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514,954 | 317,399 | 117,571 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Scream ( DVD 1996 )
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It actually took me 9 years to finally watch this slasher flick classic , and I'm now kicking my rear that I should've watched it when it premiered in local theatres back then . Credited as sparking off a slew of copycat slasher films in the late 90s , and reintroducing Wes Craven to a whole new generation , Scream will remain an important milestone for the horror-slasher genre . Starring a relatively young and unknown ( then ) cast , Drew Barrymore opens in what is probably the most recognizable start to a horror movie , with her demise after being caught in a cat-and-mouse telephone call with the primary killer in the movie , a psychopath who dons the Halloween " Scream " costume . That famous opening aside , Neve Campbell plays the main lead Sydney , a student who's now the new target of the killer . Given her complicated background of having her mom killed about a year ago , she is spooked by the fact that she could have sentenced the wrong killer to prison , and the real one is still out there , stalking her . As with slasher movies , her group of friends become suspects and cannon fodder for the killer . What works is that although the cast is huge , and almost everyone is a suspect ! The film doesn't let off throwing at you the red herrings , making you wonder what could be , and if it is . Looking at the film , the killer is not the invulnerable being that always gets his prey . Here , he does get hit and attacked , which adds a totally new , believable dimension towards the instinct for survival . Also , there are tons of movie references which will keep every movie buff totally happy and jumping with glee at identifying them . I'd like the part where one of the characters laid down the 3 rules of horror films : Never have sex because only virgins survive , never smoke or drink , and never say " I'll be back " , because you won't . Sort of summarizes every horror movie out there , doesn't it ? And the ending totally rocks . The script is intelligent ( for a horror-slasher movie ) , and will catch you off guard , if you haven't been reading anything to spoil the movie , after 9 long years . Sadly , this Code 3 DVD contains no extras besides the norm of scene selection and subtitles . Pity .
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515,095 | 317,399 | 1,160,629 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Suspect X
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I have mulled over the story for a bit , and while I'm fairly convinced in the way it presented itself to stay true to its theme , I can't help but feel that I'm still suckered into feeling the same way as the cops do , in being made to see things from one singular point of view just because the logic points itself that way conveniently , rather than to peek around the corner and see it under a different light . But if you believe and buy into its idea and rationale , then Suspect X's story would appeal to you definitely . Which is the power of love , which by itself causes one to do irrational things . I won't refute the point though , because otherwise we won't see florists making a killing during the already - so - commercialized - it's - meaningless Valentine's day . To make its point , we have someone who's highly logical in manners , demeanour and genetic makeup , to undergo a transformation due to being struck by cupid's arrow . But does this irrationality extend to assisting and becoming an accessory to murder ? One can only wonder . That in itself is the issue that one has to buy into , in order to enjoy the film . A murder is committed by a single mother and child , and because he is smitten with his love for that single mother , mathematics genius and professor Tetsuya Ishigami ( Shinichi Tsutsumi ) helps them by applying deep logic into the creation of alibis , and instructing them with pinpoint accuracy , their behaviour , answers and such when the police come knocking on their door . There's a twist to it all of course , but it's more akin to the treatment as seen in Confessions of Pain , where the extent of the killings had its hand shown early in the film , so those looking for a whodunnit , or an investigative crime drama where the investigators get stumped , would be expecting a totally different film altogether . Instead , the story goes behind and looks at motivation . The deed is done , but the mystery here is the Why , and here's where help to the cops , come in the form of expert physicist Galileo Yukawa ( Fukuyama Masaharu ) . The opening scene that set the stage had actually piqued my interest , as we see a classroom experiment seamlessly transition into a full scale , military styled showcase . Unfortunately , that's just one of the better parts of the film in terms of using scientific knowledge to help solve crimes . Unlike L in The Death Note series , the intelligence quotient here has some real world links ( hey it's physics after all ) , and our hero has zero affiliation with law enforcement , helping only because of the challenge the situation posed . Don't expect some heavy theorems being thrown at your face , as the story smartly avoids situations to alienate its audience . In fact , what it boiled down to , was succinctly summarized in one line where two friendly adversaries face off with each other across a road . The question posed was which side each of them was on , whether one would prefer to create the perfect , unsolvable puzzle , or to be the one who can solve the unsolvable puzzle , where for both there is an answer to . To that , the setting of the stage , and the throwing of the gauntlet , I have to salute how director Hiroshi Nishitani had it all planned out and delivered . Something that disturbed me a little during the film , was the not too subtle sexual discrimination against the female cop Kaoru Utsumi . A prime suspect is referred to as sexy ( though I have to admit Yasuko HanaokaXXX does look attractive , being cast as a bar hostess ) , but the more surprising one , was how the cops in the department were pushing Kaoru around , often referring her to do some menial tasks like fetching coffee , or ridiculed against when she came across as unprepared . There wasn't any statement made about it , but happened more as a matter-of-fact . Perhaps to echo some sentiments that such discrimination still happens ? As mentioned , it took me a while to mull upon the film , looking at it from a separate angle than I first had when the end credits roll . I may not had subscribed to the plausibility of how love can affect oneself to do silly things , to the extreme as that in the story , but I suppose it can happen given many crimes of passion that we read about from time to time , and with the little nugget of wonders that happen at sporadic intervals throughout , I'm come to the verdict that Suspect X is still worth your while . Just chuck that expectation of a whodunnit-mystery - thriller at the door .
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514,482 | 317,399 | 848,538 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Kung Fu Dunk
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This project was originally conceived as the movie version of popular Japanese manga SlamDunk ! and that's not something new to Jay Chou , who made his movie debut playing a character from another wildly popular manga Initial D . Along the way , it was decided to incorporate some kung fu into the movie , so hence the title , even if the idea wasn't very original , with Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer coming to mind with martial arts and ball games combined . However , and thankfully , those scenes where kung fu actually influenced the games were kept to a bare minimum , and in Kung Fu Dunk , really quite unnecessary , because they don't add much to the plot nor drum up much excitement , and at most offered some cheap laughs and reminisced about the time when Stephen Chow used kung fu in football games . Jay Chou is comfortable in his role as a martial artist Fang Shi-jie since it's not the first time he fought using martial arts ( Curse of the Golden Flower anyone ? ) , and under the stunt direction of Ching Siu-Tung , he was made to look really believable as he trashes countless of gangsters in a bar as seen in the trailer , just to let you know who's boss . That was almost why his character is made a kung fu practitioner , and for the fact of giving him an excuse for being a top shot , able to shoot the hoops from practically any angle . And with Eric Tsang as a small time hustler Chen-Li who sees his potential and becomes his agent , he joins a university to play varsity basketball , but not without the initial objection of team captain Ting-wei ( Chen Bo-Lin ) and team star Xiao-lan ( Baron Chen , in his big-screen debut ) . But you know with team members on the same side , it's not before long they combine their strengths to take on adversaries on the basketball court . And I will stick my neck out to say that this movie is to basketball just as how Goal was to football . It made the sport look good because of its charismatic characters , despite them dripping so much coolness and aloofness on the courts . Here , special effects and wire-work were employed to make the actors seem like professionals who can take out a top side in the NBA league , and in all honesty , really looked stunning , especially when they mimic various dunking moves , and performing combo-moves thanks to technology and stunt work . So in actuality , the kung fu elements don't really have to be in the movie . The stunt work itself will be able to justify most of the moves as they're quite grounded to reality , only having you to suspend belief that boys of average height have springs in their feet to leap that height for a professional dunk . Pity too that the number of games were only a handful , with the time spent on plenty of subplots , but each were loosely developed and flitted in and out of the story as and when they please . Things like the abandoned Shi-jie's quest to use the basketball games to get his parents to one day attend them , that of gangsterism penetrating and influencing games , and his love life with Charlene Choi in yet another flower vase role just to look good and do nothing else . Everyone's acting a little too cool , leaving little room for main characters to add depth . One of the key themes here is the realization of the importance of teamwork rather than on individual talent and ability , and it could have been brought out much stronger if the players themselves interacted a lot more off the court , than only on it , and during competitive games , apart from the high-fives and friendly passes . With the US$10 million budget , it is easy to see where the money went to - the effects , in particular , a massive fantasy sequence at a crucial point in the movie . It's quite flawless , nice to look at and probably justifiable on its quality alone , but again I like to emphasize , that even without those elements , the basketball stunts itself would still make this a decent movie with nifty basketball moves . And having Jay Chou playing for your team is a big boost to any hopes of a box office success .
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515,497 | 317,399 | 228,750 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) Proof of Life ( 2000 )
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What happens in real life will inevitably have an effect on the reel one . Tom Cruise learnt that with his strange antics in real life - his screen one suffered with a less than expected stellar box office for M : I : 3 despite positive critical reviews . Way back in 2000 , Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan learnt that too , with their rumoured romance while shooting this movie , one of the many reasons resulting in this becoming a box office bomb . I felt that it was not a bad movie actually , given the story which I found interesting in the first place , for its extremely distant relation to what I'm doing , and being an action adventure movie , it works with its fair share of big action sequences . Russell Crowe plays Terry Thorne , a consultant in the Security and Crisis Response Unit of Luthan Risk International . His job is to negotiate the safe return of Kidnap and Ransom ( K & R ) victims around the world , and of course , this brings him frequently to where the action is , during the payment of ransoms and the extraction of hostages . He yearns for a management role , but as always , if you're an excellent field operative , you're played to your strengths out there . Which brings him to his latest client , Meg Ryan's Alice Bowman , whose husband Peter Bowman ( David Morse ) , an employee with the biggest international oil firmed , gets kidnapped by chance during a raid in Ecuador . There are numerous scenes in the movie to perk your interest in this much behind-the-scenes industry of K & R , the terrorist ( ? ) groups ' motivation , and how the entire business is conducted , with the engagement of peers as well as the involvement of shady government personnel . There are many fine touches that might go unnoticed , like how network of contacts and peers are milked , cooperation extended , the wheelings and dealings of large multinational corporations , and politics in general . But the focus moves quickly towards a micro one , that between Thorne and Alice Bowman , as he accomplishes to build her trust in him that he's the best in the business and knows what he's doing . Perhaps this is one of the rare movies that allowed Crowe to be an Australian ( and keep the accent ) in a Hollywood production . His Thorne is oozes enough machismo to carry the action through and is credible enough to be believed as a veteran in the business . Meg Ryan this time round has a more serious character to play , albeit at times a weepie one , steering well clear of the pretty ditzy blonde comedic roles she has become accustomed to . They had probably shot some love scenes for this movie , but I suppose the bad press resulted in those scenes ending up on the cutting room floor . The romance between the character was also almost squashed out , save for the out of place suggestion of a strong physical attraction which rears its ugly head in the second half of the movie , slowing the pace down a little without much mature development . I thought that should it had been removed entirely , it'll probably end up a stronger movie , with Thorne more in character as a mission driven individual . The first David , David Caruso , is finding a new lease of life back in television with CSI , since branching off to movies after NYPD Blue didn't augur too well for him . I thought his performance here was nothing much to shout about though . However David Morse , who usually plays supporting roles , put up an adequately engaging Peter Bowman as an executive caught in the wrong place at the wrong time , and examines the fear and desperation of a man kidnapped and constantly at the wrong end of a gun barrel . The theme song by Danny Elfman is addictive ( time to hunt it down ) , and the end credits was played over a helicopter view of the entire Ecuadorian landscape , just beautiful to look at . Clocking at just over 2 hours , it provided some good entertainment for a lazy Sunday afternoon . Code 3 DVD contains the behind the scenes making-of documentary ( 13 " 40 ' ) , the theatrical trailer , and the feature length audio commentary by director Taylor Hackford .
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514,733 | 317,399 | 381,505 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Pretty Persuasion
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I kinda liked this film for almost all the wrong reasons . It's politically incorrect and doesn't make any apologies for doing so , but yet demonstrates a notion that we can be bigots , and yet not be consciously aware of it . After all , it's what has already been internalized , but it becomes exposed quite naturally through our actions and dialogue . Evan Rachel Wood is the star of the movie . As Kimberly Joyce , she's the high school frat girl like Alicia Silverstone's Cher in Clueless , but in terms of character , she's on the other side of the spectrum . Way on the other side . She's looking for fame , and would do absolutely anything to obtain her 15 minutes worth . She's a temptress , a seductress , highly intelligent , and so manipulative , she can stab you in the back while smiling in front of you , with you none the wiser and probably still worshipping the ground she treads on . Which brings us back to the title , and makes you wonder if beautiful people can get away with almost anything . I guess it's probably almost human nature to be enchanted by the pretties , and anyone would most likely be lapping up at anything they say . It doesn't take much for a beautiful bitch to realize the power she wields on men who are drunk in her aura , and then to exploit this weakness of people around her . There are two more key reasons why I enjoyed the movie , besides being enchanted myself by the Kimberly character . The first is the dialogue in the movie - there's so much wit , and it's fast and laced with plenty of double entrées and satire , delivered in a deadpan manner by Rachel Wood no less , you would likely need to re-watch it again to grasp them all . The second is having Kimberly chaperon a newbie in school , an Arab girl called Randa ( Adi Schnall ) , raising some eyebrows as the religious girl gets exposed to pop culture and blatant insensitive racists remarks , and inevitably too becomes a pawn in the whole scheme of things , as does Kimberly's best friend Brittany ( Elisabeth Harnois ) discover that it's not always fine and dandy being the hunter , as there is always something or someone else higher above in the food chain . The host of supporting characters raised the movie to another notch . James Woods shines as the foul mouthed father of Kimberly , who sprouts words of wisdom peppered with colourful vulgar , racist remarks . Jamie King completes the household as the long suffering trophy wife / stepmother in the Joyce household , constantly bearing the brunt of insults hurled at her by Kimberly . At school , we have Ron Livingston as Percy Anderson , as the meek and mild mannered school teacher who indulges in role-playing games with the wife at home ( Selma Blair ) , and inadvertently becomes the target and public enemy # 1 of Kimberly and friends . And Jane Krakowski in a bimbotic role , stars as a news reporter who finds it increasingly difficult to stay objective when covering possibly the juiciest scandal to hit town . There's a sub theme running that touches on " saving face " , which is an issue to the successful in ensuring that their reputation does not get tarnished in the face of scandals , and is a trait that most Asians are familiar with . It's important that face is not ruined easily by careless actions , as face is something that is most difficult to build in an environment of shame . Having lost face and losing the faith to rebuild it , can lead people to an untimely sad demise . So if you're up for some scheming betrayal , and plenty of slimy tactics , if you want to observe how seemingly good intentions are actually poisoned barbs that kill slowly , then I hope I've already persuaded you enough to watch this flick .
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514,625 | 317,399 | 492,533 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Intimate
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If I were to summarize this movie in a few words , this would be it : Serendipity with plenty of sex . Telling a story of two strangers who meet by chance in an elevator , The Intimate follows their journey through the day and night ( which doesn't seem to end by the way ) , as they discover about each other , and about themselves in the process . Kinda like Before Sunrise in its treatment , the lovers , nameless except known as Boy ( Jo Dong-Hyuk ) and Girl ( Sung Hyun - Ah ) , play the usual courtship mind games , playing coy , being aggressive , taking turns to bust each others chops as they fall into each other's arms . Sounds like your typical romance movie , no ? At certain points the usual elements are there , like plot devices romanticizing a bench and hand drawn pictures , and the mushy things lovers whisper to the ears of another . Clichéd highlights include one needing to leave the country the next day , and the other being engaged to someone else , and now both of them , by Fate , are presented a chance to do something totally different . But in this story , it managed to take aged old questions of doubt , and weave a compelling movie around them . The basic question will be what is love . Is it supposed to be long drawn and lasting a lifetime , or is the feeling actually made up of short passionate bursts ? And after being with someone for so long , is it a question of being afraid to leave the comfort zone of familiarity , or does it boil down truly to faithfulness ? The nagging fear of being about to marry someone , and then you meet your soulmate - what do you do ? Blame the person for turning up in your life too late ? And it is somehow true that the longer you know someone , the more faults that you will find , and the question is , will you be able to live with those faults , or do you prefer to live in that constant crest of emotional highs and bailing out when the slightest inclination of such faults start to rear its head ? It helps that both leads are eye-candy , as they offer you a chance to answer some of those questions yourself if you were to put yourselves in their shoes and be offered the same set of temptations - here's what you currently have , and here's what someone else can offer . What would you do ? If there is a gripe , it'll be the one-dimensional fiancé that somehow has to be demonized in order to make the other option all the more appealing . It's a relatively engaging movie , though watching the out takes while the end credits rolled made you appreciate the movie's direction a little more . While those scenes which were left out may be seen as more interesting , somehow I felt it would have disrupted the pace and dragged events rather than having it all compacted into a screen duration of 24 hours . It would have been a totally different look and feel altogether , but probably not for the better .
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514,679 | 317,399 | 73,580 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Passenger
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I guess from time to time we've considered the notion of assuming someone else's identity , and wondered what life would be like if we were somebody else . Usually , we adopt from someone we already know of , or perceive to know , and chances are their predicament should be something more positive than what we are experiencing with our current selves . But what if it's someone else whom you have totally no clue who they are , or worse , leading a life that you won't want to touch with a 10 foot pole ? A very young , buff and rugged looking Jack Nicholson stars as the reporter David Locke in Michelangelo Antonioni's Professione : Reporter , and he's the titular character whose reporting career doesn't seem to get anywhere . Stuck in an unwanted assignment somewhere in Africa , he struggles to find some semblance of a life , getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of communication with the locals because of language skills , where the currency of choice happens to be cigarettes , and con-artists and incompetence seem everywhere . Like Antonioni's Le Amiche , he returns to his hotel only to find that the next door guest had passed away . In a moment of opportunity and without much thought , he trades identity with the guest , and in that case , fakes his own death . So you would expect friends and family members becoming concerned with the circumstances , not that the wife ( played by Jenny Runacre ) was an angel to begin with , and so begins a wild goose chase where they try and track him down when they realize that there was a possibility of an identity mix up , but more so , why he had wanted to assume another identity . In true Antonioni style , this is not a concern , as we follow in Il Grido fashion where the protagonist runs away from the life behind him , the new life of David Locke as he wanders from point to point , as he slowly learns that his born again life comes with many dangerous strings attached , and becomes romantically involved with an architectural student ( Maria Schneider ) , intriguing her with his supposed links with weapons smugglers , spies and rebel fighters , like Doc Brown who got entangled with Iranians in Back to The Future . Most of the story was filmed in Barcelona , and having appointments already pre-arranged by his predecessor makes it all the more easy for David to flit from site to site , each time getting a little bit more dangerous than the previous . I guess Jack Nicholson is as Jack Nicholson does , while he gives a relatively more subdued performance than we know what he's capable of , it's still no less than an arresting performance as he brings us on this journey to the big unknown . The much talked about climax which consists of a 7 minute single take remains as enigmatic as it is , which unveils a lot with numerous events happening at the same time , and which can be interpreted either way . Technically , the first 10 minutes or so of the movie suffered from bad audio which sounded quite airy , and for some documentary like sections , some aspect ratio differences were noticed . But that's just nit-picking on my part . Perhaps one of the more accessible Antonioni movies in his filmography , no doubt made more interesting with Nicholson in the lead , and that payoff right at the end . The screening concluded with a 12 minute documentary called The Last Sequence of The Passenger , which is a deconstruction of that fascinating sequence none other than Antonioni himself , in an interview . Here , he explains it in a little bit more detail , and shares with the audience how the shot was technically conceived and executed . As if like a DVD commentary , you can't have it any better than this with Antonioni providing the detail required as it is , and the gem is always of course having him bring us through his thought process .
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515,266 | 317,399 | 368,190 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : ( VCD ) Rabun ( 2003 )
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While awaiting the premiere of Mukhsin here , it's by incredible luck that I've managed to locate the Rabun VCD , and have the opportunity to watch writer-director Yasmin Ahmad's first feature length movie , after having enjoyed Sepet and Gubra so much , with the former still my personal # 1 favourite movie . The story is clearly an ode to Yasmin's parents , as the focus is squarely on the on screen version of Pak Atan ( M Rajoli ) and Mak Inom ( Kartina Aziz ) . It's a simple heartfelt story on the elderly folks as they journey out from the city to the village , where life is perceived to be easier , the neighbours nicer , and the environment just less complicated . But a series of events force them to rethink these assumptions , especially after interactions with Yem and his stepmother . What raised some eyebrows as personified by the Yasin character , is the observation of how love is professed amongst Pak and Mak . I don't see any qualms about them showering together , or tickling each other , but these are a flavour of some of the scenes in Sepet which got cut . Perhaps , like Yasin , some folks do take a while to get used to these lovey-dovey elements being portrayed , if one adopts a more conservative stand and freak out in knowing their elderly parents still make love . The cinematic style used in Rabun is clearly not the usual , with dialogue said without being seen , with the camera rarely moving , plenty of static shots or just the absence of close ups at times , preferring to film the scene from afar . As in Yasmin's later movies , Rabun is filled with an excellent soundtrack of music from everywhere , and I like that psychedelic sounding Thai music used , as well as the song used for the opening credits . In the world that Yasmin weaved in her movies , although the names of the characters are the same ( Orked's family ) , the movies feel related to one another , but not in the most direct of ways . You could force Rabun to be positioned much after the sequence of events in Gubra , but then again it somehow doesn't seem quite right . However , because the source and inspiration is the same , the characteristics of Pak and Mak do come across in similar fashion , no matter which movies , but as of now , I still prefer the Harith-Iskander-Ida-Nerina pairing . Look out for familiar faces playing different roles in Rabun and Gubra too ! Being Yasmin's first movie , I would like to think of Rabun as being the melting pot of ideas . Like how the character of Elvis ( played by Malaysian director Ho Yuhang ) , a Chinese guy explaining his fear of marrying a Muslim girl ( inter-racial romance in Sepet ) , certain touching dialogue making their way to the later films , said by the same characters , or a precursor to certain events that are played out in more detail ( Pak's illness in Gubra ) . For some reason I can't hold my enthusiasm when I saw Pak and Mak riding on a bicycle , a scene which we'll see with the young Mukhsin and Orked . And yes , I've finally seen the kuching berak ! : - D P . S . I'm still not quite satisfied with watching this once , will probably watch it again soon enough . And I lament that I'm probably missing quite a bit as certain lengthy dialogue were summarized in the English subtitles . I also suspect that there is more beneath the surface because it's hard to believe it's so deceptively simple , but I just can't articulate it properly after one viewing .
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514,982 | 317,399 | 1,401,171 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Beetle
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I guess you'd never know how much distance one's nostalgia and sentimentalism will take you . It could be bordering on obsession , but for filmmaker Yishai Orian , his love for his banged up , 40 year old Volkswagon Beetle knows no bounds , and this film is perhaps testament toward that love . Unhappy of course is his wife Eliraz , being driven around in a heap of junk on the verge of breaking down ever so often , and more worried about the baby on the way , hoping that Yishai would place priority on family and safety . Alas it seemed that such hope gets thrown out the window when Yishai decides to embark on a road trip to neighbouring Arab neighbour Jordan , based on rumours that it would logically be cheaper to repair his car there , and given the garage engineers also being more willing to do so after being turned down by so many on his home soil . And to add to the dilemma , he has to decide whether to use his savings to repair his Beetle , or to invest it on a high-tech pram . No guesses which he will decide , and whether the wifey is pleased with his final decision , which I think is how most domestic disagreement will come about ? with the man wanting to invest in his hobby and his other half thinking that he's not placing his priorities in life right . For those who has little knowledge on the not too subtle beginnings of the Beetle , it actually had some Nazi Germany roots when Adolf Hitler commissioned it as a cost-effective model for mass production . Hence the vehicle is born , and little would anyone realize that Israel would be more than willing to import a vehicle with such a beginning . But it did , and so we learn little anecdotes from past owners that Yishai managed to track down , for them to share memorable stories about their respective time with the vehicle that he's driving around now . Some of these are incredible , unbelievable even , but they did happen , and it only goes to show how much history can be packed into something that's almost half a century old . The road trip to Jordan opened up more memorable stories to tell , emphasizing that it's indeed a world without strangers , especially when it's out of compassion that one helps out a complete stranger from the other side of the border . While it's still a financial transaction , I think one appreciates the help that one had obtained , and from there build on some genuine friendships which extended even after the bill had been presented . Talk about having after a fine sales service ! And for Yishal's own personal memoirs , having time spent with Salam , a Jordanian child , also reinforced his beliefs about fatherhood and helped to allay some fears of real adulthood , and responsibility toward his own child in time to come . It's a delightful comedic documentary that doesn't try to hard to bring on the laughs . It's quite an honest piece of work in balancing one's primary loves in life , for Yishai's case the affection for his vehicle and that feeling of being responsible for those past productive years of his Beetle , having seen the smiles worn by its ex-owners , and that of his current family . Let's hope that seriously is some more significant mileage left in that piece of German engineering !
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514,618 | 317,399 | 445,922 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Across the Universe
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Viva la Beatles ! We're familiar with the many musicals that have come out of late , either being remade from stage to screen , or updated for today's era , the latest being Hairspray . And a musical made up entirely of songs by the Beatles , but not sung by the Beatles themselves ? While it is easy to make a movie based on songs by the " it " group of the time ( Spice World anyone ? ) and starring the singers themselves so that there won't be a nightmare in casting actors who can sing , or worse , start to mutilate the lyrics , how about throwing that mantra out of the window ? Across the Universe does exactly that . Who would've thought that the discography of the Beatles , diverse as they may be , could have a multitude of songs chosen , and strung together so nicely that it makes for a coherent musical all through 130 odd minutes of the story ? I thought it worked , and worked perfectly , and what came out of it are pretty kooky song and dance sequences that had everything thrown in from slick editing to psychedelic animation . Best of all , the cast members themselves lend their vocals , albeit having the music tweaked a little so that it doesn't sound exactly the same as having a collection of the Beatles ' greatest hits being popped into a CD and played ad nauseum . Set during the era of the Beatles themselves , Across the Universe is set mainly across the Atlantic in 60s USA , where the Vietnam War is abound . We're introduced to Jude ( convenient name to make you wait up for the inevitable song , as with the other names ) , played by Jim Sturgess , a Liverpool ( heh ) dock worker who gets himself to the USA in search of his long lost dad . He meets Max Carrigan ( Joe Anderson ) with whom he becomes fast friends with , and falls in love with his sister Lucy ( Evan Rachel Wood ) , a schoolgirl who had just lost her first boyfriend to the war . The movie is a simple tale of romance between two lovebirds , and you'd come to expect the usual boy - meets - girl - loses - girl - gets - girl - back routine , but what works is of course , the music by the Beatles . Adding texture and layer to the movie were the various subplots which had another relationship running parallel to that of Jude and Lucy's - their landlady Sadie ( Dana Fuchs ) , who is a rock musician , and her guitarist JoJo ( Martin Luther McCoy ) , as they call Come Together under one big roof , settling in a Bohemien lifestyle , which suits Jude's artistic talents just so nicely . It had plenty of loving , but conspicuously absent , and for the better , is drugs , except for a surreal underwater scene , and some really insane moments inside a big top , complete with wacky animation . What I thought the movie had taken a leaf out of Citizen Dog's was how love progressed and reached the doldrums , against the backdrop of the opposition to the War . While films like Born on the Fourth of July had very powerful statements to make , Across the Universe sort of adopted the stance that Forrest Gump had , with the love of Jude's life joining the opposition cause , much to his displeasure and becomes a barrier , but can't do anything much about it anyway , allowing unnecessary jealousy to come in between them , which became " I told you so " . Director Julie Taymor had an excellent cast to work with , not only do they sing well , but they brought out their characters perfectly . Evan Rachel Wood excelled as the teenage wide-eyed schoolgirl to whom we were introduced , who slowly turns to one with steely resolve , Jim Sturgess as the likable English bloke who stands witness to the tumultuous era that the US goes through , and microscopically , turns from a bastardly Dong Juan back home to monogamous Romeo in the US , but the one who takes the cake , is Joe Anderson's Max , who lives life with an immortal , youthful idealism , who goes where the wind takes him , until his dropping out of an ivy league college meant receiving the Draft , in one really hilarious sequence with Uncle Sam . All in , I can't vouch that the story will set to wow , but the songs , thank goodness for the Beatles , more than makes up for the cliché which goes straight through to the end . True Beatles fans will find tons of references not only from the songs , but from the various easter eggs scattered everywhere in the movie . They are really going to have a field day with this one . Viva la Beatles !
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515,244 | 317,399 | 870,944 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Nada So So
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Nada So So , loosely translated as Tears For You , broke box office records in Japan last year . It's a romance story , so its box office clout is no surprise , especially when starring teenage idols Satoshi Tsumabuki ( The Waterboys ) and Masami Nagasawa ( Crying Out Love from the Center of the World , Robocon ) . Given the screening I attended today was a full house , and almost everyone female , I guess I'm one of the rare few in the theatre who's there to watch Masami in her new movie , as I confess I'm totally smitten by that sunshine smile of hers . Directed by Nobuhiro Doi , who helmed one of my favourite movies of 2005 - Be With You , Nada So So tells the story of the Shingaki siblings - Yota ( Satoshi ) and Kaoru ( Masami ) . Left to fend for themselves at a very young age as their father had abandoned them , and their mom left for the heavens , these two half-siblings have only each other , with Yota taking on a surrogate father-like role in looking after Kaoru , working intense shifts and different jobs in order to pay for her education . As vowed on their mother's deathbed , he is obligated to provide the best for her , and does so almost to the extreme . It serves as a reminder not to overwork oneself , and to take time to smell the roses . Kaoru , having been brought up in a small island , makes it to the mainland in Okinawa , and her physical presence in her brother's life brings about an added dimension to her brother's love life with girlfriend Keiko ( Kumiko Aso ) . You see , while they are siblings , they aren't blood relations , and therefore to some , there are some ( sexual ) tensions between the two although they would like to discount it . People around them do feel , and while it's against natural order to those who are unaware of the true nature of their relations , these two do keep their feelings well under wraps . In fact , there's nothing too " wow " about the narrative , as any seasoned romantic film lover will be able to stay one or two steps well ahead of the story development . I'd come to think that the formula has been so tried and tested , anyone can transplant similar stories , with just an update in setting , premise , having different characters , and tada , a new movie . Okinawa provides plenty of picturesque scenes for the movie , and they are well utilized . Both Satoshi Tsumabuki and Masami Nagasawa bring vivid credibility to their characters , layering them with as much complexities as possible , often done through subtle gestures - that twinkle in the eye , that wry smile . Their chemistry as siblings is totally believable , as are their feelings for each other which they try desperately hard to hide . They make it believable for an audience to sympathize with their predicament , and showcased their ability to exhibit their brotherly-sisterly love for each other , as well as their attempts to hide behind veiled confessions and declarations . This might be a biased statement - but I thought Masami shuttled her Kaoru character with ease , between country bumpkin and smart sister , between that smiling happy girl and that sad depressing feeling of not being able to love someone the way she wants to . As always , there are numerous opportunities about for anyone soft hearted enough to fall prey to emptying their tear ducts from sad scenes , or scenes that want to elicit that response from you , so bring along some Kleenex just in case . In the screening I attended , there was no lack of sniffles and sobs heard all around . Do remember to stay throughout the end credits , as the theme song gets played over a montage sequence of photographs from that photo album , and finishes off with a very beautiful picture of Masami in a kimono central to the final act . Also , you'll be rewarded with a bonus scene right at the end . For the romantics out there , it's a little different in that it's not your usual boy-girl relationship , but it's love as strong nonetheless .
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514,717 | 317,399 | 404,032 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Exorcism of Emily Rose
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After watching this movie , I feel compelled to correct what the marketing folks did , promoting it like an outright horror movie with plenty of " BOO " moments , and not an inclination that a major portion of this film takes place in a courtroom . I believe the trailer does not even hint at this having courtroom drama-mama moments , to which many in the audience that I watched this with , went " bor-ring " , " dull " , and disappointed many horny teenage boyfriends who thought they could eat tofu with each frightening scene . May I again repeat that this movie does not have plenty of moments which will make you jump , or your heart race . Neither should you associate this film with the kind of expectation from the superb The Exorcist - this film treats the ritual with some respect and doesn't sensationalize it , nor have any kinky spirits to possess the poor victim with abilities to walk backwards down a staircase , or find creative and vulgar uses for the crucifix . What this movie is , it's based on a true story ( of course names , etc have been changed , but the premise kept intact ) of a priest being hauled to court to stand trial in the 70s , having being accused of causing the death of a young girl through neglect . It's a tussle between science and faith as both defense and prosecution bring forth their theories about the events leading to the faithful night of the exorcism . Therefore , the act of casting spirits back to where they come from , is told only in flashbacks , and at times , with the scientific point of view in mind to debunk spiritualism . The narrative works for a courtroom movie , not so for a horror film . Perhaps the talking point in the movie , is the debate on the need to create a villain , in order for the hero to be a hero . It's similar to the theme that M Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable , and John Woo's MI : 2 touched upon . I'm neither religious or spiritual , and this film , like Constantine , drives home the point that it doesn't matter whether you believe in " them " - they believe in you / they are around . Laura Linney shines in her role as the lawyer who took on the case as it's publicity and promotional opportunity , and Tom Wilkinson is believable as the Father who dared to challenge Evil in the face . However , kudos must go to relative newcomer Jennifer Carpenter as Emily Rose , in highlighting the fear and pain that her character goes through . And ooh , the body contortions will just freak you out , and what surprised me was the unusual possession she experienced . I know that there'll be a group in the audience who'll give the thumbs up if John Constantine bursts into the scene and bitch-slaps the devil out of Emily Rose , in order to speed up the pace , but to such horror-action lovers , this will not be your cup of tea . The pacing is somehow deliberately slow to drum through the themes it wants to touch upon . To those who are patient , this movie tells the controversial story of a woman's decision to undergo what she has gone through , all in the name of Faith , and a man of God's decision to ensure that her message gets told .
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514,930 | 317,399 | 796,212 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Exiled
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Johnny To has returned with yet another HK gangland movie following his Election movies , and with the casting of the usual suspects in lead roles , it might , to some , become quite tiresome after a while . Not that the actors are bad in their roles , but perhaps with too much familiarity too soon , it may become difficult to tell one apart from the other , or at least character wise . Nick Cheung plays Wo , a man exiled for his misdeed against Boss Fay ( Simon Yam ) , and who has returned and settled down in Macau with is wife ( Josie Ho ) and infant child . Sent to finish Wo off is Anthony Wong's Blaze , and Fat ( Suet Lam ) . However , standing in their way is Tai ( Francis Ng ) and Cat ( Roy Cheung ) , who will not let their buddy go down without a fight . In truth , all of them were buddies once , and having some sent on a mission to finish off another , this broke down their relationship , becoming a decision of forsaking personal friendship for the call of duty . And it is precisely the themes of brotherhood , loyalty and honour that make this film a worthwhile watch , despite its clichés in characters and familiar actors taking on the roles . You can probably think of no better other . Would you defy orders and give up your mission , thus transforming from hunter to prey , or would you seek a compromise in order to save your own skin ? Triad life is always black and white - if you're not with somebody , then you're against him . Told in two distinct acts , it's almost like watching a Japanese " ronin " movie , given how the storyline developed , and the issues and dilemma faced by our merry men . The film is quite 80-ish in presentation and storyline , and filled with plenty of beautifully choreographed poetic violence and gunplay , reminiscent of how John Woo would do his , but minus the doves and nursery rhymes and music . There are enough tension filled moments with its numerous Mexican standoffs , which to me are the highlights of the movie . The excellent stringed soundtrack playing in the background building tension during the calm moments , before erupting into a free-for-all , all-man-for-himself , who-shot-first pumping of lead into the air , keeping you guessing who will emerge unscathed . The pace is deliberately slow most times , in order to build up to the chaotic crescendos of blazing guns . And to some it might be a tad frustrating with many " poser " moments where the ensemble cast stand around , shades on , with a gun in one hand and a cigarette in the other , for good measure . They make good posters , but to the impatient , they'll scream to have things move on . There are plenty of supporting characters like Cheung Siu-Fai as a middleman broker , Gordon Lam as an upcoming gangland boss , and Ritchie Ren's take as a sharpshooting cop . Again their familiar faces lend some weight to their roles , it doesn't add more depth as compared to the leads . Simon Yam is again the crazed and charismatic leader of the mob , with Francis Ng taking on a more subdued role together with Anthony Wong , who actually had the best role amongst the offering as the man faced with the colossal task of deciding where his loyalties lie . Unlike Election with its political undertones , Exiled in my opinion steered quite clear and is what it is , a good old fashioned HK triad picture with heavy focus on friendship and brotherhood . Perhaps the only observatory comment made is the ineffectiveness of the police , more due to cowardice rather than corruption .
