The Mass Clean-up...

Well, realised that most of my 2009 posts weren't actually posts at all, but reviews. Yeah, movie reviews. After hearing the comments from friends, I have decided to slowly remove them, leaving the blog to it's original purpose, which is blogging. chanel handbags Perhaps movie reviews in the future will be less heavy stuff rather than what I have posted, which admittedly is copied whole from my work. I also realised that I need some sort of momentum going if I am to get this blog back on track for 2010, so I guess this little post helps somehow...

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

*Sweep-Sweep*

Phew... there's so much dust in here... The blog's practically fossilized. Planning to get it back up again, but possibly gonna create a separate private blog. Well, things aren't as quiet as they used to be...

Laters,

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

Yo Joe!

G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra



"Lean, mean, and plenty of fun, G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra will bring out the child in you."

It’s official, G.I Joe brings “cool” to a whole new level. Seeing how well Transformers transitioned to the big screen, Hasbro did the most logical thing, which is bringing their “other” big franchise to full live-action glory! I admit I wasn’t a diehard fan of the original TV series, despite catching most episodes on Saturday mornings in the late 80s, along with Transformers (which kid back then didn’t?). That didn’t stop me from enjoying the movie. In fact, I believe those who are unfamiliar with the franchise will love it, while fans will have a ball of a time seeing their favourite characters on the big screen.

Taking place in the not so distant future, the movie focuses on US soldiers Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans - yup, the dude from White Chicks), who were tasked on transporting a highly dangerous new nanotechnology-based military weapon. When a mysterious bunch of terrorists armed with (cool) high-tech weaponry start killing everyone and steal the weapon, it takes (you guessed it) another bunch of guys with equally cool high-tech weaponry to beat them. The good guys later introduce themselves as elite anti-terrorist organisation called G.I Joe (the new acronym stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity), and Duke and Ripcord somehow find themselves roped in. Most of your favourite Joes are here, like General Hawk (Dennis Quaid), Scarlett (sizzling Rachel Nichols), Snake Eyes (Ray Park aka Darth Maul), Breaker (Saïd Taghmaoui) and Heavy Duty (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje).

The bad guys go by the name of Cobra, and are led by Scottish arms-dealer James McCullen aka Destro (Christopher Eccleston), who wears a smart-looking suit and doesn’t wear his iconic metal mask (don’t ask why, you’ll find out later on). He is assisted by the creepy, rather mysterious “Doctor” (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), slick ninja Storm Shadow (Byung-Hun Lee), master of disguise Zartan (Arnold Vosloo aka The Mummy) and the sassy Baroness (Sienna Miller). These are not your stereotypical terrorists; they have the money, technology, and seriously, evil has never looked so good. And oh, another iconic villain reveals himself later on, much to the delight of the audience.

The movie is good, cheesy fun. It doesn’t attempt to take itself seriously, and succeeds as a popcorn escapist flick. It doesn’t need a genius to figure out the plot. It’s the traditional tale of good vs. bad, but there were a number of pleasant surprises along the way, like betrayal, love lost and rivalry. A welcome touch is the addition of flashbacks on a timely basis to provide some back-story for certain characters (Michael Bay, please take note!). The acting is mostly uneven, with some doing better than others. Tatum’s performance was pretty dull, but I still felt it was a notch up from his role from that awful Fighting movie. Wayans showed that he could churn a solid performance and not just the slapstick comedy he is better known for (there are still witty laughs though!), while Miller seems to be the one enjoying her role the best, portraying the Baroness with joyful glee and stealing every scene she’s in (she's so super-freaking HOT!!!). There are some twists to the characters and story that might annoy diehard fans, but I believe the average viewer wouldn’t care less. Do watch out for the various cameos that include Brendan Fraser, Jonathan Pryce and Gerald Okamura.

And what is G.I Joe without the awesome gadgets, weaponry and vehicles? Director Stephen Sommers certainly got this part right, and you’ll marvel at all the technological eye-candy, however illogical they may be. The CGi isn’t the best, but has its moments. Most of the big scenes will leave you in awe, while some are just too cheesy for words. I hate to admit it, but I could actually comprehend the action better than in Revenge of the Fallen. It isn’t a perfect movie, but you’ll be enjoying yourself so much you wouldn’t care about the silliness of it. If there’s one gripe I could remember, it was that anyone and everyone could fly or drive anything, regardless of whether it belonged to friend or foe. Perhaps a nod to the action figure toy-line the movie was based on?

