Welcome back to another issue of the Fridae Movie Club newsletter!

Our pick of the week is Life of Pi, an inspirational film that challenges you to be awed by the adventures of a boy and a tiger stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Oscar favourite Ang Lee weaves his favourite theme of nature vs nurture once again, this time using the magical tools of 3D CGI to create a film that almost rivals the beauty of Tree of Life and What Dreams May Come.

Winning the Best Documentary Oscar last year, Undefeated is a sports documentary about an inner city high school football coach whose struggle to improve his team — and the lives of the players on his team — serves as a larger allegory for the state of America.

It's a pity Tyler Perry is transitioning from cross-dressing comedies to mainstream detective drama in Alex Cross but it's his gain by taking over the character previously played Morgan Freeman. The reboot re-introduces us to the eponymous detective and his genius by pitting him against a sadistic psychopath with a very unique modus operandi.

Invaders from outer space come up against a bunch of earthy Irish villagers in Grabbers. Yes, it's a one-sided affair but only because these aliens are mortally allergic to alcohol, and these Irish love their moonshine whiskey. And yes, it is a zany horror-comedy.

Nicolas Cage plays an ex-con forced to break into a bank one more time in order to save his kidnapped daughter in Stolen. If you disregard the weak script, the film does have all the ingredients of a great heist film and as always, the great B-grade acting of Nic Cage.

Till next week,

Vernon Chan