UnderworldRocks Reviews

Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017)

Nice! This is a true Resident Evil movie, unlike Paul W S Anderson's abominations

[8/10 · 9 June 2017]

Just returned from the theatre. With the movie still fresh in my mind, I'm writing these thoughts.

This is a true Resident Evil movie by Capcom, unlike the abomination franchise by Paul W S Anderson and Milla Jovobitch, both of whom I hate with a passion. I will not talk about them. Back to this movie.

The mansion at the beginning of Vendetta is fantastic. The location is reminiscent of the creepy mansion from the original game. The suspense of the bedroom scene is so well done. The idea of the boy's remote toy truck... brilliant!

The corridor scene of Chris and Leon killing the walking dead is awe inducing. Great action! And the motorbike chase scene with the zombie dogs, fantastic! You can't go wrong with Leon on a motorbike.

Now, I say this from the perspective of a fan. There seems to be a major plot hole. Later in the movie, the toxicity of the A-Virus is intensified. But why is it that the enhanced virus takes 20 minutes to take effect, whereas the normal A-Virus takes only five minutes? Glen Arias, you said the virus was made stronger, right? Well... Not that much stronger, it seems...

Also, my complaint with this movie is the absence of Ada Wong. Be sure to bring her back next time!

The Bloodletting (2004)

So bad

[1/10 · 4 June 2017]

I partly agree with what Schiccatano says. This does not deserve a 1.

It should have been a 0. After reading the ridiculous comment by Schiccatano, I deliberately gave the lowest rating possible.

Funny, the secretary of the film company stood out to make a comment, instead of letting the movie speak for itself. Schiccatano mentioned nothing about the script, the acting, or the cast, all of which are poor in this movie. Instead, Schiccatano rambled on and on about how 2 people made the movie with little money and how much money they were making nowadays, and insulted reviewers who gave 1, basically calling them losers without a life.

Know this, Schiccatano. The audience has the freedom to give the rating they want to give, and it is not up to you, or any spokesperson from a film production company nobody has heard of.

I know that you feel the need to defend the product of the company you represent. But know this: neither you or your company owns the internet, an open platform where all sorts of opinions abound. If you don't like what you read, then simply quit reading online reviews.

Last but not the least, give me a good script and I'll direct. I'll wipe the floor with this movie.

Thirst (1979)

Almost put me to sleep

[1/10 · 3 June 2017]

Great idea, poor execution.

To begin with, the actress playing Kate Davis is so bad. Poor acting. Poor looks. Perhaps I should not be so harsh. But sorry not sorry. The woman looks ugly. And her acting is wooden and monotonous.

How about the story? Well...

The vampires went through all that trouble, just to convert the descendant of Bathory to their ways? For what purpose? Why do they need HER so badly? The backstory about the vampire society and their traditions remains to be told.

Ugly actress. Poor storytelling that drags on and on. Dated graphics from 1979. Maybe a remake will realize the potential of the ideas such as "descendant" and "blood farm". But it's not a big deal if this piece of Aussie vampire crap is forgotten, collecting dust on a library shelf.

Dracula (2002– )

Hidden gem. The best Dracula adaptation.

[10/10 · 3 June 2017]

This movie is stunningly beautiful.

I have hunted down the Italian DVD and watched the complete 173 min version. Fantastic!

Even though it sets the story in the modern age, it is amazingly faithful to the original novel. For example, the "blooper lady" abducting children scene is present in this version, something usually ignored in other adaptations. This movie is faithful to the original novel in terms of not only story, but also vibe.

This movie has the best Dracula. "You must love me!" The Count is elegant, charismatic, cunning, and glamorous, unlike Gary Olman's portrayal from the disgustingly awful 1992 Dracula, which was entirely the opposite in addition to being unintentionally funny at times.

I adore this movie. It dares to be creative with the source material without being outrageous. Unlike Coppola's godforsaken 1992 movie, there is no "Dracula and Milla falling in love" bullshit in this one.

