Freedom Writers (2007)

For peace

After a long lay off, Hilary Swank comes back strongly with, not one, but two offerings this month. First up is Freedom Writers and subsequently, The Reaping. Critics panned her choice of those movies and likened her to Halle Berry, who suffered the post-Oscars syndrome of picking movies worthy of winning the Razzies (remember Catwoman?).

But, I beg to differ.

All right, its true that Freedom Writer is nothing to be wowed at. You throw an idealistic teacher into an integrated school full of gangs that demand ‘respect’ and you… yeah you know the story. A simple diary writing activity uncovers the painful confessions of each student. Everybody has a heart-wrenching story to tell. Dreamer teacher turns the students’ lives around and things get chummy in the end. A simple movie but its never simple in its morality.

Yes, it is a bland performance from Hilary Swank. She stars as the idealistic Ms. G. People might expect more from her acting caliber, considering she is the recipient of 2 Academy Awards for Best Actress. To be fair to her, it is a safe performance from her and she doesn’t deserve the criticisms for her participation in this movie.

Freedom Writers showcases the trials and tribulations of the students and the racial tension in the States. Gangs from different minorities fight for territory in the school, all in the name of respect. Maybe this is something we, Singaporeans, can never understand. We are lucky to be in a tolerant society. I don’t want to be judging here because I’ve never been through what these students went through. But we need to see beyond the color of our skin pigmentation, for I know that the color of our hearts is definitely not black or white.

We have the same beating heart and let us beat as one.

3.5
txq

Music and Lyrics (2007)

Writer's Block!

Will be up soon! Come back later!

Very sorry people for the super late entry. This blog is still going on strong despite the lack of funds. I just needed a break. You know like those song writers who encounter a block and wander off alone just to find inspiration? Yeah that is what I am going through. To my haters: Sorry, but I'm back!

I guess the person that I can relate to is Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore). In Music and Lyrics, Sophie plays a bubbly girl who has a penchant for talking to herself and unknowingly sprouting beautiful poetic sentences.

One day, when she is substituting her friend to water some plants for the has-been pop singer, Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant), she begins to blurt out sentences upon hearing the tune played by Alex. Although raw and unpolished, Alex immediately appoints her as his lyricist and both of them set out to write and compose a new hit single for Cora (Haley Bennett), the biggest singer on Planet Earth at that moment. Expect plenty of sparks and humour to come out of this one.

One thing that surprises me is that both Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore can sing and they actually sound quite good! As usual, Hugh Grant is at his charming best and few women can resist his drooping eyes . On the other side, Drew Barrymore looks stunningly delicate and sweet in this movie. No more Charlie's Angels tough chick persona, just plain old sweet girl-next-door look.

Jokes are in abundance here but beware of Hugh Grant's humour, sometimes it gets too English for my liking and I fell short trying to get some of his jokes. If you are looking for romance and laughter, I will recommend this movie to you. Besides, whats not to like when we, guys, can see Drew Barrymore in a sizzling red dress?

3.5
txq

PS: I seriously hope Zouk can include the song "Pop goes my heart" into their song list for their Mambo nights. That song is wicked!

300 (2007)

Slash. Block. Kill. Repeat.

Most of us probably don't know anything about the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) or who is Leonidas, Spartan King during that war torn era. Suddenly, 300 comes along. And holy s***, we don't know what hit us.

I write this review with a feeling of being just run over by those 300 fit (fit is seriously an understatement) men. But the after effect of being mowed down is not of pain. Instead I felt an overwhelming sense of determination after I left the cinema hall.

300 loosely tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae and is the brainchild of Frank Miller, the creator of Sin City. So expect to be embraced by a very visual kind of cinematic experience. Prepare for stylish shots, elaborate acting, great fight choreography, superb one-liners and a heart pounding sound track.

The king of Persia, Xerxes is planning to conquer Greece, and later, Europe as part of his plan to be the 'king of kings'. Many small Greek cities bowed down to Xerxes but not Sparta, for the king of Sparta is one tough nut to crack.

Without the consent of his blind and corrupt cabinet, he leads a small army of 300 men towards Thermopylae. The 300 men show great courage and determination even though they are facing certain annihilation. This is masochism at its very best. 300 against the entire Persian army? You must be kidding.

