Thursday, July 10, 2014

Local Productions as internationally appealing Blockbuster Remakes

1. Virtual Reality - remake of VR Man
In a sentence: the nature of reality and all existence itself is called into question when one young man awakens with the power to change the world.

Synopsis: All is not right with the world. Vernon, An amnesiac young man, simply exists. He exists in modern day bSingapore. He exists to discover that he has powers to alter peoples' perception of reality. He meets other like powered individuals; a young mother who can control the source of all emotions, an idealistic boy able to mainpulate physical matter, and a mysterious individual named Mr Lie who claims to hold the answer to the truth about this world. With great powers, some would desire to change the world, while one would protect the world as it is. But when perception manifests as actual occurrences, Vernon has to question the very nature of existence and uncover a tragic mystery that threatens all reality. If your mind and senses tell you it's real, is it truly real? What is real? What is reality?

Tone: Dark City and Matrix meets The dark knight returns



2. 999 - remake of Triple 9
In a sentence: A veteran detective and a corrupt cop play a dangerous cat and mouse game leading up to one of the biggest anti-gang bust in the history of the country.
Synopsis: Shah Khairul was a best trainee in police academy, quickly working his way into the CID and rising through the ranks. He is a loving husband, an efficient policeman and a role model admired by his colleagues. Unknown to all, he is also a mole for the notorious "gamma" gang, planted within the CID in a never ending intel war between criminal and cop. Shah is partnered with Inspector Alan Leong, an "old timer" intending to pass on his skills before he retires. A psychological cat and mouse game ensues at at first, but a series of events at home and Alan's undying friendship slowly shakes Shah's loyalty and belief in his gang. When a rival gang moves in on gamma home turf, and the Home Team prepares for the largest anti gang operation in the history of Singapore, Shah is faced with a fateful choice. A choice that may damn life and his family.

Tone: Infernal Affairs and Gangs of New York set in Modern Singapore in the style of Kurt Wimmer


3. Extra Ordinary - loose remake of Extraordinary People
In a sentence: An honest normal girl triumphs over insurmountable odds in a superpowered society which values monetary power, beauty and purchased status.
Synopsis: For a million dollars a month, your child will be granted one Superpower of his or her choice as long as they remain in Singapore. Flight, super speed, hyper intellect, enhanced strength, we have it all. This is the promise of POWERS.SG. Thanks to a salvaged alien transmitter, children can be granted superpowers within a 40km radius. This turns Singapore into the world's leading country in all industries, cutting edge tech, work efficiency and knowledge. Competition for schools, results, jobs etc is steeper than ever. Into this  highly competitive world stands Sarah, an ordinary girl in every sense. Not rich enough to afford the monthly subscription for a superpower, Sarah is continually just scraping by in a school full of geniuses, failing physical fitness standards set by men who can run like lightning, and constantly ridiculed for her lack of status defining power. But through a quirky new friend, Sarah would learn that one does not have to be Super in order to be special. Watch as one ordinary girl overcomes extra ordinary odds to show that In a world where your ability to afford artificial enhancements define you, there is still room for a pure heart and hard work to pay off.

Tone: Gattaca with superpowers  and the social satire of Robocop


4. I'm Not Stupid - remake of I not stupid
In a sentence: a misunderstood autistic young boy forms a lasting bond with 2 social outcast friends and brave the trials of school work, competitive parents, unreasonable teachers and bullies.
Synopsis: it is a big confusing world for young Gordon Liu. A failure at everrything but math, Gordon is continually ridiculed for his isolationist behaviour, weird quirks and quiet nature. He hates it when people are late, he follows a strict time guided routine, and he never memorises his facts. His teachers find him lazy, his classmates have stopped bothering with him, his parents think he is stupid, and his only friends in school are 2 fellow social outcasts, the pampered Terry deCruz and fight-hungry tough boy Bobbie "The Hawk" Tan. Yet with an IQ beyond average, Gordon is no retard. Here is a boy with autism, a condition barely understood by those around him. Some would attempt to make use of his genius intellect, while other merely content on ridiculing him. Together, theyface demanding parents, the rigours of student politics, and a notorious school bully intent on making their lives a living hell.

