A Nutshell Review by daface

last SG · 2005-05-29T10:42:43+00:00

A Nutshell Review: I Hate Valentine’s DayI haven’t seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding from start to end, but from what I gathered from scenes, Nia Vardalos is qui...

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: London Dreams

I’ve got to admit though my interest in the film is none other than to follow up on Asin’s phenomenal Hindi movie debut with the blockbuster hit movie Ghajini last year, and while it took almost 12 months for the release of her latest Bollywood movie (her first real one since she starred in an earlier, original version of the same role), she’s one of the many stars I’m following as my introduction to the current wave of Hindi films, from Deepika Padukone to Ranbir Kapoor, and of course the established ones, which includes Salman Khan in this same film.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/lon…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: My Sister’s Keeper

I’ve been a fan of films that deal with genetics and cloning, because they always come with that staple moral dilemma that allows you to ponder a little about how science has and will progress, and how we harness that knowledge to do good, or exploit it for selfish desires. Gattaca has always ranked amongst my favourite, and though not really science fiction, My Sister’s Keeper would be there as well for there’s nothing to stop its suggestion that a child could be engineered, based on current technological capabilities.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-...

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Saw VI

It’s pretty amazing how a small film with essentially a two-man cast set predominantly in a stank toilet, could eventually spawn a franchise lasting 6 movies long now, and a contemporary cult anti-hero with Jigsaw and Tobin Bell the actor joining the hall of horror infamy. And what more too with the villain quite clearly not doing any killing himself, but does so indirectly through some mad scientist manner in creating ingenious contraptions that get audiences lapping up for more.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/saw…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Spread

The one scene that will strike you and linger around after you walked out of the cinemas, it’s the final scene. It’s no spoiler, but it walked right out of National Geographic, where you see up close, how a toad devours a mouse. Swallow in fact, allowing it to semi-digest, while occasionally tugging at the tail. It’s downright gross as a parting short, but the camera stayed firmly on it for minutes during the entire end credits.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/spr…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Love Happens

Love happens when you least expect it, and in this film, it’s something put on the back burner as well, since it’s a story dealing with facing one’s problematic past, and moving on with life in the present. Love, if it happens, is nothing more than a by-product stemming from acknowledging one’s mistakes, and the gaining of new found self-respect from a hypocritical life that one has been leading in denial.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/lov…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Jennifer’s Body

Megan Fox has the noisy Transformers movies to thank for in propelling her to fan geekdom, where her Mikaela character had probably captured more attention amongst the fan boys who are just as ecstatic about catching some mindless, high-octane Michael Bay action, as they are trying to figure out what the bombshell has got to do with robots. Which is pretty little of course rather than to ramp up its sexy quotient, and to think that Fox herself would be more suited for a role such as this one, in which she plays a demonic cheerleader out to seduce and devour boys.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/jen…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Pandorum

I’ve not been too impressed with that many science-fiction thriller/horror films set in outer space since, well, probably Alien and Aliens, but Pandorum turned out to be something of a different ball game altogether. It’s been too long since I last enjoyed a film of this genre, and who would have thought this was something originally planned for a direct to video release. It looks gorgeously dark, and pretty much entertaining from start to finish, keeping you guessing until the mid-way mark, while letting the gloomy, pessimistic atmosphere envelope you.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/pan…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Lesbian Vampire Killers

I’d have to admit that this comedy is really great for a Monday night after a start to the work week, and seriously, you’re not going to care much about the flimsy excuse of a plot that would’ve raised some interest due to its focus on the sexuality and sensuality of vampires.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/les…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: My Girlfriend is an Agent

If one should read the premise and have watched the trailer, the film most steeped in its reference comes to mind and that’s Hollywood’s Mr and Mrs Smith starring the It couple Brangelina. This is sort of a Korean reply to that film, and starring two hot, good looking stars in Kim Ha-Neul and Kang Ji-Hwan, who knows if there could be as much sparks flying in real life as in the reel as well.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-...

