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At this moment, I am going to open my Security Analysis book. I bought this book 2 years ago and I have not touched it due to my studies. From now on, my mind will start thinking of traditional finance. In fact, I wanted to read up more on microstructure literature when i was impressed with the story of the movie, 'The Scam' (read the review below of this blog entry).
When Eugene talked with me about the person character. Right now, I see myself as unconcerning with grades, salary, and vain things that many people frequently talk about. I always give my view, sometimes painful to hear, especially when I see illogical things that need to be addressed seriously. If it is not serious, I don't give any comment at all. It is because I feel that the person himself/herself will understand one day in the future without someone's guide/comments. I feel that it is easy to misunderstand someone if you think in the wrong framework. I hope that we should ask questions to clarify what their comments are meant. There is no point to make a guess or predict someone's behaviour. Friends are something to be treasured and yet many people do not treasure it. What a pity. Even so-called smart people say something stupid that is not very relevant at all. We need to be careful of what we want to reply.
As for education, I have one concern. Academics should settle down the exact technical words for certain model rather than writing on own. For instance, I notice that there is slighly difference in labelling on intertemporal choice in aspect of Ricardian Equivalence between Bernanke's macroeconomics textbook and other's macroeconomics textbooks. There is serious omit of useful equation surrounding between government budget constraint and household budget constraint in the topic of Ricardian Equivalence in many intermediate textbook. So far, there is only one immediate macroeonomics textbook that address government's budget constraint. It is Blanchard's Macroeconomics textbook. Economists should have written broadly where people can spot in the textbook. IS-LM model concerning with real interest rate was not properly shown clearly in many macroeconomics textbooks but Blanchard's did has one dedicated chapter about it. Unfortunately, Blanchard chose to use Wicksell's assumption on natural rate of interst on this analysis framework.
I came across two cases. One student from RMIT asked me few questions about economics. I am quite surprised that top-scoring student cannot answer simple question (Seriously, it is really simple question which average student can answer at ease). Another one from UOL, who got first class in Introduction to Economics module, also cannot answer simple question that was tested in immediate macroeconomics paper. That simple question in my opinion is more like introductory macroeconomics standard. It clearly show that it is dangerous to assume that first class students are smarter than other students. I was thinking how to resolve this for a long time. In fact, I do not have any idea how to resolve it even though I see some interesting ideas from John Taylor and program that you can visualise the diagrams. Similarly, it is not just economics and it happen in other subject areas as well. I hope that students should be careful and serious enough to understand the model rather than learning just the surface of it. There is a good reason why it is important to use at least 2 or 3 textbooks on certain topics. Like what I mention just now about economics textbook, no textbook cover sufficiently in every area of the topic. It should be obvious to you from previous blog entries.
When I saw 'Taken' movie, I was shaken how the cruel and evil gang operate. They kidnap ladies - tourists and gullible ones- and used them for prostitution. These ladies' labour is free: no wages to be paid other than inject drug. The gang receive the money for prostitution services from men. In microeconomics terms, it clearly violate the first welfare theorem. As a result, there is BIG misallocation of resources.
In fact, I have great interest in general equilibrium, externality and some areas of macroeconomics. in the real world, i view that there are misallocation of resources. This results in dishonesty, laziness, demanding and others behaviours in humans. It is always big question. When a friend think that he should be paid more for his work, his boss refuse to pay more. It is a question whether his work is worth of it. Similarly, when I read someone saying about hard work in studying in few weeks before exams. Is it asymmetric information between examiner and candidates as that someone said so? I disagree. It is a case of misallocation of resources to be precise: what material you should be reading. To put it another way, people have different perception of the nature of 'working hard'. Try asking each person and each reply tends to be slightly different. It should be nothing new when misallocation of resources exist in the real world. They really distort our views and inevitably, without manners, we will end up bashing by words each other for silly reasons. Even some professors are weak in some topics. From a book, I remember one economist professor, who is weak in Macroeconomics, spending time to study Macroeconomics for the preparation to teach students.
