Genre: Drama
Director: John Wells
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Omar Sy, Daniel Bruhl, Matthew Rhys, Uma Thurman, Emma Thompson, Alicia Vikander, Lily James
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 29 October 2015
Synopsis: Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) had it all—and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, the former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, he’ll need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller). Burnt is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, the love between two people, and the power of second chances.
Movie Review:
Philadelphiaborn Bradley Cooper has come a long way since his big break in 2009. The 40 year old actor has since gone on to receive consecutive Oscar nominations with Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013) and American Sniper (2014). This is on top of other acclaimed performances in dramas like Limitless (2011), The Words (2012) and The Place Beyond the Pines (2013).
This is quite a feat for a dude we knew who had a serious Hangover with his bros Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms.
That is probably why Cooper is the highlight of this food movie directed by John Wells (August: OsageCounty, The Company Men). You see, there are only so many surprises you can get from a film featuring mouthwatering scenes of delectable cuisines being prepared on screen. Think No Reservations (2007), Julie & Julia (2009) and The Hundred Foot Journey (2014) – while you can rave about the performances of the actors, the plot is always somewhat predictably feel good.
Hence, besides the delightful sequences of chefs cooking in kitchens, it is up to Cooper to keep your eyes glued to the screen with his portrayal of an up and coming chef who destroyed the earlier part of his career by indulging in drug use and womanising ways. His diva and erratic behaviour doesn’t help either (if you think the Gordon Ramsay you see on TV is anything but the truth, you may want to know that this reviewer experienced first hand how a celebrity chef harshly told off a junior chef in front of a filming crew), but he decides to clean up his ways and returns to London hoping to redeem himself by opening a new restaurant that will gain three Michelin stars.
You know how the 101 minute movie will end, but you stay seated throughout because you may never have the chance to savour dishes prepared by a celebrity chef in a Michelin star restaurant. While fine dining is not everyone’s cup of tea, this movie sure does a fine job of capturing the moments of how these menus are conceptualised and prepared, thanks to Adriano Goldman’s (Trash, The Company You Keep) cinematography.
Not much can be said about the movie’s characters from Steven Knight’s (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises) screenplay. Sienna Miller pairs up with Cooper again by playing a chef who eventually develops a romantic relationship with Cooper, Omar Sy and Matthew Rhys are one dimensional caricatures which do not have much room for development, while Uma Thurman and Emma Thompson’s roles as a food critic and therapies respectively feel like a waste of talents. It is Daniel Bruhl’s gay friend who has been nursing a long standing crush on Cooper that stands out, and even comes across as sweet when – spoiler alert – Cooper plants a kiss on Bruhl’s lips.
Otherwise, the film passes off as another food movie that serves up an average palette without engaging characters or a memorable story. While it does an okay job while you’re in the cinema, there isn’t much aftertaste after you leave the theatre. The ingredients just aren’t the best to make this movie a must watch.
Movie Rating:
(Bradley Cooper does a fine job showing off his acting chops, but it’s not enough to spice up this otherwise predictable food movie)
Review by John Li
Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Neel Sethi, Christopher Walken
Runtime: 105 minutes
Rating: PG (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 7 April 2016
Synopsis: Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self- discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire. The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong'o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world. The wild adventure swings into theaters in 3D on April 14, 2016.
Movie Review:
Disney movies have given us countless life lessons. The Lion King (1994) had us humming “Hakuna Matata”, reminding us to take on a problem free philosophy. Then Hercules (1997) told us how important it is to “Go The Distance”, and had us wondering whether we sound as good as Michael Bolton when we crooned the movie’s theme song. Not forgetting the gals, Mulan (1998) had us looking within as a form of “Reflection”. Before all these, Disney filmmakers already had things going with 1967’s The Jungle Book - advising us that all we need in life are “The Bare Necessities”.
And it is with great anticipation that we were looking forward to catching this reimagining of the animated film of the same name on the big screen. Of course, we also want to hear Bill Murray sing “Look for the bare necessities/ The simple bare necessities/ Forget about your worries and your strife” and be inspired that there is more than life than numbers and achievements.