Though not historically accurate, the main gist of the story is still intact. The figures are real, the characters are real and most importantly the fighting spirit of the 300 Spartans is real. The fantastical part of the movie will be the strange creatures fighting for the Persian Army. But hold your horses, this movie is after all an adaptation of a comic book. When is Spider man and the X-Men real? They are merely the result of human imagination. Yes, we pay to be the fool, but I would rather be a fool for 2 hours and enjoy the picture than be a genius that keeps whining over every single mistake.

Pick up your shield (money) and join the fight (watch the movie) because: This is Sparta.

4
txq

Rocky Balboa (2006)

The last hurrah

I knew it. I know there is still some life in those old and rugged boxing gloves. Mind you, those gloves are not your normal Everlast boxing gloves. They belong to the boxing champion of the world, or to put it bluntly, the ex boxing champion of the world, Rocky Balboa. Old and slow, but he is definitely not out.

It is amazing to see Sylvester Stallone back as Rocky for the 5th, i mean 6th time. Man, it has been a wild ride. To think that I wasn't even born when the first installment of Rocky was flashed across the screen on 1976! Exactly 31 years later, Rocky is back. And he isn't taking old as an excuse to do what he does best.

After a computer generated 'fight' between the 'has been Rocky Balboa' and the current world champion Mason 'The Line' Dixon ends with a convincing win for the former, the public is curious whether the old warrior really has what it takes to beat the current unbeaten champion. Meanwhile, Rocky still grieving over the loss of Adrian, decides to give it one more shot. One last shot to prove to the world he is not history and that there is still something left in the basement.
Will it be glory or ridicule for Rocky?

The answer is so obvious. Unless, you are totally oblivious to the world of Rocky; Rocky never quits and it is as simple as that. Damn, Stallone's body still looks fabulous (that's professional for you). That being done, what else makes a Rocky movie? Is it the famous soundtrack? Check. Is it the under dog spirit? Check. Is it the running scene that ends up with Rocky scaling that flight of steps? Check. Looks like everything is in place. All Rocky needs is you to be there for his swan song fight.

Though the dialogue could be better, it is still a heart warming film of the under dog for the under dogs. What a way to end the Rocky franchise. For now, i guess it is really over.

3.5
txq

Little Children (2006)

Adults with child like naivety.

After the Oscars were presented on Monday morning, I was pretty disappointed. Firstly, I was puzzled how The Departed won the Best Picture award. It is good, no doubt, but it is definitely not Scorsese's best work. I thought Little Miss Sunshine deserved the award. It is a simple movie that simply makes you cry, laugh and cry again all in two hours.

Secondly, which relates more to this review, is Jackie Earle Harley losing his Best Supporting Actor award to Alan Arkin. Harley's role as a sex offender is nothing short of amazing. His performance is one of the reasons why this movie is named Little Children.

The story Little Children tells the tale about a group of adults living in a small neighborhood. Though they are adults, they still have the cravings and desires like a nine year old craves for sweets; only the objects of attraction here are not sweets but something darker and more sinister. Sarah (Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) is a lonely and unattractive housewife who takes a liking for the charming house husband, Brad (Patrick Wilson, Hard Candy). Meanwhile, Ronnie (Jackie Earle Harley) a former sex offender moves back to the neighborhood and causes much hoo hah among the community. Larry (Noah Emmerich) an ex police officer with a troubled past is stalking Ronnie, thinking that he is still capable of committing those heinous crimes against kids. Everyone here has an object of fantasy going on in their minds. The problem is, will those fantasies turn sour and destroy the serenity of the neighborhood?

Based on a novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, Little Children explores the darker side of humans. Adults are fully capable of behaving like little kids; yearning for something so much that they pursue it without thinking much about the consequences, even though the consequences can be destructive not only to them but also the ones around them. Its as though the kids have exchanged identities and roles with the adults. With a witty running narration, it seems like the narrator is explaining the story to the audience, as though it is too difficult and profound for them to comprehend. Overall it is a good simple story but the running time can be shorter (130 mins).

What is your ultimate fantasy? Dream all you want but remember this: reality bites.

3.5
txq

Protege (2007)

Every Chinese new year, there will be a torrent of movies cashing in on the festive season. With stars like Andy Lau, Daniel Wu and Louis Koo at its helm, its no surprise that Protege is a leading picture for the coveted red packet.