Notable moments to watch out for include Ripcord checking out Scarlett photos using his accelerator suit, a superb car (well, technically Hummer) chase scene through Paris and Cobra Commandahhh~~!.

Besides the guilty pleasure of watching good-looking men and women battle it out in high fashion, the best trait of the movie is the pacing and action, which is fast, creative, and oh-so-cool without doing it in excess. In fact I lost count of the number of times I said “awesome” during the movie. If in 2007 Transformers brought out the child in you, G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra will certainly do the same this year.

5 out of 5 Stars

BoA - Energetic - Music Video

BoA's 3rd single off her US album... Energetic is one of the more addictive tracks, she collaborates with Sean Garett in this. Cool music video too... she sizzles~!

She's Not What it Seems

The Uninvited


Sometimes it’s hard to accept someone new into our lives. There is fear and anxiety for the worst, but what if those fears are real? The Uninvited is a remake of the Korean horror flick ‘Tale of Two Sisters’, but takes its name from another unrelated Korean film. The story revolves around worried-looking teenager Anna, played by Emily Browning (yes, the girl from the "Lemony Snicket" movie). Anna just got released from a mental institution 10 months after witnessing her sickly mother die in a horrible fire. Her loving dad, Steven (David Strathairn), has a new girlfriend, who coincidentally was his wife’s former nurse Rachel (Elizabeth Banks) who is "helping him cope, three times a night".

Rachel seems to care and tries to bring the family together, but something makes Anna feel otherwise. Perhaps it is the weird feeling whenever she says that she hopes to be friends. After being haunted by visions and dreams of her dead mother (looking disturbingly burnt) calling Rachel "murderer!", she comes to the conclusion that her new stepmother might be the one responsible for her death. Alex (Arielle Kebbel), Anna’s rebellious older sister (and smoking hot eye candy) seems to support her loathe for Rachel, and the two are determined to figure out who she really is. This is where Google comes to play, and the more they find out, the creepier it gets.
It also doesn’t help that Anna keeps seeing spooky dead children warning her of Rachel and telling her she’s next. Who is Rachel really? And are the two sisters all that stands in the way of what she wants? The Uninvited does have its scary moments, although they mostly consist of unsettling scenes and sudden scares, best of which is probably the kitchen scene! The characters are well-cast and fit the roles well. Banks plays a convincing stepmother with ulterior motives, Browning is convincingly worried, Strathairn is constantly calm despite his daughter’s concern and Kebbel is the smart one who steals every scene with her bikini. The way the movie is shot is also interesting, some scenes make it seem like everything’s okay, but you can feel your guts telling you, it’s not.

The Uninvited is scary at times and plays with the mind but is essentially more of a "seeking the truth" type of movie. Scare-freaks might not appreciate the spread-out scare pace but it should be something for the average viewer. While it has its fair share of predictable moments, the movie does have a gem of a twist at the end, making you rethink and replay the events of the entire movie.

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Security Underdog

Paul Blart : Mall Cop



Sometimes it’s nice to see a movie that doesn’t try too hard. Paul Blart : Mall Cop centers on Paul Blart (Kevin James), a simple, single dad who works as a security officer in a shopping mall. Blart dreams of becoming a state policeman, but has failed exams numerous times due to hypoglycemia, a condition in which he needs sugar or he would just blank out and sleep.

No one takes his job seriously at the mall, but not Blart. A veteran in his field, he rolls down aisles enthusiastically in a Segway, and makes sure everything is orderly and trouble-free. He does get bullied more often than not though, and many look down on him. Often, he finds himself in funny situations with customers.

Things are spiced-up when he meets new kiosk operator Amy (Jayma Mays), whom he instantly has the hots for. Blart is easy to relate to, and I’m sure many will go rooting for him.

Then comes Black Friday, considered by many to be the busiest shopping period of the year. Blart doesn’t drink, but gets drunk on the eve and makes a total embarrassment of himself in front of (gulp!) Amy. A mall heist ensues on this Black Friday, where the criminals are so over-the-top it’s hilarious. To make things worse, Blart’s daughter and Amy are held captive by them. This is arguably where the most fun lies. Watch out for the numerous amount of creativity applied here, it’ll leave you in stitches. With armed robbers on the loose, SWAT team ready to strike and only armed with a Segway, can Paul Blart fight-off the bad guys, save his beloved mall and redeem himself with Amy?

