Genre: CG Animation
Director: Sarah Smith
Cast: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jill Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Rating: G
Official Website: http://www.arthurchristmas.com/
Opening Day: 1 December 2011
Synopsis: The 3D, CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child's question: 'So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?' The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic - a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.
Movie Review:
There are numerous Christmas related films lined up every year once the season is round the corner, and this also spells familiarity with the respective family friendly themes that such films will inevitably touch upon. From comedies to animated films, you would think that you had seen them all, until such time when something brilliant like this Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Animations collaboration that blows its contemporary peers out of the water.
Most of us will be familiar with the level of wit that a typical Aardman Animations film contains, being better known for its Wallace & Gromit stop motion films that are personally a joy to behold. Ventures into animation for the big screen isn't something new since it had dabbled with the medium through Chicken Run and Flushed Away, with this Sarah Smith directed movie being that first venture with Sony Pictures Animation that showcased its capability very convincingly, in blending what seemed to be tired themes dealing with family ties, perseverance and doing what is right, with a boost of modern day technical sensibilities to produce a smart narrative to entertain adults, and keeping children entertained through its vivid animation.
James McAvoy voices the titular character Arthur, the clumsy son of the current Father Christmas Malcolm, who had spent the last 70 years delivering presents to children all over the world in under 12 hours. But being the son of Santa Claus (Jim Broadbent) doesn't automatically mean a cushy job in the North Pole. Arthur gets mail room responsibilities replying to letters on Santa's behalf thanks to his innocence and earnestness, with his simpleton ways seen seen as a hindrance to the largest parcel delivery operations in the world, automated and drilled by his brother Steve (Hugh Laurie) to a perfectly rock solid, seamless outfit consisting thousands of elves under his command from mission control, to outfield troops, making Santa himself in a way, quite redundant and nothing more than a figurehead.
I have to tip my hat to the filmmakers for the fantastic introduction in the first act showing just how worldwide delivery is remotely possible with Santa's helpers running the critical operations, as well as owning a state of the art, never before seen Santa 1 space craft that has to be seen to be believed for its sheer capability alone. So now you know the secret how Santa Claus manages to get everyone's presents to the respective deserving kid in an on time, guaranteed fashion, and expecting to take over the helm with his father's retirement, Steve is only left to be disappointed when he gets overlooked for the job since, well frankly, he made it all too easy now.
The crux of the story deals with how technology is prone to that occasional lapse no thanks to human side error, and it's left to humans still having common-sensical values and basic decency to pick up from that failure, and make the necessary correction rather than to accept mediocrity and to sweep failures under the carpet. A stray undelivered bicycle becomes the object of obsession for Arthur and Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) to get to Gwen (Ramona Marquez) in a small English town before she wakes up in less than 2 hours, in an unauthorized mission accompanied by Grandsanta's aged old reindeer and gift wrapping elf Bryony (Ashley Jensen) who always threaten to steal the show right from everyone's noses. Needless to say most of the minutes spent in this film gets focused on this rag-tag group in their adventures on an iconic sleigh pulled by reindeers the traditional way, and slowly exposing just how everyone jumped onboard with their own agenda, only to
realize that Christmas itself is larger than any of their selfish reasons.
While there are plenty of sight gags and wordplay to tickle your funny bone, the A-list voice cast also played crucial roles in fleshing out and providing real world emotions to their animated characters. Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith's story nailed the moral education values of this film with the right amount of balance without feeling forced, emphasizing that arrogance tend to lead to complacency, and the losing track of what actually mattered in the first place, as seen in those whose tasking on Christmas day is made easy through technological advancement, compared to those who prefer to continue keeping the day itself memorable for kids everywhere, and have to tackle insurmountable odds and dangers to get things right.
Arthur Christmas has that strength of heart which makes it stand out, and entertaining family friendly films will find this a tough nut to crack this holiday season. Highly recommended!
Movie Rating:
(Arthur Christmas shows us why 'tis the season to be jolly)
Review by Stefan Shih
Genre: Drama
Director: Alexander Payne
Cast: George Clooney, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster, Shailene Woodley, Kaleigh Kennedy, Mary Birdsong, Nick Krause
RunTime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Coarse Language and Sexual References)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thedescendants/
Opening Day: 26 January 2012
Synopsis: From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar-winning SIDEWAYS, set in Hawaii, THE DESCENDANTS is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.
Movie Review:
If there’s only one wish this humble columnist could ask for in his lifetime, it would be to age as gracefully as George Clooney.
Look, the guy is 50 – and how is it even possible that he manages to remain so charmingly appealing and attractively charismatic? And don’t get us started on how many awards the good looker has bagged. After winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar with 2005’s Syriana, he could be completing the collection with a Best Actor accolade at this year’s Academy Awards. After being nominated for his leading roles in Michael Clayton (2007) and Up in the Air (2009), Gorgeous George could be the one taking home that statuette this year, thanks to his heartfelt performance in this comedy drama.
Seriously, who else can look so dazzling wearing Hawaiian T shirts?
Based on Kaul Hart Hemmings’ novel of the same name, Clooney plays a Hawaiian land baron who takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai. This isn’t a family holiday, however, as the successful businessman’s main objective is to confront the man who was having an affair with his wife. The heart wrenching part? The woman is on life support after a boating accident and she may not survive the misfortune.
