Movies: The Great Magician

Movies: The Great Magician

INTRODUCTION

Here is another movie that was not very highly advertised but i took the risk and saw it this evening. This movie genre is pretty strange, and i attribute it to the fact that there was too little advertisement and no trailers that i saw before hand. For people who are wondering however, i guess i would say this movie could be considered a comedy, action kind of show. However action in this show is relatively mild, no blood and no particular special fighting CGI if you ask me. People will probably be more thrilled by the plotline in this movie as compared to the action. But that is if you are prepared to be somewhat confused... in fact if u are a person who just want to be enjoy this show, you have two paths, either you completely don't think and just enjoy the comedic value, or you keep your mind active throughout the show and you will enjoy the jumpy confusing plot when it all gets put together in the end.

Without further ado here is the review

Plotline


The story plot line is not really obvious from the beginning as it in fact begins with a not as main character. Then it introduces the next character who is really confusing as to whether he is the protagonist or antagonist. Finally it introduces the 3rd character who is the great magician who is clearly the good guy. After that the show starts to under go many twists and turns and cut in and outs which results in the show being rather difficult to follow at times.

As far as the plot however, it is highly comedic in nature with many unlikely things happening. Fortuntely although this show tries very well not to be serious, at the very least it keeps entertaining and doesnt do anything that seems particularly incoherent unlike some other chinese shows that borders on the impossible and really unrealistic.

There is a small amount of minor action scenes during the entire show, but this does not seem to be the main highlight of this show.


Character


There are quite a few important characters in this show and for the most part, they all are important in the main storyline and bringing it along. What this show does well, or at least the actor does well is that in the things that the character says, it really leaves a lot of space for ambiguity which is why i said that if we need alot of brain power should we want to understand the flow of the story.

Even if we use the entertainment approach (read brainless approach) we will also derive much fun from the way the characters face various scenarios which gives quite a bit of fun to the show.


Cinematography


With regards to cinematography, due to the presence of a lot perspectives from various characters in the show, this show would be bordering around many relevant perspectives but also getting slightly too hard for the lay person to follow.

Besides that, the show does have ok angle shots and average CGI effects. Overall the story telling style is fine, but can be improved.


Music


Strangely, for this show, the music actually did play a very important role in making the entire show more comedic as compared to action packed. This can be seen in their choice of a funny cutsie song during all fight scenes as compared to action music. As far as this show goes, their choice added more entertainment value to the show.


Spectacle


As far as entertainment value goes, this show does achieve this pretty well by treating itself not as seriously and by putting many joke points throughout the show. Some portions do seem to show that they are trying a bit too hard but overall everyone should be able to get some giggles from the show if you set out to enjoy it.

Storyline however is a bit harder to follow and hence depends on which approach you want to take.

Overall


Plot                         : 3.0 (Could have been better or more fun i.e. more magic or magicians)
Character               : 3.5 (Plenty of important characters and they do not feel too neglected)
Cinematography    : 3.0 (Confusing at times but still followable)
Music                     : 4.0 (Good music that adds value to the show)
Spectacle               : 4.0 (Does well for the genre of some brainless entertainment)


Overall                   : 3.5 (Overall, if you want to enjoy this show, you can. First you must understand chinese, then you must either be willing to think the show through to appreciate how the plot twists around, or you can be totally brainless and just enjoy the laughing points without a care about how outlandish the story might be. Would recommend this for time passing but is probably not a show that anyone must see.)


As usual please give comments :D

Movies: The Darkest Hour

Movies: The Darkest Hour

INTRODUCTION

I am pretty sure frequent movie viewers would have came across this movie poster sometime during their visits to the theater. But this movie is hardly advertised and talked about, and it kind of just appeared, unlike another coming movie the Hunger Games which somehow has been advertised for about 6 plus months before it is going to be released. The closest movie that I would think falls into the same genre or type as this movie would be Cloverfield, or perhaps even War of the Worlds.

Just as how zombie movie lovers spawn their own genre specific fans, there is also a smaller group of lovers with a similar interest in aliens invading earth and the end of the world type of movies.

