My Top 10 Movies of 2010

DEC 31, 2010 - Hey folks, here's my Top 10 list of Movies of 2010, incorporating all the films I have watched both in Malaysia and in the US. This is quite unlike the previous years when the annual Top 10 list was based solely on movies shown in KL. This time around, I feel that I should include the films overseas as they should be familiar with the readers, considering that the DVDs were usually available...

The list also includes three Chinese movies, Aftershock, Stool Pigeon and Detective Dee. Here goes...

THE TOP 10 MOVIES Of 2010

1. Inception

2. Aftershock

3. Social Network

4. Black Swan

5. Stool Pigeon

6. True Grit

7. Toy Story 3

8. The Kids Are All Right

9. Winter's Bone

10. Detective Dee


The Most Disappointing Film - The Last Airbender

WEEKEND PIC - Dec 31 - Jan 2, 2011

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

NEW THIS WEEK

a) THE TOURIST (romance thriller with Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Steven Berkoff and Rufus Sewell) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): With Jolie and Depp headlining this 'romantic thriller', their star power looks sure to churn the box-office waves. However, their talents and charm are not enough to overcome the weak plotting and ostentatious action sequences that recall Hitchcock's North By Northwest classic. After an hour of watching these two attractive stars, disappointment sets in.

STILL GOING STRONG

1. FAIR GAME (political drama with Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Bruce McGill, Brooke Smith, David Denman and Noah Emmerich) Rated * * * (3 stars): With the stunning disclosures by WikiLeaks and the recent memoir by President George W. Bush, Fair Game is a fitting addition to the political revelations. However, this real-life tale of how Valerie Plame and her husband Joe Wilson (Watts and Penn) 'fight' the White House over evidence of 'nuculear' weapons in Iraq, is both touching and infuriating. It is definitely not for the action fan but if you like a thought-provoking film, this is it. (Reviewed below)

2. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (fantasy adventure with Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell) Rated * * * (3 stars): Not all the Pevensie siblings are back for this Narnia sea adventure in this third instalment involving Edmund and Lucy. However, their cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Poulter) 'accidentally' comes along for the trip - and provides most of the laughs and comic relief. Under Michael Apted's direction, the pace is more compact and faster in providing C.S. Lewis' magical monsters and wonders. (Reviewed below)

3. TRON: LEGACY (Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain and Beau Garrett) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): After all the promotion and hype, Tron: Legacy comes with good news and bad news. Good news is the state-of-the-art visuals and pulsating music score are awesome; bad news: the narrative sucks. So if you are curious to see how Disney revisits the Game Grid of the 1982 sci-fi, put your brain on neutral and keep your eyes and ears in gear. (Reviewed below)

4. GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (fantasy comedy with Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet, Catherine Tate, James Corden and Olly Alexander) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Essentially a Jack Black vehicle with the attendant butt and pee gags. The 3D does not enhance the trills here but some of the stars do. They are Blunt, Connolly and Segel. (Reviewed below)

5. LITTLE FOCKERS (comedy with Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel and Barbra Streisand) Rated * * (2 stars): This sequel is not as funny as it is cringe-worthy as we see Stiller going the rounds against De Niro. De Niro is a legend at menacing, villain roles but not in comedy, especially one that is so badly written as this which pokes fun at his former hits like Godfather and Taxi Driver. (Reviewed below)

TRUE GRIT - Better Than The Original

TRUE GRIT (western adventure)
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper
Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen, based on the 1968 novel by Charles Portis
Time: 110 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

(This movie was viewed on Dec 25 in Bloomington, Indiana, USA, and blogged because it is an Oscar contender. It is scheduled to open in Malaysia on Feb 24, 2011).

Bridges and Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

PREAMBLE: Doing a remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic is like wading through a mine field of public perception: one miss-step and the whole project blows into your face. True Grit of 1969, directed by Henry Hathaway, was the crowning glory of John Wayne's career (and probably Hathaway's); it won Wayne his only Oscar for his iconic role as Rooster Cogburn. Can the Coen Brothers do a better job than that?

The answer is yes. And thankfully, Jeff Bridges, playing the one-eyed Marshall Cogburn, does not attempt to imitate Wayne's famous character but makes it his own. The outcome is a remake that will not only please the new generation of movie-goers but also the elderly John Wayne fans. We can say this True Grit is also an open Country For Old Men.

