Genre: Comedy
Director: Thomas Bezucha
Cast: Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy, Cory Monteith, Andie MacDowell, Luke Bracey, Brett Cullen, Pierre Boulanger
RunTime: 1 hr 49 mins
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.montecarlothemovie.com/
Opening Day: 30 June 2011
Synopsis: Their dream vacation in Paris proving to be an unmitigated dud, three women find the adventure they've been searching for after one of them is mistaken for a rude British heiress and pampered like royalty. Arriving in Paris to find that the City of Lights has lost its luster, a girl, her tightly wound stepsister, and her best friend ditch their tour guide and find themselves drawn into the lavish lobby of a world-class hotel. The next thing they know they're on a posh private jet to Monte Carlo, where romance and excitement await.
Movie Review:
Let’s face it. If all of us could do away with hard work to achieve riches and greatness and success, we would. Unfortunately, the rules of life are such that, for the majority of us who are not born with silver spoons in our mouths, such a thing is on the impossible side. Thank goodness, however, for Hollywood. How else are we able to achieve that feeling of instantaneous change other than through Hollywood’s bag of characters? Boys may have their comic book superheroes, but girls, we have our heiresses.
Peter Parker might have had to endure radioactive venom to achieve his wildest dreams, but all Grace (Selena Gomez) had to do was impersonate her British socialite doppelganger – one Cordelia Winthrop Scott (also Selena Gomez) whom she encountered in a posh Parisian hotel while on a less than exciting high school graduation trip. As if it’s not fun enough to talk in a snooty English accent while acting snooty, it leads her to a detour via private jet, to the capital of Monaco. Yes, to Monte Carlo - the former kingdom of none other than modern history’s most famous instant heiress - Princess Grace Kelly. Upon touchdown, fake heiress Grace is automatically given full access to a world of bling, bottomless wardrobe cases and big hotel suites. She even gets herself a handsome French-accented love interest.
Opting to shoot on location in Paris and Monaco is a great move on the producers’ part as it sets the warm, breezy feel of the movie. Like summer air, the movie is fun, light and full of frivolity. In fact it is too full of frivolity that to put any thought to it would put the brakes on the enjoyment process. As Grace, her stepsister, Meg (Leighton Meester) and her best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy) bounce through the ultimate modern girl adventure, even the most mindless teenybopper is able to spot the plot contrivances from a continent away – if he or she is not too star-strucked by the teenybopper favourites acting in this movie. Other than the mentioned actresses, Glee’s Corey Monteith is in this one too acting as Emma’s boyfriend, Owen.
Back to the plot contrivances… How come the girls’ passports were not checked when they flew into Monte Carlo? Yes sure, this Cordelia Winthorp Scott might be rich, but even the rich cannot skip sticky customs procedures, no? Why was real Cordelia’s aunt, amongst her social circle, the only person to sense that something was wrong with fake Cordelia? Why did Owen not just try calling the other two girls on their phones when he couldn’t get through to Emma instead of flying all the way to Europe to play detective? And why did the police not treat a crime of impersonation as a real crime of impersonation? (Yes spoiler alert, she gets caught in the end, but hey what were you expecting?)
To list down all of the too-convenient parts of the plot would be quite unfair because it is obvious that the movie is no Oscar contender. But, it would have been more enjoyable if this teen chick flick was closer to the realism of adult chick flicks than the fantasy of a magical Disney fairy tale.
Movie Rating:
(Get a Chihuahua, put on your social tiaras and suspend your logic)
Reviewed by Siti Nursyafiqa
Genre: Drama
Director: Richard J. Lewis
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Rachelle Levere, Scott Speedman
RunTime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: NC-16 (Some Sexual Scenes)
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/barneysversion/
Opening Day: 16 June 2011
Synopsis: Based on Mordecai Richler's prize-winning comic novel, BARNEY'S VERSION is the warm, wise, and witty story of Barney Panofsky, (Paul Giamatti), a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. Barney’s candid confessional spans three decades and two continents, and includes three wives (Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, and Rachelle Lefevre), one outrageous father (Dustin Hoffman), and a charmingly dissolute best friend (Scott Speedman). BARNEY’S VERSION takes us through the many highs -- and a few too many lows -- of a long and colorful life with an unlikely hero at its center -the unforgettable Barney Panofsky.
Movie Review:
You’ve probably heard this (too) many times: We only live life once, so make it worth living. And this is what this seriocomic adaptation of Canadian author Mordecai Richler;s award winning 1997 novel is trying to tell its audiences.
