MALAYSIAN FILM "LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA" REVIEW. MEN WHO SAVE THE WORLD (2014)

      “There are some amazing things about this film. One is the PURITY and SIMPLICITY of the narrative line created by director LIEW SENG TAT. Another is the emotional complexity within the characters which is brilliantly portrayed by the competent actors.”

 These GULLIBLE KAMPUNG MEN are relocating their  friend’s make-shift WORLD (house) from deep forest to urban country ….. on their SHOULDERS. No mean feat, really.

 “MEN IN DRAG” IN A HILARIOUS ATTEMPT TO WARD OFF THE HORNY SPIRIT … Oily Man! (ouch)

“NOW I SIGHT THE HORNY GHOST!”

 Heave-ho, this drum roll is to get rid of bad karma.

 This “pondan queen” is the chief cause for all the spooky escapades.

 ” LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA ” (2014)

FILM REVIEW.

“Men who Save the World”.

Hey, where are the Womenfolk?

“LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA” is one giant gas bag.

In case you don’t know, the film director has intended a dramedy, layered with harmless scripted jabs straight from the heart.

The title “Men who Save the World” is appropriate to tickle anyone pink.

The film is fun, with guffaws aplenty, as everything has to be spiced up wrong first, in order to have these eventually sorted out and put them right. (Do you get the drift? Ouch, oxymorons kill!)

Fresh from the oven is a nicely baked piece of old school gem ribbing silly people, those who are unsure about letting their hair down to examine their inner self as to why they are supporting superstitious absurdities that are ruining friendships and upsetting rustic harmony. 

This is one pointer to address spiteful scandal mongers. You don’t have to believe in everything you hear. 

“LELAKI HARAPAN DUNIA” has a fine weave of the infamous arthouse Thai director APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL, and were this film shot ten years ago, I would unhesitatingly nail it as old cinema.

APICHATPONG is an award winning director who has won accolades for his art features TROPICAL MELODY (2004) and UNCLE  BOONMEE (2010, Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival).

Sadly, his art offerings were box-office bombs in the current face of commercialism.

 Next, ILO ILO directed by ANTHONY CHEN is the first Singaporean feature film to win a prize at Cannes (the Camera d’Or 2013), thereupon it quickly picked up 25 other awards at film festivals around the world, including two prestigious Taipei Golden Horse awards for “Best New Director” and “Best Screenplay.”  Luck and timing? Precisely.

At the end of the race, the director ANTHONY CHEN switches gear and addresses it as a commercial offering minus the “arthouse” umbrella.

 Maybe there is no such thing such as an art-house or commercial movie these days.  Businessmen just want to recoup their investments.

Time changes everything. Right!

SYNOPSIS

In a peaceful Malay village where harmony prevails, the helpful villagers unite to help Pak Awang to (physically) carry an abandoned house from the jungle into the village. It would be a gift for his daughter who is getting married.

But by sheer bad luck, an illegal African immigrant who is on the run from the local authorities stumbles upon the house by accident, and decides to camp there and makes it his temporary abode.

When the village drug addict (SOFFI JIKAN) mistakes the creepy shadow of the black man he sees in the house as the oily man demon, the villagers are alarmed that getting involved with the transportation of the derelict house has enraged the vengeful horny demon. 

The progress of relocation of the house comes to an peremptory halt, much to the chagrin of Pak Awang.

BEFORE I SPOIL ALL THE FUN OF STORY TELLING, it is best you seek the answers yourself, and hear the continuous roar of laughter from the audience.

FOOTNOTE

Among all the actors, SOFFI JIKAN stands out in his role as a girlish nerd. He brings the house down with his mindless antics.

SOFFI is currently acting, directing and making rock music. We are wishing him all the best!

As for film director LIEW SENG TAT, he is one of the rare Chinese helmers who is able to deliver a Malaysian dramedy with pinache.

We anticipate looking out for his forthcoming production.

RATING: 4 out of 5 (for straight laughs)

Local Distributor: GSC Movies
Production: Everything Films Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia)

WHAT'S LIFE IF THERE'S AIN'T ANY MUSIC?

MUSIC

gives a soul to the UNIVERSE, 

wings to the MIND, 

flight to the IMAGINATION, 

and life to EVERYTHING.

~Plato

"RUROUNI KENSHIN: KYOTO INFERNO JAPANESE FILM REVIEW (2014)

“THE HEADLINE SCREAMS THAT IT’S LIVE ACTION THROUGHOUT, BASED ON MATERIALS CULLED FROM A BEST SELLING MANGA”.   It really is!

KILLINGS MOST FOUL ALL THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE

And it is refreshing to see Tatsuya Fujiwara (from the 2006 Death Note fame) playing the demented bad guy on a killing spree)

” RUROUNI KENSHIN : KYOTO INFERNO / THE LEGEND ENDS “

You love Manga?

