MOVIE REVIEW "THE WHITE STORM". A Potpourri of Brotherhood, Betrayals and Redemption.

“THE WHITE STORM” PRESS REVIEW

 (Chinese Title: 掃毒)

“THE WHITE STORM” has the slick and shine of a John Woo movie, but assuredly it has nothing to do with the doyen of gangster films, Sir Woo.

Instead this one is directed with grandeur by BENNY CHAN, whose body of work includes SHAOLIN which was done two years ago.

Except “THE WHITE STORM” is so much better.

BENNY CHAN helms the stylized production with a taut, no-nonsense script, and international critics hail this as one of the best gangster films to emerge from Hong Kong in the last couple of years.

Kudos to the film director who painstakingly provides all the “reelistic” thrills and spins of what a successful cop-robber-and-undercover feature should be about.

The principal actors are screen veterans such as SEAN LAU, LOUIS KOO and NICK CHEUNG who successfully pitch their efforts to “emo” this gut-wrenching story onto the big screen.

“THE WHITE STORM” is high in entertainment value, and is fast paced as it is brutally shocking, and everything a gritty feature should be.

And what does a white storm mean? In generic term, it refers to any drug cartel, a criminal organization developed with the purpose of selling and controlling  drug trafficking operations.  Get the drift now? It is all about drugs.

“THE WHITE STORM” breezes us through the astonishing careers of  three childhood friends, Tin (Sean Lau), Wai (Nick Cheung) and Chow (Louis Koo) who join the police force.

While Tin and Wai become high-ranking police officers, Chow lands the thankless job of being an undercover cop working closely with  his two pals to infiltrate a drug-dealing syndicate in Hong Kong.

Circumstances get really complicated when Tin, Wai and Chow  are confronted  with the uphill task of apprehending Eight-Faced Buddha (Lo Hoi-Pang), a notorious drug kingpin operating on the Thai-Cambodian border.

 Here’s a brotherhood tale of “all-for-one” and “one-for-all” where their reel bonding gets “tested” layer by layer.

It is also demonstrates what betrayals, forgiveness, bonding and redemption really mean in this  new-age film about the cops, robbers, undercover profilers pooled together.

At 2 hours and 15 minutes, this feature film is a real blast from start to finish.

“THE WHITE STORM” can easily fit in as the most entertaining HONG KONG film of the year, an edge of the seat thriller, non-stop action galore, a mayhem of brutality and violence, notwithstanding a brilliant powerhouse of acting by the three male leads.

Catch this one before it is too late!

“CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” Movie Review. A Real life-and-death Tussle on the High Seas.

“CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” PRESS REVIEW

Sometimes we can reward ourselves with a well-earned couple of hours escapism at the cinema, after a hard day’s grind.

So I was pleasantly surprised that “CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” the movie unexpectedly kept me harnessed  on edge from start to finish.

It’s first class entertainment all the way, but I repeatedly question myself : “Are the events here for real?”

We’ve been told that it’s a true story, but the real facts one can never tell for sure.

This hijack thriller depicts a Somali pirate attack on an American container ship that carries everything but proper weapons to ward off dangers on the high seas.

Strange security measure.

 TOM HANKS plays this merchant marine captain Richard Phillips. His is an award winning performance without doubt.

When the film opens, he is all set to pilot an American 17,000 ton container vessel on a hazardous 10-day journey around the Horn of Africa and into the new bandit country. Little does he know what he’s in for.

On uncharted waters, the vessel is peremptorily hijacked by four AK-47-wielding pirates who have sailed out from the Somali coast on a tiny speedboat skiff.

Alas, there’s no way for an unarmed merchant ship to outrun the speedboat. Besides, the ship’s water cannons are unable to prevent the four unscrupulous pirates from boarding the freighter.

The crew fight back, keeping control of the ship after overpowering one of the attackers, prompting the pirates to quit the vessel and hold Phillips hostage on a lifeboat.

After a dramatic three-day standoff, Navy Seals marksmen kill the pirates and rescues Phillips.

We cheer the poignant ending as our protagonist returns home to a hero’s welcome.

 Watch the acting between the Alabama’s commanding officer, Captain Richard Phillips (two time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks), and the Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage.

TOM HANKS may be the ultimate hero, but it is really BARKHAD ABDI who steals the thunder.