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515,129 | 317,399 | 373,926 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Interpreter
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This film is filled with Oscar winners , from the Director Sydney Pollack , to the two main leads in Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn . However , taking center stage is the UN building in New York , where for the first time , filmmakers are allowed into its halls and corridors , rather than relying on sound stages and back lots to create the movie magic . I have a friend who's working there , and of course whenever the building is on screen , my eyes were peeled . Naturally , the way Security is portrayed in the film got my interest as well , kinda like an occupational hazard , not that I am dealing with the high level stuff , but the same principles apply . Probably I'm the only one getting kicks from watching surveillance , security surveys , threat assessments , background checks , intelligence gathering , etc . Though I could say what they put on screen is plausible , there was one scene in the beginning that had me shaking my head to ( i . e . major plot hole , unlikely possible in real life ) , but has to happen anyway to facilitate the plot . And that's when we have Silvia Broome ( Nicole Kidman ) overhearing voices in the General Assembly talking about assassinating a visiting dignitary at the UN , and sparks off a cat and mouse game with her protector , Secret Service Agent Tobin Keller ( Sean Penn ) and team racing against time to discover who the perpetrators of the plot is , try to stop it from happening on US soil , and protecting their sole witness Silvia . But is she hiding something from the investigators ? Given her constant suspicious behaviour , it surely seems there is more to the interpreter than meets the eye . In a political thriller like this , there is no lack of showcasing bureaucracy , and politics amongst the various stakeholders , be they UN General Assembly , Security Council , etc . The current terrorism climate also rings close in this film , and it serves as a reminder to the audience that whoever out there hatching these diabolical plots , sad to say , hold the upper hand as to where and when to strike if we don't stay vigilant . However , US audiences might find the act shown in the movie too close for comfort . The pacing's comfortable , though at times threading close to sappy flashbacks , but when things heat up , they really get tense . IF you're a fan of tense moments like what Se7en offered , this show offers a few which will keep you on the edge of your seat . Sean Penn , if not the fine actor he is , could easily own the world weary cop role , as do Bruce Willis or even Al Pacino . But he gives his character an additional edge , on one hand brooding over the death of his adulterous wife , and on the other trying to figure out and protect his charge . Nicole Kidman , as the interpreter , brings about a tough-as-cookie yet extremely vulnerable woman in Silvia Broome with an accent to boot , and hey , it works for me ( read : eye candy ) . Some may find the plot a tad confusing , given the language used ( which calls for an interpretation , sometimes hard to listen in to the English portion ) , and uncommon character names ( hey , it's the UN ) , but hang in there , and you'll enjoy this film as much as I did .
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514,368 | 317,399 | 802,983 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Doraemon The Movie
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You can count on the Japanese to design a character that appeals to all demographics . If Hello Kitty and the Sanrio gang are deemed to girly , and the Ultraman / Power Rangers / Masked Rider et al deemed to manly , then Doraemon is just the perfect creation to appeal to boys and girls . A futuristic cat with more than a bagful of fantastic gadgets springing out from his pouch , my first brush with the character was through the animated television series , and later through translated comics . I still remember vividly the Doraemon gigantic soft toy ( comes without the cotton wool / sponge insert , and you have to DIY ) was the # 1 toy that NS boys bring back from overseas during my time . And while there have been Doraemon movies released over a period of time , this one marks the very first that makes it to the cinemas here if I recall correctly , no doubt boosted by reasonable box office numbers from recent anime movies like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time , Brave Story and Paprika . Watching this Doraemon movie is like taking a nostalgia trip down memory lane to meet up with familiar friends , only that the friends have been frozen in time and didn't age at all - they're still very much the school going children when we left off , with rich brat Suneo , fatty Gian , the token rose amongst the thorns Shizuka , the braggart Nobita who always shoots from the hip , but is extremely lucky to have a faithful companion that we too would love to have , Doraemon . A typical television episode would have Nobita running into trouble , and coaxing Doraemon to bail him out , more often than not featuring one of the countless gadgets that get introduced one episode at a time . However , this is unlike the series , that we don't have an all new , all powerful gadget to encompass the entire movie , but we have a series of familiar ones such as the time machine ( through the drawer ) , the stick-on helicopter head gear , and the shrinking ray gun . The movie doesn't delay any moment in getting things kick started , again relying on Nobita's loose tongue to get himself into trouble again , this time bragging that he could find a complete fossil to show off to his friends . As luck would have it , he finds a fossilized egg , and uses a Doraemon gadget to bring to life a dinosaur , hence the Japanese title , and the cute creature you see adorning the posters . While not spoiling the plot for you , it's akin to a Jurassic Park episode , with our friends helping to keep the creature alive , and through the process learn about friendship , perseverance and sacrifice . What I liked about this movie was the 2D animation . While 3D animation can be detailed and crystal clear without parallel if done right , this was a refreshing treat for the eyes as we go back to basics , to the old school style of animation , so much so that it is a breath of fresh air . And while art matters , story weighs in a lot more , so I'm glad to say that it possesses the little things in the television episodes that endears it to audiences , this time magnified for a feature length film . It's not a 90 minute film mind you , but a close to 2 hours one , but given its length , there are portions which could have been shortened of course , and I thought it really tried very hard to get some tears out of the tear ducts . Thank goodness for the well placed humour throughout the movie ! Given the school holidays just around the corner , and for young adults who reminisce growing up with the futuristic robot cat , I can't recommend Doraemon enough . An age old classic characterthat would appeal to all fans old or new .
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514,400 | 317,399 | 1,305,814 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Dada's Dance
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When Li Xinyun comes on screen the very first minute , you could almost hear a collective gasp amongst the audience . She looks like a cross between Vicky Zhao and Shu Qi , more the latter thanks to those bee-stung lips that assisted her titular character very much in dripping sensuality in almost every frame she's in . Helping too are a fitting tank top and a short pair of shorts to accentuate her fair limbs . Yes I may sound like a dirty old man , but that's precisely how the male population in Dada's neighbourhood feel every morning when she turns up the temperature around her estate . For her mum's potential suitor , Dada offers a very powerful , visual distraction , and to her neighbour Zhao Ye ( Li Xiaofeng ) , nothing beats peeping at Dada going about the household chores in the morning , thanks to her self-designed dance she grooves in to the tune of Remedios . Director Zhang Yuan , with inputs from his leads Li Xinyun and Li Xiaofeng , had crafted incredible teenage characters who are somewhat lost , and perpetually looking for something to hold on to , and to make sense of life with . And I guess more so from the former since the movie's titular character is played by her , hence instilling some sense of personal ownership in coming up with a memorable character who lingers long after the end credits roll . To a certain extent , I feel that had succeeded , and also because of the rouge like charisma Dada exudes , that bad girl whom everyone likes to gossip about , but whose genuine niceness is only seen by those whom she opens up to . For the most parts , the story's a road trip movie , with the duo Dada and boyfriend ( or so he wishes ) Zhao Ye going to an unnamed town to search for the Dada's biological mother . Insert comedic situations , red herrings , and little filler scenes about going through public records and the seeking of help from the police , it's a search for that unattainable needle in the haystack , but that's what this film is about . The search for something that cannot be grasped , and being always on the look out for anything that would provide that sense of satisfaction and happiness , without which will lead to some self-discontent with life as it is . For Dada , it's a search for her biological mom because she's unhappy with her mom's choice of companion ( to be fair to her mom , Dada didn't voice this out ) , and probably didn't like not told about being adopted . This despite her mom always treating her just like her own . And there's the search for love too , especially for a man she constantly turns away . Her life is one on the path of destruction , before that reconciliatory effort with both mom and Zhao Ye come calling . Granted there was a turning point in the film that provided that wake up call , but it did suggest that here's one woman who will take her chances , though answering to and facing the music in an attempt to turn her life over . The cinematography here is wondrous with beautiful scenery aplenty , be it the cramped quarters of the working class , the vast outdoors or the opulence of rich folks . And more importantly , to me at least , the score by Andrea Guerra also provided an added dimension to this Chinese film . Dada's Dance may not be perfect , but it does have moments which engage , and as mentioned , her dance just lingers effortlessly , and I'm grooving to it already as I write this ! Lalalalala . . . . .
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514,585 | 317,399 | 865,556 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Forbidden Kingdom
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But surprise , the story did give what fans were after , watching both Li and Chan pit their choreographed skills against each other in nothing short of at least 10 minutes , aided by plenty of wire-work , and a variety of parodying moves from classic kung-fu inspired by animals and insects ( looks like Kung Fu Panda has been pawned ) . I thought it was extremely interesting to see Chan employ the use of Drunken Fists , which was utilized by one of the characters he has in his filmography - that of Wong Fei-hung , in which Jet Li made it his own under Tsui Hark's direction of the popular Once Upon a Time in China series . Li though also goes back early into his filmography , and stars as a monk , where a role in Shaolin Temple provided him his first wind at stardom . After that had been done , this works more of a collaborative storyline rather than an adversarial one , with that honors going to Collin Chou ( to continue the degrees of separation , he was chosen after Jet Li rejected the role of Seraph in the Matrix sequels ) , as the envious and devious Jade Warlord , whose cunning saw the stone imprisonment of the Monkey King , in a plot spin off not quite like the novels and the television series we're so familiar with . In fact , that's not just the only change or adaptation that made it to The Forbidden Kingdom , and here's where John Fusco's story runs riot . The opening credits already gave you an inkling of what's to come , with plenty of fanboy-dom in the paying of homage to great martial arts actors from Bruce Li , Gordon Liu and Cheng Pei-pei , to cult movies like 36th Chamber and One Armed Swordsman . And liberties were taken with characters in the movie as well , with the showpiece from Li Bingbing as Bride With White Hair ( She's no Lin Ching - hsia though ) and Liu Yifei , more popularly known for her Little Dragon Role in the Return to the Condor Heroes television series , now here as Golden Swallow from Come Drink With Me ( She's no Cheng Pei-pei either ) , and not Little Swallow as many in the audience had assumed . I have to give credit to the script for putting so many Chinese characters from martial arts novels , movies and folklore together , and giving it a refreshing spin through the infusion of creative imagination within something so established , yet doesn't make a monkey ( pardon the pun ) out of it concept-wise , but the delivery still managed to trudge on the muddle of clichés abound . You have a relative unknown to this part of the world , Michael Angarano , as Jason Tripitakas ( quite obvious reference , the name ) , the traveler from our world to the fantasy world , as the Chosen One who will toss the one ring into the fires of Mordor . OK , so he has in his possession the magical cudgel of the Monkey King , found in a little Chinatown shop of horrors , the sort where you can find Gremlins , and have to travel to the 5 Elements Mountain to return it to the rightful owner . To aid in his quest , Fate assembles for him the Fellowship of the Staff - Lu Yan ( Chan ) the drunken immortal , The Silent Monk ( Li ) and Golden Swallow ( Liu ) who has a personal vendetta of her own . There are some nifty special effects and martial arts choreography here , which is always a delight , though at times they do lapse into genericity , and had to have things like a bamboo forest to lend credibility and self-respectability . The villains too were pretty weak , and Collin Chou's main villain was reduced , besides the fight sequences , to nothing more menacing that Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat . With Jackie Chan sharing the limelight with either Chris Rock or Owen Wilson in the Rush Hour and Shanghai-something franchise , there's no doubt who's the funny man . Here , Chan seemed to relish the opportunity to play jester , and you can see that coming across in very obvious fashion , though Li does have his moments out of being stoic , to deliver , of all things , well timed toilet humor . And there's plenty to laugh too at the movie , and this might serve as its biggest bugbear . The characters speak English for the most parts ( no doubt to whom this movie was made for ) , and there's really no rocket science trying to think up of excuses to do so , they just do , and quite abruptly and clumsily too . While Chan did seem comfortable with it after his stint at Hollywood , and Liu Yifei surprisingly very fluent , Jet Li seemed to need more work ( jia you OK ? ) as I could've sworn he said " speed , actually and power " . The dialog also lapsed into chop-suet talk with circle of fortune cookie riddles being thrown about , and the one that took the cake came from Liu Yifei ( listen out for it ! ) , coupled with the fact that her character tends to talk in third person perspective , which is puzzling . Howeer , The Forbidden Kingdom still managed to deliver an entertaining ride from start to end for the most parts , and if you can get pass the clichés and unintentionally comical moments . Fans of the martial arts genre will have a field day in identifying the little bits and pieces of references that pepper the movie , so to this group of fans , don't miss this movie !
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515,213 | 317,399 | 379,786 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) Serenity ( 2005 )
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The back story of Serenity and its TV series Firefly is what stuff like soap opera is made of . Created by Joss Whedon , popular creator-scribe of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel television series , the Firefly television series was yanked from the airwaves by Fox midway through its first season , but as all real life fairy tales go , the series was released on DVD , and became an instant cult classic . Hence , the movie was born given the built fan base . And having not watched the Firefly series , I think Serenity is a satisfyingly good sci-fi movie which can stand alone . Although it will take some getting used to the characters , it'll not take too long before you get into the swing of things to enjoy what this movie had to offer . Serenity refers to the Firefly class of spaceships in an era of the future where planets are colonized and banded together as an Alliance , with a band of rebels opposing the oppression of a totalitarian regime . Think of Star Wars scenario of an Empire with its Rebel Alliance , and Star Trek with its ship and crew in focus , combined . We follow the adventures of Captain Malcom Reynolds ( Nathan Fillion ) and his crew of merry men and women ( doctor , navigator , pilot , ex-lover etc ) as they undergo a rescue mission of one of their own , River Tam , who's a psychic turned dangerous weapon , or so they think . While they unravel the mystery and secrets of what River knows , they must outrun the ruthless Allaince's assassin who's after River , as well as fend off the deadly vicious creatures known as the Reavers . The Reavers are extremely dangerous folk , and I kinda liken them to Star Trek's Borg - they keep coming like zombies , and are known to rape and murder . The pacing is kept very tight , with witty dialogue flying all round . Humour is peppered throughout and you'll never know when it'll hit , even up to the very last frame ( no , I'm not kidding here ) . The production sets , though most are CGI , are really very pretty to look at , and the advanced world they live in , is an amalgamation of American and Chinese , so much so that the characters also spout ( sometimes intelligible ) Chinese phrases . There are memorable moments in the movie , though the action fights are quite ordinary , save for River's battle with the Reavers which seem to beat Aeon Flux's and Ultraviolet's hands down . Her storyline did thread very closely to resemble that of Leeloo's in Fifth Element though . Filled with deep characterization , Serenity will make you want to get your hands on the TV series to indulge in more adventures of the space crew . After watching this 2 hour movie , it's no wonder why Firefly has fast become a cult favourite . Too bad the movie didn't get a wide release locally ( only a GV Surprise Screening and another one-off at Prince ) , which will probably serve to extend its popularity here . Good , interesting Sci-Fi , must watch . Code 1 DVD comes chock full of extras . There's a full length feature film commentary by Joss Whedon , plenty of deleted scenes with Whedon's commentary , lots of outtakes , an laced - with-humour introduction by Whedon , three documentaries - 1 . Future History : The Story of Earth That Was , 2 . Re-lighting the Firefly , and 3 . What's in a Firefly , and an easter egg too , which showed the creation of that weird Fruity Oaty bar advertisement containing the sublime message ala The Manchurian Candidate .
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515,284 | 317,399 | 762,107 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
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Folks would have remembered Kevin James as the affable guy who needed help from Will Smith to hook up with girls in the romantic comedy Hitch . Which I thought was a little strange , because , and I'm not gay , James comes across in likable terms . In Chuck and Larry , he's the latter , again looking for help as his job as a firefighter puts him in considerable risks , and wants to ensure that his children's welfare is taken of in the unfortunate event that he goes . So who can a man turn to except to his best friend , Chuck ( Adam Sandler ) , through a vowed favour to repay . In order go get around red tape , he has to marry somebody who will get his insurance dollars and use that to care for his children . And since same-sex domestic partnership is in , why not exploit it with none other than a buddy whom you have known for considerable time ? But of course getting a ladies man to forever ditch his gallivanting ways is a tall order , and worse , having him to declare that he's gay is akin to asking him to lose all his limbs ( yes , including that one ) . And to a test of their brotherly friendship and marital vows , temptation comes in the form of hot lawyer Alex ( Jessica Biel , who looked smokin hot with those glasses ) , who proves to be too much to handle for the women-loving Chuck . Is it always that women will let down their guard with a gay guy who proves to be a best of both worlds confidante ? Expect the usual gay and homophobic jokes to spew from the movie . However , Chuck and Larry somehow had a lot more heart in it than anyone would like to credit it for . While touching on certain gay issues does allow it to receive some punching bag treatment to bring on some laughs , I felt that it was not so much about gayness or a gay show , than it is about the friendship amongst the bestest of friends , you know , the one whom you can slug it out with when your views differ , but no sooner than the fists are put away , you can hit the nearest pub and down some pints together . While you may argue that it tackles the gay issue and opposition to them in a rather superficial manner , I thought it covered a lot of ground , and while they may be disguised under laughter , actually had very serious and contemporary issues brewing underneath it all . It may seem like a platform mouthpiece , but provides a very succinct coverage of the discrimination and prejudice these same-sex lovers face from society . The supporting cast here are recognizable faces , although reduced mostly to caricatures , like Dan Aykroyd , Ving Rhames , and Steve Buscemi as a federal employee fraud investigator that you would just love to hate , especially with his disgustingly unhygienic coin pouch and irritating demeanour . I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a pretty even comedy with dramatic and touching moments . It's a romantic comedy with an added dimension , filled with an excellent soundtrack from acts like Wham , PM Dawn and even Cyndi Lauper . Oh , and you'll never look at , or use postal terms , ever the same again !
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514,579 | 317,399 | 461,770 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Enchanted
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How does she know , you love her ? Probably by bringing her to watch Enchanted , a movie with the words " chick flick " rubber stamped all over it . I've got to admit my friend offered to hook me up on a blind date with a hot chick because she wanted to watch this movie , and I had unsuccessfully persuaded him to bring her out on this movie date himself . Anyway if you're reading this , you should , because it has a winning formula ! The trailers would have suggested that this was going to be a madcap time , with a Disney movie poking fun at most of its classics , drawing inspiration from , and then taking a mickey out of it . You have a princess-wannabe Giselle ( Amy Adams ) , an animated character modeled quite generically from beauties like Snow White , Cinderella , Sleeping Beauty et al . Thrown in a Prince Charming named Edward ( James Marsden ) , and his evil stepmother The Queen ( Susan Sarandon ) , with evil hag disguise to boot . And with her greed to hold onto the Kingdom , she prevents the love-at-first-sight / song couple from marrying , and banishes Giselle to The Big Apple . With zero help and all the wrong moves and polite demeanor , she finds herself in the unlikely friendship of Robert Philip ( Patrick Dempsey ) and his daughter Morgan ( Rachel Covey ) . And here's when the movie starts to come alive with its inane scenes drawn from the Disney archives to bring on the chuckles , down to full blown musical numbers that are just plain charming . If Disney animated movies of yester-years have lovey dovey songs ( listen carefully to the background music to spot some recognizable Disney tunes ) , poisoned apples , dragons , henchmen , magic mirrors ( ha ! ) , witches , glass slippers , gorgeous costumes and cute furry animals , this movie has them all . But aside from the predictable elements that make a Disney cartoon a Disney cartoon , it boiled down to what's core in such fairy tales : True Love's Kiss . The one thing that every Disney female character yearn for from their hero . It's a typical fairy tale plot , but in its fish out of water storyline , it offered a clash of two different worldly views on the notion of love . For Giselle , it's always been happily ever afters after a shotgun meeting - boy meets girl , girl loves boy , they get married and live in a huge castle . In the real world we're so familiar with , Robert epitomizes the modern day notions of long drawn courtships , the trying to find out everything you can about the other half , for compatibility reasons , the contemplation whether you can live forever ( which is such a long time ) with the other half , and the option to divorce always hanging overhead when things don't work out . It's a clash of two different perspective from different worlds , and needless to say opposites do attract , henceforth providing a sort of dilemma as both parties are to be married to their respective partners . Amy Adams is Enchanted , without whom the movie will fall flat . She sings the songs , dances the joyous dance , squeals in delight at every new experience , and is the typical bambi-eyed beauty who finds positivity in everything , even when they are heading south . I guess I'm attracted to optimism , and no doubt , her character of hope had naturally struck a chord in me ( same thing goes for Kirsten Dunst's Claire in Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown ) . When she opens her mouth and sings to invoke the innate powers of all Disney heroines , the ability to charm animals from afar to do her bidding , you've gotta see this one as it just cracks you up with the type of beings she conjures in New York . In her own ditzy manner , her Giselle will undoubtedly find a soft spot in your heart . Playing her two leading men are Patrick Dempsey as the world-weary divorce lawyer whose pessimism is soon to take an hard knock from Giselle's infectious attitude towards love , and James Marsden as the very himbo-like Prince Edward , all brawn , a naturally glib tongue , and perhaps a hint of an airhead ( Is it me , or are female characters these days becoming more Alpha-typed ? ) . Susan Sarandon got top billing too in this movie , and while she looks quite the part as the evil Queen , it's a pity that her screen time had been severely limited , lending more of her voice instead rather than appearing in the flesh . Throwaway characters include Timothy Spall as the no good henchman Nathaniel , and an animated chipmunk Pip ( noises by the director Kevin Lima himself in the NY version ) which seems to be the precursor to more of the same once Alvin and the Chipmunks hit the screen next month . In true Disney fashion , Enchanted goes back to basics with its message , that there must always be hope that one day you'll meet your true love , whether they drop in from the sky , or crawl out of the sewer . Almost a no-brainer choice for dating couples looking for fluffy chick flick entertainment .
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514,484 | 317,399 | 408,236 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Sweeney Todd
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Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street was slated to have been released end of next month . Then came the relatively strong opening in the West late last year , followed by nominations and wins in the Golden Globes , that it has now been bumped up for release this week , prior to the 3-way fight that the Asian movies will put up in the upcoming Lunar New Year week . I thought it was a no-brainer having to release this early as Johnny Depp is already a household name here thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise , and here he dons eye shadow and retains the bad teeth to play the titular character . One can imagine the troubles that a beautiful wife may bring , especially when people in positions of power find it easy to abuse that authority in order to covert her . Benjamin Parker ( Depp ) , as he was originally known , was a naive young barber with a beautiful wife and kid , but corrupt Judge Turpin ( Alan Rickman ) felt some strong stirring in his loins , enough to banish Parker for years , and taking a leaf out of Mask of Zorro's villain Don Rafael Montero , adopts Parker's child Johanna , only with plans to make the beautiful girl his wife when she comes of age ( shades of Kim Ki-duk's The Bow too ) . So Parker returns with bad attitude and probably bad breath as well , to sing his way ( you do know it's a musical , don't you ? ) into implementing his scheme of revenge on those who had trespassed him , and does so with the help of a lousy pie baker Mrs Lovett ( Helena Bonham Carter ) . He slices and dices with his collection of silver blades , while she bakes and she cooks using ingredients on the cheap , and regular on supply , with a unique taste to boot . Based on the West End musical by Stephen Sondheim , this film adaptation by director Tim Burton have re-teamed his virtual cast from Corpse Bride with Depp and Carter in the lead roles of Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett , complete with pale skin and a Gothic wardrobe . They are no strangers to Burton , with Depp having collaborated with Burton since the days of Edward Scissorhands , which puts him in good steed as he now wields the barber blades , and 5 more films thereafter . Helena Bonham Carter , well , is his fiancée , so nuff said about that too . Together they share familiar chemistry already established , and chew up scenes especially when they sing their duets , and you'll feel somewhat sad for Mrs Lovett as she pines for Todd's love , which isn't forthcoming as he's so obsessed with trying to find opportunity to get close to Judge Turpin and exact his revenge . Tim Burton seemed to have been influenced a bit by the Asian ketchup director Chang Cheh , as blood get spilled by the bucketloads in similar style , and this time , done in very tongue - in-cheek manner with the spurts shooting quite exaggeratedly sky high and the drips emulating volumes from a waterfall . But there's no denying that it is wonderfully photographed , and is something you'd come to expect each time you watch a Burton film , complete with dark humour , and plenty of dark elements and themes . Being a musical , the songs are top notch , and the lyrics really classy , bringing out the emotions felt by the characters without unnecessary pomp , getting straight to the point . In fact , everyone in the movie , right down to the supporting cast like Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall had lines to sing , and I'm quite surprised to see ( and hear ) Alan Rickman's piece , together with Depp's , which was , though short , quite wonderful . Alas , and I think I'm getting quite anal here and hopefully I arrest this problem soon , the romance between Anthony ( Jamie Campbell Bower ) and Johanna ( Jayne Wisener ) seemed a little too contrived and emotionally empty , and I rather disliked the way their love developed , or left hanging - even though we could've guessed the likely outcome , Burton decided to end the movie in the best possible way it could without dwelling too much on the obvious . Which means the final act zooms past a tad too fast after a deliberate , measured build up . Oh , and watch out too for Sacha " Borat " Baron Cohen in a small supporting role as Italian tout Pirrelli who sells magical hair elixirs , which was well worth its moments . But if there's one thing I'd take away from the movie , is that to beware the barber's blade . Somehow Eastern Promises had started it , and now Sweeny Todd highlights the dangers . Hope it stays in movieland , and not inspire anyone out there who'd think they're the fastest , cleanest shave in town ! Recommended for the songs , which lifted the ho-hum story .
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515,174 | 317,399 | 844,347 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Midnight Sun
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I'm a sucker for romances of such nature , and I thought romances usually fall broadly under two categories - one bearing films like Midnight Sun , and the other being romantic comedies . It's a sweet love story between a busker with a great voice , and an unskilled surfer dude . It's a tale about a love with an end date put on it , and it makes you wonder if it's only with an end in sight , that you try and make the most our of everything , rather than to waste time and take things for granted . Japanese singer Yui plays Kaoru , a girl inflicted with a rare disorder , which makes her nocturnal . She cannot go out in the sun as the UV rays will wreck havoc on her skin and kill her , and so , from birth , has been kept indoors most of the time , and let out an night to allow her to do what she loves most - busking at a secluded corner at her neighbourhood . She has a crush on Koji ( Takashi Tsukamoto ) , a surfer dude , an average guy with an average life . Each night , she observes him , without his knowledge , from her bedroom window , until one day when she picks up enough courage to make the first move . Welcome to the world of Japanese romance movies once again , where beautiful cinematic shots are used to enhance locales and make them so integral in the story . Where love is saccharine sweet , and the leads oh-so-beautiful . The songs too , written and sung by Yuri , grows on you , and I won't be surprised if the soundtrack for the movie is selling like hot cakes . What I thought raised the movie to a different level , is how parents are involved . Usually , in most romances , the parents are out of the picture . Here , they are so very much part of the entire set up , and while they do take the backseat at times , there're scenes dedicated just for the parents , and especially the father figure . It's always especially painful to see your child suffer under an incurable disease , and as a parent , incapable of lifting a finger to help , because you just can't , definitely hurts . Here , the melodrama works full steam , but I thought it was a nice touch to be inclusive of those who always provide unconditional love - parent to child . Clocking at two hours , the initial pacing is a bit slow when establishing characters and premise , but once that's done , the movie's a breeze . It's an excellent date movie , so guys , take your lady love to this movie , and of course , Yui is opportunity for you to ogle ; - ) Remember to bring those tissues !
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515,285 | 317,399 | 465,602 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Shoot ' Em Up
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Shoot ' Em Up is a guilty pleasure in watching a souped up modern day Western , where a stranger rides into town , minding his own business , but his innate qualities of helping the meek and the downtrodden almost always brings him adventure uncalled for . Trouble looks for him , and he has the opportunity to show everyone , and the audience , just why he's so damn dangerous . And dangerous is how Clive Owen played " Mr Smith " , a pseudonym given to him as he's a one man army with no name , no allegiance , and a mysterious past . Nobody knows who he is and what his story his , but we know him as he gets sucked thick into the action , and follow him through his adventures of staying alive and dishing out vengeful justice on those that stand in his way . He chomps not a cigar but a carrot like an Energizer bunny that refuses to give up , and makes Paul Giamatti's Hertz look like Elma Fudd in trying to get lead pumped into the bunny . It's an out and out action movie in the veins of Crank , and in many similar ways , played out like a violent video game too . And gratuitous violence doesn't just cut it , it has to be stylized as well While you marvel at Mr Smith's near invulnerability , as expected and a given for any hero in this genre . Bear in mind though , that it doesn't take itself too seriously , with many of the stunts and set action pieces here bordering on the incredible and the ridiculous , but hey , who's complaining ? It sure does bring a chuckle or two in its attempts perhaps at ramping up such sequences for the action fan boys . But if you think Hong Kong actioners look too staged and choreographed , then this one may not be your cup of action tea . High in its body count thanks to the deadly skills of Smith and countless of extras , Shoot ' Em Up is not just about guns guns guns , but had its fair share of sexual situations too , thanks to sex siren Monica Bellucci as a prostitute . As the saying goes , there's nothing more appealing to an audience than sex and violence , and what was pretty audacious , that perhaps had to be seen to be believed , is how the movie managed to marry both together , in a pretty laugh out loud scene that brings to mind any typical treatment that a Hong Kong Category III will adopt . It's an adrenaline rush from beginning to end , and a loud and noisy movie that's to be filed under guilty pleasure . Clive Own is believable as a one man army - who needs the tuxedo , martini and Aston Martin ? - while Paul Giamatti has enough wickedness and menace as a shady unforgiving mercenary . While it has an anti-gun message , truth is , we're here for the senseless violence it offers instead .
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515,097 | 317,399 | 1,156,395 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : K-20 : Legend of the Mask
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There's no stopping Takeshi Kaneshiro in charming the socks off everyone , especially since new fans were won over by his heartfelt performance as the Grim Reaper in Accuracy of Death last year , and following that with his Zhuge Liang in Red Cliff . This year in Singapore , he marquees a big budgeted action-mystery masked vigilante movie , and while his powers and abilities to hark back to the Batmans and Spidermans , K-20 turned out to be rather entertaining for its liberal use of special effects , comedy and some fantastic action sequences , set against at alternate Japanese universe . Which is interesting because other than the unmistakable Tower , Tokyo now known as Teito , is quite unrecognizable , and plaguing the country is a huge class and income divide between the aristocrats , and everyone else , which reads the Poor and have nots . It's set after WWII which never happened since Japan signed a peace treaty with the US and the UK , and hence what we have is some strangely futuristic backdrop , and some peculiar background on everyone being conditioned for pre-determined jobs and not having the ability to switch careers . Doesn't make a difference actually to the story , but gives you the feeling that everything is centrally planned . While the title points to K-20 , the fiend with 20 faces , the story's actually focused on Heikichi Endo ( Kaneshiro ) as a poor circus acrobat . And if Bat-fans would see some similarities here , I'd say his character's more like Dick Grayson and with putting his abilities to fighting crime , it's almost exactly how a Nightwing would behave . But back to Japan , Heikichi gets set up by K-20 himself , and gets framed into allowing everyone to believe he's actually the masked villain himself . Breaking out of prison thanks to a merry bunch of thieves whom he soon allies himself with , Heikichi makes it his quest to flush out K-20 and to clear his name , with the help of a nifty grappling hook and rope device . Not being sexist here , but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that K-20 is directed by a female - Shimako Sato , who also adapted the screenplay from a novel by So Kitamura . It's a fresh perspective having to watch an action movie directed by a female at the helm , and the focus here was of course on the characters . We have Takako Matsu as the Duchess Yoko Hashiba , who isn't your standard fare damsel-in-distress , and Toru Nakamura as the police inspector Akechi Kogoro , the arch-enemy of and resident expert on K-20 . It's a classic action mystery which like The Prestige has Russian scientist Teslar providing the object of tussle , a device capable of harnessing and transmitting vast electrical power across locations without the use of cables . K-20 wants it to rule the world , and it's up to our heroes to crack the mystery as to where the device is , and to stop the villain from achieving his goal . The plot's fairly simple , which includes an origin story for Heikichi including the antics of a hero in training , but what made it palatable was the excellent delivery by the cast , together with gorgeous sets and edge-of-your-seat action . A key element here too is the identity of K-20 , having nobody actually seen the villain in the flesh except for Heikichi himself . The story however does sag a little when it lingers on the more dramatic moments , and you'd know for sure when Kaneshiro gets replaced by stuntmen for most of the action shots not on closeup . But as far as big-budgeted movies like these go , K-20 : Legend of the Mask still came across as pretty entertaining and all primed for sequels and a franchise should the box office prove to be successful .
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515,487 | 317,399 | 1,028,528 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Death Proof
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After the relative success of his homage to kung fu with his Kill Bill movies , Quentin Tarantino turned his sights to the 70s exploitation movies with Grindhouse : Death Proof . However , for us outside the US , we do not get the Grindhouse double bill with Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and a host of easter egg styled trailers , but rather we get the longer cut of both movies . Many have said that Planet Terror proved to be superior to Death Proof , but without watching the other , I thought Tarantino's offering was pretty decent stuff . Perhaps his detractors loathed how he made references to and probably paid homage to his own movies and signature style . This spelt E-G-O , and doesn't go down well , with its plenty of foot fetish shots , reminiscent of foot massages , and if you pay attention enough , you'd spot and hear about the Big Kahuna burgers , familiar tunes over the ringtones , yellow and black striped colour schemes , the alpha female type chicks , and loads and loads of vulgarity laced dialogue just about everything under the sun , with characters mouthing off in cars or around a dining table . That about sums up stuff from Reservoir Dogs all the way to Kill Bill . But Death Proof is a different animal altogether . Being his own cinematographer , QT has full control over the shots that he makes , and injects plenty of sleaze into his story - buxomy , leggy girls in tight tees and perky butts peeking out of hot pants , flaunting their power of sexuality in alpha-female styled attitudes . It's actually two different segments in one movie , each being quite different from the other in terms of themes , and style . The first half introduced us to characters like Arlene ( Venessa Ferlito ) , Shanna ( Jordan Ladd ) , Jungle Julia ( Syndey Poitier ) and Pam ( Rose McGowan ) , who end up in a bar doing their own thing ( read : plenty of dialogue and flirting with the camera ) . We get introduced quite slowly to the psycho Stuntman Mike ( Kurt Russell , with Snake Plissken styled scar ) , who while on one hand befriends the girls , but on the other hand , we are just waiting for the action to begin . Being a stuntman , his car is " death proof " , meaning it's rigged like stunt cars that provide protection for its driver , and nothing else . And if you're twiddling your thumbs for some action to take over , then be prepared to wait a bit . You see , despite what you think Death Proof might be , it's nothing about the action , not at least until the driver takes the wheel . And when QT lets it rip , out comes the blood and gore , exploitation style . Given the fake jump cuts , bad editing and scratchy film stock , it becomes near impossible to find out just which parts were censored for the local M18 version . It does seem to make sense still and flow well , but you can probably bet your last dollar that some bits were removed . On the other hand , we have stuff like the lap dance kept intact , which was omitted from the double bill Grindhouse . Win some and lose some . The second half of the movie is a different story altogether . For the most parts , the 70s style gets junked , maybe because it got tiring , or it's too tedious to replicate the cheesy special effects over to this story arc , where the hunter becomes the hunted . There's plenty of action , but could I say it's somewhat repetitive and lacks that oomph , until the final moments where you probably might go " that's awesomely cool " . Other than that , it's more of the same , with more eye candy courtesy of Mary Elizabeth Winstead ( Sky High , Final Destination 3 ) , Rosario Dawson , Tracie Thorns and Zoe Bell , with plenty more QT styled dialogue of pop irrelevance . While stylistically the movie might want to try and resemble low budgeted 70s exploitation movie , Death Proof juxtaposes certain current day elements into itself , making it somewhat messy with gizmos like cell phones and portable music players . What put a smile on my face though ( besides the beautiful ladies of course ) , is Kurt Russell's two-faced Stuntman Mike performance . He can be nonchalant one minute , oozing indifference , and in the next , he can be so silently deranged you'd rather choose to leap from the vehicle , if you had a means to that is . Or he can be the classic road rage driver , before realizing he has bitten off more than he could chew . It's been some time having Russell on the big screen , and I thought he did fine , despite not being QT's first choice for the role . Ultimately , just one warning about the movie - expect plenty of dialogue , and I mean plenty , with characters talking about sexuality and about people who never appear on screen , and if you can't stand irrelevance , then steer clear . The action comes on in limited spurts , so if that's what you're after , then savour every moment when the gear shifts into overdrive . The loopy soundtrack too is a bonus , and adds some authentic exploitative flavour . QT did not manage to outdo himself , but still managed to capture the correct spirit in those films he wants to emulate . If Rodriguez's installment is as they say far superior than QT's , then I'd say bring on Planet Terror already !
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514,427 | 317,399 | 443,543 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Illusionist
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Director Neil Burger is a relative unknown . To date he has only directed one other feature film , Interview With An Assassin , a fictional account of the real shooter of the JFK assassination , which I had the chance of watching it on DVD some time back . Comparing production values , it's a great leap forward for Burger , having now directed a movie starring heavyweight character actors Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti . Adapted from a short story by writer Steven Millhauser called Eisenheim the Illusionist , this movie made its debut at last year's Sundance Film Festival , and was supposed to have premiered locally at around the same time as Christopher Nolan's The Prestige . However , I suspect that distributors might have thought the pairing of Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti , excellent actors in their own right , would find it tough against competition in Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman , who in today's context , are instantly recognizable and appealing because of their successful comic book movie roles in Batman and X-Men respectively . In reality , comparing The Illusionist to The Prestige is comparing apples to oranges . The only similarities they share are their occupation - practitioners of magic , and coupled with immense knowledge of science and technology . Although period movies , they share similar eras , but are based in separate locations - this one in Vienna , the other in London . At its core , The Prestige is one solid movie about obsession and revenge , but The Illusionist is surprisingly , for all its moodiness displayed in the trailer , it's all about love . Edward Norton is Eisenheim , top illusionist whom some say he dabbles in the dark arts and sold his soul to the devil . Watching what he could do , you'll probably be more inclined to agree . After having lost his love due to a difference in class , he meets up with Sophie ( Jessica Biel ) again , although this time she's about to get engaged to Austrian Crown Prince Leopold ( Rufus Sewell ) . Hence the dilemma , and now , an opportunity to try and get his girl . It's a beautifully filmed movie , and I marvel at the cinematography and techniques to date this movie to the early silent movie era . The production values are top notch , with costumes , makeup and special effects which , though simple , deserve special mention as they just worked brilliantly to enhance the viewing experience . The magic here is " magic " in that sense of the word , and doesn't try to obsess itself with trying to explain the plausibility behind every trick . And yes , there are more magic here , if that's your cup of tea ( though of course , aided by cinematic movie making tricks ) . But what I thought really did the trick ( pardon the pun ) , was Paul Giamatti's character Chief Inspector Uhl , as the man caught in the middle of a moral dilemma . Through his eyes , we see the corruption of those in power , and when put in a position where you are reliant on that power , how it could serve to confuse , whether to betray your values for material wealth and status , or to do what is right . Edward Norton is not as muted here as his other movie also now showing in Singapore - The Painted Veil , and although his Eisenheim is strictly focused on his goals , his intense fixation somehow diluted the complexity of his character somewhat . Jessica Biel unfortunately is the weak link here , as is Rufus Sewell as he struggles through his yet-another-villain role which doesn't offer much range besides snarling and being nasty . Before you pass judgement during the movie's plot development as being too simplistic if compared to The Prestige's , I'd say to hold that thought , and to pay close attention . It's a mixture of drama , mystery and romance , and when all's revealed at the end , somehow it'll just bring a smile to your face , especially so if you're a romantic . I like The Illusionist !
