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COWBOYS AND ALIENS is first to receive PG13 rating in SingaporePosted on 04 Aug 2011 |
Genre: Thriller
Director: Alan Mak and Felix Chong
Cast: Louis Koo, Lau Ching Wan, Daniel Wu, Michelle Ye, Huang Yi, Wilfred Lau, Kenneth Tsang, Woo Fung, Chiao Chiao, Felix Lok, Kiang Nge, Samuel Kwok, Ben Yuen, Dion Lam, Alex Fong
RunTime: 1 hr 59 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG
Official Website:
Opening Day: 18 August 2011
Synopsis: Manson Law (Lau Ching Wan), a celebrated stockbroker in Hong Kong is injured in a car accident. The police, led by Inspector Jack Ho (Louis Koo), discover a military surveillance device in the car wreck. Meanwhile, the wiretapper Joe (Daniel Wu) is unveiling his extensive plan that targets the mysterious financial conglomerate, the Landlord Club. The fate of these three men soon intertwines in the cat-and-mouse game that may bring down the entire stock market.
Movie Review:
Louis Koo, Lau Ching Wan and Daniel Wu reunite with director/writer duo Alan Mak and Felix Cheong in this unrelated sequel to Overheard, the 2009 financial-theme crime boiler. While the three actors played police buddies who got embroiled in a stock exchange fiasco in the original, “Overheard 2” has Koo playing a police inspector Jack who is investigating a car crash that involves celebrity stockbroker Mason Law (Lau Ching Wan). Koo and his team found a high-tech military surveillance device in his wrecked Ferrari while at the same time, a mysterious dangerous man named Joe (Daniel Wu) might hold the answers to all these happenings.
Without giving much of the plot away, “Overheard 2” continues to revolve around the world of illegal stock fixing and we are not talking about some sleazy scumbags hidden behind monitors. The stock market if you believe is apparently influenced by a few prestige and enormously rich old men known as part of the “Landlord Club”, and well Joe’s wiretapping ways is part of a grander scheme it seems to expose their mischiefs.
After their embarrassing take on the period piece, “The Lost Bladesman”, Alan Mak and Felix Cheong is back in familiar territory. The duo famous for creating the “Infernal Affairs” trilogy developed a more constant and intense effort as compared to the first. Firstly since our three protagonists are now playing against each other, some of the heavy dialogue-laden exchanges in the original between the leads are missing here and what’s in place is a few genuinely well-executed action sequences that will keep you glue to the seat. Check out a bombing scene on a busy street and a motorbike chase to prove my point. Secondly, subplots are kept to the minimum and the script is focused tightly on the landlord club and the involvement of Jack, Manson and Joe without going to hyperdrive melodrama.
Koo in his 899th screen appearances for the year takes on a salt-and-pepper look as a cop who places justice and morality above anything else. His performance as a cop and suffering husband of Michelle Ye’s character easily stood out in the entire movie. Lau (one of my favourite HK actors of all time) who is less prolific in recent years however is being sidetracked given his character is half the time a passive dude. Wu of course is perfect as the skillful ex-military man (though never really confirm, he is mentioned using military devices and he is photographed with his mom wearing a green overall with a “Singapore” tag on it!) out for revenge. He looks great, fights well and rides a mean motorbike.
It’s not just the main cast members you will find in “Overheard 2”, apparently HK veterans such as Kenneth Tsang, his wife Chiao Chiao snagged a role too and TV familiar faces, Samuel Kwok, Lok Ying Kwan, Woo Fung and Kong Ngai appeared as members of the “Landlord Club” as well giving the movie a huge boast in casting.
So far, this year has been quite a lackluster one for HK exports where comedies generally filled up the empty slots. “Overheard 2” turns out to be a taut, intense crime thriller which Alan Mak and Felix Cheong is renowned for. These guys have proven they have matured with their filmmaking without ex-partner Andrew Lau and what a surprise, this title actually passed with flying colors surpassing the original.
