WEEKEND PIC - March 30 - April 1, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) MIRROR MIRROR (fantasy spoof with Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Michael Lerner, Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo and Ronald Lee Clark) Rated * * * (3 stars): Director Tarsem Singh gives the classic Snow White fairy tale a touch of modern day political and gender correctness. He also keeps its tongue firmly in cheek, having the charming Roberts to poke fun at her Evil Queen and making the Seven Dwarves a band of bandits. The best part is in the closing credits when Tarsem shows off his Bollywood roots. (Reviewed below)


b) WRATH OF THE TITANS (fantasy adventure in IMAX 3D with Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Rosamund Pike, Toby Kebbell, Bill Nighy and Danny Bell) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): The first Clash Of The Titans was critically-roasted. This sequel is slightly better with a more comprehensive narrative and action pieces. The main plot is family melodrama - with Perseus (Worthington) setting out to save Daddy Zeus (Neeson), accompanied by the lovely Andromeda (Pike) and Argenor (Kebbell). I caught this in IMAX where the action is enhanced in spectacular 3D and recommend it to action fans. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. FREAKONOMICS (documentary of the 2005 best-seller by by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner) Rating * * * (3 stars): After reading the runaway best-seller way back in 2006, I could not imagine anyone trying to make a film about its series of 'freak economics' that postulates, for example, whether a name given to a child can have an influence on him or her later in life. Well, its 'chapters' are unevenly done but many of the subjects are compelling, nevertheless. If you have not read the book, this is a good opportunity to catch up - at the GSC International Screens. (Reviewed below)

2. THE HUNGER GAMES (sci-fi adventure with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Lennie Kravitz and Willow Shields) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This first instalment of Suzanne Collins' trilogy about the adventures of Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence), directed by Gary Ross, is a faithful attempt that sets out the groundwork for the other two movies.
However, while remains faithful to the book, the movie lacks the vision and imagination of the Harry Potter and Lord Of The Ring franchises. Kudos to Lawrence's portrayal of the heroine, though. She is the winning factor. (Reviewed below)

3. JOHN CARTER (sci-fi adventure with Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Thomas Hayden Church and Willem Dafoe) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Made at a staggering US$250 million budget, this one is confirmed a 'disaster'. The Mars fantasy written 100 years ago by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) predates the Star Wars stories but coming to the screen later, it is reminiscent of George Lucas' creations of aliens and airships. The story is whimsical and the battle scenes can be confusing. (Reviewed below)

4. THE VOW (romantic comedy with Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange, Sam Neill, Jessica McNamee, Wendy Crewson, Tatiana Maslany and Scott Speedman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Basically, this is a chic flick about a guy having to woo his wife again when she suffers from amnesia after a car accident. There isn't much chemistry between Tatum and McAdams, while the filler relationship between Tatum and his assistant holds more promise. And yes, shoddy writing abounds - including one scene showing a physically impossible accident. (Reviewed below)

5. ONE FOR THE MONEY (romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Nate Mooney, John Leguizamo, Sherri Shepherd and Debbie Reynolds) Rated * * (2 stars): Two for the show... and it is all on Heigl who plays the plucky bounty hunter Stephanie Plum who not only goes after the bad and not-so-bad guys - but also manages to solve murder cases as well. A thick smog of incredulity hangs over the narrative and many of the cast are caricatures instead of realistic characters. (Reviewed below)

WRATH OF THE TITANS - Pass The Popcorn, Please

WRATH OF THE TITANS (fantasy adventure in IMAX 3D)
Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston, Rosamund Pike, Toby Kebbell, Bill Nighy and Danny Bell 
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Screenplay: Dan Mazeau and David Leslie Johnson
Time: 98 mins
Rating: *  *  1/2  (out of 4)

Perseus (Sam Worthington) and Andromeda (Rosamund Pike)

PREAMBLE: First the good news: Wrath Of The Titans is a better and more comprehensive movie than its 2010 predecessor, Clash Of The Titans.

The bad news: It is only a slight improvement, so don't go setting your hopes high. Many aspects of the sequel are still messy, notably its creaky script and some ridiculously lame dialogue.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Ten years after the events in Clash of the Titans, Perseus (Sam Worthington), the Kraken-slayer has retreated to a fishing village to raise his young son, Helius. Not for long, though. He is soon persuaded to descend into the underworld to rescue his father Zeus (Liam Neeson) from the clutches of Hades (Ralph Fiennes), Ares (Edgar Ramirez), and Kronos.

Meanwhile, humanity has lost faith in the gods. As a result, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon find their power beginning to slip, a development that could spell disaster for all of humankind should their imprisoned father, Kronos, manage to break free from his underworld prison in Tartarus. When Perseus learns that Zeus' son Ares has teamed with Hades and Kronos to capture Zeus, steal his power, and create hell on earth, he decides to take action.

