Snow White and the Huntsman

2.5 Potatoes

I just saw the pre-screening of the "Snow White and the Huntsman" (2012) by Rupert Sanders. Stunningly beautiful cinematography, beautiful costume and Charlize Theron's witchy Queen were mesmerizing, yet tough chick Twilight Snow White... not so.
I thought the Huntsman needed some acting lesson but hey one of the Avengers of course can save anyone right? Sorry for the son of the Duke, Duke of the dude to be, couldn't be the magical prince from faraway land.

A bit confusing to watch, great poster.


USA: In theaters June 1st, 2012

"Drive" with Ryan Gosling

3.5 Potatoes

I just saw the new film "Drive" (2011) by Nicolas Winding Refn. No expectation nor knowledge about it before I went to the screening. Only one thing I knew about this film was that the director won the Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

Surprisingly, I really liked it. The movie had a touch of the 80's cheesiness and I also thought the film was somewhat influenced by Claude Lelouch's "Roman de Gare" (2007), especially the driving scenes and the music which goes along with them. But that didn't bother me really. I thought the film was well executed and Ryan Gosling is an actor that truly can act without dialogues.

Highly Recommended.


Synopsis: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. (IMDb)




USA: In Theater Everywhere on Friday 09/16/2011

"The Debt"

2 Potatoes

The film "The Debt" (2011) by John Madden had an early release to gain the box office. Was it successful? Well for me not, at least...
The story of Mossad was very interesting but they made Mossad like weeping puppy compare to how the film "Munich" (2005) by Steven Spielberg portrayed it...

Unfortunately it was very under directed.


Dear Madam Helen Mirren,

You are not really a Femme Fatale, please stay as a Queen if you can.

Sincerely yours,
Operation Couch Potato aka Femme Fatale wanna be

Synopsis: The espionage thriller begins in 1997, as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stefan (Tom Wilkinson) about their former colleague David (Ciarán Hinds). All three have been venerated for decades by their country because of the mission that they undertook back in 1966, when the trio (portrayed, respectively, by Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, and Sam Worthington) tracked down Nazi war criminal Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in East Berlin. At great risk, and at considerable personal cost, the team's mission was accomplished - or was it? The suspense builds in and across two different time periods, with startling action and surprising revelations.


Official Website & Trailer: http://www.focusfeatures.com/the_debt/


USA: In Theaters Now, BUT recommended on DVD...

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

3 Potatoes

Last night's screening was a double featured. After watching the film "E.T.", I also watched "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) by Steven Spielberg. I didn't remember much of the film except the tune, and it was hard for me to follow the film at the beginning. Then slowly I got sucked in to it.

Still, it wasn't too memorable as "E.T.", but once again, it was very enjoyable to see it again on the big screen.



DVD Available Everywhere 

"E.T." come home!

5 Potatoes

I just saw "E.T." (1982) by Steven Spielberg again tonight, but on the big screen at Aero Theater. What an amazing film it is! This time it was a different cut, some new scene was added and some deleted, but the great quality was still there.

©1982 & 2002 - Universal Studios

Everyone is looking so young, especially Peter Coyote! And the amazing performance of the little Henry Thomas still touches your heart. He surely turned out to be a one fine actor. Not to mention, how big of a star Drew Barrymore became. Even though this film ruined her life in a way, she overcame the obstacle and became very successful and one of the most likable actress in Hollywood.

Did you know? Most of the grown ups' faces are not shown through out the film except the mother and Peter Coyote? Finally towards the end of the film, you will see some of the faces, inevitable I guess...

©1982 & 2002 - Universal Studios

I wish Spielberg didn't produce the film "Super 8" and made "E.T." now and after instead...

Oh the children's fantasy is the grown ups tearjerker!!!

P.S. There is a great behind scene on DVD, a footage from the casting scene with Henry Thomas. This is a must see, it blows your mind!



DVD Available Everywhere

"Vanishing on 7th Street"

0 Potato, So Wilted and Wasted

So I am finally watching the movie "Vanishing on 7th Street" (2010) by Brad Anderson. Now that I am watching it, I don't even know why I wanted see this movie for so long... Big let down. Bad directing, bad acting and very bad story. See there is something wrong with the story when the story jumps from Day 1 to 72 hours later at only 10 mins into the movie.

The movie is still playing as a BGM as I write this Blog...

Synopsis: The population of Detroit has almost completely disappeared, but a few remain. As daylight disappears they realize that the Dark is coming for them. (IMDb)

USA: DVD Available

Quote of the Day - English

A beautiful quote...

"Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver the other gold."
- Anonymous




Thank you Stephanie for sharing this with me!

"The Beginners"

3 Potatoes

I just saw the movie "The Beginners" (2010) by Mike Mills this afternoon. It was very different from what I expected from the theater preview/trailer. I had an impression that this movie would be more comical and Hollywood-ish film. But I was completely wrong.

The way this film was created is very interesting, it gives you a moment to digest at a few separated points through out the movie. I kind of liked it. It shows you how to adapt yourself to life or to certain situation and deal with it, at the end it is not necessary a bad thing.

The only problem for me was the girl friend, she didn't reveal herself too much in the movie that I personally didn't see the strong connection between the main character and her.

After all, I still recommend anyone to see this movie.


USA: In Theater Now

Super 8 Not So Super

1.5 Potatoes

So finally I saw the movie "Super 8" (2011) by J.J. Abrams. Not to mention this film is produced by none other than Mr. Steven Spielberg. The man who created the unforgettable movie "E.T." (1982) and he sort of helped creating this conspiracy theory revealing movie.

The train crash in Ohio was based on the real event which was suspected of transporting something very confidential: Alliance, Ohio Train wreck of 1972

Overall, the movie was kind of the Goonies meets the Alien who ends up as a E.T.. None of the actors were too convincing and none of the kids except the main boy will be a star. And the kid's film at the end was so unnecessary.

↓↓↓SPOILER↓↓↓
The story was so identical to the movie "E.T.": a single parent home kid encounters something mysterious and cruises around town on bike... including the ending with the all of the sudden so adorable alien with the boy saying 'go home'...
↑↑↑SPOILER↑↑↑

Alliance, Ohio Train Crash 1972

The only good part of the film was the amazing train crash as my friend already told me about it beforehand, and the soundtrack. That was about it.

Official Site & Trailer: http://www.super8-movie.com/#

USA: Showing In Theater Now

"Another Earth"

When I was about to give up on the summer movies...
Here it is, a cool and mysterious preview I saw at the theater the other day: "Another Earth" (2011) by Mike Cahill, seemingly a new director.
The preview looked good. I didn't know anything about this film so it was even better!

It seems like there will be many movies about the end of the world this year including the film "Melancholia" (2011) by Lars von Trier.

So excited. Can't wait to see it  and hope it will be a good one.

Synopsis: In another Earth, Rhoda Williams, a bright young woman accepted into MIT's astrophysics program, aspires to explore the cosmos. A brilliant composer, John Burroughs, has just reached the pinnacle of his profession and is about to have a second child. On the eve of the discovery of a duplicate Earth, tragedy strikes and the lives of these strangers become irrevocably intertwined. (Fox Searchlight)

Official Site & Trailer: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/anotherearth/


USA: In Select Theaters July 22, 2011

"The Tree of Life" Part 2

3.5 Potatoes

I finally saw the movie "The Tree of Life" (2011) by Terrence Malick yesterday. It is the winner of Palm d'Or at the Cannes 2011.

The cinematography was amazing, very beautiful movie. Though there was a bit of Net Geo-esque touch to it. At the beginning I almost felt like watching "Atlantis" (1991) but after that, the story moves onto remembering the character's childhood that somehow links to your own childhood even though my childhood was nothing like the O'Briens.

I really loved the fact that the movie had minimum dialogue and it was beautifully done.
I took one potato out for the Net Geo being too long at the beginning, that makes my rating for this movie to be 3.5 Potatoes.

Just be patient at the beginning and you would totally appreciate the movie at the end.

Synopsis: The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence. (IMDb)


USA: Now Playing in Theaters

Thanks Ciao Bella!

OCP post was spotted by Ciao Bella yesterday!

It was cool to know someone is reading
this blog :)

Tintin Tintin Tintin!!!!!!!

Here is the trailer of "The Adventure of Tintin: The Secret of Unicorn" by Steven Spielberg.
It is weird seeing the live-animation of Tintin, spooky is more like it. But I love Tintin so I would give a shot.

Synopsis: Tintin and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Capt. Haddock's ancestor and go off on a treasure hunt. (IMDb)

Official Site: http://www.tintin.com/



US Release Date: December 23, 2011

"Super 8"

It is almost one month away, the new film by J.J. Abrams "Super 8" will be released in the USA.


It looks like another mysterious monster visit. But by watching the trailer, I don't think we will get any motion sickness this time.


I am sure it will be a fun Summer movie and love the poster.


