Genre: Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irvine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Kebbell
Released By: Walt Disney Motion Pictures
Runtime: 2 hrs 27 mins
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.warhorsemovie.com/
Opening Day: 29 December 2011
Synopsis: From director Steven Spielberg comes “War Horse,” an epic adventure for audiences of all ages. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, “War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets—British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land. The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. “War Horse” is one of the great stories of friendship and war— a successful book, it was turned into a hugely successful international theatrical hit that is arriving on Broadway next year. It now comes to screen in an epic adaptation by one of the great directors in film history.
Movie Review:
I have to admit I haven't been impressed by Steven Spielberg's form of late, especially not since his last Indiana Jones installment was nothing but going through the motion, lacking that sense of fun filled adventure his earlier works had endeared him to audiences worldwide. 2011 proved to be that return to form. showing his hand at the grandeur epics he used to helm effortlessly, with Tintin showing the way, and War Horse sealing the deal for a successful year.
Based upon the children's novel by Michael Morpurgo turned successful stage play of the same name, War Horse is Spielberg's first foray into the settings of World War I, having had a number of his films deal with WWII, from the settings of the Indiana Jones franchise, to more adult oriented fare like Empire of the Sun and Schindler's List. For war movie junkies, War Horse has no lack of the essence of what The Great War was about, with Spielberg deftly handling without deliberate flamboyance the horrors of what the technological turn of the century had brought. It equalled in its war scenes what the director had done with Saving Private Ryan to put the audience right there amongst the harrowing battles, be it face to face with a tank, riding amongst a charging calvary, being deep in trenches and the threat of being mowed down by machine gun fire, or gas.
But war material aside, War Horse is essentially a powerful tale about the friendship between a young, powerful horse christened Joey, and his owner Albert (Jeremy Irvine), whose father (Peter Mullan) had bought the animal in a market out of pride when he needed a work horse to plough the fields, not a thoroughbred. The first act set in the countryside is everything a family friendly drama can offer, dealing with friendship and perseverance and having elements of training that Joey will take along with him when he gets forcefully sold to the army with World War I, having to rely on everything taught to take him through both sides of the war in the British and German armies, and moments of reprieve when not tasked at the forefront of battles.
Narratively the second half is what provided War Horse its sense of epic adventure as Joey's owners change quite frequently during that four year long war duration, and each episode has enough legs to carry its own film, condensed into little vignettes full of characterization for each of the players involved, ranging from the compassion shown by soldiers from either side that save it from certain death, to that of an old man (Niels Arestrup) and his grand-daughter (Celine Buckens) whose idyllic lives get rudely interrupted when soldiers plunder. These episodes enrich the story and is chock full of humanity, and are what provided War Horse its heartfelt moments many times throughout the film. One of my favourites involves a moment of peace amongst the chaos and insanity of war, where enemies put aside their untold differences to get a joint goal accomplished, laced with light-heartedness that's so longed for when death and weariness set in for the characters.
The star of the film is inevitably the group of horses that took various turns at playing the titular stallion, with that hint of CG introduced for more complex shots required. Spielberg is that master manipulator in knowing just how to frame scenes for maximum emotional impact for the horse, putting us side by side with Albert as joint-owners for Joey's well-being, from the time he gets trained to the time he had to leave the comforts of home for the horrors that war would inevitably bring. We become like protective parents of a child we see grow up, and from then on root him along the way to overcome various adversities and hardship just so that he can be reunited somehow, someday with his owner. The strong ensemble cast that come and go at various milestones of Joey's remarkable journey also made it a delight to sit through.
WIth Spielberg's usual suspects of John Williams, Janusz Kaminski and Michael Kahn providing that sweeping, powerful score, lensing those vast, beautiful landscapes and keeping everything solidly tight, this is good old fashioned epic filmmaking at its very best, and is clearly, undisputedly highly recommended to close 2011 with. Don't miss it!
Movie Rating:
(Spielberg's 2011 thoroughbred winner!)
