MY SUPER Ex-GIRLFRIEND: G-GIRL BLUES

MY SUPER Ex-GIRLFRIEND (romantic comedy)
Cast: Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, Anna Faris and Eddie Izzard
Director: Ivan Reitman
Time: 97 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: Breaking up is hard to do. Everyone knows that and they even have songs and movies about it. The big deal here is breaking up with a neurotic woman who is also superhero. Now, that can be superhell. However, it is also funny and macabre – in a refreshing sort of way….

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) is an ordinary guy looking for love. He actually has this co-worker, Hannah Lewis (Anna Faris), whom he has feelings for but she already has a hot boyfriend and he does not want to spoil things for her. So when he meets Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman) in the subway, he figures he has got it made.

Their first dinner date has not gone well – she has to go to the bathroom a couple of times – but what happens later in bed is just mind-blowing (not to mention what happened to the bed). What Matt does not know is that Jenny is the alter-ego of G-Girl, a superhero with powers akin to Superman’s. However, when he finds out later, he gets cold feet and tries to break up with her. And that’s when things get from messy to downright deadly.

First, Jenny also has a ‘super-temper’ that can result in a Great White shark being thrown into his room. Or his car suspended in orbit. Next, there is Jenny’s ex-boyfriend Barry aka Prof Bedlam (Eddie Izzard) who engages Matt’s help in a vendetta scheme to ‘neutralise’ G-Girl. And lastly, Matt realises that he is actually in love with Hannah! Talk of bad timing…

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Superhero capers like Superman and Spider-Man have their love interests as subplots. In this rom-com directed by Ivan Reitman, we have the love interest as the main plot and therein lie the fun and games. Think “Fatal Attraction meets Superwoman” and you will get the idea.

HIGHLIGHTS: Most women in the audience would understand how Jenny feels when she finds a third party (Hannah) in her relationship. And they would root for her. Most men would understand Matt and his need for a ‘roll-in-the-hay’, especially when he is cheered on by his buddy, Vaughn (Rainn Wilson at his most memorable role). You would cheer for him too when he finally realises his love for Hannah.
Also, there are quite a few laughs to be had in this slapdash comedy, like when Matt and G-Girl go for the Mile High Club (mid-air sex) experience – without the airplane. Or the wobbly way Matt walks to work in that ‘morning-after’ scene…

LOWLIGHTS: In the performance department, Thurman is definitely not as sexy as she was in the Kill Bill movies but she makes up for it by being deliciously nuts. Luke Wilson is passable as her victim/lover but it is Rainn Wilson has us eating out of his hand with the funniest lines in the movie.

THE LOWDOWN: Just the film for fans of fantasy romance and dating couples.

LITTLE MAN: Goo-goo, gasp, gasp!

LITTLE MAN (comedy)
Cast: Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Kerry Washington and Tracy Morgan
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Time: 100 mins
Rating: * ½ (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: Just when we thought the Brothers Wayans could not go any lower in their comedies after White Chicks, we get a more vulgar burlesque in the form of Little Man. This is merely a one-joke comedy expanded over one-and-a-half hours. It works on the conceit that ‘crass is cool’ and as long as there is a college youth market that their comedies can (breast)-feed on, they will continue making them.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Calvin Sims (Marlon Wayans) is a 2.5-foot midget who teams up with his buddy Percy P (Tracy Morgan) to rob a jewellery store of a large diamond. The duo are actually working for local kingpin Mr Walken (Chazz Palminteri) but when the heist goes awry, Calvin has to stash the loot in the handbag of passer-by Vanessa Edwards (Kerry Washington).
Now, Vanessa and her hubby Darryl (Shawn Wayans) are a loving yuppie couple eagerly trying to start a family. When the gem thieves learn of Darryl’s impatience to be a dad, Calvin agrees to pose as an abandoned baby left outside their front door. The plan is to get into the house, grab the diamond and run. And guess what? Darryl takes the bait, convincing Vanessa that he is just practising to be a dad ‘only for the weekend’ before they return it to the Department of Child Services. However, Vanessa’s father (John Witherspoon) smells a rat and tries to keep an eye on the belligerent Calvin.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? This one-joke caper allows director Keenan Ivory Wayans to ‘accessorise’ – throwing in infantile gags about breastfeeding, anal thermometers, sexual organs and even a way-over-the-top football game. Really, can we expect the Wayans to ignore any chance for a boob gag or a fart-and-poop situation? After all, these are the stock ingredients of their comedies and they are pretty good at it by now.