Barney Panofsky is the protagonist of this Canadian film directed by Richard J Lewis (TV’s
These interesting characters form the bits and pieces of Panofsky’s life, and aren’t our lives made up of people we encounter? This is why this comedy drama film based on the novel of the same name works – it will resonate with anyone who has experienced the emotions of love.
In this day and age where things are kept prim and proper, it is difficult to imagine anyone living a politically incorrect but fully lived life. Despite being brash, snappish and brutally frank, Panofsky’s life is one that most of us wish to lead, one that will be without regret when we reflect upon it at our deathbeds.
If you are thinking about the morbidity of looking back on life only upon death, we can only say that this will only be an inevitable experience most of us would go through, as this 134 minute film suggests. We follow the hard drinking, cigar puffing and foul tempered anti hero who goes through varying mental states before eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This makes things all the more poignant, as one would ponder about the struggling devastation experienced by Panofsky (or even a close family member or friend who has suffered with Alzheimer’s disease) to remember life’s glories before everything becomes a blank.
Paul Giamatti (The Last Station) gives the best performance of his acting career as Panofsky. The earnestly stark portrayal of the titular character won the American actor a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor (Musical or Comedy), and it is puzzling why the Academy did not even give him a nomination at the Oscars. Throughout the film, you’d find yourself falling in love with the man (despite his countless shortcomings) and even becoming affectingly touched by his eventual fate. Giamatti’s performance is complemented by the luminous Rosamund Pike (Made in Dagenham) as his third wife and Dustin Hoffman (Meet the Fockers) as his supportive father. Elsewhere, the well cast supporting characters are played by Minnie Driver (The Phantom of the Opera), Rachelle Lefevre (The Twilight Saga: New Moon), Scott Speedman (The Strangers) and Bruce Greenwood (Mao’s Last Dancer). Each one of this group of fine actors give their all, and deliver moving performances as the people who made an impact in Panofsky’s life. Cinephiles will also spot the cameos by Canadian directors Atom Egoyan (Chloe) and David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises).
Although the film may be somewhat inconsistent in tone (it’s a “comedy drama” after all), it is well worth your time as you wander through a flawed hero’s life and reflect on the many things you may have missed out in your own.
Movie Rating:
(Top notch performances make this highly recommended film a touching experience)
Review by John Li
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[ScreenSG] How the Devil Came to BePosted on 06 Jun 2011 |
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[ScreenSG] Painting a New SkinPosted on 06 Jun 2011 |
Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Rowan Joffe
Cast: Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Andy Serkis, Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Steven Robertson
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: NC-16 (Scene of intimacy and some violence)
Official Website: http://www.brightonrockmovie.com
Opening Day: 28 July 2011
Synopsis: Screenwriter Rowan Joffe's debut feature BRIGHTON ROCK embraces the classic elements of film noir and the British gangster film to tell the story of Pinkie, a desperate youth who is hell bent on clawing his way up through the ranks of organized crime.
When a young and very innocent waitress, Rose, stumbles on evidence linking him to a revenge killing, he sets out to seduce her to secure her silence. The film stars up-and-coming British actors Sam Riley (Control, On the Road) and Andrea Riseborough (who has 3 films at this year's Toronto Film Festival, BRIGHTON ROCK, MADE IN DAGENHAM and NEVER LET ME GO) as the young couple. Veterans Helen Mirren and John Hurt co-star as two friends who set out to save Rose from Pinkie's deviant designs. BRIGHTON ROCK is based on the iconic 1939 Graham Greene novel of innocence and evil but the action has been updated to 1964 Britain, the year the Mods and the Rockers were rioting across the South Coast. The 60s were also the era of the great British gangster, the kind of working class hero, the frightened and ambitious Pinkie longs to be.
Movie Review:
The year is 1964, Brighton Rock is the place to be. Mobster abound, no one dared to mess around in this part of town. It’s a crime noir of the seedy, brutal world of the British underground. Adapted from Graham Greene's source novel, and lagging 60-odd years behind the first film version, co-written by the author himself and starring Richard Attenborough, William Hartnell and Hermione Baddeley, this new take is the directorial debut of writer, Rowan Joffe. The result is one of those mind-bending, flabbergasting disasters that come along far too rarely. Still, both the set and cinematography, beautifully capture the whiff of seediness that mingles with the salty spray of Brighton air, the reek of the town’s underbelly that seeps into its tea shops and newspaper headlines. Sam Riley plays Pinkie, who murders a rival, Fred, after which he ruthlessly pursues a potential witness, a young waitress called Rose (Andrea Riseborough) in a bid to shut her up. Pinkie offers up a sham of a romantic relationship, which she clings to as he propels her towards her doom.
