Movie Review - Contraband

First, I want to say a very big thank you to omy.sg for another opportunity to review the latest show in town – Contraband – on Tuesday night.

I got to review the movie in lushly renovated Shaw Lido theatre, fast becoming one of my favorite cinemas on the island. Synopsis of Contraband
Mark Wahlberg (Shooter) and Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) leads the cast of Contraband, a fast-paced thriller about a man trying to stay out of a world he worked so hard to leave behind and the family he’ll do anything to protect. Set in New Orleans, the film explores the cutthroat underground world of international smuggling—full of desperate criminals and corrupt officials, high-stakes and big payoffs—where loyalty rarely exists and death is one wrong turn away.

Chris Farraday (Wahlberg) long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris is forced back into doing what he does best—running contraband—to settle Andy’s debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), to head to Panama and return with millions in counterfeit bills.

Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons become their target.

Movie Review
There are a few reasons why I really enjoyed and love this show:

Chris Farraday runs into his first problem in Panama

1) The pace of the movie – The wordings “fast-paced thriller” is totally apt. From the moment Chris’ brother-in-law got into trouble at the start of the show, the pace was relentless. There is no moment wasted as there was a lot going on.

Chris and his gang is unaware of the many potholes ahead of their adventure in Panama

2) Plot twists – There are numerous plot twists and new problems arising from almost every solution or plan well thought out by the main character Chris. Initially he did a lot of things which we, as laymen and as clueless and law-abiding Singapore citizens, would not know what for. But it would be revealed in due time. In other words, if you doze off for just a moment, you might very likely have missed an important clue to the end of the show.
3) The characters – Wahlberg’s character Chris, a “world-class smuggler” according to the show’s villain Tim Briggs, was a three-dimensional character. It is quite amazing to develop a character so much in a action-packed fast-paced movie, but they did. Chris was a man who had settled into a comfortable American life with a beautiful wife and two sons but secretly missed his law-breaking days as a contraband smuggler. But he is also fiercely protective of his family and at the same time, has the moral not to ship any drugs. The contraband in question was “super notes” fake currency. I especially like the way he lost his cool with Tim after he threatened to hurt his family, he ended up heavily bruising Tim and was caught doing so by Tim’s daughter. Instead of hurting Tim further, he pulled Tim up and told the girl that they were just horsing around – showing that he would never want to traumatize children, even if they were the children of a jerk.

Tim Briggs, played by Giovanni Ribisi, was the typical villain but he really gets on your nerves with his trash talking and ruthless ways to get his way. However, the viewers would soon know that this character isn’t as smart as portrayed earlier in the show, as there is another mastermind. Chris’ best friend Sebastian, plays a big part in all this as he still has contacts to contraband goods and is the link man back to the industry for Chris when Andy got into trouble with Tim. At the same time, he needs to help Chris take care of his family from Tim while he is away doing what he does best. As the show goes on, we soon learnt that Sebastian is also a recovering alcoholic, who would return to alcohol some part during the show. More havoc unravels! I shall not spoil the story for you by revealing more, just watch the show! Finally, Beckinsale’s character Kate (also her real-life first name) was perhaps the least developed character in the movie. I didn’t mind one bit because she was totally hot, even with blond hair! 4) The ending of the show – I mentioned earlier that Chris did a lot of preparatory work at the beginning of his return to the smuggling world, some of which would be immensely important to the ending of the show. Towards the end, Chris and his crew on the ship were almost caught but no one found any of the contraband money he brought to the ship, even at the very spot where they had initially stored it in. No one knew where it had gone until the end of the show. Also, as if that isn’t enough, they ended up with more than what they bargained for right at the end too – making them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Just how did that happen and what happened to the villains? Watch the show in the cinemas and find out, you won’t regret it!

Final rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 – a must watch!

Movie Review: Immortals

Thanks to omy.sg, I went to the movie preview of Immortals two nights ago and I was blown away by the action sequences and special effects, which were enhanced by the 3D glasses.

Being a fan of 300, Troy, and all Greek mythology, I really looked forward to this show (which was produced by the same people who gave us the unforgettable 300).

The story behind the visually exciting Immortals are as follow:

When the world was still young, immortals walked the earth. There were peace until thees immortals realised that they can inflict great damages to one another and a war erupted. The winners call themselves Gods, and the vanquished were labelled Titans.

Eons after the this mythic battle between the Gods and the Titans, a new evil threatens the land. Bloodthirsty with power, King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke, above) has declared war against humanity. Amassing a fearsome army of soldiers, Hyperion has scorched Greece in search of the legendary Epirus Bow, a weapon of unimaginable power forged in the heavens by Ares, the Greek God of War. Along the way, his army unleashed fear and deaths throughout the land.