At first glance, Paul Blart : Mall Cop might not seem that exciting to some, but if you give it a chance, you’ll see that it has a certain hidden charm , much like the character himself.

3.5 out of 5 Stars

New Model, Original Parts

Fast & Furious



Love it or hate it, the Fast and Furious franchise is back yet again for a fourth installment, and this time we see all the stars of the original returning to reprise their roles (hence the clever tagline, ‘New Model, Original Parts’). Taking place between 2Fast2Furious and Tokyo Drift, the movie is simply titled, ‘Fast & Furious’. Once again we Malaysians get an inaptly added digit (4) to the title, but let’s not delve too much into that.

Taking place approximately five years after The Fast and the Furious, the movie opens with ex-con fugitive Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang attempting to hijack a massive road train in the Dominican Republic. Dominic is joined by his trusty tough-as-nails (and uber-hawt!) girlfriend Leticia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez). What follows should please action fans, with an adrenalin-pumping explosive action sequence, arguably the best in the movie. Director Justin Lin has certainly outdone himself this time. As the police start getting dangerously close, Dominic starts going solo to protect those he cares for, but later receives a call from his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) regarding a murder of someone dear to him. Information leads to a drug kingpin named Arturo Braga. Dominic is not one to be messed with, especially when those he cares for are involved.

We are also introduced once again to Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker), a former police officer who’s now an FBI agent hot on the trail of a notorious drug gang and their leader, which happens to be the same guy Dominic is after. Walker’s acting still leaves much to be desired, but is admittedly better than in previous installments. Despite their differences, Diesel and Walker have great onscreen chemistry and it’s fun seeing them together again. While the dialogue and plot of the story isn’t something to scream about, the franchise was never intended to be a Shakespearean piece. The main points here is the action and the cars, and these are delivered in droves. In fact, the movie is an absolute thrill-ride from front to back.

The special-effects are well-used, and while some CGi isn’t that convincing, they do not deprive you of the excitement and sense of speed. Perhaps the only gripe is that Brewster and (the totally hot & gorgeous) Rodriguez seemed rather under-used despite the hype of having them back in the game.

While the returning stars are causing a huge buzz, the cars are attractions in their own right. Car buffs should spot plenty of gems, including a Nissan Skyline GT-R, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Ford Torino, Porsche Cayman and a BMW M5 among others. Even the 1970 Dodge Charger and Chevy Chevelle SS from the first movie make a thunderous appearance. Plenty of high-velocity action is guaranteed as there are no less than three different racing sequences throughout the film.

Those unfamiliar to the franchise need not worry; you can actually enjoy the movie even after missing the other installments. If you like nerve-breaking thrills and excitement, this is the movie for you. Story takes a slight backseat as fists and gearshifts do the talking. It should be noted however, that the experience is more fulfilling and even emotional if you have watched them all, as you’ll also relate to the characters better and understand the numerous inside jokes and references. This is a movie for action buffs and thrill-seekers, and of course fans of the franchise. Finally they made a movie that matches, if not tops the original.

PS: They DID do something that I can't forgive, but that'd be a spoiler...

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Good Cop, Bad Cop

Righteous Kill




Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino together; surely this has got to be the recipe for success? Reuniting the two legends for the first time since more than a decade, Righteous Kill explores the idea that the obvious may not always be so.

Tom 'Turk' Cowan (DeNiro) and David 'Rooster' Fisk (Al Pacino) are veterans in their field. With 30 years of experience behind them, they are possibly one of the best detective teams around (yet somehow unwilling to call it a day). When a string of murders start taking place, they are enlisted to figure out who the serial killer is.

The list of victims seemed random at first, but is later revealed that most have avoided justice in some form or other. Did the killer want revenge, or did he just want justice done? Things start to get out of hand when many more get killed, including a pimp, a child rapist and even a church priest. Every murder is accompanied by a piece of paper and a poem justifying the reason for the kill. Do the murdered actually deserved to be killed? While all these questions run riot, evidence even starts to point in the direction of one of the detectives. Could the killer eventually turn out to be one of their own?