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515,028 | 317,399 | 432,637 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Krrish
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The very first Indian movie I saw in its entirety as a kid , was Annamalai , starring Superstar Rajnikanth . Since then I was intrigued by Indian cinema , but never found the patience nor the time to sit through the standard fare of at least 2 . 5-3hrs of pure spectacle . On and off I caught bits and pieces of movies shown on TV , and the last Bollywood movie I saw mid-way , was Shah Rukh Khan's Asoka , and that's it . Krrish is a sequel to the blockbuster Koi . . . Mil Gaya , also directed by Rakesh Roshan , but no worries if you haven't seen the first movie - you'll be brought up to speed in no time , and Krrish will also work if it stood alone . First off , it's a superhero movie combined with science fiction , so that was a plus point to have this movie reintroduce me to Bollywood once again . And it worked . With romance , action , and some comedy thrown into the mix , what can one ask for more for pure entertainment ? Those not familiar with Bollywood movies might balk at the length of Krrish - almost 5 minutes shy of 3 hours , which is quite standard runtime fare ( there is a clearly marked " interval " in the movie , but it was not utilized here ) . But I tell you that you won't feel its length , and will actually secretly hope that it continues some more . The first hour dwelled on the introduction of our hero Krishna ( Hrithik Roshan ) , a man born with extraordinary powers , whose grandmother Sonia took upon herself to shield him from a world awaiting to exploit his talent , if discovered . It's like a visit to the Kent farm , except that the whole grandmother - son relationship looked more at home vis-a-vis Spiderman's Aunt May and Peter Parker . When Krishna meets Priya ( the gorgeous Priyanka Chopra , Miss World 2000 ) by chance during her adventure holiday camp , and he becomes smitten with her , moving the movie towards a romance . She's the quintessential Singapore modern career girl , who puts career ( or trying to salvage it ) before love , and therein complicates matters of the heart when we get to the boy-momentarily-loses-girl bit . Plenty of drama in this area , though it doesn't dwell too long on it , increasing the pace for the action bits . Those eager to see Krrish , the superhero , will have to wait almost 2 hours before he makes an appearance in full costume . He's like Jet Li's cousin Black Mask with the black outfit and abilities , but with a better looking facial piece to disguise his identity . But with or without costume , we see Krishna's prowess through various stunt and fight choreography enhanced by wirework from one of Hong Kong's stunt masters , Chen Siu-Tung , especially in his " qing gong " abilities to glide effortlessly through the air like Chinese martial artists . There's also a showpiece for Hrithik to demonstrate the kung-fu skills picked up , and the fights , if compared with other Bollywood movies , have toned down its cheesy sound effects and credibility issues because of its premise ( if a superhero punches you , you'll definitely fly what ) . And what's a Bollywood flick without song and dance ? Yes , our hero sings and dances when romancing his love , from the mountains in India to the skyscrapers in Singapore , but he doesn't do so as his alter-ego Krrish ( yup , just let the superhero stick to kicking serious rear ) . There are 5 beautiful songs in Krrish , and save for the one in the circus , the rest did not involve mass dancing by extras , which kept the focus purely on the leads . And the dance choreography was pretty amazing too , though I was surprised that Hrithik Roshan , given his muscular bulk , could dance so gracefully . Oh , did I mention Priyanka Chopra is gorgeous ? While the romance and action bit were interesting , the science fiction bit was unfortunately found wanting . Not that it was bad , but because it was too familiar . Adapting the same plot as Philip K Dick's Paycheck , the sets , premise and plot device looked exactly the same as John Woo's Paycheck movie - we have the evil Dr Arya ( Naseeruddin Shah ) building a supercomputer which can look into the future , and therefore becoming God himself . The evil lair too looked like Woo's underground lair in M : I2 , complete with pigeons ( no doves in Singapore ) . For those who want to know more about the local landmarks used - Singapore Expo was used quite a bit , since it's large enough to be filmed at different areas passing off as different venues , even doubling up as Changi Airport's arrival hall entrance with smart editing . The Esplanade was another choice location as the HQ of a conglomerate run by Dr Arya , with National Library's Pod doubling as the penthouse office . There are many scenes with glass windows , which will clue you in on the location of the current setting . Other notable locations are the condos at Kallang , Shenton Way / Raffles Place , Lau Pa Sat ( widely publicized during the shoot here ) , the Singapore River and our offshore islands . Krrish reminded me that cinema is about the big spectacle , and I encourage anyone who's into song , dance , and especially those interested in seeing local landmarks make their way into movies , to give Krrish a shot . It made Singapore look sexy , and probably showed us a different angle in making an action movie here . While awaiting the arrival of Singer's Man of Steel , watch Krrish !
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515,272 | 317,399 | 1,190,539 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Chaser
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The Chaser become a box office hit in South Korea earlier this year , and as the byline on the poster goes , it's highly acclaimed , and it shocked moviegoers . I won't dispute either claim though , because it reaffirmed that there are quality crime thrillers coming out from their film industry after dismal efforts like Typhoon or Fate . The DVD has already been out in the shops overseas and I was tempted to get it just to experience what the fuss is about . Finally being released here this week , The Chaser boasts plenty of nail biting sequences , and scenes that would work the heart despite having most of its violence done off screen . The protagonist happens to be quite an unsavoury character Joong-ho ( Kim Yun-seok ) , an ex-cop turned pimp who's running into some severe manpower issues when his girls start to disappear from their work . A pattern he noticed though is a peculiar caller , Young-min ( Ha Jung-woo ) being the last customer serviced , and unwittingly he had sent one of his girls , Mi - kin ( Seo Yeong-hie ) to meet up with him for business . Smelling a rat , and thinking that the caller might be a human trafficker of sorts , he tries to spring a trap , but Murphy's Law kicks in , and hence begin the cat and mouse game . In some ways the movie reminded me of the Hollywood movie ( and now Hong Kong remake ) Cellular , where a female in distress tries hard to contact the outside world for help , and those on the outside trying to work their way in to locate that needle in a haystack . What surprised me though , is that the film adapted a strategy used by Confessions of Pain in showing the hand of the serial killer very early on in the film , but unlike the Hong Kong movie , The Chaser somehow pulled it off through pacing done correctly , and managed to sustain interest and attention all the way to the end . The title might suggest pursuit , but it's not always having characters on the run , with nicely punctuated moments of human drama to provide a level of humanity , or inhumanity , to its characters . Kim Yun-seok as Joong-ho starts off as an uncaring boss whose priority is money , and thinks the world revolves around riches . His motivation for getting into the sex trade never really gets explained , though one can suspect that his hot headed temperament would have made it extremely difficult for him to function as a cop , or to gain support from his superiors when he goes berserk . There's still some good in him though through his redemption , when he starts to realize just how much of a jerk he had become , and goes all out to look for his staff when the police all but knock on the wrong doors . The Chaser also became a commentary of the inefficiencies of the police force , of the huge disparity in quality between seasoned investigators , and beat cops . It's also bogged down by the usual bureaucratic nonsense of covering the backsides of superiors or situations that put the department under bad light , and questions certain situations when investigations are carried out only for various avenues of politicking . What's more of a shocker here is , despite that which we've seen on investigation integrity in Memories of Murder , that fabricating of evidence still is a norm , where superiors tell their underlings that it is perfectly OK to cook up a story to fill in some blanks in reports , or when legwork turn out to be unfruitful , and in extracting confessions . Granted the movie paces itself against the clock given that suspects have to be released 12 hours after an arrest without a warrant , it makes for some excellent race against the clock moments , especially with the villain overtly taunting the cops with red herrings and mocked insanity , which actor Ha Jung-woo does a fine job with . Investigations get carried out in both the orthodox , proper way involving the authorities , and one working outside the system , where you'd be put in a spot to cheer the vigilantism and absence of red tape , which even the cops support , and mock the ineptness of policing with one hand tied behind the back . If you're one who's easily worked up through injustices put on screen , then you might want to keep your temper in check when sitting through The Chaser , as the last act will almost inevitably make you feel exasperated , and seethe with rage at the developments in the narrative . It might not be as good as the excellent Memories of Murder , but this stylish package comes close . Recommended !
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515,521 | 317,399 | 397,313 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Eight Below
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I'm a long time admirer of the beautiful huskies , their steely blue eyes , and their ability to survive the harshest of winter while pulling along a heavy sled as a team . They're the equivalent of the camel in the desert and the equal of Lassie . It's tough to keep one in Singapore , not that you can't ( I've seen a couple in dog shows ) , but I suppose our weather here is too brutal . Eight Below , inspired ( loosely in my opinion ) by true events , tells the story of a team of 8 huskies , who belong to a science foundation supporting antarctic expeditions . The first 30 minutes introduce the team of Buck , Dewey , Max , Maya , Old Jack , Shadow , Shorty and Truman , who are the " babies " of Paul walker's antarctic guide Jerry Shepard . We also get to see plenty of action by this team of dogs , from the two formation strategies used to pull a sled , to a rescue mission . Pretty amazing stuff . What's more amazing is their tale of survival , for a period of almost 6 months , on their own . When a severe storm approaches , the humans gather to evacuate out of their base camp , leaving the dogs behind with a promise to come back and get them , which they never did . It's one of those survival of the fittest , and downright betrayal of man's best friend . Shepard tries hard to gather resources and persuade the right people to sponsor a 3-day trip for him to get his dogs back , but is always denied the request outright . The next hour shuttles between the remorse that Shepard experiences , and that of what happened to the dogs , their deviously cunning way of hunting for food , of facing up to natural disasters , of fighting off powerful enemies like the leopard-seals , of basic survival . We see that they're a highly disciplined bunch that follows the leader , and have unsaid rituals too . You'll feel for the canines , and they will tug at your heartstrings . And given the spotlight on the dogs , the humans are all overshadowed . It's just to provide a human element of emotional attachment that Shepard has for the dogs , and of some comedy ( Jason Biggs of American Pie ) . Sorry people , the focus is on the extraordinary dogs . At the end of the day , this is a Disney picture , which accounts for its bittersweet feel good factor towards the end , a fictionalized take of an event , sort of like this year's March of the Penguins , sans documentary material . My favourites in the show will have to be the dogs ( there are 2 dogs casted per role ) that played Max and Maya . Simply beautiful . Watch this movie , and you'll be a fan of the huskies too . Now to save up for a trip !
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514,503 | 317,399 | 469,494 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : There Will Be Blood
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Money is the root of all evil . It's needed to fuel the economy , and it's needed to further various gains , be it personal , political , and even religious to a certain extent . Too much money and people will see green , wanting to know the secret formula to creating and hoarding wealth , because of the various forms of satisfying utility that comes with the spending of money . And precious commodity like oil which is in high demand , automatically equates to wads of cold hard cash . Written and directed by Paul Thomas Andersen , There Will Be Blood brings us to the early 20th century , where it chronicles the exploits of a certain Daniel Plainview ( Daniel Day - Lewis ) , who discovers oil deposits during silver mining , and hedges a bet on the right horse . Calling himself an oil man , he designs his persona as being a humble family man , with his adopted child H . W . , so as to lower his level of threat as he goes around acquiring land which has the prospect on sitting upon oceans of oil buried deep down . It's a very shrewd move , and a card that he plays to perfection , hiding a cruel mean streak that he possesses deep within . A teenager approaches him one day with leads that his family and the entire neighbourhood of simple rural folk , are sitting atop a potential gold mine . Without further ado , Daniel and son qualifies this lead , and hurriedly entice the folks to sell their estate to him . And here's where the compelling argument for the proposal take place , where even you'll be hard pressed not to agree with , of the boost in the local economy that the oil money will bring - better infrastructure , better crops for food , educational opportunities , jobs all round , and the likes . But Eli Sunday ( Paul Dano ) plays the hard game with Daniel , and requests for a church to be built for him , to further his ambition of being the defacto faith healer in the community . And of course , such deal breakers are never in the good books of shrewd businessmen like Daniel , and the two of them set down the path of adversity , with the playing of games with each other , obvious snubbing , and total disgust . We see how the upper hand swings and shifts from one character to the other in their struggle for power over the community - one through the economy , the other through religion . And it is this battle which made me get interested and sit up . There are some very acute observations about the abuse of religion in this movie , and the exploitation of it for ulterior motives , gains , and self-preservation , cannot be highlighted in terms more stark than those here . For money , one can sell the soul to the devil , or turn religious should support be able to be garnered from the support group . For money or power over the masses , false prophets inch their way to top positions so as to have absolute command and control over their followers . To save one's skin , one can deny their Lord whom they exalt in the loudest voice day in day out , although this is no big deal for false prophets since their faith is placed on the moolah instead . I will count my chicken before it hatches , and say Daniel Day-Lewis will win that Best Actor Oscar this year , without a doubt . He will be robbed of that accolade should he not win it , as it was a really fascinating transformation to his character , and I still admire how Day-Lewis the person fades away into the character he portrays . His oil man is nothing but a ruthless businessman who will stop at nothing , not even murder , to fulfill his goals . His deep resonating voice is strangely hypnotic , and he presents a character that you will so love to hate , and probably be fearful of , along the way . Relative newcomer Paul Dano holds his own against the acclaimed veteran , and his Eli character exudes a sense of seediness that you can't help but cheer when he gets his just desserts . With the both of them having a chance to have a go at each other , I thought Dano really took up the opportunity to let it rip . It's a pretty long movie , sad to say you can feel its length . It unveils itself very slowly , and the first 20 minutes are pretty much devoid of any speaking parts , as you follow the designing and building of land based oil rigs , as well as the process to bring out the black gold . But there are some brilliant scenes in the movie which are worth their weight in gold , coupled with the beautiful cinematography and art direction , transporting you back to the turn of the century . The last third of the movie seemed to pick up the pace but felt somewhat rushed , but the superb acting and ending more than make up for the shortcomings along the way .
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514,758 | 317,399 | 414,931 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Breaking News
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I guess the holidays now give me some extra breathing space and time to raid my DVD library for many films yet unseen , and given my profound admiration of films coming out of Hong Kong's Milkyway Studios , such as the recent Sparrow or Mad Detective , that I would pull Breaking News out of my archives and give it a go too . Helmed by Johnnie To and written by Chan Hing-Ka and Yup Tin-Shing , like the other two films mentioned , this was also picked up by a European film festival ( Cannes no less ) and probably propelled To to cult like status in the West , with legions of fan ( myself included ) left almost always anticipating what's To has up his sleeves as his next offering . True , interest in the Hong Kong crime genre might be waning , but To and his band of filmmakers from Milkyway have so far never disappointed in giving the genre some breath of fresh air with each offering put on the table . Here , they managed to put a little spin on a tale between the cops , felons and the media , where the latter can be used as a double edged sword , subject to manipulation to further the political gains of either parties . Exploitation doesn't come from just the cops , because even the villains have their fare share of independent ability to put out material , thanks to new media tools for video and picture hosting . In some ways , this is a little bit like Dog Day Afternoon or 15 Minutes , but given a different take from the Fragrant Harbour . If anything , the opening scene is where the money shot is , and cement this film as a classic amongst To's filmography . It's an almost seven minute long continuous take where we get introduced to almost everyone , from the cops in question to the villains , organizing themselves to move out for their big heist , building tension when everything comes together for an all out showdown with the surveillance team hot at their heels . It's a shoot out from all fronts , and the camera captures it all in one sweeping motion , before we head toward the crowded open streets for more mayhem ala Heat , which culminates in a clip taken by the media when a beat cop surrenders in full view to the criminals , allowing them to escape instead of apprehending them . With the criminals on the loose , a cop obsessed to take them down , the police's public image being tainted , and a commissioner adamant in repairing the force's reputation , Breaking News is an enjoyable thriller with fine balance between the dramatics as well as in the action department , where SDU and PTU units get deployed to flush out the bad guys in some claustrophobic inducing cramped quarters of a block of flats . Richie Jen has this steely cool resolve as chief villain Yuen , who leads his boys from the Mainland in a game of survival , having their plans for a heist end prematurely , and finding themselves up against a hard nosed cop Cheung ( played by Nick Cheung ) , despite being armed to the teeth . Nick Cheung is pretty charismatic here in his role despite being nothing more than an action hero , though if you would like to see him in more dramatic material , then the recent Beast Stalker would be the appropriate choice . Kelly Chen rounds up the leading trio as the opportunistic Commissioner Rebecca Fong , entrusted by the upper echelons with the responsibility to restore pride to the force in the eyes of the media and public , and she goes into overdrive with her single minded focus on just that . Being a Milkyway film , some Johnnie To regulars also make their way here to lend gravitas even though in supporting roles . Simon Yam came on and suggested some romantic tangles with Chen's Fong , while Maggie Siu's cop from the PR department allowed for some measured and experienced handling both within the department , and with the media on the outside . Cheung Siu Fai was dished out a rather plain character though , more like a Yes - Man , while Yong You's character was more of a wildcard who provided the good guys an extra dimension to deal with . The affable Lam Suet's role as a dad caught between the crossfire , allowed for some interesting camaraderie forged during a hostage situation , and is now one of my favourite of his supporting roles in many of To's films . For fans of the genre and of Johnnie To , this is one movie that should not be missed . It had plenty of elements which made it genre defining , and for those who enjoy the many films of his which come with some intelligence required on the part of the good guys when hunting down their enemies , then Breaking News firmly belongs in that territory . Highly recommended !
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515,343 | 317,399 | 1,078,188 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Boy
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I guess this subject had already been explored a number of times recently - how convicted criminals , upon release from their jail term , attempt to re-integrate themselves back into society . With Little Children and The Woodsman , we essentially have pedophiles who were released and had to deal with deep rooted prejudice and non-forgiveness in the community they reside in . But what if this criminal is a killer ? Based on the novel by Jonathan Trigell , " Boy A " refers to the unnamed boy who cannot be positively identified during the trial as he's a minor . After serving significant time behind bars , we see him being released from prison , and working with his counsellor Terry ( Peter Mullan ) , he adopts a new identity as Jack Burridge ( Andrew Garfield ) . This is not only for an opportunity to start life afresh with a totally new and made up background , but to serve as a mask of protection against retributive attacks by the case sympathizers , or by the family members who may be out for their own brand of justice served . But of course this is no action movie , so scrap those thoughts of having a man on the run , with contract killers on the loose . What we have here instead is a touching exploration of a teenager's despair at trying to recalibrate his life after the chilling crime committed at an age where he was influenced by best pal Philip Craig ( Taylor Doherty ) . And here's where Andrew Garfield's ability got tested to the max , where he constantly has to live a lie , and finds it extremely hard to work at , and obtain the trust of others , always having to deal with the niggling feeling that he's not being totally honest , and with romance in the picture with Michelle ( Katie Lyons ) , it just complicates things . Fate allows him to redeem himself , but one wonders if that is enough , and whether one good deed can free oneself from the sins of the past . Garfield's charismatic presence will engage you from the get go as he carries the movie through from start right up until the end , and kudos too to the editing and direction set to weave what's essentially two story arcs seamlessly together , with the current timeline , and one which looked at the mysterious past where events were presented a little bit at a time . We see how the two young boys evolve over time in their spiral downwards in morality , and even so the dastardly crime doesn't get shown verbatim , but only through a fishing reference , which will cause the audience to question how culpable Jack was with his involvement in the crime . Running parallel to Jack's story is that of Terry the counsellor was well , being estranged from his wife , and having to address the disappointment he has with his own son . It's not hard to see how close he is to Jack , and how under his care or lackof , would develop inside each boy as the story went along . And this character study also extended to various supporting characters as well , especially one whose promise to another seem to ring hollow the minute you hear it , which just makes it a little bit more heart-wrenching when you see Jack's nonchalant response , as if pre-emptive , and in the know . So , yellow ribbon project ? I suppose the reality of it is that it still boiled down to the crime itself , and just how tolerant society is toward it in a case by case basis . Don't let this gripping drama slip you by , it's powerful stuff that will continue to pose questions for discussion way after the end credits roll .
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514,606 | 317,399 | 413,015 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Mrs . Henderson Presents
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Nudity , gratuitous nudity . But let's not get carried away shall we ? Mrs Henderson Presents , based loosely on real events , tells the tale of how an English theatre in London's West End called the Windmill was revived , and showcases the people involved in putting on its productions . Grand English dame Judi Dench plays Laura Henderson , a rich and recently widowed woman who is at the crossroads of what to do with her twilight years . She decides to buy an old theatre on a whim , and hires Vivian Van Damm ( Bob Hoskins ) to run it . Despite their differences , they come up with a successful hit , but like all who are the first to market and with weak barriers to entry , their innovative idea of a non-stop revue gets easily copied , and they are faced with the usual slump in their box office . Mrs Henderson then presents another idea of having nudity on stage , modelled after the French's revue , to bring in the crowds and to stand out amongst their competitors . And here's where the comedy picked up a bit , as audition calls look like American Idol and Are You Hot ? combined into one . The banter between Henderson and Lord Chamberlain ( chief censor at that time ) in order to get his permission for such a live act is memorable , as she " innocently " mouths off words that seem too vulgar for Chamberlain to utter . What appeals in the movie is how Hoskins and Dench play off their characters against each other . Their dialogue though at times vicious , are always laced with wit , especially in Dench's retorts . Dench puts up an award winning performance as an eccentric lady who spares no effort in showing her emotions when in solitude , although she does throw a childish tantrum or two around . Hoskins too held his own , though the depth that the filmmakers tried to inject into his Jewish Vivian Van Damm character seemed a little too contrived . The first half of the movie is extremely fun as the cast and crew go about attempting what has never been done before in an English theatre , but midway through the film , the pace gets jarred with the introduction of World War II and Hitler's bombing campaign over London . Subplots get introduced and got rid off faster than you can say " Bomb Raid " . You have a quick love affair , and some pondering about the war ( with a beautifully light deprived Picadilly Circus , and the raging fire engulfing much of London . But what I felt was a pity of not being played up , was the perceived rivalry between the nude models , and the actual performers who sing and dance . It was suggested at , and then forgotten altogether . While the movie has its shortcomings , Mrs Henderson's revelation will explain why she did what she did . That scene , though predictable and expected to be coming , actually gave the film a much needed closure after dangerously threading on having the plot being too scattered . The song and dance added flavour to the movie , but I hesitate to brand this movie as an outright musical . One thing though , I'm quite surprised that the censors here are quite lax with this movie , nary a cut amongst the nudity , not only of the female form ( full frontal , and back too ) , but full frontal male nudity get passed as well , which I thought was R21 territory . Perhaps it's like what the one character in the movie mentioned , so long as the humans do not move , it can be considered art , and not alluring . Perhaps , perhaps , perhaps . ( Sorry , weak attempt in trying to be musical here )
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514,935 | 317,399 | 758,742 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Death Note
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Absolute power corrupts absolutely , so goes the saying . What happens if you have the power to bring about death to any individual with just the mighty stroke of the pen ? How would you use your new found ability ? Would you decide to inflict capital punishment and take away lives of criminals , convicted , suspected or otherwise ? Would you be the grim reaper , transfixed in your own branding of right and wrong , backed by the power of mortality ? Based on a popular Japanese manga written by Takeshi Obata , Death Note tells the story of the god of death , bored with life , making available his Death Note ( book ) to the human world . Picked up by aspiring lawyer Light ( Tatsuya Fujiwara ) , he soon finds that the rules written in both English ( yes ) and Kanji on the inside front cover , actually work - whosoever has his name written inside the book , will meet death via a heart attack . That's just scratching the surface , as Light continues to experiment with the capabilities of the book , as well as to internalize all the rules to call upon some serious manipulation of the rules to work to his advantage . Why does the book operate with that set of rules , well , that's something you have to accept at face value if you want to enjoy the movie . Starting off with the deaths of criminals as Light experiments , soon the authorities take notice of these mysterious deaths , and launch a nationwide dragnet to hunt down the perpetrator . Foreign help is also called in , and L ( Ken'ichi Matsuyama ) , an unseen and only heard police investigator , gets roped in . It's a battle of wits as Light tries to keep his Kira persona ( given by the press ) alive while avoiding being caught by an ever zealous L , as both boys ( yes , boys ) engage and challenge each other . One to continue utilizing the notebook in more creative ways , while the other trying his best to second guess , and to see through guises and red herrings . Things become more interesting when family ties are involved , and relationships get put to the test in an interesting run up to the final scene . I thought Light's character development was crucial to the movie , and Fujiwara brought that through his role quite effortlessly with his impish looks . The god of death , a frequent companion of Light , master of the book and actually is the voice of rational thought , is totally CG rendered , which allows for its supernatural movement to be as natural as possible . However , the design does resemble Brian Bolland's Joker with its patsy white face and permanent teeth showing grin , except for its extremely huge spanned wings , and punk like hairdo . Death Note succeeds in making you sit up on the edge of your seat for the most parts - it does have certain slow moments in the movie which plods the pace down a tad too much . While it presents differing views on capital punishment , the movie itself doesn't suggest which is right or wrong , but is almost adamant in bringing forth the notion of the corruption of power . I haven't read the original manga to do a comparison , but as a movie in itself , it works , given its relatively high production values . Part 2 is already signed , sealed and soon to be delivered . I can't wait to see how the movie takes off from where it ended . Intriguing , interesting and entertaining stuff !
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514,667 | 317,399 | 1,156,506 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Connected
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When we hear of remakes , we lament Hollywood raiding Asian content , repackaging and most of the time dumbing them down for mass consumption , often to dismal results . Some get A-list cast and crew attached , while others put whoever's the flavour of the moment to attempt to be the next scream or drama queen . With Benny Chan's remake of Hollywood's Cellular , I guess the remake street cuts both ways now , and while I had enjoyed the original with Chris Evans running around like a headless chicken , I embrace this version with Louis Koo in the leading role wholeheartedly as well . As with any self-respected remake , you take key premise and scenes and mirror them somewhat accurately , stamping your unique mark on them and providing some creative spin . But what Benny Chan did in addition to that , was to throw in lots of space , so much so that it doesn't get confined to just a particular location , but uses a wide berth which is Hong Kong , from the highlands to the airport , as the playground of choice . While it runs longer than the original , you'd suspect that it either has repetitive scenes , or moments of monotony which would drag it out , since the original was quite compact with wall-to-wall action . Connected has none of that , and still maintains enough moments of thrills and spills , even for those who had watched the original and likely to guess the twists and turns . For the uninitiated , Barbie Hsu plays Grace Wong , an engineering genius , worked into the plot such that it would be reasonable for someone of her calibre to craft a makeshift phone from spare parts . Compared to the more elderly version of the damsel-in-distress played by Kim Basinger , Hsu brings forth a more energetic interpretation , not to mention a younger one too as it provides some background rooting for a hint at possible romance , since she's a single mom , and Louis Koo's single dad character , despite them spending the bulk of their screen time apart from one another . Koo plays Bob , a debt collector whose relationship with his young son is on the brink of disaster given his string of broken promises , but gets a call out of the blue requesting for urgent help . While Chris Evans may have started off his character quite cock-sure of himself , Koo's Bob here is pretty much mild mannered and timid , until such unusual circumstances bring out the tiger in him when he begins to find some courage to assert himself , in the face of irritants like a salesman from hell , and a loud mouthed convertible driver . There are little nuances put into Bob that credit has to go to Louis Koo for making it more three-dimensional , in having a guy rely on extraordinary luck to see him through challenge after challenge , of being quite clueless and one step behind for the most parts , not to mention a moments of internal tussle he suffers to decide whether to risk it all for the strange caller , or to ignore the desperate plea for help in order to save his own relationship with his son . Apple for apple comparison , the remake counterparts held their own in contribution to the movie . While we don't have a Jason Statham as the no-nonsense baddie henchman , we do get a more charismatic Liu Ye as the chief villain , and in spite of hiding his face behind shades most of the time , he does send enough fear to the opposition , and makes quite a fine villain , although not particularly a memorable one . There are enough material here to have three concurrent narrative points of view running along , with that of the captive , the seeker , and the meddler , where NicK cheung's off duty cop PC2004 ( a moniker for the year the original Cellular was released ) had more to chew on , compared to his Hollywood counterpart . The action scenes here were a little throwback to the 80s Hong Kong cop shows where heroes and villains get to duke it out in old school fashion in the final act , without police intervention until the show's literally over , but there were a couple of stunts that raised a few eyebrows . An indestructible Nissan March tearing through the streets of Hong Kong might seem a scene from Mr Nice Guy where a truck full of Pepsi got ripped through , but one of my personal favourite sequence , though short , was a full follow through of the characters right into an unexpected glass panel . If you've not seen the original , then you might just want to start with the remake instead . It surpasses in its intensity , frustration , and the leads , while almost never sharing the same scene together , individually made themselves very believable as the damsel-in-distress , and the knight in shining armour . Benny Chan adds a whole lot of fresh air to his filmography with this effort , even if it's from remake territory and adopting the same way to close the credits , but does an excellent job out of it .
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514,808 | 317,399 | 339,291 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
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The Littlest Elf opens this movie , before being shut off Lemony Snicket's narration ( voiceover Jude Law , hey , he's everywhere in 2004 ! ) , reminding everyone that this is a movie with a sad beginning and end , and with a series of unfortunate events . We are introduced to the Baudelaire children - Violet , who has a knack of invention using things readily available ( and whose pouty lips are comparable to that of Angelina Jolie's ) , Klaus , who reads loads of books , and remembers everything , and the toddler Sunny , who . . . err . . . just bites . The first unfortunate event is the burning of their house / parents inside ( not shown ) . Suddenly they are left orphans , and are bounced from guardian to guardian , comprising of distant and weird relatives , like one who keeps strange reptiles , and another who has a fear of practically everything , but with a nuance for proper grammar . Jim Carrey is Count Olaf , their first guardian , who craves nothing but the children's ' inheritance , and schemes to get custody / kill / anything that does the trick to get the children and / or the money . Here , Carrey is on familiar playground , with multiple disguises giving him the opportunity to flex his facial muscles . But the toddler Sunny actually steals the show from Carrey , with her inability to speak , except gagas and googoos , hilarious subtitling thrown in as interpretation , and oh-so-cute actions . Awww . . . . . The storyline and narrative feel is somewhat similar in style to the Harry Potter movies - most times dark , Gothic , sinister , as the kids try and solve who did and why their parents got killed , yet at the same time showcasing and utilizing their unique abilities to get them out of sticky situations . The CGI works perfectly here , and brings to life the excitement of many set action pieces . This film has peaked my interest in the books - let's hope their not written in too childish a manner for me ! By the way , I do not know why , but all the audience left when the end credits are shown - they are drawn beautifully with caricatures and silhouettes , and the haunting score just captivates . Stay and appreciate , yeah ?
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514,799 | 317,399 | 377,471 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Be Cool
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A new opportunity to watch John Travolta and Uma Thurman boogie on the dance floor together , is worth the price of the admission ticket . Who could've forgotten the classic scene from Pulp Fiction where the two made trademark moves to the song " You Never Can Tell " - now both of them sizzle to the performance of the Black Eyed Peas . Perfect on-screen chemistry , and one that can rival their previous dance performance . Be Cool is the sequel to Get Shorty , while the latter parodies the film industry , this one brings along the same formula for the music industry , and it shows again that perhaps there is more than meets the eye in getting a record produced . The narrative is simple at first - as Chili Palmer ( loved that Heneiken ad by the way ) tries to inch his way , totally greenhorn , into the industry , he gets involved with the Russian mob , the hip-hop gun wielding gangsta rappers and their producer , his starlet's ex manager and his partner , and to a little extent , the cops too . And that's when the plot might get confusing to some . You have to pay close attention , otherwise you'll miss the plot filled with double , sometimes triple crossings as Palmer outwits , outplays and outlasts them all . But to those who lost the plot midway , no worries , as there are parodies galore that you can enjoy in this film , poking fun at movie sequels , at dim witted gangsters , and the script is pretty witty with its one-liners and quirky cast of many . Or you can enjoy the musical performances like Black Eyed Peas , Aerosmith and of course , Christina Milian . While John Travolta plays it cool ( seems like he always breezes through his films these days with a " devil may care " air ) , and Uma Thurman looking beautiful as always , it is Vince Vaughn and The Rock who steal the movie from right under all the other casts noses . Vince Vaughn's take on his cowardly character who acts like he's " Black " ( with ghetto speak and all ) is top notch , and The Rock as a wussy faggot bodyguard always get you in stitches when he's on screen - he even parodies his own " People's Eyebrow " ! Be warned that this film may not be enjoyable for everyone ( especially for those who are impatient and can't wait to get to the chase ) , but be cool , and enjoy the ride .
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514,849 | 317,399 | 783,767 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Angel
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Based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor , this Francois Ozon directed movie was the closing film of the Berlin Film Festival last year , and while it played out like a biography of a fictional character , you can't help but to imagine how close it seemed to the flamboyance of the other Liz Taylor being infused into the titular character . Movies based on biographies , such as Miss Potter with Rene Zellweger and La Vie En Rose with Marion Cotillard , seem to follow a formula of rags to riches , and basically living the dream that no one had imagined was possible . Naturally , being blessed with a talent and a gift helps too , and with Angel Deverell ( Romola Garai ) , hers was a steely resolve of wanting to break out of her poverty cycle through her writing , an aspiring novelist with limited life experience , relying solely on her vivid imagination to paint literary marvels with her firm grasp of language , constructing sentences like a wordsmith many times her age . What made her character compelling to watch and follow , is her living in a fantasy world she constructs for herself , which suits her perfectly as it provides for and fuels her imagination with romantic stories to enchant and endear herself to her readers . It shields her from her insecurities , but in doing so , she slowly isolates herself into her view of Paradise , and becomes a chronic liar , which I felt she's constantly aware of , but is ashamed to admit any stain in the perfect world . Delivered in two distinct acts , things start to change when she meets the Howe-Nevisons . Nora ( Lucy Russell ) , probably her # 1 fan who simply worships the ground she treads on , and offers to be her personal assistant , and her brother Esme ( Michael Fassbender from 300 who said they'll fight in the shade ! ) , with whom Angel falls head over heels for . And this stifling relationship takes a toil on all parties involved , with shades of possible lesbianism played down in the film ( though I'm unsure what became of it in the novel ) . While Angel had her break from Theo ( Sam Neill ) the publisher who believed in her , Esme the aspiring painter has none , besides Angel who would probably say Yes to anything he says . And his portrait of her probably was the highlight for me in the movie . If a portrait painter needs to , and can peer directly into your innermost soul and bring whatever qualities he sees in you onto the canvas , then Esme would have succeeded with his god-ugly picture of Angel , reinforces meaning of being beautiful on the outside . but ugly on the inside . The special effects were quite badly done , and perhaps deliberately too , as it's made up of very obviously superimposed shots of backgrounds that no longer exist because of modernization . Other than that , the rest of the production values are high , and the costumes too which Angel decked herself in , are quite a sight to behold , especially when there's a call for a change in colours to reflect the mood of the story as it wore on . But what made this movie very palatable , is how Romola Garai carried the role through the story . You can just about believe the very naiveness and devil may care attitude that her Angel brings , however always seemingly able to hide and bury her true feelings deep within herself , and being a master manipulator also helped loads . Like how Charlotte Rampling's character of the publisher's wife reflected , you just can't help but to pity Angel , despite her pomp , flamboyance and hypocrisy . So if you're interesting in a movie that provides avenue for an intriguing study of a person putting on a very fake mask , then Angel , despite its title , will be the movie for you to examine human traits which are anything but angelic .
