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FILM
hk pick
Horrible Bosses 2
(USA) Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and
Charlie Day return as the three best friends
who previously tried to off their obnoxious
bosses. After narrowly escaping prison
charges, the three decide that starting their
own business is probably a better option, but
once they’re duped by a wily businessman
(Christoph Waltz), they decide to kidnap his
adult son (Chris Pine) as a threat for ransom.
We wish it was more fun. Instead, it’s more
trailer trash: most of the good jokes—now
dumber and dirtier than its predecessor—
were already revealed in the promo, and the
trio’s constant bickering is good for nothing
but a migraine. PP
The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay Part 1
(USA) Hollywood’s darling JLaw returns as
Katniss Everdeen in the highly anticipated,
penultimate installment of the “Hunger
Games” franchise. As the resistance figures
out a way to save Peeta—now captured
by the government—Katniss is forced into
the role of rebel hero to save everyone she
loves. While full of great acting, beautiful
cinematography and badass action (as
badass as it gets for a YA movie), it’s the
weakest of the series so far and feels like
drawn-out filler before the grand finale. PPP
Interstellar
(USA) Christopher Nolan’s latest offering is a
mind-boggling space adventure. Set in an age
where Earth is increasingly unlivable, Matthew
McConaughey and Anne Hathaway play
extraterrestrial explorers sent to traverse the
galaxy in search of a new home for mankind.
You’ll be sucked in by the incredible visuals:
allow them to distract you from the ridiculous
Nolan-style plot twists. PPPP
John Wick
(USA) Keanu Reeves returns. This time, he’s
John Wick, an ex-hitman who comes out of
retirement looking for revenge on the Russian
thugs and crime bosses who wronged him.
The ones who mercilessly murdered his one
last love, Daisy… his pet beagle. Slow claps
all round for the greatest movie premise in
years, and a standing ovation for all the guns,
violence, and mayhem. PPPP
Meeting Dr. Sun
(Taiwan) In order to afford their tuition fees,
a group of teenage boys plot to steal the Sun
Yat-sen statue on campus and sell it for hard
cash… only to find that another group of boys
has exactly the same plan. Will they work
together, or bicker over the bronze
Rise of the Legend
(Hong Kong/China) Eddie Peng
(“Unbeatable”) plays the legendary martial arts
master and revolutionary, Wong Fei-hung. The
story is set in the late Qing dynasty, where a
corrupt Imperial Court thrives amongst opium
dens and brothels abound, and gang conflicts
begin to erupt. Wong Fei-hung flies in to bust
the gangs from the inside: Anti-corruption!
Yeah! Sammo Hung also makes an appearance
as the crime boss who mentors him, alongside
notable cameos by Angelababy and Tony
Leung Ka-fai. You won’t be disappointed by the
plentiful ab-tastic scenes and intense action,
but just allow Peng & co. to sit pretty and don’t
expect any deeply felt acting here. PPP
Saint Laurent
(France) Two YSL biopics in one year!
Following January’s release of “Yves Saint
Laurent,” this is hardly a do-over: “Saint
Laurent” by Bertrand Bonello stars the
dashing Gaspard Ulliel as the titular fashion
legend. It’s a darker glimpse into his midcareer
grind—with plenty of sex, drugs and
alcohol to keep viewers titillated, and equal
measures of fashion history to keep sartorial
experts intrigued. But a fair warning: it’s very,
very slow. PPP
The Snow White Murder Case
(Japan) Yoshihiro Nakamura (who made
tearjerking puppy flick “Quill”) takes on this
murder mystery. A beautiful OL working at
a cosmetics company is found burned and
stabbed to death: it’s up to TV presenter Yuji
Akahoshi (Gou Ayano) to get to the bottom
of it. If the OL really was the fairest of all, it’s
probably just because of makeup.
Tokyo Tribe
(Japan) Based on the legendary manga by
Santa Inoue, “Tokyo Tribe” is a film by Sion
Sono (“Suicide Club,” and TIFF Midnight
Madness People’s Choice Awardee “Why
Don’t You Play in Hell”) about simmering
yakuza conflicts. It’s a blood-drenched musical
epic complete with hip-hop sung by a cast of
real rappers, plus dancers, tattoo artists and
stunt performers. Would’ve been excellent if
only it wasn’t wrapped up with a pathetic and
unfunny deus ex machina. PPP
The World of Kanako
(Japan) This mystery thriller centers around
washed-up former detective Fujishima, who
goes searching for his missing daughter
Kanako. But perhaps Kanako isn’t everything
she seems. Fujishima soon falls into a rabbit
hole of all the most twisted schemes you can
imagine. Not for the faint of heart (or logical of
mind). PPP
48 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, december 5, 2014