'5:13' And 'Joshua Tapes' Trailers Out Now

INDIE film-maker Arivind Abraham and co-director Benjy Lim have wrapped up shooting of their two films in Malaysia recently. Arivind, who directed "S'kali" in 2006, is back in London for post-production.

Arivind was in KL in May 2008 to shoot a horror movie titled "5:13" and a road trip film, tentatively named "The Joshua Tapes".

Shooting for "5:13", which starred Samantha Tan (picture), was completed earlier. Most of the scenes of "Joshua Tapes" are shot outdoors - or inside a vehicle.

FOr a sneak peek at the two movies, check out the trailers:

"5:13" click [here]

"The Joshua Tapes" click [here]

HELLBOY 2: Even Better Than The First

HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasty thriller)
Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Alexander, James Donn, Luke Goss, Jeffrey Tambor and John Hurt
Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Time: 110 mins
Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? After 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk' and 'Hancock', this summer's mayhem of crazy street battles continues. Like 'The Dark Knight', Guillermo Del Toro's 'Hellboy 2' is a sequel that delivers almost everything that is expected of it. Fast-paced action? check! Funny, cute elfish and insect-like critters? check! Self-deprecating character-development? check! A fantasy tale that sustains our interest? check!

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The opening takes viewers in a flashback to the 40s when Hellboy is a kid and asked to be told a bedtime story. His guardian (John Hurt) tells him the tale of the Golden Army, a formidable bunch of mechanical warriors so powerful and destructive that they have to be 'discharged' and kept hidden. This opening thus serves as an introduction to the origin of the Golden Army and the 'war' between humans and the forest creatures led by an elf king.

Years later, the ancient truce between the elves and humans is broken when elf-prince Nuada (Luke Goss) tries to team up with his twin sister Nuala (Anna Walton) in his bid gain control of the Golden Army so that he can wage war on mankind. Meanwhile, at the top-secret paranormal government lab where Hellboy (Ron Perlman, pictured above) works, his boss Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) welcomes a new superbeing, Dr Johann Kraus who is but a puff of gas with a creaky diving suit and a Prussian accent (voiced by Seth MacFarlane). Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), Hellboy’s foil and sidekick, returns and this time finds romance of his own.

HITS & MISSES: It is nice to watch a movie that does not take itself seriously and Del Toro just lets the narrative juices flow along, accompanied by huge doses of tongue-in-cheek humour as well as visual wonders of strange beings and mechanical warriors. Yes, it is also fun to see Hellboy and his girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair, in a captivating performance) trying to go through life like a normal couple; it is hilarious to find Hellboy and Abe baring their hearts out over their love life in a singalong of a Barry Manilow song; and it's eye-popping to visit Trolls' Market which reminds us of the alley where Harry Potter got his magic wand.

Yes, these are the stuff that make 'Hellboy 2' really enjoyable and engaging, not so much the duels and smashing battles that every summer blockbuster seems to have. There are some problems with the ending, but nothing we can't overlook.

THE LOWDOWN: If you liked 'Pan's Labyrinth', you're gonna like this one too.

WEEKEND PIC July 25 - 27 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. THE DARK KNIGHT (fantasy sequel with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): A fantastic and realistic grown-up version of the comic book world of 'Batman'. And a good part of the credit goes to the late Heath Ledger who fleshes out the Joker so well that he really gives us the creeps. Yep, the Joker is the Ace here! (Reviewed below)

2. HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasy thriller with Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss) Rated: * * * (out of 4): If anything, director Guillermo Del Toro is consistent. This sequel provides a nice balance of action, humour, romance and fantasy the likes of which we saw in 'Pan's Labyrinth'. You may want to quibble with the ending though.

3. SEX AND THE CITY (comedy with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Christopher Noth) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's like a single episode padded and botoxed to movie-length but there are enough gags and glam for the fans. Jennifer Hudson provides a welcome addition to the cast too. (Reviewed below)

4. RED CLIFF Pt 1 (war epic with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi and Vicky Zhao) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): As the most expensive Chinese movie to date, Red Cliff is a feast for the eyes, with spectacular scenery, sets, battles and thousands of extras. Too bad, it does not do enough for our heart. (Reviewed below, pictured right)

5. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem) Rating * * (2 stars): With its 3D technology, it comes out like a theme park ride without a compelling story that gets us involved. More of a kiddie treat.

