Genre: Comedy
Director: Peter Glanz
Cast: Jason Bateman, Olivia Wilde, Billy Crudup, Jenny Slate
RunTime: 1 hr 26 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 18 September 2014
Synopsis: Conrad, an immature man-child, has spent his life in a chic Manhattan Hotel ever since his parents decided to take a 20-year vacation to Paris, leaving him to be raised by hotel staff at the age of 11. Now in his early 30’s, Conrad’s life is filled with one-night stands, alcohol, and lavish parties. His spoiled life comes to an end when he looses his trust fund as a result of his parents’ divorce and is forced out on the street. After some advice and 200 dollars from his therapist, hilarity ensues as Conrad begins his new life. Broke and homeless, Conrad moves in with his old friend, Dylan, and tries to get his life in order. Within the same week, Conrad falls for Beatrice, the only girl capable of turning his life around, who happens to be Dylan’s girlfriend. Will he sacrifice his friendship for love, or betray the friend that took him in when he is cut off, or does everything come crashing down as he is in way over his head?
Movie Review:
True to its title, ‘The Longest Week’ feels like a stretch. The feature filmmaking debut of veteran commercials director Peter Glanz, it unfolds over the course of a week of its central character Conrad Velmont, a pampered man-child played by Jason Bateman who has spent nearly four decades of his life living recklessly off his parents’ wealth and power. As narrator Larry Pine informs early on, this titular week begins with Conrad finding himself suddenly cut off from their money following their decision to divorce after many years of an unhappy marriage.
With his expense accounts frozen, he is unceremoniously evicted from the penthouse of the family hotel, and is forced to take up residence with his only friend Dylan Tate (Billy Crudup). In truth, the successful artist who lives in a spacious downtown loft is not much different from Conrad himself, both of whom are quasi-intellectual types leading playboy lives devoid of substance and accomplishment. Writer/ director Glanz completes his setup with Beatrice Fairbanks (Olivia Wilde), an attractive young debutante and model with a taste for Victorian literature whom Conrad first meets on his maiden ride on the New York subway.
The only catch? Beatrice happens to be Dylan’s girlfriend, and the latter warns him for the sake of their friendship not to fall in love with her. Needless to say, he does exactly the opposite. Over the course of the week, Dylan will find out about their tryst, kick Conrad out of his apartment, leading the latter to move in with Beatrice, who for some time remains blissfully unaware that Conrad is penniless and homeless. Where does this all lead to? Well, unsurprisingly, Conrad will come to confront both his circumstances as well as his actions, leading to some sort of personal reckoning for a character which we in actual fact care very little about.
As you can probably already tell, everything happens - or is compressed - over the course of a week, which limits the kind of emotional attachment the characters can develop for each other and consequently the attachment which we have for them. To be frank, it’s likely that you won’t feel anything for Conrad’s supposedly sorry state; after all, there is very little likeable about him anyways, and Pine’s ‘wink-wink’ narration is written with the sort of meta-commentary that gives us even less reason to be wrapped up in the emotional crisis of this shallow rich individual.
More fundamenatally, the voiceover and the pseudo-intellectual banter between the characters is Glanz’s attempt to channel the sensibility of Wes Anderson in a New York setting reminiscent of Woody Allen’s opulent Manhattan. Yes, fans of Anderson will certainly recognise his none-too-apparent influences - from the book-chapter title cards to the obsessively symmetrical shot compositions to the use of archaic props like typewriters, rotary phones, tape recorders and Vespas; unfortunately, Glanz doesn’t possess the acumen to turn those Anderson influences into something meaningful, so that what looks like Anderson seems like homage for the sake of it.
Neither for that matter does Glanz manage to channel his inner Woody Allen meaningfully. There is a scene that is unmistakably straight out of ‘Annie Hall’, and then there is Allen regular Tony Roberts, who plays Conrad’s psychoanalyst; but it is clear from the tired and insipid dialogue as well as the (lack of) plotting that Glanz is no Allen no matter how hard he tries to. What’s worse, he squanders some perfectly good performances from Bateman, Crudup and Wilde in the process by giving them little compelling to work with.
