Pity the Fool Who Expects Too Much from Bel), but Confesses That He Has Lustful Thoughts for Another
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A R O U N D T O W N 發光的城市 15 TAIPEI TIMES • FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010 FILM REVIEW OTHER RELEASES COMPILED BY IAN BartHOLOmeW Killers THE A-TEAM The lineup of uninspiring films released this week begins with DIRECTED BY: Killers, which early critical JOE CARNAHAN reviews have mercilessly panned and may signal the STARRING: demise of the promising LIAM NEESON (HANNIBAL), actress Katherine Heigl from Grey’s Anatomy as a serious JESSICA BIEL (CHARISA SOSA), contender for the epithet of Hollywood leading lady. The QUINTON ‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON film stars Ashton Kutcher as Spencer, a secret agent, and (B.A. BARACUS), BRADLEY Heigl as the unsuspecting spouse living a lovely middle- COOPER (FACE), SHARLTO COPLEY class life until, of course, Spencer’s past revisits him and (MURDOCK), PATRICK WILSON the action begins. Heigl’s character is at first appalled by (LYNCH), GERALD McRANEY the guns and car chases, and then delighted. Unfortunately, (GENERAL MORRISON), Killers doesn’t take the audience along for the ride. BRIAN BlOOM (PIKE) RUNNING TIME: She’s Out of My League 119 MINUTES Genre fodder of the rom- com persuasion that is less TAIWAN RELEASE: objectionable and derivative CURRENTLY SHOWING than Killers, but is certainly not about to rock anybody’s weekend. The premise is simple: nice geeky guy with low self-esteem meets super gorgeous woman who doesn’t care that he ain’t cool. Alice Eve proves that for her, being beautiful is a cinch, and Jay Baruchel is perfectly adequate as an inadequate guy. Any bets on whether it will end happily ever after? Please Please Me! (Fais-moi plaisir!) By master comedian Emmanuel Mouret, who both directs and stars in this French bedroom comedy. The story has Mouret as Jean-Jacques, a man in a happy relationship with girlfriend Ariane (Frederique Pity the fool who expects too much from Bel), but confesses that he has lustful thoughts for another. In the manner of French films of this type, Ariane encourages her boyfriend to quench his desires by indulging them. This provides plenty of opportunity for clever physical comedy, and while Please Please Me! is likely to please some with its sexual innuendo, it is far from being Mouret’s best work. ‘The A-Team’ Letters for Father Jacob (Postia pappi Jaakobille) Low-key Finnish film by director Klaus Haro that minutes that the The A-Team is mad villain of the piece. There is tells the simple story of Leila Resurrected after going for the charm offensive a shadowy CIA connection with (Kaarina Hazard), a woman 20 years, the motley rather than the adrenalin rush to Patrick Wilson as Colonel Lynch recently released from prison draw in its audience, and it clearly and a romantic interest in the where she served a life crew takes on wants to include the very young. shape of Captain Carissa Sosa sentence for murder. She finds the baddies in a film With tongue very firmly in (Jessica Biel), who is included work with a pastor who spends cheek, its heroic characters are as eye candy for older kids in his days responding to letters from people in need. His full of absurdities even less real than many a recent the audience. compassion for others does nothing for her, until the letters super hero, who, directors are That said, The A-Team doesn’t stop and Father Jacob looks into the abyss. The story takes and fantastic keen to point out, exhibit moral take itself too seriously. Like place against beautiful, if sometimes rather bleak, Finnish plot twists failings and human weaknesses. many action movies, it cheerfully scenery. Fine cinematography and a solid script give this The members of the A-Team demands a total suspension of minor release, originally made for Finnish television, a life — Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith, disbelief, playing fast and loose that lifts it above many more ambitious features. BY Ian BartHOLOmeW Lieutenant Templeton “Faceman” with the laws of physics, and STAFF REPORTER Peck, Sergeant Bosco Albert “B.A.” amid the action and fantastic (Bad Attitude) Baracus, Captain plot twists, seems to hope that Rabbit Without Ears 2 (Zweiohrkuken) ringing The A-Team, H.M. “Howling Mad” Murdock audiences will ignore the story’s Following on from the success the 1980s action TV — have no such problems. Their gaping holes and absurdities. of Keinohrhasen, which series, to the big screen nicknames are about as deep as To a large extent that ploy is Who doesn’t love it when a plan comes together? PHOTOS COURTESY OF 21ST CENTURY FOX enjoyed some popularity here 20 or more years down the characters