THE SKINNY: The film is about 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) seeking revenge for the murder of her father. The culprit is Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), a drifter and a "coward" who killed Mattie's dad for a horse and two gold coins. Mattie
sets her sights on Rooster Cogburn because he has 'true grit' - a reputation for doggedly getting his man and for shooting first and asking questions later. She does not know that he has one eye and is mostly drunk. And when she does, it is too late to matter anyway. She wants to accompany the Marshall into Indian country in Oklahoma to apprehend Chaney and bring him to justice (read: hanging).

Also on the trail of Chaney is Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) who wants the man for the murder of a Texas Senator. As the disparate trio set out on the manhunt together, they learn to respect one another...

HITS AND MISSES: As a novel, True Grit sells because of its young gutsy heroine, its buffoonish drunk of a marshal who is actually a hero; and a Texas Ranger who provides the bond and comic relief. The Brothers Coen not only capitalise on these characters but also lend their own Coen-style touches. These include a hanging sequence in the unnamed Oklahoma town which presents the message that justice can be swift and brutal; the Chinese duck and sausage curing room where Mattie hires Cogburn; and a Wild West where weird characters like a man in a bear suit can show up at any time.

And for a Western, the verbal showdowns are also fast and feisty, especially the scene in which Mattie 'talks circles' around her late father's business associate. Young Steinfeld, who was picked for the role out of thousands of candidates, is as gutsy and feisty as the 14-year-old Mattie can be. She not only 'handles' her Mattie well but also the likes of Bridges and Damon. These two men are at the top of their career and I need not sing any more of their praises. The Coens have cast them well.

THE LOWDOWN: Another compelling film from the Coens.

BLACK SWAN - A Mind-Bending Movie

BLACK SWAN (dance drama)
Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder, Vincent Cassel, Janet Montgomery, Barbara Hershey, Christopher Gartin, Sebastian Stan, Toby Hemingway and Kristina Anapau
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay: Andres Heinz, Mark Heyman and John McLaughlin
Time: 110 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

(This movie was viewed on Dec 26 in Indiana, USA, and blogged because it is an Oscar contender. It is scheduled to open in Malaysia on Feb 24, 2011).

Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman

PREAMBLE: There are a number of interesting things about this movie: (i) Director Darren Aronofsky has suggested that it is a 'companion piece' to his previous film, The Wrestler - suggesting that like wrestling, ballet is also a 'blood sport'; (ii) veteran critic James Berardinelli has called Black Swan a work of the 'mind-fuck' sub-genre - it's point-of-view narrative plays havoc with your mind; and (iii) most reviewers agree that this is the best performance of Natalie Portman's career and she deserves an Oscar nod for it.

Anyway, one does not have to be a ballet fan to appreciate the personal and external conflicts of Black Swan - a movie that will stay long in your mind after you leave the cineplex.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: For Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) ballet is her life and she aspires to be the perfect prima dona for her dance company. When impresario Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) plans to stage a re-imagined Swan Lake in New York City, Nina wants to be the Swan Queen. However, while Nina's talent makes her the perfect choice for the White Swan, she lacks the spontaneity and seductiveness necessary for the Black Swan. A fitting candidate for that role is the outgoing and sexy Lily (Mila Kunis), a newcomer from San Francisco.

Ultimately, Leroy picks Nina over Lily, hoping that Nina will grow into the role. But Nina is a psychological wreck. Not only is she paranoid that Lily is trying to undermine her, but she has a confrontation with Leroy's previous protégé, the mentally unstable Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder). Worse still, Nina relationship with her domineering and overprotective mother (Barbara Hershey) deteriorates as she tries to get in touch with her 'darker side' in order to play the Black Swan.

HITS & MISSES: With the narrative presented from 'inside' the conflicted mind of the protagonist, we get some sort of a psychological thriller, complete with a number of scares. Nina sees evil in the mirror, in the faces of strangers - and almost always in herself. Most of the time, we, the audience are kept in a limbo, uncertain whether the events on the screen are really happening or imagined by Nina. As in The Wrestler, we see blood being 'sacrificed' in the name of ballet!

And of course, throughout the film, we are kept enthralled by Portman's rendition of Nina. Hers is a
heart-rending role - playing an artiste obsessed with perfection and trying her utmost to attain it. This should put her in the front line for the Best Actress Oscar. Kunis lends solid support as Lily and her role is to keep us guessing if she is what Nina perceives her to be. Cassel provides the right blend of rogue and bossy charm to his Leroy. The ending is open to interpretation - and an excuse to see the movie again.

THE LOWDOWN: It is not a movie where you get entertained; it is a movie where you get to experience what's in someone's mind.

James Cameron's Sanctum opens Feb 17

DEC 27, 2010 - James Cameron's underwater epic, SANCTUM, will be released by GSC in cinemas nationwide on 17 February 2011. And, of course, it will also be available in 3D.

