Genre: Comedy
Director: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Cast: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jennifer Coolidge, Katrina Bowden, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy, Natasha Lyonne, Dania Ramirez, Vik Sahay
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual scenes, Nudity and Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.americanpiereunion.com/
Opening Day: 5 April 2012
Synopsis: In the comedy "American Reunion", all the "American Pie" characters we met a little more than a decade ago are returning to East Great Falls for their high-school reunion. In one long-overdue weekend, they will discover what has changed, who hasn't and that time and distance can't break the bonds of friendship. It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim and Michelle married while Kevin and Vicky said goodbye. Oz and Heather grew apart, but Finch still longs for Stifler's mom. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about-and get inspired by-the hormonal teens who launched a comedy legend.
Movie Review:
Just when you think the ‘American Pie’ franchise has only enough life left for the direct-to-video market (where for the record, four titles under the ‘American Pie Presents’ banner have been released thus far), the original gang- including Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy and Jennifer Coolidge- reunite for their third theatrical sequel to the 1999 original smash hit. That in itself is no small feat- though none of the cast members have become A-list stars in their own right, their statuses have risen considerably from the days of the first movie, so it does say something when all of them have returned to give their ‘alma mater’ another shot.
And indeed, this reunion proves to be worth their while, as the ‘Harold and Kumar’ creators Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have brought their considerable talent at raunchy comedy to the strict formula of the series with largely successful results. So even as Jim remains the hapless klutz and Stifler the vulgar and overbearing sex-crazed friend, the writing/ directing team of Hurwitz and Schlossberg manage to devise new gags built around the humour and style of the original- and if you liked the first ‘American Pie’, you’ll probably lap this one up too as well.
Directly following from the events of the last theatrical film ‘American Wedding’, Jim and Michelle Levenstein (Biggs and Hannigan) are now married with a two-year-old son, though that new addition to the family has taken its toll on their sex life. In the film’s uproarious opening sequence (abbreviated as well in the trailer), husband and wife have resorted to self-gratification- Jim sneaks a jerk-off watching porn while Michelle is in the bathroom using the shower head to arouse herself- without the other’s knowledge.
The rest of the gang are similarly discontented at their existing lives- Oz (Klein) is a sports-caster with an embarrassing stint on a reality dance-show and a flirtatious girlfriend; Kevin (Ian Nicholas) is tired of the monotony of married life that revolves around watching too many ‘Desperate Housewives’ soaps with his wife; and Stifler (William Scott) is stuck in a crappy temp job ridiculed daily by his equally crude boss. When John Cho’s ‘MILF’ character organises a high-school reunion, the quintet- including Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas)- drop their everyday lives and head back to their hometown of East Great Falls to relive their carefree high-school memories.
Well aware that nostalgia would likely be this film’s major selling point, Hurwitz and Schlossberg work hard at bringing back the memories, reminding audiences of the highlights of the first film- such as Jim’s masturbatory hijinks from Shannon Elizabeth’s Czech exchange student Nadia, and Finch’s sexual encounter with Stifler’s mother. That also means bringing back a whole host of previous characters- Kevin’s ex Vicky (Tara Reid), Oz’s former flame Heather (Mena Suvari), and of course Stifler’s mother (Coolidge) as well as Jim’s overenthusiastic dad (Levy)- in addition to cameos by the ‘Sherminator’ (Chris Owen) and Nadia herself.
The trip down memory lane will be especially meaningful for middle-aged audiences who grew up watching the first three ‘American Pie’ movies, but those with little background to the prior films will still greatly enjoy the new characters. In particular, some of the film’s most hilarious sequences come courtesy of these additions- a young and attractive next-door neighbour Kara (Ali Cobrin) whom Jim used to babysit; a nerd-turned-hottie Selena (Dania Ramirez) cast as Finch’s love interest; and a trio of jocks Jim and his friends cross paths with, the leader Marco (Chuck Hittinger) of whom happens to be Kara’s boyfriend and a only slightly less innocuous version of Stifler.
Appropriately, every one of the original leads- with the notable exception of Stifler- have grown more mellowed, and the laughs here derive less from their juvenile pranks than a nonstop string of misadventures they find themselves in. It’s a welcome- and perhaps inevitable-change from the previous films, but it’s nice to know that you can still count on the occasional gross-out gag- the most memorable of which is undoubtedly the sight of Jim’s dick squeezed underneath a pot lid. Instead of a go-for-broke mentality, the filmmakers opt for a more calculated approach to the gags, most of which therefore end up hitting the mark.
