WALT DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS REVEALS THE CHARACTERS AND VOICE TALENT FOR UPCOMING FEATURE FILM "MOANA" Posted on 26 Jul 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana, which opens in theaters nationwide on Nov. 23, 2016, features a dynamic roster of characters brought to life by a talented group of actors. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who were behind “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin,” “Moana” showcases the life-changing journey of a tenacious 16-year-old who teams up ... more

Genre: Comedy
Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, Kate McKinnon, T.J. Miller, Jamie Chung, Rob Corddry, Abbey Lee, Randall Park, Courtney B. Vance, Vanessa Bayer
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: M18 (Nudity and sexual references)
Released By: UIP 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 December 2016

Synopsis: In OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY, when the CEO (Jennifer Aniston) tries to close her hard-partying brother’s branch, he (T.J. Miller) and his Chief Technical Officer (Jason Bateman) must rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs. The latest comedy from directors Will Speck & Josh Gordon (BLADES OF GLORY) co-stars Olivia Munn, Jillian Bell, Vanessa Bayer, Courtney B. Vance, Rob Corddry, Sam Richardson, Jamie Chung, Randall Park and Kate McKinnon in the funniest movie of the holiday season.

Movie Review:

Overheard in the bathroom: “Erm, I know this is a Christmas show, but this isn’t really suitable for kids right?”

I think the guy might have missed the memo about the M18 rating but - no kidding. Office Christmas Party is your urban hedonistic party nightmare come true.

We know office parties are one of the confusing conundrums of our times. You’re celebrating your holiday in a place where you’d like to be away from. Clay Vanstone (T.J. Miller) knows this but being the earnest, idealistic boss that he is, he wrangles his trusted advisers Josh (Jason Bateman), Tracey (Olivia Munn), Mary (Kate McKinnon) and Jeremy (Rob Corddry) to organise one for his beloved start-up Zenotek.

In comes his wound-up CEO of a sister Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) who wants to shut his branch down because they are underperforming with growth at “only” 6.5%. The jealous sister, who begrudges her playful brother for being the doted sibling, is only held back when Josh and Tracey pitches their attempt to close a deal of $14m with a potential client, Walter Davis (Courtney B. Vance). With the meeting scheduled for that same day, she grants them an extension.

The meeting doesn’t go too well, but Clay comes up with an idea to hold an epic office Christmas party to impress the uptight Walter. In comes snow machines, ice slides, reindeers, and even a fully committed “Jesus” actor to rev things up. What can possibly go wrong, right?

Directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck churn out one of their classic formulas, a contemporary story with its dial turned up to “overload”. Office Christmas Party is filled with enough pop culture references and humour spectrum to satisfy the most jaded of us. The event goes awry in ways that will make you wince and chuckle gleefully all the way.

There are priceless one-liner observations, such as those uttered by a deadpan Mary, “But no cronuts. Those are pastry bastards.” Her nemesis in Customer Support, Jeremy advises Josh in the middle of the party, that “there’s a real human centipede situation going on in the men’s room”. Wicked.

The body gags are also there. Witness Clay’s unthought-out sleigh ride down his office staircase as Santa, or Nate’s (Karan Soni) single-minded, unaffected response to his street accident - “Merry Christmas!” The stuntmen should be having a field day.

We can't forget that a party on overdrive can get raunchy; so you’ll see an elf sculpture dispensing eggnog where he shouldn’t, folks 3D-printing their privates, and a disturbing fetish from Fred (Randall Park). Naughty or nice, it’s pretty much all covered - or uncovered.

Whatever the situation, the film’s pace almost never lets up, thanks to the deluge from the motley ensemble. But that’s not to say that Office Christmas Party is without its flaws. It splinters up into several story arcs, which thins down some of the more important motivations, such as Josh’s betrayel or Mary’s sudden reversal. It also over-relies on awkwardness, such as the scene when Josh and Tracey comes out dancing in plastic snowman suits. Also, when a movie contains priceless one-liners, a trailer can ruin plenty, so stay away (although many laughed anyway - or more so, hmmm - at those parts).

The scenes that worked best were when the party wasn’t raging. The initial office meeting really established the dynamics between the office workers, with their quirks and temperaments, yet delivering on sniggers. Another scene-stealer was the one where the no-nonsense Carol comes back to her airport lounge seat to find her cinnamon snack stolen by a bratty girl opposite her. She false-dials Santa to report the girl (Summer Fontana) and punches her with a verbal “Fuck you,” before trotting away in her Louboutins. Oh snap.

