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SYNOPSIS: Bald Liu, owner of a rundown crocodile park, has arranged to sell the reptiles to a crooked businessman, Zhao. Among the crocodiles is a huge, 8 meter-long female, nicknamed Mao, who weighs 2 tons. In fact, Zhao, who has wanted to buy Mao ever since Liu trumped him at a black market in Guangdong province 11 years earlier, intends to kill the reptiles to supply his illegal wild-game restaurant. Mao escapes being slaughtered and chases after a woman, Wen Yan, who has just returned from eight years working in Italy and has had a row with her two-timing fiancé. While defending herself, Wen Yan has her bag - which contains her €100,000 savings swallowed by Mao. She alerts a junior local policeman, Zhun, who initially doesn't believe her. Eventually, however, he takes her back to his home and tells her to look after his young son, who's always skipping school to go to the crocodile park. When Bald Liu tells Zhun that Mao is heading along a traditional breeding path to lay her eggs, Zhun realizes his house is in the way and rushes to rescue them. Wen Yan is still desperate to trap the crocodile and retrieve her life savings before they're digested, and in the meantime Zhao has also learned about the money inside the reptile. Next day, all parties and a police force, search for the "million yuan" crocodile, which is now heading for Hangzhou's West Lake beauty spot.

MOVIE REVIEW:

“Million Dollar Crocodile” is sort of a cinematic milestone for the emerging China’s film market. Widely touted by industry watchers as the first monster movie from the mainland, the flick helmed by Lin Lisheng whose day job is lecturing at the prestigious Beijing Film Academy is in short a silly, fun romp that is best enjoyed in the company of family members and friends.

To be frank, those accustomed to Hollywood’s monster flicks might find “Million Dollar Crocodile” a tad too mild for their liking. Obviously made to please the notorious stringent China censors, the gore, violence is almost unnoticeable and the scares even lesser. However, Lin Lisheng manages to keep things moving briskly and simultaneously throwing in lots of campy humor along the way to entertain the audience.

The story co-written by Lin is strictly a digestible, widely-appeal affair and unlike Korea’s megahit “The Host”, this is not one movie that are filled with political subtext despite the reptile being nicknamed “Ah Mao”. The closest you get is a hint at the ridiculous demand for wildlife species on the dining table, which of course is common in the Mainland.

The most recognizable face right here is none other than Taiwanese Barbie Hsu. Hsu plays a woman, Wen Yan whom has just returned to China with her 100,000 Euros after spending years working in Italy. But an unfortunate encounter with the gigantic 24 foot “Ah Mao” result in her money being swallowed by the reptile. Teaming up with the local cop, Wong (Guo Tao) and his young son, Yan is bent on retrieving her hard-earned money from “Ah Mao”. But a bunch of crooks led by Zhao (Lam Suet), a ruthless restaurant owner who has earlier failed to slaughter the captured “Ah Mao” decides to go after the cash as well.

The main cast on the whole is feasible enough for this caper; Hsu is slightly irritating with her shouting at the start while Guo Tao is likeable as the underdog. Little known Mainland actor Shi Shaoqi as Bald Liu on the other hand is excellent as the tormented crocodile hunter. But it’s the numerous supporting characters that look and behave liked they graduated from Stephen Chow School of Comedy that generate most of the laughs for example a cross-eye tea-picker lady and Zhao’s gang of nitwit accomplices. It’s always comforting to have Johnnie To’s regular Lam Suet around and even Xiong Xin Xin (from “Once Upon A Time In China III”) dials in a delicious cameo.

The production on the whole is decent enough and that include the CGI crocodile, which is done by a Mainland effects house. On closeup, the details of “Ah Mao” are breath-taking but the visual effects fare weaker during the fast-moving sequences. Our main star, “Ah Mao” is portrayed as a humanized reptile as compared to her counterparts in “Primeval” and “Lake Placid” and that explains the rather emotional climax.

The not so subtle closing credits hint for a sequel and to be fair, for the first monster rampage movie coming out from a market that is well-known for it’s usual arty flicks and historical epics, it’s a recommended movie (note the auspicious title) to be watched on the small screen this Lunar New Year.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Visual and audio is passable for this DVD. Of course, a 5.1 surround track would fare better for this genre.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: From the gringos who brought you Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy comes the slapstick action comedy, Casa De Mi Padre. Will Ferrell plays a simply Mexican who is proud to work on his father's ranch. But when the ranch is threatened by a dangerous drug lord, he must protect what he cares for the most.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Is that Will Ferrell on the cover of ‘Casa de mi Padre’ (or ‘My Father’s House’ in Spanish)? You betcha! Not content to rib-tickle just English-speaking audiences, Ferrell has set his sights on the Spanish-speaking crowd by crossing the United States border over to Mexico to play a Mexican version of his signature slightly dense Everyman. Call it politically incorrect for all you want, but if there’s one thing you have to give him credit for, it’s commitment to the role.

