Genre: CG Animation/Comedy
Director: Tim Hill
Cast: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, Hank Azaria, Hugh Laurie, Elizabeth Perkins, Gary Cole, David Hasselhoff, Chelsea Handler, Tiffany Espensen, Veronica Alicino
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.iwantcandy.com/

Opening Day: 31 March 2011

Synopsis: From the creators of DESPICABLE ME comes HOP, the comic tale of Fred (James Marsden), an out-of-work slacker who accidentally injures the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) and must take him in as he recovers. As Fred struggles with the world's worst houseguest, both will learn what it takes to finally grow up.

Movie Review:

The Easter Bunny is to Easter what Santa Claus is to Christmas. Legend has it that both the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus go around people’s houses at night before their respective days bringing gifts- though in the case of the Easter Bunny, these tend to be more specific to coloured eggs, candy and chocolates. Despite their similarities, Hollywood seems to favour Santa Claus over the Easter Bunny, going by the number of Yuletide-themed films around the plump, jolly, white-bearded man in a red suit and the dearth of films about the latter.

Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio however attempt to change that with their part-live action, part-animated romp “Hop”, a through and through family film centred around the Easter Bunny. Also the writers of last summer’s surprising hit for Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment’s “Despicable Me”, Paul and Daurio display much less of their ingenuity this time round. Indeed, their adaptation of the Easter Bunny legend borrows too heavily from Yuletide films like “Elf”, “Fred Claus” and in particular “The Santa Clause” that it almost feels that they have merely switched elves for chicks, reindeers also for chicks and Santa for the Easter Bunny.

The references are apparent right from the start, when we are first introduced to the Easter factory where all the candy and chocolates for the kids are prepared. Production designer Richard Holland’s vision of this is no more than “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” crossed with Santa’s workshop in any of the films mentioned above, and despite the riot of colours, there’s little wildly inventive that will make you go ‘wow’. Same goes for the Easter Bunny’s mode of transportation, which is really an egg-shaped sleigh pulled by hundreds of tiny chicks; or the source of its magical powers, derived from the Egg of Destiny or the equivalent of a Santa suit.

Paul and Daurio’s reliance on these Yuletide film tropes extends as well to the plot of the movie, which essentially is the story of the heir-apparent to the Easter Bunny throne, E. B. (voiced by Russell Brand, who also makes a live-action cameo later on) absconding his responsibilities to pursue his dreams of musical superstardom much to the chagrin of his father (Hugh Laurie). You can probably guess the narrative pretty much from here on end- just add in another out-of-work slacker, Fred (James Marsden), who is in the same real-life situation as E.B. with his father (Gary Cole).

Besides sorting out their own father-son issues, E.B. and Fred will also spend time bickering with each other, before bonding through a fictional David Hasselhoff (playing himself) reality show “Hoff Knows Talent” (an all-too obvious riff on “America’s Got Talent”) and a sing-along at a school play where both take turns singing ‘I Want Candy’. There’s also a subplot which sees E.B’s father’s number two, a duplicitous Spanish chick Carlos (voiced by Hank Azaria), insinuating that he be crowned the next Easter Bunny in E.B’s absence- but this is played for little more than to allow for an frenetic action-packed finale at the end.

Though originality isn’t one of its strong suits, director Tim Hill’s (Alvin and the Chipmunks) film does take- pardon the pun- more than a few hops in the right direction. Most prominently, Hill’s experience with such part-animation, part-live action fare is amply demonstrated in the seamless blend of E.B. and the rest of the computer-generated animals with their human counterparts- special mention goes to E.B, whose features and expressions are beautifully and vividly animated. Impressive too is Illumination Entertainment’s ability to create ‘oh-so-adorable’ sidekick characters, the chicks including Carlos and the over-enthusiastic prone-to-dancing Phil reminiscent of the little yellow minions from “Despicable Me” and equally irresistible.

Hill has also assembled a lively voice cast led by the vivacious Russell Brand. Though there is none of the raunchiness usually associated with him (think “Get Him to the Greek”), Brand’s distinctive laid-back charm is still intact and fits his character perfectly. Just as outstanding is Hank Azaria’s voicing of both Carlos and Phil. Though the two characters couldn’t be more different in nature, Azaria finds a unique voice for each, and is especially good at delivering Carlos’ punchlines with aplomb- who can forget Carlos’ line ‘It's called a coup d'état which is a French for coup d'état!’

And thanks to Brand and Azaria’s voice talents, as well as the excellent blend of live-action and animation, “Hop” still proves to be more than agreeable family entertainment- even if laugh-out-loud moments are fewer and further-in-between than one would expect. Not to mention of course that the familiarity with Yuletide films of Santa Claus is unmistakable, which also makes “Hop” just as undemanding, if not unexceptional, fare as most of these movies. Still, it’s colourful, it’s buoyant, and it’s cute, so that’s definitely enough to keep the kids entertained.

Movie Rating:

(Cute bunny + cute chicks – if that’s good enough for you, then hop, don’t walk, to see this)

Reviewed by Gabriel Chong

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Carlos Saldanha
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Leslie Mann, Jake T. Austin, Rodrigo Santoro, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Jermanine Clement, Carlos Ponce, Kate del Castillo
RunTime: 1 hr 38 mins
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.rio-themovie.com/

Opening Day: 7 April 2011 

Synopsis: "Rio" is a 3-D animation feature from the makers of the "Ice Age" films. Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind.

