SYNOPSIS: Speed maniac messenger Gi-su (Lee Min-ki) receives a mysterious call while shuttling a member of a girl group (Kang Ye-won) to a live broadcast. The mysterious voice on the phone warns that there’s a bomb wired to the helmet and that a package must be delivered to a designated address within 30 minutes. Remove the helmet or fail to complete the mission and the bomb goes off. Caught up in a terrorist attack on the grandest scale smack in the middle of the city, the messenger and his passenger begin a race against time that their lives depend on.
MOVIE REVIEW:
From the people behind the tsunami disaster movie, “Haeundae” comes an action comedy in the vein of “Speed”, the effortlessly titled “Quick”.
Lee Min-Ki (Haeundae) stars as Gi-Su, one of the fastest bike messengers in Seoul who is tasked to deliver a package to a building before it explode. Remaining denial to the whole catastrophe, Gi-Su’s next assignment is to fetch a pop group singer, Ah-rom (another Haeundae’s alumni, Kang Ye-won) to her concert performance. As fate has it, Ah-rom turns out to be Gi-Su’s ex-girlfriend from years ago. Offering his helmet for the ride, they both realized the helmet has been rigged with explosion and Gi-Su is being tasked by a mysterious caller to send three packages to three different locations or risked having Ah-rom’s helmet being detonated. What is the motive of the caller? And why is Gi-Su connected to the whole fiasco?
Having an opening sequence that involved a multi-cars pile up and a huge money shot-street explosion akin to “Die Hard With A Vengeance” might makes you sit up and wondering what are the filmmakers concocting. Unfortunately the tense mood is frequently upset by Gi-Su and Ah-rom’s constant bickering. Imagine having a time bomb stick to your head and you keep harping on affairs of the heart. Worse still, there are some genuinely funny moments and gags that seem to contradict the burning matter on hand.
Perhaps the good thing about “Quick” is the excessive usage of state-of-the-art CG technology to enhance the chase scenes and explosions. Like their electronic conglomerates, LG and Samsung who are making waves surpassing others liked Sony, the Korean filmmakers have been producing movies with Hollywood standards no matter how questionable the plotting is. Monster movie such as “Sector 7” and disaster flick, “Haeundae” are two excellent examples. The incredibly sharp choreographed stunts and greenscreen effects blend perfectly to create countless sequences of high-octane action even though you know the actors were never that near to a burning flame.
“Quick” is a problematic movie that just couldn’t make up its mind to be an action comedy or a serious avenge flick. Do take note of a crucial revealing plot point in the end that will probably cause you to roll your eyes after all the mayhem is unleashed. While “Quick” is among the top grossing movies of 2011 in Korea, it’s simply a contender for fanciful gimmicks rather than a gripping crime thriller liked “Speed”.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The extras include a Trailer and a 12 minutes Making Of which consist of interviews with the main cast members and producer with some behind the scenes footages.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Colours are sharp and bright, skintones are natural and there are plentiful of chaotic, loud sound effects during the car chases whizzing across the speakers and ripping the soundstage.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: KATE BECKINSALE returns as the ultimate vampire warrioress Selene in Underworld: Awakening , the stunning new instalment of the epic saga. Having escaped years of imprisonment, she finds herself in a changed world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species. Now Selene must battle the humans and a frightening new breed of super Lycans to ensure the death dealers' survival.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The role of Selene in the Underworld series propels Kate Beckinsale into the A-list. After a few unsuccessful dramatic roles and absent from the prequel, Beckinsale is back once again, clad in tight spandex for the third time in “Underworld: Awakening”.
Forgoing much story exposition and all the complex mythology of Vampires and Lycans setup in the originals, “Awakening” is a straight-out, action-oriented flick that is a mere one step above a typical straight-to-video movie all because of the well-received originals. For 12 years, Selene has been held captive in a lab environment, Antigen after a military crusade was carried out against the Vampires and Lycans. With the help of a mysterious “Subject 2”, Selene manages to escape from the facility. In a strange unknown world where fellow death-dealers have been forced to hide underground and the emergence of a Super-Lycan, Selene have to join forces with a detective to uncover the conspiracy behind Antigen and the true identity of “Subject 2”.
