[4th AFA] Results Live!

Best Film
Winner:
Mother (South Korea)


Nominees:
Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
City of Life and Death (China)
Lola (The Philippines)
No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (Taiwan)
Parade (Japan)

Best Director
Winner:
LU Chuan, City of Life and Death (China)


Nominees:
BONG Joon-ho, Mother (South Korea)
Asghar FARHADI, About Elly (Iran)
Brillante MENDOZA, Lola (The Philippines)
SONO Sion, Love Exposure (Japan)
Yonfan, Prince of Tears (Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Best Actor
Winner:
WANG Xueqi, Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)


Nominees:
ASANO Tadanobu, Villon's Wife (Japan)
HUANG Bo, Cow (China)
MATSUMOTO Hitoshi, Symbol (Japan)
SONG Kang-ho, Thirst (South Korea)

Best Actress
Winner:
KIM Hye-ja, Mother (South Korea)
Nominees:
BAE Doo-na, Air Doll (Japan)
LI Bingbing, The Message (China)
MATSU Takako, Villon's Wife (Japaan)
Sandrine PINNA , Yang Yang (Taiwan)

Best Newcomer
Winner:
NG Meng Hui, At the End of Daybreak (Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)
Nominees:
Sonam KAPOOR, Delhi 6 (India)
KIM Sae-ron, A Brand New Life (South Korea)
LI Yuchun, Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
ZHU Xuan, Prince of Tears (Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Best Supporting Actor
Winner:
Nicholas TSE, Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)


Nominees:
EITA, Dear Doctor (Japan)
HUANG Xiaoming, The Message (China)
TOU Chung-Hua, The Warrior and the Wolf (China)
WON Bin, Mother (South Korea)

Best Supporting Actress
Winner:
WAI Ying-hung, At the End of Daybreak (Malaysia / Hong Kong / South Korea)


Nominees:
ANDO Sakura, A Crowd of Three (Japan)
HIROSUE Ryoko, Villon's Wife (Japan)
KIM Kkobbi, Breathless (South Korea)
YAN Ni, Cow (China)

Best Screenwriter
Winner:
PARK Eun-kyo / BONG Joon-ho, Mother (South Korea)
Nominees:
Asghar FARHADI, About Elly (Iran)
HONG Sang-soo, Like You Know It All (South Korea)
PHAN Dang Di, Adrift (Vietnam)
WAI Ka-fai / AU Kin-yee, Written By (Hong Kong)

Best Cinematographer
Winner:
CAO Yu, City of Life and Death (China)
Nominees:
CHENG Siu-keung, Vengeance (Hong Kong)
CHUNG Chung-hoon, Thirst (South Korea)
LY Thai Dzung, Adrift (Vietnam)
Jake POLLOCK, Yang Yang (Taiwan)

Best Production Designer
Winner:
Alain-Pascal HOUSIAUX / Patrick DECHESNE / LEE Tian-Jue, Face (Taiwan)
Nominees:
HAYASHIDA Yuji, Yatterman (Japan)
Kenneth MAK, Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
RYU Seong-hie, Thirst (South Korea)
XIAO Haihang / YANG Haoyu, The Message (China)

Best Composer
Winner:
LO Ta-Yu, Vengeance (Hong Kong)
Nominees:
HOANG Ngoc Dai, Adrift (Vietnam)
JANG Yeong-gyu / LEE Byung-Hoon, Running Turtle (South Korea)
LIU Tong, City of Life and Death (China),
SAITO Kazuyoshi, Fish Story (Japan)

Best Editor
Winner:
Lee CHATAMETIKOOL, Karaoke (Malaysia)
Nominees:
KONG Chi-leung / CHAN Chi-wai, Overheard (Hong Kong)
MOON Sae-kyung, Mother (South Korea)
Kats SERRAON, Lola (The Philippines)
TANG Hua / ZHANG Yifan / DU Yuan, Crazy Racer (China)

Best Visual Effects
Winner:
YI Zeonhyoung, Thirst (South Korea)
Nominees:
FUJITA Takuya / NOZAKI Koji, Goemon (Japan)
WANG Jianxiong / Jimmy CHEN / LI Liping, Crazy Racer (China)
NG Yuen-fai / Chas CHAU Chi-shing / TAM Kai-kwan , The Storm Warriors (Hong Kong)
SESHITA Hiroyuki, Symbol (Japan)

Best Costume Designer
Winner:
Tina KALIVAS / Vaughan ALEXANDER, Goemon (Japan)
Nominees:
Christian LACROIX / Anne DUNSFORD / WANG Chia-Hui, Face (Taiwan)
Dora NG, Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
SHIM Hyun-soeb, The Sword with No Name (South Korea)
WADA Emi, The Warrior and the Wolf (China)

Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema - Zhang Yimou



Lifetime Achievement Award - Amitabh Bachchan

[4th AFA] Red Carpet

Stretching some 400m this time, celebrities both on the nominees hopeful end and on the award presenter's side greeted fans lined up along the red carpet as they made their way to the Asian Film Awards venue at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Pictures to come soon, watch this space!

[HKFILMART 2010 Press Conference] Ip Man 2

This is a Work in Progress as you do notice it's devoid of pics and vids, since I'm outdoors at the HKCEC waiting for the 4th AFA to start. Do check back again later!

It's almost one month to the premiere of the sequel to the highly successful martial arts film Ip Man, and it's without a doubt one of the most anticipated sequels given the tremendous positive response to the first film that just demanded a follow up to be made, so here we are now. Graced by producter Raymond Wong, screenwriter Edmond Wong, director Wilson Yip and principal cast Donnie Yen, Xiong Dai Lin and Calvin Cheng, the press conference at this year's HK Filmart had the air buzzing as many had gathered to hear what they had to say about making Ip Man 2.

Showreel (Spoilers)

The booth set up by Mandarin Films has a showreel running that is made up of plenty of rock solid action, that if you want to stay clueless about, then please skip to the Press Conference report proper.

Otherwise here goes. As the first film ended, Ip Man and family is now in Hong Kong, and to earn a living, he's started a martial arts school, so we have a fair bit of scenes of him training his pupils on a building rooftop, perchance a makeshift location for his intended new school. The next scene is an extended battle sequence between Ip Man and his pupil (played by Huang Xiaoming, who had his hands tied) against plenty of thugs who decided to arm themselves with choppers when they get their butts kicked around. Ip Man evens the odds by arming himself with the same, albeit using the non-blade side of the choppers. Sammo Hung's grand master of the "Hung Quan" intervenes because one of the thugs happened to be his pupil, and explains to Ip Man the house rules of setting up a school in HK.

Which leads us onto the next action sequence where a glimpse got included in the teaser trailer, where Ip Man has to challenge and defeat all the other martial arts schoolmasters in a single session. It's the one where he stands atop a table with plenty of overturned chairs surrounding it, and we get to see him fight against 2 other exponents (one displaying the mantis style) before dueling with Sammo's Master Hung. Action wise, expect to be wowed because of the constricted space atop a round table that the combatants have to make do, and Sammo's agility is yet another highlight. Then there's talk about differences in philosophies, shots of Ip Man's wife asking him to call it quits if opening a school in HK is so demanding, and a boxing ring three-way battle between Ip Man, Master Hung and Twister (Darren Shahlavi) when the latter is whipping the Chinese. Initially when I read the synopsis, I had almost rolled my eyes at yet another True Legend or Fearless, but after seeing that short clip, I think my fears are unfounded.

Press Conference

Not surprisingly, there was little talk about the action, and I suppose it's because we should be fairly familiar with Ip Man's martial arts skillset already. Moreover, the showreel at the Mandarin Films booth had whet appetites enough to want to go into discussions about it since that spoke for itself already. Instead, the press conference rightly focuses on the more dramatic and human aspects of the cinematic Ip Man that already had been the focus in the first film, and the formula of balancing human drama and action continues into the sequel. If there is a theme that can be used to sum up the press conference, it will be “Ip Man the Family Man”.