When Blu discovers there's another - and that she's a she - he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio. But it's far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel. Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life's many wonders.

"Rio" brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.

Movie Review:

The makers of “Ice Age” have decided to take a vacation from the cold and literally venture into warmer- much warmer- territory. Indeed, after three consecutive outings through sub-zero temperatures, director Carlos Saldanha has set his sights on the tropical city of Rio de Janeiro- also the second largest city of Brazil- where summer temperatures often hit a sizzling 40 °C. And what a wondrous source of inspiration this sojourn has been for the Brazilian-born Saldanha, whose “Rio” bursts forth from the screen with unparalleled colour, imagination and sheer energy.

Saldanha wants you to know that he is in Rio to have a party, so right from the beginning, all manner of feathered creatures of different sizes, colours and species welcome a new dawn in the lush tropical rainforest with a boisterous acrobatic sequence, set to the infectious beat of the legendary Sergio Mendes (who serves as executive music producer here). Among the greenery is the birthplace of our protagonist, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), an exotic blue macaw who is subsequently taken out of his nest and domesticated by a local bookshop owner Linda (Leslie Mann) in the snowy Minnesota town of Moose Lake.

A visiting ornithologist from Rio, Tulio, offers a quick and convenient excuse for Blu to return to his native land- the last male of his species, he is needed to mate with a feisty female called Jewel (Anne Hathaway) for the continuity of his kind. Jewel, on the other hand, is only intent on escaping her captivity, but things get complicated when she and Blu are abducted from Tulio’s lab by smugglers and chained to each other. By sheer luck and some ingenuity, they manage to escape, and spend the rest of the time trying to cut themselves free from each other, while evading capture by the bad guys and their evil cockatoo Nigel (Flight of the Conchords’ Jermaine Clement).

Staying true to formula, Blu and Jewel will bicker like the typical mismatched couple at the beginning, only to fall in love with each other by the end. Predictable though the journey may be, veteran screenwriter Don Rhymer makes the journey a pure delight every step of the way with great supporting characters, witty lines and hilarious scenarios. Not often do we find all three in equal measure within a movie, but “Rio” is a perfect example of the laugh-out-loud hilarity that ensues when these three elements come together so beautifully.

A tram ride up the slopes of Rio is turned into a matchmaking opportunity by Blu and Jewel’s three travel companions- a Toucan named Rafael (George Lopez) and two wisecracking birds Pedro and Nico (will.i.am and Jamie Foxx)- as Rafael dispenses love advice to Blu while Pedro strums across the wires of a tram like a guitar and Nico croons a romantic tune. “Tell her you have beautiful eyes!” Rafael whispers to Blu, to which Blu turns to Jewel and says “Did you know that I have beautiful eyes?”

Rhymer also saves some of the best lines of the movie for Nigel. An uproarious song-and-dance item where he gets to introduce the depth of his villainy to his audience sees him prancing pompously around caged birds cowering in their cages singing lines like “like an abandoned school, I have no principal”. And when recruiting a bunch of thieving monkeys as his henchmen to search for Blu and Jewel, Nigel warns them in a dead-serious tone, “no more monkey business”.

Of course, these lines are only as good as the voice cast delivering them, and thankfully then, the cast Saldanha has assembled here is outstanding. Eisenberg oozes apprehension and trepidation with every line as the cowardly dork, Hathaway packs gusto as the spunky foil against Eisenberg, will.i.am and Foxx have perfect comic timing playing off each other’s lines, and Clement chews up his great one-liners with menacing glee (you may be keen to know that he also co-wrote the song “Pretty Bird” above). Their chemistry is palpable from start to finish, and their exchanges throughout the film are nothing less than spirited and lively.

But a lot of the energy in “Rio” is visual, courtesy of Saldanha’s eye for detail and aptitude for action. The animation of each one of the characters, lead or supporting or even extra, is exceptional, their respective characteristics distinctive and inspired. The colours- unlike the duller, wintry landscapes of “Ice Age”- are dazzling and vibrant. And most of all, the action sequences best appreciated in 3D- a flight over Rio with a panoramic view of Guanbara Bay, a narrow escape over the rooftops of the favelas, and the climactic finale through the crowds at the city’s annual Carnivale festival- explode with vigour and verve reminiscent of that in the city’s signature samba music, whose Latin rhythms add generously to the film’s oomph.

That oomph is simply part of the party that Saldanha invites you to be part of from beginning to end, and “Rio” has every bit of the infectious sounds of the drumbeats, the colours of the sequins, feathers and headdresses, and the energy of the performers in the city’s most famous annual party festival. Yes, for those of us who probably can’t afford to take that Singapore Airlines flight down to Brazil, this is the closest you’ll get to soak in the sights and sounds of that lively city. The best part of it all? It’s a party the whole family will enjoy.

Movie Rating:

(Bursting with infectious energy and verve from music to colour to spectacle, this is one heck of a party you’d be a cuckoo to miss!)

Reviewed by Gabriel Chong

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Gore Verbinski
Cast: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Ned Beatty, Ray Winstone, Alfred Molina, Harry Dean Stanton, Beth Grant, Stephen Root
RunTime: 1 hr 47 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.rangomovie.com/

Opening Day: 10 March 2011

Synopsis: The story of a chameleon with an identity crisis.

