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SYNOPSIS: Boyd and his family are forced to spend a dreaded Christmas at his parents' house with his eccentric father (Robin Williams) that he has been avoiding for years. When he realizes that he left his son's gifts at home, Boyd and his father must hit the road in a blizzard to retrieve the gifts before sunrise to save Christmas.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Before Robin Williams passed away in August 2014, the much-loved comedian left behind four completed movies and the indie Christmas movie, A Merry Friggin’ Christmas happens to be among the loot.

Honestly no one will give a damn about A Merry Friggin’ Christmas if not for the late Williams. The entire affair is clichéd, unfunny and insipid. You will be mortified to know that the Russo Brothers (Captain America) actually had a hand in this mess.

Every Christmas movie has a dysfunctional family to begin with and right here, we have the Mitchlers. Boyd (Joel McHale), a successful fund manager is forced to spend Christmas with his parents and siblings in Wisconsin. Meaning he has to face his estranged father - the often angry, depressed ex-drunkard Virgil (Williams). When Boyd realizes he has left his son’s Christmas gift back at home, Boyd and his unlikely companion, Virgil must endure an 8 hours journey to retrieve the gifts before sunrise to avoid disappointing his son.

A Merry Friggin’ Christmas has none of the funniness of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the nastiness of Bad Santa, the wholesomeness of Elf or the energy of Jingle All The Way. All members of the ensemble cast are relegated to mouthing boring weak dialogue, which explained the unenthusiastic looking faces. Candice Bergen looked dead tired and Oliver Platt playing a homeless Santa Claus prefers to hide behind his disguise all the time. You probably expect something rowdy to happen during the road trip but all you have is a repetitive gag that involved an overzealous trooper handing speeding tickets to Boyd.

Joel McHale tried all his might to liven up the deadwood like material but his character just doesn’t come across as likeable. Clarke Duke plays his naïve younger brother who adopted the son of his ex-girlfriend and the son happens to be black. Is that meant to be funny by the way? As for Williams, it’s kind of sad to see the brilliant actor being handed with such a script. He is apparently more depressed than grouchy as Virgil Mitchler. It’s a pity Hollywood doesn’t cast him in credible productions in the past decade and A Merry Friggin’ Christmas marks the very reason why we should rewatched Aladdin, Patch Adams and Mrs Doubtfire this Christmas instead of this dud.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Cast Interviews feature brief interviews (ranging from 6 minutes to 2) with several of the main actors including Williams, McHale and Oliver Platt.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Image clarity and detailing is fine and audio presentation in the form of Dolby Digital 5.1 is serviceable for a dialogue intensive title.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: David Green
Cast: Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Pete Ploszek, Jeremy Howard, Stephen Amell, Tyler Perry, Laura Linney, Brian Tee, Stephen 'Sheamus' Farrelly, Gary Anthony Williams
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.teenagemutantninjaturtlesmovie.com

Opening Day: 2 June 2016

Synopsis: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" is the sequel to the 2014 hit film "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." The film is based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman and is directed by David Green ("Earth to Echo").

Movie Review:

Let’s be honest about this: you probably won’t see a glowing review of this sequel to 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TNMT) anywhere. This is one of those movies which critics will love bashing - simply because. It is difficult to embrace a movie when Michael Bay and Megan Fox are involved in the same movie. One’s known for his loud, explosive and cheesy movies (no budget spared, definitely), while the other, well, isn’t known for acting in good movies.

But are we going to join in the bashing here? No, because we knew what we were in for before entering the theatre. And this reviewer (not in a self righteous way, of course) is more aware than that. It also helps that he was a fan of the turtles when he was young: he remembers fondly gazing at the action figures (hoping that his parents would get him one for being obedient) whenever he had the opportunity to visit toy stores. If you must know, he managed to own all the four turtles, the Cheapskate and the Turtle Blimp (go search for images of this old school toys on the Internet if you want to know what kind of joy it brought to a eight year old boy).