Now, with Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Argenor (Toby Kebbell), and Hephaestus (Bill Nighy) by his side, Perseus must defeat the Titans, deliver Zeus from evil, and prevent the powers of darkness from consuming all of humanity. Yeah, you've heard all these before, haven't you?

Perseus on Pegasus

HITS & MISSES: On the plus side, we see Worthington more comfortable in his role as the hero although he doesn't need to flex his acting muscles. He gets to ride Pegasus and does a lot of yelling and seething. Neeson tries to convey his lines seriously and he succeeds most of the time; Fiennes hams his role as the treacherous Hades but redeems himself in a touching family melodrama at the end. Yup, this sequel is primarily about family - fathers versus sons; brother versus brother, and father protecting son.

Kebbell has a fun role as Poseidon's (Danny Bell) wayward son, Argenor, and he has some of the better lines. The deliciously comical Nighy is given the short shrift as Hephaestus, designer of the labyrinth of Tatarus, but the most note-worthy role belongs to Pike's Andromeda. She is always an eyeful, decked out in a form-fitting leather outfit and looking scared or terrorised most of the time.

Pike and Bill Nighy

The action (best seen in IMAX 3D) is better than the first movie and the set pieces are of Perseus fighting some fire-breathing double-headed monsters; outwiting a trio of Cyclops, manoeuvring the shifting walls of the labyrinths and battling the gigantic Kronos. These are visually catchy but they do not generate much suspense.

THE LOWDOWN: A see-and-forget popcorn outing.

MIRROR MIRROR - Cheeky And Fun

MIRROR MIRROR (fantasy spoof)
Cast: Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Michael Lerner, Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo, Danny Woodburn, Sebastian Saraceno, Martin Klebba and Ronald Lee Clark
Director: Tarsem Singh
Screenplay: Melissa Wallack and Jason Keller (original story by Brothers Grimm)
Time: 106 mins
Rating: *  *  *  (out of 4)

Julia Roberts as the Queen and Lily Collins as Snow White

PREAMBLE: Mirror Mirror is what happens when the classic Snow White And The Seven Dwarves is retold and updated in modern day terms of political and gender correctness. Oh yes, and with its tongue firmly in cheek. Directed by Tarsem Singh Dhandwar (who gave us The Immortals), the movie is also a spoof of the Grimm Fairy Tale with nods to The Next Karate Kid, The Devil Wears Prada and Dungeons and Dragons.

For me, however, the best part of Mirror Mirror is reflected in the closing credits when Tarsem seems to let loose his pent-up creativity in a rousing Bollywood number!

Snow White (Collins) and the Seven Dwarves

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Narrated in by the evil Stepmother Queen (Julia Roberts) herself, we find the Once-Upon-A-Time kingdom with its king (Sean Bean) "missing, presumed dead", and Snow White (Lily Collins) being locked up in the castle while the Queen has the run of the kingdom. When Snow White runs off and meets a band of outlaws in the woods, a chain of events is set in motion resulting in her meeting the Prince Alcott of Valencia (Armie Hammer). He, in turn is brought before the Queen, who schemes to marry him for his money, having bankrupted her own realm. To make sure Snow White doesn't represent a threat to her vanity - as her magic mirror warns - she orders her top henchman (Nathan Lane) to have Snow White killed.

HITS & MISSES: The first thing that Tarsem does to loosen up his audience is to have Roberts do a self-deprecating intro to the story. Indeed, Roberts can be devilishly charming as the evil Queen - and we warm up to her readily. This is essential, considering that most of the public are used to TV spoofs of classic fairy tales, like Grimm and Once Upon A Time.

Collins is pretty, feisty and spunky - setting a new fashion trend in dark, bushy eyebrows. Like Roberts, we warm up to her readily too, just as we do to Prince Alcott, who appears shirtless in a number of scenes. The seven dwarves seem to have come from the set of Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland - and, as expected, they provide the customary comic relief with their individual peculiarities. Forget Sleepy and Grumpy, their names have been revised to more realistic ones like, Napoleon, Grimm, Half-Pint, Chuckles, Butcher, Wolf and Grub - and Tarsem even tells us what happens to them in the 'ever-after' at the closing credits.

If anything, Tarsem is a master at 'visual assaults' and here he has a fine time with the costumes of the cast at the Queen's many balls and parties and at the wedding. The story is uneven and campy; the plot is flawed at times but there is a sense of irreverent fun throughout the movie - as expressed by the irrepressible Nathan Lane as Brighton. Now, let's wait and see what Snow White And The Huntsman has to offer next.
 
THE LOWDOWN: It's Snow White with an Attitude and its own take on vanity and courage.

