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LEGENDARY AND WARNER BROS. PICTURES ANNOUNCE CINEMATIC FRANCHISE UNITING GODZILLA, KING KONG AND OTHER ICONIC GIANT MONSTERSPosted on 15 Oct 2015 |
Genre: Drama/Music
Director: John Swetnam
Cast: Julie Warner, Jordan Rodrigues, Carlito Olivero, Jay Ellis, Robert Roldan, Marissa Heart, Taeko McCarroll, McCarrie McCausland, Lindsey Stirling
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://www.xlratormedia.com/film/breaking-through
Opening Day: 29 October 2015
Synopsis: BREAKING THROUGH is a coming-of-age dance drama for the YouTube generation. Story revolves around Casey Wright, a young dancer who is discovered on YouTube by an up-and-coming talent scout. When Casey gets thrust into the modern world of internet celebrity and culture, she must find a way to balance her true identity with her online persona, or risk losing herself and everything she cares about. From the writer of STEP UP: ALL IN and nine-time Grammy Award winner John Legend, comes a groundbreaking film that bridges the gap between film, music, dance and the internet.
Movie Review:
Breaking free from the aegis of the ‘Step Up’ franchise, the writer of its last (and purportedly final) instalment makes his directorial debut with this in-spirit follow-up set against the world of social media celebrity. Written and directed by John Swetnam, ‘Breaking Through’ – despite an executive producer credit to John Legend – feels like yet another ‘Step Up’ chapter and we mean that for better as well as for worse.
Indeed, the ‘Step Up’ films were never meant to be more than fast food for the MTV generation, each one a collection of awesome dance sequences built around a generic coming-of-age story for its myriad characters. Though the first movie that also launched the career of a certain Channing Tatum was arguably more entertaining than we expected it to be, the other four sequels that came after it were as derivative as it gets, which probably explained why their box-office numbers went down, down, down and down.
In attempting to launch his own dance movie, Swetnam doesn’t so much as reinvent the genres as recycle its worst clichés – and you can guess as much when his lead character, an aspiring female dancer named Casey (Sophie Aguiar), says in the first few minutes, “All I’ve ever wanted to do is dance.” Unfortunately for her, the videos that she and the rest of her dance crew/friends JJ (Jordan Rodrigues), Drew (Robert Roldan), Tara (Marissa Heart), and Michelle (Taeko McCarroll), have been uploading on Youtube have only managed tens of views, their one ardent supporter someone who goes by the moniker ‘BigMack’.
So when a talent manager Quinn (Jay Ellis) comes knocking, Casey and the Sunshine Band (oops, my bad) and her buddies are immediately enthused, though it soon becomes clear that Quinn only has intentions to represent Casey. Fame gets to her head, she neglects her friends, some bad things happen, she realises that she has lost her own groove, and finally decides to choose friends and family above all else. Sounds familiar? Yup, and how about a budding romance between Casey and JJ to go along, one that becomes strained as sparks start to fly between Casey and Quinn.
Swetnam takes his performers through a couple of extended (mostly outdoor) sequences, including one in a public park and another in the 2nd Street tunnel in downtown Los Angeles, but these – choreographed by Ian Eastwood – somehow lack the inventiveness and flair of the best in any one of the ‘Step Up’ movies. That could in part be the fault of his cast who, besides Spears’ backup dancer Aguiar, just aren’t sharp enough or graceful enough to convince you of their talent; in fact, there is a distinct sense watching each one of the sequences that the cast could certainly do with some more practice, as well as the sense that Swetnam knew that too – which is why he resorts to some flashy edits just to cover up these flaws obvious even to a neophyte.
And if even these dance interludes fail to impress, there is really nothing else that ‘Breaking Through’ can offer. Even if we are willing to forgive the hackneyed plot or the cardboard characters, there is probably no excusing the lacklustre dancing on display, which probably removes any raison d'être for this movie to exist in the first place, let alone (ahem) break through. Yes, its message of following your dreams and not losing yourself in the process is a noble one, but there must be a more convincing – and a more entertaining way – of saying the same thing again.
Movie Rating:
(If even the dance sequences fail to impress, there is really nothing that this ‘Step Up’ retread offers)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: 22 years ago, John Hammond envisioned a theme park where guests could experience the thrill of witnessing actual dinosaurs. Today Jurassic World welcomes tens of thousands of visitors but something sinister lurks behind the park's attractions: a genetically modified dinosaur with savage capabilities. When chaos erupts across the island, Owen and Claire race to restore order as a day in the park becomes a struggle for survival.
MOVIE REVIEW:
What can we say about a movie that has earned over US$1.6 billion at the box office?
Dinosaurs-starved moviegoers and loyal Jurassic Park fans flocked to the theaters this summer to catch the fourth instalment in which dinosaurs ran amok in a Disneyland/Universal Studios liked theme park called Jurassic World.