International Economics
During June, I took time to read International Economics textbook written by Krugman and Obstfeld. I wanted to learn AA-DD model from that textbook. That model is in international macroeconomics. But i decided to read the whole textbook for few months. The reason i did is that I need to understand how the world function in more or less subtle understanding. I have almost finish the international trade part. It is very insightful where logical comments are deemed to be fallacy in that textbook. In the international trade part, Ricardian Model's Comparative Advantage and Heckscher-Ohlin model are excellent but they fail to fit in the data. Surprisingly, well-known economist, Paul Samuelson considers comparative advantage model true and yet it is not obvious to the intelligent people. Given this statement, I gave a thought after reading the comparative advantage. I admit that it is difficult to obtain the clarity of this comparative advantage model at first attempt. However, I believe that a careful reading and thinking of this model for few days or weeks will bring you the essence of this model. It is like seeing dark clouds to disappear and see the bright blue sky. As far as I study economics, I find that international trade is the most difficult concept to grasp. Despite of some Microeconomics concepts here and there in international trade, I feel that there are some kind of contradicting facts. Nevertheless, I believe that if I spend enough time on learning international trade at slow pace, I will be able to clear the doubts. At my present understanding, international trade bring me an insight why there are protestors against free trade agreement. End of the day, it is really about personal interest whether one want to protect. It is nothing harmful. I highly recommend that international economics should be complusory module to be learnt for all business students.
People views about Economics
I read a book titled 'Conversations with Leading Economists: Interpreting Modern Macroeconomics'. It is very interesting to see what famous economists are thinking. I am somewhat surprised about the background of Robert Lucas Jr. He started economics in postgraduate course after he completed his history course in undergraduate. This explains why he do not think that highly of Keynesian Economics.
Another surprise I had is about Greg Mankiw, who think that real business cycle (RBC) model will disappear. Apparently, some economists find that RBC is unconvincing or useless even though it is elegant model. This may explain why Mankiw wrote too little about RBC at the last chapter of his immediate Macroeconomics textbook. Actually, I have hope for RBC to be translated from complex mathematical form into simplier form in terms of words or diagrams. A rough diagram of RBC was shown to me by 2-days-lecturer, Mr Kevin Daniel Sheedy. So far, only one Macreconomics textbook has shown how production function diagram can be changed and, thanks to Mr Kevin, he show me full picture of the 3 diagrams (IS-LM, production function, and labour market) when i consulted him. I was even more surprised when I discovered that business cycle is in equilibrium in the view of RBC economists. I believe that most economists would disagree with that view. This follows from general and, probably, traditional notion that economists have to keep business cycle 'flat'. It is very difficult to achieve since no one can predict accurately via econometrics.
I never knew that there were three economic growth models. Currently, all undergraduate students, who study marcoeconomics, only learn Solow Growth Model and Endogenous Models. One of three economic growth models is the first model -Harrod-Domar model- but it 'disappeared' into thin air because of this limitation. I discover this model through reading an interview between the authors of that book and Robert Solow.
A prominent economist, I cannot remember the name, disagree the application of imperfect information/asymmetric information. He believes that we can do without this assumption for many models. This view came to me as a surprise because i thought that it is one of the most plausible and relevant things in real world.
Given my present knowledge I have developed from reading books and journals, it seems that rational expectation, efficient market hypothesis and the use of monetary policy are prevalent in Chicago School of Economics. Keynesian Economics, especialy sticky variables are simply bashed by and is nonexistant in that school. Fortunately, Keynesian economics is still taught and used in other schools, in particular MIT. Rational expectation is beautiful theory but it is slightly unrealistic in the real world. Nevertheless, if everybody can understand everything easily, we are already in the world of rational expectation. A fresh graduate from Law, who did learn some of Keynesian models in his junior college told me that he could not understand the implication of budget deficit and deflation. Obviously, it is silly to think that rational expectation exist in the real world such that everybody can understand that easily.
