MOVIE REVIEWS: UP

ENGLISH - (U)
20 August 2009
Animation/Adventure

Distributor: Buena Vista
Running Time: 106 mins.
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Producers: Jonas Rivera, Executive: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
Writers: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy
Casts: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo
Plot: A 78-year-old man named Carl Fredricksen spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. Due to his age, he thinks life has passed him by. One day, an 8-year old wilderness explorer named Russell, changes his outlook on life and the pair goes on adventures, encountering wild terrains, unexpected villains and jungle creatures.

THE VERDICT

Green Tea Bern Says:

Up is the tenth Pixar and Disney collaboration. Not just the number ten is significant for animation lover like me, but also the first to feature a rather exquisite 3D format. Nevertheless, the movie works very well and this is among the best presentation we have ever seen. If Wall-E is unique in its sense, this one too.

The movie tells the story of Carl Fredricksen, from his young boy's life whom he met Ellie, a girl with very outgoing and eccentric. They shared a dream - to travel to Paradise Falls and transport their clubhouse on top of the waterfall. As life passed by, they grew up and get married but found themselves still unable to realize the dream. Ellie passed away, and what will the old Carl do to realize the last wish in his life? [....]

The plot is exceptionally awesome and it has everything in it - emotion, cheers, realism, humour and message in it. The story mainly anchor on Carl Fredricksen and his vow of promise he made with his wife Ellie. This is perhaps the most emotional and touching movie I have seen this year. It is gorgeously rendered and has keep the story very much into pieces, gel within by a strong, beautiful and poetic story telling - a brilliant screenplay.

However, there a little flaw in it - a bitter boring of blantant story with subpar character interaction. The flaw seems to be limited to there. The rest is just simply a master-piece, not just been a mere funny entertainment value but manage to grab to inner sense and soul from the audience.

Characterization is very well put forwarded inside the movie. There is a balance of good and evil force in it. The characters are cute - Russell, Kevin and Dug - been comical and hilarious. Russell is a cute boy with a green-heart, Kevin (a female actually) has some sort of strange but sarcastic bird while Dug, a talkable dog with its own charm. Not forget the old grumpy Carl. But nothing beats the love story of Carl and Ellie - been perhaps the most remarkable figure in the movie.

Cinematography is very distinct in Up - a great presentation of panoramic features of Paradise Falls in South America. The effects are gorgeous and you can experience the vibrant sounds and colours via 3D format. The imagination is been wild and beautiful - perhaps it is something great to watch. The movie accompanies with a flexing and highly touching music and original scores that pampered your heart to the fullness.

In shorts, can you misses this movie? Definitely no.

THE RATING...

STORY – 5.0 stars

CASTS – 4.5 stars

CINEMATOGRAPHY – 4.5 stars

EFFECTS - 4.5 stars

Average - 4.5 stars

Green-Tea-O-Meter: 18.8

SPIELBERG ON PIRATE LATITUDES

It's another Steven Spielberg project - late Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes is now been underway. Spielberg will produce and possibly direct the movie, while screenwriter David Koepp will be writing. This comes with no surprise since both had worked together in Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World.

Recently Michael Crichton's novels has been up for snap and DreamWorks Studios has snatched for a possiblemovie adaptation. The novel itself has not been released - awaiting a November 24 for arriving at bookshelves by HarperCollins.

The novel sets at the coast off Jamaica at around 1665, tells about the piracy activity in Jamaica in the 17th century, while illustrate a daring plan to infiltrate Port Royal, one of the world's richest and most notorious cities, and raid a Spanish galleon filled with treasure.

"It's a mission movie, and we see it through the prism of what it might have been like to live on the island during that time," says Stacey Snider, Spielberg's partner in DreamWorks and the company's co-chair and CEO. - COMINGSOON

TRAILERS TIME WITH CLOONEY,McGREGOR AND AGORA

2 new movie trailers have creeped into the online world. One featuring a comedy by an all big casts and one is an epic drama.

THE MEN WHO STARES AT GOATS

(Overture Film - 06/11/2009)

First, we have THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS. The comedy movie is based on a book of the same title by Jon Ronson, and will stars Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges and directed by Grant Heslov.

The movie tells the true (albeit somewhat bizarre) story about a top secret unit within the American military whose purpose is to develop mind-control powers for “psychic spying.” The film follows a reporter, Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), who stumbles into the story of a lifetime when he meets a special forces agent, Lyn Cassady (George Clooney). As they embark on a new mission, Lyn reveals his twenty-year involvement in this top secret, psychic military unit and shares details of their activities, each more bizarre than the last (including staring at goats in order to kill them telepathically).

AGORA

(Focus Feature - 18/12/2009)

Agora is an upcoming historical epic drama by Alenjandro Amenabar. It stars Rachel Weisz and Max Minghella.

It tells the story of astronomer-philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria (Weisz) and her relationship with her slave Davus (Minghella), who is torn between his love for his mistress and the possibility of gaining his freedom by joining the rising tide of Christianity.

I AM NUMBER FOUR NOW HAS WRITERS

2 months ago, GreenTeaWorld updated on the possible start for the latest directing work by Michael Bay. It looks like the project is now kicking in. Sources from Variety and ComingSoon has confirmed that DreamWorks Studios has hired "Smallville" alums of Al Gough and Miles Miller to write I Am Number Four.

