Genre: Comedy
Director: Chai Yee Wai
Cast: Mark Lee, Zhu Mi Mi, Linda Liao, Cavin Soh, Randall Tan, Candy Ice, Joey Leong, Josh Lai, Tracy Lee, Alvin Wong, Brendan Yuen
RunTime: 1 hr 46 mins
Released By: Shaw & Clover Films
Rating: NC-16 (Violence and Horror)
Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/twistedthemovie
Opening Day: 28 July 2011
Synopsis: The story revolves around a drug dealer who banged up a young girl, a pair of con men who wants to turn over a new leaf, and 4 cabin crews whose lives were turned upsidedown over a fateful night of drugs and booze. This is a story of individuals with fates intertwined and how their paths clash. A series of twisted events that is both a study on cause and effect, and how our actions affect the people around us.
Movie Review:
Truth: We’ve seen worse Singapore movies than this Chai Yee Wei directed horror action comedy.
At the rate Singaporeans are condemning almost every other commercial flick which comes our way (when was the last time you actually liked a Jack Neo movie?), it is only a matter of time our homegrown filmmakers lose confidence in making films. But this doesn’t give the liberty for directors to produce works which, well, to simply put it, make viewers feel that they could have better made use of their time by sleeping at home.
After receiving
In what seems to be a popular approach to telling stories, the 108 minute movie features three intertwined segments starring an ensemble of familiar faces in the region. The protagonists are exaggeratedly personified for comedic effect: A flashy womanizing drug dealer who kills his girlfriend in an accident, two horny male flight attendants who want to get fresh with their pretty colleagues and a pair of hilarious con men who decide to take on their last job by exorcising a demon out of a possessed girl.
Thanks to his capable cast, you almost ignore how underdeveloped Chai’s story is. The screenplay co written by Chai and Eng Boon Ping does not boast of the most innovative dialogues, but you’d still find yourself chuckling at some of the deliberately localised usage of words. The nice mix of dialects in the film is definitely welcoming.
This is where leading man Mark Lee, who plays the flirtatious drug dealer, is a natural. The comedian (and recently turned director) shoots his mouth off the moment he appears on screen in the first segment, and doesn’t stop until he meets his, err, end. Despite the character’s unlikable personality, his entertaining performance is one of the highlights of the movie.
The other member of the cast to look out for is Hongkong based Zhu Mi Mi, who stars in the film’s third story. The veteran actress plays the mother of a possessed schoolgirl, and you have to take your hats off as the acclaimed comedian sends shivers down your spine with her zoned out and creepy expressions. Commendable performances also come from Malaysian actors Joey Leong (she plays the obligatory possessed girl again after her breakout role in Chai’s first feature), Alvin Wong and Brandon Yuen (as the mediums who unluckily stumble upon the cursed family).
Elsewhere, pretty faces come in the form of Linda Liao, Tracy Lee and Randall Tan, who star in the segment about a wild party gone wrong. The most senseless segment of the lot, the only redeeming aspect of this story comes from local host Cavin Soh, who will have you believe that cabin crew members can be a slimy, sneaky lot.
Chai attempts to link the three segments together by superficially writing the characters into each others’ stories. There is also this underwhelming feeling that the writer director is attempting to relay a message about karma and fate, as well as cause and effect. Unfortunately, this gets buried beneath the laughs (no, there aren’t much scares here except the “been there done that” specials makeup), and as the film’s end credits begin rolling, you’d find yourself moderately entertained with no contemplation on how karma can affect one’s life.
Movie Rating:
(Praiseworthy and entertaining performances from Mark Lee and Zhu Mi Mi are the highlights of this otherwise unfulfilling horror comedy)
Review by John Li
In Thai with English Subtitles
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Sophon Sakdaphisit
Cast: Saharang Sangkapreecha, Piyathida Woramusik
RunTime: 1 hr 57 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: NC-16 (Frightening Scenes)
Official Website:
Opening Day: 3 March 2011
Synopsis: Buying a home is a dream that everyone strives for. Thee (Saharat Sangkapreecha) is one of millions in Bangkok that cannot afford a home, much less a spacious home on his meager staff salary. Living in an old rental apartment, he feels the societal pressure of being labeled a bad husband and father for not being able to provide his family a house. One day, a huge job opportunity knocks on his door and Thee accepts a position as the new Head of Marketing at a company located in northern Thailand . Now with a substantially higher salary while living in an area with lower real estate prices, a new home isn’t just a dream anymore. Without hesitation, Thee decides to leave his old life and move his family to Chiang Mai. Thee believes that his wife, Parn (Piyathida Woramusik), and his two kids Nan and Nat will have a happier life at Laddaland, a new housing project with large, beautiful homes. Life is good. At the dinner table, Thee smiles proudly with pride. Finally, everyone can be together and enjoy the warmth and comfort of their new home. Little does he realize that in the same evening a Burmese maid is brutally murdered at a neighbor’s house. Savagely beaten, her mangled body is found stuffed inside the refrigerator. Death is something we all must face soon or later, but in Laddaland it’s your dead neighbors is what you must deal with.