Despite four credited writers and countless others who have contributed in one-way or other, the story is nothing groundbreaking in the end. In fact, Jurassic World seems to recycle heavily from the earlier three instalments instead of establishing a brand new adventure spectacle to awe the audiences.
A genetic modified dinosaur dubbed the Indominus Rex has escaped from its paddock. A raptor trainer, Owen (Chris Pratt) and the park’s operations manager, Claire not only has to find ways to contain the asset but also has to search for Claire’s missing nephews. This is basically the gist of the entire movie because all director Colin Trevorrow managed to do was linking up the various set pieces into an exciting, fast-paced flick about rampaging dinosaurs battling dumb humans. The simplicity of Jurassic World is glaring and even to the point of ridiculous. Raptors can be trained? Does it even make sense to let loose one dangerous species for them to track another?
Never mind it doesn’t sound logical, as you can always trust executive producer Steven Spielberg to be around to ensure it has enough dinosaur mayhem to go around. Trevorrow obviously has big shoes to fill and by that, Jurassic World sorely lacks a distinct memorable scene unlike the T-Rex attack scene in the original or the RV going over the hill scene in Lost World. Lacking Spielberg’s craftsmanship, Trevorrow apparently wasted his chance to showcase something unique for the pterosaurs attack scene for example.
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are charismatic together. The kids on the other hand are annoying. Vincent D’Onofrio, Omar Sy, B.D. Wong and Irrfan Khan are mostly relegated to the background except for a few miserable scenes. Only Jake Johnson’s role as a control room operator contributes a fair amount of wisecracking.
The story is set 22 years later and it took 14 years to develop this sequel. So much time is spent on this money-raking franchise for the record. Yes it still qualifies as a summer blockbuster if one of your requirements for a Jurassic Park instalment has CG dinosaurs chomping one another in the climax but because this is no ordinary franchise, we expect something more inspiring. At the very least, Trevorrow proves he is no Josh Trank. He is bound for a journey far far away.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
7 brief Deleted Scenes worth about 6 minutes are included here. Don’t miss a funny scene which has Owen and Claire covering themselves with dino poop.
Chris & Colin Take On the World is an 8 minutes interview segment between Chris and Colin. Nothing indepth pure fluffy stuff.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Spare no expense. The dinosaurs’ roar and stomp vigorously across the channels. The sound design as per any Jurassic Park sequel is thunderous and dynamic. Colours and details are brilliant though the opening CG shot of the park remains debatable on a large TV set. This is obviously due to the high standards of visual effects audiences are expecting nowadays. For a CG heavy flick liked Jurassic Word, this issue is unavoidable.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Deskbound CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is about to become the world’s newest — and unlikeliest — secret weapon. When her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, Susan volunteers to go deep undercover and bring down a deadly arms dealer. Loaded with wise-cracking humor, action and adventure, SPY is a mission impossible to resist!
MOVIE REVIEW:
Paul Feig has set out to make a funny version of Casino Royale. Not only has he managed to do so, Spy also happened to be the year’s funniest comedy and most importantly, marks star Melissa McCarthy’s best effort since her breakout role in Bridesmaids.
Feig wrote and direct this comedic action spy flick which has McCarthy playing a deskbound CIA agent, Susan Cooper. When her field partner (whom she has a crush on) Bradley Fine (Jude Law) is killed while tracking a missing nuke, Cooper volunteers to go on a seek-and-report mission in order to avenge Fine’s death.
Obviously a parody of the classic James Bond character, Feig makes great fun of everything associated with the English superspy from the theme song to deadly fights to crazy weaponries. While Rowan Atkinson has done his fair share of spy comedy with his Johnny English series, Spy elevate it to a much higher level. Partly, the main character has been changed to the bubbly Melissa McCarthy.
McCarthy is simply brilliant as Susan Cooper. Her comic timing is perfect and again she has no qualms making fun of her weight and average looks. Instead of making her do repetitive gags and rambling unfunny jokes like her character in Tammy and Identity Thief respectively, Feig wasted no time making her frequent collaborator work extra hard to milk the laughter. Every minute onscreen is pure comedy gold and this is obviously the right vehicle for McCarthy to get her career back on track.
It’s not just McCarthy who is funny in this outing. The unexpected tough guy Jason Statham turned up here as a foul-mouthed fellow agent, Rick Ford whose constant bragging always gets you in stitches. English actress Miranda Hart appears as Cooper’s colleague, Nancy another fumbling deskbound agent who has a soft spot for rapper 50 Cent. Not forgetting Allison Janney’s razor sharp appearance as Cooper’s boss. Rose Byrne, another Bridesmaids cast member turned up as the bitchy villain Rayna but liked Jude Law, Byrne is surpassed by the rest of the excellent cast.
