SYNOPSIS: Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds star as 2 cops working for the Rest In Peace Department (RIPD), the greatest police force ever assembled from the spirit of the greatest cops that ever lived. Their job – protecting the living from monstrous spirits cleverly disguised as ordinary people. Wise-cracking Sheriff Roy Pulsifer (Bridges) is a veteran of the RIPD. He is assigned Nick Walker (Reynolds) a rising star detective killed in his prime. The unlikely partners uncover a plot that could end life as we know it and have to work together before the earth is overcome by angry souls unwilling to face justice.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Ryan Reynolds might be one of the hottest stars in Tinseltown right now but he just doesn’t have the star power to draw in the audience. Just to name a few of his mishaps, his outing as superhero Green Lantern tanked at the box-office and his voice for a racing snail called Turbo bombed as well.
Yet despite his prolific onscreen appearances, his bad streak continues in this fantasy action piece based on a Dark Horse comic, R.I.P.D.
Reynolds plays Boston cop Nick Walker who is slain by his partner, Bobby Hayes (Kevin Bacon) while on a raid. His soul is then transported to the Rest In Peace Department where Nick is recruited by Proctor (Mary-Louise Parker) as a law enforcer in the afterlife to capture escaped spirits and monsters dubbed the Deados. Partnered with Roy Pulsipher (Jeff Bridges), an ex-Sheriff from the Western era, the duo goes on to unravel a far sinister, demonic scheme and that includes the true form of Nick’s killer, Bobby.
There are many who claim R.I.P.D. is a cheap ripoff of Men In Black and I can see why. The latter has two agents hunting down monsters/aliens while the former has two dead agents hunting down monsters/ghosts/demons. Not much of a difference isn’t it? But still as a supernatural action comedy, R.I.P.D. delivers in terms of entertainment despite the many familiarities. Did I mention the slim 96 minutes running time does help?
There’s no doubt the movie is filled to the brim with visual effects courtesy of award-winning effects house, Rhythm and Hues. The many shootouts, foot chases and climatic end is overall visually engaging though unlikely to impress the general audience who till this point already numbed by the numerous forgettable pixel-created monsters and backdrops. It’s Jeff Bridges who stole the show with his spot-on, deadpan humour in the end, the veteran actor has a far more charismatic presence opposite the good looking, predictable Reynolds unfortunately.
Director Robert Schwentke who did Red falters with the limitation of the material onhand. The transcending between humour and drama on the whole is uneven and what’s left is some slapstick humour that works for example the funny introduction of Nick and Roy’s respective avatars in the eyes of the living. R.I.P.D. is not exactly a hot mess as what many coined it to be. It’s merely an uninspiring piece of work that require more rewrite and perhaps a change of leading man might just turn it’s luck around.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Colours and images look great on DVD while the soundfield is immersive and pure action oriented.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer star in The Lone Ranger, from Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Director Gore Verbinski. It’s a wild ride of high velocity action, explosions and gunfights that brings the famed masked legend to life through brand-new eyes. The Lone Ranger (Hammer), the last of his kind, teams with Tonto (Depp), a dark and mysterious vigilante, to seek vengeance after justice has failed them. It’s a runaway train of epic surprises, as these two unlikely heroes must learn to work together before the ultimate showdown between good and evil explodes.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It turned out that the year’s most penned (and box office flop) summer blockbuster is one of my favourites. At the minimal, I can say I share the same taste as Quentin Tarantino.
Disney’s biggest turkey after John Carter belongs to none other than Johnny Depp’s The Lone Ranger, an action Western adventure that is based on a radio show in the 1930’s. Seriously who cares when the end product is so full of thrilling bits, comedy and action. It’s such a pity many avoid it like the plague.
As per his usual practices, Depp puts on tonnes of makeup for his role as Tonto, a Native American Indian who pairs up with newly-mint lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) to take on a bunch of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner) and corrupt railway tycoon, Latham Cole (Tom Wilkinson). Of course, the script by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio (both scribers from the Pirates of the Caribbean series) and Justin Haythe is much more bloated and complicated in actual fact. But if you can sit through Pirates’ booty full of inconsequential characters and events, The Lone Ranger’s excesses in comparison is way less overblown.
