angelsfang Reviews

You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

Takes satire and outrageousness to the sensitive theme of terrorism

[27 April 2009]

First of all let's get this out of the way, the opening is by far the worst part of the movie, and is the only part where I almost walked out. It was plain juvenile. Now I've never been a huge Adam Sandler fan, I always thought his best work was The Waterboy and Happy Gilmore, but never really got into his later work. At some point he became downright annoying to me. At first I was reluctant to watch "You Don't Mess with the Zohan", or just Zohan for short. The poster really put me off, it just looked like another stupid mindless comedy.

Well, that's exactly what it is. But there's more. Zohan Dvir is an Israeli counter-terrorist commando, and the theme of the movie is about terrorism, Israelis, Palestinians, stereotypes, the Middle Eastern conflict, etc. This is an extremely sensitive subject, but Zohan manages to poke fun at everyone, and turn stereotypes into funny. It's safe humor for everyone. Even Rob Schneider, whom many class as a complete hack and an expert in making flops, did very well in his role in Zohan. He seems to do well when he tries to play a serious yet silly role, as he does in Zohan, being the leader of a band of "three stooges" type of character. John Turturro also does well, his character had this Homer Simpson-like scream that seems to work well in most scenes, but never overused. Emmanuelle Chriqui plays Sandler's love interest and she's eye candy.

Notable mentions to Michael Buffer who makes a great cameo, Nick Swardson and his mom were a hilarious angle, and the actors from both the Israeli and Palestinian side (especially the Israeli merchants). Come to think of it, Sandler himself was so-so, but his supporting cast was excellent.

All in all it was a great popcorn flick, and had a couple of really laugh out loud moments, which basically achieves its goal. I'm not surprised to see Judd Apatow having a hand in writing the script, the guy is on a hot streak.

Hong Kong Bronx (2008)

Nothing new here.

[5 April 2009]

Was expecting something different, but it's the same old clichés again. Same old ex-triad protagonist who tries to shake off his past to start a new life, but gets dogged by his paranoid nemesis who thinks he might try to make a comeback and steal the top dog spot again. Which is a shame, because Ricky Chan (Bo-yuan) put in some really powerful scenes. This guy used to be a second to third-rate TV series actor, but since many stars left TVB he stepped up and took many lead roles, acting superbly and has a whole new look. It's a shame his character was so pathetically clichéd and unimaginative.

However, I am quite satisfied with the cast. Everyone was pretty convincing in their roles, with notable mentions to Winnie Leung (who looks beautiful with hardly any makeup, and puts in a strong performance), and the youth actors and actresses. They put in chillingly authentic contributions, and shows us just how bad and misguided some of the Hong Kong youths are nowadays. It is a dark side of Hong Kong that no one wants you to see, no one wants to know, and they keep themselves hidden away from the public spotlight. Drugs, bullying, and gang influence is a big problem to the schools of Hong Kong, and even now they are struggling to deal with it.

So if you're a Jordan fan, by all means check it out. Otherwise, you won't be missing much if you skip this. Oh and to confirm other reviewers' points about the CGI blood, yes there is a ridiculous amount with a comic book feel to it, but nowhere NEAR as stylish as Jacky Wu and Sammo Hung's Fatal Move.

Ong Bak 2 (2008)

He is taking it to the next level.

[2 April 2009]

The only spoilers in this review is regarding the moves he uses throughout the movie. There will be NO plot spoilers.

First of all this is more of a prelude to the original Ong Bak. If you're reading this to decide whether to watch it or not, the answer is quite simply YES. It is difficult to compare with Ong Bak because it's slightly different, for example the entire movie takes place in the forest and not any cities or urban areas, and he uses a lot of weapons and different fighting styles than just the same Muay Thai elbows and knees. This time Tony Jaa himself is the director, and he has teamed up yet again with the excellent Panna Rittikrai. And the result is some seriously good cinema. The editing and cinematography is superb. Fans of the original Ong Bak may feel a bit disgruntled as the storyline doesn't seem to completely fit together, but don't let the finer details distract you from what is a fantastic directorial debut from Mr.Jaa.

Now I would like to take a moment and talk about the fighting in Ong Bak 2. That Tony Jaa is one cunning customer. I remember he said his childhood idol was Bruce Lee, and you can sometimes be reminded of Lee's style especially when he pulls a "WHOAAA" face after he just smashed someone. But why is he cunning you ask? Well after filming Tom Yum Goong, he seemed to have disappeared off the radar for quite some time. Well during this time he was getting busy traveling around and studying other people's martial arts! In Ong Bak 2, he pulls off signature moves from other famous stars, here are some off the top of my head: Jet Li (when he swung a fire hose around like a whip), Donnie Yen (flying spinning armbar), Japanese sword styles (especially Seiza, art of sword drawing defence), Shaolin styles, Kali knife fighting (quite authentic as well), even a rather rare scene from a Chinese movie where when the opponent thrusts his sword at him, he uses his own sword hilt and "captures" the enemy sword, effectively disarming him. He pulls off all these moves with incredible proficiency and smoothness. I wouldn't quite call it plagiarizing, as some of them are so obvious that it looks more like a homage.

