Friday, December 31, 2004
KUNG FU HUSTLE
Featuring: Stephen Chow, Lam Chi Chung, Yuen Qui, Hsiao Huang
Brief Synopsis: The Axe Gang try to take out Pig Sty Alley in this 1940s comedy.
Comments: I always wonder if these films are better if you don't have to read the subtitles all the time. I'm sure they are. Anyway it was an interesting blend of comedy and at times, brutal axe murders (cut by those lovely Malaysian censors) interdispersed with some serious martial art moves. If I was watching this film by myself on dvd, I'm not sure I would laugh so much but being part of the cinema audience, I found it reasonably enjoyable. The characters were nicely type-cast with their duel personalities in particular the landlady and the tailor. But the mute ice cream seller role was so under-developed that I really didn't feel that it was worth her being in the film. Could have saved a load in wages there!
Thing to learn from this film: Never underestimate the landlady.
Rating: 5.5/10
Featuring: Stephen Chow, Lam Chi Chung, Yuen Qui, Hsiao Huang
Brief Synopsis: The Axe Gang try to take out Pig Sty Alley in this 1940s comedy.
Comments: I always wonder if these films are better if you don't have to read the subtitles all the time. I'm sure they are. Anyway it was an interesting blend of comedy and at times, brutal axe murders (cut by those lovely Malaysian censors) interdispersed with some serious martial art moves. If I was watching this film by myself on dvd, I'm not sure I would laugh so much but being part of the cinema audience, I found it reasonably enjoyable. The characters were nicely type-cast with their duel personalities in particular the landlady and the tailor. But the mute ice cream seller role was so under-developed that I really didn't feel that it was worth her being in the film. Could have saved a load in wages there!
Thing to learn from this film: Never underestimate the landlady.
Rating: 5.5/10
Friday, December 24, 2004
MEET THE FOCKERS
Featuring: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand
Brief Synopsis: The in-laws meet.
Comments: I didn't expect this film to be as good as the first one which was a pretty big sleeper hit really. So I tried to lower my expectations as much as possible. And really it still wasn't that good. The film featured crude teenageary sex based jokes most of the time and it wasn't as classy as the original. When it's mainly a four year old saying ass hole getting the laughs, I think that it's getting a bit desperate. However there are some cute little moves (test that Kelvar reinforced window) but generally I feel that they are few and far between. However it is interesting to note that although the film focuses mainly on Greg Focker, it's always the CIA agent Jack Brynes who learns the most by the end of the film: with regards to how he relates to the people around him. It's watchable but certainly not suitable for young teens. And for anyone who has ever read the Lost World (Michael Crichton), the truck in the film is what I imagine the truck in the book to be!
Thing to learn from this film: Ears are erogenous. Anyone care to agree?
Rating: 4/10
Featuring: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Barbara Streisand
Brief Synopsis: The in-laws meet.
Comments: I didn't expect this film to be as good as the first one which was a pretty big sleeper hit really. So I tried to lower my expectations as much as possible. And really it still wasn't that good. The film featured crude teenageary sex based jokes most of the time and it wasn't as classy as the original. When it's mainly a four year old saying ass hole getting the laughs, I think that it's getting a bit desperate. However there are some cute little moves (test that Kelvar reinforced window) but generally I feel that they are few and far between. However it is interesting to note that although the film focuses mainly on Greg Focker, it's always the CIA agent Jack Brynes who learns the most by the end of the film: with regards to how he relates to the people around him. It's watchable but certainly not suitable for young teens. And for anyone who has ever read the Lost World (Michael Crichton), the truck in the film is what I imagine the truck in the book to be!
Thing to learn from this film: Ears are erogenous. Anyone care to agree?
Rating: 4/10
Saturday, December 11, 2004
OCEAN'S 12
Featuring: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta Jones + many, many others.
Brief Synopsis: The baddy from the first film, Terry Benedict, wants all his stolen money back. So they have to commit another heist but this time in Europe.
Comments: First and foremost, this is not a heist movie as in the first one where the major focus is on planning and committing the robbery. This time, the focus is more on the characters and their interaction than the actual stealing itself although that is, of course, still important when you owe over $100m. I can understand why they went this way and generally I found that it worked. It's by no means an Oscar winning film but I enjoyed the little jokes and interplay, enough to go and see it twice! The Frenchman (Vincent Cassel) is one of my favourite characters this time round (as is true of The Matrix Revolutions) and the Welsh lass, Catherine Zeta Jones, is pleasing to the eye too. Strangely when she is walking in front of the private jet, my eyes were just drawn to the fact that she was wearing high heeled shoes in that whole scene! That laser corridor is pretty impressive too. A few flaws though - how did the people in prison know what was going on outside even though they were banged up?
Thing to learn from this film: Once a thief, always a thief? Sorry, couldn't think of much.
Rating: 7/10
Featuring: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta Jones + many, many others.
Brief Synopsis: The baddy from the first film, Terry Benedict, wants all his stolen money back. So they have to commit another heist but this time in Europe.
Comments: First and foremost, this is not a heist movie as in the first one where the major focus is on planning and committing the robbery. This time, the focus is more on the characters and their interaction than the actual stealing itself although that is, of course, still important when you owe over $100m. I can understand why they went this way and generally I found that it worked. It's by no means an Oscar winning film but I enjoyed the little jokes and interplay, enough to go and see it twice! The Frenchman (Vincent Cassel) is one of my favourite characters this time round (as is true of The Matrix Revolutions) and the Welsh lass, Catherine Zeta Jones, is pleasing to the eye too. Strangely when she is walking in front of the private jet, my eyes were just drawn to the fact that she was wearing high heeled shoes in that whole scene! That laser corridor is pretty impressive too. A few flaws though - how did the people in prison know what was going on outside even though they were banged up?
Thing to learn from this film: Once a thief, always a thief? Sorry, couldn't think of much.
Rating: 7/10
