a l c a T s a r

Agneepath [2011] - Trailer Reaction

2011-08-29T17:31:00.001+08:00

Being a huge fan of the original I approached the remake with a fair share of trepidation. Afterall the original has earned its fair share of fans for the performances of its lead antagonist and protagonist, dialogues worth memorizing and director Mukul S. Anand's stylish (for its time) film making. I waited with bated breath for the first trailer and the first thing that comes to mind is how wrong Hrithik is for the lead. He's too "pretty" to play a beloved gang lord from the slums of Mumbai. That is assuming he is still essaying that characterization of Vijay Dinanath Chauhan. Oddly there's not one line of dialogue uttered by the lead so perhaps my feedback is unwarranted.

Like most of modern day Indian cinema this looks stylized. What appears to set it apart from the masala fare like "Dabang" and "Singham" is that it appears more grounded in reality. It would be wrong to expect hyper-realism from a commercial potboiler such as this and director Karan Malhotra appears to strike the right balance.

Though it is too soon to judge I feel I'll be disappointed with the villains. Sanjay Dutt's interpretation of Kancha Cheena looks over-the-top in a performance, I fear, might be grating on the nerves. Rishi Kapoor as a villain will either be a revelation or a laugh-out-loud case of bad judgement. Don't get me wrong, he's an extremely talented actor who has marvelously pulled off roles with shades of gray in the past.

As a fan it's natural for me to speculate. From the footage we've seen I gather that Kancha Cheena is now the main drug lord of Mandwa and not an international drug kingpin as in the original. The new villain, essayed by Mr. Kapoor, could very well be a retread of the Dhinkar Rao character. What say you the fans?

MacGruber [2010]

2010-09-09T23:18:00.001+08:00

Coming Soon

Toy Story 3 [2010]

2010-06-21T21:15:00.002+08:00

Toy Story 3 is probably Pixar's first cash grab sequel. It has no other reason to exist other than to wrap up Andy's arch. Not the most compelling reasons to exist but as with other Pixar movies this too promises a great time at the movies. Even though most of this sequel retreads over things we've seen in the original and it's sequel, its watching these lovable and familiar characters interact that makes this go-round worthwhile. I wish Pixar had taken a bold step with the climax but this being a Disney movie I can understand why they couldn't go that route. It's not John Lasseter and company's best work but neither is it their worst.

The A-Team [2010]

2010-06-13T17:02:00.000+08:00

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Brian Bloom
Writen By: Joe Carnahan & Brian Bloom and Skip Woods
Directed By: Joe Carnahan

I don't think the ME generation of today can fathom the importance of television in the 80's. If I recall we only had access to Channel 5 & 8 (Singapore) and RTM 1 &2 (Malaysia) (this was even before TV3). The whole family was glued to the idiot box no matter how bad the programmes were.

So I hope you can see why we're so attached to properties from that era. I'll save my more detailed justification for my generations attachments to entertainment properties from that era for another time.

The A-Team was a very popular show even with its wash-and-repeat formula. Writer-director Joe Carnahan (NARC, Smokin' Aces) brilliantly avoids such trappings and instead shows the origin of how these four very different men came together. It helps that he has recruited very charismatic group of actors with excellent chemistry for the leads.

His screenwriting partners Brian Bloom and Skip Woods could have helped strip some extra fat. It feels like there's one-too-many rescue/retrieve missions in the movie. The ballistic and ridiculously over-the-top ending threatens to leave a bad after taste but thankfully such woes prove a minimal inconvenience.

My Name Is Khan [2010]

2010-05-08T03:08:00.003+08:00

Shahrukh Khan, in my humble opinion, isn't the most talented actor India has to offer but one can't deny his screen presence. In My Name Is Khan he is possibly tasked with a role very few people can pull off - that of an adult suffering from Asperger's syndrome. Shahrukh displays an uncharacteristic restraint in the role. Frequent collaborator (in fact he hasn't made a movie without Shahrukh) Karan Johar shows great growth as a director and this is possibly one of the most polished Bollywood productions in recent history. Being a product of Bollywood though it does suffer from too much sermonizing and scenes veering dangerously close to being "cheesy". Fortunately, director Karan Johar must have learned a few things about restraint from his leading man.

Iron Man 2

2010-05-01T23:24:00.004+08:00

Two years ago Iron Man burst onto cinema screens and made the character a household name. Besides a good director and script its success has to also be attributed to the extremely enigmatic Robert Downey Jr.. For Iron Man 2 they only managed to bring back two of those crucial elements. Iron Man 2 is sorely lacking a tight script. It meanders along seemingly only existing to setup Tony Starks role in Marvel comics super group The Avengers. As far as summer blockbusters go the movie is light on action with short action sequences rarely offering any spectacle worth a mention. Summer 2010 already has the weakest slate of releases and I dread to think Iron Man 2 might be the best it has to offer.

Kick Ass kicks ass

2010-04-18T05:06:00.003+08:00

As easy as it was thinking up that title it's so much easier writing this review. "Kick Ass" is a movie you're likely to walk into with very few expectations but it's sheer ability to turn comic book cliches on their heads and deliver a perfect mix of character work, action & humour will leave you wanting more. If you get the chance go
see this for sure.

