Category: Movie Reviews

Categories
Foreign Movie Reviews Romance

Threads of Destiny – OK, I Wonder What Part 2 Would Be Like

Threads of Destiny

So I had a movie ‘date’ with a … guy.  Because Cynthia has an social gathering with other girls and she doesn’t like to watch sappy Japanese movies.  Sure, give me some of those tragic tears.  I mean that’s what you would expect when you watch a Japanese teenage romance, especially one that is from the cell-phone novel genre right (remember “Sky of Love”)?

Orchard Road was jam packed with heavy traffic.  It took me a long time to arrive at Cineleisure.  It was a long queue at the ticket office too.  When it was our turn, the trainee said to me, “Threads of Destiny!  You would love it.  It’s such a great movie!”.  She said it with such level of admiration, and conviction.  And here we are, two dudes watching a Japanese teenage romance with an added age exceeds this young box office trainee’s by a good multiple of times.  Something is wrong with the picture.

I just had to run to Far East and install a protective film for my new Nokia N97 (you will hear more later, for sure!).  “Wilf, we won’t have enough time,” my ‘date’ lamented.  I looked at the clock, 30 minutes before the show starts.  And you know Cathay cinemas, they start movies on time.  But my desire to put on some protection was too hard to deny.  So I said to him, with determine, “Don’t worry, I will be back, before the show starts.”

So I ran.  Really ran.  Along the jam packed Orchard Road with human traffic, reached the shop before the next customer (who has 3 Blackberry phones and we had such a good chat on Nokia phones), have my protection on, and ran all the way back.  My friend got me the popcorn and drink (so sweet, thanks!) and we arrived at the theatre just in time.  Not a second early, not a second late.  Oh, I managed to say hi to my blogger friends who were participating at the Tangs 24 hours Blogathon when I was running to and fro along Orchard Road.  I am green with envy!

From what I gathered, “Threads of Destiny” is a Japanese cell-phone novel (that I will probably read), a TV drama series, and now a movie adaptation.  From what I gathered, this movie version is not quite like the original story that is more violent, filled with physical intimacy and drug abuse.  I am not sure why the change but watching “Threads of Destiny” as a movie, it has all the classic Japanese drama elements of teenage romance and friendship.  Probably a bit overdosed with tragedies.  In Singapore, the movie is edited to a PG rating.  I wonder what has been edited out.  Perhaps the scene on drug usage (or sexual intimacy!).

Mei and Atsushi (played by Nao Minamisawa and Junpei Mizobata) share the same birthday, Feb 29 and Fate is supposed to string them together even though there are so many driving forces that keep them apart.  One moment, the story is filled with happiness.  Another moment, something bad happens.  I swear some of the [female] audience was gasping as the tragedy happened.  No, there are no tears jerking moments and I did struggle with the lack of logic on some of these tragic moments.  Personally, I think Nao looks pretty darn cute when she is sad and she has this outlook of nothing-bad-can-ruin-her-day, which I think it’s perfect for this role.  Such a sad role to be in, if you think about it.

I read that some viewers are not too happy with the ending.  It is not much of an ending per se as there is a part two for this movie.  There are many lose ends and strange to say, I like the ending as it is.

By the way, there is this one conversation in the movie that I think it is memorable in a bizarre way.  Mei asked, “Will we meet again”.  And Atsushi’s answer is so out-of-the-world that you either hate it (I suspect most do) or amazed by it.  I mean, who would have answered such a simple question that way right?!

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Foreign Movie Reviews

20th Century Boys 2 – This Trilogy Is Growing On Me

20th Century Boys 2

October 2008, the Movie Review Squad has watched the first installment of this trilogy, of this perhaps the most expensive Japanese film ever made.  I wonder why there is a 6 months delay before part 2 arrives in [a tiny theater in] Singapore (compare to a 2 months gap for part 1).  And I look forward to a part 3 that will be released this August in Singapore.  So it says on the big screen at the end of the trailer, at the end of the 142 minutes movie.

142 minute?!

