Climber's High

Genre: Drama
Language: Japanese
Director: Masato Harada (The Last Samurai)
Cast: Shinichi Tsutsumi (Suspect X), Masato Sakai, Machiko Ono
Runtime: 145

Plot:

On August 12, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashed into the ridge of Mt Takamagahara, on Osutaka Ridge in Gunma Prefecture. 524 passengers turned to 4 survivors and 520 fatalities, making the accident the biggest single-plane accident in the world. Kazumasa Yuki (Shinichi Tsutsumi), a roving reporter working for the North Kanto newspaper was preparing to climb Mt. Tanigawa with a colleague when the news of the crash got out. In the ensuing excitement and chaos in the newsroom, Yuki is given the go-ahead to cover the story and receives tremendous pressure to beat out competing news organizations to be the first with the scoop. Much of the film revolves around Yuki's difficulty in balancing his duty as a reporter against the backdrop of such a staggering human tragedy and the subsequent conflicts with colleagues as he tries to deal with the event in the most journalistically responsible way possible.

Watched the movie on 28 Mar evening @ GV Vivo Europa with Sylvia.

Before I watch the movie, I thought I was about to watch a disastrous movie on how the plane was to crash and how to revive of the tragedy. And thought the main lead could be the pilot or hero who rescued the survivals.

I only found out I was mistaken almost immediately when the movie begin. The male lead was the appointed chief to cover the crash of the airplane that happened in a relatively small and quiet town where only sports news would made headlines. The movie took the approach at the impact the country's worst airplane disaster had on a local newspaper as shock, excitement and chaos swirled around.

As this happened back in the 80s, I feel like travelling back in time as the fashion and props used brought back memories. There were no computers, laptops, mobile phones, blackberries... Journalism was all about pen, pencil, paper and photographs. The reporters went out all their life to get the scoop and find means of way to have the scoop reported back to the publisher.Sweat, blood, life, all bet into it. Kudos to these people!

ah-deng says: 3½ / 5 The duration was a bit too long I felt.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic

Genre: Comedy

Language: English

Director: P.J. Hogan (My Best Friend's Wedding)

Cast: Isla Fisher (Wedding Daze), Hugh Dancy (Black Hawk Down)

Runtime: 104mins

Official Website: http://www.ShopaholicMovie.com

Plot:

Struggling with her debilitating obsession with shopping and the sudden collapse of her income source, Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) unintentionally lands a job writing for a financial magazine after a drunken letter-mailing mix-up. Ironically writing about the very consumer caution of which she herself has not abide, Rebecca's innovative comparisons and unconventional metaphors for economics grants her critical acclaim, public success, and the admiration of her supportive boss Luke (Hugh Dancy). But as she draws closer to her ultimate goal of writing for renowned fashion magazine Alette, she questions her true ambitions and must determine if overcoming her "shopaholic" condition will bring her real happiness.

Watched the movie on 27 Mar night @ The Cathay Grand with Sylvia.

There was definitely more female audiences than male audiences when I watched the movie. Think the theme "Shopping" really draws the female crowd. However, the amount of shopping items are not as much compared with The Devil who wears Prada and Sex & The City.

I like how Rebecca always gets away from her debt collectors, her mistakes, her lies. Everything seems deliberate yet falls in place nicely, her luck never runs out of it. Although she could speak Prada, Finnish, but the best part is she speaks to mannequins whenever she walks pass the windows...

Should we start to practise to ask ourselves "Do I really need this" before buying the next pair of shoes, bag, or dress?

ah-deng says: 3 / 5 Everyone has got the Shopaholic illness in them, it is a matter of the art of control

Taken

Genre: Action, Thriller
Language: English, French Albanian and Arabic
Director: Pierre Morel
Cast: Liam Neeson (Batman Begins), Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen (X-Men: The Last Stand), Xander Berkeley
Runtime: 94mins

Plot:

The seventeen year-old Kim (Maggie Grace) is the pride and joy of her father, the retired agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) that left the secret service to stay near Kim in California. Kim lives with her mother Lenore (Famke Janssen) and her wealthy stepfather Stuart (Xander Berkeley); she convinces the reluctant Bryan to sign an authorization to travel to Paris with her friend Amanda. When they arrive, they share a cab with the stranger Peter and Amanda tells to him that they are alone in Paris. When Bryan succeeds in contacting his daughter, she tells that criminals have just break in the spot and they are kidnapped by an Albanese gang of human trafficking. Bryan promises in the phone to kill the kidnapper of his daughter and immediately travels to Paris to find Kim and chase the criminals.