Still, the fact that these characters have become more ruminative takes its toll on the pace of the movie, that unfolds at a less frenetic pace than you would expect from watching other recent genre offerings like the ‘Harold and Kumar’ movies or ‘The Hangover’. It is also, at slightly under two hours, the longest ‘American Pie’, as Hurwitz and Schlossberg devote an almost equal amount of time and attention to each of the five lead character arcs within the movie. Yet there is a pleasing familiarity in watching the original cast reprise their distinctive roles, and fans are not likely to begrudge the longer running time.
Whether there is still steam in the franchise for yet another big-screen return is nonetheless questionable, since this fourth entry doesn’t quite re-invent the wheel than revisit it. There is after all only so much a series can ride on the nostalgic factor, and what goodwill fans have for it will likely run out if Hurwitz and Schlossberg aren’t able to break with formula the next time round. For now, this reunion is still worth your while, and even if this Pie doesn’t taste as fresh as it did 13 years ago, it is still comfort food you’ll enjoy.
Movie Rating:
(Everything you loved about the original Pie is still as delicious in this Reunion- and fans of the original will especially enjoy this hilarious and heartwarming comedy with a large dose of nostalgia)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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"THE WEDDING DIARY" GARNERS A STRONG OPENING WEEK IN SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA!Posted on 16 Feb 2012 |
SYNOPSIS: Taylor Lautner explodes on-screen as a young man whose secret past is set to collide with a dangerous reality. After uncovering a deadly lie, Nathan (Lautner) is propelled on a lethal, no-holds barred mission to learn the truth. Aided by a devoted family friend (Sigourney Weaver), Nathan’s hunt for the facts pits him against ruthless assassins and questionable allies.
MOVIE REVIEW:
“Abduction” is supposed to be Taylor Lautner’s star vehicle and the ultimate litmus test to see if he commands the box-office power given his tremendous popularity in the Twilight saga. Unfortunately, Team Jacob or Taylor never really helps in lighting up the box-office and many companies including Universal decide to drop out of Lautner’s many announced projects subsequently. Just how bad is “Abduction”? Let’s just say it’s a very average forgettable action movie.
Firstly, “Abduction” has a rather preposterous setup. Lautner plays Nathan, an ordinary teenager raised in a normal suburban neighbourhood by his parents, Kevin (Jason Issacs) and Mara (Maria Bello). They live in a nice big house and Nathan seems to have everything he wants but somehow something is not right and Nathan starts to suspects he might not be his parents’ biological son after browsing through a missing person’ website. What follows is some wham-bang chase involving CIA operatives and Serbian or Russia terrorists (led by Michael Nypqist from the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) with the plotting absolutely bogus that there is no point explaining further.
Who the hell in the world would disguise as a couple and raised somebody else’s son for decades? Maybe there is, a call of duty perhaps? Yet again, “Abduction” never bother to elaborate further and all it accomplish is to throw in a concept and let Lautner and his onscreen partner, Karen (Lily Collins) do all the running, walking and kissing of course. Sure you can call this teenage Bourne if you want however Taylor Lautner is a weak actor, incompetent to convey the right emotions except showing he has the potential to kick some ass and romance his neighbor.
Director John Singleton whose last big screen feature was the edgy “Four Brothers” did a decent job exploding and shooting everybody else in Nathan’s path. There is a pretty tough, painful fight inside a cramped train cabin between Nathan and a baddie which I must give credit to and some fancy nimble parkour moves in the finale. And that’s sadly is about all the measurable positive vibe about the movie. Even with a creditable supporting cast that includes Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Geraldine and Alfred Molina as a CIA agent is unable to salvage the movie from being a boring affair. Weaver popped in and out as if she is busy juggling many other minor roles in dozens other movies while Molina no longer has the surprise element being the ambiguous government agent.
Like Obi Wan Kenobi always say “Patient, my young Padawan”. Taylor Lautner has the look and agility being the next generation of Hollywood action stars, sure he has that much complained wooden expression but hey look at a certain Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Give that young man more time, for now “Abduction” is a no-go.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Abduction Chronicleis an 18 minutes production journal that has Taylor Lautner talkig about his filming experiences.
