Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, Terrance Howard, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Paul Dano
RunTime: 2 hrs 32 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Coarse Language)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films and Scorpio East Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 19 September 2013
Synopsis: Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His 6-year-old daughter and her young friend are missing, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had been parked on their street. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki arrests its driver, but a lack of evidence forces the only suspect’s release. Knowing his child’s life is at stake, the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. The desperate father will do whatever it takes to find the girls, but in doing so, may lose himself, begging the question: When do you cross the line between seeking justice and becoming a vigilante?
Movie Review:
This writer will be honest with you – when he saw the runtime for this crime thriller film, he wasn’t exactly sure whether he would be able to sit through the entire movie without getting impatient and ending up fidgeting in his seat. After all, it has been a while since he watched a 153 minute movie. Looking at the cast list which includes Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terence Howard, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano, he told himself: this had better be good.
Academy Award nominated filmmaker Denis VIlleneuve (Incendies) directs a power ensemble to tell the story of a small town carpenter whose six year old daughter gets kidnapped on Thanksgiving. The unfortunate mishap also happens to his neighbour. With the two girls missing, a young, brash detective takes charge of the investigation and a series of incidents begin to unfold.
Like the critically acclaimed Incendies which was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars, this production is one that will have you at the edge of your seat, eagerly anticipating how the plot will develop next. What makes it even more gripping is how the filmmakers manage to weave in riveting dramatic moments which leave you pondering - what does it take for one to lose his soul?
The Canadian film director and writer has a god sent ensemble to work with, and the main cast members deliver their career bests, without being too showy in their performances. The supporting roles played by Davis (The Help, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Howard (Hustle & Flow, Iron Man) and Bello (World Trade Center, Grown Ups 2), you can see how they allow each other to shine whilst holding their own grounds. Be it Davisand Bello’s grieving mothers or Howard’s conflicted father, each of these fine actors will leave an impression on you. Dano (There Will Be Blood, Cowboys and Aliens) takes on the role of a crime suspect and gives a shockingly disturbing performance, while the always reliable Leo (The Fighter, Olympus Has Fallen) plays his caregiver.
Gyllenhaal has come quite far in his career since we first saw him in 2001’s Donnie Darko, and the range of roles he has tackled is nothing short of impressive. This time, he plays a weary crime fighter and don’t be surprised if he picks up acting nominations and prizes come awards season. Jackman is no Jean Valjean (Les Miserables) or Wolverine (X Men series) here, he disappears into the role of a common man who takes matter into his own hands when the system feels him. Driven by desperation, the Australian actor’s performance will have you wondering how far you would go to protect your family. This Jackman is not the buff beefcake you are familiar with – we are almost certain his performance will be duly recognised at the upcoming awards season.
Aaron Guzikowski pens the masterful script for Villeneuve’s first English language film, and the story is a thought provoking one. Award winning Roger A Deakins’ (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, No Country for Old Men) cinematography is also a highlight in this highly recommended film, as every shot exemplifies the chilliness and loneliness of the movie’s setting. As the film’s end credits roll, you’d be left suitably disturbed by the emotionally powerful haunting human drama.
Movie Rating:
(Grippingly haunting, this emotionally absorbing drama is definitely one of the year’s best movies)
Review by John Li
Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Director: Masato Hijikata
Cast: Sho Sakurai, Keiko Kitagawa, Kippei Shiina
RunTime: 2 hrs 1 min
Rating: PG (Some Nudity)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures & Clover Films
Official Website: http://www.nazotoki-movie.jp/index.html
Opening Day: 22 August 2013
Synopsis: TOHO Co., Ltd and Fuji Television Network, Inc. proudly presents “THE AFTER-DINNER MYSTERIES”, a film adapted from best-seller mystery novel by renowned Japanese novelist Tokuya Higashikawa. The story is about the mysterious murder that happens in the luxurious cruise ship which is heading toward Singapore. Leading actor, Sho Sakurai, is a member of top Japanese idol group ARASHI.
