Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Armie Hammer, Ed Westwick, Damon Herriman, Judi Dench, Josh Lucas, Ken Howard, Lea Coco, Stephen Root, Jeffrey Donovan, Miles Fisher, Dermot Mulroney
Runtime: 2 hrs 17 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Homosexual Content)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: http://jedgarmovie.warnerbros.com/
Opening Day: 9 February 2012
Synopsis: During his lifetime, J. Edgar Hoover would rise to be the most powerful man in America. As head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for nearly 50 years, he would stop at nothing to protect his country. Through eight presidents and three wars, Hoover waged battle against threats both real and perceived, often bending the rules to keep his countrymen safe. His methods were at once ruthless and heroic, with the admiration of the world his most coveted, if ever elusive, prize. Hoover was a man who placed great value on secrets—particularly those of others—and was not afraid to use that information to exert authority over the leading figures in the nation. Understanding that knowledge is power and fear poses opportunity, he used both to gain unprecedented influence and to build a reputation that was both formidable and untouchable. He was as guarded in his private life as he was in his public one, allowing only a small and protective inner circle into his confidence. His closest colleague, Clyde Tolson, was also his constant companion. His secretary, Helen Gandy, who was perhaps most privy to Hoover’s designs, remained loyal to the end…and beyond. Only Hoover’s mother, who served as his inspiration and his conscience, would leave him, her passing truly crushing to the son who forever sought her love and approval. As seen through the eyes of Hoover himself, “J. Edgar” explores the personal and public life and relationships of a man who could distort the truth as easily as he upheld it during a life devoted to his own idea of justice, often swayed by the darker side of power.
Movie Review:
Never one to settle for easy moviegoing fare, Clint Eastwood has here attempted one of his most challenging movies of recent years with a biopic on the late head honcho of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through eight elected presidents and nearly half a century of American history. His name was J. Edgar Hoover, and though his legacy may not resonate immediately with audiences this side of the world, his imprint- especially for pioneering the use of modern-day scientific techniques for criminal investigations- is unmistakable.
Yet as much as the man was admired for his service in protecting the nation, Hoover was also an autocratic leader not afraid to subvert the constitutional freedoms of its citizens- and even its political figures. He was a man who craved for absolute power and demanded absolute loyalty, his small circle of confidantes consisting of his longtime secretary Helen Grady (Naomi Watts) and his second-in-command Clyde Tolson (Arnie Hammer). Speaking of the latter, Hoover was also rumoured to have a closeted relationship with Tolson- even though no convincing proof of a romantic or sexual relationship between Hoover and Tolson has ever been found.
Like we said, Hoover was a complex subject formidable for even the best filmmaker to compress into a two-hour feature. Nonetheless, under the assured hands of a director whose movies have revealed a keen fascination with the inner complexities of tough brawny men, ‘J. Edgar’ is a thoroughly engrossing and absolutely fascinating portrayal of the larger-than-life character. Eastwood handles the potentially salacious subject matter with his trademark even-handedness- and though his approach has its fair share of detractors, it is in this reviewer’s opinion a laudable trait of the film that it neither embellishes Hoover for his achievements nor chastises him for his faults.
The narrative structure by which Eastwood and his screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (the Academy Award-winning scribe of ‘Milk’) has chosen may seem a little disjointed at the start, but its brilliance really shines through much later. The first sight they offer their audiences of Hoover is startling- it is the early 1960s, and the Hoover we see in the midst of dictating his memoirs to one of several young agent-stenographers is old and balding. With Hoover’s voiceovers, we are led through the key events in his eventful career from his perspective. Yes, make no mistake, what we are seeing is not the objective truth but a version of the truth as recollected by Hoover.
