Note: I am not a hardcore dragon ball fan now, I was when I was younger (like any other highly hormonic growing teenage boy, I enjoyed watching bulky sweaty anime men train and fight). So the following review is based on my views as a half-ass fan. Enjoy!

How to begin? As everyone knows, this movie is not exactly best film of the year. My partner in crime and I ventured in the theater, knowing not to expect much, as so to prevent later disappointment and tears. We were ‘right on’ (groovy…?).

The story is loosely based on the original Dragon Ball story, merging the first dragon ball hunting saga with the King Piccolo saga together as one convenient anecdote. The setting looks to be like a modern ‘white’ society, with geeky Goku (Justin Chatwin) having problems fitting in his school, when suddenly, he is burdened to save the world from King Piccolo, an evil Namek, whose goal is to collect all dragon balls in order to “take my (his) vengeance upon the Earth”.

The movie was, for my taste, too lame and corny. There was too much emphasis on rebuilding the typical ultimate hero-like character, and not nearly enough effort to capture Goku’s free spirited story (“Far too much dancing and not nearly as enough prancing!” – Mr. Burns) Typical equals: “5000 years ago, an evil was locked away (blah)…you are destined to save the world (blah)…you are the destined warrior (blah)…”

King Piccolo’s makeup and costume was sickening, so was Goku’s trademark orange martial arts outfit. No need for explanations.

The fights scenes were ok though, where the lameness did help (for this particular type of movie), including good (and unintentionally funny!) slomo punches and impact scenes. The visual effects of the ‘ki’ energy weren’t that great though. Instead of taking a solid and luminous form as in the anime, the ki were presented as gaseous and misty. This didn’t look too great and impressive, compare to the anime at least, especially in the fight scenes where they are just throwing feeble-looking vapours at each other (fart much Goku?).

As mentioned above, we watched this film with minimum expectations, and surprisingly, it worked. It was quite enjoyable (and as said, unintentionally funny), but definitely not memorable. The best bits in the movie were the ones that probably included the cleavage-d exhibitionist Chi Chi (Jamie Chung), and the fobby and perverted Master Roshi (Yun-Fat Chow). As you can see, their descriptive verbs explains why.

In conclusion, the movie was not an evolution. Overall, I would rate this movie 3/7 dragon balls. Yes, the rating is out of the odd number 7, because there are 7 dragon balls in the movie, get it? (Kaka, I’m hilarious!) Read more...

Say what you will, this looks amazing...

Are we allowed to review trailers? Because seriously, this is a good trailer. The film adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are has been in the works for quite some time now. And they've had issues, sure, but don't we all? Originally shot in Australia, late '06, and slated for an '08 release, it's been delayed, delayed, almost done!, delayed. And it was not so long ago that Warners' studio chief had to defend the film, after reports that a number of children were brought to tears during test screenings (not that I'd see that as a bad thing): "We obviously still have a challenge on our hands. But I wouldn't call it a problem, simply a challenge. No one wants to turn this into a bland, sanitized studio movie. This is a very special piece of material and we're just trying to get it right." At last, it seems like they've got things back on track.

The film is being directed by Spike Jonze, a man responsible for some wonderfully bizzare creations. He also co-wrote the screenplay with a familiar face, Dave Eggers. But on to the trailer, which is beautiful even without the context. I really don't think I can adequately describe how gorgeous this looks. Just get a load of the awesome Arcade Fire song they've used ("Wake Up"). The book, the filmmakers, the music; they've got me sold. Let's just hope the movie meets my hype... So go on, have a look:


This could very well be a new favorite thing of mine, alongside certain staple gun threatening girls and that bit in Daft Punk's Digital Love that goes "Why don't you play the gaaammee?"Read more...

So there’s been immense hype surround Twilight, a cinematic adaptation of Stephanie Meyer’s vampiric teenage romp. I finally got around to watching it but I must confess, I only saw it because my housemate had downloaded it. That said, I will admit this movie is probably the best teen flick I have ever seen. More mature than Harry Potter, greater heart than Lord of the Rings; this movie goes for the jugular by striking upon themes of growing pains, love and self virtue.

Bella, toughing out a dreary relationship with her father and struggling to find her place at a new school becomes both frustrated and enthralled by the mysteriously vague and distant Ed Cullen. Love blossoms, slowly. I mean eternal immortality passes by the time Ed moves his lips to contact Bella. Playful Tarzan maneuvers through the forest soon clot away when blood lust converges with human necks.
While we learn nothing about any character who is not a hot vampire or dating one, this film pulsatingly succulent. Can’t wait for the next!

Baseball has nothing on quidditch!

Mike
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Cecilia's first ever novel P.S, I Love You (first published in 2004), became an international bestseller AND THEN was adapted into a film (released in 2007)! So it must be good right? Right?? I will discuss this, review both the novel and the movie and compare the two.

