Pjinstillers (Painkillers) (2014) - Gjis Blom

Pjinstillers or Painkillers in English is a dutch film about young student and pianist Casper Van Riel who dreams of becoming a composer. At the beginning of the film, he was able to succeed in his audition to join a youth orchestra, but this is dampened by him finding out that his mother who raised him as a single parent has cancer. This causes him to search for the father he has never known, to examine his life, and do whatever he can to keep his beloved mother alive.

 The movie starts out kind of slow, it is to be expected in films of this genre , but it felt like some things were unnecessary. Like the sideline story line of the girl that Casper likes who is just using him. It may have been better if they simply focused on him dealing with his mother, the orchestra , where the true love interest lies , and his search for his father. It felt like simply piling up on Casper for the sake of adding more drama when there is enough in the movie in the first place, although the added dimension of the girl's racist father was amusing it really was not needed.

 As for the performance, many of the supporting characters were pretty mechanical, but the main characters did deliver, Gjis Blom who plays Casper and Susan Radder who plays Anouk, a fellow orchestra member did inject life into the film. Gijs was able to portray sad and stoic without being boring, and Susan was a burst of sunshine in the scenes she was in. Birgit Schuurman who plays Marit , the cancer stricken mother of Casper showed just the right amount of pain , weakness, strength and fun that showed the different facets of her character in a short period.

 The second half of the movie is where things start to get good. When all the fillers were removed , and the film focused on the main story line , and the pace started picking up. It is also where Gijs performance goes from good to excellent. Obviously it may be due to the fact that their is more emotion in this part of the story, but if handled incorrectly it could wind up too melodramatic, it didn't. The last part was more raw and real, except for the cliche bicycle ride and journey to Prague that felt forced and out of place.

 The vague ending seemed useless somehow, a clear resolution to that part of the story may have been better. As a whole the film is actually a mess, and is somehow confused in what it tries to be, is it a drama. a comedy, a teen romance? It tries to be all of that and not wholly succeeding. It can be enjoyable if you get through the first part , since the second half is a delight, just don't expect too much out of it.

 Watch Trailer Here

 Directed by Tessa Schram

Cast
Gijs Blom as Casper Van Riel
Birgit Schurman as Marit Van Riel
Susan Radder as Anouk
Massimo Pesik as Pim
Raymond Thiry as Robert Van Laren
Tijn Docter as Felix

Mana (2014)

This was a movie that I really wanted to see, not only did it struck close to home as it was shot and told the story of my home province . The characters , the family in the film , even their old house , reminded me so much of mine . Of course there have been plenty of movies that revolved around the same topic like the grand epic "Oro Plata Mata " (look it up it's a great movie from the 80's,in fact one of the stars of Mana; Cherie Gil is the lead actress in that movie) , still this one is on a different path as it adds a certain supernatural element to the old class-tale that has been retold plenty of times in the small and big screen.

Mana tells the story of an old aristocratic family in the island of Negros who have gathered around their sick Matriarch. The children who now lead separate adult lives are arguing about a mysterious inheritance . While most arguments of this nature tend to be about someone wanting the inheritance, the children are actually fighting because not one of them wants it. Things take a dark turn as various mysterious events unfold, slowly revealing how truly dark the past of this family is.

Despite being an independent production , this movie was able to gather some very big veteran movie stars to play in the ensemble cast, which includes Cherie Gil known for her iconic villain roles and for uttering one of the most famous movie quotes in south-east asian cinema , her brother Mark Gil , a long standing movie star , Jaime Fabregas, Ricky Davao , Epy Quizon a well know character actor and the son of the legendary Dolphy , and Tetchie Agbayani who not had a long career in asian cinema but also starred in a few hollywood films in the 80's . Top performers all , and did they deliver? Oh yes , above and beyond. The acting was superb , every small nuances and movement provided tensions and foreshadowed the dark events unfolding . It was fairly refreshing , usually people who gather in big old houses on horror films are a bunch of horny good-looking screen teenagers who lack any sort of amazing theatrical capability . The cinematography and production design is to be applauded as well and added well to the eerie atmosphere. And on a personal side-note it was fun to see again so many people I know on screen on this movie . Watch this if you can , even if you are not a fan of the genre , their is enough family drama and and back story to entertain without it going to the level of a soap opera, besides the high caliber actors are good enough reason as I have said. Watch Trailer

