The Three Musketeers 2011

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Paul W.S.Anderson

Casted by:

Matthew Macfadyen as Athos

Logan Lerman as D'Artagnan

Ray Stevenson as Porthos

Luke Evans as Aramis

Milla Jovovich as Milady de Winter

Orlando Bloom as Duke of Buckingham

Christoph Waltz as Cardinal Richelieu

Mads Mikkelsen as Captain Rochefort

Gabriella Wilde as Constance Bonacieux

 Story:

In Venice at the beginning of the 17th century, the Three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos , and Aramis, with the help of Athos' longtime lover, Milady de Winter, steal airship blueprints made by Leonardo da Vinci. However, they are betrayed by Milady, who gives the blueprints to the Duke of Buckingham. Upon returning to France, the Musketeers are forced to disband by Cardinal Richelieu for their failure, and they end up on the streets of Paris.

A year later, a young man named D'Artagnan leaves his village in Gascony for Paris in hopes of becoming a Musketeer as his father was, only to learn that they no longer exist. At a rural bar, D'Artagnan accuses Captain Rochefort, the leader of Richelieu's guard, of offending his horse, and challenges him to a duel. Rochefort shoots him while he is distracted but he is saved by Milady de Winter. Arriving in Paris, D'Artagnan by coincidence separately encounters Athos, Porthos and Aramis accidentally offending all three, then scheduling duels with each at 12:00, 1:00 and 2:00 pm respectively.

Athos brings Porthos and Aramis to the duel as his seconds. D'Artagnan realises they are the Musketeers he is seeking. He is prepared to continue with the duel but Richelieu's guards break it up. The three are inspired by D'Artagnan and fight together and defeat the soldiers, but later are summoned before the young King Louis XIII and his wife, Queen Anne. Richelieu asks the king to execute the four, but the queen is impressed by their bravery and the king congratulates them and invites them to an event, which to Athos' anger, turns out to be Buckingham's arrival (who comes in an airship built following da Vinci's blueprints).

Later, Richelieu orders Milady, who is actually working for him, to plant false love letters among Queen Anne's possessions, steal Queen Anne's diamond necklace, and take it to the Tower of London to frame Queen Anne as having an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. The affair would force King Louis to execute Queen Anne and declare war on England. At this point, the people would demand a more experienced leader: Richelieu himself. But Milady demands that Richelieu declare in writing that she is working on behalf of France, to protect herself in case of palace intrigue.

The false letters (saying that the necklace has been given to Buckingham) are found by a maid and are given to King Louis, who is advised by Richelieu to set up a ball at which Queen Anne would be forced to wear the necklace. If she doesn't, then her affair is real, and there will be war against England. Queen Anne's lady-in-waiting Constance Bonacieux discovers Richelieu's plan and asks the Musketeers to stop him. The Musketeers plan to sail to England and retrieve the jewels before the ball. However, at the dock, Rochefort sets up a blockade to prevent anybody from boarding the ships. Constance takes D'Artagnan's hat, cape and horse to divert the guards standing in front of the boat to allow the Musketeers to board undetected.

In London, Milady warns Buckingham that the Musketeers have arrived to take revenge on him. Milady instructs Buckingham of all their tendencies in battle, but Athos predicts this and the Musketeers resolve to do just the opposite. Buckingham captures D'Artagnan, but he was a decoy to let the Musketeers steal the airship. The Musketeers rescue D'Artagnan, demolishing the top floor of the Tower in the process. Athos points out that Milady would have fled, taking the necklace with her as insurance. As retribution for betraying them, Athos prepares to execute Milady. However, to spare him the pain of having to kill her, Milady decides to leap off the airship, dying on her terms.

The Musketeers return to Paris with the necklace, but they are attacked by Rochefort in another airship, as Milady had given Richelieu copies of da Vinci's blueprints. Rochefort then reveals that he has Constance, and threatens to kill her if they don't hand over the necklace. D'Artagnan agrees to exchange the necklace for Constance, with whom he is infatuated, but Rochefort knocks him out and captures him as soon as the necklace is in his possession. Rochefort then proceeds to attack the Musketeers' ship, at first gaining the upper hand due to the superior weaponry and armor of his airship. However, the Musketeers lure Rochefort into a storm cloud, burst the balloon of airship and make the ship crash into the Notre Dame Cathedral. On the roof, D'Artagnan duels and stabs Rochefort, who falls to his death. Meanwhile, Constance returns the necklace to Queen Anne.

The Musketeers arrive at the ball in Buckingham's now burning airship. However, for the sake of King Louis and his people, they claim that Richelieu had it built for the king, but an attempt was made by Rochefort to sabotage it, also showing King Louis the authorization Richelieu had given Milady, pretending that it was given to them. The King then congratulates the Musketeers, and thanks D'Artagnan, who he sees as his best friend, for everything. Richelieu, impressed by how the Musketeers handled the situation, offers them places in his employ, but they refuse. Richelieu threatens them by saying they will one day regret their choices, but they laugh him off. As Louis and Anne dance, D'Artagnan and Constance kiss. The Musketeers then leave, promising that they will protect France as Musketeers when they are needed.

At sea, Milady (who survived her fall) is rescued by Buckingham, who reveals that he knows that she was working for Richelieu and says that he is going to fight against France. The camera backs away and shows Buckingham advancing towards France's shore with a massive fleet of battleships and airships.

