Limitless

"Limitless" is a film about a nootropic drug called NZT-48 offered to writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) by Vernon Gant (Johnny Whitworth), the brother of his ex-wife Melissa, played by Anna Friel.  Morra begins to take the drug which allows him to access 100% of his brain.  The drug indeed works, allowing him to finish the long-overdue book that his employer has been asking him to submit.

Morra goes back to Gant's place to ask for more of the drug until one day, he finds his former brother-in-law murdered.  Before the police arrives in the murder scene, Morra succeeds in finding and keeping the stash of the drug including a wad of cash.  He uses both to improve his life.  Despite the start of a flourishing career as a writer, he decides to venture into stock trading.  With the help of NZT, he undoubtedly succeeds in such field but also stumbles into several obstacles as he meets several people including a Russian thug named Gennady (Andrew Howard), a businessman named Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro), and a man wearing a tan coat (Tomas Arana).

Melissa warns Morra of the brutal side effects of NZT but his success and wealth enable him to hire a private scientist whom he commissions to work on a reverse engineering drug.  Hiring a private scientist has allowed him to have a limitless supply of the drug and to continue being a successful man.

Directed by Neil Burger, "Limitless" is an action-thriller film based on the novel "The Dark Fields," by Alan Glynn, which was released in 2001.  The film was released in March 2011.

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The author is a blogger working for Valve eCapture.  You may e-mail her at valve.ecapture@gmail.com and valve.ecapture@yahoo.com.  Thank you.

Hangover II

"Hangover II" is a film for adults who simply want to laugh and take time off from their busy lives.  Directed by Todd Phillips, "Hangover II" focuses on friends Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha) who fly to Thailand for Stu's wedding.  One night in Thailand, the four guys and Stu's soon-to-be-brother-in-law Teddy (Mason Lee) spend the night by the beach drinking beer and toasting marshmallows.  Similar to "Hangover I," they wake up the next morning not knowing what happened the night before.  Phil, Stu, and Alan do not have a single idea why they are in a squalid apartment in Bangkok while Doug is back at the resort for the wedding.  As the three men try to recall everything, they discover that Teddy is missing, that the severed finger held by a monkey resembles Teddy's, that Stu has a face tattoo, and many others.

"Hangover II" definitely brings fun and laughter to moviegoers despite some continuity issues.  Read more about it at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1411697/goofs.  One of the major highlights of the film is the cameo role of Mike Tyson wherein he performs his own rendition of the song "One Night in Bangkok" at Stu's wedding, courtesy of Alan.  It was reported that Tyson even took voice lessons in preparation for such role.  Read more trivia about "Hangover II" at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1411697/trivia.

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The author is a blogger working for Valve eCapture.  You may reach her at valve.ecapture@gmail.com or valve.ecapture@yahoo.com.  Thank you.