Movie Review: Long Long Time Ago《我们的故事》

Cast: Mark Lee, Aileen Tan, Wang Lei, Suhaimi Yusof 

Director: Jack Neo 

Genre: Period Comedy

Language: Hokkien and Malay with Mandarin, English and Malay Subtitles 

Release Date: 5 February 2016 

Distributor: Golden Village Pictures, Shaw, MM2 Entertainment
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*Spoilers ahead*

We all know Aileen Tan can act and she did not disappoint in her role as the ill-fated Zhao Di in Jack Neo's latest movie. In an era where boys are favoured over girls, returning home with three daughters in tow may not be a easy thing especially with a superstitious father like "Si Cek" (Wang Lei).

Met with one misfortune after another, her tenacity and perseverance pulled her through all of life's odds against her. 

Movie: Rigor Mortis 《僵尸》 2013

I know it is a little late to do a review for this movie now since it was released in the theaters last November but I only got round to watching it a few days ago.

The film began with Auntie Mui (Nina Paw Hee-Ching/鲍起静) lying in a pool of blood and the camera pans to the injured Yau (Anthony Chan/陈友) leaning against a crumbling wall.

Nearby, the dying Chin (钱小豪) flips to his back weakly, stares into the sky and his flashback begins.

Chin - the protagonist of the movie - plays himself, a has-been movie actor moving into a very old apartment apparently to end his life.

With a rope round his neck, he listens to the voice mails left by his beloved son and reminisce about life with his wife and son during happier times.

There is no mention of what happened to his family but in his flashback, they were seen walking away from him with their eyes turning white which I interpret as they are dead?

He finally kicked away the stool he was standing on.

Movie: Monsters University

In case you haven't heard, everyone's favorite monsters are back!

After twelve long years, Mike and Sulley are making a comeback with a new movie except this time, we are brought back to the very beginning where they first met in college!

It all began during a school excursion to Monster Inc. for pint-sized Mike and his elementary school friends. There, he met one of his heroes, "Frightening" Frank McCay who gave him his Monsters University cap and from that point forward, Mike is determined to attend the university and become a top scarer, just like Frank.

Movie: Jurassic Park 3D

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough

Director: Steven Spielberg

Genre: Adventure/Science-Fiction

Language: English

Release Date: 30 May 2003

Distributor: UIP

Official Site: Jurassic Park

First of all, if you are wondering, this is not a new sequel to the 1993 franchise but the very first Jurassic Park that debuted on the big screen 20 years ago. It was remastered into 3D to commemorate the film's twentieth anniversary.

When billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) devised a way to genetically clone dinosaurs, he invites experts of this field - Paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Palaeobotanist Ellie Sadler (Laura Dern) - to a remote island at the coast of Costa Rica for a sneak peek at his unfinished park, hoping they would endorse it to appease the nervous investors and the laywer who represented them. But when the park's security system is sabotaged by a disgruntled employee, hell breaks loose and the visitors are left to fend for themselves against the park's hungry inhabitants.

Movie: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis

Director: Peter Jackson

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Action

Language: English

Release Date: 13 December 2012

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Official Site: The Hobbit

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first part of a trilogy film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel of the same name.

The two other parts, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is due for theatrical releases in December 13, 2013, while the third film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again is slated for July 18, 2014.

Movie: Frankenweenie

Cast: Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Cochata Ferrell, Winona Ryder

Director: Tim Burton

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Horror

Language: English

Release Date: 15 November 2012

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Official Site: Frankenweenie

FRANKENWEENIE is a black-and-white stop-motion animation film brought to you by the critically acclaimed film director, Tim Burton.

Similar to his previous productions (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, etc), Frankenweenie too has a dark and gloomy theme to it's storyline.

Victor Frankenstein is an introvert boy who lived with his parents and dog, Sparky in the small town of New Holland. Concerned over his son's lack of friends, Mr Frankenstein wanted Victor to go outside to have a game of baseball where he, miraculously, hit a homerun.