Directed by : Gabriel Fernandez

Cast
Fides Cuyugan-Asensio
Tetchie Agbayani
Ricky Davao
Jaime Fabregas
Cherie Gil
Mark Gil
Jeffrey Quizon

Hugo (2011)

To say that Hugo is "magical" would be an understatement. This movie has more magic in it than all the syfy movie fantasy specials combined, but then again that is not too much of a stretch. No Hugo is not a fantasy film , but if you want to know what magic I'm talking about you really have to see it . Hugo is actually historical fiction , about a an orphan boy who lives in a Paris train station. I don't really want to give out too much of the synopsis , since it might spoil the "magic" of which I'm talking about. I prefer that you let the movie enfold you as you get to watch the stunning visuals , and experience the twist and turns of it's beautiful storyline. Asa Butterfield who wowed audience in his performance in " The Boy in the Stripe Pyjamas " delivered a performance that could put veteran actors twice his age to shame. Him playing Hugo was an excellent casting choice although I still find it funny why Parisians are always portrayed speaking in a British accent . Anyways the rest of the ensemble , although overshadowed by this young man , seriously even Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley was upstaged by Asa . Still they all delivered a magnificent performance. All characters no matter how small the screen time were all fleshed out . Is it any wonder that this movie won all those Oscars? Or were nominated so much in the year it came out ? Watch it , no matter your age this film would bring wonder to your eyes...

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by : Martin Scorcese

Cast
Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret
Chloë Grace Moretz as Isabelle
Ben Kingsley as Georges Méliès / Papa Georges
Sacha Baron Cohen as Inspector Gustave
Helen McCrory as Jeanne d'Alcy / Mama Jeanne
Michael Stuhlbarg as René Tabard
Jude Law as Hugo's father
Ray Winstone as Claude Cabret
Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse
Emily Mortimer as Lisette
Frances de la Tour as Madame Emile
Richard Griffiths as Monsieur Frick
Marco Aponte as a train engineer assistant
Kevin Eldon as policeman
Gulliver McGrath as young Tabard
Angus Barnett as a cinema manager
Ben Addis as Salvador Dalí
Emil Lager as Django Reinhardt
Robert Gill as James Joyce

Boy A (2007)

Many of us know Andrew Garfield as Spiderman. It is the role that made him a Movie Star but Boy A is the movie that made him a great actor and most probably brought him to the Spiderman gig.

The film is the story of a young ex-con incarcerated for killing a young girl , the story is told in flashback as he tries to live a normal life after leaving jail and for his own security assumes a new identity. This is a beautifully dark haunting tale told from a criminal's perspective . And it gripped me from start to finish, Andrew Garfield is perfect in his ability to project a young man coming to terms with the horror of what he did , and how to move on from it. You can actually see the pain from his eyes even at the most enjoyable moments of his new life . And really it gets you thinking , especially on how criminals are shown in the media and how we as a society treat them . Do we rehabilitate or do we punish ? Is someone who did something horrible in the past be beyond redemption? Do they not deserve a second chance? Of course each of us would have a different answer and our own opinion , but at the very least this movie gives us an insight and allows us to question our core beliefs . Which is what makes it a great movie and of course the performance of the cast led by Andrew Garfield . Well written, well acted and beautifully told this movie should not be passed up . Watch it when you get the chance.



Watch Trailer Here



Directed by John Crowley



Cast
Andrew Garfield as Eric Wilson / Jack Burridge
Peter Mullan as Terry
Siobhan Finneran as Kelly
Alfie Owen as Eric Wilson
Victoria Brazier as Teacher
Skye Bennett as Angela
Katie Lyons as Michelle
Taylor Doherty as Phillip Craig
Shaun Evans as Chris
Anthony Lewis as Steve

Summer in February (2013)

I'm a sucker for any period film set in the english countryside . No matter what the story is or how bad the review I don't care , there is something romantic about the english countryside in a bygone era.