Financial Economics and Fischer Black
At first, I know different verisons of CAPM that are covered in some textbooks. But I did not know that there are more CAPM models that are edited to have best fit in personal satisfaction. That is when I read about the life of Fischer Black. I am so impressed on how Fischer Black lived. It is quite unbelieveable that Fischer Black did not learn economics or finance in his undergraduate and postgraduate. With no background of finance or economics, he still learnt finance and macroeconomics on his own after Jack Treynor showed his CAPM verison. In his whole life, he believed CAPM. Wearing the lens of CAPM, Fischer Black went on building more models - I learnt Treynor-Black model, Black-Litterman model, Black-Scholes Model. I find him fantastic when he believe the use of simple mathematical tools to build the model or solve the problem rather than complicated ones.
From my point of view, Fischer Black is the living person that anyone do not need finance degree to work in finance sector! As long as you have good mathematical instinct that you probably developed through Physics or Mathematical (undergradate or postgraduate) training. In addition, the ability to self-study will enhance your ability to work in finance sector. It can be confirmed by other people who work in finace sector with mathematics or phsyics degrees: 'How I Became A Quant' book tells a lot about this fact.
Interestingly, Fischer Black did not like econometric because of its flaws. Therefore, he did not self-study econometrics. I am also pleased that during academic tenure, he believe that students learn more by reading textbooks: it is something i agree. I wonder what 50 questions he he has chosen for his students in different classes.
Books
I plan to write few topics per blog entry. I wanted to write about political stuffs that Arthur always discuss with me. He show me the good sides of socialism. I want to write but I have only general view of these stuffs. I need to read more. It will be happening once I read some political macroeconomics as well as other views. It is one topic I long wanted to write. I hope that I will write one or two interesting finance-related topic in my blog. It may happen one day.
Books
Title:How I Became A Quant: Insights from 25 of Wall Street's Elite
Author(s): Richard R. Lindsey and Barry Schachter
My Comment on this book:
It is good read. I do not know why some people in the reviews are quite fussy with the poor grammer or spelling that are shown in the book. I don't give any hoot about that as long as I learn something interesting from that book. From what I recall vaguely, I like one part where a person, who just start working in a bank, was shown to his table on the trading floor. He was told that it is hard to find empty office space for him. He was stunned when a lot of people on trading floors were shouting. He decide to call his friend by phone asking his friend how his friend survive like that. Before he could do that, a person got hold the phone first, telling him that he or she need to make a phone call urgently. In few weeks or months later, he was given a office space where he can concentrated his work. There was one trader who questioned him ,"Who the fuck are you?How the hell you get this office space'. He answered that trader in the same manner. That trader accepted his explanation and left promptly. It is one classic moment that I even grin at.
Rating:7/10
Title:Conversations with Leading Economists: Interpreting Modern Macroeconomics
Author(s): Brian Sowndon and Howard R. Vane
My Commment on this book:
It is a must read for people who are extremely interested in economics. You will be surprised how all prominent economists have few agreements on some facts and MANY disagreements on MANY facts/models.
Rating:7/10
Title: The End of Laissez-Faire: The Ecnomic Consequences of the Peace
Author: John Maynard Keynes
My Comment on this book:
Even though I did not live in 1920s and, therefore, I do not have good idea how the life in 1920s is like. As a result, I do not understand many things but I am quite impressed that Keynes has thought seriously in his work. This book written by Keynes bring the clarity and possible implication of reparation between Allies and Germany. My rating on this book may be average but I believe that serious historians and policy adminstrators will like this book a lot (which means that they will rate this book highly).
Rating:6/10
Title: Fischer Black and the Revolutionary Idea of Finance
Author: Perry Mehrling
My Comment on this book:
Perry Mehrling did a good job to describe the life of late Fischer Black. He also did good explanation how late Fischer Black interacted with Jack Treynor, Myron Scholes, Milton Friedman, Robert Lucas, Robert Miller, Paul Samuelson and others. People who want to know how people can do financial modelling should read this book.
Rating:8/10
Movies and Dramas
The International (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
In The International, Interpol Agent Louis Salinger and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman are determined to bring to justice one of the world's most powerful banks. Uncovering illegal activities including money laundering, arms trading, and the destabilization of governments, Salinger and Whitman's investigation takes them from Berlin to Milan to New York and to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as the bank will stop at nothing - even murder - to continue financing terror and war.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)The plot is quite ok but, at least, you will be that tempted to know who the culprit is. 2)You will be interested to know how they pull such stunt against powerful organsation that has backings from powerful politicans.