Turk and Rooster make a strong team, and go to great lengths to help protect each other from getting into trouble. They even work together to frame a person they believe is responsible for child murder. It should be noted that DeNiro and Al Pacino have great chemistry here and make believable detective partners who are past their prime. However as the plot goes, things seem to take on a tried-and-tested ‘good cop, bad cop’ route and you somehow get the feeling you heard this storyline before. It doesn’t help that the excitement never really picks up either. The movie does let the facts roll in so you’ll more-or-less have a picture of who you think the suspect is.

Don’t get me wrong, DeNiro and Al Pacino are great actors in their own right, but perhaps they could have benefited from a less dull plot. Righteous Kill does however, gain from an unexpected twist at the end. Do watch out for rapper 50 Cent in a role that seems made just for him.

3 out of 5 Stars

Jumby Wants to be Born

The Unborn



Horror flicks have been rather cliché of late, with most utilising the same old tried and tested ideas. The Unborn however, focuses on a lesser-known entity called the dybbuk. A dybbuk, according to Jewish folklore, is a malicious possessing spirit, believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person who wanders around the borderline of heaven and earth. They are so tainted with evil, that they are not allowed to enter heaven. So, they are on a never-ending search for a body to possess. The more they possess, the mightier they become.

The story centers around Casey Beldon, played by Odette Yustman (yes, that Cloverfield girl), who is a seemingly normal teenager who suddenly experiences hallucinations and eerie occurrences, many of which are rather disturbing. She is also repeatedly visited by a child who keeps whispering “Jumby wants to be born”. The first mention was enough to give you chills to the bone, and the phrase keeps appearing to her in various ways, be it spoken or written form. While her boyfriend Mark (Cam Gigandet, recently seen in Twilight) and best friend Romy (Meagan Good) are trying to snap her out of it, it is clear that there is more to these occurrences than meets the eye.

Upon doing some research and also through meeting up with a holocaust survivor, Casey later finds out that she had a twin brother who died while in the womb. She then is led to believe that the dybbuk is the spirit of her unborn twin who seeks to possess her, and also finds out that their family fell victim to a sadist Nazi experiment while they were prisoners in the Auschwitz concentration camp during the holocaust. Casey discovers that a way to defeat the dybbuk is to perform a risky exorcism in accordance to some old manuscripts in Hebrew. So, she seeks the assistance of Rabbi Sendak (Gary Oldman), who is able to read the manuscript.

It should be noted that the sight of the Barto, the dybbuk-possessed child is rather disturbing, and is capable of scaring the bejeebers out of you. Credit should be given to Ethan Cutkosky for being able to instill fear at such a young age. Director David S. Goyer takes every opportunity to creep you out with distressing imagery, although the movie consists of mainly ‘shock frights’. There are many clichéd scenes too, and you’ll find yourself stressed out knowing that something is BOUND to happen during that particular scene. And despite all the shocking imagery and creepy CGi, actress Odette Yustman gets through every scene looking undeniably gorgeous and deserves half-a-star for doing so alone.

While seasoned horror fans might find The Unborn not up to their standards, it should still be a watchable flick for the casual fan of the genre, and the over-reliance on ‘shock-factor’ means the faint-hearted (which includes me) should steer clear of this.

3 out of 5 Stars

Kamehameha!

Dragonball Evolution



It’s always a dilemma for movie-makers when it comes to adapting much-loved franchises. While there is a need to please the fans and respect the source material, there is also the huge task of making it appeal to the masses. When it was announced that the popular manga and anime Dragonball by Akira Toriyama would be hitting the big screen, many had doubts. Hardly surprising, as most attempts at adapting anime to Hollywood have failed.

Dragonball Evolution revolves around young warrior Goku (Justin Chatwin), who accepts a quest by his dying adoptive grandfather Grandpa Gohan (Randall Duk Kim) to find the great Master Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat) and find the seven Dragon Balls. This is to prevent the recently-escaped evil Lord Piccolo (James Marsters), from using them to destroy all life on Earth. It appears that when all seven Dragon Balls are united, they grant the bearer a single wish. Along the way, Goku is joined by Bulma (Emmy Rossum), who is out to get Lord Piccolo for stealing her father’s Dragon Ball. Goku undergoes training with Master Roshi in order to prepare himself in facing Lord Piccolo. He is also later taught to use a powerful move called the Kamehameha. Other notable characters from the manga are thief Yamcha (Joon Park) and Goku’s love interest Chi Chi (Jamie Chung).

