Cinema Verite

Freakin Tall Story

2006-01-05T14:57:00.000+08:00

To prove that we at reel reviewers are not discriminating, uppity art cinema elite, we went along on a whim to watch *gasp* A Chinese Tall Story. Yesh, we did...and we survived it. Rounds of congratulations and adulations please. I just had to review this as this basically begged to be kicked in the ass.

Imagine how Tang Sang Zang got his horse.

Have a picture? Now mutiply that by a hundred, add a dash of science fiction and old-school Hongky demonology and half-assed special effects plus their trade mark lame humour and you get a Chinese Tall Story. Sounds alot of crap init? It really is! I went into the movie not expecting much and I didn't get much except chuckles and disbelieving whacks to the head. The first half was pure lame humour typical of Hong Kong B-grade cinema and the second part was pure melodrama. You get the picture.

What else can I say? They are particularly proud of their special effects (which arent so special) and after awhile you begin to think you are in a game. It provides enough entertainment for the first half because we all want to know how the Journey to the West legend gets mauled beyond recognition. They even add funny allusions to flicks like In Mood for Love and Stephen Chow flicks (but seriously you laugh and you go wtf!) After that the story line get so preposterous that even I couldnt keep my ass in the seat for more than 5 seconds.

There you go. Hong Kong does produce some great flicks - Infernal, Wong Fei Hong etc The old Stephen Chow parody beats this crap hands down. Chinese Tall Story is plain milking pop culture fads as well as celebrity star power. I guess that would be its only merit- that it actually stars pretty people and has a big budget. Even then, all you are left with is just a waste of money and coupla bruises on the head.

Note: Ok so I was forced to admit that it was crappy but enjoyable enough*whistle* The kinda thing I would watch on a weekday night on Channel 8 if I had nothing else to do. Heh.

Christmas, King Kong and Turkeys

2005-12-30T14:03:00.000+08:00

Yes yes, we all know its in the spirit of Christmas that we have become lazy and fat from all the days of over-eating and under-moving. And this review is a tad bit late - but seriously it deserves this amount of attention because its a DVD collector's prized item. (which means to say get it on DVD if you missed it because its fucking good!)

Why King Kong and how? Lets just say that after watching LOTR documentaries for hours on end, we at reel reviewers have come to realise that Peter Jackson does know what he is doing, as is his script writer wife Fran Walsh. They think of every possible character motivation, gave us a tight plot (although it runs three hours long) and it is absolutely fantastic to watch! Of course there were the touching bits that are deemed long and boring - but they are just nice in my view. How else did Peter Jackson make this movie entirely his own?

First! His team placed story elements and characters in a nice, driven little plot which Secondly! showed off WETA special effects and Thirdly! made people cry and laugh and fall in love and Fourth! they actually made a gorilla so true to life (hats off to Andy Serkis again! for this little masterpiece) Fifth! He added some cool little allusions to Heart of Darkness, which totally strengthened the plot and character motivations and... yeah you realise I really do like this movie. Heh.

I am in awe of the special efforts he took to make the movie more than just a blockbuster action flick. PJ really added lots of human and emotional dimension to this cheesy flick about a gorilla and a girl, which I think really stands out among all the usual crap that we get to see.. whoever thougth that we could feel lurveee for a monkey? Does say something about our director...PJ is seriously catching up on the awards he deserves now that he has the budget to make the movies he wants. Woot!

The Thing about Harry Potter

2005-11-19T11:53:00.000+08:00

Now, I would just like to say that this particular installment of Harry Potter is

(1) Very very stressful to watch
(2) Too dramatic and dark
(3) Very much un-humourous, except at certain points

Disclaimer: I am not a Harry Potter fan and base this particular review entirely on its cinematic merits (or demerits if any).

