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Reviews for February 5th, 2016

From Vegas to Macau III

Directed by Wong Jing, Andrew Lau and Billy Chung




      Ken (Chow Yun-fat) isn't too pleased that his daughter, Rainbow (Kimmy Tong), is about to marry his godson, Vincent (Shawn Yue), so right before the wedding, he gets his friend, Mark (Nick Cheung) to hypnotize him into thinking that she'll be marrying someone else. When Mark's friend, Michael (Andy Lau), shows up the wedding, a bomb goes off and, soon enough, Ken and Mark find end up in prison together. Someone clearly wants to kill Ken, and that someone just so happens to be JC (Jacky Cheung), the man in love with Ken;s love interest, Molly (Carina Lau), whom he has taken hostage. Ken and Mark, with the help of Michael, go on a mission to save Molly from the evil JC.

      Compared to most sequels, From Vegas to Macau III is entertaining as long as you're willing to throw logic and reason out the door. Co-directors Wong Jing, Andrew Lau and Billy Chung along with writer Wong Jing combine action, mystery and comedy skillfully, and the film finds its tone without feeling uneven. Nor does the plot take itself too seriously. Yes, the humor might seem a bit goofy, but it's diverting, and the slapstick works more often than not (i.e in the jail scene when Mark's head gets caught between the bars). You'll even find more cool gidgets and gadgets here than Spectre and Skyfall combined. If you're not familiar with the previous Vegas to Macau films or you have trouble remembering them, it's alright because this film recaps some of the key details from the prior films and even flashes back to the final scene from From Vegas to Macau II so that you won't feel confused.

      Admittedly, it would have been nice if the villain were more memorable and interesting (after all, an action film is as good as it's villain), but to be fair, most of the characters here are more or less one-dimensional. The actors (especially Chow Yun-fat) seem to be having a great time in their roles, so their fun is quite infectious. At a running time of just under 2 hours, From Vegas to Macau III is an exhilarating, amusing and crowd-pleasing action comedy that's filled with infectious fun.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2
Released by Magnum Films.
Opens at AMC Empire 25.

Hail, Caesar!

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen




     

Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Released by Universal Pictures.
Opens nationwide.

A Melody to Remember

Directed by Lee Han




     

Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Released by Universal Pictures.
Opens at Edgewater Multiplex Cinemas in Edgewater, NJ.

The Monkey King 2

Directed by Pou-Soi Cheang




      Wukong (Aaron Kwok) accidentally gets released from prison under the Mountain of Five Elements. The Goddess of Mercy (Kelly Chen) tells him to go on a mission with a monk, Xuanzang (William Feng Shaofeng), to find holy scriptures. The Buddha places a permanent gold crown on Wukong's head that gives him migraines and won't be removed until ne and Xuanzang complete their mission. Two demons, namely, Bajie (Xiao Shenyang) and Wujing (Him Law), join them on their adventure. Lady White Bone (Gong Li) hopes to find Xuanzang because if she eats him, she will continue to be immortal.

A few months after the mindlessly entertaining Surprise comes another mindless Journey to the West fantasy, The Monkey King 2. It's just as shallow and action-packed as Surprise, but the visual effects look better and the plot takes itself more seriously---a little bit too seriously when it could have poked a bit more. Director Pou-Soi Cheang bombards you with action sequences in 3D with excitement that wanes as the film progresses because it starts to feel increasing exhausting and ultimately somewhat headache-inducing rather than mind-blowing. While the production values look spectacular on the big screen, less is more. The running time of nearly 2 hours of non-stop visual pizzazz makes the film look over-produced as over-produced as a Michael Bay film. Tighter editing, especially during the bloated third act, would have made for a much more exciting adventure instead of one that's only moderately engaging and sporadically exhilarating.

Number of times I checked my watch: 4
Released by China Lion Film Distribution.
Opens at AMC Empire 25.

Pride & Prejudice and Zombies

Directed by Burr Steers




     

Number of times I checked my watch: 3
Released by Screen Gems.
Opens nationwide.
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