Summer in February is a period film based on a true story about a love triangle that occurred between the famous british painter Alfred Munnings , his friend Captain Gilbert Evans and the girl they both loved , the beautiful but disturbed Florence Carter Wood who happens to be an aspiring painter. They all meet in the beautiful Cornish Coast in the Lamorna valley Estate , where a group of Bohemian painters have formed a community . The setting is beautiful, there is no denying that , and the cinematographers were able to capture it perfectly . The premise is interesting and the story is intriguing . Also Dominic Cooper who played Alfred Munnings, to whom I share a birthday as I later found out , was able to deliver a fine performance, he was a standout among the cast. But that is all that is good in this movie. Dan Stevens who play Gilbert Evans appeared to be really mechanical in this. I've seen him in Downton Abbey , he is good at playing the English Gentleman , but then it doesn't really require much to do that . A little bit of training and a dash of acting is all you need. He should really try to spread his wings and try to do more juicy roles. The other end of the love triangle ; Emily Browning is no better , in fact I found her performance rather annoying . You should really feel some sort of pity for her character , but you don't . This is a movie that you watch to pass the time , it can be sort of entertaining but don't expect anything great . Hey the scenery is amazing, there is that...

Watch Trailer Here

Cast
Dominic Cooper asAJ Munnings
Emily Browning as Florence Carter-Wood
Dan Stevens as Gilbert Evans
Hattie Morahan as Laura Knight
Mia Austen as Dolly
Shaun Dingwall as Harold Knight
Max Deacon as Joey Carter-Wood

Metro Manila (2013)

This film is very interesting, it presents a reality which I say is very true to the point. The crime , the grit , the hard life that is shown in this, the sleazy night life of metro manila , which is very exact, which makes me wonder what the british director Sean Ellis did in Metro Manila when he came to visit hmmm. Well enough of that , from the articles I've read the film was inspired by a vacation to the Philippines of the director.I guess maybe he saw with clearer eyes because it is from the point of view of an observer _ I don't know. But he was able was able to weave an amazing and beautiful story out of it and it wasn't even out there it is really grounded in reality.

The story of a man from a province in the Philippines who goes to the capital manila has been told before in Lino Brocka's " Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag " a movie included in a list of 100 greatest movies in world cinema. In fact this film kind of echoes a lot of the themes , yes there are a lot of similarities - but it is really two different movies and both are brilliant. Metro Manila tells the story of a rice farmer who takes his family to the city of the movie's title, in search of a better life . There he finds that this metropolis may not be the land of opportunity he was hoping for and after several setbacks , and in desperation his wife finds work as a stripper , while he lands a dangerous job as a security guard for an armored car , and this is where the story takes of. This film starts out as a drama and actually sort of becomes a thriller and action film rolled into one . There are some very exciting moments , and great dramatic heights , Jake Macapagal a theatre actor who played the lead role was absolutely brilliant in this movie , there is no other word for it. And the supporting cast such as John Arcilla who played his partner as well as the others also did very well . It was really great to watch . Despite the gritty environment , everything was beautifully shot . I could literally smell the smog, and get a feel of the heat and the trash and yet everything on the screen was like a photograph . That was very well done . And the storyline , oh my what an excellent twist in the end , brought tears in my eyes , a mixture of sadness and happiness, it was excellent. I heard the United Kingdom is submitting this as their entry for the Best Foreign Language film in the Academy Awards , I hope it goes through and even win because this movie, the cast , crew and most especially the director really would deserve that honor and again what a brilliant film ...

Watch Trailer Here

Directed by: Sean Ellis

Cast
Jake Macapagal as Oscar Ramirez
Althea Vega as Mai Ramirez
John Arcilla as Ong

On the Job (2013)

On the Job is a crime drama about four men whose lives are entangled in conspiracy and crime . It is the story of two hit men recruited from jail to assassinate targets. Through corruption and bribery they are often let out of the prison to do this job. One is an older hardened criminal, the other a young man who looks up to the older to teach him in the ways of killing for pay. Then there is the cop who only wants to do good but is often let back from promotion for this very reason He begins to handle the case of the two men . Then there is the detective from the National Bureau of Investigation who takes over the case and eventually partners with the goods cop, but has to contend with the fact that his father in law a politician together with other high ranking officials may be involved in this gun for hire syndicate.