I would say that Cloverfield actually did this genre very well, all the way down to the shaky cam to immerse the person into the feel of the movie and hence much of the review would be comparative to what Cloverfield brought.

Storyline


As far as storyline goes, this genre of movie has to start out by easing us into what we can call a normal day of normal happenings. This show does it in a pretty alright manner, but starting it out in a bar sometimes would not be as appealing to the general audience as not everyone would be able to associate with bars or pubs well enough.

As for the rest of the show, the setting and storyline is pretty plausible overall and for some people, the fact that the show is set in Russia adds a slight bit of entertainment to the show. Unfortunately i doubt many people actually will appreciate it unless you spend much time in the internet surfing memes and stuff like that.

What this show does uniquely however is that it makes the villains invisible. Then the show makes use of this fact to add a bit of creepiness and thrill to the show which i feel is a pretty good twist as compared to the usual stealthy aliens that are merely just good at hiding.


Character

As far as character goes, the show was given a disadvantage in that it was a really short show. As a result, the show didn't really have any character building or introduction and i guess as a result there is quite little empathy for the characters as they are also kind of far off from the layperson.

An advantage about this however is that the characters can easily be killed off and there is no real feeling of loss and hence no anger or disappointment that a particular character had too little screen time. But this is quite common in movies with no great stars.

As a whole however, from the brief time we have to size up the characters, i guess we could conclude that they are rather believable, from the coward to the calm even in a storm kind of character.


Cinematography


To be honest, I personally feel that the camera angles used in Cloverfield would suit this genre best but that being said, this movie does have a few diverse locations that prevent the movie from getting too boring.

Also, the show transitions from "trying to find out what is going on", to "find out what to do", to "go to the evacuation point" and finally even going on sort of an offensive. This prevents the show from getting too monotonous and did help improve its enjoyability.


This show also has numerous predator vision moments which adds quite a bit to the fun factor of the show.


Music


Music on the whole is pretty ok, nothing hindering or really majorly enhancing the show.


Spectacle


As far as the genre of sci-fi, thriller, invasion movie goes, this show actually can immerse you slightly into the happenings but only if you really try hard enough. Its not like Cloverfield that forces you into the perspective to add more entertainment value. The situation however is entirely plausible from a sci-fi perspective which lends authenticity to the show.

Overall


Storyline              : 3.5 (Slightly unique, but could really be more immersive)
Character            : 3.0 (A bit too forgettable with too little chance to empathize with them)
Cinematography : 3.5 (I would say its pretty ok, and the predator vision helps alot)
Music                   : 3.0 (Average score for an average music score... punny)
Spectacle             : 3.5 (Pretty ok, if it was more immersive and convincing it could be more enjoyable)


Overall                 : 3.3 (What this score basically means is that this would be a show that fans of the genre who are able to immerse themselves naturally into the field of the show will be able to enjoy. But this one will require some proactiveness on the part of the viewer. If you are merely someone who just wants to see action, you will probably not be able to enjoy this show. Neither is there much character building in this show either. So I won't recommend this show if you are not a fan of the genre cause it will be harder to appreciate the show if you do not know what the show is really trying to present.)


Final note is that from the views of my friends, they didn't really enjoy the show at all. Its probably cause they are not so into this genre but this really is the fact about the matter, that you cannot enjoy it unless you really like the genre.

As usual comments are welcome :D

Movies: Sherlock Holmes 2 : Game of Shadows

Movies: Sherlock Holmes 2 : Game of Shadows

Hello everybody, it has been quite a while since i reviewed something, but never fear, i am back again this time with the latest blockbuster movie of probably the year 2011.

Yep, it is Sherlock Holmes again, with Robert Downey Jr. who i believe also acts as Ironman. However, unlike his marvel counterpart, Sherlock Holmes is meant to be more of a thinking action show, and differs from normal action movie in that it does strive and show that it is striving to be a show where the plot highlights not just the brawns but also the brains of the main character and even the villain.