Spy is an entertaining, often laugh-out-loud spy comedy. It has solid action sequences including a Jackie Chan inspired knife fight in a kitchen, explicit violence, a gross-out body part gag, a major twist in the end and I suspect a body bag full of unused comedy bits. Forget about Austin Powers and Johnny English, we have Susan Cooper onboard for more zany comedic adventures.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Only feature here is 6 minutes of Gag Reel.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
For an action comedy, the audio mix is surprisingly dynamic with plenty of gunfire and explosions to wake up the various channels. Visually, Spy is sharp and sleek with vibrant colors and detail.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Philip Yung
Cast: Aaron Kwok, Jessie Li, Elaine Jin, Michael Ning, Patrick Tam
Runtime: 1 hr 28 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes and Violence)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 14 January 2016
Synopsis: This is a story about three people, based on a true event – a murder and dismemberment that happened in Hong Kong. Jiamei Wang has moved to Hong Kong from Dongguan, China. Desperate to become financially independent from her mother and step-father, she ends up becoming a “compensated date”. Chi-chung Ting, a truck driver who had just been brutally dumped, finds Jiamei online. They communicate with each other via text message and become friends. They share their background stories, and talk about everything from love to hate, from life to death. On the day of the murder, Jiamei and Chi-chung finally meet in person. In the room, they play, indulge in ketamine and really enjoy themselves. During sex, Jiamei tells Chi-chung she wants to die. Chi-chung squeezes her neck until she passes away. Chong Sir (Aaron Kwok) is a quirky police officer who investigates the case…..
Movie Review:
‘Port of Call’ belongs to that rare breed of Hong Kong film that strives to be social commentary. Indeed, that shouldn’t come as something surprising for those who have seen writer/ director Philip Yung’s previous two works, ‘Glamourous Youth’ and ‘May We Chat’, both of which similarly dealt with socially relevant themes of youth disaffection and other generational anxieties but are nowhere as compelling or accomplished as his latest. Here, Yung dramatically raises the stakes by basing his story on a gruesome, real-life murder case which shocked the nation back in 2008, so like its real-life inspiration, ‘Port’ revolves around the murder of a young girl that draws three distinct individuals together.
On the first hand is 16-year-old Wang Jiamei (Jessie Li), who moves to Hong Kong in 2009 to live with her mother, stepfather and older biological sister. Over the course of a fractured narrative divided into three chapters, we will come to learn of Jiamei’s ambitions to be a model that led to her auditioning for a dodgy talent company which uses her not as a photo-model but as talent scout, and how that eventually leads her to become a ‘paid escort’ so she doesn’t have to ask her mother for money for material stuff she wants to buy. In particular, her life of prostitution leads her to fall in love with a bookish but nonetheless handsome-looking twenty-something who promptly throws her under the bus when he is confronted by his girlfriend, leaving her emotionally devastated and emptier than ever before.
The next character we are asked to pay attention to is Ting Tsz-chung (stage actor Michael Ning in his bigscreen debut), a stocky short-fused meat deliveryman who also happens to be a triad member. Very early on, the tenement house where Ting lives is the site of a grisly murder where the victim was dismembered and subsequently disposed of in various locations all over town, and Ting turns himself in shortly after to confess his role in killing Jiamei after a drug-addled night of paid sex where Jiamei asks Ting to murder her. The whodunit isn’t what Yung is after here; rather, the second chapter entitled ‘A Lonely Person’ in particular tells of how Ting was unceremoniously dumped not long before he meets Jiamei by a girl whom he had a sweet and soft spot for.
Finally, there is Chong-sir (Aaron Kwok), a Regional Crimes Bureau detective assigned to Jiamei’s case with his partner Smoky (Patrick Tam). Like Kwok’s recent ‘detective’ roles, this one comes with its own quirks – not only is his physical appearance, complete with an unflattering crop of graying hair, rumpled clothes and ill-fitting glasses, slightly disorientating to say the least, Chong-sir loves to take his own picture using a Polaroid camera at murder scenes and the homes of other people he interviews as part of the investigation. As much as Jiamei’s is an open-and-shut case, Chong-sir is intrigued by just how a young girl like Jiamei would end up in such a predicament, that curiosity driven in part by his own role as a father.
Like we said earlier, Yung chooses to tell his tale by moving back and forth in time, and that choice of narrative structure does take some time to get used to, to say the very least. As its title suggests, the first chapter ‘Seeking Mei’ is probably the most disjointed, comprised of scenes that do not intuitively gel with each other; the middle chapter gets slightly more coherent, in part because it is also where the past and present timelines meet and things happen in a more linear fashion. But altogether, the film demands a fair bit of patience and focus on the part of its viewer to keep seemingly disparate events in mind with the promise that it will all start to make sense towards the end.