And so even though it does run at a brief 84 minutes, ‘The Longest Week’ does feel like its titular duration. There’s nothing wrong about a first-time director following in the footsteps of his or her idol, but Glanz’s homage of Anderson and Allen is tone-deaf and purposeless. It lacks the wit of either filmmaker, is led by three emotionally hollow characters, and has style but little by way of substance - in short, you’re better off re-watching ‘Annie Hall’ or ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ again.
Movie Rating:
(Plodding and humourless, this obvious homage to Wes Anderson and Woody Allen is a worst form of copycat)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo
RunTime: 2 hrs 12 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: GV
Official Website: http://www.equalizerthemovie.com
Opening Day: 25 September 2014
Synopsis: In THE EQUALIZER, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is THE EQUALIZER.
Movie Review:
Yup, although Irish actor Liam Neeson has taken on baddies in countless movies (in case you didn’t know, the Oscar-winning actor will be threatening to hunt you down over the phone in Taken 3 next year), we still don’t think he cuts it as an “uncle” action hero. Now, one guy we’d root for is 59 year old Denzel Washington. The two time Academy Award winner (Best Supporting Actor for 1989’s Glory and Best Actor for 2001’s Training Day) is known for his portrayals of real life personalities like human right activist Malcom X and middleweight boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, but he is also a bona fide action hero. Look no further than his illustrious filmography: Man on Fire (2004), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), The Book of Eli (2010) and Unstoppable (2010) are just some of the New Yorkborn actor’s finest works.
Here, he teams up with his Training Day director Antoine Fuqua to play, well, a violent man (the movie is rated M18 for Violence and Coarse Language) out to eliminate baddies. And it is one exhilarating ride indeed.
Washington plays McCall, a middle aged retired intelligence officer who believes he has put his Special Forces past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when the calm and collected man meets a young girl under the control of violent Russian gangsters, he decides to help her. Armed with some really impressive skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would bully the helpless, McCall comes out of his self imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened.
Based on the 1985-1989 TV series starring Edward Woodward, the film adaptation retains the basic theme of a kind stranger helping those who can’t help themselves, but triples up on the violence — something we feel will go down well with fans of action movies.
We love this 132 minute movie because we like Washington, and we watch in delight seeing him kick some booty. Without Washington,this would be an average movie, but trust the award winning actor makes the character come to life. He is intimidating and dangerous. He is also cool, with a steely resolve in the face of danger. Who doesn’t want a hero always promising to bring the bad guys to the house of pain without needing to yell hysterically about it? Washington has the perfect intensity to make the action feel explosive. This movie is a sure hit with guys.
The antagonist played by New Zealand actor Marton Csokas (he was Lord Celeborn in the first and third films of The Lord of the Rings series) is scarily effective. Watch the demonically tattooed villain lurk around in his slick skyscraper while getting vexed and sadistic, before getting his troops to destroy McCall. Elsewhere, Chloe Grace Mortez (If I Stay, Kick Ass 2) expands her choice of film roles by playing a young prostitute who ends up being a punch bag.
Fuqua, who staged some really beautiful shots in his previous works (2003’s Tears of the Sun, 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen) doesn’t have as many opportunities for breathtaking visuals, but he frequently finds unique camera perspectives and lighting techniques to make the film look like a higher-class action blockbuster. The film starts to get a bit longer than necessary at the final act (revenge thrillers rarely cross the two hour mark), but the action makes up for the length. We want to shout out to The Equalizer: go kick some ass!
