Coraline

 Released Year: 2009

Directed by Henry Selick

Voiced by:

Dakota Fanning as Coraline Jones

Teri Hatcher as Mel Jones

Jennifer Saunders & Dawn French as Miss April Spink & Miss Miriam Forcible

John Hodgman as Charlie Jones

Ian McShane as Mr. Bobinsky

Keith David as The Cat

 Story:

Hand made of sewing needles to re-make a doll to resemble 11-year-old Coraline Jones. A little later, Coraline and her family relocate from Pontiac, Michigan to Ashland, Oregon. They move into the Pink Palace Apartments, which are rather dilapidated and one hundred and fifty years old. It is also occupied by retired actresses Ms. Spink and Forcible, and eccentric Russian acrobat Mr. Bobinsky, who claims to be training a mouse circus. Coraline's parents work for a garden catalog and are often too busy to pay attention to her.

Coraline decides to explore their new home, meeting Wyborn "Wybie" Lovat, the grandson of the apartments' landlady, Mrs. Lovat. While exploring, she finds a small brick-sealed door. That night, Coraline follows a mouse through the door, where she discovers the bricks have been replaced by a long corridor. Coraline goes through it and finds herself in the Other World, which is a copy of her world and is inhabited by her "Other Parents", who look similar to her real parents, but have buttons for eyes. In the Other World, her parents are much more attentive and everything is more interesting and magical. Coraline falls asleep in the Other World, and awakens back home.

Coraline goes to the Other World three times despite warnings from her neighbors and a cat that can talk in the Other World. The other copies include a copy of Mr. Bobinsky, who runs a real mouse circus, copies of a young Ms. Spink and Forcible, who perform a theater show, and a duplicate of Wybie that cannot talk. On the third visit, the Other Mother invites Coraline to stay in the Other World forever, on the condition that she has buttons sewn over her eyes. Horrified by this, Coraline rejects the offer. After she refuses to accept the Other Mother's love, Coraline is thrown through a mirror into a secret room. Inside she meets the ghosts of three children (including Wybie's grandmother's twin sister), who were tricked by the Other Mother, into having buttons sewn into their eyes, thus trapping their souls. Coraline vows to free them by finding their stolen eyes. The Other Wybie helps her escape and stays behind, but when Coraline returns, her parents are nowhere to be found. After seeing her parents trapped in the mirror, Coraline discovers that the Other Mother has kidnapped them.

Coraline ventures into the Other World with a seeing eye stone she received from the real Spink and Forcible to play a "game"; to find her parents and the eyes of the ghost children. If she loses, she will stay forever. Using the stone, Coraline manages to retrieve the ghost children's stolen eyes from the warped versions of the Other inhabitants. She confronts the Other Mother, who has decayed into an arachnoid witch with the same needle-hands that made the doll. One of the children warns her that Coraline will never be let go even if she wins. Coraline finds her real parents trapped in a snow globe and manages to trick the Other Mother and escape, blinding her and severing her hand. Coraline's parents return with no memory of being kidnapped.

The ghosts appear to Coraline in a dream to warn her that even though she had freed them, she is still in danger. They tell her that she must get rid of the key, or the Other Mother will find it. They also tell Coraline not to be sad, because she is still alive. As Coraline prepares to toss the key into the well, she is attacked by the Other Mother's severed clawed hand, but is saved by Wybie, who crushes it with a rock. With Wybie's help, Coraline throws the key and the pieces of the claw hand down the well. Mrs. Lovat's twin sister is revealed to be one of the three ghost children. The next day, Coraline hosts a garden party with her neighbors and meets Mrs. Lovat, and prepares to tell her about her adventures.

 L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment:

This animation is based on Neil Gaiman's 2002 same name novel which talks about a kid's fantasy horror kinda thingy. Well, for me this is just so so... first of all maybe the character design is not really that outstanding comparing to other similar animation... The storyline is also kinda expected, so overall it just a fair movie for me to watch on a boring Sunday night...

My Neighbor Totoro 龍貓 となりのトトロ

 Released Year: 1988

Directed by 宫崎駿 Hayao Miyazaki

Voiced by:

日高範子Noriko Hidaka & Dakota Fanning  as 草壁皋月Satsuki Kusakabe    
坂本千夏 Chika Sakamoto as 草壁梅 Mei Kusakabe   
糸井重里 Shigesato Itoi as 草壁達郎 Tatsuo Kusakabe   

 Story:

In 1958 Japan, university professor Tatsuo Kusukabe and his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei move into an old house to be closer to the hospital where their mother Yasuko is recovering from a long-term illness. Satsuki and Mei find that the house is inhabited by tiny animated dust creatures called susuwatari—small, dark, dust-like house spirits seen when moving from light to dark places. When the girls become comfortable in their new house and laugh with their father, the soot spirits (called "black soots" in early subtitles and "soot sprites" in the later English dubbed version) leave the house to drift away on the wind. It is implied that they are going to find another empty house--their natural habitat.

