Casa Chuah

Like Gustave's this beautufully rendered tail deserves a Michelin 5-star ratating... Definitely best show I've watched this year, with all the rat elements of family squibbles, action/adventure, suspense, humor, and perhaps too happy an ending, but hey, don't we wish all parisian romances had it?

a heartwrenching look at life, poverty, abandonment and love amid all that mess.

utterly Droz (droll & gross). Only sat through it hoping it'd be mysteriously saved in the end. It wasn't.

This could be the start of a beautiful friendship... Witty, intense, self-sacrificial, what more could a classic love story ask for

It's a little bit funny... Come what may, I will rewatch this... until my croaking day...

interesting art

every teenage boys' fantasy

Best anime of all time, period. Prepare the tissues

Great family fun, + values too!

A tale more for adults than kids, this movie is somehow a workable combination of Top Gun & English Patient

Colorful, Tuneful, Breathtaking -- especially if you too are drawn into singing-along to this whole movie

Priesner & Kieslowski's best -- my introduction into the world of euro-arthouse, and i've never looked back. The stirring theme symphony grows on you

A 2 hour long priest & rabbi joke with a lot of heart... but I'd have gladly married mommy's recommended newscaster instead ;)

Love the art deco hotel & lacy brollies. Watched this as a 6 yr old, and have been trying to will myself through time since

if only all love stories could begin & end like this...

heartwarming, beautifully-set tale

Very, very, good pseudo-docu

Brilliant, intense drama about the hypothetical workings of the Mossad. Bana shines as a conflicted agent who "does not exist"

THE original penguin movie, particularly entertaining if watched in cantonese

arguably the most musical of the modern Disney musicals. A truly chilling tragic tale reworked for child audiences, yet still quite touching

Heartwarming tale of a bunch of coal-miners' daughters striving to lead their village through much-needed transformations, in order to only survive, but thrive

my intro into j-film, a real tearjerker

If I'd known elves were soo cool, I'd have finished the book

Peter Jackson's thrilling end to a worthy epic

A wonderful distillation of Suskind's unique novel. Grenouille is played out chillingly accurately, and Dustin lends an amusing touch too. But ultimately it's the apple-offering snow white, that one feels for most, in her purity and generosity, so cruelly and brutally repaid

brilliant update to the BBC miniseries

one of hayao's best. wonderfully dreamy, and eco

this movie's a classic, and ye-jin's braids too

heartwarming rural tale examining the cost of urban modernity

dreamy w lotsa felines

A worthy revival, and successor to Reeve

Brilliant cinematography, and views of Halong Bay

Brilliant microcosm of the EU! Complete with melodramas, prejudices, and ultimately timely co-operations

Makes me wanna get a tranquil house by a lake, then again, maybe not. IMHO this emotive Korean romance transcends translation

Papayas never looked this good...

Watanabe at his finest

brilliant action, corny lines, self-sacrificial heroes, evil monsters -- aah, this worthy remake of the 80's will last well into the 21st century

surprisingly good historic french period drama

March of the Penguins for kids, and chirpy adults too. Not as frigid & lotsa morale-boosting spastic entertertainment. The last segment carries a hopeful moral too

Happy feet for washouts, and other has-beens. The CGI surfs are great too! (and Baywatch-esque red lifebuoy-carriers)

Great acting from Posey, reprising her Oh in Ohio neuro role

magical tall tale

great fun

Still good, just not as good as the previous installments

Puss' big black eyes make this a charmer

best acting yet from crowe, and connelly who plays his tormented wife

pretty woman, pigalle edition, but can anyone afford her?

The first scene had us debating for ages after the movie, the sure sign of a good, controversial film. Watch it if you dare -- romance may never seem the same

interesting urban collage, except the frodo segment

excellent intergenerational tale of the mate-finding challenges of overseas chinese amid communal pressure

Better than Amelie & Pretty Woman, put together. Audrey's dress is a little distracting though

Hilarious & sexy teen comedy, ala Archie, Betty & Veronica

serious communication issues plague this entire movie

jolie, hot cars, need we say more

lovely father-daughter tale

viv's excellent in this one

Seymour's still hot, but McAdam's piping!