One thing he was dying to own was the Technodrome, a spherical base used by TNMT’s villain Kraang. The badass giant mothership was any boy’s dream toy (again, go look for images on the Internet to get an idea of what this columnist means) - and that’s why when the word “Technodrome” was mentioned in the 112 minute movie, this writer’s eyes lit up and realised that this can’t be that bad a summer popcorn flick.

Although the four turtles (Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo) are no longer adorable like those depicted in the animated series which aired from 1987 to 1996, they still manage to pull off a few wisecracks. Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher and Jeremy Howard provided the motion capture and voices for the four protagonists. We only wonder whether they look as menacing and muscular in real life?

Elsewhere, Megan Fox headlines the movie playing April O’ Neil (we won’t be mean and go into detail why she is a mere sex symbol to lure young boys into paying for the movie), Will Arnett reprises his role as the crowd favourite Vern Fenwick, Stephen Amell plays Casey Jones (he looks cooler than the action figure which had a mask on), Brian Tee returns as The Shredder and Tyler Perry takes on the role as Dr Baxter Stockman (fans would know he would eventually mutate into a fly). There’s also Peter D Badalamenti, Gary Anthony Williams and Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly providing voice and motion capture performances as fan favourite Splinter, Bebop and Rocksteady respectively.

Seeing these characters come alive on the big screen means a lot to a fan like this columnist While they aren’t the best reincarnations (you can’t please everyone, especially in the entertainment industry where moolah calls the shots), the loud, explosive and cheesy movie (read: Michael Bay) does what it is supposed to do - be loud, explosive and cheesy.

Oh, what’s the storyline behind this David Green directed flick? It probably doesn’t matter - all you need to know if that the turtles are out to save the world from baddies. It’s as simple as that.

Movie Rating:

(The loud, explosive and cheesy summer blockbuster does what it's supposed to do: be loud, explosive and cheesy)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Andrew Renzi
Cast: Richard Gere, Dakota Fanning, Theo James, Clarke Peters, Maria Breyman
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Drug Use and Coarse Language)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website:

Opening Day: 14 January 2016

Synopsis: In Franny, an iconoclastic philanthropist survives a devastating accident that kills his two best friends, but four years later, he is still struggling with the guilt and pain. When his late friends’ daughter Olivia resurfaces with a new husband and a baby on the way, Franny tries to overcome his emotional and physical suffering by inserting himself into their lives. Outrageously charming and limitlessly infuriating, Franny hands his young friends undreamt-of opportunities while attempting to micromanage their lives in ever more intrusive ways.

Movie Review:

Before the world was blessed with Channing Tatum and Ryan Gosling, charming men came in the form of actors like Richard Gere. In 1990, the Philadelphia-born actor starred in Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman opposite Julia Roberts as a wealthy businessman who hires a down and out hooker to be an escort for his business and social functions. The performance made countless female viewers dream about living the love story the two protagonists of the romantic comedy enjoyed in the commercially successful movie.

Fast forward some 25 years later, can Gere still command screen presence like before? You bet.

In his latest work, the Golden Globe winning actor (Chicago) plays the titular Franny, a billionaire suffering addictions not just to morphine but to others' attention and his own privilege. How so? We first see Franny as a philanthropist all set to do good by building a hospital. He then survives a car accident which killed his two best friends. When his deceased friend’s daughter returns to his life with a husband in tow, the disheveled man comes to his senses to feel alive again, so much to the extent that the couple feels increasingly uncomfortable. Is there an ulterior motive behind this ridiculously generous man? Is there an untold tragedy behind that magnanimous personality?

In director Andrew Renzi’s film, viewers are brought along for an emotional ride – you feel sympathy for Franny at first, seeing how the man is in desperate need of human connection; then you begin to wonder whether his destructive behaviour should be tolerated, as you see him abusing drugs and his riches to feel alive again; and ultimately you feel his helplessness, as you find yourself wanting to stretch out your hand to give Franny a assuring pat on his back.

This is where Gere succeeds in capturing the viewers’ attention throughout the film’s 93 minute runtime. His portrayal of a man seemingly headed towards self destruction is an affectionately compelling one. One moment you see him showering care to a frightened child in his hospital, then you see him buying love with his fortune through irrational decisions, before you see him turning to drugs for comfort and solace. Coupled with the 66 year old actor’s good looks, you believe that there is a Franny out there you want to know, and this someone whom you want to help.