Now, about his direction and acting. Again, I think Tony is very smart in that he plays to his own advantages. In his previous movies, whenever he opened his mouth he usually sounded wooden and dull. So in Ong Bak 2, he has very little dialogue, and lots of butt kicking. But seriously though, it really is a great debut for him. The story was good, the scenes well edited and the fights extremely stylish and tightly shot. He even had the audacity to pull off a shock ending, and never did I expect to feel emotion while watching a Tony Jaa film, not just adrenaline but emotion. The ending leaves you yearning for more.

In conclusion, it is a MUST BUY for any fan of Tony Jaa or martial arts collections. The harshest of critics will call it a simple movie incomparable to Hollywood productions, but looking back at the Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies, at least Ong Bak 2 doesn't have as much cheese and cringeworthy dialogue. I dread the day Tony pairs up with a hip hop star or some smart mouth pretty boy and run through the usual stereotypical humor of cultural clashes.

Green Street Hooligans (2005)

They are not gangs, they are hooligans.

[7 March 2009]

Hands down one of the best British films in the last decade, right up there with the likes of Trainspotting and This Is England. Green Street Hooligans takes you to the old firms of English football clubs, and while the portrayal may not be 100% realistic, it is the story telling that counts, and female director Lexi Alexander does an amazing job. The fight scenes were beautifully shot, and the message conveyed was excellent.

It is not often where a movie is not only wonderfully directed, but also paired up with fantastic acting. This is one of those cases. Everyone in the movie was extremely convincing in their roles, especially the GSE (Green Street Elites), most notably Marc Warren (The Repairman from Wanted), Charlie Hunnam (as Pete, the GSE leader), and Geoff Bell (as Tommy Hatcher, leader of the Millwall firm). Geoff was only in a handful of scenes but his presence is amazing, he completely dominates on the screen. He is genuinely frightening. Throughout the movie there is a fair amount of banter (jokes) towards "Yanks", but one line truly stood out as the ultimate diss: Pete insists that they are not gangs, but firms (hooligans actually), they do not drive around with guns and shooting at 8 year old little girls.

The ending was a nice touch as well. Lexi Alexander has really outdone herself and hopefully she is involved with more projects in the future. Her directing style has a slight resemblance to Danny Boyle, both of them have a talent for showcasing stylish action scenes, and engrossing storytelling ability. Green Street Hooligans is a must watch for anyone interested in the footballing hooligan scene back in the 80s and 90s.

Tactical Unit - The Code (2008 Video)

Not quite PTU, but enjoyable in its own right

[4 March 2009]

Tactical Unit: The Code is produced by Johnny To, but directed by Law Wing Cheung. The movie starts off showing CCTV footage of three PTU officers in a back alley beating up a suspect, this footage is somehow obtained and submitted to the Police Board who then decide to start an internal investigation. So unlike PTU, where the plot took place entirely in one night in a race against time, in The Code the CAPO (Complaints Against Police Officers) officers are involved immediately in an investigation against the three cops.

While the movie moves along at a fairly slow pace, dragging a bit at times, it is not entirely without merit. First of all I noticed that it's a bit more realistic than most cop movies. Different departments in the police force are not obligated to help each other out. Only if two people have a very good relationship and history would they grant a favor. Don't watch it if you're expecting stylish cinematography and intense gunfights. It's more of a story telling movie, so it's worth a rent if you like Simon Yam and Maggie Siu, as they both carry the movie most of the time. There are some decent twists.

It's worth about a 6.5 but gets rounded up because the way the police officers assemble themselves and carry out orders, feels more like a documentary than an action movie, in terms of realism. I am not surprised if they had actually had an adviser from the Hong Kong Police to teach them the tactical side.

Valkyrie (2008)

Underdog status made this movie a hell of an experience for me

[3 March 2009]

***NOTE*** This review contains minor spoilers, but they are historical spoilers, not fictional or movie plot spoilers.

With all the negative reviews surrounding Valkyrie when it first released, it was way down the list of movies to see for most people. Most flocked to check out the Oscar nominees, or more popular titles like The Wrestler and Gran Torino, even Jim Carrey's Yes Man. But when I finally got around to seeing this once it premiered in Hong Kong, I was simply blown away.

Tom Cruise, no matter how his personal life is, delivers on the silver screen where it matters. I've heard some professional critics complain that he was a bit stiff, but to be honest I have hardly ever seen the real Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg even in other films, so I wouldn't know how accurate Tom's portrayal was. The only thing I do know, is that he commanded most of the scenes in the movie. This is no easy task when you're up against Bill Nighy. The other supporting cast was excellent as well, especially Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp, and Christian Berkel, who was absolutely wonderful as Colonel Quirnheim. I do not know too much of German actor Christian Berkel, apparently he was also in Der Untergang which I enjoyed very much, he was superb in Valkyrie. Another point of interest is that, despite already knowing the outcome of the plot, the ending scenes are still extremely gripping and emotional. Bryan Singer deserves much of the credit for an amazing job.

