Category: Movie Reviews

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Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Gran Torino – Ah, So It’s A Car

Gran Torino

I am inspired.  If I do get to 78, I wish to have Clint Eastwood’s energy, passion, and creativity (and success too!).  It must have been quite a while since we’ve watched our last movie.  Life has been hectic lately.  When TK proposed to catch a movie this weekend, the Movie Review Squad unanimously picked “Gran Torino”.

Cynthia needed to take the car out to attend a social event; I needed to stay home to watch the F1 qualifying round; TK was kind enough to drop by and pick me up.  Lovely.  We watched Button as he yet again took the pole position for today’s match.  For those who get to appreciate the different aspects of the sport, it is more than go-karting (erm … that’s how Cynthia sees it), it is more than cars going round and round in circuits, and it is certainly more than waiting for the next accident or drama to occur.

“Gran Torino” is a dark movie.  A bitter old man (played by Clint Eastwood) – a war veteran – living alone in the neighborhood of Hmong Americans.  The film has explored many different concepts, from minority groups in American, mobs, violence, human relationship, to religion.  In fact, looking at one of the symbolic ending scenes, I would see religion as one of the key themes.

If “Gran Torino” is indeed a film that explores the meaning of life and death, I can certainly see the power of one’s death, and the life it brings forth.

OK, enough of thoughts for sharing.  F1 is starting 1n 10 minutes.  Go Brawn go!

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Movie Reviews

Watchmen – Oh I Like

Watchmen

I should feel blessed that I have yet to unwrap the comic book “Watchmen” I bought years ago.  As strongly recommended by our friend TK, I bought that comic book; and since he is keen to watch the movie – though I have heard split reviews on this film – we went ahead with it.

It is the time of the month again and Cynthia just has to have her facial done at Vivocity.  And hence, all three of us just have to watch “Watchmen” at Golden Village.  Why would anyone wish to watch a movie at Golden Village, I have no clue.  We pay for the movie ticket and we have to take in 20 minutes of advertisement, on top of the 161 minutes “Watchmen”.  As your friend, I strongly recommend Cathay cineplexes that often start the shows on time, with better systems.  Especially for a film that go beyond the two-and-a-half hours mark.

For some strange reasons, I really like the film “Watchmen”.  I like the idea of an alternative history, a bizarre team of retired masked heroes (can’t really call them superheroes) trying to save the world (gasp!), a script that reads like poetry at times, humanity with a debatable means that don’t quite justify the ends, a well crafted storyline that has lots of character development opportunities, and a great soundtrack to go along with.  One scene kind of reminds me of “The Day The Earth Stood Still“.  Well, the reason of saving the world is certainly more compelling in “Watchmen”.  And that one scene of the duo masked heroes fighting their way into the prison reminds me of the show “Matrix”.  The kind of class and style, full of fascinating moves.  It’s been a while since I’ve felt that way.  At the end of the show, I turned to TK and asked if in the comic book, these masked heroes are so powerful, he said no.  Interesting.  I was told though the film is a pretty faithful adaptation of the comic book.

So I asked TK why he is not jumping off the chair.  I like his reply.  He said that the feel is different.  It’s like looking at two photos taken at the same subject.    I am looking forward to reading the comic book and see the difference myself.

PS. I have a strange feeling that I did dream of writing this review years ago.

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Fantasy & Sci-fi Foreign Movie Reviews

K-20: Legend of the Mask – A Japanese Batman?

K20

It’s Takeshi so Cynthia has got to watch it.  So I have got to accompany her.  And I had no idea what to expect.  Besides, I reckon since my parents are going to be in town this week, my sister is getting Singaporely married this weekend (for her wedding tour, click here), I’d better catch up with my Movie Review Squad for a movie, this week.

Nope.  There was no tears.  No Japanese female eye candies either.  Just Takeshi in what seems like a Batman meets Thief Guild kind of western concept set in Japan when World War II didn’t happen.  Cynthia loves it, I love it less.  Just because I feed on tearing moments and eye candies, and none in this.  The film though, is quite a classic.  There are moments of memorable acts.  Moments that I could visualize decades later when some of us play back the scenes and recite the dialogues with the actors.