Gere’s co stars Dakota Fanning (The Runaways, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2) and Theo James (You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, The Divergent Series: Insurgent) play the couple whose lives are changed by Franny’s generosity. Though they pull off okay performances, they evidently do not shine as much as the veteran actor.

You may be unsure where the film is headed, with its unpredictable pacing chronicling Franny’s ups and downs. You can’t put a finger to whether the film is a thriller (the accident sequence makes the movie feel like one) or a human drama. You don’t know whether to expect a twist as Franny continues his way to a seemingly oncoming collapse. This is where the film works – as a gentle reminder that life moves in an unpredictable manner as we grapple with our senses to stay sane in this increasingly insane world.

Movie Rating:

(Richard Gere is in top form as a man who is in desperate need of human connection in this moving drama)

Review by John Li

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Maika Monroe, Jessie Usher, William Fichtner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Travis Tope, Sela Ward, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox, Angelababy
Runtime: 2 hrs
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.warof1996.com

Opening Day: 23 June 2016

Synopsis: We always knew they were coming back. After INDEPENDENCE DAY redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global catastrophe on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

Movie Review:

A good twenty years has passed since Will Smith’s F18 pilot Steven Hiller and Jeff Goldblum’s computer scientist David Levinson entered the alien mothership that blew up the White House and detonated it from within, saving the human race from annihilation and giving the world two decades of peace through its unity against a more fearsome enemy . In that time, a global Earth Space Defense Agency has been set up with outposts on the moon and Saturn, supported by a defense force that counts Steven’s son Tom and former President Bill Thomas J. Whitemore’s daughter as its pilots. Alien technology has enriched not just our weaponry but our very lives, allowing us to build a high-tech utopia where we can overcome our human limitations such as gravity.

As tantalizing as Roland Emmerich’s vision of an alternate present may be, few – we suspect – will be in the mood to get re-acquainted with our heroes of yesteryear, notwithstanding that Emmerich have taken pains to bring them back for this long-overdue sequel. Like before, it is alien destruction on a monumental scale that most will likely be eagerly awaiting with bated breath – including Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers smashing into the London Eye, Dubai’s Burg Kalifa ‘spearing’ London’s Tower Bridge and our very own iconic Marina Bay skyline decimated by the marauding species. Never mind that Emmerich suggests our little red dot is a city in China, seeing our landmarks breaking apart on the big screen as they are sucked up into the sky by a 3000-mile wide queen ship is not a kick you get to have every day.

Alas this is hardly the first time that Emmerich has plotted worldwide catastrophe – ‘2012’ and ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ were also his doings – and that probably explains why he seems less keen on destroying the landmarks than on choreographing the aerial and ground battles between man and alien. Leading the charge against the invaders in Smith’s place are Liam Hemsworth’s maverick pilot Jake Morrison and Jessie T Usher’s Dylan Hiller (the son of Smith’s character), the two Top Gun wannabes at odds with each other at the start following a training skirmish that almost killed Dylan. Quite frankly, the personal drama goes nowhere, serving only as filler before the pair take to the skies to try and take down the queen right at the heart of the mothership.

But what a thrilling spectacle that makes, as swarms of fighter jets and alien spaceships whiz past each other at dizzying speeds in an aerial dogfight that Emmerich pulls off with aplomb. Emmerich has always loved orchestrating spectacle, and despite a brief sojourn into dramatic fare (last year’s ‘Stonewall’ anyone?), he demonstrates here that he has not lost his knack for epic-scaled action sequences that he was known for creating long before Marvel got into the game. The finale that sees Emmerich bring the fight out to the Salt Flats of Nevada (because the Earth Space Defense Agency just happens to be headquartered in Area 51, get it?) too doesn’t disappoint, especially in its show of human wit and ingenuity against the might and numbers of the alien contingent.

