WEEKEND PIC May 30 - June 1 2008

Your Guide to the Weekend Viewing

1. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (fantasy adventure with Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen and John Hurt) Rating: * * * (out of 4): Nostalgic Indy Jones trip with the usual spectacular chases, cute close-ups of little animals and bugs, and a bit of human melodrama. After a 19-year hiatus, it should still delight Indy Jones fans despite Ford being 65! (Reviewed below)

2. THE ORPHANAGE (fantasy horror in Spanish with Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla and Geraldine Chaplin) Rating: * * * (3 stars): If you liked "Pan's Labyrinth", you are gonna like this one. It has a nice storyline that weaves together a number of different plot threads, all of which will come together at the end. (Pictured above)

3. ONCE (real-life 'musical' with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) Rated: * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): If you loathe movies where characters break into song, this one should please you. The songs are part of the simple love story about a busker and a Czech immigrant in Dublin. And they are touching enough to get at your heart-strings and set your feet tapping. (Reviewed below)

4. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (fantasy adventure sequel with William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Ben Barnes) Rated * * * (out of 4): Like the book, this 'sequel' is a darker and more action-packed movie with great special effects. A must for the followers of Narnia. (Reviewed below)

5. SUPERHERO MOVIE (comedy spoof with Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald and Pamela Anderson) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): This spoof of "Spider-Man", "The X-Men" and "Batman Begins" is another scatterbrain comedy with more misses than hits. The timing is out mot of the time and fart gans abound. (Reviewed below)

6. SPEED RACER (CGI actioner with Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 'loud' CGI-enhanced caper about corporations and the underworld muscling into auto racing is like a mix of "Spy Kids" and "Matrix". Helmed by the Wachowski Brothers, it is slanted towards the kids, with a chimp thrown in as resident clown. (Reviewed below).

7. DRILLBIT TAYLOR (comedy with Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman, Alex Frost) Rating: * * (2 stars): Popcorn teen comedy about a bodyguard (Wilson) hired by a bunch of students to deal with a bully. It's lacklustre and unfunny, quite below "Superbad" that it resembles.

SUPERHERO MOVIE: Another Dud

SUPERHERO MOVIE (comedy spoof)

Cast: Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, Leslie Nielsen and Pamela Anderson

Director: Craig Mazin

Time: 85 mins

Rating: * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? When a movie spends almost 10 minutes of its running time on fart jokes, you know it is another excruciating laughless dud. "Superhero Movie", made in the same vein as "Meet The Spartans" and "Epic Movie", tries to poke fun at the "Spider-Man" franchise. It fails because it is neither funny nor fun!

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? High school nerd Rick Riker (Drake Bell) lives with dear Aunt Lucille (Marion Ross) and Uncle Albert (Leslie Nielsen) after the death of his parents (a'la "Batman Begins"). He’s in love with Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton), but she barely knows he exists and is dating the school jock Lance (Ryan Hansen). While on a field trip to a local science lab, Rick
is bitten by a radioactive insect. Soon, he develops super powers, like incredible reflexes and the ability to climb walls. He becomes the Dragonfly.

Meanwhile, corporate boss Lou Landers (Christopher McDonald), who is suffering from a terminal disease, does an experimental DNA procedure to find a cure. The procedure backfires, turning him into a demon that needs to extract living energy from others to survive. To achieve immortality, thousands must die, as Landers transforms in a supervillain called
the Hourglass. Now it's up to Rick to save the city and win over his lady-love.

HITS & MISSES: While "Spider-Man" is the primary target of spoofs, writer-director Craig Mazin also take pot-shots at other superhero flicks like "The X-Men", "The Fantastic Four" and "Batman Begins". Very few of these work because the timing is off, the gags are too crude, or they are just sight gags with cameo appearances. We have actors impersonating Tom Cruise (playd by Miles Fisher), Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama, and even a voice-boxed Stephen Hawking (Robert Joy) but none are hilarious enough to provoke giggles. Others making cameo appearances include Charlene Tilton, Robert Hays, Lil’ Kim, Craig Bierko and Regina Hall.