Loving all over again, every single day

Living the Hi-Life in the Hi-Fashion industry

Mane CGI has come a long way since FF

a biased, but not-inaccurate view at the challenges of being a gaijin in bustling Tokyo

Asimov would never have expected Smith, nor this movie

African Queen of action

Good, but not as good as the prequel

nicole as a russian who can't speak english? you've gotta be kidding right. Still I bet this movie would inspire many to mail-order brides, despite the risks

miyazaki returns to his nausicaa-esque green theme, with a tarzan-rivalling jane to boot

Colorful tragedy

really q funny modern kiwi love story

Darcy & Hugh slugging it out in the wet

korean la femme nikita

If I had a kimono like that I'd stay in this country forever too

best love story gibson's ever played. i love the cryogenic chamber

blue steel

interesting biopic featuring one of the most colorful men of the early 20th century

Back when lipsticks were red, and redheads were curly

Long but entertaining, with an excellent star-studded cast

Its largely monosyllablic dialog starts off funny, but gets tiresome after a while. Too much emphasis on shock and awe, rather than character/relationship development. Still, I suppose many would watch this just to catch Portman in that pink wig

Great techno-armageddon thriller, with some genuinely funny lines. A pity they knocked off Mai (Q) so early though -- like most Bond gal villians

ardant & beart's impressive interplay of words lends this movie class & depth

mamma mia!

Waxing Hurts!

nice tale of a blacksmith's leadership journey for duty & family

Hilarious romcom with all the requisite brit wit

kiera's marion is more scary than maiden

this all wrong

how lovely is the rain

the realistic scratchy sound of a paintbrush repeated ad noiseuseum grows on you, especially considering what, i mean who, the subject is

should've cut the last scene

Dark, deep, surreal anime certainly not meant for kids - or I'll be worried if it was

good despite cotillard's coon eyez

the costumes are bizarre. Sanada & Jang put in stellar performances against a relatively weak Tse & Cheung

yet another feather in the hat for Scarlett's golden year. jackman's as cold & steely as he ever was playing wolverine

Realistic non-idealistic drug tale

somewhere in time meets harry meets sally

truly bizzare look at the other person

Vvvibrant modified nitrofied cars, before the Tokyo Drift RQs stole the show

F&F meets initial D

great korean civil tensions

Loved the flight sequences so much I had to watch it twice. Maybe it was Top Gun nostalgia...

the imagery is fantastic... as a shampoo / maximizer ad

Anne & Andrews have what it takes to carry this off

the floral pool is beautiful, as was the initial dance sequence

Eva kicks Fresh Prince's butt (and his head too)

Imagine all the havoc, it's easy if you try, if Freeman let Carrey play God for a while

Who's never heard of Koh Samui in this day and age?

A fine debut for Julia's niece, though at times she looked a bit too google-eyed to be Nancy

Oh c'mon Everybody's heard of "Koh Samui"

you'll be in my branch

sounds like a goner

Funny look at Cleveland, OHio.

Doesn't have the Zing(er) of the first two

Well, at least there's no Jarjar

Ah wu's fave korean romance

kiddie fare written by one

emotional & gripping, a pity about the ending though

Beware ze french skuuba instructerr

Too Incredibles like, and we don't get to see Galactus

A bit too much corn

Best of the trilogy, which isn't saying much

I'd rather be watching a fishtank, or even a screensaver

so fuzzy i can't remember any of it, other than the one-eyed captain coming to the rescue

fell asleep during this old lady's tale

a 2-hour Christmas play in film

Can only comment on "Death Proof" as it's released seperately outside the US. This movie/genre is going to polarize viewers, so be forewarned before you decide to buy a ticket. Lotsa character development right through the middle, then the shock/horror is so bad I wanted to walk out, but thankfully didn't as it was the 2nd half that saved the movie and had us cheering out loud by the end

hayao's spirit realm is too bizarre for me

Worst of the series. Little character development, absolutely humorless, and with a principal like that, who wants to stay at Hogwarts (or sit through this movie, for that matter)

It would have gotten higher if it weren't for that underwater horror segment

Really dark stuff, bring a torch

Watched the Zeta-Jones/Eckhart english remake before this, and this is far more credible & touching. Though the pacing is deliberately slow at times, gems like Martha's compassion for lobsters, the credits-rolling happy ending, and "very late night" taste test, make this movie a richer, tastier, European experience