Before you think this is one sob story which contains an intolerable amount of melodrama, let us assure you that this is one genuinely affecting film which will make you laugh, cry, and most importantly, tug at your heartstrings. After all, the production is directed by Alexander Payne, the man who brought you About Schmidt (2002) and Sideways (2004). Together with Nax Faxon and Jim Rash, the Oscar winning writer director has penned a screenplay that is both funny and moving.
Payne does not rush into things, having enough screen time to develop his characters. You’ll find yourself being nicely acquainted to Clooney’s protagonist, as he tells you how Hawaii isn’t the paradise every one perceives it to be. There are problems and issues which are faced by people in any other part of the world. In this instance, he has one huge problem of dealing with a dying wife, two rebellious daughters, a adulterer who slept with his wife, a disapproving father in law and a rowdy teenager whom his elder daughter insists on bringing along for the trip.
This is one shit load of mess which you won’t ever want to find yourself in. Yet, thanks to Clooney’s suave portrayal of the troubled man, you see hope and possibility in this confused times. His perfect Golden Globes winning performance is complemented by an ensemble of supporting cast, including the luminous Shailene Woodley (TV’s The O.C.) as the defiant elder daughter, the adorable first time child actor Amara Miller as the younger daughter, as well as Matthew Lillard (Scooby Doo) and Judy Greer (13 Going on 30) as the unfaithful man and his unknowing wife.
The newly crowned Best Picture (Drama) at this year’s Golden Globes is a touching examination on how you take that journey in life when it throws you off balance. Shot on location in Hawaii around Hanalei Bay and in Honolulu, this 115 minute film is that perfect respite you’ve been looking for in the theatres.
Movie Rating:
(The film’s truly touching story is perfected by great performances from the entire cast, making this a must watch)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: A group of attractive young strangers joined a "survival game" led by a TV host and a photographer on a remote desert island. Among them were Peng Fei and Yi Lin. Each person had his or her own agenda but was chasing after a common goal: one million dollars prize! Greed drove them to plot against each other tit for tat the moment they boarded the boat. Yet lust was still brewing among the youngsters under the blue sky on the vast sea. No one sensed the danger crawling near.
Dense fog on the beach, bizarre shipwreck, jungle full of traps and numerous sign of death indicated that this was by no means a simple "game". Yet temptation of the money overtook the fear of death. A map unveiled the mystery of the island and hinted the hidden treasure but it also opened a door of death.
The survival game became a race to escape death. The only refuge turned out to be a grave: an abandoned leprosy hospital with a century old death curse. Each time the mysterious urn cracked open, a killing was followed. One after another, the teammates dropped dead as the supernatural events escalate. Horror haunted the entire island.
With the clock ticking, the truth will surface as the death coming to an end. Could anyone survive this "survival game"? You will find the answer in the last minute......
MOVIE REVIEW:
We used to think the cinematic language was a universal one- even if you did not understand the language, you would still be able to appreciate the visuals and the story behind them as long as you had subtitles. Unfortunately, ‘Mysterious Island’ defies this very logic, for the longer we watch it, the harder it was or us to understand how such a poorly made film could ever become a surprise hit in China. Yes, you’ve heard us right- apparently Mainland audiences have embraced what we felt was deserving of the honour of worst film of the year.
Though its poster may suggest that you are watching a horror film, you should know that a ghost film this definitely is not. After all, the Mainland State Film and TV Administration has stipulated that ghost stories are not allowed for screening. It doesn’t however restrict films from selling its premise with ghosts and anything supernatural, so as long as by the end it reveals that there is ultimately no such thing as spirits. So director Chung Kai-Cheong and his screenwriter Lan Yang have exploited this leeway for their film, and much as it throws around references to some ‘leprous ghosts’, you should probably guess that there will just be no such thing by the final reveal.
The opening prologue establishes a mother and son being chased by some unknown spirit, which ends up killing the mother but sparing the son. Fast forward to present day, and a group of eight young people are headed to the island for a reality show that offers one million dollars as prize money. Lan Yang’s characterisation is practically nonexistent, so beyond recognising the stars (Jordan Chan, his busty partner Mini Yang, another busty girl Maggie Li, her Japanese partner Hiro Hayama, a tall supermodel-like Janel Tsai, a bespectacled Anya, and Wong You-Nam) you’re not going to be able to tell the various characters apart.
Their ship gets wrecked on the way, and they end up on the island with only one map in Mini Yang’s possession. So sticking together, they land up at a dilapidated house which was some leprosarium before- hence the suspicion that the mysterious things which happen thereafter could be the work of some vengeful ‘leprous ghosts’. Or it could just be the work of a serial killer among them? Vacillating between either explanation, Chung assembles each scene sloppily, and there is neither tension nor thrills to be had at all. Even the conclusion is laughable, logic and reason not part of either writer or director’s consideration.
Given the material, it isn’t surprising that the acting is universally awful. What takes the cake is however the atrocious English dialogue between Shanghai-born TV presenter Jessica Xu and Hong Kong’s Shaun Tam who play the host and cameraman of said reality show. For reasons unknown, Xu and Tam are told to speak English throughout, even though everyone else speaks in Chinese- and let’s just say that both desperately need to take some English lessons.