The theme of the movie, however, clashes with the joyous mood of the new year. Protege is about drugs; something you will not associate with the new year. The story evolves around an undercover, Nick, (Daniel Wu), who was sent to infiltrate Kwan (Andy Lau), the kingpin of the drugs industry in Hong Kong. It sounds familiar isn't it? It is easy to mistake Protege as another Infernal Affairs, but the focus of this film is not on the undercover but on drugs.

The effort director (Yee Tung Shing) puts in is for all to see. Through this film, we can understand the process of manufacturing the drugs and their different names.Be prepared to be amaze by the lingo used in the picture. It gets a bit documented at times, especially the part when Kwan and Nick visit the Golden Triangle. Surprisingly the rating for this movie is only NC16 and not M18, it might be due to the fact that it is here to educate not corrupt.

Not only do we know more about the drugs industry, the ill effects of drugs are shown in a straightforward and strange way. The demented performance by drug addict, Jane (Zhang Jing Chu), puts a touch of horror into the show. Not as queasy as Requiem for a Dream, definitely, but Protege still succeeded in injecting the fear in you. Safe performances by the other actors, nothing stellar and out of this world.

The last scene, though i thought was a tad disturbing, epitomizes the entire show. Because in times of adversity and misdirection, hope still prevails.

3.5
txq

The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Me Oscar, no?

There was a movement in the shadows. I could not make out what it is. I began to make full use of my under used imagination. A bear? It must be. Those big arms, black fur and the imposing figure. As i inched closer, with my already small eyes in Sandy Lam mode, i gasped at what i had just seen. The figure was Forest Whitaker?

No offence to Mr. Whitaker. That was a reference to his character in his new movie, The Last King of Scotland. Whitaker stars as Idi Amin, a real figure back in war torn Uganda back in the 70s. Amin was a tyrant, a cannibal, but albeit all these, he was a passionate and an amazingly good speaker. Think among the lines of a certain German warlord. Amin could command you to dig out the last bit of popcorn you have just eaten if he wanted to. And you will be too hypnotized to think twice before plunging your fingers into your throat.

Whitaker is like an exact carbon copy of Amin. If there was email back in Uganda then, you might want to send an email to Amin and cc it to Whitaker, or vice versa. Just in case, you see. You don’t want to be at the receiving end of their bear hugs.

The ferocity of Whitaker made me nearly peed in my pants when I saw it last week. Why the late entry then? Well, as a matter of fact, I’m worried that what I write will provoke Amin. I don’t want to be balanced by 2 hooks pierce across my chest you know? Oh no, is it Amin or Whitaker?

With the Golden Globes already in his captive, I can easily see the golden little statue joining Golden Globes inside the cell. Give that man the Oscar, you don’t want to be in the bad book of the last king of Scotland.

4
txq

Babel (2006)

Misinterpretation, miscommunication

In the world of that is overdosing with the number of popcorn flicks, comes an unforgiving movie, Babel. Folks, discard your buckets of popcorn and nachos. This movie demands attention. Any single lapse of concentration will result in dire consequences. Se préparer, because like a stack of dominoes, there is no turning back.

According to Genesis 11:1-9, mankind tried to reach Heaven by building a Tower of Babel. However, God had other plans. He made people speak different languages and thus caused miscommunication to the people building the Tower of Babel. Mankind failed and was thus segregated forever.

An American couple still grieving over their lost child, a sheep herding Moroccan family, a deaf and mute Japanese girl and a Mexican babysitter makes up the cast of this movie. 4 different countries, 4 different languages and 4 very heartbreaking stories. How do they integrate together? How do they communicate? How is Babel going to end? Can they build another Tower of Babel?

So many burning questions, but so little time. Director Alenjandro Gonzalez Inarritu brings us to a seemingly simple world. But as the clock ticks, the plot thickens. Though slow paced, Inarritu showcases his directing forte. After the much lauded 21 Grams, his flair for story telling is still there. His story though convoluting, is easy to comprehend. Peaceful scenery in a chaotic world seems like the message he is trying to convey.

Look out for Japanese actress, Rinko Kikuchi. Her role as a girl yearning for love is especially heart wrenching. Her body language and her angst filled eyes make up for the lack of lines in the movie. She earned her Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress with a touch of class.