Movie Review:
The title of the film refers to a gated suburban community in Chiang Mai with rows of identical two-storey detached houses and an idyllic lake right in the centre. It’s the equivalent of the American dream, except that it has apparently also become the Thailand dream especially for the middle-income, where ownership of such a residence is seen as a status symbol of one’s place in society.
Into one of these houses is where Thee (Saharat Sangkapreecha) is preparing his family’s arrival, unpacking from boxes, setting the furniture right, and decorating the rooms for his teenage daughter Nan and his young son Nat. Quickly though we sense that something is amiss, when the first reaction Nan has upon seeing her new house is to remark cynically at her father’s ability to pay off the mortgage for such a property, and Thee and his wife Parn (Piyathida Woramusik) simply keep quiet.
It is more than teenage rebellion however- Nan’s grandma has been looking after her most of the while up till now, and she has in turn internalised her grandma’s disdain for her father. There is a deeper reason for that, but one which we will only learn about later. Meanwhile, Parn has about given up trying to reason with her mother, fully aware that it is fruitless; and Thee continues to strive hard at his new marketing job, fully aware that it is the only means by which he can sustain the type of life he has promised to provide for his family.
Every family has its cracks and writer-director Sopon Sukdapisit spends the first half hour letting his audience get to know the specific dynamics of this one. The character-driven approach by which he has chosen to tell the story means that viewers looking for scares will have to be a little more patient, but rest assured that the wait pays off handsomely later on. Indeed, those who have seen Shutter, Alone (both of which he wrote), and Coming Soon (which he wrote and directed) should know that besides being more than adept at spooking his viewers, Sukdapisit also places equal, if not more, emphasis on his storytelling- which is why they are often way above the average Thai horror flick.
The supernatural enters into the fray when a Burmese maid is found murdered in a house down the street, her face disfigured by acid and her body stuffed inside a refrigerator. Soon, her ghost is seen wandering the compounds of Laddaland, and here is why Sukdapisit keeps the thrills coming hard and fast. They get personal for Thee and his family when a dare by Nan’s friends bring her face to face with the ghost, and subsequently when Thee drags her back to the house convinced that she is lying.
Yet this is not a story about what the ghost wants, or a mystery on how she was murdered, but rather a closely-observed study on how these supernatural happenings deepen the cracks already present within the family. Even as Thee feels helpless against the haunting, he is equally powerless to extricate himself, unlike some of the other families within Laddaland who move out one by one. He still has the mortgage on one hand, and he can’t quite let go of the dream home he had finally managed to attain.
To add stress to strain, Thee turns up at work one day to find out that his pyramid-sales company has been shuttered, forcing him to take up a lowly convenience-store job. Besides the mounting financial strain, Thee also has to contend with the increasingly defiant Nan and his suspicion of Parn’s faithfulness after he sees her former boss leaving their house one day. It’s not hard to see how the cracks already there can slowly become dysfunction, and later on to disintegration.
Sukdapisit brings things to a boil when Thee’s next-door neighbour’s family turn out more damaged than apparent at first sight- and by the time the film reaches its third act, it will already have you in a grip-like vice. The anxiety is made even more unnerving with Sukdapisit’s well-executed horror tropes- fake jumps, tension-building moments, sudden loud soundtrack cues, and even a Shutter-like moment thanks to a camera attached around the neck of the neighbour’s black cat. These techniques are familiar no doubt, but Sukdapisit demonstrates an admirable flair in their usage to elicit scares that even the most hardened of horror moviegoers will find difficult not to get spooked.
Yes those looking for some genuine horror thrills need not be worried- Sukdapisit delivers one of the most terrifying Thai horror movies of late. But the strength of Sukdapisit’s film lies not just in its ability to spook you, but also in its multi-faceted nature, combining both gripping family drama and social irony into a potent brew. How often can you say that you’ve seen a horror film that actually leaves you in a ruminative mood? By the time the last few shots of the house rolls along (which contrast beautifully with the film’s opening shots) together with a montage of family photographs which show Thee and his family in happier times, “Laddaland” will have done just that- and you’ll walk away knowing that you’ve watched a truly exceptional horror film.