But of course, on hindsight, their awkward English is probably the best thing about the film. As unintentional entertainment, it is the least painful of the rest of the badly filmed movie with poor scene setup, little to no continuity and absolutely slack direction. When we start assembling our list for ‘worst movie of the year’, you can be sure this will be on it. Now then, the biggest mystery would perhaps be- why was this so big a hit in China? That’s something supernatural the authorities should really investigate.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio sounds as good as a school filmmaking project. That said, the visuals that look like they are shot in digital are just as amateurish too.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: Bruce Robinson
Cast: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart, Giovanni Ribisi, Richard Jenkins
RunTime: 2 hrs
Released By: Shaw
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene and Coarse Language)
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 November 2011
Synopsis: Based on the debut novel by Hunter S. Thompson, "The Rum Diary" tells the increasingly unhinged story of itinerant journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp). Tiring of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Kemp travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper, The San Juan Star, run by downtrodden editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins). Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Paul soon becomes obsessed with Chenault (Amber Heard), the wildly attractive Connecticut-born fiancée of Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart). Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property development deals, is one of a growing number of American entrepreneurs who are determined to convert Puerto Rico into a capitalist paradise in service of the wealthy. When Kemp is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latest unsavory scheme, the journalist is presented with a choice: to use his words for the corrupt businessmen's financial benefit, or use them to take the bastards down. .
Movie Review:
Before Hunter S. Thompson went ‘gonzo’, he spent a number of years working at a sports publication in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was there at the age of 22 in 1959 that he began writing a novel called ‘The Rum Diary’, loosely based on his own experience as a young newspaper man, which would go unpublished until 1998. The reason for that isn’t surprising for anyone who has read the book, or for that matter seen this adaptation by writer/ director Bruce Robinson- it is ultimately a story of excess, of alcohol and psychedelic drugs, of romantic affairs, and White supremism, written as if under the influence of one or the combination of these.
And it is clear that Robinson struggles with the source material, trying to give sufficient focus to a rambling story that never finds much meaning or significance. The lead character is one American journalist called Paul Kemp, played by Thompson’s long-time friend and champion Johnny Depp, who has grown tired of the conventional life under the Eisenhower era and decides to take a job at a local newspaper in San Juan known as the San Juan Star. It is an ailing newspaper- circulation is decreasing and the staff are either quitting or too inebriated to do their jobs well- so the cynical editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins) tells Kemp to be content with doing tourist puff pieces and fake horoscopes.
Kemp makes the acquaintance of a slick PR man called Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), who gives him a taste of the rich and wealthy by bringing him to his luxurious beachfront bungalow and inviting him to the high-end parties he hosts for business people. Sanderson also introduces him to his fiancé, Chenault (Amber Heard trying her darnest to look like Scarlett Johannson), whom Kemp immediately develops an attraction to. Of course, Sanderson’s affability isn’t without price- he wants Kemp to write favourably about his planned resort complex set to be built along some of the most pristine parts of Puerto Rico.
Suddenly, the freewheeling journalist is presented with an ethical dilemma- he can use his position to help his wealthy Western capitalist countrymen; or he can, in his own words, ‘take the bastards down’. It’s only apparent towards the end that Robinson wants to portray Kemp’s experience as a sort of awakening for him- or for that matter his alter-ego Thompson- from naiveté to perspicacity through a test of his journalistic ethics, and as you’ve probably guessed, there isn’t enough dramatic heft in the story to make his baptism of fire compelling.
In adapting Thompson’s book, Robinson displays less than necessary discipline in shaping the myriad storylines and characters, and as a result loses the core of the story to gratuitous detours. With two loons- the photographer Sala (Michael Rispoli) and another reporter Moburg (Giovanni Ribisi)- too much time is spent with Kemp whiling his time at local bars and engaging in all kinds of shenanigans including cockfights, car chases and courthouse visits. There’s also a wholly incongruous scene where Moburg offers Kemp and Sala an unnamed hallucinogenic drug which causes Kemp to watch in horror as Moburg’s tongue turns into a snake. Such are the excesses that mark Robinson’s film, and though one may argue that it fits with the tone of Kemp’s indulgences, the patchy script in turn means that the film is often meandering and unfocused.
That it still manages to hold your attention is thanks to Johnny Depp who tempers his usual eccentric performance with restraint, and his portrayal of the pre-gonzo Thompson is comical but never over-the-top. Depp is watchable as always, but not even his presence can distract you from the fact that the film doesn’t quite know where it wants to go. To enlist him and his director on their diversionary mission however, Depp has brought along his ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ lenser Dariusz Wolski and the latter does an excellent job photographing the Puerto Rico locations.
As a promotional video for the country’s beautiful beaches and deep blue sea, ‘The Rum Diary’ succeeds impeccably. But anyone looking for any form of insight into the ‘gonzo’ journalist Thompson’s transformation should look elsewhere, because Robinson’s film is all polished veneer and little substance. It’s no wonder then that this film ended up sitting on the studio shelves for three years- it isn’t ‘Fear and Loathing’ enough crazy, nor insightful enough as a biopic of the infamous Thompson. Just because its protagonist’s journey was one rum-soaked experience doesn’t mean it needs to do likewise when recounting it- and this similarly inebriated account makes that mistake of lacking clarity and purpose.