Watched the movie on 24 Mar late night @ KL Berjaya Time Square with Vanessa.

A father who wanted to make up his relationship with his daughter who lived with her mother since the parents were separated. Upon knowing that his precious daughter was kidnapped by baddies, he used his occupational knowledge to rescue her. The most memorable part that he said to the kidnapper was: "I don't know who you are, I don't know what you want, but if you don't let my daughter go, I will find you, I will kill you."

Another impression was that the action part reminds me of someone similiar. Just like Jackie Chan's Police story, whereby he also know where the baddies will comeby, how to detect danger, cause damage to his opponent but need not kill them...

Overall, a good action movie to watch since there isn't much good ones these few weeks. Again, this movie focused a lot on Paris, France that drew my attention. Of course, the wits of getting to the baddies and action-pack movie does keep me glued to the chair. Thumbs up for Liam Neeson's good performance.

ah-deng says: 3½ / 5 Lesson learned - do not share cab with anyone.

The International

Genre: Thriller

Language: English

Director: Tom Tykwer (Perfume: The Story of a Murderer)

Cast: Clive Owen (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), Naomi Watts (King Kong), Armin Mueller-Stahl, Brian F. O’Byrne

Runtime: 118

Plot:

Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) are determined to bring to justice one of the world's most powerful banks, the International Bank of Business and Credit (IBBC). Uncovering illegal activities including money laundering, arms trading, and the destabilization of governments, Salinger and Whitman's investigation takes them from Berlin to Milan to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as the bank will stop at nothing - even murder - to continue financing terror and war.

Watched the movie on 23 Mar late night @ Genting First World Cineplex with Vanessa.

Spend 2 hours and you can visit Berlin, Milan, New York, Luxembourg, Istanbul all at one go. And guess what, after watching this, I though I was watching Bourne the 4th episode.

Imagine that whenever you thought you were able to solve the case with someone willing to witness, the someone got missing or killed. The movie was unexpectedly very conversational, many dialogues. A slight distraction may leads to not able to understand the flow of the intense action. Although certain parts of the movie surprised and amused me, but when the movie got to the 2nd half, I began to check my watch to see the time and wished the movie could just quickly end.

Clive Owen did a just pass job in this movie I felt. A pity is that the lead actress - Naomi Watts, who looked exactly like Nicole Kidman, did not really deliver much in the movie. I felt her being extra in the movie. The movie could do without her involvement.

Maybe I have expected too much before watching the movie, thus was quite disappointed after watching. Probably because such topics are sensitive and the movie may fail to capture the audiences.

ah-deng says: 1½ / 5 Credits only to the Europe and Art Museum tour.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Genre: Comedy

Language: English

Director: Steve Carr (Daddy Day Care)

Cast: Kevin James (I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry), Jayma Mays, Keir O’Donnell, Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Rannazzisi, Shirley Knight

Runtime: 92mins

Plot:

Paul Blart is a mild-mannered, dutiful family man who works as a security guard in a New Jersey mall. For years, he has applied to become a cop, but he always fails the physical exam because he is overweight. One day, a gang of organized criminals put the mall under siege and take hostages. Blart becomes trapped inside, and because of his sense of duty, refuses to leave. He thus becomes the police department's eyes on the inside and attempts to stop the criminals on his own.

Watched the movie on 21 March night @ GV Max Vivo with Sylvia.

Very typical heroic comedy, just that the hero is an oversize security officer who is very devoted to become a cop one day. But I was not too convinced with this oversize man being that able though. But no matter how fat you are, when your love ones are in danger, you just have to push your limit to save the day.

The other main character is the "electric-scooter". I hope the sales of this scooter will increase after seeing how it helps the heavy officer to nab all the baddies.

There wasn't much surprises, except for the 2 villain roles. The main attraction was in fact using youngsters tricks such as skate-boards, extreme cycling, stunts to rob the shopping mall. I can't help by wondering if I ever own a shopping mall of mine and I could just use everything in the mall. (Only in my dream)

ah-deng says: 2½ / 5 Another family-get-together-and-watch type of movie.

