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FILMTALK with POPCORNX (Session 1 / Season 2)



I'll be introducing 4 films in this rekindling of FILMTALK (As I mentioned before), with Session 1 of Season 2 showcasing a quartet of preloved films I have on DVD, since made available for sale at Miku Market, for a ridiculously low price point too, I might add! The 4 films showcased today are:


The Hobbit: Unexpected Journey (2012)
Ninja Assassin
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Poseidon Adventure


WHERE: Miku Market @ 02-09, Queensway Shopping Centre, Singapore 149053.
WHEN: Open 12noon-6pm only on Saturdays & Sundays.





WHAT-IS: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) focuses on hobbit "Bilbo Baggins", who had been persuaded into accompanying the wizard Gandalf and a group of dwarves on a journey to reclaim the dwarfish city of Erebor and all its riches from the dragon Smaug.



The Hobbit trilogy is essentially a prequel to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The story is set in Middle-earth sixty years before the main events of The Lord of the Rings and portions of the film are adapted from the appendices to Tolkien's "The Return of the King".

Two sequels, The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies followed in 2013 and 2014, respectively.



MY IMPRESSIONS: With my interest in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I'd snatched up this DVD with the intention to continuing my enjoyment, but alas have yet to finish the movie. I had not watched this in the darkened cinema, and realized as I was watching the DVD, I probably would have either fell asleep, or kicked up a fuss about watching it.

Recognising and realising that my enjoyment of LOTR was neither of the Hobbits nor the Wizard, and am reminded that I need not "blindly follow" similar scenarios, and just enjoy what I already have had, to avoid further disappointment, which I understand might be wholly "unfair" as I had not had the chance to finish the movie in full, but ... even the exquisite art direction and design could not distract me, and that's saying a lot, at least for me personally LOL

Years later, I attempted to watch "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power". But alas the magic I had felt with the first LOTR trilogy was absolutely faded into the mists of expectations, alas alas alas...





WHAT-IS: "Ninja Assassin (2009) is a 2009 martial arts action film directed by James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta"), from a screenplay by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski. It stars Rain as a disillusioned assassin from a modern-day ninja clan, looking for retribution against his former mentor, played by Sho Kosugi. The cast also features Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, and Rick Yune. (Info via Wiki).



MY IMPRESSIONS: I had been attracted to this film via name association with producers The Wachowskis, and as well intrigued with Kpop performer RAIN front-and-center, and honestly that's about it.

I had not watched this in a darkened cinema, nor have I been able to finish watching the DVD. Look, I love a good "ninja-flick", and have consumed and enjoyed various Japanese live-action and themed anime thru the years, this had felt as cliched as I imagined it would be, as far as I had watched the film anyways... And I have to admit, my memories might confuse it with Storm Shadow's origins from G.I.Joe live-action films tho ... same same but different...







WHAT-IS: The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) stars Andrew Garfield as "Peter Parker / Spider-Man", with Emma Stone as "Gwen Stacy". This was the beginning of a reboot of the Spider-Man film series, and was directed by Marc Webb (who also directed 2014's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2", and back with a new Pier Parker in 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home").

In the film, teenager Peter Parker gains spider-like powers and fights crime as Spider-Man, attempting to balance heroics with his ordinary life. Essentially a repeat of what fans are familiar with.



MY IMPRESSIONS: I did not dislike Andrew Garfield's version of Peter Parker, but neither was I "enamoured" in any degree of joy. All the angst outweighed the emotions, and the overt action basically drowned out any semblance of "relatability", even though we ALL know this is a "super hero film", IMHO. It felt as if "Hollywood was trying to out-do and update a Spider-Man", but after actor Toby Maguire X director Sam Raimi's trilogy and humanity amidst the action, I did not really care for the direction this incarnation decided to take. I even compared this to my faded memories of that 70's live-action television FFS! LOL







WHAT-IS: The Poseidon Adventure (1972) is an American disaster film directed by the late Ronald Neame, based on Paul Gallico's 1969 novel of the same name. It has an ensemble cast including five Oscar winners: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters, and Red Buttons.

The plot centers on the fictional SS Poseidon, an aging luxury liner on its final voyage from New York City to Athens, before it is scrapped. On New Year's Day, it is overturned by a tsunami. Passengers and crew are trapped inside, and a preacher attempts to lead a small group of survivors to safety. (Info via Wiki)




I SAY: There's something alluring about "disaster films", featuring mass destruction and death, and in this case a look at 70's "movie magic" without the mass-CGI of later-day films from Roland Emmerich and the ilk (which I enjoy too, don't get it twisted, but), so it's definitely for the archives, methinks!





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