Amarone Bottega - Italian red wine

Thanks for the treat, Ron :-) Oldham Hall mini-reunion in Abu Dhabi, over many glasses of red and the incomparable Infernal Affairs 1 and 3 on DVD!

Description from Wikipedia ... Amarone della Valpolicella, usually known as Amarone, is a typically rich Italian dry red wine made from the partially dried grapes of the Corvina (40% – 70%), Rondinella (20% – 40%) and Molinara (5% – 25%) varieties.

Transformers 3 - Dark of the Moon

Me and my pal Optimus ... taking a break from the Wuzhen / China posts :-)

Cinema: CineRoyal, Khalidiyah Mall - Abu Dhabi

Tickets: 30 AED (RM$24)

2D or 3D? We deliberately chose ... 2D. Dunno how to describe it, but we actually prefer this format of film!
Our verdict ... We loved it!

Brilliant conspiracy-theory style start, with excellent historical footage of Neil Armstrong on the moon. Excellent effects, but I would have preferred if Bumblebee made more of an appearance! Was surprised how many stars were in this installment ... John Malkovich (Bruce), Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey (Bad guy, Dylan), Tyrese Gibson (Returns as Epps), John Turturro (Simmons), Joshn Duhamel (Returns as Lennox), and of course Sam Witwicky, oops ... Shia LaBeouf. And, FHM girl of the year, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was yummy!

Movies.Sky.Com says ... Today it emerges that Michael Bay's Transformers: Dark Of The Moon has broken all records to become the biggest movie released over America's Independence Day weekend ever. The third outing of the titular robots in disguise which stars Shia LaBeouf and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley has now made a staggering $416m at the worldwide box office, beating Spider-Man 2 to become the highest ever earner over America's holiday weekend.

Not everyone thought Transformers 3 was so entertaining. Here is what The National, here in Abu Dhabi said ... it slammed the film! Yes, "1 star" or ... "DIRE!".

Potiche - Abu Dhabi Film Festival

14th - 23rd October ... in various locations in the capital, don't miss the Abu Dhabi Film Festival :-)

I loved Potiche!

This film by François Ozon is set in 1977 France and is stunningly shot, the colours seem to just "pop" out of the screen, and I love the music too. It stars the divine Catherine Deneuve as a trophy wife-turned-triumphant-factory boss in this delightful adaptation of a French boulevard-theater play. She plays Suzanna Pujol, the housewife of Robert Pujol who had me in stitches, played by the excellent Fabrice Luchini. MP Babin is played by none other then the prolific and masterful Gerard Depardieu, who made a surprise appearance at the Emirates Palace, introducing the film to a standing ovation ... which included me!

Hmmm ... Will certainly try to find time to catch Naomi Watts / Sean Penn's "Fair Game" as well, that's screening this Thursday 21st October.

Pity I am not available during the final screening of Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (What a title!), which is showing on Friday 22nd October. This Tsui Hark film stars ... Andy Lau AND Tony Leung!

Inside Man - A Spike Lee Joint (2006)

Watched this DVD (UK) last night, it was surprisingly good!


Directed by Spike Lee (I liked his films from a decade ago, this was his first "new" movie which I watched ... Summer of Sam , 1999 / He Got Game , 1998 / Malcolm X , 1992 / Do the Right Thing , 1989), it has a strong cast including ...
Denzel Washington ... Detective Keith Frazier
Clive Owen ... Dalton Russell
Jodie Foster ... Madeleine White
Christopher Plummer ... Arthur Case
Willem Dafoe ... Captain John Darius


Wikipedia really nicely describes the start of the film...
The film begins in medias res with Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) narrating his plight in the confines of an undisclosed cell, musing about the difference between a cell and a prison. Shortly afterwards, he begins in narration to describe the "perfect" plan for a bank robbery.
The robbery begins in flashback as a group of robbers, dressed as painters and utilizing aliases under variants of the name "Steve," enter the bank, disable the security cameras, and take control of the bank. All customers and bank employees are herded into the basement, where they are forced to give up their keys and cell phones and change into painter uniforms and face masks identical to those of the robbers. They then lock the hostages into several rooms, periodically rotating them and introducing themselves among the hostages at various points.
Meanwhile, the police arrive and surround the bank.

Our first movie in Abu Dhabi ... Avatar 3D

The only Dolby 3D cinema in Abu Dhabi ... the new Cine Royal, Khalidiyah Mall.