So beginning with the 1919 anarchist bombing of Woodrow Wilson’s attorney general A. Mitchell Palmer, we watch as Hoover gets placed in charge of the General Intelligence Division within Palmer’s Bureau of Investigation and proves his tenacity through the execution of a series of violent raids against suspected Communist labour organisations as well as the subsequent deportation of their members- including the most high-profile of them all, Emma Goldman (Jessica Hecht). By 1924 when Hoover is appointed Director of the Bureau, it is clear that the man- intelligent though he was- had both paranoid and self-aggrandising inclinations that went to the extent of vetting prospective agents based on the facial hair above their upper lip.
These attributes only become more apparent as Hoover insists aggressively on stamping his name in history by being the arresting officer of high-profile gangsters- and nowhere is this more so than in his insistence on personally leading the team in the investigation and subsequent arrest of the man responsible for the kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s (Josh Lucas) baby. Eastwood spends more time on this particular case than others given its significance, as Hoover exploits it to demonstrate the efficacy of his forensic methods and successfully lobby Congress for expanded government powers under what is commonly known as the ‘Lindbergh Law’.
It is testament to Eastwood’s skill that his film so fluidly intercuts between Hoover’s public life and his private life, the latter of which consists of the oedipal exchanges with his mother Annie (Judi Dench) as well as the attraction he has towards Clyde. The two are closely intertwined- there are obvious strong feelings between the two men, which Hoover vehemently represses following stern words from his mother ‘I'd rather have a dead son than a daffodil for a son’. Eastwood is especially delicate in his handling of their purported relationship, and the only time he shows the pair confronting their attraction for each other is a heated argument they have when sharing a hotel suite up in Del Mar that erupts into a brawl and…(gasp!) a kiss. Most times however, Eastwood settles for meaningful gestures between the two- the lunches they take, the trips they share, and the occasional hand on the other to demonstrate mutual affection.
The attention Eastwood pays to both Hoover’s public persona and intimate life and the approach he has taken to portray either truly pays off in the film’s last half hour. Despite a debilitating stroke, Clyde continues to be the voice of reason against Hoover’s maniacal ways (including ordering that a wiretap be arranged on civil rights leader Martin Luther King whom he considered the most dangerous man in America) and the one who will eventually expose to us the extent of Hoover’s self-aggrandisement right from the very beginning of the film. The twist is utterly compelling, and ultimately validates the hopscotch structure of events by which Black has chosen to tell Hoover’s story.
Once again proving his keen ability at choosing the right actors for his material, Leonardo DiCaprio is absolutely stunning in the lead role. Whether as the young and ambitious upstart with an unwavering belief in his methods or buried under a ton of age-inducing latex as the greying titan equally-if not more- unyielding in his beliefs, DiCaprio is mesmerising in every frame. His is also a remarkably consistent performance, adopting a near-Southern accent and an aggressively persuasive manner of speech especially in front of Congress that is also his character’s way of overcoming childhood stuttering. No doubt it is one of the most powerful performances you’ll see this year, and an utter disgrace that the Academy has snubbed it in favour of less worthy ones.
Eastwood surrounds DiCaprio with excellent supporting perfs, chief among them is Arnie Hammer’s take on Clyde Tolson. Befitting of Clyde’s nature, Hammer gives a subtle, understated turn as both the emotional other-half and the moral whole of the movie, and shares a warm chemistry with DiCaprio that easily convinces of their characters’ mutual attraction. As for the ladies, Judi Dench is outstanding as ever, using what time she shares onscreen with DiCaprio to convey without question the commanding influence her character has over Hoover’s life- though Naomi Watts gets short shrift as Hoover’s secretary, sidelined all too quickly once her character rejects the latter’s romantic overtures.
Nonetheless, that’s a minor quibble for a film that understandably has a lot to cover. Black does a fine job crafting a densely detailed and fascinating portrait of Hoover, brought to life dynamically by Eastwood’s sturdy direction that steadfastly refuses to lionise nor demonise the man. Eastwood’s achievement is also placing the man’s actions against the context of the day, and letting Hoover’s necessary or excessive methods speak for themselves. Engaging, engrossing and thought-provoking, Eastwood's biopic of one of the most powerful men in modern-day American history is old-school filmmaking at its very best.
