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Reviews
Forces of Nature (1999)
A feel-good with a point, despite itself
This movie strives to draw an analogy between the tempest of love and dangerous weather conditions. Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock manage to convey a sense of charm in their mundane and unlovable characters, but there is precious little chemistry between the two, with Affleck's clueless affability and Bullock's girl-next-door quality wearing off after about ten minutes. The strength and endurance (well, the entire value) of marriage is discussed, dissected and examined in the most trivial circumstances as Affleck's character survives the elements (and Bullock's best intentions) to arrive exactly at the point where he started. The ultimate resolution finally saves the film, not because it rounds off logically the developed build-up but mainly because it manages to outlast the cynicism and world-weariness of its diverse protagonists. Hope springs eternal - a feel-good movie with an intelligent conclusion - go figure.
X-Men (2000)
Now if they could start people reading the comic books!
I began reading comics again in 1982, after completing my 2-½ year national service and entering law school. It was the X-Men that revived my interest, having picked up Paul Smith's final issue (the one with Mastermind on the cover) at the corner shop back in the days before speciality stores even existed in Singapore. I have stopped reading X-Men for a long time now (though I did check out Chris Claremont's disappointing return to the book that made his name). That title has failed to excite me since the 80s but thanks to Bryan Singer, that sense of wonder has returned! The X-Men movie has been talked about for too long, as the best-selling comic book of all time, the weight of expectation was considerable. Furthermore, as the comic industry as a whole is in a crisis, much has been invested into the X-Men movie as the event to 'save' comics. No doubt about it, X-Men is an unqualified success! Given the inherent difficulties in putting together a plausible film dramatisation of super-heroes, Singer has managed to deliver a movie guaranteed to please both fans and casual moviegoers alike. Much of this success is clearly owed to Singer's clarity of vision, to be faithful to the universe (as the young director himself stated in an interview). Thus, we are spared cringe-worthy moments that dragged down the Superman & Batman movies, not to mention the risible movies previously attempted on Marvel characters (Reb Brown as Captain America, anyone?) In this respect, the casting has been superb. Notably the rather fortunate circumstances by which Aussie Hugh Jackson ended up as the Canadian X-Man, Wolverine. Originally, the role had been won by Dougray Scott, but an accident on the MI-2 set forced Scott to withdraw leaving the way open for Jackson. Having witnessed Scott's tepid performance in MI-2 and Jackson's dynamic turn as Wolverine, it's fair to say that the X-Men movie lucked out! Patrick Stewart & Hugh McKellen bring their wealth and talent to the meaty parts of Charles Xavier (never Professor X) and Magneto. McKellen is particularly memorable, consigning to history the awful comic book movie villains of yore: Hackman's Luther & Nicholson's Joker. The plot is tight, the motivations logical and the effects are incredible, Ray (Darth Maul) Park's Toad has to be seen to be believed!
The rest of the cast perform their scenes competently without fuss (except maybe for a sorely under-used Halle Berry, she does look good though with Storm's patented white hair) but it's Jackson and McKellen who steal the show. Matrix proved last year that movie-goers could assimilate comic book concepts and storytelling (that's what it was, folks), X-Men establishes that the source material can certainly stand on its own. Now if they could start people reading the damn things
Shier lou (1997)
Singapore's finest cinematic moment!
12 Storeys is Singapore's finest cinematic moment yet. A film that digs deeply into the Singaporean psyche and dares to be boldly political in the most subtlest way. And that ultimately, is the crowning achievement of 12 Storeys. Yes, we can talk about Koh Boon Pin's superlative performance as the politically correct Ming or director Eric Khoo's superb handling of three interwoven plotlines or the hilarious one-liners that punctuate the movie's realistic dialogue ( in English, Singlish, Hokkien, Mandarin, Malay, Cantonese-whew! ) - these are indicative of the quality of the movie but I daresay that it is the pervading undercurrent of socio-political commentary garbed in domestic clothes that underscores the magnificence of 12 Storeys as a truly relevant Singaporean film. We have the plight of our most recent immigrants - the China brides - whom we have collectively denounced as materialistic and as "gold-diggers" without realising that three other fingers are always pointing back at us. We have the cumulative effect of three decades of social engineering campaigns that has left us in confused repression and cold-hearted smugness about the things valued in life. We have the alienating debilitation of the "have-nots" left on the scrapheap of meritocracy to fend for themselves in isolation and loneliness. Heavy themes indeed but not a single time does 12 Storeys bang you on the head but instead gets the message through in day-to-day experiences, language and humour. And that's the beauty of this compelling movie - it can be fully appreciated at virtually countless levels. As straightforward family drama or a light-hearted spoof of Singaporean habits and mores or socio-political commentary, 12 Storeys scores every time. To reveal more in terms of storyline and motivations would definitely detract from the overall enjoyment of this event. Suffice to say that Eric Khoo has indeed matured from the gritty art-house noir of Mee Pok Man to graduate into the major leagues with a film that is at once accessible and defiantly artistic. Encore, maestro !!!