If you don't already know, the story is based on Rudyard Kiplin’s eponymous collective works and involves talking animals surrounding Mowgli, a human boy raised by wolves ever since he was brought to them by Bagheera, a black panther. There is a fearsome tiger Shere Khan, who wants Mowgli’s life; there is a laid back bear Baloo, who is a mentor figure of sorts; there is a python Kaa, who wants to use her hypnotic powers to squeeze the life out of Mowgli; and there is an orangutan King Louie, who want Mowgli to teach him how to make the deadly “red flower”.
Just like the “red flower” is a mysteriously scary element for those who are strangers to the destruction powers of fire, technology is one such element in this day and age too. Throughout the 105 minute movie, you’d be constantly be in awe of how life like the animals are, fully knowing that they are just products of technology. We have come to a stage where the latest advancements in photorealistic rendering, computer generated imagery and motion capture technologies can transport viewers into a world that’s completely created by computer and machines.
If you think about it, Neel Sethi, who was chosen to play Mowgli after an extensive casting exercise, was practically acting opposite nothing “real” in this movie. So kudos to the 12 year old for making viewers believe he was emotionally engaging with his animal friends on screen.
Murray is perfectly cast as Baloo as well - you have to admit he does sound like a bear with his raspy and relaxed tone. Ben Kingsley voices Bagheera with his stately and no nonsense British stature, while Idris Elba is threateningly fearsome as Shere Khan. The star studded voice cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o who breathes life into Mowgli’s wolf mother Raksha, Scarlett Johansson who puts her seductive voice to good use to play Kaa and Christopher Walken who is a hoot with his portrayal of King Louie (the “I Wanna Be Like You” segment is the the highlight of the movie, in our opinion). Supporting characters are voiced by Giancarlo Esposito, Garry Shandling, Sam Raimi, Russell Peters and the director himself Jon Favreau.
Favreau has scored a hit with this one, and we are pretty sure this movie will go down movie history as a technology feat which also manages to inspire us with lessons of only seeking the bare necessities in life.
Movie Rating:
(Venture into the jungle with this visually stunning adventure that also reminds you that all you need are the bare necessities in life)
Review by John Li
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Celebrate this holiday season with SNOOPY & CHARLIE BROWN: THE PEANUTS MOVIE + great holiday gift ideas!Posted on 18 Nov 2015 |
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Uli Edel
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Alex Mallari Jr, Lyriq Bent, Elizabeth Jeanne le Roux, Jack Fulton
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: PG13 (Horror And Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 8 October 2015
Synopsis: Haunted by eerie images and unexplainable messages, a man (Nicolas Cage) tries to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of his son during a Halloween parade.
Movie Review:
Anyone hoping to see a glimpse of the old Nicolas Cage will have to continue waiting, for ‘Pay the Ghost’ isn’t the comeback vehicle for the once-promising actor who has spent far too long languishing in lousy B-grade movies of late. Playing a college professor who is haunted by the disappearance of his young son while out on a street carnival on Halloween night, Cage pretty much sleepwalks through a role that doesn’t demand much in the first place, other than to look scared, confused and terrified at different junctures – and no, pairing him with ‘The Walking Dead’s’ Sarah Wayne Callies doesn’t help make his Mike Lawford any more interesting.
We pity Cage, who is shortchanged at the get-go by a filament-thin script from Dan Kay. Notwithstanding the intriguing titular phrase, the Celtic legend to which it all leads to is entirely familiar territory, revolving as it does around a 17th century witch who was burnt alive at the stake by a mob after losing her children to a fire. As much as this folk tale has its roots in British author Tim Lebbon's short story ‘October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween’ which serves as the basis of the movie, Kay hardly explores the Celtic origin of the occasion in much depth, preferring instead to have Cage run around Lower Manhattan conducting his own investigation into two other kids who disappeared under similar circumstances on that very same night.
Just why the said witch can only abduct kids from our realm on All Hallows’ Eve isn’t clear. Ditto why any chance of saving them apparently vanishes if they are not rescued on the very next Halloween night. Indeed, it all seems awfully convenient in order to set Cage up on a race against time to rescue his son Charlie (Jack Fulton) before the portal to her realm closes. But even if we are willing to accept such contrivances, there is little that is actually truly frightening to speak of. Veteran German helmer Uli Edel seems way out of his depth here, resorting to repeated shots of a swooping vulture, disturbing graffiti and a hooded figure to generate an atmosphere of dread – but ultimately falls back to the cheapest trick in the horror playbook, i.e. ‘jump’ scares, to get a reaction from his audience.
