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SYNOPSIS: Small-town fry cook Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) is an ordinary guy with a paranormal secret: he sees dead people, everywhere. When a creepy stranger shows-up with an entourage of ghostly bodachs – predators who feed on pain and portend mass destruction – Odd knows that his town is in serious trouble. Teaming up with his sweetheart Stormy (Addison Timlin) and the local sheriff (Willem Dafoe), Odd plunges into an epic battle of good vs evil to try to stop a disaster of apocalyptic proportions. Based on the best-selling thriller by Dean Koontz, ODD THOMAS is a supernatural action thrill-ride from the acclaimed director of The Mummy and G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Unceremoniously dumped into DVD, Odd Thomas is one quirky title that doesn’t really deserved a premature death. It’s a movie with flaws but still it’s far entertaining than the average releases theaters churned out.

Directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, G.I. Joe) with source material from popular writer Dean Koontz, Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation) stars as the titular character Odd Thomas, a small-town cook who possesses the ability to see ghosts and bodachs aka mysterious spirited creatures that look liked Spider-man’s Venom mixed with Aliens. As the bodachs feed on carnage and fear, Odd believed that something terrible is about to happen to his hometown, Pico Mundo when he encountered numerous bodachs at the diner one day. With his faithful girlfriend, Stormy (Addison Timlin) and the local police chief, Wyatt (Willem Dafoe) at his side, Odd is determined to find out the cause behind the dark force or risking the death of innocent lives.

Sommers is best known for his brand of camp humor and visually stylistic touches given his works in the Mummy series and he indeed balances it rather particularly well for that genre. Thus it’s not a surprise Sommers decides to port it over to Odd Thomas as well though this one is a much scale-down supernatural adventure as compared to the Mummy. It’s almost like Sommers is paying tribute to Peter Jackson’s unappreciated The Frighteners. The tone is often comic, offbeat instead of chilling. Odd’s physic investigations often end up with sudden loud bodachs appearances and that’s about how far the scary-o-meter goes.

Yelchin, one of critics’ favourite young actors of this generation doesn’t disappoint with his portrayal of Odd. He is charming and convincing enough as a character who struggles to keep his unique ability a secret and at the same time, racing against time to save the world. Opposite Timlin who plays his girlfriend, the two exudes plenty of chemistry to keep the movie going. Willem Dafoe as always is a welcome presence and his police chief character is extremely likeable. Look out for Patton Oswalt’s cameo appearance as he played an important character from the book which is strangely left out in the movie version and also Arnold Vosloo, a regular of Sommers.

I must add I didn’t read Koontz’s original work so I’m not going to compare it in details here. Odd Thomas is a fun supernatural indie flick, it’s fast-paced, amusing and maybe even romantic to some (teary also) especially towards the end. If you missed Yelchin in another horror comedy, the remake of Fright Night, do check out Odd instead.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

While the CGI falters at certain scenes, the images and colour palette on the whole fares pretty good. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is rather aggressive and powerful especially during scenes of peril. Sommers is an old hand in summer blockbusters, he knows the rules. The louder the better.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Martial-Arts
Director: Peter Chan
Cast: Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tang Wei, Jimmy Wang Yu, Kara Hui, Yan Hua, Li Xiao Ran
RunTime: 1 hr 56 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: NC-16 (Violence)
Official Website:

Opening Day: 21 July 2011

Synopsis: In the late Qing Dynasty, LIU Jin-xi (Donnie YEN) is a papermaker and father of two sons who lives a seemingly normal life with his family in a remote village. However, the arrival of a detective soon threatens to tear them apart.

