“GHOST BUDDIES”《老友開心鬼》PRESS PREVIEW.
Watch this film with an open mind.
You may either nod with agreement, or shake your head in disbelief.
It’s one of those “goosey goosey gander” times when the tiresome actor MARK LEE drags us into yet another of his mindless dark comedy.
You’ve heard that familiarity breeds contempt, and he’s now weaning himself thin with the extreme overexposure derived from his myriad of screen roles, television appearances and what have you.
MARK LEE films can’t fail with his generous doses of his trademark grins and smirks, always ready to delve overboard to rib you with his goofy persona.
But you are lucky if you choose to get tickled pink by this one called “GHOST BUDDIES”.
Whatever the case, the overconfident Singapore actor MARK LEE has his coffers brimming with lucky cash and gleefully laughing his way to the bank. Let’s say that his mentor JACK NEO’s infamous downfall is MARK’s gain. He is taking over the throne as the King of meaningless slapsticks.
“GHOST BUDDIES” demonstrates what can really happen when your tap of creative ideas just runneth dry.
It extols one crazy yarn. You’ll have to suspend your disbelief to embark on this ride.
We need to thank Hong Kong film director SIMON SEK who directed this ridiculous mayhem. But he’s nowhere to be found during the press conference.
It’s an absurd much-ado-about-nothing tale about a crazy pandemonium of absurd souls.
Blame it on the bland script which tries hard to achieve cohesively, the most bizarre splatterings of Hokkien, Cantonese and Mandarin.
The end results is devoutly unfunny.
You don’t blame the pool of interesting talent played by the industry’s veterans such as LENNY OOI, WEE KHENG MING, LIM CHING MIAO, VIVIAN TOK, CHOW KEE MOO and KELVIN LEONG.
Singapore actor YAO WEN LONG joins in the riot to “fuel” the excitement.
Hong Kong’s TVB actress MAGGIE SHIU is roped in to dress this film with a regional appeal.
But unlike YEO YANN YANN who partnered MARK LEE successfully in a recent film “PETALING STREET WARRIORS”, there’s hardly any amiable chemistry between MAGGIE SHIU and dear MARK this time around.
With such an able cast, the cinematic treatment rendered by Hong Kong director SIMON PEK leaves much to be desired.
Let’s look at the synopsis:
Pearl (MAGGIE SHIU) and Ah Hui (MARK LEE) both work at a depressing funeral palour.
They are an unlikely couple.
She has a roving eye for handsome hunks whilst he is a simple nerd who holds a torch for her.
Then Ah Hui discovers that he has an uncanny ability to communicate with the dead through a couple of strange encounters.
Four ghosts suddenly appear to seek his help to fulfill their last wishes.
Ah Hui ropes in Pearl and together they go through various challenges to help the ghosts.
In doing so, a ghost-and-human friendship begins for the merry team.
Of course “GHOST BUDDIES” will worm its way into the hearts and minds of the silly Jacks and Jills who will trade guffaws and squeals at anything remotely funny. Not forgetting the kampungites.
“One man’s meat is another’s poison” is the rule here.
Go watch it if you are an avid fan of MARK LEE.
THE “GHOST BUDDIES” PRESS CONFERENCE
(Pictures kind courtesy of LOO YEW CHUNG)
Here’s LOOKING at YOU, folks.
“WE have a BETTER off-screen CHEMISTRY than ONSCREEN.”
“I am MARK LEE …… I am. So HEAR me ROAR!”
“GHOST BUDDIES” Movie Trailer
“LELIO PO PO” Press Preview
Here’s THIS stark truth:
Films depicting human foibles will surely find their own audiences.
Otherwise they wouldn’t “get” made.
Investors, who are fielding the cash, can smell where to place the money.
Heard of this Chinese adage which says SILLY PEOPLE BRING PROSPERITY TO THE TABLE?
‘Tis the reason.
Feature films focusing on the idiosyncrasies of people are being regularly churned out because it can be a roaring trade, to poke harmless fun at everybody, and naturally, to make more money.
For a fact, everyone likes to laugh.
Let’s just say that LELIO PO PO would have found her niche and target audience by now.
And hopefully, the producers and financiers are smiling their way to the bank.
“The production value is RM 2 million ringgit and we are anticipating to recoup RM 3 million ringgit,” beams the dashing young MALAYSIAN film director ADRIAN TEH.
No mean feat, but it’s very possible, given the fact that his previous venture ICE KACANG PUPPY LOVE (he exec produced this one) has crossed the boundary of RM 4 million ringgit.
