Genre: Horror/Comedy
Director: Dominic Ow
Cast: Edmund Chen, Hong Hui Fang, He Jie, Chen Shu Cheng, Henry Thia, Eunice Olsen, Hui Master, Sugie Phua, Wang Meng, Henry Heng, Nick Shen, Lee Chau Min, Raymond Yong, James Wong
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: TBA
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 22 February 2013
Synopsis: How lucky are you – or are you not? That's the question Red Numbers asks. The story revolves around a guy who, according to a Fengshui master, only has three lucky minutes in his miserable life. His fortune is wrapped up with a greedy family whose grandfather – dead or alive, nobody knows for sure, holds the key to the winning combination in the 4D lottery. Three minutes, four numbers, a lot of money – or maybe not. .
Movie Review:
Every once in a while comes a Singaporean film about that uniquely Singaporean hobby called 4D (the last we recall was some little-seen movie called ‘Happy Go Lucky’ starring Fann Wong back in 2010), though we cannot quite remember one – besides the proverbial ‘Money No Enough’ – that actually made money at the box office. Unfortunately, ‘Red Numbers’ isn’t going to be quite as lucky as well, and just as most other similar movies that have come before it, the fault is entirely its own.
To be fair, first-time feature filmmaker Dominic Ow does try to approach the subject from a different perspective; instead of the lowbrow humour such movies are typically associated with, Ow tries to inject humour by way of dark comedy. That explains why, for a movie that revolves around luck and superstition, it takes the unintuitive step of opening with a murder. The victim is an elderly man named Lao Gao (Chen Shucheng), who apparently has the uncanny ability of being able to pick ‘red numbers’ (otherwise known as the winning 4D numbers) and whose death sets off the chain of events in the movie.
But what promise such an uncharacteristic opening might hold for the movie is quickly dashed once the rest of the characters are introduced. Rewriting first-time screenwriter Alvin Soe’s (founder and CEO of the movie’s production company Supernova Media) ‘Media Development Authority-funded’ script is veteran MediaCorp story planner Koh Teng Liang, the latter’s background in the television format a tell-tale reason for one of the movie’s key impediments – that is, there are just simply too many characters in the story, most of which are neither interesting nor compelling to begin with.
Indeed, a total of seven different roles are created as Lao Gao’s family members, including Edmund Chen as his nefarious brother Lollipop, Hong Huifang and He Jie as his two daughters, Henry Thia as the former’s husband, Lee Chau Min as the latter’s same-sex lover, Kanny Theng as his granddaughter and Sugie Phua as his granddaughter’s useless boyfriend. Had this been a TV serial, the bevy of colourful characters would have been necessary; but in the context of a movie, the result is an unbridled mess.
The best part about it is that the main character is neither one of them, but rather a Mainland Chinese named Xu Xiao Xu (Rubin), a particularly unlucky person who runs into renowned fengshui expert Master Hui (playing himself) one day and is told that he only has three minutes of good fortune in his entire life. Not sure what to make of it at first, Xiao Xu gets a bit more clarity when Lao Gao appears to him in a series of dreams where each one of Lao Gao’s family members dies in one of four impending tragedies.
While it does seem as if there is some kind of purpose to the story, you probably won’t feel it from the meandering script as well as Ow’s lacklustre direction. Rather than relying on each one of these tragedies to build narrative momentum, Ow simply lets his characters indulge in meaningless banter that adds little to the story. He also has a tendency to let certain scenes drag on for far longer than necessary, especially one in which Xu Xiao is apparently tricked by a vagabond to a cemetery in the middle of the night to find out just what his dreams are all about. By the time each of the disparate story threads are pulled together for the obligatory morality lesson, you’re likely to be too indifferent to care.
Of course, that is also a reflection of the acting on display, which in a nutshell, leaves much to be desired. Teng Liang and co-producer Edmund Chen’s involvement must have convinced MediaCorp veterans Shucheng, Huifang and Henry to participate in the movie, but you can almost see the reluctance on their faces to be part of something this insipid. In particular, Edmund and Henry’s roles are severely underwritten, almost as if added at the last minute to give the film a more dramatic ending. The rest of the supporting actors fare no better, though lead newcomer Rubin does give a decent performance as the hapless chap whose life seems dictated by external circumstances.