I Am Number Four will be an adaptation of the James Frey and Jobie Hughes novel. The novel is not really published yet but Harper Collins Children's Book will be publishing the book.

The novel/movie will talks about a sci-fi novels about nine teen aliens on Earth, who escaped their planet just before a hostile race destroyed it. While the nine are busy adjusting to their new world and new roles, the titular Number Four discovers that those who destroyed his world are still determined to hunt him down.

Michael Bay may be in the director seat while will produce it. Chris Bender and JC Spink will serve as executive producers.

BOX OFFICE BELONGS TO BASTERDS

Quentin Tarratino’s latest World War II pic about killing any Nazis in Nazi-Occupied France has topped the box office last weekend. It makes US$ 38.1 million, according to the final figure by BoxOfficeMojo. Inglorious Basterds – starring Brad Pitt as the one of the commanding office leading a small troop to the France to slaughter any Nazis they encounter, has been promising a dark comedy with substantial action; judging by the final trailer.

Inglorious Basterds opened larger than Tarrantino’s previous movie – the box office failure: Grindhouse. Basterds did attracted audience to make it one of the highest opening weekend in the second half of the month August. Playing at wide 3,165 theaters, the opening is solid for the US$ 70 million budget movie. GreenTeaWorld can’t wait for it to arrive at our shores.

Opening in 6th place, Shorts – kid pics directed by Robert Rodriguez, a fellow friend of Tarrantino. Shorts is about a group of children whom discovered a gem stone that can fulfill their wishes but somehow the stone fell into the wrong hand. GreenTeaWorld thinks it is too childish and the weekend opening of US$ 6.4 million played more similar to Aliens In The Attic’s type of box office. Reviews are not that stellar anyway.

District 9, last week champion retreated about half to generate another US$ 18.2 million to a US$ 72.8 million cum. The gross’ drop is much better than similarly marketed and styles of Cloverfield, which dropped about 68% last year. District 9 is currently the best movie of the year in GreenTeaMovie.

Here is last weekend’s top 12 US Box Office as reported with a final update:

xXx3 IS ON THE WAY

With Ericson Core been attached to the sequel, it is official that the xXx seires will continue with its third installment – xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. The movie will definitely be starring Mr Muscle-Man, Vin Diesel. With Vin Diesel’s return, the project becomes something GreenTeaMovie hopes will wiped off the painful memory of the second movie.

Vin Diesel’s character was ripped off from xXx: State of Union few years back – the second installment in which the main character was replaced with Ice Cube. The outcomes of that include a disastrous box office performance, bad reviews and complaints about having a fatty-masculine for the xXx agent.

Core previously worked with Diesel when he was cinematographer on The Fast & The Furious, and turned to directing a few years back with Mark Wahlberg / NFL drama Invincible. He steps in to fill Rob Cohen's shoes after the latter abandoned the franchise he created (again) to go and direct Medieval.

THE GOTHIC VERSION OF RED RIDING HOOD

Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company – Appian Way is currently developing a possible reimagination of the favourite nursery story – The Red Riding Hood. David Johnson, the writer for Orphan is writing the retelling of that children’s story.

Deemed as a gothic version, the film is now officially titled The Girl in the Red Riding Hood. Variety has reported the movie as a story of werewolf movie with a teenage love triangle at its centre. The movie is been picked up by Twilight’s director – Catherine Hardwicke. Hardwicke is no stranger for teenage movie – where her previous works can be seen in Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown and of course last fall’s smash hit – Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight.

So, what would you think? Could it be a period version, gothic version, fairytale setting version or modern day version?

JOLIE IS WANTED FOR WANTED 2

Remember what happen in the ending of last year’s stylish action Wanted? Yes, Sloan (Morgan Freeman) was killed by Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy), while Fox (Angelina Jolie) was killed by a circular-travelling bullet triggered by her gun. That sums it all up. However, Wanted 2 has been pushed forward by the Russian visionary director – Timur Bekmambetov.

Since Jolie’s performance was so awesome in Wanted that it is hard to imagine how a sequel to that movie will be without her, Timur is interested to bring her back in the currently planning Wanted 2. Since Jolie’s character has died, now you may ask this - how is it possible for her role to make a comeback in the sequel?

In an interview with MTV, Timur was quoted to have say – “If you remember from the first film, we have a recovery room with the baths of wax. We know how to do this, but it's still tough to do, because the bullet is inside her head. But there has to be a reason for her to come back... and we know the reason. I think we found the reason for her to come back.” -

MORE BEATLES-RELATED MOVIE

Recently, GreenTeaMovie wrote about the plan of making a motion-capture remake of Yellow Submarine by Robert Zemeckis. Empire Online and Variety yesterday reported that a biopic of the Beatles’ first manager Brian Epstein has been announced.

The movie entitled A Life in the Day will feature Epstein himself. He is famously known to have discovered the Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool and eventually help them to seal their first recording contract after the first demo he funded landed in the hands of George Martin at EMI. However, he died at the young age of 32 due to drug overdose.

The script has been written by Tony Gittelson and has been picked up by the producer David Permut. It is believed that the movie will focus on The Beatles’ early days and formation, rather than their world phenomenon.

MOVIE REVIEW - THE HANGOVER

ENGLISH - (18PL) - 01 October 2009 - Comedy
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Running time: about 100 mins.
Director: Todd Phillips
Producers: Todd Phillips, Daniel Goldberg
Writers: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Casts: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Mike Epps, Justin Bartha
Plot: When one of their best friends goes missing, three groomsmen played by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis must retrace their last 40 hours at the Caesars Place bachelor party where they lost him. They must now figure out what happened in their drunken stupor and save their about-to-be-wed friend..