The biggest problem with The Lone Ranger is the middle act where much is focused on John’s recently widowed sister-in-law, Rebecca (Ruth Wilson), an unnecessary detour to visit Depp’s frequent partner-in-crime, Helena Bonham Carter as a saucy brothel owner Red Harrington and the introduction of random characters liked Captain Jay Fuller (Barry Pepper) and the mischief of Cavendish’s henchmen. The many subplots posed more of an endurance test than crucial plot mechanisms to keep the story going.
Yet you can always rely on Johnny Depp’s wacky theatrics and silly humour to save the day. While only Depp can find laughter in the form of a dead bird perched on his head, Armie Hammer on the other hand is relegated to a sidekick to Depp’s Tonto. His John Reid make even worse by his constant whining and indecisiveness despite the movie being named after his character. Even for a origin story, it takes far too long for the lone ranger to start galloping on his white horse.
Ultimately, you got to credit director Gore Verbinski’s visual sense and his wise usage of the US$250 million budget which sparkles in every scene and sequence. The physical Western sets are extravagant and detailed. The climatic train chase especially with flawless CGI thrown in are rousing to say the least, accompanied by Hans Zimmer’s mix of William Tell Overture, it’s probably the craziest, wildest action sequence this summer.
You got to experience The Lone Ranger yourself instead of hearing how bad the movie is. It’s actually a solid summer blockbuster that is tailored to entertain the audience.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Deleted Scene recounts a locust attack scene that was never fully realized and presented here in its crude pre-vis form. A nice 4 minutes Blooper Reel showing the cast fumbling with props and animal is also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Displaying a balanced level of blacks and contrast, the overall visual details and colours are remarkable. Same goes for the sound mix which are tremendously encompassing and bound to rock your home system.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: In RED 2, the high-octane action-comedy sequel to the worldwide sleeper hit, retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. To succeed, they’ll need to survive an army of relentless assassins, ruthless terrorists and power-crazed government officials, all eager to get their hands on the next-generation weapon. The mission takes Frank and his motley crew to Paris, London and Moscow. Outgunned and outmanned, they have only their cunning wits, their old-school skills, and each other to rely on as they try to save the world — and stay alive in the process.
MOVIE REVIEW:
You can never stop old people from having fun and Bruce Willis for one is a shining example. Let’s see he just appeared in the fifth instalment of Die Hard, was a regular member of the The Expendables and he is also a retired, extremely dangerous CIA agent in Red.
Woah. This aging Hollywood actor star sure is busy. In Red 2, he is back once again as Frank Moses with his cohort of ex-agents and this time he is lured back to the field by his fellow wacky partner, Marvin (John Malkovich) to track down a nuclear device.
Written by original scribers, the Hoeber brothers and directed by Dean Parisot, Red 2 attempts to replicate the magic of the first at the same time, conjured up a series of major action set pieces in this globetrotting adventure. Just when you thought Parisot delivered the perfect satirical, laugh-out-loud Galaxy Quest and probably the best person to turn the material around. The end result turned out to be a generic action comedy devoid of any fun and wit despite the introduction of Korean star Lee Byun Hun, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins as a crazed scientist, Bailey to the already busy cast list.
Red 2 throws up too much characters, plot twists and occurrences that doesn’t really make much of a sense. We are supposed to believe a shady agent Jack Horton (Neal McDonough) who works for the government can kill a General in an official premise. Bailey kept in a secured premise for 30 years by MI6 can be easily rescued by Moses and gang and what’s up with Moses’ almost annoying girlfriend, Sarah (Mary Louise-Parker) in the tow. Other than accidentally setting the gun off and kissing random men in the movie, the character of Sarah is almost redundant. There is too much stuff that is meant to be funny but it’s not. What’s really works in fact is still John Malkovich’s paranoid, advice spouting Marvin and Helen Mirren’s ultra-cool Victoria. Willis the most prolific and likely highest paid star simply went through the motion for the umpteenth time.