Synopsis: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon. (IMDb)


Official Site & Trailer: http://www.super8-movie.com/



Coming Soon to Theater near you on June 10th, 2011

Summer Movies

I saw some interesting previews tonight. Here are two movies I am interested in seeing this summer.

"Apollo 18" (2011) by Gonzalo López-Gallego. It is an Hollywood movie directed by a Spanish filmmaker. Story line is about the real space mission in 1970s which was cancelled by NASA... I love the tag line "THERE'S A REASON WE'VE NEVER GONE BACK TO THE MOON". The preview looked good.

Official Site & Trailer: http://apollo18movie.net/

US Release Date: Aug 26, 2011

The second one is "One Day" (2011) by Lone Scherfig. This is also an Hollywood movie, but directed by a Danish filmmaker and filmed in UK... This director is known for the movie "An Education" (2009) which was a good film.

My question is about the main character choice... was Anne Hathaway really the best choice for this movie? She is faking the British accent! Wasn't there a better British actress for her part? I am so sure there was...

Love the poster though!

Official Site & Trailer: http://focusfeatures.com/one_day

US Release Date: Aug 19, 2011

"Source Code"

4 Potatoes

"Source Code" (2011) by Duncan Jones is an Hollywood movie which was released in the US about 2 months ago. The story is about a guy Colter Stevens who finds himself waking up on the Chicago commuter train and a girl in front of him calls him Sean, 8 minutes later the train blows up.

Surprisingly I really enjoyed it. The beginning wasn't too slow at all as some reviews have commented. It seems like he is fairly new director but the movie was pretty well directed and edited. Bravo for him.

Also it was nice to see the city of Chicago where I used  to live :)




Still Playing in some Theaters

DVD Availability Unknown

CANNES REVIEW | 'Midnight in Paris' is Enjoyable, but Another Typical Woody Allen Story - indieWIRE

I knew it....

CANNES REVIEW | 'Midnight in Paris' is Enjoyable, but Another Typical Woody Allen Story - indieWIRE

Ciao Bella vs Häagen Dazs

Last night I went to a market to buy my favorite trio of Ciao Bella gelato: Tahitian Vanilla, Blood Orange and Triple Espresso. I LOVE to eat all three flavors at the same time. But the Tahitian Vanilla was all out, so I decided to get the Häagen Dazs Vanilla.... BUT it was all out too... Then I saw the Häagen Dazs Five Vanilla Bean... hmmm something new? So I ended up buying it.

Well personally I like the original Häagen Dazs Vanilla much much better, the Five version was too milky.

Anyway, now I am totally for the Ciao Bella gelatos, Häagen Dazs is so last decade...

Weekend: May 6

Here are two movies I want to see this weekend.

"Last Night" (2011) by Massy Tadjedin with Keira Knightley. The story is about a married couple who spends a night apart one day and their relationship and trust get tested...
I simply want to see it because Guillaume Canet is in it... 
Why not?


Synopsis: "The story follows a married couple, apart for a night while the husband takes a business trip with a colleague to whom he's attracted. While he's resisting temptation, his wife encounters her past love." (IMDB)

Another movie I want to see is "Poetry" - Shi by Lee Chang-dong which won the Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival 2010. He also directed the amazing film "Secret Sunshine" (2007) - Milyang which was nominated for the Palm d'Or and the actress Do-yeon Jeon won the Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival 2007. I missed it at the AFI last year and I am looking forward to seeing it.


Synopsis: "... On a whim, Mija enrolls in a poetry class at the local cultural centre and begins a personal quest to find the perfect words to describe her feelings. However, she’s plagued by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and struggles with new vocabulary and the challenges of the creative process. When her world is turned upside down by the discovery of a monstrous crime, it is Mija’s unique and touching poetry that allows her to defy the weight of shame and distance herself from a painful proximity to violence." Read more... (Toronto International Film Festival)

"Last Night" in Theater Now


"Poetry" in Theater Now (US Release May 6, 2011)


"Secret Sunshine" DVD Coming Soon

"The Tree of Life"

"The Tree of Life" (2011) by Terrence Malick is one of the Official Competitions at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The story sets in 1950's, centers around a family with three boys.
The trailer looks superb. I am so looking forward to seeing it.


So far this is the first runner for the Palm d'Or, so I hear. But who knows, some new comer might grab it without any explanation like how it happened last year with "Uncle Boonmee who can Recall His Past Lives" by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.


US Theatrical Release Date: May 27th, 2011