Tone: man of Steel's flipped premise by way of Rain Man with elements of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

5. Army Daze: First Cohort - prequel/remake of Army Daze
In a sentence: Young men of different upbringings, race and religion must unite In a time of social divide to stand against an even greater threat,

Synopsis: this is not your Grandfather's army! Well actually, it is. In 1969, a platoons worth of brave young men signed up as Singapores first batch of combat national servicemen. Forget the quirky staff sergeants, the culture shock, or the Ntuc food fare sponsored lunches of modern times. Back then, these brave men cooked their own disgusting excuse for food, bathed in crap, and were tormented by the fiercest Israeli trainer in existence. Beaten, burned, broken in mind and body, only the strongest would survive. This was a true journey from boys to men. In a nation fresh out of turmoil, this platoon of pioneers would be all that stands between peace and a daring terror attack that history conveniently forgot.

Tone: Band of Brothers in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, 1960s Singapore version


6. Peace - loose remake/prequel of Price of peace
In a sentence: the price of peace is a heavy one presented as an interconnected tale of love, loyalty and unsung heroes set against the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.

Synopsis: From the north they came. Invaders. Conquerors. The gods of War. A bloody tide of vengeance swept forth from japan, consuming south east asia in what history has come to know as the Japanese Occupation. All that remains is the Lion City itself, the prized port of East Asia: Singapore. Abandoned by their british colonial masters, this tiny island was left to fend against the invaders for seven days. Seven days of death as bombs rained on the island. Seven days of terror as troops swept through villages, pillaging and kidnapping at will. Yet unsung heroes would emerge: a servant who puts aside racial prejudice to hide his late master's son, a priest providing sanctuary to the innocent despite the threat of execution, a boy's daring plan to save his family, and a brave platoon of local volunteer troops in their last glorious stand against certain death. 

Tone: tragic invasion movie in the tone of Skyline or Independence Day's first act with elements of 300.


7. Growing Up - Growing up
In a sentence: a man's faith, love and simple unassuming nature would be tested across the ages as he braves war, famine, betrayal, loss and an ever changing society.

Synopsis: Charlie Tay had big dreams. A mansion on a hill, the most beautiful wife in the world, fame, riches and many children. Life, however, had different plans for Charlie. A time of great upheaval looms on the horizon. He is One man with many stories. For a moment, he is 10; frolicking in the swamps near punggol. For a moment, he is 15; bombs go off as he runs home in terror, the Japanese flag flying from fort canning hill. In a time of uncertainty and violence, Charlie finds his first love in a young woman named Soo Mei, faces up to the local extortion gangs and tries to bring his life under control.  From the transistor radio to the HD tv, from the pager to the smart phone, Charlie has seen it all. Faced with the choices in life, Charlie would have to make tough decisions between his dream and his family. For in life, not everyone can shape their choices to reach their dream. And sometimes, the perfect life need not be the perfect dream.

Tone: About time without the time travel with The Wind Rises.


8. Orang Minyak
In a sentence: an unstoppable killer hunts down horny young campers.
Synopsis: the oily man. Folk tales speak of a pervert who sold his soul to the devil. In return for ultimate power, he would have to rape 7 young virgins. Moral of the story: be a good girl and stay home at night. But hey, in comes a bunch of 12 horny 18 year olds to a secluded chalet at the outskirts of Johor Bahru. They have one mission: get high, get laid, and get little Stephanie Chua inducted into the degenerate culture of drugs, booze and sex. Screw the folklore, screw the warnings, let's just screw. But a week of sinful getaway turns to terror when a stranger covered head to toe in slick crude oil stalks the teens. This killer rapist could be one of them, or it could be the legendary orang Minyak. Is the monster merely a sick twisted man? Or is there more to the myths of this creature's demonic origin? And what twisted fate does it have in store for virginal little Stephanie?

Tone: Jason Voorhees meets Alien and Swamp Thing

9. Break Free - Remake of "One More Chance"
In a sentence: One man's journey to redemption is plagued by doubt, fear and enemies on all sides, yet one idealistic prison officer may be all that is needed to rekindle his faith in a new life.

Synopsis: In the deadly aftermath of Singapore's largest anti gang operation, Chan Yao Ming is imprisoned when he was seized doing drugs in a local nightclub. He had heard stories of changi prison; stories of heartless officers who would beat you into painful submission, stories of violent inter-gang tension, of getting anal raped, chained to walls, stripped, humiliated and worse. Yao Ming is housed in block Bravo 5, together with other druggie inmates pending treatment. There, he becomes embroiled in the inmate sub culture, the good the bad and the utterly disgusting. In the prison, he meets officer Rachael Han, a young senior officer barely 2 years in service and trying to earn the respect of her male subordinates. Rachael's idealistic outlook towards changing inmates stands in contrast to Chief Warder Ishmael, an "old timer" who sees inmates as mistakes to be forced into correction through any means necessary. Initially dismissive of Officer Han and constantly attempting to manipulate her, Yao Ming is slowly won over by her encouraging and forgiving attitude. Yet unknown to our main players, a devious scheme is being plotted by some of the imprisoned gang members. A scheme that may forever impact the lives of both inmate and officer.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

5 other Light Novels that deserve a hollywood adaptation - And how Hollywood would change them.

