WEEKEND PIC Feb 29 - Mar 2 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (drama with Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett and Paul Dano) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): An epic tale of family, newfound wealth, power and greed - with a fiercely intense perf by Day Lewis as an oil tycoon who gradually loses his soul. (Reviewed below)

2. CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (drama with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This one is a winner among the so-called 'war on terror'-type movies of 2007. It has three Oscar-winning stars - and a powerful, humorous script. (Reviewed below)

3. THE DEAD GIRL (drama with Toni Collette, Marcia Gay Harden, Britanny Murphy, Piper Laurie, Giovanni Ribisi and Rose Byrne) Rating * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This 2006 movie is a vignette mystery about how 'a dead girl' impacts and connects the lives of five women. I caught this one on DVD and I expect many cuts in the cinema print. Still, it is an emotionally powerful film with top class perfs.

4. THE MIST (Stephen King thriller with Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher and Marcia Gay Harden) Rating * * * (3 stars) Director Frank Darabont is back in his element with this King novella about a town under siege by mutant insects and religious zealots (pic).

5. VANTAGE POINT (action thriller with William Hurt, Dennis Quaid (pictured, left), Forrest Whitaker and Sigourney Weaver) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A terrorist attack on the US Prez in Spain, seen from six perspectives, provides the usual twists and turns but a rather predictable movie. There's an ironical touch to the ending, though.

6. 2 DAYS IN PARIS (romantic comedy with Julie Delphy, Adam Goldberg, Albert Delpy and Marie Pillet) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Not to be confused with porn-flick "One Night In Paris", this caper about a French photographer (Delphy) and her American beau (Goldberg) is rather anaemic. Looks like a one-woman show by writer-producer-director Delphy (who even has her own parents in the cast).

7. PARIS JE T'AIME (Anthology of short films about romance, set in Paris, directed and starring various international celebs) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This compilation of 18 vignettes by some of the top directors offers a mixed set of tidbits but nothing filling. Quite an interesting tour de force of Paris, too. (Reviewed below)

8. REDLINE (car racing thriller with Nadia Bjorlin, Tim Matheson, Nathan Philips and Eddie Griffin) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): The chicks are hot, the cars are hotter but the rest of the movie are not. This one is strictly for those who love fast cars (reviewed below).

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR: It's A Winner!

CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR (political drama)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty, Om Puri
Director: Mike Nichols
Time: 97 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Last year, there were no fewer than five movies about the so-called ‘war on terror’, namely, “The Kingdom”, “Lions For Lambs”, “Rendition”, “A Mighty Heart” and “In The Valley Of Elah”. Except for “The Kingdom”, which grossed US$47.5mil, none of the others made any impact at the US box-office. “Charlie Wilson’s War”, however, is still going strong at No 39 of the 2007 top-grossers, collecting more than US$66mil. OK, it is not about the war on terror per se, but it’s some sort of a ‘prequel’, perhaps? Adapted on the book by George Crile, it definitely has something that the others don’t have!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) of Texas is a hard-drinker, womaniser and partygoer. In short, he is a typical US politician in the 80s. He becomes aware of the situation in Afghanistan after being named to the Defense Appropriations subcommittee in 1980. However, it is when he meets socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), that he goes on a tour of Pakistan, where he meets the President (Om Puri) and walks through the refugee camps. He returns to Washington with renewed determination to get weapons for the Afghan Mujahideen to enable them to bring down Soviet occupiers. With the aid of CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Charlie starts a campaign that eventually leads to the U.S. diverting more than $500 million of aid to Afghanistan. Know what happens later, this ‘war’ may be the prequel to 9/11 and the war on terror!

HITS & MISSES: Unlike the aforementioned five movies, this one works because it deals with a charismatic, well-intentioned politician we can relate to. More importantly, director Mike Nichols allows his Oscar-winning stars (all three of them) to twinkle and even sparkle. It is during the sparkling exchanges between the leads that the movie takes off. Hanks provides Charlie with a kind of charm we haven’t seen from him in years, while Roberts brings a regal air to Joanne that suggests a touch of danger – like, when we watch her touching-up her eye make-up with the sharp end of a safety pin! And then there’s Hoffman who looks like he is trying to outshine his co-stars with his brand of ‘power-acting’ and vying for the Oscar nomination.

