Writer: Peter Chai

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Watch this if you liked: “Valentine’s Day”, “Love Actually”

As 2012 draws closer, almost everyone is doing their best to spend their remaining days of the year wisely and start making their New Year's resolutions' list. If you have no clue on how to get over the regrets you had on the last day of a year and have questions on how to obtain a happier life in the New Year, "New Year's Eve" is definitely the film to answer your doubts.

Despite receiving largely negative responses from the movie critics and audiences for "Valentine's Day", Garry Marshall once again brings you a touching and inspiring piece with a star-studded ensemble in "New Year's Eve" by interweaving the stories of about what several couples and singles go through during New Year's Eve in the Big Apple together on the silver screen.

Some of the stories include Ingrid (Pfeiffer), a dowdy secretary, who asks Paul (Efron), an energetic messenger to fulfil her resolutions; Aimee (Berry), a caring nurse takes care of Stan (De Niro), an ill man who does not have much time left; Claire (Swank) is a producer of the New Year countdown at Times Square who is stressed out.; Tess (Biel) and Griffin (Meyers) are waiting for the birth of their first child eagerly; Kim (Parker) is being too overprotective of her 15 year-old daughter, Hailey (Breslin); Sam (Duhamel) is hesitating whether to meet the lady that he met a year ago; Jensen (Bon Jovi) has great achievement in his singing career but not in his relationship with Laura (Heigl) who works as a caterer; and last but not least, Elise (Michele), is a backup singer who is trapped in an elevator with her anti-New Year's Eve neighbour, Randy (Kutcher).

In this 2-hour film, the cast suit their roles well based on the script's concept of love, hope, second chances and new beginnings. There is nothing much to complain about the Oscars winners' performances, and you will not regret paying to watch how the great Robert De Niro, Hilary Swank and Halle Berry interpret their characters especially when it comes to facial expressions. Besides, audiences would also enjoy the combination of extremely well-developed emotional and humorous scenes as each of them can become a source of motivation for you to be a better person and cherish your loved ones come the brand new year.

However, watching the film in 2D does not make any difference than watching the film in its usual 35mm format so audiences should not have to feel pressured in picking either version.

Overall, Garry Marshall's latest effort does not let viewers down this time. Moviegoers are highly recommended to watch "New Year's Eve" if they want to experience the wonderful atmosphere of New Year's Eve celebration in Manhattan because the scenes are well-choreographed to make them feel as if they are really counting down with the excited crowd at Times Square.

Cinema Online, 07 December 2011