Worth a mention, Jillian Bell and Da’Vine Joy Randolph were stand-outs, portraying schizophrenic pimp Trina and fully-invested office security guard Carla with flair. Every scene they appear in makes for a good un-Christmassy laugh.

The film performs reasonably well handling its massive cast, and although it can do with more focus on the overall plot, Office Christmas Partyis like a string of Christmas lights - multicolored, always flashing but always fun to watch.

Movie Rating:

(This sleigh ride is a little bumpy, but remains a comedic fast and furious way to celebrate a wacky, funny Christmas. Enjoy!)

Review by Morgan Awyong 

Theme song for 'My Love, Sinema' clinches TOP spot on iTunes Mandopop charts Posted on 04 Aug 2016 The theme song for upcoming local movie has clinched the top spot on the iTunes Mandopop charts, just days after its release! Titled《放映爱》after the movie, the soulful ballad features the vocals of film’s lead actor Tosh Zhang, who sings his very first Mandarin love song. Tosh stars opposite Cheryl Wee in his very first period drama, ‘My Love, Sinema ... more

Genre: Action/Fantasy
Director: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Andy Lau, Pedro Pascal, Willem Dafoe, Hanyu Zhang, Eddie Peng, Lu Han, Kenny Lin, Junkai Wang, Zheng Kai
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence)
Released By: UIP 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 December 2016

Synopsis: Directed by Zhang Yimou, The Great Wall tells the story of an elite force making a last stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure. An official Chinese co-production, Legendary is partnered with Universal Pictures, China Film Co., Ltd and Le Vision Pictures. Le Vision Pictures and China Film Co., Ltd will distribute the film in China.

Movie Review:

The Great Wall of China - over 21,000 km of brick, stone and wood, is undisputedly an impressive piece of work. It’s forbidding, inspiring, and a titan of a feat, being built upon the tragic backs of many forced in its construction. The passing of two thousand and three hundred years has taken away some of its majesty - a third lost to the environment and wear - but the world marvel still has not lost all of its shine.

The same can be said of Zhang Yimou and his latest movie of the same name. The Great Wall is Zhang’s newest offering - a period fantasy epic shot in China, with the gloss and budget of Hollywood spectacle. To seal the crossover, he’s secured Matt Damon and Pedro Pascal as his foreign mercenaries characters, who stumble onto an alternative retelling of why the iconic structure exists.

A wonder unto himself, Yimou’s international regard as a legendary director has been overtaken by his more flamboyant skill as a visual stylist in recent times. His most familiar works, Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower clearly denoted this, with colour playing a big part in both his film palette and storytelling. In The Great Wall, the same coding and spectrum has been applied, but where once his rich colours decorated a sensuous drama, in this film, it comes across contrived and unsettlingly like something out of a video game.

Matt Damon is William Garin, a gifted soldier and pilferer of treasures to line his pockets for his survival. He is joined by his Spanish friend Pero Tovar (Pedro Pascal). They stumble onto one of the outposts of the wall, with Captains of the Deer, Eagle and Tiger clan (Xuan Huang, Kenny Lin and Eddie Peng) staring down at them from high-flying flags and higher cheekbones. Originally sentenced to the dens, the two manage to escape their fate when they show their accidental kill of an earlier monster assailant and its severed paw to General Shao of the Bear Clan (Zhang Hanyu) and Commander Lin of the Crane Clan (Jing Tian).

This also intrigues their advisor and strategist, scholar Wang (Andy Lau), who wants to investigate how Garin managed to single-handedly dispose of a creature. A signal from afar sets off a warning that an unexpected premature attack is mounting and the troops rally under colourful flags and nunchucks-induced drumbeats to fight the mysterious monster - the Tao Tie.

Legend has it that these reptilian beasts were punishment sent from the heavens for an Emperor's greed. They are hungry gremlins with insatiable appetites, harvesting human meat for their well-protected queen Tao Tie who reproduces the more she is fed. Oh, and she controls the entire horde with her mind, signalled by a quivering flap on her head. She is only foiled at world dominion by the sacrifice of the soldiers at the wall, and thus the story is set.