Still, a passable lead is hardly enough to overcome the movie’s myriad flaws, especially not with a hodgepodge of half-baked characters, subplots and scenarios neither engaging nor amusing. To Ow’s credit, the attention to detail with regard to the portrayal of fengshui elements in the film is commendable; and there is a nifty but quickly overused device of relating any combination of numbers in the film to a previous winning prize number in the history of 4D. Unless you’re willing to settle for these consolation prizes, there’s little here that promises a winning formula - and its fate amidst other similar movies on the perennial subject of 4D is a certainty you don’t need a fengshui master to see.
Movie Rating:
(You’re better off saving your money and spending it on a lottery ticket than gambling it on this losing combination of bad scripting, weak direction and middling performances)
Review by Gabriel Chong
It is a shame, really, that an epic musical film like this is getting a “Highlights from the Motion Picture” treatment. Fans of the Boublil and Schonberg’s stage musical would know the soaring melodies and the heart breaking lyrics by heart, but this 20 track soundtrack album can only but tease while leaving listeners wondering what happened to the rest of the material on the 158 minute film directed by the Oscar winning Tom Hooper.
The 65 minute album kicks off with “Look Down” featuring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe (much has been said about his coarse vocals) as Javert. The track sets the tone for the big numbers that follow, including “The Bishop” (listen out for Colm Wilkinson, who played Jean Valjean on stage, as the merciful bishop) and “At the End of the Day” (where Anne Hathaway’s Fantine first makes her appearance).
Given Hathaway’s limited screen time in the film as the ill fated Fantine, we are guessing it is the tune “I Dreamed a Dream” which earned her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar statuette at the 2013 Academy Awards. Listen to the four and a half minute track to feel goosebumps and realise how tragic and unfair life can be.
The other tear jerking song on the album is “On My Own” performed by Samantha Barks, who plays Eponine (where is her Oscar nomination, dammit!) in the film. You’d want to love this girl, as she belts out how she “is talking to myself and not to him” about a doomed romance.
There are a number of ensemble pieces which are worth blasting on this soundtrack. “Master of the House” featuring Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter is a hoot, while “ABC Café/ Red and Black” featuring Eddie Redmayne and Aaron Tveit is patriotically rousing. The highlight of the disc has to be “One Day More” which showcases the entire cast in a stirringly inspiring number.
It is really a shame then, considering how everyone will be hungry to hear more of the familiar tunes sung by their favourite movie stars. Still, this is one recommended album to spin on your player, but how can anyone miss the jarring exclusion of “Can You Hear the People Sing?” – ah, the audacity!
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (13) One Day More – Cast
Review by John Li
Besides the blood splatters and the gleefully violent scenes, another highlight of cult director Quentin Tarantino’s films is its music soundtrack. The Oscar winning filmmaker’s latest work is an American western film a slave who travels with a bounty hunter on a mission to rescue his wife. And with Tarantino serving as the soundtrack album’s executive producer, you will not be left disappointed.
The 54 minute album uses a variety of music genres to tell the story of vengeance, and as one would expect, there is a heavy reliance on the spaghetti western genre.
The cues are easy on the ears, with haughty tunes like “Django” performed by Rocky Roberts and Luis Bacalov, and old school scores like “The Braying Mule” from renowned composer Ennio Morricone. “Nicaragua” composed by Jerry Goldsmith featuring Pat Metheny is a lovely rendition of the western genre, something we rarely hear these days.
Tracks composed for the film include Rick Ross’ “100 Black Coffins”, a viciously energetic tune which infuses traditional western music and contemporary rap, and “Ancora Qui”, a spirited composition featuring music by Morricone and Elisa’s vivacious vocals. Anthony Hamilton and Elayna Boynton come together to perform another original track “Freedom”, a radio friendly tune which is easily the most commercial song on the album. John Legend’s “Who Did That To You” is signature Tarantino, and one can imagine the bold visuals that are presented on screen when this song plays.