Movie Rating:
(Combining gripping family drama, social irony and some truly terrifying moments, this is one of the best Thai horror films we’ve seen in a long while)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror
Director: Michael Cuesta
Cast: Josh Lucas, Brian Cox, Lena Headey, Beatrice Miller, Jamie Harrold, Michael Kenneth Williams, Pablo Schreiber
RunTime: 1 hr 33 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: TBA
Official Website: -
Opening Day: 28 July 2011
Synopsis: From the producers of HANNIBAL and AMERICAN GANGSTERS, comes an unsettling thriller whose morbid twists and spine chilling drama are certain to get any heart pumping.
Terry is a struggling, single father whose life is finally looking up after becoming the recent recipient of a successful heart transplant. With a new lease on life, Terry begins to find love again in the form of a beautiful English doctor who has been helping to care for his daughter and her rare degenerative disorder. However, after a strange series of events at the local hospital, Terry soon finds his heart beating to a very different drummer. Mysteriously, it begins to slowly take hold of him, eventually leading the young father on a frantic and harrowing search to find the donor's killer before he meets a similar fate..
Movie Review:
The title hails from the short story by Edgar Allan Poe called “The Tell-Tale Heart”, but this thriller is about as far removed from Poe’s story as you can imagine. Rather, this “Tell Tale” is the of a single father Terry Bernard (Josh Lucas) who starts getting feverish visions of the last moments of his heart’s donor after receiving a transplant. Not only that, Terry also becomes overcome by a compulsive desire to avenge those behind the murder.
Yes, murder indeed- screenwriter David Callaham (better known for his action movies “The Expendables” and “Doom”) takes Poe’s classic novella and fashions a medical thriller that recalls others like the Hugh Grant film “Extreme Measures” which has at its heart (pardon the pun) ethical dilemmas about organ transplant. These difficult questions become clearer as the identity and role of his donor’s killers come to light, with director Michael Cuesta not afraid to leave some intriguing moral ambiguity for his viewers right at the end.
Thank goodness for that really, for without it, this would largely be a lifeless affair. Told very closely from Terry’s point of view, Cuesta opts for a slow buildup to allow Terry to piece together the pieces of the puzzle. The problem though is how easy they make it seem. Indeed, our pseudo-detective only has to hang out at the local hospital, wait till someone walks past who makes his heart beat faster, and then follow that person to some secluded place to kill him. Apparently, we are supposed to believe that an IT guy- as Terry describes himself in the movie- can transform into a mean killing machine just like that.
Just as clumsy is Terry’s character transformation- with each subsequent murder victim, we are supposed to believe that Terry becomes wracked with guilt for being consumed by his donor’s life, but he apparently has little qualms assuming other traits like drinking and developing a craving for French food. This inconsistency is not helped by a mostly bland performance by Josh Lucas, the actor’s trademark genialness at odds with his character’s inner psychological struggles.
Instead, the saving grace of the film comes from the British actress Lena Headey, best known for playing Sarah Connor on TV’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”. Headey plays doctor to Terry’s daughter Angela who is suffering from a rare disease that turns her connecting tissue into bone, and the actress exudes such warmth as Terry’s love interest you can’t help but empathise with her when Terry begins to rebuff her as his alter-ego takes over.
There’s also veteran actor Brian Cox as the former detective assigned to Terry’s donor’s case, but his supporting role isn’t given much to do in the film. It seems Cox too is aware of this, given the largely disinterested look he gives throughout the film. And indeed, his audience can certainly share his sentiments, for there isn’t much mystery or thrills to be had with this plodding affair. With a distinct lack of ambition, “Tell Tale” is at best a TV-movie to be forgotten as soon as it is over
Movie Rating:
(A mostly lifeless affair that doesn’t offer much by way of mystery or thrills)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Thriller/Action
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Jason Flemyng, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams
RunTime: 1 hr 51 mins
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Rating: PG (Some Violence And Sexual References)
Official Website: http://focusfeatures.com/hanna
Opening Day: 21 July 2011
Synopsis: The title character of this adventure thriller, filmed in Europe, Hanna (played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan ("Atonement") is a teenage girl. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a soldier; these come from being raised by her father (Eric Bana of "Star Trek"), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland. Living a life unlike any other teenager, her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity.