With Beckinsale’s beau, Len Wiseman taking a step behind, Swedish directors Marlind & Stein took over the rein and unleashed more slaughter and gore than ever in the shortest instalment to date. 89 minutes to be precise. It’s as if Hollywood has not much faith in the two directors’ storytelling ability or the duo have been handed a wafer-thin script to begin with. Pretty much of the stuff you see onscreen is realized on the computer, CG landscape, CG buildings, CG Lycans and the only non-CG item belong to Beckinsale in her sexy outfit. Though equipped with enough visual flair, Marlind & Stein unfortunately fails to uplift the plodding storyline and everyone probably believe an upsize Lycan can solve everything in the finale.
Although the story is flagging, the Underworld franchise continues to attract a steady flow of credible actors. Series regulars Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy are missing in this one. On the other hand, other British veterans such as Stephen Rea (V For Vendetta) and Charles Dance (Games of Thrones) took up roles respectively as the director of Antigen and leader of an exiled Vampire clan. Kris Holden-Ried (The Tudors) turns up as the earlier mentioned, super-duper Hulk-like Lycan and Michael Ealy (Takers) plays Detective Sebastian Shaw, the human ally of Selene.
It’s disappointing to see the Underworld franchise going fast downhill and hollow liked the “Residential Evil” series. Guns-toting Kate Beckinsale is cool. Killing chasing Lycans down a cosmopolitan city in a van is exhilarating. But the incredible brief and weak screenplay only cheapens the whole production turning “Awakening” into a pale entry in the entire series.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Filmmakers’ Commentary - A total of 5 participants including Producers Richard Wright and Gary Lucchesi, Directors Marlind and Stein and Executive Producer and Visual Effects Supervisor James McQuaide talk about the visual effects, shooting in 3D, plotting and lots more. A pretty detailed commentary track if you are a fan of the Underworld series.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Looking black and blue as per the previous instalments, images on the whole look intentionally washed-out but detailed. Soundwise, the audio soundtrack is bursting with surround sound effects like bullets zipping with perfect clear dialog.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Fung Kai
Cast: Alan Kuo, Alien Huang, Crystal Lin, Esther Liu, Chun Liao, Chen Bo Zheng, Li Liren, Matilda Tao, Ke Shu Qin
RunTime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.facebook.com/DinTao
Opening Day: 31 May 2012
Synopsis: Ah-Tai (Alan Kuo) was born and raised in one of Taichung’s most notable Din-Tao troupes. His father (Chen Bo Zheng) had deemed him a good-for-nothing since his childhood days. Ah-Tai’s rebellious streak had strained their father-son relationship as such. With a stroke of chance, Ah-Tai is unintentionally appointed the leader of the troupe. This resulted in suspicions and distrust arising from both troupe members and the rival troupe led by Ah-Xian (Alien Huang). Ah-Tai decides to prove his worth by embarking on a performance journey across Taiwan with his young troupe members. This coming-of-age tale hopes to ignite the waning interests of Din Tao traditions through one man’s vision and the value of family bonds.
Movie Review:
And you thought that Hong Kong movies were the only victims of our local system of dubbing non Mandarin film. The latest production to be lost in translation is this Taiwanese film about Din Tao, a traditional ritual performed to express appreciation towards deities at religious festivals. Veteran and award winning Taiwanese television director Fung Kai tries his hand at helming a feature film, at the same time attempting to educate and interest viewers of this age old tradition.
The story is anything but original: A wayward son of a Din Tao troupe leaves his hometown to study music overseas – simply because he does not believe in tradition. He returns a failed musician, and as the screenwriters would have it, he has to take over the troupe to uphold the group’s reputation. Can he prove his self worth at the end of the day (or to put things in context, the end of the film’s 123 minute runtime)? You bet!
Popular actor singer Alan Kuo (son of the late Taiwanese stuntman actor Blackie Ko) portrays the hot headed protagonist in this Lunar New Year release in Taiwan, while Alien Huang (last seen in Michelle Chong’s directorial debut Almost Famous) plays a fellow hot headed teenager in a rival troupe. This casting decision is probably the filmmakers’ convenient tactic to attract younger audiences into the theatres – one that obviously worked, considering how it is Taiwan’s highest grossing movie in 2012.