Weekend B-O Odds in Hunger Games' Favour

MARCH 26, 2012 - The odds were definitely in The Hunger Games favour this weekend: the big screen adaptation of the immensely popular young adult novel opened to an enormous estimated US$155 million, which ranks third all-time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (US$169.2 million) and The Dark Knight (US$158.4 million).

Remarkably, it opened above all of the Twilight movies, and it also topped Alice in Wonderland (US$116.1 million) for highest debut ever for a non-sequel. While a majority of the audience for The Hunger Games were women (61 percent), the fact that it did have some appeal to men as well surely helped it get as high as it did. In comparison, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1's crowd was 80 percent female. The Hunger Games audience also skewed slightly older (56 percent were 25 years of age and up).

On 268 IMAX screens, The Hunger Games grossed an estimated US$10.6 million this weekend. That's roughly US$40,000 per screen, which is a very impressive figure for a 2D movie that doesn't include any footage shot in IMAX.

This may have been the weekend where John Carter officially transitioned from domestic disappointment to disaster. The movie plummeted 63 percent to just over US$5 million, bringing its 17-day total to just US$62.3 million (or less than The Hunger Games made on opening day). It is playing better overseas, but it's still not at the levels needed to really ease the pain over at the Mouse House.

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for March 23-25, 2012 weekend, in terms of rank, (previous week ranking), Movie name (studio), Weekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo. (US$1=RM3)

1. (-) The Hunger Games (LGF) $155.0 million ($155.0 million) 1

2. (1) 21 Jump Street (Sony) $21.3 million ($71.0 million) 2

3. (2) Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (Universal) $13.1 million ($177.3 million) 4

4. (3) John Carter (BV) $5.0 million ($62.3 million) 3

5. (5) Act of Valor (Rela.) $2.0 million ($65.9 million) 5

'Hunger Games' Sets Opening Day Record of Sorts

MARCH 25, 2012 - Boxoffice Mojo has reported that The Hunger Games had one of the best opening days ever at an estimated US$68.25 million. That ranks fifth on the all-time list behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (US$91.1 million), New Moon (US$72.7 million), Breaking Dawn Part 1 (US$71.6 million) and Eclipse (US$68.5 million). It wound up slightly ahead of The Dark Knight (US$71.6 million), and also topped Alice in Wonderland (US$40.8 million) to set a new record for a non-sequel.

That is by far the best opening day ever for a non-sequel. The Hunger Games looks even more impressive when subtracting its US$19.74 million midnight gross—throughout normal business hours, the movie earned US$48.5 million, which is actually more than Deathly Hallows Part 2 made in that time (US$47.57 million).

In fact, The Hunger Games only ranks behind Spider-Man 3 (US$49.8 million) and The Dark Knight (US$48.7 million) in non-midnight opening day grosses. Made at US$78 million, it should cover its costs within its opening week - in sharp contrast against John Carter which costs US$250 million to make and another US$200 to promote.

'Hunger Games' Breaks Midnight Opening Record

MARCH 24, 2012 - Movie website IMDb has announced that The Hunger Games is the Number One non-sequel midnight opening in history. The film now ranks as the Seventh highest-grossing midnight opening of all time, earning US$19.7 million.

The Hunger Games is currently the #1 title on IMDb’s MOVIEmeter chart and is the most viewed title of the year thus far on IMDb. Since January 1, 2012 The Hunger Games has generated more page views than any other title on IMDb.

* During the 30 day period leading up to its release, page views were double those that The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 garnered in the same pre-opening window and 78% higher than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

* Fan interest also extends to the top billed cast. Jennifer Lawrence (#1), Josh Hutcherson (#2), and Liam Hemsworth (#5) all currently rank among the top 5 most popular actors on IMDb, as determined by page views. Apparently IMDb fans are “Team Peeta” as evidenced by Hutcherson outranking Hemsworth on the IMDb STARmeter chart.

* IMDb has launched a comprehensive and interactive The Hunger Games special section at http://www.imdb.com/hungergames/ and featuring cast interviews, photo galleries, trailers, local movie showtimes and tickets, cast and crew information, cast rankings and more.

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

The Top 10 Midnight Openings of All Time (in USD) *

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - $43.5 million

2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 - $30.3 million

3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $30.1 million

4. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - $26.3 million

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - $24 million

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - $22.2 million

7. The Hunger Games - $19.7 million

8. The Dark Knight - $18.5 million

9. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - $16.5 million

10. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - $16 million

* Source: IMDb, the #1 movie website in the world

FREAKONOMICS - Thinking Out of the Box

FREAKONOMICS (documentary)
Cast: Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
Directors: Seth Gordon, Morgan Spurlock, Alex Gibney, Eugene Jarecki, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Screenplay: Seth Gordon, Jeremy Chilnick & Morgan Spurlock, Peter Bull & Alex Gibney, Eugene Jarecki, Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, based on the book by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
Time: 95 mins
Rating: *  *  *  (out of 4)

PREAMBLE: If you have not read the best-selling book by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (pic above), catching this documentary will probably open a new door into a novel way of thinking about things that may affect your life.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? When the book Freakonomics hit the shelves in 2005, it started an 'out-of-the-box' thinking on economics and the book became an instant success, selling four million copies. The issues explored by University of Chicago economist Levitt and journalist Dubner are basically on human behaviour, like why crime dropped in New York; cheating in the venerated sport of sumo wrestling in Japan; whether a child's name influences his or her life; and how to bribe children to achieve better grades at school.

