Edge of Darkness

Father's love for his daughter knows no limits. In general, that sentence shows pretty much about the film adaptation of the 1985 BBC television series, Edge Of Darkness (They both shared the same name). The director and the producer of the television series, Martin Campbell and Michael Wearing work together again. With Mel Gibson and Ray Winstone star as one of its cast, this is a great show of the old breed.

Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a homicide detective from Boston Police Department. One night, he went to pick up his daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic). At home, Emma suffered from nosebleed and vomits. Thomas hurries to leave to the hospital. As soon as they open up the door, someone with a ski mask yells and shot shotgun shells. It hits Emma pretty bad, and she died on Thomas' arms.

The police thought that the hitman intent to shoot Thomas, but incidentally hit Emma. Thomas didn't believe it, so he do his owns investigation. This soon lead to Emma's boyfriend, David (Shawn Roberts) who tells that Emma works at Northmoor, a company that utilized nuclear energy. In his own investigation later on, he encountered Jedburgh (Ray Winstone) who served as "security consultant". He was tasked to prevent the leaking of Emma's information. But Jedburgh soon gained faith in Thomas, and help him with some clues.

And then the film rolls on, following Thomas Craven in his vengeance quest for his late daughter. This all packed in a journey which will thrill and pump your adrenaline. Martin Campbell and Michael Wearing managed to tell us, the old breed is good. Even it's based on 1985 series, they managed to make the 2010 version works pretty well. Is one of the best crime-thriller film of 2010 so far. I do recommend for you to watch this, eventhough this movie didn't managed well in the box office. But it still will give you the thrill of a thriller. And, who didn't want to see Mel Gibson?

Legion

God had lost his faith in humans, so He sent the angels to exterminate the humans. Quiet interesting topic to be a movie. And that's what Scott Stewart served in the movie he directed, Legion. With an ensemble cast, such as Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid, this should be good. And yes, we haven't see a apocalyptic movie with angels being the weapon of mass destruction for some times.

Let us just go straight to the story, Archangel Michael (Paul Bettany) once served as the grand general of God's Legion of Angel. But he ran away, cut off his wings when he ordered by God to finish off the human race. He got sympathy for the human. To cut it short, he drove (yes, he lost his wings so he don't fly) to a roadside dinner way deep in the middle of the desert. Bob Hanson (Dennis Quaid) owned it, together with him is his son Jeep (Lucas Black), Percy (Charles S. Dutton), and the pregnant waitress Charlie (Adrianne Palicki). And there are some visitor, a troubled family and a single father, Kyle (Tyrese Gibson).

It turns out that the baby Charlie has is the would-be saviour of the humankind. And the Legion are after him. So it all about turning a roadside dinner into a roadside fortress. Wave by wave came the humans whose already possessed by the angels and become something like a monster, with the capability of jumping and crawling on your ceiling, and also has a big appetite for raw meat. And it pretty straight forward, the humans managed to hold off, so God sent Michael's old angel friend, Gabriel (Kevin Durant) to quickly kill them once and for all.

It just like that, the story, for me is to shallow. Some part which could be good get screwed up, wasting of star potential like Dennis Quaid, weird presentation of apocalypse, and so on. It seems that this movie is not a well-done steak. Although it has the potential to be good. For me it still pretty much raw. Nothing special at all. If you still persistent to see it, just wait and go the your local video store and rent it. Don't waste your time going to the movie theater just to watch it. Well anyway, it's in my honest opinion. But it's up to you, what you're going to do about the movie.

He's Just Not That Into You

We are all programmed to believe that if a guy acts like a total jerk that means he likes you. A line from He's Just Not That Into You, a romantic comedy film with Drew Barrymore serves as the executive producer. It features an ensemble cast such as Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin, and not forget to mention Drew Barrymore. And of course there are some more that would takes a lot of this page if I list it one by one. Speaking to that, again love is proven to be one of the biggest theme in the showbiz world.

Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a young woman who many times misinterprets the signals men give about their level of interest in her. Her stories in searching for love will intertwined with the stories of others 8 individuals. Which in turns have connection between them. Like Beth (Jennifer Aniston) and Neil (Ben Affleck), a couple who have been together for seven years but haven't married yet. Beth herself is a colleague of Gigi and Janine (Jennifer Connely), a woman who has trouble in her marriage with Ben (Bradley Cooper). In their marriage, Ben secretly started a relationship with Anna (Scarlett Johansson), a yoga teacher who also a singer. In the other side, Anna herself already has a close relationship with a real estate agent named Conor (Kevin Connolly), who really wish a relationship more than what Anna's feels. In the end, every story have a connection between each other.