Movie Rating:
(As unfocused as its protagonist’s aimlessness, this tale of the ‘pre-gonzo’ Thompson is pleasurable diversion- just don’t expect much insight or purpose)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: In the closing days of the 19th century, the Prince Regent of the crumbling Qing Dynasty orders the mass execution of the entire Meng clan. Before his beheading in a crowded Beijing marketplace, the Meng clan leader vows that his family will avenge this travesty of justice. Awaiting his death, a five-year-old Meng boy named Erkui bravely sings an aria. The power and purity of his voice touches the onlookers including opera star Master Yu Shengying and his seven-year-old pupil Guan Yilong. Deeply moved, Master Yu rescues the boy and the two orphans, Yilong and Erkui, become brothers. Years later, Master Yu wins the coveted golden "Wu Sheng Tai Dou" (“The Mightiest Warrior”) plaque from the Prince Regent, but subsequently loses it in a duel with his archrival Master Yue Jiangtian. Banished from the stage upon his loss, Master Yu spends his time training Yilong and Erkui in Peking Opera and martial arts, perfecting their skills. When the boys grow into men, they set off for Shanghai to pursue revenge and reclaim the plaque from Master Yue. Once they reach Shanghai, they quickly defeat Master Yue, reclaiming not only the plaque but also becoming the new masters of Yue’s opera troupe. Almost overnight, they become sensations of the Shanghai opera scene along with Master Yue’s protégé and former lover, the beautiful actress Xi Mulan. But soon, their collective pasts catch up with them and all three ends up in a complex web of love, lust, deceit and betrayal, ultimately ending in tragedy.
MOVIE REVIEW:
“My Kingdom” easily makes it as a contender for worst Chinese language movie of the year. It teases, it promises but never delivers.
Two of the industry’s most pretty and popular faces, one an ex-boyband member and the other ex-member of Korean pop group Super Junior namely Wu Chun and Han Geng spearhead this Peking opera theme melodrama about two sworn brothers, Yilong (Wu Chun) and Erkui (Han Geng). The former is a protégé of fame opera Master Yu (Yuen Biao) who rescued Erkui from a family massacre ordered by Prince Regent. Both grew up under the tutelage of Master Yu and they sworn to reclaim their master’s honour after Yu lost his title to a fellow rival, Yue (Yu Rongguang). However, Erkui has an agenda of his own, he aims to track down the descendants of Prince Regent and kill them to avenge his family.
The story sounds simple enough and I wouldn’t mind a bit if it flows predictably with eye-catching stars and stylish action choreography. Unfortunately, director Gao Xiaosong (who is also one of the credited writers) happens to be quite an ambitious man. The second and third act of “My Kingdom” is a laughable and clumsy affair that it disappoints the fascinating initial setup.
The brief exchange between Master Yu and Master Yue established the fact that this story is set in the flamboyant world of Peking Opera. And the sparring between Yuen Biao and Yu Rongguang is perhaps the best action sequence of this movie. When the boys grew up and went to avenge their master in Shanghai, we look forward to more of these sparring battles and action choreographer Sammo Hung and Gao Xiaosong did deliver a few tremendously wonderful choreographed sequences on stage. The turning point comes after the avenge issue is solved. What are we going to do for the next hour or so?
Apparently, there is still the issue of Erkui’s revenge and a love interest that arrives in the form of Xi Mulan (Barbie Hsu), Master Yue’s lover and main actress of the troupe. This is where the plot starts to turn into an incoherent mess.
The other major problem besides the script is the performance of the actors. With the main cast members walking around in constipated expressions to emote pain and sadness is unforgiveable. It’s perhaps a little unfair for Han Geng to shoulder such a complex role for his movie debut and it doesn’t help that his fellow co-star Wu Chun for the most part parades around handsomely in period clothing flashing his megawatt smile while Barbie Hsu on her part can’t decide to be scheming or tender loving. The amusing casting bit goes to Annie Yi (ex-wife of Taiwanese host Harlem Yu) who portrays a woman who got gunned down by his husband for having an affair with Yilong. Talk about reel life versus real life if you knew about the scandalous stories behind their divorce. Someone even throws in famed Taiwanese magician Liu Qian as a police inspector who holds the torch for Mulan.
The production values for the most part is lovely all thanks to having an angmoh producer Andre Morgan (Perhaps Love) onboard. His vision to bring Sammo Hung to do all the Peking Opera choreography is remarkable since the man actually spent his entire childhood doing opera stuff with Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. What Andre Morgan needs is a translator to turn the script into English for him to better relate to what’s going to happen onscreen.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Making of covers interviews with the main cast and crew as they talks about the story and preparation of the shoot etc.
Behind The Scenes mainly showcase the meticulous opera choreographing work by Sammo Hung.
Interviews with Cast and Crew is a Q&A session with Sammo Hung, Gao Xiaosong, Wu Chun, Han Geng and Barbie Hsu.