The cast is terrific and gorgeous. The score is beautiful and moody. The cinematography is breathtaking. They chose terrific locations to shoot the movie.

This movie is a hidden gem. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to witness its glory. Not everybody is that lucky. It is also a testimony to the fact that critics are useless, and that this is the age of geeks. This is one of those wonderful and rare vampire movies. Only die-hard vampire movie fans can appreciate its beauty.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Finally, an ALIEN movie!

[10/10 · 11 May 2017]

The 1979 original ALIEN is masterful and legendary.

Then in 1986 some guy named James Cameron turned these horrifying monsters into cannon foddery bugs. After that, countless first/third person shooter video games were spawned, portraying ALIEN as nothing but mindless bugs rushing towards the player and getting executed. Shoot them up!

Fortunately, ALIEN 3 (the assembly cut version combined with the theatrical cut is amazing) brought back the dark and creepy atmosphere of the 1979 original. The funeral scene where the dog barked when death was approaching was poetic, beautiful, and memorable. Yes, I prefer the dog being the host in the theatrical cut to the cattle in the assembly cut. I also like the theatrical cut's ending where the alien embryo bursts out.

The fourth ALIEN movie, oh dear, how I adore you! ALIEN RESURRECTION was the movie that introduced me to the ALIEN universe. The monsters are deadly, ferocious, and scary. The movie combined elements of the original with fresh ideas. Bravo! I love Ripley #8, and every single moment of the newborn, the perfect embodiment of creepiness, ferocity, and raw primal power. See how the newborn baby screams and bites a scientist's head off, and later rips a soldier's head off, and smiles!

In 2004, came Paul W S Anderson's Alien VS Predator, a beautiful piece of trash, with high production value, great settings in Antarctica. It's beautiful to look at, but still a piece of trash. The movie is a humiliation of the iconic monster as insulting as James Cameron's ALIENS. In this movie, the iconic monster can be butchered for sport. How funny. The only interesting thing is the grid alien. Generally, the aliens are portrayed as weaklings, nothing but hollow shells of their glorious ancestor from the 1979 masterpiece.

Then in 2007, Aliens VS Predator Requiem... I'll not talk about it.

In 2012, Sir Ridley finally returned to this franchise! Hallelujah! The alien becomes deadly again. This time it takes the form of lethal pathogens, a force to be reckoned with, a kind of viruses that could wipe out civilisations. Such a great film, but... there's no classic alien. Sir Ridley was right. We fans do miss the big chap.

LAST NIGHT, I saw ALIEN COVENANT on a gigantic cinema screen. Wow. I love it more than I can say. Words cannot express how much I love it, or how grateful I am as a die-hard fan to Sir Ridley Scott for his returning to this franchise and revitalising ALIEN!

If I have to say something about ALIEN COVENANT, it is this: the movie is far more poetic and epic than I expected.

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away." Shelley's poem is quoted in an ALIEN movie. Incredibly awesome!

Honorable mentions: ALIEN ISOLATION, the 2014 survival horror game, captures the spirit of Sir Ridley's 1979 masterpiece. For that, I am forever grateful. ALIEN ISOLATION is the perfect ALIEN game. To hell with James Cameron and those first/third person shooters that treated ALIEN like bugs.

Dead Space 1-2 are wonderful spiritual siblings of ALIEN in video game format.

Anxiously awaiting the sequels to Covenant. This is die-hard ALIEN fan. Signing off...

Rupture (I) (2016)

Interesting!

[10/10 · 6 May 2017]

The movie is not bloody at all. Right after watching the trailer, I thought this was another cliché movie about monsters created by experiments on human DNA. It turned out to be quite different. It is mostly a survival horror story. And it is a suspenseful and creepy one!

The mysterious organisation consisted of a bunch of nonhumans created through rupturing something DNA related by crossing the phobia threshold, in other words, being scared shitless.

