Genre: Martial-Arts
Director: Wong Kar Wai
Cast: Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Song Hye-Gyo, Zhang Jin, Zhao Benshan, Cung Le, Wang Qinxiang, Xiao Shenyang, Lo Hoi Pang, Yuen Wo Ping, Lau Shun, Shang Tielong, Lo Meng, Julien Cheung
RunTime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 January 2013

Synopsis: It starts as the story of Ip Man. He was born and raised in Foshan. From the time of his youth he took part in contest after contest of skill in and around the Gold Pavilion. Then, one day, Master Gong arrived from the Northeast to hold a retirement ceremony at the Gold Pavilion. One retires, one steps forward. But who is entitled to be called a grandmaster? Ip Man? Master Gong’s daughter, Gong Er? The self-described ‘rascal’ of the Northeast? Or is it Master Gong, who took the Northern martial arts to the South? Some are looking to recover what belongs to them. Others want to achieve enlightenment. Then there are those who are only ever able to start fires and light lamps, and those who observe the currents of a chaotic and war-torn world from the sidelines. Kungfu, a horizontal and a vertical, falling, rising, charging forward, carrying on. An era, rising and falling, scattering, regrouping, counter-attacking, advancing. It starts in Foshan. Its heart is in Dongbei. Its feet are on the ground in Hong Kong. This can no longer just the story of Ip Man. 

Movie Review:

“Don’t tell me how good your skills are, how brilliant your master is and how profound your school is. Kung fu - two words - one horizontal, one vertical. If you’re wrong, you’ll be left lying down. If you’re right, you’re left standing. And only the ones who are standing have the right to talk.”

Those opening words from Tony Leung’s Ip Man could very well express what Wong Kar Wai might have felt in the midst of making his long-gestating ‘The Grandmaster’, which was once titled ‘The Grandmasters’ before the plural form was substituted for its singular.

For all intents and purposes, the film began as a biopic of one man – to be more specific, Ip Man, the influential kung-fu master who was instrumental in spreading the Wing Chun style around the world and who was perhaps better known for being Bruce Lee’s master. But in the midst of exploring Ip Man’s life, Wong must have been suddenly struck by the thought - What exactly makes Ip Man so special? Or even better, why should a movie set in the golden age of martial arts be solely about one grandmaster? What exactly makes one a grandmaster of kung fu?

And so, despite Leung’s omniscient voiceover recounting Ip Man’s life from his birth in Foshan to his death in Hong Kong, ‘The Grandmaster’ is in fact not about Ip Man alone. Rather, Wong has fashioned his movie as a meditation on the rise and fall of a unique group of individuals whose legacy was written as much by their own individual martial arts prowess as well as that of their next-generation disciples. Be warned therefore, if you are expecting a movie focused on Ip Man, because you’re likely to be sorely disappointed – as Tony Leung reportedly is – that you’re likely to know more about the Man from the Donnie Yen films.

Indeed, the narrative is the film’s biggest handicap, though to be fair, it only becomes apparent later on. The first half-hour begins strongly with a rightful focus on Ip, and key highlights include his initiation into martial arts by his master Chen Heshun (played by Yuen Woo-Ping) and his loving marriage to Zhang Yongcheng (Korean actress Song Hye-kyo). Ip’s first challenge would come with the arrival of Gong Yutian (Wang Qingxiang), a venerable kung fu master from northeastern China looking to consolidate his power in the southeast even as he retires.

After Ip goes on to win the battle of minds with Gong, the latter’s daughter Gong Er (Zhang Ziyi) stands up to challenge Ip yet again in a bid to restore her family’s reputation. That duel also marks a turning point for the movie, which shifts away from Ip and explores the vendetta that ensues between Gong Er and her father’s power-hungry protégé Ma San (Zhang Jin) against the backdrop of the Japanese occupation of China in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Against the better advice of her elders, she forsakes her betrothal to avenge the death of her father at Ma San’s hands, which culminates in a thrilling battle set at an old railway station in Hong Kong one New Year’s Eve. Where is Ip Man’s involvement in all this? Admittedly there is little – and while the film casts the Japanese occupation as the darkest period of his life, the treatment of his personal ordeal is given short shrift and only cursory mention that it costs him the life of his two daughters.