Movie Rating:
(Boasting a tour de force performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, this riveting biopic of one of the most powerful persons in modern-day American history is not to be missed!)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: Inspired by true events, KILLER ELITE is an action-adventure spy film that follows Danny (Jason Statham), one of the world's most skilled special-ops agents. Lured out of self-imposed exile, Danny reassembles his crack team of operatives to execute a near-impossible mission of retribution - to rescue his former mentor and partner Hunter (Robert De Niro). Together they must penetrate the highly feared and respected military unit, the British Special Air Service (SAS), to take down a rogue cell of soldier assassins and their leader Spike (Clive Owen) before their actions create a global crisis.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Finally, there’s a movie that doesn’t see him having sex on a busy street, mouthing less than two pages of dialogue and punches his way through every three minutes onscreen. “Killer Elite” which is based on The Feather Men by ex-SAS officer Ranulph Fiennes has a far more complicated plot than the average Jason Statham’s vehicle and rest assured Statham still has his trademark baldy look intact.
The story which is set in the 80’s has Statham playing Danny, a retired mercenary who is forced to rescue his kidnapped old partner, Hunter (De Niro) out of the clutches of a rich Omani sheik. Unless Danny carried out assassination attempts on ex-SAS agents who killed his sons and bring back video evidence of his murders as proof, Hunter will not make out alive. Standing in Danny’s way is Spike (Clive Owen) who is an ex-agent out to protect his own group of people and “Killer Elite” is one thriller that slowly builds its way to the climax.
Although it’s director Gary McKendry’s first feature and despite one too many unnecessary, talky scenes involving a secret society called the Feathermen, he at least deliver a decent enough effort to keep audience on their toes. With plenty of globetrotting action to please the fanbase, the story unfolds grippingly after Danny starts to assemble a few good men to carry out their assassination missions. An accidental fatal fall, death from hypothermia and a rigged truck are just some of the inventive killings the guys have thought of. But then when you have a star liked Statham onboard, it’s best to engage him in awesome, kickass brawls in which this title indeed provide a few neat choreographed scenes.
It’s a smart tactic to sell Robert De Niro’s face particularly if you manage to snag him for a role even if the acclaimed actor conveniently disappeared for the whole of the movie. Clive Owen on the other hand gives yet another tough guy performance and the adrenalin oozing from Statham and him are probably sufficient to conceal the defects of the story.
Now if only McKendry is able to trim off some of the fats keeping the plotting less convoluted then “Killer Elite” will be among the elite class of 2011.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The DVD comes only with a Trailer and a Photo Gallery.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Dialogue is clear and the gunfire, explosions and fights are loud, dynamic though confined to the Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack here. Visual transfer is striking and colours are natural.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Haunted by a tragic past, Marine Tommy Conlon (Hardy) returns home for the first time in fourteen years to enlist the help of his father (Nick Nolte) to train for Sparta, the biggest winner-takes-all event in mixed martial arts history. A former wrestling prodigy, Tommy blazes a path toward the championship while his brother, Brendan (Edgerton), an ex-fighter-turned teacher, returns to the ring in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. But when Brendan’s unlikely, underdog rise sets him on a collision course with the unstoppable Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront each other and the forces that pulled them apart, facing off in the most soaring, soul stirring, and unforgettable climax that must be seen to be believed. A rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit, WARRIOR is also a moving testament to the enduring bonds of family.
MOVIE REVIEW:
No doubt about it, Americans love sports and they particularly adore American football, boxing, wrestling and the latest craze, mixed martial arts. Every sport has its fair share of successful movie adaptations ranging from “Rocky”, “Invincible” to “The Wrestler” and much to the dismay of this non-sports fan reviewer; so many people ironically missed “Warrior” in theatres.
And the sad fact is because it’s one of the finest, crafted action dramas of 2011.
