DVDs Out This Week In Singapore

A decent number of DVD releases this week, and a few I'm looking forward to see.


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The story of a man who ages backwards. I was never really interested in the movie...until I started hearing good buzz about it and saw the trailer. The film has this sepia glow tinge to it in most of the shots I've seen making it look rather dreamlike and surreal. I think it looks good.





Paul Blart: Mall Cop

A security officer at a mall having illusions about being an actual cop. And when there happens to be a hostage situation at the mall, he finally gets to play out that role. Yeah...its a slapstick comedy.




Role Models

Saw the trailer...I think it looks funny...a couple of guys stuck to do community service instead of going to jail, by being role models/mentors to a couple of kids...thats though. Kids can be ruthless. Picking trash at the beach would be easier.





Taken

Not much for revenge films...but the trailer looks pretty good. That speech Liam Nesson's character gave to his daughter's kidnappers...was like wow...is he like the most eerily composed father ever in such a nightmarish situation...I guess that's because he knows he'll get them...it was only a matter of time. They certainly took the girl who would be their undoing didn't they.





The Tale of Despereaux

Animations are not my thing. I don't make an effort to watch them. And this certainly came and went unnoticed didn't it. I just checked out the trailer today. The animations looks pretty good...but as for the story...looks pretty blah...as in boring to me.

Trailer Watch: My Sister's Keeper

Just checked out the trailer for My Sister's Keeper, the film adaptation of Jodi Picoult's novel of the same name. I've never read the book, nor any of Jodi Picoult's books. I did try...I think it was with the The Pact. Her books does seem to have very interesting plots...at least that's what I get from reading the synopsis on the back covers...But I just couldn't get into it...or them I should say.

So the trailer. Well it looks like we have a tearjerker here. Starts of rather light-hearted, the happy family, worthy of that Kodak moment...then we get to the real picture. A sick child, and another bred to sustain her. And so you can imagine what all that does to a family. Does this look like it has the makings of a great film. Probably. It looks good. But it does has the typical Hollywood tearjerker look. I don't expect it to be a poignant and haunting portrayal of the disease, its sufferers and their caregivers.

And Cameron Diaz playing the mother of the sick child. I don't know if she fits the character, cause I've never read the book, but I would've never thought she'd play a mother. Simply because she still looks like the California beach girl...she doesn't quite look like the mom material to me.

Opens in the States on June 26. Same as always, I'll probably catch it on rental, won't quite go out of my way to watch it though.

A Short New Moon Clip

Tomorrow is the MTV Movie Awards, where the New Moon trailer will premiere...yeah can't wait for that...the trailer not the awards show of course. Haven't been catching the show for the past years...they do tend to highlight, slapstick comedies, summer movies, chick flicks...in short, most of which I don't actually watch...

But for now, MTV has released a short clip from the trailer. Check it out.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Yeah it isn't much. I thought the "I love you" uttered as the clip was ending, was a bit awkward. I'm sure they placed it there to satisfy the fans...as for the kiss too. Doesn't quite do it for me...they didn't actually show anything quite so New Moon-esque. Show us Werewolves. Cliff Diving. Motorcycles. Volturri. Lets hope the actual trailer has all that.

New Moon Pictures in Italy

**Spoilers**

The cast of New Moon have been in Italy shooting the Volterra scenes, and the internet has been on fire with the recent slew of new pictures from that scene where **spoiler** Edward tries to commit vampire suicide only to have Bella push him back into the shadows...reuniting the two love birds after months apart. You can check out the pictures here and here.

Just as I was about to think that Robert Pattinson, worked out a lot to get that abs that we've never seen before...the more close up pictures reveal that it appears that it was all just airbrushed...yep its fake my dears...figures. And those dots on his body...I suppose we have to get ready to see major sparkles on the big screens in Nov...yeah...not really looking forward that one though.

Yeah so we finally get to see the on set pictures in Italy. Next,I would love to see the Volturi members and the costuming choices for them. Can't exactly remember how they were described to be dressed, but I'd imagine them in dark rich, lavish and very heavy fabrics. A lot of velvets and leathers I suppose.


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Vampire Diaries - The Vampires Are Invading Our Small Screens

Oh yes they are. After the big screens...tv is the way to go right. We already have True Blood, and that is an awesome show. In the late 90's we had Buffy the Vampire Slayer...its about time we have another teen vampire drama right? Right.