Press conference clips in Mandarin language only:


Part 1 of 6 - Wilson Yip


Part 2 of 6 - Wilson Yip


Part 3 of 6 - Raymond Wong and Edmond Wong


Part 4 of 6 - Donnie Yen


Part 5 of 6 - Xiong Dai Lin


Part 6 of 6 - Calvin Cheng

[HKIFF 2010 Post Screening] Really Crossing Hennessy

It's quite the no-brainer that I've decided to walk back to my hotel going back along Hennessy Road, but this time since my friend had confirmed my suspicion of the location of the Cha Chan Teng that was featured in the film, I thought I would probably grab something to eat there, since it's way past dinner time.

From afar it looked like there were already like-minded people doing what I intended to do, after the gala premiere...


But hey, it's the director Ivy Ho, and Tang Wei, both at the entrance doing an impromptu interview session with members of the press!


The doors behind them to the shop were closed of course, but it looked more like they, and a lot more others, were probably interrupted in some private party, but nonetheless were game enough to do a quick interview session with a crowd amassing outside the shop, which had inevitably built up as there was also a busy bus stop in front.


The "rules and regulations" of the teahouse, which because I'm not wanting to embarrass myself with my half-past-six Cantonese, I'm opening this up to anyone wanting to have a go at interpreting this list:


And a closer look at the shop's name, for those interested in visiting thee growing list of locales that have been featured in a Hong Kong Film. Hmm... I think I'll probably do breakfast there tomorrow!

[HKIFF 2010 Review] Crossing Hennessy / 月满轩尼诗 (World Premiere)

Look Up, Look Down

It's quite deliberate that I had spent the most parts of yesterday afternoon and earlier this morning criss-crossing Hennessy Road, since I'm staying very nearby that major stretch in Hong Kong island, so that perchance I may recognize some of the landmarks that get captured in writer-director Ivy Ho's latest film which is one of two that opened the Hong Kong International Film Festival. Suffice to say that I don't recognize a whole lot of the landmarks, since it does stretch for quite a bit, though I did pass by that Cha Chan Teng (HK Tea House) that got featured in the film. More on that later.

The last Ivy Ho film I caught was Claustrophobia at Tokyo two years back (also a World Premiere), which I had enjoyed with its rather unconventional narrative and storyline which dealt with office romantic dalliances, with moments that were brilliant in making you reflect. Here she's gone for something more conventional and light-hearted, but that doesn't mean those reflective moments were forgotten. She brings back two actors to the silver screen and no doubt being the highlight of the film - Tang Wei of Lust, Caution fame makes a comeback of sorts, and stars opposite Jacky Cheung, who had recently returned to film (the other being 72 Tenants of Prosperity sharing the limelight with a lot of people), and both bring a little something to the table if not already making you want to root for their characters to overcome their predicament.

Ivy Ho continues to craft characters which are easily to identify with, and the actors being really natural in fleshing them to life. Jacky Cheung plays Loy, an average Joe who is resigned to coasting through life, being perpetually able to sleep anywhere, often interacting with his deceased dad (Lowell Lo) when in dreamland, and have problems getting out of bed in the morning. He's pushing past 40, yet is heavily reliant on his aunt (played by Zhu Mimi) as a primary welfare care-giver to the entire family (and seems a better mom than Loy's vain pot own, played by Paw Hee-Ching) and works in his mother's electrical appliance shop. Tang Wei's Oi Lin is nicknamed the Toilet Bowl Xi Shi, for being the beauty working in a toilet fixtures shop run by her guardian uncle and aunt, who decided it's high time she got married and make it a point to set her up on dates, which she deliberately torpedoes her chances with really awful makeup.

The title comes about with each character living on either side of Hennessy Road, and while their initial meeting set up by the parents and relatives over a Tim Sum meal is anything but a success, they soon hit it off as friends after a disastrous beginning to their friendship, and are in the know that they each both have feelings for another significant other rather than each other. For Loy, its the complication with his ex girlfriend (played by Maggie Cheung Ho Yee) who's now divorced and looking toward him as the one she allowed to get away. In Oi Lin's case, it's the countdown to the day her violent and hot headed boyfriend Xu (Andy On) finally gets out of prison for assault, but knowing this relationship is one that her relatives had frown upon and once asked that she move on.

Relationships as we know can get complicated, and Ivy Ho like with her previous films examines such complication in depth, now looking at how we usually don't know when to call it quits in relations that are broken beyond repair, and whether to give oneself a fresh start rather than to stick with the old. For one, there's the feeling of being used and not appreciated, and for the other, that feeling of never being put into consideration and being more of an after-thought. What if someone else whom you click better with (based on the common affinity for crime and mystery novels) comes along, despite that generation gap, then what next? And for the macho guys out there, there's a little postscript that suggests that it may not be the knight in shining armor that is preferred, but one with a crazy sense of humour enough to make the lady laugh and chase the blues away.

And the story does have enough doses of laughter peppered throughout, more so based on sarcasm and wit which, if translated to Mandarin or read through the subtitles, may be lost in translation. Much of the mirth came from the supporting cast in Danny Lee, Zhu Mimi and Paw Hee-Ching as the elderly trio in Loy's family/business involved in a romantic triangle that seemed a little contrived especially with the way in how it ended, and always threatened to overshadow the other romances and even subplots in the film. I guess that's how with a veteran cast, as they have an air of charisma that does that naturally, especially with Paw Hee-Ching's over the top performance given her larger than life, and really loud, vain character.

However, the film for the most parts just seem to coast along and is narratively in parallel with Loy, in not wanting to commit, setting itself up to probe possibilities before deciding to finally close the loop. This of course sets it up for the audience to continue to root for Loy and Oi Lin to hook up together in a race against the clock, but the focus seemed to be elsewhere and everywhere but to lead one onto that possibility, which wants to take on the adage of "in good time" and when love sometimes strike you when you least expect that it will.

For those still unfamiliar with Hong Kong's tea culture, there are enough moments here that will enlighten with some (fictional?) elements of how it has evolved, and plenty of actual shots like an ode to the titular street. Look out too for some cameo roles that will add up to the fun that this film managed to bring about! If there's one question I will ask Ivy if I do get the chance, is that of her decision to be playful with the character played by Gill Mohindepaul Singh, who flits in and out of the film almost at will (bringing along some humour of course), just like how Wee Li Lin did in similar terms with her Gone Shopping.

[HKIFF 2010 Opening Ceremony] Crossing Hennessy / Like a Dream

As with all grand openings, the launch of the 34th HKIFF started with the streaming of the stars and invited guests on the ceremonial red carpet. I guess the best way to do so is through the following presentation:

With of course the loudest cheers reserved for the arrival of the director and cast for the opening film, Crossing Hennessy

Here's a look inside the Cocktail Ceremony:


before the speech by Mr Wilfred Wong, Chairman of the HKIFF Society, and Mrs Rita Lau, JP, Secretary, Commerce and Economic Development, both of whom welcomed all the guests, and to touch on the festival's highlights.

Then comes the introduction to the Opening film Crossing Hennessy, with writer-director Ivy Ho, and cast members Tang Wei, Andy On, Lowell Lo and Paw Hee-Ching:


and the introduction to the other opening film Like a Dream, with director Clara Law and co-writer Eddie Fong:


before the proceedings concluded with a countdown to the start of the 34th HKIFF!