His moment of glory was shortlived, however, when Sparky dashed onto the road in pursuit of the ball and was hit by a car.

Movie: Rise Of The Guardians

Cast: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman

Director: Peter Ramsey

Genre: Adventure/Action

Language: English

Release Date: 22 November 2012

Distributor: UIP

Official Site: Rise Of The Guardians

THE GUARDIANS - protector of the children of the world - were made up of a couple of old familiar mythological figures: Santa, Toothfairy, Easter Bunny and Sandman.

The story began 300 years earlier when Jack Frost has just been created out of a frozen lake with no inkling to his past. He soon discovers his ability to freeze anything with a touch but when he ventures out to town, he realises that he can't be seen, heard or even be touched by others.

Fast forward 300 years later, the evil Bogeyman threatens to enshroud the world in darkness. He poisoned the happy dreams of children, causing them to have nightmares and waking up in fear.

Movie: Life Of Pi

Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Gerard Depardieu, Rafe Spall

Director: Ang Lee

Genre: Adventure/Drama

Language: English

Release Date: 29 November 2012

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Official Site: Life Of PI

Life Of Pi is an incredible story about Piscine Patel, a boy who lived in Pondicherry, India.

His mother is a botanist while his father owns a zoo. Due to political unrest in the country, his father made the decision to emigrate the family (and some of their animals) to Canada.

While en-route to Canada, a terrible storm hit Tsimtsum, the Japanese cargo ship that they were travelling on and the ship sank, bringing along with it everyone on board.

Movie: The Lorax

This movie is adapted from a children's book of the same title written by Dr. Seuss which was first published in 1972.

Perhaps it might be a little late to write a review for this animation now but I only got to watch it on cable last weekend and I must say I could totally relate to the storyline which brings forth a very strong message about the crisis that we are facing right at the moment.

The story revolves around twelve-year old Ted (Zach Efron), an ordinary boy living in the walled-up town of Thneedville where everything is artificial.

In this climate-controlled town, the air is not clean and the townsfolk had to buy bottled oxygen from Mr. O'Hare, the greedy proprietor of a bottled oxygen company and who's also the mayor of Thneedville. 

Trees had long been extinct and the only trees and flowers they had were all made of plastics.

When Audrey (Taylor Swift), the girl whom Ted is carrying a torch for wished nothing more than just to see a real, living tree, he spared no effort to sneak out of town in search of the legendary Once-ler (Ed Helms) who knows what exactly happened to the trees and most importantly, where to find one.

Movie: THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982)

I remember watching a movie on TV a long time ago when I was still very young.

I think I was of preschool age therefore I have no recollection what the title is or even know what the movie was all about.

All I remember is one scene which, for some strange reason, has etched itself in my memory.

Through the years, this scene would pop up in my mind every so often just to annoy me.

It has therefore become a quest of my own to find out what movie it is and why has it been appearing in my mind!

电影： 《东成西就 2011》

影 片 名：《东成西就 2011》
英 文 名：East Meets West 2011
类别 ：喜剧/动作/爱情
导 演：刘镇伟
主要演员：陈奕迅 郑伊健 莫文蔚 苏永康 房祖明 锺镇涛 邓丽欣 谭维维 黄奕
上映日期：2011年12月08日
本地发行商：Shaw Organisation

这部由刘镇伟执导，汇集了莫文蔚、陈奕迅、房祖名、锺镇涛等大牌明星的喜剧电影《东成西就 2011》将于本月08日正式上映。

该片日前在邵氏丽都影城举行了首场预映会。

Movie: THE MUPPETS (2011)

Cast: Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper

Director: James Bobin

Genre: Comedy/Musical

Language: English

Release Date: 8 December 2011

Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures

Its time to play the music
Its time to light the lights
Its time to meet the muppets on the Muppet Show tonight

Movie: IMMORTALS

Cast: Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Isabel Lucas, Kellan Lutz, Joseph Morgan, Freida Pinto, John Hurt and Mickey Rourke

Director: Tarsem Singh

Genre: 3-D epic adventure

Language: English

Release Date: 17 November 2011

Distributor: UIP
Official Site: Link

Movie: CARS 2

Lightning McQueen

Here's a holla to Nuffnang and The Cathay!

