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An Old Photograph with Jackie ChanPosted on 22 Mar 2012 |
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Nick Murphy
Cast: Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Joseph Mawle, Lucy Cohu, John Shrapnel, Richard Durden, Cal Macaninch, Diana Kent
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror and Some Nudity)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website:
Opening Day: 12 April 2012
Synopsis: THE AWAKENING is set in 1921, in a post-war England where many of the bereaved seek solace in spiritualism.
Haunted by the death of her fiancé, Florence Cathcart (REBECCA HALL) is committed to debunking supernatural claims, using methodical and rational explanations. When she is asked to visit a boarding school in the countryside called Rookwood - to investigate the alleged sightings of a ghostly young boy - she feels compelled to take the job.
Once at Rookwood, she sets to work, laying traps and gathering scientific evidence. Gradually secrets begin to unravel and the mystery surrounding the ghost appears nothing more than a schoolboy prank. As Florence is set to leave, however, she experiences a chilling encounter that defies all reason. One of the schoolmasters, Robert Mallory (DOMINIC WEST), worries about Florence?s disposition in the aftermath. The incident leaves her scared and confused, but she is determined to get to the bottom of it and decides to stay on while the rest of the children go home for Christmas.
She is not alone, however, as three others stay on with her: Maud (IMELDA STAUNTON), the matron, whose initial request had brought Florence to the school; Tom (ISAAC HEMPSTEAD-WRIGHT), a young boy whose parents cannot care for him over the break; and Mallory, who, having recently fought in the Great War, is plagued by visions of the past.
Over the coming days the blurred image of a child-like ghost haunts Florence and she begins to doubt her resolve, increasingly unable to provide any logical explanation for the bizarre goings-on. As her bond with Mallory deepens, they are drawn to one another by their shared sense of loneliness and together they ready themselves to face their demons.
Movie Review:
Styled in the manner of old-school British ghost movies, first-time director and co-writer Nick Murphy builds his debut around the age-old premise of a skeptic coming face-to-face with the very horror that she, in this instance, has so religiously debunked. The setting for her encounter is a sprawling mansion which used to be home to a wealthy but dysfunctional (aren’t they usually?) family before its conversion into a boarding school- where apparently the ghost of a child murdered years before has caused the recent death of a pupil and left the rest of the boys spooked.
Adopting a period setting of post-World War I, where both the War and influenza have claimed the deaths of more than a million Brits, Murphy imagines a backdrop of grief with phonies claiming to be able to communicate with the dead. It is in this context that our protagonist and self-proclaimed ghost hunter Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) comes in- and the opening sequence shows Cathcart posing as a bereaved and assisting the police in cracking down on these swindlers, even though whether her actions were ultimately constructive for the mourning is questionable.
Cathcart’s vehement denial of the spiritual is challenged by Robert Mallory (Dominic West), a teacher at the aforementioned boarding school who invites her to visit and find out the truth for herself. Turns out Mallory was sent by the school’s matron, Maud (Imelda Staunton), who professes to be a fan of Cathcart’s books and her learnedness in an environment where girls were seldom sent to school. With science as her tool, Cathcart promptly sets up her elaborate equipment of chemical powders, trip wires and electromagnetic fields.
As you can probably imagine, Cathcart’s first night doesn’t go uneventfully, but her devices enable her to shed more light on the pupil’s death as well as to conclude that the boy she saw running around the compounds was no more than an ostracised boy bullied by his schoolmates to scare her. Nonetheless, that’s not the end to it, as the second and more terrifying half of the movie unfolds when all but one of the boys, Tom (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), leaves for home during their midterm break.
Besides the obvious conclusion that there is indeed the ghost of a young boy prowling the compounds, Murphy weaves an intriguing domestic tragedy into the mix and turns the horror from one that is supernatural to one that feels real and immediate, centred as it is around parochial expectations of male heirs in the family’s bloodline. It also happens to be intimately linked to Cathcart, and puts into perspective why she was invited in the first place as well as the disturbing and seemingly unrelated illusions she is often plagued with from time to time.