[Inflight] Whip It

Chicks on Wheels

Drew Barrymore can be considered quite the feminist when it comes to stepping behind the camera. She's got producer creds for her alpha-female Charlie's Angels, and now adds the directing feather in her cap as she helms Whip It, a sports film with a strong female flavour, based upon the novel by Shauna Cross about a group of gladiatorial styled athletes donning roller skates, outlandish outfits, makeup and scary name in an effort to showcase girl power.

Ellen Page continues in her stereotypical role as the misfit teenager Bliss Cavendar, whose mom Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden) forces it upon her to enter beauty pageant after beauty pageant, after all, what's a small town girl gonna do if not to emulate her mother in her success? But of course being stuck in the small town of Bodeen, Texas doesn't mean that one cannot have other dreams of success, and while wondering what her calling is, Bliss discovers the beauty of a sport known as the Roller Derby league, where contestants seem to be larger than life in a rink where they outwit and outpace each other's teams to score points.

Like any growing teenage story, one would expect the narrative to be filled with the usual plots of the pangs of first love, and doing something major behind the backs of one's parents. However, Ellen Page delivers once again as the street-smart teenager who knows the right buttons to push to get things down. Having done most of her own skating stunts also adds a sense of realism to her character's involvement in the sport as she learns the ropes from her colleagues and foes who don't give a chance, and what more when they boast names like Smashley Simpson, Rosa Sparks, Iron Maven, Bloody Holly and Eve of Destruction?

Comedy is steeped in the film, though I prefer its presentation of its major theme here. It is always easy to judge others based on what we see on the outside, and it is often the eye that presets our feelings and verdict on a particular person. We are always quick to judge on what we see, rather than to make an effort to understand what goes on beneath. For all the gung-ho-ness of her sporting peers, the journey Bliss takes allows us to go behind the scenes, and realize that sport is sport, and beneath the steely demeanour still lies ordinary folks who are still challenged by what is being posed through everyday life, that as a team and a sport, they provide an avenue of get together, camaraderie, and stress relief. It is precisely this subtleness away from the obvious sport glamour and big talk that I appreciate in the film a lot more.

Though this is Barrymore's first feature film attempt at directing, you feel that this was instead directed by an old hand, and I guess given her many years in the industry, her experience counts in knowing what works. Having a minor role in the film herself – which I think she'll find it difficult not to have anything to do in front of the camera given its fine casting and physicality of the sport – she does go to show that she's becoming quite the all rounder in the industry, having her hand in many pies already, and like the character of Bliss, is probably just about to find her own calling and talent. I hope this is not a one-off film project, so let's see if Barrymore has what it takes to go behind the camera like what Clint Eastwood had managed to do, successfully.

To Hong Kong

I guess by the time you read this entry, the baby in the picture would have left the tarmac at Changi and headed towards the Fragrant Harbour, where it's gonna be one heck of a festival, film market and an awards show all rolled into the first week of the Entertainment Expo.

I'll probably be waiting for my brunch now, so check back during the week if I manage to squeeze the usual out from the next 8 days! If you're in HK, drop me an email!

How To Train Your Dragon 3D

Hi Ho Silver!

If this is done following the same old beat up formula that Hollywood sticks to with regards to animation, then the dragons will be yakking non-stop. Thank goodness that this film, directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, avoids this like the plague, and crafted an incredible story with great visuals that will make this go down as one of the more memorable Hollywood animated film that had both surprised and delighted me.

Jay Baruchel voices Hiccup, a viking kid who happens to be more brains than brawn, more scrawny than buffed, and this of course sets him apart from the rest of his warrior clan folks, who are battle scarred from the constant defense of the village pests - dragons who come from afar to plunder their livestock and setting their houses on fire, so much so that every house on the block is relatively brand new. Wanting to help out in any way he can, he's deemed more of a liability than an asset, especially when even his dad Stoick (Gerard Butler) cannot appreciate his unique, technical talent.

In a stroke of uncanny luck, Hiccup downs a flying dragon in the heat of battle, and his compassion meant to set the dragon free, rather than trying to prove himself to be a worthy viking man by killing it. And it's a rare specimen of a dragon too, which would have brought him instant glory. So a bond between man and mythical beast gets struck, and christened as Toothless, this is one pest who slowly grows into a pet, with Hiccup's secret rendezvous resulting in growing appreciation for the species, despite what the knowledge that his kinsman had compiled into a Dragon compendium which details facts all ending with an advisory on compulsory annihilation.

The story here is the strength of the film, being witty, smart but never condescending nor insulting the intelligence of the audience. While most characters are caricatures, especially Hiccup's peers, a lot of effort have been put into creating the leads as multi-dimensional and full of heart, and I enjoyed how the characters are so open to their emotions, that it becomes a lot more real than the photo realistic 3D animation and effects. Sure there's the usual father-son misunderstanding and expectations, and how a zero turns to hero, or even the theme of fearing something that we don't fully comprehend, but it's the manner in which the usual got delivered, that made all the difference. Especially so for its anti-war stance, that all it takes is a little step back from the common battle-cry, and instead seek to be understood, by holding out an olive branch, and to understand first.

For those who enjoy the mythology of the dragon creature, there are a number of ideas thrown up in the film that would make you nod in appreciation how these got conjured up for the film, and they worked wonders, even though they may be a tad predictable plot wise. And I'm betting that a lot of folks out there will take to Toothless, thanks to its "stitch"-ish design similar to Lilo and Stitch (since it's co-director Chris Sander's previous work) and huge saucer like eyes, plus a lovable demeanour built into the character that's always apprehensive, and mischievous. Being the creature that has no track record also helped, since it ropes you into a journey of friendship, bonding and discovery with Hiccup as to how powerful his new found friend can be, not to mention how symbiotic their relationship will evolve into as well.

Action junkies will find the action sequences in the film faultless, and the 3D got specifically crafted for certain set action pieces that really had me ducking for cover, for once. Fights are incredible, and always accompanied either by humour that worked without the feeling that it was deliberate nor just tried too hard, coupled with the comedic voice talents such as Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

How to Train Your Dragon is similar to last year's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Long titles, great story, beautiful animation and a total delight. Highly recommended, and it goes into my list as contenders for best films of this year!

Remember Me

You Wanna Be Bond?

I suppose the major buzz generated for this film, is whether Robert Twilight Pattinson can act outside of Edward, the lovelorn, pasty white face vampire. To me though, it seems that he can't escape from being stereotyped now, and all the more so as long as he continues to play brooding, teenage characters with plenty of angst that need to be released. If anyone is to think Keanu Reeves only has one expression, then Robert Paattinson looks close to become heir apparent.

Remember Me though was saved by the curveball that got thrown in the last 10 minutes of the film. I had expected it to spiral somewhere, because it started out quite bleak and without hope in the relationships of its characters, but had inched toward an all's well that end's well track in no uncertain terms, until Will Fetters' story decided to lay down the emotional impact. It treaded for the most parts at being an emotional family soap opera that just hovered around without going anywhere, before that emotional sucker punch that on one hand may seem gimmicky, but on the other was excellent in effectively wrapping the story up in one fell swoop.

It's a romantic story centering around Pattinson's angry Tyler Hawkins and his lover Ally Craig, played by Emilie de Ravin, and their respective families which have suffered and are still not quite over with the pain of tremendous loss. For the Hawkins, it's to deal with the loss of their son/brother, and for the Craigs, a senseless murder in the first scene that Ally as a child had to bear witness to. Different upbringing meant different ways at expressing one's pain, and for Tyler, he's onto this self-destructive mode until Ally, who has moved on in life in calmer terms, enters his life. Then it's more romancing and plenty of drama when characters clash, though with some scenes (such as the angry sex one that the censors and distributors here agreed on snipping it off) that made it look pretty out of place, or at times contrived.

