WEEKEND PIC: Sept 26-28, 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. MAMMA MIA! (musical with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stelan Skasgard and Amanda Seyfried) Rated * * * (out of 4): It is a real campy Bollywood-style musical incorporating the songs of ABBA but fun to watch. Where else can you see Bond star Brosnan singing and Streep having such a great time hamming it up? (Reviewed below)

2. THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (period drama with Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana and David Morrissey) Rated * * * (3 stars): BBC director Justin Chadwick combines historical court drama with the emotional rivalry between the two Boleyn sisters to cook up a rich and engaging movie. If you liked 'Elizabeth', you will like this one. (Reviewed below)

3. PAINTED SKIN (thriller with Betty Sun, Chen Kun, Donnie Yen Ji Dan, Qi Yuwu, Vicki Zhao Wei and Zhou Xun, pictured) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Gordon Chan's remake of the 1993 flick (that starred Sammo Hung and Adam Cheng) has its moments as well as disappointments. It should please action fans, though.

4. 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. (Reviewed below)

5. THE LOVE GURU (comedy with Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley) Rating * * (2 stars): This satire on the Asian mystics has a few laughs but on the whole, it is silly, predictable and forgettable.

6. HALLOWEEN (remake of 1978 horror, starring Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie and William Forsythe) Rated * * (2 stars): This recycled slasher pic tells the same story as its 1978 predecessor but updates the time factor to the 90s. Nothing special here, except for the shaky camerawork.

7. I KNOW WHO KILLED ME (thriller with Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough and Brian Geraghty) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 star): Lohan won fame playing twins in 'The Parent Trap'. In this 2007 film, she sucks big time playing dual roles as a smart student gone missing and a bad-mouthed stripper. Her worst movie so far. (Reviewed below).

8. PATHOLOGY (with Milo Ventimiglia, Lauren Lee Smith, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano and Keir O'Donnell) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): It's blood-and-gore meets kinky sex in this pathetic excuse for a morgue thriller. Of course, it's dead meat for our censors. So...?

I KNOW WHO KILLED ME- So What?

I KNOW WHO KILLED ME (thriller)
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough, Gregory Itzin and Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon
Director: Chris Sivertson
Time: 108 mins
Rating: * 1/2 (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: Released in the US in July 2007 when Lindsay Lohan made headlines with her self-destructive behaviour, this movie is way too late in exploiting her notoreity, opening more than a year later in Malaysia. However, given that this film sucks big time, it should never have even been brought here.

And for those who, having read that Lohan plays a stripper in this movie, want to get the DVD, forget it. This is one move where a stripper does not strip in a strip club!

THE SKINNY: Lohan is Aubrey Fleming, a bright student who disappears one night after watching a football game. Her parents (Neal McDonough and Julia Ormond) and her boyfriend (Brian Geraghty) are worried. The cops suspect a serial killer but soon, Aubrey is found alive, albeit missing a few body parts. She also appears to be suffering from delusion, claiming to be Dakota Moss, a stripper and prostitute. She has certainly changed: she smokes like a chimney, swears like a sailor, and wears her boyfriend out in bed.

Are we watching a movie about a schizo, or an adult remake of 'Parent Trap'? Either way, you are going to swear at the ending when you get to it or curse yourself for watching this crap.

HOW BAD IS IT?: This is the first mainstream feature of director Chris Sivertson (from a really lame screenplay by Jeffrey Hammond) and, hopefully, the worst movie of Lindsay Lohan. Her acting is atrocious, thanks mostly to the script, and many of her fans would deem her real-life shenanigans much more interesting than the reel stuff.

THE VERDICT: This thriller was already 'Dead on Arrival'. It should be allowed to collect dust on the DVD shelves.

