The Bounty Hunter

Who's The Hunter Now?

It looks like a lot of fun where Gerard Butler's titular bounty hunter Milo gets to seek out his ex-wife Nicole (Jennifer Aniston) and bring her to the lockup for jumping bail. But that quest is soon over before it started, and what we get is a whole different, and needless focus on some very flimsy corruption case involving the boys in blue, and a whole chunk of reflective, relationship issues to qualify this as a romantic comedy. Somehow the two leads lacked a certain x-factor in their pairing together, making this film a little bit of a flatliner to witness just how they try hard to work off each other's energy, and unfortunately falling flat at each attempt.

And I can't help but to take note that both Butler and Aniston hardly change their clothes too in this cat-versus-mouse pursuit, where absence starts to make the heart grow fonder, and just how we unwittingly torpedo a relationship that's filled with potential for everlasting bliss (if there's such a term to begin with in the first place), but no thanks to the weak plot and uninteresting side-show, needless characters, what's more memorable in this bounty hunt, is the amount of time wasted as it plods along close to two hours to have its narrative resolved.

You can read my review of The Bounty Hunter at movieXclusive.com by clicking on the logo below.

[Hong Kong Film Festival] McDull, Kung Fu Kindergarten

Tai Chi Panda!

The Hong Kong Film Festival had drawn a line across the audience spectrum to ensure offerings that appeal to a large demographic, so this marks the first time I had watched a McDull film on the big screen, in its original Cantonese language track. While not as slick as animated movies done in the West, McDull (voiced by Kwok Kwan Yin) contains plenty of crowd pleasing moments, especially when McDull turns on its charm and never say die attitude, or allowed his silly innocence to take over, both of which endear this animated work and counts for its popularity.

For those unfamiliar with this popular Hong Kong pig, don't fret as the opening minutes of his fourth cinematic outing devote adequate time to bring you up to speed with just who this pig is, plus his friends and family, at the same time expanding its mythos with some never seen or heard before revelation, like how a botched attempt in baby development had caused McDull to be rather slow and dim. There's also a separate narrative thread telling us the story of his inventive ancestor McZi, which from the beginning set the tone for this hilarious tale.

The main story though tells of Mrs Mc (Sandra Ng) who brings her son McDull to China to search for better fortunes, and it is this mother-son relationship that will tug at your heartstrings, where each feel for, and sacrifice for each other. Mrs Mc, in order to find employment and to allow her son to gain some skills to avoid being bullied, enrolls him at the Wu Dang martial arts school, which I thought was a nice nod to the highly popular Kung Fu Panda film, with veiled references to a tortoise master from long ago, as well as the obvious setting of various animals going under the tutelage of the Master (Anthony Wong) and surprise, a Brother Panda character too!

It's been some time since I cracked up at toilet jokes, and McDull made me laugh uncontrollably with his antics. In some ways it's like watching Forrest Gump, only that he's represented here by a pig, though sharing the same zeal and zest for life with its never say die attitude, soothed always by comfort food. In some ways the themes here are similar to that from Gallants, so no prizes in guessing why I dig this film as much too, and given its cute looking characters, I understand now why this piglet has such a strong following, and has soaring popularity. I look forward to future installments, and will be looking back for past episodes!

[Hong Kong Film Festival] KJ: Music and Life

My Music My Life

The first time I learnt about this film, was through its promotional flyer at Tokyo International Film Festival, but somehow back then, orchestra music didn't appeal, though I know that this documentary has gained some traction in recent months. In addition, my interest in watching classical music performed by orchestras got piqued thanks to films such as Nodame Cantabile and The Concert, and what more when a friend had accidentally bought tickets for me already, that I didn't have much of an option but to sit through this one.

KJ: Music and Life documents over a period of 6 to 7 years, the life of and introduces us to Wong Ka Jeng (hence KJ), a musical prodigy who by the age of 7 had picked up music, and got coached by his dad as well as a certain Miss Nancy Loo, to international acclaim, having been invited to perform at European events, and trusted enough in his teens to be helming the musical co-curricular activity for a school. Directed by Cheung King-wai, he splits the narrative into two halves, one where KJ is still a kid, and the other contemporary timeline where he's a teenager already.

Filled with enough talking head segments, we slowly learn KJ's philosophy behind his music, that it must be something worthwhile doing, and never be felt like a chore but something which he hoped to inspire others to lead a more fulfilling life. In some ways, that echoes his own sentiments of wanting a life filled and led by humanity, but just what and why this is so, remained to be revealed only in the film's finale, which honestly lifted this film from its rather straightforward plateau of what you would normally expect from a biography.

What I thought director Cheung did in peculiar terms, was the fact that we're never really introduced to KJ properly, and neither are the clueless aware of his accomplishments. After all, why make a film about someone if he/she doesn't stand out and is just one of the many musicians or prodigies even, out there? We're neither given timeline, nor a proper wrap up as to how much more has the narrative progressed after the last frame. We get glimpses of how talented he is when we witness him play the piano as a kid, and in his teens, and being equally adapt at using the violin. Then there's this whole issue about him conducting a bunch of schoolkids, which reinforces his musical abilities to an entirely different level in coordinating people to deliver their very best in an ensemble.

I felt he is a likeable chap, though some may disagree based on how comfortable one is with the display of self-confidence that he shows. I guess when you're a genius you're accorded some leeway in eccentricities, and there were some moments where even religion got a little jab at, though it wasn't pushing it a lot further than stating his disbelief in the power of prayer, other than to unite the performers, since confidence comes from an individual's self-belief. I'm sure he has a lot of successes under his belt, and while those in the loop / industry will know of his presence and what he stands for (just like how a female fan recognized him after a performance), some of the transition scenes could have been used to insert some factual intertitles that may help us appreciate the person a lot more.

Still, the film paints a fairly positive portrait of KJ, and then the real narrative that got contained under wraps, provided that final emotional push that felt a little too late, though it did just enough, for the first time for an audience probably, to identify and connect with a prodigy, that even he can feel emotional betrayal that called for drastic action to be taken, and thanks to the crafting of the story at this juncture, made everything else after a little poignant. It may be a bit disturbing to hear him talk about deliberate death, but you may just agree with his beliefs about doing things one's passionate about, rather than to embark on something without putting your heart and soul in.

I think it'll be a thrill one of these days, to be in Hong Kong and actually listen to him play, or conduct a musical storm with an orchestra.

Ju-on: White Ghost & Black Ghost ( Ju-on: Shiroi Rôjo & Kuroi Shôjo)

Sneak A Peek!

I suppose it makes logical sense for the distributors here to combine both Ju-on: White Ghost and Black Ghost stories in 1 screening. After all, each is only 1 hour long, and narratively are somehow intertwined together quite loosely, with their production marking 10 years since Ju-on's cinematic premiere. Helmed by two different directors, we're given two direct-to-video productions, each with its own flavour and separate storyline dealing with the Ju-On Grudge curse, and frankly, with its limited production budget and consistent elements, it's pretty amazing to see how the franchise has longevity potential, if done correctly with each film adding on something a little extra to its mythos.

For those unfamiliar with the Ju-on mythos (like me), fret not, as the films are self-contained, so prior in-depth knowledge is not required to enjoy what's essentially one of the longer enduring J-horror franchises out there, which has been remade by Hollywood as always. For both tales, the storylines were done in non-linear fashion, which is supposed to make you work at piecing together its chronology, with an increased challenge in White Ghost being two separate timelines you have to make mental notes of.

