2025 (2015) TV series review- 13 Episodes

Overall verdict: 2/10

The Good: Excellent performances from veteran cast members (Gerald Chew, Lim Kay Tong)

The Bad: Overly melodramatic acting, terrible cheap looking special effects, laughable costumes, cliche filled plot, non-existent soundtrack, uninspired directing and camerawork, cringe worthy writing. 

3D Readiness: none

******************************Review*****************************

A "sci-fi mystery thriller", or so claims the advertising blurb for Singapore's first foray into science fiction of the new millennium. Oh advertising! How you tease! 

Our glimpse of the world 10 years from now (or at least from 2015) shows us a Singapore where the landscape looks like a video game cutscene. 3D rendered animations which seem to be able to interact with live actors deliver parcels (a subsequent check showed that these animations were supposed to depict automated drones), more 3D rendered animations are plastered everywhere. Buildings are given 3D rendered animation extensions to make them scream "I am futuristic".  

Soldiers (or are they police? ) dress up in bad "ninja-meets-terminator" cosplay, 

using weapons that fire 3D rendered animations that look like they were stolen from Power Rangers. 

Why do I go on about 2025 being filled with 3D rendered animations? Because that is how it looks like. Poor effects made with off-the-shelf software by students. I'm not even going to call them "special effects" because they are not special. 

What else does this show tell us about the world 10 years from now? It tells us that the old 80s movies were right! We have anti-establishment rebels, a person in power with a plot to rule the world, some poor civilian played by Gerald Chew gets caught in the middle dragging his family and neighbour into the picture. 

Throughout the run of the show, one gets a tugging feeling of deja vu. And why not? everything seems to be taken from some existing movie or TV show. Whats worse is the direction which makes the show, again, feel like it was done by students. One can whip out a "filming for dummies" book and see how insipidly our director lines up the shots. Hand-held shots are used for action scenes, as usual. Slow motion for dramatic impact, as usual. Steady cam for sombre scenes, as usual. None of it even looks remotely creative, just a by-the-numbers filmmaking here. 

The weak direction extends to the plot and the acting. A few veteran actors like Gerald Chew and Lim Kay Tong turn in respectable performances; subtle, nuanced yet marvellously played. The younger ones crank up the melodrama like they're in some school stage production instead of a professional TV series. Overacting abounds amidst your usual drivel about teenage angst, poorly written unrequited love and family tension.

Essentially, 2025 is your typical Singaporean melodrama, complete with cheesy cringeworthy lines, recycled in a science fiction setting. We've seen all these character archetypes before every other evening on every other Singaporean drama. Nothing new there. It is overly familiar, overly contrived and the much touted special effects and costumes border on laughable. You have one episode featuring a killer cyborg who looks like some guy in a bad Megaman Halloween costume.

Silly dyed hair which is supposed to be "futuristically stylish" and everything just looks…..cheap. 

Put all that cheapness through a dull green, sickly greyish, lens filter and you have some idea how 2025 looks. 

 One could make an excuse for the show on grounds of its budget. But budget was never the problem. Talent is. Talent which is sorely lacking. Talent of design, directing, acting and imagination. Perhaps the only interesting bit comes at the end of each episode where they feature the technological highlights with "Experts" talking about current research and plans for future implementation. If science fiction is meant to stretch the mind and tease the imagination, 2025 fails. Let's not talk about Hollywood or Europe. This show is barely up to the standards of regional fare from Taiwan or Hong Kong. If TV shows are meant to engage and entertain, 2025 succeeds only as a bad misbegotten curiosity to see how NOT to do science fiction.

Seen above: Audience reaction after seeing the first episode.

*****************************Review End***************************

Entertainment: D

Story: D
Acting: C-

Characters: D-

Music: E

Replay value: D-

"Brains": E

Cinderella (2015) movie review

Overall verdict: 7/10

The Good: Magnificent Soundtrack by Patrick Doyle, spectacular production design,  well paced narrative, expands on the original's backstory, flawless acting, conveys themes of perseverance and forgiveness. 

The Bad: Retains juvenile simplicity of the original, one dimensional supporting characters, missed potential for more complex character and story development .

