http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 en-US 60 <p>A Nutshell Review: Cyborg She</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Sometimes the greatest love stories aren't the ones that end happily ever after, but the realization that it's all a matter of the quality moments spent between the lovers. You can call me a sentimental sap, but Cyborg She does meet every single one of my expectation of what makes a palatable romantic movie, never mind sometimes dwelling on the cliched moments, especially when the leads share great chemistry, and this being a science-fiction piece to boot too!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Continues at <a href= "http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/09/cyborg-she-boku-no-kanojo-wa-saibgu.html" rel= "nofollow">http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/09/cyborg-she-boku-no-kanojo-wa-saibgu.html</a></p> Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:14:29 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8370894 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Days</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The ubiquitous Ah Beng of Singapore continues to be a cultural fascination for the big screen in Singapore cinema, having been the subject of films like Royston Tan's 15, and Kelvin Tong/Jasmine Ng's Eating Air. I guess almost every one of us will bump into Mr. Beng at some point in our lives, either in schools, coffeeshops, at nightspots, or even have been, or are still currently one ourselves! This classification and label have been evolving through time, and this version here presented in Boi Kwong's The Days, happen to be an era of mine as well.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Continues at <a href= "http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/09/gala-premiere-days.html" rel= "nofollow">http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/09/gala-premiere-days.html</a></p> Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:55:45 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8370316 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review:&nbsp;<span style= "color: #555555; font-family: tahoma; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal;">WALL·E</span></p> <p><span style="">In some strange twist of Fate, the local release of recent Pixar movies always had us here twiddling our thumbs wondering when it'll finally make its way to the screens, while we hear the accolades ring from the rest of the world in marvelling at the quality that Pixar continually churns out. It's likely that the distributors want to coincide the release with the local school holidays, but frankly, the money also comes from the adult crowd, as testament to this full house in one of the largest screens downtown during a late night screening with nary a noisy kid in tow.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/walle.html</span></p> Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:40:42 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8355905 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>win liao lor.<img src= "/images/emoticons/kde-3.5.8/KMess-Cartoon/smile.png" alt= "smile.png" /></p> Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:21:24 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8355252 chrisbenoit http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I guess in all fairness, the reviewer for a Star Wars movie should declare which side of the fence he's on, whether he thinks the Original Trilogy was the best thing since buttered toast and the Prequels were utter trash, or ambivalent to the fact that George Lucas is an expert at massaging the fat udders of cash cows, what with his special editions, tweaks and re-releases that continue to confound even his most loyal of fans.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Continues at <a href= "http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/star-wars-clone-wars.html" rel= "nofollow">http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/star-wars-clone-wars.html</a></p> Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:31:27 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8355088 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>Did you write all these reviews?</p> Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:51:33 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8349905 chrisbenoit http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Hunting Party</p> <p><span style="">The first words that appear in the movie, told the audience something to the effect that only the most ridiculous or ludicrous of situations depicted, are true. And in fact, while it's supposedly based loosely on a true story off an Esquire article, there are enough of such said moments thrown into the mix so frivolously, that one would be forgiven should one think that this was entire made up. So what eventually held up the movie despite its wafer thin plot and hurried finale was the chemistry and banter between two charismatic actors in Richard Gere and Terrence Howard.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/hunting-party.html</span></p> Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:03:20 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8339934 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Kallang Roar the Movie</p> <p><span style="">"Untuk Bangsa Dan Negara! MAJULAH!!!"</span></p> <p><span style="">That was the war cry that Uncle Choo Seng Quee (Lim Kay Siu), Singapore's, and possibly the region's most well known footballing coach extraordinaire, instilled in his handpicked charges, as he led the quest to win for Singapore the Malaysia Cup and to lift Singapore football from dire straits through the process. And it's no surprise why writer-director Cheng Ding An wanted to release this movie this month, as it has heart thumping patriotism written all over it.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/kallang-roar-movie.html</span></p> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:43:27 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8334755 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Space Chimps</p> <p><span style="">I'm going to admit that I've enjoyed Space Chimps. No, I've not gone bananas, but there's something beautiful to this goofy animated comedy that appealed, perhaps in its simplicity and its not attempting to try and be more than it cannot be.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/space-chimps.html</span></p> Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:24:05 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8322813 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Fate</p> <p><span style="">I've become wary should any Korean movie calls itself, or touts itself, as the largest action movie for the year. Remember the woeful debacle of Typhoon? Well, it seems that Fate belongs to the same mould, with the assembly of the best looking men the country has to offer, and put them in roles against each other, topped with plenty of angst, misunderstanding and failure from which they find it hard to crawl out from, and you have what hopefully could bring the crowds in.