This is a fine crafted action film it kind of reminds me of that Hongkong action flick "Infernal Affairs" many of you may be more familiar with its Hollywood remake "The Departed". It is gritty, it is action packed and the characters are well fleshed out. The plot is intricate and the story is amazing, and it is actually based on real events something which for me actually makes it better as a movie but not something good for society. I'm familiar with one of the leads, noted award winning actor Joel Torre , he is an alumni of my High school and he often comes back for cultural activities when I was a student. I know some of his nephews personally because they also studied in my high school,one of them was my classmate, the others I met through clubs and such.I've seen him in a play and other movies like the epic "Oro Plata Mata" , there is no denying this man's talent , but in this movie he really shines. There is so much intensity in him in this movie , he portrays the part of a father figure and a mentor really, well all the while bouncing it off the hardened cold blooded killer persona of the character , no easy feat but it was done artfully . The younger assassin played by Gerald Anderson, to those of you unfamiliar with him , this guy made a name for himself out of a reality show, then becoming famous by playing the cute boy next door type of characters. I have to say I was totally pleasantly surprised by how amazing he is in this movie, Joel Torre was at the top of his game in this movie but Gerald was able to match the veteran theatre and film actor scene by scene , sometimes he even outshone him. This two are the ones to watch in this film, the movie itself is already really good, but this two made it great . I've heard this film is up for international release soon, it dids premier at Cannes , so if you are lucky enough to be in a place where it is showing, don't miss it, it is really amazing.

Directed by : Erik Matti



Cast


Piolo Pascual as Francis Coronel, Jr.
Gerald Anderson as Daniel Benitez
Joel Torre as Mario "Tatang" Maghari
Joey Marquez as Sergeant Joaquin Acosta
Angel Aquino as Lolet
Vivian Velez as Thelma
Shaina Magdayao as Nicky Coronel
Empress Schuck as Tina
Michael de Mesa as Manrique
Rayver Cruz as Agent Navarete
Leo Martinez as General Pacheco
William Martinez as Rex

Watch Trailer Here

Newcastle (2008)- Lachlan Buchanan, Xavier Samuel

Newcastle is a film about Jesse a surfer who has always been in the shadow of his older brother Victor, a former champion surfer who quits after a knee injury. Jesse, his friends — Nathan, Andy and Scotty — and his brother Fergus (who has a crush on Andy, which is reciprocated), along with two girls, go on a camping-surfing trip to a remote beach, but when Victor shows up tragedy hits.

This movie actually started really boring for me , okay many of the scenes were pretty boring. The performance of the actors seemed mechanical . The pacing of the story was very slow , everything was dragging, like they were given a set if time to make a movie so they just all sat around and tried to figure out " Hey what should the characters do to fill in the minutes " . The best part of the film were the surfing montages , the close up captures were beautiful , what I think they should have done was cut off the unecessary bits and all that drama. The ending was also pretty bad , I really don't get it . I was like , what on earth happened and that's it? That is all?..

Watch Trailer Here

Au Revoir Les Enfants-Bye Children (1987)

Au Revoir Les Enfants is one of the best films I have ever seen. When I saw this I thought it was a work of fiction but upon further research I found that it was an autobiographical work by the its director Louis Malle , he based it on his childhood experience while attending a catholic boarding school during the time of Nazi occupied France.

The film tells the story of Julien Quentin who is sent off to a carmelite boarding school, there the school's headmaster introduces three new students. One of them Jean Bonnet is Julien's age , at first Julien despises Bonnet , he even discovers by accident that Bonnet is a Jew and that his real name is Jean Kippelstein . As it turns out the school's headmaster is a compassionate Priest who has chosen to shelter three Jewish boys and disguised them as students because their life was in danger, being that France was occupied by the Nazis at that time. Despite all of this Julien eventually strikes up a close friendship with Bonnet...

This is a movie you must not miss, it has a lot of depth, and the cast delivered a wonderful performance . Everything was simple , there wasn't any great panoramic shots , or a strong immediate outburst of emotion , not even a resounding score, but a lot of scenes were very powerful . The characters were able to convey so much, by just a simple look, a snippet of conversation, or by simply standing there . It was brilliant watching it , there was no carnage , no brutality , the war seemed far away and non-existent. and yet , you could feel the dark over cast in every scene, no matter how innocent or how fun everything is , there is this feeling of dread, that something horrible was going on outside. The film also gives you different perceptions and view points from the innocent understanding of a child, essentially Louis Malle was able to filter down what he experienced into a perfect little work and gave the viewer a taste of it . It is amazing , and excellent work of French Cinema a true work of art...

