Genre: Fantasy
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elijah Wood, Evangeline Lilly, Luke Evans, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Aidan Turner, Lee Pace, Billy Connolly, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Stephen Fry
RunTime: 2 hrs 41 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros Pictures
Official Website: http://www.thehobbit.com/index.html
 
Opening Day: 12 December 2013

Synopsis: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company continues East, encountering along the way the skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant Spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all—a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself—the Dragon Smaug.

Movie Review:

For those who felt that the first verse of Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy was a meandering slog, the good news is that his second proceeds at a gallop right from the get-go. Save for a brief prologue that flashes back to the snug bar of the Prancing Pony where our old pal Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield first hatched their plan to reclaim the lost dwarf kingdom of Erebor, this episode moves from one adventure to another with newfound energy, so rest assured that it is certainly a more engaging adventure than the first movie.

Whether it manages to capture the magic of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films is yet another matter, and we’re sad to disappoint fans that, in our opinion, it falls short on several counts. Indeed, even though it does offer the same sort of sweeping fantasy action of the ‘Rings’, it doesn’t quite match its poignancy, owing to a thin plot that goes all over the place and a distinct lack of character development. Yes, at its best, it is a collection of impressively executed action set-pieces strung together by the quest of one particular hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and 13 dwarfs in search of lost treasure.

The highlight is no doubt a thrilling sequence in which a dozen dwarfs flee their elven captors by riding inside wooden barrels down a rapidly rushing river, only to encounter an even more dreaded enemy - the hideous looking Orcs - that force a temporary alliance between the Elves and the dwarfs. That sequence alone is testament to Jackson’s ability to mount elaborate action with considerable flair and imagination - and worthy of mention is not just how he manages to find moments of levity in between a brisk edge-of-your-seat segment, but also how he juggles important character details amidst the flying arrows and numerous beheadings.

Nothing quite comes close to the level of fun and excitement of this centrepiece barrel chase, not even for that matter Bilbo’s eventual encounter with the fire-bellied Smaug. But not to get ahead of ourselves, our protagonists also pass through a couple of obstacles en route to their assault on the dragon up in Lonely Mountain - a trek through the enchanted forest of Mirkwood brings them face to face with giant CGI spiders, and following their imprisonment and escape from the stronghold of the woodland elves, they find themselves among not so friendly human company in the village of Laketown. Like we said at the start, there is an urgency to the proceedings which was absent in the first movie, and aside from their time spent in Laketown, unfolds like a supercharged Saturday morning picture.

There is a tradeoff though. First and foremost is the fact that there doesn’t seem to be much meat to the tale. Despite the efforts of the original ‘Rings’ screenwriting team of Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens as well as the series’ original intended director of Guillermo del Toro, there is no shaking off the feeling that there simply isn’t enough in what was a book of less than 300 pages to fill roughly nine hours of film - not even with the interpolation of sections of “The Quest of Erebor”, one of J.R.R. Tolkien's so-called “Unfinished Tales”.

Neither for that matter is there much of the characters to speak of. Bilbo feels sidelined in his own tale, spending much of the time in the movie resisting the temptation of the ring he riddled out of Gollum in ‘An Unexpected Journey’. Thorin is left to the end to do a little soul-searching whether he has allowed his obsession with regaining the throne to cloud his better judgment. Gandalf, on the other hand, goes off on his own to Dol Guldur to investigate the appearance of the Necromancer and a purported gathering army of darkness. The rest of the characters in the book are largely there to fill the backdrop; instead, purists might chaff at the addition of Legolas (Orlando Bloom), arguably a fan favourite from the ‘Rings’ movies, who turns up in one too many carefully choreographed opportune moments to elicit whoops and cat-calls. There’s also of course the much talked about addition of a she-elf named Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), who introduces a romantic angle with the dwarf Kili (Aidan Turner) - and as clichéd as their tale of forbidden love may be, their scenes are still a nice break from the non-stop mayhem.

Perhaps the most fully realised character here is Smaug himself, whom voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, is a mesmerising presence to behold. It is only after the two-hour mark that Bilbo confronts the serpent, and the faceoff between hobbit and dragon over dwarf land and gold is a sparkling exchange largely scripted with wit and purpose. Beginning with a glimpse of its open eye amidst mountains of golden coins, Jackson’s rendition of Smaug is an awesome sight to behold, both in majesty and authority. Over and under the walls of the imposing castle under the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo and Smaug trade barbs and quips trying to outsmart and outguess each other’s next moves, before Thorin and the rest of the dwarves arrive to lend the newly brave hobbit some much-needed assistance. In all though, the confrontation is too drawn out for its own good, losing much of its own momentum during the concluding frames right before the cliffhanger ending that is supposed to whet your appetite for the third and concluding chapter.