Review by Stefan Shih
In Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles
Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Derek Kwok, Clement Cheng
Cast: Leung Siu-lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Teddy Robin Kwan, Shaw Yin-yin, MC Jin, Law Wing-cheung, Wong You-Nam, Chan Wai-Man
RunTime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG (Some Fighting Scenes)
Official Website:
Screening Dates: 14 and 19 August 2011
Synopsis: "Law's Tea House" is out-of-date. Shopkeeper Dragon and chef Tiger are already late fifties old men who have waited for their paralyzed kung-fu master Law Sun to wake up for 30 years. Property company messenger Cheung is ineffective in work, aimless in life. Cheung used to be a kung-fu enthusiast but had been forced to give up due to suffering from asthma. Cheung's passion in kung-fu revives after Tiger fights off the bully gang for him and he also encounters adorable lass Kwai. Cheung gets involved in the dispute of the young proprietor Mang's retrieval of properties including "Law's Tea House" during which Cheung accidentally triggers Law Sun to wake up. Law Sun's return brings back vigor for "Law's Tea House" to resume "Law's Martial Club". He trains Dragon, Tiger and Cheung severely to fight for their lost dignity.
Movie Review:
You’d probably be hard-pressed to find a more befitting film than “Gallants” to open the Hong Kong Film Festival 2011. Not only was the film crowned Best Film at the recent Hong Kong Film Awards, it is also a lovingly made tribute to the martial arts classics of the 60s and 70s that so defined the territory’s heydays. In fact, it even boasts a cast of Shaw Brothers alumni, including Leung Siu Lung, Chen Kuan-Tai, Chan Wai Man and Lo Meng.
And surprise, surprise- at the helm of this movie is not a veteran director, but rather the very promising young writer/director duo of Derek Kwok and Clement Cheng. Kwok and Cheng obviously know their genre references well, and this kungfu comedy has all the hallmarks of a classic martial arts classic- the indomitable master, his loyal disciples fighting for the glory of his name, the rival pugilist challenging their skills, and a competition to determine the best fighter among them. Add to the combination a zero-to-hero underdog tale, and true enough you have a spectacularly entertaining film that you’ll enjoy regardless of whether you were born in that bygone era.
The master here is one Law (Teddy Robin) who has lay comatose for 30 years, during which his disciples Dragon (Kuan-Tai) and Tiger (Siu-Hung) have turned his martial arts school into a teahouse. Into this piece of history enters the bumbling property agent Cheung (Wong You-nam), sent by his boss to acquire the village where the teahouse sits. A run-in with the local bullies (led by Law Wing-Cheong) leads Cheung to meet Dragon and Tiger, and a fortuitous awakening of their master.
Their challenge comes in the form of a tournament organised by rival Master Pong (Wai-man), which leads to the climactic fight between Law’s and Pong’s disciples. But the journey is as important as the destination, and true enough if the showdown between Tiger and Pon (Li Haitao) isn’t as cathartically pleasing as you may have hoped, the lead-up to that should nonetheless be immensely satisfying.
Chen and Leung are consummate performers, and they help bring to life every frame of this delightful movie. The very first scene when Tiger saves Cheung already is testament to this, and the wonderful rapport later on between Dragon and Tiger is simply enchanting. But the best thing about the movie comes one-third into the film- yes, when Master Law awakes from his slumber. Sharp-tongued, caustic and exacting with his disciples, Teddy Robin is an absolute hoot in the role and his diminutive size only adds to the uniqueness of his character.
No wonder then that with the trio of Leung, Chen and Teddy, the young actors are simply no match for the veterans. Wong is by no means bad in the role, but his underdog story is completely outshone by his co-stars. Ditto for rapper MC Jin’s as Wong’s childhood friend Mang, as well as Jia Xio Chen as Wong’s love interest Kwai- neither of these supporting characters make much of an impression next to Dragon, Tiger and Master Law.
Kwok and Cheng’s screenplay also reserves the best lines for these characters- and despite their age, the movie bounces along with a lively exuberance. It also manages to have a deeper poignant message along with the laughs, emphasising on the importance of a fighting spirit no matter what one does in life. And speaking of fighting, one can only admire at the derring-do of Leung and Chen, who bravely give their all in the excellent fight sequences choreographed without wirework or CGI by Yuen Tak.
At first sight, “Gallants” is a film that shouldn’t be made- its cast is made up of veterans whose best days most assume are far behind them, it has a premise that recalls the classics of the past rather than the kungfu movies of the present, and it doesn’t deliver the calculated emotional climax that movies like “Ip Man” do- but these are also precisely the very reasons why this is one of the must-see Hong Kong movies of the year. You probably won’t find a movie like this often, if at all, so don’t miss this tribute to the martial arts classics of yore that is itself destined to become a classic.
