Genre: Drama/Fantasy
Director: J.A. Bayona
Cast: Felicity Jones, Lewis MacDougall, Liam Neeson, Toby Kebbell, Sigourney Weaver
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: PG (Some Frightening Scenes)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 20 October 2016

Synopsis: 12-year-old Conor O'Malley (Lewis MacDougall) is about to escape into a fantastical world of monsters and fairy tales. He is dealing with his mother's (Felicity Jones) illness, which has necessitated Conor's spending time with his less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His daily existence at his U.K. school is one of academic disinterest and bullying by classmates. As Conor's father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away in the U.S., the boy yearns for guidance. He unexpectedly summons a most unlikely ally, who bursts forth with terrifying grandeur from an ancient towering yew tree and the powerful earth below it: a 40-foot-high colossus of a creature (portrayed in performance-capture and voiceover by Liam Neeson) who appears at Conor's bedroom window @12:07 one night - and at that time on nights thereafter. The Monster has stories to tell, and he insists that Conor hear them and powerfully visualize them. Conor's fear gives way to feistiness and then to looking within; for, The Monster demands that once the tales are told it will be time for Conor to tell his own story in return. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth.

Movie Review:

‘A Monster Calls’ begins with a single frightening image – twelve-year-old Conor O’ Malley desperately trying to hold on to his mother (Felicity Jones) before she is swallowed by a giant hole beneath the earth atop a grassy knoll with a ramshackle church and a majestic yew tree. Thankfully, it is no more than a nightmare that Conor wakes up from at precisely 12:07 am one night. And yet, Conor’s reality is no less harsh – an absent father (Toby Kibbell) who now lives in Las Vegas with his new family; a mother dying from cancer; a stern grandmother (Sigourney Weaver) who insists he move in with her given his mother’s condition; and three bullies in his class who pick on him from time to time after school. Amidst these bitter facts, Conor has to contend with the arrival of the 12-metre ancient yew tree coming to life as the titular Monster, who tells Conor that he will return on three subsequent nights to tell Conor a story each time before demanding a fourth tale from Conor in return.

Adapted by Patrick Ness from his 2011 best-selling novel, the fantasy drama is in fact a bittersweet, often painful, but deeply moving account of bereavement and growing up, anchored by Conor’s coming to grips with the grim burden of terminal illness and the inevitable death of his mother. As perplexing as they may seem at first, the moral and purpose of each one of the three stories which the Monster narrates in Liam Neeson’s deep gravelly voice will soon become clear – the first concerns a prince waiting to come of age to ascend the throne and his stepmother cum de facto caretaker of the throne; the second is about the rivalry between a pastor and an apothecary; and the third has to do with a loner who is tired of being invisible to the people around him. Not surprisingly, the narrative’s progression is tracked by the sequence of these stories, which also illuminate the Monster’s true mission of teaching and healing (and not of destruction).

This his third feature-length film, Spanish director J.A. Bayona chooses to portray the parables in beautiful watercolour-like animation – and given how the Monster covers Conor’s eyes every time to force the latter to envision each story as vividly as he can, it is clear that the vignettes are products of Conor’s own imagination. The same however cannot be said of Conor’s interactions with the Monster. Is the Monster a mere figment of Conor’s daydreams? Or is the Monster some mysterious creature that is somehow visible only to Conor? Further blurring the lines are the real-life consequences that Conor has to face up to following the Monster’s second and third story – in the former, Conor realizes he has completely obliterated his living room, including his grandmother’s favourite grandfather clock; and in the latter, Conor has assaulted the class bully in the school canteen so badly that the boy has to be sent to the hospital.

Though it may deal with the coming-of-age of a young boy, there should be no mistaking that ‘A Monster Calls’ is dark stuff. Each fable challenges the assumptions arising from binary thinking – it is as the Monster explains, ‘there is no good or bad; most people are somewhere in between’. When telling Conor the story of how he fell in love and married Conor’s mother, his dad says that love stories end ‘messily (rather than happily) ever after’. But most agonizing of all is Conor’s mother’s degeneration as she gets weaker with each unsuccessful treatment, as glimpsed by her gradually emancipating body. No one is ever fully prepared to cope with the process of losing a loved one (though age may make an individual more resilient), and through Conor’s anguish, Bayona illuminates some profound lessons in navigating the vagaries and miseries of life.

It is too easy for such illness-centred family dramas to slip into melodrama, but the masterful Bayona never overplays his victim’s worsening condition or Conor’s descent into anger, frustration and helplessness. There is great finesse in how Bayona depicts Conor’s world of pain and loss, complemented by a raw and gripping performance by British actor Lewis MacDougall as Conor. Each one of his character’s relationships is strongly played with a veritable supporting cast – with Neeson as the Monster who guides Conor through his subconscious fears; with Weaver as his chilly but ultimately affectionate grandmother; and last but not least with Jones as his mother whom he loves beyond words. Keeping the list of characters small lends the character drama an intimate quality, and the impact of these life-changing circumstances on Conor felt even more keenly.

