Film Review: Insidious Chapter II

Title: Insidious Chapter 2

Language: English 

Running time: 1hr 45 m

Distributed by: Film District

Directed by: James Wan 

Genre: Mystery & Suspense, Horror

Ratings: 6/10

Summary:

The famed horror team of director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell reunite with the original cast of Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye and Ty Simpkins in INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2, a terrifying sequel to the acclaimed horror film, which follows the haunted Lambert family as they seek to uncover the mysterious childhood secret that has left them dangerously connected to the spirit world

Review:

I could not say that I hate Insidious Chapter 2 because hate is a strong word but I have mixed feelings. I really liked the effects and you can see James Wan's identity through this movie; the loud sound effects that was seemingly horrific and a little hint of romance. Honestly, I liked Insidious Chapter 2 than 1, because the first one was actually quite slow in my opinion. 

It was the deal breaker on how the soul of John Lambert was trapped in the other world. I could say that it was a very scary movie to watch when my sister actually jumped and spilled popcorn on the guy beside her, and if you are reading, I want to say sorry in advance for her stupidity and recklessness. 

Overall, the plot was actually quite messy as you need to really watch the first one. You really do need to pay attention to the little things because  you might not get it in the end. I think most people who told me not to watch it because it was not 'that good' is because they don't really understand what the film was about. It is the kind of film where you need to watch a few times to understand. 

I really like Patrick Wilson in this film, he really looks like a dad. Well, before he turned into the devil though. So what I could say is, James Wan could have done better but excellent graphics and stunt, just a little bit low on how the story rolls. 

Book Review: An Abundance Of Katherines

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green 

Publisher:

Genre: Young Adult 

Ratings: 9/10 

Summary:

Katherine V thought boys were gross

Katherine X just wanted to be friends

Katherine XVIII dumped him in an e-mail

K-19 broke his heart 

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun--but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl. Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself

Review:

I could say that this book would be a fun-read, for anyone who needs it. Collin Singleton, who has been dumped by 19 Katherines, maybe because he was a bit deluded himself. Raised as a child prodigy and learnign 11 languages before any child could even talk, you can find Collin a genius. 

But as a child prodigy, you grow up to know that you will wake up one day, to know that you are going to end up like anyone, flowing with the crowd. You are not accounted as 'special' anymore. Being dumped by K-19 might have been hard for Collin as you could imagine that Katherine 19 was actually Katherine 1 that actually dumped him for the second time. 

Going onto a road trip with his Muslim best friend, an Arab - Hassan who was overweight and landed on Gutshot where he profound new love with Lindsey Lee Well and finally getting a job. 

I could say that this book taught me a lot, even though I literally do not really understand the graphs and such but I could say that it might be a good start for anybody who was interested in Young Adult. John Green, an upcoming new writer that found himself in the spot of a New York Best-seller List with The Fault In Our Stars has struck again with witty humour. You could tell on how he did explicit research with his books, and his humour could be understood. 

An Abundance of Katherines is included in my Favourite Books of All Time, and I could say that it was an interesting novel and I could pretty much be a fond of this novel. 

What I could say to the author, John Green - good stuff. 

Kudos for Wan Nurina for lending me the book, remind me to repay the favour. 

Book Review: Jodi Picoult, Keeping Faith

Title: Keeping Faith 

Author: Jodi Picoult 

Publisher: William Marrow

Genre: Religion, Controversional

Ratings: 9/10

Summary:

Somewhere between belief and doubt lies faith. For the second time in her marriage, Mariah White catches her husband with another woman and Faith, their seven year old daughter, witnesses every painful minute. In the aftermath of a sudden divorce, Mariah struggles with depression and Faith seeks solace in a new friend… a friend who may or may not be imaginary.

Faith talks to her "Guard"constantly; begins to recite passages from the Bible— a book she's never read. Fearful for her daughter's sanity, Mariah sends her to several psychiatrists. Yet when Faith develops stigmata and begins to perform miraculous healings, Mariah wonders if her daughter-- a girl with no religious background-- might indeed be seeing God. As word spreads and controversy heightens, Mariah and Faith are besieged by believers and disbelievers alike, caught in a media circus that threatens what little stability they have left.

What are you willing to believe? Is Faith a prophet or a troubled little girl? Is Mariah a good mother facing an impossible crisis— or a charlatan using her daughter to reclaim the attention her unfaithful husband withheld? As the story builds to a climactic battle for custody, Mariah must discover that spirit is not necessarily something that comes from religion, but from inside oneself.

Fascinating, thoughtful, and suspenseful, Keeping Faith explores a family plagued by the media, the medical profession, and organized religion in a world where everyone has an opinion but no one knows the truth. At her controversial and compelling best, Jodi Picoult masterfully explores the moment when boundaries break down, when illusions become reality, and when the only step left to take is a leap of faith.