Movie Review:

Proving that there is no such genre which cannot be turned into an animation with the right creative imagination, Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” is probably one of the first ever animated Westerns- and what a giddily delightful burst of imagination it is! Indeed, there is so much to admire and appreciate about “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Verbinski’s latest reteaming with Johnny Depp that multiple viewings is probably a must.

The titular character voiced by Depp is a domesticated lizard living in a terrarium with a broken doll and a wind-up orange plastic fish. When we first encounter him, Rango is dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and acting out scenes from Shakespeare to kill time; though in between reading the Bard, he also displays a propensity for soliloquies. It turns out that Rango’s aquarium is in fact on a moving vehicle, and a sudden swerve leaves the coddled pet chameleon stranded in the middle of the Mojave Desert ready to begin his journey of self-discovery.

Right from the start, it is clear that John Logan’s screenplay (working from a story by Verbinski, James Ward Byrkit and Logan himself) isn’t going to be of the run-of-the-mill family-friendly type. Indeed, Rango’s journey turns out to be a surprisingly mature and thoughtful one, as Logan shows that he isn’t afraid to delve into complex themes of identity and existentialism- one of the oft-repeated catchphrases in the movie is the appropriately deep saying “nobody can walk out of his own story”.

That’s not to say Logan has put aside his sense of humour here, though the jokes also tend to be geared towards a more adult audience. Yes, one doubts that the kids will find the suitably titled armadillo Roadkill (Alfred Molina), whom Rango meets in the middle of a busy highway, amusing; or a fellow desert creature cursing Rango “son of a -----” with the last word replaced by the shriek of a hawk hilarious- but Logan’s deliciously quirky story comes with sharp dialogue and distinctive wit.

Both are clearly evident in every turn of the story, starting from Rango’s arrival in the town called Dirt. Populated by a menagerie of lizards, rodents, amphibians, reptiles and other desert creatures, Rango proceeds to impress the desperate citizens of the town with his made-up tale of derring-do, and promptly gets himself appointed sheriff. His first task? To solve the town’s most pressing problem- water.

Water is pretty much Dirt’s most valuable resource, not only their currency of trade but also the commodity which makes up their reserve in the Bank. Of late though, it’s been especially hard to come by, and it soon occurs to the citizens that someone’s been stealing their precious supply. Rango's closest equivalent to a sidekick is a fellow lizard named Beans (Isla Fisher) and she suspects it has something to do with the town's Mayor (Ned Beatty), a wizened, wheelchair-bound turtle who tells Rango on their first meeting that controlling the town’s water supply is akin to controlling the townsfolk.

There are definite plot similarities to Roman Polanski’s 1974 classic “Chinatown” and indeed they are not coincidental. With “Rango”, Logan and Verbinski pay homage to the classic spaghetti Westerns from John Ford to Sergio Leone- there’s even an appearance by the Man with No Name (voiced here by Timothy Olyphant doing his best gruff Clint Eastwood impersonation). Particularly notable too is Verbinski’s tribute to the helicopter attack in “Apocalypse Now” in his staging of a thrilling action sequence with flying bats- and this as well as other subtler references will certainly please film buffs.

But Verbinski’s greatest accomplishment is in creating a fascinating world intricately designed with so much rich detail. Working with his “Pirates” visual effects wizard Mark McCreery as production designer, Verbinski’s Dirt town is steeped in the classic iconography of the West- bars, billiards, and saloons- while simultaneously unique in its variety of denizens. Industrial Light and Magic was behind the animation- this their maiden effort- and they have done a beautiful job with the characters.

Whether reptile or amphibian, each creature is distinctively rendered, and despite the scraggly look on each of them, there is more than enough loving detail in each sets them apart. Credit must also go to veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins who serves as visual consultant, and gives the desert environment the same kind of visual dynamism that he captured in the Coens’ Westerns “No Country for Old Men” and “True Grit”.

“Rango” also stands out from other animations by having its actors record their voices in costumes and actual sets together, rather than record their respective parts in sound booths- and Verbinski’s decision has paid off handsomely. The delivery by the ensemble cast (including Depp, Molina, Beatty, Fisher, Harry Dean Stanton as the patriarch of a rodent gang and Bill Nighy as the menacing rattlesnake Jake) is sharp and well-timed, and lend that added zing to Logan’s dialogue.

And certainly with Logan's uniquely quirky and mature story, Verbinski’s lively storytelling, as well as Johnny Depp and the rest of the ensemble cast’s outstanding voice work, “Rango” is a rollicking Wild West adventure packed with humour, wit, and excitement. Remember that burst of creative imagination that you saw in the first “Pirates”? Well, Depp and Verbinski have brought that same spark to this latest collaboration, and their newfangled take on the Old West is a delightful burst of creative imagination that will go down as one of the most original works of animation you'll see this year.

Movie Rating:

(Wacky and delightful, this Wild West adventure is a giddy burst of creative imagination unlike anything you’ve ever seen before)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Thriller
Director: Neil Burger
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, Anna Friel, Tomas Arana, Johnny Whitworth, Robert John Burke, Andrew Howard
RunTime: 1 hr 46 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: NC-16
Official Website: http://www.iamrogue.com/limitless

Opening Day: 7 April 2011

Synopsis: Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro star in "Limitless", a paranoia-fueled action thriller about an unpublished writer whose life is transformed by a top-secret smart drug that allows him to use of his brain and become a perfect version of himself. His enhanced abilities soon attract shadowy forces that threaten his new life in this darkly comic and provocative film.