“CAPTAIN PHILLIPS” directed by PAUL GREENGRASS is a historical reenactment of

the life-and-death drama on the high seas.

The film is slick, fast paced yet brutally shocking.

This gritty feature with a tense build-up will jolt your senses like nothing you have ever experienced before.

It is an action packed journey layered with heart pounding excitement and a great human story. 

A cinematic landmark?

Everything is possible.

Don't miss it!

“A SECRET BETWEEN US” Movie Review. Love means Never having to say You are Sorry. 第一次不是你

“A SECRET BETWEEN US” Press Review 

第一次不是你

This movie is kinda sad and sappy, but I am definitely bowled over.

The plot highlights a tortuous bitter-sweet romance that spins one whole decade, told mostly through flashbacks.

It affirms the proverbial saying that “whatever is yours will always be yours, irrespective of whatever odds you may encounter …. and that true love never binds.”

It also follows another well-known adage:

“If you love something set it free. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.”

All said, everything is sweet, charming and heart-rendering nostalgic.

The film director PATRICK KONG  takes us on a trudge down memory lane.

Nice love story needs not be complicated. This one serves to demonstrates what we already know.

Two childhood friends, Bobo (ANGEL CHIANG) and Ken (EDWARD MA) start to reminisce when they cross paths at a friend’s wedding.

 Love with all your heart as books will tell you.

True love is never  binding, as in “A SECRET BETWEEN US”.

And what of the secret?

Well, the lady works as a tramp, her body is for sale as she seeks big bucks only to treat her hospitalized mother who has kidney failure.

Her boyfriend is aware of everything but he’s helpless about the money matters. And I am not about to judge by diagnosing what is right or wrong. Sometimes when you are a financial desperado, you just do what your life beckons you, unless it is openly flouting the law.

The protagonists are lost in their own tunnel of confusion against their will, but when they emerge from the entanglement ten years later, both are now happily settled with different paramours.

I do not question the intents of “A SECRET BETWEEN US” because it explores innocent love when the protagonists were adolescents and the terrible angst and pains they encountered in the process of growing up.

True love never dies?  Surely.

Old friends will connect.

Old flames will reignite a lost spark.

And perchance, everyone will rediscover just how much beautiful memories you can pack into one heartwarming reunion.

Right.

“BATTLE OF THE YEAR” Movie Review. Give Breakdance a Chance.

IN MALAYSIAN CINEMAS 21, NOVEMBER, 2013

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“BATTLE OF THE YEAR” PRESS REVIEW

No, you will not hear violent battle cries as the film’s name implies.

But make no bones about it, “BATTLE OF THE  YEAR” can be an enjoyable flick despite its insipid title.

It’s all about dance, dance, dance … breakdance!

Here you find a radical assortment of American male dancers pitting against each other even in dedicated training, within the confines of a “breakaway fortress” far away from the madding crowd to focus, in order to improve their dance prowess.

If you wonder whatever happened to break-dancing movies these days, then the answer lies here, the revival.

“BATTLE OF THE YEAR” is an international dance crew tournament that attracts all the best teams from around the world. The Americans haven’t won in the fifteen years.

Los Angeles Hip Hop mogul Dante (Alonso) wants to put the country that started the Sport back on top. He enlists his hard-luck friend Blake (Holloway), who was a championship basketball coach, to coach his team.

Armed with the theory that the right coach can make any team champions, they assemble a Dream Team of all the best dancers across the country.

With only three months until Battle of the Year, Blake has to use every tactic he knows to get twelve talented individuals to bond as a team (despite the myriad of personality differences) if they’re going to bring the Trophy back to America where it started.

Will all efforts pay off?  Will the American clinch the trophy?

You have to find out for yourself, but the dance choreography is awesomely impressive.

The key attraction of this film is the casting of controversial hip-hop artist turned actor, Chris Brown.  Brown plays a character that is cocky, egocentric but very talented.

If you like dance flicks, then this one should do no wrong.

Go for it!

“KICK ASS GIRLS” Movie Review. 爆3俏嬌娃 電影

 “KICK ASS GIRLS” Movie Review

爆3俏嬌娃 電影

Get set to switch off your suspension of disbelief if you wanna sail smoothly alongside this chick flick.

Because, midstream, you might want to switch gears and dock ship to kick some nasty ass.

