Jasmine Women 茉莉花开

 Released Year: 2004

Directed by 侯咏 Hou Yong

Casted by:

章子怡 as 茉 Mo 莉 Li 花 Hua

陈冲 Joan Chen as 妈妈 Mother 茉 Mo

姜文 Jiang Wen as 孟先生 Mr Meng

陆毅 LuWee as 鄒傑 Jie

刘烨 Liu Yie as 小杜 Du

 Story:

The film is divided into three chapters: "grandmother, mother, and daughter"; respectively the story of Mo, Li and Hua.

Mo's Story (1930s)

18 year old Mo lives with her mother who owns a small photo shop in Shanghai. She longs to become a movie star, a dream her mother does not understand. One day, Mo meets Mr. Meng, the boss of a movie studio. She then leaves her mother to fulfil her film career dream. She enters a relationship with Mr. Meng who is married and later becomes pregnant. She refuses to have an abortion and when the Second Sino-Japanese War begins, Meng leaves Shanghai and abandons Mo. The movie studio is shut down and Mo returns home. She gives birth to Li and blames her child for everything she has lost. Her mother's boyfriend (this is never explicitly stated but implied) also tries to seduce her, using the guise of a free hair appointment. Her mother finds out, and commits suicide not long after.

Li's Story (1950s)

Li had grown up with her mother Mo in misery. Mo still remembers her dream of being a movie star. Li marries Zou Jie who was a member of her high school's chapter of the Communist Youth League of China. After marriage, they move into Jie's home but unused to their lifestyle and unable to bear a child of her own, they move back to stay with Mo. Li eventually adopts a baby girl named Hua. Li later becomes mentally unstable. Li's situation gets steadily worse and she even accuses Zou for violating Hua, her adopted daughter. Li’s family collapses and her husband Zou commits suicide by throwing himself at an oncoming train. Li leaves home; her fate is unknown, and Hua is left to live with Mo.

Hua’s Story (1980s)

Li disappeared when Hua was still very young and she grew up with her grandmother Mo. Mo finds comfort in taking care of her granddaughter. When Hua grew up she married a college graduate, Du. After marriage, Du went for further studies overseas in Japan and after that, decided to leave Hua. Unfortunately, Hua was already carrying Du’s child. Mo strongly encouraged her to abort the baby because of her experiences with having a child and being unprepared for it, but Hua decided against it. Hua decided to check into a family planning clinic/hospital to have an abortion in any case, but before she could arrive home, Mo died. Years later, Du returns to Hua to 'finalise things', but it seems Hua had moved on with her life. Closing scenes show her moving into a new home with her daughter.

 L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment: 

The storyline of 3 generations are nothing that fancy nowadays as many of the movies have used this idea before. The extraordinaire of this movie should be the best acting of Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen. I love the story of the second generation the most... how about u?

Ghost of Mae Nak 2005 นาค รักแท้/วิญญาณ/ความตาย

 Released Year: 2005

Directed by Mark Duffield

Casted by:

Pataratida as Nak

Siwat Chotchaicharin as Mak

Porntip Papanai as Mae Nak

Jaran Ngamdee as Por Mak

Meesak Nakarat as Angel

 Story:

Set in modern Bangkok, the life of groom Mak is disturbed, by successive nightmares with a ghost woman, Mae Nak, an ancient Thai legend. He meets his beloved fiancée Nak to acquire an antique brooch and an old abandoned house in Phra Khanong through an unscrupulous real estate agent Angel and they decide to buy the property.

After their wedding, two small-time thieves break into the house and steal their gifts and other objects. Mak happens to see the criminals on the streets of Bangkok selling his goods. He chases the burglars and they run their van over Mak, who falls into a deep coma. The ghost Mae Nak protects the young couple against Angel and the burglars, but in return she holds the soul of Mak.

Nak finds the remains of Mae Nak in an ancient cemetery, and with some monks, they exorcise Mae Nak from Mak using the ancient brooch and release her spirit.

