Are you a sucker for Sucker Punch?

--reviewed by X

If you've been keeping up with movies at all for the past few months, you have undoubtedly seen the trailer for Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch. I recall the 2^nd (or 3^rd I forget… I've seen that trailer way too many times) time I was watching it before some movie, and the response of one audience member was, "okay… so hot girls, nice action… I'm down for watching it." I must admit, when I saw the trailer for the first time, the same thought entered my mind. The movie is definitely geared towards videogame/anime loving nerdy young adults, who, at one time or another, had fantasies similar to that of hot girls in fetish outfits battling samurai/dragon/airplane/whatever.

What happens when your best simply isn't good enough?

Rating: MEHHH

Two of my friends have a simple reply for the title question: "Your boss would yell at you." Either that, or you'd get fired. And then you'd be a loser and live on the street, asking people for change, and going "GOD BLESS!" whenever someone gives you that nickel (or quarter, if you're lucky).

But of course, that wouldn't make an interesting movie. Instead, the movie focuses on how you can be better than your best -- through taking a drug that lets you access all of your brain, making you an enhanced version of yourself (or to put it in nerdier terms, it makes you go Super Saiyan).

Call of Duty: Defying the Critics

--reviewed by Jay

What do Street Fighter, Tomb Raider, and the last installment of Resident Evil have in common? The answer, they are all movies based on popular video game franchises, and they are hated by nearly all critics, garnering 16%, 19% and 25% ratings respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. These three catastrophes are not the exception but part of the rule, for the reactions to big screen adaptations of video games have been so overwhelmingly bad that one can almost hear the collective groan of audiences and critics alike when the trailer for the next inevitable attempt flashes across the screen.

Sure Battle: Los Angeles is not officially based on any video game, but just from its trailer and various clips shown around the web, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine the words Call of Duty floating in front of the title. So perhaps no one should be surprised when critics united in lambasting Battle: Los Angeles (33% on Rotten Tomatoes). However, it would be a mistake to take these reviews at face value; their categorical condemnation of the film reveal more about the intellectual laziness and arrogant self-righteousness of their authors than the film’s actual merits.

How far would you go to be with the love of your life?

Three weeks ago, I saw a Chinese movie directed by Zhang Yimou by the name of Under the Hawthorn Tree about two young adults who fell in love at a time when the society looked down upon dating so early. The two lovers carried their affairs in secret, but when the girl's mother found out about affairs, she (the mother) told her that if he really loved her, he would keep his distance from her. Like a good Asian boy he complies. This compliance is meant to convey his true love for her, that despite wanting nothing else to be with her, he was willing to sacrifice it for the good of his lover.

Like Under the Hawthorn Tree, The Adjustment Bureau, written and directed by George Nolfi based on a short story by the name of "Adjustment Team" by Philip K. Dick, is also about how much one would be willing to sacrifice in the name of love. Matt Damon plays David Norris, a young, ambitious, idealistic Congressman seeking election for a seat in the Senate. However, upon a short encounter with Elise (Emily Blunt), when they share a brief but meaningful kiss, David realizes his true love lies with Elise, not at the hands of registered voters of New York City. The adjustment bureau quickly notices the spark, and was determined to separate the two lovers because according to "the plan", their love was never meant to be. Unlike the male protagonist in Under the Hawthorn Tree, David refuses to back down, and fights against his fate to be with the one he loves.

In other words, if Under the Hawthorn Tree is a Chinese version of Shakespeare's classic masterpiece Romeo and Juliet, taking place under the Cultural Revolution when Chinese people were overly naive, I believe that The Adjustment Bureau is a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet, taking place at a time when most of us believe in free will as opposed to fate.

Thoughts on results of Oscars 2011

A quick disclaimer before you read the rest: this is only the 2nd Oscars show that I've watched (the first being last year's), so my knowledge is extremely limited. Please feel free to disagree and educate me.

Compared to last year's academy award, I have to say this one was less suspenseful. Whereas last year's Oscars had a ex-husband vs ex-wife showdown at the end (James Cameron vs Kathryn Bigelow), the winner of this year's Best Picture, The King's Speech, was very much expected. The same could be said for the other 2 major awards, best actor and best actress, where Colin Firth and Natalie Portman were very much favored to win.

If only everything in the world came with a hall pass...

Movie: Hall Pass
SeaOfScenes Rating: FUCK YOU!!!!

Let's face it, in today's society, there are much too many bad movies out there. But just because a movie is bad, objectively speaking, doesn't mean one can't enjoy it. In fact, I like to categorize bad movies into 3 categories. The first ones are the movies that I objectively know is bad, but enjoy anyway because I had so much fun watching it. The best examples I can think of are Transformers (the 1st one, not the sequel), G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, and Ninja Assassin. Although critics hated those movies, I had a lot of fun watching them, and I'd watch them again when I'm bored. The second category consists of movies that are so bad to the point that they are almost good, and I end up having a good time by laughing at how bad the movie was. The best example I can think of is M. Night Shyamalan's latest joke of a movie, The Last Airbender, in which everything was done so poorly that it was almost as if Mr. Shyamalan was trying make a comedy, much likes Team America: World Police, just to point out how poorly made some movies are. Then there is the third category, which consists of movies that just shouldn't have been made in the first place. These movies just piss me off while I'm watching them, and make me feel like I have wasted a few hours of my life that I will never get back.

Hall Pass is a prime example of a movie in the third category.

9/11 heroes and love story during the Cultural Revolution

This weekend, I had the pleasure watching two great movies: United 93 and Under the Hawthorn Tree. The former is a Paul Greengrass movie about the events that took place in 9/11, with its main focus on the plane that fell in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, while the second was a Chinese movie, directed by Zhang Yimou, that tells a simple love story that unfolded during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Though each was good enough merit its own entry, I will write both in one setting for the interest of saving time and making sure both movies get reviewed. I will start with "United 93" just because I saw that movie first, so scroll down if you're only interested in "Under the Hawthorn Tree."