Sanctum is about a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea.

Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh of Moulin Rouge!) has explored the South Pacific’s Esa’ala caves for months. However, when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank’s key team—including 17-year-old son Josh (Rhys Wakefield of The Black Balloon) and financier Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd of Fantastic Four series)—is forced to radically alter their plans.


With dwindling supplies, the crew—including Carl’s girlfriend, Victoria (Alice Parkinson of Where the Wild Things Are and X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Crazy George (Dan Wyllie of Muriel’s Wedding)—must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out.

Shot on location off the Gold Coast in Queensland and in caves in South Australia, as well as at the Village Roadshow Studios, Sanctum employs stunning 3D photography techniques developed to lens Avatar.

'Little Fockers' Tops US Christmas Weekend

DEC 27, 2010 - Meet The Parents: Little Fockers bagged an estimated US$34 million on approximately 5,000 screens at 3,536 locations, bringing its five-day opening to an estimated US$48.3 million. By comparison, Meet the Fockers made US$46.1 million on the same weekend in 2004 for a five-day start of US$70.5 million, and it had close to double the attendance.

True Grit posted the top-grossing opening weekend ever for a straight-shooting Western, capturing an estimated US$25.6 million on around 3,900 screens at 3,047 locations. It was also the biggest launch of the Coen brothers' careers, passing Burn After Reading. With a US$36.8 million tally in five days, it's already the highest-grossing Western since 3:10 to Yuma (2007).

Gulliver's Travels was the other new nationwide release for Christmas, and it opened on Saturday, ranking 7th with an estimated US$7.2 million in two days at 2,546 locations.

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for Dec 24-26, 2010 weekend, in terms of rank, Movie name (studio), Weekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo.

1. Little Fockers (Universal) $34.0 million ($48.3 million) 1

2. True Grit (Paramount) $25.6 million ($36.8 million) 1

3. Tron Legacy (Buena Vista) $20.1 million ($88.3 million) 2

4. Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Fox) $10.8 million ($63.9 million) 3

5. Yogi Bear (Warner Bros.) $8.8 million ($36.8 million) 2

CHRISTMAS WEEKEND PIC - Dec 24 - 26, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY, HERE'S
YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

a) GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (fantasy comedy with Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet, Catherine Tate, James Corden and Olly Alexander) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Essentially a Jack Black vehicle with the attendant butt and pee gags. The original Jonathan Swift classic is changed to accommodate pop culture gags, the 3D does not enhance the trills here but some of the stars do. They are Blunt, Connolly and Segel. (Reviewed below)

b) LITTLE FOCKERS (comedy with Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel and Barbra Streisand) Rated * * (2 stars): This sequel is not as funny as it is cringe-worthy as we see Stiller going the rounds against De Niro. De Niro is a legend at menacing, villain roles but not in comedy, especially one that is so badly written as this which pokes fun at his former hits like The Godfather and Taxi Driver. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG

1. SOCIAL NETWORK (biographical drama with Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song, Joseph Mazzello, Rooney Mara, Max Minghella, Trevor Wright and Dakota Johnson) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This 'talk-of-the-town movie about the founder of Facebook is not only a critic's favourite but is also touted to clinch a few Oscar nominations. Directed by David Fincher, it has great dialogue, wit and commendable acting. (Reviewed below)

2. FAIR GAME (political drama with Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Bruce McGill, Brooke Smith, David Denman and Noah Emmerich) Rated * * * (3 stars): With the stunning disclosures by WikiLeaks and the recent memoir by President George W. Bush, Fair Game is a fitting addition to the political revelations. However, this real-life tale of how Valerie Plame and her husband Joe Wilson (Watts and Penn) 'fight' the White House over evidence of 'nuculear' weapons in Iraq, is both touching and infuriating. It is definitely not for the action fan but if you like a thought-provoking film, this is it. (Reviewed below)

3. RAPUNZEL: A TANGED TALE (animated fantasy with voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, M.C. Gainey, Brad Garrett and Paul F. Tompkins) Rated * * * (3 stars): This revisionist version of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale comes with songs and dances and should be a delightful treat for the family during the school holidays. It comes with the usual Disney-type gutsy characters - plus some thought-provoking messages for parents. (Reviewed below)

4. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (fantasy adventure with Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell) Rated * * * (3 stars): Not all the Pevensie siblings are back for this Narnia sea adventure in this third instalment involving Edmund and Lucy. However, their cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Poulter) 'accidentally' comes along for the trip - and provides most of the laughs and comic relief. Under Michael Apted's direction, the pace is more compact and faster in providing C.S. Lewis' magical monsters and wonders. (Reviewed below)