In retrospect, not as strong as the german "Mostly Martha" it's based on, but Catherine & Aaron's wok-sizzling chemistry has its charms

very Very good brit wit and utterly hilarious moribund situations. Ah, this could only happen in England

a modern day cinderella nurses party chef's grandmama to death, very nicely. not one of tautou's best, but perhaps the only one of her films where you can feel for her character, quirky as it is.

doesn't feel like a movie, but more like a intricate, emotive painting of a beautiful sunset with all its fleeting fiery colors and shades. convincing acting by the veteran ladies and night nurse. the lady-chatterly sequence could've been longer though :)

a moving tale about memory, its deep impacts in the lives of a convalescing community, and how love, though it may not actually overcome personal tragedies, does make life a lot more liveable.

disney pokes fun at itself, and the whole princess fairytale thingie. McDreamy's glazed eyes throughout the movie are a little distracting though. But the doves, bunnies, deer & chipmunks make wonderful companions to ditzy Adams, roaches, flies and rats too!

the gore is indeed bothersome, but the picture it paints suggests stereotypes of modern nordic urbanity that I really hope are nothing but (cliched stereotypes), else this should be classified horror

lots of gore, and little else. this feels like a viking plunder & pillage movie. Kingdom of Heaven was a lot more purposeful.

convincing acting by cate, as ever. geoffrey's good too, but there's not too much of a tale to tell in this instalment

shapely cars, roads and other curves. this movie ditches any semblance or pretention of a plot, in favor of what its viewers came to see... really nice rides.

the plot may be predictable, and the ending intentionally vague, but this movie is excellently executed by the female lead, who thoroughly deserves her Korean best actress award

firth & bening have never put up better performances. this rendition of Les Liasons Dangereuses is the best I've seen so far, despite balking at balk's ditziness. One genuinely feels sorry for the titular protagonist in the end, lucky as he was (& often got)

beautifully shot & acted road trip cum nature walk. Elsa, the lil redhead in a yellow cap really charms the audience with her joie de vivre and excellently delivered lines

a very, very, long candle - or should it be called torch.

poignant story about paralysis and the utter boundlessness of the imagination

brilliant dialog, convincingly delivered by the leads. delpy's portrayal of a delightfully crazy, affable french girl will set many guys drooling, and I bet the gals will have their field day with hawke too. In other words -- a perfect date movie.

9 years later, there's still brilliant dialog, And beautiful crepuscular parisian scenes. The protagonists have matured, and you can't help feeling a lingering sense of poignant regret at what might have been. *Sigh*

a nice trip back to the 80's. not your traditional kinda romance, but it's nice to see 2 wronged folks find happiness at last

carice & koch shine in this moving war drama about the dutch resistance. a good blend of malena, schindler's list, mata hari & star wars. and the uberfuhrer (general) looked scarily like mini-me! Ich liebe den Perfektionisten!

scenic kiddie legend that's cute but predictable

what's tony stark doing with a cylinder of AllSpark? The cavity shot is skin-tinglingly electrifying, though many would wonder why he'd settle for ms prim-n-proper potts. human melodrama aside, the multiple incarnations of the suits make this well worth watching!

Tandy and Freeman are perfect in their roles, and a much younger Aykroyd also performs commendably. This movie speaks more through what is left unsaid, and is a beautiful picture for it -- if you can catch the charming southern drawl throughout.

expectedly cheesy & trashy. good for a few brainless laughs if you feel like stoning

brill parody of all martial arts flicks out there. I especially loved the prison and attendant rhinos. you'll laugh twice as loud if you know cantonese

totally brilliant (esp the scottish accents). The lil boy's a saint! This movie puts forward important social hypotheses like: What if every kindergarden kid gave 2 pennies about the 3rd world; What if the pound were to expire in a week; What if the Saints appeared like ObiWan; What if a cardbox box could turn into a rocket, etc. Result!

A B&W visual masterpiece of scenic angles and alienation. But its subtle message on the perils of middle-class society are lost on me. Still, I would give kudos to the stellar performances, especially by the conflicted Ms. Vitti

Excellent italian chick flick noir

The imagery of interplayed fantasy-realism is picturesque, and the acting solid. But between the worse-than-nazi Kapitan and the palm-eyed "Pale Man" -- this movie is the kind of stuff nightmares are made of -- and will probably bright about a few, in both children & adults

The subtly funny dialog and stellar acting (read pouting) do the film justice, though the end is morally disappointing.