Beneath all the mixed martial arts action is a sentimental drama about a dysfunctional family. Two estranged brothers; Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) are both fighting for the title prize in the MMA tournament. Tommy is an ex-marine who has a family of his deceased buddy to provide for while Brendan, a high school teacher has problems servicing his mortgage loans, add to all their problems is their long forgettable alcoholic father, Paddy (Nick Nolte) who has returned to make amends and acts as Tommy’s coach as well.
Despite being over melodramatic at times, director and writer Gavin O’Connor delivers bone-crunching, nail-biting brawls when the action calls for it yet at the same time never allowing the audience to deviate from the heart and soul of the movie – the characters. The three main male actors brought much intensity to their roles and I’m not just talking about Hardy and Edgerton hulking it out in front of the cameras.
Veteran Nick Nolte who garnered an Academy Awards nomination for his role skilfully embodies the character who is out looking for redemption and a touching moment arises when Paddy stood at the front of Brendan’s porch pleading for his forgiveness. Hardy and Edgerton, both ready to be household names in Hollywood effectively played characters that are sympathetic, believable, worst of all father and sons crossed paths again at their lowest points of their lives.
The action right here is as affecting as the drama. Powerfully shot and brutally choreographed with a finale that has the two brothers going at each other’s neck, you can’t help but root for either one of them though deep in your heart, you wish for a tie. “Warrior” is a rousing, compelling sports drama that deserved a better fate in the box-office. Spectacular action mixed with a teary-eyed family drama, what more can you ask? Probably an “Eye of the Tiger” theme song to end it.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The DVD only comes with a disappointing Photo Gallery.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Consider this movie requires a full Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack to allow oneself to be fully immersive in the fighting sequences, this DVD only gives us a 2.0 track. Visual looks good on the whole though.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Zhou Xiaohui (Vic Zhou) was hired by the self-proclaimed godfather of fashion, Alex (Alan Tam). Three years later, he became the associate editor of leading fashion magazine Celebrity, and turned into a young, arrogant, and pretentious control freak. Threatened by his rising popularity, Alex sacks him. Determined to rival Celebrity, Xiaohui is joined by office lackey Fatty and editorial assistant Ying Hong (Vivian Hsu). He persuades college friend Wu Yang (Kimi Qiao), the son of a wealthy businessman, to invest. The four set up a modest backstreet office, and started their own magazine Modern. Setbacks arise and employees slowly began to leave, except for Ying Hong. Without luck on their side, will Modern be able to survive and succeed?
MOVIE REVIEW:
“Sleepless Fashion” is a weird bag of romance and underdog story despite an interesting setup and a cast of familiar faces including former F4 heartthrob Vic Chou, sweetie-pie Vivian Hsu and evergreen Cantopop singer, Alan Tam.
Set in the glamorous fashion world of contemporary Beijing, Chou plays Patrick, associate editor of leading fashion magazine, Celebrity and also the protégé of fashion icon, Alex (Alan Tam). Successful, arrogant and popular, Patrick is fast surpassing his mentor in the fashion circle. Threatened by his fast-rising protégé, Alex decides to sack him. Feeling betrayed, Patrick decides to start his own fashion magazine with the help of a motley crew of unlikely allies.
“Sleepless Fashion” has the potential to be a quirky and consummate look at the cutthroat industry of the publishing and fashion world. Unfortunately, the slick production ultimately is yet another predictable, lightweight flick that is marred with plenty of flat plotting. One glaring example is the romance between Patrick and Ying Hong (Vivian Hsu), which is hardly believable, and feels rather tack-on. Tam’s Godfather of fashion role is largely wasted considering his character is far juicer than Chou’s Patrick. The inclusion of Lam Suet as a comic relief doesn’t help much and a song-and-dance routine towards the end stuck out like a sore thumb.
Poet, writer turned indie filmmaker Yin Lichuan perhaps is constrained by the pressure of commercial filmmaking. Her inability to establish this as a drama or comedy is obvious. Lucky for her, she has her cast members to thank for. Chou whose acting is less than impressive has at least an eye-catching wardrobe to interest the female demographics. The little known Shu Yaoxuan left a deep impression by providing the movie with an interesting motivational story while Wang Taili’s portrayal of the fish-out-of-water wedding photographer marks the best of the lot.