Truth be told, ‘A Monster Calls’ was one of the most poignant experiences we’ve had in a theatre for some time, with every bit of sentiment well-earned by heartfelt storytelling. Indeed, even though it combines fantasy with realism, there is nothing pretentious about its central story of inner turmoil precipitated by intense grief and loss. You may not come away remembering much about its moments of magic, but we guarantee that you’ll have a searing memory of coming to terms and letting go – not only of the people we cannot bear to be apart from but also of our own feelings as a result. Simply put, this is an incredibly touching film with sharp emotional truths and well-observed allegories; to call it a masterpiece is no overstatement. 

Movie Rating:

(One of the most profoundly moving experiences we've had in a long while, 'A Monster Calls' mixes fantasy and reality to conjure a bittersweet, often painful, but sharply observed coming-of-age story about bereavement and growing up)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Shinsuke Sato
Cast: Yo Oizumi, Kasumi Arimura, Masami Nagasawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Yoshinori Okada
Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Gore)
Released By: Shaw 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 20 October 2016

Synopsis: A mysterious virus suddenly spreads throughout Japan causing widespread panic. People infected with the virus rapidly transform into zombie-like creatures and are called ZQN (pronounced zokyun). The ZQN then attack people with superhuman strength and their victims eventually become ZQN as well. Hideo Suzuki (Yo Oizumi), a 35-year-old manga artist, happens to meet a female high school student, Hiromi Hayakari (Kasumi Arimura). They escape from the city together, despite Hayakari being bitten by a baby ZQN. However, the baby ZQN that bit her did not have teeth, resulting in her being half ZQN. The pair then meets Nurse Yabu (Masami Nagasawa) at a shelter. Yabu hopes she can draw an antibody from Hayakari.

Movie Review:

 ‘I Am A Hero’ is based a popular zombie manga of the same name, and is even considered to be the greatest zombie manga ever by a critic. The story is about Suzuki Hideo (played by Yo Oizumi), who was once an award winning manga artist. However, he seemed to have entered a slump and haven’t achieved any breakthroughs since. He leads an ordinary life, an everyday person who goes through the motion for livelihood, accepting his fate of being an assistant at the manga house. Even though his first name Hideo literally means hero, his personality and accomplishment is nowhere near it.

One day, an infectious flu-like virus began to spread throughout Japan. It causes infected people to transform into zombie-like creatures, who then attack other non-infected human beings, biting them and spreading the virus to them as well. This impacts Hideo’s life dramatically as well, when people close to him – namely his girlfriend and colleagues at work – become infected as well. Take flight rather than take fight, he flees away from the panic and meets Hiromi Hayakari (played Kasumi Arimura). She plays a key character which brings the hero out of him.

‘I Am A Hero’ is nothing less than entertaining. Despite the violence and gore from fighting off the zombies, the film is overall light-hearted. At one of the key scenes, there was even an analysis of the zombies based on their respective occupations and personalities, giving each zombie character and individuality. This further amuses and contends the general impression of zombie as being ‘lifeless creatures’.

As expected, the film was also big on action. After all, the non-infected humans are fighting for their survival. There was a good buildup towards the final showdown when Hideo rose up to the occasion as the hero. It was one of the highlights where the character development peaked and mood heightened. Though outnumbered, each surviving person fought till the end for humanity. The emotions and the action were both well captured.

The story appeared to be quite boring at first, with Hideo totally missing the x-factor of a lead character (disclaimer here that it’s not due to the actor, but more of the character design) as well. But the story developed well as it brought us on an accelerated journey to see how Hideo claimed his spot to be the hero of his own narrative. This parallels many ‘normal’ lives, and has a unique appeal. It seems to give a message that anyone can become a hero, for as long as they try and emerge from the slump.

To suit the movie version, there are several points which are different from the original. One of the significant difference is the attitude of Hideo’s girlfriend, Tetsuko. In the manga original, she is someone who understands Hideo’s circumstances, but in the movie, she was always questioning his passion. Also, none of Hideo’s horror fantasies was talked about in the movie. While some people may find this a pity, but these adjustments ensured the movie was not draggy.

‘I Am A Hero’ may not your typical zombie movie, where it’s all about the gore and violence. More than that, it depicts a journey in achieving self-fulfillment, an unexpected outcome in this fight against the zombie apocalypse. Brace yourself for an entertaining and visually impactful 126 minutes.