The movie is rather short, running at approximately one-and-a-half hours, so there wasn’t much character development or deep storyline to speak of, with everything running at a steady pace. The fans might be relieved to know that the basic storyline of Dragonball was there, but might get annoyed with the unnecessary changes made. Goku going to high school should top the most annoying and pointless change of all. Another odd change was Goku learning to master using the Kamehameha with Chi Chi as motivation, although I found it kind of cute. Despite appearing much younger, Master Roshi played surprisingly well, retaining his pervert personality, with poor Bulma being the victim. Yamcha and Bulma are possibly the closest characters to their manga counterparts, especially with Rossum doing a brilliant portrayal. And while they both do hint at their inevitable oncoming relationship, it was done rather cheesily. In fact quite a lot of the movie’s lines were cheesy.

Lord Piccolo and his aide Mai (Eriko Tamura) have an almost nonexistent backstory, leaving the audience in the dark over who they really are. They do some rather awesome action sequences though. The CGi in Dragonball Evolution isn’t groundbreaking, but works well. Some, like Lord Piccolo’s ship look quite artificial, while others like the final battle between Goku and Lord Piccolo sees plenty of firebolts and explosions. At least Goku’s Kamehameha didn’t disappoint (although it did differ from the original source).

Did I mention the girls were awesome here? Rossum was super hawt in a different way from her appearances in The Day After Tomorrow and Phantom of the Opera. She showed confidence, and kick-ass attitude while Chung was great herself, oozing with a mind-boggling mix of cuteness and sexiness. She sizzled throughout the entire movie and reminded me a lot of KARA's Seung-Heon. Tamura was also cool, in an evil, bad-ass kinda way. The girls earned this movie an extra star for their presence alone.

All in all, Dragonball Evolution turned out quite okay. There was action, adventure, humor and forced romance. One could argue that it needed more all-out fights like the manga, but perhaps there was a risk of over-doing it. Fans should give it a try, think of it as an alternate-universe Dragonball saga. While there was a feeling of some missed opportunities, oddly, I actually felt entertained.

Oh, and please be smart and not leave the cinema hall until after the ending theme song (which is sung by Ayumi Hamasaki by the way), as you might miss a little something if you do.

4 out of 5 Stars

Finally, You Can ‘Watch’ Them

Watchmen



They said it couldn’t be done, but yet he did it. Zack Snyder took the challenge of adapting one of the most renowned graphic novels of all time into a movie. Famed for his work on the highly-artistic ‘300’, it is remarkable how close Snyder kept to the source material. Most of the movie matches frame-to-frame with the graphic novel. And transferring 12-issues to the silver screen is no easy feat, as the story was deemed by many to be far too in-depth and complex to squeeze into a single motion picture. Watchmen isn’t your average superhero movie.

Set in an alternate 1985 America, where Richard Nixon serves his umpteenth term (and hopes for more!), it is a world where costumed heroes are part and parcel of society. The US and Soviets are on the verge of a nuclear war. One of the highlights of the movie was the opening credits, which showcase the rise of the masked heroes (the Minutemen) in the 1940s. An array of scandals, disgrace and disaster led to their disbandment and we are soon introduced to the second generation that fills their shoes. This sequence was really well-done, although those unfamiliar with the graphic novel may find it a little hard to absorb in a single watch.

The story starts off with Edward Blake AKA the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) being brutally murdered. This leads to Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) to believe that the entire society of now-retired superheroes is now being targeted. Soon other members of the Watchmen are reunited, which comprise Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). The use of mostly lesser-known names works wonders, as the viewer is attached to the characters, and less to the personalities playing the roles.

Dr. Manhattan, the only member with real superpowers (the other members are more `mortal’), is portrayed accurately, which also means he’s blue and naked throughout the movie (distractingly censored throughout the movie with a little bit of blur). Humanity-hating Rorschach is arguably the best character represented in the movie, thanks to the excellent portrayal by Earle Haley.

It must be warned that the movie might get a little draggy for some, due to the filmmaker’s wish to give the characters sufficient background story. A lot of detail from the graphic novel is squeezed in, and this should make the fans happy. It is only after the halfway mark does the movie pick up with the action, and Snyder does this with terrific style. His love for slow-down and speed-up sequences is rather apparent in this film. It must be warned though, that some parts have been changed, although they do not differ greatly from the original source. An interesting touch is the matching of song-to-scene, which is at times, slightly peculiar.