Movie Rating:.
(A taut and suspenseful ride surpassing the original "Overheard")
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Fantasy
Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence Liam Hemsworth, Wes Bentley, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Paula Malcomson, Stanley Tucci, Dayo Okeniyi, Donald Sutherland, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, Willow Shields, Toby Jones, Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Isabelle Fuhrma
RunTime: 2 hrs 22 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence and Some Disturbing Content)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: www.thehungergamesmovie.com/
Opening Day: 22 March 2012
Synopsis: "The Hunger Games" chronicles a dystopic Capitol which requires its twelve subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl, forced to participate in the annual "Hunger Games," a fight-to-the-death live televised event. Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen in the lottery to participate and Katniss volunteers to take her place. Although persevering through hardship is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home.
Movie Review:
Not since the Twilight franchise first hit the big screen in 2008 has there been so much fevered anticipation for a print-to-screen adaptation, but that should be expected for a book that spent 180 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Envisioning a post-apocalyptic North America named Panem comprised of a ruling Capitol and 12 enslaved districts, novelist Suzanne Collins’ ‘The Hunger Games’ was a smart dystopian sci-fi thriller which also served as darkly satiric commentary on a world gone mad on spectacle.
The premise of the titular Games is intriguing- as penance for their rebellion against Capitol rule 74 years ago, a boy and a girl from the ages of 12 to 18 are chosen by lottery from each district to fight to the death in a televised gladiator event. It’s the Capitol’s means of ensuring subjugation from the districts- ‘we own your lives’ is the message the sinister President Snow (Donald Sutherland) wants the Games to convey alongside a glimmer of hope by allowing that one triumphant individual to return home victorious.
That winner for the 74th Hunger Games is 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) from the coal-mining District 12, a strong-willed independent girl who has been providing for her grief-stricken mother (Paula Malcomson) and her younger sister Prim (Willow Shields) ever since their father died in an accident. Ever the protector, Katniss volunteers to take Prim’s place when her name is called during the Reaping and- together with fellow tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson)- is abruptly whisked off into a surreal world of pomp and pomposity very unlike their home.
It’s only a temporary reprieve before the survivalist Games, just enough time for Katniss to pick up some useful tips from her drunken mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and make an impression to both the Games keeper Seneca (Wes Bentley) and the sponsors whose contributions may mean the difference between life and death. All too soon, Katniss finds herself released into a densely forested arena- that is really a tightly controlled space rigged all around with cameras- and made to fight for her life alongside Peeta and 22 other Tributes while the citizens of Panem and the districts watch riveted.
While the concept plays like an amalgam of ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Battle Royale’, director and co-adapter Gary Ross has chosen a Bourne-like style with handheld camerawork and quick cutting to inject urgency to the proceedings. Like Bourne too, our heroine is a master of her environment, making keen use of her terrain and the resources it offers to stay alive- even as the movie plays up the fact that the confrontations between her and her potential opponents are ultimately rigged by Seneca and his team for maximum viewing excitement.
Fans of the book will no doubt be making mental comparisons with key plot points in Katniss’ harrowing struggle- desperately hunting for water at the start; confronting an uneasy alliance of well-trained Tributes from wealthier districts; outsmarting them by unleashing mutated wasps known as Tracker Jackers on them; infuriating them by destroying their food supply; and of course allying with Peeta when the rules change to allow both a chance at survival. Ross, who co-wrote the screenplay with Collins and Billy Ray (of ‘Shattered Glass’), ensures that none of these crucial elements are lost, even as the order in which they occur get shuffled around.