Kuo tries his best to play the modernised son who is always at loggerheads with his old fashioned father, but it is evident there is still some work to be done before he can command adequate screen presence. His rugged look serves him well though, and we are guessing it won’t be long before he gets his leading man status. Meanwhile, Huang has the misfortune of landing himself with a rather unlikable role. Coupled with limited screen time, all we remember is him shouting and wailing at the good guys.
The supporting characters, on the other hand, are a memorable bunch. Be it the loud and brash girl who eventually falls for the protagonist, the autistic son boy finds his worth in the troupe, the hunky but effeminate member of the troupe, or the quietly supportive mother, they manage to colour the movie with memorable moments.
As with many other Taiwanese productions, this one is unabashedly sappy. Expect melodramatic showdowns, overlong but predictable plot developments, sappy emotional sequences – all thankfully shot with commendable production values. Fans of the Taiwan entertainment industry will also spot familiar faces like Li Liren, Matilda Tao and Fang Wen Lin.
Oh, did we mention our main gripe with this movie? It’s almost entirely dubbed in Mandarin, which does nothing but make the movie lose its flavour. While we watch the characters go about trying to preserve their culture by overcoming one obstacle after another, while we hear the performers perform drums, acrobatics and dances for the contemporary crowd, and while we are fed with lessons on morals and manhood, we are constantly bugged by the Mandarin dubbing. For that, the local version of this feel good movie gets half a star less than it should.
Movie Rating:
(A feel good movie about tradition that’s marred by Mandarin dubbing)
Review by John Li
Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: David Chang
Cast: Jaycee Chan, Ha Yu, Chen Han-Tien, Jessica C, Vivian Dawson, Deng Jiajia, Chang Fei, Hey Girls
RunTime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: PG13 (Brief Coarse Language)
Released By: Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 14 June 2012
Synopsis: A 400-year old national treasure painting will be exhibited for the first time in Taipei.
Jay, the hot-shot security officer in charge of the painting's safety, is busy preparing for the event, when his life is turned upside down by a bumbling tourist from Beijing -- Ocean who is a security officer in his town. While visiting the museum, he becomes the only witness to the theft of the antique painting by Z, an International crime boss.
Jay forces Ocean to join him on the quest to retrieve the painting. While on the road, the two guys are constantly at each others' throats... However, the duo eventually learnt to put aside their differences and work together as a team...
Movie Review:
Before Jackie Chan unveils what he has touted as his ‘last big action movie’, his son Jaycee Chan offers up this appetiser for audiences starved of the kind of ‘kungfu’ action-comedy the older Chan built his name on in the 1980s and 1990s. The similarities between Jaycee’s ‘Double Trouble’ and Jackie’s upcoming ‘Chinese Zodiac’ are uncanny- both have the respective lead star chasing after some ancient treasure stolen by baddies who have no respect for culture and every intention for wealth.
Whereas ‘Zodiac’ will have Jackie in pursuit of the 12 bronze heads of the Chinese zodiac, ‘Trouble’ has Jaycee playing a brash security guard going after a priceless 400-year-old painting about to be put on display at the National Museum. The target of an international art thief Z (Vivian Dawson) who sends his two incredibly beautiful minions (Jessica C and Shoko) to do the crime, the painting is in the melee misplaced in Mainland tourist Jane’s (Deng Jiajia) bag. Hence begins a chase around the touristy spots of Taiwan as Jay attempts to retrieve the painting before Z’s two henchmen- beg your pardon, henchwomen- do.
The plotting is as straightforward as it gets, so to enliven the proceedings, Jay gets a sidekick in the form of Mainland tourist Ocean (Xia Yu)- the latter also coincidentally a security guard in Beijing. When they first meet, the over-enthusiastic do-gooder Ocean mistakes Jay for a burglar and the ensuing confusion inadvertently causes Jay to lose the painting and Ocean to be separated from his tour group. As formula would dictate of such buddy comedies, Jay and Ocean will start off bickering non-stop, before finally embracing each other as partners.
If you’re expecting the likes of ‘Rush Hour’, well our advice is to lower your expectations drastically- while Jaycee and Xia Yu are both likeable in their own roles and alongside each other, neither their banter nor bicker is more than mildly amusing. The problem is twofold- first, the script by Zhang Hongyi and Yeh Sho-Heng generally lacks a sense of humour; and second, the supposedly mismatched pair of guards are just too genial to be engaging. The supporting acts are unfortunately little help- Chen Han-Dian’s high-strung local tour guide Idol is too strained to be amusing, while Chang Fei’s local gangster type Wu is too nondescript.
