Jurassic World (2015): a neverending franchise, huh?

Trailer



Plot:
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, a new theme park, Jurassic World, now operates on Isla Nublar, off the Pacific coast of Central America. The new park is run by the Masrani Global Corporation, which also owns InGen, the genetics company that creates the dinosaurs.

Brothers Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray Mitchell (Ty Simpkins) visit Jurassic World to see their aunt Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), the park's operations manager. Claire, a busy workaholic, assigns her assistant to be the boys' guide.

Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) has been training the park's four Velociraptors. InGen security chief Vic Hoskins (Vincent D'Onofrio) believes the raptors are trainable for military use, despite Owen's objections. Park owner Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) has Owen evaluate the park's new hybrid dinosaur, "Indominus‍ Rex", before the attraction opens. Owen warns Claire that the Indominus, raised in isolation, is potentially dangerous because it is not socialized to other animals. When the Indominus has seemingly escaped its paddock, Owen and two staff enter the enclosure. The Indominus, having camouflaged itself and masked its heat signature, ambushes them, devouring the two staff before escaping into the island's interior. Owen orders the Indominus to be executed, but Masrani sends the Asset Containment Unit to capture the dinosaur. When most of the ACU team are killed, Claire orders the island's northern sector evacuated.

Zach and Gray, exploring in a gyrosphere ride, enter a restricted area where the Indominus attacks and destroys their sphere. The boys escape and come upon the ruins of the original Jurassic Park Visitor Center.

After repairing an old Jeep, they drive back to the park resort. Claire and Owen, who are searching for the boys, barely escape the Indominus themselves.

Masrani and two troopers hunt the Indominus by helicopter, but when the Indominus smashes into the park's aviary to escape gunfire, it releases pterosaurs that collide with the helicopter, causing it to crash. Gray and Zach find Owen and Claire at the resort as armed troopers shoot down the pterosaurs with tranquilizers.

Assuming command, Hoskins orders that the raptors be used to track the Indominus; Owen is forced to accept Hoskins' plan and lead the raptors. However, when they reach the Indominus, the dinosaurs begin communicating with one another. Owen realizes that the Indominus was created with raptor DNA; it becomes the raptor pack's new alpha. Hoskins, meanwhile, has Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong) helicoptered off-site with dinosaur embryos, protecting his research. Owen, Claire, and the boys find Hoskins at the lab packing up more embryos, but a raptor breaks in and kills him.

Owen reestablishes his bond with the three surviving raptors before the Indominus reappears. Two raptors are killed attacking it. Claire has the park's veteran Tyrannosaurus rex released from its paddock and lures it into a battle with the Indominus. The T. rex is overpowered, but before the Indominus can kill it, the lone surviving raptor joins in on the attack. The raptor and T. rex force the overwhelmed Indominus towards a lagoon, where it is dragged underwater by the park's resident Mosasaurus.

Isla Nublar is abandoned, while the survivors are evacuated to the mainland. Zach and Gray are reunited with their parents, while Owen and Claire decide to stay together, possibly for another sequel.



Review:
the pairing of CP and BDH as lovebirds to me is so awkward and so much lacking the sizzle. i mean, as a stand alone hardworking career-driven Claire, BDH is ok. but as a romantic interest to macho CP, not so much.

the storyline is ok, though i find it very unacceptable at certain scenes. for example, how does T-Rex can so meekly accept orders from Claire without devouring her first. also, how does Mosasaurus take the cue to grab Indominus from the lake? isn't it supposed to be safe for people to be there as well without risking their head from being grabbed by the lake humongous resident?

besides, how does Gray know how to fix the jeep? so talented meyh.. their venture to the restricted area is so downright stupid, and readers, please observe the off-signs ya should you ever want to visit such places as this Jurassic World.

the fight between the raptors and the Indominus was quite incredulous to me. the way the raptors changed alliance moments after attacking their previous Alpha Male that is Owen.. moreover, how does the last one know that they have changed alliances and charge on to attack Indominus? it was miles away when the rest changed their minds..

hmmm.. for a non Jurassic Park fan like me, it was an ok movie.  maybe another leading actress with enough chemistry with CP would have been better.

sorry, lukewarm chemistry here.

  

New York, I love You! : aimless amble that gets you nowhere

the Poster:

the Trailer:

the Plot:

New York, I Love You tells of  11 segments, starting with Ben (Hayden Christensen), a pickpocket who finally meets his match in Garry (Andy Garcia) who is in relationship with Molly (Rachel Bilson). 

Ben is scouting for his victim

Molly is waiting for Garry at the bar

Garry confronted Ben who picked his pocket earlier

Molly drops by to see Ben

They leave the place together

 

then it proceeds to the story of Rifka (Natalie Portman), an Orthodox Jewish bride to be married in a wedding ceremony steeped in Jewish tradition negotiating for a diamond sale with Mansukhbai (Irrfan Khan), an Indian jeweler of Jain faith with 2 kids, jilted by his wife who left for India to be a saint. 

