Block Leave Musings 4: 4 Movies

Caught 4 movies this week - Rush Hour 3, Secret, The Simpsons and Knocked Up.

If I had to recommend one, it'd be Knocked Up. But it's showing at only 1 or 2 screens now, so I had to go all the way to Vivocity to catch it today. Fortunately, it was worth the trip. "A hilarious, poignant and refreshing look at the rigors of courtship and child-rearing, with a sometimes raunchy, always witty script that is ably acted and directed", as the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes aptly sums up.

The Simpsons movie was pretty good until I saw Knocked Up. It's hilarious at some parts as well, but mostly in a dumb Homer way. I find him incredibly irritating... And there's only so much satire you can stuff inside a 1hr 20min movie. Not exactly the thought-provoking "cartoon for adults" I was expecting it to be.

Many critics panned the tired formula of Rush Hour 3, but isn't that a problem with most sequels this summer? Anyway I thought it was pretty alright. There were some funny moments, while others fell flat, but overall it was pretty entertaining, esp. the climax at the Eiffel Tower. Jackie Chan did look pretty haggard, and his stunts are relatively subdued compared to his earlier works. Age is catching up with him, it seems.

And lastly, Jay Chou's directorial debut, Secret. Nothing outstanding, but I really liked the interesting twist at the end. It takes a while to figure everything out, and I think some in the audience came out of the theatre scratching their heads. But there are some glaring plotholes, and of course, the production isn't as sleek as with more accomplished directors. Still Gui Lun Mei really lifted the show with her nuanced acting and captivating looks which aj is going gaga over.

Next up, The Bourne Ultimatum. No mean feat to coax 5 stars out of Ms Ong Sor Fern, seems like a must-watch.