When I say highlights the brain of the villain, it is unlike many other shows whereby the villain is supposed to be smart, but only in the technological sense i.e. Mad Scientists. This show's villain is slightly more like the Joker in Batman, whereby they highlight the strategic sense and planning of both the hero and the villain.

Anyway without further ado, here is the review of the show.

Plot


With regards to the plot, as i said earlier, this show prides itself on being more thinking based and showing the thinking process as compared to other action shows. That being said however, this show still has its fair amount of action in a level that is comparable to even some of the recent action flicks.

See? They are running from something and are all dirty and rugged. There must have been action.

However, a sad point to note was that the initial part of the movie was really dry and hard to relate to cause it was setting the stage for the show but was really talking about the wedding of Watson. I will explain what was the problem with the Watson part in the character section. I admit i did fall asleep at that stage of the show as it was really really pretty slow. I am sure that part was trying to introduce people to the wiles and tricks of Holmes but it seemed a bit dragged out for me. It did get more entertaining towards the end part however and that part i did enjoy.


Character


With regards to the characters and their development, here is a picture of ms neglected. Neglected because she was supposed to be very important in the beginnings of the show but it really just ended up being like a separate story arc that did not really tie into the rest of the show. And unfortunately, this segment was a bit too long.

I am sure she played a more pivotal role in the previous movie, but for this show, she really didn't add anything in particular. Watson and Holmes of course took up the biggest chunk of the show and they introduced some other particular gal character. However, there is a bit of feeling that her character could have been elaborated more and she seemed awfully dull compared to Watson and Holmes.

The villain on the other hand was a bit more special and clearly also meant to be an anti type to Holmes. I would have loved to see his character being elaborated on more rather then merely be expressed to be just an evil Holmes. Even the villain had a evil version of Watson but they could really have been made to be more distinct.


Cinematography


The Cinematography in this show was great! It really managed to combine the thinking processes with the action very nicely and did not end up looking very weird or forced. In fact, the audience would be rather immersed and could conclude that maybe that is the exact way our own thinking processes work to come out with possibilities and outcomes.

What this movie did better then the previous movie was also in this section because it took what made Sherlocks Holmes special, and placed a lot more emphasis on it with correspondingly appropriate styling.


Music


Music was pretty good, above average at the least. It took cues from the previous movie and even used some of the same composition to bring about the feeling of familiarity. Besides that, it added quite a bit of immersiveness to the show.


Spectacle


This show aims to put itself above the action genre with the thrill of seeing the thought process of the characters, and it does these two aspects very nicely even blending it seemingly. However, when it tried to put a bit of drama into the show along with character development, it seemed slightly lacking and this detracted slightly from the enjoyment of the whole show.

Overall


Plot                           : 4 (The plot line is pretty generic actually, but least it is done interestingly)
Character                 : 4 (Some characters are really a bit too identical, too much time wasted on wife)
Cinematography      : 4.5 (Genre defining cinematography that makes the movie an experience)
Music                       : 4 (Nice tunes and soundtrack)
Spectacle                  : 4 (Does well in two of the three genres)


Overall                     : 4.1 (Overall, fans of pure action might find this show slightly too draggy for their taste. However, people who are willing to be entertained by putting a bit of thinking into the picture will probably be able to enjoy this show once we go past the drama in the first section of the show. Seeing the previous movie might help a person immerse into the style of Holmes, but other then that, it will not really help you understand this sequel nor help you appreciate the wedding part of the show.)


As usual any comments just go ahead below :D

Series: Fringe

Series: Fringe


Its been quite a while since I reviewed a show, one reason is that there ain't many spectacular movies that are coming out the last few days, the other reason is that there is no one to see movies with. Probably the movie of the last few days would be twilight, and i expect to see it probably in the next month or so. But since there is no movies for me to review currently, I decided to continue my reviews on series. This time, its slightly different from crimebusting criminal minds, slightly, only cause it is still crime busting, but this show is a bit more sci-fi, and generally more fun.