Armed with his bow and supernatural archery skills, Gamin saves a hapless soldier (Lu Han) from his death, and later fully wins the favour of the entire Nameless Order when he helps them to defeat the vicious beasts time and again.

The Great Wall is undeniably a visual splendour. Zhang’s finesse in painting scenes will always hold an audience captive. The structure is seen in day and night, through fog and moonlight to showcase the classical iconic beauty. The different soldier clans, with their diverse fighting styles, present a spectacle that is surely breathtaking. Backed by the formidable soundtrack from Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones) and Zhang’s perchance to include ingenious contraptions in his later films, like a nod to the Chinese finesse at inventions, the film will be a crowd-pleaser wanting their blockbuster entertainment to close the year.

But The Great Wall could have benefited from an additional 15 minutes (it is currently 105 minutes) because the rote script seemed to have forgotten to set the environment up, making caricatures out of the heavyweight actors. Maybe overburdened by the ensemble and crowded at the top (there’s a whopping 12 names in the producer rung), the focus dissipates and lands each actor precious few lines and the ones with more, banal and unconvincing.

Lin is an over-glorified Mu Lan, whose leadership is never really demonstrated, but fully respected when Shao hands over his reign to her. Lin’s philosophical thrusting at Garin, preaching “trust” as a value to fight for, is awkward and unpalatable. The repetition of the word “xin ren” (trust) by Garin is cringe-worthy. Damon himself suffers from his material, often trying his best to show his internal struggle with no script to back it up. His transformation from petty thief to honorable soldier is presented by way of dazed pacings and lingering looks at Lin or the landscape, whichever is available at the time.

Andy Lau’s Wang fares a little better, being able to expound on his theories about the Tao Tie. Lu Han also gives a memorable performance, as the dedicated but clumsy soldier. But sadly, for the others, they struggle not against imaginary monsters, but to root their presence on the screen. Even hot commodity Eddie Peng is reduced to only a few slow-motion scenes, one pandering to his fans with a topless shot.

Maybe this landmark project deserves a break. The line between Hollywood formulas and Chinese methods must have been redrawn many times, shifted with different audiences in mind. Fortunately, it pulls through, with enough enchanting scenes and thrilling fight sequences to satisfy most. And no don’t worry, it’s not a white savior film - well, not totally.

Movie Rating:

(With the crossover and film-making cultural dissonance, the film suffers in plot and focus, but excels in visual storytelling under Zhang’s poetic hands)

Review by Morgan Awyong 

Genre: Comedy
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Mark Consuelos, Cheryl Hines, Robbie Amell, Malina Weissman, Talitha Bateman, Christopher Walken
Runtime: 1 hr 27 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 5 August 2016

Synopsis: Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) is a daredevil billionaire at the top of his game. His eponymous company FireBrand is nearing completion on its greatest achievement to date - the tallest skyscraper in the northern hemisphere. But Tom's workaholic lifestyle has disconnected him from his family, particularly his beautiful wife Lara (Jennifer Garner) and his adoring daughter Rebecca (Malina Weissman). Rebecca's 11th birthday is here, and she wants the gift she wants every year, a cat. Tom hates cats, but he is without a gift and time is running out. His GPS directs him to a mystical pet store brimming with odd and exotic cats- where the store's eccentric owner- Felix Perkins (Christopher Walken), presents him with a majestic tomcat, named Mr. Fuzzypants. En route to his daughter's party, Tom has a terrible accident. When he regains consciousness he discovers that somehow, he has become trapped inside the body of the cat. Adopted by his own family, he begins to experience what life is truly like.

Movie Review:

Kevin Spacey and Christopher Walken – put these two veterans together in the same movie and there is a possibility that audiences around this reviewer’s age will be inclined to look beyond the silly premise, just to see the two award winning actors acting opposite each other on the big screen. Obviously, this marketing ploy worked for this columist, so expect a lenient review for a movie which many others would deem as kitty litter.

Spacey (how can anyone not be impressed with his portrayal of Frank Underwood in hit TV series House of Cards?) plays Tom Brand, an unlikeable tycoon who is also an unlikeable husband and father. In a storybook twist of fate (so the bad can learn to be good), he meets with an accident and his soul gets transferred into a cat named, ahem, Mr Fuzzypants. Watch how the man trapped in a kitty save a business from corrupt corporate villains. And oh, the bigger picture is how the he will win back his family’s love. Somewhere in the mix, there is a cat whisperer played by Walken, a pretty wife played by Jennifer Garner and a vivacious ex wife played by Cheryl Hines.