Newcomers to the genre might be sufficiently jolted from time to time, but seasoned fans will find it hard-pressed to identify what hasn’t been done before – and done better – in countless other movies. Perhaps the only draw here is Cage himself, who has gone from Oscar nominee in ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ to Hollywood blockbusters like ‘National Treasure’ and ‘Con Air’ to dreck like ‘Season of the Witch’ and ‘Outcast’ in recent years – if anything, the seasoned performer is still engaging to watch as the desperate dad with a perpetual furrow on his brow. We’re not quite sure what ‘pay the ghost’ means even at the end of the film, but were we to hazard a guess, we’d say it’s a metaphor for us paying to see the actor as a ghost of his former illuminous self.
Movie Rating:
(As second or even third-rate as such horror thrillers get, this Halloween missing-child mystery by way of a Celtic folk tale is good only if you’re curious what Nic Cage is up to these days)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: Frankie Chen
Cast: Vivian Sung, Darren Wang, Dino Lee, Dewi Chien
Runtime: 2 hrs 14 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website:
Opening Day: 22 October 2015
Synopsis: We all had to live through and rise above the awkward years in high school, and regardless how long it may have been a distant past you wish to forget, there's always a beautiful memory somewhere waiting to be awakened. A joyful moment that truly belongs to you. An ordinary high school girl Lin Truly (played by Vivian Sung) pines over the most popular guy in school Ouyang Extraordinary (played by Dino Lee). The school's troublemaker Hsu Taiyu (played by Ta Lu Wang) falls for the prettiest girl in school Tao Minmin (played by Dewi Chien). Together, Truly and Taiyu, work through misadventures to help each other win their dream dates. Through this youthful rite of passage, their friendship evolves and they learn a thing or two about true love.
Movie Review:
The success of Giddens Ko’s You Are The Apple of My Eye has made it the yardstick used to measure how good or successful all other Taiwanese romantic comedies are, and Our Times is no exception. So for starters, if you would like to know how does it compare, we would say that while the two films are different, that does not make Our Times any less enjoyable.
The film’s storyline took inspiration from the typical Taiwanese idol drama, whereby the main male and female leads started off as loggerheads, banded together to chase whoever else they had a crush on, and inevitably fell in love with each other. As if this was not enough, the film also uses way too many tropes that were, to be honest, mostly cringe-worthy. Case in point: wishing upon shooting stars, motorcycle rides and standing up against the school authority (the protagonists were high school students). Yep, cringing already.
The challenge then, was to make the tried and tested attractive to audiences, and who better to challenge this than veteran Taiwanese idol drama producer and director Frankie Chen in her big-screen debut. Chen is familiar with the audiences’ expectations, and delivered it well through the focus on the main leads’ increasingly ambiguous relationship, and the youthful idealism that one can revolutionise the school system while making rebels turn over a new leaf. Although there was no major plot twist that had not been used in past idol dramas, the film will probably tick enough of the target audience’s boxes to keep them happy.
While Chen’s strength lies in her wealth of experience working with television dramas, it was also her weakness. Running for more than two hours, the film felt draggy and repetitive at times, with seemingly random events happening without an explanation. In retrospect, the transitions between different characters and events also gave it an episodic feel, which was distracting. Thankfully, the film does enough to make it enjoyable despite the lack of coherence.
Similar to idol dramas, the performance of the main leads could probably make or break the film, and it felt like the former in this case. Lin Zhenxin, played by Vivian Sung (previously from Café. Waiting. Love.) was the ugly duckling protagonist, who had a crush on the school prince, Ouyang Feifan (Dino Lee). On the other hand, Zhenxin’s neighbor, the literal girl next door and school belle, Tao Minmin (Dewi Chien), attracted the attention of the school rebel, Hsu Taiyu (Darren Wang). Lin and Hsu later got drawn together via the dreaded chain mail and decided to collaborate to break up Ouyang and Tao.
To be honest, the characters’ remained one-dimensional throughout the movie, fitting into their stereotypes so much that not even a tragic backstory could save them. On the other hand, the lack of character development might have benefitted the new actors Dino Lee and Dewi Chien, whose acting abilities were much to be desired. Sung and Wang fared better, with Sung’s comedic timing and prior experience as a female lead from Café. Waiting. Love. shining through.