Movie Review:
Following the immensely popular television drama series in 2011 (which was also broadcasted on our local television network in 2012), The After-Dinner Mysteries returns with a movie packed with entertainment! The movie centres the mystery behind a series of murder that occurred on a luxurious cruise bound for Singapore. The murderer is hiding amongst the 3000 people onboard, with a motive yet to be unveiled. With the series of incidents which even threatened the life of Hosho Reiko, a police and the heiress of a rich family, can her butler Kageyama successfully protect her from harm and solve the mysteries?
A never done before in its television drama series, more than half of the film is shot overseas, which heavily featured Singapore! This definitely is one of the appeals to our local audience, as it is rather refreshing to see Singapore from the perspective of a foreign film, which brilliantly captured the beauty of many familiar sights. Although it is the first attempt at a movie for veteran television drama director Hijikata Masato, this movie didn’t seem like it is just another episode pulled out from the television series, it was in fact a work that is pretty outstanding. On top of that, many scenes are scaled up for the silver screen, such as the helicopter scenes, the full shot of the Star Cruise Virgo, and even the scenes at the ‘no man’s island’.
The regular cast Sakurai Sho (as Kageyama), Kitagawa Keiko (as Hosho Reiko) and Shiina Kippei (as Kazamatsuri) have showed greater chemistry onscreen. Kageyama is as usual sharp tongued and curt towards Reiko, which came across as natural and expected by now. It is also more refreshing as there were more interactions between Kageyama and other members of the cast this time, as he is more directly involved in the mystery solving.
Apart from the series’ regular cast, the movie has a strong lineup of supporting cast which increased the entertainment value of the movie exponentially. In particular, veteran actor Nakamura Masatoshi nailed his role as the manager of the luxury cruise, who is also the father of the jazz singer (played by Sakaraba Nanami). The exchanges between Sakuraba Nanami and Nakamura Masatoshi is a definite plus point to the movie which made the drama better. Takenaka Naoto and Okura Koji, who played the roles of the wacky brothers, also impressed greatly on the audiences, bringing out a lot of laughter and comedic elements.
Although the movie ought to be on ‘mystery-solving’, it was not too heavily focused on just solving the mysteries. It was well balanced out with the drama side of the movie. The story had many layers and unexpected twists and turns, but was overall very easy to follow. Also, the comedy and humour of the movie has leveled up from the drama series. Even the character mascot of the luxurious cruise had a part to play in bringing out the fun and laughter. Overall the story and comedy kept the audiences rather engaged and entertained.
Last but not least, sharing with you a movie trivia. Our national symbol, the Merlion, was undergoing maintenance works when the filming crew and cast came to Singapore last year. The Merlion that you see towards the end of the movie is actually a result of a near-perfect post production CG enhancement! This goes to show the amount of effort and detail invested into this movie to make it perfect. Kudos to that!
Like many other Japanese dramas and movies, it is almost a given that it will resolve with a rather cliché ending. However, if it had ended otherwise, it would be strange too. So it is forever a love-hate relationship with those cliché endings. Nevertheless, The After-Dinner Mysteries movie was a fun and light-hearted one. Mystery solving, humour, comedy, drama and action all packed into one. Even the non-followers of the television series are guaranteed to be entertained!
Movie Rating:
(The After-Dinner Mysteries movie is both a scale up and a skill up from its television series and exceeded expectations. Borrowing the words from lead actor, Sakurai Sho, "MUST recommend to your friends, hor?")
Review by Tho Shu Ling
Genre: Drama
Director: Claude Miller
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gilles Lellouche, Anais Demoustier
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 12 December 2013
Synopsis: The year is 1926. In the Landes region, free-spirited Thérèse Larroque, the daughter of a wealthy pinery owner and radical-socialist politician, marries Bernard Desqueyroux, another pinery owner. Although she does it half-heartedly, she thinks that marriage may help her to "sort out all the ideas in her mind". But her disappointment is great. Her wedding night is all but fascinating and when she becomes pregnant she realizes the baby matters more to Bernard than herself. While Thérèse stifles in her husband's beautiful residence among stiff in-laws who do not think high of her, ideas keep on roaming her mind.