As a closing note, no matter if you like or hate Tom Cruise, or whether or not you enjoyed the movie, it did a significant job portraying the brave men that stepped up and resisted. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, General Friedrich Olbricht, Herr Ludwig Beck, Herr Erwin von Witzleben, General Erich Fellgiebel, Colonel Mertz von Quirnheim, and all those who lost their lives as a result of the assassination attempt; they tried, they did not succeed, but they will be remembered.

27 Dresses (2008)

Solid story, likable cast, Katherine Heigl, winning formula

[18 February 2009]

27 Dresses exceeded my expectations. First of all I didn't expect James "Cyclops" Marsden to pull off a light hearted role like this. He was pretty good, his character exudes confidence without looking overly cocky. My only small gripe was that he was supposed to be a cynic, but smiling all the time he sometimes came off a bit of a wise-ass, but like i said he doesn't come off cocky so that's fine. Katherine Heigl has gained a lot of valuable experience from her work in Grey's Anatomy and it shows. She is definitely one of the better actresses today, her screen presence is completely natural and her comedic delivery is great. I love watching her in 'underdog' type of roles where she isn't given extra attention by everyone around her (sometimes hard to believe, considering her massive beauty), and she excels in this position. Supporting cast Malin Akerman from The Heartbreak Kid and Edward Burns add depth to the film. The editing is well done, the scenes are transitioned smoothly and at a perfect pace. Be warned though, the story itself is fairly straight-forward and cliché so don't watch it if you don't like the cast.

Miracle at St. Anna (2008)

Great idea, good acting, decent directing, and questionable editing

[18 February 2009]

The biggest problem with St.Anna is the first scene. The modern day murder plot intertwines with the main plot but it just suspends itself and you the viewer gets thrown back into the WW2 era in a state of confusion. Why not just have the camera pan over some newspaper clippings about the murder? I hate watching a movie while suspending my curiosity about a major plot in a different setting/era. Flashbacks are fine but pretty much the entire movie is set in WW2 so the opening scene was unnecessary. The editing leaves a lot to be desired, most of the scenes feel very clumsy and the cutting from scene to scene feels almost a bit amateur at times.

The idea is excellent. At first I was even reminded a bit of Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima. Miracle at St.Anna shows a slightly different perspective of the war, from the African-American soldiers' side. This movie could have been so much better if the scenes were shot in a different way. Perhaps Spike could've gotten a better Art Director, this movie lacked subtlety and depth. I felt many of the plots and dialogue were jammed down our throats with overly obvious lines. Great acting from Michael Ealy manages to keep the film respectable though, and two big thumbs up to the child actor, Leonardo Borzonaca.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

What was the point of this movie?

[17 February 2009]

Besides being one of the most clichéd movies in history. Honestly, I had a notepad with me and I wrote down a list of clichés that would turn this into a B-MOVIE had it not been casted with some stars, and even then only Bill Nighy can be considered A-list. Rhona Mitra and Michael Sheen are debatable. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans includes:

• bureaucratic, prestigious vampire class that are so far up their own behind, totally oblivious to reality. basically the vampires = Romans

• introducing slavery to their House, then treat them like crap prompting an all-out rebellion

• a treacherous daughter that defies and backstabs her father in every possible way

• an obligatory love story involving the treacherous daughter and the leader of the slaves

• the leader of the slaves rallies all the other slaves to rebel

• a corrupt, power hungry member of the council

• the hero escapes, then stops and goes back to rescue her love, falling into a trap

• the vampires toy around with the hero despite knowing how powerful and destructive he can be, never killing him outright of course

• climatic battle scene. bad guys get destroyed, good guys win/save the day/save the world/make the world a better place.

I honestly don't mind movies with a bit of cliché, I'm not expecting every movie to be like No Country. But Rise of the Lycans is a glorified B-movie. I can't believe Bill Nighy signed up for this. The scene where Rhona Mitra points her sword at him and he yells I'M YOUR FATHER!!! was so cringing. Michael Sheen was completely miscast, he had only one expression throughout the entire movie and that is to widen his eyes as big as possible, which ironically makes him look more like the animals that he so vehemently distances himself from. Rhona was pretty decent, nothing terrible but also nothing special. The rest of the cast is nothing special, as a matter of fact I was shocked at how insignificant the rest of the characters were. The House was very small. The bulk of the film's $35 million budget must have gone to Bill Nighy's, Rhona Mitra's and Michael Sheen's salaries. This movie looked like it was made 10 years ago. I know it's a prequel but I'm sure the producers did not literally intend the movie to actually look like it was made/shot before the other Underworlds!

Not surprisingly the film's highest votes come from the male and female under 18 crowd. Boggles the mind how this can be over 6 at all, but it is rated at 6.9 at the moment.

Dostana (2008)

Really fun movie

[15 February 2009]

Dostana is a very stylish Bollywood flick that shows how modern and hip the Indian film industry has progressed over the years. Dostana is extremely vibrant, with excellent and clever editing and a real "cool" feeling that really lifts your spirits. It's no wonder it's only the fourth Bollywood movie to break into the U.S. Top 20 box office.