Trailers and a Photo Gallery round up the disc extras.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Audio is presented only in Dolby Digital 2.0 which lacks the vibrancy and ambience require during the opera sequences. Visual is passable with no noticeable artifacts.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Beginning Of The Great Revival is set in the period between 1911, from the beginning of the Xinhai Revolution in China, and the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1921. During the early 20th century, China was marked by political disunity, and a handful of individuals, including Mao Zedong, Li Dazhao and Zhou Enlai, envisioned a unified China. After World War I, the Western Allies gave Tsingtao and Kiaochow Bay to the Empire of Japan, stirring sentiments amongst China's youth which led to the May Fourth Movement. In March 1920, Grigori Voitinsky came to China in an attempt to spread communism to the Far East, and on 22 July 1921, thirteen representatives from throughout China met up at Shanghai's women's dormitory in what would be the beginning of the party.
MOVIE REVIEW:
So we heard that the Mainland Chinese government had gone all out to have as many people as possible to watch this film, one that was conceived as a tribute to the 90thanniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – and we wonder, why didn’t it get a theatrical release here in Singapore? After all, it’s got all the necessary ingredients to draw crowds: A stellar lineup of the who’s who in the entertainment industry, a series of expensive scenes involving lots of pyrotechnics and manpower, and, err, a story plot which speaks to the Chinese patriotism in all of us?
A companion piece to 2009’s The Founding of a Republic (which also did not get a theatrical release here), this 120 minute production is one that will interest true fans of Chinese history, and to a certain extent, those who enjoy ensemble pieces and spotting cameos by familiar faces in movies.
To put it simply, the film directed by Han San Ping and Huang Jian XIn chronicles the period of the Chinese Revolution beginning in 1911 and follows the rise of the Communist Party and its leader, a certain dude named Mao Tse Tung. Played wonderfully by Chinese actor Liu Ye (City of Life and Death, A Beautiful Life), Mao’s story to power may not be the most accurate history lesson to the uninitiated, because of its obvious propaganda message. While we are no history experts to tell you what really happened in the past, we can tell from the number of criticisms found online that this propaganda vehicle isn’t exactly popular amongst truth seekers.
However, one cannot deny the fact that this is one star gazing experience that should do enough to keep the average cinema goer adequately entertained for two hours, While one may feel that the plot development isn’t exactly the most engaging (it’s history, after all), the appearances of well kinown Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwan stars should keep viewers fairly happy. One would have a field day identifying Chang Chen, Chow Yun Fat, Fan Bing Bing, John Woo, Aloys Chen, Zhan Hanyu, Daniel Wu and Chen Dao Ming.
Did we mention we also spotted Zhou Xun, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Wang Lee Hom, Nick Cheung, Simon Yam, Michelle Ye, Myolie Wu and a certain Mediacorp artiste Qi Yu Wu (the good looking hunk is credited as a Singaporean, surprisingly in the rolling credits)?
Yes, to the common folk, this movie is nothing more than a parade of celebrities. And the filmmakers can’t blame us for that, simply because we aren’t born in Mainland China, and the republic’s history isn’t of much relevance to us, who have more troubling issues like flash floods and train breakdowns at hand.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Code 3
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The movie’s decent visual transfer is complemented by the film’s original Mandarin soundtrack.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Julianne Moore (The Forgotten) is Dr. Cara Jessup, is an esteemed psychologist who specialises in multiple personality disorders, but nothing has prepared her for a new patient, Adam (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors). The more she unearths about Adam, the more her life and those closest to her are endangered. As she explores Adam’s past, Cara’s world begins to fall apart and she is forced to question the clock to solve the mystery surrounding Adam, Cara must not lose faith or it could have grave consequences for her and her family. From the producers of THE KING and the writer of IDENTITY, SHELTER is a similarly tense, unpredictable and terrifying supernatural thriller.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Why this horror thriller didn’t make it to cinemas here is beyond us, considering the other genre fare that’s been dumped for theatrical release. Boasting an A-list cast of Julianne Moore and Johnathan Rhys Meyers, this latest from two Swedish directors Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein (whose next film is the fourth Underworld movie) is a spine-chilling tale that deserves much better than the direct-to-video treatment that it is getting. But well, looking on the bright side, at least you’ll be less afraid to admit that you’re scared.
‘Shelter’ comes from the writer of 2003’s thriller ‘Identity’, and sure enough, there are similarities that you can spot between the two movies. Again in this latest, Michael Cooney places a person suffering from multiple personality disorder at the hands of a psychologist, with the former’s personas suspected of being responsible for a string of related crimes. But whereas ‘Identity’ unfolded from the perspective of the killer, ‘Shelter’ is told from that of the psychologist, which of course takes away the gimmick that arguably made ‘Identity’ so successful.
Nonetheless, Cooney makes up for it with a couple of suspenseful twists and turns, and the result is a film that remains gripping from start to finish. The key again lies in the multiple personalities within psychologist Cara Harding’s latest patient, Adam Saber, referred to her by her father (Jeffrey DeMunn). Adam’s had at least two other personalities- the wheelchair-bound David and the violent foul-mouthed Wes- but things get interesting when Cara realises that these people are indeed real people who have been murdered in the past.