More interviews with the cast and crew follow inThe Flight For The Truth.
Initiation of an Action Hero takes a deeper look at the stunts performed by Lautner himself in the movie.
Pulled Punches is a fancy term for Gag Reel.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The video presentation here makes Taylor Lautner looks as good as he can get. Images are sharp and colours brimming, even the night shots look wondrous. Unfortunately with the constraint of the Dolby Digital 2.0 track, the sound design especially for the explosion sequence and crowd scene for example doesn’t deserve the whooomph factor it deserves.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: In this fast-paced, "cutting-edge" action comedy, a mystical blade transforms the lives of three ambitious men. This trilogy of interwined stories based on desire, vengeance and greed proves that the power of the blade is matched only by the trouble it brings to its owners.
MOVIE REVIEW:
A hapless butcher (Liu Xiaoye) is in infatuated with a courtesan named Mei (Kitty Zhang Yuqi). Her charms are unworldly. In his way is the infamous fighter Big Beard. The butcher doesn't stand a chance. When he happens upon a stranger with a magical cleaver, he suddenly has the means to win. Before he uses it, he's told the magical blade isn't for killing and the blade's origin is explained. As the title suggests, the rest of the story involves a chef and a swordsman (Ashton Xu).
Set in ancient china, this is a highly stylized version of the past. Director Wuershan hails from the commercial ad world and it's obvious. You can tell he makes ads featuring lots of slow motion, fast edits, bellowing fabric and soaring arias. The film is full of gimmicks. This includes, black and white sections with red highlights à la SinCity, animations, video game sequences, Taiwanese 3D news renderings and cartoons. Audio wise there are funky hip hop beats, techno tracks and a horrific Mandarin rap performed by the Bordello staff. Gimmicks or not, he knows how to compose a gorgeous visual. The images are great, the problem is the rapid fire delivery approach of it.
The story unfolds like a Russian doll; stories are nestled within each other. It's not a bad concept except only one of the three stories is watchable. The other two stories suffer from too much whiz-bang effects that leaves no room for digestion.
They're simply over wrought, over edited and over produced. When the story settles down, it's in the middle part featuring Ando Masanobu as the chef. It is by far the best story of the three and if the movie is judged on this part, it would be a very good one. Unfortunately it's surrounded by the frantic blur of the rest of the film.
Director Wuershan, who used to shoot adverts, fails miserably at trying his hand on a feature film. He throws in all sorts of crazy, pop culture stuff and even repeating an aria from Puccini's Tosca, in a bid to lend style (or a sense of art) to the scenes. But it turns out to be more of an unintentional comedy - or a tragicomedy. The few sequences that look interesting enough are those dealing with food. Makes me wonder what sort of hallucinatory drug Wuershan was on when he made this film.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Only the film’s Theatrical Trailer is included in the DVD.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual transfer of the movie is fine, and is presented in Mandarin 5.1 Dolby Digital.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: An abandoned car is discovered near a camping ground and inside it is the body of an identified middle-aged man and a dog who seems to have died months later. This is the story of the life of the loving and faithful dog and his owner told from the dog's point of view. City hall employee Kyousuke Okutsu is assigned to uncover the man's identity for a proper funeral. As he investigates the situation, he remembers his late family and his own dog's unfailing loyalty.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Yes, it’s another dog-related drama from Japan and no despite the misleading title; it doesn’t have a dog that knows astrology. End of the day, the movie is nothing out of the box but a simple heartfelt drama aimed to tug at your heartstrings.
In “Star Watching Dog”, a city hall employee Kyousuke Okutsu (Tetsuji Tamayama from Norwegian Wood) decides to embark on a road trip to unravel the mysterious death of an old man and his dog on a deserted track of a campground. With only three receipts from the deceased as clues, Okutsu and his uninvited companion, a teenage runaway named Yuki who insists on hopping into his classic beetle went on an unexpected journey of discovering a man and his canine named “Happy” who touches the lives of many.