These nonhumans were trying to find someone who could rupture and help them expand the species.

The idea is pretty weird and refreshing. Fear is part of human nature. What would happen if fear were taken away completely? We'd no longer be humans at all!

Personally, I wouldn't want to join them. The nonhumans can become so ugly sometimes. I'd rather be a vampire from Underworld or Anne Rice's novels, beautiful forever!

Anyway, this movie is very interesting and worth checking out. I'm glad I did. I refused to attend the Double feature screening of Alien and Aliens before watching the upcoming Alien Covenant. As much as I love Sir Ridley's Alien, I despise James Cameron and his sequel Aliens. Had it been a screening of Alien and Prometheus, I'd have gladly bought the tickets! But no, I'm not going to watch goddamn James Cameron's Aliens.

Instead, I stayed home and watched Rupture. That's a nice way to spend the night!

Ghost in the Shell (2017)

Boring

[1/10 · 4 May 2017]

The movie bored me to death within 5 minutes. It was so boring that I couldn't finish it.

The beginning of the movie was OK. It reminded me of the opening credits of WESTWORLD. But this movie's futuristic setting was so dull. Blade Runner's futuristic setting was dark, cold and atmospheric, whereas the setting in this one is disgustingly colorfully CG-ridden and awfully stale. Some movies pull the audience into the worlds they create, but this one just reminds me that I'm watching fake CG. There is no atmosphere at all. Movies like Blade Runner and The Fifth Element have depicted futuristic worlds in far more fascinating ways. This movie just pales. And truly, it is a shell, only without the ghost. It is soulless.

I am not familiar with the original Japanese anime, so I had no preconceptions when watching the movie except that I knew the original anime inspired the classic Matrix trilogy. Therefore, my hatred towards the movie has nothing to do with discontent about the faithfulness of the adaptation. I resent this movie because it is simply awful as a standalone piece of crap.

I'm not going to like this soulless shell of a movie in a million years!

PS: Scarlett is beautiful. But she's better as Black Widow.

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (2004 TV Movie)

Way more engaging than Indiana Jones series!

[10/10 · 2 May 2017]

Five minutes in, and I was already fascinated by the characters and the story. The movie is so interesting and engaging.

Then, the interview scene was WOW. Think about it. When the cold interviewer asks you to tell something new, what will you do? Haha! The protagonist Flynn surely got talent. From then on, we audience follow him into a new magical world, with one after another wow inducing scenes.

The movie is punctuated with light moments. Kelly Hu looks amazing. She smiles at Flynn, "I really admire your work." The villain's got humor and charisma! Another funny moment was when Flynn said he had always known the professor was evil because he got A-.

The movie is so interesting and engaging. I love it from beginning to end. It is so much better than the boring Indiana Jones. This is one of the ideal movies about tomb raider adventures, including The Mummy 1- 2, Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider 1.

I can't wait to see the sequels. After that, I'll get to the TV series.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Dated. Awful, especially the action scenes.

[1/10 · 1 May 2017]

Ever since I became a movie fan, my taste for dazzling action has been cultivated by movies from the late 1990s up to the present, such as The Matrix Trilogy, Spider-Man, X-Men, Blade, and the awesome Underworld franchise. Having been used to these movies, my standard is high. If something looks fake, I will think of what Sir Ridley Scott said about fake movie effects, "I don't f..king believe it!"

Today, I finally finished watching the so-called classic, the first instalment of the Indiana Jones franchise. It almost put me to sleep twice. The story is slow-paced, but the problem is the movie never picks up the pace. It drags on and on. The opening scene in the cave with the spiders were interesting. And that's it. Gradually, I began sleep-watching. The movie never engages. There was never a moment when the protagonist was in grave danger. Yeah, he got trapped in a tomb. Whatever... When I woke up, I was not surprised to see that he had managed to get himself out. The movie was that predictable.