Yet even as it finds Emmerich at his best, ‘IDR’ also represents Emmerich at his worst. Character work is middling at best, dismal at worst. Goldblum’s wry Earth Space Defense director fares best, given the honour of dishing out the occasional sardonic quip that helps the movie as a whole find the right balance between absurd and awesome. Pullman’s PTSD-stricken ex-President seems present only for nostalgia’s sake, with little to do than to show that he is just as self-sacrificial with or without that presidential title. Usher is no Will Smith (despite trying to echo the latter by selling the iconic line ‘Get ready for a close encounter, bitch!’) and barely registers. Ditto ex-President Whitmore’s grown-up daughter Patricia (Maika Monroe), who serves no purpose but as love interest to Jake, the only memorable figure of the new guard. Not that fans of the original will be impressed; instead, they are more likely to cheer the return of Brent Spiney and John Storey as a pair of gay lovers/ nuclear scientists at Area 51.

Despite the assistance of four other co-writers (including his frequent collaborator Dean Devlin), Emmerich’s storytelling leaves much to be desired. After a steady build-up in the first half hour, the rest feels like a patchwork that threatens to fall apart due to under-developed plot threads, vague timelines and Deus-ex-Machinas the size of giant Pokeballs (we mean this literally). Because the invasion and the subsequent response feels rushed and somewhat incoherent, one can’t quite feel the anticipation before the attack, the great release of tension when it hits, and that sigh of relief when the threat is finally neutralized. The occasional levity does help to gloss over some of the sheer ludicrousness, but Emmerich’s failure to get his audience invested in his narrative or his characters means that you won’t feel the fist-pumping emotional triumph he is clearly aiming for at the end.

And in a sense, ‘IDR’ is quintessential Emmerich, built on a promise of epic spectacle which it delivers spectacularly but diminished in storytelling and character. It was always unrealistic to expect this sequel to match up to the expectations of its predecessor, not least because the latter was a cultural touchstone by heralding the arrival of the modern-day effects-driven blockbuster. For millennials though, Emmerich has ensured that this sequel works like a blast from the past, reveling in visual excess and embracing its silly cheesy premise with open arms. How much you love this resurgence depends on your appetite for big, loud and dumb fun that you won’t remember once you step out of the cinema, which makes for great summer entertainment – but frankly not much more.

Movie Rating:

(Packed with visual spectacle but lacking in everything else, 'Independence Day: Resurgence' is big, loud and dumb summer entertainment best enjoyed with popcorn, Coke and an uncritical mind)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comics/Action
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Olivia Munn, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Lucas Till, Josh Helman, Lana Condor, Ben Hardy
Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence & Brief Coarse Language)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website:

Opening Day: 19 May 2016

Synopsis: Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

Movie Review:

Before Apocalypse unleashes the end of the world, there is a moment when the gifted youngsters of Professor Charles Xavier’s school for mutants sneak out to the cinema to see ‘Return of the Jedi’. Following a debate which of the original ‘Star Wars’ films is the best, a teenage Jean Grey gets the final word with the following remark: “Well, at least we can all agree, the third one is always the worst”. Though clearly intended as a dig at Brett Ratner’s oft-criticised ‘The Last Stand’, it is an equally prescient remark about the third superhero-versus-superhero showdown of this year, a loud, empty, overblown CGI-fest that possesses not the depth or excitement of the eminently superior ‘Captain America: Civil War’ nor even the grand operatic ambition of the flawed ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’.

As promising as it may be to underscore the ideological divide among the mutants of waging war or making peace by introducing an all-powerful deity meant to be the first of their kind, that premise never quite comes to fruition here. Aside from world domination (which pretty much sums up describes what every other comic book villain is after), there is no purpose or motivation to Apocalypse’s plan to scorch everything on the planet. Try though Oscar Isaac does, the usually charismatic actor struggles to bring much conviction to his character’s monologues about restoring the strong in their rightful place atop society, not least because the actor is buried under slathered-on makeup, facial prosthetics and a costume that would make Thanos embarrassed.

