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.