The producers must have thought the presence of veteran spoof-star Leslie Nielsen would help liven things up but his lines are too lame. Drake Bell and Sara Paxton acquit themselves well enough, portraying superhero and romantic interest (respectively) and they aptly bring back memories of Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson.

THE LOWDOWN: Most of the 'funny' stuff are in the trailer and if you have seen it, you have seen them all.

WEEKEND PIC: May 23 - 25 2008

Your Guide to the Weekend Viewing

1. INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (fantasy adventure with Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Karen Allen and John Hurt) Rating: * * * (out of 4): Nostalgic Indy Jones trip with the usual spectacular chases, cute close-ups of little animals and bugs, and a bit of human melodrama. After a 19-year hiatus, it should still delight Indy Jones fans despite Ford being 65! (Reviewed below)

2. ONCE (real-life 'musical' with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) Rated: * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): If you loathe movies where characters break into song, this one should please you. The songs are part of the simple love story about a busker and a Czech immigrant in Dublin. And they are touching enough to get at your heart-strings and set your feet tapping. (Reviewed below)

3. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (fantasy adventure sequel with William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Ben Barnes) Rated * * * (out of 4): Like the book, this 'sequel' is a darker and more action-packed movie with great special effects. A must for the followers of Narnia. (Reviewed below)

4. IRON MAN (fantasy thriller with Robert owney Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow) Rating * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): Produced by Marvel Studios itself, this is an 'origin' caper - and one that's energetic and entertaining, thanks to DOwney Jr and his co-stars. In the same league as "Batman Begins". (Reviewed below)

5. SPEED RACER (CGI actioner with Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 'loud' CGI-enhanced caper about corporations and the underworld muscling into auto racing is like a mix of "Spy Kids" and "Matrix". Helmed by the Wachowski Brothers, it is slanted towards the kids, with a chimp thrown in as resident clown. (Reviewed below).

6. DRILLBIT TAYLOR (comedy with Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman, Alex Frost) Rating: * * (2 stars): Popcorn teen comedy about a bodyguard (Wilson) hired by a bunch of students to deal with a bully. It's lacklustre and unfunny, quite below "Superbad" that it resembles.

7. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (Romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, Treat Williams and Dennis Farina) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Predictable Vegas love story that starts off with mutual antagonism that somehow turns to love. Better to let it 'stay in Vegas'.

ONCE: Oscar-winning Modern Musical

ONCE (musical)

Cast: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (picture)

Writer-Director: John Carney

Time: 85 mins

Rating: * * * 1/2 (Out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Now, here's a musical that should work for those who don't like the idea of movie characters bursting into song every now and then. "Once" dispenses with such corny stuff and actually provides situations in which the songs are part of the storyline. This 2006 movie was the winner of the Sundance World Audience Award and it won the Oscar for Best Original Song ('Falling Slowly'), plus a dozen or so wins.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? An (unnamed) Guy (Glen Hansard) is a singer-songwriter who makes a living fixing vacuum cleaners in his father's repair shop by day, and busking on the streets of Dublin by night. An (unnamed) Girl (Marketa Irglova) is a Czech immigrant who plays the piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night.

Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. Over the course of several days, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for each other through their songs.

HITS & MISSES: "Once" is such a simple - and simplistic - story told in song that I would feel kindof strange to sing praises about it. Director John Carney films the senes documentary style, with shaky hand-held shots and poorly framed close-ups. This approach somehow changes halfway through the film and the scenes appear more polished by the time the movie closes with an impressive tracking shot.

The vocals are done by the leading couple so the songs sound naturally raw and real. They are a mixture of folk and rock and the singers are shown playing their instruments, often with great passion, but never do they break character and start doing something a person would not do in real life. The lead duo are surprisingly gifted performers although neither of them is a professional musician. The songs are rendered with the right emotions such that we too get engrossed in them.

THE LOWDOWN: Definitely a 'date movie' for music lovers and those who go for realistic love stories.

