Nim's Island (2008, DVD). Walden Media. Director: Mark Levin and Jennifer Flackett. Stars: Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler. Eleven-year-old Nim with her father lives on a deserted Pacific island, along with a sea lion, a dragon lizard, and a pelican--hilarious. (Nov 7, 2008)
Bucket List (2007). Stars: Jack Nichoson, Morgan Freeman. Warner Bros. Pictures. Two terminals explore their last advantures--exhilaratin and travelops. (Feb 9, 2008)
Shooter (2007, DVD). Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny glover, Kate Mara. Director: Antonie Fugua. Paramont Pictures. Former Marine scout sniper is doubled-crossed for an attempt to assisinate the President--thriller. . (Dec 10, 2007)
The Lat King of Scotland (2006, DVD). Stars: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Gillian Anderson. 123 min. Uganda presiden Edi Amin's story--suspenseful. (Dec 8, 2007)
Breach (2007, DVD). Stars: Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney. Director: Billy Ray. Universal Pictures. 1 hr 51 min. Eric O'Neill's involvement with the arrest of spy Bob Henssen--touching. (Dec 7, 2007)
Blood Diamond (2006, DVD). Stars: Leonard DiCapro, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Housou. Director: Edward Zwick. Warner Bros. Pictures. 1999 Sierro Leone civil war, child soldiers and diamond smugglers. (Dec 5, 2007)
The Da Vinci Code (2006, DVD). 150 min. Stars: Tom Hanks, Andrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Paul Battany, Jean Reno. Director: Ron Howard. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptogist Sophie Naveu solve a bizarre murder--facinating. . (Apr 21, 2007)
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005, DVD). Columbia Pictures. 145 min. Stars: Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li. Director: Rob Marshall. Music: John William. hardship of becoming a geisha--breathless. (Dec 17, 2006)
Alexander (2004, DVD). A Oliver Stone Film. Stars: Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Jared Leto, Rosalio Dawson, Anthony Hopkins. 175 min. Homosexual and bisexual kingdom expanded all the way to India--boring. (July 31, 2006)
Ladies in Lavender (2005,DVD). A Charles Dance Film. Stars: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Deniel Bruhl. Two sisters saved a boy from the sea in prewar English--very emotional. (July 15, 2006)
Grizzly Man (2005,DVD). A Werner Herzog Film. Documentary film about Timothy Treadwell living with brown bears for eighteen months in Alaska and was killed by a Grizzly bear in 2003--crazy. (July 6, 2006)
The Parent Trap (1960) 129 min. II (2005) 81 min.(DVD). Walt Disney Production. Stars: Hayley Mills, Maureen O'hara, Brian Keith. Twins set up a plot to reunite their parents--very entertaining. (July 4-5, 2006)
Six Days, Seven Nights (DVD). 102 min. Stars: Harrison Ford, Anne Heche. Adventure near Tahiti islands--fun fun fun... (May 6, 2006)
The Human Stain (DVD 2003). 106 min. Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, gary Sinise, Ed Harris. A college dean keeps his scret--passionate. (April 21-22, 2006)
Coal Miner's Daughter (DVD 1980, 25th Anniversary Edition, 2005). Universal Studios. Director: Michael Apted. Stars: Sissy spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D'Angelo, Levon Helm. Life story of a Lorrey Weber Lyne--very moving. (April 3, 2006)
Beyond the Sea (DVD 2004). MMV Lions Gate. 118min. Stars: Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman, Bob Hoskins. Life story of singer Bobby Darin--very moving. (March 8, 2006)
Andrew Lloyd webber's the Phantom of Opera (DVD 2004). Warner Bros. Pictures. 141min. Stars: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick wilson. Director: Joel Schumacher. A disfigured solitary falls in love with a soprano in 1870 Paris--spetacular scene and lovely misical. (March 7, 2006)
Stepmon (DVD 1998). Columbia Pictures. 125min. Stars: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Liam Aiken. Director: Chris Columbus. Julia Roberts tries to be a good step-mother to a girl and a boy while the ex-wife Susan Sarandon tries to hold on to it-emotional, hilarious and touching. (March 4, 2006)
A Beautiful Mind (DVD 2002). Universal Studio. 2 hrs 16 min. Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly. Director: Ron Howard. The life story of the 1995 Nobel Economic winner John Nash, with his brilliance and delusion--beautiful mystery. (Dec 19, 2005)
Lemony Snicket's Unfortunate Events (DVD 2004). Dream Works Pictures. 107 min. Stars: Jim Carrey, Jude Law, Meryl Streep. Three ingenious orphans fought their ways against Count Olaf. (Nov 29, 2005)
Road to Perdition (DVD 2002). Dream Works Pictures. Director: Sam Mendes. Stars: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Tyler Hoechlin. Father and son fought for their lives from mobs in Chicage during 1930s. (Nov 27, 2005)
Troy (DVD 2004). Wagner Bros. Pictures. 162 min. Director: Wolfgang Petersen. Stars: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, Peter O'Toole. Greek warior Achilles and Trojan horse against Troy fortress--brutal. (Nov 26, 2005)
P.S. (DVD 2004). New Market Films. Stars: Laura Linney, Topher Grace, Paul Rudd. Columbia University admission officer Louise Struggle with her past she clines to. (Nov 20, 2005)
Monster (DVD 2003). DJ Productions. Stars: Charlize Theron, Christina Richcci. Directed by Patty Jenkins. Convicted killer Eilen Wuornos, abused and unloved as highway prostitute, committed sen killings--outbursts and cruelty. (Nov 19, 2005)