THE VERDICT:

Green Tea Bern says:

Bachelor's party turn into something wild and unexpected can be fun and interesting. The Hangover is fortunately still a good, terrific presentation of how people just want to have fun before their wedding. However, this little journey become too armed and dangerous to be endured. Don't worry, although it sounds horrific but I can assure you that this is a comedic one.

The Hangover tells the story of four best friends on a road trip to Las Vegas to celebrate the bachelor's party for one of them who is going to get married. However, the party become too wild when they were high on drugs and they found themselves in a difficult and weird circumstances. One of them - the one who is going to married - is missing. They need to recollect their trails and clues, as well as to recollect what had actually happen during the party.

The plot can be comparable with The wedding Crashers, few years back, due to their highly vulgarity, slapsticks and surprise comedic elements. Both are a runaway hit in the US Box Office but in my opinion, the stories for both are just usual and so-so. Perhaps, what makes them so successful are because of their entertaining joyride.

The Hangover, although is average in plot, it has a mysteric, unique and strong element of craziness in it. It is a quite typical story of four friends looking for trails and clues to understand what has happen - a little mystery and thrill for you. Humour is quite pleasable, slapshotly good and is dominated with craziness. Although things that appear after the party - tiger, baby, chicken, police car and so on - do not make sense at all, crazily these are able to be answered in an excellent way.

The casts of four guys seems to be fun and enjoying their road trip so much. They are kind of fun and witty, blending the humour and lame jokes yet again. The chemistry in between them is strong. This comedy itself is funny in all way, flat down. Characterization is clear and the dialogues are witty.

So, why not give yourself a chance to watch this movie and enjoy their joyride. Yes, it will be fun when it will be finally be released this October. This is a sure must to watch and comedy such as this are hard to find these days.

THE RATINGS.....
CAST - 4.5 stars
STORY - 4.0 stars
CINEMATOGRAPHY - 4.0 stars
EFFECTS - 3.5 stars
an overall>> 4.0 stars
GreenTea-O-Meter: 16.3

NOW BIOSHOCK IS GOING TO FILM VERSION WITHOUT GORE VERBINSKI

The Bioshock, a video game for PlayStation 3 console has now been pending for shooting following announcement that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will be replacing Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, The Ring 2). Few months back, rumours that Verbinski will be leaving the movie production was so strong, citing problems over budget and location. Althought the director seat is passed to Fresnadillo, Verbinski will remain as the producer.

Universal Pictures has obtained the right for making a film about Bioshock, expected to be requiring a budget of up to US$ 160 million. Bioshock, is of course a first person shooting game which has branched out into platforms such as PS3, XBox and via PC.

Bioshock is set in an alternate history 1960, the game places the player in the role of a plane crash survivor named Jack, who must explore the underwater city of Rapture, and survive attacks by the mutated beings and mechanical drones that populate it. The game incorporates elements found in role-playing and survival horror games

INCEPTION TESAER TRAILER

Christopher Nolan's Inception looks very good indeed. The movie in which I suspect may be some sort of science fiction, is another collection to his impressive CV which include Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Memento and The Prestige.

The movie has only started shooting in locations such as Tokyo, London, LA and Paris. Looking the scnes from the trailer, it fills with indifferents and excitement. One thing for sure, this is not a very easy movie to describe in its own word - simply outstanding and the movie could be another good film.



The teaser trailer features cityscape of Tokyo, the star Leonardo DiCaprio, and an actor (presumably William Ficthner) been dragged away on the rooftop. Later the trailer shots seems to be getting a bit weird - and we may start to talk about gravity. From what we all know, Inception is a "a thriller that took place in the architecture of the mind”.

The movie will also stars Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow in Batman movie), Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy and Sir Michael Caine. Christopher Nolan is of course the director and with him a budget of US$ 200 million and a 2010 summer release.

SHUTTER ISLAND IS PUSHED TO 2010

Paramount reported to have pushed the upcoming Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island to next year, in a rather surprise move that see the weekend of October 2 felt vacant. The move will caused the movie be released on February 19, 2010 release.

I wonder what makes Martin to shift the movie away from his traditional slot. Could he be not confidence that this movie will be making enough rave for the upcoming Oscar season? Scorsese's previous works like The Departed and The Aviator all opened on October or at least during the Fall season to accomodate enough rave for Oscar race.

So no more Oscar contention for The Shutter Island?

Shutter Island is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island's fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.

IRON MAN 2 MOVIE STILLS

The movie is still long way to go but the anticipation is been felt a little bit now. Iron Man 2, a highly seducing sequel to last year's Iron Man will be hitting silver screen on May 7 next year. Iron Man of course is a highly receptive comic book adaptation from Marvel in which the maestro of weaponry Tony Starks will suit himself in an alloy metal clinging humanoid to save the world

Ever so spicy, enjoy the movie stills first hand and feel the heat.

JASON BOURNE IS ON COURSE

Looks like Jason Bourne will have the number four movie green-lighted. Universal Pictures has announced a new writer to board on the franchise - Josh Zeturner, who will be given a difficult task of delivering a new fresh storyline and direction to the series.