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL: A Nostalgia Trip

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (fantasy adventure)
Cast: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone and John Hurt
Director: Steven Spielberg
Time: 120 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Nineteen years between the last Indiana Jones movie and this new sequel is a long, long time. A whole new generation could have been started. Now, imagine your little kid, or your grandson, asking: "Who's that old man up there, Dad (or Gramps)? Was he your hero when you were a kid?" So on that score alone, this long-awaited sequel should work as a nostalgia trip into the ole Spielberg fantasy adventures.
Well, at least it is a lot more satisfying than last year's "National Treasure" sequel...

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? It's 1957, at the height of the Cold War, when Prof Henry Jones Jr (Harrison Ford) and his sidekick Mac (Ray Winstone) are kidnapped by a Russian agent (Cate Blanchett as Irina Spalko) and taken to a military set-up in a Nevada desert, ostensibly to look for some mind-blowing artifact. One escape later, Indy Jones is back in class teaching archaeology when he is told by his boss (Jim Broadbent) to take compulsory leave 'for helping the Russians'. When Indy is about to leave town, he runs into a youngster named Mutt (Shia LaBeouf) who wants his help to look for Prof Oxley (John Hurt) and his mother Marion (Karen Allen) somewhere in South America.

Mutt offers Indy a map with ancient symbols - and off they go on another crazy adventure that seems to have been partly set up by those guys who built Pirates Of The Caribbean ride at Disney!

HITS & MISSES: If there ever was a really Big Bang opening to all the Indy Jones flicks, this is it. It is earth-shattering. However, after that, everything seems to appear subdued and contrived. Sure, there are Spielberg-styled chases a-plenty but we are awed by the timing of the stunts rather than by the excitement they provide. We don't get that seat-gripping feeling that Indy and his pals are in danger for their lives. We just look for the ingenious ways they always manage to escape - from maurading ants and scorpions to anti-Communist monkeys!

Yes, that endearing Spielberg touch of using little animals to provide the gags is still evident here and the film is better off for it. Adventure movie fans would certainly like the breath-taking sceneries of huge waterfalls and caves. Of the cast, it's nice to have the old Ford back on the road again. Yes, he still has some mileage left in him despite being over 65. And teaming up with Karen Allen helps to tie up the plot after 30 years. Even Blanchett is a welcome sight, although she initially seems to have walked in from a James Bond movie. Also, we envy the fun she apparently had, playing with the Russian accent.

THE LOWDOWN: Just like the Narnia sequel, this one is also a must for Indy Jones fans, no matter how old they are.

WEEKEND PIC: May 16 - 18 2008

Your Guide to the Weekend Viewing

1. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (fantasy adventure sequel with William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Ben Barnes) Rated * * * (out of 4): Like the book, this 'sequel' is a darker and more action-packed movie with great special effects. A must for the followers of Narnia. (Reviewed below)

2. IRON MAN (fantasy thriller with Robert owney Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow) Rating * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): Produced by Marvel Studios itself, this is an 'origin' caper - and one that's energetic and entertaining, thanks to DOwney Jr and his co-stars. In the same league as "Batman Begins". (Reviewed below)

3. SPEED RACER (CGI actioner with Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 'loud' CGI-enhanced caper about corporations and the underworld muscling into auto racing is like a mix of "Spy Kids" and "Matrix". Helmed by the Wachowski Brothers, it is slanted towards the kids, with a chimp thrown in as resident clown. (Reviewed below).

4. DRILLBIT TAYLOR (comedy with Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman, Alex Frost) Rating: * * (2 stars): Popcorn teen comedy about a bodyguard (Wilson) hired by a bunch of students to deal with a bully. It's lacklustre and unfunny, quite below "Superbad" that it resembles.

5. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (Romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, Treat Williams and Dennis Farina) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Predictable Vegas love story that starts off with mutual antagonism that somehow turns to love. Better to let it 'stay in Vegas'.

6. SLIT-MOUTH WOMAN (Japanese horror with Eriko Sato, Haruhiko Katou, Chiharu Kawai, Rie Kuwana, Kazuyuki Matsuzawa and Miki Mizuno) Rated * * (2 stars): This one is just a one-scare movie taken to the extreme. It is also disturbing, with themes about severe child punishment. (Reviewed below).

