Showing posts with label 2005 United Kingdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2005 United Kingdom. Show all posts

Monday, June 10, 2013

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 Released Year: 2005
Directed by Garth Jennings

Casted by:
Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent
Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox
 Story:
One Thursday, lunchtime, Arthur Dent discovers that his house is to be immediately demolished in order to make way for a bypass. He tries delaying the bulldozers by lying down in front of them. Ford Prefect, a friend of Arthur's, convinces him to go to the pub with him. Over a pint of beer (as "muscle relaxant"), Ford explains that he is an alien from a planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse, and a journalist working on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a universal guide book, and that the Earth is to be demolished later that day by a race called Vogons, in order to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Suddenly, a Vogon Constructor Fleet appears in the sky and destroys the planet. Ford saves himself and Arthur by hitching a ride on a Vogon ship. The two are discovered and thrown out of an airlock, but are picked up by the starship Heart of Gold. They find Ford's "semi-half brother" Zaphod Beeblebrox, the President of the Galaxy. He has stolen the ship along with Tricia "Trillian" McMillan, an Earth woman whom Arthur had met previously, and Marvin the Paranoid Android.

Zaphod explains that he is seeking the planet Magrathea, where he believes he can discover the Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything to match with the answer "42" given by the supercomputer Deep Thought. Zaphod stole the Heart of Gold to use its improbability drive to get to Magrathea through trial and error.

During one of these attempts, they end up on the planet Viltvodle VI. Zaphod decides to visit Humma Kavula, his opponent from the election. Upon learning of Zaphod's plan, Kavula announces that he has the coordinates to Magrathea. He takes one of Zaphod's two heads hostage and demands they bring him the Point-of-view gun created by Deep Thought, which allows the target to understand the shooter's point of view. As they are leaving the planet, Trillian is captured by Vogons. The others travel to rescue her from the Vogon home world bureaucracy, facing long lines and frustrating form processing. Trillian is outraged to learn that Zaphod signed the authorization for the destruction of Earth thinking it was a request for an autograph.

The Heart of Gold is chased by the Vogons, led by Galactic Vice-President Questular Rontok, who is attempting to rescue Zaphod from himself. As the Heart of Gold arrives in orbit above Magrathea, Arthur triggers the improbability drive to avoid the automated missile defense systems. The missiles transform into a bowl of petunias and a sperm whale.

On the planet, Zaphod, Ford, and Trillian take a portal to Deep Thought. When they ask the computer whether it has calculated the ultimate question, it reveals that it designed another supercomputer to do so—Earth. When the trio finds the Point-of-View gun, Trillian shoots Zaphod, making him understand how she feels about the destruction of Earth. She also finds out how much she loves Arthur. Arthur and Marvin miss the portal and encounter a Magrathean called Slartibartfast, who takes Arthur on a tour of the construction floor where Earth Mark II is being built. Slartibartfast takes Arthur home, where the others are enjoying a feast provided by pan-dimensional beings who resemble a pair of mice. Arthur realizes he has fallen into a trap. The mice, who constructed Deep Thought, used the supercomputer to build an even larger supercomputer, the planet Earth, to determine the Ultimate Question. Believing Arthur, the last remaining supercomputer component, may hold the Ultimate Answer, the mice attempt to remove his brain. Arthur kills the mice.

As the crew regroup outside the house they are surrounded by Vogons and take shelter in a caravan as the Vogons open fire. Marvin is left outside and shot in the back of the head, and uses the Point-of-View gun on the Vogons, causing them to become depressed and unable to fight. As the Vogons are taken away and Questular rejoins with Zaphod, Arthur chooses to explore the galaxy with Trillian and lets Slartibartfast finalize the new Earth without him. The Heart of Gold crew decide to visit the Restaurant at the End of the Universe while Marvin points out they are going the wrong way.
L² Scored: -10/10

L² Comment:
Fucking stupid movie ever!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Valiant

Released Year: 2005
Directed by Gary Chapman

Casted by:
Ewan McGregor as Valiant
Ricky Gervais as Bugsy
Pip Torrens as Lofty Thaddeus Worthington
Dan Roberts as Tailfeather
Brian Lonsdale as Toughwood
Olivia Williams as Victoria
Tim Curry as General Von Talon
Story:
In May 1944, 5 years since the declaration of World War II, three Royal Homing Pigeon Service war pigeons are flying across the English Channel with the White Cliffs of Dover in sight, carrying vital messages to Great Britain. Despite the poor weather conditions the pigeons have nearly reached their destination. They are, however, suddenly ambushed and attacked by a German enemy falcon called General Von Talon; two of the pigeons are instantly killed, yet the third is taken as a prisoner of war.