6. X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (sci-fi thriller with David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson and Amanda Peet) Rating * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Even with its creator Chris Carter at the helm, this movie version fails to impress like it should. The plot is predictable, its relevance prolonged and you can't help feeling that X-Files should have been axed. (Reviewed below)

7. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (out of 4): Nice actioner about a 'superhobo' with bad attitude but the film veers into a weird 'origin' story in the second half and throws a spanner into the works. (Reviewed below)

8. WAR OF THE DRAGONS (fantasy thriller with Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks and Robert Forster) Rating * * (2 stars): This fantasy mix of Korean and Western folklore is another kiddie stuff with a hodge-potch of everything and nothing.

RED CLIFF Part 1: Curse of the Chinese Film-maker

RED CLIFF Pt 1 (war epic in Mandarin)
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi and Vicky Zhao
Director: John Woo
Time: 130 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? It seems like the 'Curse of the Oriental Film-maker' has struck again. Isn't it a curse that everytime a Chinese film-maker gets a huge budget to make a movie, he splashes it all on the sets, splendour and stunts and completely forgets about character development and the narrative? It happened with Zhang Yimou and his 'Hero'; Ang Lee and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'; and now, John Woo and 'Red Cliff Part One.'

With its US$80 million (RM250mil) budget, 'Red Cliff' is the most expensive Chinese movie ever made. Sure, it has lots to show for the money - but not much to engage the viewer in terms of tension, suspense and other elements of viewer participation. Every scene is great to look at, but none that touches us. If you have seen 'Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon' you may find that it has more interactive elements than this one.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The movie is based on historical records of "The Chronicles of the Three Kingdom" rather than the novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdom". During the Han Dynasty of AD 208, the land of Wu is invaded by Han Prime Minister Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) and his 800,000-strong army. The ruler of Wu, Sun Quan (Chang Chen), calls on the rival warlord Liu Bei (You Yong) for help, but their two armies are still badly outnumbered. However, Commander Zhou Yu (Tony Leung) and Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) realise that Cao Cao's army is not used to warfare on the water. With 200,000 men, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang set off to battle Cao Cao's army on the Yangtze River.

HITS & MISSES: The obvious irritant here is that the show closes with a 'To be Continued' legend just when we get all set for the big showdown. We have to wait until December for 'Part Two' - while the film-makers have cut a three-hour film for Western audiences. Another irritant is that the battle scenes are rather confusing as those who are not familiar with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms would not know what the fuss is all about. Indeed, the battle scenes are mind-boggling in their logistics. The Chinese Army provided 1,000 men to play extras in the battle scenes. And when the camera 'flies' over the battlefield, or over Cao Cao's vast naval armada on the Yangtze, we can see how the money is spent. Indeed, John Woo must have had a whale of a time showing off his artistic side.

Not so for the cast, though. Tony Leung has a few captivating moments, especially with Taiwanese newcomer Lin Chi Ling (who plays Xiao Qiao, the face that launches a thousand ships). However, if you expect to see some of the usual 'Lusty' stuff with Tony Leung, you will be disappointed. So will fans of model Lin. Takeshi too is wasted, his role reduced to just waving his feathery fan and nodding every now and then.

THE LOWDOWN: Shown in parts, Red Cliff could have been another epic like Lord Of The Rings, if John Woo had paid more attention to the smaller picture too.

X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE - No, You Don't!

THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (sci-fi thriller)
Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amamda Peet, Xzibit and Billy Connolly
Director: Chris Carter

Time: 105 mins

Rating: * 1/2 (Out of 4)

Duchovny and Anderson

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Like 'Sex In The City', here's another remake of a hit TV series. And unlike 'Sex In The City', this one sucks big time. Why? Because fans of the series will find it lame, tame and predictable, and non-fans will be wondering what the fuss (over the sci-fi series) was all about.

It is supposed to be a big screen version of the X-Files but instead of giving us a plot that we can chew into, we get something that looks like a mediocre 45-minute TV episode s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d to almost twice its length.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? At the start, we find Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) no longer with the FBI. Scully now works at a hospital, trying desperately to save the life of a boy with brain disease; while Mulder is in 'hiding' from the authorities. The FBI, led by agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) and Agent Mosley (Xzibit) are looking for a woman agent who has gone missing and they have the help of a priest (Billy Connolly as Father Joseph) to trace the agent.