At the fore of both the movie as well as the book- and played with remarkable clarity by Jennifer Lawrence in a performance of genuine grit and emotion- is Katniss’ winning combination of intelligence and humanity, despite the dehumanising state of affairs she has been thrust into. Just as adeptly as its source, Ross conveys Katniss’ ingenuity in the way she outwits her attackers as well as her indignation when an unlikely friend and ally, Rue (Amandla Stenberg), is abruptly killed. There is confidence, steeliness and vulnerability in Lawrence’s brilliant turn, just as- if not more- outstanding than her earlier Oscar-nominated performance in ‘Winter’s Bone’ where she also played a young teenager thrust into adult circumstances.
Not surprisingly, there are nuances that are evidently lost from the movie, some though more significant than others. Chief among them is the made-for-TV romance between Katniss and Peeta, key to understanding the climactic outcome at the end- whereas the first-person narration of the book allowed for a keen understanding of Katniss’ ambivalence, the movie’s portrayal opts for a much more straightforward portrayal that doesn’t do justice to Katniss’ complicated stirrings for Peeta vis-à-vis her hometown pseudo-boyfriend Gale (Liam Hemsworth in a small but crucial role when parts two and three roll by).
Ross also skims over the significant role Haymitch plays in their mutual survival (presumably to ensure tight narrative momentum), as well as the bloodshed of the actual Games (quite surely in order for the film to be able to play to a teenage audience). But in compensation, there is more emphasis on the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring by a quietly menacing President Snow- not simply setting the stage for later instalments, but also underlining the callousness of the Capitol administration in treating the lives of children as mere pawns in a psychological game of dominance and submission. Yes, if there is one aspect that comes off more strongly than the book, it is undoubtedly the allegory behind the dsytopic world of the Games.
Kudos then to Ross, who may have seemed an odd choice for the material given his past works ‘Pleasantville’ and ‘Seabiscuit, for boldly taking the creative liberties with the material while staying largely faithful and delivering a tense, thrilling, intelligent science-fiction thriller with sharp social critiques that will resonate with grown-ups. Indeed, don’t let the comparisons to Twilight mislead you for thinking that this is only for kids- thanks to a fearless performance by Lawrence, Katniss is a heroine that everyone of all ages can look up to.
Movie Rating:
(And the odds are indeed in this opening’s film’s favour- a tense, thrilling and smart science-fiction thriller with a brilliant lead performance by Jennifer Lawrence)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: Ray Liotta ("Goodfellas") delivers an intense performance in this explosive follow-up to the gritty urban crime thriller "Street Kings." Liotta plays Detroit detective Marty Kingston, the leader of an undercover narcotics team whose members are being systematically murdered one by one. To solve the brutal killings, Kingston joins forces with a young homicide detective. But neither of them is prepared for the shocking corruption their investigation will uncover--stunning secrets that will set both men on a violent collision course with betrayal and vengeance.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Cop thrillers are a dime-and-dozen- probably because it doesn’t cost too much to make one, and the fact that we can’t help but be intrigued by our men-in-blue. The latter is probably also the reason why most cop thrillers inevitably revolve around the theme of corruption, since the very nature of dirty cops goes against our very intuition of the kind of people we want enforcing law and order on our streets.
David Ayer’s ‘Street Kings’ was no different- it packed the grittiness that has become a prerequisite for the modern-day cop thriller, and it had a compelling plot courtesy of star writers James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential) and Kurt Wimmer (Law Abiding Citizen, Salt). This direct-to-video in-name only sequel however tries very hard to be gritty, but the lack of a gripping plot- written by newbies Ed Gonzalez and Jeremy Haft- means that it comes apart pretty quickly.
Once again, this sequel pairs a clean-cut rookie (Keanu Reeves in the former; Shawn Hatosy in this movie) with a veteran cop (Forest Whitaker in the former; Ray Liotta in this movie), with the veteran teaching the rookie the ways by which cops on the beat go about their business- even if it means taking a little on the side, or turning a blind eye. Here, Hatosy’s rookie is a certain Dan Sullivan who is assigned to work with Liotta’s Marty Kingston after a Narcotics cop is gunned down in cold blood.