There are also seven dialogue tracks which allow fans to relive the movie. Listen to Academy Award Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz discuss stuff with Jamie Foxx in “In That Case Django, After You…”, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio talk nasty “Hildi’s Hot Box”, before the album ends on a tame note with “Trinity (Titoli)”. You’d know by then this soundtrack album is a keeper.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (12) 100 Black Coffins
Review by John Li
Genre: Thriller/Drama
Director: Kim Ji-hoon
Cast: Seol Kyeong-gu, Son Ye-jin, Kim Sang-kyeong, Kim In-kwon, Do Ji-han, Lee Chang-joo
RunTime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: PG (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Shaw & Scorpio East Pictures
Official Website: http://towersky2012.interest.me/
Opening Day: 24 January 2013
Synopsis: When a deadly fire breaks out in an apartment tower, rescuers and those trapped share a common goal: To get their loved ones out Single father Dae-ho (KIM Sang-kyung) is the facilities manager at an exclusive residential complex, Tower Sky. Despite having to work late, he promises his young daughter, Ha-na the best Christmas Eve ever. Yoon-hee, who Dae-ho is privately infatuated with, offers to watch Ha-na while Dae-ho is called to an emergency and the girls quickly forge a bond. Young-kee (SUL Kyung-gu), a veteran fire captain at Yeouido Station, takes the evening off to spend Christmas Eve with his wife for the first time. It's supposed to be the happiest evening of the year for everyone, but a terrible accident starts a fire in Tower Sky and changes everything. Amid one of the city’s worst disasters, a story of ordinary people who hang on to hope to the bitter end unfolds.
Movie Review:
As far as disaster movies go, ‘The Tower’ hardly reinvents the wheel, but even though it sticks to formula, audiences looking for B-movie thrills will love the adrenaline rush it gives you from start to finish. Clearly inspired by the 1974 Hollywood classic ‘The Towering Inferno’, it uses the same premise of a luxurious skyscraper that catches fire one fateful day to devise a continuous series of high-octane action sequences that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
True to its genre, the first half-hour is spent introducing the bevy of characters whose fates will intertwine. Chief among them is the building’s security and maintenance operations manager Dae-ho (Kim Sang-gyeong), a single father to a precocious young girl, Hana, whom he promises to that it will snow on Christmas Eve. That is also the reason why Hana eventually finds herself at the ill-fated Tower Sky residential complex, made up of two adjacent towers connected by a sky bridge at the 70th floor.
Dae-ho is infatuated with kitchen manager Yoon-hee (Son Ye-jin), who offers to look after Hana while he goes about ensuring that the preparations for the management’s lavish Christmas Eve party go according to plan. The occasion turns out to be the reason of the calamity, as the management’s egotistical President Cho (Cha In-pyo) arranges a fleet of helicopters to rain snow down from near the top of the building – despite being earlier advised of possible strong vertical drafts - just so he can impress the residents.
After seeing his wish of a ‘White Christmas’ come true, an even more wowing spectacle awaits when a sudden gust causes one of the helicopters to lose control and crash into one of the twin towers. Immediately, the upper floors become engulfed in flames, leading to the activation of the men stationed at the Yeoudio Fire Station – including the veteran captain Young-kee (Sul Kyung-gu) who forsakes his promise to his wife to spend the night with her in order to join his comrades in the firefight.
Young-kee turns out to be a key player in the rescue of those trapped, as Kim Sang-don’s workmanlike screenplay sets him up as the proverbial selfless hero whose bravery is ultimately milked for high-pitched theatrics. The rest of the characters are similarly delineated in terms of tropes – whether Dae-ho as the nerve-wracked father constantly worrying about the safety of his daughter, or President Cho as the devious businessman cum de facto villain of the film. The most inspired bit of Sang-don’s writing is in the addition of a group of devout Christians gathered to celebrate Christmas for comic relief, whose prayers for help are inadvertently always answered.