The twisty revelation has earned its fair share of detractors, but up-and-coming Brit actress Rebecca Hall is the reason it works. Better known as one half of Woody Allen’s ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’, Hall makes her character’s fear and trepidation keenly felt, especially when she realises that the very answer to the mystery may lie in the painful past buried in the deep recesses of her mind. Her supporting actors are equally solid, in particular Staunton (think Dolores Umbridge from the ‘Harry Potter’ movies) whose role turns out surprisingly complex and interesting towards the film’s final moments.
And all through the movie, Murphy keeps up a tense atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you hooked. Seasoned horror fans will probably recognise most of the scares before they come, but there are still some nifty setpieces- including one where Cathcart gazes in terror through the windows of a doll’s house modelled after the very one she is in. The cinematography from d.p. Eduard Grau is also notable, and a pivotal scene in which Cathcart relives her traumatic past is exceptionally well-shot.
Comparisons no doubt will be made to ‘The Woman in Black’, another similarly old-school styled British horror picture- though it’s hard to say which the better movie is. Instead, both offer its fair share of bone-chilling moments and taut atmospherics, while offering a story that’s probably been told in many other similar genre offerings before. Still, if you’re in the mood for a good mystery and the occasional jolt in your seat, you’ll find just what you are looking for in this supernatural chiller.
Movie Rating:
(Yet another old-school British horror pic after 'The Woman in Black', this supernatural horror offers its fair share of chills alongside taut atmospherics and an intriguing mystery)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloaria Stuart, David Warner, Victor Garber, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Suzy Amis, Bill Paxton
RunTime: 3 hrs 14 mins
Rating: TBA
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.titanicmovie.com/
Opening Day: 5 April 2012
Synopsis: Written, directed and produced by James Cameron, “TITANIC” is the second highest grossing movie of all time. It is one of only three films to have received a record 11 Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director; and launched the careers of stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The release, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail (April 10th), will present the film in 3D for the first time ever.
Movie Review:
And here’s the answer to that burning question you’ve been dying to know with this theatrical 3D re release of the epic movie: No.
No, the Singapore release does not include the previously censored famous painting scene where Leonardo Dicaprio’s Jack Dawson sketches Kate Winslet’s Rose DeWitt Bukater wearing just an emerald necklace. With box office takings in mind, the local distributor probably said yes to the regulating board’s decision to lower the rating to a more family friendly one (the uncut version would have been NC16), so that more people can experience the iconic love story in cinemas.
With Winslet’s, err, assets out of the picture, is it still worth forking out the money and 194 minutes of your life to experience the 3D movie on the big screen? To that question, the answer is: Yes.
This reviewer was only a Secondary 4 student with barely enough pocket money to enjoy luxurious lunches at fast food restaurants when James Cameron’s blockbuster first hit screens in 1997, but he still managed to watch it in cinemas three times with three different groups of friends. Yes, it was considered a popular thing to do 15 years ago, boasting about how you’ve watched the three odd hour epic more than once in theatres. Heck, there was even a mad rush to buy the soundtrack album so that you can blast Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on your player again, and again, and again.
So it seems that watching this movie in 3D is all about nostalgia. It indeed is, at least for this reviewer who feels that it’s nice to experience a good old classic story set against the backdrop of a real life epic disaster. This release not only commemorates the centenary of the Titanic setting sail on 10 April 1912, but also a trip down memory lane to experience the adventure like never before.
After all, this is the movie which swept 11 Oscars out of its 14 nominations at the 70th Academy Awards. It was also the highest grossing film of all time for 12 years since its release. How can you not want to be a part of this brouhaha?
How good is the 3D effect, we hear you ask. Not bad, really. After all, the guy helming this production is a certain writer director James Cameron, who also made Avatar (2009), one of the most successful 3D movies of all time. While objects are do not come flying in your face, or exactly come flying in your face, the filmmakers realise that there are scenes in the movie that they can create depth, so that viewers would feel like they are part of the action.
The concern that remains is whether one can bear wearing the 3D glasses for a whole three odd hours.
Oh, did we forget the story in this review? We are sure you don’t need much introduction to that. Poor happy boy meets rich unhappy girl on Titanic’s maiden voyage. Boy falls in love with girl before tragedy strikes, and to put it aptly, the rest is history. Those who have watched the movie before would know about Winslet’s appearance with her big purple hat, DiCaprio’s spirited “I am the king of the world!” line at the ship’s bow, composer James Horner’s memorable score, the state of the art computer imagery, amidst other spine chllilng visuals of passengers who did not survive the tragedy. Of course, one would not forget the touching moments when individuals stood by their loved ones when the ship sunk, and the engaging performances by supporting actors like Gloria Stuart, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates and Bill Paxton.