As lacklustre as the comedy is the action, which only serves to remind us the kind of action star Jaycee Chan is not. Granted that this is his first true-blue action movie, but Jaycee has a long long way to go if he aspires to walk in the footsteps of his father. For starters, the wirework is just too obvious, and his moves too mechanical to come off as anything more than rehearsed. Of course, none of his opponents are martial arts exponents in their own right, which renders their sparring amateurish.
Making his feature film debut, director David Hsun-Wei Chang shows little flair at big-scale action setpieces. The first, featured prominently in the trailer, has Jay and Ocean fending off V (Jessica C) and M (Shoko) atop a moving bus- but aside from being just run-of-the mill, the use of green screen in some shots is all too apparent. Ditto the film’s final fight between Z and Jay, which is too conveniently over by the time Ocean decides to give Jay a hand just so the script can prove its point at teamwork. Most inexcusable however is Chang’s decision to set one of the fights in a dark shipping container, making the action just impossible to make out.
Whether as an action movie, or as a comedy, or both, ‘Double Trouble’ falls short in both respects. Even its none-too-subtle subtext of warmer ties between China and Taiwan falls flat, coming across as little more than propaganda inserted by Mainland investors of this cross-strait production. And as appetiser for what we hope is Jackie Chan’s grand finale to his illustrious career in action moviemaking, it is merely passable, leaving one lamenting how Jaycee is but a pale shadow of his father’s former self.
Movie Rating:
(Middling action sequences and tired comic banter make this a lacklustre action-comedy unlikely to be the star-making vehicle it was meant to be for Jaycee Chan)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: Another night falls over Gotham City and with the darkness out crawls the crime and villiany from the shadows. The days of The Batman and other noble super heroes are but faded memories, violence and despair are now the harbingers of our time. But one event will set a change into motion when Harvey "Two Face" Dent shuns a former rehabilitated life for a descent into corruption, an aged and weathered Bruce Wayne dons the mask and cape once more.
MOVIE REVIEW:
In an ideal world, this will likely be the foundation for the next live-action Batman movie. However since Nolan has expressed his desire to move on after completing this summer hit, “The Dark Knight Rises”, Warner Bros has decide to reboot the classic superhero again in the coming years. Pity.
Based on the Frank Miller’s 1986 four issue comic book series, “The Dark Knight Returns”, Part 1 of this DC Universe animated production opens in Gotham City where crime rates has hit a new high. Batman has retired from public eyes for a decade. Commissioner Gordon is retiring and the Joker is still admitted in the asylum. But with the supposed reformed Harvey Dent out to create social menace and the increasingly threatening existence of “The Mutants”, the aged Batman must once again fight against his own demons, dons his cowl to tackle the leader of the mutants and bring hope to the decaying city.
For a compact 75 minutes, this animation is jam packed with action and narration. It’s never easy to translate Miller’s scribing to the big screen but writer Bob Goodman and director Jay Olivia did an excellent job reproducing the gist of his work to the feature so as not to alienate non-followers of the graphic novels. Of course, it’s impossible to incorporate every single detail but at least the tone of it remains. Despite a PG13 rating, “The Dark Knight Returns Part 1” is edgy and bone-crunching to say the least and the confrontation between Batman and the leader of the mutant (which look and sound like Bane) is definitely unnerving. And the highlight of it is probably Batman driving a superbly-armed gigantic Bat-tank against the mutants. Other aspects of the story that deserved more exposition is the death of Batman’s partner, Robin and the rather hurried introduction of a 13 year old girl, Carrie Kelly who became Batman’s newest sidekick.
