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MARVEL'S GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY DIRECTOR AND CAST TO BE IN SINGAPORE AS PART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA TOURPosted on 30 Jun 2014 |
SYNOPSIS: Welcome to the jungle of...fun! The cast of the animated hit comedy Rio returns- along with a new flock of all-star voice talent including Bruno Mars, Kristen Chenoweth and more in this high-flying sequel for the whole family. The party continues when Blu, Jewel and their three kids take a walk on the wild side and embark on a colorful, comical, music-filled journey through the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit into his new surroundings, he goes beak-to-beak with the villainous Nigel and meets the most fearsome adversary of all- his father-in-law!
MOVIE REVIEW:
Part of the success of the original Rio was the Brazilian influenced musical soundtrack and setting. The sixth feature from Blue Sky was such a brilliant mix of song-and-dance and adventure that a sequel about the two blue macaws was announced shortly.
Three years later, Rio 2 unfortunately falls into the same trap as what many sequels do – repetitive and formulaic.
The family friendly follow-up has Jewel (Anne Hathaway) who is now married to Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) travelling to Amazon with their three children to look for their fellow blue macaws after Linda (Leslie Mann) and her ornithologist husband, Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) stumbled onto one. Danger awaits them as Nigel (Jemaine Clement) the evil cockatoo plots his revenge at the same time, the Big Boss of an illegal logging operation is out to get Linda and Tulio out of their way.
Despite a number of subplots, Rio 2 feels lighter than any of the macaws’ feather liked a demanding father-in-law (voiced by Andy Garcia) nearly threatens the marriage of Blu and Jewel or the appearance of Jewel’s childhood friend/boyfriend, Roberto (Bruno Mars) hardly adds to the storyline. Though there’s talk of protecting Mother Nature and the importance of family, it’s too clunky at times to effectively bring these messages across to the children.
But the many swooping, wildly choreographed musical numbers easily let you forget the flaws plus the animation is so good to look at. There’s an Amazon version of American Idols with plenty of side gags that will keep you giggling while will.i.am and Jamie Foxx continues to provide the laughs as Blu’s sidekicks, Pedro and Nico. It’s hard not to miss the music tracks especially with Jemaine Clement and Kristin Chenoweth contributing their version of “I Will Survive” and Bruno Mars singing “Welcome Back”.
There’s already swirling rumours that director Carlos Saldanha and Fox is planning for a third outing. Let’s hope it will not turn into another exhausting Ice Age franchise.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Rio Refresher is a 3 minutes recap of the original Rio.
The animators at Blue Sky shows us how the various characters at the Amazon is animated in Nigel the Shakespearean Cockatoo and Friends.
Nigel is shown singing in various languages such as Italian, Portuguese, Korean and Mandarin etc in "I Will Survive" Multi-Language Sequence
The other extras include a MV: "What Is Love" by Janelle Monae, Still Gallery and a Protect the Macaws eco-message from WWF.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Animation is top notch especially the colours which are bright and shimmering courtesy of the numerous exotic looking bird characters. Sound effects and music are often engaging and the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack bustles with activity from all direction.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: When a team of unlikely and woefully unprepared heroes is sent to the front lines of WWII to rescue artistic masterpieces from Nazis, the race against time to protect a thousand years of culture begins. These curators, architects, artists and historians may not stand a chance... but they're the only chance we've got to protect and defend mankind's greatest achievements!
MOVIE REVIEW:
Boasting a pedigree cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Cate Blanchett and George Clooney himself as screenwriter, producer, director and actor, The Monuments Men is a war drama with a message that unfortunately fails to bring across effectively.
Based on the book by Robert M. Edsel, a motley crew is assembled by Frank Stokes (Clooney) near the end of World War II to save as much historical artifacts from the ruthless hands of the Nazis. You can blame it on the tepid pacing or the clunky narrative, The Monuments Men lacks the urgency and tension of a conventional war drama. This is especially obvious when a portion of the story is focused on the relationship between James Granger (Damon) and an art curator, Claire Simone (Blanchett) which is particularly laborious to say the least.
At times, it fared liked an Ocean’s Eleven caper style thriller with generous doses of humor courtesy of the goofy pair up of Richard Campbell (Murray) and Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban). This of course is the biggest selling point of The Monuments Men as much of the wisecracks are certainly amusing. The movie is not entirely without its memorable moments. As it turned out, the death of a fellow monuments man in a church is beautifully handled and so does a seemingly harmless farmer who is more than what he seems.
