Review Bodyguards And Assassins

Bodyguards and assassins centers around a period in china's revolution in history when the Tang Dynasty collapsed and China was in a movement to tear down feodalism. Sun yat sen was one politician figure involved much in such movement. The movie was about protecting him by creating a diversion in order to protect his secret meeting in British occupied Hongkong in 1905. Then the movie gives us some fictional tale of ordinary people who live in the era surrounding that historical event.

It's been a while since i watch a mandarin film (The last one is in 2004, Kung Fu Hustle). When i saw that this film was playing in the cinema, with no further hesitation, i went to check it out. Turn out to be a very funny movie as i laugh several time on some scenes. That said, the movie is suppossed to be serious because of the nature of its subtle dark tone that involves history of revolution in china. It is indeed a serious action drama. So what to laugh about?

Ok. Here is the list of scenes i thought hillarious:

1. when Donnie yuen's character recklessly went on one-to-one collision with an ample horse.
2. when the tallest man character was able to resurrect himself despite of having been stabbed with knives several times from many directions in his body.
3. The appearance of actor Leon Lai as the beggar. I thought this was so extremely funny, because when i was little with friends and brothers, i persistently said things about Leon that he might just be the poorest (financially)actor in Hong kong due to his underappreciated style and appearance. So this scene is sentimental for me .
4. The main villain's character exposing his dreadful vengeful yet tickling face when he is about to summon his throwback to his enemy.
5. and many more

There were several things which i though to be ridiculous in our world nowadays but might be so common back then. One of them is when the businessman "buy" his collie a woman to marry. All and all, i think the movie is ridiculous despite of its serious intention to chronicle back an important historical event. It did make me laugh, however i was not supposed to, because this is indeed a serious drama. So , it's a mild thumbs down from me for the movie.

"Bodyguards And Assassins", a Media Asia releasing is unrated by MPAA, but containing gory action violence. Running time: 105 minutes. Two and a half stars out of Four (C+).

-Mulyadi Tjoa, MIS Officer @ P.T. Freeport Indonesia-

Review Avatar

James cameron is a director of vision. Ever since he made movies, his movies were always about human's interaction with technology. He was an inspired film-maker who left his job as a truck driver about three decades ago after amazed by Star wars films. His overachiever attitude in the filming location drawn subtle hatred from his fellow crew and casts. Nevertheless, the result is always breathtaking. From terminator, aliens, true lies and of course the oscar-winning Titanic, jim never show a bit crack in unseriousness in making movies. He always push the envelope when it comes to leveraging groundbreaking technology in cinema. His latest narrative feature, Avatar is one of the most anticipated movie of the year. I just saw it and i thought it was magnificent though inherently not without flaw.

It chronicles human in a not-a-distant future living in a place called Pandora where human race try to claim the land from to the native Na'vi. Several human race were sent through a "projection" in a machine called Avatar in order to blur with the natives only to have them changing side due to symphaty and one of them falls for a beautiful na'vi woman The movie has recently pick up golden globes nomination for best picture and best director for Jim, and now it is considered to be a front runner for best picture and best director in oscar race next march. It is a rare achievement for a science fiction genre. Watching Avatar is like experiencing somthing new because nobody has ever leverage the technology Jim uses solely in the purpose of filming this film. He even stated that sharing this experience with other people is how the business will slowly show success. "When people have an experience that's very powerful in the movie theatre, they want to go share it. They want to grab their friend and bring them, so that they can enjoy it," Jim said. "They want to be the person to bring them the news that this is something worth having in their life. That's how Titanic worked".

Avatar is so luxurious in its picture. The gung-ho surrounding its implementation of technical aspects of the film especially the special effect and the groundbreaking stereographic projection to create a live felt motion picture is once again justified itself that he would never have to care too much about others' negative doubt. I admit that the story and plot itself is actually not too compelling but cameron was able to concoct a reality on the big screen that matters. This is the man who in a way has surpassed a lot of many master director in Hollywood like Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg in creating a magical masterpiece that is not just another popcorn flick like Transformers which i hate.... so much due to its perpetual "pots banging" and the ineptitude of its director to create an extravagant masterpiece like Avatar.

"Avatar" a 20th Century Fox releases, is rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking. Running Time: 160 minutes. Four Stars out of Four (A).

-Mulyadi Tjoa, MIS officer @ P.T. Freeport Indonesia-