HITS & MISSES: Each of the chapters are introduced by authors Levitt and Dubner who try their utmost to keep the speeches light-hearted with childish animations and occasional insults on each other. Indeed, the cameras are kind on them. As expected, most of the subjects explored involve Americans but what is interesting is the way the authors reveal certain 'secrets'. Some parts of the movie are more intriguing than others, but there are enough surprising revelations that may teach even the most jaded viewer a thing or two. 

I am particularly intrigued by the revelations into sumo wrestling, which have commentaries by Japanese experts, clips on the sumo greats, and views on how the Japanese media handle the scandal. The segment on names can sound a bit wishy-washy but the chapter on why the crime rate in New York dropped is a real eye-opener. Well, can you believe that at one time people believed that eating ice-cream can cause polio?

THE LOWDOWN: A great supplement for economics students and yuppies.

Disney Admits US$200-mil Loss over 'John Carter'

MARCH 22, 2012 - Disney has announced that it expects John Carter, its latest big-budget spectacle, to lose US$200 million (RM600 million), putting it among the biggest money-losing films of all time, AP reports. While that kind of a flop could ruin a lesser company, entertainment giant Disney will live to fight another day.

"If it were Lion's Gate it'd put them out of business. But it's Disney- it's hard to get much bigger or more successful than Disney," says Lawrence Turman, a former movie producer and chairman of the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California. "They've been around forever, they'll be around forever." 

Just looking at ticket sales, the John Carter failure looks as epic as the film's storyline, about a Civil War veteran who finds himself transported to Mars. The film has taken in around US$184 million in ticket sales thus far, compared to the US$250 million production budget, plus US$100 million for marketing.

Within the broader context of the Disney empire, the loss looks like much less of a blow. US$200 million equals around 14 percent of Disney's first-quarter, fiscal year 2012 net income, and around 4 percent of its fiscal year 2011 net income. That's certainly not insignificant, but it's not a bank-breaker for the international entertainment conglomerate. One reason is that Disney has a business model that is much bigger than movies and includes theme parks, television, and music. In that way, Disney exemplifies a key tenet of business: diversifying can be a safe and smart strategy.

But the John Carter flop illustrates one point that makes the film industry different from many other industries, says Turman.

"Oddly enough, making movies is one of the few businesses where you manufacture an expensive product that you're not sure everybody really wants to see," he says.

There can be no doubt John Carter will go down in history as a box-office bomb, and with its entrance into Hollywood's Hall of Shame, it is interesting to note that six of the top 15 movie misfires have been made since 2005, when Hollywood has been in high gear with pricey, special effects budgets.

In 2011 alone, there were two big losers. Disney released Mars Needs Moms, for which it took a write-down of at least US$70 million, on a film that had a worldwide box office of only US$38.9 million. Warner Bros released its take on DC Comics' Green Lantern, starring Ryan Reynolds as the keeper of the green ring. That film lost US$108.6 million, according to the Wikipedia list.

"The studios are just spending too much money and there's just not the box office there to support it," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com.

"John Carter's bloated budget would have required it to generate worldwide tickets sales of more than US$600 million to break even, Dergarabedian said, a height reached by only 63 films in the history of movie-making.

WEEKEND PIC - March 23 - 25, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) FREAKONOMICS (documentary of the 2005 best-seller by by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner) Rating * * * (3 stars): After reading the runaway best-seller way back in 2006, I could not imagine anyone trying to make a film about its series of 'freak economics' that postulates, for example, whether a name given to a child can have an influence on him or her later in life. Well, its 'chapters' are unevenly done but many of the subjects are compelling, nevertheless. If you have not read the book, this is a good opportunity to catch up - at the GSC International Screens. (Review pending)

b) THE HUNGER GAMES (sci-fi adventure with Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Lennie Kravitz and Willow Shields) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This first instalment of Suzanne Collins' trilogy about the adventures of Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence), directed by Gary Ross, is a faithful attempt that sets out the groundwork for the other two movies. However, while remains faithful to the book, the movie lacks the vision and imagination of the Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings franchises. Kudos to Lawrence's portrayal of the heroine, though. She is the winning factor. (Reviewed below)