Initially it hurt, paying 40 AED per ticket, or about RM$37 each ... but after watching Avatar 3D, it was worth EVERY penny! Technically superb, and you will struggle to resist not reaching out to touch the characters who are so 3-dimensional, AND avoid the wreckage and flying trees and blades of grass during many of the action sequences!


Stars...
Sam Worthington ... Jake Sully
Zoe Saldana ... Neytiri
Sigourney Weaver ... Dr. Grace Augustine
Michelle Rodriguez ... Trudy Chacon
Giovanni Ribisi ... Parker Selfridge

imdb.com
When his brother is killed in battle, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.

Abu Dhabi - Hard to find a parking lot at night!

Nikon D80 shooting at ISO 1600 ... Freehand.


Finding a parking lot on the streets of Abu Dhabi (Yes, "officially" everyone below is parking illegally - That sure is a lot of white-coloured SUVs and cars!) after 10pm is like finding a prawn from District 9 who doesn't eat cat-food :-)
ps - District 9, the movie, is ... interesting! Nice concept, cool effects, switch off your brain and enjoy!


Clouds above Abu Dhabi ... Nice and cool, below 20c at night :-)

Up (Pixar, 2009) - Best the studio has produced.. To date!

I eagerly await each and every Pixar release ... and was fortunate enough to have been home just in time for the latest release UP! Turned out to be my FAVOURITE Pixar film to date, with my personal Top 3 being:-

1) Up
2) Monsters Inc
3) Finding Nemo

Embarassingly, I have yet to actually watch Wall-E, Ratatouille and Cars, so I shall reserve my comments for these till a later date :-)

Worldwide gross numbers below are as of the end of June, 2009.


Budget: USD$ 175M
Worldwide Gross (so far, it was only released weeks ago!): USD$ 396M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: The best! Magnificent effort from Pixar ... Moving, funny, excellent script, characters and music. It will take something very special to better this :-)


Wall-E: 2008
Budget: USD$ 180M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 533M


Ratatouille: 2007
Budget: USD$ 150M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 624M


Cars: 2006
Budget: USD$ 120M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 462M


The Incredibles: 2004
Budget: USD$ 92M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 636M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: Hilarious, rib-ticklingly so. Love this!


Finding Nemo: 2003
Budget: USD$ 94M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 866M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: As a diver, this takes some beating. What a wonderfully moving movie, simply magnificent. My third favourite of the lot!


Monsters, Inc: 2001
Budget: USD$ 115M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 529M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: This was my personal favourite for a looooong time, until UP came along! Superb characters, simply brilliant.


Toy Story: 1999
Budget: USD$ 90M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 485M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: Could never top the first installment, seems there will be a third chapter in Toy Story soon.


A Bug's Life: 1998
Budget: USD$ 45M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 364M
Juliansi.blogspot.com: Good, but lacked the wow factor I reckon.

Toy Story: 1995

Budget: USD$ 30M
Worldwide Gross: USD$ 362M

Juliansi.blogspot.com: A pure classic, this is where it all began ... To infinity and beyond, Pixar is certainly getting there!

Superbad (2007) with McLovin!

Source: DVD (Ipoh)

Thanks to NWJ for the loan of this disc, and recommending this hilarious effort...

Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, this 2007 film had me in stitches!! It is absolutely rude with vulgar descriptions, language and depictions, watch at your own risk!!

Wonderfully acted by the likes of ...

Jonah Hill ... Seth
Michael Cera ... Evan
Christopher Mintz-Plasse ... Fogell
Bill Hader ... Officer Slater
and the inimitable Seth Rogen ... Officer Michaels.

IMDB.com

Seth and Evan are best friends, inseparable, navigating the last weeks of high school. Usually shunned by the popular kids, Seth and Evan luck into an invitation to a party, and spend a long day, with the help of their nerdy friend Fogell, trying to score enough alcohol to lubricate the party and inebriate two girls, Jules and Becca, so they can kick-start their sex lives and go off to college with a summer full of experience and new skills. Their quest is complicated by Fogell's falling in with two inept cops who both slow and assist the plan. If they do get the liquor to the party, what then? Is sex the only rite of passage at hand?

Memorable quotes (Warning! RUDE!!!)

Evan: I heard she got breast reduction surgery.

Seth: What? That's like slapping God across the face for giving you a beautiful gift.

Evan: She had back problems, man.

And here's a brilliant one from the fake ID scene ...

Fogell: Yo guys! Sup?

Seth: Fogell, where have you been, man? You almost gave me a goddamn heart attack. Let me see it. Did you pussy out or what?

Fogell: No noooo, man. I got it; it is flawless. Check it!