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/fate-destiny-sookmyeong.html</span></p> Sun, 17 Aug 2008 22:11:56 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8322534 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Murder of the Inugami Clan</p> <p><span style="">The closing film of the Tokyo International Film Festival back in 2006, this movie is a remake by the late Kon Ichikawa of one of his own, whose original film based on the same novel by Seishi Yokomizo, was made some 30 years ago. Anyway this is nothing new or surprising, given that filmmakers do revisit some of their earlier works (Funny Games anyone?). I haven't seen the original so I don't have a basis for comparison, so take it from me that I'm watching this for the very first time, even though some of the principal cast members return to take up their same roles in this remake, such as Koji Ishizaka as the private eye Kosuke Kindaichi and Takeshi Kato as Chief Todoroki.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/murder-of-inugami-clan-inugamis.html</span></p> Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:16:10 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8320535 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Meet Dave</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>One wonders if Eddie Murphy has lost it. I still remember his early days in action comedy back in Beverly Hills Cop, flashing his pearlies and making wisecracks, being the rather unorthodox cop that he probably would be toying with continuing the franchise to revive flagging fortunes, just like how Stallone went about adding to his Rocky and Rambo mythos. We all know the comedic streak in Eddie, and he does a fine job in voicing animated characters. But while he seemed to have exhausted playing multiple characters in The Nutty Professor and Norbit, he now has to play himself in, well, himself.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Continues at <a href= "http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/meet-dave.html" rel= "nofollow">http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/meet-dave.html</a></p> Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:35:19 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8319140 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: 4bia</p> <p><span style="">4bia finally makes its Singapore debut today, hot off winning the Bronze Award at Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. It's a collection of 4 horror shorts by upcoming (or should I already say established) talents in the Thai horror genre, with each short helmed by a different director, having their individual flair and skill thrown in to provide the audience with a mixture of flavours, injecting action, comedy, and classic ghouls and spirits coupled with special effects, to keep each short distinct from one another, yet working so well to entertain as a whole.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/4bia-phobia.html</span></p> Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:35:12 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8315002 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: 12 Lotus</p> <p><span style="">For detractors who view 12 Lotus with the preconceived notion that the follow up to Royston Tan's highly successful 881 is nothing but having another go at the same formula to repeat its success, you're in for a big surprise. No doubt that this movie also revolves in part around the Getai like 881, but 12 Lotus made 881 look like a walk in the park, having its emotions come more strongly across, being a darker film than the previous which in comparison was much fluffy with the bitchy rivalry between the Papaya and the Durian sisters taking centerstage.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/12-lotus.html</span></p> Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:17:53 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8307330 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Midnight Meat Train</p> <p><span style="">Given that this month's the Lunar Seventh Month where the Chinese believe that spirits roam our world as their month long vacation from purgatory, my friend has so far kept this running joke about my unfortunate bumping into them given I spend my journey home on late night buses and trains. The Midnight Meat Train, as the title suggests, tells of the last train in the system where passengers inexplicably disappears, and I thought that Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura managed to put a somewhat refreshing spin to the entire slasher and torture porn genre.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/midnight-meat-train.html</span></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 23:45:52 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8302289 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Pathology</p> <p><span style="">From the West with the latest Saw installment or the indie Unrest, to the Asian counterpart in Body #19, dead bodies/cadavers continue to be milked for cinematic horror, not that you'd expect them to turn into zombies and start craving for human flesh, but for the amount of gore that an autopsy can provide when it's shown in your face, with skin and fat pulled back using tools of the trade, coupled with internal organs on display to challenge your stomach.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/pathology.html</span></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:36:09 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8302054 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Mad About English</p> <p><span style="">By the time you read this, the Beijing Olympics 2008 is already in full swing, and the news leading up to it have been the concerns about the pollution levels affecting athletes' performances, as well as how the authorities have taken measures to ensure that all visitors get to enjoy an experience they'll never forget. Local documentarians have found the run up to the Olympic event monumental enough to craft documentaries around it, and earlier this year we have seen Tan Siok Siok's Boomtown Beijing, which provided some insights into how the Games had impacted and inpsired the ordinary folks. Lian Pek's Mad About English too get set during this period of preparation in Beijing.