5. TRON: LEGACY (Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain and Beau Garrett) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): After all the promotion and hype, Tron: Legacy comes with good news and bad news. Good news is the state-of-the-art visuals and pulsating music score are awesome; bad news: the narrative sucks. So if you are curious to see how Disney revisits the Game Grid of the 1982 sci-fi, put your brain on neutral and keep your eyes and ears in gear. (Reviewed below)

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS - Cheap Laughs for Black Fans

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (fantasy comedy)
Cast: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet, Catherine Tate, James Corden and Olly Alexander
Director: Rob Letterman
Screenplay: Joe Stillman and Nicholas Stroller from the novel by Jonathan Swift
Time: 87 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)


PREAMBLE: Jonathan Swift's 18th Century novel is a satire on the small-mindedness and stupidity of mankind, and the tale of Lilliput, where the little people go to war over which side to crack an egg, pokes fun at mankind killing one another over beliefs.

Of course, you don't expect to find any of these stuff in Rob Letterman's re-imagination of Swift's famous story. And with Jack Black in the title role, it is every silly thing (read: Star Wars, Guitar Hero, Bermuda Triangle references, butt and pee jokes, etc) and the kitchen sink thrown in - all in the name of comedy.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: Black is Lemuel Gulliver, a mailroom clerk at a newspaper firm who dreams big but never follows through. He has a crush on travel editor Darcy Silverman (Amanda Peet) and in an attempt to impress her, he agrees to do a travel assignment in the Bermuda Triangle.

After a freak storm, he ends up in the land of Lilliput where he becomes a giant hero to its tiny
citizens.

HITS & MISSES: In a movie where no one in a publishing company takes any notice of a name like Lemuel Gulliver, we should not expect any attempt at being witty, intelligent or original. The opening and intro sequences (to establish the link between Lemuel and Darcy) are rather mundane and as such the landing sequences on Lilliput seem promising. However, we soon find that the scripters do not really know what to do with Gulliver in Lilliput, besides involving him in the war, so they have him playing Cupid to commoner Horatio (Jason Segel, pictured left, with Blunt) and the beautiful Princess (Emily Blunt), and recreating his version of Times Square, Lilliputan style.

The 3-D effects fail to add any extra spark to the film even though the scaling effects are executed well enough. I am no fan of Jack Black low-brow humour but there are some funny moments - as well as those provided by Billy Connolly (as the King of Lilliput) and Segel.

THE LOWDOWN: Cheap laughs for Jack Black fans.

LITTLE FOCKERS - Big Mistake

MEET THE PARENTS: LITTLE FOCKERS (comedy)
Cast: Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Harvey Keitel and Barbra Streisand
Director: Paul Weitz
Screenplay: John Hamburg and Larry Stuckey
Time: 98 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)

De Niro, Wilson, Stiller and Keitel in LITTLE FOCKERS

PREAMBLE: There are many better films to watch, many better things to do for this Christmas weekend than to spend it watching the cringe-inducing tussles between Ben Stiller and the Robert De Niro in this sequel of a tired, depressing franchise. It offers anything but a jolly ho-ho-ho outing.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: The title refers to the twin offspring, Henry (Colin Baiocchi) and Samantha (Daisy Tahan), Stiller's Gaylord 'Greg' Focker and his wife Pam (Teri Polo). Like most Americans these days, Greg is under pressure to make extra money, to renovate the family's dream home and find a good school for the kids. Things get worse when Pam's obnoxious ex-CIA dad, Jack Byrnes (De Niro) arrives with his long-suffering wife Dina (Blythe Danner) for their kids' 5th birthday party.

HITS & MISSES: One can think of hundreds and even thousands of fresh gags involving the married-with-kids couple but other than lowly vomit gags, the scripters choose to centre this comedy around Stiller and De Niro, manily poking fun at De Niro's vast cinematic roles. One of these has to be The Godfather. When Jack suffers a heart attack and confronts mortality, he makes Greg the 'Godfocker', making him promise to maintain the Byrnes family line.

Then we see Harvey Keitel, who plays a renovation contractor, having an altercation with De Niro - and realise, yes, a nod to their Taxi Driver days. And that's not all. De Niro's Jack is also having problems with 'erection' and this is where sexy Jessica Alba comes in as a rep selling a Viagra alternative called 'Sustengo'. The feeling we get from these parodies of De Niro's films is that the legendary star has become more of a has-been where comedy is concerned. He makes people cringe rather than chuckle. There are some fun moments provided by Barbra Streisand (pictured, as Greg's mom) and Laura Dern as the headmistress of an exclusive, progressive school to which Pam and Greg hope to send the twins. But these are few and far between.