Zeturner selection comes in time when the need to replace George Nolfi, one of the original writer which has conflicting schedule and Nolfi prefered The Adjustment Bureau then Bourne. Nevertheless the guys in Universal is certainly hoping that Nolfi can complete his screenplay on The Adjustment Bureau quick enough. It is speculated that Universal will try to merge them both up.

Certainly, we wish Zetumer well. If he can come up with a great story, good enough to secure the involvement of Damon and Paul Greengrass, then we’ll be delighted.

Frank Marshall and Jeffrey Weiner are producing the movie. - EO

ABOUT THIS SITE

Dear readers of Green-Tea-Movie, welcome to this movie blog. Here, Green-Tea-Movie offers you movie updates and news, movie trailers and stills, and of course the butter-and-bread posts on movie reviews.

The reason I wrote this because I know people are wondering how movies in Green Tea Movie are rated. Here is how!!

ABOUT GREEN-TEA-MOVIE

This blog was first online back in February 2008 to serve as blog for my writing on movie reviews. Over the years, the blog expands into more than just a movie review, when it also includes movie updates, news and rumours, as well as a preview site. Now Green-Tea-Movie has an archive of over 260 posts with more than 120 movie reviews. The person who brings you Green-Tea-Movie is none other than the one writing this right now – Bernard Chung.

MOVIE REVIEWS

With tonnes of movie reviews, there is a way for Green-Tea-World rates a movie. Rating and reviewing a movie is more than just telling the summary or plot synopsis and rate it as if it is full of entertainment value and some awesome bloody violence and gun-shooting. In fact, it comes more than that, with a technical aspect of story, casts and cinematography.

From now on, Green-Tea-World will introduce a new way of rating in which particulars as such will be look and can be summarized as such:

• STORY – screenplay, plot themes, flow and entertainment value
• CASTS – characterization and character building
• CINEMATOGRAPHY – camera work, uniqueness and technical aspects
• EFFECTS – special visual effect and sound effect

Each of these aspects (above) will be given a star rating from 0.5 to 5.0 stars maximum. Average will be given based on total of the stars given based on the table below:

Green-Tea-O-Meter which I have put into use since late last year will be transformed into a complex mathematical equation. The reason is because a bad movie has high rating only because of its good special effects. To put that into fair, the Meter will be calculated based on a formula in which a more critical aspect of story and casts will be weighed more.

Therefore each aspect will be weighed as such:

• STORY – 40%
• CASTS – 30%
• CINEMATOGRAPHY – 15%
• EFFECTS – 15%

This is the formula:
GREEN-TEA-O-METER = (story*0.4+casts*0.3+cinematography*0.15+effects*0.15)*4

It is complex but you don’t have to remember that. Here are some examples you can look on.

VS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For all the posts, Green-Tea-Movie would like to acknowledge these main resources in which are used for the news section:

• EMPIRE ONLINE
• COMING SOON
• SLASH FILM
• VARIETY

Movie stills are taken from:

• ALLMOVIEPHOTO

All Movie trailers are taken from:

• YOUTUBE

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT

ENGLISH - (18PL) - 18 June 2009 - Horror/Thriller

Distributor: Universal Pictures/Rogue Pictures
Running Time: 110 mins.
Director: Dennis Iliadis
Producers: Wes Craven, sean S Cunningham, Marianne Maddalena
Writers: Adam Alleca, Carl Ellsworth, Wes Craven (original)
Casts: Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Garret Dillahunt, Spencer Treat Clark, Martha MacIsaac, Sara Paxton
Plot: After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang led by a prison escapee unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging the parents of one of the victims -- a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics

THE VERDICT...

Green Tea Bern Says...

In yet another remake of a classic horror, it never fails to make you wonder why Hollywood would continue to produce such when the outcome is still terrible. One can never stop questioning that but thankfully; this remake is still bearable and still intriguing somehow. Wes Craven’s original writing may have been altered a little and some of the original elements have lost in translation.

The Last House On The Left tells about Collingwood family on their vacation to their lake house. Mari, the daughter, goes out to look for her friends – Paige and Justin. However, things turn ugly when Justin’s relatives whom are wanted criminals, arrive in the hotel after successfully broke out of police custody. Believing it’s too risky to let Mari and Paige go, the bandits kidnap both of them. After the Collingwood know what happen to their daughter, they plot revenge against the bandits.

Talking about coincidence, the storyline reflects what it is about. The moment of coincidence appears in two occasions – when the bandits – Krug, Francis and Sadie arrive at the hotel and later at the Collingwood’s lake house. It is easy to say that these are deliberately written to fit the bill and to serve the storyline merely. But that is not important actually, what most is that the fact the plot is thick, well-delivered, and tense and holds some suspense to the audience.

Unlike the original, Mari did not die and Justin did not leave the family in the moment of need. These changes have little help in changing the course outcome but simply leaving a note of urgency and suspense to the story. However, I still felt a sense of mixed about it, thinking that if Mari was death like in the original, there is a probability that the course of the story may be different, darker and more violence when revenge is much deeper than this.

There are no obvious star-powers in this movie but in general they perform pretty well. Each character has a different approach and sense to the story. I particularly like Mari (portrayed by Sara Paxton) and Krug (Garret Dillahunt) simply because they are the one that keeps the story very alive and has an ample transformation to allow the movie to move on. However, one thing I notice character development is lacking in somehow

In a nutshell, this horror thriller is average and passable. You shall not expect anything greater than what you have already known. The film is tense but did not have the mode to keep the horror very long. The particular way how the revenge is executed is moderate and leaves a gap of improvement patching on everywhere. If the story and plot can be polished more, this would be an exciting turn-out.