Movie Rating:

(Viewer discretion is advised: extreme body mutilation, brain juice splashes and much blood are depicted. But perfect to satiate your zombie appetite)

Review by Tho Shu Ling

Genre: Documentary
Director: Naotaro Endo　
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: G
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2016

Synopsis: Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, renowned as ‘the world’s largest fish market’ is significant not only by its scale but more by the unique role it has played in Japanese food culture. All the best fish around the world, about 2,000 tons of fish worth sixteen million dollars arrive at Tsukiji every morning. There are about seven hundred intermediate whole sellers called “nakaoroshi” running their own fish shops under one roof. Nakaoroshi are fish experts with origins dating all the way back to the 16th century. Each nakaoroshi specializes in a certain category, such as tuna, shrimp or eel and their way of business, skills and knowledge in handling fish is passed down from generation to generation even to this day. Located right next to Ginza in central Tokyo, they have catered to the needs of demanding professionals and Tsukiji’s effort to offer the best quality fish for their customers never ceases. Through the lives of professionals working at Tsukiji, the film will portray how Tsukiji has been the center of fish culinary culture and helped Japanese food culture to flourish as we know it today. With Tsukiji moving from current location to Toyosu in 2016, its critical to capture this unique fish market in its current state. It is our great hope that this film helps tell the rich cultural story of Tsukiji so it can be carried on for the future.

Movie Review:

Tsukiji Wonderland is a documentary film which details the ins and outs of one of the busiest fish markets in the world – the Tsukiji Market. A first impression of a documentary film is that it could be boring, or has an endless regurgitation of facts after facts. However, Tsukiji Wonderland not only viewed its subject matter in a unique angle, it also engaged viewers from the beginning to the end.

The start of the movie gave a perspective of what Tsukiji Market meant to people, especially key people who invested much of their lives in Tsukiji Market. It could be quite offputting when it was said that the Tsukiji fish market is not only “the best one, it is the one and only”. It seems to convey a lot of elitism and snobbishness in that statement. However on retrospect, when the documentary is viewed in its entirety, one would really come to that same conclusion. Tsukiji Market, being the ‘one and only’, is in fact a symbol of pride and humility.

The movie had an excellent flow, first by engaging the audience with food – sushi. Even the most uninitiated person in the crowd would have come to associate Japan with sushi. The Japanese food culture was definitely introduced as a key part in the movie. The colour and vibrancy in them were also an eye feast. In doing so, it fascinates and establishes a bridge with the audience. This allows them to understand and take interest in what goes behind the food, and by extension the rest of the film.

One of the key highlights of the movie was its entire movement and balance. It talks about seasons, and about the ups and downs. The actions that go beyond the public’s eyes in the market, the rhythm in the making of food, the intricateness, passion and kodawari (roughly translates to the fastidiousness and pickiness in quality) of the pros – these were all were captured in their natural environment – genuine and undecorated.

To top off another reason to see through the lenses of Tsukiji Wonderland, is that it has rare footages from reels on the openings of the Tsukiji Market and also areas out of bounds to the general public. In particular, the movie took considerable amount of time to look closely into the lives of the heroes of Tsukiji Market – the intermediate wholesellers – who literally live and breathe the culture of the market. To explain the ‘kinship’ system they have within the market and with their customers, it was told elegantly through time and just by demonstrating how interconnected their lives are with one another.

The director demonstrated fluency in the subject matter. In this 16 months’ worth of filming, the market was explored from the inside out, with its impact extending beyond the market documented rightly as well. While the director developed the movie with foreign audience in mind, the topics explored in the movie was definitely relevant to its local audience as well. Borrowing words from the director Endo, “…people cannot objectively see their own culture so seeing it through the eyes of foreigners is an effective way to do it.” (a remark he gave for consulting Theodore Bestor, a professor of anthropology and director of the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University, who also wrote “Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World.”).

​Tsukiji Market is definitely only a tip of an iceberg with regards to Japanese culture. Yet, it is a gateway to begin the understanding of the profoundness of the Japanese culture. Although one of the motivations behind this movie is to bid farewell to Tsukiji Market, the tone of the movie was fun and light-hearted, not sentimental and melancholic. It also concluded with great hopes and positivity in continuing its legacy. 

Movie Rating:

(A beautiful and moving documentary of the Tsukiji Market, packed with passion and pride. Such a fitting tribute!)