Despite the subject, this is likely the tamest war movie in recent history. There’s hardly any vicious killings and a subplot involving the Soviet Union hot on the heels of seizing the artwork is quickly forgotten just as things are about to get excited. Mostly shot in Studio Babelsberg, The Monuments Men boasts detailed set and production designs and also a wonderful score by award-winning French composer Alexandre Desplat (who also snagged a small role here).
Clooney’s fifth directorial full-length effort is best admired for paying tribute to the unsung heroes for keeping our history alive and the insane chemistry of the all-star cast. Still, it can be a lot better considering the interesting subject matter and talents behind the effort.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The main cast chips in to sing praises of George Clooney the director in George Clooney’s Mission.
The cast and filmmakers talk about their roles and filming experience in Marshaling The Troops.
A Theatrical Trailer is also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Dialogue is clear with occasional explosion and bullets zipping sound effects. Clarity is ever present and imaging details are impressive.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of Gustave H., a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars; and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; and a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis - and the sweetest confection of a love affair - all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.
MOVIE REVIEW:
For a lack of a better word, cute is the easiest way to describe Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Probably Anderson’s most accomplished and ambitious movie to date, the feature contains enough talented stars and genres to fit into three different movies. Yet Anderson who juggle writing duties never let the entire spectacle go to his head and the end product truly deserved repeated viewings.
It started as an arthouse drama with an author (Tom Wilkinson) narrating how he came to learn about the Grand Budapest hotel located at a remote mountainside when he was a young man. The author now played by Jude Law met the elderly owner, Zero (F. Murray Abraham) and he began to recount his humble beginnings as a lobby boy working under the hotel’s devoted concierge, Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) to the author.
Before Ralph Fiennes even warm up his appearance onscreen, Anderson’s script starts to turn into some goofball crime caper involving a priceless Renaissance painting which was bequeathed to Gustave by a wealthy clientele, Madame D (an unrecognizable Tilda Swinton). At the same time, Madame D’s son, Dmitri (Adrien Brody) and his cold-blooded assistant, Jopling (Willem Dafoe) are determined to get it back from Gustave.
As per any Anderson’s movie, this one is jam-packed with his trademark eccentricities and outrageous gags. There’s a ruthless murder, a witty prison escape, a chase through a snow-covered terrain and much more. It’s a whole lot of fun and entertainment as you follow Zero and Gustave on their adventure all thanks to Anderson’s wicked scribing and direction.
Newcomer Tony Revolori and Saoirse Ronan make an affecting young couple while Ralph Fiennes is born to play Gustave however it doesn’t even matter if Anderson’s regulars, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman appeared only briefly or the fact that heavyweights liked Harvey Keitel and Edward Norton deserved more screentime. Everyone seems like having a great time playing to Anderson’s carefully composed imaginary world which consist of plenty of whimsical miniature effects.
With Alexandre Desplate providing the vibrant score and an incredibly created gorgeous European setting as the backdrop, Wes Anderson’s latest movie is one of his finest after Fantastic Mr Fox and Moonrise Kingdom. It’s a dazzlingly playful adventure that you can’t miss.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Mendl’s Secret Recipe teaches you how to make your very own Mendl pastries.
Two brief segments Cast and Wes Anderson have the cast talking mainly about working with the talented Anderson.
A Stills Gallery and Theatrical Trailer is also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Definitely not the fault of the transfer, there are frequent intended colour grading of the presentation which gives it a soft and artificial look. The soundtrack boasts a Dolby Digital 5.1 that provides a terrific sounding score and the occasional ambient effects.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Thriller
Director: Steven Quale
Cast: Richard Armitage, Jeremy Sumpter, Sarah Wayne Callies, Nathan Kress, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Max Deacon, Arlen Escarpeta, Matt Walsh
RunTime: 1 hr 28 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://intothestormmovie.com
Opening Day: 7 August 2014
Synopsis: In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, "Into the Storm" throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme.
Movie Review:
You should know exactly what to expect going into a movie like ‘Into the Storm’, and if you set your expectations just right, then Steven Quale’s found-footage disaster movie won’t disappoint. Yes, at the heart of every such film are cutting-edge visual effects to bring the audience into the eye of the storm (pun intended), ordinary characters turned heroes under the circumstances, and some truly gripping sequences to have us at the edge of our seats. To expect anything more would simply be exceeding the grasp of such a genre picture, and Quale’s film delivers exactly on these three counts.