To play the dim-witted younger son of the aging patriarch Miguel Ernesto (the late Pedro Armendáriz Jr.), Ferrell not only dons the costume, he has picked up the Spanish language – and we must say, as far as it sounds to the untrained ear, it is pretty damn impressive. Granted he may still speak it with an American accent, but Ferrell’s bold attempt to film this movie entirely in Spanish is in itself a commendable feat, especially how he looks to be doing it effortlessly.

Don’t get the wrong idea though – Ferrell’s not doing it in a bid to become a more serious actor. Rather, ‘Casa de mi Padre’ is his way of paying homage to the classic Spanish telenovelas, i.e. soap operas, and old spaghetti Westerns – by doing a spoof about them. Yes, both director Matt Piedmont and writer Andrew Steele – both of whom are alums of ‘Saturday Night Live’ – demand that you do not take the material seriously, so when you do cringe (and trust us that you definitely will), you’ll know that was the intention of the filmmakers all along.

As with most Will Ferrell movies, the plot is secondary to the purpose. True enough, this is a threadbare setup which pits Ferrell’s rancher Armando Alvarez and his brother Raul (Diego Luna) against the most fearsome drug lord, Onza (Gael Garcia Bernal) after Onza kills their father following Raul’s overtures to challenge his drug-dealing business. Oh, and just because there is always romance in these Spanish telenovelas, Armando gets to fall in love with the impossibly beautiful Sonia (Genesis Rodriguez).

To a certain extent, the way Piedmont films ‘Casa de mi Padre’ reminds one of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s ‘Grindhouse’, such as the use of a visibly fake background as a desert pond or the blatant use of rear projection when Armando and his two sidekicks (Adrian Martinez, Efren Ramirez) ride in a car. But neither Piedmont nor Steele possesses the wit nor the energy of Tarantino and Rodriguez; instead, they are content to settle for gentle chuckles now and then, whether in the form of the deliberately contrived dialogue or the blatantly exaggerated shoot-em-up scenes.

Thankfully, it isn’t just Ferrell who knows what sort of movie this is. Ferrell’s usual self-serious performance contrasts nicely with that of Luna’s and Garcia’s, both reputable young actors who are content to simply have fun with their respective roles. Besides their over-the-top acting, there is a particular unexpected pleasure to be found in the form of a non-human – more specifically, a mystical white mountain lion done in an intentionally terrible animatronic manner that serves as Ferrell’s unlikely sage counsel.

So you see, there is really nothing too abstract about Ferrell’s Spanish language debut. The language may sound foreign, but Ferrell is still up to his same old lowbrow nonsense, poking fun at a genre ripe for the pickings. Though ‘Casa de mi Padre’ is never as funny as you might think it would be, it remains an amiably amusing exercise that thrives in its gently offbeat humour and deliberate daftness. How else can you describe how Will Ferrell gets to do it with Genesis Rodriguez in a sex scene so preposterous that you can’t quite help but laugh at its sheer absurdity?

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The Dolby Digital 5.1 isn’t much to shout about, but the lack of proper calibrations for surround sound might be intentional for a film like this. Ditto for the visuals, which again look ‘grindhouse’ in nature.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: Beth saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal. When Joseph loses the dog after a wedding at their vacation home in the Rockies, the distraught Beth enlists the help of the few remaining guests and a mysterious young woman in a frantic search. Each member of the search party is affected by the adventure, which takes them in unexpected directions – comic, harrowing, sometimes deeply emotional and ultimately towards love.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Nine years is a long time to be away, but yes it has been that long since Lawrence Kasdan made a movie. Kasdan who? Well, for the uninitiated, he is the writer of such blockbusters as ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ as well as acclaimed ensemble dramas like ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Grand Canyon’. ‘Darling Companion’ marks his first film in nine years, but this family-friendly drama is as tepid a comeback as can be, offering little humour or poignancy to a well-worn premise of a dog that helps bring an emotionally distant family closer to one another.