Taken (Hollywood Movie 2008)
Synopsis extracted imdb.com:
The seventeen year-old Kim is the pride and joy of her father, the retired agent Bryan Mills that left the secret service to stay near Kim in California. Kim lives with her mother Lenore and her wealthy stepfather Stuart; she convinces the reluctant Bryan to sign an authorization to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda. When they arrive, they share a cab with the stranger Peter and Amanda tells to him that they are alone in Paris. When Bryan succeeds in contacting his daughter, she tells that criminals have just break in the spot and they are kidnapped by an Albanese gang of human trafficking. Bryan promises in the phone to kill the kidnapper of his daughter and immediately travels to Paris to find Kim and chase the criminals.
Rating:8/10
Bonuses:1)Shocking plot that sound so realistic to me 2)It teaches you not to travel with your naive mind and behave approrpriately when travelling. 3)It will make you feel that you are lucky not to encounter this kind of thing.
Gran Torino (Hollywood Movie 2008)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
Walt Kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his Michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Kowalski is a grumpy, tough-minded, unhappy an old man, who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 Gran Torino he keeps in mint condition. When his neighbor Thao, a young Hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Thao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them from the gangs that infest their neighborhood.
Rating:6/10
Bonus: Good story about Walt
Marine Boy (Korean Movie 2008)
Synopsis extracted from hancinema.net:
A swimming instructor Cheon-soo loses everything on gambling. It also leaves him with huge debt to pay off for the rest of his life. His moneylender, Kang approaches him with a dangerous proposition. He invites Cheon-soo to become a ‘marine boy’ – those who swim across the ocean to smuggle drugs. Cheon-soo decides to take the chance and puts his life at stake for the last time. Together Kang and Cheon-soo come up with a matriculate plan. Yoo-ri is the daughter of Kang’s best friend. Since her father died, Kang has been looking after her in his friend’s place. Yoo-ri believes that Kang is responsible for her father’s death and secretly waits for her chance to revenge him. Oblivious of this, Kang grows affection towards her which leaves him feeling guilty. Yoo-ri and Cheon-soo develops feelings towards each other and plot to go behind Kang’s back and take the drug money for themselves.
Rating:6/10
Bonus: Unique plot of smuggling drugs.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Hollywood 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
On the day that Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, elderly Daisy Williams (nee Fuller) is on her deathbed in a New Orleans hospital. At her side is her adult daughter, Caroline. Daisy asks Caroline to read to her aloud the diary of Daisy's lifelong friend, Benjamin Button. Benjamin's diary recounts his entire extraordinary life, the primary unusual aspect of which was his aging backwards, being diagnosed with several aging diseases at birth and thus given little chance of survival, but who does survive and gets younger with time. Abandoned by his biological father, Thomas Button, after Benjamin's biological mother died in childbirth, Benjamin was raised by Queenie, a black woman and caregiver at a seniors home. Daisy's grandmother was a resident at that home, which is where she first met Benjamin. Although separated through the years, Daisy and Benjamin remain in contact throughout their lives, reconnecting in their forties when in age they finally match up. Some of the revelations in Benjamin's diary are difficult for Caroline to read, especially as it relates to the time past this reconnection between Benjamin and Daisy, when Daisy gets older and Benjamin grows younger into his childhood years.
Rating:9/10
Bonuses:1) It is good story to see how abnormal human grew. 2)Many of us probably envy how Benjamin Button live in late of his life. 3)The director and story writer did a good job: it is quite comfortable to see how the life of Benjamin Button should be told. 4)It is toucing story. Some of us may cry.
Gods Puzzle (Japan Movie 2008)
Synopsis:
The story start with a twin:one who is smart and the other is not so smart. The life of not-so-smart twin became the life of smart one as smart twin is travelling. This not-so-smart twin has to go to university in his smart twin behalf. He get to work with physics project with prodigy. This prodigy get crazy when her formula went haywire. Because of this, she face criticism from the media (The government spend a lot of money to build research centre based on her formula. She was attempting to destroy Japan....