Do not think that I cannot appreciate old movies. I like the 1979 timeless classic, ALIEN. That movie does not look dated at all, even seen today, due to the way it was shot.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is god awful. It looks dated. So is Star Wars (1977).

Get Out (I) (2017)

Can't think of a good reason to recommend this!

[1/10 · 24 April 2017]

Can't think of a good reason to recommend this.

A black guy visited his white girlfriend's family estate only to discover the family's dark secret. What would happen? Could he survive? That premise drew me to this movie.

The movie seemed suspenseful, but concluded poorly. As the dark secret unfolded, I noticed some similarities in concept between a movie released over 10 years ago and this one. After I finished watching this one, I realized that a movie released over 10 years ago could wipe the floor with this one. That movie released 10 years ago is called The Skeleton Key.

The Skeleton Key has a perfectly dark ending, whereas this movie has a happy and funny one. Happy ending? OK. But being hilarious is a big Nono. It completely ruined the horror built up during the first 1 hour of the movie! What is the point of having the black police officer coming to Chris' rescue? What is the point of having this funny character in the first place? The movie would have been 10 times better without him!

Instead, the ending the audience got was rushed and underwhelming. The black police officer out of nowhere appeared and rescued Chris. When asked how he had found Chris, he simply said he had relied on transportation network to track Chris. Situation handled! Really? How funny.

Perhaps the filmmaker ran out of ideas and didn't even know how to conclude the movie. Personally, I would have loved to see a dark ending. The white police officer who appeared earlier in the movie would arrive and arrest Chris. Rosy lying on the ground with gunshot wound in her belly would scream for help, framing Chris for murder. After all, Chris touched the gun and his fingerprints were on it. The movie wished to express the oppression of black people in a white society, right? Chris getting locked up and prosecuted would suit the theme perfectly. Nobody would believe his story. The ending would be even better if Rosy was rescued and set free, continuing to ensnare black people for her cult white secret society's harvest and sacrifice. Wouldn't that have been darker, more logical and exciting?

The current ending is awful. It completely ruins the story. This movie is awarded 1 star for decent acting. Recognized the lead from Black Mirror. He's really good.

Logan (2017)

Not worthy of all the praise

[1/10 · 24 March 2017]

This is highly overrated. This is nowhere near as good as critics say it is. 1 star for the little girl.

The X-MEN series has always been filled with continuity errors. The first 3 movies were pretty consistent. Then there were prequels telling stories that contradict the old trilogy. Hey! Remember Mystique? She is said to be of the same age with Charles Xavier in the prequels, whereas in the old trilogy, well...

Also, the franchise has never been consistent in style. Most of the previous X-MEN movies are PG-13, quite typical for Marvel movies. This time it is R. However, there is not much difference, only more blood but not by much.

The story does not make sense here and there. For example, had they shot the enemy instead of keeping him alive and attempting to dump him in the middle of nowhere, they could have avoided a lot of trouble later on. The Wolverine died saving a bunch of little mutant shitheads nobody cares about, who later on stood over his tomb, exchanging weird glances and as Laura quoted from an old movie, they seemed to be thinking, "What the F..K is she babbling about?" Clearly they haven't seen the old movie. Not to mention that the whole "Save Laura" Operation was based on a nurse who read lots of comic books. Who wrote the books?

The movie educates us: 1. Never let the enemy off easily. 2. Never trust the comic books.

The Aviator (2004)

Kate Beckinsale is what drew me to the movie

[18 March 2017]

I watched the movie to see Kate Beckinsale, and she was gorgeous as Ava Gardner. Actually, she's prettier than the real Ava!

Kate is such an amazing actress. I can never praise her enough. She is truly versatile, starring in a wide range of movies, from Shakespeare, to Jane Austen, to crime thrillers, to modern action Gothic masterpiece Underworld! You name it. She can pull it off perfectly.

Even though Kate has only a small role in this, she shines as Ava Gardner, who would only ask Mr. Hughes to buy her dinner.