And therein lies our central gripe with ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ and it seems with ‘The Hobbit’ series – borne out of essentially a kid’s tale, it never quite reaches the epic heights of the ‘Rings’, lacking in compelling plot and character despite Jackson and his writers’ efforts to augment Tolkien’s tale. Sure it picks up considerably from the amiable pace of its predecessor, but it relies too much on spectacle to distract its audience from an absence of almost everything else. The familiarity with the ‘Rings’ trilogy is unmistakable – from composer Howard Shore’s lush strains to production designer’s Dan Hennah’s elaborate sets to Weta’s top-notch visual effects to Andrew Lesnie’s lensing of the breathtaking New Zealand locations – but this middle instalment still fails to recapture the magic, the wonder and most importantly the heart of the ‘Rings’. 

Movie Rating:

(More briskly paced than its predecessor, this second chapter gallops from one impressively staged action sequence to another, but falls short from any of the 'Lord of the Rings' films in almost every other respect)

Review by Gabriel Chong
  

Genre: Action/Drama
Director: Dito Montiel
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Michael Rispoli, Greg Vrotsos, Jerry Ferrara, Paul Ben-Victor, Nikki Reed
RunTime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language)
Released By: MVP and GV
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 10 October 2013 

Synopsis: After failing to get into the police academy, Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth), settles for a security guard job with the EMPIRE STATE Armored Truck Company. Chris makes the mistake of mentioning the company's lax security to his best friend, Eddie (Michael Angarano), and is soon unwittingly drawn into an elaborate scheme to rob the abundant amounts of cash being stored there - resulting in the largest cash heist in U.S. History. As the stakes continue to rise, Chris and Eddie must outwit James Ransone (Dwayne Johnson), the veteran NYPD Detective that is hot on their trail, as well as the local crime bosses that want to know who pulled a job on their turf, or suffer the consequences.

Movie Review:

The events of Empire State were based on a shocking heist which happened in 1982, New York. A cool US$9 million or more are robbed from a security company, the biggest sum of money in the States at that time. But the shocking part is not about the crime instead its how generically boring this flick is.  

Our dear Miley Cyrus-ex fiancé, Liam Hemsworth plays Chris, a NYPD-cop wannabe who ended up working as a security guard after being rejected by the force because of an earlier drug offence. Joining a dodgy security firm with lackluster facilities and benefits, Chris decides to rob the bank vault by taking out a bag of cash worth US$25,000 one night. Noticing how easy it is, Chris confides in his best friend, Eddie (Michael Angarano), a fast talker and slacker. Eddie is drawn into the discussion and plans to rob the firm with Chris getting increasingly uncomfortable with his friend’s idea.

On the bright side, Empire State functions more like a textbook study on various human characteristics and behaviors than a straight-out action piece. Chris is the good guy, equipped with the best intentions but surrounded by shady friends liked Eddie. His initial robbery was to benefit the family of his middle-age partner who got killed in a robbery. With only a fraction of benefits being paid by the bosses, Chris serves as a modern Robin Hood on behalf of his dead partner. Eddie on the other hand is that snake of a friend who prefers to look for an easy way out than making a decent living on his own.  

That’s pathetically about all the positive vibe for Dito Montiel’s Empire State. Though Montiel never wrote the screenplay for this unlike his previous directorial efforts, Fighting and The Son of No One, Montiel continues to display his inadequacy in telling an engaging tale without the audience falling to sleep. Empire State is filled to the brim with chockfull of forgettable characters and stereotypical villains that contributed zero mileage to the end product. There are some funny looking FBI agents, Greeks gangsters, Columbia mob and a certain muscular giant called Dwayne Johnson turning up as a local detective, James and Emma Roberts joining the cast as the love interest of Chris. Unfortunately for those coming in for the sake of Johnson and Roberts will be sorely disappointed at their limited screen time.

While other heist stories have a fanciful action sequence as the centrepiece, Empire State is content with the culprit breaking in haphazardly through the ceiling. And that’s about it. No deafening explosions or elaborate plans.We are not sure if the actual event has prevented the screenwriter from getting too creative with the material but this is by far the most grounded caper I have ever seen in recent cinematic history.

With Paranoia being pulled out from local theaters at the last minute, Thor’s younger brother (not Loki for your info) Liam Hemsworth’s leading man debut is simply unremarkable, with his presence often surpassed by his co-star, Michael Angarano who puts on an adrenalin and profanity-filled performance. Liam needs a better movie next time and that doesn’t mean the sequel to The Hunger Games. There is a reason why Empire State went straight to VOD in the States and yes not even The Rock aka franchise saver can save it. 