3D Readiness: Post filming 3D conversion.
IMax-ability: Fast paced shots of combat and intense action may not lend well to imax viewing

******************************Review*****************************

The only way to describe Kenneth Brannagh’s CINDERELLA is “The disney fairy tale come to life”. I for one am thankful that it is no longer a surreal musical but a straight forward fantasy story. No talking mice in clothing and not too much singing for starters. Live action adaptations of such cartoons allow creators to take the tale in a more mature direction. To provide depth of character where they were once shallow “hero” or “villain” archetypes. To provide believable development in the characters’ journey and growth. To go beyond juvenile wish fulfilment. CINDERELLA does that to a certain extent but seems to hold back on fully exploring its potential. 

At first glance, CINDERELLA is beautiful. The movie I mean. It sounds wonderful too with an uplifting score composed by THOR’s Patrick Doyle. The production design and costumes are magnificent. Those along with the music effectively capture the royal glamour of fairy tale palaces, the down-to-earth simplicity of a idealistic medieval countryside and the warm feel of a simpler time. With a resume in movies on Shakespeare and Shakespearean in scope, director Brannagh brings his keen eye for visual detail and love for romanticised victorian age elements to this movie. Indeed, CINDERELLA hews close to its roots, adapting the disney classic into live action while expanding on elements that were never fleshed out before. 

One such element was Cinderella’s backstory. How does a simple unassuming good girl end up in the company of an evil stepmother and horrid step sisters? Where does she draw her inner strength from to carry on as no more of a household servant? This movie answers those questions. In making the transition from 2D animation to three dimensional live actors, the characters too gain some depth. Cinderella herself, played wonderfully by Lily James, is portrayed as a thoroughly human protagonist given inhumanly cruel treatment in an unfortunate world. She is an ideal, no doubt, of strength of character with a solid foundation of good values, never giving up even in the face of persecution. Still, we see her human side when she falters emotionally; her smile hiding a loneliness and inner sadness. A far cry from the pure and perfect damsel from the cartoon. Most intriguing is Cate Blanchett’s evil Stepmother character. You get a sense that she represents cruel reality. An idealist girl who was slowly turned by the unfortunate ways of the world; the money minded, dog-eat-dog world where only survival of the shrewdest matters. She is the perfect foil to Cinderella’s pure hearted personality and the perfect breeding ground for a complex conflict of character. 

Yet this movie hovers. That complexity never came. Instead when the story started to delve into the complex, it reined itself back into simplistic fairy tale goodness. This is where CINDERELLA suffered. Expanding just enough but never quite making its characters fully rounded. Take the relationship between Cinderella and the Prince for example. It still comes across as love at first sight with both parties enraptured in each other’s beauty. You get a hint that their romance went deeper than that but the movie never elaborates. You get a sense that there is more to the Prince than a pretty face, hinting at his insecurities over marriage, his inexperience in leadership, but the movie never elaborates. It is a missed opportunity that could have taken a story, reviled by many for its simplistic notions of love, into a modern fable with morals that children can learn from. 

It does maintain good moral fibre that perseverance and steadfast belief in one’s good values will eventually lead to good things and good people. An additional point for that. Where CINDERELLA loses points is in its unwillingness to explore deeper themes. It plays safe with the whole kid friendly fairy tale angle, keeping complex conflict to a minimum or at least to a simple black and white, good and evil. Our characters are more developed but maintain their “perfection”. Cinderella, having had near zero contact with men other than her late father, waltzes into a crowded ball seemingly with a surprising air of confidence. Would it have been too complex to show her insecurities or a little shyness? The prince had lied to her about being an apprentice. Would it have been too much trouble to show that him feeling bad and apologising rather than making up some smug excuse? Their humanity is hampered by wanting to keep it kid friendly and simple. Similarly, magnificent designs are sometimes hampered by disappointing CGI special effects.

The young and the young at heart would have no trouble following and loving this live action fairy tale. For those of us looking for a clever deconstruction or at least a more complex reconstruction of this classic, CINDERELLA is not that movie. 

