Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi
Director: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D'Arcy, Xun Zhou, Keith David, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant
Runtime: 2 hrs 24 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes, Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://cloudatlas.warnerbros.com/index.php

Opening Day: 17 January 2013

Synopsis: "Cloud Atlas" explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.

Movie Review:

Cloud Atlas (both the movie and the book) is a marketing wonder. A ghastly behemoth of a story, it’s got everything—romance, comedy, thriller, mystery, action, introspection; set in exotic lands, it cuts across period eras and futuristic worlds.

For the first 45-minutes of the movie, Cloud Atlas is really engaging. It makes you feel like something is truly going on. Jargon after jargon and science-fiction-speak later, we start to get a sense of an elaborate and fantastical story that is both magically arcane and strikingly ambitious in its vision to leap across (diegetic and narrative) time and space.

Like the 2009 Terry Gilliam fantasy film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Cloud Atlas is pretty, oh-so-pretty. The effort put into the mise-en-scènealone is well worth the ticket price. At times, the lush, vivid scenes almost resemble the stylised portraits of director Tarsem Singh, and the Amazonian and Black metal-inspired make-up on the Konas (the cannibal-looking villains in the movie) is just right to imbue them with a sense of primitive evil and consequent dread in the viewer. The Big Brother-reminiscent Papa Song scene is another highlight of the film, though much less can be said about the originality of the Neo Seoul setting, which is not all that different from the neon-lit dystopia in Blade Runner (1982).

Watching Cloud Atlas, you won’t be bored for sure, but sometimes, less is really best. When you have three different directors Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer make one film, with highly different styles to boot, the contrasts in rhythm can be so abrasive, you could be seasick by the end of the movie. It’s not always overwhelming in a satisfying way, and if I ever had to come up with a list of movies to illustrate the idea of “too many cooks spoil the broth,” Cloud Atlas will be right on top.

Cloud Atlaswill polarise viewers, and whether you’ll enjoy the film or not depends on what kind of movie-goer you are. If you relish untangling loose ends of an intricate plot, with no assurance that it will lead anywhere, then Cloud Atlas will be a fun puzzle. If you’re just headed to the movies for a couple of fantastic visual and sensory blasts, then strangely enough, you’ll totally dig Cloud Atlas too, because the film specialises in fireworks. I fall in the uncanny category of neither, and so Cloud Atlas is a meaningless film to me. Too much confetti leaves little room for depth. A film does not become epic on a few stray aphorisms alone. We’re all “connected.” Our actions “ripple through eternity.” That supposedly makes us larger than life. Yawn. The science fiction/fantasy genre in films is taking on very decidedly different, darker paths in recent decades, and Cloud Atlas seems a little out of place in 2013.

To add to the jarring cacophony of a highly uneven filmic rhythm, there are also hits and misses with casting. It’s refreshing to see Tom Hanks in some charmingly rogue roles, but he and Halle Berry make an altogether unconvincing onscreen pair. Moreover, because of the mammoth task of narrative continuity (or rather, discontinuity) that the directors faced in bringing the story to life and other plot technicalities, it was deemed a deliberate necessity that many of the characters take on multiple roles to play their “counterparts” across different eras and races, creating a heavy reliance on make-up and the use of prosthetics. But seriously, are we to really see the Sonmi-451 of another era in Victorian dress and blonde curls to boot? Her Asian features belie the caky foundation and ridiculous western doll get-up the costume designers have put her in. Or that the handsomely Caucasian Jim Sturgess, with the help of some duct tape on his face, could pass of as an Asian Hae-Joo Chang? The idea of characters whose actions and thoughts spill over into the psyche of those in the generations before and after is a richly complex one which works very well in books and in the imaginations of readers, but is one that is also prone to very distasteful depictions on the big screen. An exasperating irony—where artifice is so pronounced for the one conflicting aim to make the audience suspend disbelief, Cloud Atlas will make a nice thesis for why filmic adaptations of the novel should and should not occur.

In the vein of the excessive aphorisms David Mitchell is so fond of, I have my own to offer: ambition alone should not always be rewarded on the basis of its promises. They say that a re-watch of Cloud Atlas is mandatory, and I will resolve to give this film a second chance. For the faith I have in the Wachowski brand name, a more thorough investigation is demanded of how a film of such scale and spectacle could go so wrong.