THE RATING...

STORY – 3.5 stars

CASTS – 3.5 stars

CINEMATOGRAPHY – 3.5 stars

EFFECTS - 3.5 stars

Average - 3.5stars

Green-Tea-O-Meter: 14.0

MOVIE REVIEW: LAND OF THE LOST

ENGLISH - (PG13) - 23 July 2009 - Adventure/Comedy/Science Fiction

Distributor: Universal Pictures
Running Time: 101 mins.
Director: Brad Silberling
Producers: Sid and Matt Krofft, Jimmy Miller
Writers: Chris Henchy, Dennis McNicholas, (TV series) - Sid and Matt Krofft
Casts: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride, Jorma Taccone, John Boylan, Leonard Nimoy
Plot: Based on the 1974 TV series "Land Of The Lost", this movie is about a forest ranger together with his two children who stumble upon a mysterious land - a land that is almost forgotten and no one really knows about its existence. In his adventures on the lost land, he encounters strange creatures like the reptilian Sleestaks population and also the monkey people.

THE VERDICT...

Green Tea Bern Says...

In 1974, Land Of The Lost was a popular TV series and there is no surprise why Hollywood did the same thing again by destroying the original for a bluffer and more adult-themed piece of junkie silver screen adaptation. Like many TV series that turn into films in the past – Starsky & Hutch and The Brady Bunch Movie, the movie is fairly disgust and uninspiring.

The movie tells about Rick Marshall, a paleontologist whom was reduced from the science department following his theory of time warps and his assault on Matt Lauer on The Today Show. The incidents leave him pathetic and devastated due to the negative response he received on his work on the tachyon amplifier. Things change when he meets Holly Cantrell, a student whom admires his works. Together with Will Stanton, a tour guide, they explore the Devils Cave and about to embark a strange parallelism world beyond any imaginations.

Story-wise, it is easy to pin point that the plot is interesting and well-flowed. The movie promises audience a never-forgetting journey into a wild and absolute non-sense land – therefore the comical part prevail the most than the scientific truth. One can easily tell you to not to bring your brain while watching the movie, where in fact this is a good example of movie in which entertainment-escaping-experience is brought to a new level.

However, the good stuffs remain to be as limited as that. While the movie maybe praised for the absolute fun and entertainment value it has, it is not difficult too to pin point the failure of bringing in any worth of senses at all. Call it a lame one or some mild disaster in executing the screenplay. The movie makes you feel disgusted and splattered. Others may call it highly unorthodox and a total mental-block. No matter what you wish to label it, this movie is just passable.

The funnymen (and women) in the movie are rather slapstick and spontaneous. The movie has an ample characterization but it fails to sparkle any redeemable moments. Nor does it have some creativity or chances to elevate the character to a new point. Will Ferrell is a good actor but the constant and typical display of humour and lameness remains an issue of been too predictable and too lame.

Cinematography and special effects can be considered good but imagine the budget of US$ 100 million becomes wasted because of some unexciting story. The use of CGI to create the creatures and scenes has partly changed the perception of using stop-puppet-motion that has been a trademark for the original TV series. In a nutshell, Land Of The Lost is passable illogical entertainment escapist that can’t be really enjoyed of.

THE RATING....

CASTS – 2.5 stars

STORY – 1.5 stars

CINEMATOGRAPHY – 3.5 stars

EFFECTS – 3.5 stars

Average - 2.5 stars

Green Tea-O-Meter: 10.0

AVATAR MOVIE STILLS

Various online site may have featured this and GreenTeaWorld would not want to miss it too. What will be next are the collections of photos and movie stills for the upcoming sci-fi movie Avatar. James Cameron's first lengthy feature after so long of absence has sparkled many interests but not to mention doubts.

Here is the slideshows of movie stills from Avatar and may I warn you earlier that this is not all you have seen from the trailer. The teaser trailer has already out online and you can catch it at this site page.

ONLINE TRAILERS FOR AVATAR AND THE WOLFMAN

GreenTeaMovie has featured tonnes and tonnes of trailers (not really tonnes) on this blog and yet, never stop providing you the thrill for more exclusive previews. For more trailers, please click on "Trailers" on the menu above and enjoy for some finest trailers available.

Okay, the Thursday in US means the online premier for two trailer of two action movies which will due in coming months. The much awaited and delayed The Wolfman has premiered by Universal Pictures while Avatar, an upcoming sci-fi by James Cameron this December by 20th Century Fox.

THE WOLFMAN (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

So, I hope you guys will really enjoy the two trailers below. First of all, we have The Wolfman. The Wolfman which has an assemble casts that includes Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving will making its way to cinema on February 12, 2010.

Plot: "Set in the late 1880s, the film keeps the plotline of the original, with Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) meeting his father (Anthony Hopkins) following the death of his brother. The film details events during Lawrence's past that led to his estrangement from his father (which includes Gwen), and the setting is changed from the mythical Welsh village of Llanwelly to the English village of Blackmore and the city of London. The official synopsis states Talbot was traumatized by his mother's death as a child, while Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) is his brother's fiancée. Following his brother's disappearance, Talbot hunts a murderer, which turns out to be a werewolf, and the curse is passed on."





