SYNOPSIS: A funny and touching coming-of-age story based on the beloved best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up. Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is a moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope—and the unforgettable friends that help us through life.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It’s rare for writers to personally direct their own works for the big screen. However, Stephen Chbosky managed to pull it off with his feature movie that is based on his 1999’s novel about three coming-of-age high-schoolers, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”.
Movies about teenagers tend to revolve around sex, booze and drugs, think “Sex Drive” and the recent “Project X”. Chbosky’s movie explores the emotional side of them or should I say, the serious issues concerning their adolescence years and the end result is an intelligent and rich study that is quite unlike any of the recent crop of teenage comedies.
Set in an era where social media and the internet is still nonexistent, Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a lonely, angst freshman going through his first year of high school after the death of his only best friend. Charlie soon befriends two fun-loving step-siblings, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson) and the trio soon find themselves basked in a friendship that is infinite.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is not a drama that is going to have a particular wham bam finale nor is it one that is going to entertain you with gags for 103 minutes. Instead it’s a heartfelt journey crafted by Chbosky that makes you fall in love with this bunch of misfits. Patrick with his cheerfulness and vivacious personality is gay and he is in love with a closeted lover, the popular high-school footballer. Well, Patrick openly embraces his sexuality but not his partner who causes him much pain in the process. Charlie is secretly in love with Sam but she is in a relationship with a boy who is two-timing her. And Charlie, our protagonist has far more severe problems that we initially thought, his frequent bouts of passes out turned out to be from an abused act when he was younger.
You can say Chbosky is being a little ambitious with his feature debut but the fortunate thing is he has the superb performances of his cast to thank for. Ezra who excelled in the drama, “We Need To Talk About Kevin” is excellent as the perky Patrick. Watson whose “Harry Potter” stints make her a star finally has something else on her resume to prove she is no pushover. The prolific, “Percy Jackson” actor, Logan Lerman shines as the tormented Charlie and silenced the critics with his touching performance. And yes, I nearly forgot to complement Paul Rudd’s role as Charlie’s earnest English teacher.
With a soundtrack that consists of cool-sounding indie tunes especially during the tunnel scene (might be iconic down the road by the way), this is a drama that is both well-acted and emotionally engaging, it’s unforgettable.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
As if to reflect the mood or the 90’s settings, the visual is basked in a soft mode and the Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is serviceable for the dialogue based feature.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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HAPPY "SNAKE" YEAR!Posted on 09 Feb 2013 |
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Cast: Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper, Terrence Howard, Isabelle Huppert, Armand Assante, Franky G
RunTime: 1 hr 57 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Sexual Scene and Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://blooddemandsblood.com/
Opening Day: 30 May 2013
Synopsis: Following the cinematic phenomenon "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," acclaimed filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev and brooding beauty Noomi Rapace reunite for another thrilling tale of vengeance. Colin Farrell joins the prestigious team as brave enforcer Victor, right hand man to an underground crime lord in New York City. He seeks to avenge the death of his wife and daughter caused by his boss. When his employer is threatened by a mysterious killer, Victor also becomes detective. Victor is seduced and blackmailed by Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), a victim turned avenger whose intense chemistry leads them spiraling into payback delivered in violent catharsis. From producer Neal Moritz ("The Fast and the Furious" franchise, "I Am Legend") and Joel Wyman ("Fringe", "Keen Eddie") comes a triumphant action thriller, a powerful portrait of the relationship between two people caught in the crosshairs of revenge.
Movie Review:
"Dead Man Down" has a rather cheesy trailer which does not do the film justice.
Niels Arden Oplev, director of the Swedish "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2009) has a keen sense of how to keep his audience at the edge of their seats. The screenplay has an intriguing development and the action is intense. The first half of the film is especially fast-paced, gripping and chock full of smart twists, inviting audiences to establish the relationships between Victor (Colin Farrell), Alphonse (Terrence Howard) and Ilir (James Biberi). As pieces of the puzzle start to come together, Oplev changes it up in the next half of the film and focuses on the love interest between Victor and Beatrice.