Back to what the film did well: the depiction of how it was like to be a student in the 1990s. In addition to the vintage setup, the film relied on the audience’s memories of the music in the 1990s – the era of Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok, Little Tiger Squad and the Grasshoppers, and was peppered with songs from that era, making it a major #throwbackthursday. The depiction of a more innocent time – high school (or perhaps just pre-university in general) – was also a winner, with a good portion of the predominantly female audience being able to relate to something or another.
The film has grossed over NT$4 billion in the Taiwan box office, and propelled the two main leads, in particular Wang, to mainstream fame. While the actors and actresses probably contributed to the film’s success, a bigger reason could be how relatable and enjoyable the film is, if you went to school in the 1990s. Hence, when looking for movie kakis, we recommend to watch the film with classmates with whom you who went to school with during that era, so that you can squeal together over the many flail-able moments.
Movie Rating:
(Ignore the tropes, don't think, and just soak in the feel-good nostalgia)
Review by Goh Yan Hui
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LOST IN HONG KONG surpasses box office expectations in SingaporePosted on 12 Oct 2015 |
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Alan Tudyk, Shakira, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Katie Lowes, Jesse Corti, John DiMaggio, Tommy Chong
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 25 February 2016
Synopsis: The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together— a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.
Movie Review:
Zootopia is the latest Disney animated flick to be released this year. Byron Howard, who previously directed Tangled and Rich Moore, who previously directed Wreck-It Ralph are at helm this time around. With such experience in the animation department, Howard and Moore manages to live up to their pristine track record with Zootopia.
In Zootopia, an unusual partnership occurs. A sly fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) who is a small time criminal in Zootopia pairs up with Zootopia's only Rabbit cop, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin). In this city of anthropomorphic animals, they must unwillingly work together when both become targets of a conspiracy. Their partnership shows that even natural enemies can become best friends.
Zootopia is a movie that takes place in an anthromorphic world without humans. It is definitely not an original concept as seen from previous Disney and Pixar films such as The Lion King and Dinosaur. In addition, this concept is used numerous times by other non-Disney/Pixar franchises, like Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda. Zootopia is also released in a year crammed with animated films, especially those that features a world run by animals. However, despite the aforementioned, it is safe to say that Zootopia sets itself apart from and the bar high for the upcoming animated releases this year.
Differing from other anthromorphic films, Zootopia begins by explaining to us how these animals evolve from their primitive state and live in harmony. This is a core theme in the film, showing us that even prey and predator have evolved to live together. Judy Hopps, despite everyone discouraging her, manages to become the first bunny cop. She then travels to Zootopia to begin her journey as a cop. Audiences witness the elaborate metropolistic world of ‘Zootopia’ within her eyes. From the initial train sequence, viewers are being sucked into a world of awe and amazement. Breathtaking visuals with tons of details splattered all over the screen, is a typical trope for most Disney films. That whole sequence is worth the price of admission alone. The different parts of the city, how the animals live together despite physical differences, all of it is a feast for the eyes and it’s perfectly rendered. Major props should be given to Howard and Moore for managing to still surprise us despite it being an anthromorphic world.
Furthermore, this animated metropolis features some familiarity from the latest few Disney films. It seems like Disney created a world in their films to build more theme parks, as evident previously in Inside Out. This is not a criticism as these films allow the viewers to feel like they are in the world and having the same, if not more, amount of fun than being in a theme park. The spectacle of Zootopia also feels similar to last year’s Tomorrowland. The difference here is the execution. Both movies featured a theme of following one’s dreams but Zootopia does not beat audiences over the head with it.
Speaking of audience, this film although made for kids, do cater for adults too. The jokes here do not come of as dumb or cringe worthy at any particular point of the movie. They were also consistent, leaving audiences laughing form the start to the end. This is what is expected of the Mouse-House. As usual, there are tons of Easter eggs to previous animated films. Even though there were numerous blink it and you will miss it moments, one scene in particular explicitly shows a major Easter egg that features majority of Disney’s latest films. Moreover, adult humor is added inside the mix, with one notable one referencing, Breaking Bad a popular adult TV series. Another, referencing the classical gangster film The Godfather.