Movie Review:
The Audrey Tautou we know is an angel, thanks to her international breakout Amelie (2001). In that film directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet, Tautou played a shy waitress in a whimsical setting, a carefree girl who changed lives of those around her for the better. Ever since then, we associated the French actress with delight, merriment and all things nice. Yes, she may have taken serious roles in films like A Very Long Engagement (2004), The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Coco Before Chanel (2009), but nothing can beat the joyless role in this drama film adapted from the Francois Mauriac novel of the same name.
The 37 year old actress and model plays an unhappily married woman in this 110 minute film set in the late 1920s. She makes a marriage of convenience to a bourgeois landowner and quikly settles down in a family property located in a vast area stretching over acres of pine forests. You can imagine the pain she goes through amidst the picturesque landscape, giving the award winning actress plenty of opportunities to exhibit her acting. The poor protagonist’s life gets worse – she becomes stifled by the monotony of her life and the birth of a daughter doesn’t help. What follows is an unfortunate turn of events that involve attempted poisoning, dishonour and a desperate effort to break free of a miserable life.
From the plot, one can tell there is little happiness in this movie. This probably explains why the local distributor has decided not to market the title, especially during this festive season. There are also limited screenings, making this an almost obscure film locally. That said, this isn’t such a bad production. After all, it closed the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, where it was screened in competition for the prestigious Palme d’Or. This also marks the last work from French filmmaker Claude Miller (La Petite Lili, A Secret), who died in April last year.
Tautou delivers a competent performance again, tackling the role of an emotionally flustered woman who seems to be helpless against the gloominess of life. She is restrained in this role, and one scene where the mentally broken titular Therese puts on makeup to welcome her guests will leave you gaping in sadness. This poignantly reminds you of how you put on a brave and sometimes pretty front to face your wretched little life. Pessimistic perspective of looking at life, but honestly stark. Tautou is joined by Gilles Lellouche (The Players, Little White Lies) as her rich husband and Anais Demoustier (Elles, The Snows of Kilimanjaro) as her best friend cum confidante. While the supporting characters are not as richly written as the protagonist, there is grace as the cast puts on fine performances.
This film is definitely not for the popcorn munching movie goer. It is a typical European arthouse affair, with very little excitement for viewers to embrace. Visually pleasing, there is really nothing much to offer other than a tragic portrait of an insignificant life. The almost dour viewing experience won’t go down well for everyone, so unless you are in the mood for seeing the hopelessness of life, you may want to sit this one out.
Movie Rating:
(Fueled by competent performances, this melodrama takes a look at the hopelessness that is life)
Review by John Li
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"THE AFTER-DINNER MYSTERIES" HOLDS WORLD PREMIERE IN SINGAPORE!Posted on 17 Jul 2013 |
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Lawrence Lau Kwok Cheong, Gordon Chan, Teddy Robin Kwan
Cast: Fala Chen, Gordon Lam, Teddy Robin Kwan
RunTime: 1 hr 29 mins
Rating: M18 (Disturbing Content & Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: http://www.encorefilms.com/talesfromthedark2
Opening Day: 8 August 2013
Synopsis: Bolster Phantom (directed by Gordon Chan)
How far would you go for a good night’s sleep? Stricken by the disappearance of her boyfriend, Yee starts to develop insomnia. Countless sleeping pills couldn’t treat the disorder, until one day when she comes across a small rundown bedding shop under an alley. “Finding a comfortable pillow is as difficult as finding Mr. Right.” Yee is especially attracted by the exotic scent of a bolster and decides to buy it. It works like a charm, as if her boyfriend caresses her to sleep every night. But what she doesn’t know is the secret behind the bolster and the nightmare she is getting herself into…
Hide and Seek (directed by Lawrence Lau Kwok Cheong)
A forsaken elementary school is scheduled to be torn down. Some alumni decide to pay a visit to the place they once called home, but few decide to call it home and reside there for good. 8 bold former classmates return to their schoolyard for old times’ sake. Just when they think the gatekeeper is the only being in the abandoned site, they don’t realize there are actually more “inhabitants” than they ever imagine. While they are juggling around and playing their own version of hide-and-seek, more and more “players” join in without their knowing. As the night falls, they will soon come face-to-face with the inhabitants that lurk behind and prevent them from leaving the site.
