Michael Moore's SICKO (2007) Movie Review

Michael Moore's SICKO (2007) Movie Review

Michael Moore’s award winning movie “SICKO”, is, as usual, a wacky, highly controversial but ultimately flawed docu-movie about the declining health care systems in the US.

Amazing but True:
With the rising costs of health care in the US, many desperate Americans are finding themselves backed against the wall with no recourse to medical treatment. Some of them are denied health insurance coverage for frivolous reasons by the insurance companies and they cannot afford to foot their costly medical treatments by themselves – resulting in many of them having to fore go the much needed medical treatment for their aliments. Some of them, according to the Sicko documentary, have lost their limbs and even their lives due to lack of access to medication and medical facilities!

Film maker Michael Moore explores the failings of the US health care systems and compares it to the state subsidized health care systems of the United Kingdom and France. Of course, even in such “Utopian” societies, someone has to pay for such subsidies:

• If employers are requested to pay for the full medical cost of their employees' medical bills, they may be reluctant to invest in the country;
• If rich people are asked to pay, they may immigrate to lower tax countries or find other means of avoiding paying taxes;
• If healthy (working) people are asked to subsidize unhealthy (unemployed) people, healthy people will suffer a lower standard of living and marginal income families may opt to go on welfare rather than to go to work resulting in a lower tax base;
• Most governments do not have budget surpluses to finance escalating health care costs over the long term and ultimately the citizens will have to bear the burden of such health expenditure through higher taxes;
• Higher taxes will make the country uncompetitive and lead to the country's economic decline.

Michael Moore's Sicko like his other docu-movies is primarily an anti-Bush and anti-government bashing propaganda and he offers no realistic solutions to the problem plaguing most countries.

The real issue at hand is whether every individual should be responsible for his or her own health. This means everyone should ensure that they take control of their lives instead of relying on the medical establishment i.e. to eat nutritious foods and take health supplements so they can qualify for health insurance, take action if they have health problems and to build up a healthy nest egg for that rainy day. That said, the very poor should have access to some form of basic health procedures and medication. This means counseling on healthy diets and exercise and access to cheaper generic drugs.

For countries adopting the US health care system whereby individuals are responsible for their own health, this movie provides a peak into the future health care implications for them and their countries.

Watch "Sicko" and prepare for your own health and financial future.

Michael Moore's Sicko movie trailer on streaming video here:

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Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Kung Fu Panda (2008) Movie Review

Kung Fu Panda is a story about Po the Panda (Jack Black), a humble noodle restaurant waiter by day and kung fu wannabe by night. Although Po is predicted to be the Chosen One with the powers of the supreme Dragon Master, the kung fu master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) has his doubts as because of Po's lack of will power and clumsiness. In spite of these shortcomings, Shifu reluctantly teaches Panda some of the martial arts suitable for his bulky frame as the Valley of Peace is being threatened by the villainous Snow Leopard, Tai Lung (Ian McShane). Once Po begins to believe in himself, he learns that he can contribute to the defense of the village against the villainous Snow Leopard bent on destroying all the kung fu masters in the land.

Other voice talents behind the Furious Five Legends characters are Master Tigress (Angeline Jolie), Master Monkey (Jackie Chan) and Master Viper (Lucy Liu).

This Dreamworks CGI animation feature, directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, has a good story line, good animation and is likely to please both the children and adults alike. The fight scenes are hilarious and imaginative - mixing WWF with Chinese martial arts to good effect.

Hans Zimmer and John Powell provides the original soundtrack music to Kung Fu Panda. The most memorable song of the movie however is the re-recording of the classic '70s disco song: 'Kung Fu Fighting' performed by Cee-Lo Green and Jack Black.

Kung Fu Panda is rated PG for sequences of martial arts action. This is actually cartoon violence which can be quite intense at time with severe beatings though none of the animated characters seem to die because of it. Generally, the movie can be said to be family oriented by today's standards though there are some sexual references like getting hit on the groin area and noodle bowls alluding to women's breasts. The "believe in yourself" theme may sometimes run contrary to family values.




For a satirical movie review of Kung Fu Panda based on an Asian perspective, visit this link.

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Incredible Hulk (2008) Movie Review

Incredible Hulk (2008) Movie Review

Expect the clash of titans all Marvel comic fans have been waiting for. Incredible Hulk vs The Abomination - with New York city as the battleground! At last we get to see the primal rage of Hulk that is true to its comics origins. Unfortunately, it does not have the same kind of realism as Batman and Spiderman.