Yesyes we all know that Harry Potter is supposed to grow up in this particular book, what with Voldemort appearing and all. Its all dark and gloomy and permeated with EEEVVVIIILLL - but for some reason I think that Newell over did it. For one the characters seems all wrong in this movie. Hermione has always been a tad bit uptight but she borders on psycho girl with PMS in GOF (I mean whats with the outburst at Yule Ball??) It seems Newell was lazy to establish any proper characterization with the supporting characters. They are perfunctory and just serve to drive the plot and add a bit of humor (which I think he conveniently forgotten in his quest to make GOF a dark thriller)

Dumbledore seems a tad bit cuckooo (pardon the lack of vocabulary) He acts like a paranoid, crazed old man who is totally unlike the Dumbledore characterized in the first three movies. This move in direction totally throws the entire movie off because he is supposed to counter balance the evil that Voldemort represents. Although it is true that the tournament was a trap, Dumbledore is made to look so vulnerable and helpless that the entire movie just seems to veer off to the dark side, making this - like I said, a very stressful movie to watch. I think the director intended to build up the entire movie towards the revealing (which I must admit was well done) but he kept everything so intense through out the movie that it almost seems like one big nightmare. The threat that Voldemort represents is so clearly marked through out the movie that when the revealing comes - its impact is not as powerful as it would have been properly balanced.

Well, well it is pretty difficult trying to squeeze the everything in 2 and half hours but seriously, it does not do the movie any good to have it so compact. And while there were good bits the entire movie suffers because of its intensity and fast-moving plot. No breathers (not much anyway) or nice explanations for certain things. I suppose this is bound to happen considering that the entire franchise is and will be done by different directors. While some manage to keep in view the big picture, other directors seem to lack that insight in their direction and conceptualization of the movie. Compounded by the fact that they are all individuals with a mind of their own, the entire thing might just suffer from a lack of connectedness that comes with a movie like LOTR. Not a bad movie on its own but it is abit lack lustre in comparison to the ones before it.

PS Okok I was excited to see it and it did live up to some expectations but there were times when i was chuckling because the over dramatic bits were just to blaardy funny to ignore. You watch and you tell me whether you'd do the same yeah? *wink*

Tradition VS Contemporary: Saving Face

2005-11-10T03:15:00.000+08:00

Ever since I first viewed the trailer on Apple’s website a year ago, I’ve been eagerly anticipating its arrival here in Singapore. The stuff that grabbed my attention in the trailer (besides the quite hot lesbian girls) was first the issue of “face”, which to Chinese means a families reputation, and of course the idea of lesbianism in the film. (So shoot me! I’m a guy too.) Like 1 of my lecturers (I think) once told me, a film poster is more than just an advert for the movie. It practically gives a visual synopsis of the film itself, the mood, the genre and the feel of the film. Looking at the poster of this film on the website, I could totally interpret what to expect from the film itself which further fuelled my enthusiasm for the film.

However a reviewer from a local renown “Asian Premier Movie Magazine” gave totally horrible review undeserving for a film of this caliber. The reviewer totally slammed the film in 2 paragraphs. Firstly giving a horrible synopsis (I’d yet to watch the film at the time.), and then was ruthlessly slamming the film-maker herself just because she was a computer science graduate and an unknown film-maker. If it was that horrible a film, I’d doubt it would have made it here in the first place.

For those fans of “Art-house” film, you would probably remember Ang Lee’s famous film “The Wedding Banquet”. I would dare say that “Saving Face” would have been almost on par with it. The film deals with the usual issues of Chinese values, and the constant battle of traditional values against contemporary Western philosophies for Chinese “displaced” aboard outside of China. The film is set in America where a 3rd generation Chinese girl faces the problems of maintaining balance between the 2 conflicting values. She has to first maintain her image of a dutiful Chinese daughter and grand-daughter, and yet hide her “shameful” lesbian identity from her elders. The film goes further by having her widowed mother conceive without a father/husband. The 2 then proceed to resolve both their individual issues as well as each others, while attempting to maintain the ever important traditional values.