Say what you will about this movie is an attempt to lure kitty lovers (and err, fans of Spacey and Walken) into the theatres to milk some quick bucks. Sure, there is nothing particularly imaginative here (talking cats in this day and age, really?), but the movie doesn’t pretend to be smart – it is extremely easy to watch with its 87 minute runtime, and the countless number of harmless humour is easy to digest. If you’re going to enter the cinema feeling all pissed about not being able to get tickets to Suicide Squad (or any other blockbuster type of movies), we are guessing you won’t be too amused with any of the jokes – yup, you would better off sipping coffee at a nearby café.

One mystery this writer probably can’t solve is how a story like this requires not one, not two, not three, but five writers. Gwyn Lurie, Matt R Allen, Caleb Wilson, Daniel Antoniazzi and Ben Shiffrin are credited – were there eight other drafts before this over simplified version was approved by the bosses? Barry Sonnenfeld, best known for his directorial work on the Men in Black series, probably isn’t going to get much praise for his efforts to helm a family friendly flick here, but like the stars who agreed to be part of this project, he is likely to move on after cashing the pay check.

So how do Spacey and Walken fare, since most people would be paying to see these legends on the big screen? Let’s just say the two actors probably did not spend much effort to play their characters. Spacey may have spent a day filming, and another day recording his lines for Mr Fuzzypants. Walken aptly takes on the role of the creepy old man. Would this reviewer becomes self righteous and condemn these two highly regarded stars for being involved in a lazy comedy? Nope, that’s how the commercial world works, if you haven’t already realised.

Is this the worst comedy featuring talking animals you’ll see? Probably not – remember 2004’s Garfield: The Movie (Bill Murray was involved in that one), an unnecessary sequel in the form of 2006’s Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties and 2008’s Beverly HillsChihuahua(it’s got not one, but two sequels). This just proves that there is still a market for such genres, and there are stars who are willing to lend their star powers to such titles. 

Movie Rating:

(Avoid this if you aren’t a fan of cute talking animals. Otherwise, you may be mildly amused if you’re a fan of Kevin Spacey or Christopher Walken.)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: James Schamus
Cast: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts, Ben Rosenfield, Linda Emond, Noah Robbins
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 August 2016

Synopsis: Based on Philip Roth’s late novel, Indignation takes place in 1951, as Marcus Messner (Logan Lerman), a brilliant working class Jewish boy from Newark, New Jersey, travels on scholarship to a small, conservative college in Ohio, thus exempting him from being drafted into the Korean War. But once there, Marcus’s growing infatuation with his beautiful classmate Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), and his clashes with the college’s imposing Dean, Hawes Caudwell (Tracy Letts), put his and his family’s best laid plans to the ultimate test.

Movie Review:

If the majority of a movie contains heavy dialogue scenes, there is a high chance it would not go down well with most mainstream movie goers. These days, you only feel you have gotten your worth after seeing countless explosions, car chases, bare fisted fights and also not forgetting, computer generated effects. When a film featuring lots of conversations engages you from beginning to end, you will have to admit this is a gem.

And this is exactly what James Schamus’ directorial debut is like. Based on Phillip Roth’s 2008 novel of the same name, this 110 minute movie is a fine piece of work from start to finish. Set against the backdrop of the Korean War, a working-class Jewish student (played wonderfully by the understated Logan Lerman), leaves Newark, New Jerseyto attend a small college in Ohio. There, he experiences a sexual awakening after meeting an elegant and wealthy girl (Sarah Gadon), and confronts the school's dean (the highlight of the film: Tracy Letts) over the role of religion in academic life.

Schamus, best known for his written works (the screenwriter was nominated for 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and 2005’s BrokebackMountain), tries his hand at directing. While this writer has not read the original novel, he is guessing that the subject matter is one that requires a mature mind to fully appreciate. And you can trust the winner of the Cannes Film Festival Best Screenplay Award (for 1997’s The Ice Storm) to comfortably deal with this topic.

This is essentially a coming of age tale about a boy and a girl, just that it takes place in another era. We urbanites are probably unfamiliar with the intricacies of those times, where rules, obligations and constraints are the focus of many people’s lives. The restrained atmosphere of the film is aptly complemented by Schamus’ decision to keep things grounded and straight to the point. What makes you think instead, are the strong undercurrents between the characters. Lots of dynamics are on play here, with power shifts and intentional word play.