Movie Review:

Fact- we can only access 20 per cent of our brain. Is there a solution to this, you ask?

Well, yes actually, there is a pill called NZT-48 that will allow you to access all of it.

Question- would you take it? Ok, maybe it’s a bit of a stretch to ask you to imagine the implausible without first demonstrating the “Limitless” possibilities it unravels, so here’s an example of what it can do.

Before the pill, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a blocked writer still finding the first words of his long-overdue novel. He is unshaven, lives in a shabby rented apartment in Chinatown, and has just been dumped by his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish). Post-pill, Eddie finishes his book within four days, picks up several new languages- each one within three to four hours- and builds up a two million-dollar investment portfolio on Wall Street within two weeks.

Wish-fulfilment for most perhaps, but you could very well live the dream. And you know what the best part about it is? It was all you in the end. Yes, you were the one who accomplished it all, not through cheating, but on tapping on the full spectrum of your own innate cognitive abilities. Now tell me you don’t want a high like that? Am I overstating it? Nope, not at all.

The caveat? Well, yes there’s that. It’s illegal you see, non-FDA approved, and may have side effects if you change the dosage you’ve been taking it at too quickly. There are also dependency issues, so once you start, you can’t just quit it. Other than that, you just have to deal with the saturated colours around you, the tightened focus with which you view things, and the occasional time warps where you lose time and can’t quite remember what just happened right before.

If you need a visual demonstration of how this all feels, well look no further than director Neil Burger’s enticing 105-min advertisement here. Burger may have taken the drug himself, for he shoots in the same adrenalized manner the pill is supposed to work, using endless forward-zoom effects and 360-degree panoramic spins. Combining a music-video style with some nifty CGI, the result is something that looks and feels so energetic that it matches the hyperactivity the drug is supposed to unleash, and makes for a uniquely trippy and mesmerising experience.

Burger is complemented with smart witty lines from his writer Leslie Dixon, adapting the conceptual form from Alan Glynn’s “The Dark Fields”. Many of these lines she places in Eddie’s head to be conveyed through his intermittent voice-over narration- crisp, sharp and not without an intelligent sense of humour. And what better way to get your adrenaline pumping and your mind working than to introduce a little danger, and then elevating the stakes?

Yup, nothing like a bit of jeopardy to demonstrate the abilities your mind has when it comes to self-preservation, protecting itself and therefore you. A Russian loan shark (Andrew Howard), a couple of murders and a Wall Street tycoon who goes by the name Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) oughta do the job- so watch as Eddie works his way out of these spots of trouble, with NZT-48 helping him to think faster and better than his enemies.

To make the deal even sweeter, how about throwing in the hunk from “The Hangover” to play Eddie? And guess what- if you don’t already know, the dude can act, very well if I may add. Utterly convincing as the down-and-out writer at first, absolutely dashing and debonair as the NZT-ed version of Eddie- Cooper makes Eddie likeable every step of the way, even if his character doesn’t always deserve it. For some female beauty, how about the Australian actress Abbie Cornish, who bears more than a resemblance to fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman, and looks just as hot as she did in tights and stockings in the recent “Sucker Punch”? As a bonus, you’ll also get Robert De Niro, an acting luminary who twinkles with polished menace in his supporting role here.

Now come on, you have got to admit that you’re definitely intrigued by this point. Here’s the thing, we forgot to add the word “fiction” right before the second paragraph from the top. There’s no such thing as NZT-48- it’s all make-believe. But don’t you wish there was really something out there that could allow you to tap on the “Limitless” possibilities inside your own mind? Well at least for now you’ll just have to contend with the best approximation of that, and it’s all right here within this Neil Burger film that you’ll be wishing doesn’t end. Indulge and enjoy it while it lasts- yes, you’ll savour every minute of it.

Movie Rating:

(A movie that dares you to imagine by imagining it for you in limitless visual panache and dynamism- in other words, it's one heck of an electrifying thriller)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, Frank Langella
RunTime: 1 hr 53 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG (Some Violence And Scene of Intimacy)
Official Website: http://unknownmovie.warnerbros.com/

Opening Day: 24 February 2011

Synopsis:

Liam Neeson stars as Dr. Martin Harris, who awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity.  Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by mysterious assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run.  Aided by an unlikely ally (Diane Kruger), Martin plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

Movie Review:

At the age of 58, Liam Neeson is enjoying one of the unlikeliest renaissances in Hollywood as an action star. Who would have thought that the award-nominated actor of “Schindler’s List”, “Kinsey” and “Michael Collins” could kick ass the way he did in the 2008 revenge thriller “Taken”? Well, maybe only producer Luc Besson and director Pierre Morel of “Taken”- but the point is they did a heck of a mighty job convincing critics and audiences alike.

Which is a good thing really- for without Neeson, it’s hard to imagine another actor who could play the titular character, the university professor and botanist Dr Martin Harris, and summon the same kind of empathy to make this thriller work as effectively as it does. Indeed, it’s hardly an overstatement to say that Neeson is the very lynchpin of this Jaume Collet-Serra movie, adapted from the French novel by Didier Van Cauwelaert. You see, “Unknown” requires an actor who can make his audience believe and care in his character’s predicament, and Neeson does a terrific job at that.

