Cloverfield

Director - Matt Reeves

Genre - Mystery/Sci-Fi

Some have compared this to 'The Blair Witch Project', a misconception of almost blasphemous proportions if we have anything to say about it. 'Blair Witch' was a gimmicky one trick pony which would just falter upon second viewing. This film however, is a smart reinvention of a genre which is done almost to death. Totally unlike others of its ilk, this movie will actually have you caring for its characters in their perilous situations. Taut action and a raw, on the ground feel make this a viewing priority.

4 STARS!

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The Happening

Director - M. Night Shyamalan

Genre - Mystery/Sci-Fi

The movie's title does little to explain the story. It could very well have been called 'The Occurrence' or 'The Incident' and we would still harbor a tinge of hope that M. Night might surprise us yet again. What we got instead was a story so reliant on its own inflated self-importance it just fell apart under the weight of its lofty aspirations. Shyamalan should have relinquished his duty as writer a long time ago and just direct. He peaked as a scribe for his earlier 3 films but now he needs to let go or it will ruin him.

2 STARS!

All about The Happening

Pitfall (Otoshiana)

Director - Hiroshi Teshigahara

Genre - Crime/Drama/Thriller

In this world whereby most humans subsist mostly on greed and the unending quest to one-up one another, there exists concrete threats to our livelihood and sometimes, even to our lives. Reports of senseless murders in the papers and internet almost every single day bear testament to this hard-hitting truth. Adapted from a novel by Kobo Abe, this thriller explores the darker side of humanity, peeling away layers of superficiality and simulated virtuousness to bring out mankind's most grotesque nature. Master director Hiroshi Teshigahara (The Face of Another & Woman In The Dunes) held nothing back, skillfully depicting what makes us tick, in life and even...out of life.

4 STARS!

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Big Bang Love, Juvenile A

Director - Takashi Miike

Genre - Drama/Mystery

Why Takashi Miike has deemed this script good enough to be filmed nobody will ever know. Set in the future or perhaps a different dimension altogether, the migraine-inducing plot concerns a murder in prison. Everyone including the warden becomes a suspect. In the end, we could care less if the killer turned out to be Oprah Winfrey. The movie feels like a bad performance art piece which might be tolerable on stage, but on film it just looks like splattered turd.

0 STAR! (D.O.A.)

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Bangkok Dangerous

Director - Oxide & Danny Pang

Genre - Action/Crime/Thriller

Nic Cage's hair looks like boiled seaweed in this film. And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, Cage's love interest turns out to be a mute pharmacist. Are there even such a thing? What's next, blind surgeons? Deaf psychiatrists? Jeez...let's move on to the story then. Cage plays an assassin who all of a sudden feels the need to reach out and break away from acute loneliness. He picks a thief and a mute woman for this purpose. Go figure. Anyway, if you're hankering for a 'The Killer' (with Chow Yun Fatt) type of movie, this might just pull your trigger. We thought Chow had way better hair though.

2 STARS!

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