[Japanese Film Festival] Antenna (アンテナ / Antena)

Trying

One of the earliest works by director in focus Kumakiri Kazuyoshi for this season's Japanese Film Festival, Antenna probably benefitted from its R21 rating to draw in a sell out crowd this afternoon, with the director in attendance to introduce the film, which he described as strange - so who would have thought it really was that literal, with its narrative firmly focused on a dysfunctional family still reeling from the effects of a mysterious disappearance of Marie, the sister of Yuichiro (Ryo Kase) the protagonist from whom we follow through in his therapy, some many years ago.

As it was revealed during the Q&A session that the story was adapted from a science fiction novel, I suppose that would have explained some of the rather abstract elements in the film, such as the titular antenna, or antennae that got featured in the story, ranging from gigantic actual hardware, to figurative ones such as Yuichiro's younger brother Yuya (Daisuke Kizaki), who constantly enters a fit when his imaginary antenna which he describes as feelers, would go into overdrive twitching. But with other elements such as a cross-dressing child, an S&M service provider, and sins from the past all get thrown into the mix, Antenna turned out to be quite ambitious, if only its intended signals to be fine-tuned properly would this turn out to have provided a better payload with regards to theme of struggling with loss in very personal fashion.

The bulk of the tale follows Yuichiro's intent to engage in S&M in order to, based on the context of his research, go into alternative therapy to deal with a loss and a secret buried so deep that he needed help to unlock his subconscious. It's this alternative method that earned the film its rating, what with self mutilation with unflinching cutting of the flesh using cheap box cutters, which to some serves as a way to feel alive, and the constant self-gratification under the guidance, or instruction and order if you will, of Naomi (Akemi Kobayashi), whom Yuichiro engages the services of. It's frankly quite bizzare, especially when there's voyeurism, shock therapy, and in events on other characters such as hangings and illicit sexual relationships, that will probably earn Kumakiri a reputation as a shock jock, if this would be the only film you've watched from his filmography.

The story and continuity got choppy with its liberal use of flashbacks, and in the later part of the film, dream fantasy sequences that also introduced that of collective dreams, that made this one really trippy ride that blurs the line between fantasy and reality, yet leaving things quite unresolved if you're looking for firm answers to the predicament of the characters. Yes the obstacles get overcome to a certain degree, but One will hardly find reason to care for their loss nor celebrate in their victories since pathos did not get firmly established, and this becomes an exercise to get from start to end in the most meandering fashion possible.

Hopefully the other films slated would be a little bit more palatable, and offer a lot more to an audience, than this misfire.

[DVD Launch] When Hainan Meets Teochew (当海南遇上潮州)

When Hainan Meets Teochew is Han Yew Kwang at his element, playing to a number of full houses during its limited commercial run at Sinema Old School and The Arts House late last year and early this year, before hitting the festival circuit in Hong Kong and Tokyo which are but a few of more screenings to come for this quirky little independent, comedic gem. For those who have missed its run, the DVD has finally been released a few weeks back, and today marks the official DVD launch at Popular Bookstore at NEX mall, with the director in attendance to share a few nuggets of information from the film, as well as to highlight some of the special features that are packed into the DVD.

Event host David Lee (Left) and Director Han Yew Kwang (Right) at this afternoon's launch

and the autograph session soon after

For those who have missed the Launch, here's the video clip (in Mandarin only) right up until the point where excerpts from the film got shown. If you want to watch them, why not get the DVD? :-)


Audio inherent at source - It's a busy shopping mall, you know?
You can read my review of the film here, and before I can come up with my take of the DVD, you can read one from my friend Gabriel Chong at movieXclusive.com

And if you've missed this session, fret not. There will be another launch event organized this time to be held Books Actually (9 Yong Siak Street) on 15 July Friday, 7:30pm!

[Japanese Film Festival] The Days After (後の日)

Missing

Japanese broadcaster NHK commissioned this project consisting of four Japanese directors adapting from the horror classic Kaidan, but this screening only consists of Kore-eda Hirokazu's segment The Days After. Kore-eda of course is no stranger to local audiences, where his Air Doll sold out during last year's edition of the festival.

A mid length film, The Days After sections itself into seven parts, each dealing with a day in the life of, with the tale set on what would be the mundane of life in a household, but achingly romanticized and beautifully shot. Being a period piece also helped since it provides for opportunities to dress up the set and cast for a time already long gone, becoming a serious piece of eye candy for audiences to gaze and gawk at, with meticulous attention to detail that would likely distract you from the story proper.

Opening with a scene at a cemetary then quickly estbalishing the notion of a couple's early loss of their young child, there can be various interpretations to the tale and the nature of the mysterious child who turned up at the couple's doorsteps. Personally I felt this was in a way a huge what-if moment, that Fate bestowed upon the couple to live a week with who could possibly be the child that they probably could have had should Fate not rob him away from his parents. Like a reward for good deeds unspoken and unseen, we follow the couple's experience in their new family make up, though baffling to the couple intiially, but when an opportunity presents itself, seize it and make the most out of it.

Which of course leaves plenty of questions unanswered and this allows for a wealth of post-screening discourse, but even if a resolution is hard to come by, the pleasing aesthetics alone would have more than made up for it, with a beautiful soundtrack and slow, flowing camerawork that tenderly paints a whimsical family tale that packs a powerful, emotional punch.

Mr and Mrs Single (隐婚男女 / Yin Hun Nan Nv)

Married, Not!

It is without a doubt that the Chinese market is growing with screens booming across China, that the market just cannot be ignored, requiring stories to be told that's geared toward consumers there, so much so that we're staring at many more co-productions from the other Pan-Chinese countries, or productions on the Mainland boasting cast and crew from established industries such as Hong Kong. There are some narrative restrictions that come with the territory with regards to certain negative portrayals on screen, and in this case it turned out to be smoking, where the act itself cannot be seen, but implicitly told through butt filled ash trays.

Negativity aside, the Romantic Comedy genre seemed one of the easiest to port over, especially when what you need are gorgeous looking people which the Chinese talent are no lack of to grace the screen, put into plenty of formulaic stories that the genre can cough up in a dime a dozen fashion. Compromises will have to be made of course, such as keeping things extremely clean, but what I thought is an inevitable pattern forming and an inherent quality of a romantic film in this part of the world, is the selling of a dream, and an affluent lifestyle at that, especially given the growing economic might of China, which always get worked into the plot.

Things like sprawling skyscrapers, swanky offices, large limousines, and people in high positions up the career ladder become the template in which to craft the romantic comedy. We already had Don't Go Breaking My Heart involving a love triangle between professionals and CEO types, and the same continues in Mr and Mrs Single, where Rene Liu's Mandy, a mean boss of a perfume company, gets caught up with a growing affection for her newly minted executive assistant Mike Cui, played by Eason Chan. It is a familiar cousin of sorts with resemblance to The Devil Wears Prada, with a renowned and demanding boss being such a man-eater, that it is a requisite that her assistants must be single, since they're expected to be at her beck and call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

But Mike Cui is married to Jenny (Bai Bing), which sets the premise of one needing to keep secrets from one's boss, and initially, one's wife as well. It started off with good intentions, as Mike is adamant in wanting to provide both necessities and luxuries for his wife, and decided to take on the job after persistent goading from his best friend (Harlem Yu), since the job pays more than double Mike's current salary. It's a lifestyle that the yuppie couple yearns, and therefore the price to pay where later on, Jenny gets in on the game, and has to suppress her jealousy when it is perceived Mike has to place Mandy on the pedestal, and not herself, investing too much time with his lady boss rather than to spend quality time together as husband and wife.

Therein lies the strength of the film where it serves as a stark reminder of China, and our relentless pursuit of economic goals and materialism, where money is the be all to end all, where things like family time, friendship and priorities all get muddled up tremendously. And curiously though between the couple Mike and Jenny, their little marital hiccups get resolved through shopping sprees, therefore never nipping the crux of any issue in the bud, but glossed over through, you guessed it, consumerism. Which naturally spells trouble, as the fights get bigger and fiercer as the story wore on, especially since when Jenny relies on the usual grapevine and well-meaning "advice" from self help books and friends.