c) THE VOW (romantic comedy with Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange, Sam Neill, Jessica McNamee, Wendy Crewson, Tatiana Maslany and Scott Speedman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Basically, this is a chic flick about a guy having to woo his wife again when she suffers from amnesia after a car accident. There isn't much chemistry between Tatum and McAdams, while the filler relationship between Tatum and his assistant holds more promise. And yes, shoddy writing abounds - including one scene showing a physically impossible accident. (Reviewed below)

d) ONE FOR THE MONEY (romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Nate Mooney, John Leguizamo, Sherri Shepherd and Debbie Reynolds) Rated * * (2 stars): Two for the show... and it is all on Heigl who plays the plucky bounty hunter Stephanie Plum who not only goes after the bad and not-so-bad guys - but also manages to solve murder cases as well. A thick smog of incredulity hangs over the narrative and many of the cast are caricatures instead of realistic characters. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. A SIMPLE LIFE (HK drama in Cantonese with Andy Lau, Deanie Ip, Qin Hailu, Wang Fuli, Paul Chiang, Leung Tin, Wendy Yu, Eman Lam, Elena Kong, Jason Chan, Hui So-ying, Anthony Wong, Chapman To, Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark) Rated * * * (3 stars): I have come across many of those dedicated maid-servants from China and seen how they become a part of the family of their charges. However, this Ann Hui movie is not only a touching 'dramedy' of the caring relationship between Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) and her young master, Roger (Andy Lau), but also a tongue-in-cheek look at the Hong Kong movie industry, with cameos by top names like Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark. Oh yes, we get another outstanding performance from veteran Ip, the real-life mentor of Andy Lau. 

2. JOHN CARTER (sci-fi adventure with Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Thomas Hayden Church and Willem Dafoe) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Made at a staggering US$250 million budget, there seems to be more drama with its box-office performance than its action on the screen. This Mars fantasy written 100 years ago by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) predates the Star Wars stories but coming to the screen later, it is reminiscent of George Lucas' creations of aliens and airships. The story is whimsical and the battle scenes can be confusing. (Reviewed below)

3. Dr SEUSS' THE LORAX (animated fantasy with Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White and Rob Riggle) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): I liken this one to a candy floss. It is light, fluffy and nice to look at but ultimately underwhelming. The Lorax may hold the interest and awe of the younger children for the first 30 minutes or so - before restlessness sets it. For adults, it is an unabashed propaganda for Dr Seuss' tree-hugging ideals and against the evils of excesses and capitalism. Dr Seuss' story is padded with subplots and songs but these do not always work... except for the cheerful number, Let It Grow. (Reviewed below)

HUNGER GAMES - The Odds Are 23 to 1

THE HUNGER GAMES (sci-fi adventure)
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Lennie Kravitz and Willow Shields
Director: Gary Ross
Screenplay: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray based on the novel by Collins
Time: 141 mins
Rating: *  *  1/2  (out of 4)

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

PREAMBLE: There're no pale vampires or hunky werewolves in this new movie franchise for 'young adults'. There're no dragons and wizards either but there're lots of kill-or-be-killed melodrama in this best-seller trilogy created by Suzanne Collins called The Hunger Games (to be followed by 'Catching Fire' and 'Mockingjay'). Of course, there is also a hint of romance and triangle love complications but since this is the first of the trilogy, romantic relationships are not properly developed.

Let me say that a little patience is required of viewers who have not read the book.

Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Lawrence

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The film opens in a post-apocalyptic nation called Panem where foppish tyrants rule 12 poorer districts from an opulent Capital City. Every year, the rulers hold the Hunger Games where a boy and girl are randomly selected as 'tributes' from each district to fight one another to the death - until a hero or heroine remains as champion.

In District 12, however, when a petite and delicate Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) is picked, her older sister Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her place. She is joined in the competition by Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a baker's son who has a secret crush on Katniss. For her district, Katniss holds more hope for victory than even Peeta because she often hunts with bow and arrow to supplement her family and is more adept at surviving the Games held in the wilds outside the Capital - and with hidden cameras all over. 

 

HITS & MISSES: As expected, lead star Lawrence has us eating out of her hand in almost every scene that she appears in. After watching her  captivating performance in Winter's Bone, we should be familiar with her Katniss prancing about among the trees and woods. However, part of the Hunger Games also requires the contestants to appear fashionably dressed for TV interviews conducted by host Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). In these interviews, Lawrence look ravishing as 'Girl on Fire' and in a stunning red dress. Yes, the film-makers know how to rev up the eye-candy.

Other notables in the cast are Woody Harrelson who provides the requisite humour as Katniss' mentor Haymitch; an unrecognisable Elizabeth Banks as the giddy-headed PR girl Effie; and the dashing Liam Hemsworth as Katniss' other love interest Gale Hawthorne. Lots of females in the audience would clamour to see more of Gale but he has limited scenes in this first instalment. Hutcherson (below) is relegated to second-fiddle both in his character and in his stature at the Games.



