WEEKEND PIC - June 8-10, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK


a) PROMETHEUS (sci-fi thriller with Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce and Logan Marshall-Green) Rated * * * (3 stars): This is supposed to be the sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 Alien but it has been rewritten to stand on its own as a sci-fi thriller. Prometheus is a technically brilliant visual feast, enhanced by 3D. However, its narrativie seems to have bitten off more than it can chew, raising our expectations and not fulfilling them. On the whole, however, it is a compelling film especially for sci-fi fans. (Reviewed below)

b) MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED (animated comedy with voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Andy Richter, Tom McGrath, Frances McDormand, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston, Martin Short and Paz Vega) Rated * * * (3 stars): Accompanied by 3D and a bigger voice cast, this third instalment of the successful Madagascar franchise offers more of everything. It also dispenses with ties to reality and logic, culminating in a circus-gone-berserk climax. Should delight the kids during the school holidays. (Reviewed below)

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. MEN IN BLACK 3 (sci-fi comedy with Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma Thompson, Alice Eve and Nicole Scherzinger) Rated * * * (3 stars): Returning after going MiA for 10 years, this third MiB instalment does not offer anything new in terms of plot. In fact it takes us Back To The Future - with Agent J (Smith) travelling back to the Sixties to rescue Agent K (Jones and Brolin as his younger version) and saving the world from a mad alien called Boris The Animal (Clement). Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld at US$215-million, this halted production is still fun and funny at times. (Reviewed below)

2. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (fantasy adventure with Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Sam Spruell, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * * (3 stars): With the classic Grimm tale set more in Mordor and Game Of Thrones territories rather than Disneyland, this version seems to be aimed at the young adults instead of family. The sets, landscapes and costumes are spectacular; the subplots are a bit derivative (of LOTR and Princess Mononoke) and there is a little love triangle to interest the females in the audience. However, Stewart's acting (or rather non-acting) is distracting as well as annoying. On the whole, this alternate version is still watchable. (Reviewed below)

3. PIRANHA 3DD (horror movie spoof with Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, Chris Zylka, David Koechner, David Hasselhoff, Katrina Bowden, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Meagan Tandy, Paul James Jordan, Christopher Lloyd, Ving Rhames, Paul Scheer and Gary Busey) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): If you think that the Piranha movie franchise is about those pesky little flesh-eating fish, you probably have not seen any of the films. The franchise is an unabashed frat-boy's lure with boobs, bikinis and bloody mayhem as bait. This one, arguably the third in the series, offers more of the same in 3D. Well, throw in Ving Rhames and The Hoff and we get some inside-Hollywood jokes that not all that funny.