Yes, Nichols and scripter Aaron Sorkin see politics as a comic and even ridiculous undertaking and they infuse the fun and drama into it. The result is a movie that is lively and engaging from start to end.

THE LOWDOWN: At last, we have a winner. Charlie Wilson just knows how to have fun.

JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB: Chick-Lit Flick

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB (drama)
Starring: Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace and Jimmy Smits
Director: Robin Swicord
Time: 115 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Fans of Jane Austen have commented that her books are so universally applicable to women that her plots are being played out everywhere everyday. And considering that Austen’s novels mostly deal with ‘ensnaring’ a beau, romance, sacrifice and betrayal, who can disagree? This movie is adapted by director Robin Swicord from the 2004 novel by Karen Joy Fowler.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Five women and one man decide to meet once a month for six months to discuss Jane Austen’s books (Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion). Bernadette (Kathy Baker), the organiser of the book club, has been married many times and she is game for one more. Jocelyn (Maria Bello) is a single woman and views her beloved dogs as being more suitable companions than men. Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) is brooding over her failed marriage to Daniel (Jimmy Smits), who has left her after 20 years of marriage. Allegra (Maggie Grace) is Sylvia's lesbian daughter.

Prudie (Emily Blunt) is a young, unhappily married school teacher whose husband (Marc Blucas) treats her like an ornament. She finds herself attracted to one of her students (Kevin Zegers). Finally, there's Grigg (Hugh Dancy), a sci-fi fan but he's so smitten with Jocelyn that he agrees to come to the club when she invites him. Jocelyn sees him as a match for Sylvia, but fails to see that she could be Emma to his Mr Knightley. Yes, Austen’s characters find real-life parallels here…

HITS & MISSES: With a title like this, it is understandable that this movie will never be a male-magnet, especially when there are men who think that Austen is a town in Texas. However, it would do fine as a female-bonding flick the likes of “Joy Luck Club” and “Clueless” (another Austen adaptation). Also, you don’t have to be familiar with Austen’s works to enjoy the movie but it helps a bit when it comes to the finer points of the comedy.

The cast is generally likable, each providing the annoying, insensitive or self-pitying aspects of their characters. My favourite is Emily Blunt whose Prudie is such a bunch of contradiction that she invariably reminds us of someone in our life. Of course, Prudie is clinging desperately to the make-believe world she has crafted as a reaction to her family and we get to understand her when her mother (Lynn Redgrave) makes her obnoxious appearance. Dancy, however, radiates charm as the sheepishly smitten Grigg, while Smits plays the typical American ex-hubby in midlife crisis.

THE LOWDOWN: If you need a night out with the girls and a base to examine your own relationships, join this club.

WEEKEND Pic - Feb 22 - 24 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (drama with Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett and Paul Dano) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): An epic tale of family, newfound wealth, power and greed - with a fiercely intense perf by Day Lewis as an oil tycoon who gradually loses his soul. (Reviewed below)

2. THE DEAD GIRL (drama with Toni Collette, Marcia Gay Harden, Britanny Murphy, Piper Laurie, Giovanni Ribisi and Rose Byrne) Rating * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This 2006 movie is a vignette mystery about how 'a dead girl' impacts and connects the lives of five women. I caught this one on DVD and I expect many cuts in the cinema print. Still, it is an emotionally powerful film with top class perfs.

3. VANTAGE POINT (action thriller with William Hurt, Dennis Quaid (pictured, left), Forrest Whitaker and Sigourney Weaver) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A terrorist attack on the US Prez in Spain, seen from six perspectives, provides the usual twists and turns but a rather predictable movie. There's an ironical touch to the ending, though.

4. JUMPER (sci-fi thriller with Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson and Diane Lane) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Christensen goes from Skywalker to Teleporter in this Matrix-style tale about a war between Jumpers (people who flits through time and space) and an organisation bent on destroying them. The first hour is interesting but director Doug Liman seems so intent to jump to its sequel that he forgets to provide a proper ending.

5. PARIS JE T'AIME (Anthology of short films about romance, set in Paris, directed and starring various international celebs) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This compilation of 18 vignettes by some of the top directors offers a mixed set of tidbits but nothing filling. Quite an interesting tour de force of Paris, too. (Reviewed below)

6. THE EYE (remake of HK horror with Jessica Alba, Parker Posey and Alessandro Nivola) Rated * * (2 stars): The first hour holds promise but things soon fall apart in this remake of the Pang Bros' film. If anything, it only puts the original in classic status.