Then there's the episodic cliffhanger that trails off each segment. On its own, the episodes within White Ghost and Black Ghost can be extremely short stories of their own, since each contains its own dedicated shock-scare moments, though White Ghost seemed to enjoy making it look so cheesy with its atmospheric jump scares, sudden appearances and the likes, and I admit it did get to me, especially with that old ugly woman with a penchant for holding onto a basketball (yes, all will be explained in due course) seem to have a fetish for charging towards her victim / screen.

Personally, between the two, I'd prefer White Ghost to Black Ghost, mainly because of the storyline which was more engaging and kept within its limits, save for a tangent in White Ghost for AV star Mihiro to appear in a needless scene that had most of her screentime being butchered for a screening here (no, my friend who has met her before, says there's nothing sexy about that segment, more of a violent treatment which was rather tame that the censors frowned upon). For Black Ghost, it went off into the hokeyness of a Japanese medium of sorts, probably to show off some snazzy looking CG-ed belly, and a tale that's less engaging.

For what it's worth, these stories did enough to pique my interest in the original Ju-on mythos, and I just might pick them up on DVD just to see how those got executed. For starters though, I have to get used to how "The Grudge" can be used as a plot device for ghouls to get created / passed on, as I felt White Ghost had it quite nailed down, and Black Ghost didn't exactly do a great job on that concept.

[Blog Aloud] Crossing Hennessy / 月满轩尼诗

RtoL: Richard, Ivy Ho, Me and Tang Wei!

I had watched this film earlier this year during its World Premiere at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and frankly I did a facepalm when I heard that there will be a Hong Kong Film Festival back in Singapore, with this film being the opening one as well. Then there was a decision made for the Mandarin language version to be screened here instead, so I thought it will make a good opportunity to compare the two versions. And yes, as I had mentioned in my review, there were the expected nuances, flavour and the wit in its jokes that got lost in translation. But going by the full house response, as well as the almost full house for the other shows, perhaps it is time to give Hong Kong films the respect they deserve, starting with screenings in its original language track. We're not going to be conversing en masse in Cantonese after watching Hong Kong movies, you know?

Ivy Ho and Her Cast @ HKIFF

You can read my review of Crossing Hennessy / 月满轩尼诗 here, some pictures and videos of the opening ceremony of this year's HKIFF where Crossing Hennessy was one of two opening films, and my stumbling upon Ivy Ho and Tang Wei after the world premiere screening at the exact Cha Chan Teng where the film was shot.

Included here are the videos covering the entire proceedings from this evening's Blog Aloud session, and you can tune in to what Ivy Ho has to share about how Tang Wei got selected for the role, recount her challenges in shooting the film as well as her thoughts about the current state of affairs in the Hong Kong film industry!


Part 1 of 3


Part 2 of 3


Part 3 of 3

Crossing Hennessy will open 15 April in Singapore!

For those interested in more of Ivy Ho's works, there's her directorial debut Claustrophobia / 親密 which made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2008. It's available now on DVD (though the local version has only the Mandarin track available, while the Hong Kong one comes in both Mandarin and its original Cantonese language tracks). You can read my review here, and follow the Tokyo press conference here.

Date Night

No This is Not Phone-a-Date!

I wonder how many married couples out there can attest to their lifestyle being nothing but revolving around work, family and especially kids, with the latter just sapping whatever free time they have in their waking hours, only to find themselves stuck in a wash-rinse-repeat cycle. The film examines in a comical fashion of course, the lifestyle of the typical family with working parents and young children, and how there isn't anything known as personal time, and having routine becoming the rot in their lives.

For the Fosters Phil (Steve Carell) and Claire (Tina Fey), such is their married life, with spontaneity and energy being sucked so dry, even their regular date nights seem like a chore. You know, that precious night where you think you can paint the town red with a babysitter looking after the kids, and the sad thing being that even that can turn out to be lifeless, save for their favourite game played during dinner, where they adlib what they think about other diners around them.

Which is pretty cool, given that the two comedians, as the blooper reel played during the end credits showed, hammed it up a lot with awesome ad-libbing and improvisation, that never fail to bring on the laughter. In fact, opportunities where they are cut loose and allowed to go really crazy, are some of the best parts of the film, breathing comedic life into a very simple story of how their, well, little white lie in order to get a table at a swanky restaurant, would turn their date night upside down into a crazy urban adventure, filled with thugs, cops, and well, a beefy Mark Wahlberg.

If I had a physique similar to Wahlberg's security expert Holbrooke, heck I'll strut around topless as well all the time, which serves as a running joke about Man's insecurities about the pectorals and abs of another. One of the nicer themes here involves how couples, beside spending time together, have to emotionally connect and be honest and upfront about their desires, and especially fears as well. In between pursuits and comedy, director Shawn Levy pauses the pace appropriately to inject some dramatic elements to sneak in a moment or two to examine just that, before stepping on the pedal to floor the film to its finale.

Like I mentioned, it's otherwise a very straightforward film that doesn't try to be more than it can be, keeping things simple and to the point, with great cameo appearances with the likes of Will.I.Am, Mark Ruffalo, James Franco and Mila Kunis being those instantly recognizable. Carell and Fey share an excellent chemistry and play off each other's antics really well from wit to the timing of their physical comedy, and you'll find yourself rooting for this average, normal couple, to be going one up against their adversaries in a single nighttime adventure, since all they want is to get out of their predicament, and back to their home and children like all parents do.

Stay until the end of the credits if you didn't have enough of the restaurant scene where Carell and Fey pose as arrogant Euro-trash, for additional laughs.

Shutter Island

Duly Appointed Federal Marshals

It's easy to get all riled up over the latest Martin Scorsese film starring his recent favourite actor of choice, Leonardo DiCaprio. After all, the destination is something of a big wool pulled over your eye, but as the saying goes, it's never the destination but the journey itself, and Scorsese pulls off a mighty fine psychological thriller whose horrific elements aren't what we get from the trailer with its chop-socky boo-moments, but were a lot more cerebral, tying in very closely with the entire feel of the film.

In some ways, Scorsese helmed this film to Hitchcockian proportions, and constructed a tight mystery thriller which to my surprise, still had a lot going despite one knowing how it would end, either being a reader of the novel by Dennis Lehane (which I am not), or through the many clues that simply pepper the film from start to finish. There were some jarring moments which I thought pared down to bad editing by Thelma Schoonmaker, or wondered if Scorsese was being very slipshod in bridging cut scenes or continuity laced with perturbing errors, but all these were played out for a reason, and by the time the final reel unspools, the dust will settle.

Which I felt was perfect in getting you under the skin of DiCaprio's Teddy Daniels, a US Federal Marshal assigned to the titular Shutter Island which houses a mental institution for the criminally insane, because one of the inmates, or patients as Chief Psychiatrist Dr Cawley (Ben Kingsley) insists they are called, have simply vanished through the walls, and a search has been deemed futile. Together with new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), the federal marshals soon stumble upon an uncooperative lot in the facility, coupled with the usual crazies who play on your mind with their various testimonies.

And to make it a wee bit complex, there's a brewing hurricane that prevents our cops from leaving, Teddy's visions of his dead wife coming back to haunt him, and a growing conspiracy that involves inhumane experiments that those in power allow to happen clandestinely to be performed for the advancement of neuroscience, and to create almost zombie-like perfect killers/soldiers ala The Manchurian Candidate. As mentioned, the narrative sucks you in and keeps you engaged, though some parts because they can get repetitive (remember, it's all for a reason), may hang you out to dry if you're not paying close attention.