It is also fortunate that Schamus has Lerman and Gadon to play the protagonists. The result is a compelling drama between the characters. It keeps viewers glued to the screen (not with convenient cinematic approaches like those listed above), and leaves you wondering why certain personalities behave in a certain way. If there is anyone who will make you sit up and watch, it is Letts who makes every second on screen count. Watch out for two scenes where he and Lerman have a civilised yet heated debate over issues which would otherwise be cheapened by social media today.

When you walk out of the theatre, you know you have caught a film that is keen to tell a good story.  

Movie Rating:

(James Schamus' first film is a handsome piece of work, a restrainedly engaging film)

Review by John Li

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Ben Stassen, Vincent Kesteloot
Cast: Ron Allen, George Babbit, Laila Berzins
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 4 August 2016

Synopsis: On a tiny exotic island, Tuesday, an outgoing parrot lives with his quirky animal friends in paradise. However, Tuesday can’t stop dreaming about discovering the world. After a violent storm, Tuesday and his friends wake up to find a strange creature on the beach: Robinson Crusoe. Tuesday immediately views Crusoe as his ticket off the island to explore new lands. Likewise, Crusoe soon realizes that the key to surviving on the island is through the help of Tuesday and the other animals. It isn’t always easy at first, as the animals don’t speak “human.” Slowly but surely, they all start living together in harmony, until one day, when their comfortable life is overturned by two savage cats, who wish to take control of the island. A battle ensues between the cats and the group of friends but Crusoe and the animals soon discover the true power of friendship up against all odds (even savage cats).

Movie Review:

Sure, Robinson Crusoe might be best known for spending years all alone on an uninhabited island with only the birds and beasts for company, but we doubt he ever ended up making friends with them and getting them to pitch in to build his treehouse. Nor for that matter did Daniel Defoe’s classic adventure story ever have any talking animals or a pair of evil felines, but hey this cartoon from Belgium’s nWave animation house is aimed squarely at the kids. Which is also why, rather than have Crusoe himself narrate his own story, it quickly hands over those reins to a bright red parrot named Mak (voiced by David Howard), for whom Crusoe’s arrival on his South Pacific island is proof of his theory that there is a bigger world out there than he and his fellow islander friends are aware of.

The latter happens to be a motley crew comprising of a chameleon named Carmello (Colin Metzger), a tapir named Rosie (Laila Berzins), an echidna named Epi (Sandy Fox), a short-sighted goat named Scrubby (Dieter Hallervorden) and a kingfisher named Kiki (Lindsay Torrance). A storm at sea maroons Crusoe (Yuri Lowenthal) and his loyal pet dog Aynsley on the island, where the local inhabitants greet them with a mix of confusion, distrust and outright suspicion. That makes them prime fodder for two conniving cats (Debi Tinsley and Jeff Doucette) to exploit them in the hopes of a good meal and good vengeance on Crusoe and his mutt, both of which were responsible for thwarting their greedy plans from the start on board the ship.

Barring a twist that sees the cats return with their offspring after being cast away on a deserted rocky outcrop referred to as Curse Island, this is as straightforward a story – credited to Lee Christopher, Domonic Paris and Graham Welldon – as it gets, with Crusoe winning over the animals by his earnestness and eventually teaming up with them to get the better of the litter. Just as underwritten is the dialogue, which aims for witty but ends up blasé, especially as quips such as ‘just wait till I get my hooves on them’ meant to pass off as humour. Yet if you’ve seen any of nWave’s previous animations ‘Sammy’s Adventures’ or ‘House of Magic’, you’ll know that storytelling isn’t exactly their strong suite, not when we’ve seen the likes of Pixar.

Notwithstanding, directors Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen are well aware that the strengths of their tale lie in its visuals, and that is where both have wisely opted to impress. Every shot looks vibrant and eye-catching, from the pastel quality-coloured backdrops (especially the sunset hues) to the action-packed final battle. In particular, the latter offers a giant man-made aqueduct transformed into a mega marble run for which the bad cats give chase to Crusoe’s animal chums. To be sure, the hijinks aren’t quite as high-energy as this dynamic conclusion though, and the middle act where Crusoe sets out to win the hearts of Mak’s friends unfortunately is rather dull to sit through.