Noomi Rapace is nicely cast as the tormented Beatrice, a young French woman who swears revenge on the man who scarred her in a traumatic car accident. While her scar makeup does not make her “tragedy” very believable—it’s far too light and discreet as a scar to earn her the kind of scorn and bullying that her character is subjected to in the film—there are things that Rapace does with her eyebrows that brings out every fine nuance in expression, down to the tiniest expression of annoyance, puzzlement and fragility that’s a real treat to watch.
She strikes an amazing chemistry with Isabelle Huppert who makes a surprising appearance in this film as Beatrice’s mother, Maman Louzon. It’s not often we see the great French actress on Hollywood outings. And I implore you to watch any film with Huppert in it—everything will make sense once you have experienced the effortlessly phenomenal five seconds of her very first entrance in "Dead Man Down".
"Dead Man Down" is a compelling film; its charm attributed in no small part to how it shares abit of that alluring mix of cool yet tender romance in the cult favourite, "Drive" (2011) that many have been scrambling to re-present on the big screen. You know, the formulaic story in which monosyllabic, heart-of-stone, axe-to-grind, one-man-against-all-the-baddies type hunk meets new-age damsel in distress, or a strong-headed female character with a feisty exterior that belies a vulnerable heroine self? The costume choice for Beatrice in one scene cannot make this point any less obvious. When Beatrice enters Victor’s house for the first time, the grown woman is seen wearing pig tails and is dressed in a child-like frock.
In fact, the whole girl-next-door meets boy-next-door set-up in "Drive" seems to play out in an uncanny fashion in "Dead Man Down". While Victor and Beatrice are not exactly next-door neighbours in the way The Driver and Irene are, their hallway meetings and quasi-romantic, modern day Romeo & Juliet balcony rendezvous as tenants of opposite blocks attest to the fact that well-loved Hollywood formulae often require just a simple twist here and a little tweak there to perpetuate.
The film also intelligently yet simply explores the ethics and morality of revenge which adds to its depth. It boasts some cool set locations, unexpected twists and is one of the more refreshing action films of late.
Movie Rating:
(Excellent casting makes for some startlingly impressive performances that are hardly packed into forgettable action flicks)
Review by Tay Huizhen
Genre: War/Action
Director: Ronny Yu
Cast: Ekin Cheng, Vic Chou, Wu Chun, Raymond Lam, Fu Xinbo, Yu Bo, Adam Cheng, Xu Fan, Li Chen
RunTime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Violence)
Released By: Scorpio East Pictures and Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 4 April 2013
Synopsis: Saving General Yang is based on the legendary Generals of the Yang Family. An epic tale about the renowned Song Dynasty's military defense headed by the clan of Yang against the nomadic Northern nation the Liao, sometimes also known as the Khitans in accounts of ancient Chinese history. Head of the Yang clan is the charismatic old veteran general, Yang Ye, who is also the father of seven sons, namely Ping, Ding, Ang, Hui, De, Zhao and Si. The seven young men possess different temperaments and characters, but they have to join forces and wits when their father is taken by enemy forces.
Movie Review:
Joining a line of movies about the Yang family generals that has grown longer than their lineage is Ronny Yu’s ‘Saving General Yang’, an earnest if slightly underwhelming recount of the bravery of their seven sons who rode forth into war to rescue their embattled father. As far as such big-budget historical war epics are concerned, Yu’s addition stands out as an exemplary example of how to do large-scale action sequences right, though its simplistic story and underdeveloped characters prevent it from joining the leagues of ‘Red Cliff’ and ‘The Warlords’.
Co-scripting with Edmond Wong (aka producer Raymond Wong’s son and writer of the Wilson Yip-Donnie Yen ‘Ip Man’ movies) and Scarlett Liu, Yu keeps the story straightforward in fleshing out the themes of “忠孝仁义” – translated literally as loyalty, filial piety, humanity and justice – which the Yang warriors are supposed to personify. A border war with the Khitans from the North sees the decorated General Yang (Adam Cheng) rising to the call of his Song emperor, but he and his frontline troops are betrayed by their supreme commander Lord Pan (veteran martial arts actor Leung Ka-Ying) when the latter leaves them to fend for themselves upon an enemy ambush. To the aid of the wounded and outnumbered General Yang are his seven sons, each of whom make a solemn promise to their mother (Xu Fan) to bring dad home.
