WEEKEND PIC - Aug 29 - Sept 1 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. WALL-E (sci-fi adventure with voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, & Sigourney Weaver) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): If you liked The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, you will like WALL-E, a robot that will capture your heart and imagination in a world deserted by humankind. (Reviewed below)


2. MONEY NO ENOUGH 2 (Singaporean comedy with Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Henry Thia and Lai Ming) Rated * * * (3 stars): This second instalment (it's not a sequel) to Singapore's highest-grossing comedy touches on both the funny and 'tragic' sides of life and the pursuit of wealth. It can bring tears to your eyes as well. (Pictured, Reviewed below)

3. PENELOPE (romantic drama with Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara and Reese Witherspoon) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This modern-day love story with a fairytale touch reminds me of the Cyrano de Bergerac movie. It is predictable, cute and gets most things right, thanks to Ricci and McAvoy.

4. BABYLON A.D. (action thriller with Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh and Melanie Thierry) Rated * * (2 stars): It is a bit of 'Blade Runner', 'Matrix' and 'Children of Men' and a lot of mindless, ridiculous action. Only for those who need their weekly fix of blasts and stunts. (Reviewed below)

5. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (animated sci-fi with voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This animated flick is a pilot for the new TV series and it is actually 'Star Wars 2.5' in terms of chronology. Should prove a nice fix for Star Wars addicts. (Reviewed below).

6. YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (comedy with Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Nick Swardson) Rating * * (2 stars): Over-exaggerated comedy about Mossad agent Zohan 'hiding' out in New York is messy by itself. Don't mess with it unless you are starved for some Sandler schtick. (Reviewed below)

7. DEATH RACE (John Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson and Natalie Martinez) Rating * * (2 stars): Quite like the videogame Twisted Metal, this is a brainless actioner badly written to keep the viewers' adrenalin pumping. Martinez helps with the eye candy part.

MONEY NOT ENOUGH 2: It's Funny Enough-lah

MONEY NO ENOUGH 2 (comedy in Mandarin & Hokkien)
Cast: Henry Thia, Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Vivian Lai and Lai Ming
Director: Jack Neo
Time: 125 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)



PREAMBLE: In 1998, when we were all reeling under the weight of the Asian Financial Crisis, Singaporean film-maker Jack Neo wrote a satire about three friends with money problems (what else?) like those faced by most Singaporeans at that time. That comedy, 'Money No Enough', which was directed by Tay Teck Lock, earned over S$5.8 million (about RM14mil) and remains Singapore's all-time highest-grossing film. It also gave the Singaporean film industry a revival, spawning two copycat flicks.

Now, with such a solid backing for the comedy, what took them so long (10 years!) in coming up with this sequel?

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? To be sure, this movie is not a sequel per se, as it is no longer about the three friends but about the exploits of three brothers of a 'typical' Singaporean family with an aged mother (played by Malaysia's Lai Ming). The eldest, Yang Bao Hui (Henry Thia, representing the lower income group) delivers goods for a living and longs to be rich one day. Second brother Bao Qiang (Jack Neo) is in the real estate business making top bucks, while the youngest, Bao Huang (Mark Lee, representing the middle class) makes good money selling health supplement.

When a crisis hits, the brothers find themselves at odds against one another, especially when it concerns taking care of their ailing mother...

HITS & MISSES: There is no doubt that this comedy works because of the tried and tested screen chemistry of the Neo-Lee-Thia combination. Also, the three stars are in verey familiar roles and they are very much at home in them. The supporting cast are credible too, with Lim Ru Ping (as Thia’s doting wife), singer Zhu Ling Ling (as Neo’s socialite wife) and Vivian Lai (as Lee’s suffering wife). However, the standout performance comes from Lai Ming, who is at the centre of the 'third act' involving the issue of filial piety and taking care of the aged. Those with elderly parents will relate to this tear-jerker of a theme.

Basically, this is a Singapore movie, with Neo lampooning many of the Government's policies, like its Electronic Road Pricing system. One big problem is that a lot of the jokes are in Hokkien dialect, and those who do not understand the dialect would feel alienated. Also, it looks like director Neo is out to break its predecessor's box-office record - and he packs this sequel with product placements (from soft drinks to telcos and even a bank).