Review by Tho Shu Ling

EXPAND YOUR MIND: AN IMAX 3D EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT DOCTOR STRANGE Posted on 28 Sep 2016 Marvel Studios announces Marvel Studios’ Expand Your Mind: An IMAX® 3D Exclusive First Look, featuring approximately 15 minutes of exclusive footage from the highly anticipated, action-packed Doctor Strange. The sneak peek will be showcased in over 115 theater locations across North America. Select IMAX 3D theaters nationwide and 3D & IMAX 3D theaters internationally will offe ... more

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Guo Jingming
Cast: Fan Bingbing, Kris Wu, Chen Xuedong, William Chan, Amber Kuo, Yang Mi, Lin Yun, Yan Yikuan, Aarif Rahman, Roy Wang, Wang Duo
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Clover Films and Cathay Keris-Films 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 October 2016

Synopsis: The Odin Mainland is separated into four counties, in each lives a group of soul masters protecting their county with their soul powers. The most powerful seven of them are known as Noble Lords. The story begins in the water origin, the Aslan Empire. Qi Ling has been a bus boy in an inn since young and subconsciously tamed a legendary soul beast in a battle between soul masters. Yin Chen came on orders of the Silver Priests to take in him as his disciple. With his help, Qi Ling heads to the Grave of the Souls to seek his soul weapon… At the very same time, another conspiracy that has long been in the works within the Aslan Empire is gradually revealing itself. 

Movie Review:

Legend of Ravaging Dynasties or L.O.R.D in short is touted as China’s first CG motion capture fantasy movie directed and written by Guo Jingming of Tiny Times fame. It boasts a star-studded cast and technology seen in Avatar, The Polar Express and Beowulf  though to be frank, the entire affair is unlikely to garner much attention despite the ambitious product aiming at the YA crowd. 

In what ought to be one of the most convoluting and mashed up movies in recent times, LORD started out with a seemingly ordinary orphaned waiter, Chiling (Chen Xuedong) who is taken in by a powerful Duke, Silver (Kris Wu) as a disciple after he crossed path with a ferocious icy beast. Magical creatures, super powers of all sorts and numerous characters with mouthful names all appear in a short span of time after a drowsy narrative by Chiling. Just don’t probe further because we are as confused as you.

Guo Jingming apparently has no patience in establishing a coherent narrative for audiences who are not familiar with his writings to follow. After a brief time spent with Silver and Chiling, the appearances of Lotus (Fan Bingbing) and Youhua (Kelly Lin) brought our main protagonist to another mission and location that is to seek his soul weapon. At the same time, a war between good and evil is brewing in the city of Odin or is it just the empire of Aslan alone? The evil Dark (William) and Thalia (Amber Kuo) together with Ni Hong (Aarif Lee) and Shen Yin (Yang Mi) are planning to fight for power and domination. What else is new?   

Not content in making a straightforward fantasy battle between good and evil, Guo Jingming piles his movie with so much happenings and characters in a frail attempt to cover up the ridiculously weak story. It is obvious Guo borrows heavily from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter even and wu xia novels, recycling some of the themes and plotlines. In the case of the Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson took his time to craft a moving journey of how four unlikely hobbits tried to destroy the One Ring while interspersing the story with other memorable characters like Aragon and Gandalf the wizard along the way. In a stark contrast to what Jackson did, Guo practically threw whatever he could lay his hands on expecting audiences to digest whatever he tries to put on screen.

As silly as it sounds, Guo did devote the last twenty minutes of the flick backtracking and making all the main characters explaining what actually happened prior. The exposition certainly does help to make sense to the befuddled plotting and motivation but at the same time, it also enhances some of the confusion. What’s all that fuss about Gilgamesh? So that creepy white boy is actually a high priest in disguise? By the way, what’s the difference between Lord, Duke and Disciple? So many questions and so little answers. At this point, we guess you don’t need to be a Mensa certified genius to tell you that sequels are definitely expected.

With the exception of Fan Bingbing’s Lotus, Kris Wu’s Silver, the rest of the male characters laughingly seem modelled after the likeness of Orlando Bloom’s Legolas from the hairdo to the costume. Luckily, Fan’s Lotus is alluring and looks exactly like her in life-action movies. Former EXO member, Kris Wu’s CG incarnation will also please his fanbase. The other recognizable faces, Aarif Lee looks more buffed than usual in a thankless role that doesn’t require him to utter any dialogue. The usually sweet, demure Amber Kuo plays against type and thanks to technology, appears taller than her actual self. Tiny Times’ Chen Xuedong tackles a role that occasionally requires him to provide the laughs and an almost homoerotic relation (rather than Master and disciple) with Silver.

Movements on the whole are unnatural and some of the secondary characters suffer from ‘dead eyes’ as in the case of Tom Hanks in The Polar Express. The graphics look poorly rendered especially in the darker scenes and on a harsher note, it’s no better than a videogame done in the early 2000s. Xiong Xin Xin from Once Upon A Time In China helps to choreograph the action sequences though I bet you can tell the difference between an actual stunt and an imaginary computer effect.   