Amidst the somewhat uneven and inconsistent pacing however is an absolutely consistent sense of ennui, sadness and even anguish. Jiamei, Ting and Chong-sir are all lonely individuals in their own way – one who finds her hopes of companionship dashed by a ‘bastard’, one who finds his feelings unreciprocated, and one who has become estranged from his wife (now ex-wife) and daughter over the years because of his work. The world they inhabit is similarly bleak, captured by cinematographer Christopher Doyle in all its harsh beauty whether the gritty alleys or cramped working-class apartments where isolated souls are faced with their own misery.
Especially defined with acute poignancy is Jiamei’s growing disillusion with life, meant undoubtedly as a symbol of a whole segment of youth who are searching for purpose and fulfilment in their lives but who come out empty. Yung draws attention to their plight and that of teenage sex workers in uncompromising fashion, and those hoping for a happy ending will find that there is no redemption in store for our characters here. That we feel so deeply for Jiamei is also credit to newcomer Jessie Li’s heartfelt performance, conveying her character’s fragility, melancholy, desolation and eventual despair as a result of her displaced upbringing as well as her displacement from society. Li is matched by an equally gripping performance by Ning, who brings pathos to his loner character so that we feel for Ting than regard him as a psychopath.
Oh yes, though Kwok receives top billing as a natural outcome of his star wattage, the film really belongs to his younger co-stars Li and Ning. On his part, Kwok plays the part of the audience surrogate dutifully, introducing us to the empty world and listless lives that Jiamei and Ting lead. Compared to the latter two, Kwok’s character is the most underwritten but the actor injects enough humanity to make Chong-sir a nice complement to Jiamei and Ting. But Kwok’s contribution probably goes further – were it not for him, it is unlikely that ‘Port of Call’ would have been made, especially since it can hardly be considered entertainment, let alone be called mainstream.
That’s not to say that the film is perfect; that it most certainly isn’t, and for one, it isn’t hard to imagine a much more powerful film if the storytelling were more focused and the characters more well-defined. Yet there is something hypnotic and mesmerising about it, about the way it portrays the state of disfranchised youth in society, about how it gives voice to their frustrations, anxieties and hopelessness, and most of all about how relevant it is. It is for these reasons that ‘Port of Call’ stays with you long after the credits are over, provoking you to think about the Jiameis and Tings in our midst and what we can do to avoid the tragedy that brought this film to being in the first place. It may not be the best Hong Kong film you’ll see this year (notwithstanding its official submission by the territory to the Oscars), but it is probably one of the most significant.
Movie Rating:
(Unwaveringly bleak and sombre, this meditative piece of social commentary masquerading as crime thriller is compelling and hypnotic in spite of its flaws)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama/Sport
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Lee Pace, Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Jesse Plemons, Elaine Cassidy, Guillaume Canet, Laura Donnelly, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Drug Use and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://www.theprogrammovie.com/
Opening Day: 19 November 2015
Synopsis: From Academy Award® nominated director Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and producers Working Title Films (The Theory Of Everything, Everest, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), comes the true story of the meteoric rise and fall of one of the most celebrated and controversial men in recent history; Lance Armstrong, the world-renowned Tour de France champion.
The world needs heroes and Lance Armstrong was the ultimate sporting hero. Following a gruelling battle with cancer, Lance returned to his cycling career in 1999 more determined than ever and with his sights set firmly on winning the Tour de France. With the help of the infamous Italian physician Michele Ferrari and team director Johan Bruyneel, he developed the most sophisticated doping program in the history of the sport. This program allowed Lance and his American teammates to dominate the world of cycling, winning the Tour an unprecedented seven times.
However not everyone believed the fairytale…Sunday Times journalist, David Walsh, at first charmed by Lance’s charisma and talent, soon began to question whether the ‘world’s greatest athlete’ was ‘clean’. Walsh sought to unveil the truth, his ensuing battle with Armstrong risked his own career, ostracised him from the cycling community and cost his paper, The Sunday Times, hundreds of thousands in legal costs. But the indefatigable Walsh eventually uncovered the truth when a select few prepared to talk came forward, exposing one of the greatest deceptions of our time. Inspired by the award winning book ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ by David Walsh, and featuring a stellar cast including Ben Foster (Lone Survivor), Chris O'Dowd (Calvary), Guillaume Canet (Tell No One) and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), THE PROGRAM is a tense and suspenseful thriller.
Movie Review:
Directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) and based on the book, Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong, by Irish sports journalist David Walsh, The Program documents Lance Armstrong’s competitive cycling career –his first Tour de France, battle with cancer, triumphant return and winning the Tour seven consecutive times, before being stripped of these titles after admitting to doping charges.
