WEEKEND PIC - July 13 - 15, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) ICE AGE 4: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (animated comedy with Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Peter Dinklage and Seann William Scott) Rating * * * (3 stars): Basically, you know what you are going to get from this franchise and you won't be disappointed with its pumped-up action and additional characters. Among the newbies is Dinklage's flamboyant baboon who is such a scene-stealer that he looks set to come back for the next outing. And yes, Scrat is fun too.

b) NAKED SOLDIER (action thriller with Sammo Hung, Andy On, Jennifer Tse and Philip Ng) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): It started in 1992 with Naked Killer, followed 10 years later by Naked Weapon (starring Maggie Q). This is the third in a series started by producer Wong Jing - and it has his trademark flaws written all over it. Despite its tittilating title, there is nothing nude or erotic about this shameless outing with recycled plots and situations. This time around, Jennifer Tse (sister of Nicholas) is the titular character who is not in the same class as Maggie Q.

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (reboot of fantasy comic book franchise, with Andy Garfield, Emma stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field and Campbell Scott) Rating * * * (3 stars): Do we really need another retelling of the Spider-Man origin? One thing I am happy to note is that this new version of the web-slinger tale thrives on its own strengths without undermining or being held back by Sam Raimi’s vision. Director Marc Webb emphasises more on the human drama and the psychological side of Peter Parker's childhood and his love story with Gwen Stacy. And with top-notch acting by Garfield, this one looks fit enough for a summer blockbuster.

2. 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 narrative 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)

3. BRAVE (animated adventure with Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson) Rated * * * (3 stars): This Pixar's 13th animated feature is basically a mother-daughter tale set in the Scottish Highlands and spiced with mirth, myth and magic. It is suitably action-packed and centred around a young red-haired heroine that most of today's young girls can relate to. However, its magical elements tend to run away with the story and leave the older viewers dissatisfied. (Reviewed below)

4. 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 verything in its bag of madcap gags. It also dispenses with ties to reality and logic, culminating in a circus-gone-berserk climax. Should delight the kids during the weekend. (Reviewed below)

5. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER (fantasy thriller and biopic with Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Marton Csokas, Jimmi Simpson, Rufus Sewell, Erin Wasson and Dominic Cooper) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Adapted from the book by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote the screenplay), the film chronicles the famous US Prez as a closet vampire-killer. It is obviously a mix of biopic and horror flick but it fails at both, and ends up being an expensive action film. Two of its action set pieces, involving stampeding horses and a runaway train, stand out but I prefer its subplot on Abe's love story. (Reviewed below)

Actor Ernest Borgnine Dies At 95

 

JULY 9, 2012 - Actor Ernest Borgnine, who played bad guys in films like From Here to Eternity but won an Oscar for playing a sensitive loner in Marty, died yesterday at age 95, his publicist said.

The real-life U.S. Navy veteran who became a household name during the 1960s by starring as the maverick commander of a World War Two patrol boat in the popular TV comedy McHale's Navy, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, spokesman Harry Flynn said.

Borgnine, who continued to work until very recently, had been the oldest living recipient of an Academy Award for Best Actor, Flynn said.

A statement from the actor's family said he "had been in excellent health until a recent illness." Flynn said Borgnine recovered from unspecified surgery he underwent a month ago but his condition deteriorated rapidly after he visited the hospital on Tuesday for a medical checkup.

His last screen credit was the lead role of an aging nursing home patient in a film set for release later this year, The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez. The performance earned Borgnine a Best Actor award at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where it debuted in April, Flynn said.

My fondest memories of him are from the TV series Airwolf where he co-starred with Jan-Michael Vincent  .

Spider-Man Tops But Falls Short of Expectations

JULY 9, 2012 - The Amazing Spider-Man got off to a very good start over the past six days, although it didn't perform at the same level as the previous series entries.

Meanwhile, Ted continued to play well, Savages got off to a decent start, and Katy Perry: Part of Me disappointed. The Top 12 earned an estimated US$187.1 million this weekend, which is up 28 percent from the same frame last year.

The Spider-Man reboot earned an estimated US$65 million for the three-day weekend. Adding in its previous three days of grosses, the new version of the webslinger's story had a US$140 million six-day opening. Over the identical six-day period in 2007, Transformers earned US$155.4 million. 

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for July 6-8, 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=RM3.11)

1. (-) The Amazing Spider-Man (Sony) $65.0 million ($140.0 million) 1

2. (1) Ted (Uni.) $32.5 million ($120.2 million) 2

3. (3) Brave (BV) $20.1 million ($174.5 million) 3

4. (-) Savages (Uni.) $16.1 million ($16.1 million) 1

5. (2) Magic Mike (WB) $15.6 million ($72.7 million) 2

The Worst Is Over, Recuperating Now

Hi friends and visitors,

I am very happy to report that the surgery I had was a success, thanks to God and a very able and experienced surgeon. It was a grueling nine-hour op but the worst is over and I am now recuperating.