 L² Scored: 9.5/10

L² Comment:

Love this movie, but too bad i didnt watch it on the big screen few years ago, wondering when will the sequel be out... The whole storyline and the way the film was shoot is marvelous, love the scenery and the make up as well as the costume. Looking forward on the next movie :)

Inbred

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Alex Chandon

 

Casted by:

Jo Hartley as Kate
 Seamus O'Neill as Jim
 James Doherty as Jeff
 James Burrows as Tim
 Neil Leiper as Gris
 Chris Waller as Dwight
 Nadine Rose Mulkerrin as Sam

 Story:

Four young offenders and their care workers spend a weekend in the remote Yorkshire village of Mortlake, which prides on keeping itself to itself. A minor incident with locals rapidly escalates into a blood-soaked, deliriously warped nightmare. With all four of the young offenders and two careworkers being killed in very gruesome ways throughout the movie.

  L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment:

 The killing/slashing part is a bit too little and not that excited enough. If the torturing can be extended, the whole movie would be perfect...

Killer Elite 2011

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Gary McKendry

Casted by:

Jason Statham as assassin Danny Bryce
Clive Owen as ex-SAS officer Spike Logan
Yvonne Strahovski as Anne Frazier
Robert De Niro as Hunter
Dominic Purcell as Davies
Aden Young as Meier
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as The Agent

 Story:

In 1980, assassins Danny Bryce, Hunter, Davies, and Meier are in Mexico to assassinate a man. Danny unwittingly kills him in front of his young child, then is injured during the getaway. Affected by this outcome, Danny retires and returns to his native Australia.

One year later in 1981, Danny is summoned to Oman where Hunter is being held captive. He meets with the agent that arranges missions for assassins and learns that Hunter accepted a $6 million job but failed to accomplish it. If Danny doesn't complete Hunter's mission, Hunter will be executed.

Danny is introduced to Sheikh Amr, a deposed king of a small region of Oman who wants Danny to kill three former SAS agents—Steven Harris, Steven Cregg, and Simon McCann—for killing his three eldest sons during the Dhofar Rebellion. Danny must videotape their confessions and make their deaths look like accidents, and he must do it before the terminally ill Sheikh dies. This will allow the Sheikh's fourth son, Bakhait, to regain control of the desert region his father had ruled. If Danny fails, Hunter will be killed. Danny reunites with Davies and Meier. They agree to help him in exchange for a share of the money.

As Danny and Meier sneak into the house of their first target, Steven Harris, in Oman, Davies questions local bar patrons about former SAS members. This is reported to the Feathermen, a secret society of former operatives protecting their own. Their head enforcer, Spike Logan, is sent to investigate.

After Harris has confessed on videotape, Danny and Meier take him to the bathroom. Their plan is to break his neck using a hammer with tiles similar to those of the bathroom floor to make it appear that Harris slipped and broke his neck. Danny is distracted by the arrival of Harris's girlfriend and when he returns to the bathroom he finds that Meier was forced to kill Harris hastily in a struggle.

Back in London, Davies discovers the second target, Steven Cregg, preparing for a long nighttime march in wintry weather at a local SAS base. Davies pretends to be a civilian having car problems outside the base's fence, allowing Danny to infiltrate the base. There he drugs Cregg's coffee to induce shock and cause Cregg to die of hypothermia during the march. Danny, in uniform, follows Cregg on the march, and a delirious Cregg confesses on videotape to Danny before he dies.

Going to their last target, Simon McCann, currently a mercenary, they rig a truck to respond to remote control with the help of a new and inexperienced team member, Jake. As McCann is on his way to a fake job interview, Meier and Jake take control of the truck from another car and cause it to move in front of McCann's car, killing him. However, Logan and his men were watching over McCann. A gun fight in the docks ensues, and Meier is accidentally killed by the inexperienced Jake. Danny and Davies decide that the case is over, and they part ways. Davies is soon hit by a truck and killed while being chased by Logan's men.

Danny returns to Oman and gives the Sheikh the last taped confession, which he has faked. Hunter is released and returns to his family, while Danny heads back to Australia and reunites with Anne, a childhood acquaintance. Soon, he is informed by the Agent that there is one last man who participated in the Sheikh's sons' murders and that this man, Ranulph Fiennes, is about to release a book about his experiences as a member of the SAS.

Danny tells Anne to go to France with Hunter to protect her while he carries out the last job. The Sheikh’s son confirms that Harris was an innocent man. Logan, meanwhile, traces Danny through the Agent and sends a team to protect the author, but Jake distracts them, allowing Danny to infiltrate the building and shoot the author. He chooses to only wound the author, however, but takes pictures that appear to show him dead. Logan chases and captures Danny, taking him to an abandoned warehouse, but he is interrupted when an agent from the British government arrives and reveals that the British government is behind the events because of the Sheikh's valuable oil reserves. A three-way battle ensues, with Danny escaping and Logan shooting the government agent.

Danny and Hunter head to Oman to give the Sheikh the pictures. However, Logan arrives first and confronts the Sheikh, telling him that the pictures are fake and then stabbing him to death. The Sheikh's son does not care and gives the money, which was intended for Danny and Hunter, to Logan. Hunter spots Logan leaving, and they chase after him, along with the Sheikh's men.

After stopping the Sheikh's men, Danny and Hunter confront Logan on a desert road. Danny says that Logan can keep the money (though Hunter takes some of the money for his expenses and his family). They give Logan the remainder, telling him that he'll need it to start a new life away from the government after killing the government agent and acting against the wishes of the Feathermen and the British government. Danny says that it's over for him and that Logan must make up his own mind. They leave him there, saying they'll send a cab for him from the airport. Danny meets with Anne in France to start a new life.