In some ways the scriptwriters Ru Xiaoguo and Ha Zhichao subtly bridges one relationship while widening the gulf in the other, though always keeping things just at the edge of a reveal since Mike is constantly treading on dangerous ground, painting himself a foundation made up of a lie on which his career gets built upon, and in doing so, plunges his family into marital woes. It's all about the priorities in one's life, and that stark mental note that one could possibly be happier with less rather than more, especially if more comes with a price that we only learn is too big, too late. Recommended, even though at times we're dealing with caricatures and rushed subplots, but gets more than made up for with its moral message.

13 Assassins (十三人の刺客 / Juusan-nin No Shikaku)

Assassins Assemble!

Takashi Miike is one of the most prolific directors from Japan in its contemporary cinema, having as diverse a filmography as possible in churning out a slew of works from perverse gems to delicious grindhouse, whether films meant for kids, or broad based entertainers. A rare craftsman indeed to have dabbled and tackled such an amazing variety of film genres and with a steady stream of output, and 13 Assassins, a remake of the 1963 film supposedly based on a true incident in the late Edo period of Japan, really seals his reputation as one who can straddle between commercial blockbusters, and those of the more artistic fare.

13 Assassins is that big budgeted, ramped up samurai action picture in the same spirit as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, where a group of skilled swordsmen get their destiny all charted out when the people look toward their expertise to uphold justice, and the men stepping up to be counted in the face of societal adversity. It's that typical story of moral courage of a few good men chosen to execute a mission to try and reset the status quo, or die trying while at it.

Miike's film is structured in a wonderfully simple way, and it starts off with perversion in introducing the main villain, Naritsugu Matsudaira (Goro Inagaki) who is the Shogun's brother, but earning a reputation of being a cold heated killer, rapist, and just hell bound bad guy with zero morals or respect for the sanctity of human life. This film would not have worked without this basic, powerful half hour set up where a character so vile gets luxuriously painted to get you to thoroughly hate the person, his action and his guts, while painting him to also be a formidable, skilled opponent that you wonder just how difficult it would be to get to him for a face off, but how delightful it would be to finally get that shot to take him down.

The film then launches into its midsection which played out like a typical heist movie, with the recruitment of the would be perpetrators and an introduction to what they bring to the table, coupled with the meticulous planning in preparing for an almost suicidal mission where a few men would be taking on an army, guessing and second guessing intent and what the enemy would likely react to any planted changes, in an effort to stay an extra step ahead. And there's the tense face off between the leaders from both camps, rivals once when young and now standing on opposites, engaging in barbed dialogue and scare-mongering, psychological tactics to size up a known opponent. It's a poignant scene on how each are duty bound by their orders through their honour and the usual samurai values they live and die by.

With 13 heroic characters crammed into 141 minutes meant an unequal amount of screentime getting devoted to each of them, so a tradeoff becomes inevitable, but the ones who do get introduced in depth thankfully turned out to be as varied and as interesting as can be. There's the leader Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho) who got tasked to take up this mission, and in doing so assembled his team which included trusted deputy Saheita Kuranaga (Hiroki Matsukata), a star pupil Kuzuro Hirayama (Tsuyoshi Ihara) whose skill is excellent par none, and various other inner circle, trusted members to undertake this secret mission, including his nephew Shinrokuro Shimada (Takayuki Yamada who also worked in Takeshi Miike twice in the successful Crows Zero series) a compulsive gambler and womanizer who's obviously in this mission on a quest for redemption.

But the character of Koyata Saga (Yusuke Iseya) served as the most interesting of the lot, not being of samurai stock, and chanced upon by Shinzaemon and team en route through a forest, before Koyata's wit and know how in navigation earned his place to be with them. Providing a fair share of comedy and critique on the ways of the samurai, I thought this chap personified a higher being for his stunning turnaround scene at the end which may leave some bewildered, as well as to provide Miike an outlet to deal with some of his more signature stuff, including Koyata's an incredibly large member and high sex drive which did stick out like a sore thumb in the more serious build up where Shinzaemon's troops got down to fortifying and booby-trapping the village.

One needs to look no further than the two Crows Zero films to know that Miike can deliver full scale assaults with balletic qualities, accentuated by an adrenaline pumping soundtrack. If it's action you're craving, 13 Assassins delivers by the loads through a gloriously choreographed 45 minute action set piece utilizing a series of weapons from bows and arrows, spears and explosives, where it becomes like a reverse Bodyguards and Assassins where every angle of the ambushed town got covered in blood and body parts, with plenty of on-screen dismemberment of limbs. It's no holds barred where the element of surprise, and the discovery of being grossly outnumbered, brings forth that sense of inevitable dread amongst those from both sides, as one seeks to cut off the head of the hydra, while the other frantically looking for a way out of being uncharacteristically cornered. Plenty of pathos got built in as well especially in that final few fights, where you will find it hard not to weep for the fallen.

It isn't easy to take down the corrupt who have power and the sworn loyalty amongst the powerful, but this film inspires in that provision of hope that so long as good and able men are willing to make that sacrifice for the common good, there is still that fighting chance to make right the things that have gone wrong under the hands of the criminal. Even Fate would also lend a hand. Definitely highly recommended as this swashbuckles its way to be amongst the best of this year's selection.

Four

Why let GTH have all the fun with its highly popular horror anthology series 4bia and 4bia 2, would probably be one of the reasons behind Sahamongkol Film jumping onto the bandwagon with its own offering Four, presenting well, four horror short stories with acclaimed directors each taking on a segment that offers different flavours to the horror genre, not exactly taking on those of the spiritual realm, but coming off more like an Amazing Stories collection that entertains rather than to send chills up your spine.

And it starts off very brightly with A Noob's Human Holocaust directed by Eakasit Thairaat, the shortest of all the segments which came on before the opening credits, and for a reason quite smartly executed. The story may not come off as much, relying on its technical strengths and make up for its more gory moments. Perhaps it also reflects on the casual, banal conversations of youth these days, where they seemingly are into deep discussions about more serious topics that affect mankind, but coming off sounding quite hollow.

Topics touched on include that of global warming which take precedence if you manage to sift through other topics they crap about, with the feeling that most of the characters are boasting, and making fun of the newbie of their group (hence the title), before it launches into an inevitable, horrific twist in line with films such as One Missed Call when they deal with the ubiquity of the mobile phone, and how it plays into the opening credits, serving in a way to remind everyone of proper phone etiquette, lest anyone falls into the cancerous group of human beings which the mastermind of a virus in the story is set out to eradicate.

If there's a Gift Shop for People You Hate then point me in its direction please. Directed by Konkiat Khomsiri of Slice and Art of the Devil fame, this short is ambitiously dark and pulls itself off perfectly, since it showed its hand midway, but still managed to keep one step ahead of you and surprising you despite expectations drawn up. A recently promoted manager has most of the support in his office save for his fiercest rival who insults him on his promotion day, and a mid day walk about the market resulted in his entering the titular gift shop, meeting a quirky shopkeeper who spends considerable time explaining how seemingly mundane things can be rigged so that the recipient can suffer from embarrassment, or death, depending on the kind of services the buyer engages.

The caveat is of course the revelation that a hit has been already taken out, and with the many gifts sent to him to congratulate him on his promotion, it can be anything, which sets it up for a rather middling mid section before employing some nitft visual effects for a powerhouse finale that went full circle, which was what the clincher was for me, since at times it did feel that this short had well overstayed its welcome.

The Night to Lose Your Mind by Pawat Panangkasiri was the least favourite amongst the shorts, because it had tried a little too hard and it showed. The tale dragged on for quite a bit and was only made bearable with star power. Ananda Everingham stars as a robber who together with two others are some of the most notorious villains though they get threatened by Everingham's mood swings especially when he's the only one wielding a handgun and doesn't hesitate to use it especially against those who stand in his way. It took its time to introduce the characters and show how crazy Everingham's character can be, with most of the story takes place in an abandoned building where the gangsters rendezvous after a big hit, there to split the loot, and as expected things start to go bump in the night.

