random thoughts thinking aloud

驚天奪寶

• 一如以往 Jerry Bruckheimer 監製的電影，緊張刺激，娛樂性豐富
• 導演 Jon Turteltaub 的作品有《不一樣的本能》和 《暗戀你暗戀妳》，三部片的共通點是主角自己在電影圈的地位都已滑落
• 入場前無睇過 cast list，只知道 Nicolas Cage 是主角。見到 Harvey Keitel 不知幾開心，可惜戲份太少
• 擺明是乘著 The Da Vinci Code 的聲勢而推出，原裝正版要下年才上畫
• Diane Kruger 靚過前作

天下無賊

馮小剛的戲我看的不多，較有印象的是《大腕》。

《天下無賊》是馮小剛少見的動作片。故事的題旨很簡單：做人應該心無城府，抑或要「防人之心不可無」？在香港這樣的社會，應該沒有傻根這樣的人吧。

片中的動作場面太花巧，這麼一個像馬戲班的小偷集團，給公安捉拿歸案是遲早的事。劉德華的演出太「劉德華」，實在令人難以忍受。可惜的是劉若英與葛優，浪費了兩個好演員。全片以飾演傻根的王寶強最出色。

大事件

杜琪峰繼《 PTU 》後又再寫警察。有別於前作的風格化表現，《大事件》重視場面的調度。開場警匪駁火的一氣呵成，已見功力。選擇佐敦渡船角一帶為「大事件」的地點，亦引起本地觀眾的集體回憶 ( 香港警方去年聖誕節於清晨時分在渡船角逮捕賊王季炳雄及其黨羽，任務中警員未發一槍已將悍匪制服 )。

演員方面，杜琪峰慣用的許紹雄、林雪和邵美琪依然出色，可惜張家輝和張兆輝都無機會發揮。任賢齊比想像中好，陳慧琳倒真的需要上演技課。全片最好看的是林雪一家與匪徒之間的一頓午餐。反而警匪鬥智未如《暗戰》精彩。

儘管如此，全片絕無冷場。引用陳慧琳在片中的點題對白：「我保證， This is a great show」。

The Italian Job

The Italian Job is inspired by a 1969 movie with the same title, but, according to the director, it is not a remake of the 1969 version (I have not seen the old version but am interested, as Michael Caine is in it).

The plot is un-original: just a gang of thieves with different expertise and characters wanted to revenge because one of them have double-crossed the others. Edward Norton playing the bad guy is the right choice, but this movie is definitely not Norton's best performance.

The most charming "characters" in this movie are the MINI-Coopers. They are fast, easy to control and looks really cool. My favourite scene is Charlize Theron parking her classic Mini-Cooper in front of her shop.

The extra features contained in the DVD is interesting, especially the "Driving School" which records pieces of the 3-week driving lessons the actors (and the actress) had to take before shooting the movie. Charlize Theron is superb: She actually did the driving stunts by herself.

If you want to know more about Mini-Coopers, go to Mini Cooper Register

S.W.A.T.

I have never seen the 1970s original TV series (strangely enough, I recall its musical theme ... I was only one year old when it was aired in the US). The TV series seemed to be a big hit at that time.

It is unlikely that the movie remake could surpass the TV series. It might be innovative in the 1970s, but the audience have seen (or even play) a lot of movies / games alike (e.g. Tom Clancy's series of games).

And it is not the best of its genre. Firstly, there's not much details about S.W.A.T. training, weapon or tactics. The highlighted weapon is a new tool invented by one of the team members. You would not see any brilliant tactics deployed by the team, not even from the supposed veteran and elite played by Samuel L. Jackson.

Usually, in a movie concerning a team/unit/group, you will see some description about the members. But you don't get much in this movie, all you've got is a "job interview", and no development of the characters thereafter. It is a waste of a good actor like S. L. Jackson.

The advertisement of S.W.A.T. compares it with Training Day. There is no match at all: Training Day is soooOOO much better than S.W.A.T.