I have not read the book but I have been told that director Gary Ross is staunchly faithful to the book. Moreover, author Collins is also one of the screen-writers. This may explain the conspicuous lack of vision and imagination that aided the success of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series. Indeed, I had expected more from Hunger Games besides just a predictable gladiatorial adventure with a reluctant love story.

And like the "May the Force Be With You" slogan in Star Wars, here, it is "May the odds be ever in your favour" - although the odds are 23-to-one that each will end up dead.

THE LOWDOWN: A rather manipulative film, the odds are definitely not in your favour.

ONE FOR THE MONEY - Heigl For The Show

ONE FOR THE MONEY (romantic comedy)
Cast: Katherine Heigl, Jason O'Mara, Daniel Sunjata, Nate Mooney, John Leguizamo, Sherri Shepherd and Debbie Reynolds
Director: Julie Ann Robinson
Screenplay: Stacy Sherman, Karen Ray and Liz Brixius based on the novel by Janet Evanovich
Time: 91 mins
Rating: *  *  (out of 4)

I WANT YOUR PIECE: Katherine Heigl and Daniel Sunjata

PREAMBLE: Catherine Heigl is one of Hollywood's hottest young actresses tasked with 'selling' a movie these days. She has the ravishing looks of Marilyn Monroe, the quirky contradictions of Meg Ryan and the cool charms of Julia Roberts. Pity, though, she does not have the luck or the knack of these rom-com veterans in picking good movies.

One For The Money is based on the best-selling novel by Janet Evanovich - about a bounty hunter named Stephanie Plum (played by Heigl). And since there are now 18 volumes in this series about Plum, we suspect that this may be the start of a new franchise with Heigl playing bounty hunter. Gawd forbid!

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Thirty-year-old Stephanie is recently divorced, broke and desperate for a job after experiencing a series of misfortunes. Working as a 'recovery agent' at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond business, Stephanie goes for the top of the list - a US$50,000 pay check on vice cop Joe Morelli (Jason O'Mara) who is accused of killing a drug dealer.

Well, whaddaya know? Steph, a former Macy's salesgirl, not only goes after her man, an experienced cop, but also tries to solve the murder case that seems to have rattled the district police.  

HITS & MISSES: Heigl may be engaging playing her usual Miss Plucky, but her Stephanie is not the character we can root for. She is an impulsive woman who runs over her ex-lover with her car (just because he does not call her back after sex) and squanders the audience’s patience with her selfish and fumbling ways. And if Stephanie's behaviour seems unreal, the main men in her life are almost cartoons.

Besides Morelli, who seems obliged to come to her rescue every now and then, there is that hunky Hispanic cop Ranger (Daniel Sunjata) who appears to have nothing better to do than to be at Stephanie's beck and call. Granted that these are just director Julie Ann Robinson's attempt at providing eye-candy for the females in the audience, she could have given them better motivations.

The same applies to a helpful prostitute played by Sherri Shepherd, a bullish and bullying kick-boxer (Gavin-Keith Umeh) and Debbie Reynolds’ glib-talking role (above) as Stephanie’s grandmother. These are stereotyped caricatures that stick out of the comedy more than they complement it.

THE LOWDOWN: One for the Money, Two for the Show and Another Limp Outing for Heigl.

THE VOW - Lacks The Wow Factor

THE VOW (romantic comedy)
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange, Sam Neill, Jessica McNamee, Wendy Crewson, Tatiana Maslany and Scott Speedman
Director: Michael Sucsy
Screenplay: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein and Michael Sucsy
Time: 105 mins
Rating: *  *  1/2  (out of 4)

Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams in THE VOW

PREAMBLE: If someone were to ask me what appeal The Vow has for the romantically-inclined women out there, I would say that it offers them the pleasure of watching a man court his wife twice - before and after marriage. Most women don't get to see a man woo his wife after they are hitched.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are a happily married couple living in the artsy side of Chicago. He owns a recording studio while she is a sculptor. One night, after attending a play, a car accident sends Paige through the wind shield and into the hospital in a coma. When she awakes, her memory is reset to the time when she was in law school and engaged to a guy named Jeremy (Scott Speedman).

She has no recollection of Leo or her experiences with him. This mishap opens the door for her estranged Mom (Jessica Lange) and Dad (Sam Neill) who are on hand to provide care and comfort - but no help with her memory of Leo . Rather than seeing Paige's amnesia as a chance to start a new life, Leo decides to woo her and win her heart again!