 L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment: 

The storyline is not bad, like the way how they cut off the forehead bone and make it into a thingy to capture the spirit. This is not a ghost movie which simply scares you out of nowhere but it based a lot on the relationship between the actors & actresses as well.

Golden Chicken 3 金雞SSS

 Released Year: 2014

Directed by 鄒凱光 Matt Chow

Casted by:

吳君如 Sandra Ng as 阿金 Kam

張家輝 Nick Cheung as 哥頓 Gordon

王菀之 Ivana Wong as 吳璐 Lu

陳奕迅 Eason Chen as Jackie

詩雅 Michelle Wai as 阿花 Fa

 Story: 

Nowadays, Kam has become mamasan and lead her girls towards to become a better hooker. She lead Lu who acted as china girl and Fa who can do anything to be the greatest. Kam met her man who was released from the jail Gordon. Gordon still acted the same and wanted his gang Jackie to serve him always. Kam tried to educate Gordon that the time has changed and finally she managed to change his mindset and they were happily ever after...

L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment: 

 For me, this is not as good as the 1st 2 movie. There's no main point of the whole storyline and the worst is, i even feel Sandra Ng's acting skill has gone bad... The whole movie focus on her extra big boobs and Nick Cheung is definitely outshine her in the movie and even Ivana is better than her... 

Bee Movie

 Released Year: 2007

Directed by Simon J. Smith

Voiced by:

Jerry Seinfeld as Barry B. Benson

Renée Zellweger as Vanessa Bloome

Matthew Broderick as Adam Flayman

Chris Rock as Mooseblood the Mosquito

 Story: 

Barry B. Benson is "just an ordinary bee" in a hive in Sheep Meadow, Central Park in New York City. Barry recently graduated from college and is about to enter the hive's Honex Industries (a division of Honesco Corporation and owned by the Hexagon Group) honey-making workforce. With his best friend Adam Flayman, Barry is initially very excited, but his latent, non-conformist attitude emerges upon finding out that his choice of job will never change once picked. This prompts Barry to leave the hive and see the world on a daily run with the macho, elite "Pollen Jocks", though Adam tries to talk Barry out of it. He thoroughly enjoys his new freedom, and is impressed by the process of nectar collection and pollination, but after being stuck to a tennis ball during a game and flying through a panicking family's car he decides humans are crazy and that he should go home. Unfortunately, it begins to rain and he crash lands on a windowsill. The apartment's occupants, the same couple who hit Barry with the tennis ball, have just come home and they close the window before Barry can escape. After freaking out the people inside and nearly being squashed, he is rescued by a florist named Vanessa Bloome and gently put back outside. This unexpected act of kindness intrigues Barry, who goes back in to thank the woman even though doing so violates Bee Law #1, "Don't talk to humans". Against both of their expectations, they develop an instant bond, bordering on attraction, and start hanging out together frequently. Of course, all of their friends and family are upset by this relationship.

While they are going through a grocery store, Barry is shocked to discover that the humans have been stealing and eating the bees' honey for centuries and decides to journey to Honey Farms, which supplies the grocery store with its honey. On the Honey Farms truck, he meets a mosquito named Mooseblood. A windshield wiper flings the two in a tube and Barry tells Mooseblood about Honey Farms while Mooseblood tells him about how humans have always swatted mosquitoes. Mooseblood departs when he sees a Blood Mobile pass by, while Barry goes on to witness the artificial process by which the honey is gathered. He ultimately realizes that his true calling in life is to set the world right by suing the human race for stealing their precious honey. This is later shown on Hive at Five's especially on Bee Larry King starring a bee version of Larry King. The trial initially goes well, until the defense lawyer, Layton Montgomery, accuses Barry of several things which are insulting to the bees (having a pet-like relationship with Vanessa, being an illegitimate son, since all bees are sons of the queen bee, and having incestuous flirtings with the female bees, since all bees are siblings) to show the less-lovable side of bees. This goads Adam to sting him, endangering his life. Barry counters by producing the smoke-machine used by Honey Farms to drug and subdue their bees. Adam is sent to the hospital, and is hooked to honey through I.V. His stinger is replaced with a pirate sword toothpick, and it turns out he is going to be fine.