Another casualty of Wong’s almost singular focus on Gong Er in the mid-section of the film is Chang Chen’s Razor, whom we are first introduced to as the stranger Gong Er shields from a search party on a train. One might think there could be some possible romance between Razor and Gong Er, but there is none – and besides the fact that Razor eventually moves to Hong Kong as well to start his own martial arts school in a barbershop, there is little further relation to either Gong Er or for that matter Ip Man.

Though Wong does bring Ip back into the picture towards the end of the film, his audience is likely to have grown too emotionally detached from the character. A scene towards the end that portrays supposedly the last time Ip met Gong Er is infused with the director’s signature sense of longing and regret as the latter reveals her feelings for the former, but how that bears relevance to what Wong is trying to say about Ip or Gong Er’s tumultuous lives is too obscure.

In fact, throughout the film, Wong offers little insight into the person of Ip Man. What might have been a meaningful portrait of his relationship with Yongcheng is lost when the latter is practically forgotten in the second half of the movie and whose subsequent passing is given just a passing mention. We learn little too of Ip’s relocation to Hong Kong, and how he built up his reputable school for Wing Chun that would go on to become a enduring symbol of his legacy till today. All things considered, a more coherent portrait of Gong Er actually emerges from the movie.

Rather than regard it as a Ip Man biopic therefore – which would undoubtedly bring in mind its unfocused narrative – you’ll be better off seeing it as Wong’s philosophical musings on martial artists. Fans of the auteur will recognise these familiar themes from his previous works, but Wong’s treatment is still unparalleled in conveying regret, longing, and unspoken desires – whether is it Ip Man and Gong Er’s mutual affection for each other, or Gong Er’s lament for a life less fully lived – with compliments from Philippe Le Sourd’s beautiful cinematography and Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi’s evocative score.

Le Sourd’s visuals are also particularly ravishing in the action sequences, designed with much imagination and flair by veteran choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping. The opening sequence (seen briefly in the trailer) that sees Ip Man take on a whole gang of men along a rain-soaked street (reminiscent of ‘The Matrix’ trilogy) is filmed with utmost clarity on the beauty and precision of the moves, with the subsequent duels between Ip Man and Gong Yutian as well as Gong Er set in an opulently designed brothel called the Golden Pavilion equally breathtaking to behold.

Keenly aware of the actors’ limitations, Yuen goes for elegance over spectacle, so while none of the sequences here will leave you gasping with adrenaline like the iconic one-against-ten duel in Donnie Yen’s ‘Ip Man’ or even the Donnie Yen-Sammo Hung tabletop faceoff in ‘Ip Man 2’, they are shot with poise and style befitting of a Wong Kar Wai film. Both Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi also perform impressively given their lack of a martial arts background, the months of training to get them prepared physically for their respective roles paying off in the grace and confidence by which they execute their moves.

Nonetheless, Zhang easily trounces Leung in the film’s dramatic scenes, the former’s combination of grit and vulnerability making Gong Er a more compelling figure than Ip Man. The fault of course isn’t Leung’s alone, as his usual penchant for nuance and understatement unfortunately working against his portrayal in a narrative that pretty much relegates his character’s account as a marker of the passage of time. The rest of the actors are also pretty much sidelined - especially Chang Chen, who gets a total of three scenes and no more than ten minutes of screen time.

Of course, narrative was never a strong suite in Wong’s films, which typically were mood pieces boosted by his signature artistic flourishes. These trademarks are still very much alive in ‘The Grandmaster’, which is easily one of the most beautiful kung fu movies ever made. But plot plays a much more important role here than in Wong’s other films, since it is ultimately through Ip Man’s experiences in life that we come to understand his deeper introspections. This is where Wong’s film stumbles, relegating Ip Man to a sideshow instead of placing him front and centre – and given all that hype and expectation of Wong’s Ip Man biopic, the cut we see here (reportedly trimmed down from over twice its length) can only be regarded as a disappointment. 