Dostana boasts a fairly star studded cast, with many familiar names such as Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Bobby Deol, and of course the stunningly gorgeous Priyanka Chopra, one of this year's most successful Bollywood actresses. Personally I thought it was Abhishek who steals the show most of the time, his humour is top notch without having to go over the top or appearing to be cheesy or forced. John Abraham may at first appear to be just eye candy for the ladies, but he also does extremely well and shows off his moves in various dances as well. I've never really been a fan of Bollywood's song and dances, but I thoroughly enjoyed the songs in Dostana especially "My Desi Girl" which I felt was one of the climaxes of the movie.

This movie is in no way homophobic. Those who call it ridiculous and making fun of homosexuality are probably taking it too seriously. Dostana doesn't laugh at gay people, it laughs at the two bumbling idiots, Bachchan and Abraham, two supposedly macho young guys pretending to be a gay couple. Perhaps some scenes which depicted actual gay people were a bit stereotyped but I felt it was simply adding to the film's light-heartedness and humour. It does convey a decent message in that everyone should be accepted for who they are, regardless of their sexual preference. Dostana is well worth the rental if not just for the songs, but Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham really do a great job playing off of each other and only the most uptight of people could resist laughing at this film.

Raising Arizona (1987)

If they showed this in theatres right now, it would get standing ovations

[5 February 2009]

Raising Arizona was released in 1987, and if they showed it in theatres today in 2009, it would still be well received if not even better than it was 12 years ago. I was probably too young to have seen this when it came out, but I think Raising Arizona highlighted the brilliance of the Coen brothers very early on. It is undeniable that the style and feel of the movie bears uncanny resemblance to No Country, or the other way around to be precise.

It starts out a little slow, with a bunch of storytelling crammed in the 15-20 minutes or so to set the pace, but when Frances McDormand and Sam McMurray make their appearances they light up the movie, followed by fantastic performances by John Goodman and especially William Forsythe. I can imagine many producers and big name actors/actresses being reluctant to include him in their projects, because this man's screen presence is stunning and he can easily steal the scenes. I love how the Coens bring out the very best in their actors, particularly Frances McDormand, she's a regular face amongst their movies and has played in a variety of roles, performing each of them superbly and memorably. She has very limited screen time in Raising Arizona but she's fantastic and it's no wonder she was chosen again to play a much larger role in Fargo.

If you haven't seen Raising Arizona yet, rent it immediately, it's fun for the whole family and the ending is very warm, very uplifting and perhaps even emotional. Big up to the Coens.

Appaloosa (2008)

With a solid cast behind him to back him up, Ed Harris does a respectable western

[31 January 2009]

First of all let's make it clear, Ed Harris is no Clint Eastwood. And it would be terribly unfair to compare him both as an actor or a director of Westerns to Clint, who literally made his career and defined the Western genre. But that doesn't take anything away from Ed Harris' Appaloosa, instead the viewer must watch it with an open mind and stop comparing it to Unforgiven or any other westerns.

I enjoyed the movie's slow pace, but there was something about the direction that makes it different than most movies on the silver screen. Only until near the end did I realize that Appaloosa would probably have fared much better as a TV special. Even the cinematography resembled something from a TV series. I thoroughly enjoyed the gunfights, they were gritty and very realistic. None of that ten paces and draw showmanship, just pure speed and a bit of luck. Gunfights shouldn't last more than 5 seconds, maybe 10 if there's a lot of people and wild shooting. Ed Harris is extremely badass in his role.

Appaloosa had a great cast. Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from Lord of the Rings) is an extremely good actor, he really needs to do more movies. He is so well known for his Aragorn character, yet he can pull off a completely different character here. Jeremy Irons is always a great choice for a villain. Renee Zellweger does her familiar role as the love interest between multiple characters, and a surprise inclusion from Lance Henriksen (Ace Hanlon from The Quick and the Dead) adds depth to an interesting story. And of course Ed Harris himself, one of Hollywood's finest actors, he has an amazing screen presence and is good in pretty much any role he's given (and in this case, his own role that he created). His directorial abilities is still out for the jury, but he has done his acting abilities no harm at all in Appaloosa. He was fantastic.

Legendary Assassin (2008)

Waited almost a year for this...... and the scores don't lie

[14 January 2009]

Being a big fan of Wu Jing, I've waited nearly a year for Legendary Assassin after his dazzling moves in Fatal Move left me in limbo. I'm not sure how big a role he played as co-director in this film, but the direction and the story was fairly mediocre. It takes place on an island where he meets the girl cop (Celina Jade), and gets chased around by the bad guys. They are trapped on the island because a tropical typhoon has shut down all the ferries. It feels a bit like Assault on Precinct 13 but nowhere near as intense or exciting. A 6 to 6.5 rating is about right.