Right from the start, he makes Harris entirely relatable, an ordinary man like any one of us trapped in an impossible situation. That situation is somewhat of an identity crisis- arriving in Berlin for a biotech conference, Harris reaches his hotel only to discover that he has left his briefcase at the airport, jumps on a cab that ends in a river, and wakes up four days later to discover that his identity has been taken from him. Thanks to Neeson, Harris’ desperation and anxiety is utterly palpable for his audience and immediately hooks us in.

Collet-Serra is keenly aware that he needs his audience to identify with Harris, so he deliberately keeps Neeson’s character as down to earth as possible- without becoming bland. While some may expect Neeson to go into fisticuffs-mode a la “Taken”, there’s in fact very little of that until the end. Instead, Collet-Serra casts Harris as the intellectual his character is supposed to be and lets him concentrate on solving the puzzle of his missing identity, drawing his audience deeper and deeper into the web of mystery.

Yes, though its premise may suggest that Harris may be no more than a more mature version of Jason Bourne, Collet-Serra avoids that comparison by casting the film as a Hitchcockian thriller more than a straight-out action film. Not to say that there isn’t any action- there is, and that includes a brilliantly shot, exceptionally thrilling showdown between a cab and a S.U.V.- but “Unknown” is much more sparing with these sequences than “Taken” was.

In turn, Collet-Serra has crafted a tense and suspenseful thriller. Together with cinematographer Flavio Labiano, he makes good use of the wintry Berlin landscape- chilly, gray and sunless- to add to the foreboding menace. As he had proven with the underrated “Orphan”, Collet-Serra knows how important buildup is- and he exercises the same dexterity throughout this film to keep his audience on the edge of their seats.

It is well and good too that his screenwriters Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell know how to keep their cards close, revealing enough to tantalise you but never too much to give away the twists and turns in the story. Butcher and Cornwell also lend the movie some nice wry humour, including a hilarious scene where Harris and his doppelganger both try to convince a genius biochemist (German actor Sebastian Koch from “The Lives of Others”) who they both claim to be.

The movie also gets a significant boost from a surprisingly strong pedigree of supporting actors, probably attributable to Neeson’s participation. Aidan Quinn is sufficiently menacing as Harris’ doppelganger, while Diane Kruger is just as effective as the Bosnian illegal immigrant and cab driver who ends up helping Harris. But the real stand-outs are Bruno Ganz as the methodical ex-Stasi agent turned private detective Harris hires to get to the bottom of his case, and Frank Langella as Harris’ close friend and fellow university professor. Ganz and Langella share a brief scene together, and boy does that crackle with old-school espionage-thriller tension.

But of course, the reason why “Unknown” is such a successful thriller is Liam Neeson. With “Taken” and now this film, Neeson epitomises the thinking man’s action hero in his mix of brawn and intellect, with a soulful vulnerability that underpins his uncanny ability to make his characters in their angst and despair perfectly relatable to his audience. Thanks to Collet-Serra’s confident hand, “Unknown” also proves to be more than just a “Taken” wannabe- in fact, it is surprisingly well-plotted, even more so than “Taken”, and possesses razor-sharp suspense. Clever and exciting, with a hero you will easily root for, “Unknown” is a sure-fire thriller that will get your adrenaline pumping from start to finish.

Movie Rating:

(Liam Neeson returns in “Taken” mode to an edge-of-your-seat thriller crackling with suspense and riveting action)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Oscar Isaac, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG (Violence)
Official Website: http://suckerpunchmovie.warnerbros.com/

Opening Day: 24 March 2011

Synopsis: "Sucker Punch" is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, but her incredible adventures blur the lines between what's real and what is imaginary...with potentially tragic consequences.

Movie Review:

"Sucker Punch," the latest barrage on the senses from writer-director Zack Snyder ("300", "Watchmen") is his first film that's based on his own source material. And it proves to be quite stunning definition of pop filmmaking. In a triumphant marriage of style and tone, Snyder has created his own "Kill Bill" by going deep down into the rabbit hole. A glorious pastiche of colour, CGI and kinesis, "Sucker Punch" even through its obvious flaws, has set a new bar for graphic storytelling that attempts to transplant the purity of imagination onto the cinema screen.

Essentially cohering around a simple premise -- hot chicks kicking ass and taking names, the film's bravura opening charts Baby Doll's (Emily Browning) institutionalisation by a wicked stepfather after her mother's death and her introduction to the asylum where damaged young women are sent to be kept away from society. She meets the people-in-charge, Blue (Oscar Isaac) and Dr. Gorski (Carla Gugino) as well as the other girls in the institute: Rocket (Jena Malone) and her sister Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Amber (Jamie Chung) and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens).

The story that follows Baby Doll reveals a larger canvas of a clever narrative conceit that coincides three realities together ("Inception" comparisons, tread lightly); the first being the asylum, the second is a burlesque brothel run by Blue and trained by Gorski and the final and most resplendent one is Baby Doll's hyper reverie focused on destroying the forces of evil -- be it shogun titans, zombie Nazis or killer androids. The darker the reality preceding it, the deeper and more risky the wormhole of fantasies go. There is a real sense, despite its tremendous parade of visual set-pieces that Snyder wanted a narrative strong enough to endure the weight of spectacle, and in many respects he has. He uses the age-old device of character quests to propel the plot, peppering it with familiar consequences until he doesn't. The flow culminates in an intriguing final act that sets it a mark higher than anyone would have expected, or even needed from a film that already proudly wears its stripes as pure escapist entertainment.