Movie Review:
Saoirse Ronan teams up with her Atonement director Joe Wright to prove that they each can fit right into the action thriller genre and can be as comfortable as they are in more period, classier films. One reaffirms her talent in tackling a more physically demanding role, while the other shows that his direction sensibilities are not lacking for a genre that has demanding fans who have seen just about every stunt pulled out of a hat.
Wright keeps things ambiguous in the beginning, opting to show the isolation of a father and daughter in Erik (Eric Bana) and Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) living off a snowy, forested landscape, feeding off Nature, until you realize that they're somewhat like the Kick-Ass father-daughter team of having tremendous abilities and training tucked under their belt as if to await that day of apocalypse. They speak multiple languages fluently, engage in martial arts, and have excellent weapon handling skills, all geared up for one big plan whose background is shrouded in mystery, and unveiled as we journey
Narratively the film follows two separate tracks, with the minor one being Erik's rather blase journey toward a rendezvous point in Berlin, while Hanna becomes La Femme Nikita in an assassination attempt which you would have already seen in the trailer, before we follow her adventures into the real world, where things she read about in books become real in front of her eyes, with wide eyed wonderment as she brushes with friendship, a fleeting though unlikely romantic opportunity, and possibly reaffirming what her dad would have told her about human nature in general.
And Saoirse Ronan nailed the titular role perfectly, still possessing enough to portray characters filled with a sense of innocence to the world around her combined with fish out of water experience, and that of a tough cookie able to give Chloe Moretz's Hitgirl a run for her money, minus that potty mouth. Her training paid off in genuinely passing off as someone drilled in offensive martial arts and close quarter combat complete with a mean looking streak, and balances that up perfectly to fit in a number of fairy tale themes courtesy of the Brothers Grimm through imagery that can be found scattered throughout the film.
While Bana was quite underutilized in his role he did have possibly one of the best sequences of the film, where Joe Wright just had to have a single, long tracking shot inserted somewhere, and became a continuous track of Bana's Erik through an airport terminal down to the subway before engaging in a high octane fisticuffs with a bunch of nameless goons, complete with a Chemical Brothers track to top it all off. The soundtrack completely done by the electronica duo is one of the chief reasons why anyone should sit through the film, and you'd wonder what took them so long before saying yes to coming up with a film's soundtrack.
Cate Blanchett on the other hand takes on a superbly acted negative role, as you'll feel the icy cool demeanour being constantly unfazed by threats and challenges put forth in her way, as she cold-bloodedly dispatches oppponents and even parties remotely associated with her quest at hand. Done in such stone-faced fashion, you can't help but to love to hate her Marissa character, a CIA operative with an agenda as always, intricately linked to the father and daughter team she and her goons are adamant in hunting down. Blanchett had her hand in tackling villainous roles before, but this is many notches above her Indy Jones role but at times still having her character here speaking in a strangely accented manner.
Hanna surprises at every turn, as one would come to expect something of a standard run of the mill action thriller, but it was anything but, being technically brilliant in its delivery oozing coolness as it does its Euro destination hops captured in dizzying angles and exotic landscapes, complete with a Grade A cast that anchors the film both on the emotional, and physical fronts. Recommended, and so is the soundtrack!
Movie Rating:
(Wonderfully stylish)
Review by Stefan Shih
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TWISTED will be the first local movie to premiere at the new SHAW LIDO this July!Posted on 20 May 2011 |
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Director: Tom Hanks
Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston, Wilmer Valderrama, Nia Vardalos, Nia Vardalos, Taraji P. Henson, Rami Malek
RunTime: 1 hr 39 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.larrycrowne.com/
Opening Day: 7 July 2011
Synopsis: Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts reunite for a dramatic comedy about how the hard knocks from today's recession inspire one everyday guy to undergo a personal reinvention: Larry Crowne. Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he's worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves.often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live.
Movie Review:
We in the tiny island of Singapore should count ourselves lucky given the current economic situation facing the superpowers in the Western world, most notably the United States. After all, despite much looming uncertainty on the global front, our economy is still poised to grow steadily this year, and unemployment continues to be something most of us read about in the papers rather than having to experience for ourselves. Many in the United States however are not quite as fortunate, and it is these people that Tom Hanks has chosen to speak to through his second outing as director.
The titular character Larry Crowne (which Hanks also plays) represents the typical middle-aged blue-collar worker, and Crowne’s circumstance is similar to the predicament many of these in the US are currently facing. As the film opens, Crowne is the affable manager in a Walmart-like chain store who thinks he’s being summoned for what would be his ninth ‘Employee of the Month’ award, only to find out that management is firing him for not possessing a college degree. Yes, when it comes to the sack, corporate will come up with whatever reason they can think of- and Hanks isn’t afraid to portray them as smug, callous individuals.