For the uninformed, the Tour de France is arguably the most prestigious cycling competition, held mostly in France but with routes entering her neighboring states. Lance Armstrong was the seven-time Tour de France champion, winning the Tour from 1998 to 2005. Armstrong, who was plagued with doping allegations throughout his wins, finally admitted to the doping charges in 2012, and stripped of his titles. If this summary does not interest you, perhaps you should consider another movie.
For people with an interest in Armstrong and/ or the Tour, the film would then be a pretty engaging hour-and-forty-minute summary of the man’s rise and fall, as well as a fascinating character study of someone who was morally suspect but yet did much good at the same time.
Ben Foster, who apparently took performance-enhancing drugs acting in the role, portrayed Armstrong as a multifaceted human, which was a welcome surprise, especially with the vilification of the man in many accounts. It all started with Armstrong’s first Tour – and first interview with the journalist David Walsh (Chris O’Dowd), who will go on to become Armstrong’s “Little Troll” in his dogged pursuit of the truth behind Armstrong’s wins. Over a game of foosball, Armstrong’s ability to garner sympathy and hoodwink others for victory was hinted at, perhaps as a precursor to later events. Fast forward to the 1998 to 2005 victory tours, when Armstrong was the media darling and sports champion who could do no wrong, and when doping in the US Postal cycling team was exceedingly matter-of-fact.
Enter Floyd Landis (Jesse Plemons), the rookie who was recruited as Armstrong’s teammate and contrast to Armstrong. Plemons’ Landis was then lost in the world of professional cycling, and could only accept the reality that doping and science, not hard work, was the key to success. Landis was also the spanner that was thrown into the works; giving Walsh concrete leads to Armstrong’s doping behavior and arguably sparking Armstrong’s downfall.
Throughout the film, Foster’s Armstrong was one the audience loved to hate – driven and unscrupulous when achieving his goals, and a literal road bully. Despite his less than admirable actions, the movie also credits him, rightfully so, for his contribution towards cancer research via the Lance Armstrong, or Livestrong, Foundation. While the man seemed two-faced in the cycling community, he was patient and open to his Foundation’s beneficiaries, spending much time and effort with them, while acting as an inspiration for many more. Perhaps this is why the doping continued for such a long time – who would want to bring down a man who was such an inspiration to so many?
To the reviewer, the movie revolves around the two questions: How much does one want to win to sacrifice his integrity and ignore moral ethnics to do so, and would the end ever justify the means? Taken objectively, Armstrong might have done more good than bad, in his contributions towards cancer research, and in raising the profile of cycling and the Tour de France. Perhaps the only fault was the fact that he was expected to be a role model as a public figure, and to maintain the public’s expectations of an athlete. The film withholds judgment on Armstrong’s actions by providing a balanced take on the issue, and leaves the audience to draw their own conclusions.
Movie Rating:
(A fascinating introspection of Lance Armstrong and doping, which a focus on the man and little else)
Review by Goh Yan Hui
Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah
Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Joe Pantoliano
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 January 2020
Synopsis: The Bad Boys Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back together for one last ride in the highly anticipated Bad Boys for Life.
Movie Review:
For those old enough to remember the first ‘Bad Boys’ movie back in 1995, you would also recall that it was a watershed moment for the blockbuster era then. Not only did it mark the feature directing debut of a young music-video whiz named Michael Bay (who would go on to direct a couple of ‘Transformers’ movies), the unexpected box-office hit starred two black actors in the leading roles. The inevitable sequel came out eight years later with Bay again at the helm, pushing its elements of cops, robbers and chemistry to decadent extremes. That same formula would probably fall flat today, which likely explains it took so long for this third instalment to get made.
In place of Bay, Belgian filmmaking duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have taken the reins of ‘Bad Boys for Life’. Yet fans of Bay’s style need not worry – right from the opening sequence of Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett in a screeching Porsche burning up the streets of Miami’s South Beach, both El Arbi and Fallah prove that they aim to match Bay’s bombast. Ditto the non-stop wisecracking between Mike and Marcus, which was what made the earlier two movies so infectiously entertaining. Oh yes, those who miss Smith and Lawrence riffing, raffing and rocking with each other will be delighted to know that neither has lost a beat to their perfect yin-yang chemistry since 17 years ago.
What is different this time round though is that it’s gotten a lot more personal. On one hand, Marcus has just become a grandfather and would like to retire; whereas, Mike just wants to keep doing what he’s always been doing, and feels betrayed that Marcus wants out. On another, Mike is targeted by an old nemesis Isabel (Kate del Castillo), and is shot multiple times in the open by her henchman Armando (Jacob Scipio). The setup makes it clear that she has unfinished business with Mike, and without giving too much away, let’s just say that it goes a whole lot deeper than just the fact that he was the one who had romanced her and then put her behind bars.