Movie Rating:
(If someone has a problem and have nowhere else to turn, they can call The Equalizer to make things right)
Review by John Li
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller
Director: Vic Armstrong
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Nicky Whelan, Chad Michael Murray, Lea Thompson, Cassi Thomson, Quinton Aaron, Jordin Sparks
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.leftbehindmovie.com
Opening Day: 2 October 2014
Synopsis: Left Behind is an apocalyptic Action-Thriller movie starring Nicolas Cage based on the New York Times bestselling novel that brings biblical prophecy to life in modern times. The most important event in the history of mankind is happening right now. In the blink of an eye, the biblical Rapture strikes the world. Millions of people disappear without a trace. All that remains are their clothes and belongings, and in an instant, terror and chaos spread around the world. The vanishings cause unmanned vehicles to crash and burn. Planes fall from the sky. Emergency forces everywhere are devastated. Gridlock, riots and looting overrun the cities. There is no one to help or provide answers. In a moment, the entire planet is plunged into darkness.
Movie Review:
Instead of letting his wife convulse in skimpy outfits onstage to convince people into embracing Christianity, the pastor in question could have used the funds to make a movie on hindsight like what Stoney Lake Entertainment has done here.
For the uninitiated, Stoney Lake Entertainment is set up to produce faith-inspired films for the masses and their intention is to create a franchise for Left Behind which in turn is based on a series of popular books by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. This is not the first time Left Behind is being made into a movie however, in actual fact it was originally done in the year 2000 and followed by two other sequels.
Lake’s CEO Paul Lalonde co-wrote this remake that involved the biblical Rapture where faithful believers are taken up to heaven before the apocalyptic end of days. The narrative begins with the Steele family at the JFK airport. Father Ray Steele (Nicolas Cage) is an airline pilot who is struggling to keep both his marriage and children together while beginning an affair with a sultry air stewardess. His daughter Chloe (Cassi Thomson) is upset by his father’s absence and she also has problems understanding issues of God especially with her religiously inclined mother.
Within seconds of the opening credits, we are treated to a shot of a book called “Acts of God” and seconds later, a woman begins rambling about the end of the world to a supposedly famous TV reporter, Buck Williams (Chad Michael Murray). There isn’t much subtlety to talk about and the frequent hackneyed writing and wooden performances worsen the viewing experience further.
The touted Rapture happens about an hour later. On the flight where Ray is piloting to London, dozens of passengers and all the children onboard just vanished, leaving behind fear and lots of head scratching. On the ground, the same strange occurrence happened. Chloe’s younger brother mysteriously vanishes at the mall leaving behind his belongings. Petty crimes, looting and robberies starts happening everywhere. It is the end of the world people, so everyone just has the urge to commit crimes. That makes a lot of sense.
Because this is a character driven drama with good religious intentions, we are treated to more subplots and stock characters on the plane. For example, the obligatory Muslim passenger (who might be a terrorist), an annoying little man, a black woman who pulls out a gun out of nowhere, and a rich business man who suddenly develops concern for his estranged daughter; meanwhile, Chloe is playing Supergirl helping Daddy land his huge malfunctioning plane on a deserted highway. No worries though, Daddy has a helping hand as co-pilot- the handsome and attractive Chuck.
Technically, this US$16 million production is often hampered by poor visual effects, sloppy editing and laughingly, a weird 1980s look to the entire flick. The usually entertaining Nicolas Cage with his batshit crazy acting turns up pretty somber and underwhelming. Left Behind is a heavy-handed, preachy movie disguised as an apocalyptic action thriller. Even veteran stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong who helmed this project couldn’t make this any better. This movie is best left for believers while the rest might prefer to sign up for bible study for a start.
Movie Rating:
(Leave this to the believers. It’s not going to convert the rest of us)
Review by Linus Tee
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CAFE. WAITING. LOVE Singapore Press ConferencePosted on 01 Sep 2014 |
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Cast: Gaspard Ulliel, Jérémie Renier, Louis Garrel, Léa Seydoux
Runtime: 2 hrs 31 mins
Rating: R21 (Homosexual Content and Nudity)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/saintlaurentfilm
Opening Day: 25 December 2014
Synopsis: As one of history's greatest fashion designers entered a decade of freedom, neither came out of it in one piece.