It’s no secret that the Midwest has been of late bearing the brunt of severe weather phenomenon in recent years, attributed by most weather scientists to be the result of global warming. The fictional town of Silverton is based on such real-life mid-Western towns, which in the span of a single day finds himself at the centre of two colliding storm systems that spark off a series of devastating tornadoes in and around the town. In a word, the CG-rendered twisters and the destruction that they unfold are astounding, brought to life by no less than Weta Digital and under close supervision by Quale himself, a second-unit director on James Cameron's ‘Avatar’ who is no stranger to such special effects-driven pictures.
Among the more impressive shots are one in which a tornado hits a petrol station and catches fire all the way up into the sky, and yet another where a mega-tornado sweeps up a tank-like truck and takes it on a tour into and within itself before dropping it like a mega-ton bomb. There is no doubt at any point of time of the scale of the devastation which these twisters can exact or of their immense force and might which no object or structure can withstand. Like we said, the effects work here is top-shelf, complemented by equally breathtaking sound effects that makes for one of the best Dolby Atmos experiences we’ve had.
Amidst the melee are three groups of individuals whose fates will converge over the course of the day. The least interesting of all is a stoner duo who play like amateur Jackass-es, uploading to Youtube their foolish stunts of heading into - instead of away from - the storm. More compelling is that of a father (Richard Armitage) racing against his time with his younger son (Nathan Kress) to save his older son (Max Deacon) and his squeeze (Alycia Debnam Carey) trapped in an old factory at the outskirts of town. And rounding it off is the leader of a documentary team (Matt Walsh) consisting also of Sarah Wayne Callies’ meteorologist (you’ll recognise her from TV’s ‘The Walking Dead’) who is preoccupied with getting up close in order to get exclusive footage to hit the payload with the broadcast stations.
The characterisation is barely enough to put a human face to the proceedings, but the actors manage to sell their thinly written roles just fine. Armitage is just as serious as he looks as the leader of the dwarfs in ‘The Hobbit’, but his anxiety will be keenly shared by anyone who is a parent. Walsh’s moral dilemma is nicely played with Callies, the latter of whom reminds him of something known as conscience in his blinded pursuit of getting the best footage especially when he prizes that over saving human lives. There is scarcely much plot here given the timespan over which the movie unfolds, but you’ll hardly notice that once the effects take centrestage.
Besides establishing the shots, Quale also proves that he knows his way around building a thrilling sequence. There are many of these, which typically start with the sudden appearance of a twister or later on, several of them at the same time, that change direction just as unpredictably. And if it seems counter-intuitive how the found-footage format can properly convey the magnitude of the tornados or of their destructive power, you’ll be relieved to note that Quale puts a bird into the sky - a helicopter to be more exact - in order to switch to the significant wide shot in between the many intimate shots which bring the viewer up close and personal with the twister/s.
Yes, ‘Into the Storm’ may sound like a total B-movie, and unbefitting of a summer release or perhaps anything more than a premiere in the goggle box, but Quale embraces the B-movie premise wholeheartedly and delivers the kind of thrills best appreciated on a big screen with a robust sound system. Comparisons with ‘Twister’ are inevitable, and while this probably won’t win the same appeal, it is a perfectly acceptable disaster movie in its own right, so set your expectations straight and you’ll enjoy it just nice.
Movie Rating:
(Delivers exactly what you would expect of a disaster movie - breathtaking visuals, heart-stopping sequences and just enough characterisation to make it work)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Who knew Adam Levine could act? And who knew Keira Knightley could sing? In writer director John Carney’s return to musical drama (check out 2006’s Once, a heartbreakingly beautiful film starring the less known musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova), Levine and Knightley not only shine on screen (Mark Ruffalo also delivers a heartfelt performance as a record producer), they also score on this soundtrack album that you’ll want to own after watching the movie.
The 55 minute album kicks off with the lead single “Lost Stars” performed by Levine. Trust us, this track (as well as the version performed by Knightley) will be on repeat mode on your player. Levine’s signature falsetto is executed perfectly here and gives the song an extra special touch. Knightley’s version is not as upbeat, but the actress’ sweet voice goes well with the breathy and more romantic arrangement here. There’s also a “Into the Night Mix” which makes for easy listening too.