Movie Rating:
(An absolutely entertaining tribute to the martial arts classics of the 60s and 70s, this award-winning film boasts great comedy, a delightful cast of veterans and thrilling fight sequences)
Review by Gabriel Chong
In Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller
Director: Herman Yau
Cast: Shawn Yue, Elanne Kwong, Chapman To, Ada Choi, Paul Wong, Anson Leung, Fung Hark-On
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence & Sexual Scenes)
Official Website:
Screening Dates: 14, 16 and 20 Aug
Synopsis: Po is a humourless bodyguard for triad boss Jimmy. On his birthday, Po takes a night off, and that same evening Jimmy is shot outside a gang hangout. With Jimmy's life hanging by a thread and his wife Cheung Wah on her way back from Taiwan, leadership falls to Po, and the rest of the gang are not too happy. Jimmy's number two man Blackie is especially lincensed, and immediately begins undermining Po's authority. Po cares nothing for power, and only wants to find out who ordered the hit on Jimmy - and all the obvious suspects are their own allies. Can he find the killer before the gang engages in an all-out civil war?
Movie Review:
Whereas Herman Yau’s big-screen spinoff of the popular TVB drama series “EU” made it to local cinemas, his other triad movie this year has failed to enjoy the same kind of reception. One suspects that “Rebellion” just didn’t have the star power of his earlier “Turning Point” and hence was skipped for a theatrical release here. But don’t for one second let you assume that “Turning Point” is the better of the two movies- for the truth is really the other way round.
Unlike “Turning Point”, “Rebellion” is written and directed by Herman Yau himself. With greater creative control over his materials, Yau has crafted a taut and intense triad flick that proves far more compelling than “Turning Point”. Indeed, in “Rebellion”, Yau has deliberately eschewed the flashiness of the earlier movie, opting instead for a straightforward, gritty telling of gangland rivalry.
That rivalry is twofold- first, within the ranks of Jimmy’s gang itself (Jimmy the gang leader who is fatally shot) and second, within the five gangs who share power around a particular district. The infighting is courtesy of Jimmy’s No 2 Blackie, a brash, arrogant leader incensed by the appointment of Jimmy’s bodyguard Po as in-charge and raring to use this as an opportunity to wipe out the ranks of the other four gangs. Chapman To plays the role of Blackie, and once again, displays his penchant for playing supporting characters to great colourful effect.
The other colourful characters that Yau has packed in his film are the other four gang leaders named Coffee, Sand, Jupiter and Man. Though it may seem as if four’s too much of a crowd, Yau does an admirable job of fleshing out each of his supporting characters through their power-grabbing and back-biting. Indeed, the thrill comes not just from trying to guess their next devious move, but also figuring out their motivations.
As a veteran in triad flicks, Yau knows exactly what makes a film of this genre tick. There are the colourful night scenes of Hong Kong’s neon-lit streets, the requisite scenes of gambling and prostitution and of course, the hordes of people dressed in black armed with knives going at each other right in the streets. Yes, such were the little pleasures of watching the “Young and Dangerous” series and Yau doesn’t forget them.
Nevertheless, Yau’s film suffers from the lack of a strong lead character. Despite Shawn Yue’s intense brooding performance, his character of Po is just not interesting enough to anchor the film. For more than half the time, one sees Po struggling to stay sober while being waylaid by Blackie. Worse still, Yau throws in a romantic subplot involving Po and Elanne Kwong’s waitress Ling that doesn’t need a schmaltzy Cantopop ballad to be out of place in the film.
While imperfect, “Rebellion” is still a solidly engaging triad flick that is the Hong Kong film industry’s specialty. For all the talk of production delays, including a delayed release date, and its no-show in Singapore cinemas, Yau’s film proves that he is still one of the most reliable directors in the industry. At a time when many Hong Kong directors have left for the greener pastures of China, this is one thoroughly entertaining true-blood Hong Kong flick you’ll immensely enjoy.