Movie Review:
Things to note when watching a French film not directed by Luc Besson: (a) Be prepared for random, jarring cuts between shots and scenes (b) Get used to the non-chronological storyline (c) Be aware that there will be nudity and most importantly, (d) Try not to eat nachos while watching said nude scenes because eating chips that crunch loudly can be extremely uncomfortable when you are in a room filled with strangers.
Not to be confused with the other French film on Yves Saint Laurent similarly released in 2014, Saint Laurent revolves round the life of the famous French designer from 1967 to 1976 when he was at the zenith of his career. Jumping from year to year in non-chronological order, the film shows the darker side of Saint Laurent’s (Gaspard Ulliel) life as he struggles to build his fashion empire with lover and businessman Pierre Bergé (Jérémie Renier). And life, it seems, is indeed hard for dear Mr. Saint Laurent who has troubles coming up with designs all while snorting coke, having affairs with Karl Lagerfeld’s muse (Louis Garrel) and gradually descending into assuming the looks of Austin Powers.
Like Mr. Saint Laurent’s painful struggle with designing his collections, the film may be excruciating for the average Singaporean unaccustomed to the French art film genre. With a plot that is scattered and in bits, there is a lot of effort on the audience to form a coherent story from what is shown on screen. It is also obvious that the film is catered towards people who have some interest or knowledge in Yves Saint Laurent because it is hard to appreciate the film with all the name-dropping. Nude scenes (actually there were only two) can also be rather unexpected. In one particular scene, after being locked in by Bergé, Saint Laurent comes out bare in full naked glory when Bergé finally unlocks the closet. This may or may not be a literal portrayal of Saint Laurent coming out of the closet, but still, it was a nude scene that escalated rather too quickly. This reviewer finds the d**k flash a little too random, but hey, maybe that is how the French like it.
Perhaps the highlight of the film would be Yves Saint Laurent’s design collections then, one would assume, since it is a film about the famous designer. While the film features Saint Laurent’s ready-to-wear collection and his famous tuxedo suit for women, all these are lost on lesser arty-farty movie-goers who have no idea about fashion. There is nothing especially attractive in the way the designs are presented and they looked rather like clothes that only gypsies would adore.
There are, however, several interesting shots that may recoup your losses for the exorbitant cost of a movie ticket in Singapore. For all its arty-farty-oh-so-wah-piang-is-french-art-lor vibes, director Bertrand Bonello and cinematographer Josée Deshaies capture Saint Laurent’s psychosis and fragility well with their haunting shots. Coupled with Gaspard Ulliel’s convincing performance as the jittery and gentle Saint Laurent, the film portrays the French designer very well as a talented little boy absorbed in childish, hedonistic pursuits.
But is that enough to convince the audience to watch the entire film? Judging from the people who left the theater one hour into the film, the answer is obvious.
Movie Rating:
(Not appealing to people who buy clothes from Cotton On, Giordano and H&M)
Review by Leng Mong
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Director: Christophe Gans
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, André Dussollier, Eduardo Noriega, Myriam Charleins, Audrey Lamy
RunTime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 October 2014
Synopsis: In France, 1810, a bankrupt merchant (André Dussollier) exiles himself to the countryside with his six children. Among them is Belle (Léa Seydoux), his youngest daughter, who is pure of heart. One day, during an arduous journey, the merchant stumbles across the magical domain of the Beast (Vincent Cassel), who sentences him to death for stealing a single rose. Feeling responsible for the terrible fate which has befallen her family, Belle decides to sacrifice herself and take her father’s place. At the Beast’s castle, however, it is not death that awaits Belle, but a strange life in which fantastical moments mingle with gaiety and melancholy.