Movie Rating:

(Over-inflated and with as many misses as it has hits, Cloud Atlas leaves one with the strange exasperation that it covers everything and yet nothing)

Review by Tay Huizhen

One of the biggest cinematic surprises this year has to be Josh Trank’s feature film directorial debut about three high school students who possess superpowers from a mysterious source. If you had witnessed the movie, you’ll probably remember how the protagonists were flying freely in the skies. If we were fortunate enough to the same superpowers to glide like birds, this soundtrack would be the perfect companion album.

The 47 minute compilation kicks off with Blonde Acid Cult’s adrenaline filled “Calypso”, a tune which pumps up your senses. It’s the perfect track for roller coaster rides. Following that is The Longcut’s “Tell You So”, a cue which you can imagine yourself freefalling to. Bad Veins’ “Gold and Warm” is a song filled with teen angst and that wondrous feeling of having the youthful freedom to do anything you want.

While the album doesn’t feature big studio names, it is still quite a gem of a collection which will speak to teenagers. The fast and hyperactive soundtrack’s electro and indie rock tracks not only reflect the theme of the movie, it brings out the darker side of what music can do and steers away from the usual feel good and wholesome feel.

Even the mildest track on the album, “Bone Dry” by A B & The Sea, echoes the rebellious days we remember from younger days. Elsewhere, fans of electro music can indulge in Simian Mobile Disco’s “Sweetbread (Edit)” (a heart thumping ride), as well as Congorock and Alle Benassi’s “Sirius” (a hypnotically psychedelic journey).

This soundtrack album reflects a new direction in filmmaking. While there was no score in the movie, the songs used as source music had to bring out the character of the picture. And here, music supervisor Andrea von Foerster’s work has hit the spot, bringing together a cool, diverse and indie collection of tunes which also includes Class Actress’ “Keep You” and Bikini’s “American Mourning”. M83’s extraordinarily atmospheric “The Bright Flash” brings this exceptional listening experience to an apt close.

ALBUM RATING:

Recommended Track: (1) Calypso – Blonde Acid Cult

Review by John Li

JOHN CARTER's no weakling! Posted on 12 Mar 2012 Nobody expected Disney's JOHN CARTER to be a big hit, but when tracking results came in a few weeks ago, industry watchers jumped at the numbers, saying that the US$250mil blockbuster could very well be one of the biggest writeoffs in history. Alas, the joy of gloating in their predictions was somewhat knocked out by a better than expected opening for the adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs& ... more

Genre: Comedy
Director: Patrick Yao Tat Chi
Cast: Dai Yang Tian, Lin Yu Zhong, Lin De Rong, Landy Wen
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: PG 13 (Some Coarse Language and Sexual References 
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/3xtrouble

Opening Day: 5 April 2012

Synopsis:  In the dead of the night, ZiShan, DongHai and QingDian enter a business complex parking lot to steal a car. After various twists and turns, the trio managed to succeed in the theft.

The whole crime started as QingDian needed the money to fight for his son’s custody. Taking in DongHai’s idea to steal a car seriously, QingDian decided to help him, while ZiShan is being dragged along by QingDian to be their getaway driver.

It was after the trio drove off with the posh car that they discovered that a girl is hidden in the back from the trunk, which proceeded to land them in a string of strange and thrilling misadventures, and involving them in murder. While the killer is hot on their trails, can they safely survive the night before becoming victims themselves?

“3xTrouble” is a collaborative effort from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. Leading the cast are Media Corp’s rising star Dai Yang Tian (as Liu ZiShan), Malaysia’s musical “Casanova” Rynn Lin (as Li QingDian), and popular Malaysian DJ and actor Jack Lim (as Wu DongHai). “3xTrouble” also features Taiwanese singer Landy Wen, in her big screen movie debut.

Movie Review:

3xTrouble is a joint effort from talents from all over the region, including Dai Yang Tian from Singapore, Rynn Lin and Jack Lim from Malaysia, Landy Wen from Taiwan, and not forgetting the director, Patrick Yao from Hong Kong. With this diversified assemble of people, what kind of chemistry can they possibly create?

The entire filming took place in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. As the title suggests, the movie is basically about 3 sworn brothers and their happenings when they decided to involve themselves in illegal car trading in exchange for some quick cash. What at first seemed like a harmless attempt to strike rich eventually spells disaster for all of them.