The movie plods thoughtfully and the narration shifts in and out of flashbacks flawlessly. This is a movie that practically entertains without any climax to speak of. The skillful cinematography, which captures the picturesque landscapes and the transition of one season to another, is an added bonus. Coming back to the tale of the old man, bits and pieces of him is revealed through Okutsu’s conversations with the few people he last contact with notably a hot-headed convenience store owner, a henpecked owner of an used store and lastly a café owner. The initial projection of a homeless man meeting a lonely death out in the open is gradually given a facelift all should we say a true fuller picture of what actually drive him to a state of disparity. A man who once has it all is shattered by the unexpected economical status of the country.
The last act in which we see the tragic end of both owner and his faithful friend will definitely caused some discomfort misty eyes. Even though “Star Watching Dog” is sold as a dog show, I applaud the filmmaker here for at least making a worthy effort in showcasing the touching relationship between the two parties and also the humane side of the owner though the finale act is where the dam starts to break apart and it’s “Happy” who stole the show.
With a veteran familiar face liked Toshiyuki Nishida (The Ramen Girl) anchoring the movie as the old man and together with cameos from Shido Nakamura (Red Cliff), ex-matinée idol Tomokazu Miura (Outrage) and Yoichi Nukumizu (Ghost), “Star Watching Dog” passes off as a much more interesting dog drama in recent times if you don’t mind the underdevelopment of Okutsu and Yuki.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
NIL.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual transfer is stunning while the dialogue and music pieces come across clearly and without missing a beat.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Anna Faris and Chris Evans star in the outrageously funny comedy that asks: can 19 wrongs make Mr Right? When Ally Darling reads an article that leads her to believe she's going to be alone forever, she begins a wild search the best "ex" of her life. But Ally's quest to reconnect with her former lovers goes hilariously awry, from a puppeteer who's more wooden than his puppet to a gynecologist with a "spotty" memory. Through it all, Ally might just find the man of her dreams in the last place she ever expected.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Honestly, Anna Faris is such a credible comedian that whenever she plays a silly, bimbo in movies such as “Scary Movie 2” or “The House Bunny”, we can’t help but have a good laugh with her. Chris Evans is such a good looking dude that he plays both comic book heroes, Captain America and Johnny Storm. By the power of 20thCentury Fox, these two successful actors came together and to the shocking of many, made one of the least watched, raunchy comedies of 2011 called “What’s Your Number?”.
We got to apologize that we didn’t even know the story here was based on a book by Karyn Bosnak’s “20 Times A Lady”. As we spent more time watching movies than reading, we can’t really comment on the original material. Adapted to the screen by Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden (one is a longtime writer on “Scrubs” while the latter on “Everybody Loves Raymond”), the movie works far better as a short comedy sketch than a full-length feature. The premise is downright silly and most of the characters almost moronic to be likeable.
Faris stars as Ally Darling, an out-of-work marketing executive who has a shocking reminder from a Marie Claire magazine article that once a woman has slept with 20 men, she is likely to remain single for life. And Ally has slept with 19. Now with the help of her neighbor, Colin (Evans) her mission is to track down all her past lovers and see which one has the potential to be her one true love. Not a surprise, there are plenty of raunchy material right here some more chuckling than others with most of the jokes derive from Ally’s past lovers. Starting with the opening sequence, a vegetarian boyfriend who likes to go through the backdoor, a gynaecologist who instead of faces can only recognized one’s nether part, a gay black president wannabe, a puppeteer who just can’t leave his puppets alone and many more weirdoes if you don’t mind the term. If Ally couldn’t make it work the first time, what makes her think it will work the second?
And obviously one has watched enough rom-coms to know that who will Ally finally end up with. And pardon this super-duper spoiler if you don’t get it, it’s Colin! Mind you, Colin for one is a womanizer and a jobless aspiring musician who simply can’t commit to a single woman. Thus someone please tell me how on earth is Colin’s going to be the right choice for Ally. If you can suspend this belief, you might just lap up the whole premise. The filmmakers are so desperate to make you like it that they put Evans in near naked situations more than twice and Faris in cute little panties hopping around and for the record, we are not sold. Making it worse is the subplot involving Ally’s sister pending wedding that simply goes nowhere in this female comedy unlike “Bridesmaids”.