Multimedia message

2010-04-12T14:53:00.001+08:00

Test post

Test 2

2010-04-05T17:50:00.000+08:00

He is good how about YOU?

There was once a girl who was so scared.

Mobile Post

2010-04-04T22:18:00.001+08:00

Just testing to see if and how this works.

alcaTsar, SG

The Alpha Team

2010-04-02T09:36:00.000+08:00

First The Expendables now this?

Watch the new trailer for The A-Team movie here. The first trailer was mildly entertaining but the last set piece in this trailer is so over-the-top that I already want to stand in line for tickets. The year's got 3 incredibly fun "men on a mission" movies and the best thing is they look like movies for REAL men.

On a sidenote, I think Singapore's cinema scene should organise fan-events. I was trying to organise one when "Superman Returns" came out but you'll be surprised how unresponsive cinema owners can be. Going to the movies used to be an event in itself (NOTE TO SELF: write something on this) but nowadays its no longer a memorable experience. Remember how you queued in line for hours to watch "Jurassic Park" 'cos you couldn't book tickets online back then? When you finally got the last few tickets you were so ecstatic and Monday back-in-school you were sharing with everybody about the whole experience? These days its all online and I'm fine with that but can't we all have a little fun?

Someone should put together an "A-Team Event". Get all the 80's children to come dressed up as B.A. Baracus, Hannibal Smith, Murdock and Faceman. Social media marketing a huge thing so cinema owners could reap the benefits from putting videos of this on YouTube, pictures on Facebook and Tweet til their thumbs go sore on Twitter. If anyone needs help putting this together let me know. After all "I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!"

How To Train Your Dragon [2010]

2010-03-29T23:26:00.001+08:00

Coming Soon

Law Abiding Citizen [2009]

2010-03-21T21:26:00.000+08:00

Director: F. Gary Gray
Writer: Kurt Wimmer
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Regina Hall

I Love You, Man [2009]

2010-03-21T21:21:00.000+08:00

Director: John Hamburg
Writer: John Hamburg and Larry Levin
Staring: Paul Rudd, , Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, J.K. Simmons, Andy Samberg, Lou Ferrigno, Aziz Ansari

Girls, get this right, we men are not all alike. We're often associated with the typical stereotypes - we hate dressing fashionably, we love sports, we don't emote well (with each other or any other living being on the planet), etc. That has all got to be propaganda from some feminist organisation trying to depict us as uncultured baboons (although some of us do come pretty close). Thanks to filmmakers such as John Hamburg, women get a chance to venture into our once restricted world. "I Love You, Man" is not only a funny movie but it's also an honest one. It depicts the "love" shared between two straight men in a time when any such act is quickly ridiculed as being gay. It exposes to the fairer sex what men are really like around other men. Of course being a comedy which it is it does so with ample laughs. Definitely one for both males and females.

Shaun of the Dead [2004]

2010-01-01T19:01:00.003+08:00

Coming Soon

Zombieland [2009]

2010-01-01T19:01:00.001+08:00

Coming Soon

Lesson 2

2009-12-29T23:01:00.001+08:00

Inglorious Basterds [2009]

2009-12-20T13:52:00.001+08:00

Review coming soon

Funny People [2009]

2009-12-19T17:26:00.001+08:00

Review coming soon

Avatar [2009]

2009-12-17T12:21:00.000+08:00

Avatar is not the "game changer" it has been made out to be. If anything it is a predictable yarn presented in a (pardon the pun) new avatar. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Lots of stories, at the core at least, are updated versions of classic tales. It is the way the story is told that draws audiences. James Cameron is one of the few living directors who knows the pulse of his audience. This might not be his best work but he sure knows how to manipulate his audience - making them awe in disbelief as they're introduced to the unique world of Pandora, cry as masses of the native Na'avi are slaughtered and cheer as the protagonist leads a final battle cry against their human oppressors. He uses every known trick in film making to get the desired response from his audience and paces the movie so well that you never know you're reacting like a puppet to every beat. Its only after the euphoria has settled that you feel used and like a true slut you wish to return for more.

Avatar [2009]

2009-12-16T23:18:00.001+08:00

Review coming soon

Timbaland - Shock Value II [2009]

2009-12-12T09:47:00.001+08:00

Following up a successful album is already a challenge but making a direct sequel is even more so. Fortunately, Timbaland is familiar with the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". "Shock Value II" sticks close to the original fortunate - bouncy beats, famous guests and remixes of pop-rock tracks. Fans expecting Timbo to once again revolutionize music with a completely new sound will justifiably be disappointed.

G.I. JoeL: Rise of Cobra [2009]

2009-11-26T21:36:00.002+08:00

G.I. Joe caters to the little boy I once was. High-tech gadgets & vehicles, armored suits, secret headquarters, hot chicks, over-the-top action - everything I would've loved is here.As a full grown adult though I would've appreciated a decent script, well-written characters, action scenes that keep physics in mind and good acting. As a (bedroom) critic though I accept the movie for what it is - a toy commercial. It's fun, in a ludicrous way, and the quick-moving plot never gives you enough time to think. If you want to relive your boyhood fantasy G.I. Joe movie then look no further.

The Hangover [2009]

2009-11-22T00:10:00.001+08:00

Coming Soon

Live Hard, Sell Hard [2009]

2009-11-08T21:01:00.001+08:00

Coming Soon