THE LOWDOWN: 'Money No Enough 2' looks good enough to surpass its predecessor's feat.

BABYLON A.D. - Another Cinema Fodder

BABYLON A.D. (sci-fi action)
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Melanie Thierry and Gerard Depardieu
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Time: 95 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)



WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Hooo hum. Another noisy futuristic sci-fi actioner following in the heels of 'Wanted' and 'Death Race'. Adapted from the novel 'Babylon Babies' by Maurice G. Dantec, this one does not come close to the standards of 'Blade Runner', 'Matrix' or 'Children of Men' although it portrays its post-apocalyptic world rather impressively.

Co-writer-director Mathieu Kassovitz has used just a few themes of Dantec's book, concentrating mostly on the action parts, making the plot (on bio-engineering) unintelligible and even ridiculous.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The action starts in a 'new' Serbia, where mercenary Toorop (Vin Diesel) is sought by crime lord Gorsky (Gerard Depardieu) to 'deliver' a 'package' to New York. The package turns out to be a young girl named Aurora (Melanie Thierry) and her guardian, Sister Rebecca (Michelle Yeoh), residents of a secluded mountain convent. Given a passport-override device and promises of a handsome fee by Gorsky, Toorop must go through 6,000 miles of treacherous ice and enemy territory to conclude his mission.

HITS & MISSES: It is laughable what Toorop's mission turns out to be when he is done with it. We just can't help wondering how veteran star Charlotte Rampling could keep a straight face and mouth those utterly moronic lines as a modern priestess seeking to develop a new religion. Another casting problem has to do with lead star Vin Diesel who can never convince us that he is in danger anywhere in the course of the movie. As the almost invincible bang-bang hero, he never generates any tension or suspense for his character. Thierry and Yeoh fare better as the mysterious women who have a few aces up their sleeves.

Technically, however, the sets and locations are effective as they are impressive. The bleak, dangerous world of Serbia contrasts spectacularly with the glitzy luxurious life of New York. As for the action shots and Matrix-style camera-work, you would have seen in numerous films before. In Babylon AD, however, most of the shooting and fighting scenes consist of messy, unrelated quick cuts that are more confusing than awe-inspiring.

THE LOWDOWN: Babylon AD is just another summer box-office fodder.

WEEKEND PIC - Aug 22 - 24 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. WALL-E (sci-fi adventure with voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, & Sigourney Weaver) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): If you liked The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, you will like WALL-E, a robot that will capture your heart and imagination in a world deserted by humankind. (Reviewed below)



2. PENELOPE (romantic drama with Christina Ricci, James McAvoy (pictured), Catherine O'Hara and Reese Witherspoon) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This modern-day love story with a fairytale touch (like Ugly Duckling meets Cinderella) reminds me of the Cyrano de Bergerac movie. It is predictable, cute and gets many things right, thanks to Ricci and McAvoy.

3. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (animated sci-fi with voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This animated flick is a pilot for the new TV series and it is actually 'Star Wars 2.5' in terms of chronology. Should prove a nice fix for Star Wars addicts. (Reviewed below).

4. MIRRORS (horror with Keifer Sutherland, Paula Patton and Cameron Boyce) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): At last, here's a horror flick that can be really scary and weird. The second half may disappoint but then if you want to be jolted out of your wits, this is it.

5. YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (comedy with Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Nick Swardson) Rating * * (2 stars): Over-exaggerated comedy about Mossad agent Zohan 'hiding' out in New York is messy by itself. Don't mess with it unless you are starved for some Sandler schtick. (Reviewed below)

6. 21 (Black Jack drama with Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts and Laurence Fishburne) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This movie about card-counting students trying to hit Vegas casinos is formulaic and so by-the-book. A see-and-forget film. (Reviewed below)

7. DEATH RACE (action thriller with John Statham, Joan Allen, Tyrese Gibson and Natalie Martinez) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Quite like the videogame Twisted Metal, this is a brainless actioner badly written to keep the viewers' adrenalin pumping. Martinez helps with the eye candy part.

How Did Sophy Get That Grimace?