Movie Rating:  

(A flat, colourless crime drama)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Cast: Fukuyama Masaharu, Ono Machiko, Maki Yoko, Lily Franky, Ninomiya Keita, Hwang Shogen, Nakamura Yuri, Takahashi Kazuya, Tanaka Tetsushi, Iura Arata, Fubuki Jun, Kunimura Jun, Kiki Kilin, Natsuyagi Isao
RunTime: 2 hrs
Rating: PG
Released By: GV
Official Website: http://soshitechichininaru.gaga.ne.jp/
 
Opening Day: 24 October 2013 

Synopsis: Ryota has earned everything he has by his hard work, and believes nothing can stop him from pursuing his perfect life and living as a winner. Then one day, he and his wife, Midori, get an unexpected phone call from the hospital. Their 6-year-old son, Keita, is not their son - the hospital gave them the wrong baby. Ryota is forced to make a life-changing decision, to choose between “nature” and “nurture.” In the meanwhile, seeing Midori’s devotion to Keita even after learning his origin, and communicating with the rough yet caring family who raised his blood son for the last six years, Ryota also starts to question himself: has he really been a “father” all these years… The moving story of a man who finally faces himself when he encounters an unexpected wall for the first time in his life.

Movie Review:

Who would you choose? The son you had raised as your own flesh and blood for six years, or the one whom you realise six years later was in fact your own? That is the dilemma at the heart of Kore-eda Hirokazu’s sharply observed family drama, which revolves around two families who are suddenly confronted with the startling truth that the child they had been raising for the last six years had been swapped at birth by an emotionally disturbed nurse in the hospital.

Whilst Hollywood might have turned this into some trite holiday comedy, Hirokazu uses the high-concept premise to explore the provocative theme of nature versus nurture. How much is a child’s personality defined by his bloodline? How much of him is defined by the environment he has been brought up in? It’s a topic studied endlessly by biological psychologists, but Hirokazu doesn’t take a clinical approach to it; rather, he goes one step further to examine the ties that bind parent and child, the inevitable bond that must be formed after caring and bringing a kid up as one’s own.

It is with this lens that Hirokazu, who also wrote the script, brilliantly casts the fathers as contrasts. On one hand, Ryota Nonomiya (Suspect X’s Masaharu Fukuyama) is a highly successful architect but cold and emotionally distant as a father; not for the fact that he doesn’t love his son, but Ryota has high expectations of Keita (Keita Ninomiya) and is disappointed that his son isn’t yet living up to them or for that matter want success as much as he should. And then on the other, there’s Yudai Saiki (Lily Franky), the owner of a dilapidated neighbourhood electrical shop who is playful, child-like and warm-hearted; not only is he the exact opposite of Ryota, the boy he and his wife has raised, Ryusei (Hwang Sho-gen), has turned out just like him.

Less patient audiences may no doubt be frustrated by Hirokazu’s measured pacing, but it is precisely that artistic choice which forces his viewers to focus on the nuances. Indeed, those who have followed Hirokazu’s dramas will know that he has always been a thoughtful filmmaker, one whose dramas of children coping with loss and longing are filled with beautiful intimate moments instead of melodramatic histrionics. Sure enough, Hirokazu wants his audience to pay attention to the minutiae of his characters’ daily lives to recognise the tensions, hopes and disappointments within each family and even within each individual of the family.

So even as the two families move from spending time together to exchanging the boys for the weekend, what truly matters is the dynamics within each nuclei, which comes into much clearer focus as each child and father gets to experience a different nurturing environment. There is no judgment cast here whether Ryota or Yudai runs the better home - even though of course it’s inevitable that one will probably choose Yudai’s as the more ideal one for a child’s upbringing; on the contrary, Hirokazu depicts with authenticity the difference between two very different styles of parenting and their concomitant effects on the child.

Adding further texture to the narrative is Hirokazu’s keen observation of Ryota’s own relationship with his parents, drawing a link between his own troubled childhood - his mother abandoned him with his father when he was only a kid - and his existing behaviour. Besides emphasising the parent-child connections, the film also finds much emotional heft in its character study of Ryota’s coming-to-terms with his past and reconciling that with the frosty manner with which he has been treating Keita - no matter how much he does love him on the inside.

Fukuyama plays Ryota without any hint of showiness, a significant change from the ‘Galileo’ persona his fans may have been used to - but more than just putting up a stoic demeanour, Fukuyama does calibrate his performance to show a more tender side to his character especially in the later scenes. As always, Hirokazu has a knack for directing children, and next to Fukuyama’s anchor lead, it is Ninomiya and Sho-gen who steal the show as the cute but never cloying kids who seem innocently oblivious to the situation which they are in; their performances are natural and unaffected, and almost effortlessly tug at your heartstrings.