The explosion does get bigger not better here. Unfortunately except for the rather entertaining scene in the beginning where Frank is attacked by Horton and his team, the rest are pretty unimaginative especially the Lotus chase with Victoria shooting in the spinning car a la Angelina Jolie inWanted but came across as mundane. The formula of Red has definitely weakened in the sequel and we really hoped the filmmakers inject some really strong serum into the third before every cast members checked themselves into an old folk’s home.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
There are 4 minutes of Deleted Scenes, none significantly important and a Gag Reel. The Red 2 Experience is a 33 minutes feature that is further divided into segments where the cast and crew talks about the story, stunts and weapons. There is more talk than actual making of footages involved so beware.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The DVD looks sharp and pristine while the Dolby Digital 5.1 makes great use of directional effects balancing action with dialogue.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: The story of Steve Jobs' ascension from college dropout into one of the most revered creative entrepreneurs of the 20th century. The extraordinary story of Steve Jobs, the original innovator and ground-breaking entrepreneur who let nothing stand in the way of greatness. The film tells the epic and turbulent story of Jobs as he blazed a trail that changed technology – and the world – forever!
MOVIE REVIEW:
jOBS is a missed opportunity not just for the filmmakers behind the indie project but also audiences who aren’t familiar with the late tech guru.
Produced and starring Auston Kutcher as Steve Jobs, the biographical drama spanned roughly three decades from 1974 when Jobs was still in Reeds College to 2001 when Apple launched their breakthrough product, the iPod. The Joshua Michael Stern’s movie has its moments to be frank unfortunately for a biography about a man who insist on nothing but the best, the end product is so downright mediocre (think Nokia and Blackberry), you are unlikely to queue overnight for it.
For the 127 minutes long movie, you can’t help feeling jOB is written by the guys behind the Dummies guidebook. The script by Matt Whiteley glosses over Job’s life, highlighting merely the major events liked how he started the first Mac with Steve Wozniak in his dad’s garage, his quarrel with the Board, his subsequent departure from Apple, his erratic behaviour and henceforth. Transiting clumsily from one scene to another, everything looks and sounds too predictable, too safe. In the end the movie offers nothing that you haven’t seen or heard of the man who is known to display outburst of anger towards anyone and refusing to acknowledge the existence of his first born. Fleeting details which the movie showcased but never took a stand or explanation which makes the watching experience all the more frustrating.
Yet you got to credit Kutcher for doing a remarkable job mimicking Jobs from the way he speaks to the way he walks. He might not be the most credible actor on earth though one can see Kutcher is indeed passionate and ballsy enough to attempt a slightly different project to his usual romantic, man-boy roles. For an indie production, the movie boasts enough familiar names such as Dermot Mulroney, Matthew Modine, J.K. Simmons, James Woods and Kevin Dunn to portray numerous real-life corporate personnel associated with Jobs and the production never in a way feels cheap.
If an in-depth and mindblogging biography is your cup of tea, then jOBS will leave a sour taste in your mouth. It’s recommended you check out Walter Isaacson’s official biography of Jobs instead in the bookstores. The rest who are spending their free time awaiting the next iPhone and iPad, no harm rejoicing in this serviceable portrait of a man who changed Silicon Valley and smartphones forever.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Colours and images are not exceptional vibrant, it’s a soft-looking movie in general and likely a creative choice intended by the filmmakers while dialogue is clear for the talky movie.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Renny Harlin
Cast: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee, Liam McIntyre, Rade Serbedzija, Johnathon Schaech, Luke Newberry
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://hercules3dmovie.com/
Opening Day: 9 January 2014
Synopsis: When prince Hercules learns of his real identity, he must choose to flee with his true love - Hebe, Princess of Crete - or to fulfill his destiny by overthrowing the tyrannical rule of the king and restoring peace to a land in hardship.
Movie Review:
Step aside, Kevin Sorbo, we have a new man for the role of Hercules and his name is Kellan Lutz. If you have no idea who Mr Lutz is, check out his appearances in the Twilight instalments.
Anyway back to The Legend of Hercules. As the title suggests, this is an origin story that sets up the demigod character. Despised by his father King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) since the day he was born, Hercules - the son of Zeus and Queen Alcmene (Roxanne McKee) - is sent to war after failing to elope with his true love, Princess Hebe (Gaia Weiss). King Amphitryon favors his elder son, Iphicles (Liam Garrigan); unfortunately he is not warrior material let alone lead a kingdom and winning the heart of Princess Hebe. As fate would have it, Hercules survived the war and returns to reclaim his love and kingdom from the wrath of King Amphitryon.
The poster reads From the director of Cliffhanger and Die Hard 2 - it’s unfortunate they forgot to add in the fact that both were movies from more than twenty years ago, and Renny Harlin’s directing career has long been sunk by a certain Cutthroat Island. Let’s face it; The Legend of Hercules isn’t going to resurrect Harlin’s status in Hollywood anytime soon.