*****************************Review End***************************

Entertainment: B+

Story: C-
Acting: A

Characters: C+

Music: A

Replay value: B+

"Brains": B-

Justice League: Throne Of Atlantis (2015) direct-to-video animated movie review

Overall verdict: 7.5/10

The Good: well written dialogue, exceptional action, improved art and animation,  well developed hero's journey for Aquaman, deliciously over the top villain

The Bad: Awkwardly written romance, contrived and convenient plot resolution, minor animation errors

******************************Review*****************************

Continuing the DC New 52 shared universe initiated by JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR, we have the long awaited Aquaman origin story in JUSTICE LEAGUE: THRONE OF ATLANTIS. This movie, loosely adapts the second major arc of Geoff John's critically acclaimed "Justice League" comic run. Like its predecessor, THRONE OF ATLANTIS does some major changes to the story to fit the animation medium. The most drastic change would be Aquaman's hero's journey from a lost wanderer finding his true calling in the world.

As the newly christened "Justice League" investigate a mysterious attack against a nuclear submarine,  we get glimpse into the life of one Arthur Curry. Grieving the loss of his father, the directionless Arthur has turned to drowning his sorrows and talking to lobsters. Just another drunken bum wandering the harbour. Or is he? As a fight with some thugs show, Arthur is more than human, boasting incredible strength, invulnerability, and able to mentally communicate with ocean life. Destiny, it seems, is not without a sense of convenience.

It seems that Arthur is the heir to the throne of Atlantis, the legendary underwater city, and the death of Atlantis' king (as shown in Justice League: War) forces Arthur to realise his birthright. While some see him as the solution to peace between two worlds, his half brother Orm desires only vengeance against the surface world. As tensions mount, a coup from within sparks all out war; a war that only the Justice League can stop.

I've said it before that DC and WB Animation's latest line of movies feel like Justice League in the tone of Marvel's Avengers. THRONE OF ATLANTIS continues that but starts to carve out its own identity. The forced humour is toned down a lot but the show still keeps its upbeat sense of superhero fun. The chemistry among the cast is impeccable thanks to the voice direction of veteran Andrea Romero. 

Some of the more questionable voices from the previous movie (Alan Tudyk as Superman, Justin Kirk as Green Lantern) are replaced with better sounding actors. Nathan Fillon is definitely a welcome choice to reprise his Green Lantern role and Jerry "Sliders" O'Connell takes over as Superman. On the antagonist side is Prince Orm, voiced by Sam "Starkiller" Witwer, who may be the most deliciously over-the-top villain in animation since the 90s Street Fighter cartoon's M Bison played by Richard Newman. 

For all the natural sounding dialogue and spot on acting, THRONE OF ATLANTIS feels a bit too bloated with too much plot in too little time. Other than Arthur Curry's journey, you have the political intrigue among the royalty of Atlantis, Cyborg coming to terms with the loss of his humanity, the budding friendship between Green Lantern and the Flash, and one of the most awkwardly written romances between Superman and Wonder Woman. Superman comes across like some desperate love deprived nerd continuing his creepy obsession with Wonder Woman taking advantage of the fact that she is a stranger to human customs and romance.

As a result, the central character of Arthur Curry is criminally underdeveloped. His story takes some cues from the live action MAN OF STEEL movie but due to a lack of focus, you never really get into his head or his personality. He goes from washed out drunk barely able to hold his own in a fight without his super strength.....

...to a trained fighter, well versed in self defence and martial arts. All this within a single day.

He goes from a man whose life is in a mess, without direction or resolve, to a natural born leader with strength of character and charisma. Also within a single day. Almost as if donning that Aquaman costume bestowed those skills upon him. It would have been more natural if we saw his leadership abilities and fighting skills while he was still a drifter. More glimpses into his childhood would have also helped answer some important questions. Like why did he not become a superhero earlier? Why is he hiding his abilities instead of using it for good? What drives his motivations? We never know. 

Take away the opening and closing credits and this movie has just over an hour worth of content; Underdeveloped content, but beautifully drawn and animated content. Both artwork and animation takes a step up from the last instalment. The art is decently detailed even in the tightest action scenes.

Director Ethan Spaulding add some nice stylistic touches to the footage giving underwater scenes a slightly off-focused blurred looked and doing some marvellous work on lighting and shadows. Character designs are less exaggerated than before (Superman shaved off a few pounds) and hew quite closely to Jim Lee's New 52 look.

THRONE OF ATLANTIS earns its right to be called a movie thanks to the exceedingly smooth animation of Moi Studios in Korea. Every fight is fully choreographed and animated without short cuts. The part with Aquaman and Mera facing off against the savage "Trenchers" before the Justice League arrive is just spectacular to behold.  