It is no wonder that the film has gone on to win the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, with festival director Steven Spielberg so enamoured with the show that he has acquired remake rights to the movie. This is a rare Japanese gem, much like the award-winning ‘Departures’, which captures with wit, humour, poignancy and warmth the meaning of family and parenthood. The ending is also one of the most perfect we have seen, hopeful and reassuring in its affirmation of love, kinship and reconciliation. 

Movie Rating:

(A near-perfect Japanese drama that meditates on the meaning of family and parenthood with wit, humour, warmth, poignancy and authenticity)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh, Nonso Anozie, David Paymer, Colm Feore, Gemma Chan, Karen David, Lee Nicholas Harris
RunTime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: PG13 (Brief Coarse Language & Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.shadowrecruitmovie.com/
 
Opening Day: 16 January 2014

Synopsis: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The story follows young Jack, a covert CIA analyst, as he uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack.

Movie Review:

Harrison Ford has played him. So has Alec Baldwin. And most recently, Ben Affleck. But in the latest reboot of Tom Clancy’s most famous big-screen character, it is ‘Star Trek’s’ Chris Pine who has the honour of playing the heroic intelligence analyst Jack Ryan. The titular similarity aside, this fifth incarnation of the character sees a very different Ryan from that which you might be used to.

Taking full advantage of contemporary geopolitical realities, writers Adam Cozard and David Koepp make the effort to detail Ryan’s formative years before his employment by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In an extended prologue therefore, Ryan is an undergrad at the London School of Economics when the Twin Towers are hit in 2001, and subsequently a United States Marine stationed in Afghanistan just two years later who is badly injured when the helicopter he is in is hit by terrorists. It is also with the latter that Ryan meets then-US Navy Commander William Harper (Kevin Costner), who recruits him for the CIA on account of his brilliant analytical mind and stations him in the heart of Wall Street.

Picking up ten years after in present day, the film imagines an international espionage plot driven by the Russians to destabilise the United States economy and thereby trigger anarchy within the nation. The chief villain? A sinister Russian oligarch by the name of Viktor Cherevin, played with icy menace by Kenneth Branagh. Code-named ‘Lamentations’ after the book in the Bible, it consists of a coordinated effort to stage a terrorist attack on American soil right before crashing the United States stock market with a massive sale of Government bonds.

Frankly speaking, it’s hard to buy the ex-Cold War rival or even certain old-school factions within the Kremlin as terrorists waging a war on America; certainly, the time the Tom Clancy novels were published seem a different era from the one we currently live in. Nonetheless, if you can suspend your disbelief at the implausibility of the scenario, there’s still much to enjoy in this briskly directed movie by none other than Branagh himself.

Further committing himself to big-budget blockbuster territory following Marvel’s ‘Thor’, Branagh clearly relishes the opportunity to stage a Bond-style spy thriller. Once again saddled with the responsibility of staging a franchise opener, Branagh acquits himself admirably by carefully balancing character dynamics with action spectacle. Indeed, he gives his titular character a moral centre with the addition of a love interest Cathy (Keira Knightley), whom Jack meets very early on into the film and whom gets a surprisingly significant part to play even as he is called into the line of duty. Jack also gets much tutelage and professional advice from William, whose mentor-rookie relationship is well-played with nuance and subtlety.

Most of the action Branagh reserves for the second half of the movie, as Jack is welcomed in Moscow by a burly Ugandan working for Viktor who tries to assassinate him shortly after in his hotel room. But the real change in tempo comes with Jack breaking into Viktor’s offices while Cathy distracts Viktor at dinner nearby, a nail-biting exercise in suspense that is immediately followed by a thrilling car chase down the streets of Moscow. Trust us when we say that the last third of the movie pretty much unfolds at a breakneck pace, never quite letting up on the adrenaline until Jack defuses the terrorist threat back home in downtown New York.

Pine does a reasonably convincing job playing the rookie forced to rely on his instincts when he is suddenly thrust into the field, but the real surprise here is Costner. The veteran actor brings real gravitas to his supporting part as Jack’s grizzled mentor, complementing Jack’s wide-eyed routine perfectly - and we’d also add that the two make a compelling pair we’d like to see return in the inevitable sequel. Same goes for Pine and Knightley actually, because it is in Jack’s interactions with his fiancé Cathy and his mentor William that we relate so much more to his character.