Detective XU Bai-jiu (Takeshi KANESHIRO) arrives in town to investigate the recent death of two bandits during a robbery. It appears that they are accidentally killed by LIU out of self-defense. But upon autopsy, XU discovers that they are in fact two of the most wanted outlaws with martial arts skills! How could an average family man kill two fierce desperados single-handedly? As a kung fu fanatic, XU figures out that this is no pure accident; LIU must conceal extraordinary martial arts skill necessary to make such a deadly defense. XU’s investigation further leads him to the involvement of the 72 Demons – the most hostile and vicious clan in the martial arts world whose members are trained to kill without mercy. The MASTER (Jimmy WANG Yu), the ruthless head of the clan, possesses skills so powerful beyond anyone’s imagination.

But the deeper XU digs into LIU, the less convinced he is of a foul play. “Either LIU is a master of deception, or he is truly an honest man,” XU starts to believe. In order to draw this case to a close, XU recklessly assaults LIU in hopes that LIU will unveil his martial arts power in return, which is unfortunately not the case. LIU is badly injured during the assault, forcing XU to withdraw his suspicion. Just when all the evidences have proved XU wrong, intelligence confirms that LIU is indeed TANG Long – the second-in-command of the 72 Demons. Once a martial arts expert with a taste for killing, TANG awakened from his sin one day and decided to leave his evil past behind, using a new identity to go on with his life.

The news of TANG’s whereabouts soon gets to the MASTER. Unable to come to terms with TANG’s betrayal, the MASTER threatens to slaughter his family and every villager if TANG refuses to return to the clan. Meanwhile, XU is leading an elite team to LIU’s arrest. When the three unstoppable forces converge in the small village, an inevitable battle is about to break out any moment.

The road to redemption is paved with blood. TANG’s fate now lies in the hands of XU, who is torn between law and morality.

Movie Review:

Despite starring in seven movies over the last three years, Donnie Yen has had difficulty trying to top his iconic performance in the ‘Ip Man’ movies- the closest he came to was in Teddy Chan’s ‘Bodyguards and Assassins’, though he was arguably just one of an ensemble cast. But as the enigmatic paper-maker in a small idyllic town with the unassuming name Liu Jinxi, Donnie has finally delivered a performance which equals that of ‘Ip Man’, one that showcases his best as a dramatic actor and as a martial artist.

For this, Donnie has to thank director Peter Ho-sun Chan, who makes his return to the director’s chair after a four year hiatus since 2007’s ‘The Warlords’ for an intriguing and innovative spin on the period action epic genre. Indeed, while its title may suggest similarities to Ang Lee’s ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’ or even Su Chao-pin’s ‘Reign of Assassins’, Peter Chan’s ‘Wu Xia’ is less akin to a typical ‘wu xia’ movie than to Tsui Hark’s ‘Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame’.

Like ‘Detective Dee’, this film unfolds like a procedural- the investigation here headed by one smart ‘bespectacled’ county detective Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), sent to the town where Liu has resided over the past ten years to investigate the death of two wanted criminals killed ‘accidentally’ in a brawl. Xu’s methods are scientific, and his superior knowledge in forensic science leads him to suspect that Liu is more than who he says he is. After all, Xu surmises, how can the lowly and unassuming village person Liu defeat two highly skilled martial arts pugilists?

The first half of the movie is essentially a battle of wits between Liu and Xu, as the former attempts to conceal his true identity that the latter so doggedly pursues. But more than just a cat-and-mouse game, the script by Aubrey Lam (who also wrote ‘The Warlords’) exhibits surprising depth in setting up these two opposing characters- Liu is the man with a dangerous past who has eschewed his former life in favour of a simple and peaceful life; and Xu is the law enforcer whose own traumatic experience has led him to respect the law over humanity.

Aubrey’s story raises a number of moral dilemmas, in particular whether a man can truly start anew without having to atone for his past sins, and whether there is a place for humanity in a world governed by laws and regulations. This is at the very heart of the complex intertwining relationship between Liu and Xu, and a fascinating one which Peter Chan explores with panache. There is no hero or villain between the two per se- rather, both are simply pushed up against each other by their past and the circumstance by which they had made their mutual acquaintance.

