Book Review - The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Written by J.K Rowling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, a detective story about the murder of a famous superstar.

Lula Landry, is a famous superstar who was murdered by someone who pushed her from the balcony of her apartment. It was John, Lula's brother who did not pleased with the result of the police investigation and decided to hired a private detective to investigate the murder.

Lula's apartment is one of the exclusive apartment in London, the murder scene has no witness other than a drug addict who listens from below the apartment. The police couldn't find any evidence inside the apartment, only a video of a man wearing hoodie who run across the street. So, they decided it was a suicide, Lula got crazy and throw herself out from her balcony in a snowy night.

The private investigator is Cormoran Strike, a crippled man, who just broke up with his girl friend. Strike was an ex Investigator in the Army so he knows how to collect the pieces and put the puzzle in the plate. Helped by his beautiful secretary Robin, they worked together solve the murder.

The story was a group of puzzles, the writer placed the puzzle carefully here and there, slight hints with minor details. Your mind will wander and guessing all through the story. It was a good story, but sometimes I feel the story is dragging sometimes. Maybe this is J.K Rowling style, since this is her first book I read.

I wonder how it will be if it was filmed, since I have watched casual vacancy, and just going to read the book. The movie will be much interesting I suppose, since the story was told in London, I am longing to see the beautiful view of London and also what Cormoran Strike will look like with his crippled feet.

Review - Closer

A 2004 movie, cast by Julia Roberts as Anna, Natalie Portman as Alice/Jane, Clive Owen as Larry and Jude Law as Dan. 

The image on the left is one of the best scene in the movie. I have to give credit to the beautiful faces of Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman, they look amazingly beautiful in this movie. I have been watching their movies all this time, and I may say that they look great in this movie. 

Anyway, I was attached to this movie firstly because of the soundtrack which is The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice. You will hear it at the beginning of the movie and at the ending. So, when I see it in HBO that they're going to play this movie, I was excited, and last night was the right time. 

The movie tells about 4 people, two couples, the first couple is Dan and Alice, the second couple is Anna and Larry. Dan got bored in his relationship with Alice, which was a stripper, and tries to flirt with Anna. On the other hand, Anna meets with Larry accidentally, and finally got married. 

The two couples lives with their life. One is the modest type, the other is kind of middle class type. One day, on an exhibition of Anna's photo, Larry meets Alice, and somehow Dan and Anna rekindle their romance. As a sign of love, Dan honestly admit to Alice that he has an affair with Anna, which leads to Alice disappearance. It also happens with Anna, where he finally come out and honestly spoke to her husband that she had an affair with Dan and wish to leave him. 

One of the scene that every couple that went jealousy and faced with affairs is they become eagerly questioning every tiny little bit of  thing that the other one doing with their partner. This scene was amusing and also could become a learning session for couples. Finally, Dan and Anna become together with their romance, until Anna have to ask Larry to sign her divorce papers. 

How about Alice? Well, since she left Dan, she become a stripper once again. One day, Larry meets her, and eventually with the anger left because of the affairs of their partners, they sleep together, well at least that's what Larry said to Dan when they meet. 

 I kind of confused with Anna's character in this movie. She moves quite fast from side to side, it's like she does everything without any prior thinking. Although, if we see the other characters is also weird in their own way, which made this movie more interesting. 

I like this movie, although Jude Law looks incredibly geeky, but this is quite a good movie. I gave this movie 3,8/5 stars!

Review - Fast n Furious 7

Its like the movie, everyone is waiting for. The movie theater opens like 3 theaters for this movie alone, and the line for this movie is unbelievably longggggg.

Once you are seated and watched this movie, you will be served with excitement, right from the first 10 minute. This movie will drag you and leave you in peace at its end.

Still with the old actors, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodrigues, Dwayne Johnson, and also the vicious Jason Statham. Without question, they are all good actors, proven in their field. This is like a movie where the hot shots play in one stage, almost like the young version of expendables. Maybe they will made another version of expendables when their old.

Anyway, the story flies in many different cities and continents. The villain, Ian Show, keeps on nagging them and tries to kill them. The story lies when someone could hack the whole system of camera in the world, and could easily see the whole world in just an instant. The virus is named Eyes of God, and it was built by a beautiful girl named Ramsey. Well, the mission was to save Ramsey and claim the virus to the government.

They cross Dubai, wreck three building with a 3,4 mio car, and then move again to L.A to the final fight. It was a thrill in the whole movie, its like you also join the race car and get caught in the race of saving Ramsey. Not everything is make sense, like jumping through cars in just seconds, its beyond my believe I guess.

Not really my kind of movie actually. Not really a fan of Vin Diesel or Paul Walker, so for me this is just a so-so movie.

So, I give this movie 3/5 stars!

Review - Whiplash

This could be one of the most intriguing movie I ever watched. The story is so simple, and straight forward. No flowery things, direct message to the audience. LOVE IT!

A story about a 19 years old named Andrew Tanner, played by Miles Teller. Andrew, is a college student in Shaffer Music College, he was a drummer in an orchestra. Just a normal kid, with limitation in the socialization zone. Reminds me of...me!

Anyway, one day when he was playing his drum in the studio, a famous conductor named Terence Fletcher, played by J.K Simmons, see him played and eventually ask him to join at his orchestra. Fletcher is known the best conductor in the whole region, he has won several competition.

Fletcher has a unique way of coaching his kids. The uniqueness I mean is like throwing chairs at his student. Cruel? Definitely. But, this is one of his great qualities, he could push his students to the limit they think they can't. Sounds familiar? Well, maybe not everyone could be treated like this, but Andrew he was like fire. Started with just a flame, and ends up burning the whole building. He earns every single thing.

One thing for sure after watching this movie, for me, hopefully it happens in you too is "have I done my best?". We fail, we fall, we suffer, we cry, we demotivated, we are just human, all those things end up in that one single question. I'm also experiencing those kinds of things, there are moments that I'm not so proud of because I could be lazy as a bear in the hibernating season. But somehow, sometime, we just have to manage to stand tall and keep our feet in the ground.

I LOVE this movie, and fall in love with Miles Teller. He prove his acting capabilities, not just playing as a joker here and there, but this movie really shows his talent. It's too bad he didn't win the oscar, maybe this is just not his time. I believe someday, he will win it.

Love it! Love it! Love it! I give this movie 4,5/5 stars!