I also find the hearing at the climax very interesting. I like the way Hughes beat the senator. It was quite witty and impressive. Besides, Leonardo brilliantly portrayed a character afflicted with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Alan Alda portrayed the cunning and manoevering politician very well. Cate Blanchett's laughter was so crazy that I didn't even recognize her at first.

Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (2017)

Why change the cast?

[3/10 · 28 February 2017]

Canadian "Cannon King" Wu Yifan cannot act. His performance is cringeworthy.

This movie is no match for the original.

I award it 3 stars.

1 star for the humorous dialogue between the Spider Demon and the Pig Demon. Something was lost in translation. In Chinese, the word for "spider" is homophonic to "a pig". They both sound like "zhizhu". Such is the humor of the scene where the Pig Demon was infatuated with the Spider Demon, and the Spider Demon refused, saying she was "zhizhu", and the Pig replied, "I'm also zhizhu."

1 star for the flashback cameos of Shu Qi, who portrayed the dead lover of the Monk Tang. It's always great to see her.

1 star for the Skeleton Demon. The portrayal of the Skeleton Demon is very anti-traditional. In this movie. she was an innocent and kind demon who fell in love with the Monk Tang. That's news. The actress was great in Stephen Chow's 2016 Movie The Mermaid.

Such a disappointment that the actors from the original did not return.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Sleep-inducing

[1/10 · 26 February 2017]

I've tried to finish the movie many times. But each time I would start yawning a few minutes in.

I've seen all the Harry Potter movies, and they're OK. This one, however, is a lengthy yawnfest. I cannot find anything interesting in this. There's no story, no relatable or lovable characters. Even the CG effects are poor. None of the creatures look real.

Halfway through, it becomes clear that the movie is about child abuse. Yeah, hell hath no fury like a child abused. He turns into a tornado that rips New York apart. Beware, parents who spank your children's asses.

PS: How come Jacob the baker is played by an actor so unattractive? What did that mind reading Witch see in him other than a pig?

The movie makes a lot of money, and garners positive reviews. This is a good example that shows that a poor movie can still be a moneymaking machine, and professional movie critics are full of crap.

Rings (2017)

Nice addition to the franchise

[10/10 · 10 February 2017]

This is a nice addition to the franchise. My only complaint is that it is not scary. A Ring movie is supposed to be scary. Alright, perhaps the original Japanese movie set the bar too high. None of the American remakes can be put on a par with the Japanese original. Even the 1999 Japanese sequel cannot reach the height of the 1998 groundbreaker.

Actually, the 1999 sequel sucks big time for me. I didn't like the idea of that cursed child possessing weird psychic powers. It is not in line with the idea of being chased by imminent death.

By contrast, I prefer the 2005 American sequel. It is the continuation of the storyline about being cursed, running, and trying to find a cure. There is no victim having weird psychic powers.

This movie brings creative ideas to the franchise. The cursed video this time can be spread on the Internet! See? The evil spirit also knows to advance with the times. Also, video has brand new footage. The scene of the snake eating its own tail is pretty. I love snakes. I particularly enjoy the movies ending which revealed Samara's rebirth. In fact, this concept is hinted at earlier in the movie through cicadas.

This movie completes a great trilogy. If there will be a fourth one, I will gladly watch it.

Tiptoes (2002)

Heavenly. Kate Beckinsale is heavenly.

[10/10 · 30 January 2017]

Want to see Selene, Dracula, and Tyrion Lannister in one movie?

This movie is the answer.

The three are awesome.

Matthew looks like Michael Corvin in Underworld, only rougher. He would make a wonderful Michael Corvin, a berserk version of the vampire lycan hybrid that unleashes all its immortal power. Sadly, that would never happen.

I have gone off the topic... Anyway, I checked out the movie because of the amazing Kate Beckinsale, who portrays my Underworld vampire goddess Selene. This movie only reminded me of how versatile Kate is. She is able to play a range of characters, from badass vampire to sweet beautiful lady.