Seeing as how Apocalypse proves to be a disappointingly generic villain, it once again falls to James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto/ Erik Lensherr to provide the dramatic conflict on which the showdown between good and evil is based. Following his failed assassination of President Nixon in the last instalment, Erik has since retreated to Poland, where he lives happily under an assumed identity as a steel worker with a wife and young child. His cover is blown when he uses his powers to save a co-worker from an industrial accident, precipitating a tragic chain of events which will lead him to forgo anonymity and declare war once again on humanity. And yet that tension between Charles’ man of reason and hope versus Magneto’s darker impulses has been fought so many times that it feels familiar and undercooked here, especially considering how its immediate predecessor had fleshed out the same complex relationship out so much more beautifully.

That essentially reduces ‘Apocalypse’ to yet another superhero round-up much like the first ‘X-Men’ or ‘X-Men: First Class’, and so, for the first hour, we are introduced to newcomers Tye Sheridan’s laser-sighted Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops, Sophie Turner’s telekinetic Jean Grey and Teutonic teleporter Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee). They will eventually join forces with ‘First Class’ regulars Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast (Nicholas Hoult) to go head to head with Apocalypse’s ‘Four Horsemen’ recruits – weather-controller Storm (Alexandra Shipp), energy-manipulator Psylocke (Olivia Munn), flight-enabled Angel (Ben Hardy) and last but not least, Magneto. News about the latter will also prompt the son he doesn’t yet know about, Quiksilver (Evan Peters), to enlist in Professor Xavier’s school, where he will put his fleet-footed powers to save all the students within from an explosion ripping the building apart.

Given how that sequence set to Eurythmics’ period-appropriate synth-jam ‘Sweet Dreams’ is by and large an exact copy of the crowdpleasing scene-stealing sequence in ‘Days of Future Past’, there is more than a nagging suspicion that director Bryan Singer (who marks his fourth ‘X-Men’ outing with this movie) has pretty much run out of ideas. As if compensating for an attention-deficit audience, Singer and his screenwriter Simon Kinberg cut from subplot to subplot without ever letting their audience get involved in any one storyline or character. Even though the ‘X-Men’ movies have always been an ensemble, Singer has always grounded them in their struggles to emerge from wealth or poverty, acceptance or rejection, confidence or self-hatred; yet this latest dumbs down their humanity in favour of pure spectacle, which proves an ultimately foolhardy choice in this era where there are just too many superheroes fighting for our attention.

Even as a superhero slugfest, the action is frankly disappointing. It says a lot when Quiksilver’s cheeky slo-mo turns out to be the highlight of a film that promises no less than the end of the world. At any and every opportunity, every other character reminds us of what is at stake, but the large-scale catastrophe consists of nothing more than unimpressive shots of capital cities (including New York, Sydney and Cairo) reduced to swirling CGI-dust with little sense of tragedy or consequence. The climax itself is packed with plenty of sound and fury, but comes off shockingly dull. Rather than have the Horsemen take apart the good guys as a team, Singer splits the fight into a series of mini-skirmishes that hardly do the characters or their superpowers justice. By the time Apocalypse (finally) steps into the fray after a way-too-long buildup, the battle has shifted into his mind (which, as we suspect, turns out to be pretty blank), but that change of setting barely unleashes any creative possibility for Singer to think out of this world.

And coming off ‘Days of Future Past’, ‘Apocalypse’ is undoubtedly a tragic letdown. There are so many characters that even Charles and Magneto become no more than supporting acts, their perennial disagreement treated as an afterthought than the dramatic dynamo of the film. The titular villain may seem like great potential as an antagonist, but ends up vague, underwhelming and insignificant. And most notably, what used to be potent allegory about the civil rights movement or coming out in the LGBT community has now been diminished to standard, sometimes sub-standard, superhero melee, so much so that it even fails to make good use of its vibrant 1980s setting except for a couple of recognisable tunes. It may not be the apocalypse of the ‘X-Men’ franchise, but this dreadfully boring and derivative entry could very well portent its end.