This attention to character and drama means that fans of Donnie looking for some action will have to be patient- although the meticulously plotted opening sequence in which Liu disposes of the bandits, and the subsequent replay of that as Xu pieces together the fight blow by blow, will likely be enough to satisfy one’s appetite for action in the first hour. Instead, Peter gives room for Donnie to flex his acting chops, and Donnie’s method for understatement works perfectly for a subtle and nuanced performance of a man fighting to protect the life he has built and family he loves from his own destructive past.

Takeshi is a surprisingly good complement for Donnie, the former the source of the film’s humour and wit as the intelligent bespectacled investigator with a droll Sichuan accent. The multilingual actor shares a nice rapport with Donnie, but he also shines when forced to confront his own moral assumptions about the wisdom of upholding the law without compromise. His character is not without his own demons, and Takeshi turns in a multifaceted performance that allows the audience to empathise with his predicament.

Nonetheless, Takeshi is mostly sidelined in the second half of the movie as Liu’s past catches up with him. Action fans will be pleased with the introduction of gongfu legends Kara Hui and Jimmy Wang Yu, both of whom play characters closely- in fact intimately- related to Liu Jinxi’s past life. By this time the action pretty much goes into overdrive, and Peter shrewdly leaves Donnie in charge. In turn, the latter, who also serves as action director, delivers some truly outstanding action choreography that is pretty much on par with the ‘Ip Man’ movies.

The highlight of this is no doubt Donnie’s extended fight with Kara, which begins in the village’s open square, progresses to a foot chase across the rooftops and culminates in a cattle pen where the confined space adds to the thrill of watching them go at each other with knives and later on pure fisticuffs. The climactic showdown here is between Donnie and Jimmy, and comes after a very late plot development which pays homage to Chang Cheh’s classic One Armed Swordsman series (starring Jimmy). Paradoxically, while it certainly is thrilling to watch, Donnie’s one-armed swordsplay somewhat pales a little compared to the sheer exhilaration of his two-armed fight with Kara.

Still, Donnie’s work here as action star and choreographer is clearly at its peak, and the fight sequences here will probably go down as one of the best- if not eventually the best- that you’ll find in a martial arts film this year. Peter Chan keeps the pace of the movie moving along with a thumping rhythm, so the film does not lose its momentum between these elaborate fight sequences- even though it does feel like two distinct halves. Jake Pollock and Lai Yiu-Fai’s gorgeous lensing also deserves mention, complimented by production designer’s Yee Chung-Man’s gritty and detailed outdoor sets.

Because of both cast and crew’s excellent contributions, ‘Wu Xia’ is more than just another addition to the surfeit of period action epics that is bound to be a fixture in this Hong Kong- Mainland co-production climate. It isn’t a ‘wu xia’ movie in the traditional sense of the genre, but the creative liberties that scripter Aubrey Lam and director Peter Chan have taken with the material are the very reasons why it stands high above its peers. That and of course the fact that us Donnie Yen fans here have been rewarded with his best performance since the ‘Ip Man’ movies.

Movie Rating:

(Fusing strong character drama with thrilling action, ‘Wu Xia’ is a unique martial arts epic that boasts Donnie Yen’s best performance since the ‘Ip Man’ movies)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: In 1990, Dr. Jack Kevorkian astonished the world as he took the end of life debate head-on with his "Mercy Machine" and performed his first assisted suicide. Starring Oscar and Emmy winner Al Pacino, "You Don't Know Jack" is the story of one man's obsession with challenging the rules by which we live and die - and his stubborn, heartfelt insistence on breaking the law to do so.

MOVIE REVIEW:

We strongly believe that a well designed DVD cover helps to push sales, and one catches our attention real well. A face as iconic as Al Pacino’s should capture some eyeballs. Accompanied by a simple yet effective layout of text, this is one classy yet powerful DVD cover. Coupled with the emphasis of certain words in red, and a teasing tagline “Is This The Face Of A Killer?”, one can’t help but want to find out more about this movie.