7. REDLINE (car racing thriller with Nadia Bjorlin, Tim Matheson, Nathan Philips and Eddie Griffin) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): The chicks are hot, the cars are hotter but the rest of the movie are not. This one is strictly for those who love fast cars (reviewed below).

8. ONE MISSED CALL (remake of J-horror with Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns and Ana Claudia) Rated: * (1 star): The original Japanese version was bad enough but this Hollywood remake is even worse, with a stupid script and lame acting.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD: There May Be Oscars!

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (drama)
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett, Paul Dano, Dillon Freasier and Christine Olejniczak.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Time: 158 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? When you acquire instant wealth, there are bound to be long lost relatives who show up out of nowhere, along with others, wanting a slice of your fortune. And when the stakes are as high as those involving oil money, it just means there’s going to be a fight and you can bet that there will be blood…

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Adapted loosely from the novel, Oil!, by Uptown Sinclair, this is an epic tale of family, faith, power and greed set on the incendiary frontier of California's oil boom circa 1910. The story chronicles the life of Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis, pic), who transforms himself from a poor gold miner, raising a son on his own, into an oil tycoon.

When Plainview gets a mysterious tip-off that there's a little town out West where oil is oozing out of the ground, he heads there with his son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier), to take their chances in dust-swept place called Little Boston. In this tough and difficult land, where the main excitement centres around the holy roller church of charismatic preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), Plainview and H.W. make their lucky strike. However, even as the oil find raises all of their fortunes, nothing will remain the same as conflicts escalate and every human value - love, hope, community, belief, ambition and even the bond between father and son - is imperiled by corruption, deception and greed.


HITS & MISSES: With an intense performance by Day-Lewis as the lead, this movie is invariably a character study. Day-Lewis’ Plainview is a mass of contradictions: he is charismatic, ugly, ruthless, silver-tongued, plain-spoken, gentle and violent. He's smart and understands how to manipulate every situation to his advantage. However, as he gets more and more engrossed in wealth and power, he becomes more psychotic and evil – and all the money he has amassed does him no good. Day-Lewis brings out this tragedy in Plainview in another Oscar-worthy performance.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this movie reminds us of the James Dean’s 1956 classic, “Giant”, which also deals with oil and greed and is an easier movie to watch. However, “There Will Be Blood” is arguably the best of Anderson’s works. It is a consummate work of art. It reveals and excites, disturbs and provokes – and lays bare the human consciousness itself.

THE LOWDOWN: Watching Day-Lewis’ performance here is worth the price of the ticket.

PARIS, JE T'AIME: French Tidbits

PARIS, JE T'AIME (Vignettes of 18 shorts)

Cast: Natalie Portman, Rufus Sewell, Elijah Wood,Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bob Hoskins, et al

Director: Various international directors

Time: 123 mins

Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? HI, wanna visit Paris and get a taste of the cinematic delights the various parts of the city has to offer? You can see this movie mosaic as some sort of tourism promo for Paris, or as tributes to the French city by some of the world's renowned directors (like Tom Tykwer, Wes Craven and Ethan Coen and Joel Coen).

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? "Paris, Je T’Aime" is a compilation of 18 short films by a host of international directors who offer their reflections on passion and romance, as felt in the hearts of different generations, races and genders. These five-minute shorts approach their subject from a different angle, using a different district of the city as its starting point.

Gus Van Sant, for example, set a gay encounter in Le Marais area while Bob Hoskins searches the porn shops of Pigalle to spice up his relationship with Fanny Ardant. However, the city’s most recognisable tourist attractions aren’t central to the stories — they’re but glimpses or postcard-pretty shots which act as buffers between the individual shorts. The love theme concentrates on people rather than places.

HITS & MISSES: It is quite like servings of hor d'oeuvres, or video tidbits that can be appetising but never filling. Among the 18 shorts, I like the vampire vignette with Elijah Wood, and the Coen Brothers' comedy “Tuileries,” set in a station of the Paris Métro, about nervous American tourist (played by Steve Buscemi) and his encounter with a young couple.