It isn't perfect though and some animation errors do creep in. There is a scene in a bar where Arthur orders another drink. He raises his hand and freezes there with his mouth wide open but the dialogue carries on.

Then there is the attack on the lighthouse where the Atlantean lasers are clearly not hitting where they are aiming at.

Most obvious are the Atlanteans themselves who are portrayed in their battle armour as having face masks with their shoulder length hair hanging out the back of the helmets.

Then they remove their helmets and their hair suddenly changes to purple, sky blue and various other weird colours

And I just have to mention the aftermath of the torpedo attack against Atlantis where the smoke and debris are so badly composited on the background that they look like long floating turds.

But hey, I am nitpicking here. And it would not be fair to penalise the whole show for a few visual oversights. That being said, JUSTICE LEAGUE THRONE OF ATLANTIS may have been a more enjoyable experience had it been more focused on Aquaman and his origin story. His is an intriguing tale to tell but it ends up being rushed through.

At least DC has succeeded in bringing the Aquaman character out of the public opinion rut he has experienced since his days in Superfriends. I want to see more of Arthur Curry, and not relegated to a supporting role in the Justice League. Here's hoping that the character gets the solo movie that fans like me are dying to see.

*****************************Review End***************************

Entertainment: A-
Art: B+
Animation: A-

Story: B
Voice Acting (English): A- 

Characters: B

Music: B-

Replay value: A-
"Brains": C+

Star Wars: Droids (1985) animated series [full] review

Overall verdict: 4/10

The Good: Anthony Daniels reprising his role, voice acting better than your typical cartoon, well timed comedy, Star Wars nostalgia

The Bad: low quality animation, constant off model art, hilariously bad creature designs, unoriginal plots, generic sound effects and music. 

******************************Review*****************************

In 1985, Star Wars Return of the Jedi had ended its run, effectively ending Star Wars' big screen presence for almost 15 years until the prequels. To keep the franchise going, George Lucas commissioned the expanded universe of novels and comics. Not forgetting the kids, he also commissioned cartoons. One of which was "Star Wars: Droids".

STAR WARS: DROIDS was the closest anyone had to a "prequel" back then. It detailed the often light hearted adventures of C3PO and R2D2 back before they landed in the possession of Princess Leia at the start of "A NEW HOPE". In a move considered rare among cartoons of that day, DROIDS employed arcs consisting of 4 episodes each. The first saw the titular droids land in the possession of a duo of Speeder Racing enthusiasts. They have built their very own speeder called the Mach 5 The White Witch but through a series of unfortunate events land in the crosshairs of a powerful triad boss. The second arc has the droids end up helping a lost prince reclaim his throne and fend off the pirates that were plaguing his homeland. Then they join merchant Mungo Baobab on a treasure hunt to the Roon system while evading imperial patrols.

Exciting stuff for sure. Pirates and princes, space ships and speeders, even a run in with the Empire.  Take the original Star Wars trilogy and watch only C3PO and R2D2 scenes. There you have what this show is all about. Lighter on action, heavier on humour with a good dose of cartoon slapstick. Anthony Daniel's humorous british accented delivery as C3PO and R2D2 as "himself" steals the show as the strongest reminder of its Star Wars roots.  Basically, C3PO and R2D2 are in this cartoon as they were in the movies. If you loved them then, you would love them here. It is amazing how one actor can establish this chemistry with a sound synthesiser (which is essentially what they used to "voice" R2D2).

Yet for all their efforts, STAR WARS DROIDS feels so far removed from the "feel" of Star Wars and more like your typical saturday morning cartoon. Space ships like the A-Wing and a badly drawn Star Destroyer do make an appearance, as do Stormtroopers and of course the titular droids. But nothing would change if they were replaced by generic space ships, generic bad guys and a bumbling protagonist duo. The story lines are so cliched and the new designs of never-see-before aliens, vehicles and technology so.....weird. This cartoon also throws out Skywalker Sound's fabulous audio from the movies and replace John Williams' timeless score with.....generic stuff. All the other characters act in that exaggerated cartoony manner befitting your generic.......did I just repeat "generic"? I guess I did. Because that is how you describe this show in a single word.