Truth is, if you are knowledgeable in the medical field, the name Jack Kevorkian shouldn’t be foreign to you. Well call us ill informed, but this is also the first time we are hearing this name. But hey, isn’t this what autobiographical movies like this are supposed to do? To increase awareness of a certain topic or person to the mass audiences?

Based on the book “Between the Dying and the dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s Life And The Battle to Legalize Euthanasia”, this 2010 television movie is a HBO production which looks at the life and the work of Kevorkian, an advocate of physician assisted suicide. As noble as his aim of helping hopeless patients to end their sufferings by committing suicide effortlessly may sound, we know better than the complications involved in this.

Yes, somewhere in this subject matter is a 5000 word long thesis waiting to be written. But here, we have veteran actor Pacino playing the titular character Jack. Issues are presented from his point of view, which may, of course, be a little on the emotional side of things. Whichever side you are on, you will applaud the actor’s ability to leave you affected by his personal belief. The Oscar winning actor (Scent of a Woman) effortlessly portrays the conflicted doctor and for that perfect performance, he took home a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for Best Actor earlier this year.

Accompanying Pacino are other acclaimed actors like Danny Huston (Robin Hood), Susan Sarandon (The Lovely Bones) and John Goodman (Speed Racer), who play other key characters in Kevorkian’s life. The competent cast delivers worthy performances which we have nothing but full of praises for.

Despite the production’s 134 minute runtime, you would find yourself thoroughly engaged throughout the film. Interspersed with some real life footages, this is one of those tales which you find yourself feeling for. Director Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights) is clearly a masterful storyteller, bringing the tale of Kevorkian (the man lost his life to thrombosis earlier in June this year, shortly after his 83rd birthday) to life on screen. As the films ends on a poignant note, you realise the film is not about the controversy about the legalization of euthanasia, but about the boldness and courage of a single man who believed in his craft.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There is a 10 minute featurette The Real Jack/ Inner Circle which has the cast talking about the roles they play. The actors’ real life counterparts are also interviewed to give an in depth understanding to what kind of a person Kevorkian was.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The movie's visual transfer is pristine, and is presented in its original English audio track.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by John Li

Genre: Comedy/Music
Director: Chayanop Boonprakob
Cast: Jirayu La-Ongmanee, Pachara Jirathiwat, Nattacha Nualijam, Thawat Pornrattanaprasert
RunTime: 2 hrs 16 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: TBA
Official Website: http://www.suckseedthemovie.com/

Opening Day: 18 August 2011

Synopsis: Ped is your average elementary school geek who has zero interest in music. But ever since the day his classmate "Earn" shared her love for music with him, Ped in return wants to share his true feelongs for her. Life has other plans for Earn when her parents whisk her away to Bangkok.

Ped has to put his love on hold and life goes on until one day they both unexpectedly run into each other in high school.

Earn is a guitar goddess hottie while Ped is still a geek. The hatch plan to form a rock band with their close school mates in the hopes to realize every teenage boy dream to get with the hottest chicks! Only problem is musically the three of the suck and suck hard but sometimes you got to SUCK before you SUCCEED!

Movie Review:

If you’re wondering about the title of the movie, that’s the name three high-school kids give to their band, in tacit acknowledgement of their actual musical abilities vis-à-vis their peers. But while their band may, for the lack of a better word, suck, rest assured that this high-school musical drama doesn’t- in fact, it has plenty of spunk, loads of verve and infectious spirit to make it one of most original and lively Thai films we have ever seen.

First-time feature film director Chayanop Boonprakob is also the co-writer of the film, and he brings ‘oomph’ to what could otherwise have been a standard teenage drama about friendship, falling in love and getting the girl. Koong (Patchara Jirathiwat) and Ped (Jirayu La-ongmanee) are the two protagonists- the former confident and ostentatious, and the latter shy and reserved. But despite the differences in personality, Koong and Ped have been childhood friends and it is Ped whom Koong turns to one day to start a rock band and compete in the Hotwave Music Awards for high-school bands across the country.