In essence it dealt with how people show emotions, and their respective dealing with pain and loss. Love gets expressed in many different ways, some explicitly in verbal terms but ringing hollow emotionally, and others through the responsibility of making sure that their loved ones are financially free, hence the sacrifices made on a relations level. Patinson though only managed to brood with cigarette hanging on lips. or smirk a lot when events unfurl in a manner agreeable with him, and looks very much immature when paired up against Emilie de Ravin's more powerful performance.

Allen Coulter's film also had its star studded cast to thank in carrying the film through, even though most like Lena Olin and Pierce Brosnan had bit parts, with the latter looking quite un-Bond like with the added paunch around the waist to play a filthy rich man who had sacrificed close family relations for the pursuit of material success. Chris Cooper didn't manage to bring anything more to the table than that of an NYPD cop doggedly tracking down his daughter, or to dish out some severe punishment. The scene stealer had instead gone to child actor Ruby Jerins as the little girl Caroline Hawkins, an art prodigy who is trying to reach out to an emotionally distant dad.

As mentioned, if not for the way this film had ended, Remember Me would have become just another misnomer of a title.

[DVD] Muallaf (2008)

Yasmin Ahmad's fans around the world can now watch her second last feature film Muallaf since it's very recently released on DVD. There are two versions out there though, one for the Malaysian market which follows the theatrical requirements to silence some lines, as what Amir Muhammad had stated here and here, and another which is the Unedited Director's Edition where you need not worry about that.

The Unedited Director's Edition DVD is likely region free (printed on the sleeve as Code 3, but I've played it successfully on a Code 1 player), and comes presented in a letterbox format. The visual quality is soft and unfortunately closer to that of a VCD with occasional noise in the picture, but otherwise it's the only DVD version out there currently that you can (re)watch Muallaf. Audio is presented with a choice of Dolby Surround 2.0 or Dolby Digital 5.1 in its original language track of English (which the film is predominantly in) and Bahasa Melayu. Subtitles are available in Malay, English and Chinese, with scene selection over 12 chapters.

Navigational menus follow the poster design in keeping it simple, and the film now comes with new opening credits.

There are essentially 2 Bonus features included in the DVD, other than 2 Theatrical Trailers (one 30s, the other 90s). The first, The Numbers in Muallaf will help satisfy that curiosity any viewer will have with regards to the verses from the Quran and the Bible which get quoted from the film. They are text based and can be viewed sequentially one after another through the navigational links, or be accessed specifically from the submenu.

The other feature would be the standard Making Of (20:03) which opens with Yasmin Ahmad introducing Muallaf, and contains the usual interviews with various cast and crew members, from the leading trio Brian Yap, Sharifah Amani and Sharifah Aleysha, to supporting ones like Yeo Yann Yann and Dato Rahim Razali. Presented mostly in the English language without subtitles, perhaps the most valuable of this segment is the rare glimpse into Yasmin's rehearsal process and philosophy behind it, with rehearsal footage generously peppered for that first hand look.

With this DVD release, all of Yasmin's theatrical films are now available on DVD formats, except that at this juncture it'll be near impossible to find Sepet (without cuts) from the stores, and a pity that the Talentime DVD having been released without English subtitles. One can hope for a day when there'll be a collector's version to include all films, especially Rabun which was only released on VCD format and is currently out of print.


Related Links
- My review of Muallaf
- On Location @ Muallaf set
- Muallaf Q&A with Yasmin Ahmad and selected cast.

An Interview With Amit Virmani, Director of COWBOYS IN PARADISE

As I've mentioned in my review, I've a personal affinity for documentaries because they offer that keen insight and perspective through the filmmaker's lens on their pet subject and in Singapore, we're witnessing a growing number of quality documentarians who are operating from within the country, or based overseas, tackling topical subjects about our country or subjects of a more global nature. Making its Asian Premiere overseas at the DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival, and was in the running for 3 awards at last year's Asian Festival of First Films, Amit Virmani joins the ranks of filmmakers from overseas who are making Singapore their base.

Stefan S (SS): Hi Amit, I take it you're not from Singapore? Can you share how you came to Singapore, and what made you decide to make it your filmmaking base?

Amit Virmani (AV): I grew up in India, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, so home for me is a very loose concept revolving around East Asia. After university in the US, I decided to start my career in Singapore because it's extremely connected, both culturally and in terms of doing business, with the rest of Asia. Funny thing is, it was meant to be a two year 'check it out' stint. You're supposed to hop from place to place in your twenties. I've been here 14 years now, which is the longest I've ever stayed in any one country. Not sure what that says about Singapore or myself.  

SS: What made you decide on filmmaking as a career, and also to decide on making a documentary as your first feature film?

AV: Two words: Austin, Texas. It’s a great film town, and I was studying just 30 miles north of it. At that time, many breakthrough filmmakers were coming out of that scene. Robert Rodriguez, Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, to name a few. Of course, I was the good Asian student studying Business, but the whole vibe got to me. My friends were excited about the dorm room in UT Austin where Michael Dell sold his first computers. Not me. I was ecstatic to drive by the facility where Rodriguez became a pharma lab rat to raise money for El Mariachi. Or to walk the streets on which Slacker was shot. I’ve always loved films, but suddenly I had the delusional idea that I could make them. 

As for the documentary thing, you can’t choose the ideas that really grab you. And sometimes timing is everything. When I began researching “Cowboys”, I was at a point in my life when I had to make a film - any film! I had gone too long telling myself I’d make a film one day. So I didn’t care that my first film was going to be a documentary. I cared about not waiting anymore.

SS: We chatted briefly after the special screening of the film, and you had recounted an interesting anecdote on how a young boy enlightened you on the existence of the Cowboys and their activities. Can you elaborate?

AV: Actually, I’d known about the Cowboys and similar phenomena elsewhere long before that. But they were just fun facts to me. Women travelling for sex? Guys making money off it? Big deal. Happy for all, but not enough to make a film about it.

Then I met this kid in Bali, all of twelve and eager to grow up and be of sexual service to Japanese women. Now there was a story. You’d never meet a girl making a similar confession, so eager over that career and at that age. Not in Bali, not in Baltimore. So what was it about the Cowboys that allowed them to keep their pride, to retain their dignity? Why were they heroes for this kid? It’s not just chauvinistic hypocrisy, although there’s a lot of that. I think it has to do with the way they carry themselves. You have to admire their confidence, their effortless charm.

Also, they’ve blurred the lines that might invite shame or discourage women from being with them. They do without the cold transactional elements, for example. A lot of people scoff at the need to distinguish between Cowboys and gigolos, but I see the distinction. It’s a very fine line, but it’s there. Yes, the Cowboys are the most visible face of Bali’s male sex trade, but they’re not sex workers. How’s that for a blurry line!

And of course, what the young boy did was to make me question the idea of paradise itself. Paradise for whom exactly? And for how long?

So, all these grey areas, all these questions without any clear answers. As a filmmaker, I couldn’t have asked for more.

SS: How much research did you have to do then, and how long did that take? Did it entail making multiple trips to Bali's Kuta Beach?

AV: I made one official ‘research’ trip back in 2007. Spent a month in Bali asking questions, following the six degrees rule to meet all sorts of people. I took one of those touristy cameras and recorded enough interviews and footage to make a short film. I needed to see if there was enough of a story there, if I could piece something together that resembled a decent narrative arc.

I even cut a trailer out of that footage and showed it around to see if the subject was captivating enough. And it was. I got an offer from an Australian production company to make the film as a one-hour TV program. But I always saw this as a feature, so I walked away from their offer. Yes, before you ask, there are many nights when I wonder if I did the right thing. To get commissioned as a first-time filmmaker is a big deal. But you have to go with your instincts.