Movie Rating:

(Wong Kar Wai’s signature themes of longing and regret as well as his artistic flourishes are still very much alive, but ‘The Grandmaster’ squanders the opportunity of a more compelling exploration of Ip Man’s life with an unfocused narrative)

Review by Gabriel Chong

THE GRANDMASTER Singapore Press Conference Posted on 23 Jan 2013 Award winning Hong Kong actor Tony Leung sympathises with Korean actress Song Hye Gyo, his co star in the action drama The Grandmaster. Leung, who plays Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the film, has Song as his on screen wife. “I’ve been cast in Vietnamese and English films before, and I know it doesn’t feel good to be in an environment surrounded by people who speak ... more

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Alexander Payne
Cast: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Udo Kier, Rolf Lassgård, Ingjerd Egeberg, Søren Pilmark, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Laura Dern, Neil Patrick Harris, James Van Der Beek
RunTime: 2 hrs 15 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Drug Use)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 11 January 2018

Synopsis: Downsizing imagines what might happen if, as a solution to over-population, Norwegian scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall and propose a 200-year global transition from big to small.  People soon realize how much further money goes in a miniaturized world, and with the promise of a better life, everyman Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) and wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in Omaha in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

Movie Review:

This is Alexander Payne’s first effects-based movie, but hopefully not his last, considering Downsizing bombed big time in the States. Payne known for his satirical funny works - Sideways, Nebraska andThe Descendants just to name a few - seems to be at a loss tackling science fiction mixed with social messages. It’s sadly an overall misfire considering the fact that Payne seldom disappoints.  

It’s the near future and scientists in Norway have come up with a way to shrink human beings to the size no bigger than a Lego mini figure. Touted as one of the ways to save the ailing Earth and to save everyone’s shrinking pockets, financially-strapped occupational therapist Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decides to go through the irreversible “downsizing” process and move to Leisureland where they can live in comfort in a confined community for “small people”.

At the very last minute however, Audrey develops cold feet while Paul has completed the procedure and relocated to Leisureland in his “downsized” form. At this point, we have reached barely 40 minutes into the 135 minutes movie. If you have been following the trailers, they basically showed you everything for the first half. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid trailers nowadays to avoid disappointment.  

The premise of Downsizing is cheeky, fun and thoughtful, and given the trustworthy records of Payne and his frequent collaborator Jim Taylor, you can expect meaningful jabs at sociopolitical problems and greedy corporations. Unfortunately, the second half of the movie is a huge letdown, considering a lot of interesting points were raised with the introduction of Leisureland in the beginning. There are so many ideas being thrown around but none of it actually addressed in the end.

What follows is a boring journey to the very first small community hidden in Norway where the issue of human extinction is raised. Ultimately, it’s a boring, overlong movie that tries too hard to sync. Damon of course is perfect as the average American. The character of Paul is an underachiever who unwittingly met with roadblocks all the time despite his best attempt to improve his life. You probably sympathized with Paul because anyone might be Paul in real-life.     

Blessed with excellent comic timing and exaggerated accented English, the breakthrough character of Lan Tran, a gung-ho Vietnamese political activist played by newcomer Hong Chau is a joy to watch - the fact that she is given the funniest dialogue to work with actually helps. Adding on to his resume, Christoph Waltz again plays another character with a weird accent. Cameos include Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Laura Dern, just seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
 
Downsizing boasts nifty visual effects from ILM, a first for Payne. No doubt it helps in the storytelling, the whimsical and eye-popping effects are wasted in the disastrous scripting for a talent like Payne. Payne should just go back on doing his movies on a smaller scale instead of squandering his time and effort on such an expensive, aimless outing. 

Movie Rating:

(Brilliant concept, pity the execution, remember to downsize your expectation)

Review by Linus Tee

2013 Oscar Winners Posted on 25 Feb 2013 Here's the Oscar results for 2013 Best Director - Ang Lee forLIFE OF PI(The biggest surprise of the night! Life Of Pi will also return to theaters this week) Best Picture -ARGO(Congratulations, Ben Affleck. A truly remarkable turnaround for who was thought once a has been actor, ARGO will return to theaters this week in addition the DVD is also out) Best Adapted Screenplay go ... more

"TAXI! TAXI!" - THE NUMBER 1 MOVIE IN SINGAPORE IN THE FIRST WEEK OF 2013! Posted on 11 Jan 2013 Local production TAXI! TAXI! starts its engine and zoomed to the top position at the local box office chart as the Number One movie in the first week of 2013! The movie grossed a total of S$737,000 in 13 days, which includes the sneak previews from 28 December before the movie opened theatrically on 3 January, with a total of 21 screens island-wide. In its opening week, TAXI! TAXI! grossed ... more

SYNOPSIS: In legendary Chen Village, everyone is a martial arts master, and uses a powerful form of Tai Chi in all aspects of their life. Yang has arrived to try and learn it, only to find that it's forbidden for the villagers to teach their secret style to an outsider. But when a mysterious man comes to town with a frightening steam-powered machine and plans to build a railroad through a village, the villagers realize they may have no choice but to put their faith in Yang, who has a secret power of his own.