L² Scored: 4.5/10

L² Comment:

Well, this kind of movie is never my favorite. Overall the movie is ok on the storyline, action part is stunning. And of coz this movie came with a lot of superstar, so no doubt on getting a "selling fast" on the big screen...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Tomas Alfredson

Casted by:

Gary Oldman as George Smiley, "Beggarman"
    Colin Firth as Bill Haydon, "Tailor"
    Tom Hardy as Ricki Tarr
    Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux
    Ciarán Hinds as Roy Bland, "Soldier"
    Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam
    Toby Jones as Percy Alleline, "Tinker"

 Story:

In October 1973, Control, the head of British Intelligence ("the Circus"), sends agent Jim Prideaux to Communist Hungary to meet a Hungarian general who had promised to sell information. However, Prideaux is shot and captured by Soviet agents. Amid the international incident that follows, Control and his right-hand man George Smiley are forced into retirement. Control, already ill, dies soon afterwards.

Percy Alleline becomes the new Chief of the Circus, with Bill Haydon as his deputy and Roy Bland and Toby Esterhase as close allies. They have been successful lately in getting high-grade Soviet intelligence material from a project of theirs called "Witchcraft". Control and Smiley had distrusted this project. Witchcraft material is being shared with the Americans, in exchange for valuable US intelligence.

Smiley is brought out of retirement by Oliver Lacon, the civil servant in charge of intelligence, to investigate the claim by Ricki Tarr, an MI6 employee, that there has been a long-term mole in a senior role in British Intelligence. Control had held this suspicion as well. Working outside of the Circus, Smiley chooses a few men and begins to interview people who left the Circus about the same time as he and Control did.

One is Connie Sachs, who had been sacked by Alleline after claiming that Alexei Polyakov, a Soviet cultural attaché in London, is a Soviet mole-handler. Another is Jerry Westerby, who had been duty clerk on the night Prideaux was shot. Westerby says that on that night he called Smiley's house for instructions, but Ann, Smiley's wife, had answered. Shortly after, Haydon arrived at the Circus and said that he saw the news on the tickertape at his club. Smiley realizes that Haydon must have heard the news from Ann, with whom he was having an affair.

Smiley comes home and finds Tarr hiding there. Tarr tells him that he had been sent to Istanbul to investigate a Soviet agent named Boris. Tarr found that Boris had no significance, but that Boris's wife Irina was also an operative and seemed to have information. So Tarr overstayed in Istanbul and started having an affair with Irina to gain her trust. Irina, however, knew who Tarr was, and asked to trade the information, the fact that a mole sent by a Soviet spymaster named Karla exists in the top ranks of the Circus, for a new life in the West.

Tarr sent Irina's request back to London, but the reply did not come for several hours. The reply ignored Irina's request and said to come home immediately. Then, Boris, and also the British agent who was station chief in Istanbul, were both suddenly killed. Tarr saw Irina captured and being taken back to Russia. Tarr was subsequently accused of defecting and of murdering the British station chief, so he went on the run.

Smiley tells Peter Guillam, an officer at the Circus but who is working directly for Smiley, to steal the Circus logbook for that night Tarr called: he finds the pages for that night are cut out, suggesting that Tarr's story is true.

Smiley finds Prideaux, who was returned by the Russians but sacked from the service. Prideaux reveals that the specific purpose of the Hungary mission was to get the name of the mole. Control had codenamed the suspects "Tinker" (Alleline), "Tailor" (Haydon), "Soldier" (Bland), "Poorman" (Esterhase) and "Beggarman" (Smiley himself). Prideaux tells how he was brutally interrogated and gave in, and also how he saw a blonde female prisoner being shot in front of him (it was Irina). However, says Prideaux, the Soviets already knew of Control's investigation into the mole, and were only interested in finding out how far that investigation had progressed.

Smiley learns that Alleline, Haydon, Bland, and Esterhase have been regularly meeting Polyakov - the Project Witchcraft source - at a safe house to get material. At every meeting these men give Polyakov low-grade British material to help him maintain his cover with the Soviets, but one of these men, the mole, is actually handing over high-grade material, including material obtained from the Americans. The truth is, however, that Polyakov is loyal to the Soviets, and his job is to handle the mole. The Witchcraft material is mostly "chicken feed", with just enough "glitter" to persuade the Americans to share information with the British.

Smiley gets the safe house's location by threatening to deport Esterhase, who was formerly Hungarian and remains a wanted criminal there. Smiley then sets a trap by having Tarr appear at the Paris office announcing he knows who the mole is and is ready to give the name. The mole hears this, and immediately arranges with Polyakov to meet at the safe house to ask the Soviets to kill Tarr. Smiley waits at the safe house and captures the mole: Haydon.

At Sarratt, the Circus interrogation centre, Haydon reveals that he seduced Smiley's wife on Karla's orders, in order to distort any suspicions Smiley may have had of Haydon. Haydon also reveals that Prideaux confided in him about Control's suspicion of a mole right before Prideaux left for Hungary, since they were close friends.

The Circus makes plans to exchange Haydon back to the Soviets, but Prideaux, having learned of how Haydon betrayed him, kills Haydon. Smiley is restored to the Circus as its chief.

 L² Scored: 1/10

L² Comment:

This film was nominated in multiple awards and won a few, it supposed to be a great film to watch, but sorry its too boring for me. The whole film kills me minute by minute... i slept twice while watching it and i have to replay the previous scene to start watching it again. On and off, i used 2 days to finish this film. YAWN

The Prodigies

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Antoine Charreyron

Voiced by:

Unknown

 Story:

 Ten year old Jimbo Farrar is a gifted child who is misunderstood and regularly beaten by his parents. One day he is badly beaten by his father while his mother cheers him on. Jimbo is carried away by his anger and loses control of his abilities, when he wakes up he finds his mother was beaten to death by his father who then hanged himself.