What’s more enjoyable is the parade of cameos featuring Martin Freeman (he is going to be a big star after The Hobbit is released), Thomas Lennon, Anthony Mackie, Zachary Quinto, Andy Samberg and Faris’ off-screen husband, Chris Patt as Disgusting Donald. “What’s Your Number?” apparently is too weak a material for a comedy talent liked Anna Faris to executive produced and starred in and also a 117 minutes cut just ain’t worth the trouble. Chris Evans on the other hand is best stick to being a comic hero for the time being. Let’s leave the clothes-shedding routine to Matthew McConaughy.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Only a sparse set of extra features are available here including 17 minutes of Deleted Scenes (a lot of flashbacks on Ally’s exes), 7 minutes of Gag Reel and a measly Theatrical Trailer though you get an option of the Theatrical Version (106 minutes) and Unrated Cut (117 minutes).
AUDIO/VISUAL:
“What’s Your Number?” looks great and natural on this Blu-ray transfer. There isn’t any visible encoding issues spotted and I’m sure your girlfriend or wife will be impressed by the detailing on a buff Chris Evans.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
For the first time in a very long time, this reviewer shed tears. And for a cynic who isn’t easily moved by movies and their music scores these days, this means a lot. The person responsible for this? A certain Polish composer named Abel Korzeniowski, who unfortunately, isn’t widely known in this part of the world.
The graduate from the Academy of Music in Krakow first caught our attention with his beautiful composition for Tom Ford’s A Single Man (2009), which was regarded by industry experts as one of the most underrated scores ever. Despite a Golden Globe nomination (the award eventually went to Michael Giacchino for Up), Korzeniowski was never involved in major mainstream productions until Madonna approached him for this project.
While we have no idea whether the romantic drama about the complicated story of King Edward VIII and the American woman he abdicated his throne for will ever reach our shores, we are glad that the soundtrack album is available for our listening pleasure. The 47 minute album kicks off with “Charms”, a sweeping cue which transports you to a romantically lush realm. The enchanting track is followed by “Duchess of Windsor”, a somewhat contemporary and rhythmic cue, and “Revolving Door”, a melancholic piece showcasing a heartfelt arrangement of piano and strings. “I Will Follow You” breaks the mood a little with its hurriedness, while “Abdication” is melancholically bittersweet.
Like his work on A Single Man, Korzeniowski’s emphasis is on stings here. Be it the brooding “Six Hours”, the classy “Satin Birds” or the forlorn “Dance For Me Wallis”, the emotional experience is one of a kind, making this album a must own for any movie score fan. The piano cues aren’t too bad either – “Evgeni’s Faces” and “Letters” are charming and affecting in their own ways.
Maddy’s end credit song “Masterpiece” is also included on this album. The Golden Globe winning tune (a shame that the song isn’t eligible for the Academy Awards because it started too late during the film’s closing credits) composed by the director herself, while not as classical as the rest of the album, provides a nice closure to the highly recommended soundtrack.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (1) Charms
Review by John Li
Genre: Musical/Comedy
Director: Todd Graff
Cast: Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Dexter Darden, Jeremy Jordan, Kris Kristofferson, Angela Grovey, Paul Woolfolk, Jesse L. Martin.
RunTime: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: PG (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: http://www.joyfulnoisethemovie.com
Opening Day: 15 March 2012
Synopsis: The small town of Pacashau, Georgia, has fallen on hard times, but the people are counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. The choir has always known how to sing in harmony, but the discord between its two leading ladies now threatens to tear them apart. Their newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill (Latifah), stubbornly wants to stick with their tried-and-true traditional style, while the fiery G.G. Sparrow (Parton) thinks tried-and-true translates to tired-and-old. Shaking things up even more is the arrival of G.G.’s rebellious grandson, Randy (Jeremy Jordan). Randy has an ear for music, but he also has an eye for Vi Rose’s beautiful and talented daughter, Olivia (Keke Palmer), and the sparks between the two teenagers are causing even more friction between G.G. and Vi Rose. If these two strong-willed women can put aside their differences for the good of the people in their town, they—and their choir—may make the most joyful noise of all.
Movie Review:
Musical films are what this reviewer regards as the ultimate guilty pleasures in cinemas. The screenplay can be Razzie worthy, but as long as the movie serves up an infectious platter of show and dance sequences, you can bet this reviewer will be bought. Yes, as much as his self respecting columnists do not think much of the High School Musical franchise, he feels that they do have an important place in popular culture. So here we have yet another musical film that does not offer anything new, except that it boasts of gospel infused music by Mervyn Warren, a five time Grammy Award nominee who is known in the industry for his talent for composing, producing, conducting, writing and arranging.