get. successful. An extended scene as a cute little romantic/sex Bthe track is yet another instance The story unfolds against the in which the team uses a tank violence there is comes rendered to appeal to a wide audience, comedy for the European of the poverty of Hollywood’s backdrop of the Iraq War. A batch to make a midair escape from a in an almost cartoonish style. including young children, as movie set, Til Schweiger’s imagination. It is, therefore, a of plates used to print US dollars transport aircraft is laugh-out-loud This may be as good a remedy evidenced by the range of action sequel seems to have tripped pleasant surprise to discover that is the prize being sought not just funny. While the dialog isn’t razor- as any to the bloody violence of figures that have been released in up. The movie finds most of its the film isn’t wholly terrible. But by the Iraqis, but various nefarious sharp, there are a few good lines, many recent adventure films, yet conjunction with the film (suitable humor in the lavatory. There is a kindergarten element to neither is it good. As two hours of elements within the US defense and the comedy on the whole is the result is not a return to an age for children 6 and up). Younger assist with this, and contrived romantic jousting as a couple innocuous and forgettable action establishment. broad and visual. of greater innocence but a simple audiences may find the madcap use their former boyfriend and girlfriend as weapons to to help down the popcorn, it is The happy-go-lucky A-Team For an action film with a lack of urgency. action enough of a joy ride, but for fight their way out of their disintegrating relationship. The perfectly acceptable. is pitted against a black ops unit high body count, there is very And that is The A-Team’s action junkies, The A-Team fails combination of gross-out situations and sexual innuendo It’s obvious from the first few led by Pike (Brian Bloom), the little actual violence, and what greatest problem — it wants to engage the mind or the senses. may work for some. RESTAURANTS BY Ian BartHOLOmeW BY CatHerine SHU apanese restaurant Coeur (杜樂麗心 box filled with dainty portions of standouts included lobster sashimi, sea 饌) is run by the same company as different treats, including candied urchin and seared scallops. Danny and Company Couer Hot Spring Resort (杜樂麗溫 almonds topped with niboshi, or tiny The aforementioned goose liver and 台北市四維路 巷 號 J泉莊園) in Wulai. With soothing ambient dried fish, thin slices of mullet roe, grilled lamb were the best of the hot Address: 33, Ln 52, Siwei Rd, Taipei City ( 52 33 ) Telephone: (02) 2705-9911 Open: Noon to 2:30pm and 6pm to 9:30pm (last orders) Details: English menu, lighting and an interior pond stocked caviar-topped sea urchin on a bed of dishes. We were less impressed, however, Average meal: Lunch from NT$1,000, dinner from NT$2,500 credit cards accepted with gray-blue koi that match the slate peanut-flavored tofu and seared scallop. with my set’s Wagyu beef, which a walls, Couer could be mistaken for a Each one offered an unusual and waitress grilled at our table on a searing spa at first glance. Most spas, however, distinct mixture of flavors and textures. hot slab of stone. The presentation was ollowing the success of his steak for getting the most out of fresh will not leave you feeling as stuffed as My companion’s appetizer was the unusual, but the beef’s limp flavor was houses A-Cut and N°168, chef Danny seafood, but Teng has also used his Coeur’s overambitious set menus do. peanut-flavored tofu with steamed okra a disappointment, especially as Wagyu Teng (鄧有癸) has established himself wide experience of preparing beef The set meals are priced from and soybeans. cattle are reared specifically for their Fas one of the movers and shakers of to create a mouth-wateringly soft NT$1,200 to NT$2,800 (Couer also has Next up were the salads. Mine was marbled meat. We also thought that the Taiwan’s culinary establishment, and teppan-grilled garlic steak (NT$980 an a la carte selection). My companion butter lettuce and sliced fruit topped mushroom hot pots served with both a master of all things to do with steak. for lunch set) that is presented simply and I were told that the difference with two pieces of king crab, while our meals were unremarkable — until With his new venture, Danny and and served with a choice of three between the meals was in the rarity my friend got spring rolls of delicate the waitress mentioned that the lobster Company, which opened last month, he condiments — sea salt, mustard and of the ingredients used, but quantity rice wrappers stuffed with cilantro and in them was recycled from my sashimi has returned to his roots in teppanyaki, a homemade chili and cumin sauce of also factored in.