You’d be surprised at the amount of plot and character interest which the script (written by Chris Bremner, Peter Craig and Joe Carnahan) packs into two hours. Besides trying to figure out who wants Mike’s life, the two detectives also have to contend with a new tech-based force called AMMO (Advanced Miami Metro Operations) – comprising of Mike’s former flame Rita (Paola Nunez) and a trio of savvy millennials (Vanessa Hudgens, Charles Melton and Alexander Ludwig) – and the subsequent inter-generational tension makes for some lively back-and-forth. Unlike most such genre fare, there are real emotional stakes involved here, most notably around Marcus’ mortality and Mike’s associated spiritual crisis.
Co-directors El Arbi and Fallah demonstrate a firm grip over the plotting, pacing the action and quieter moments perfectly such that there is never a dull moment throughout. Though the key set-pieces only kick off in earnest in the second half, there is plenty of firepower and horsepower to satisfy action junkies – including a jaw-dropping night sequence featuring a motorcycle and sidecar, helicopter and rocket launcher, and an explosive finale in an old Mexican palace with a fierce firefight, crashing chopper and mano-a-mano brute-force fisticuffs. Like the last two ‘Bad Boys’, there is a deliberate emphasis on practical stunts, sets and effects, and that realism makes the visual spectacle all the more awesome to behold.
But if there are two reasons to watch ‘Bad Boys for Life’, they are undoubtedly Smith and Lawrence. Reprising the role which catapulted him to superstardom, the 51-year old actor looks none the older whether in combat or comedy, demonstrating not just perfect physical but also impeccable comic timing. He does play Marcus with a slightly harder edge than before though, but it makes the proceedings feel even more intense. Lawrence, on the other hand, is more than happy to play second banana to Smith, but the visibly more portly actor brings his own weight to the film by injecting some much-needed gravitas, especially as his character contemplates about how far his life has come with Marcus.
As convenient as it may be to dismiss their long-awaited reunion as a cash grab, ‘Bad Boys for Life’ proves to be a giddily delightful get-together that loses none of the brash energy of the earlier two films. Both our leading duo and their filmmaking duo have fashioned a buddy-cop movie intended as an unabashed tribute to pure ‘90s action cinema, but is also infused with genuine human feeling to make it a lot more poignant. If this is what it means to ride along with these boys for life, we’re more than happy to join Smith and Lawrence for yet another high-octane outing, which we hope from experience will come sooner than later.
Movie Rating:
(As hilarious, thrilling and delightful as the first 'Bad Boys' was, this long-awaited sequel sees Will Smith and Martin Lawrence lose none of their brilliant chemistry, while adding some unexpected poignancy with age)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: Angelina Jolie Pitt
Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Melvil Poupaud, Niels Arestrup, Richard Bohringer
Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes and Nudity)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 31 December 2015
Synopsis: Written, directed and produced by Academy Award® winner Angelina Jolie Pitt, By the Sea follows an American writer named Roland and his wife, Vanessa, who arrive in a tranquil and picturesque seaside resort in 1970s France, their marriage in apparent crisis. As they spend time with fellow travelers, including young newlyweds Lea and François, and village locals Michel and Patrice, the couple begins to come to terms with unresolved issues in their own lives.
Movie Review:
Not since 2005’s ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ have Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie shared the screen, but anyone looking for their onscreen reunion to be anything like that entertaining trifle will be in for a rude shock. Sure, Pitt and Jolie still play two halves of an estranged married couple in ‘By the Sea’, but whereas the pair were madly in love with each other previously, they are here stuck in a loveless union for reasons that are revealed gradually – and by that, we mean very, very slowly. Indeed, it is only right at the end of a painfully meandering two hours that we are told just what landed the couple in their current state of misery, though it is hardly a revelation that is worth the wait.
Except for that last quarter of an hour, Jolie tries to keep her audience in suspense detailing the monotony that has beset Roland (Pitt) and Vanessa (Jolie) on their vacation at a picturesque seaside resort in Malta. Roland is a novelist trying to get over a bad case of writers’ block, and though their sojourn is ostensibly for him to work on his next book, it is also for him and Vanessa to try to work something out between them. Mostly though, Roland spends his days drinking at the hotel bar, making casual conversation with its owner Michel (Niels Arestrup) while failing to write; meanwhile, Vanessa reciprocates by staying in the room, laying in bed, staring at the sea, or sitting on the balcony with a cigarette in her hand. Oh yes, this is that kind of movie where good-looking people spend much of time doing absolutely nothing except looking gorgeous.