As much as Patrick Yao attempts to stylize the movie with his usual stuff, embedding dark humour and cynicism, this time it didn’t work out well. The tone of the movie is pretty inconsistent. At one moment, it attempts to joke and poke fun, but it is not that laughable after all. For instance, the murder was handled quite inappropriately, when the corpse eventually became the subject of joke. In another moment, it attempts to add sophistication and add layer to the plot of the movie. Tragically, there was not enough substance to sustain the sophistication.

Thankfully, the movie was eventually spiced up with tidbits of chasing and action sequences. Making use of the usual aerial view, the scenes of the chase, of them weaving through the busy streets in Kuala Lumpur were quite breath-taking. Acting wise, the cast fared pretty well too. Although nothing special came from the Dai Yang Tian, the heart throb still managed to charm his fans as a caring and upright brother. On the other hand, Rynn Lin took quite a transformation to get into his role as a father who sells lingerie at the night market. He totally ditched away his ballad-singer image and took on a very different performance.

All in all, despite gathering such great talents from around the region, the movie is yet another example of a failed attempt espoused on a message told since time immemorial (i.e. how one mistake could lead on to dire consequences because all events are linked together intricately). It attempts to add more ridicule on modern behaviours and repackage the message to be more solemn, but tragically, the impact was absent. There were simply too many loose strings left hanging which were then explained with just 3 minutes worth of flashbacks. Lacking the ‘oomph’, as some may say.

Movie Rating:

(Twisted trouble!)

Review by Tho Shu Ling

Genre: Horror
Director: Chen Ding An
Cast: Dennis Zhou Chongqing, Gan Mei Yan, Eunice Olsen, Samuel Chong, Choo Xiu Feng
Runtime: 1 hr 17 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: http://www.ghostonair.com/

Opening Day: 17 May 2012

Synopsis: Ping Xiao, a two time “Most Popular DJ” award winner, is suddenly robbed of his successful morning show slot. Jealous at seeing a younger DJ taking his place, he forces himself to conquer painful recurring memories of his deceased girlfriend and tells the ghost stories that was written by her on air. With each painful memory he endures, he regains a small step to his superstardom. However, as he is about to claim his reward, he begins to realize that the stories were not works of fiction, and maybe it wasn’t him telling the stories all along…

Movie Review:

Ghost On Air tells the story of Ping Xiao (Dennis Chew), a two-time “Most Popular DJ” award winner, who was suddenly removed from his primetime show in the morning after a scandal. Threatened by a young uprising starlet DJ Pauline (Eunice Olsen) usurping his position as the top DJ in the radio station. Ping Xiao forced himself to conquer his fear and painful memories of his recently deceased girlfriend, Jia Yi (Gan Mei Yan) by telling ghost stories written by her on air during the graveyard time slots. As he slowly regains his popularity, he begins to realize that not all the stories are works of fiction and decides to investigate by tracing back the path taken by his girlfriend. As he gets closer to the truth, something else also gets closer to him.

Ghost On Air is a pinnacle of what a horror movie should not be. It is filled with cliché and incongruence plot that does nothing in engaging the audience. Old creepy lady. Checked. Old and dusty room. Checked. Abundance of eerie music. Checked. Woman victims dripping with blood. Checked. Protagonist with repeated nightmares. Checked, checked, checked.  In fact, most of the chill factors of this movie, limited as they are, come in the form of nightmares or vivid imagination of the lead character. These, sadly, get too frequent and repetitive that they become normal sequences that are pointless and no longer frightful.

Director Cheng Ding An, who is also the scriptwriter and producer of the film, lacks the flair of Pang Brothers (The Eye, 2002) in creating macabre atmosphere for the movie. Ghost On Air, being his second directorial effort and first foray into the horror genre, is dragged down by sudden change in scenes, uneven pacing and the overwhelming background music that gets louder as Ping Xiao approaches something expectedly unexpected. This background music, more often than not, backfires and ends up warning the audience to get prepared for a cheap scare tactic laden heavily throughout the film. Without the much needed element of surprise, this film is actually a snooze fest. Furthermore, the script shows no character development or enough backstory for the audience to care for or empathize with the characters, either alive or dead. Ghost On Air failed on so many levels that it amount to nothing more than three back-to-back episodes of Incredible Tales on Channel 5, and hardly come close to what the Best of Incredible Tales has to offer.   