Movie Rating:

(Loud, dumb and derivative, thie empty CGI showcase is by far the worst superhero movie this year)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Director: Justin Lin
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Joe Taslim, Idris Elba
Runtime: 2 hr 3 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/StarTrekMovie

Opening Day: 21 July 2016

Synopsis: "Star Trek Beyond," the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Movie Review:

How many of us know Star Trek has its roots in 1966 when it first debuted as The Original Series? How many of us know that there are now 13 movies in the Star Trek film franchise? While Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades (fans of the franchise, also known as Trekkies, often spout taglines like “Live Long and Prosper”, “Beam Me Up, Scotty” and “To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before…”), there is this other little franchise called Star Wars which will always serve as a comparison.

After 10 previous movies, the Star Trek film franchise did what almost every other movie franchise thought was a good marketing strategy – to reboot the series. This third production in the series after 2009’s Star Trek and 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness is, fortunately, a thoroughly enjoyable summer blockbuster that is bound to go down with critics and common movie goers alike.

Justin Lin, known for his work on The Fast and the Furious 3-6, takes over the director role from J J Abrams (it is interesting to note that Abrams has directed both Star Wars and Star Trek movies) and delivers first class entertainment with this 122 minute movie. With a screenplay by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto reprise their roles as Captain James T Kirk and Commander Spock respectively, with Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Anton Yelchin reprising their roles from the previous movies.

Pegg is charming as chief engineer Montgomery Scott, Urban is the sturdy chief medical officer Leonard McCoy, Saldana displays her coolness as communications officer Nyota Uhura, Cho is endearing as helmsman Hikaru Sulu (you probably have read about how this movie will portray this character as a gay – thumbs up for giving the film some pre publicity!) and Yelchin is the very likeable navigator Pavel Chekov (the 27 year old actor died in a very unfortunate freak accident earlier this year). Joining the all star cast is the menacing Idris Elbaas a ruthless military commander and Sofia Boutella as a new ally.

Lin is marvelous as he brings on the thrills and spills of the sci fi adventure. There are breathtaking spaceship chases, impressive explosions, and even a well choreographed motorcycle sequence. Also, watch out for stunning visual spectacles like the enemy attack ships which swarm their target like hoards of insects – giving you the perfect reason to catch this movie in glorious 3D format.

Although much of the movie involves the cast delivering dialogue (at the top of their voices – they are in space after all) to explain what and why their actions, the chemistry between the actors is evident. There is much bromance on display here – Pine and Quinto, Quinto and Urban, Yelchin and Pine – it makes you want to put on that slick space uniform (with the Starfleet insignia, no less) and be part of the team.

Trekkies would approve of this highly recommended summer blockbuster as well. There is an apt photo cameo where Leonard Nimoy appears as Spock Prime, alongside George Takei, Walter Koenig, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols as Sulu, Chekov, Kirk, Scott, McCoy and Uhura from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The script pays tribute to the familiar taglines, and there will be a special place in your heart for this movie when the end credits come on, stating that it is dedicated to the memory of Nimoy (who died during pre production) and the cast and crew’s “little brother” Anton.

Movie Rating:

(Buckle up for an epic sci fi adventure that takes you on a Fast and Furious ride in space!)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: Webber is an extreme sports fanatic. His stubborn nature in a game accidentally leads to the death of his older brother leaving him guilt driven. By day is one of the many nameless employees with a desk job while he works off his depression in Parkour at night. When his sister got kidnapped, Webber's determination to save her kicks off a game of life and death. Not only did he fall in love with fellow extreme sports expert Fee, the duo unveils a top secret in the process.

MOVIE REVIEW:

With the death of his older brother, extreme sports fanatic Webber (Shawn Dou) decides to quit Urban Games (UG), the outfit, which his brother and him founded. When his sister, Syndra (Ye Qing) is kidnapped by his fellow ex-partner, Tyler (Korean pop singer JUNO), Webber is reluctantly drawn back to the games to ensure UG can continue profit from illegal dealings.

While the DVD touts the involvement of the crew behind Transformers 2 and the first Chinese movie to feature extreme sports, Urban Games is more of an urban legend than any of the boastful taglines the marketing department has conceived.