THE LOWDOWN: Time to put the Fockers schtick to rest.

Tron: Legacy Tops US Weekend B-O

DEC 20, 2010 - Expectedly, Tron: Legacy topped the weekend North American box-office, given its huge promo machinery. Tron Legacy raked in US$44 million on approximately 5,600 screens at 3,451 locations, more than doubling the opening weekend gross of Speed Racer and posting initial attendance comparable to past December release, The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008).

Yogi Bear wasn't better than your average talking-animal movie, snaring US$16.4 million on close to 4,900 screens at 3,515 locations. That was a fraction of what the first Alvin and the Chipmunks earned on the same weekend in 2007.

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for Dec 17-19, 2010 weekend, in terms of rank, Movie name (studio), Weekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo.

1. Tron Legacy (Buena Vista) $43.6 million($43.6 million) 1

2. Yogi Bear (Warner Bros.) $16.7 million ($16.7 million) 1

3. Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Fox) $12.4 million ($42.8 million) 2

4. The Fighter (Paramount) $12.2 million ($12.6 million) 2

5. The Tourist (Sony / Columbia) $8.7 million ($30.8 million) 2

NB. Sorry about the delay for this post. I am now blogging from Indiana, USA.

FAIR GAME - 'The Politics of Truth'

FAIR GAME (political drama)
Cast: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Bruce McGill, Brooke Smith, David Denman, Noah Emmerich, David Andrews and Louis Ozawa Changchien
Director: Doug Liman
Writers: Jez Butterworth, John Butterworth based on the books The Politics of Truth by Joseph Wilson and Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson
Time: 106 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

Watts and Penn in FAIR GAME

PREAMBLE: Based on the books by Joseph Wilson and his wife Valerie Plame, Fair Game is a reflective and yet compelling movie about how the couple are affected when a devious, bare-face liar of a President twists and fabricate facts just so that the US can wage war on Iraq. I would not reveal who these political arseholes are because the movie makes no attempt to hide or disguise them.

At the end of the film, we feel pity for the Wilsons whose marriage is wrecked by the 'nuculear' con job, as well as for the millions who have become victims of the US war on Iraq. Some points in the movie may be debatable but the fact remains that the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) of Saddam Hussain have never been found.

THE SKINNY: Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) is a covert CIA agent who works on assignment in Kuala Lumpur, Baghdad, Dubai, and Cairo. Her husband, Joe Wilson (Sean Penn) is with the foreign service and a former ambassador to Niger. However, when President Bush insists on the existence of 'WMD' in Iraq, Joe Wilson writes an article in the Times denying the President's claim. This triggers a confrontation between Wilson and the 'office of the Vice-President', and the destruction of the Valerie's career as a CIA agent.

What is worse is that she is running nine teams in the field with 15 agents in Baghdad at that time - and the administration has the cheek to say that she works as "a secretary" to diminish her credibility!

HITS AND MISSES: Fair Game works because we feel for Joseph and Valerie and root for them. Penn plays the cigar-chomping Wilson as a hotheaded idealist who is often fueled by outrage against whatever perceived injustice. Watts makes Valerie an ideal agent: secretive, unbreakable, compassionate and loyal. She would rather have her husband lie low like a good soldier than go to war against the Top Brass. And yes, Watts has us eating out of her hand in almost every scene.

Director Doug Liman (of Mr & Mrs Smith) gradually transforms the movie from a spy-game mystery to a marital tussle - keeping us rooted throughout. Using real-life TV clips to remind us of what really happened - he manages to rile us again over that blatant abuse of power and makes us wish that the culprit may be brought to justice.

THE LOWDOWN: Watch it for a piece of US political history.

'Dawn Treader' Tops Malaysian Weekend B-O

DECEMBER 17, 2010 - Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader overtakes Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale to top the Malaysian box-office last weekend (Dec 9-12, 2010), grossing RM4.33 million (or about US$1.3 million). The Narnia sequel opened its 3D version on Dec 2 and released its 2D version on Dec 9.

Meanwhile, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows still holds sway at No. 3, doing about RM320,000 at the weekend.

Here is the Top 10 Box-Office list for movies in Malaysia over the extended weekend of Dec. 9 - 12, 2010 in terms of rank, (previous week's rank), Movie, (studio/distributor), weekend gross in USD, (cumulative gross in USD) and week on chart - courtesy of Boxofficemojo.