Movie Review:
As proof of how distinctive and matchless Disney’s adaptation is and continues to be, many may probably not know or regard ‘Beauty and the Beast’ as a French fairy tale. And yet it is; first published in 1740 by French writer Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, ‘La Belle et la Bete’ as it is known in French has seen numerous retellings – including a well-regarded 1946 black-and-white live-action version by Jean Cocteau – but the one that has remained timeless in most audiences’ minds is still the musical which yielded the familiar tunes ‘Be Our Guest’ and the eponymous ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
Those looking for the same breath of magic in Gallic helmer Christophe Gans’ version will probably be disappointed; as much as he tries to recreate the same atmosphere of enchantment, Gans never quite brings his audience to the same feeling of rapture despite sticking close to the original narrative. Not that the movie doesn’t try; employing some of the best European visual effects houses, it uses CGI lavishly to create a visually sumptuous world, whether in the subtler shots that show the parting of a pine forest or the more elaborate ones that bring to life a group of giant stone totems. Yet what digital wizardry Gans wields never quite adds up to the feeling of something magical, and that is because at its heart, this story of forbidden love is emotionally vacant.
As the book does, Gans and debuting co-writer Sandra Vo-Anh begin the story by introducing the wealthy merchant (Andre Dussollier) whose six children are forced to endure hard times when his business (literally) runs aground following a shipwreck. Among a pair of good-for-nothing sons and another pair of vindictive daughters is the child whom the merchant loves and dotes the most - his youngest daughter Beauty (Lea Seydoux) - who also happens to be the kindest and most mature of the brood. It is no surprise therefore that Beauty readily offers herself up as a sacrifice for her father to the Beast, after he unwittingly stumbles into the latter’s kingdom of magical proportions one wintry night.
Anyone who’s seen the Disney animation will tell you that the subsequent interplay between Beauty and the Beast is the reason why that tale has lasted “as old as time”. Yes, from fear and disgust, Beauty will, through her interactions with the Beast, come to recognise the humanity inside the human he once was, and slowly but surely fall in love with him. It is a delicate transformation to say the least, one that though we are fully aware of on a rational level, needs to be told with the utmost sensitivity and nuance in order to be able to move us on a far deeper emotional level. Sadly though, these are exactly the traits which Gans’ storytelling could do with a lot more of.
Instead, Gans glosses over their mutual dependency, so much so that unless one already has prior knowledge of the story, you won’t quite understand just why the rose which Beauty’s father picks for her from the Beast’s castle is in fact so critical to his survival. He also fails to portray Beauty’s growing respect and admiration for the once princely Beast as she learns of his tragic past that has led to his present circumstance. In fact, it’s not hard to tell whether or not the movie has successfully convinced you of the affections between the star-crossed pair; how much you feel for both their characters is plainly evident by how much you believe the critical turning point in the story where Beauty lays down her own life in order to try to rescue that of the Beast - and unfortunately, this particular telling of the tale doesn’t quite make the turn of events particularly convincing or compelling.
For reasons we can’t quite fathom, Gans chooses to downplay the romance between Beauty and the Beast, choosing instead to turn the last third of the film into an extravagant action adventure that sees the Beast resurrecting his former palace guards to take on a band of bandits led by Perducas (Eduardo Noriega). You can pretty much guess from Perducas’ impudence that he will eventually meet a horrible death, but what righteous indignation (and visual distraction) that CGI-heavy ending satisfies is fleeting and insignificant compared to what could have been had the filmmakers decided to invest more to develop the relationship between the titular characters.
And because it refuses to be driven by these characters, there is only so much - or so little - that Vincent Cassel and Lea Seydoux are given to do. So luminous in ‘Blue is the Warmest Color’, Seydoux is merely called upon here to look good in a variety of opulent dinner dresses whose colours are deliberately chosen to be in bright contrast to the surroundings. On the other hand, Cassel seems miscast - as prince, he looks too old to be falling in love with Seydoux or for that matter the princess whose heart he pierces with a golden arrow; and as Beast, his acting is understandably stilted behind a digital mask and an over-modulated voice.