His motivation is less than noble- Koong’s twin-brother Kay is a talented guitarist in a rock band called The Arena and the object of affection of many high-school girls, so Koong decides to follow in Kay’s footsteps partly to upstage him and partly to attract girls. The one they attract is their primary-school classmate- a sweet, charming girl called Earn (Natcha Nualjam)- whom Ped has had a crush on since they were young.

In fact, Boonprakob begins the film from their early childhood years when Earn lends the musically clueless Ped a cassette tape after their music class- a Loso song if you must know- that marks the start of Ped’s feelings for Earn. Nonetheless, the older Ped is equally timid to admit his feelings to either Koong or Earn, and even more so when Koong declares that he likes Earn. And like any such teenage rom-coms, you can probably guess that Ped and Koong’s affections for the same girl will turn their bond of friendship sour.

Still, Boonprakob and his four other writers boldly take liberties with formula by getting Koong to pluck up his courage to tell Earn his feelings halfway through the movie, such that Earn will leave their band even before they start competing to join The Arena. Just as well, Boonprakob doesn’t miraculously turn Ped, Koong and their drummer Ex (Thawat Pornrattanaprasert)’s band into some kick-ass team by the end of the movie- rather, the trio pretty much remain true to the name of their band, which is coincidentally the title of their self-composed song too.

Sure the movie celebrates the underdog spirit, but kudos to the scriptwriters for keeping their film real and not resorting to a happily-ever-after ending in order for the band to go from zero to hero. Rather, the make-believe embellishments come in the form of music-video interludes featuring popular Thai rockstars- Pu Blackhead, Big Ass, Paradox, So Cool and Bodyslam. Some of these references will likely be lost on a non-local audience, but these vignettes are nonetheless colourful and entertaining.

A lot of the movie’s raw charm also rests on the chemistry of the young cast. Jirathiwat does go over-the-top quite often, but he nails most of the funny lines and the setups well. La-ongmanee gives a pleasantly sensitive performance as Ped, especially in portraying his character’s suppressed affections for Earn. But the scene-stealer here is newcomer Nualjam- the daughter of veteran Thai blues axeman Laem Morrison has a natural unaffected charm and awesome musical talent on the guitar.

Contrary to what its premise may suggest, this is more than just a teenage drama for the high-school crowd. Indeed, it celebrates the best and the worst of adolescent years- standing out, fitting in, falling in love, and most of all, holding on to our dearest friendships- with such exuberance and empathy that you can’t quite help but be moved and stirred by it. Add to that some infectious rock tunes, and this is one high-spirited celebration of being the best you can be- even if you may suck!

Movie Rating:

(With plenty of spunk, loads of verve and an infectious and irresistible spirit, this is one of the liveliest and most exuberant films this year!)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Global Smurfs Day 25 June 2011

Posted on 22 Jun 2011

In Singapore, we are celebrating this day at all Cathay Cineplexes, offering Smurfs popcorn combo sets at S$9.00 each. Each set comes with a pack of blue popcorn, a blue drink (see attached) and an exclusive Smurf premium. While stocks last! For more information about Global Smurfs Day, please visit http://www.GlobalSmurfsDay.com. Photos from various Global Smurfs Day events around the wor ...

KUNG FU PANDA 2 Triumphs as THE Best-Selling Film of 2011 In Singapore

Posted on 22 Jun 2011

Everyone's favourite panda conquers as KUNG FU PANDA 2 triumphs as the best-selling film of 2011 in Singapore to date and becomes the second top grossing film of all time in Singapore, with a box office record of $8.7 million and still counting. In a mere 27 days, the highly anticipated sequel has achieved two significant milestones in Singapore by being the first animation ever to c ...

Genre: Comedy
Director: Paul Feig
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Chris O’Dowd, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Melissa McCarthy, Matt Lucas, Jill Clayburgh, Rebel Wilson, Terry Crews, Michael Hitchcock
RunTime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene and Coarse Language)
Official Website: http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/

Opening Day: 21 July 2011

Synopsis: This spring, Universal Pictures and producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) invite you to experience Bridesmaids. Kristen Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Annie’s life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian’s maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she’ll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you’ll go for someone you love.