Thanks for the invites to the Premiere of CARS 2!

电影： 《撞鬼》 (TWISTED)

影 片 名：《撞鬼》
英 文 名：Twisted
类别 ：恐怖/喜剧
导 演：蔡于位
主要演员：李国煌 朱咪咪 廖语晴 苏智诚 陈来翔 林冰冰 梁祖仪 赖力豪 李美玲
上映日期：2011年7月28日
本地发行商：Shaw Organisation Clover Films

继《还魂》之后，由本地新晋导演蔡于位所指导的另一部恐怖片《撞鬼》终于隆重登场！这部影片汇集了新马港台各地的演员，分别在三个故事里大斗演技！

电影： 《岁月神偷》 Echoes Of The Rainbow

昨晚看MIO TV (付费电视) 时，无意间转到第五十频道正播放着《岁月神偷》。

原本以为是部有关小偷的故事因此没多大兴趣。但，因为有我所欣赏的演员 - 吴君如与任达华两人主演，所以决定继续看下去。

故事是由罗家次子罗进二  (钟绍图 饰) 的角度回顾了六，七十年代的香港。

罗家四口是香港典型的低阶层市民。

罗爸爸 (任达华 饰) 是个造鞋铺的老板。妻子，罗太太 (吴君如 饰) 则是贤内助。

长子罗进一 (李治廷 饰) 长得帅气，品学兼优，又是运动健将。看似有美好的将来，却不幸的患了癌症入院。他与富家女Flora (蔡颖恩 饰) 的纯纯之恋尚未开花结果就夭折了。

弟弟进二则是哥哥的相反： 他喜欢在街上游荡，顺手牵羊，上课不专心，被老师罚站，倒数更是家常便饭！

Movie: LADDALAND 怨鬼之家 ลัดดาแลนด์

Cast: Piyathida Woramuksik, Saharat Sangkapreecha

Director: Sophon Sakdaphisit (Jim)

Genre: Horror

Language: Thai with English Subtitles

Release Date: 9 June 2011

Distributor: Golden Village Pictures

Being a ardent fan of Thai horror movies, I was delighted yet nervous at the same time to attend the premiere of Laddaland at Plaza Singapura last night.

As with most people, I have a love-hate relationship with horror movies. Each time after watching, the horrifying scenes would be looping in my mind for days and despite that, there is a incessant urge in me that's begging to be spooked.

Grand Opening Of Shaw Theaters Lido and "Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" Gala Premiere

The new ticketing counter

After a intensive seven months renovations, Shaw Lidos is back - newer and classier!

Thanks to Nuffnang, I was invited to the grand opening of Shaw Lidos and the Gala Premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

It is exhilarating to know that we are watching POTC4 way before the Americans does which is due for release on May 20, 2011 in the US!

"PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES” Gala Premiere Tickets Giveaway!

Are you a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean series?

The long awaited Captain Jack Sparrow is returning to the big screen in the latest instalment of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

And guess what?

Nuffnang is giving away 80 pairs of tickets to attend the Gala Premiere in Singapore!

Movie: FAST & FURIOUS 5

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson

Director: Justin Lin

Genre: Action/ Adventure

Language: English

Release Date: 6 May 2011

Distributor: UIP

Thanks to the good people at [OMY] and United International Pictures (UIP), I was among the lucky few invited to preview FAST & FURIOUS 5 at Film Garde, Iluma tonight.

I have to be very honest here.

I did not watch the first four instalments thus I do not know what I was expecting from the movie. However, the action picked up and I was soon gripping my seat for the remainder of the show.

Nevermind that the "escaping on corrugated zinc rooftop" scene reminds me of a Jacky Chan movie. Do not even try to figure why the Kingpin's bank vault is under protection inside the police station.

Throw your logic out of the window because some scenes here do not make any sense at all.