INFORMATION

Status : Currently ongoing
Seasons : 4 as of 4th December 2011
Episodes per season : ~20
Length of each episode : 43 minutes
Genre : Crime solving, Thriller, Sci fiction, Drama


INTRODUCTION


This show caught my eye when it was made known to me that this show has it emphasis on many kinds of fringe science. For those who do not know what fringe science is, this is the definition as according to wikipedia. Basically, science is generally all types of very established theories and laws. For example gravity is something that is very established as we experience it every day. But, when we start to talk about anti gravity, to be able to float above or to switch the gravitational pull that is acting on us, now that is fringe science. Interestingly, some ideas that we have today were actually considered fringe science a long time ago. For example in-vitro fertilization would probably have been fringe science before it was made into a reality today. Cryostasis is also something that much research is being put into and who knows, maybe this is something that might actually happen some fine day.


Here is the opening theme where you can actually see some of the fringe sciences of today.

Notice the top right corner opening, that is the opening sequence used during one of the episodes whereby they went back into the future. So if you look closely, you can see what was probably considered fringe science just a few decades ago.


Also take note that throughout the series, the main scientist of the show would actually draw some very interesting ways to understand fringe science. One of the memorable ones that I heard was his explanation on if whether it is possible to pass through solid objects. He basically used a beaker of rice and placed a toy soldier on it. Then he basically vibrated the beaker and the soldier was able to disappear into the rice. So if we consider our body to be made out of particles, if we vibrated it at the same frequency as the wall, it would be possible to pass through the empty spaces of molecules. Complicated? Well thats why hes a scientist :)

Dr Walter and his lab

This is what you will keep seeing


Ok before you start getting too bored with science, here is the review.


Plot


So as was highlighted above, this show falls under the genre of crime solving, only thing is that all the crimes that happen comes with a fringe science twist. So instead of normal bombings or killings, we start talking about cryostasis bombs, and killings done by less human humans. Or at least humans that have been experimented on that kind of stuff. 


There is also some emphasis on different methods of getting information, for example early in the series, we see them trying to extract information from a dead body by virtue of embedded memory by the currents that flow around in the brain neurons. So basically, this show is a lot of fun being distinct from other story by its good use of science.


This is not an action show however, so you won't see things such as firefights and that kind of stuff. Its more of a thriller in terms of concept and how it is used in the show. There is also some drama here and there between the characters.


However, one thing to note is that as the series goes along, it starts to dive into issues like time travel and also parallel universes. So one fact about parallel universes is that when you start talking about what happens when you do things in this universe and how it will affect the other universe it will start to get confusing. This is the gist and the main attraction factor of the 3rd season. However, at least the story is still pretty easy to follow with regards to this aspect and the parallel universe do add to the intrigue and fun of the show.


The series also puts in episodes that are more catered to fun and entertaining their fan base. For example there is the token musical episode where everything is done in song, as well as one episode where it moves from real life into animation.


Character

Characters in this show are very interesting also. First of all, the show doesn't neglect the fact that all the characters are working together and hence grow in feelings and affections for each other. So we can see a level of relationship building that aids in the immersion of the show.


Also this show does not portray all its characters as invulnerable and unrealistic. So there are seasons and episodes whereby certain characters are killed, injured. The fun part of science fiction however is that it is possible to still bring back the characters although they might come from a different time and space.


Also, the characteristics of certain characters also change as they come from different universes and this adds a bit more entertainment value. In fact, the character with the biggest and most amusing change was actually quite a minor character in season one,  also due to the fact that her original character was supposed to be one who likes to keep a low profile.


Cinematography


Like i said earlier, the show Cinematography is pretty versatile and they even do musical episodes and animation episodes. So generally, the cinematography is pretty well above average. Further more, the actors themselves do a very good job of portraying different personalities in a very convincing manner. The main character in fact, at a moment in the show becomes possessed by someone who is not her, and she is able to bring out the essence of the possessing person in a very fun manner. 


Points to note however is that the show generally always takes place in enclosed areas, so you won't usually see anything that is too striking or pretty, but that is urban life for you anyway. 