Although the film is set within a fairly simple story, it is filled with witty humour of western films that are normally absent in Asian films. For “Art-house” fans, the film itself speaks on many different levels both within the script and visually through its mis-en-scene. Almost every thing within the film holds some sort of symbolic reference or meaning, be it the dialogue of the soap opera their watching to the way they live. It is a film that can definitely be enjoyed on 2 levels of viewing. Firstly as a usual movie-goer watching a film “as-is”, as the story is intriguing, touching and humourous throughout. The other level would be an in-depth reading and analysis of the film on issues of Chinese cultural displacement, traditional versus contemporary values, etc. If I had to write a film analysis essay on this, it would probably span a considerable number of pages.

Like I said previously, this film-maker isn’t just another Hollywood wanna-be film-maker. She knows what she is doing. I was initially expecting a simple film with atypical story about Chinese values versus Western values, and was treated to much more with loads of laugh to top it off. However, I wouldn’t recommend this film as an all guy outing kind of film unless it’s for that single short lesbian sex scene with boobs. (very small, what do you expect? She’s suppose to be a dancer.) But if you’re looking for a film with drama/soap and an interesting plot, this would be a good film. Overall, this is a fantastic movie for both its plot and issues.

Fav Scene: The scene where the lead is eating at home in with her pregnant mom and lesbian gf both at the same table. Trust me. That scene is hilarious.

Language: Manadarin & English

Similar Movies to Recommend: “The Wedding Banquet”, “Pushing Hands”

Reviewed By: Maverick

Classic: Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

2005-11-08T00:29:00.000+08:00

This director guy Pak is really good at revenge movies - and this is the ultimate testament of his ability to capture the intensity without being pretentiously overdramatic. He knows what he is dealing with and he does it with a great deal of balance. The third in a trilogy of movies that he decided he would do - this movie concludes the multitude of perspectives that come with revenge. Lesee, it not like Kill Bill one bit, which is more like a stylishly violent movie that uses revenge to wreck bloody havoc (look at Reservoir Dogs and you would know). Now, that was really just made for the pure unadulterated adrenalin that comes from kicking ass.

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance is what I would call classy blood and guts. Its lyrical and ironic, with beautifully engaging scenes that emerge amidst dark humour. I sound like I am talking about an art film (lyrical, beautiful yadda yadda) and Im inclined to think it is - its beauty lies in the the way the story of revenge is told. It is violent and bloody, but not graphicly so. You don't revel in the mindless whacking and hacking - you gain satisfaction from the means by which the end is justified. It is also because he pairs it off with dark humor that makes this such a well-crafted movie. Working these two elements, Pak paces the movie pretty well. Although you would expect the revenge scenes to be a little longer, the resolution (ending in layman terms) is well done. First, Pak shows very nicely how much of an asshole the central antagonist is throughout the film and when he gets what he deserves, you'd wish you could join in too. Secondly, the climax does not come when that happens. Closure and climax only come in the end, when she struggles with her inner demons - you could literally see it in her face.

What essentially is going on, is this. You not only see her plotting her revenge, planning her moves to get the guy. This a character-driven plot that is layered - you also see her trying to come to terms with her actions and who she is. On one hand, she needs to get revenge but also she needs the redemption. And because these two things arent exactly mutual, the irony of it all just adds to the delicate balance that Pak keeps with his excellent direction of his actors. All in all this is a really good movie that explores the theme of revenge in a personal, engaging and elegant way.

PS Old Boy is cool, but somehow i feel it borders on exploitation. What's with the incest man*scratch head* Its all warped and I think its because its a guy-thing. Women are so much more classy when they get revenge.