HITS & MISSES: The biggest problem with any rom-com is that the leads lack chemistry. In this 'based-on-true-events' caper directed by Michael Sucsy, Tatum and McAdams are more like eye-candies to lure people to the movie. We see banter and sensual vibes between Tatum and McAdams but no romantic chemistry throughout the numerous scenes of them together. Ironically, there is more chemistry between Tatum and Tatiana Maslany (the girl who plays Lily, his assistant at the recording studio) in their few scenes together, making us wish that Leo would forget about Paige and turn his attention to this woman who keeps his business going while he woos his wife. 

Through no fault of her own, McAdams appears somewhat self-centred: her Paige is shown to be always in need of wooing - and Paige lacks warmth and the ability to reciprocate love. The audience, especially the men, may sympathise with Leo but Paige will always be just a pretty face - and a heavenly bod in bra and panties by the Lakes.

The love-triangle (Leo-Paige-Jeremy) subplot turns out rather lame, and an attempt to demonise Sam Neill's character falls flat. Still, I am glad that Sucsy has resisted the temptation to go for soppy writing and wring the tear drops out of women in the audience.

Also, there is a very sloppy piece of writing that goes against the law of nature. When a truck hits you from the rear, nobody is going to fly out of the wind-shield! You'll get a nasty whiplash, any secondary science student can tell you that!

THE LOWDOWN: Predictable and rather corny.

'21 Jump Street' Tops US Weekend B-O

MARCH 19, 2012 - With its broadly-appealing premise, popular lead actors and well-executed marketing campaign, 21 Jump Street cruised in to first place at the box office this weekend ahead of two-time winner The Lorax.

Meanwhile, John Carter crashed in its second outing, and Casa De Mi Padre cracked the Top 10 despite opening in less than 400 locations. With only one major new release, though, this appears to be the first weekend of 2012 that will see a year-over-year decline.  

Coming off its disappointing US$30.2 million opening last weekend, there was still a chance that John Carter would hold up in the long-run and close above US$100 million. That hope was all but extinguished this weekend, as the movie plummeted 55 percent to an estimated US$13.5 million. On overseas markets, John Carter has done a bit better at a total of US$126.1 million for a grand total gross of US$179.1 million. For a movie made on a US$250 million budget, it looks like it has a long way to claw itself out of the red.

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for March 16-18, 2012 weekend, in terms of rank, (previous week ranking), Movie name (studio), Weekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo. (US$1=RM3)

1. (-) 21 Jump Street (Sony) $35.0 million ($35.0 million) 1

2. (1) Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (Uni.) $22.8 million ($158.4 million) 3

3. (2) John Carter (BV) $13.5 million ($53.1 million) 2

4. (3) Project X  (WB) $4.0 million ($48.1 million) 3

5. (6) A Thousand Words (P/DW) $3.7 million ($12.1 million) 2

Marvel Movie Marathons Planned in US

MARCH 18, 2012 - The AMC Theatres chain is planning to hold Marvel Movie Marathons leading up to the release of The Avengers in the US on May 4.

Ten AMC Theatres in seven states in America will show all five previous Marvel Studios releases on May 3 and then, at midnight, roll right into The Avengers. The marathon will begin at 11:30 am. with Iron Man and continue with The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. Tickets are priced at US$40 each!

This is good marketing considering the huge interest generated by The Avengers which consists of narrative threads from four different superhero franchises (Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and Captain America) all coming together to form a unified tapestry in a fifth all-star franchise.

With The Avengers, director Joss Whedon brings together the stars of three franchises — Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America and Chris Hemsworth as Thor — and the title character of the Hulk, whose human alter ego, Bruce Banner, will be portrayed this time around by Mark Ruffalo. The Avengers is scheduled to open in Malaysia on April 27.

For those interested, the participating cinemas are:

1. Burbank 16, Burbank, Calif.;
2. Downtown Disney 12 ,  Anaheim, Calif.; 
3. Metreon 16, San Francisco, Calif.
4. Empire 25, New York, N.Y.; 
5. Garden State 16 , Paramus, N.J.;
6. Boston Common 19,  Boston, Mass.
7. Aventura 24, Aventura, Fla.; 
8. Downtown Disney 24, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
9. Alderwood 16, Lynnwood, Wash.; 
10. Tysons Corner 16, McLean, Va.

Avengers, Batman and Spider-Man In B-O War

MARCH 16, 2012 - Every year, avid movie fans will invariably look forward to the summer blockbusters that boast the latest in state-of-the-art thrills and spills to heat up the box-office. This year, the publicity blitzes are heating up for a clash of three films about comic book superheroes.

Unless you have just returned from Mars with John Carter, you would have realised that Marvel's The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man (also from Marvel) and Batman saga The Dark Knight Rises (from DC) will be slugging it out for the summer box-office dollar - after a lukewarm performance last year.