The special effect is jaw dropping.  No doubt “K-20” is one of those rare big budget Japanese movies.  A fantasy story with the background of Japan entering a class movement separating the rich and the poor.  Naturally – I suppose – someone would stand up and redistribute wealth in his own way.  Lack of originality aside, “K-20” is blessed with the right kind of humor, a storyline in suspense, amazing backdrops, and Takeshi.  I kind of enjoy watching Takeshi in his not-too-pretty-boy look (did someone just stepped onto his face in the set or was it a double?).  He is as hilarious as ever, someone can who put a smile to my face even in his most serious moment.

While watching “K-20”, I couldn’t help but to have flashbacks to Batman, Zorro, Robin Hood, Spiderman, and V for Vendetta – the fighting, the flying, the stealing, and the mask.  It is good to watch Takashi taking a leading role again.  An enjoyable evening, early this week.

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Movie Reviews Romance

He’s Just Not That Into You – My Buddy’s Just Not That Into The Signals Of The Opposite Sex

He's Just Not That Into You

My buddy whom I am not going to reveal here must have found the film rather confusing by the girls who dissect signals from a relationship in that kind of detail.  He fell asleep and snored (just a bit) halfway into the show.

Gosh!

Though I am from the male species, I do have my share of trusted moments when consulted by the opposite sex, analysing signals, giving my thoughts on why guys think or behave a certain way.  Girls love to analyse, guys love to theorize – just my observation.  OK.  Maybe “He’s Just Not That Into You” kind of over-dramatized the love relationships in just a bit, I thoroughly enjoy the dialogues and the storyline.

This more than 2 hours movie is loosely segmented into relationship topics such as why he’s not calling, what if she’s not sleeping with you, and etc.  And each topic has a hilarious opening act in form of an interview by an actor unrelated to the storyline.  A film with love stories of different forms and shapes intertwined with one another: a happily married couple with the husband tempted by a beautiful girl (*ahem* voted as the sexist girl alive by FHM in 2006 and I don’t blame the dude – who could resist?!), a girl’s relationship to a guy whom she doesn’t see her future with and involved with another one that shouldn’t have happened, a girl who finds relationships from within the online world, a happy couple who have been living together for 7 years and the girl suddenly wants to get married, and a girl who doesn’t seem to able to find love despite being very active in the dating scene.

There is hope – I think that is the theme of the film.

“He’s Just Not That Into You” has quite an impressive casting including famous actors and actresses such as Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johnasson, and Justin Long as well as TV stars such as Ginnifer Goodwin of Big Love, Bradly Cooper of Alias, and Kevin Connolly of Entourage.  It is a talented cast with quality scripting.  The only reason I can imagine why this film has a lower than average rating is that if you think too deep on each topic, you may end up dissatisfied.  “He’s Just Not That Into You” doesn’t represent or generalize the guys and girls, the straights and the gays in our world.  It is just a collection of lighthearted stories to entertain.

I wonder which actresses are you favorite ones and why.  Here is my list (and Cynthia likes Jennifer Aniston the most).

  1. Ginnifer Goodwin – She is just adorable and I just love the drama.  I feel her story the most.
  2. Jennifer Connelly – I like the theme of able to deal with any issue in a relationship so long as the couple stays true to each other.
  3. Drew Barrymore – Her role is minor but she puts a smile to my face whenever she appears.  Best line: checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies.
Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

Beyond the Topic of Doubt Lies the Question of Compassion and Love

Doubt

How certain that you are right before you can justify the action of going all out to bring someone or something down?  Do the means justify the ends?  And in this pursuit of justice and goodness, where does compassion lie?

These are the questions that have gone through my mind since I have watched the movie “Doubt”.

The original play written by John Patrick Shanley in the year of 2004 has staged an interesting story against the timeline of 1964.  A brief look into being black, being gay, nuns and priests, against the reform of the Second Vatican Council in that year whereby the Christian dogma was being examined to make it relevant to the modern world.

Being a Catholic, I am often weary about yet another movie that exposes the negative side of the Christian faith.  And sure, at times, I wonder how much money has our Holy Father authorized just to settle all the child molest cases globally.  However, I still believe that Catholicism has a lot to go for.  Just because terrorism is bred in the name of Islam in some isolated regions of the world doesn’t reflect anything negative about the religion. 