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Capitalism: A Love Story

You’d either enjoy Michael Moore’s documentaries like a one man force exposing the inadequacies and falling of man and the system in his extremely subjective viewpoints presented in a hard-hitting manner, or dismiss him as another hack and bad filmmaker, just as how someone during the documentary quipped in telling him to stop making films. By now Moore’s reputation is notorious, and it’s a bit of a riot watching how he’s now in probably every watchlist and blacklist in corporate America.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/cap…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Astro Boy

Truth be told I’m not too acquainted with Astro Boy, other than reading up here and there, and seeing how popular he is in Kyoto that his stature appears almost everywhere near the main JR Station. Which of course the film has suited me fine, approaching it without baggage to watch an origin story right down to how Astro Boy loses his shirt for that naked upper body iconic look.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/ast…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Amalfi

I guess even coming back from the Tokyo International Film Festival my appetite for Japanese films still isn’t satiated. Amalfi is Fuji TV’s 50th anniversary film, and it’s no holds barred in terms of the production values, jet-setting throughout Rome, with a bevy of star, even getting Sarah Brightman herself to perform the number “Time to Say Goodbye” on screen.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/ama…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Humpday

Awarded the Sundance Special Jury Prize, the premise is pretty much hilariously insane, though I’m not sure if there will really be straight guys out there who will decide to go do it with their male best friends, perhaps only in a state of drunken stupor with false bravado in not wanting to lose face? Which is exactly how this film portrayed its lead protagonists in their attempt to justify their once-in-a-lifetime project pact using a film festival as an end to justify their means.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/hum…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Merantau Warrior

Rejoice action fans over this region! South-east Asia has a new action hero hailing from Indonesia, and his name is Iko Uwais. We’ve already got Tony Jaa showcasing Thailand’s Muay Thai, and now we’ve got Uwais to introduce a different brand of Silat which we have been exposed to thus far, thanks to the SEA Games but that’s more like a Wushu event, which is more exhibition. It’s still quite amazing to see what is usually seen on TV as executed in exhibition pace, to take on an entirely different form when in combat mode. Merantau – and Singapore has to add a “Warrior” to the title so that we know it’s an action film, duh – is a well executed, entertaining film as far as actioners are concerned.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/mer…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Paranormal Activity

Note to self: If I want to make a film that would allow a clueless audience to leave bewildered whether it’s a true event or not, leave out all forms of credits, and end it as it is. Although Paranormal Activity is a work of fiction, its presentation made many amongst the audience wonder if it’s true, even as the end credits did state it’s fictitious. I guess not everyone reads.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/par…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Vengeance

If Daddy’s little girl got hurt, you know darn well that Daddy will spare no effort in hunting the perpetrators down, especially when the police is inept, and turning to the other side of the law for revenge seem all the more attractive. Cost isn’t a factor too, since everything has a price, especially with a dad willing to sell everything just to see his brand of justice get exacted.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/ven…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: The Informant!

Liar Liar, Pants on Fire! I was once told that only the truth can set one free, then again there’s this thing about truth which is an entire can of worms as well. Anyway, with lies come bigger lies to cover previous ones, and before you know it, unless you’re one heck of a skilled liar, it just snowballs until it gets out of control, and you wonder just how you might just break this circle should you come clean. Sort of.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/inf…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: 2012

Roland Emmerich has already established himself as the go-to man if anyone in Hollywood wants to make an event film to entertain the masses. We’ve had an intergalactic portal open up in Stargate, an alien invasion with Independence Day, a bastardization of Japan’s iconic monster Godzilla, a what-if tale of a freezing winter when hell turneth over with The Day After Tomorrow, and now, 2012.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/201…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: The Song of Sparrows

I’ve only seen but a handful of films from Majid Majidi the master Iranian filmmaker, and he continues to open my eyes to Iranian cinema with his latest The Song of Sparrows, telling the tale of a down and out of luck Karim (starring regular Reza Najie), a general worker in an ostrich farm, and the life of his family in a quaint little village. Being the perpetual loser in life, sometimes as a consequence of victimization, we follow his misadventures as a small time guy being caught up with opportunities in the big city, again being the puppet on whom Chance chooses to smile upon.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/10/son…

daface SG

A Nutshell Review: Tum Mile

I had thought I was consciously going from one disaster flick to another, from the latest that Hollywood has to offer, to what Bollywood has on its plate. The trailer would have suggested that it’s in line with Hanuedae with copious amounts of flood waters wrecking havoc on the man on the street, but this was actually quite the disastrous picture in itself.

Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2009/11/tum…

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