Part 2 is just as lengthy as part 1.  To recap, “20th Century Boys” is our friend TK’s baby.  He got us into this.  Friend!  And surprisingly, Cynthia loves the part 1 too.  I found the first part a bit lengthy, a bit confusing, and kind of lacking in the eye candy factor.  Men!  I know.

Comes part 2, titled “The Last Hope”.  Although it is still a bit lengthy, because the plot doesn’t go back and forth in time that often like part 1, it is much easier to follow.  The story is still as confusing as ever partly because I am – or we are – overwhelmed by the sheer number of key characters with names in Japanese (of course).  And honestly speaking, our recollection of the plot thus far was very minimal.  If you recall, part 1 is about this Book of Prophesy, whereby the future plays out exactly as what was ‘predicted’.  Part 2 is about this New Book of Prophesy, that is even more absurdly bizarre.  I said it many times, Japanese imagination knows no bound.  The entire story of “20th Century Boys” and the concept created is just, strange.  But I am liking it.

The year is 2015 and the heroine Kanna has grown up.  I am not 100% sure if the 24 years old actress Airi Taira can act that well.  But she is one eye candy for sure.  I love her hairstyle in the show (shallow I so am!).  Deep inside, I was – or we were – hoping that Kanna would play a much bigger role in the overall plot.  But I was mildly disappointed.  Perhaps part 2 has this mid episode syndrome and is sandwiched between two episodes with a scale of total world destruction, Kanna can only do what Kanna has done.

I have absolutely no idea how the part 3 is going to play out of course.  Maybe Kanna will save the world.  Maybe somebody else does (the title does imply that the heroes belong to the male species though).  Or maybe the world will be destroyed for good.  Personally I enjoy part 2 more than part 1.  The filmmakers have done a great job in delivering us a powerful ending for “The Last Hope”.  And I find myself cracking into laughter here and there amazed by the super dramatized acting and over the top production.  In preparing ourselves for the finale, I think the Movie Review Squad needs to spend some time and watch the first two installments again in order to get a better grasp on what the story is about.  I may even need to dig up some “20th Century Boys” manga online!

Categories
Comedy Movie Reviews

I Love You, Man – I Cringed As I Laughed Out Loud

I Love You, Man

OK.  If you do intend to watch this movie, try to stay just a little bit longer when the credits start to roll.  There is a kind of funny clip that you would have missed.  The thing is, I am intrigued that Singaporeans, or Asians in general, are so eager to rush out of the theatre the moment the film is over.  In Europe, at least back in my schooling days, most viewers stayed till the very end of the show, after the rolling of credits.  Personally I enjoy the unwinding process, the music, to get a bit of insight on what’s behind the scene, and to pay a small tribute to those who have worked hard for the project.

My buddy TK and I often keep our text messages short.  That’s what SMS is meant to be.  This morning, knowing that he was waiting for me to confirm the movie title for tonight, I wanted to text “I love you man”.  But it sounded wrong.  So I appended, “I love you man, ok?”  It still sounded wrong so I reminded him that it’s a movie title.  Just in case.

When men hang out, we may do weird stuffs, say weird stuffs, and it is a very strange feeling to see how men bond on a big screen.  That’s why I cringed when I watched “I Love You, Man”.

I love chick flicks, as I find it intriguing to watch how women bond.  And I am not sure if it is the same level of enjoyment to Cynthia when she watched this movie.  Gosh, she likes it so much.  Honestly speaking, I am kind of a bit embarrassed.  I mean, these are meant to be behind-the-scene silly things that men say, or do.

There is a certain level of honesty, a lively script performed by Jason Segel (of Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Paul Rudd whom I later on remembered him as the lover of Phoebe in the TV series Friends – thanks to Cynthia.  The storyline is mostly predictable though it’s a quality piece of comedy.