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514,977 | 317,399 | 313,542 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Runaway Jury ( 2003 )
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This was the last John Grisham book I've read in chronological order , starting from The Firm , and all of them thus far have been made into relatively successful movies with big names attached to the projects . While most of them have stuck fairly accurately to the source material ( The Chamber by far was the most accurate , but therefore least interesting in my opinion ) , this one took a lot of liberty by swinging the main " baddies " from tobacco companies , to gun companies . Not that it would have mattered a lot , given that both have the propensity to kill people . This film lends itself to some serious pondering on the jury system over the powers of the judge to determine the fate of the case . But with the jury system open to possible manipulation and tampering , like what was shown , perhaps there could never be a 100 % foolproof way of ensuring that crime pays accurately . Justice is blind ? It's the third outing for Gene Hackman in a movie adapted from Grisham . He started off opposite Tom Cruise in The Firm , then opposite Chris O'Donnell in The Chamber , and now , stars as jury consultant cum manipulator Rankin Fitch , who has a team of upbeat high tech investigators in the game of ensuring that the jury is handpicked by them , for a particular case . It's highly interesting to see the way they apply assumptions , surveillance and various digging of skeletons of potential jurors , for the defence lawyer played by Bruce Davison , best known as Senator Kelly in the X-Men series . Up against the defence is another powerhouse actor , Dustin Hoffman , as lawyer Wendell Rohr . Having Hoffman and Hackman pair up , for the very first time , is cinematic history in the making . Watch out for the washroom scene where these 2 share some very intense , argumentative moment together . John Cusack and Rachel Weisz stars as Nicholas Easter and Marlee respectively , a team whose motive doesn't get revealed initially , other than to blackmail Rohr and Fitch into guaranteeing the jury's verdict in the favour of the one who can pay their 10 million dollars . To Fitch , they're small time players in this cat-and-mouse game , but he realizes that having an inside guy , in this case , Easter , who's on the jury , may prove to be just that guarantee he needs . Rohr , on the other hand , being more morally upright , struggles to come to terms with probably losing his case to a pair of hustlers . While you may have read Grisham's novel , Runaway Jury will still keep you guessing , at least the motives of Easter and Marlee , up until the very last scene . My favourite adaptation until now has always been A Time To Kill , starring Matthew McConaughey in his first lead role , with Samuel L Jackson . But Runaway Jury has air-dropped itself into joint number one spot , as I eagerly anticipate the next John Grisham adaptation . Any news , anyone ?
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514,983 | 317,399 | 1,382,278 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Letters to the President
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While this may have been sanctioned by the Iranian government and the man himself , it's surprisingly quite balanced without a need to censor any sensitive remarks that may have made them look bad , though of course like what was said by people in the beginning that since the camera is trained on them , they had better have good things to say , so I believe some form of self-censorship was practiced , but still a candid remark or two would also have gone through despite comments that could generally be already very guarded . After all , there are issues which are close to the heart and may have strong emotional attachment to them . There's no one on one interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad throughout the film , as the camera shadows his movement in clips that are from a third person perspective . We see during his rounds throughout the land that his motorcade or entourage gets mobbed each time , and because of his letter policy , have everyone wanting to get his attention , to submit a letter , either personally handing it to him , or given to his aides , or just thrown into his vehicle ! It's like a rock star making an appearance in a downtown city , where thousands profess their love or listen to his every word like the gospel being disseminated . It's clear that this man , elected in 2005 , is popular in his country , but feared by the West because of his controversial sabre-rattling which his supporters echo ( also in the film on nuclear energy , and making a bomb while at it ) . Watching this film you might be inclined to evaluate if this is a President for his people , or is it just a facade ? The film doesn't answer it , but provides both sides of the argument for your evaluation . It first starts with everything quite positive in terms of the people's vocal support , before peeling away the layers to suggest a number of cracks within the system , especially highlighting some broad division within society , between the rural and the urban folks , providing some keen insights to what could be happening behind relatively closed doors with vast differences in their basic concerns . For example , the female urbanites are quite vocal in their unhappiness with the morality police , and the urban folks , with what was presented in this documentary , being less guarded with their opinions even in front of the camera . On the surface , the letter writing system Ahmadinejad put in place might seem an excellent idea , given of course replies come from him personally to address the concerns of his people . In theory that is , because once you start to receive millions of letters demanding your personal attention to issues , logistics would mean employing a team to tackle the reading , replying , and execution of the reply . The result's quite impressive , because of the millions of letters received , the reply rate is about 3 in 4 , somewhat akin to writing to Santa Claus I suppose , with only those who are nice being entertained before goods get dispensed . You can see the immense logistics set up for this , with letter processing centres and call centres being staffed with paramilitary personnel who are groomed as future leaders of the state . I thought this was a shrewd move given that you're allowing them to gain first hand experience in a wide myriad of grassroots issues . A reply to the letter writer is often treated with gratitude , but a deeper issue lies in the fact that a high response rate doesn't necessarily translate to a modest success rate , because issues are normally basic bread and butter kind , and with the international sanctions in place further limiting scarce resources , it's back to dealing with red tape and bureaucracy . It's also curious to note that more women than men subscribe to the scheme , where they fervently believe that he will be able to solve their problems , mostly stemming from feeling the impact of sanctions , doing away with meat and high inflation on food prices , which the men dismiss as just tough luck because of the worldwide shortage . There was some significant time devoted to this aspect , with the focus of two women in conversation while waiting to meet the President during his meet-the-people session , which didn't materialize . As a documentary , Letters to the President presents basic issues faced by the general population , so those looking for a documentary on the Iranian leader would find this a little lacking in that aspect . But nonetheless it managed to offer a peek into the psyche of very different groups of people , and the day to day problems and concerns each face .
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515,044 | 317,399 | 1,326,972 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Red Cliff II
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It's been a six month wait for the second and final half to John Woo's magnum opus Red Cliff , and for those familiar with the classic but have not watched the first installment , the director doesn't waste time in bringing you up to speed with an excellent summary , so much so that the transitional technique used was carried over to the main movie proper . And for those who complained about the pigeon soaring over the sky overseeing a football game at the Cao Cao ( Zhang Fengyi ) camp , there're perfect explanations for those too . Yes , just when you think it was frivolous of Woo to have added his signature pigeon shots just for the heck of it , you'll be more than pleased to know that the feathered friends do serve a valid purpose here , as does the football match which introduces a sub plot which again I suspect will give way in the truncated version meant for Western markets . We continue where we last left off , and get to see Vicky Zhao's Sun ShangXiang in an expanded role which is crucial to the overall plotting and strategizing of the finale battle , knocking a bit of the shine off the well known characters of Tony Leung's Zhou Yu and Takeshi Kaneshiro's Zhuge Liang . But don't fret , as there's still ample and well known episodes where the two men get to show off their cunningness and shrewdness in getting their respective one-ups against their common rival . But alas Zhuge Liang gets to become a clear second fiddle here , since he's all brains but absolutely no brawn , and get left out of fisticuffs , putting his firm grasp of mother nature to the test , that the elements also play a fair bit of tipping advantage . Fans of the character though will smile at recognizable anecdotes presented that have given rise to Chinese proverbs . By now , one would already know that Zhou Yu is the primary focus of the show ( I think Chow Yun-Fat is regretting ) , given that he's a well rounded man blessed with brains and brawn , and a beautiful wife to boot too . He's honour and duty bound to protect the southern territory of Sun Quan ( Zhang Chen ) , but this becomes something more personal when Xiao Qiao ( Lin Chiling ) takes it into her own hands to buy the defenders some time by crossing over to Cao Cao and to play the proverbial beauty capable of mesmerizing the prime minister . And her performance in this film was a lot more effective than the last . In fact , the two female characters get meatier roles to play , and for someone like John Woo , I can't remember the last time where he had strong female characters in his films , so this was a treat . Somehow , Red Cliff 2 ended with a whimper unfortunately , which is a pity . The build up is excellent par none , prepping the audience for the big showdown . Those who had lamented the lack of big battle sequences in the first film , well , you can continue to lament as this one only had ONE which takes up almost the last hour . It's execution , pure and simple , putting into motion what has been planned , and the relentless clockwork that every plan had to follow . While the first film had provided for the famed generals of Liu Bei to each have their individual show pieces to highlight their fighting prowess , this one had none as most of the lead characters0 got relegated to support status , except for Zhao Yun ( Hu Jun ) whom John Woo has an affinity for . Fans of Woo's style will see his signature stamped in a lot of action sequences here , which were muted somewhat in the first installment . With Zhao Yun and Zhou Yu , one can tell Woo was probably brimming with glee to design the action set pieces for these two warriors , reminiscent of many of his signature brotherhood series , trading guns for swords here . The two trade barbs of camaraderie , and fight alongside each other , feeding off each other's moves . They battle in parallel , perfectly framed as if in split screen , and I think it's inevitable to have the hero and villain in a stand-off , with support from everyone else wondering who will make the next move . And here's where purists will be up in arms again , because of how the film ended , which went askew from what would have happened , involving both Cao Cao and Guan Yu and that flight of retreat . But I guess if Peter Jackson had some liberties taken , then Woo too should be cut some slack in order to dramatize Red Cliff for the screen . So too would fans of the other characters be upset , because you don't see much of your idols in action here , which mostly got relegated to plenty of pretty fireballs and raging flames on just much everything , and arrows being the weapon of choice for mass destruction here . Individual , stylized fight scenes no longer are the highlight as per the previous film . On the whole it's been a long while since I'd seen an epic of this scale from Chinese cinema , and thank goodness that the rumoured , cringe-worthy lines of dialogue are just that - rumours and nowhere to be found . Come awards time , I'd expect this film to be raking some major accolades . Despite its minute flaws , this is still highly recommended just to complete the saga , and I think I'll get the DVD of both parts should they come in one combined edition .
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514,839 | 317,399 | 826,765 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Alpha Diaries
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2 . 5 ( and now 2 ) years of active service during the prime of our lives , and 13 ( now 10 ) cycles of reservist duty thereafter . ASk any male in Singapore about their national obligation and you're gonna get a myriad of colourful views , some of which of course are unprintable here . But as we're conditioned , National Service is a rite of passage , and frankly it's where great bonds are forged , where you live with , play with and work your butts off as a unit fulfilling some mission objectives . It's an open secret that the pioneer batches of conscripts were trained by the Israeli army , and similar to our IPPT which is dumbed down from the US Marines standard , so too is the duration of service as compared to the IDF , where at aged 18 they become soldiers for 3 years , before serving 20 years of reservist where they're called back for 30 days each time . That's double of what we're obligated to serve , barring those holding officer ranks and appointments . I guess the environment they operate in is vastly different from Singapore's , where here a two week high key stint sees us fighting " ghosts " , while there it is as great a reality check can be , with real danger potentially lurking at every corner . As with any conscript army , they face the same issues that we do , especially when we get notification of our call up , and literally bitch about it , until we report back , see our buddies , reminisce the good old days , and work together to perform whatever's necessary in order to go back to our loved ones , and on with our lives . And having a group of men banded together spells nothing but comedy when we let loose in base camps , and I can attest to some of the shenanigans shown in this documentary , could rival those that happen in our camps too . There will always be that misgivings about living life in olve green where we turn into beasts , and those who are featured in this film , do not mince their words in sharing their frustrations about the system as well . Yaniv Berman's documentary was filmed in the last 5 years of his reservist , between the years of 2002 and 2006 , and offers an unflinching look at their operations from the ground level , through the eyes of the riflemen in his Alpha company . While we do not get the details of operations , since after all every military operation is secret , I thought that such a film could not have existed in the first place , and I was wrong . It's hard to imagine that permission would even be granted for an independent filmmaker to try and attempt to document something like this here in Singapore , which would probably offer a whole lot of honest insights into the psyche of the troops who are disrupting their lives to serve . But what I found more powerful in this film , is not the parallels that we can identify with . Rather it's the nature of the troops ' mission and operations each time they hit the road , that surprisingly was allowed to be featured in this documentary . Besides the usual sentry or guarding duties , they perform raids in the occupied territories , where the soldiers go from house to house in the dead of the night , barging into apartments in skeletal battle order and conducting searches for , I presume , contraband and those deemed wanted . Pointing their guns at faces , men get separated from the women and children and interrogated , the entire house turned upside down in order to conduct a thorough search and so on . One could only imagine the intense humiliation a family has to go through , probably repeatedly by different companies , and if there's any violation of basic rights , this is it . It's no wonder that the Palestinans vent their frustration where they can , some express it through the throwing of rocks at the Israeli convoy's APC , to the laughter of the soldiers knowing that they are untouchable from within . It's almost like a cowboy town where the rule of law becomes the rule of those who have weapons . It's a little unsettling to witness locked doors being hacked at ( really heavy metal doors actually ) and if unsuccessful with the sledge hammer , some explosives are the order of the day . Even the soldiers themselves , in an interview , admit to the unpleasantness and wouldn't want to be at the other end of this , and like true soldiers , they follow orders , not questioning them , whether morally they know it is not right . You can feel that there's nothing personal , but they're carrying out their day to day orders in counting down to the day where they will be obligation-free , and the intense joy that comes with that day , whether it be celebrating because they are free from the shackles of being called back , or free from executing humiliating orders , or both . I guess that's what life in olive green fatigues could degenerate into . We may lose our humanity once we don the colours and behave badly . Complain as we may , we understand the need of a defence force though not all may agree with it , preferring a professional outfit to a conscript model . There will always be that inconvenience to balance , but after this , I do prefer to fight phantoms than to be under unknown enemy fire , or tasked to carry out duties that will put your morality under heavy questioning , conscience being masked by leaving your brains with your civvies .
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514,812 | 317,399 | 476,964 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Brave One
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I'm not sure why The Brave One got no love . Perhaps one could have been jaded by so many revenge themed movies , where things get taken into one's own hands because we believe revenge is a dish best served cold . From the martial arts genre to stylized violent movies like Tarantino's Kill Bill double , I'd warrant a guess that anything more rooted to the reality of today , and in the movie's forced allusion in making a statement about the Iraqi War , will make one roll their eyes in disbelief . But on its own , The Brave One is a satisfying picture . It offers no apologies to those who condone taking matters into their own hands , and establishes a stage for you to feel good about doing so too . One of the earliest movies I remember about revenge was Eye for an Eye , where as a kid I watched Sally Fields hunt down Kiefer Sutherland . And not to forget one of my favourite comic book heroes happen to be a masked vigilante prowling the streets of Gotham , never batting an eyelid in crippling opponents , all the while searching for the elusive Joe Chill who murdered his parents in cold blood . In similar ways , Erica Bain ( Jodie Foster ) is a woman on a dazed mission . She too is in search for the group who killed her fiancé and beaten her to a pulp ( akin to Robocop ) , hunting for her own Joe Chill . Along the way , she finds new strength within herself , though admittedly , discovers that she's morphing into a totally different person altogether , one who does not hesitate in dispensing her own brand of justice with her black market 9mm handgun . I for one was cheering her on as she ends the lives of evil persons who have the misfortune of crossing her path , then again , does that mean I got the propensity to do the same ? Perhaps . But here's where the movie succeeds in getting you riled up , and throwing your weight of support behind Erica's unlawful ways . As mentioned , it sets the stage properly in having you think the victims are in desperate need of some lessons to be taught , and given that they too preach a brand of violence , they jolly well deserve what came to them . In painting the police force as bureaucratic and inept , it elevates our support level for Erica as well . But we have Detective Mercer ( Terrence Howard ) who gets acquainted with our leading lady , as the two of them exchange thoughts , philosophies and pain through their friendship , providing some light that there are right and wrong , black and white , but there's always that shade of gray which makes it a constant challenge for those on the side of the law to adhere to following the book , because any deviation might mean a chance for legal exploitation , and the perpetrator walks . Foster's role is nothing unique here , as she had been The Accused before , but it's only in this movie that I realize how successfully she projected vulnerability , given her small frame . And she's getting noticeably aged too , with unavoidable wrinkles tracing her face when the camera goes up close . Holding his own against the award winning actress , Terrence Howard didn't have much else to do besides the cursory investigations into a supposed serial killer , being the supplemental detective character in a movie that touches on putting matters into your own hands . Enough suspense was built towards the finale although it degenerated almost into some unsatisfying Western high noon shoot out , and the ending is probably the best that could be mustered out of the story , despite its quite obvious stance toward vigilantism . When the credits roll , you'd sta rt to wonder if you too could go ballistic when someone else trespasses against you . And I just got to mention that Sarah McLachlan's Answer was plain beautiful .
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514,497 | 317,399 | 479,143 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Rocky Balboa
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I enjoyed Rocky Balboa tremendously , even though it was formulaic and probably a carbon copy of the original in terms of telling an underdog's tale . Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone , this is very much his comeback movie as it is for his character Rocky Balboa , when the fifth installment of the franchise was considered the weakest of the lot , and a let down to its predecessors . When the movie was announced , many people snickered and wrote it off outright , as being nothing new to offer on the table , of letting dead dogs lie , that Stallone was out of ideas and needed to revisit past glories to try and get his career back on track . However , Rocky Balboa , although it goes full circle and back to the original , is one that is plenty of heart as it parallels loosely the challenges of an ex-star trying to make a return . Of having to address that fire in the belly , of , like Rocky says , clearing stuff in the basement . In this movie , it's been many years since Rocky last fought in the ring , and now into semi - retirement with his laid back style of running an Italian restaurant ( with Mexican cooks ) named Adrian's ( after his wife ) , sharing ring action stories with his diners , and pining for his deceased wife . A computerized mock fight between Rocky and the current World Heavyweight Champ Mason The Line Dixon ( Antonio Tarver ) sparked that feeling of wanting to enter the ring inside Rocky , and what I found intriguing was Mason Dixon actually , and the state of the affairs he represents - those without heart , no passion , in it for the money , and competitors who give up easily when the going gets tough . It's not easy being the champion when you have weak competition , and the publicity machinery go into overdrive in setting up a win-win situation between the two fighters . Don't expect much interaction between Rocky and Dixon , as they leave most of their combined screen time to the ring . And for those who thinks that this movie is all about slugging it out , are you so wrong . I tip my hat to Stallone for actually writing a movie with adequate sensitivity , in further developing the Rocky character in his twilight years , and that examination of family life , of developing passion in the things that you do . Rocky Jr ( now played by Milo Ventimiglia ) forms the main emphasis of this examination , of having to grow up in his father's huge shadow , of being the offspring of someone famous , and the tendency of blaming everyone but himself for his being miserable . That dialogue between father and son , I thought was almost what every father and son relationship would have grappled with at one point or another , and it rings home the message , even as you feel that lump in the throat forming . I felt the much touted bout between Rocky and Dixon was actually quite plain , with fast forwarding used as well as freeze frames , but somehow , the intensity , power , aggression still rang through . In fact , I was almost at the edge of my seat as Rocky and Dixon slugged it out in brutal fashion - gladiator against gladiator , the experienced against the fleet footed , the old school of hard knocks versus the emptiness of current glamour . And there were the classic iconic moments which get repeated , like that run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art , that all too familiar musical theme blaring in the background , and the training montage which all but sends goosebumps . The coming together of familiar faces , of old friends , and family , make this very much an ensemble piece orchestrated to an incredible crescendo when it mattered . Rocky Balboa is a fitting finale to the franchise , a worthy tribute and a fitting farewell to a legendary , enduring screen hero who's finally decided to hang up his gloves . I won't be surprised that this movie will actually win over some new fans to the original movies , and one thing's for sure , I'm sold , and I'm recommending this .
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514,514 | 317,399 | 317,919 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Mission : Impossible III
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The burning question in everyone's mind will be , does this third Mission live up to its hype , justify its mass publicity , and above all , surpass the first two movies ? In my opinion , M : I : III makes it an explosive start to the summer lineup , lives up to the hype it built , but though it took on a more personal look into the life of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt , I still felt , and no offense to JJ Abrams , that while it balanced action with personal drama effectively , somehow it lacked that X-factor oomph after all the smoke has cleared , to truly make it one heck of a classic action thriller . Sure , elements of M : I are there , the mysterious calls , high octane action and technology driven gadgets which self-destruct in 5 seconds , save for the missing traditional opening sequence where images and agents photos are juxtaposed as Lalo Schifrin's theme comes blaring . But that nit pick aside , and don't get me wrong , I did enjoy JJ Abrams contribution to the franchise on the whole . The gem in this movie is not that large explosion on the bridge where everything blows , or those action scenes in Shanghai . Rather , it's the first few minutes . It's truly intense , and I'd say it's one of the better suspenseful openings of films this year , which sucks you in right into the heat of things , and slowly demands an emotional response from you , which is quite rare in a genre movie like this . It provided Cruise a platform to showcase his acting range of fear , moments of calm , intense rage , desperation , all rolled into one , and Philip Seymour Hoffman , just absolute chilling . If you think that the teaser trailer piece by him is good , wait till you take a look over here , right at the start . Ethan Matthew Hunt the man is explored in depth , and faces domestic issues that most uniformed men do - the dreadful fear of a loved one put in harm's way . It never is easy to suppress those romantic and primal emotions , and it makes matters worse when you're an agent sworn to secrecy . Hunt in this movie explores this side of his humanity , as he gets embroiled in yet another impossible mission . And I thought given Cruise's recent relationship and marriage to Katie Holmes , it might have helped him to bring across those emotions fairly easily . This time round , JJ Abrams made better use of the Team . Comprised of old hand Luther Stickell ( Ving Rhames ) , Declan ( Jonathan Rhys Meyers ) and Zhen ( Maggie Q ) , we see the classic IMF teamwork in action as they go from mission to mission , properly utilizing their skill sets . Well , that is until somewhere along the line where you start to realize that Stickell's the joker with the punchlines , Declan's a generic agent , and Zhen is a looker . Well , at least there's a team ! The main villain , Owen Davian ( Hoffman ) , turned out to have very limited screen time , but the Academy Award winning actor managed to make the most out of it . Although his Davian character is one of the more ambiguous villains of late , with agendas not fully spelt out , he gives you the feeling that he's one whom you will do your utmost not to mess with . Either finish him off and do it twice for good measure , or suffer the consequences this cool killer dishes out . There are some nice " first times " in this movie , like watching how the agents banter amongst themselves while executing their plans to a T , how a latex mask is created in real time , and the showing of the interiors of the highly secretive IMF office , but there are some rehashes from the first two movies , and even references from Cruise's earlier movies like Top Gun ( motorcycle alongside runway anyone ? ) . Shades of plot repetition like a mole in the organization ( I think every secret organization will surely have one ) , leaping from buildings ( I think this is a Hunt specialty ) and techniques like falling and breaking fall with the use of cables just inches off the ground , are tongue-in-cheek like references . If you're a nitpicker , there are also quite a number of obvious security-related flaws in the plot ( hey , you're IMF ! ) - use of codenames is a must , as is the procedure for transporting highly dangerous criminals . It's probably broken a number of standard protocols , but hey , it's a summer movie , so please don't look too much into it ( that's a reminder to self ) . On a fun side , it did have a poke at the US foreign policy , but that's only a poke , before tossing that idea aside from boring audiences who are in for some cool set action pieces . The much beloved theme surprising becomes a little low key in the score , so don't hold your breath as you wait for it to come on . And if you have a question as to why DHL has so much clout in the marketing efforts , the movie will provide you a satisfactory reason . All in all , M : I : III provided a fair share of action and quiet moments , personal vendetta versus grande plots and schemes . Will I root for another M : I sequel ? Sure , why not , as this installment proved that there is still some mileage in the franchise , after the disastrous M : I : II . It's a good start to the summer .
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515,253 | 317,399 | 443,489 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Dreamgirls
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Dreamgirls had garnered 8 nominations in the upcoming Academy Awards , but somehow missed out on all the main categories like Picture , Director , and the Actor and Actress nominations . Based on the Broadway musical , with new songs added for the movie ( 3 of which are in the running for Best Song ) , it tells of a group of singers ' meteoric rise in the music industry in the 60s , and on their trials and tribulation which plague any successful singing group . If the previous years had musical dramas like Ray and Walk the Line taking their fair share of honors , then this year it's expected that Dreamgirls follow the same formula and footsteps , only that instead of actors , this movie boasts two actual singers in its lineup , one an American Idol reject , Jennifer Hudson , and the other , bone-fide singing sensation Beyonce Knowles , who finally is casted in a movie which allowed her to show off her performing chops , rather than just her body in Austin Powers : Goldmember , or a dumb downed singer role in Pink Panther . Reported rivalry between the two ? I'm not sure why the fuss , but clearly , Knowles had taken a back seat and the movie actually allowed ample screen time , and singing time , for Hudson to shine . While Knowles ' performance is way polished , and her fans eager for her character to take the limelight , it doesn't happen until almost an hour into the movie , during which she happily sings as one of the dream triplets . Hudson on the other hand , put up a more heartfelt performance in a role which had a little more depth , and I'm of the opinion that her Oscar for supporting actress , is almost signed , sealed and delivered . One thing to note though if you're watching this movie in a theatre equipped with a decent sound system , listen out ( ! ) for Hudson's eardrum busting vocals . Rounding up the star studded cast are veterans like Danny Glover , and two comedians turned serious performers Eddie Murphy ( whose Norbit opens soon ) , and Jamie Foxx . Murphy stars as Jimmy Early , a successful singer in the small time circuit , who seems contended with his comfort zone , and Foxx , in a meatier role , as Curtis Taylor Jr , a car salesman who , in his discovery of the Dreamers and his wheelings and dealings , built up a music empire of his own . I thought Foxx's character was villainous in a certain way , a man blinded by success and becoming one of his own pet peeves . And yes , everyone in this movie sings . Eddie Murphy's performance is almost always full of energy , but fans of Foxx , don't count on him singing too much though , since he's already done his fair bit with Ray . Dreamgirls is a musical , so expect characters to break out in a song or two , or at times just a line or two . I didn't expect it to happen the way it did though , and was slightly taken aback when songs get interjected into dialogue , so you'll have to remind yourself it's a musical and it's perfectly normal . Loosely based on the Supremes ' rise to fame , it tells of the prejudice and dirty tricks employed to get your way to the fame game . Having a good voice and nifty performances don't just cut it , you'll need a manager who's just as sly and cunning to work your way to the big league . And at times , talent gives way to how the business want things to be done . In the name of record selling and profits , you give what audiences want , compromising craft if you have to . Otherwise you'll have to be prepared to ship out . And it is during their climb to fame , that each character have to face up to changes , whether they like it or not , including replacing leads , or changing styles . You'll see how fame and fortune can corrupt , how envy and jealousy get in the way of something good , and wonder if being unscrupulous is the only way to survive . Besides the business aspect , love and relationships also complicate matters , with perceived love triangles and breakups amongst the team causing more harm than good . And a common theme running throughout is just how much you'd love somebody , whether as a person , or a product that you can milk for profits . Great costumes , great singing , great songs , great stage performances and a star cast , Dreamgirls has all the ingredients to what makes a successful musical movie . One thing to note though , I thought the end credits contained a nice touch with its showing of clips relating to what the crew did for the movie . You don't see that kind of a presentation too often .
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515,448 | 317,399 | 371,724 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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Resistance is useless ! Don't panic ! The answer is . . . 42 ! I've read Douglas Adams ' book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy once , as a young kid , so I can't really remember the details , and therefore , can't comment from a purist's point of view ( heh , wish I had the Point of View Gun ) . What I can do however , is review the movie as it is , from a cinematic experience . And it's fantastic ! From the opening narrative , characterization , beautiful stunning CGI , especially on the creation of Earth , this film seems to do no wrong . The wit and dry humour play an important part , though some might not get all the jokes . And key to it all is the intelligent way in which the creators recreate The Hitchhiker's Guide - where slick animation vividly brings forth the tips and tricks to living life in the Galaxy . The characters are always the highlight , and rightfully so . Who can forget Marvin the manically depressed robot , who ( ! ) is brought to life on the silver screen . Sam Rockwell shines as the narcissistic President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox . Martin Freeman does a commendable job as Brit Arthur Dent , whose home is set for demolition for a highway ( oh , the irony of it all ) , and Zooey Deschanel provides the eye candy as sassy Trillian . Mos Def as Ford Perfect rounds off the galaxy adventurers . The cameo by John Malkovich proves hilarious as Humma Kavula , religious cult leader waiting for the next big sneeze - Bless you ! And I can sense the audience eagerly awaiting the appearance of Deep Thought , spouting that immortal line , the answer to the ultimate question of life , the universe and everything . . . While you wonder at the marvels of technology in this sci-fi film ( hey , there's a spoof from Star Wars ) , underlying it all is a simple love story that develops between Arthur and Trillian , and the challenges of admitting your affections to your partner . Stay tuned during the end credits , as you get another Hitchhiker's Guide entry , which explains the aftermath of what happened after Arthur uttered the final words . I've enjoyed this film tremendously , and I feel it should appeal to non-fans of the book as well , probably reining them in to read it . I know I would . To Douglas , for creating this classic and developing new material for the film . So long , and thanks for the fish !
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515,153 | 317,399 | 53,619 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : L'Avventura
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We follow Anna ( Lea Massari ) and Claudia ( Monica Vitti ) as they prepare themselves for a sea excursion with a group of friends , which includes Sandro ( Gabriele Ferzetti ) whom Anna has not seen in a month . However , this time apart didn't make the heart grow fonder for Anna , and to me , I thought she was indeed a hard woman to please , probably because Sandro couldn't satisfy her , both physically and emotionally . And to think that I've experienced for myself the incomprehensible emotion interpreted through an uttered " I want to be alone " statement before , Anna's cold reaction toward Sandro leaves him perplexed , confused and likely in frustration , as her no-reply to his probing eventually causes indifference . Come to think of it , all three are quite unlikeable characters , easily with flaws that we can identify with ourselves . For Anna , if she had not consciously chosen to make herself scarce , then it's quite highly irresponsible for her to do a Houdini , and take off without a trace , knowing that in any group excursions , your friends are likely to ( unless you made bad choices on who you call friends ) exhaust all possibilities in their search for your whereabouts . Despite it being a small rock island , it is still fairly large with its varying landscapes , and dizzying , dangerous cliffs . And like Lost the television series fashion , a number of strange incidents occur , such as an Australian who appeared from nowhere in the rain , and the sounds of many unseen , but heard of , boats , which continue to plant ideas in your mind . Making up a shark incident too to spoil the day for others just because you're feeling lousy , tells of a very selfish nature . So it's probably good riddance that we never see her ever again . It made me wonder too if love lost and wanting to be alone meant ditching all your current friends and current lifestyle , in order to bury memories and start everything afresh , which is quite an extreme behaviour . So therein lies the mystery as to why the story chose to left this thread hanging . It's never fully resolved , and there are a number of theories proposed at one point or another in the narrative , but that's just it . And if you suppose with the attention now shifted to Sandro and Claudia would make things better , it just turned out to be a tip of the iceberg . I thought Antonioni's debut feature Story of a Love Affair took off from a tangent , and there were some similar parallels between the relationships of the two lovers then , and now between Claudia and Sandro . In the former movie , the lovers were kept apart by the existence of another woman . Here , the opportune with Claudia's absence set the lovers free , and paved way for the two to succumb to the advances of each other like animal magnetism . Claudia was apprehensive about throwing caution to the wind , as with most rebound cases , and almost always feel guilty about the speed at which they fall into each other's arms . Having the fear of Anna potentially re-appearing as sudden as her disappearance , repeatedly cast doubts into her new found relationship with Sandro . Sandro continues the unflattering look at the weakness of male characters in Antonioni films . He might seem like a cad for having to forget his lover Anna at a drop of the hat , but frankly it looked as if a big weight had been lifted from his shoulders , that he need not try to appease the whims of an unreasonable woman . In 3 days he moved from what could possibly be a tragedy with Anna's unknown , unproven demise , and went ahead to forge a new romance . While he relentlessly tried to pursue the truth , in his frustration his ugly demeanour reared its ugly head , in a scene I thought was particularly interesting where he ruined a perfect work-in-progress , by spilling black ink all over it . He's a man with a roving eye , and once he had tasted the liberating forbidden fruit , probably craved for more , hence his additional dalliances with someone I thought would have been a closer resemblance toward what he had lost . It's a tale of two halves , with the first dwelling on the mystery and its background and circumstance leading toward it , and the second essentially became like a road trip which focused on the aftermath of the characters . A running element in both halves are the time that Antonioni devoted to look at relationships , with 2 supporting sets of couples placed strategically into the story for comparison and contrast purpose . Looking at it , it seemed that married couples do have some loss in romanticism in their relationships , especially personified through Guila ( Dominique Blanchar ) and Corrado ( James Addams ) , where the latter almost always chide and mocks his wife's less than keen observations . And for Guila , given the lack of respect from her husband , and being constantly flattered by a certain Prince Goffredo ( Giovanni Petrucci ) meant that Corrado will have to wear a green hat as she conscientiously drifted toward the lavish attention paid , and reciprocated physically . Perhaps I failed to appreciate various subtleness in the finale which I suddenly felt the minutes tick by , in sequences that were hugely devoid of dialogue , but filled with moody melancholy , revelation and betrayal . There were hands that looked like they could strangle someone , but started to ease off and ruffled some hair instead , as if to say all was understood , forgiven , and all could be well . At least that's my interpretation of it , as with life , we see things from our own perspective , and is indeed a challenge to step back and take a broader , objective look at what had transpired .
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515,078 | 317,399 | 51,421 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Sumpah Pontianak
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Sumpah Pontianak is the third in a trilogy of Pontianak films directed by B Narayan Rao ( the first two being Pontianak , and Dendam Pontianak ) and starring Maria Menado in the title role . For the uninitiated , Pontianak is a female spirit whose powers are similar to a doppelganger , able to shift shape into various animals ( in this film , an owl ) , and of course , a beautiful woman . The movie , for the first time in those days filmed in CathayScope , opens smack in the middle of action ; Chomel laments her ill fate of being cursed to have the blood of Pontianak coursing through her veins , and a nail hammered into her neck by the villagers have rendered her powerless . Chomel has a daughter Maria ( not Menado by the way - another actress , Maria Menado plays Chomel the Pontianak ) who is married to the son of a village datok . Maria pines for her Ibu ( mother ) , and leaves the village , sparking a frantic search by her husband and his gang of comedic friends , who add humour and folk songs to the narrative . In other news , there are various mysterious deaths in a neighbourhood kampong , and all fingers point at Pontianak . There is nothing horrific about this show when viewed today , with Pontianak's rubbery face mask , with massive scarring , hooked nose , long and white ungainly hair , and two vicious stuck on fangs , and it didn't diminish the fun factor when watching the show . Many of the other monsters , like the cave savage ( bad makeup ) , and the Hantu Raya ( a zombie which can turn into a human sized bat complete with wings and the ability to fly ) are also made up similarly , but the bottomline is , it's real fun , and real cheesy . Pontianak plays like Frankenstein , one of its contemporaries in the 50s horror black and white movies , with the gathering of villagers / mobs in search of the monster with their torches and pitchforks / farm equipment , and of course , when chanced upon Pontianak herself , they will turn and run in all directions . However , in this film , Pontianak is not the villain , but rather the anti-heroine who must use her powers to defeat all evil doers and protect her daughter at the same time , who has a knack for getting herself into trouble . Sort of like Godzilla Vs ( whoever it is ) . For horror buffs who want to revisit the classical monsters of yesteryear , don't miss this one - it's a tale from this side of the world !
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514,698 | 317,399 | 366,548 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Happy Feet
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There was a documentary last year which made waves both critically and at the box office . It was a celebration of nature , of life , danger , and death as seen through the eyes of Emperor Penguins in the Antarctica . If you had seen that documentary , then the first 10 minutes of Happy Feet will be familiar territory , as it probably summarized a whole lot of the mating game , into the introductory act . Happy Feet tells the story of an offspring Emperor Penguin of Norma Jean ( voiced by Nicole Kidman ) and Memphis ( Hugh Jackman ) . With that distinctive mole placement and swagger , it's actually Marilyn Monroe and Elvis done as animated feather friends , romanticizing each other and eventually have a son aptly named Mumble , born with a defect , save for those distinctively sky blue eyes of Elijah Wood . A heart song is what the Emperor Penguins use to attract their mates , but true to his namesake , Mumble can't sing for nuts and can only , surprise , tap dance , much to the chagrin of the conservative elders . It's perhaps a given that those cute baby penguins which melted the hearts of many in March of the Penguins , get featured so prominently here in Happy Feet . Milking them for what they're worth , this movie pours in a lot more crowd favourites like dance . So you have yet another animated movie in this year's glut of offerings , in yet another movie about dance , a dash of comedy fused with familiar songs weaved together in a medley , and voila ! Instant formula for success ! I must admit I was initially apprehensive that Happy Feet will be able to pull it off and had somewhat low expectations , given some mediocre Hollywood animated movies being produced . But true enough , I was sold after 10 minutes . The animation is photo-realistic , and probably is the next best thing of having being in the Antarctica , or watching the real one on screen . If the animals in the movie quit talking , you might just think that they're for real . The characters too manage to endear themselves to you , with Robin Williams staging a coup with his voice performance of two penguin characters , one a smooth talking leader of a pack of Adelie penguins with Latino accents ( their antics reminiscent of those in Madagascar , only a lot more laid back ) , and of a know-it-all Guru who answers any questions in exchange for pebbles . Brittany Murphy can sing too , as she lends her voice to Mumble's love interest , and THE babe of the colony , Gloria . Hugo Weaving too is in the movie , and so is the late Steve Irwin . It's no wonder that at the helm of this movie is director George Miller , also an Australian ( say , there's quite a number of Australian's lending their voices here ) While it's generally a feel good movie , there's a good portion of the movie well hidden away from the trailers , in case you have the nagging misconception that there's nothing too interesting about watching a story of an underdog outcast working his way , cutting across discrimination to win the girl of his dreams . At one point , I thought the movie could have gone the way that Steven Spielberg's AI had gone , because it certainly felt that way . Also , there's a very rushed message on conservation , and in fact , the finale felt that it got truncated just to end the way it had . Christmas season's coming , and a tale rooted in family ties , friendship , and the return of the prodigal son , makes it satisfyingly enjoyable . Parents would probably check out if the toy stores carry baby penguin plush toys . Should be a hit with the kids , after the movie .