The FBI agents have trouble believing Father Joseph - and yes, they need Mulder to help with the case. And Mulder needs Scully to 'help' him with his case!

HITS & MISSES: The 'X-Files' were supposed to be creepy tales involving extra-terrestrials and strange phenomena. Here, the biggest puzzle (for the audience) is why they need to have Mulder back in a case that merely involves credibility. Sure, the box-office lure of X-Files is the combo cast of Duchovny and Anderson but the plot is just something like a case from 'CSI'. There's no twist, no real climax and nothing to justify a big screen remake. Just cliches that seem to have been borrowed from 'Silence Of The Lambs' and 'Seven'.

Director Carter continues the relationship between Scully and Mulder - and again it leads to the same 'conclusion'. The one performance that stands out is that of Connolly who provides the mystery of the title 'I Want To Believe'.

THE LOWDOWN: The Truth Is Still Out There. But Who Cares?

WEEKEND PIC July 18 - 20 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. THE DARK KNIGHT (fantasy sequel with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): A fantastic and realistic grown-up version of the comic book world of 'Batman'. And a good part of the credit goes to the late Heath Ledger who fleshes out the Joker so well that he really gives us the creeps. Yep, the Joker is the Ace here! (Reviewed below)

2. HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasy thriller with Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss) Rated: * * * (out of 4): If anything, director Guillermo Del Toro is consistent. This sequel provides a nice balance of action, humour, romance and fantasy the likes of which we saw in 'Pan's Labyrinth'. You may want to quibble with the ending though.

3. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (out of 4): Nice actioner about a 'superhobo' with bad attitude but the film veers into a weird 'origin' story in the second half and throws a spanner into the works. (Reviewed below)

4. WANTED (action thriller with James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Mind-boggling stunts accompanied by a mindless plot. Of course, with Jolie and McAvoy, this one is a surefire hit at least for this weekend. (Reviewed below)

5. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem) Rating * * (2 stars): With its 3D technology, it comes out like a theme park ride without a compelling story that gets us involved. More of a kiddie treat.

6. WAR OF THE DRAGONS (fantasy thriller with Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks and Robert Forster) Rating * * (2 stars): This fantasy mix of Korean and Western folklore is another kiddie stuff with a hodge-potch of everything and nothing.
PS: Sorry, I had not been able to catch 'Red Cliff Pt 1'. I have been busy with a project. Will try to watch it next week.

SEX AND THE CITY: Mainly For The Fans

SEX AND THE CITY (comedy)
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, Jennifer Hudson, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler
Director: Michael Patrick King
Time: 146 mins

Rating: * * * (Out of 4)Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? This 'Big Screen Version' of HBO's adult TV comedy is basically for fans of the series and I must confess that I was one of them. Now, seeing the SATC girls on the big screen with their (touched-up) wrinkles, warts and all, I get a mix of nostalgia and deja vu. 'Sex And tHe City' can be rather self-indulgent sometimes and those who liked the series would have liked it for the F-words the series seem to propagate: feminine friendships, fabulous fashions, and the funny fumbles the four friends in New York make in their quest for love (and for some, sex).

Yes, these and the customary 'Gay is Fun' cameos which the series also propagated. I caught the Press preview today with my Other Half who served as Series Consultant, and helped somewhat to boost the nostalgia element. What I am trying to say here is that I was in a mood to overlook some of the movie's flaws and just went with the flow...

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The main theme here is 'forgiveness' (another F-word). Carrie (S.J. Parker, looking gaunt and sporting a prominent pimple on her chin) is back with Mr Big (Chris Noth, as hunky as ever) and they are deciding to get married. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) who just has sex in like... after six months(?), is angry at Steve for a betrayal. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and her Jewish hubby are the proud parents of an adopted daughter; and Samantha (Kim Cattrall, well botoxed now) is living in Los Angeles with her actor boyfriend, drops by often enough to join her friends and acquaint them with her sexual frustrations.

And yes, there is a bit of 'friction' between Carrie and Miranda at New Year's Eve...