It is generic. Star Wars in name only. Even the visuals are groan inducing. Artwork goes off model once too often, colours are flat and lifeless, and once again the designs are just.....weird. In terms of animation, STAR WARS DROIDS was farmed out to a taiwanese studio and their work, while passable, cannot hold a candle to the superior work of Japanese or Korean studios. Movements alternate between stiff and exaggerated with character gesturing unnecessarily in conversations like they were in some stage play. Most confusing is the decision to animate robots like humans; C3PO is a heck lot more flexible than his movie counterpart, plus he is able to make facial expressions, run, jump and flex his elbows. R2D2 is now made of rubber seeing as how he can squash and stretch himself like a balloon. 

Perhaps I am out of my element here. Perhaps this was made for the simpler kids of the 80s and no one else. I may have judged this more kindly if it were not Star Wars, but we can't change the past. Star Wars dove in deep and revolutionised cinema. It pushed the boundaries of special effects and brought science fiction out of its B movie gutter and into billion dollar blockbuster territory. STAR WARS DROIDS chose to wade in safe and shallow, revolutionising nothing, and not even capturing the feel of its source material. 

*****************************Review End***************************

Entertainment: C+
Art: C-
Animation: C-

Story: C
Voice Acting (English): B+

Characters: B-

Music: C-

Replay value: C-
"Brains": D-

Concept: Red Hill - A plot Summary for a proposed fantasy action blockbuster

They call them the Garfish. But these were more than just sea creatures. They were ruthless pirates preying on defenseless island nations in the East Indies. Their ships were adored with sharp battering rams, their soldiers wielded spears, and for the longest time they were unstoppable. Year after year they came, killing men, raping women, kidnapping children, unless the villagers present a "protection tribute". Every few years during the monsoon, the Pirates would return to the island of Temasek and demand a tribute of gold and resources. Should those be in sufficient, the Garfish would take young men to be sold as slaves, girls to be prostituted. And for as long as one could remember, the chief's had given in to those demands in exchange for peace. 

But enough was enough. The younger son and elder daughter of the chief of Temasek (always having to hide in the northern hills) had grown weary of this endless cycle. The son tries to unite the tribes of temasek to fight back against the invaders but to no avail while the daughter yearns to leave this troubled island for a faraway land of peace. One day the son encounters a boy in the forests. A pale hermit with golden hair and uncanny knowledge about military tactics. He befriends the chief's son and provides him the opportunity to strike back at their pirate oppressors.

Together, they rally the villagers and begin to train the young and able bodied in the art of warfare. All the while, the chief's son and the hermit develop a bond of brotherhood. 

The fair skinned hermit displays uncanny combat skills and strategic planning. Together the two unite the outlying villagers, gathering men of all trades into an army; the hermit providing the training, the chief's son rousing their spirits with passionate speeches. As more young men join the war effort, the son and the hermit earn the nicknames "prince" and "ghost"; one a budding leader, the other an answer to the prayers of an oppressed people. As part of the defense of Temasek, the Prince and the Ghost order the construction of a barrier along the coastline. Consisting of sharpened tree trunks angled out toward the sea, this barrier would have to be positioned just below the tide. 

Construction is not easy. Tempers flare, tension mounts and old rivalries are laid bare. However through his strength and his companion's timely advice, the Prince is able to quell such dissent and strengthen the bonds between villagers. .Into this grueling age, the chief's daughter develops close feelings for the hermit. She believes he is a foreigner who would be able to whisk her away from the life of misery she has known since birth. The chief's daughter tries to win Ghost's affection but it becomes clear that he has no interest in her and only grows closer to the Prince. The Prince and the Ghost grow inseparable, with Ghost becoming highly protective of the Prince. Challenges to his leadership are quickly and violently put down by the skilled hermit.the biggest challenge came from the Prince's father, the chief. He tries to sway the people into believing that the plan to fight back would backfire, resulting in greater loss of lives and a fierce retribution from the Pirates that would leave the island a burnt out, lifeless land. The prince becomes convinced by the Ghost that it was the chief who planted his loyalists among the Prince's army and caused the initial dissension. When a heated argument shakes the Prince's resolve, his friend the hermit assassinates the chief, accusing him of holding back the prince from his full potential. It is here that we see that the Ghost may be something other than human as he exhibits a dark power and uses its influence to convince the guards of treachery perpetrated by Garfish assassins. 

