Chipwrecked Chipmunks

Those helium-infused, furry little critters are back! Love or loathe them, there's no denying the success of the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise, which has grown from strength-to-strength with each installment, earning hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. With such a successful formula, it's only inevitable that the producers come up with yet another sequel - Alvin and the Chipmunks 3.



This time we find our favourite singing rodents on board a cruise ship with their manager/father figure Dave Seville (Jason Lee). Given Alvin's (Justin Long) notoriety for mischief, it wasn't long before havoc is wrecked.



The chipmunks (all six of them!) get blown off the ship via a kite and get 'chipwrecked' off a remote island. Things don't go too well for Dave either, who gets thrown overboard. And to make it worse, he's stuck with ex-producer and main protagonist Ian Hawke (David Cross) dressed in a pelican suit. Stuck on opposite sides of the island, they also encounter the peculiar cast away Zoe (Jenny Slate), who's been stuck there for far too long.

Being stranded on an island is actually quite refreshing to the storyline as he focus this time is less on the little critters competing and more on working together to survive and escape.



There are some good lessons learnt and plenty of laughs as we get to see some of the chipmunks in a different light. The chipmunks were clearly the star of the show and get quite a few numbers, albeit more contemporary than in previous films. Alvin and Brittany (Christina Applegate) develop a rivalry while there is a cute budding romance between Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Jeanette (Anna Faris).



Simon later switches to French alter ego "Simone" after being bitten by a spider while Theodore (Jesse McCartney) continues to get the most "awww"s from the audience due to his adorableness (especially when he's imagining Jungle Monster 4).



Dave and Ian do have a few good lines and certainly add well to the comedy. The two hold their own rather well, especially since there aren't many live-action actors. Zoe on the other hand, I found tremendously annoying. I'm not sure if her acting was awful or was she asked to act that way, but she was just a pain to watch, especially with her unfunny "balls" which were obvious references to Tom Hank's 'Wilson' in Cast Away. 

Visually however, the movie was bright and colorful, with plenty of sea, jungle and beaches than you can shake a stick at. Wait till that climax suspense scene which seemed to have been hilariously added just to show-off some extra visual effects. The chipmunks themselves seemed to have gone through some enhancements too, as I fancy they were far more detailed this time around. With all that's going on, it's a little odd that this flick wasn't offered in 3D.



It isn't hard to see who the producers of the film were targeting. The story is inoffensive, the villains aren't too scary and the songs they sing are mostly chart-topping pop tunes that include 'Bad Romance' and 'Survivor'. You could even sense the dialogue is written in a way that will help younger viewers understand better. Children will lap this up easily while older folks might require further convincing.



Parents however will be relieved as there are fewer and fewer 'family-friendly' flicks these days. If you could ignore the occasional bad acting (come to think about it, the ship's captain was terrible!) and couple of roll-eye moments by the chipmunks, this is one fun-filled flick the whole family can catch without much trouble.



Stick around after the movie for plenty of extras during the credits.



2 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

Early Hangover

Oh gosh, it's Valentine's Day all over again. Directed by the same guy (Garry Marshall), I figured they must have reshuffled the plot and gave it a new title. Heck, they even included some of the same cast and hoped we wouldn't notice. That was exactly my first impression upon laying my eyes on the trailer of New Years Eve. So was it a rehash of the said movie? Read on to find out.



Centering around the theme of New Year's Eve (obviously), we are introduced to people from various walks of life and how they face the looming start of a new year. We start off with pressure-ridden Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank), who needs to get the ball (which is unfortunately stuck for some reason) to drop at Times Square by midnight, or she'll have her job on the line. There's also Stan Harris (Robert de Niro), a terminally ill patient who's dying wish is to just see that same ball drop one last time, which unfortunately isn't allowed by his caretaker Nurse Aimee (Halle Berry). Performing at the New Year Ball, we have rock-star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) who's also seeking forgiveness from his past love Laura (Katherine Heigl), who happens to be the head chef for the exact same event.



Other than that there's disgruntled middle-aged Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) who hopes to complete her radical new year's resolution list with the help of her bubbly runner Paul (Zac Efron). At the same time overprotective mother Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) is dead-set on not letting her daughter Hailey (Abigail Breslin) go out to enjoy the festivities with her boyfriend. There's also a couple of soon-to-be-parents set on out-doing each-other to be the first to deliver a baby in the hospital in order to win a big cash prize. And guess what, that's not even the whole list of characters, which also include among others Ryan Seacrest, Ludacris, Russell Peters, Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele and Josh Duhamel.