A long tracking shot of Japan ends the movie. Skyscrapers with blinking lights seem to reach out for mankind. Are they laughing at us? Are they the Tower of Babel we are searching for?

donde está la contesta?

4
txq

.45 (2006)

The opening credits of .45 do not give anything away at all. The credits starts rolling with no soundtrack and images. A dead silence is bestowed upon the theatre. But before you know it, wham, it hits you hard in between your eyes.

An image of Kat (Milla Jovovich) flashes on the screen. The camera pans so close to her face, it seems like you are having an intimate conversation with her. She seems friendly with you, too friendly for comfort actually, as she begins to talk about the size of her current squeeze’s anatomy. A series of jarring primitive lovemaking then interrupts her.

Her boyfriend, with an equally huge name and ego, is called Big Al (Angus Macfadyen). He made his name as the kingpin of the streets as a violent arms dealer. He is ruthless to everybody, even towards Kat. Yet, Kat is attracted to his devil-may-care attitude. Together, they are the Bonnie and Clyde of Hell’s Kitchen. But nothing lasts forever, even the most endearing relationship.

The attraction officially ends one day when Kat is at the receiving end of his punches. After the tormenting abuse, all Kat is left with is her freshly cut hair, a swollen and bloody left eye and a shattered heart. Not one to take things lying, Kat begins her ploy to make sure Big Al pays Big time. No she is not going to do him in, he deserves worst. But she is not going to do it herself. What are friends for? A web of deceit and seduction ensues.

It is interesting to see this new technique of ‘interviewing’ the characters throughout the movie. Bits and parts are scattered here and there and they accompanied the whole story telling process. Pay extra attention as the characters are slowly developed here. A brave move by the director, Gary Lennon, as not many moviegoers will appreciate this confusing story telling technique. However, the story is a huge let down. After leading the audience on for so long, the ending falls flat. And like a stack of dominoes, the absurd story causes the already limited pluses of this movie to fall too. The whole movie is being dragged into dark abyss and the only savior of the show is the chemistry between Macfadyen and Jovovich.

Macfadyen is convincing as a psychotic man. The ferocity in his eyes is hard to conceal, especially in scenes involving Jovovich. Jovovich, at times, looks really intimidated by his sheer presence. You will never know when Big Al is going to explode, and that is downright bloodcurdling. Being the more accomplished actor, it seems Macfadyen is leading Jovovich into her character. Credits must go to Jovovich too, she is still as stunning as before but what she really needs is a stunning movie, like The Fifth Element, one of her better movies.

Not a fan of Jovovich? Please keep away from this flick. However guys might want to watch it to learn a lesson or two. Don’t mess with the ladies, because hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

2.5
txq

Apocalypto (2006)

Run, Jaguar, Run

Mel Gibson seems to have a talent of evoking the audiences' senses. The pain after watching Passion of the Christ and the grandiose battle scenes in Braveheart felt so real and the memories are still fresh with the aftermath of these 2 films. To describe it more comprehensively, try thinking among the lines of our sensory system. The former takes on the sense of touch and the latter, the sense of sight.

Integrate those two senses together and you will probably get Apocalypto, a raw and brutal story of the Maya race. Set in the Mayan era, the story evolves around a certain village in the vast jungle they call their own. That is until one day when the hunters of the village notice a large population of a different tribe abandoning their village. Sensing fear in their eyes, young Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) immediately senses something amiss.

His fears are realized when a group of headhunters announce their arrival by destroying and wiping out most of the village. Being the main hero of the film, Jaguar successfully hides his heavily pregnant wife and his son from the predators. If that is the perk of being a hero, then the downside will be kept captive by those mercenaries. Not only that, he will face the biggest challenge of his life; to escape and save his family before it rains. Rain? Watch it and you will understand.

The lush greenery of the forest is breathtaking and thankfully for that, it manages to take some of the bad taste off the plot. It is a truly magnificent rain forest and to top it off, there is a equally majestic waterfall scene. The entire movie reminds me of Discovery Channel, albeit on a much larger screen.