Locked in a psychiatric hospital, Jimbo is visited by the billionaire Mr. Killian, who decides to take him under his wing to teach him how to control his abilities.

Twenty years later, Jimbo Farrar is a brilliant scholar working in the Mr. Killian Foundation for Gifted Children, and married to anchorwoman Ann, who is pregnant with his child. He creates an extremely complex online game to find young children who have abilities like him.

Five unrelated teens solve the game and hack into the system to ask "where are you?. Jimbo leaves to recruit the teens, who are from various backgrounds, to go enroll at the Foundation. He finds when he returns that Killian has died. The Foundation is now controlled by Melanie, Killian's daughter, who doesn't want Jimbo to continue recruiting new candidates. Jimbo has the idea of ​​instead creating a televised competition to find future geniuses. The gameshow is used to bring in the five recruits Jimbo already has: Gil, an abused child; Liza, a young girl training to be a supermodel; Lee, an Asian girl who helps at her parents' store; Harry , an African American whose mother has a gambling problem; and Sammy, the overweight son of a wealthy family.

The five identify each other immediately and meet secretly in Central Park. No sooner are they together that two thugs assault Liza. Jimbo did not go to the meeting since he learned that Ann is pregnant and chose to be with her. He gets a message and mentally connects with the Five. He scares away the thugs before he finds Lisa in a coma and everyone else in shock. The next day he learns that Melanie wants to cover the incident up. Furious, he demands an explanation. Melanie fires him since he was her father's favorite and not her. Jimbo swears to protect other four and locks himself up, afraid he might get as angry as he did the day his parents died.

Under the leadership of Gil, the four friends infiltrate the archives of the Killian group where they find the recordings of Jimbo when he was in the hospital. He talks about his mental abilities and other "child-kings" who had the same (Killian was one). Gil, Sammy Lee and Harry avenge Liza, by killing the two thugs. But they also kill the police officer who covered it up and his wife, using their powers to take over the bodies of others.

Jimbo does not know what to do: Melanie refuses to let the game continue, but teenagers are demanding justice. One evening, while he tries to reason with the four friends, Jimbo finds they doubt him and put him to the test by ordering him to kill Jenkins. Jimbo, having promised young Killian to stop using this power, refuses. So they kill Jenkins themselves and put the blame on Jimbo, who quietly goes to jail. When Liza wakes up from the coma, Ann asks for her for help, but the girl uses her power over the baby. It is up to Melanie, to organize the final genius competition at the White House, attended by the President of the United States. When Jimbo discovers Ann's betrayal, he uses his power to break out of jail and join Liza in getting to the children, Melanie Ann and the White House.

At the White House Liza triggers a security plan where everyone in the Oval Office is sent to a secure bunker. Once locked in the four children manipulate the soldiers and bodyguards who begin killing everyone. Gil launches an atomic bomb at the Killian campus. Jimbo finally managed to join them in the bunker, where he realizes that Gil heads the group. The two clash in a battle of powers, but then Jimbo gets shot. While Jimbo lays dying, Harry convinces his friends to stop, forcing Gil to cancel the nuclear missiles. Jimbo dies shortly after.

Three months later, the Killian group is bankrupt. Pregnant Ann receives a package with a video message from Jimbo before he died. Liza left it before she disappeared with Harry and Sammy Lee in search of other "child-kings".

L² Scored: 10/10

L² Comment:

I can't stop myself for giving a full marks for this animation. This is real good and fascinating, its a bit shame of me for not able to find who is the one who voiced for the characters. The whole film is so exciting and each scene is breathtaking. Of course a lot of scene cannot be done if human beings is the main characters, that's why all these cool animation appeared~ bravo

Retreat 2011

Released Year: 2011

Directed by Carl Tibbetts

Casted by:

Thandie Newton as Kate Kennedy 

Cillian Murphy as Martin Kennedy
Jamie Bell as Pvt. Jack Coleman

 Story:

London architect Martin Kennedy and his journalist wife Kate often visit a small, remote, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland called Blackholme Island, for their holiday retreats. The only dwelling on the island, Fairweather Cottage, is seasonally operated by the owner Doug from the mainland and only reachable by ferry. After previously suffering a miscarriage, Kate's relationship with Martin has become tense, and in an effort to rekindle their marriage they decide on a return visit to the island. A few nights into their stay, the generator in the cottage explodes, injuring Martin's arm and leaving them without electricity. They use the CB radio, their only source of communication to the mainland, to call Doug who agrees to ferry out to help them.

Kate spends the next day waiting at the jetty for Doug to arrive, but to no avail. Later a mysterious man in green combat fatigues washes up on the island, bloodied and half-conscious. When he comes round, he identifies himself as a soldier, Private Jack Coleman. He tells Martin and Kate that there has been an outbreak of an airborne disease, Argromoto Flu, codenamed R1N16, which started in South America and has spread over the entire world in the timespan of a few weeks. The virus is incurable and highly contagious, attacking the respiratory system and causing the victims to choke on blood with a 100% fatality rate. Jack says that the military has lost control, and is now advising civilians to seal themselves up in their homes and not allow anybody access. With only static now coming from the CB radio, Martin decides to play it safe and help Jack, who aggressively takes command, board up the door and the windows.

Over the next few days, Jack becomes increasingly strange and erratic, and his intimidating behaviour begins to disturb the couple even further. They even suspect that the virus may not be real and Jack may be insane. When Kate asks him if he is married, he tells her his wife died of R1N16 and he becomes aggressive and threatening. Martin and Kate decide to leave the cottage and take their chances outside, but Jack refuses to let them, forcing them into the bedroom at gunpoint and locking them in. Martin sneaks outside through a skylight, finding the bodies of Doug and his wife at the pier, killed by gunshot wounds. Using Doug's hunting shotgun, Martin returns to the cottage and gets the upper hand on Jack, who is tied up. However, Martin suddenly begins coughing up blood; it appears the Argromoto Flu is very real and he is infected. Kate is forced to shoot her husband dead with the shotgun, to spare him a slow and agonising death.