It is to director Kim Ji-hoon’s credit that the film never has a dull moment despite the formulaic script. Right from the start, he confidently demonstrates his ability to navigate seamlessly between the various points-of-view of the various characters, and that adroitness proves useful in maintaining a tense and taut atmosphere throughout the movie. He also keeps the movie well-paced and easy to follow, with the first half focused on extinguishing the fire from within its source and the second on evacuating as many people as possible before the weakened tower collapses under its own weight.
Within that two-act narrative, Ji-hoon engineers some truly gripping sequences. The helicopter crash is the first of the money-shots, and by deftly combining actual images with CGI, it amply demonstrates that the Koreans have caught up with Hollywood in terms of visual effects. Besides the spectacle, two particular scenes stand out – the first where a ragtag group of survivors make a perilous crossing from one tower to another using the sky bridge, whose steel and glass structure is at risk of collapsing; and the second where who’s left of the same group pack themselves into an elevator and attempt to free-fall it down around 60 floors to escape the crumbling tower.
Next to the top-drawer special effects, the cast and their acting unfortunately play second fiddle. Nonetheless, they play their roles with conviction, in particular Sang-gyeong and Kyung-gu – though the most memorable actor here is not one of the leading cast, but rather Kim In-hwon, who plays a jocular firefighter hailed as a saviour by the group of Christians after turning up at a particularly opportune moment.
Still, the main attraction is the visuals, which under Ji-hoon’s confident hand (who was also behind ‘Sector 7’), prove to be very impressive for an Asian film. Any criticism that the pleasures to be had here are no more than B-movie thrills is moot – after all, that’s exactly what ‘The Tower’ intends to deliver. Indeed, if you’re looking for a gripping two-hour adrenaline high, then this big-budget action disaster film is just that shot in the arm for sheer exhilaration.
Movie Rating:
(Exactly what you expect in a big-budget disaster movie – taut suspense, thrilling sequences, and overwrought emotions – to leave you on an adrenaline high)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama/Fantasy
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Cast: Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Jonshel Alexander, Marilyn Barbarin, Lowell Landes, Jimmy Lee Moore, Hannah Holby, Kaliana Brower
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language and Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Filmgarde
Official Website: http://www.beastsofthesouthernwild.com/
Opening Day: 31 January 2013
Synopsis: In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, a six-year-old girl exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions.
Movie Review:
Cross ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ with the sensibilities of Terrence Malick and you’ll get Queens-born filmmaker Benh Zeitlin’s impressive directorial debut ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’, which has been garnering critical acclaim since making its rounds along the film festival circuit. It’s not hard to understand why once the first hypnotic frame of the film comes into view – in adapting Lucy Alibar’s one-act play ‘Juicy and Delicious’, director and co-writer Zeitlin has created a poetic allegory that is meditative and mesmerising.
The setting of this story is South Louisiana’s bayou country, which has been cut off from New Orleans and – for that matter – the rest of the civilised world by an enormous levee. There, a small number of impoverished locals form a tightly-knit self-sufficient community where they spend their days fishing, scavenging and drinking. Because their land they call the Bathtub is no more than swamp territory, the community is especially badly hit by a devastating storm that has echoes of Hurricane Katrina, which destroys their ramshackle homes and sweeps away their precious possessions.
A six-year-old girl named Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) is the lead protagonist of the story, fiercely independent and keenly sensitive to the world around her. Motherless and in the care of a harsh and seemingly unsympathetic father Wink (Dwight Henry), she is – more than most other children who have the privilege of the care and love of both parents – always wondering about her place in the universe. Her answer would however come through a test akin to a baptism of fire.
Just before the crippling storm, Hushpuppy finds out that her father is dying – so while he tries to teach her in the days after how to survive on her own, she finds herself increasingly faced with the responsibility of taking care of him. Thankfully, she has the support of a resilient community bound by poverty and sense of place, which would rather stay than be evacuated to some temporary emergency shelter - no matter that the Bathtub has been left a ruined, soggy and poisoned mess.