Looking as polished and glossy as a high-end fashion magazine (that’s one of the highlights of the movie), “Sleepless Fashion” is clichéd, formulaic and unable to offer much other than Chou’s striking wardrobe.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The DVD extras consist of numerous Trailers and TV Spots, brief Interviews with Vic Chou, Vivian Hsu, Alan Tam and Kimi Qiao. There are also fashion tips from Chou to round up the features.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Visuals are clear and the sole Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is serviceable for the dialogue dominated movie.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, Hamish Linklater, Tadanobu Asano, Josh Pence, Peter MacNicol
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG13 (Battle Sequences)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.battleshipmovie.com/
Opening Day: 12 April 2012
Synopsis: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancée; Alexander Skarsgård as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.
Movie Review:
The last I remember there isn’t any aliens involved in the strategy naval boardgame, “Battleship”. Oops did I just let out a major spoiler? Anyway it doesn’t matter much if you have been paying attention to all the trailers and TV spots. In this Peter Berg’s directed movie, there are indeed more than mere battleships, submarines and fighter jets and seriously what do you expect from the same company that is responsible for another toy property that generated gazillion amount of dollars at the box office.
While director James ‘Titanic-Avatar’ Cameron has openly criticized “Battleship” as an example of bad filmmaking even before it opens, he isn’t that far from being wrong. “Battleship” apparently has nothing much to do with the boardgame that was so popular back in the days where cable TV and iPad is nonexistent and it doesn’t take a genius to scribe a story pitting numerous USS carriers against some unknown entities. Taking a leaf (or two) out of the Michael Bay/Roland Emmerich school of filmmaking, Berg populated “Battleship” with plenty of high-octane action sequences, most of them visually arresting and deafening. Unfortunately, you would have seen 90% of them one way or another even before you step into the cinema. The attack on the naval base looks like a cross between “Pearl Harbor” and “Transformers” and the bombing of buildings, highways awkwardly looks like leftovers from “Armageddon” and “2012”. Bay loves his movies to be filled with army cargo and Berg indeed does him proud by touting every piece of hardware found in the US Navy.
The only credit I feel “Battleship” deserved is the Halo-looking like aliens. Wonderfully crafted and human-like although you won’t get to see much of their true self let alone their true purpose on earth. As with any other aliens-invading movies, the technology and design of their sleek machinery is top-notch and “Battleship” won’t disappoint viewers in this aspect.
Year 2012 is the year for actor Taylor Kitsch who topline the movie as Lt Alex Hopper, a hotheaded naval officer who conveniently has a brother, Stone (True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard) also a naval officer and his prospective father-in-law is also a navy guy but a powerful one, Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson). Kitsch might not have much success playing “John Carter” and it looks like his Alex Hopper’s one-dimensional character isn’t going to give him much leg as well. Again, Michael Bay has the tendency to engage Supermodels for his movies; Berg on the other hand decides to rope in popstar Rihanna for her feature film debut, she for that matter indeed looks good running around deck out in naval outfit and the gorgeous Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It) as Alex’s love interest is splendid (in terms of look and figure) on the big screen. With all the characters underwritten including an extended cameo by Neeson (and you thought he is here to kick some serious alien-asses), you will be sorely disappointed. Skarsgard is also wasted in a role that is probably filmed during his True Blood break.
Boasting a Transformers crew that involves Hasbro, composer Steve Jablonsky and visual effects house ILM, “Battleship” ends up as a piece of visual heavy pre-summer blockbuster that tries too hard mimicking the success of the morphing robots franchise. At least Berg’s “Hancock” was a fun piece on anti-hero and “The Kingdom”, an action-packed political thriller, “Battleship” collapses under layers and layers of CG and state-of-the-art sound effects. At a staggering two hours plus, this is pretty exhaustive. Peter Berg can be such a competent director that it just befuddles me why he is aping Michael Bay all the way right here.