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN - It's Watchable

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN (fantasy adventure)Cast: William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley and Ben Barnes

Director: Andrew Adamson

Time: 143 mins

Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Like most sequels to highly successful flicks, viewers are going to compare "Prince Caspian" with its predecessor - and gripe about the differences. Well, I am happy to report that this sequel has more action, is a bit darker, and more crisply made than its 2005 predecessor, which pulled in an amazing US$452 million worldwide.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Just one year after their first adventure in Narnia, the Pevensie siblings, Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are pulled back into Narnia by Susan's magic horn. They find that more than a thousand years have passed, and Narnia is now ruled by the bloodthirsty General Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), uncle to the true heir, Prince Caspian British stage actor Ben Barnes) who is now in exile.

Caspian soon joins forces with the Pevensies to take down Miraz. Well, they get by with a little help from Trumpkin the Red Dwarf (a heavily disguised Peter Dinklage) and Reepicheep (voiced by Eddie Izzard), a valiant mouse reminiscent of "Shrek's" Puss in Boots.

HITS & MISSES: Andrew Adamson, of “Shrek” fame, stages the epic-style battles and action sequences with verve and confidence. He maintains the old-school style of C.S. Lewis' book, rather than upping the ante with modern stuff. The loss-of-innocence theme of the first book is significantly deepened in the script (written again by Adamson with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) giving the sequel that darker look. And given the predictable ending, and that Aslan the Lion will eventually intervene at the crucial moment, we still get a couple visual-effects trump cards that provide something we haven’t seen before.

A lot of the young viewers will be looking out for Ben Barnes as the title character and find him wanting compared to the regular Pevensie cast. Still, the undercurrent of attraction between Caspian and Susan adds a touch of romantic appeal, as does Susan’s transformation into something of an action heroine. The four kids overall have more character and are therefore more interesting to watch than they were before. Italian actor Castellitto is careful not to overplay the evil Miraz but it is Drinklage who gets most of the laughs.

THE LOWDOWN: Certainly a must for followers of Narnia.

WEEKEND PIC: May 9 - 11 2008

Your Guide to the Labour Weekend Viewing

1. IRON MAN (fantasy thriller with Robert owney Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow) Rating * * * 1/2 (out of 4): Produced by Marvel Studios itself, this is an 'origin' caper - and one that's energetic and entertaining, thanks to Downey Jr and Paltrow. Consider it n the same league as "Batman Begins". (Reviewed below)

2. SPEED RACER (CGI actioner with Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This 'loud' CGI-enhanced caper about corporations and the underworld muscling into auto racing is like a mix of "Spy Kids" and "Matrix". Helmed by the Wachowski Brothers, it is slanted towards the kids, with a chimp thrown in as resident clown. (Reviewed below)

3. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (Romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, Treat Williams and Dennis Farina) Rating: * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Predictable Vega$ love story that starts off with a couple in mutual antagonism that somehow turns to love. Better to let it 'stay in Vegas'.

4. RUN PAPA RUN (crime drama with Louis Koo, Rene Liu, Nora Mioa and Ti Lung) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Writer-director Sylvia Chang gets whimsical and derivative in this tale about a HK triad boss who has a change of heart over his criminal ways when he has a new role as father to his little girl. (Reviewed below)

5. FOOL'S GOLD (adventure comedy with Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena and Ewan Bremmer) Rated * * (2 stars): A dim-witted romp about a treasure hunter and his soon to be ex-wife mucking around in the Caribbean in search of sunken gold. Really, it makes us feel like fools after watching this lame comedy. (Reviewed below)

6. FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (kungfu fantasy with Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michael Angarano) Rating * * (2 stars): The main attraction for this movie is the first-time teaming up of Jet Li and Jackie Chan. And if you feel you must catch this, you have swallowed the bait. The stunts are familiar with lots of wire-fu and nods to the Drunken Master days. The dialogue (in English) and the acting suck. (Reviewed below)

7. SLIT-MOUTH WOMAN (Japanese horror with Eriko Sato, Haruhiko Katou, Chiharu Kawai, Rie Kuwana, Kazuyuki Matsuzawa and Miki Mizuno) Rated * * (2 stars): This one is just a one-scare movie taken to the extreme. It is also disturbing, with themes about severe child punishment. (Reviewed below)

8. OVER HER DEAD BODY (comedy with Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd, Lake Bell, Jason Biggs and Lindsay Sloane) Rating * * (2 stars): Longoria plays a bride who gets killed on her wedding day and returns to haunt her groom. Let's let her RIP and stay away from this mediocre fare fit only for TV.