Now the problem with the film, may i start with the negativity, is the fact that the main lead is one ruthless bastard who no one would root for. I was waiting for the becon of sunshine to strike through in a form of redemption or a glimmer of a reason why he was acting like a tool. A spoiler ahead, he doesn’t. Even tries to push the female lead to its doom. So who do we root for in this film? Mostly the secondary performers. But by this time, no character build up of emotion was attached by anyone or cared for. Now I'm pretty sure some would have asked, what about the rest of the development taking place by the others? Well, the arc did very well went over several key people which was rather sudden and did finally intrigue me. The most fascinating would have been Helen Mirren’s character who bridge both party in relation to a few points and plus even have connections to the main mobster. Why didn’t they just make a movie about her perspective instead. Alas, even with such continuity, there are far too few to maintain the pace and with the addition of perspective of several characters, the aim of the film went berserk and was in a whirlwind of character mash up. If it wasn’t for the setting, this can very well be a stage play.
Director Rowen Joffe is no stranger to the silver screen but more active behind it. Being a directorial debut feature film creator, his screenplay of such classics like The American and 28 Weeks Later has left me with a bad aftertaste. But i may be too harsh on him as other than the story that impacted tremendously, the setting was gorgeously beautiful. Set by the dreary carnival by the sea, the wild seas juxtaposing against the facade of happy playfulness of the carnival does directly reflect on the atmosphere and build up of the feel of the film. Acting all around was tremendously wonderfully acted and well played. To think of it, this film would have been much better accepted if he were to just concentrate on the screenplay or just let someone else do the writing. Clearly this must be a work of someone who can’t multitask.
As heard from most, this was most certainly a near miss of a great adaptation from the original. It can most certainly cater to a familiar ground but one can only categorise them as a mere character study. A shame really.
Movie Rating:
(The salty spray of the seaside town will leave you cold and haunted)
Review by Lokman B S
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo, David Hewlett, Tyler Labine
RunTime: 1 hr 45 mins
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG (Violence)
Official Website: http://www.apeswillrise.com/
Opening Day: 4 August 2011
Synopsis: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES combines fantastic storytelling with the next leap in Visual Effects for an emotional and action-packed motion picture experience unlike any other. Man's arrogance sets off a chain of events that leads to intelligence in apes and a challenge to our place as the dominant species on the planet. Caesar, the first intelligent ape, is betrayed by humans and rises up to lead his species' spectacular race to freedom and the ultimate showdown with Man. In Caesar, WETA - the Oscar-winning visual effects team behind Avatar - have created a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence.
Movie Review:
It's a reboot of a film franchise made some decades ago, but before you roll your eyes at yet another Hollywood trend of late, Rise of the Planet of the Apes isn't monkey business, setting itself out to actually mark its stamp on the cult series by offering a yet to be filmed explanation on the origins of how the events in the first film (and the remake by Tim Burton) could have come about.
At times you can't help but to think of producers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver's story being riddled with cinematic cliches - do we need another virus strain or miracle cure to be the catalyst of things to come, or yet another cautionary tale on the abuse of primates as test subjects for our modern medicine, or how about the conglomerate suits type whose sole purpose in life is to maximize profits at whatever the costs, including the tossing of integrity and what's morally right out of the window. Things happen for a reason naturally, where it's embarking on an inevitable narrative course just to get us from Ground Zero, to probably how the Planet of the Apes come about if the filmmakers were to steer the course of this expected franchise that way.
It's an origin story of sorts to level set and build upon. What made the film stand out is the effort on the filmmakers part to add an emotional centre to what could have been a dry, science fiction actioner, providing two lead characters in James Franco's scientist Will Rodman in a desperate bid to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease which his father Charles (John Lithgow) suffers from, and that of his adopted pet subject christened Caesar (Andy Serkis in perfect form, not that we see him in person) having his senses and intellect heightened through genetics courtesy of its mom and from Will's experiment, finding itself being an outcast unable to fit into the human world, and soon to reunite with his primate species and building that sense of family sorely missed when the law throws it into a primate slammer under the charge of John Landon (Brian Cox) and his psycho assistant Dodge (Tom Felton).