This story asks a thought provoking question: (how well) can you handle your child being different from other people in terms of their physical appearance?

Teeth (I) (2007)

Such an interesting idea that makes men afraid

[10/10 · 23 January 2017]

The story is so interesting. It's about a girl with vagina dentata, whose vagina is able to bite off the cock of any guy who dares to rape her.

If every girl were like this, it would surely make sex an exciting adventure for guys, and male rapists could be eliminated from this planet. But then, female rapists of men would be an issue.

At the end of the movie, the girl looked at the audience and smiled. The old pervert trying to take advantage of her is gonna have hell to pay. Yes the girl would use her secret weapon for self defence. But it does open up a whole new area. Imagine what a sequel would be like in which the girl goes for hunting...

:) It's a terrific movie, erotic, bold, and weird in a good way. I love weird movies like this!

Dreamcatcher (2003)

Impressive! You'll never look at eels the same way again...

[8/10 · 23 January 2017]

I've never read any of Stephen King's novels, but have seen a few movies based on them. They are generally satisfying, except Salem's Lot.

As a huge fan of alien movies, I've seen ALIEN, PREDATOR, Dark Skies, Alien Abduction, The Fourth Kind, Extraterrestrial (2014), Body Snatcher, Independence Day... Movies about alien creatures are generally fascinating.

Having seen so much about the genre, I'm not easy to please. But wow! The creature effects in this movie are so impressive. Those aliens look real and stunning! Once you've seen them, you'll never look at eels in the same way again. Beware when you fart or take a dump, or when your stomach makes weird sounds... alien bug could be inside your belly, and it could show you a more grotesque way to die than being chestbursted. The creature design is definitely disgusting and effective.

It would have been better to give more backstory to the character of their alien friend who could see the future.

The movie is slow here and there, and the story remains to be expanded. It feels like the pilot episode of a TV series. Nevertheless, the climactic battle is definitely worth a look.

PS: The movie sends a good message to kids: Rescue the bullied. They might be aliens who can teach you tricks to see the future.

The Babadook (2014)

Not bad

[8/10 · 22 January 2017]

Surely, Samuel is a child with special needs. But the school does not understand inclusive education. So he has to find another school.

Surely Babadook has no understanding of inclusion either. It bullies the poor child and his poor single mum, who is already disadvantaged and experiencing middle-age crisis, by haunting them and making their miserable life even more unbearable. Come on! Babadook, can't you find somebody else to haunt? :)

For me, the first half of the movie is great. The problem lies in the second half. I would have liked to see a dark ending. It would have been wonderful to have Babadook-possessed mum kill Samuel and then herself, and let the demon's book pass on to another family. The dark prophecy in the book of Babadook would be fulfilled. Instead, the mother and son defeated the monster, and a happy ending is what we get. This happy ending is just not as interesting.

Perhaps, the filmmaker wanted to make a politically correct horror movie, to draw attention to the socially disadvantaged families? But as a horror movie, it needs to be dark and depressing. It should have taken a darker route.

Not as good as I thought it would be. But not bad, either. The acting, the atmosphere... everything was well done. I only expected to see a dark horror movie like Sinister.

So far, Sinister remains the best horror movie in English. That movie has a dark creepy ending.

The Monster (2016)

Another pleasant surprise

[10/10 · 18 January 2017]

The story of a boozy mother and her precocious daughter is interwoven with a monster movie. Wonderful!

The atmosphere is well done. Injured and stranded on the road in the middle of nowhere, on a rainy night, with a monster lurking in the forest nearby, and with help far away... the mother and the daughter are truly stuck in an endless nightmare.

I also like the way monster was gradually revealed to the audience. First, a sharp tooth was found from a wolf like being's corpse Then the first time the monster appeared on screen was in the blurry scene of the creature slowly moving behind the girl. Reminded me of ALIEN. You saw something, but you weren't sure what it was. That was brilliant!