HVO: 'Death Proof' and 'In Bruges'

Home Video Options - DVD Reviews

GRINDHOUSE: DEATH PROOF (DVD 2007, action thriller)
Cast: Kurt Russell, Kurt Rusell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Rose McGowan, Zoe Bell and Tracie Thoms
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)
GRINDHOUSE refers to a type of exploitation film of the '60s and '70s that promotes sex-and-gore fare for the run-down urban cinemas and drive-in theatres. 'Grindhouse' is actually a double feature (two flicks in one) featuring Robert Rodriguez's 'Planet Terror' and Tarantino's 'Death Proof'. The two movies are sold separately on DVD here.

In 'Death Proof', Russell is Stuntman Mike, a guy who has suffered so many blows to the head that he is psychotic. He picks up a girl for a ride in his souped-up car that she'll never forget. When he's done with her, he goes back to play with her friends, who are paying too much attention to the radio and too little attention to the road. Later, he decides to play a game of terror with another group of women, but this time around, he meets his match. Typically Tarantino, this one is both a tribute and a satire of the exploitation flicks of yore.

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IN BRUGES (DVD 2008, black comedy)
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes and Clemence Poesy
Writer-director: Martin McDonagh
Time: 107 mins
Rating: * * *

BRUGES is an old and picturesque Belgian town and this is where two hitmen, Ray and Ken (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson), are sent to to await further instructions after one of them botched up a hit. However, when Ken finally gets his instructions from his boss Harry (Fiennes), he is not happy with it - and that's when a comedy of tragic errors ensues.

'In Bruges' is as much a character study as a comedy - and it is interesting to see Farrell in a comedic role - as direct opposite to Gleeson's Ken. For while Ken is an easy-going guy, Ray is impulsive and highly strung - until he meets a pretty girl (Poesy) in the town. It is not a film for hardcore action fans - and the ending may disappoint. I like it for its offbeat, devil-may-care humour we seldom get in mainstream flicks.

MAMMA MIA! Unabashedly Campy But Fun

MAMMA MIA! (musical)

Cast: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan (both pictured), Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Dominic Cooper, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Time: 108 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: After a dose of Beatlemania with 'Across The Universe', we get another yesteryear musical in 'Mamma Mia!' - based on the songs of ABBA. However, unlike 'Universe', this one is unabashedly campy - with all of its cast breaking out into song, if not dance. It is exactly what you can expect from ex-ABBA members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus who are executive producers of the movie together with Tom Hanks, Mark Huffam and Rita Wilson.

THE SKINNY: On an idyllic Greek island, young Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is set to marry Sky (Dominic Cooper). Never knowing the identity of her father, Sophie decides to invite three of her mother's former lovers - suave architect and divorcee Sam (Pierce Brosnan), lonely but wealthy investment banker Harry (Colin Firth), and hippy world traveler Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) - to her wedding. Her mother Donna (Meryl Streep), who runs a bed and breakfast on the island, has invited her former band members, Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) to the ceremony but is unaware that her former beaus are also descending on the island. The details of the story are gleaned from some of the lyrics of ABBA's songs...

THE CRITIQUE: While 'Across The Universe' may be seen as an ode to the work of the Beatles, 'Mamma Mia!' is a celebration - an energetic and vibrant festival of ABBA music. While the former plods along trying to develop its characters, Mamma Mia! seems to throw its cast of veterans together and let them groove to the music. Indeed, it can be both fun and painful to see Streep and Brosnan breaking into song. However, if you allow yourself to be carried away by ABBA's foot-tapping songs, you will warm up to its Bollywood-styled campiness.

The breath-taking scenery of the Greek islands and its locales provides a suitable holiday backdrop. It is fun to watch the older talents making a fool of themselves - and even surprising us with their antics. Streep, for example, does an amazing mid-air split - and even takes a dunking. And just to hear Brosnan sing is worth the price of admission. Newcomer Seyfried has a great voice and she should reach the status level of Vanessa Hudgens of 'High School Musical' fame after this outing.