In what would be two separate narrative arcs following Will Rodman's battle with disease and in doing what's right to reclaim his pet, it's nonetheless the Caesar story arc that proved to be most engaging, and carrying the movie through with its excellent character study of the pent up and growing frustration an intelligent primate has to endure, where humans are correctly painted as a destructive species never hesitant to employ deadly force to put enemies down. It's obviously deliberately engineered for an audience to root for the apes, each given a distinct personality and look, portrayed as wanting to live in peace and not be enslaved for the whims and fancies of man. But of course if there's a need to bite back, these monkeys are no pushovers either, giving rise to superbly crafted action sequences.
It's interesting to see how varied James Franco's filmography has been so far, and clearly he's firmly establishing himself as a bona fide movie star, equally adept and never out of place in either a drama, or a big budgeted summer spectacle. It's been a long time since I've seen John Lithgow on the big screen, usually taking on antagonistic roles rather than that of a helpless senior citizen here, while Freida Pinto as a veterinarian was pretty much under-utilized. Then there's Andy Serkis who probably knows best about contemporary motion capture techniques, and provides Caesar with realistic facial expressions from starting off being very dependent and comfortable with his human family, to brewing hatred and distrust of man with each setback from the societal system.
The special effects here are top notch no less, with the very fluid motion of the apes' movement being vivid and believable, as if watching the real thing swinging from point to point. Technology has come to the point where one no longer requires a person inside an ape, or any other animal suit, just to portray a walking, talking animal, but to have all these digitized through motion capture instead. The results can be seen in the film, and probably opened up avenues that one day we may not even need a living, breathing actor on screen.
While the film relied on a number of plot conveniences especially toward the end in setting the stage for future movies to be made should box office receipts from this film be respectable, fans of the original series will likely have a field day in seeking out all the easter eggs embedded in the film, as well as none too subtle references from the original film franchise where a number of iconic moments and elements got incorporated into this reboot. See if you'll go bananas in spotting them all!
Movie Rating:
(This is serious monkey business)
Review by Stefan Shih
Genre: Comedy/Family
Director: James Bobin
Cast: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Walter, Zach Galifianakis, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, Emily Blunt, Mila Kunis, Ed Helms
RunTime: 1 hr 49 mins
Released By: Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.disney.com/muppets
Opening Day: 8 December 2011
Synopsis: On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
Movie Review:
Once you get over the fact that it is possible for a human to have a Muppet brother, then this movie is one hugely entertaining affair.
Because you see, Jason Segel loves the Muppets so much that he decided to write a script with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller, and have himself play the human protagonist whose Muppet brother helps The Muppets reunite and save their old theatre from a greedy old tycoon. Wait, we take that back. The protagonists in this 98 minute movie aren’t humans – how can we forget Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo and the rest of the gang?
Segel and Stoller’s script has The Muppets split up after their once popular TV show stopped running. A depressed Kemit now lives in his own mansion in Hollywood, Gonzo is the owner of a plumbing company named Royal Flush (how in the world did anyone come up with that idea?), Fozzie performs with a shady tribute band called The Moopets, while Miss Piggy is living the life as a fashion editor at Vogue Paris.
Enter Gary (Segel), who has a Muppet brother named Walter (Peter Linz, who has been the voice of “Additional Muppets” in other Jim Henson productions), and both of them are great Muppet fans. Gary brings his girlfriend Mary (the wonderful Amy Adams) to Los Angeles for a romantic getaway and brings Walter along. They discover an evil plot where an oil magnate (the gleefully sinister Chris Cooper) plans to tear down the beloved Muppet Theater and drill underneath for oil. The three then go on a quest to bring The Muppets together to put on a show to raise $10 million to repurchase the theater.
The musical comedy film has a simple plot, and you know it’s not going to disappoint kids with an unhappy ending. And who doesn’t love The Muppets? It doesn’t matter whether you are a fan, because seeing Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo doing their familiar antics (yes, Miss Piggy will punch people off with her famous “hi yah!”, while Gonzo will do his human cannon ball thing) will leave a smile on anyone’s face. What about minor characters like Animal, Sam the Eagle, The Swedish Chef, Statler and Waldorf? We aren’t forgetting the rest of The Muppets whose names we aren’t very sure, but look somewhat familiar. This bunch of puppets is a hoot to fans and new audiences alike.
The humans may not be the focus here, but look out for fun cameo appearances by familiar faces like Alan Arkin, Emily Blunt, Feist, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, Ken Jeong, Zach Galifianakis and Jack Black as an abducted celebrity.