Saving the best for last, Who R Kong? by Madiew Chukiat Sakweeakul is perhaps the crowd pleaser, containing horror and comedy welded so nicely together, as well as deftly handling an ensemble of caricatures. A old man passes away with something left unsaid to his family members, save for not to cremate or bury him. So a decision was made to keep his corpse in the house, and a geomancer suggests that the old man had something to tell his favourite grandchild on some treasure kept in the compound. Hence the family members in their different factions send their kids to stay within the mansion for hope of some revelation, only for the old man to really spook everyone out, with a very nice heartwarming twist at the end.

Sawkweeakul shows keen ability to amp up scenes that called for hauntings, and delivers the conventional scares coupled with loads of comedy that takes the mickey out of an airhead girl, and the eldest grandchild whose sexual orientation comes into question. In some ways this film deals more with family relationships especially those between cousins, and how the older generation aren't really that blind to what's going on around them, possessing good advice to dispatch to their descendants. The finale here is one of the best I've seen in any film of late, and this short was clearly the highlight of this anthology, which is justification enough for anyone to want to catch this film on the big screen.

Wasao (わさお)

One for the Album

There is always room for another dog movie given that they're after all, Man's best friend, with enough touching plots cooked up to keep the legions of dog lovers happy and in unison that their pet canines would likely possess similar qualities in loyalty, helpfulness and just looking adorable since the camera captures all the best angles. Wasao could have been a dog lover's dream movie, but instead it's more of a story of the local inhabitants of a small sleepy town that comes alive through a series of slice of life incidents.

From the get go you know that this is an engineered piece of work that perhaps tried too hard. There's a cycling event (you'll learn later on that it's part of an annual marathon) that the towns folk lined the streets to cheer the cyclists on, only for Akira (Masaki Izawa) to drop his red ball that his pet dog Shiro plays with, and for the dog to instinctively run after it, getting in the way of the event of course. Then Mom just had to run after the dog also instinctively as well, only to be knocked down by a van. Seriously, if an event of that nature on a straight road is in progress, any vehicle if allowed on the road, won't be travelling at that kind of speed to not see anyone stepping out, or for that matter hitting with such an impact it becomes life and death.

So Akira banishes his puppy to some relatives in Tokyo, only for the pup to escape one day, and trek back to what was his home. Insert shots of cute puppy rummaging through thrash for sustenance, getting drenched in the rain, and simply taking all the miserableness in its stride just to make it back to its owner. By the time it gets back to the town, it's all grown up into one large hairy furball, hence its nickname Wasao, but like a lover jilted once and still holding onto a candle, worships its master from afar, blaming itself for causing Akira's Mom a long term stay at the hospital.

And that happens in the first few minutes of the film. The rest of Wasao flits from character to character, scene to scene sometimes in too carefree a fashion, introducing to us a trio of senior citizens (Sabu Kawahara, Mansaku Fuwa, Koichi Ueda) who decided to check off a bucket list item by participating in a triathlon, a (fake looking) bear on the loose wrecking havoc in the agricultural town and a hunter (Takashi Sasano) engaged to hunt for it, who turns out to be somewhat of a lost subplot that went nowhere except to set up something very expected in the closing arc of the narrative, practice drumming sessions that I would have loved to see more of as it featured some infectious beats, only for a very hastily edited segment of a procession being all that came out of it, and a man (Masahiro Komoto) whose participation in the mentioned triathlon turned out to be a comedic spin no thanks to a lady who pledged her hand in marriage should he come in the best.

On the canine front, there's a restaurant lady who owns her own brood of dogs, bringing in the theme of life and death with one of her dogs nearing the end of her life, while another is pregnant, and to a certain degree, this lady (actress Hiroki Yakushimaru) turns out to be quite the main character for her discovery of Wasao/Shiro, her attempts to befriend it, and ultimately figuring out its identity, coupled with being in the thick of the action when looking for a missing Akira who had ventured off trying to cycle his way to Tokyo.

Wasao suffered from having too many characters in it for its own good that on one hand showcases the very kampung feel where everyone in town knows everyone else in the close-knitted community, but on the other relegated the dogs in the show to the usual shots that capture cuteness, and seriously, no self-respective dog film can ever do without shots of a dog running at top speed along a long beach/road, which Wasao contains with aplomb. There could have been a fine balance in its narrative sharing screen time between man and dog, but in this case, the focus was clearly on the human stories, and the other dogs featured in the film stole the show from Shiro who had to just look expectant and hopeful for that recognition from its once owner.

There were many mentions by the characters that Wasao/Shiro had a funny look, that it was ugly yet charming in its own way. I didn't think the dog looked ugly at all, though it had enough fur on it especially in its mane to resemble a white lion. Kimba this is not, but that shouldn't deter any dog lover from having a go at this film. For the rest of us, steer clear if you cannot stand predictability.

23:59 Teaser

This has got to be one of the longest gestation period of a Singapore film in recent years that has been stuck in development hell, then jumpstarted with a new lease of life.

The army camps and training grounds have got to be fuel for countless of ghost stories, but none as legendary as the famous Charlie Company (which at one time was a working title) at Pulau Tekong featuring the bunk with the infamous third, twin door adorned with talismans. There isn't any definitive version since the tale had gone through countless of reinterpretations by generations of drill sergeants and recruits alike, and I should know since I was trained within the confines of the same camp, and have to pass by that bunk for four months en route to the cookhouse during my conscript military training days. Just saying.

In any case I first caught whiff of the project during the time when I co-interviewed writers-directors Gilbert Chan and Joshua Chiang for their breakthrough indie debut feature S11 back in 2006, and Gilbert had mentioned he was working on Charlie Company. Since then he had gone on to co-direct films such as Love Matters with Jack Neo, while horror-comedies in Where Got Ghosts and The Ghosts Must Be Crazy, and the telemovie Pulau Hantu highlighted the appeal of army horror stories, and I suppose with the setup of Gorylah Pictures in 2009, the stars have finally aligned for this project to be green lit, and so we're at this point in time where the feature now known as 23:59 is complete, and due for a release in October later this year.

In the meantime, the teaser is out. It isn't much (and frankly I thought the art direction would have nailed it if the bunk beds are of the double decker type, but I'm nitpicking) but enough to whet some appetites:


Synopsis from the Facebook Page

A rumor had been circulating like wild fire amongst the soldiers. A mad woman living on the island had died at the exact hour of 23:59, and it is believed that her spirit had returned to haunt the soldiers at the exact same time.

One of the recruits, Tan, the introverted platoon outcast, is adamant that he will be the next victim of the mad woman's spirit.

He tries to convince his buddy Jeremy that the woman's spirit has been visiting him every night. Jeremy laughs it off and claims that there are no such things as ghosts in this world. They only exist because of Tan's overactive imagination.

However, during the 24 km road march for the platoon in the forest, Tan was found dead by the river, with his limbs contorted in a strange way and an expression of deep fear on his face.

Overwhelmed with guilt, Jeremy decides to investigate Tan's death, convinced that it was not an accident as what the military officers believe.

Little does he know that the truth behind Tan's death will unearth a terrible dark secret of the island and he will have to confront his deepest fears in order to find the truth.

Related Links
- Facebook Page
- 23:59 Page at Gorylah Pictures

[DVD] Rule of Three (2008)

So What Exactly Happened?

Some of us can't help it if we wonder at times how the hotel, motel or inn room we're staying in contain stories and harbour secrets, having a myriad of people come stay in them, sometimes involving incidents that range from the usual, the sweet, to even the macabre, depending on how one's imagination goes. Motels of course are very ripe and fertile ground for horror stories and films to spring up from, but Rule of Three, by the creative husband-wife team of Eric Shapiro on the director's chair and Rhoda Jordan taking on screenplay duties from Shapiro's story, churns up a psychologically dark mystery thriller that hooks you in right from the opening shot.