I wish to thank all well-wishers and visitors who have supported me on this blog, and mostly, my wife, family and friends who have stood by me all through the ordeal.  I shall resume blogging soon, hopefully.

Lim Chang Moh

Taking An Unavoidable Break

Dear Friends and Visitors,

I shall be taking an unavoidable break from blogging over the next week or so as I have to be warded for a surgery. I hope to get back to updating the blog when I am able to.

I would appreciate if you would check in on my blog once in a while and show support. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Yours At the Movies,
Lim Chang Moh

New Breaking Dawn Pt 2 Trailer Released!

JUNE 21, 2012 - After the rather disappointing 10-second sneak peek of Breaking Dawn Part 2, the film-makers have posted a new full trailer that should whet the appetites of Twilight fans.

Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xOSoONDpY4

  

WEEKEND PIC - June 22 - 24, 2012

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a) BRAVE (animated adventure with Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson) Rated * * * (3 stars): This Pixar's 13th animated feature is basically a mother-daughter tale set in the Scottish Highlands and spiced with mirth, myth and magic. It is suitably action-packed and centred around a young red-haired heroine that most of today's young girls can relate to. However, its magical elements tend to run away with the story and leave the older viewers dissatisfied. (Reviewed below)

b) ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER (fantasy thriller and biopic with Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Marton Csokas, Jimmi Simpson, Rufus Sewell, Erin Wasson and Dominic Cooper) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Adapted from the book by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote the screenplay), the film chronicles the famous US Prez as a closet vampire-killer. It is obviously a mix of biopic and horror flick but it fails at both, and ends up being an expensive action film. Two of its action set pieces, involving stampeding horses and a runaway train, stand out but I prefer its subplot on Abe's love story. (Reviewed below)


STILL GOING STRONG:

1. 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 narrative 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)

2. 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 in its bag of madcap gags. It also dispenses with ties to reality and logic, culminating in a circus-gone-berserk climax. Should delight the kids during the weekend. (Reviewed below)

3. 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)

4. TOAST (Bio-drama with Helena Bonham Carter, Freddie Highmore, Ken Stott, Oscar Kennedy, Victoria Hamilton, Matthew McNulty, Frasier Huckle, Reilly Newbold and Ben Aldridge) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This BBC drama on the childhood of English food writer Nigel Slater is based on his memoir 'Toast: The Story of A Boy's Hunger'. However, most viewers and fans of Slater would notice a glaring gap in the biography: the part where he becomes a food writer. That was left completely blank in the story of a man famous for his food articles! Only at GSC International Screens (Reviewed below)

10-sec Sneak Peek at Breaking Dawn Pt 2

June 20, 2012 - Nusantara Edaran Filem (NEF), the local distributor of the Twilight series has alerted us to the latest trailer of Breaking Dawn Part 2.

It is a 10-second sneak peek for all those Twilight fans who are counting down to the release of the movie on November 22, 2012.

Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeizv7cL2Gw

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER - Revisionist Biopic

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER (fantasy thriller)
Cast: Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anthony Mackie, Marton Csokas, Jimmi Simpson, Rufus Sewell, Erin Wasson and Dominic Cooper
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Screenplay: Seth Grahame-Smith (based on his novel)
Time: 105 mins
Rating:  *  *  1/2 (out of 4)



PREAMBLE: From the title, it is obvious that this is NOT the Abe Lincoln that we know from the history books. The curiosity factors aroused by this film (helmed by Timur Bekmambetov of Wanted {2008} and Daywatch {2006} fame) are how creatively the film-makers are going to 'bastardise' American history, and the set action pieces that Bekmambetov and his crew have set up.

The answer: They are impressive but a bit ludicrous.

SYNOPSIS: Adapted from the book by Seth Grahame-Smith (who also wrote the screenplay), the film chronicles the loss of Abe’s mother (Robin MacLeavy) at the hands of a vampire when Abe is still a child. This serves as the motivating factor for Abe's (Benjamin Walker) subsequent vampire hunting mission and his burgeoning career as a lawyer and politician to, finally, his Presidency during the Civil War. Along the way, he kills countless bloodsuckers led by the vile and vicious Adam (Rufus Sewell) as part of his secret war against the undead.

