Battleship is loosely based on the board game Battlships and stars Tadanobu Asano, and not once did I hear, ‘You sunk my battleship”! The ONLY intention of this ridiculous movie is presumably to keep you on the edge of your seat through any nonsensical means possible. Even that lone goal fails miserably. Seeing the same effects over and over again numbs the brain as much as listening to the dumbest dialogue exchanges in the history of the cinema. This movie exits in a hyper-reality where the world is like a giant video game and battleships defy the laws of physics. So what do we get here? Astronomers discover yet another exoplanet and send a message. The aliens get it and manage to decipher it of course. It does not take very long and they show up on the radar, obviously capable of flying interstellar flights at the speed of light.

With three ships caught in a force field as they are shot upon to pieces, there should be a sense of danger but there isn’t any. Instead the film plays its biggest hand first with a lengthy mind-numbing action scene, taking away any sense of escalation for the film. The story itself is reasonably straightforward and predicable; however, not having to think through a convoluted plot with numerous twists and turns gives one an excellent chance to simply sit back and enjoy some excellent visuals effects. And if you couldn’t guess, yes, the CGI is the best part of the movie. Rihanna debuts in her first film role but fails to impress as a weapons specialist. Given the amount of clichés in this movie, Michelle Rodriguez would have been the perfect choice instead of Rihanna, even if her roles are becoming repetitive. Playing the leads, Kitsch is no better than his uninspiring role in “John Carter”, while Decker suffices as pure eye-candy.

No doubt owing to its video game genesis, this movie has undeveloped characters and poor narrative, but, does it work ? Yes, very much so- for the target audience in question at least. Outside of that, it will no doubt be blasted and levelled by serious critics to the same degree that my review reflects. As it was directed by Peter Berg I was hoping a little less clichés, but I guess when one is attached to a 200 million dollar budget, he has the obligation to make the movie appealable to as wide a demographic as possible. So I’m puzzled as to why I enjoyed it as much as I did – I didn’t love it, but neither did I feel I’d wasted my time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDMXkPfxjOc

If you are looking for a Ridley Scott Sci-fi classic then this isn’t it. However if you just feel like seeing a film that is an enjoyable explosive ride then this may surprise you. The last scene was very well shot and also reminded me of a battle in Pirates of the Caribbean. The graphics (especially the last half hour) were realistic and the sound-effects were appropriate and not too loud. I, personally, enjoyed the AC/DC songs in between. Battleship wasn’t great, and I guess it may even be a pretty bad film as far as scripting goes. But while watching it, I at least was interested in what was going on. Still, in summary, it is now available in 2D and also in 3D for those who don’t mind being ripped off, it would have been better if ‘Battleship’ had sunk without a trace during pre-production.

Transcribed to 80′s New York with the opposing forces now becoming the warring Chinese American and Italian American factions of that city, Brutality and romance are equally heightened in this 1987 flick. Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’ has been made on screen so many times and ‘China Girl’ might just be my favorite one. That drawback, obviously, is that there’s no real surprises to the old hat, as this dangerous story plays out and eventually finishes. It had almost no release in 1987 (there were no stars to sell it) and was never a big hit on cable or video. Also Chang never made another movie and Panebianco disappeared after making a few more films. So it is indeed a tragedy.

The Cinematography by Bojan Bazelli, who went on to do fantastic work on Ferrara’s iconic “King of New York”, captures the neon reflected wet streets of New York to perfection. There’s a few fascinating supporting or minor roles, like James Hong as Gung Tu, the head of the Chinese crime family who, most wisely, wants just peace and quiet between the rivals. I happen to be a big fan of Abel Ferrara. His style of film making is very unique and it’s greatly missed in Hollywood. We need more directors like him. Someone who not only can make a movie on the cheap but produce a well thought-out film that’ll force you to think and look outside the box. When a Director of Abel’s stature is working in his favourite environment, with an equally astute eye looking through the camera lens to capture on screen what’s going through his mind, the film can’t help but look and feel marvellous.