Despite Guo’s best efforts to attempt something drastically different from his ultra-successful Tiny Times series, Legend of Ravaging Dynasties is an amateur piece of shoddy work that is best watched with minimal expectation. On the other hand, fans of Kris Wu and Fan Bingbing will not be disappointed seeing their CG performances. 

Movie Rating:

(Lacking a captivating story and convincing CG effects, it’s best to avoid)

Review by Linus Tee

RINGO LAM (1955 - 2018) Posted on 30 Dec 2018 It has been reported that renowned Hong Kong director Ringo Lam has died in his home at the age of 63. Lam is known for his "on fire" series of films, which includes City on Fire (龍虎風雲) and Prison on Fire (監獄風雲). Together with Tsui Hark, Ann Hui, Lam was part of Hong Kong’s New Wave movement from the late 80’s to ... more

Genre: Sci-Fi/Romance
Director: Peter Chelsom
Cast: Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield, Carla Gugino, Britt Robertson, BD Wong
Runtime: 2 hrs
Rating: PG (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 February 2017

Synopsis: In this interplanetary adventure, shortly after arriving to help colonize Mars, an astronaut dies while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet—never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot—an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing. While searching for clues about his father and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street—smart girl named Tulsa. When he gets a chance to go to Earth, Gardner is eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars. After his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere. Gardner joins Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be and where he belongs in the universe.

Movie Review:

A teenage boy born and raised on Mars breaks out from his NASA enclosure on his maiden trip to Earth, hooks up with the girl he’s been video-chatting, and the two embark on a road trip across the United States to find his long-lost father while falling in love with each other in the process. That’s the story Allan Loeb wants to tell, which is meant to be as much a coming-of-age journey for its male protagonist Gardner (Asa Butterfield) as it is a romance between Gardner and plucky Colorado high-schooler Tulsa (Britt Robertson). To do both equally, Loeb and his director Peter Chelsom find themselves needing to explain how Gardner came about under such unplanned and unexpected circumstances, what those circumstances mean for him physiologically and psychologically, and last but not least how Gardner and Tulsa would navigate the peculiarities of their unusual coupling. It’s a lot of space (or ground) to cover, and true enough, ‘The Space Between Us’ is as wobbly and uneven as the first steps that Gardner takes in our gravity-dense environment.

That much is evident right from the get-go, which spends a good half-hour documenting the mission conceived by visionary scientist Nathaniel Shepherd (Gary Oldman) to create the first Martian colony that will come to be named ‘East Texas’, the discovery two months after going into space that lead astronaut Sarah Elliott (Janet Montgomery) is pregnant, the unfortunate timing of Sarah’s delivery just as their spacecraft reaches Mars, her demise after giving birth to Gardner, and why Nathaniel and his co-founder Tom (BD Wong) decide to keep Gardner’s birth a secret. Despite skipping ahead sixteen years right after, it will take yet another half-hour to establish Gardner’s discontent with his isolation, the preparations leading up to his maiden trip to Earth, his pent-up frustration at being cooped inside NASA, and finally his escape while under medical evaluation to find Tulsa and the biological father that he never knew. It may try to make significant lengths of time passing quickly, but trust us that the first hour is fatally rushed yet sluggishly paced.

Thankfully, those patient enough to sit through the labored setup will at least be rewarded with a more compelling second half. Across the American Southwest, Gardner and Tulsa will try to find the beach house in the photo that Gardner has of his mother and another male whom Gardner believes is his father, while dodging Nathaniel and Kendra who have the resources of the local authorities at their disposal. Tulsa isn’t your cookie-cutter teenage heroine; rather, the orphan who’s been through a number of foster homes is very much her own girl, hot-wiring a crop duster to lift Gardner out of trouble, calling his ‘bullshit’ out when she does not believe him and tracing the dots one by one to locate Gardner’s father. No thanks to the pressure difference between Earth and Mars, Gardner finds himself in mortal danger because of an enlarged heart – and it is Tulsa who will drive him the last mile, proving to be not just company but an indispensable ally in Gardner’s quest.

Even as Loeb turns on the sentimentality with such lines as ‘your heart’s too big’ or ‘his heart can’t handle our gravity’ and Chelsom reciprocates with scenes of Gardner and Tulsa kissing and cuddling in the Grand Canyon at night with only their headlights as illumination, the leads Butterfield and Robertson keep their budding romance real and endearing with a nice complementarity that juxtaposes Gardner’s sweet naivety with Tulsa’s icy straight-talking exterior. There is an obvious age difference between the 19-year-old Butterfield and the 26-year-old Robertson, but that disparity actually works in their characters’ favour here, emphasizing the difference between one who has pretty much grown up in a ‘bubble’ environment and another who has seen her fair share of rough and tumble in life. It is their romance that earns the series of last-minute twists/ revelations surprising poignancy, even though it is not quite so hard to guess just who Gardner’s father really is and/or ignore the obvious deus ex machina for the obligatory sappy conclusion.

