| Fridae Movie Club: Singapore | 10th December 2008 / Issue 248 |
| > Join Fridae Movie Club > Forward to a friend | Archive > Subscribe | Unsubscribe > Write to the Editor > Search movie | Read online After last week’s treasure trove of minor gems (Bolt, Zack & Miri Make a Porno, Muallaf, The Secret Life of Bees), this week’s slate seem somewhat underwhelming. Apart from the big-budget sci-fi remake The Day The Earth Stood Still (to be reviewed next week), the other releases are small pictures with no stars. In the case of The Visitor, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The story about a world-weary American professor (Richard Jenkins) who becomes friends with Syrian immigrants is so gentle and poignant that the presence of stars would have crushed its tender life out. Directed by Thomas McCarthy of The Station Agent fame, it is a rare and quiet drama that demands patient viewing. If you want a challenging picture, catch this.
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Meanwhile, music geeks should watch the sweet teenage romance Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which boasts one of the best soundtracks of the year. The unusual tale of two socially awkward music-loving young people (Michael Cera and Kat Dennings) might just make you feel 5 all over again. The other films, the Malaysian superhero flick Cicakman 2: Planet Hitam and the Tim Burton copycat animation Igor, are rather awful. |
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| We got MILK for you! From the good people of Shaw Organisation, Crocodile and Fridae, 2008's hallmark movie for the LGBT community, Milk comes to Singapore. The premiere gala will be a funds raising event for Idignation 2009.Singapore ’s very own LGBT festival and pride season. This Gus Van Sant movie tells a biopic, a love story, a civil rights movie and sharp political and social commentary. The premiere takes place on the 7th January 2009 at Shaw Lido Complex. Buy your tickets at Fridae Shop now! Also, nominated for the Gotham Independent Film Awards for Best Feature and Best Ensemble Performance, and a major contender for the upcoming Golden Globes and Academy Awards, the much anticipated film, The Visitor. 10 in-season passes are up for grabs, courtesy of Festive Flims. Sign up for the Fridae Arts & Entertainment Mailing List today to enjoy our Movie Treats! Fridae Arts & Entertainment
Mailing List >> View list of movies shown at previous Fridae Private Previews |
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The Visitor
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Few people want to watch dramas these days. Too slow, too deep or just plain unexciting, many would say. No drama could compare to the thrill and spills of an actioner, a horror movie or even a laugh-out-loud comedy, they’d add. Everyone’s entitled to their thrills, of course. But if for some unexplainable reason you feel a small and sudden urge to catch a drama in the cinema, then we suggest you watch The Visitor. It’s, quite simply, a lovely little drama. The wonderful veteran actor Richard Jenkins (from Six Feet Under) plays as an economics professor who is bored, tired and lonely. Since his wife died, he cannot summon the interest or enthusiasm to do very much anymore. Then, on a visit to his usually unoccupied New York apartment, he finds two squatters (Haaz Sleiman and Danai Gurira) living there. At first, he chases them out. But after realizing that they have nowhere else they go, he asks them to return to the apartment. Slowly, he becomes friends with these immigrants. And they, in turn, reawaken him to life again. The heart, as they say, is a resilient little fella. Directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent), The Visitor is a remarkably subtle and nuanced picture. Many of you, we suspect, will find it a complete bore. But those of you willing to take things slow for a couple of hours, and patiently watch this story quietly unfold, may be pleasantly rewarded. |
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Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