In time, a wall of sharpened branches angled out to sea is constructed, the army of temasek stands ready. Trouble brews on the Homefront though. The chief's daughter continues her attempts to convince Ghost to leave Temasek with her. When Ghost makes it clear he intends to stay after Temasek is freed the chief's daughter becomes increasingly desperate. She resents Ghost for spurning her advances and for becoming the sibling to her brother that she never was. When he violently rejects her attempted at seduction, her resentment turns to hatred. Her brother too ignores her, regarding her as childish unfocused and disloyal. 

At the appointed time, the Garfish return, The prince and his entourage meet with a Garfish envoy just off the coast. But instead of bowing to their demands, the prince kills the envoy and retreats to Temasek through a hidden gap in the spiked wall. In a rage at this treachery, the pirate leader sends most of his fleet to destroy the villages. With only bloodlust on their minds, the Pirates blindly advance only for their ships to crash against the hidden wall of spikes. Ships are smashed, bodies impaled, and while the attackers wallow in confusion, the prince's army reveals itself and charge towards the water's edge slaying without mercy. The pain and anger over Years of suffering are unleashed against the hapless invaders in a bloody carnage that stains the sands red. It is a great battle, one that would be told and retold for generations to come. In the end, only the pirate leader and his ship's crew are left having waded to a secluded swamp to escape the battle. Unknown to them, their escape was spotted by the chief's daughter who was overlooking the battle from a nearby hill.

Night came and the villagers celebrate their victory. Under cover of darkness, the chief's daughter meets up with the pirate captain and promises him the chance for vengeance in exchange for making her a part of his crew. She sees the Pirates as the only way to fulfil her dream of leaving Temasek and to exact revenge on the one who spurned her. They find the Ghost in his secluded hut on a hill but it seems he is ready for them. At that time, the Prince had no interest in the festivities. Shaken by the deaths he had caused, he goes out searching for his companion for advice and comfort. He hears the sound of battle coming from the hill and runs to investigate

There he comes across massacred pirates, the pirate leader disarmed, his terrified sister, and a demonic form that used to be Ghost. Ghost has revealed his true supernatural nature and proceeds to drain the blood of the pirate leader. The Princes sister begs the prince to kill Ghost, claiming innocence. Ghost silences her by decapitaiton before returning to his human form.

Prince and Ghost share a tense moment. Ghost does not try to explain the presence of his sister or how she tried to kill him, he only asks if Prince will accept him after seeing his true nature. Racked with grief and confusion, Prince charges at his former friend fueled by rage. The scuffle is brief but surreal. Ghost lies dead, princes mind snaps under the trauma of losing everyone close to him. As he sits crying, blood issues forth from the dead bodies and soaks the soil of the hill. Camera pulls back to reveal the soil slowly turning blood red. The red fills the screen just before the end credits roll. 

5 Obvious Singapore stories that no one is making into movies.

Singapore has a rich history of legends and folk tales. Yet no one is doing anything with them. We have seen Greek myths like Hercules and Perseus see multiple big screen adaptations. Outside of hollywood, Britain, Ireland, Europe, they all have movies that reinterpret their local legends and local classic literature for a movie going audience.

Even malaysia had a few on their local legends such as Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat.

The singapore film market could do to move beyond drama and comedy (insipid and uninspired drama and comedy at that).

The realm of science fiction and fantasy awaits. With a competent director, a committed writer and a good crew, these movies are possible.

Now of course adapting the legends and literature word for word would be........boring. Who wants to watch a movie where the climax is a rock throwing competition?
So here are 5 local legends or classic literature that could do with a reinterpretation into movies.

1) Red Hill
Tone: 300 in ancient Singapura.

In a sentence: a vast legion of seafaring marauders looms on the horizon as one young man unites an island nation in a fight for their future.

Synopsis: they call them garfish. Named for their long lances and spear bowed boats, this legion of seafaring pirates have plundered the shores of temasek for generations. A young prince struggles to unite the islands tribes to stand against this onslaught. Seeking the help of a mysterious boy he encountered in the dark forest, the prince devises a cunning plan that would turn the tide against the invaders. Now farmers and fishermen take up arms to defend their homeland in one final fight for glory. But victory has a price; a price that can not go unpaid.


2) Badang
Tone: Hercules in mortal kombat

In a sentence: in a bid to claim the island of temasek, a ruthless king pits his deadliest warriors against the legendary strongman known as Badang.