Vampire Diaries, a show based on a pretty popular YA book series was recently picked up a week ago. Its a pretty anticipated show...with a certain amount of buzz about it. The show is scheduled to air in the fall in the States...meaning, no idea when we will get it here in Singapore, I reckon we'll get it like a season late. Unless it turns out to be so hot, there's no way they can't snap it up...here's hoping we get it soon.

Anyhow, though it will only screen months away, the promos and trailers for the show have made its rounds. Its certainly building the hype early.Check them out.

Yeah...looks decent enough right. I like that scene when Stefan saw the blood, turned quickly away and we saw the veins under his eyes, and blood rushing underneath it and finally his eyes changing colour...that actually looked pretty cool. The sneak at the stunts though...they do look a little weak...but its a tv show...you don't expect great looking seamless stunts. And like I've said before, still can't believe these guys are still playing teenagers. Paul Wesley is 26 and Ian Somerhalder being already in his 30's, and they look it too, I mean their age. Can you imagine, if the show runs for several seasons. Get it?...They'll age...and they'll no longer pass as teenagers. Oh well...Regardless, I am still very much anticipating the show. And hey maybe I'll check out the books in the meantime. And if you're keen on the the books or the show, head on over to Vampire-Diaries.net...its a pretty good place to start to know everything on Vampire Diaries.


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The Happening (2008)

** Spoilers**

I watched this a few weeks ago and I'm utterly speechless. I have heard it was bad... but really, it is horridly terrible...Where do I start.

The movie begins with a bizarre terrifying happening in a park. People begin to be disoriented and then in the end, which comes rather quickly, pretty much within minutes from when their disorientation first starts, commits suicide. In any way possible, be it stabbing their own neck, slitting their wrists, crashing their car or jumping off buildings. Sounds interesting thus far right?

Along the way meet a group of friends. A couple, their friend and his daughter all fleeing the city to the country. Heres where we get to see how terrible the whole thing is. The dialogue is so off. Did anyone filming this notice that the script, the words spoken, the delivery is so awkward and alien. The supposed tension between Mark Wahlberg's and Zooey Deschanel's characters are soo ridiculous. I don't believe these are bad actors, we've seen them in better. I say they were all just poorly directed and the script was so weak and laughable there's no way around it. That or were they consciously making it everything the way that it is, to highlight the alien situation these characters are in... I'm not too sure the rationale of that, or that it worked, but they surely talk rather robotic-ly or rather Stepford Wives-ly. If it wasn't a conscious decision than it is that bad then...and it astounds me how the screenplay was green lit, with the kind of dialogue it had in it.

Lets skip most of the fleeing part, because in the end the "happening" only lasted like a day or so. It was that short. The movie ends with a somewhat happy ending. The couple survives the "happening". But the "happening" still remains unsolved, and we never know what it exactly was. Was it a chemical attack? Was it pollution? Was it nature having its revenge? Who knows? The last scene we get is another incident of another "happening" elsewhere.

So that was it. The thing is, the plot wasn't that bad. There was an interesting premise, what with the mysterious "happening". I don't even mind the ending that it had, a hanging one will do, but the story telling part fails miserably.

DVDs Out This Week In Singapore

Wow...a lot of DVD releases this week. Good ones? Well we'll have to see don't we.



Cadillac Records

A flick about Chess records and its artists in the 50s-60s Chicago. Not thoroughly into these music "biopics"though this isn't exactly a biopic per se.




Changeling

Err...this movie does has an ugly poster doesn't it. Trying to oversell the movie eh...I somehow have the impression that this movie will be very boring for me.




Frost/Nixon

This I presume is what I call a "Talking" film...where the film predominantly consists of just heavy dialogue...people talking and a few battle of words here and there. I usually like that kinda stuff. I liked Good Night and Good Luck, Thank You For Smoking...can't seem think of anymore. But anyhow, I've seen the trailer for Frost/Nixon...and it looks riveting, something I might enjoy.




Ghost Town

Can't say I've heard much about this movie. In fact I've only just checked out the trailer. Not bad...looks pretty funny. Might give it a try.





Last Chance Harvey

Two middle age people meet at bar. No wait one middle age woman meet an old man at a bar. Could it be love? Looks like a sweet flick...but nope...not much into sweet romantic flicks.





