Life Of Pi
This movie image and ten minutes of unfinished 3D footage are enough for some in the movie world to proclaim ‘Life Of Pie’ as a serious Oscar contender. Not having seen the footage, I am more than curious. The book, published in 2001, which sold …
That April First When Leslie Took Off
A common friend texted me last night, “Daniel, it is April first again. It has been nine years.” In 2003, on this day, he sent me a message. We knew something was amiss with Leslie. But I still thought it was a bad April Fool …
A Simple Life
I finally watched ‘A Simple Life’. It took me a while. I have missed recent Ann Hui movies. They have become a little too art house. But this movie is quite different. The re-teaming of Andy Lau and Deanie Ip. Friends told me the premise …
The Lady And The Iron Lady Rule
Within a month, cinemas in Singapore welcome two ladies of considerable stature. Both are widely respected political figures. The movie on Aung San Suu Kyi and the movie on Margaret Thatcher not only have almost similar titles but their theatrical releases overlap in ways that, …
The 50th Anniversary Of ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’
50 years ago, this week, Paramount released arguably the most stylish movie of all time. Since then, only ‘Pretty Woman’ came remotely close to the social and fashion statements made by this iconic film. ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ made its mark from the opening sequence. Shot …
Biting The Bullet For Singapore Movies
2011 is the start of a brand new decade. We may also see the start of the new shape and form Singapore movies will take, as they emerge from a period of transition. All the key players are still at a crossroads. We see new …
Tsui Hark’s Detective Dee Raises Cinematic Hope!
Can ‘Detective Dee’ be the comeback of Tsui Hark? Some of us have been waiting for over a decade! The younger generation may not know this – Tsui Hark is the foremost father of Modern Chinese Cinema. Many who grew up watching Chinese movies hail …
Zhang Yimou’s Under The Hawthorn Tree Casts A Simple, Innocent Spell
I made a special effort to watch Zhang Yimou’s latest film. Bill Kong arranged for the screening. It had to be in Hong Kong. So I had to fly to watch Under The Hawthorn Tree. It was worth the effort on several counts. So the …
Feng Xiaogang’s Aftershock Is Not What You Expect
I went into the screening of ‘Aftershock’ expecting to be overwhelmed by scenes of people trapped in rubble and the heroics of rescue workers. Much like how the news footage of the recent Sichuan earthquake overwhelmed me. I was overwhelmed. Not by scenes of the …
A Singular Sensation!
I watched A Single Man last night. As usual, it took effort from usual routine to make it to the theatre. As with some good films, it was well worth the effort. Ford art directed this movie straight into our hearts. A moment by moment …