In general, it speaks a lot about relationship problems that happens to many people in their twenties or thirties. And also tells that women usually misinterprets the signs men give them, so they always wishing more. In fact, many of them suffer from it because of, they usually consult the signs to other women. They tend to comfort each other, so they're blinded to think men like them.

And maybe to us the men, we should always watch how we're giving women signals. Because small misinterpretation could end up in a mess.

Technically, He's Just Not That Into You is another romantic comedy film you see that shown almost every two weeks. Nothing new, nothing special. But yes, like other romantic comedy film, it is a menu to serve for a dating couple. Careful girls, don't jump right to the conclusion about your boy' sign given to you right after the movie. It can be wrong.

New York, I Love You

Finding love in the Big Apple. Pretty much that is the theme of New York, I Love You which premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. It has the same producer as Paris, je t'aime; Emmanuel Benbihy. And it's also follow the structure Paris, je t'aime has, first premiered in film festival and the second one is being stars an ensemble cast. Big name like Andy Garcia, Shia LaBeouf, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Ethan Hawke, Christina Riccie, Hayden Christensen, Maggie Q, and many more.

Well, the title tells it for you. For the story, it's basically a romance film. But the unique thing is it's a collaboration of eleven directors. Each of them made a 10-minutes short story and combine it as one. Simple right? And for you who haven't been to the Big Apple before, like me, this movie gives us the insight of how the ordinary people life in New York.

Some of the short film that I like is the first one, directed by Jiang Wen starring Hayden Christensen as Ben, a young pickpocket-master who fell in love with Molly, played by Rachel Bilson, whom he followed to a nearby cafe where he pretend that she left her wallet, in fact he stole it, in order to get knows with her. It turn out that she's a college student who is waiting for her boyfriend, the already married Garry (Andy Garcia), which is her lecturer. And so the situation goes awkward and I'm surprised to see how a 10-minutes film could be this interesting to me.

But for me, not all of the short film are good. As I can't understand the plot of some film. Maybe you'll find out other part more interesting. It depends of your taste.

Anyways, this movie is the choice if you want to see how the collaborative works of many directors, also not forget to mention the ensemble cast. Well, it's not a perfectly pitched movie, but it still make an interesting one.

Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey Jr. is back on the big screen. You must be remember  about his appearance as one of the Marvel's heroes in the movie Ironman, which the sequel is coming this May. For me, it was spectacular performance. And let's stop chit-chat about that iron-clad guy. I think every one of you already known, at least heard the name once, Sherlock Holmes. The character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who sets the standard of crime mystery novel. And now the legendary detective made his big screen with Guy Ritchie directing.                                                                       

Forget about the image that's already engraved on your head, the Sherlock Holmes with the deerstalker hat. This Holmes don't wear an ear flapped travelling cap. The story itself developed from a story by Lionel Wingram, and I warned you, it is action-packed.

Of course, Sherlock Holmes won't be complete without his loyal comrade, Dr. James Watson (Jude Law) and in this movie they fought together back-to-back against Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) who use somekind of black magic and also killing young women in his sacrifice ritual. And for all who sceptical to this mambo-jambo things, you might be watching the movie with low impression. But don't get out of your couch yet, as you'll get surprised in the end of the story. Here also we can find the love story of Dr. James Watson and his fiancee, Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), with one of my favourite scene of the movie, when Watson invited Holmes to a dinner with Mary and Holmes pretty much ruined it. And also the strange love-hate relationship between Holmes and Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), an infamous femme fatale who successfully outwitted Holmes several times and also become his only love interest.

The story was finished in a gorgeous way and also leave us hunger for sequel. As in the movie hinted there will be a new villain, for those who already read the novel knows this man as Holmes's arch nemesis. No, I'm not going to tell you the name. But, from the rumors circulating around the web, Brad Pitt is one of the actor that's projected to have that role.

Two thumbs up for Robert Downey Jr. who can delivered a wonderful performance. You'll be amazed by him. How he portrayed Sherlock Holmes personality, which is annoying to many people with his arrogant yet witty personality and also he can ignores the rest of the world when he found something interesting. He's a loner after all. With all of that, Guy Ritchie made a perfect choice by casting Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes.

Last, don't forget Hans Zimmer is the man behind the musical score. Simple words for me, magnificent works!