Assuming both writing and directing duties on the film, the former of which he shares credit for with his wife Meg, Kasdan relates the marriage woes of Joseph and Beth Winter, a couple coming into their twilight years and growing ever further from each other. Whereas Beth (Diane Keaton) is faced with the loneliness arising from an empty nest syndrome, Joseph (Kevin Kline) compensates by throwing himself more and more into his day to day work as a spinal surgeon.

Beth finds an unlikely companion in the form of an injured, mangy mutt she rescues while driving along the freeway one day. That rescue also proves serendipitious for her daughter Grace (Elizabeth Moss), who gets to know an affable Indian veterinarian who nurses Freeway to health and then gets married to him a year later. Grace's wedding takes place at Beth's vacation home in the mountainous countryside, but that very weekend takes an unexpectedly trying turn when Freeway goes missing during one of his walks out in the woods with Joseph.

The hunt for Freeway that ensues will make Beth confront her disappointments with Joseph, as both seek to address the problems in their marriage which they have consistently ignored. But besides the elderly Winters, there are also other members in the family who will have to do some soul-searching, including Joseph’s sister Penny (Dianne Wiest), her boyfriend Russell (Richard Jenkins) and Penny’s son Bryan (Mark Duplass). Everyone is none too pleased with someone else, and it isn’t long before these tensions come to the fore.

None of which is particularly engaging unfortunately – not only are the characters not compelling enough, the scenarios they find themselves in are just too vapid for us to care. Instead, there is a feeling of geniality in the air, which isn’t bad in itself, but makes for dull cinema. As the script meanders, so does the direction, and Lawrence Kasdan cannot quite muster enough momentum in the film to keep your attention from drifting away. Neither do the cast of veterans for that matter – and even the dependable Keaton and Kline look as if they were sleepwalking through the movie.

We don’t blame them really. It’s hard to keep awake in a movie that is as dull as this, which belongs at best to the Hallmark channel. Then again, this was supposed to mark Kasdan’s return to filmmaking, and from what we see, it is nothing less than a letdown. With an aimless script as well as lacklustre direction, this drama is but a poor shade of what Kasdan used to be capable of in the past, and you’re better off finding a more a real-life human companion to spend the time with than this onscreen canine.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio will do just fine for this talky movie. Visuals are clean and crisp.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vinessa Shaw, Mamie Gummer, David Costabile, Greg Paul, Kerry O'Malley
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.sideeffectsmayvary.com/

Opening Day: 21 March 2013

Synopsis: SIDE EFFECTS is a provocative thriller about Emily and Martin (Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum), a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily's psychiatrist (Jude Law) – intended to treat anxiety – has unexpected side effects. Emily (Academy Award nominee Rooney Mara) and Martin Taylor (Channing Tatum) are a young, beautiful, wealthy couple living the good life, with a mansion, a sailboat and every luxury money can buy—until Martin is sent to prison for insider trading. For four years, Emily waits for him in a tiny apartment in upper Manhattan, but his release is just as devastating as his incarceration and Emily sinks into a deep depression. After a failed suicide attempt, psychiatrist Jonathan Banks (Academy Award nominee Jude Law) is called in to consult on Emily’s case. Desperate not to be hospitalized, Emily agrees to a regimen of therapy and antidepressants, a decision that will change the lives of everyone involved. When Emily’s symptoms don’t improve, Banks prescribes a new medication that quiets her demons. But the side effects of the drug have chilling consequences: marriages are ruined, Banks’ practice is decimated and someone is dead—but who is responsible? Devastated by this professional setback, Banks becomes obsessed with finding an answer. But the truth he uncovers threatens to destroy whatever is left of his career and his private life.

Movie Review:

Side Effects comes from director Steven Soderbergh and writer Scott Z. Burns of the medical thriller 'Contagion', but while the former examined the what-if scenario should a worldwide infection take hold of the entire world, this one takes a much more contained scope revolving around the widespread use of prescription drugs in modern American society and the possible implications on the individual when abused.

There is similarity in the styles of both movies, and that is both for the better as well as for the worse. In particular, Soderbergh's documentary-style filmmaking means that - like 'Contagion' - this movie takes a factual approach to the subject matter. That in itself isn't a bad thing, but those looking for Hollywood-style thrills should note that Soderbergh eschews such theatrics in favour of a more grounded and realistic style.

Still, it's easy to tell that the material has been researched-well. Both Soderbergh and his writer Burns aim for an effective and ccurate portrayal of stress, depression, and mental trauma, with Soderbergh on camera via his alias Peter Andrews using the cinematography to enable his audience to discern the character’s state-of-mind.

