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Singapore Movie Update |
3 May 2005 |
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to the Editor Gays and lesbians,
Whether you're a woman or man of the Bible or the Koran; whether
you a Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu or Sikh; whether you're an atheist
whose prays at the altar known as "the gym" or the temple known
as "the sauna"...
Step aside for what looks set to be one of the biggest movie events
of the year. Ridley Scott's grand and exhilarating epic Kingdom
of Heaven opens this week. Set in the 12th century,
it depicts the Crusades which pitted the Christians against the
Muslims. |
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But should you think that this film
will offend either Muslims or Christians, you need not worry. Ridley
has ensured that the portrayal of both sides are fair, which is
why this film hasn't generated much controversy the way The
Passion of the Christ did.
So big is Kingdom of Heaven that many other films have
stepped aside to let its armies of knights on horses through. Only
two foolhardy films have dared to open this week alongside this
epic drama.
One of them — the horror remake House of Wax starring
Paris Hilton — is literally trembling with fear.
The other film, Bonjour Monsieur Schlomi, is a teen drama
so small that we won't be surprised if it gets trampled at the box-office
by Ridley's entourage.
Now on to the reviews.
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A big thank-you from Fridae and Action for Aids
to all of you for showing your support at the fund-raising
charity film premiere for Action for Aids (AfA), featuring
the German coming-out movie of the year Summer
Storm.
READ the Fridae Lifestyle Movie Review.
READ
ALSO Look out for Fridae's interview with Summer
Storm director Marco Kreuzpaintner to be published this week!
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Kingdom of Heaven |
Director: Ridley
Scott
Cast: Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson,
Edward Norton,
Ghassan Massoud, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan
Gleeson |
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Ridley Scott is easily one of the best mainstream directors we
have.His reputation rests on unforgettable modern classics such
as Blade Runner, Alien, Thelma & Louise
and Gladiator.
His latest film, Kingdom of Heaven, sees him returning
to the epic style of filmmaking a la Gladiator.
Set in the 12th century during the years of the second and third
Crusades, the story revolves around a poor blacksmith Balian (Orlando
Bloom) who becomes a knight for the Christian king.
When enmity between the Christian and Muslim forces flares up because
of a series of attacks made on the Muslim royal family, Balian has
defend his home against Muslim soldiers.
Christian and Muslim readers of Fridae need not worry, however.
The conflicts are handled sensitively, and the warriors on both
sides are shown to be equally noble, chivalrous and fair in battle.
If there's anyone who should worry, it's Orlando. He may look gorgeously
buff in Kingdom, but he seems to have some trouble carrying
the 146-minute epic on his young shoulders.
Thankfully, he has a superb supporting cast that includes Liam
Neeson as his father, Edward Norton as the Christian King Baldwin
IV and Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud as the Muslim King Saladin.
Orlando can also count on Ridley's typically competent direction
and the film's spectacular battle sequences for support.
The must-see of the week. |
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House of Wax |
Director: Jaume
Collet-Serra Cast: Elisha Cuthbert,
Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki |
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For good horror these days, your best bet is still Asian. The two
Japanese horror movies playing in cinemas right now — Infection
and Shikoku — may be schlocky, but they are still
better than what Hollywood is churning out.
House of Wax is a case in point. Hollywood is so creatively
bankrupt when it comes to horror that it has to remake its old classics
(like The Amityville Horror, Texas Chainsaw Massacre,
Dawn of the Dead and now House of Wax) or borrow
from Asia (The Ring, Ju-On and Dark Water).
House of Wax, however, will appeal to some teenagers and
the teenager-at-heart — what with its rude American humour,
Paris Hilton striptease scene and nice shots of Chad Michael Murray
(of One Tree Hill fame) shirtless.
The movie is about a group of totally obnoxious teenagers who are
driving to big football game. When their trip takes an unexpected
detour to a deserted town with a creepy House of Wax run by a pair
of psychotic twins, all hell breaks loose...
The movie is full of cheap scares and cheap flesh. But lovers of
gore will relish the very gruesome scenes where a still-living character
watches in horror as he is being embalmed in hot wax.