This film caused me to self-reflect.  What would I do if I have to make some new guy friends (as my best man) right now?  I don’t golf and I don’t drink anymore; I don’t party and I don’t watch football.  How stressful it would be!  And how about those silly things men do?  Part of me tells me that we are all grown-ups and we behave as proper adults.  Then I remember those days not too long ago when our band jammed at my home, my guitarist and I were going all crazy – screaming and making rock gestures – rehearsing our song “Unleash The Beast” in front of his then girlfriend – thank God they still end up married – that was worse than what you see in the movie.

Though I personally find the film a bit embarrassing to watch, I do like the repeated ‘community message’ targeted at the female audience.  Yes, in bed, we men love to …

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Movie Reviews

Blood The Last Vampire – My Beloved Sassy Girl Turns Into A Demon Slayer

Blood: The Last Vampire

What more could I ask for?  My favorite Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun from my favorite movie “My Sassy Girl” is going to the heroine killing off waves after waves of demons slash vampires slash unholy creatures and save the … OK, I don’t quite know what she is saving for.  It’s Jun Ji-hyun.  Who cares about the story?

Apparently, TK from our Movie Review Squad cares.  He shook his head in dismay as the end credit rolled and said, “I don’t like it”.  Cynthia and I love the Buffy kind of one girl against all.  So we love “Blood The Last Vampire”.

I suspect the original Japanese Anime may be of a higher value in originality, from what I’ve read.  Some scenes of “Blood” reminds me of the movie “Underworld”.  It’s not one of those typical vampire series.  Saya – the main character played by Jun – looks 100% human except her eyes turn red when I suppose she is getting a power booster?  The absence of romance makes “Blood” unique from other vampire series.  And instead, the deepening of friendship between the 400 years old half human half vampire Saya and another girl is kind of … hot.

I wish “Blood” was shot entirely in Japanese with a Japanese casting.  A filming team from what appears as China and Argentina making a Western movie leaves much room to desire for.  Having said that, Jun Ji-hyun’s (or Gianna Jun as her new screen name) English is pretty convincing.  Venturing into a relatively hardcore action role – knowing how tough it must have been – is an amiable effort.  The ending may seem strange to some.  To someone who loves Wuxia type of Chinese novels, this type of heroine saving the … whatever worth fighting for is certainly my cup of tea.

Yes, “Blood” is a rather bloody film to watch.  It is because in the original story, those self-healing demons – Chiroptera – can only be killed by causing them to lose a large amount of blood with one attack.  There you go.  The lore of “Blood” in a nutshell.

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Movie Reviews

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

Let’s get the fundamental right: in the world of human versus machine, Terminator franchise lies somewhere between the extremes of Robocop and The Matrix.  We guys love to watch Robocop with our girlfriends at our basements because with such a boring storyline, making out seems like the next best thing to do (it’s an open secret in the guy’s world, trust me).  The Matrix is probably somewhere at the pinnacle of this alternative universe.  Embedded inside are the elements of religion, philosophy, and the interdependency between the human and the machine.  The lore of Terminator puzzles me.  Human creates the machine to wipe off the human species?  And some time in the distant future when the machine is losing, they send in the Terminators to time travel and kill off key human rebels in an attempt to alter the future?   Why don’t the future human species send in assassins to time travel to the past and kill off those scientists that created the concept of Terminator once and for all?

I didn’t have much expectation on Terminator Salvation.  I have missed the one with the naked female Terminator fallen from the sky (censorship in Singapore put me off so I skipped it).  And the overall review of Salvation is merely average.  But since the rest of the Movie Review Squad is keen, I went along with an open mind.

Does great effect make a great movie?  Some don’t think so.  I have got to say, Terminator Salvation does have some really awesome computer generated effect.  The storyline may be predictable, not so memorable, but I was thoroughly entertained by the waves of machines after machines.  At some point, I thought I was watching Transformer.  At another point, I thought I was playing the computer game Supreme Commander.  This movie answers one of my top ten questions of all time: Does Christian Bale talk like that because he was acting as Batman or does he talk like that in real person?  At some point, I thought I was watching Batman.

While Helena Bonham Carter is still as creepy as ever, we all agree that Sam Worthington is one fine actor.  I would argue that he acts better than Christian Bale, who is doing pretty good for his role.  Not a classic movie, but entertaining nonetheless.