Snyder goes the way of Tarantino in appropriating and amalgamating artistic and stylistic influences from the most conspicuous of genres and mediums. Within the real world or whatever the relative equivalent of what exists in this film's dark and twisty tone, the film uses templates in the vein of sexploitation female prison grind-house features from the 60s and 70s like "Love Camp 7", "99 Women", "Caged Heat" and the grandmother of them all, 1950's "Caged". As the film progresses into its action-oriented enterprises, it quickly recalls the dizzying array of cut-scenes from video-games  and punk anime-style design in how it encompasses the digital environment. Snyder's thematic goal is to situate the idea of imagination as a coping mechanism for terror, a concept seen recently in "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Tideland". The landscape of the mind is uniquely realised here by Snyder, who etches a remarkable amount of detail into each CGI frame, an hyperbolised celebration of artifice and invention that is at once magnificent and exhilarating as it is compelling and spellbinding.

Werner Herzog once posited that the dearth of new and unique imagery that do not reflect the times we live in will be the death of civilisation. If anything, "Sucker Punch" truly defines the generation of filmmaking we exist in -- a sophisticated and passionate emblem that delivers an overload of sugar high through the ideals of creating and maintaining a creative medley of pop-culture influences, bridged together with keen commercial sensibilities. Suddenly, Snyder holding on to the helms of the next Superman film makes more sense than it ever did.

Movie Rating:



(Incredible visuals; imagery that will stay etched in your mind for a long time)

Review by Justin Deimen

Genre: Thriller
Director: George Nolfi
Cast: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Daniel Dae Kim, Michael Kelly, John Slattery, Anthony Ruivivar
RunTime: 1 hr 46 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: PG (Scene Of Intimacy)
Official Website: http://www.theadjustmentbureau.com/

Opening Day: 3 March 2011

Synopsis: Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in the thriller "The Adjustment Bureau" as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue the only woman he's ever loved across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York.

On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)-a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart.

David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself-the men of The Adjustment Bureau-who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

Movie Review:

Here comes a fun if occasionally clumsy sci-fi romantic drama that isn't too taxing on the brain. Although it is less cerebral than your average sci-fier, you're in for a rollicking good time nonetheless thanks to the electrifying chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. When they look into each other's eyes, there is a gratifying sense that the deep love they hold for each other is unblemished. It is absolutely cinema nirvana when you believe the love that exists between them. It makes everything that doesn't quite match up to the earnest romance, i.e. uninspired soundtrack and simplistic denouement, easier to swallow.

Though she was disposable in Joe Johnston's atrocious Wolfman, Blunt proves she has the mettle to take on a leading lady role. And much of this movie works because of her, even though we can't discount the stoical and dependable presence of good guy, Matt Damon. Flitting from cheeky to graceful to vulnerable, Blunt seems to slip into the role with great ease. The role was clearly tailormade for her.

Though the central romance sizzles, the same cannot be said about the plot. Granted that its brew of sci-fi and romance will initially strike you as intriguing, the more the movie reveals its plan for the leads, the more it all strikes you as déjà vu – you've probably seen some elements in a previous movie. And if you did your homework, it's actually adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1954 short story, The Adjustment Team. This would likely mean the source material has been stretched thin, especially over the movie's nearly 100-minute runtime. Truly, the movie does feel slightly padded out especially towards the end, but not terribly.

Thanks to the economical directorial hands of debutant George Nolfi, he manages to keep hold the audience's interest by filling the screentime with Damon and Blunt canoodling and their entertaining repartee. Even the welcome snatches of whimsy involving the workings of The Adjustment Bureau, e.g. teleporting through doors, keeps proceedings interesting.

But by the end, you will feel slightly cheated. That's because from the exhilarating journey that you've taken, you would have expected a more thought-provocative ending. Maybe the studio forces didn't have the balls to go against mainstream taste. But still, it isn't your harebrained chuck-to-the-early-year-release flop!

So it seems my review didn't give you a smidgen of the plot. Well, that's because the less you know about Bureau, the more you will enjoy it. But then, you would probably have read the above synopsis.

Movie Rating:



(I'll just be Blunt – all other leading actresses can go to hell!)

Review by Adrian Sim

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Tran Anh Hung
Cast: Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, Kiko Mizuhara, Reika Kirishima, Kengo Kora, Eriko Hatsune, Tetsuji Tamayama
RunTime: 2 hrs 13 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: M18 (Some Sexual Content)
Official Website: http://www.norway-mori.com/index.html

Opening Day: 14 April 2011

Synopsis: Translated into 33 languages, Haruki Murakami’s bestselling novel NORWEGIAN WOOD is a passionate story of nostalgia, loss and awakening sexuality. Tokyo, the late 1960s…Students around the world are uniting to overthrow the establishment and Watanabe, a college student deeply devoted to his first love, Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman. But when Midori, a girl who is everything that Naoko is not – outgoing, vivacious, supremely self-confident – marches into his life, Watanabe must choose between his past and his future.

Movie Review:

Those were the best years of our lives. Every once in a while when the weather gets melancholic, we would reminiscence those years when loss and sexuality meant a whole lot more. Every once in a while when we hear a morose tune on the radio, we would recall those moments when relationships mattered a whole lot more. And every once in a while when we watch a moody film, we would remember those times when life played out like a cinematic feature.

All that remains now is nostalgia.