It also has very graphic killing scenes, so we recommend this film
to the gorehounds, scream queens and those of you wear the "cheap
and shallow" badge with pride. |
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Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi |
Ha’Kohavim Shel Shlomi
Hebrew with English subtitles
Director: Shemi Zarhin Cast:
Oshri Cohen, Arie Elias, Esti Zakhem, Aya Koren, Yigal Naor,
Albert Illouz |
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Oshri Cohen plays 16-year-old Schlomi in Tel Aviv, Israel, whose
family is mildly dysfunctional: His mother is a screeching temperamental
woman and his father is an adulterous hypochondriac. Only his grandfather
shows affection for the young hero and speaks to him in French —
hence the title.
When Schlomi is discovered in school to be a Math genius, he has
to decide between leaving home to study with other gifted teens
in Haifa and staying home to care for his family members.
The film is neither very deep nor moving, but Bonjour Monsieur
Schlomi does have its sweet and sensitive moments. Still, between
this film and Kingdom Of Heaven (or even House Of Wax),
the latter wins hands down. |
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Summer Storm |
Sommersturm
German with English subtitles
Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner Cast:
Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann, Alicja Bachleda-Curus, Hanno
Kofler Audience Award, Munich Film
Festival 2004
Only at Cathay Orchard
[Charity
Film Premiere for AfA] |
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This gay movie is the must-watch of ANY week.
Tobi and his best friend, Achim, are both members of a rowing team
on a summer camp.
While Achim is exploring his attraction to girls, Tobi struggles
to first hide and then accept his attraction to boys. Things come
to a head when a rival rowing team called Queerschlag (QueerStrokes),
made up of gay teenagers, joins the summer camp.
Sweet, optimistic and gently humourous, Summer Storm is
the sort of film that will stay in your heart for always —
like Beautiful Thing and Nico & Dani.
And of course, there's some homoerotic horseplay and plenty of
skin-exposing swimwear to get your heart racing as well.
READ
Fridae Lifestyle Movie Review
READ
Fridae Interviews director Marco Kreuzpaintner (to be published
this week) |
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Alexander Etel plays 7-year-old Damian whose mother
has passed away, leaving him behind with his father and brother.
He finds solace in reading about the lives of Christian saints,
and sometimes imagines them visiting him. One day, he chances on
a large bag filled with money and decides to distribute the money
to the poor.
Though the basic storyline seems simple and naive, Millions
is actually a rich and multi-layered story that brims with ideas,
style and humour. At the heart of the story is an examination of
what money means to each one of us. |
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Divergence |
San Cha Kou
Mandarin with English subtitles
Director: Benny Chan Cast:
Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Daniel Wu |
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Flush from the success of New Police Story
last year, director Benny Chan returns with another action extravaganza
featuring plenty of guns, bombs and chase sequences.
Aaron Kwok plays a police officer trying to gather evidence to
put a money-laundering tycoon behind bars. He becomes attracted
to the wife of the scummy lawyer (Ekin Cheng) who works the tycoon,
because she reminds Aaron of his girlfriend who disappeared a decade
ago. The characters become entangled in a web of mystery and deceit.
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xXx2: The Next Level |
Director: Lee Tamahori Cast:
Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson, Willem Dafoe |
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Now, we loved the corny, cheesy action splendour
that was XXX. But this sequel is absolutely absurd.
Rapper-singer Ice Cube who plays Darius, a spy with a criminal
mind and a daredevil streak. Darius is sent to the White House to
stop the US Secretary of Defence (Willem Dafoe) in his attempt to
oust the US President.
There are bombs, guns and explosions aplenty, and as one can usually
expect from this kind of film, all manner of logic is blown to hell.
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The Interpreter |
Director: Sydney
Pollack Cast: Nicole Kidman,
Sean Penn, Catherine Keener |
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We all love Nicole Kidman, don't we?
Whether she's rumouredly a lesbian or not is besides the point.
The fact is, Nicole is a talented actress who has consistently chosen
to star in interesting and challenging films like Dogville,
Birth, The Hours and Moulin Rouge.
In her excellent new film The Interpreter, she plays an
interpreter at the United Nations who overhears a plot to assasinate
an African leader. Convinced that the plotters will try to kill
her too, FBI agent Keller (Sean Penn) is assigned to protect her.
