Tok Pixa Film Reviews

Iron Man 3 Connects on a More Personal Level

2013-05-21T18:00:00.000+10:00

I was hesitant about going to watch Iron Man 3. In fact, I avoided the premier even though screening in Port Moresby was a week before the States. But when I did finally go and see it, I was a bit shocked and surprised at it had more substance than the previous installment.

In Iron Man 3, the third installment of the series, our egoistic protagonist is attacked on a very personal level and has to rely on more than his iron suit. This gives us a more personal experience which connected well with me. I also noted the stark contrast between the old Tony and the new and improved.

The beginning of the film takes us back to 1999, on the eve of New Year, when a flamboyant, womanizing young Stark gives a scientist the run around and tells him to wait on the roof.

Fast forward to the future and that scientist is now the ghost head of a terrorist organisation threatening to destroy the United States. He also has super powers.

Now this makes it different from the previous installments There were not supernatural powers, only pure science. However, the events in The Avengers paved way for the smooth introduction of supernatural powers and unknown forces into the series.

The visual cues in this film were also brilliant. The new Iron Man suit clearly depicted the protagonist’s personality – new but unsure and “unready for combat.” At the same time Stark suddenly has anxiety issues – something foreign to the ever confident mechanic. However, it’s towards the ending that is more stunning.

The deployment of several automated Iron Man suits also represents the complexity of his personal character, and the battle is not only between himself and the equally egoistic antagonist played by Guy Pearce, but also a reflection of his inner turmoil.

It was also a good reminder of seeing the harder side of Pepper who actually gets to save Tony’s life.
Overall, I found Iron Man 3 to a bit more entertaining and was able to relate well with the story and character.

If this is the end of the series then they have done a marvelous job and went out with a loud bang (and fireworks).

Watch free movies this week

2013-05-20T10:25:00.001+10:00

Is the cinema too expensive for you? Well, you don’t need to always pay to watch films. In fact this week, Port Moresby residents have the opportunity to watch two films for free!

Now, it’s not in a fancy theater but the University of Papua New Guinea’s main lecture theater and it’s not a Hollywood screening but something with more cultured with substance.

The films, Le Grand Chef and A Barefoot Dream are South Korean dramas and will be screened starting on Wednesday as part of the Korean embassy’s promotion of its culture.

The great thing about this screening is that is free. Yes, just bring your square eyes and the popcorn.

Mothers’ Day specials at the cinemas

2013-05-10T15:47:00.002+10:00

Mothers’ Day is just a day away and if you haven’t got a gift for beloved mom, then why not try Paradise Cinemas’ Mothers’ Day Specials.

According to representatives from the company I called today, the promotion is only for Mothers’ Day (Sunday, 12 May) but conditions apply.

The mother who accompanies their offspring to the cinema will go in free, while the kid forks out for his or her ticket. However, there’s a catch – the kid has to be at the age of 12 and below. Sorry, all you big kiddies.

Another service you can enjoy is the use of SMS updates of schedules for films showing in the cinema. Well, how do you get started? You simply text time to 16727.

Now, I’m not sure of the rates so you might want to check with the cinema by calling 302 8574 /302 8541 /7374 6742 or email bookings@paradisecinemas.com.pg

Save money on the cinema with the Tuesdays specials

2013-05-06T14:23:00.002+10:00

In March, Paradise Cinemas ran a month long special with K10 off for tickets during weekdays. This saw a large number of people making use of the opportunity. Unfortunately, it’s back to normal and some of us are finding it expensive to go watch a movie. However, there is still some good news.

While, the March madness may have ended a couple of months ago, the Tuesdays specials is still going on. Every Tuesday you get K10 off for tickets! Yay! Yippee!

Anyway, I've rescheduled my viewing days to only Tuesdays in order to save some money and I’m off to book a ticket now. Catch you later!

Leopold’s Unbroken Will – the story of the oldest Nazi concentration camp survivor

2013-05-06T14:07:00.002+10:00

What happens when you survive horrific conditions? Your story gets immortalized in books and films. However, in the end death comes for us all and so as one of the oldest Nazi concentration camp survivors, Leopold Engleitner, aged 107, who died on April 21.