Those who have seen Sophia Jacho on Facebook may remember seeing one picture with her face all 'bunched' up in a grimace (pic below). If you are wondering where that look came from, check out the picture below it.





Comments are welcome from Sophy fans. Just click on the Comments sign and hammer away...

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN: Hair's Sandler!

YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN (comedy)
Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Lainie Kazan and Rob Schneider
Director: Dennis Dugan
Time: 103 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The big deal is that this may be the biggest promotion for the Paul Mitchell haircare franchise we have ever seen. We just wonder how much money the company paid for this promo! Other than that, it's just another Adam Sandler movie that seems to have been rewritten from one of his Saturday Night Live shows. Why, it even has his 'buddy' Rob Schneider in a minor role, celebrity guests stars like Star Trek's George Takei and tennis great John McEnroe, and even guest singer Mariah Carey.

However, if you expect daring and irreverrent SNL stuff, just consider our Censors. Still, there's anything really daring or outrageously funny about this Zohan. You just get to see Sandler in a great hairstyle...

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Sandler is Zohan, a hot-shot Israeli anti-terrorist agent who is so cool wiping out his enemies and so popular with the girls that he puts James Bond to shame. However, Zohan has a secret ambition: he wants to move to New York and become a hairstylist. He's fed up of fighting the Palestinians and just wants to live in peace where he can enjoy 'hummus' and make everyone's hair silky smooth. An encounter with his archenemy, The Phantom (John Turturro), allows Zohan to fake his own death and escapes to New York where he changes his look and name (to Scrappy Coco).

One thing leads to another and he ends up working for a Palestinian hairdresser named Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui) as a sweeper. However, his sexy overtures with the elderly female customers soon turn him into a star hairstylist - and later, he has to contend with a land tycoon (Michael Buffer) who wants to take over the entire block of shops run by Jews and Palestinians.

HITS & MISSES: Right from the start, we see Sandler's Zohan as a cartoonish character performing ridiculous and infantile stunts that mysteriously attract hordes of Israeli women. The pace slows down when he gets to New York and we get more gags on the bad blood between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the US. Schneider plays a terrorist cab driver who recognises Zohan and wants to benefit from his 'discovery'. He doesn't get any laughs here and the romance between Zohan and Dalia is so predictable that we can see it a mile away.

The problem is director Dennis Dugan must have expected us to see this coming - and has not bothered to explain how a level-headed woman like Dalia can fall for a goofball who 'bangs' all the old ladies in her salon. Carey, McEnroe and Chris Rock add nothing to the comedy except their faces.

THE LOWDOWN: It is apparent that Sandler tries hard at this Zohan. Trouble is, it is not funny enough.

WEEKEND PIC - Aug 15 - 17, 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. WALL-E (sci-fi adventure with voices of Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, & Sigourney Weaver) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): If you liked The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, you will like WALL-E, a robot that will capture your heart and imagination. (Reviewed below)

2. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (animated sci-fi with voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein and James Arnold Taylor) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This animated flick is a pilot for the new TV series and it is actually 'Star Wars 2.5' in terms of chronology. Should prove a nice fix for Star Wars addicts. (Reviewed below).

3. MIRRORS (horror with Keifer Sutherland (picture), Paula Patton and Cameron Boyce) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): At last, here's a horror flick that's really scary and weird. The second half may disappoint a bit but then if you want to be jolted out of your wits, this is it.

4. THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE GOLDEN EMPEROR (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): With Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh in the supporting cast, this sequel may be much more attractive to Asian audiences than Western ones. Except for a few f/x sequences, it just gives more of the same from a franchise that should have been mummified. (Reviewed below)

5. 21 (Black Jack drama with Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts and Laurence Fishburne) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This movie about card-counting students trying to hit Vegas casinos is formulaic and so by-the-book. A see-and-forget film. (Reviewed below)

6. ROGUE (killer croc thriller with Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington and John Jarratt) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 2007 Aussie thriller about an American writer touring the Outback took some time to get here. However, it is a formulaic effort offering credible character development and the requisite frights.