Black Umbrella (directed by Teddy Robin)
Wherever there is god, there is evil. Contrary to our usual perception, evil often presents itself in the most peculiar, unexpected disguise. Lam is a middle-aged, hobbit-sized man in a Tang outfit and black umbrella. Virtuous on the outlook and chivalrous on the inside, he feels like an outcast in this filthy city where the traditional value is plunged by the modern culture. When his ingenuousness is being exploited to the tolerance peak, his inner beast breaks loose and wrecks havoc on whoever took advantage of him. .
Movie Review:
More appropriately titled ‘Tales of Diminishing Returns’, this second instalment of the horror duology based on acclaimed Chinese writer Lilian Lee’s stories sees Gordon Chan, Lawrence Lau and Teddy Robin botching the track record established by Lee Chi-Ngai and Fruit Chan in its predecessor. Not one of the three stories here matches up in terms of scares or just plain entertainment with that in the first entry, even when measured against the worst of that lot, i.e. Simon Yam’s ‘Stolen Goods’.
Just as how Yam’s short kicked off that instalment, this one begins with the most underwhelming of them all, Chan’s ‘Pillow’. Scripted by Chan himself, the title refers to a medical pillow whom lead protagonist Ching Yi (Fala Chen) buys in a bid to overcome her insomnia. The cause of that is revealed right at the start - her boyfriend (Lam Ka Tung) has disappeared following a heated argument between the pair one night after he discovers that she has been tapping into his phone and reading his messages.
But with sleep comes a string of recurrent dreams where her boyfriend is forcing himself onto her, the answer to her nightly disturbances simply too obvious and banal. One suspects all too early in the story that the mystery lies not within the pillow itself, but in Ching-Yi; once that is pretty much established, it isn’t hard to guess why she is having them nightmares. Such a straightforward tale could certainly have benefited from a less clinical telling, but Chan approaches it in a disappointingly candid manner without much use of sound or visual effects. The result is both dull and uninvolving, not helped too by Fala’s unconvincing performance.
Lawrence Lau’s ‘Hide N Seek’ therefore comes like a gust of fresh air, setting up from the start some intrigue withthe mysterious disappearance of a little girl named Ceci one week ago whom the two male protagonists we see lamenting about it are somehow guilty for. Framing the proceedings as flashback, Lau and his screenwriter Mathew Tang (who is also the producer and brainchild of this franchise) take their audience back to that fateful night when eight former elementary schoolmates visit the abandoned premises of their school about to be torn down.
The school is haunted all right, and the shocking appearance (yes, you’ll agree when you see it for yourself in the movie) of a creepy watchman who warns them not to stay past dark pretty much confirms that. Of course, they don’t listen, but instead of just sitting in a circle telling ghost stories, they decide to play a twist of the old ‘hide-and-seek’ around the school with roles of ghostbuster, human and ghost assigned to each one of the players. You can guess that the otherworldly inhabitants of the school will join in the ‘fun’, which Lau milks for some genuinely thrilling moments.
Even though it does rely on tried-and-tested techniques in the horror rulebook, Lau executes them fairly well to get your pulse racing. There is little by way of plot or character here, but Lau’s aim here is to give his audience a taut and tense experience most reminiscent of the old-school Hong Kong horror movies; and in that regard, he proves surprisingly successful. It’s a pity then that Tang doesn’t quite know how to bring the narrative to a satisfying close, relying on an unconvincing twist that leaves too much hanging.
What goodwill Lau redeems is lost by the time Robin’s ‘Black Umbrella’ rolls along. Fans of 80s and 90s Hong Kong cinema will surely recognise the diminutive icon, who both acts and stars in this closing segment scripted by Lilian Lee herself. Unfolding on the 14th day of the Seventh Month as two parallel narrative threads that eventually coalesce, the first has Robin playing a wizened do-gooder Lam carrying a black umbrella on which handle he scratches a mark on after every kind deed, while the second sees Aliza Mo as a Mainland prostitute looking for her mark.
Unfortunately for the latter, Lam isn’t as simple as he appears- despite looking like easy prey she can fleece by claiming that he had raped her. While it is - we must admit - an ending that we never quite expected, it is nonetheless deeply unsatisfying, so left-of-field that it raises more questions than answers, as abrupt as it is inexplicable. Rather than leaving on a high note, it pretty much hollows out its audience and (with no disrespect to the venerable Robin) leaves you with a simple thought - ‘WTF’.