Primarily set in the same spatial boundaries of a motel room, Rule of Three spans three distinct stories over different timelines that you'll expect to converge by the time the final act rolls by, but here done in a manner that's shocking and horrific, dealing with karmic retributions in a certain way, and how people, seemingly civil on the outside, possesses a degree of evilness that rears its ugly head in the most nonchalant manner and reveal, that makes this truly terrifying since it really brings forth the notion of not judging a book by its cover.

There's Jon (Ben Siegler) who's obsessively looking for his daughter Lo (Rhoda Jordan herself) who has been missing for two weeks, with the father berating everyone and making his way back to the motel room, her last known location, to look for clues. The second tale sheds some insights to a trip by Lo and her boyfriend Jake (Cary Woodworth), making their pit stop in the motel but as we soon find out, they're there to try and engage in a threesome with whichever friend they can mutually agree to shortlist and get to say yes. And the last arc deals with a middle aged man Brian (Lee Schall) making a deal with the devil in Rodney Eastman's drug dealer Russ, the former wanting to buy "roofies" so that he can lay with the woman of his dreams who often goes to him as an Agony Uncle. Talk about taking advantage when someone is down.

Rule of Three shines in many ways that makes this indie film well worth a watch, and a multiple times at that. There's immense strength in its stories that peppers with details and red herrings to keep you constantly engaged and guessing, with deep characterization to flesh out all its characters to avoid stereotypes, well acted that they come off as truly believable, which makes this a little bit unnerving since it can cut close to reality, since real life at times can be stranger than fiction.

Dialogue is extremely sharp, important since the characters don't come off as lifeless, and drives the narrative forward in clockwork fashion, with the cast members delivering wonderful performances - Lee Schall portraying his character with misguided morals and ulterior motives so well hidden, with Rodney Eastman pairing up to exploit that excellent chemistry they share as unlikely bedfellows, Cary Woodworth providing a slight tinge of comedy and vulnerability, and Rhoda Jordan as well, central to the story to allow us to feel for her, as well as wonder just what could have happened that made Ben Siegler's obsession easier to comprehend especially when the film ends and you start to look back.

After all, Shapiro and Jordan surprises with the final act that sews everything up and sledgehammers plenty of emotions through, filling it with enough suspense right up to the final frame of the film, and comes full circle with its themes that have floated around, coming to closure toward the end. Cinematography is kept uncomplicated and clean to accentuate the frustration, fear and horror of what the characters go through, with a hauntingly good soundtrack to boot. It's not everyday that you get an indie film that's so well written and acted, that this one stands out firmly amongst the crowd. Highly recommended, and if Netflix is available from wherever you're reading this, you might want to have a go at the film here.

The Region 1 DVD by Big Screen Entertainment presents the film in a letterbox format. There aren't too many extras, and are the usual Trailer (2:38) for the movie, and Trailers (8:15) for films like Babysitter Wanted, Sodium Babies, Nina & the Mystery of the Secret Room, and Target Practice.

The Director's Commentary is chock full of information shared by Eric Shapiro who provides plenty of insights into the narrative as well as the filmmaking process and behind the scenes process, but you will have to steer clear of it until you've seen the film because he starts it all off, in the very first sentence, dropping a major spoiler and many others along the way. You have been warned, but otherwise you'll have to give this a listen to for all the details that Eric Shapiro generously shares with the viewer/listener.

Lee Chang Dong Retrospective

'Nuff said. For details, check out here, and here.

See you there!

Harry Potter Movie Marathon

Golden Village has become synonymous with movie marathons in Singapore given a slew of franchise films out in recent years, but this is going to be the mother load. Together with Warner Bros, a massive 25 hour movie marathon featuring ALL the Harry Potter film will be screened back to back at GVmax from the 13th of July in one single session with logical meal breaks, goodie bag giveaways and a lucky draw where attendees stand a chance to win a trip for two to visit “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” at Discovery Times Square, New York, USA. This 14,000 square-foot experiential exhibition offers fans a first-hand view of the dramatic displays inspired by the Hogwarts™ film sets and the amazing craftsmanship behind authentic costumes and props from the films.

Expect legions of Potter fans to turn up in costume, and here's a peek at the event timetable:

Tickets are priced at S$98 for non GV members, while GV members get a S$10 discount. Click here for more details. If you think you're up for it, you had better hurry in securing your tickets, because availability of this one-time event currently looks like this:

No, the dark coloured seats are the ones already taken up, and I wonder who that lone ranger hero at the front row is. Could it be...

Jane Eyre

That's Me

There are countless of stage, film and television adaptations of Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre, that you may wonder if the world needs yet another version, if not to update and reintroduce it to another generation who have yet to read the source material, and through a different medium be intrigued enough to want to find out more, especially on subplots not covered. Directed by Cary Fukunaga, you'd come to expect a certain aesthetic quality associated with a period film, and this one doesn't disappoint.

Essentially telling the story of the titular character from childhood until her late teens, we go through her miserable time at her aunt's at Gateshead, and fast track through her strict education at Lowood School, essentially told in quick flashbacks that glossed over plenty of details and being spared a series of wrong doings dished out toward this outspoken little girl, whom by the time she's played by Mia Wasikowska, we're introduced to a very mannered, cultured young woman where the bulk of the narrative takes place during her stint as a governess at Thornfield Hall for the ward of Edward Fairfax Rochester (Michael Fassbender).

But that doesn't mean that the girl had essentially changed, but what I felt had become a little smarter in conforming to what society expects on the outside, while harbouring plenty of dreams and desires of an independent spirit on the inside, waiting for opportunities to present themselves before springing free. The crux of it of course comes from a persistent wooing by the lord of the house as the classic Byronic hero is taken in by what would be a whiff of fresh air compared to the other ladies whom he frequently comes into contact with, where in Jane Eyre is a combative spirit, an intellectual equal able to hold her own in conversation and wit. Therein lies a problem, given societal norms of the time what with social standing, and impropriety coming from an employer-employee relationship, which Mrs Fairfax (Judi Dench) never fails to remind.

Starring Mia Wasikowska who shot to prominence here in Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, she continues her playing of literary characters with her version of Jane in truly plain Jane fashion and constantly decked in frumpy coloured clothes to highlight her dedication and quiet strength, coupled with her high morals in refusing to do what's not right nor succumbing to the affairs of the heart, despite what I would believe are concerns that are likely glossed over in today's context. And she owns the role of the passionate and outspoken young woman that you'll likely find yourself rooting for her whenever adversary gets in her way. Fassbender continues to charm his way on screen as the roguish looking Rochester whose mood swings to and fro at the drop of a hat, sending conflicting signals and all the while harbouring something quite sinister in the background that unravels itself like a good mystery. It'll do you some good to keep an eye on Fassbender's career from this point on.

The beauty of the English language comes to play here, while we do not speak like that anymore, it brings out a certain romanticism throughout the entire film. With strange and mysterious incidents peppering Jane Eyre's governess stint that will hold your attention span, if you're gearing for an English period romantic drama, then Jane Eyre will be your choice before it gets forced out by the summer blockbusters, even if the narrative has to be watered down from its novel, focusing its attention solely on the key components of the character's life. Recommended, and I really enjoyed the haunting soundtrack.

Miral

Come Back!


Director Julian Schnabel tackles yet another biographical tale after his Diving Bell and the Butterfly, with a focus shifted to the Middle East conflict, but unlike the typical Hollywood production ranging from all out action like The Kingdom to heavier dramatic fare like Syriana, this film, an Indian-Italian-French-Israeli co-production stops short at passing judgement, opting to tread the middle ground in portraying as objective a viewpoint as possible, and does so through the eyes of the titular character Miral (Freida Pinto) being caught up in the scheme of her environment.