Leopold’s life was documented in a book and film Unbroken Will: The Extraordinary Courage of an Ordinary Man by Austrian film maker and author Bernhard Rammerstorfer and he toured Europe and America to share his experiences.

The book and film showcases the extraordinary courage that an ordinary man displayed during the harshest of times.

He had survived three concentration camps and forced labor between 1939 and 1945 after refusing to renounce his faith as a Jehova’s Witness.

The Unbroken Will educational DVD can be purchased for US$19.99 on www.rammerstorfer.cc or you can order the book on Amazon.com.

Tom Cruise and Olga Kuylenko are Lovers in Oblivion

2013-05-02T15:32:00.001+10:00

Tom Cruise always gets the girl and in Oblivion, he gets to kiss the ravishing Olga Kurylenko but there’s more.

The kiss ignites memories and soon has him questioning his whole life.

Oblivion is a sci-fi action thriller that is not too complicated to get your head twisted around its logic but is interesting enough to leave your gasping for more.

Set in the near future (2077 to be exact) when aliens have invaded the planet and destroyed our moon, and even though man won the war, Earth was lost - not entirely - but whatever remains is harvested by the last humans to be used on the journey to Titan; Jupiter’s moon. However, not everything is as it seems.

This is indicated clearly in the beginning when we witness Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) having dreams about a woman (Olga Kurylenko) in the now desolate New York.

This scene is repeated and obviously gets you thinking because they also mention that his memory was voluntarily erased.

The recurring dream also had me questioning Jack’s own sanity. However, that notion is quickly dispelled when our protagonist gets to meet the woman of his dreams.

The film had a recurring word –drones – being mentioned too many times which obviously should trigger some kind of word association like drones and clones. Ahem! I think I might be giving too much away.

Anyway, if you are looking for a plot a thick as The Matrix, then don’t. Oblivion is a bit simpler and has a straight forward plot. However, it does thicken toward the end but all questions are answered in the final 20 minutes or so and the cloud of confusion clears. Like many good thrillers, the story doesn't give away the plot too soon.

Tom Cruise is no stranger to sci-fi and his acting can be compared to the many similar roles he has played over his career. This is not a new shoe for him. However, the shoe does fit quite well and he sets the pace for a cruise into oblivion.

Paradise Cinemas’ upcoming attraction, Saving General Yang, looks exciting

2013-04-30T16:05:00.001+10:00

An upcoming film to premier next at Paradise Cinemas looks exciting. The next main attraction would be Saving General Yang, and with a title that sounds like Saving Private Ryan you can be sure to find a lot of action.

This Ronnie Yu film is about seven brothers who must put their differences aside and join forces to rescue their father, General Yang.

Yu’s last project was with Jet Li in Fearless so you can expect some, err a lot of classical Kung Fu action. He is also credited with hyper active films like The 51st State and Freddy vs. Jason.

Premier dates for Saving General Yang in Port Moresby are yet to be announced but the film has already premiered in Hong Kong on April 4 so we assume it might come out as soon as next week.

The Invisible War – a documentary on sexual assault in the US military

2013-04-29T11:24:00.001+10:00

The 2012 groundbreaking investigative documentary The Invisible War touches on a topic that is quite sensitive and the subject of numerous cover ups – sexual assault in the United States (US) military.

The film documents the daily struggles of several servicewomen who were raped while in active duty. It brings the audience right into the women’s lives and shows how their lives have been affected…but it’s the lack of support these women have received from the organizations that they once served in that really burns the fuse.

As members of a supposedly elite organization, you expect sexual assault intolerable. Unfortunately, the documentary shows us otherwise and how the military uses “the chain of command” to protect the perpetrators.

It zeroes in on the fact that most of the rape cases, either male or female, are often swept under the carpet and for those who do report, the victim ends up being the ones persecuted.

