Plug for movie JUSTIFIED!

I just got back from Sheares' Hall Production. One thing I've gotta say; it pays to be unoriginal. It worked for Actus' Dating for Dummies and it worked for Sheares' White Liars, Black Comedy. As I've really got nothing much to say about the production, I shall do a little plugging for something which caught my eye at the UCC.

Avatar.

If not for Zo Cards, I wouldn't have known about it. Weird that there was so little publicity regarding this and instead all the shit about I Do I Do eh? Funny enough, this being a milestone in Singapore Filmmaking has been a relatively well kept secret. Frankly, I don't understand why since it's being boasted as 'Singapore's First Sci-Fi Thriller'. What does 'I Do, I Do' have? Not another Jack Neo spam? I digress.

Filmed entirely in Singapore, AVATAR is directed by Kuo Jian Hong. Daughter of the late Kuo Pao Kun. Although I do not endorse Kuo's stage productions for the simple fact that some of them were blatent rip-offs (The Little Prince?!), I shall give his daughter a try (sounds so wrong) after I've checked out the trailer here. It's quite cool and I'm paying $12 just to see how Singapore gets shot as a futuristic (CGI) city.

After you've seen the trailer, consider this question for yourself. Evidently, this is something new to the local film industry. So far, Singapore movies have been nothing but heartland, heartland and more heartland. To approach a sci-fi genre in the context of Singapore is something unheard of... but exciting. I'm sure most of the comic geeks here would appreciate it. Especially after seeing Jenny Sparks blow up half of Singapore in the Authority (can't remember which volume)...

However, none of you may be able to catch this extraordinary movie unless it wins some major award overseas. Heck. This is a local film, but it's first screening's in Portugal. The trailer hasn't even been played in Singapore. How pathetic is that? Apparently it will be travelling to the 25th Ed of FANTASPORTO Film Festival 2005 followed by the ShoWest 2005- Largest Annual Convention for the Motion Picture Industry Las Vegas before coming to Singapore.

Locally, we only have 5 days of screening allocated for AVATAR. 7th March is the Gala Charity Premiere (i.e. $100 tickets) 8th March is SOLD OUT, 9th March is SOLD OUT/SFS Members only, 10th March is for GRP BOOKINGS ONLY which leaves 11th March for public sales. Essentially ONLY ONE DAY TO CATCH THIS ON THE BIG SCREEN. Now judging by the time and effort put into this, along with its international (and local) cast, is this fair? Is the film industry in Singapore going anywhere by splashing the latest Jack Neo crap over cinemas islandwide knowing that they only spent 30 days filming that shit? A resounding NO should be the answer. (Unfortunately it can only be Jack Neo bashing since no other local film-maker has the cash to produce anything right now for comparison)

Amazingly the only way to get this into GV Tampines would be for it to win some foreign prize. After which they will debut it in the Singapore Film Festival next year, going contrary to their submission requirements in that films screened in the festival must not have been screened for any public event or something. Only after which it might be released in the cinemas for maybe 1 month maximum. (Think 15. Which was utter crap...)

So for those whom really want to catch this show, I'm afraid you can't for another year unless they make it big. If not, I did purchase 4 tickets. 2 for me and my brother and the other 2 are for people genuinely wanting to support this local production. You can download a phamplet of AVATAR from the site link above to check it out. I can't possibly blog the entire phamplet (read: I am lazy). Contact me for the 2 tickets if you REALLY WANT to watch it...

Finally, in response to the other post below regarding plugging of movies by the ministers, I believe that YES, we should support the local film industry. But what we are endorsing matters. I do not wish foreign viewers to see a Jack Neo movie as a definitive representation of what a Singapore film is. Ironically like the chinese pop market, local singers have to seek out their niche in Taiwan, HK and China before returning to fame in Singapore. Why should this be so?

Sigh.