Soderbergh also gets good performances out of his cast. Particularly, Rooney Mara conveys keenly the nuances of a person afflicted with mental illness, with each subtle move contributing to a whole all-encompassing portrayal. Soderbergh takes care in portraying depression in varying degrees in every character - and even Jude Law's Dr. Banks proves to be a flawed individual with secrets of his own.

Unfortunately, the movie falters in its last act due to too many complex cause-and-effect chains. A satire on the use of prescription drugs in modern society becomes a satire of action/thriller filmmaking, when too many events are thrust into a short amout of time for cinematic impact, and end up looking disconnected and confusing on screen. Furthermore, the ending of the movie was poorly constructed, leaving the audience with little or no resolution.

What may also frustrate viewers is the unclear character motivations. That is especially true for Rooney Mara's Emily, whom we are first led to sympathise with as a victim of the medical system and becomes something else altogether because of an odd twist at the end.

Though there's no doubt it is thought-provoking, it is a movie that increasingly unravels itself along the way. If this is indeed Soderbergh's last film, then we'd hope he would be remembered for much better.

Movie Rating:

(A medical thriller of the mind that starts out well enough, but that will soon make even the most attentive of viewers nauseously confused)

Review by Nishanthini Ganesan

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Lasse Hallström
Cast: Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons, Noah Lomax, Mimi Kirkland
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: PG13 (Scene of Intimacy)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/safehavenmovie

Opening Day: 21 February 2013

Synopsis: An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman's struggle to love again, Safe Haven is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks. When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller.

Movie Review:

You’re already a fan of Nicholas Sparks or you’re not, and if you belong to the latter, then there is frankly little we can say that will change your mind, or for that matter convince you to watch ‘Safe Haven’. But if you are a sucker for Nicholas Sparks’ romances, then you’ll love this gentle, heartwarming and surprisingly suspenseful adaptation of the prolific author’s sixteenth novel, which feels similar yet different from his previous works but is at the end of the day all the better for it.

Indeed, the opening seems right smack out of a domestic thriller, where we see a woman fleeing from a house where something violent has happened - only to be pursued by a dogged cop to a bus terminus, before narrowly eluding him by sneaking on board a long-haul bus bound for Atlanta. When the bus stops for a bathroom break in a small town on the North Carolina coast called Southport, said woman finds the quiet picturesque community a good place as any to rebuild her life, so she rents a secluded house and takes up a nondescript job as a waitress at the local diner.

Under the pseudonym of Katie Feldman (Julianne Hough), she strikes up a friendship with Alex (Josh Duhamel), the owner of a local convenience store who is smitten at first sight by her. But just as Katie has her baggage, so does Alex – he’s widowed after his wife died of cancer, and now has to look after two children, a sensitive older son (Noah Lumax) and a cheerful younger daughter (Mimi Kirkland), while dealing with his own grief. The protagonists in Sparks’ tales of love have always been broken individuals who find healing and solace in each other’s presence, and ‘Safe Haven’ is no different in that regard.

Two things however set this story apart from the rest. First, more than in any other, there is a strong thriller element, as director Lasse Hallstrom endeavours to keep his audience on edge guessing just when Katie’s pursuer will track her down and also just what dark secret she has chosen to keep hidden in the recesses of her previous life. Of course this is still through and through a romance, so don’t go expecting some Agatha Christie potboiler, but the mystery does help make the movie pacier than other Sparks’ adaptations.

Besides a more dramatic buildup and climax, there is also a supernatural twist thrown in for good measure. That in itself is a first for the author, and could easily have turned into farce without the right finesse. Fortunately, the unlikely twist survives the journey from print to screen thanks to some assured direction from Hallstrom, who avoids turning every tragic detail of the story into heavy-handed melodrama. Instead, that last-minute reveal adds poignancy to a surprisingly down-to-earth story of finding closure with the past and moving forward with hope.

That the central relationship between Alex and Kate never feels less than genuine is credit to Hallstrom as much as it is to the winning performances of Duhamel and Hough. Hallstrom doesn’t find the necessity to turn every lovey-dovey moment between the couple, whom he knows we know will end up with each other, into some sappy MTV moment; rather, he trusts in his two actors to win you over with their earnest portrayals of two people who find the courage to trust in each other and in that special bond of love that binds them together. There is an affable rapport between Duhamel and Hough right from the beginning, which develops into something more affecting and emotive as the movie progresses, guided along by Hallstrom’s sensitive and tasteful handling of the material.