DiCaprio has grown from strength to strength as an actor, and frankly, he almost single-handedly made this film work. Without his charismatic presence and fine performance, many elements presented in Shutter Island may not be pulled off successfully, since it relied heavily on the actor playing Teddy Daniels to really show a vast range of ability, and more importantly, to make you feel for him totally in his predicament to dig deep and discover just what hanky-panky is going on in the island, while haunted by many ghosts from the past. There were some physical scenes which were obvious a stuntman had taken over, but no substitutes can be used for his dramatic moments of course.

The supporting cast also put up a commanding performance, from Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo, to Max con Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley. Talk about a star-studded casting against a very gritty and scary backdrop, boosted by very nifty special effects when the narrative calls for it. And for those who prefer their horror in old fashioned terms, there are, in my opinion, eerie images enough to shock and make your goosebumps stand, thanks to anticipation being build, plus the actual deliverables that gave me the creeps.

So climb onboard the ferry to Shutter Island, and allow the latest Martin Scorsese-Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle to bring you on a slow brewing mystery ride that straddles the fine line between fantasy and reality, complete with plenty of discussions on the mind and sanity check. Incidentally, the next DiCaprio film out later this Summer, also deals with the cerebral, and helmed by Christopher Nolan. Now that is something I want to see, but in the meantime, an excursion to Shutter Island is recommended.

Future X-Cops (未来警察 / Mei Loi Ging Chaat)

Wonder What We're Doing in a Junk Like This

For a film that's set in the future, the technique employed by Wong Jing to tell a story seemed rooted in the past, with an incredibly dated feel despite some gaudy looking special effects and CGI background that made it look more tacky than sophisticated. He will not like me saying that his film is rubbish, and has already fired his salvo back at those who say it is, so I'll instead say that this film lacked depth, and if put side by side with his rich filmography, then it should rank somewhere at the bottom.

It's very surprising then to find a list of notable stars all willing to sign on the dotted line and be associate with the film. I guess having to pay the bills do take its toil, and one wonders if Andy Lau really needed such a film to boost his coffers. After all, rumours were abound that there were numerous rewrites before being satisfied with it, and it's bad for the heart to imagine just how ridiculous the first draft might have been. Then there's Xu Jiao, the kid from Stephen Chow's CJ7 in her follow up film, also a science fiction fantasy one, and Taiwanese Big S / Barbie Hsu as well, with cameos by Fan Siu-Wong and Fan Bing Bing, that one hopes their next film would erase all memory of this nightmare.

For starters, the film tried too hard to recreate a futuristic landscape, so much so that everything looked extremely rote, sterile and repetitive, and goes to show just how much the East has to catch up with the West in terms of an effects-laden picture. Andy Lau plays Andy, a Judge Dredd knockoff sans muscles and attitude, and learns of the ploy by a gang of cyborgs who intend to utilize a time machine to go back in time and kill off a prominent professor responsible for everyone's good life because of the cheap harnessing of solar energy. So in Terminator proportions but with their clothes on, the fight goes back to the past, with Andy bringing his daughter along for the ride, though unknowing to her that he had undergone some Iron-Man transformation permanently.

You'll find plenty of subplots and story elements being copied from about 10000 movies, from Iron Man, Terminator, Cyborg She, and Spiderman 2 even, all mashed and strung together through primarily action based sequences which are designed in such a juvenile manner, it's laughable and can only appeal to 5 year olds. The big action sequence set in a theme park was so done in such a knock off manner with plenty of wire stunts that it was simply ridiculous to have wasted celluloid capturing it. Other big fight sequences also looked like they were directed off lessons from B-grade 80s films, and are pure antidotes for insomnia. Ching Siu Tung did the action choreography, and I wonder how much heart when into designing its the many fisticuffs here, with CG instead of adding to the intensity, becoming such a liability.

Other than the action, the romance here between Lau and Hsu reeked and was totally unbelievable, with romantic subplots of other characters being even worse. Loose ends such as the primary mission also got sidetracked and was resolved as a matter of convenience, and bad acting peppered the film, which I don't think was deliberate, but more of an expression of exasperation to get this film and their roles over and done with.

I feel that Wong Jing may have had his hands tied with this one, going by the number of financiers, that he couldn't unleash his arsenal of adult language and themes, though tried as he might to sneak in something cheeky since a leopard can't change its spots, only to pull his punches back to stay in the same zone. It was a glimpse into what Wong Jing stood for back then in his hey days, which by now he had regressed back to doing more of such B-grade productions relying on his past glories, and unfathomable star power willing to be attached to a piece of junk. Skip this.

Monga (艋舺 / Meng Xia)

Mean Streets

What On Earth Have I Done Wrong was my introduction to Doze Niu's filmmaking world, and in that mockumentary he had lampooned politics and the media circus in Taiwan, while also giving an insight into the Taiwanese Film Industry. Well who would have known that he has now directed and co-wrote one of the hottest Taiwanese films to have come out of the island most recently, and honestly I am impressed by his sprawling effort which while sticking to some established formula, had plenty of heart of its own to make it incredibly energetic for its runtime, and unique.

Shot on location at the Wanhua District of Taipei (and undoubtedly will give it a boost in tourism numbers just like how Cape No. 7 did), scribes Tseng Li-ting and Doze Niu himself had weaved a tale of gangsters that's quite vivid and chilling to watch. Our exposure to cinematic gangsters in the East has of course been influenced by the Hong Kong triads portrayed in a manner which is stylishly brutal to the core, thanks to the films churned by Johnnie To and his Milkyway team, making such films an event well worth the anticipation and their respective hype. Closer to home, we have Royston Tan's 15, Boi Kwong's The Days and of course Kelvin Sng's upcoming feature The Gang, which looks back to Singapore 70s just as about the time where the local hard core gangsters got largely eradicated by the police force, so much so that contemporary impression of any local gangs, are the street corner ones.

Monga is set in the 1980s, and it's a tale of two halves, the first of which is strikingly similar to The Days, being in a school setting, and setting the scene with the recruitment of a newbie into the ranks of a group of street punks, who call themselves The Prince Gang. Narrated by main protagonist nicknamed Mosquito (Mark Chao), a teenager with no friends and often a target for bullies, he soon finds the enticement of belonging to a group who swears loyalty amongst their ranks, giving him a shot into the dark side through an initiation rite that involves roughing up one's enemy. Typical modus operandi employed to get a newbie down the slippery slope of gangsterism, where first you win his impression, respect and loyalty, then he fights for all his brothers.

But of course the Prince Gang is more than just a start up racket, with their de-facto leader Dragon Lee (Rhydian Vaughan) being the only son of Monga's Temple Front triad. We're soon introduced to the rest of Prince's crew, which includes the intelligent and brooding Monk (Ethan Ruan), the cowardly A-Po, and fighter Monkey. We're told of the team's dynamics and how Mosquito soon finds himself a loyal member of the group, who spend most of their time playing truant to while away at their hideout, or to visit prostitutes, where Mosquito soon falls for a hooker with a large facial birthmark (Ko Chia Yen), beginning a romantic subplot that's tender enough not to get in the way of the main narrative.