The Interpreter is drum-tight, suspenseful and intelligent.
It reminds us of those classy political thrillers of the 1970s like
Klute, Three Days of the Condor, All the President's
Men and The Day of the Jackal which Hollywood rarely
makes these days. |
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The Hidden Blade |
Japanese with English
subtitles
Director: Yoji Yamada Cast:
Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu, Hidetaka Yoshioka |
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One of the bright lights of Japan's film industry
is the much-loved writer-director Yoji Yamada. His last film Twilight
Samurai was a powerful portrait of an ageing samurai that swept
a record 12 Japanese Academy Awards, including Best Picture and
Best Director.
His new film is yet another sublime work of art. Set in mid-19th
century where Japan's samurai system is slowly giving way to modern
Western weaponry and military strategies, Nagase Masatoshi plays
a swordsman whose honour is tested when his corrupt superiors order
him to kill a fellow samurai.
The film depicts a bygone era in rich and wonderful detail. The
cinematography by Mutsuo Naganuma is warm and assured, and the acting
is masterful throughout. |
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Infection |
Japanese
with English subtitles
Director: Masayuki Ochiai Cast:
Michiko Hada, Maya Hoshino, Yoko Maki |
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Lovers of B-grade horror, prepare to knock yourselves
out. Infection is a wonderfully trashy horror flick that
uses good old-fashioned green goo to up the scare factor.
At an old hospital that is poorly-staffed and poorly-facilitated,
a new patient arrives with bizarre symptoms. The green goo that
oozes from his wounds infects the hospital staff and compels them
to do strange things.
Green goo. Green goo. Now where have we seen this gag before...
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Guess Who |
Director: Kevin
Rodney Sullivan Cast: Ashton
Kutcher, Bernie Mac, Judith Scott, Zoe Saldana |
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In 1967, the classic comedy Guess Who's Coming
to Dinner? broke new ground with its daring take on inter-racial
relationships, with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as the shocked
parents of a young white woman who brings her black fiance (Sidney
Poitier) home.
This lousy remake has turned the tables. Here, a white financial
consultant goes to meet the African-American parents of his fiancee.
Yawn-inducing and unfunny — not to mention, homophobic. |
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Creep |
Director: Christopher
Smith Cast: Franka Potente,
Sean Harris, Vas Blackwood, Jeremy Sheffield, Ken Campbell |
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This uncreepy British horror film is set in the
actually-creepy London subway. Franka Potente (Run, Lola, Run
and The Bourne Supremacy), usually a fabulous actress,
disappoints with her by-the-numbers performance as a drunk party
girl who falls asleep in a London underground station and misses
the last night train. When she wakes up, she finds herself being
chased by a strange maniac who shrieks in a rat-like sound. |
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Colour Blossoms |
Japanese, Cantonese
and English with English subtitles
Director: Yon Fan Cast:
Theresa Chung, Harisu, Keiko Matsuzaka, Carl Ng |
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The latest film by flamboyant Hong Kong director
Yon Fan bears all his hallmarks: the gorgeous actors, the sumptuous
production design, the dream-like images.
Meili (Teresa Cheung) is a property agent hired by the rich and
mysterious Madam Umeki (Matsuzaka Keiko) to lease out her lavish
apartment in Hong Kong. She meets two different men (dazzlingly
handsome models Carl Ng and Sho) and falls for both of them. Tragedy
ensues.
With the exquisite sets and equally exquisite cheekbones of the
actors, Colour Blossoms is an undeniable feast for the
eyes. But the film also veers dangerously into campy excess and
plain old weirdness with its forays into voyeurism and S&M.
READ
Fridae Feature: Interview with actor Carl Ng.
READ
Fridae Chinese: Interview with director Yonfan. |
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Samara |
Director: Hideo
Nakata Cast: Naomi Watts, Simon
Baker, David Dorfman, Sissy Spacek |
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Naomi Watts is all set to jolt you out of your seats
and rattle your cage in Samara, a slick and worthy sequel
to The Ring that was remade from Hideo Nakata's hit Japanese
horror franchise Ringu.