The film also points out the ineffective techniques that the military has been using to try and deter assaults. It also brings to light the sexist treatment ever present in the masculine dominated fraternity.

The only drawback to this documentary was that it only got one side of the story. There were no interviews from those in active duty save for one who had her identity hidden, or those accused of sexual assault. However, knowing the military – the filmmakers had very little chance of getting officers to talk.

For anyone, male or female, thinking that the military is a glamorous career choice this is a film that may just change your mind. Not only will it make you think twice but it will also make you cringe at the thought of your daughter, sister or female relative joining the ranks.

The Coconut Revolution – an award winning documentary about the first true eco-revolution

2013-04-26T15:30:00.001+10:00

The 2001 multi-award winning documentary, The Coconut Revolution, is more than just a film about the struggle of the indigenous Bougainville people during the bloody conflict between the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government, CRA and mining giant Rio Tinto.

The film depicts the ingenuity of local knowledge combined with the resourcefulness of the people who are cut off from the rest of the world and force to improvise with what they have.

In their attempts to show the world they are capable of being independent, the Bougainville people revolutionize the use of coconut, much like their ancestors had for generations, to create their own economical and affordable fuel source – an eco-revolution. However, the film covers more than just use of coconut.

The creativity and ingenuity of the people are highlighted with the manufacture of their own high weapons, a mini hydro power plant and the use of herbal medicine as alternatives to manufactured pills.

The most amazing footage would be their interview with elusive Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) leader, Francis Ona, and his portrayal as a people’s leader.

Many people have drawn parallels between this documentary and James Cameron’s 2009 fictional blockbuster Avatar.

The Coconut Revolution has won a number of awards including:

Grand Prize, FICA Festival of Environmental Film, Brazil;
British Environment and Media (BEMA) Awards Richard Keefe Memorial Award - WWF;
Golden Kite, Best Documentary, Mar del Plata, Argentina, and;
Silver Kite, Best Film for Young People, Argentina.

Iron Man 3 opens in Port Moresby - a week ahead of US

2013-04-26T14:47:00.002+10:00

Egoistic billionaire playboy comic superhero Iron Man premiered it’s third installment at Paradise Cinemas in Port Moresby yesterday – a week ahead of the United States – giving the opportunity to Papua New Guinean film goers the chance to watch it before their counterparts on the other side of the world.

As a commemoration of the premier, Paradise Cinemas are running a promotion with limited Iron Man t-shirts up for grabs! However, this is not the first time a film was supposed to premier in the country ahead of the US.

The Croods was set to premier a day before the US screening. However, the late arrival of the film forced screen premier to be pushed a day late – the same day it premiered in the US. Anyway, that is water under the bridge.

According to synopsis provided by the cinema, Stark (Iron Man) is pitted against villain Mandarin whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark’s personal world is destroyed, he embarks on a harrowing quest for find those responsible.

Iron Man 3 will screen at cinema 1 weekly from 12pm, 2:40pm, 5:30pm and 8:10pm, and on weekends on 10:15am, 12:55pm, 3:40pm and 7:45pm.

For further information or reservations call (+675) 302 8574 /302 8541 /7374 6724 or email bookings@paradisecinemas.com.pg

3 Idiots better than the Stooges

2013-04-26T11:05:00.001+10:00

If there’s one movie that sets the standard for comedy buddy films, it’s the 3 Stooges. However, Bollywood came up with a golden formula with the 2009 comedy-drama 3 Idiots.

3 Idiots is about three friends in college who share a passion for learning and a room. The buddies; Farhan, Raju and Rancho join the prestigious fictional Imperial College of Engineering (ICE). However, Farhan and Raju’s academic achievements are below par and are often ridiculed by Silencer and Professor Virus.

Their lack of achievement, while seen as bad by their peers, is because of a lack of passion for their subject – according to Rancho who seems to be an expert.

3 Idiots is a lot like Accepted and questions the formal education system as a mere production line.

It puts into perspective the difference between education and learning, and shows us that success should never be measured by quantity but rather in quality.