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/mad-about-english.html</span></p> Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:32:51 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8299563 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor</p> <p><span style="">A friend was curious why I wanted to give this show a chance. The answer is simple, and I will not deny that I sort of enjoyed the free-wheeling, breezy summer action-adventure-comedy with a generous dose of special effects thrown in, which the Mummy and The Mummy Returns offered, together with the great chemistry between Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. But this installment of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, came hot on the heels of the Hollywood bandwagon of raiding their own franchises in order to rake in millions around the world, and therefore fell short on many counts.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/mummy-tomb-of-dragon-emperor.html</span></p> Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:10:40 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8291561 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: A Month of Hungry Ghosts</p> <p><span style="">Today marks the exact date to the start of the month long Lunar 7th Month, where the Chinese believe the gates of Hell are supposedly opened, and the “good brothers” (aka spirits both of the malevolent and the benevolent kind) roam the Earth as their vacation destination not by choice. They get to feast on the food offerings, and get pocket money from the Hell currency that humans provide, with entertainment either in the form of the more traditional Opera and puppet shows, or the glitz and glamour from Getai (“song-stage”) shows where singers belt out evergreens and the latest contemporary songs.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/08/month-of-hungry-ghosts.html</span></p> Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:37:53 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8284138 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Money No Enough 2</p> <p><span style="">I am quite unsure why Jack Neo had decided to call this "Money No Enough" 2, because frankly it's a departure from the crux of the original movie, and the characters too are totally different, despite starring the same main trio of himself, Mark Lee and Henry Thia. Perhaps it's to bank on the resounding box office success of its predecessor some 10 years ago in getting the crowds back into the halls, in an attempt to repeat that miracle.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/money-no-enough-2-2.html</span></p> Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:10:57 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8277504 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Under the Same Moon</p> <p><span style="">It's been a while since I experienced in the movies, a mother's love for her young child, and vice versa, being the primary focus of the film, especially with one that dealt with distance and longing. The last one that truly moved me was the Japanese film Be With You, and no prizes for guessing that this Mexican number Under the Same Moon will join its ranks.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/under-same-moon-la-misma-luna.html</span></p> Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:02:52 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8269825 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: Strange Wilderness</p> <p><span style="">One of the reasons why I decided to watch this, is because I needed a comedy to laugh at, if it's not possible to laugh together with it. The DVD is already available at the shops, but I don't think I'm ready to fork out a Code 1 DVD price for what's essentially a short comedic film which is based from a Saturday Night Life comedy skit. Written by the same creative team of Peter Gaulke and Fred Wolf with the latter taking on directorial duties as well, Strange Wilderness delivered some genuine laughs, but only if you're tolerant of being insensitive to the kind of subject the film makes fun of.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/strange-wilderness.html</span></p> Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:54:27 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8269022 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Book of Revelation</p> <p><span style="">You'd be forgiven if you thought that this movie was nothing more than the final chapter of the biblical text. Although itself based on a novel, this is a far cry from doomsday, though for the lead character, his life has been made a living hell for the sheer psychological and physical torture he goes through even after his unfortunate ordeal. And it does provoke some thought into the issues it put on screen, though it doesn't provide any answers, which I suppose in a real world equivalent, it's likely to remain under wraps too, for the shame.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/book-of-revelation.html</span></p> Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:48:40 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8269005 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The Spirit Compendium</p> <p><span style="">Going by the synopsis, stills and posters, one would have expected a supernatural thriller at the very least. But you know what they say about expectations, and this being the first feature film of writer-director Foo Fung Koon, I have had friends who have given me that wry look and stifled laughter when I told them that I am prepared to be scared. And the usual trappings of a first film, with its raw delivery and unpolished feel, comes an accidental, unintentional comedy.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/spirit-compendium.html</span></p> Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:53:31 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8267694 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032 <p>A Nutshell Review: The X-Files: I Want To Believe</p> <p><span style="">It's not hard to imagine how time flies, when you realize that one of your best loved television series of all time had already ended its run, and you reminisce the times back when one of your weekend nights revolved around sitting in a bunk with your army mates, all glued to what Chris Carter had conjured as adventures for the two best known goggle box FBI agents, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson). While we always needed to crank up the volume to try and make sense of the murmurs involving shadow governments and secret conspiracies, our favourite episodes almost unanimously were those one-off ones, so called the "monster" episodes.</span></p> <p><span style="">Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2008/07/x-files-i-want-to-believe.html</span></p> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:08:11 +0800 movies.sgforums.com:1763:125032:8264127 daface http://movies.sgforums.com/forums/1763/topics/125032