SPEED RACER: Just Kiddie Thrills & Spills

SPEED RACER (CGI actioner)

Cast: Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Rain and Matthew Fox

Director: Larry and Andy Wachowski

Time: 123 mins

Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? “Speed Racer” is a kiddie popcorn flick by the Wachowski Brothers, based on the original animated series created by Tatsuo Yoshida and produced by Tatsunoko Productions. However, unlike their "Matrix" trilogy, this one is full of Day-Glo colouring and is too artificially-sweetened for adult taste.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The story occurs in a futuristic comic-book city caught in a time-warp. Here we find young Speed Racer obsessed with auto racing even when he is in the middle of a class test. His brother, Rex (Scott Porter) is a race driver and his Pops (John Goodman) is a car-builder. Of course, Speed grows up to be hot-shot driver even though the family has lost Rex in a car crash. After winning spectacularly in a race, Speed, his girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci) and family are 'courted' by the flamboyant Royalton (Roger Allam) who wants Speed to sign up with his company.

The rest is predictable stuff, alternating between racing action and downright juvenile antics of the Racer family that includes a chimp as pet. Watch out for the chimp, though. He tends to steal the show.

HITS & MISSES: The Brothers Wachowski keep everything fast-paced here. They seem to have no time for story or character development, yet the movie runs for more than two hours. Yes, we get repetitious jokes and kiddie humour, most of them provided by a chimpanzee and other human monkeys in the cast. If you are looking for big-time racing thrills and car crash spills, you won't get them here. There is no sense of danger and no consequences to road peril, just continuous cutting to new situations and unvaried high speeds. The movie, shot in enhanced colours and CGI 'templates' look attractive and unique initially. However, without proper narrative support, we get tired of them after a while.

The cast, Ricci, Hirsch and Susan Sarandon (as Speed's mom) are overwhelmed by the computer effects. Korean pop sensation Rain will probably stir up interest among Asian audiences as racer Taejo Togokahn, but even with his presence, the subplot, about Corporate Villains making a mess of the sport, gets dried up soon enough. Even Japanese thespian Hiroyuki Sanada is wasted here. His Mr Musha, another corporate monster, gets only cameo treatment.

THE LOWDOWN: Mainly for children who love the "Spy Kids" movies.

IRON MAN: This Summer's New Hero

IRON MAN (fantasy adventure)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow

Director: Jon Favreau

Time: 126 mins

Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? This adaptation of the Marvel comic book hero by Jon Favreau is an 'origin story'. Unlike "Transformers" it uses CGI to enhance the narrative rather than to wow the audience. And the cast, especially Robert Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow, are allowed to act rather than fill the screen as movie idols and eye candy. In short it works because we feel for the hero and his quest...

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Billionaire industrialist and arms maker Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) is in Afghanistan demonstrating his latest weapons when he is attacked by guerillas and seriously wounded. He wakes up to find himself in a cave - with a doctor (Shaun Toub as Yinsen) who has fitted an electromagnet to his chest to keep him alive. His captors, led by Raza (Faran Tahir), want him to build a powerful missile to fight the US but he uses the material to fashion a bulletproof iron suit to facilitate his escape, instead.

As soon as he returns home to the US, he makes a radical decision about his company's arms division - and starts improving the design of his 'Iron Man' suit. This incurs the wrath of his business partner, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), who goes all out to thwart Tony's plans. However, our hero is determined to become the Armoured Avenger, aided by his Girl Friday, Pepper Potts (Paltrow) and best friend Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard).