Inkheart

Brendan Fraser does have a tendency to do all these adventure movies. I think I might have only watched the Mummy...which was forgettable, but the rest of his movies don't look very good either. I find this the same as well. The sets, costumes and the effects of this just looks weak...it kinda looks like the ones we see in tv series like Merlin or Earthsea.





Promotion

Another one that I haven't heard much before. Checked out the trailer. Looks ok I guess.





The Secret Lives of Bees

Have never read the book. Never did quite interest me much. But the movie looks interesting enough, and I think this is the first movie, where Dakota isn't a little girl anymore...I think she was teen when this was made. Let see how she progress from being a child actress to well an actress...Though it doesn't seem she has a problem snagging roles, being still very much in demand. She has New Moon and the Runaways in the works doesn't she.






Valkyrie

I know nothing Stauffenberg that Tom Cruise is playing. Nor of the dangerous plan the resistance were operating, and the trailer certainly makes the movie intriguing. So I might just check it out.

Random Thought: That American Idol Song "No Boundaries"

Its a bore isn't it? At least I thought so. The is no distinct melody. It sounds like those songs that are just fillers in an album. One that is merely picked and placed in album just to satisfy the number of tracks in it, and would never be released as a single. Now even the placing of the words of the title within the song seems misplaced. It seems so awkward when I hear those words being uttered in the song...well maybe its just me. Suffice to say no boundaries? More like no melody...no hit single...

Twilight: New Moon Pictures and Some Twilight Stuff

A few days ago, the poster was released and now it looks like Entertainment Weekly has snagged some of the first New Moon pictures. Cool. I can recognise some of the scenes from which the pictures must come from. But at a glance one might have mistaken it as just another Twilight pic. So the ones I'd want to see...yeah...it will be the ones in Volterra...it will be an entirely new set...and some new faces. But for now head on to Entertainment Weekly here to see all the pictures.

Second, from various places I've read, it seems Breaking Dawn is confirmed. All good.

Third, the New Moon website is up. Check it out here...though its pretty empty now.

Fourth, according to Twilight Lexicon, Summit Entertainment will hold a panel for New Moon at this years San Diego Comic Con on July 23. Wow...I would have loved to go...but its soo many miles away. And its not just because of Twilight...I'm sure a lot of movies will be making their rounds at Comic Con (maybe Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, the Wolfman, Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland?). Anyhow...the whole event is pretty much sold out by now. I've been checking out the Comic Con site for a while now...and I think the 4 day pass has been sold out since like late March early April...yeah its a pretty hot ticket.

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Posters Galore: New Moon

Yep its the new...I'm guessing teaser?...poster for New Moon. The one all Twilight fans are awaiting. The poster is pretty much keeping with their new colour, sepia coloured scheme as seen from the logo that was previously released. The colour is ok, does has that mysterious atmosphere going on...what with the forest and fog and I like the moon peeking at the corner there. That said the poster isn't good. It looks horribly boring (its just the characters standing around) and photoshopped (Once again Kristen Stewart's face looks like its just plastered on her body). I do get the whole stance of the characters...Edward walking away, but his mind still on Bella. Jacob trying to occupy Bella, keeping her mind off Edward. Yet Bella is still trying to reach, grasp for Edward (even if its all in her mind)...So yeah...I get the decision to have them pose that way. Err...though couldn't they have come up with something better? Some of the fan-made posters I've seen were pretty good. But hey maybe this New Moon poster would grow on me (highly unlikely though)...since, I've since come to love the first Twilight poster.

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Posters Galore/ Trailer Watch: Blood: The Last Vampire

I like the posters. They're very fitting. The first one especially, with the wisps of blood swirling around her. Cool.

Anyhow. Teasers and trailers for this little flick has been making its rounds since about two months ago. I thought it looks interesting enough. Its sure to be and action packed movie. I can already see hints of Hero and Crouching Tiger...in this one, all those wire works and the swirling fallen leaves. And its no wonder as it does come from the producer of those two films. But some of those wire works does look a tad awkward at some points. Is that a sign? And the trailers doesn't give much...at least to me. So she's a vampire? The last vampire? I did read some plot summaries at some sites...and am thoroughly confuse. So she's a half human half vampire. And she's a vampire slayer of some kind....which means she would be the last vampire once she's done with the slaying? Or does she slays other evil creatures? Hmm....

