WEEKEND PIC - May 22 - 24, 2009

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 (fantasy comedy with Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Luke Wilson, Jonah Hill and Christopher Guest) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars out of 4): We get more of the same CGI stuff in this sequel that has the action shifted to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. The plot and the dialogue are pedestrian and lame. (Reviewed below)

b) I CORRUPT ALL COPS (cop drama with Eason Chan, Wong Jing, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Anthony Wong, Alex Fong, Bowie Lam, Wong Jing, Liu Yang and Kate Tsui) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Titled with the acronym ICAC (HK's anti-corruption commission), many would regard this one as the most ambitious of Wong Jing's works. At last, Wong Jing has come out with an entertaining movie that does not insult our intelligence. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. STAR TREK (sci-fi adventure with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, and Zoë Saldana) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): It's a new beginning for Start Trek franchise - just like it was for Batman Begins - and a must for every Trekkie and sci-fi fan. (Reviewed below)

2. ANGELS & DEMONS (mystery thriller with Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgard, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Armin Mueller-Stahl) Rated: * * * (3 out of 4 stars): Director Ron Howard has learned from his mistakes in The Da Vinci Code and has made a much better 'sequel'. He has also made a few changes from Dan Brown's book, resulting in a tighter movie. (Reviewed below)

3. SELL OUT! (Malaysian comedy with Jerrica Lai, Peter Davis, Hannah Lo, Kee Thuan Chye and Lim Teik Leong) Rated * * * (3 stars): Newcomer Yeo Joon Han's black comedy offers some refreshing insights into Malaysian foibles. There should be enough laughs for your money. (Reviewed below)

4. MONGOL (historical adventure with Tadanobu Asano, Sun Hong-lei, Khulan Chuluun and Aliya) Rating * * * (3 stars): An old-fashioned historical epic about the early life of Temudjin (Genghiz Khan) with fantastic scenery and realistic action. (Reviewed below)

5. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (Fantasy actioner with Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan and Lynn Collins) Rated * * * (3 stars): This action-packed tale about the origins and relationship between Wolverine and Sabretooth should please Marvel comics fans. (Reviewed below)

6. I LOVE YOU, MAN (comedy with Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly) Rated * * * (3 stars): This 'bromantic' comedy about guy-bonding may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as it should be but there are enough crazy incidents and lessons for today's yuppie couples. Trust me. (Reviewed below)

7. PUSH (sci-fi thriller with Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Joel Gretsch, Neil Jackson, Maggie Siff, Scott Michael Campbell, Colin Ford and Nate Mooney) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Catch Evans and Fanning being chased by Govt goons all over Hong Kong if you can't get enough of Heroes and X-Men action. However, Push is rather mess and confusing, though. (Reviewed below)

8. POWER KIDS (Thai action fantasy with Nantawooti Boonrapsap, Sasisa Jindamanee, and Johnny Nguyen) Rating: * * (2 stars): Greasy kids' stuff about four martial-arts-trained children and their bid to save a child with heart problems.