because the rating for Hangover I is good, people have high expectation for Part II.

The story is basically the same as Part I, the setting is different from the previous one, Bangkok instead of Vegas. The characters and story line is pretty much the same, meaning everything in the movie is expected. I would say the first one is better because there is more surprises in the movie. Part II is still funny, with different jokes. Remember, this movie is rated R.

I will rate this movie 4/10 and I won't recommend watch this movie in the theater. It is a good one for relaxation and have a laugh. Don't expect too much, so that you don't get disappointed.

Arthur

It is tax season, working six days a week and OT everyday is not fun. >-< However, I learn that balancing between work and life is important. I manage to have watch a movie last night. It is been a while since I went to a theatre and watch a movie.

This movie is not GREAT, but it is funny. It is pretty fun to watch after OT work. Rusell Brand played pretty well in this movie, surprisingly. I guess the director picked the right actor for this role. Although, I think he needs some improvement on his 'lazy' English if he wants more potential in film industry. The storyline is nothing new, it implies the obvious meanings. 'money' is not everything.

I personally think it is a dl movie. However, there is nothing wrong to watch it on a girls night, chilling with your girls after work with this movie. =)

Gulliver's Travels

Tuesday is movie night. This time, we watched Gulliver's Travels. This is another redone movie.
There is some funny moments in the movie. Yet, I would not give this movie a high rating. It would be a nice and relaxing movie but it is not worth to pay $13 for it.

The story is about this typical mail room guy's adventure experience in the island of Liliput, where he towers over its tiny citizens. It is the first time he feels 'big' and powerful. He always think he is a small mail room guy and never try to take an extra step.

This movie reminds me...
If you want something, you need to take that step or otherwise you will never get it. Same theory applies to career, family, relationship...etc.

No Strings Attached

This is a movie just came out this Friday. It is romance, comedy movie. I picked it because I liked the Proposal.

Compare to the Proposal, I think Proposal is more successful in all perspectives, script, funny actors...etc. The theme of No Strings Attached is good, but most the funny scenes linked to sex jokes. Sometimes, it is not even that funny. The story is about this girl starts off a friends with benefit relationship with this guy because she doesn't want any commitment, and she ends up fall for him. This is not a new/interesting story. Everything is predictable and I won't feel bad if I miss part of the movie.

Girls are not strong or independent even they appear to be...

The Green Hornet

I watched this movie the other night.
I think this is Jay Chou's first holywood movie. I didn't go for him, I went because friends picked it. Since I didn't expect much from the movie, I didn't really get disappointments as well. Honestly, I like Jay Chou's music but not his acting. Surprisingly, his English is not as bad as I have been told.

Back to the movie...
This is a funny movie. There isn't much story but I like the funny parts. I watched on a weekday, it is a pretty relaxation after work. You can laugh off a lot of stuff. Seth Rogen is pretty funny, he uses he chubbiness pretty well in the movie as well. I would rate this movie as 6 out of 10.
The story line goes from the son hates the father to finally understands and likes his father. It is a reminder. We should cherish people around us, before it is too late. We just need to communicate before misunderstanding happens.

Lastly...
I am having a good day... I passed. =) 2/3 to go..

Let the bullets fly

Since this movie is popular in China in now days, I downloaded and watched last night. I personally don't like the movie. The casting and production is pretty big, the storyline and idea is not as good.

With such big casting, actors did a fine job in their roles. However, I think the scrip is badly written. It is pretty much a Chinese version of Robinson (I haven't watched Robinson yet.) idea wise. There isn't much in the movie. At least it is not as good as I expected.

I personally won't pay that $13 to watch this movie. Maybe there is something else in the movie that I don't see. 0.o

Wall Street

Today is challenge at work. I was going to have a nice run at gym and relaxing sauna. Then plan changed when a friend called for movie. The movie is named Wall Street - Money Never Sleeps.

This movie is basically about the financial crisis took place two years ago. The story is not told perfectly, yet it is pretty hard to tell the story prospectively. Everyone has a different point of view. I like Shia Saide LaBeo. I watched his shows since he was a kid, and he improved a lot from his last movie. A kid grew up.

I rate this movie 7 out of 10. The script writer done his homework. Since it is pretty hard to tell a full story, I think it would be better to reflect the whole picture from a smaller story. Apparently, this movie is a redone. I never watched the original one and the story actually happened. 

Is "greed good'? a question raised in the movie.

I personally think greed is a good thing at times. It motivates you. However, a person should know what he wants and what is enough for him. It is good to want money and success. However, money and success should not cost everything of yours. There is always balance in life. Do not regret when it is too late.

My theory is... no one really cares about what you want and how much effort you put in. The process does not really matter. It is all about what others want and how you can provide them. If you can offer their demand, they will supply yours. It is business, it is all about the deal. It is the real world.