Elsewhere, you’ll also be impressed by Knightley’s “Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home” (a chill out and dreamy tune featuring soft drums and gentle strumming of the guitar) and Levine’s “No One Else Like You” (a radio friendly pop tune that people will attempt to croon at karaoke sessions). Knightley’s successful singing debut can also be backed up by the pleasant “Like a Fool”, “Coming Up Roses” and “A Step You Can’t Take Back”.
Record producer and rapper CeeLo Green also contributes to the 16 track CD, bringing some cheekiness and playfulness to the album with the soulful “Horny” and “Women of the World (Go on Strike!)”. Listen out also for Cessyl Orchestra’s “Did It Ever Cross Your Mind (Demo Version)”, “Into the Trance” and “The Roof is Broke (Demo Mix)” for a tinge of alternative rock.
This is a great soundtrack album which captures the mood and premise of a great film. The songs on the CD are made for easy listening and are emotionally engaging. Yes, it’s very likely that you’ll be left thinking: “But are we all lost stars trying to light up the dark?” every time you listen to “Lost Stars”.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (5) Lost Stars
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: In 2013 funded by a mysterious financier, Squire Tang digs up three ancient icemen from the outskirt of China. They are Ying, Niehu, & Sao. He transports the icemen to Hong Kong for further study but the vehicle involves in a traffic accident which unexpectedly defrosts Ying. Travelling 400 years in time to modern Hong Kong, Ying meets wasted May on Halloween by chance, who gives him shelter. With intelligence and hard work, Ying soon grasps the idea of modern society with the help of the internet. Living under the same roof, Ying & May gradually fall for each other. At the same time, he never forgets the injustice that frames him and seeks to correct history using the Golden Wheel of Time...
MOVIE REVIEW:
A remake of the superior time-travelling action flick, Iceman Cometh which stars Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah and Maggie Cheung, this updated version starring the in-demand Donnie Yen is not only one of the worst movies of 2014 but also ranked as Yen’s most spectacular dud. And we guarantee it’s a rather loud one.
Iceman in general retains the outline of the original which has a decorated Ming dynasty warrior being defrost in modern day Hong Kong, falls in love with a nightclub hostess along the way and also involving an ancient time travelling device. However, this latest version helmed by Johnnie To’s frequent collaborator Law Wing Cheong (Punished) unnecessarily complicates matters by introducing too much characters and a convoluted plot that probably works well for a Milkyway production that doesn’t stars Donnie Yen.
The story goes something liked this: Ming bodyguard He Ying (Yen) after framed for collaborating with the Japanese attempts to clear his name in cosmopolitan Hong Kong though his once blood brothers Sao (Wang Baoqiang) and Niehu (Yu Kang) believes he’s responsible for a heinous crime and are still after his blood. In the meantime, a corrupt police commissioner Cheung (Simon Yam) and a corrupt politician played by Lam Suet are also interested in the whereabouts of Ying.
Without further elaborating on the embarrassing development, Law instead of relying on his action choreographer and star, Yen to come up with some terrific action sequences and stunts is more interested in hooky 3D effects, lame jokes (a repetitive one that make fun of curry chicken spaghetti and even the penis of a God is not spared in the process) even lamer CGI to fill his two-parter martial arts epic. The greatly touted, budget busting Tsing Ma bridge action finale also failed to showcase Yen’s extraordinary kung fu moves in the end.
Perhaps Iceman needs a stronger opponent for Donnie Yen and Wang Baoqiang obviously is sorely miscast as the flick’s antagonist or perhaps it’s the incoherent scripting that sunk the entire movie. We doubt part two will solve all the mysteries and plot holes but there’s always hope. In the meantime, we recommend you checkout the 1989’s The Iceman Cometh, the fights and death-defying stunts by Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah already deserve the price of a bluray.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The DVD contains Mandarin and Cantonese dual tracks and the visual is good enough to be played on a huge TV set.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: BENDS straddles the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border and tells the story of ANNA, an affluent housewife and FAI, her chauffeur, and their unexpected friendship as they each negotiate the pressures of Hong Kong life and the city’s increasingly complex relationship to mainland China. Fai is struggling to find a way to bring his pregnant wife and young daughter over the Hong Kong border from Shenzhen to give birth to their second child, even though he crosses the border easily every day working as a chauffeur for Anna. Anna, in contrast, is struggling to keep up the facade of her ostentatious lifestyle into which she has married, after the sudden disappearance of her husband amid financial turmoil. Their two lives collide in a common space, the car.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Instead of making a statement, Bends ends up being an understatement.