Avatar

The Old King is back. 5 words to describe Avatar. You maybe (you must) remember the 1997 all-time highest-grossing film, Titanic. And you maybe think, where in the world did the director, James Cameron, goes? And now, his back with an epic. Also backed up by the high-budget, and the latest edge-cutting 3D stereoscopic technology combined with the CGI technology, deliver you the mind blowing sci-fi epic, Avatar.

Australian actor Sam Worthington, who plays as Marcus Wright, the human-hearted terminator in Terminator Salvation, gets his major role as Jake Sully, a paraplegic former marine on Pandora, a planet located in the Alpha Centauri star system. The story takes place entirely on Pandora, where the human comes there to mine Unobtainium, a rare ore that serves as a high-efficiency energy sources. The Pandora itself has it own indigenous people called Na'vi. This blue skinned, 9-feet tall humanoid live in harmony with the nature. The main problem is, their home, which is a huge tree, stands above a large quantity of Unobtainium depot. The human tries to relocate them, but they're getting resistance, not only from the Na'vi but also from the poisonous-for-human atmosphere of Pandora. While military waging the war, a group of scientists try to understand the Na'vi under the form of a genetically-altered Na'vi bodies called Avatar, which is controlled by the mentally-linked and DNA matched human operator. Jake Sully himself comes to replace his twin brother, an operator who is killed in a mugging. He then placed as the bodyguard of other scientists Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) and Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore). He soon found himself fell in love with the local Na'vi named Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). Later on, he also pitted in the war between the human, his race; and the Na'vi, the race that gave him freedom to move in his avatar form.

There is a sensitive issues, if you think it is, in the movie. Well you see, a local nature-loving people with traditional tools fight with the outsider with advanced technology that want to exploit their natural resources. Sounds familiar? Maybe you'll think of the European Invasion of America, or more recently, American Invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq? Whether you agree with it or not, I can guarantee that at least you'll be amazed by the universe James Cameron has made. For your information, he already worked on this project since 1994, but because of the lack of technology that time, the movie finally made it to the theaters on 2009. He and his team already created the Na'vi language, the wildlife of Pandora, and all of the aspects to create a universe. By the CGI, you'll be given the amazing view of Pandora inhabitant, the beautiful yet deadly carnivorous plant Helicoradian, the hammerhead rhinoceros Titanothere and also with many places in Pandora. Looking at the wide fictional universe, we all can expect for another sequel to come, and maybe the start of a cult, just like when The Lords Of the Rings did.

And again, Avatar has proved the capabilities of James Cameron. Not long before I wrote this, I've read in the news that Avatar reign on top as the all-time highest-grossing film, beating Titanic. And for the record, Avatar and Titanic both are the works of James Cameron.

As for the upcoming 82nd Academy Awards, I'll be expecting to the reunion of James Cameron and his ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow. Because one of the main fight that may be occured is Avatar versus The Hurt Locker, not forget to mention Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds. But, the tradition told that usually the one that garnered a lot of money will get the award. But who knows? Let us just pray and sit waiting for the 82nd Academy Awards on March 2010.

Ninja Assassin

Fear not the weapon but the hand that wields it. Ninja Assassin,  a hollywood movie delivered by the Wachowski Brothers together with the Asian rising-star Rain as the main cast. Well, to remind you, Wachowski Brothers is the man behind The Matrix Trilogy and also Speed Racer. And yes, if you think that means this movie will have a lot of action. I mean it, A Lot Of Action.

The movie main story is quiet simple, a young ninja apprentice named Raizo (Rain) who has been trained under the surveillance of Lord Ozunu (Sho Kusanagi), the head of the Ozunu Clan. Later on, he developed a romantic relationship with Kiriko (Kylie Goldstein and Anna Sawai). She then try to escape only to be executed by her ninja brother Takeshi (Rick Yune). Raizo then grows a hatred toward his ninja clan, and betray them. And then the story goes straightforward, yes, a revenge.

Also you can see the director of V for Vendetta, James McTeigue, who has worked in a lot of Wachowski Brothers' project, back into the director seat. The main point that the movie has is the wonderful martial art scene, that is shown in the Matrix style (I mean, slow motion).

Last but not least, for you who hate gore, violent, blood, and their friends, I'm not recommended this movie for you. As in the 99 min. of its running time, it'll be full of blood and slow-motion decapitation scene. But for you who enjoy adrenaline rush or maybe want to be a ninja, This movie is designed for you.