As flawed as it may be, it is hard to completely hate this sci-fi teenage romance mashup, not least because of its appealing leads. Had it glossed over its E.T. premise and spent more time developing the central relationship between Gardner and Tulsa, ‘The Space Between Us’ would probably have been much more enjoyable. Pity then that both Chelsom and Loeb spend almost half the time trying to figure out what sort of movie they want this to be, and not simply have settled for being the romance fantasy which it really is earlier – and whether of Chelsom’s doing or not, the overbearingly maudlin musical score does it no favours, even working against it by diluting the dramatic impact of some crucial turning points in the story. Still, there is a touching soulfulness at the end of this interplanetary star-crossed romance, so even if it isn’t altogether otherworldly, there is at least some gratification for those who have not put space and/ or distance between them and this movie. 

Movie Rating:

(Not quite knowing if it should be intriguing sci-fi or sappy teenage melodrama, this mashup flounders close to half its time before finally finding its sure – and even effective footing – as the latter)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: War/Romance
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode, Simon McBurney, Marion Bailey, Josh Dylan, Anton Lesser
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: http://www.alliedmovie.com

Opening Day: 5 January 2017

Synopsis: In 1942, an intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.

Movie Review:

‘Allied’ begins in Casablanca, 1942, with Canadian Wing Commander Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) parachuting into Morocco to team up with French Resistance agent Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) on an undercover mission to assassinate the German ambassador, one which requires that Max and Marianne pass off as a French businessman and his wife. The setting is more than just coincidence – by choosing the city which has also lent its name to one of the most well-known Hollywood wartime romances, Robert Zemeckis wants you to know right from the very beginning that his World War II romantic thriller is a throwback to earlier epics of love, betrayal and espionage. And as far as homage is concerned, ‘Allied’ is most certainly deft and effective, even though its allure is somewhat undermined by an all-too stoic performance by its leading man.

Indeed, ‘Allied’ requires us to buy into the passion between Max and Marianne, two professional agents who would, for the sake of each other, put aside their better judgment and succumb to love in the field. Their mission therefore is more than just a prologue; it is an entire first-act devoted to explaining how their imitation of love would lead to genuine love itself, so that we not only buy into Max’s dilemma in the subsequent act but also like Max and Marianne as a couple to feel as conflicted as he does in deciding whether to act out of love or loyalty to country. That the Casablanca-set setup is taut and convincing is as much credit to Zemeckis as it is to his writer Steven Knight; with assured poise, both establish a solid and suspenseful build-up of their central couple’s personal and professional stakes – the former culminating in a diverting sequence that sees Max and Marianne make passionate love inside their car in the midst of a raging sandstorm on the eve of their operation, and the latter unfolding as a tense game of deception (including a test of Max’s card skills by a Nazi officer) that eventually explodes into a bloody shootout.

The change in location from the dusty dunes of the Moroccan desert to the tranquil upscale neighbourhood of London’s Hampstead right after mirrors as much the drastic shift in tone, which quickly but surely sets up the life of domesticity that Max and Marianne settle down to after their successfully completed mission – the birth of a daughter during a blitzkrieg, a desk-bound job for Max at the S.O.E., and a demobilised Marianne becoming the centre of an artsy Bohemian circle in their neighbourhood. That life of bliss is threatened by the sudden revelation from Max’s superiors (Jared Harris and Simon McBurney lending some excellent supporting work) that Marianne may be a German spy, who give Max 72 hours to carry out a series of instructions intended to verify their claims; if they are proven right, Max is given strict orders to execute her himself, as per the ‘standard operation procedure for intimate betrayal’.

There are but one of two possible outcomes – either she is a spy or she is not – and the fact that we not only care about the truth but also hope for the latter is proof that Zemeckis has succeeded in captivating our hearts. In fact, Max’s determination to exonerate Marianne very much reflects our own, embarking on his own series of quests against time to prove Marianne’s identity, even at the risk of collateral damage. We’d say this much; Zemeckis doesn’t leave the mystery open or hanging, but he does keep you on tenterhooks by concealing his cards tightly all the way to a thrilling and poignant finish. Ever the slick, professional master, Zemeckis calibrates both a love story and an espionage plot tightly and skilfully, succeeding in constructing not only a dangerous sense of intrigue but also a genuinely affecting portrait of emotional betrayal and moral ambiguity without ever getting too mawkish or sentimental.