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514,895 | 317,399 | 856,008 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Sharkwater
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Blame it on its many teeth , giving it a perception that it can cut through flesh and bone . And no thanks to movies like Jaws , which has set that perception in stone that sharks are extremely dangerous creatures that have one mission , and that's to eradicate human swimmers from the sea . How do you try and convince what is generally " accepted truths " by the masses ? You go at it small , with persistence , that fire in the belly to fuel your crusade in re-educating the masses , and the best example being yourself taking the plunge to try and set things right , one step at a time . That's what Rob Stewart did , in trying to change the incorrect mindsets we have of sharks , by demonstrating to us how they are actually more afraid of us , and making a documentary film out of it to spread the good message . Don't let the poster fool you into thinking it's a fictional , narrative film . It's a documentary , and like most documentaries , it has an agenda to cover . Here , Stewart's agenda is simple , to talk about shark conservation , and the importance of the ocean ecosystem . Yes , it's a myriad of topics that can spiral out of control , but strangely enough , the key points are all presented in a compelling manner , against very beautiful underwater images of marine life , the very life he is seeking , on the bigger picture , to try and save . Naturally , one doesn't talk about saving the sharks without touching on the demand side of things , and that is the perceived value of a delicacy called the Shark's Fin Soup , which is a staple in any self-respecting Chinese restaurant . While the usual illegal poaching through long lining and footage of skinning are aimed to shock an audience into the cruelty of the way the sharks are destroyed , the biggest impact made here are the frivolous statements given by the chairman of a prominent brand of canned shark's fin soup . You will definitely chuckle at his arguments , or the lack thereof in the intelligence department , as he's made to look quite animated , and not in good light , deliberately of course . Some might feel that the movie did seem a little like an ego-trip for Rob Stewart , with himself being featured quite prominently in many scenes , but I thought it's a given because it is a trip along a journey he's bringing us , and that's why we see some of the inherent risks involved in the many conservationists efforts as they go out to try and stop , with limited budget and resources , the perennial problem of trying to stem out the supply side of things . Naturally , it's never easy with the illegal trade , as shady corporations , characters and corrupt governments are almost always involved , because that's how the activity can thrive , and it boils down to obscene amount of profits to be made by all parties . Through documentaries that touch on current hot topics involving the environment , it's hard to tell how effective they can be . I guess a good measure if how convinced you are to the cause , and from the documentary , try to reinforce the message yourself to your peers . Simple actions done by a few , can go a long way , and I guess the simplest of ways is to start from yourself . An Inconvenient Truth has made me more diligent in electricity utilization , and now Sharkwater has convinced me to layoff the shark's fin soup , whether they come in cans , or presented in wedding dinners . I have a choice , and I choose not to consume it . You might laugh at the futility of my actions , or want to take my share , but go ahead please , as I'm exercising my choice , a choice which you have too . Watch Sharkwater . You might be convinced by the arguments for the cause too . If not , it's still an educational trip in learning more about sharks and the ocean ecosystem , with a stark warning not to tamper with the natural order of Mother Nature . Highly recommended , naturally .
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514,366 | 317,399 | 465,436 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : December Boys
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The buzz for December Boys surely points to how Daniel Radcliffe will fare sans cloak , glasses and lightning bolt scar on his forehead , to star in a movie that's totally out of the Harry Potter franchise . Gone are the fantastical elements and scores of ready , adoring fans , and in comes a serious dramatic piece about the coming of age , growing up , and raging hormones . Wait , Harry Potter is about that too doesn't it , although it stretches over 7 movies ? But Radcliffe comes through unscathed , and it's not before long that you'd forget that here's Harry Potter . While possibly the biggest recognizable name on the cast list , it wasn't a walkover performance as everyone else had raised their act and not allow a young starlet usurp the strength of the movie . Based on a novel by Michael Noonan , December Boys tells the story of 4 orphans , all being born in the month of December , who were sent packing to a seaside village for a vacation , by virtue that it's a reward sent to the orphanage , and what better ( lazier ? ) way to select the lucky few , than the ones celebrating their birthdays the same month . So we have Maps ( Radcliffe ) , Misty ( Lee Cormie ) , Sparks ( Christian Byers ) and Spit ( James Fraser ) sent on a journey that will test their close friendship , and as usual , each will come face to face with their individual challenge that will forever change their lives . Gee , I sound like a generic trailer , but trust me , although the premise might sound cliché , December Boys hinges very heavily on the delivery of the child actors for its success . While the spotlight might be on Radcliffe and Cormie , Byers and Fraser each have their own charm , but are restrained by the frequency of their characters ' on-screen appearance . The landscape of Kangaroo Island adds vast scale to this relatively small movie , opening our eyes to natural geographical wonders , becoming a character in itself , with its inhabitants mere players on its grounds . While it's not Stand By Me , there's the usual basis that lurks around begging for comparisons . And worse , the story here allows for each of them to try and go one leg up on the other , as they learn that one of the purposes they are there at the village , was to allow for one of them to be selected for adoption . Hence the competition amongst the boys as they vie for attention , putting on their best behaviour , most contrary to what their actual characters are like . Each child however , have an episode directed around him , to similarly allow the audience to pick their preferred sub plots , involving a giant fish , a misunderstood motorcycle stuntman , dealing with mortality issues when their surrogate guardian has to battle disease , and of course , saving the best for last and for Radcliffe , first love , in the form of a young lolita Lucy ( Teresa Palmer ) . Soon , their hot blooded young boy antics and rebellious streaks give way to a tone of seriousness , and there's where the movie adds its poignant gravitas . December Boys might not seem much from the get go , but with each passing minute , it adds layers upon layers to build its repertoire and stand up against the scrutiny of mediocrity . By the time the final scene rolls by , even though it doesn't show much and does so mostly through narration , I thought the ending was perfect , with a tinge of regret , happiness , sorrow , and a show of solidarity all rolled into one .
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515,472 | 317,399 | 401,445 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : A Good Year
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The first time director Ridley Scott and actor Russell Crowe paired together , they made the award winning Gladiator , and perhaps surprised folks that a mainstream action movie could snag the best picture Oscar . Here , they come together again for a pretty feel good movie , but I don't expect that this would win any major honours . Not that it's a bad film , but it's quite vanilla plain , that you could guess every other step of how the narrative and plot will unfold . Based on a book by Peter Mayle , A Good Year has plenty of life references to wine and vineyards , made as a comparison and reminder on how to live life . It's quite unlike Sideways , which was more of a road trip movie and had its plot revolve around wine . A Good Year has its revolve around an arse hole of a character , Maximillian Skinner ( Russell Crowe ) , the successful bond trader everyone loves to hate , given his ruthless knack on the trading bourses , and making loads of obscene money . So he learns that he had inherited a château in France , the same one he had spent his childhood ( little Max played by Freddie Highmore ) summer holidays in with his Uncle Henry ( Albert Finney ) , but instead the first thing that crosses his mind is , how much is it worth should he sell it ? It's a look at how you want to live life , making loads of money versus living it out with plenty of heart , and love . Love for the people who once made a difference to your life , and love and appreciation of life itself . Time to stop and smell the roses , versus the corporate rat race filled with backstabbing and office politics . And naturally when finding out about oneself , a look back at one's roots will always be a good way to start . There are a number of sub plots weaved into the movie , like the sudden appearance of a possible illegitimate cousin , Christie ( Abbie Cornish ) , who could complicate matters of inheritance , of the opposition of resident vineyard caretaker Francis ( Didier Bourdon ) , and of course , romance in the form of a feisty French woman Fanny ( Marion Cotillard ) , amongst others . There's also a bit about the different wine standards thrown in , which serves only to confuse , rudimentarily . There's a ring of familiarity to these characters , and at a glance , you would probably be able to guess the parts they play to develop the story , as do the little nagging business bits in the movie , but by making all these threads come together , and certain plot devices as well , only served to deliver up to expectations in an all's well that ends well . Some random thoughts - I loved the song by Alizee used in the movie , and quite surprised that it actually made it other than just be featured in the trailer . The movie also turned out to be quite the technological showcase , at least in the beginning , accompanying Max's progressive change . You have GPS , and almost an ad feel to Max's use of his PDA phone for calls , photo taking , the whole works . And if you think Crowe's outfits looked snazzy , yes , he's outfitted by Armani . The very first time I took notice of Russell Crowe , was when he played the villain in Virtuosity . Back then I thought that the guy had something going for him . And I've been convinced , having watched his last 6 movies , that he's a pretty fine actor , though his buffed and gruff demeanour had the tabloids highlighting his every shenanigan . Albert Finney and Freddie Highmore make a good pairing as well , given their limited screen time as the Uncle and his young nephew spending summer together . And don't get me started on the eye candy , who , well , remain eye candy for the most parts . A Good Year runs on an even keel , and feels light by the time it ends . Let's hope the next collaboration between Scott and Crowe in American Gangster , with the addition of Denzel Washington ( who played opposite Crowe in Virtuosity ) , will be something more explosive . " Winning's not everything , it's the only thing ! " - Maximillian Skinner
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514,915 | 317,399 | 1,016,290 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Crows : Episode 0
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Directing a movie based on a manga isn't something new for Japanese auteur Takashi Miike , who also adapted the ultra-violent Ichi the Killer for the big screen . However , with Crows : Episode 0 , gone are the extreme violence , though it still retains some flavour normally found in a typical action flick . Known for movies like Audition and Big Bang Love , Juvenile A , both which were released here , this is probably one of his more accessible films to date , even though it treads on familiar territory with elements of the yakuza . Crows : Episode 0 is set in an all boys Japanese high school , where instead of having educational classes and courses , what gets put on screen ( I haven't read the manga obviously ) happens to be an ecosystem of triad society split into different turfs according to grade levels , classes and reputation . Unification of all levels in the school is a challenge , and new boy Genji Takaya ( Shun Oguri ) throws down the gauntlet on the first day to take down reigning school gangster Tamao Serizawa ( Takayuki Yamada ) , which he finds impossible given that the latter's picked up by the police . But of course there are unwritten rules to follow in order to engage the top , and he enlists the help of a two-bit average Yakuza hoodlum Ken Katagiri ( Kyosuke Yabe ) to help plot his path of success . For the most parts , the story is simple to follow , as we shadow Genji in his quest to conquer the high school class by class , through sheer brute force , gaining of respect , or simply just friendship established . As his reputation grows , so does his threat towards Serizawa , which sets up the inevitable climatic showdown where the rival gangs gotta settle who's gonna rule the school . As the saying goes , one mountain cannot hide 2 tigers . You can't help it but Korea's Volcano High comes to mind for comparison . However , this is without the effects laden stylistic fight sequences where the exponents possess superhuman powers and abilities . Here , it's the good old fisticuffs without a lot of frills , though styled to make the characters seem to have super-strength , no thanks to the sound effects of course . The art direction is beautifully peppered with plenty of graffiti art , and your eyes would just automatically wander off to read just about every word that's spray painted out there . Oozing plenty of testosterone and machismo , there are still enough tender moments to make you cringe , bearing in mind that after all , these are pretty looking boys with mean and tough looking exteriors , but sometimes still softies at heart . It's fight club in schools where black leather is the new uniform . If you're a fan of no holds barred street fighting with camaraderie elements thrown in , sprinkled with a dash of humour ( from sight gags to the toilet variety ) , then Crows : Episode 0 would be right up your alley .
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514,815 | 317,399 | 50,086 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : 3 : 10 to Yuma
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No , this isn't the updated version starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale . While it's making its rounds in general and festival circuit release , over here we've got to wait until next year ( yes ! Almost 3 to 4 months ! ) before it arrives on our shores . So what can one do in the meantime ? Do some homework and pick up the original of course . You would already know by now the basic premise of the story . Ben Wade ( Glenn Ford , who was Jonathan Kent in Superman which starred Christopher Reeves , and in the 3 : 10 update the character is played by Crowe ) is one of the most notorious and wanted criminals in the Wild Wild West , and together with his gang , rob a stagecoach in the beginning of the movie , and in the process , kills the driver . While getting his rocks off with a local barmaid Emmy ( Felicia Farr ) , he gets arrested by the town sheriff with the help of poor rancher Dan Evans ( Van Heflin ) , and Evans gets offered 200 dollars as a volunteer to transport Wade to Contention City , in time for the 3 : 10 train to Yuma ( hence the title ) . It's really a simple story about the dynamics and uneasy relations between the two men . One captive , the other the guard . One a criminal , the other just being the mercenary in need of money to get through hard times and feed his family . One full of cunning , the other a good boy scout who has high morals and is serving out his moral obligation . There are enough engaging material here to keep you mesmerized , but the movie turned out to be a quick 92 minutes ( the update runs for at least 30 more minutes ) . The best parts are nonetheless the temptation that Ben brings to the table - let him walk free , and he'll reward Dan with 10 , 000 dollars , more than 50 times the amount provided to him . Will Dan buckle ? It's a quick get rich scheme , nobody will blame him ( given nobody else wants this job anyway ) , and it's almost a banker's guarantee that there will be no blood loss on either side . The tension built in the hotel room where temptation gets seductively dripped and the time gets ticking , is excellence par none , even despite the movie's age . And as the clock approaches 3pm , you find that the odds get stacked against Dan , slowly but surely . However , there are some jarring moments to the plot during those tension filled moments , like Dan's wife Alice ( Leora Dana ) comes a visiting . And for all the build up , the climax is a little disappointing , at least to me , as there's no big OK Corral styled shoot em ups . It does have a satisfying ending , but one that is rather muted for a Western . In fact , if you look at it on hindsight , it's quite unsophisticated , with few sets , and little battles . What made it being touted as arguably one of the best of its genre , is the delivery by both Glenn Ford and Van Heflin . Ford's mannerisms in his portrayal as Ben Wade will offer no surprises why Russell Crowe was chosen for the role . Van Heflin's Dan is a curious choice to offer to Christian Bale however , as the Dan here's a little stocky , and confident but yet unsure . But Bale being an excellent actor , should be able to pull this off , and it'll be interesting to see how his Dan will react to Ben Wade's propositions . All in all , after watching this one , I can't wait for the remake to come any sooner . No doubt having known how the story played out might mar the enjoyment , you'll never know when , as usual , the Hollywood remake will throw a curveball in the story , especially in beefing up the action with a couple more gunfights . Watching Crowe and Bale go head up aga inst each other , is reason enough to watch the updated version , some half a century after the original was made .
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514,386 | 317,399 | 395,972 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : North Country
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First impressions , you might think that this movie is another Erin Brockovich wannabe , with Charlize Theron stepping into Julia Robert's single mother shoes in yet a film about an underdog which takes on a large corporation in a legal battlefield . Or probably take off from a sexual harassment theme from a Crichton novel . Based upon the book " Class Action : The Story of Lois Jensen and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law " , and of course , a dramatized Hollywood version of the first successful sexual harassment case in the US , you might hesitate that this movie might bore you with many of the legal mumbo-jumbo with plenty of objections and sustained motions . This movie is more than that , and it doesn't overdo its courtroom scenes . Sure , they are there , but it doesn't take centrestage . What is core in the movie , is how relationships amongst the various characters are played out . And the telling of a story of one woman's fight against stacked odds . It also examines the difficulty of being a single mom bringing up children who don't appreciate you for what you are and what you're doing for the family , and society's judgment of you based on damaging rumors and hear-says . Whether you would buckle under pressure , or stand up and be counted . And of course , surviving in a male dominated industry such as mining . There are sexual jokes , innuendos and suggestions aplenty , as red-blooded men find it difficult to resist making off-colored jokes , and bragging about their balls . If you look at it both sides , sure , when men congregate , we'd sure like to behave the way we behave with little inhibitions ( no , I don't mean gay , that's for another movie ) , but with the ladies around , you'd just got to restrain yourself . It's not about being macho , but boils down to basic courtesy and being polite . Throughout the movie , you'd experience how Josey Aimes ( Charlize Theron ) changes her outlook on such situations and advances , from brushing them off initially , until they become too hot to handle . And being the whistle-blower ( the " in " term for 2005 ) doesn't help one bit , as it just makes the environment even more electrified . As the movie unravels , we learn more of her character , although some might already anticipate the slight twist in the movie with regards to her child . As mentioned , what appeals in the movie is the relationships . Charlize as her character is caught in the middle - being the child to an unforgiving father , and having her past misdeeds catching up to her and embarrassing her folks . But yet being a parent herself to her children , and worst , having them exposed to nasty rumors , having them looking down on her despite her immense love for them . The ups and downs , joy and pain she suffers - it makes you forget she's the one-dimensional killing machine in Aeon Flux . Would Charlize win another Oscar for her performance ? In my humble opinion , based on 2 other nominee's performance - Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice , and Resse Witherspoon in Walk the Line , I'd say she has the upper hand . But I've yet to watch Transamerica and Mrs Henderson Presents , so I'll hold off my prediction for now . But having a good supporting cast helps too , with Frances McDormand as her friend Glory , Sean Bean as Glory's husband Kyle , Woody Harrelson as the reluctant hockey-player turned lawyer Bill White . For the first time I actually hear a lawyer character reveal very frankly about the perils of a court case - where it's almost like a " damn if you do and damn if you don't " situation , with having to live with every dirt being dug up on you . Sissy Spacek stars as Josey's mother Alice Aimes , and Richard Jenkins rounds it off as the father Hank - watch out for his emotionally charged speech , which is pretty true if you ask me . If you're in for some serious family and relationship drama , sprinkled with a dash of courtroom action , with loads of harassment examples , then North Country is the movie to watch this week .
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515,105 | 317,399 | 436,613 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Murderball
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Murderball is a sport otherwise known as Wheelchair / Quad Rugby . Played by quadriplegics , it is a 4 on 4 rugby game on wheels , which requires plenty of strength , speed , and that armoured wheelchair which almost doubles as a kind of bumper car as the sportsmen battle it out for supremacy on a regular basketball court . This documentary showcases the game from both the points of view of Team USA and Team Canada , highlighting the intense rivalry between them , with Team Canada inheriting a disgruntled ex-Team USA star player Joe Soares , who's now their head coach . Naturally when you have someone who knows your team strategy and know it inside out , is a cause for concern , as Team USA seeks to continue its winning streak , with new star player Mark Zupan in its fold . But it's not just about the game , or just the preparation for the Paralympic Games in Athens 2004 . In its compact 85 minutes , we get introduced to the key players like Zupan , and go behind the scenes to see what makes them tick , as well as their backstories on how they have become confined to a wheelchair . Not everyone is born without limbs , and for most , it's usually an accident , or a disease . Family ties are given equally adequate screen time , as support for these folks , as do any other sporting professional , is as important , especially after facing a huge loss while representing the country . It's a bit hilarious as they account for the stares and innocent requests of help extended to by strangers , and you've got to salute these guys ' strength , independence and confidence that comes with the sport . Besides the game , they do go around the country to inspire others who have recently suffered the same predicament of being in a wheelchair , to advise that it's not a lost cause . And while they reminisce about how they had to adjust to their condition , I suppose the common question they all had was , does their woody still work . And surprisingly , it's this curiosity amongst chicks that actually assist them in snagging them , ha ! But light hearted moments aside , it's almost always never easy in picking life back up again , as everyone harbours the dream that one day , they will walk again . For those who have followed the team's exploits in the previous Athens Olympic Games , will already know the outcome of the game . Done in MTV styled quick cuts with adrenaline pumping music , the games shown in the documentary don't bore . But as the cliché goes , it's never about the destination , but about the journey . Best wishes to all the athletes competing in Beijing 2008 !
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514,586 | 317,399 | 211,933 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Awake
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I've never been under general anesthesia before , not that I want to , but I guess without first hand experience , one can only imagine what it would be like to be somewhat unconscious while your body's at the mercy of surgeons who are responsible in cutting you up and putting you back properly . I guess we've all heard of our fair share of horror stories with miscellaneous surgical tools being left inside our bodies , and one thing's for sure , I'll be pretty much scared shitless if I have to go anesthesia for a major body repair too . I usually have a general distrust of the doctors , especially those who have to peer , poke and prod within you , because one wrong move or diagnosis , and you're in for some pretty troubled lifestyle for a long time . If Awake reminds us of anything , that'll be to choose your doctors wisely . Even though they are your friends , should they have dubious abilities and worse , bad credentials , references and have lawsuits to settle arising from malpractice , take it as a sign to run away , fast . It's nothing personal , just professional , since it's your life at stake , not theirs . So don't be stubborn , and engage the best possible surgeon you can afford . And perhaps mothers know best too . Lena Olin stars as Lilith Beresford , the mother of billionaire scion Clay Beresford ( Hayden Christensen ) . Being the overly protective and domineering single parent in his life , Clay finds it hard to connect with her , much lest trying to break the news that her employee Samantha ( Jessica Alba ) is the woman that he's been dating and going to marry . But of course , he's faced with a disease that requires a heart transplant , having the stars play games with him too for being of the rare O - blood type . When a donor becomes available and he's strapped to the operating table by Dr Jack Harper ( Terrence Howard ) , here's where the titular condition kicks in , describing how a certain percentage of patients actually stay conscious throughout the whole process of surgery . I would really hate it to be in his shoes when your chest get opened up from scalpel to drill , or worse , having the skull opened to get to the brain . This movie earned its rating for blood curling in-your-face surgical sequence , but other than that , it runs in a pretty breezy fashion , clocking under 90 minutes to weave a tight medical thriller . I must say I came in with low expectations , and came out quite surprised at the twists put into the story , which is not really contrived and forced to make the whole thing work . The clues are there all the while for an attentive audience to pick up along the way , and when you do , you'll probably still smile when it gets delivered and confirms your suspicions . Awake is very bleak on its take on love however , what with in sickness and in health , for better or worse . It tells you to look carefully , beneath beautiful facades to try and peer into a person's character , which frankly can be hidden quite easiy until it is too late . Christensen didn't have much to do since the crucial scenes all involve his voice over narration in an out of conscious body experience , emphasizing his shock , disappointment and discovery of what's actually transpiring in conversation with the doctors . And it's definitely not something anyone wants to hear at all , and the sequence of being overcome by anesthesia , is worth the ticket price .
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515,422 | 317,399 | 901,487 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Good The Bad The Weird
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It's not difficult to see why The Good , The Bad , The Weird is number 1 at the Korean box office this year , given that the titular roles are handed over to some of the heartthrobs such as Lee Byung-hun and Jung Woo-sung . But the real scene stealer here is Song Kang-ho as The Weird Yoon Tae-goo , with some of the best lines and given the moral ambiguity of his character , rather than being the Good Park Do-won ( Jung ) and the Bad Park Chang-i ( Lee ) which is cast in stone , simply endears himself to the audience , and not to mention the extended screen time devoted to him too . But those aside , this film trounces plenty , and I mean plenty of bland , generic action adventure types cooked up by Hollywood in recent times , and having a Korean flavour in what would essentially be a Western , it adds plenty of spice to a genre that most wouldn't want to touch with a ten foot pole . The storyline's pretty straightforward , with everyone ( the titular characters , the Japanese army , the Korean freedom fighters , and plenty of rival Manchurian gangsters ) after a treasure map that points to some age old Chinese dynasty goodies buried deep within some desert land in Manchuria , and having the map stolen and in the possession of The Weird , this makes it one hell of a chase movie from start to finish , offering plenty of set action sequences from massive chases , to awe-inspiring gun play . The references and inspiration from Sergio Leone's classic spaghetti western The Good , The Bad and The Ugly is undeniable , but this is its own movie . Making its debut at the Cannes Film Festival , director Kim Ji-woon crafts a tale that is full of rip-roaring fun , finding some good balance between comedy and stylized action . It tries though to plant many elements and characters into the story , but these are rather forgettable as the spotlight falls firmly upon our titular three . Positive elements of the movie include the excellent cinematography and camera work , which packages the action scenes like a video game , offering the audience a close up third person perspective following through the characters in their execution of maneuvers and moves , while the eclectic soundtrack is just plain music to the ears . Jung Woo-sung perhaps got the shortest straw of the trio , with his limited screen time devoted to looking good and cool with his double barelled shotgun . As The Good bounty hunter , he's requested by the group of Korean freedom fighters to assist them in the retrieval of the map , which also gives him an opportunity to apprehend The Bad . His character doesn't say much or do much other than to dispatch the bad guys , and frankly speaking , he falls squarely into the strong and silent mold for the movie . Lee Byung-hun on the other hand , in reuniting with the director since their A Bittersweet Life days , brings forth quite convincingly his role as the chief baddie . Ruthless and highly skilled , he doesn't flinch an eyelid when dishing out punishment , and has through this role , told the world that he can be equally adept at being the bad guy . Kudos go to the makeup artist in trying to make him look really nasty , with plenty of facial scars that try to disguise his naturally good looks . Female fans in the audience looking for eye candy would be gleefully happy to note that he was sans shirt in one scene , and I thought it'd put to shame plenty of guys out there when they see Lee's rock-hard six-pack ( time to hit the gym , guys ! ) But in all honesty , this film firmly belongs to pudgy looking Song Kang-ho for his charismatic role as The Weird . The first Korean film that I ever watched in the cinemas was Shiri , and Song had a memorable supporting role to play there . From then on I've become a fan of his , and followed Song through his roles in Park Chan-wook's Joint Security Area , Bong Joon-ho's Memories of Murder and The Host , and Lee Chang-dong's Secret Sunshine . Having seen him backstage last year when he won Best Actor for his role in The Host at the inaugural Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong , was nothing but a thrill . Here , he single-handedly stole the show from the other two pretty boys with his sheer presence , and I felt that he'd probably had a field day with this free spirited role . With well designed action designed to exhilarate , and being cheeky without qualms , The Good The Bad The Weird deserves to be highly recommended with its fusion of gun play , knife play and comedy in large doses , despite some forgivable inconsistencies . The last act did seem quite indulgent in trying to achieve spectacle that it might have become a little repetitive , but the finale face off more than makes up for this minor disturbance to a very enjoyable movie .
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515,067 | 317,399 | 949,731 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Happening
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To me , this is not a movie about finding out what the issue at hand is , or trying to crack the mystery behind the phenomenon , or even about figuring out what the twist , if any , would be . It's a story about communication , how we , in today's context , are so reliant on mass media delivering every bit of incident deemed newsworthy , and providing that amped up " insights " to send us to paranoia . If you notice of late , we have been bombarded with crisis after crisis , or could it really be instead , the flavour of the moment that the mass media drums up ? Avian Flu ? Food Crisis ? Fuel Crisis ? Business Continuity ? Terrorism ? The list goes on , with news editors determining what to drum up , and where to send everyone crying out that the sky is falling . The Happening does just that , as we see newsflash after newsflash providing speculation after speculation that everyone listens , and accedes to . But it's not just the mass media alone , but the story also puts the spotlight on how reliant we are on our mobile devices , so much so that they actually have already become second nature to us . If we want to talk to someone , we pick up the phone , or we text the person . Gone is the value of face to face communications , as we talk to one another through an electronic device and medium . And we all know what happens to these wireless gadgets come a crisis , when base stations get knocked out , and we feel incapacitated , and so alone . And the rare occasion when our little island experiences unexpected power brownouts and we lose connectivity , we go into fits and strangely enough , feel at a loss at what to do next ? We are creatures who must talk to one another , otherwise I guess we'll go insane , and not everyone's cut out to be a hermit living alone , making that informed decision choosing to be cut off from the outside world and be self-sufficient . Perhaps that's why isolation has been designed as punishment , and one probably might go a little bit cranky , losing social skills . Just like how the prominent old lady in The Happening become overly suspicious of every wee thing that doesn't go her way . Shyamalan gave us probably the weakest protagonist in his tales to date . We are familiar with Mark Wahlberg in his many alpha-male action roles , like those in The Italian Job remake , or his sharpshooter Sniper . Here , his Elliot is a school science teacher who's the most clueless amongst all clueless characters in Shyamalan's fictional worlds . He absolutely , like the audience , has no idea what's going on , has no plan , and doesn't hesitate to tell everyone just that , exhibiting some classic deer-caught-in-the-headlights look with wide eyes and flared nostrils . Even Keanu Reeves pale in comparison to what Wahlberg managed to do here . Zooey Deschanel's Alma too plays Elliot's just as clueless wife , only that she's harbouring a secret that you can decipher the minute it gets suggested on screen . Throughout the movie , husband and wife has to sort of issues as the clock ticks down to doomsday , and just like The Incredible Hulk , this little love story slowly grew in importance . And to pre-empt those who would dislike the movie , you're likely to find fault with the distinct lack of scares - OK , there's really one jump-from-your-seat moment , and various other scenes with an unflinching camera in the many faces of death - and the exclamation of " you mean that's it ? " The build up is masterfully done , though the ending might be a little bit abrupt and I suspect there might be some cutting of corners which might find their way to the DVD . Forget the fact that The Happening had to undergo some massive rewrites by Shyamalan for it to be accepted by the studios . Forget that this movie contains elements of suggestion that it's eco-warfare and Mother Nature is fighting back with results as significant as that we've already seen and experienced , with unbearable temperatures and disasters of large magnitudes . Like movies such as The Mist , while it's about the great unknown , it also serves as a warning that one day , just one day , we might be faced with questions we have no answers to , and to compound the problem , we're no longer collaborating and communicating effectively to work toward a solution . And that is a scary thought indeed .
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515,084 | 317,399 | 1,007,028 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Zack and Miri Make A Porno
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If I may sound like a prude , it's been a while since I laughed so hard and so loud at and with a comedy , given that most have been relatively lacklustre flicks of late . And it took a Kevin Smith one to do just that , with its unadulterated , no holds barred treatment of material where anything and everything goes , where there's no such thing as taboos to be avoided , and somehow , the more vulgar the merrier , as this is definitely one unapologetic movie . You have been warned . Yes , some may laud this beast as a travesty , but let's face it , sex sells . While it may be a tad shameless to make a downright porn film , Kevin Smith has injected some of the usual quirks found in his filmography , as well as paying homage to his fan boy roots . You can tell this by the numerous moments where pop culture comes into reference , as well as quite a significant time spent on bastardization of Star Wars ( entitled Star Whores ) that the characters dwell upon , to great comic effect . If you are a fan of George Lucas ' galactic series , you may take offense , but might still credit Smith for his wild imagination . If you're not a fan , you'll whoop for joy as you'll probably agree with how it got ripped to shreds . Either way , one wonders of course if this is indeed Smith's secret fantasy ( with Princess Lay-Her ahem ) , but I digress . While it took a while for Zack ( Set Rogen ) and Miri ( Elizabeth Banks ) to conceive the titular plan to save their sorry state of cash flow problems , this movie is not about making a porn film for the sake of . It may have touched upon some moments of truth that one might venture into this somewhat considered lucrative business , but ultimately at its core , it's still a straightforward romance that reared its clichéd head ( pardon the pun ) in building up to the finale , and one that talks about friendship in general . It follows a typical zero to hero storyline for all the characters involved , and through making this film , they discover new found friendships that can withstand some hard knocks ( well , considering you have to bear your privates for everyone else to see ) together with finding some great camaraderie amongst them misfits , and taking centerstage is the underlying , unsaid romance between two house mates who deny their affections for each other for the longest time . Seth Rogens may be famous for playing roles such as these , with his lucky stint opposite Katherine Heigel in Knocked Up , as well as various Judd Apatow films , so some might consider that he could play Zack with his eyes closed . Truth is , he does , and I guess it will take some time before he could get out of this stereotype . Hopefully , his Green Hornet project would take off properly , and for detractors , I guess you'll need to watch this film to see him sans his beard to be convinced that he just might pull it off . Elizabeth Banks had a lot more to do here of course in fleshing our Miri , since she is primarily the yes-no-flip-flop character who refuses to listen to her heart , and her dalliance with such indecisiveness , puts a strain in the friendship with Zack . There are plenty of scenes here that earned merit , but I particularly liked the out of place one in the first third of the story , where a school reunion is to get us chummy and comfortable with both Zack and Miri's characters , but contains enough laughs here to leave you in stitches . Look out for Justin Long playing Brandon , and Brandon Routh ( the latest Superman ) being Long , in what would probably be amongst the best jokes in the film , with Routh being the punching bag for Long's really flamboyant character with a deep voice . Like I said , it's funny and it's no holds barred , so go in with an open mind and an attitude to just laugh at everyone's funny antics ( right down to poop jokes if you will ) , and you just may leave with a nice smile at the end of it . Oh yeah , remember to stay tuned when the end credits roll for a look into the aftermath of Zack and Miri's film production company !
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515,379 | 317,399 | 805,570 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Midnight Meat Train
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Given that this month's the Lunar Seventh Month where the Chinese believe that spirits roam our world as their month long vacation from purgatory , my friend has so far kept this running joke about my unfortunate bumping into them given I spend my journey home on late night buses and trains . The Midnight Meat Train , as the title suggests , tells of the last train in the system where passengers inexplicably disappears , and I thought that Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura managed to put a somewhat refreshing spin to the entire slasher and torture porn genre . Based on a short story by horror Meister Clive Barker , the story in parts looked like horror thrillers with recognizable moments like those in The Terminator , Shutter , and of course , Jeepers Creepers . If I were to have to take the last train , I definitely wouldn't want to bump into Vinny's sharp dressed Mahogany , a character who is almost like any other Vinny Jones character of being the muscle-man . Here , he's a butcher with a penchant of waiting for the last train , and armed with nothing more than knives , meat hooks and his personal favourite , a meat tenderizer , he proceeds to chop up unsuspecting victims as the train seem to speed off into the unknown . And there's where the story becomes intriguing , as it poses a lot of questions and doesn't provide you with any clear answers , until much later . You have to endure a slow buildup of Leon the photographer ( Bradley Cooper ) who in his quest to take the perfect picture for an exhibition , chances upon Mahogany and follows him for that Kodak moment . His girlfriend Maya ( Leslie Bibb ) and best friend Jurgis ( Roger Bart ) also get into the fray , and soon life for all three will be irrevocably changed . The payload for the movie comes at the back , and my , it's as satisfying a wrap as it can be , though again for those already familiar with some of the mentioned films , you'll more or less expect things to be done the way they did . As mentioned earlier , what was a refreshing spin , was how direct and to the point the acts of violence got , without dragging the scenes out with needless , extended cries of mercy or lingering on gratuitous scenes of gore and blood , which torture porn flicks seem to continuous bog their movies with , that it becomes boring ( Yes , I think you can sense that I'm already de-sensitized to such scenes ) . Rather than trying to craft creative ways to die in order to go one up against other movies that came before it , The Midnight Meat Train really went back to basics and simplicity , where killing blows are delivered swiftly , before proceeding with dismemberment . While it is disturbing in itself , the distributors decided to shield local audiences from such violence and gore , and hence we got a censored M18 rated version , instead of full regalia under the R21 rating . The cuts were jarring enough , but in all fairness the quality of the movie cannot be judged by just how those scenes were removed with a butcher's knife . Going by detailed descriptions of the level of graphic violence contained in the movie , it seemed that we suffered from having a lot cut off . The movie also boasted some really effective scenes of tension , and the anticipation of ill will especially with Vinny Jones looming nearby . The last time I remembered watching a major action sequence involving trains was in Batman Begins , and given that it has to live up to titular expectations , audiences were treated to some incredible all-out action scenes set in and around the train , with some really energetic camera movement and angles to complement the action on screen . But technicalities aside , what really worked and will possibly elevate this film to cult status , will be portrayal and fleshing out the character of Mahogany as the no-nonsense and swift executioner , adding to the list of memorable villains to have graced the screen amongst the likes of the Freddies , Jasons and the Michael Myers of the cinematic world .