And that is why, critically acclaimed Japanese writer Haruki Murakami’s novels spoke to so many people. His works poignantly captures the spiritual emptiness of the modern generation and explores the loss of human connection in the bustling society we live in today. And just when detractors thought that Murakami’s bestselling 1987 novel was un-filmable, along comes Tran Anh Hung, whose past works include the award winning Cyclo (1995) and The Scent of Green Papaya (1993).

Set in Tokyo during the late 1960s, the film’s male protagonist is Toru, a quiet and serious college student. He loses his best friend to suicide, and his personal life is thrown into turmoil. He becomes emotionally closer to his friend’s ex-girlfriend Naoko, who shares the same sense of loss. Circumstances bring Naoko to a sanatorium, and Toru becomes devastated. Another girl, Midori, enters his life, and he realises that she is everything Naoko isn’t. Torn between two women and feeling empty about life’s past and future, what ensues is Toru’s nostalgic journey of loss and sexuality.

The above synopsis probably doesn’t do justice to Murakami’s writing, which is known to be humorous and surrealistic. While we haven’t read the original novel which this 133 minute film is based on, we have chanced upon Murakami’s other works, and we must recognize Tran’s decision to adapt the story into a feature film.

The first thing which grabs you is the hypnotically mesmerizing cinematography by the award winning Lee Ping Bin (In the Mood For Love, Three Times). The breathtaking mountainous landscapes of Japan are captured on Lee’s lenses like gems. You can imagine yourself wandering through the green grasslands and the snowy grounds, letting the spectacle engulf your senses. To replicate the mood of 1960s, production designers Norifumi Ataka and Yen Khe Luguem have painstakingly created scene after scene of the film’s characters journeying through life’s alleys against backdrops of intricately decorated cafes, workshops and hostel rooms. The result is a visually pleasing mood piece which displays the director’s eye for details. The soundtrack composed by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood completes the viewing experience with an enigmatic score.

Also commendable are the cast’s performances. Playing Toru is Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note’s “L”). He has an empathetic vulnerability which leaves a lasting impression with viewers. Rinko Kichuki (Babel) displays the much needed frailty of Naoko’s character without becoming overly melodramatic, while newcomer Kiko Mizuhara is charming as the charismatic Midori.

Like most literary adaptation, this film loses some of the novel’s poignancy when it comes to character and plot development. Emotions are conveyed through convenient voiceovers, and the exploration of sexuality may appear preposterous to those who uninitiated to Murakami’s works. Furthermore, the slow and meandering pacing of the two odd hour film may be a test of patience to some.

It will take audiences who are familiar with the postmodern writer’s work to appreciate this film. If you are an individual who often indulges in poetic wistfulness, this may just be the perfect film for you on a contemplative evening too.

Movie Rating:



(Definitely a commendable visualisation of Murakami’s reflective novel, this is a thoughtful piece of work which may not be everyone’s cup of tea)

Reviewed by John Li

Genre: Action/ Romance/ Comedy
Director: Wong Jing
Cast: Nicholas Tse, Nick Cheung, Charlene Choi, Huang Yi, Kenny Ho
RunTime: 1 hr 35 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG
Official Website:

Opening Day: 23 June 2011

Synopsis: Two street inspectors named Gong and Ba were on the mysterious murder case in town. However, when the real murderer was finally revealed, Gong realized the danger was much closer to home than he could ever imagine and as a result of an unlikely friendship is tested.

Movie Review:

Let’s face it- after writing and directing close to 100 films, you already know what to expect out of a Wong Jing film. The prolific filmmaker isn’t anything close to auteur, but Wong Jing at his best makes silly yet ultimately entertaining crowd-pleasers- even if he has probably already reached a creative plateau in his goofiness. Such is the nature of his period action comedy “Treasure Inn”- it is ridiculous and over-the-top, but at the same time you can’t help but be entertained by the sheer inanity of it all.

The barely-there story penned by Wong Jing himself has two lowly street detectives Young Master Kung (Nicholas Tse) and Brad (Nick Cheung) after a group of highly skilled assassins believed to be responsible for the murder of the entire Cheung family in their town. Their motive? A prized White Jade Goddess statue that is apparently as tall as a person. Their destination? Treasure Inn, the place you go to when you want to auction off your stolen goods to other bandits and thieves.

The first half of the movie is more or less a road trip for our two heroes, where they meet a motley bunch of other characters while on their way to Treasure Inn- including a pair of sisters and respective love interests Water Dragon Girl (Charlene Choi) and Fire Dragon Girl (Huang Yi); the much-revered Captain Iron (Kenny Ho), head of the Imperial Gold Constables; and a doctor cum idealistic romantic-at-heart (Tong Da Wei) after the owner of Treasure Inn, Ling Lung (Liu Yang). There are few rules in Wong Jing’s playbook, so if you had stepped into this film expecting anything of quality, then you’ll recognise your folly right from the start.

In typical Wong Jing style, the movie is all over the place in its ‘mo lei tau’ silliness. That isn’t a bad thing per se, for there are bits which are genuinely funny. Kung’s method of catching fish by knocking them unconscious in the water is amusing. Ditto the buck-teethed egotist Brad’s delusion about his good looks. Then there are also the highly exaggerated bits, like Brad’s literal body extension after going through a primitive torture technique, and his miscalculated descent upon trying to brush off a chicken on his head by spinning up into the sky and landing head-first.