Things do tend to get sappy in this movie, and aside from the point about senseless gang violence, there is not much else going on. The writers go slightly overboard in bogging down the audience with this point, that they forgot to put in some filler. That may seem contradictory to the previous statements, however, China Girl also seems to prevent a tone from director Abel Ferrer which becomes much more evident and much more forceful in his 1996 film, The Funeral, which is a sadly underrated movie about the perpetration of gang life through three mafioso brothers. However these young-guns make it a battleground and caught between it is two love-struck lovers; a Chinese girl Tayn-Hwa and Italian lad Tony Monte. They don’t care about colour or race, despite what’s happening all around them and what it could do to them or even loved ones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRYJXZiFwVE

Watching this movie I am also reminded of the notorious Vietnamese Gang known as BTK (Born To Kill), who also prowled the streets of Chinatown around the time this film was put out. Again, this movie tells a truly pure tale without watering anything down. Ferrara seems to be morphing “Do The Right Thing” with “Year Of The Dragon” in his depiction of the older Italian “Wiseguys” and thier Chinese counterparts, the Triad leaders, making deals in back rooms while the youth gangs engage in open racism and fight for continued segregation. As usual, you get the impression that Ferrara just tells his cast to “go for it”, so there’s a lot of yelling and angsty expressionism on display as everyone tries to out-James-Dean each other. Still, the energy does hold your interest, and the neon New York cinematography is artful in a noirish way. Recommended.

I’m sure you could gather by the trailers of the film, but Safe is your typical Jason Statham action flick. 11-year-old Mei (Catherine Chan) is abducted and forced to work for ruthless Chinese gangsters due to her extraordinary skills in memorization and mathematics. When Mei is given a numerical code to a safe containing 30 million dollars, the Triad, the Russian mafia, and corrupt New York officials all want her – dead or alive. The only real twist in Safe is the insertion of a small child in the midst of every bloodbath. Plot wise, the story consistently reveals so many double crossers and twists that it’s sometimes difficult to keep up.

However, the editing is keen, with snazzy transitions, and the fight choreograhy deserves a special mention, cleverly put together and making full and amusing use of props. Somehow all the bad guys are also connected to the death of Statham’s family. He’s the only honest cop in Manhattan, has a soft spot for victims of social injustice, and can kick some ass. The tie-ins are largely unbelievable, but although boomingly extravagant, it’s never augmented by the annoying shaky cam. That is, if you like that kind of thing…blood, guts, and bruises that is.

There’s a good reason why his most memorable fight scenes tend to unfold in warehouses and garages, as his characters always give off a distinctly blue-collar vibe. So if Jason Statham’s character in Safe isn’t particularly distinguishable from the intense, should I really care? Should anyone walk into this movie expecting more? Mr. Statham never phones it in, though his roles can seem to be one long version of the same guy. The director does a great job of playing with our perceptions of Statham in the film’s final moments, but that’s best left unspoiled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_6ksxHBklo

So, should you see this? Well after the inital story line gets underway, its staight up action, Stath-style. If that appeals to you, then by all means this should whet your appetite until Expendables 2. The fact that Statham’s main co-star, a little girl, witnesses much of this violence with barely a wince says a lot about where the filmmakers’ heads are. Maybe she is just extra bad ass because she is Asian? Also mixed in are a bunch of rogue police as brutal and corrupt as any of the crooks, but hey, its all relative to a Statham film, right? Jason Statham, as Jason Statham, in a Jason Statham film starring Jason Statham doing Jason Statham-ey things…

St. Jude Square is a neighborhood living in fear and despair. The dueling gangs of local kingpins Dash and Antuan terrorize the streets and the citizens live without a shred of hope… until mysterious stranger Ryan Hong (Cung Le) arrives in town. He begins to play one gang against the other using his unparalleled martial arts skills, and by calling on the teachings of his brilliant mentor Tiano (Jean-Claude Van Damme) to find the strength to battle back. However, just as he begins to bring the community under control, Hong is confronted by Mr. V, the town’s ruthless and corrupt police chief. At first Mr. V is impressed by Hong’s skill, but soon sees Hong as a threat to his regime, and the two warriors are locked in a head-to-head battle, pitting the fear and corruption of Mr. V’s regime versus the new beginning Hong represents for the people of St. Jude Square.