Dennis Chew as the male lead, Ping Xiao, lacks the screen gravitas and presence to carry the movie. His acting also left much to be desired. He, having limited acting experience outside of his more popular alter ego - Auntie Lucy, is effective enough in the radio studio since he is a real life DJ but this does not take much effort. Once his character is out of the studio, his amateurish acting becomes apparent and unbearable. Likewise, Eunice Olsen as the popular Mandarin speaking DJ is as convincing as the fact that ghosts walk among us since she cannot even articulate her lines clearly and well enough. Gan Mei Yan, another real life DJ, does not have the chance to convince the audience that she can be a bankable actress since her scenes are far and few. She also has zero chemistry with her reel life partner, making the core motivation for Ping Xiao to move to the dubious and haunted shop house abruptly laughable and questionable.

In all, Ghost On Air, due to its inexperienced cast and crew, is certainly not on par with the standard of a locally produced movie. 

MOVIE RATING:

(Perhaps Auntie Lucy would have been more entertaining, or at the very least, garnered some attention and laughter, starring in this movie as a damsel haunted by ghosts from her lover’s past)

Review by Sing Swee Leong

BATTLESHIP launches with world premiere in Tokyo, Japan Posted on 15 Mar 2012 The summer movie season gets an early start with the Asia rollout of the big-budget action blockbuster BATTLESHIP, based on the Hasbro game. To celebrate the world premiere of the movie, director Peter Berg will lead his cast of Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, U.S. Army Col. Greg Gadson and Tadanobu Asano to Tokyo, Japan witha celebration in Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium. ... more

Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Director: Chu Yen-Ping
Cast: Vic Zhou, Ella Chen, Xiao xiao bin, Yang Mi, Vivan hsu, Ding Shasha, Chen Chusheng, Tao Zeru, Hsieh Yu-Chen
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: http://perfecttwo.pixnet.net/blog

Opening Day: 12 April 2012

Synopsis:   Bee used to be a motorcycle racing champion. Due to an accident, he has lost his fame and fortune. Bee was devastated by his wife’s run away from home and also addicted to alcohol and gambling. His neighbor, Maniu who has a crush on Bee, has empathy and sympathy for Bee’s suffering. She is voluntary making meals, doing laundry and daily cleaning for him. Regardless Bee is always treating her as a buddy; Maniu has looking forward to the day Bee can pull himself together.

One day, unexpectedly, Bee’s missing wife, Jiawei has returned home with Binbin, a five-year-old boy, after six years disappeared. Jiawei claimed that Binbin is Bee’s biological child, hoped that Bee might be able to help taking care of him for a while.

Bee has full of joys and surprise by this unanticipated request from Jaiwei. Binbin with sweet and considerate personality like sunshine warms his frozen heart. Being a new dad, in the beginning, Bee’s world has been turned upside down but gradually the two has formed a bond between father and son. Happily living together has eased Bee’s despair and regains hope in his life.

Movie Review:

Lucky you, Chu Yen ping, to have Vic Zhou and Xiao Xiao Bin playing the protagonists in your latest feature film project. Considering how the Taiwanese director was responsible for disposable flicks like Kung Fu Dunk (2008) and The Treasure Hunter (2009), this family drama could have gone down the drain.

Fortunately for Chu, the lovable pairing of Zhou and Xiao Xiao Bin is one that no critic can bear to tear apart. Just look at the adorable eight year old’s floppy hairdo, chubby cheeks and dot sized nose. Did we mention how he cries like a tap? Throw in Zhou’s good for nothing father character who develops a relationship with the kid, and you get a formulaic setup of how two unlikely beings come together for a typical Taiwanese melodrama.

The story has Zhou’s dejected ex motorcycle racing champion wasting his life away in the countryside, before his son turns up at his doorstep unexpectedly one day. He is tasked to take care of the mischievous kid, and the 100 minute movie has the two bonding over peeing in the open, bathing together in the bathtub and leading a seemingly carefree life. Drama happens when his mother returns to bring him to the States – will the titular “perfect two” be torn apart?

Amidst this, there is a neighbour who has secretly loved the bum for the longest time, helping him with laundry and meals. There is also her plump younger sister who tries very hard to make people chuckle with her antics (it works on a few occasions, actually). A handful of unimportant supporting characters fill the screen time with inconsequential actions.