Zeitlin juxtaposes Hushpuppy’s coming-of-age story with a riveting portrayal of the tenacity of a group of residents cut off and ignored by the rest of the civilised world. Instead of a densely layered narrative, he lets his film thrive on the sensory, relying on the Louisiana backwoods where the movie was shot to hook his viewer into an otherwise unfamiliar world. This is not civilisation or primordiality we are accustomed to; but an inimitable existence of the latter in tension with the former.
That experience is further enhanced with Alex DiGerlando’s inventive production design – in particular, the use of an empty truck bed as a raft from which Hushpuppy and Wink navigate the floodwaters – as well as Dan Romer and Zeitlin’s evocative score that mixes composition with the natural sounds of the Southern Gothic locale to create an ethereal blend. The effect is simply fascinating to say the least, and Zeitlin’s grasp of the mise en scène absolutely brilliant.
Rather than douse his picture in talkiness, Zeitlin keeps the dialogue simple. After all, less is meant to be understood through speech than through images, so most of the words we hear come from Hushpuppy’s narration and, in line with her ruminative nature, tend to be cryptic. But there is a lyrical quality that draws you in, especially when she expresses her own thoughts about the equilibrium that she and her community share with nature – says Hushpuppy in one of her soliloquies, “I see that I am a little piece of a big, big universe, and that makes it right”.
That also about sums up one of the most significant recurring themes of Zeitlin’s film, which is one of the key tenets of New Age spiritualism – the idea of connectedness within objects and events in the natural world. Portrayed through the eyes of an awakening mind (i.e. that of Hushpuppy), Zeitlin makes an empathetic statement about mankind’s general callousness towards the environment - and as images of melting glaciers are interspersed with dead and dying animals in the Bathtub’s toxic waters following the storm, we are meant to reflect on Hushpuppy’s notion that ‘the entire universe depends on everything fitting together right’, such that ‘if one piece busts, even the smallest piece, the whole universe will get busted’.
Some bits of magic realism are also thrown in for good measure, depicted in the folk religion that the residents of the Bathtub subscribe to – that prehistoric life existed in the form of giant carnivorous creatures with huge tusks known as aurochs. Hushpuppy imagines that these aurochs have been released from their Ice Age prison through global warming, and in the film’s most fantastical sequence, meets these fearsome creatures face to face. It immediately recalls Maurice Sendak’s book, and is the most literal evidence that Zeitlin had drawn inspiration from it.
So many competing elements are held together by one elemental performance by newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis. She holds every frame with charismatic poise, combining both fearlessness and innocence in equal measure for a truly amazing act. Chosen for the part from over 4,000 girls auditioned, she is truly a revelation, defining the role in a way that will leave you speechless in awe. Next to Wallis, Henry is also impressive in a challenging role as her character’s uncompromising father that requires nuance in order that we do not grow to hate.
Pulling a cast out of mostly locals is no doubt a risk, but one that truly pays off for a movie that requires a delicate balance between reality and fiction to come alive. Fortunately with the aid of Ben Richardson’s lively cinematography, Zeitlin brings to vivid life a world that few would likely be familiar with and yet through vibrant images, music, language and characters becomes – at least for the duration of the movie – a world that we fully inhabit. It is a spellbinding fable, a stunning debut for Zeitlin that, in this reviewer’s opinion, is even more masterful than Malick’s self-indulgent ‘The Tree of Life’ in its exploration of nature, mankind and civilisation.
Movie Rating:
(As mesmerising as it is meditative, this modern-day fable of a community living outside the civilised world is a poetic and evocative experience that comes alive with its own distinctive rhythm)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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BOOK REVIEW #7: "THE ART AND MAKING OF THE DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY"Posted on 05 Jan 2013 |
SYNOPSIS: Passion Island - a place where individuals with different goals met, weaving colorful stories as their paths intertwined…Simon and Johanna divorced years ago, citing different values and goals in life. Johanna, an environmentalist believes Simon is brewing something vicious at the expense of the environment and return to Passion Island to disrupt his project; Yu is working hard to revive the love between him and his estranged wife, Feli. Their relationship deteriorated ever since Feli met with a serious accident, making her paralyzed from waist down, crushing her dancing career. Yu is adamant to mend their differences through this vacation in Passion Island; Jennes is a lovely guide addicted to dramas, and one could call her a hopeless romantic. Sparks flew when she met Chuell, a Korean in Passion Island trying to make sense of an incident that involved his missing car…
MOVIE REVIEW:
There is a purple weed that grows on the titular ‘Passion Island’ which features in the narrative. The weed is apparently some form of hallucinogen, and concern enough for some Environmental Protection Agency to send an undercover agent named Joanna (Joan Chen) to investigate it. Of course, there’s also the fact that Joanna used to be married to the owner of the island, Simon (Simon Yam). Such a fantastical concept requires the right dexterity for execution; unfortunately, director and co-writer Kam Kwok Leung has none of that, so much so that what results is akin to a train wreck, or in this context, a beached whale.