The least you know about the rest of the story the better, for Cooney pretty much turns the psychological thriller at hand on its head by turning it into something supernatural and eerily creepy indeed. Faith and God feature quite prominently in the second half of the movie, so if you’re going to be put off by any religious references, you probably won’t enjoy it as much. Otherwise, let’s just say the horror here taps into something fundamental, and most reminiscent of that in ‘Insidious’.
Working off Cooney’s twisty script, Mårlind and Stein do a commendable job building up the tension in the story. Playing their cards closely, they reveal enough to get you intrigued but know how to keep the surprises for when they do matter. Though it does take some time for the movie to warm up, Mårlind and Stein never lose grip of the pacing. Just as laudable is their firm eschewing of boo-scares, instead relying on good-ol atmosphere to unnerve their audience.
The material is probably the reason why both Moore and Meyers are part of the cast. Moore is excellent as ever, and even though this is not even close to the Academy-Award winning material she is used to playing, she is enthralling both as the detective-equivalent uncovering the mystery and as the mother who finds her whole family increasingly at risk of the malevolence. The standout here however is Meyers, who switches effortlessly between the various characters, and never misses a beat. It won’t win any Oscars, but this is probably one of his most challenging roles and Meyers delivers brilliantly.
With a great cast, solid writing from Cooney and confident direction from Mårlind and Stein, ‘Shelter’ easily stands out from the direct-to-video fare that usually should just go direct-to-trash. Instead, those who are looking for a good horror thriller to get your adrenaline going should check out this hidden gem that combines the psychological thriller ( a la ‘Identity’) with the supernatural horror genre for a uniquely terrifying time.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Audio is surprisingly soft, and you have to crank up the volume to hear the dialogue. The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround kicks in appropriately for added thrills. Visuals are clear and sharp, and the contrast is good given that most of the scenes happen in dimly lit surroundings.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: Hanna is 16 years old. She's intelligent, curious, attractive- and a trained assassin. Hiding in the Arctic wilderness for most of her life, learning combat skills from her father, she is now sent back into civilization where a ruthless CIA operative is on the hunt for her, trying to erase Hanna's existence. As Hanna learns about the events that turned her into a killing machine, she must fight to survive and take out the one person most responsible for what she has become.
MOVIE REVIEW:
She was a victim in “The Lovely Bones” now Saoirse Ronan plays yet another victim in “Hanna” except this time round she fights back hard.
What kind of stuff does a 16 year old girl do in her spare time nowadays? Shopping, social media, chatting with friends on the iPhone, chilling at Starbucks, catch a movie, there are so many possibilities. To Hanna, all she knew was learning how to survive, foreign languages, combat skills and hunting all under the tutelage of his father, Erik (Eric Bana) in the harsh Arctic. No basic electrical supply or TV just a fairytale book and photos of her late mother to keep her company through the lonely nights. And imagine hunting down moose for food. But Erik is preparing Hanna for something – the truth behind their hiding since she was two years old. By pressing a button, the CIA will be out in full force to capture them including one particular rogue agent by the name of Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett).
“Hanna” is a strange combination of art-house and action elements. If you are a fan of director Joe Wright’s works, you know Hanna won’t turn out to be just another ordinary trashy euro-action thriller which Luc Besson is fond of releasing every quarter or so. The plotting of “Hanna” concentrates more on the journey taken by the central character than the end results. It opened the door to the world that Hanna never knew exist except through the stories told by his father. A rather long segment in the middle of the movie involving Hanna following a free-spirited family on a road trip is a good example of showcasing the young girl’s journey of self-discovery.
Saoirse Ronan is excellent as Hanna. The nominated Oscar-winner nails both the intensity and energy require by the complex character and to think she is only 17 this year. Cate Blanchett stands out as the icy CIA agent with only one motive in mind i.e. to eliminate Erik and Hanna. Clad in Giorgio Armani outfits and Prada heels, Blanchett together with Tom Hollander (from the Pirates of the Caribbean series) easily wins the best villains awards.
Not forgetting that Hanna is constantly on the run from the bad guys, Wright sprinkled the movie with adequate amount of adrenalin pumping action sequences one that has Hanna fighting a gang of three on top of shipping containers and a long continuous take (a trademark of Wright, remember “Atonement?”) of Erik taking on a group of agents at a subway station. With clever editing, Alwin H. Kuchler’s breath-taking cinematography and a pulse-pounding electronic score by the Chemical Brothers, “Hanna” for that matter remains engaging and watchable.
Shot mostly in Germany and Finland with the finale taking place in an abandoned, fairy-tale like theme park, “Hanna” might not turn out to be a satisfactory experience in terms of logic when everything is unravelled. Yet it gives audience two hours worth of intriguing time and a new take on the man-on-the-run genre.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Wright provides an excellent informative commentary track offeringanecdotes about the story, characters, action sequences etc in the Commentary with Director Joe Wright.
There are 3 brief Deleted scenes and Alternate Ending, not really outstanding material that makes the final cut.
