A Nutshell Review: Sophie Scholl - The Final Days
If recent memory serves me correct, the number of German movies making their way here seem to be set only during WWII. With Napola and Downfall, we see plenty of youths either aspiring to be part of the elite, or are fervent members of the Nazi Youth.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/sophie-scholl-final-days.html
A Nutshell Review: Chai Lai Angels
Chai-Lai Angels, as the name implies, is Thailand's version of Charlie's Angels, no doubt about that. They work as undercover secret agents, they have various disguises, they fight criminal organizations, they look good while delivering those high kicks, report to a "Bosley", the list just goes on.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/sawadee-film-fest-chai-lai-angels-chai.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Lemming
This movie, which opened the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, has a plot point related to this Lemming reference, but I shan't go into the details for obvious reasons. Directed by Dominik Moll, Lemming tells the story of the young Getty couple Alain (Laurent Lucas) and Benedicte (Charlotte Gainsbourg) who seem to be living the model life - a relatively successful husband, a beautiful wife, a large house in trendy suburbia. What more could they ask for?
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/lemming.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: The Break-Up
The real life relationship between Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston probably casted a cynical shadow over this movie, given its ominously sounding title about the end of relationships. Not that it's played out in an unbelievable manner, but this is a classic case of real life causing an unwanted effect on reel life.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/break-up.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Snakes on a Plane
For the record, I hate snakes, and have this phobia of snakes. I can even freeze in my tracks at a bloody picture. And it goes without saying that the Snake House is never a place I'll visit in any zoo. What's my fear about? I don't know, just that I attach this sense of evilness and danger to these slimy (yes I know they're not) slithery creatures that should be condemned to the depths of hell.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/snakes-on-plane.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Lovewrecked
With a title like that, there's nothing too cerebral about Lovewrecked. No, it's not a doomed spoof of the Love Boat, but the teenage romance here is quite as cheesy and predictable. Bynes stars as Jenny Riley, and we're quickly introduced to her character's idol worshipping of screen pop singing sensation Jason Masters (Chris Carmack), going totally bonkers during his concert, much to the detriment of best buddy Ryan (Jonathan Bennett).
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/lovewrecked.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Akeelah and the Bee
Akeelah and the Bee is no different, but like all feel good movies, chances are you'll like this one and would be touched by it too, because it leaves you all warm and fuzzy inside, never mind a repeat of the commonly used themes. It's formula, but with its predictability, brings you just the right amount of ra-ra moments where you root for what's right, and depends a lot on the charisma of the leads to take it to the finishing line.
Read more at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/akeelah-and-bee.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Barnyard
Talking animals. Only in animation do you get away with having animals exhibit identifiable human traits, and speak like we do. Of late, with the success of many Disney and Pixar movies, this year alone we'll see a bumper crop of talking animals in animated flicks from successful ones like Over the Hedge, to complete flops like The Wild, and have in the wings, an Open Season Flushed Away with Happy Feet.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/barnyard.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Monster House
In almost any neighbourhood, there is always that one house, or that unit of apartment, which has spiritual connotations attached to it. It could be because of tragedy, or rumours, or just for the simple reason that it's unoccupied, or has some elderly, probably unkindly, strange looking old folk living in it, that gives the creeps to anyone under the age of 10.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/08/monster-house.html
Singapore Dreaming premieres 7 Sep 06
"Just Plain Brilliant" - A Nutshell Review
A Nutshell Review: Art of the Devil 2
I've been intrigued by Thai Voodoo for the longest time, not that I would want to be on the receiving end of it, but it makes you wonder the amount of clout and (real?) ability of these medicine men who put hexes and curses on your behalf, for a small fee. And it always seem that what they do to you, from simple artifacts like a voodoo doll, can inflict so much pain onto your real self with just a simple needle poked on a right position on the straw doll.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/art-of-devil-2-long-khong.html
Watch Singapore Dreaming for S$6
Click http://www.moviexclusive.com/showtime/sgd/singaporedreaming.htm for more details!
A Nutshell Review: Tony Takitani
Tony Takitani is a short film, clocking in at 75 minutes, but it's amazing how so much can be cramped into so short a time for a feature film. Telling the story of the titular character, played by Issei Ogata, we actually go backward an additional generation to learn of Tony's father Schozaburo Takitani, played by the same actor.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/tony-takitani.html
Watch Singapore Dreaming for S$6
Click http://www.moviexclusive.com/showtime/sgd/singaporedreaming.htm for more details!