Anthony Mackie and Benjamin Walker as Will Johnson and Abe Lincoln

HITS & MISSES: The movie is obviously a mix of biopic and horror flick but it fails at both, and ends up being an expensive action film. This is evident in the story which has Abe weilding an axe against the marauding vampires instead of guns with silver bullets. With the axe, we get blood splashes and dramatic combat action - the sort of targets Bekmambetov usually aims for. Still, two of his set pieces stand out: a rodeo-styled chase during a horse stampede, and a climactic fight on a runaway train speeding across a burning bridge.

I am not really a fan of the main vampire plot which borders on the ridiculous but Grahame-Smith provides a few interesting and absorbing subplots, namely the relationship between Abe and his wife Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, left). There is chemistry between Walker and Winstead that makes us care about and believe in this absurd version of the First Couple. Also, Walker, who looks like a young Liam Neeson (he has played the younger version of Neeson’s title character in Kinsey), exudes the simple and honest charm one normally associates with Abe Lincoln. Hence, bravo to the casting department.

On the minus side, the anti-slavery subplot and his rise to the Presidency are given the short shrift; and the man-vs-vampire clashes are so absurd that we are constantly reminded that this is revisionist pulp fiction trying to get on the bandwagon of Twilight's popularity.

THE LOWDOWN: For those who like their gore topped up with the quaint.

BRAVE - A Mom-Daughter Tale

King Fergus and his daughter Merida

BRAVE (animated adventure)
Cast: Kelly MacDonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd and Craig Ferguson
Directors: Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews
Screenplay: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman and Irene Mecchi from a story by Chapman.
Time: 93 mins
Rating:  *  *  * (out of 4)


PREAMBLE: Brave, Pixar's 13th animated feature, is basically a mother-daughter tale set in the Scottish Highlands and spiced with mirth, myth and magic. It is suitably action-packed and centred on a young red-haired heroine that most of today's young girls can relate to. However, its magical elements tend to run away with the story and leave older viewers dissatisfied.

Merida confounding her suitors and parents

SYNOPSIS: Merida (Kelly MacDonald) is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old suitor custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: the massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane). Merida's actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Witch (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it's too late.



HITS & MISSES: The first half of Brave is suitably absorbing, fleshing out the characters and personalities, especially of Merida and her mother who are the strongest individuals in conflict against each other. The others in the cast, especially the males, are mostly presented as caricatures, with most of them behaving like buffoons. The free-spirited Merida will not take her pick of them as her suitor - despite Queen Elinor's attempts to bend her daughter's will to the dictates of custom and tradition.

King Fergus and Queen Elinor

The story gets a bit weirder in the second half when it takes on a body-switch twist. From this point on, the battle of wills between mother and daughter is all but put aside as our attention turns to Merida's new crisis. Some reviewers have attributed the movie's lack of plot coherence to the fact that story creator Brenda Chapman left the project midway, leaving Mark Andrews to maintain the directorial reins. I wish to stay neutral on this debate.

However, I get the feeling that the plot is missing something when we consider that Merida, in pursuing her right to be 'liberated' rejects all suitors, but leaves her future and that of her 'kingdom' unresolved.

THE LOWDOWN: Not as memorable as Finding Nemo and Up, but entertaining for the kids, nonetheless.

NB: Brave is preceded by Enrico Casa Rosa’s La Luna, a charming six-minute short animation about cleaners on the moon.

Madagascar 3 Holds on to Top Spot

JUNE 18, 2012 - Initial box office results for Rock of Ages and That's My Boy seem to confirm two very important things: the 1980s was a lousy decade, and star power is a bit overrated.

The latest projects from box office heavyweights Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler both bombed hard in the US over the weekend, which allowed Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted to easily hold on to the top spot. Prometheus remained in second as well, although it took a big hit in its sophomore outing, and the Top 12 wound up down 15 percent from the same frame last year.

Madagascar 3 dipped 41 per cent to an estimated US$35.5 million this weekend. That's a strong hold for an animated sequel: in comparison, Cars 2 fell 60 percent, Toy Story 3 dipped 46 percent, and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa fell 44.5 per cent. The movie remains ahead of both of its predecessors with a 10-day total of $120.45 million. 

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for June 15-17, 2012 weekend, in terms of rank, (previous week ranking), Movie name (studio), eekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo. (US$1=RM3.1)

1. (1) Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Pixar/DW) $35.5 million ($120.4 million) 2

2. (2) Prometheus (Fox) $20.2 million ($88.8 million) 2

3. (-) Rock of Ages (WB) $15.0 million ($15.0 million) 1

4. (3) Snow White and the Huntsman (Uni.) $13.8 million ($122.6 million) 3

5. (-) That's My Boy (Sony)  $13.million ($13.million) 1