Watchmen is a pretty decent flick, but might find it hard to rope in non-fans due to the high-level of accuracy to the source material, and also its nature of letting the viewer decide for themselves what is right and wrong. A worthwhile watch, but make sure you’re mentally prepared for the almost three-hour long screening time.

4 out of 5 Stars

No Write of Way

The Reader



Kate Winslet is without doubt, a very talented woman. The British actress never fails to stir up great movies and yet with 5 Oscar nominations under her belt, seemed to never be able to score that coveted golden man, until now.

In the much-acclaimed The Reader, Winslet takes on the role of tram conductor Hanna Schmitz, a seemingly stern lady who stumbles across a young boy named Michael Berg (David Kross), on his way back from school. Michael was suffering from scarlet fever and Hanna helps send him home. Once recovered, he pays a visit to Hanna in order to thank her and the two soon end up having a secret affair, despite Hanna being twice Michael’s age. He realises that she loves being read to, so their regular schedule involves him reading to her books like ‘Huckleberry Finn’ and ‘The Lady with the Little Dog’ before indulging in passionate lovemaking. The latter is excessively cut due to our snip-happy censorship board and roughly a quarter of the movie is in a mess thanks to cuts in the conversation.

Thankfully there are fewer cuts later on in the movie. Despite the seemingly strong bond between the two, Hanna eventually disappears one day and Michael is left heartbroken and devastated. The movie shifts many years later and Michael is seen to be a law student. While attending a Nazi war crime trial, he is shocked after learning that one of the defendants is none other than Hanna herself. While Michael possesses information that could ultimately save Hanna from her sentence, things are made complicated by the fact that she herself is ashamed and unwilling to reveal this to the court.

Later on we are introduced to a grown-up Michael (Lord Voldemort aka Ralph Fiennes), who has a daughter out of a failed marriage. His role is not utilised as much as it should, and doesn’t seem to have impact that relative newcomer Kross has. Appearing early in the movie dismissing a one-night-stand, he is seen later on in the movie reading books into a tape recorder. How does this connect together with the rest of the story? Watch it and find out!

I guess 6 is the lucky number, and Winslet certainly shone in her role as Hanna Schmitz, finally earning her a well-deserved Oscar for this movie. This might not be a movie for everyone (usually the case with Oscar-nominated films), but it is certainly a moving tale of consequences and reconciliation.

Lovable Dog from Hell

Marley & Me



Owen Wilson has always been comic relief staple. He and comedy go along so well we hardly get to see him outside of his comfort zone. Then all of a sudden you see him signed up for the film adaptation of Marley & Me. Based on John Grogan’s best-selling autobiographical book of the same name, here we see Wilson playing the author who writes about his life and living with Marley, the world’s worst dog.

Essentially still a comedy, the story revolves around John and his wife Jenny (Jennifer Aniston), a pair of newlywed journalists. Not too long after their marriage, John realises that he is not ready to handle the responsibility of fatherhood. With advice from his journalist friend Sebastian (Eric Dane), he decides to get Jenny a dog to delay having children. And what a dog he is. Right from the moment he is picked up (check out how ridiculously cute he is), Marley owns the screen.

A very bad dog in every sense of the word, there is no end to Marley’s antics. From tearing the house down to eating holes in the drive wall (yes, eating!), he is uncontrollable. He even makes a strict dog trainer (Kathleen Turner) who claims there are no bad dogs, take back her words. He does however, freak out when there is thunder, creating hell for a certain young caretaker when it stormed seven times during John and Jenny’s absence.

In spite of Marley’s actions, the movie is in essence a tale of the ups and downs of having a job and family. We follow John’s transition from being a simple writer to a permanent columnist and later on, working for a bigger paper.

We experience his working atmosphere with colleague Sebastian and editor Arnie (Alan Arkin), coping with the strains of marriage, bills, children, moving house and handling a hellish dog. And through it all, Marley was right by his side, never complaining, proving the age-old theory of dogs being a man’s best friend. The film is as honest as it gets, and could possibly be Wilson’s most sincere role to date.

Despite the almost inevitable risk of making this a cliché and corny movie, the film-makers have surprisingly added emotion, depth and realism to this flick. Comparisons to last year’s 10 Promises to My Dog are most probably coincidental. One was based on a poem and the other, a memoir, although both share the same breed of dog and similar ending, A sincere and heartwarming film, Marley & Me should appeal to all ages. Guys, show-off your sensitive side and bring your girl to this movie.