And the last scene back in the ship always hits this reviewer. Just as it was 15 years ago, he left the theatre moved to tears.
Movie Rating:
(Experience the epic motion picture like never before – even if the cynicism in you know it’s a money milking attempt by the studios)
Review by John Li
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Director: Álex de la Iglesia
Cast: Carlos Areces, Antonio De la Torre, Carolina Bang, Manuel Tallafé, Alejandro Tejerías, Manuel Tejada, Enrique Villén
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: R21 (Some Sexual Scenes and Violence)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: http://baladatristedetrompeta.blogspot.com/
Opening Day: 5 April 2012 (EXCLUSIVELY AT SHAW THEATRES LIDO)
Synopsis: The circus monkeys scream wildly inside their cage while, outside, men kill and die in another circus: The Spanish Civil War. The Stupid Clown, recruited forcefully by the Militia, ends up carrying out a bloodbath with a machete against the National soldiers while still wearing his clown costume. Many years later, during Franco’s time, Javier, son of the clown in the Militia, finds work as the Sad Clown in a circus where he meets an outlandish cast of strange characters such as the Human Cannonball, the Elephant Tamer or a quarrelsome couple of dog trainers. Here he also crosses paths for the first time with Sergio.
This is the beginning of the story in which Javier and Sergio, two terrifyingly disfigured clowns, pushed by rage, desperation and lust, battle to the death hoping to win the love of the most beautiful and cruel woman in the circus.
Movie Review:
The last movie that had scary clowns and frightened the hell out of me was IT. Then came this black comedy of horrific proportions that will make any gorehound happy. But if you're meek like me, you'll likely be covering your eyes through most of its running time.
Directed by the celebrated and wildly imaginative Alex de la Iglesia, The Last Circus is unlike anything you've seen in recent memory. Audacious and relentless in its violence, it is unabashedly bloodsoaked with the body count increasing exponentially towards the end. Like an early Takashi Miike movie.
Indubitably an allegory of the '70s Franco-era Spain, the movie will likely mean more to a Spaniard than a casual filmgoer who has no idea of the nation's historical entrenchments. Like me. Until I did some snooping.
Iglesia frames the nation's troubled history with a tortured love triangle involving a trio of circus performers, in the basest of namecalling, 'Psycho Clown', 'Dumb Girl' and 'Sad Clown'. 'Psycho Clown' represents Fascist authoritarianism while 'Dumb Girl' is the masochistic motherland. 'Sad Clown' most likely stands in for the common man, who has endured generations of repressive regimes. Through 'Sad Clown''s transformation from a timid nomad to a gun-toting mass murderer, we see that the common man gets caught up in the senseless violence and inevitably becomes a purveyor of violence himself.
Some scenes are difficult to stomach, such as the ones where 'Psycho Clown' brutally rapes 'Dumb Girl' and beats 'Sad Clown' to a pulp in an amusement park. But it is when 'Sad Clown', the movie's only likeable character, turns into a bloodthirsty killer that the movie goes into full-blown lunacy.
Despite the skin-crawling graphic maimings, Iglesia thankfully injects some biting humour in the proceedings, giving the scenes a satirical edge. So the violence doesn't seem pointless or gratuitous. Using magical realism, Iglesia re-enacts real historical moments, i.e. the Spanish Civil War and Prime Minister Admiral Luis Carreo Blanco's assassination in Madrid to give the largely fantastical story relevancy.
But amidst all the abject 'human ugliness' the movie portrays, you get a sense they have been meticulously choreographed with original style and vivid imagination. Oddball moments such as 'Sad Clown' dashing through a forest butt-naked serve are wonderfully surrealistic. 'Beautifully grotesque' is the most apt way to describe this ceaselessly surprising movie that also serves as a plangent critique of a tumultuous time.
It's no wonder Quentin Tarantino fell in love with it.