The first half of the film puts the spotlight on the shenanigans of this youthful group as they go around squandering their lives away from school, and into fights. Unlike Crows Zero where schoolboys trounce each other with far out powers, the fights here is almost balletic in delivery, and serves as quite the highlight, especially with their kill or be killed mantra. Like a cautionary tale, it tells of how impressionable teenagers can be especially when showed with much needed attention and gifts, which comes with the price-tag of eternal loyalty.

Loyalty though seems like a dirty word however, especially when there's always that temptation and rationale of serving self-interest first, or when it boils down to a family matter, where real kin blood runs thicker than water or even brotherhood. It's a walkthrough the Monga ecosystem where we learn of the various turfs set, and how scary the gangsters with real powers can be, being seemingly everyday persons on the streets, and quite nonchalant about their position as gangster chiefs, though coming complete with uncouth, vulgar vocabulary to betray their calm business fronts.

Just as we're getting comfortable and chummy with the Prince Gang, the narrative turns on its head as it enters a darker phase in the run up to the finale, with a boot camp for martial arts training in various Chinese weapons being the middle point where boys are trained to become men of war. Everything becomes more serious as Prince Gang unfortunately gets woken up to inevitable reality, and while faced with a potential internal strife, things don't look all too sunny at Monga with the advent of the Mainland Chinese gangsters who are salivating at a hostile takeover.

It is here that Doze Niu himself comes to the forefront as Crazy Wolf from the Mainland, up against the established Monga powers such as Boss Geta played by Ma Ju Lung, both actors putting up powerful, riveting veteran performances in contrast to the teen idols Ethan Juan and Mark Chao who do hold their own, but certainly the gulf in charisma is obvious. The latter half becomes a commentary on the fear of change, of being inside a comfort zone, that any threat to change the status quo is a declaration of an all out, no holds barred war. It's almost akin to any situation where the incumbent almost always feel threatened by change, and to put it into our own topical context, how we rationalize our fears toward new immigrants into our land who inevitably shake up what we hold dear, and some having total disregard to what has preceded, but to want to stamp their own brand of the way things get done.

It is this half that examines what loyalty really means, whether lip service or something to be carried out with honour, and the narrative spins into a hydra of subplots, all of which will get addressed as the film races toward the end with plenty of urgency and closure. You'll be kept glued to the screen for the most parts of its extended narrative which encompassed plenty of themes and ideas, and the characterization here will definitely make you feel something for all the characters, making you care whether they live through their ordeal, or not, which is telling of the strength of the story and storytellers involved. And I'll say it again, the fight scenes here are stylishly filmed, complete with blood and gore and with fluidity (love those one take, sweeping camera motion), even though we have to suffer the unceremonious censor scissors every now and then for this NC-16 rated film.

To the local audience, you may already be familiar with gangster flicks such as The Days from last year. Monga though, makes that look like child's play, and the Crows Zero films really look too out of this world given Monga's ultra-realistic setting. If gangster flicks are up your alley, then don't let this one pass you by as it's highly recommended!

A Single Man

The Dreaded Gaze

I will now officially kick myself for missing out on this during last year's Tokyo International Film Festival, where director Tom Ford (yes, THE Tom Ford the fashion designer) was present to present his debut film at a gala premiere, with time set aside for interviews as well. For its theme, A Single Man may not have made it to our shores, but I'm glad it did despite some wrangling which made its release a little later – but better late than never.

As a debut film by a helmer better known for his style in the fashion world, making that transition outside of one's comfort zone is never easy, but one thing's for sure, that certain sense of style never got lost, and neither was its substance light. It had all the trappings of a well made movie that is ostensibly beautiful to look at, yet accompanied by plenty of heavy emotions that it seeks to overwhelm and bring out that tinge of depression if you would share it with the protagonist, Colin Firth's English language professor George Falconer.

For all his modern world (well, the 60s rather) material wealth of a glasshouse, that Mercedes Benz parked in the garage, and sets of impeccably designed suits (well, by Tom Ford himself no less), George is hurting inside ever since his lover Jim (Matthew Goode) passed away in a car accident. For 16 years they had lived a life of bliss, undisturbed in a neighbourhood suburb where the American dream was quite alive in L.A, though now come under threat from the Bay of Pigs incident. Its set in the present, with George going about with much dread his daily life, reminiscing his wonderfully happy past in a series of flashbacks, and currently contemplating suicide to call it quits.

But of course ending one's life is never simple, and frankly takes quite a lot of guts and desperation, of which he has two persons to thank for in subtly and subconsciously giving him a reason to live on. The first will be good friend Charley (Julianne Moore) his neighbour, where we're shown that she's the first person he ran to in an effort to seek solace over bad news. A divorcee herself, the story by Christopher Isherwood presents her as a what-if since obviously they both click, and in a pivotal scene, their bantering of how their lives would probably be for the different should they have, somehow, hooked up together.

Then there's the personification of the future to look forward to, where it is fairly obvious his student Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) is never trying to hide the fact that he's hitting on his teacher, with those puppy doe eyes and obedience, coupled with youthful exuberance to counter that of a senior citizen's ailing heart. Winner of the Best Actor award at last year's Venice Film Festival, Colin Firth owns this role and brings out a spectrum of emotion from despair to hope and desire, as a man looking to end his life in the best way possible, with his plans largely intervened by Fate, though it comes with a warning to be careful about what you persistently wish for.

In its technical areas, the film's colours and tone mirrors in parallel the emotion felt by George, where we start off with shades which are grey and strained especially when he's alone, but with friends and those he would want to be close with, or when it flashes back to his happier past, warmth colours get chosen, and it becomes a lot more vivid. If there's another film that made use of music the same way this one did, it'll be Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love. Here, the tunes by Abel Korzeniowski bring this film to a different level like a waltz that's emotionally rhythmic in its pace and delivery. Shades of Wong Kar-wai also continues in its use of that clock ticking that's almost always in the background to signify the passage of time as well as how iconic moments in our lives define us, just as how time is also something important in the narrative stages of the story reliving the past, spending the present and being hopeful of George's future.

Tom Ford scores in his debut feature, and it's fairly obvious his eye for style permeates throughout the film seen in the quality of the art direction, production sets, costumes and make up, with a powerful emotional tale that makes everything else worthwhile. It's one thing making a film with homosexual themes that can be emotionally replicated should you switch character genders around, but it's another ball game altogether when that doesn't work, which signifies a true blue genre tale. This is eye-candy at its best, with an emotional core attached. Highly recommended!

[Rec] 2

Look Up!

It's about time this film got onto our shores, since the first film was one heck of a roller coaster ride, and was one of the better horror cum first person perspective narrative seen through the lens of a cameraman. Where we last left off, we were put on a cliffhanger with the iconic scene of Angela Vidal (Manuela Velasco) being dragged away with her television camera left in night vision mode, and that about sums it up, without much explanation other than quick glimpses of suggestions at what she and the others were up against.

Directors Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza would probably groan at the number of in-camera POV films that have popped up, the last being the highly successful Paranormal Activity, and you'd wonder how they were going to make this sequel a little bit more refreshing other than to rehash plot elements from the earlier film, and utilizing the same plot device. Well, my verdict is that they came up with something so simple yet effective, it triumphs over the original, which is rare these days, and up the ante for any subsequent films in its genre or class to emulate. A trend setter this is, and definitely not a follower.