One day, Mei sees two white, rabbit-like ears in the grass and follows the ears under the house. She discovers two small magical creatures (chibi or "dwarf" totoro and chu or "medium" totoro), who lead her through a briar patch and into the hollow of a large camphor tree. She meets and befriends a larger version of the same kind of spirit (ō or "large" totoro), which identifies itself by a series of roars that she interprets as "Totoro" (in the original version, this stems from Mei's mispronunciation of the word for "troll").[3] She falls asleep atop the large totoro, but when Satsuki finds her, she is on the ground in a dense briar clearing. Despite her many attempts, Mei is unable to show her family Totoro's tree. Her father comforts her by telling her that this is the "keeper of the forest," and that Totoro will reveal himself when he wants to.

One rainy night, the girls are waiting for their father's bus and grow worried when he does not arrive on the bus they expect him on. As they wait, Mei eventually falls asleep on Satsuki's back and Totoro appears beside them, allowing Satsuki to see him for the first time. He only has a leaf on his head for protection against the rain, so Satsuki offers him the umbrella she had taken along for her father. Totoro is delighted at both the shelter and the sounds made upon it by falling raindrops. In return, he gives her a bundle of nuts and seeds. A bus-shaped giant cat halts at the stop, and Totoro boards it, taking the umbrella. Shortly after, their father’s bus arrives.

The girls plant the seeds. A few days later, they awaken at midnight to find Totoro and his two miniature colleagues engaged in a ceremonial dance around the planted nuts and seeds. The girls join in, whereupon the seeds sprout, and then grow and combine into an enormous tree. Totoro takes his colleagues and the girls for a ride on a magical flying top. In the morning, the tree is gone, but the seeds have indeed sprouted.

The girls find out that a planned visit by Yasuko has to be postponed because of a setback in her treatment. Having reached the age where she fully understands the concept of death, Satsuki takes this seriously. She angrily yells at Mei and stomps off. Thinking that her mother can be cured by healthy food, Mei walks to the hospital with an ear of corn.

Mei's disappearance prompts Satsuki and the neighbors to search for her. Eventually, Satsuki returns in desperation to the camphor tree and pleads for Totoro's help. Delighted to be of assistance, he summons the Catbus, which carries her to where the lost Mei sits. Having rescued her, the Catbus then whisks her and Satsuki over the countryside to see their mother in the hospital. The girls perch in a tree outside of the hospital, overhearing a conversation between their parents and discovering that she has been kept in hospital by a minor cold and is otherwise doing well. They secretly leave the ear of corn on the windowsill, where it is discovered by the parents, and return home on the Catbus. When the Catbus departs, it disappears from the girls' sight.

In the end credits, Mei and Satsuki's mother return home, and the sisters play with other children, with Totoro and his friends as unseen observers.

 L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

Released in the same year as "Graveyard of the firefly", Totoro also brought a big fortune for the production team in that year. I only watched it once before many years ago, not really enjoy the storyline when i was small coz i found it quite dull. But rewatching it, i found it quite meaningful and touching.

But out of my surprise, i read an article regarding this animation. Totoro is actually represent "God of Death" in Japan?!? People who saw the totoro will die. As the both sister saw totoro, does it means they already dead? A few suspected scene which i think Hayao has told out about this:-

1. Younger sister's sandal was found at the pond, does it mean she has drown?

2. Elder sister cried and beg totoro to look for her younger sister, because she was lost. Is it because her soul lost her way back?

3. At the scene outside of the hospital, the 2 sisters are so near their mother and they wanted to see her so much. But why they never appear while left the corn on the window quietly and suddenly?

Findings said that, the hospital mentioned in this animation really exist! And its for those patient who has suffer the cancer in final stage. And after the sisters saw totoro, both of their shadows never exist anymore... how true is it? i don't remember, but i feel kinda spooky if Hayao really hide this kind of meaning in it. And this is actually based on a true legend which both of this sister has been killed at that place during that time...