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Don’t Mess with the Kung-fu Chick

Street Fighter :
The Legend of Chun-Li



I remember playing Street Fighter during my younger days. It was one of the most popular video game franchises around and even spawned a live-action movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The 1994 movie tried squeezing every character and ended up being really cheesy (but hey, we all loved it anyway). Which brings us to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Capcom’s second attempt at bringing the franchise to the big screen. Chun-Li is one of the most popular characters in the game after Ken and Ryu, and her back-story has never properly been told… until now.

Taking place before the famous tournament in the game, the story revolves around Hong Kong-based Chun-Li (Kristin Kreuk), whose successful businessman father dreams of her being a concert pianist. He also taught her martial arts from a young age, resulting in the young fighter we all know and love. Unfortunately one day he gets abducted by a crime lord named Bison (Neal McDonough) and Chun-Li grows up presuming her father is dead. Later on she receives news that her father is alive, which brings her to Bangkok in search of the mysterious Gen (Robin Shou). It also turns out that Bison has by now become an underground crime overlord in Bangkok through an organisation called the Shadaloo.

Kristin Kreuk had received much criticism since the announcement that she was to play Chun-Li. Despite being half-Chinese, many found her not ‘Chinese-enough’, while others doubted her ability to assume the role of the popular thunder-thighed heroine (yours truly among them). Upon watching the movie, my doubts were gladly extinguished. She played the role beautifully, kicking enemy butt while looking gorgeous all the way. The director paid attention to the game character, so you can even play ‘spot the game moves’ throughout the movie.

The same sadly can’t be said about Chris Klien, who plays Interpol Officer Charlie Nash, who is after Bison for his gruesome crimes, and teams up with local officer Maya (Moon Bloodgood). Chris’ acting seems forced and was made worse by the fact that his and Maya’s roles existed merely to show there was Interpol involvement which I found rather redundant.

Had that bit been removed, perhaps it would have allowed more screen time for Chun-Li to have longer battles with Vega (Taboo of Black-Eyed Peas) and Balrog (Michael Clarke Duncan), who seemed to be the actor having the most fun with his role.

The fight scenes are the strong points of the film, with excellent choreography, backed by a great soundtrack, which is very action-oriented. For instance, Chun-Li’s hard-hitting flying kicks are accompanied by well-paced hard-thumping beats that get you into the kung-fu fighter mood.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li is an interesting realistic approach to the franchise, marred only in part by some of the cast’s poor acting. I also wished the costumes of the characters were similar to the game; then again, it would have ended up like the previous flick.

Overall, Street Fighter provides for an entertaining outing, and fans may rest assured that hair-buns, outfits and moves will all meet with their approval. Chun-Li even gets to use the Kikouken - oops, did I let something out? Watch for yourself and find out!

2.5 out of 5 Stars

Unlikely Examples

Role Models



As we reach adulthood, while most of us grow up, some of us don’t. Enter the lives of Wheeler (Seann William Scott) and Danny (Paul Ruud), two mismatched guys who have more in common with boys than men. Working for an energy-drink company, they roll from school to school in a cool bull-themed SUV and with one of them dressed as a bull mascot promoting the aforementioned drinks. An unfortunate mishap involving too much caffeine and a break-up, results in their truck ramming a precious statue, landing them in trouble. They gain a narrow escape in the form of 150 hours of community service, thanks to Danny’s (now ex) girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks).

Under the supervision of former cocaine addict Gayle (Jane Lynch), the two are roped into an organisation called Sturdy Wings where they will learn responsibility through caring for a youngster. While it appears that they have gotten themselves into a rather undesirable situation, the threat of jail leaves them no choice, and things only get worse from here onwards.

Danny, a guy who dislikes almost everything in the world, is assigned to help guide 16-year-old Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) become a man. Augie is obsessed with medieval role playing and frequently takes part in a rather sad virtual world called LAIRE, much to the disappointment of his parents. Wheeler however, is assigned to Ronnie (Bobb’e J. Thompson), a foul mouth 10-year-old with an attitude problem and an obsession with boobies.

Although seemingly utilising a typical ‘who learns from whom’ scenario, the movie provides a lot of genuine laughs, with awkward situations, best of which is the hilarious tribute to KISS. The film ultimately sends the message across that sometimes the most unlikely individuals prove to be the best role models.

3.5 out of 5 Stars