Then don’t miss out the thrills and spills from this movie.

It follows faithfully, creative contents taken from the ever popular manga RUROUNI KENSHIN which also goes by the western name of SAMURAI X.

It is aptly directed by Keishi Otomo.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

The anti-hero Kenshin is again at odds with his inner self, that is, to keep his killings clean.

Can there be such a ruse?

Despite finding emotional solace alongside his new found friends Kaoru, Sanosuke (Munetaka Aoki) Megumi (Yu Aoi) and Myojin (Kaito Ōyagi), Kenshin is once again asked to take up his sword when the renegade assassin Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara) is found to be furiously destroying clans by gathering an army to topple the present Government, and to vanquish those who choose to defy him.

The finale highlight of “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno / The Legend Ends”  would be when Kenshin Himura (Takeru Satoh) faces the burnt and bandaged antagonist Makoto Shishio (Tatsuya Fujiwara) in a duel to the death.

Now, what becomes of his bloodless vow?

Honor and duty are common traits in the samurai genre, and these elements work best when they are being confronted against one’s personal principles.

With Kenshin, he tries not to kill as it has been his desire to protect the innocent, even though Shishio still continues with his mad killing rampage uncontested.

Therefore, Kenshin’s ability to defeat the villain comes into question because of his set of principles.

You have to visit the cinema for the answers.

” RUROUNI KENSHIN : KYOTO INFERNO” the has a mesmerizing combination of exciting story-telling and historical narrative.

And it is refreshing to see Tatsuya Fujiwara (from the 2006 Death Note fame) playing the demented bad guy on a killing spree, this time around.

Rating: 3.5 for the awesome Samurai action.

Local Distributor: GSC MOVIES

LIFE can be BEASTLY in this GOD FORSAKEN WORD.

Before you start to preach the gospel about your religion, 

first show it to me in how you’d treat other people. 

Now, before you rattle on about how much you truly love your God, 

show me as in how much you really adore all his children.

 

And before you expound to me the deep-rooted passion of your faith, 

teach me about it through your compassion for your neighbors.

I am definitely not interested in what you have to rave or sell …

as in how you choose to live and give.

JUST SHOW ME ! 

" THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1" (2014) FILM REVIEW

 " THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1" (2014) FILM REVIEW

” THE HUNGER GAMES : MOCKINGJAY – PART 1″ (2014) FILM REVIEW

For those who have waited this long, you’d probably have to bate your breath to wait for the arrival of another chapter. This one is political dry stuff that needs a lot of foreplay.

The PLOT, so far:

It could have been so much better if the pace picks up fast and furious. But the film director says “no”.

Author Suzanne Collins wrote three “Hunger Games” novels in all.

But more sequels mean more cash, so here you are, you get four new awesome installments, following the direction of “Harry Potter’s” and “Twilight’s” franchises.

Sure,”Mockingjay”did an excellent job of getting Jennifer Lawrence to shape up, physically and emotionally. And be equipped to fight a rebellion against the evil Capitol.

But this one may leave us high and dry, waiting for the ferocious battle cries to roar.

THE PLOT

The film picks up where the last one left off, with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) being rescued from the Hunger Games by Plutarch (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Katniss now lives in District 13, a hive-like underground bunker that houses people who support the rebellion against the Capitol and the wicked President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Katniss’ family is now with her, and so is old friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth).

But she remains sick with worry over her beloved Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) whom she is forced to leave behind during her defection.

Under the capable leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss literally spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). The nation cheers her on.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Danny Strong and Peter Craig.

He has a magnificent line-up of veterans for this big budget movie and manages to coax his actors to portray their screen roles in a hard-edged style that is brutal, cold and chilling.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Local Distributor: TGV PICTURES

"HORNS" (2014) FILM REVIEW

“HORNS” (2014) MOVIE REVIEW.

For a start, weirdo actor Shia LaBeouf passed on the lead role, so what gives? The part went to Daniel Radcliffe as second choice, but could he render a better job?

“HORNS” is positioned as a scorching thriller directed by French helmsman Alexandre Aja. The film Director drums up an irresistible theme which is at best, mind-boggling, creating a generous creative budget for elaborate post production enhancements to achieve the super-natural effects.

For storyline he weaves a tale of revenge, an intriguing twist at the ending. The 2010 novel was written by Joe Hill.

Alexandre Aja is a French film director who specializes in the horror genre. He rose to international stardom for his 2003 horror film Haute Tension.

His directorial efforts include a fine line-up of horror films under his belt, such as The Hills Have Eyes, Mirrors, Piranha 3D and Horns.

