SYNOPSIS: In the year 2028, greedy conglomerate OmniCorp uses robotic technology to transform critically injured police officer Alex Murphy into the ultimate crime fighter. He's part-man, part-rmachine...he's Robocop! Back on the streets, Murphy is hardwired for law enforcement but the mind and memories of the human inside long to take over...and the results could be catastrophic.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The original Robocop was an eclectic mix of humor, action and social commentary. 27 years later, Paul Verhoeven’s first Hollywood movie still stands as an iconic piece of work. With a series of past MGM’s properties being earmarked for remakes, the languishing Robocop property finally gets a makeover by Brazilian director José Padilha (Elite Squad).
The outline of the 2014 version remains the same as before. A fierceless police officer Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is critically injured in a car bomb. Being picked as a candidate for Omnicorp’s “robot soldier” law enforcement product line, Murphy is slowly turned into a walking mechanical robot by scientist Dr Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman). Though more than capable in the combat field, Murphy still retains his emotional conscious much to the dismay of Omnicorp CEO, Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) who wants him under constant control. With his family at stake and his enemies at large, Murphy must first set things straight before the world welcomes a part-man, part-robot police officer.
The reboot version doesn’t have a lot of action or fun going on despite a rather hefty running time of nearly two hours. Padilha’s constant emphasis on Murphy’s family welfare especially his young son and his on-and-off conscious status provides a surprisingly heartwarming narrative instead. In addition, the ongoing debate between Norton and the corporate scheming Sellars while answering moral questions and the current political world dragged on far too long making them the two obvious main differences that detract from the original Robocop.
There isn’t much showcase on why the future Detroit is in need of such technology and the core villain, crime boss Antoine Vallon (Patrick Garrow) is largely ignored as compared to Kurtwood Smith’s memorable outing. Padilha’s favour of indepth storytelling of the relationships between the main characters and MGM’s insistence of a friendlier rating sacrificed the various entertaining aspects which made the Paul Verhoeven’s flick a classic. Gone are the outrageous violence and the tongue-in-cheek humour, the new Robocop is loaded with far more brain than ammunition. The latter firing at all angles at the movie’s climatic finale that took place at the Omnicorp building.
Serving as one of Hollywood’s many reboots, the new Robocop might still win over new fans with its slick metallic black outfit and rooted treatment. It’s not half as bad as you imagine but lacking the adrenalin of the original might just drive some away.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Five insignificant, short Deleted Scenes are included in the extras. Omnicorp Product Announcement is just a slew of fake commercials featuring Omnicorp technologies. Lastly, Theatrical Trailers are also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual is sharp and brimming with details and the Dolby Digital 5.1 provides viewers with clear dialogue and a soundtrack which is surprisingly subtle until the big finale.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: From Academy Award nominated director Jason Reitman, Labor Day is a richly rewarding and beautifully told romance starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin as two strangers drawn together under incredible circumstances. What starts as an unforseen encounter over a long holiday weekend soon becomes a second chance love story in the unforgettable film that critics are calling satisfying and deeply touching...
MOVIE REVIEW:
Despite coming from a Joyce Maynard novel, I wouldn’t blame you for mistaking Labor Day as a Nicholas Sparks’ adaptation. Yes it’s mushy, sweet and smells like peach pie but still remains an engaging piece of work from Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air).
Set in 1973, a young teenage Henry (Gattlin Griffith) lives with his mom, Adele (Kate Winslet) in a tattered house after his father, Gerald (Clark Gregg) left them to start another family. Adele who suffers from a psychological condition seldom leave the house and one day during their grocery trip, an injured, escaped prisoner Frank (Josh Brolin) took them hostage and plead for a night stay at their place. But the labor day long weekend becomes a turning point for Adele and Henry. Frank and Adele fell in love with each other and the trio planned to escape the country once the holiday ends.