Apart from a red herring by a prophet who foretells that “seven sons will go but only six will return”, the plot is generic to the point of being bland. Quickly whittling down the good guys to just General Yang and his sons, what unfolds is a series of cat-and-mouse chases as the Yang clan attempt to evade a certain Yelu Yuan (Shao Bing) and his band of about 100 Khitan warriors, the former of whom bears a personal grudge against the veteran Yang for killing his father in battle years ago.
In order to care about the subsequent fates of the Yang brothers, one must first be able to identify with them – and we’re not talking about differentiating which actor plays which part. Unfortunately, the characterisation is shallow at best, rarely venturing beyond the badge of loyalty and heroism that every one of the seven brothers is supposed to wear so proudly on his sleeves. Among the seven, more attention is comparatively spent on the Sixth and Seventh Brother (Wu Chun and Fu Xinbo respectively) – the former we learn is deeply in love with the Emperor’s sister Princess Chai (Ady An) and the latter is portrayed as an impetuous wild card often disobeying his father or his elder brothers’ instructions – but neither fails to engage beyond a superficial level, except of course if you’re already biased for that character based on your fondness for the actor (here’s looking at you Wu Chun fans).
Instead, what becomes clear over the course of the movie is that plot and character are just devices for Yu’s elegantly staged action sequences – with the help of veteran action choreographer Dong Wei of course. The first of these immediately grabs your attention as the Yang warriors overcome their disadvantage in numbers with a smart tactical manoeuvre that literally lights up the sky over their enemies; and the rest that follow are no less rousing. Yu ensures that each of the brothers has his own well-defined personality on the battlefield owing to a certain weapon of choice – be it First Brother’s (Ekin Cheng) ‘guan dao’, Third Brother’s (Vic Chou) bow and arrow (a la ‘Legolas’) or Fourth Brother’s (Li Chen) twin cleavers. No matter which member of the ensemble cast you are a fan of, rest assured that each gets his own time to shine on the field – though particularly memorable is Third Brother’s poetic and edge-of-your-seat gripping one-on-one with a rival archer amidst a field of tall grass.
In turn, the who’s who of male celebrities in Chinese (and by Chinese, we mean Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) cinema acquit themselves with competent to impressive physical turns. Deserving of special mention is Wu Chun, whose performance in the film’s climax will surely have his fans cheering, and whom brings the right mix of naivety and maturity to a role that grows increasingly significant as the film progresses. There is also plenty for Ekin Cheng’s fans to cheer for, as the once immensely popular Hong Kong actor gets probably his meatiest role in recent years that harks back to his ‘The Storm Riders’ and ‘A Man Called Hero’ films. And in a rare big-screen appearance, Adam Cheng brings gravitas and depth to his patriarchal character who is both a stern and a loving father at the same time.
Such a star-studded cast is reason enough to see ‘Saving General Yang’, though one had hoped that Yu and his fellow screenwriters could have adopted a more character-driven narrative that would certainly have made the familiar story a more compelling one. Nonetheless, Yu's first film in seven years after the critical and audience hit ‘Fearless’ still sees the veteran director bring a solid and assured directorial hand to offer thrilling blockbuster entertainment. As for learning more about the Yang family, that will have to wait for the next Yang Generals movie, which we are sure will not be too long away.