Elsewhere a small wood pigeon named Valiant is watching an Allied forces propaganda film in his local bar (an overturned rowing boat) in West Nestington. Wing Commander Gutsy, a war hero flies into the bar, informing everyone that signups are scheduled the next day in Trafalgar Square, London. In General Von Talon's lair, Mercury (the captured prisoner of war) resists interrogation by his captors. Valiant flies off to London, bidding his mother and Felix, the local barman, goodbye. In London, Valiant meets a filthy pigeon named Bugsy, who is wanted by two thugs. In order to escape the wrath of the thugs, he signs up with Valiant.

The recruits, Valiant, Bugsy, Lofty, an intellectual red pigeon, and Toughwood and Tailfeather, two strong but dim-witted twin brothers, form Royal Homing Pigeon Service Squad F, and are sent to a recruit training facility. Under the command of Sergeant, who declares that he will toughen them up for the RHPS, the training begins. Meanwhile, Von Talon and his henchmen try numerous attempts to discover the message's departure location. However Mercury refuses to tell, despite the tortures inflicted upon him, such as irritating him with yodelling music and injecting him with truth serum, before Mercury accidentally reveals the location: Saint-Pierre.

Throughout the training, Valiant develops a crush on Victoria, the camp's nursing dove. Eventually, Gutsy arrives and tells the Sergeant that the recruits need to leave the next morning, despite their training being vastly incomplete. Bugsy, however, decides not to go on the "highly dangerous" mission and flees the camp that night. The next morning, Valiant and the others prepare to leave and start to board the plane headed for France, but not before Bugsy shows up at the last second. The journey becomes extremely perilous, as the plane is caught in the midst of dogfight. Their plane sustains heavy damage and the pigeons soon have to bale out, in boxes equipped with parachutes. The pigeons are dropped from the plane; however a technical malfunction causes Gutsy's box to fail to deploy. The plane goes down in an inferno of flames, presumably killing Gutsy in the resulting explosion.

In France, the pigeons meet Charles de Girl and Rollo, two mice from the French Resistance, Mouse Division, the latter being an expert saboteur who lead them to Saint-Pierre, where they receive the message they have been ordered to deliver. They soon come under attack by Von Talon's henchmen, resulting in Bugsy and the message being captured. Von Talon takes the message from Bugsy and decides to cage him up and eat him later. Valiant and the troops follow Bugsy to the falcon's bunker, where they discover that Gutsy has survived the plane crash. Valiant takes advantage of his small size and sneaks into the bunker through the gun barrel, retrieves the message, and frees Bugsy and Mercury. Unfortunately, the falcons are alert and give chase. As Gutsy and the others fend off Von Talon's henchmen, Valiant flies to London to deliver the message, followed closely by Von Talon.

After a climactic chase by the falcon, Valiant hides in the cottage where he lives, where he is attacked by Von Talon again. With the help of his mother and Felix, Valiant finally defeats the villain by getting a giant hook caught on his medals, leaving him to be beaten senseless by the water wheel. Valiant delivers the message, and is rewarded with a Dickin Medal. After receiving the Dickin Medal, Squad F returns to the local bar in West Nestington, where Valiant reunites with Victoria.
L² Scored: 5.5/10

L² Comment:
This is not really a Walt Disney production, but from UK animation production. Walt Disney only bought it over to showcast in USA only. Ok, back to the story. This cartoon is make to praise those pigeon during world war II. Dickin Medals were given to 32 pigeons during that time.

Just fyi, Dickin Medals is a medal which give to animals whom help to save human beings~ So this is definitely a good cartoon to watch. But for entertainment purposes? Well, its not really that attractive :P

Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Released Year: 2005
Directed by Andrew Adamson

Casted by:
William Moseley as Peter Pevensie
Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie
Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie
Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie
Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch
Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan
James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus
Ray Winstone voices Mr. Beaver
Dawn French voices Mrs. Beaver
Story:
During the Battle of Britain, in the suburb of Finchley near London, Great Britain, the Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are endangered by an attack of numerous German Heinkel He 111 bombers. They are evacuated to the country home of Professor Digory Kirke.

While they are playing hide-and-seek, Lucy discovers a wardrobe and enters a wintry fantasy world called Narnia. She spends a few hours in the home of the faun, Mr. Tumnus, who explains that Jadis, the White Witch, cursed Narnia, and it has been winter for one hundred years. If a human is ever encountered, they were to be brought to her. Tumnus likes Lucy and cannot bring himself to kidnap her, so he sends her home. When she returns hardly any time has passed in the normal world, and nobody believes her story since that when they look in the wardrobe, it has a normal wooden back.