The director had a good vision of the picture but tried too hard to make it more dramatic with long silent scenes, where none of the characters speak, or they just say a few words, and after a while it just gets boring as hell. As an MMA fan, it’s cool to know that Cung Le can actually use these movie maneuvers in a practical way. Cung Le might not possess the same acting skills as Van Damme, but he’s battle-tested, and surely knows a thing or two about martial arts. That said, I do think this film could be a big hit in the martial arts community. Later on they introduce another organization from the nearby town which are Russian by the sound of their accents. So they complete the full stereotype picture.

It’s always a really bad sign, when the main character could die in the movie and you wouldn’t even blink and certainly not care. This is very much the case in Dragon Eyes. Then asks Hong to clean up the town of St. Jude upon his release. Tiano’s connection to St. Jude is never mentioned. So in summary, the plot holes are quite evident. There is an interesting plot reveal near the final act, which kind of makes the movie a little bit more interesting, and then five minutes later they make an absolute mess of the whole plot. However, you come for the fights, and the fights are pretty awesome. It’s no game changer, but compared to recent direct-to-video fight offerings, this ranks with the better ones like Blood and Bone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3w6R_Dk3hQ

So, in conclusion I won’t openly bash the film for what it is doing wrong. Instead I will grade this film on what it does right. Most of it accounts for the good action scenes and the more stylish presentation, considering the low budget. Such a shame that not more time was taken with the ending and that the fights at the end could have been introduced in a superior, more logical way. While the fights themselves were still entertaining, it seems by the end of the film they just wanted to get it over with and bring it to a close. In all, Dragon Eyes is a decent diversion and despite a lack of a strong (and realistic) story, it delivers in the action department. Oh, and welcome back Van Damme. We missed you.

Bruce Lee chose to teach Wing Chun which he learned from the legendary Yip Man. This statement should be common knowledge at this point in time because there has been a crazy amount of Bruce Lee films over the years, most notably the Ip Man films which star Donnie Yen. In “I Am Bruce Lee” there is a famous interview where Bruce distinguishes his philosophy: “Empty your mind. Be formless like water… If you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup. If you pour water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be like water, my friend.” I am Bruce Lee follows the thoughts, insights and real life experiences of the people closest to him, and features some of the top sporting and entertainment stars of his time. At times, the film drowns Lee in praise (okay, okay we get it: he’s the greatest of all time), however, Bruce Lee may have been seduced by fame.

The bad thing about Bruce’s early death is that he was just starting to scratch the surface as a movie star, who knows what kind of great movies he would’ve gone onto doing if he didn’t die at such a young age. It is this tragedy that permits some celebrities from appearing in the film and making some outrageous claims. When Ed O’Neill points out that Bruce Lee wouldn’t've stood a chance against Brock Lesnar, or when Kobe Bryant gives us the downside of his celebrity side, it only infuriates an admirer of Lee’s. Most poignantly, maybe the only person whose opinion matters is Shannon Lee, his surviving daughter. She was a child at the time of his death, but, to her, Lee is a inspirational force of nature.

It’s more of a documentary than a movie and contains some old school footage of this true legend. Keep in mind, he was only 5’7″ and 135 lb, and so fast and so strong. The clips of his “one-inch punch” are astounding. His goddaughter Diana Lee Inosanto says, “He put balls on Chinese men.” Bruce films, the visual impact on the discovery of surprising and interesting life, and his martial arts, entertainment and the world beyond it is a legacy, and his untimely and tragic death at the age of 32 years. In summary, great new interviews and lots of relevant footage from more than forty years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQgjo9Wm0sg

Fans of Bruce Lee, run out and see this film. Pete McCormack does a great job conducting the interviews and getting the maximum affect interspersing them among footage of Bruce Lee’s screen test. As far as his Real World abilities, no one mentions his in-the-ring boxing experience or his hand speed- which would’ve been THE determining factor in ANY street fight. Only Dan Inosanto points out that Bruce Lee’s cobra quickness would’ve brought ANY fight to a quick conclusion had he opted for a simple finger jab to the eyes. For those who are well-versed in Bruce Lee’s life there isn’t anything here that may be new to them, but to those who don’t know as much will find it a rich and educational documentary. The low point being the inclusion of MMA, but it is still excellent even in its imperfections.