Anyone who found this mystical bow can unleash the Titans, who have been imprisoned deep within the walls of Mount Tartaros since the end of the war between immortals and were waiting for revenge. In Hyperion's hands, the bow would rain destruction upon mankind and annihilate the Gods. But ancient law dictates the Gods must not intervene in man’s conflict unless the Titans are released.

In the midst of all these, a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill above) comes forth as the hero. Chosen and trained by Zeus himself, Theseus soon caught the attention of his local army through his fighting skills. When Hyperion finally unleashed the Titans upon the people, Theseus must stop Hyperion and his army while the Gods attempt to stop the Titans once more.

As mentioned in my opening paragraph, I was truly blown away by the action and special effects, and the 3D effects came across as classy and with a lot of depth difference.

When the Gods (dressed in gold above) appeared in their true form, they look gorgeous (Ok I meant Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare played by Isabel Lucas - she is really hot - see picture below). I love the action sequences of the Gods against the Titans the most - gory, detailed and fantastical, really fantabulous!

However, the best parts of the movie remains the special 3D effects and the action sequences. The story is pretty flawed and that was a real pity, as it could have been a real classic epic. Being a geek in greek mythology, I realised that Ares was being defeated far too easily by Zeus. And Poisedon was seen as being below, or in this case, hinted to be just another child of Zeus - which is wrong as Poseidon and Zeus, together with Hades, are brothers and were actually children of Cronos/Kronos, a titan. They should be of equal standing with command over different realms (the earth and the sky by Zeus, the sea by Poseidon and hell by Hades). However, Hades was never mentioned here and Poseidon seem to fear Zeus. Zeus' weapon of a whip in the show also don't seem to be right.

Also, Theseus is the child of Poseidon, according to the mythology but it is certainly not protrayed as such in this show. But the did show Theseus slaying a Minotaur, which is what the mythical Theseus is famous for. Oh well, I'm just being too specific because I am a big fan of Greek mythology and a big fan of the game God of War.

The story also left many questions unanswered, such as the origins of the Oracles, why the Epirus Bow was forged, why Zeus only seemed to care about Athena and not the other Gods...

For me, if you are looking to enjoy a show with awesome special effects and just to have a ride of a time, then Immortals is certainly for you. It isn't a show for the intellectuals though, but that is why it is mainstream.

3 outta 5 stars for me. You need to watch this in 3D to fully enjoy the show. Don't wait for the DVD because the experience would be totally different.

The 3-D epic adventure Immortals is directed by revolutionary visualist Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and produced by Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton, the producers of 300, as well as Ryan Kavanaugh (Dear John, The Dark Fields).

No tips @ the Tower!

Again thanks to omy.sg, I got to a chance to review the latest comedy to hit the cinemas - Tower Heist. With Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in a comedy, what can go wrong? Nothing much actually... I think it's actually one of the better comedies I've watched this year!

Arthur Shaw swimming in his private pool with a 100-dollar bill design at the top level penthouse

The show is about how a businessman tenant of the top floor penthouse of a luxury apartment building called the "Tower", named Arthur Shaw (played by Alan Alda, the guy from M*A*S*H) turned out to be a swindler who cheated the pension money of the Tower staff and was caught by the FBI. Stiller plays Josh, the building manager who had to break the news to his staff. The Tower's doorman Lester had told Josh he planned to retire at the end of the year but his plans had to be shelved. Lester attempted suicide soon after but was rescued. Josh later found out from Lester that he had given his whole life's savings to Shaw for investing, and had thus had nothing left for his twilight years.

Angered by this, Josh confronted Shaw, who was back at his penthouse under house arrest by the FBI. Josh smashed Shaw's Ferrari and lost his job together with his brother-in-law and the new elevator staff who were with him during the confrontation.

The motley crew in Tower Heist

Josh then came up with a way to get the money back from Shaw, by robbing his penthouse! He then began to round up a motley crew of his ex-colleagues and a childhood friend who grew up to be a criminal (played by Eddie Murphy).

Ben Stiller is at his natural funny-without-trying best while Eddie Murphy is in a character much different from the roles audience are used to, but funny nonetheless.

First Lesson: How to be a criminal

I love the part where Murphy's character Slide needed to be convinced of the motley crew's criminal ways before joining them in their quest. They were supposed to each steal something that is worth at least $50. The scenes that followed were hilarious! You must see it!