“HORNS” combines a spread of horror, a sprinkle of dark comedy and a generous dose of supernatural visual effects.

Daniel Radcliffe stars as Ig Perrish, a doleful blue-eyed young man who’s awaken from a stupor to find that he has been accused of the rape and murder of his girlfriend Merrin (Juno Temple) in the woods. Did he actually kill her?

He suddenly finds horns sprouting out of his head which may hold a clue to his sudden diabolic nature. Has he been possessed by evil spirits?  From then on, morbid and violent contractions start gnawling at his sanity.

The film shows Radcliffe, at his post-Harry Potter period, a chance to exercise his acting chops.

He commands a solid screen presence in the film.

It’s a difficult role that calls for him to switch his psyche from an assortment of personalities as the distraught lover to pantomime clown, from a hardboiled investigator to being a ruthless killer.

PLOT

Based on the novel by Joe Hill, Horns is a supernatural thriller driven by fantasy, mystery and romance.

The former Harry Potter is transformed into an ugly two-horn devil, literally, in “Horns,” a horror movie with a comedic edge. He has two curling protuberances sprouting from his forehead. He also has some supernatural powers, including having people spontaneously confess their vices.

Daniel Radcliffe, whose impish features are well-suited to the addition of gnarly goatish growths, stars as Ignatius Perrish, a young disc jockey grieving over the murder of his one true love, Merrin (Juno Temple), whose brutalized body was discovered beneath the couple’s childhood tree house in the lush Old Growth forest.

No spoilers here as you need to visit the cinema to get your answers.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Local Distributor: TGV PICTURES

"THE DROP" (2014) FILM REVIEW

Sunday, November 16, 2014

“THE DROP” (2014) FILM REVIEW

This film should have been nicely called “A LONELY MAN and his PIT BULL”.

It would be an apt tribute, but one might be swayed to think that it’s a Disney production, good grief.

“THE DROP” has, within its finer wrapping, an ingenious plot, exacting powerful performances from actors TOM HARDY and the late JAMES GANDOLFINI who died of a cardiac arrest months after shooting wrapped.

“THE DROP” would be his farewell piece.

To this Reviewer, he rates this film as a smart “thinking” crime story.

The script ambles with a steady burn at first, a slow but surely shimmer before you are drawn rapturously into the long haul.

Quick Synopsis:

THE DROP is a new crime drama from Michaël R. Roskam, the Academy Award nominated director of Bullhead.

Based on an awesome screenplay from Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone), “THE DROP” follows lonely bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) through a covert scheme of funneling cash to local gangsters – “money drops” in the underworld of Brooklyn bars.

“THE DROP’s ensemble cast includes Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ann Dowd and John Ortiz. 

From start to end of this crime thriller, you are made to feel that circumstances are not what they appear to be.

The plot ambles mysteriously in a dogged style that is both cold and chilling.

 “THE DROP” introduces us to Bob (Tom Hardy), an unambitious slow-witted bartender who is content to toil for his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini) in a bar named Cousin Marv’s.

It is a small drinking hole, but this is what you only see from the facade.

Cousin Marv’s is also as a notorious “drop bar” where dirty money is “dropped” at the counter and specified people will pick up the “haul” later.

This is an urban thriller following the style of  Sidney Lumet and other crime busters of his time.

The performances are soul-searching to match the overall doom-and-gloom mood of the cinematography.

“THE DROP” can be said to be layered with a dark tinge of poetic indulgence.

In his final screen appearance, James Gandolfini plays Marv, a Brooklyn bar manager who has to give up ownership of his bar to Chechen gangsters.

The crooks use the work venue as a “drop” off location for laundering money.

Marv may appear cool, calm and collected, but is one helluva guy capable of violence when he is in a rage. His sidekick is Bob (Tom Hardy), the bartender with the slow slur.

One fateful night a pair of shotgun-wielding masked robbers raided the bar and scooted off with US$5,000.

Even though the amount of money is little compared to the usual drop-bar night, the Chechen mob who actually owned the bar is pissed.

As the story progresses, Bob rescues an injured pit bull pup in a garbage can which belongs to a woman named Nadia (Noomi Rapace).

Both of them become firm friends, and Bob soon discovers that that the pit-bull pup is actually dumped by Nadia’s psychotic ex-boyfriend Eric Deeds (Matthias Schoenaerts).

A brilliant young Flemish director Roskam was identified as a talent to watch by Michael Mamn after his debut feature, Bullhead, was chosen as Belgium’s Oscar candidate.

“THE DROP” is his first English language film.

His treatment is liken to boarding a cool, deadpan roller-coaster ride to hell.

Go watch it!

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

 Local Distributor: 20th Century Fox Malaysia