The romance drama opens with a sinister music cue from composer Rolfe Kent even though there’s nothing thrilling about it. At first glance, Frank might seems liked a dangerous convict but as it turned out, he is actually quite a baker; a fantastic handyman and well excel at sports too. The ladies will definitely find Frank irresistible and this masculine bearded man sure capture the heart of Adele within a day or two.
Mostly, Reitman did deliver a simple touching tale about love and family. The pacing might be deliberate and the fatherly subplot between Henry and Gerald barely touched on. Even Henry’s pubescent love with a fellow problem classmate is more a tack on. But the essence of the drama comes from the incredible performances of Brolin and Winslet who help to convince audiences how two outsiders embrace true love once again (without the need for nudity and hot sex) in the end.
Not forgetting Eric Steelberg’s lush cinematography, the rich production design and thanks to Tobey Maguire who once again play the narrator (after The Great Gatsby) and his brief appearance as the adult Henry. Labor Day is not going to leave an acrid taste in your mouth in reality it’s a wonderful emotional journey which I personally encourages you to take up.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Commentary by Director Jason Reitman, Director of Photography Eric Steelberg and First Assistant Director/Co-Producer Jason Blumenfeld offers an interesting insight to the filmmaking process. Worth a listen.
There are six Deleted Scenes and out of them, two scenes actually stood out. The first being the motive of the J.K. Simmons character and the second, the fate of Henry’s hamster.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Visual quality on the whole is excellent. Detailing and color contrast is natural and striking. Dialogue and music play out nicely in the audio department.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Oscar winner Robert De Niro and Pscar nominee Sylvester Stallone sta as old boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one final match. Boxing promoter Dante Slate Jr makes them an offer they can't refuse: to reenter the ring and settle the score once and for all.
MOVIE REVIEW:
If the names Rocky Balboa and Jake La Motta don’t ring a bell to you then Grudge Match is unlikely your cup of tea.
Peter Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates) simply takes a dig at one of Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone’s iconic onscreen roles filled it with jokes about fat and getting old, family and lost love and the stage is set.
30 years ago, two Pittsburgh boxers, Henry "Razor" Sharp (Stallone) and Billy "The Kid" McDonnen (De Niro) rocked the boxing scene. But an announced rematch between the two never happened when Razor suddenly quit the sports leaving Kid with a grudge against his opponent till now. Promoter Dante Slate Jr (Kevin Hart) decides to bring these two old folks together for a motion capture performance for a video game and before you know it, soon escalating into one of the biggest rematch in boxing history.
As this reviewer gets older as the years go, he realizes he wouldn’t mind the taste of nostalgia. De Niro and Stallone might be too old, saggy even to pull a decent punch but their performances and comic timing right here is flawless. Just like their age, the movie can be a little slow at times, the comic material occasionally uneven especially Hart’s role as their promoter whose appearance seems rather out of place. But the movie has so much heart to embrace and Alan Arkin as Razor’s ex trainer, Lightning whose poison tongue always saves the day every time he is onscreen.
Adding to the cast is another old-timer Kim Basinger (still looking gorgeous) as Razor’s ex-girlfriend, Sally who unfortunately has a one-night stand with Kid years back thus resulting in a son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal) and of course the possible reason why Razor exited from the sports. Apparently, the rivalry is sowed off stage though quite unbelievably told. Segal seems more at ease cracking jokes about Razor’s diet and training regime.