7. MEET DAVE (comedy with Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Scott Caan, Ed Helms and Kevin Hart) Rating * * (2 stars): Murphy plays the captain of a spaceship landing on Earth on a mission to save his home planet. As a fish-out-of-water gag, we get a few chuckles but it is obvious that Murphy has past mprime as a comedian. He's jow a tired comedian.

8. X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (sci-fi thriller with David Duchnovny, Gillian Anderson and Amanda Peet) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Even with its creator Chris Carter at the helm, this movie version fails to impress like it should. The plot is predictable, its relevance prolonged and you can't help feeling that X-Files should have been axed. (Reviewed below)

WALL-E: Cute, Lovable Robot

WALL-E (animated sci-fi adventure)
Voice cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver & Fred Willard
Director: Andrew Stanton
Time: 100 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

EVE and WALL-E

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The Big Deal is that 'WALL-E' is going to be the best animated movie of the year 2008 and will rival 'The Incredibles' and 'Finding Nemo' as the top cartoon flicks. It has very little dialogue and is almost devoid of fast-paced action and 'stunts' that defined most successful cartoon flicks. However, what it lacks in dialogue and action, it makes up for them with loads of charm, wit and heart. 'WALL-E' will also tap on our conscience. Set in a hazy, eerie post-apocalyptic world, it warns us of what will happen when we keep ignoring environmental threats and treat our planet as a rubbish dump.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Earth has become an uninhabited wasteland in the future. Mountains of trash dot the city skylines and the planet is surrounded by a garbage belt. Pollution, not global warming, has driven all life into space. The robot WALL-E (voice of Ben Burtt) is left behind, collecting and compacting trash, and arranging it. His only companion is an indestructible cockroach.

One day, WALL-E is surprised by the arrival of EVE (voice of Elissa Knight), an Extra-terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator robot sent by a spaceship. EVE is more advanced than WALL-E, but he overcomes his initial fear and a fragile bond develops between them. EVE's mission is later revealed and we learn the fate of those who abandoned Earth so many years ago.

HITS & MISSES: WALL-E, by the way, stands for 'Waste Allocation Load Lifter- Earth Class' and just like the Pixar animated Reading Lamp, he takes on a charm of its own as he keeps a carefully sorted collection of treasures, including cigarette lighters, nuts and bolts, and a Rubik’s Cube. Indeed, after a while, it is easy to forget that Wall-E is just a robot.

The 'courtship' between WALL-E and EVE is both cute and funny. It is like that of an awkward garbage collector who falls for a cool supermodel. Somehow their expressions — of annoyance, devotion and desire - are so nicely 'tuned' that they achieve an eloquence that is out-of-this-world. Another interesting aspect of the movie is the scripters' view of mankind in the future. Are we going to be spoilt by robots?

THE LOWDOWN: WALL-E is not just for the kids. It is entertainment and a warning for everyone!

Doris Day Hides Out in California

SAW this news on the Daily Mail website. For those who remember Doris Day aka Calamity Jane of the 50s. For more click here.

DORIS DAY, 84, has changed her name to Clara Kappelhoff (picture) and turned her back on Hollywood to live a reclusive lifestyle in rural California.

Seen out shopping with a female friend in her hometown of Carmel, it is hard to believe she was one of the most prolific actresses of the 1950s and 60s.

Her face is devoid of makeup, her hair is untidy and she is dressed in jogging bottoms and trainers.

In her heyday (pic left) she starred in films such as Calamity Jane, Young At Heart and The Man Who Knew Too Much, in which she sang Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).

However, the star has kept out of the limelight in recent years, even more so since her only son Terry, from the first of her four marriages, died of cancer in 2004 aged 62.

Local Box-Office for First Half of 2008

HERE's the BO figures from FINAS, courtesy of Amir Muhammad, for the first half of the year. Looks like Susuk will overtake them all.

