Lucy - 2014

Category: Movie

Genre:  Action / Sci-Fi / Thriller

Director: Luc Besson

Writer: Luc Besson

Producer: Canal +, Cine, EuropaCorp

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Min-Sik Choi, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind Tutt, Pilou Asbaek, Nicolas Phongpheth and more.

Tagline: She has the Power

A woman was supposed to do a very simple job. All Lucy needs to do was deliver a briefcase to a certain Mr. Jang. But almost immediately she was caught in a dark deal where she is captured and was being turned into a drug mule. But, then she turns the tables around and transforms into a warrior they've never seen before.

From it's trailer.. I deduced it to: "Ahhh not another limitless film". But, although the "drug" was similar ... this one's more scientific and intelligent. And it has a deep sense of perception when it comes to Time. I find it cool. Scarlett did a wonderful job portraying her character, from the hangover party-girlfriend of Richard, to a terrified blackmailed errand girl to becoming a hostage and a witness to barbaric and gruesome cold, calculated kills of that Asian Mafia ... to becoming Lucy - the one who is slowly colonizing her own brain... :) Perfect!

Bloody Monday - 2008

Category: TV Series

Genre: Action / Technological / Crime / Suspense

Broadcast network: TBS

Original writing (manga): Bloody Monday by Ryumon Ryo
  
Screenwriter: Makita Mitsuharu, Watanabe Yusuke

Producer: Makita Mitsuharu 

Director: Hirano Shunichi, Hatano Takafumi, Miyashita Kensaku


Theme song: Over the rain ~Hikari no Hashi~ 

Cast: Miura Haruma, Sato Takeru, Kawashima Umika, Fujii Mina, Tokunaga Eri, Hisano Masahiro, Tanaka Tetsushi, Matsushige Yutaka, Narimiya Hiroki, Kichise Michiko, TET, and more


A biological terrorist attack kills off the population of a Russian town; Japan's Special Third-i unit believes that the terrorist organization responsible plans to have the same virus known as Bloody X in Tokyo. THIRD-i then recruits, Takagi Fujimaru a genius, notorious hacker to find out what happened in Russia.


It's absolutely a good tv series. One that would keep you wanting to see more. Great storyline. Also this reminds me of Jack Bauer, only this time, it's not focused on Jack but on Fujimaro, a civilian, helping Third-I. It took me awhile to get the relation of "THIRD-i" and Third Eye. It's pretty much designed like CTU of 24.

I like how each episode made you want to check the next episode. And missing one might make you miss the ingenuity of the storyline. It has good character build-up. It gets nifty on Episode 3. It has a very good psychological warfare script.

This is as much about crime and suspense, but also about friendship and family. It's about courage, honor, pride, life.... love....

I like the lyrics of the song they have: (translated into english)

Though the cold rain drenches my forehead, flower petals fall like raindrops overlapping with you...
if that can be called "light"
the radiance doesn't fade, right?

no matter how it is contaminated.. i think it disappears.
not only this but also the sad memory does not vanish
holding back the tears
light that is more beautiful than anything esle, is gathering;
walking towards the clouds;
the rainbow forms after the rain...
trust only your dream and walk towards it...

Quotes from Bloody Monday:

"If you are given a talent... you are entrusted with a mission."

Photo Source: Anaherarika

Matrix - 1999

Category: Movie

Genre: Epic / Thriller / Sci-Fi

Director: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Writer: Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Producer: Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Gloria Foster, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, and more

Tagline: The Future isn't User Friendly

A computer hacker named Thomas A. Anderson and who goes by the name Neo(Keanu Reeves), learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.He has always questioned reality but then the truth is far beyond what he imagines.

Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker who was branded a terrorist by the government began to initiate contact with him and the FBI was suddenly after him. Morpheus begins to awakens Neo to the real world.... and there the journey begins...

This is probably my 3rd time to watch the film. And it's amazing how you can watch the Matrix from many different levels:

1.) as a guns and technological movie (or sci-fi)
2.) as something about a Messiah in a religious point of view.
3.) or a metaphor of how we all see through the veils of illusion

and many different levels one can see... but so far, that's how I saw it. It's pretty similar to our Workshop:Courage the concept of taking the red pill or the blue pill and there's no turning back. Every journey begins with a Question... and it's what started his Quest.

Classic. Epic. Everytime you watch it, something is always revealed that wasn't there before. Effects, acting... plot... ahhh everything is just so right.