Edge Of Tomorrow has earned critics' praise. Little do most people know that it was adapted from a japanese light novel called "All you need is Kill".

Now, here are 5 more light novels i would like to see in live action blockbuster form.

I also reflected on expected changes that we might see if these get adapted into movies.


1) Full Metal Panic

Tone: A-Team and Terminator without cyborgs, in a high school setting, with mechs.

Plot synopsis: Eighteen year old Katherine "Kathy" Connelly is the smart, sporty, and good looking, head of the student council at Dyson College. Her hot headed nature and tomboy demeanour makes her less of the hot prom date than "one of the guys". All is well, all is good, until a foreign transfer student arrives: Souske Sagara. This isreali with a japanese name turns out to be highly trained professional commando on a mission to protect Kathy whom his employers believe to be the last of "The Whispered"; humans with hidden knowledge of a long lost alien technology. He proves only too effective in dispatching anyone who gets too close, including the occasional panty thief, and ruining Kathy's social life. Amid the high school hijinks, a sinister force from Souske's past is plotting to kidnap Kathy. And he might just get the chance with an upcoming field trip.




2) Vampire Hunter D

Tone: Dirty Harry meets Aliens Vs Predator Requiem in the style of gothic horror

The people of the village of Tepes once cowered in fear beneath the shadow of an ancient manor rumoured to be the home of a powerful Vampire.  It became a place whispered of in ghost stories to caution young people to stay away. One day four of the village children vanished. Only three returned, with no memory of what happened or where they went.
That was ten years ago. Now, in the year 12,090 A.D., vampires who can walk in the daylight have appeared. Did the disappearance of the children have something to do with the undead's newfound powers? Into this mystery comes the even more mysterious "D"; a tall pale vampire hunter with a sullen air about him. He is instantly handsome and beautiful at the same time, and his prowess with his longsword is matched only by his inhuman strength. What secrets do the children hold in their memories? What secrets does D hold himself? The answer may lie in house on a haunted hill.

3) The Third

Tone: Elysium in the setting of Resident Evil Extinction.

The world is a ravaged desert land. With the help of an artificially intelligent tank called Bogie, Hannah attempts to make a living as a jack of all trades for hire in a future devastated by war and full of over-sized insects that plauge the sands between towns. One day in her travels she comes across a strange man alone in the desert, but rescuing him has consequences and brings unwanted trouble her way. Through this man, Hannah discovers another society observing the devastated earth from a pristine space colony. The mystery deepens.

4) Trinity Blood
Tone: Priest and Van Helsing
The background is in the distant future after the destruction brought about by Armageddon. The war between the vampires and the humans continue to persist. In order to protect the humans from the vampires, Vatican has to rely on other allies to counter the situation. The protagonist, a priest called Peter Abel Nightroad, travels through the countries as a representative for the Vaticans. However, he is also part of "Ax", a special operations group controlled by the Cardinal Catherina. His encounter with a young girl called Esther will determine the struggle and survival between the human race and the vampires.



5) Baccano!
Tone: Highlander with Sin City set in 1920s prohibition era

In the year 1711, a group of alchemists are granted an elixir of immortality, with the stipulation that they must kill each other until there can be only one. The now-immortal group unanimously decides it wasn't worth it and destroy the elixir; but one of them, Slizard Quates, starts to kill off his fellow immortals. To reduce the risk of Quates tracking them all down, the group separates and goes their separate ways. Neither of them crosses paths again till 1930, Manhattan, when Quates manages to create a new elixir of immortality. However, he loses it and it ends up going around town, taken to be a bottle of alcohol and unknowingly drunk by many residents. The drinkers of this new elixir include Isaac and Miria, an eccentric pair of thieves; the Gandor brothers, a Mafia family; and their associates in the Camorra, the Martillos (who employ some of the original immortals). Now, not only are a new group of immortals created, but the simmering criminal underworld is about to explode.