HIGHLIGHTS: One thing we can really marvel at is the seamless CGI way that shots of Marlon’s head are ‘attached’ to the body of a kid named Linden Porco. I had tried to look for the ‘digital joints’ but could not find any.

LOWLIGHTS: Most of the comic situations are predictable because there are only a few twists and turns that one can take where a midget posing as a baby is concerned. A handful of them are funny enough to generate giggles while most are just infantile or downright stupid.

THE LOWDOWN: If you can accept the fact that a yuppie American couple can mistake a midget for a baby, then you deserve to waste your time on Little Man. If you can’t, just wait for a similar conceit in Jackie Chan’s Rob B Hood and hope that it won’t be as intellectually-challenged.

Your WEEKEND PIC (Aug 25-27)

(A guide to help you plan your cinema-going)

1. THE ANT BULLY (fantasy adventure with voices of Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts) Rated * * * (3 stars out of 4): A boy, who takes out his frustrations on a colony of ants, learns some of life’s lessons when he is shrunk to ant size and taken to live with the colony. Great for the kids.

2. MONSTER HOUSE (Animated Kiddie Horror with the voices of Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Maggie Gyllenhaal Steve Buscemi) Rated * * * (3 stars): This family film recalls Halloween, Amityville Horror and A Nightmare On Elm Street but not to worry, it won’t really freak the kids out. Also, the action turns out nice and fluid.

3. SNAKES ON A PLANE (Disaster comedy Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): If you like half-baked plots, Samuel Jackson's stares and hissable scares, then book yourself a ticket for this cult movie and have a nice fright.

4. MISTRESS OF SPICES (fantasy romance with Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott) Rated * * (2 stars): This story about the magical cures of spices is supposed to be exotic and romantic but it turns out lifeless and bland. Mainly for Aishwarya fans.

5. BENEATH STILL WATERS (Horror thriller with Michael McKell and Raquel Merono) Rated * ½ (1.5 stars): This gorefest is the work of Spanish director Brian Yuzna whose forte is making B-grade horror (and mostly horrible) DVDs. It is all fog and zombies and very low IQ.

SNAKES ON A PLANE: Or Why Is Your seat Belt Moving?

SNAKES ON A PLANE (disaster movie)
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Philips and Rachel Blanchard
Director: David R. Ellis
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * ½ (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: This is certainly a harrowing time for air travellers. If news on TV of recently tightened security checks at airports worldwide is not enough to stress them out, this Snakes On A Plane caper will definitely make their skin crawl. Unless they are snake lovers like Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin or Steve Irwin, of course. Anyway, with a title like that, anyone brave (or foolish) enough to buy a ticket to this movie should know what he is in for. Advance publicity on the Internet has garnered such a cult following for the movie that it is almost critic-proof. Yeah, what we say won’t matter to its fans, but for those on the fence, just ask yourself: Do I really want to see how snakes kill people on a plane and vice versa?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? The premise is really a no-brainer: Surfing dude Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips) witnesses the brutal killing of a public prosecutor in Hawaii and finds his life in danger. Just when the mobsters are at his door, he is rescued by FBI agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) and taken on a ‘red eye’ (early morning) flight to Los Angeles where he will testify against the mob boss, Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson). By now, you should know what Eddie does to stop Sean from testifying. Yes, he has a crate of poisonous snakes smuggled into the plane so that they can escape from the cargo hold, create havoc on board and cause the plane to crash. Now, if you think that this is a hare-brained scheme, wait till you see what happens next.