Truth is, this movie is brutal. It gives the viewers a very raw feeling. The brutality transcends many violent movies. Not because of its gore, but because of the barbaric manner of how the villages die. The movie truly captures the essence of barbaric brutality. Though amateurish, the actors provide something missing from most Hollywood actors; sincerity. It might be the way they convey the message of the movie from their own mother tongue that struck a chord with the audience. And though not handsome nor pretty, their facial expressions seems to suggest that they are eager to tell the audience the story of their history and ancestors.

Though not excellently scripted but Gibson got the senses and feelings right. And who knows? This might be a start of a great run of movies by Mel Gibson.

3.5
txq

Blood Diamond (2006)

The bigger, the bloodier

I know I am late (nope I'm not talking about period). By the time you read this, you might have realized that Leonardo DiCaprio lost (once again) the Golden Globe Best Actor award to Forest Whitaker. Even with 2 nominations, he was defeated by Whitaker. Tough luck, Leo, better luck at the Oscar. Well, tougher luck for the Africans, and luck has apparently left them.

The African continent is plagued by misfortune after misfortune. We have heard of their uphill battle against AIDS, poverty and famine. And now, thanks to this hell of a movie, we understand another menace; war over diamonds.

As we know, diamonds are precious stones. Indeed they are, right girls? The amount of money generated by these diamonds is huge. When there is a demand, the prices go up. And when the prices go up, people kill each other just to get their hands stuck into the money pie. Everybody wants a piece of the action. Hence, everybody starts to form their own rebellion army and, all of a sudden, everyone is a Colonel.

These self proclaimed Colonels terrorize the people and train children to be their next killing machine. Watching these kids butchering the innocents reminds me of Cidade de Deus. Its not the violence that makes one tick, its watching those juveniles smiling away while pumping lead into people. This film sends out an in-your-face message of such intensity, it is almost impossible to ignore it.

Intense is a key word. It is a good word to describe the cast. DiCaprio performs the tormented protagonist superbly. His role here is similar to the one in The Departed. Both characters are constantly fighting against their demons. While the accent is debatable, his performance is worthy of his Golden Globe Best Actor nomination. Jennifer Connelly is no doubt an excellent actress , but somehow her role is not as challenging as DiCaprio's. Finally, there's Djimon Hounsou. He plays his role of a suffering fisherman well and sometimes its depressing to experience his character's misfortune.

The moral issues completely overshadows the plot. The audiences' conscience is constantly engaged with these social issues.

On a final note, yes, we the consumers can make a difference. How? By ensuring the diamonds we bought are conflict free. Stop the funding and the killing, Africa needs to recuperate.

You want your 'bling bling'? Stop the 'bling bang' first.

3.75
txq

Confessions of Pain (2006)

Hits you at the most painful place - your heart

Most of us will probably understand the pain of a paper cut or a swollen ankle. Physical pain aside, not many of us can understand the pain of losing someone dear. It is a feeling that is hard to describe and fathom. Confessions of Pain is one such movie that tries to infuse a world of pain and heartbreak into our world of bland cinematic emotions.

At the background is a gloomy portrait of Hong Kong. Permanently cast in gray skies, the Hong Kong landscape seems to be an additional character to the already impressive cast. The endless rain and the dark clouds surrounding the Hong Kong skyline make this character 'speaks' volume.

It somehow provides an eerie feeling of irony to the film.

The 2 leads, Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro provide more despair to the mourning city. Leung is a cop that is haunted by his past. It is a pleasure to see how Leung acts. His tormented soul last seen in Infernal Affairs is back, albeit it is a more suppressed one here. Gone is his unshaven and rugged demeanour. His unkempt hair is neatly gelled back, and his latest accessory, his tinted spectacles, makes us view him in a different light. Notice how the spectacles provides an additional dimension to his character; a very unnerving one.

On the other hand, Kaneshiro portrayal is a more forthright character. It appears that Kaneshiro has taken on Leung's character in Infernal Affairs; unshaven and desolate.The death of his girlfriend brings him to his knees and subsequently, he loses himself into a world of alcohol. If Leung's character is being viewed as a tormented one, then Kaneshiro's one must be a godforsaken one.

Xu Jing Lei and Shu Qi act as the pillars of strength for Leung and Kaneshiro respectively. Both of them inspires to lift the gloom out of the 2 male protagonists, Xu as Leung's wife and Shu as the bubbly girlfriend of Kaneshiro. They provide a much needed respite for the movie.