HITS & MISSES: It is nice to see the SATC stars back together again and the girls' 'reunion' comes with nifty one-liners and some laugh-out-loud moments, especially that gag about Charlotte's bowel problem. However, at almost two-and-a-half hours, the comedy can be a drag sometimes, especially when some of the situations seem badly contrived. However, Jennifer Hudson helps to spice up the narrative with her cameo as Carrie's assistant - and she seems to be the only lure for the non-fans and younger ones in the audience. Still, director Michael P. King, who had worked on some episodes of the series, has more or less 'kept the faith' and the spirit of the show although he has essentially taken a half-hour episode and padded it up with two hours of 'extras'.

THE LOWDOWN: A fun and fitting reunion for fans and the cast of the TV series.

WEEKEND PIC July 11 - 13 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1.HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY (fantasy thriller with Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones and Luke Goss) Rated: * * * (out of 4): If anything, director Guillermo Del Toro is consistent. This sequel provides a nice balance of action, humour, romance and fantasy the likes of which we saw in 'Pan's Labyrinth'. You may want to quibble with the ending though.

2. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Nice actioner about a 'superhobo' with bad attitude but the film veers into a weird 'origin' story in the second half and throws a spanner into the works. (Reviewed below)

3. WANTED (action thriller with James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Mind-boggling stunts accompanied by a mindless plot. Of course, with Jolie and McAvoy, this one is a surefire hit at least for this weekend. (Reviewed below)

4. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (fantasy adventure with Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem) Rating * * (2 stars): With its 3D technology, it comes out like a theme park ride without a compelling story that gets us involved. More of a kiddie treat.

5. WAR OF THE DRAGONS (fantasy thriller with Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks and Robert Forster) Rating * * (2 stars): This fantasy mix of Korean and Western folklore is another kiddie stuff with a hodge-potch of everything and nothing. (picture)

6.THE NANNY DIARIES (social comedy with Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney and Donna Murphy) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A satirical take on busy modern moms who leave their children to young nannies. Johansson is the main attraction in this 2007 comedy. (Reviewed below)

7. THE SUN ALSO RISES (drama in Mandarin with Jaycee Chan, Jiang Wen, Joan Chen and Zhou Yun) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): An art-movie for those who like wonderful scenery with stories about Red China. The narrative is set in four parts and it can be confusing but worth a watch. (Reviewed below)

THE DARK KNIGHT: Ledger's Top Act

THE DARK KNIGHT (fantasy sequel)
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Time: 152 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (Out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? After narrating the origin of 'Batman' and establishing its darker-than-comic book tone in 'Batman Begins', Christopher Nolan seems free to explore Gotham City in all its perspectives and moral complexities. This sequel is a whole lot darker than the first. It is a grown-up look at the comic book world of 'Batman'.

Children may find the going rather taxing, while die-hard action fans may doze off in between stunts. However, for those who want a Batman epic that can set their imagination soaring and adrenaline pumping, this is it.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Let's just say the narrative is told through five people: A psycho villain called The Joker (Heath Ledger) wants to have some devilish fun with his 'nemesis' Batman (Christian Bale). Bruce Wayne/Batman, on the other hand, has problems of his own: he is considered a vigilante by the public and police are obliged to take him into custody. Then there is the new Assistanty District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) who aims to crackdown on the Mob and he is aided by Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gylenhaal, taking over from Katie Holmes), the one girl who has Bruce Wayne's heart. Rachel is both working with and dating Harvey - and giving Bruce a heartache and Batman a reason to call it quits. Lastly, there is police Lt Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) who is caught in the web of the Mob, Joker and Dent.

Oh yes, it is also about the gray area between good and evil that the Caped Crusader has to tread, an area in which "you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become a villain."

HITS & MISSES: The one thing that gets us right from the start is Ledger's performance as the Joker. I must admit that I, like many other movie-goers, had reservations when they first announced his role as the Joker. How can he match up to Jack Nicholson's? However, seeing his sado-masochistic villain enjoying hurting people as well as being punished himself, we can see that Ledger had not only enjoyed his role but lived it too. He steals the show from everyone and certainly deserves a posthumous Oscar for this Supporting Role. Others in the cast give top-notch performances, including Eric Roberts as a mobster and Michael Caine as Wayne's butler Alfred.