You can watch the full Movie Here

Adore (2013) - Naomi Watts , Robin Wright , Xavier Samuel

This movie is more than it's hot and steamy premise, which is being "MILF" the movie. Let me explain the plot is about two childhood friends named Lil ansd Roz who are played by Naomi Watts and Robin Wright respectively, Lil is a widow who lives with her son Ian played by Xavier Samuel while Roz lives with her husband Harold and son Tom played by Ben Mendelsohn. They have remained best friends all through the years and live near each other in gorgeous South Wales, unsurprisingly their sons have also grown up to be best friends. Th foursome ( pun intended) as a result spends most of their time with each other , you know hanging out in each others home , hanging by the beach in front of their doorsteps. (By the way the place where they shot this in New South Wales is gorgeous, props to the Director of Photography for capturing it so beautifully.)Anyway things started getting creepy when Ian initiates a sexual relationship with Roz , and Tom finding out about his best mate and mother decides that hey maybe I should get a piece of ass myself to get back at my best friend ( you know if you fuck my mother, I fuck yours) so proceeds to do so with Lil, and all of this happens conveniently when Harold, Roz's husband is away for work in Sydney. This movie is kind of like a teenage boys' and a cougars' wet dream combined-but like I said it is more than that. The movie is very thought provoking obviously , especially since the characters took their indiscretion seriously but were able to convey it in a way that make it seemed so natural. You may be able to cringe at the first moments, but as you watch it there seems to be a level of understanding you feel for each of them. In fact you end up feeling happy for them , even if your mind is screaming at you that this is so fucking wrong. There is even this one great symbolic scene where they are in a balcony of Rozz and Tom's house enjoying the view of the beach and in the table there is this plate of cut apples and slowly each character takes one puts it in their mouth, essentially saying that each of them has partaken of the forbidden fruit-that was genius!

Wonderfully acted , gorgeous setting and cinematography, excellent storyline and a titillating premise , this film is absolutely amazing, you have to watch it, hopefully it might pick up an award or two, but regardless it is a great film.

Watch Trailer Here

This is England (2006)

Probably one of the finest coming of age films I have ever seen , and I have seen plenty of those , it is one of my favorite genres after all . This is England tells the story of a schoolboy growing up in 1980's England named Shaun , emotionally scarred by the death of his father in the Falkland wars , Shaun obviously is oversensitive about anyone mentioning his dad . After a fight in school in which he fights with another kid for making an offensive joke about his dad , Shaun meets a group of skinheads led by a teenager named Woody , feeling sympathy for him , Woody eventually entices him to join the group . At the start it is all fun and games until the arrival of Combo , an older skinhead who had just served a prison sentence , this is when things takes a darker turn........

The movie is a work of genius , there is no denying that and Thomas Turgoose , the kid who plays Shaun , delivers a vulnerable and heartbreaking portrayal . The film is extremely well written and even the supporting characters are well fleshed out even if most have only a few moments of screen time. I especially love the soundtrack , the use of piano and selected 80's music gives it a meaningful flair. There is even several montages of actual footage of England in the 80's which acts as a great opener and background to the story. It is truly European cinema at its best , and more than worth the time you watch it.

Watch Trailer Here

GoodBye Lenin! (2003)- Daniel Bruhl

This film is absolutely funny, not in the american pie-sort of funny, but in a very intelligent way. GoodBye Lenin in so many ways is a political satire placed within the microcosm of a german family living during a time of great political transition when the berlin wall fell. But the genius of this film is the fact that the politics and the changes are part of the background but is insinuated into the daily lives of the characters, in this way it blends . The film is the story of a young man Alex played by Daniel Bruhl whose mother a staunch socialist suffers a heart attack when she sees her son in a demonstration, what happens after is she falls into a coma, and is fast asleep when the political changes takes place, so that when she wakes up, her son fearing her medical condition creates an illusion for her, preferring not to tell her that the wall has fallen and that the East Germany she knows and loves is no more. What ensues is a hilarious but heartwarming drama, even at it's funniest this film touches you at the right places and tugs at your emotion, the mark of great film making. Of course all this won't be possible without the excellent performance of Daniel Bruhl, his Alex's earnest approach is what drives this film and holds it together, his performance alone is reason enough to watch this brilliant movie. Watch it, it is a must see....I especially love the beautiful ending which reminds me of the Katy Perry song Fireworks

watch trailer:Here

Friendship (2008)-Mario Maurer, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk

Friendship is a 2008 Thai film, about the love between two high school students during the 80's. It stars Mario Maurer of the Love of Siam fame and Apinya Sakuljaroensuk who would later become famous for the German film; Same same but different. Both actors are very talented as shown in both their films that I mentioned of, Maurer as a young teenager dealing with his sexuality and family, in Love of Siam, and Apinya as the HIV stricken lover in Same same but different. Is their performance equally good in friendship? I say Yes. The movie is actually worth watching for this two alone, problem is this movie is mostlty ONLY worth watching because of this two. Friendship tends to get over melodramatic at certain points, and truthfully I wished they had cut out most of the scenes that were shot in the modern time line ,and had gotten immediately to the flashback where most of the story took place. Although I do believe that the story would have been more endearing if they hadn't made such an effort to make it a tearjerker. The dramatic scenes and the climax felt forced, at one point it even felt kinda ludicrous as if they were piling problems at the characters just for the sake of piling problems. Overall not a really good film, but still watchable thanks to the two leads and the supporting teenage cast. Hint if you're going to watch this, skip the first bit , go straight to the flashback, trust me you'll still get the story just without the most annoying parts.

watch trailer:here

Tropa de Elite (2008)-Wagner Moura

One of the finest action films I have ever seen is how I would describe Tropa de Elite. This 2008 Brazilian film which tells the story of a BOPE Captain, (BOPE is the brazilian acronym for the Special Police Operations Battalion of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police),is one hell of a ride. It's a pre-eminent guy flick, lots of guns, explosions, and fighting. But this movie is more than just about the action, and no I'm not talking about it having some sort of drama where the hero goes through a dramatic exploration of self discovery. The film is more of a commentary on violence, society at-large, responsibility to your duty, and the moral dilemma of whether it is proper to use violence in certain situations. The scenes in the classroom where the students argue certain points about society is particularly interesting, because after seeing that you tend to take sides and see the actual disparity and differences in opinion.

Wagner Moura, the guy who plays Captain Nascimento, the lead character and narrator of the film delivers an extraordinary performance, so does the rest of the cast, but it is he who carries the film to magnificent levels. Trust me, there is not a single moment in watching this movie where you're attention would be drawn away. Even the quiet moments, the small scenes would keep you glued. This film is a masterpiece , and few Hollywood films could probably match it's intensity no matter how big their budget is. It's not just about how much you'll enjoy and have fun watching this great piece of cinema but how much it'll make you think and feel.

watch trailer:here

Napola-Before the Fall (2004)

Before the Fall otherwise know as Napola is a 2004 German film about a boarding school, created by the Nazis to produce a future ruling elite. Which is historically true.

The film is told through the eyes of Freidrich Weimer played to great effect by german actor Max Riemelt, a young teenager who was recruited due to his boxing skills.
His family is against him joining, but he eventually runs away to the boarding school where he discovers the actual cruelty of the Nazis, and befriends a boy so different from himself who is more than willing to stand up against all this.

Napola is a fascinating film, there are so many facets of Nazi Germany which many of us haven't yet delved into, And Napola offers us that, a glimpse into another form of Hitler's projects to create a master race. The characters are well fleshed out, this is not a war movie, World War II is not even in the background, it is spoken of, and it affects the characters in the film but doesn't move the movie. What we see is the life of Weimer, how he perceives things, and the conflict of the morality of the situation. We see him struggle, and behind him like some sort of conscience is his friend Albrecht who tries his best to open his eyes and see what the Napola truly is, eventually he succeeds in a haunting way.

I was completely astonished at the end of the movie, and it got me thinking which is a good sign , because great films are often the ones that leave a mark, this one won't disappoint.

watch trailer:here

Secret 2007-Jay Chou

At first glance, this movie seem to appear like your typical High School romantic film. Which it really is through majority of the film, but as you watch it unfold you get that feeling that there is something more bubbling up in the surface. What sets it apart, aside from the very unique storyline and plot twist, is the music. After watching this film one can really see how truly talented the star; Jay Chou is, I mean he did not only played the lead role, he also directed, wrote, and provided the soundtrack. The music is amazing, both on and off the screen, the way Jay would perform the piano in the movie is nothing short of genius, even if the entire film was bad ( which it is not) getting to watch this gifted individual "tickle the ivories" is worth a ticket alone.

As for the storyline, the plot twist caught me off-guard , I knew from the start that something strange was going on, but I never could figure it out, which is what makes it genius. On that note, the film made use of special effects quite well, it wasn't as overwhelming as what typical big budget Hollywood films would use, granted I don't think they have that kind of budget, there was a beauty in the subtlety . It was like the Special Effects Designer was taking cue from the music, which after thinking about it, Jay Chou who after all controlled a huge aspect of production may have been responsible for that too.

This is a great film, watching it is a magnificent experience for both your eyes and ears....

watch trailer:here