The case intensifies after two other cops, both Narcotics officers and former partners of Kingston, also turn up dead. If you’re guessing if the killer is a cop or a thug, don’t bother- Gonzalez and Haft seem to have so little confidence in their story that they reveal who the killer is just half an hour into the movie. Of course, it really isn’t much of a surprise too- but the revelation still deflates much of the suspense that should accompany a movie like this.
Indeed, once we know the killer’s identity, it’s only a matter of time before Sullivan puts the pieces together and tracks him down. Director Chris Fisher tries to make this about the dilemma Sullivan faces taking down one of his own, but the attempt at injecting complexity into the mostly perfunctory proceedings is hardly engaging enough. And since the characters aren’t fleshed out properly, even the ending- which retains the original’s irony- comes across limp and uninspired.
The performances here are mostly just mediocre- Liotta has been in so many such genre stuff that he seems content to just sleepwalk through the role; while Hatosy is passable as the rookie forced to learn the ropes the tough way. And besides them, the rest of the supporting cast including Clifton Powell and Kevin Chapman as Kingston’s former partners are mostly wasted.
While ‘Street Kings’ was a sufficiently gripping cop thriller, this sequel is no more than a run-of-the-mill addition to the genre that will quickly be forgotten- after all, you will probably get the same and more in an episode of ‘Law and Order’ or ‘The Shield’ on TV. Even with lowered expectations for direct-to-video sequels, this is still a disappointing attempt at trying to replicate the success of its modestly successful predecessor
SPECIAL FEATURES:
There are two Deleted Scenes in the disc- the first with Hatosy’s Sullivan returning home drunk to his pregnant wife and the other with Kingston in a church. Both are equally unnecessary to the plot, especially the former which boasts some cringe-worthy dialogue.
Four featurettes are also contained on this disc. ‘Murder Scene Deconstructions’ looks at how cast and crew prepared for the shooting of the three murder scenes in the film, and how they tried to differentiate each from the other. Unfortunately, the end result on film is nowhere near impressive.
‘Creating a Convincing Cop Story’ has the director and the scriptwriters talk about how they tried to make their setting as authentic as possible, including the kind of guns that cops of Sullivan and Kingston’s personality would carry in real life.
‘An Explosive Opening’ looks at the messy opening sequence which establishes the partnership between Kingston and his three partners who were deep undercover together some years back. Speaking of which, the sequence looks poorly choreographed on screen.
Finally, ‘Motor City Setting’ talks about the Detroit setting of the movie, which apparently has influenced the crew in its choice of cars for the shooting.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is surprisingly anaemic, leaving much of the sound to come front and centre. Visuals are clear, but some scenes at night seem brighter than usual, as if filmed on digital camera a la ‘Collateral’.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: Born from the creative vision of filmmaker Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300), this epic action fantasy launches from the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Locked away against her will, Babydoll (Emily Browning) has not lost her will to survive. Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four fellow captives – outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung) and reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) – to band together and try to escape their terrible fate at the hands of their captors Blue (Oscar Isaac), Madam Gorki (Carla Gugino) and the High Roller (Jon Hamm).
MOVIE REVIEW:
Instead of three thirty-something women acting cutesy and screaming their lungs out in the form of Charlie’s Angels, Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) introduces us to a group of kick-ass, young females and instead of a straightforward narrative, Snyder piles audience with layer upon layer of different realities far complex than “Inception”. Welcome to the world of “Sucker Punch”!
Judging from the TV spots and trailer, you know you are in for a visual feast. Shot in the manner of “300” where the cast barely leave the soundstages and tinged in all sorts of strange hues courtesy of cinematographer Larry Fong, “Sucker Punch” is a visually arresting experience. There are samurai warriors, fire-breathing dragon, Nazi zombies, Star Wars-inspired droids and to top it all, five gorgeous babes – Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket) as Baby Doll, Abbie Cornish (Limitless) as Sweet Pea, Jena Malone (The Ruins) as Rocket, Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical) as Blondie and Jamie Chung (The Hangover 2) as Amber to satisfy your inner fanboy fetish.