Though the Incredible Hulk is not technically a remake /sequel of Ang Lee's Hulk, the movie seems to be an extension of the plot from the first movie.

The movie opens with the brilliant Dr. Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) looking for an antidote for his gamma-radiation induced affliction so he can settle down with lady love (Liv Tyler). However, he is relentlessly pursued by General "Thunderbolt" Ross (William Hurt) bent on harnessing the power of the Incredible Hulk for military advantage. As if the problems with the army hot on his tail is not enough, Bruce must now decide whether to accept the peaceful life of Banner or become permanently the Hulk so he can save New York city from certain destruction by a monster. To top it all, this unknown beast, the Abomination is even more powerful and terrifying than the Incredible Hulk itself.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Transporter), this adrenaline pumping action-pack sci-fi monster flick is more exciting than Ang Lee's earlier movie. However, the movie is still draggy in parts as much of the movie focuses on Bruce Banner as a hunted fugitive resulting in a low key presence of Hulk with Edward Norton doing his best to keep the until the last half hour when we have a magnificent battle of the titans.

As a bonus, longtime fans will get to see their other favorite classic Marvel characters such as Doc Samson and The Leader and even Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (Iron Man) in a cameo at the end of the movie.

The Incredible Hulk is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, some frightening sci-fi images, and brief suggestive content as so may not be suitable for young children.

The "brief suggestive content" is a rather strong though brief prelude to sex scene between Bruce and Betty fully clothed—in a hotel room. There is also one scene of a character barely clothe after taking a shower, and in another scene curls up naked in a bathtub though it is not explicit nudity.

There is some profanity. The "intense action violence" and "frightening sci-fi images" are mostly violence between monster and men with lots of injury and blood. The rampage may scare some younger kids. A dog is shot off camera with a tranquilizer gun. This may upset some kids who may presume that the dog was killed.
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Indiana Jones Superhero or Just an Ordinary Guy?

Indiana Jones Superhero or Just an Ordinary Guy?

Some critics complained that some of the action scenes of the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull make Indiana Jones appear more like a superhero rather than an ordinary guy. So, the question to ask is: Indiana Jones a superhero or just an ordinary guy? For the answer, let's look at the origins of Indiana Jones legend.

George Lucas said that Indiana Jones is a homage to action heroes of the 1930s particularly matinée serial western cliffhangers, Flash Gordon movies and pulp comics with a good measure of Sherlock Holmes thrown in. These heroes did not have superpowers but they have special abilities which sets them apart from ordinary folks like us.

Superheroes have 2 persona, so does Indiana Jones:

• as a University lecturer, Henry Joe Jr, he is bespectacled, Joe Average;
  
• as an archaeologist, Indiana Jones he is a swashbuckling treasure hunter with lighting reflexes.
  

His superhero alter-ego is a way for Indy to escape from the boredom of teaching. He can take hard knocks (though he does definitely feel pain), never gets emotionally upset and is always willing to forgive his adversaries no matter what they have done to him earlier. He does not generally use weapons except for his multi-purpose 10 foot bull whip and mainly for defensive reasons.

We know that apart from his "cover" job, he had been a WWI trench soldier, undercover agent in Europe, stunt man in his younger days and this have given him the agility to perform feats that normal people may find difficulty doing. However, there are hints that he may be a superhero more than an ordinary guy.

Indiana Jones also expresses his duality with:

• his self-depreciating humor,
  
• his fear for snakes but carries a snake-like weapon (the bull whip)
  
• he is not a Christian but hunts for mythical Christian treasures, and
  
• his prized, hard won treasures often end up discarded in an unknown warehouse
• his changing "uniform" - when he changes his professor's clothes for adventure gear, he is transformed to a superhero of sorts. He also sheds his eye glasses just like Clark Kent / Superman
  
• he has a love of his life, but never seems to be able to hold on to her because she is the source of his weaknesses.
• he does possess physical prowess like superior skill, ability, strength, courage, or daring when put to the fight or die test
• like most superheroes, he is more interested in justice than personal gain. Being rich does not seem to be high on his agenda judging from his lifestyle and the clothes he wears.
• his adversaries are usually the rich or people with power
  

He also has a secret weakness. This usually takes the form of his vulnerability when he is near someone he loves. He is also most vulnerable when he is near an ancient relic but this relic rarely destroys him because of his hidden (maybe mental) powers. The power being his intimate knowledge of the secret properties of the relic.