Barry wins the lawsuit, and all honey in the world is confiscated and returned to the bees. However, Montgomery warns them they are disrupting nature's balance meaning that the bees quit their jobs. Adam comments to Vanessa that it might be true since bees had been living their previous lives over 27 million years. However it is too late, as Barry and Vanessa realize that the others were right. The sudden, massive stockpile of honey has put every bee out of a job, including the vitally important Pollen Jocks. Without bees pollinating the flowers, all plant life begins dying with the entire food chain close behind. To set things right, he and Vanessa find a way to save all the flowers by going to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California and bringing back with them all the pollen-filled flowers to re-pollinate the world. Barry and Vanessa fly the flowers as luggage on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport. The flight begins to take a detour due to lightning, and the delay would be fatal to the flowers. Trying to intervene, Barry accidentally knocks out the terrified pilots. Vanessa joins him and tries unsuccessfully to fly the plane. In the meantime, millions of bees have rallied and arrive at the last minute to help them safely land.

Armed with the pollen of the last flowers, Barry and the Pollen Jocks manage to reverse the damage and save the world's flowers, restarting the bees' beloved honey production. Nothing is mentioned about the fate of companies like Honey Farms, though humans and bees are seen treating each other visibly better, and honey is supposed to be "bee approved". Barry becomes a member of the Pollen Jocks while Adam is working as a krelman, helping to pollinate the plants while running a law firm inside Vanessa's flower shop, as well as helping Vanessa, switching the name from "Vanessa's Flowers" to "Vanessa & co: Flowers, Honey, Music, and Legal Advice". As the film closes, his office door reads "Insects at Law". Mooseblood works in his office with him as a lawyer (stating that he is already a bloodsucking parasite and only needed a briefcase), which is shown when Barry is interviewing a cow about the human exploitation of her milk.

 L² Scored: 5/10

L² Comment:

Well, nothing too special about this cartoon, but of coz its not bored too. What i can say it meet the expectation but not too great to outshine itself from the rest~

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫 / 幽靈公主

 Released Year: 1997

Directed by 宫崎駿 Hayao Hamazaki

Voiced by:

石田百合子 Yuriko Ishida as 小桑 San

松田洋治 Yōji Matsuda as 阿席達卡 Ashitaka

田中裕子 Yūko Tanaka as 黑帽大人 Lady Eboshi 

 Story: 

In Muromachi period Japan, an Emishi village is attacked by a demon. The last Emishi prince, Ashitaka, kills the demon before it reaches the village, but not before its corruption curses his right arm. The curse gives him superhuman fighting abilities, but will eventually kill him. The demon is revealed to be a boar god, Nago, corrupted by an iron ball lodged in his body. The village's wise woman tells Ashitaka that he may find a cure in the western lands Nago was exiled from.

Heading west, Ashitaka meets Jiko-bō, a wandering monk, who tells Ashitaka he may find help from the Great Forest Spirit, a Kirin-like creature by day and a giant "nightwalker" by night. Nearby, men are herding oxen to Irontown, led by Lady Eboshi, when they are attacked by a wolf clan led by the wolf goddess Moro. Riding one of the wolves is San, a human girl. Later, Ashitaka discovers two injured Irontown men, and sees San and her wolf clan; he greets them, but they ignore him and leave. He carries the injured men through the forest, where he encounters many kodama, and glimpses the Forest Spirit.

In Irontown, Ashitaka learns Eboshi has built the town by clear-cutting forests to reclaim ironsand and produce iron, leading to conflict with the forest gods. The town is a refuge for social outcasts, including former brothel workers and lepers, whom Eboshi employs to manufacture firearms to defend against the gods. Ashitaka also learns Eboshi is responsible for turning Nago into the demon. Eboshi explains that San, whom she calls Princess Mononoke, was raised by the wolves as one of their own, and deeply resents humankind.