If you haven't watched at least once... then you are missing out one of the best sci-fi films ever! :)

Photo Source: Freewebs

Source Code - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Sci-Fi / Thriller / Mystery

Director: Duncan Jones

Writer: Ben Ripley

Producer: Vendome Pictures, The Mark Gordon Company

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Arden, Cas Anvar, Russell Peters, Brent Skagford and more

Tagline: Make every second count


An action thriller about a soldier named Colter Stevens, a US Army helicopter pilot, who wakes up in the body of a man named Sean Fentress and then discovers he is part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Great unique storyline, even though the scenes were like cooped up in one scene in a train, it gives room for creativity for the makers because they have to come up with something new for each scene and make it interesting and unique despite it's "same-ness".  It keeps you on the edge, and it's like you are discovering something with Jake Gylenhaal in this film. Great acting, and the tandem of the Gyllenhaal and Monaghan here is fresh as well.

Great great great film. :)

I Robot - 2004

Category: Movie

Genre: Sci-Fi / Future

Director: Alex Proyas

Writer: Jeff Vintar and Akiva Goldsman, Isaac Asimov

Producer: Twentieth Century Fox, Mediastream Vierte Film, Davis Entertainment, Laurence Mark Productions, Overbrook Entertainment, Canlaws Productions

Tagline: Laws are made to be broken.


Cast: Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Shia Labeouf, Alan Tudyk, James Cromwell, Bruce Greenwood, Adrian Richard, Chi Mcbride, Jerry Wasserman, Fiona Hogan, Peter Shinkoda, David Haysom, Scott Heindi, Sharon Wilkins, Craig March and more.



This movie is set on year 2035, wherein robots are everyday objects and are programmed to live alongside humans. Detective Del Spooner (a Chicago technophobic cop) is being called out to investigate the apparent suicide of the scientist behind U.S. Robotics, Dr. Alfred Lanning.


It was my Nth time to watch this movie, but I never got around to review this one. I own a copy of this movie and its a wonderful movie about purpose. I like the acting of Will Smith here (funny and charming). And of course fell in love with the robot Sonnie. :)

I like the message of the story actually. Not just about laws being broken (regarding the 3 laws of robotics invented by Isaac Asimov), but about having a purpose. It's a great mix of a Hollywood movie with action and philosophy. Pretty much like The Matrix but also different.....

I really like the twist of the movie. And the part where you have to guess whether Sonny was a good guy or not....


Quotes I Like:

Del Spooner: Human beings have dreams. Even dogs have dreams, but not you, you are just a machine. An imitation of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a... canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?
Sonny: Can you?

Sonny: What does this action signify? [winks]
Sonny: As you walked in the room, when you looked at the other human. What does it mean?
[winks]
Detective Del Spooner: It's a sign of trust. It's a human thing. You wouldn't understand.

Detective Del Spooner: I thought you were dead.
Sonny: Technically I was never alive, but I appreciate your concern.

Sonny: What about the others? Now that I've fulfilled my purpose, I don't know what to do.
Detective Del Spooner: I think you'll have to find your way like the rest of us, Sonny. That's what Dr. Lanning would've wanted. That's what it means to be free.

Echelon Conspiracy - 2009

Category: Movie

Genre: Mystery / Information Technology

Director: Greg Marcks

Writer: Michael Nitsberg, Kevin Elders

Tagline: Security comes at a price...

Cast: Shane West, Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Pryce, Tamara Feldman, Yuriy Kutsenko Surgey Gubanov, Martin Sheen, Ilan Goodman, Todd Jensen, Steven Elder, Sandra De Sousa.

Overview and Review of Echelon Conspiracy Directed by Greg Marcks.

Max Peterson(Shane West) is a techno-computer engineer who travels around the globe to install security systems on mainframe computers. In Bangkok, Thailand on one of his jobs he receives an anonymous gift: a state of the art mobie phone which sends messages that gives him insider trader information.

Max soon finds himself pursed by hit men, the casino's security chief, and an FBI operative. Who is sending Max messages? Previous recipients of similar windfalls have all winded up dead. After a couple of close scrapes, Max realizes he's in danger, so he tries to find out the root of the conspiracy - which seems to have access to every security camera in the world - before he's the next victim.

I enjoy conspiracy theories but I think this pretty much looks like a rip off of "Eagle Eye" and "I-Robot". This is my first time to see "Shane West" after the "A Walk to Remember" movie. He played the part well. This movie is not exactly that good "story wise" but well, it is entertaining alright.

If you like technology coupled with spies and conspiracy theories this is one movie you can watch. :)