And then there's Wes Craven’s “Père-Lachaise” about a bickering couple, who break up and make up in front of Oscar Wilde’s grave, with a little help from Wilde’s sympathetic ghost. I can go on and on but suffice it is to say that this anthology-style buffet is not everyone's cup of tea. Some of the shorts appear incomplete and confusing. However, if you love Paris, you would probably overlook these flaws...

THE LOWDOWN: Mainly for art cinema fans, film art students and those who prefer style to substance.

WEEKEND PIC Feb 15 - 17 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. THE DEAD GIRL (drama with Toni Collette, Marcia Gay Harden, Britanny Murphy, Piper Laurie, Giovanni Ribisi and Rose Byrne) Rating * * * 1/2 (out of 4): This 2006 movie is a vignette mystery about how 'a dead girl' impacts and connects the lives of five women. I caught this one on DVD and I expect many cuts in the cinema print. Still, it is an emotionally powerful film with top class perfs.

2. JUMPER (sci-fi thriller with Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, Samuel L. Jackson and Diane Lane) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Christensen goes from Skywalker to Teleporter in this Matrix-style tale about a war between Jumpers (people who flits through time and space) and an organisation bent on destroying them. The first hour is interesting but director Doug Liman seems so intent to jump to its sequel that he forgets to provide a proper ending.

3. CJ7 (sci-fi comedy with Stephen Chow, Xu Jiao and Kitty Zhang) Sorry, I have not been able to catch this Chow Sing Chi effort in the US, but from what I have heard, it is a simple but engaging feel good family story. It should be the top of the pick for the Lunar New Year hols.

4. SWEENEY TODD: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (musical with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter and Alan Rickman) Rated * * * (3 stars): You won't be tapping your feet to the songs of this dark, macabre and bloody musical (adapted by Tim Burton from stephen Sondheim) but there are enough humour and wit to make it worthwhile. (Reviewed below).

5. JOHN RAMBO (action sequel with Sylvester Stallone) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Wanna see a 61-year-old Stallone kick ass as an ex-Green Beret? If so, go for it and wallow in the nostalgia. (Reviewed below)

6. THE EYE (remake of HK horror with Jessica Alba, Parker Posey and Alessandro Nivola) Rated * * (2 stars): The first hour holds promise but things soon fall apart in this remake of the Pang Bros' film. If anything, it only puts the original in classic status.

7. MEET THE SPARTANS (comedy spoof with Carmen Electra, Kevin Sorbo and Sean Maquire) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): There are lots of skin and brawns in this spoof of "300" but wit and brain are painfully lacking. The scattershot comedy also takes potshots at vidgames, scandalous celebs and reality shows but none are really funny.

8. ONE MISSED CALL (remake of J-horror with Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns and Ana Claudia) Rated: * (1 star): The original Japanese version was bad enough but this Hollywood remake is even worse, with a stupid script and lame acting.

REDLINE: A Car-Wreck Of A Movie

REDLINE (car race thriller)

Cast: Nadia Bjorlin, Tim Matheson, Nathan Philips and Eddie Griffin
Director: Andy Cheng
Time: 95 mins

Rating: * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Wanna know whether this movie is right for you? Well, if you are ‘caught’ between a bevy of scantily-clad chicks and a row of sports cars like the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porches – and your attention inevitably strays to the cars, then this is YOUR type of movie. Otherwise avoid this one like the plague… unless you are curious about the chicks.

Indeed, “Redline” offers two kinds of eye candy – the obvious fleshpots and the amped-up Porches, Ford GTs, a Saleen SL, a Lamborghini and a Mercedes SLR McLaren. Few of these cars remain intact. Likewise, the plot. Produced at US$26million by mortgage lender Daniel Sadek, who also provided his own collection of exotic cars, ‘Redline’ got a wide pre-production publicity when one of its stars, Eddie Griffin, crashed a US$1.5 million Ferrari Enzo during a promotional charity race.

HITS & MISSES: However, that is nothing compared to this total-wreck of a movie. ‘Redline’ is such a no-brainer that beside it, ‘Tokyo Drift’ and the other ‘Fast & Furious’ movies would look like classics. Former Hong Kong stunt-coordinator turned director Andy Cheng’s formula is race, chase, fight and crash… race, chase, fight and crash. There is no depth or wit anywhere to be found. The real stars are the cars and some shots of the vehicles careening at rocket speed can be breath-taking. As for the acting by the human cast, make sure you have a barf bag ready. They make you want to puke!