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Released Year: 2010
Directed by David Slade

Casted by:
Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black
Bryce Dallas Howard as Victoria
Xavier Samuel as Riley Biers
Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale
Story:

Riley Biers is attacked and bitten by Victoria, in order to begin creating an army of newborns set to destroy Bella Swan. Back in Forks, Edward Cullen and Bella discuss the complications of becoming an immortal vampire. At 18 years old, one year older than the age Edward was when he became a vampire, Bella expresses her aversion to the idea of marrying so young, though Edward refuses to turn her until they are married and she's had various human experiences she would otherwise miss. While Charlie Swan investigates the disappearance of Riley Biers, Edward suspects his disappearance was caused by the newborn vampires. Furthering his suspicions is the intrusion of Riley into Bella's room.

Although Edward fears for her safety, Bella insists that Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and the rest of the werewolf pack would never harm her, but Edward is still not convinced. Bella goes to La Push to see Jacob, and returns home unharmed. During one of her visits, Jacob confesses that he is in love with Bella, and forcefully kisses her. Mad, she punches him and breaks her hand, and Edward later threatens to break Jacob's jaw. Bella even revokes the invitations of Jacob and his pack members to her graduation party, but when Jacob apologizes for his behavior, she forgives him.

Meanwhile, Alice sees a vision that the newborn army is attacking Forks led by Riley Biers. Jacob, accompanied by Quil and Embry overhear this, which leads to an alliance between the Cullens and Wolf pack. Later, the Cullens and the wolves agree to a meeting place and time to train and discuss strategy. During the training Jasper explains to Bella that he was created by a vampire named Maria to control a newborn army. He hated his original existence and upon meeting Alice, joined the Cullens with her. Bella sees the true bond between a mated vampire pair and begins to understand Jasper better. Despite her reluctance to marry, Bella realizes that spending eternity with Edward is more important to her than anything else and agrees to marry him. Edward and Bella camp up in the mountains to hide Bella from the bloodthirsty newborns. During the night, Bella overhears a conversation between Edward and Jacob, in which they temporarily put aside their hatred towards each other. In the morning, Jacob overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and becomes very upset. Before he can run off to get himself killed in the fight with the newborns, Bella desperately asks him to kiss her, and she realizes that she has fallen in love with him. Edward finds out about the kiss but is not angry, as Bella says she loves him more than Jacob.

Victoria eventually finds Bella's hiding spot, and Edward kills her while Seth kills Riley. The Cullens and the Quileute wolves, meanwhile, destroy her "army", though Jacob is injured saving Leah Clearwater from a newborn. Several members of the Volturi arrive to deal with the newborn army. They also see that the Cullens are guarding the newborn, Bree Tanner, who had refused to fight and surrendered to Carlisle. Jane tortures Bree to get information, then instructs Felix to kill her, despite the Cullens' efforts to spare her. When Jane notes that Caius will find it interesting that Bella is still human, Bella informs her that the date for her transformation has been set. Bella visits the injured Jacob to tell him that even though she is in love with him, she has chosen to be with Edward. Saddened by her choice, Jacob reluctantly agrees to stop trying to come between her and Edward.

Bella and Edward go to their meadow, where she tells him she has decided to do things his way: get married, make love, then be transformed into a vampire. She also explains that she never has been normal and never will be; she's felt out of place her entire life, but when she is in Edward's world she feels stronger and complete. At the end of the story they decide they need to tell Charlie about their engagement.

L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment:

Well well, what do we have here? This 3rd movie is worse than the first 2 twilight movie. I know i should have watch it in the cinema as how i promised u guys in 2010, but i didn't coz i really not attracted to Kristen Stewart. For me, her acting is still suck in this movie, expresionless and helpless...

I thought that Dakota Fanning is gonna appear more in this movie, but she did not :( The only exciting part was when the 3 vampires fighting on the snowhill, the rest~ yawn!!!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Released Year: 2009
Directed by Chris Weitz

Casted by:
Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black
Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen
Dakota Fanning as Jane
Story:

Bella has recovered from her wound previously and has been living happily together with Edward. But she has been having nightmare of her aging problem while Edward will forever stay in the human age of 17 years old. On her birthday celebration, she accidentally cut herself a wound and create a big hoo haa when Jasper can't control himself on the lust of blood.

Edward later on call up for a break off with the reason that everyone is suspecting Carlisle of not getting old. The whole Cullen family left without any trace. Feeling depressed and sad, Bella went for Jacob. Jacob and Bella has a wonderful days by repairing the old bikes. But Jacob later on discover he can transform into werewolf together with some other guys in their tribe.

Bella still wanted Edward back, so she jumped off the cliff assuming that Alice can foreseen this future and came back with Edward. Alice did came back but without Edward. But Alice has told Edward that Bella is dead. Edward can't stand the sadness and went for the legend vampire to kill himself. Bella and Alice went over to stop him. The elders try to kill Bella, but Alice told them that one day later Bella will become one of them, and they were able to leave the place safely.

