great movies to end 2009, or to start 2010

*NOT in ranking order

Princess & the Frog

Not only that Disney has not been making 2D cartoons for a long long time, it came back with a good piece!

The plot hasn't astray much from the original one yet it includes more interesting elements, such as the jazz trumpet alligator-player. The prince is not all that good and nice, but still charming in a way. Those are some nice bits. It also makes me very much want to visit New Orleans!

I may be bias as I'm always a big fan of cartoons, but in case you just want to relax your mind in the cinema, this is definitely THE choice!

Bodyguards and the Assassins 十月围城

I'm always impressed by storyline like this, it catches me, just like Zhang Yi-mou's Hero. It may not tell the history, but i think its okay... after all, its a film, not a documentary. I'm not sure how much it sticks to the historical event but the story moves me.

Personally, I really like the lead, 王学圻, who acts as the needle & thread that sews the whole cloth. His acting is very persuasive. And this time around, I see Donnie Yen acting, not only fighting, he improves a lot.

I also like the music & the music effect of this film.

Other than that, for the casts, for the violent scenes that usually entertain most of the audience, it definitely worth a ticket for the price of RM 12.

Avatar (3D)

James Cameron really made it!

The plot is lame but the outcome of the effort for the CG is awesome. It doesn't matter how long it took, as long as the film is produced.

It takes you from the start till the end, giving you the details. Though you can easily guess the flow, you still hold on to enjoy the details that it offers. Its full of imagination.

2 and a half hour for Malaysia but i heard its 3 hours full. DVD version is the choice. Definitely rated as one of the decade's classic.

Sherlock Holmes

Funny. Witty. Handsome.

The lines are funny. The ideas are witty. Jude Law & Robert Downey Jr. are handsome!

Its not the new wave type of movie, not very much of originality in a lot of aspects, but... definitely entertaining. Its good to watch as a whole!

Thirst 박쥐

From the director of Old Boy, Park Chan-wook scores another nice piece! (The feeling is similar to watching Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds.)

I love the plot a lot as its really out of the box. Something literature but not very much. Plus some personal philosophies underlying. Own crap but nicely packaged to sell! At least, I bought!

Definitely not another vampire movie.

Muallaf

Finally, I watched it. Its been soooooooo long.
And of course, I like it, very much.

For almost half of the show, tears running down from my cheeks, incontrollably... The lines completed the story. Touching might be a rather lame word, but thats exactly how I feel.

Its so Yasmin; the way she tells story through her eyes via her films.
Its so simple yet meaningful.
Its so humble yet 'big'.

Its Love & Acceptance, the greatest to achieve.
How else can I tell or write to make you step into the cinema and watch it before its too late? Alright, not being exaggerating, but definitely a very good movie to start your 2010 with.