It’s almost too easy to pan anything associated with Nicholas Sparks, but there is a reason why almost all, if not all, of the author’s books have ended up atop the New York Times bestseller list. Even though his stories of love are pure escapism, he has managed to make every one of them relatable by tapping into the universal need for reconciliation and companionship. And ‘Safe Haven’ is a story crafted in that same mould, but with a good dose of thriller and a supernatural twist thrown in, that stands among one of Sparks’ best. Sure, Hallstrom has definitely done more classy films (think ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ and ‘The Cider House Rules’), but within the confines and the context of a Sparks novel, he has made an excellent adaptation that enhances the inherent appeal of the book.

Like we said in the beginning, there is probably nothing we can say that will change your mind about the book or the film if you’re already prejudiced against Nicholas Sparks or his works. Everyone else looking for an affirming story about the ability of love to overcome tragedy and inspire new beginnings will find this feel-good tale a beguiling and ultimately uplifting experience perfect for Valentine’s Day and any occasion in between to rekindle your faith in the power of love.

Movie Rating:

(As good a Nicholas Sparks adaptation as you will get, ‘Safe Haven’ boasts a surprisingly engaging narrative, down-to-earth performances from its leads, and sensitive yet elegant direction from Lasse Hallstrom)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Crime/Comedy
Director: Fisher Stevens
Cast: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies, Vanessa Ferlito, Katheryn Winnick, Mark Margolis, Addison Timlin, Lucy Punch, Bill Burr, Rick Gomez, Weronika Rosati
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language, Drug Use and Sexual References)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.standupguysfilm.com/

Opening Day: 7 March 2013

Synopsis: A pair of aging con men try to get the old gang back together for one last hurrah before one of the guys takes his last assignment - to kill his comrade.

Movie Review:

How much you enjoy ‘Stand Up Guys’ depends on how much you like the trio of veteran actors – Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin. Without them, the film would cease to exist. No offence to actor-turned-director Fisher Stevens and first-time feature film writer Noah Haidle, but neither the former’s directing nor the latter’s writing counts for anything much, so the pleasure of watching their film comes solely and only from the company of these three amigos they have somehow by some stroke of luck managed to assemble.

Each one of them has played a mob-man countless times in many other superior films, but put them together in the same picture and the result is quite something in itself. Without the burden of trying to prove themselves (having already established themselves early on in their career as first-rate actors), Pacino, Walken and Arkin are content to simply kick back and savour the rare delight of playing off one another. That explains the leisurely gait at which the movie unfolds, even though the fact that everything plays out pretty much over the course of one night (and perhaps an early morning) might suggest otherwise.

Then again, the actors aren’t given much of a story – or for that matter, characters – to begin with. The bare bones plot starts with Val’s (Pacino) release from prison 28 years after taking the fall for his partners-in-crime in a shootout – hence the title ‘stand-up guy’. To start off his celebration of debaucherous – booze, good food and women – fun denied him in prison, his best friend Doc (Walken) takes him to the brothel they used to frequent, though not before a stopover at the pharmacy to get some Viagra.

Because he overcompensates, Val lands in hospital, only to meet Nina (Julianna Margulies), the daughter of their old getaway driver Hirsch (Arkin) who is now wasting the last years of his life away in a nursing home. On a whim, they decide to lure him out for a wild night on the town, stealing a luxury car which belongs to some other local gang in the process. Once behind the wheel, Hirsch proves that he can still drive like the old day; not only that, another trip to the same brothel certifies that his other faculties are – let’s just say – still as sturdy.

Where is all that supposed to lead up to? Well, it turns out that Doc has been instructed by a vengeful mob boss (Mark Margolis), whose son was accidentally killed in the shootout Val took the rap for, to kill the latter within 24 hours – so like Doc, everything up till the inevitable confrontation is just trying to buy time. That explains the contrived plot turn which sees them avenging a woman who has apparently been gang raped by the people who own the car they stole – and the quick and fleeting manner by which this show of retribution is over and dealt with suggests a movie that doesn’t quite know where and what to do, so much so that the narrative feels thin and overplotted at the same time.

What pleasures it does offer is at best intermittent, and courtesy of its fine cast. The frequent references to their age – the best being that where both Val and Hirsch express surprise that cars no longer need to be started with a set of jangling keys – are amusing despite being repetitive, and work only because Pacino, Walken and Arkin are such good game. They are also the reason why the movie has its poignant moments, particularly as they reminisce about the days of their lives past and start to question friendship, loyalty and their own mortality.