How is then, that this movie garnered a miserable below average rating in the United States?
The story is alright, by this reviewer’s standards: A small town choir is going all out to win a national competition despite overwhelming odds. It is up to the choir leaders to elevate their members’ faith and determination, so that they can win God’s praise and make their fellow townsfolk proud by bringing home the grand prize. The problem is, the two divas do not exactly see eye to eye (hands up, those who think the pairing of the larger than life Queen Latifah and the very successful country singer songwriter Dolly Parton is pitch perfect), and to add to the drama, romance is blossoming between a white boy and a black girl.
Again, what’s there not to like about a feel good story like this? Granted there aren’t too many surprises in this formulaic drama, it still serves as a positively enthusiastic movie that manages to entertain and to a certain extent, inspire.
Director Todd Graff also happens to be the guy responsible for 2009’s Bandslam, a surprisingly affecting hit starring Aly Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens and Gaelan Connell. Here, he has a better known cast. Latifah (Chicago, Hairspray) and Parton (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias) are wonderful on screen as they belt out tune after tune which you’ll find yourself tapping your feet to. The young lovers are played by Keke Palmer (Barbership 2: Back in Business, Akeelah and the Bee) and Broadway performer Jeremy Jordan. While the two could have done with a little more on screen chemistry, they still deliver decent performances as fellow choir members whose mother and grandmother are loggerheads at each other.
And then there is the music. While Palmer performs Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” with gusto, Latifah and Parton each have solos performing tunes like “Not Enough”, “From Here to the Moon and Back” and “Fix Me Jesus”. The veterans’ show what they’ve got in their showcases, but what’s truly entertainingly entertaining are the big numbers. Watch out for the finale “Higher Medley” where you wish the entire theatre would stand up and boogie with the cast on screen.
While there are some awkward moments in the 118 minute movie (the strangest being the death of a choir member after a, well, vigorous lovemaking session), it is still a crowd pleaser which easily sits in this reviewer’s definition of a guilty pleasure.
Movie Rating:
(If solidly entertaining musical sequences are your thing, then go all out and enjoy this)
Review by John Li
Chinese director Zhang Yimou has made small, affecting and intimate films like Not One Less (1999), Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005) and Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010). However, the film maverick is better known in the West for epic movies like Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). Where music scores are concerned, we would imagine the two varying types of productions having very different moods.
In his latest project, Zhang has gotten Qigang Chen (in where we reside, he’d probably be known as Chen Qigang), the composer and musical director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics to come up with a sweeping epic score which the blockbuster deserves. While we haven’t seen the movie starring Christian Bale as a mortician who protects a group of convent girls and prostitutes during the Sino Japanese war, we can imagine the music on this album perfectly complementing the visuals on screen.
The 51 minute album blends Eastern and Western elements together (probably due to the storyline) and showcases soaring vocal performances in several of its 26 tracks. Quietly opening the listening experience is “Love Theme I (Opening Credit)”, an almost solemn theme showcasing Grammy Award winning Joshua Bell’s violin performance. The soft vocals make the cue somewhat ethereal. A Chinese soprano performs “QIn Huai Legend I (Falling in Love)”, a composition arranged by Chen based on the Chinese tune “Wu Xi Jing”. The Eastern flavour is strong here, and helps to add a sense of romanticism to the soundtrack.
Bell’s performance is heard again in “Redemption II (Tragedy in the Church)”, and with accompaniment from a full orchestra, one can imagine the sweeping epic scenes of the movie. The western violin is harmonised with Chinese instruments erhu and pipa, creating an apt atmosphere for the film. This can be heard in tracks like “Qin Huai Legend V (Parting Exhortation)” and “Qin Huai Legend II (Bloodstained Strings)”.