Jack reveals to Kate that he was experimented upon at a secure military compound, from where he was released without realizing he was a carrier of R1N16. Jack infected his wife, killing her, and he fled to Blackholme Island to quarantine himself. Jack reveals the CB radio worked all along, and he just changed the settings so Kate and Martin would not be able to reach anyone. Jack fixes the CB radio and the military broadcast on it claims the soldiers have a vaccine to the virus. He tells her that the military are lying, there is no vaccine, and that the military will not allow them to leave the island alive. Kate does not believe him, and angered by the possibility that Martin could have been saved she shoots Jack dead. As she attempts to leave the island in the boat with Martin's body, a military helicopter flies over and she is killed by a sniper who shoots her in the head.

L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

This is a good thriller film which just involved mainly 3 actors & actresses. The storyline is fantastic and very exciting as well...but the flaw part is Newton's language... the way she tried to speak in the Britain slang is so funny and not convincing enough. But this is a movie which worth to watch again.

The Lady

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Luc Besson

Casted by:

Michelle Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi
David Thewlis as Michael Aris
Jonathan Raggett as Kim Aris
Jonathan Woodhouse as Alexander Aris

 Story:

 In 1947, when Aung San Suu Kyi is two years old, her father Aung San leads Burma to independence. But soon afterwards, on 19 July 1947, he along with a group of his colleagues is assassinated by a military death squad.

As an adult she goes to England, finds a loving husband and has a happy family life. But in 1988 her mother's poor health forces her to return to Burma where her father, Aung San, is still widely remembered.

When she visits her mother in the hospital in 1988, she meets many of the people were wounded during the Tatmadaw's crackdown in the 8888 Uprising. She realises that political change is needed in Burma and is soon drawn into the movement to promote reform. She accepts the role of icon in support of self-determination by the Burmese people and devotes herself to activities in support of goals of greater political freedoms.

Suu Kyi founds a political party and clearly wins the 1990 elections. However, the Burmese military refuse to accept the result of the election and moved to bring Suu Kyi under control. She and her family became separated when her husband and children were banned from Burma and she was put under a house arrest for more than a decade. Yet their relentless struggling for Suu Kyi's recognition outside Burma is her guarantee she won't be forgotten and cannot disappear unnoticed.

Due to her family's efforts, she becomes the first woman in Asia to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet their separation continues because neither can Suu Kyi attend the ceremony nor can her husband Michael Aris see her one last time before his early death.

 L² Scored: 7/10

L² Comment:

A nice movie regarding the true female warrior for Myanmar - Aung San Suu Kyi. A big cheers for Michelle Yeoh for doing a great job in this character. She purposely went for an extreme diet so that her weight and shape go as slim as the real legend lady. Michelle Yeoh also makes an effort to learn Burmese and deliver a long speech (though its not really that great, but really incredible).

The storyline is not bad but just a bit slow. Hope to see more good movie from Michelle Yeoh soon. :)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by David Fincher

Casted by:

Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist
 Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander
Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger
Stellan Skarsgård as Martin Vanger
Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger / Harriet Vanger

 Story:

 Mikael Blomkvist, co-owner of Swedish "Millennium" magazine, has just lost a libel case brought against him by crooked businessman Hans-Erik Wennerström. Meanwhile, Lisbeth Salander, a researcher and computer hacker, has compiled an extensive background check on Blomkvist for a job that Swedish magnate, Henrik Vanger wants him to perform.

In exchange for damning information about Wennerström, Blomkvist agrees to investigate the disappearance and possible murder of Henrik's grandniece, Harriet, 40 years ago. While hunting for clues, Blomkvist uncovers a notebook filled with information that may help explain Harriet's disappearance.

Salander, who is under state legal guardianship due to diagnosed mental incompetency, is appointed a new guardian, lawyer Nils Bjurman. He abuses his authority to extort sexual favors from Salander and then forcibly rapes her. She eventually regains control of her life by blackmailing Bjurman after stunning him with a taser, raping him with a dildo, and marking him as a rapist with a tattoo on his chest and stomach.

Blomkvist hires Salander to further investigate the notebook's content, and she uncovers a connection to a series of murders that occurred from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s. During further investigation, Salander and Blomkvist become lovers. Henrik's brother Harald identifies Martin, Harriet's brother, as a possible suspect. Meanwhile, Salander makes increasingly revealing connections between Harriet's disappearance and the entire Vanger dynasty.

Blomkvist breaks into Martin's house to look for more clues, but Martin catches him. Martin brags about his crimes, but denies killing Harriet. Salander arrives, surprises Martin and saves Blomkvist. While Salander is tending to Blomkvist, Martin flees. Salander, on her motorcycle, pursues Martin in his SUV. He loses control of his vehicle on an icy road and dies when it catches fire.

As more connections are made about the Vanger family, Blomkvist deduces that Harriet is still alive, living under a false identity to hide from Martin. Blomkvist confronts Harriet, who describes the generations of abuse within the Vanger family and Martin's knowledge of her involvement in her father's death. Finally free of her brother, thanks to Salander and Blomkvist, Harriet returns to Sweden and tearfully reunites with Henrik.

As promised, Henrik gives Blomkvist the information on Wennerström, but it is not helpful. Salander responds by hacking Wennerström's computer and presenting Blomkvist with the necessary incriminating information about his activities. This evidence vindicates "Millennium" and destroys Wennerström.