You see the most important aspect of watching “Sucker Punch” is not to worry too much of the story-telling and just let the visual blinds your senses. This might sound a bit harsh but Snyder is no Christopher Nolan. Snyder’s first screenplay (not based on any other comic properties or remakes) is the story recounting the mishap of Baby Doll, a girl who is being sent to the mental institution by her evil stepfather. There she met the head nurse, Blue (Oscar Isaacs) who turns out to be more of a pimp and the only way for Baby Doll to escape this madness is to team up with fellow inmates to make their way to freedom.
Without being coherent, Snyder tries to deliver different levels of realities through Baby Doll. In her eyes or mind, the institution is more of a brothel; the doctor played by Carlo Gugino is more of a dance instructor and Baby Doll’s escapism is “dancing”. We knew all the shootings and fighting against dragon and zombies is imaginary but is Blue really a pimp and offering sexual services to clients? Or is it again a figment of Baby Doll’s imagination? There is never a clear line drawn and audience are left at the end scratching their heads or worse, laugh at all the absurdness Snyder has concocted.
Like I mentioned earlier, visual excitement is still Snyder’s forte. The ladies are absolute a hoot to watch especially the fantasy sequences. Armed with machine guns and out-of-this world vehicles, it’s a world of living manga and video games with rock heavy themes littered throughout. Never mind the movie is filled with offscreen rape, violence and sexual references, just treat this as a dazzling mess that is easy on the eyes and a bombardment to the ears.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Sucker Punch Animated Shorts
contains Feudal Warriors, The Trenches, Dragon and Distant Planet, mainly backstories for the movie’s fantasy sequences.
Sucker Punch: Behind The Soundtrack is a short 3 minutes feature that include interviews with Synder and music composers Tyler Bates and Marius De Vries.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Sucker Punch appears remarkably well on DVD though covered heavily by digital colour grading, images are pristine and detailed. Same goes to the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack with ear-splitting sound effects, heavy bass while dialogue remains clear throughout.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Bradley Cooper ("The A-Team") and two-time Academy-Award winner Robert De Niro star in this provocative and action-packed thriller with unlimited surprising twists. Eddie Morra (Cooper), a burnt-out writer, discovers a top-secret pill that unlocks 100 percent of his brain’s capacity. He instantly acquires mind-bending talents and mesmerizing visions that bring him big money, beautiful women and limitless success. But his dream life soon becomes a waking nightmare, as the drug’s brutal side effects take their toll and Eddie finds himself entangled with a cunning Wall Street power broker (DeNiro) who wants everything Eddie has . . . and more.
MOVIE REVIEW:
As the movie title implies, “Limitless” seemingly possesses no fixed genre. One part of it is sci-fi, part of it turns into an action thriller and the last is a corporate drama. Yet it’s a thoroughly enjoyable effort coming from the Neil Burger, the helmer of “The Illusionist”.
Bradley Cooper sure isn’t having an hangover when he accepts the role of Eddie Morra, a down-and-out writer suffering from writer’s block until he is given a strange looking pill dubbed NZT which allows him to access 100% of his brain. He finds himself finished the book in a day, becomes a stock market wizard, patching up with his girlfriend, Lindy (Abbie Cornish), harassed by loansharks and becoming a consultant on one of Wall Street’s biggest merger led by Carl Van Loom (Robert De Niro).
Writer Leslie Dixon seems to have taken NZT while adapting the original novel by Alan Glynn that “Limitless” moves at such a break necked pace and totally indulging for the audience following Morra’s madcap adventures that you wouldn’t really mind the gaping loopholes. Together with cinematographer Jo Willems’ awesome filtered photography at some of the best on-location shots of New York and Burger’s sharp directing, it makes you believe that “Limitless” could be a hidden agenda from a real drug company.
