Thursday Trailer: Finding Dory

Yay!!! Finding Dory premiers June 16!

Thursday (Movie) Trailer: Ip Man 3 - Donnie Yen, Mike Tyson

Release Date: 22 January 2016

IMDB

When a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer make a play to take over the city, Master Ip is forced to take a stand.

Thursday (Movie) Trailer: The Boy - Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans

Release day: 22 January 2016

IMDB

 An American nanny is shocked that her new English family's boy is actually a life-sized doll. After violating a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive.

Thursday (Movie) Trailer: X-Men: Apocalypse

Release Date: 27 May 2016

IMDB

Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel's X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto, to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven with the help of Professor X must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

Thursday Trailer: Poltergeist (opens in cinemas July 23)

POLTERGEIST IMDb / FACEBOOK

A young family are visited by ghosts in their home. At first the ghosts appear friendly, moving objects around the house to the amusement of everyone, then they turn nasty and start to terrorise the family before they "kidnap" the youngest daughter.

Book and Movie Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent 

Book 1

by Veronica Roth

Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; 1st edition (May 3, 2011)
Amazon Hardcover Link

Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books; Reprint edition (September 30, 2014)

File Size: 1836 KB
Print Length: 501 pages

Audible Listening Length: 11 hours and 15 minutes
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Audible.com Release Date: December 6, 2012

Paperback  / Kindle / Audible 

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

Friends told me Divergent's story is similar to Hunger Games. I didn't like HG, can't stand the violence, brutally killing teens for fun. So told them, why would I watch this one. According to their reviews, this was better. Although the story is similar to HG, this was less brutal. So I went and watched the movie last year. Surprisingly, I liked the movie, book? Not much. 

I liked Four but I haven't decided yet if I liked Tris (up until book 2). She seems like a nice person, may be a best friend material, it's just that her 'divergent' attitude and decisions annoys me. She is so unpredictable. Sometimes I compare her to Bella, a weakling and then she would be like a very smart likeable hero. If it's okay with other readers, I am not happy with that kind of character. As for Four, he is definitely a very realistic and memorable character which I think the reason why I continued reading the series up to book 2 (got free book 3 - thanks to Audible!) Other characters are fine. Villain? I much hate Eric than Jeanine. I see Jeanine as Rose Dawson, so not possible to hate her LOLs... 

Plot and writing style are both okay except I initially got confused with all the factions. Took me a lot of back reading to understand how it works. What I still don't understand is why factionless peeps are all homeless? They are the largest faction so why don't they all work together and build houses for everyone? I know it was explained in the book but really, are they all stupid to just roam around the city streets and never realized the need to have a place to live in? Romance part as you guessed is not good enough for me since I have mixed feelings about Tris. Hmm, overall, it was an okay book. 

PS
Not sure if I'm going to post my review about the second book. . . .  felt like I have nothing good to say about that book.... 

About the book:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her. 

About the author:

Veronica Roth was born in a Chicago suburb, and studied creative writing at Northwestern University. She and her husband currently live in the city that inspired the setting of the Divergent Trilogy.

Insidious : Chapter 3 Teaser Trailer Reveal

Ayiiiii.... that knocking part is so creeeepy...

Movie Trailer: Taken 3

TAKEN 3 | Exclusive Trailer: 

Liam Neeson returns as ex-covert operative Bryan Mills, whose reconciliation with his ex-wife is tragically cut short when she is brutally murdered. Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to evade the relentless pursuit of the CIA, FBI and the police. For one last time, Mills must use his “particular set of skills,” to track down the real killers, exact his unique brand of justice, and protect the only thing that matters to him now – his daughter.

Now Showing: Vampire Academy Movie

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . 

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (2)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . 

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (3)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . . 

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (4)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (5)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . 

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (6)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . . 

Countdown to Vampire Academy Movie (7)

Director: Mark Waters

Writers: Richelle Mead (novel), Daniel Waters (screenplay)

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
In theaters on February 7, 2014

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

Behind the scene trailer. . . 

*videos from IMDb, Vampire Academy and Richelle Mead Facebook Pages . . . 

Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters' Teaser Trailer

Ohhh shooot! A teaser trailer FINALLY!  O.M.G.! I'm sharin'!!!! Oh my Dimitri . . . . . *swoooooon* Sh*t! I have deadlines to meet today and I can't work!! Awww, seeing this makes me want to re-read all the books!

Enjoy the trailer girls. . . . .

