CARA BERITAWA

Sunday, May 30, 2010

A SERIOUS MAN (2009)

RATING: 2/5Much like their radical departure in 2007's Oscar-winning NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, writer-directors Ethan Coen and Joel Coen defies expectations again with A SERIOUS MAN, arguably their most personal film ever made. While their new movie is...

THE MESSENGER (2009)

RATING: 3/5Of late, Iraqi-themed war movie is either about focusing on fighting for country or debating politics, it's refreshing to see something out of the norm. In THE MESSENGER, the story is more about grief, loss, love, recovery and relationships.Staff...

Saturday, May 29, 2010

EDGE OF DARKNESS (2010)

RATING: 2/5Based on the highly-popular, award-winning 1985's BBC series of the same name, EDGE OF DARKNESS is a refreshing throwback to a thinking man's police thriller that Hollywood doesn't really make anymore. Not only that, this movie has a caliber...

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010)

RATING: 1/5Much like the creatively-bankrupt revival of last year's FRIDAY THE 13TH, Platinum Dunes's horror remake specialty has finally gone an all-time low with this unnecessary re-imagining of Wes Craven's 1984 classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET....

PRINCE OF PERSIA (2010)

RATING: 2.5/5Based on one of the most successful video games of all-time, the eagerly-awaited adaptation of PRINCE OF PERSIA is a fairly enjoyable summer romp -- disposable, that is -- but ultimately lack of epic grandeur and lasting quality to make...

Friday, May 28, 2010

THE LOSERS (2010)

RATING: 2/5Been there, done that. That's pretty much sum up for THE LOSERS, an awfully mediocre and (sadly) uninspired globe-trotting action comedy. Never mind the fact the movie is actually based on DC Vertigo comic since it's no difference than most...

Sunday, May 23, 2010

TRUE LEGEND (2010)

RATING: 2.5/5Over the last decade, legendary martial-arts choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping has made a household name in Hollywood, notably for his successful collaboration with the Wachowski brothers in THE MATRIX movies. And it's no surprise his much-awaited...

THE LONGEST NITE (1998)

RATING: 3/5Nihilism doesn't come this both wickedly entertaining and gripping in which Milky Way Productions did it again with THE LONGEST NITE, a murky and brutal crime thriller deftly directed by Patrick Yau.The story is set in Macau, where two rival...

GREEN ZONE (2010)

RATING: 2/5On paper, GREEN ZONE is looking set to be the most commercially-successful movie ever made about Iraqi invasion. It's not hard to see why -- the movie is brought by the same team (actor Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass) who made two...

14 BLADES (2010)

RATING: 2.5/5So far, it has been a jinx for Donnie Yen when comes to wuxia pian genre -- with neither 2005's SEVEN SWORDS, 2008's AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS nor PAINTED SKIN, manage to hit jackpot whatsoever. However, 14 BLADES manages to prove this...

72 TENANTS OF PROSPERITY (2010)

RATING: 2.5/5Unlike the '90s, it's hard to find a decent Lunar New Year ensemble comedy these days but it's quite a surprise that 72 TENANTS OF PROSPERITY proves to be a delightful viewing experience. Best of all, it boosts with some uniquely Hong Kong...

Saturday, May 22, 2010

SPLIT SECOND MURDERS (2009)

RATING: 2.5/5It's always a pleasant little surprise of what Herman Yau can do with a limited budget and still manages to come up something worthwhile. Such case is SPLIT SECOND MURDERS, a little thriller-comedy that also (coincidentally) follows the...

SEVEN 2 ONE (2009)

RATING: 3/5Prior to release of this low-budget quickie, Danny Pang's SEVEN 2 ONE receives some unwanted buzz which are all in negative light -- the producers has claimed that Herman Yau's similarly-themed SPLIT SECOND MURDERS ripped off their movie's...

TO LIVE AND DIE IN MONGKOK (2009)

RATING: 2.5/5Looking at the promo poster that boldly displayed the self-declared "Wong Jing's first cult film", one might questioned whether his latest movie, TO LIVE AND DIE IN MONGKOK, actually lives up to its promise. After all, nobody goes on to...

FUTURE X-COPS (2010)

RATING: 0.5/5 Originally slated for release on late February during the Chinese New Year month, FUTURE X-COPS is pulled off at the last minute because the filmmakers wanted to improve the special effects department. Unfortunately upon its initial...

Saturday, May 15, 2010

IP MAN 2 (2010)

RATING: 2.5/5It's a hugely-anticipated Hong Kong movie blockbuster of the year, and expectation is running high for IP MAN 2. But as far as most typical sequel nowadays goes, the movie offers more of the same we have seen previously in the first one....

IRON MAN 2 (2010)

RATING: 2/52008's IRON MAN was an unexpected box-office hit during the crowded summer season. That movie was a reasonably entertaining though uneven comic-book movie, which is blessed with witty script and of course a tour de force comeback performance...