3 Idiots has it all; comedy, drama and action (a little) but most importantly it’s a film about friendship.

Making a Splash: The Impact of the 1984 Mermaid Film

2013-04-24T15:51:00.001+10:00

What's so Special about Splash?

Splash made quite a splash in 1984 when it was released. There were a number of reasons like the fact that it launched the career of one of Hollywood’s highest grossing actors, or that a production label was created to release it or that it made a mark in cinema during its opening week.

Launching Tom Hanks

In the 1980s Tom Hanks was a relatively small-time actor starring in the TV sitcom Bosom Buddies. The show was about two single men working in the advertising industry who disguise themselves as women in order to rent an apartment they could afford.

The show ran from 1980 – 1982. However, it was Hank’s guest appearance in an episode of Happy Days that caught the eye of director Ron Howard.

Howard, if you can recall, played the role of Richie Cunningham in Happy Days and was the protagonist in the series in the first seven years.

He had been impressed with Hanks’ performance in Happy Days and Bosom Buddies that he decided to cast the relatively unknown actor as the protagonist in Splash. The rest, we know, is history.

READ MORE...

Its Two Weddings and a Funeral in Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business (2012)

2013-04-08T13:07:00.002+10:00

Set five years after they entered our lives, the Duckrockers are back but this time they are in for big trouble in the world’s largest Polynesian city – Auckland.

It’s been a while and life has changed for Albert, Michael, Stanley and Sefa.

Albert is now married to Tania, and they’ve moved into the suburbs – Glenfield, to be exact.

Michael is away in Australia working in real estate, and trouble seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

Weird Stanley is a trainee Deacon of the Future Church and has given up alcohol, women and food. On top of that he's starting to quote common English sayings as text from the Bible.

Party boy Sefa has changed his old ways but his business is falling apart. However, his wife Leilani seems to be living life to the fullest. Could it because of her personal trainer?

The Duckrockers are reunited again to pay tribute to their boy Sione who dies suddenly. However, crucial voice of reason, Polo, is missing from the funeral and their Samoan pastor sends them on an errand to find him.

Following the formula of success from the Sione’s Wedding, they guys are racing against time to find Polo. However, on their journey they soon uncover circumstances that suggest Polo’s may also be at stake.

Although the film starts off with sombre tone (you know the death and all), it slowly picks up and steadily gets us laughing within ten minutes. However, this time there is also an air of deeper mystery and suspense.

Without giving too much away, let’s just say the friends did not know Sione as well as they thought.

While the film Duckrocked – the soundtrack is awesome and features tracks from top Pacific artists including Savage, Monsta, P-Money, David Dallas, Home Brew and many more.

Is Fast and Furious 6 the End of the Road for the Franchise?

2013-04-05T14:52:00.000+10:00

On May 24, the latest installment in the Fast and Furious franchise will hit cinemas and already we've got hints to what’s coming.

We know that Michelle Rodrigues is making a comeback. She supposedly died in one of the installments (I can’t recall which).

We also know the crew are on America’s Most Wanted list and cannot return to the States and that agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) will offer them a deal.

And with Michelle Rodrigues’ latest post on Facebook, we are wondering if this is the end of the franchise.

Rodrigues shared a poster on Facebook that makes us wonder what this latest installment will lead to.

The poster doesn't say much but it does come with the tag “ALL ROADS LEAD TO THIS”.

Does this imply that they have reached the end of the road? I believe this could be the end of the globally successful franchise built on sleek cars, hot women and the adrenaline of being on the fast and furious side of the road.

What do you think?

Top Film Critic, Roger Ebert, Dead at 70

2013-04-05T10:10:00.002+10:00

One of the world’s top film critics, Roger Ebert, is dead at the age of 70. He died on Thursday after complications with thyroid cancer, according to iMDb.

Ebert was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize and the most recognizable avuncular champion.

Roger Ebert is the gold standard that every film critics aspires to be and his straight shooting style of reviewing will be missed.

Rest in Peace.