In the end, Grudge Match plays well to the two leading men age. You can’t really fault them for not fighting well. That’s just being scrooge. It is pretty funny and the message about family is decently delivered. Perhaps it’s nostalgia getting into me or the fact that I really like the pairing of De Niro and Stallone in a comedy.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Six Deleted Scenes with Director Peter Segal commentary are included. A few of them are alternate or extended takes and they are quite fun actually.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The audio track is serviceable at best not the kind you expect from a contemporary sports title yet there’s enough rear speaker activity and ambient effects. Aside from some poorly done CGI, video presentation is strong and detailed.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: A young couple's blessed event turns into their worst nightmare in one of the most terrifying horror films ever conceived! After a mysterious night on their honeymoon, Zach and Samantha McCall find themselves dealing with an earlier-than-planned pregnancy. While recording everything on video for posterity, Zach notices odd behavior in his wife, which they initially attribute to nerves, although it soon becomes evident that the disturbing changes to Samantha's body and mind have a much more sinister origin.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Devil’s Due is easily another sub-standard, by product of the found footage phenomenon directed by two dudes whose only notable entry on their resume is the horror anthology V/H/S.
Completely lacking of any originality except the killing of some random deers, the entire premise is lifted out of Roman Polanski’s horror classic, Rosemary’s Baby. The younger generation probably never caught Polanski’s flick and I assumed the filmmakers thought the same thing too. Come on, Fox can easily forked out $7 million for this rip off. And they of course made a pretty good bet in the end.
Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillettand screenwriter Lindsay Devlin (fortunately not by the name of Lohan) coughed out a tale that involves a newly wed couple Zach and Sam who are expecting a somewhat different child. Unknowingly stepping into a trap set by an occult while they are on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, Sam begins to develop super powers, causing the local priest to vomit blood and consuming raw meats at the supermarket etc during her pregnancy. Something sinister is happening but what the hell is it? Is the mysterious cab driver involved? Or is there really an occult watching the couple’s every moves and waiting for the devil baby to be born?
The found footage genre has been done to death and Devil’s Due generally contributes nothing substantial or believability for that matter to convince us that the treatment actually enhanced the viewing experience. No, those shaky, poorly lit environments don’t make me feel the chill in fact the main culprit is the air-conditioning in the room where this review is written.
The entire movie delivers little thrills and the setting up of the satanic occult becomes just a plotting device to drag the story along to the hastily done climax. Strictly, a title that needs to be exorcised ASAP.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
A Theatrical Trailer plus 8 uneventful Deleted Scenes (with an extended ending) is included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The DVD comes with an intended showcase of lackluster homemade video feel though the soundtrack is incredibly bombastic and dynamic.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: In Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the origin story of Tom Clancy's most iconic character. The thrills are non-stop a CIA recruit Ryan is caught in a dangerous web of intrigue spun between his unsuspecting fiancee, a shadowy government agent and a ruthless Russian criminal. Ryan must quickly evolve from analyst to full-fledged operative to stop a devastating terrorist plot against the United States.
MOVIE REVIEW:
When Pine signed on the role of Jack Ryan, it’s a sign that he is going to be a huge star. Well, just look at Harrison Ford. He was in a little space movie called Star Wars and he has also played the character of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Pine to young moviegoers of course is Captain Kirk in the Star Trek movies. Now do you see the similarities?
In this latest incarnation of the renowned Tom Clancy’s character, the young Jack Ryan (Pine) begins his career as a Marine fighting in Afghanistan post 9/11. After he is critically injured in a heli-crash, Ryan is recruited by a CIA officer, Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner) at the rehab center. His job is to be a covert CIA analyst working at Wall Street. Several years passes (he even have a doctor girlfriend, Cathy (Keira Knightley), Ryan’s office job suddenly becomes a field one when he is sent to Moscow to investigate a number of suspicious funds controlled by a Russian tycoon, Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh). All hell breaks loose when Ryan realizes Cherevin is out to stage a terrorist attack on American soil and also crashed the global financial market.
Let’s just say that Chris Pine is as credible as Ford in the role of a young Jack Ryan in this instance. His character is a mix of intelligence, possess more than passable combat skills and most importantly, he places equal importance in his love for his country and loved ones. The late Tom Clancy created such a believable character and the man sure churned out a series of electrifying Jack Ryan novels. It’s a pity his material is not really adapted here and the final product comes from a Adam Cozad and Hollywood’s favorite script doctor David Koepp.