Facing mortgage payments and imminent foreclosure, Crowne responds by taking the advice of his lottery-lucky neighbours (Cedric the Entertainer and Taraji B. Henson) and enrols himself in community college. The move turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as the ostensibly over-aged Crowne meets the hip free-spirited Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), joins her friendly biker gang, learns to ride a scooter, trades in his clothes for newer hipper attire, regains control of his finances and gets to fall in love with his English public speaking class teacher Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts). That’s a lot of positive change just from one move, so much so that Crowne losing his job seems little more than a blip in his life.
Unlike last year’s “The Company Men”, or even “Up in the Air”, which also dealt with the prescient theme of unemployment, Hanks’ treatment of the subject is so decidedly upbeat that it isn’t just bittersweet- it’s really just sweet. And indeed, one can certainly find fault with Hanks’ sugar-coated handling of essentially a downbeat, depressing real-life issue many individuals find difficulty grappling with- most of them without the same kind of fortune or turnaround that Crowne manages to get by with. But hey Hanks’ intentions are, if you think hard about it, logical- why would you want to go to the cinema and watch someone fictional go through the same disheartening situation you’re in?
So instead Hanks and his co-writer Nia Vardalos (the breakout star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding which Hanks produced) have firmly traded in gloom and pessimism for cheer and optimism, where Crowne becomes a living, breathing, walking model of positivity. The simple message their 98-min movie tries to convey is this- see change as something positive rather than negative, and embrace wholeheartedly the possibilities it brings. There are certainly truisms to the film’s earnest and sincere message, so simplistic though it may sound, the genuinely buoyant fable- together with its rather infectious spirit- does succeed in making you feel more sanguine.
Of course, a huge reason why “Larry Crowne” is able to get its audience to believe in its message of hope is Tom Hanks himself. Playing Crowne may hardly be a stretch for the Academy Award-winning actor, but Hanks brings his immense charm and Everyman appeal to bear on his character. Julia Roberts is equally winning as Crowne’s romantic interest, her character undergoing her own transformation whether as a disillusioned teacher or as a disgruntled wife. Hanks and Roberts are pros, and the former “Charlie Wilson’s War” stars share an easy and engaging rapport with each other.
Other notable performances from the ensemble cast include a hilarious turn by George Takei as Crowne’s economics professor Dr. Matsutani who comes with his own unique quirky sense of humour; as well as an effervescent Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the vivacious classmate Talia who is ultimately responsible for Crowne’s makeover. Hanks gives each of the film’s supporting characters room and time to shine, even if it means underplaying the scenes he is in, and these myriad personas in turn add colour, variety and rhythm to the film.
In only his sophomore outing as director, Hanks reveals an assuredness that gives the film a breezy pace by giving each scene time to grow and develop, and yet not allowing them to overstay their welcome- one is quietly thankful that Vardalos is not director here, especially considering her less-than stellar directorial debut “I Hate Valentine’s Day”. But together with “That Thing You Do!”, there is a unmistakable similarity in the type of films Hanks makes as a director- light-hearted jaunty movies designed to put its audience in a feel-good mood.
The choice of material is also testament to Hanks’ knowledge and confidence of his own strengths, especially that of a likeable Average Joe- and this recession fable works perfectly well on that level. Even if it does deal with a gloomy subject, Hanks’ determination to turn it into something positive in order to inspire his audience is admirable, and you’ll quickly find yourself yielding to its low-key but no less infectious charm. It’s a fairy tale for the times, if you will, but we could all do with a little hope in these uncertain times.
Movie Rating:
(A feel-good recession fable that coasts on the winning charm of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Comedy
Director: Frank Coraci
Cast: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Cher, Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone.
RunTime: 1 hr 41 mins
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://zookeeper-movie.com/
Opening Day: 8 August 2011
Synopsis: In "Zookeeper," the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo love their kindhearted caretaker, Griffin Keyes (Kevin James). Finding himself more comfortable with a lion than a lady, Griffin decides the only way to get a girl in his life is to leave the zoo and find a more glamorous job. The animals, in a panic, decide to break their time-honored code of silence and reveal their biggest secret: they can talk! To keep Griffin from leaving, they decide to teach him the rules of courtship - animal style.
