WEEKEND PIC - May 1 - 3, 2009

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK:

a. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (Fantasy actioner with Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan and Lynn Collins) Rated * * * (3 stars): This action-packed tale about the origins and relationship between Wolverine and Sabretooth should please Marvel comics fans. (Reviewed below)

b. MAKE IT HAPPEN (drama with Mary Elizabeth Winstead (pic, right), Riley Smith, Tessa Thompson, John
Reardon, Ashley Roberts and Julissa Bermudez) Rating * * (2 stars): A derivative saga about how a girl fulfils her dream of becoming a dancer. Reminiscent of Coyote Ugly, Flashdance and Step Up, it is destined for DVD.

STILL GOING STRONG:

1. THE UNINVITED (psychological thriller remake with Emily Browning, Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel, David Strathairn, Jesse Moss and Dean Paul Gibson) Rated * * * (3 stars): This Hollywood version of Korean horror, A Tale of Two Sisters, is not as scary as the original but it is engaging, nevertheless. (Reviewed below)

2. THE SNIPER (actioner with Richie Jen (right), Edison Chen, Huang Xiaoming, Jack Kao and Bowie Lam) Rated * * * (3 stars): Testosterone-filled thriller about a sniper out for revenge. The movie was delayed due to the Edison Chen sex pix scandal. Mainly for action fans. (Reviewed below)

3. PAUL BLART: MALL COP (comedy with Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O'Donnell, Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Rannazzisi and Shirley Knight) Rated * * * (3 stars): Lightweight comedy by a heavyweight 'hero' makes a pleasant watch. It is actually a spoof on the Die Hard actioner. (Reviewed below)

4. FAST & FURIOUS 4 (action thriller with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz and Laz Alonso) Rated * * * (3 stars): Right from the opening, we are plunged into the F&F world of fast cars, spectacular crashes and hot chicks. Plus, there's chemistry between Diesel and Walker as two feuding rivals caught on the same side of an FBI investigation. (Reviewed below)

5. SHINJUKU INCIDENT (action drama with Jackie Chan, Daniel Wu, Naoto Takenaka, Fan Bingbing, Jack Kao, Masaya Kato and Xu Jinglei) Rated * * * (3 stars): No longer the kungfu comedian, this is Jackie's first foray into a serious role in Derek Yee's story about the Chinese refugees in Japan. Contains some violent scenes. (Reviewed below)

6. CROSSING OVER (drama with Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Cliff Curtis, Jaysha Patel, Jim Sturgess, Alice Eve, Alice Braga and Justin Chon) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This ensemble flick of US Immigration stories aims to be like the Oscar-winning Crash but turns out rather messy and unfocused.

7. NAAK (action thriller with Jesdaporn Pholdee, Ploy Jindachot, Passin Ruangvuth and Sakda Kaewbuadee) Rated * * (2 stars): This multi-genre effort by a first-time director combines ancient Naga myth with modern jungle warfare, science fiction and even romance. In short, a Thai rojak movie. (Reviewed below)

8. COMING SOON (horror thriller with Chantavit Dhanasevi, Vorakan Rojchanawat and Sakulrath Thomas) Rated * * (2 stars): Offering a movie-within-a-movie, this Thai horror is about a
projectionist's attempt to videocopy a movie - with near fatal results. (Reviewed below)