The proceedings of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is liked a prepackaged microwave meal. You manage to satisfy your hunger pang but you never really like the smell of it in the end. The entire spy outing suffers from a formulaic treatment despite the fact it’s packed with compelling ideas and setups. Kenneth Branagh manages to keep everyone awake not because the pace is taut and tense; it’s his portrayal of the evil Russian Viktor Cherevin that makes you realize didn’t the Cold War was over long time ago already. The car chase in the middle is lethargic and the ticking bomb finale, which took place in downtown Manhattan, has been done umpteen times before. Even Keira Knightley as Ryan’s girl seems entirely disposable.
The production is slick and it’s always good to have Kevin Costner around in a movie. The performance of Pine largely saved the predictable thriller. But comparing to the Bourne trilogy and the last Bourne outing, Jack Ryan deserved better. How about referring to Clancy’s novels for a start?
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Commentary by Director Kenneth Branagh and Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventurais a well-spoken, smart commentary track that discusses many aspects of making the thriller.
Jack Ryan: The Smartest Guy in the Room is a brief, standard 13 minutes making of feature.
5 short Deleted and Extended Scenes (including an alternate ending) with optional commentary by Director Kenneth Branagh and Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Images are clear and details brimming in the visual department. As expected, the Dolby Digital 5.1 provides listeners an impressive atmospheric experience filled with loud dynamic sound effects liked gunfire, explosion etc.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: The wait is over, America - Ron Burgundy is back and "funnier than ever!" After losing his job to his wife and co-anchor, Ron reassembles the news team and squares off against a new rival. Will the world's greatest anchorman be crushed beneath the weight of his own ego (and his salon-quality hair)?
MOVIE REVIEW:
As the wise man once said: So? - Ron Burgundy
All thanks to its leading man Will Ferrell and his entire cast members,Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues will go down in history as one successful comedy that works without a script.
It’s a messy though occasionally funny sequel to the 2004 hit which then stars the rather unknown Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner. At that time, even Christina Applegate who plays Ferrell’s onscreen wife was better known. A decade has passed and the original cast members (with fatter paychecks and bigger star power) reunite for another outing with America’s most famous news anchor – Ron Burgundy.
With his post being taken over by his wife, Veronica (Applegate), Burgundy is being lured to work at a newly setup, 24 hours news network called GNN in New York. Assembling his own news team which consists of the not very bright weatherman Brick Tamland (Carell), chauvinistic sports caster Champ Kind (Koechner) and misogynistic field reporter Brian Fantana (Rudd), Burgundy has to prove to the world he still has what it takes to rule the news station besides his salon-quality hair and classy personality.
Expect the usual silly lowbrow humour with many gags and jokes being thrown at you simultaneously. Not every one is a hit and the improvisation from the gang somehow gets a bit flat over time despite their best attempt to hurl every crass joke they could think of. Carell’s character turned up to be a disappointment this time round as being stupid is not equal to being funny.
Adam McKay and Will Ferrell may team up several times over their career but their better works seem to be Talladega Nights and The Other Guys. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues suffers from the same problem as Step Brothers. Both being structurally incoherent and runs far too long for comfort. There’s a third act which has Burgundy turning blind because of a injury that apparently stretches to being totally unnecessary.
Yet, the comedy has enough energy to keep you watching. The abundance of cameos, which include Harrison Ford, and a whole laundry list of familiar faces (Will Smith, Vince Vaughn, Jim Carrey, Liam Neeson, John C. Reilly, Tina Fey and many more) turning up for the hilarious finale will have you in stitches. An offensive song-and-dance segment named The Gay Way in the middle matches up to Afternoon Delight in the original.
It’s a shaky journey no doubt about it but the incredible chemistry of the cast members livens up this so-so sequel.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Audio Commentary by Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Judd Apatow, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner is a hilarious listen. Highly recommended even if you are not a fan of commentary track.