2011's comic book heroes fell short of expectations at the box-office: The Green Hornet made only US$99 million (RM297mil) so far, Thor (US$181 million), Green Lantern (a dismal US$117 million) and Captain America: The First Avenger (US$177 million).

This year, things are looking better with the studios starting their promotions early.

Last December, Warner Bros. launched the IMAX footage of The Dark Knight Rises to drum up support for its trailer attached to Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol.

Last month, Sony fought back with extended footage of The Amazing Spider-Man in a campaign that included beaming the Spider logo onto London's Parliament and Sydney's Opera House.

Recently, The Avengers trumpeted its trailer with a viral campaign that, according to Marvel, set an online trailer viewership record of 13.7 million, besting The Dark Knight's 12.5 million views in 2008.

The Avengers opens in Malaysia on April 26, The Amazing Spider-Man starts webbing on July 5, and The Dark Knight Rises on July 19.

Punters and industry analysts are wagering on which of the three will emerge the victor. Personally, I am putting my money on The Avengers. At least they are a fresh batch of superheroes compared to the Spider-Man reboot and the conclusion of the Batman Saga.

WEEKEND PIC - March 16-18, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) A SIMPLE LIFE (HK drama in Cantonese with Andy Lau, Deanie Ip, Qin Hailu, Wang Fuli, Paul Chiang, Leung Tin, Wendy Yu, Eman Lam, Elena Kong, Jason Chan, Hui So-ying, Anthony Wong, Chapman To, Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark) Rated * * * (3 stars): I have come across many of those dedicated maid-servants from China and seen how they become a part of the family of their charges. However, this Ann Hui movie is not only a touching 'dramedy' of the caring relationship between Ah Tao (Deanie Ip) and her young master, Roger (Andy Lau), but also a tongue-in-cheek look at the Hong Kong movie industry, with cameos by top names like Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark. Oh yes, we get another outstanding performance from veteran Ip, the real-life mentor of Andy Lau.

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. THE WOMAN IN BLACK (horror thriller with Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, David Burke, Shaun Dooley, Alisa Khazanova, Sidney Johnston, Mary Stockley, Alexia Osborne and Aoife Doherty) Rating * * * (3 stars): Set in Victorian England, this haunted house caper reminds me of the horror movies that scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid. It still does. There is a palpable and pervasive sense of dread and creepiness throughout the show but the more interesting aspect is Radcliffe's post-Harry Potter presence: He proves that he can meet the challenge of playing a difficult role despite his age.

2. JOHN CARTER (sci-fi adventure with Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Thomas Hayden Church and Willem Dafoe) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Made by Disney at a staggering US$250 million budget, there seems to be more drama with its box-office performance than its action on the screen. This Mars fantasy written 100 years ago by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame) predates the Star Wars stories but coming to the screen later, it is reminiscent of George Lucas' creations of aliens and airships. The story is whimsical and the battle scenes can be confusing. (Reviewed below)

3. Dr SEUSS' THE LORAX (animated fantasy with Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White and Rob Riggle) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): I liken this one to a candy floss. It is light, fluffy and nice to look at but ultimately underwhelming. The Lorax may hold the interest and awe of the younger children for the first 30 minutes or so - before restlessness sets it. For adults, it is an unabashed propaganda for Dr Seuss' tree-hugging ideals and against the evils of excesses and capitalism. Dr Seuss' story is padded with subplots and songs but these do not always work... except for the cheerful number, Let It Grow. (Reviewed below)

4. THIS MEANS WAR (rom-com with Tom Hardy, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Laura Vandervoort, Til Schweiger, Chelsea Handler, Angela Bassett and David Koechner) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): With its triangle love story about two CIA agents (Pine and Hardy) fighting for the same girl (Witherspoon), the movie promises a mix of explosive mayhem, comedy and romance. However, there is precious little of these to go around and even less chemistry between the leads. Directed by McG of Charlie's Angels fame, it looks like a music video version of Mr and Mrs Smith.

5. THE DEVIL INSIDE (Horror thriller with Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, Ionut Grama and Suzan Crowley) Rating * 1/2 (2 stars): Surprisingly, this Exorcist rehash was the top-grossing movie when it opened in America during the January 6-8 weekend, grossing US$34.5 million. The Devil Inside is another low-budget, lightweight shaky-cam effort that smacks of amateur acting, scripting and directing. The shaking images makes us want to puke. 

Seven New Posters for The Avengers Fans

MARCH 14, 2012 - Marvel Comics fans are all excited about the release of seven brand-new posters for Marvel's The Avengers.

In keeping with the teamwork theme, the posters feature an Avenger superhero being complemented by another Avenger in the background.

Marvel’s The Avengers is the super hero team-up of a lifetime, featuring Marvel icons like Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.



Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Jackson, directed by Joss Whedon, from a story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon with screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series The Avengers, first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. It will be released this summer.