WEEKEND PIC - April 23 - 25, 2010

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

a) THE CRAZIES (horror thriller with Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Danielle Panabaker, Joe Anderson, Preston Bailey and Justin Welborn) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This is Breck Eisner’s remake of the 1973 George A. Romero creepfest — about the accidental release of a genetically-engineered virus that causes insanity in a small town. There's nothing extraordinary about Eisner's reworking and what is sorely missing is the humour.

b) THE LOSERS (action thriller with Zoe Saldana, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Chris Evans and Óscar Jaenada) Rated * * (2 star): Like most comic-book adaptations, it's thick with testosterone-filled action but very low on logic. The plot, about a Special Ops team taking revenge after being betrayed by a power-hungry maniac, is derivative of all the espionage movies. (Reviewed below)

c) TOY STORY 1 & 2 in 3D (animated back-to-back rerelease in 3D) - Only if you wanna sit through these Disney-Pixar classics in 3D. Comes with a five-minute series of clips of movie trivias and fun facts during the interval between films. A nostalgic trip that kinda takes you back to your childhood days.

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. SHUTTER ISLAND (psychological thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow and Elias Koteas) Rated * * * (3 stars): This is not a movie for the action set but for those who like the challenge of solving puzzles. Martin Scorsese's interpretation of Dennis Lehane's novel is compelling, thought-provoking and even mind-boggling. And it has DiCaprio at his best. (Reviewed below)

2. KICK-ASS (comedy spoof with Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Nicolas Cage and Tamer Hassan) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's both a comedy adventure as well as a spoof on costumed superheroes that one New York student named Dave decides to become. There are some cool moments, like when Hit Girl does her stuff, but the movie is uneven at best. (Reviewed below)

3. DATE NIGHT (comedy with Steve Carrel, Tina Fey, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Mark Wahlberg, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta and Shawn Levy) Rated * * * (3 stars): A wild and wacky couples comedy with Fey and Carrell in good form and chemistry. The plot is rather far-fetched but nonetheless, there are enough sparks and spills for both action and humour fans. (Reviewed below)

4. ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW (family drama with Simon Yam, Sandra Ng, Aarif Lee, Chung Siu To and Evelyn Choi) Rated * * * (3 stars): This family drama strives for nostalgic realism, tempering yesteryear charm and familial bond with a touch of tragedy. It is not a movie for the masses but a rare gem for film buffs who look for something different from the familiar fare. (Reviewed below)

5. CLASH OF THE TITANS (mythical adventure with Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Izabella Miko and Pete Postlethwaite) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This remake of the 1981 Clash may be a technical improvement, especially in its CGI and special effects. But nothing is done to improve or 're-imagine' the myths about the demi-god Perseus or the other characters. They are all 2D! (Reviewed below)

6. WHEN IN ROME (romantic comedy with Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett, Alexis Dziena, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Kate Micucci, Bobby Moynihan, Danny DeVito and Anjelica Huston) Rating: * * (2 stars): A cliched and predictable rom-com that tries too hard to please everyone and ends up not satisfying anyone. Still Duhamel and Bell provide the requisite charm that saves the movie from being a total flop.