Movie Rating:
(This year’s answer to Transformers. Period)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comedy
Director: Chung Shu Kai, Chin Kok Wai
Cast: Eric Tsang, Teresa Mo, Bosco Wong, Stanley Fung, Denise Ho, Siu Yam Yam, William So, Mak Cheung-ching, 6 Wing, Vivian Zhang, Louis Yuen, Zhu Mimi, Michelle Lo, Maggie Siu
RunTime: 1 hr 37 mins
Rating: PG (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Clover Films & Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/ilovehongkong2012
Opening Day: 26 January 2012
Synopsis: For some, 2012 brings fear…. This is due to the many vivid interpretations that the end of the world is nearing as we enter 2012. The Kwok family is a farce, no thanks to the different personalities living under same roof. All of them have their own share of problems and the situation doesn’t improve when everyone dwells only on their differences. The patriarch of the household, Kwok Chun is an experienced weather forecaster, who had been eyeing the post of news anchor for the longest time. But due to the oppression from his rival-turned-boss, Chun never had a promotion in his 40-year tenure. While the daily squabbles within the family; Chun, his three children and his free-loading brothers, continue, Chun received earth-shattering news that the world is facing a great catastrophe. This rude shock brings awakening and Chun is determined to fix the cracks in his family before the world ends….
Movie Review:
"I love Hong Kong 2012" has hit our shores this Lunar New Year again! After the box-office successes from "72 Tenants of Prosperity" (2010) and "I love Hong Kong" in (2011), "I love Hong Kong 2012"’ is back with its spoofs and humour, though with a smaller entourage this time.
How successful a Lunar New Year movie is can be loosely gauged by its ability to generate conversations and its humour. I believe many people agree on this because in tiny little Singapore, there’s nothing much to do on the Lunar New Year holiday other than house visiting and eat, especially on the first day, as many places are closed. Other than that, one of the most common big group activity is a movie outing. On such a jovial occasion, most people join their friends and/or family at the cinema for a good laugh. Don’t underestimate the ‘generate conversation’ part. It is very important because it helps to ease the awkwardness when meet those long-time-no-see relatives and cousins (especially those residing overseas, and came back to Singapore exclusively for Lunar New Year) by having something common to talk about.
In this regard, "I love Hong Kong 2012" has scored pretty well! The movie has a variety of spoofs, jokes built on current affairs, as well as catching on one of the things that people are obsessed with finding out; whether the Mayans’ prediction is true. The rumour about the end of the world has been spreading ever since it has been popularized by the 2009 acclaimed Hollywood movie, 2012. In this movie, it sheds some light on some unscrupulous profit makers, who generate their profit by capitalizing on people’s fear of the end of the world.
Unlike the previous two movies that had a much longer list of credited cast, "I love Hong Kong 2012" has only one family and just a few more others in focus. The family consists of many interesting characters, namely a traditional and chauvinistic head of the family, the eldest daughter who is crazily obsessed with comic heroes, her candid and socially awkward husband, the butch-like second daughter who is in love with a very feminine salesman, the youngest son who hasn’t really been successful, and lastly a little brother who has been out of job since forever. The unlikely ensemble of personalities evokes laughter as you watch the family interact with one another. The assault of news on the ‘end of the world’ approaching Hong Kong becomes a trigger for them to resolve the tensions between them, and to come to accommodate each other in the end.
Moreover, the side plots that explore the relationships between different couple of people are interesting to watch as well. They mainly concern the romantic relationships between the couple of people aforementioned. Watch out for one very unexpected spoof of an immensely popular movie in 2011. It will definitely become one of the talking points you carry away from this movie!
The ending may end up a little too sappy and cheesy for some, but it is still a heart-warming and nice watch for the Lunar New Year. A simple and reasonably well executed plot with a subtle message about fixing family ties is especially poignant and sweet in this festive season. Like illustrated in the movie, very possibly, your family will be the ones who are all accepting and will stand by you no matter where you go, what you do. Last but not least, do stay on a little longer as the credits roll to catch the last ‘news’ section (the Hong Kong version of Noose)!