TV soap sexpot Nadia Bjorlin is totally unconvincing as car mechanic-cum-pop singer Natasha Martin who is tricked by a music producer called Infamous (Griffin) into driving his car for him in a high-stakes race. An implausible subplot has an Iraq war veteran (Nathan Phillips as Carlo) returning home to find his brother (Jesse Johnson) in trouble with a counterfeiter. Needless to day, the ex-soldier soon ‘faces-off’ with Natasha and ultimately ‘falls’ for her.

Among the cast, Angus Macfadyen stands out as the self-destructive weirdo billionaire involved in a US$100 million winner-takes-all race. Also, Sadek manages to get veteran actor Tim Matheson to do a cameo as a film producer who seems to fulfil every stereotype known to Hollywood! Well, Matheson does nothing to shore up the image of this demolition derby of a film that glorifies excess to the extreme. One sequence has Infamous landing his private jet on a desert highway – just so that he can dump his smart-mouthed girlfriend – and then takes off again. Other wasteful scenes show the expensive cars crashing and going up in flames.

THE LOWDOWN: “Redline” is sheer male fantasy, a Viagra-sodden playboy’s wet dream.

My Two Cents Worth on the Oscar Awards

12 Feb 2008 - While the strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is putting a question mark on the Oscar Awards Night on Feb 24, the film industry can take comfort in the fact that the Oscars will be given away – one way or the other. Just like the Golden Globes, they could be dished out at a press conference although that would be too much of a letdown to a world ‘addicted’ to the glitter and glamour of the Oscar red carpet and awards show.

With billion$ at stake and only two weeks to go, there are rumours – and fervent hopes – that the strike will be settled at the ‘last-minute’ to allow Oscar Night to happen. This being so, let’s take a look at the main Oscar nominees and evaluate their chances – especially in the light of last Sunday’s BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards.

Category: BEST ACTOR
Contenders: George Clooney (Michael Clayton, pic), Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood); Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street): Tommy Lee Jones (In The Valley Of Ellah) and Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises)

Comments: Among the five nominees, two (Clooney and Day-Lewis) have already won Best Actor Oscars, while Depp and Jones are in for their third nomination. This is the first time for Mortensen and we can safely rule him out. This leaves Depp and Jones as the favourites and I am rooting for Depp. However, there is a chance the Academy would pick Jones due to the seniority factor.

Category: BEST ACTRESS
Contenders: Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age); Julie Christie (Away From Her); Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose); Laura Linney (The Savages) and Ellen Page (Juno)

Comments: This category is usually the toughest to pick considering the talents involved. Blanchett and Christie have won Oscars before while Linney is in for her third nomination. It is the first time for Cotillard and Page. Cotillard has been picked by BAFTA but I am rooting for Page. I am hoping that the Academy members will make a bold move this time around and go for young talent.

Category: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Contenders: Casey Affleck (Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford); Javier Bardem (No Country For Old Men); Philip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson’s War); Hal Holbrook (Into The Wild) and Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton)

Comments: Among the five, Hoffman had won the Best Actor Oscar for “Capote” in 2005 and this is his second nomination, as it is also for Bardem and Wilkinson. I am inclined to think that some Academy members are just being kind to Holbrook, naming him for just a 10-minute cameo-like appearance in the movie “Into The Wild”. Affleck is impressive as Robert Ford – but I think it is a toss up between Bardem and Wilkinson.

Category: BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Contenders: Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There): Ruby Dee (American Gangster); Saoirse Ronan (Atonement); Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) and Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton)

Comments: Other than Blanchett (who won Best Supporting Actress for “The Aviator” in 2004), the rest are first-timers. Having seen the performances of Dee and Ronan, I don’t think they are ‘meaty’ enough to win the Oscar. Again, this is a toss-up between Ryan and Swinton (who won the BAFTA for her role as a ruthless corporate lawyer, pictured right). I will go for Swinton too.