Technically, the credits are top class too, with Gotham City locations looking ever so real. Granted, some of the stunts go so fast that they seem to cheat our eyes, but there is enough tension and suspense to go around. What's more, we feel for each of the main characters.

THE LOWDOWN: Director Chris Nolan has come up with another masterpiece of a sequel. "The Dark Night' delves into nightmarish areas that are physically and morally dark.

WEEKEND PIC July 4 - 6 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Movies

1. HANCOCK (fantasy drama with Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan) Rated * * 1/2 (out of 4): Nice actioner about a 'superhobo' with bad attitude but the film veers into a weird 'origin' story in the second half and throws a spanner into the works. (Reviewed below, pictured)

2. WANTED (action thriller with James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): Mind-boggling stunts accompanied by a mindless plot. Of course, with Jolie and McAvoy, this one is a surefire hit at least for this weekend. (Reviewed below)

3. THE BANK JOB (crime thriller with Jason Stratham, Saffron Burrows, Daniel Mays and James Faulkner) Rated: * * * (3 stars): You probably haven't seen Stratham in a more serious and more complicated role. Here, he plays a bank vault raider who also has to take on the mob and the Government. (Reviewed below)

4. THE SUN ALSO RISES (drama in Mandarin with Jaycee Chan, Jiang Wen, Joan Chen and Zhou Yun) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): An art-movie for those who like wonderful scenery with stories about Red China. The narrative is set in four parts and it can be confusing but worth a watch. (Reviewed below)

5. THE NANNY DIARIES (social comedy with Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney and Donna Murphy) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A satirical take on busy modern moms who leave their children to young nannies. Johansson is the main attraction in this 2007 comedy. (Reviewed below)

6. GET SMART (comedy with Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Terence Stamp and Alan Arkin) Rated * * * (3 stars): This updated remake of the Sixties TV series is actually smart in a dumb way, or vice-versa. Whatever, you do get a few laughs, some eye-popping moments with Hathaway and a generally good time. (Reviewed below)

7. THE INCREDIBLE HULK (fantasy adventure with Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt and Tim Blake Nelson) Rated: * * * (3 stars): This summer's second Marvel Comics adaptation is not quite as engaging as "Iron Man" but there is enough action and plot to satisfy fans. (Reviewed below)

8. MADE OF HONOUR (romantic comedy with Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kathleen Quinlan and Sydney Pollack) Rating: * * (2 stars): Weak and tepid rom com that is neither romantic nor funny. Somewhat like 'My Best Friend's Wedding' without the charm of Julia Roberts. (Reviewed below).

MADE OF HONOR: Wedding Deja Vu

MADE OF HONOR (romantic comedy)
Cast: Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd, Kathleen Quinlan and Sydney Pollack
Director: Paul Weiland
Time: 100 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? If you have seen Julia Roberts' 'My Best Friend's Wedding', you are going to have a huge bout of deja vu with this one. However, that won't beat the irritation you will feel over the movie's illogical scripting.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Skirt-chaser Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan, pictured above with Dempsey) 'meet cute' during his senior year in college. Ten years later, they're best friends but their relationship is strictly platonic. It is hard for us to believe that Hannah may be the only woman in New York City with whom Tom has not slept with. Tom has sex with a different woman almost every night (and never the same one twice in a week - that's one of many rules he lives by), then confides in Hannah stories of his conquests.

To all his male buddies, he has the perfect life: variety in bed and bonding with Hannah in other areas of his life. However, this relationship is threatened when she announces that she is engaged to a Scot named Colin (Kevin McKidd) during a six-week business trip to Scotland. This comes at a rather bad time as Tom has just realised that he is in love with her. When Hannah asks Tom to be her 'maid of honour', our deja vu sets in...

HITS & MISSES: There are not many 'hits' here except perhaps the subplot with the late Sydney Pollack (as Tom's dad) marrying his six (or is it seventh?, he has lost count) young wife. Well, the locations in Scotland are breath-taking but then you are not paying good money to see Scottish scenery. The 'misses' are a-plenty. First, there's not much chemistry between Dempsey and Monaghan. All we have is the disbelief that despite being such great friends (who tell each other everything), he has difficulty telling her that he loves her! And since this one confession would resolve the whole denouement of the movie, the show drags on and on until we get to that cliched 'gate-crashing the altar' scene that forms the climax of almost all such romantic comedies. Why, they even 'borrow' the horse-riding scene from 'My Best Friend's Wedding'!

