Trade (2007)

Trade

For casts and more details : IMDb

Marco Kreuzpaintner have master the art of combining visual and aural effects. We were transported to Mexico at the long helicopter / bird's eye view shots and then soon we've gotten familiar with the Mexican streets, culture and livelihood. Mexico isn't as run down as we think it would be.

However, Marco shows us the apathetic streets of Mexico as well as the heart-wrenching back streets. Heart-wrenching because of what the criminals do - trade.

Everyone in the movie is developed and Marco has used dialogues, narration, anecdotes and sheer action to bring the characters alive.

Even in death Veronika (Alicia Bachleda) contributed and much is develop through her. She's really a heroin as she cared for Adriana (Paulina Gaitan) so much. Alicia has made tragedy, despair, frustration, vengeance and hatred come to life through her cast.

Laura (Kate Del Castillo) as a minor character also made human trafficking personal and embittered. It is not coincidence that Marco had long shots on those enigmatic green eyes. There is room for though as Ray (Kevin Kline) did not confront Laura.

Testosterone driven Manuelo (Marco Perez) is also develop to a redeeming end, many of us can really attest to his role, the proxy of the proxy (Laura). The real boss Green (Zack Ward) would never appear to do the dirty work nor handle the criminal transaction.

I'm trying very hard not to spoil the movie. (spoilers ahead!!!) The choice of evil is really of the flesh - more sex, more money at the expense of the lives of others. I do not understand how some people have just become so selfish and apathetic towards the lives of others. This is a form of xenophobia, of racial discrimination. We do not feel a tinge of sympathy for Green as his son cried out, "Papa". He should understand his crime of human trafficking even more if he has his own flesh and blood to be responsible of.

"Do unto others as you would have them do to you". Luke 6:31 There is a similiar chinese Confucius proverb and it's also the underlying principle of Karma of Hinduism and Buddhism. I'm not surprise if there are more sayings of such a nature. Just because you're the gringo, the White, the first class international citizens - you can do anything you want.

In my opinion, at the end Jorge was shocked not regretful. Shocked.

10, 000 BC (2008)

10, 000 BC

Warning spoilers ahead. At your own risk. (Though I bet you could figure out the whole show if you've watched as much as I did)

Roland Emmerich really lives by his motto just a little too much this time. He said, "I'm making movies for the masses."

We've watched it because we're expecting much from the director of Godzilla, Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow. I think I need to do Emmerich justice by watching all three of this blockbusters together then re-watch 10, 000 BC.

I'm sorry Emmerich, I only watched 20 minutes of the picture then I felt really bored. I'm just sick and tired of prophesies and I really expect much when there is a narration. Since everyone is speaking in English in the movie, why do we need a narration. And the narrator is just repeating what we see, which gets a little frustrating after awhile.

I've watch till the part that his girlfriend got kidnapped. The English is just unromantic. Okay we know that there will be a hero and the protagonist somehow managed to make the mammoth trip on his spear. So everyone thinks he killed the mammoth hence hailed as hero.

The not cool part is that, another more advanced civilisation came and wreck their village. This is always the case, reminds me of Apocalypto. (which is way cooler by the way) And then the narrator said the cheesiest thing I've ever heard, "They were the first hunters who became warriors."

Like duh the protagonist whose name is some exotic sound have to go save his girlfriend. Well as usual there is a mentor. Every Obi Wan have to die so that the young Padawan would rise up to the occasion. I guessed that the young warrior would somehow lure the mammoths back. ( I thought that would be way more interesting)

I was wrong about the mammoths. They had to make prehistoric seems more violent and real, you see; so they introduced the sabretooth tiger who I think did not kill anything. But is tamed by the warrior. Then villagers saw that and know that the warrior is part of their prophesy - the hero which would save them.

Then the hero did the obvious with what he can do with the huge throng of people. And he did the groundbreaking olympian feat and at the same time inventing the sport - javelin throwing.

Okay there are pyramids. Don't ask me how. I would like to watch to probably laugh at how the pyramids are being developed. That's about it 20 minutes is up, anymore would be a waste of my time.

Step Up 2 (2008)

Step Up 2 The Streets

For cast and other details refer to my favourite website IMDb!

I don't like giving spoilers nor would I waste time giving summary to you.

It is instinctive for us to put Step Up 2 and Step Up on the same table for comparison. Intuitively, we expected a flow in the stories; Step Up 2 being a continuation of Step Up. However it is writer Duane Adler who is the only common denominator of the two pictures.

Director of Step Up 2, Jon Chu is a fairly new director compared to Anna Feltcher. Nevertheless kudos to Jon Chu for taking up the challenge of directing a sequel.

Unlike Step Up, Step Up 2 is not about 100% talented people who have the ability to learn ballet in nanoseconds. It's about social outcasts, people who just aren't extroverts with socialising as their nature. It's also about people like Moose (Adam G. Sevani) who works behind the scenes and are never known, noticed or appreciated. Binding all these outcasts and losers together is their common passion for dancing.


'This is the streets' as coined by Tuck (Black Thomas) has no rules and is the only avenues losers can win their respect back.

I like the flow of the movie, Jon has a very good prioritisation of scene length. Short and abrupt scenes have effectively created the lawlessness and swiftness of the underground ruthless streets. Long ones to emphasize Andie (Briana Evigan) new crew's passion for dancing. And of course, not to forget the finale dance scene itself. Along with the ear-throbbing synchronised dance and soundtrack, it was an audio and visual feast altogether.

Sometimes it's really not the rich and privilege the one who is flaunting. Rather, the proud and obnoxious bunch are the dissatisfied middles who probably are jealous and bitter, thus in retaliation they over-protect and over-define what they have. Crew 410 in the picture redefined street dancing with a tinge of their pride and a pinch of elitism.

I really respect Andie as she justifies herself as the heroin of the picture. Being orphaned, kicked out of home and expelled she still dance[stood] for what she believed in. Next SU2 also touched on a theme which a particular am empathetic about - being in someone else's shadow. Anecdotes always prove that parents are lousy teacher, but I think siblings do not differ. 'Good but not great, can be better,' such are comments that parents of siblings would give because it not only shows impartiality but also the concerns of our reputation as we cannot educate someone to be as good as them.

4 1/2 stars =)