So I continued my research and about a year after the original trip, I was back in Bali to shoot the film. That was for a month too, and I followed the same process. Sourcing stories on the ground, meeting people, recording the interviews as and when they came. Given the subject, research and production had to happen concurrently. You can’t track down Cowboys and schedule interviews weeks in advance.

I had my first cut of the film by late November 2008. But it didn’t feel right. I felt there were certain dimensions that needed to be added to the film. So I made another month-long trip in January ’09. Again, I didn’t know whom to interview, but I knew where the blanks in my film were, the kinds of stories I was after. So in a sense, it was now research, production and post-production happening concurrently.

All in all, it took me a little over two years to get the film to the online stage.

SS: By online stage you mean?

AV: The final stage of refinement before the final cut. A little trim here, placing in animation files there, and so on. In my case, it was also the phase where other collaborators stepped in. The colour grader, the sound engineer – basically experts to fix my flaws. Up to that point it was all me, so believe me, there were a lot of flaws.

SS: How big a crew did you have during the filming of Cowboys in Paradise, since you had to shoot this in Bali for weeks? 

AV: It was just me. And with only the equipment I could fit into a backpack. That helped the film because people are brutally honest when they’re talking to one guy with a camera. Throw in a sound guy or some lights and cables, and their guards go up. 

I did take a production assistant with me on one of the trips. But he wanted greater creative control and a financial stake in the film, so I sent him back after five days. Hey, I believe film is a collaborative effort and all, but you gotta keep your sense of entitlement in check. 

SS: Have you spoken to since, after the film was released?

AV: No reason to. When I got back from that particular shoot trip, I chased him for his invoice, paid him, and that was that. It’s a big world. We don’t need to work with each other. But I wish him the best.

SS: Was it difficult to get the Cowboys to speak to you on camera with regards to their activities? And was getting their female friends to speak up a near impossible task, since we only see less than a handful of females being interviewed for the film.

AV: Yes, of course. I’d go for days without a single interview. It’s part of the process, specially since I had chosen to research and find subjects on the ground. But I’d find ways to use the downtime. Transcribe the interviews I had, work on the narrative structure, or just go out and have fun. It was Bali after all!

Working with the Cowboys was surprisingly easy. Even the ones who refused to be filmed usually had no problem sharing their stories with me. Goes back to what makes them so charming. They have no reason to be ashamed and they know it. They’re proud of their ‘conquests’, of being desired by so many. They’re always game for a little kiss ‘n’ tell once they know you.

The women were a different matter. I’m actually happy with the number of women we have in the film. To me, the balance is perfect because it’s supposed to be a film from the boys’ point of view. But even those few were hard to come by. Thank God for European women. They’re a lot more open to talking about sex than their North American counterparts. Of course, that’s just been my experience.

SS: Cheeky question, were you at any time during the film production in Bali, mistaken for a Cowboy! After all you're probably almost always hanging around in their company!

AV: Never. But thanks for reminding me of my utter lack of sex appeal.

SS: No malice intended, Amit!! I read that there was some controversy from certain quarters who were obviously unhappy that their now loved ones were featured, or even from making a short appearance in your film as a "Cowboy". Could you share with us more on that, and were you surprised by such a huge reaction?

AV: Oh man. How much time do we have? I’ll try to be brief. 

A couple of guys in the film weren’t happy once the trailer came out. Or at least their friends and lovers weren’t. There were all kinds of false accusations hurled at us, but let’s talk about the main one: that the guys didn’t know what the film was about. Well, there’s more than enough in the film to prove they had to know. I mean, you’ve seen the film. Did it look like anyone was talking about ecotourism or the latest surfwear? One of the guys in question is even asked if he’s a Cowboy, and that’s in the trailer. So to now suggest that they or others in the group were misled is just plain ridiculous.

SS: Yes, I've seen the film, and it's clear they knew what subject matter they were discussing about on camera.

AV: Some of the stuff that ensued is easy to brush off. The colourful death threats, for example. Or the charge that the film was “media raping Bali.” That actually deserves props for inventive word play. But it got pretty ugly for a while. Their friends took over our Facebook page and flamed anyone who praised or expressed interest in the film. This included mocking a writer for 'Sight & Sound', and calling a festival programmer a whore! Or going through fans’ friends’ lists and sending personal messages to those who weren’t even on the page. Really vile stuff.

The great thing was that a lot of expats in Bali came to the film’s defense. Some pointed out that the consent was obvious even from the trailer. Others raised questions I’d been dying to ask all along: why were people assuming that the men are naive? The Cowboys may be many things, but they’re not stupid. No one can hoodwink them. Also, why was one woman bent on attacking the filmmaker, when she should be chiding her now-husband for agreeing to be in the film?

So yeah, I was surprised by it all. But also hurt and disappointed. I knew these guys for over two years. I regarded them as my friends but now they are causing others to call me a liar. I mean, let’s be clear. I don’t expect them to cheer for the film, specially since some of them are now in long-term relationships with western women, but they should have been honest with their pals and lovers. A lot of people who took up their cause are probably regretting it, in light of a clip we posted on YouTube that proves the guys knew what they were doing. So I reckon it’s not just me who feels betrayed.

And making an indie documentary is hard enough without having to defend yourself against false allegations.

SS: I hope that the vile things said have simmered down by now, and that with a wider release planned, more views and reviews will come out to provide a more balanced reaction? What are your current release plans for the film, as I note that the North American and European premieres are still to be announced?

AV: Well we’ve been approached by distributors in North America, so that’s encouraging. But that road would most certainly lead to TV and cutting the film down to a fifty-two-minute mini-me version. That’s the fate of most documentaries.

I have reservations about that. I’m not a pain-in-the-ass who thinks his film can’t be cut. And I totally understand where the distributors are coming from. They know how the market works better than I do. I just don’t see how I can chop half-an-hour off without robbing the film of a lot of crucial dimensions.

The good news is that it’s an exciting time in terms of technology, new distribution models and unprecedented access to audiences. And when the risk is all yours, you have room to be daring and take even bigger risks. So all I’ll say is: look out for an important release announcement closer to the summer.

SS: Can you share a bit more about your next feature, titled "The Rapists Wore Blue Hats". Is it going to be a documentary, or you're looking at a narrative feature?

AV: It’s a documentary. But I’m so behind in my research, there isn’t much I can tell you right now. I might even work on something else first, something I can wrap up more quickly.

SS: Being based in Singapore, how do you feel the Singapore film industry is evolving, and whether you'll turn your camera inwards to make a film here?

AV: There’s obviously a lot more activity with each passing year. More local films, more local filmmakers making inroads overseas, and more confidence among the younger generation. Would I make a film about a ‘Singaporean’ subject or issue? Sure, if I was convinced I was the right person for the job.

SS: Thanks Amit for your time!

Related Links
- My review of the film
- Official Website (with embedded trailer)
- Official Production Blog
- Facebook Page
- YouTube Channel for Trailer and Clips

Cop Out

Partners

If there's one thing about the buddy cop genre, it doesn't seem to not get made, and formula will dictate the stark differences in personality between the two cops, if not then there's always the differences in skin colour to fall back on. We all know the Lethal Weapon combination of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover and the havoc they wrecked at the box office in terms of receipts, and I'm a little surprised to see Kevin Smith's directorial effort here which piled on the stereotypes together with his signature character verbal barrage and fanboy homage to the action genre.

Bruce Willis stars as yet another cop in his film career, NYPD veteran Jimmy Monroe, who has perfected the good cop bad cop routine with his buddy of 9 years, Paul Hodges, played by Tracy Morgan with a mouth so loose you're quite unsure what will get spouted out next. The film opens with nary an introduction to the characters, and dives straight into action with an interrogation that Smith uses to play “Guess the action movie”, which of course set the tone that Paul is the film fan and unorthodox cop, while Jimmy the more serious, no nonsense counterpart. Expectations set.

