Fast Five - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Crime / Action

Director: Justin Lin

Writer: Chris Morgan, Gary Scott Thompson

Producer:  Universal Pictures, Original Film, One Race Productions

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Matt Schulze, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Joaquim de Almeda and more


Dominic (Vin Diesel) partners with Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and the rest of the elite team of top racers. They find themselves on the wrong side of the law once again as they try to switch lanes between a ruthless drug lord and a relentless federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson).

Too much muscle!!!! Vin and The Rock??? At the beginning it was kind of.... a wrinkle in the nose... however I enjoyed the ending and the end scene. It wanted to surprise you.. but was predictable in their surprises though.

Im sure the fans of the F&F films will enjoy this because it collated all the stars from part 1 to 4. :) A lot of eye popping action can be seen all through out but don't expect that much from the story which can be a mix of other movies tis and tat. :) 

Tangled - 2010

Category: Animation

Genre: Comedy / Family

Director: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard

Writer: Jacob Grimm, Wilhem Grimm

Producer: Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Cast: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Periman, M.C. Gainey, Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul Tompkins, Richard Kiel and more

Tagline: They're taking adventure to new lengths.

The beautiful magically 70 feet long haired "Princess" Rapunzel spent her whole life in a tower and she is very curious of the outside world. specially aout the floating lights which happens once a year during her birthday. She feels the connection and dreams to see it up close and personal one day. She was taken captive by Gothel whom she thinks of as her mother and she loves her dearly and innocently and she believes that Gothel is only after her best interest. One day she decided to go out and explore while Gothel was away and stumbled upon a runaway thief and off to set in a world filled with places waiting to be discovered...

A remake of the famous Rapunzel.  I like the lanterns, floating lights. It's a fantabulous thing. I enjoyed the whole film. Specially the musical scores. There are lots of fun, silly moments with Rapunzel as she discovers things that are new for her. Its a wonderful film for the family and a great mix for both boys and girls to enjoy. :)

 FUnny Quotes:

Rapunzel: So mother, earlier I was saying tomorrow is a really big day, and you didn't really respond, so I'm just gonna tell you: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! Tada!
Mother Gothel: No no no, can't be. I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year.
Rapunzel: That's the funny thing about birthdays, they're kind of an annual thing.

Rapunzel: [Sung] I could go running/ and racing/ and dancing/ and chasing/ and leaping/ and bounding/ hair flying/ heart pounding/ and splashing/ and reeling/ and finally feeling/ now's when my life begins!


Quotes I Like:

Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
Flynn Rider: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.

 Rapunzel: [singing] Flower gleam and glow. Let your powers shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine, What once was mine...

 

Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure

Director: Rob Marshall

Writer: Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio

Producer:  Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Moving Picture Company

Cast: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Kevin McNally, Sam Claflin, Astrid Berges Frisbey, Stephen Graham, Keith Richards, Richard Griffiths, and more

Tagline:

Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) and Barbossa embarks on a journey to find the "fountain of youth", and crosses paths with a woman from his past Angelica (Cruz), and not sure if he is really in love or whether she's just being her usual self a con artist who is just using him to find the "Fountain of Youth". He then finds out that she is the daughter of the Legendary and formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane) and finds himself in an unexpected adventure.

The goofy pirate we have all come to love returns on this mystical adventure...  I like the presence of the mystical creatures... mermaids..... Hehe. They are dangerously sexy... .This was also a momentous time in my life as this was my first time to watch a movie "alone" in a cinema. Haha. One of my LEAP action plans. :)

I love the chemistry of the actors.... and the funny antics of Sparrow... it was never boring... it was either humorous or just action packed.

Its not the best of the Pirates of the Caribbean series though. I still like the 3rd installment better. Haha. ;)

FUNNY LINES

Jack Sparrow: You lied to me by telling me the truth?
Angelica: Yes.
Jack Sparrow: Thats good! May I use that?

 Captain Teague: I heard where you're headed. The Fountain.
 Jack Sparrow: Have you been there?
 Captain Teague: Does this face looks like it's been to the Fountain of Youth?
 Jack Sparrow: ...Depends on the light.

Angelica: [Jack turns to leave] Wait! I'm with child... it's yours. 
Jack Sparrow: I don't remember...
Angelica: You were drunk.
Jack Sparrow: I don't think I've ever been that drunk.

Sleepers - Lorenzo Carcaterra

Category: Book

Genre: Non-Fiction

Author: Lorenzo Carcaterra

Overview and Review of Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra a true story.

*It has a movie already.

The true West Side Story.

Sleeper

1. Out of town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed.
2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period loonger than nine months in a state managed facility.

Hell's Kitchen is a place where everyone knows everything about everybody and everybody could be counted on. This is the West Side streets of Manhattan, where secrets lived and died on it. An area pretty much populated by a blend of Irish, Puerto Rican, Italian, and Easter European laborers.

John (The Count), Tommy (Butter), Michael (Spots), and Shakes (Lorenzo). Four boys inseparable, content and happy to live within the closed world of Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan. Having friends were important as neighborhood loyalty in Hell's Kitchen. They gave them an identity and a group one could trust that extended the bonds of family.