MOVIE REVIEW:

One must really appreciate director Stephen Fung’s intention to rejuvenate the formulaic martial-arts genre first before watching his ambitious, lavish “Tai Chi Zero”. Beware because it is filled with elements from steampunk to comic and videogame that Tai Chi itself is almost optional.

Newcomer and wushu champ Yuan Xiao-Chao plays Luchan, a not so smart and weird young man whom on the advice of a doctor decides to travel to a secluded village to seek treatment for his deadly, demonic horn that is growing on his head. His only cure it seems is to master Tai Chi from the grandmaster of Chen village. Unfortunately, the skill is not to be imparted to outsiders. With a war looming against the village and his inborn invincible powers surfacing, Luchan unwittingly becomes the village’s ally and the son-in-law of the grandmaster.

The plotting of “Tai Chi Zero” is almost formulaic and you wonder if it’s an intended tongue-in-cheek approach. We have the usual, highly skilled grandmaster in disguise, the prodigy waiting to be discovered, the beautiful love interest here, what’s lacking here perhaps is a formidable villain. Not to say there isn’t. However, it’s not a human, it’s a gigantic menacing steampunk machine controlled by ex-village boy, Zijing who is now working for the corrupted government.

The grandeur of classic martial-arts flicks is apparently missing here especially if you are expecting something along the line of “Tai Chi Master” and “Once Upon A Time In China”. Fung has turned his version of Tai Chi into a fast-cutting exercise of videogame graphics blended with CG effects despite the involvement of Sammo Hung as action choreographer. It’s all flash and noise from the moment Luchan appears and it never loosen even towards the end. The tone of “Tai Chi Zero” is silly, not taking itself too seriously and it matches the craziness of Stephen Chow’s “Kungfu Hustle” years back.

Tony Leung Ka Fai promptly saved the day with his performance as the wacky Master Chen. Angelababy looks amazing beautiful in her period setup and showy moves. Taiwanese-Canadian actor Eddie Peng gamely took on a villainous role that is largely reduced to a pathetic character instead of a full-out baddie. It’s hard to gauge Yuan Xiao-Chao’s debut acting, as his role doesn’t require any stretch of acting per se. Credit does go to Fung for enlisting cameo appearances from martial-arts legends Xiong Xin Xin, Leung Siu Lung and Fung Hak On to stir up some need be nostalgia. Even his rumored ex, Shu Qi appears as Luchan’s mother.

“Tai Chi Zero” may not necessary be everyone’s cup of tea. Likely a product made for the younger crowd; it plays more like an extended MTV than a true blue martial-arts piece (in the China market, it was also screened in 3D). Yet to an old martial-arts fan such as myself, I had so much fun with Luchan and gang that I can’t wait for the follow-up.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Making Of is a brief segment on the design and build of the steampunk machine.  The extras include the usual Trailer and Photo Gallery.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

For such a big budget title, visual is on the whole is acceptable while the Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is underwhelming at times.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: During Yang Luchan's wedding to Yuniang, her brother Zaiyang returns from self-imposed exile with his new bride. Master Chen can sense something astray, and refuses to welcome his son. Zaiyang reminds the villagers of a local superstition with a giant bronze bell, claiming that disaster will befall the village if it ever rings. That night, the bell rings for the very first time and the villagers turn on Yang. Master Chen defends his son-in-law, but Yang is forced to fight Zaiyang. Yang wins, revealing that the exiled son is a fraud with a suit constructed of tiny robots. Zaiyang flees the village with his wife, but soon finds himself in debt and despair when the government forecloses his factory. Fang Zijing proposes a deal: he will pay off Zaiyang's debts but only if he joins forces to control Chen Village…

MOVIE REVIEW:

“Tai Chi Hero” continues from part one where the defeated Zijing (Eddie Peng) is back with a vengeance to once again wreck havoc on the Chen Village who has refused to make way for a planned railway project. While Zijing has not much luck in his career or his love life, Lu-Chan (Yuan Xiao-Chao) on the other hand is happily married to the daughter of Master Chen, Yuniang (Angelababy) and is now qualified to learn the techniques of Chen’s martial-arts skills. At the same time, the sudden arrival of Chen’s estranged son, Zaiyang (Feng Shaofeng) spells trouble for the entire village and clan.