Feel like there's too much going on? Well that's precisely the case. The sheer amount of big name presence coupled with various scenarios may seem overwhelming at first, but as each one runs its course it isn't that hard to follow. Just like Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve runs numerous story-lines that cross upon one another. However despite the number of A-listers and Oscar winners, the movie comes as a tad predictable. You could sense the stars giving it their best shot, but there's only so much they can do with such limited material to work on. Some certainly work better than others. Ashton Kutcher was in character as a young new year-hating comic artist, but then again he's just doing what he does best. It was interesting seeing him getting stuck in a lift with Lea Michele's character. The competing-parents scenario was excruciating while the mother-daughter one will make your eyes roll.
 


Halle Berry and Katherine Heigl had favourable performances, only spoiled somewhat by their mismatched counterparts. I certainly liked Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron's story as the mismatched duo do various funny and oddball things to complete their list.



The theme of New Year's Eve is mostly love and compassion, but sadly none of the stories seem pushed to their full potential, resulting in a lack of impact. There were also a number of really funny parts during the film and it helped balance things up. And if there's one thing the filmmakers got right, it's the singing.



Having two singers in the mix, it'd be a crime not to have the two - Jon Bon Jovi and Lea Michele - sing a few numbers. And boy did they sing well. Too bad it's just not enough to save a film that is just a huge compilation of movie plots you've seen before.



New Year's Eve isn't a bad movie - it's sweet, but just rather average, like how Valentine's Day was. If you're in it just for the celebrities, then this is for you. But if you're expecting a good plot or storyline, best to look elsewhere. While there aren't many 'New Year' movies around, catch this only if there are no other rom-coms to bring your significant other to. If not, best wait for the inevitable DVD release.



2 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

Brewin' Lunch with Wyeen

Had a nice and simple lunch with Wyeen at Chef & Brew recently as a belated birthday treat (also cause she hasn't tried it before teehee).




We both had pasta, hers was Turkey Ham Olio Spaghetti while mine was Smoked Duck Olio Spaghetti. Pretty good value for the price I must say.






Messed up the settings on some of the shots though (guess I haven't been shooting much lately).




Some had too narrow depth-of-field or wrong focus points (sorry Shneeps, but you still look lovely and photogenic as always, will take better ones next time aye)



Perhaps I should do a review of this place someday~

PEACE & God Bless,
Aris Tee

Happily Ever After?

Fans are rejoice and haters seek cover as the fourth installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga is here. Wedding bells fill the air and smiles are everywhere as we finally bear witness to the long-awaited union of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Surely this must be the happy ending to the story? Well, far from it actually. In Breaking Dawn: Part 1, we learn that forever after is only the beginning...



I'm sure by now haters will just not bother while fans will be waiting to catch it irregardless of reviews. Twilight's film franchise has grown from strength-to-strength, and with favourable reviews for Eclipse, expectations are high for the adaptation of the final book, Breaking Dawn. Split into two sections due to its length, we will be treated to Part 1 first, followed by Part 2 next year.

So we start off with Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) finally tying the knot with a grand wedding as poor Jacob (Taylor Lautner) can only watch.



The newly-wed couple then go honeymoon-ing off Rio in Brazil and after exhaustive persuasion, Edward agrees to make love to Bella in her human form. All's fun and laughter until the impossible happens - Bella gets pregnant. The unborn baby then starts a chain of havoc. Edward and Jacob want to get rid of it quick as it may actually kill her by draining from within, while the Quileute wolf clan wish to kill Bella to rid off the fetus, which they believe is a demon that will unleash terror upon the clan and folks of Forks - ending the peaceful treaty they have with the Cullens. Yet Bella wishes to keep the baby, irregardless of the consequences. With all the tension mounting, how exactly will this end?



First off, this installment marks a departure from the TV-movie feel the film franchise had since the beginning. With improved cinematography, the movie looks and feels great. Fans wishing to know how the much-anticipated wedding scene turns out may sigh in relief as it is nothing short of beautiful. With the lush romantic setting, heart-tugging music and that oh-so-gorgeous wedding dress, it will bring many a tear to viewers.



In my opinion, it was good that they showed this highlight, as it contrasts well with the tense scenes that follow later.  There were also many nods to the book (which fans will have fun spotting) and even a blink-and-miss cameo by Meyer herself.

Acting-wise, it's pretty much the same, although it's evident that the actors were getting more comfortable and confident in their roles now. Kristen Stewart deserves special mention here as it was pretty much her that keeps the film together this time.



The emphasis on Bella in Breaking Dawn - her nervousness in getting married, losing her virginity, facing pregnancy and determination to deliver her child no matter what - is all portrayed with such believability. And wait till you see how she looks when pregnant! I'm glad Stewart's finally getting the chance to truly spread her wings in this movie. As for Edward and Jacob, they seemed a little less restrained this time while the rest, particularly Charlie Swan (Billy Burke) and the gorgeous Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene) seemed to have been fully absorbed into their characters. I rather enjoyed the fact that the other humans, vampires and wolves received more screen time too.