In fact, more critical audiences will say the same of each and every one of the shorts in this triptych. To put it simply, there is little or no payoff at the end of Chan, Lau and Robin’s stories, and only Lau’s manages to eke out some degree of horror. A valiant effort it has been on the part of Bill Kong and Tang, but this high-profile attempt at injecting life into a now-dormant genre in Hong Kong cinema pretty much fizzles out. Now we know why the horror genre has been absent for so many years, and with such lacklustre entries, we suspect that it will continue to remain lifeless.
Movie Rating:
(A disappointing follow-up to its flawed but nonetheless entertaining predecessor, this second instalment falters with dull storytelling, disappointing endings and a dearth of any genuine scares)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Adventure/Action
Director: Wes Ball
Cast: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Aml Ameen
RunTime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/MazeRunnerMovie
Opening Day: 11 September 2014
Synopsis: When Thomas wakes up trapped in a massive maze with a group of other boys, he has no memory of the outside world other than strange dreams about a mysterious organization known as W.C.K.D. Only by piecing together fragments of his past with clues he discovers in the maze can Thomas hope to uncover his true purpose and a way to escape. Based upon the best-selling novel by James Dashner.
Movie Review:
There has been a recent wave of movies adapted from Young Adult (YA) literature, containing similar settings and characters. Dystopian society – check (The Hunger Games and The Giver). Teenagers abandoned in a fight or die arena – check (The Hunger Games). Main character finds himself/herself thrown into a new world – check (The Mortal Instruments). With such tough competition, the Maze Runner is given a difficult task to move away from the rest of the YA movies and shine.
On paper, The Maze Runner sounds similar to the hugely popular The Hunger Games series, where teenagers are sacrificed by the adult controllers, and thrown into an arena or maze without any assurance of survival. That said, the similarities end there. Instead of hunting each other down, the emphasis on cooperation and living in a cohesive society can be seen in The Maze Runner, which puts the movie in good stead of differentiating itself.
Like the film’s main lead, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), the audience is plunged into darkness as the film starts. Coupled with the shaky camera, flashing lights and clanking of machinery, the film attempts to make the audience feel Thomas’ disorientation and fear, before the cage Thomas is trapped in comes to a grinding halt. Thomas is ‘retrieved’ from the cage by a group of hostile, rowdy boys, and is welcomed to the Glade by being thrown to another cage.
Fans of the book might be disappointed as the film apparently departs a fair bit from the original. This writer has not read the original, and has no idea what the movie was about except for the information provided by the trailer. Being thrust into this new world like Thomas, it was admittedly hard to keep up with the terms used (e.g. “Grievers”, “Gladers”, etc.). However, the fast pace of the movie meant that what was lost through the quick dialogue and name-dropping was quickly learnt during the film (spoiler: Grievers are oversized mechanical spider-like creatures), as the series of events quickly familiarises the viewer with the world within the Glade.
The society within the Glade was emphasised right at the start, with the typical characters to be expected for a film containing such a large number of men-boys. Alby (Aml Ameen) is the magnetic, de-facto leader, and first person to ever inhibit the Glade. Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) is second in command, who was thrown out of power when Gally (Will Poulter) usurps the power in the Glade. Lastly, there is also the protagonist’s sidekick – Chuck (Blake Cooper). The actors were convincing in their roles but not outstanding, perhaps except for Newt. Brodie-Sangster’s portrayal of Newt’s weakness and lack of confidence as a new leader was commendable, especially when the character was first thrust into power and caught between Gally and Thomas. There is also character development, noticeably in Minho, shown to forsake his friends right at the start, and ends up saving Thomas eventually.
O’Brien’s protagonist is then, unexpectedly, the most predictable of the lot – the game-changing, hot-headed newcomer to the Glade. Thomas is central to the story right from the start, questioning conventions, being the only person Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) knows, and finally, leading the Gladers to conquer the maze. Without such a figure tearing apart social norms, the story would admittedly not progress and the movie would not reach its conclusion. However, this is no excuse for O’Brien’s lack of emotions in the character. The only girl of the male-dominated Glade, Teresa, lacks screen time, but holds her ground whenever she is given the opportunity to, which is appreciated in a film overcrowded by male teenagers.