The cross-straits issues involving Hong Kong and China are turning into a hot button in recent years. Hong Kongers have been taking into the street protesting the influx of immigrants across the borders. Through the characters of Anna (Carina Lau), a rich tai-tai and her chauffeur, Fai (Chen Kun), Bends is a social piece on these issues but the whole experience feels remarkably detached and that is probably due to the fault of first time helmer Flora Lau’s execution.
Supposedly due to a huge financial problem, Anna’s rich businessman husband, Leo (Lawrence Cheng in a cameo) disappears without a trace one day leaving Anna in the company of her domestic helper and Fai. Anna scrambles to sell her stocks and valuable assets while at the same time maintaining her usual self in front of her circle of fellow tai-tais, her daughter who is studying overseas and even her own mother.
Fai, Anna’s chauffeur has problems of his own. While he is already a Hong Kong citizen, his pregnant wife Tingting (Tian Yuan) is not. The cash-strapped Fai begins to brainstorm ways to bring his wife to deliver his second child across the border instead of facing a heavy fine back in Mainland and also the enticing fact that the child can be a naturalized Hong Kong citizen.
Despite having the prestigious Christopher Doyle onboard as the cinematographer and William Chang as fashion consultant, the partly government funded movie is only rich in terms of visual aesthetics. Lau’s matter-of-fact style of storytelling fails to do justice to the topic on hand. There’s so much to the narrative, which Lau apparently never showcased thus resulting in the relationship between two fallen souls becoming more of an afterthought.
Yet Carina Lau’s performance is superb as Anna. Her expressive face alone tells a dozen stories even though her character has only limited pages of dialogue. Painted Skin’s star Chen Kun on the other hand remains a wooden presence making his character less sympathetic than it ought to be.
Bends is a beautiful movie to look at but depriving of any dramatic moments and climax, the allegedly meaningful drama eventually is just an empty shell.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual on the whole is serviceable and the DVD comes with dual Mandarin and Cantonese soundtracks.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Possessing unique martial arts skills since childhood, Ma Yongzhen travels from his hometown to Shanghai to seek a livelihood. There he meets rising overlord Long Qi. The two youths share the same aspirations and quickly become brothers after going through difficulties together. The two brothers work hard together defeating numerous enemies to take down the largest triad gang, the Axe Gang in one swoop making them famous throughout Shanghai. At the same time, Ma also received assistance from retired kung fu master, the Iron Leader to fight their common enemy. The Axe Gang is not willing to fail like this. Bearing a grudge against Ma and Long, the Axe Gang finds a way to destroy them. Long is killed in a surprise attack. Ma witnesses his brother's death and is unable to help him. He decides to embark on a path of vengeance.
MOVIE REVIEW:
You may not agree with many of his movies but you got to admire his impressive work ethic. The prolific Wong Jing writes and produced Once Upon A Time in Shanghai with Wong Ching Po (Mob Sister) at the helm.
Another revisit to the story of the legendary boxer, Ma Yongzhen, Philip Ng stars as the titular character that possessed a right arm that could easily deliver a fatal move to a cow! However not much is explained about Ma nor his powerful arm except that he is a poor immigrant from Shangdong who travels to Shanghai to seek a better living. And here he is, befriending a mob boss Long Qi (Andy On) while falling in love with the daughter of an ex-mafia boss, Master Tie (Sammo Hung) at a communal village.
Wong Jing’s scripting seems to be recycled from some 80’s movies or probably from discarded scraps from his early days working at TVB. The story is equally predictable and laughable. Despite his best attempt to rope in real-life martial-arts grandmaster Yuen Woo Ping as action choreographer, the action for the entire time is spoilt by Wong’s artistic merits such as applying unnecessary slow-mo effects, speed up frames and ill-conceived camera moves.
Occasionally working as an action choreographer himself, Philip Ng with a perfect Bruce Lee haircut demonstrates his impressive moves and kicks and together with Andy On makes a pair of dynamic duo in the action department. The same can’t be said of their acting, as Ng is obviously no match when it comes to emoting as compared to his girlfriend, actress Linda Chung. Andy On overacts every second he is onscreen and we thought the tiger actually performs better.