Movie Rating:
(Solid triad flick that proves to be taut and intense all the way through)
Review by Gabriel Chong
In Cantonese with English and Chinese subtitles
Genre: Romance/ Comedy
Director: Barbara Wong
Cast: Fiona Sit, Jaycee Chan, Hiro Hayama, Patrick Tang
RunTime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG (Scenes of Intimacy)
Official Website: -
Screening Dates: 15, 16 and 19 August 2011
Synopsis: Joe is an aimless young man who loves his on-and-off girlfriend Flora sincerely. Unfortunately for Joe, Fa breaks up with Joe due to his lack of ambitions. After their latest breakup, Joe goes to an audition for a documentary by director Barbara Wong (the director, playing herself). Handed a camera, Joe records his discovery of a magical which promises to reunite lost loves if they are willing to break up another couple...
Movie Review:
The title of the movie refers to a website where heartbroken lovers can go to enter the names of another couple they know whom they want to see broken up, just so they can get back together with the one they love. It’s a gimmick, just like director Barbara Wong’s decision to film this movie verite-style, combining handheld cameras and other documentary-style techniques to chart the ups and downs of one young couple, Joe and Flora.
As played by Jaycee Chan and Fiona Sit- rumoured to be dating in real life- both gimmicks actually pay off surprisingly well. For one, Jaycee and Fiona, in their second onscreen pairing since “2 Young”, are pitch-perfect in their roles. They share a genuine chemistry in every one of their scenes together, making you believe almost effortlessly of their love for each other. They are also perfect for their roles because neither of them is particularly attractive, or good-looking, so it isn’t hard for us audiences to relate to them.
Which really is the point of the film, as Barbara opts for a modern-day realistic look at dating and relationships among young adults. Joe is a twenty-something slacker, his lack of commitment at holding a job, finding a permanent one, and figuring out what he wants to do with his life is causing problems with his girlfriend Flora. Their first altercation leads Joe to discover the website, and finding out that it works, after his best friend (Patrick Tang) breaks up his girlfriend and Joe patches back with Fiona in that sequence.
This quarrel also leads Joe to meet with a film director (Barbara Wong as herself) who gives Joe a handheld camera to capture his love story. After they get back together, Joe returns the camera but how Barbara and the audience continues to witness their subsequent romance unfolding in the same handheld close-up style is something that’s explained at the end of the movie. The choice of technique works brilliantly, bringing the audience right into the heart of the drama between Joe and Flora.
From the very beginning, Barbara lets us know that Joe and Flora are indeed in love with each other- some particularly poignant scenes include the day when Joe prepares a birthday surprise for Flora, when Joe and Flora try skipping in synchrony on the bed and when Flora surprises Joe by bursting into the bathroom with the camera when he is peeing. Barbara’s film doesn’t trade in overtures, but rather in the minutiae of daily life, the day-to-day moments spent together that make up the most of any couple’s dating life.
Her portrayal of romance in the modern world is also refreshingly accurate. Joe and Flora are resolutely Gen-Z, where mobile phones and PSPs are requisites and dating consists of living together and sleeping together. Their struggles too are just as authentic. Isn’t it true that love isn’t always enough to sustain a relationship, often requiring too commitment, honesty and direction? Even adolescent sweethearts realise at some point that their future together depends on finding a job, starting a family and providing for one another. Barbara emphasises this through the entry- halfway through the film- of graffiti artist Lies Hayama (Hiro Hayama), the kind of go-getter Joe is exactly the opposite of.
The film-within-a-film comes to an especially heartfelt conclusion when Joe and Flora are ultimately confronted with the tensions within their relationship pulling their love apart, and forced to decide if they want to work things out together or move on from each other. Jaycee and Fiona’s performances in this scene are flawless, and guaranteed to leave you misty-eyed. Indeed, I’ll go so far as to say that they are one of the best, if not the best, screen couples I have seen this year and their acting alone is enough to make this one of the must-watch romantic dramas of the year.
But credit should be reserved for Barbara and her longtime writer/producer Lawrence Cheng (who also appears in the film) for creating a movie that blurs the line between real and reel life so skilfully. Their technique adds to a movie that gives a refreshingly honest and realistic look at dating and relationships among young adults in the modern world, where memories are captured ever more ubiquitously on handphones and cameras. Simply one of the very best and original Hong Kong films of the year, and also one of the most romantic and heartfelt movies in a long, long while.