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Movie Reviews

Star Trek – Looking Through the Eyes of a Non-Trekkie

Star Trek

Here is one dark secret of mine: I was once imprisoned by a few brainwashed Trekkies insisted that I should watch and internalize the visual messages of Captain Kirk and his pointy ears companion.  Every evening, I was seated in front of the TV watching one of the 6 Star Trek films in random order.  VHS video tapes, I remember.  One day I was watching episode 6.  Another day, one of the previous episodes.  I protested that I wouldn’t be able to understand a thing watching the series that way.  These Trekkies laughed and said it was part of the training.  In time to come, I would be able to recite all the key dialogues, just like them.  Appreciate the wisdom within, just like them.

And just like them, I was [forcefully] glued in front of the TV during those long school holidays when I needed a place to stay in the capital of a country called UK.  The crazy days of going to bed when the sun came up, video gaming marathon, liquor and takeaways, and centered to that long gone good life as students, we had Star Trek.  They debated on the moral philosophy of a world according to Captain Kirk and his pointy ears companion; they discussed on the physic of the universe and the technology involved in the crafting of those spaceships.  Did-you-know, have-you-noticed, haven’t-you-noticed, these Trekkies would try to pull me into their highly encrypted conversations.  Years later, the only thing I can remember in this Star Trek franchise is that one scene when the Klingons quoted Hamlet.  I love Shakespeare’s works and hence, the Klingons talk to me.  Not Captain Kirk and his pointy ears companion, but the Klingons.  For those who are curious on these subtle connections between Star Trek and Shakespeare, click here for an article written by Dr. Delahoyde.

Year 2009, Star Trek returns to the big screen in digital 4k format.  This new movie is breathtaking in many ways.  I am a big fan of Zachary Quinto (who plays Kirk’s pointy ears companion).  He is my favorite actor from the TV series Heroes and he is just perfect for that role.  Sandwiched between the two Trekkies – Cynthia and TK – was me, compelled to watch yet another episode of Star Trek.  I constantly whispered to Cynthia during the show to fill in my knowledge gap.  As a non-Trekkie, “Star Trek” is undeniably an entertaining movie that has lived up to its expectation.  The effects are gorgeous, the science is current, and the friendship development of Kirk and Spock (I kept calling him Spark in front of Cynthia unintentionally) is perhaps the main focal point of this movie.  Secretly, deep inside, I still wish that “Star Trek” has a deeper reference to something more philosophical, generates deeper moral debates, and perhaps has a more logical plot.  However, compares this to yet another similar franchise that has gone back in time with newer and better filming technology, “Star Trek” has certainly done a much better job than the one that involves a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks.

TK was excited by the movie.  So was Cynthia.  As I listened to Cynthia reciting the final line of “Star Trek” together with Spark Spock word-by-word, I knew at that moment that I am still very far off from graduating as a Trekkie.  And hence, the brainwashing continues.

Categories
Drama Foreign Movie Reviews

Thai Arthouse Film “Ploy” Is Not Quite My Cup Of Tea

Ploy

I have a high level of tolerance when it comes to art-house type of movies but “Ploy” seems to be out of my league.  I don’t mind those long minutes of waiting for something to happen like that one foreign film with a boy and an old man watching the sunset, in real time.  So long as there is a reward in some forms after the wait.  Maybe it’s a subtle theme, maybe it’s to communicate a certain emotion, or maybe it’s just beautiful to watch.  Without rewards, I feel stupid spending time watching an art-house clip.

Some clips from “Ploy” are pretty brilliant.  I like the conversation between the husband (owner of a restaurant in US) and his wife (an ex-actress from Thailand) on why after 7 or 8 years of marriage, the guy doesn’t say “I love you” anymore.  And the subsequent conversation on the same topic with the husband and a little 19 years old girl (called Ploy whom they met in wee hours at a hotel bar).  The mixture of real and unreal clips within the movie at times adds interesting twists.  Some one-liners are bizarrely wicked.  Like before a date rape, the guy said [to the unconscious girl in bed], “Don’t worry, I will use a condom.”  Huh?!  Where does that come from?  We all chuckled.  And we chuckled when one of the actresses suddenly turned the film into a musical (pretty much like a French art-house movie).