L² Scored: 6.5/10

L² Comment:

I think the 1st twilight is better... more storyline about the love relationship between human and vampire. Though there is a werewolf added in the relationship, but i really can't stand the way how Bella handle her love life... she's so fucking slut in this movie...

I can't deny that Taylor Lautner is so damn yummy but i still think he looks weird. The only exciting point of this film is Dakota Fanning, but her appearance is not that much... hopefully she will be appearing more in the 3rd sequel...

War of the Worlds

Released Year: 2005
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Casted by:
Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier
Dakota Fanning as Rachel Ferrier
Justin Chatwin as Robbie Ferrier
Morgan Freeman as The Narrator
Story:

Ray has divorce with his wife, and went to take care of his two children Robbie & Rachel while the ex wife and her new husband went to Boston. While Ray sleeps, Robbie went away with his car without Ray's permission. Ray woke up and went looking for Robbie and discover a weird tornado.

The tornado was flashing out weird lightning non-stop and cause the surrounding areas' electric item not functioning. Just as Ray pass by a car workshop, he advice the mechanic to install solenoid on a car if electric item is not functioning. The road starts to cracked and big machine known as tripod jump out and shot ray on to human beings and cause them to die.

Ray found Robbie, and together with Rachel, they went for the solenoid car and drive all their way to Boston. On their journey, they met others human being who grabbed their car away. Robbie was stunt by the armies of defeating the aliens tripod, he insisted to join the force in defeating no matter how Ray stop him. Ray and Rachel hide in a basement and saw the real alien coming down for attack, but luckily they were not discovered. Eventually, tripod is using human's blood for harvesting. The aliens came for search again, Rachel scream and flee but was caught again.

Ray went over and was caught together as prisoner. But Ray got the grenades and plug it in the tripod when the tripod swallow him. But others managed to pull him off. The grenades exploded and everyone is free and escape. The next day they saw the tripod is weird, the armies then shot it down with machine gun.

Finally Ray managed to send Rachel back to Boston and saw Robbie is safe.

L² Scored: 4.5/10

L² Comment:

Though Steven Speilberg always bring us good film, but this is not really the film that i wanted to re-watch. There's 2 things i hate about this film - (1) Dakota's annoying screaming (2) Justin's irrational way of running away from the father.

And finally the alien was killed by grenades? huh? i just...ok watever... this is just from an old novel of H.G.Wells in 1898, what can we expect, right?

Push

Released Year: 2009
Directed by Paul McGuigan

Casted by:
Chris Evans as Nick Gant
Dakota Fanning as Cassie Holmes
Camilla Belle as Kira Hudson/Hollis
Djimon Hounsou as Henry Carver
李小璐 Li Xiao Lu as The Pop Girl
溫明娜 Ming Na as Emily Hu
Story:

The movie describe some sort like mutant things since the Berlin War. A lot of people who has the ability or power has been trained as a secret weapon for war.

There is "mover" who can move object; "pusher" who can control others' mind and push them to do something; "Watcher" who can see future through premonition or others' intention; "snifer" who can sense through other people's track by touching certain object; "shifter" who can shift one thing to another; "shadower" who can hid some object without other seeing/knowing; "sticher" who can heal wound or hurt others; "wiper" who can wipe out other memories; "bleeder" who use huge voice to hurt their opponent.

Nick lost his dad when he was young to the division who try to capture them. Division is an agency which capture all these mutant and try to evolve them into the next stage for war. Nick then move to HongKong for a safety hide-out. Later he met Cassie who sense their future. Cassie sense their future as a dead body and the only way to solve this is to find a girl with beads; then she will lead them to a case which can kill the head of division, whom is Henry Carver.

Both Nick and Cassie found Kira, who happened to be Nick's girlfriend. But division kept on looking for them while there's the chinese gangster who are looking for the case too. A few exciting scene of fighting, then it leads to the pop girl who try to kill Cassie. But Cassie managed to switch her future and KO the pop girl. While for Nick, he managed to win back Kira and Kira used her pusher power to defeat Henry Carver.

L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

Personally, i love all these superpower/magic/mutant thingy very much :) Chris Evans is hot; Camilla is sexy; Dakota is flawless while Li Xiao Lu is a goddess ~ Big applause to china actress Xiao Lu for showing her 1st appearance in Hollywood. Although her cantonese sucks as usual, but surprisingly her english is good :)

While Dakota has been grow up quite a lot, think she gonna have more movie waiting up for her soon. Overall the movie is very good and i simply love it :D