So even though the deck was stacked against this live-action adaptation from the beginning, it does itself little favours by diluting the love affair at the heart of the story and opting for some unnecessary flourishes that are meant for greater CGI spectacle and nothing more. Yes, there is no denying that it does look impressive from a visual standpoint, but what good is that if the very reason why this tale has remained timeless is lost in the telling? Engaging though the riot of colours and special effects may be, but this ‘Beauty and the Beast’ lacks heart and ultimately fails to be as poignant as it should be.
Movie Rating:
(Visually sumptuous but emotionally vacant retelling of the classic French fairy tale that can’t quite hold a candle to the superior - and timeless - Disney musical)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Comedy
Director: Aman Chang
Cast: Chapman To, Dada Chan, Lam Tze Chung, Dominic Ho, Ben Cheung, Connie Man, Jim Chim
RunTime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: M18 (Mature Content and Sexual References)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 9 October 2014
Synopsis: Airline pilots Cool (Chapman To), Sam (Lam Tze Chung) and Guy (Dominic Ho) were proud womanizers whom all took tremendous pleasure in making rounds with every stewardess they came across. But one day during a seemingly routine flight, they encountered a violent magnetic storm that sent them falling through a wormhole. Upon landing, they assumed the storm had blown them off course onto a film set, but in reality, they had travelled back in time to Ming Dynasty.
Movie Review:
If ever you need any reassurance that Wong Jing has not dulled his crasser sensibilities since entering the Mainland market with blockbusters like ‘From Vegas to Macau’, then look no further than ‘Flirting in the Air’. Reteaming with his ‘Mr and Mrs Player’ lead star Chapman To, Wong Jing has written and produced a period sexual farce so cheerfully asinine that you’ll feel guilty begrudging it for being essentially low-brow entertainment, as evidenced by the number of times it gleefully hits below the belt (both literally and figuratively).
To engineer the change of scenery, Wong inserts a time-travelling element in order for To’s horny airplane pilot dubbed Captain Cool – as an obvious reference to Julian Cheung’s character’s nickname in the enormously popular TVB series ‘Triumph in the Skies II’ – to travel to the Ming Dynasty and fall in love with an ancestor of his first girlfriend (both of which are played by ‘Vulgaria’ actress Dada Chan). Of course, as such shenanigans go (think ‘SDU: Sex Duties Unit’), To won’t be alone; instead, he is joined by the archetypal ‘fat guy’ played by Lam Tze Chung and the equally familiar ‘sissy-fied’ metrosexual played by Dominic Ho.
Plot-wise, there is little that is noteworthy; the Chinese title hints at a run-in with the legendary Tang Bohu (Ben Cheung) and after some bumbling around, the trio “from 2014 Hong Kong” as they love to reiterate at the start find themselves in the residence where Tang’s lover Autumn (Connie Man) is a lowly maid. While Cool manages to get in as a male servant, his other two associates sneak in by disguising themselves as maids – which, in a Wong Jing movie, means that Sam (Tze Chung) and Guy (Ho) will get ample opportunities to throw lecherous glances at their fellow members of the opposite gender.
Those who are familiar with the filmmaker’s oeuvre will also recognise other similar traits – from mistaken identities to cross-dressing to dildo gags to martial arts to cheap special effects and even to mah-jong playing, Wong’s trademarks are unmistakable. And that is even though he isn’t the director here; rather, his frequent collaborator in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Aman Chang, assumes the role of helmer here, albeit without any particular flair. Yes, this is a movie that is as good as the gags that Wong has scripted and that Chang has staged – and while some like the discovery of the pleasures of a modern-day vibrator are amusing, others like a love potion that leaves men (and women) in heat are somewhat tired and over-used.