The thing about Jacky is that he always seems to fall short of making that 'big break' movie that truly shows how great an actor he can be. In Legendary Assassin, his acting is pretty much exactly the same as in Fatal Contact, whenever someone talks to him he smiles and waits a few seconds before replying. He plays the underdog secret assassin/kungfu master alternate identity that is in danger of being typecast nowadays. The big difference is that he talks a lot less than in Fatal Contact, and therefore in my opinion it is a step back. He actually took a step back from Fatal Contact. There should have been much more dialogue between him and Celina. The fighting scenes were slightly above average, nothing spectacular. A lot of people knock Fatal Move, but I thought it was intended to be over the top and ridiculous, like something out of a Japanese comic, CGI blood spraying all over the place. His fighting scenes were much better in Fatal Move and SPL. I guess I'm a bit spoiled by Donnie Yen, at the moment if Jet Li is considered to be retired, then Donnie reigns supreme (both on the screen and as producer/director) and Jacky is just behind him. In a leading role, Fatal Contact is probably still Jacky's finest, so he needs to step back and evaluate which direction his career should be headed. Perhaps he should take on projects with a solid script and director. I'm a huge fan of Jacky Wu and hope his next project can truly take it to the next level, and break more barriers.

A pleasant surprise is Hong Kong born newcomer Celina Jade making her debut, who is half Chinese and half American. Besides her natural beauty, she can also speak three languages (English, Cantonese, Mandarin). Perhaps because of the fact that she was actually born and raised in Hong Kong, she performed admirably in Legendary Assassin and looked very natural on the screen, never fazed or looking out of place alongside a solid cast with some old time faces. Besides those dreamy eyes, her language and culture is her greatest asset, as despite playing a naive cop, you take her seriously as she delivered her lines with sincerity and realism rather than just being silly or trying to look cute. She also displayed a wide variety of emotions convincingly, and is definitely one to look out for in future Hong Kong productions.

Underdog Knight (2008)

A simple mind with an iron heart

[6 December 2008]

I was able to view an advanced screening of Ying Han, directed by rookie Ding Sheng (according to a Chinese website, used to make commercials), written and produced by Hong Kong's Wong Jing. First of all I need to inform everyone who has seen the trailer, that most of the 'good' parts, mostly the exciting action scenes, are shown in the trailer. Ying Han is more about the story than actual action. At first when I saw the trailer I thought this was a movie where the Chinese Police force flexes their muscles, we see armored vehicles charging up some stairs and a SWAT team, but they don't really utilize their resources until the last scene. However, there are plenty of fighting scenes, which are quite well done. What impresses me about the action scenes of Ying Han is that the movie's main character, Liu San (meaning Third Brother or Old Third, because he was the third eldest sibling), he is not a kung fu master. He was trained in the PLA's Navy, which I believe is similar to US Marines, so he has a great physique and knows how to fight. So he doesn't dispatch the bad guys with unbelievable flying kicks or any wire fu at all, but effective street fighting techniques. Very realistic and never over the top.

The story is that Liu San was having a great career in the Navy, until one day one of his fellow soldiers had an accident during a training exercise and was drowning, and he jumped in to save him. The other guy recovered, but he suffered slight brain damage that forced him to retire early. He then goes around fighting bad guys, and there are lots of them in the Mainland. This is one of the first movies where they show a fairly wide variety of the cheats, the pickpockets, the counterfeit ticket peddlers, etc, in a Chinese movie. This is a rampant problem in the current Chinese society, and also one of the biggest differences between Chinese and Western society. Unfortunately in Chinese society, people tend to keep to themselves and stay away from trouble, and would rather let the police handle it. But the police force can only extend so far, and they cannot be in so many places all the time. In the West, if someone commits a petty crime like pickpocketing, even if they might be armed with a knife or backed up by several people, if everyone in a crowded area step in to give a hand and help subdue them, crime would not run rampant and criminals would think twice. In Ying Han, Liu San's life objective is to be a good person, and fight bad guys. Sometimes, people tell him not to fight anymore, as he could get in trouble or get hurt, but he insists on doing the right thing. He does have a run in with the law as Chinese police seem to frown on renegade violence, but you will have to watch the movie to find out what happens. Liu San also has a love interest and it makes for a decent subplot.

Besides Liu Ye, Anthony Wong is probably the only big name that Western audiences would recognize, and he plays a very interesting charcacter in Ying Han. One of Mainland's biggest actors, Sun Honglei, also makes a very brief cameo. All in all, Ying Han is a very nice piece of work and a great debut by Ding Sheng, and the last scene is choreographed beautifully. Let's just hope that it is the first of many modernized Chinese movies with groundbreaking styles that audiences all over the world can enjoy, and not just for the Mainland market.

I would give it a 7.5/10 but Liu Ye was really good and the movie moved along nicely, with hardly any boring moments, so it gets rounded up for IMDb.

Kidnap (2007)

Really nothing special

[5 December 2008]

Another production of the cooperation of Mainland China-Hong Kong-Taiwan, Bong Ga suffers from a very mediocre script and extreme overacting from Rene Liu. Rene, who did such a wonderful job in A World Without Thieves, has seen her career slip downhill slowly but surely in recent years, mostly from participating in mediocre projects. Some of her TV series has been especially cringeworthy.