Movie Review:
Ten years ago, we could have chuckled at a movie like ‘Zookeeper’- after all, we did have our fair share of entertainment watching live-action talking animals in Eddie Murphy’s ‘Dr Doolittle’. Unfortunately, that novelty has all but worn off with a whole string of movies like ‘Cats and Dogs’, ‘Garfield’, ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’ and ‘Furry Vengeance’ since, so pardon us if we find it bemusing that Kevin James would freak out at the encounter. Yes, unlike the Franklin Park zookeeper Griffin, we’ve seen more than enough talking animals not to be too alarmed if one passes our way.
Anyhow, ‘Zookeeper’ is a movie with a simplistic premise- in order to keep their favourite zookeeper Griffin in his job, the animals at the Zoo decide to give him dating advice to court the girl of his dreams Stephanie (Leslie Bibb). Of course to do so, the animals will have to reveal to Griffin that they can actually talk- English, that is- which is really no more than an excuse to get a bevy of Hollywood stars to lend their voices (among them Adam Sandler, Nick Nolte, Cher, Judd Apatow, Faizon Love and Sylvester Stallone).
Unfortunately, despite their collective star power, their banter is surprisingly unfunny. In fact, watching them bicker over how best to help Griffin in his relationship woes is simply painful and somewhat akin to listening to a cacophony of voices that are making themselves heard only for the sake of it. Blame also goes to the five writers credited for the screenplay (Nick Bakay, Rock Reuben, James, Jay Scherick and David Ronn), each of them apparently more clueless than the other how to script something funny for their ensemble voice cast.
Since the talking animals have neither the novelty nor the laughs to keep you engaged, the task then falls to Kevin James, who has proven himself to be the likeable Average Joe in ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’. Here James once again relies on his Everyman appeal to make his character endearing- though the results are not only stale, but also far less successful. Yes once again, James is counting you to embrace his character as the earnest good-hearted guy trying to chase a girl way out of his league, but there’s only so far one is willing to indulge his character’s naivety.
How else will you explain why he would think that going around walking like a bear and growling like one will win him the girl? Or better still, pissing around in a high-class restaurant itself to mark his territory like a wolf would? We’re not sure who was supposed to find this funny, because we think even kids will likely find his antics plain juvenile and even outright dumb. And apparently, director Frank Coraci thinks that these gags are good enough to entertain his audience- well, we can say that he is absolutely mistaken.
But to give credit where it’s due, we did laugh at one particular sequence where Griffin takes the zoo’s gorilla out to TGIF and lies to everyone who asks that they had just came from a costume party. Is this one sequence enough to redeem a whole movie? Certainly not- so stay far away from this one. Devoid of any charm or humour, ‘Zookeeper’ is one film that should have stayed locked up in an enclosure, never to be let out upon unsuspecting audiences.
Movie Rating:
(One of the most painfully unfunny comedies of the year)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Musical
Director: Steven Antin
Cast:Cher, Christina Aguilera, Cam Gigandet, Eric Dane, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming, Peter Gallagher, Dianna Agron
RunTime: 1 hr 59 mins
Released By: Columbia TriStar
Rating: PG (Sexual References)
Official Website: http://www.burlesque-movie.com
Opening Day: 13 January 2011
Synopsis:
Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner. Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage. Her spectacular voice restores The Burlesque Lounge to its former glory, though not before a charismatic entrepreneur (Eric Dane) arrives with an enticing proposal…
Movie Review:
We’ve never been to a Christina Aguilera concert, but we know that this New Yorker is one hell of a singer. Her vocals are so powerful, they may just blow you off your seats if you weren’t holding on tight. So we may be exaggerating a little, but have you heard the songstress croon her lungs out in albums like Bionic (2010) and Back to Basics (2006)? Even if you are not a follower of popular music, you should have heard her on songs like “Lady Marmalade” from Moulin Rogue! (2001) and “Reflections” from Mulan (1998).
This girl is not to be messed with, we tell you.
So it’s only right that every respectable American recording artist goes on to make a movie. Look at Beyonce and Queen Latifah. Look at Mariah Carey and Britney Spears. Okay, forget the last two. Anyway, Aguilera laps up the perfect role as a small town girl who finds her way to Los Angeles, only to be enthralled by the lights and sounds of a neo burlesque club. There, she makes her presence felt and eventually performs on stage, but not before making enemies, finding friendship and exploring love.
Aguilera fits this role of a small town girl with a big voice aptly, considering how she belts out number after number in this 119 minute movie. She contributes eight out of the ten songs in this musical, and once again, she proves that she is a performer who commands presence, especially in today’s lackluster popular music scene. Besides experiencing her rule the sound waves, see her strut her stuff in songs like “Express” and “Show Me How You Burlesque”. In the Golden Globe nominated “Bound to You”, she emotes the pain and anguish of being in love, and it reminds us of Beyonce’s “Listen” in Dreamgirls (2006).