Review:

After finding a heap of books in my sister's old room, I came across Keeping Faith. Mainly I knew that other Jodi Picoult books was mainly about controversial topics but I don't find that a problem at all. So this is a story about little Faith who claims to be seeing an imaginary friend that is portrayed by 'God' and somehow, many people believed her as she started to heal people and by healing people, she would be hurt herself. 

Mariah White is a character which was severely depressed and allegedly is harming her daughter with all these 'god' problems by his ex-husband who demanded Faith back into his arms after giving custody to the mother. She was severely depressed after knowing her husband sleeping with another woman in their own home. 

Honestly, I find this book real intriguing. Some people actually did not let me read this book (I'm not going to mention any names) because it stated about other religions and I might believe all this crap about Christians and stuff. But honestly, I really like reading about other religions. 

Most Malaysians these days, I could say is very narrow-minded about people reading about other cultures, saying that it might not be good for you etc etc but how could you say that when you don't really want to learn about your religion? It made me wonder, whilst I read this book that took two days to finish - what does religion affect Malays when what they do is blind-faith. I find this predicament devastating. 

But I could tell you that this is Jodi's finest, and I liked this book. I am kind of sick reading about how they ask us to believe what they believe. Isn't every religion is a choice? Islam, Judaism, Christian, Buddha, any of the above cannot be forced. 

If you're interested in religions, you might need to grab Jodi Picoult's Keeping Faith yourself. 

Film Review: Escape Plan

Title: Escape Plan 

Running time: 1 hr 56 min

Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Thriller

Language: English 

Distributed by: Summit Entertainment

Directed by: Mikael Hafstrom 

Rating: 6/10

Summary:

One of the world's foremost authorities on structural security agrees to take on one last job: breaking out of an ultra-secret, high-tech facility called "The Tomb." Deceived and wrongly imprisoned, Ray Breslin (Sylvester Stallone) must recruit fellow inmate Emil Rottmayer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to help devise a daring, nearly impossible plan to escape from the most protected and fortified prison ever built. ESCAPE PLAN is the first pairing of action legends Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in leading roles, and co-stars Jim Caviezel, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio and Amy Ryan.

Review:

I would like to say first that I am sorry for not posting any posts, I was busy with exams and with the lack of Internet in this house, it seemed impossible. 

Okay, back to reviews. 

Honestly I like this movie better than The Expendables. Sylvester Stallone is good at action movies and so is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Both of them are explicitly good in many ways. I could often say that I like really 'smart' movies, and this is one of them. A lot of theories, scientific stuff. 

I could say that this movie is quite excellent, briefly. And sure is worth  your money. 

Film Review: We're the Millers (2013)

'Title: We're the Millers 

Language: English 

Genre: Comedy 

Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures

Running time: 1hr 40 min 

Ratings: 6/10

Summary:

David Burke (Jason Sudeikis) is a small-time pot dealer whose clientele includes chefs and soccer moms, but no kids-after all, he has his scruples. So what could go wrong? Plenty. Preferring to keep a low profile for obvious reasons, he learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished when he tries to help out some local teens and winds up getting jumped by a trio of gutter punks. Stealing his stash and his cash, they leave him in major debt to his supplier, Brad (Ed Helms). In order to wipe the slate clean-and maintain a clean bill of health-David must now become a big-time drug smuggler by bringing Brad's latest shipment in from Mexico. Twisting the arms of his neighbors, cynical stripper Rose (Jennifer Aniston) and wannabe customer Kenny (Will Poulter), and the tatted-and-pierced streetwise teen Casey (Emma Roberts), he devises a foolproof plan. One fake wife, two pretend kids and a huge, shiny RV later, the "Millers" are headed south of the border for a Fourth of July weekend that is sure to end with a bang.

(compliments of the Rotten Tomatoes)

Review:

Honestly, I really like this movie. I think it's a real funny R-rated comedy, just like The Change Up and the Hangover is. Being a drug mule is hard work, it's hard to smuggle drugs, even in the US and somehow, it's a REALLY hard job to steal from a drug lord somehow everything has gotten a little bit mixed up.

What I really like about this movie would be the bloopers at the end of the scene which is why everyone should watch it.

What I don't like about this movie is because it is one of those which they call a little bit cliche and predictable. When I watch a movie I don't really want something that is predictable and somehow this was the  downfall point of this particular film.

But the comedic part of this movie was not lackng, I laughed my ass off in that movie theatre and I guess that is the most important part that it does not lose the cutting edge, it does not touch any sensitive subjects and it might not be clean and PG-rated humor but t was still a good one I could never give We're the Millers a B average, that's for sure.