Their routine is somewhat broken with the arrival of a honeymooning French couple, Lea (Melanie Laurent) and Francois (Melvil Poupaud), who check into the room adjacent to theirs. It is Vanessa who first discovers a small hole in the wall, which allows her to spy on their neighbours’ bedroom activities. Vanessa puts her husband’s fidelity to the test initially by cosying up to Lea and checking out his response, but pretty soon, both husband and wife take to watching Lea and Francois make out at night, their voyeurism (which Vanessa does acknowledge as slightly perverse) unexpectedly rekindling the spark of their mutual attraction.
There is an undeniably interesting conceit at play here – not simply a matter of live pornography, their newfound activity in fact allows them a bittersweet glimpse of their younger and happier selves, which in turn becomes an unlikely form of marital therapy. And yet, these psychological underpinnings are largely left unexplored; instead, Roland continues to suffer under the influence of alcohol and Vanessa continues her moping less on the balcony than in the bathtub, the only meaningful difference before and after the arrival of the young newlyweds being the fact that Roland and Vanessa now have dinner company on some of the nights.
Only in the last half hour does the film try to build up to something substantial, as Vanessa goes from being a passive observer to an active third person in the other couple’s marriage. There is a deeply disturbing psyche at work here, laid bare by Roland who confronts her with the truth of just what they have been trying the rest of the movie to escape from; unfortunately, it is by then too late to establish Roland and Vanessa as relatable or compelling figures, and the film as a result never quite finds the emotional centre it needs to make the couple’s woes more than superficial. The same can be said of the film as a whole, which is no less beautifully shot by cinematographer Christian Berger but is also no more a collection of postcard-pretty scenery, stylish wardrobes and Jolie’s distractingly omnipresent make-up.
Seeing how Jolie wrote, produced and directed this European art cinema wannabe, it is no wonder that some have speculated this film was the subject of her ruminations about her own marriage; and notwithstanding that she has since come out to deny it, one cannot quite dismiss a nagging suspicion that ‘By the Sea’ may be more personal than her previous two outings behind the camera. Yet even that bit of curiosity is unlikely to be enough to sustain one’s attention throughout an extremely languorous two hours, for which a good part is spent watching Jolie looking vapid – at least her husband Pitt seems to be genuinely trying, striving to find depth in his character despite how underwritten it is. And depending on how much you enjoy watching Pitt and Jolie-Pitt engage in some pseudo-emotional wringing, ‘By the Sea’ will either feel like a breeze or a bore.
Movie Rating:
(Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt look as gorgeous here as they do in real life, but this 1970s-set European art cinema wannabe is just two hours of watching two pretty celebrities against a picturesque Malta seaside resort)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: William Brent Bell
Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, Ben Robson, Diana Hardcastle, Jim Norton
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/TheBoyMovie
Opening Day: 28 January 2016
Synopsis: A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.
Movie Review:
The Boy is the newest January horror release, being directed by William Brent Bell, who previously directed other mediocre horror films like Wer and The Devil Inside. It is a tale that features a creepy doll that, maybe, is alive. Hearing about this movie, you are probably laughing with hysteria, making pre-judgments such as Annabelle rip-off, another bad January release. But I assure you. This movie is shockingly better than expected, at least for the first 2 thirds.
The Boy is about Greta, played by The Walking Dead’s Lauren Cohan, an American who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, away from an abusive boyfriend by traveling all the way to a distant corner of the British countryside. She soon finds out that the family's 8-year-old child is actually is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy. After disobeying some rules, a series of unusual occurrences forces her to believe that the doll is actually alive.
As the concept of a haunted doll being highly unoriginal, due to its predecessors Chucky from Child’s Play and Annabelle from The Conjuring, The Boy’s plot comes off as a lazy rehash. However, unlike the critically panned 2014 Annabelle movie, this film actually manages to do what horror films are intended to do - provide the viewers with good scares. Major props to the director, William Brent Bell. A technical positive is evident consistently throughout the film, which is how the film manages to guide our eyes. Shots transition seamlessly. Bell could have taken it to a more clichéd route, with multiple cheap jump scares or using found footage, instead, he choses to use filmmaking techniques that are utilized in traditional horror classics. This led to the film bringing back old and familiar vibes. The film also has a creepy atmosphere for at least two thirds of the film. Due to his well direction, the film has suspense and all the scares work.
The film also has high production value for a low budget horror film. The shots are beautifully filmed, contributing much to the tension for the scares. This is credited to the cinematographer, Daniel Pearl. But the high production value is the ultimate reason. The premise of the film takes place in an old castle like building, leading to much intrigue in the plot.
Despite it being already a huge surprise at how well directed and cinematographed the film is, the script by Stacey Menear is for the most part actually good. For the first two thirds of the film, plot points do not come off as cheesy unlike other horror films made today. There is even a bit of humor placed in the film, which makes fun of itself. There is well-crafted dialogue that does keep audiences engaged at what is on the screen.