There are also notably more laughs this time around and that quite balances the serious tone the film undertakes later on.



It should be warned too, that due to our censorship guidelines an important scene gets snipped... TWO scenes in fact. The second was cut-out almost entirely, so you'll be left trying to figure out what just happened, although I believe the ending pretty much explains it to you if you pay attention. There's really not exactly much of a choice here, but I really am curious as Breaking Dawn: Part 1 gets a PG-13 rating in the States, just as it does here.



The storyline on the other hand, or rather evident lacking of it in the middle, does affect the pacing a little.



The honeymoon chapter seemed never-ending, enough to even make you wonder if they stretched this in order to make two movies possible, but I was told that this was a part described in much detail in the book. Do check out the neat chess metaphor though.



Things also happen rather predictably, and if you've seen the trailer, you can pretty much know what to expect. Most is forgiven though, due to the brilliant second half, which blends tension with anticipation, coupled with the aforementioned performance by Stewart. It all leads up to an well-laid, heart-thumping ending which will leave you hungering for the next, and final installment of the saga. Bring on Breaking Dawn: Part 2!



And oh, stick around a while after the credits or else you'll miss the ending.

3 1/2 Stars (out of 5)

3D Shark Feast

Name a creature that makes you not wanna go into the water and I'm very sure the word 'shark' appears at least within the Top-3 of the list. So much is misunderstood about these beautiful creatures to the point that an average person believes every shark species will look at them as sushi. While much of this can be attributed to Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws', the latest shark-flick Shark Night 3D isn't planning to change that perception.



Shark Night 3D tells a tale of Sara (Sara Paxton) who has her friends over at her family's lake-side house to celebrate her friend Malik's (Sinqua Wall) good results with the help of protagonist Nick (Dustin Milligan) as his tutor. 




So here come a whole bunch of good-looking individuals that even include American Idol finalist Katherine McPhee having a fun time at a remote lake-house. 



Things go awry almost right away as they get attacked by various sharks (yup there's more than one breed) in the salt-water lake. 




And of course their only method of escape gets blown up in the most spectacularly unlikely manner.



To add to the mess are locals Red (Joshua Leonard) and Sara's ex-boyfriend Dennis (Chris Carmack), who are just too disturbingly creepy to not be ruled out with having something up their sleeves themselves.



First off, it's no secret that the film is a B-grade Jaws rip-off... in 3D. Good thing it doesn't try to be something it's not. With a title like Shark Night 3D, you pretty much get what you expect (the film was almost called "Untitled 3D Shark Thriller).



There's the usual 'innocent-victim-gets-killed' intro (albeit pretty cliche by now), a pretty cast with minimal clothing, some killer sharks and you'll even easily guess who-dies-and-who-doesn't. 



Too bad Piranha 3D did all this a whole lot better. For a water-based horror flick, there isn't much suspense, nor enough skin or gore for that matter. 



It feels like a rather toned-down creature-flick even for a person who gets freaked out by horror films like me.



However, Shark Night 3D does have some good things going on for it. The bunch of unknowns playing the various characters were actually pretty decent in the acting department and also rather likable.





But it's just hilarious how the film-makers went to great lengths finding numerous ways to get these people into the water.  



I also found it kinda funny that the resident nerd, Nick's gamer roommate Gordon (Joel David Moore) was actually hanging out with a group that looked like they belonged to modeling magazines. 




And oh, Sara Paxton is just so totally hawt in every single scene (plus she's in a lil blue bikini almost the whole time). 





The sharks were pretty alright too, having a variety of species instead of stereotypically just one was a nice touch - this included bulls, tigers (albeit oddly shown as sand-tigers instead), hammerheads and the all-famous great whites. 



Some love were even given to the cookiecutter, a childhood favourite of mine (feel free to Google them up). Despite the occasionally-dodgy CGi, the use of 3D in this flick was pretty good, and many will give you jumps - debris fall onto you and sharks jump out of the screen. 



And as an added bonus, if you're not a fan of Katharine McPhee, you get to see her get munched-up as shark-snack.



The story however, borders on the absolute ridiculous. The twist halfway is so nonsensical that makes you wonder if the film-makers were trying too hard explaining a shark-infested salt-water lake scenario. 



This is made worse by some scenes that are just absurd, like how one guy is out hunting sharks just moments after he was seen almost dying from losing an arm, blood-loss and shock. 



With a few changes and a slightly bigger budget, this could have been a much better film. The camera angles used were pretty alright, and often gave sufficient suspense to scenes. It is still a rather fun flick, after all how can you not enjoy watching hot young peeps turning into shark food in friggin' 3D?



And oh, do stick around till after the credits for an extra that's as ridiculous as the movie's plot.

3 Stars (out of 5)