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515,263 | 317,399 | 471,834 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) NANA ( 2005 )
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My curiosity was piqued when I saw many of the DVDs on sale at various shops recently , so was actually wondering what the movie's all about , until I chanced upon a copy ( Special Edition too ) at the Esplanade Library . In giving it a shot , I'm pleasantly surprised , at the story it told , as well as the eye-candy available of course . It contains an extremely strong story of friendship , of love and the falling out of , adapted from a popular Japanese manga of the same name , by Ai Yazawa . You might liken it to Feel 100 % , as it touches on life , romantic love , and friends . This is the story with a theme primarily centered on Fate , of how two strangers sharing the same name Nana , be the same age , come to meet one night on a train to Tokyo for their own personal reasons , and how they grow to be best friends . The two girls can be so different from each other , one being a kawaii ( cute ) bimbo , while the other is a rock chick ( which I thought was in the mould of Garbage's Shirley Manson ) with her own rock band called Black Stones . While the narrative is forward moving for Nana Komatsu ( Aoi Miyazaki ) , in following her objective to be in Tokyo with her boyfriend Shoji ( Yuuta Hiraoka ) , Nana Osaki ( Mika Nakashima , a real life singer ) is in the city to try and achieve her big break for the band . However , flashbacks and the slow revelation of Osaki's backstory too revealed a romantic tangle she had with an ex-band member Ren Honjou ( Ryuhei Matsuda ) , who now plays for a successful outfit called TRAPNEST . It's an account of the two Nana's romantic relationships with the guys in their lives , and how they encourage and support each other through turbulent times during the relationships . While Nana Osaki may be kawaii , her clingy puppy dog attitude may put some guys off , who might prefer the more confident Nana Osaki . But pride too is an obstacle , as I know from personal experience how two very ambitious persons can stumble unwittingly , and perhaps reluctantly sacrifice love for personal career . Before you dismiss this as a chick flick , I'd like to say I would think otherwise . It may look like one , but it's tremendously well made , with a well paced narrative . Perhaps having the manga serve as a source provided for richer characterization of the leads . The two actresses who play both Nanas too couldn't contrast each other perfectly , and all in all , it's a very pleasing , despite the down moments in the story , movie to watch . By the way , the sequel has already been filmed , and is pending a year end release . I don't suppose we'll get the opportunity to see it in the theatres here , so will have to cross my fingers for a quick DVD release . This Code 3 DVD Special Edition by Panorama Entertainment comes with 2 discs . The first contains the movie and a full length commentary by director Kentaro Otami as well as the two lead actresses Mika Nakashima and Aio Miyazaki . Listening to them during the commentary , they revealed which shots were kept close to the manga source , and which had to be changed for reasons ranging from aesthetics to form . No worries though , as the commentary comes with subtitles as well , in both English ( though there were some grammar / tense issues with " shotted " ) and Chinese . Audio comes in a Dolby Digital 5 . 1 , which allows for a truly rock-concert like atmosphere during scenes when the bands perform . The second disc is the feature disc , consisting of - Making of NANA , ( 33mins 25s ) , follows the production from the 15-16 Jan 05 when filming began , including the director and cast interviews , as well as deleted scenes ( filmed but not used in the movie ) - Premiere Screening in Japan , 7 July ( for obvious reasons ) 2005 ( 3mins 10s ) , in Rippongi , with the director and major casts sharing their thoughts on the movie and of the characters they play . - Stage Appearance in Japan , 3 Sep 2005 , ( 3mins 55s ) with the director and major casts sharing their thoughts of the movie again . - Asia Premiere in Hong Kong , on 2 Oct 2005 ( 4mins ) , with a press conference attended by director Kentaro Otani , Mika Nakashima and Ryuhei Matsuda , and the attendance at the premiere screening complete with a cosplay contest . - Four theatrical trailers , without subtitles ( Runtimes of 1min 48s , 30s , 20s , 34s ) - Four TV Spots , without subtitles ( Runtimes of 17s , 17s , 30s , 17s )
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514,665 | 317,399 | 1,158,788 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Smilers
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When you think of children's ice hockey movies , The Mighty Ducks franchise probably comes instantly to mind . Likewise when I first saw the trailer for this movie , I can't help but to recall the Ducks , as well as the usual formula attached to team sports movie in general , where a motivational coach takes responsibility to turn a rag-tag team around and achieve glory . From Remembering the Titans to We Are Marshalls to Gridiron Gang , you just can't put a stop to such constant cookie cutter production under different premises . So to differentiate itself , and for my personal gauge , so long as the movie moves me at certain points despite clichés , then it works . Smiler does so on many counts , and is in fact a fine children's sports movie that is suitable for all ages , with the usual lessons to learn such as having no short cuts to success , persevering when the going gets tough , always believing in yourself and similar positive learnings to be gained from sitting through all 122 minutes of it . Like Swing Girls and Waterboys in its treatment and development of the narrative where the protagonists have to battle adversary , we follow the games of a junior high ice hockey team called Smilers , whom everyone including themselves , write their chances off even before the first puck gets hit , if at all . It's mainly told in flashback mode , though the prologue and epilogue spoke volumes that warm the heart . In the main narrative thread there are more than 3 little subplots which involve relationships , and the main bulk of it would be that of tap-dancer Shuhei ( Mirai Moriyama ) and figure skating teacher Shizuka ( Rosa Kato ) . A career ending injury brings Shuhei to Hokkaido to be with his lady love , but his wedding proposal got thwarted by her dad , who dangles the carrot that he'll only agree to giving her hand away in marriage , should he coach his school team to victory in the championships . Armed with nothing but his child psychology background , Shuhei has an uphill task in getting his team together , a group of boys whose skills are like unpolished gems , and to motivate them using some pretty innovative conviction that they are the best out there . Co - written by director Takanori Jinnai , he gives us some likable characters to grow attached to , and while each of them might have been boxed by their individual and personal issues , I thought it more than compensated any shortcomings , as we really get to know these kids , rather than being faceless beings brought in to make up numbers . Smiler had enough comedy to makes this one fluffy fairy tale of a movie , courtesy of some genuinely funny sight gags , and the antics of these children made it one heck of an endearing movie to sit through . The ice hockey games had glimpses of special effects , but never overriding the story , or trying to make this yet another Shaolin Soccer rehash or clone . As with most sports movies , a training montage becomes a staple ingredient , and Smiler does feature some very confident camera-work in capturing the game under high speed conditions . But if there's an area I want to roll my eyes at , is with the treatment of teenage romance . Smiler had star player Masaya ( Kenji Sakaguchi ) fall for Reina ( Anri Okamoto ) a potential figure skating star and the drool-worthy good-looker on the ice skating rink that every boy in the Smiler team has the hots for . But romances these days have to have the inevitable cancerous disease rear its ugly head to disrupt all the good things , to elicit some sorrowful moments and to make the audience work their tear ducts . I guess any self-respecting romance have to kowtow to such story development that it gets really tired and predictable . But what I really enjoyed from this cliché , is how the team get together to rally around under the window of the patient , and encourage in fact , one another , to celebrate each of their victories as a reminder that impossible is nothing , so long as you set your mind to it . Those moments really moved me , even though they were basic tricks from the formula book . The last children's sports movie I enjoyed was Slam ! and I'll also add Smiler to my list of favourites from the genre too . If you're one who prefer to stick to formula , then you're likely to find Smiler right up your alley . Otherwise it still makes for a good motivational movie , for tykes and adults alike .
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514,851 | 317,399 | 811,080 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Speed Racer
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Go Speed Racer , Go Speed Racer , Go Speed Racer , Go ! ! ! ! ! No , I'm not a hardcore speed racer fan . My only contact with the character and the cartoon series some 20 odd years ago , was from a couple of episodes from free-to-air television courtesy of Malaysia's RTM . Back then , since I did not understand Malay ( which the series was dubbed into ) , I could only gawk at the wide eyed and often wide , moving mouths of the characters as they race around circuits in their cars , half the time not knowing what was going on , except to root for the kid in the white helmet emblazoned with a red M , and that kid could really drive ( from those lines drawn across the screen ) , and had a really cool car christened the Mach 5 . Now that I'm all , ahem , grown up , I still found myself rooting for that same kid in the same white helmet in the same car , albeit in a grown up version of the cartoon being put on screen . Gone are the dark and gloomy Matrix and Vendetta movies made by the Wachowski brothers Andy and Larry , and hello psychedelic colours that provide a visual sensory overload . From the trailer you would have seen the assault of neon and pastels , and not since Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy or Zhang Yimou's Hero had I seen colours being brought out with such maverick disregard . And guess what , it was one heck of a trippy ride , and fun . That's certainly one of the first things anyone coming out of the screening would attest to , the colours , and of course the visual effects . Like the Star Wars prequel gone totally wild , CG were extensively used to create new worlds , cities and interiors that I would like to raise my hand now and say The Jetsons could probably be made on a shoestring too . In fact , I thought the actors could probably be replaced by cartoons as well , but that would mean a waste of the charm that each of the cast brought to their roles , and wasn't it a hoot to see Rain in his first role in a Hollywood movie getting severely beaten ? In any case , what shone in this movie , besides the races , were the characters , their interaction with one another , and what they stand for . No qualms about Emile Hirsch in the titular role , and I thought the entire Racer family was well cast , from Pops ( John Goodman in yet another series-to-movie role after his Fred Flintstone stint ) , Mom ( Susan Sarandon ) , mechanic Sparky ( Kick Gurry ) , kid brother Sprittle ( Paulie Litt ) who provides most of the slapstick together with pet monkey Chimp Chimp , and hot loyal girlfriend Trixie ( Christina Ricci ) . The villains of course were purely one dimensional , and like Iron Man , Corporations are once again the main baddie whose motivation of pure greed for money goes against the spirit of sports in this instance . While the action on four wheels were breathtaking , there were ample moments which put on the brakes and allowed for a breather or two in giving some characters a little more depth . And the Wachowski's still can't rid themselves of kung - fu , giving almost everyone some set action pieces where they get to exhibit some fisticuffs , even though they might look quite awkward executing the moves . But ah , the races . Straight out the cartoons , except with more realistic sound effects , and one for the fans - the retention of the specific effect when Speed activates the Mach 5's Auto Jacks . Pure pleasure to the ears , even though the visuals at times might be a blur with every car in " Ultimate Extreme Drift Mode " ( TM by Stefan S ) pulling off gravity-defying stunts consisting of never-ending-spins and drifts around tracks that don't stay still and resembling the zaniest roller coaster designs . What I liked about the narrative flow was how the races blend seamlessly with moments of drama thanks to creative editing , and of course , throwbacks to the animated series again with many a close up shots of drivers looking cool , or looking mean . What's the best way to enjoy Speed Racer ? My take is to be in a high ( I will put a disclaimer as to how you're gonna achieve this , is totally up to you ) . Should there be an IMAX version / screening of this , then it's a natural and appropriate movie to do so . Summer looks good again with Iron Man and Speed Racer holding up the fort . Let's hope the rest meets and excels expectations as well .
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515,360 | 317,399 | 386,032 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : SiCKO
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Won't we like to visit a doctor , and be provided preventive advice during a regular checkup . Or how about instead of worrying just how much those consultation charges are going to be , we get a world class doctor who basically just cares and is genuinely concerned with our well-being , and getting us cured of our sickness ? That's the kind of feeling you get when watching Michael Moore's latest documentary SiCKO . While he rages on and uncovers the deficiencies in the US healthcare system , he waxes lyrical about the free healthcare systems of various countries , while at the same time , comparing how doctors under different systems fare . We all know that doctors make a lot of money , but some make a lot of money because they are specialists and charge sky high fees for their services , that you can't help but wonder if it's money over patients . Then again , in what is termed the socialist medicine model , where doctors are akin to civil servants , being paid a fixed salary with variable components tagged to the welfare of the patients , you wonder too if that is probably a better system altogether , that those genuinely want to heal people , get into the profession , and those who want to make money , well , go work at the pharmaceutical companies . In any case , Moore dresses his documentary up in his usual sexy manner . He again drums up and creates a rally behind his objectives , and it's easy to fall prey to his viewpoint . There are merits to the better models he presented , or how non profit organizations , for the love of healing folks , can come up with 24hr on-call services , truly making healthcare not only affordable , but within physical reach . And he contrasts this with the cold , calculated way in which Americans are treated . And there's the flaw with privatizing healthcare , leaving it into the hands of , god forbid , insurance companies . It's almost common sense that premiums are always easy to pay , provided you satisfy many of the pre-conditions , but when it comes to the claim , that's where the real problem starts , as you'd come to expect delays , challenges , combing the fine print for some ambiguous clause just to starve you off any legitimate payback . I seriously hope we don't get our monies trapped in such schemes ( ahem , annuities ? ) . And when we're talking about life and death , it's ideal to leave little room for contracts and negotiations - life takes priority . In that sense where security and education comes into play , we leave it to the powers that be , and shouldn't healthcare be so as well ? Short of labelling it as the restriction of freedom and choice as some would have it argued , it actually comes with widespread social acceptance , and of course , taxes . You must be willing to pay to receive subsidized , or even free benefits . Otherwise , where do all these funds come from ? And this is where Moore conveniently skips , or mentions in extremely brief passing . There's no such thing as a free lunch , though neither is it a zero sum game , and there will be two sides carved out - those who just want to enjoy the benefits without contributing to it , and those who resent paying for someone else's welfare . Not everyone can be like the Canadians : ) Different strokes for different folks , depending on which set of values one subscribes to . So as Moore uncovers ideal benefits in the healthcare systems in the UK , France , Canada and even Cuba , he doesn't address the other social ills and resentment that comes along with it . But of course , since this is a documentary , and naturally the points that make the final cut must all support the filmmaker's vision . If compared to his earlier works , SiCKO comes across as more mature though , with its sexy arguments made against a very serious presentation and tone , void of all the quirky animations , and have rather limited snark remarks , not that they're not present . But the best bits about it , is how he pieces together the corruption in the whole system , including those in seats of power . As we know , some politicians can be persuaded with funds to assist in their respective lobbies , and it is no surprise where these healthcare insurance companies put their money on . Politicians on payrolls , in a nice way , are nothing new . And seriously , nobody can fault a private enterprise into achieving its prime objective in a market economy , and that is to maximize profits . Money can be used to cover the heart and soul , so why not use it to an advantage . SiCKO is crafted shrewdly in the hands of Moore , and frankly , brought its points out rather well . The much anticipated Guantanamo Bay excursion though was much ado about nothing , given the widespread publicity of the potential trouble Moore might get into . But the real gem of the movie though , is the lesson on how to shape one's arguments - place incessant focus on the good parts to debunk what currently doesn't work , because the bigger picture will always be able to puncture arguments presented within a 2 hour picture . It's never easy to find a right balance for any social issue , or life for that matter . I just have to make sure , as I told a friend , that I have a plan on what to do if I'm diagnosed with a serious condition , given rising health care costs here as well . And by the looks of it increasing in time to come , the plan definitely includes the reluctance to line the coffers of the doc treating me .
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514,531 | 317,399 | 455,824 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Australia
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If you're making a movie entitled " Australia " , you had better get it right , no ? And I thought Baz Luhrmann actually hit it quite squarely on the head with his Gone with the Wind-ish sprawling epic set in the Australian outback and around the time when the Japanese Imperial Army rained bombs over the Northern Territories , with a sprinkling of his keen eye for visual flair especially in the first few minutes where he had to set the stage for everything else to happen . Initially I was quite taken aback by its opening inter-title , and actually wondered what we could be in for . It's a warning of sorts , though much of it would be lost in translation outside Australia . In this film Luhrmann has boldly tackled the issue of discrimination head on , especially the attitude taken towards the Aboriginals and the plights of their children - the Stolen Generation , and crafted through this film , the natives who were quite heroic and self-sacrificial , putting bad light at those who deem themselves cultured , giving them really disgusting behavioural traits who run at the first signs of trouble . The similarities with Gone with the Wind cannot be denied . Call it inspired by , a homage to , of what have yous , there's a huge range called Faraway Downs where a Miss Scarlett O'Hara equivalent , proud English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley ( Nicole Kidman ) inherited upon arrival due to the death of her husband , and got caught up in a devilish plot to bankrupt her and take over her property , no thanks to beef monopolist King Carney ( Bryan Brown ) and chief henchman Neil Fletcher ( David Wenham , of Faramir fame from Lord of the RingS , who is creepily evil here ) . In comes saviour and romantic , roguish-looking hero Drover ( Hugh Jackman ) , whose name is derived from his occupation , who's quite the free spirit and actually does give a damn . The story's told in two distinct acts , The first focused a whole lot on cattle driving , where Sarah Ashley and Drover have to assemble a rag-tag team of ranchers from their household to drive 1500 heads of cattle all the way from their ranch to Darwin in order to make some dough to stave off bankruptcy and battle everything that's evil put in their way , from man-made disasters to Mother Nature . And this is where the action's quite exhilarating , which I put on par with Kevin Costner's buffalo hunt in Dances with Wolves . The second arc focused more squarely on the romance between the two leads , as told through the eyes of the little boy Nuallah , whom people insult as " creamy " ( half-white , half-aboriginal ) . His condition is such that children of his nature get sent packing away to a remote island by missionaries to " re-educate " them , and Sarah Ashley , having taken a liking to the boy , fights hard to keep her under her wing . They form a family nucleus of sorts , given that we slowly realize that the boy could probably be what they had both lost or could never attain , and is that social glue that keeps their pseudo-family dynamics in order . Casting is no-brainer as well , because you're likely to put together the biggest Hollywood stars ( who are Australians naturally ) in this movie to pull fans in , and watch them breathe life into their characters . If not for The Dark Knight , we'd probably see the late Heath Ledger involved as well . Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman shared perfect chemistry together , transforming loathe to love through the course of the film . More obvious changes were physical of course , where Sarah Ashley had her pasty white skin from her idyllic days in England slowly baked by the sun into a healthy tanned glow , while you can hear the audible gasps from female audiences when they see Hugh clean clean shaven after spending much time hiding his sexiest man alive fame behind a beard . The rest of the ensemble supporting cast also pulled their weight together , and even Hong Kong actor Yuen Wah had a bit part playing the non-English speaking kitchen help . What I thought was a romantic subplot played down and probably written out or edited to the cutting room floor , was that between the Australian Captain Dutton ( Ben Mendelsohn ) who had clearly taken a liking for Sarah Ashley , but probably kept for deleted scenes in the DVD release , if shot at all . There was that glint in the eye each time they both come together on screen , but it became more like a whatever - happens - off - screen - stays - off - screen relationship . Some might balk at the length of the film as I did prior to watching the film , but you'll hardly notice the run time once you get immersed into the spectacle of the film with its lush cinematography , and even pace . Elton John contributed to the score as well , and The Drover's Ballad could be a shoo-in for Academy nomination I think . If there's a gripe , I felt that Luhrmann did a Michael Bay in his battle sequences in the second act which Bay would probably be proud of , but it was a vastly one-sided affair with the Zero bombers holding their advantage from a surprise attack . Australia works on many fronts , and while it might not be a great movie , it certainly is a good one , with wonderful visuals , sets and all round chemistry between its cast . I'm not sure how there are those who can slam this earnest effort , but for Luhrmann fans , you're in for a treat with his film , with the romance maestro doing what he does best for his characters , making them fall in love under extraordinary circumstances .
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514,523 | 317,399 | 974,554 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Elegy
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An elegy . A form of poetry that mourns of something that has deteriorated . And in this film there couldn't be more references to this term , forming the basis of the theme and everything that happens to all the characters involved in this pensive , melancholic piece . Based on the novel by Philip Roth and directed by Isabel Coixet , this film stars Ben Kingsley as culture critic and lecturer David Kepesh , and snapshots his life during the twilight years , where physical deterioration doesn't mean a proportionate deterioration in sex drive . Or at least that's what the character's first impression to the audience was . Through narration , we get to hear David's innermost thoughts , where he candidly reveals both his fear of growing old , and private moments where he honestly shares with us his feelings especially toward the new and beautiful student in his class , Consuela ( Penelope Cruz ) . While aware of the 30 odd years age gap separating them , that doesn't mean that he's going to give up his game of skirting around the sexual harassment decorum of the school . In fact , his physical relationship with his student form the crux of the film , about perceived societal pressure and disdain for cradle snatchers , of how one's initial motive of a short fling could turn out to be something more serious and emotional , and relationship insecurities on both sides - with one understandably jealous of some unseen , young strapping hunk there to take his lady love away , and of the other worried that there might be commitment issues with a man so advanced in his age . But what lifted this movie into a different emotional stratosphere , are the supporting cast and characters that surround David's life , either providing counsel , or problems and issues to deal with altogether . A visibly aged Dennis Hopper plays David's best friend and poet George O'Hearn , who while on one hand goads him to do the right thing ( or ending it all off ) , he too might seem a little hypocritical , and brings about a fleeting notion of infidelity to the table too . And it seems that dysfunctional characters in the relationship sense permeates through the film at every corner . We have David's F-buddy Carolyn ( Patricia Clarkson ) who's an alpha-female type character with all the luck at the professional level , but none whatsoever on the personal front , and David's estranged son Kenneth , played by the excellent and terribly under-rated actor Peter Sarsgaard , who shares some of the most poignant and memorable scenes in the movie opposite Ben Kingsley , trading some very quick witted barbs . Just as when you thought the film might seem to have reached is plateau , it surprises one with a startling development that would on one hand seem to satisfy the voyeur in the audience ( given the rating , and consistent audible yawns during the non-sexual moments ) , but on the other push through that sense of regret that makes you feel for the characters . Excellent acting from the ensemble cast , and with relationship themes that many could identify with , would make Elegy earn that recommended status from me .
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515,569 | 317,399 | 486,946 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Wild Hogs
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Major stars getting together for a road trip ? Sounds like fun to me , and if the trailer was anything to go by , it was potential for serious laughs as middle aged men band together for some serious male bonding session while hitting the road . Wild Hogs are what Doug , Woody , Bobby and Dudley call themselves - biker dude wannabes who spend their free time mucking around a biker pub , sharing their life's woes . Doug ( Tim Allen ) is a dentist who gets no respect from his son and suffers from a self inflicted diet regime , Bobby ( Martin Lawrence ) is a henpecked househusband working in between his novel and The Firm , Dudley ( William H Macy ) is a geeky computer programmer who doesn't have the guts to speak to girls , and unofficial leader of the pack Woody ( John Travolta ) seems to have it all on the surface - riches and a Swimsuit Illustrated wife , but little does anyone know he's a bankrupt undergoing a divorce . Watching them moot the idea of a road trip on bikes - to ride hard and ride free , seemed to have rubbed off on me . If I had a bike license , hell yeah , I'd do that too with a bunch of like minded buddies , hitting the road on a trip to somewhere , a destination in mind , but absolutely zero planning on how exactly to get there . Revving those Harleys on a highway is a romantic idea , making pit stops wherever there's a need for gas , to replenish supplies or to answer nature's call . The trailer for Wild Hogs actually contained some of the best parts from the movie , and most of the good bits happen in the first half of the film . Toward the second half , you come to expect that the experience the guys go through together will have changed them for the better , though contrary to the notion of a road trip , they seem to be stuck at a single location toward the end , thus the movie started to sag both in pace and the lack of interesting happenings to spice things up . I thought watching William H Macy in a comedic role was truly refreshing , and he almost has all the best lines in the movie . Juggling the other big named actors isn't easy , and Martin Lawrence's role turned out to be the most undefined , and somehow not as interesting as the rest . John Travolta really piled on the weight here , though he showed shades of his boogie Saturday Night Live days . The supporting cast of Ray Liotta and Marisa Tomei were surprising additions , and John C McGinley's involvement would probably be the best scene in the movie , as the cop who catches our heroes in a compromising situation out in the woods , made worst by their dialogue uttered while half asleep . And if all that isn't enough , throw in Kyle Gass ( Tenacious D ) hamming it up with contemporary pop tunes , and a soundtrack worthy to take along during a long road trip . Wild Hogs is really fun to watch , with a somewhat sublime message of remembering to take some time off for some serious recreation and vacation . It's feel good all the way , with boys who never really quite grown up .
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515,469 | 317,399 | 381,061 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Casino Royale
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In short , the answer is a resounding yes , and more . Daniel Craig brings to the table a sense of that everyday man , rather than the polished slickness of a seasoned spy with that double - oh license to kill . And understandably so , as Casino Royale is the first Ian Fleming book written about Bond , James Bond . So it's back to the basics , back to the very first time of almost everything . There is no fancy futuristic gadget to assist Bond out of tight situations - he has to rely on his fists and bulging muscles and the ever reliable Walter PPK handgun . Although we have the beautiful Aston Martin as his wheels of choice , there is an incredible amount of running around on foot . M without Moneypenny , no gadgets and no Q ( or R ) , the dry martini created on the fly , that's how basic Craig's Bond is . The trademarked opening , with the cliffhanger styled big stunts , the tracking gun barrel panning across the screen ( now replaced with one quick shot set in a toilet ! ) are inconceivably missing . Even the theme song cum stylized opening credits is done without a gyrating female silhouette , something quite unthinkable for a formulaic Bond film ! But it's one heck of a refreshing change and feel to the franchise given the break from convention , after the successful stint by Pierce Brosnan built too much implausibility in the gadget department , and virtual indestructibility together with Q's lab hinging on a product placement overload . What you've read so far about Craig's Bond being a more physical and violent one , yes , you've read them right . He gets tortured , he gets injured , he even makes a lot of mistakes . But don't forget , like Batman Begins , this story tells of the time of how Bond became the renowned spy we all know , set just after he got promoted to double-oh status and earned his license to kill . He's wet behind the ears , a rookie in the business , and has a huge lesson to learn on trust and letting his guard down . Which is where the Bond girls come in . While decorative , Casino Royale boasts Vesper Lynd ( Eva Green ) , as THE femme fatale from the British Treasury sent to be Bond's bankroll as he tries to bring down chief villain Le Chiffre ( Mads Mikkelsen ) on the high stakes poker table of Casino Royale . You'll probably chuckle at the first time seeing Bond flirt with a trademarked decorative Bond chick , and it has this really awkward feel to it all . But with Vesper , you'll see how he bares his heart and soul for her , without trading too many sexual innuendos or impatiently trying to get inside her . It's probably something like first love , and after this episode , you'll probably begin to understand how his love-them-leave-them attitude towards beautiful woman developed . It's a cruel twist of fate in the love department that leaves you with some questions to ponder . What about the story ? It's nothing to shout about . Basically it's Bond up against Le Chiffre on the poker table , one which proves to be quite interesting to watch , but got dragged by too many meandering interruptions . The relationship and love scenes between Bond and Vesper feels extended in the longest Bond film to date ( clocking in at 2 hours and 24 minutes ) , and does get mushy at times . But this I feel is the focus of Casino Royale , the microscope put onto Bond to see how he learns and develops his skills and persona . Though the main villain Le Chiffre looks sinister enough , there is a severe lack of world-dominating ambition , and doesn't reach the highs of Bond villains of the past . The lack of memorable villainous sidekicks too relegates the baddies to cardboard characters . In short , Casino Royale builds its strength in providing a good way to bring about a change of actors into the Bond role by adapting Fleming's beginning , but really , while I think Craig will have a field day with this stint as Bond , I'll pity the next actor who has to take over him , without the safety net of going back to basics .
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515,018 | 317,399 | 61,597 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) One-Armed Swordsman ( 1967 )
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There are tonnes of wuxia stories and films out there , it's quite difficult to be established as one of the classics . One-Armed Swordsman happens to be one of the best remembered and loved stories that defined wuxia , and it is no doubt that actor Wang Yu and director Chang Cheh were made household names . Common themes in wuxia like brotherhood , romance , piety , revenge are all rolled into One-Armed Swordsman . A son of a servant who died valiantly protecting his master , Qi Rufeng of the Golden Sword Clan , Fang Gang ( Want Yu ) was brought up by Qi Rufeng as one of his disciples , but his daughter Qi Pei-er accidentally chops off Fang Gang's right arm in a fit of petty anger . Running away and injured , Fang Gang was saved by a village girl Hsiao Man , who nurses him back to health , and passes to him half a sacred kung fu manual , which has only the left-handed moves left ( yes , it's that convenient ) . Swearing to leave the martial arts world and minding his own business , little does he realize that a rival clan has developed weapons and moves to counter the Golden Sword Clan , and are out for blood . Realizing that he cannot let down the master who has brought him up , Fang Gang goes to their rescue , against the wishes of Hsiao Man . Caught between two benefactors , Fang Gang has to make the decision , one in which only a true swordsman will definitely make . The martial arts , compared to today's standards might seem cheesy , but it's the good old days sans wire work . The teahouse fight remains one of the better sequences , and they all get as bloody as they can get , hence Chang Cheh was also known as the " ketchup " director . You'll marvel at how smart editing actually allows for some " slick " martial arts moves to be performed . Characters are kept simple - the good are good , and the bad are really evil , and look the part too . It's a one dimensional world , but that keeps the storyline simple as you await the action to begin . So for that introductory look into the world of Wuxia , One-Armed Swordsman might just be the vehicle for you - characters , themes , weapons , the hallmark elements of a good wuxia film are all there . This Code 3 DVD contains a behind the scenes gallery , the trailers , production notes and biographies , and a segment on 5 animated works done by various educational institutions in Asia . The winning segment comes from Singapore , and it indeed is a beauty to watch .
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514,904 | 317,399 | 436,697 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Queen
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This is as much a movie on Queen Elizabeth II as it is on current British PM Tony Blair . With the movie starting from Blair's win at the elections , and being a new PM expected to usher in change , his character here is in opposites with the Queen's , one steeped in stifling tradition of the monarchy . But whileThe movie contains some excellent blending of archived footage from news bulletins to images shot with that look and feel of a television feed , as well as dramatized elements which tried to tell the story of what really happened behind the scenes . With the crux of the story focused on the period of time immediately after Princess Di's death in 1997 ( wow , it's been almost 10 years ) , it's usually landmark events like these which people remember what the Queen / Monarchy did , versus the period of approximately 50 years she had ascended the throne . Written by Peter Morgan and directed by Stephen Frears , The Queen is an excellent character study piece of one of the world's longest surviving monarchies , as well as arguably the one with the most scandals and controversies . One must bear in mind that this is fiction and by no means representative of actual events , though it is a fictional version with the possibility of putting OEII in better light , given her reaction of no response to the public immediately after the tragic news . The story and plot are nothing new , and therefore offer no such thing as a shocking plot twist , or controversial scenes , although the movie's attempts to provide an explanation from the other side of Buckingham will be its attraction . Much has been said about actress Helen Mirren's outstanding performance as QEII , and I'm of the opinion that she deserves every accolade bestowed upon her , and is indeed a strong contender to snag that Oscar come Feb 2007 . But kudos must go to her costars as well , like James Cromwell as husband Prince Philip , Sylvia Syms as the Queen Mother , Alex Jennings as Prince Charles , but more importantly , Michael Sheen as Tony Blair . The makeup and wardrobe department also deserve mention to create the physical resemblance , which probably would assist loads in having the actors flesh out their respective characters . It's an interesting look into the workings of the monarchy , and the relationship amongst the members . For those curious as to the relationship between the government and the monarchy will appreciate the many moments of interaction between Blair and the Queen .
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515,550 | 317,399 | 465,234 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : National Treasure : Book of Secrets
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If I may be able to conjure up conspiracy theories of my own , then I will attempt to hypothesis how National Treasure came about to debut on the big screen , based on opportunities which presented itself at the right time . First , the popularity of Dan Brown's controversial The Da Vinci Code , which was made into a movie of its own , but took a tad too long in doing so . Topping the bestseller charts around the world , it made Hollywood execs sit up and realize that wild goose chases and solving riddles and clues do make an interesting , workable formula . Coupled by the fact that the Indiana Jones trilogy ( at the time ) probably will not have another sequel see the light of day , then the onus is on crafting a tale based on controversies , with Indy Jones tendencies , and chances are a new winner will be born . Hence , National Treasure in the year end of 2004 , which made a decent dent in the box office , starring Nicolas Cage as an Indy like clone Benjamin Gates , embroiled in a mystery of the Templar's treasure , with sidekick Riley Poole ( Justin Bartha ) as the tech wizard necessary to assist him , while at the same time romancing Abigail Chase ( Diane Kruger ) , who joins his band of treasure seekers against her wishes . The Indy references don't just stop here , they extend to having a Henry Jones resemblance in Jon Voight as dad Patrick Gates . If you were to deck Cage in a fedora , whip and gun , the references will be just too blatant . But let's not get ahead of ourselves . The important question is , is the sequel Book of Secrets as good as , or can be accredited with the rare accolade of being better than the original ? Well , in all honesty it's still an entertaining ride , as this time we go around the world ( OK , so perhaps just Paris and London ) , versus the original story being US-centric . However , like the first installment , the material , clues and riddles are still quite US history heavy , so if you're well versed with certain characters ( brought to life early in the movie ) or events ( thanks to paying attention during history lessons ) , then yes , Book of Secrets will give you an additional boost in being able to identify with it . Otherwise , don't fret , as the casual movie goer with popcorn in hand will definitely not feel lost . The narrative and plot still feel a little staged and rigged for convenience ( and run time of course ) , as one event will inevitably lead to the next and to the inevitable ending ( like how CSI solves crime within 45 minutes sans ads ) , but they're still a lot of fun watching how the characters go through the motion in believing that they're onto something really big . While the first had a lot of puzzles to solve , which kept some of us guessing and playing along as well , this time round the number of riddles have been reduced significantly , and signs of Mission : Impossible creeping in as our band of treasure hunters seek to perform the impossible , pertaining to levels of security guarding their mark . In an excuse to make the sequel , we have Ben Gates and GATESENIOR reuniting to clear the good name of their ancestor , who's recently accused of being a co-conspirator , or even mastermind , behind the assassination of US President Abramham Lincoln . And of course , help comes in the form of Abigail , who's now estranged from Gates , trusty tech sidekick with the complementary witty lines Riley ( and his red Ferarri ) , and now joined by Ben's mom Emily Appleton , played by Helen Mirren , who's in the movie to contrast her relationship with Patrick to that between Ben and Abigail . However , we're not really interested in whimsical attempts to add depth to characters , are we ? Sure they have their issues with one another , and with Ed Harris ' Mitch Wilkinson being the token and very bland bad guy wanting to make his mark on history , the focus more often than not is to shift to the next big stunt / chase sequence . Like the first movie , one of the highlights touted in the trailer involves the art of balancing , which unfortunately , was already done in the first movie . Don't you just hate repeated stunts ? And toward the end , I can't help but to compare it to Jackie Chan's The Myth , which in itself was somewhat of a treasure - hunter movie , involving the elixir of life ( We're still stuck with gold here though ) . And add to that Harvey Keitel's FBI agent Sadusky , the office of the most powerful man in the world , and teases from the Book of Secrets , we've got ourselves a handful being squeezed within 2 hours . Not to forget Nicolas Cage's absolutely horrendous haircut , the final verdict is that it's a fairly decent year end blockbuster which primed itself for yet another sequel , courtesy of page 47 of the titular book , if the box office numbers prove favourable .
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515,260 | 317,399 | 444,182 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Days of Glory
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So you've done a great piece of work , and are awaiting your just rewards . Somehow along the way , someone else , by colour , creed , or connections , get all the recognition that you're due credit for . You feel frustrated , but you think of your rice bowl , and decide to grit your teeth and bear it , calling it just another day , secretly longing for a time where you are empowered to do something about it . In the liberation of France during WWII , North African men were recruited and enlisted in the French army in the fight against the Nazis . Why do they do it ? One reason is to escape poverty , and the holding on to the glimmer of hope that they can be accepted , when the war is over , as equals based on their fight for the " motherland " . These soldiers , mujahedeens , fought hard , often being in the frontline , but always overlooked when it comes to recognition of basic military welfare and promotions , not that these rewards will cost an arm or a leg , nor are the fighters so hard up for them . All they're asking for was fair treatment , but all they got was discrimination . Yes , and that is the pain . WWII movies are aplenty , but Days of Glory offered a unique look at the battles by a group of men , for what they deem their motherland and will defend with their blood , and what more , for a land of people who do not see them as equals . Loving someone who does not love you back , sounds familiar ? And it's not just love , but sworn allegiance to protect at all costs . The movie is well paced and straddled moments of action and quiet contemplation with aplomb . Credit must go to the ensemble cast of actors who play the warriors of North Africa , as they battle both the enemies on French soil , as well as enemies of men's heart . They grapple with trying to remain rational in their reason ( s ) to do what they're doing . At times , watching this movie made me think about the recent flurry of mails to the press about foreign talent and the issue of citizenship , about NS obligations and whether PRs will flee at the first signs of trouble , or stand shoulder to shoulder with citizens ( also , who are those who will flee ? ) in defending our land . What are the issues of contention , discrimination against , or general presumptions about foreigners here ? Those expecting all out battle scenes might be disappointed . In truth the movie's never about the glorification of gore , violence and war - most scenes aren't really blood splattering to draw in the crowds . Instead , if you'd prefer moments where you can think out loud about the issues presented , then this is for you . However , the final battle would please action fans , as it is well choreographed and executed , and you feel both the pain and victory from a bunch of tightly knit soldiers trying their very best to defend a small town , in a samurai - seven-ish sort of way , also reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan's somehow . If you've missed this during the French Film Festival , don't fret . I believe this movie is also slated for general release . Keep a look out for it !
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514,940 | 317,399 | 425,413 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Run Fatboy Run
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I've only recently been converted to a Simon Pegg fan after the riotously funny Hot Fuzz , and can't wait for him to be in the upcoming JJ Abrams reboot of the Star Trek franchise . While squeezing time out to devour Shaun of the Dead , here comes David Schwimmer's Run Fatboy Run , where he piles on the kilos to play an unfit security guard Denny , who does the despicable because of self-doubt and unceremoniously dumps the pregnant love of his life , Libby ( Thandie Newton ) , at the altar . So fast forward to today , his routine of fetching his son to and from Libby's home gets interrupted by the arrival of her new boyfriend Whit ( Hank Azaria ) , the corporate type who has everything going for him , and of course we're off to a show of one-upmanship between the two men , and the marathon being their arena of battle , for the love of both the woman and the kid . The laughs come courtesy of the usual training sessions that Denny has to whip himself into shape given three weeks , thanks to good friend and Libby's cousin Gordon ( Dylan Moran ) and his landlord Mr Goshdashtidar ( Harish Patel ) . Visual gags are plentiful , as are the conversational ones , but there weren't any that could elicit tears from joy from me , which is usually my personal gauge as to whether the comedy is effective , or not . It's a simple tale of rising against the odds , believing in oneself , and being the man who's always there for his kid . Run Fatboy Run fortunately doesn't trod the conventional finale for a sports related movie , and though cheesy as expected and can be , still has its moments . Goes to show that every underdog has its day , if only they possess the never say die attitude . And speaking of which , I'm piling on the kilos , and need to run too !
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515,171 | 317,399 | 457,939 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Holiday
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Trust me to look deep into a typical chick flick dealing with love and romance , and actually buying into it . The Holiday , starring Cameron Diaz , Kate Winslet , Jude Law and Jack Black , carries itself through via the solid performance of its cast , predominantly eye-candy , save one charismatic Jack in a non-comedic , dramatic role . Being character and issue driven , The Holiday has its characters all suffering from and being out of favour with Love , and from there , begin the story of their struggle and development . Stories of unrequited love , being taken for a ride , doubts about long distance relationships , commitment , and of course , trust . You'll probably feel for the four primary characters , because if you're someone who have even been in a relationship , then you're more than likely to identify with them , at one point or another as they move along the story , dealing with different aspects of love , but ultimately , being afraid of being hurt by Love . I thought Cameron Diaz was back at her ditzy best , being someone unable to feel and connect emotionally , and being cheated upon by her boyfriend played by Edward Burns . Kate Winslet was very believable as someone suffering from unrequited love , and looked ultra vulnerable , pining for her supposed beau portrayed by Rufus Sewell ( last seen in Tristan and Isolde ) . Jude Law doesn't do much except to turn on those charms when needed , while Jack Black was at his element when in the video store , with his character romancing Shannyn Sossamon , who more than faded away after her stint in A Knight's Tale opposite Heath Ledger . Much of the movie managed to unravel itself with quite a number of little surprises , as the trailer did not give away too much besides the fact that two out-of-love girls perform a home exchange during the holiday season , and found more than they bargained for with new opportunities in love . These little surprise elements are like presents being unwrapped during Christmas - you guess what's coming , get strong hints , and finally , while suspecting what the gift is , you'll still be pleasantly surprised at the outcome . Be they plot devices , elements or even characters , there are plenty of moments to warm your heart . I guess " cute " never ran out of fashion , not in this genre . What works is the pacing and editing . Running at 2 hours and 15 minutes , it will be rare if you find any moment a bit of a bore . While at the veneer there are tons of issues and problems about romance itself , and the trials and ghosts that each character had to exorcise , beneath the exterior are feel good , hopeful messages , those that you'd more or less expect a close friend to dispense , never mind if they sound cliché or obvious . Date movie , Christmas movie , romance and feel good drama all rolled into one , The Holiday is very much a been there done that trip down memory lane for those experienced , while at the same time giving plenty of hope to those who haven't or are holding out for that special someone . But only if you buy into its message . Feel the love , people , and peace and goodwill toward all men .