Speaking of dialogue, a major plus point is the actors working on the film. Cohan manages to make Greta relatable, while the other actors such as Rupert Evans and Jim Norton do a good job. A huge standout of the film is the boy, the doll itself - at first viewers were mocking its initial appearance but soon some were even covering their eyes when the doll is on screen.
However, despite the aforementioned praise for the first two thirds of the movie, it was the last third, the ending, which steered the film into disappointment. Not only was the edgy and creepy tone totally replaced by a rather unsatisfying and stupid one, it also erased much of the scare factor that was created before it. This left many chuckles at how nonsensical the ending was. Even if it did comply with the rules that the film sets, there is too much cliché and elements that lead to even more questions that deviates the film off course. ‘The Boy’ would have been a far more disturbing film if it did not sway from its original path.
Another negative, but minor, is being the overuse of nightmare sequences. Despite bringing great scares, it would have been better if they weren’t all taking place in someone’s head.
Overall, The Boy is not as bad as what is expected and shown from the trailers. It is a surprising gem in the dumping ground of release date, aka January, for horror movies or even movies in general. But for it to be a shining gem, the last third of the film must be erased. It is a very entertaining film and satisfies what a horror movie should be doing.
Movie Rating:
(Definitely more well-made and superior than Annabelle and not a rip-off or a cheap gimmick)
Review by Celestine Pang
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Burr Steers
Cast: Lily James, Matt Smith, Jack Huston, Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Suki Waterhouse, Lena Headey
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Violence)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 11 February 2016
Synopsis: In the vein of Snow White and The Huntsman and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is the latest retelling of a classic tale fused with entertaining, cutting edge action. In this fresh twist on Jane Austen’s widely celebrated novel, a mysterious plague has fallen upon 19th century England, the land is overrun with the undead and feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is a master of martial arts and weaponry. Rabid zombies are as much of an obstacle to the unconventional attraction between Liz and Mr. Darcy as the charms of the manipulative Mr. Wickham. Casting aside personal and social prejudices, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy must unite on the blood-soaked battlefield to rid the country of the zombie menace and discover their true love for one another.
Movie Review:
Jane Austen will surely turn in her grave if she learns that her beloved literary work has been mashed up into a gothic horror actioner. Nevertheless, this reimagining of the Jane Austen’s classic by Seth Granhame-Smith easily beats another one of his wacky works, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter in terms of fun and romance.
In 19th century England, a mysteriously infectious virus has turned half of the population into zombies (some surprisingly maintaining the ability to think and speak). With the country in chaos, Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) and her four sisters are well equipped with the necessary martial-arts skills to protect themselves, all thanks to the hindsight of Mr Bennet. Mrs Bennet on the other hand is keen to marry them to rich potential suitors, including a Mr Bingley (Douglas Booth) and Mr Darcy or known here as Colonel Darcy (Sam Riley).
The entire affair remains utterly faithful to Austen’s material despite the madcap inclusion of a zombie invasion. Pardon me for the spoilers if you are a novice to the original novel, but expect characters like the up-to-no-good Mr Wickham (Jack Huston) and the self-important Mr Collins (Matt Smith aka Dr Who) to pop up - though Collins is reduced to a doofus comic relief.
Even for a book that is more than 200 years old, Pride and Prejudice remains a strong feminist material, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies reinforces the message with its constant display of ass-kicking moves by its leading lady. Who needs a man if one can effortlessly wield a sword and fire a rifle with great accuracy? One particularly engaging scene has Elizabeth sparring hard with Colonel Darcy after the former turns down his proposal. Prepare to expect anything from falling furniture to books to buttons and cleavage.
Even if there’s an oversupply of zombie apocalypse related flicks on TV and movies, director and writer Burt Steers (Igy Goes Down, 17 Again) at the very minimum does a pretty decent job handling the drama and zombie action. On one hand, it is a neat adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with plenty of lush countryside shots, believable Victorian style costumes and dialogue. And the other lots of loud gunshots and gory makeup to remind you this is after all a period romance with zombies.
The mostly Brit cast will appeal to the younger audience, especially Lily James who has already mesmerized everyone in Downtown Abbey and Cinderella. Sam Riley not the conventional handsome leading man carries himself remarkably well as the often aloof, brooding Darcy. Douglas Booth has the looks to charm the girls - unfortunately his screentime is limited - while Australian Bella Heathcote as the eldest Bennet sister is genuinely sweet.
Gather a few good friends and catch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The whole point is to have fun laughing at the silly gags and scream at all the ridiculous bloodshed. If you want to know more of Austen’s works, you still need to go to the library or download a digital book. The real Jane Austen does not have the living battling the undead. No, seriously for the last time, the Bennet sisters did not go to Shaolin temple to pick up self-defense moves.
Movie Rating:
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(Let down your pride and embrace the romance, bloodshed and cleavage!)
Review by Linus Tee
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