While the script is more or less predictable, what makes this film worth the weekend price ticket is the exception directing of the movie. Both directors (Andrew Lau and Alan Mak) successfully paint a sad and moving story rather than an action thriller. Lau's trademark camera angles are prominent in the movie. Again, they adapt a Buddhist kind of story telling and morals. Not forgetting its superb soundtrack too. A disturbing tale of sorrow and pain.

I can feel it. Hope it haunts you too.

4
txq

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

You need the open mind to see this film! Niice!

Hello. My name XQ . I from Singapore. I watch Borat and were amaze by how Borat speak and his sexy time adventures in USA. Niice! Therefore, I am excite to talk about this film to you! I am so excite!

Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) come from Kazakhstan. He send by the government of Kazakhstan to learn the USA way of living. He come with Azamat and his camera man. They arrive at New York and after watching Baywatch in hotel room.

Borat fall in love with C.J (Pamela Anderson). He decide to go California and marry her. With no time left, he set out with his crew and buy the ice cream truck and drive to California. Along the way, Borat encounter many a funny thing. Mostly of a America culture.

I must say to you, this not a movie. But a very funny part documentary part movie thing. Another thing, there is a many racial and religious jokes. If you easy offend, please do go watch the movie. Oops, I mean please do not watch the movie.

Funny part aside, this film talk about issue in the America. Racial tensions, religions, gay society and guns culture in the America. It is the very important to understand these is still happening in the America. A very cruel and crude view of USA but important for us to learn. So everybody will not make mistake again. Hiii 5! Hope people not do these mistake again. Finally, I has to say Borat is a lousy film... NOT!

P.S: Sorry for the short entry, I cannot write in Borat's language any longer. Guys, I tried and I hope you understand what I am talking about. Nevertheless, watch him and be entertained!
4
txq

The Holiday (2006)

Time for a holiday

Yes, the holiday season is here! It is a time to feast on turkeys (they have it easier than chickens, we only eat them once a year), give/receive presents, decorate your Christmas tree, do last minute shopping and most importantly to take a break from the bullshit world of work, school and, uh, work. Go for a holiday! You mean you don't know where to go? How about a home exchange that involves Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black (Oh yeah, I can feel your heart pumping real fast)? Well, its cheaper than a real holiday.

The story evolves around 2 women who are poles apart. Woman at L.A. is Amanda, who has a 'tear duct' problem (Cameron Diaz). Amanda is a successful career woman who has it all: a big house, loads of money and a company that produces movie trailers. No such luck in love instead. She finds that her boyfriend is cheating on her and promptly breaks up with him.

Meanwhile on the other side of the globe is Iris, woman at London. She is a journalist (with a problem with controlling her tears) at the Telegraph, and is head over heels for her ex husband, Jasper (Rufus Sewell) and still bears hope that one day they will reconcile. All hopes vanish when Jasper announces his marriage to another woman and to do it in front of her, now thats what i call a double whammy.

Question time. How do lonely souls spend Christmas? Answer: Go for a holiday! Not the normal kind of holiday, mind you, but a home exchange. Amanda moves to London and Iris flies to L.A. The rest of the story revolves around the people they meet, ie: Iris's brother, Graham (Jude Law) and Miles (Jack Black) and how they subsequently fall in love.

Notice that the focus is not on the male stars of this show. The real leads are Diaz and Winslet as this is a female orientated show. How? Firstly, the plot discusses on how women can be strong and live their own lives, sans men. Secondly, why do you think Jude Law is in it? To Act (Pardon me, he can act but this show requires him to just turn on his charm)? No! To sell tickets. Jack Black is here to cater for women with different taste (funny, chubby) for men. The guys here are the eye candies not the gals.

The Holiday is definitely not in the class of Love Actually. At best, it is just an above average movie. Metaphorically speaking, if The Holiday is like a trip from Singapore to Thailand, then Love Actually will be from Singapore to Europe.

3
txq

Death Note 2: The Last Name (2006)

Don't write my name please!

I'm not perfect. Yes, the dreaded prefects, more often than not, have caught me, during my secondary school days. From improper attire to getting my hair highlighted (yah I'm ah beng, but who wasn't one during those turbulent days?), I've done it all. My name is always on the prefect's little black book. The notion of seeing my name on that book irks me and thats what motorists feel when their names end up in traffic police's own little black book. A sense of helplessness will surge into our minds. And that's exactly how you will feel after you have watched Death Note 2: The Last Name; a sense of helplessness for those who died.