Synopsis: at a meeting of the island rulers, the chief of temasek is conned by the regional tyrant into a contest with little hope of victory. Seven of the king's best warriors will challenge whoever the chief sees fit to seven feats of strength. Victory would win Temasek peace for another hundred years. Defeat would bring temasek under the rule of the empire. Now temasek's people had grown weak and domesticated, but an outcast veteran of wars long passed rises to serve his chief once again. His name is Badang the strong. This is his legend. Some say he made a deal with a devil for his immense strength. Others say he hunted demons to drain their powers. He had been branded a heathen, a heretic, a mad wild hermit. Yet he is the kingdom's last hope.


3) Merlion
Tone: battleship against the beast from 20,000 fathoms.
In a sentence: Singapore mobilizes the full fury of its armed forces to stop a rampaging mythical beast.
Synopsis: something has surfaced in the straits of Singapore, attacking ships at random around the Riau Islands. Investigative journalist Jack Liu follows rumors of a sea monster to rural Indonesia. Dismissed by his colleagues as a fraud for chasing myths, Jack's persistence pays off when he chances upon the beast coming ashore. A long Crimson body like a serpent's culminating in an inhumanly twisted torso and massive arms. Slick scales like armor, a jet black head and grey fins forming a mane. No one would believe him. But jack sets a plan into motion which would bring him all the witnesses he needs, the scoop of the century, along with all the money and fame he hopes to win. The Merlion would go to Singapore. And may mercy be upon those caught in its wake.


4) Kusu Island
Tone: reboot of Gamera in the tone of 2014 Godzilla
In a sentence: a gargantuan tortoise monster from ancient times is awakened to battle the menacing Merlion.
Synopsis: Ismail's grandfather always loved turtles. In his childhood days among the orang laut, he kept a small sea turtle which he named Kusu. A tragic encounter left Kusu fatally wounded and Ismail's grandfather had to abandon the turtle at an ancient off shore shrine in hopes that the afterlife would be kind to Kusu. In present day, Ismail is a washed up old writer left to take care of his increasingly senile grandfather. His books of children's stories never sold well causing him to become cynical and cold towards what he perceives as useless fairy tales. And now an enormous reading appears on the sonar, making a beeline for the mainland.

5) The Crocodile Dies Twice
Tone: Pirates of the Carribean meets Heart of Darkness, Singapore style.
In a sentence: a young boy is swept up in a swashbuckling adventure across the high seas as pirates, police and secret societies race to possess a long lost treasure.

Top 10 movies of 2014

2014 has come and gone. Here are my top 10 movies for the year

Click on the links for A full review where applicable

1. Edge of Tomorrow

Based on the Japanese novel "All you need is Kill", EDGE OF TOMORROW is a gripping character focused tale that gives a fun fresh edgy spin to a tried and true sic/fi premise. An alien species called the Mimics have landed. Inhumanly fast, vicious and able to outsmart human attack plans at every turn, Mimic forces threaten to overwhelm the world. A massive counteroffensive on the coasts of Europe which ends disastrously for former PR officer turned forced conscript William Cage (Tom Cruise).......until he wakes up 24 hours before the invasion at the start of his conscription.
Edge of Tomorrow is a lot smarter than it seems at first. It deconstructs cliches and may even be seen as a parody of an audience's expectations when they see a movie. In playing against type, Tom Cruise shines as the cowardly Cage whom we discover is all brave talk and no action. His performance is earnest and nuanced, lending weight to the more tragic scenes of Cage experiencing the deaths of those close to him over and over again.Watch this, savour this, and repeat. 

Native 3D: No

Buy EDGE OF TOMORROW ON BLU RAY


2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Ten years after a deadly diseases wiped out most of humanity, a colony of smart genetically enhanced apes, led by Ceasar, have made the forests of San Francisco their home. There they thrive until their peace is broken by a group of humans searching for an hydroelectric dam. Fear and paranoia mounts of both sides, with trust and friendship constantly hanging in a fragile balance. Threats mount from within as dissension slowly builds. Social commentary and political musings pepper this deep science fiction film as Andy Serkis brings his award winning performance to the character of Ceasar, leader of the apes.

A smart, vicious, and throughout provoking sequel.