I shall not ruin the ending, but my title has some bearing as the rebuttal line at the end. Watch it to find out for yourself!

I enjoyed it. If you had to choose between Footloose or Tower Heist, hey it's an obvious choice.

Definitely worth 4 outta 5 stars for me.

Movie Review: Footloose

I was invited to the movie preview of Footloose (2011) by omy.sg on Monday night, and I was fortunate enough to bring Val, who had watched the original Footloose starring Kevin Bacon (Strange how she managed to watch the original film in 1984 when she was only 4 years old).

I have never watched the original, and so I am able to offer a rather neutral view of the new show. But at the same time, I had the opportunity to ask Val how it compares to the original. Before the show, I had expected more dance scenes, which is what got me interested in the first place. What I can say for dance fans is, if you are looking for extensive dance sequences, then you won't be getting much.

The dance sequences were good, just not enough of them

There are some impressive dance moves from the main actor Kenny Wormald, who plays Ren McCormack. It turns out that Kenny is a prolific professional dancer which impressive credentials, having toured with Justin Timberlake and the Pussycat Dolls. The main actress Julienne Hough, who plays Ariel Moore, is also a professional ballroom dancer. But I don't feel there are enough dance sequences to exploit the talents of both actors.

The plot itself,;which according to Val is exactly the same as the original Footloose, with the same opening scene as well; was rather thin and gives a real retro feel. One won't have thought the movie to be set in modern times, at least I didn't, until Ren whips out his iPod playing music.

Julienne Hough (in green) looking hot as Ariel. The girl to the right is Rusty, played by Sarah Jessica Parker in the original Footloose. Great casting - they both look the same kind of ugly

The movie begins innocently enough, with the song Footloose being played and youngsters dancing. Then a group left and got into a nasty accident, and were killed on the spot. It turned out that the driver of the group was the brother of Ariel Moore, the daughter of the town's preacher Shaw Moore. The deaths of the 5 youngsters rocked the small town, and as a result, the town council, at the recommendation of Shaw, passed ridiculous laws such as a curfew on teenagers to be home before 10pm, the banning of public dancing for all teenagers and playing of certain songs (yeah, how believable was that?). It would have been more believable in the original movie because it was set in the 80s, but today? The only thing that probably saved them was the fact it was set in a small town, and I've heard of pretty strange laws in small communities in certain countries (I've heard how it is illegal to slam car doors in a certain country, can't remember where though).

Ren was a new orphan having lost his mum to leukemia, and moved to a small town called Bomont (fake town I suppose) with his uncle's family. Ren appeared aloof when he first appeared and looked like trouble. It turned out Ren was a pretty decent chap who is also a gymnast, thus his ability to move to the groove. Ren's nonchalant attitude as well as his crush on Ariel got him into some trouble at school and with Chuck, the good-for-nothing car racer air-head boyfriend of Ariel.

As the story unfolds with his tangling with Chuck and Ariel, Ren finds out from his friends at school that dancing was forbidden by law and was in disbelief for a while. He then decided to start a petition against this law to bring dance back to their high school prom. I shall not ruin the ending for you here but if you have seen the original movie, then you already know.

The best part of the movie for me was when Ren was so fed up with his school principal he went to an abandoned warehouse and started venting his frustrations with some rather violent dance moves, which were quite impressive. Oh, and of course Julienne Hough being so incredibly hot helps too.

I find Kenny really resembles a young Alan Tam - what do you think?

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars, watchable but you can wait for the DVD.

"Tell me everything's gonna be okay"

Movie Review: The Source Code (4/5 stars rating)

"I'm going to shoot you because you have a more impressive beard than me."

I went for a movie review last night organised by omy.sg on The Source Code - a science fiction action thriller.

With a synopsis of a decorated military pilot on a mission inside a dead person's mind to gather clues of the possible terrorist who bombed a train, it got me intrigued.

The story goes like this:

Decorated military helicopter pilot Captain Colter Stevens (acted by Jake Gyllenhaal), woke up being another man, a man he do not know and he could not remember why he was even there in the first place. He was in a train and he has a lady companion and the train explodes 8 minutes after he woke.

After the explosion, Captain Stevens was brought back to reality. Here, he finds out that he is trapped in a chamber and someone is speaking to him through a screen monitor. He manages to gather information that he is part of a mission to gather clues of the possible terrorist in the train in the last 8 minutes of a victim's mind, a memory that still exists.