The fact that it does pop even more in 3D is inconsequential to the Singapore release, for which only the 2D format is being screened. That said, ‘Robinson Crusoe’ is aimed and intended squarely for those below the age of 8, and we suspect the lively visuals will more than hold their attention for the duration of the film. Those hoping for a faithful big-screen treatment of Defoe’s classic might do better to sit out this one or go back to reading the novel one more time, because the thrills here are purely juvenile. 

Movie Rating:

(Strictly for the kids – this dumbed-down adaptation of the classic novel that features talking animals and a pair of evil cats offers lively visuals and nothing more)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Sam Huntington, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://www.sully-movie.com

Opening Day: 8 September 2016

Synopsis: On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the "Miracle on the Hudson" when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

Movie Review:

If this reviewer had the opportunity to live to the ripe old age of 86, and be renowned as an actor, filmmaker and musician, you can say it is literally a life well lived. Clint Eastwood is one such individual. Those old enough would know him as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Western movies during the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, Californiaborn Eastwood was the antihero cop Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films. Younger viewers would know him for the films he directed – 2003’s Mystic River, 2006’s Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, 2009’s Invictus and 2014’s American Sniper.

While some may feel that Eastwood’s films are too slow moving for comfort (for one, this reviewer thought that the Oscar winning Million Dollar Baby was a tad too dreary), but you’ve got to give it to the man. At 86, and after receiving critical praise internationally (he was a recipient of France’s highest honours: the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Legion of Honour medal; as well as the the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement), you can bet he knows what he is doing.

And why did it take so long for Eastwood to work with Tom Hanks, one of the greatest actors of our time? Well, good things are worth the wait. In this timely released biographical drama (read: Oscar bait), Eastwood does what he does best, telling the story of an American Hero; while Hanks gets to play a character you will feel greatly for.

Some 17 years ago, veteran US Airways pilots Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffery "Jeff" Skiles made the news when they landed their airliner in the cold waters of the Hudson River. No thanks to a flock of birds which hit the plane shortly after it took off, both engines were down. To make things worse, no airport was in range and in less than three minutes, Sully made the decision to land the plane carrying 155 passengers and crew in the river – with no loss of lives. What follows is a series of dramatic events involving the media and pesky investigators which will put his career, loved ones and reputation on the line.

Running at 96 minutes, the film is masterfully edited. The story unfolds in flashbacks, and the timeline moves to and fro. Viewers are kept interested as events unfold – eagerly anticipating Sully’s eventual fate, whether good will prevail at the end of the day. It is a slow and steady tale as Eastwood takes his time to develop the story. Told from different viewpoints, you have to admit that keeping the film below two hours is a feat.

After saving Private Ryan (1998’sSaving Private Ryan), Christmas (2004’s The Polar Express) and his son (200’s Road to Perdition), Hanks plays a character who is lauded for saving the lives of 155 individuals in an accident that could have ended in tragedy. Like the previous stellar performances, Hanks effortlessly portrays a humble, everyday man who is recognised for doing great things. This is the Tom Hanks everyone loves.

This is an easy film to enjoy (the CGIis seamless, and the action scenes are harrowing), a film that will make you feel that humanity is in good hands (more so if you are an American). There is nothing wrong with that, considering the increasing amount of cynicism in countless other movies these days. Eastwood has delivered another piece of work which proves that being old is not a factor for him – he is like the fine wine that gets better with age.

How many Oscars will the film be nominated for, and how many would it take home? Will Hanks be crowned with his third Best Actor accolade? We are also hoping that Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney, who plays Jeff Skiles and Sully’s wife Lorraine Sullenberger will land Best Supporting nominations. This is a film you will want to root for to at the upcoming awards season. 

Movie Rating:

(Clint Eastwood’s sure-handed direction, coupled with Tom Hanks’ unassuming portrayal of an American Hero makes this film an emotionally engaging piece of work)  

Review by John Li

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Dennis Gansel
Cast: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 September 2016

Synopsis: Arthur Bishop thought he had put his murderous past behind him when his most formidable foe kidnaps the love of his life. Now he is forced to travel the globe to complete three impossible assassinations, and do what he does best, make them look like accidents.