Balaguero and Plaza gives us a total of 3 narrative threads converging into one toward the last act, and provides ample time and intervals for each to develop before merging them together in a logical manner. We begin with a four-man SWAT team each equipped with in-helmet cameras, which can be linked to their main camera for that in-camera view, which I felt was the first piece of innovative success by the filmmakers. This provides opportunity to expand perspectives as and when desired, and works really well when they have to escort a doctor from the Ministry of Health (Jonathan Mellor) into the quarantined building on a secret mission which closes the gaps left open in the first [REC].

Then there's the other thread involving a group of teenagers who decide to break into the sealed building, and while it's a little bit convenient for them to be equipped with a consumer camcorder, ultimately it works well into the story that's being told, allowing perspectives and equipment so critical to the storyline, to be used to enhance the entire narrative, to give it a little more breadth and envelope that sense of bewilderment quite wonderfully, unless of course you dread another shaky-camera-close-up or yet another camera-dropping-on-the-ground shot, which I have to admit the latter gets done a number of times, making you wish for a cameraman with much sturdier hands, or that his peers could get a grip on themselves and not require the documentarian's help most of the time to settle things.

Tension is kept high throughout, even though from the first film experience we know what to expect since familiar locations get revisited again, and the same kinds of rabid zombie/vampire/whateveryoucallit comes charging right in your face. Body count however is kept lower than its predecessor, and less gory too if I may add. Manuela Velasco also gets a bit role here which I had enjoyed since I'm such a fan and holding hopes that she'll likely be elevated to Sarah Connor like cult-status, and I will debunk any arguments why her role here toward the end is inexplicable or included but unfortunately made to drag things out, One things for sure though, that tongue scene (no spoilers there) is uber-icky!

Fans of [REC] will likely go crazy over [REC]2's expansion and answers provided to its first film, and while it opens doors to possibly one more, I doubt the gimmick can continue, or narratively so, unless Balaguero and Plaza pulls another surprise out of their sleeves. Whatever it is, forget the Hollywood remake Quarantine, or if there's any sequel planned. This is the real deal, so accept no substitutes. Recommended for genre fans, most definitely!

The Lovely Bones

The In Between

I suppose Peter Jackson's probably experiencing what James Cameron had planned to avoid when he directed the biggest movie of the year back then, and that's not to get crushed by the weight of expectations that unfortunately come around naturally. We know how the King Kong remake fared, and now The Lovely Bones which had been getting a whole lot of mixed reactions, but one which I am firmly throwing my weight behind.

It's not a bad film, and I sense that it could have been the subject matter dealing with death, reconciliation and moving on, that may not sit well with most audiences. There's no big bang special effects to wow the crowd, and neither any heavy melodramatic piece with an open and shut investigations. While the trailer had given out the entire plot, there's still this sense of dread that's permeating throughout the film, making watching it somewhat of a chore not because we know of the storyline, but because we're powerless to help the characters get through their ordeal, or to see to it that justice gets served, properly, and not in the manner it was dished out in the film. There are no easy resolutions, and it is precisely that which will likely get you riled up and think, what's Peter Jackson doing?

But it is exactly this sense of dread that makes the film stand out, and each time providing that heightened sense of danger whenever George Harvey (Stanley Tucci) is on screen. Peter Jackson seemed to relish building a number of such high tension scenes that plays on what we already know, and feeds from our worst fears and dread to propel the narrative forward, not necessitating to show us in full what the outcome of his dastardly deed toward his victim Suzie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) since there's nothing more vivid than the individual power of imagination. But that doesn't mean that Jackson doesn't take the time to show the depth of evilness of such a character, providing a glimpse of that through a really creepy string of scenes that almost guarantee will make the young ones cry (PG people), and your heart a little painful.

The scenes that Jackson dwells on, are the reaction to the loss of a valued family member, a loved one. Time is spent amply to build up the picture of a close knit and happy family whose perfect life as they know would be inexplicably shattered by the evil of man – as Suzie puts it, they were living at a time when such atrocities were unheard of, where innocence would be lost. The film highlights how individuals try to move on, with some doing so more easily than others, and those who cling on to the sliver of hope that something will be done, or an outcome will miraculously turn favourable. It's a good break for Mark Wahlberg as it seems to shy away from an action role – instead of kicking butt, he gets his butt kicked hard here – and he returns to a dramatic role that calls for strength and persistence as the head of the Salmon household.

Rachel Weisz too held her own as Suzie's mom, though I felt that her performance was split into two, the earlier one pre-Suzie murder the better of the lot since narratively she disappears midway through the movie, leaving Rose McIver to pick up where she left off as Suzie's sister Lindsey. To lighten the mood, Susan Sarandon enters at an appropriate time to pepper the film with some light hearted moments as the all smoking and drinking Grandma Lynn, the balance of reactions between both parents, and the surrogate guardian of the Salmon children.

Saoirse Ronan was excellent in Atonement, and backs that fine performance with another fine one as the protagonist narrating the story from somewhere in limbo between Heaven and Earth. She's the spectre who can peek into the human world, and have to deal with both the ghosts of her past and the evilness that continues to haunt her, and that light at the end of the tunnel she, and others, have to move toward. Like all folklore dealing with spirits, they're never quite gone so long as there's unfinished business left on earth, and I thought the finale of her story was well done, bringing resolution, and for a happy moment, an opportunity to gain back what was unfairly taken away from her, without her putting up a fighting chance.

Ultimately, it's a sad film dealing with very real human emotions about loss and the different reactions to it. People move on, and we do so for as long as our mortality dictates. In the meantime, only those who are close to you, will remember you as you disappear in a flash like the wind, memories like pictures keeping you quite alive to your loved ones while that in others start to wane. Recommended, and only if you go in not expecting a special effects extravaganza (the CG picturesque scenes are mesmerizing by the way), or an uplifting dramatic tale.

The Concert / Le Concert

Show Stopper

It was the screening of the Japanese film Nodame Cantabile earlier this year that piqued my interest in classical music being featured on film, but I suppose it's Le Concert that sealed the deal, although this European film did exude similar sensibilities like the Japanese one in having a conductor face insurmountable odds in turning around a makeshift, rag-tag 55 piece orchestra into one befitting of the name "Bolshoi", building up to a crescendo of a finale that just begs for an encore.

Nodame Cantabile provided a lot more romantic fluff and a quick 101 introduction to classical music and its famed composers, sort of like a McDonald's way of a fast-food sampling rich musical pieces, but it is Le Concert that persisted in wanting to use Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, which is considered as one of the most difficult for the violin, to center this film around it, complete with a huge and critical backstory that makes this film well rounded, and in keeping you engaged especially with a tale about passion bordering on obsession, and the redemption of the sins of the earlier generation.

But don't get me wrong that the film is solely filled with such serious themes, as it's almost comedy all of the way to its centerpiece performance. We follow the story of Andrei Filipov (Aleksei Guskov), a one time hotshot conductor of the Bolshoi orchestra who was cut down to size, and now works as the janitor in the halls of his glorious past. He chances upon an opportunity from Paris which had invited the Bolshoi, but hence decides to hijack this opportunity, and to bring his own team of musicians on a trip that they would never forget. He's a man on a mission, and you just might wonder why he would want to take such a big risk, other than the fact that the current Bolshoi orchestra is playing like crap, but it adds to the mystery of the man, and the past that he's hiding from through the bottle.

Together with best friend Sacha (Dmitri Nazarov) who's now an ambulance driver, they go back to assemble a team comprising colleagues from the past, who have each moved onto different occupations, to convince them in joining their madcap mission - to showcase their talent once again after 30 years since their disbanding. The first component of the narrative is steeped in their mission to raise funds and sponsorship, and to seek the help of one time adversary Ivan Gavrilov (Valeriy Barinov), an ex-KGB agent who had a hand in their demise, to see them through this 3 day trip through deliberate misrepresentation because of his fluency in French.