As accomplished as Zemeckis’ method is, ‘Allied’ ultimately soars or sinks on the shoulders of Pitt and Cotillard, both of whom have to sell not just the fact that their characters are in love with each other but also the complications of their relationship. Cotillard has demonstrated more than once her ability to exude a chameleonic presence as well as portray the femme fatale, and she makes Marianne a fascinating enigma while keeping us wondering whether she has indeed a double identity. On the other hand, Pitt remains matinee-idol stiff, handsome and attractive to look at but too distant to immerse you fully into his character. At the very least though, Pitt and Cotillard share a palpable chemistry that defines their erotic and romantic attraction to each other, such that there is never any doubt of the emotional, sexual and political undercurrents which serve to pull them together and push them apart.

That said, ‘Allied’ never quite makes you swoon, but insofar as a nostalgic throwback to classic Hollywood wartime romances, Zemeckis’ formidably staunch and precise technique more than makes the movie an emotionally gripping watch. There will most certainly be criticism of how this is a star-driven vehicle whose characters are no more than gloss, but Pitt and Cotillard are consummate movie stars whose appeal and dazzle breathe enough life into their characters to sweep you away into a bygone era. And with Gary Freeman’s detailed sets as well as Joanna Johnston’s lush costumes, ‘Allied’ is through and through a grand example of old-fashioned moviemaking – classy, graceful and built on the notion of pure unadulterated escapism. 

Movie Rating:

(Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard breathe old-school movie-star glamour into Robert Zemeckis' deft and diverting throwback to the classic Hollywood wartime romance genre)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Believe it or not, this reviewer is still holding on to the cassette of 1991’s Beauty and the Beast. The 2017 release of the live action movie just means one thing: it is time to revisit the tale and the music, both as old as time (before you wonder where this writer is going to get a cassette player in this day and age – he does also have a CD version of the soundtrack).

There were 50 minutes of music spread over 15 tracks in the beloved album. The first half contains the movie’s musical numbers writer by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, while the second half features Menken’s Oscar winning score. If you didn’t already know, the titular track “Beauty and the Beast” also took home the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Enough reasons to be excited about this deluxe edition soundtrack of the 2017 film directed by Bill Condon? You bet.

Disc One contains 63 minutes of songs spread over 24 tracks. If you are a fan and already remember the 1991 tunes by heart, you will be pleased to hear Emma Watson giving a distinct character to “Belle” and Belle (Reprise)”; Josh Gad and Luke Evans crooning to the hilarious lyrics in “Gaston”; Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Ian McKellen performing the big show number “Be Our Guest”; Watson and Dan Stevens sharing a romantic moment in “Something There”; Evans and Gad rousing heated emotions in “The Mob Song” and of course – Thompson singing to you that “Beauty and the Beast” is “tale as old as time” and “song as old as rhyme”.

Fans who have put the 1991 soundtrack on repeat for the last 26 years may spot several alterations to instrumental arrangements and changes to lyrics. The performers may also not meet the vocal heights of original voice cast members like Paige O’ Hara (Belle), Richard White (Beast), Jerry Orbach (Lumiere) and the perfect Angela Lansbury (Mrs Potts). But be assured that the new renditions of these songs still deliver musical movie magic.

There are also new songs written for the 2017 movie (lyrics by Tim Rice) which you will find on Disc One. “How Does a Moment Last Forever” is a lullaby performed lovingly by Kevin Kline in the “Music Box” version and Watson in the “Montmartre” version. Celine Dion (who sang “Beauty and the Beast” with Peabo Bryson during the 1991 movie’s end credits) performs the beautiful radio edit here. “Days in the Sun” is performed by the enchanted objects in the movie, while Stevens’ Beast sings the soulful “Evermore” (Josh Groban is the perfect choice for the radio edit).

If there is one thing we have some qualms about, it would be the choice to have Ariana Grande and John Legend perform the radio edit of “Beauty and the Beast”: the end result seems a little too contemporary for comfort. Disc One is rounded up by five of Menken’s demo tracks (it is a trend to include demo tracks in the deluxe versions of soundtracks to make up the bulk).

Soundtrack fans will also rejoice at the fact that there are 69 minutes of Menken’s score on Disc Two. There are references to the songs throughout the score, and if you are familiar with the Disney’s Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast, you will recognise the nice touch to include “Home” from the stage version. It has been a while since Disney spoilt its fans with such an immersive musical experience. With the many live action adaptations of Disney’s beloved classics coming up, we hope we can continually be spoilt with such lovely soundtrack albums.  