Dragonball Evolution

Genre: Epic Fantasy Family Movie

Language: English

Director: James Wong (Final Destination)

Cast: Justin Chatwin (War of the Worlds), James Marsters (P.S. I Love You), Jamie Chung (I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry), Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera), Park Joon-Hyung (Speed Racer), and Chow Yun-Fat (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End)

Runtime: 86 min

Plot:

Goku (Justin Chatwin) goes on a journey to find Master Roshi (Chow Yun-Fat) and gather the seven mystical Dragon Balls before the evil Lord Piccolo (James Marsters). Along his way, he meets Bulma (Emmy Rossum) who then joins him to help him in his mission. When arriving at Roshi's place, he is not welcomed with an embrace but has to fight Roshi. Roshi soon learns that Goku is the grandson of Gohan (Randall Duk Kim) and thus trains him to prepare him for the ultimate battle with Lord Piccolo to prevent him from collecting the powerful Dragon Balls.

Watched the movie 20 Mar evening @ Cathay Cineleisure with Sylvia.

I read the Dragonball manga when I was young. However, the movie version was a total different aspect from the original manga. The missing of Goku's Travelling Cloud and the lusty-ever Roshi disappointed me the most.

Although the story was off the manga, the main idea was still there, to locate the 7 dragonballs and be granted a wish. And this will be cycled again after the particular wish is granted. I must say the CG effect is good and the movie was entertaining and colourful. However, it was not up to standard for fans of Dragonball manga I'm afraid.

ah-deng says: 2/5 Fans of Dragonball should not watch. Don't leave the cinema yet when credits out, there is a preview of Part 2.

Detroit Metal City

Genre: Comedy

Language: Japanese

Director: Toshio Lee

Cast: Kenichi Matsuyama (L: Change the World), Rosa Kato, Yoshihiko Hosoda, Yasuko Matsuyuki (Hula Girls), Gene Simmons

Runtime: 104 Min

Plot:

Soichi Negishi moved to Tokyo to chase his dream of becoming a musician playing stylish, Swedish-style pop. Instead, he finds himself leading the death metal band Detroit Metal City, or DMC, as the costumed and grotesquely made-up "demon emperor" Johannes Krauser II. Although he hates the role and the things he has to do as a member of the band, he has a definite talent for it. Adapted from the hit Japanese comic book by Kiminori Wakasugi, the movie follows Negishi's antics as he tries to reconcile the two very different sides of his life and find out what it really means to achieve his dream.

Watched the movie on 19 March evening @ GV Plaza Sg with Sylvia.

From a pale, crouching, goofy, intelligent and mysterious to a cheery, pure, innocent, loved singing and always on the run, Kenichi successfully transform himself the clever ever L to the down-to-earth Negishi, a young but bear hopes of becoming a pop ballad singer.

Being optimistic and hopeful, Negishi remained as the lead singer of the death metal band, doing something which he did not like. It brings me into thinking that how many people out there is able to get to work on a job you really like. These days, you should be thanking God for having a job.

Even so, Negishi taught us something. If you are unable, not suitable, not required, to do something you really like, then do it the way you like. Since you can't change it, then change yourself. One day you might just like the job you never like.

A good movie if you need to laugh your heart out.And do wait till the last scene before leaving the cinema once the credits are out...

ah-deng says: 3½ / 5 Don't go around if you have your face painted like these death metal band members or you may just scare kids around.

Race to Witch Mountain

Genre: Action, Adventure

Language: English

Director: Andy Fickman (The Game Plan)

Cast: Dwayne Johnson (Get Smart), AnnaSophia Robb (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory), Carla Gugino (Watchmen), Alexander Ludwig

Runtime: 100 min

Plot:

Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson), a depressed ex-convict cab driver living in a dirty run down motel in Las Vegas, picking up and dropping off passengers to the UFO convention at the Planet Hollywood Casino and Hotel. One day, two children, Sara (Anna-Sophia Robb) and Seth (Alexander Ludwig) sit in the back seat of the cab by chance. He questions them about how and when they got in the cab. They tell him they need to go to a certain destination and are willing to pay all they have to get there. After Bruno sees the money, he starts driving in the direction they give him, which leads them to a run down house in the middle of nowhere.

Watched the movie on 14 March evening @ Cathay Cineleisure with Sylvia.

A taxi driver got more than got bargained for when he picked up two teen runaways. Not only does the pair possessed supernatural powers, but they were also trying desperately to escape people who had made them their targets. While I was watching, I began to believe if there probably a possibility where people are setting up secret department and study about aliens, since there already have Nasa in US and Specialise people in Russia & China who worked very hard in Space. They probably already found out something which the world may not be notify as yet.

