Thursday, April 15, 2010

WEEKEND PIC - April 16 - 18, 2010

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND MOVIES

NEW THIS WEEK

a) SHUTTER ISLAND (psychological thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow and Elias Koteas) Rated * * * (3 stars): This is not a movie for the action set but for those who like the challenge of solving puzzles. Martin Scorsese's interpretation of Dennis Lehane's novel is compelling, thought-provoking and even mind-boggling. And it has DiCaprio at his best. (Reviewed below)

b) KICK ASS (comedy spoof with Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Nicolas Cage and Tamer Hassan) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's both a comedy adventure as well as a spoof on costumed superheroes that one New York student named Dave decides to become. There are some cool moments, like when Hit Girl does her stuff, but the movie is uneven at times. Still, it leaves us wanting more. (Review pending)

c) WHEN IN ROME (romantic comedy with Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Will Arnett, Alexis Dziena, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Kate Micucci, Bobby Moynihan, Danny DeVito and Anjelica Huston) Rating: * * (2 stars): A cliched and predictable rom-com that tries too hard to please everyone and ends up not satisfying anyone. Still Duhamel and Bell provide the requisite charm that saves the movie from being a total flop.


STILL GOING STRONG:

1. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (animated adventure with Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrara, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig and T.J. Miller) Rated * * * (3 stars): Somewhat the Viking version of Lilo & Stitch in 3D, this is a rousing adventure for the family during the school holidays. The graphics are great and the dragon flights exhilarating enough to send you into the mythical world. (Reviewed below)


2. DATE NIGHT (comedy with Steve Carrel, Tina Fey, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Mark Wahlberg, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta and Shawn Levy) Rated * * * (3 stars): A wild and wacky couples comedy with Fey and Carrell in good form and chemistry. The plot is rather far-fetched but nonetheless, there are enough sparks and spills for both action and humour fans. (Reviewed below)

3. ECHOES OF THE RAINBOW (family drama with Simon Yam, Sandra Ng, Aarif Lee, Chung Siu To and Evelyn Choi) Rated * * * (3 stars): This family drama strives for nostalgic realism, tempering yesteryear charm and familial bond with a touch of tragedy. It is not a movie for the masses but a rare gem for film buffs who look for something different from the familiar fare. (Reviewed below)

4. IT'S COMPLICATED (romantic comedy with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Caitlin Fitzgerald, and Zoe Kazan) Rated * * * (3 stars): It's a guilty pleasure watching Nancy Meyers' chick flick, albeit for the older audiences. There's a special chemistry that sizzles between Streep and Baldwin, and a tender flame between Streep and Martin. The script is incredulous, hence the guilt. (Reviewed below)

5. CLASH OF THE TITANS (mythical adventure with Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Izabella Miko and Pete Postlethwaite) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This remake of the 1981 Clash may be a technical improvement, especially in its CGI and special effects. But nothing is done to improve or 're-imagine' the myths about the demi-god Perseus or the other characters. They are all 2D! (Reviewed below)

6. KAIJI (fantasy adventure with Tatsuya Fujiwara, Teruyuki Kagawa, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Yûki Amami and Tarô Yamamoto) Rated * 1/2 (1.5 stars): Adapted from manga, this thriller about a young gambler just reflects the notion that all gaming addicts are losers. Those who catch Kaiji would probably feel like one too because the movie is excruciatingly long and tedious (at 2 hours), the acting is not only lame but annoying and the directing is amateurish. (Reviewed below)

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