1. DUYUNG - RM4.68 million
2. EVOLUSI KL DRIFT - RM3.9 million
3. CONGKAK - RM3.8 million
4. DUNIA BARU THE MOVIE RM2.3 million
5. CUCI - RM2.043 million
6. ANAK - RM1.245 million
7. CINTA U-TURN - RM1.124 million
8. APA KATA HATI? - RM992,000
9. SEPI - RM844,000
10. KALA MALAM BULAN MENGAMBANG - RM554,000
11. AKHIRAT - RM329,000
12. PENSIL - RM36,000

On the International Front, the Top Five grossers for the weekend are (courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com):

WEEKEND TOP 5 STUDIO ESTIMATES, AUGUST 8-10, 2008

Rank. Movie Title (Distributor) Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #

1. The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.) US$26.0 million | 4,025 | $441.5 million | 4

2. Pineapple Express (Sony / Columbia) $22.4 million | 3,072 | $40.5 million | 1

3. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Universal) $16.1 million | 3,778 | $70.7 million | 2

4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (Warner) $10.8 million | 2,707 | $19.7 million | 1

5. Step Brothers (Sony / Columbia) $8.9 million | 3,182 | $80.9 million | 3

WEEKEND PIC Aug 8 - 10 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. THE DARK KNIGHT (fantasy sequel with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): A fantastic and realistic grown-up version of the comic book world of 'Batman'. And a good part of the credit goes to the late Heath Ledger who fleshes out the Joker so well that he really gives us the creeps. Yep, the Joker is the Ace here! (Reviewed below)

2. THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE GOLDEN EMPEROR (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): With Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh in the supporting cast, this sequel may be much more attractive to Asian audiences than Western ones. Except for a few f/x sequences, it just gives more of the same from a franchise that should have been mummified. (Reviewed below)

3. SPARROWS (drama in Cantonese with Simon Yam, Kelly Lin, and Gordon Lam) Rating * * * (3 stars): A stylish and musically-enhanced romantic comedy about a gang of pickpockets known as Sparrows. Creditable acting from Yam and Lin.

4. RED CLIFF Pt 1 (war epic with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi and Vicky Zhao) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): As the most expensive Chinese movie to date, Red Cliff is a feast for the eyes, with spectacular scenery, sets, battles and thousands of extras. Too bad, it does not do enough for our heart. (Reviewed below)

5. ROGUE (killer croc thriller with Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington and John Jarratt) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 2007 Aussie thriller about an American writer touring the Outback took some time to get here. However, it is a formulaic effort offering credible character development and the requisite frights. (Pictured)

6. MEET DAVE (comedy with Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks, Gabrielle Union, Scott Caan, Ed Helms and Kevin Hart) Rating * * (2 stars): Murphy plays the captain of a spaceship landing on Earth on a mission to save his home planet. As a fish-out-of-water gag, we get a few chuckles but it is obvious that Murphy has past mprime as a comedian. He's jow a tired comedian.

7. X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (sci-fi thriller with David Duchnovny, Gillian Anderson and Amanda Peet) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Even with its creator Chris Carter at the helm, this movie version fails to impress like it should. The plot is predictable, its relevance prolonged and you can't help feeling that X-Files should have been axed. (Reviewed below)

STAR WARS: The CLONE WARS - Space Opera

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (animated sci-fi adventure)
Voice cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee and James Arnold Taylor
Director: Dave Filoni
Time: 98 mins

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

Ahsoka and Anakin - apprentice and Master

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Although there was a TV series called 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' way back in 2003, this is the first animated Star Wars feature film made for the cinema. The timeframe of the story is between George Lucas' 'Attack Of The Clones' and 'Revenge Of The Sith'. This cinema feature will lay the ground for a new animated TV series.

For ardent Star Wars fans, the events of the Clone Wars, first mentioned in a discussion between Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the 1977 original, are among the most important in the overall saga. They were not covered in detail in any of the feature films. Of The Clone Wars animated feature, Lucas says it's "an extension of the Star Wars story, it takes place between Episodes 2 and 3, where in 2 we start the Clone Wars and in 3 we end the Clone Wars". In short, this is the soap opera of all the stuff that goes on in between.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The Clone Wars are raging between the Separatists and the Galactic Republic. When Jabba the Hutt's infant son is taken by a group of renegades, the two Jedi knights, Anakin Skywalker (voice of Matt Lanter) and Obiwan Kenobi (James A. Taylor) are summoned to investigate. Meanwhile, Yoda sends the feisty Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) to be Anakin's apprentice, providing the 'odd-couple'-type barbs for comic relief. We also meet Asajj Ventress, the chief sidekick of Count Dooku, and Anakin finds himself duelling with Count Dooku once more. Meanwhile, the Sith plan to instigate a three-way war that include the Hutts.