Aguilera is joined by Cher, who plays a former dancer who runs the club. Although she only performs two songs in the film, she is the emotional anchor here. The film’s second Golden Globe nominated song “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” is a heart wrenching tune which showcases the Academy Award winning actress’ well known deep contralto vocals. This is Cher’s first celluloid appearance since her cameo role in Stuck on You (2003), and her first starring role in a musical production - we really wonder why no one has approached her to do a musical film before this.
Aguilera and Cher fare well in the movie, as with supporting actors like the good looking Cam Gigandent as Aguilera’s love interest, the ever delightful Stanley Tucci as the nightclub manager, and the fresh faced Kristen Bell as the mean spirited rival. They are joined by Alan Cummings, Julianne Hough and Eric Dane in this Steve Antin directed movie.
But as commendable as the cast’s performances are, they are let down by a meandering script, which causes the movie to suffer a rambling pace one third into the story. There is nothing new to tell in this “small town girl makes it big” story, and you know a happy ending is in store for everyone.
As you get entertained by the musical numbers, you cannot help but get a feeling that the entire setup is a reason for Aguilera to perform on the neon lit stage, so that mere mortals like us who have not had the privilege to attend her concerts can get a feeling of what her powerful vocals are like.
Movie Rating:
(Watch this for the astounding vocals of our generation’s two greatest performers, and not the movie’s mind numbing formula)
Review by John Li
In Korean with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Director: Kim Hyun-seok
Cast: Uhm Tae-woong, Rhee Min-jung, Choi Daniel, Park Shin-hye
RunTime: 1 hr 58 mins
Released By: Shaw & Clover Films & Homerun Asia
Rating: PG
Official Website:
Opening Day: 24 March 2011
Synopsis: Named after the famous French drama ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ by Edmond Rostand, Cyrano Agency offers services for people who lack dating skills. Much like a film production set, the dating agents create backdrops to help their clients to win the love of the dreams. So the agency prospers with clients who just don’t have a clue to win a person’s heart, true to their motto, “In the shadows, out of the spotlight”.
Sang-yong, a very successful fund manager, perfect in every way but a flop at relationships, becomes their new client. But when Byung-hun, the head of agency, sees his new client’s target, he falls in great dilemma.
Movie Review:
There is a formula that romantic comedies stick to. And this one follows it, but also offers a few laugh out loud moments that are quite original. But then, they only happen sporadically throughout this otherwise unmemorable movie, which is unfortunately drawn out by long dry spells of unconvincing, over-the-top and contrived drama.
Granted, the premise is interesting: a team of goofball matchmakers work surreptitiously to turn strangers into couples. But as with most comedies, the premise is strained to such effect that is not credible that it becomes silly. Take for an instance, the crew go to extremes to orchestrate fake rain outside of a cafe where the woman they are targetting to bewitch works. This is done so to conjure a romantic ambiance. But then, is it even possible to bribe that many passers-by to hole umbrellas? Are they extras? I guess the audience is supposed to suspend all disbelief, as it is supposed to be light-hearted, meaning light on the brain.
Gripes about the over-the-top scenes aside, you should take to the good-looking cast and hide the above misgivings under the theatre seat. For women who like their guys rough on the edge but tender at the core, there's brusque hunk Min-yeong (Park Sin-hye). And for those who like theirs lanky, geeky and deeply apologetic, there's pushover financial consultant Sang Yong
(Daniel Choi).
And with these two delectable guys, there has to be two worthy foils, who come in the elusive squinty-eyed Hee-joong (Lee Min-jeong) and petite doe-eyed Min-yeong (Park Shin-hye). So depending on your taste, you can indulge in your kind of eye-candy.
But having said all that, if you are a serious cinephile, it's hard to take to this movie seriously. Apart from a nifty twist at the end that plays sly reference to the Cyrano De Bergerac legend, the rest is mostly a humdrum affair.
But if you are looking for a harmless movie that is not heavy with metaphors to impress your easy-to-please date, look no further.