Karena Lam Kar Yan's career has taken an interesting turn though. The Vancouver born Hong Kong actress started out as a sweet smiling, low key TV series actress as she was just settling into the Entertainment circle in Hong Kong. She has made numerous commercials and usually sells herself with her dimply smile but recently, she has been testing herself with villain roles and has taken a complete 180 degree turn in image. Although she does a very respectable job with her newfound cold and dark demeanor, she doesn't quite fully convince me because I still see her as that cute girl with the wide, sweet smile all the time. But, it is nice to see that she is taking acting seriously instead of using the same one-dimensional trick. Karena should be one to watch out for. Rene on the other hand needs to tone down the overacting and find her best form again in smart, original projects.

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Top, top comedy

[1 December 2008]

An absolutely hilarious comedy and parody with actors literally making fun of themselves and their careers. And like a famous person once said, Ben Stiller needs to be made into liquid form so that we could inject him into our veins. The man is simply born funny! And with an all star cast with Robert Downey Jr. (one of his best performances recently), Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Brandon Jackson, and Tom Cruise who puts in one of the most surprising and almost show stealing performances, you can't go wrong. Must see for any fans who have a decent enough sense of humor.

And Tom Cruise is still the man. Love him or hate him, one cannot deny that he is still an incredibly talented actor on the stage. I don't pay too much attention to his personal life because I don't look up to the man, but I respect him and still feel he is one of the finest actors in the 90s and he is still putting out great performances these days.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Where exactly is James Bond going?

[1 December 2008]

So I understand that they are taking James Bond to a new direction, into a new century and giving him a new outlook. Making him less silly (humorous) and more realistic, more efficient. But doesn't that sort of defeat the entire purpose? Ian Fleming's James Bond series is more than just a spy thriller. Where is the womanizing? Where is the witty dialogue and clever retorts? Where is the whole "smile in the face of danger" from 007? James Bond is not a regular spy, he IS SUPPOSED to be over the top. He is supposed to make you smile and shake your head (but not laugh out loud). Don't get me wrong, Daniel Craig is a fine actor and all, but he just doesn't convince me as Bond. I have heard people suggest that he looks more like a Bond villain than Bond himself, and I have to agree, his cold emotionless face looks more brawn than brains. So I don't buy the the whole "don't compare Craig with Connery, they are different" excuse. Sean Connery IS James Bond. Daniel Craig is just a fantastic action actor.

The storyline is pretty bland. I won't go into detail with it because honestly, I wasn't paying full attention as I had lost it about halfway into the movie. I was simply disappointed that it's just scene after scene of fighting and killing, and not enough interacting. At one point I found myself wondering who would win in a duel between Daniel Craig's James Bond and Jason Bourne. They were that similar in style. Just watch any one of Bourne's films and compare for yourself. Yes I know before they released the movie they were already talking about how cold and efficient Bond would be in this movie, how he would be out for revenge. But James Bond also makes mistakes. Then he is either bailed out by beautiful women, or some amusing stroke of luck. Craig almost never screws up, he just kills and kills, then looks at his mobile phone for more info on the next target.

Olga Kurylenko is a pleasant surprise however. Had I not seen Max Payne before this, I would have mistaken her completely for Sophie Marceau, who also played a Bond girl in "The World Is Not Enough", they look so much alike. She is definitely a star on the rise. And trust Judi Dench to put in a great shift as always, she is probably the only James Bond character that looks legitimate as M in Quantum.

I hate to say it but I think the James Bonds are simply getting worse. When Pierce Brosnan came onto the scene, he also received a fair share of criticism but looking back, he exceeds Craig in the suave department. I always liked his arrogant demeanor and the slight smile he always has on his face. Daniel Craig just looks like a tough guy, a "don't mess with me or I'll snap your neck like a twig" look. Quantum of Solace is a decent action movie, so at least they didn't put 007 in the title, because it just has the characters but it is certainly not James Bond.

To Craig's credit however, Casino Royale was surprisingly good. Let's hope if he is to continue the series, they bring back the old style, the AUTHENTIC feel of James Bond, and not just some cookie cutter all out action shoot-beat-em-up fest.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

Starts out strongly but becomes painful to watch.

[19 November 2008]

Hitchhiker starts out very strongly and was fun to watch, but the last half hour was extremely painful to sit through. I haven't read the books, so I'm not a Hitchhiker fan, but I refuse to believe that one needs to understand the history, the lore, the background in order to enjoy a movie. Like how Southland Tales becomes a completely different experience if you read the comics first. You shouldn't have to do that. So this review is coming from a neutral viewer.