Movie Rating:
(One of the very best romantic and heartfelt movies from Hong Kong)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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Donnie Yen to promote WU XIA in Singapore!Posted on 01 Jul 2011 |
Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Malcolm Venville
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Vera Farmiga, James Caan, Judy Greer, Fisher Stevens, Danny Hoch, Bill Duke
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: NC-16 (Scene of Intimacy and Some Coarse Language)
Official Website: http://www.henryscrimemovie.com/
Opening Day: 21 July 2011
Synopsis: Working the night shift as a toll collector on a lonely stretch of highway in Buffalo, New York, Henry (KEANU REEVES) is a man seemingly without ambition, dreams or purpose; a man sleepwalking his way through life. He gets his wakeup call early one morning when he becomes an unwitting participant in an ill-conceived bank heist. Rather than give up the names of the real culprits, Henry takes the fall and goes to jail. There, he meets the irrepressible Max (JAMES CAAN), a con man who's grown far too comfortable with the familiarity and security of his 'idyllic' life behind bars, but one who also helps plant an idea in Henry's mind which will change his life forever: for a man to find his purpose, he must first have a dream. Upon his release one year later, Henry finds his purpose. Having done the time, he decides he may as well do the crime. Discovering a long forgotten bootlegger's tunnel which runs from the very same bank to a theater across the alleyway, he convinces the reluctant Max to file for his long overdue parole - and then recruits his former cellmate to help stage a robbery. Their plan is simple: by infiltrating the theater and its current production of Chekhov's, The Cherry Orchard, the unlikely duo will buy just enough time to dig their way to the adjacent bank vault and drive off with their loot. Unfortunately that plan also includes Henry taking the lead role in the play, where he finds himself slowly falling for the production's mercurial leading lady, Julie (VERA FARMIGA). By turns wry, off-beat, and simply hilarious, HENRY'S CRIME is the heartwarming story of a man who finds his purpose in life. And then finds his destiny..
Movie Review:
There's a moment in this film when its namesake Henry, played by Keanu Reeves, realises that he stands atop a prohibition-era tunnel linking a downtown Buffalo-set theater and the savings bank he didn't rob but did the time for anyway. As the movie is quick to attest, "you did the time, you might as well do the crime," he strikes upon the idea to rob the bank using said tunnel.
At this point in the film, you would expect -- nay, demand -- that Henry shows a reaction, any reaction to this epiphany but we get absolutely nothing from the laconic Reeve. A somnambulistic performance if there ever was one regards the central figure of the film. You get the sense that director Malcolm Venville, who directed a powerful presence like Ray Winstone in a remarkably raw and indefatigable "44 Inch Chest," decided that low-key would be the only route to embark on this time round when presented with an actor like Reeves, who is by no means a bad actor. Just one whose natural abilities do not do this character any favours. To say Henry does not have the personality of a bank robber would be understating it tremendously.
Reeves becomes an avatar of the film's tonal lethargy that painfully insists on not propelling its plot forward with any measure of verve or viguour, and never really tapping into the full potential of a premise that has seen better company given that it comes out of the same playbook as 1955's "The Ladykillers" and finds a more reasonable template in Woody Allen's "Small Town Crooks". Later on in the film, it becomes altogether more quaint when Peter Stomare's Russian director-potentate has to coerce emotions out of an impassive Henry who fills in as the lead in the theatre's marquee production -- Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard" -- in a plan set in motion by Henry's moody love interest, Julie (Vera Farmiga) and his just-released guru from prison, a confidence man named Max (James Caan) who begins to orchestrate the heist. This subplot of Henry balancing both his new life as an actor and a bank robber proves more entertaining fare than its main plot.
Populated by familiar character actors and Reeves, the film urges itself along with some credible supporting work by Farmiga and Caan. Farmiga plays the insecure Julie with a bundle of spontaneous angry-nervous energy and shows intelligence behind the neurosis of an actress meant for greater things and uses Caan's natural charms and sparkle as the erudite hustler who spins a web out of nothing. These actors elevate the material and give more to the film than they could have hope to receive back.
Essentially boiling down to a small character piece set in a small-town suburbia, "Henry's Crime" moves through its annoyingly inert indie quirks with huge swathes of cliched comic elements. There's hardly a point in this film that stands out as an excellent set-piece or includes a significant moment of tension (in a heist movie, lest you forget!) in the entire endeavour worth mentioning. Even with a stellar cast of performers throughout the film, "Henry's Crime" works best on a level of low expectations set on the bottom shelve of a basement cupboard.