Naomi plays the single mother of a boy who has watched a haunted
videotape of Samara, a dead girl in a well. Fearing for the life
of her son, she moves away from Seattle to start a quiet new life
in Astoria, Oregon. But Samara is determined to follow the boy wherever
he goes. |
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Beauty Shop |
Director: Bille
Woodruff Cast: Queen Latifah,
Alicia Silverstone, Andie Macdowell, Alfre Woodard, Mena Suvari,
Kevin Bacon, Djimon Houson |
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Queen Latifah plays a hairstylist who saves all
her money to open up a hair salon in Atlanta. But jealous gay rival
hairdresser (played hilariously by Kevin Bacon) tries to sabotage
her business.
What gets this comedy going are the very funny conversations that
Queen Latifah makes with her customers, rife with social commentaries
from weight issues to racism to Michael Jackson.
Kevin plays his gay role to the hilt of flamboyance, while newcomer
Bryce Wilson is also quite hilarious playing a faggy hairdresser.
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Be Cool |
Director: F
Gary Gray Cast: John Travolta,
Uma Thurman, Danny De Vito |
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There's not much to warm up to in this lacklustre
sequel of Get Shorty. John Travolta reprises his role as
ex-loanshark collector Chilli who, in 1995's Get Shorty,
managed to muscle his way into the Hollywood movie industry and
make millions.
Now Chilli's good friend and record company boss is murdered, leaving
behind his sexy wife (Uma Thurman) and a lot of debts. In order
to help her, Chilli wants to turn a talented young singer (Christina
Milian) into a money-making star engine. But to do that, he has
to face the Russian mafia, a money-grubbing rap artiste, as well
as other assorted baddies of the pop music industry. |
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In My Father's Den |
Director:
Brad McGann Cast: Matthew Macfadyen,
Miranda Otto, Emily Barclay, Jodie Rimmer Screening
Date: 7 & 8 May Release
Date: 16 Jun [New
Zealand Film Festival 2005] |
more>> |
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The Jacket |
Director: John
Maybury Cast: Adrien Brody,
Keira Knightley, Daniel Craig, Kris Kristofferson, Jennifer
Jason Leigh Release Date: 12
May |
more>> |
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The Amityville Horror |
Director: Andrew
Douglas Cast: Ryan Reynolds,
Melissa George, Jimmy Bennett Release
Date: 12 May |
more>> |
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Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith |
Director: George
Lucas Cast: Ewan McGregor,
Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen Release
Date: 19 May |
more>> |
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My Boyfriend is Type B |
B Nam Chin
Korean with English subtitles
Director: Choi Sun-Wuk Cast:
Lee Dong-Gun, Han Ji-Hye Release Date:
26 May Only at Cathay Cinemas
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more>> |
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Monster-in-Law |
Director: Robert
Luketic Cast: Jennifer Lopez,
Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes, Adam Scott Release
Date: 26 May |
more>> |
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Madagascar |
Directors: Eric
Darnell, Tom McGrath Voice Cast:
Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, David Schwimmer,
Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer Release
Date: 27 May |
more>> |
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Eros |
Japanese and English with English subtitles
Directors: Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderbergh, Michelangelo
Antonioni Cast: Gong Li, Chang
Chen, Rober Downey Jr, Alan Akin, Ele Keats, Christopher Buchholz,
Regina Nemni, Luisa Ranieri Release
Date: 2 Jun Only at Cathay
Cinemas |
more>> |
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Vaya Con Dios |
German
with English subtitles
Director: Zoltan Spirandelli Cast:
Michael Gwisdek, Daniel Bruhl Release
Date: 2 Jun Only at Cathay
Cinemas |
more>> |
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The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy |
Director: Garth
Jennings Cast: Martin Freeman,
Sam Rockwell, Mos Def Release Date:
2 Jun |
more>> |
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Ice Princess |
Director: Tim
Fywell Cast: Joan Cusack, Kim
Cattrall, Michelle Trachtenberg, Hayden Panettiere Release
Date: Jun |
more>> |
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Mr And Mrs Smith |
Director: Doug
Liman Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina
Jolie, Vince Vaughn Release Date:
9 Jun |
more>> |
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Batman Begins |
Director: Christopher
Nolan Cast: Christian Bale,
Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman Release
Date: 16 Jun |
more>> |
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