While the action (actually bad choice of word) takes place in two places, the protagonist’s home town in France and a village in Japan, the journey in between is handled with brevity. A trader from Japan arrives in a small English village in the mid-19th century. He is not particularly handsome or charismatic, he can’t even speak English, but the town leader’s vivacious, sultry wife, played by Keira Knightley, falls in love with the Japanese man and urges him to take her away. Why? That’s the million dollar question.

It drew me in, in made me want to visually experience every scene, it itself was a character in the story. This is actual a flaw for me, as I was more engrossed with the environment then the actual characters. The chemistry between the actors was also severely lacking. The pace was slow, which can sometimes work in period pieces to improve the atmosphere, but unfortunately here it was mostly a detriment. garden, and because of the beauty of the decor and actors. Hence the very nice note I gave. If you did not go ‘googoo’ eyed for Keira Knightley in the past you just may well in this movie; I did, but it’s not permanent. I could go on about all the scenes in Japan but I am admittedly too bias, I love all things Japan, so I will spare you all.

Alfred Molina is Baldabiou, who tells the mayor of the small town, I am going to bring back the silk business. Towards this end he recruits young married man Michael Pitt as Hervé Joncour. First he goes to Egypt to purchase silkworm eggs, and that venture is only partially successful, because of an infection among the eggs. The eggs are again attacked by disease and this time Baldabiou sends Hervé to Japan where the perfect eggs can be smuggled out of the country: the trip is arduous, long (through Europe, Russia, China to Japan), and while Hervé succeeds in securing the precious eggs, he also loses his heart to the seductive eyes of the baron’s concubine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLwgM0MnWX8

In conclusion, Silk is a visually dazzling story ideal for the screen, with vistas of 19th Century France, Russia, Japan etc. done beautifully. The tiny book was truly more expansive than the film, but where the film goes wrong was in dividing the hero into two people: the older businessman, and the young apprentice he sends three times to Japan. The only real flaws is it plays into the cliches in which another movie has a good-intentioned white man who travels to Asia and meets a “mysterious and seductive” Asian woman who is bound by an evil and dominating Asian man. Westerners have seen that film a million times over, and begs the question why Hollywood would even waste its time trying to prove their love to and for Asians who know better. It’s odd. Still, this is a nice slice of film that is worth your time in the end.

I love films that mix American and Asian actors together. This is, more importantly, a throwback to the noirish days of old. Shanghai compels the viewer to pay attention in order to piece together a jumble of unclear relationships and alliances. Instead of a movie about politics and war, it’s more about human relations and the different side to people. How people are used and mislead at times like this, and matters of the heart play an important role in the decisions the characters make. Gong Li is great in “Shanghai”, she radiates beauty and charm, and yet at the same time her extraordinary elegance seems to be begging for pity and mercy.

A few months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, these four characters in the Japanese occupied city of Shanghai come together to concoct a dangerous tale of government secrets and forbidden love. Sounds like your typical period piece with gunfights, grand sets and predictable plot developments of double crossings? Yes, it is. Chow Yun Fat is equally as good. Ken Watanabe – a good performance though he really needs to work more on making his accent understandable as I still have a little trouble with him, but nevertheless makes a good icy character. John Cusack is a great choice for the main role, and he delivers his part impeccably. Being a secret agent, he is deeply sensitive and sensible man, who wants to reveal some mysteries and he is right in the whirlwind of a war craze.

Considering the cinematography, special effects and staging challenges that brings us back in time to the days preceding Pearl Harbor and in Shanghai of all places, and considering also the cast, if you have cinematic knowledge, it is almost incredible that this film was made at all and more so for a mere $50M budget. I was disappointed in a way since the movie didn’t go the direction I wanted it to go, which isn’t anything against this film but my own wants. Mainly because almost all the screen-time is on John Cusack despite it having well known Asian actors. The plotting’s twists toward in the last half hour is where the film kind of skids since its connection to Pearl Harbor, and some character motivation, is a bit too much to ask.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gif5xbcFd_Q

Shanghai is unfortunately the kind of movie that I rarely watch, the low key spy thriller. But, I am glad I gave this one a spin. Shanghai is a modern film noire, and for me a refreshing addition to the genre. Highly recommended for anyone who doesn’t need high octane explosions all the time to like a movie. Admittedly, this film didn’t quite make the masterpiece mark but it did enough to make a colorful historical backdrop for a fairly routine story line. What really made this movie successful was actor performance and there are plenty of top class actors in it to make it really worthwhile. All in all, this is a film that will appeal to audiences on both side of the globe and one well worth your time.

