12 Lotus

Hmm... I watched this some time back liao... :p

But then I guess I should write about it bah... :p

Royston Tan did it again... Another movie with a number in the title and another movie with a strong local flair...

But I think he did himself in this time...

12 Lotus is a good movie... But the timing is not good for the movie, I'd say. After 881, everyone is really expecting the same explosion of colours and songs... But 12 Lotus is more quiet. It is slightly more serious and hinges on it being a musical. But it is not really a musical... And the songs are less colourful and familiar to the younger audience... The directing is better than 881, the actors and actresses had improved also... But somehow I feel the movie carried too much of 881's ghost with it and that spoils the movie...

Essentially, the movie is about Lian Huey, a singer, who was abused by her father (who was actually protecting her at the same time) and 2 other men in her life. She was played by Mindee Ong and Liu Ling Ling and Qi Yu Wu played the 2 men who caused her suffering. I must say, I just find Liu Ling Ling wonderful... Though many say she is a little too exaggerating in her acting of the older and slightly mentally disturbed Lien Huey... I think she played the role well... I would think that it is not she who is exaggerating... It is the actors playing along side her that needs brushing up on their acting skills...

Besides carrying the ghost of 881 with it, I think the timing of the launch also affected the movie. Jack's Money No Enough 2 had just started its run and it is a very popular show... And people started to compare the 2...

12 Lotus lost in the sentimental portion of the fight... I just find it difficult to cry when I want to... The tear-inducing scenes are just too short and too shallow... Though there are good scenes...

Just too bad, there was never a complete version of the song '12 莲花' in the movie...

Well, in any case, I still think it is a pretty good movie to watch. And we should support the cute Royston... :p And hey... you know he sings very well too? He sings in one half of a song, 小雨伞, in the sound track... Here's the live Hokkien version...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCAHYySlvoY

Enjoy the movie! :)