AVATAR (20TH CENTURY FOX)

Avatar stars Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi and Michelle Rodriguez - is an upcoming science fiction movie by James Cameron. Some speculated that the cost of making the film may reach a record of US$ 300 million.

Plot: "Jake Sully, is a former Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat on Earth. Jake is selected to participate in the Avatar program, which will give him a healthy body. Jake travels to Pandora, a lush rainforest-covered extraterrestrial moon filled with incredible life forms – some beautiful, many terrifying. Pandora is also home to the Na’vi, a sentient humanoid race that humans consider primitive, but are actually more evolutionarily advanced than humans. Standing three meters tall, with tails and sparkling blue skin, the Na’vi live in harmony with their unspoiled world. As humans encroach deeper into Pandora's forests in search of valuable minerals, the Na’vi unleash their formidable warrior abilities to defend their threatened existence."

RECAPTURING YELLOW SUBMARINE IN ZEMECKIS WAY

The director for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back To The Future and Contact has announced the plan to render a modern contemporary and signature performance capture style to one of the movie The Beatles has ever been featured before. Robert Zemeckis has an interesting deal with Disney for a possible remake of Yellow Submarine. The remake will see a possible Lion King-style of animation, a comeback for such animation while many of us going gaga on 3D animation.

The original Yellow Submarine was a 1968 animation about the Fab Four which helped him to launch their Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band phenomenon album back then. However, none of the member provided any voice work for the animation.

According to EO online; Zemeckis, though, seems to have secured rights to classic Beatles tracks like All You Need Is Love, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Baby, You're A Rich Man and All Together Now. However no words on any involvement of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the two surviving Beatles will be attached to the project yet.

But at the moment, we're in the dark about this. It's very early days yet, negotiations are still ongoing, and that seems to be all the news that's fit to print, save that the movie should be ready before the 2012 Olympics.

MORIARTY RUMOURS CONTINUES

Only yesterday GreenTeaMovie reported that Brad Pitt could be end up in the upcoming Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, as the detective’s arch nemesis Professor Moriarty. The article in The Mirror may sound hoax but there is some truth and not to mention possibility in it, not before Warner Bros denied the rumour to the ground.

However, Ritchie in an interview with MTV has confirmed that there will be at least a glimpse of Moriarty – more as a cameo or uncredited one.



"Some kind of appearance is probably the best way to describe it," says the director, replying "I believe not" when asked if anyone is officially named as the Prof in the credits. "All will be revealed. I'm afraid I have to be slightly ambiguous, but you'll understand when you see the movie." – EO

Could it be a possible cameo appearance for Brad Pitt in it?

ALL HAIL THE PRAWN-ALIENS

Showered with good reviews and been able to place itself at the crown of the US Box Office is certainly a good thing. District 9 has by far, receiving 89% for a Fresh rating and a very big chances to be top movie of the year.

Produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neil Blomkamp with a budget of US$ 30 million, District 9 toppled G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra from the top spot in US Box Office last weekend. The number came in by a huge over US$ 14 million on first day, which exceeded industry's expectation. District 9 went on to collect about US$ 37 million on the 3 days take. The movie plays more on adrenalin searching male according to the exit polls.

Top movie critic Roger Ebert hailed the film by calling it "District 9 does a lot of things right, including giving us aliens to remind us not everyone who comes in a spaceship need be angelic, octopod or stainless steel."

The other newcomers were not so brilliant with the execption of The Time Traveler's Wife. Attracting largely lesser impressive reviews, the movie opened at US$ 18 million, a solid number but still far from last week's Julie & Julia. The New Line Cinema's production which stars Rachel McAdam and Eric Bana is based on a popular best selling material.

For the rest of the Top 12, view here:

THE EXTENDED EXPENDABLE...

If you have not hear about it previously from somewhere, Sylvester Stallone has already called for a production of an upcoming super-action film that has been casting multiple famous and finest action cast on it. The movie is of course – “The Expendables”.

The lists of those cast for the movie includes Stallone himself, Arnold ‘Guvernator’ (?), Jason Statham, Jet Li, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts, all joining forces to take down a corrupted Latin American dictator. Recently, we have another inclusion – Bruce Willis, the yippie kai-yay John McClane of Die Hard.



Wikipedia sources cited that both Arnie and Willie will have a minor cameo on-screen together.

With a massive casting, expect kicking, punching and shooting in styles and explosives. The shooting for the movie has reported to be wrapping up with locations in Louisiana and Brazil. The movie opens somewhere around next year on April 23.

IS BRAD PITT IN SHERLOCK HOLMES?

The rumour was quickly played down by Warner Bros but the credibility of the source for the rumour cannot be simply belittled.
Professor Moriarty is a famous antagonist that Sherlock Holmes had ever faced in the whole chronology of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation – thus putting the character into the film would not be impossible. If Moriarty does have a small role in this film, the vibrant is clear in the air that the sequel has already on plan.

According to The Mirror, Ritchie was ordered to add the character of Moriarty by Warner Bros. the paper also claimed that Brad Pitt was called for the role and is currently shooting at Cliveden House and in London while it was also reported Robert Downey Jr. is in the set as well.

If this rumour is somehow true, it means that it would be an interesting one as Brad Pitt has seldom been casted for antagonist role. Let’s see what will happen next!!