The most notable difference between “Zero” and “Hero” is that the latter strangely has dropped all the fancy visuals employed in the former. Instead of quick-cuts, slow-mo and silly humour, “Hero” focused itself firmly on the dramatics and action choreography, which the first installment is sorely lacking. Zaiyang becomes the main lead for the first half of the story as the script spends considerable time hatching a touching relationship between father and son as in how and why Zaiyang turned his back on his father and left the village. The other main story of course is Yuniang and Lu-Chan who both contribute to the slapstick portion with the former reluctance to consummate their marriage, the last being Zijing tying up with an evil Duke (Peter Stormare from “Constantine”) to launch an attack on Chen Village. The multiple characters and story arc got off to a full throttle and ends on a rousing note which is somewhat surprising considering the original was more of a visual experiment.

With “Tai Chi Hero”, Director Stephen Fung has proved to be pretty adept assembling major action sequences and the money shot right here involves an aerial attack with a Leonardo Da Vinci’s inspired flying machine on unsuspecting soldiers. This eye-popping sequence alone showcases the increasingly brilliant technicalities of the HK and Mainland production crew and pretty well worth the price of this DVD. To end the Tai Chi themed movie on a high note and instead of a powerhouse showdown, the finale fight between Lu-Chan and a certain Master Lin (Yuen Biao) is an elegantly staged match that is full of grace and agility.

Packed with enough creativity, fun and adrenalin, it’s recommended that you catch the Tai Chi series back-to-back even though it’s not your father kind of traditional martial-arts movie. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Only a Trailer and Photo Gallery is available. 

AUDIO/VISUAL:

As per the first movie, the visual is acceptable and the soundtrack duly deserved a 5.1 transfer to properly showcase the onscreen mayhem.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Adventure/Action
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Stanley Tucci, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Ewan McGregor
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/JackTheGiantSlayerMovie

Opening Day: 28 February 2013

Synopsis: "Jack the Giant Slayer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing the young man, Jack, into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend—and gets the chance to become a legend himself.

Movie Review:

Little in Bryan Singer’s filmography suggests that he would jump on the bandwagon of Hollywood’s current obsession with fairy tales (think ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Red Riding Hood’, ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and the most recent ‘Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’) but here we are with the latest big-budget spin on the classic tale of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ directed by the man himself. Frankly, after seeing the movie, it still isn’t clear to us what prompted him to take on this straightforward (or simplistic, if you compare it against Singer’s other works) fantasy of humans against giants – never mind that it is clean light-hearted fun for the whole family.

Indeed, while it does attempt a revisionist telling of the story of a poor farmer’s boy named Jack who receives some magic beans from an old man and uses them to grow a beanstalk tall enough to steal from a giant living in a land beyond the clouds, there is nothing particularly inventive or imaginative about Singer’s version. Essentially, there is still a poor farmer’s boy named Jack, he is still responsible for the magic beans that grow into the gargantuan beanstalk, and there is still a land in the clouds lived by giants – the only substantially different thing about this adaptation is that the humans and the giants were once locked in an ancient war, and Jack’s beanstalk provides the conduit and the catalyst through and by which the war is reignited.

Oh, and to make it more appealing to the female sex of the teenage crowd at which this is targeted, Jack gets to fall in love with none other than the princess of the kingdom, Isabelle, who also serves as his companion on this magical adventure. Just as you can be sure that Jack will save the day and win the fair maiden’s heart, so too will you be left without a doubt about the nature of the characters in the movie. Right from the start, it is established without so much as a hint of ambiguity later on just who is good and who is bad – the former belonging to Jack, Isabelle, her father King Brahmwell and his loyal guard Elmont; while the latter describing the two-headed leader of the Giants General Fallon as well as the King’s conniving aide Roderick.

As is the characters so is the story, the narrative unfolding as predictably as it gets. Instead of riches, Jack goes up the beanstalk in search of Isabelle, who is depicted at the start to be disgruntled with her life of royalty and her impending nuptials – arranged by her father the King no less – to Roderick. Needless to say, she gets captured by Fallon, which gives Jack the chance to rescue her, and then play the hero once more in a final climactic battle to be waged on King Brahmwell’s castle between humans and giants. Yes, the plotting is as basic and unfussy as it gets, which leads us to wonder why it would take three screenwriters – Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney – and two credited story writers – Lemke and David Dobkin – to work it out.