Indeed, it’s no overstatement to say that the weight of the whole film rests on the able shoulders of Pacino, Walken and to a lesser extent, Arkin. Whereas Pacino plays the reprobate with slack-jawed charm, Walken is quiet, restrained and in his subdued way, unexpectedly moving. They complement each other perfectly, leaving you without a doubt how the finale will play out between them, and lending at least some credence to a clichéd shootout that ends the film on a somewhat unsatisfying note.

It is also yet another reminder how the film’s modest delights are entirely because of its geezer cast. Though Pacino, Walken and Arkin have been in much better films before, ‘Stand Up Guys’ benefits from being the first time that all three of them are in the same movie. That shared experience in itself is reason enough to catch this otherwise insubstantial movie, their affable and engaging presence making the time spent with them in this buddy comedy worthwhile.

Movie Rating:

(A movie that is worth only as much as its cast – thank goodness then for its three fine Hollywood veterans, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Justin Lin
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Luke Evans, Elsa Pataky, Gina Carano
RunTime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence And Some Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.thefastandthefurious.com/

Opening Day: 23 May 2013

Synopsis: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of all-stars as the global blockbuster franchise built on speed races to its next continent in Fast & Furious 6. Reuniting for their most high-stakes adventure yet, fan favorites Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and Elsa Pataky are joined by badass series newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano.

Since Dom (Diesel) and Brian’s (Walker) Rio heist toppled a kingpin’s empire and left their crew with $100 million, our heroes have scattered across the globe. But their inability to return home and living forever on the lam have left their lives incomplete.

Meanwhile, Hobbs (Johnson) has been tracking an organization of lethally skilled mercenary drivers across 12 countries, whose mastermind (Evans) is aided by a ruthless second-in-command revealed to be the love Dom thought was dead, Letty (Rodriguez).

The only way to stop the criminal outfit is to outmatch them at street level, so Hobbs asks Dom to assemble his elite team in London. Payment? Full pardons for all of them so they can return home and make their families whole again.

Movie Review:

Really, how many franchises can claim to be at their best the sixth time round? But that is exactly where the ‘Fast and Furious’ team are at with this exercise in pure exhilaration. Just when we feared that it might be difficult to top the jaw-dropping finale in ‘Fast Five’ where key protagonists Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) skidded a bank vault down the streets of Rio on two Dodge Chargers, director Justin Lin proves that he has reserved his best one yet for what has been announced as his final outing at the helm after four consecutive runs.

Continuing what began as an invigorating transition from streetcar racing to heist film the last time round, resident scribe Chris Morgan ups the stakes by pitting our favourite anti-heroes against their most dangerous opponent yet. That man is Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), an ex-SAS officer turned mercenary who leads a nefarious gang of criminals bent on stealing the components capable of assembling a lethal weapon to be used by terrorists. As Tyrese Gibson’s designated comic relief character Roman describes, Shaw’s guys are pretty much the evil twins of Toretto’s team, hence the return of other familiar supporting characters like Han (Sung Kang), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) and Gisele (Gal Gadot).

Even as Morgan evolves the franchise, he understands that the character dynamics have been one of the highlights of each film, and this sequel to ‘Fast Five’ preserves and builds on the relationships that its predecessor established. Besides the budding romance between Han and Gisele (in our opinion, exotic and very nicely played) and the deepening of familial ties between O'Conner and Toretto’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) with the birth of their child, there is sensibly the return of Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), which through the last film, transformed from dogged adversary to unlikely ally.

It is Hobbs who reunites Toretto’s team together to pursue Shaw - the strategic equivalent of “fighting fire with fire” - with no less than the promise of full pardon if they succeed. Amidst the crowded ensemble, Morgan picks up on a new angle set in motion from the concluding events of the last film. Once presumed dead, Toretto’s former squeeze Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) has turned up as one of Shaw’s known associates, a good part of the quieter moments of the film spent rekindling the romance between the ex-lovers.

Of course, this isn’t a movie with many such moments - except for the occasional expositions about family - so you can forgive the lack of character development for new supporting additions Riley (MMA fighter and ‘Haywire’ star Gina Carano) and Jah (‘The Raid’s’ Joe Taslim); the former Hobbs’ new partner and the latter Shaw’s kungfu-kicking henchman. Instead, both Carano and Taslim are there to add a different flavour of adrenaline in the form of close-combat fight scenes, and let’s just say that they each get their own sequence to show off their respective moves.