Movie Rating:
(If you thirst for something original and have a strong stomach for queasy violence, you won't want to miss this)
Review by Adrian Sim
Genre: Comedy
Director: Larry Charles
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, Jason Mantzoukas, Fred Melamed, Megan Fox, John C. Reilly, B.J. Novak, J.B. Smoove
RunTime: 1 hr 23 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Humour And Nudity)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.republicofwadiya.com/
Opening Day: 14 June 2012
Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.
Movie Review:
Be warned, those of you who thought that the world’s sharpest but most politically incorrect comedian was finally shifting his aim away from the United States of A- Sacha Baron Cohen spends less than one-quarter of the time of ‘The Dictator’ in the fictional North African country of Wadiya. For most of it, Cohen’s alter-ego General Admiral Haffaz Aladeen is once again roaming the land of the stars and stripes- specifically the streets of the Big Apple- his skewer specifically aimed this time round at American stereotypes and misconceptions of the Middle East.
Indeed, General Aladeen- and for that matter, Wadiya- is constructed with a fair degree of exaggeration out of these preconceived notions. So Aladeen’s luxurious beard characteristic of Arabs and the object of racial profiling - think Osama bin Laden- is explained away as his mark since birth; while like two other late despots, Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, Aladeen is obsessed with self-aggrandisement, going to the extent of inventing his own Wadiyan Games in order to be the champion 14 years in a row. And perhaps most significantly, like the late Kim Jong-il (which the movie opens by dedicating itself to), Aladeen has been building up his own nuclear weapons programme while keeping United Nations inspectors at bay.
Despite being an obvious riff on the aforementioned dictatorial figures, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the level of wit that Cohen (who co-scripted the movie with Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer) brings to the film’s introduction alone. In particular, a standout moment involves a spot of linguistic confusion between a doctor and a patient who has just been tested for HIV, precipitated by Aladeen’s self-conceit in which he changes the national language for ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ to his very name. Laugh loud but laugh fast is our advice- for the rapid-fire pace at which the gags are delivered means that you may easily miss the next about Aladeen’s sexual conquests or his pettiness about the shape of his nuclear warhead.
Under threat of attack, Aladeen makes an unprecedented journey to New York City to address the United Nations- though the visit is really a ploy by his not-so-loyal adviser Tamir (Ben Kingsley) to usurp his power by assassinating him and replacing him with a body double of even lower intelligence. On his first night, Aladeen is kidnapped by his head of security (an uncredited John C. Reilly) whom he outsmarts by revealing a lot more about methods of torture- not in time however to stop Tamir from placing Efawadh on the podium and declaring a new democratic constitution to be signed, opening the door to commerce and more importantly riches for the former.
Relying heavily on the fish-out-of-water conceit, the real Aladeen is instead left beardless, penniless and faceless on the streets of New York until a run-in with a left-wing protestor Zoey (played by a tomboyish-looking Anna Faris) gives him a chance at a new life. Hilarity ensues as (in his own words) old habits get hard, and get in the way of his assimilation into the nondescript life as a service staff at Zoey’s organic food store. An unexpected romance between Aladeen and Zoey also beckons- despite the latter with hairy armpits and barely breasts being a complete opposite from the women Aladeen’s used to back in Wadiya.
Even more hilarious than their hetero-seen coupling of hands inside the vagina of a pregnant woman about to deliver is Aladeen’s reunion with his former nuclear programme head Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas), whom he thought he executed for being disrespectful- with Nadal becoming an surprisingly useful ally in his bid to stop Tamir’s attempt of turning his autocratic nation into a democratic farce. One of the funniest sequences of the movie (that thankfully has much more to offer than what the trailer already reveals) shows the pair travelling with an older American couple in a tourist helicopter over Manhattan, their otherwise undecipherable conversation punctuated by suspicious phrases like 9/11, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and mock explosions.
But aside from taking easy jibes at preconceptions and paranoia (as both of Cohen’s earlier creations ‘Borat’ and ‘Bruno’ have done), Cohen also makes razor-sharp observations of the proud capitalistic nation of America. “Imagine if America was a dictatorship,” Aladeen says, “You could let 1 percent of the people have all the nation’s wealth. You could help your rich friends get richer by cutting their taxes and bailing them out when they gamble and lose. Your media would appear free, but would secretly be controlled by one person and his family …” How different is that from America as it is now? We let you be the judge.