Movie Review:

Wait, this movie is actually a sequel? There was a movie named The Mechanic? You see, that is the problem of Jason Statham movies. They are thoroughly enjoyable – women love the manly characters he plays, men wish to be the manly characters he plays – but they are also of the same mould. Can anyone articulate the difference between 2002’s The Transporter (and the two sequels that followed in 2005 and 2008, for that matter), 2006’s Crank (and 2009’s Crank: High Voltage, for that matter), 2008’s The Bank Job And 2013’s Hummingbird? They all have Statham portraying antiheroes (with a handsomely sculpted bod, nonetheless), fighting off baddies by performing his own stunts. The plot? Err, they don’t really matter.

The 49 year old conveniently takes on yet another similar role in Mechanic: Resurrection (okay, if you must know: it is a sequel to a 2011 movie, which was a remake of a 1972 film of the same name), and impresses viewers by, well, fighting off baddies in intense and over the top action scenes. Yup, viewers will also be treated to scenes of the English actor showing off his handsomely sculpted bod.

Dennis Gansel helms this action thriller, with a screenplay written by Philip Shelby and Tony Mosher. You wonder why two writers are involved when the movie simply involves Arthur Bishop (Statham), who chooses to live his life quietly after faking his death in the fist movie, is forced to return to the world of crime by killing three targets and staging them as accidents. The 99 minute movie brings viewers on a no brainer globe trotting adventure to Thailand, Penang, Sydney, Rio de Janeiroand Bulgaria.

If you have been agreeable to Statham’s previous movies, you will be able to sit through this one without too many complaints. You will get your share of close combat sequences which are, to be fair, engagingly edited. As described earlier, women will love this manliness and men will wish that they are this manly. These are shamelessly enjoyable guilty pleasures which will draw fans of action movies into the theatres.

The other reason why men may love this movie is the presence of Jessica Alba. Remember the good ol’ days when she boogied her way into men’s hearts in Honey (2003), hypnotise men as exotic dancer Nancy Callahan in Sin City (2005), wore sexy bikinis in Into the Blue (2005) and remained sensationally attractive as Sue Storm in Fantastic Four (2005). The 35 year old actress still has the goods, and sure knows how to flaunt them. For that, you even forgive the laughably awkward sex scene between her and Statham.

Another notable addition to the sequel is Michelle Yeoh, who is ridiculously wasted in a role that only requires her to look wise and spout intelligent lines (who else better to portray this than an Asian character?). Did you really need someone to say “those are best at killing are also the best at healing”? What seems to be lacking is only a crystal ball for her to gaze into. Tommy Lee Jones, looking as cranky as ever in his earrings, tiny sunglasses and colourful shirts, rounds up the cast as a baddie who, well, gives Statham a reason to pave the way for another possible sequel.   

Movie Rating:

(You only have yourself to blame if you were expecting an intelligent action movie with this Jason Statham vehicle – just sit back and enjoy the guilty pleasure)    

Review by John Li

Genre: Adventure/Action
Director: Hideaki Anno
Cast: Hiroki Hasegawa, Satomi Ishihara, Yutaka Takenouchi
Runtime: 2 hrs
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 25 August 2016

Synopsis: An unknown source causes a catastrophic accident in the tunnels of the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, leading to irreparable damage and massive flooding. An emergency cabinet meeting is ordered to salvage the situation and discover the cause of the accident. Soon after, a gigantic creature emerges and rampages through town after town, much to everyone’s horror. How will Japan deal with this gigantic “monster” that they know nothing about?

Movie Review:

‘Shin Godzilla’ isn’t Toho’s vainglorious attempt at re-capturing the success of recent Hollywood adaptations of its iconic Japanese monster. Quite the contrary, co-directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi know better than try to outdo their Western counterparts in terms of spectacle, and instead have made the astute decision to make a distinctly Japanese ‘Godzilla’ that will most certainly resonate with their home audience, even if it does come at the expense of alienating some non-Japanese viewers without the same cultural or historical context. In fact, we dare say that their film has the unique distinction of being both political allegory as well as real-world horror, and is surprisingly effective on either count.

No other recent event has been so seared in the Japanese consciousness as that of the 2011 Tohoko earthquake and tsunami as well as the consequent Fukushima nuclear disaster, not just because of the hundreds of thousands of people affected but also because it exposed how terribly unprepared the Japanese government was with handling a crisis of such proportions. The parallels here are unmistakable – from an indecisive Prime Minister (Ren Ôsugi) to the frustratingly bureaucratic attitude of his Cabinet ministers to the embarrassing revelation of his poor judgment (such as during a live press conference where Godzilla makes landfall right after he specifically tells the people that the creature will not) – and indeed meant no less than a searing indictment of just how inept the Naoto Kan’s administration was during 3/11.