If the verdict on this ultimately lies with whether it successfully kickstarts new possibilities for the Jack Ryan franchise, then we’d say that the answer is an unequivocal yes. It might not reach the same heights as the latest addition to the Bond franchise (which arguably was the best of Bond), but it is a nicely done espionage thriller that recycles some of the classic elements of the genre for a taut and tense escapist adventure. Add to that some solid acting turns by the four-hander of Pine, Costner, Branagh and Knightley, and you can be assured of a well-acted piece of popcorn entertainment that’s as good for summer as it is this time of year. 

Movie Rating:

(Brisk, tense and gripping, this reboot of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is a solid spy thriller that breathes new life into the character)

Review by Gabriel Chong
  

Genre: Comedy
Director: Chen Yu-Hsun
Cast: Lin Mei-Hsiu, Yo Yang, Kimi Hsia, Wu Nianzhen, Chen Ko, Huang Meilong
RunTime: 2 hrs 24 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Warner Bros Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 October 2013 

Synopsis: More than twenty years ago, there were three ‘Ban-doh’ (outdoor banquet) Master Chefs who dominated the catering business in Taiwan. They were known as Master Silly Mortal, Master Ghost Head and Master Fly Spirit. However, the outdoor banquet business has been in decline since Taiwan’s economic take-off, and even the master chefs feel helpless to turn the tide. Master Fly Spirit wants to pass the family recipes and culinary skills on to his only child, Wan, but she desperately wants to run away from the family business and to become a fashion model. Nevertheless, fate proves that Wan is destined to take up the challenge and mission she once shunned…

Movie Review:

Life’s got its ups and downs, and when it is at its rock bottom, this is the exact film we need to make things a tad better. So it happened that this reviewer hasn’t had the best of days, and after watching Chen Yu Hsun’s first feature film after 16 years, he has become more assured that life does have its jolly moments worth celebrating. A success back in Taiwan, this summer blockbuster has made its way to our humble island with its original soundtrack (yay to hearing Taiwanese Hokkien!). With a runtime of 144 minutes, can local audiences stomach the culinary comedy?

The story’s female protagonist is a failed model who returns home from Taipei, only to find out that misfortune has befallen her family’s restaurant. What used to be a reputable eatery is now a single noodle stand. Already burdened with an enormous amount of debt, how is she going to return glory to her family?

There are plenty of colourful characters in this film, including two amusing debt collectors (Chen Chu Sheng and Chen Wan Hao), a self proclaimed food doctor (Yo Yang, who provides the star factor to the movie), a trio of nerds who effortlessly steal the limelight from the main leads, and culinary masters played by veterans of Taiwanese showbiz. Lin Mei Hsiu, who you may recognise from Taiwandrama serials, plays the female lead’s mother, and her happy go lucky outlook in life is an encouragement to anyone who is shrouded by gloom. Watch out for a hilarious sequence where she dances to the Golden Horse Award nominated original song, which translates into “no husband now”. Her mother daughter pairing with Kimi Hsia (a relatively unknown name in Singaporeunless you are a loyal follower of Taiwanese showbiz) has natural chemistry, and you’ll root for them as they decide to enter a national cooking competition to pay off their debts.

It is evident that a high budget has been pumped into this movie. Having Warner Bros. on board as one of its main investors, and an ensemble of A list actors in Taiwanese showbiz, there must have been a lot of expectations for this production to sell well. And it has, considering the box office earnings of more than NT$300 million (S$12.7 million) in its home country. There are plenty of sleek production values (big sets, countless extras and impressive cinematography) and lots of good natured humour (unlike David Loman, the other Taiwanese box office success screened in Singapore earlier this year, the references here are more universal), so this is a film that you’ll have no difficulties liking.

But what’s most impressive about the movie are the emotions portrayed in the story. There are some delicate and heartfelt moments that you’ll fondly remember long after the credits roll. One plotline to look out for involves the elusive master chef played by the highly respected Wu Nien Chen, who cooks for vagabonds. He brings viewers into Taiwan’s underground railways and tunnels, and tells us what his profits are cooking for the outcasts. The scene is one of cinema’s best, and will have you reflecting on what’s important amidst the hustles and bustles we are constantly surrounded by.

Movie Rating:  

(Besides outrageously hilarious moments, there are heartfelt emotions in this Taiwanese commercial hit that make it a must watch)

Review by John Li

We had really wanted to shower more love for Jeff Wadlow’s sequel to the surprise hit Kick Ass. The action comedy film turned out rather, well, lukewarm and we couldn’t help but think things could have gotten a lot more wackier. How does the soundtrack to the movie fare then? Does it lack the energy and fun that was sorely missed in the movie starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, Chloe Mintz Plasse and the very underused Jim Carrey?