P.S.: In case you’re interested to read more about the myths about 2012, do refer to this link!http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091106-2012-end-of-world-myths.html
Movie Rating:
(A three star worthy movie, based on the 'he sui pian' standard!)
Review by Tho Shu Ling
You’re spoiling us, Mr Williams. As if the wonderful score for The Adventures of Tintin wasn’t enough, you have decided to indulge us with yet another lovely piece of work. Two John Williams score in a year? We are in heaven.
For this moving film about the friendship between a boy and his horse, Steven Spielberg’s long time collaborator takes on a different direction from the animated feature’s adventurous score and returns to an old fashioned romanticism that brings to mind lush landscapes and grand grasslands.
The 65 minute album opens with “Dartmoor, 1912” and wastes no time in introducing the soundtrack’s main theme. Elegant and tenderly passionate, this theme is repeated in following tracks and you’d be swept off in awe. This gorgeous theme will also probably be the tune you hear when the movie title is mentioned during film awards.
That said, we are pretty sure Williams will be getting his 46thAcademy Award nomination (he has already won five for 1971’s Fiddler on the Roof, 1975’s Jaws, 1977’s Star Wars, 1982’s E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and 1993’s Schindler’s List) at the upcoming Oscars. We’d really like to see him nominated for both scores, and take home that statuette for the sixth time.
Probably due to the nature of the film, there are several playful cues which will easily create images of horses galloping mischievously on open lands. This is evident in “Learning the Call” and “Seeding, and Horse vs. Car”. Things become a little darker in cues like “Ruined Crop, and Going to War” and “The Charge and Capture”. Like any other war movie, this soundtrack features action pieces like “Pulling the Cannon” and “No Man’s Land”.
Our emotions are stirred in heartfelt tracks like “The Death of Topthorn”, “The Reunion”, and “Remembering Emilie, and Finale”. And like any other Williams score, this one ends on a perfectly, rounding up the best moments of the film with “The Homecoming”. We are indeed blessed to have a talent like the 79 year old Williams creating magical and wondrous movie moments for us with his compositions.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (16) The Homecoming
Review by John Li
Genre: Romance
Director: Doze Niu
Cast: Shu Qi, Zhao Wei, Ethan Ruan, Mark Chao, Eddie Peng, Ivy Chen, Amber Kuo, Doze Niu
RunTime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: PG13 (Scenes of Intimacy)
Released By: Festive Films
Official Website: http://2012allinlove.com/
Opening Day: 16 February 2012 (Sneaks on Valentine's Day, 14 Feb)
Synopsis: What is Love? What does love stand for?
We’ve all been touched by love, yet no one ever did understand it.
This is a story that happened between two cities, Taipei and Beijing, a story about eight lonely souls searching for happy endings. Everything that happened and every sacrifice that was made was all for LOVE.
Ni comes from a wealth family. As the captain of a bicycle racing team of the college everything seems perfect until the day she finds out that her life tangled in a three people relationship. Ni’s best friend YiJia was pregnant with her boyfriend Kai after a one night affair. Betrayed by the boyfriend and the best friend, Ni is going crazy. She needs answers. Kai realized that he had made the biggest mistake of his life, but he is in love with Ni. Running away is not the answer. He needs to get her back. All this while, YiJia is also torned by this situation, and decided that she will end this by getting an abortion. But after a series of wild emotional rampage, Ni realize that she is not the only victim and her loving nature made her admit that she can’t afford to lose either of them.
Mr Lu, the father of Ni, as a successful middle age businessman who lives in a glamorous life style with a charming movie star girlfriend Zoe by his side. Lu leads a lifestyle that is the envy of everyone. However when Lu is ready for marriage, he finds out that Zoe is no longer infatuated with him. In fact, Zoe is a lonely woman who needs someone to wake her up from the vanity around her. When she meet waiter Kuan, the brother of Yi Jia, she is attracted by his sweet personality and life of wisdom. Between Mr Lu and Kuan, Zoe faces the biggest choice of her life.