Native 3D: Yes

Buy DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES on 3D Blu Ray


3. Godzilla

In shaping Godzillas future, the creative team look back on the big G's past, digging deep into the earlier, darker themed Showa era godzilla movies and combining the best elements of 60 years worth of sequels. Like the first 1954 original, the monsters' appearance is teased and glimpsed through the human focused tale. This is slow build up and reveal calls back to classic monster movies like JAWS, ALIEN, and the original GODZILLA. Yet director Gareth Edwards successfully builds the tension right up to the big payoff clash of titanic proportions.

Fans of all action monster mash ups like GODZILLA FINAL WAR or DESTROY ALL MONSTERS would no doubt find the slow burn build up boring. But fans of the 1954 classic and the more serious Showa era movies would have much to cheer about. With a nostalgic score by Alexander Desplat clearly inspired by the late great Akira Ifukube, GODZILLA serves as a harrowing metaphor of nature's supremacy over mankind. Where the 1954 classic was an analogy for the atomic bomb, 2014's movie brings to mind the tsunamis and nuclear plant meltdowns that shocked the world. A clever, emotionally engaging and powerful tribute to 60 years of Godzilla.

Native 3D: No

Buy GODZILLA on Blu Ray

4. Big Hero 6

BIG HERO 6 is good. It is colourful, action packed and simple enough for kids and inner children. Yet it packs a significant emotional wallop and some mature themes for those willing to dig deeper into the narrative. Visually, it is a fine piece of work to look at and just take in the details in the wonderful animation. Accompanied by a rousing electronic score by WRECK-IT RALPH'S Henry Jackman, BIG HERO 6 looks set to obscure its own middling comic book source material, (which is not entirely surprising since there was hardly any reprint of the comic aside from the hard-to-get single issues). Big on thrills, big on heart, big on technical achievement; that is BIG HERO 6. Oh and big bucks for disney's merchandising department.

Native 3D: Yes

Buy BIG HERO 6 on Blu Ray

5. Robocop

ROBOCOP retains many elements of the original, while updating the premise for contemporary audience. It got the satire down very well, firstly in the form of extreme leftist show host Pat Novak (Samuel L Jackson), then among other things, the revelation that the "all American" Robocop was made in China. Although not as dark a dark comedy as the original movie, the satire here works, as with many of the subtle changes. Our new Robocop, played magnificently by Joel Kinnaman, is sleek, fast, he's strong, plus he does not just stand there and get shot at. Best of all, he retains his heart and struggles with his humanity.The film deals with the consequences of being turned into a commercial product, where every change in your life is dictated by focus groups and monetary decisions. Choice is no longer your own and you are duped into the illusion of free choice. If the public thinks your emotions are getting in the way of your professionalism, your emotions have got to go. Slowly but surely, everything that made you human is slowly drained away. Then once the company decides to "pull the plug", are they just terminating an asset? Or is it attempted murder?

Native 3D: No

Buy ROBOCOP 2014 on Blu Ray

6. Maze Runner

His name is Thomas. That is all he knows. He has been sent via the mysterious "box" into a contained colony of boys called "the glade". Nobody knows why they are there, only that they cannot leave. Around the glade lies the maze where only the fastest and bravest among them, dubbed "maze runners", get to explore in the hopes of finding a way out. Thomas' arrival causes a schism among the boys and strange incidents start happening one after the other. As the perfect peaceful society of the Glade is slowly torn asunder, Thomas must unravel the secrets of the maze and confront the horrors within. I admit to not having read the original book so I would not know how close it is to the source material. On its own, MAZE RUNNER is The grandchild of LORD OF THE FLIES and TV's LOST. It combines tried and true story beats sieved through an intriguing premise and a decent mystery (despite being almost undone by the ill advised flashbacks). It avoids many mistakes other adaptations of young adult novels make, like lingering on romance subplots, and leaves a decent sequel hook that leaves you wanting more.


Native 3D: No

Buy MAZE RUNNER on Blu Ray




7. Lego Movie

 

Native 3D: Yes

Buy LEGO MOVIE on Blu Ray


8. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies

Native 3D: Yes

Buy THE HOBBIT BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES on Blu Ray


9. Interstellar

Native 3D: No

10. X-Men Days of Future Past

Native 3D: Yes

Buy X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST on 3D Blu Ray