There are however a few episodes whereby there is no progression of the underlying story and its merely one of the other episodes whereby they just reveal a new fringe science idea and show you how it is solved.


Music


Besides the musical episode, there is no real particular emphasis on music during the show except at some points before they go into commercial they kinda do a cliff hanger music kind of thing. Still, it doesn't detract away from the show in anyway.


Spectacle


For a show whose emphasis is on sci fiction, I would say that the level of understanding required to enter the show is not particularly high, therefore it is more comfortable for any normal common people to enjoy and see the show. The explanations are also welcome to help people who are interested to know more, be more immersed into the show. 


The thrilling factor is also there, provided you are thrilled by science and the possibilities of the fringe sciences. No action sequences are particularly outlandish, so this is probably not the show for pure action freaks though.


In terms of the drama between the characters, this show also does it very well and hence people are able to fill like they really know the characters, be it the present universe ones or the alternate universe characters.


Longevity


For a show that requires much scientific content, I would personally say that it would be hard to maintain the show when all the fringe ideas are exhausted. 4 seasons into the show, I would say that things that I have known have pretty much already been used in the show. So its really hard to say whether this movie can continue to remain fresh when the ideas in reality are limited. Unless they are going to dive further in and create new concepts or ideas.


Overall


Plot                       : 4.5 (Plot is new for a series, also pretty well done)
Character              : 4.5 (Characters are very believable and also you get two of every character)
Cinematography   : 4.0 (Actors do a very good job, but I guess overall there could be feeling that everything looks the same after a while)
Music                    : 3.5 (Music is not of any particular emphasis, but at least it is visible)
Spectacle             : 4.5 (For all the listed genres, this show does a good job)
Longevity              : 3.5 (I personally feel that the ideas are running out. Who knows what could happen)


Overall                  : 4.1 (Fans of the genre will be able to enjoy and be immersed in this world of science fiction, being entertained by the idea and concepts of "what ifs and possibilities". Lovers of action however would probably not be as entertained. Its a show that really caters to a specified audience. However the drama is also pretty good so it allows entry of other people who want a good story line in general)


Here is two of the characters for your viewing pleasure.

You are not seeing double, it is the same actress for both of them 


Heres the review for fringe, a show that is still under my list of shows that i see. Hope to hear your views and comments :)

Food: Turkish Cuisine

Food: Turkish Cuisine

So today begins another foray into another genre or type of thing that is reviewable, and hence shall be reviewed. I don't profess to be a food guru, but i would like to believe I can at least discern what is a good food and what is bad food. When i say good food i mean in terms of taste and not just cause it is a particular food I don't eat.

So if i do not eat it, don't expect it to ever be reviewed by me. For example I will never eat chicken rice and neither do I think I qualify to review it since I think it probably just tastes the same and is boring. Other food that I do not eat includes cockroaches, locust, human meat, and oysters because I seem to have some sensitivity to the raw taste that induces puking when i eat them.

Either way, my review is probably more tuned to whether you should consider trying this food at least once, or its not worth trying at all, or it is good for repeated patronage. Its more like an adventure kind of thing then whether the food is really good. That is cause I have not tasted all the dishes on the menu so you cannot expect my rating to be accurate in terms of the food taste if you eat something completely different. However, in terms of the eating experience, you could expect a more similar experience to what I have eaten and felt during my time there.

INTRODUCTION

So in a quaint little place called Suntec City, there has always been a bunch of shops at the top floor in the same tower as the one that has the Toys 'r' Us. I been there once a long time ago and remembered the good variety of shops, but was under the impression that it was all very expensive. Well, have you yourself walked there and taken a look? Probably the scary part would be the large Jap restaurant with a buffet priced at like SGD 44 bucks per person. But going further in, you would actually see pretty interesting shops.

So the first shop I decided to go to try for the very first time was this shop called Turkish Cuisine. It has a bright red signboard and should be the 2nd or 3rd shop from the Jap restaurant. I was actually trying to slide across to take a look at the menu of this swiss restaurant but one of the staff managed to convince me to go in and try and at first glance the price seemed pretty ok.