It is also noted that Indy is at the height of his powers when he has his fedora on. One can find similarities of Indy's fedora with a head mask / gear donned by many modern pulp comic superheroes.

Also remember, that Indiana Jones have been exposed to some amazing relics that have proved to be fatal to other mere mortals like those in the "Raiders". In particular, fans must have recalled that in the "Last Crusade", he drank the water of life from the true holy grail. This could have endowed him with powers after the 3rd installment of the Indy series. He seems to have lived through the same timeline of many of today's superheroes and there is no indication of his death, though he appeared old in 1993. From our own sources, we gather that he was born in 1899 and took his nickname "Indiana" from his family dog.

It remains to be seen if Indiana Jones' son have inherited the magical qualities of his illustrious dad. Though from the "Crystal Skull" movie, it appears to be so.

With this perspective in mind, it is not surprising that Indiana Jones can perform super stunts. The only reason such stunts was not featured in earlier Indy movies is simply that they did not have state of the art CGI back in the '80s. Such stunts are now common place in today's action movies.

In that light, it is not uncharacteristic for Indiana Jones movies to feature super stunts. The stunts are part of the fun of going to see a superhero action/adventure genre film particularly if it is slapstick. Maybe some of it is overdone and over the top. But what harm is that? Our lives are already filled with 22 hours of reality each day. When we buy a movie ticket, we expect 2 hours or so of pure entertainment and fun. There is nothing extraordinary in being an ordinary guy. Think like a superhero. In your own mind, you are a superhero like Indiana Jones.

Click here for movie review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

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Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Movie Review

Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Movie Review

Steven Speilberg and George Lucas showed that they are still masters of their game as far as 20th Century era fantasy stories and special effects are concerned. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is an attempt to make Indy more relevant to the new generation much like the James Bond series have. To a certain extent they have succeeded, and this film marks the passing of the signature fedora from father (Harrison Ford) to son (Shia LaBeouf).

The movie looks like Harrison Ford's last hurrah and a good one it is. Shia LaBeouf looks game enough as Indiana Jones sidekick though it is uncertain if he has enough charisma to carry the Indy franchise all by himself.

Though Harrison / Indiana is advanced in age, the producers had the foresight not to slow down the action scenes to cater for this shortcoming. In fact, the action scenes are a lot more energetic than the previous Indy movies up to cater to the younger audiences' addiction to high octane action.

Fans of Indiana Jones will be happy with the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as it carries on the tradition and feel of the Raiders of the Lost Ark and to a certain extent the Last Crusade. There even is a scene where we get a glimpse of the Ark artifact in the famed warehouse from the first film.

The hallmarks of the Indiana Jones' cinematic experience is all there - caves, Peruvian jungles, Mayan mummies, primitive tribes, dangerous stunts, exciting car chases, explosions, wisecracks, bad guys you love to hate and roller coaster plots. The Crystal Skull makes the National Treasure movies seem like tired versions of Indiana Jones by comparison.

Fans may object to the film's new focus on aliens, Roswell and the phobia of a Soviet invasion. However, all these elements are well fused into the Indiana "history" and will probably beat the new X-Files movie hands down in the alien-among-us stakes.

The sets are picturesque and evocative of the 1950s so you get a genuine "step back in time" feeling. ILM's special effects have an '80s feel so it is not so obvious it is CGI which gives movie goers a break from the usual special effects we see in today's movies.

This was the first time my 12 year old son was watching an Indiana Jones movie (its been 19 years since the Last Crusade) and he thoroughly enjoyed it. So kids and fans alike are likely to make Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a summer blockbuster.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is suitable for children

Crystal Skull is rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images but is generally suitable for children.

The violence is similar to the earlier Indiana Jones films. There are a lot of fight scenes though very little blood is shown on screen. Some of the action scenes plays homage to the classic Charlie Chaplin movies. Certain terror scenes may bother very young children such as the hideous Mayan mummies, fossilized alien beings, people being eaten by giant red ants, atomic bomb explosion and scary primitive tribes.

There is a crass expletive or two and some brief mention of Indiana's numerous flings and affairs. Other than that, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is suitable for children. Young kids may probably like the brief sequence of cute prairie dogs in the film.