I enjoy watching slices of Catholicism from within “Doubt”.  Thought it seems strange to me that without any opening prayers the movie dives right into the sermon that has little linkage to the Bible, some parts of the Eucharistic celebration are pretty authentic.  Like the turning of bread into the body of Jesus at the alter by the priest with the altar boy ringing the bell at each key prayer.  Also, it is interesting that the concept of doubt is being highlighted.  In my faith, at least how I internalize it to be, there is always this element of “God works in a mysterious way” and to bridge that, it is called faith.  But how do we believe in something when we cannot see it?  We all feel the emotion of love, but what is love?  How do we know love exists?  And in “Doubt”, the concepts of forgiveness, compassion, and confession are also explored.

“Doubt” is a joy to watch, even if purely from the acting point of view.  All four actors and actresses deserve to be nominated for Oscar – and they have – as well as the nomination for the Best Adapted Screenplay.  I personally would like to see Meryl Streep winning the Best Actress category.  She is that good.

Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

Bride War – Chick Flick Double Dose

Bride War

How much weight has Kate Hudson put on?!  I wonder if it is part of the acting in character process that some actors or actresses have to go through.  However, even if she looks like a smurf, her smile still melts hearts.

Cynthia disagrees.  She prefers Anne Hathaway.  I too am a big fan of Anne, on the record.  And when you put the two onto one film, although the general review is pretty bad, we just have to see for ourselves.

Just minutes into the show, I started to think of my favorite Sophie Kinsella‘s chick lits.  Not that the storyline of “Bride War” is that great.  Like my favorite chick lit series, the character development of the male species is pretty non-existence, which is OK for this genre.  Though I wish there is more chemistry between these two beautiful brides and their counterparts.  Having said that, the chemistry between Kate and Anne is pretty convincing.  They have acted like best friends – a tiny little bit like Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” kind of finishing-each-other’s-sentences scenes.  And when they fight, boy, it is sexy.

I am not entirely sure how friendship in the world of female species works.  But if there is something realistic that comes out of “Bride War”, this could be it.  A light hearted movie, predictable storyline, lots of eye sweeteners, and lots of moments that you just hope that they-didn’t-do-that.  Would there be a “Bride Wars 2: Baby Shower”?  OK.  This begins to sound very much like going into the direction of another click lit series.

On a side note, I am really looking forward to watching the film “Confessions of a Shopaholic” staring none other than my favorite actress Isla Fisher.  My fingers are crossed hoping that this adaptation won’t be a screw up.  If so, I will certainly join the Sophie Kinsella fan club to protest.

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Animation Foreign Movie Reviews

Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea – That Can’t Be A Gold Fish, Can That Be?

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Japanese imagination knows no bound, I must say.  A gold fish that looks like a baby girl to me except the missing limbs and the ability to live both in and out of water.  Am I the only one who wonder if I was reading the subtitles correctly?  It is beyond the visual art on the big screen.  It is about changing of perceptions from within your head.

Here is a brief summary of the story (skip this paragraph if you don’t want to read this mild spoiler).  A gold fish (more like a little girl) fathered by a sorcerer and has a Goddess as her mother escaped her fish tank within the ocean one day for what?  I don’t know.  But she found a 5 years old little boy who falls in love with her.  Thereafter, this gold fish is recaptured by her father but defies the law of the Universe, tries to become a human being, and in the mist of all these magical intervention, Ponyo (the name of the gold fish given by the young boy) brings along with her Tsunami onto the city of the young boy whom she must meet again.

It is almost a flawless outstanding piece of story crafting.  That is to compare with Hayao Miyazaki’s previous work “Spirit Away (2001)” that is quite possibly my favorite of his films that I have watched so far.  From the color and grandeur and style point of view, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” has Miyazaki’s trademarks everywhere – just like “Spirited Away (2001)” and “Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)”, both I enjoyed watching a lot.  From the animation perspective, the character’s movement looks convincingly natural.  From the artwork perspective, I love the clever use of the illusion of light and dark.  Looking at that two hot bowls of instant noodle, Cynthia and I looked at each other, swallowed hard feeling very hungry at that very moment.  That is realism on 2D.