Movie Rating:
(Passable entertainment if your brain is clogged)
Review by Adrian Sim
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Patrick Lussier
Cast: Nicolas Cage, William Fichtner, Amber Heard, Charlotte Ross, Christa Campbell, Billy Burke, David Morse, Katy Mixon, Tom Atkins, Bryan Massey
RunTime: 1 hr 44 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: M18 (Violence and Sexual Scenes)
Official Website: http://www.driveangry3d.com/
Opening Day: 21 April 2011
Synopsis: "Drive Angry" stars Nicolas Cage as Milton, a hardened felon who has broken out for one last chance at redemption. Hell bent on stopping a vicious cult of fanatics who murdered his daughter, he has three days to stop them before they sacrifice his infant granddaughter beneath a full moon. Milton must use his anger to go beyond all human limits in order to save his last connection with humanity.
He's joined by Piper, a young sexy-smart waitress who liberates her ex-boyfriend's cherry red muscle car in order to help Milton. Now, the two of them are hot on the trail of the charismatic Jonah King and his murderous followers. King will throw every one of them faithful under the wheels of Milton's turbo-charged Black '71 Challenger, to fulfill hist destiny and unleash hell on earth.
But the bloodthirsty cult is the least of Milton's problems. The police are after him, too. And worse. An enigmatic killer known only as "The Accountant." The Accountant knows what Milton is trying to and and simply doesn't care. With wicked cunning and hypnotic savagery, the Accountant will relentlessly pursue Milton at high speed across the forgotten back roads of the American south.
Fueled by high octane and pure rage, Milton and Piper must battle the onslaught of King's disciples, avenge his murdered daughter, and save his granddaughter before his last chance at redemption is revoked.
Movie Review:
If imitation is the best form of flattery, then “Drive Angry 3D”- with its sex, gratuitious nudity, over-the-top action, gore and violence- is the perfect form of flattery to the ‘70s exploitation films. Whereas Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s tribute was the decidedly self-conscious “Grindhouse”, Patrick Lussier’s homage has no more than the intention to remind audiences of the visceral pleasures to be had in something crass, crude and low-brow.
Indeed, how else would you describe a film whose best sequence is one where its lead character, a certain John Milton (think the 17th century poem “Paradise Lost”), guns down a dozen heavily-armed Satanist-cult men in a hotel room, while doing a girl (NYPD Blue’s Charlotte Ross) and taking slugs from a bottle of whiskey? Yes, that’s the kind of unabashed fun Lussier isn’t afraid to have, and the kind of delirium that he invites his audience to join him in on this wild rollicking journey.
The vehicle of choice is a ’69 Dodge Charger, driven by a sexy, tough-as-nails waitress (Amber Heard) whose very short shorts you won’t be able to take your eyes of. Just so you know not to mess with her, Heard is seen barely minutes into the film fist-fighting with a fully naked woman whom she caught her boyfriend in bed with. Milton enlists her help to pursue a Satanic cult leader (Billy Burke from the “Twilight” series) responsible for the murder of his daughter and the kidnap of his granddaughter.
But Milton isn’t any ordinary vigilante- he’s escaped from hell to seek vengeance, and Satan’s henchman, simply known as the Accountant (William Fitchner), is hot on Milton’s trail, determined to return him to the depths of hell. Lussier, who co-wrote the script with Todd Farmer, fills the characters with snappy dialogue but largely his narrative is about as straightforward as a highway.
Of course, plot is hardly the point in a movie like this, and Lussier shows he is fully aware with every bullet, car, body, car part and body part he hurls at his audience. Gimmicky though it definitely is, there’s no denying that- like his earlier “My Bloody Valentine 3D”- Lussier knows how to take good advantage of the additional dimension to bring the action to you. Lussier shot the entire movie in 3D- none of that lousy post-production business- and his commitment to gleeful subversion means that this is probably the most R-rated fun you will have in a 3D movie this year.
That same spirit is embodied in the performances of all his actors. Say what you may about Cage’s films, but the actor’s dedication to solemnity in the face of the film’s trashy grindhouse formula is truly admirable. He makes his character work, just as Heard pulls off her no-nonsense character with gumption and gusto. The standout however is Fitchner, the actor delivering his lines with a deliciously dry wit that easily steals almost every scene he is in. Audiences may also recognise David Morse, who plays one of the Accountant’s old earthly cronies.
Every one of the cast knows how to have a good time, and the result is a movie whose sheer insouciance and cheerful abandon is simply infectious to watch. Granted that it won’t be for anyone, but if epic shootouts, knuckle-to-knuckle brawls, bare breasts and muscle cars sounds like your idea of fun at the cinemas, then get a 3D ticket and hop on for a fast, fun and furious journey that will have your heart pounding and your blood racing.
Movie Rating:
(This is unabashed grindhouse formula executed in the best way possible, so expect a non-stop rollicking ride with boobs, bullets and muscle cars from start to finish)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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