These four friends finds solace with each other's company since they can't find it in their own homes where their mothers are beaten and some of their fathers are out romancing other women. These four boys shared a common interest, like reading books, watching movies, listening to music, collecting classic illustrated comics and baseball cards, listening to Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin, Franki Valli and the Four Seasons on portable radios and playing pranks.

One prank would change their lives forever. One prank that would cost a man's dream to fade and a man to never walk again. One prank that could send them to a facility with multiple horrors to endure and one they would never forget. A mistake that would give them a heavy consequence.

It's a great "true-to-life" book. One that you could never put down and one that would make you read and read until the end. A story one could not forget and a horror you couldn't quite fathom if you live seeing the world in rose-colored glasses. One autobiography that never fails to put you in the edge, to bring tears in your eyes and make you laugh every once in awhile. It's amazing how he builds up the story up until the end. You would actually envy the way he depicted their childhood friendships. The bond they had when they were still young. I like the way he describes things. Everything seemed so important and so you want to read every line.

The Last Family - John Ramsey Miller

Category: Books

Genre: Thriller

Author: John Ramsey Miller

Overview and Review of The Last Family by John Ramsey Miller.

Martin Fletcher may be your worst nightmare. You may wish you never knew him. He is insanely clever and he is back for revenge. He wants to eat your heart out by going after your family.

Paul Masterson hibernated to a mountain in Montana six years ago when an ambush left him half-blind and mutilated (almost). HIs self-esteem went back to zero, he left his family and punished himself by being alone and tormented.

In 3-4 years the families of his 3(three) friends (Rainey, Joe and Thorne) died on separate accounts either by accident so no one would suspect. And Paul's family is the last target. Rainey's family was the last to be annihilated (sounds so holocaust-y right?) and Martin left his mark on Rainey's wife.

Well-written. High family drama and an intense thriller rolled into one. You would almost suspect everyone in the book like what I did with Reid and Woody. A sudden turnabout would surprise you in the near end, one you wouldn't really expect and did not see coming. Although, I was quite disappointed with the ending because it did not say much about Paul and Laura's relationship. Left it hanging.

Angel in Black - Max Allan Collins

Category: Books

Genre: Murder Mystery

Author: Max Allan Collins


Overview and Review of the book Angel In Black by Max Allan Collins.


This is a Nate Heller case, a work of fiction by Max Allan Collins. Although, this book was based on facts and most characters are real but the real reason for the murder still remains a mystery.

This is about the infamous "Black Dahlia" case. A beautiful young girl named Elizabeth Short that ended up getting cut in half at a vacant parking lot. They called her the Black Dahlia. Nathan Heller with Fowley a reporter were the ones to be the first to arrive at the parking lot where Elizabeth Short ended up dead. It was a coincidence that Nate Heller knew her as well personally, but revealing their relationship might just end up of him being a suspect.

Basically, I really find it repulsive they way the girl was killed and all because it was detailed.... but I really like the twist and turns of the book... although the characters in the story specially the "mob tree" was quite confusing. Lots of names and all that.

All in all it was pretty intriguing... just gory.

Red Headed League - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Category: Books

Genre: Detective

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Overview and Review of the Red Headed League from the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I have read this story twice already, once when I was still 14 and then this time.

This is a story which Sherlock Holmes' finds unique.

It started when a man of a fiery red hair consulted about a peculiar league called the "Red Headed League". At that time, Watson came to visit and he was asked by Holmes to stay and be with him on the case. Holmes was pretty much intrigued about the story of the fiery red-headed man who was a pawnbroker.

A nice, short peculiar story... and a very "witty" strategy from the antagonist's side.

Sign of Four - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Category: Books

Genre: Detective

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle


This was the second novel done by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that features Sherlock Holmes. A story about the stolen Agra treasure and the pact done by four ex-convicts.

The case started when Miss Morstan approached Doyle and asked for assistance about the pearls she's been receiving for years after her father's death. This mystery, leads to a murder and Holmes is once again on the scent of finding the culprit.

Critics say it is somewhat similar to Doyle's first novel A Study in Scarlet.

Here, Sherlock goes undercover and even fooled his friend Dr. Watson who was on the case as well, and Mr. Jones the chief assigned to their case.

Also, in this novel would be Dr. Watson finding his love and an upcoming marriage in the end.

Stone 588 - Gerald A. Browne

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Stone 588 by Gerald A. Browne

Category: Books Genre: Suspense Author: Gerald A. Browne

The story is about a flawed gemstone that was given to Philip Springer's father who was a diamond dealer, founder of Springer & Springer from the System. The System - the one that controls the flow of diamond. This stone is too flawed to be of interest from diamond dealers and was not considered as a diamond.

To Springer's family this stone has always been a "reminder stone", his father's reminder stone and that was that. Until, they discovered it can heal. Suddenly, everyone wanted to have the Stone for themselves as well.

It drove people to steal, be obsessed about its wonders and greed, passion and revenge and even murder others because of this.

This book is no ordinary thriller, it has a unique plot all in it's own. Dazzling. Sizzling with revenge and betrayal. Full of all-the-glitz and shimmers.

Mr. Browne has a nice way of bringing his readers into the world of diamond trading. Nice thriller, fills you up with suspense and would make you want to finish it right away.