HEADLINES:
R/€ 
R/£ Film listings
October 05, 2007 Edition 1
New releases
The Lookout: Described as a thriller, this one does better as a coming-of-age tale and should appeal especially to a young adult audience. It's a story well told, but the focus is on the characters rather than the action. *** DdB
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rollicking return for everyone's favourite crime-fighting reptiles. Sweeping adventure and cheesy nostalgia make one this tons of fun. *** ZH
Daddy Day Camp: A limp sequel to Daddy Day Care with Cuba Gooding Jr., who, even if fed oestrogen pills, couldn't pull off sentimental. Watching a cartoon would be more entertaining than this asinine tale about two guys trying to save the rundown Camp Driftwood while keeping the kids entertained. * DT
Shoot 'Em Up: An intentionally dumb, but unintentionally dull actioner. ** ZH
Still on circuit
Are We Done Yet?: Ice Cube plays a hapless family man struggling to build his family's dream home. * ZH
Black Book: There is some melo-drama, but the high adventure is mixed with moments of authentic wartime pathos in this ambitious throwback to the days of rousing all-action wartime pics. *** HR
Bratz: The movie: You go, girlz. Mom and Dad will rather wait in the car. * HR
The Bourne Ultimatum: Hits the ground running and never lets up on the action, thrills or spills. Tautly directed, well acted, frighteningly believable. **** TS
The Brave One: Jodie Foster stars as a woman pursuing her own brand of vigilante justice after her fiancé is brutally murdered. Love it or hate it, it'll make you think. **** EN
Death at a Funeral: Sub-par British black comedy concerning a bizarrely eventful funeral. ** ZH
Deep Water: Watch this gripping documentary of an around-the world yacht race that could not be pulled off in the same way today. That and a man battling the odds on such a scale, he might not only lose the race but also his life. **** DdB
Disturbia: It's a fun, but forgettable thriller about a teen-ager who is convinced his neigh-bour is a serial killer. **** ZH
Evan Almighty: Expensive mess of a movie that manages to trivialises religion, the environment and basically all comedy movies. While small children might be amused by the animals, the adults are just going to have to grit their teeth. ** TS
Hairspray: Musical based on a stage play that brings back good memories of the hey-day of MGM's big numbers. Excellent costumes, good use of sets and kitsch entertainment which slyly pokes fun at the way movies candy-coat the 1960s. **** TS
Half Nelson: It is a powerful story (apart from the sell-out end) with a superb performance by Ryan Gosling as a crack-addicted teacher who is witnessed by his young pupil, played by Shareeka Epps, doing the drug. The two lost souls find and support one another in a very unusual fashion. **** DdB
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry: Adam Sandler and Kevin James play two firefighters forced to pretend to be gay. Puerile, offensive drivel that manages to offend anyone within a 1 000km radius.8 ZH
Knocked Up: Witty pop culture references, an original script and some decent acting. It's funny, what more do you want? *** TS
Last Legion: A poor attempt at an epic about the fall of Rome and the capture of a young Caesar. Even some A-list names can't save this one. ** EN
License to Wed: Comedian Robin Williams is the prime offender in this puerile comedy about marriage, faith and puking baby robots. Shudder. * ZH
No Reservations: An average romantic drama about a perfectionist chef who learns about
love when she has to adopt her niece and contend with some extra heat in the kitchen. *** EN
One Night with the King: An overwrought retelling of the biblical tale of Esther risking her life to save the Jews. Beautiful scenery, but an uneven cast and some clumsy dialogue, make it one only for lovers of this story. ***EN
Ratatouille: Eschewing the obvious animal jokes, Pixar returns to top form with this witty film about a rat who wants to be a chef. Funny, with gorgeously rendered images and a compelling little story, it shows just what can be achieved with a computer and some imagination. **** TS
Rush Hour 3: Buddy cop movie that is well past its sell-by date. Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker reprise roles in unoriginal sequel. HH TS
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