THE VERDICT: Never mind that this is Mom and Dad's type of movie, it is also a funfilled singalong for the youngsters.

WEEKEND PIC: Sept 19 - 21, 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. MAMMA MIA! (musical with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stelan Skasgard and Amanda Seyfried) Rated * * * (out of 4): It is a real campy Bollywood-style musical incorporating the songs of ABBA but fun to watch. Where else can you see Bond star Brosnan singing and Streep having such a great time hamming it up?

2. THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (period drama with Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana and David Morrissey) Rated * * * (3 stars): BBC director Justin Chadwick combines historical court drama with the emotional rivalry between the two Boleyn sisters to cook up a rich and engaging movie. If you liked 'Elizabeth', you will like this one. (Reviewed below)

3. 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. (Reviewed below)

4. THE LOVE GURU (comedy with Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley) Rating * * (2 stars): This satire on the Asian mystics has a few laughs but on the whole, it is silly and forgettable.

5. 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)

6. HALLOWEEN (remake of 1978 horror, starring Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie and William Forsythe) Rated * * (2 stars): This recycled slasher pic tells the same story as its 1978 predecessor but updates the time factor to the 90s. Nothing special here, except for the shaky camerawork.

7. DECEPTION (crime thriller with Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michele Williams, Maggie Q and Charlotte Rampling) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): After an engaging start, this one takes a drastic turn and starts insulting our intelligence. (Reviewed below)

8. PATHOLOGY (with Milo Ventimiglia, Lauren Lee Smith, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano and Keir O'Donnell) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): It's blood-and-gore meets kinky sex in this pathetic excuse for a morgue thriller. Of course, it's dead meat for our censors. So...? (Reviewed below)

2008's Top 10 Box-Office Movies in the US

THE box-office summer of 2008 is over and let's take a look at how the blockbusters fared in the US up to Sept 15.
The figures, courtesy of Boxofficemojo.com, are in US Dollars.

No; Title Total Gross (Opening Take)

1. The Dark Knight $518,070,111 ($158,411,483)
2. Iron Man $318,140,292 ($98,618,668)
3. Indiana Jones 4 $316,501,166 ($100,137,835)
4. Hancock $227,946,274 ($62,603,879)
5. WALL-E $220,090,317 ($63,087,526)
6. Kung Fu Panda $214,653,326 ($60,239,130)
7. Dr Seuss' Horton... $154,529,439 ($45,012,998)
8. Sex and the City $152,639,298 ($57,038,404)
9. Prince Caspian $141,621,490 ($55,034,805)
10. Mamma Mia! $139,560,605 ($27,751,240)

PATHOLOGY: Deadmeat for Censors

PATHOLOGY (medical thriller)
Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Lauren Lee Smith, Michael Weston, Alyssa Milano and Keir O'Donnell
Director: Marc Schoelermann
Time: 92 mins
Rating: * 1/2 (out of 4)

THE BIG DEAL: 'Pathology', which is about how a bunch of medical students fool around with cadavers, try to commit the perfect murder and fornicate at every chance they get, is actually 'dead meat' for our censors. It has lots of blood-and-gore, drug-taking, as well as kinky sex-and-fleshy scenes. Now, guess which category would be snipped out in Malaysia?

However, for Alyssa Milano fans who may want to rush out and get a DVD just to see her in the buff, forget it. She keeps her clothes on all the time in this mainly name-dropper role.

THE SKINNY: Harvard grad Dr Ted Grey (Milo Ventimiglia of 'Heroes' fame) gets an internship in a hospital morgue, and hangs around with Dr Jake Gallo (Michael Weston) who is involved in medical pranks. Soon, Jake devices a challenge: each of them will murder someone useless and the others will have to work out how the murder is done.

The gang also smoke crack while performing after-hour autopsies and there's a subplot about Ted's sexual entanglement with a fellow intern Juliette Bath (Lauren Lee Smith from The L-Word) despite being married to the posh-looking Gwen (Milano). Over time, egos clash, jealousies emerge and...