PS: The mother died in vain. They could have held the torch and escaped together, right? They already discovered that the monster didn't like light.

Scott Speedman did an amazing job as Roy. I'll miss Michael Corvin dearly, Mr. Speedman.

Shutter (II) (2004)

Disappointing and slow at first. Turned out to be pretty decent!

[6/10 · 16 January 2017]

A photographer's ex girlfriend's ghost appears in the photos, haunting him.

Such a cliché. Might have been new in 2004.

None of the human characters make me care. The photographer is an asshole. His current girlfriend has more sense than he.

The first half is boring, tedious, occasionally funny. But it is never scary. Halfway through the movie, I couldn't wait for it to end. Absolute trash. Awful.

Gradually, I was rooting for the ghost, hoping it would kill that asshole of a guy. And then, the second part of the movie became interesting, especially when the ghost was revealed to be always resting on his neck.

When the photographer dropped to his supposed death, I cheered.

When he was revealed to be hospitalised and saved... Nooooooooooooo!

When he was revealed to be tortured forever by the ghost resting on his neck, YES!

The second part saved this movie.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Smart!

[10/10 · 15 January 2017]

Such an interesting and creative movie! I like it better than The VVITCH.

The ending holds great potential for a prequel or a sequel, explaining how the body ended up in that house in the opening scene, or what happens next.

The story is so suspenseful and unsettling. A corpse with lots of severe internal damage but not a scratch on the surface? Wow!

My friend and I both loved it!

The movie sends a perfect message: Don't take a morgue worker for a boyfriend.

Morgue workers over the world, I recommend this movie to you all.

It will make your Halloween splendid! :)

San chuen lo see (1999)

The English title does not do it justice

[10/10 · 15 January 2017]

The original name of the movie in Chinese means "old corpse in an old village". Hearing it, I imagine a repulsive rotten foul-smelly creepy dead body, not a "wicked ghost" the English title suggests. Nevertheless, the ghost figure on the poster is unsettling.

The movie's plot is surprisingly good. The hero, or at least the character set up to be the hero, does not make it in the end. It is also good to see the mystery of the spirit unfold as the hero searches for a way to save his friends. It was only later in the movie that the curse was linked to drinking water.

It way surpasses any ghost movie made in Mainland China, where there are no real ghost movies.

PS: This is an old movie from the late 1990s, and I identified the impact of The Ring on it, namely, the teasing scene of a cursed videotape, a prank a guy played on his girlfriend.

Passengers (I) (2016)

It's OK

[10/10 · 13 January 2017]

The trailer of Passengers gripped me when I was watching Underworld Blood Wars in the cinema. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of the movie.

Saw the movie today. Not bad! It did a good job depicting loneliness and fear in the dark endless universe. Star lord, Mystique, Lucian, and Morpheus all played their roles very well. :)

It wasn't until I saw the movie that I realised that James Preston and Aurora Lane did not wake up at the same time, that he woke her up to keep him company. Haha, such a selfish act. I thought, "When she finds out, she's gonna be furious." Indeed! Later she discovered. The scene of Jennifer Lawrence beating the hell out of Chris Pratt is priceless.

PS: I wouldn't trust Homestead company's sleep pods. They are said to be failsafe. Nonsense! Never trust technology completely.

Nine Dead (2009)

Better than I expected

[10/10 · 12 January 2017]

The story is interesting and suspenseful. The plot is like jigsaw puzzles and it is good that in the end all the pieces are put together.

My own complaint is the ending. It does not conclude the movie. It feels unfinished! That lawyer bitch was running. The police arrived and was searching the place. Then what? The ending credits rolled up abruptly. It would have been better to show what happened to the lawyer bitch.

Perhaps the movie ending is designed in that way deliberately. It lets the audience imagine what would happen to Kelley the lawyer bitch? Well, her future sure ain't pretty.

PS: The Chinese woman is interesting.