GI Joe: Retaliation (2013) is All about Relationships

2013-04-05T00:17:00.000+10:00

The second installment of the GI Joe franchise follows the original story but loses most of its original heroes, but also gives room for other Joes to shine.

This is quite ironic as the underlying theme is about friendships and bonds thicker than blood.

You won’t find most of the characters in the first installment, GI Joe: Rise of Cobra, except for Storm Shadow, Snake Eyes and Duke. Unfortunately, Duke gets knocked off early into the film leaving a new cast of characters for GI Joe: Retaliation.

Oops, I almost forgot, the original bad guys are back with Jonathan Pryce (President/Zartan), Byung-hun Lee (Storm Shadow) and Arnold Vosloo (Zartan), all reprising their roles.

We are also introduced to ex-Joe turned villain, Firefly (Ray Stevenson).

The new set of Joes includes a Jaye and a Jinx; a deadly female ninja from the same clan as Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow’s cousin, bringing variety to the stereotypical male role.

In GI Joe: Retaliation, there is an ambush ordered by the Zartan, posing as the President of the United States (US), which nearly wipes out the entire GI Joe team. Fortunately, Roadblock played by the bulky Dwayne Johnson, Lady Jaye (portrayed by the luscious Adrianne Palicki) and Flint (D.J Cotrona) survive the attack.

The main theme in the film is on relationships.

Roadblock and Duke are best mates and when the Joes are killed, including Duke, the team retaliates with full force. Unfortunately, I found it prompted questions about Duke’s former best buddy in Rise of Cobra, Ripcord (played by funnyman Marlon Wayans), and the rest of the team.

The relationship between Duke and Roadblock is portrayed in the battlefield and home environment indicating how close they are. There is also a sexual pun on their bond, and might take a jab at homosexuality in the military (I’m just saying).

Then you have Jaye who joined the Joes to prove herself to her military father. However, the main focus is on the relationship between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes.

Retaliation closes a chapter in the ongoing feud between the two deadly ninjas and solves the riddle to who actually killed their master and why. It’s a revealing close for the chapter but it’s not the end.

We also introduced to the original GI Joe, played by the aging action star Bruce Willis, who becomes a substitute for Jaye’s father. It’s almost like Willis reprising his John McClane character as a Joe and channeling that father-daughter relationship he had to Jane.

Willis' character is the original GI Joe, General Joseph "GI Joe" Colton.

GI Joe: Retaliation uses 3D to its advantage and brings a heightened sense of realism to the mountain fights between Snake Eyes, Jinx and the bad ninjas. I had to duck and dodge a couple times...and so did the guy sitting next to me.

Overall, this GI Joe installment is a new breed of heroes fighting an old, unseen enemy and ends with a big bang – a few to be exact. However, it still leaves room for a further installment.

The Return of Riddick – First Look at the Teaser for 2013

2013-03-25T12:54:00.000+10:00

Yes! We always knew Riddick would be back, and Vin Diesel has kindly shared the teaser trailer with us (and all his fans).

I’m not sure where the story begins. However, the synopsis provided by IMDb.com reads “left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick's past.”

As I mentioned in my previous review of Parker, the only two actors that have made antiheroes likable are Vin Diesel as Riddick and, of course, Jason Statham in Parker.

Anyway, I’m so looking forward to watching Riddick (to be released in September).

The Croods and Their Colorful Journey through Evolution

2013-03-23T23:51:00.000+10:00

The Croods is a 2013 3D animation about a family of cavemen – the Croods – who are forced to abandon the comfort and safety of their cave after their world starts to collapse.

The animation is voiced by some of Hollywood’s hottest stars; Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage and Ryan Reynolds, and gives Barney Rubble a run for his money.

It is directed by Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders and produced by DreamWorks Animation.

Emma Stone plays the curious teenager, Eep, who feels like she is missing out on something. Her constant attraction to things unknown (to her and her family) is constantly irking her over protective father.