While similarly themed movies such as 300, Immortals and Clash of the Titans are known more for their visual aesthetics than storytelling, The Legend of Hercules failed miserably on both accounts. Filmed entirely in Eastern Europe because of cheaper costs and taxes, Harlin’s movie mimics the feel and look of its predecessors while pretending to strip down to the grittiness of that era. However every single set piece looks like a cheap knock-off, right down to the CG extensions - case in point, one seriously fake looking puppeteer lion looks even worse than that in cable series Spartacus and Rome.
Written by at least four credited writers (one of them from the terrible Conan the Barbarian remake and Harlin himself), it is such a shame that the supposedly mythology-inspired story instead resembles Ridley Scott’s Gladiator more than anything - if you recall, Maximus, was also betrayed and sold to slavery but made a comeback for revenge. We didn’t realize that the legendary Greek hero Hercules actually ventures on the same path until now.
Unimaginative plotting aside, the movie suffers from incredible clunky, modernized dialogue peppered with a variety of British and American accents and awful delivery from the actors. With the exception of McKee and Adkins (surprisingly turning in a solid performance), most of the cast members - especially Lutz - needs to sign up for advanced acting classes. Minus off all the disemboweling, limb and head severing and bloodshed you normally would have expect from such a theme (an obvious attempt to lure in younger audiences), The Legend of Hercules quickly dissolves into a predictable yawn fest.
It’s a tad disappointing that a movie about a demigod with incredible strength fares without emotion and plays like generally a mere paint-by-number adventure. Comparing to the 1997 animated feature by Disney, this one is hardly worth the time.
Movie Rating:
![](\"http://www.moviexclusive.com/image/mx%20star.gif\")
(Incredibly shallow and underwhelming, even Hercules cannot lift himself out of this mess)
Review by Linus Tee
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PAUL WALKER (1973 - 2013)Posted on 01 Dec 2013 |
We are guessing you’d be too overwhelmed by the spectacular visuals during this 160 minute epic movie to pay much attention to the score composed by HowardShore. And that is why you should own a copy of this highly recommended soundtrack album – especially if you’re a fan of fantasy score. The award winning composer takes us to Middle Earth again for the fifth time (after The Lord of the Rings series, and last year’s An Unexpected Journey), and boy, what an adventure it is.
With 116 minutes of music generously spread over two discs, this soundtrack plays well, depending on how you look at it, without visuals. While things are tame on the first disc (running at 50 minutes) with easy listening through tracks like “Wilderland”, “Mirkwood” and “The Woodland Realm” (there are a few enticingly action packed cues like “Flies and Spiders” and “The Forest River”), the real adrenaline rush lies in the second disc.
First, the main theme of this second movie makes its presence felt in “Thrice Welcome”, a track that kicks off Disc 2. Then you hear the all familiar Shire theme in “The Courage of Hobbits”, before it makes way for the highlight of this album – the theme for Smaug. Things begin to turn sinisterly dark with the second half of “The Courage of Hobbits”, with a very unique decision to showcase the Balinese Gamelans. The chimes add an exotically dark tone to the score, and this is proof why talents like Shore are worthy our support for the soundtrack industry.
Things continue to get darker in the following tracks “Inside Information”, “A Liar and a Thief”, “The Hunters”, “Smaug” and “My Armor is Iron”. There is so much intensity and a considerable bit of creepiness in these cues – something which reflects the score for the second Lord of the Rings score from The Two Towers. These cues also drive the action where it matters, something which will please action score fans.