Salander also hacks into Wennerström's bank accounts and transfers two billion euros into her own accounts. During this time, Wennerström is murdered. On her way to give Blomkvist a Christmas present, Salander sees Blomkvist and his longtime lover and business partner Erika Berger walking together happily. Heartbroken, she throws the gift away and rides off on her motorcycle.

 L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment:

 Everyone is cheering for this 2011 hit movie from Steven Zailian's novel. I have no time to read the novel even though my friend borrow me the novel for almost 2 months, so i watch the movie instead. The whole movie is nice, brutal and kinda violence... but the thing is, i feel that the movie is a bit too long and draggy... 

Rooney Mara is the shine of this movie based on her outlook and acting, Daniel Craig in another hand is as hot as before and more delicious i should say :)

War Horse

 Released Year: 2011

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Casted by:

Jeremy Irvine as Albert Narracott

 Emily Watson as Rose Narracott 

Peter Mullan as Ted Narracott
Celine Buckens as Emilie

Niels Arestrup as Grandfather
Tom Hiddleston as Captain Nicholls

 Story:

 In Devon, England, a boy named Albert Narracott watches the birth of a thoroughbred foal and watches with admiration the growth of the young horse, galloping through the fields at his mother's side. Much to the dismay of his mother, Rose, his father, Ted, buys the colt at auction, despite a friend pointing out a more suitable plough horse for his farm. The desire to spite his landlord, Lyons, and retain his pride, are the apparent motivations for Ted to make higher and higher bids for the colt. The high cost of the horse (30 guineas) means he is unable to pay rent to Lyons, who threatens to take possession of the farm if the money is not paid by the autumn. Ted promises to meet the deadline, suggesting he could plough and plant a lower, rock-filled field with turnips. Albert names the horse Joey and devotes much time to training him. Albert's best friend, Andrew Easton, watches as Albert teaches his colt many things, such as to come when he imitates the call of an owl by blowing through his cupped hands.

Ted, who has a bad leg from a war injury, is frequently shown drinking alcohol from a flask he carries. Rose shows Albert his father's medals from the Second Boer War in South Africa, where Ted served as a sergeant with the Imperial Yeomanry. Ted was severely wounded in action, and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery under fire. She gives Albert his father's regimental pennant, telling Albert that his father is not proud of what he did during the war, and that he had thrown the flag and medals away, though Rose saved and kept them hidden.

Albert trains Joey for the plough and, to his neighbours' astonishment, prepares a stony hillside field to plant with turnips. However a rainstorm destroys the turnip field, so to pay the overdue rent (and without telling Albert), Ted sells Joey to Captain Nicholls, a young cavalry officer, as World War I breaks out. When Albert finds out, he confronts the officer and begs for him not to take the horse. Nicholls promises he will take care of Joey as his own horse and hopefully will return him after the war. Albert tries to enlist in the army, but is too young. Before the captain leaves with Joey, Albert ties his father's pennant to Joey's bridle.

Joey is trained for military operations and deployed to France with a flying column under the command of Captain Nicholls. Cavalry charges, once a major form of warfare, are now hopelessly obsolete when faced with machine guns, as Captain Nicholls and his fellow cavalrymen discover after they charge through a German encampment. Nicholls is killed along with most of his fellow cavalrymen, and the Germans capture the horses.

Joey becomes attached to Topthorn, a black horse with whom he trained for his military role. The two horses are used to pull an ambulance wagon driven by two German soldiers, Gunther, and his 14-year-old brother, Michael. Gunther gives the pennant to Michael as a good-luck "charm" when he is assigned to the German front, despite being too young to fight. Gunther ignores an order to remain behind and await call to a later position. Unable to persuade his brother to remain behind, Gunther rides Joey and brings Topthorn along on his escape so he and his brother can ride them to Italy, at this time still neutral. One night, German soldiers discover the absent without leave brothers hiding in a windmill and execute them by firing squad for desertion.

After the two young Germans are shot, Emilie, a young French girl who lives at the farm with her grandfather, finds the two horses inside the windmill. Emilie suffers from Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), and is not allowed to ride the horses for fear of falling. Later, German soldiers arrive and confiscate all food and supplies from the property; Emilie hides the horses in her bedroom to avoid them being taken by the Germans to fight. Emilie's grandfather allows her to ride Joey on her birthday, and she gallops the horse up a hill, adjacent to the farm. When Emilie does not come back immediately, the Grandfather worriedly runs up the hill. On the other side of the hill, the Grandfather discovers that Emilie has run into the grasp of the German soldiers who were at the farm earlier. The German soldiers take the horses, but the grandfather keeps the pennant.

Joey and Topthorn are put to the task of pulling German heavy artillery, an exhausting task which kills horses quickly. The two horses are, however, put in the care of the German Private Friedrich who loves horses and who tries to help them survive.

The story moves forward to 1918, where Albert has enlisted and is fighting alongside Andrew in the Second Battle of the Somme, under the command of Lyons's son, David. After a British charge into no-man's land, Albert, Andrew, and other British soldiers miraculously make it across into a deserted German trench, where a gas bomb explodes, filling the trench with the white chemical fumes of mustard gas.