Movie Rating:
(Even if you know the story, this thoroughly engaging historical war epic still packs plenty of big-budget action for a thrilling time from start to finish)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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"U R 1 IN A MINION TO US" HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!Posted on 13 Feb 2013 |
Genre: Thriller
Director: Nattawut Poonpiriya
Cast: Patchara Chirathivat, Jarinporn Joonkiat, Pattarasaya Kruesuwansiri
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence, Drug Use And Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 21 February 2013
Synopsis: “4...3...2...1” no matter where you are, everyone in the world is looking forward to the countdown to New Years Day, which includes 3 Thai teens in New York City. They are roommates. Jack is a rich kid from Thailand who lies to his parents that he’s in NYC to study, where in reality he is actually spending their money on a daily basis just to have fun. Pam a materialistic girl who would do anything to impress others and finally, Bee, Jack’s girlfriend, who has yet to reveal to anyone why she came to NYC in the first place. The 3 friends want to have a NYE party to remember, so Jack calls Jesus, a drug dealer, to drop off some stuff to their apartment so they can celebrate the end of the year in style. They actually don’t know Jesus that well and don’t really know his background. However, his visit that night will change their lives forever. “4...3...2...1” They are counting down without knowing for sure that their new day is going to be waiting for them….
Movie Review:
No matter what you think ‘Countdown’ is about, let us reassure you that this is one movie which will catch you by surprise. Whether or not you’ll enjoy this edge-of-your-seat gripping experience that never quite takes you where you want or expect it to is another matter – but we can tell you unequivocally that we loved how it continuously defied narrative convention, delivering something refreshingly original that manages to be both thrilling and thought-provoking at the same time.
In order not to spoil the roller-coaster ride you’re going to sit through, we’ll keep what we say about the film’s premise brief. The setting is a basic New York City apartment, and the protagonists a group of three Thai teenagers who share that apartment. It is New Year’s Eve, and hoping to score some dope after their regular dealer announces his intention to get out of the business, the only guy amongst them - Jack (Pachara Chirathivat) – contacts whom he thinks is the source for their weed dealer.
The man named Heasus (David Asavanond) turns up precisely as promised at nine in the evening, and proceeds to engage the trio – made up of Jack, his girlfriend Bee (Jarinporn Junkiet) and the air-headed Masters student Pam (Peak Patarasaya) – in some drug-addled conversation. Whereas Jack and Pam readily smoke themselves high, the more clear-headed Bee insists on staying sober, and slowly senses something amiss about Heasus. Trouble strikes when Bee persuades Jack to pay Heasus and show him on his way, which is as good a place as any to leave you piqued just what happens next.
A fair warning to those who are squeamish – not only does it get pretty intense from that point on, it also gets rather graphic. That in itself will likely turn some faint-headed viewers off, but if you steel yourself to sit through the anguish, you’ll find that there is both purpose and significance to the apparent madness. Not to worry, as we’ve promised, there won’t be any spoilers here; suffice to say that it has something to do with the respective backgrounds of each of the characters, who are not as innocent or hapless as you may have thought them to be.
That the violence never gets exploitative is to writer/ director Nattawat Poonpiriya’s credit, who knows just how far to go to get the intended reaction from his audience without in fact going overboard. Making his feature film debut by expanding his earlier 45-min short, Poonpiriya doesn’t get carried by with the visceral pleasures of the movie; instead, there is a surprising level of symbolism here, beginning with the film’s very first scene where we see Bee cowering in a confessional, to the fact that Heasus’ calling card has ‘Jesus’ printed on it, to how a nail gun comes into the picture later on.
His message here has to do with atonement, one that comes on the heels of a supernatural twist which it beseeches its viewers to accept at face value. Poonpiriya shrewdly sets up the chain of events, such that with each incredulous turn, we are challenged more and more to guess Heasus’ identity – which as you’ve probably guessed, is key to understanding just the how and why of the proceedings. In particular, what could easily have been narrative cliché is turned into an inspired stroke of genius, as a midway revelation of Heasus’ ability to communicate in Thai turns the threat into something much more immediate, scary and yet spooky at the same time.
It should be quite clear just from the premise alone that the entire movie hinges on the mysterious character of Heasus, and thankfully, Asavanond delivers a magnetic performance in that role. At first chummy and seemingly benign, he morphs into an altogether more frightening and menacing presence with time, before finally acquiring an almost invincible quality that has allusions to the Devil. Besides being the intimidating presence that the movie needs, Asavanond also demonstrates some sharp comic timing in his delivery of the script’s dark humour. Next to Asavanond, none of the teenage actors seem to make much of an impression or for that matter survive being relegated to caricature – with the exception of Junkiet, who brings unexpected empathy to her morally ambiguous character.