There are even other more mature themes scattered throughout the film. One being racism. Zootopia manages to infuse such a real world issue into the film subtlety without offending anyone. This is evident in the scene whereby Judy scolds Nick for calling her “cute” and says it’s fine when a bunny calls another “cute” but when other animals call them “cute”, it’s not Ok. There are also other themes such as gender discrimination, social class discrimination and the influence of pop culture featured in the film. This may put off certain people affected by such real world issues. The Zootopia screenplay which the directors share credit with Phil Johnston and co-helmer Jared Bush, deserves praise for not only it witt but also it bravery for infusing such topics.
There is also classical noir tone to the film due to its mystery elements. But it is a little tonally awkward at times when the noir tone shifts into ‘buddy cop’ tone. However, due to the fast pace of the film, these shifts in tone are not noticeable. The animation style of the film is nothing we have not seen before; Disney could have done something innovative and different. Still, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, it was a safe move and one that does works for the plot of the film. This animation style does widely appeal to kids, as “Aww”s can be heard when cute characters pop up on screen while adults are kept engaged.
Zootopia is essentially an underdog story, with Judy doing her best as a cop, despite everyone doubting her. An as usual for all underdog stories, the ending is packaged up neatly and tied together with a ribbon. Likewise, for Zootopia. A darker ending would have suited the noir tones and could have change the game for Disney but it is understandable why they decided to play it safe. Furthermore, this is a kids movie, a downer ending would have puzzled them or left them in tears. Zootopia also choses to end it with a musical act, whereby the movie’s biggest recording star Gazelle (Shakira) performs a dance song, “Try Everything.” This may be hard to watch for certain members of the audience and the song really sticks in your head for quite some time, but who would argue against a glorified cameo by Shakira.
The voice work in this film is really well done. This is especially so for the two leads voiced by Bateman and Goodwin. They manage to solidify the chemistry between Judy and Nick and make them really likable character. Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons and Jenny Slate also did a fine job voicing the supporting chracters. This ensemble of talents manages to bring these non-existent creatures to life and give the film its heart and soul.
Overall, Zootopia is a fun and relatable film for everyone. It is a film that will make one want to live one’s dreams and live life to the fullest. Although not an instant classic in the Disney and Pixar track record, it will be a film that will be revisited from time to time again. Despite being at 108 minutes, the longest movie by the Walt Disney Animation Studios, audiences are left wanting more from this world and eagerly await the sequel and return to this animal metropolis. It is my pleasure to say that the Mouse-House has succeeded once again!
Movie Rating:
(This anthromorphic adventure has everything a Disney film offers, a wave of heartfelt emotions, a strong message and a consistently fun ride for all to enjoy)
Review by Celestine Pang
SYNOPSIS: An uptight and by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) tries to protect the sexy and outgoing widow (Sofia Vergara) of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Inbetween her Oscar worthy roles in Walk the Line and Wild lies some forgettable, embarrassing performances liked Four Christmases and This Means War. And now you can proudly add in Hot Pursuit.
As to why there is Hot Pursuit, you must first understand where Reese Witherspoon is coming from. She wanted to push for more female driven material in an industry where the males dominate and the movie is produced under her outfit, Pacific Standard, a very alpha malecentric name I must add.
And because of this noble reason, viewers have to endure 87 minutes of Witherspoon and the sexy Colombian actress Sofia Vergara (Modern Family, Chef) in a very grating comedy where everyone from the police to the mafia, pursues their characters.
Witherspoon stars as an uptight cop, Cooper who is being assigned to protect a federal witness, Daniella Riva (Vergara), the widow of a drug boss. And because it’s set out to be a female road trip comedy with action, the duo spends the entire running time screaming at each other with Vergara in rapid-fire Spanish mode, a nonsensical car chase in the middle and a subplot about corrupt cops.
The Heat is very much an odd-couple, lowbrow comedy which works pretty well. Hot Pursuit attempts to imitate the formula but fails miserably. There’s a constant running gag about Riva’s age that plays well initially but kind of get stale by the third one. And every sight gag seems to point back to Vergara’s boobs and body. Witherspoon’s Cooper character is actually more annoying than funny and to make things worse, jokes about her height just keep on coming. Come on, Witherspoon and Vergara can do better than this complete hot mess.