Thankfully, the hit-to-miss ratio here tends to tip in favour of the former, and it doesn’t hurt that Chang moves the proceedings at such a brisk clip that you won’t quite remember just what had fallen flat. A large part of the movie also rests on the shoulders of Chapman To and his two supporting actors, and the ever consummate comedian’s delivery is spot-on in both tone and timing. One however wishes that he had more scenes with his female co-star Dada Chan, who is largely sidelined until the last quarter of the movie despite sharing good chemistry with To in their more intimate scenes.
Yes, a movie like ‘Flirting in the Air’ knows its audience and doesn’t try to be anything more; so if you’re already a fan of Wong Jing’s brand of ‘mo-lei-tau’ sexist comedy, then you’ll find plenty of familiar but nonetheless effective laughs. Sure it is borderline chauvinistic and even slightly misogynistic, but hey that’s Wong Jing at some will say his best and others will claim his worst. And yet if it’s irreverent you’re looking for, it’s irreverent you will get, so we urge you for enjoy it for the guilty pleasure that it offers.
Movie Rating:
(Cheerfully irreverent or offensively sexist – Wong Jing returns to his crasser sensibilities for better or for worse)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Gregor Levasseur
Cast: Ashley Hinshaw, Denis O’Hare, James Buckley, Daniel Amerman
Runtime: 1 hr 29 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.pyramidthemovie.com/
Opening Day: 4 December 2014
Synopsis: THE PYRAMID is a horror/suspense film that follows a team a father/daughter team of archeologists and a documentary crew into a long-hidden Egyptian pyramid. But uncovering this tomb unleashes far more than they anticipated, as they become lost within the complicated labyrinth, and even worse, are hunted by terrifying ancient creatures.
Movie Review:
If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from ‘The Descent’, it’s that tight spaces make for good claustrophobic horror. That seems to be the idea behind ‘The Pyramid’, which sends an archaeological team into the depths of an ancient pyramid which has just been unearthed in the Egyptian desert. Aside from the opening scenes, most of the rest of the movie takes place within the narrow corridors or rooms within the pyramid, which in itself does generate a veritable sense of dread.
Whether it was the intention of screenwriters Daniel Meersand and Nick Simon at the start or that of director Gregory Levasseur later on isn’t clear, but ‘The Pyramid’ follows the recent trend of horror movies in adopting the found-footage format. Largely, that is. The majority of the shots originate from British cameraman Fitzie’s (James Buckley) point of view, which also means that the key characters we see onscreen most of the time are father-and-daughter pair Holden (Denis O’Hare) and Nora (Ashley Hinshaw) and award-chasing filmmaker Sunni (Christa-Marie Nicola). Only when it seems technically possible to have a first-person p.o.v. shot does Levasseur switch to more traditional modes of shot composition and framing, in particular when all but one of the members of the team is left.
Truth be told, we’ve never really been a big fan of found-footage horror, in part because most filmmakers use technique as an excuse for poor plotting, thinking that just having their characters run and/or scream down dimly lit hallways and getting surprised by things that jump out at them – and the audience – makes for a movie. To some extent, Levasseur and his writers are guilty of that as well, relying too conveniently on rote jump scares to deliver the thrills, which any seasoned horror fan can probably anticipate when and what is coming at them.
But thankfully, the Egyptology-themed setting isn’t completely wasted; the last third of the movie is steeped in religious mythology, in particular the appearance of a part-man part-jackal creature better known in ancient Egyptian history as an “Anubis” and its role in an ancient funerary rite known as the “Weighing of the Heart”. This isn’t the family-friendly adventure that ‘The Mummy’ and its sequels ever was; indeed, coming from producer Alexandre Aja of ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, you should certainly be prepared for some pretty gory shocking scenes, including one that is clearly inspired by an iconic shot from ‘Aliens’ (you know, the one from the back?).
Not all the movie is that intriguing though; for a good part where the group is making its way through the narrow underground tunnels, the pace drags because none of the characters are particularly interesting in and of themselves. What effort spent introducing some conflict between them also falls flat, as Nora’s criticism of Fitzie’s obsession to get their ordeal down on camera is over and done with in just one scene – not least for the fact that she becomes the one to hold on to his camera and document the proceedings after something unfortunate befalls him.