Category: BEST PICTURE
Contenders: Atonement; Juno; Michael Clayton; No Country For Old Men; There Will Be Blood

Comments: Among the five, “Atonement” seems to be the favourite, having won Best Movie at both the Golden Globes and BAFTA. ‘Juno’ is a youth movie and is unlikely to take the Oscar although it is my personal choice. “Michael Clayton” looks a safe bet if the Academy members reject British import for a home-grown effort.

Category: BEST DIRECTOR
Contenders: Julian Schnabel (Diving Bell And The Butterfly); Jason Reitman (Juno); Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton); Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men) and Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)

Comments: Anderson and Gilroy are strong contenders but the Academy looks more likely to go for the Coen Brothers who also picked up the BAFTA award.

CNY Holiday Pic Feb 7 - 10 2008

Your Guide to The CNY Holiday Viewing:

1. CJ7 (sci-fi comedy with Stephen Chow, Xu Jiao and Kitty Zhang) Sorry, I have not been able to catch this Chow Sing Chi effort in the US, but from what I have heard, it is a simple but engaging feel good family story. It should be the top of the pick for the Lunar New Year hols.

2. ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (historical drama with Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush and Abe Cornish) Rated * * * (3 stars): This sequel to the 1998 "Elizabeth" offers more court intrigues and some swashbuckling action. Not historically correct but worth a watch for those who enjoyed the first movie. (Reviewed in Dec 2007, see Archive)

3. CLOVERFIELD (disaster drama with Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas and Michael Stahl-David) Rating: * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): After months of curiosity over its teaser of a trailer, the monster that attacks New York is finally revealed. No, we are not disappointed over the hooha. It's a hit similar to "The Blair Witch Project" of 1999 with shaky camerawork.

4. SWEENEY TODD: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (musical with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter and Alan Rickman) Rated * * * (3 stars): You won't be tapping your feet to the songs of this dark, macabre and bloody musical (adapted by Tim Burton from stephen Sondheim) but there are enough humour and wit to make it worthwhile. (Reviewed below).

5. JOHN RAMBO (action sequel with Sylvester Stallone) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Wanna see a 61-year-old Stallone kick ass as an ex-Green Beret? If so, go for it and wallow in the nostalgia. (Reviewed below)

6. THE EYE (remake of HK horror with Jessica Alba, Parker Posey and Alessandro Nivola) Rated * * (2 stars): The first hour holds promise but things soon fall apart in this remake of the Pang Bros' film. If anything, it only puts the original in classic status.

7. MEET THE SPARTANS (comedy spoof with Carmen Electra, Kevin Sorbo and Sean Maquire) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): There are lots of skin and brawns in this spoof of "300" but wit and brain are painfully lacking. The scattershot comedy also takes potshots at vidgames, scandalous celebs and reality shows but none are really funny.

8. ONE MISSED CALL (remake of J-horror with Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns and Ana Claudia) Rated: * (1 star): The original Japanese version was bad enough but this Hollywood remake is even worse, with a stupid script and lame acting.

Hey Folks, Meet The Latest Star of My Life

Hey Guys,
Here's a personal posting. I would like to present my grand-daughter, Sophia Tamsin Jacho, born in Bloomington, Indiana, USA, on Jan 29 2008 at 7pm, weighing 8 pounds 3 oz, to Jezamin and David Jacho.

Needless to say, she is the latest star in the lives of my wife and I, providing us with pride and joy... and sleepless nights.

And with this, I would like to wish Everyone,
A Happy And Prosperous Lunar New Year,

Keong Hee Huat Chye!

WAITRESS: Keri Russell's Show

WAITRESS (comedy)

Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Jeremy Sisto and Andy Griffith

Writer-Director: Adrienne Shelly (Pic: Russell & Griffith)

Time: 108 mins

Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? "Waitress" is mainly a women's movie which may also delight fans of light social comedy. Its tone is rather inconsistent but, like "Juno", its lead star, Keri Russell, will have you eating out of her hand in no time.

Meanwhile, here's what I have found out about its director Adrienne Shelly: Shelly was an independent film actress who began directing movies in the late 1990s. She was murdered on Nov 1, 2006 in Manhattan while working on post-production for "Waitress". The film was completed after her death and shown at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. This tragedy provides a bittersweet touch to the movie, especially since she has a supporting acting role in the movie too.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Well, it is about Jenna (Russell), a waitress at a diner who specialises in pies. She is a maverick at creating and baking pies. Jenna has pies for every occasion and her fellow waitresses, the motherly Becky (Cheryl Hines) and the mousy Dawn (Shelly), are in awe of her culinary marvels. However, Jenna's domestic life is a mess. Her husband, Earl (Jeremy Sisto), is a mean bully who uses fear and threats to keep his wife in check.