Like his earlier sitcom-to-screen creations ‘Borat’ and ‘Bruno’, Cohen adopts an outside-in perspective and points out the hard truths about America, aimed mostly at its pride at being a bastion of democracy. Of course, as much as it is incisive political satire, Cohen once again addresses the stereotypes held about people of different minorities, religious affiliations and nationalities- so if you’ve been offended before by his brashness and insolence, you’re not likely to find much comfort here. Yes, he may not be improvising here, but Cohen has lost none of the edge working in yet uncharted waters of scripted comedy.
Rightfully, this is Cohen’s show through and through, with his outlandish creation consistently engaging and entertaining. Next to Cohen, even A-list actors like Ben Kingsley know better than to get in the way, leaving him to do his usual shtick. At the helm is his frequent collaborator Larry Charles, who reins in the movie at a tight 83 minutes and keeps the pace brisk and punchy. ‘The Dictator’ won’t appeal to everyone, but for those who appreciate his unapologetically offensive brand of scathing humour, this is one of the funniest comedies you’ll see this year..
Movie Rating:
(Vulgar, offensive and scathing- ‘The Dictator’ sees Sacha Baron Cohen back at his acerbic best, which is also why this is one of the must-see comedies of the year)
Review by Gabriel Chong
We usually don’t think much of companion albums for films, but this one hit sthe spot for us. The songs contained in this compilation capture the spirit of the science fiction action drama movie directed by Gary Ross so well, you can imagine the tunes dominating the airwaves in the post apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem.
The 16 track album kicks off with Arcade Fire’s “Abraham’s Daughter”, an atmospheric composition which paints a picture of hope amidst devastation. The track performed by the Canadian indie rock band is the first song in the film’s song credits. The second song you may remember is “Safe & Sound”, performed by Taylor Swift and featuring The Civil Wars. Swift’s beautiful vocals are perfect for the misty ballad, while singer songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White back her up with their equally moving voices.
While the other 14 songs on this album are not included in the film, they somewhat complement the movie with their almost ethereal moods. “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder” by The Secret Sisters is an uplifting song which soothes the nerves, while Neko Case’s spiritual “Nothing To Remember” is an agreeable song you’d fall in love with easily. Elsewhere, there is the thumping “The Ruler and the Killer” by alternative hip hop artiste Kid Cudi and the pounding “Take the Heartland” by Irish songwriter and singer Glen Hansard (known for his Oscar winning “Falling Slowly” from Once) to jolt your senses.
The album is produced by Grammy winner T Bone Burnett, known for his contributions to films like Cold Mountain and Crazy Heart. Here, he has gathered a pool of talented artistes from today’s music industry and put together this album of new and exclusive tracks.
You’ll love “Come Away to the Water” by Maroon 5, featuring Rozzi Crane for its nature inspired arrangements, “Rules’ by Jaymee Dee for its carefree and laidback mood, and “Just a Game” by Birdy for its heavenly feel. With the album, you can also download the serene “Deep in the Meadow (Lullaby)” by Sting.
This highly recommended movie companion album is one you’ll never get tired listening of. The range of emotions experienced from the songs on this disc is something you’d have never felt before.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (1) Abraham's Daughter - Arcade Fire
Review by John Li
So we’ve heard how the Star Wars franchise aims to milk every cent out of unknowing fans. As if the prequels (will anyone ever forgive George Lucas for creating Jar Jar Binks?) were not enough to piss purists off, we had the 3D version of Episode 1: The Phantom Menace (more to come in the following years, we are sure) released in cinemas recently. With that, comes the re release of the soundtrack album.
Fans who already own the 1999 version of the soundtrack may want to know that this edition contains an additional track “Duel of the Fate (Dialogue Version)” where you can hear Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman’s sexily cold voice never fails to enchant), Yoda, Mace Windu and Qui Gon reciting some of the best lines from the movie. Oh, if you are a true fan, you probably would know that this track was on the 2000 “Ultimate Edition”.
And hence the conclusion we are drawing here – this edition of the soundtrack is for new fans.
Do not be mistaken, we love the music composed by John Williams. The score he has created for all six Star Wars movies are marvelous. Never will we hear another fantasy score filled with so much wonder, magic and awe. Here, “Duel of the Fates” creates a grand sense of terror to the most unknowing listener, while “Anakin’s Theme” is tenderly sweet and affecting.