Rating:6/10
Bonus:It is very traditional japanese story telling in viscal way.
Prison Break Season 4 (American TV Drama 2009)
Synopsis:
It is closure of prison break. How would Michael Scotfield deal with the 'Company'?
Rating:8/10
Bonuses:1)It is quite amazing how the story writer 'revive' the dead person into season 4 2)Michael Scotfied developed yet another brilliant plot to get a thing that bring down the 'Company'. 3) It is quite funny how Michael fooled T-bag.
Chaos (Hollywood Movie 2005)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
In Seattle, detective Quentin Conners is unfairly suspended and his partner Jason York leaves the police force after a tragic shooting on Pearl Street Bridge, when the hostage and the criminal die. During a bank heist with a hostage situation, Conners is assigned in charge of the operation with the rookie Shane Dekker as his partner. The thieves, lead by Lorenz, apparently do not steal a penny from the bank. While chasing the gangsters, the police team disclose that they planted a virus in the system, stealing one billion dollars from the different accounts, using the principle of the Chaos Theory. Further, they find that Lorenz is killing his accomplices.
Rating:6/10
Bonus:Chaos theory came into application.
Just My Luck (Hollywood Movie 2006)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
In Manhattan, Ashley Albright is a lucky woman and very successful in the agency where she works. The clumsy Jake Hardin is an unlucky aspirant manager of the rock band McFly, who is unsuccessfully trying to contact the entrepreneur Damon Phillips to promote his band. When Ashley meets Jake in a masquerade party, they kiss each other, swapping her fortune with his bad luck.
Rating:5/10
Ice Princess (Hollywood Movie 2005)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
high-school bookworm transforms into a swan. Brainy Casey Carlyle has never quite fit in. Caught between her fantasy of becoming a championship figure skater and her strong-willed mother, who has her on the fast track to Harvard, she can only hope to be like Nikki, Tiffany and Gen--three elite skating prodigies who are ruthlessly competing on the US National circuit (and have attitudes to match). But when Casey gets the chance to train with Gen and her coach, a disgraced former skating champion who also happens to be Gen's mother, she must dash her own mother's hopes in order to pursue her dream. Now, with only the support of Gen's teenage brother, a hunky Zamboni driver, Casey takes on the challenge of her life when she finds herself competing against the best to make it into the championship circuit and become a real "ice princess."
Rating:5/10
Street Fighter The Legend of Chun Li (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
Based on the popular video game franchise, female fighter Chun Li embarks on a quest for justice.
Rating: 5/10
Lost Season 5(American Drama 2009)
Synopsis:
Some people who have left the 'island' - Jack, Kate, Sun, Sayid, Hugo, and Ben- are returning back. Jack is on the mission to save the remaining survivors who are in the 'island'.
Rating:9/10
Bonuses:1)It has fabulous pace of the show 2)There is nice twist at every corner of the story 3)It was so unbelievable as we see the chain of the events rolling out of the story. 4)At the last episode, there is cliffhanger. We are now tempted to see what is happening in season 6, which is rumoured to be shown in early 2010.
Missing [실종 (Sil-jong)](Korean Movie 2009)
Synopsis:
A middle-aged man living in rural area kidnap ladies. He locks them and satisfy his nature such that he rapes and torture them.
Rating:6/10
Bonuses:The acting is quite raw. The nature of the story is that good people, regardless of age and nature of people, can do bad things.
The Scam [작전 (Jak-jeon)](Korean Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from koreanmovie.com:
Hyeon-su (Park Yong-ha), an unemployed, self-taught individual investor, hits the jackpot ― though at the cost of disrupting a scam by gangster-turned-financier Hwang (Park Heui-soon). Hwang, however, recognizes Hyeon-su's talent and recruits him for his team of scam artists. They prepare for a 60 billion won heist, but a bigger scam is in the making within the group.
Rating:9/10
Bonuses:1)At least, it illustrate, to some extent, how sophiscated investors hide their intention and manuipulate the stock prices. 2)The plot is really unbelieveable. Even though i studied microstructure, I can't even think how sophisticated invetors do. 3)It is the lesson why long-term investing is much more sound than short-term one. 4)As usual, technical analysis cannot tell us anything about this so-called scam.