As far as Turkish Cuisine goes, i believe that it is pretty rare to find in Singapore with more people being familiar with the Turkish ice cream. Unfortunately, I also didn't manage to get a snap shot of their menu so perhaps that's something useful to add into my future reviews.

So below is the review proper, for now I cannot really come out with any more review criteria besides these four.

Food


Over here we will talk about things such as the taste, the presentation and even the uniqueness of the food. First of all, this place is pretty unique to me as they actually served something like this.

So this was actually minced lamb with some veggie on a pita like pizza. This is their version of the pizza. The bottom layer is actually something like the prata we can eat. The taste was also pretty good if you were to ask me and the portion is actually pretty sufficient.

The other dish we had was actually something pretty interesting too.

On the left side, the baked cheese like area was actually mashed potatoes. On the right side it was actually stewed beef. This one was called the King Kabab or something to that effect and it tasted very unique also. The beef was pretty tender and the stew sauce was pretty flavorful. The mash potato with cheese would serve to appease those who are more into western cheesy kind of food and is supposed to fill you up. Only grouse of this was that perhaps the portion was a bit too little and i felt that if i ate it all alone, I would probably not be all that full. That being said, at least it was served on a claypot which was a nice unique touch.

The boss also told us to try some kinda cake but in the end we decided to skip that. According to him however, he said that many of his patrons liked it and it does seem to be one of a kind in Singapore. So if ever you are visiting his shop, perhaps you could try the cake too. Its the Kunefe in the picture below.

Atmosphere


In terms of atmosphere, those shops at the top are pretty squeezed for space to be honest. But there was actually quite a fair bit of space when we ate there for a weekend dinner and I sat inside the shop itself. There was turkish music on loop and it sounded pretty interesting actually. Besides that, the boss actually came and asked us about the food which i felt was a pretty good touch.

The rest of the staff were normal filipino staff that was ever ready and attentive to serve. They might be a bit assertive in recommending food but overall they were pretty nice


Price


So this was the amount that we spent for the food that evening,

So if you expand it and take a look, there is no service charge and the price that was reflected on the menu was the price you would be paying. So its pretty clear that this is probably not a place you will eat at everytime, but nonetheless its a interesting place to try if you are looking for a special weekend meal and you want to try something different. Note that I didn't buy drinks but water is provided for free.

Accessibility

I decided to add this portion because I was wondering, if people were thinking of eating here then i guess to some extent how difficult it is to get to the place should be somewhat important still. Being in the central area which is in Suntec city, I would say that it is a pretty easy place to get to complete with parking. Of course those might not come cheap but at least you can plan this together with your grocery shopping.

Overall


Food               : 4 (Its unique and the taste is pretty good, of course there can be improvements)
Atmosphere   : 3.5 (Music that suits the setting, and the boss himself was friendly and forthcoming)
Price               : 3 (Pricey, probably the level of a more extravagant meal, but its still not daylight robbery)
Accessibility   : 4 (Near the mrt, can drive, just might be bit crowded)


Overall            : 3.6 (Overall, this is the kind of place that you could consider on that special occasion just to try something different. When you go with this kind of mindset, you will be able to enjoy the meal and the experience. In short, this is a place that you should try at least once :) )


Please comment if any :) especially if you have ways to improve on ratings.

Movies: Immortals

Movies: Immortals

INTRODUCTION

This movie deserves a bigger poster shot, cause it is supposed to be whats so cool about this show. Unfortunately despite having so many different posters, this show really just emphasizes on about 2 of them majorly, with one particular character having a abyssmally small role despite being so prominent in the poster. Just take a look amongst this 8 posters and guess who is that pitiful actor and character. The answer will be revealed at the bottom of this posting.

Anyway, tauted to be the next blockbuster action movie, especially with the statement at the top, the producers of 300. If you seen 300, you probably already have the inkling that you must see this show.