Meanwhile, Joey and Topthorn have survived years of hard service in the German army – much longer than most horses last – but Topthorn finally succumbs and dies from exhaustion, while Joey and Private Friedrich comfort him, pleading with him to not lie down where he will be seen and subsequently shot, until Friedrich is ultimately dragged away from Joey by other German soldiers. Cornered by an advancing tank, Joey escapes and runs into no-man's land where he gallops through the devastating destruction of the Somme and gets entangled in barbed wire. From their respective trenches both British and German soldiers spot Joey in the mist, although disbelieving at first that a horse could have survived the battle. Colin, a British soldier from South Shields, waving a white flag, crosses No Man's Land at Joey's side to try and coax him to the British side. Peter, a German soldier from Düsseldorf, comes over with wire cutters, and together they free Joey from the barbed wire. They flip a coin to decide who should take possession of the horse; Colin wins, guiding Joey back to the British trench, having formed a strange friendship with the soldier from Düsseldorf, on the enemy side he has been instructed to kill.

The film shifts back to Albert's perspective, where Andrew has succumbed to the gas attack, but Albert has survived, temporarily blinded with bandages covering his eyes. He is recuperating at a British medical camp when Colin brings Joey in looking for a veterinary surgeon to heal the wounds from the barbed wire. Albert is told about the miracle horse rescued from no-man's land. The army doctor instructs Sgt. Fry to put Joey down due to his injuries, but when Fry is about to shoot, the owl call he learned from Albert as a colt catches Joey's attention. Albert is led through the troops to Joey, again sounding his call, and Joey hurries to meet his long-lost friend. Albert explains he raised Joey, and his bandages still covering his eyes, gives an exact description of his horse's markings, confirming his claim. Joey is covered in mud, so the veterinary surgeon refuses to accept Albert's statement, but is quickly corrected when soldiers wash away the grime, revealing the four white socks and diamond blaze on Joey's forehead.

Armistice brings the end of the war and Albert's eyesight is restored. He learns only officers' horses will be shipped home, while Joey and the others are to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The soldiers gather funds to help Albert buy Joey, but during a bidding war with a French butcher reaching 30 pounds, a bid of 100 pounds is entered without revealing who placed the bid. Approaching the auction ring is an older gentleman, Emilie's grandfather. No other bid is placed and he is shown taking ownership of Joey. The grandfather implies that Emilie has died, and after hearing about the miracle horse, her grandfather walked three days to get Joey back for the sake of Emilie's memory.

Albert pleads with Emilie's grandfather for the horse, but the old man remains stoic in his auction win. As the grandfather walks away, Joey breaks free and goes to Albert. As he watches the horse and the young English soldier, the grandfather pulls the military pennant from his pocket and asks Albert if it means anything to him. When Albert tells the old man that it belongs to his father, the grandfather has a change of heart. First he gives Albert the campaign pennant, then moments later, gives him Joey, saying it is what Emilie would have wanted. In the end Albert rides Joey back to his family's farm, hugs his parents, and returns the pennant to his father.

L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

Multiple nomination film and it did won some best film & best cinemotography award, a movie based on a children's novel by Michael Morpurgo. This film is quite nice, i love the way how the story is sectioned, but in the end, the horse return back to his first owner's Albert. A very touching movie and i actually feel that the horse can act :P

My Week with Marilyn

Released Year: 2011

Directed by Simon Curtis

Casted by: 

Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe

Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark

Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier

Emma Watson as Lucy

Judi Dench as Sybil Thorndike

Story:

Following his graduation from university, aspiring filmmaker Colin Clark travels to London to get a job on Laurence Olivier's next production. Hugh Perceval tells Colin there are no jobs available, but he decides to wait for Olivier, whom he once met at a party. Olivier and his wife, Vivien Leigh, eventually show up and Vivien encourages Olivier to give Colin a job on his upcoming film The Prince and the Showgirl, starring Marilyn Monroe. Colin's first task is to find a suitable place for Marilyn and her husband, Arthur Miller, to stay at while they are in England. The press find out about the house, but Colin reveals he hired another just in case, impressing Olivier and Marilyn's publicist, Arthur Jacobs.

The paparazzi find out about Marilyn's arrival at Heathrow and they gather around the plane when it lands. Marilyn brings her husband, her business partner, Milton H. Greene, and her acting coach Paula Strasberg with her. She initially appears to be uncomfortable around the many photographers, but relaxes at the press conference. Olivier becomes frustrated when Marilyn is late to the read through. She insists Paula sits with her and when she has trouble with her lines, Paula reads them for her. The crew and the others actors, including Sybil Thorndike, are in awe of Marilyn. Colin meets Lucy, a wardrobe assistant whom he is attracted to, and they go on a date. Marilyn starts arriving later to the set and often forgets her lines, angering Olivier. However, Sybil praises Marilyn and defends her when Olivier tries to get her to apologise for holding the shoot up.

Marilyn struggles to understand her character and leaves the set when Olivier insults her. Colin asks the director to be more sympathetic towards Marilyn, before he goes to Parkside House to check on her. He hears an argument and finds a tearful Marilyn sitting on the stairs with Arthur's notebook, which contains the plot of a new play that appears to poke fun at her. Arthur later returns to the United States. Vivien comes to the set and watches some of Marilyn's scenes. She breaks down, saying Marilyn lights up the screen and if only Olivier could see himself when he watches her. Oliver tries unsuccessfully to reassure his wife. Marilyn does not show up to the set following Arthur's departure and she asks Colin to come to Parkside and they talk. The crew becomes captivated by Marilyn when she dances for a scene and Milton pulls Colin aside to tell him Marilyn breaks hearts and that she will break his too. Lucy also notices Colin's growing infatuation with Marilyn.