A Nutshell Review: Frostbiten
To think I was once avoiding horror movies because I thought I was chicken. Hell, I now believe the real reason's cause there are so many bad horror movies out there, that it's just not worth the time and money to watch them on the big screen. This Swedish movie unfortunately, is one of them.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/frostbiten.html
A Nutshell Review: Ghost Game
The premise seemed interesting enough - a group of game contestants undertaking the ultimate dare, to rough it out in an unused prison renowned for its haunting given that it was the location of a massacre. The news film reel style at the beginning, without showing much gore, already set the atmosphere and mood, providing much anticipated scares for our 11 contestants. Again I'm sad to say that this horror flick didn't work for me.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/ghost-game-laa-thaa-phii.html
A Nutshell Review: The Intimate (Aien)
Telling a story of two strangers who meet by chance in an elevator, The Intimate follows their journey through the day and night (which doesn't seem to end by the way), as they discover about each other, and about themselves in the process. Kinda like Before Sunrise in its treatment, the lovers, nameless except known as Boy (Jo Dong-Hyuk) and Girl (Sung Hyun-Ah), play the usual courtship mind games, playing coy, being aggressive, taking turns to bust each others chops as they fall into each other's arms.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/intimate-aein.html
A Nutshell Review: On The Edge
At first glance, this movie might look like an Infernal Affairs clone, with Nick Cheung declaring he wants to be a "good cop", and with the element of an undercover cop in the triads. Actually, this could have sort of served as a tangent off IA1, with keen observations to how undercover cops find it tough to assimilate back to normalcy, as the movie shared, more than 50% do not make it pass their 3rd year.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/on-edge.html
A Nutshell Review: The Host
This movie has already been much hyped because everyone is wondering what the Koreans saw in it to make it a resounding box office smash. So does it live up to expectations? Yes, in a different way. What I'll include below will be suitable more for a post viewing read, although most will probably have some prior knowledge about the movie from its trailers and poster. If you don't mind mild spoilers, you can proceed, until the part where I'll warn you about something major.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/host-gwoemul.html
A Nutshell Review: Forbidden Siren
Forbidden Siren is based upon the Siren 2 Playstation 2 (so many 2s) game. Like most video game turned movies, I would say the majority don't translate into a different medium really well. And that goes for this one too, painfully.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/forbidden-siren-sairen.html
A Nutshell Review: Pulse
I've watched the original movie Kairo which Pulse is based upon. As is the current trend, Asian horror movies are being adapted or remade by their western counterparts at a rapid pace in an attempt to offer something different in style of the genre to its own audiences. If you haven't watched Kairo, you might think that Pulse is genius. If you had watched Kairo however, and didn't like it, this remake will make you appreciate the original a whole lot more. If you liked Kairo, then Pulse is a blasphemy, whether or not you're a purist.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/pulse.html
A Nutshell Review: The Banquet
It's an oriental kung fu Hamlet.
Everyone's been saying it's loosely based on Shakespeare's tragedy, and to some, the movie's indeed a tragedy with its slowness in pace and lack of action, but I'd like to see it as because of its heavy reference to Hamlet (the poisoned quill, and many other plot points and scenes), it sort of created a crutch on which to lean the movie upon, hence the familiarity to some, therefore having the source serving as a double edged sword - the movie beholden to it and eventually ending it on a weak note.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/banquet-ye-yan.html
A Nutshell Review: John Tucker Must Die
John Tucker Must Die has one of the most interesting trailers for a commercial cheesy girly flick, and it works to a certain extent, with the similarity in playing along the same lines as the Kill Bill title. I remember vividly each time after the trailer was aired, that some girls seated around me will almost always squeal with delight, so it's really no wonder if this flick proves to do well at the box office.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/john-tucker-must-die.html
A Nutshell Review: The Absent (Ausentes)
To its credit, it does keep you guessing. As the premise goes, a serene family of four moves into the suburbs, only for Julia (Ariadna Gil) the mom experiencing things that go bump, even in the day. Loving husband Samuel (Jordi Molla) and kids Felix (Nacho Perez) and Luis (Omar Munoz) do not experience these strange phenomenon, and therefore this leads to tension within the family.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/absent-ausentes.html
A Nutshell Review: Imagine Me & You
Rachel (Piper Perabo, a dead ringer for Rachel McAdams) and Hector (Matthew Goode, from Match Point) are about to get married after years of courtship. On their wedding day, Rachel notices Luce (Lena Headey) from the corner of her eye, and from brief introductions turned into family gatherings, turned into something more. Rachel experiences strange feelings for Luce and the feelings turned out to be mutual, but what about Hector? It's a classic case of everyone's worst nightmare come true, finding out that the person you're about to marry, or have married, actually loves somebody else, and that someone else being the same sex just compounds the effect.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/imagine-me-you.html
A Nutshell Review: P.S.
At first glance the premise of the movie seemed a little like Nicole Kidman's Birth, where someone who's already dead gets reincarnated into a boy who seemed to know all her/their dirty little secrets. Anyway that was my first thought when I heard about the plot outline for P.S., but that said, this story couldn't be anywhere near Birth.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/ps.html
A Nutshell Review: Little Miss Sunshine
But wait, before you roll your eyes at yet another story with quirky characters, this one probably proved itself to be relatively superior given its easy going delivery, never taking itself too seriously with the messages it tried to put across, and the cast is a joy to behold. Telling the story of the Hoover family's journey cross-country to bring their young daughter to the finals of the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant, it's an insane road trip movie as well in their yellow family mini-van.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/little-miss-sunshine.html
A Nutshell Review: Miami Vice
Written and directed by Michael Mann, who served as one of the executive producers of the original 80s television series starring Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Rico Tubbs, this is one of the rare recent Hollywood remakes that had someone from the series helm the project. However, the movie version is a mixed bag, and it's not hard to understand why.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2006/09/miami-vice.html