HITS & MISSES: The far-fetched plot notwithstanding, this lame duck of a B-grade thriller treads weakly into soft-porn territory. Plotholes are aplenty, none of the characters are likeable enough to root for and it looks as if all director Marc Scholermann wanted to do was to pile up on the gore and the sex. A lot of corpses get carved up through model work or CGI, but whatever suspense it promises is discarded by a script that glorifies butchery.

THE LOWDOWN: For those CSI fans who can't get enough of bodies being sliced and mangled.

Getting Youths To Take A Chance on ABBA

PICTURE this scenario: You have a musical movie based on the songs of one of the most popular 70s band, ABBA. The songs of the Swedish group are bound to be the main attraction for its legions of fans all over the world and marketing ‘Mamma Mia!’ for this group is definitely not going to be a problem, especially when it has an award-winning star like Meryl Streep and rom-com heart-throbs like Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stelan Skasgard.

However, how do you sell this movie to the youngsters who would probably have listened to ABBA songs but consider them Mom and Dad’s idols? Young people these days would not be caught dead in a movie that their parents like to watch.

So UIP, the distributors, had a commercial on cable TV provider, Astro, featuring its young star Amanda Seyfried (pictured with Dominic Cooper), portraying her as another 'Dancing Queen' like Vanessa Hudgens (a’la High School Musical) to lure the youngsters. Still, with the success of its stage musical (which will be playing in Malaysia soon), the movie is not likely to be a box-office 'Waterloo'. It should generate a momentum of its own and perhaps some youngsters will Take A Chance on it.

As a family-oriented movie, Mamma Mia! is lively and infectious enough to have the kids sing along with their parents. Young dating couples may also find this as a cheaper alternative to the stage musical too. The Review to follow...

WEEKEND PIC Sept 12 - 14, 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (period drama with Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana and David Morrissey) Rated * * * (out of 4): BBC director Justin Chadwick combines historical court drama with the emotional rivalry between the two Boleyn sisters to cook up a rich and engaging movie. If you liked 'Elizabeth', you will like this one. (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. (Reviewed below)

3. THE LOVE GURU (comedy with Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley) Rating * * (2 stars): This satire on the Asian mystics has a few laughs but on the whole, it is silly and forgettable.

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. HALLOWEEN (remake of 1978 horror (pic), starring Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie and William Forsythe) Rated * * (2 stars): This recycled slasher pic tells the same story as its 1978 predecessor but updates the time factor to the 90s. Nothing special here, except for the shaky camerawork.

6. DECEPTION (crime thriller with Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michele Williams, Maggie Q and Charlotte Rampling) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): After an engaging start, this one takes a drastic turn and starts insulting our intelligence. (Reviewed below)

7. 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)

8. 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.

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL: Rich, Powerful Drama

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (historical drama)
Cast: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas and David Morrissey
Director: Justin Chadwick
Time: 115 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

Johansson and Portman

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The 'Other Boleyn Girl' refers to Mary Boleyn, sister of the infamous Anne, second wife of the adulterous King Henry VIII who was Queen of England for 1,000 days. A 1969 movie, 'Anne Of The Thousand Days', starring Genevieve Bujold and Richard Burton, dealt with Anne Boleyn's rise and fall in English court.

This BBC production is directed by Justin Chadwick, whose previous credits include helming the critically acclaimed 'Bleak House' for the BBC. Gregory’s novel was made into a British television movie of the same title in 2003. We can also regard this movie as the first part of an unofficial 'trilogy' that includes 'Elizabeth' and 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age'.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Adapted from the 2002 novel by Philippa Gregory, the movie concentrates on the relationship between the two Boleyn sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson), rather than the complicated court intrigues and historical dramas that King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) was involved in. The sisters' vile and ambitious uncle, the Duke of Norfolk (David Morrissey), uses the girls as bait to lure the King to his side.