Indiana Jones: Superhero or Just an Ordinary Guy?
Click here to read about the Origins of Indiana Jones

Genre: Action/Adventure
Starring: Harrison Ford, Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: David Koepp
Story: George Lucas, Jeff Nathanson
Producer: Frank Marshall
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins

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Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) Movie Review

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) Movie Review

The 2nd Chronicles of Narnia is darker, more exciting and grown up than the more whimsical first movie. The Christianity themes have been toned down and the action and violence have been cranked up with this bigger budget. The movie is somewhat reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings in its narrative. Loosely based on CS Lewis' 2nd book of the Narnia series, this movie has well developed characters and a good storyline. This bodes well for the Chronicles of Narnia franchise.

In this movie, it is one Earth year after the events of the first movie. However when the Pevensie siblings return to Narnia through another portal, they are shocked to find that 1,300 years have passed since the Golden Age of Narnia. The Telmarines (decedents of pirates) have conquered Narnia and the usurper King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto) wants his newborn son to inherit the Narnia crown. To ensure this, he arranges for Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), the rightful heir to the throne and the son of his brother, to be killed.

In this story, the original Narnians have thought to be almost extinct or have reverted to their original primitive animal state. The second coming of the Pevensie siblings, the once and future kings and queens of Narnia, heralds a new hope for the original inhabitants of Narnia. Prince Caspian and the surviving Narnians such as a temperamental warrior dwarf (Peter Dinklage), talking warrior rodents, a badger, centaurs, minotaurs and gryphons come to the siblings aid. Together, they embark on a perilous campaign to end the Telmarines' rule in Narnia. In the end, it is their savior, the god-like Aslan the Lion, who tips the battle in their favor.

The many fantastical creatures, epic battle scenes and the CGI effects are awesome and should keep the kids glued to their seats even though this blockbuster movie is 2 hours 20 minutes long.

The Chronicles of Narnia 2 reunites the creative talents who made the first film i.e. veteran director Andrew Adamson, screenplay writers Andrew Adamson and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and producer Mark Johnson, Andrew Adamson and Philip Steuer.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) is rated PG13 for for epic battle action and violence. The movie is generally suitable for children though the fight scenes may be a bit too violent for very young children which is probably comparable to the fight scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Watch the streaming video trailer of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) here:

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Movie Review

Speed Racer (2008) | Movie Review

Speed Racer (2008) Movie Review

Speed Racer is primarily targeted at young boys though fans of Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Auto Grand Theft gamers will certainly lap up this Wachowski Brothers' (Matrix trilogy) live action, fast paced, CGI heavy, campy movie based on the Japanese comic book "Speed Racer".

Speed Racer offers a fairly decent family entertainment though not exactly one of the best action / CGI movies to be released this year. The movie is also available in IMAX format in certain theaters.

The movie retains the comic book feel with pop art colors especially the color motifs of the racers costumes, Sixties' car deco and racing tracks. The movie places a surprisingly strong emphasis on the importance of family, and the moral of the film teaches that "cheaters never prosper". However, the movie contains a lot of martial arts violence and other fighting, skimpy outfits as well as some language.

This movie is about Speed (Emile Hirsch - Alpha Dog), a natural and fearless racer who wants to carry the family tradition and win the prized Crucible. Most of the action takes place within a computer animated world so you can expect much of the action to defy the laws of physics. The characterizations are pretty 2-dimensional so adults may not find this movie appealing. Even my 12 year boy didn't quite enjoy this movie.

Christina Ricci (Black Snake Moan) stars as Trixie, Matthew Fox (Lost) as Racer X, and Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking) and John Goodman (Evan Almighty) as Mom and Pops Racer.

The adrenaline pumping score was composed by Michael Giacchino.

Speed Racer is Suitable for Children

Speed Racer is rated PG for sequences of action, some violence, language, and brief smoking. The racing is too fantastic to be believed and no one gets hurt in car crashes as the drivers are encased in some kind of super elastic bubble before being ejected from their cars. Violence is kept to a minimum, though there is a scene of one person being bitten by a piranha off screen. Small kids may find this scene frightening. Profanity and children being disobedient to parents may be off putting to families with very young children. This is more so as impressionable young kids may attempt to emulate such bad behavior. Other than that, this so-so movie is suitable for children.

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