Yes for the matter of fact, the title is indeed co-directed, written by Bob Brown, a veteran Hollywood stuntman and second unit director of movies liked Transformers, Captain America and Iron Man. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see any action sequences that spoke of such credibility. Webber’s participation in a series of Urban Games is mere overcoming ninja warrior like obstacles, motorcycle racing and one that has participants jumping and hovering above a gigantic industrial fan. All the actions are either choreographed via bad CGI or mundane wirework with zilch amount of excitement and adrenalin to talk about. Even the parkour moves seem amateur at best. Yawn.

Not only the action aspect has failed, the story also seems jarring, predictable and sleep inducing. You don’t really feel a sense of looming danger despite the fact that one of the characters is being held hostage. Because throughout the entire process, Webber still finds time to fall in love with a fellow extreme sports lover, Fee played by You Are The Apple of My Eye’s breakout star, Michelle Chen. Webber saved Fee’s life, they fall in love, dance on the rooftop together and gets intimate as well all at the expense of Syndra’s life.

Tyler’s involvement in the crime is even campier as he spent all his time monitoring Webber’s movements, mouths clichéd dialogue and appears in every scene in flamboyant costumes. Bad guy surveillance the good guy and wear bad clothing. Get it?

Urban Games is riddled with not just the above issues but also bad, wooden acting from Shawn Dou and JUNO. Michelle Chen is obviously miscast while ex-child star Aston Chen aka Shi Xiao-long appears as a fellow UG participant. There’s a mild twist to the plot in the end but that can’t really salvage the fact that the main villain is not seen onscreen being killed or captured. How weird/low-budget is that.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Just a Trailer

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is nothing impressive with obvious bad ADR work spotted. DVD visual is serviceable and pleasant unless you are into stunning high definition images.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Kwai, the ex-gang boss and his sworn brother Leung run some downcast small business to live a down-to-earth life. The situation is worsened when his sauna and karaoke parlor are successively provoked and threatened by his former gang brother, Bill who's now working as a hatchet man for a real estate company. On Kwai's mother's funeral day, Kwai got stuck in a traffic jam. Then he walks into a tea cafe where he meets Mei who'll be another important woman in his life. Kwai can't get her away from his mind every day. So he then starts to crazily court her. Coincidentally, Bill and his men show up again as he must also see to the forced removal of Mei's tea cafe. Kwai leads his gang to fight back Bill's intrusion. When it seems to everyone that Mei could be esteemed as Kwai's girlfriend. Mei finally reveals a secret that she has known Leung earlier and Leung is the one she loves. Kwai decides to step down and wish them happiness. However Bill mistakingly kills Leung in order to claim the tea cafe. It completely ignites Kwai's revenge. He swears to start a gang war on Bill at all costs.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Despite having an intimidating Anthony Wong and equally scary character actors Chan Wai Mun and Ng Chi Hung in this triad theme drama, Gangster Pay Day ends up pretty much a mild, nostalgic nod to the old days of Hong Kong cinema rather than an all-out violent gangster flick.

Ex-triad boss Ghost (Anthony Wong) and his buddies, Uncle Two (Chan) and B (Ng) runs a karaoke bar and massage parlor for a living. While it’s decent living, business is slow and Ghost’s young protégé, Leung (Wong You Nam) proposes to look into other business ventures. At the same time, Ghost’s cousin Bill (Philip Keung) offers to sell drugs on his premise and suggesting to him to give up his properties to make way for a real estate development creating unnecessary problems for the retired Ghost.

It might seems like bloodshed is about to erupt at any point of time but director Lee Po Cheung and his fellow scriptwriter Lily He prefers to craft a heartwarming, occasionally funny story about true love and retired triad members. On an impulse visit to a tea house, Ghost is mesmerized by the young owner, Mei (Charlene Choi) and thus the movie spent a good hour depicting Ghost’s clumsy attempt in wooing Mei with Uncle Two and B trying their hands at making pineapple buns no less.

Although it’s kind of wrong in having Anthony Wong wooing Charlene Choi (the former is old enough to be Choi’s father in real-life), the results are often entertaining and comedic. Veteran acclaimed actress Carrie Ng even appears as Ghost’s trusty ex-wife, Pui making the entire viewing experience even easier. If there’s one actress that really surprises us this time, it’s pop star Charlene Choi who shed her usual cutesy bubbly image to play a subdued tea owner who is pressured to take over the shop from her dying father and balancing her romance with the troubled Leung.