German "revenge" on Hollywood: Dreamship Surprise

2005-11-07T19:08:00.000+08:00

First of all, this movie is a must watch if you get the chance. Although it can be pretty lame at some points in the film, it is however still much better than the recent horrible sequel of Deuce Bigalow. This movie doesn't give you the trashy lameness that hollywood tends to dish out, but instead preserves the European Wit for humour. A film which comes to mind immediately upon watching this film, is the classic brit hit Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

The film is basically a parody of most major hollywood hits, from "Star Trek" & "Star Wars" to "A Knight's Tale"(which had period of unless reruns on HBO.) & Westerns. For those that remembered Mel Brook's "Space Balls", would probably think that it would probably be similar in same ways. I must admit that the film does have some similar parodies, but that's not the main crux of the movie. The reason why the movie is called Dreamship Surprise is actually more of a parody of Star Trek, except imagine the "Entreprise" being controlled by 3 gay man parodying the 3 main crew members of the original entreprise, with name's rephrase to witty hilarious versions like "Captain Kork". If it isn't enough to intrigue you, the film-makers take the film a step further by having all 3 of them act like complete "himbos" (Think Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless").

Like the title said, this is the German's "revenge" on Hollywood. If most of you can remember in almost every hollywood comedy possible, the German's were usually portrayed ridiculusly or made to look spastic. Thus it embarks to ridicule and poke fun at most of hollywood's stereotyped characters available within the film premise. Midway through the movie, i suddenly realised how fantastic the special effects was although corny at times. I couldn't help but wonder is the German film industry trying to prove something here? As if its trying to show that if hollywood can do these SFX, we can do it too and maybe even better.

After the film, i was trying to figure out whether it was prejudice towards hollywood lame flicks like "Deuce Bigalow" that made me feel better for this film. Thinking back, there were actually some pretty lame stunts pulled within the film but most of these were seriously over shadowed by the humour induced by the 3 gays. I seriously have take my hat off to the guy who acted as the character "spocky" (= Spock), the things he had to do and say with a straight (no pun intended) gay-like face was amazing.

I wouldn't call this film a gay bashing film for one. Firstly, most of the gay humour were directed at the characters more than gay's in general. Its just alot funnier to have 3 bimbotic gays as lead characters than 3 bimbotic girls.

Fav Song: "Space Taxi Song"

Fav Scene: "When the gay couple (Spocky & Captain Kork) is reunited and spocky walks towards Captain Kork making seductive eyes at him...."

Language: German ("tad bits of english")

Similar Movies to Recommand: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", "Space Balls", "Robin Hood: Men in Tights"

Reviewed by Maverick

The First Of Many: the Exorcism of Emily Rose

2005-11-02T00:46:00.000+08:00

My tooth hurts. I know that is in no relation to the freakin point of this blog. But I would like to reiterate that my tooth hurts. And when your tooth is aching, you should NOT be watchin stressful movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Not only did I come out with my tooth throbbing, my arms and fingers were strained from the incessant and futile movements to cover aural and visual orifices.

That being said, this movie is not about the horror of exorcisms. Well, technically it is a scary movie. You are afterall dealing with a subject of supernatural orgins. Throw in a court case and CSI type playbacks however, and you have a movie that deals with faith and fact. Exorcism of Emily Rose is loosely based on a true story, and while it seeks to remain true to its roots, one must most certainly not forget that this is a product of Hollywood *pui* Don't get me wrong, I am the typical movie-goer - I love my rom-coms and slasher flicks. These people do take their subject matter earnestly but I can't help but feel that this has been somewhat tempered with limied amounts of excess so common to Hollywood.

I suppose that people are expected to be scared out of their wits as with the original Exorcist movies, beloved and befear'd by many. So this would roughly come as a disappointment. You won't come out feeling all relieved and afraid of certain objects (wig, handphone, telly, shoes) but instead come out seriously pondering things like "What is God trying to prove?" "Fact vs belief?" and "Freaking hell this could happen to me" (Well, lemme just add that these responses are mostly likely to come from those who are religious - you have been warned) You will get some shocks and gasps although that will not be enough to keep you glued to the armrest with your toes on your ears.

SO I haven't said anything much about the film, because let's face it - I am your typical movie-goer. I shant delve into filmic theories (or what-nots, not yet anyway) or go indepth about how fact and belief are very much interwined, as dichotomous as they are. Simply put, I'm too lazy. But to round it up, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is not scary unless of course you take into account that fact is sometimes more scarier then fiction *wink*