Noting that Henry VIII’s current wife, Catherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent), has failed to produce a male heir, Norfolk and the girls' father, Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance), invites the king for a hunting visit and orders Anne to 'win over' the monarch and become his mistress. The plan goes awry and Henry falls for Mary instead. Norfolk quickly switches to Plan B, which has Mary taking over Anne’s place, even though Mary is already married. Anne, however, gets her chance with the King when she is summoned to amuse him when Mary gets pregnant.

HITS & MISSES: Although the three lead stars are not British, they acquit themselves creditably, with Portman and Johansson providing emotional fireworks as sisters fighting each other for the King's attention, and Bana as the randy royal who lets his lust, rather than his head, rule over him - and England. Johansson's tender and loving ways contrasts starkly with Anne's cold and calculating seduction, a style she learns from her stint in Paris.

Others in the cast are also commendable. Kristin Scott Thomas, as Elizabeth, the girl's mother, provides the voice of reason and the view of a suffering mother caught in the web of her power-hungry brother and equally greedy husband. Technically, we have no complaints about the film. The costumes are rich and the powerful music score by Paul Cantelon helps to sustain the movie's flow.

THE LOWDOWN: More than just a slice of British royal history, it is also an interesting and engaging period drama.

WEEKEND PIC Sept 5 - 7, 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. (Reviewed below)



3. THE LOVE GURU (comedy with Mike Myers (above), Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley) Rating * * (2 stars): This satire on gullible Westerners and Asian mystics has a few laughs but on the whole, it is silly and forgettable.

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. DECEPTION (crime thriller with Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michele Williams, Maggie Q and Charlotte Rampling) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): After an engaging start, this one takes a drastic turn and starts insulting our intelligence. (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.

DECEPTION: It Sucks, Big Time

DECEPTION (crime thriller)
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michele Williams, Maggie Q and Charlotte Rampling
Director: Marcel Langenegger
Time: 102 mins
Rating: * 1/2 (out of 4)



WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? 'Deception' may well bring about three different responses during its three 'acts'. During the 'stylishly' developed first act, you will be wondering (as you are supposed to) what sort of catch (or denouement) the plot is taking us into. In the second act, you are very likely to feel infuriated at the way the film-makers are taking us for idiots with such a stupid plot, and by the third act, you would want to march to the box-office to ask for your money back!

Yes, like its title, the poster deceives us into thinking it is a stylish mystery thriller with a top-notch cast. In reality, it is a no-brainer that wastes the talents of its cast!

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is a shy accountant who works long hours and lives alone in a New York apartment. One night, while working on an audit, he is befriended by the suave Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) who later introduces Jonathan to an exclusive sex club where a list of phone numbers is circulated and men and women call each other when they're in the mood for some fun.

As one of the members termed it, it is 'intimacy without intricacy'. Soon, while Wyatt is overseas on business, Jonathan is getting laid almost every night. However, things come to a head when he meets a woman (Michelle Williams) and breaks some the the club's rules, like, he mustn't fall in love with any of the members.

HITS & MISSES: The main problem with this movie is that it is so badly written (by Mark Bomback) that it insults the intelligence of the viewers. Of course, like all crime thrillers, there is the mandatory twist at the ending but it looks half-baked and condescending. First time director Marcel Langenegger seems to have no idea about what to do with the 'mood' of the movie. Even with its story about a posh sex club, there is not much 'steam' to talk about and there is nothing to blame our censors for this time around, even if a number of scenes were snipped.

By 'steam' here, I mean a sense of 'sexual tension' and not just nudity or obscenity. Maggie Q, whose role is highlighted in the posters to attract Asian audiences, has only a cameo role while Natasha Henstridge also provides a bit of skin here. However, these are not what I would go out to get the DVD for...

THE LOWDOWN: Leave it. It sucks Big Time.