Curiously, this film is based on the novel by Rula Jebreal, a Palestinian journalist, whose book is an almost biographical account of her growing up and formative years, where she got brought up in an orphanage in Jerusalem established by Hind Husseini (Hiam Abbass), whose notable exploits after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War include rescuing orphaned survivors from the Deir Yassin massacre and turning her home into an orphanage. So in essence we get to observe the story of two women caught up in extraordinary circumstances spanning a vast timeline right up to the establishment of the state of Israel and right through to various peace accords that are still trying to bear fruit, and one

The narrative is split into two halves, with the first centered on the tale of Hind Husseini, her sacrifice and achieving of her objective, before having the narrative shift toward that of Miral, clearly the poster girl since Freida Pinto's shot to fame in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire might mean a lot more people giving this film a chance. Brought to Husseini's orphanage to be raised, we see the teenager getting awakened to the state of affairs of the land claimed by opposing sides, and getting caught between a rock and a hard place, where Husseini's counsel gets weighed against that of the brush of romance with the militant Hani (Omar Metwally), but of course don't come to expect flitting romantic scenes as the more powerful and thought provoking ones far outweigh affairs of the heart.

While the film offered two stories of two independently strong women, somehow it is the lack of a primary central figure that did it in, where it's most unfortunate to have the story quite scattered in its ambitious timeline in trying to condense an extremely complex political situation, no doubt adopting a micro view through the two different perspectives and principles in its leading characters. It sought to contrast viewpoints of those who deem education is the key out of their current plight, against those who wish to stand up and be counted, violence notwithstanding as a means to achieve an end.

Perhaps I was anticipating more, but with an ending quite abrupt, it leaves more questions than those answered and addressed, and perhaps so because it's still an open environment with no clear solutions in sight. Like how the characters have seen milestones set in their lifetime, I wonder if we in ours can eventually see something significantly charted out. The end title was a chilling reminder that it will take quite a while.

Delhi Belly

Belly Excellent!

Having starred in two back to back Hindi blockbusters in Ghajini and 3 Idiots, I'm guessing Aamir Khan, one of the largest stars of contemporary Hindi Cinema, is looking to spend more time behind the camera to forge a different brand of Hindi film targeted at an international audience, one that's probably sans the usual Masala formula containing song and dance routines, and creating movie magic that is within a comfortable two hour runtime. His Aamir Khan Productions have already produced the more art house fare in Dhoby Ghat, and now, Delhi Belly continues the trend to appeal to audiences around the world, stating its intention with the predominant use of English, and circling around the crime caper with a generous dose of madcap comedy.

And it worked wonders, with a very audacious, tightly knit plot that contains everything including the proverbial kitchen sink, where 3 friends and flat mates go about their usual daily business and routine, until they get inadvertently caught up with a smuggling ring with the smugglers out after their blood following a mix up of their precious cargo, and lumps of watery faeces. Yes you read that right, this is almost a Bollywood answer to Hollywood's Hangover where the protagonists go on a quest of sorts, only that it's genuinely funnier, and loads more charming, even as it does venture into toilet humour for a fair bit, and a lot more dropping of the F-bombs quite unheard of in Hindi cinema.

As far as Hindi adult comedy goes, this is probably my first, and what a ride it was. Aamir's nephew Imran Khan, to date only starring in romantic comedies, steps out of his comfort zone to play a jaded journalist to perfection, being the de-facto leader of his group of friends as he gets himself stuck in a rut when his girlfriend's family and his parents bring forth his marriage plans to the following month. Flatmates Arup (Vir Das) has to struggle with getting no respect for his cartoons from his meddling boss, while Nitin (Kunaal Roy Kapur) rounds up the trio as the photographer working with Tashi, but has his own photographic agenda to pursue that spawns its own interesting subplot. And before I forget, Nitin's the catalyst of the film with his contracting of Delhi Belly, which becomes the inevitable running joke throughout the story – watching just how he contracts it, is already worth the ticket price (and a warning we must be wary from which hawker we buy food from).

Before you know it you're thrown into the classic mixup involving mistaken identities, misplaced items, little side gags and plots that get thrown around thick, fast and furious (my favourite involves orange juice), a landlord who got blackmailed, romance, and gangsters who very well behave like, well, regular Joes and inadvertent poseurs. Comedy comes courtesy of the physically disgusting to verbal jibes, and even accents are not spared, never once the film was consciously trying to be politically correct, which would neuter its effectiveness. And it worked for Delhi Belly not coming off as trying too hard to please.

What worked wonders was the trio sharing incredibly chemistry in 3 Idiots fashion that was important to hold all the plot points together, as plot devices open, close and go full circle. Writer Akshat Verma and director Abhinay Deo are due credit to have crafted a complex narrative that was yet simple to follow, with pacing and story kept punchy and tight, and reminiscent of some of the best crime capers already seen from the West. Everything just about gelled perfectly here, with gorgeous art direction and sets to highlight some of the most disgusting living conditions in the city, and flowing cinematography that puts this right into the scheme of things with snappy editing and well crafted, natural dialogues coupled with excellent makeup. Then of course the marvelous soundtrack, with Nakkaddwaley Disco, Udhaarwaley Khisko opening the film in what I felt was one of the best in a long time.


Keep your eyes peeled for Aamir Khan himself as well, who makes the much touted cameo appearance every now and then as the character Disco Fighter, in posters, film stills, marquees and even a television show, culminating in what would be, as he hoped, the start of an Item Boy revolution. Disco Fighter serves up plenty of retro, disco fun coupled with his fair share of vulgar moves, that I think he'd fit right in if cast in the next Austin Powers film, complete with exaggerated gyrating pelvis to boot.

Delhi Belly is the best Hindi film to date for the year, and you will do yourself a disservice if you were to miss this totally. A highly recommended must watch, as it shortlists itself into the list of my top films for the year.

[ScreenSingapore Red Carpet Gala Premiere] Larry Crowne (Asia Pacific Premiere / Closing Film)

You Got Wheels

Viewed on June 11. Review embargoed until today:

It isn't everyday that Tom Hanks goes behind the camera to climb onto the director's chair (this marks his second feature film as director), and it certainly is a blue moon that he dropped by Singapore to promote his film Larry Crowne which made its Asia Pacific Premiere (why this isn't its World Premiere beats me) as the Closing Film of ScreenSingapore. For what was a bad Opening Film the film event made up for it with this A-lister's film at the other bookend, telling a tale that will strike a raw nerve with audiences here given the trials and tribulations of Tom Hanks' titular character who had to be unceremoniously retrenched despite his loyalty and performance on the job. It isn't sufficient to be loyal and hardworking these days, but one has got to be cheaper, faster and better as quipped by one of the fat cat bureaucrats here.

To make things worse, the bank always come knocking at the wrong time to compound the challenges at hand, where you probably heard a horror story or two about the treatment by banking executives on those who truly need their help, only to be stonewalled and reminded that banks exist not to help the little people who are their customers, but ultimately to serve their own self interest since they are absolutely, and fundamentally, profit driven entities. With the lack of education leading to limited prospects at work given the existence of glass ceilings, issues with mortgages and the hurtful puncture of self esteem when being given the pink slip, these are issues that the average Joe in any cinema hall can identify with, and probably bond with the Crowne character.

One can trust Tom Hanks to step into this role convincingly since he's has the everyday Joe demeanour to pull it off, although one cannot deny his star power in real life as seen when he stepped into a crowded room of journalists who let out a collective, audible sigh the minute he walked into the room. Usually playing evergreen, feel good, positive characters, it is no different here as Larry Crowne, a man who had to pull up his socks and dig in, making sense of the new world in front of him while maintaining a sense of dignity and respect. If anything this film will serve as a reminder to those on the same boat that all is not lost as long as one keeps a sense of hope that there will be an eventual light at the end of the tunnel. A sense of humour may help, and making friends is probably a must to keep one occupied with new companionship, hobbies maybe, but definitely perspective.

If there's a positive message coming out of this film, one of them would be never to give up, that all it takes is a positive attitude toward change, and becoming that agent of change to seize new opportunities that would come one's way, given that these are usually not obviously seen since one is normally deeply entrenched into a routine, which we see in Crowne during the first act. Help comes in the form, lucky for him, when he decided to better himself in getting a degree at a community college, and meeting two ladies who would change his life forever, one being fellow student Chandra (Enuka Okuma) who literally turns his life topsy turvy but for the better as the literal positive influence, save for an envious boyfriend, and the other being his public speaking class teacher Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts), who provides that slight romantic angle, and having an entire running subplot of her own regarding her indifferent attitude toward life and her estranged marriage to her porn-surfing writer husband.