What “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” lacks is perhaps a true villain.  I almost say that the ending is kind of weak.  But then again, it is so darn cute and memorable.  It is a strong recommendation to those who have watched 68 years old Hayao Miyazaki’s previous works.  On average, it takes him 3 to 4 years to create a new animation.  I can wait.  I think his next project will be on global warming.

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Foreign Movie Reviews Photography

Love Matters, But Does Jack Neo?

Photo taken right before the show started ... Love Matters

Apparently it does, Jack Neo is still one of the most celebrated film directors in Singapore.

So we are invited for the Gala Premium of “Love Matters”.  It is good that our team from the Association of Bloggers (Singapore) that is still at its infancy stage have the opportunity to meet up in a causal non-work related setting.  As I looked across the theatre, taking mental pictures of our team members, I felt as though we have worked together much longer than just a few months – from media kit to logistics, from membership to sponsorship to partnership and more.  We’ve just put up a FAQ section in our temporary website.  10 of us, working voluntarily, with a day job to do in a challenging economic environment whereby, all of us should focus on what earns us a living instead.

A comedy like “Love Matters” is good, to lighten up the mood.  I remember 2008 started with bloodshed conflicts (remember Pakistan?) one after another.  2009 too started with one (read about Israel lately?) topped with a global financial meltdown that not only affects the investors, but now the aftermath is felt by the common people on the ground.  Like me and perhaps, you.

I don’t assign stars to my reviews.  Take “Love Matters” as an example.  You can’t really compare it side by side with an International film like, say, “Love Actually” (my friend Ed and I were just talking about “Love Actually” at a café while waiting for the Red Carpet event to take place).  To be able to see something closer to our local culture on a big screen, local talent Jack Neo’s films are as close as it gets.  Three love stories intertwined into a single plot, there is this young boy having a crush with his schoolmate who is attached, there is this flamboyant young man who doesn’t know what love is beyond physical intimacy, and there is an old married couple whose well of passion has dried up long time ago.  As Jack Neo wrote in his blog, the following translated paragraph summarized what he envisages the film to be.

Those who are not in love yearn for love; those who are loved don’t know how to love; and those who are in love for too long no longer feel the love.

There are pockets of quality jokes that even for Cynthia who doesn’t know a single word of Chinese, she laughed hard.  Beyond bits and pieces of comedy (my favorite one is the gigolo scene) is a bit of horror (“Hard Candy” anyone?) and a bit of tragedy with tons of tears.  It is relevant to our current environment on what sex in the fifties is like (think Viagra in Chinese potion) and what teen sex is like (sex videos getting uploaded into the Internet sounds familiar?).  Perhaps the topic of sex has earned the disappointing NC-16 rating, at least to Jack Neo.  I would think that the younger crowd may have some to learn from the story.

Yes, I wish “Love Matters” has the cinematography quality of “Dance of the Dragon”.  The backdrops are a bit too ordinary to me.  And yes, I wish the story is tighter and less irregular in terms of scripting quality.  At some parts of the story, Cynthia and I would turn and look to each other and have the “huh?!” look.  Having said that, I am happy to support the local industry and “Love Matters” is Jack Neo’s 13th production that will certainly give you a good laugh and a tiny bit of something to ponder about no matter how old you are.

Photos shared here are those that I have taken during the Red Carpet event.  Yes, I just have to throw in pictures of Cynthia taken at the rooftop of Vivocity because I have always wanted to take some pictures of her there.  This set of photos is also the first time Nikon’s Color Efex Pro 3.0 for Capture NX 2 is being featured in my website, as a good alternative to Adobe Photoshop products.  Stay tuned for further write-ups on what software is for you if you are a Nikon digital photographer.

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Drama Movie Reviews

Rachel Getting Married – Intense Family Drama

Rachel Getting Married

Cynthia raised a good point.  Had the character Kym not played by Anne Hathaway, would we feel annoyed by how self-centered the character is?  It is hard not to love Anne, even in her state of depression with cigarettes after cigarettes in her hand and bruises on her face.  A Global Globe award nominee for best actress and more, I am much impressed by the sheer number of actors and actress on screen giving us the audience a convincing performance of them having known each other for years and in Rachel’s wedding, they meet and have a good time.