Colin and Marilyn spend the day together and are given a tour of Windsor Castle by Owen Morshead . Colin also shows Marilyn around Eton College, and they go skinny dipping in the River Thames. Marilyn kisses Colin and they are found by Roger Smith, Marilyn's bodyguard. Colin is called to Parkside one night as Marilyn has locked herself in her room. Colin enters her room and Marilyn invites him to lie next to her on the bed. The following night, Marilyn wakes up in pain and claims she is having a miscarriage. A doctor tends to her and Marilyn tells Colin that she wants to forget everything. She later returns to the set to complete the film. Olivier praises Marilyn, but reveals she has killed his desire to direct again. Lucy asks Colin if Marilyn broke his heart and he replies that she did, a little. Marilyn comes to Colin's B&B and thanks him for helping her. She kisses him goodbye and Roger drives her to the airport.

L² Scored: 6.5/10

L² Comment:

This is quite a nice film, a biographical film which show us how Monroe is at that time. The only thing i dont really like it is Michelle Williams, i feel that she's a bit fat to be Marilyn. Its not that she's not good in acting, but she doesn't have that feel.If Christina Aguilera can act, i prefer they choose her as the character, but too bad, Aguilera's acting is a bit so so...

Paul

Released Year: 2011
Directed by Gred Mottola

Casted by:
Simon Pegg as Graeme Willy
Nick Frost as Clive Gollings
Seth Rogen as Paul (voice)
Jason Bateman as Special Agent Lorenzo Zoil
Kristen Wiig as Ruth Buggs
Bill Hader as Agent Haggard
Blythe Danner as Tara Walton
Story:

Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings are two English comic book enthusiasts and best friends who have traveled to the United States to attend the annual San Diego Comic-Con International and to take a road trip in their RV to visit sites of major extraterrestrial importance. When stopping for something to eat they meet two strangers and when Graeme laughs with them they start tormenting him. They leave quickly and dent the strangers' car. At night, along the highway, they notice lights following them. Wrongly thinking the lights to be from the strangers' car they speed up, but the car passes them and then crashes. They investigate the damaged car, and discover an alien named Paul, who is in desperate need of help. Although shocked by the appearance of Paul, Graeme agrees to give Paul a ride, but Clive is displeased about the idea. Later, FBI Agent Lorenzo Zoil arrives at the site of the crashed car and informs his mysterious female superior, called the "Big Guy", over the radio that he is closing in on Paul, and she recommends using local law enforcement as back-up. Zoil recruits two inept rookie agents, Haggard and O'Reilly, to aid in his mission, without informing them about the nature of their target.

Graeme, Clive and Paul pull into an RV park run by Ruth Buggs, a Christian fundamentalist, and her over-bearing father, Moses. The trio bond around their camp grill and Paul reveals that since he was captured by the government, he had been advising them in all manner of scientific and sociological achievements. Yet Paul had outlived his usefulness as a receptacle of knowledge, thus his captors intended to surgically remove Paul's brain and harvest his stem cells, in an attempt to harness his physical abilities (Paul had previously demonstrated both invisibility and healing powers). With the help from a friend inside Area 51, Paul sent an SOS to his home planet, and was escaping to rendezvous with them. The next morning, Paul intentionally reveals himself to Ruth during a theological discussion, and the trio are forced to kidnap her and make a hasty escape. Moses steps outside and sees Paul and, believing him to be a demon, grabs his shotgun and chases after them in his truck. Paul shatters Ruth's faith by sharing his knowledge of the universe via telepathic link; at first horrified, Ruth suddenly becomes eager to sin, which her father had raised her to fear doing. She initially does not trust Paul, but he heals her left eye, which she lost her vision in at the age of four.

Paul eventually reveals his intention to return to Tara Walton, the girl whose dog he crashed his ship on in 1947 and who subsequently saved his life, who is now an old woman. After spending her life being ridiculed for what she said she saw, Tara is grateful to see that Paul exists. She turns her gas cooker on to make tea, but is interrupted by Haggard and O'Reilly on one side of the house, and Zoil on the other. As the motley crew escapes and drives off with Paul, O'Reilly shoots at them, and the gas ignites, destroying Tara's house and apparently killing O'Reilly. A winded Zoil attempts to follow, but Haggard takes off first, shooting at Moses, running him off the road and catching up to the RV. However, due to an error in judgement, Haggard accidentally drives off a cliff and is killed, leaving Zoil as the last remaining agent in pursuit. He reassures the Big Guy that he will have Paul within an hour, but she declares herself tired of waiting, and informs Zoil that she has ordered a military response.

When Paul, Graeme, Clive, Ruth and Tara arrive at the rendezvous, they set off a signal and wait. Eventually, eerie orange lights show up over the surrounding trees, and everyone believes that it is Paul's rescue ship. However, it is an army helicopter, with the Big Guy on board. As she and three troops move to shoot Paul, Zoil arrives, and it is revealed that he was Paul's inside contact who helped him to escape. Zoil disarms the men, but is shot in the shoulder by the Big Guy. Tara punches out the Big Guy, but Moses appears with his shotgun and mortally wounds Graeme while aiming at Paul. Paul heals him and collapses, briefly appearing to be dead before he quickly recovers; Moses proclaims this to be a miracle from God. The Big Guy regains consciousness, but is immediately crushed by the arriving alien ship. Paul begins to depart and informs Tara that she is coming with him to live a better life. He bids farewell to his friends, hoping to meet them again one day. Two years later, Graeme, Clive, Ruth and even O'Reilly are shown again at the Comic-Con convention, where Graeme and Clive are promoting Paul, their new hit novel.

L² Scored: 3/10

L² Comment:

Well, i'm not sure how good the fiction is, but it definitely not my cup of tea. The whole film is just bored and not kinda fun to watch at. Even with my favorite Sigourney Weaver as one of the big rival does not help. The only touching part is when Paul risk his own life to save his human buddy... The rest of the things are just mainly stupid