You’ll probably do well lowering your expectations if you’ve decided to watch ‘The Pyramid’, which seems content to revel in B-movie tropes than to be anything truly inspiring by itself. To its credit, it doesn’t entirely squander its titular Egyptian theme, though for that matter, it also doesn’t fully exploit it as well. What longtime Aja screenwriter Levasseur has managed in his directorial debut is to show he can mount a perfectly credible but mediocre found-footage horror, which is only as memorable as the time it takes for another B-grade horror to come along.
Movie Rating:
(A stock found-footage horror that at least boasts a slightly more intriguing setting to hold your attention)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Tony Kern
Cast: Keagan Kang, Lim Kay Tong, Pamelyn Chee, Yu-Beng Lim, Marcus Lee, Michael Kwah, Vincent Tee, Mike Kasem, Daniel Jenkins, Kevin LaGrange, Adeline Pang, Melissa Faith Yeo, Caren Utino
RunTime: 1 hr 32 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Horror)
Released By: Mythopolis Pictures and Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.aihorror.com
Opening Day: 11 September 2014
Synopsis: AFTERIMAGES, a collection of five short horror stories that unfold when a group of students burn paper effigy cameras for the wandering spirits during the ghost month and they receive films in return.
Movie Review:
We have no idea why we enjoy paying good money to be spooked out alongside strangers in a dark cinema hall. Is it the unexpected shrieks whenever a door slams itself shut suddenly? Is it the nervous giggles after a cat jumps across the screen out of nowhere? Or for the guys, is it the opportunity to put your hands round your girlfriends’ shoulders every time there is an on screen scare? Now, when was the last time you were truly spooked by a local horror movie? No offence to well meaning filmmakers who churned out productions like Ghost on Air, Blood Ties and The Maid – but while each has its merits, we don’t remember any spine tingling sensation after catching those flicks.
And nope, Jack Neo’s hor-medy didn’t do it for us too. How does writer director and co producer Tony Kern’s latest work, after two previous features, both in the horror genre, the documentary A Month Of Hungry Ghosts and Haunted Changi, fare? Thankfully, not too disappointing (if you have watched the promotional trailers, you are right to think there’s quite a bit of potential in Kern’s third big screen work).
The Singapore based American Kern brings you five short horror stories that unfold when a group of students burn paper effigy cameras for the wandering spirits during the ghost month and they receive films in return. From a swimming pool drowning and a horrible suicide to a woman who’s obsessed with beauty and a dismembered corpse, the students realise (but of course) that there is a price to be paid for making the dead produce your films.
We are sure this production will be a commercial success because it is, after all, of the horror genre (people like to pay to scare themselves silly in the theatres, remember?). And the fact that this movie is rated NC16 by our friends in the regulatory board means it’s got some good scares to offer – and truly it does. While there was no excessive blood and gore in this film, the scenes are intense and there is little breathing space in between the sequences. Watch out as a man is seen struggling against an unseen force from under water in a swimming pool; an angry female ghost forces itself through the grilles of a prison cell, and our favourite: a scene of a woman slitting her face with a pair of scissors and gouging under the skin to remove needles that she believes had been implanted there.
Kern does good work linking the stories together, before the big finale. However, not everyone in the ensemble cast delivers. You have sometimes cringe worthyacting from the younger and more inexperienced (but as you’d expect – good looking) actors, while the more veteran members (kudos to Vincent Tee, Mike Kasem and Daniel Jenkins) are wonderful in their roles. Familiar names like Lim Yu Beng, Pamelyn Chee, Lim Kay Tong and Keagan Kang also pop up to add star power.
This recommended horror flick may not be perfect, but there is some old school scary fun to be uncovered.
Movie Rating:
(This collection of horror stories delivers in the scare department - something we've been missing in local horror movies)
Review by John Li
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