Rob and Mark Cullen's story couldn't be more bland, but at least it didn't set out to be more than it can handle. Our dynamic duo starts off with a stakeout gone wrong which resulted in the demise of a protected informant, and despite the washout of a chase, take pleasure in busting the chops of fellow cops who are on a separate, related stakeout of a Mexican gang. Before you know it, our suspended cops soon find themselves hot on the heels and getting ahead of themselves when they have to work outside the system to fulfill their personal objectives. Who says personal and business don't mix?

And it is precisely this that brings on the laughs as things get really blown out of proportion. For Jimmy, he's after his own rare and valuable baseball card, which he had decided to finally sell off in order to get cash to fund his daughter's expensive wedding. He gets unceremoniously robbed, and the card is now in the hands of a memorabilia-obsessed gangster chief. And in Paul's case, it's the constant questioning of his wife's infidelity, until he himself gets tempted with a mob moll (Ana de la Reguera) when they had to dance with the devil and cut deals with the dark side.

Expect plenty of F-bombs and gun fights which our heroes are god-like with near invulnerability, in fueling the film's pace without breaking a sweat. Kevin Smith is in unchartered territory, but for his foray into a formulaic genre, he does prove that he has that flair in him to make it a cut above the norm, thanks also in part to the chemistry shared between Willis (who has a tendency to sleepwalk in such roles now) and Morgan (the eager beaver to go one up against peer roles such as those played by Chris Tucker). Stay until the end of the credits for a surprise scene.

The Book of Eli

One Man Against The World

You might be jaded already with a number of big budgeted science fiction films that are set after some apocalyptic disaster that wiped out most of humankind, and having the protagonist become some sole, lonely survivor up against others who have banded together for worse, and without law and order and faced with severely limited resources to survive, cannibalism in a wild wild west environment becomes the order of the day, with those having weapons commanding over those who don't, and a clean bed, warm food, women and clean water are precious, tradable commodities.

I assure you that The Book of Eli, despite what so many others have said, remain refreshing, with Denzel Washington in a charismatic starring role opposite Gary Oldman back to his villainous best, both being top draws in the film. Written by Gary Whitta who had fused key religious elements into science fiction, his effort triumphs against recent others such as Legion, and gets a better execution by the Hughes Brothers Albert and Allen who are sorely missed since their last film From Hell some 9 years ago, a film I enjoyed (despite the butchery here), bringing back their signature way of telling a tale through dark, brooding atmospheres. The first few minutes of the film which introduces Washington's Eli, is nothing short of brilliance relying solely on his enigmatic, silent presence, clearly surpassing that of Will Smith's turn in I Am Legend.

Washington's Eli is what carries the film, a man fixated in his sole mission for some 30 years already, doing so based on one word - faith and a vision and instruction given unto him. He's the modern day missionary, executing his god-given task without question, believing that he fulfills his calling with as little fuss as possible. He truly believes that he's being protected from harm, and of course that also meant through the use of a shotgun, pistol and one hack of a machete (pardon the pun and intentional misspelling), dispatching bandits like spreading butter on warm toast. As such he's indestructible almost, giving himself some reputation into a small town he wanders into, especially when he has in him a possession of the titular book that seems to hold the hope to mankind's salvation.

And Gary Oldman's Carnegie is the anti-thesis to Eli the messenger. For Carnegie, possession of the book is key for his power consolidation, because being able to influence the weak, the desperate and those in despair, would translate to loyal obedience. And in some ways this is quite true, in the way the power and influence religion has over the masses. In fact, Carnegie's explanation to Eli on the need for the book, is something which you'll find hard to dispute about, because even if one aspires to be a false prophet, one will require firstly the scriptures from which to twist from, since groping verses from the air just doesn't cut it even to the simple minded.

As seen in films like There Will Be Blood, false prophets are abound, and this is one of the stronger aspects of the film blatantly made so explicit. You cannot help but to think about the same concept in today's context, where one's perceived knowledge and ability would bring about tremendous power and followers because of the seeding of hope and salvation in one's mind, and top marks given if one can influentially enslave the mindsets of desperate others through faith, something which Eli also has problems trying to explain to his new follower of sorts, Solara (Mila Kunis).

For action junkies, you'll not be left out by the handful of battle sequences, where the hand to hand combat scenes have Washington showing off what he had learnt from a student of Bruce Lee, and reportedly doing so without the use of a stunt double. And if slicing and dicing opponents in close quarter combat is not your cup of team, there are also those which are laden with gun fights that just rip everything apart in their way, although I prefer the more elegant alternative of the use of the bow and arrows, with the Hughes Brothers knowing a thing or two about shooting proper action sequences that you can actually follow comfortably.

Testosterone-laden action aside, In some ways the film also touches upon the importance of culture, without which we're reduced to nothing but savages, knowledge being buried in books and encyclopedias that no longer exist save for those still in collective memory. The final act, together with its sucker punch makes it all the more satisfying and poignant even, giving you compelling reason to want to watch this a second time with that little bit of background knowledge to observe performance and nuances that had probably gone unnoticed. That said, there are still a minor loophole here and there, but as Eli puts it, it's accredited to nothing more than faith. Highly recommended!

[SFS Talkies] The Class (Entre Les Murs)

Us

The Class won the Cannes International Film Festival's Palme d'Or back in 2008, and it's not hard to see why. Although a film that's set against the backdrop of a school and featuring classroom dynamics between the teacher and his students, it's hardly anything close to the glossy Hollywood counterparts that we've also grown so familiar with, following formula such as having an inspiration teacher lead a downtrodden class, instilling confidence to go for their dreams, and everyone graduating with flying colours with the rogue of the class having turned over a new leaf, and so on. Instead, this class poses a lot of questions with no answers on the horizon, a snapshot of a full school year, and of the issues that society as a whole is currently facing.

It's documentary-like in treatment, having the camera follow proceedings very closely, starting with the beginning of the year where teachers meet up to welcome the rookie instructors, exchange notes on problematic students, and the likes, before we follow Francois Marin (Francois Begaudeau, a real life teacher whose book is what this film is based upon), a French language teacher, and one of his classes, which of course consisted of a myriad of personalities and race as well, becoming a micro-chasm of current society we live in. In some ways it's a mirror, with issues discussed intensely amplified, especially when we extrapolate the diverse groups that the students represent, from new immigrants, to those who have been assimilated into society, but yet still feeling the kind of identity crisis, which can be thought of as the usual teenage angst that on a bigger picture, represent a much larger social issue out there to be addressed with no clear and easy solutions.

There are numerous episodes that we maneuver through, some pleasant, others not so. If anything, it provides that insight to the educational system of another country, which may raise some eyebrows when compared to ours, such as having all your teachers sit around to decide your fate on the report card through a comprehensive, candid discussion, and having 2 of the student class reps sit in to listen in on the proceedings, and then providing a back channel feedback to the student. I suppose this is to prevent abuse of the system, since condemnation by one teacher could possibly be balanced with another's so that victimization is kept in check, with witnesses coming not only from the teaching fraternity, but from the students as well.

And since we know teachers can err, and tempers flare if there's a consistent disciplinary problem that they are at their wits end at dealing with, there's an episode here which really struck me, and more so since it's more of a human nature issue. Sometimes we do or say the things we're sorry about, and because of pride and fear of the repercussions, there's this innate reaction to immediately cover up one's tracks, despite having witnesses around. Words get twisted as we struggle through debunking everyone and to insist that we're misunderstood, and to deny everything vehemently. It's easy to shoot one's mouth off during the heat of the moment, and it's another when reported as is and then trying to spin doctor it. Politicians know and play this kind of game best.