Sounds like a movie by Chu? You bet. There are unnecessary antics (unfunny ones too) which only bring down the movie’s potential to be a heartwarming drama. With these out of the picture, this could seriously have been a recommended family movie.

Undeniably, this is an exploitative production. Just look at how Xiao Xiao Bin charms viewers with his irresistible cuteness, and how he bursts into tears whenever his father threatens to leave him. Chu’s experience with dealing with kids in movies like 1994’s Shaolin Popeye (with Hao Shaowen and Shi Xiaolong) should have equipped him for this. Ding Shasha, another child sensation is the female version (a chubby one, nonetheless) who sings and dances to a funny adaptation of Malaysian singer Ah Niu’s famous tune “The Girl Opposite Looking at Me”.

Adult actors like Zhou and Ella Chen deliver decent performances, while familiar faces like Zhu Geliang, Vivian Hsu and Chen Chusheng pop up as cameos. There may not be much depth in the characters they play, but you wouldn’t mind because bars are set low to begin with.

The real attraction of this serviceable movie has to be the picturesque scenery which you wish you could be surrounded by. The vast grasslands and the blue waters form the paradise the characters live in, and if you aren’t too distracted by Chu’s signature antics, you may just be able to enjoy this breezy drama.

Movie Rating:

(There are some great moments in this Chu Yen Ping movie - we just wish he had cut down on the redundantly pointless antics)

Review by John Li

Genre: Comedy/Mystery
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Moretz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Jonny Lee Miller, Thomas McDonell, Gulliver McGrath
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References & Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Opening Day: 10 May 2012
Official Website: http://www.darkshadowsmovie.com/

Synopsis: In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet-or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy...until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive.

Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets. Matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) has called upon live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter), to help with her family troubles.

Also residing in the manor is Elizabeth's ne'er-do-well brother, Roger Collins, (Jonny Lee Miller); her rebellious teenage daughter Carolyn Stoddard (Chloe Moretz); and Roger's precocious 10-year-old son, David Collins (Gulliver McGrath). The mystery extends beyond the family, to caretaker Willie Loomis, played by Jackie Earle Haley, and David's new nanny, Victoria Winters, played by Bella Heathcote

Movie Review:

Few director-star collaborations have been as fruitful as that of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, or for that matter quite so deliciously eccentric, and their eighth time together proves no different. The duo’s choice to bring to the big screen a cult ‘70s daytime soap opera shouldn’t be all that puzzling- for the uninitiated, the TV series was notable for being the first to introduce supernatural elements like vampires, witches and werewolves into the format- and both Burton and Depp were after all fans of this Dan Curtis’ daily afternoon show which ran on television from 1966-71.

Never mind if you haven’t any inkling of the series- a swiftly told prologue recalls the setup by telling of the Collins’ voyage to America, their instrumental role in the founding of the Maine seaside town called Collinsport by starting up a successful fishery business, and most importantly, of their heir Barnabas’ unfortunate run-in with a jealous witch Angelique (Eva Green). Spurned by Barnabas for another named Josette (Bella Heathcote), Angelique hypnotises her to throw herself off a cliff while turning Barnabas into a vampire and imprisoning him in a coffin.

It will be nearly two centuries later by the time some construction workers inadvertently free him, awakening Barnabas to an unfamiliar era where he promptly mistakes the golden arches of a McDonald’s for Mephistopheles. That’s not the end of the fish-out-of-water jokes that passes as humour-  other than the anachronistic values about women and childbirth that Barnabas still clings to, he is just as out of step in front of a TV playing a Karen Carpenter show or among a bunch of hippies whom he excuses for disembowelling after attempting to socialise with them.

Fans of the original series may object to the deliberately campy tone that Burton and his screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (with an extra story credit to Burton’s frequent writing partner John August) adopt for the movie, but those less bound by expectations will lap up Johnny Depp’s delightfully quirky rendition of Barnabas. As always, Depp is a master at facial reactions, with every twitch and raised eyebrow perfectly calibrated to elicit maximum hilarity. Depp and Burton are fully aware of the campiness, but both embrace it so wholeheartedly that you can’t quite help but be won by their fidelity. 

There is also much more than just Barnabas’ anachronism of course, with Smith giving the film its due weight in Barnabas’ mission of restoring the former Collinwood empire to its former glory. Since locking Barnabas away, Angelique has spent her time building up her own booming fishing business. In the meantime, the Collins have been content to let their lives fall into decay like their sprawling mansion- among the dysfunctional members the matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), her dissolute brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), her impudent teenage daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Roger’s disturbed young son David (Gully McGrath).