ONLINE TRAILERS FOR NEW MOON, WHEN IN ROME, etc

Lately, more movie trailers have landed online and GreenTeaMovie is not on an easy hand to handle that such amount. Nevertheless, the custom styles, all will be featured in this post.

First of all, Twilight's Saga second installment New Moon has premiered its second teaser for the upcoming anticipated sequel to the handsome vampire this November.

NEW MOON (Summit Entertainment - 20/11/2009)



I know many are excited for this!!

WHEN IN ROME (Buena Vista - 29/01/2010)



This upcoming romantic will stars Kristen Bell and Jon Heder, about "a successful but single art curator (Kristen Bell) goes to Rome to attend her younger sister's impulsive marriage. While there, she picks up coins from a reputed “fountain of love,” (probably based on the Trevi Fountain) and when she leaves she is pursued back to New York by a band of aggressive suitors whose coins she took."

Well, that's all folks!!

HARRY POTTER IN RE-RELEASE MODE

Warner Bros has decided over the months of summer that they are going to release some new ‘special’ releases of the all Harry Potter films. The decision to release another version of the Potter film – in this case, a new cut of longer and extended edition of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, comes as no surprise. Harry Potter is the world’s biggest ever franchise that all first five installments has already raked in more than US$ 4.5 billion worldwide and the re-release would bring in cheers to the fans.

The extended version will features in a DVD instead of theatherical release. However, the main question remains – what scenes could be added into the extended version since there aren’t many deleted scenes or additional scenes at all for the movie.

Producer David Heyman commented – “These films take a long time. They take about 30 weeks to shoot, and we couldn’t take any more time, partly because the kids can’t work too long and partly because of the cost. It would be a lovely thing for the DVD extras, and inevitably there are things that don’t make it onto the film that we put on the DVD, but to shoot things for the DVD alone, I’m not sure that makes sense here.” - EO

Before you Potter fans get disappointed, let me tell you this – there won’t be extra subplots or additional scenes to be add into the extended version – merely only additional dialogue or scattered moments.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR GOING TO BE A VAMPIRE

Universal has been reported of interested in rebooting Anna Rice's 'The Vampire Chronicles'. In the mean times, Robert Downey Jr has been in talk with the studio for a possible starring in the movie as Lestat Du Lioncort.

Lestat is role that had appeared in 1994 similarly Anna Rice's 'Interview With The Vampire' which has big stars in it - Tom Cruise as Lestat, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst in it.

Later, Lestat also appeared in 2002's 'Queen Of The Damned' where Stuart Townsend as Lestat and Aaliyah in it.

Downey Jr would be the third actor to play that role. Inside the 'The Vampire Chronicles', it has several novels that form a series of it, namely - 'The Tale Of The Blood Thief', 'The Vampire Armand', 'Pandora', 'Merrick', 'Blood And Gold', 'Blackwood Farm' and 'Blood Canticle'.

So who's with Vampire with Robert Downey Jr?

AVATAR'S NEW MOVIE PICS

James Cameron's sci-fi pic Avatar will be released this December and I cannot be not ecstatic to see how the film will probably looks like. ComingSoon.net has two new pictures for you to indulge first in the wake of the December releases.

First of all, the man of the year - Sam Worthington as Jake Sully appearing in front of a bluish tank with a humanoid-looking creature 'swimming' inside it. Wow, this is so reminiscence of those typical alien or sci-fi experiment movie.

The second photo shows the director himself - James Cameron filming the movie.

Avatar is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people. - Comingsoon.net

The first movie trailer will be available online on Thursday. All pictures and infos are available from ComingSoon

WOLVERINE 2 ON THE WAY

Last May's Wolverine kicked off the possible of many X-Men Origins to come. However, the box office for Wolverine (played by the sexy man Hugh Jackman) did nit lure as much as the typical X-Men movie did.

Recent words have that Fox is getting ready for the sequel to Wolverine, with tentative title - X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2. The sequel is heading for a positive mode of direction since Bryan Singer may be brought into the director seat even he is now onboard on the new Battlestar Galactica movie.

Not only that, Bryan Singer's go-to screenwriter, Chris McQuarie whom has worked on works like Public Access, The Unusual Suspects and Valkyrie will be doing his magic again on the sequel. McQuarie is known as one of the best writers. His hiring will send a strong notes that Wolverine sequel is heading to a much better material.

The sequel maybe a continuation of Wolverine's story in Japan as seen in the end of the first movie's credit. The storyline is confirmed to be based on the great Frank Miller/Chris Claremont mini series from the 80's - about the now amnesiac Logan in Japan and his desire towards to Samurai code.

ASTRO BOY AND LEGION - NEW TRAILERS

Astro Boy, an animation from Summit Entertainment will be released at 23 October this year in the State-side. It is of course based upon a huge success and popular Japanese manga by Osamu Tezuku since 1953, the film adaptation will features the voice cast that includes Freddie Highmore, Nicholas Cage, Bill Nighy, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Charlize Theron, Samuel Jackson and Matt Lucas. The trailer has been featured in the recent Comic-Con and finally online for your views.



Astro Boy will be in local cinema on 26 November 2009.



Meanwhile, another movie has popped in for an online debut of its trailer. Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid and Tyrese Gibson starring in the Sony Screen Gem's Legion has finally debuted on a much waited and extended red band version. Legion, a Christian-themed fantasy-thriller film is directed by Scott Stewart.