Not to discount YA literature (this writer is a fan of YA fiction), but parts of the film does seem clichéd at times, with jokes targeted at a younger audience. Thankfully, the film’s fast-moving plot and storyline does more than make up for this, leaving the audience at the edges of their seats, not knowing what will turn up at the next corner (literally and figuratively).
Towards the end of the film, the film asks questions of which is a wiser choice – staying in familiar territory or exploring unchartered waters. While there are no prizes for guessing which option is the preferred one here, the more pertinent question is what lies beyond the maze, bringing into mind a quote from the Hunger Games, “there are worse games to play”. The characters do not get to find out, and the end of the film also unabashedly advertises for its sequel, The Scorch Trials, which is currently in pre-production.
Movie Rating:
(The film’s main draw is the new world of the Glade, constructed through the fast-paced storyline and the different characters present, saving the film from being boring and predictable)
Review by Goh Yan Hui
SYNOPSIS: In postwar Hong Kong, legendary Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man is reluctantly called into action once more, when what begin as simple challenges from rival kung fu styles soon draw him into the dark and dangerous underworld of the Traids. Now, to defend life and honour, he has no choice but to fight one last time...
MOVIE REVIEW:
It’s inevitable that someone is going to bring the later part of martial arts grandmaster Ip Man’s life to the big screen. Producer Checkley Sin who works with director Herman Yau on Ip Man: The Legend Is Born reunites once again on Ip Man: The Final Fight. While the former is a tardy effort that chronicles Ip’s younger days, the latter turned out surprisingly to be a much superior flick that paid tribute to the beliefs of an extraordinary yet ordinary, modern-day kung fu master.
The story which spanned from 1950’s to the 60’s begins with Master Ip seeking a new livelihood in Hong Kong after leaving his family in Foshan. Living at the rooftop of the hotel’s association in a makeshift apartment, Ip Man begins imparting his skills to a myriad of people including the head of labour union Leung Sheung (Timmy Hung), a policeman Tang Shing (Jordan Chan), a dimsum waitress Sei Mui (Gillian Chung) and a seamstress Li Qiong (Jiang Luxia).
At the same time, the script by Erica Li also takes viewers through the ex-colonial’s most tumultuous times with labour strikes, corrupted police and ruthless triad ruling the streets giving Checkley Sin the opportunity to recreate the scenes of 50’s Hong Kong in Guangdong meticulously. Still, the historical happenings only serve as a backdrop as compared to the main theme of the story and for obvious cinematic purposes; Li’s script also delves into the competition between various martial arts clans and a finale, which pit Ip against a notorious kingpin, Dragon played by Once Upon A Time’s Xiong Xin Xin.
Sin who also serves as action director with Nicky Li approach the material with more grounded, realistic choreography as compared to the flashy moves exhibited by Donnie Yen’s version. This is not to say Sin’s move is less captivating in fact it adds credibility to the character’s age and the sparring scene with fellow martial arts master, Ng Chun (Eric Tsang in a delicious cameo) is certainly worthy of repeat viewings.
With Ip Chun, the son of Ip Man acting as consultant on the production, the story strives to accurately portray the late master even a quiet, poignant affair with a songstress after the death of his wife is not spared. A late inclusion of Ip’s most celebrated student, a certain actor called Bruce Lee marks a rather unflattering turn. Despite that, it is in unison with the rest of the movie as Ip Man has always maintained a humble stance towards his martial arts instead of choosing a grand loud entrance.