Sharing co-writer credit, I have enjoyed the works of Nia Vardalos of late, and one can tell the little touches that usually go into a typical Vardalos written flick that can be found here. I am wondering though if Julia Roberts had decided to pass on the role, that Vardalos herself could have stepped into her character's shoes most effortlessly, since the female point of view that can be seen in many of the female characters played by Vardalos were evidently found in Robert's Mercedes.

While both Hanks and Roberts had worked together before in Charlie Wilson's War and share some chemistry together once again in the same frame, don't expect too much fireworks in their combined screen presence given that they do spend more time apart, which is a pity since there is a minor ensemble involved in the film. Comedy comes courtesy of little quirky moments designed - I would really like George Takei to teach me economics, and be in a class that is a shadow of the British sitcom Mind Your Language with its class composition set up for deliberate mirth, which served as a pleasant distraction given the student antics.

Be the change you want to be, and that milestone can begin with even the simplest of steps such as a wardrobe change. Larry Crowne is basically that filmic self-help reminder as a model for those at the crossroads of their lives, and provides that extra cheer and support on the positives of building both knowledge and confidence. Not everything this summer has to be loud and filled with explosions, as this film demonstrates that a more powerful tale comes from something simpler, but possessing enough to connect with audiences at a much deeper level. There will be some who will dismiss this as being light and superficial even, but don't let them detract you from the second feature as directed by Tom Hanks, at least you'll know you're in for a treat.

Monte Carlo

Looking Like A Million Bucks

If you had asked me who was Selena Gomez a few months back, I would have just blinked at you. If not for attending Justin Bieber's 3D documentary film, being intrigued by his internet fueled meteoric success and inevitably feeding off the tabloids on his career, I would not have known who the lead actress was, but now I do. Based loosely on the novel Headhunters by Jules Bass, the release of Monte Carlo this week in the US and Singapore would probably be deemed suicidal, if not for its appeal to the intended demographic left out of the testosterone filled Transformers, and the more mature movie going audience who would likely flock to Larry Crowne starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (opens in Singapore next week to avoid a three-way battle).

And appeal to that group it does, playing up to its favourite things that if I were a girl I would gobble this up hook, line and sinker. There's travelling to Europe, Paris no less, with a BFF, and a sister you'd love to hate in tow, meeting attractive and more importantly, single guys at every turn, travelling in luxury from being ferried in private jets and limousines, rubbing shoulders with royalty and the rich and famous, as well as having an arsenal of gorgeous outfits to get into topped off by million dollar jewellery, participating in exotic games and attending the coolest parties. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

But that's about it, with the film very much set in territory already explored in countless of films dealing with coincidental, mistaken identity, where the Prince and the Pauper switch places – this one being one sided and without permission – for the pauper to experience the high life, leading onto moralistic questions such as whether one will be enticed by things superficial and materialistic, or will one return to one's humble roots with morals, principles and values intact. It's the same old usual themes about wanting to fulfill personal objectives and dreams, whatever they may be, whether done so through hard work, or just by meeting the right people.

Selena Gomez takes on two roles here, although her role as the mean British heiress Cordelia Winthrop Scott looks like she's suffering from a constant PMS. Her other main role is of course as Grace, the simple waitress from Texas who had graduated and is taking her graduating trip to Paris with best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy), only for her parents to get her half-sister Meg (Leighton Meester) to tag along despite their hating of each other's guts. So begins the journey of self-discovery for all – Grace to decide whether she should keep up with the charade she and her pals find themselves in at the risk of being a fraud to Theo (Pierre Boulanger) of the Hotel de Paris, Emma to try and figure out if the high life and potentially rich royal-family linked acquaintance can be anything more than friends as compared to her troubled boyfriend Owen (Cory Monteith), and Meg learning to becoming less uptight while getting swept off her feet by Aussie tourist Riley (Luke Bracey).

Yes, that's all the romance lined up, as they zip around the different places in luxurious Monte Carlo, having the second act centered around closure in and around a million dollar necklace meant for a charity auction. In some ways that was the best part of the film as finally there is a sense of purpose and urgency to try and resolve everything amicably and set their identities straight as their charade comes to the inevitable close, with well timed, expected comedy to pave the way to a finale that ends all too conveniently.

Naturally the landscapes make up the film with its far flung, beautiful locations that would just make you want to save up enough to jet set in the same fashion, trying very hard to make you forget the many plot conveniences and coincidences, for the very obviously predictable way this teeny bopper film is appealing to the teenage female population through the latest It girl making that transition from music to film. Strictly or the fans only.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - An IMAX 3D Experience

I'm The Foxy Replacement

The universal hard truth – that this film will make an obscene heap of money no matter how bad a film it actually is, and that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a smoking hot Victoria's Secret model that Michael Bay just loves to train his camera onto her endless limbs and cleavage, but can't act to save her life. Welcome to the third live action installment of Transformers, which Bay at one point said he won't be back to direct, but only because he got tempted to play with new 3D filmmaking toys that we got to this point, this being his only return to a material for the third time in his career, and his second Moon outing since Armageddon.

Written by Ehren Kruger who was responsible for the mess in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, I would say this time round the story was one leg up than the previous, though expect little other than to have scenes crafted to bring the audience from one major fight to the next. But it actually started off rather brightly with our first detailed view of the never-ending war on Cybertron, and culminated in a plot that Transformers fans and those who follow the cartoon series will celebrate with the introduction of the iconic space bridge, and what it can do to wreck havoc on Earth. Kruger also fell prey to the permeating sweep of nostalgia in the blockbusters of this year, with the 60s being a groovy time like X-Men: First Class, to get into, this time round tying in some major conspiracy theories into the entire Space Race between the USA and USSR, and of course the moon landing and why since the Apollo missions nobody else set foot on our moon. And not to forget that little bit on Chernobyl as well, that made Dark of the Moon feel quite epic in its narrative scale and ambition.

But some things never change in a Michael Bay film, and one enters his world knowing fully well what to expect, no matter what he's directing. Granted the army is back in full force once again, as are various quasi-government agencies, but toned down are the tremendous recruitment ra-ra moments that defined Revenge of the Fallen, although you can't help but to chuckle at how Bay is determined to show us the perfect US-led world with the Autobots now being at the beck and call of the American military to take out rogue nations and groups that pursue unsanctioned nuclear ambition. Well if you can't do it in real life, do it in film in time for a 4th of July salute, can't you?

Then there's the token female characters, one babe in Rose Huntington-Whiteley's Brit bombshell Carly taking over the fired Megan Fox whose character in the previous two movies got written off through no less than two mentions that she had dumped Shia LaBeouf's Sam Witwicky with many characters exalting Carly's "great" qualities, and the other the brainier Mearing of NSA played by Frances McDormand looking really frumpy. In Bay's universe, hot babes get to drive sleek sports cars and pout incessantly, and in what would be a laughable moment, have enough charms to casually chat with one of the main villains in the show reminding him that he should be vicious, when the villain should have just swatted her away like an insect.

But there are some plus points to amuse a Transformers fan. For instance, the much loved Laserbeak gets featured here in its nasty glory, being one heck of a powerful opponent with espionage its main weapon in orchestrating much of the Decepticon web of deceit, though its combination with Soundwave was one scene too little. Then there's Shockwave looking too up to date save for his cyclops eye and owning a gigantic pet worm that you see in the trailer, and Optimus Prime finally having his trailer put to good use in more than one battle sequence. Yes, it is up to these little things that keeps things interesting for fans and the casual viewer, but that's about it, as the big bang finale treaded on familiar ground covered in recent science fiction films such as Battle Los Angeles - this one becoming Battle Chicago - and Skyline with its alien invasion theme with alien planes peppering the sky, and aliens flexing their superior firepower with reducing masses of humans into ash.