HIGHLIGHTS: Director David Ellis makes good use of all the stock flight situations to get the panic and the laughs. On board the flight, we have the usual motley crowd (read: snake victims) like the egocentric rock star and his aides, a couple of travel-alone kids, a mother and baby, a randy honeymoon couple and a haughty, hostile Briton who, we can safely conclude, would not make it out alive. You can also pick out the heroes and heroines easily. That would be flight attendants Claire (Julianna Margulies) and Tiffany (Sunny Mabry), and of course, lead star Jackson who gets to mouth the coolest lines, kick-ass and kill snakes all through the journey.

Ellis rightly emphasises on comedic horror and there are some witty moments, especially when a ‘Mile High Club’ couple gets it in the toilet. Unlike in the Anaconda films, there are few gory scenes. The snake attacks are mostly sudden flashes accompanied by loud music. Ellis also films some shots (in green) from the snakes’ perspective but they do nothing to heighten suspense or tension.

LOWLIGHTS: The action even gets tedious halfway when the snakebites and panic situations are recycled and repeated. Our interest only picks up near the ending when Flynn comes up with a radical solution to the snakes problem.

THE LOWDOWN: After so many snake-attack movies, there is nothing memorable here. This is just a cult film and if you are really into such stuff, book a ticket, fasten your seat belt and have a good fright.

News: Indie movie S'kali opens on Sept 14

Aug 17 2006: It’s ‘all systems go’ for local indie movie S’kali at the Cathay Cineleisure in Damansara Mutiara, Petaling Jaya, on Sept 14.

The movie, produced by Perantauan Enterprise on HDV (high definition video) format, had its ‘test screening’ at Cathay Cineleisure last Monday -- and its writer-director, Arivind Abraham, said he is ‘totally happy’ with the test.

“We were testing for colour balance and sound reproduction and these turned out all right,” he said today. Arivind said he is grateful to Cathay Cineplexes Sdn Bhd for bringing down technicians from Singapore to set up the HDV or ‘E-format’ test screening.

S’kali is the first movie to be shown on this particular format at the Cathay Cineleisure multiplex at Damansara Mutiara.

S’kali’s associate producer Bahir Yeusof said the movie is a tale of love and friendship involving a group of school friends as they branch out to pursue their further studies and career.

“This is arguably the first movie ‘made by youngsters about youngsters’ as all the cast and crew are in their 20s,” he said. “There are also some surprise cameos by some of the top names in local show business.”

The movie was shot in the Klang Valley and Port Dickson last January and was edited in Britain. “S’kali” stars Jayaram Nagaraj, Davina Goh, Angeline Rose, Derek Ong and Zimy Rozan.

WEEKEND PIC (Aug 18-20 2006)

(A guide to help you plan your cinema-going)

1. THE ANT BULLY (fantasy adventure with voices of Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep & Julia Roberts) Rated * * * (3 stars out of 4): A boy, who takes out his frustrations on a colony of ants, learns some of life’s lessons when he is shrunk to ant size and taken to the colony. Great for the kids.

2. CLICK (Fantasy comedy with Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale and Christopher Walken) Rated: * * * (3 stars): Sandler gets more than he had bargained for when is given a ‘universal remote control’ that can freeze and fast forward time, and even erases unpleasant events.

3. MISTRESS OF SPICES (fantasy romance with Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott) Rated * * (2 stars): This story about the magical of spices is supposed to be exotic and romantic but it turns out lifeless and bland. Mainly for Aishwarya fans.

4. GARFIELD 2: A TAIL OF 2 KITTIES (Comedy with Brekin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Bill Murray as voice of Garfield) Rated * * (2 stars): Based on the Prince and the ‘Pawper’ story, this one has Garfield being mistaken for a ‘royalty’ lookalike when he sneaks off to London with Jon. Juvenile and sometimes 'pawthetic' comedy.

5. NACHO LIBRE (Wrestling comedy with Jack Black) Rated * ½ (1.5 stars): Everything looks phoney in this comedy about a monastery chef (Black) who turns to wrestling to help buy better food for the orphans.