Most of the time it’s equally fun and witty to watch Morra getting himself out of trouble. A brutal scene involving a fight between Morra and a few thugs at his apartment is guilty intriguing but the downside is Dixon’s script has a few problems like for example explaining how Morra got himself out of an implicated murder case. There are a few moments where “Limitless” tries to go into darker side of things. For one the subplot that tells the side effects and consequences of possessing and consuming NZT was pretty well done yet again there isn’t much follow-up or how Morra manage to overcome all that.
Cooper apparently plays a huge part in being the charismatic Morra. One moment he is the unkempt writer asking for some small change from his girlfriend and the next he is a smartly suited confident genius walking down the streets. Now I wouldn’t sure if Shia La Beouf who is originally cast for the role will exhibit the kind of charm Cooper has. The acclaimed De Niro well is decent but hey he should be in the Wall Street sequel instead. Abbie Cornish who looks like a younger version to Charlie Theron deserves much more screentime unfortunately the movie is squarely fixed on one person that is Bradley Cooper.
Maybe “Limitless” is too smart for it’s own good that the ending comes as much of a disappointment. Downer would be too strong a word. At least the pill is not that hard to swallow and the overall effect is you might likely enjoy it.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
A Man Without Limits is a 4 minutes feature with interviews with the main cast members, director and producer.
Taking it to the Limit: The Making of Limitless is another 11 minutes interview segment which make more sense to combine it with the one above.
Audio Commentary with Director Neil Burger is an informative track that provides plenty of details about the making of “Limitless”. Burger is an eloquent speaker which makes it a pleasant listening experience.
Alternate Ending is not exceptionally different from the final cut.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Dialogue which made up a major portion of the movie is crisp and clear. Ambient sound effects are excellent. “Limitless” is a heavily saturated movie nevertheless its visual presentation on this DVD is amazing to watch.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Representing three different generations, the six female protagonists each live their lives with wisdom, strength and beauty. In their respective periods, they seek to find their own path amidst changing times, while confronting such turning points in their lives as marriage, childbirth and death. They grapple with the various challenges of being a woman yet they never flinch from their problems as they gradually arrive at the decision to simply be themselves.
MOVIE REVIEW:
There is something about star studded movies (we are talking about the type where all the stars have substantial roles, not just blink and you miss it cameos) which makes us amazed. How did the producers manage to convince the ensemble to come together to star in one movie? How did the producers manage to plan the production, despite the stars’ packed schedules? And above all, how sure were the producers that a cast like this would translate to box office success?
This Japanese film stars not one, not two, but six well known female stars – who have previously starred in cosmetic brand Shiseido’s popular television commercials. The story covers the lives of six women whose lives spans three generations. Starting in the 1930s, it begins with a young girl who is worried about an arranged marriage set up by her mother. The film ends in present day where a modern woman becomes worried about being a single mother.
The porcelain skinned Yu Aoi (Hula Girls) is the first woman we see in the 110 minute film. She plays the tradition woman in a segment presented in black and white. Next up, we have Yuko Takechi (Be with You), Rena Tanaka (10 Promises to My Dog) and Yukie Nakama (Gokusen: The Movie) who each displays a unique personality. There’s a woman who loses her husband to a car accident (Takechi), a career woman who is shocked by a marriage proposal (Tanaka) and a woman whose greatest happiness are her two daughters (Nakam), who are played by Kyoka Suzuki (Udon) and Ryoko Hirosue (Villon’s Wife). These two present day women have their own problems and issues to grapple with too, but like their ancestors, they represent the beauty and grace of the Japanese culture.
The storyline may sound straightforward in concept, but to translate the relationships of the women on screen skillfully is a challenge which the filmmakers have perfected artfully. Shot between April and September in 2009, this 2010 movie is evidently a work of hard work and effort, as what you’d see on screen is breathtaking art direction and some of Japan’s most picturesque locations. The actresses each hold their own ground too, portraying a characteristically different individual with her own poise and elegance, yet having an admirable spirit which ties all six of them together.