Movie Review:

A little more than five years ago, Judd Apatow reinvented the comedy wheel in Hollywood with the genre-changing ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’, and with his subsequent comedies introduced the ‘bromance’ that would soon become the template for some of the most successful comedies in recent time (like ‘The Hangover’). But even if the male gender has always been typically associated with raunch, there’s no reason why the opposite sex can’t have the same naughty fun too.

So Apatow has this summer led the charge by producing what is certain to be the start of a new wave of comedies in Hollywood- the raunch-com but with females- and judging by the results of this fresh, funny and heart-warming movie, it’s a winning formula. Indeed, if you think that this is some brainless chick flick, you’re sorely mistaken- after all, which chick flick opens with its female lead having sex in six different positions with a guy and getting all exhausted later?

But the sheer audacity of this opening scene is thanks to the fearlessness of ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum Kristen Wiig, whose penchant for broad comedy works beautifully here in the role of Annie, a single unhappy woman from Milwaukee who becomes increasingly unhinged after learning that her lifelong best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) has just been engaged. Unfortunately for Annie, she’s stuck in a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship with her narcissistic f**k-buddy Ted (a suitable slimy sleazy Jon Hamm from TV’s ‘Mad Men’).

Not only does she have to contend with her own envy and self-loathing, Annie also has to compete for attention with her fellow overachieving bridesmaid- the rich, thin, egotistical sister of the groom Helen (Rose Bryne). The rest of the ensemble- Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Becca (Ellie Kemper) and the hilariously uncouth Megan (Melissa McCarthy)- are just caught in the crossfire. It’s a cat fight all right- beginning with a toast to the bride at the engagement party that sees both Annie and Helen trying to one-up the other at having the last word and culminating in Lillian’s bridal shower party.

In between, the gags come fast, furious and dirty- and yes, we mean the last literally since there is a particularly appalling post-meal sequence that sees some major bodily discharge both in a boutique bathroom as well as in the middle of a busy road. This and another ribald sequence set atop a plane 30,000 feet in the air with an inebriated Annie is classic Apatow humour, so yes those of you who are worried that Apatow might have lost his mojo with the genre switch can rest easy.

But more than simply proof that the ladies can do gross humour just as well as the lads, Wiig and her co-screenwriter Annie Mumolo weave some genuine emotion into the story. Annie wants the same life her best friend Lillian has- but when that seems out of reach, and even her coveted relationship with Lillian is now threatened by Helen, it’s not hard to see why she fights so studiously to cling on to that position. The talented Wiig plays Annie with a surprisingly amount of depth, and the right mix of zest and vulnerability to let her audience empathise with her character’s predicament.

Wiig is also served perfectly by first-time director Paul Feig, who exhibits great comedic sense no doubt honed from his work on Apatow’s TV shows ‘Freaks and Geeks’. Dare we say too that Feig may be a better director than Apatow in his ability to ensure that scenes do not last past their welcome, or for that matter past their punchlines. And of course, compliments to Feig for possessing admirable empathy and sensitivity for each one of his female characters, so much so that even Helen doesn’t come across as someone to be despised.

With unexpected warmth, ‘Bridesmaids’ proves to be more than just the opposite gender’s answer to ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’, ‘Knocked Up’ and ‘The Hangover’. It has plenty of heart at the sweet centre of an otherwise bawdy movie, the honesty about female friendships and insecurities insightful and refreshing. But guys, don’t let that turn you away- there’s loads of R-rated humour to be had here, and for once, this may be the rare raunch-com that you’ll enjoy as much as your date.

Movie Rating:

(The female answer to the male-dominated raunch-com, ‘Bridesmaids’ is fresh, funny and genuinely heart-warming)

Review by Gabriel Chong