The other significant subplot in the film will be that of the class troublemaker Souleymane (I keep hearing Saruman, one of the villains from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings). A loner who basks himself in loud clothes and a louder mouth, his is the typical story of the guy who sits at the back of the class, ever eager to disrupt lessons, and having a tough guy demeanour to signal others not to mess with him.

As a film, I'd admit this can get quite dry in the beginning, especially when discussions get launched and we become mere spectators to debates which can drag, some topics and barbs being interesting to follow, while others just turn you off, especially when it becomes nothing more than mudslinging. But The Class builds on momentum, going by the adage to save the best for last, yet finishing off as a matter of fact, that the events that transpired, from the start of the school term, signature school events like grading, meet the parents session etc right through to the close of the semester, are nothing but of a cyclic nature, with issues still present that go unaddressed by the time the film ends. That said, The Class is still a fascinating gaze into the French education system, as delivered by real life teachers and students through the carefully crafted roles that they play and represent.

Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler (Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji / カイジ / カイジ 人生逆転ゲーム)

Reading Minds

This was one of the films that I had to give up on during last year's trip to the Tokyo International Film Festival, not that I thought it was no good – the casting reunion of those from the Death Note films is reason enough to flock to this – but because I had got some faith that it'll make it to Singapore because it should have some appeal given the success of Death Note here, and manga to film adaptations have usually done fairly well. So it made it to our shores, and while I was expecting some serious gambling utilizing the rule book from casino card games, Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler just lives up to its title, where the stakes are deadly, usually that of life or lifestyle.

However, the strength of the film is how it metaphorically paints the picture of society with that rich-poor divide, between the elite class and those who are perpetual losers, being dealt the shortest end of the stick in life. It's easy to be on one side of the fence and accuse the other of being stupid, lazy and not worthy of their lot, but put it this way, who doesn't want to be able to live a financially free life with nary a material care since it's all taken care of. One thing in life that's constant, besides change, is that life is never fair, and usually being somebody, or knowing somebody else, may open some doors for you, making it a tad easier to get to one's objectives. The playing field is rarely even, and only made worse if one group decides to exploit the other.

Tatsuya Fujiwara plays the titular role Kaiji, a down and out young adult who's living his life without much aim, being painted an illusion by Endo (Yuki Amami) who had conned him into boarding a ship, on the hopes that by playing a game onboard would change his debt-ridden life as it is. It's a life-changing experience alright, one that Kaiji soon finds himself stuck in, being held against his wishes but on a principle that he made, and then sucked into an underground social system which is aimed squarely at how we, the workers, get bordered into a routine of work-rest-eat-drink, and a financial system that's basically out to regain every penny of reward given for honest work, and that's in the form of induced consumerism.

And that's how I suppose the rich and powerful can keep a stranglehold on the common folk, keeping them in despair until they resign to their "fate" that there's no way out of the vicious circle, and to conform and continue in their routine so as to fuel the economy. With each revelation comes Kaiji's resolve to get out of the system, only to find more obstacles in his way, becoming mere pawns of entertainment to the idle rich folks, one of whom is the chairman of a powerful conglomerate known as "Teiai" (or Love Emperor, played by Kei Sato).

The key entertaining moments in the film are of course the death-defying situations the gamblers are put through, and it turns out more to be like problem-solving coupled with going up against stacked odds. Fans of Kenichi Matsuyama will also be pleased that their idol had gotten a supporting role here looking quite rugged with his unshaven look, and instead of being at loggerheads with Fujiwara's Kaiji, it's a welcome change to see the two actors in roles that require support from each other. Teruyuki Kagawa (of Tokyo Sonata) also shines as the main over-confident villain in the film, whose bright idea it was to capture idling youths and to put them to work as slaves for Teiai, only to find himself setting up an adversary in Kaiji, adding to his reputation of not being well-liked.

Since it's adapted from the manga, the three key gambling moments were drawn from the books, although they come with minor tweaks to allow for a cinematic interpretation. Amongst the three games of Restricted Rock Paper Scissors, Human Derby and E-Card, which is an interesting game of chance involving Citizen, Emperor and Slave cards, director Toya Sato (who also helmed Gokusen the Movie) should be given credit for crafting the games and heightening tensions in an order of a crescendo befitting of a grand hurrah, striking a balance between the need to entertain, and to tickle that mind of yours in a battle of wits. There's a certain formula employed as well, with everything explained toward the end in a series of flashbacks, so yeah, the answers will be given after you exercised that noodle a little.

In some ways, the games were played in a fashion similar to how Jigsaw designed his. With the latter, the games serve as a lesson to those who had lived the good life, to teach them to be contented with their lot and not take life for granted. With this, it's in a way to break the barrier of zero confidence amongst those who are deemed losers in life, giving them monetary incentives to participate in death-defying games, in order to make them realize that through hard work and surpassing what is deemed impossible, will the survivors know that reward only comes from performance. Sounds a little like our workfare scheme, minus the death elements.

Like any manga inspired or movie adapted from graphic novels, the film barely scratched the surface of its rich origin material. As such, do keep your eyes peeled for a sequel currently scheduled for a 2011 debut. Expect more death-defying games, battle of wits, and a caution to those who are too smart for their own good, and if those elements in a film are your cup of tea then you shouldn't miss this!

Green Zone

Bourne Again

The final scene of the film has the camera pan up to a desert landscape with an oil refinery, suggesting that the real reason for the US led invasion of Iraq back in 2003, was not just solely because Saddam Hussein had to be ousted, but in a way to secure the supply of a vital resource that currently fuels the world's economy. Conspiracy theorists had their field day when the world got sold on the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in Iraq, and I too was one of those who had stayed up late to witness then US Secretary of State Colin Powell deliver those damning evidence, only to receive that embarrassing slap on the face when it turned out to be one elaborate hoax.

Wherefore art thou WMD? becomes the premise of Green Zone, upon which a political thriller cum action film got fused together in Paul Greengrass' signature technique of documentary-styled, shaky camera-work to elicit a sense of voyeuristic reality, and to bring us back to four weeks into the Shock and Awe campaign of 2003, with the US army frantically searching for WMDs to prove to a jittery world that the decision to invade was the right call. Written by Brian Helgeland (who wrote screenplays for films like Payback, Man on Fire and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3), his story as inspired by Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone") again crafts a never-say-die alpha male in Chief Warrant Officer Miller, played by Matt Damon who has shed those kilos from The Informant, who with his platoon, is getting increasing frustrated by the quality of intel that led them on missions to locate WMDs, only to become wild geese on a chase around the desert land.

And it is his quest for the truth that we see him question his superiors, and decide to break ranks to do a little investigative legwork of his own with a few good loyal men, only to discover the deep divisions within whom he thought were the good guys who had put country before self. With each faction from the various agencies such as DoD's Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear) and CIA's veteran Middle East analyst Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson), all displaying multiple levels of incompetence, their innate nature of covering up their dirty deeds, and all too eager to gain one up against the other, no wonder everyone just can't seem to get their act together, and we are where we are today. Even the press doesn't seem to be too independent this time round, suggesting that reporters make strange bedfellows with men in monkey suits.

I had enjoyed how Helgeland weaves in plenty of real life parallels into the story, such as the puppet leader "chosen" by the West for his willingness to comply rather than a leader from within, and in some ways, to showcase an admission into the kind of logistical screw ups and political missteps that had taken place in Iraq, only because their aftermath to the invasion drew up a blank in rebuilding plans, exposing a strategy that is sorely lacking in being well thought through. And as a jibe to how the US has turned soft and lacking in moral authority, there's a scene that stood right out, that amidst the extreme chaos of a military operation and death, comes the kind of decadence from within the established safe havens of Baghdad, making you wonder if you've stumbled upon Beverly Hills instead.

