The Air I Breathe

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: December 13, 2007 (Greece) / January 25, 2008 (USA)

DVD Release Date: May 20, 2008

Plot 411: A vignette of four interwoven lives based on the principles of happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love.

Review: This movie is a drama that tells the story of four people by interlocking their fates. The first part is about a stockbroker (Forest Whitaker) who doesn't take any risks. When he finally bets on the horses, he loses a ton of money and the bookie (Andy Garcia) has only given him two weeks before he collects. Playing the collection agent is Brendan Fraser, whose character can see the future through visions. However, because of his gift he feels numb to the world. He is neither able to change the future nor avoid it. When his gift fails him for the first time, he meets a singer (Sarah Michelle Gellar) whom the bookie now owns. Deciding for the first time to attempt to make a difference, he tries to help her escape from the bookie. Another character (Kevin Bacon) is a doctor who throws caution to the wind in order to save the woman he loves (Julie Delpy). I enjoyed this movie because it questioned our ideas of happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. it poked holes in the stereotypes of each emotion and allowed us to see them from a different perspective. Is happiness merely being rich? Or is it being free to feel alive? Is pleasure all about the physical aspects of a relationship? Or maybe it's being surprised by what you thought was mundane. Is sorrow death? Or is it the knowledge that what you've finally found is gone? Does love mean that you live happily ever after? Or does it mean that you're happy to stand on the sidelines to watch others be happy? Also in this movie are Emile Hirsch and Kelly Hu.

Watch It: For the different truths that are revealed and ponder how they may relate to your own life.

Skip It: Because its multiple layers may not be what you're looking for in what appears to be a crime drama.

The Tournament

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: October 8, 2009

DVD Release Date: October 20, 2009

Plot 411: Every seven years a tournament of the world's best assassins is held for money and pride.

Review: From what I can tell, this is a straight-to-DVD affair starring Kelly Hu (Lai Lai), Ving Rhames (Joshua) and Robert Carlyle (Father MacAvoy). Seven years ago, Joshua participated in and won the tournament of assassins. He was the last man standing and walked away with the money. Now, seven years later, he enters the tournament for a different reason - to avenge the murder of his wife and unborn child. Lai Lai and 28 other of the world's best are also playing the game, and they eliminate each other until there is only one left standing. The man running the show uses all kinds of high tech gadgets to monitor the players from a confined room where others bet on the winner. When unsuspecting Catholic priest Father MacAvoy gets caught up in the game, Lai Lai attempts to keep him safe while avoiding her own elimination. As far as action thrillers go, this one is not bad. There are some terrific special effects as you can imagine since there are 30 people's deaths up for grabs. A lot of the kills are creatively done, which makes the effects that much more awesome. From sniper shots to face-to-face battles, this movie offers up some kick-ass ass kicking. The plot is nonexistent and is just in place to set up the next kill. Still, isn't that just what we want? Also in this film is Ian Somerhalder.

Watch It: Definitely for all the action set pieces and the quirky characters.

Skip It: Because, really, if you want blood and guts you can just turn on your TV and watch the news.

Shanghai Kiss

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: N/A

DVD Release Date: October 9, 2007

Plot 411: A man returns to the motherland and learns to like who he is.

Review: This was an odd film because it tried to do so much with so little. The main character, Liam (Ken Leung), is a Chinese American trying to make it in Hollywood. He is rather limited in his opinions about his culture and heritage. He doesn't appreciate it and actually battles against it, thus conforming to society's "white is right" mantra. Despite being cognizant of how messed up this is, he continues to struggle against society's whacked perceptions and his own skewed viewpoints. While returning home from an unsuccessful audition, Liam meets Adelaide (Hayden Panettiere), a high schools student. They quickly bond and he begins to wrestle with his feelings for her despite her youth. Before things can get sorted out, he goes to Shanghai to claim a house his grandmother left him. Here, he finally discovers what it is like to be Chinese and begins to embrace his culture. I just want to say that if Panettiere hasn't gotten on your last nerve yet, she will in this movie. This movie is also too ambitious for what it's trying to say. Questions of identity, racial stereotypes, societal pressures and views on love are all pertinent to the plot of this film but are just too heavy for this medium. Maybe with a stronger plot and better actors, these themes could be more fully explored. Instead we get some ramshackled attempt at a meaningful film. Also in this film is Kelly Hu, James Hong and Joel Moore.

Watch It: If maybe you yourself are rebelling against your own Asian-ness?

Skip It: At all costs because it's pretty lame.