The 2 children left me deep impressions. Their blond hair, fair complexion, formal way of conversing, the super power possession, the whole stereotype image of aliens was thrown away.They spoke human language, they looked like human, and don't trust adults like us at Earth....

The only thing I dislike about is Dwayne Johnson's way of saying his lines. He sort of emphasised a lot on the pronunciation and thus the feeling seems lost. Overall, a decent family "fast and furious" movie.

ah-deng says: 3/5 What is the make and model for his cab? No bad for a car, still quite workable after some much impact.

Serbis

Language: Tagalog

Genre: Drama

Director: Brillante Mendoza
Cast: Gina Pareño, Jaclyn Jose, Julio Diaz, Coco Martin
Runtime: 90 mins

Plot:

The movie brings a frank, gritty immediacy to SERBIS, a multi-character, day-in-the-life portrait of a family-run movie house in the Philippines. Only this isn't your typical movie house. It's actually a downtrodden venue that shows graphic double features and allows the clientele to make their own sexual connections in the dark shadows. Nanay Flor, the family matriarch, is going to discover if she won a years-in-the-making bigamy case against her husband. Meanwhile, her children are involved in dramatic situations of their own. Alan has just learned troubling news about his girlfriend, and Nayda is married but attracted to her cousin Ronald. As the day develops and the verdict comes down, the Pinedas struggle to focus on the daily tasks associated with the theater, even as their own personal conflicts threaten to overwhelm them.

Watched the movie on 13 March @ The Cathay Picturehouse.

The movie title means "service", and the sex - gay, straight, and otherwise - looks real. It captured the raw and visual quality of modern-day Manila slums. There are buffaloes pulling the carts, tricycles, Tuk Tuks and other automobile. Hugh culture shock for someone who has not been to Philippines like me.

A run-down cinema that shows porn movies, operated by the family members. This cinema links the characters, young and old, men and women. Old mother wished to win her case to be free, elder daughter ran the operation despite her prohibited love for her cousin, another cousin did not love his girlfriend and ran away from reality, youngest daughter wished to grow up and live her own life. The cinema looked worn out yet the story inside stirred up the family ties.

ah-deng says: 2/5 Only the gays patrons worth watching.

Push

Genre: Action, Thriller

Language: English and Cantonese

Director: Paul McGuigan (Lucky Number Slevin)

Cast: Chris Evans (Fantastic Four), Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds), Camilla Belle (10,000 BC), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond)

Runtime: 113 min

Official Website: http://www.push-themovie.com/

Plot:

Nick Gant (Chris Evan) and his father are on the run from the "Division". Realizing that escape is impossible, Nick's father tells him of a vision he received from a Watcher; a girl (Dakota Fanning) will give him a flower and he is to do what she says in order to "save them all." He then throws him through an air vent as Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou) of Division arrives. Nick's father then is killed by the Agents while Nick escapes.
Ten years later, the American Division is testing a potentially deadly augmentation drug on a Pusher named Kira (Camilla Belle). While the test seems like a failure, when the doctor moves in to check Kira's pulse, she reveals herself to be alive. Knocking the doctor out, Kira steals the syringe which has the drug in it and escapes with the help of her enhanced abilities and interference from a nearly-catatonic Watcher.

Watched the movie on 7 Mar evening @ Cathay Cineleisure with Sylvia.

Another movie on human born with special abilities. Unlike the rest of the superpower hero movies, this movie featured psychics who usually only owned one unique power, but these power eventually "push" their target. On top of that, the film site is at Hong Kong, the Cantonese dialog by Chris Evans kind of amuses me.

In the movie, there are [Movers] who control the movement of objects with thoughts and hand gestures, [Sniffs] who track people and objects by sniffing items their target has touched, [Watchers] who rough idea of their target to direct their visions, [Pusher] who "push" thoughts, memories and suggestions into the minds of others in order to exercise control over their target, [Bleeders] who scream at frequencies that can shatter solid objects and inflict lethal damage on living things by causing internal blood vessels and organs to explode. (I suspected the Bleeder idea was from Stephen Chow's movie)

The plot was simple, to find the Pusher who live through a test. Yet it takes many people and to travel half the globe to find her. Hence, I find that the whole psychics idea becomes a flop for being so incompetent to find someone. The ending even confirmed my thoughts. Quite a waste for those talented actors who were casted in the movie.

ah-deng says: 1/5 Only the CG effects win me over. Catch it on HBO perhaps.

