2006 Review + 2007 Preview

Leslie Cheung almost 18 years ago

In 2006...

We still have lots of sequel movies opening in theatres. Basic Instinct 2 sees the return of Sharon Stone to the role of Catherine Tramell which made her famous 14 years ago. Tom Cruise continues to play as Ethan Hunt in the third installation of spy movie, Mission: Impossible III. And Johnny Depp as Captian Jack Sparrow returns in a fight with Davy Jones in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and the fight will conclude in the third part, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At Worlds End, featuring Chow Yun Fat as Captain Sao Feng, due to open in May this year. This year we also see Daniel Craig as the new 007 in Casino Royale and Brandon Routh as the new Men of Steel in Superman Returns.

Other sequels this year are Final Destination 3, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Saw III, The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, Underworld: Evolution, X-Men: The Last Stand.

Although computer graphic animation features do not carry that much impact as before, many film studios have produced a bunch of them this year, such as Flushed Away, Happy Feet, Ice Age: The Meltdown and Monster House. Among the lots, Cars stands out with its theme about boys' favourite - cool cars, racing and love. Besides mainstream animation features, Richard Linkter (director of Before Sunrise, The School Of Rock and Before Sunset) brings the line between real person acting and CG animations to a new level with A Scanner Darkly, featuring Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder. The story is based on the novel by Philip K. Dick.

Speaking of movies adopted from novels, The Da Vinci Code is a worldwide blockbuster, while receiving varied critics. The movie also caused some negative feedback from Catholics, due to its sensitive subject. Another novel-adopted movie, The Devil Wears Prada, is not only an international hit movie, it also displays insights in the fashion industry and, of course, fabulous fashion!

With the success of 2005 film Match Point, Woody Allen returns with Scoop featuring Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman and the director himself. This time, it is a light comedy surrounding murders and love, and Woody Allen's nervous acting. Director of The Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village, M. Night Shyamalan returns with Lady In The Water, a mystery thriller about fairy tales characters coming to real life.

Vovler would be a high point for director Pedro Almodóvar. The Spanish movie is based on the relationships of the women in two families - mother & daughter, sisters and friends. It scores many film festival awards, including Best Actress and Best Screenplay in Cannes Film Festival and Best Actress, Best Cinematographer, Best Composer, Best Director and Audience Award - Best Film in European Film Awards this year.

The director of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Michel Gondry offes yet another imaginative love & comedy story, La Science Des R êves (The Science Of Sleep), filmed at a near music-video angel about the love between the two lead roles played by Gael García Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Paris, Je T'aime is yet-another innovative movie about the city of love, Paris. Comprised of 18 five-minute segments, the movie is a collected memories and thoughts of the twenty-two directors.

Remakes are another trend this year. We have, The Omen (remake of the 1976 classic), The Hills Have Eyes (remake of the 1977 movie), The Grudge 2 (remake of the 2003 Japanese horror movie) and The Departed (remake of the 2002 Hong Kong movie Internal Affairs).

In Hong Kong, we have some happy news, that Broadway Cinematheque is celebrating its 10th anniversary. However, we are sorry to say goodbye to the Cine-Art House after its 18 years of showing good and stylish movies.

Coming up, in 2007...

Be sure to catch this space in a few days for the hot movies coming up this year! And of course 2006 movie choices from our editors! So don't miss it!