A very good time indeed.  Jokes are made, live music is performed, songs are sung, poems are read – it is watched like a real wedding, with friends taking photos and videos, with the wedding couple and the helpers busy attending to the crowd.  Camera angles at times are switched to the lower quality hand held camcorders taken from the wedding guests.  The conversation seems spontaneous; the responses seems genuine; friends finishing each other’s sentences. How did they do that?!  We are not talking about a few actors exchanging lines with one another.  We are talking about a long table full of people.  We are talking a tent full of people.  Such realism, such joy to watch.

In parallel with the happy scenes is the intense family drama between Kym and her sister Rachel (who are getting married) and their divorced parents.  Character development?  Checked.  Genuine emotion?  Checked (Cynthia teared).  I think most of us have our own share of untold family drama behind closed doors.  Hence, we shall be able to relate, one way or another.

“Rachel Getting Married” has the great music, great script, and great acting performance to go for, something to ponder after the film.  TK felt nausea in the initial part of the 2 hours show because the camera moves too much.  He joked that both Cynthia and I are seasoned computer gamers so we didn’t feel a thing.  All I can say is … the Spanish horror movie [●REC] is ten times worse in terms of camera shake.  I personally feel that the mild hand held simulated effect used in “Rachel Getting Married” has it own charm in bring out the theme of it-is-what-it-is.

How in the world do we get to watch Anne Hathaway in “Passengers (2007)”, “Rachel Getting Married (2008)”, and “Bride Wars (2009”) here in Singapore almost at the same time?  The Movie Review Squad is giving “Passengers” a miss.  But we are keen to check out “Bride Wars”.  The pairing of Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway is too good to be missed.

Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

The Duchess – Every Decision Has Its Consequence

The Duchess

When I saw the DVD of “The Duchess” selling in HMV Hong Kong, I was wondering how I could possibly miss a movie by Keira Knightley on a big screen in Singapore.  We thought we did.  So, Cynthia and I watched it on our way back from Hong Kong, inside the cabin of our favorite airline, SIA.  Then we realized that “The Duchess” is now showing here exclusively in GV.

Some titles do take long to arrive.

I seldom read reviews by others – no disrespect to other reviewers – because I wish to form my own view.  I do however check the aggregated score from time to time.  And I welcome controversy views.  Hence, I do pay attention to movies that are both loved and hated by many.

Since “The Duchess” is based on true (or historical) events, I think it is rather pointless to comment too much on the storyline.  Or how the story could have ended in a better way.  It is what it is: a series of scandals that involved the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Charles Grey (2nd Earl Grey) the would-be Prime Minister of UK, and more.  I wish to say that “The Duchess” is about one lady’s strength amidst the harsh reality of needing to produce a male heir, a non-existence love relationship, trapped within her own home, and more.  But true story being as such, there is – in my opinion – no satisfactory triumph.

So I gave it some thoughts and to me, the take home message is that Every Decision has its Consequence.  And working within this theme, I think “The Duchess” really shine in portraying how Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (played by Knightley) lived through the decisions made in such a male dominating environment more than 200 hundred years ago.

How civilization has advanced since then.  It was procreation in the most contractual form.  A man’s lifelong quest to foster male heirs and a woman’s lifelong commitment to care for her children.  And in the mist of all these chaotic lust filled desire from the both sexes, how less complicated it would be if they had the various means of contraception in our today’s world.

The choice of Keira Knightley is good and she works well in a costume drama setting.  What lovely accent she has.  In “The Duchess”, she plays an innocent young girl, a mother, a wife to a man doesn’t know love, a lover, a friend betrayed, and more.  If you stop and think, it is a pretty wide spectrum of emotion.  She has done well, in my book.  In contrary, Ralph Fiennes’s acting as the Duke is mostly being the same sternness and loveless towards his wife – as demanded by the plot.  However, his performance is equally as good to watch.

“The Duchess” reminds me of “The Other Boleyn Girl” at times.  Perhaps this one track desire to have a male heir.  I am rather happy to live in 2009 in this part of the world where having a child – be it as a boy or a girl – is a blessing from the above.