Once Upon A Time in Shanghai is a nostalgic nod to the martial-arts movies from the past. It even feature old timers liked Chen Koon Tai (who played the role of Ma in the Shaw Brothers’ classic, The Boxer from Shantung), Fung Hak On and Yuen Cheung Yan (Woo Ping’s brother) as members of the Axe gang. Unfortunately, it can’t salvage Wong Jing’s by-the-book scripting, bad acting and Wong Ching Po’s artistic treatments, which are totally uncalled for.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The DVD is presented clearly in Wong’s intended washed-out, near black-and-white visual palette. The soundtrack with a choice of Mandarin and Cantonese audio tracks sounds strangely muted despite switching on to a higher volume.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama/Comedy/Romance
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Eileen Atkins, Marcia Gay Harden, Hamish Linklater
RunTime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/magicinthemoonlight/
Opening Day: 14 August 2014
Synopsis: Set in the 1920s on the opulent Riviera in the south of France, Woody Allen’s MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT is a romantic comedy about a master magician (Colin Firth) trying to expose a psychic medium (Emma Stone) as a fake.
Movie Review:
There isn’t a living director in Hollywood as prolific as Woody Allen - and in case you’re keeping count, ‘Magic in the Moonlight’ is his 47th feature film as director as well as his eighth to be set in Europe in the past nine years. Besides keeping up with an output of one film per year, Allen’s fans will also tell you that the filmmaker is also highly consistent, in that if you love one Allen film, you’ll probably love all of them or at least find them agreeable. And so it is with ‘Magic’, which isn’t his best for sure, but easily counts as one of his more agreeably enjoyable ones.
The plot is simple - a cynical and cold-blooded British illusionist named Stanley (Colin Firth) and goes by the stage name of Wei-Ling Soo is invited by a fellow magician (Simon McBurney) to debunk a celebrated American mystic (Emma Stone) working her way through the Cote d'Azur. That synopsis alone should already read like comfort food to Allen’s fans. For one, Stanley is without a doubt yet another of Allen’s movie misanthropes, arguably a stand-in for the cantankerous type which Allen has played countless times in many of his earlier films.
Then, there is the fact that a young, beautiful woman would fall in love with this grumpy middle-aged character. From being adamant that Sophie is no more than a phony spiritualist faking her gifts in order to win the charms of a rich widow (Jacki Weaver) and her equally wealthy son (Hamish Linklater), our said magician begins to suspect that Sophie might be the real deal. That transformation happens because, whether he realises it then or not, Stanley has in fact fallen under Sophie’s spell, a spell called love that proves not everything in this world happens only by reason.
Ah yes, Allen has always revealed a certain preoccupation between rationalism and faith, and it is manifestly clear from the exposition to which he has imparted to his film’s characters that he very much enjoys having the same debate yet again. Yet, familiarity isn’t necessarily a bad thing in and of itself; like most, if not all, of Allen’s pictures, Allen’s ability to come up with amusing one-liners and withering remarks has always been the most entertaining aspect of his films, and there are more than a fair share of these here about the inconvenience and bedevilment of romantic attraction.
Allen’s voice is loud and clear behind Firth’s character here, but the British actor makes the delivery refreshingly his. Rather than just channelling Allen, Firth seems to relish the opportunity to play against type here - not just starched and stern but loquacious and self-absorbed to the point of proclaiming himself a genius. His is a brilliantly self-aware performance of superb comic timing, and he renders Allen’s dialogue in an utterly naturalistic manner with a crisp British accent. He and Stone are also nicely matched, an unlikely pair if you like in terms of both size and age, but complements whose personalities create the sort of sparks you’d love to see in a rom-com.
Indeed, if there was any doubt that Allen is capable of doing a romance, ‘Magic’ should put them to rest. Following in the footsteps of the genre’s trifles, Allen offers a happily-ever-after ending that will leave a smile on your face. More so than usual, there also seems to be a grudging admission by Allen himself that his perennial confrontation between romance and reason might err on the side of the former, even as he continues to pooh-pooh those who subscribe to religion. His concoction of love also benefits from the air of romanticism surrounding the 1920s Gatsby-like setting, from the costumes to the parties to the sumptuous French countryside where the film was shot on location.
Is it magical is probably a logical question to ask about ‘Magic’ itself, and the answer in this instance is undeniably yes. It may no more be a trivial entry in the volume of Allen’s vast filmography, but that doesn’t mean you won’t succumb to its uniquely Allen charms. Not only are there the usual Allen zingers, the cast is uniformly excellent, especially the chemistry between Firth and Stone. If you need a little ‘Magic’, this is one frothy, buoyant mix of wit and romance that will surely leave you bewitched.
Movie Rating:
(An agreeably whimsical blend of wit and romance which you'll love to fall under the spell of)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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