“Redemption V (Tragedy in the Church)” is an emotionally stirring cue, while “Comfort and Hope I (Tragedy in the Church)” is hopeful and serene. “Ruins” evoke images of destruction, while “Love Theme
Although there are no particularly memorable themes which stick in your head like a radio friendly song, the album is still highly recommended for its delicately lovely instrumental arrangements. This is the perfect soundtrack to play on a peaceful and quiet weekend afternoon, as you allow the tranquil music to soothe your senses.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (8) Redemption V (Tragedy in the Church)
Review by John Li
Genre: Thriller
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Ben Mendelsohn, Cam Gigandet, Liana Liberato, Jordana Spiro, Dash Mihok, Emily Meade, Nico Tortorella
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: InnoForm Media and Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://www.trespass-the-movie.com/
Opening Day: 15 March 2012
Synopsis: In a private, wealthy community, priority is placed on security and no exception is made for the Miller family's estate. Behind their pristine walls and manicured gardens, Kyle (Nicolas Cage), a fast-talking businessman, has entrusted the mansion's renovation to his stunning wife, Sarah (Nicole Kidman). But between making those big decisions and keeping tabs on their defiant teenage daughter (Liana Liberato), Sarah often finds herself distracted by a young, handsome worker (Cam Gigandet) at their home. Nothing is what it seems, and it will take a group of cold-blooded criminals led by Elias (Ben Mendelsohn), who have been planning a vicious home invasion for months, to bring the Miller family together. When they storm the manor, everyone is tangled up in betrayal, deception, temptation and scheming. Kyle, Sarah and Avery will take the ultimate risk to make it out with their lives - and their family - intact.
Movie Review:
Oh Joel Schumacher, I suppose your Midas Touch has deserted you, and that is woeful. Once, you had the ability to tell great stories, but in recent years that had seemed to have left you. The premise of Trespass seemed to be a walk in the park for a director of your experience to bring to the big screen, but that was not to be taken quite literally because the film was void of pace without a sense of urgency for the genre it unfortunately belonged to. Frankly it developed without much care to engage the audience. We all got bills to pay, but making a film like this one just makes you grow into box office poison.
The film may boast Academy Award winners - and the marketing folks will not forget to mention that at every opportunity - in having once A-listers like Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman, demonstrate once again how the mighty have fallen. Once magnets for crowds and marquee names that guarantee blockbuster status, they are but a pale shadow of their former selves, stuck in playing non-challenging roles such as these that I'm sure wouldn't make it to their favourites list when telling their grandchildren about their careers. Cage and Kidman play husband and wife Kyle and Sarah Miller, who are filthy rich characters living with a spoilt brat of a daughter Avery (Liana Liberato), where his focus is on his diamond dealing career, and hers on a need for preparing family dinners, leading to their daughter rebelling to get out of a house to join a frat party her parents had frowned upon.
Before you know it, their swanky, modern mansion gets infiltrated by four robbers, and when expected to pick up the pace, is where things actually start to go downhill. Too much shouting, too much posturing, too many threats and ridiculous counter-threats issued, that nothing moves and everyone is haggling around a stalemate. All that's required is for Kyle to open up the largest safe in the house, but his refusal led to a lot more contrived instances of convenience, which flip-flopped into robbery objectives of money, then bodily parts, with many syringes and guns pointing in all directions than you really care. The plot progressed in very laughable fashion, and one wonders just what the writer Karl Gajdusek was smoking when conceiving the plot, which is scattered, and really tried its best to be intelligent by offering twists and turns, only for them to become laughable.
The worst thing that can happen in a suspense film, is the lack of suspense that serves as essential fuel for the genre, made worse with characters behaving in highly illogical fashion, if you can discount the fact that behaviours still stick to certain social conventions regardless of whether one is under duress. Such as the character of Avery who had it worst, because each time when presented an opportunity to escape, she flatly refuses, and the one that took the cake involved a car crash and she had to run on foot. Back home. Without seeking law enforcement. Right. And the security company they engage? Classic case of the worst there is. Then again, everyone has to be acting against logic for the plot to hold itself together.
But there are small positive takeaway points from the film, and that is for all newbie robbers who are attempting stunts like these, to really do their homework and learn from the many movie mistakes here. It doesn't pay to be squabbling amongst yourselves, nor to bring in any baggage to a job like this. Remember that unity is strength, so stick to the plan, and not get seduced by offers made by your victims. Force should be shown and demonstrated early to show who's the boss, rather than to pussyfoot around it and regret later. And never have one amongst your ranks having the hots for the blonde. It never bodes well especially when he's starting to listen to his heart rather than his head
Movie Rating:
(This would have been a great comedy if it was intentionally funny)
Review by Stefan Shih
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