First of all I thought Martin Freeman was fantastic. I didn't really like him in The Office, I thought he was too much of a tit and a snob, but he pulled off the 'Earthman' role in Hitchhiker very well. I guess it's because he wasn't in complete control all the time so he didn't get a chance to be too arrogant. The British humor comes at you non-stop right from the beginning. Mos Def is pretty good in the beginning, but fades badly towards the end. Like the movie he comes on strongly and takes control in the opening scenes, but his character quickly becomes insignificant. Zooey Deschanel is just.... she seems to think that she can act with just her eyes. Besides becoming completely bland, in the last parts of the movie she didn't even bother to say any lines anymore, the camera just zooms in on her face and she widens those huge eyes of hers. Sorry Zooey, you are not good enough of an actress to act with just your emotions just yet. And I'm still wondering WHAT her character has done throughout the entire movie. What did she contribute, and what did she do to deserve a happy ending, besides being the only female lead in the movie? Seems to me like she put off Arthur with her wild personality, then dumps him, and somehow they meet up again and Arthur falls for her and in the end they live happily ever after. So her character became more and more annoying towards the end and she gives the impression that she can get whatever she wants by simply staring into space, and acting like a 14 year old, doing whatever she wants to do and going wherever she wants to go regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Sam Rockwell was.... eccentric. I'm not sure if his character was intended like this in the books, but at least he wasn't too annoying. He seemed like he really enjoyed the role. Bill Nighy and John Malkovich were, unfortunately, very much wasted with their small roles. I know Bill Nighy is a highly versatile actor, but he just didn't convince me as Slartibartfast, and John Malkovich was did pretty well with the tiny screen time he was given. I guess Hitchhiker is a decent rental if one enjoys this genre, but it's definitely not for everyone.

Burn After Reading (2008)

Typical Coen!

[15 November 2008]

It may not be Snatch, but it has similar elements such as everyone's plots intertwined with each other, and lots of funny dialogue. Definitely not a movie to be taken seriously, which is sad when so many people try to scrutinize it for accuracy and realism. The star studded cast is greatly important as they all act quirky and especially George Clooney, who I used to dislike because of his constant smug demeanor (I used to label him a one trick pony, or a prettyboy), but I'm really liking his new acting style and he is proving his versatility.

The score is absolutely brilliant, and contributes immensely to the film.

Definitely enjoyable if one is a fan of the Coens, there are a few fantastic laugh out loud scenes that make re-viewing a necessity.

Max Payne (2008)

Things I learned from Max Payne: Drugs are BAD!

[14 November 2008]

Really, they are very bad. Even the drug in this movie which supposedly turns you into a super fighter and makes you feel invincible, the effects last far too short whereas the withdrawal symptoms are too long, in which you annoyingly stand around spaced out, staring at the sky, oblivious to the dangers around you.

It's difficult to describe John Moore's Max Payne. In all fairness it does capture the "video game feel", in which the story is as bad and doesn't make sense as the ones in video games. Everything else is just bad. Max Payne had the little comic strips at the end or beginning of each level, plenty of plot twists, and interesting events. This movie has NONE of that at all, other than the one major twist in the end which everyone who has played the game already knows about!! And worst of all, it lacks the most important element that really made the video games: ACTION! For an action movie this was such a disappointment. Max Payne the video game was renowned for introducing the (hugely successful) concept of bullet time. I think there was only one or two brief instances in the movie, and it wasn't even cool. Mark Wahlberg and Amaury Nolasco are the only ones who can walk away from this mess with a little bit of credibility.

I hate comparing movies especially when writing reviews, but Wanted >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Max Payne. They both had bad, cheesy story lines riddled with plot holes, but Wanted was a much more FUN movie with stylish action scenes. Max Payne tried to be more dark, but ultimately fell short and just ended up being boring, and had WAY too much of those hallucination scenes. Remember kiddies, drugs are bad, the euphoria is not by a long shot worth the side effects. At least there was a decent moral message in there.

Step Brothers (2008)

Jesus that was GOOD!

[12 November 2008]

I have to write this review right after watching it. I hadn't been following Will Farrell lately, as I thought Semi-Pro was semi-funny and felt he was losing it. Just rented this today since I really like John C. Reilly (one of the most versatile, yet underrated actors around!) and they both wrote it. What a pleasant, yet shocking surprise! Step Brothers definitely has its highs and lows, and admittedly there were some scenes that were not bordering, but downright stepped over the line of cringe-worthy, but that was always the case with Farrell's movies. Those people who walked out half way, they missed one of THE MOST explosive finishes I have ever seen. The ending "climax" scene was one of the most creative, brilliant, and most importantly TALENTED scenes I have ever seen. It definitely left a lasting impression.

Will Farrell and John C. Reilly have outdone themselves. It's far too late to recommend people to see this in theatres, but definitely rent it if you haven't seen it. Fans of Farrell and generally wacky, over the top childish humor should love it, and Reilly does a fantastic job mirroring him. Richard Jenkins was great and pulled off his role perfectly, contributing to many of the hilarities, and Mary Steenburgen is just stunningly beautiful at 55!

Get Smart (2008)

Enjoyed it THAT much!

