Amadeus 1984

Amadeus is a 1984 film drama directed by Miloš Forman. Based on Peter Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the film is based very loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the later half of the 18th century.

My love for classical music starts with this 1984 movie~~ Even though the subject of Mozart was rather heavy, the show has managed to make it easy for simple layman to move in and enjoy the movie and appreciate the telent of Mozart, one of my favourite composer!

A Grade

Casablanca 1942

Casablanca (1942) is an American romance film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre. It is set in the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca during World War II and focuses on a man's conflict between, in the words of one character, love and virtue: He must choose between his love for a woman and doing the right thing, helping her and her Resistance leader husband escape from Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.
Although it was an A-list movie, with established stars and first-rate writers – Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch received credit for the screenplay – no one involved with its production expected Casablanca to be anything out of the ordinary;[1 it was just one of dozens of pictures being churned out by Hollywood every year. The film was a solid, if unspectacular, success in its initial run, rushed into release to take advantage of the publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa a few weeks earlier. Yet, despite a changing assortment of screenwriters frantically adapting an unstaged play and barely keeping ahead of production, and Bogart attempting his first romantic lead role, Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Its characters, dialogue, and music have become iconic, and Casablanca has grown in popularity to the point that it now consistently ranks near the top of lists of the greatest films of all time. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca_(film))

My interest with this 1942 movie came about as a result of my love for vintage watches and antiques. Very often, I will see some of these old movies and look at what type of watches they were wearing as well as the house decoration and setting. Nevertheless, I do find the actress very charming and elegant! The early years truly has its charm and class which cannot be found in the modern days!

A Grade

Out of Africa 1985

Talking about Robert Redford has brought back memories of another classic which I have watched during my school days...in the 80s.

Out of Africa is a 1985 film based loosely on the autobiographical book by Isak Dinesen (pseudonym of Karen Blixen) published in 1937, as well as Dinesen's Shadows on the Grass and other sources. The movie received 28 film awards, including seven Academy Awards (Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Art Direction, Sound) and three Golden Globes (Best Picture, Supporting Actor, Original Score).

Romance story was not really my first choice. This movie, however, was great as the scenes were beautifully shot as well as the music in the movie were great! For those who needs to feel "cultured" and to demsonstrate your sense of art and poetic, this is a must as otherwise your girlfrinds will find you shallow and lack the neccessary depth of the gentleman..

A Grade

Spy Game 2001

The story is about a spy about to retire from the CIA who faces an interrogation from the new regime, when an old friend is captured by the Chinese.

Superb performance by Robert Redford which has demonstrated his intelligent and wit in "playing" with his fellow bureaucrats. The overall mood and atmsphere of the movie is real like.

I didn't like the part on the Chinese being portrayed as the bad guys...

B++ Grade

28 Days Later

28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle. With a screenplay written by Alex Garland, the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris and Christopher Eccleston. Set in Great Britain, just after the turn of the 21st century, the story depicts the breakdown of society following the accidental release of a highly contagious virus and focuses upon the struggle of four survivors to cope with the ruination of the life they once knew.
A critical and commercial success, the film is widely recognized for images of a deserted London, and was shot almost entirely on digital video. The film spawned the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, as well as the graphic novel 28 Days Later: The Aftermath.

(Introduction above from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later)

This is the movie in 2003 that restarted the trend of zombies movies, where free flow of blood swept across the country.

I am glad that it was a commercial success as there was once I thought I am the "sicked" one who love to watch disaster movies...Glad that I am not alone!

B Grade

28 weeks later 2007

28 Weeks Later is a 2007 British post-apocalyptic horror film, and sequel to the 2002 film 28 Days Later. The film was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, and was released in the United Kingdom and in the United States on May 11, 2007.

This is a movie for those with a brave heart and strong stomach! The story is straight forward with the main emphasis on how the zombie attcks and how one eliminate them!

This show is especially good for those who wants to go for a diet as many ladies will surely not being able to eat after watching the movie. For those "young" couple in love who wishes to convert their "friendship" into "love" can use the movie (or DVD) and you will sure get a chance to hold the girl's hand or give her the much needed hug! Time to show your bravery men!

: )

B Grade

James Bond Casino Royale

Casino Royale (2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star Daniel Craig as MI6 agent James Bond. Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, it was adapted by screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis.

This is one of my favourite James Bond movie as it has depicted James to be one of guts, balls ( no pun intended) intelligent and ruthless if needed be. The show was action packed from the start to the end. The middle section at the casino table was a bit on a slow side as it was rather difficult to create the much needed anxieties but the ending was creative as it ended with a new beginning!

Daniel has demonstrated much depth in term of expressing the fear, anger, anxieties of the 007 as well as his ability to take pain..

B+ Grade