THE LOWDOWN: Go watch that Julia Roberts movie again if you are that starved for a rom-com.

NANNY DIARIES: Scarlett's Show

THE NANNY DIARIES (social comedy)
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Nicholas Reese Art, Paul Giamatti, Donna Murphy, Alicia Keys and Chris Evans
Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (Out of 4)

Johansson and Nicholas Reese Art

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? This is a satirical comedy on rick folks who leave the upbringing of their children to young nanies. It is based on the 2002 novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, the husband-and-wife team behind 'American Splendor'.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson) is a graduate from New York University who is hunting for a job. Her mother (Donna Murphy) wants her to get a job at an accounting firm but when she saves a five-year-old boy, Grayer (Nicholas Reese Art), from being run over, Grayer's socialite mother, Mrs X (Laura Linney), offers Annie a job as her son's nanny. The pay is good and the accommodations are free, so Annie accepts. While she warms up quickly to the boy and is attracted to the guy upstairs (Chris Evans), working for Mrs X and her husband (Paul Giamatti) proves to be a bit of a problem.

HITS & MISSES: 'The Nanny Diaries' looks at childcare in New York's upper crust the same way as "The Devil Wears Prada' looked at the fashion Industry. Both rely on exaggerated plotting to illustrate their satire and both use young and naïve girls as protagonists. Each has its own female villain too. Laura Linney accomplishes what Meryl Streep did in 'Devil Wears Prada' - as a woman who prefers to delve into useless social pursuits instead of bonding with her child. However, while she lacks the complexity and ferocity of Meryl Streep's character, she makes up for it with a more realistic portrayal.

Also, Johansson is a lot more effective than Anne Hathaway's bright-eyed rookie fashionista. And yes, she is the main lure of the show. Her voiceover comments help strengthen the message about negligent parents and put things in perspective. However, this one loses out to 'Prada' in its narrative. It is less dramatic and certain subplots seem over contrived. Annie's involvement in her nanny career is questionable and her romantic entanglement with her 'Harvard Hottie' is rather lame. The ending is unsatisfactory.

THE LOWDOWN: 'Nanny Diaries' was released in 2007. It took some time to get here and it should please Johansson fans.

HANCOCK: It's The SuperHobo!

HANCOCK (fantasy comedy)
Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan
Director: Peter Berg
Time: 91 mins
Rating: * * 1/2 (Out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The big deal is that superheroes need not be nice and heroic all the time. They need not save the cat from trees or say you've done a 'Good job' when you haven't. Superheroes can be arseholes if they want to be. This high concept movie, which is reminiscent of 'Superman III' where our hero turned nasty, provides goofy fun and quick-cut action - until it takes a radical plot turn and loses its way.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Hancock (WIll Smith) is a devil-may-care-type of 'superhobo' who causes more harm and damage with his good deeds than the criminals of Los Angeles. He is wanted by the cops, the people hiss at him and many are suing him for damages. Help comes in the form of Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), an idealistic PR exec who offers to give him a much-needed makeover.

Ray convinces Hancock to give himself up and spend some time in jail in an effort to make up for his mistakes. This is his plan for Hancock to win back the trust of the public. However, when Ray's wife Mary (Charlize Theron) reveals a secret of her own, Hancock's already screwed-up life spirals even further out of control. And so does the movie.

HITS & MISSES: This weird twist in the plot is not a bad thing by itself. If it had been properly developed, especially earlier in the movie, it would have provided an interesting background to the origin of Hanccock. However, the way this 'second act' is played out, it seems to have been like a last-minute change of the script. The quirky odd-couple relationship of Ray and Hancock of the 'first act' turns out to be largely wasted.

As the lead, Hancock is Smith's least charming role. Few in the audience can connect with his anti-hero - not even with the support of Theron, whose role as a squeeky-clean suburban mom hides an Earth-shattering secret. She is watchable here - and so are Bateman and Jae Head as Ray's son, Aaron. As for the action, there is enough of it to sustain our interest, although director Peter Berg tends to 'blur' the stunts and cheat our eyes.

THE LOWDOWN: Not as involving as 'I Am Legend' but watchable for its little conceit - as opposed to 'high concept'.