 

Over the course of a few minutes, the densely packed script covers language, dietary restrictions, religion, love; all of it delivered with a narrative punch. and Mansukhbai was later portrayed to wistfully daydream that he is the groom Rifka is marrying.

Rifka with her REAL groom

Next, is about a sleep-deprived composer, David Cooler (Orlando Bloom), carrying on a phone flirtation with his director's unseen assistant, Camille (Christina Ricci). after David threatened to quit his job, only Camille appeared at his apartment to help him understand the book assignment related to his current piece.

a composer struggling to finish his assignments

David struggles to finish the book

Camille finally shows up. David teases that now they are getting married.

Then the dangerous push-pull of flashfire attraction of Lydia (Drea de Matteo) and Gus (Bradley Cooper) who struggle with the after effects of their blazingly intense one-night stand.

Lydia berates herself for fantasizing about the one night stand

they met again as Gus about to enter a taxi

no need to guess of how the night shall end

in the end, they met in front of a bar as Gus stopped a taxi. they then proceed to make out in the taxi, perhaps to spend another night together.

there is also an Upper East Side Hotel ghost story featuring Jacob (Shia LaBeouf) as a hunchbacked bellhop interacting with Isabelle (Julie Christie), a faded opera star which put a damper on the latter's wish to kill herself.

Jacob surprises Isabelle with violets

they share a drink together

we were then showed that the hunchbacked bellhop is a ghost that died falling from the open window.

Jacob lying on the pavement, dead

 

and the real bellhop (John Hurt) mentioned that the violet is from the hotel management who still remembers her preference.

this movie also includes a comic prom-night ode to teen hormones and Central Park. Mr Riccoli (James Caan), a pharmacist in full grump offers his wheelchair-bound daughter (April Bowlby) to accompany his customer (Anton Yelchin) to a senior prom night after he got jilted by his girlfriend, Gabrielle (Blake Lively).

sporting father Mr Riccoli is.

they stumbled upon Gabrielle with her more matured escort

having a good time

they spend the night at the Central Park

rushing her home the morning after

things do happen beyond our expectation, non?

what happened that night and the morning after really puts a smile on the boy's face.

then there was a writer (Ethan Hawke) as a fast talker trying to pick up Janice (Maggie Q) through sharing sexual innuendos and whatnots, which comes off as an extended joke with a predictable punchline. 

they shared a lighter

sexual innuendos dripping here and there

he tried to convince her to follow him back to his place

However she tells him that she's a hooker and men who wants to sleep with her have to pay. the scene by the street in front of a restaurant was later reenacted by a couple of strangers at first it seems. Alex (Chris Cooper) and Anna (Robin Wright Penn) talked by the street, with Anna seducing Alex before entering the restaurant.

Anna flirts with Alex

a married couple rupanya

 it is later revealed that Alex was her estranged husband whom she refers to in their by street conversation. and the night ends with them talking with ease and much intimacy, perhaps due to the initial conversation as strangers.

we then are treated to the story where a Chinese herbalist (Shu Qi) becomes the object of fantasy for an alcoholic Painter (Uğur Yücel). 

the Painter is obsessed with the painting

he follows her around

He pursued her and asked her to come visit his place for a painting session. later, as she went to his apartment, it was later found out that the Painter has died, leaving sketches of her face sans her eyes.

Dante (Carlos Acosta) is a Cuban dancer taking care of a little blond Caucasian girl, Teya (Taylor Geare). 

Dante's love for Teya is apparent

heading home to meet Teya's mom

His affections for her impressed the onlooking mothers who mistaken him for a manny though the girl is in fact his daughter, out on their time together. he then returns Teya to Maggie (Jacinda Barrett) who reprimands him for being too soft on Teya. 

then there were scenes of Sarah (Eva Amurri) who berates her boyfriend, Justin (Justin Bartha) for not taking her on a trip. 

:laments: :laments:

impulsively he took her to the american airline agent and booked a trip to Rome, promising to buy her a toothbrush when they got there.

Abe (Eli Wallach) and  Mitzie (Cloris Leachman) as a married old couple took a jaunt in the city, constantly poking at each other with sarcastic comments. it was revealed that it was their 63rd anniversary and as they leave the pier, their affections for each other is more apparent.

the loving couple, despite the constant bickering

itn the end, it was made known that the 11 segments were connected by the snapshots taken by a videographer, Zoe (Emilie Ohana). 

Zoe is filming random people around New York

the moment she met Gus

spending time with the Chinese herbalist

the Review:

this movie frustrates me much with its slow pace and incomprehensible plots. i have to rewatch and pay attention to the dialogue just not to miss the point. should i watch this in the cinema hall, i would have fallen asleep or worst, ended up frustrated.

however, there are segments of this movie that i like. the one with Natalie Portman and Irrfan Khan, Anton with April and last but not least, the old couple. sweet sangat :)

the scenes in this movie is a bit dry. and you kinda lost your objectivity in its quest to be artistic. as i said, it's an aimless amble around New York, showcasing the places of interest which are very nice to look at.