PARANOIA

PARANIOA is rather a middling techno-thriller with in different performances and a shortage of thrills. It is cliched and unoriginal and something that we have all seen before. In this high-stakes thriller about a regular guy Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) trying to get ahead in his entry-level job in a company that everyone would love to work in - the Wyatt Corporation. His boss Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman) forces him to spy on corporate rival which is Wyatt's old mentor Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford) and soon finds himself occupying the corner office and living the life of his dreams and of course behind him with a conspiracy. There are a lot of high technology gadgets especially those smartphones that tempted many users users but coming back to the movie relations, it left only many dumb plots.When a dirty jobs didn't get done right, it was only leaving to it sloppy and slack to inspire tension. Hence, a little credit still worth given to both veteran actors Ford and Oldman for their involved character as well as Hemsworth bare chested scenes. Girls, won't you please stop screaming......

Rating : 2.5/5

Sadako 2 貞子2 鬼胎輪迴

It was a joke, this ain't any horror films and with one of the least suspense with out-dated style in a horror movie making. The entire movie were badly edited with neither here or there for not connecting much with the linkage of the plots. In fact, this was the scariest part of the movie, It was the disaster. Was it spooky? No, it was one of the worst Japanese horror film ever made. Indeed the story was the killer and totally uninteresting. Where is our most anticipated Sadako that scared the hell of out our "seats"? Has she been reincarnated into something else being being so kind and backed in buried in her all time favorite well? It totally ruined our most anticipated image of our beloved Sadako. The acting was another most disguise wonders, we can't really stand those horrible screaming for sake of doing so.The only compliment to be credited for this film was the art visual and the production set and hence the beauty of the set may have just diminished the frightening part of the movie. Sorry, this movie is 100% not our cup of tea.

Rating : 1.5/5

Wong Kar-Wai @ 聲光回憶 Movie Soundtrack 24-bit 100kHz Mastering

This made in Japan 24-bit 100 kHz Mastering of Wong Kar-Wai's previous movie soundtracks is truly an album for anyone to collect and play at any occasion for R&R. This mastering of sounds will let you linger with many fond memories from Wong's movies made by bringing back those sounds and sight with affectionate atmospheric. There are many irresistible tracks like the <Jungle Drums>, <Maria Elena> by Xavier Cugat from <Days of Being Wild>. Our all time favorite are both of the <Siboney> tracks by Connie Francis as well as Xavier Cugat's version from the acclaimed movie <2046>. Not forgetting the unbeatable classic <California Dreaming> from the most original The Mamas & The Papas and <Dreams> by The Cranberries, both from the movie <Chungking Express>. The K2 HD Mastering is an epoch-making mastering technology which can pack the original attractive sound quality of master sources in each media with the information of rather wide frequency range up to 100kHz and high resolution of 24bit based upon K2 High Definition coding technology. With such high quality of sound and music production for a great listening pleasure. You can't ask for more especially when your mood is just right! 

Rating : 4.5/5

Sergio Mendez @ Rendez-vous

Brazilian pop legend Sergio Mendez produced an album <Rendez-vous> featuring various artists around mainly Japanese or Japanese-Portuguese (with the exceptional of Lisa Ono) like GILLE, Yoshie Nakano (EGO-WRAPPIN'), Sumire, BENI, Miyuki Hatakeyama, Julia Oki, MINMI, Rimi Natsukawa, Karen Mok and Marcia. Fans of Jazz and Bosanova may only know the names of the above, and perhaps Karen Mok was the only familiar name on this album especially for Asia fans. But, that doesn't mean her <Killing Me Softly With His Song> was listenable, in fact, this version really killing us softly with this song with her shaky and feeble voice. Please don't tell us this was the homage to Latoya Jackson, this would be the end of it.Unfortunately, <Rendez-vous> is dull and flat, it is a less stellar production with merely a repetition on what we have heard before. There is nothing that catching any attention and you will not remember much of the tracks after the entire album played. Mendez shall work harder in the future by picking his collaboration by giving more sparks and soul in his production.

Rating : 2.5/5

Herbert Von Karajan 101

Herbert von Karajan is one of the greatest conductors of the 20^th century, who was responsible for discovering some great talent in his day, such as a very young violinist, Anne-Sophie Mutter, who rose to become a star under his tutelage and remains so to this day. Hence, the latest compilation of <Herbert von Karajan 101> not all of his interpretations are to our liking, but he was in his prime before such questions of early music interpretation really came to the fore. Perhaps his Mozart is a little too old school full on for some, but it was a product of the time and when it is being played by two of the greatest orchestras in their prime then just enjoy the sound for what it was. The set covers mainstream orchestral to ballet music and once again, there is something for everyone. We particularly like his version of Holst’s “The Planets” and his Strauss is impeccable, given that some of his greatest performances were in the Strauss operas and J. Strauss operettas with some of the greatest singers of the 20^th century, so you will have some great moments with everything on offer in this set. For those loving the sumptuous sounds of such great orchestras under such a star conductor worth for the collection.

Rating : 3/5

Children's Classics 101

DECCA released a whole new series of classic recordings under the 101 series, with each boxed set containing 6 CD’s. The release of the Children’s Classics has all your favourites, from Britten’s “The Young Peron’s Guide to the Orchestra”, to Ravel’s “Mother Goose” to Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”. This set has something for everyone and may surprise you with a few tunes that you might not know that well but are simply delightful, such as Bizet’s “Jeux d’enfants”. There is a huge variety of music to sample in this set. Our favourite is the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, takes you back to the 1938 Walt Disney animated cartoon of this story with Mickey Mouse. Every item is played by great orchestras, lead  by world renown conductors and you even have the great English actor Sir Ralph Richardson narrating “Peter and the Wolf”. You couldn't ask for a greater cast of talented artists to hear such beautiful music created for children and to build a better parenthood. A must buy set!

Rating : 4/5