It  has a female director GC GOO BI on board.

GC with the unique name also doubles as a scriptwriter who knows how to wrangle a good story. She’s the Jill of all trades and knows every trick in the book about effective film making

Scene opens with three lovely but lethal femme fatales arriving in Malaysia. They are the direct exports from Hong Kong.

Lured by bright lights and big time money, they drop everything at home and zoom for Malaysia.

Count in the pouty Chrissie Chau, alluring Hidy Yu and squirmish queen Dada Lo.

Apart from Christie Chau, I’ll be honest to declare that I have yet to hear of the other two Hong Kong actresses.

Here’s a piece of grim reality:

Our home-bred Malaysian actresses  Chris Tong and Emily Lim who can easily give their three counterparts a run for their money are playing minor roles here. Justifiably so, as the principal markets are Hong Kong and China.

Here’s the plot line-up:

The three female leads, Bao (starring Chrissie Chau), Miu (starring Dada Lo) and TT (starring Hidy Yu) are messed up and fickle-minded when they are confronted to solve problems of the heart and friendship betrayals.

They are headhunted as female bodyguards by a mysterious Malaysian lady Zhu Ge (Chris Tong) who promises them the heaven and the earth.

So seduced by the taste of attainable wealth, they throw caution to the four winds and fly to Kuala Lumpur.

But their initial lavish lifestyles are nipped in the bud as they are soon to discover that they are recruited as women warriors.

They have to fight tooth-and-nail for survival against murderous women fighters as pawns inside huge animal cages for lecherous gambling men who place their bets on whoever that’s deemed to emerge as winner.

Now, how are these bewildered damsels going to redeem their lives and regain their honor?

The movie has all the answers, so go watch.

‘KICK ASS GIRLS” is an action packed movie loaded with so much fun by a bevy of beautiful stars.

It’s ferocious, fearsome, full on and packs one hell of a punch! 

The Press Conference on 16th November, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur

SPORTY MALAYSIAN ACTRESS EMILY LIM HAD SO MUCH FUN FILMING, DESPITE A CAMEO ROLE.

Lead actress CHRISSIE CHAU laments:

“I injured my left leg on the first day of shooting. It’s the result of spin-kicking some thugs whilst wearing a tight mini-dress and a pair of cumbersome six-inch heels.”

PRESS CONFERENCE PICTURES COURTESY of FRANK NG

“THIS ACTION COMEDY PACKS ONE HELL OF A PUNCH”

“KISS ASS GIRLS” is FUNNY, FEROCIOUS and FULL-ON!”

“IT’S LIKELY WE SHALL ALL RETURN WITH A SEQUEL!”

Here’s the movie TRAILER complete with whatever you should know BEHIND-the-SCENES.

“CARRIE” 2013 Movie Review. The HORRORS return in this ghastly REMAKE.

“CARRIE” PRESS PREVIEW

You’d either love the CARRIE 2013 version, or hate it.

I enjoyed the film, despite the renewed dressings and crazy negative feed backs.

You just cannot please everyone.

In reality, it’s a decent remake of a 70s horror flick (directed by Kimberly Peirce) that is back after donkey years to rock the boat and to send delicious quivers down one’s spine all over again.

You’d need to switch off your suspension of disbelief  mode though, to relish this one.

Hopefully you are able to detect an equal amount of adrenaline and testosterone, as compared with the original classic.

Yes, the mainstay is still payback, demonstrating that Karma still rules, that what you sow, you reap.

Let’s delve further into the plot:

This version of CARRIE is a reimagining of the classic horror tale about a school outcast called Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz).

She is brought by her deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore).

CARRIE’s adolescence has been a tough ride all the way.

She is emotionally humiliated and physically maimed by her so-called school friends whom she trusted.

The Moretz performance is, in many ways, admirable. She captures the pain and confusion of a young girl tormented by her classmates.

 Moretz and Moore as the mother-and-daughter pair share  an admirable chemistry and their performances shine during the movie’s major confrontation scenes.

The infamous prom scene, where Carrie goes horribly berserk using her psychokinesis powers, after getting doused with pig’s blood is rendered nasty and revengeful with a ghastly CGI polish.

This contemporary version of CARRIE is eerie, chilling and special effects laden.

Go watch it with an open mind.

Enjoy!