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515,042 | 317,399 | 1,013,753 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Milk
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Biopics work for me because I'm innately curious about that aspect of a person's life which makes it compelling enough for others to want to make a film out of it . This film by Gus Van Sant tells the story of California's first openly gay elected official Harrvey Milk over the span of the last 8 and definitely more fruitful years of his life where he discovers his calling ironically after confessing to a lover that he had so far not done anything constructive with his , and then with their subsequent move to San Franscisco . Milk is one of the films this year up for a number of accolades , more notably for Sean Penn's nuanced performance as Harvey Milk . I thought he had , with the help of make up , totally disappeared into the role , and gave it his all as the soft spoken , and idealistic political rookie who had to take on the big boys , as well as deep rooted bigotry and prejudice . And not only that , he has to contend with keeping his partner Scott Smith ( James Franco ) emotionally satisfied , since it's no longer a private world of their own , but one which faced the tussle of precious time as he finds it his calling to take up political office . I felt that while Franco has to date played plenty of pretty boy action roles , here he ramps up his dramatic performance opposite veteran Sean Penn , and managed to hold his own too . Not only that , the ensemble cast here had been top notch , and that's not only just kudos to the make up team in having them resemble their real life counterparts to a T . Josh Brolin as Dan White always had this unpredictable edge to him , and his involvement in the inevitable finale was nothing short of chilling to witness . Emile Hirsch as Cleve Jones plays one of Harvey's key assistants , and his role here was quite endearing , despite being only in a supporting capacity . Watching this film , you can't help but to appreciate just how long the USA took to change its perception and acceptance of the GLBT community . It takes relentless , continuous effort to effect change from within the political system through a very charismatic personality supported by his own grassroots . As the saying goes , change is the only constant and is inevitable , and one of the strategies undertaken here was to come out of the closet , so that friends and family could demolish the stigma of demonizing those who are queer and come to accept them , since after all , they could be immediate friends and family . This I thought was a smart move since it almost does away with negative perception and destructive assumptions , though it calls for a very stout heart for anyone to reveal who they truly are . Gus Van Sant had wonderfully mixed the filmed narrative with real archival footages to add that sense of realism to this biopic . He doesn't paint that pitch perfect portrait of Harvey Milk , and provided a sense of balance in that it does take whatever method that works to try and drum up support for their movement . Which I thought had echoed that plenty of successful ideologies thrive , not because what persists is that charismatic representative , but that of the doctrine that people subscribe to . And collectively and persistently , change can be effected . There's nothing too fancy about the way Harvey Milk's life got presented here , but it delivered where it mattered in having a solid narrative to illustrate the life of a man who's in pursuit to eradicate negative mindsets and the deeply harboured prejudice of man . The homosexual subject matter may be central here to the cause , but put aside , the same struggles and challenges to overcome are universal conditions that everyone will go through at one point or another . A highly recommended movie .
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515,370 | 317,399 | 423,294 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Surf's Up
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It's easy to roll your eyes when you see yet another animated movie starring talking animals , and what more , talking penguins . Guess you can credit the popularity of our feathered friends from down south to award winning films like the documentary which started it all , March of the Penguins , and the other animated movies Madagascar ( where they were scene stealers ) and Happy Feet . But before you actually decide to pass on this one , Surf's Up a surprisingly refreshing tale set in the bright sunny beaches with laid back " dude " attitude , which doesn't seem to try too hard to please , and comes up just about right . One of the good things about the movie is the voice talent featured . Like Happy Feet , it contains some recognizable names , but just as a reminder to our Legend of the Sea friends , big names doesn't necessarily equate to good voice acting . Shia LeBeouf ( a name which we will see quite frequently over the next few months with Transformers and Disturbia ) gets the lead role of Cody Maverick , a surfer penguin wannabe who dreams of making it big in the surfing community . His idol is Big Z ( Jeff Bridges ) , a world champion who had made an impression on a young Cody . However , Big Z is presumed missing in action during one competition , and the new world champion , Tank Evans ( Diedrich Bader ) looks set to retain his status for the umpteenth time . The supporting characters too are a delight , with Zooey Deschanel as a Baywatch lifeguard babe and James Woods as a sports tzar , and Jon Heder continues his stereotype by playing Cody's new best friend Chicken Joe , a chilled out surfing chicken who finds himself at probably the wrong place each time and associating with the wrong species . What made this movie work is that the filmmakers recognize they have to come up with a narrative style that is different in order to engage , and given that it's a sports type movie , they went for a sports entertainment channel style , complete with replicating camera techniques including details like less than perfect wireless camera transmissions ( love those on-board cameras , nevermind if it doesn't make complete sense or is illogical ) , over the top channel transition sequences , and you just gotta love those faux pas interviews with just about every character . If you can't get enough of baby penguins , the filmmakers too are shrewd enough to include these crowd favourite characters in endearing scenes . With Father's Day mood all round , this movie is apt too for the season , given its theme of family , and bonding with ( surrogate ) father types . The humour injected ranges wide , from subtle lines and references , to the more obvious physical slapstick moments . I can't resist but to again advise our Legend of the Sea friends , this is what computer animation is about , with its depiction of photo realistic quality of the sun , sand and the sea , with realistic surfer moves , a simple story yet packed with adequate thematic moments , with song and music that don't irritate , but serve to move the narrative along smartly . Recommended animated movie , despite the overused penguin characters . Stay until after the end credits for a short scene ( there's also one played during the credits , so don't walk out of the hall just yet ) .
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515,141 | 317,399 | 448,011 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : Knowing
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It's been quite a while since Alex Proyas was at the helm of a film , the last being I , Robot back in 2004 where he adapted Isaac Asimov's science fiction classic of the same name . He continues to dwell in the sci-fi realm again with Knowing , with leading man Nicolas Cage plucked from his National Treasure roots because his character here , MIT professor John Koestler , follows in the tradition of running around everywhere in search for answers and the truth . A widower , John's world consists of his estranged parents , sister Grace ( Nadia Townsend ) who pops by his home every now and then to check up on him , and his son Caoeb ( Chandler Canterbury ) , and if this was a film other than sci-fi , you would've suspected that there's some incestuous relationship between John and Grace being suggested at , which I thought Proyas had failed in toning the downright awkward looks they are passing at each other . But what Proyas succeeded , was the crafting of great atmosphere in keeping you guessing along with the characters , building up tension when necessary , but being succinctly to the point without dragging it out when it served no more purpose . It starts in the 50s where a time capsule is being assembled and the students are tasked to draw a picture each of what they perceive as the future . A girl who has been acting strangely had listed down a whole page of seemingly random numbers , which her teacher abruptly took from her to be sealed into the capsule . Fast forward to today , and it's preordained that Caleb would be the recipient of that strange sheet of numbers , which he brings home and John begins to decipher it while high on alcohol , only to discover that there's a pattern to those randomness , and so begins the quest in search for the truth , hunting down that little girl's offspring Diana ( Rose Byrne ) in between running from a handful of beings who seem to only want to communicate with children . There's this very strong theme running through the movie about randomness versus decisiveness , with one camp believing that everything's an independent development from one another , rather than a sequence already determined and laid out . It's like destiny , whether one has the option and choice to change it , or just perceived to have the ability to do so without any to begin with . When the numbers finally revealed themselves to mean something , could anything be done to prevent some of them from happening , leading to the ultimate event that seemed like a page out of the Book of Revelations . It too served as a cautionary environmental warning , though only fleetingly , in telling us how important the ozone layer is to our world , without which we would find ourselves in some really deep trouble . I suppose Proyas continues to be bitten by the special effects bug , given some groundbreaking CGI some many years back , which continue to be dabbled in and employed for this film , accentuating three key action sequences that would make any disaster movie feel envious . I've always been in awe at Final Destination's airplane disaster and that from Kairo / Pulse , but the catastrophe here upped the ante for the next film to follow suit , given a perfect continuous single take that deserves a second viewing . And the disasters shown here , no doubt only possible through CGI , puts one in the driver's seat and gives you a first person's perspective in how one would bear witness to such events , should one be there and then at the site . Nothing less than jawbreaking , I tell you , as it doesn't flinch from its intended violence , nor gratuitously glorifying such moment . It's been a while since we've seen a thinking man version of an action flick such as Deep Impact , and Knowing firmly rests with that film in being one amongst those that socks it right into your emotional core . Science fiction fans may be apprehensive after Hollywood's last big budgeted flick with The Day The Earth Stood Still , but Knowing comes definitely recommended and surpasses the former in almost every aspect .
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514,660 | 317,399 | 77,343 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : They Call Her . . . Cleopatra Wong
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She purrs like a kitten , makes love like a siren . This side of the Pacific , she's the meanest , deadliest , and sexiest secret agent That's the tagline for the movie , and it's Singapore's answer to the 70s female action powerhouses like Charlie's Angels . Cleopatra Wong ( Doris Young aka Marrie Lee ) is an international Interpol agent whose mission in this film is to crack an illegal counterfeiting group whose sole objective is to destabilize the currencies of ASEAN countries Singapore , Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand and the Philppines . Sounds diabolical , doesn't it ? And it's a job only a cosmopolitan agent like Cleo Wong can handle , as she jet sets from Singapore to Hong Kong to the Philippines , hot on the trail of these crooks , manufacturing fake currencies in a convent . She even shows her leadership qualities in leading an all male group of agents on the attack of the crooks hideout against machine gun-totting fake nuns . Shown as the " Female Big Boss " , the montage at the beginning shows the abilities of Cleo Wong as top fighter and archer , whom even Robin Hood is no match for with her simultaneous firing of 3 arrows , blowing up a helicopter in the process ( yes , they did blow up a helicopter , back in the 70s for this show ! ) With older films , what catches the eye is usually the environment and the state of development of Singapore at that time . Here , we viewed the Paya Lebar International Airport , an old 70s Mercedes Benz , and the city skyline which has many buildings noticeably absent . We go from the mainland to Sentosa via cable car , following Cleo's footsteps , and come across vastly different and sparse beaches that we're unfamiliar with today . Local actor / DJ Brian Richmond also had a role in this film as Cleo's Singapore boss . I overheard the people around me laugh and shake their heads on the impossibility of some scenes - like Cleo Wong single-handedly taking on 3 wrestlers ( one of whom is local famous wrestler Mehar Singh ) , and leaping ( yes , leaping without aid ) over tall walls in escape . Or the scenes in which the raid on the hideout using guns resulted in prolonged and painful ( no pun intended ) death scenes . I suppose one must take into context the sign of the times , where kung-fu action was punctuated with exaggerated sound effects , and where the slightest punch will effect in maximum flying damage . All in all , it's a fun film which one shouldn't miss . This was the film that was produced for an international audience , and one which resulted in catching the eye of Quentin Tarantino ! Cleopatra Wong definitely lived up to her tagline . Those interested in catching this film , there will be additional screenings at The Arts House on 22 Aug 05 Mon 2130hrs and 23 Aug 05 Tue 1900hrs .
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515,573 | 317,399 | 220,644 | 8 |
A Nutshell Review : The Mission
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Many have lauded The Mission as a classic , and I don't deny that . However , as the unofficially loose precursor to Johnnie To's recent movie Exiled , The Mission did seem quite dated , but you can be dead sure that many of Exiled's plot points , characterization and stylistic influences , get established as far back to this 1999 movie . A triad leader , Brother Lung ( Eddy Ko ) , survives an assassination attack , and to protect oneself , you'll get together an A-Team of your merry men as bodyguards , entrusting your life to the skill of their gunmanship . His brother Frank ( Simon Yam ) gathers this team , consisting of your day to day average working professionals - Curtis ( Anthony Wong ) , Roy ( Francis Ng , somehow credited as Francis Wong ) , Shin ( Jackie Lui ) , Mike ( Roy Cheung ) , and James ( played by the ever reliable Lam Suet , sans pencil thin moustache ) . While they are barbers , gangsters , valets and technical experts , they are as deadly with a loaded gun , and coordinate extremely well as a team , only that they don't know it yet . Naturally there are existing cliques amongst the five , and their rawness in working together resulted in a partial failure of their very fist mission - the assassins escape , we journey together in their mission to protect , and see first hand how they command respect of each other , and how they befriend one another . In other words , the practice of the triads code of brotherhood and camaraderie , in trusting each other too with their lives , as they seek an end to their mission , to return to their normal lives . The Mission is a visual treat to action fans , though as I mentioned , the action itself might look dated . What's key here , and extremely well done , is the buildup . The anticipation of the prey , the feeling of the unknown , the entire setup for the kill . Shootouts occur in a narrow alleyway , and in an abandoned warehouse amongst others , but my favourite would be the one in the mall . It might be strange that as a protection detail , they chose to leave in the open , and when the crowd is absent . Perhaps it's easier to spot suspicious persons ? One thing's for sure , to enjoy the suspense , forget about the why and the what if questions ( Where are the security guards ? Where are the police ) , but just soak in the moment . I can't get enough of those ultra cool poseur shots , and the ones at the shopping mall were probably the best in the movie . The somewhat trippy , somehow happy theme track made it seem a little awkward accompanying the plenty suspenseful build up , but strangely it all worked , even when it's used for light hearted moments . Written by long time collaborator Yau Nai-hoi ( who this year had made his directorial debut with Eye in the Sky ) , the tale is not a gun battle a minute story , but a look at the code of brotherhood amongst the men - do they follow orders to a T because their boss orders it , or do they have it inside them to do what their heart tells them ? If you've watched Exiled , this conflict amongst the team already had its roots here , and watching The Mission in hindsight , you could never had guessed that this theme could alone could spin off into its own separate storyline in Exiled . My advice would be to watch The Mission and Exiled as a double bill - fans out there would probably not get enough ! I'm sure I will pop both the DVDs into my player soon for back to back viewings ! If you , like me , have watched Exiled first , then this movie surely is not to be missed . The Code 3 DVD by Mei Ah Entertainment isn't really fantastic , but I suppose for the price I paid , you don't come to expect a chock load of extras . You get a choice of either the Cantonese language track or the Mandarin track , in either Dolby Digital or Dolby Surround 5 . 1 . However at times , the audio does seem erratic and at certain points in dialogue , the audio level will fluctuate inconsistently . Subtitles come in traditional or simplified Chinese , and English . I watched the DVD with the English subtitles on , and though it's fairly good , there were minor spelling typos spotted every now and then . A letterbox version , the visual transfer isn't pristine as well , as it can get quite noisy and sometimes turn out to be rather blocky . As mentioned , it's a bare bones version , consisting of a Data Bank with a very scantily written synopsis which can also be found on the back cover of the DVD sleeve , and the Cast and Crew credits , which can be obtained from the actual end credits from the movie . The Data Bank comes in both English and Mandarin texts . Besides the stylish theatrical trailer ( 1min 25sec ) with no dialogue , but just the pulsating soundtrack from the movie , a chapter selection is included ( 9 chapters in total ) , and a " Best Buy " section featuring the trailer for Ringo Lam's movie " Victim " starring Lau Ching Wan and Tony Leung Ka Fai .
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514,534 | 317,399 | 368,909 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Ong Bak
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Now this is rare , am actually reviewing a movie I watched on TV . But how can I miss Ong Bak when Tom Yum Goong is around the corner , and I'd actually missed this movie during it's run at the local theatres ! I'm not going to go through the details of the story - it's a simple plot about an ancient Buddha statue called Ong Bak , whose head is stolen by artifact hunters , and it's up to local village folk hero Ting who volunteers to retrieve it back from Bangkok . There , he meets up with some friends and embarks on a fight-laden journey to the bowels of the city in order to fulfill his mission . What's appealing is that the main lead , played by Tony Jaa , impresses with his brand of real kung-fu . Make that Muay-Thai boxing , the real deal . He's today's Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan , the latter being older and wanting to move on to drama . So Tony Jaa should claim the mantle of Asia's kung-fu king from Jackie Chan , and perhaps Jet Li too . Jaa's reflexes is lightning fast , and martial arts moves , lethal and deadly . I can never forget the strong punches , knees , elbows , and the feints with the kicks . Awesome , violent stuff there . No holds barred . But that's not all , besides martial arts , he's quite nimble and shows off his skills with some acrobatics during a chase scene along the back streets of Bangkok . The runs , squeezes , side splits , jumping side splits , under and sliding splits . Wow . The scenes get repeated in slow motion and in different angles , but I'm not a bit disturbed by the " show-offy " sequences . It's the real - no wires , no stunt doubles , all Jaa ! And as if to emulate a typical Jackie Chan movie , there's always that bit of humour some of the acrobatic scenes , the tuk-tuk chase , and also courtesy of a sidekick . But when it comes down to the fighting arena , it's all dead serious action , which many action fans will definitely enjoy . Tom Yum Goong , I'm already in the queue !
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514,868 | 317,399 | 499,448 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Prince Caspian
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Taking place just a year after they left Narnia ( which in Narnia time is about 1300 years since they've left ) , the Pevensie siblings - Peter ( William Moseley ) , Susan ( Anna Popplewell ) , Edmund ( Skandar Keynes ) and Lucy ( Georgie Henley ) get summoned back to Narnia and realize that things have drastically change since the last time they remembered it . The animals seemed edgier and have more angst , and their new guide for Narnia , the dwarf Trumpkin ( Peter Dinklage ) replaces the James McAvoy's fawn , filling in some quick history lessons for our quartet who return to Narnia in an age almost similar to the first time they set foot there . Summoning them is Prince Caspian ( Ben Barnes ) , who's a ruler-in-waiting having to flee from his land because of an assassination plot , and teams up with summoned Kings and Queens to retake his homeland as well as to bring peace toward all . Noble thoughts indeed , but not without its problems of course . A land cannot have too many kings ( as we learn from Lord of the Rings ) , and while Edward knows of his place in the hierarchy of things , Peter the Magnificent surely felt Prince Caspian a threat , and both do not hit off really well , especially when their strategies of war appear to be in conflict . Nonetheless through their trials in the story , they will learn and realize lessons in humility , especially when they know they are subject to similar temptations of short cuts to absolute power and victory they crave . While this is more of a Peter story than an Edward one ( Who had his fair share in the previous installment ) , William MOseley's performance as Peter do allow you to both hate and cheer for him as the story develops , while Skandar Keynes taking a backseat meant that he gets all the coolest moves as an action fighter . Ben Barnes came across as a speaker with a Spanish accent , quite arrogant in the first place , at least until his benefactors arrive , whom he got acquainted with only through folk tales he learnt from his teacher . Although the titular character , it does seem that Caspian himself plays a supporting role to the quartet , given that we're more interested in their return and the change that they'll bring . However , if the Narnia movies were to proceed with another , then expect Barnes to play a larger role then . Anna Popplewell's Susan continues her role as the female archer , and doesn't really add much to the mythos , except perhaps for the fleeting romance and affection she develops for the good looking Caspian , while Georgie Henley's Lucy is a little bit grown up now , but still retaining that bit of innocence in her as the sole believer and seeker of Azlan , bearing all of Narnia's hopes on her lithe shoulders . The special effects also took a great leap forward , improving upon the lacklustre hack job done in the earlier movie , and the talking animals , for once , I thought they didn't irritate ( yes , talking animals get on my nerves , after so many movies exploiting this cheap trick to infuse into their plots ) . Shrek lovers will undoubtedly fall in love with a new character in the movie styled as a mouseketeer , erm , musketeer , and if I were a shrewd toy businessman , I'd stock up on this particular plush toy ( seems like rats these days get lots of love ! ) . To top it all off , there are some nicely put cameos which links back to the first movie , and having their share in some intense sequences , no less . There are a lot of good things about Prince Caspian , and I'm happy to report that it builds on the original which served as a foundation on which better things are built upon , and thankfully , this sequel focused on its strengths instead of getting bogged by its weaknesses , and provided all round entertainment with what I would deem as a guilty pleasure . Highly recommended , especially to detractors of the first movie , this one is set to put the franchise on an even keel !
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514,949 | 317,399 | 177,789 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) Galaxy Quest ( 1999 )
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There are countless of Star Trek spoofs out there , but this one really takes the cake . It's funny , witty , thoroughly enjoyable , and stars Tim Allen of the Home Improvement TV series ( which I am " proud " to admit I never saw an episode before horrors ) Directly spoofing the original Star Trek series , Tim Allen plays a William Shatner clone with wicked delight . Here , he's Jason Nesmith , a self-centered man who's Captain Peter Taggart on the show Galaxy Quest . Rounding off his main crew are Sigourney Weaver , who plays buxomy blonde Gwen DeMarco / Lt . Tawny Madison , whose only job is to repeat what the ship's computer says , and Alan Rickman , as Alexander Dane / Dr . Lazarus , the token non-human on-board the ship , making him the butt of many alien jokes . While the cast and crew of Galaxy Quest are made to be all chummy and such , in reality , they are a bunch of quarreling has-beens whose show has been canceled 20 years ago , and are now making ends meet by attending conventions , and opening electrical stores . Until one day , an alien race of Thermians come visiting . They have been watching the transmissions of Galaxy Quest episodes , and have considered them to be " historical documents " of earth and its heroes . Naturally , they bring on board the crew to their ship , the Protector , modeled after the TV series . Only thing is , it's real . So the Galaxy Quest crew have to play what they have been playing for years , except that it's for real . The ship , the planets , and the enemies as well . They have to quickly learn that they can only survive the harsh galaxy by believing in themselves , since everything on the ship works as it's imagined to be , and by believing in one another , just like in the show . Which is a pretty nifty message inserted into a comedic movie . It's extremely fun , and do watch out for Sam Rockwell as Crewman Number 6 , an extra on the original series who somehow get caught up in the mess , and crossing his fingers each time that he won't die , like on the show . I've regretted not being able to have caught this in the theatres when it opened , given that it featured 3 aspect ratios in the same film , it would have been an experience to have watched it on the big screen , only if they screened it properly . Nonetheless , the DVD comes packed with loads of extras , so you might want to pick it up and watch it . Code 1 DVD extras : Deleted scenes , making-of documentary , trailers , and an entire audio track in Thermian ! Never give up , never surrender !
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514,711 | 317,399 | 330,373 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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Just to get it straight , I have not read a single line in a Harry Potter Book . Not that I don't want to , but because I don't have the time . Probably when I finally watched all the movies would I consider and find time to read what JK Rowling had originally intended . So , at least you know that my review is solely based on the cinematic franchise . And I'm glad to say that this movie had lived up to its hype of being darker and more adult . Gone are the muggles ( hardly see any now ) which opened each HP movie before ( with added comedy , now thrown out ) , and you're plunged straight into the thick of action with the Quidditch World Cup . Which turns into a massacre of sorts , signaling the inevitable of the evil Lord Voldemort . Not that the muggles are left out on purpose , but if you had taken a look at this book's length , it's no surprise that unnecessary subplots need not get translated to screen . Stick with the main plot , and trim it down to a more palatable 2hr 45min movie . But with so much going on screen , you will hardly realize the length of time in which you butt is on a cinema seat . So what's the main plot you say ? It's the Tri-Wizards tournament , a potentially deadly series of 3 games which pit the skills of the wizards from 3 schools against each other . The winner will be crowned with eternal glory . But something seemed strange when Harry Potter somehow got nominated by the Goblet of Fire to participate , thus bringing the number of contestants to 4 , and breaking the age limit set in this tournament . As usual , there is always a major mystery that runs throughout the movie - the motive behind his nomination and taking part in the Tri-Wizards tournament , which gets solved in the end with the introduction of a twist ( which may not be a twist for those who've read the books ) . So while Harry is surprised and becomes the reluctant hero , he has to grapple with first loves and crushes , while trying to convince best friend Ron that it wasn't his intention to gain eternal glory and therefore rigged his nomination for the tournament . Great care is given to make the tournament come alive with its special effects , and to that , it's faultless . While we didn't see the other dragons in action , the Hungarian species ( no dragons were harmed in the making of this movie , says the end credits ) which challenged Potter could be one of the best action sequences in Goblet of Fire . However , with the intense focus on this , something's gotta give way , and sadly , it's the relationship between Harry , Ron and Hermione . Not that they don't get to interact , but the camaraderie and the bickering these folks endeared themselves to are somehow sorely missed . Goblet of Fire seemed more like a one-man show ( Harry Potter's ) , while the other two become peripheral characters . Quite a pity . But the actors Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson and Rupert Grint still delivered , and with them growing up in real time , adds a dimension of maturity to the cult characters they play . So much is said about Radcliffe's half nude scene ( with a character from a past movie ) , and of Cho Chang , but what probably iced the cake was Ralph Fiennes ' appearance as Lord Voldemort . One word - chilling ! One scene did irk me though , and that is the careless editing at the prom / ball scene . One minute Harry and Ron were sulking at the table , with Hermione obviously in cloud nine with the company of Viktor Krum , the next minute they're bickering and she's crying . While I know what they are trying to get at , and hint at a possible jealousy between Ron and Hermione , the editing was poorly done and was just jarring , disrupting the pace and flow . I didn't figure why they would want to scrimp on that scene , what's a few minutes more in a long movie , or they could take it out altogether . Nonetheless , I dare say this is the best Harry Potter movie to date , though some would disagree with my opinion that the movies have seemed to better itself with each sequel . Bring on the Order of the Phoenix !
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514,838 | 317,399 | 438,205 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Mad Hot Ballroom
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OK , so it took me 3 attempts before finally being able to watch this - the first was free , but aborted because of timing . The second attempt , only the first 3 rows were available for a weekday evening , and I'm not too keen on craning my neck . The third and successful attempt had me walk all the way from Orchard Cineleisure to Shaw Lido , in 10 minutes flat on a crowded weekend afternoon . But the mad rush was well worth it . New York City elementary schools have a 10 week long co-curricular activity ( CCA ) for its students , where they learn ballroom dancing , and then compete in a city wide dance competition . How cool is that ? Finally , a CCA from which you can actually learn something useful , a skill that stays with you for life . Imagine learning from young , the steps to the Tango , Foxtrot , Swing , Merengue , etc . Wow . But there's a much higher cause in teaching ballroom dancing to the students . And that is to inculcate in them from young , a sense of hope , responsibility - to themselves in mastering a skill , to their partners in performing well , and being a team player to the entire class / school , and a setting of an achievable goal if they were to work hard at it . Most students in the public schools come from the lower spectra of society , and as the movie goes , based on statistics , many may end up on the streets , probably living in the hood of crime or other vices like drugs . This programme allows the students to dream a little dream , work hard towards a common goal , build their self-confidence and esteem , and have them thinking about the kind of future they want to pursue . So we follow different classes , and their trainings with the teachers , where we see them learning the basics of the different kinds of dances . It's pretty raw at first , but by the time the movie progresses , from the quarters to the finals , you'd see a marked improvement in the slickness of their paces . Their moves might still not be as polished , but bear in mind that these are only 11 year olds , not your already established dancers , or make believe actors . The downside of competition is that for every winner , there'll be more losers , and the movie takes stock of this , and feature the losing teams as well , and how the lost affected the students , and the dread that the teachers have to go through to explain that it's part and parcel of competition , and life . The movie is interspersed with various interviews and candid discussions amongst the students , and teachers , and it makes it compelling each time as you actually see that despite their little age , they demonstrate much innocent maturity , listening to them talk about boys , girls , relationships , dreams , etc . There's this pudgy looking boy whom I thought was pretty natural in getting himself into weird situations , and taking it all in his stride , and providing some of the laughs too . The teachers have their work cut out , having to teach their class , and then selecting only a handful to compete , and also to prep them up for the competition , and potential failure of not being emerging champions . Before long , you'll find yourself tapping along to the various dances , making you want to get up there and move to the groove too - hey if 11 year olds can do it , and be good at it , why not give it a try ? On the downside though , since the moves are done by students , they're taught really basic steps , and it does get repetitive , but hey , it's all in the name of fun . Do catch Mad Hot Ballroom ! If I have a recommendation to make for movies this week , watch this before it gets pulled out from the theatres ! Stay throughout the end credits as they'll be more discussion snippets from the tots .
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514,765 | 317,399 | 918,561 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Rule # 1
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I'm sure some of you out there would conveniently associate Kelvin Tong's reputation with the dismal Men in White , forgetting that the writer-director had his success stories in his earlier works Eating Air and The Maid . You can tell clearly that I did not really enjoy MiW , nor his experimental Love Story , but with Rule # 1 , Kelvin Tong gets my vote of confidence henceforth , if he steers clear of bad comedy , and pretentious art house flicks . What I do like about his movies , each one of them , is how he grips you right from the start . How it develops then on is a different tale , but his introductions are nothing short of mesmerizing . Here , he demolishes all preconceived notions you have when watching a movie , and warns you of sorts about the experience you're going to go through with Rule # 1 , that is , to throw all assumptions out of the window . In fact , the opening scenes were frantic and leaves you just enough to continue questioning in which direction the movie will propel itself forward . And thankfully , it made all the right moves , despite momentarily lapses in succumbing to cheap scares that don't really add much value to the movie . Yes , we know how Kelvin crafts scenes that will send shivers down your spine until the crescendo ( even Men in White's introduction had shades of this ) , and they all work here too , except that I thought that they were a little unnecessary except to anchor the movie in the land of the supernatural . It's central plot doesn't become clear until midway through the movie , and from then on it lunges to a higher plateau at breakneck speed , with the audience probably second and triple guessing themselves all the way to the finale , with flashbacks at times becoming a little too spelt out for good . It's a smart move to have this movie made in Hong Kong , where he has able crew ( Cinematographer Keung Kwok Man lensed the movie and made it look really edgy ) and leads like Ekin Cheng and Shawn Yue to carry the movie through . Ekin plays the head honcho in the police force's Miscellaneous Affairs Department ( MAD , heh ) , which handles the 2 % of calls synonymous with the X-Files . His Inspector Wong's drunken antics and devil may care attitude seem to stem from his long serving years in MAD , but he survives day to day with his mantra Rule # 1 - There is no such things as ghosts - which he imparts to team rookie Sergeant Lee ( Shawn Yue ) , who slowly learns that the mantra and scientific explanations seem to run contrary to what Wong really knows . I thought Yue gave a tremendous performance in his role as the pained Lee in John Constantine garb , who in his second chance at life seemed to have opened his eyes to ghosts who walk on this earth . While scenes where the two male leads play off each other are limited , I particularly enjoyed the one where they staked out their prey , which had them banter on rather matter-of-factly at how they would approach the impending scenario , before their greatest fears come alive , and that rug from under our feet starts to stir . Sure there are familiar shades from movies like Fallen and Suicide Club , and a lot of " waking up " moments , but they never did once mar my enjoyment of the movie as it went along . Rule # 1 had enough suspenseful moments to thrill , and Kelvin Tong seemed very assured to be in familiar grounds of horror . Those expecting an all out fright-fest may be slightly disappointed as it turns on the supernatural spin a lot more than the boo-moments , and fans of Fiona Xie will find that their Mediacorp darling still got relegated to a flower vase role in a one-dimensional performance , despite this being her second movie outing ( after One Leg Kicking ) . Here she plays the dutiful girlfriend to Sergeant Lee , and that's about it , being half-asleep most of the time ( no , nothing sexy about that too ) . Mark my words , Rule # 1 is Kelvin Tong's best movie to date , and definitely very well executed , as good as or even better than any Asian thriller in recent memory . He has shown again that he can craft commercially viable movies with relatively original stories to tell . Note the release date on your calendar , and give it a go next week !
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514,632 | 317,399 | 765,429 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : American Gangster
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Ridley Scott's American Gangster has many similar parallels to Derek Yee's Protégé , in that it's a story about the scourge of drugs , and each containing the respective insights into the entire production , processing and distribution processes , stemming again from material sources in South East Asia . While the latter is a fictional account , American Gangster is based on the true story of Frank Lucas ( Denzel Washington ) , the black drug lord whose meteoric rise to power was deemed incredulous because of race and colour , and the story of the detective Richie Roberts ( Russell Crowe ) whose team had broken through the complex web of mon dealings to take down the gangsters , as well as their corrupt own . This epic movie , clocking in at slightly more than 2 . 5 hours , takes its time to tell the respective stories , which on their own could be standalone equivalents , no doubt boosted by the powerhouse performances by award winning actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe , who is into his third collaboration with Ridley after movies like Gladiator and A Good Year . While the story may seem straight-forward without any spectacular twists and turns , it's based solely on the credible performances as well as the re-creation of the late 60s-early 70s environment of New York , where blatant corruption seemed to be the norm of the day . Crowe's Richie perhaps have the lesser screen time of the two , like an Elliot Ness equivalent in being the incorruptible cop in a corrupt force , whose reputation of turning in a million dollars instead of pocketing it , preceded him . This made him an automatic choice in creating his own squad of Untouchables , assembling a team of similarly principled men to work outside the system , to go after the big fish . While his boy scout character might seem boring , here's where the script by Steven Zaillian adds a little flavour in throwing in shades of grey . While Richie is honest to his job , a little examination into his private life has him being quite the ladies ' man , as well as struggling with his estranged wife to fight for custody of their child . Washington's Frank Lucas on the other hand , had the meat , given after all the movie is about the crime lord . The first hour charted his rise and it is the buildup that makes this movie so compelling as it tapers toward the inevitable finale , as you discover how deep the rot of corruption is , and having links to the Vietnam War and the army . His " Blue Magic " heroin product sells for half the price and double the potency as middlemen are cut off , and shipment is relatively free - I'd dare say this is ingenious , and makes a monkey out of the authorities . And it is his segment that proved to be more interesting of the two - OK , so everyone would like to know how he did what he did , versus a straight cop's quest to putting away those involved with the entire business . There were many fine points made especially for those who are in the business of being crooked . If you notice all the high profile corporate fraud cases , most are done in because money corrupts one into an opulent lifestyle , bringing uncalled for attention to oneself . Here , Lucas ' principle is similar , to keep a low profile , but alas everyone has their moment of oversight and carelessness . To continue my admiration of the guy's work ethics , and probably because of the nature of the business , no one is trusted except for family . I guess a crime family is easier to raise since blood is supposedly more trustworthy than random hired hands . While we see Richie's assembly of a few good men for his cause of righteousness , we also witness the creation of a mob family from scratch , but as we all know , time will tell if the kinks within the family can be worked out , or go against the ruler with an iron fist . Scott somehow seemed to emphasize family for a fair bit , with periodic shots for comparison put side by side for the audience to form their conclusions . Don't be expecting any major scenes of killing , choosing instead to be based on powerful dialogue as the gun battles here are few and far between , usually over as quickly as they start because Frank Lucas doens't fall into the usual fictional villains ' lapse into monologues . The action sequences might be few , but they are sure pack their punch despite their short duration . Everything's paced rather nicely , and I particularly enjoyed the entire buildup , though the ending felt a little rushed because there are little that could be elaborated at that point . Fans of Denzel and Russell who want to see these two strong actors share the same screen / scene , will be a tad disappointed , as they do so only toward the finale , lasting no more than 10 minutes , but those turn out to be the gem they were , so savour every moment of it properly . The second mobster movie this week , it's a difficult toss up between Ridley Scott's American Gangster and David Cronenberg's Eastern PRomises . If you're tired of blood and gore with a twist , and would prefer something based on a true story told in a more straightforward manner , then American Gangster will be your choice . IF I may say , there's nothing really spectacular about the plot , but it works , thanks to Ridley Scott's confident direction , and the A-plus performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe .
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515,096 | 317,399 | 367,110 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Swades : We , the People
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I'm been very much impressed by the films of Ashutosh Gowariker with his epics like Jodhaa Akbar and Lagaan , that it's a no brainer for me to continue seeking out his earlier films , especially so when they have been scored with music provided by A . R . Rahman . Swades : We , the People struck a common chord in some aspects of the story with Delhi-6 , but only just , and I found it strangely compelling to dwell a little on some similarities between the two . Well for starters both had an NRI ( Non-Resident Indian , or jokingly mocked as Non - Returning Indian ) returning from the United States , only to find themselves in a small town / village / district where the ways of their lives are a little backward , and the protagonist has to find time to get used to the slower pace , and life without its luxuries , even what we deem as basic like electricity . Email ? Internet ? Unheard of , naturally . There's also some time in both narratives dedicated to the well known story of the three way tussle in Lord Ram , Sita and Ravana , though the one in Swades benefited from Rahman's wonderful music enveloping the stage play , in more complete terms than that in Delhi-6 ( also scored by Rahman by the way ) . And when it's a blast to the past , some common themes that seem to find themselves a staple in a Gowariker film are the tackling of caste ( Lagaan ) , as well as religion ( Jodhaa Akbar ) , with the need to see the bigger picture and to overcome these issues and put aside differences for the greater good . Arranged marriages too have no place amongst women who are strong , independent and self-reliant , but I guess such tradition and customs are still quite commonplace and widely practiced , for movies from then until now still featuring such arrangements in the plot , as if to mirror some frowning of the deliberate , and sometimes forced practices of culture and tradition , just because . LIke how Abhishek's character echoed in Delhi-6 , " India works , the people make it work " , it's like a wake up call to the community as seen in Swades too , that while there are niggling issues like corruption and the reliance of social crutches in tradition or culture , things really work when everyone rolls their sleeves and get down to doing things . In Swades , everyone complains about the lack of electricity and the frequent disruption , but it takes one guy to wake them up and show them the way to progress . Aamir Khan took on such a role in Lagaan , and in Swades , Shah Rukh Khan plays that equivalent in Mohan Bhargav , a project manager in USA's NASA who journeys back to India in search of his foster mother Kaveriamma ( Kishori Balal ) because he's feeling guilty of abandoning her . Clocking in at just over 3 hours ( which recent Gowariker film isn't ? ) , it allows plenty of space for a number of themes to be explored . The narrative also took advantage of the run time to inject the staple romance and exploration of Mohan in his new environment , and the vast myriad of likable characters here also add to the film's endearing approach . Running central in the story is Mohan's tussle with his lady love Gita ( Gayatri Joshi , in her debut and only role to date ? ) for his foster mother who's now also the only family of the latter and her brother Chikku ( Smith Seth ) . Mohan wants to bring Kaveriamma back to the US to enjoy the last stage of her life amongst luxuries , while Gita wants her to stay in India . Both have their selfish reasons , and needless to say , falling in love just complicates matters . If affairs of the heart is not your cup of tea , then Mohan's one man crusade to fight for what's correct , and galvanizing support at the grassroots and community level , do make it a little moving as he sees what everyone doesn't , or choose not to , unless you go on the ground like he did . One of the more poignant scenes , which also provides the opportunity for Rahman's Yeh Tara Woh Tara theme song for Swades , takes place in a community outdoor screening . With the screen set up in the middle of the field , the upper caste folks get to sit on the right side , with benches too for VIPs , while the lower caste folks sit on the opposite side of the screen , and obviously the incorrect side , having to view the movie in its mirror image , separated and out of view from the higher caste . In one fell swoop , Mohan uses the downtime of electricity interruption to demolish the unhealthy practices through children , who are always colour / race / creed-blind , and through them , hopefully , educating the older generation on the spot , while bringing about reasonable change of mindsets amongst the new generation . This scene alone sticks , amongst many others thanks to Gowariker's strong story , and direction . At its basic level , with Hindi movies travelling the world for its global audience , the film seeks to call out to the NRIs to remember their roots , and to make that contribution back to their homeland , given that while there are problems that might have contributed to push factors , with the success , knowledge , capabilities and resources now ploughed back , they would effect some change no matter how small , and progress will always be made with that single small step in the right direction . The film isn't as heavy as it might seem , and that's the beauty of it , working itself on many levels . I've yet to be disappointed by a Gowariker film , and am going to continue seeking out even earlier films , while waiting with bated breath for his next .
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515,533 | 317,399 | 352,248 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Cinderella Man
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In all the history of the boxing game , you'll find no human interest story to compare with the life narrative of James J . Braddock . - Damon Runyon ( 1936 ) Yet another boxing movie on the heels of Ali and Million Dollar Baby you might add ? Yes , and agreeing with Runyon , this movie , director Ron Hward's second collaboration with Russell Crowe ( the first being A Beautiful Mind ) , about the Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock packs a wallop like Ali and brings on some sniffles like Baby . James Braddock is on track to take a shot at the heavyweight boxing title , living the life with his family of 3 kids , until the Great Depression sets in . Braddock too was affected after poor investment calls , and hence join the millions who are jobless and penniless . Given a second chance by Fate to re-enter the boxing arena , he finds himself back into a sport which had forgotten him , and is determined to succeed in order to sustain his family through the Depression . He isn't boxing for himself , for fame and glory , but more so to bring back the bacon for his hungry children . I haven't seen many dramatic films set during the Great Depression , and this meshing of boxing and drama set against that background worked extremely well , with its majestic sets . Family is important to Jim , and he goes to great pains to ensure his family is able to stay together during these turbulent times . Personifying Hope , he's the working class ' underdog hero , during a time when the very rich were still living it off comfortably . The transition style used , though not new , are well executed , like the mirror cum dressing table scene from pre-Depression to Depression era , and the transition from match to match using overhead shots . The boxing action sequences are extremely well choreographed , and you'll feel every urge to get up and shadow box alongside Jim as well . Every hit in the cheeks , in the chest , smack on the kisser , at times slow down to a photographic moment , complete with old fashioned camera flashes . Unlike Million Dollar Baby's bailing of the sport to end with euthanasia , this one is boxing out and out , right until the gruelling 15 round finale with champ Max Baer . Much is said about Russell Crowe's performance as Jim Braddock , and I'd say he deserved the praises . Ranging as the tough as nails fighter in the ring , to tender loving husband and father , his role as Jim allowed him to showcase his acting chops yet again . He has a charismatic screen presence , be it general-turned-gladiator , or schizophrenic genius , he never fails to draw the audience into his role . Renee Zellweger was cast in a safe role as Jim's dutiful wife Mae , looking after the household as Jim seeked dough , always backing and supporting her husband , yet always worrying about his injuries , or worse , death . Put both of them together , and you'll see a lovely couple who sticks with each other through good times and bad . But the surprise scene stealer was Paul Giamatti ( Sideways ' Miles ) as Jim's manager Joe Gould , the ever encouraging , ever opportunity seeker and chief adviser of Jim's gameplay . In one particularly moving scene , he explained the need for keeping up appearances , and staked almost everything he had to back their boxing comeback . And EPL Soccer Man Utd fans , is it just me , or does Max Baer ( Craig Bierko ) , the heavyweight champ in the final fight , resemble Ruud Van Nistelrooy from certain angles ( attitude too ) ? Amongst the slew of releases this week , Cinderella Man ranks as number One on the " To-Watch " list . Some might criticise the lack of sophistication in telling a Hollywood tale , but it is precisely this familiarity which allows you to connect . Does this movie scream Oscar ? Probably , but given boxing cousin Million Dollar Baby snagging most of the previous awards , Cinderella Man might be in for a tough fight to convince voters . Nonetheless , it's highly recommended .
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514,989 | 317,399 | 778,631 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Brave Story
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Say " Anime " these days , and the brewing spat between the local anime community and the company Odex will spring to mind , with the latter suing illegal downloaders of their licensed anime and allegedly gloating over the internet , leaving a bad aftertaste amongst the online folks . But I'm not into serialized anime ( ok , I hear those chants of you-don't-know-what - you're-missing ) , but frankly , I prefer animated movies , as they're to the point , and nothing beats watching them on the big screen . I thought Brave Story was going to be quite ordinary ( from the trailer ) , but I was glad I was so wrong . It had an interesting premise , and built up nicely to a satisfying conclusion . It played on one of the questions I used to ask myself - what if one day you find everything going just wrong for you , and you're presented an opportunity to make them all right again , albeit with heavy personal sacrifice . Will you leave things as they are , or take the risk and go for it , with zero guarantees everything will come out just fine ? Based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe , Brave Story has its protagonist , a young boy named Wataru , who seemed to be living the good life , until his world comes crashing down and he sees for himself his dad walking out on the family , and his mum succumbing to illness and is hospitalized . With a tip from the new boy in school , Mitsuru , he decides to try his luck at changing his destiny by passing through a magical gateway , which transports him to the World of Vision , a fantasy land where he has to look for the Tower of Fortune , where the Goddess of Fortune resides in and will grant a single wish . For Wataru , the choice is simple - to get his mother well again . Fans of medieval fantasies like Dungeons and Dragons ( not the movie incarnation ) and games like Might and Magic , will have plenty of reasons to like Brave Story . It's like being the gamemaster , and observing your gamer wander around the make believe land recruiting followers , strike alliances , and battle foes , with some sword and sorcery thrown in . The world of Vision that Wataru journeys to , feels like Disneyland with its many worlds partitioned separately for exploration , and adventure . And it strikes the chord right in the beginning , offering some masterful strokes of comedy , and bestowing our protagonist not with great power , but starting him off right at the bottom , as a " hero apprentice " , thereby holding your attention as you wait patiently for him to gain some experience . What made Brave Story work , is clearly the character of Wataru . He's not all powerful , and through his earnestly unwitting and bumbling ways , serve to appeal to you as time goes by . For the young , he's sort of an ideal role model , at times too ideal ( hey , I got no qualms with Jin Yong's goody-two-shoes Guo Jing character too ) but then you realize that sometimes , these are the kind of boy scout heroes who are lacking screen appearances , and for a change , refreshing . They are plenty of situations where Wataru has to make critical decisions on sacrifice and morals , and in doing so however , stunted the story with predictable outcomes . But Brave Story more than makes up for it with a host of supporting casts like the Lizard humanoid Kee-Keema , feline Meena , a pet baby dragon , and The Highlanders . The antagonist Mitsuru though , provides ample tussle and the clash of values with Wataru , and he's primarily the " villain " , although a sympathetic one , to make our hero look good , and play off against , providing strong messages on friendship - sometimes your values are different , but if you're the friends forever type , you surely know who to count on when the going gets rough . The animation might not be cutting edge , but it presents the material squarely , and occasionally had the wow-factor , especially in its grander depiction of the finale battles towards the end . Watch this in a proper theatre , and you'd appreciate the job the folks at Skywalker Sound has done . Brave Story might not have a lot of bells and whistles , but its buildup to the story , and its powerful ending , more than makes up for any potential flaws . Animes don't make it to our local screens very often , so supporting a good film like this , will pave the way to more good material coming our way .
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515,438 | 317,399 | 288,260 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Tokyo Marigold
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Director-in-Attendance Ichikawa Jun was again present to introduce Tokyo Marigold , his 15th film . He shared that he had made films for 20 years , and tomorrow's screening of How to Become Myself is his 20th film , therefore he's been making about one film a year ! There are 3 movies to date that he had made containing the title " Tokyo " - Tokyo Lullaby , Tokyo Siblings , and Tokyo Marigold . He's born in Tokyo and has lived in the city ever since , and therefore liked it very much . The first two movies were nostalgia movies , based on the Tokyo of old , while today's movie is more contemporary and about today's Tokyo , tackling the life of a contemporary Japanese girl . Based on a novel by Hayashi Mariko , Tokyo Marigold would currently rank as my favourite of 3 Jun Ichikawa movies I've seen to date . It's a contemporary look at modern day relationships , following the protagonist , Eriko Sakai ( Rena Tanaka ) in her very strange proposal and arrangement with Tamura ( Yukiyoshi Ozawa ) . Meeting in a blind group date , they start off as platonic friends , before dating casually , and while we know that Eriko is single and lonely ( suspend your disbelief here , as if pretty women don't experience that sometimes ? ) , Tamura is awaiting the return of his girlfriend from America . As we hear of horror stories involving long distance relationships and the relatively higher propensity to cheat on each other , Eriko and Tamura go deeper into their relationship and enter the next stage , except that their contract stems from a strange agreement that Eriko sets , that Tamura be her boyfriend for just one year , before his girlfriend returns to Japan . It's hard to think that someone would already place a finite duration on a relationship , to put an end firmly in sight . In what could be to counter their loneliness experienced in a metropolitan city , this temporal relationship start to take its toil on both parties - one taking the other for granted , while the other trying her best to make the most of that one year . You wonder if such a relationship based on triviality would prevail , as it's something that seemed doomed from the very start to begin with . But under Ichikawa Jun's direction , the surface is always very beautiful , and again some hallmarks which I thought made Tokyo Marigold extremely enjoyable to sit through , despite its darker undertones . It has an excellent soundtrack of pop tunes , and he managed to , given that it's somewhat an ode to the city he resides in , infuse scenes of everyday Tokyo , including familiar landmarks , without making them intrude forcefully into the narrative . The strengths in the movie however , rests on 2 points in my opinion , otherwise it may seem like a typical modern day romance tale . First , a very brief scene involving baseball , and I liked how it was developed to provide that strong punch toward the end . Sometimes in life we get thrown a stinker , often not when we're anticipating it nor given a choice . What do you do ? Catch it , make do what you can , and very quickly , toss a curveball back and move on . You will not be put down you say ? Yes , and similarly that scene where Eriko watches herself in the ad , does provide that little uplifting feeling of hope . The other strength in the movie , is Rena Tanaka's portrayal of Eriko . The pixie-faced actress superbly brought out her frailty , struggles , and naiveness with much aplomb , that you can't help but to root for her , even though you know that her suffering is of her own making , based on a bad decision and choice made . Tokyo Marigold's ending too was quite moving , containing a bittersweet ending , together with a sense of victory , yet with a tinge of that sorry feeling . It allows both camps - those who wishes for her to move on , and those who don't , avenues to interpret the events outside what was in the film , and in that aspect , satisfies whichever direction that floats your boat . But I would like to sit on the fence ( maybe because of personal experience ) , that one knows and can speculate with great accuracy what had happened , look back , reminisce and appreciate that one year , and probably nothing more . In that sense , Tokyo Marigold worked for me , thoroughly .
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514,797 | 317,399 | 110,729 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Once Were Warriors
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When the opening credits screamed huge titles in your face , I thought that this was going to be one of those Grindhouse styled pictures with cheesy hilarious dialogues with over the top acting and swear words flying all over . In fact , the first few minutes established all that coupled with a very edgy score , but Grindhouse this is not , instead , it has all the trappings of a solid drama , and deals with very mature adult themes and of family . This is a very different New Zealand that someone from the outside will take to . Gone are the picturesque postcard scenes , and in are the gritty , grimy neighbourhoods where families at the poverty line struggle to make a living . The story , based upon a novel by Alan Duff , centers on the Heke family , who are of Maori descent . And things are rosy at home as Mom Beth ( Rena Owen ) has 5 kids to take care of , in which Boogie ( Taungaroa Emile ) is going to be sentenced in juvenile court , and eldest Nig ( Julian Arahanga ) seeking a home away from home with gangs . The only and possibly sensible one is with Grace ( Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell ) , who assists her mom in shepherding her youngest siblings from the explosive behavior of father Jake ( Temuera Morrison ) who has a penchant for violence when he has too much to drink . Sounds like a typical family melodrama all set up , and it is , except that this was delivered with such realism that you'll cringe at the sight of unflinching violence . It's hard to sit through it , leaving you seething with rage as the victims find it difficult to leave and make changes to their lives . Once Were Warriors chronicles this struggle , and your emotions go on a roller coaster as you root for various characters to break out of their zone of discomfort , and to challenge the norms in order to stand up for themselves . The first time Jake rages in the movie undoubtedly sets the tone for the rest of the story , because slivers of hope get evaporated by the time you see how the make up artists work on Beth to bring to you the sheer madness . The character of Jake is peculiarly intriguing , as for someone who got laid off and without a job , he's satisfied to just be on welfare , and what more , to spend those money on drink and gambling , though drawing the line on women . After hours late night parties at his home with his " pals " also seem the norm to sooth his ego as being the all round nice guy . And when things don't go his way , the only way he knows how to deal with it , is by his fists , where he takes pride in dispatching trouble makers in bars , unknowing that he too is trouble for his own family . Quite a tragic character really , for his clueless behaviour in not knowing how to take care of his family properly , being constantly disengaged from his wife and children , which naturally awaited for some tragedy to happen . On the other hand , one can only imagine the amount of abuse that wife Beth can put up with , if not only for the sake of the children . It's interesting to see where the leads have gone off to after this 1994 movie . Temuera Morrison looked familiar , and a quick check on IMDb showed that he had portrayed Jango Fett and Commander Cody in the fairly recent Star Wars prequels . In fact , co-lead Rena Owen too had starred in the prequels as well . Director Lee Tamahori doesn't lag behind too , having helmed the James Bond installment Die Another Day , and xXx2 . Once Were Warriors had a sequel as well called What Becomes of The Broken Hearted ? which was also made into a movie , though was less well received . Personally , this is rated by me as a highly recommended movie , and watching a Haka being performed here , definitely deserved its brownie points .
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515,267 | 317,399 | 457,513 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Scoop
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Scoop marks Woody Allen's second movie shown locally this year ( the other being Match Point ) , both set in England and both starring his new muse Scarlett Johansson . In what is probably reel influenced by the real , Johansson was recently crowned sexiest woman alive by Esquire magazine , and you wouldn't have expected her to take on the nerdy look of Allen with those glasses and neurotic behaviour . But she did . Transformed from Match Point's seductive femme fatale to Scoop's love struck teenager , Johansson shines as campus journalist Sondra Pransky , who actually finds herself bedding her interview subjects rather than snagging any exclusive scoops . In a twist of fate , while attending a performance by small time magician Sid " Splendini " Waterman ( Woody Allen ) , she meets a spirit of the recently departed world renowned journalist Joe Strombel ( Ian McShane ) , who provides her with a lead to the recent Jack-The-Ripper wannabe Tarot Card murders . Reluctantly teaming up with Splendini as pseudo father-daughter , they try their very best to infiltrate the life of prime suspect Peter Lyman ( Hugh Jackman ) , son of an aristocrat . Hereon , it ups the mystery factor as both Pransky and Waterman search for clues to a whodunnit , with Pransky inevitably finding herself falling in love for real with the charming , gentlemanly Lyman . Scoop has plenty of classical comedic moments , filled with tons of witty liners , so keep your ears closely peeled to the dialogue - they come hard and fast ! Woody Allen probably at his element here with his poking fun at himself . The movie is as accessible , and paced might tighter than Match Point , and it feels a lot more lighter in mood too . Even its perceived darker moments here in certain scenes don't drag , and Death in itself is made fun of too . The best scene , in my opinion , has got to be the introduction of Splendini , with Allen , Johansson and McShane all rolled into the same scene . Hugh Jackman though had a little to do as the aristocrat , probably reprising a similar role he had before in Kate and Leopold . For some reason I've avoided Woody Allen movies in the past . But with Match Point and Scoop convincingly providing me a jolly good time , I'll likely be revisiting his older works in due course . And with that , I thank you for reading this , from the bottom of my heart , with all sincerity and all due respect , you're a credit to your race . . . In one word : Fun !
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514,382 | 317,399 | 418,763 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Jarhead
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Welcome to the suck . 6 months of waiting for 4 days of " battle " . Finally a decent yet different war genre movie set during the first Gulf War , which featured what was touted by Saddam as the Mother of All Battles , not . Jarhead is based upon the book by former Marine Anthony Swofford , on his experiences in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations . But we start the journey from the beginning , at the boot camp , and that , to many NS men , will bring back fond memories of the BMT days when nasty drill sergeants rained down vulgarity filled commands , and punishments meted out from whims and fancies . You'll chuckle wholeheartedly , but of course not when you're at the receiving end . The burly platoon mates , the sexual innuendos , the male bonding sessions in the bunks , the various antics , the talk-cock sessions ; nostalgic I tell you . Jake Gyllenhaal , who seemed all over the local screens this early 2006 with Proof , Jarhead and the upcoming Brokeback Mountain , plays Swoff , a Marine Scout Sniper whose perspective we see the War from . He's no angel though , as we witness his trials and tribulations in the United States Marine Corps sent to the Middle East . The supporting cast of Peter Sarsaard as his buddy , and Jamie Foxx ( in another military role after the disappointing outing in Stealth ) help lift the movie with their fine performances . What appeals in this movie , the strong points , are the numerous elements that are identifiable with Gulf War I - the friendly fire , the air strikes , the looming threat of chemical warfare , the television coverage and interviews with troops you see so very often over CNN , the dubious anti-chemical agent pills , the oil well fires , and the smoking ' civilian convoys . They're all there in the narrative , played out as it is . We also look into the difficulties the men face when stuck out there in a different land , in an indefinite period of waiting - the loneliness , the worry of their loved ones being unfaithful , the rush to wait and the wait to rush , the time offs , the duties , training , massive water hydration parades , and even the hand jobs to past time . Naturally we do see certain bits that fell victim to the censor's scissors , but somehow I'm not really complaining . And the cinematography is brilliant . With the aid of digital effects , the desert never looked so blinding in the day , and so alluring in the night . The oil-fire smoke-filled night sky looked awesome , and so real , you could feel the heat and the oil droplets raining from above . And the pop music interjected at various points in the movie , is just groovy and adds to the flavour . However , at certain points this movie cuts a bit too close to Apocalypse Now with scenes of war machinery cutting its way through the desert land , and in scenes where the troops go berserk in their chilling and celebration , though an earlier scene somehow prepared you for its upcoming similarities . Also what I thought was a minor technical boo-boo , keep a look out for the dust covers on the rifles . Hmm . This is my recommended movie for the week to all NS personnel ; you'll definitely find something you'll identify with . And to the rest of the folks , never mind about the war setting , this is one intense drama that might just appeal to you . Welcome to the suck .
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515,309 | 317,399 | 368,709 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Elizabethtown
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Before I begin , I confess that I am a Cameron Crowe fan , having seen most of his movies , which I enjoyed , and having met and spoken to him during his Vanilla Sky premiere in Singapore back in late 2001 ( with Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz in attendance as well ) . So you might think that this review is biased , that I'm gonna praise this movie sky high . Fact is , I will , only because it's an enjoyable film , with many fascinating facets to it , and one which made me ponder through the points presented throughout . While most critics ( pah ! what do they know ? ) panned this movie , and I think many here might not like it too ( groupies of Orlando Bloom don't count ) and I'd like to speculate why . It might be because of the many little disjointed subplots that this movie actually contains . There's not really a main theme , but many small ones . No one big idea , but many little ones . But that is Life , isn't it ? So many non-linear events happening around us all the time , some making sense now , some don't , some perhaps later , others none at all . But that in essence is what this movie is all about . It's about the discovery of oneself , about the celebration of life , even in death . It's also about the concept of failure , that it is definitely not the end of the world , that if faced with defeat , to take all 5 minutes to wallow and whine , then move on , because the world is not going to take pity on you . It's about letting go of inhibitions , and living life as it should be lived , as you would like to live it . But Drew Baylor ( Orlando Bloom ) certainly doesn't begin as such . He's a shoe designer whose latest model bombed in the market , and is faced with a fiasco which cost the company close to one billion dollars in losses . His is a life of perceived success , until his world came crashing down and he contemplates ending it . But news about his father's death interrupted his own plans to die , and he's tasked with the responsibility of cremating his father's remains to bring back to his family in Orlando . However , his father's extended family and relatives have plans to bury him , and herein lies his dilemma - how to drive home the point that they should respect his family's wishes , even though his father Mitch was many things to many different people , and they remembered him in their own unique way . Through the interaction with these relatives , he learns more about his father than what he already thought he knew . Similar to In Her Shoes where the character in question rarely or never takes up screen time , we learn so much of a person through dialog , and many eulogies given , some comical of course . Which is similar to other Crowe movies , the injection of wry humor , great music and many quirky characters which add color to the plot . And one such character , which I think most would love to hate , would be Claire Colburn , played by Kirsten Dunst . Here's one character with so much optimism , you'd think it's too good to be true . She contrasts the pessimism in Drew with her positive attitude , and many might think the road trip finale is one that might be stretching credibility . But hey , she's demonstrating the idea of living life with passion , and going after what she wants , never dwelling on the what ifs and of course , never letting the fear of failure get in the way . She brings about a new dimension to what we seen in Drew , with his plans to die cast in stone , and what we see in the many compromises between Drew's extended family . She's Spontaneity , the kind who would light up any party with life and exuberance . The finale too hokey ? Well , I've had my fair share of crazy / weird things done before , and looking at it in positive light , all it boils down to is meticulous planning , passion , and a dash of luck . Which brings me back to Cameron Crowe again . It reminded me of that particular insane night when it all happened . The road trip , though long , provided what I'd like to call a quick tour of the USofA ( it really seemed like it ) , against a background of choice music . Makes me wanna go on one myself too . Particularly poignant to me would be the part about family . Drew regretted not having done certain things with his Dad , like postponing their road trip indefinitely . Woke me up to the notion that with mortality , you should never put off things that you plan to do with family . You'll never know when it'll be too late , for regrets . Much have been said about the two lead's acting , but I'd like to add that I love their portrayals of their respective characters . Bloom and Dunst have great chemistry , which makes their scenes a joy to watch . I thought Susan Sarandon chewed up the screen in her limited screen time as Drew's mom , who initially we thought was going insane when the love of her life passed away , until we realize the immense passion she had for him . Really touching moment , disguised by comedy . While Vanilla Sky had a relationship concept known as f buddies , here we're introduced to being Substitute People . Though it's the first time I'm hearing it , the concept's definitely not new , and I guess many would be able to identify such situations in their lives . And think them through . With so much to offer in a compact 2 hours , Elizabethtown certainly is a complex movie . One which should be enjoyed when you're in a positive state of mind . Definitely a reminder of what our priorities should be , in the hustle and bustle of life .
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514,908 | 317,399 | 59,079 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : ( DVD ) Come Drink With Me ( 1966 )
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Come Drink With Me is touted as arguably the greatest martial arts film , ever . In its day , this is the movie that broke a lot of grounds , thanks to meticulous direction and vision of King Hu . The story is simple though , telling of Golden Swallow's ( Cheng Pei Pei ) quest to rescue her brother , a government official , in a ransom case with a bunch of bandits . While her prowess is formidable , a little help is always appreciated when up against the masses , and little does she know that a beggar of sorts , called the Drunken Cat ( Yueh Hua ) , turns out to be her guardian angel . While the Chinese title is obviously a reference to Yueh Hua's character , this movie is clearly Cheng Pei Pei's breakthrough in the martial arts genre . The martial arts here is distinctively different . For its time , it was a breakthrough , with its moving cameras , violence , splattering of blood , as well as fights done with adequate pauses and breaks , like a Western stand off at times , before lunging at each other . The movement , while fluid , is slow compared to these days , then again , having action done too fast would mean either stunt people taking over , or you can't see a thing . The style in this movie struck me as samurai styled swordplay , even though the weapon our heroine used was a pair of short swords rather than katanas . The weapons used too were real , lending a sense of realism when the combatants clash . There are still some opera influences in the movie , especially when it comes to the music , done with Chinese orchestra , and accentuates the scenes like a big opera . Playing in sync to the action on screen , it's an early base on which films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon adopted to great effect . The cinematography is great too , given the many exterior shots in backlots and elaborate sets , featuring classical locales like inns and temples . The introductory scene in the inn will take your breath away , never mind that some cheesy ( for today ) techniques of stop motion and the reversing of film were used . Cheng Pei Pei is a star in the movie , and she has managed to infuse her background in ballet and dance to the martial arts moves for the movie , bringing forth a very beautiful poise when executing her moves . Her eyes too were luminous and have a life of their own , and can stare daggers at her enemies . Yueh Hua though felt more carefree , given his role as a wandering beggar . And while there are hints of romance between their characters , don't hold your breaths on counting them developing it any further . A to-the-point story , and excellent martial arts . This is a definite must watch for all martial arts genre fans . IVL Code 3 DVD Extras : A departure from the other IVL releases I've watched so far , this DVD had a valuable commentary by Cheng Pei Pei herself , and daughter Marsha Yuen , presented by film producer Bey Logan , in English . It's quite hilarious listening to Logan try and identify some of the actors , but always getting them wrong and had to be corrected by Pei Pei , until he knew not to embarrass himself further and allowed Pei Pei to introduce them instead . Marsha however , had little to contribute , except to laugh loudly into the microphone . There are two Come Drink With Me trailers included , one the original which had its written script which you have to read running from right to left , and the quality is pretty degraded . The new remastered one is definitely clearer , and so were the trailers for other movies , some starring Pei Pei herself . You have the usual extras as well , like the few movie stills , one original poster , a one page one paragraph worth of production notes , as well as a short cast and crew biography and filmography . A pity thought that you can note some typos in the DVD menus and subtitles . The real gems of the extras , are the interview clips . The longest interview on the disc is with Cheng Pei Pei ( 18 mins 30s ) done in English , where she compares martial arts movies then and now , shared some production nuggets such as the duration of shooting the fight scenes , on sexuality of those days , her working relationship with King Hu , provided insights into working under Shaw Bros . explained her ease with learning martial arts , and shared on her working experiences with Yueh Hua . Yueh Hua too has an interview included , though it was quite short , clocking at 4 mins 45s . He shares his thoughts on working with King Hu and Cheng Pei Pei , as well as revealing that he had real wine in that wine bottle prop to assist him in getting into character . However , the interview is conducted in Mandarin , with no subtitles provided . I'm surprised at the inclusion of an interview with Marsha Yuan ( daughter of Cheng Pei Pei ) in English , for 6 mins and 40s , as she shares her thoughts on the movie , her realization when growing up that her mom was famous , and the big revelation is that there is going to be a sequel she's gonna star in . Is there ? The last two interviews are with film critic Paul Fonoroff and film producer Bey Logan , as both talk about Cheng Pei Pei and King Hu , clocking at 9 mins 50s , and 4 mins 40s respectively . The former interview is more insightful though , as he shares a little on the history of the rivalry between Shaw and Cathay in their heydays . The restored version in the DVD is pristine , save for one or two scenes in soft focus which seemed a little blur . Audio transfer is great too . The only pity is that it's not in Anamorphic Widescreen .
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515,166 | 317,399 | 405,422 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : 40 Year Old Virgin
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With a title like that , it takes little imagination to know that this film belongs to the sex comedy genre which has gained popularity ever since American Pie started it all from 1999 . Virgin adopts a similar formula , even from the start , we are introduced to Andy ( the Virgin ) in his suburban home , and his stiff unused woody ( Yes , it's that blatant . Expectations , remember ? ) Andy's the guy who somehow couldn't grow up , with his extremely cool collection of collectible toys and comic books , custom made video game chair and home decor adorned with pop culture posters . His predicament would probably be appreciated by many guys - with a life like that , interest from the opposite sex is hard to come by , and not to mention a disastrous experience which left him scarred . Andy works in an electronic store , which is the setting taking up almost half the entire film . Not that it's bad though , interesting hilarious stuff do happen . And it is his colleagues , upon learning his " secret " , vow to make things happen and present to him various opportunities and tips . Even his female manager subtly propositions to him as a f-buddy , bringing on some laughs as she delivered it multiple times in a deadpan manner . So begins various set pieces like the first pick up in a bar with a drunken babe who drives him to her home , the speed dating segment where he meets a butch wanting to go straight , and another who had a wardrobe malfunction , the pain-inducing chest hair waxing session gone awry , and Beth , the demure bookstore chick , who's more than meets the eye . Eye candy galore though in these scenes , so all the hot blooded males out there wouldn't be complaining at all , akin to the strategy adopted by American Pie by featuring attractive actresses . It works on another level though . With his friends providing weird and sometimes crazy ideas and advice , we are presented the flipside of their own predicament , insecurity , and troubled relationships . This movie seemed to spread the message that sex isn't everything , and while journeying with Andy to his first lay , most can identify with many of the issues and relationship problems presented . And on that note , this film at some times feels like Will Smith's Hitch . Andy , while listening and accommodating his buddies ' advice , instead goes against these well intentions to set his sights on Trish , a woman who works on the opposite side of the street , selling stuff on E-Bay . In this storyline however , it's the usual boy-meets-girl , fall in love , loses girl , gets her back cliché formula . But it's the delivery of both leads Steve Carrell and Catherine Keener that keeps it from being boring . Despite casting relatively unknowns , just as American Pie did , the actors seem to have loads of fun despite the stereotypical roles . This film should gain recognition for Steve Carrell , just as Pie did for Jason Biggs , Some might have remembered Carrell as the funny newsachorman in Bruce Almighty , and I'll be awaiting in glee for him to star in one of my favourite TV series Get Smart , as Maxwell Smart ( somewhat a dead ringer for the late Don Adams I tell ya ) . Surprisingly , you'll hardly feel it's a two hour long film . The pace is quite even , despite the meshing of 2 parallel plot lines following American Pie's and Hitch's . I dare say the Virgin does swallow the Pie , with a more mature and responsible feel to it .
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514,774 | 317,399 | 1,279,943 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Handsome Suits
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Handsome Suits might be Japan's answer to Korea's 200 Pounds Beauty , and given the success of the latter movie which deals with women's vanity in wanting to look good , this one is the equivalent , but centered on men instead , denying the focus on grooming as much as we like . Face it , we're more than likely to turn the blind eye for someone who looks good . Maybe not necessarily drop dead gorgeous , so long as they're pleasing to the eye . The movie plays on the observation of how possessing good looks would open doors and help in getting a leg up in life , like a satire on the sad reality of life that is , but in its simplicity comes a well told story with plenty of pathos to think about , ranging from being true to oneself , and again a constant reminder not to judge a book by its cover . Takuro Ohki ( Muga Tsukaji ) might be the ugliest chef around no thanks to his porky frame , but inside lies a sensitive man who stuck to a long held mantra of his late Ma's Taste at Ma's Price diner . Essentially a good man , he has no luck in love because of his lack of presentable looks , and romance is always far off in his mind . Tsukaji brings about some likability to this character , though I really must defer judgement to the ladies for frank opinions on whether they would date a guy who looks like that on first impressions , coupled with the propensity to stick his finger up his nostril ( for a chef ! ) . Like a fantasy come true , this is pretty much done in Click fashion , with the all-powerful remote control being replaced by an all-powerful suit which looks like a cross between the Michelin Man and the stay-puff marshmallow man . Once worn and vacuumed fit , he becomes instantaneously transformed , voice included , to be as sexy as can be , with women literally swooning at his feet , and his opportunities to get in touch with the opposite sex suddenly increases manifold . As Annin Hikariyama ( Shosuke Tanihara ) , he becomes the hottest sensation in the fashion circuit , and faster than you can say " Let's Handsome " , the coolest model in the business , Raika ( Mayumi Sada ) falls hard effortlessly to his charms . It is easy to identify with Takuro's leading of a double life , one as the ugly chef , and the other as the handsome model on the brink of signing a multi-million dollar management deal . However , he's soon cradled with the mother of all dilemmas , with his ex-waitress Hiroko Hoshino ( Keiko Kitagawa ) rejecting both Takuro as well as Annin , which he cannot fathom why , and then his growing affection for fellow looks-challenged Motoe ( Miyuki Oshima ) . As if leading one simple life is not enough , his honeymoon with his suit once over will bring some major headaches which he must address , sometimes with hilarious results , especially when dealing with the suit's vulnerability to hot water . There are some opportunities for special effects , and these are done simply and to the point . What elevated this movie is its genuine comedy without trying to insult the audience's intelligence , especially when early on in the film he has to juggle with his newly established identity , lapsing constantly into his old self . Those who are keen-eyed will soon begin to see how the surprise of the movie would come as early as from the midway point . But don't go and look for such clues on purpose though , as it'll actually spoil the fun . With a constant and not too sublime reminder on the need to appreciate the little things you do that matter , and the little joys that you can find along the way in life that is important to help keep spirits up . I particularly enjoyed that extended scene where Motoe plays a game with Takuro during their walk home , which serves as a powerful reminder to stop and smell the roses . Handsome Suits will be recommended stuff , should it make its way to Singapore . Don't leave the theatre just yet until after the end credits !
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515,243 | 317,399 | 396,555 | 9 |
A Nutshell Review : Meet the Robinsons
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Disney's recent animated features have been misses , with the likes of Chicken Little and The Wild performing below expectations despite the updated computer generated toons and marketing gimmicks , bringing to mind the age old adage that the story comes first . As far as animated movies go , Pixar's the one to beat , having crisp drawings perform to the tune of a superb story . Meet the Robinsons is not a Pixar movie ( given that the two companies have now merged ) , and I'm pleased to say that Robinsons has indeed remembered to go back to basics , in whipping out a strong , engaging tale for its computer generated animation . The trailers have more or less summarized the story . Lewis is a brilliant kid inventor who meets up with a boy from the future , Wilbur , who enlists Lewis ' help in stopping the evil plot of the Bowler Hat Guy , who intents on coming to the present day to wrong certain rights so that the future can be changed , to his advantage of course . It's a time travel movie , and I dare say , space time continuum aside , that it makes cinematic sense , as well as filling it with loads of imaginative fun , especially with the Robinsons , folks from the future whom Lewis meets in the course of his mission . Though the story developed at a slower than expected pace with a relatively dry introduction , its buildup is measured and it got better as time went on , grabbing your attention hook line and sinker . At times you can guess how the narrative will proceed , and how the expected twists will turn out to be , but it is indeed its delivery of the final act that made it all worthwhile , wrapping up the loose ends with that trademarked fuzzy Disney feeling , that lifts the movie from mediocrity , into an instant contemporary classic . It is not everyday that a movie comes along , and celebrates failure in a non-comedic premise , coupled with reminders of never giving up , and a theme of family , camaraderie and belonging . It looks on the positive side of things even when the situation is bleak , and I'd bet by the time the end rolls around , there'll be a tinge of bittersweetness in its triumph . The story contains great characters in its ensemble , even though some only feature for a limited time and most already seen through promotional material and trailers . And I thought they dampened expectations too , especially that classic scene with the T-rex about its arms - you're constantly expecting that scene to turn up , and when it does , it becomes anti-climatic . Based on a book and filled with great songs , Meet the Robinsons evokes the same spirit as movies like Back to the Future and Frequency , both of which are among my favourites , so it isn't difficult to proclaim that this animated movie is a must watch , even if its voice talents are not contributed from those in the A-list . The screening is preceded by a classic Mickey Mouse short called Boat Builders . A rare opportunity to watch Mickey , Minnie , Donald and Goofy on the big screen , so enter the theatre hall early in order not to miss it !
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