Her father Grug (voiced by Cage) is constantly afraid that something bad may happen if he is not around. He is constantly reminding the family that fear is good and that staying hidden in their cave is good. However, his authority comes into question when Eep meets Guy.

Guy, animated by Ryan Reynolds, has characteristics opposite to Grug which seems to attract Eep like a moth to flame. Instead of relying on his strength, he uses his brain and constantly comes up with new ideas to improve life. This amuses Eep even more, much to the anguish of Grug.

The star of the film is Eep and she gets to narrate the story to the audience. This puts into perspective the use of colors in the film.

The Croods starts off with a bland lifeless back setting, which reflects the outlook Eep has on life in her cave. However, when they are forced out of the security of their cave, they are greeted by a new vibrantly colorful world.

The most obvious color used was red which indicated pain and danger. This is represented in the flesh eating birds, pointy sharp coral that stops Grug in his tracks and the large flesh eating plants.

Their world also contains creatures that are curious and confusing like the walking whales, flying piranha birds, flying turtle birds…well, let’s just say evolution is at its infancy.

Unlike the Flintstones’ world which contained dinosaurs, this one contains animals that are still in the process of evolving. It points to an alternative theory of evolution.

For example, Guy isn’t what you would call a caveman. Instead he resembles the modern man. His counterparts, all except for Eep, have strong caveman features. This would represent a coexistence between the species.

Toward the end of the film, we witness a complete evolution (maybe not) of Grug who instead of relying on strength starts to use his brain as well.

If you intend for a deeper analysis of the film then fine. However, The Croods is a colorful, funny and touching tale of family ties (and over protective fathers) and should not be taken too seriously.

Read what other reviewers are saying about The Croods.

Top 5 Films I’m Look Forward to Reviewing

2013-03-22T13:51:00.000+10:00

A lot of great movies are set to be released this year and I’m hyped about putting out more reviews. Here is my list of the top 5 films I’m looking forward to watching – and reviewing.

Film Title	Plot	Trailer
GI Joe: Retaliation	The G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.
Fast and Furious 6	Agent Hobbs enlists the aid of Dom and team to help bring a rival gang, led by Owen Shaw, to justice. In exchange for clear records, they must put an end to their schemes, no matter how personal the cost.
Iron Man 3	When Tony Stark's world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, Stark starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Despicable Me 2	Gru, the girls, Dr. Nefario and the unpredictably hilarious minions return, along with a host of new characters.
Man of Steel	A young journalist raised by his adoptive parents after he was transported to Earth in infancy from the dying planet of Krypton finds himself in the position to save humankind after Earth is attacked.

Plots sourced from IMDb.com

Jack the Giant Slayer Lacks a Punch Line

2013-03-22T11:31:00.000+10:00

Jack the Giant Slayer Lacks a Sense of Humor

Jack the Giant Slayer basically lacked a sense of humor found in most PG13 films although they did try. But it made up for that with amazing 3D graphics, heights and a beautiful princess in distress.

The screenplay was written by Darren Lemke, Christopher McQuarrie and Dan Studney and is directed by Brian Singer.

In this 2013 retelling of the classic children’s fairy-tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack is given some beans seeds as collateral for his uncle’s horse by a monk. Unfortunately, when one of the seeds falls down and comes in contact with water – it sprouts and grows up to gigantic proportions, and becomes the gateway for the giants to invade.

Jack’s character, played by Nicholas Hoult, is a young farm boy who dreams of adventure and is fascinated by the legend of Erik; an ancient king who defeated the giants with a magical crown.

Hoult, if you can recall, portrayed Marcus in About a Boy and was nominated for a couple awards and won best performance by a youth in a supporting role by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.

He does an acceptable job as Jack who is portrayed as more of a lover than a fighter. However, that does not mean he lacks courage. On the contrary, Jack, although defenseless will stand up for a pretty face.

We get a glimpse of his bravado when he tries to protect the honor of a young lady harassed by some drunkards. He later discovers that she is the Princess Isabella.