To tell the details of ‘Babel’ is a real spoiler, but I will try my best to avoid that. Outside of it’s Biblical connection, is also a severe example of “what comes around, goes around”. Brad Pitt and Kate Blanchett play a troubled American couple having very little fun on a vacation in the Middle East. Susan (Blanchett) is shot by a young boy practicing with a gun. Three crises are simultaneously set off, as the Americans’ nanny must find a way to attend her son’s wedding in Mexico while Susan’s medical crisis unfolds. At the heart of each tragedy is an inability to communicate. The cultures are North American, Mexican, Islamic, Japanese and Japanese/deaf.

Now the sidestory with the Japanese father/daughter, very loosly tied in, to me added filler, but dramatically done. It is catching, and most should find this film moving. Cheiko to me was like the last piece from a different puzzle you slam into place because it’s a bit misshapen. People may think Cheiko’s story was the most interesting or whatever, which is fine, on it’s own I won’t dispute that to some it might be a great story. But try and fit it into place with the flow of the main storyline and she’s attached very loosely. The cinematography is dazzling. I liked how long shots and close-ups were used. I loved the soundtrack as it comprised of different tracks from different cultures. What I think captivated me most was that Babel wasn’t watered down. From the Middle East, to Japan, and then to Mexico the stories seemed almost to real.

The movie is weighty with sadness, fear and anxiety, but that’s a part of our life here on earth. I appreciated the way each of the four stories gradually connected with each other, surprising us with the outcomes and also the timelines. It’s not linear, so not everything in every story is being told in chronological order. In fact, the story seems to move in more of a circular pattern, with the end seeming to take us back to the beginning. In some ways that created confusion, although it also probably served to keep the viewer guessing. The main take-away is that this is a relatively long movie that keeps you in your seat without the desire for a break. There’s suspense, desperation, thrills, high emotion and different situations for every age group and culture to relate to in Babel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chNzbahOn_w

That’s the wonder of the film. It involves the viewer with the struggles in the lives of everyone. The film gives you a close-up on the human condition and you are left considering people and places with a familiarity gleaned from the experience of watching. This film does show a global class system where Americans are treated with more respect than those from third world countries. The goat-herders are brutalized by their own police, and the Mexicans are viewed with suspicion and contempt by the U.S. border patrol. The film wants us to sympathize with the underdogs. Which means, if you want a film to relax in front of on a lazy Sunday afternoon, then Babel probably isn’t it.

You don’t see too many films that have as much guts as this one. Never Forever touches so many important issues such as interracial marriage, faith and religion. Sophie Lee is a white girl from a plain American family who marries Andrew, a successful Korean American lawyer from a high class family. The couple have a perfect life except for one thing. Andrew’s sperms aren’t strong enough for Sophie to have a baby. This one factor leads Andrew to attempt suicide. Next we see Ji Ha. Ji Ha is an illegal immigrant who is saving money so that he can bring his girlfriend to America, but because he’s living illegally, there are many things he can’t do like selling his sperms to a clinic for a small amount of money. After being rejected by the clinic, he comes home depressed to find a strange white woman sitting in front of his doorstep with a dangerous proposal. Every time he has sex with her she’ll give him 300dollars and if she gets pregnant he gets thirty thousand dollars in cash.

The most notable element of the movie is, needless to say, the outstanding performances by Vera Farmiga. Sophie’s pregnancy at first overjoys Andrew and his family and the couple’s future looks bright. But both Sophie and Jihah are unable to dismiss the intimacy of the relationship they have developed, Andrew discovers Sophie’s adventure, and the marriage falls apart while Jihah informs his girlfriend in Korea that he will never be able to bring her to America. There are certain elements of Korean and Korean American culture that are played to near-caricature: the cold, oppressive mother-in-law and the zealous pastor, for instance. So, I must wonder if the story came from Kim’s own deliberation about her relationships and choices she has had to make as a Korean and a Korean American.