Movie Review: Bourne Legacy

Bourne Legacy
IMDb


Director: Tony Gilroy
Stars: Jeremy Renner 
           Rachel Weisz 
           Edward Norton 

Ratings: ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

I've been procrastinating writing a review because I just can't seem to put together my thoughts on this one. Most of the Bourne Legacy scenes were shot in Manila so this is something special to me. However, to be honest, plot and character wise, it just didn't match the level of "greatness" I felt when I watched the previous Bourne movies.

Characters - Jeremy Renner (Aaron Cross) and Rachel Weisz  (Dr. Martha Shearing) did great on this movie unfortunately the new villain, Eric Byer played by Edward Norton looked like a softie bad guy. The acting was just okay and in some scenes he looked "too cute" to be a villain. When giving orders, Norton didn't look serious enough to play the role of a mastermind. And bad guys are supposed to make the viewers hate them but not him. He was like an invisible villain, you wouldn't even remember him after the movie. I thought Joan Allen, who played Pam Landy's role, looked much tougher than Norton.

Plot - Eric Byer's people were chasing Cross and Dr. Shearing. After Pam Landy exposed the Treadstone project, the upper "management" had no choice but to shut down the whole Treadstone project and that means killing everyone on the team. The film showed Byer tracking the agents and killing them all, except Cross and Dr. Shearing. The story was just too superficial for me, without any mystery at all compared to the previous Bourne movies, you know just plain killing. 

It was pretty clear that there would be more Bourne movies after this, like this is a beginning  of new trilogy, maybe? I don't know. All in all, this is just one of those movies worth renting.

About the movie:

The Bourne Legacy takes the action-packed Bourne series to an explosive new level. On the verge of having their conspiracy exposed, members of the government's intelligence community will stop at nothing to erase all evidence of their top secret programs - even the agents involved. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) must use his genetically-engineered skills to survive the ultimate game of cat-and-mouse and finish what Jason Bourne started. Also starring Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz and Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, critics are calling this a "thrilling, edge-of-your-seat heart-pounder" (Meg Porter Berns, WSVN-TV (FOX), Miami). - Amazon

Movie Review: Insidious

Insidious (2010)
IMDb





Director: James Wan
Writer: Leigh Whannell
Stars: Patrick Wilson, 
             Rose Byrne
             Ty Simpkins 


Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:


Insidious is the terrifying story of a family who, shortly after moving, discovers that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to realize that it was not their house that was haunted.


My thoughts:


I've been seeing this movie for weeks in HBO but I never had the chance to actually watch it until last week while I was on leave. Wow! Insidious was really that scary! I did scream more than a few times due to some creepy images of ghosts appearing in almost all scenes matching with terrifying sound effects. I love the story! A ghost story that is so original, ooh I was really scared the whole time and could not sleep without the lights on for days! 


The writer did a great job in weaving a thought-provoking ghost story. I've watched some documentaries about walk-in souls, soul-swapping and astral projection and I can't believe that some people do it because they are curious, they want to try it for fun! Just thinking about it, hell no! I wouldn't do that even if it is only temporary.     

Knowing the twist in the story, I consider Insidious a one-time-scary-movie. You cannot watch it again and be that scary like the first time. Remember the movie by Nicole Kidman, The Others? Finding out the twist in that movie made it predictable the second time I watched it. Overall, this is a great horror movie that could give you nightmares for days! 

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
IMDb


Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith (screenplay), Seth Grahame-Smith (novel)
Stars: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper

Synopsis:

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

The first one I watched since moving back to the city! I was not aware of this until I saw the poster in one of the city trains. I was a bit hesitant because of the title. Abraham Lincoln, vampire hunter? Silly, right? My husband and I were thinking of watching Spiderman but somehow changed our minds when we saw that most people are choosing this movie over Spidey. 

The movie is based on a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Oh boy, I was really impressed with this. We left the theater at 12 midnight fully satisfied with the movie. I loved how the writer/author wove the story, incorporating vampirism in the Civil war. Imagine, the American Civil war with vampires? As for the characters - heroes, villains, vampires, you'll love them all! The stunts and special effects, both were nicely done. 

Overall, this is something different, trust me. The idea it presented is interesting, a fresh vampire movie for us all, vampire, vampire-hunter lovers. If you are also into history like me, this is a must watch movie for you.

Movie Trailer: Underworld Awakening

Underworld Awakening
Release Date: 20 January 2012