Yet within its high-concept premise, ‘Countdown’ succeeds exceedingly well as a thriller and as a cautionary tale centred around morality, integrity and karma. Its narrative may not be as dense as ‘Shutter’ or ‘Phobia’ – with which it shares the same producer – but on the basis of originality and inventiveness, we dare say that it is clearly superior. Refusing to adhere to genre conventions, this is at once a movie that is terrifying, darkly amusing, provocative and riveting from start to finish. If you’re in need for an adrenaline boost, then this seemingly innocuous and seemingly innocuously-titled movie is the equivalent of a roller-coaster thrill ride that will leave you on an exhilarating high.
Movie Rating:
(One of the most refreshingly original Thai films we’ve seen in a long time, this genre-bending exercise is both an exhilarating thriller and a thought-provoking morality tale)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Sci-Fi/Romance
Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, Jake Abel, Max Irons, Chandler Canterbury, Boyd Holbrook, Frances Fisher, William Hurt, Stephen Rider
RunTime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://thehostthefilm.com
Opening Day: 28 March 2013
Synopsis: From Stephenie Meyer (author of THE TWILIGHT SAGA) comes THE HOST, a love story set in the future, where Earth is occupied by a species who erase the minds of their human hosts, leaving their bodies intact. Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) is one of the last surviving humans who fights back, risking her life for the people she cares about most - Jared (Max Irons), Ian, (Jake Abel), her brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury) and her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt) - proving that love can conquer all.
Movie Review:
A parasitic alien invasion creates a nearly-perfect world in this adaption of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling book of the same name, fusing into human minds and bodies to create a superior race that is not only more morally enlightened, but also more advanced in medical and environmental care. A pair of electric-blue eyes is the sole defining physical feature signifying that the human host has been overtaken. Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan), one of the last few remaining human survivors, is caught by a militant Seeker (Diane Kruger) and implanted with an alien named Wanderer, with the goal of uncovering the remaining humans’ hideout.
Complications arise when Melanie, a spitfire with an extraordinarily strong will and mind, persuades Wanderer to subvert the alien race and return to her family and friends, most notably her love interest Jared Howe (Max Irons). Naturally, suspicions run high upon her entrance into their hideout within the antechambers of an extinct volcano, but trust wins out in the end as the two characters inhabiting Melanie’s body develop an unlikely bond, while figuring out how to unentangle themselves amidst complications in love and friendships. The ending, in a manner befitting of its source material, neatly resolves itself with a deus ex machina, such that viewers are left slack-jawed at how nicely it all turned out.
Directed by Andrew Niccol, the film starts off looking like a pale replica of one of his better-known works, Gattaca -- the aliens are ‘the perfect race’ decked in crisp white uniforms while operating in pristine offices of glass and silver while the humans scramble for survival. Pity then, while The Host’s plot can stand on its own, it barely grazes the level of elegant storytelling and nuances that made Gattaca a bona fide success.
While the concepts of identity, loyalty and what it means to be human would have been interesting territory to explore, the film never delves into these complex ideas because it has to spend time pandering to its target audience with jarringly random scenes of the leads making out and a particularly ridiculous scene of forced kissing. Audiences should bear in mind that this movie is based on novel by the same author who gave us Twilight, mostly because it will answer many of the questions you may have throughout the film.
The show is carried by Ronan and Kruger, who make the best of the weak script, while the young male leads are mostly quintessential eye candy.
Movie Rating:
(More likely to appeal to younger audiences or fans of young adult romantic fiction rather than viewers looking for a good sci-fi flick)
Review by Wong Keng Hui
SYNOPSIS: A pair of inquisitive adolescents encounter a charismatic drifter with an incredible story in this drama from Take Shelter writer/director Jeff Nichols. Mississippi adolescents Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) are exploring along the mighty Mississippi when they stumble upon a small island inhabited by Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a desperado who claims to be on the run from brutal bounty hunters after killing a man in Texas. According to Mud, his true love Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) is awaiting his arrival in town, and together they plan to make a daring escape. Fascinated, the two boys agree to help Mud slip past his pursuers, despite the potential dangers of doing so.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Since changing the course of his career, Matthew McConaughey has done like five consecutively indie titles which include the award-winning Dallas Buyers Club, Bernie, Killer Joe, The Paperboy and Mud. This decision finally paid off for McConaughey in 2014. The Texan won his first Oscar after being mocked for years for his frequent shirtless antics in his movies.