The musical numbers are wholesomely fun – from new songs like “Life’s a Happy Song”, “Pictures in My Head” and “Man or Muppet”, to familiar tunes like “Mahna Mahna”, “Rainbow Connection” and the beloved “The Muppet Show Theme”, which will have you reminiscing the old days (if you grew up watching them on TV).
It also helps that the James Bobin directed movie boasts of some very clever and truly funny moments. Take for example how the gang introduces the muppets in “montage” style, and how they travel across the world “by map”. You could see this coming with the hilarious publicity online stunt involving parody trailers (The Pig with the Froggy tattoo, anyone?) the movie had leading up to its opening.
That said, there are also some very heartfelt moments which tug at your heartstrings. You will want to celebrate the Muppet spirit, one that is always, for the lack of a better word, happy.
Movie Rating:
(A truly funny and heartwarming movie which celebrates the Muppet legacy in a cleverly charming way)
Review by John Li
Genre: Drama
Director: Julian Schnabel
Cast: Freida Pinto, Hiam Abbass, Willem Dafoe, Vanessa Redgrave
RunTime: 1 hr 52 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: NC-16 (Violence and Sexual Scene)
Official Website: http://www.miralmovie.com
Opening Day: 30 June 2011
Synopsis: From Julian Schnabel, director of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Before Night Falls and Basquiat, comes Miral, the story of three generations of women whose lives intertwine in the starkly human search for justice, hope and reconciliation amid a world overshadowed by conflict, rage and war.
The story begins in war-torn Jerusalem in 1948. On her way to work, Hind Husseini (HIAM ABBASS, The Visitor, Amreeka) comes across 55 orphan children wandering in the street. Unwilling to walk away, she takes them home to give them food and shelter. Within six months, those 55 have grown to almost 2000, and Hind transforms her family’s house into the Dar Al-Tifl Al-Arabi Institute, which will in turn, through Hind’s passionate devotion,become a school providing education to orphans and a beacon of hope to girls set adrift by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Thirty years after Hind’s catalytic act of compassion, in 1978, a 7 year-old girl arrives at theInstitute in the wake of her mother’s heartbreaking death. This is Miral (FREIDA PINTO,Slumdog Millionaire), who will grow up sheltered inside the Institute’s protective walls, naïveto the troubles roiling to a fever pitch outside them. Then, at the age of 17, on the cusp of the Intifada resistance, Miral is assigned to teach at a refugee camp where she is awakened to the anger, frustration and struggle that seems to be her legacy. When she falls for a fervent political activist, Hani (OMAR METWALLY, Munich, Rendition), she finds herself in a personal battle that mirrors the greater dilemma around her: to fight like those before her or follow Mama Hind’s defiant belief that education will pave a road to peace.
Movie Review:
Political films based on actual events are usually angry sentiments and have a strong point to make. This biographical drama is no different. Based on Rula Jebreal’s novel, the emotionally charged production gives us an insight on the political unrest and instability happening on the other side of the world. Regard it educational if you will, this Julian Schnabel directed film will leave you wondering what it takes to live a life surrounded by the horrors of war.
The film chronicles Hind Husseini’s effort to build an orphanage in Jerusalem after the 1948 Arab Israeli War. This began with her crossing paths with 55 orphaned children while on her way to work one day. She took them home and before she knew it, she had almost 2000 orphans under her care. The Dar Al-Tifel Institute was born, and thousands of orphaned children came under Husseini’s care. Some 30 years later, Miral, a motherless child was sent to the orphanage by her father. Upon turning 17, she is sent to a refugee camp where she experiences the tension between Israel and Palestine, and the possible destructions it can bring to her own life.
Director Schnabel is known for his award winning works The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) and Before Night Falls (2000), and it comes as no surprise that the New York born filmmaker’s latest project deals with such politically charged themes, despite the foreign lands the story takes place in. Through gritty cinematography (read: shaky camera work) and choppy editing (read: abrupt cuts and transitions), Schnabel shows us a world which we have only read about but never had the chance to experience. Sure, there may be no beautifully decorated sets with perfectly synchronized action sequences, but this is the slices of reality which the locals have to live with day after day.
It is also clear that the film presents a Palestinian perspective of things, and may appear one sided to viewers who are expecting this to be objective. Do note, however, that this is based on a memoir by Jebreal, and it is only natural that the war is seen through her eyes.
Amidst the violence and assaults, there is tenderness and compassion in the 112 minute film as Schnabel tells a story of remarkably strong women surviving in times of turmoil. Their intertwined tales may be unevenly told, but you’d feel a sense of passion and zeal as they go through life fighting for their beliefs and causes.