Lu’s business partner, Mark, is from Taipei. Mark is a ladies man and he always and only dates women who are young, beautiful and chic. His fondest memories were from living with father, who has passed away, in the Chinese old-style courtyard house. Therefore, after his much business success, Mark always wanted to buy a Chinese old-style courtyard house in Beijing. XiaoYe is a single mother working in Beijing as a real estate agent. She is not young, nor is she stylish. She spends most of her time and energy taking care of her five yearsold son. One day, Mark meets XiaoYe looking for a place to buy. Through the process, Mark starts to develop feelings for XiaoYe and also her son.
Movie Review:
This just doesn’t seem right – this single reviewer telling you, our esteemed readers, what he thinks about a movie about love? What also seems inappropriate is the untimely period – he who will spend Valentine’s Day alone advising you whether you should catch this romance movie with your other half (or at least someone whom you hope will bless you with the status of “attached”)? Well, this columnist will try his very best to comment on this ensemble piece featuring some of the best looking people in showbiz.
The story is, well, about love and the unfathomable things it makes people do. The characters in this movie are in some way related to each other, which is probably an attempt by the screenwriters to model the movie after the hugely successful Love Actually (2003), a feel good British production which never fails to make a couple’s lazy afternoon at home. Here, the filmmakers have the couples situated in Taipei and Beijing, making them encounter joy, laughter, pain, crying and more essentially, love, over plotlines which may be familiar with the common folk.
For the older guys, we have Shu Qi playing the obligatory materialistic woman who yearns to find her true self and Zhao Wei (14 Blades) taking the role of a fearless single mother who wants nothing more than the best for her son. For the younger ones, you will be rooting for the sweet Ivy Chen (Hear Me) and Amber Kuo (Au Revoir Taipei) as two best friends who fall out after Chen gets becomes pregnant, thanks to Kuo’s confused boyfriend.
Female viewers are treated with eye candy in the form of Ethan Ruan (Monga) as a stuttering neighbourhood boy who is wiser than he looks, Mark Chao (Monga) as a successful businessman who doesn’t believe in commitment and Eddie Peng as a filmmaker wannabe who has a lot to learn about responsibility in a relationship. They are joined by director Doze Niu who plays a middle aged man who lives a lifestyle only known to the rich and famous. Incidentally, all four leading men have scenes featuring their well built physique (check out those muscles and abs!) - so get ready to drool, ladies.
The star studded affair is made more exciting by cameos from other familiar Taiwanese personalities like Rhydian Vaughan (the other good looker from Monga), Kang Kang (you’d know him from Taiwanese variety shows) and Charge Pu (most commonly known for his duet “Confucius Says” with Bowie Tseng).
Oh, has someone forgotten about the story and how it’s supposed to inspire viewers to reflect on their own notions of love? With its 125 minute runtime, the filmmakers seem to be more concerned about making its stars look good on screen (after all, it’s Mark Lee of “In the Mood for Love” fame who is calling the shots behind the cinematography department) than engaging its audience in a emotional journey. Sure, there are some poignant moments in the movie which may tug at your heartstrings, but unfortunately, it feels more like a touch and go affair. Also, probably due to the challenge to tell a few stories in one movie, the unsatisfying conclusion feels somewhat underwhelming.
However, the pretty to look at movie is still recommended for its contemporary take on love (seriously, what would you do if your best friend is carrying your boyfriend’s baby?), and considering the cast’s decent performances, you can be sure that your date won’t be complaining after the credits begin rolling.
Movie Rating:
(Star studded with good looking people, this breezy affair promises to be an enjoyable movie date)
Review by John Li
|
JAY'S EXTREME MAKEOVERPosted on 19 Jan 2012 |
|
THINKING BIGPosted on 19 Jan 2012 |
| « Prev | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | Next » |
Most Viewed
No content.