MISTRESS OF SPICES: Bland Offering

MISTRESS OF SPICES (fantasy romance)
Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Dylan McDermott and Ayesha Dharke
Director: Paul Mayeda Berges
Time: 93 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Aishwarya is Tilo, the psychic owner of a 'spice bazaar' outside San Francisco whose 'mission in life' is to use the magic of spices help her patrons with their problems. In flashbacks, we are told that she is one of many 'Mistresses of Spices' who are sent out all over the world on similar missions. There are 'rules' to her gift, though. She must use it only to help others and not for herself; she must not leave her shop; and she must not touch the skin of anyone.
Enter, a motorbike-riding hunk named Doug (Dylan McDermott) and one-by-one the rules start flying out of the window. The spices rebel, Tilo loses her 'magic' and...

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? We are supposed to 'ache' for her in her dilemma. Strangely, however, we don't. Neither do we see a 'happily-ever-after' on the horizon for Tilo and Doug. "Poor guy would be sick of Indian curry after the first month or so," we reckon.

HIGHLIGHTS: I like some of the subplots, though. They deal mostly with immigrants clinging to their culture in the US, like a grandpa (Anupam Kher) who has problems with his westernised granddaughter (Padma Lakshmi); and a taxi-driver named Haroun (Nitin Chandra Ganatra) who tries so hard pursuing the American Dream that he forgets his own heart. A black couple (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje of TV's "Lost", and Caroline Chikezie) fills up the multi-racial cast but their story is barely developed.

LOWLIGHTS: For a movie about exotic spices, and starring former Miss World and Bollywood heart-throb Aishwarya Rai, this one turns out to be rather bland and even rancid at times. We can't possibly blame the spices or Aishwarya's performance. The spices are nice to look at and so is the ravishing Aishwarya, who is definitely the film's main attraction.
So let's put it down to a poorly developed script by Gurinder Chadha (based on the novel by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni) and a shaky and uncertain helming by her husband Paul Mayeda Berges. What makes Mistress Of Spices even more of a letdown is that we had expected more from Ms Chadha, who had directed such charming movies as Bend It Like Beckham and Bride And Prejudice. This one is nice to look at but it's soul-less. It strives to be poetic but turns out uninspired.
Also, there is no chemistry between Aishwarya and McDermott; the fairy-tale element seems utterly childish and we would expect some sort of sacrifice for the sake of love on Tilo's part! The ending is a hastily-contrived compromise.

THE LOWDOWN: Fans of Aishwarya and Bollywood films may want to get a taste of this offering but they should not expect it to warm their hearts.

News Flash: Coliseum Cinema Stays!

TUESDAY, Aug 15: The Government will not acquire Coliseum Cinema, said its owner Dr Chua Seong Siew after meeting Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim today.

In a phone interview with Dr Chua this afternoon, he said that all Dr Rais wanted was for the Coliseum to promote Malaysian cultural activities. "Details will be worked out later," he said.

"By ‘Malaysian cultural activities', I take it to mean that we should show Malaysian productions including local Malay and Chinese movies and not just Hindi films," he said. "I fully support this proposal and I will do my best to comply."

Dr Chua said he was very relieved that his fears, that the cinema would be acquired by the Government and turned into a Cultural Heritage Centre, proved unfounded. He said he was very happy with the outcome of the meeting which was scheduled last week amidst reports that the 86-year-old cinema would be taken over by the Government for a RM500,000 compensation.

The 828-seat Coliseum, in bustling Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, employs 12 staff, and is the sole remaining stand-alone cinema in Kuala Lumpur. Dr Chua said he is grateful to all those who had supported him in his quest to keep the cinema going.

The structure was built by Dr Chua's grand-uncle, Chua Cheng Bok, and leased to a group who opened the cinema in 1921. Constructed of reinforced concrete, with a double roof and numerous fans, the building was one of the coolest places in town in those days. The wide verandas upstairs (now covered up), the balcony seats and private boxes were fitted with separate fans and lights. The Coliseum also had its own power plant, making it independent of the town's electrical system.

Your WEEKEND Pic (Aug 11 - 13)

(A guide to help you plan your cinema-going)

1. CLICK (Fantasy comedy with Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale and Christopher Walken) Rated: * * * (out of 4): Sandler gets more than he had bargained for when is given a ‘universal remote control’ that can freeze and fast forward time, and even erases unpleasant events.