Most clips are slow and excruciatingly painful to watch.  No, the sex scene between the bizarre side story of a bartender and a hotel maid is not at all sexy, way off the chart, and doesn’t contribute much to the main story.  It’s a shame though.  If the storyline was to be tighter and unfold a certain cohesive theme, that would have worked better.  During the interview, the director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang mentioned that the 12-hour long shooting on the sex scene was no fun to make.  I read that those sex scenes in “Lust, Caution” were hard to make too (took days).  But Ang Lee has made the scenes beautiful to watch, non-pornographic, and meaningful to the storyline.  If there was one suggestion I could offer to the “Ploy” team on those scenes, dim the light please.  OK make it two, change the casting.

The young girl, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, who plays the character Ploy is perhaps one of the few rewards I can take home with.  The filmmakers should have exploited this advantage much more.  The film does leave me pondering on what is real, what is not.  And for better or worse, from a country that is famous in making horror and action movies, an art-house Thai film that was premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival could be special to some.  It’s just not my cup of tea.

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Horsemen – If Not for Zhang Ziyi …

Horsemen

Sorry for my previous post that is kind of depressing and thanks for all your support.  I am OK, still [trying to be] as positive as ever.  So today has been a mad day at work.  I’ve told everybody that we are moving office and yet, work requests, meeting requests, email requests aimed at my team from near and afar – non-stop.  In between the request gaps, I was packing, frantically deciding what should go into a box that someone [I hope] would carry for me to the so-called new office (it’s not new for sure), what should go into the trash bin, and what should be shredded.  At day end, I turned to my team member and shocked that he hadn’t even started!

“Erm, you could use some of my box space.  I don’t have that much stuff,” I offered.  He is a lot older more experienced than me and at times, I feel that he’s my boss instead.  He waved and said, “Nah.”  “You are not bringing anything?” I asked.  And he pointed at his laptop bag and said, “That’s all.”

Wow.  I love that mentality.  I reckon I could have done the same.  What’s inside my box anyway?!  Junks.

So, what do men do when their partners are having all-girls-night-out?  Woohoo!  I frantically took out my [mental] note of things-I-wish-to-do-when-Cynthia-is-having-a-good-time-on-her-own.  Horror movies!  Except, there are none showing and “Horsemen” is the closest movie that neither Cynthia nor our movie buddy TK would want to watch with me.

So I wrapped up with the day with “Horsemen”.  To tell you the truth, if not for Zhang Ziyi, I wouldn’t have picked it.  I love her acting and she speaks better English this time.  Even with little makeup and with no fancy clothes throughout the show, she is just gorgeous.  While I am not quite sure if it’s a good idea to mix a bunch of suicidal, depressed kids with family issues and the [mis-] interpretation of the Book of Revelation from the Bible, “Horsemen” did prompt me to think or do the followings:

  • Work is just work, don’t forget your family.
  • I nearly cried towards the end.
  • [I confess that] it’s been a long time since I opened the Bible and not only have I read a bit here and there, I read the study notes in details too.

To the curious minds, the Book of Revelation is not meant to be taken as a literal set of predictions for the current events.  It is so encrypted because it was written during the Christian prosecution.  Divine revelation no doubt but do read it with the study notes.  Chapter 6 is the center theme of “Horsemen” and in the Bible, it is the visions of cosmic conflict.  A vision of four horsemen to kill with sword, famine, and plague, and by means of the beasts of the earth.  And then the angels appear and so on.

“Horsemen” is a pretty gruesome movie.  But then, for those who enjoy watching CSI, I don’t think you’ll have a problem with this one.  For those who dislike movies that end abruptly without a conclusion, you may not like “Horsemen”. 

I don’t hate “Horsemen”, I am just OK with it.  Nothing makes sense in the movie.  It is because by definitely, suicidal is momentary insanity.