This show follows the story of the hunt of a particular bow that is able to release the titans from their prison. So the main character and his oracle and a few friends set off to try to get the bow. There are also the gods in these show and if you do not know which ones in particular, they are Posidon, Athena, Zeus and Ares. Can you spot them in the poster above? So these Gods do not want to interfere in the business of man, and Zeus makes this statement that they can only interfere if the Titans are released. Thankfully, for us, they do get released at one point of the show, but continue to read on to see if it lived up to expectations or at least my expectations.

Storyline


Lets be honest, in an action film, all you should really expecting is a storyline that gives you tons and tons of action. This movie doesn't do it all too badly, although the storyline is still pretty standard fare. To be honest though, i felt that this movie, which is already long, tried to put too much storyline into the movie depriving us of time for more and more action. I guess at some point of time there is some tradeoff to be made but honestly. for a action show with this much potential, there should have been a bit more emphasis on action.

There are also some strange incidences in the show that do not make particular sense to me, like the action of a particular monk that i shall not spoil for those seeing the show. Overall, since this show follows some mythology, it does above average for an action flick and that is just enough for this genre. This show also had quite a few funny moments as well as gory moments which added to the entertainment value of the movie.


Character


Well, unfortunately, like many action movies, this show might have highlighted too many seemingly "starring" characters then it could chew. Like i said in the introduction, some characters are so hardly elaborated that I actually pitied one of the actors in those posters above. I mean it seems like he was gonna be important and yet he has horrible screen time. Further more, some of the characters that followed the main character were actually very unimpressive and not distinct enough if you ask me. It reaches the stage whereby you actually have no clue which one of them was actually killed because they are so close together in character and role and they even look kinda alike. This is also the same case for two particular gods also.

The front two is different, but the next two are pratically twins

On the bright side, at least they did have visible attempts at trying to distinguish some other characters at least via weapon choice and costume.

Cinematography


This is the portion whereby the show really shined. Similar to the movie 300, this show placed a lot of focus on trying to depict magnitude, beauty and take very good shots of places. The action sequences was also pretty well filmed with the typical 300 effects to bring out the impact of the action.

You might find yourself saying wow this place looks cool, or this place looks nice when you see some of the shots they used. There are also some perspective shots that adds some entertainment value to the show.


Music


Music was also above average and added much thrill and value to the battle scenes. Nothing particularly too outstanding as this is no musical and there was not much singing to be expected.


Spectacle


For an action movie with a mythical storyline, this show did pretty well. Its no 300 in terms of action, because i personally felt that there were a bit too little large scale fightings and there was more focus on individual 1 v 1 or 1 v 2 or 1 v 5 that kinda fights. I also like the idea that the show admitted the vulnerability of the gods especially when they are fighting the Titans that according to mythology, did actually put up a fight. So its less of a hero story and rather more of looking at everything in a collective sense.

This, it had too little of

Sadly, I still personally felt that there was too much potential that could have been used in enhancing the action scenes and personalizing the battles better and this is probably where the movie fell a bit short from the action genre.


Overall


Storyline             : 4 (Coherent storyline expected of the action genre. It could always be better but if you have to sacrifice action for storyline, i rather you keep the action and scrimp on story)
Character           : 3.5 (Many characters, supposed to be unique but they could have done a better job differentiating them. Too many short roles for supposed important characters)
Cinematography : 4.5 (Where the movie shines. I would say its still not the 300 level but its pretty close)
Music                  : 3.5 (Above average and added to value of entertainment)
Spectacle            : 4 (Action genre that had good action while it lasted, but perhaps was just a bit too short)


Overall                : 3.9 (Action genre lovers, this show can still work for you as long as you don't set your bar at the level of 300 and love to see cgi effects and more personal scale battles then large scale Lord of the Rings army battles. Other genre fans that just want to have a nice day off enjoying the progress of technology and CGI could possibly enjoy this show as long as they have realistic expectations of a action flick. That is to mean, if you want to enjoy this action flick, go in expecting to just see action and don't say its bad cause it didn't have romance or storyline or what not.)


