Coming to Cinemas (6/6/2013)

And it's already June, with half the year gone with it. I have to say there have been few movies so far in the cinemas that have really impressed me. Some of the big summer releases turned out to be less exciting, but there's two that I'm still holding out in the next couple months.

As for this first week of releases for the month of June, things are going very slow. Like a M. Night Shyamalan movie.

So to speed things up, let's just get on to the releases that are coming this week.

After Earth

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Isabelle Fuhrman, Sophie Okonedo, Zoe Kravitz
Running Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
Language:: English
Classification: P13
Synopsis: A crash landing leaves teenager Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) and his legendary father Cypher (Will Smith) stranded on Earth, 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape. With Cypher critically injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help, facing uncharted terrain, evolved animal species that now rule the planet, and an unstoppable alien creature that escaped during the crash. Father and son must learn to work together and trust one another if they want any chance of returning home.

Trailer Impressions: I wasn't really intrigued by this as much as I was by Oblivion, and even that didn't make me want to jump off my seat and race to the cinema. The stigma that comes with this is the M. Night Shyamalan name, which had been noticeably absent from the posters, as if the marketers are not taking their chances with that angle. Even so, the chemistry between senior and junior Smith felt a little awkward. Critics review for this has also been discouraging, so I advised anyone who is going to see this to have their expectations in check.

Lari

Director: Ahmad Idham
Cast: Aaron Aziz, Dira Abu Zahar, Erin Malek, Hazama Azmi
Running Time: 1 Hour 22 Minutes
Language:: Malay
Classification: P13
Synopsis: "Lari" tells the story of Khalif, who is in love with Maya, but has to leave her when their relationship faces opposition from his family as he decides to be a soldier. While Khalif is gone, Maya is wedded to KJ. After seven years apart, Khalif returns to his hometown when he receives news of his father's death. Upon his return, Khalif is surprised to find out that his younger sister has gone missing. Maya, who is coincidentally facing a domestic crisis with her husband, takes the opportunity to run away by helping Khalif find his sister, thus begins Khalif's dangerous and action-packed journey to find his sister, who has been taken by female slave traders.

Trailer Impressions: First it was Langgar, now I don't know if I have become sympathetic towards Malay action movies, or they have really stepped up their game recently. There's parkour, the choreography looks a little more visceral and they made sure there is at least one explosion (finally!); It's like the Malaysian studio system has finally found the formula of churning out endless reels of borderline decent entertainment, and Aaron Aziz has become our very own Jason Statham.

Pee Mak

Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun
Cast: Mario Maurer, Davika Hoorne, Nattapong Chadpong, Wiwat Kongrasri, Kantapat Seeda, Pongsatorn Jongwilak
Running Time: 1 Hour 51 Minutes
Language:: Thai
Classification: P13
Synopsis: In the Rattanakosin Kingdom, Mak leaves his pregnant wife Nak to join the war and meets four soldiers who become his best friends. During this time, his wife Nak struggles to give birth to their baby. When the war ends, Mak invites his friends to visit Phra Khanong and meet his beautiful wife Nak. Meanwhile, rumors fly around town that Nak is a ghost. His four friends and villagers trying to tell Mak that his wife is already dead.

FilmBah's Pick of the Week

Surprising as it may sound, based on this week's releases, I would have to say that my pick would be Lari, because it actually has a higher chance of giving me what I should be getting, than watching a director, who has long lost control of his self-indulgence, make a mess out of a sci-fi version of Pursuit of Happyness.

Releases according to CinemaOnline and check your nearest screenings at Showtimes.