Director Norihiro Koizumi (Midnight Sun), despite being a male, has managed to identify with his characters in the film. What viewers get is a beautiful tale of motherhood, sisterhood, family, friendship, and above all, love, despite the very different eras each of the characters live in.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual transfer of the movie is as beautiful as the film itseld. It is presented in its original Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 track.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: When decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. In an assignment unlike any he's ever known, he learns he's part of a government experiment called the "Source Code," a program that enables him to cross over into another man's identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. With a second, much larger target threatening to kill millions in downtown Chicago, Colter re-lives the incident over and over again, gathering clues each time, until he can solve the mystery of who is behind the bombs and prevent the next attack. Filled with mind-boggling twists and heart-pounding suspense, Source Code is a smart action-thriller directed by Duncan Jones (Moon) also starring Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye, Due Date), Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed), and Jeffrey Wright (Quantum of Solace, Syriana).
MOVIE REVIEW:
If we possess the ability to time-travel to the year 2012, we will probably tell you that this is one of the best movies of this year. “Source Code” is a smart thinking man sci-fi movie after last year’s “Inception” and it definitely deserved multiple viewings to truly grasp its premise.
“Source Code” wastes no time introducing its characters. A veteran Army chopper pilot, Cpt Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) finds himself mysteriously riding on a train bound for Chicago. Sitted opposite him is a young woman, Christina (Michelle Monaghan) who is striking a conversation with him, unfortunately Colter is no longer in his body so to speak but a teacher named Sean. Before he can probe further, an explosion occurs and he finds himself awaken in a dark location that eerily resemblances his crashed chopper. In between his video dialogues with a military officer, Goodwin (Vera Farmiga) and the designer of Source Code, Dr Rutledge (Jeffrey Wright), Colter realized he is part of a rescue mission and he must be send back again and again to locate the bomber responsible for the mayhem on the train.
The script by a man named Ben Ripley (whose only well-known credit is writing the direct-to-dvd release, Species III) though borrowed from many other movies notably “Groundhog Day” is taut and engaging. Not taking into account the sci-fi factor, in a post-911 atmosphere, “Source Code” serves to remind us the constant danger we are facing. As an action movie, it delivers enough thrills and it generates enough chills each time Colter is sent back into the source code despite the repetitive plotting. Sci-fi fans who are keen on the possibility of time-travel will be glad that Jones and Ripley never compromise on delivering an intriguing story mixing thought-provoking concepts with digestible popcorn entertainment values.
Questions? I’m sure you have a lot on hand, we do too. The perplexing time travel explanation by Dr Ruthledge about the ability to go back to the crucial 8 minutes time frame is enough to kill off a few brain cells in a good way. Yet the story never forgets the human factor. There’s a romance angle when Colter develops a liking to Christina and vows to save her from a fiery death in the compact 90 minutes running time.
Gyllenhaal has proves to be quite an interesting actor, juggling between action hero such as Prince of Persia to romance lead in Love And Other Drugs. He is at ease being the vulnerable and brooding Colter and sure display dazzling chemistry with Monaghan. A whole chunk of the movie relies on the two to work as they have to keep playing different variations with the same scene and do I need to say it works perfectly.
Jones’s sophomore effort after “Moon” is as compelling as the latter and the British director has proven to the world that his first major Hollywood debut is absolutely a blast. Remember the name “Duncan Jones” and not just the son of pop singer David Bowie.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Director Duncan Jones, Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, and Writer Ben Ripley provide a very detailed and informative Audio Commentary
which include valuable insights to the sci-fi flick. Recommended stuff.
11 short features that mainly consists of interview sessions with the cast and crew made up the Cast Insights.
Focal Points
provide viewers with explanations on the scientific terms and facts featured in the movie.