The rest of the extras consist of 14 minutes of Gag Reel and Welcome to the Dolphin Show has Will Ferrell improvising at Sea World.
Catfight is 2 minutes segment of Christina Applegate and Meagan Good’ characters throwing insults at each other.
News-O-Rama are just brief outtakes from the newsroom and Kench-O-Rama consists of outtakes of the Australian character, Kench Allenby.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Visually speaking, the images are perfectly detailed, colours are bright and hardly any visible flaw is detected. Ambient sound effects, music and dialogue is of the highest clarity.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Get ready for a world of hilarious monster mischief and alien antics in this all-new animated TV series inspired by DreamWorks Animation's ginormous hit movie Monsters vs. Aliens. Join team leader Susan, muscle-bound Link, ingenious Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D., and B.O.B., the gelatinous blob, as the residents of the government containment area embark on fun-filled adventures under the not-too-watchful eye of General Monger!
MOVIE REVIEW:
Monsters Vs Aliens or MVA for short is the third DreamWorks property to be developed into a television series after The Penguins of Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.
Originally aired on the Nickelodeon channel, this DVD contains the first eight episodes from the debut season with each segment running approximately 22 minutes. The four main characters, Ginormica, Dr. Cockroach, B.O.B. and the Missing Link from the feature movie returns for more insane adventures together with two newcomers, Coverton and Sqweep, a cute pink alien.
Of course, the paychecks of the original voiceover cast Reese Witherspoon and Seth are obviously too expensive to be hire for the series but no worries they are replaced by a bunch of equally enthusiastic voice actors. The humour is targeted at the younger audience but parents shouldn’t have any problem enjoying the silly antics as well. The always funny and brainless jelly B.O.B. might just earned a new group of fans.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
A feature that contains music videos from four DreamWorks titles.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The animation details while not as good as the movie is serviceable enough for the little screen. Sound effects which are reproduced in 5.1 adds to the viewing experience.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: In Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” a father and son steer the American road comedy into a vanishing Midwest on the trail of a dubious fortune – and in search of an understanding of each other that once seemed impossible. This is the story of the Grant family of Hawthorne, Nebraska. Now transplanted to Billings, Montana, stubborn, taciturn Woody (Bruce Dern in a role that won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival) is well past his prime -- such as it ever was -- and possibly his usefulness, but he believes he’s got one last shot at mattering: a notice that he’s the lucky winner of a million-dollar sweepstakes. To claim his fortune, Woody insists he must quickly get to the sweepstakes company’s office in Lincoln, Nebraska – a 750-mile journey that seems unlikely given that he can barely shuffle down the road a few blocks, at least not without stopping for a drink. Worried for his father’s state of mind, it falls to Woody’s reluctant, baffled son David (Will Forte) to accompany him on a trip that seems hilariously futile on the surface. Yet, their odd journey becomes a kind of modern family odyssey. When Woody and David make a pit-stop in their hometown of Hawthorne – with the Grant’s tart-tongued matriarch (June Squibb, “About Schmidt”) and anchor-man son (Bob Odenkirk, “Breaking Bad”) joining them – word of Woody’s fortune makes him, momentarily, a returning hero. Then it brings out the vultures. But it also opens a view into the unseen lives of David’s parents and a past more alive than he ever imagined. Shot in a black and white Cinemascope that mirrors the dusky beauty of small-town USA and the film’s high contrasts of humor and heartbreak, the film gives comic consideration to questions of family roots and family riddles, delusion and dignity, self-worth and the quiet yearning for a dash of salvation.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Director Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendents) calls the visual style of Nebraska as austere as the lives of its people.
Indeed, the black and white feature is about a somber road trip taken by a pair of father and son. Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is an aging alcoholic who believed he has won a million dollars in a sweepstake. With his car license revoked, the cantankerous Woody insists on walking on foot to Nebraska to collect his prize. Obviously a marketing scam and much to his mother’s dismay, David (Will Forte) decides to drive his father from Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska to fulfill his wish.