yoda ends up looking like E.T. and Anakin finds an even more smart-alecky pain-in-the-butt padawan than he was. All in all, not very convincing. This movie looks like it could've been rendered in real-time by a 5-year old graphics card. I felt I was watching a 1.5 hour long game trailer, and just waiting for the action to Really start.

a cool (if slightly inaccurate) rendition of a classic -- 8088 black & white computer game. A pity it ends on such a "cliff"-hanger though.

totally mind-blowing and phobia-inducing. a troubling full-frontal look at gender equality. *wince*

Simple good fun when George of the Jungle goes down to Bedrock (to meet an oversized croc)

Moulin Rouge! in Japanese. A vivid insight into the mizu-shobai of a Yoshiwara courtesan with flowery dreams. The imagery is over-the-top picturesque because the director started off as a pro photographer. Beats Hero & Color Blossoms any day, and only narrowly loses out to Rouge! coz of the lack of singing. But the falling sakura is a sight to behold.

Post-apocalyptic compacted trash cast away meets his eeeva. I've never experienced a movie with so little dialog that said so much. Wall-E is not to be forgotten for centuries! 7, at least!

A surprisingly touching israeli family drama that would make custom officials check their luggage scanners twice. But it's Anat Waxman who steals the show with her acerbic wit.

modern spanish horror that proves that the most terrifying things imaginable come from the human heart. the mania-prone trash(y)-eating doc-nun is quite disturbing, especially when she imagines walking on water. Realismo mágico gone bad (habitually)

a real tear-jerker chick-flick that's both incredible and incredible. makes me wonder what it's like growing old along with a control freaky mom, and resolutely affirms my cancer-research ambitions. Indeed "it is too hard" for a parent to send off a child like this, especially one so fiesty.

Would've earned at least half a star more had it ended more coherently. But all in all, not a bad action movie (especially the Tibetian/Siberian snow scenes). Can you believe I walked into this movie thinking it was a theatrical release of Babylon 5 -- after having watched the trailer weeks ago!?! I entered (& left) the cinema one confused puppy (amongst many, I bet).

a really heartwarming japanese family drama about intergenerational complexities that arise when you choose to employ your father-in-law and your wife's old crush as your home builders :) the old man's antics are hilarious.

A linguistic & philosophical feast for those inclined. Roth plays (both) his part(s) to perfection. A grim picture of humanity beginning just before WWII. Picturesque scenes of an idyllic eastern europe shattered by world events. Makes one wonder how little one can do to change the world for the better, no matter how empowered. Ford Coppola is a maestro!

the songs and Bollywood-esque choreography inject lots of fun into this somewhat contrived (to fit in Abba's hit songs) but utterly enjoyable musical. Kudos to the great cast for fine performances (apart from Brosnan's vocals)

a delightfully funny and witty french romcom. successful goofy ceo with insecure hangups finds love in an artist he just fired, and analyses it to a fault as his employees consider their stock options. Quote of the movie: "Il est moi qui est malade!" (It is me who is sick!)

An evocative chick-flick that anecdotally highlights the central decades of a modern asian woman's life. quip: "so, i am an abandoned woman". a bittersweet romcom not to be missed - esp the scene where sylvia gets chased around the apartment by her tennis coach.

3 shorts: cramped, disturbing, robotic. Mostly incoherent.

forgettable songs pieced together by a vacuous plot. vastly inferior to the original, which in turn falls short of its bollywood-esque origins

passable (pre-)teen flick in the run-of-the-mill disney vein.

this movie is certainly good, bad & weird all right. a bit too much slapstick gore in this comedy korean kimchee western. But the effects are quite nicely done and the colors & angles vivid. Still, it's the weird fella who carries the show with his antics, especially with the aviator goggles & diving mask.

the 3-D glasses gave the feeling of depth and transparency, but also gave me a slight headache at the end. a fun, but relatively thin movie. they could've done more with this to make it appeal to the above-fives.

funny and credible brit teen(coming-of-)age melodrama, with everything a 14-yr old gal could possibly dream of. my favorite line: "i'm an interior designer, duh!". This totally trashes "Clueless"

This live-action movie is a disappointment after watching the superb "acting" of the anime series. Give this a miss if you plan to catch the 24-episode series. Otherwise, you may draw a few laughs from this quirky movie adaptation in compressed time. Koike does a decent job playing Otani -- I wonder if HSM3 was ripped off partially from this -- but the female leads are not convincing at all.