Angels and Demons (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
When a murder of a physicist, Leonardo Vetra, finds a symbolist, Robert Langdon, and Mr. Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, on an adventure for a secret brotherhood, The Illuminati. Clues lead them all around the Vatican, including the four alters of science, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. An Assassin, working for the Illuminati, has captured four cardinals, and murders each, painfully. Robert and Vittoria also are searching for a new very destructive weapon that could kill millions
Rating:7/10
Bonuses: 1) Good plot 2)interesting puzzles
Mail Order Bride (Hollywood Movie 2003)
Synopsis:
Incompetent young man, Anthony Santini who is the nepthew of No 1 Italian Mafia was sent to Russia by his uncle. Santini was supposed to find a lady who scam someone in the mail order bride. The son of No 1 Russia Mafia was to accompany with Santini in the quest of that lady search. What is the probabilbity
Rating:5/10
In Good Company (Hollywood Movie 2004)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
Dan Foreman is headed for a shakeup. He is demoted from head of ad sales for a major magazine when the company he works for is acquired in a corporate takeover. His new boss, Carter Duryea, is half his age--a business school prodigy who preaches corporate synergy. While Dan develops clients through handshake deals and relationships, Carter cross-promotes the magazine with the cell phone division and Krispity Krunch, an indeterminate snack food under the same corporate umbrella. Both men are going through turmoil at home. Dan has two daughters, Alex, age 18, and Jana, age 16, and is shocked when his wife tells him she's pregnant with a new child. Carter, in the meanwhile, is dumped by his wife of seven months just as he gets his promotion. Dan and Carter's uneasy friendship is thrown into jeopardy when Carter falls for, and begins an affair with, Dan's daughter Alex.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)Wealth of experience in a good sense can really guide the person to the right path. 2)It is great to see Scarlett Johansson, being that young, acting in this show.
Head Over Heels (Hollywood Movie 2001)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
Four supermodel roommates. One regular girl. The guy next door doesn't stand a chance
Rating:5/10
Pride and Prejudice (Hollywood Movie 2005)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
The story is based on Jane Austen's novel about five sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia Bennet - in Georgian England. Their lives are turned upside down when a wealthy young man (Mr. Bingley) and his best friend (Mr. Darcy) arrive in their neighborhood.
Rating:5/10
Castle In The Sky(Japanese Animation 1986)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
A young boy stumbles into a mysterious girl who floats down from the sky. The girl, Sheet, was chased by pirates, army and government secret agents. In saving her life, they begin a high flying adventure that goes through all sorts of flying machine, eventually searching for Sheet's identity in a floating castle of a lost civilization.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1) The story is meaningful. 2)The story plot is good.
Howl's Moving Castle (Japanese Animation 2004)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)The story is like fairy tail kind. 2)It is so good that your eyes is glued onto the tv/monitor.
Inkheart (Hollywood Movie 2008)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook's hero
Rating:6/10
Bonuses:1)It is nice to see characters coming out of the storybooks.
Heroes Season 3
Synopsis:
This season started with the adventure that Suresh wants to equip normal people with special powers by means of injecting them. Moreover, 'The Company' is starting to break down. As a result, there are two fractions. What happen to the Company? The truth will unfold.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)There is a few nice twists. 2)The story flow is smooth to ride on.
Watchmen (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
In a gritty and alternate 1985 the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown, but after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so discover a deeper and far more diabolical plot.
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)The story flow is quite comfortable but I, who never read Watchmen comic before, do not comprehend why the story end like this. Probably the pace is quite too fast. 2)It teaches how humanities are like this.
She Came Back [그녀가 돌아왔다] (Korean Drama 2005)
Synopsis extracted from wiki.d-addicts.com:
Before the marriage to fiance, a young lady Kim suddenly suffered a heart attack. She was moved to her father's hospital, but her father Dr. Kim was not able to save her. So he took her body and froze her until he could find a way to save her.
And 25 years later, in 2005, she is revided. But she cannot remember her fiance... and she falls in love with his son...