Playing the central character Husseini is Hiam Abbass (The Visitor, Munich), a Palestinian actress who injects the much needed fervour into her character. Frieda Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) plays the titular character, and viewers get to see how a girl who is initially brought up safely inside the orphanage’s walls gradually grows into a young woman who is awakened by the reality around her and has to fight for her convictions. Appearing in supporting roles are familiar faces like Willem Dafoe (Daybreakers) and Vanessa Redgrave (Letters to Juliet) in the first few minutes of the film.
The film ends without any closure or resolution, which reflects the harsh realities happening on the other side of the planet we live in. And that, in our opinion, is the best way to leave us reflecting on the unnecessary pain and tragedies brought about by war.
Movie Rating:
(A raw and affecting look at the conflicts and struggles between Palestine and Israel)
Reviewed by John Li
In Japanese with English & Chinese Subtitles
Genre: Drama
Director: Yoshinari Nishikori
Cast: Hiroko Yakushimaru, Kai Inowaki, Makiko Kuno, Sawa Suzuki, Shirô Sano, Takashi Sasano, Kôichi Ueda, Sabu Kawahara, Daisuke Shima
RunTime: 1 hr 56 mins
Released By: GV and Encore Films
Rating: G
Official Website: http://www.encorefilms.com/wasao
Opening Day: 23 June 2011
Synopsis: WASAO, a story of the love for nature, the people and animals, a tear-jerking story of a speechless dog with a pure heart. WASAO makes a screen debut as himself in this film that tells a sentimental yet heart-warming story of a 'busakawa-ken' (ugly but cute dog) and his past that has never been told. Wasao, has made a name for himself with his adorable appearance, with close to 2,000 tourists who travel to Ajigasawa, Aomori Prefecture in the northenmost of the Tohoku region in Japan on weekends and public holidays, causing traffic congestions. People wrote about his distinct presence and charms in their blogs, resulting in WASAO being an idol in Japan as well as starting a new craze. He has been featured in over 30 magazines and appeared in over 50 television programs in Japan.
Movie Review:
One of the most impressionable dog associated films that will strike many people’s minds is probably Hachiko. It even has an American remake under its belt. Following that blockbuster success of Hachiko in Japan, many other dog associated movies emerged in the 2000s such as Quill (2004) and 10 Promises to my Dog (2008). It seems like there are really many dog lovers out there in Japan! And here comes the busu-kawa (busu = ugly; kawaii = cute) Wasao into the picture… the similarity between Wasao and Hachiko? Both are local Japanese breed, Akita Inu!
However, Wasao and Hachiko do not share any resemblance, be it the physical appearance or in terms of the box office ticket sales. Despite Wasao’s (the real deal) growing popularity with its frequent appearance on local television programs cannot secure the movie a seat in the top three positions of the box office ticket sales. The Japanese probably know better; they knew that the Wasao’s behaviours would be more interesting to watch without the constructs of a movie.
To be absolutely blunt, Wasao is just an untrained dog with seemingly mysterious personality. It seems fitting for the plot, but the plot itself is really bare. It is a story worth 10 minutes, being told in 2 hours. Implication: the movie is painfully long and draggy. It would have been more bearable and enjoyable if the movie had more focus. Should we be impressed with the dog’s loyalty? Or should we feel for the characters in the story?
That leads on to the next point, which is the lack of character development. As the story unfolds, everything just carries on as it is, as though it has reached a plateau. Unfortunately, there is no climax that one can look forward to as well. Yes, simply a plot that lack depth and development! There is a considerably more exciting scene in the movie, when Wasao took on a big black bear. Wasao’s heroic instincts are awaken as he uses his might to overcome and protect the little boy. The outcome is predictable and ridiculous!
Well, one thing Wasao does attempt to do is to entertain, by having 3 old quirky uncles going all out to revive some action in the quiet town. Sorry to disappoint, but even that is also a lacklustre attempt to tickle the viewer. Another point worth credit is probably the framing of the town featured in the movie, Ajigasawa. It is filmed beautifully, projecting it as an ordinary yet intriguing little town.
All in all, the 116 minute long film turn out not to be the most entertaining and enjoyable film in its genre, pretty forgettable too. At least the person watching it (or bent on watching) would not have to prepare many packets of Kleenex!
Movie Rating:
(A 10-min story that is told in 2 hours… how much can you expect from it, really?)
Reviewed by Tho Shu Ling
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[ScreenSG] Finding Old TreasurePosted on 08 Jun 2011 |
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