ADRIAN TEH is a cute and confident guy who has what it takes to be a leading man, but he prefers to remain humbly behind-the-camera, in double takes, as exec producer/director.
He sets his mind to be one of the foremost directors in Malaysia, to contribute to the ever growing, lucrative art of the celluloid.
He’s a man to watch out for.
LELIO POPO is a colourful Malaysian-Singaporean joint venture (Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd, PMP Entertainment (M) Sdn Bhd, Asia Tropical Films Sdn Bhd, Mega Cineplex Sdn Bhd and Singapore’s Clover Films Pte Ltd) production.
This is OLD news, as there has been a recent spate of MALAYSIAN-SINGAPORE collaborations, chiefly because the CHINESE cinema in MALAYSIA is growing with a populace of 28 million, of which 25% are predominantly Chinese.
And SINGAPORE, ever gregarious, is just not going to let this one pass readily, without a stake.
MALAYSIA can be another marketing outroad.
LELIO POPO boasts of some of the best criss-cross acting talents from both nations, unless you do not recognize them.
It stars MALAYSIA’s beloved Chinese radio deejay duo KK and AH LUKE, who are better known as “K6″.
The female lead is the stunning and oh-so-pretty SINGAPORE’s MINDEE ONG, whose movie credits include “881: The Papaya Sisters” and “12 Lotus”.
Joining the cast are the talented duo BENJAMIN HENG and ALARIC TAY
with JESSE TEONG, and a special cameo by SINGAPORE’s effeminate funnyman HENRY THIA (“Money No Enough”, “Old Cow Vs Tender Grass”).
Let’s move over to the script which may reek a trifle weak, but no less entertaining.
It explores the territory of cross-dressing on television and film in Malaysia.
SINGAPORE’s most notable cross-dressing actors are the infamous JACK NEO and late bloomer DENNIS CHEW.
Unfortunately, JACK NEO these days seems to bask in the glory of EDISON CHEN for his casting couch syndrome, leaving the latest SINGAPOREAN cross dresser DENNIS CHEW to sing a “Johnny-come-lately” on his own.
And yes, JACK NEO’s comeback role would be that of another gender bending genre, as AH NIU’S naggy mother in a Chinese New Year joint-venture called HOMECOMING.
Once upon a time a household icon in MALAYSIA, JACK NEO’s legion of family fans have dwindled somewhat when news of his sexual escapades hit the shores.
To most mothers, JACK NEO has fallen from grace, is a name to despise and never a role model to emulate.
Hopefully, he’s not going to be a box-office poison.
It is very likely that KK and LUKE, the MALAYSIAN duo in this MALAYSIAN joint venture is going to give the SINGAPORE veterans a run for their money.
Simply because they fare better, are funnier and “fresher”.
Those SINGAPORE comedians tend to be a tad outdated, outmoded and overexposed as the years roll by, offering little or nothing new.
Everyone is aiming for a different diet, for “freshness” and “freshies”.
MALAYSIA boleh, you know?
Otherwise, the SINGAPORE TV Station would not be furiously recruiting MALAYSIAN pageant queens and alluring aspirants for their dramas.
One might speculate that there’s a dearth of pretty gals in SINGAPORE.
Yes, maybe the neighbor’s grass is greener.
Truth is often stranger than fiction.
Basically the LELIO POPO story touches on two obnoxious super diva deejays played by KK and LUKE.
Their unbearable attitudes cost them their jobs.
Thereafter, they find it hard to get similar work as they have been blacklisted in the market.
So the two silly Billies resort to menial odd jobs, such as being toilet cleaners, product demonstrators at the supermarket, or anything – just to be gainfully employed.
Then, as luck would have it, they accidentally discover that a radio station is casting for two old ladies (po-po’s) for a brand new show.
They promptly applied, went for the auditions, did well and were hired.
This is where the merry-go-round starts in one hour and a half of madcap escapades where the “po-po’s” learn a humbling experience in life about respect and kindness.
Sometimes, in LIFE, it does not pay to be too smart nor too careful.
Just rejoice in the moments and let the good times roll.
Remember to help the elderlies as the LELIO PO-POs are demonstrating to us.
It may be a film extolling silliness, but there’s a resounding morale to be learnt here.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy told us decades ago:
“As we express our gratitude,
we must never forget
that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,
but to live by them.”
Live and let live
and go enjoy the movie that’ll have you laugh yourself into stitches.
RIGHT!