But firstly I'll give you a little run down of what P.S, I Love You is even about. We follow the story of Holly Kennedy and her perfect husband Gerry. Despite Holly's dislikes of every workplace she has been to and the quarrels with her husband, Holly's life is perfect because of her perfect Gerry. If the beginning starts out this happy, then you must expect impending horribles.
Yes, Gerry DIES.
So now Holly barley copes with her life and everything is a mess until she receives mysterious letters from her perfect and dead Gerry. This is a story about Holly's coping and about crazy families and friends.

This is for those who like to read/watch romance, love and the struggles of ordinary people going through life. If you like action or the supernatural, sorry there's none in here.

A nice heartfelt storyline so far. But how was this story depicted in the novel and the movie? Quite often people would say to movies that have been adapted from a novel would say "OMG this movie SUCKS!!!, the novel was SO MUCH BETTER". What people say is so VERY true in this case for P.S, I Love You.
"But whyyyyyyyyyyy???" You may whine... "I can't be eff-ed and bothered in reading the book, I'd rather torture myself through ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX minutes than read the book!" you may sulk. But I assure you the novel owns the movie 'FO SHO.

The movie cuts out a huge GUNK out of the novel. So much happens in the novel!! Though,I can understand why they must do so due to the associated limitations of being on screen. HOWEVER consequently, I felt that the characters DIED in personality. The potentials of seeing the characters grow and evolve is completly obliterated. The extra warm fuzzies/sentimental scenes are erased and IMPORTANT CHARACTERS WERE WIPED OFF COMPLETELY. By watching the movie, you miss out on Holly's large crazy family. I thought they had a HUGE influence on her character but no, the movie leaves them out. The movie depicts Holly as plain, boring and typical.

As you probably could have guessed, I was so disappointed in the movie. Holly played by Hilary Swank was even more so shameful. Sure she is pretty but she is NOT how Holly was suppose to be. I mean, Holly was meant to sing badly. And I mean REEEEALLY badly!! In the movie though, she sung pretty good! She sings better than me anyways and that's not how it is suppose to be. That's ANOTHER black mark on you P.S, I Love You the MOVIE! Though it isn't just Hilary that was a disgrace. Pretty much every other character is. The sister was not crazy enough, the friends were not pushy and witty enough and the mother was not wise nor motherly enough. Perhaps a character that stayed true to the novel was possibly Gerry. Their lack of building their chacracters made the entire movie and its charm suffer.

What I also disliked about the movie was their so-called "creative added scenes". Were they trying to make up for cutting out SO MUCH from the book? An added character played by that SUPERNATURAL daddy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, How Holly and Gerry met...and what the heck? A funeral in a pub! Was it suppose to be funny? I'm not even smiling. Added oomphs in its sentiments? More like extra CRAP... in the face!

All in all, if you want a heartfelt story, a story you could laugh, cry, and sigh...please PLEASE save yourself 126 minutes and just read the novel. I did cry reading it (but I do cry easily..). I assure you will FEEL MORE EMOTION than watching the movie. Read the book! It isn't even chunky!

The Chicken rates P.S, I Love You the novel:


The Chicken rates P.S, I Love You the movie:


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I present you, He's just not that into you a.k.a Er steht einfach nicht auf Dich! in Germany.

Ahh, a good ol' chick flick. The typical ROMANCE and LOVE and LUST and even SEX (Which makes me wonder why is it labeled a CHICK flick? Do these categories only attract the chicks? I'm sure roosters out there would love a bit of romance etc too? who labelled it a chick flick anyways? aaanyways OFF TOPIC).

It was out on our screens on the 12 Feb is AussieTraLia. Before watching the movie I had NO CLUE of the casts (Nor am I familiar with much actors anyways...) so throughout the movie I was surprised to see familiar faces but couldn't put their name to them. I did recognise DREW BARRYMORE and that FRIENDS chick JENNIFER ANISTON (...and that was it. haha). The rest, well you could see it on the poster. The story of the movie, and its many characters of whom I got confused with until the middle of the movie is conjured by the concept of MEN'S BEHAVIOUR in rejecting "us poor girls". It cleverly and humourously depicts this concept in not just a one-sort-of-girl but of different cultures (just a hint) and girls in different relationships. It was also all too conveniently but cleverly (I have already used that word but pfft.) had linked all the seemingly unrelated characters together.
As you would expect from a chick's flick there would be romance and light humour. It did have all that but nothing more.

I admit, there was this ONE TIME, ONE SCENE where I really did LOL (like, LAUGHED OUT LOUD) but that was it. It isn't a movie that YOU MUST WATCH, but something to pass the time. But by passing the time, it may involve dissecting all the references and the reactions of "OH MY GAWD THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME or THAT IS SOOO TRUE" to the scenes. Then afterwards, you might become more aware of your own actions, or reflect on your own relationships with the other sex or ponder the very fact that... HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU!! Yes you.

The Chicken gives this movie a...

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