Picking up where Death Note ends, Death Note 2 resumes the battle of wits between Light (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and L (Ken'ichi Matsuyama). Now, another Death Notebook has fallen into the hands of another person and she is Misa (Erika Toda), a pop idol we last seen vaguely in Death Note. She is a fervent fan of Kira (Kira is the alias of Light in the cyberworld) and she proclaims herself as the 2nd Kira. However, she has something that Light doesn't have. Shinigami (Death God) eyes. Now, as there are 2 notebooks, will that mean? Yes, 2 Shinigamis, Ryuk and Remu (Ryuk is a very funny and surprisingly lovable Shinigami). Things, now, become more complicated (And I mean real complicated) when a 3rd Kira appears. Can the Kiras plot the downfall of L, or will L triumph? Will anyone discover the identity of Light? And the million dollar question: Who will be the Last name on that Death Notebook?

Well, I'm not sympathizing with those criminals. However, after seeing what Light did to them, I felt helpless and began to think who is Light to take their lives (You might think this way too I'm sure). Once again, human nature is in the spotlight. Power can corrupt even the most pristine state of any person's mind. The hunger for power is too overwhelming to resist. A Death Notebook is not only a weapon that can take lives but also a temptation (Think the snake in the garden of Eden); A temptation that will test your morality. And now for the billion dollar question. What will you do when you gain possession of a Death Notebook? If i have that, I will probably write down the prefect's names (Haha just kidding, I don't remember them anyway)! Will you do something like what Light did? Killing all the criminals and make it a criminal free world? Or do you think that Light is already a criminal himself? Seriously, I might just plan how I die, when I will die and whom I die with. I don't dare to think of any date but I will want to die with my loved ones. What will you do?

P.S: Thank you, moviesonspace.com
4
txq

A Battle of Wits (2006)

Defend, well, is still the best form of attack

You must be thinking: this guy simply cannot get enough of war films, right? For the past month, I have watch thousands of soldiers battling it out in Iwo Jima, a handful of Lafayette Escadrille and now we have ONE man slugging his guts out during China's Warring States period. And that man is, who else but Andy Lau ?

This movies is based on a popular Japanese Manga, Bokku. Set during the China's Warring States period, this story is about Ge Li (Andy Lau), who is from the Mozi Clan, helping Liang City fend off enemies and a very certain invasion from the nation, Zhao. People from the Mozi Clan are famed for their unorthodox war fare. As they are a peace loving clan, they main forte, obviously, is to defend. There is only so much a person can do, can Ge Li successfully defend the fortress?

Scenes in this movie are beautiful and grandiose. The battle sequences, though cannot be compared to LOTR, still hold the film pretty well. Nothing spectacular about the acting here as the characters are somehow one dimensional. Lau tries to keep the cast tight but the only chemistry he has is with Fan Bing Bing who plays Yi Yue, a Hua Mulan kind of figure. Director Jacob Cheung emphasizes on the complexity of the human nature. How gratefulness can turn to jealousy and how trust can bring about betrayal. It is saddening to see that the we humans can be such selfish creatures. The greatest irony of man, I'm sad to say, is man himself.

3.5
txq

Fly Boys (2006)

Battle of the skies

Another war movie! Fret not, this movie takes a different approach altogether. It is about a group of volunteers in the French Air Service, the Lafayette Escadrille and how they start as relatively unknowns and end as heroes of World War I.

As usual there is a leader of the pack, and he is non other than the-cooler-than-thou-and-the-green-goblin's-son James Franco. He stars as Rawlings, a suave guy who packs plenty of ambitions in his 5' 11" frame. And typical of many movies, there is the guy with a history, a guy who wants to change his destiny, a mommy's boy and several weird characters. I know it is Cliched but we still watch it nevertheless.

Few surprises here as we see this bunch of amateurs become world class pilots and eventually winning against the Germans. I think i miss out on a love story but well, it is insignificant in the end. A tad too draggy though, if the film makers can take out the love story, the movie will surely be more enjoyable. The flight sequences will keep you glue to your seats and after observing how easy pilots die during those turbulent days, their balls , i mean wings , are really made of steel.