2. A MOMENT TO REMEMBER (Korean tear-jerker with Woo-sung Jung, Ye-jin Son and, Jong-hak Baek) Rated * * * (3 hankies): They meet when she is on the rebound but just when everything is going well, she is diagnosed with a brain disease that threatens to wipe out her memory.

3. DRAGON TIGER GATE (Cantonese kungfu actioner with Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue) Rated * * ½ (2.5 stars): If it is stylish kungfu you want, this should fit the bill as its plot is just a hastily-concocted peg for all the action choreographed by Yen.

4. GARFIELD: A TAIL OF 2 KITTIES (Comedy with Brekin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Bill Murray as voice of Garfield) Rated * * (2 stars): Based on the Prince and the ‘Pawper’ story, this sequel has Garfield being mistaken for a ‘royalty’ lookalike when he sneaks off to London with Jon. Juvenile and sometimes 'pawthetic' comedy.
5. THE BREAK-UP (anti-romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn) Rated: * * (2 stars): If you get a kick out of seeing a couple squabble, or getting a glimpse of Aniston’s butt, then you may find this effort worthwhile. If not, give yourself a break.

THE ANT BULLY: At Least It's Educational

THE ANT BULLY (animated fantasy)
Voices of Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts, Zachary Tyler and Meryl Streep
Director: John A. Davis
Time: 90 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Lucas Nickle (voice of Zachary Tyler) is a typical nerd who gets picked on by the neighbourhood bullies. With no friends to turn to, Lucas vents out his frustration on a colony of ants in his front lawn, stomping on them and flooding the anthill with the garden hose. The ant colony, led by its wizard Zoc (Nicolas Cage), nicknames the boy as ‘The Destroyer’ and Zoc creates a magic potion to miniaturise Lucas to ant size. After being shrunk and abducted by the ants, Lucas must learn to become one of them, facing their many daily dangers and challenges. What’s more, he must undo a grave decision he has made: the hiring of an Exterminator (Paul Giamatti) to rid the lawn of pests.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? It may not be as exciting or as engaging as The Incredibles and Finding Nemo but The Ant Bully offers us one of the most ‘realistic’ and educational experiences of life within a colony of ants. What’s more, it has its heart in the right place, giving children a lesson that being big doesn’t give them the licence to harm those who are smaller.

HIGHLIGHTS: I liked the 1998 Antz but I was not happy with its four-legged rendition of the insect. It gives the wrong information to the children, making the Ants appear more like humans than insects. A Bug’s Life (which opened the same year) fared better but it was more of an adventure-comedy than a story about the life of the ant colony. The Ant Bully, based on the book by John Nickle, is full of ‘ant-ics’ and has much to teach us about discipline, co-operation, teamwork and sacrifice. This may sound like watching a sermon onscreen, but there are enough thrills and spills and subplots to sustain our interest. Also, I like the way Davis switches perspective – like in the way he shows a fire-cracker exploding.

LOWLIGHTS: Director John A. Davis does not seem to have done much to give the narrative or the characters more ‘zing’ or charm. The sequences of the wasp attack could have been zapped up a notch or two, and the gags appear slapdash. However, there is one poop joke that no one should find offensive. It has to do with the caterpillars that provide food for the ants (and Lucas) – from a rather unappetising end.
The celebrity voice cast, including Julia Roberts as the caring and patient Hova, Regina King as the strong-willed Kreela and Meryl Streep as the Queen, help to give the six-legged characters their personality but nothing memorable.

THE LOWDOWN: This animated feature is also filmed in 3-D and those who love getting into the thick of the action may want to wait for it to open at the IMAX cinema. In the meantime, The Ant Bully should give the kids food for thought, especially when they encounter little creatures in the front and backyard.

Coliseum Cinema's Still Thriving

(A Special Report and Interview with Coliseum's Owner)



AUGUST 10 2006: The on-going news that the Coliseum cinema in Kuala Lumpur is to be turned into a National Heritage Centre by the Government may give people the impression that the cinema is not doing so well. Not so, its owner told this blog. The cinema is a thriving business concern serving the community in the busy Golden Triangle area of the city.