Things turn hopeful with English singer Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” and the closing track “Beyond the Forest”, making us already looking forward to next year’s score for There and Back Again. Also available in stores is a special edition of the soundtrack which contains 13 extra minutes of material, including one bonus track and 12 extended score cues.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: Disc 2 (7) The Courage of Hobbits
Review by John Li
Genre: Comedy
Director: Peter Segel
Cast: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Kim Basinger, Alan Arkin, Jon Bernthal, Camden Gray, Ireland Baldwin
RunTime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG 13 (Some Violence and Sexual References)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: grudgematchmovie.net
Opening Day: 9 January 2014
Synopsis: In “Grudge Match,” Stallone and De Niro play Henry “Razor” Sharp and Billy “The Kid” McDonnen, two local Pittsburgh fighters whose fierce rivalry put them in the national spotlight. Each had scored a victory against the other during their heyday, but in 1983, on the eve of their decisive third match, Razor suddenly announced his retirement, refusing to explain why but effectively delivering a knock-out punch to both their careers. Thirty years later, boxing promoter Dante Slate, Jr., seeing big dollar signs, makes them an offer they can’t refuse: to re-enter the ring and settle the score once and for all. But they may not have to wait that long: on their first encounter in decades, their long-festering feud erupts into an unintentionally hilarious melee that instantly goes viral. The sudden social media frenzy transforms their local grudge match into a must-see HBO event. Now, if they can just survive the training, they may actually live to fight again.
Movie Review:
‘Grudge Match’ is a movie built squarely on the pairing between its two lead male stars, Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro. Unlikely though their collaboration may sound at first, Stallone and De Niro starred in two of the greatest boxing movies of all time - “Rocky” and “Raging Bull”, and so someone must have thought it would make great sense for their fans to see Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta duke it out at last by casting the actors as onetime rivals in the boxing ring who never had a third and deciding bout.
Well that someone was quite mistaken - while their characters here hew reasonably close to their famous onscreen personalities, this is no more than a limp attempt to cash in on the enduring affection that audiences have of Stallone and De Niro’s best-known creations. Styled as a comedy with the pair playing Pittsburgh boxers Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp (Stallone) and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen (De Niro), it teases the idea of the much anticipated tie-breaking third fight right up till they step back inside the ring a good thirty years following Razor’s abrupt retirement from the sport.
It is almost de rigueur for such nostalgia-driven movies (and if you’ve been paying attention, there have been quite a number of late) to draw attention to the age of its stars, and this is no different. Too many gags are of a jokey old-guys comedy nature, and revolve predictably around two old and out-of-condition men getting into shape for their rematch. It is one thing that both Stallone and De Niro seem entirely game with the increasingly tedious stream of jokes that draw attention to their age, and quite another to sit through a repetitive barrage of them.
Yes, despite the fact that it is billed as a comedy, the gags just aren’t very funny. Neither Tim Kelleher (who gets story credit) nor his co-writer Rodney Rothman manage to inspire any genuine laughs; instead, you can easily tell how hard they are straining by the number of times they recycle a running joke about The Kid’s estranged son’s initials, B.J. (played by Jon Bernthal from AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’). Even the usually sardonically comic Alan Arkin and the motor-mouthed Kevin Hart struggle to make the best out of tepid lines in their respective supporting roles that just plainly aren’t amusing.
Rather, the movie fares much better when it comes to orchestrating some heart-tugging moments. As it turns out, both Razor and The Kid have personal issues to work through before the climactic match. For Razor, that is seeking closure with a former lover (Kim Basinger) who had cheated on him three decades ago with none other than The Kid - hence his intense dislike for the latter. On the other hand, The Kid gets his shot at paternal redemption through BJ and his precocious young son (Camden Gray), the former of whom also rises to the occasion by agreeing to be his father’s personal trainer. De Niro gives his character real dramatic heft here, while Stallone shares a number of quietly affecting scenes with Basinger.
And yet that alone is not good enough reason for the embarrassing finale, which finally sees Stallone and De Niro showing off the toll that age has taken on their physique. No doubt the actors have both tried hard to keep their waistlines in check, but there is no hiding that both are but a shadow of their former athletic selves. Indeed, it is sad to watch them shuffle about awkwardly in the ring in their boxing trunks, going at each other sluggishly despite the best of their abilities. Not meant as any disrespect to either actor, but we’d prefer our memory of them remain where they were once Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta.
There is therefore really not much reason for ‘Grudge Match’ to exist. It doesn’t quite honour the legacy of the characters which Stallone and De Niro had etched in their fans’ minds years ago, nor for that matter, will their roles here win them any new converts. It also is, for a comedy, only sporadically amusing, and even so, can’t quite decide if it wants to be a family friendly film or an R-rated comedy. That said, it does try too to straddle between comedy and drama, but can’t quite find the right tone to be something both funny and heartfelt at the same time.
One particular post-credit sequence is probably the best this reunion has going for it - and that is right at the end when Hart’s sports promoter sits down with his next duo, Mohammed Ali (yes, we’re talking the real Mohammed Ali) and Joe Frazier. Go figure.