Rating:6/10
Bonus:Unique love triangle.
Duplicity (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
A pair of corporate spies who share a steamy past hook up to pull off the ultimate con job on their respective bosses.
Rating:6/10
Bonus:The ending is a twist which we would never thought of. It is totally unexpected. It is enough to obtain this bonus but unfortunately, there are too many past views in each pause interval.
I Am Sam [아이엠샘](Korean Drama 2007)
Synopsis extracted from dramawiki:
The story focuses on the conflicts between the young teachers and the problems that high school students have. Jang Yi San is a timid and incompetent homeroom teacher who has to teach the only daughter of a highly dangerous mob leader, Eun Byul. Eun Byul is a new student at MyungMoon High with little drive to succeed.
Rating:5/10
K-20 Legend of the Mask (Japanese Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from moviexclusive.com:
In the fictional capital "Teito" where the aristocrats continue to thrive since the 19th Century, there are rumours about a mysterious thief, who only steals from the rich and aids the poor. People call him K-20, (The Phantom Thief with 20 faces). Heikichi, a circus acrobat was conned and mistaken as K-20 and subsequently arrested by Akechi Kogoro, a famous detective who once arrested K-20 himself. In the midst of clearing his name, Heikichi rescued Yoko Hashiba, the Duchess, Detective Akechi’s betrothed fiancée. In the non-stop battle with K-20, the true identity of the thief may finally be revealed!
Rating:7/10
Bonuses:1)Good plot until the viewers are totally stunned who the real k-20 is. 2)The ending is quite like-able.
Fast and Furious (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
Heading back to the streets where it all began, two men rejoin two women to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert. When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Connor. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.
Rating:6/10
Bonus:Need-for-speed-game style car action
The Shinjuku Incident(Hong Kong Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from wikipedia.org:
In the early 1990s, a tractor mechanic from a northen countryside in China nicknamed Steelhead (Jackie Chan), enters Japan illegally in search of his girlfriend Xiu Xiu (Xu Jinglei). Steelhead and his friend, Jie (Daniel Wu) meet in the busy Shinjuku district of Tokyo and take manual labor jobs to earn money. When Steelhead finds out that Xiu Xiu has married a Japanese yakuza leader named Mr. Eguchi (Masaya Kato), he decides to remain in Japan. When Eguchi was targeted to be murdered, Steelhead saves his life. To consolidate power, Eguchi forms an alliance with Steelhead to carry out his revenge. Soon, Steelhead has become embroiled so deeply in the ways of the yakuza that there is no turning back.
Rating:8/10
Bonuses:1)There is a good conclusion to sum up the poetic message in visual terms. 2)Jackie Chan made a good decision to act dramatic character in this movie. No more super hero winning against endless hordes of baddies. 3)It should be the best among chinese movies. The story and action are slick enough to follow.
Dragon Ball Evolution (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
The story begins with Goku, who seeks out upon his adoptive grandfather Grandpa Gohan's dying request to find the great Master Roshi and gather all seven Dragon Balls. Of which he has one, in order to prevent the evil Lord Piccolo from succeeding in his desire to use the Dragon Balls to take over the world. And Goku's quest is to obtain the mystical Dragonballs before Piccolo does.
Rating:5/10
Race to Witch Mountain (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
A Las Vegas cabbie enlists the help of a UFO expert to protect two siblings with paranormal powers from the clutches of an organization that wants to use the kids for their nefarious plans.
Rating:5/10
Fox Volant[雪山飛狐] (China Drama 2006)
Synopsis extracted from wiki.d-addicts.com:
Raised by his father's loyal servant, the talented swordsman Hu Fei grew up knowing that he must avenge his parents' death. However, the closer he got to his father's enemy, the more he discovered that his parents' death wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Rating:5/10
Push (Hollywood Movie 2009)
Synopsis extracted from imdb.com:
A group of young American ex-pats with telekinetic and clairvoyant abilities are hiding from a clandestine U.S. government agency. They must utilize their different talents and band together for a final job enabling them to escape the agency forever
Rating:6/10
Bonus: The action is similar to Heroes (drama show) but the plot is a simplistic one.
Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 8:35 pm