For the most part, McConaughey kept his shirt on in Mud in case you are wondering. In this Jeff Nichols’ self-penned, directorial effort, he plays a drifter named Mud whose lucky charms are his pistol and a worn out beige shirt. Mud is on the run after killing a guy who abused his ex-girlfriend, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). He hides on a small island in the Mississippi River until two teenage boys, Ellis (Ty Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) befriends him. He plans to run away with Juniper and he needs the boys to help him in repairing a broken boat so he can escaped the police and ruthless bounty hunters.
Requiring nothing but patience, Mud is an engaging drama with deliberate pacing. It’s a coming-of-age tale set in rural Arkansas and with Nichol so adept at his characters’ development and storytelling, it’s a powerful viewing experience. The modern day Mark Twain approach to Ellis and Neckbone’s characters is both intriguing and reflective. Mud probably sees Ellis as his younger self, on the other hand Ellis sees Mud as an older figure he can related to given his parents are having marital problems.
Assembling a cast that also includes Michael Shannon as Neckbone’s uncle, Sam Shepard as Mud’s older father figure, their roles while significantly small adds colors to the story. Reese Witherspoon shines in a role that is a grand departure to the usual girl-next-door stuff she dabbled in. McConaughey of course is the soul of Mud. He is charming, unpredictable and deeply rooted in his love for Juniper. Ty Sheridan from Tree of Life and Lofland is impressive as the young adventurers and clearly has the potential for bigger roles in the future.
Mud is a well told, compelling story of boyhood and manhood with hints of adventure, mystery, love and bits of action rolled into one. Nichols is one filmmaker that deserved better attention. Hollywood still has hope.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Mud is in general a quiet movie though it does showcase clear dialogue and solid ambient effects. Visually, the cinematography is rich and natural making you wish you could make a trip to Arkansas to experience it yourself.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comedy
Director: Malcolm D. Lee
Cast: Ashley Tisdale, Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, Terry Crews, Kate Walsh, Heather Locklear, Molly Shannon, Mike Tyson, Audrina Patridge, Kendra Wilkinson, Angie Stone, Katt Williams, Marisa Saks, Erica Ash, Simon Rex, Jasmine Guy, Angela Raiola, Sheree
RunTime: 1 hr 27 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Sexual & Drug References)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 May 2013
Synopsis: Happily married couple Dan and Jody begin to notice some bizarre activity once they bring their newborn baby Aiden home from the hospital. But when the chaos expands into Jody's job as a ballet dancer and Dan's career as an Ape researcher, they realize they're family is being stalked by a nefarious demon. Together, with the advice of certified experts and the aid of numerous cameras, they must figure out how to get rid of it before it's too late.
Movie Review:
One supposes that the producers of the ‘Scary Movie’ franchise must have had a creative dilemma when faced with the task of coming out with the next instalment. For one, the ‘Scream’ series which was the genesis of the ‘Scary Movies’ had long since run out of steam, and even the most recent attempt at reviving it (i.e. ‘Scream 4’) proved unsuccessful. For another, there hasn’t been a bona fide horror hit like ‘Scream’ in a while – the only exception being ‘Paranormal Activity’, which in an ironic twist, had already been spoofed by the original creators of ‘Scary Movie’ in ‘A Haunted House’.
A retread would have been plain suicide, so instead the creative minds behind the last two ‘Scary Movies’ – David Zucker and Pat Proft – decide to fuse what was certainly meant to be a spoof of ‘Paranormal Activity’ with that of a most recent modestly successful horror movie, the Guillermo del-Toro produced ‘Mama’. To be sure, the welding of both premises wasn’t that difficult to begin with, since both largely took place in the context of a suburban house; still, there is little praise to lavish on a movie like ‘Scary Movie 5’, so we’ll pay what little compliment it deserves.