Princess Isabella, portrayed by Eleanor Tomlinson, is caught between her desire for adventure and her duty to the kingdom. She is to marry, against her will, the king’s adviser, Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci).

Tucci is one of the funniest men I've seen on film. He has on many occasions brought comic relief to audiences. Unfortunately, his attempts at humor in this were lame, at best. That is not to say he did not try – he did. However, the setting and mood of the film took out the punch in his punch lines.

Shades of Green

The film is not as colorful and is filled with an overwhelming use of green and greenery which I can only speculate implies harmony and stability in the Empire. Or could it represent the might of the British military?

I bet a full explanation of the symbols and colors used will come out with the DVD and Blu-ray release.

An analogy of the British Empire

Is this what Jack represents?

The whole film is an analogy of the British Empire and its history. The wars with the giants represent the two world wars that Britain took part in and Jack obviously represents the country (Jack / Union Jack).

Royals marrying commoners is also something that happens in British history like Kate Middleton’s marriage to Prince William.

Toward the end of the film, we see the magical crown being crafted into The Crown depicted on the seal of countries within the Commonwealth, implying the power of the British monarch.

Conclusion

Jack the Giant Slayer was entertaining, although it lacked a sense of humor there were notable scenes that were funny. So it was not a total waste.

As for my analysis into the use of colors and symbolism in the film, we have to wait for the DVD release to corroborate and get an inside glimpse into the minds of the writes.

The Croods Premier Delayed to Friday

2013-03-21T10:23:00.001+10:00

Jack the Giant Slayer will premier today.

Dear readers,

The Croods will not premier on today as I had posted earlier.

It is with great disappointment that I have to be the bearer of such news.

I had, like many of you, been eagerly anticipating the premier of The Croods on Thursday. However, I have been informed that this will not take place. Instead, The Croods will premier on Friday (Marh 22).

The staff at Paradise Cinemas have informed me that this is due to the late arrival of the film.

Instead of having two films premier today, only Jack the Giant Slayer will premier and The Croods will premier on Friday.

Fortunately, you are still able to purchase tickets on specials to watch the premier tomorrow and due to the time difference, you still may get to watch it first.

See you at the premier of Jack the Giant Slayer today and happy watching!

Papua New Guinea Gets to See The Croods First

2013-03-20T10:32:00.002+10:00

Premiers on March 21 in PNG.

I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the trailer of Paradise Cinema’s upcoming feature, The Croods, last week while waiting to watch Oz the Great and Powerful.

The Croods is a 3D DreamWorks animation about a family from the caveman era whose world literally collapses around them.

The trailer points to a storyline akin to the Ice Age – but with people. However, like all trailers, we are never given a clear indicator of what is coming.

Papua New Guinean’s will get the opportunity to watch The Groods first.

The film will be premiering at Paradise Cinemas in Port Moresby on Thursday (March 21) while the rest of the world gets to see it on Friday. Yay!

Paradise Cinemas is also running a March promotion that sees K10 off the normal price for tickets during weekdays. That means you can catch the premier of The Croods while saving on tickets.

Now that’s worth watching!

Are the Minions in Despicable Me 2 in Danger?

2013-03-19T12:22:00.002+10:00

Are the Minions in danger?

With Despicable Me 2 set to be released on July 3, I decided to take a sneak peek at the trailer.

Trailers usually give the audience a glimpse of what to expect from the film. However, this one only keeps us guessing.

The trailer starts off with the minions putting the kids to bed, and then they are scared by a stray cat in the dumpster. They then get beamed up in a ray of light – like in alien abduction stories. Are they abducted? Or are they going home?

We actually don’t know where the minions come from so they could be from outer space. Have they gone home? Have they been abducted by Gru’s new nemesis? What’s happening to them?

The answers will be revealed on July 3. However, we can always speculate and theorize while we wait.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), a Plethora of Color, Sound and Emotion

2013-03-19T10:26:00.000+10:00

Oz the Great and Powerful tells the story of the Wizard of Oz, long before Dorothy ever landed there.