Movie Rating:
(A match-up between Sylvester ‘Rocky Balboa’ Stallone and Robert ‘Jake LaMotta’ De Niro certainly deserves better than this sluggish comedy with few laughs and fewer inspiration)
Review by Gabriel Chong
We regret not laying our hands on this soundtrack album before watching the movie. If you haven’t already heard, the 53rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Classics series will send of musical epics into ecstatic frenzies. There is a sing along moment every other scene, and a true Disney fan’s movie experience will not be complete until every word of the songs’ lyrics is etched into the mind.
This 69 minute album is generous on music, with 10 song cues and 22 score tracks. The story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen features Kristen Bell as Anna the idealistic princess, Idina Menzel as Elsa the Snow Queen, Jonathan Grodd as Kristoff the handsome dude from the mountains, Santino Fontana the handsome price with an ulterior motive and Josh Gad the snowman who wants nothing more than a summer experience.
The ensemble cast put on a bravado performance with the songs in the movie. There’s the cheery turned melancholic “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?”, the stirring “For The First time In Forever” and the cutesy duet “Love Is An Open Door”, tunes which give the soundtrack a strong head start. Then Menzel, a Broadway performer, belts out the emotional “Let It Go”, the song which easily earns the highest recommendation in this CD. We are expecting it to take home numerous Best Song prizes at the awards. The radio friendly version performed by Demi Lovato is easy on the ears too, with its pop arrangement.
Elsewhere, you’ll be entertained by the brief but funny “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People”, the humourously written “In Summer” and the folksy “Fixer Upper”. Written and composed by husband and wife team Robert Lopez (who’s known for his work on award winning musicals like Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon) and Kristen Anderson Lopez, these songs are going to stick around for some time.
The rest of the album is a collection of score material by Christophe Beck (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, The Muppets), and they evoke adventures in the magical world concocted by Disney artists. This soundtrack is a must own, and we guarantee it will be on loop this holiday season.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (5) Let It Go – performed by Idina Menzel
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: GENERATION UM... follows a day in the life of John and his two beautiful cohorts, Violet and Mia as they wander through their lives, immersed in sex, drugs and indecision. When John steals a camera, he finds inspiration in his directionless life. He turns the lens on Mia and Violet and the girls open up about their past and how it has informed their present lives. As they navigate their daily routine of bars, crowds and New York City living and as they out-do one another in terms of revealing the decisions and doubts that led them to their escort service lifestyle, all three embark on a path of self-discovery.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Despite having Keanu 'Neo' Reeves on the DVD cover, this is through and through an indie film. You can’t even classify Generation Um… as an arthouse title, an experimental one is the better answer.
If there’s a decent plot or story, I will be glad to provide you. Alas, there isn’t. Writer and director Mark L Mann prefers a non-linear way of telling his tale about a man, John (Reeves) and his voyeuristic journey with two escorts, Violet (Bojana Novakovic) and Mia (Adelaide Clemens).
Well, John is not really a pervert; he is just a bored, lonely, aimless 40 year old driver for the two sexy escorts. Probably disappointed with how his life turns out and still receiving a $75 check from his mom on his birthday, he roams the streets of New York and at the spur of the moment stole a camcorder and starts shooting and quizzing the lives of Violet and Mia. Eventually, their sexual histories and Mia’s abusive childhood is revealed in truth nothing that comes of their mouths are remotely interesting or relevant to the entire affair.
Added on to all the found footage-like sequences and endless moments of random shots liked watching Violet peeing, snorting coke, sipping coffee, drinking red wine, hopping around in her panty and a minute worth of Reeves munching on a cupcake, it’s a frustrating watch that lead us to question what’s the point of Mann’s film. There is so little insight to the three characters, no shocking revelations and the dialogue sounds it’s improvised on the spot by the actors making the 98 minutes running time overlong and ill-conceived.
The only exception is the actors who seems to be enjoying their little indie outing. A-list Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves looks and plays the part of a loner perfectly. Bojana Novakovic and Adelaide Clemens are excellent as call-girls, it’s a shame they should be in a better production. Ironically, John encourages the girls to "say something interesting" at one point in the film and that is likely Mann’s plea to the actors.
Um… next movie please?
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Both audio and visual are serviceable in this DVD.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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