While Wong’s lack of discipline does work to give the picture free-form zaniness, it also works against it when he fails to rein in his own excesses. Especially telling is the romantic bits between Kung and Water Dragon Girl, as well as Brad and Fire Dragon Girl- their love-at-first-sight routine happens with cheesy red hearts popping out around them, or yellow question marks flying around their heads. Even the old-school Hong Kong movies contended with just the appropriate sound effects, and not these cringe-worthy displays.

Much of the action is reserved for the second half of the movie, where our heroes arrive at Treasure Inn and get up to all sorts of hijinks before the perfunctory climax. There’s a considerable amount of more action in this movie compared to what you would expect in a Wong Jing film, but even with veteran action director Corey Yuen at the helm, the action sequences are nothing to shout about, the wirework plainly obvious. Special effects also feature prominently at the end of the movie, but thankfully, they are considerably well-rendered compared to the awful dud “Future X-Cops”.

Rarely, if at all, are Wong Jing movies noted for their performances, and this is no exception. This is Nicholas Tse and Nick Cheung’s first onscreen collaboration after their highly acclaimed “The Stool Pigeon” last year, but their only motivation in this movie seems to be to have a good time with as little effort as possible. Nick Cheung fares better this time round, his egotistical behaviour standing out compared to the utterly bland and forgettable Nicholas Tse here.

But you’d probably already expect as much from watching the countless number of Wong Jing films over his past 30 years in the moviemaking business. He’s certainly one of the most hardworking Hong Kong filmmakers around, even if he definitely is not one of the best. Still, if it’s ‘mo lei tau’ comedy you’re after, Wong Jing delivers just that silly yet amusing entertainment in this latest. It’s no treasure, and the whole is no doubt less than the sum of its parts- but the same can be said of every one of his movies, so just go in for the laughs and keep your expectations low.

Movie Rating:.

(Exactly what you’ll expect from a Wong Jing film- silly and over-the-top but ultimately amusing and entertaining all the same) 

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Director: Jason Winer
Cast: Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Nick Nolte, Greta Grewig, Luis Guzmán
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG (Sexual References)
Official Website: http://arthurthemovie.warnerbros.com/

Opening Day: 21 April 2011

Synopsis: Brand stars as Arthur Bach, a man who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of lifelong nanny Hobson (Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge, choosing between an arranged marriage that will ensure his lavish lifestyle or an uncertain future with the one thing money can't buy-Naomi (Gerwig), the only woman he has ever loved. With Naomi's inspiration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and finally learn what it means to become a man, in this re-imagining of the 1981 classic.

Movie Review:

Ever gotten yourself into a situation where an acquaintance keeps talking, and talking, - and talking – so much so that you wished you could just walk away? Ever found yourself in a fix when a friend keeps talking, and talking, and talking – so much so that you wished you could ask him to shut up? Yes, you get the idea. 20 minutes into this remake of a 1981 film of the same name, we wished leading man Russell Brand would keep quiet, even if it’s just for a while.

The English comedian plays a drunken playboy who gets to inherit a $950 million family fortune if he marries an heiress whom his mother thinks will wake him from his stupor. The problem is, he doesn’t love her one bit. Instead, he finds himself falling for a New York tour guide despite his mother’s strong objections. When he is made to choose between money and love, he goes to his nanny for help.

You heard it right – this man’s got a nanny. The supposedly fun part of this comedy helmed by first time feature director Jason Winer is featuring Helen “The Queen” Mirren as Brand’s nanny. His rubber faced antics was supposed to be a hilarious contrast to Mirren’s cold and edgy sarcasm. To a certain extent, this paring does work, until you realise that instead of being a charmer, Brand’s fast talking character is becoming an irritant instead.

The man just can’t stop shooting his mouth away – he appears in almost every other scene in this 110 minute movie and has something smart to say for almost everything. His heavy English accent may be delightful and crisp, but a prolonged period of hearing it can be, well, rather jarring to the ears. No offence to Brand, of course, because being a celebrity who is plagued with sexual addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, this role personified by Dudley Moore 30 years ago fits him like a glove. One may even feel that there is a sexy charisma whenever Brand wears leaves his fitting shirt unbuttoned, or when Mr Katy Perry appears in his tight underwear (watch out for the climatic sequence where he runs down the streets in nothing but a pair of blue briefs).

Mirren pulls no surprises here as the nanny who has been looking after the boozy playboy since he was a child. Her stateliness and dignified tone is something we have seen before, and the Academy Award winning English actress effortlessly portrays her role as a no nonsense caretaker here. It’s a pity though, that her character is seriously underdeveloped.

Greta Gerwig (Greenberg, No Strings Attached) is pleasant enough to play the Plain Jane who win’s the leading man’s heart, while Jennifer Garner (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Valentine’s Day) has our deepest sympathy for playing a career minded woman who has to be attracted (literally) to a magnetic bed in one of the scenes in the movie. Nick Nolte (Tropic Thunder) and Luis Guzman (The Taking of Pelham 123) also have minor roles, but are unfortunately underused. 

You have to admit that there is a decent dosage of laughs in this movie, and things get a little touching when the nanny becomes ill, but we were expecting a lot more humour and a lot less annoyance with this one.

Movie Rating:



(If seeing Russell Brand being grabbed by his balls or hearing Helen Mirren speak through a Darth Vader mask is your thing, then go lap this comedy remake up)

Reviewed by John Li