The final piece of puzzle, which makes Ip Man: The Legend Is Born, a winner goes to Anthony Wong. The veteran actor who trained for a year in Wing Chun portrays the master in his twilight years with such grace and charisma that he probably deserved an award for his acting effort. Given that Herman Yau is such an inconsistent filmmaker at least he and Sin has finally made a genuinely rousing title this time round.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Visual remains fair and audio which lacks a 5.1 soundtrack loses some punch in the exhilarating fighting sequences.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Mira Nair
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Martin Donovan, Nelsan Ellis, Haluk Bilginer, Meesha Shafi
RunTime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Coarse Language)
Released By: InnoForm Media & Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 August 2013
Synopsis: 2011, Lahore. At a café a Pakistani man named Changez (Riz Ahmed) tells Bobby (Liev Schreiber), an American journalist, about his experiences in the United States. Roll back ten years, and we find a younger Changez fresh from Princeton, seeking his fortune on Wall Street. The American Dream seems well within his grasp, complete with a smart and gorgeous artist girlfriend, Erica (Kate Hudson). But when the Twin Towers are attacked, a cultural divide slowly begins to crack open between Changez and Erica. Changez’s dream soon begins to slip into nightmare: he is transformed from a well-educated, upwardly mobile businessman to a scapegoat and perceived enemy. The film is based on the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel by Mohsin Hamid, which was rated one of the books to define the decade by The Guardian and reached # 4 on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Movie Review:
It’s telling that the first thing which comes to mind when we hear the word ‘fundamentalist’ is Islam; indeed, in today’s geopolitical context arguably and irrevocably changed since the events of 9/11, we so quickly associate ‘fundamentalists’ with Islamic radicals, the ones we hear setting off bombs killing innocent lives - the most recent example of that being the Boston Marathon bombers. And yet, if you think hard about it, America’s capitalist society was very much fundamentalist in nature, with its clear and unequivocal focus on the elements that bring about profit and profitability and a disregard of whatever and more importantly whoever does not contribute to that.
That’s the irony at the heart of Indian director Mira Nair’s passion project for the last two years, a gripping and prescient tale that is ever more relevant now than ever. Adapting from Pakistan-born writer Mohsin Hamid’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name (shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize), Nair’s frequent collaborator Ami Boghani has teamed up with Hamid himself to create a movie that Hamid accurately calls “inspired by” his work of fiction. Their accomplishment is certainly admirable - after all, Hamid’s book was essentially a monologue by its protagonist’s struggle with the values of American capitalism and that of his own culture, its very elusiveness eluding a straightforward print-to-screen.
And so, while keeping the framing of the protagonist’s narration to an American in a Lahore tea house, William Wheeler’s screenplay gives an identity to that American. The enigmatic Pakistani lecturer Changez (pronounced Chan-gez) Khan is now speaking to American journalist Bobby Lincoln (Live Schreiber); and instead of a casual meeting, their face-to-face takes place against the backdrop of an off-the-street kidnapping of an American professor by a wannabe Al-Qaeda militant group, of which Changez is suspected to be a member of. Across the street from the tea house, a crack United States ops-team is listening intently - despite his credentials, Lincoln is a CIA spook, and Changez exposes the former's duplicitous identity very early on.
Still, the conversation goes on, with Changez cautioning right at the start that looks can be deceiving, imploring Lincoln to listen to his whole story and not just the bits he wants to hear. Slowly but surely demolishing our set view of a terrorist born in Pakistan and raised in America, Changez recounts his journey to America at the age of 18 for a Princeton education, his subsequent recruitment as a financial analyst at a high-powered Wall Street firm, and finally his giving up of the American dream he had attained by returning to Pakistan and accepting the position of an academic at Lahore University.
Though the narrative’s framing suggests that she may water the story down to the point of Hollywood cliché, Nair displays no such intention, keeping her movie a character-driven study of an gifted intellectual who becomes increasingly disillusioned by the pursuit of the American dream as much as he is later on of radicalism in his own home country. Without explicitly saying so, Nair spends more than half the movie exploring the job-destroying capitalist economic fundamentalism that Changez’s job requires him to be a part of. And yet his fundamental belief that everyone gets an equal chance in America is unmistakably challenged as he is stopped at airports and arrested by police officers post-9/11, a glaring reminder of his roots as a Third World man in an imperialist nation.