1 (2) Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Fox) $1,396,465 ($2,326,259) 2
2 (1) Rapunzel: A Tangled Tale (Disney) $306,264 ($2,464,191) 3
3 (3) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1 (WB) $100,974 ($3,348,432) 4
4 (4) The Social Network (Sony) $71,449 ($289,788) 2
5 (6) Due Date (WB) $65,874 ($215,556) 2
6 (7) The Warrior's Way (NEF) $64,080 ($222,570) 2
7 (-) My Soul to Take (UIP) $60,557 ($60,557) 1
8 (5) Bruce Lee, My Brother (n/a) $34,959 ($500,864) 3
9 (8) The Next Three Days (GSC) $16,644 ($296,855) 3
10 (-) No Problem (FiveStar) $11,277 ($11,277) 1

WEEKEND PIC - Dec 17 - 19, 2010

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

a) FAIR GAME (political drama with Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Bruce McGill, Brooke Smith, David Denman and Noah Emmerich) Rated * * * (3 stars): With the stunning disclosures by WikiLeaks and the recent memoir by President George W. Bush, Fair Game is a fitting addition to the political revelations. However, this real-life tale of how Valerie Plame and her husband Joe Wilson (Watts and Penn) 'fight' the White House over evidence of 'nuculear' weapons in Iraq, is both touching and infuriating. It is definitely not for the action fan but if you like a thought-provoking film, this is it. (Review pending)

b) TRON: LEGACY (Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain and Beau Garrett) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): After all the promotion and hype, Tron: Legacy comes with good news and bad news. Good news is the state-of-the-art visuals and pulsating music score are awesome; bad news: the narrative sucks. So if you are curious to see how Disney revisits the Game Grid of the 1982 sci-fi, put your brain on neutral and keep your eyes and ears in gear. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG

1. SOCIAL NETWORK (biographical drama with Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song, Joseph Mazzello, Rooney Mara, Max Minghella, Trevor Wright and Dakota Johnson) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This 'talk-of-the-town movie about the founder of Facebook is not only a critic's favourite but is also touted to clinch a few Oscar nominations. Directed by David Fincher, it has great dialogue, wit and commendable acting. (Reviewed below)

2. RAPUNZEL: A TANGED TALE 3D (animated fantasy with voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, M.C. Gainey, Brad Garrett and Paul F. Tompkins) Rated * * * (3 stars): This revisionist version of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale comes with songs and dances and should be a delightful treat for the family during the school holidays. It comes with the usual Disney-type gutsy characters - plus some thought-provoking messages for parents. (Reviewed below)

3. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (fantasy adventure with Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, Will Poulter, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell) Rated * * * (3 stars): Not all the Pevensie siblings are back for this Narnia sea adventure in this third instalment involving Edmund and Lucy. However, their cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Poulter) 'accidentally' comes along for the trip - and provides most of the laughs and comic relief. Under Michael Apted's direction, the pace is more compact and faster in providing C.S. Lewis' magical monsters and wonders. (Reviewed below)

4. MY SOUL TO TAKE - (horror thriller with Max Thieriot, Nick Lashaway, Denzel Whitaker, Jessica Hecht, Frank Grillo, Zena Grey, Dennis Boutsikaris, Emily Meade, Shareeka Epps and Danai Gurira) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): It is rather hard to believe that this trash of a thriller is the brainchild of Wes Craven, the guy who gave us Scream and A Nightmare On Elm Street. Here, it looks like he is doing a rehash of his own films, minus the scary parts. There ain't no soul to take, dudes. (Reviewed below)

TRON: LEGACY - Awesome Visuals, Crappy Plot

TRON: LEGACY (sci-fi fantasy)
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, James Frain and Beau Garrett
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Screenplay: Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis from a story by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Time: 127 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund as Quorra and Sam Flynn

PREAMBLE: I don't like to do the 'good-news, bad-news' routine here but I can think of no better way to present the merits and demerits of Tron: Legacy to you. The good news is that this sequel to the 1982 Tron is a visual feast of state-of-the-art CGI in 3D. On its technical merit, it is worth 3.5 stars. The bad news is that the narrative is so confusing and crappy that no one should ever try to understand it. On this score, it is 1.5 stars, giving us the average rating above.

It is obvious that Disney is banking on Tron: Legacy as its Christmas blockbuster. It will probably stir up a storm at the box-office among its legions of curious young fans - and then retire to the 'END of LINE' after a few weeks.