Sideways (DVD 2004). Twentyth Century Fox. Stars: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh. Directed by Alexander Payne. Up and downs of sideways journeys of life of two men tasting wine in California coast before the wedding--hilarious. (Nov 18, 2005)
Mystic River (DVD 2003). 138 min. Stars: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Three boys grew up in working-class Boston and end up with brutal murder. (Nov 15, 2005)
The Hours (DVD 2002)). Paramount Pictures and Miramax Films. 114 min. Stars: Meryl Streep, Julianne Moors, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris. Directed by Stephen Daldry. Three women are set in 1923, 1951 and 2001 depicting the fates of Virginia Woolf and the likes--impressive and touched acting. (Nov 6, 2005)
The Clearing (DVD 2004)). Twenty Century Fox film. 85 min. Stars: Robert Redford, Helen Mirren, Willem Dafoe. Directed by Peter Jan Brugge. Tycoon Redford is kidnapped for ransom--fate, love and missed opportunities. (Oct 30, 2005)
House of Flying Daggers (DVD 2003)). Sony Pictures. 119 min. Stars: Takeshi Kaneshire, Andy Lau, Ziyi Zhang. Directed by Zhang Yimou. Dancer Mei is captured and then rescued to flee. (Oct 14, 2005)
Kill Bill, Vol 2 (DVD 2004). Miramax Films. 137 min. Stars: David Carradine (Bill), Uma Thurman, Michael Madeen (Budd), Daryl Hamak (Elle). Directed by Quentin Tarantino. The bride set revenge to kill the last two assins and master Bill--very good original score. (Oct 12, 2005)
Collateral (DVD)(2004). DreamWorks. 2 hours. Stars: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx. Directed by Michael Mann. Max the cabie is forced to transport a cold-hearted hired killer Vicent (Tom Cruise) to carry out his five killings in one night--great acting, especially by James Foxx with his fearsome expression. (Sep 23, 2005)
War of Worlds (2005). Paramount Production. Stars: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Ahatwin. Directed by Steven Spielberg. A divorced father tries to proctect his two children during the outer space invasion--great scene and great acting. (Saturday, July 17, 2005)
Havana (1990). Stars: Robert Redford, Lena Olin, Allan Arkin, Raul Julie. Directed by Sidney Pollack. A gambler's tale about his romance in Havana right in the middle of Cuban revoluntion in 1958--very powerful. (Thurday, July 7, 2005)
The Aviator (2004). Miramax. Stars: Leonardo D. Caprio, Alan Alda, Cate Blanchett. Early years of Howard Hughes and his movies and airplanes. Very powerful and crazy. (Saturday, Feb 19, 2005)
The Last Samurai (2003). Warner Bros. Pictures. Stars: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe. Directed by Edward Zwick. http://www.lastsamurai.com Civil war hero, captain Nathan Algren, came to Japan to help empero to fight the last samurai--fantastic scene of battle. (December 26, 2004)
The Passion of the Christ (2004). Twentieth Century. Stars: Jim Cariezel. Directed by Mel Gibson. Terrible film, not for human to see. (December 25, 2004)
First Knight (1997). Columbia Pictures. Stars: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond. Directed by Jerry Zucker. Full of spectacular sword fights. It depicts King Arthur's Comelot. (November 2004)
Lord of Rings: The Two ToThe Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Directed by Peter Jackson. Wingnut Films. Web site: www.lordoftherings.net Beautiful scenes and lots of actions. (Sep 2004)
Something's Gotta Give(2003). Stars: Jack Nicholson and Dinne Kiaten. Both of them are very funny. The cry and laughter are incredible. I also like Jack Nicholson's facial expression. (Dec 20, 2003)
The Italian Job (2003). A lot of action but lack of emotion. (Oct 28, 2003)
Terminator III (2003). In the beginning it's very intriging, but at the end it's very boring. Terminator I is the best, Terminator II getting a little worse, and this Terminator III is the worst. (Oct 25, 2003)
Whale Rider (2003). The first 15 minutes is very boring and it starts to build up. Very moving. (Oct 26, 2003)
The Pianist (2002). Stars: Adrien Brody and Thomas kretschmann. Directed by Roman Polanski. Web site: www.thepianistmovie.com Very impressive with the scene of destruction. Adrien Brody played as an incredible pianist struggling to survive during WW-II in the war-torn Warsaw. I love the last scene of a complete concerto movement played with the hands flying on the keyboard. (Sunday, Mar 16, 2003)
Gangs of New York (2002). Stars: Leonardo Dicaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz. Directed by Martin Scosese. Very brutal--I suggest not to let children to see this movie. Daniel Day-Lewis played as a ruthless and brutal butcher trying to control the city of New York during the Pre-civil war era. (Sunday, February 2, 2003) .
About Schmidt (2002). Stars: Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis and Dermot Mulroney. Directed by Alexander Payne. Web site: www.aboutschmidtmovie.com Jack Nicholson played as a retired company executive to cope with the world and a deranged daughter--with humor and sadness. I was touched by the last scene with his tears dripping down his face. (Jan 2003)
Lord of Rings: The Two Towers(2002). Directed by Peter Jackson. Wingnut Films. Web site: www.lordoftherings.net Fantastic scenery with trees talking and moving. Also I love the gollum's acting. (Dec 2002)