Movie Rating:
(Inert and lacking in energy, a definite no-no for this genre)
Review by Justin Deimen
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TF3 takes the crown as the biggest 5-day weekend opener of all time!Posted on 05 Jul 2011 |
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FINDING THE RIGHT CROWNEPosted on 02 Jul 2011 |
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Byeon Seung-wook
Cast: Park Min-yeong, Kim Dong-wuk, Kim Ye-ron, Kim Min-jae
RunTime: 1 hr 45 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films & Scorpio East Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Disturbing Scenes)
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 September 2011
Synopsis: So-yeon is an animal groomer who works in a pet shop. One day, she gets stuck with a Persian cat named Silky when its owner suddenly dies. From then on, So-yeon is constantly haunted by a bobbed hair girl with green cat-like eyes who turns her life turns into turmoil. So-yeon desperately seeks help from the people around, but no one listens to her. The presence of the girl and the sound of Silky’s cries start to choke in around her life more and more. Not only that, people around So-yeon gets killed one by one. Soon, So-yeon comes face to face with the bobbed hair girl at the scene of a horrific death.
So-yeon gets rid of Silky hoping her troubles will come to an end, but Silky keeps coming back to her like a boomerang. Terrified she could be the next to die, So-yeon sets out to find out the identity of the girl with the help her dead friend’s ex-boyfriend, Jun-seok, who is a cop. Later, So-yeon finds out the truth to the tragic incident that took place in the past.
Movie Review:
Feline-lovers may be taken by a movie with a title like ‘The Cat’, but unless you have a strong heart, you’d be advised to stay clear of this. The latest Korean horror thriller from director Byun Seung-wook plays on common folklore that cats can see spirits around us that the naked eye cannot spot and in fact may even be vessels for spirits of the departed- so you may come out of the movie and find yourself thinking twice when you see your cat staring at thin air so intently as if something or someone were there.
That is the predicament facing our young protagonist, which as formula would have it, turns out to be a young reserved girl with issues of her own. So-yuen (Park Min-young) works as an animal groomer in a pet shop who encounters a white Persian cat named Silky owned by a plump middle-aged woman. Noticing a strange young girl with a bob cut consistently near the cat, she doesn’t think much of her suspicions until the owner dies in an apparent heart attack in the lift on her way home.
Rather than let Silky be abandoned, So-yuen brings the cat home- only to realise that the bob-haired girl she keeps seeing around the cat is in fact a vengeful spirit. In between multiple sightings of the girl (which director Seung-wook uses for the proverbial jump-scares), So-yuen also finds her close friend and her boss falling victim to the girl’s clutches- each encounter a tightly woven exercise in suspense and dread. Indeed, Seung-wook in his sophomore outing as director shows his adroitness in staging these horror sequences, gradually mounting the tension for his audience before springing the vice of death on his victims.
Seung-wook also proves to be a competent storyteller, drawing his audience into a web of intrigue while laying the pieces out one by one. At the heart of his story is the origin of the cat and the young girl whose spirit resides in it, and the film is especially adept at marking out the dots while letting you guess how they all connect together. Yet, Seung-wook’s good work at establishing a gripping pace throughout the movie is somewhat let down by the film’s revelation at the end, which doesn’t veer away from the usual ‘corpse that wants to be found’ denouement too common in similar genre material.
But more than just a horror mystery, Seung-wook’s film also serves as a cautionary tale for pet-owners, especially with the scenes set in an animal shelter So-yuen visits as part of her investigation. And if the thought of what happens to abandoned pets doesn’t prick your conscience, there’s also the fear the film may plant in you with the suspicion that you may just be setting yourself up for the wrath of your pet cat should you treat it with less than the dignity it deserves. Yes, don’t say we didn’t warn you, but some pet owners may not go away feeling as nonchalant.
Of course, the fact that it manages to unnerve is also testament to the film’s craft, which fashions a good-ol’ horror around widely held supernatural beliefs about cats. It may rely on genre tricks like sudden loud noises and ‘boo-scares’ to make you jump in your seat, but it remains engaging throughout thanks to a tightly-wound narrative that keeps you guessing pretty much till the end. And like we mentioned, if you have a pet cat, you may just think twice when you see it staring or snarling at thin air.