The marketing folks have blared their trumpets at the collaborative return of Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon, who together have breathed life into the Bourne franchise, and while they had debunked the rumours of another Bourne outing, Green Zone reunites the two in delivering yet another edge of your seat political thriller, with an action component featuring the kind of military hardware that would make Michael Bay envious, from Humvees to Black Hawks, showcasing drool-worthy technology and plenty of FIBUA fighting done Greengrass style that it really does seem that you're put right smack within the heat of the action like a planted journalist, up too close to where the action is.

But despite all the military bravado, the other merit I'd see in the film is the portrayal of the character Freddy (Khalid Abdalla), an ordinary Iraqi whose limp is testament that he had served his country in the Iraq-Iran war. Being unwittingly caught up in the action and given the job as the de facto translator, his purpose in the film is none other than to say "Yankees Go Home" at every opportunity, since the soldiers are unwelcome, and their presence serve little purpose other than to introduce chaos unseen outside of the Zone. Perhaps Freddy has the best line of all in the film, a reminder not to meddle needlessly into the affairs of another sovereign country.

In the end, Green Zone comes off as a curious reminder that war is justifiable only for a proper and just reason, since it inevitably involves casualties, especially civilian ones. But as already seen from history, rationales can be swayed by power presentations, heartfelt persuasions, and the simple belief that one is doing the right thing for the greater good, which comes with collateral damage. This film serves as the perfect balance in being thought-provoking, and one for the military action fan. Recommended!

Kidnapper (绑匪)

Money, Why Do You Like Rich People?

In his previous effort, director Kelvin Tong had gone to Hong Kong to make Rule #1, filming in the city and having Hong Kong actors Ekin Cheng and Shawn Yue in lead roles. With the Kidnapper, this film marks a first collaboration in the suspense thriller genre between his Boku Films, Scorpio East Pictures, and Malaysia's RAM Pictures and PMP Entertainment. As for leading roles, well we have Malaysia-born stars Christopher Lee, Jack Lim and Phyllis Quek put their best foot forward in what would be a taut thriller that had flashes of brilliance, if not bogged down by seemingly obvious plot loopholes.

Which at first I had felt that they had spoilt the show, until it dawned upon me that perhaps some of these moments had worked in the film's favour, in highlighting how apathetic a society we can be and have become. For instance, not too long ago, an ambulance driver was bring physically bullied, and a crowd had gathered not to lend assistance or to calm things down, but to gawk and record the incident on mobile devices.

Similarly in this film, bystanders just gawk (OK, so they may be members of the public who had found it amusing to stumble onto a film shoot) and not lend any assistance when they realize that a man is dragging a child along, one who fits the description over the public announcement speakers about a missing child, and in another scene, a man is seen grabbing a child out of the Singapore Flyer cabin, with everyone wondering why the "parent" is stark raving mad from both within and outside of the cabin. I fear we've really turned into a nation of gawkers, and it's a real shame if we were to lack moral courage to do what's right, or to intervene when the situation calls for it.

So the dilemma here is obviously not just wondering how one can beg, borrow or steal one million dollars in under 36 hours (being born with a silver spoon in the mouth doesn't count) as a ransom payout, although having that HDB flat as an "asset" does help (only to find oneself homeless) but rather how one can get fellow countryman to mobilize and rally around you for support when you get beaten down or bullied. But of course that's not to discount other seemingly coincidental episodes and those that defied some form of logic, such as A&E processes in hospitals that ends with no questions asked.

In any case, the gist of the story centres around the father-son single parent family of Ah Huat (Christopher Lee) and his son Lim Wei Xiang (Jerald Tan), who share close knit ties despite their penchant for a life of convenience, as seen in their diet of choice (which makes for creative product placement too). Being a cab driver (also an opportunity for product placement), Ah Huat doesn't make much to feed both himself and his son, but they're happy with their lot and share a peculiar hobby of betting through the taxi meter. Wei Xiang gets kidnapped one day due to the classic case of mistaken identity through association (steer clear of rich kids!) and thus begins a wild goose chase of a table-turning, one-upmanship between all the players involved. Going to the cops to report this capital offense (in the Singapore context) also gets written out, as Ah Huat has a looming custody battle which will do him no favours if it's known his son had disappeared while under his care.

While Kelvin Tong shares writing credits with Ken Kwek (The Blue Mansion) with Mandarin dialogue by Danny Yeo (almost like a Bollywood film where dialogues get written by someone else), you still see plenty of Tong's signature all over the film, such as his relish for blood, gore and "shock" tactics. Scenes such as torture through water dunking, getting copious amounts of blood splattered everywhere, and some slickly done quick cuts and editing from his horror film experience, somehow gets your adrenaline all pumped up as you root for the victimized dad to come out of his ordeal good, coupled with some very arty, carefully crafted cinematographic shots seldom seen in rare action films that come out from our shores.

And credit too has to go toward Christopher Lee as Ah Huat, the cab driver pushed into the corner of desperation, grappling with his humanity when faced with obvious tit-for-tat action when given an opportunity to inflict the same level of pain against his transgressors. Lee has so far only two cinematic outings (The Best Bet, and The Wedding Game with now wife Fann Wong) despite his leading man status at Caldecott Hill, and I suppose with every film outing, he's raring to showcase what he can deliver. The unkept goatee he keeps almost throughout the film hides his handsome features so as to bring out a more rugged demeanour of a man obsessed with his mission to save his son, who's willing to sacrifice everything to raise an impossible amount, being looked down upon by institutions and driven to wits end.

But of course one cannot help but to chuckle at how reel followed real, as Christopher Lee himself has had brushes with the law some years back for drunk driving and other traffic offences, which range in the movie from driving while using his mobile phone, and being made to take a breathalyzer test. He's served his time already and his stardom has not diminished if going by the popularity polls.

Jack Lim isn't new to Singapore audiences, having been in the films of Jack Neo (who's now feeling the heat of the recent scandalous revelation of his infidelity) such as Ah Long Pte Ltd and Love Matters. Here Jack (Lim that is) ditches his funny man persona to play Ah Hu (Tiger), a convict recently set free, and wants to extort money from the rich Sng family, hence his single-minded plot to kidnap the Sng young master, only to discover his botched attempt, yet adamant in wanting to extort the same amount from a taxi driver. Ah Hu's not too bright actually despite his elaborate concoction of a plan to just grab a bagful of cash, and lacks any depth to either make us feel for his predicament (no convincing background as to why he's doing the things he's doing) or lacking that menacing factor that would have made his character a real villainous force to be reckoned with.

Phyllis Quek turns out to be a disappointment and I didn't really enjoy the way her character fit into the scheme of things, her acting (probably deliberate) being none too subtle, and a dead giveaway when she first appears on screen. Her function is to add some pizzazz to the plot which is told in three broad acts complete with the dalliance of role reversals or parallels and power play, which thankfully shifted up a notch in the second half of the film, especially when an emotional connection between parents and their children get made, which innately means a drive to protect their young ones no matter the cost. We get the idea, but execution could have come with a little bit of finesse.

Kidnapper as a taut thriller it is not, but as the rare action, suspense thriller, Kelvin Tong does point the way forward that we don't always necessary need big bang explosions in order to do something smaller, yet packing quite the emotional punch. All that's needed is a concept idea (here being how one can raise money urgently against time constraints - it's not easy) and plenty of creativity and flair in developing that into a feature narrative. It's not destined to be a classic, but hey, it was rather fun while it lasted.

Oh yeah, for those who need numbers for this weekend's 4D draw, you can try any of these from the show - Ah Hu's van 3749, and Ah Huat's cabs 2095 and 1195. Good luck!