But of course things aren't exactly the same as some 30 years back, and everyone has their own personal agenda in wanting to go to Paris, and more so when they cross borders through forged credentials, complete with a whole slew of comedy of errors when they touchdown in the City of Lights. Some may find it a tad offensive when the Russians are portrayed as boorish, from their drunk behaviour to their unreasonableness in demanding per diems immediately, for services yet to be rendered, or that Jewish Father-Son team who's more interested to fleece unsuspecting victims in their get-rich schemes.

Otherwise, director Radu Mihaileanu will keep you guessing just how this group under Filipov will succeed given their disastrous start pointing to an early debacle, and more so when star violinist Anne-Marie (Melanie Laurent of Inglourious Basterds fame) start to see through their ruse and refuse to take the stage with a bunch of unprofessionals. There's a little mystery here with regards to Anne-Marie's lineage that I have to applaud Mihaileanu for his red herrings and writers Hector Cabello Reyes and Thierry Degrandi for avoiding the obvious. Herein lies what would be a touching theme of music and harmony, of how it can bring out a unifying set of emotions, which leads on to pure aural bliss in the final act that one cannot help but to clap out loud at the end, as narrative threads get resolved, even though it resembled pretty much like a typical Japanese zero to hero tale.

The Concert won the Cesar for Best Music Written for a film and Best Sound, and it's not difficult to see why. With an excellent ensemble cast, sights, sounds and of course, Tchaiskovski, this is a film that succeeded in making classical music so integral to itself, without being too stifling for the masses to be a crowd pleaser. Highly recommended, and it goes into my books as one of the best this year!

When In Rome

Use Me to Wash Your Clothes

I was in Rome some 6 years ago, and similar to Kristen Bell's Beth, got only 48 hours in the magnificent city, steeped in history, statues, and sights to just blow your mind away. I remembered tossing a coin into almost every fountain that I see, since it's practically monkey-see-monkey-do with coins just littered in the waters, though nope, no such luck in the amour department since I don't recall tossing one into the fountain depicted in the film. So I don't have such fictional luck like Beth, to be pursued by a number of suitors all smitten with her because she happened to pick up some coins placed in the fountain.

A typical romantic comedy, this one has infused some Roman superstition into it. Returning to New York from attending her sister's wedding (and comedy of errors I might add) in the fabled city, she soon finds herself being wooed by a street magician (Jon Heder), a narcissistic male model with almost the intelligence of Derek Zoolander (Dax Shepard), a painter (Will Arnett) and a sausage magnate (Danny DeVito!) who becomes Beth's patron of her museum programme. Each do just about the craziest thing to woo their lady love, because she had happened to pick up their coin from the fountain, and they have followed their vision and calling like the plague.

But of course she soon finds out that her one true love happens to be the best man at her sister's wedding, a pro-footballer turned journalist (Josh Duhamel) because of a lightning accident, but is skeptical that his advances are because of a coin she had picked up. So begins the did-he-or-didn't-he, and plenty of romantic moments weaved into the narrative written by David Diamond and David Weissman, who plays it safe with the usual structure meant to charm and basically to chronicle the number of hoops one has to jump through in order to woo one's lady love.

Like a typical romance flick, this one comes with a key message as well, which is addressing how one will know if one's falling in love with someone special. And I think it hit the note, reminding us that it's when we put someone on the pedestal and they matter more than what currently matters to us most (for Beth, it's her job), then voila, we have struck gold, or rather, Cupid has struck. So unless you see the output on this site start to dwindle...

I've never quite thought that Kristen Bell would make the romantic leading lady, from films such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Couples Retreat, but she continues in the genre. Her portrayal of her characters continue to be the alpha-female type who is consistently unlucky in love, and I'm waiting for her to take on something new outside of her comfort zone in order to make everyone sit up and take notice. Until then, Josh Duhamel is someone whom I've watched transition from television's Las Vegas series to the biggest summer action blockbusters like the Transformers movies, and I think it might take a while before he branches off from action or romance, or marquee a heavyweight film on his own.

The rest of the supporting cast like Anjelica Huston's chief museum curator (a poor cousin of Meryl Streep's bitchy performance in The Devil Wears Prada), Danny DeVito, Jon Heder and the rest play rather one dimensional and breezy roles in this light comedy, also because the limited runtime doesn't allow for any depth and character development. The real star of the show is of course the limited scenes of the renowned Guggenheim Museum. Last seen on screen in The International where it was badly shot up in an extended action sequence, the museum goes back to showing off its regal presence in being a place and work of art, and puts itself into my books as one of the must-go places if I happen to make my way to the Big Apple.

The Roman Holiday this is not, but it has enough charming moments thanks to Rome and the Guggenheim, to make this an average but safe romantic comedy for its intended demographic to head out and enjoy.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Who's a Wimp Now?

I haven't read the book by Jeff Kinney which this film is based upon, but one thought struck my mind, and that is Ferris Bueller just got younger! For all his wisecracks, smart alecky ideas and attitude, Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) just reminds me of the time when Matthew Broderick took on the Bueller role, though this time round it's got less to do with cars and girls, but everything to do about surviving middle school, just about the time before puberty kicks in for him.

No thanks to the 101 tactical lessons on middle school survival by his brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick), Greg decides that his goal and calling during his time will be to be Mr Popular, though he increasingly finds that task being close to impossible given the number of his schemes backfiring most of the time, and when his best friend Rowley (Robert Capron) continues to be the source of embarrassment to his perceived supercool demeanour. He tries to rewrite the school's playground rules, only to find that he isn't quite the trend setter or the visionary he thinks he is, while his plus sized friend somehow manages to climb up the popularity rankings.

It's about that time in our lives where we think we're able to change the world from a very young age, where we think we're infallible, and that whatever we do, we can reset the established norm. It's about how negative emotions such as jealousy and envy get the better of us sometimes, and we react in the nastiest of ways due to pride. Then there's the message of being true to oneself rather than the actor being someone else. Relatively heavy themes for what's essentially a kids' film, but that's how director Thor Freudenthal managed to include in the tale of the wimpy kid's first year in middle school without you feeling overwhelmed but them.

What works here wonderfully is the casting, which is probably just about the highlight of the film itself. Zachary Gordon owns the role as Greg and has this schmuck look on him that doesn't irritate, but will buy you into his exploits, and most times laugh along or at him depending on whether his antics will rub you the right way or not. And nearly stealing the limelight away from Greg, is his best friend Rowley, played to wingman perfection by Robert Capron, who like his character is always on the verge of upstaging Zachary Gordon and stealing his thunder. The two are believable as best friends forever in Harry Potter-Ron Weasley proportions, and it is their play against each other, one using the other to further his cause, the other just happy to have someone whom he can try to emulate, being the strong points in the narrative. Their acting's natural, and have incredible chemistry so much so that you wonder if everything will go downhill when they split.