HITS & MISSES: The first few minutes of the movie will have you trying to place the main characters with their animated graphics. Then you will start to notice the discrepancies between the real-life action scenes and these computer-drawn ones. Yeah, it takes a while for us to get into the flow of the story which is basically an episode of the Clone Wars - spiced up with bits of interaction between the characters.

Here, the most prominent is how Anakin bonds with his apprentice Jedi Ahsoka, a girl who seems to be too cocky for her own good. Curiously, however, we don't get to see any fireworks from the Anakin-Amidala-Ahsoka triangle - or any development of gthe relationship between Anakin and Senator Amidala. On the whole, the animated version is nothing as involving or as engaging as the live-action films.

THE LOWDOWN: Basically for Star Wars fans who need a regular fix of Jedi action and fantasy!

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR - Less Fun Now

THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (fantasy adventure)
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, John Hannah and Anthony Wong
Director: Rob Cohen
Time: 150 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The 'Mummy' franchise, which started in 1999, has always worked on the 'dumb but fun' premise, poking fun at itself and the legends and myths of its plot. However, with its third instalment, 'Tomb Of the Dragon Emperor', it gets dumber and dumber and less fun. Still, 'Mummy 3' delivers in terms of spectacular effects and visuals. What's more, for this sequel, director Rob Cohen (taking over from Stephen Sommers) takes 'The Mummy' out of Egypt transplants it in China - the venue of the Olympics and the focus of millions of TV viewers this weekend (from Aug 8).

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The film opens in China where we see Emperor Han (Jet Li, pictured) vanquishing all that stand in his way of 'reuniting' China. He then decides to conquer death. To do this, he seeks the help of the witch Zi Juan (Michelle Yeoh) who knows the secret of immortality. Unfortunately, she falls in love with Han's General Ming (Russell Wong) and the jealous emperor has the general executed. In vengeance, she curses Han and his men, turning them to stone. They are entombed - until adventurer and college drop-out Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford), discovers them about 2,000 years later in 1947.

Alex, however, has been duped by conspirators planning to resurrect the evil emperor. Fortunately for him, his parents, Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn O' Connell (Maria Bello), just happen to be in Shanghai to help him on the quest to keep the emperor from achieving immortality . They are joined by Alex's Uncle Jonathan (John Hannah) and Lin (Isabella Leong), a foxy 'guardian' of the tomb that Alex 'desecrated'.

HITS & MISSES: It is obvious that Cohen (of 'Fast And Furious' fame) is trying to outdo Sommers, especially in the thrills and spills department and he has a hot and explosive chase sequence through the streets of Shanghai during Chinese New Year - and an epic-style battle scene between thousands of Terracotta warriors and zombies. And if you think zombies are an overkill in recycling plot ideas, wait till you see the mythic creatures that spring into this movie. There are some nice touches too - like Hannah's Jonathan running a nightclub in Shanghai aptly called 'Imhotep's'.

Fraser looks tired and out of sorts throughout the movie. Maria Bello, who takes over from Rachel Weisz, tries very hard to fill the shoes of her predecessor but she is not as feisty or as sexy as Weisz. Isabella Leong and Luke Ford provides a welcomed touch of young love to 'counter-balance' the one between Fraser and Bello; Anthony Wong plays a general eager to serve the emperor but goody-two-shoes Michelle Yeoh is miscast as the witch.

THE LOWDOWN: 'The Mummy' franchise looks set to become cinema fodder. Cohen has announced that he may be planning 'Mummy 4' - set in Peru (which is where Jonathan is heading)!

Look, a Hoosier Who's 6 Months Old Now!

I just can't resist showing off the love of my life who is such a cute, sweet Hoosier now six months old. Say guys, meet Sophia Tamsin Jacho, if you have not been acquainted with her before. She's my grandchild and a 'Hoosier' is anyone born in Indiana, USA. Sophy is now enrolled at daycare at Indiana University where her Daddy is an associate professor.