Anatomy of a Scene: The Escape from Camp G is a 3 minutes feature by Joe Wright on storyboarding and the shooting process of Hanna escaping from the holding facility.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 is filled with captivating gunfire, sonic bass and the Chemical Brothers’ electronic score is throbbing with excitement. Images are crisp and the black levels are solid for the visual presented in this DVD.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Brazil (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a contract killer, willing to take any job if the price is right. Flint (Scott Adkins) left the assassin game when a ruthless drug dealer’s brutal attack left his wife in a coma. When a contract is put out on the cold-blooded drug dealer, both Brazil and Flint want him dead – one for the money, the other for revenge. With crooked Interpol agents and vicious members of the criminal underworld hot on their trail, these two assassins reluctantly join forces to quickly take out their target before they themselves are terminated.
MOVIE REVIEW:
We are still hoping that Jean-Claude Van Damme will one day return to the mainstream Hollywood arena. Remember he was a huge action star back in the eighties and nineties alongside Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Wilis.
With his acclaimed indie drama “JCVD” being a hit and a voice stint in “Kung Fu Panda 2”, “The Muscles from Brussels” seems to be slowly creeping back. But first the world of direct-to-video market still need his services which bring us back to his latest venture, “Assassination Games”.
“Assassination Games” in fact is a decent thriller before you brushed it off. It’s a huge improvement in terms of production values. No choppy edits, sparse sets or amateur cinematography. Okay the sepia-tone look is quite a turn off after a while otherwise the production is impressive for a low-budgeted title like this.
The story goes something like this: Van Damme plays an assassin for hire named Brazil. Encountering a fellow assassin, Flint (Scott Adkins) while on a mission to rid the assigned target, a drug dealer named Polo, Brazil realized that Flint has a personal vendetta against Polo and they must work together in order to survive killings by corrupted Interpol agents and Polo as well.
Those expecting “Assassination Games” to be a straight-out action thriller will be disappointed by the somewhat sluggish pacing, matter of fact this actually turns out to be a good thing on a drama perspective. The characters of both assassins are clearly fleshed out in the 100 minutes movie. Flint’s wife was gang-raped and bashed into a comatose by Polo and his gang years before which explains why Flint is bent on destroying him. Brazil on the other hand is one lonely assassin who has no one to live for and spends his time in his neat, cosy apartment with a turtle and learning to play the violin in his spare time. The last thing you expect is a prostitute to enlighten him. Director Ernie Barbarash who did mainly direct-to-video titles including Stir of Echoes 2 and Hardwired concoct a reasonable functional story of two entirely different men crossing paths and kicking ass.
The opening scene of Brazil carrying out his assassination is brutal and slick though we craved to see more of the man in action. Van Damme’s 2008 direct-to-video feature, The Shepherd: Border Patrol which is reviewed on this humble site has better action scenes though. Scott Adkins is a renowned martial-arts artiste but there’s little here for the man to showcase his fisticuffs skills as together with Van Damme, most of the action sequences involved using bow-and-arrow, knives and even an automatic-controlled gun in the end. Yet I wouldn’t totally write off Van Damme as clearly the guy still has some mileage to go, he even show off his well-toned torso just to prove his point.
Never mind the main villain is a typical caricature and worst he can’t even lift much of his fat finger to save his life. Even the corrupted Interpol agents are just an excuse to fill in more gunfights. “Assassination Games” is a fine character study on assassins but I guess audience prefer to see Van Damme kicked ass like he used to in John Woo’s Hard Target, Peter Hyams’ Timecop or even Tsui Hark’s cheesy Double Team.
The world of action cinema still need Jean-Claude Van Damme, come on, one bald Jason Statham just ain’t enough.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
None of the 8 Deleted Scenes feature any action sequences even Van Damme himself isn’t in most of them.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Dialogue is clear while gunshots are loud and heavy though there aren’t that many to satisfy your adrenalin. The DVD is free of dirt and most of the scenes are presented in sepia-tone, it's more of a production choice instead of a transfer issue.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comics/Action/Adventure
Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson
RunTime: 2 hrs 21 mins
Released By: Walt Disney Motion Pictures
Rating: PG (Action Violence)
Official Website: http://marvel.com/
Opening Day: 1 May 2012
Synopsis: Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.
Movie Review:
A colossal wave of fevered anticipation has preceded the arrival of ‘Marvel’s The Avengers’, the culmination of five incredibly successful standalone films over the last four years- ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in 2008; ‘Iron Man 2’ in 2010; as well as ‘Thor’ and ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ last year. Not only has helmer Joss Whedon not cracked under the immense hype, he has amazingly managed to surpass the loftiest expectations with a movie that towers over the rest that have come before it, combining jaw-dropping action, tongue-in-cheek humour and poignant drama into a dazzling piece of summer blockbuster entertainment.
Proving that the whole can be so much more than the sum of its parts, Wheedon has distilled the best elements of each of the preceding movies into this assembly of Marvel superheroes- Iron Man is wiry and snarky as ever; Thor is just as Godly in his might but Human-ly in his compassion; and Captain America is still appealingly old-school. The Hulk, or Bruce Banner in his human form, is quite something else altogether though (being the only character to have a change of actor from the aforementioned films) and very much all the better for it- but we’ll save our gushing for later.