The humour in the film is manifold, from pure wit right down to the occasional toilet humour with farts, pee and all, from the home to outside of home, and the usual challenges faced when in battlezones such as the canteen, the gym, and festivals like Halloween and even Mother-Child Night?! The basic animation featured in the film also boosted its narrative through its simple, iconic drawings, and provides very much on how Greg sees himself, and that of his friends and family, which no doubt had tinges of familiarity and being stereotypes, such as the nasty big sized girl whose influential family means she can act like a bitch, or that nerd outcast that everyone tries to avoid. Plot elements such as the rotting piece of cheese stuck on the school grounds also provide for plenty of inane moments, and Cheese Touch is something that I'll never forget.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is loads of fun, being reminiscent of the time when growing up was quite the pain and more often than not a time of being misunderstood. Highly recommended!

34th Hong Kong International Film Festival Index Page

Reviews
Crossing Hennessy / 月满轩尼诗 (World Premiere)
Fire of Conscience (火龙 / For Long) (World Premiere)
Gallants (打擂台 / Da Lui Toi) (World Premiere)
Ice Kacang Puppy Love (初恋红豆冰) (World Premiere)
Love in a Puff (志明與春嬌 / Chi Ming Yu Chun Giu) (World Premiere)
Red Dragonflies (World Premiere)
Slice (Cheun) (International Premiere)


HKFILMart Reviews
The Actresses
Au Revoir Taipei / 一頁台北 (Asian Premiere)
Caterpillar (Kyatapirâ)
Centurion (International Premiere)
Cut (International Premiere)
The King of Fighters (Asian Premiere)
Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle (Sik Gaek: Kimchi Jeon Jaeng)
Primal (World Premiere)
The Secret Reunion (Ui-Hyeong-Je)
Space Battleship Yamato: Ressurection (Uchū Senkan Yamato: Fukkatsu Hen)
Time Traveller (Toki Wo Kakeru Shôjo) (International Premiere)


Press Conference
[4th AFA] Results
[4th AFA] Zhang Yimou
Ip Man 2


Red Carpet / Stage Appearance
[4th AFA] Red Carpet
Fire of Conscience (火龙)
Gallants (打擂台)
HKIFF Opening Ceremony
Love in a Puff (志明與春嬌)
Really Crossing Hennesy

Clash of the Titans 3D

The Trademarked Anal Look

Clash of the Titans is one of the earliest films I can remember having watched it as a kid in a big theatre, not the multiplexes we have today, and I liked it so much, it probably ranks up there as one film that I've watched the most times, on television reruns, or off a recorded video tape. The story's fairly simple, but to a kid it had plenty of charm, and a basic 101 guide to Greek mythology, of which the promiscuity of the Greek gods struck me as quite odd, save for the need to produce plenty of demi-god heroes from which stories are spun of.

Percy Jackson probably drew first blood in saturating the market about the new adventures of a fresh teenage demi-god, having him battle creatures similar to those found in this mythology. In fact, Clash of the Titans would find it difficult to beat the fun factor of the original film, and the modernized spin that Percy Jackson had to offer. There's little story here, and everything that happened was a sad excuse to get the story quickly moving onto the next big set action sequence. Lead character motivations had been changed significantly, especially with Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) being nothing more than a flower vase, and having her romantic subplot with our hero Perseus (Sam Worthington) being totally removed. I felt that was the first sign of narrative trouble.

Then it became more generic approaches in how to string the action scenes one after another. Each battle will last a significant amount of time, then a little more posturing, before going onto the next. It can easily be split into this sequence of scorpions-medusa-kraken, and each creature design was a shadow to predecessors like Scorpionok's attack in Transformers, Uma Thurman's rendition of Medusa, and Hollywood's Godzilla flop, coming complete with that foam on water approach to the mainland. There's nothing menacing about the monsters unleashing their hell on earth or on the characters, and the Medusa fight, well the original still instills a sense of creepiness, that this one looks more like a walk in the park, and Medusa herself being a Mary Poppins if put side by side with the stop motion predecessor.

If anyone wants to make a film about a hybrid character, then look no further than Sam Worthington, who has been half man half machine in Terminator: Salvation, half man half Na'vi in Avatar, and now, half-man half-god who's tasked to save Andromeda of Argos from being monster sacrifice, should he be able to defeat Hades' Kraken, the source of his power and threat to mankind. Worthington seems pigeon-holed into these kinds of role, and because of Hollywood's current dearth of worthy action heroes, Worthington becomes the latest It boy with his physique and perpetual scowl, being suited perfectly well into this scarcity of actors who can act with their fists, without the compelling need to launch into lengthy dialogue as a professional and career development.

Otherwise the other star studded cast don't do much but pose and prance about in their costumes, with Liam Neeson looking constricted by his Zeus armour, Ralph Fiennes playing Voldermort all over again with his rendition of Hades, and Mads Mikkelsen as Drago the Argos general who has the nicest smirk caught on screen. Gemma Arterton is a surprise inclusion in the film as Io the immortal, which is a new character and given a lot more significance in the mythos now, and is in part one of the major changes in Perseus philosophy, tutoring and motivation, so much so that if I were to use a modern term, the word “cougar” would suit their relationship just fine.

And it is these kinds of little artistic license taken, that will likely leave the purist in you perturbed. Bubo the Golden Owl has a quick cameo to appease fans, but like the gods who are never satisfied with the pittance of worship obtained from the humans, we too think that it's not enough, since Pegasus too went through a none too subtle change in skin colour. Sorry, but to me, Pegasus the winged horse, will forever remain white. There are a few conversational pieces in the film that brilliantly introduces us to the world of the jealous Greek gods and they work wonderfully, such as their innate differences and why the brothers Zeus and Hades hate each other so much, but some were rather cringeworthy, especially when modern curses somehow found their place in a swords and sandals film as this.

I suppose you'll know by now that the film was never shot using 3D technology, and that it was only during post production, thanks to the mega box office success of Avatar, when it was decided to have a 3D version made for this film as well. The result? Millions spent enhancing nothing. Sure there's depth of field, but nothing to wow a jaded audience familiar with what a 3D film is expected to bring to the table. In fact, this film would be better off seen in a digital 2D format, since none of the action sequence even had a whiff of a suggestion of being in your face, since after all, it was conceptualized for a flat presentation. The Mandarin subtitles, was the only thing that's consistently 3D throughout the film.

Bottom line, it's extremely sterile and devoid of soul, whereas the original film had plenty of heart, and charming stop motion special effects to elevate it to cult status. This one will likely be forgotten since it's nothing more than mediocre drama and ordinary set action pieces, though I will not deny that its marketing would ensure that it will garner some decent cash from the Easter holiday market segment. The original is so much better since this is all generic action and little charm.

Confucius (Kong Zi / 孔子 )

The Philosopher Extraordinaire

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I had my expectations set on Confucius the film being a tale of the man himself, one of the greatest and earliest philosophers and thinkers that had vast influence over a number of ideologies today, including the system of ethical governance. The trailer had suggested that besides being a learned man, he's quite the military strategist as well, like a precursor to Zhuge Liang, which of course is way off the mark as far as I'm concerned.

It seems like director Hu Mei had been influenced by a number of war films set in Ancient China from Battle of Wits to Red Cliff, and had been inspired to do her own, even if it had to involve Confucius. Good thing though she didn't put the philosopher, played by Chow Yun-Fat, into a suit of armour, but rather, starts off the narrative focused on his ascension to enviable political positions starting with the Law Ministry, before being Acting Interior Minister for the state of Lu.