Still, perhaps that austerity is intended to give Singer more room to exercise his creative imagination, which thankfully is as exceptional as it used to be. Keeping exposition to a minimum, Singer opts instead to send his audience on a thrill ride, and to his credit, he succeeds tremendously. Despite never letting up after the first fifteen minutes, the non-stop action never gets repetitive or numbing; instead, there is dexterity to the way Singer paces the movie or for that matter each individual sequence that allows his movie to be both punchy and engrossing – even though his maiden outing at performance capture in what is meant to be a seamless blend together with live-action and CG could do with more polish.

That the movie – despite its simple plot and even simpler characters – proves to be that engaging is entirely Singer’s credit, and the relentless action seems almost like a message to detractors of his earlier ‘Superman Returns’ that he can very well direct an all-out action movie. Still, there is no pretension to be found here (in spite of boasting Ian McKellen as its narrator, it knows better than to try to be the next ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘The Hobbit’) and that quality makes it easier for audiences to accept the movie on its terms – as a light, playful and jaunty old-school fantasy adventure.

It is on that note that the mostly British cast Singer has assembled have taken to their roles. In the titular role is Nicholas Hoult, who makes a likeable, charismatic and surprisingly down-to-earth hero. There is a certain allure about his co-star Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays Isabelle, and the two share a warm easy-going rapport that brings a cheerful verve to the movie. Of their co-stars, Ewan MacGregor stands out in particular in the role of Elmont, playing it with a delightful mix of charm and good comedic timing; but Bill Nighy, recognizable only by his voice as Fallon, is wasted in a rudimentary role made worse by performance capture.

In the same way, one could say that the same about Bryan Singer’s involvement with this movie, an A-list director capable and indeed adept at juggling much more complex subject matters in his films slumming away in an at-best B-grade family movie. Yet undemanding though it may be, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ is still an engaging and entertaining thrill-a-minute ride that affirms Singer’s ability to construct blockbuster thrills on a large canvas. It may be a slight entry in Singer’s filmography, but it is still a solid one – so if you need to, take this as his warmup before he returns to edgier and certainly more ‘X-citing’ stuff next summer.

Movie Rating:

(As straightforward and uncomplicated as it gets, this mildly revisionist retelling of the classic tale is still a good old-fashioned blend of thrills and laughs)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Dustin Hoffman
Cast: Maggie Smith, Albert Finney, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, Ronnie Fox, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon, Sheridan Smith
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://weinsteinco.com/sites/Quartet/

Opening Day: 31 January 2013

Synopsis: Beecham House is abuzz. The rumor circling the halls is that the home for retired musicians is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it's a star. For Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay), Wilfred Bond (Billy Connolly) and Cecily Robson (Pauline Collins) this sort of talk is par for the course at the gossipy home. But they're in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Can the passage of time heal old wounds? And will the famous quartet be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House's gala concert?

Movie Review:

For the old folks at Beecham House, home for retired musicians, it seems that old age is but a number as they keep themselves busy with all-day rehearsals; their passion for music overflowing into classes and talks to educate the young.

Yet, time has passed and while they were virtuosos during their heydays, the residents now face the crises of old age. Some find their talent slipping away as fingers become less nimble and voices crack. As characters quip in the show, “Old age is not for sissies.”

This bittersweet melody forms the backbone of Quartet, a film based on the famous West End play by Ronald Harwood. Dustin Hoffman, better known for his role as an actor in films such as Tootsie (1982) and Rain Man (1988), makes his directorial debut in this film, and is not too shabby at all. After a somewhat tentative opening, Quartet quickly picks up rhythm, especially as it segues into the second half.

Neat and picturesque, Quartet has many scenes showing the characters taking walks in the great English outdoors which are nicely shot and pleasantly accompanied by the film’s classical soundtrack. Hedsor House is an excellent setting for the fictional Beecham House, although bearing a slight resemblance to Pemberley, one almost expects a wet-shirted Mr Darcy to emerge from a neighbouring pond!

