THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

Anthony Zimmer is a rich, smart gangster hunted by the formidable and feared combined forces of the French police, ex-KGB members and the Russian mafia. But he’s a slippery chap whose only weakness seems to be his sexy thirty-something girlfriend Chiara (Sophie Marceau). Like the Kaiser Soze character in Bryan Springer’s The Usual Suspects we never get to meet Zimmer, though we learn about him through Chiara. Marceau (Braveheart, The World is Not Enough) is spot on with her performance, at times reminiscent of Linda Fiorentino’s femme fatale in The Last Seduction, though she’s let down by the plot which is too straightforward. What’s more, director Jérôme Salle seems to like to show as many gratuitously naked bodies as possible (or at least scantily clad ones). Still, the cheap thrills, plus Marceau, will leave the film’s male audience captivated throughout, if only for two hours.
TF1/Studio Canal

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

As if the world hasn’t enough real-life terrorism, here we go, once again, with a new terrorist-loaded season of 24. Kiefer Sutherland is back as Jack Bauer and, this time around, he must deal with not one, but several threats to national security. All to be done and dusted within 24 hours of course. Ho hum. The series has become all too predictable – it’s easy to tell when someone is about to be tortured or killed, all for the sake of the nation, if you please. That said, the show does have its moments: clock-ticking, gripping scenes, and paralyzing tension are conveyed with great effect through clever editing and hand-held cameras.
But the main draw here is bad guy Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy), a villain whose cunning puts him one step ahead of Bauer. Strange that such a charismatic terrorist should feature so prominently on the hawkish Fox network. Maybe they’re trying to tell us something.
20th Century Fox Television

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

While Ice Age was irreverent, witty and tasteful, this follow up by the same team of animators lacks the same qualities. Where did they go wrong? The film was cooked from the same recipe – simple story, technical wizardry and a gag a minute – but unlike its predecessor, Robots isn’t nearly innovative enough for an adult audience. Children, however, will find enough bits and bolts to chew on as evidenced by the film’s box office success – a respectable USD 36.5 million in its opening weekend (though still short of Ice Age’s record breaking USD 46.3 million). The plot is simple enough – robot Rodney Copperbottom leaves Rivettown to make it big in Robot City, but will the evil Ratchet put a spanner in his works (or a ratchet perhaps)? Expensive production and all-star cast providing the voices (Ewan McGregor, Robin Williams, Halle Berry et al.) add up to cheap divertissement.
Blue Sky/Fox Animation Studios

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
November 2005 issue

A woman loses control after realizing she cannot recognize her own husband. Meanwhile, another mutilated body is found by the police who suspect a serial-killer is on the loose. Such is the plot of French director Chris Nahon’s captivating thriller L’empire des Loups (The Empire of Wolves) set against the exotic backdrop of Paris’ Turkish ghetto. Adapted from journalist-turned-author Jean-Christophe Grangé’s fourth novel, the film is brilliantly photographed and deserves praise for its plot twists, action and tension – much of it reminiscent of Hitchcock. Leading man Jean Reno (Leon, Mission Impossible) offers a restrained performance as always, but is let down by co-stars (Bas, Jover and Quivrin) who grate on the nerves and considerably lessen the impact of an otherwise enjoyable romp.
Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Films

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
November 2005 issue

The Myth, starring the prolific Jackie Chan, marks a return to form for the action hero whose career has been in decline for nearly a decade. The stunts, plot, jokes and acting are better than usual, and the film has some moments of real poetry. Chan suffers from spreading himself too widely (actor, stuntman, director and producer) which often results in half-baked flicks. However, here the film is more than the sum of its parts. The plot features parallel storylines: one contemporary, the other set during the Qin dynasty. The cast is equally diverse, intentionally so, as Indian actress Mallika Sherawat will increase the potential box office take by adding a third of the world’s population. In any case, Chan’s ambitions are clear: “I want to be an Asian Robert De Niro,” he recently boasted. One can always dream, but at least the man is back on the ladder instead of falling off it.
Media Asia

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
November 2005 issue

This second adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel meanders for the first 30 minutes until Johnny Depp takes center stage. His turn as the eccentric owner of the titular chocolate factory is a bravura performance. But then Depp specializes in playing oddballs. Who can forget his first outing with director Tim Burton as the digitally-challenged Edward Scissorhands? Charlie is Depp and Burton’s sixth joint venture and the film has already taken in USD 300 million worldwide.
This is a movie best appreciated on the big screen, so try the IMAX theater which has a format ten times larger than a conventional screen, and a massive sound system to boot (14,000 watts, to be exact).
Later, you might want to compare this with the 1971 version, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder in the title role. The latest version is true to Dahl’s novel, though it is somewhat lighter in tone than the book. However, any thought that Depp or Burton have lightened up permanently must be dispelled by the title of their recently released: Corpse Bride.
Warner Bros
IMAX at Peace Cinema/268 Xizang Middle Rd/63225252

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
November 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
November 2005 issue