WEEKEND PIC - Sept 25-27, 2009

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND FILMS

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) ACCIDENT (crime thriller with Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Michelle Ye, Lam Suet and Fung Shui-Fan) Rated * * * (3 out of 4 stars): The story about a team of hired assassins led by a meticulous Louis Koo has no gunplay or kungfu fighting but it is thick with tension, intrigue and paranoia. There are also a few flaws that strain credibility in the second half but not bad enough to affect the overall entertainment. (Reviewed below)

b) A PERFECT GETAWAY (mystery thriller with Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant, Marley Shelton, Steve Zahn, Kiele Sanchez, Katie Chonacas and Chris Hemsworth) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): If not for the scenery, the first half of this adventure yarn is a big yawn. Instead of 'red herrings' we are thrown 'red snappers' in this 'big-reveal' flick about a pair of murderers among holidaying couples in Hawaii. And then there's the snipping by our censors. (Reviewed below)


STILL GOING STRONG:

1. THE UGLY TRUTH (romantic comedy with Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner and Eric Winter) Rated * * * (3 out of 4 stars): It's derivative and predictable but also hilarious and fun. Also the teaming of Butler and Heigl sparkles with screen chemistry. (Reviewed below)

2. WHERE GOT GHOST? (Singaporean thriller-comedy with Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Henry Thia, Richard Low, Marcus Chin, John Cheng, Wang Lei, Tay Yin Yin and Tony Koh) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Typical Jack Neo comedy about Singaporeans' belief in the supernatural. There are three shorts in this movie, with Neo saving the best for last. (Reviewed below)

3. G-FORCE (animated fantasy with voices of Bill Nighy, Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penélope Cruz, Steve Buscemi and Tracy Morgan) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Basically an action flick for kids below 12, this furball fantasy about heroic guinea pigs boasts lots of stunts and explosive scenes. The plot is the usual rubbish but entertaining enough for little minds.

4. TSUNAMI AT HAEUNDAE (disaster thriller with Ha Ji-won, Park Joong-hoon and Sol Kyung-gu) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 out of 4 stars): Made at about US$10 million (RM35 million), this is South Korea's first blockbuster disaster flick. The big waves only come at the 45-minute mark, preceded by lots of human angle subplots. The effects are above par but not the narrative. Something to tide action fans till 2012?

5. GAMER (sci-fi action thriller with Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall, Amber Valletta, Alison Lohman, Logan Lerman, Terry Crews and John Leguizamo) Rating: * * (2 stars): This futuristic Gladiator-game story, reminiscent of Death Race (2008), is high on butts, boobs and bullets but low on everything else. Its shaky camera scenes are a put-off and it is mainly for joystick-jockeys.