Elsewhere, be impressed with the action packed “The Sith Spacecraft and The Droid Battle” and the majestically splendid “The Arrival at Tatooine and The Flag Parade”. “The Droid Invasion and The Appearance of Darth Maul” is ominously set up to a grandiosely dark finale, while “Qui Gon’s Noble End” brings the story to a tragic end. And we haven’t forgotten the oddly joyful “Angie’s Great Municipal Band and End Credits” – it’s one cue you can imagine party confetti floating all around you, before the nostalgic end credits theme comes on.
If there’s any reason why you haven’t heard the maestro’s work on the otherwise widely panned movie, this is the time to.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (18) Duel of the Fates (Dialogue Version)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: From legendary director Steven Spielberg comes the epic adventure War Horse, a tale of incredible loyalty, hope, and tenacity. Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt story begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and his young trainer Albert. When they’re forced apart by war, we follow Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals - and complete with never-before-seen bonus features — War Horse is a “Genuine movie masterpiece,” (Rex Reed, The New York Observer) and one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship ever told.
MOVIE REVIEW:
“War Horse” is that kind of movie that Steven Spielberg probably can direct even with his eyes closed. Remember the bearded one makes us shed tears when E.T. went home or had us cower in fear when U.S. soldiers landed on Normandy beach. Combining the best from these two movies and you have “War Horse”.
Adapted to the screen by ace writers Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) and Richard Curtis (Love Actually) from a children’s novel, this epic adventure which is set in the World War I era tells the heartfelt story of a horse named Joey and his tumultuous experiences in the war. Raised by his young owner Albert (Jeremy Irvine), Joey went on to be purchased by an army officer for the war and changes hands along the way from two German soldiers to a young girl. Will Joey gets to reunite with Albert at the end?
While the original story is told through the eyes of the horse, you can’t possibly have that arrangement on the big screen unless you have a talking horse that yaks all the way. Thus for the narrative to work, Joey’s journey home is filled with colourful human characters and peril situations. Spielberg has once again told an uplifting tale vividly and most of the time, stirring. After a slow start establishing Albert and his family members, the story starts to move a little faster with the start of World War I when the army officer (played by Tom Hiddleston aka Loki in “Avengers”) and his platoon charges unknowingly into the German camp and this is where Joey starts to see the ugly side of the world. Before long, Albert himself is being enlisted in the army as well and while not an entirely new territory for Spielberg, he still manages to concoct some intense moments during a gas attack sequence, one involving Albert and his close friends.
Since Joey is the main lead here (and you thought it only happen to dogs), expect some really sappy, sentimental scenes that will tug at your heartstrings given this is yet another trait of Spielberg’s movies. The relationship between a doting grandfather and her granddaughter’s fondness of Joey is a good example. If this is insufficient to moist your eyes, “War Horse” went beyond schmaltzy showcasing Joey and his fellow horse friends in unimaginable conditions after being forced to pull cannons for the German army. The most memorable being Joey getting painfully entangled in barb wires, a powerful scene that is engineered perfectly to be registered as one of a trademark Spielbergian moment.
Boasting his usual competent crew members comprising Joanna Johnston for costume design, Michael Kahn for editing, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski for all the splendid picturesque shots and colour coordination and the return of the grandmaster of movie composing, John Williams for the affecting score, “War Horse” is a soaring effort in old-fashioned filmmaking though some might questioned the over-sentimentality and prolong running time. And oh no animals were harmed in the making of this movie because Joey is partly CG by the guys at Framestone.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
War Horse: The Look is a brief segment on the costumes and location shoot with a little director and cast interviews.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Details and colours are stunning for the visual presentation and you can rest assured with award-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom's onboard, “War Horse” is filled with exciting precise sound effects across the soundstage.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
The year was 1997 – this reviewer remembers how every single dollar mattered, given his meager pocket money. Yet, it didn’t deter him from making a trip all the way to the music store to buy not one, but two soundtrack CDs bearing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s faces on the cover. One was for his own keepsake, the other one was meant as a gift for his crush.