It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the one movie which ‘Avengers’ is most intimately associated with is ‘Thor’, given that both share the same villain- Thor’s adopted brother and fellow Asgardian Loki (Tom Hiddleston)- and that Wheedon did shoot the post-credits scene with Loki and S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Opening with a recurring character from that movie, Dr Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) is now assisting with experiments on the Tessaract- for the uninitiated, the cosmic cube which endowed Captain America’s villain The Red Skull with his powers- which has quite unexpectedly displayed a life of its own.
Turns out that the fallen Loki has been drafted by an alien race to lead its invasion of Earth, using the same Tessaract as a portal to cross over from their universe to ours- and his arrival not only leads to the decimation of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, but also the takeover of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Dr Selvig to do his bidding. With the fate of the world in the balance, Fury activates his ‘Avengers’ initiative to gather the aforementioned superheroes with two others- Black Widow or Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johannson) first seen in ‘Iron Man 2’; and of course Hawkeye or Clint Barton who had a blink-and-you’ll-miss cameo in ‘Thor’.
Fans of either can rest easy- though they haven’t had the same limelight as the other characters, Wheedon gives equal screen time to each member of the alliance, reinforcing the fact that this is a team effort where no one individual is more or less important than the other. In fact, it is Hawkeye’s impressive archery skills and Black Widow’s keen psychological methods of interrogation (in addition to her agility) that we see first- even before the other more prominent superhero characters take to the screen.
Right from the outset, it’s clear that there is organic spontaneity in Wheedon’s storytelling, as he fluently weaves together the recruiting exercise by Fury and his trusted agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) of the participating superheroes. The best he saves for last, so even though Thor only first appears half an hour into the movie, his is a spectacular entrance befitting of that for a God, crossing paths with Iron Man for a thunderous one-on-one clash in the middle of the woods.
True to the spirit of the books, the assembly of these superheroes begins on a fractious note- chiefly due to Stark’s distrust of Fury and disdain for the star-and-stripes-outfitted Captain America. Instead, Stark teams up with the only person he deigns as his intellectual equal- Bruce Banner aka Hulk- to locate the Tessaract and uncover what dirty secrets Fury has been keeping from the rest of them. The answer to the latter isn’t all too unexpected, but kudos to Wheedon for tying this little detail nicely with what happened in ‘Thor’.
It will take something colossal to jolt them out of their self-centredness- and believe us when we say that game-changer is certainly massive (including the demise of one of the key supporting characters of the movie), counting for the first of two action setpieces in the movie that will undoubtedly qualify amongst some of the most spectacularly thrilling stuff you’ll see on the big screen this year. And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, Wheedon tops it with an even grander and absolutely breathtaking climax set in the heart of New York City that pits our heroes against Loki’s invading army of aliens.
The reason why the finale works so brilliantly is the same as why the entire movie is that awesome- Wheedon loves and respects each and every superhero character just as much. Just as he finds the perfect tone to combine the acerbic wit of Iron Man, the anachronistic jingo of Captain America and the affected histrionics of Thor in the first half of the movie, Wheedon gets the action pitch-perfect through reinforcing the individual powers of each one of the superheroes before uniting their strengths to form an even mightier coalition. It is nothing less than pure ecstasy when they join forces as a team, and you’ll find it difficult to resist getting up from your seat and cheering for them at various points throughout the remarkable finish.
Credit should also go to the excellent cast, which at this point in the franchise already radiate a natural affinity with their respective characters. It’s worthy to mention nonetheless that Robert Downey Jr. is back in top form after a lacklustre ‘Iron Man 2’ and once again playing Tony Stark as the irresistible rascal you can’t quite help but be drawn to. Despite not having the benefit of experience, Mark Ruffalo fits like a glove into the role of Bruce Banner vacated by Edward Norton- and his less cocksure but more nuanced portrayal is we dare say the best among the trio of actors (including Eric Bana) who had portrayed the character before.
This review however won’t be complete without a special shout-out for the Hulk, many fans of whom have been disappointed by both the Lee Ang and the later Louis Leterrier iteration of it. Here, Wheedon has finally gotten it right, blending both the character’s brains and brawn to crowdpleasing effect- even more so through some clever plotting that ensures Banner’s eventual transformation from man to beast is as rewarding as it should be. As unlikely as it may seem, we’d like to think that the Hulk ended up stealing more of parts of the movie than the other characters, and you can bet that the Hulk will get his standalone limelight soon enough.
But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here- as far as the ‘Avengers’ is concerned, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be running out and catching this the first instance it opens. Calling it the perfect summer blockbuster is probably not enough to do justice to just how brilliant it is, and well deserving of every superlative we have lavished on it thus far. Filled with wit, humour and incredible action, it ranks as one of the most- if not the most- entertaining and exhilarating experiences you’ll have at the movies this year.
And just one final word of caution- don’t be too quick to catch your breath after hyperventilating for more than two hours once the credits roll, there is a mid-credits sequence that teases the introduction of yet another key villain in the Marvel universe and we’ll simply divulge that he is as Death-ly as it gets.
Movie Rating:
(Beyond brilliant and beyond awesome, this perfectly plotted and skilfully assembled blend of wit, humour and jaw-dropping action is without a doubt the best superhero movie ever)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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