He gathers more information each time he is sent back and he edges towards finding the terrorist and he also finds out more about his present situation whenever he is out of the source code. (Movie spoiler coming up)

Captain Goodwin and the creator of Source Code - a bastard (watch the show to find out why)

He finds out he was pronounced dead by the military after his last failed mission in Afghanistan but he is not brain dead. Connecting his active brain to the scource code, a new military experiement, the military is able to send Captain Stevens back in the memory of this victim in the train, but only the last 8 minutes of his life as anything longer would not be captured as vividly.

Throughout the many times he was sent back, he realised that the people in the scource code, even though strictly speaking are just fragments of a memory and thus shouldn't exist, are in fact more real than people might think. They respond differently to different situations and Captain Stevens began to want to save these innocent people on the train, regardless if they were merely fragments.

And so after he manages to save all the people on the train in his last time back to the scource code, he was prepared to die as was promised by the military. And he kissed Christina passionately just before his 8 minutes were up. He then finds out that after the 8 minutes were up, he continued staying IN the source code - proving that the discovery of the source code is not just sending a person back into a memory, but creating an alternate universe altogether.

It gives us the audience the pleasure of a surprise pleasant ending when we are expecting the worst. I love it!

Everytime he dies, he asked his female companion Christina to tell him "Everything's gonna be okay". And this line sticks to become the very last line of the movie as well.

30th Birthday

The dreaded big 3 - O.

It's finally here.

20 years ago, I've always wondered how I would be today at 30. Like any other dreamy-eyed child, I wanted to be a million things - soldier like my dad, teacher, doctor, vet (I have always loved animals), etc. Of course only a handful will end up being in an occupation known to a 10 year-old child. I always thought it was stereotypical to only teach children occupations such as doctors, teachers, soldiers, policemen, scientists. It's like other occupations don't matter or don't even exist. Anyhow, I thought I can be one of those wise characters in textbooks telling us all about what they do for a living.

Nothing, as we know, can be further away from the truth.

10 years ago, I had a diploma in business management and I thought I would be in business development or human resource. Most of all, I imagined myself to be a high-powered executive working in town. HA! Fact is I never worked in town in my 6 year career to-date.

And here we are, 3-O. My friend said 30 is the new 20 but I would like to think I'm much wiser and a better person.

Looking back at my 30 years of existence, what are the most interesting and proudest moments? Here I will list them down lest I forget 10 years down the road:

- Won 3rd prize in Chinese handwriting contest in Primary 5 (from entire school)
- Performed in a choir playing the recorder to Chirstmas carols in Primary school celebration in Primary 6
- Broke the school record for 1,500m in 5 min 35s for under-15s
- Came in 20th in the Secondary 3 cohort in cross country in 21 min 29 s
- Topped the cohort in English Literature in Secondary 3 (The River Between)
- Came in second in District B's Junior First Aid Competition
- Was Best Commander in District B's First Aid Competition
- Was youngest Captain in SJI's Inter-Unit Football Competition 1996 (was sent off in debut)
- Selected for inter-diploma debates for International Business and HR Management, semi-finalist
- Topped the cohort in presentation test
- Selected to represent NYP in 800m, 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase for IVG
- Elected as Treasurer of the Student Ambassadorial Team in NYP
- Nominated Best Soldier of the Month (November 2003) during National Service
- Scored 9 goals in 4 games in inter-depot beach football to win the competition for HQ team

Career milestones:
- Created the Friend of IFFS loyalty programme that continued until today
- Created CordLife 2010 Calendar and new collaterals
- Created the first-ever electronic annual report within all PA divisions

Hmmmm, I must have missed out a few others. But here's to the next 30!

Paying respects

I went with my family to pay respects to my paternal grandparents in Sin Ming and my aunt in Mandai yesterday. I was just having this conversation with Ezen that people of my generation and definitely our next generation would most likely not observe such ceremonies and traditions in future. My mother repeated this yesterday during our trip. To me, I think it's not a matter of whether we would observe the traditions or not, I think it is whether we know how to. There are a lot of things to adhere to, like buying certain paper gifts, the names must be written in a certain way, the steps to 'inviting' them and offering food and the time needed to be spent. It is not just observing, it is much more complicated than that. I am a Christian, a baptised Catholic, and I have no problems observing this tradition of paying respects and even holding joss sticks because the purpose is to pay respects to my ancestors and deceased loved ones and not worshipping. However, I am more attuned to the Church's traditions so it is very difficult for me to follow in future. But it is definitely not because of the lack of willingness to do so. That seem to be the problem of our generation. Even the taoists who are the biggest observers of this ancient tradition may not necessarily continue when it reaches the next generation. Is this a sad thing? Would we lose our heritage if we lose our traditions?