Yet it isn’t hard to imagine how a movie based solely on such criticism would quickly turn monotonous, not least because the lead characters here are all political/ Government figures – among them, Hiroki Hasegawa’s outspoken and gutsy Deputy Chief of Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi, Yutaka Takenouchi’s opportunistic Aide to the Prime Minister Hideki Akasaka, and Satomi Ishihara’s Special Envoy for the United States Kayoko Ann Patterson – and each is defined only in terms of his or her role and ambition in relation to the ongoing calamity. None too subtle is the point, emphatically and unequivocally made, that while politicians wield the ingenuity and authority it takes to manage an unprecedented catastrophe, each is also simultaneously weighting the cost or opportunity of every decision or maneuver to his or her political futures. 

Just as illuminating, especially to the Japanese, is the strengths or limits of its military might post-WWII, seeing as how it has never yet seen the need to invoke the use of its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) or call in the help of the US military under the US-Japan Security Treaty. Under the pretense of exterminating Godzilla, Anno’s screenplay imagines what it would take not just for the SDF to be activated but also how US intervention would likely come with some strings attached. How and if at all it is meant to play into the current Shinzo Abe’s push for an expansion of the SDF role is quite perceptively left up to the audience’s interpretation, but there is no doubting that the introduction of the United Nations late into the film is meant to demonstrate how powerless nations not on its Security Council may be to resolutions passed by its five members on non-member countries.

Yes, if it isn’t yet clear, there is no intent here to highlight the human dimension of such an event; rather, it is domestic politics as well as the global world order that forms the basis of this re-incarnation of Godzilla. As a reboot, ‘Shin Godzilla’ starts on a clean slate, beginning with an underwater disturbance that briefly makes its way onto shore before going back out to sea, then returning as a much more highly evolved organism that grows and grows ever more fearsome. Fans though will not be disappointed – as with past iterations of Godzilla, this latest version not only has the ability to radiate highly destructive atomic rays from its dorsal fins, it also can set streets of buildings ablaze by spewing fire out of its mouth. It does take time to get used to the new ‘ShinGoji’ design, but rest assured that this beast is every bit as terrifying as it should be.

In fact, that palpable sense of fear is twofold – first, in tying the origins of Godzilla to Japan’s ignominious nuclear history; and second, in showing with utmost realism the wanton destruction of notable landmarks in Tokyo by the monster. The former has to do as much with the United States’ alleged dumping of radioactive waste in Tokyo Bay in the 1950s and 1960s as accusations of Japan’s own disposal of toxic ash from the burning of Fukushima’s nuclear waste into the same waters. The latter, on the other hand, sees entire districts in Tokyo ripped or flattened by Godzilla’s rampage, impressively staged by co-director cum VFX supervisor Anno (also known for last summer’s ‘Attack of Titan’) using a mix of old-fashioned puppetry and modern CGI. In particular, the combined US-Japan military assault on Godzilla along the banks of the Kano River and the finale in downtown Shinjuku is stunning, especially in imagining the magnitude of destruction that Godzilla could inflict on modern-day Japan.

Yet like we said at the start, if the promotional materials have given the impression that ‘Shin Godzilla’ is an action-packed blockbuster like its most recent Hollywood predecessors, you’ll do best to temper those expectations. Sure, there are beautiful sequences of Godzilla wreaking havoc, but because the focus is on displaying different types of political personalities and their responses towards such a crisis of proportions, there is a lot of talking (as well as ‘talking heads’) throughout the film and especially in the beginning. By tapping into the paranoia, fear and frustration of their fellow Japanese following their own recent real-life crises, Anno and Higuchi have made a contemporary ‘Godzilla’ that is sure to roar loud with their home crowd – and by that count, this is as its Japanese title suggests, a new and true incarnation as relevant as it is frightening. 

Movie Rating:

(Not your typical Hollywood blockbuster - 'Shin Godzilla' taps into the paranoia, fear and frustration of the Japanese people post-3/11 to deliver sharp political allegory and chilling real-world horror)

Review by Gabriel Chong