The 41 minute album kicks off with guitarist James Flannigan’s “Yeah Yeah”, a catchy and vigorous cue that sets the mood for the soundtrack. The key member from pop rock band Stiff Dylans performs a track that complements the theme of the movie aptly. Following that is Los Angelesbased singer songwriter Hanni El Khatib’s “Nobody Move”, a song that will please fans of indie rock. Englsh boy band Union J’s “Carry You” is next, a nice radio friendly addition to the compilation of songs.   

So far so good. Elsewhere, Canadian rock band Danko Jones performs the heavily rhythmic “Dance”, complete with shrills and screams. The Bees bring on the folksy “A Minha Menina”, while The Go! Team exemplify indie styled garage rock with the big band piece “Bust Out Brigade”. St Snot gives the beloved “When the Saints Go Marching In” an edgy feel that suits the soundtrack plastered with a “Parental Advisory – Explicit Content” label.

The rest of the album features varied cues like Scottish indie rock band Glasvegas’ soaring “Euphoria, Take My Hand”, American rock band Ozma’s brash “Korobeiniki”, Marco Polo and Toare’s hip hop “Danger” and DJ Fresh’s club worthy “Motherquake”. The album closes with another radio friendly tune “Hero” by Jessie J. Those looking to inject a little oomph and energy into their playlist would be pleased with this collection of songs. 

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: (8) Bust Out Brigade – The Go! Team 

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: When their attempt to infiltrate an international drug cartel goes haywire, DEA agent Bobby Trench and U.S. Naval Intelligence naval officer Michael Stigman are suddenly disavowed by their superiors. Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, the only person they can count on is the other. Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad, they pick up a few tricks along the way.

MOVIE REVIEW:

With a name that sound more like a pornographic title, 2 Guns attempts to pass off as a cool, fun crime flick unfortunately has neither of both elements to make it an impressive project.

Without knowing the true identities of each other, undercover DEA agent Bobby Trench (Denzel Washington) and Naval Intelligence officer Michael Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) plans to rob a bank of $3 million whom they believe belong to a Mexican drug lord, Papi Greco. In the end, the duo stole $43 million. The money alarmingly belonged to a rogue CIA agent, Earl (Bill Paxton). With the DEA and Naval disavowing the two, they must team up and find a way to stay alive and retrieve back the loot before they are killed by Papi, Earl and Stigman’s direct superior, Harold Quince (James Marsden). 

The drama unfolds at a breakneck pace filled with double crossing, triple crossing with rogue government and military agents crashing in with plenty of shootouts and violence. It seems like the entire hierarchy of uniformed groups are in danger of collapsing with the exception of our two dear buddies. The entire plotting is cliché and predictable. The number of characters from so many parties is ridiculous and most of them merely ended up serving as target boards for Earl. Paula Patton (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol) fares the worst as Trench’s on-and-off girlfriend, fellow DEA agent and showcasing her tities, a forgettable role no less.

Essentially, it’s the pair up of Washington and Wahlberg that saved the movie from being a total wreck. Their chemistry is pure solid, put the two together onscreen and you wouldn’t mind the tedious happenings around them. Their bantering is mostly ticklish and it certainly makes the bland journey a lot more fun with this pair of buddy-cop around.  

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur’s second outing in Hollywood after Contraband suffers mostly from a chaotic plot. There’s neither wit or tension just plenty of tired shootings, chasing to keep things going. Still with both Washington and Wahlberg onboard, 2 Guns inevitably soars purely of their performances and not those poor chickens that had their heads shot off. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are 12 minutes of Deleted and Extended scenes, none particularly interesting except the first Bring a Kid to Work Day.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

2 Guns sound and look fantastic on DVD. There are enough loud, cross-channel action bits in the audio department and the visual generally stunning to please the audiophiles. 

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Adam Brody, Chris Noth, Hank Azaria , Bobby Cannavale, Juno Temple , James Franco, Debi Mazar
RunTime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: R21
Released By: GVP and InnoForm Media
Official Website: http://www.thelovelacemovie.com/

Opening Day: 17 October 2013

Synopsis: In 1972—before the internet, before the porn explosion—Deep Throat was a phenomenon: the first scripted pornographic theatrical feature film, featuring a story, some jokes, and an unknown and unlikely star, Linda Lovelace. Escaping a strict religious family, Linda discovered freedom and the high-life when she fell for and married charismatic hustler Chuck Traynor. As Linda Lovelace she became an international sensation—less centerfold fantasy than a charming girl-next-door with an impressive capacity for fellatio. Fully inhabiting her new identity, Linda became an enthusiastic spokesperson for sexual freedom and uninhibited hedonism. Six years later she presented another, utterly contradictory, narrative to the world—and herself as the survivor of a far darker story.