ALBUM RATING:

 

Recommended Track: Disc One - (5) Belle 

Review by John Li

Genre: Action
Director: Dante Lam
Cast: Eddie Peng, Wang Yanlin, Xin Zhilei, Lyric, Wang Yutian, Xu Yang, Carlos Chan, Li Mincheng
Runtime: 2 hr 18 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 December 2020

Synopsis: A rescue unit within the Chinese Coast Guard are forced to overcome their personal differences to resolve a crisis.

Movie Review:

If you’ve seen ‘Operation Red Sea’ and ‘Operation Mekong’, you’d agree that Dante Lam is one of the best, if not the best, directors in contemporary action cinema. No other Chinese filmmaker has accomplished the same gritty realism and pulse-pounding exhilaration as he had done in both of these preceding movies, and it is not surprising you’d hold the same expectation with ‘The Rescue’. 

In terms of action, Lam doesn’t disappoint. The opening sequence alone sees an elite emergency rescue unit of the Chinese Coast Guard aim to rescue two persons trapped atop a burning offshore oil rig on the brink of collapse, and it takes bravado for a movie to open with a sequence as spectacular as this. From the point that the fearless Captain Gao Qing (Eddie Peng) unhooks himself from the cable he is dangling off the side of a helicopter to land atop the rig, to the point that the helicopter has to make some evasive mid-air manoeuvres to dodge the wildly swinging cranes as the rig crumbles, and finally to the successful airlift evacuation, you’ll be transfixed by the sheer harrowingness of that introduction.

Within the next two-and-a-half hours, you’d be indulged with three more of such gripping set-pieces – including one where the unit has to save the driver of a vehicle transporter trapped within amidst a fast-moving river, and another where they are called to rescue passengers on board a flight which has crashed into the open ocean. Each is a race against time, but more importantly, Lam’s absolute resolve for authenticity ensures that you’ll feel the trepidation and thrill of every single moment. The finale is expectedly the most elaborate of them all, set within an LNG carrier out at sea that is on fire and at risk of exploding anytime. Like we said, Lam, who also choreographed the action, delivers the spectacle as stunningly as you can imagine.

And yet, measured against his last two films, ‘The Rescue’ undeniably pales in comparison. Whereas both Operations had the benefit of being singularly mission-driven, the overall narrative here is less focused and ultimately rather distracted, with Lam striving to wrap the four action high-water marks around the personal lives of the heroic men and women of the rescue unit. In actual fact, most of it is centred on Gao Qing, a single parent whose professional calling means that he is unable to be as present and attentive towards his precocious young son Congcong (Zhang Jingyi) as he would like to. Gao's newly-wed teammate Zhao Cheng (Wang Yanlin) also gets some screen time, although you’ll soon realise that is more expedient than anything.

Indeed, despite some assist from veteran Hong Kong screenwriter Lawrence Cheng, Lam’s scripting has obvious storytelling flaws. Not only are there a couple of throwaway scenes involving Congcong and his newfound four-eyed curly-haired friend in school, there is also an all-too indulgent subplot dedicated to the budding romance between Gao Qing and the new female pilot Fang Yulin (Xin Zhilei), whom Congcong is enamoured with and urges his father to marry. Most egregiously, there is a shamelessly manipulative (though effectively heart-tugging) turn in the last hour which sees Congcong undergo an emergency operation to remove a tumour in his brain just as his father has to answer the call of duty.

That these episodes turn out less cringey than they could very well be is thanks to Peng’s unaffected charisma, bonding effortlessly with an irresistibly adorable Zhang while sharing some lovely chemistry with the coy Xin. This is Peng’s fourth collaboration with Lam, and he anchors the film through and through, not just by how he singlehandedly performs each and every one of the film’s most dangerous stunts, but also by injecting just the right extent of masculinity into the role. Likeable though Peng may be, it is equally true that the movie would have benefitted spending more time on the other characters, who end up being wallflowers even though they are part of the same team as Gao Qing.

Had Lam delegated the screenwriting and focused simply on directing, ‘The Rescue’ could probably have been a much tighter and more compelling motion picture. Each one of the rescue missions is a breath-taking spectacle in its own right, choreographed and executed with precision, confidence and flair to get your heart racing. Yet the rest is underwhelming, choosing to amplify humour, romance and melodrama, instead of genuine drama from the inherent conflict between these rescuers’ personal and professional responsibilities. Yes, this tale of, and tribute to, heroism is tense, affecting and riveting where you demand it to be, but after two highly accomplished Operations, you'll probably (and inevitably) be expecting more.

Movie Rating:

(As spectacular a disaster movie as you would expect from Dante Lam, 'The Rescue' unfortunately lacks compelling human drama to complement what it packs in tense, gripping action)

Review by Gabriel Chong