In this visually stunning cinematic journey, Oscar “Oz” Diggs, a small-time circus magician is carried away in a hot air balloon and ends up in Oz; a magical land.

James Franco who plays Oz brings out a delightfully funny yet unethical character who dreams of greatness.

In Oz he gets the chance to become great and powerful, yet inkling beneath this facade is a courageous man with a good heart.

Franco has displayed time and time again his veracity as an actor with an array of roles ranging from villain to hero, serious to comic. For me, his most powerful performance would have been as James Dean, but that’s for another time.

Oz starts out at a circus fair in Kansas and everything is literally black and white. It depicts his perspective of things and allows the audience to empathize with his character. We are also given an insight into his character and a brief back-story.

Oz’s ethics is questionable. He has had a number of female stage assistants, all leaving with broken hearts. And an assistant who he calls a “trained monkey”, although the assistant regards him as a friend.

When he lands in Oz, everything becomes colorful. For the first time he begins to believe in something.

Remember Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man from Wizard of Oz? Well Oz has all their weaknesses. He is a coward, doesn't seem to have a heart (it’s obvious) and his got the brains but doesn't use it for good.

The film canvases the strong but sometimes destructive power of love. Oz has a knack for making women fall in love with him. However, he, like the Tin Man, does not have one to give. Eventually, this will be used by the Wicked Witch to create another wicked one.

There are actually three witches in Oz. Theodora (Milla Kunis), Evanora (Racheal Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams).

Kunis does an amazing job and bewitches with her performance of a green monster and Weisz is blatantly evil. Williams on the other hand brings a beautifully contradicting character that is sugary sweet to her evil witchery sisters.

There are also a number of lovable characters especially China Girl who while made of china, an inanimate object, is full of emotion which adds to the element of contrast.

The audience will also be introduced to Cowardly Lion for the first time, although he makes a short cameo. It is during the scene where Oz tries to save the winged monkey.

Oz is directed by Sam Raimi who puts a brilliant display of colorful vision and from what I gather a sequel has been approved.

There are a number of loose ends that could be used to carry the story further, even a remake of the 1939 classic, Wizard of Oz. However, that will only be revealed in time.

Oz the Great and Powerful is a plethora of colors, sound and emotion.

It’s a Feast of Laughter in Sione’s Wedding (2006)

2013-03-15T13:03:00.000+10:00

Sione’s Wedding (or Samoan Wedding) is a 2006 comedy that centres around four Samoan friends; Michael (Robbie Magasiva), Sefa (Shimpal Lelisi), Albert (Oscar Knightly) and Stanley (Iaheto Ah Hi) living in Auckland, New Zealand.

Now, I know you are probably asking ‘who the hell is Sione?’ well let me explain. Sione, as the title suggests, is getting married.

He is Michael’s smaller bother, played by Magasiva’s real younger sibling Pua, and the only one of their group who has actually grown up and planning a life of his own.

The boys, err men, although older are more delinquents and don’t know how to keep a steady relationship.

Michael is a ladies man and will sleep with anything that wears a skirt. For Sefa, life is one big party and Albert is the good boy. Stan is just weird.

Anyway, after destroying a number of wedding celebrations, their pastor bans them from attending their boy’s (Sione) wedding for fear of what might happen. Sucks aye? Fortunately, Albert comes up with a brilliant idea of getting girlfriends so they will be too busy to mess things up.

Brilliant? Yes. Great idea? Not so fast. None of the ladies who fool around with Michael are not willing to go to the wedding as his girlfriend (a number of them are married), Sefa’s partying ways has just pissed his girlfriend off, Albert…he doesn't know how to talk to girls and Stan has an imaginary girlfriend.

Will these Samoan men find girlfriends in time to attend Sione’s wedding? Well, you can only find out by watching the film which is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray.

The gags are outrageous as we follow these friends in their quest to get girlfriends and eventually falling in love.

Sione’s Wedding or Samoan Wedding is feast of laughter, beautiful women, large men and will put you through a crash course about Samoan humor (if you haven't seen Laughing Samoans yet).