I guess director Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) and writers David Feeney and John Quaintance ought to shoulder the blame at the end. Honestly, there’s only so much the actors can do on screen. All those shrill cries and scream simply can’t cover an incompetent script.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Womance is a fluffy 3 minutes feature that showcased how much fun the cast and crew is having.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Hot Pursuit looks decent on DVD nothing particularly impressive or bugging about the visuals. Aside from a few scenes which feature loud gunshots and directional sound effects, the audio quality is good enough for an 87 minutes of shrill and scream.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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THE MONKEY KING 3 hits theatres CNY 2018Posted on 19 Apr 2017 |
Genre: Drama
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper, Paddy Considine, Tyson Ritter, Mem Ferda
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 5 November 2015
Synopsis: From director Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen), starring Drew Barrymore (Never Been Kissed, Charlie’s Angels, The Wedding Singer) and Toni Collette (Muriel’s Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine, About A Boy) comes an honest and powerful story following two best friends through the highs and lows of life. They say opposites attract. Milly (Toni Collette) is the woman who has everything: a successful career, a devoted husband, and two gorgeous kids. Her best friend is Jess (Drew Barrymore): Jess works in a community garden, lives in a boathouse with her boyfriend Jago, and desperately wants a baby. Friends since childhood, Jess and Milly can’t remember a time they didn’t share everything - secrets, clothes, even boyfriends; their differences are the glue that binds them together. That is until Milly is hit with the life changing news that she has breast cancer and needs Jess’s support more than ever. As Jess tries to balance her own life with being there for Milly it is only a matter of time before the pressure on their friendship becomes intolerable. A powerful story for every modern woman, MISS YOU ALREADY charts the obstacles life throws in our path and celebrates the bond of true friendship that ultimately cannot be broken, even in life’s toughest moments.
Movie Review:
This reviewer is trying to figure out why his tear ducts weren’t flowing after watching Catherine Hardwicke’s latest film starring Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore. The 113 minute movie tells the story of two lifelong girlfriends as they experience the highs and lows of each other’s lives. Inseparable since they were young girls, their friendship is strong. Things change when one falls terminally ill.
Yup, you can already imagine how the ending will leave the more vulnerable viewer sniffing in tears.
Let’s see. A film with a storyline like that is best defined as a chick flick. Such movies are often heavy with emotion and contain themes which are relationship based. More importantly, as the slang term suggests, it is primarily directed toward the female gender. There you have it, the first reason why this male writer wasn’t crying buckets of tears after the movie.
Hardwicke, a Texasborn filmmaker is best known for her directing work on Twilight (2008). The opening weekend of the vampire film was the biggest opening ever for a female director. If you don’t already know, the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novel was an international commercial success. It didn’t impress this columnist though – Bella’s dreary character wasn’t more appealing than the pale faced Edward Cullen. This probably is another justification why this reviewer wasn’t moved by Hardwicke’s latest directorial work.
There may be nothing severely out of place in this movie, because it does feature a solid script chronicling the two ladies’ lives, how one unconventionally marries a rock star and starts a family before being diagnosed with breast cancer, while the other tries her best to form a family and eventually has the opportunity to do so – just when she realises her best friend needs her emotionally.
The decision to cast Collette (Enough Said, The Way Way Back) is a perfect one. The Academy Award nominated Australian actress never disappoints, and she effortlessly plays this otherwise predictable character with powerful emotions. Collette makes audiences stay engaged with how her character is the more colourful one of the duo, how she fights to be a survivor, and how she eventually caves in to her illness.
Barrymore (Belnded, Big Miracle) is likeable as usual, and she is the sort of friend you want at your side when your life is in the dumps. Dominic Cooper (Dracula Untold, Need for Speed) and the ever reliable Paddy Considine (The World’s End, Hot Fuzz) play the protagonists’ male counterparts, and deliver commendable performances as well.
This is obviously a film made by a woman about women for women, and while it may speak to the more emotional demographic, you have to admit it’s a conventional tearjerker involving a cancer stricken main character who will, well, eventually succumb to the unkind harsh reality of life. What’s there to celebrate about life then? As this film would tell you, friends and family. Call this writer a Scrooge, but messages like that, while wholesomely positive, does not seem to work on him (blame the gender if you will). What’s worth commenting is then the noteworthy performances from the cast Hardwicke had the fortune of working with.
Movie Rating:
![](\"http://www.moviexclusive.com/image/mx%20star.gif\")
(A conventional tearjerker that features noteworthy performances from the cast, especially from the ever reliable Toni Collette)
Review by John Li
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