Instead, it is Maggie Smith as the infamous opera diva Jean Horton, who descends upon the home, much to the admiration of her old colleagues (who are also fans) and her nemeses’ chagrin. Clashing egos of great opera stars who were “someone once” make for enormous fun, but Smith’s portrayal of Jean is dignified and does not quite reach the levels of l’enfant terrible that the film seemingly suggests her character to be, in anticipation of her arrival. Her aloof veneer belies the fact that she is just like the rest of the residents who harbour fond memories of the old days in the limelight and long for the thrill of performing live again.

The other characters are colorful enough. There is Jean’s friend, Cissy (Pauline Collins), whose endearingly pert and ditzy demeanours mask her fragile state within, key comic fodder and resident aged pervert Wilf (Billy Connolly), and Jeans’ estranged ex-husband Reginald (Tom Courtenay). Together, the four are a class act. The driving arc of the film sees them coming together to perform the Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act opera comprising the tropes of infidelity that parallels the dynamics in Jean’s and Reginald’s soured relationship. With Michael Gambon as the hilariously haughty and delusional ex-director of the musicians, Cedric Livingston, it suffices to say that Quartet boasts a competent cast.

As stories about old folks go, it’s easy to compare The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) with Quartet, but the latter is a little more tempered. First-time director Hoffman has miles to go before he ever strikes gold like the legendary Mike Leigh did with the impeccably balanced and quintessentially British Another Year (2010), but he does demonstrate a flair for intuitively reining in bits which could have bordered on cheesiness, while channeling light-hearted fun in earnestly heartwarming moments. As a film, Quartet is mild, but charmingly so. Not at all the drab fare we come to expect of sub-par comedies, it gently delights throughout and finishes with an ending (and end credits) that will leave you reeling with smiles.

Movie Rating:

(A charming film that luxuriates in a rhythm of its own, Quartet will make for a lovely outing at the movies)

Review by Tay Huizhen

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy
Director: Stephen Chow, Derek Kwok
Cast: Shu Qi, Huang Bo, Show Luo, Wen Zhang, Chrissie Chau, Chen Bing Qiang, Cheng Si Han, Yang Di, Lee Sheung Ching, Xing Yu, Ge Hang Yu, Fung Ming Hun, Yeung Lun
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 7 February 2013

Synopsis: This is a world plagued by demons, who cause its human inhabitants unspeakable suffering. Young demon hunter Xuan Zang, fearlessly guided by his belief in “giving himself for the greater cause”, risks his all and conquers a water demon, a pig demon and the demon of all demons, Sun Wukong. He embraces them as his disciples, and melts them with love. Meanwhile, Xuan Zang discovers the true meaning of Greater Love himself. In order to atone for their own sins and save the common people, the four of them embark on a journey to the West that’s full of challenges....

Movie Review:

Can any earnest Stephen Chow fan be blamed for eagerly anticipating his “Journey to the West”? Aside from the fact that it marks his first movie in four years (the last was the underwhelming "CJ7" back in 2008), it promises a return to the inimitable blend of slapstick comedy, kung fu and romance which Chow had so successfully parlayed into a winning formula in the duology “A Chinese Odyssey: Part One – Pandora’s Box” and “A Chinese Odyssey: Part Two – Cinderella” – never mind that Chow does not reprise his role as the “Monkey King” or for that matter have any starring role in this new movie.

Fortunately, Chow’s fans can rest easy – despite not having any physical presence in the movie, this “Journey” is classic Chow from the acting to the writing and to the directing, the latter two roles of which he is credited for in addition to producing the movie. And perhaps the best news of it all is that “Journey” bears none of the mediocrity of “CJ7”; instead, Chow returns to the sheer inspired inanity and hilarity of “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle”, so be prepared to be rib-tickled silly by the misadventures of Miss Duan (Shu Qi) and Xuan Zang (Zhang Wen) in demon country.  

Those familiar with the classic “Journey to the West” novel will know that Xuan Zang is also known as Tripitaka, who would be entrusted by Guanyin with the mission of recovering the sacred texts together with three disciples – Monkey King, Zhu Bajie and Sand Monk. Chow leaves that tale for the inevitable sequel; rather, in this movie, he fashions in essence a prequel, where Xuan Zang is no more than an amateur demon hunter yet to attain enlightenment, Monkey King or Sun Wukong (Huang Bo) is a conniving demon imprisoned in a cave by Buddha, Zhu Bajie is a pig demon called KL Hogg (Chen Bing Qiang) who kills women lusting after handsome men, and Sand Monk (Lee Sheung Qing) is a half-fish half-beast water demon which wrecks havoc on fishing communities living near the water.