While Nebraska might sounds like a simple road trip indie drama, it is not. It’s filled to the brim with little gems and delves into topics like family relationships, old age and much more. The state of Nebraska is million of miles away from Singapore and surprisingly, who knows our everyday problems are almost eerily similar.
When was the last time you did something worthy with your aged old parents? Or when was the last time you actually talk to them in person? Through the character of David, Nebraska brought a whole new perspective of the importance of family to viewers. David despite knowing the whole scam thingy accompanied old Grant on a journey that consists of frequent alcohol stops, injuries and the ugliness of extended family members who are eyeing on Woody’s newfound ‘fortune’.
The script by Bob Nelson (consider that Payne wasn’t involved in the scriptwriting for the first time) is equally funny and touching. June Squibb who plays mum Kate is perfect as the acerbic matriarch and her retorts often politically incorrect are hilarious. Bruce Dern delivers a wrenching performance as a man who probably doesn’t deserve the state he is in and comedian Will Forte is wonderfully earnest in his role as the sympathetic son.
Nebraska is a meaningful film with lots of heart. It might even make you shed a tear or two when Woody reveals the true reason why he wanted the million dollars.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Despite being black and white, image clarity is omnipresent and the soundtrack provides a clear listening experience.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Olivier Dahan
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, Frank Langella, Paz Vega, Parker Posey, Milo Ventimiglia, Derek Jacobi, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Robert Lindsay, Geraldine Somerville
RunTime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: GV
Official Website:
Opening Day: 22 May 2014
Synopsis: The story of former Hollywood star Grace Kelly’s crisis of marriage and identity, during a political dispute between Monaco’s Prince Rainier III and France’s Charles De Gaulle, and a looming French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s.
Movie Review:
Whoever gave the green light to open this year’s Cannes Film Festival with this troubled production must be wondering: What the hell was I thinking? To be fair, it all seemed like the cleverest thing to do, to open the world’s most prestigious film festival with a biopic about Grace Kelly. For those who don’t know already, the gorgeous actress headed the USdelegation at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955. It was there she met Prince Rainier
So to have this year’s Cannes Film Festival graced (pardon the pun here) by a film about the Academy Award winning actress’ life as a princess in Monaco, it seemed like the perfect connection, right? Unfortunately, the opposite happened. Critics slammed this Olivier Dahan directed film, calling it the worst film to ever open the festival. Let’s see, we have Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth and Frank Langella in the ensemble cast, all well respected in their own rights, so how wrong could things get?
The film begins by telling you the story is a fictionalised account, inspired by true events. This threw us off the tracks – so what are we supposed to make of Grace Kelly’s life as told by the filmmakers? The plot centres on the former Hollywoodstar’s crisis of marriage and identity during a political dispute between Monaco’s Prince Rainier
With a “fictionalised account” like that, it is no wonder the royal family released an official statement sayin that the film cannot be classified as a biopic. It didn’t help that Dahan ran into disagreements with the film’s USdistributor Harvey Weinstein over the final cut of the film. Without elaborating further, let’s just say the mention of the phrase “pile of s***” doesn’t bode well for the film.
Kidman’s portrayal of the respected Kelly is superficial – she dons beautiful costumes and jewellery, but the Oscar winning actress (The Hours) does not bring anything refreshing to the character who is supposedly a modern woman who wants to reconcile with her family by making certain sacrifices. Roth (The Incredible Hulk) does nothing much except looking moody and morose. Langella (Frost/Nixon) is the best thing about the 103 minute movie, channelling gravitas into his priest character. However, the veteran’s outstanding performance isn’t enough to save the film from being a shallow look at Grace Kelly’s struggles.