“The Dark Knight Returns Part 1” introduces an entirely new voice casting. Regular Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy makes way for Peter Weller (Robocop) who stood in as the gravelly sound Batman. David Selby sounds a little off as Commissioner Gordon while we can’t wait for Michael Emerson as the Joker. As per prior DCU titles, animation on the whole retains the usual blocky style and the hand-drawn/CG artwork never disappoint. If you love “Batman: Year One”, then you will enjoy “The Dark Knight Returns Part 1” as well. Part 2 is coming in early 2013, likely hitting your nearest retailer earlier than the live-action reboot.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The filmmakers of DC Animated take viewers into the sneak peek of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 and Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Trailers of ThunderCats and The Dark Knight Rises are also included.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
This animated feature visual presentation is fantastic. Detailed and colours are bleak when it is require, not much of a complaint overall. However, the Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is on the weak side, it’s loud and aggressive on the front but sounds less impressive for the rear.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Crime/Comedy/Drama
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Rick Dial, Gary Teague, Tommy G. Kendrick, Larry Jack Dotson, Veronica Orosco, Mona Lee Fultz, Brady Coleman
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG13 (Brief Coarse Language)
Official Website: http://bernie-the-movie.com/
Opening Day: 12 July 2012
Synopsis: In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.
Movie Review:
One of the greatest feats “Bernie” pulls off is that it manages to be uproariously funny without straining for witty punchlines or stooping to cheap gags. The film’s sly humour is laced with a dark undertone. In the opening scene, we see the titular character, played by Jack Black, a mortician in a small town in Texas, giving a lesson on how best to make a dead body look good. He runs through even the tiniest of details, and by the end of this lesson, the corpse he is attending to looks flushed with life. It’s all rather ridiculous - and more than a little macabre – trying so hard to make a dead body look animated, but it’s easy to feel amused by the whole endeavor. This scene perfectly nails the entire tone of “Bernie”.
The film is inspired by an article titled “Midnight in the Garden of East Texas” published in the Texas Monthly back in 1997. It is the true crime story of Bernie Tiede, and Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), the rich widow whom he murdered. Set in the small town of Carthage in East Texas, the movie is styled as a mockumentary, featuring interviews with people – played by actors, probably, but so convincing they seem almost “real” - in Carthage.
Bernie is something of an oddity in this little town: reserved, notoriously mild-mannered, very affectionate … and single. The single part, coupled with his unabashed love for musical theatre, have set tongues wagging in his town that he may be secretly gay. He displays a bewildering amount of attention towards the older ladies of Carthage, all while neglecting the younger girls who would have readily given him a chance at a date. And then one day, Marjorie Nugent, whose rich oil magnate husband has passed away, employs the services of Bernie to manage the funeral procession.
Mrs Nugent’s quite the grouch, or as the townsfolk prefer to call her, a bitch; when she first appears on screen her face is scrunched up in a wrinkled ball of bitterness, and she deliberately stays a steely arm’s length distance away from everyone else. But Bernie being the gentle, sweet soul that he is, decides to try to ease her pain and win her over, and so he does. They grow close, very close, and even go on holidays together. Mrs. Nugent steadily grows fond – and subsequently attached – to him, and she starts to possessively insist on his unwavering attention. Her demands start suffocating Bernie, and something in him soon snaps. One day in her house, he shoots her four times in the back with a gun.
Their relationship is bound up with ambiguity. Richard Linklater made a wise step here by choosing to leave it to the viewers’ imagination what exactly the nature of the relationship was. Whereas other directors may have chosen to forcefully impose a particular view of Bernie and Mrs Nugent, he prefers a subtler approach. His films have always been distinctly humanistic in their respectful and sensitive treatment of individuals (“Before Sunset”, “Before Sunrise”, “School of Rock”), and “Bernie” is no different. So Bernie’s sexuality is not of importance here, and neither really is the true nature of Bernie’s relationship with Mrs Nugent – you be the judge for both. What matters most is why they did what they did, why they felt the way they felt – basically, the things that make us human.
Black, in what is likely to be his highest career point, lends the character his trademark goofiness and sweetness, but this time he reigns in that anarchic energy to turn in a more somber performance. This is the most restraint I’ve ever seen in Black. Linklater deserves props for the casting, and so much more: he has struck a fine balance between comedy and drama, and created a film which is satirical without being venomous, moving without being exploitative. “Bernie” isn’t merely inspired by a real life story – it is absolutely inspired. Period.