Yes, among the other stupid things that happen, the beaching of a whale and the consequent stir it causes for the denizens of the island counts as one of the worst. Add to that some purple mist from the said plant, a Korean looking for his missing car and you get one of the worst movies of the year, an utterly incomprehensible, perfectly understandable reason to release a whole string of expletives. We’re not even going to give Kam the benefit of the doubt that he was attempting some meta-fiction or perhaps a rare fantasy movie for the Chinese movie industry; there is no way to explain away the sheer awfulness of his film.
The only thing we are keen to find out is how Kam managed to persuade some of the finest actors and actresses of Chinese cinema to participate in this turd. Indeed, just what possessed Simon to ham it up as the self-absorbed owner of the island, prancing around in his laire without the decency of pants. Just what came over Joan Chen to return to the big screen playing a spiteful ex-wife that makes a transformation akin to a giggly teenager in the throes of puppy love? Or what about Francis Ng, who acts as a hapless lover to Fan Li’s frustrated paraplegic eager to get her hands on that purple weed as a possible cure? Worse and worst of all is Chang Chen’s faux Korean-star act, an utterly worthless addition to his resume that requires him to act pouty and petulant most of the time?
Don’t even get us started on the plot or the storytelling for that matter – the former is non-existent and the latter inexplicable, the whole movie consisting of a series of loosely connected characters in random scenarios conceived with the coherence of a toddler’s babbling. For all its impressions of being a fun romantic comedy-drama set in some sunny tropical island, the experience of visiting ‘Passion Island’ is a unique kind of torture we’d never wish on anyone. Skip this one entirely, and file this as one of the biggest misfires of the year, reason enough to never let Kam Kwok Leung – his status as some kind of cultural figure be damned – never make another film yet again.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Just a Photo Gallery and an equally godawful Trailer.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio does a decent delivery of the dialogue, while visuals are clear but not often sharp enough.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Gabriel Chong
We call it the “Glee effect” – songs that you may not have known otherwise are made trendy by popular TV shows and movies. You know what we mean. Did you know about “Don’t Stop Believin’” before Glee came along? We rest our case. Here, we have this Jason Moore directed musical comedy film which will introduce songs to today’s uninformed youngsters.
The 30 minute soundtrack album kicks off the rhythm of things with Adam Devine leading The Treblemakers (one of the a cappella groups in the film) to perform Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music”. Not too bad for an all guys performance, we say. “Let it Whip” follows, and the contemporary rendition of this 1982 hit single by Dazz Band (hands up, those who have heard of this American funk band?) is catchy enough for listeners to want more.
The movie’s female lead, Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick, first appears with “Cups”, and leaves an impression. Things get exciting with “Riff Off: Ladies of the ‘80s/ Songs About Sex”, a fun medley of more familiar tunes like “Mickey”, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”, “I’ll Make Love to You” and “Feels Like the First Time”. The boys versus girls medley will have you humming along to the melodies.
The rest of the album is easy on the ears, as The Barden Bellas (if you thought The Treblemakers isn’t cheesy enough a name, here’s what the filmmakers came up with for the girls) perform “Bellas Regionals”, a medley of songs like “The Sign”, “Eternal Flame” and “Turn The Beat Around”. You’d be a scrooge if you detested the pleasant “Pool Mashup”, a lovely medley of “Just the Way You Are” and “Just a Dream”.