Last Chance Harvey

Genre: Drama, Romance

Language: English

Director: Joel Hopkins

Cast: Dustin Hoffman (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium), Emma Thompson (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Kathy Baker

Runtime: 95 min

Plot:

Commercial jingle writer, Harvey (Dustin Hoffman) travels from New York to London for his daughter's wedding, knowing that his job is in jeopardy. His daughter Susan (Liane Balaban) has a strained relationship with him, and when Harvey tells her that he will not be staying for the wedding reception because of work, she informs him that she has chosen to have her stepfather (James Brolin) walk her down the aisle. He attends the ceremony, then attempts to return to New York but misses his plane, then learns at Heathrow Airport that he is being fired from his job. Drowning his sorrows at an airport bar, he meets Kate (Emma Thompson) who is single and cautious about romance. He initiates a conversation, which leads to lunch and then they stroll alongside the River Thames. They grow close and she convinces him to attend the wedding reception. He agrees, but only if she'll come with him.

Watched the movie on 6 Mar evening @ Cineleisure Cathay with Sylvia.

Love is all around, no age, no boundary, no heights limits. When one meet the destiny one, nothing can stop one to be with. And chance doesn't come easy as well. One has to decide to take the risk in order not to jeopardise the family relationship or career.

It's been some time since I last seen Dustin Hoffman in a romance movie. Furthermore this romantic experience is with someone more than 20 years his junior. It brings hope to those who wished for love even when there probably seem no more chance.

The movie brings audience around London, as the couple are always walking around the city. The London cabs, London buses, the lively South Bank, the casual 2nd hand books store, the colourful fruit store in the market, and the busy Heathrow Airport and Heathrow Express. For someone like me who had never travel to Europe, a good chance to see the nice city, hopefully to see it once in my lifetime. Thank you Last Chance Harvey.

ah-deng says: 2/5 Wants to see how an old man fall in love?

The 45th PaekSang Art Awards in Seoul

The 45th PaekSang Art Awards was held at Seoul Olympic Park on Friday, 27 Feb 09. This annual event is said to be the Golden Globe of South Korea as it comprises both Film & Drama awards. As I only cover the Film results thus here are the winner for:

Best newcomer actor

So Ji-sub and Kang Ji-hwan - Movie is Movie

Best newcomer actress

Park Bo-young - Speed Scandal

Popularity Award (Male)

Joo Ji-hoon

Popularity Award (Female)

Park Bo-young

Best Screenwriter

Kang Hyung Chul - Speed Scandal

Best New Director

Lee Chung Ryul - Old Partner

Best Director

Lee Yoon Ki - My Dear Enemy


Best film

Celebrate Our Love

Best actor

Joo Jin-mo - Frozen Flower

Best actress

Son Ye-jin - My Wife Got Married

Grand Award

Kang Woo-suk - Public Enemy 1-1

White Palm

Genre: Drama

Language: Hungarian

Director: Szabolcs Hajdu

Cast: Zoltán Miklós Hajdu, Kyle Shewfelt, Gheorghe Dinica

Runtime: 97 mins

Official Website: http://www.fehertenyer.hu/

Plot:

Miklos Dongo is an Olympic gymnast whose career was ended by an injury. He comes to Canada to begin a new life as a coach. Miklos is assigned to train one of Canada’s most gifted young hopefuls. But the young man is vain and volatile and Miklos has difficulty establishing a rapport with him. Miklos comes to understand that if he is to establish a working relationship with the young man, he must overcome his own fears and confront his past, in which he suffered under the brutal training regimen of a diabolical coach.

Watched the movie on 1 Mar afternoon @ The Picturehouse with Sylvia.

We see that no champion wins without hardwork and efforts put in. Behind every athletic, there are a lot of unknown sufferings, pain, blood and sweat through all kinds of training. There will be a point that breaks and then his whole athletic career may just end. I believe this is happening even now in all parts of the world in order to train international champions.

However, not all careers come to an end, only one who could not continue due to certain reasons. There bound to be a way out with "so much equipped" talents such as the male lead of this movie. Now only, he turned his gymnast career to a performer in the circus, he helped another gymnast as well as himself.

On a side note, featured in the movie, Kyle Shewfelt is a Canadian gymnast, who in real life a real one. His gold medal in the men's floor exercise competition at the 2004 Athens Olympics was the first medal ever by a Canadian in an artistic gymnastics event and was the first Canadian gold of the 2004 Olympics.

ah-deng says: 2/5 Decent movie but lack of pace.