Movie Review:

You’d probably remember Linda Lovelace as the porn star extraordinaire of the 1972 American cultural touchstone ‘Deep Throat’, but did you know that the lady only made a grand total of one porn film? Or that six years after being hailed as a revolutionary by some and dismissed as a late-night punch line by others, Lovelace (whose real name was Linda Boreman) would, through the publication of her autobiography, turn against the very industry which made her name, becoming an anti-pornography crusader and later on a feminist icon?

Indeed, there’s a fascinating story to be told about Lovelace’s life, and documentary filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman - in making their dramatic movie debut here - succeed fairly in making their account as compelling as their subject. Working off a perfectly adequate if slightly unremarkable script by Andy Bellin, Epstein and Friedman adopt a shrewd two-act structure to contrast the heydays of Lovelace’s ascent to stardom from the public’s eyes against the harsher and much grimmer private truth - beginning of course with the former.

Taking an artistic leaf from P.T. Anderson’s ‘Boogie Nights’, the first half recreates with enough engaging visual flair the milieu of the early 1970s, where young girls like Lovelace find themselves restrained by the smallness of their working class lives as well as their conservative parents. And so when the scruffy hustler Chuck Traynor (Robert Sarsgaard) picks her out at a roller rink and promises to give her a new life, she immediately leaps at the opportunity, ditching her stoic sheriff of a father (Robert Patrick) and her ultrareligious mother (a barely recognizable Sharon Stone).

It is Chuck who will teach and train her the skill of her claim to fame (hint - it’s about suppressing the gag reflex), and the same conniving Chuck who will introduce her to porn director Gerard Damiano (Hank Azaria) and producer Butchie Peraino (Bobby Cannavale) behind her smash hit ‘Deep Throat’. The unexpected success of that iconic movie is common knowledge, and her meteoric rise is filmed with ebullient verve - especially as it becomes her ticket to meet the infamous Hugh Hefner (James Franco in a nice cameo) - showcasing a ingénue suddenly thrust (pun intended) into the spotlight to be the poster girl for America’s sexual revolution.

And at the height of her success halfway into the movie, the directors do a bait and switch, pulling back the curtain to reveal the horrific reality of her relationship with Traynor. Turns out that not only was he physically abusive, he had exploited her like a prostitute to take part in gang rapes and forced her to sign onto further ‘Deep Throat’ sequels, all in the name of milking her for all the cash he could make to pay off his accumulating debts. It’s a sad tale of degradation and abuse, one that needs no embellishments - and which Epstein and Friedman wisely add none - to arouse your indignation.

That is also credit to Seyfried’s brave performance, which easily surpasses anything she’s done so far. Taking over a role that was much publicised for Lindsay Lohan, she (literally) bares her all for a riveting portrayal of a larger-than-life personality, excelling especially in capturing her character’s insecurities in the last third of the film. Sarsgaard matches her in every vile and manipulative regard, so much so that by the end, you can barely stand the sight of the man. Between them, there is more than enough star power, though besides Franco, other notable cameos include Chloe Sevigny as a feminist reporter, Adam Brody (TV’s ‘Hannibal) as her ‘Deep Throat’ co-star Harry Reems and Eric Roberts as a polygraph technician.

If there is something that is lacking though, it is a deeper understanding of Lovelace’s own emotions going through the ‘ordeal’. Even though the pace is gripping, one hopes that Epstein and Friedman could have adopted for a more measured approach from time to time in order to delve deeper into what must be going through her mind as she was being abused - in particular since it did last for quite a significant period of time before she decided to leave Chuck. We wouldn’t go as far though as some commentators to criticise the film as being just skin-deep, but it suffices to say that there is more that the film could explore about its character’s motivations.

It isn’t a fatal flaw though, just one that keeps it from being great (which could probably count as a missed opportunity) - and yet even so, there is still punch to this fascinating tale of emotional and sexual abuse. If anything, Seyfried’s ballsy acting is worth the price of the ticket alone, fleshing out the woman behind the fantasy with guts and honesty. It’s an impressive show she puts on, doing absolute justice to her subject and the reason why this film rises from mediocre to respectable. 