[26 September 2008]

Steve Carell is back to his best! After his bit part in Bruce Almighty, a decent role in 40 Year Old Virgin and then the fairly mediocre Evan Almighty, it seemed like he was dropping into regular mediocrity until the hit TV series The Office seemed to have rejuvenated him. He is back in top form in Get Smart, with just the right amount of comedic hilarity but not overly cheesy to the point of cringeworthy. Nor is his character a complete dunce either, Max Smart is a very competent agent but a bit goofy and not annoying at all. But much of the credit goes to the AMAZING co-stars. Anne Hathaway does a decent job but she's mostly for eye candy, Dwayne Johnson has a small role but still manages to show off his suave talent and smooth on-screen persona. Alan Arkin is fantastic as the Chief, Masi Oka from Heroes fame also has some small parts but does not disappoint, and Terry Crews and David Koechner are absolutely hilarious as the two pranksters in the team. Even Bill Murray makes a great cameo.

This is a definite rental to anyone who does not detest Steve Carell, it's great fun for the whole family. There are at least half a dozen of really laugh out LOUD moments.

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Time to end the franchise.

[25 September 2008]

I don't know why, but the Hulk has enjoyed very limited success on the silver screen. I remember watching the cartoons as a kid, I wasn't a huge fan but it was enjoyable. I didn't quite enjoy the first one by Ang Lee, and I barely managed to finish Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk, despite it starring Edward Norton who is one of my favorite actors.

Edward is so wasted here. His role does not require any special skills or talents at all, Bruce Banner could've been played by Matt Damon and it would just be the same. The reason I used Damon as an example is because he is also good at playing characters on the run, ala the Bourne series. I honestly did not really notice any of Norton's special acting abilities, such as his intense speeches or extremely in-depth moments. Bruce Banner is just a guy on the run, and a bit of a romantic. Liv Tyler is even worse, she is her usual bland self. She's quite good looking, but I remember her from Lord of the Rings and Armageddon, and she played the SAME bland characters with her bland emotionless acting. This isn't a criticism of her acting ability as a whole, since I haven't seen all her films, but her role contributes even more boring to an already very boring film. To make matters worse, The Incredible Hulk is filmed so dark, even darker than The Dark Knight. I could barely make out the last action scene. Oh and I know we should suspend belief for action hero flicks like these, but in the last scene where the helicoper ripped vulcan cannon fire at the Hulk right onto civilian buildings... uhh okay.....

It's odd really, what is it with superhero films and bland acting? Toby Maguire's Spider-Man, Christian Bale's Batman (incredible actor, but again his abilities severely limited as Bruce Wayne), Neo in The Matrix, Hayden Christensen in Star Wars II. I guess Robert Downey Jr's Ironman is one of the more successful projects in recent times, which is why the movie ended up so popular and even worthy of comparison to the powerhouse that is The Dark Knight. Ironically, the last scene reflects this as if to add insult to injury.

The Promotion (2008)

A little bit unpredictable, a little bit warm (and dark) at the same time

[23 September 2008]

After watching Mr.Woodcock and Southland Tales, I was really looking forward to Seann William Scott's next production "The Promotion". As I have said before in a previous review, I always felt Seann had the ability to become the next Ben Stiller, and in The Promotion he again shows that Stiller had quite an influence in his delivery style. But The Promotion is not all about slapstick humor, although it had some very good moments. I'm glad that they didn't overdo the toilet humor. The Promotion has a really good message that some people might find cheesy, but I thought it was delivered very well.

John C. Reilly gives a good performance although his character was a bit unpredictable, at first I sort of expected an intense but wacky rivalry like one of Vince Vaughn's treacherous characters, but John played a goofball with some serious cultural clashes. Jenna Fischer was a welcome surprise, I didn't know she was in it and I'm a big fan of her from the US version of The Office. Jenna is a very underrated actress with a natural beauty, a girl next door type of demeanor, and a very pleasant personality. She did well in her part although it was a very typical role. The other characters fit in well, with notable exceptions to the store manager and the executive guy, Mitch, who was very suave and professional throughout the movie.

7/10, it's a good viewing for those who like to laugh, settle down, perceive some rather dramatic or emotional parts, then laugh again.

Speed Racer (2008)

Andy and Larry, what were you thinking?

[19 September 2008]

It's hard to believe that this movie was directed by the guys who did The Matrix. Not that I expected any relevance, but Speed Racer lacks everything the Wachowski's are renowned for; substance and style. It starts out looking very 80's and the setting is very cartoonish. I can accept if this is the look they were going for, but the plot and the characters are extremely juvenile. While I did watch some of the Speed Racer cartoons as a child, I had not expected this to be a children's movie. I guess I was looking forward to something like Fast and the Furious, whose action scenes totally blow away the CGI fest that is Speed Racer. As a matter of fact, they abused the CGI so much that even the dragging taillights look like a joke. And what is with all the colors?? Makes the movie look like some kind of psychedelic trip.

Speaking of jokes, there are many of them, so many that i almost thought Speed Racer was a parody of itself. Cars jumping everywhere like Herbie. Do it once and it's cool as an evasive maneuver, but when they are bunny hopping around it becomes cringeworthy. I have a feeling they were trying to incorporate some of the "sweat drop inducing" humor that is so common in Japanese animes, but sadly most of it fall flat. I had a very hard time finishing this movie and constantly found myself distracted by something else and just waiting for it to end.

Decent rental for the family I suppose, but if you aren't impressed in the first 15-20 minutes you might want to stop it and replace with something else.