San infiltrates Irontown to kill Eboshi, but Ashitaka intervenes, knocking them both unconscious. As he leaves the town carrying San, he is shot by a villager, and falls unconscious while heading for the forest. San awakens and is about to kill the dying Ashitaka, but hesitates when he tells her that she is beautiful. She takes him to the forest, and decides to trust him after the mighty Forest Spirit saves his life.

Meanwhile, a clan of boars led by the blind boar god Okkoto attack Irontown to save the forest. Eboshi prepares for battle and sets out to kill the Forest Spirit. Jiko-bō, revealed to be a mercenary, intends to give the god's head to the Emperor of Japan in return for protection from local daimyo lords; according to legend, the severed head of the Forest Spirit grants immortality.

In the battle, Okkoto is corrupted by gunshot wounds. Disguising themselves in boar skins, Jiko-bō's men trick the rampaging Okkoto into leading them to the Forest Spirit. San desperately tries to stop Okkoto, but is swept up in the corruption consuming his body. Moro attacks him and appeals to Ashitaka to use his love for San to save her. However, Ashitaka's infection is accelerated and San is also cursed by the corruption.

Eboshi beheads the Forest Spirit during its transformation into the nightwalker; corruption pours from its body, killing all life it touches as it searches for its head, which Jiko-bō has stolen. The forest begins to decay while kodama die. Moro, dying from injuries sustained in the battle, uses the last of her strength to bite off Eboshi's right arm. After bandaging Eboshi and convincing San to help him get the Forest Spirit's head back, Ashitaka and San follow Jiko-bō to Irontown, where they manage to return the god's head. Restored, the Forest Spirit falls into the lake, healing the land, and cures Ashitaka and San of the curse.

Despite telling Ashitaka how much he means to her, San decides to remain in the forest due to her resentment of humankind. Ashitaka will help rebuild Irontown, but tells San he will visit her in the forest. In gratitude for Ashitaka's efforts, Eboshi vows to rebuild a better town, and Jiko-bō decides to give up as he "can't win against fools." The forest begins to grow back.

 L² Scored: 7.5/10

L² Comment:

This is the epic animation of Hayao which has been the leading animation & movie in Japan until Spirited away & Titanic. Basically there is some moral behind the movie, it educated man to love and protect the forest as we have been doing too much damaging on it. As usual, a lot of weird thingy in this movie, but i enjoy watching it :)

Vanishing on 7th Street

Released Year: 2010

Directed by Brad Anderson

Casted by:

 Hayden Christensen as Luke Ryder

Thandie Newton as Rosemary

John Leguizamo as Paul

Jacob Latimore as James Leary

 Story:

Paul is a projectionist in a Detroit theater who is reading about the 16th century disappearance of the Roanoke Colony when the lights suddenly go out in the theater. He finds that all the staff and patrons have mysteriously vanished, leaving only their clothes and non-biological parts behind. He comes across a security guard who is holding a flashlight. As Paul had a headlamp on for his reading they deduce that people holding sources of light are protected against whatever dwells in the darkness. The guard's flashlight goes out, and he vanishes. As Paul investigates, his headlamp goes out as well.

The following morning, news reporter Luke Ryder wakes to find that there is no power in the building. After descending from his apartment, he notices that the doorman is missing and the paper is still the previous day's edition. People have completely vanished from downtown streets, now littered with abandoned cars and pieces of clothing. He heads to the news station to find his girlfriend, and it is later revealed that he discovered a recording which shows his girlfriend vanishing on air when the lights go out. The only thing he is able to recover is her ring.

Three days pass, and Luke is alone trying to scavenge flashlight batteries or other sources of light. He briefly encounters a man who is taken by the darkness, before coming across a bar being powered by a backup generator. The bartender's young son, James Leary, allows Luke to enter, followed soon after by another survivor, Rosemary.

Rosemary proves distant due to the trauma of her baby disappearing during the blackout, while James is convinced that his mother is at a church down the street and will soon return. They hear a man outside, and see Paul, who has mysteriously ended up under the lit sign of a bus stop across the road. Luke reluctantly leaves the safety of the bar to recover him and Paul reveals that he had been taken by the darkness, but the headlight that he had on had activated and he had found himself in the street three days later.