21: Much Too Safe For A Black Jack Flick

21 (black jack drama)
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts and Laurence Fishburne
Director: Robert Luketic
Time: 1220 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

Jim Sturgess and Laurence Fishburne in '21'

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Ben Mezrich's novel, 'Bringing Down the House' is a real life story about how a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students take Las Vegas casinos for millions at the game of Black Jack using a system known as card-counting. In '21', directed by Robert Luketic (of 'Legally Blonde' fame), the story is rewritten by screenwriters Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb to include all the cliches of movies about college life, maintaining only its theme of card-counting.

The result is a very 'safe' and formulaic movie - with the customary romantic 'drama curve' (boy-gets-girl, they break up and then make up, that sort of thing), and the mandatory twist at the ending. It's all a safe bet of a movie.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Nerdy MIT student Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) needs US$300,000 to get into Harvard medical school. He applies for a scholarship but is told that there are 72 other talented students who are also vying for the money.

However, Ben's fantastic memory and talent with figures are noticed by Professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey), who recruits him into his five-member team of card-counters. Ben is taught, trained and tested - and then let loose at the Vegas casinos where Ben, his newfound love interest Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) and the other gamesters prove their mettle. Soon, their activities catch the attention of Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne), the head of security at Planet Hollywood, and a match of wits ensues...

HITS & MISSES: It is obvious that the film-makers are only interested in portraying the interpersonal cliches of the college kids rather than expounding on the card-counting plot. There is no coherent description of how the card counting system works - and how 'disadvantaged' the croupier becomes in a 'winning' situation for the kids. After a while, the movie becomes a sort of college movie - with a subplot about Ben's close friends who get sidelined in their efforts to enter for a robotics competition. And then there is the customary romance between Ben and Jill which is so cliched and contrived that one can predict how it develops.

Actingwise, we cannot fault Sturgess (last seen in Across The Universe) or Taylor ('Lois Lane' of 'Superman Returns') or supporting stars like Aaron Yoo (as Choi) and Liza Lapira (as Kianna). Spacey and Fishburne earn their keep here - for adding the much needed intensity to the movie.

THE LOWDOWN: It is such a 'safe bet' that it tends to be thrill-less for a movie about Black Jack and Vegas.

WEEKEND PIC: Aug 1 - 3 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. THE DARK KNIGHT (fantasy sequel with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): A fantastic and realistic grown-up version of the comic book world of 'Batman'. And a good part of the credit goes to the late Heath Ledger who fleshes out the Joker so well that he really gives us the creeps. Yep, the Joker is the Ace here! (Reviewed below)

2. HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasy thriller with Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss) Rated: * * * (out of 4): If anything, director Guillermo Del Toro is consistent. This sequel provides a nice balance of action, humour, romance and fantasy the likes of which we saw in 'Pan's Labyrinth'. You may want to quibble with the ending though. (Reviewed below)

3. THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE GOLDEN EMPEROR (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, pic, and Michelle Yeoh) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): With Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh in the supporting cast, this sequel may be much more attractive to Asian audiences than Western ones. Except for a few f/x sequences, it just gives more of the same from a franchise that should have been mummified.

4. SPARROWS (drama in Cantonese with Simon Yam, Kelly Lin, and Gordon Lam) Rating * * * (3 stars): A stylish, light-hearted and musically-enhanced romantic comedy about a gang of pickpockets known as Sparrows. Creditable acting from Yam and Lin.

5. SEX AND THE CITY (comedy with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Christopher Noth) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's like a single episode padded and botoxed to movie-length but there are enough gags and glam for the fans. Jennifer Hudson provides a welcome addition to the cast too. (Reviewed below)

6. RED CLIFF Pt 1 (war epic with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi and Vicky Zhao) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): As the most expensive Chinese movie to date, Red Cliff is a feast for the eyes, with spectacular scenery, sets, battles and thousands of extras. Too bad, it does not do enough for our heart. (Reviewed below)

7. X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (sci-fi thriller with David Duchnovny, Gillian anderson and Amanda Peet) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Even with its creator Chris Carter at the helm, this movie version fails to impress like it should. The plot is predictable, its relevance prolonged and you can't help feeling that X-Files should have been axed. (Reviewed below)