It will take a moral betrayal by his girlfriend - the avant-garde photographer Erica (Kate Hudson) - and a business trip to Istanbul to shut down a 30-year-old publishing house to harden his resolve to return to his cultural roots. Are we meant to sympathise with his plight? No, Nair paints an unvarnished look at Changez’s ethical struggles, trusting in the wisdom of her own audience to draw their own conclusions and decide where their sympathies lie. What’s clear is this - like the reporter whom Changez is relating his story to, we are challenged to assess our preconceived notions of this man. The ending is a particular kicker though, a sad but accurate reflection of why it is so difficult for the vicious cycle of innocent killing plaguing our modern world to be over.
That Nair’s film manages to be so compelling is credit to British actor Riz Ahmed’s charismatic and confident performance, particularly admirable in its subtle transformations to portray an increasingly complex character. Ahmed’s scenes with Schreiber crackle with tension and suspense, especially as the former pushes the latter to look beyond the obvious and keep an open mind before jumping to judgment. Other supporting actors like Sutherland as Changez’s hard-charging boss, Nelsan Ellis (from HBO’s True Blood) as his Wall Street colleague, and Om Puri as his father round out a solid ensemble.
The beauty in Nair’s telling lies ultimately in the very intricacies of her tale, which refuses to play by any Hollywood rulebook and instead strives to be authentic, edgy and thought-provoking. One recognises in Changez the conflict that must lie within the hearts of many non-native Americans, and the very sparks of radicalism that precipitate the tragedies we see on the news. There is no neat solution at the end of Nair’s film, as there isn’t in the realities of today’s increasingly divided world - but in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’, we are challenged to look beyond the neat moniker of Islamic fundamentalism and recognise the complexities, ironies and hypocrisy within.
Movie Rating:
(Smart and provocative, this character study of a gifted intellectual who may or may not be a terrorist is a riveting watch from start to finish)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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COMIC-CON ROUNDUP: SUPERMAN/ BATMAN IN 2015; THE AVENGERS 2: AGE OF ULTRON and more...Posted on 22 Jul 2013 |
SYNOPSIS: In 1946, Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers took a stand against Major League's infamous colour line when he signed Jackie Robinson to the team. The deal put both men in the crosshairs of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and let his talent on the field win over fans and his teammates - silencing his critics and forever changing the game of baseball.
MOVIE REVIEW:
For most of us who are not particularly knowledgeable about the sports, Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to become a Major League baseball player in America. At a time when racial segregation is still a common act, Robinson’s success comes across as anything but easy. 42 documents the man’s extraordinary journey in this biography written and directed by Brian Helgeland.
Sort of a break from his usual scribing which include action flicks liked Man on Fire, A Knight’s Tale and Payback, Helgeland’s attempt at biography is on the whole accessible even though the subject matter is not a familiarity in this part of the continent. Yet when the themes include never giving up hope, courage and determination, the movie instantly becomes universally appreciated.
Helgeland’s tale focused mainly on Robinson’s several milestones in his early career when he is first approached by Dodgers’ manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford with a fake prosthetic chin and nose) to play for his team. Rickey believes the world is changing and money is never black or white but green. Despite the initial objections from his staff, Rickey believes in the hot tempered Jackie Robinson in making a difference.
Racial taunting it seems was a major issue in Robinson’s baseball career. The movie spent a lot of moments showcasing that be it the fellow team mates who first refused to play with him, the audience booing him and even the hotel shunned the Dodgers on their road trip because of one black team mate. Despite the touchy subject, Helgeland never let those moments turned gritty and ugly or emotional. One sequence which had the manager of Philadelphia Phillies, Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk) throwing vulgarities at Robinson signaled the movie’s sole intense moment.
Providing enough wry humour and wits to the character, Harrison Ford gives one of his career best as the forward thinking Branch Rickey. Chadwick Boseman mostly seen on television has the acting chops to deliver a man who is the on his way to become a legend. Generally, the movie boasts a competent display of production details from that era although not on a major scale. The baseball scenes in addition are generally well-executed.
Feel free to call this a biographer or a sports movie, 42 might be a tad predictable for some but it’s genuinely compelling on the whole as compared to the drier, contemporary baseball flick, Moneyball.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Stepping Into History is a 9 minutes interview segment with main leads Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman. .
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Imaging looks great on screen with fine details and colours. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack provides robust, atmospheric experiences during the stadium and game sequences.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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