Due to Paul's massive concussion, Rosemary says that they need to find a hospital, and Luke suggests going to Chicago, where he saw a recording of a man just before the power went out at the news station three days prior. Paul tells them about the mystery of the Roanoke Colony where over a hundred settlers disappeared overnight, and they seem to be experiencing the same sort of occurrence. He tells them that the word "CROATOAN" was found carved into a tree at the site of the empty colony when the next ship arrived. With the generator running down due to extended use, they realize it is only a matter of time before the power goes out on them.

Luke comes up with a plan to take one of the nearly dead trucks on the street and feed power to it with the generator. He and Rosemary leave to obtain one, nearly getting caught in the darkness when the vehicle breaks down and they lose the light. Rosemary hears a baby crying in the dark, ignoring Luke's warnings that it is the darkness trying to trick her, she is lured under a solitary street light, and the lamp goes out taking her with it.

At the bar, James goes to get Paul some water, and the drain on the power causes the lights to flash out. Wearing a glow-stick necklace, James is safe, but Paul vanishes from the pool table on which he is lying.

Luke manages to push a truck back to the bar, and he escapes with James using the generator to get the truck started. As they pass the church up the block, James gets out to find his mother. Luke leaves, but after a conflict of conscience, and seeing the word "CROATOAN" carved into a sign hanging off a bridge, he returns, using the high beams from the truck to fend off the darkness. When Luke gets out of the truck to get James, the car battery dies and Luke too disappears. As James cowers under the glow of candles, which begin to go out, he pleads with the darkness "I exist." and all but one candle goes out.

James wakes to daylight and sees the last candle had been burning all night. A little girl, Briana, appears and insists that James is sleeping on her bed, but urges him to stay with her. She shows him her flashlight, which is solar powered, allowing it to stay on all night without having to search for new batteries.

As they leave the church, they encounter a police horse eating spilled apples on the ground and decide to take it to Chicago. As the sun sets on the children leaving the city, the camera pans to the bar, casting the shadows of Luke, Paul and Rosemary watching the two leave as the darkness falls. As it gets dark, Briana's light comes on, ensuring their protection against the darkness as they begin their journey.

 L² Scored: 6.5/10 

L² Comment:

Well, this is something new to me... the whole movie talks about people vanishing after the lights gone out, their soul being "swallow" by the shadows... It did not explain what happen and the movie lets it end with mystery that makes you wanna find out more about it... But overall the movie is consider ok, the horror part is not too excited as other horror movie...

Pumpkinhead 3: Ashes To Ashes

 Released Year: 2006

Directed by Jake West

Casted by:

Doug Bradley as Doc Fraser

Douglas Roberts as Bunt Wallace

Lisa McAllister as Dahlia Wallace

Tess Panzer as Molly Sue Allen

Emanuel Parvu as Oliver Allen

Ioana Ginghina as Ellie Johnson

Lance Henriksen as Ed Harley

Radu Iacobian as Richie

Catalin Paraschiv as Ronnie Johnson

Dan Astileanu as Sheriff Bullock

 Story:

Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes plot line follows more closely to the first film, with townspeople angered over the local mortician stealing and selling the organs of their loved ones and then dumping the corpses in a swamp, rather than cremating them. When the townspeople find out, they have the old witch Haggis summon Pumpkinhead through the mummified body of Ed Harley. Pumpkinhead then proceeds to go on his killing rampage murdering all those responsible for the desecration, while Doc Frasier hurries to murder those who summoned Pumpkinhead, which will effectively kill the demon in the process.

L² Scored: 3.5/10 

L² Comment:

This is a movie which is direct to video, franchise of the Pumpkinhead horror series... For me, the storyline is predictable & it was not that "horror" as well... The monster/beast looks kinda fake/dumb to me also... overall the whole movie is just so so... Maybe i should look for the very first movie in 1988, to understand the whole movie better...