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Taken – I Squeezed Cynthia’s Hand So Hard That It’s No Joke!

taken

I am a big fan of Liam Neeson – less so for that Star War film but more so for say “Schindler’s List” and “Michael Collins”.  So naturally, I like “Taken”.  Did you know that it is scripted by Luc Besson?  “The Fifth Element” is my all time favorite.  And surprise-surprise, “Taken” is directed by Pierre Morel who has also partnered with Luc Besson in “District 13”.  All of us in the Movie Review Squad have watched “District 13” back in 2006.

While all of us love “Taken”, TK thinks that the open scenes are a bit too slow.  For me, I appreciate the character development, especially for this type of film.  To the least, you get to know where those special ‘capabilities’ of Neeson’s character – Bryan Mills – come from, his relationship with his daughter, and the situation he is now at.  Rather than a 007 or Bourne kind of intensity from beginning to end, there is a build up right to the point when Bryan’s daughter, Kim, was kidnapped in Paris, sold to a prostitution ring, and from then onwards, all hell break loose.

Maybe such circumstance has a higher urgency than ransom or even murder.  I didn’t expect the violence, I didn’t expect the excitement.  I was squeezing Cynthia’s hand throughout the show.  At the end of it, I felt some soreness on my jaws.  Gosh.  I must have been grinding my teeth hard.

TK said that “Taken” reminded him of the TV series 24.  Quite true.  The girl has a similar stage name some more.  Cynthia said that the show reminded her of “Your Name Is Justine” (a very painful movie to watch based on human trafficking) from the content point of view.  For me, “Taken” is like a series of little quests on the journey of a very desperate father trying to find his daughter in a foreign country, at times beyond comprehension how things could happen that way.  Kind of remind me of that one online role playing game’s non-stop questing (don’t think, just do).  90 minutes seemed to have passed way too quickly.  I want more.

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Fast & Furious 4 – So Vin Diesel is Back

Fast & Furious

I have no clue what the rest of the Movie Review Squad like about the Fast and the Furious franchise.  To me, it is the fast cars and the hot babes.  Again, what’s the story about?  Who cares when the car scenes are that hot?

Though time and time again I have been saying that (1) I don’t like Vivocity Mall if not for Cynthia’s facial appointments and (2) I don’t like Golden Village that forces us to watch 20 minutes of ads prior to the show, I welcome a change of the routine (ironically this periodic visit to Vivocity is a routine of some sort).  As always, in this momentary of being alone, in Vivocity, I tried to find a place to sit, and read my book.  And I chanced upon this French café.  10 bucks for a cup of drink and dessert.  Like the Parisian style, I found a table facing the sea, watching people passing by.  The sky went from sunny to cloudy to sunny to heavy downpour.  Didn’t get to read my book, I wrote a blog entry using my phone instead, the SMS style.

Except the first installment, I can hardly recall what the “2 Fast 2 Furious” and “Tokyo Drift” were about.  The rest of the squad don’t like these two films.  But, it is hard not to admit that “Tokyo Drift” has popularized the drifting driving technique.  The same way that the phrase fast and furious has become a pop culture.  I love to drive.  And some of these techniques, if you were to put yourself behind the actors, are pretty darn cool.  Like the bumper-to-bumper racing scene inside the tunnel that involves crashing and burning, gosh, it is so darn hard to do in real life.  And yes, that speed booster button works just like the new KERS of F1.  I squeezed Cynthia’s hand so hard for some of those breathtaking scenes.

OK.  We are not suppose to do that in real life.  I got that.

Did you know that the eye candy (Gal Gadot) who didn’t quite get the heart of Vin Diesel’s character is a 2004 Miss Israel?  I have no clue what Vin Diesel’s character was thinking.  But like the pockets of scenes that don’t quite make sense, let’s stick with the fast cars, and the hot babes.

In “Tokyo Drift”, director Justin Lin introduces us to drifting.  This time, it is about nitromethane – a fuel that power racing cars, planes, and rockets.  Now, I want some of that in my engine!