"We are doing very good business," Dr Chua Seong Siew, 68, told yours truly yesterday. "The Coliseum is the most popular hall for Indian movies in Kuala Lumpur, serving the middle and lower-income groups in the area. I hope the Government will allow us to continue the business which was started by my family since 1938."

Cinema manager Encik Sofie Babu, 29, said on weekdays, they collected about RM3,000 to RM4,000 and on weekends, about RM8,000 to RM10,000. "The movies shown here are mostly Tamil films distributed by Lotus Five-Star, a local company," he said. "Our clientele on weekdays are mainly workers in the Golden Triangle area, especially Jalan Masjid India, who pop in to catch a movie after work. There are also many Indonesian, Pakistani and Filipino workers among them. In the weekends, we get families among the crowd."

Sofie (pictured above) said the 828-seat Coliseum, now managed by Coliseum Cinemas Sdn Bhd, employs 12 staff, including cashiers, projectionists and stewards. "The cinema is particularly crowded in the weekends as the area in front of the building becomes a hive of activity."

On the RM500,000 compensation offered by the Government, Dr Chua said that amount could not even buy a fraction of a shoplot in the prime shopping area. "A shoplot in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman is worth a few million Ringgit and the Coliseum is made up of five shoplots," said Dr Chua, adding that “I would not part with the property on my own free will”.

Dr Chua said in the post-World War years from 1948 to 1968, Coliseum was the top cinema in Kuala Lumpur, showing the latest Western movies. "When more and more cinemas were built, my mother started concentrating on Malay films and we were the top hall for Malay movies at that time," he said. "Then in 1990, when Finas (the National Film Board) came out with a ruling that all cinemas must show each local Malay film for at least a week, Coliseum's mainstay as a bastion for Malay movies declined. And we moved on to showing Indian movies."

The Coliseum remains the only ‘stand-alone' cinema in Kuala Lumpur with its traditional ‘Reserved class' (or balcony seats). Ticket prices are at RM11 for Reserved seats and RM9 for First Class seats. On Wednesdays, the prices are RM8 for Reserved class and RM6 for First Class.

Dr Chua said he will be meeting Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim next week to resolve the acquisition issue. Meanwhile, many cinema-goers and members of the public have urged the Government to leave the 86-year-old Coliseum cinema alone.

WEEKEND PIC (Aug 4-6 2006)

(A guide to help you plan your cinema-going)

1. JASMINE WOMEN (Mandarin drama with Zhang Ziyi, Joan Chen and Jiang Wen) Rated * * * (out of 4): This movie, about how the women of three generations of a family cope with men and tragedy, is both rivetting and stylish. Zhang and Chen are at their best in multiple roles.

2. A MOMENT TO REMEMBER (Korean tear-jerker with Woo-sung Jung, Ye-jin Son and, Jong-hak Baek) Rated * * * (3 stars): They meet when she is on the rebound but just when everything is going well, she is diagnosed with a brain disease that threatens to wipe out her memory. Manipulative but engaging love story.

3. DRAGON TIGER GATE (Cantonese kungfu actioner with Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue) Rated * * ½ (2.5 stars): If it is stylish kungfu you are looking for, this should fit the bill as its plot is just a hastily-concocted peg for the eye-boggling action choreographed by Yen.

4. LADY IN THE WATER (A Shyamalan thriller with Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard) Rated * * (2 stars): This is strictly for Shyamalan fans as the bedtime story, upon which the movie is based, is so full of plot holes that it leaks and throws all of us into the water!

5. THE BREAK-UP (anti-romntic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn) Rated: * * (2 stars): If you get a kick out of seeing a couple squabble, or having a glimpse of Aniston’s butt, then you may find this effort worthwhile. If not, just stay with Friends.