Effort has been put into resisting the temptation to have too many robots show up on screen pulverizing each other in close combat, and having Bay's slow motion to show off some cool stunts involving humans and robots (Bumblebee seems to be the favourite to have to slow down), but for all the loud, mind numbing and eardrum busting action going all around during the action sequences, there's this distinct lack of villainy in the movie, with action sequences being overly long and losing their impact and focus.We get tons of faceless and nameless Decepticons yet again, with plenty of action in the huge finale focused on the humans and the soldiers/mercenaries, but little on the robots. I mean, if Optimus Prime can be temporarily forgotten since he's stuck in a bunch of wires dangling upside down from some broken building, something is wrong, besides the fact that he's in identity crisis mode for the most part fawning over to audiences who like their heroes dark with his declaration of annihilation over his enemies.

There are also supporting characters galore, some returning from the previous film such as John Turturro's Simmons, now a multi-millionaire thanks to his best selling book, and the likes of military men Lennox (Josh Duhamel) now made Colonel, and Tyrese Gibson's Epps, and new ones with John Malkovich and Ken Jeong in minor roles, with Patrick Dempsey's Dylan being written in to be in stark contrast to Sam Witwicky as humans who share similar robot-related ancestry, but it doesn't matter since no acting chops are required to star in this film, only the willingness to spout incredibly bad lines, and look cool/nerdy. What Buzz Aldrin (the real Buzz Aldrin) is doing in this film, is something of a mystery in itself too, other than to lend some gravitas to the created back story on the space race.

The IMAX 3D presentation wasn't all that impressive given the trumpeting of using technology that gave rise to Avatar, and felt for the most parts a 2D film instead, since most of the action sequences were converted to 3D in post. So you just might want to save money on this and go for a digital presentation which will suffice. Will this be the final Transformers film? I suppose the millions in revenue will make it hard for the studio to say no, but whether Bay will be back for another round, well it's anyone's guess. At least this installment was more entertaining than the previous one, but it still continues with the same of Bayhemic formula (of juvenile jokes, big explosions and coverup of plot loopholes), doesn't offer anything new and is at risk of running stale. There's only so much that the robots can do on Earth that we haven't already seen before in 3 movies.

[DVD] Sinema Showoff! Class Of 2010: Special Singapore Day Edition (2011)

Someone once told me that the best way to introduce oneself to Singapore films, is through its selection of shorts, and that still holds true to today, where we have far more shorts being made than I could keep track of, and over the years the quality of filmmaking and storytelling have improved tremendously. Probably the only essential way to capture a glimpse and slice of life of our country, with films coming out from, and representative of the various communities in our country through their respective idiosyncrasies and languages, expressed through the medium of film.

Sinema Old School has been running an ongoing showcase series since 2010 known as the Sinema Showoff! series curated by academic staff and students from School of Architecture & the Built Environment (Diploma in Integrated Events & Project Management), Singapore Polytechnic, and a Special Singapore Day Edition DVD compilation (which was commissioned by the Ministry of Information Communication & the Arts for Singapore Day 2011, held on 16 April in Shanghai) has been curated by Ramasamy Rajesree and Sueanne Teo consisting of the best from the Class of 2010 in an elegantly produced set containing six quality short films that's as diverse as can be, proudly presenting our country's emerging filmmakers.

So take a bow, class of 2010, as I look forward to the next batch who will hopefully get another shout out in similar fashion, packaged for a larger audience.

My Father Sazali / Bapakku Sazali (17:24, Letterbox)
Directed by Sazali Bin Masraji

Sazali Bin Masraji's short film is beautifully layered, capturing various thoughts, concerns and ideas into its compact run time dealing with a father and son relationship in a story about dreams, aspirations and pragmatism. Face is an Asian thing, and to the titular character Sazali (Ahmad Mawi) the barber, once a young man with filmmaking dreams, he is dead set against his son Adam (Shah Iskandar Mahfuz) in following in his footsteps. After all, Singapore society in general looks up to the ones who get to climb the corporate ladder in an air-conditioned skyscraper office downtown, not toward a small barbershop in which to ply one's trade in.

Oh the irony of it all, where the father's unfulfilled dream, turns him in a way against that of his son's own goal, and the heart to heart talk they share is nothing but heart wrenching, and well acted. It's well balanced, with plenty of comedy though in its first act involving the nagging wife Aini (Junainah Jumari) who interrupts her husband and son in their make-believe job interview session where you can see how the rather easy going Sazali got his mean streak inspiration from. One of the values of Bapakku Sazali is the capture of the modern day mom and pop trade of the quintessential Malay Barbershop, being shot inside a real one rather than a studio set, preserving the look, feel, sights and sounds of the real thing.

Masala Mama (8:27. Anamorphic Widescreen)
Directed by Michael Kam

What a tease, and I was hoping for a lot more that came to an abrupt conclusion through the comic book styled panels in its closing credits. If the previous short had shown the Malay Barbershop, shouldn't it be apt to be have a follow up with the Mamak shop, a traditional Indian convenience store (albeit quite a modern looking one) that unfortunately is making way for and having to compete with franchised minimarts and supermarkets sprouting all around the island.

There was a promise of a lot more given its build up toward a fight against the intolerant. A young boy (Vernon Ng) steals a comic book from an Indian shopkeeper (Mohan Vellayan) when the latter got deliberately distracted. We learn that the young boy gets his artistic inspiration from comics, much to the disapproval of his dad (On Eng Soon), who resorts to violence against the rather effeminate shopkeeper, ridiculing him and blaming him for his son's distraction from menial work.

And who would have thought the surprise at the end, going back to an Indian film almost always having a song and dance routine to spice it up, masala style. I would have loved for this to have dragged on for a few minutes longer since it went into a totally campy and fun mode, but that was not to be. After all, the mark of something successful, is to always leave people wanting more. And that's what Masala Mama did exactly.

Kitchen Quartet (20:35, Anamorphic Widescreen)
Directed by Nicole Midori Woodford

Kitchen Quartet may seem like a mini feature, with a well fleshed out, full story contained within its 20 minutes to deal with two families of different classes, having their paths crossed through food, whether served in a classy restaurant, or through the ubiquitous local hawker centres serving the masses.

Oon Shu An stars as Shu An the restaurant chef who we see get suspended by her boss (Loo Zihan) when she failed to whip up something of quality for the very discerning food critic Edmund Heng, played by Gerald Chew in pompous fashion. The narrative then moves into two separate threads, each dealing with the respective lead's relationship with their sole family member, with Shu An having a love/hate relationship with her mom Ai Leng (Sally Poh), in what would be the usual shunning of unconditional love and concern that any mom will have for their kid, and Edmund Heng being the contrast as a parent like Ai Leng, finding it extremely tough to connect with his son Luke (Brandon Lee) if not for his own very foul attitude.

With competent acting by the cast, Kitchen Quartet boasts of that strong sense of irony that one will inevitably see coming, and wraps itself up pretty neatly for that feel good factor after a rather emotionally punishing time for its protagonists. Wonderful art direction too in its bookends of restaurants and hawker centres, each serving up their respective gastronomical delights that probably points to that adage of a family eating (or cooking too) together, stays together. And of course that gentle reminder not to watch this short on an empty stomach as it boasts some very appetizing looking food.

Promises in December (16:32, Anamorphic Widescreen)
Directed by Elgin Ho

A cab driver (Raymond Yong) and a domestic helper (Corry Turostiowati) whom he ferries on her way home after six long years working in Singapore. Told in non linear fashion, Elgin Ho's short is set against the backdrop of the Asian tsunami disaster of December 2004, and crafts a simple tale of how an earth-shaking catastrophe can affect the simplest of individuals. In almost similar fashion to Kitchen Quartet, these two tales intertwine closely, and provide contrast with how one misses her child while away for so long, only for this unfortunate event to threaten to tear them further apart, and how the other with family close by, has the disaster to realize that his final moments with his wife could perhaps be better spent. A little bit cliched though in how some shots got designed and composed, especially in its pivotal scenes when news of the disaster broke.