THE SKINNY: Entrepreneur and arcade owner Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappears at the height of his success, leaving his young son Sam (Garrett Hudlund) to be brought up by his grandparents. Years later, after receiving a pager message, Sam finds his way to the abandoned arcade and gets himself zapped into the data stream of a video-game where he has to fight off a bunch of digital gladiators with neon-lit discs and on light-cycles.

Soon, however, he meets a mysterious programme called Quorra (Olivia Wilde) and she takes him to be reunited with his father. From his old man, Sam discovers that all is not well with Dad's creation - and it is up to him and Quorra to set things right.

HITS AND MISSES: Unlike most other 3D films these days, Tron: Legacy is not totally shot in 3D. Its intro sequences in the real world are in 2D but it slips into three-dimensional when we are transported into the Game Grid where the action reaches its pulse-racing heights. The sequences of the Grid are breath-takingly futuristic and yet they remind us of the Eighties at the same time. Here we find hacker program CLU (a younger version of Bridges) trying to create a 'perfect world' according to his own reckoning. However, instead of plot development, we get a whole bunch of computer jargon like 'the Purge', 'Portal' 'isomorphic algorithms' and 'derezz' (de-resolution, resulting in deletion) that are more confusing than clarifying. The music score by Daft Punk keeps the mood and the action hot and pulsating.

Among the cast, Jeff Bridges is made to look like an Eighties hippie who is lost or trapped in the cyberworld where he gets turned into a pseudo-deity; Hedlund acquits himself well enough as the new action hero; Bruce Boxleitner, downgraded from starring role in the original to cameo here as Alan Bradley, lends a touch of nostalgia; while Michael Sheen spices things up as the suave disco-owner Zuse. The most impressive performance comes from Olivia Wilde (left) who plays an ISO (or isomorphic algorithm) who has all the 3 Bs - beauty, brawns and brains. This is basically a movie for the computer-savvy generation. For others, it is like watching a computer game where the combatants throw lighted frisbees at one another and race on motorbikes.

THE LOWDOWN: With so much hype generated, this sequel is bound to stir up controversy and debate among fans. If you're not a fan, it's best to stay away.

'King's Speech' Leads Golden Globes Nominations

DEC 11, 2010 - The King’s Speech, The Fighter, and The Social Network were among the leading contenders for the Golden Globe nominees announced today.

The King’s Speech received the most nominations of any movie with seven, followed by Social Network and The Fighter with six each. Black Swan, Inception and The Kids Are All Right have four each.

The new Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie vehicle “The Tourist,” which was a disappointment at last weekend’s box office and was blasted by many critics, scored three unexpected nods.

HERE's the list of the nominations

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. BLACK SWAN

b. THE FIGHTER

c. INCEPTION

d. THE KING’S SPEECH

e. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

2. BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. HALLE BERRY - FRANKIE AND ALICE

b. NICOLE KIDMAN - RABBIT HOLE

c. JENNIFER LAWRENCE - WINTER’S BONE

d. NATALIE PORTMAN - BLACK SWAN (pic)

e. MICHELLE WILLIAMS - BLUE VALENTINE


3. BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. JESSE EISENBERG - THE SOCIAL NETWORK

b. COLIN FIRTH - THE KING’S SPEECH

c. JAMES FRANCO - 127 HOURS

d. RYAN GOSLING - BLUE VALENTINE

e. MARK WAHLBERG - THE FIGHTER

4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ALICE IN WONDERLAND

b. BURLESQUE

c. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

d. RED

e. THE TOURIST

5. BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ANNETTE BENING - THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

b. ANNE HATHAWAY - LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

c. ANGELINA JOLIE - THE TOURIST

d. JULIANNE MOORE - THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

e. EMMA STONE - EASY A

6. BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. JOHNNY DEPP - ALICE IN WONDERLAND

b. JOHNNY DEPP - THE TOURIST

c. PAUL GIAMATTI - BARNEY’S VERSION

d. JAKE GYLLENHAAL - LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

e. KEVIN SPACEY - CASINO JACK

7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

a. DESPICABLE ME

b. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

c. THE ILLUSIONIST

d. TANGLED

e. TOY STORY 3

8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

a. BIUTIFUL (MEXICO/SPAIN)

b. THE CONCERT (FRANCE)

c. THE EDGE (RUSSIA)

d. I AM LOVE (ITALY) (LO SONO L’AMORE)

e. IN A BETTER WORLD (DENMARK)

9. BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. AMY ADAMS - THE FIGHTER

b. HELENA BONHAM CARTER - THE KING’S SPEECH

c. MILA KUNIS - BLACK SWAN

d. MELISSA LEO - THE FIGHTER

e. JACKI WEAVER - ANIMAL KINGDOM

10. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. CHRISTIAN BALE - THE FIGHTER

b. MICHAEL DOUGLAS - WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

c. ANDREW GARFIELD - THE SOCIAL NETWORK

d. JEREMY RENNER - THE TOWN

e. GEOFFREY RUSH - THE KING’S SPEECH

11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a. DARREN ARONOFSKY - BLACK SWAN

b. DAVID FINCHER - THE SOCIAL NETWORK

c. TOM HOOPER - THE KING’S SPEECH

d. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN - INCEPTION

e. DAVID O. RUSSELL - THE FIGHTER

12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a. DANNY BOYLE, SIMON BEAUFOY - 127 HOURS

b. LISA CHOLODENKO, STUART BLUMBERG - THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

c. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN - INCEPTION

d. DAVID SEIDLER - THE KING’S SPEECH

e. AARON SORKIN - THE SOCIAL NETWORK

13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT - THE KING’S SPEECH

b. DANNY ELFMAN - ALICE IN WONDERLAND

c. A.R. RAHMAN - 127 HOURS

d. TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS - THE SOCIAL NETWORK

e. HANS ZIMMER - INCEPTION

14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a. “BOUND TO YOU” — BURLESQUE
Music by: Samuel Dixon; Lyrics by: Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler

b. “COMING HOME” — COUNTRY STRONG
Music & Lyrics by: Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges

c. “I SEE THE LIGHT” — TANGLED
Music by: Alan Menken; Lyrics by: Glenn Slater

d. “THERE’S A PLACE FOR US” — NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER
Music & Lyrics by: Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey

e. “YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF ME” — BURLESQUE
Music & Lyrics by: Diane Warren

15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)

b. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)

c. THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)

d. MAD MEN (AMC)

e. THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

16. BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. JULIANNA MARGULIES - THE GOOD WIFE

b. ELISABETH MOSS - MAD MEN

c. PIPER PERABO - COVERT AFFAIRS

d. KATEY SAGAL - SONS OF ANARCHY

e. KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER

17. BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. STEVE BUSCEMI - BOARDWALK EMPIRE

b. BRYAN CRANSTON - BREAKING BAD

c. MICHAEL C. HALL - DEXTER

d. JON HAMM - MAD MEN

e. HUGH LAURIE - HOUSE

18. BEST TV SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. 30 ROCK (NBC)

b. THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)

c. THE BIG C (SHOWTIME)

d. GLEE (FOX)

e. MODERN FAMILY (ABC)

f. NURSE JACKIE (SHOWTIME)

19. BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. TONI COLLETTE - UNITED STATES OF TARA

b. EDIE FALCO - NURSE JACKIE

c. TINA FEY - 30 ROCK

d. LAURA LINNEY - THE BIG C

e. LEA MICHELE - GLEE

20. BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK

b. STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE

c. THOMAS JANE - HUNG

d. MATTHEW MORRISON - GLEE

e. JIM PARSONS - THE BIG BANG THEORY

21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV

a. CARLOS (SUNDANCE CHANNEL)

b. THE PACIFIC (HBO)

c. PILLARS OF THE EARTH (STARZ)

d. TEMPLE GRANDIN (HBO)

e. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK (HBO)

22. BEST ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TV

a. HAYLEY ATWELL - PILLARS OF THE EARTH

b. CLAIRE DANES - TEMPLE GRANDIN

c. JUDI DENCH - RETURN TO CRANFORD

d. ROMOLA GARAI - EMMA

e. JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT - THE CLIENT LIST

23. BEST ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TV

a. IDRIS ELBA - LUTHER

b. IAN MCSHANE - PILLARS OF THE EARTH

c. AL PACINO - YOU DON’T KNOW JACK

d. DENNIS QUAID - THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

e. EDGAR RAMIREZ - CARLOS

24. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TV

a. HOPE DAVIS - THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

b. JANE LYNCH - GLEE

c. KELLY MACDONALD - BOARDWALK EMPIRE

d. JULIA STILES - DEXTER

e. SOFIA VERGARA - MODERN FAMILY

25. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TV

a. SCOTT CAAN - HAWAII FIVE-O

b. CHRIS COLFER - GLEE

c. CHRIS NOTH - THE GOOD WIFE

d. ERIC STONESTREET - MODERN FAMILY

e. DAVID STRATHAIRN - TEMPLE GRANDIN