So there goes another blockbuster for the year, it was a entertaining experience for me, but I just felt a bit wasted that they didn't utilize the gods as much as they could.

A bonus clue for those who are still thinking who is the pitiful actor, it seems like this actor got the worse part, and also the most retarded costume. Its like those kinda costume that you are made to wear cause you lost a bet or the drawing of straws.

You could put down your guess in the comments, or just comment in general :D

Movies: You are the Apple of my Eye

Movies: You are the Apple of my Eye

INTRODUCTION

It is not a frequent thing, that i see chinese movies. It is also not very frequent, in fact even rare, that I would see a drama or romantic kinda show. It is also not very common to see a show that is pretty good in all catagories. So this movie, You are the Apple of my Eye can be said to be a rare infrequent and uncommon gem amongst all the movie here. In fact it was a pity that i could nearly have missed this show.

Its a taiwanese movie, and apparently its one of the higher grossing movie here in Singapore. Unfortunately, besides word of mouth, there is hardly any advertisement on this show.

This show is pretty smart, in the sense that it tries to make us identify with the main character and how he moves and grows from high school, all the way into adulthood and working life. It then uses these time periods to tell a love story and boy... is it a love story that many people can identify somewhat with and it is a realistic situation complete with sweet beginning and nice end (To prevent spoilers)

Heres a song to get you through the review,

Storyline


To be honest, this show probably falls under the drama, romantic but also comedy genre. It is really pretty funny from the start to the end although from the ratings you probably could guess the jokes are generally sexual in nature. So if you are some purist, then you might be slightly put off, but in reality, life isn't all that pure and innocent from the start to the end and this is reality of life.

Because of this, this show really enables the person to identify with almost all the characters, situations and associated feelings. From the innocence of children to the realism of real adulthood when it strikes you, these are the points that the show tries to bring out.

As long as you can identify with the life and the happenings of the main character, I would say that the storyline is fantastic, because no one can really honestly say that their life story is completely uneventful and there are no ups and downs in their life.


Character


Characters are also well planned and acted out, every single character has enough distinction and screen time to show their impact to the show in general, and every character can be found in our own respective lives in some way or other.

Characters are true to life and don't do anything that you would feel is particularly impossible. Even the additional characters that are added midway in the show do much in adding to the humor and realism of life.


Cinematography


Cinematography is fantastic. Perspectives are closely chosen to convey the very feelings of the moment. It adds immense comedic value as well as allows you to see from the eyes of the characters. Really, this show could possibly have the best Cinematography I have seen in the genre. Everything is very clear and crisp and there are no wasted shots that detract from the feeling of the entire show.


Music


Music is also another very well done point of the show. Placed in the correct moments to evoke the correct feelings. And being a romantic show, the song really helps in bringing out the feeling and making people think about their own past stories.


Spectacle

This show does very very well for the romantic genre, as it brings into it a lot of believability and also is really down to earth and realistic. The show is said to be from a book whereby the author is describing his own love life. I would go so far as to even say that this is not a show, this is life.


Overall


Storyline                   : 4.5 (Great storyline, it follows a person's possible life and does it well and in good fun fashion)
Character                 : 4.5 (Very believable characters, all adding to the value of the show)
Cinematography      : 4.5 (Very good angles to bring up what the director wants to show)
Music                        : 4.5 (Very well use of the songs for the movie's purpose)
Spectacle                  : 4.5 (Telling of a romantic story in a very believable way, its hard to do better then that)


Overall                     : 4.5 (Fans of romantic genre, must see this show, but for all other people, if you are able to understand chinese, you can enjoy this show also. Unless you are a hardcore fan of any other genre and just absolutely HATE romantic shows, you cannot really go wrong with this show)


To my knowledge this show has relatively few screenings already and the shows are usually pretty packed even in the theaters further away from the city. So if you do want to see this show, you might even need to consider booking the tickets to get better places.

As usual, please comment if there is anything you want to add :D Hope you enjoyed the song.