3
txq

Flags of Our Fathers (2006)

WARNING: Multiple viewings are required

War movies, haven't we watch them umpteen times? From the horror of Apocalypse Now to the D-Day of Saving Private Ryan, we've watched them all. So, what's new? Isn't it going to be the same? Bodies blown up, the lives-so-worthless scenes (think the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan) and the 1001 ways soldiers die. Hold your guns soldiers, because Flags of Our Fathers is not your typical war movie.

This story traces back to World War 2 and evolves around the photograph that turns the war around: 6 marines erecting the USA flag atop Mount Suribachi. Upon seeing the impact of the picture, the remaining 3 marines who raised the flag then were recalled back to the States (the other 3 were killed). Their mission was to stir the patriotism of the citizens and in turn persuade them to buy more war bonds. Upon arrival, John "Doc" Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (Adam Beach) were immediately named heroes of the war. They went 'on tour' around the country and soon were disillusioned and, to a certain extent, disgusted by the fanfare and the overwhelming attention on who raised the flag (except Gagnon that is). Just to use an anecdote to illustrate my point, the entire bond raising drive is almost like a PR campaign. The packaging of the heroes, the countless flag planting drills and the fabricated speech that they were forced to speak of. Meanwhile, the real heroes were back there on the island. Bleeding and dying for their country. Yet no one spoke of them. The real heroes were forgotten.

Instead of intense action throughout the movie, we get fragments of the war and some part of the bond raising drive. Flashbacks are used extensively by director, Clint Eastwood. His story plays around with time and sometimes it might get to you. You might need to be very alert to understand the movie and the point he is driving at. I especially took a liking for one quote in the movie, it goes like this: "They may have fought for their country but they died for their friends, for the man in front and for the man beside." Every man for himself does not apply here.

3.5
txq

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By the time you are reading this, my picture is already on www.moviesonspaces.com. No I am not wanted by the police, I want you to vote for me (insane laughter). If you guys think I'm good, please vote for me. If not, tell me where I can improve and I will jolly well pull up my stinking socks. All comments are welcome; criticisms, praises, expletives, I-wish-you-lose and the list goes on. Just keep it coming, keep my spirit alive. Hope I didn't disappoint you people for the past year or so. Show me the money! Or rather, show me the love.

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Your friendly moviephile,
txq

Coming Soon!

Greetings fellow movie-philes! As you can see from your calender, we are nearing the end of the year again! Holy cow, time flies and an eventful year is about to end real soon. Hold on, before we end 2006 with a bang, let us see what are the movies coming to a screen near you this month.

1. After This Our Exile (7 Dec)
This big winner in the Golden Horse Awards this year stars Best Actor, Aaron Kwok, and the youngest Best Supporting Actor, Goum Ian Iskandar. Not only that, this movie also won the Best Picture award. Expect some serious and stellar performances by the star-studded cast. And remember to carry a pack of tissue paper.

2. Eragon (13 Dec)
Are you having The LOTR hangover? Need some fantasy to boost your mundane life? Fret not. Eragon, the dragon rider is here. This film is based on a novel by Christopher Paolini and aims to carry on the fantasy genre. Will Eragon emulate LOTR? The jury is still out.

3. Confessions of Pain (14 Dec)
Girls, stop gushing! Book your tickets for this film now! This movie stars two of Asia's hottest guys: the brooding Tony Leung and the picture perfect Takeshi Kaneshiro. Personally, I am anticipating this show for a long time because it is from the makers of Infernal Affairs (Andrew Lau and Alan Mak). As a fan of Infernal Affairs, I expect some quality work being churned out here!

4. A Night At The Museum (21 Dec)
Ben Stiller is back! Brace yourself for more laughs and gags from Hollywood's funniest man ( Some of you might not agree). Just in time for the festive season and this is one perfect family movie.

5. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (28 Dec)
Expect many crude jokes here as Ali G stars as Borat, a reporter from Kazakhstan who is trying to marry Pamela Anderson (crazy stuff). A mad cap movie of enormous proportion (no pun intended), I must say.

6. Blood Diamond (28 Dec)
After a successful outing in The Departed, Leonardo Dicaprio is back in Blood Diamond. Blood Diamond is about the chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone and how a diamond can transform the lives of the people. Jennifer Connelly also stars in this politcal charged film.