Also in residence are David’s psychiatrist Dr Julia Hoffman (Burton’s wife and regular cast member Helena Bonham Carter), his newly arrived nanny Victoria (who looks like Josette of yore and is yet again played by Heathcote), as well as the caretaker of the mansion Loomis (Jackie Earle Haley). However kooky they may be, Barnabas regards them one and all as family- and as Depp’s opening voiceover emphasises, blood is indeed thicker than water. Burton-Depp’s collaborations have always demonstrated a tremendous amount of heart for peculiar characters, and this latest reaffirms their love for characters of different quirks and idiosyncrasies.

Restoring the empire to its former lustre earns the ire of none other than Angelique itself, the ensuing love-hate relationship between the pair giving the film a mildly sexual edge as well as a thrilling climax which culminates in a visually sumptuous showdown. Admittedly the pace does amble on with little narrative tension for most of the movie, but Burton eventually satiates the thirst for bombast in summer audiences with an extended ending made with most of the film’s inflated budget unheard of in the days of the TV series’ miniscule own.

To be fair, some of that has obviously gone into the ornate sets by production designer Rick Heinrichs as well as the elaborate costumes designed by Colleen Atwood. As is Burton’s signature, the imagery stands out as much as the characters do, and the finale is a perfect example of the visual richness of Burton’s warped imagination brought to life with CGI. But Burton is not foolish enough to rely simply on these modern-day devices, relying too on good-old fashioned casting to ensure that his film is also a rapturous delight.

Any actor besides Depp would probably be upstaged by the fine female cast, each of whom shine not simply because of Atwood’s colourful costumes. The standout would probably be Green, who plays Angelique with bewitching aplomb, projecting sass and menace with razor-sharp precision and setting off dangerous sparks with Depp as ex-lovers. With Green’s showy performance, it’s easy to ignore Pfeiffer’s more understated but no less loopy own, the actress who once played Catwoman in Burton’s ‘Batman Returns’ clearly relishing one of her best roles in recent years. Bonham Carter unfortunately gets sidelined in this film, her act as a neurotic shrink underwritten and quite out-of-place amidst the other unfolding plotlines.

Amidst the new faces, Burton also pays homage to the original actors of the TV series by inviting four of them- Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott and David Selby- to appear briefly in the film, as well as the era’s definitive musician Alice Cooper for an extended cameo. Despite his irreverent take on the material, Burton is clearly in love with the artefacts of the ‘70s, and the film’s awesome soundtrack with the likes of Moody Blues' “Nights in White Satin” and the Carpenters' “Top of the World” is testament to that.

So yes, fans of the TV series will have to accept that this big-screen adaptation is a reimagining of the original, rather than a slavish reproduction of it. Yet for those without that historical baggage, it is with any of the Burton-Depp collaborations that have come before it a thoroughly enjoyable visual feast filled with offbeat characters that turn out ghoulishly endearing. This is clearly a passion project for both Depp (who also produces) and Burton, and ‘Dark Shadows’ as its deliberately idiosyncratic title suggests is an unusual summer season offering that packs its own unique brand of kooky appeal. 

Movie Rating:

(As wonderful as Tim Burton-Johnny Depp collaborations come, this supernatural take on dysfunctional families is a visually sumptuous treat with a delightfully eccentric performance by Depp) 

Review by Gabriel Chong 

"23:59" Production Team to reteam for "INSIDE THE URN" Posted on 19 Mar 2012 Following the runaway success of "23:59", Gorylah Pictures, MM2 Entertainment and Clover Films are pleased to announce their next movie project titled "INSIDE THE URN《鬼仔》". INSIDE THE URN is a supernatural thriller about a family haunted by a Toyol. In South-east Asian folklore, a Toyol is a small child spirit invoked by a witch doctor from a ... more

CATHAY CINEPLEXES announces alternative film offerings for all ages Posted on 19 Mar 2012 It's no secret that audiences here are getting increasingly diverse and sophisticated in their tastes, and in response, Cathay Cineplexes aims to cater to these niche interests with its offerings of alternative film genres. Last year, the established cinema chain received an encouraging response with its screenings of Carmen in 3D, the world’s first 3D opera, Japanese idol group, ... more