Access Source Code: Trivia Track - If you ‘on’ this feature on your DVD, you will see pop-up trivia facts that are both related and not-so-related to the movie.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The ambient effects such as the sound of trains rumbling and the repetitive explosions stand out in this Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack otherwise dialogue is rich and clear. The overall video presentation is natural though black levels appear pretty weak in certain shots.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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GALLANTSPosted on 06 Aug 2011 |
Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi
Director: Shawn Levy
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis
RunTime: 2 hrs 17 mins
Released By: Walt Disney Motion Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence)
Official Website: http://www.steelgetsreal.com/
Opening Day: 6 October 2011
Synopsis: A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future where the sport of boxing has gone high-tech, “Real Steel” stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.
Movie Review:
It didn’t smell like a feel good film when we watched it on the silver screen as the trailer of Real Steel came on months back. It’s grittiness, it’s hard action with its underground feel felt pretty much a sci-fi Rocky and boy did this fighter deliver it punch and more.
Hugh Jackman a man of multi talents plays an ex boxer in near future where boxing are fought with robots. Yup that's the whole premises of of the film. Simple eh? Not so simple when he inherits a son. Now we’ve been familiar with Jack in his goody-two-shoes persona but I'm glad to say that he plays a douche (for alittle while at least) in this one. After negotiating a proposition in court and off, in order to deal with his indescribable addiction to robot chaos in the ring, his flesh and blood would have to be in favour with him for the summer and that's where the whole dad and son moments starts pouring in. But it isn’t all sugar and nice. Play by, Dokata Goyo, much seen in several big budget film like, Thor and Defendor plus several TV appearance, this kid has me blown away of his performance. Some might say he is one hell of an annoying kid but it sure beats one that doesn’t know how to act in the first place. And how much did this duo fare out in the arena? Nothing but total chemistry. So far so good as all the right formulae is falling nicely into place.
With this touching plot of a father and son rekindling relationship at its core, Real Steel is about more than just a no brainer film. This kind of grounded story within a umbrella of sci-fi coverage gives the film a certain kind of magic that is similiar of Steven Spielbergs’ (He’s the executive producer, along with Robert Zemeckis as producer, no wonder this show is great!) And since the robots are not meant to be the main focus characters, their personality comes through in their controllers and fight moves. That's what makes the duo's new found robot Atom, a sparring bot meant to take hits but never get in the ring to fight, such a special fighter. Hints were lingered behind those lighted-up eyes, but nothing on the nose that ruins the subtle magic that lies on the surface.
Biggest draw for the fun fall film has to be the robot vs robot carnage it delivers. Ever since Transformers came into our imagination on the big screen, all robots shown after are defiantly compared to them and lets face it, its a rather unfair judgement on its creativity of design. but somehow, the main underdog robot we’re all cheering for, a sparring robot who can take alot of mighty blows will win your heart, even though it doesn’t even show any slight hint of intelligent life. Now that's what i call a good craftsman. It doesn’t matter that the script’s a piece of garbage, because script really has nothing to do with those boxing scenes, and that’s what we’re there to see. That’s all the director Shawn Levy and Danny Elfman, who delivers a perfectly heroic score to match Real Steel’s unbridled enthusiasm for metal monsters creating mayhem. Everything with the robots works and Shawn has proven himself the perfect director for this kind of movie. Levy seems to get it and because he gets it, manages to make robot boxing every bit as great a piece of family fun as it ought to be.
Sequel or not, Real Steel offers plenty of fun and engaging moments – of both the human character drama and giant CGI robot battle variety. Many might be underwhelmed by the whole lightheartedness for which thinking it to be a heavy Sci-fi drive will probably be disappointed but mostly, as so did i, was presently surprised on how it warmed up to me and when the fight starts, me, a majorly non sporty person was soon cheering them on and almost stood up with excitement when Atom won his first round. That said, even though it gets knocked down once in awhile, Real Steel still delivers plenty of exciting punches.
Movie Rating:
(It’s the real deal knockout underdog story)
Review by Lokman B S
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