But aside from an impressive bit of tag-team ass-kicking from Toretto and Hobbs against one of Shaw’s equally hulk-sized crew (Kim Kold), the bulk of the action is meant to unfold against broad open canvases, as opposed to close quarters. Lin neatly - and we might add, beautifully - choreographs three elaborate chase sequences with loads of automobile destruction that the franchise has been known for, even more extraordinary for how he manages to top one after the next.

In chronological order, Lin begins with a grand introduction to Shaw and his gang with an intricately staged chase down the streets of London - although the fact that Shaw’s military-styled vehicle looks like the Batmobile from Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy might provide a hint where Lin could have gotten his inspiration. Yet any doubts about Lin’s originality are quickly dispelled once we get to the second setpiece, a boldly imagined art of mass destruction matched equally in its stunning execution. As the trailer has amply teased, this one has Toretto and his crew behind the wheel in pursuit of Shaw and his men inside a tank on a Canaries highway.

The most breathtaking of all he leaves for last, which though utterly ludicrous, represents probably one of the most awesome stunt pieces you will see this year. Since no other film has dared to use cars to take down a Russian cargo plane about to take off, Lin does just that. Not only do Toretto’s team face off with Shaw’s mob in cars racing at near impossible speeds, they attach their vehicles to the wings of the plane with gleeful abandon to any thought of their own lives - though as a warning, not all will make it through to the already announced sequel next summer. If Lin intends to go out with a ‘bang’, let’s just say he accomplishes it many times over.

The exquisitely staged vehicular mayhem is complemented by a firm sense of camaraderie amongst Toretto’s group. Gibson’s one-liners are snappy and more amusing than they were in ‘Fast Five’, and his banter with Kang and Ludacris not only keep the film’s momentum going while the plot pieces are put in place but also establish the kind of teamwork necessary for the subsequent action scenes. And not forgetting the brawny charisma of Diesel and Johnson, which enliven the film as much as they did in the last one.

If you ask us to judge this against then-franchise best ‘Fast Five’, we’d say that this more than tops the fun and excitement that it offered. There are two qualities which make or break a ‘Fast and Furious’ film - how enjoyable is it to hang out with Toretto and his crew and how thrilling are the car chases. On both counts, this sixth entry surpasses the heights established by its predecessor, setting an even higher bar for its successor. But if the coda before the end credits is anything to go by, there’s plenty of reason to get excited for next summer’s follow-up.

Movie Rating:

(Team Toretto is closer and more fun than ever, but bold imagination and beautiful execution of some of the most exhilarating car chases ever done on film make this the unequivocal franchise best thus far)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Karzan Kader
Cast: Zamand Taha, Sarwar Fazil
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Lighthouse Pictures & Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:

Opening Day: 28 February 2013

Synopsis: Iraq in the early 1990 was a devastating land to survive in. When we think of Iraq, the first thing that tends to pop into our minds is the war and Saddam Hussein. But there is another side too, that even the Iraq’s government tries to forget about. It is perhaps the most notorious country in the world and it goes by the name Kurdistan.

Movie Review:

There is something about stories between two brothers that we adore. It helps if the tale is set in a foreign land unfamiliar to us city dwellers. Bonus points are awarded if the brothers are adorably cute and impossible to detest. Kurdish born director Karzan Kader knows these well enough to make a feature based on his award winning graduation film from Swedish film school Dramatiska Institutet. The 2010 work won the filmmaker a Student Academy Award, and to extend it into a full length movie (local director Royston Tan’s 15 comes to mind), there is really nothing that can go wrong.

Set in Iraq Kurdistan, the protagonists of Kader’s screenplay are two homeless brothers who see Superman in the dilapidated town's first movie theatre, before they decide to look for him in the oh so great United States. A long dangerous road trip involving yakking donkeys, angry military men, thirst quenching cola drinks and ruthless human traffickers thus begins, bringing viewers on a 92 minute journey of that idealism which we have long left behind.

With the support of several Swedish bodies, this recommended film is a breeze to sit through. Production values are high, with Johan Holmqvist’s stunning cinematography, Michael Leszczylowski and Sebastian Ringler’s well paced editing and Juhana Lehtiniemi’s ethnic score.

What’s more important though, is how you’ll feel and empathise with the two brothers. We are feeling that this is especially poignant for viewers in this part of the world where we have everything well taken care of, and how we have settled nicely into our comfort zones. Seeing the brothers’ trials and tribulations on screen will only have us urbanites reflecting on how life is like in that part of the world.