You’ll do well to remember that each demon you see on screen is of significance; otherwise you may be wondering why the screenplay, credited to Chow and seven other writers (including co-director Derek Kwok, regular collaborator Fung Chih-Chang, Sand Monk’s Lee Sheung Qing and award-winning screenwriter Ivy Kong) seems to dwell too excessively on each particular demon-slaying encounter – beginning with Sand Monk, then KL Hogg and finally to Sun Wukong. Indeed, the movie is really made up of these three distinct sequences, with the exception of one more that builds on the budding romance between Xuan Zang and his much more skilled and experienced fellow demon hunter Miss Duan.

Within that narrative structure, Chow constructs four elaborately staged battles that combine his brand of quirky humour, choreographer Ku Huen Chiu’s imaginative action and production designer Bruce Yu’s richly conceived sets with some truly impressive CGI that rivals anything you have seen so far in Chinese cinema. Thankfully, Chow doesn’t get caught up with putting on the best visual effects show; in fact, with an inspired and confident directorial hand, he balances all these elements deftly, never forgetting that his audience is expecting nothing less than his signature brand of laughs.  

Right from the start, you’ll know that Chow’s comedic sensibilities are at his sharpest. He takes his time to set each scene – for instance, in the first sequence, a charlatan is seen tricking the gullible villagers into believing a giant sting ray he had blasted dead in the water was responsible for the death of one of their own and rubbishing Xuan Zang's warning that the real culprit is still in the water, so much so that when it appears, that entrance is even more dramatic. Ditto for the appearance of KL Hogg and Sun Wukong, whose appearances in full glory are again preceded by well-crafted red herrings that make the ‘revelations’ more impactful.

Chow also demonstrates an exceptional ability to juggle comedy and tragedy – here, in engineering humour amidst the deaths of others by the respective demons – and it is to his credit again that placing these two elements side by side in every sequence does not make the movie tonally jarring at any point. And of course, as with all his films, this one features his unique brand of exaggerated slapstick - like the obscenely oversized woman who comes to save the day (think “Kung Fu Hustle” and “CJ7”) or the occasional gross joke that involves some inappropriate kissing – as well as his cheeky tendencies of confounding genre stereotypes. Yes, if you love his 'mo lei tau' comedy, you'll certainly lap up the jokes here. 

In place of his mug, Chow has found his proxy in the form of Mainland actor Zhang Wen. It is said that Chow shows his actors just how he expects them to act in every scene, and in the case of Zhang Wen, we are sure Chow must have showed Zhang the way he would have played the role himself. You can almost see Chow through Zhang’s rubber-faced mannerisms - and the same goes for Huang Bo, who plays the mischievous Sun Wukong with more than a hint of Stephen Chow.

Furthermore, he fashions the love story between Zhang and Shu Qi the way he and co-star Athena Chu used to in the ‘A Chinese Odyssey’ films, and there are certain recognizable shades of similarities in the relationship between Xuan Zhang/ Miss Duan and Monkey King/ Zixia in the latter. Nonetheless, Shu Qi isn’t simply a stand-in for Athena Chu – fearsome when fighting demons like an oriental Tomb Raider and yet amorous when it comes to romancing Xuan Zhang, she is thoroughly alluring from start to end in the very sexy and sassy manner we would expect from her.

So really, there’s little to worry even though you won’t see Stephen Chow in the movie – every bit of it is quintessentially Chow, and it is a return to form to the peerless comedian who has since the 2000s taken a longer leave of absence after each movie than we would like to. Like his ‘A Chinese Odyssey’ movies, this “Journey” has action, comedy, romance and the additional ingredient of CGI to ensure an alternately amusing and suspenseful and thrilling ride from start to finish. If you’re looking for some surefire entertainment this Chinese New Year, your best bet would very well be taking this “Journey to the West”. 

Movie Rating:

(It doesn’t star Stephen Chow, but this “Journey to the West” is quintessentially Chow in its blend of action, comedy and romance that guarantees a rip-roaringly hilarious time perfect for the Lunar New Year season)

Review by Gabriel Chong