Jenna has planned to leave Earl but an unexpected pregnancy complicates things for her. She visits a lucom, Dr Pomatter (Nathan Fillion), and starts a torrid affair with him. This creates yet another problem in Jenna's troubled life, but she finds solace in her colleagues - and a grumpy old Joe (Andy Griffith) who is also the owner of the diner.

HITS & MISSES: "Waitress" starts off as one of those cute Disney-type family comedies, offering delicious pies as a therapy for all ills - and even as a means to win a man's heart. However, the mood turns bleak whenever Sisto gets into the picture as the abusive hubby. Sisto seems to overplay the villain role - until he reveals the tortured, insecure man halfway intio the movie.

The 'quickie' affair between Jenna and Pomatter looks like it has come straight from a pulp romance novel. However, it works because the lovers are so likable. Russell is all sweetness and vulnerability - with a hint of resolve in her eyes. She is easy to fall for while Fillion will make any female heart a-flutter. The late Shelly is wonderful in a nicely developed subplot about Dawn being 'stalked' by a nerd who composes poetry off the cuff, while Hines plays the brassy worker we find in every diner. Also, it is a nice treat to have veteran sitcom star Griffith back in action.

However, with its theme that resilience will be rewarded and meanness punished, "Waitress" does not set out to be a feel good movie. It just makes us feel good watching it.

THE LOWDOWN: Like "Juno" and "Knocked Up", this comedy about a pregnant woman is both uplifting and delightful.

JUNO: Smart, Charming and Totally Lovable

JUNO (drama)
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman and Allison Janney

Director: Jason Reitman
Time: 92 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Movies about teenage pregnancy often have that dark, moralistic tone that depress people. Film-makers know that and they do their utmost to present the subject in a more light-hearted way. Last year (2007) saw three films on pregnancy - "Knocked Up", "Waitress" and "Juno" (not counting "A Mighty Heart" and "Rendition" which deal with pregnant mums) - and "Juno" is undoubtedly the best of the three. A mix of teen-flick and rom-com, it should appeal to both the young and older viewers. Currently, "Juno" is the rage with college kids in the US and it should win an Oscar for lead actress Ellen Page (above, left).

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? After taking three DIY home pregnancy tests, Juno MacGuff (Page) is convinced that she is preggers. Her boyfriend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), is just as befuddled by the news as she is, as they only did it once. At first, Juno considers an abortion, but she dumps the idea after a visit to the clinic. Her other option is, of course, giving the baby up for adoption. After breaking the news to her supportive father (J.K. Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney), Juno goes in search of a good parental couple for her unborn child. She picks Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) and Mark Loring (Jason Bateman), who seems like the perfect yuppie couple. However, Juno gets a few surprises along the way from high school fraternity to maternity...

HITS & MISSES: The best thing about this movie is 20-year-old Canadian Ellen Page, the girl-next-door type with whom we will fall for at once. As Juno, she is street-smart, witty, mature beyond her years and disarmingly childlike. However, the naïveté often peeks through her wise-ass facade showing that Juno is not quite as smart or as capable as she thinks she is. Kudos to Page for a brilliant Oscar-worthy performance (we hope she wins the Best Actress award).

The next best thing is the perky script by Diablo Cody, who gives this coming-of-age tale a smug, 'totally cool' touch that is sometimes too smart for its own good. Director Ivan Reitman starts out with hand-drawn caricatures of the main characters, and then fleshing them out gradually. The grown-ups, for example, seem like familiar caricatures of teen-flicks: square, sad and clueless. But Juno’s father and step-mother turn out to be caring, intelligent people, too. Reitman allows the personalities of the characters to emerge slowly, and to change in credible and unpredictable ways. You will like all of them.

And then there's also a sweet little love story to warm the young hearts.

THE LOWDOWN: This is one movie that grabs us from the opening credits to the end. The setting may be rather American, but the theme is universal enough for all.