Dahan may have helmed the well reviewed La Vie En Rose (2007), but his take on the princess of Monacois a clumsy one, featuring an uninspiring script with predictable dialogue spouted in a wooden manner by its cast. The picturesque cinematography showing off breathtaking scenes shot in Monaco, Franceand Italycan’t make up for this, unfortunately. When Kidman delivers her final speech at a charity gala dinner, we could only think to ourselves: What would Grace Kelly think of this if she were still alive?
Movie Rating:
(Beautiful to look at, but everything else about this supposedly character study of Grace Kelly is clumsily put together)
Review by John Li
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Gary Rydstrom
Cast: Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Sam Palladio, Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina, Elijah Kelley, Bob Einstein, Peter Stormare
RunTime: 1 hr 39 mins
Rating: G
Released By: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/StrangeMagicMovie
Opening Day: 29 January 2015
Synopsis: “Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects.
Movie Review:
Like any of the post-Star Wars movies (for example the World War II flick Red Tails which is not released here) from George Lucas, Strange Magic is years in the making before finally releasing under the Touchstone banner.
While Star Wars is made for the boys, Lucas wanted something for the girls - thus the idea of Strange Magic is born. Inspired by Shakespeare’s comedy play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the story follows the adventures of two fairies whom reside in a magical kingdom filled with wild animals, elves, goblins and magic spells.
The gung-ho fairy, Marianne (Evan Rachel Wood) is due to marry a narcissistic handsome fairy Roland (Sam Palladio) until she finds out he is actually two-timing her. Her elder sister Dawn (Meredith Anne Bull) on the other hand is a die-hard romantic who craves to meet her true love. The story written by Lucas, director Gary Rydstorm and two other credited writers hurriedly establishes our two protagonists within the first 15 minutes before introducing the other main character Bog King (Alan Cumming), a grasshopper-like ugly creature who vows to get rid of any existence of love potion in the kingdom.
From the beginning, Strange Magic is filled with pop songs from Can’t Help Falling In Love to What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) in addition to an annoying version of I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), a bad repertoire of songs that doesn’t quite appeal to the younger kids and sounds terribly out-of-place especially in a fairy tale setting. You can blame Disney for all those commercialized, catchy theme songs over the years but at least it beats recycling decades old pop tunes.
There’s not much originality to offer in the story department though it boasts a theme of Everyone deserves to be loved. A beautiful female lead falling in love with the unlikely character of all doesn’t sound at all attractive and compelling in the end. The animated adventure is not as nearly as spirited as Pixar’s Brave despite sharing a plucky female lead and a magical setting. It’s hardly amusing for the entire duration despite featuring an array of colourful characters and most likely you will merely snigger at the antics of the mushrooms.
To make up for the severe lack of dramatic edge, the quality of the animation and look of Strange Magic handled by Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and ILM are enthralling and the visuals often inviting. Lucas preferring to opt for less familiar faces and voices did a tremendous job picking up Evan Rachel Wood and Cumming for the lead roles. Cumming given his rich experiences in theater is amazing as the imposing Bog King. Elijah Kelley assuming the role of an elf who has a soft spot for Dawn is serviceable as the fumbling sidekick. Kristin Chenoweth is generally hilarious as Sugar Plum Fairy, the culprit behind the concoction of love potion.
Academy Award winner, former sound designer Gary Rydstorm making his directorial debut seems to be at a loss with all the material presented in front of him. Strange Magic is indeed a strange mix of musical and fantasy. Perhaps the main reason behind the lackluster treatment is it took too long from conceptualization to fruition even the similar theme, Blue Sky’s 2013 Epic while not exactly a strong title ironically feels superior. On hindsight even with the limitations of CG technology, Lucas probably should have released this 10 years ago.
Movie Rating:
![](\"http://www.moviexclusive.com/image/mx%20star.gif\")
(Hardly enchanting, even pixie dust can’t salvage this mediocre effort)
Review by Linus Tee
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