Call it a guilty pleasure, but when we heard “Bellas Finals”, all we wanted to do was to tap our feet and sing along to “Price Tag”, “Give Me Everything” and “Party in the U.S.A.”.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (11) Bellas Finals
Review by John Li
We are loving this soundtrack album as much as the Rich Moore directed animated family action comedy movie. Not because it runs at a generous duration of 70 minutes, and definitely not because it contains radio friendly tunes like Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration” and Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive”.
Whoever’s involved in the making of this soundtrack must have had fun producing it, because it definitely shows. Kicking off the disc is Owl City’s “When Can I See You Again?”, a wholesome and family friendly tune not unfamiliar to fans of Disney soundtracks. Buckner and Garcia performs “Wreck-it, Wreck-it-Ralph”, a humourous song depicting the man who’s “nine feet tall with really big hands”.
And we are putting Japanese girl group AKB48’s “Sugar Rush” on repeat mode, simply because it’s so psychedelically addictive. Go search for the music video and learn the dance steps! DJ Skrillex’s “Bug Hunt (Noisia Remix)” may induce headaches, but it will appeal to fans of the electronic dance music artist. These may be the same people who will point out his cameo in the film (didn’t catch that, did you?) to you as well.
Composer Henry Jackman (Winnie the Pooh, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) has created an equally fun music for the movie. From the opening score cue “Wreck-it Ralph”, you are put in the nostalgic mood with the composition’s throwback to good ol’ eight bit games. “Life in the Arcade” is a hilarious cue which makes you want to twist and turn those joysticks like an arcade fanatic.
Elsewhere, Jackman comes up with action cues like “Rocket Fiasco” and cutesy tunes like “Vanellope Von Schweetz”. “Cupcake Breakout” is brings to mind an exciting chase sequence, while “One Minute To Win It” is feel good fun.
While there may be a lack of a main theme for the British composer’s work, there are several heartfelt moments. Listen out for “You’re My Hero”, the track played during the film’s climatic finale – you may just be moved to tears. And when the disc closes with the last moments of “Arcade Finale”, the somewhat melancholically warm tune indicates that this album is truly a winner.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (24) You're My Hero
Review by John Li
This soundtrack album comes highly anticipated – just like the Peter Jackson directed film. The first in a new trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit, the music composed by Howard Shore (who already won Oscars for his works on The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of The King) is set to sweep fans, critics and award judging panelists off their feet.
You know there is a treasure trove of music when the music on this album is split over two discs – even for the standard edition we received. Disc 1 kicks off with “My Dear Frodo”, which brings you back to the enchanting world of hobbits first experienced some 11 years ago. Hearing familiar themes in this cue, you tell yourself it’s good to be back in Middle Earth.
Things get playful in “An Unexpected Party” and a little more serious in “Axe or Sword”, a sign that the tone of the music is turning a little more serious. The song “Misty Mountains” performed by Richard Armitage and The Dwarf Cast is solemn with carries a weighty importance, and introduces the main theme which will be heard in numerous cues later on in the album.
The following tracks chronicle Bilbo Baggins and his newfound friends’ journey. From the magnificently daunting “An Ancient Enemy” and the spiritedly jumpy “Radagast the Brown”, to the darkly looming “The Hill of Sorcery” and the action packed “Warg-scouts”, the listening experience is nothing but astounding.
Disc 2 continues the adventure with tracks like the mystical “Moon Runes”, the ethereal “The White Council” and the perilous “A Thunder Battle”. The highlight on this disc is “Song of the Lonely Mountain” performed by Neill Finn, a track we think will dominate Best Original Song categories at upcoming film awards. The soundtrack concludes with the positive “Dreaming of Bag End”, an apt cue which leaves us looking forward to the next installment of the trilogy.
Also sold in stores is a special edition of the soundtrack which contains the full score from the film with seven extended score cues, six exclusive bonus tracks and deluxe liner notes. Any fan of the franchise should rush to own this version instead.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: Disc 2 (12) Song of the Loney Mountain – Neill Finn
Review by John Li
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