The plot is set during the time when God has loses his faith on humanity, but the archangel Michael (Paul Bettany) is the only one standing between mankind and the apocalypse. He leads a group of strangers who must protect a woman who is pregnant with Christ in his second coming.

Legion is scheduled for January 22 release while in Malaysia, we may not be able to see this film on cinemas due to its content nature. Here is the red band trailer but I have to warn you for its mature adult content in the first place.

NOW LEGO?

Warner Bros. is in the midst of developing a planned movie about the ever popular toys - Lego. Since the plot remains anonymous, this Lego movie could be suspiciously well a family comedy that will have both animation and live action. There is a possible that the story will base upon the ace Lego computer games, where little guys with bumps on their heads running around in on an adventure.

Sherlock Holmes' Dan Lin is set to produce while Kevin and Dan Hageman will provide a script soon. Since the success of many other toys range that have turned into an adapted silver screen, Lego sees no reason why Lego can't be turned into a movie.

Source as in here.

MOVIE REVIEWS: DISTRICT 9

ENGLISH - (18SG) - 13 August 2009 - Action/Science Fiction

Distributor: Sony Pictures TriStar
Running time: about 111 mins.
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Producers: Peter Jackson, Bill Block, Ken Kamins, Paul Hanson, Elliot Ferwerda
Writers: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tachell
Casts: Sharlto Copley, Kenneth Nkosi, Robert Hobbs, Jason Cope
Plot: Set in South Africa, this movie is rumoured to be a "Cloverfield"-type sci-fi about an extraterrestrial race that is forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth and suddenly finds a friend in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology. Alien spacecrafts are seen hovering over many locations, interrupting daily human lives and raising concerns from the residents of the area. This film is also said to be a sort of social commentary, diverging from what you would usually expect from films featuring aliens.

THE VERDICT:

Green Tea Bern says:

You may think that District 9 is just like any other typical alien movies that deal with invasion on the planet earth, some propaganda based on the X-Files theory or something like that. Well, I beg to differ because it is so different and been unique in its own way, the movie projecting one of the most exciting displays of creativity and intensity. Do bear in mind that the movie is produced by Peter Jackson and directed by one of the most talked about new talent in recent years – Neill Blomkamp.

Based upon Alive in Joburg, a short story about aliens in South Africa; District 9 tales the story of about 1.8 million ‘prawn’ aliens been stranded on Earth after their mother-ship experience some technical malfunction – resulting them unable to return to home. The aliens have been living in the slumps of Johannesburg in South Africa for 28 years. Now that their presence causes uneasiness among the locals and hoax in the city, the government appoints Multi-National United (MNU) to relocate the aliens while hidden under their blanket of transparent business – a complicated but simple visionary of acquiring the aliens’ weaponry technology.

Then come a guy called Wilkus van der Werwe, a normal blue collar agent assigned by MNU to head a team of enforcement packs to evict the aliens and relocating them to another location. However, things did not goes according to plan and he was exposed to some form of extra-terrestrial biological weapon that causes him to experience a genetic modification and his DNA to unite with the aliens one. Seeing the potential of Wilkus as a man that can unlock the secrecy of gaining the upper-hand in weaponry technology, he became a fugitive between the two opposing packs.

A long synopsis, but to sum it all up, the story-telling of District 9 is insanely amazing, thrilling and rich in style that affects the story flow in a good way. The themes used to highlight the story reflect the majority of secrecy and the reality of the curtains behind these umbrella company and corporate world. Not only that, the story is written in such uniquely distinct itself from other ET movies – great plot that is very much enjoyable and helps to keep you glued to the chair. Suspense and intensity are the two main driving forces that help to deliver the plot well. However, I have to say that the ending could have been done better than it is. Pieces for a perfect plot shattered a bit; like a bread, falling in small crumbles to the ground but you still enjoy the bigger pieces of it satisfactory.

Cast-wise, although no big names for this movie, the role Wilkus as played by Sharlto Copley eventually becomes the most essential and influential role that keeps the story alive. His character is greatly enhanced by the different sides of him – the humor, the mentality changes in accepting new challenge and also the man for his wife. Throughout the movie, his character evolves and he basically transform from zero to hero. He may be an unknown for us but in reality, he is one of the directors for the short film – thus landing him a perfect formula to fit into the character well. His performance must be credited I would say - Oscar perhaps? Supporting casts and aliens are in generally essential too but we only able to meet 'Mr Christopher Johnson' upclose and personal for the entire movie.

Making use an ever challenging ways of cinematography, where it uses the handy-cam plus eagle eye shooting styles and documentary-style story-telling, it is a standout on its own. Good editing works, a relatively moderate violence with some degree of blood and flesh splashing around, absolute engaging sights of the effects and moderately realistic – it makes me totally carried away. But the most crucial of all, Neill was able to interchange the narration technique all the time, where he relied on documentary, interviews, news excerpt and Milkus' first point of view to tell the story, in which I believe has kicked the story alive.

In a nutshell, District 9 is just mind-blowing and a possible best movie of the year contender. What started as a dull documentary from some Nat Geo turned out to evolve into something bigger in the end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! In some extends, this could be easily the top three movie of the year so far!! All Hail Prawns!!

THE RATINGS.....

CAST - 4.5 stars

STORY - 5.0 stars

CINEMATOGRAPHY - 4.5 stars

EFFECTS - 4.5 stars

an overall>> 4.5 stars

GreenTea-O-Meter: 18.6