You may remember Raymond Yong from television of the past, and while I didn't think of him much as an actor in his Dragon Five days, his performances in various local short films of late is nothing short of quality, and makes you sit up and take notice. His Alan Yap is very typical Singaporean, without trying too hard, and makes his cab driver instantly identifiable, with Singlish being the lingua franca of his character. If anything, his performance alone should be reason enough why one should watch this short film, which like the others in the collection, boasts of high production values that has raised the bar of local short films in recent years.

Santan (Coconut Milk) (8:11, Anamorphic Widescreen)
Directed by Farhan Zulkifli

I was half expecting Adam (Muhd Haziq) to offer his bottle of Ribena to Jarina (Nur Habriyah), the girl who stopped him in his tracks while he's taking a break at a playground, since for some reason the two kids reminded me of that nostalgic Ribena ad on television eons ago. This is the story about the two kids embarking on an extremely short adventure in search of Adam's lost file, which he suspected was taken by a homeless, crazy man (Alfrey Noor Sulaiman), but then again, that's quite usual for kids with an active imagination to have preconceived notions of odd looking/behaving adults.

Shot on film, this is quite clear it's a student effort, and has little quirky and charming moments on little things we will identify with at a similar age, what with budding puppy love, that cavalier sense of adventure, as well as the constant tussle with the parents for the minutest of reminders, threats and errants. A pity though that the end credits had to be somewhat truncated at the top toward the last few seconds (OK, so I'm a stickler for things like that).

National Day (19:11, Anamorphic Widescreen)
Directed by He Shuming
Taken from my earlier review here

In some ways this short is somewhat similar to Anthony Chen's Ah Ma, where family members rally around each other, each having their own way in dealing with a death (or in Ah Ma's case, impending) in the family. He Shuming's short is set on the 7th day after the passing of a man (well, this plot element also used in Chai Yee-wei's Blood Ties), which happens to fall on National Day. With the entire nation celebrating the occasion and enjoying the public holiday, the story looks at bereavement in stark contrast against a celebratory environment, where streets are quiet and everyone glued to their goggle boxes to partake in the parade.

The strength of this short laid squarely on Shuming's characterization of the family, with a dialect (Hainanese?) speaking, nagging mom, and the children - the daughter and her own family, and her brother, an army boy who had managed to obtain those difficult-to-get parade tickets, as we learn them being his deceased father's favourite event. As the story wore on, each member had its own segment to highlight their personal grief amidst brave fronts they put up, or quiet ones such as those that they boy fell into. There were some additional religious observations within the family that got presented as well, with different members with different beliefs, quite contrary though very real on the state of affairs facing some families which served as a momentary distraction from the main intent.

It's still pretty amazing that this was a school project, though the audio at times did sound a little airy and distant, probably voiceovers on the original soundtrack. Nonetheless a nice effort and I'll be paying attention to He Shuming's works to see what more he can conjure up.


Sinema Showoff! Class of 2010 DVD can be bought from Sinema Old School at S$19.90, and since 'tis the Great Singapore Sale seasn, you'll get two complimentary tickets (valid for 3 months) for a Sinema screening for every Sinema Showoff DVD purchased.

Art Against AIDS 2011

Art Against AIDS is a art competition that aims to raise awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The competition, organised by Action For AIDS, Singapore, also encourages community participation, particularly among the youth.

In this year's edition, Action For AIDS is running a short film competition, so budding filmmakers out there, do take note!

Living With… is a short film competition to communicate prevention messages or explore issues relating to stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS. Documentary or fictional film, it's your choice! Participants will gain access to a pool of local AIDS workers and volunteers including AIDS activist Royston Tan, and be challenged to make a short film that will inspire kindness, and action. Films will have to be 3 to 5 minutes long and participants should be in groups of 3 to 5.

Now accepting interest from all aspiring filmmakers from all tertiary institutes to form school-based teams, to submit entry forms by July 17th 2011. Win attractive and best entries will be screened by AfA in conjunction with World AIDS Day. Feel free to contact us the organizers at art.against.aids@afa.org.sg if you have any queries.

You can visit this site for more details as well.

Hello Ghost (Hellowoo Goseuteu / 헬로우 고스트)

Eating Tofu

You can trust the Koreans to come up with a film that pads itself so much that the narrative seems to be never ending, until the final act that sledgehammers the best of emotions, tugging at your heartstrings and realizing that the extended narrative was all worthwhile for the payload at the end. Written and directed by Kim Young-Tak, Happy Ghosts may seem like a lightweight comedy that follows a tried and tested route, but I guarantee you'll be hard pressed not to give it a standing ovation when it continues to veer into melodramatic territory, just as you thought that Kim's pace was off for the most parts, that everything got forgiven for what was the final scenes that made the movie instead of breaking it.

Cha Tae-Hyun of My Sassy Girl fame stars as Sang-Man, a man whom we see in the opening scene trying to commit suicide in a cheap motel by swallowing a number of pills, only for the attempt to be thwarted by the motel owner who intervened on time. A subsequent attempt to drown in a river also got interrupted by coast guards on duty, and a quick trip to the hospital allowed him a second chance at life, bringing him back from the brink of death only to open his eyes to the presence of a number of ghosts who reveal themselves to him when in the hospital, each possessing distinct traits such as a smoker, an alcoholic, a weeping lady and a young boy with an incredibly sweet tooth.

As we soon learn, Sang-Man is depressed for having to be an orphan in the world, and quite fed up at being alone. As the adage goes, be careful what you wish for, as he now has unwanted company in the form of those spirits who each take turn, or sometimes almost simultaneously, to possess him, leading to expected hilarity as he demonstrates the dominant trait to the bafflement of others. Under the advice of a medium, and probably any one of us who have seen our fair share of friendly spirit films, the spirits are in our world using the body of a human as a vessel to go about completing their unfinished business, before they can finally depart the earthly realm.

Thus begins the quest to finish each of the ghosts' outstanding issues in narratively episodic fashion, such as one wanting to watch an animated movie, another wanting a camera back from a policeman, or even a simple requirement of having a meal together. While it will all make sense later on, it will, at this point, frustrate the impatient viewer as the episodes aren't quite ground breaking in any way, having this rather coincidental or familiar feel to them all that you've probably seen something similar in another film. The bright spark will of course be that the ghostly quests also all seem to point to, and help Sang-Man, in his romance of the hospital nurse Jung Yun-Soo (Kang Hye-Won), setting up an avenue for romance as well although it was a rather awkward, though inevitable, inclusion, into the storyline that took quite a while for it to develop.

Thematically, this is a film about belonging and family, where the lack of one drove one to want to kill himself for the lack of love and essential support, while for another character to detest whatever family she has left, albeit the latter not being too pronounced for the most parts. It reminds us of the importance of family and how grudges should always be addressed and not left for too late, reminders about positions that we sometimes lapse into. Kim also had a lot of ground he had wanted to cover with his story, resulting in the setup being quite scattered and a shifting in focus, with characters entering and being left out for the most of the midsection.

Cha Tae-Hyun may have made his name as the male lead opposite Jun Ji-hyun in My Sassy Girl, and while Jun's career may have taken off in relatively stratospheric fashion, I suppose it is now that his will finally make people sit up and take notice, playing a character being possessed by different characters will mean the actor having to impersonate or adopt the various character traits developed by others as his own that will allow for a showcase of acting chops of some sorts, from having to laugh, to cry, even some signs of childishness and slight feminism, contributing to intended comedy thanks to Cha's comedic timing, and hang-dog looks that he exploits.

There are the usual plot element loopholes as well which shouldn't bother the casual viewer, unless one gets perturbed by issues when the filmmakers didn't set their goal posts firmly, such as deciding whether the things the ghosts touch in the real world will affect those items directly, or that they would just be representations in the spiritual realm, although one can argue that such instances are performed through Sang-Man as the vessel, but if you observe closely, it's not being kept consistent.

But don't let that detract you from what makes for a powerful drama that will make you hard pressed not to reach out for that tissue. Little did I expect this to be what it was summed up at the end, and for that, made the erratic pacing for the most parts of the film come with a little bit more gravitas that warrants at least a repeated viewing, and powers its way into my shortlist amongst this year's best. Highly recommended!