Hyena Road (Movie, 2016)

A decent war movie with a different point of view and well produced Canadian production. Canadian armed forces fighting evil in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. This is an advance base building a road... all they do is talk about a road.. Once again raises the question; We don't want to be here, they don't want us here... why the Hell are we here?

Brooklyn (Movie, 2015)

This is a beautifully made movie with Saoirse Ronan portraying a young Irish woman who leaves her beloved sister and mother behind in Ireland after being sponsored by the Church to move to America. Set in the early 1950's in Brooklyn, NY., this film is beautifully shot.

生花新風體：

Automata (Movie, 2014)

This futuristic (so-called) thriller didn't thrill at all. It looks like the city in Blade Runner after a planet wide disaster, which is what happened before plot starts. 

This movie was an interesting concept but not well executed. 

西洋花

The Little Prince (Movie, 2016)

Adapting the classic children's book written in 1943 BY Antoine De Saint Exupery. A wonderful classic little story. You have to still have the soul of a child to understand this story to get the point or moral of the story. 

Captain America: Civil War (Movie, 2016)

It's a unique action/thriller that calls itself a comic book movie. However, some characters don't seem fit. Zemo is a colossal disappointment all around, and the introduction of Spider-man seems awfully forced. I don't understand why Tony Stark would expect a kid (Spiderman) to fight Captain America and other superheroes. 

Many un-answered questions!

Still Alice (Movie, 2014)

For us struggling with the awful realities of having a parent with this disease, this movie surely is a tough watch. A fine cast brings these realities to life, but Julianne Moore is a particular standout. She is devastating and heartbreaking as Alice, the linguistics professor desperately trying to control her inevitable fate. Her beautiful performance wins her a Oscar Best Actress.

It is heavy and affecting!

盛花：

Pink Trumpet Tree at Arcadia Library

With my dear volunteer friends Justine Shen and Mei Ling Ouyang at the Library:

春天的腳步近了⋯⋯

12 Years a Slave (Movie, 2013)

This is not a light or "enjoyable" film. A very good film which has some buzz for an Academy Award. There are some excellent performances particularly by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender, both Academy Award worthy. However, Northrup's life in the North seems too idyllic to be true, living among whites without a hint of racism. 

The Help (Movie, 2011)

It is authentic in its telling of the relationship between white families, especially wealthy white families, and their "Help". This was before Civil Rights became a reality. Heartfelt, political-type drama based in 1950's South and the racism that existed. 

The Theory of Everything (Movie, 2014)

This was a beautiful movie and, as we all know, Redmayne's portrayal of the ALS ravaged Hawking was superb.  This biopic is focused primarily on the relationship between Hawking and his first wife. However, it tells us little about the actual ideas that made him so prominent in his field. 

Lone Survivor (Movie, 2013)

The title kind of gives away the ending of this harrowing true story, which is worth a look despite its tendency to exaggerate the heroics. Peter Berg's screen version of Marcus Luttrell's book is remarkably good at dramatizing the notorious 2005 Navy SEAL operation that went horrifically bad. One of the most dramatically lean and excruciating combat films ever made. 

Although it starts off slow, there's plenty of action when it comes time. This was a movie that made you feel you were right in the middle of the battle. A bit hard to watch at times.

水陸兩株生：

Rise of the Guardians (Movie, 2012)

Rise Of The Guardians is a film adaptation of the book series by William Joyce. It's an imaginary characters version of the Avengers with Santa, Easter Bunny, Sandman, & Tooth Fairy protecting the children of the world. 

Rise of the Guardians takes you on a whirlwind fantasy adventure to repel the attacks of the bogey man. We follow mischievous Jack Frost as he is recruited by the guardians comprised of Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the sandman. Jack takes us on a journey of discovery to find his center and the results are charming, heartwarming, and filled with wonder. 

Hacksaw Ridge (Movie, 2016)

This film is an impossibility by movie, production, & realistic standards. The true story of Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss should’ve never have happened. This is Andrew Garfield's performance of his career. This movie is unforgettable. Excellent acting, effects, portrayal, with a true story. It’s the greatest war film of the decade and one of the greatest war movies of all time.

Resident Evil: Retribution (Movie, 2012)

This was a very disappointing addition to the franchise! You didn't really know what was going on other than the zombies were trying to kill Alice. If the Red Queen is in charge of the Umbrella Corp, I thought she wanted everyone to die, not make mass quantities of clones.

Manchester by the Sea (Movie, 2016)

Casey Affleck's portrayal of Lee was brilliant and hands-down-Oscar-worthy. He plays a man who has left his hometown, but has to go back to take care of arrangements after his brother's unexpected death. 

The film is almost relentlessly sad and depressing with very few (but totally appropriate) reasons to smile. It's a heartbreaking beautiful film.

Moonlight (Movie, 2016)

It is a social commentary of life in the black community. There was like 1 "gay" scene and even that was very light. With location shooting in Miami, it is an accurate depiction of what life was and is still in certain neighborhoods. This is an unapologetic view of life for young men of color during these hard times, and the struggles they face on a daily basis.

This film was exceptional. Raw. Painful. Real. Filled with darkness and light. The cast of actors was superb. This poetic, coming-of-age story (set in 1980's Miami) with Trevante Rhodes plays Chiron, has fulfilled it's potential, for the most part. And Naomie Harris, so real and authentic in the devolution/ evolution of her character.