Constantine

As usual for this time of the year which is the Chinese New Year, my cousins and I - all kids of the same generation, we all pack ourselves into a few cars and travel onwards to the nearest cinema to cacth the latest flick. No matter how far we've come, no matter how busy we are, no matter how much we all argue all year round, we make this almost compulsory.

It's a tradition of sorts for us. Kinda like hollies and turkey for Christmas, red packets and oranges for New Year. A new tradition we've been making for ourselves actually since some of them have only just earned their driving licenses. Horrifying to imagine that some of these kids used to be in diapers when I was in school! And now they're driving!

This year, I made the choice of Constantine. And thank God, I made the right choice. Like every other Hellblazer fan, I didn't fancy having our hard-biting, sarcastic thoroughly English mage turned into some slick Americanized version. I didn't like the fact that he wasn't blond and that he wasn't wearing a beat-up tan-coloured trenchcoat. Nor did I like the idea that Chas Chandler, his faithful taxi-driving friend had been turned into some kid sidekick.

The movie deals with John Constantine just as he's dealing with the spectre of terminal lung cancer - a usre one way ticket to hell especially with his previous attempted suicide. At the same time, a police detective Angela Dodson played by Rachel Weisz, seeks his help in solving the mystery of her psychic twin's sudden suicide.

But all that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the show. I admit parts of the movie dragged on a bit, I certainly could have hoped for a more fast-paced adaptation but overall I think the directors managed to stay quite close to the spirit of the character. It was great seeing John Constantine ( albeit looking a little darker and more American ) looking bleary and tired, flicking up his lighter for another cigarette.

Not only did it rekindle my interest in Hellblazer, it also made me take a closer look at one of my earliest crushes again. What can I say... it would take a stronger man than me not to feel weak in the knees. Keanu Reeves.. those defined washboard abs. That amazing bubble butt :) Not really a great surprise that Hell wants a piece of him.

Another movie that I took a quick look at was Closer. A really unusual movie about four personalities, all quite well-to-do, reasonably intelligent and yet all unable to maintain a committed relationship without hurting the other. Watch this intriguing drama to see a fascinating scene where Clive Owen has cybersex with Jude Law in a case of mistaken identities.

Yeah, Clive Owen and Jude Law together. I can just see the delicious possibilities.