A few days later, Edmund follows Lucy into the wardrobe, meeting the White Witch and her dwarf Ginarrbrik. She offers him Turkish Delight as well as the prospect of becoming king if Edmund brings his brother and sisters to her castle. After she departs Edmund and Lucy meet again and return; Lucy tells Peter and Susan about the experience, but Edmund lies about it. The Professor talks with Peter and Susan; he does not understand why they do not believe Lucy's story and gives them three possible explanations of Lucy's behavior — madness, dishonesty and sincerity — the others know she is neither mad nor dishonest, so she must be telling the truth.

While running away from the housekeeper after accidentally breaking a window, the four siblings retreat to the wardrobe and enter Narnia. They discover Mr. Tumnus has been taken by the Witch's secret police and meet Mr. and Mrs. Beaver who tell them about Aslan. According to the beavers Aslan is on the move to take control of Narnia from the Witch. The four must help Aslan and his supporters; it has been prophesied that if two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve sit in the four thrones, the White Witch's reign would end. Edmund sneaks off to visit the Witch. When he arrives at her castle, she is angry that he did not deliver his siblings. The Witch sends wolves to hunt down the children and the beavers, who barely escape. Edmund is chained in the Witch's dungeon where he meets Tumnus. The Witch demands that Edmund reveal where his siblings are because her police could not find them; Edmund hesitates when Tumnus claims that Edmund does not know anything. The witch tells Mr. Tumnus that Edmund betrayed him, then turns Tumnus to stone.

While Peter, Lucy, Susan and the beavers travel to the Stone Table, they see what they believe to be the White Witch chasing after them, so they hide. It is really Father Christmas, a sign that the Witch's reign is ending. Father Christmas gives Lucy a healing cordial and a dagger to defend herself with, Susan a bow and arrows and a magical horn that will summon help when blown, and Peter a sword and shield. Pursued by wolves led by Maugrim, the group crosses a thawing river, leaving the Witch unable to reach them. Arriving at Aslan's camp, the group encounters Aslan, who is revealed as a huge and noble lion. Aslan promises to help Edmund in any way he can. Later, two wolves ambush Lucy and Susan while they are frolicking by the river. When Peter intervenes Maugrim attacks him and Peter kills him with his sword. After some of Aslan's troops follow the other wolf to the witch's camp and rescue Edmund, Peter is knighted by Aslan.

The White Witch journeys to Aslan's camp and asserts her claim to the traitor Edmund, but Aslan secretly offers to sacrifice himself instead. That night, as Lucy and Susan covertly watch, Aslan is killed by the White Witch at the Stone Table. In the morning he is resurrected because "there is a magic deeper still the Witch does not know". Aslan takes Susan and Lucy to the Witch's castle, where he frees the prisoners that the White Witch turned to stone, forming reinforcements. Edmund persuades Peter to lead Aslan's Army to fight the White Witch's forces. Because of the White Witch's huge army is much larger than Aslan's (aka Peter's), Peter's army begins losing. To stop the Witch from attacking and killing his brother Peter, Edmund attacks the White Witch and destroys the Witch's wand who soon stabs him. Peter, angered at what the Witch did, fights her. As the Witch fights Peter, Aslan arrives and kills her. After Edmund is healed by Lucy's cordial, the Pevensies become Kings and Queens, staying in Narnia until they are adults.

Fifteen years later they find the wardrobe and return to England, becoming children again. The Professor enters the room and asks what they were doing. Peter replies, "You wouldn't believe us if we told you, sir." The Professor tosses him the ball that broke the window and replies, "Try me." Lucy later attempts to return to Narnia via the wardrobe, but the Professor tells her he has been trying for years, and they will probably return to Narnia when they least expect to return.
L² Scored: 9/10

L² Comment:
The ever first movie of the chronicles and my favourite among all it series :) Love the exciting part when they enter the world of Narnia; the beautiful Tilda Swinton who is so classy and proud in the Narnia world; and of coz all those fantasy creatures ~ And Aslan is the best character among the whole film which is the lead in Narnia.

I am thinking about getting the whole set of novel of Narnia, should I?

Thursday, May 5, 2011

The Descent

Released Year: 2005
Directed by Neil Marshall

Casted by:
Shauna MacDonald as Sarah
Natalie Mendoza as Juno
Alex Reid as Beth
Nora-Jane Noone as Holly
MyAnna Burring as Sam
Saskia Mulder as Rebecca
Story:
Juno, Sarah and Beth are whitewater rafting in Scotland. Sarah's husband Paul and their daughter Jessica wave and cheer from the bank. On the drive back to their hotel, Paul is distracted, causing a head-on collision. Paul and Jessica are killed instantly, but Sarah survives.