The conflict and circumstances involved unfortunately feels forced and contrived – luckily the actors generally lift up the material. The sex scenes were very tasteful and well-done. As the relationship develops, so clearly does the depth and honesty of their physical relations, to the point where Farmiga’s character is able to climax by simply daydreaming about her lover. The sheer loonyness of it all somehow seems to contribute to its real strength. Perhaps it is art defying rationality. Plus, her husband doesn’t notice when $30,000 goes missing from their bank accounts. Does all this seem to demand more willing suspension of disbelief than even most Hollywood fare?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdQoVrcAlzQ

That aside, it’s really a fairy tale about connection in spite of distance. The movie gives a rare and unique look at what happens in a relationship between an Asian man and a white woman. The camera seamlessly moves back and forth following the characters’ faces so that it feels like we’re worrying along with them. It helps tremendously that Farmiga gives such a good performance — you have to really understand her character if the movie is going to make any sense, and we do, thanks to Farmiga’s commitment to the role. Above all, I was very impressed about the film. There are a lot of layers in the story, each characters’ emotion and of course the light and shadow in the mis-en-scene. It’s a wonderful art movie.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is not going to surprise anyone. It follows the same successful formula and chemistry between John Cho and Kal Penn as the first two. But even though it may not have lived up to the previous ones, Harold and Kumar prove once again that as far as epic stoner comedies go, they can’t be beat. It is a bit hard to put this plot into words but when Kumar comes over and accidentally burns down the tree, they then have to find a new one, steal it from a drug-lord gangster thug, try to not rape his daughter, crash a musical production of The Nutcracker, and limit the number of people they shoot. Oh, and of course it is in 3-D.

The star power helps too- while they may be getting a bit old (Cho is 40 years old! Damn!), Cho really does prove himself as the talented actor he is here. The 3D experience was better in this movie than most I’ve seen in years. It was consistent throughout, no eyestrain, very clean, and had some nice out-of-screen effects that paired well with the comedy. The only real negative I can say about the humor is, even though I expected crude humor, the baby jokes almost completely destroy the film with her inhaling marijuana smoke and cocaine. The result isn’t laughter, but a cringing factor that can easily destroy a comedy film. However, the movie reminded me why I love the characters, and made me feel like the holidays were happening right now. Take it as just a movie, have a good time, talk about it with friends and you’ll enjoy it.

Now with such a commercial and carefree title, this is an obvious one you don’t watch with half a brain. It packs in the most politically incorrect jokes its little heart desires while saying “F.U.” to every prudish, overly-sensitive audience member. Gone are the comical-yet-convincing minor characters like the racist Homeland Security Agent (Rob Corddry), the infatuated Male Nurse (Ryan Reynolds), and the helpless Interpreter (Ed Helms). Questionably weaker ones replace these: Kumar’s new-BFF, Adrian (Amir Blumenfeld), overstays his welcome, as does Harold’s father-in-law (an unexpectedly pedestrian Danny Trejo), and wimpish friend (Thomas Lennon). Sadly, even returning characters, such as bickering Jewish-stoners Rosenberg and Goldstein don’t bring the laughs like they once did. Needless to say, some gags work, others don’t, as goes most comedy fares these days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg8ZIqjcWHo

One thing that surprised me though is the lack of race and marijuana jokes that the first two films devoted their humor to. Most of the humor in this movie comes from either the 3D effects or having way over-the-top stuff occur. There is an unfortunate claymation episode and a ridiculous musical ensemble which is only there to showcase Neil Patrick Harris. However, the humor, the shocking set-ups and pay-offs the character relentlessly dodge, and the overall extreme and foulness of the whole mess frequently work. Despite every effort to attack religion, there’s some worthwhile lessons crammed into A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. Harold and Kumar are forced confront loyalty, responsibility, aging, and manning up. It’s also worth noting that this is the only mainstream, non-white comedy series that doesn’t rely on race. All in all, a fun way to spend 90 minutes…nothing more.