Movie Rating:
(Hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure)
Review by Raymond Tan
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Ole Bornedal
Cast: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Madison Davenport, Natasha Calis, Grant Show, Quinn Lord, Rob LaBelle, John Cassini
RunTime: 1 hr 32 mins
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG13 (Some Disturbing Scenes)
Official Website:
Opening Day: 20 September 2012
Synopsis: Inspired by true events, THE POSSESSION is the terrifying story of how one family must unite in order to survive the wrath of an unspeakable evil. Clyde and Stephanie Brenek see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter, Em, becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a dibbuk – a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.
Movie Review:
When it comes to aesthetics, The Possession isn’t the most subtle. A perpetually gloomy sky hangs over a largely abandoned neighbourhood, casting unbidden suspicions of trouble, whether it’s of the murderer-lurking-around variety or the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night sort. Whichever it is, the only real trouble here stems from the pointless attempt at hammering the most conventional horror movie tropes into another by-the-numbers possession movie. Which leaves us where, exactly? The Possession does offer impressive CG visuals, but it’s ultimately too safe to shock and too predictable to really scare. Unless you’re a die-hard horror fan, don’t bother.
Now, we don’t mean to take any heat off the movie, but just so you know, producer and horror maestro Sam Raimi has admitted that the ‘based on a true story’ thing going on in the film is actually not based on a true story. That said, you shouldn’t be too worried about accidentally buying a haunted box like what our victim here did: Soon-to-be-divorced couple Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) are struggling to provide enough care and attention to their children. After youngest daughter Em stumbles upon an antique wooden box at a yard sale, she becomes strangely obsessed with. Initially writing off Em’s increasingly erractic behaviour as divorce-related stress, the estranged couple must unite to save their daughter after discovering something more sinister inside her.
The evil in question here is a dybbuk, a spirit that finds a host to gradually devour. Or in this case, one that occasionally comes out to chit chat with the host. “Mummy, I’m talking to my friend,” says Em as she enthusiastically waves her Barbie doll at the air in front of her. Most of us have seen enough horror movies to grab the child and race out of the house the moment the youngest daughter claims that she’s speaking to an imaginary friend. But nobody in The Possession has ever seen a horror movie, so they just conveniently brush it off as stress. Even when her father finds her staring blankly into space as thousands of moths slowly engulf her, the movie tells us that the moths may have penetrated the enclosed room. In not going for making much sense, The Possession becomes easier to appreciate.
That appreciation is true for those who have been accustomed to the many cinematic machinations of horror flicks. The Possession has absolutely no ambition to stray from expectations, cavorting in the silliness of repeatedly throwing eerie stares and something-weird-wants-to-get-out-of-my-mouth scenarios at the audience as if these scenes are the most fashionable scare tactics today. Structurally, the movie is a puppet of the most basic horror storytelling technique, abruptly pushing its characters out of illogical calmness to outright panic before sending them to conduct a do-or-die exorcism that inevitably ends with someone’s death. This one two punch of staleness means that there’s nothing in here for you if you aren’t already a fan of horror movies.
So while The Possession isn’t a great film, it’s perfectly fine entertainment for anyone who’s looking for a decent follow-up to The Exorcist, the progenitor of the current crop of possession movies. I had an okay time with this movie, fully knowing that it’s just going to be another one of those horror shows that’s exhausting to make sense of and explain clearly. Depending on whether you’re already a fan of horror shows like I am, The Possession could either be decent or plain awful.
Movie Rating:
(An overly conventional movie that doesn’t bother to do anything new with the genre, The Possession is strictly for horror fans; others need not apply)
Review by Loh Yong Jian
SYNOPSIS: Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) challenges the system and defies conventional wisdom when his is forced to rebuild his small-market team on a limited budget. Despite opposition from the old guard, the media, fans and their own field manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Beane - with the help of a young, number-crunching, Yale-educated economist (Jonah Hill) - develops a roster of misfits…and along the way, forever changes the way the game is played.
MOVIE REVIEW:
For a start, I’m going to go against the flow for this one. “Moneyball” is not exactly a terrific movie despite chocking up 6 nominations in the Academy Award nevertheless it’s not a really bad one either.
Based on a book and written for the screen by Oscar winners Steven Zaillian (American Gangsters) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network), A-lister Brad Pitt plays Oakland Athletics’ general manager, Billy Beane who pairs up with a young Yale economics graduate, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to assess players using a never-before-use statistical method based on their on base percentage (OBP). Facing initial objections from the club’s old-school scouts and manager, Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Beane and Brand’s strategy finally works with the Oakland Athletics winning of 20 consecutive games and also the golden opportunity to be the GM of the Boston Red Sox for Beane.