The tone of the movie only starts to turn somber and serious in the last twenty minutes or so however I’m not going to spoil things for you. Let’s just say things expectedly don’t really turn up well for Bill. In the end, Gangster Pay Day makes for a comfortable, relaxed watch even the first few opening minutes feature a character getting his head smashed by endless wine bottles. Apparently the movie makes us crave for more adventures of Anthony Wong and his followers and of course, pineapple buns and egg tarts.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Both the DVD visual and audio function liked a mild TV feature. If you can’t stomach such weak technical specs, then this title might not be your cup of tea.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Cast: Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Aaron Paul, Diane Kruger, Jane Fonda, Quvenzhané Wallis, Bruce Greenwood, Octavia Spencer, Ryan Eggold
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:

Opening Day: 7 January 2016

Synopsis: Fathers and Daughters is a love story between a father and daughter living in New York City. The story moves back and forth between the 1980’s where Jake Davis, a Pulitzerwinning novelist and widower, struggles with mental illness as he tries to raise his 5-yearold daughter, Katie, and 30-year-old Katie’s life in present-day Manhattan where she battles the demons that stem from her troubled childhood.

Movie Review:

Russell Crowe nabbed an Oscar nomination playing a mentally troubled mathematician genius in A Beautiful Mind. 15 years later, he played a fictional Pulitzer winning writer, Jake Davis who suffered severe seizures after a horrific accident which also left his wife dead. Sadly, there are no noticeable award nominations for him this time round.

Fathers and Daughters for the record is directed by Italian Gabriele Muccino which touched the hearts of everyone with his Will Smith starring inspirational drama, The Pursuit of Happyness and stumped everyone with another Will Smith drama, Seven Pounds two years later. Worth mentioning, his current effort has a prestige cast including Amanda Seyfried, Aaron Paul, Jane Fonda, Diane Kruger, Bruce Greenwood, Quvenzhane Wallis and Octavia Spencer in addition to Crowe.

After the loss of her mom and a short period living with her snobbish aunt (Kruger) and uncle (Greenwood), Katie yearns for the return of her dad who has been rehabilitating in a mental institution. Jake struggles to be the best dad for Katie despite the fact that he is not doing that great financially and mentally. He continues to write though his latest book was disastrous. At the same time, Katie’s rich aunt is fighting to adopt her. 18 years later, we see Katie working as a trainee social worker. Unfortunately she is no angel. She is fighting her own inner demons who have been constantly seducing her into one night stands with random strangers.

This melodrama centers almost whole-hearteningly on the character of Katie (Seyfried), daughter of Jake. But this being a movie headlined by Oscar winner Russell Crowe, Gabriele working on a script by Brad Desch have to toggle between a 25 years old Katie and 7 years old Katie (Kylie Rogers). This way, we get to see Crowe weaving his cinematic magic playing a doting father who tries his best to provide for his young daughter. It’s almost heartbreaking to see Jake Davis breaking into a seizure halfway through his autograph session or trying hard to execute a simple task such as shaving.

The grown up Katie Davis on the other hand is a complete mess. She is only at her best when she is working with an orphan Lucy (Wallis). Other than that, she is filling the void in her heart by sleeping with complete strangers in cars and public toilets. She is indeed a wreck until she met an inspiring (sensitive) novelist Cameron (Paul) that she beings to feel heal. She has daddy issues all right and Fathers and Daughters takes its time to unfold the pain and emotion skillfully cutting away unnecessary subplots. The audiences only need to know about Jake and Katie Davis and this is what you get.

Despite being overly mushy and ham-fisted at times, Fathers and Daughters boasts a well-acted cast and a rather simple loving tale which exemplifies a father’s generous love to his daughter. If the story is not sad enough to unleash your tear ducts, perhaps Michael Bolton who also sang the theme song will.

Movie Rating:

(Warm, sad family drama. Only mature audiences need to apply)

Review by Linus Tee