One year later, Juno, Sarah, Beth, Sam and Rebecca are reunited at a rustic cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, USA. Holly, Juno's new friend, is introduced. As they reminisce over an old photo of Juno, Sarah, and Beth, Sarah says "Love each day", explaining that it was a saying of her late husband's.

The next morning the group goes caving. When the group breaks for lunch in a huge gallery, Juno tearfully apologizes to Sarah for not being around for her after the accident, but Sarah is distant. As the group moves through the next passage it collapses behind them, with Sarah barely making it through. After a heated discussion, Juno admits that she has led them into an unknown cave system, instead of the fully explored cave system they had originally planned for. The only people who were told about their expedition think they are at the other cave system, making rescue impossible. They are trapped with no way out. Privately, Juno tells Sarah that she led them into the unknown cave hoping to restore their relationship, but Sarah rebuffs her. The existence of a second exit is suggested by a cave painting and climbing equipment from a previous visitor. Juno keeps the latter secret, allowing for the group to remain hopeful.

Holly falls down a hole and breaks her leg. Sam sets Holly's fracture with a splint and they carry her along. As the others help Holly, Sarah wanders off and observes a pale, humanoid creature drinking at a pool. It scampers off into the darkness when Sarah gasps. The others think Sarah imagined it, but Sarah insists that she saw someone. Soon after, they are attacked by one of the creatures, referred to as "crawlers". The group scatters, and the crawler rips open Holly's throat. Sarah trips, falls and passes out. Seeing Holly is still alive, Juno tries to defend her from the crawlers, but in the confusion, she whirls around, only to stab Beth through the neck with her pickaxe. Beth grabs Juno's pendant as she drops to the ground, but Juno stumbles away in shock as Beth reaches out to her. Juno eventually locates Sam and Rebecca and rescues them from a crawler. She asks Sam what the crawlers are and Sam tells her that they are people who have evolved to live perfectly in the cave, and that they are blind, using sound to hunt. After this Juno tells them she may have found a way out, but will not leave without Sarah. The others reluctantly agree to help her search.

Elsewhere, Sarah awakens and encounters the mortally wounded Beth, who tells Sarah that Juno wounded her and left her. Sarah does not believe her until Beth gives her Juno's pendant, the one inscribed with "Love each day". Beth reveals that Sarah's husband was having an affair with Juno. Beth, in extreme pain, asks Sarah to euthanize her, and Sarah reluctantly complies. Sarah soon encounters and kills a young crawler, a female crawler, and a male crawler in quick succession while Juno, Sam and Rebecca are pursued by a large group of crawlers. Sam runs ahead but stops at the ledge of a large chasm. She attempts to establish a pulley system across the chasm when Juno and Rebecca finally catch up and try to convince her to turn around; she doesn't have enough rope. A crawler attacks and mortally wounds her. With her last ounce of strength, she stabs the crawler with her knife which falls into the water below. Juno and Rebecca mourn over Sam's death when another crawler attacks Rebecca; tearing her stomach open and eating her intestines. Juno escapes over the ledge and into the water below only to encounter the crawler Sam had stabbed.

After killing the crawler, Juno climbs out of the chasm and is helped onto a ledge by Sarah, who asks her if she saw Beth die. Juno nods. The two cautiously explore the caves until they encounter four crawlers; Sarah and Juno both kill two each. Sarah then faces Juno, and releases Juno's pendant from inside her closed fist, revealing that she knows that Juno wounded Beth. Sarah cripples Juno with a pickaxe; stabbing her in the leg. Juno pulls the pickaxe from her leg and turns to face a large group of crawlers while Sarah leaves her behind. She hears Juno's screams, which abruptly fall silent. Sarah falls down a hole and is knocked unconscious. She awakens, scrambles up a huge pile of bones towards daylight, squeezes through a narrow opening onto the surface, runs through the forest to her vehicle and speeds off. She pulls over to vomit and when she sits up, she sees Juno sitting next to her; face streaked with blood.

Sarah screams and awakens to find herself still in the cavern. She "sees" her long-dead, smiling daughter close by and a birthday cake between them. The field of view widens to reveal that Sarah is hallucinating and she is actually staring at a torch. As the camera pans away, it becomes evident that Sarah is farther underground than what is possible for escape and the calls of the crawlers grow louder, but Sarah is oblivious.
L² Scored: 9/10

L² Comment:
This is the 3rd time i watched this movie and i still can feel its fucking scariness. Ish~ i never thought British can produce this kind of magnificent A class horror film. 2 thumbs up :)