And the girl playing Saya..."the last vampire" is that girl from My Sassy Girl. I know! I didn't recognize her either. She's credited under a different name apparently...and of course she's a tad older too. You would have thought at 27 she can no longer pull off that school girl outfit...but I guess her small built clinched her the role.

The movie opens 4th June in Singapore and I was surprised to have seen the tv spot today on Channel 5. Its like what 3 weeks away...and its not a blockbuster either...wow are they starting their marketing early. That or it was a fluke...someone put in the wrong tape :).



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DVDs Out This Week In Singapore

It has a boring week for DVD releases. Boy A is the only stand out for me.


Angel

The plot of this movie doesn't quite interest me. Its ratings on IMDB.com isn't quite stellar either.

The Bank Job

A Jason Statham flick. He is the "new action hero" guy isn't he. He's done several heist movies and played a few assassin roles, and this...yet another heist movie? Can't say I'm a fan of these type of movies, soo...





Boy A

The plot is definitely interesting. I expect a gritty drama that asks some serious moral questions. I've seen the trailer months ago and have been looking forward to this ever since. Was thoroughly tempted to buy the dvd. But the one I saw looks like a shabby edition. No extras to speak of...so I'll to look around if there is a better edition out there. If not...I guess I'll have to rent it.





Bride Wars

Two best friends go psycho crazy at each other when their wedding dates clash. I already think weddings are such tedious and frivolous rituals...But this movie...or rather its plot really spells Stupid.





Pride and Glory

A movie about a cop family and some police corruption. It didn't really make any waves when it was first released theatrically...just came and went. I'm not much into cop dramas anyway.

Uncovered The Whole Where-In-The-World-Is-FIRST-Magazine

Ok I figured it out, a month late I guess. Did a quick search on FIRST magazine and was directed to SPH media release page. And well it seems FIRST "magazine" is now no longer, at least that is what I understand from reading the SPH media release here. FIRST will now exist as a pull-out section in The New Paper from May 7. Yeah, a pull-out section. I haven't checked out the first pull-out edition yet because I didn't know about the whole transformation, so I have no idea if its any good. I will try and check it out. But can't say I'm thrilled about that. One thing, I am not a The New Paper reader and also there would no longer be a new issue of a local glossy movie magazine to look forward to each month. No more great looking covers too. After nearly 7 years...it has become a part of a newspaper? :(

Twilight: Twilight Barbie Dolls

Ok so we've had the Twilight Tonner dolls, the Neca Twilight action figures, and now it seems there is going to be Twilight Barbie dolls. EntertainmentEarth.com has a page for a Twilight Movie Barbie Doll Assortment Case (you can see it here). Its suppose to consist of 3 dolls, 2 Edwards and 1 Bella. Listed for a November 2009 release, its currently for pre-order for $87.99. As of now no picture is up yet. So is it official? Hmm...I did check Barbie's press release page, I don't see any news relating to it, so who knows?

I'm curious as to how these new Twilight dolls would turn out. I'm sure it would be more of their collectors doll types, and would be more of a higher quality compared to their regular ones. But the other recent pop culture/entertainment ones they did was the Star Trek dolls. And those if you've seen them, were not great. I'm hoping this one though would be good and that Edward is not wearing the same getup or rather the same jacket that we've seen him in, on all the dolls of him released thus far.

DVDs Out This Week In Singapore

I think I saw more, but I just can't seem to remember them. These are the ones I did.




Chandni Chowk To China

The story does not appeal to me. Saw the trailer...nope...I'm not really into comedy, much less slapstick comedies.




Doubt

I love a good drama. The plot does make it seem it has the makings of some good serious drama. And it does have a pretty great cast too. I expect some wicked dialogue here...especially from the sneak of the scenes between Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman that I got to see in the trailer.





Elegy

I know completely nothing about this flick. A romantic drama? About an older professor falling for a beautiful young student. Yeah, where have we heard that before?





Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans

I love the Underworld movies. The first one more than the second. I'm doubtful this prequel is as good...simply because it is missing the primary characters that made Underworld what it was...but I'll watch it nonetheless...I like the whole look of the Underworld movies, the action, the story and the whole history carved out for these fantastical creatures of the night.