Movie Rating:

(Not quite skin-deep and yet not nearly as deep as you would expect it to go, this respectable biopic of American cultural icon Linda Lovelace is still a riveting watch)

Review by Gabriel Chong
  

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Genre: Martial-Arts/Fantasy
Director: Gordon Chan  
Cast: Deng Chao, Crystal Liu Yifei, Ronald Cheng, Collin Chou, Anthony Wong, Jiang Yiyan, Liu Yan, Wu Siubo, Shereen Tang, Ken Lo. Cheng Taishen, Waise Lee, Yu Cheng Hui, Kathy Chow, Eddie Cheung
RunTime: 1 hr 57 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Nudity and Violence)
Released By: Encore Films & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:  

Opening Day: 9 January 2014

Synopsis: The Sequel to The Four, based on the best-selling novel by Woon Swee Oan. The four constables, Emotionless (Crystal Liu Yifei), Iron Hands (Collin Chou)，Life Snatcher (Ronald Cheng) and ColdBlood (Deng Chao), are specially skilled in their own individual super powers. When the four constables of the Divine Constabulary investigate a murder in the suburbs, they unexpectedly stumble on clues to the murder of Emotionless’s family 15 years ago. While investigating the case, the constables discover facts about their past, facts they preferred hidden, and facts that force them to choose between past grudges and their new lives at the Divine Constabulary. A series of bloody battles confront them as the story unfolds, an undeniable truth becomes clear – even if they survive this storm, a bigger one is brewing just over the horizon.

Movie Review:

Within a short span of a year, Gordon Chan returns with his sequel to The Four, a supposedly planned trilogy based on the novels of wuxia writer Woon Swee Oan. It’s highly recommended however you catch the original before you pay a ticket to this one else you might end up feeling sore about the constant references to the first and even more so when the movie just abruptly ends.

Since we have been introduced to the group of misfits that formed the Divine Constabulary led by the wise Zhuge Zhenwo (Anthony Wong) in the The Four, the sequel wastes no time in setting up the events that happened after the death of the evil and powerful An Shigeng (Wu Xiubo). As it turned out, An is still not dead but for reasons unexplained has been transformed into sort of a parasite kept alive by his father and hidden in a cliff far away. His father, Lord An in the mean time is hell bent to take revenge against the Divine Constabulary and he also has plans to usurp the Emperor because every villains out there believe they deserved the throne.

Thus writer and director Gordon Chan devotes a good one hour detailing the conspiracy and plan to frame and throw Zhuge Zhenwo into jail for the murder of the head of Department Six, the official constable section of the Emperor. Zhenwo’s men are in turn thrown into frenzy after his capture and their unity is once again tested. Wolfboy aka Cold blood (Deng Chao) believes Zhenwo is hiding some deadly secrets from them especially one which involve the family massacre of his now girlfriend, Emotionless (Crystal Liu Yifei). Life Snatcher (Ronald Cheng) believes in Cold blood’s theory but Zhenwo’s trusty servant, Iron hands (Colin Chou) refused to believe in them. It’s not until the suggestion of Zhenwo’s companion, innkeeper Lady Chui (Shereen Tang in a cameo) that their internal conflict might be more than meets the eyes.     

It’s a shame that Chan is not much of an impressive mystery novelist nor a crime writer as The Four 2 has neither elements to engage the audience. The question of Zhenwo’s credibility is obvious and the reliance of a single shape-shifting villainous character to do the entire dirty work is unbelievable. Even a sequence of Cold blood and Life Snatcher checking out the crime scene shouts lame. Apparently, Divine Constabulary needs to recruit Detective Dee immediately. Unfolding without any twists and turns till the second half with the revelation of why Emotionless’ family is massacred; Chan’s efforts are often laborious and unengaging liked his earlier Painted Skin. If he thinks getting the busty Liu Yan to show some skin in a shower scene opposite Jiang Yiyan can salvage his storytelling skills, I guess Liu Yan needs to reveal more.

Making matters worse is his preference to pepper every single action scene with subpar visual effects and these prove to be more of a distraction in the decently well-choreographed action direction by Ku Huen Chiu. When it comes to the cast members, Deng Chao and Liu Yifei who dominates the screentime continue to emo and bored the movie with their zilch chemistry. The other two members of the Four, Colin Chou and Ronald Cheng relegates to mere supporting roles with even lesser dialogue than the predecessor. Jiang Yiyan never ceases to tease the audience with her good turn bad or vice versa character while Anthony Wong remains the only respectable presence in this otherwise boring martial arts flick.

Will the foursome whom is blessed with remarkable Marvel/X-Men abilities reunite for the finale and take out the villain once and for all? Well, like I mentioned The Four 2 ends on a cliff-hanger and we hope Chan can gives us a satisfying answer to Lord An’s ambitious plan to overthrow the Emperor. 

Movie Rating:  

(You need to wait and catch The Four 3 for a satisfying conclusion)

Review by Linus Tee