Evan: [examining the fake ID] Hawaii. All right, that's good. That's hard to trace, I guess. Wait... you changed your name to... McLovin?

Fogell: Yeah.

Evan: McLovin? What kind of a stupid name is that, Fogell? What, are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer?

Fogell: Naw, they let you pick any name you want when you get down there.

Seth: And you landed on McLovin...

Fogell: Yeah. It was between that or Muhammed.

Seth: Why the FUCK would it be between THAT or Muhammed? Why don't you just pick a common name like a normal person?

Fogell: Muhammed is the most commonly used name on Earth. Read a fucking book for once.

Evan: Fogell, have you actually ever met anyone named Muhammed?

Fogell: Have YOU actually ever met anyone named McLovin?

Seth: No, that's why you picked a dumb fucking name!

Fogell: Fuck you.

Seth: Gimme that. All right, you look like a future pedophile in this picture, number 1. Number 2: it doesn't even have a first name, it just says "McLovin"!

Evan: What? One name? ONE NAME? Who are you? Seal?

Seth: Fogell, this ID says that you're 25 years old. Why wouldn't you just put 21, man?

Fogell: Seth, Seth, Seth. Listen up, ass-face: every day, hundreds of kids go into the liquor store with fake IDs, and every single one says they're 21. Pssh, how many 21 year olds do you think there are in this town? It's called fucking strategy, all right?

Evan: Stay calm, okay? Let's not lose our heads. It's... it's a fine ID; it'll... it's gonna work. It's passable, okay? This isn't terrible. I mean, it's up to you, Fogell. This guy is either gonna think 'Here's another kid with a fake ID' or 'Here's McLovin, a 25 year-old Hawaiian organ donor'. Okay? So what's it gonna be?

Fogell: [grinning] ... I am McLovin!

Seth: No you're not. No one's McLovin. McLovin's never existed because that's a made up dumb FUCKING FAIRY TALE NAME, YOU FUCK!

Domino's Pizza - Terminator Salvation, the charity premier

Thanks to Domino's Pizza for the charity preview screening of ... Terminator : Salvation at Cineleisure, the Curve :-)



The strong cast includes...
Christian Bale ... John Connor
Sam Worthington ... Marcus Wright
Helena Bonham Carter ... Dr. Serena Kogan
Michael Ironside ... General Ashdown
And, a very special cameo :-) by... I'll Be Back!

Loved the SFX effects and espesh the sound :-) Earth shattering!

Imdb.com ... Set in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor is the man fated to lead the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators. But the future Connor was raised to believe in is altered in part by the appearance of Marcus Wright, a stranger whose last memory is of being on death row. Connor must decide whether Marcus has been sent from the future, or rescued from the past. As Skynet prepares its final onslaught, Connor and Marcus both embark on an odyssey that takes them into the heart of Skynet’s operations, where they uncover the terrible secret behind the possible annihilation of mankind.

ps - There was even a goodie box with a free pizza voucher, some decals as well as this t-shirt.

The Fast and The Furious 4 (2009) - 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Cinema: Cineleisure, near Ikano-The Curve (RM$11)


Juliansi.blogspot.com I am a big fan of the F&F anthology, from the excellent pioneering movie, to 2Fast 2Furious, and even Tokyo Drift. This 4th installment looks like it takes place between number 2 and number 3, pairing up Brian (Paul Walker "Into The Blue") and Dom (Vin Diesel) once again.
The storyline was probably the weakest in the series, but what you do get are hot cars and women, and most importantly the dude chemistry between Brian and Dom (Oops, Vin & Paul!). Directory Justin Lin did a brilliant job of getting the audience into the car sequences, I felt like I was in the driving seat!

The lead crew...
Vin Diesel ... Dominic Toretto
Paul Walker ... Brian O'Conner
Jordana Brewster ... Mia Toretto
Michelle Rodriguez ... Letty


Cool quote...
Antonio Braga: So, you know each other?
Dominic Toretto: He used to date my sister.
Antonio Braga: You're a lucky man.
Brian O'Conner: How's that?
Antonio Braga: You're still breathing!

Dominic Toretto ("Dom" aka Vin Diesel)'s choice of car ... a Chevrolet Chevelle SS 434 from the 1970s.


In the last scene, we see close-up interior shots of a Honda NSX-T (my fave car in the show, featured below driven by Jordana Brewster), a Dodge Charger, and a Trans Am.