Yes, the movie about that certain sunken ship was quite the phenomenon 15 years ago, and so was its soundtrack album. How else would you explain Celine Dion’s song that dominated music charts around the world? The theme song written by James Horner (music) and Will Jennings (lyrics) not only won an Oscar, it also became one of the best selling singles of all time.
The song that went on, and on, and on will go down history as one of the most successful tunes ever written for a movie. And it’s almost a sin not to own “My Heart Will Go On” on a CD.
So here we have it - to coincide with the 3D release of the movie, this anniversary edition album features the remastered original soundtrack and a previously unreleased CD of period music featured in the film performed by I Salonisti, a chamber music ensemble which acted in James Cameron blockbuster movie.
If you are already a proud owner of the 1997 version of the soundtrack, you’ll not be unfamiliar with Horner’s Oscar winning score. From the haunting opening track “Never an Absolution” and the spirited “Southampton” to the romantic “Rose” and the bittersweet “Hard to Starboard”, the tunes will affect you nostalgically like a charm. And how can one not be shaken by the hard hitting “The Sinking” and “Death of Titanic”? We aren’t forgetting the extremely moving “An Ocean of Memories” too, a cue which never fails to make the heart weep.
The second disc of this edition features recognizable tunes like “Blue Danube”, “Titsy Bitsy Girl” and “Nearer My God To Thee” (pay notice to the last words recorded on this track), which may or may not be your cup of tea, depending on your liking for classical music.
So is this anniversary edition soundtrack worth owning? Let’s just say some purchases are made for nostalgia’s sake, and this is definitely one of them.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: DISC 1 (13) An Ocean of Memories
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: The Justice League consists of Earth's finest super heroes and protectors of humanity. But in the mind of the Dark Knight, it contains potentially the most dangerous people on the planet. Over time, Batman has complied top-secret contingency plans should any of them go rogue. When these files are stolen by a rising group of super villians, the Justice League embarks on a collision course that will test the very fabric of the alliance.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The DC Universe/Warner Bros Animation outfit has always been a much more aggressive platform than their studio counterpart. With their new animated original movie, “Justice League: Doom”, this has proven to be remarkably true.
Based on a story arc from the “JLA: Tower of Babel” comic book published in 2000 and being one of the last written works of famed comics writer Dwayne McDuffie, “Doom” deals with the top secrecy files that are stolen from Batman’s lair by a group of villains led by the immortal Vandal Savage. These files involved contingency plans to deal with any members of the Justice League in case they turned their back against human beings. However when every Justice League members find themselves on the brink of death and not knowing Batman has compiled the secrets of ‘disabling’ them, the question of trust and accountability arises in the minds of everyone including Batman.
For a 77 minutes movie, the premise is kept to the minimum and storyline is pared down to appeal to both comic and the non-comic fanbase. Even the Justice League members only include the more popular ones liked Superman and Batman of course, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, the Martian Manhunter and Cyborg although he is yet a full pledge JL member. From the moment the movie opens, it delivers endless sequences of hard-hitting action, each showcasing the strengths and prowess of the superheroes.
“Doom” retains the usual simplistic animation style of their usual releases and obviously easy on the eyes. The voice-over features an all-star cast including fan favourites Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman, Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern and Michael Rosenbaum as the Flash. All of them have been part of the prior JL releases before thus as expected, their performances are faultless or should I say hardly a stretch for them.
The biggest problem with “Doom” is the lack of characterizing and a deeper development of the plot. Perhaps an extended 10 minutes of screentime might help to make it more compelling especially the annoying haphazardly wrap-up. There are far too many questions raised given Batman’s initial intention to ‘disable’ a superhero given if one decides to go rogue yet there is barley a satisfactory conclusion to end the movie. Fortunately, the many rousing fights and other interesting villainous characters such as Bane, Mirror Master and Cheetah saved the day.
Given DC’s closest competitor in the industry, Marvel is assembling the Avengers this summer, longtime DC fans might have to make do with “Doom” for a while before Warner Bros is able to do a movie version of JL, probably another decade or so.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The DVD only contains a sneak peek into the next DCU’s release, “Superman Vs The Elite”.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Colours and images are striking and there’s isn’t much of a compression issue. The Dolby Digital 5.1 delivers a well-mixed surround and bombastic track. Dialog is clear and never overwhelmed by the sound effects.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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