A tale of two parts, the first half danced along the narrative tread of political intrigue, with court official envy and being the favourite adviser of the ruler, laying the groundwork for some serious rivalry and treachery to be dished out, especially when a talk of alliance with another state goes awry, if not for a Plan B up in the sleeves to bail them out of trouble. But hold on, was Confucius ever a politician to begin with? I do not know, but it didn't matter much, as there were glimpses of how his mind ticked, with discussions of ideals and ideas with his disciples being some of the highlights that one would have come to the movie for.

The second half though, was a let down. Unappreciated and driven away, Confucius starts his self-exile, and together with a small group of dedicated disciples whom we know very little of save for their names and titles appearing on screen, and most given extremely limited screen time, they wander around the film from city to city, and very much echoed the sentiments of the viewer - when will they settle down and get themselves into some serious classroom teaching? It's a pity that this section of the film decided to focus on how frail and aged Confucius had become with the passing of time, but little more. Pacing seems a little hurried as well, especially when dealing with subplots involving his disciples, with resolution being only a few minutes after.

Even Zhou Xun's cannot save the show, as she's given a combined screen time of not more than 15 minutes thereabout to turn on her charm as the consort of a kingdom that Confucius and his disciples pass through. In other words, a flower-vase role that completely underutilized the talents of this wonderful actress. Chow Yun-Fat cuts an imposing figure of Confucius and probably had what it takes in the first section, before the weak storyline in the later half muted his performance as a senior citizen with major issues to address for himself and his disciples, the first being the basic theories of Maslow in getting food and shelter for his followers.

I figured I would have enjoyed a film about Confucius more if it had taken a more in depth look into his character, his inspiration, his influences (that goes just beyond the churning of learned disciples to execute their like-minded philosophies) and of course, having all these done more through the narrative scenes, rather than through inter-titles which tell a lot more than the film itself. I think one is better off digging out Confucius epics of old, than to watch this spruced by version with very fake looking CGI.

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Here's Looking at You, Goat!

To say that The Men Who Stare at Goats is a quirky movie will be a gross understatement. There's a strong underlying anti-war message and the popular, contemporary enviromental reminder featured heavily in the narrative, topped by generous loads of humour and a great cast to boot. It has to be seen to be believed just how crazy Peter Straughan's screenplay based upon the book by Jon Ronson can be, and therein lies the fun in the willingness of director Grant Heslov to experiment with such a film.

And speaking of experiments, the film supposedly takes on a true account - I'm still standing on that side of the fence that the events portrayed are too insane to be true - that chronicles the attempts by the US Army to develop a contingent of super soldiers with psychic abilities, where wars can be avoided by the collective will of their super beings to avert conflict through mind tricks and will power, while spreading the message of hippie love over senseless hatred. Generously funded, most of the fun came from the series of flashbacks where we get front row seats to some of the most absurd training techniques used by an armed forces.

There are enough jokes and references to Star Wars, its Jedi Knights and power akin to The Force that makes it all the more side-splitting when there is Ewan McGregor in a leading role expressing cluelessness about what they all mean. If I may say so, there's a moment where he's supposed to scoff at with disbelief, but let out a quick smile at being aware of just what they're about. After all, the actor had played one of the greatest Jedi Knights there is in George Lucas' trilogy prequels of the space opera. It is precisely these kinds of "wink-wink" opportunities that will put an enlightened audience clearly in the driver's seat to enjoy what else the film has to offer.

Starring opposite Ewan McGregor's reporter role Bob Wilton, is George Clooney's super psychic Lyn Cassady who once had worked under the super soldier programme, and had risen to the top, until his retirement from the force. Clooney is simply superb in the role of a man who takes the absurd very seriously, being on one hand what looks like a serious case of delusion, and yet on the other have enough proof displayed that there's really more than meets the eye to his so-called abilities. Seeing Clooney for the first time in shoulder length hair with that clueless, dogged determination, is already well worth the ticket price.

Other notables in its star studded cast includes Jeff Bridges as Bill Django, the unorthodox founder of the New Earth Army techniques, whose bewildering concept of the new super soldier got accepted by the Army, which begins that journey of laughter where actual training is nothing short of hilarious. Kevin Spacey takes on the conniving role as an envious new recruit to the programme, and in some ways, there are some local parallels to how father figures get ousted unceremoniously from their pedestal of power when a protege decides to turn against the hand that had fed them. Spacey being Spacey, performs this role with aplomb.

There are enough random occurrences in the film that builds up the story and with each tells a little bit more about the characters, so while on one hand it's fun and laughter, on the other it calls for some patience as the characters wander through Iraq for Bob's search for his own destiny in life. What I had also enjoyed from the film is how it ties in with actual, reported attempts of non-lethal weapon research, and while I don't condone it, having to listen to Barney's theme song the whole day, is one cruel way to torture enemy combatants.

Be warned though that this may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you're adamant about having a structured narrative from beginning to end, or feel that a running joke (the Star Wars ones that is) cannot be carried out for far too long.

Just Another Pandora's Box (越光宝盒 / Yuet Gwong Bo Hup)

Return of the Twin

You'd probably know by now how adamant I am that the best and only way to enjoy a Hong Kong comedy, is to watch it in Cantonese, otherwise chances are a lot of jokes, especially the verbal ones, will likely be lost in translation. I had the chance to watch this during my recent trip to Hong Kong, but decided somehow to pass it up for other films. Needless to say one of the major interest why I decided to watch this film back in Singapore and compromise on having to sit through this in Mandarin (besides having a friend watch this as well), is no doubt fueled by Ronald Cheng and Charlene Choi coming out of the closet proclaiming an end to their secret union.

Gossipy news aside, I'm never convinced about singer Ronald Cheng's ability as an actor, though I had wondered how well he had fared being in a comedic leading role. I'm still not convinced actually that he's leading man material, despite having tickled my funny bone in the film, which I attribute more to writer-director Jeffrey Lau, who had gone to elicit laughs right from the get go, and had enough fuel from opening credits to plenty of sight gags, toilet humour, a string of cameo appearances, and enough of movie references here to keep you engaged throughout.

In essence, I liken Lau to Asia's version of Hollywood comedies as churned out by the Zucker siblings, where a film can stand on its own with enough craft in comedy, rather than the recent slew of relatively terrible Hollywood comedies that know nothing except to string together films of the same genre, and then poking fun at them en masse. Here though the idea is simple, and Red Cliff / Three Kingdoms form the basis and backdrop at which comedy finds its place. It's essentially a crazy little love story between an unnamed bandit (played by Ronald Cheng) who becomes Zhao Yun when the time travelling, titular Pandora's Box gets activated, and an immortal called Rose (Betty Sun) who is out to find The One true love, whom she believes to be Cheng's character.

So time travel drops them smack into the Battle of Red Cliff, and part of the fun here is to identify the whole slew of cameo appearances by China and Hong Kong actors, who seem not to mind the very bit roles (one scene or two) to lend a helping hand at boosting the film's star attraction. And these appearances come quite fast and furious, together with almost a laugh-a-minute comedy that Lau weaves into the narrative, most of which are genuinely funny, until it started to run out of steam and paid not too subtle comedic homage to Hollywood films like Titanic, The Matrix and King Kong even.

Needless to say the narrative itself is simplistic and delivered in a choppy manner, stringing together gag after gag, and the finale was quite off the mark with a sudden tribute paid to one of Lau's earlier and more famous works with Stephen Chow. Still, it did what it had set out to do, to help you relax and enjoy a rip-roaring time at the movies, so the objective's met and I've got little qualms about it since I honestly am admitting this was much better than expected, and had found myself laughing at some points with tears uncontrollable.