There’s just about one other inspired bit, so we might as well get that over with as well. Already touted as one of the movie’s highlights, there is indeed some fun to be had in the scene with Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan. An obvious riff on the celebrities’ real-life woes, that sequence has Sheen and Lohan play a married couple who are into all sorts of kinky sex positions until an otherworldly presence terrorises them in their bedroom a la ‘Paranormal Activity’. It isn’t nearly as funny as you would hope from such a tongue-in-cheek pairing, but nonetheless, it is comedic genius when compared to everything else that comes after.
Beginning with the discovery by two stoner buddies (Snoop Dogg and Mac Miller) of three feral kids in a cabin in the woods, the movie adopts the narrative structure of ‘Mama’ while spoofing some of its iconic scenes, e.g. the one where Jessica Chastain’s character gingerly approaches the ajar closet while being warned by one of the two girls. If that doesn’t ring a bell or if you have never seen ‘Mama’, then well pretty much half of the movie won’t make sense to you. For that matter, you probably won’t appreciate much of the other half as well.
Strenuously trying to parody other recent blockbuster movies not necessarily of the horror genre, Simon Rex has a job as a scientist in a biological lab where tests on apes are being carried out – cue some painfully unfunny sequences ripped from ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’. Meanwhile, Ashley Tishdale is an aspiring ballerina who auditions for (gasp!) ‘Black Swan’, and faces Mila Kunis-like competition for the lead role from Erica Ash. If that isn’t enough, there’s even a psychic based off the ‘Sinister’ movie and a Leonardo DiCaprio-lookalike dream extractor from none other than ‘Inception’.
Apparently, just about anything and everything is up for spoofing, even yet-to-be-made films like ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ – oh, if you ladies have to know, Jerry O’Connell is Mr Christian Grey. There’s also cameos from other recognisable actors/ actresses such as Heather Locklear, Terry Crews, Mike Tyson, Usher and even the respectable Molly Shannon. Still, none of that star power is worth anything in sequence after sequence of painfully unfunny gags, not even the Morgan Freeman-like narration that struggles to make the pastiche of random sketches coherent. Wisely then, resident star Anna Faris (who has seen her star rise in recent years) has decided to sit this one out, probably realising that the ‘Scary Movies’ have all but run their course.
And you’ll be smart to follow her lead, avoiding what is surely one of the worst entries that just about nails the coffin of this franchise long past its prime. Like last year’s ‘Scream’ and ‘Spy Kids 4’, this was meant to be a quick cash-cow for The Weinstein Company, i.e. by reviving its most successful low-budget genre franchises of the past decade; unfortunately, it’s more akin to flogging a dead horse, and not even with the venerable spoof master David Zucker (‘Airplane’ and ‘The Naked Gun’) or his co-conspirator Pat Proft (‘Police Academy’ and ‘Naked Gun’) or director Malcolm D. Lee (of the intermittently amusing 2002 Blaxploitation spoof ‘Undercover Brother’) can breathe life into it. Even at a relatively short 85 minutes, it’s scary just how terribly dreadful this is.
Movie Rating:
(Except for a tongue-in-cheek opening with real-life train wrecks Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan, this painfully unfunny attempt to revive the ‘Scary Movie’ franchise is but their cinematic equivalent)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Joshua Michael Stern
Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, Ahna O'Reilly, J.K. Simmons, Matthew Modine, Kevin Dunn, Victor Rasuk, Eddie Hassell, Ron Eldard, John Getz, Lesley Ann Warren, James Woods, Amanda Crew, Brett Gelman, Brad William Henke
RunTime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 15 August 2013
Synopsis: It only takes one person to start a revolution. The extraordinary story of Steve Jobs, the original innovator and ground-breaking entrepreneur who let nothing stand in the way of greatness. The film tells the epic and turbulent story of Jobs as he blazed a trail that changed technology - and the world - forever.
