STRATEGIC PLANNING OR MASS SUICIDE?

Besides the $10 million Toto draw to look forward to this Friday, movie-goers are also in for a treat this weekend.

With a whopping eight new titles opening in theaters (normally it’s around four or five) excluding those which are holding up extremely well in the box-office especially Jack Neo’s mega-hit Ah Boys To Men 2 and the worst instalment in the history of Die Hard, A Good Day to Die Hard, movie-goers are spoilt for choices with their hong bao money.   

Among the eight new titles are the long-delayed Flight and Lincoln. The former has Denzel Washington being nominated for Actor in a Leading Role while the latter has hot favourite Daniel Day-Lewis in the same category. These two titles might attract some attraction given the Oscar is happening this coming Monday; audiences might be keen to check out this two leading men in action.

Those who are not fans of talky drama might head towards ex-governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comeback effort, The Last Stand instead. Like our reviewer says, it’s a rollicking blend of high-octane action and deadpan humour, not a bad way to leave your brains behind and spend a lazy weekend with the terminator.  

If you can’t get enough of romance on Valentine’s Day or still trying hard to impress your date, try catching the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ novel, Safe Haven. How about upsizing it to a double bill and catch the Donnie Yen/Kai Ko/Angelababy’s rom-com, Together?

Of course, if you desire something different from the usual crowd, the Thai-thriller, Countdown, Bill Murray’s Hyde Park on Hudson, the Japanese anime One Piece Film Z and the widely-panned comedy, Movie 43  are available at selected cinema chains.

Is this a mass suicide for the distributors or strategic planning at their end? Take your pick this weekend because the audience ultimately is the winner at the cinema. Excuse us while we await anxiously for the Toto results.