The film sets up several well executed dramatic moments which engage viewers into rooting for the characters. Watch out for the finale where the older brother gets into trouble with a landmine – you will be holding your breath just so that he can survive this.

Having non actors take on the roles of the protagonists is also something Kader did right. Zamand Taha and Sarwar Fazil anchor the entire movie with their charismatic screen presence, and one how can one not fall in love with the puppy eyed brothers as they embark on a nearly impossible adventure to make their dreams come true? Set in the early 1990s in a country that only reminds most people of war, unrest and bloodshed, to have a hopeful story like this emerging does wonders to the human spirit. The two child actors manage to hold the story together, with the occasional conflicts and disagreements which only serve to remind viewers they are human as well.

Granted, the film concludes with several questions on how the two brothers managed to survive the treacherous ordeals, and how the human spirit can be so strong – just to see Superman in a country countless miles away. But it is exactly this spirit that we should admire, and it can be done by lowering our guards and leaving some cynicism at the door.

Movie Rating:

(A likeable human drama that reminds us the importance of hope and optimism)

Review by John Li

Genre: Comedy
Director: Don Scardino
Cast: Steve Carell, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey, Jay Mohr, Zachary Gordon, Alan Arkin, Brad Garrett, James Gandolfini, Gillian Jacobs, Melissa Ordway, Steve Buscemi, David Copperfield, John Lewis
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Drug Reference & Coarse Language)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: http://www.theincredibleburtwonderstone.com/index.html

Opening Day: 14 March 2013

Synopsis: Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have ruled the Las Vegas strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt's growing ego. But lately the duo's greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they've grown to loathe each other. Facing cutthroat competition from guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose cult followingsurges with each outrageous stunt, even their show looks stale. But there's still a chance Burt and Anton can save the act-both onstage and off-if Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place.

Movie Review:

Ah, Jim Carreey, how we have missed you. The rubber faced comedian, who defined the Hollywood slapstick genre with movies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), The Mask (1994) and Dumb and Dumber (1994) is back – and despite playing a supporting role in the Don Scardino directed film, effortlessly steals the show by being buff, blond and bonkers.

Carrey plays popular street magician Steve Gray who entertains with death defying stunts like lying on hot coal, not peeing for 12 days and pulling cards out of his face (Criss Angel, David Blaine, anyone?). No wonder the titular Burt Wonderstone is upset, considering how he has been a successful magic act in Las Vegas. Adding salt to the wound is the departure of his partner Anton Marvelton after a failed public performance. What will a fallen magician do to regain his pride?

The 100 minute comedy is easy to sit through, largely because of the cast’s hilariously endearing performances. Besides Carrey’s idiosyncratic portrayal as the street magician, Steve Carrell (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) takes on the role as the pompous Burt Wonderstone, together with the underrated Steve Buscemi (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Grown Ups) as his likeable sidekick. Carrell does his usual stuff of looking stoned, while Buscemi again displays his versatility. Veteran Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine, Argo) shows up as an elderly magician, while James Gandolfini (TV’s The Sopranos) plays a business minded hotel owner. Olivia Wilde Tron: Legacy, Cowboys & Aliens) is the obligatory female lead, who seems to be trying her best to fit in with the crowd.

As campy as the movie poster looks, the humour here is not as wicked as some wish it could have been. Scardino, who is known for directing the successful TV series 30 Rock, manages to infuse some heartwarming elements into John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s screenplay. Bits of nostalgia and family friendly jokes, coupled with the occasional offbeat physical humour will entertain and engage audiences from beginning to end. Watch out for the pre credits scene where Burt and Anton show you how one of the greatest tricks in magic history is pulled off. You’ll leave the cinema chuckling at its outrageousness and how ridiculous it is.

Given that this is a movie funded by a major studio, the need to appeal to the largest possible crowd must have been taken into consideration. Hence, there is more buddy laughs and family friendly fare than dark comedy. And the decision to cast Carrey has got to be the best decision the filmmakers made. The 51 year old actor lives up to his name as one of Hollywood’s most famed movie stars who can inject an unbelievably high amount of energy into his performances.

More importantly, the movie reminds you the good old days when you would stare in awe and wonderment at the simplest of magic performances. Just like how everything else in the world has become an almost unrecognisable state, some of the outlandishly preposterous magic illusions today cannot compare with a trick as simple as pulling a rabbit out of a top hat.

Movie Rating:

(Family friendly fare it may be, the comedy caper still manages to entertain with its highly engaging antics)

Review by John Li