HITS & MISSES: While the comic books' origin of Iron Man was in Vietnam, Favreau shifts the location to Afghanistan which also allows scenes of missiles explosions and other flights of fancy. Like what Chris Nolan has done for "Batman Begins", Favreau also strips away the legend and rebuild it from the ground up, stressing on character development and the story. However, the best thing about "Iron man" is Downey Jr who fleshes out the hero nicely, focusing on Tony's psychological journey from ignorant playboy to shocked awareness about his business. After having his eyes opened, he feels that he has to do something.

The special effects are fantastic too, providing both spectacle and humour (as in Tony's robots that help to make the suit and dress him). Sure, the sequence about a rival 'Iron Man' seems too far-fetched, and the movie drags a bit in the second half, but things get spiced up whenever Paltrow's Pepper is onscreen as Tony's caring assistant and love interest.

THE LOWDOWN: Iron Man's here and Hollywood's Summer Hits have arrived! Time to hit the cinema, folks.

LABOUR WEEKEND PIC: May 1 - 4 2008

Your Guide to the Labour Weekend Viewing

1. IRON MAN (fantasy thriller with Robert owney Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow) Rating * * * 1/2 (out of 4): Produced by Marvel Studios itself, this is an 'origin' caper - and one that's energetic and entertaining, thanks to DOwney Jr and his co-stars. In the same league as "Batman Begins".

2. THE KITE RUNNER (drama with Khalid Abdalla, Homayon Ershadi, Zekeria Ebrahimi and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) Rated * * * * (4 stars): This one gets my vote for the Best Movie of 2007. It does not have the eye candy power of "Atonement" or the cool brutality of "No Country For Old Men", but it gets us both on the emotional and intellectual level. (Reviewed below).

3. RUN PAPA RUN (crime drama with Louis Koo, Rene Liu, Nora Mioa and Ti Lung) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Writer-director Sylvia Chang gets whimsical and derivative in this tale about a HK triad boss who has a change of heart over his criminal ways when he has a new role as father to his little girl. (Reviewed below)

4. SHADOWS IN THE PALACE (Korean murder mystery with Seo Young-hee, Park Jin-hee and Yoon Se-ah) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This debut feature of director Kim Mi-jeong has a promising murder mystery but it gets muddled up by the horror elements that she incorporates. Technically, it is highly competent, though.

5. FOOL'S GOLD (adventure comedy with Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena and Ewan Bremmer) Rated * * (2 stars): A dim-witted romp about a treasure hunter and his soon to be ex-wife mucking around in the Caribbean in search of sunken gold. Really, it makes us feel like fools after watching this lame comedy. (Reviewed below).

6. FORBIDDEN KINGDOM (kungfu fantasy with Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michael Angarano) Rating * * (2 stars): The main attraction for this movie is the first-time teaming up of Jet Li and Jackie Chan. And if you feel you must catch this, you have swallowed the bait. The stunts are familiar with lots of wire-fu and nods to the Drunken Master days. The dialogue (in English) and the acting suck. (Reviewed below)

7. SLIT-MOUTH WOMAN (Japanese horror with Eriko Sato, Haruhiko Katou, Chiharu Kawai, Rie Kuwana, Kazuyuki Matsuzawa and Miki Mizuno) Rated * * (2 stars): This one is just a one-scare movie taken to the extreme. It is also disturbing, with themes about severe child punishment. (Reviewed below).

8. OVER HER DEAD BODY (comedy with Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd, Lake Bell, Jason Biggs and Lindsay Sloane) Rating * * (2 stars): Longoria plays a bride who gets killed on her wedding day and returns to haunt her groom. Let's let her RIP and stay away from this mediocre fare fit only for TV.

9. CONGKAK (local horror thriller with Nanu Baharudin, Riezman Khuzaimi, M. Rajoli, Erin Malek and Erynne Erynna) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): This one is billed as 'scarier than 'Jangan Pandang Belakang' but the real horror is its illogical plot, irritating effects, amateur acting... and even a makcik with a moustache(?).