Movie Rating:
(Well-made Korean horror that packs the requisite scares and a tightly-wound narrative to keep you guessing)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Director: Andy De Emmory
Cast: Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Jimi Mistry and Aqib Khan
RunTime: 1 hrs 43 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language)
Official Website: -
Opening Day: 28 July 2011
Synopsis: Sequel to the internationally acclaimed, multi-award winning “EAST IS EAST”, WEST IS WEST takes the Khan family on a journey from Salford, England, to rural Pakistan. WEST IS WEST is the coming of age story of both 13 year old Sajid and also of his father, 60 year old George (‘Ghengis’) Khan.
The now much diminished, but still claustrophobic and dysfunctional, Khan family continues to struggle for survival. Sajid, the youngest Khan, the runt of the litter, is deep in pubescent crisis under heavy assault both from his father's tyrannical insistence on Pakistani tradition, and from the fierce bullies in the schoolyard. So, in a last, desperate attempt to 'sort him out', his father decides to pack him off to Mrs Khan No 1 and family in the Punjab, the wife and daughters he had abandoned 35 years earlier. It is not long before Ella Khan (Mrs Khan No 2), with a small entourage from Salford, England, swiftly follows to sort out the mess, past and present.
Movie Review:
It’s been more than 10 years since the film version of Ayub Khan-Din’s semi-autobiographical story about the tale of a mixed-race British household in Salford, Lancashire in the early 1970s. “East is East” was the title of the film, the intercultural comedy a hit during a time when British Asians were making their mark on pop culture- and films like “Bend It Like Beckham” and “The Guru” became unexpected successes at the box office. Why this sequel has taken this long is perplexing, and why they eventually made it even more so, considering how it is no more than a flaccid attempt at replicating the success of its predecessor.
Again penned by Khan-Din, ‘West is West’ takes place some five years after the first film, and starts off in Britain where the youngest son of the family, Sajid (newcomer Agib Khan) is turning to rebellion to counter the racist bullying he gets from his fellow schoolmates and the admonishments he receives from his parochial father George (Om Puri). Exasperated, the father decides to bring him back to Pakistan to teach him some old-fashioned values and to give him a sense of history and belonging. Their ancestral village in the Punjab is where this coming-of-age tale is largely set, though this is also precisely where the film starts to go very quickly downhill.
For the first 15 mins, Khan-Din and director Andy de Emmony successfully recapture the verve of the politically incorrect first film which made it such a hilarious cross-cultural comedy delight- Jahingar’s over-protective ways with Sajid and a daft headmaster at Sajid’s school are the highlights. But the change in location takes away what teeth the biting comedy had in the first place, and even the occasional sharp line (like ‘F**k off, Mowgli’ to a local kid who tries to befriend Sajid) disappears altogether once Sajid begins to settle into the rhythm of the local village life.
In its place is a contrived story involving Sajid’s lessons with the village wise man Pir Naseem (Nadim Sawalha), as the latter urges him to recognise his lineage and to find his direction in life. Naturally, Sajid does, even though it takes some time before he summons the respect for his father. Sajid’s coming-of-age is frankly a bore, one that seems obligatory and nowhere near as moving or as engaging as it should be. Faring slightly better are two other parallel storylines- the first about George’s older son Maneer (Emil Marwa) and his search for a bride; and the second about George’s reconciliation with his first wife and his daughters whom he left behind in Pakistan some 30 years ago.
In particular, the latter is anchored by Om Puri’s strong performance, portraying the angst and guilt his character feels within him for abandoning his previous family with only the occasional correspondence as well as a regular stipend from England. This predicament also forms the basis of the film’s most poignant moment, when George’s English wife Ella (Linda Bassett) meets his first (Ila Arun) and proceeds to engage in a conversation that conveys each other’s inner anguish despite not being able to understand the other’s language. Bassett and Arun are uniformly excellent in their roles, and you can’t help but empathise with both at the same time.
Yet the emotional impact of this exchange is ultimately dulled by a film that meanders too long and too aimlessly for its own good. There is little to be learnt or enjoyed in this intercultural movie, a sequel that loses the jocular and irreverent tone of the first film. It doesn’t matter if you’re from the East, or from the West- this is one boring affair whichever side of the continent you hail from.
Movie Rating:
(Despite good performances from its multiracial cast, this long-overdue sequel is a dull coming-of-age tale that pales considerably to its sharper and immensely more entertaining predecessor)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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