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Nick (Michael Cera from Juno) and Norah (Kat Dennings) are two kids who have never met each other. But Nick is pining for Norah’s sexy friend Tris (Alexis Dziena) and frequently burns CD compilations for her – which she promptly chucks away. Norah would then rescue the CDs from the trash wondering, “Who is this boy who makes such wonderful compilations of great songs?” One fateful night, Nick and Norah both happen to be in New York to search for a hot underground band which advertises its performances using only mysterious symbols. The two meet, quickly fall in love, and the rest – one presumes – is audio paradise… Directed by Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas), Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a sweet teenage fantasy for music geeks whose own iTunes’ playlist would include indie bands like Vampire Weekend and Band of Horses. Much of it is hopelessly unrealistic, but since when did teenage viewers demand reality? The perfect pairing of Michael Cera and Kat Dennings as Nick and Norah is the movie’s biggest asset. The two are absolutely charming together, beautifully matched in their awkwardness and insecurities. They make you ache for your youth and innocence again – in a good way. |
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Igor
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Igor (voice of John Cusack) is a hunchbacked scientist assistant who dreams of becoming a famous evil scientist himself someday. So when his master (John Cleese) accidentally blows himself up in an experiment, Igor takes over his lab and starts creating a human from various body parts. Unfortunately, the human Igor creates behaves like a diva actress – not quite the evil monster he wants her to be… Directed by Tony Leondis (Lilo & Stitch 2), the cartoon wants to be a macabre masterpiece, but achieves only morbid mediocrity. The bug-eyed and grotesquely-shaped characters are inspired by Tim Burton’s iconic creations in Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Nice. But the unfortunate script inspires dread – the wrong kind of dread. Using Hollywood in-jokes and pop culture references instead of genuine wit, Igor’s jokes all too often fall flat. Kids may not get the jokes but they may still be wowed by the fantastical visuals. Adults, on the other hand, won’t be so easily impressed. Skip this.
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Cicakman 2: Planet Hitam
In Malay with subtitles |
The title Cicakman 2: Planet Hitam literally translates to Lizardman 2: Black Planet. A box-office hit in Malaysia in 2006, the first Cicakman superhero movie was a hit because its cheap slapstick humor – which predictably went down well with mainstream audiences who can’t seem to get enough of the Senario comedy series. This sequel thus brings more of the same, with plenty of cheap gags, toilet jokes and second-rate CG effects – some convincing and some cringeworthy. Cicakman once again has to battle the evil Professor Klon who is planning to – what else – take over the world. (Cue evil laughter.) If our superhero doesn’t stop him, the Professor will turn the world into a mass of blackness within 72 hours. The typical corn, cliches and curious characters you’d find in superhero films come rattling in... And as we noted before, a lot of people find this stuff funny. The first Cicakman film still gets shown on TV now and then because folks want to see it. Unfortunately, we’re not among those who enjoy cheap slapstick fun. We found the movie really painful, and were utterly relieved when it was over.
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| LGBT-interest
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| Milk - Indignation Fund
Raising Premier Gala in Singapore
Milk, the heart felt story of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone by San Francisco Supervisor Dan White, stars Sean Penn who plays Harvey Milk. From senior citizens to union workers, Harvey Milk changed the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights and became, before his untimely death in 1978, a hero for all Americans. Milk Indignation fund raising premiere gala will be an inspirational event to start 2009 with. Date:7th Jan 2009 Venue :Lido Hall 1 Time:8.45pm Purchase your tickets at Fridae Shop today. |
Antique ( Seoyang Goldong Yang-gwaja-jeom-Antique ) Date: 13th Nov 2008 (In Korea) (Singapore's date TBC)
Stars: YU A-in, JU Ji-hun, KIM Joe-wook |
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I Love you Philip Morris Date: 14th Feb 2009 (Singapore's date TBC) I Love You Phillip Morris tells the true story of a conman who find love in a Texas jail-cell. Steven Russell is a married man whose many cons and exploits eventually land him in the clink. He ends up in a jail-cell with another man whom he ends up falling madly in love with. When this man is released from prison, Steven Russell does everything he can to escape from jail and reunite with his new flame. Stars: Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor |
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Frozen Flower Date: 30th Dec 2008 in Korea (Singapore's date TBC) Korea's most talked about movie now is the soon to open Frozen Flower, a period drama about a love triangle involving a king, the captain of his palace guards, and his consort. Dealing upfront with homosexuality, with same-sex bed scenes plus full frontal nudity. Directed by Yu Ha. Stars Joo Jin-Mo and Jo In-Sung
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| Cinemarosa at QMA: Queens'
Only Queer Film Series
featuring: Coming Out, Coming of Age in Asian Culture - Right By Me/Rainbow Boys (Thailand), See Me (USA), Out In India: A Family’s Journey (India) , ... Date: 16 Nov, 21 Dec Venue: Queens Museum of Art, New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, New York, USA Presented by CINEMAROSA more>> |
Kansai Queer Film Festival 2009 Date: Jan 2009 (Main Festival) Venue: Osaka, Japan Presented by Kansai Queer Film Festival Committee more>> |
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| 7th Q! Film Festival
Indonesia
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (Iceland/Philippines), Spinnin' (Spain), Sita Sings The Blues (USA), Good Boys (Israel), A Very Natural Thing (USA), With Gilbert and George (UK), 881 (Singapore), Risk, Stretch or Die (Germany), The Birthday (The Netherlands), Love Songs (France), Suddenly Last Winter (Italy) , I Don't Want To Sleep Alone (Taiwan/France) , Chants of Lotus/Chants of Lotus (Indonesia), Lucky7 (Singapore), My Super 8 Season (France), ... Date & Venue: Jakarta (8 to 16 Aug); Bali (21 to 24 Aug); Surabaya (14 to 19 Oct) Bandung (27 Feb to 3 Mar 2009); Jogjakarta (Apr 2009), Indonesia Presented by Q! Film Festival Indonesia more>> |
Queer ChinaA 116-minute documentary film by Cui Zi En, China's most prolific queer filmmaker, premiered at the Song Zhuang Art Gallery in Beijing on 25 Nov. The production received funding from the Li Xianting's FilmFund and support from Ford Foundation. The
film documents the changes and developments in LGBT issues
that happened in China over the last 80 years, when sodomy
law was repealed. It examines sexual attitudes, behaviours,
laws, media representation/progamming, significant historical
figures, major events and milestones - including civil and
human rights, equality, literature, academia, art, law-making,
medical, book and magazine publishing, the Pink economy, community
living, blogging, filmmaking, Aids prevention, and various
aspects of homosexuality for the first time, leading up to
the submission of Dr Li Yinhe's Same-sex Marriage Bill to the
Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress
in 2003. (She submitted it again in 2006, but
it was considered "too advanced" a bill by the NPC. More>>
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General-interest
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| 3rd Singapore Indie Doc Fest
Call for Entry Closing Date: 5 Jan 2009 Date: Mar 2009 Venue: TBA Presented by The Substation Moving Images more>> |
Another Crazy Christmas
Favourite local artistes gather to spice up the holiday season with their sexy voices in tight harmonies, cast inlcudes Hossan Leong, Robin Goh, Selena Tan and Pam Oei. Date: 15 to 22 Dec Venue: Suntec Theatre, Suntec Convention Centre Level 2 Presented by Dream Academy Playhouse more>> |
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| M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2009
Frozen Angels, Raised as a Pack of Wolves Date: 7 to 18 Jan 2009 Venue: National Museum Gallery Theatre, Esplanade, The Substation, The Old School Presented by The Necessary Stage more>> |
Bruce Lee returns to the big screen
Celebration of Asian martial arts with a screening of the late Bruce Lee's four most celebrated and popular films. Date: 11 to 14 Dec 2008 Venue: The Cathay The Picturehouse Presented by Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office more>> |
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| 22nd Singapore International Flim Festival An extensive selection of 150 flims which includes a presentation of to award Singapore's best flims from 2008. Date: 14 to 25 April 2009 Venue: The Substation Presented by The Substation more>>
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The Other Side presents…..Filmmaker Jacen Tan Who: The Other Side Venue: The Other Side, 66 Rowell Road, Singapore 207439 Date: 29.11.2008 Sat till 29.11.2008 What: Jacen Tan, who will give a talk on budget film-making followed by a screening of his short films, which include Tak Giu and Zo Gang. |
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