Wall Street is a dream for me. One day, I want to live a life in New York City. Or maybe I won't even fit in...

Taker

There is not many awesome movies out there recently. Good movies are usually on during the summer time. Plus, I am not much into cartoon movies. I picked this average movie at the end. Naming it as an average movie, I would rate this movie's filming, story line, acting 5 out of 10.

The director established a nice and cool image of these bank robbers. Technically, bank rob is wrong. However, the movie made me feel the bank robbers are the good people. While the movie is on, most people in the theater actually want the robbers to get away with it.

Inception

Yes, I finally watched the movie Inception.

I was holding so badly until I can actually watch if in the theater.

I actually like the movie. I guess the review and the ratings did not lie. I would rate it 9/10 as well. The movie was not very difficult to understand as in some of the reviews. The layers of dreams are flipping back and forth, but the director in fact made them pretty clear. Even through I would prefer a clear result at the end, I still think the ending is suitable for the entire movie.

The idea of accessing others' subconscious mind is actually pretty cool. I have to say Christopher Nolan has brilliant ideas and he is able to tell his ideas. About Leonardo DiCaprio, the first movie I watch him play is Titanic.  I just think he is pretty lucky to play all these good roles in all his movies. I do not know if he is really talented.

是命運還是不争氣？

荷蘭輸了，我喜歡的都輸了。是我没眼光？還是我把霉運带给了荷蘭队？我喜歡的通常都不會赢。真的不公平，我真的覚得那裁判偏心西班牙。不過都過去了，荷蘭雖败犹荣。（我個人意見吧了。）世界杯算是结束了，难得四年一次也算過足了看球瘾。

After Netherlands lost.. I went to watch the A-team.
I have not get a chance to watch movie for quite a bit of time. I used to go almost every week. Now, I would have to stay home and study over the weekends.

A-Team is a good movie. It is funny, cool story line, well done scene and great acting. I would rate the movie 8 out of 10. There are some funny scenes in the movie would make you laugh pretty hard. It is good for leisure, makes you happy. The story also tells the dark side of the US government and the horrible inter-department relationships. This is not a new idea, but it is a good reminder. Nothing is purely black or white, usually there is some grey area.

Iron Man II

I didn't watch Iron Man I in theater. I saw the trailer of Iron Man II, then decided to watch Iron Man I. When it comes to movie series like this, I think it is better to get an idea before watching the movie.

I went to watch the movie a week after it comes out. Maybe I went on a Friday afternoon, before work ended, there are not many people in the theater. However, there was a group of kids seat behind us and talking very loud. I personally really do no like this kind of behavior. Not mentioning it is not polite at all, they are lack of the basic consideration for other people in public.

Lets go back to the movie.
I would give a pretty high rating to this movie and I think it is one of the movies that is worth it to pay that $12 dollars. The explosion and fighting scenes need the sound system to make it become appealing, just like 2012. I still like Robert Downey, he fully illustrate the arrogance of the iron man. 

The character Ivan Vanko represents the bad side of human being, just like the other superhero stories. I am not saying what Tony Stark did was correct, at least he is not hurting people. Vanko decided to damage the city just to satisfy his own arrogance.

Humans are selfish. I always know that. It is understandable that sometimes you would have to hurt some people in order to get what you want. It is reality. However, there is balance. I still think it is inappropriate hurt someone intentionally.

How to train your dragon

I usually do not like to watch cartoons, but since the rating of this movie is that great, I give it a shot.This movie did not disappoint me, it turns out better than I thought. The entire story line, theme, tricks and graphics are all pretty good. I would rate this movie 8 out of 10.I guess there is a reason the movie maintain the top box position.

I like the message of this movie.
We all live in our own world. When others comes, we usually first get suspicious and challenge them first. If we try to get to know and understand them instead, the world will be more peaceful. We cannot live on our own, the world becomes boring that way anyways. It is a good thing to welcome and accept others. Our world is bigger and acceptable than we thought.

There is a lot more message in the movie. It seems simple and obvious to people, however, how many of us actually doing what we should do?

The bounty hunter

It is a romance comedy movie.
The movie trailer was pretty appealing with Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Budtler in it. Unfortunately, before I went watch it, I have been told the movie is not that great. Therefore I went into the theater with a complicated mood. >0<

If you do not expect an awesome movie, you should be satisfied.
It is kind of funny, with some funny scenes. There is some kind of action involved. Also, there are two super stars casting in the movie.
However, nothing is well done. Not mentioning the entire story is predictable and not interesting. Storyline, filming, scenes, including the acting are not well done. When all the components only has a 6 or 7, the entire movie would becomes a 3 or 4.

I personally do not think it is worthy to see the movie in the theater. I went because I was stressed out and really need a break from all the overloaded work.