Movie Review:
The first of what will surely be many biopics to come of one of the 20th century’s greatest innovators, ‘Jobs’ only draw is being first out of the gate. Yes, if you haven’t yet been acquainted with the tumultuous early years of the Apple founder, then this perfunctory retelling will probably be as good an introduction as any; but everyone else who is familiar with the story will be disappointed with this overly simplistic portrayal of a complex man whose ambition was both his greatest gift as well as his most significant stumbling block.
Beginning in 2001 when he unveiled his masterpiece, the iPod, to rapturous applause, Stern and his first-time feature screenwriter Matt Whiteley rewind the clock thirty years ago to 1971 when Jobs was a student at Reed College, Portland. An LSD trip, a journey to India and a brief stint at Atari later, Jobs teams up with his buddy, self-taught engineering wiz Steve Wozniak (Josh Gad), to build Apple computers in the former’s parents’ Los Altos garage. Jobs had the inspired idea to combine a typewriter with a TV, and the Apple II was born - but not without the funding from entrepreneur and former Intel engineer Mike Markkula (Dermot Mulroney).
To find a dramatic hook, Whiteley predictably focuses on the most pivotal turning point in Jobs’ life, as Jobs’ launch of the Macintosh computer in 1984 sparks off an internal feud with his CEO John Scully (Matthew Modine) and the rest of the Board (including J.K. Simmons’ Arthur Rock) that leads to his ouster and the company’s subsequent decline. Of course, Jobs makes a return to the flailing company in 1996 upon then-CEO Gil Amelio’s (Kevin Dunn) request, returning Apple to its roots in the personal computer market and paving the way for its success today.
Is there anything this dramatization adds to that true story which you cannot glean from any text-based account? Hardly; if anything, it merely puts a face to the disbelief, disappointment, indignation and gratification Jobs must have felt when he was kicked out of Apple and then presented with the golden opportunity to rebuild the company into the vision he had for it at the onset. The storytelling is pretty straightforward, covering the important events of his professional ups and downs but providing little details beyond what is already public knowledge.
Admittedly, to expect more would probably be a tall order, since the man has passed away and the others who would be familiar with these past events did not participate in the making of this film - including the real-life Woz, who in fact has been a vocal critic of the movie. But more disappointingly, Stern completely glosses over Jobs’ personal life and personality, both of which are essential to any self-respecting biopic - after all, how can any biography be complete without an insight into the person whose life story is being told?
Whiteley’s episodic script is utterly superficial in this regard - and we’re not talking about Jobs’ drive, determination or innovation. Instead, Jobs’ crucial relationship with Wozniak is thinly sketched, not only because it omits how they met and their chemistry, but also because it barely explains why Woz quit Apple dissatisfied with the direction the company was heading and the person that Jobs had become. Other aspects of Jobs’ character are given short shrift - for instance, we see Jobs dumping his pregnant girlfriend Chris-Ann Brennan (Ahna O'Reilly) and refusing to recognise his newly born daughter as his own early on, but are given little explanation how and why he settles down and turns into a family man later.
If the scripting is a part of the problem, then the acting is yet another. Chiefly, while bearing more than a passing resemblance to Jobs, Ashton Kutcher is not up to the part. To his credit, one can tell Kutcher has put in a lot of effort into the role, emulating his character's awkwardly hunched posture as well as to some degree his voice and gestures; unfortunately Kutcher always looks like he is playing the part, and never quite becoming the character he is supposed to portray. It is an affected performance, and Kutcher’s limitations as a dramatic actor are all too apparent here. In fact, the supporting acts steal the show, especially Mulroney’s solid turn as Jobs’ ally turned adversary.
Most of all, Stern’s film rarely possesses the qualities that characterised Jobs - it isn’t bold enough to offer a balanced, or critical even, perspective of the man (including his more unsavoury personal aspects), nor unique enough to provide a distinctive look at the early years of his storied career. What emerges is simply bland and uninspired filmmaking, which in the context of Jobs’ illustrious and intricate life, is an unsatisfying tribute to a man who spent his time being exactly the opposite.
Movie Rating:
(An utterly perfunctory retelling of the Apple founder’s ups and downs in his early professional years - good only for those who need an introduction to his rise and fall and rise again)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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