But, the car which got the most attention was Paul Walker's "import" (Import - Japanese, v Muscle car = American large-block cars from the 60s-70s, and beyond?) ... 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI "Veilside" . Under the hood of this beauty is a 2.5 L Turbo-charged 305 hp H4, with full mods by tuner-supremo Veilside.
Veilside Company Limited is an aftermarket automotive company which used to sell suspension and engine tuning, and still sells interior parts, as well as body parts for aerodynamic and aesthetic enhancement of the vehicle. It is based in Japan near the Tsukuba Circuit race course, the company first started trading in 1990.

Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)

Cinema: TGV Bukit Tinggi Klang (RM$9)



imdb.com ... Struggling with her debilitating obsession with shopping and the sudden collapse of her income source, Rebecca Bloomwood unintentionally lands a job writing for a financial magazine after a drunken letter-mailing mix-up.
Ironically writing about the very consumer caution of which she herself has not abided, Rebecca's innovative comparisons and unconventional metaphors for economics grants her critical acclaim, public success, and the admiration of her supportive boss Luke. But as she draws closer to her ultimate goal of writing for renowned fashion magazine Alette, she questions her true ambitions and must determine if overcoming her "shopaholic" condition will bring her real happiness.


Directed by P.J. Hogan
Writing credits ... Tracey Jackson (screenplay) and Tim Firth (screenplay) and Kayla Alpert (screenplay), with Sophie Kinsella (Author of "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan")


A strong cast of veterans and newbies, include..
Isla Fisher ... Rebecca Bloomwood
Hugh Dancy ... Luke Brandon
Joan Cusack ... Jane Bloomwood
John Goodman ... Graham Bloomwood
John Lithgow ... Edgar West
Kristin Scott Thomas ... Alette Naylor

Yes, this is the same Isla Fisher who played Shannon Reed in UK and Aussie favourite, "Home and Away". She was in that popular "soap" for a total of 11 seasons, 1994-2005!

Entertaining film, that should not simply be type-cast as a "girlie flick", there were actually some strong messages about credit card debt and the "American way".

Some cool quotes, include...

Graham Bloomwood: Your mother and I think that if the American economy can be billions in debt and still survive, so can you.

And,

Rebecca Bloomwood: When I was 7 most of my friends stopped believing in magic. That's when I first started. They were beautiful, they were happy. They didn't even need any money, they had magic cards.

How about...

Rebecca Bloomwood: You know that thing when you see someone cute and he smiles and your heart kind of goes like warm butter sliding down hot toast? Well that's what it's like when I see a store. Only it's better.

Harold and Kumar - Go To White Castle (2005)

Source: DVD (Location - unknown!)
Recommended by: JNWJ (Cheers bro ... way back in 2005/2006!)


Director: Danny Leiner
Writers: Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
Cast:
John Cho ... Harold Lee
Kal Penn ... Kumar Patel
Neil Patrick Harris ... Neil Patrick Harris (Yes, Doogie Howser MD!)
imdb.com ... Harold and Kumar, two stoner roommates who like to get high, end up having the cravings for White Castle burgers after seeing a TV commercial. However, getting to White Castle proves much harder than these two ever imagined. On their way, many things seemed to interrupt their journey, including a raccoon that bites Harold, Neil Patrick Harris, and Kumar getting in jail because of a racist police officer.


Great quotes a-plenty, in what I feel to be a "must-watch" film! I have had to sieve through hundreds, just to choose one example ...
Harold: I want that.
Kumar: What? A Hot Dog Heaven super chili cheese dog?
Harold: No. I want that feeling. The feeling that comes over a man when he gets exactly what he desires. I need that feeling!
Kumar: Are you saying what I think you're saying?
Harold: We gotta go to White Castle.
Kumar: YES! YES! I knew you had it in you dude!

This film left us in stitches, a laugh-a-minute, and simply mad! :-)


The music's brilliant as well, including the moment best described by a review on majorchord.blogspot.com

I've been playing this scene in my head all day. It's the driving scene where Harold and Kumar start singing Wilson Phillips. There's something subversively funny about that scene. Maybe it's because it's about these 20-something guys who for some strange reason know all the lyrics to "Hold On". Or maybe it's because I secretly know most of the lyrics as well.

I know this pain
Why do lock yourself up in these chains?
No one can change your life except for you
Don't ever let anyone step all over you
Just open your heart and your mind
Is it really fair to feel this way inside?

Chorus: Someday somebody's gonna make you want to
Turn around and say goodbye
Until then baby are you going to let them
Hold you down and make you cry
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day...


ps - Harold and Kumar Part 2 to be featured... soon!