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER: A Korean Love Story

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER (Korean love story)
Cast: Woo-sung Jung, Ye-jin Son, Jong-hak Baek. Sun-jin Lee and Sang-gyu Park
Director: John H. Lee
Time: 115 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Kim Su-jin (Ye-jin Son) has just being dumped by her married colleague Yeong-min (Jong-hak Baek) when she accidentally bumps into construction foreman Cheol-su (Woo-sung Jung). When she next meets Cheol-su at a building site, she recalls their encounter and they gradually fall in love despite their differences in social stature.
Somehow Su-jin’s loving father (Sang-gyu Park) sees the potential in the rough-diamond Chol-su and agrees to the marriage. Indeed, through hard work and self-study, Chol-su becomes an architect and they seem to be heading for a bright future. Then a genetic problem crops up. The often forgetful Su-jin is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and, inevitably, her memory will be gradually wiped out. She may not have long to live but she is determined to make the most of her remaining moments with her loving husband…

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? This 2004 Love Story may sound as morbid as that famous Erich Segal adaptation of 1970 (like, Love means never having to say ‘I don’t remember’?) but it has everything going for it in terms of screen chemistry, romantic sparks and tragic overtones.

HIGHLIGHTS: Korean heart-throb Ye-jin Son has us eating out of her hand the moment she appears onscreen. Her Su-jin is what most young girls of today aspire to be –- rich, beautiful, stylish and impetuous – and her suitor, Cheol-su, is just the type of guy any women would love to possess. Under director John H. Lee, the romantic plot is well stocked with memorable situations and human foibles that most viewers can relate to – like, how Su-jin packs her hubby’s lunch box with two boxes of rice but no meat or vegetables. Also, the subplot about the return of Yeong-min into Su-jin’s life helps to add an interesting dimension to the relationship.

LOWLIGHTS: The romantic sparks all but fade when Su-jin learns about the disease and the tear-jerker segment of the movie kicks in. These are the moments we would want to forget. Another complaint viewers may have is that the narrative is overstretched at almost two hours. Sure, director Lee wants to wring every drop out of our tear-ducts but he would have done well to trim down the sequences a bit. The ending is well thought-out though.

THE LOWDOWN: This movie won the Grand Bell Award of South Korea in 2005 for Best Screenplay. Recommended for lovers and dating couples, only don’t forget the tissue paper.

(For phone bookings, log on to CinemaOnline.com.my)

CLICK: Sandler Gets Controlled

CLICK (fantasy comedy)
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christopher Walken and David Hasselhoff
Director: Frank Coraci
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Michael Newman (Sandler) is a lot like most modern-day husband and dad. The workaholic architect has little time for his lovely wife (Beckinsale as Donna) and their two children, Ben and Samantha. He is too busy trying to please his arrogant boss (Hasselhoff) and seemingly getting nowhere in his career.
One night, while looking for a universal remote control for his television and electrical gadgets at a store, he meets this mad scientist (Walken) who offers him a magical ‘clicker’ that not only freezes real-life action, but can also ‘fast-forward’ the events in his life.
At first, things turns out great for Michael as he is able to control everything at home and at work. However, he soon finds that the clicker is also controlling his life and he is paying a terrible price for it!

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Click is more or less a remake of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol in which Sandler’s ‘Scrooge’ discovers the meaning of life and love, and especially about spending time with his family. Directed by Sandler’s pal, Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy), there is a mix of wonder and fun – and invariably a few tasteless butt gags. Okay, Sandler has toned down a lot on vulgar and crass comedy these days but Coraci feels compelled to let a few through – just to spice things up for the American youngsters.

HIGHLIGHTS: What I like about “Click” is that it is a film with its heart in the right place. Its message – about setting life’s priorities – is a universal one not only for men but women of today as well. Also, it is a treat to see Henry ‘The Fonz” Winkler and veteran TV star Julie Kavner in cameos as Michael’s parents. Walken, meanwhile, seems to be having fun fleshing out the mysterious Morty, while Hasselhoff does a great job of making an ass of himself.

LOWLIGHTS: Many of the gross scenes (butt gags and skin flab sequences) could have been omitted. Another case in point is the repeated joke about the Newman’s randy dog. Coraci should have known that butt gags are not funny anymore after the way Jim Carrey 'carried on' with them.

THE LOWDOWN: A PG-13 comedy for the whole family.