World War Z (2013)

I loved the world created by Max Brooks' novel, 'War World Z'. It told the oral history of what came to be known as the zombie war. The collection of personal accounts of survivors were haunting and memorable. The film version was not quite what I imagined. I felt this movie had the potential to be so much more considering its kick ass source material.
Brad Pitt plays Gerry, a former UN investigator who is called back to duty when the world is faced with the zombie chaos. Gerry accompanies a scientist in search for patient zero in order to better understand the disease and find a way to stop it from destroying humanity. The journey is filled with action and drama. And yes, a lot of zombies. This film takes on a very fast pace. Once the zombies start coming, it just takes off. I was more interested in seeing the build up to the origin of how the zombie disease began and how things got out of hand. Instead what I saw was a sprint to find a cure. It was disappointing. I got to say, 'World War Z' has one of the most aggressive zombies I've ever seen. They are very angry group of zombies. Anger issues.
This movie isn't terrible, but it won't blow you away either. I'd take 'Shaun of the Dead' any day in a zombie movie battle. It's an enjoyable average zombie flick filled with enough action, drama, and zombie chase scenes to keep you interested.  



IMDB- 7.4/10
Metascore- 62/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 67% Audience- 86%
Yong's rating- 3/5 stars.

Life of Pi (2012)

Ang Lee's adaptation of Yann Martel's novel, 'Life of Pi' brings the magic of the novel onto the screen. Of course, no movie can capture the full details and the experience you get from reading a novel. But, 'Life of Pi' manages to showcase the highlights of the novel with masterful storytelling and stunning special effects.
The remarkable story of a young man's survival out on a ocean is the backdrop to a deeper storyline.   As you learn about Pi's journey from childhood to his grueling days out on the sea, you learn about one's curiosity for the truth. The search for what makes life, life. Even when one's faith is tested to its limits you find out that you always have a choice to believe and put your faith in what you hold to be true.
This film is just visually beautiful and while it may seem slow at time, I think most of you will enjoy the journey.

IMDB-8.1/10
Metascore- 79/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 88% Audience- 87%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

'Star Trek: Into Darkness' continues where the first reboot of the franchise left off. When a series of terrorist attacks threaten the universe, the Enterprise and its crew goes in search for the terrorist. When the crew finally catches up to the terrorist, they find much more than they bargained for. The cast share excellent chemistry and really seem to work well together.
Yes, this movie has all the action and drama that a good summer blockbuster has. I found it very enjoyable even if the story line wasn't the greatest. I liked the first film much better, but this one's well worth a look for a fun time at the movies.

IMDB- 8.2/10
Metascore- 72/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-87%, Audience- 92%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 stars