Marketed as a mainstream sports movie for the masses, “Moneyball” is all about the behind-the-scenes of the world of baseball. Numbers crunching, deep analyzing and plenty of talk and by that it literally means 133 minutes of pure talk. It can be agonizing to most audience whom without doubt has little or no prior knowledge of baseball but then again, if you are keen to listen to some sharp dialogue scribed by Zaillian and Sorkin then you are in the right place. At least for the first half, director Benette Miller (Capote) keeps things interestingly enough. The tabletop meeting between Beane and his old-timers are witty and comical. You didn’t know having a sexy girlfriend can make one a confident fellow until now. The relationship between Beane and his daughter, from an ex-wife and his hiring of the Ivy League theorist, Brand gives insight to a loner who pretty much prefer driving in his truck listening to his FM, working in the gym than attending his team’s matches.
Turning 48 has not dimmed the star of Brad Pitt in fact age has certainly make him a much more charismatic actor than his “Meet Joe Black” era. Despite Pitt turning in a low-key but superb performance and Jonah Hill playing against type and Seymour Hoffman’s incredible presence, “Moneyball” starts becoming dry by the 60 minutes mark with the occasional excitement delivering the goods. All that business dealings and arguments simply get tedious after one act too many and the archival footages did not help either since our national pastime is not baseball.
Even it does delivered a meaningful message of how a group of underdogs can achieve the upper hand without going broke, “Moneyball” is not as accessible as “A League of their Own” or “Bull Durham” touted as one of the best baseball movies ever made yet. It has its fair share of strong points but still, for the general audience do proceeds with caution.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
There are 12 minutes worth of Deleted Scenes, most just extension of existing scenes.
Author Michael Lewis, Director Bennett Miller, Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and Billy Beane talk about the baseball scene in Billy Beane: Re-inventing the Game.
Watch how Brad Pitt cracks up in Blooper with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.
Moneyball: Playing the Game is a 19 minutes segment that focus on creating the sets, costumes, cinematography etc.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Colours and images are sharp and detailed while “Moneyball” is not a title to showcase fancy sound effects, dialogue on the other hand, which constitutes a major portion, is incredibly clear.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by Linus Tee
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KICKING TO THE TOPPosted on 19 May 2012 |
Four words to describe this review: Better late than never. Imagine our pleasant surprise when we received this soundtrack from the music distributor. We have heard lots of good things about the music for Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s neo noir crime thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. Now, to blast the tracks on our player – it had better not disappoint.
French electronic musician Kavinsky’s hypnotic “Nightfall” opens the 70 minute disc. The song played during the film’s opening credits sequence also sets the tone for the rest of the soundtrack.
The following four songs are atmospheric in their own ways. Desire, a musical act from Montreal, Canada and Portland, Oregon performs “Under Your Spell”, a synthpop tune dripping with coolness. College, a musical project by French electronica musician David Grellier plays the alluring “A Real Hero” featuring Electronic Youth.
Italian composer Riz Ortolani’s dramatic “Oh My Love” featuring Katyna Ranieri and American electronic music band Chromatics’ rhythmic “Tick of the Clock” round up the song section of the soundtrack.
Cliff Martinez, former drummer known for his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Captain Beefheart contributes the score for this cult film. Having composed music for Contagion (2011) and Drive (2000) before this, the New York born musician is evidently more comfortable with his style for ambient electronic music.
The opening score cue “Rubber Head” illustrates this point – the mesmerizing beautiful has no clear melody to it, but it is therapeutic just listening to the track resonating in the air. Same goes for the tracks that follow, which include the moodily beautiful “I Drive”, the melancholically enchanting “He Had A Good Time” and the morosely lingering “They Broke His Pelvis”.
Elsewhere, you’ll want to soak yourself in the mood of things with cues like “Wrong Floor”, “My Name on a Car” and the finale “Bride of Deluxe”. This is no ordinary soundtrack album. It is one that is too cool to be true, and one that you’ll want to experience yourself to understand what we mean.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (6) Rubber Head - Cliff Martinez
Review by John Li
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