Your Pick Of The CNY Flicks

YOUR GUIDE TO THE CHINESE NEW YEAR MOVIES

(here's wishing you a Happy and Entertaining Ox Year)

NEW This Week:

a. RED CLIFF 2 (war drama with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi, Vicky Zhao and Lin Chi Ling) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 out of 4 stars): It is indeed worth the six-month wait for this final instalment to John Woo's war epic based on the Chronicles of The Three Kingdoms. The battle sequences, although a bit long, are breath-taking. (Reviewed below)

b. INKHEART (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Andy Serkis, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren and Eliza Hope Bennett) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A rather by-the-book and CGI-filled rendition of Cornelia Funke's bestseller that would probably appeal to children more than adults. Despite the big names, the adventure is not as rousing as The Mummy series... (Reviewed below)

c. UNDERWORLD 3: RISE OF THE LYCANS (prequel with Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh and Kevin Grevioux) Rating * * (2 stars): This prequel into the origin of the Vampire-Werewolf war borrows from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet and is rather ho-hum and cliched. Actionwise, it even falls short of its predecessors.

d. BRIDE WARS (sneak previews, comedy with Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt and Steve Howey) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This story about two Best Friends Forever turning Bitter Enemies Forever over a clash wedding date is exaggerated and silly. Nothing much to laugh at too. (Reviewed and pictured below)

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. IP MAN (Cantonese kungfu drama with Donnie Yen, ) Rated * * * (3 stars): This biopic on the grandmaster of Wing Chun kungfu and the tutor of the legendary Bruce Lee is nicely balanced with great martial arts action and an engaging narrative.

2. BEDTIME STORIES (fantasy comedy with Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Keri Russell, Lucy Lawless and Courteney Cox) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Sandler plays a handyman who finds his bedtime stories come to life. With a plot like that, it is slanted towards kiddie entertainment. (Reviewed below)

3. THEY WAIT (horror thriller with Jamie King, Terry Chen, Colin Foo and Cheng Pei-pei) Rating * * 1/2 (out of 4): An East-meets-West Asian horror set during the Hungry Ghost Festival. There are some scary moments but the movie is too much of a muddle to be engaging.

4. [REC] (suspense thriller in Spanish with Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Carlos Lasarte, Carlos Vicente and David Vert) Rated: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This is the original 2007 movie that inspired 'Quarantine', its Hollywood remake. Yes, its is as claustrophobic and as nausea-inducing as its remake, so be warned. (Reviewed below)